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Table of Contents
| Reviewer's Choice | Writing/Publishing Shelf | Social Issues Shelf |
| Education Shelf | Science Shelf | American History Shelf |
| World History Shelf | Civil War Shelf | Environmental Studies Shelf |
| Cookbook Shelf | Political Science Shelf | Business Shelf |
| Graphic Novel Shelf | Audiobook Shelf | Library CD Shelf |
| Library DVD Shelf | General Fiction Shelf | Historical Fiction Shelf |
| Literary Fiction Shelf | Romantic Fiction Shelf | Western Fiction Shelf |
| Mystery/Suspense Shelf | Fantasy/SciFi Shelf | Christian Studies Shelf |
| Automotive Shelf | Theatre/Cinema/TV Shelf | Gardening Shelf |
| Needlecraft Shelf | Crafts Shelf | Fashion Shelf |
| Architecture Shelf | Metaphysical Studies Shelf | Biography Shelf |
| Jobs/Careers Shelf | Travel Shelf | Photography Shelf |
| Health/Medicine Shelf | Art Shelf | Wine/Beer/Spirits Shelf |
| Antiques/Collectibles Shelf | Library Science Shelf | Mythology Shelf |
| Pets/Wildlife Shelf | Archaeology Shelf | Military Shelf |
| Autism Shelf | Technology Shelf | Music Shelf |
| Philosophy Shelf | Wisconsin Shelf | Criminology Shelf |
Reviewer's Choice
Ralph Milton
Douglas & McIntyre
c/o Harbour Publishing
www.douglas-mcintyre.com
9781771623100, $18.95, PB, 256pp
https://www.amazon.com/Well-Aged-Making-Platinum-Years/dp/1771623101
Synopsis: With the publication of "Well Aged: Making the Most of Your Platinum Years", author and octogenarian RalphMilton wants his readers to know that old age is not a disease circling the world ready to pounce on anyone over eighty.Many (maybe even most) old people say they are happier and more contented than they have ever been. And that's goodnews because we are living much, much longer than we used to. In fact, seniors are North America's fastest growingdemographic. To quote Milton, "Society has never had to deal with such a huge bunch of old people."
To address this societal shift, "Well Aged" offers a candid, useful and entertaining insider's take on life among the old-old.Not the recently retired who are enjoying Arizona winters and unlimited golf, but those in their last years, usually in theeighty- to one-hundred-year-old bracket. "Well Aged" is a lively and candid look at what it's really like to be old, writtenby someone living the experience, and sprinkled liberally with humor.
The topics addressed with great practicality and insight in the pages of "Well Aged" include: Identity and independence;Choosing where to live; Personal health needs and priorities; Community support, friendships and recreation; Spiritualityand religion; Intimacy, companionship and sexuality; Loneliness, depression and frailty; Leaving a legacy and end-of-lifearrangements.
When the subject of the elderly does get public attention, as it has during the Covid-19 pandemic, the focus is usually onwhat can go wrong. "Well Aged" expands this conversation around aging, and it is essential reading for anyone who needsto put out their birthday cake with a fire extinguisher -- as well as those who love and care for them.
Critique: An impressive compendium of information, observation, insight and advice, "Well Aged: Making the Most ofYour Platinum Years" is an exceptionally timely and unreservedly recommended addition to personal, professional, seniorcitizen center, community, college, and university library Self-Help/Self-Improvement and Longevity/Geriatric collections.It should be noted for personal reading lists that "Well Aged: Making the Most of Your Platinum Years" is also readilyavailable in a digital book format (Kindle, $12.99) where the print size can be readily adjusted into a larger sized font.
Editorial Note: Currently residing in Kelowna, BC, Canada with Beverley, his wife of 63 years, Ralph Milton was thepublisher of Wood Lake Books from 1980 to 2000. He has written hundreds of magazine articles and is the author of overtwenty books. He holds two honorary doctorates (Doctor of Divinity and Doctor of Sacred Letters).
The Green Hour: A Natural History of Home
Alison Townsend
University of Wisconsin Press
728 State Street, Suite 443, Madison, WI 53706-1418
www.uwpress.wisc.edu
9780299334604, $28.95, HC, 256pp
https://www.amazon.com/Green-Hour-Natural-History-Home/dp/0299334600
Synopsis: When Alison Townsend purchased her first house, in south-central Wisconsin, she put down roots where shenever imagined settling. To understand how she came to live in the Midwest, with the publication of "The Green Hour: ANatural History of Home" she takes the reader on a journey through personal landscapes, considering the impact ofgeography at pivotal moments in her life, vividly illuminating the role of mourning, homesickness, and relocations.
With sparkling, lyrical prose, "The Green Hour" undulates effortlessly through time like a red-winged blackbird. Inspiredby five beloved settings (eastern Pennsylvania, Vermont, California, western Oregon, and the spot atop the Wisconsin hillwhere she now resides) Townsend considers the role that place plays in shaping the self. She reveals the ways that a freshperspective or new experience in any environment can incite wonder, build unexpected connections, and provide solace orsalvation.
Mesmerizingly attentive to nature in terms of its beauty, its fragility, and its redeeming powers, Alison asks what it meansto live in community with wilderness and to allow our identities to be shaped by our interactions with it: our story as itsstory.
Critique: Eloquent, elegant, inherently engaging, impressively informative, exceptionally thoughtful andthought-provoking, "The Green Hour: A Natural History of Home" is a truly memorable and entertaining read which willprove to be an exceptional and appreciated addition to both community and academic library Contemporary AmericanBiography & Memoir collections. Of special interest to academia and non-specialist general readers with an interest innature writing, local history, and the art of the essay, it should be noted that "The Green Hour: A Natural History of Home"is also available for personal reading lists in a digital book format (Kindle, $27.50).
Editorial Note: A professor emerita of English at the University of Wisconsin - Whitewater, Alison Townsend is theaward-winning author of two poetry collections, "The Blue Dress" and "Persephone in America", as well as a volume ofprose, "The Persistence of Rivers".
Lieutenant Sonia Vagliano
Sonia Vagliano Eloy, author
Martha Noel Evans, editor/translator
The University Press of Kentucky
663 South Limestone Street, Lexington, KY 40508-4008
www.kentuckypress.com
9780813182490, $27.95, HC, 266pp
https://www.amazon.com/Lieutenant-Sonia-Vagliano-Memoir-Refugee/dp/0813182492
Synopsis: Following the German occupation of France in 1940, French women moved deftly into the jobs and roles left bytheir male compatriots -- including the role of a soldier. In "Lieutenant Sonia Vagliano: A Memoir of the World War IIRefugee Crisis", Sonia Vagliano provides a gripping and compelling account of how her team of young French womenwas attached to a US First Army unit that arrived in Normandy two weeks after D-Day. From 1943 to 1945, Vaglianofollowed her unit from Normandy to Paris, through Belgium, and finally into Germany, where they cared for 41,000 totaldisplaced persons and prisoners of war.
Vagliano not only describes her experiences in rich detail, ranging from caring for thousands of refugees in the worstpossible conditions to defusing landmines and being kidnapped, shot at, torpedoed, and bombed, she also recounts themajor events of the war in Europe, including the liberation of Paris, the Battle of the Bulge, and finally, the liberation ofthe concentration camps.
Having spent five weeks at Buchenwald repatriating the 21,000 remaining prisoners, she is a unique witness to thetransition period between the camp's liberation and its transferal to Russian oversight in July 1945. She saw firsthand "towhat extremes the human imagination can go in its search for the most cruel methods of torture".
Striking a balance between daredevil escapades and the sobering reality of a wartime account, "Lieutenant Sonia Vagliano:A Memoir of the World War II Refugee Crisis" won the Prix Saint Simon for best memoir under its original title, "Lesdemoiselles de Gaulle".
Critique: With the publication of "Lieutenant Sonia Vagliano: A Memoir of the World War II Refugee Crisis" by theUniversity Press of Kentucky, translator and editor Martha Noel Evans does an excellent job in bringing this invaluableand unique World War II military biography to an American readership. While also available for personal reading lists in adigital book format (Kindle, $20.99), "Lieutenant Sonia Vagliano: A Memoir of the World War II Refugee Crisis" is aninvaluable and critically important addition to the growing World War II History and Free French MilitaryBiography/Memoir collections.
Editorial Note #1: Sonia Vagliano Eloy (1922 - 2002) was a lieutenant in the Free French Army during World War II. Shereceived the Bronze Star and the Croix de Guerre and was made an officer of the Legion d'honneur. Her memoir, Lesdemoiselles de Gaulle, is based on a diary she kept during her service, official documents, and her personalcorrespondence.
Editorial Note #2: Martha Noel Evans is a retired women's studies and French professor and former director of bookpublications at the Modern Language Association. She is the author of Fits and Starts: A Genealogy of Hysteria in ModernFrance and Masks of Tradition: Women and the Politics of Writing in Twentieth-Century France.
How to Get Your Act Together
Felicity Hassan and Suki Sandhu
Penguin Business
www.greenpenguin.co.uk
9780241485217, $28.00 Paper/$12.99 Kindle
https://www.amazon.com/How-Get-Your-Together-Judgement-Free/dp/0241485215
How to Get Your Act Together: A Judgement-Free Guide to Diversity and Inclusion for Straight White Men discussesworkplace discrimination and culture for business managers, providing a review of diversity issues. Authors FelicityHassan and Suki Sandhu maintain that the white male reader is not just part of the problem, but part of the solution. Theiradvice applies to all levels of business operations, from recruiting inclusively to identifying underlying bias in all facets ofworkplace operations and interactions.
Hassan and Sandhu address a range of workplace diversity perspectives and issues affecting women, LBGTQ colleagues,and different generations. Of key importance are the insights on what discriminatory practices actually look like in theworkplace, backed by sometimes surprising statistics that pack the profiles and recommendations with real-world factsfrom authoritative sources. Religion is another topic addressed in this hard-hitting examination of various forms ofworkplace diversity conflicts.
A major issue in workplace management revolves around identifying problems and choosing better courses for mitigatingthe conflicts that arise from them. Hassan and Sandhu focus on the business leader's responsibility to not just make andenforce non-discrimination rules, but to "set the tone and lead by example." The authors also provide recommendations onproactive approaches that business leaders can take.
In adversity lies opportunity. This is perhaps the strongest message in How to Get Your Act Together. By identifyingworkplace diversity goals and being proactive in crafting a positive, embracing culture that welcomes all workers, Hassanand Sandhu present a blueprint for positivity that shows how business interests and operations can dovetail neatly withsocial change and diversity goals.
Corporate and academic libraries strong in books about workplace management, as well as psychological collections thatlook for leadership books that advocate real-world change by outlining common issues and better ways of addressing them,will find How to Get Your Act Together: A Judgement-Free Guide to Diversity and Inclusion for Straight White Men astudy in business transformation.
It only requires an open mind and heart from business leader readers who seek to make their workplace better than'average'.
The Writing/Publishing Shelf
Christopher Riley, author
Kathy Riley, author
Michael Wiese Productions
12400 Ventura Blvd., #1111, Studio City, CA 91604
www.mwp.com
9781615933372, $29.95, PB, 200pp
https://www.amazon.com/Defining-Moment-writers-actors-characters/dp/1615933379
Synopsis: "The Defining Moment: How Writers and Actors Build Characters" by Christopher and Kathy Riley plumbs thedepths of the most memorable characters ever to appear on the screen, the stage or the page. The focuses is on thosemoments so pivotal in a character's formation that they create a distinct boundary of before and after, moments withoutwhich the character couldn't exist and moments through which characters can transform before our eyes.
Aspiring and experience writers, actors and storytellers alike will discover a powerful new key to unlock any character theyseek to develop, write or portray. They may even unlock a deeper understanding of themselves.
"The Defining Moment: How Writers and Actors Build Characters" includes: The first in-depth study of the essentialprinciples that will redefine the way storytellers understand their characters and themselves; Essential insights into theforces that create character; Dozens of examples of character-defining moments from film, television, theater andliterature; An exploration of pivotal moments: birth, death, discovery, decision-making, injury and healing; Anexamination of how writers and actors employ defining moments in their deepest and most unforgettable works; Insightsinto how directors, editors, cinematographers and composers dramatize key moments.
Also featured are: Practical exercises for defining and redefining character; Tips for discovering the moments that mattermost; Deeply personal stories from the authors' lives to illustrate the variety of moments that define us.
Critique: Thoroughly 'user friendly' in organization and presentation, "The Defining Moment: How Writers and ActorsBuild Characters" is an extraordinary DIY instructional guide and 'how to' manual specifically designed for everystoryteller in every medium. Redefining the way they understand their characters and themselves, and also available forpersonal reading lists in a digital book format (Kindle, $25.64), "The Defining Moment: How Writers and Actors BuildCharacters" is a critically important and enduringly valued addition to personal, professional, community, college, and university library Writing/Publishing and Theatrical Acting collections.
Editorial Note #1: Christopher Riley is a professional screenwriter who co-wrote with his wife Kathy Riley theaward-winning German language courtroom thriller After the Truth. The Rileys have written scripts for Disney'sTouchstone Pictures, Paramount Pictures, Mandalay Television Pictures, the late Sean Connery's Fountainbridge Films andRobert Cort Productions. Christopher produced the independent action-thriller Red Line and executive produced the webseries Bump+. He is the author of the classic screenplay format guide The Hollywood Standard, now in its third edition,and teaches screenwriting at the undergraduate and graduate levels.
Editorial Note #2: Kathy Riley co-wrote the award-winning feature film After the Truth. In addition to her work as a writerfor Touchstone Pictures, Paramount Pictures, Mandalay Television Pictures, Fountainbridge Films and Robert CortProductions, Kathy holds a master's degree in public health and has worked extensively on behalf of families of childrendiagnosed with brain tumors. She also holds a certification of professional achievement in narrative medicine fromColumbia University.
The Social Issues Shelf
M. Chris Fabricant
Akashic Books
232 Third Street, #A115, Brooklyn, NY 11215
www.akashicbooks.com
9781636140308, $29.95, HC, 368pp
https://www.amazon.com/Science-American-Criminal-Justice-System/dp/1636140300
Synopsis: From CSI to Forensic Files to the celebrated reputation of the FBI crime lab, forensic scientists have long beenmythologized in American popular culture as infallible crime solvers. Juries put their faith in "expert witnesses" andinnocent people have been executed as a result.
Innocent people are still on death row today, condemned by junk science.
In 2012, the Innocence Project began searching for prisoners convicted by junk science, and three men, each convicted ofcapital murder, became M. Chris Fabricant's clients. With the publication of "Junk Science and the American CriminalJustice System", Chris Fabricant chronicles the fights to overturn their wrongful convictions and to end the use of the"science" that destroyed their lives. Weaving together courtroom battles from Mississippi to Texas to New York City andbeyond, Fabricant takes the reader on a journey into the heart of a broken, racist system of justice and the role forensicscience plays in maintaining the status quo.
At turns gripping, enraging, illuminating, and moving, "Junk Science and the American Criminal Justice System" is ameticulously researched insider's perspective of the American criminal justice system. Previously untold stories ofwrongful executions, corrupt prosecutors, and quackery masquerading as science animate Fabricant's true crimenarrative.
Critique: Inherently fascinating and impressively written, exceptionally well organized and presented, "Junk Science andthe American Criminal Justice System" is a singularly informative, thought-provoking, and critically important addition topersonal, professional, community, college, and university library Contemporary Criminology collections and asupplemental curriculum studies syllabus. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of law students, academia,courtroom attorneys, political activists, governmental policy makers, and non-specialist general readers with an interest inthe subject that "Junk Science and the American Criminal Justice System" is also available in a digital book format(Kindle, $14.99).
Editorial Note: Graduating from George Washington University Law School in 1997, M. Chris Fabricant is the InnocenceProject's Director of Strategic Litigation and one of the nation's leading experts on forensic sciences and the criminaljustice system. Fabricant is featured in the Netflix documentary The Innocence Files and his public commentary has beenpublished in virtually every major media outlet. A former public defender and clinical law professor, Fabricant brings tohis writing over two decades of experience ranging from litigating death penalty cases in the Deep South to misdemeanorsin the South Bronx.
Blacks and Jews in America
Terrence L. Johnson, author
Jacques Berlinerblau, author
Georgetown University Press
3240 Prospect Street, NW, Washington, DC 20007
www.press.georgetown.edu
9781647121402, $26.95, HC, 224pp
https://www.amazon.com/Blacks-Jews-America-Invitation-Dialogue/dp/164712140X
Synopsis: "Blacks and Jews in America: An Invitation to Dialogue" is a uniquely structured conversational work, winwhich two scholars - one of African American politics and religion (Professor Terrence L. Johnson), and one ofcontemporary American Jewish culture (Professor Jacques Berlinerblau) - explore a mystery: Why aren't Blacks and Jewspresently united in their efforts to combat white supremacy? As alt-right rhetoric becomes increasingly normalized inpublic life, the time seems right for these one-time allies to rekindle the fires of the civil rights movement.
"Blacks and Jews in America" investigates why these two groups do not presently see each other as sharing a commonenemy, let alone a political alliance. Considered are a number of angles, including the disintegration of the "GrandAlliance" between Blacks and Jews during the civil rights era, the perspective of Black and Jewish millennials, the debateover Louis Farrakhan and the Nation of Islam, and the Israel-Palestine conflict.
Ultimately, "Blacks and Jews in America" shows how the deep roots of the Black-Jewish relationship began long beforethe mid-twentieth century, changing a narrative dominated by the Grand Alliance and its subsequent fracturing. Byengaging this history from our country's origins to its present moment, this dialogue models the honest and searchingconversation needed for Blacks and Jews to forge a new understanding.
Critique: Especially timely in this current era where racial discrimination is on the rise as evidence by voter suppressionlegislation and the Black Lives Matter movement, "Blacks and Jews in America: An Invitation to Dialogue" is enhancedfor the reader with the inclusion of a two page listing of Interviewees, a sixteen page Bibliography, and an eight pageIndex. A masterpiece of outstanding scholarship in organization and presentation, "Blacks and Jews in America: AnInvitation to Dialogue" is especially and unreservedly recommended for community, college, and university libraryAmerican Contemporary Social Issues and Political Science/Race Relations collections. It should be noted for the personalreading lists of students, academia, governmental policy makers, political activists, and non-specialist general readers withan interest in the subject that "Blacks and Jews in America: An Invitation to Dialogue" is also available in a digital bookformat (Kindle, $20.49).
Editorial Note #1: Terrence L. Johnson is an associate professor of religion and politics in the Department of Governmentand a senior research fellow at the Berkley Center for Religion, Peace, and World Affairs at Georgetown University. He isan affiliate member of the Department of African American Studies and the Department of Theology and ReligiousStudies. He is also the author of Tragic Soul-Life: W. E. B. Du Bois and the Moral Crisis Facing AmericanDemocracy.
Editorial Note #2: Jacques Berlinerblau is a professor of Jewish civilization at the Edmund A. Walsh School of ForeignService. He has published on a wide variety of issues ranging from secularism, to religion and politics, to Jewish Americanfiction, and higher education. He is the author of ten books, including "Heresy in the University: The Black AthenaControversy and the Responsibilities of American Intellectuals", "How to Be Secular: A Call to Arms for ReligiousFreedom", "The Secular Bible: Why Nonbelievers Must Take Religion Seriously", "Secularism: The Basics", and "ThePhilip Roth We Don't Know: Sex, Race, and Autobiography".
The Education Shelf
Don Stinson
GIA Publications
7404 S. Mason Avenue, Chicago, IL 60638
www.giamusic.com
G-10350, 9781622775965, $25.95, PB, 335pp
https://www.giamusic.com/store/resource/high-needs-monumental-successes-book-g10350
Synopsis: Every student deserves an excellent teacher, a fair chance at success, and the opportunity to participate in aschool music program. With considerable depth and care (and wonderfully practical suggestions) "High Needs,Monumental Successes" by Don Stinson addresses the nuanced but critically important topic of teaching music tolow-income and high-needs students.
Drawing from the latest scholarship, his own life experience, and years as a music educator, author Don Stinson presentsclear strategies and ideas for teaching, supporting, and advocating for these students as "High Needs, MonumentalSuccesses" covers a range of relevant topics including: attendance, classroom expectations, grading policies, mental health,motivation, programming, securing funds, time management, and locating financial resources for students, among manyothers. Especially helpful are the example scenarios and questions for teachers scattered throughout "High Needs,Monumental Successes", as well as sample responses for each.
While teaching music in a low-income and high-needs area has its challenges, the rewards and impact for students,teachers, and the community are life-giving and everlasting. "High Needs, Monumental Successes" keeps the best interestof the students at its core, equipping teachers with the tools they need to better understand and serve all members of theirband, orchestra, choir, and general music programs.
Critique: Exceptionally well written, organized and presented, "High Needs, Monumental Successes" is a thoroughly'educator friendly' compendium of information, insights, guidelines, and instructions for music teachers when providingindividual and/or classroom instruction. An ideal curriculum textbook in the field of music education, "High Needs,Monumental Successes" is especially and unreservedly recommended for personal, professional, school district, college,and university library Music education collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists.
Editorial Note: Don Stinson is the director of bands at Joliet Central High School in Illinois, only the fifth director in theband's 110-year history. He holds degrees in music education from Joliet Junior College, VanderCook College of Music,Northern Illinois University, and a master's degree in education administration from the University of St. Francis.
Affirming Black Students' Lives and Literacies: Bearing Witness
Arlette Ingram Willis, et al.
Teachers College Press
1234 Amsterdam Avenue, New York, NY 10027
www.tcpress.com
9780807766996, $142.48 (Amazon), HC, 208pp
https://www.amazon.com/Affirming-Black-Students-Lives-Literacies/dp/0807766992
Synopsis: Drawing on the authors' experiences as Black parents, researchers, teachers, and teacher educators, "AffirmingBlack Students' Lives and Literacies: Bearing Witness" is a timely presentation of a multipronged approach to affirmingBlack lives and literacies. The authors believe change is needed (not within Black children) in the way they are perceivedand educated, particularly in reading, writing, and critical thinking across grade levels.
To inform literacy teachers and school leaders, "Affirming Black Students' Lives and Literacies: Bearing Witness" providea conceptual framework for reimagining literacy instruction based on Black philosophical and theoretical foundations,historical background, literacy research, and authentic experiences of Black students.
"Affirming Black Students' Lives and Literacies: Bearing Witness" also includes counter-narratives about the lives ofBlack learners, research conducted by Black scholars among Black students, examples of approaches to literacy with Blackchildren that are making a difference, conversations among literacy researchers that move beyond academia; and a modelfor engaging all students in literacy.
"Affirming Black Students' Lives and Literacies: Bearing Witness" advocates for adopting a standard of care that willimprove and support literacy achievement among today's Black students by rejecting deficit presumptions and embracingthe fullness of these students' strengths.
"Affirming Black Students' Lives and Literacies: Bearing Witness" features: A counternarrative of Black literacy history,lives, and learners; Narrative examples of Black literacy scholarship, by Black scholars who embrace their faith-walk as anintegral part of their holistic approach to literacy teaching and learning; Discussion questions to spur conversations amongschool administrators, parents/caregivers, politicians, reading researchers, teacher educators, and classroom teachers; Anarray of extant Black scholarship that should inform literacy praxis and research: A conceptual framework, CARE, that isapplicable for all learners with a focus on Black literacy learners.
Critique: Exceptionally well organized and presented, "Affirming Black Students' Lives and Literacies: Bearing Witness"is an especially and unreservedly recommended addition to school district, college, and university library Black Studiesand Contemporary Educational Studies collections. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of student teachers,academia, classroom teachers, school board and governmental policy makers, political activists, and non-specialist generalreaders with an interest in the subject that "Affirming Black Students' Lives and Literacies: Bearing Witness" is alsoavailable in a paperback edition (9780807766989, $47.21) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $36.95).
A Head Full of Ethos
Armando Di-Finizio
Crown House Publishing
81 Brook Hills Circle, White Plains, NY 10605
www.crownhousepublishing.com
9781785835872, $27.95, PB, 200pp
https://www.amazon.com/Head-Full-Ethos-developing-sustaining/dp/1785835874
Synopsis: With the publication of "A Head Full of Ethos", and drawing upon his years of experience and expertise as aneducator, Armando Di-Finizio provides an holistic guide to developing and sustaining a positive school culture. With "AHead Full of Ethos", Armando lays out an engaging account of how to go about developing a shared vision and threading itthrough the school's strategic direction and day-to-day operations.
When one or more aspects of a school's provision or curriculum breaks down, all too often the leadership team will jumpfrom one idea to another in a bid to remedy the problem. This, however, can lead to blurred vision and possible confusion.Leaders may then wonder why the remedies aren't working and are likely to scramble for more, hopefully better,ideas.
Armando, however, believes that the key to success lies in the school's ethos and in the daily manifestation of itsunderpinning principles.
"A Head Full of Ethos" deftly weaves Armando's experiences and lessons learned from his 30-plus years of schoolleadership into an engaging illustration of the principles which have supported him in developing new ideas, as well asadopting and adapting the ideas of others, in his varied settings. In doing so, Armando explores the elements that helpcontribute to nurturing a positive school ethos and how to go about securing buy-in from staff in cultivating a positiveteaching and learning environment for pupils and staff alike.
Critique: Exceptionally well written, organized and presented, "A Head Full of Ethos" offers a wealth of 'real world'practical insights and tips to both creating and maintaining a positive and effective learning climate adaptable to any gradelevel of any public (or private!) school and with children from any social, economic, or cultural background. While alsoavailable to educators in a digital book format (Kindle, $25.90), "A Head Full of Ethos" is unreservedly recommended asan invaluable addition to school district, college, and university library Teacher Education collections and for inclusion tosupplemental curriculum studies syllabus.
Editorial Note: Armando Di-Finizio began teaching in 1987 and has since taught in seven schools in deprived areas ofLondon, Bristol and Cardiff. With a guiding conviction that every child can go on to flourish in life, Armando hassuccessfully led three schools from being among the lowest performing and highest excluding schools in the country toachieving outcomes above expectations for similar schools and zero exclusions. Armando's innovative practices have beensuccessfully applied in the many schools he has worked with and supported over the years.
School Choice and the Betrayal of Democracy
Robert Asen
Penn State University Press
820 North University Drive, University Park, PA 16802-1003
www.psupress.org
9780271091396, $34.00, HC, 248pp
https://www.amazon.com/School-Choice-Betrayal-Democracy-Market-Based/dp/0271091398
Synopsis: Research evidence shows that the increasing privatization of K-12 education siphons resources away from publicschools, resulting in poorer learning conditions, underpaid teachers, and greater inequality. But, as Professor Robert Asenreveals with the publication of "School Choice and the Betrayal of Democracy: How Market-Based Education ReformFails Our Communities", the damage that market-based education reform inflicts on society runs much deeper. At theircore, these efforts are anti-democratic.
Arguing that democratic communities and public education need one another, Professor Asen examines the theory drivingprivatization, popularized in the neoliberalism of Milton and Rose Friedman, as well as the case for school choicepromoted by former secretary of education Betsy DeVos and the controversial voucher program of former Wisconsingovernor Scott Walker.
What Professor Asen finds is that a market-based approach holds not just a different view of distributing education but adifferent vision of society. When the values of the market (choice, competition, and self-interest) shape national education,that policy produces individuals, Professor Asen contends, with no connections to community and no obligations to oneanother.
The result is a society at odds with democracy.
Critique: Exceptionally well organized and presented, "School Choice and the Betrayal of Democracy" also featuresinterviews with local, on-the-ground advocates for public education and offers a countering vision of democratic education-- one which is oriented toward civic relationships, community, and equality, making this study is essential reading forgovernmental and education policymakers, advocates of public education, education researchers, school administrators,and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject. While "School Choice and the Betrayal of Democracy" isa truly exceptional, timely, and invaluable contribution to professional, governmental, community, college, and universitylibrary Educational Philosophy, Economic Theory, and Contemporary Political Science collections and supplementalcurriculum studies. A work of meticulous research and scholarship, it should be noted that "School Choice and theBetrayal of Democracy" is also available for personal reading lists in a digital book format (Kindle, $27.99).
Editorial Note: Robert Asen is the Stephen E. Lucas Professor of Rhetoric, Politics, and Culture at the University ofWisconsin - Madison. He is also the author of numerous books, including "Democracy, Deliberation, and Education"which is also published by Penn State University Press.
Talent Zones
Lee Hanco*ck
Free Spirit Publishing
6325 Sandburg Road, Suite 100, Minneapolis, MN 55427-3674
www.freespirit.com
9781631986239, $34.99, PB, 152pp
https://www.amazon.com/Talent-Zones-Develop-Talents-ProfessionalTM/dp/1631986236
Synopsis: Many believe that talent is inherent, that a person either has it or doesn't. But research shows that a student'senvironment is a critical determinant for developing talents. With the publication of "Talent Zones: 10 Tools to Help KidsDevelop Their Talents", Professor Lee Hanco*ck redefines talent so that parents, teachers, and coaches of kids can createenvironments rich in opportunities for all kids to boost their confidence and for developing talents in multiple areas, fromacademics to arts to athletics.
Professor Hanco*ck presents ten evidence-based, developmentally appropriate strategies called Talent Development Zones(TDZs). These TDZs transform talent concepts and research into practical strategies adults can use to create environmentsfor developing talents.
The strategies provided by "Talent Zones" include: Providing opportunities for deep, deliberate practice; Developing andinspiring creativity; Building "I can" kids; Helping kids manage pressure.
For more than 20 years, the author has worked with athletes from youth to professional and with classroom teachers,students, and parents of awesome kids. He's translated research and experience into approachable strategies for equitablydeveloping talents in kids now and as they grow up.
Critique: In "Talent Zones: 10 Tools to Help Kids Develop Their Talents", Professor Lee Hanco*ck draws upon his morethan twenty years of experience and expertise to create a thoroughly 'user friendly' combination of DIY instructional guideand 'how to' manual that will help educators and parents to employ inclusive and effective education methods for gettingthe best out of a curriculum for gifted students. An ideal in-service training programs, "Talent Zones: 10 Tools to HelpKids Develop Their Talents" is an especially recommended addition to personal, professional, school district, college, anduniversity library Teacher Education & Education Theory collections and studies lists.
Editorial Note: Dr. Lee Hanco*ck is a professor, performance psychology coach, and program creator who works withstudents, athletes, coaches, educators, parents, organizations, and other high-level performers. Dr. Hanco*ck earned hisMaster's and Ph.D. from Arizona State University and is a tenured professor in kinesiology at California State UniversityDominguez Hills. He has had a private practice for more than 20 years, where he has worked with athletes from youth toprofessional and with classroom teachers, students, and parents of awesome kids.
The Science Shelf
Paul Murdin
Thames & Hudson, Inc.
500 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10110-0017
www.thamesandhudsonusa.com
9780500024645, $34.95, HC, 304pp
https://www.amazon.com/Universe-Biography-Paul-Murdin/dp/0500024642
Synopsis: Everyone knows astronomers use telescopes to peer into distant space. But did you know that they also use themas time machines to look back into the past? "The Universe: A Biography" is a fascinating and original study with whichrenowned astronomer and academician Paul Murdin lays out the entire history of the Universe from here on Earth into thedistance, leading us step by step through the history of time and space.
Our knowledge of the Universe is greater than ever thanks to cutting- edge scientific research, as well as a new age ofspace exploration and discovery, and Professor Murdin has been at the forefront of this inquiry -- in fact, he was the firstperson to identify a black hole in our galaxy.
With the publication of "The Universe: A Biography", Professor Murdin draws upon his expertise in the field to explaindifficult concepts such as black holes, nebulae, and dark matter and relates them to the most important characters andevents in the history of our Universe: powerful explosions, the largest planets, galaxies, and celestial bodies. Structured ina clear, accessible fashion as a "biography" of our Universe, this history begins at the Big Bang and proceeds stage by stagethrough the story of our cosmos.
Full of fascinating details about our own existence, for instance that two-thirds of the atoms in our body are hydrogenatoms formed in the first few minutes of the Big Bang, and that we are a by-product of the manufacture of galaxies andstars, "The Universe: A Biography" is comprehensively informative volume that offers a glimpse into the future of ourUniverse and what it means to us all.
Critique: Enhanced with the inclusion of a section of color astronomical photographs, a seven page Glossary, and a sevenpage Index, "The Universe: A Biography" is exceptionally informative, very nicely organized, and throughly 'readerfriendly' in presentation. While an exceptional and unreservedly recommended acquisition selection for community,college, and university library Astrophysics and Space Science collections, it should be noted for the personal reading listsof students, academia, and the non-specialist general reader with an interest in the subject that "The Universe: ABiography" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $16.99).
Editorial Note: Paul Murdin is a professor emeritus at the University of Cambridge's Institute of Astronomy. Since 1963,he has been a research scientist studying supernovae, black holes, and neutron stars; an observatory administrator; and ascience policy maker for the British government and the United Kingdom's Royal Astronomical Society. In a parallelcareer, he is a broadcaster and commentator for the BBC and CNN and is identified as the co-discoverer of the first stellarblack hole found in our Galaxy, Cygnus X-1.
The Cosmos Explained
Charles Liu
Ivy Press
c/o Quarto Publishing Group USA
100 Cummings Center, Suite 265D, Beverly, MA 01915
https://www.quarto.com
9780711252745 $24.99 hc / $14.99 Kindle
https://www.amazon.com/Cosmos-Explained-history-universe-beginning/dp/0711252742
Synopsis: Starting with the moment of the Big Bang (at exactly one ten-millionth of a trillionth of a trillionth of a trillionthof a second), and going on to provide a history of the universe from its beginning to today and beyond, "The CosmosExplained" charts a history of space and time all the way through the evolution of our solar system, the birth of stars andthe formation of life on Earth, to the future of our galaxy and beyond.
With deeply insightful and fascinating text by Hayden Planetarium Associate Professor Charles Liu (who also hosts theimmensely popular StarTalk podcast), "The Cosmos Explained" offers an accessible and enthralling gateway into themysteries of space, time and the universe.
You can pinpoint exactly where you are in space and time using the timeline at the bottom of every page, and explore thehistory of the cosmos and the science behind it through beautiful telescope images and striking illustrations. Whilepackaged in a unique retro design that reflects the 1960s cosmonaut era but still feels modern and relevant today, "TheCosmos Explained" is as rich with information as it is with stunning visualizations of the concepts and bodies detailedwithin.
Critique: An ideal gift for anyone interested in space or curious about the cosmos, "The Cosmos Explained" is a uniquelyinformative, profusely illustrated, and fully entertaining timeline of life, the universe, and everything! Also available in adigital book format (Kindle, $14.99), "The Cosmos Explained" is an especially and unreservedly recommended addition topersonal, professional, community, college, and university library Cosmology/Astrophysics, and Astronomycollections.
Editorial Note: Charles Liu is a Professor of Astrophysics at the City University of New York's College of Staten Island, anAssociate with the Hayden Planetarium, and of the department of astrophysics at the American Museum of Natural Historyin New York. He is a regular co-host on the famous StarTalk show, and received the 2001 American Institute of PhysicsScience Writing Award for his book "One Universe: At Home in the Cosmos".
The American History Shelf
Richard T. Green
The University of Alabama Press
PO Box 870380, Tuscaloosa, AL 35487-0380
www.uapress.ua.edu
9780817320164, $49.95, HC, 272pp
https://www.amazon.com/Alexander-Hamiltons-Public-Administration-Richard-dp-0817320164/dp/0817320164
Synopsis: American public administration inherited from Alexander Hamilton a distinct republican framework throughwhich we derive many of our modern governing standards and practices. His administrative theory flowed from hisrepublican vision, prescribing not only the how of administration but also what should be done and why. Administrationand policy merged seamlessly in his mind, each conditioning the other. His Anti-Federalist detractors clearly saw this andfought against his vision tooth and nail.
That conflict endures to this day because Americans still have not settled on just one vision of the American republic. Thatis why, with the publication of "Alexander Hamilton's Public Administration", Professor Richard Green argues thatHamilton is a pivotal figure in our current reckoning. If we want to more fully understand ourselves and our ways ofgoverning today, we must start by understanding Hamilton, and we cannot do that without exploring his administrativetheory and practice in depth.
"Alexander Hamilton's Public Administration" considers Hamilton both as a founder of the American republic, steeped inthe currents of political philosophy and science of his day, and as its chief administrative theorist and craftsman, deeplyinvolved in establishing the early institutions and policies that would bring his interpretation of the written Constitution tolife. Accordingly, this scholarly study deftly addresses the complex mix of classical and modern ideas that informed hisvision of a modern commercial and administrative republic; the administrative ideas, institutions, and practices that flowedfrom that vision; and the substantive policies he deemed essential to its realization.
Professor Green's analysis grows out of an immersion in Hamilton's extant papers, including reports, letters, pamphlets,and essays. Readers will find a comprehensive explanation of his theoretical contributions and a richly detailed account ofhis ideas and practices in historical context.
Critique: Enhanced with the inclusion of an informative Introduction, as well as a thought-provoking Conclusion (TheHamilton Legacy), a two page list of Abbreviations, thirty-four pages of Notes, a ten page Bibliography, and a nine pageIndex, "Alexander Hamilton's Public Administration" is an impressively well written, meticulously researched, deftlyorganized and eloquently presented study that is especially and unreservedly recommended for community, college, anduniversity library American History, Political Science, Public Governmental Affairs/Administration collections. It shouldbe noted for the personal reading lists of students, academia, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in thesubject that "Alexander Hamilton's Public Administration" is also available in a paperback edition (9780817360320,$29.95) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $28.45).
Editorial Note: Richard T. Green is professor of political science and public administration at University of Utah. He isalso the coauthor of "Foundations of Public Service".
The Journey
Donald B. Armstrong
Dorrance Publishing Company
585 Alpha Drive, Suite 103, Pittsburgh, PA 15238
www.dorrancepublishing.com
9781638670704, $51.00, HC, 254pp
https://www.amazon.com/Journey-Shackles-Chains-White-House/dp/1638670706
Synopsis; With the publication of "The Journey: From Shackles and Chains to the White House", author Donald B.Armstrong offers the reader a comprehensive and thorough account of the Black experience in America from the early1600s to the present time.
From the journey endured by kidnapped Africans to what their offspring are still enduring today in the various forms ofracism and discrimination, "The Journey" deftly highlights factual occurrences that are not found in the history books ofAmerica's grade schools. African American children are growing up with little or no education about their ancestors' plightand some children are raised without any knowledge of the actions their ancestors played in simply surviving as a memberof a suppressed and persecuted minority in this country.
With access to "The Journey: From Shackles and Chains to the White House", readers of all ages will gain knowledge thatwill change their outlook toward other races. If we are to live together, we honestly have to remember our past.
Critique: Incredible time in face of the current political efforts across the country to ban public schools from teachingchildren about the history of slavery in America, the segregation of the American South, the struggle for emancipation, thestruggle against racial discrimination in its many forms throughout the United States ranging from voter suppression lawsto the increasing awareness of the shootings of unarmed black citizens by white police, "The Journey: From Shackles andChains to the White House" should be a part of every highschool, community, college, and university library AmericanHistory collections in general, and African American Studies curriculums in particular. It should be noted for the personalreading lists of students, academia, civil rights political activists, governmental policy makers, and non-specialist generalreaders with an interest in the subject that "The Journey: From Shackles and Chains to the White House" is also availablein a digital book format (Kindle, $46.00).
Editorial Note: Donald B. Armstrong is an African-American and a retired military veteran who witnessed several thingsearly in his career which left him with questions about equality. It was then he realized what parents meant when theystated, "Whatever you do, you have to be better".
The Creole Rebellion
Bruce Chadwick
University of New Mexico Press
1 University of New Mexico, Albuquerque NM 87131-0001
www.unmpress.com
9780826363473, $27.95, HC, 264pp
https://www.amazon.com/Creole-Rebellion-Successful-American-History/dp/0826363474
Synopsis: With the publication of "The Creole Rebellion: The Most Successful Slave Revolt in American History",historian and academician Bruce Chadwick tells the suspenseful story of a successful mutiny on board the slave shipCreole. En route for a New Orleans slave-auction block in November 1841, nineteen captives mutinied, killing one manand injuring several others. After taking control of the vessel, mutineer Madison Washington forced the crewmen to sail tothe Bahamas. Despite much local hysteria upon their arrival, all of the 135 slaves aboard the ship won their freedomthere.
The revolt significantly fueled and amplified the slave debate within a divided nation that was already hurtling toward aCivil War. While "The Creole Rebellion: The Most Successful Slave Revolt in American History" is about the UnitedStates confronting the ugly and tumultuous issue of slavery, it is also about the 135 enslaved men and women who wereunwilling to take their oppression any longer and rose up to free themselves in a bloody fight. Part history, part adventure,and part legal drama, "The Creole Rebellion: The Most Successful Slave Revolt in American History" chronicles what isarguably the most successful slave revolt in American history.
Critique: Enhanced with the inclusion of an informative Preface and Epiloge, sixteen pages of Notes, a six pageBibliography, and a six page Index, "The Creole Rebellion: The Most Successful Slave Revolt in American History" is adeftly crafted work of original and inherently engaging scholarship. While highly recommended, especially for community,college, and university library African American History collections and supplemental studies curriculum syllabus, itshould be noted for the personal reading lists of students, academia, and non-specialist general readers with an interest inthe subject that "The Creole Rebellion: The Most Successful Slave Revolt in American History" is also available in adigital book format (Kindle, $27.95).
Editorial Note: Bruce Chadwick is a history professor at New Jersey City University and a retired part-time lecturer atRutgers University. He is also the author of thirty books, including several books on the Antebellum and Civil Warperiods. His most recent book is "Law & Disorder: The Chaotic Birth of the NYPD".
The World History Shelf
Michael Taylor
Pen & Sword Books
c/o Casemate (US distribution)
www.casematepublishers.com
https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk
9781399085243, $26.95, PB, 208pp
https://www.amazon.com/Antiochus-Great-Michael-Taylor/dp/1399085247
Synopsis: A teenage king in 223 BC, Antiochus III inherited an empire in shambles, ravaged by civil strife and eroded byterritorial secessions. He proved himself a true heir of Alexander: he defeated rebel armies and embarked on a campaign ofconquest and reunification.
Although he was repulsed by Ptolemy IV at the Battle of Raphia, his eastern campaigns reaffirmed Seleucid hegemony asfar as modern Afghanistan and Pakistan. Returning westward, he defeated Ptolemy V at Panion (200 BC) and succeeded inadding Koile Syria to the Seleucid realm.
At the height of his powers, he challenged growing Roman power, unimpressed by their recent successes against Carthageand Macedon. His expeditionary force was crushed at Thermopylae and evacuated. Refusing to bow before Romandemands, Antiochus energetically mobilized against Roman invasion, but was again decisively defeated at the epic battleof Magnesia.
Despite the loss of territory and prestige enshrined in the subsequent Peace of Apamea, Antiochus III left the SeleucidEmpire in far better condition than he found it. Although sometimes presented as a failure against the unstoppable might ofRome, Antiochus III must rank as one of the most energetic and effective rulers of the Ancient world.
In addition to discussing the career of Antiochus III, "Antiochus The Great, historian, academician and author MichaelTaylor also examines Seleucid military organization and royal administration.
Critique: Enhanced for academia and the non-specialist general reader with a section of black/white photographs, sixteenpages of Notes, a four page Selected Bibliography, and a two page Index, "Antiochus The Great" is an exceptionally wellwritten and presented biography that is unreservedly recommended for community, college, and university library AncientGreek History & Biography collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "Antiochus The Great" is alsoavailable in a digital book format (Kindle, $2.99).
Editorial Note: Michael J. Taylor is an assistant professor in the history department at the University at Albany and holds aPhD in Greek and Roman history from the University of California, Berkeley.
Under the Hammer: Edward I and Scotland
Fiona Watson
Birlinn
c/o Pen & Sword Books
www.casematepublishers.com
https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk
9781780276892, $18.95, PB, 368pp
https://www.amazon.com/Under-Hammer-Edward-I-Scotland/dp/1780276893
Synopsis: Few aspects of Scottish history inspire as fervent an interest as the wars with England. The exploits of not one,but two, national heroes (William Wallace and Robert Bruce) have excited the attention of a host of novelists, filmmakers,artists and songwriters, as well as historians. But few have ventured to examine it in depth from an English perspective.Yet there could have been no Wallace or Bruce, no Stirling Bridge or Bannockburn, without the English kings' efforts tosubjugate their northern neighbour.
"Under the Hammer: Edward I and Scotland" by Fiona Watson (a lecturer in the Department of History, University ofStirling, Stirling, Scotland) explores how Edward I attempted to bring the Scottish kingdom under his control during thelast years of the thirteenth and early years of the fourteenth centuries. Despite England's overwhelming military might,victory was by no means inevitable, and Scotland's leaders proved able to create a successful front to repel a far morepowerful enemy. Packed with detail, description and analysis, "Under the Hammer" paints a vivid picture of a key periodin the history of both nations.
Critique: Exceptionally well written, organized and presented, "Under the Hammer: Edward I and Scotland" is animpressively informative, deftly crafted, and exceptionally well presented historical study that is simply and unreservedlyrecommended for community, college, and university library Scottish & British History collections and for inclusion to asupplemental curriculum studies syllabus. Originally published in 1998, this new paperback edition of "Under theHammer: Edward I and Scotland" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $17.99) for the personalreading lists of students, academia, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject.
Aedan of the Gaels: King of the Scots
Keith Coleman
Pen & Sword Books
c/o Casemate (US distribution)
www.casematepublishers.com
https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk
9781526794901, $34.95, HC, 208pp
https://www.amazon.com/%C3%81ed%C3%A1n-Gaels-Scots-Keith-Coleman/dp/152679490X
Synopsis: "Aedan of the Gaels: King of the Scots" by historian Keith Coleman is the first full-length work specificallydevoted to Aedan mac Gabrain, who was the 6th century king of Dal Riata in Scotland. An associate of the famous St.Columba, he was the first recorded king to be ordained in the British Isles and was the most powerful ruler in hisgeneration.
His astonishing military reach took him from Orkney, Pictland, Ireland, Northumbria and the Isle of Man. "Aedan of theGaels: King of the Scots" details his dominant career, which came to a shattering end after decades of warfare at the Battleof Degsaston in AD 603. Beyond the record of warfare, there is a unique and tantalizing accumulation of legendconcerning Aedan, from stories about his birth, to tales of him in battle with Irish heroes. English sources mention him andhe is one of the few Gaelic kings to feature prominently in Welsh tradition, where he is remembered as a uniquelypowerful player in the north of Britain.
Modern writers highlight Aedan as the father of a prince named Arthur, which has led to his place in Arthurian studies.Aedan's prominence in his era qualifies him as a fascinating figure, whose life and legend are accessibly explored in thisexciting account of this unique ruler.
Critique: Enhanced for academia with the inclusion of maps, and informative introduction, an Appendix (Aedan macGabrdin in Legend), a one page 'A Word about Names and Places', a two page Chronology, fourteen pages of Notes, aseven page Bibliography, and a four page Index, "Aedan of the Gaels: King of the Scots" is a seminal work of meticuloushistorical scholarship and a welcome contribution to personal, community, college, and university library MedievalBiography collections and a supplemental curriculum studies Medieval History syllabus.
Editorial Note: Keith Coleman has a degree in History and an MA in Celto-Roman Studies from the University of Wales,Newport. He has been researching the history of Aedan over the past five years, a continuation of his long-term study ofthe legend and history of the Scottish kings. He is also the author of 'The Afterlife of Kings James IV, Otherworld Legendsof A Scottish King' (Chronos Books, 2019) and maintain several blogs about the legends and history of Scotland and itskings. He is currently working on a biography of King James I to be published by Pen & Sword.
Exodus and Its Aftermath
Albert Kaganovitch
University of Wisconsin Press
728 State Street, Suite 443, Madison, WI 53706-1418
www.uwpress.wisc.edu
9780299334505, $79.95, HC, 336pp
https://www.amazon.com/Exodus-Its-Aftermath-Refugees-Interior/dp/0299334503
Synopsis: During World War II, some two million Jewish refugees relocated from the western regions of the USSR to theSoviet interior. Citizens in the Central Asian territories were at best indifferent (and at worst openly hostile) toward thesemigrants. Unpopular policies dictated that residents house refugees and share their limited food and essentials with theseunwelcome strangers.
When the local population began targeting the newcomers, Soviet authorities saw the antisemitic violence asdiscontentment with the political system itself and came down hard against it. Local authorities, however, were lessconcerned with the discrimination, focusing instead on absorbing large numbers of displaced people while also managingregional resentment during the most difficult years of the war. Despite the lack of harmonious integration, party officialsspread the myth that they had successfully assimilated over ten million evacuees.
With the publication of "Exodus and Its Aftermath: Jewish Refugees in the Wartime Soviet Interior", historian AlbertKaganovitch reconstructs the conditions that gave rise to this upsurge in antisemitic sentiment and provides new statisticaldata on the number of Jewish refugees who lived in the Urals, Siberia, and Middle Volga areas. Of special note are thehistorical insights presented with respect to the regional distribution and concentration of these emigres, offering abehind-the-scenes look at one of the largest and most intensive Jewish migrations in history.
Critique: Enhanced for academia and the general reader with Illustrations, Tables, a Transliteration Notes, Names, andPlaces, fifty-eight pages of Notes, a twelve-page Selected Bibliography, and a four page Index, "Exodus and Its Aftermath:Jewish Refugees in the Wartime Soviet Interior" is a welcome and informative addition to personal, professional,community, college, and university library Jewish/Russian/World War II history collections and for a supplementalcurriculum studies syllabus.
Editorial Note: Albert Kaganovitch is an independent scholar based in Winnipeg, Canada. He is the author of TheMashhadi Jews (Djedids) in Central Asia and The Long Life and Swift Death of Rechitsa: A Community in Belarus, 1625- 2000.
Convicts: A Global History
Clare Anderson
Cambridge University Press
One Liberty Plaza, Fl. 20, New York, NY 10006
www.cambridge.org
9781108840729, $99.00, HC, 400pp
https://www.amazon.com/Convicts-Global-History-Clare-Anderson/dp/1108840728
Synopsis: With the publication of "Convicts: A Global History", Clare Anderson (Professor of History at the University ofLeicester) provides a radical new reading of histories of empire and nation, showing that the history of punishment is notconnected solely to the emergence of prisons and penitentiaries, but to histories of governance, occupation, and globalconnections across the world.
Exploring punitive mobility to islands, colonies, and remote inland and border regions over a period of five centuries,Professor Anderson proposes a close and enduring connection between punishment, governance, repression, as well asnation and empire building, revealing how states, imperial powers, and trading companies used convicts to satisfy variousgeo-political and social ambitions.
Punitive mobility became intertwined with other forms of labor bondage, including enslavement, with convicts a keysource of unfree labour that could be used to occupy territories. Far from passive subjects, however, convicts manifestedtheir agency in various forms, including the extension of political ideology and cultural transfer, and vital contributions tocontemporary knowledge production.
Critique: Enhanced for academia with the inclusion of numerous Figures, Maps and Tables, "Convicts: A Global History"also includes two Appendices (Principle and Selected Imperial and Latin; Sites of Punitive Relocation), an eight pageBibliography, eight pages of Archives, and a ten page Index. An impressively informative work of original andmeticulously presented scholarship, "Convicts: A Global History" is a seminal work that is an exceptional andunreservedly recommended addition to community, college, and university library Criminology and Penology Historycollections. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of students, academia, and non-specialist general readers withan interest in the subject that "Convicts: A Global History" is also available in a paperback edition (9781108814942,$34.99, Amazon) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $21.49).
The Crusades in 100 Objects
James Waterson
Frontline Books
c/o Pen & Sword Books
www.casematepublishers.com
https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk
9781526795304, $49.95, HC, 256pp
https://www.amazon.com/Crusades-100-Objects-Campaigns-Medieval/dp/1526795302
Synopsis: For half a millennium and throughout almost the entire medieval period, the Catholic church sanctioned militarycampaigns (called crusades) against what it perceived as its enemies. The rise of Islam and its spread across large parts ofthe Middle East, Asia, North Africa, and even the peripheries of Europe, saw Muslim warriors seize the Holy Land, occupyJerusalem, and threaten Constantinople. In response, Pope Urban II advocated a crusade to retake the Holy Land -- the firstof nine military campaigns that stretched over the succeeding 200 years.
Other, lesser-known crusades were subsequently mounted with the aim of Christianizing the more remote regions ofnorthern and north-eastern Europe, as well as against the Cathars in southern France. The advance of the Ottomans into theBalkans saw further crusades to halt the Muslims in Bosnia and Serbia, and the re-conquest of Spain from the MuslimMoors.
Such diverse theaters of conflict have resulted in an equally diverse number of relics still to be found in a score ofcountries. From magnificent castles, swords, artillery and coats of arms, to Crusader-struck coins and even the brass penbox used by Muslim writers to spread the word of Islam, this remarkable collection of artifacts and structures tells thestory, much of it largely forgotten, of the conflicts which shaped the nature of the Western World known today, both inspiritual and geographical terms.
Beautifully and profusely illustrated and informatively written by the acknowledged period expert James Waterson, "TheCrusades in 100 Objects: The Great Campaigns of the Medieval World" opens a window into the past as never seenbefore.
Critique: An impressive volume to simply browse through (and enjoying each full color photography of showcasedcrusade-related objects of all kinds), "The Crusades in 100 Objects: The Great Campaigns of the Medieval World" is anextraordinary and informative approach to obtaining an overview of the age of the European crusades. A meticulous andarticulate history that is unreservedly recommended for personal, professional, community, college, and university libraryMedieval European Military History collections in general and a Crusades history supplemental curriculum syllabus inparticular, it should be noted for students, academia, military history buffs, and non-specialist general readers with aninterest in the subject that "The Crusades in 100 Objects: The Great Campaigns of the Medieval World" is also available ina digital book format (Kindle, $22.49).
Editorial Note: James Waterson is a graduate of the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London andreceived his Masters degree from Dundee University. He worked and taught in the United States and China for a numberof years and now divides his time between the Middle East and Italy. He is also the author of "The Ismaili Assassins"and"The Knights of Islam" which is a history of the slave soldiers of Islam (2007, Greenhill Books). He continues to work atproducing a life of the Crusader Bohemond of Taranto.
Ladies of Magna Carta
Sharon Bennett Connolly
Pen & Sword Books
c/o Casemate
www.casematepublishers.com
https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk
9781526745255, $49.95, HC, 280pp
https://www.amazon.com/Ladies-Magna-Carta-Influence-Thirteenth/dp/1526745259
Synopsis: Magna Carta clause 39: No man shall be taken, imprisoned, outlawed, banished or in any way destroyed, norwill we proceed against or prosecute him, except by the lawful judgment of his peers or by the law of the land.
This clause in Magna Carta was in response to the appalling imprisonment and starvation of Matilda de Braose, the wife ofone of King John's barons. Matilda was not the only woman who influenced, or was influenced by, the 1215 Charter ofLiberties, now known as Magna Carta. Women from many of the great families of England were affected by thefar-reaching legacy of Magna Carta, from their experiences in the civil war, and as hostages, to calling on its use to protecttheir property and rights as widows.
With the publication of "Ladies of Magna Carta: Women of Influence in Thirteenth Century England", historian and authorSharon Bennett Connolly reveals the relationships (through marriage and blood) of the various noble families and howthey were affected by the Barons' Wars, the Magna Carta and its aftermath; the bonds that were formed and those that werebroken.
Including the royal families of England and Scotland, the Marshals, the Warennes, the Braoses and more, "Ladies ofMagna Carta" focuses on the roles played by the women of the great families whose influences and experiences havereached far beyond the thirteenth century.
Critique: Impressively detailed and researched, "Ladies of Magna Carta: Women of Influence in Thirteenth CenturyEngland" is an extraordinary and valued contribution to an often overlooked aspect of medieval 13th century Englishhistory. Enhanced with the inclusion of a section devoted to full color and thematically relevant photographs, aninformative Epilogue (The Enduring Legacy of Magna Carta), three Appendices (The 1215 Magna Carta; Enforcers ofMagna Carta - The Twenty-Five; The Charter of the Fore4st 1217); seventeen pages of Notes; an eleven pageBibliography, and a four page Index, "Ladies of Magna Carta: Women of Influence in Thirteenth Century England" is aninherently fascinating and exceptionally well written study that is unreservedly recommended for community, college, anduniversity library Medieval English History and Women's History collections and a supplemental curriculum studiessyllabus. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of students, academia, and non-specialist general readers with aninterest in the subject that "Ladies of Magna Carta: Women of Influence in Thirteenth Century England" is also availablein a paperback edition (9781399019620, $32.95) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $11.99).
Editorial Note: Sharon Bennett Connolly is also the author of "Heroines of the Medieval World", (2017) and "Silk and theSword: The Women of the Norman Conquest" (2018). She also gives talks on women's history and her TV work includesAustralian television's 'Who Do You Think You Are?'.
The Civil War Shelf
Michael E. Block
Savas Beatie
PO Box 4527, El Dorado Hills, CA 95762
www.savasbeatie.com
9781611214406, $16.95, PB, 192pp
https://www.amazon.com/Carnage-was-Fearful-Mountain-Emerging/dp/1611214408
Synopsis: In early August 1862, Confederate Maj. Gen. Stonewall Jackson took to the field with his Army of the Valley forone last fight -- one that would also turn out to be his last independent command.
Near the base of Cedar Mountain, in the midst of a blistering heat wave, outnumbered Federal infantry under Maj. Gen.Nathaniel Banks attacked Jackson's army as it marched toward Culpeper Court House. A violent three-hour battle erupted,yielding more than 3,600 casualties. "The carnage was fearful," one observer wrote.
The unexpected Federal aggressiveness nearly won the day. Jackson, attempting to rally his men, drew his sword -- only tofind it so rusted, it would not come unsheathed. "Jackson is with you!" he cried, brandishing the sword still in its scabbard.The tide of battle turned -- and the resulting victory added to Stonewall's mystique.
Civil War history typically breezes by the battle of Cedar Mountain, moving quickly from the Seven Days' Battles into theSecond Bull Run Campaign, but the stand-alone battle at Cedar Mountain had major implications. It saw the emergence ofthe Federal cavalry as an effective intelligence collector and screening force.
It also provided Confederate Maj. Gen. A.P. Hill's first opportunity to save the day -- and his first opportunity to raiseJackson's ire. Within the Federal Army, the aftermath of the battle escalated the in-fighting among generals and led torecriminations and finger-pointing over why the battle was even fought. -- Some called it outright murder.
Most importantly, the Federal defeat at Cedar Mountain halted an advance into central Virginia and provided thecommander of the Army of Northern Virginia, Gen. Robert E. Lee, an opportunity to take the fight away from Richmondand toward Washington.
For years, author and Civil War historian Michael Block has been deeply involved in developing interpretation for theCedar Mountain battlefield. "The Carnage was Fearful: The Battle of Cedar Mountain, August 9, 1862" presents the battlewith the full boots-on-the-ground insight Block has earned while walking the ground and bringing its story to life.
Critique: Profusely illustrated throughout with black-and-white historical photos, "The Carnage was Fearful: The Battle ofCedar Mountain, August 9, 1862" is an extraordinary and detailed account of a major battle that is often overlooked andunder appreciated by Civil War historians. An inherently fascinating, exceptionally informative, and deftly crafted studentthat is particularly impressive in organization and presentation, "The Carnage was Fearful: The Battle of Cedar Mountain,August 9, 1862" is an especially recommended addition to personal, community, college, and university library AmericanCivil War History collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists. For students, academia, and Civil War historybuffs, it should be noted that "The Carnage was Fearful: The Battle of Cedar Mountain, August 9, 1862" is also availablein a digital book format (Kindle, $8.49).
Editorial Note: A life-long student of the Civil War, Michael Block moved to Fauquier County, Virginia, in 2004 anddeveloped a deep appreciation of the war's impact on Culpeper County. As a public historian, he gives battlefield tours andlectures, focusing on the stirring wartime events in Culpeper, including at Cedar Mountain. Mike is the vice-president ofthe Friends of Cedar Mountain Battlefield.
The Great "What Ifs" of the American Civil War
Chris Mackowski, editor
Brian Matthew Jordan, editor
Savas Beatie
PO Box 4527, El Dorado Hills, CA 95762
www.savasbeatie.com
9781611215731, $29.95, HC, 312pp
https://www.amazon.com/Great-What-American-Civil-Possibilities/dp/1611215730
Synopsis: Every Civil War armchair general asks the question "What if...?". Possibilities unfold. Disappointments vanish.Imaginations soar. More questions arise. "What if..." can be more than an exercise in wistful fantasy. A serious inquirysparks rigorous exploration, demands critical thinking, and unlocks important insights.
With the publication of "The Great "What Ifs" of the American Civil War: Historians Tackle the Conflict's Most IntriguingPossibilities", academia and Civil War buffs are presented with a collection of fourteen essays by the historians atEmerging Civil War -- including a Foreword by acclaimed alternate history writer Peter G. Tsouras.
Each entry focuses on one of the most important events of the war and unpacks the options of the moment. To understandwhat happened, we must look with a clear and objective eye at what could have happened, with the full multitude ofchoices before us. "What if " is a tool for illumination. These essays also explode the assumptions people make when theyask "what if " and then jump to wishful conclusions.
This collection of thoughtful essays offers not alternate histories or counterfactual scenarios, but an invitation to ask, tolearn, and to wonder, "What if...?"
Critique: Of immense and fascinating attraction and value for Civil War scholars, historians, and dedicated military historyfans, "The Great "What Ifs" of the American Civil War: Historians Tackle the Conflict's Most Intriguing Possibilities"(collaborative compiled and co-edited by Chris Mackowski and Brian Matthew Jordan) is a unique and welcome additionto professional, community, college, and university library American Civil War History collections. Thoughtful andthought-provoking, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "The Great "What Ifs" of the American Civil War:Historians Tackle the Conflict's Most Intriguing Possibilities" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle,$13.49).
Editorial Note: Chris Mackowski, Ph.D., is the editor-in-chief and co-founder of the online resource Emerging Civil War.A writing professor in the Jandoli School of Communication at St. Bonaventure University in Allegany, NY, Chris is alsohistorian-in-residence at Stevenson Ridge, a historic property on the Spotsylvania battlefield in central Virginia. The serieseditor of the award-winning Emerging Civil War Series, he has authored or co-authored a dozen books on the Civil War,and his articles have appeared in major Civil War magazines.
The Environmental Studies Shelf
David Tindall, editor
Mark C. J. Stoddart, editor
Riley E. Dunlap, editor
Edward Elgar Publishing
9 Dewey Court, Northampton, MA 01060-3815
www.e-elgar.com
9781839100215, $295.00, HC, 512pp
https://www.amazon.com/Handbook-Anti-Environmentalism-David-Tindall/dp/1839100214
Synopsis: The "Handbook of Anti-Environmentalism" is a thought-provoking compilation of twenty-three impressivelyinformative articles by experts in the subject of resistance to environmental protection laws and findings that collectivelyprovide a theoretical overview of the wide variety of anti-environmentalisms and offers an integrative research agenda forfuture research on the topic. Probing the ways in which groups have organized to oppose environmental movements andpro-environmental policies in recent decades, it examines those involved in these countermovements and studies theirmotivations and support systems.
International contributors investigate the ways in which anti-environmentalism differs across regions and by the nature ofthe issue, alongside unique coverage of the critiques of environmental movements coming from sources that are notanti-environmental. "Handbook of Anti-Environmentalism" explores core topics in the field, including contestation overclimate change, wind power, mining, forestry, food sovereignty, oil and gas pipelines and population issues. Chapters alsoanalyze our understanding of countermovements, the effect of public opinion on environmental policy, and originalempirical case studies from North America, Oceania, Europe and Asia.
Taking a multidisciplinary approach, the "Handbook of Anti-Environmentalism" will be a key resource for scholars andstudents of environmental politics and policy, environmental sociology, environmental governance and socialmovements.
Critique: Given the purposeful suppression of science-based information on climate change and the well-funded oppositionto the laws and steps that are necessary if global catastrophe is to be avoided, "Handbook of Anti-Environmentalism" is anincredibly timely and 'time-is-running-out' urgent contribution to our national and international discussions on thecontinuing and growing impacts for climate change based environmental impacts. Also available in a digital book format($65.00), "Handbook of Anti-Environmentalism" is a singularly unique and unreservedly recommended addition topersonal, professional, community, governmental, college, and university library Contemporary Environmental Issuescollections and supplemental curriculum reading list.
Editorial Note: "Handbook of Anti-Environmentalism" is collaboratively compiled and edited by the team of David Tindall(Professor, Department of Sociology, University of British Columbia, Canada); Mark C.J. Stoddart (Professor, Departmentof Sociology, Memorial University of Newfoundland, Canada); and Riley E. Dunlap (Dresser Professor and RegentsProfessor of Sociology Emeritus, Oklahoma State University).
Effective Conservation
Ignacio Jimenez
Island Press
2000 M St NW Suite 650, Washington, DC 20036
www.islandpress.org
9781642832457, $45.00, PB, 280pp
https://www.amazon.com/Effective-Conservation-Parks-Rewilding-Development/dp/1642832456
Synopsis: For most people, "conservation" conjures the notion of minimizing human presence on wildlands to avoidharmful impacts. But too often, this defensive approach has pitted local communities against conservationists, wastingopportunities for collaboration and setting the stage for ongoing conflict. One conservation approach turns that paradigmon its head, and instead connects conservation with the well-being of human communities, setting both up for success.Called "Full Nature," this approach (pioneered by conservationist Ignacio Jimenez) seeks to promote fully functionalnatural landscapes that are tied to the basic needs of the communities in their midst. They become a self-sustaining cycle,where nature and people are integrated ecologically, socially, and politically.
"Effective Conservation: Parks, Rewilding, and Local Development" is based on Jimenez's experience managingconservation projects on three continents over thirty years. Jimenez offers a pragmatic approach to conservation that putsthe focus on working with people (neighbors, governments, politicians, businesses, media) to ensure they have a long-termstake in protecting and restoring parks and wildlife. Jimenez guides readers through the practical considerations ofdesigning, analyzing, and managing effective conservation programs.
The chapters comprising "Effective Conservation" explore intelligence gathering, communication, planning, conflictmanagement, and evaluation techniques, and include numerous text boxes showcasing examples of successfulconservation projects from all continents. A companion website (www.islandpress.org/effective-conservation) includesadditional case studies, expanded texts, and links to additional resources.
Now newly translated into English after successful Spanish and Portuguese editions, "Effective Conservation" is a highlyreadable manual that provides a groundbreaking and time-proven formula for successful conservation projects around theworld that bring together parks, people, and nature.
Critique: Exceptionally well organized and presented, "Effective Conservation: Parks, Rewilding, and Local Development"is an ideal and practical combination of instructional guide and 'how to' manual that is highly recommended for personal,professional, community, college, and university library Environmental & Conservation collections, and for asupplemental curriculum studies syllabus. It should be noted for students, academia, environmentalists, conservationists,political activists, governmental policy makers, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that"Effective Conservation: Parks, Rewilding, and Local Development" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle,$42.75).
Editorial Note: Ignacio Jimenez has extensive international experience in conservation. He has coordinated research andmanagement projects in Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Madagascar, and El Salvador, and coordinated a national assessment of theSpanish experience in endangered species recovery. He worked for CLT/Tompkins Conservation in Argentina between2005 and 2018, where he managed the largest reintroduction program in the Americas. He spent 2016 in South Africa tolearn about how public and private organizations in Africa manage and integrate nature reserves, rewilding, andecotourism. In 2018 he collaborated with Brazilian organizations to establish two large conservation landscapes in theAtlantic Forest and the Pantanal.
Climate Politics on the Border
Kenneth Walker
The University of Alabama Press
PO Box 870380, Tuscaloosa, AL 35487-0380
www.uapress.ua.edu
9780817321116, $49.95, HC, 216pp
https://www.amazon.com/Climate-Politics-Border-Environmental-Rhetorics/dp/081732111X
Synopsis: As a borderland city with generations of slow violence and extreme weather events like flash flooding andintense heat waves, San Antonio, Texas, speaks directly to global issues in climate politics. With the publication of"Climate Politics on the Border: Environmental Justice Rhetorics", Professor Kenneth Walker takes a place-basedapproach to his study of San Antonio to explore how extreme weather events and responses to them shape local places,publics, and politics, with an eye toward a future characterized by severe climate breakdown.
Attending to the local histories and micropolitics of San Antonio, Professor Walker examines the effects of extremeweather events as they are experienced across radically inequitable social categories. These local histories serve as a guide,not just for future climates, which stand to be unprecedented, but for the necessary public and political responses to them.He shows how extreme weather events in the past have reinforced colonial social orders that weaken democratic goals ofpluralism and equity. Conversely, he also shows how diverse coalitions have resisted and responded to these forces.
Professor Walker also examines the ethics of Latinx and Anglo relations within state-sponsored productions of racialinequity and environmental degradation, the coalitional capacities of environmental activists and second-wave Chicana/oorganizations to protect clean water and transform local political representation, the obligations of place-keeping in Latinxurban design and ecological restoration, and the need to foster pluriversal worlds in city-level climate action and adaptationplans. Collectively these chapters rethink tropes of adaptation, resilience, and coalition as rhetorical and ecologicalcapacities for public and political responses to extractivism.
Based on years of archival work and fieldwork, "Climate Politics on the Border" demonstrates vividly why ecological andanticolonial approaches to rhetoric are essential for grappling with climate politics. Overall, this is a timely study of howenvironmental degradation, pollution, and climate change are disputed and negotiated at the local political level in aborderland community.
Critique: Enhanced for the reader's benefit with the inclusion of a fourteen page Bibliography, twenty pages of Notes, and athree page Index, "Climate Politics on the Border: Environmental Justice Rhetorics" is an original work of meticulousscholarship, impressively organized and presented, and an exceptionally informative, critically important addition toprofessional, community, college, and university library Environmental Policy & Communication Studies collections. Itshould be noted for students, academia, environmental activists, governmental policy makers, and non-specialist generalreaders with an interest in the subject that "Climate Politics on the Border: Environmental Justice Rhetorics" is alsoavailable in a digital book format (Kindle, $47.45).
Editorial Note: Kenneth Walker is assistant professor of rhetoric in the Department of English at the University of Texas atSan Antonio. His work has been published in Rhetoric Society Quarterly, Rhetoric Review, POROI, TechnicalCommunication Quarterly, and Environmental Humanities.
The Cookbook Shelf
Elena Silco*ck
Hamlyn
c/o Octopus Books
236 Park Avenue, New York NY 10017
www.octopusbooksusa.com
9780600637424, $24.99, HC, 208pp
https://www.amazon.com/Salads-Are-More-Than-Leaves/dp/0600637425
Synopsis: For too long salads have languished on the side-lines of dining tables, reduced to mere accompaniments orstarters, but what if we gave salads the limelight they deserve? A beautifully and profusely illustrated culinarycompendium "Salads Are More Than Leaves" by Elena Silco*ck brings salads center stage, showcasing dishes that are bigon flavor, texture and impact. With "Salads Are More Than Leaves" you will never see salads in the same way again.
Featuring sections on building a salad, maximising flavor and plating a salad to impress, "Salads Are More Than Leaves"showcases more than 80 recipes for truly memorable salads. Each recipe includes substitutions for vegan and vegetarianvariations, suggestions for pairing salads and ways to get ahead when you're short on time.
The included recipes range from: Pea, celery, mint and feta salad (tossed with shredded lettuce and scattered with lemoncroutons); Roasted nectarine and mozzarella salad (served from the roasting tin after whisking the juices from thenectarines to make a dressing); and Miso rice noodle salad (with finely chopped, raw tenderstem broccoli and whole sugarsnap peas, topped with a miso dressing and roasted peanuts); to Raw and roasted cauliflower salad (finely chopped rawcauliflower tossed with chickpeas, parsley and lemon juice, topped with wedges of roasted cauliflower and drizzled with atahini dressing); and Ultimate tomato salad (with roasted tomatoes, sun-dried tomatoes and fresh tomatoes, along withcucumber and herbs).
Critique: Palate pleasing, appetite satisfying, kitchen cook friendly, each and every one of the proffered salad creationswould make any meal a truly memorable dining event. Of special value for cooks wanting to help their carnivorecompanions and family members to eat more healthily that our typical American preferences, "Salads Are More ThanLeaves" will prove to be an exceptional and enduringly popular addition to personal, professional, family, and communitylibrary cookbook collections. Ideal for menu planning ideals, it must also be noted that "Salads Are More Than Leaves" isalso available in a digital book format (Kindle, $10.99).
Editorial Note: Elena Silco*ck is a food writer, chef and food stylist. She has worked for various magazines and brands,including BBC Good Food, Co-op magazine, Nando's, Kellogg's and Flora. She runs her own supper clubs and is thecreator of the Feed Them Pasta e-book as well as the online recipe and social platform You Bring the Wine. She is also theauthor of One Pan, One Meal.
Zen Vegan Food
Koyu Linuma
Tuttle Publishing
364 Innovation Drive, North Clarendon, VT 05759-9436
www.tuttlepublishing.com
9784805316610, $16.99, HC, 96pp
https://www.amazon.com/Zen-Vegan-Food-Delicious-Plant-based/dp/4805316616
Synopsis: The 73 recipes showcased in "Zen Vegan Food: Delicious Plant-based Recipes from a Zen Buddhist Monk" areincredibly beautiful and tasty, while also being nutritious, sustainable and ethically responsible. Color photos show thefinished dishes, while comprehensive information on Japanese ingredients like seaweed, miso and tofu helps home cookswith shopping and preparation.
"Zen Vegan Food: Delicious Plant-based Recipes from a Zen Buddhist Monk" is comprised of: 28 recipes for vegancongee (a traditional Asian rice porridge dish) that includes Congee with Eggplant and Ginger, Soymilk Congee andCongee with Saffron and Chestnuts.
There is also a chapter on Japanese-Italian dishes with recipes such as Grilled Turnips with Mustard and Olive Sauce,Spaghetti with Pesto and Shiitake and Mushroom Risotto with Nori Seaweed -- as well as delicious condiments andstarters to brighten up any meal, such as Mushroom Miso Paste and Crunchy Kombu Chips
For vegans, vegetarians, and anyone else with an interest in sustainable, plant-based eating, "Zen Vegan Food: DeliciousPlant-based Recipes from a Zen Buddhist Monk" will be a revelation with its new ways to prepare delicious meals thewhole family will enjoy!
Critique: A beautifully organized, and illustrated culinary compendium of palate pleasing, appetite satisfying, elegant, andtruly memorable dishes, "Zen Vegan Food: Delicious Plant-based Recipes from a Zen Buddhist Monk" will be animmediate and enduringly popular addition to personal, professional, and community library Vegan, Vegetarian, and AsianCuisine collections. It should be noted that "Zen Vegan Food: Delicious Plant-based Recipes from a Zen Buddhist Monk"is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $16.14).
Editorial Note: Koyu Iinuma is the deputy chief priest of f*ckushoji, a Tendai Buddhist temple in Yokohama, Japan. Hewas ordained as a monk at the famous Enryakuji monastery in Kyoto when only 19 years old. While studying at TaishoUniversity in Tokyo, he decided to spread the word of Buddhism through food. After graduating, he trained at severalrestaurants in Tokyo and obtained a professional chef's license. He currently conducts shojin ryori (vegetarian Buddhist)cooking workshops at various temples in the Kanagawa area to people of all ages, pursuing his mission to teach anunderstanding of Buddhism through mindful and ethically responsible eating.
One-Pot Vegan
Sabrina Fauda-Role
Hardie Grant Books
https://www.hardiegrant.com/us/publishing
c/o Chronicle Books
680 Second Street, San Francisco, CA 94107
www.chroniclebooks.com
9781784884833, $19.99, PB, 192pp
https://www.amazon.com/One-Pot-Vegan-Easy-Meals-Just/dp/1784884839
Synopsis: Bringing together classic dishes and fresh recipe ideas, "One-Pot Vegan: Easy Vegan Meals in Just One Pot" bySabrina Fauda-Role shows just how to cook over 80 vegan meals in just one pot.
From weeknight essentials to gatherings and celebrations, there's something for every occasion. Start your day with Bananaand Almond Pancakes, try your hand at a speedy Gnocchi and Spinach Pasta, ready in just 15 minutes, and cook up a ratherimpressive Dried Tomato Risotto. Filled with inspiration for simple, healthy, delicious vegan meals, "One-Pot Vegan"contains a wide variety of ingenious recipes, perfect for any night of the week.
Critique: Beautifully and profusely illustrated throughout, "One-Pot Vegan: Easy Vegan Meals in Just One Pot" isespecially ideal and particularly recommended for vegan and vegetarian kitchen cooks who are time-stressed, seeking toexpand their culinary creations, or simply want to avoid washing anymore dishes, pots and pans than absolutely necessary!While very strongly recommended as a popular addition to personal, professional, and community library vegan themedcookbook collections, it should be noted that "One-Pot Vegan: Easy Vegan Meals in Just One Pot" is also available in adigital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
Editorial Note: Sabrina Fauda-Role is an author and a food stylist. She is also the author of "Cookies in a Pan","Crumbles", "One-Pot Pasta", and "One-Pot Vegetarian".
The Vegan Cake Bible
Sara Kidd
Smith Street Books
c/o Rizzoli
300 Park Avenue South, 3rd floor, New York, NY 10010
www.rizzoliusa.com
9781922417572, $35.00, HC, 256pp
https://www.amazon.com/Vegan-Cake-Bible-Decorate-Spectacular/dp/1922417572
Synopsis: With the publication of "The Vegan Cake Bible: Bake, Build and Decorate Spectacular Vegan Cakes", vegancake baking expert Sara Kidd teaches everything needed a vegan and/or vegetarian cook needs to know about makingincredible plant-based cakes.
"The Vegan Cake Bible" is a compendium of easy-to-follow recipes guaranteed to be to make foolproof creations everytime by even the most novice of home bakers. With step-by-step tutorials for frosting and decorating, mix and match ideas,and recipes for gluten-free cakes that actually work, "The Vegan Cake Bible" teaches the aspiring baker all about theingredients, the tools, and the tips to master the art of vegan baking.
Critique: Beautifully and profusely illustrated throughout, thoroughly 'user friendly' in organization and presentation, andoffering an impressive range of incredible, palate pleasing, appetite satisfying cakes for any and every occasion, "TheVegan Cake Bible: Bake, Build and Decorate Spectacular Vegan Cakes" is a unique, extraordinary, and very specialaddition to personal, professional, and community library cookbook collections.
Editorial Note: Sara Kidd is a food writer for Vegan Food & Living (UK) and Nourish Mag (AU). She's previously writtenBake Vegan Stuff, Easy Recipes for Kids (and Adults too!) and runs a new vegan baking show, Vegan Around the World,in addition to monthly online professional vegan baking workshops.
Cooking with Japanese Pickles
Takako Yokoyama
Tuttle Publishing
364 Innovation Drive, North Clarendon, VT 05759-9436
www.tuttlepublishing.com
9784805316634, $17.99, HC, 112pp
https://www.amazon.com/Cooking-Japanese-Pickles-Classic-Seasonal/dp/4805316632
Synopsis: Homemade Japanese pickles are incredibly tasty and easy to make, and have numerous gut health and digestionbenefits. "Cooking with Japanese Pickles: 97 Quick, Classic and Seasonal Recipes" is an amazing and thoroughly 'kitchencook friendly' instructional guide and 'how to' culinary manual that shows how to make Japanese-style pickles at homeusing fresh vegetables from the garden or a local farmers' market -- and how to incorporate them into delicious Japanesehomestyle meals.
With the publication of "Cooking with Japanese Pickles: 97 Quick, Classic and Seasonal Recipes", author and Japanesepickling expert Takako Yokoyama showcases 97 pickling recipes grouped into three major sections: Quick pickles that areready to eat immediately (like Spicy Eggplant Pickles, Cabbage and Garlic Pickled in Soy Sauce, and Tomatoes Seasonedin Sake Rice Wine); Classic Japanese pickling recipes (such as Umeboshi Preserved Plums, Napa Cabbage Kimchi, andDaikon Radish Pickled in Miso); Seasonal pickles (including Spring Parsley and Butterbur Pickles, Mixed SummerVegetable Pickles and Winter Beets Pickled in Honey).
Yokoyama also includes specific recipes for meals that incorporate Japanese pickles like Sushi Rolls with PickledCabbage, Tofu Hotpot and Onion Salad with Fermented Soybean Dressing, and Sa Shi Su Umebaski Rice.
With commonly asked questions, clear step-by-step instructions, beautiful color photos, and information about the healthbenefits of pickles, "Cooking with Japanese Pickles: 97 Quick, Classic and Seasonal Recipes" is an ideal resource forhome cooks who want to try their hand at pickling, plant-based eating, or expanding their go-to recipe list.
Critique: Eloquent, 'user friendly' in organization and presentation, showcasing step-by-step instructions for makingJapanese style pickles from a variety of different vegetables, "Cooking with Japanese Pickles: 97 Quick, Classic andSeasonal Recipes" is a unique compendium of palate pleasing, appetite satisfying recipes that is especially recommendedfor personal, professional, and community library Ethnic Cookbook collections. It should be noted that "Cooking withJapanese Pickles: 97 Quick, Classic and Seasonal Recipes" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $17.09).
Editorial Note: Takako Yokoyama lives in Japan's mountainous Nagano prefecture. Specializing in her traditional regionalcuisine as well as creating original recipes inspired by this tradition, she conducts regular classes and seminars about thetastes and techniques of Nagano cooking, and is a regular on Japanese TV cooking shows. She is also the author of manybooks in her native Japan with a focus on eating seasonal food, pickling, and preserving.
Fresh Bento
Wendy Thorpe Copley
Tuttle Publishing
364 Innovation Drive, North Clarendon, VT 05759-9436
www.tuttlepublishing.com
9784805315347, $15.99, PB, 120pp
https://www.amazon.com/Fresh-Bento-Affordable-Healthy-Lunches/dp/4805315342
Synopsis: With the publication of "Fresh Bento: Affordable, Healthy Box Lunches Your Kids Will Adore", parents seekingalternatives to unhealthy snacks and school cafeteria lunches for their children will find a culinary treasure trove of healthyand delicious ideas.
Showcasing more than 46 themed bento box options to choose from, "Fresh Bento" allows you to create lunch with aselection of food that you know your kid likes to eat. Substitutions and other suggestions are included to accommodatepicky eaters and allergies. Not only will your child eat better, but you'll save money with this economical alternative toschool lunch or kids getting their meals out of vending machines!
The bentos in the book are packed with whimsical and innovative ideas including: An out-of-this-world Astronaut Bentofeaturing apples, avocado "aliens", almonds, dried apricots and an almond butter and apricot jam sandwich; Anabominably delicious Yeti Bento with yams, yellow bell peppers, yeti-shaped rice balls and yaki onigiri; Four-season treatslike daisy-, sun-, leaf- and snowflake-shaped cheese and a quartet of sandwich quarters, cherry tomatoes, strawberries andchocolate-covered raisins; Spidery eight-legged Bento containing figure-eight pastries, eight-shaped tomato skewers and ablackberry spider with eight icing eyes; A Rainbow Bento with grapes, raspberries, blueberries and orange, yellow andgreen bell peppers; and a bento for each letter of the alphabet, number or color!
Each bento takes only minutes to assemble when the components are prepped in advance. Plus, picking a theme, cuttingout fun shapes and arranging the food makes a great family activity that kids will love to be a part of!
Critique: Drawn directly from Japanese culinary culture, "Fresh Bento: Affordable, Healthy Box Lunches Your Kids WillAdore" is a unique and 'real world practical' alternative to traditional American lunch fair for kids (and adults!). Awelcome and unusual addition to family and community library cookbook collections, it should be noted that "FreshBento: Affordable, Healthy Box Lunches Your Kids Will Adore" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle,$6.83).
Editorial Note: Wendy Thorpe Copley was introduced to the art of bento when her husband gave her a bento box forChristmas. Since then, she has packed thousands of bento boxes for her family and written extensively about theseadorable lunches. She is also the author of Tuttle's Everyday Bento and has had her work featured in Martha Stewart, TheWashington Post, Huffington Post and dozens of other publications.
Tokyo Up Late
Brendan Liew
Street Smith Books
https://www.smithstreetbooks.com
c/o Rizzoli (distribution)
https://www.rizzoliusa.com
9781922417596, $35.00, HC, 252pp
https://www.amazon.com/Tokyo-Up-Late-Iconic-recipes/dp/1922417599
Synopsis: As the sun sets over Japan, the neon lights of Tokyo flicker to life: the hidden restaurants and bars come alive;rounds of beer, highballs, and sake are ordered, and the scent of yakitori and sounds of nightlife fill the air.
Tokyo's night scene is always fun, boisterous, and lively. This is where locals shake off the day, eating and drinking, andoften staying out until the last trains leave the city.
Comprised of iconic recipes drawn from the city that never sleeps, "Tokyo Up Late" is Brendan Liew's inherentlyfascinating food guide through the night, ranging from noisy izakayas, ramen joints, and tempura bars, to gyoza pit-stops,curry restaurants, and the iconic convenience stores that stitch the city together.
Critique: Beautifully illustrated with full color photography throughout, "Tokyo Up Late" is an impressive blending of cityhistory with palate-pleasing, appetite-satisfying, and culinarily authentic recipes that are so well organized and presentedthat any family cook can create true Japanese dishes that will grace any and all dining occasions. A treat to simply browsethrough one delicious dish at a time, the coffee-table style (8.16 x 1.15 x 9.71 inches, 2.5 pounds) edition of "Tokyo UpLate" is a unique and unreservedly recommended addition to personal, professional, and community library ethniccookbook collections.
Editorial Note: Brendan Liew spent time at the three-Michelin-starred Nihonryori Ryugin in Roppongi, Tokyo, and HongKong, and studied the art of ramen-making in Japan before delving into kappo and modern kaiseki cuisine. In Melbourne,he has worked at Kappo and Supernormal, had a pop-up cafe, Chotto, and is currently at Minamishima. He has traveledextensively through Japan's countryside and major cities to explore, learn, and live Japan's culture and cuisine.
The Brownie Diaries
Leah Hyslop
Bloomsbury Press
www.bloomsbury.com
9781472982780, $22.00, HC, 176pp
https://www.amazon.com/Brownie-Diaries-recipes-heartbreak-everything/dp/1472982789
Synopsis: Fun and kitchen cook friendly, "The Brownie Diaries: My recipes for happy times, heartbreak and everything inbetween" by Leah Hyslop offers brownie-based solutions to all life's challenges, big and small.
From brownies for comfort, like the "Feeling Lonesome Tonight" brownie (an indulgent concoction made from pantrystaples such as peanut butter and crumbled cookies), to brownies for celebration, such as the "I Think I Love You"Brownie (with raspberry cheesecake swirl), you'll find the perfect brownie for every occasion among these pages.
Stuck indoors on a rainy Sunday afternoon? There's a brownie for that, too, along with brownie-inspired twists on classicrecipes for cookies and ice-cream sundaes. Complete with a cocoa-dusted smattering of brownie trivia and quick-fixes tostop your brownies from sinking,
"The Brownie Diaries" is the perfect book for brownie lovers everywhere.
Critique: Beautifully and profusely illustrated in full color throughout, just paging through "The Brownie Diaries" is amouth-watering, brownie-hungering experience. An inspiring compilation of palate-pleasing, appetite-satisfying brownierecipes for any and all occasions, "The Brownie Diaries" is guaranteed to be a welcome addition to personal, family,professional, and community library cookbook collections. It should also be noted for dedicated brownie enthusiasts that"The Brownie Diaries" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $11.99).
Editorial Note: Leah Hyslop is a food writer and editor. She was a lifestyle editor at The Telegraph and then Food Directorof Sainsbury's Magazine before becoming Deputy Editor at Waitrose and Partners Food Magazine. Her first book, "Madein London", was published in 2018. Leah can be found on Twitter @LeahHyslop
The Political Science Shelf
Steven F. Pittz, editor
Joseph Postell, editor
University of Oklahoma Press
2800 Venture Drive, Norman, OK 73069
www.oupress.com
9780806175393, $95.00, HC, 324pp
https://www.amazon.com/American-Citizenship-Constitutionalism-Principle-Constitutional/dp/0806175397
Synopsis: Questions at the very heart of the American experiment (about what the nation is and who its people are) haveover the past decade assumed a new, even violent urgency as exemplified by the January 6, 2021 assault on congress andthe nation's capital.
As the most fundamental aspects of American citizenship and constitutionalism come under ever more powerful pressure,and as the nation's politics increasingly give way to divisive, partisan extremes, "American Citizenship andConstitutionalism in Principle and Practice" (collaboratively compiled and co-edited by Professors Steven F. Pittz andJoseph Postell) thirteen contributors collectively respond to the critical political challenge of our time: the need to return tosome conception of shared principles as a basis for citizenship and a foundation for orderly governance. In various waysand from various perspectives, this volume's contributors locate these principles in the American practice of citizenshipand constitutionalism.
Chapters in the first part of "American Citizenship and Constitutionalism in Principle and Practice" address criticalquestions about the nature of U.S. citizenship; subsequent essays propose a rethinking of traditional notions of citizenshipin light of the new challenges facing the country.
With historical and theoretical insights drawn from a variety of sources ranging from Montesquieu, John Adams, andHenry Clay to the transcendentalists, Cherokee freedmen, and modern identitarians, "American Citizenship andConstitutionalism in Principle and Practice" makes the case that American constitutionalism, as shaped by severalcenturies of experience, can ground a shared notion of American citizenship. To achieve widespread agreement in ourfractured polity, this notion may have to be based on "thin" political principles, the authors concede; yet this does not ruleout the possibility of political community.
By articulating notions of citizenship and constitutionalism that are both achievable and capable of fostering solidarity anda common sense of purpose, this timely volume drafts a blueprint for the building of a genuinely shared politicalfuture.
Critique: Enhanced with the inclusion of an informative Introduction (Finding Common Ground as Citizens in the Practiceof American Constitutionalism), a four page listing of the contributors and their credentials, and a thirteen page Index,"American Citizenship and Constitutionalism in Principle and Practice" is a timely and critically important addition tocommunity, college, and university library Contemporary Political Science collections in general, and a Constitutional Lawsupplemental curriculum studies syllabus in particular. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of political sciencestudents, academia, political activists, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "AmericanCitizenship and Constitutionalism in Principle and Practice" is also available in a paperback edition (9780806175386,$29.95) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $18.99).
Editorial Note #1: Steven F. Pittz is Assistant Professor of Political Science at the University of Colorado - ColoradoSprings and is also the author of "Recovering the Liberal Spirit: Nietzsche, Individuality, and Spiritual Freedom".
Editorial Note #2: Joseph Postell is Associate Professor of Politics at Hillsdale College in Hillsdale, Michigan. He is alsothe author of "Bureaucracy in America: The Administrative State's Challenge to Constitutional Government" and co-editorof "Rediscovering Political Economy and Toward an American Conservatism: Constitutional Conservatism during theProgressive Era".
Beyond The Boomerang
Christopher L. Pallas, editor
Elizabeth A. Bloodgood, editor
The University of Alabama Press
PO Box 870380, Tuscaloosa, AL 35487-0380
www.uapress.ua.edu
9780817321147, $59.95, HC, 264pp
https://www.amazon.com/Beyond-Boomerang-Transnational-International-NGOgraphies/dp/0817321144
Synopsis: Margaret E. Keck and Kathryn Sikkink introduced the boomerang theory in their 1998 book, "Activists beyondBorders: Advocacy Networks in International Politics". It remains one of the first broadly applicable theories for whygroups of NGOs and interested individuals form transnational advocacy networks.
Since its publication, however, the empirical conditions that prompted their theory have changed. The types of actorsinvolved in transnational advocacy have diversified. Northern NGOs have lost power and influence and have beenrestricted in their access to southern states. Southern NGOs have developed the capacity to undertake advocacy on theirown and often built closer relationships with their own governments. The architecture of global governance has likewisechanged, providing new avenues of access and influence for southern voices.
With the publication of "Beyond the Boomerang: From Transnational Advocacy Networks to Transcalar Advocacy inInternational Politics", co-editors Christopher L. Pallas and Elizabeth A. Bloodgood offer cutting-edge scholarship thatsynthesizes a new theoretical framework to develop a coherent, integrated picture of the current dynamics in globaladvocacy. This new theory of transcalar advocacy focuses on advocacy activities and policy impacts that transcenddifferent levels or scales of political action.
In transcalar advocacy, all NGOs (northern and southern) are treated as strategic actors, choosing the targets, scales ofadvocacy, and partnerships that best suit their capacities and goals. The case studies in this volume develop the empiricalgrounding of this theory using data from Latin America, Africa, Europe, and Asia, with several chapters featuringcross-national comparison.
The chapters highlight the wide variety of actors involved in advocacy work, including NGOs, social movements,international institutions, governments, and businesses. Contributors use both qualitative and quantitative methodologiesand bring to bear insights from political science, international relations, and sociology. The case studies also includediverse issue areas, from women's rights to environmental protection, sustainable agriculture, health policy, and democracypromotion.
Critique: Each contributor to "Beyond the Boomerang: From Transnational Advocacy Networks to Transcalar Advocacy inInternational Politics" is an expert in their field and, collectively, provide thoughtful and thought-provoking informationthat will be of immense value to readers with a particular interest in non-governmental organization (NGO) policies andpolicy development, contemporary international relations, and the politics of globalization. "Beyond the Boomerang" is acritically important acquisition selection for professional, college and university library NGO related collections. It shouldbe noted that "Beyond the Boomerang" is also available for personal reading lists in a digital book format (Kindle,$56.95).
Public Affairs and Democratic Ideals
Curtis Ventriss
State University of New York Press
State University Plaza, Albany, NY 12246-0001
www.sunypress.edu
9781438481258, $97.80 (Amazon), HC, 288pp
https://www.amazon.com/Public-Affairs-Democratic-Ideals-Perspectives/dp/143848125X
Synopsis: We currently live in an era where many American citizens feel increasingly uncertain about their futures, havingto deal with stagnant wages, globalization, and wealth and income inequality, while, at the same time, policymakers appearunable or unwilling to reach any viable policy consensus on a wide range of major issues.
With the publication of "Public Affairs and Democratic Ideals: Critical Perspectives in an Era of Political and EconomicUncertainty", Curtis Ventriss ( Professor Emeritus of Public Policy at the University of Vermont) addresses these vexingconditions and the challenge they pose for public management and administration. Professor Ventriss argues for reorderingintellectual and policy priorities with a focus on publicness and the role of critical democratic thought in publicaffairs.
Too often, the assumptions that underlie the prevailing theory and practice of addressing major political and economicproblems remain unquestioned, with economic and political conflicts displaced into issues of administration andleadership. Professor Ventriss calls for a reinvigorated notion of publicness based, in part, on a public social science, civicexperimentation, and policies designed and tailored to the unique needs of various publics.
As a way to move forward, "Public Affairs and Democratic Ideals" offers ideas for redefining professionalism, promotingcivic initiatives, and rethinking professional education for public service.
Critique: A timely contribution toward resolving our current national distress and political chaos, and protecting/restoringour American democracy from the damage done by the political schisms which created the first insurrectionist attempt onJanuary 6, 2021 to overthrow the federal government since the American Civil War, "Public Affairs and DemocraticIdeals: Critical Perspectives in an Era of Political and Economic Uncertainty" needs to be a part of every community,college, and university library Contemporary Political Science collection and curriculum studies lists. It should be notedfor students, academia, political activists, governmental policy maker, and non-specialist general reader with an interest inthe subject that "Public Affairs and Democratic Ideals: Critical Perspectives in an Era of Political and EconomicUncertainty" is also available in a paperback edition (9781438481241, $32.95) and in a digital book format (Kindle,$31.30).
The Business Shelf
Shumaila Yousafzai, et al.
Edward Elgar Publishing
9 Dewey Court, Northampton, MA 01060-3815
www.e-elgar.com
9781789901368, $220.00, HC, 392pp
https://www.amazon.com/Research-Handbook-Entrepreneurship-Handbooks-Management/dp/1789901367
Synopsis: "Research Handbook of Women's Entrepreneurship and Value Creation" is a compendium of twenty-one eruditeand informative articles that collective highlight the importance of women as agents of change, acknowledging womenentrepreneurs' efforts and supporting their value-creation activities. With important implications for policymaking,contributing authors direct attention to and provide evidence for the positive contribution of women entrepreneurs to theeconomy, regardless of their businesses' size and formal status.
Challenging the under performance hypothesis associated with women entrepreneurs, chapters present evidence thatwomen do not underperform in their businesses, but that they add value even in constrained environments. This intends toshift the focus of research from questions like 'what do entrepreneurs do?' to 'how do they do it?', focusing on the uniqueways in which each woman entrepreneur creates value, and 'for whom do they do it?', looking at the multiple valueoutcomes women entrepreneurs create and the beneficiaries of that value.
With a global perspective on women's entrepreneurship and their value creation, "Research Handbook of Women'sEntrepreneurship and Value Creation" must be consider vital reading for researchers of entrepreneurship, as well asgovernment agencies and policymakers interested in promoting entrepreneurial activity.
Critique: Enhanced for academia and the reader with the inclusion of a listing of the contributors and their credentials, aswell as a nine-page Index, the articles comprising "Research Handbook of Women's Entrepreneurship and Value Creation"are organized into four major sections: Value Creation at the Individual Level; Value Creation at the Business Level;Value Creation at the Household and Family Level; and Value Creation at the Societal Level. An ideal textbook forEntrepreneurial curriculums, "Research Handbook of Women's Entrepreneurship and Value Creation" is especiallyrecommended for corporate, college, and university library Contemporary Business, Entrepreneurship, and Economicscollections.
Editorial Note: Shumaila Yousafzai (Associate Professor of Entrepreneurship, Nazarbayev University, Kazakhstan);Colette Henry (Dundalk Institute of Technology, Ireland), Monique Boddington (University of Cambridge), ShandanaSheikh (Cardiff Business School, Cardiff University, UK); and Alain Fayolle (Center for Innovation and EntrepreneurshipActivities, University of Cagliari, Italy).
Entrepreneurship Addiction
April J. Spivack, author
Alexander McKelvie, author
Edward Elgar Publishing
9 Dewey Court, Northampton, MA 01060-3815
www.e-elgar.com
9781788974516, $98.90, HC, 224pp
https://www.amazon.com/Entrepreneurship-Addiction-Engagement-Activities-Footprints/dp/1788974514
Synopsis: With the publication of "Entrepreneurship Addiction: Exploring Patterns of Engagement with VenturingActivities", coauthors April J. Spivack (Associate Professor of Entrepreneurship, Management and Organisation,Department of Entrepreneurship, Management and Organisation, Hanken School of Economics, Finland) and AlexanderMcKelvie (Professor of Entrepreneurship, Department of Entrepreneurship and Emerging Enterprises, Whitman School ofManagement, Syracuse University) present the development of the concept of entrepreneurship addiction, contributing towider discussions of the 'dark side' of entrepreneurship. Focusing attention on mental health issues and neurodiversityamong entrepreneurs, it offers insights into conflicting findings regarding entrepreneurial well-being.
This study incorporates contemporary multifaceted lenses that consider cognitive, emotional, biological and physiologicaldimensions of experience, highlighting the complex interplay between entrepreneurs and their ventures. It distinguishesentrepreneurship addiction from other behavioural addictions to develop a robust and distinct empirical measure ofpsychological and physiological health of entrepreneurs. Describing recent contributions to this rapidly developing field ofstudy, Professors Spivack and McKelvie supply key research tools and map out a research agenda for furtherinvestigation.
Offering operational methodologies for the study of entrepreneurial addiction, "Entrepreneurship Addiction" is crucialreading for scholars of entrepreneurship interested in the psychological and behavioural impacts of entrepreneurialendeavours. It will also benefit career-driven entrepreneurs, their partners, family members, and others looking forpersonal insights into entrepreneurial behaviour, as well as mental health workers and practitioners.
Critique: Enhanced with the inclusion of thematically appropriate figures and tables, as well as a ten page Index,"Entrepreneurship Addiction: Exploring Patterns of Engagement with Venturing Activities" is comprised of five sections:Why We Should Study Entrepreneurship; Habitual Entrepreneurs; Illuminating Entrepreneurship Addiction As A DarkSide Work Behavior Pattern; Measuring Addiction To Entrepreneurship; and An Agenda For Research And Action InEntrepreneurship Addiction Work. A ground breaking study, "Entrepreneurship Addiction: Exploring Patterns ofEngagement with Venturing Activities" is a unique and highly recommended addition to personal, professional, college,and university library Business/Entrepreneurship collections and supplemental curriculum studies syllabus lists.
Arrive and Thrive
Susan MacKenty Brady, author
Janet Foutty, author
Lynn Perry Wooten, author
McGraw Hill Professional
1221 Avenue of the Americas, 45th Floor, New York, NY 10020
www.mhprofessional.com
9781264286355, $28.00, HC, 240pp
https://www.amazon.com/Arrive-Thrive-Impactful-Navigating-Leadership/dp/126428635X
Synopsis: Women who arrive at the top should be able to thrive at the top. Instead they're judged lucky to survive -- evenmore so with the current pandemic-era pressures overwhelming their already busy family and professional lives.
What if there was a way you, as a female executive, could flourish in a senior leadership role as your best self, inspireexcellence in your team channeling your own wellbeing and, at the same time, lead a highly fulfilled life? There is -- andwith the publication of "Arrive and Thrive: 7 Impactful Practices for Women Navigating Leadership", the team ofsuccessful business women, Susan Brady, Janet Foutty, and Lynn Wooten shows you how.
An especially timely and practice-driven DIY guide, "Arrive and Thrive" reveals 7 practices you can use to thrive as yourise to positions of greater responsibility, risk, and reward -- and empower others along the way. Powered by the latestresearch, boots-on-the-ground experience, and advice from 24 of the world's most successful leaders, "Arrive and Thrive"effectively presents the seven practices that will help you understand and leverage your own unique personal powers soyou can thrive in leadership.
Critique: Exceptionally 'real world practical' and effective, "Arrive and Thrive: 7 Impactful Practices for WomenNavigating Leadership" is a compendium of sage information, advice, strategies, tactics, ideas, presented in a thoroughly'user friendly' approach that will prove to be of impressive value for women new to or already experienced with corporateor entrepreneurial responsibilities. While highly recommended for community, corporate, college, and university libraryWomen in Business, Workplace Culture, and HR/Personal Management collections and supplemental curriculum studieslists, it should be noted for MBA students, academia, female corporate executives/entrepreneurs, and non-specialist generalreaders with an interest in the subject that "Arrive and Thrive: 7 Impactful Practices for Women Navigating Leadership" isalso available in a digital book format (Kindle, $17.99).
Editorial Note #1: Susan MacKenty Brady is the Deloitte Ellen Gabriel Chair for Women and Leadership and CEO ofSimmons University Institute for Inclusive Leadership. A highly sought-after author and expert on self-aware leadership,Susan has keynoted or consulted at over 500 organizations worldwide.
Editorial Note #2: Janet Foutty is the Executive Chair of the Board of Deloitte US, the largest professional servicesorganization in the U.S. Previously, she was the chair and CEO of Deloitte Consulting LLP. Janet is committed topurposeful leadership and recognizes that business can and should make a broader societal impact that matters.
Editorial Note #3: Dr. Lynn Perry Wooten is President of Simmons University. Her academic research focuses on everydayleadership, crisis management, and workforce. She also maintains a robust clinical practice devoted to leadershipdevelopment.
The Graphic Novel Shelf
Written by William Shakespeare
Art by Julien Choy
Story Adaptation by Crystal S. Chan
Modern English Adaptation by Michael Barltrop
Manga Classics
www.mangaclassics.com
9781947808256 $19.99
https://www.amazon.com/Manga-Classics-Othello-Modern-English/dp/1947808257
Synopsis: A brilliant general in the service of Venice, Othello is also the new husband of the adoring - and young -Desdemona, whose innocent hero-worship has blossomed into love. But can a beautiful girl, so much younger than herhusband, truly be faithful? Othello's trusted ensign Iago seems to think not. Can Othello trust him? Can Othello trustanyone? Manga Classics presents Shakespeare's classic story of love, hate, vengeance, and betrayal, with FULLADAPTED MODERN ENGLISH text for easy reading.
Critique: Manga Classics: Othello adapts Shakespeare's classic tragedy of love, jealousy, treachery, and revenge toblack-and-white graphic novel format, in the beautiful and expressive style of Japanese manga. Although the emotionalimpact of Shakespeare's work transcends generations, merely reading his plays can make their nuance difficult to grasp; thedynamic, detailed, and expressive art of Manga Classics: Othello remedies the limitations of experiencing Shakespeare'swork as text alone. The Modern English Edition of Manga Classics: Othello (9781947808256 $19.99) replaces the originalscript of the play with plain-terms English writing that accurately conveys the meaning of Shakespeare's flowery turns ofphrase. Manga Classics: Othello is also available in a "full original text edition" (9781947808140, $19.99) whichshowcases the entire script of the original play verbatim. Either or both versions of Manga Classics: Othello are worthy ofthe highest recommendation for school and public library graphic novel collections, as a new and exciting way toexperience great art. Graphic novel and literary connoisseurs are also enthusiastically encouraged to add either version ofManga Classics: Othello to their personal collections.
Apollo's Song
Osamu Tezuka
Kodansha
451 Park Avenue South, 7th Floor, New York, NY 10016
www.kodansha.us
9781647291204 $24.95
https://www.amazon.com/Apollos-Song-Omnibus-Osamu-Tezuka/dp/1647291208
Synopsis: Is it better to have loved and lost, or never to have loved at all?
From a boxcar bound for a Nazi concentration camp to a dystopian future where humans are persecuted by their ownclones, Apollo's Song reaches Olympian heights of tragedy as it explores the meaning of love and the consequences of itsabsence. Salty, romantic, and at times profoundly erotic, the ambiguities of its poetic justice will plumb new depths of theheart with each rereading.
Critique: Apollo's Song is an omnibus black-and-white graphic novel by Osamu Tezuka, the legendary godfather ofmodern Japanese manga. The artwork has been mirrored from left-to-right, in order to be more accessible to Westerncomic book readers. The saga begins with a contemporary young man who seems unable to feel or comprehend theconcept of love, and branches into separate stories set in diverse eras of history, even the far-flung future. In each tale, ayoung man and a young woman meet, but hardships befall their blossoming love. Why is humankind unable to allow truelove the opportunity to flourish? Why is humankind endlessly savaged by its own cruelty? Profound, emotional,philosophical, and captivating to the very last page, Apollo's Song is highly recommended especially for public librarycollections, and the personal reading lists of manga connoisseurs.
Hen Kai Pan
Eldo Yoshimizu
Titan Comics
titan-comics.com
9781787738379 $14.99
Synopsis: Dismayed by the havoc wreaked on the Earth by humankind, its five guardian spirits decide to act. But as theyargue amongst themselves on what the judgement should be, one enraged spirit, Nila, becomes determined to take mattersinto her own hands, forcing the remaining four to unite in a desperate final battle to prevent her from wiping not justhumans, but all life from the face of the planet.
Critique: A complete saga suggested for mature readers, Hen Kai Pan is a manga (Japanese graphic novel) exploringthemes of Cosmotheism. Earth's five guardian spirits are unthinkably distraught by the harm that humankind has inflictedupon their own world, yet they quarrel about how they should respond. One of the five, Nila, decides to act in the mostextreme manner possible; can the other four prevent her from eradicating not only humans, but all life on the planet? Thesweeping, black-and-white artwork is an astonishing highlight to this tale of ecology, philosophy, ethics, and spirituality.Highly recommended.
The Junction
Norm Konyu
Titan Comics
titan-comics.com
9781787738300 $29.99
https://www.amazon.com/Junction-Norm-Konyu/dp/1787738302
Synopsis: When a missing child, Lucas Jones, reappears on his Uncle's doorstep in his hometown of Medford after anabsence of 12 years, the brief moment of joy is clouded by mystery. Where has he been? Where is his father whodisappeared at the same time? And how is it possible that Lucas is still 11 years old?
As Lucas is uncommunicative, it is left to Detective Sergeant David King and child psychologist Jean Symonds to attemptto find some answers from the few belongings Lucas returned with; little more than four Polaroids and a personal journalwhich speaks of his time in a place called 'The Junction'.
The story unravels through interviews, medical and police reports, and ultimately, through visits to The Junction via thepages of Lucas' diary, jumping back and forth in time, revealing pieces of the puzzle in a mystery that keeps the readerguessing right up until the end.
Critique: The Junction is a full-color graphic novel featuring stylized, almost surreal art that perfectly captures themysterious essence of the premise and setting. When a child that was missing for twelve years suddenly returns, theoccasion should be one of joy - but why does the uncommunicative young man still appear only eleven years old? Snippetsof insight from interviews, medical examinations, and police reports gradually piece together a picture of the young man'stime in a place called "The Junction", and the ramifications of his return home. The Junction is a thoroughly captivatingread from cover to cover, enthralling in its depiction of the unknown. Highly recommended.
The Forest
Thomas Ott
Fantagraphics Books
www.fantagraphics.com
9781683965169, $16.99, 32pp
https://www.amazon.com/Forest-Thomas-Ott/dp/1683965167
Synopsis: "The Forest" by storyteller and artist Thomas Ott is a graphic novella told via twenty-five singular illustrations,without words. It's the story of a young boy who sneaks away from a family funeral and sinks into the forest depths, wherehe confronts man's greatest fear and must choose his path.
Drawing with a technique called scratchboard, where a white surface is covered with a black layer and scratched away, Ottcreates images out of negative space to harrowing effect. In Ott's hands, the medium becomes the perfect vessel for hiseerie, horror-imbued morality tales. This gorgeous volume is printed on heavy art paper with Pantone Black ink to bestshowcase every exquisite detail of Ott's virtuosic talent in his story comprised of black-and-white illustrationsthroughout.
Critique: An inherently fascinating and intriguing story told without words in one page of deftly crafted art at a time, "TheForest" by Thomas Ott will prove to be a unique and appreciated addition to personal and community library graphic novelcollections. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of graphic novel fans and artists that "The Forest" is alsoavailable in a digital book format (Kindle/Comixology, $11.99).
Editorial Note: Thomas Ott is a Swiss artist who received training as a graphic artist at the Kunstgewerbeschule School ofDesign in Zrich and has been a freelance comics artist and illustrator since 1987, as well as an animator, musician, andpolitical cartoonist. His books include The Number 73304-23-4153-6-96-8, Cinema Panopticum, T. Ott's Tales of Error,Dead End, Greetings from Hellville, and R.I.P.: Best of 1985-2004.
The Audiobook Shelf
Sophocles
Brilliance Audio
www.brillianceaudio.com
9781713527091, $9.99, MP3-CD
https://www.amazon.com/Oedipus-Plays-AmazonClassics-Sophocles/dp/171352709X
Synopsis. In "Oedipus the King" by Sophocles, a plague is ravaging the city of Thebes. Oedipus learns that the pollutingcurse was triggered by the murder of his predecessor, Laius. Determined to find the killer and end the threat to his people,Oedipus rages toward the truth and confronts an oracle's haunting prophecy.
Oedipus at Colonus finds the king of Thebes now a blinded beggar banished for his sins. But he also holds a certain power-- and with it a foretelling of further tragedy for his family.
In Antigone, the battle for control over Thebes has left two mourning sisters to face a more personal and devastating warwith a new ruler who defies the laws of gods and men.
Inspired by the mythic house of Thebes, Sophocles's defining Greek tragedies follow the fates that befall three doomedgenerations.
Critique: Brilliantly performed by the actors of The Pigeon Creek Shakespeare Company, this one disc, complete andunabridged, 4 hour 39 minute, MP3-CD audio book edition from Brilliance Audio of the ancient Greek playwrightSophocles is an ideal and unreservedly recommended addition to personal, community, college, and university libraryAncient Greek Classical Literature audio book collections.
Editorial Note: Sophocles (c. 497/6 - winter 406/5 BC) is one of three ancient Greek tragedians whose plays have survived.His first plays were written later than, or contemporary with, those of Aeschylus; and earlier than, or contemporary with,those of Euripides. Sophocles wrote over 120 plays, but only seven have survived in a complete form: Ajax, Antigone,Women of Trachis, Oedipus Rex, Electra, Philoctetes and Oedipus at Colonus. For almost fifty years, Sophocles was themost celebrated playwright in the dramatic competitions of the city-state of Athens which took place during the religiousfestivals of the Lenaea and the Dionysia. He competed in thirty competitions, won twenty-four, and was never judgedlower than second place. Aeschylus won thirteen competitions, and was sometimes defeated by Sophocles; Euripides wonfour. (Wikipedia)
The Christie Affair
Nina de Gramont, author
Lucy Scott, narrator
Macmillan Audio
www.macmillanaudio.com
9781250836687, $39.99, CD
https://www.amazon.com/Christie-Affair-Novel-Nina-Gramont/dp/1250836689
Synopsis: In 1925, Miss Nan O'Dea infiltrated the wealthy, rarefied world of author Agatha Christie and her husband,Archie. In every way, she became a part of their life -- first, both Christies. Then, just Archie. Soon, Nan became Archie'smistress, luring him away from his devoted wife, desperate to marry him. Nan's plot didn't begin the day she met Archieand Agatha.
It began decades before, in Ireland, when Nan was a young girl. She and the man she loved were a star-crossed couple whowere destined to be together -- until the Great War, a pandemic, and shameful secrets tore them apart. Then acts ofunspeakable cruelty kept them separated.
What drives someone to murder? What will someone do in the name of love? What kind of crime can someone neverforgive? These are the themes and questions so memorably and dramatically addressed in Nina de Gramont's "The ChristieAffair".
Critique: Brilliantly narrated by talented actress Lucy Scott, this complete and unabridged CD audio book edition of Ninade Gramont's "The Christie Affair" will prove to be an immediately welcome and enduringly popular addition tocommunity library collections. Even though a work of fiction, "The Christie Affair" will prove to be of particular andspecial interest to the legions of Agatha Christie fans and is a thoroughly entertaining audio experience from start tofinish.
Alexander's Legacy: An Empty Throne
Robert Fabbri, author
Peter Kenny, narrator
Isis Audio
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print, Inc.
www.ulverscroftusa.com
9781399122313, $TBA, CD
https://www.ulverscroft.com/title.php?sqlCmd=isbn%3D9781399122313
Synopsis: The third installment in a huge, bloody, and brutal new series from author Robert Fabbri, "Alexander's Legacy:An Empty Throne" set after the death of Alexander the Great. Who will win the fight to control the largest empire theworld has ever seen? Let the battles begin!
The cause of Alexander the Great's sudden and unexpected death is no longer in doubt -- it was murder. But by whom? Ashis former followers struggle for power, the bonds of family, friendship, and political loyalties are tested to the limit.
As is the strength of the formidable empire that Alexander had wrought. Never before has the Western world seen suchturmoil, such a threat to civilization. As battles rage, armies, cities, and thousands of lives are destroyed by the ruthlessscheming of those who would be King. Or Queen. Could a marriage be the one thing to bring the broken strands of theempire back together, preventing years of further warfare? Will a woman succeed where no man can?
Critique: Superbly performed by the narrative storytelling skills of Peter Kenny, this complete and unabridged audio bookedition of Robert Fabbri's "Alexander's Legacy: An Empty Throne" is the dramatic conclusion to an impressive historicalsaga. A complete and fully entertaining novel within itself, this deftly produced audio book is especially and unreservedlyrecommended for community library audio book collections where it will be an enduringly appreciated and popularaddition. It should be noted that "Alexander's Legacy: An Empty Throne" is also available from Isis Audio in an MP3-CDaudio book format (9781399122320, $TBA).
Editorial Note #1: Robert Fabbri studied Drama and Theatre at London University and has worked in film and TV for 25years as an assistant director. He has worked on productions such as Hornblower, Hellraiser, Patriot Games, and BillyElliot. His life-long passion for ancient history inspired him to write the Vespasian series.
Editorial Note #2: Peter Kenny is a voice-over artist actor, singer and designer living in South West London. Raised onMerseyside he gained a BA(Hons) in Drama from the University of Hull (Kingston upon Hull, England).
A Silent Way to Die
N. R. Daws
Brilliance Audio
www.brillianceaudio.com
9781713647607, $14.99, MP3-CD
https://www.amazon.com/Silent-Way-Kember-Hayes-Mystery/dp/1713647605
Synopsis: December 1940. With the Blitz devastating Britain's cities, Lizzie Hayes and the women pilots of the AirTransport Authority are more crucial to the war effort than ever before. But when the relative peace of the village ofScotney is shattered by the disappearance of the Chief Inspector's niece, it's Lizzie's training as a psychologist that drawsher into another disturbing police case alongside DI Jonathan Kember.
Events threaten to overtake the pair when a local shepherdess is found murdered -- and there's something strange missingat the scene of the crime. As more bodies turn up, each bearing the same hallmark, Kember realises the campaign of terrorwill only escalate unless they can use Lizzie's training to get into the killer's mind.
With Kember's superiors set against Lizzie's involvement, he risks his reputation and his career -- but it's Lizzie who riskseverything by putting her own life on the line in a desperate effort to unmask the murderer. With war raging around them,can they halt the killer before it's too late?
Critique: A riveting 'whodunnit' by an impressively imaginative author with a flair for originality and the kind of narrativedriven storytelling that is impressively effective throughout, this complete and unabridged MP3-CD audio book edition of"A Silent Way To Die" by N. R. Daws will prove a particularly appreciated and enduringly popular addition to personaland community library Mystery/Suspense audio book collections. It should be noted by librarians that there is also aLibrary CD edition (9781713647591, $25.99, 9 discs, 31 hours 33 minutes) available from Brilliance Audio.
Cleopatra's Dagger
Carole Lawrence
Brilliance Audio
www.brillianceaudio.com
9781713646778, $14.99, MP3-CD
https://www.amazon.com/Cleopatras-Dagger-Carole-Lawrence/dp/1713646773
Synopsis: New York, 1880. Elizabeth van den Broek is the only female reporter at the Herald, the city's most popularnewspaper. Then she and her bohemian friend Carlotta Ackerman find a woman's body wrapped like a mummy in a freshlydug hole in Central Park -- the intended site of an obelisk called Cleopatra's Needle. The macabre discovery takesElizabeth away from the society pages to follow an investigation into New York City's darkest shadows.
When more bodies turn up, each tied to Egyptian lore, Elizabeth is onto a headline-making scoop more sinister than shecould have imagined. Her reporting has readers spellbound, and each new clue implicates New York's richest and mostpowerful citizens. And a serial killer is watching every headline.
Now a madman with an indecipherable motive is coming after Elizabeth and everyone she loves. She wants a good story?She may have to die to get it!
Critique: Exceptionally and effectively narrated by the vocal skills of Kate Rudd, the Brilliance Audio complete andunabridged, one disc, 10 hour 15 minute, MP3-CD edition offers the listener a true 'theatre of the mind' experience for fansof historical mysteries. Highly recommended for audio book collections, it should be noted for librarians that there is alsoan unabridged Library CD edition of Carole Lawrence' "Cleopatra's Dagger" (9781713646761, $25.99, 8 discs).
Editorial Note: Award-winning novelist, poet, composer, and playwright Carole Lawrence is the author of eleven novels,six novellas, and dozens of short stories, articles, and poems -- many of which appear in translation internationally. She isalso a two-time Pushcart Poetry Prize nominee and winner of the Euphoria Poetry Prize, the Eve of St. Agnes PoetryAward, the Maxim Mazumdar playwriting prize, the Jerry Jazz Musician award for short fiction, and the ChronogramLiterary Fiction Award. Her plays and musicals have been produced in several countries as well as on NPR; nominated foran Innovative Theatre Award her physics play Strings was recently produced at the Kennedy Center. A HawthorndenFellow, she is on the faculty of NYU and Gotham Writers, as well as the Cape Cod and San Miguel Writers'Conferences.
Citizen K-9
David Rosenfelt, author
Fred Berman, narrator
Macmillan Audio
www.macmillanaudio.com
9781250836649, $22.99, CD
https://www.amazon.com/Citizen-Team-Novels-David-Rosenfelt/dp/1250836646
Synopsis: The Paterson Police Department has created a cold case division, and they want to hire the private investigatorsknown as the K Team to look into the crimes. After all, Corey Douglas and his K-9 partner, German shepherd SimonGarfunkel, recently retired from the force. Plus, another K Team member, Laurie Collins, used to be a cop as well.
Their first cold case hits home for the K Team. A decade ago, at Laurie's tenth high school reunion, two of their friendshad simply vanished! At the time Laurie had just left the force, and Corey was in a different department, so they had nochoice but to watch from the sidelines. With no leads, the case went cold.
As the team starts to delve deeper into the events leading up to that night (reopening old wounds along the way) the piecesstart to come together. But someone wants to stop them from uncovering the truth behind the disappearance, by any meansnecessary.
Critique: The latest addition to author David Rosenfelt's K-Team series of mysteries, "Citizen K-9" is vividly performed bynarrator Fred Berman who does full justice to Rosenfelt's distinctive characters and simply riveting plot with itsunexpected twists and turns. With its complete and unabridged CD format from Macmillan Audio, "Citizen K-9" will be ahighly prized and enduringly appreciated addition to the personal and community library Mystery/Suspense audio bookcollections.
Editorial Note #1: David Rosenfelt is the Edgar-nominated and Shamus Award-winning author of more than twenty AndyCarpenter novels, including One Dog Night, Collared, and Deck the Hounds; its spinoff series, The K-Team; the DougBrock thriller series, which starts with Fade to Black; and stand-alone thrillers including Heart of a Killer and OnBorrowed Time. He maintains a website at https://davidrosenfelt.com/
Editorial Note #2: An accomplished actor of both the stage, screen, and television, Fred Berman is a five-time winner ofthe AudioFile Earphone Award for Audiobook Narration and the recipient of the 2013 Audie Award for narration in Spythe Lie. He has read a number of audiobooks for young listeners, including Judy Blume's Soupy Saturdays with The Pain& The Great One and Andrew Clements's The Last Holiday Concert. He has also narrated the audiobooks for RobertKirkman's popular series, The Walking Dead.
Bloomsbury Girls
Natalie Jenner, author
Juliet Stevenson, narrator
Macmillan Audio
www.macmillanaudio.com
9781250852311, $39.99, CD
https://www.amazon.com/Bloomsbury-Girls-Novel-Natalie-Jenner/dp/1250852315
Synopsis: Bloomsbury Books is an old-fashioned new and rare book store that has persisted and resisted change for ahundred years, run by men and guided by the general manager's unbreakable fifty-one rules. But in 1950, the world ischanging, especially the world of books and publishing, and at Bloomsbury Books, the girls in the shop have plans:
Vivien Lowry: Single since her aristocratic fiance was killed in action during World War II, the brilliant and stylish Vivienhas a long list of grievances -- most of them well justified and the biggest of which is Alec McDonough, the Head ofFiction.
Grace Perkins: Married with two sons, she's been working to support her family following her husband's breakdown in theaftermath of the war. She is torn between duty to the family and dreams of her own.
Evie Stone: In the first class of female students from Cambridge permitted to earn a degree, Evie was denied an academicposition in favor of her less accomplished male rival. Now she's working at Bloomsbury Books while she plans to remakeher own future.
As they interact with various literary figures of the time, including Daphne Du Maurier, Ellen Doubleday, Sonia Blair(widow of George Orwell), Samuel Beckett, Peggy Guggenheim, and others -- these three women with their complex webof relationships, goals and dreams are all working to plot out a future that is richer and more rewarding than anythingsociety will allow.
Critique: With the publication of "Bloomsbury Girls" in a complete and unabridged CD audio book edition, the trulyimpressive skills as a narrator of professional actress Juliet Stevenson is able to vividly bring to life author Natalie Jenner'snovel in a true 'theatre of the mind' experience for the listener. This edition from Macmillan Audio is especially andunreservedly recommended for personal and community library audio book collections and will have a very specialattraction for bookstore bibliophiles and fans of British/Irish historical literature and fiction.
The Library CD Shelf
Pam Asberry
www.pamasberry.com
Optimistic Flamingo Music
$15.09 CD / $9.49 MP3
https://www.amazon.com/Unraveling-Pam-Asberry/dp/B09Z2G489Z
Unraveling is a new age solo piano album that expresses composer and performer Pam Asberry's personal experiencesrelating to the COVID-19 pandemic. The skillfully woven music expresses moments of sadness, solitude, hope, and theaspiration to transform. Unraveling is poignant, powerful, and highly recommended especially for solo piano connoisseurs.The tracks are Storm Clouds Gather, Unraveling, Bluebird, Tattered Lace, Dark Places, Labyrinth, Saudade, Polaris, ThisTime with You, and Metamorphosis.
Pilgrimage
Meg Bowles
megbowlesmusic.com
Privately Published
$15.00 CD / $9.00 digital
https://megbowlesmusic.bandcamp.com/album/pilgrimage
Pilgrimage is a new age, ambient-orchestral album created to evoke impressions of dreams, aspirations, and seeking thepath of life's journey. Extraordinarily beautiful, inquisitive, and yearning, Pilgrimage is ideal for meditation, reflection, andemotional support while undertaking creative endeavors. Pilgrimage is highly recommended for public library collections,and also makes an excellent gift for fanciers of instrumental new age music. The tracks are Ancient Paths, Cave of Secrets,Cloudburst Over a Parched Land, Mountains Reaching for Stars, Luminous Garden of Repose, and Source of EnduringLight.
Blues Cafe
Putumayo
www.putumayo.com
$14.98 CD with download card
https://www.amazon.com/Blues-Cafe-Putumayo-Presents/dp/B09WKNKC35
Created in collaboration with the Music Maker Foundation, Blues Cafe is a music CD compilation of classic blues songs,each performed by a different music artist. The physical CD also includes a digital download card and short biographicalportrayals of each musician showcased. Blues Cafe lives up to its title as a treasury of unforgettable blues performances,and is highly recommended for both personal and public library music CD collections. The tracks are Found My BabyCrying, Good Morning Love, Walk On, In The Wee Hours, Blues In My Soul, Somebody Got To Go, Comin' Home ToYou, The Blues Never Die, and Going Down The Road Feeling Bad.
The Wailing Sounds of Ricky Ford: Paul's Scene
Ricky Ford
Whaling City Sound
www.whalingcitysound.com
c/o Naxos of America (dist.)
www.naxosusa.com
$16.99 CD / $8.99 MP3
The Wailing Sounds of Ricky Ford: Paul's Scene is an album showcasing tenor sax virtuoso Ricky Ford (withcontributions by Jerome Harris on La Bella strings and Tom Ribbecke on Bobby Vega model bass guitar) in recordingsranging from bebop to traditional jazz. Some of the songs and all of the arrangements are the creation of Ricky Fordhimself, in this captivating recording from the summer of 2021. The Wailing Sounds of Ricky Ford: Paul's Scene is a"must" for jazz connoisseurs, highly recommended. The tracks are Ricky's Bossa, Fer, The Wonder, That Red Clay, TheEssence of You, The Stockholm Stomp, Angel Face, Paris Fringe, I Can't Wait to See You, Paul's Scene, Frustration, andMabulala.
Click Right Here
Ori Dagan
www.oridagan.com
Privately Published
$TBA CD / $9.49 MP3
https://www.amazon.com/music/player/albums/B09RQ6DW6D
Toronto-based vocalist and jazz singer-songwriter Ori Dagan presents Click Right Here, an album of wry, witty musictouching on the ironic sensibilities of life in the digital age. An extraordinary array of talented musicians on tenorsaxophone, alto saxophone, trumpet, trombone, guitar, piano, bass, drums, and performing additional vocals enrich thismultilayered reflection of online life in the twenty-first century. Click Right Here is a superbly crafted tour de force, andalso makes an excellent gift! Highly recommended. The tracks are Viruses, Clicked on Romance, My Finger Slipped,Would You Swing My Way, The Social Media Tango, Hashtag World, Going That Counts, Rebirth of the Cool, 21stCentury Blues, Googleable, and Video Killed the Radio Star.
Chasing Light
Voyagers
Lion Songs Records
$20.52 CD / $9.49 MP3
https://www.amazon.com/Chasing-Light-Voyagers/dp/B09WLJW45D
The debut album of acoustic trio Voyagers, Chasing Light is an album that blends traditional African music with originalcompositions inspired by both jazz and African-themed improvisations. Kora maestro Yacouba Sissoko from Mali,Austrian saxophonist Edith Lettner, and American guitarist Banning Eyre combine their skills into a resonant, vibrantwhole. Chasing Light is a choice pick for connoisseurs of international music, highly recommended. The tracks are Todayis a New Day, Solole, Waiting for Spring, Raise Your Voice, Madagascar, Danama, Kinkiliba, Lamban, Yaa Amponsah,Fouta, and Cheri.
New Dreams, Old Stories
Way North
waynorthband.com
Roots2Boot Recordings
https://roots2boot.com
$TBA
https://roots2boot.com/way-north-new-dreams-old-stories
Available both as a physical CD and a digital download, New Dreams, Old Stories is the latest original creation ofavant-folk-jazz quartet Way North: Rebecca Hennessy on trumpet, Petr Cancura on Tenor Saxophone, Michael herring onbass, Richie Barshay on drums, and all four on vocals. An extraordinary medley drawing upon not only jazz elements, butalso the folk music of both South America and the American South, New Dreams, Old Stories is a standout album highlyrecommended. The tracks are Play, I'm Here to Stay, New Dreams Old Stories, Chateau Gonflable, Pajarillo Verde, IfCharlie Haden Couldn't Write a Song to Bring World Peace, Dr. Good, Lonely Hearts, New Way Through, Come Over toOur House, Dig, and When You Say Goodnight to Me
Narrow Line
Mama's Broke
Privately Published
$14.98 CD / $8.99 MP3
https://www.amazon.com/Narrow-Line-Mamas-Broke/dp/B09S3N3B65
Canadian folk duo Mama's Broke presents Narrow Line, an album showcasing elements of Americana and EasternEuropean fiddle tunes, balanced with a cappella ballad singing. The result is an extraordinary, harmonious, and memorableconcert of songs themed about the cycles of life itself. Narrow Line is a standout listening experience, highlyrecommended. The tracks are Just Pick One, Oh Sun / Pale Night / Forgetting Reel, Between the Briar & the Rose, How ItEnds, Narrow Line, October's Lament, Pick the Raisins from the Paska, God's Little Boy, The Wreckage Done, The OnesThat I Love, and Windows.
The Alberta Lounge
Deanne Matley
deannematley.com
Barbette Records
$TBA CD / $9.49 MP3
https://www.deannematley.com/music/the-alberta-lounge
The Alberta Lounge is a sultry smooth jazz album showcasing talented vocalist Deanne Matley. Two songs ("AlbertaLounge" and "If You Were Here Today") are Matley's creations; two are originals by Canadian jazz legend Oscar Peterson;and the rest are selections from Peterson's jazz catalogue. Most song lyrics are in English; one song has original Frenchlyrics, and another is sung in Portuguese. The Alberta Lounge is a treasury highly recommended especially for aficionadosof Canadian jazz. The tracks are The Alberta Lounge, Mas Que Nada, I Can't Give You Anything But Love, Gee BabyAin't I Good to You, Merci Pour Ca!, The Land Was White (When Summer Comes), How Come You Do Me Like YouDo?, If You Were Here Today, Tristeza, and Hymn to Freedom.
Hard Times and a Woman
Justin Golden
Privately Published
$14.98 CD / $8.99 MP3
https://www.amazon.com/Hard-Times-Woman-Justin-Golden/dp/B09QH2RGFV
Guitarist and songwriter Justin Golden presents Hard Times and a Woman, an original blues album with lyrics that reflectlove and loss, the difficulties of being a black person in America, the fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic, and much more.A modern-day creation grounded in timeless blues tradition, Hard Times and a Woman is a choice pick for connoisseurs ofthe genre, and highly recommended. The tracks are Can't Get Right, Ain't Just Luck, Lightning When She Smiles, TheGator, Must Be Honey, Moon Far Away, Why the Sun Goes Down, Call Me When the Bed Gets Cold, No Riches, PullingWeight, If I Keep It Together, and Oh Lord, Oh Lord.
The Library DVD Shelf
Bennett-Watt Entertainment
www.Bennett-Watt.com
9781604903034 $24.95 DVD / $9.95 download
https://www.bennett-watt.com/products/discoveries-costa-rica-birds-ecotourism
Synopsis: Costa Rica is the world's "Poster Child" when it comes to ecotourism. Although relatively small in land surface,less than 1% of the entire planet, over 5% of global biodiversity can be found here in Costa Rica. Remarkably, a quarter ofits area is made up of protected land with dozens of National Parks, Public and Private Wildlife Refuges and Reserves.There are more than 500,000 animal and plant species in Costa Rica making the nation one of the 20 most biodiversecountries in the world.
Visiting Costa Rica is all about enjoying the outdoors... hiking, bird watching, wildlife, photography, flora, fauna, cloudforests, coastal areas, dry forests, volcanoes, national parks and private reserves. If you're looking for adrenaline-lacedactivities there's also zip-lining, white water rafting, mountain biking, mountain climbing, parasailing, water skiing, just toname a few of the many environmentally friendly activities you can enjoy.
Bottom line... You can have a fantastic time in Costa Rica with socially responsible travel, personal growth andenvironmental sustainability.
Critique: Discoveries... Costa Rica: Ecotourism is a stunningly beautiful, high-definition video essay about ecologicallysustainable tourism in the wondrously biodiverse Central American nation of Costa Rica. Shot on-location at differentlodges, wildlife refuges, and national parks, Discoveries... Costa Rica: Ecotourism is the next best thing to personallybirdwatching, hiking, ziplining, or dining on freshly-farmed food in Costa Rica. A joy for nature lovers, and an excellentinspiration for anyone planning an international vacation, Discoveries... Costa Rica: Ecotourism is highly recommendedfor both personal and public library DVD collections. It should be noted that Discoveries... Costa Rica: Ecotourism is alsoavailable as a digital download ($9.95). 83 min.
How They Got Over
Robert Clem, director
First Run Features
630 Ninth Avenue, Suite 1213. New York, NY 10036
www.firstrunfeatures.com
B09TYBFQHJ, $TBA, DVD
https://www.amazon.com/Hummingbirds-Mississippee-Sensational-Nightingales-Stirrers/dp/B09TYBFQHJ
Synopsis: Developed over a dozen years beginning in 2006 and invited to film festivals all over the world, "How they GotOver" is a film by director Robert Clem that follows some of the most famous African American quartets of the twentiethcentury and tells how their music, rooted in spirituals from the slavery era, influenced secular music forms that cameafter.
The film also includes music performances from the early 1960s and interviews with many of gospel music's legendarysingers -- most of whom have since passed away. Appearing in the film are Clarence Fountain and the original Blind Boysof Alabama; Ira Tucker and the Dixie Hummingbirds; legendary bass singer Isaac 'Dickie' Freeman and the Fairfield Four;JoJo Wallace and the Sensational Nightingales; Joe Ligon and Mighty Clouds of Joy; Spencer Taylor and Highway QC's,Willie Rogers and the Soul Stirrers.
We also hear from Dennis Edwards (originally a gospel singer) of the Temptations, Thomas Spann of the BrooklynAll-Stars and crossover singer Otis Clay.
Critique: A fitting memorial showcasing the undeniable talents of African American singers and musicians, "How TheyGot Over: Gospel Quartets and the Road to Rock & Roll" is a joy to watch and an important, unreservedly recommendedaddition to personal, professional, community, college, and university library DVD American music historycollections.
Editorial Note: "How They Got Over" was funded by the Southern Humanities Media Fund; the Alabama HumanitiesFoundation, South Carolina Humanities Council, North Carolina Humanities Council, Mississippi Humanities Council andHumanities Texas, state programs of the National Endowment for the Humanities; Alabama State Council for the Arts,Hugh Kaul Foundation, Alabama Law Foundation and individual contributors. There is a dedicated website athttps://foundmedia.org/how-they-got-over
The General Fiction Shelf
Richard Paik
https://richardpaik.com
Atmosphere Press
www.atmospherepress.com
9781639882403, $17.95
https://www.amazon.com/Thing-Two-About-Game/dp/1639882405
A Thing or Two About the Game is a novel about former executive Brad, who is charged with coaching a team of girls insoftball. This unexpected endeavor has been foisted upon him by his ex-wife, who taps him to take her place. He hadn'texpected to do his ex-wife's boyfriend a favor, and even though he was successful at coaching boys' hockey, dealing with ateam of girls is something quite different. His mission is not to put together a winning team, but to teach them how to worktogether and how to understand and work with the game's aggressive, competitive demands...something young girls maynot have been taught before.
As Brad oversees his team and watches them grow, he begins to struggle with outside forces and influences, from parentswho see winning as being paramount above ethical behaviors, to coaches who bend the rules and special influencers whoseek to change them. These are the same conundrums he's also faced in the business world. As Brad comes to realize thatgrowing his team reflects a microcosm of the greater world's challenges, he too begins to grow and change along withthem, in unexpected ways.
A Thing or Two About the Game is about much more than softball, coaching, or teaching girls to become proactivewinners. It's also about a coach's evolving teaching strategy as he confronts his different players and the struggles they faceboth on and off the playing field of life. A Thing or Two About the Game also imparts a thing or two about players,teamwork, individual influence and struggle, and the competing styles of different coaches all charged with creating awinning team.
Its ability to teach and inspire about life's progression and challenges makes for an involving book that will appeal to awide audience, from those who like stories of softball and coaching to females who seek tales of growth and teamwork.Anyone looking for a read that is ultimately about a quest for purpose, meaning, and achievement will love A Thing orTwo About the Game.
Villa Of Second Chances
Jennifer Bohnet
Boldwood Books
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print, Inc.
www.ulverscroftusa.com
9781804150597, $TBA, Large Print, PB, 340pp
https://www.ulverscroft.com/title.php?sqlCmd=isbn%3D9781801622745
Synopsis: Run by sisters Rebecca and Delphine, Villa Sesame is a popular venue for small intimate weddings on thesparkling French Riviera. Beautiful terraces and a horizon pool all over look the Mediterranean setting the scene to makememorable days and dreams come true.
When recently widowed Delphine unexpectedly announces her desire to retire and live a different life, Rebecca feels herown life could be slipping into free fall. How can she possibly carry on with the business without her sister at her side?Could this be the beginning of the end for Villa Sesame and Rebecca's life as she knows it?
As the guests gather for the June wedding of Freya and Marcus, Freya's two childhood friends bring their own problems tothe villa and cousin Verity has her own agenda. But it's the arrival of a certain guest who throws Rebecca's whole worldinto turmoil and she finds herself asking the question, where do I go from here?
Critique: An inherently absorbing and fun read from beginning to end, this large print paperback edition of "Villa ofSecond Chances" by accomplished novelist Jennifer Bohnet will prove to be an especially and unreservedly appreciatedaddition to the personal reading lists of sibling fiction fans and community library Contemporary General Fictioncollections. It should be noted by librarians and Jennifer Bohnet fans that "Villa of Second Chances" is also available intwo different and unabridged audio book formats (CD Audio, 9781801622677, 7 CDs) and (MP3-CD, 9781801622684, 1Disc).
The Patron Saint of Second Chances
Christine Simon
Atria Books
c/o Simon & Schuster
1230 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020
www.simonandschuster.com
9781982188771, $27.00, HC, 304pp
https://www.amazon.com/Patron-Saint-Second-Chances-Novel/dp/1982188774
Synopsis: Vacuum repairman and self-appointed mayor of Prometto, Italy (population 212) Signor Speranza has aproblem: unless he can come up with 70,000 euros to fix the town's pipes, the water commission will shut off the water tothe village and all its residents will be forced to disperse. So in a bid to boost tourism (and revenue) he spreads a harmlessrumor that movie star Dante Rinaldi will be filming his next project nearby.
Unfortunately, the plan works a little too well, and soon everyone in town wants to be a part of the fictional film -- thevillage butcher will throw in some money if Speranza can find roles for his fifteen enormous sons, Speranza's wistfullyadrift daughter reveals an unexpected interest in stage makeup, and his hapless assistant Smilzo volunteers a screenplaythat's not so secretly based on his undying love for the film's leading lady. To his surprise and considerable consternation,Speranza realizes that the only way to keep up the ruse is to make the movie for real.
As the entire town becomes involved (even the village priest invests!) Signor Speranza starts to think he might be able topull this off. But what happens when Dante Rinaldi doesn't show up? Or worse, what if he does?
Critique: Some authors seem to have a natural flair for comedy and can infuse their novels with memorable characters andcompulsive page turner plots. It's all the more remarkable that in her debut as a novelist, Christine Simon's "The PatronSaint of Second Chances" clearly reveals her inherent talent for humourous originality and will leave her fully entertainedreaders looking forward to her next novel. The stuff of which block-buster movies are made, and also available in a digitalbook format (Kindle, $12.99) and as a complete and unabridged audio book (Simon & Schuster Audio, 9781797137865,$39.99, CD), "The Patron Saint of Second Chances" is guaranteed to be an immediate and enduringly popular addition topersonal reading lists and community library General Fiction collections.
Shimmer
Alex Pugsley
Biblioasis
www.biblioasis.com
9781771964692, $16.95, PB, 224pp
https://www.amazon.com/Shimmer-Alex-Pugsley/dp/1771964693
Synopsis: "Shimmer" is a collection comprised of ten short stories by author Alex Pugsley For example, outside a7-Eleven, teen boys Veeper and Wendell try to decide what to do with their night, though the thought of the rest of theirlives doesn't seem to have occurred to them.
While in 'Laurel Canyon', two movie stars try to decide if the affair they're having might mean they like each other.
When Byron, trying to figure out the chords of a song he likes, posts a question on a guitar website, he ends up meetingJessica as well, a woman with her own difficult music.
And when the snide and sharp-tongued Twyla agrees to try therapy, not even she would have imagined the results.
Critique: A deftly crafted, entertaining, and occasionally thought-provoking series of memorable short stories by an authorwith a genuine flair for the kind of character and narrative driven storytelling that keeps the reader fully engaged,"Shimmer" is especially and unreservedly recommended for personal, community, college, and university library ShortStory Anthology collections. It should be noted that "Shimmer" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle,$9.99).
Editorial Note: Alex Pugsley is a writer and filmmaker originally from Nova Scotia. His fiction has appeared in Brick, TheWalrus, McSweeney's Internet Tendency, and Best Canadian Stories, among other publications. His debut novel, "AubreyMcKee", was recently published by Biblioasis
Wingwalkers
Taylor Brown
St. Martin's Press
120 Broadway, New York, NY 10271
https://us.macmillan.com/smp
9781250274595, $27.99, 320pp
https://www.amazon.com/Wingwalkers-Novel-Taylor-Brown/dp/1250274591
Synopsis: "Wingwalkers" is a deftly scripted blending of adventure and romance by novelist Taylor Brown. It follows theadventures of Della and Zeno Marigold, a pair of Great Depression barnstormers who are funding their journey west byperforming death-defying aerial stunts from town to town, and braids them with the real-life exploits of author (andthwarted fighter pilot) William Faulkner. When their paths cross during a dramatic air show, there will be unexpectedconsequences for all.
As an accomplished storyteller, Brown has taken a tantalizing tidbit from Faulkner's real life in the form of an evening'schance encounter with two daredevils in New Orleans, and made it a core element in his latest novel.
Critique: Compelling originality combined with a solidly crafted action/adventure style plot and memorable characters,"Wingwalkers" is an inherently entertaining and unreservedly recommended read from first page to last. While especiallyappropriate acquisition selection for community library fiction collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists forWorld War I historical fiction fans that "Wingwalkers" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $14.99).
Editorial Note: Taylor Brown is the recipient of the Montana Prize in Fiction and a finalist for the Southern Book Prize.His novels include Fallen Land, The River of Kings, Gods of Howl Mountain, and Pride of Eden.
Home or Away
Kathleen West
Berkley Books
c/o Penguin Group (USA)
www.penguin.com
9780593335505, $27.00, HC, 368pp
https://www.amazon.com/Home-Away-Kathleen-West/dp/0593335503
Synopsis: Once Leigh and Susy were close friends and teammates bound for Olympic hockey gold, but when Leigh'ssure-fire plan to make the final roster backfired, she left everything behind to start over, including the one person whoknew her secret.
Two decades later, Leigh is a successful investment banker, happily married, and the mom of a hockey prodigy, so when acareer opportunity lands the family back in Minnesota, Leigh takes the shot for her kid. Back in the ultra-competitiveworld she left behind, the move puts her in Susy's orbit, a daily reminder of how Leigh watched from the sidelines as herformer teammate went on to Olympic glory.
Despite the coldness between them, Susy can't help but hope that Leigh might lace up her skates and join her in thecoaches' box -- after all Leigh knows better than anyone how hard it is to be a woman in this world. Susy knows soon herdaughter, Georgie, will be seen as a "girl athlete," relegated to the B team, with less support and opportunity toadvance.
But Leigh believes keeping Susy at arms' length is the only way to hide her history with her former coach Jeff Carlson.When he hints of new favors in exchange for her son's ice time, Leigh is caught in the ultimate bind: come clean aboutwhat happened when she was an Olympic hopeful and risk her marriage or play Jeff's game. In a moment of desperation,Leigh realizes the one person she thought was her biggest competitor (her former teammate) might turn out to be herbiggest ally.
Critique: Some novelists seem to have a natural aptitude for the fine art of narrative driven storytelling and memorablecharacter crafting that is the hallmark of literary success. Kathleen West is one of those author and her latest novel, "Homeor Away" (a story about overcoming our pasts, confronting our futures, and the sustaining bonds of female friendship) iscontinuing evidence as to her undeniable talent as a writer. While especially and unreservedly recommended forcommunity library Contemporary Fiction collections, it should be noted for the growing legions of Kathleen West fans thatfor their personal reading lists, "Home or Away" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $14.99).
Editorial Note: The three previous novels by Katheen West include: "Art We There Yet?" (Berkley, 9780593098431,$26.00 HC, $15.99 PB, $11.99 Kindle, 352pp), "Minor Dramas & Other Catastrophes" (Berkely, 9780593098400, $26.00HC, $16.00 PB, $2.99 Kindle, 384pp), and a children's book version of "Art We There Yet?" (Demco Media,9780606347297, Ages 7-9).
The Healing
Lynda Faye Schmidt
OC Publishing
www.ocpublishing.ca
9781989833063, $18.99, PB, 392pp
https://www.amazon.com/Healing-Lynda-Faye-Schmidt/dp/1989833063
Synopsis: Based on true events, "The Healing" by novelist Lynda Faye Schmidt is the compelling story of Cate Hendersonwho, after twenty-six years in an abusive relationship, sets out on a quest to find healing. Cate packs up everything sheowns and leaves Calgary on an odyssey westward, to Vancouver Island, where her ever-present journal and the abundanceof nature become the foundation of her self-recovery.
She yearns for something deeper and then, when she isn't looking, she finds love with the solid and virtuous Ethan. Catethinks his stead-fast love is what she is searching for, but soon realizes she needs to do her own work, that love for herselfis the key.
Cate gets thrown off-course when Lyme Disease, an earthquake in Nepal, her daughter's mental health challenges, and hermove with Ethan to the Middle East, cause her to lose her new-found awareness. Her heart calls her to endure the lows andenjoy the highs, to let go of the ties that bind and the fear that controls.
"The Healing" is a raw and vulnerable exploration of human resilience. At times both painful and uplifting, it is ultimatelya story about love, examining motherhood, partnership, grief, expectation and optimism, and the journey inward toself-love.
Critique: Some writers just seem to have a natural flair for the kind of narrative driven storytelling style that the reader willfind compelling, thought-provoking, and emotionally involving. The kind of book that will linger in the mind and memoryof the reader long after it has been finished and set back upon the shelf. Lynda Faye Schmidt is just that kind of writer and"The Healing" just that kind of book. While especially and unreservedly recommended for community library GeneralFiction collections, it should be noted for personal reading reading lists that "The Healing" is also available in a digitalbook format (Kindle, $8.35).
Editorial Note: Also very highly recommended reading is Lynda Faye Schmidt's novel "The Holding" ($18.99 PB, $0.99Kindle) which is the prequel to her novel "The Healing".
The Historical Fiction Shelf
Herbert J. Stern, author
Alan A. Winter, author
Skyhorse Publishing, Inc.
307 West 36th Street, 11th Floor, New York, NY 10018
www.skyhorsepublishing.com
9781510769427, $29.99, HC, 432pp
https://www.amazon.com/Sins-Fathers-Herbert-J-Stern/dp/1510769420
Synopsis: History hinged on a call as the German high command waited for Hitler's order to invade Czechoslovakia. Thatwas the signal that would launch their revolt to bring down the Reich.
Every detail of the coup was in place. Access roads to Berlin would be blocked. The city sealed. Communication centerstaken. A commando squad of sixty hand-picked men were ready to storm the Chancellery and seize Hitler. The only openquestion: to try Hitler as a traitor or execute him on the spot.
Although a work of fiction, "Sins of the Fathers" is based on historical facts that included the efforts of German militaryleaders, career civil servants, and clergy to solicit England's assistance to bring down the tyrant in 1938.
When Prime Minster Neville Chamberlain refused to meet with them, they turned to Winston Churchill, who secretlysupported their cause. Armed with a strongly worded letter from the future prime minister, they waited for Hitler'stelephone call ordering German troops to invade Czechoslovakia -- the signal for their uprising. But the call did not come.Instead, Prime Minister Chamberlain went to Hitler's apartment in Munich only to bow to the dictator's will. The invasionwas over before it began -- and with that, so was the coup.
Flying home, Chamberlain announced he had obtained "peace for our times".
"Sins of the Father" tells, in a biographical fiction format, the dramatic true story of the foolish prime minister thatundermined the coup to topple the regime, delivered Czechoslovakia to Hitler, saved the Fu?hrer's life, and paved the roadto World War II.
Critique: "Sins of the Fathers" by the writing team of Herbert J. Stern and Alan R. Winter is the sequel to their novel"Wolf" which is about Hitler's rise to power. It is a simply riveting read from first page to last and as a work of fictionnicely dramatizes the real people and the real event that has lapsed into historical history.
Editorial Note #1: Herbert J. Stern, was formerly the US attorney for the District of New Jersey who prosecuted the mayorsof Newark, Jersey City and Atlantic City, and served as judge of the US District Court for the District of New Jersey. Healso served as judge of the United States Court for Berlin. There he presided over a hijacking trial in the occupiedAmerican Sector of West Berlin. He is also the author of "Judgment in Berlin" and "Diary of a DA: The True Story of theProsecutor Who Took on the Mob, Fought Corruption, and Won"
Editorial Note #2: Alan A. Winter is the award-winning author of four other novels, including "Island Bluffs","Snowflakes in the Sahara", "Someone Else's Son", and "Savior's Day". Winter graduated from Rutgers University with adegree in history and has professional degrees from both New York University and Columbia, where he was an associateprofessor for many years. He edited an award-winning journal and has published more than twenty professional articles.Alan studied creative writing at Columbia's Graduate School of General Studies.
All the Lights Above Us
M. B. Henry
Crooked Lane Books
2 Park Avenue, 10th floor, New York, NY 10016
www.crookedlanebooks.com
https://www.dreamscapepublishing.com
9781643859620, $26.99, HC, 352pp
https://www.amazon.com/All-Lights-Above-Us-Inspired/dp/1643859625
Synopsis: June 6, 1944. Allied forces hit the beaches of Nazi-occupied France. Among the countless lives shattered arethose of five spirited women with starkly different lives. As the war reaches its tipping point, each of the women fight forthe survival of themselves, their countries, and their way of life during one of the most pivotal days in history.
American expatriate Mildred, better known as Axis Sally, has a thriving career as a Nazi radio propagandist, but herconscience haunts her. Meanwhile, across the English Channel, young medical volunteer Theda is pushed to her limit asshiploads of casualties dock in Portsmouth. Closer to the front, intrepid Flora aids the French resistance, while she seeksout her vanished parents. Iron-willed Emilia has climbed the Gestapo ranks, but she is now bent on betraying them.Finally, dignified Adelaide's faith is shaken when she is forced to quarter German soldiers.
Now, during the most perilous twenty-four hours of their lives, all five women must summon courage they never knewthey had, as they confront the physical dangers of war, alongside treacherous family secrets, heartbreak, and the ability totrust themselves. For these women, their inner strength is their only hope. But is it enough? How far can one person go forthe things they believe in?
Critique: Although a brilliantly crafted work of historical fiction, with the publication of "All The Lights Above Us" bynovelist M. B. Henry is well grounded in historical facts and contexts. The result is a compelling and entertaining readfrom cover to cover. The stuff of which movies are made, "The lights Above Us" is certain to be an immediately welcomeand enduringly popular addition to community library General Fiction collections. It should be noted for the personalreading lists of anyone with an interest in World War II military fiction that "All The Lights Above Us" is also available ina digital book format (Kindle, $13.99) and as a complete and unabridged audio book (Dreamscape Media,9781666581355, $22.99, CD).
Editorial Note: M.B. Henry is a lifelong student of history, especially military history, having visited battlefields andhistorical sites all over the world. She has a degree in Cinema and Comparative Literature, and has served as a historicalconsultant and researcher on films and television in Los Angeles.
The Literary Fiction Shelf
William Percy, author
William Shakespeare, author
Anna Faktorovich, translator
Anaphora Literary Press
https://anaphoraliterary.com
9798750091614, $27.00, HC, 208pp
https://www.amazon.com/Fedele-Fortunio-Italian-Gentlemen-Modernization/dp/B09K1XFN5W
Synopsis: Ably translated with commentary by Anna Faktorovich, "Fedele and Fortunio, the Two Italian Gentlemen:Modernization of the Inaccessible British Renaissance" is an exercise in adapting Luigi Pasqualigo's Italian Il Fedele:Comedia del Clarissimo (1576) into an idealized version of British cultural purity.
Pasqualigo had rebelled against preceding tropes of Italian comedy by showcasing murderous and wildly promiscuous andunfaithful ladies and gentlemen, and rebellious servants. Perhaps because William Percy (1567-1648) was desperate in hisyouth to create extremely proper content that would lead to him being invited to officially write for court revels, Percyre-wrote Pasqualigo's innovations back into what this comedic plot was initially designed to be.
In Percy's version, a couple of virginal gentlemen and a couple of virginal ladies exchange love-interests as they realizethey cannot attain their initial desires. Their eventual marriages are attained with mischievous help from a pretense-captainCrack-Stone, a spying Pedant who fakes being in love to appear manly, and the scientific andpsychologically-manipulating magic of enchantress Medusa.
Percy avoided repeating these standard comedic tropes across the rest of his literary career, as he instead explored extremesof tragic infidelity in plays such as Hamlet, or extreme promiscuity in Cuck-Queans'. The structural simplicity of Fedeleand Fortunio convinced Percy he had to constantly search for new formulas, vocabularies and foreign cultures to showcase.The introduction explains why the staging of this play is minimalistic to fit with the budgetary and spatial restraints of theaccessible London stages.
A precise explanation is also offered of how scholars have come to the false conclusion that the "M. A."/ "A. M." initialsindicate this play was written by "Anthony Monday", and why the Percy attribution is accurate. To show the originaldivergences of Percy's Fedele, original and translated excerpts are included from Pasqualigo's Italian, France's Latin, andLarivey's French versions; the plots, characters and linguistics of these versions are compared and analyzed.
Critique: A deftly presented, informative, and inherently interesting study, "Fedele and Fortunio, the Two ItalianGentlemen: Modernization of the Inaccessible British Renaissance" will prove to be a much appreciated and valuedaddition to college and university library English Drama and Literary Studies collections in general, and William Percysupplemental studies lists in particular.
Editorial Note: Anna Faktorovich is the Director and Founder of the Anaphora Literary Press. She published two academicbooks with McFarland: Rebellion as Genre in the Novels of Scott, Dickens and Stevenson (2013) and The Formulas ofPopular Fiction: Elements of Fantasy, Science Fiction, Romance, Religious and Mystery Novels (2014). She has alsopublished two fantasy novellas with Grim's Labyrinth Publishing: The Great Love of Queen Margaret, the Vampire (2014)and The Campaigns against the Olden: Kingdoms of Laruta (2014).
The Gods of Green County
Mary Elizabeth Pope
Blair
c/o Carolina Wren Press
https://www.carolinawrenpress.org
9781949467710, $25.95, HC, 246pp
https://www.amazon.com/Gods-Green-County-Novel/dp/1949467716
Synopsis: In 1926 in rural Green County, Arkansas, where cotton and poverty reign, young Coralee Harper hopes for afamily and a place in her community, but when her brother Buddy is killed by a powerful sheriff, she can't recover from hisdeath or the injustice of his loss. When she begins to spot her dead brother around town, she wonders -- is she clairvoyant,mistaken, or simply losing her mind?
What Coralee can't fathom is that there are forces at work that threaten her and the very fabric of the town: Leroy Harrison,a newly minted, ambitious lawyer who makes a horrible mistake, landing him a judgeship and a guilty conscience for life;an evangelical preacher and his flock of snake-handling parishioners; the women of the town who, along with Coralee'sown mother, make up their own kind of jury for Coralee's behavior; Sheriff Wiley Slocum who rules the entire field,harboring dark secrets of his own; and finally, Coralee's husband Earl, who tries to balance his work at the cotton gin withhis fight for family and Coralee's life.
When Coralee ends up in a sanity hearing before Judge Leroy Harrison, the judge must decide both Coralee's fate and hisown. The chain of events following his decision draws him more deeply into the sheriff's far-reaching sphere of influence,and reveals the destructive nature of power, even (and especially) his own.
Critique: An inherently absorbing, intriguing, and fascinating read from first page to last, "The Gods of Green County"showcase author Mary Elizabeth Pope's genuine flair for originality and multi-layered narrative storytelling at its best.Compelling, entertaining, thought provoking, "The Gods of Green County" is highly recommended, especially for personalreading lists, as well as community, college and university library Contemporary Literary Fiction collections. It should benoted that "The Gods of Green County" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $11.49).
Editorial Note: Mary Elizabeth Pope is Professor of English at Emmanuel College in Boston and the author of DiviningVenus: Stories. Her work has been featured in such literary magazines as Arkansas Review, Florida Review, BellinghamReview, Ascent, Passages North, and Fugue, among others. She holds a Ph.D. in English and Creative Writing from theUniversity of Iowa.
The Romantic Fiction Shelf
Sarah Bennett
Boldwood Books
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print, Inc.
www.ulverscroftusa.com
9781838899615, $TBA, Large Print, PB, 452pp
https://www.ulverscroft.com/title.php?sqlCmd=isbn%3D9781838899615
Synopsis: Even though he is a bestselling author, Alex Nelson is slowly coming apart at the seams after a failed marriageand an abrupt change in career leave him at a crossroads in life. When an unexpected opportunity arises to escape to theidyllic village of Mermaids Point, he's hot on the heels of his brother, Tom, who has recently moved there.
Buying a rundown bookshop might be just his latest harebrained scheme, but Alex has never been one to do things byhalves. After spending her early years caring for her mother, Ivy Fisher is finally ready to start living her own life. Butwhen the impossibly charming, impossibly good-looking Alex Nelson swoops in and snatches her dream out from underher nose, it really is the last straw.
Forced by circ*mstances to spend more time with him, Ivy finally gets a peak of the real man beneath the confidentexterior, and she likes what she sees. But just when things are starting to come together for them, Ivy is reminded why mencan never be trusted. Is Alex who he says he is, or is he using Mermaids Point as nothing more than research fodder for hisnext bestseller?
Critique: A truly fun read for all dedicated romance novel fans (which is somewhat surprising given its elements ofdysfunctional relationships, marriage and divorce), this large print paperback edition of "Love Blooms At Mermaids Point"by author Sarah Bennett showcases her genuine flair for imaginative and engaging storytelling. Simply stated, "LoveBlooms At Mermaids Point" is a superbly crafted and fully entertaining addition to personal and community libraryRomance Fiction collections.
Editorial Note: Sarah Bennett is the author of the Butterfly Cove, Lavender Bay, and Bluebell Castle trilogies, as well asthe Mermaids Point series. Sarah can be followed on twitter @Sarahlouwrites, or on Facebook atwww.facebook.com/SarahBennettAuthor.
The Captain's Bride
Jill Barry
https://www.jillbarry.com
Lindford Romance Library
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print, Inc.
www.ulverscroftusa.com
9781444848212, $TBA, Large Print, PB, 256pp
https://www.ulverscroft.com/title.php?sqlCmd=isbn%3D9781444848212
Synopsis: Orphan Tabitha, running away from her scheming grandmother, naively encounters problems which land her ingaol. Transportation follows, and the harsh conditions onboard the convict ship are lessened when she impresses thecaptain. Jacob contacts his friend in Australia, asking if he and his wife can offer Tabitha a job. Their mutual attractiondevelops. After their marriage, the captain decides to abandon seafaring and open a school, helped by his young bride. WillTabitha's harsh beginning have a happy ending?
Critique: "The Captain's Bride" by veteran novelist Jill Barry is a thoroughly entertaining and memorable read from firstpage to last. Carefully crafted and memorable characters combined with unexpect plot twists, turns and surprises, this largeprint paperback edition from the Linford Romance Library series will prove to be a simply outstanding addition to personalreading lists and community library Historical Romance collections.
Editorial Note: Author and novelist Jill Barry maintains a website of special interest to her fans athttps://www.jillbarry.com
Wedding Season
Michelle Major
HQN Books
c/o Harlequin Books
https://www.harlequin.com
9781335480002, 352pp
https://www.amazon.com/Wedding-Season-Novel-Carolina-Girls/dp/1335480005
Synopsis: Mariella Jacob was one of the world's premier bridal designers, but one viral PR disaster later, she's trying to gether torpedoed career back on track in small-town Magnolia, North Carolina. With a secondhand store and a new businessventure helping her friends turn the Wildflower Inn into a wedding venue, Mariella is finally putting at least one mistakebehind her. Until that mistake (in the glowering, handsome form of Alex Ralsten) moves to Magnolia too.
Mariella ruined Alex's wedding by announcing that his starlet bride-to-be was sleeping with Mariella's fiance. While he'sfurious when they're forced to work together, there's no denying Mariella is hardworking, talented -- and gorgeous! In fact,though Alex keeps reminding himself that they're enemies, something deeper is growing, daring them to admit that a rockypast might lead to something unexpectedly wonderful.
"Wedding Season" also includes a bonus novella! "Springtime in Carolina" is the story of Josie Trumbull who has rebuilther life after her dreams were crushed by a career-ending injury. Now she teaches ballet in Magnolia and has mostly madepeace with her life and future. Until her best friend, and proprietor of the bookstore next door, Stuart Madison, takes hercompletely by surprise.
Critique: A fun and deftly crafted read from first to last, "Wedding Season" is the third book in romance novelist MichelleMajor's 'The Carolina Girls Series'. Highly recommended for the personal reading lists of dedicated romance fans, as wellas community library Contemporary Romance Fiction collections, satisfied readers should note that the first two books inthis outstanding series are Book 1: Wildflower Season and Book 2: Mistletoe Season. The growing legions of MichelleMajor fans should know that she maintains a website at www.michellemajor.com
The Prince
Dinitia Smith
http://dinitiasmith.com
Arcade Publishing
www.arcadepub.com
c/o Skyhorse Publishing, Inc.
307 West 36th Street, 11th Floor, New York, NY 10018
www.skyhorsepublishing.com
9781950994199, $26.99, HC, 288pp
https://www.amazon.com/Prince-Novel-Dinitia-Smith/dp/1950994198
Synopsis: From their grand mansion on the Upper East Side to their magical private island in Long Island Sound,everything points to the Woodford family as being perfect and idyllic. Why, then, is there such tension in the air?
Enter Federico, a penniless Italian prince who is about to marry Emily Woodford, the only child of the family's widowedpatriarch, Henry. When Emily's beautiful, enigmatic childhood friend, Christina, appears on the scene as a guest at theirwedding, trouble begins, for she and the Prince once had a passionate affair. Henry, however, is also enchanted byChristina.
Now both Emily and her father must face a new reality, and learn whom they can, or cannot, trust.
Critique: An elegant, eloquent, and fully entertaining novel by a writer with an impressive and reader engaging narrativedriven storytelling style, "The Prince" by author Dinitia Smith is unabashedly recommended addition to community libraryRomance Fiction collections. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of all dedicated romance fans that "ThePrince" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $17.99).
Editorial Note: Dinitia Smith is the author of four novels, and was for eleven years a reporter at the New York Timescovering the arts. She maintains a website at http://dinitiasmith.com
It Takes A Villa
Kilby Blades
https://www.kilbyblades.com
Amara
c/o Entangled Publishing
https://entangledpublishing.com
9781649372086, $8.99, PB, 352pp
https://www.amazon.com/Takes-Villa-Kilby-Blades/dp/1649372086
Synopsis: For the reasonable price of $1, Natalie Malone just bought herself an abandoned villa on the Amalfi Coast. Witha detailed spreadsheet and an ancient key, she's arrived in Italy ready to renovate -- and only six months to do it. Whichseemed reasonable until architect Pietro Indelicato began critically watching her every move.
From the sweeping ocean views to the scent of the lemon trees, there's nothing Pietro loves more than his hometown. Andafter seeing too many botched jobs and garish design choices, he's done watching from the sidelines. As far as he'sconcerned, Natalie should quit before the project drains her entire bank account and her ridiculously sunny optimism.
With Natalie determined to move forward, the gorgeous architect reluctantly agrees to pitch in, giving her a real chance tosucceed. But when the fine print on Natalie's contract is brought to light, she might have no choice but to leave her dream,and Pietro, behind.
Critique: A simply fun and memorable read from cover to cover, "It Takes A Villa" by Kilby Blades will have immenseappeal for fans of contemporary romance and comedy. With a genuine flair for deftly crafted characters and many anentertaining plot twist and turn, "It Takes A Villa" will prove to be a welcome addition to community library Multiculturaland Romantic Comedy fiction collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "It Takes A Villa" is alsoavailable in a digital book format (Kindle, $4.99).
Editorial Note: Kilby Blades is also the author of the novel, "Snapdragon", which was a HOLT Medallion finalist and aPublishers Weekly BookLife Prize semifinalist. She has been lauded by critics for "writing characters who complementeach other like a fine wine does a good meal" (PW).
That Cowboy of Mine
Donna Grant
www.DonnaGrant.com
St. Martin's Press
120 Broadway, New York, NY 10271
https://us.macmillan.com/smp
9781250820280, $8.99, PB, 304pp
https://www.amazon.com/That-Cowboy-Mine-Donna-Grant/dp/1250820286
Synopsis: Dillon Young is proud that she inherited her aunt's ranch. The problem: someone is trying to run her off and iswilling to do whatever it takes. Strange, dangerous things keep happening. Dillon suspects her no-good neighbor andwealthy fellow rancher Hank Stephens. Never a man to get his hands dirty, he sends others to get the job done. So, whenthe irresistible Cal Bennett is found passed out drunk on her property, Dillon is on high alert. Until someone takes a shot ather and Cal springs to her rescue. When the hard-bodied, no-nonsense-talking cowboy points out that she may need somehelp, Dillon is inclined to reluctantly agree.
Waking up on a stranger's property with a shotgun in his face is not Cal Bennett's idea of a good time. Never mind that theperson on the other end of the barrel is one of the most fiercely beautiful women he has ever seen. Things get moreinteresting when he finds himself shielding her from flying bullets. It's clear that this smart, savvy woman could use a handand Cal is all too happy to lend any part of his body she requires. His proposal: pose as lovers until they find out who isafter her ranch. As the danger rises and secrets are revealed, the passion explodes between them and there is no turningback.
Critique: With its deftly blended elements of mystery and romance, "That Cowboy of Mine" showcases author DonnaGrant's impressive flair for the kind of western novel that will have immense appeal to a wide range of readers. The stuffof which Hallmark movies are made, as well as readily available for personal reading lists in a digital book format (Kindle,$8.99), "That Cowboy of Mine" is an especially recommended addition to community library Contemporary & WesternRomance collections.
Editorial Note: Novelist Donna Grant's latest acclaimed series, Dark Kings, features a thrilling combination of dragons,Fae, and immortal Highlanders who are dark, dangerous, and irresistible. Donna maintains two websites:www.DonnaGrant.com and www.MotherOfDragonsBooks.com. She can also be followed on Facebook athttps://www.facebook.com/AuthorDonnaGrant
Rules for Engaging the Earl
Janna MacGregor
St. Martin's Press
120 Broadway, New York, NY 10271
https://us.macmillan.com/smp
9781250761613, $8.99, PB, 384pp
https://www.amazon.com/Rules-Engaging-Earl-Widow/dp/1250761611
Synopsis: Constance Lysander needs a husband. Or, so society says. She's about to give birth to her late husband's child --a man who left her with zero money, and two other wives she didn't know about. Thankfully, she has her Aunt by her side,and the two other wives have become close friends. But still -- with a baby on the way, her shipping business to run, and anenemy skulking about, she has no time to find the perfect match.
Enter Jonathan, Earl of Sykeston. Returned war hero and Constance's childhood best friend, his reentry into society hasbeen harsh. Maligned for an injury he received in the line of duty, Jonathan prefers to stay out of sight. It's the only way tokeep his heart from completely crumbling. But when a missive from Constance requests his presence to their marriageceremony, Jonathan is on board. His feelings for Constance run deep, and he'll do anything to make her happy, though itmeans risking his already bruised heart.
With Constance, Jonathan, and the new baby all together, it's clear the wounds (both on the surface and in theirrelationship) run deep. But when the nights come, their wounds begin to heal, and both come to realize that their marriageof convenience is so much more than just a bargain.
Critique: As an author, Janna MacGregor has a particular flair for writing Regency Romance novels. Case in point --"Rules for Engaging the Earl", part of her 'The Widow Rules' series. A fun read from cover to cover, it has everything aregency romance requires for any dedicated romance story enthusiast. The stuff of which Hallmark Movies are made,"Rules for Engaging the Earl" is highly recommended for community library collections and is also available for personalreading lists in a digital book format (Kindle, $8.99).
The Western Fiction Shelf
W. Michael Farmer
https://wmichaelfarmer.com
Five Star Books
c/o Gale Cengage Learning, Inc.
20 Channel Center Street, Boston, MA 02210
https://www.gale.com/five-star
9781432888060, $25.95, HC, 403pp
https://www.amazon.com/Iliad-Geronimo-Song-Blood-Fire/dp/1432888064
Synopsis: The story of the last ten years of Geronimo's wars mirrors the rage, battles, and deception told in Homer's Iliad,the story of the ten-year Greek and Trojan War. "The Iliad of Geronimo: A Song of Blood and Fire" begins in 1877 tenyears before Geronimo's surrender with him being hauled four hundred miles in chains to the San Carlos ReservationGuardhouse, there to await hanging in Tucson. Almost miraculously, Geronimo escaped hanging and lived peacefully for atime on the San Carlos Reservation.
Geronimo and his followers escaped reservations three times during the nearly ten years of Geronimo's Iliad. After leavingthe reservations, the Apaches raided and made war from their great Troy-like fortress, the Sierra Madre mountains inMexico. Chiricahua Apache heroes, like their Greek and Trojan counterparts, were great warriors, their names filling theAmericans and Mexicans with terror: Naiche, Loco, Chihuahua, Nana, Jelikinne, Ulzana, Kaytennae, Chato, and the mostfeared if them all -- Geronimo.
Critique: A work of historical western fiction that plays close attention to historical fact, "The Iliad of Geronimo: A Songof Blood and Fire" by veteran western novelist W. Michael Farmer is a simply riveting read from cover to cover -- andunreservedly recommended for the personal reading lists of all dedicated western novel fans and community libraryWestern Fiction collections.
The Horse Soldier
Ethan J. Wolfe
Five Star Books
c/o Gale Cengage Learning, Inc.
20 Channel Center Street, Boston, MA 02210
www.cengageptr.com
9781432871116, $25.95, HC, 229pp
https://www.amazon.com/Horse-Soldier-Ethan-J-Wolfe/dp/1432871110
Synopsis: Before he can retire to work his Montana ranch full-time, U.S. Marshall Tillman has one more important task toperform. A junior marshal who Tillman had appointed in Laramie, Wyoming, a few years earlier has taken a wrong pathand now Tillman must remove him from office. Tillman leaves his two grown sons and his sister, Alice, on the ranch andsets out for Wyoming by railroad. Along the way, Tillman makes a few detours and stops to visit old friends andcolleagues. As he travels south to Laramie, Tillman relives his life in flashbacks. From the Big Woods of Wisconsin,where he was born and met his wife, Tillman's life in fully is exposed.
Critique: A fascinating combination of fictional biography and western action, "The Horse Soldier" by veteran authorEthan J. Wolfe is a fascinating and entertaining read from beginning to end. A highly recommended novel for Ethan Wolfefans in general, and dedicated western novel enthusiasts in particular, "The Horse Soldier" will prove to be a muchappreciated addition to community library Western Fiction collections.
Too Proud to Run
Brett Cogburn
Five Star Books
c/o Gale Cengage Learning, Inc.
20 Channel Center Street, Boston, MA 02210
www.cengageptr.com
9781432831943, $25.95, HC, 419pp
https://www.amazon.com/Too-Proud-Morgan-Clyde-Western/dp/1432831941
Synopsis: U.S. Deputy Marshal Morgan Clyde has worn a tin star long enough to leave a .45-caliber mark on the IndianTerritory, but the years and miles are wearing on him. For every enemy he's laid low, he's made more in the process, whichisn't a good thing with the territory running wilder than ever and the Hanging Judge in Fort Smith determined to bring it toheel. And it just got worse when a rich man's family is kidnaped by as bloody a gang of outlaws as anyone has everseen.
Morgan's going to need all the allies he can get, but who'll ride with him? The family he once had hates him, and falliblefriends and the women in his life may prove more deadly than any adversary. If he's going to survive, he'll have to bequicker on the trigger than any man ever born, and he'll have to watch his back. For the bullet that eventually gets you isusually the one you don't expect -- especially for those too proud to run!
Critique: Another Morgan Clyde western novel by Brett Cogurn, "Too Proud To Run" is western action/adventure at itsvery best. Replete with cliff hanger style plot twists and turns, "To Proud To Run" is especially recommended for personalreading lists of all dedicated western fans -- and certain to be a highly prized addition to community library WesternFiction collections.
Editorial Note: An award-winning author, Brett Cogburn, whether setting his novels in the Old West or the Twenty-FirstCentury, focuses on characters, both the real and the eccentric. His list of novels include Panhandle, The Texans, FortyLoads, Destiny, Texas, Two-Dollar Pistol, and Widowmaker Jones.
Destination Danger
William Colt MacDonald
Linford Western Library
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print, Inc.
www.ulverscroftusa.com
9781785419652, $TBA, Large Print, PB, 432pp
https://www.ulverscroft.com/title.php?sqlCmd=isbn%3D9781785419652
Synopsis: Gregory Quist is a railroad detective orders to set off for Quivira City to clear up the murder of one WhitneyClayton (a man who had no mourners at his funeral) and a contested plot of land the railroad needs to lay its tracks.
There's no lack of suspects as both Clayton's widow and her brother (children of the powerful cattle baron GrizzlyBaldridge) readily confess to the killing. Add the reappearance of a hoard of lost gold, plus the presence of killer CobraMacaw, and other unsavory characters, and Quist realizes he's in for a pile of gun trouble.
Critique: The late William Colt MacDonald (1891-1968) was an accomplished and prolific author of western novels."Destination Danger" was one of his best and originally published in 1955. This new large print paperback edition from theLinford Western Library will aptly serve to introduce MacDonald to an appreciative new generation of westernaction/adventure fans -- and is an especially recommended addition to personal and community library Western Fictioncollections. It is interesting to note that a complete chronological listing of all 64 novels by MacDonald is available athttps://www.imdb.com/name/nm0531971
The Mystery/Suspense Shelf
Michael Craft
Brash Books
www.brash-books.com
9781954841161 $18.99 pbk
B09PSN4KJ1 $5.99 Kindle
https://www.amazon.com/Desert-Getaway-Dante-Jazz-Mystery/dp/1954841167
Dante O'Donnell made the wrong relationship choices and followed the wrong dreams. Now he makes ends meet as aconcierge for a vacation rental outfit in Palm Springs. Jazz Friendly is an ex-cop whose career was challenged not just byracism, but by her own addiction. Now she's honing her skills in a new career, as a private eye. Both are starting over. Thelast thing they need is each other.
For one thing, they are polar opposites in race, sexual orientation, and temperament. What they do share is a new beginningand new aspirations... and being misfits who aren't yet in solid positions in their revised lives. They also share a commongoal when circ*mstances draw them together over the puzzling murder of the director of a local art museum.
Motivated by their jobs and special interests to become involved in the investigation that follows, Jazz and Dante find theirclashing lives at odds even as their objectives dovetail in strange ways. In the typical mystery genre read, the investigationoften is the major draw of the story.
In Desert Getaway, it's the often-stormy relationship between these two investigators which drive the action and drama.This makes for a psychologically astute inspection that will especially please readers who want their stories motivated byemotion and stimulus beyond perp and victim relationships.
Author Michael Craft's ability to inject humor into the intrigue provides comic relief at unexpected moments as eachcharacter employs their typical modus operandi to inspect possibilities, often injecting snarky observations of each otherinto the process: "When I switched on my computer, I spotted an email from Jazz, which was unusual, as she seemed toprefer phoning. Opening it, I found that she had sent me an enlarged screen grab from the video of the presumed hit manwho had apparently drowned Noreen - a naughty pool boy, indeed. Jazz wrote, "Arcie says this was digitally enhanced.Still looks like crap. Call me." When she answered my call, she said, "Where were you all day?" "Working." "Banginganother client?" She broke into a belly laugh. "Now, don't you start. I've been taking care of business. And you?"
As the first-person narrative traverses the possibilities of money laundering, real estate and banking deals, and the lives ofvarious staff members of M3A who attended the pool party (including Hannah, the soft-spoken wife of CFO HowardQuince), the intrigue strengthens with too many suspects, secrets, and possible motives for murder. Jazz and Dante arechallenged at many crossroads by not just the characters they interview and consider, but each another and their disparateviewpoints.
Craft brings these personalities and perspectives to life in a murder mystery which captures the underside of Palm Springslife and its art world, bringing into question the possibility of justice for the victims and a friendship which evolves fromseemingly dissimilar roots. Readers who are interested in the interactions and shared objectives of a misfit team that mustdraw together the threads of many special interests to uncover the truth will find Desert Getaway a compelling rompthrough fiascos, fairy-tale lives, and organized crime.
Poison at the Village Show
Catherine Coles
www.catherinecoles.com
Boldwood Books
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print, Inc.
www.ulverscroftusa.com
9781804150597, $TBA, Large Print, PB, 340pp
https://www.ulverscroft.com/title.php?sqlCmd=isbn%3D9781804150597
Synopsis: Westleham Village 1947. With the war finally over the residents of Westleham village are trying to reclaim asense of normality and the upcoming village show is proving to be a popular event!
Newcomer, Martha Miller, has high hopes for the village show. Since her husband Stan left for work one day and neverreturned, some of the villagers have treated Martha with suspicion - why would a good man like Stan simply up and leave?Was it something Martha did? All Martha knows is that she's hoping that she can win people over and hopefully they'll buyher delicious homemade plum gin, too and she'll be able to make ends meet. But as glasses of Martha's gin are passedaround, disaster strikes.
Alice Warren, Chairwoman of the village show slumps to the ground after taking a sip. It's clear she's been poisoned!Martha is shocked, but not surprised, when fingers of suspicion once again point her way. Determined to prove herinnocence, Martha sets about trying to find the real culprit. But who would kill Alice and why? Ably helped by the newvicar, Luke Walker, Martha quickly tries to get to the bottom of this mystery. But with the villagers closing ranks it quicklybecomes apparent that the only person with a motive is Martha herself... Will Luke and Martha discover who is behind thepoisoning before it's too late?
Critique: With her 'whodunnit' literary skills at the level of an Agatha Christie or a G. K. Chesterton, novelist CathrerineColes's "Poison at the Village Show" has all the qualities expected of an English mystery. This large print paperbackedition of "Poison at the Village" is pure mystery buff entertainment and is recommended for both personal reading listsand community library Mystery/Suspense collections.
Editorial Note: Catherine writes cosy mysteries that take place in the English countryside. Her extremely popular Tommy& Evelyn Christie mysteries are set in 1920s North Yorkshire. Her new series, the Martha Miller cosy mysteries, are set inthe years following the Second World War in Berkshire. She maintains a website at www.catherinecoles.com
The Cold Killer
Ross Greenwood
Boldwood Books
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print, Inc.
www.ulverscroftusa.com
9781800484733, $TBA, PB, 538pp
https://www.ulverscroft.com/title.php?sqlCmd=isbn%3D9781800484733
Synopsis: When a tired old inmate is found dead in his cell, the prison is obligated to investigate and so DI Barton attends.The men he interviews have been convicted of some of the worst things a human being can do, but it appears likely that thedeath was due to natural causes.
When the house of the dead man is burgled and that crime is followed by a suspicious fire, Barton desperately needs tospeak to his widow, but she's nowhere to be found. In the space of twenty-four hours, everyone he wants to talk to hasvanished. Then he receives some post which makes him believe he could be the next to disappear.
In just a few days, Barton's investigation goes full circle, through a series of brutal murders, back to the prison. There's ashocking development which even he could never have imagined, and all signs are pointing to the fact that he's made aterrible mistake. There's a violent killer on the loose, who wants everyone to learn that it's hard to live when you deserve todie.
Critique: Combing a 'whodunnity' with a killer thriller of a suspense novel, the large print paperback edition of novelistRoss Greenwood's "The Cold Killer" is a riveting great read, a 'must' for all dedicated prison fiction fans, and especiallyrecommended for community library Mystery/Suspense fiction collections.
Murder at the Abbey
Frances Evesham
https://francesevesham.com
Boldwood Books
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print, Inc.
www.ulverscroftusa.com
9781800480544, $TBA, Large Print, PB, 396pp
https://www.ulverscroft.com/title.php?sqlCmd=isbn%3D9781800480544
Synopsis; An unsolved murder echoes down the corridors of Cleeve Abbey for years. The Exham-on-Sea's HistorySociety's annual summer picnic comes to an abrupt end when human bones are discovered in Washford River, besidehistoric Cleeve Abbey. Thrilled to find evidence of a possible centuries-old murder mystery, the members of the societyorganise a ghost-hunting night in the ruins of Cleeve Abbey, despite amateur sleuth Libby Forest's reservations.
Libby is a woman of many talents, a baker, chocolatier, even a reluctant sleuth, but she's no fan of the supernatural and herdoubts are justified when a friend is attacked under cover of darkness at the ghost-hunt. Distressed and angry, Libby setsout with her new husband Max and their two dogs Bear and Shipley to uncover the connection between the murder of asixteenth century monk and a present-day attack in picturesque Somerset.
With friends and neighbours as suspects, Libby and Max close in on the culprit only to find that others are still in danger.There's no time to lose as the sins of the past threaten lives in the community.
Critique: An Exham-On-Sea murder mystery by veteran novelist Frances Evesham, "Murder at the Abbey" another of herdeftly crafted 'whodunnit' style mysteries for her growing legions of fans. This large print paperback edition fromBoldwood Books is particularly recommended for community library Mystery/Suspense collections -- and a 'must' fordedicated mystery buffs in general, and the growing legions of Frances Evesham fans in particular.
Surfeit of Suspects
George Bellairs
https://www.georgebellairs.com
Charnwood Large Print
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print, Inc.
www.ulverscroftusa.com
9781444848939, $TBA, Large Print, PB, 234pp
https://www.ulverscroft.com/title.php?sqlCmd=isbn%3D9781444848939
Synopsis: Following a mysterious explosion, the offices of the Excelsior Joinery Company are no more: three directors arekilled, and the peace of a quiet town in Surrey lies in ruins. When the supposed cause of a faulty gas-main is dismissed,and evidence of dynamite revealed, Superintendent Littlejohn of Scotland Yard is summoned to the scene. But beneath thesleepy veneer of Evingden lies a hotbed of deep-seated grievances. Confounding Littlejohn's investigation is an impressivecast of suspicious persons, each concealing their own axe to grind.
Critique: A true mystery lover's delight with its roster of memorable characters and a plot that has more twists and turnsthan a Coney Island roller coaster, this large print paperback edition of "Surfeit of Suspects" by George Bellairs is a trulyfun puzzle of a read right down to the unexpected climax. The stuff of which BBC mystery movies are made, "Surfeit ofSuspects" is very highly recommended for community library Mystery/Suspense collections and the personal reading listsof dedicated British Detective & English Mystery fans.
Editorial Note: George Bellairs was the pseudonym of Harold Blundell (1902-1982). He was, by day, a Manchester bankmanager with close connections to the University of Manchester. He is often referred to as the English Simenon, as hisdetective stories combine wicked crimes and classic police procedurals, set in small British communities. There is aGeorge Bellairs website at https://www.georgebellairs.com
The Shop on Royal Street
Karen White
Berkley Books
c/o Penguin Group (USA)
www.penguin.com
9780593334584, $27.00, HC, 384pp
https://www.amazon.com/Shop-Royal-Street/dp/0593334582
Synopsis: After a difficult detour on her road to adulthood, Nola Trenholm is looking to begin anew in New Orleans, andwhat better way to start her future than with her first house? But the historic fixer-upper she buys comes with even morework than she anticipated when the house's previous occupants don't seem to be ready to depart.
Although she can't communicate with ghosts like her stepmother can, luckily Nola knows someone in New Orleans who isable to -- even if he's the last person on earth she wants anything to do with ever again. Beau Ryan comes with his owndark past (a past that involves the disappearance of his sister and parents during Hurricane Katrina) and he's connected tothe unsolved murder of a woman who once lived in the old Creole cottage Nola is determined to make her own -- whetherthe resident restless spirits agree or not!
Critique: Clever, original, entertaining, "The Shop On Royal Street" is a cosy mystery fans pure delight from cover tocover. A deftly crafted blend of mystery, romance, and the metaphysical, "The Shop On Royal Street" is a fun read fromcover to cover and unreservedly recommended for community library Contemporary Mystery/Suspense collections. Itshould be noted for the personal reading lists of dedicated mystery buffs that "The Shop On Royal Street" is also availablein a digital book format (Kindle, $14.99). It should be noted by librarians that there is also a large print paperback editionof "The Shop On Royal Street" available (Random House Large Print, 9780593556382, $29.00, 544pp).
Editorial Note: An established author, Karen White maintains an informative website at www.karen-white.com and can beconnect with on social media at: Facebook: Facebook.com/karenwhiteauthor, Twitter: @KarenWhiteWrite, Instagram:@KarenWhiteWrite and Pinterest: KarenWhiteBooks
Sunset Blues
Bob Adamov
www.BobAdamov.com
Packard Island Publishing
https://packardislandpublishing.com
9798985359305, $28.00, HC, 224pp
https://www.amazon.com/Sunset-Blues-Emerson-Moore-14/dp/B09SBV549Q
Synopsis: A mysterious explosion destroys the bayfront home of investigative reporter Emerson Moore's Aunt Anne inPut-in-Bay. His aunt has vanished. Was she kidnapped? Is there a connection to the nefarious activities by Russiansrunning London-style taxis on Lake Erie's South Bass Island and in Key West? Is her apparent abduction part of a vendettaagainst Moore?
Moore initially enlists island entertainer Mike "Mad Dog" Adams to help uncover the clues to finding his aunt. Theirsearch takes them from a major scuffle in Detroit with drug lord Ruslan Zharkov to Key West where they recruit a team ofeasily sidetracked and hilarious reprobates led by local mischief-maker Chuck Meier.
As the tension mounts and the net tightens, Moore has the unsettling feeling that the worst has befallen his aunt. Along theway, Moore uncovers a shocking surprise as to who was behind her disappearance -- it was indeed someone who has ascore to settle with Moore. With the clock ticking, the stakes are stacked against successfully finding her alive. As Moorestruggles emotionally just to get through each day with little progress, he finds himself on a collision course with thecunning Zharkov.
Critique: With the publication of "Sunset Blues", was again author and novelist Bob Adamov demonstrates that he is amaster of the fast-paced, action-packed, mystery adventure, complete with ambushes, deadly shootouts, betrayal, crueltyand cast of truly memorable characters. Simply stated, "Sunset Blues" is especially and unreservedly recommended for thepersonal reading lists of action-adventure mystery buffs and a welcome addition to community library ContemporaryMystery/Suspense collections.
Editorial Note: More information about Bob Adamov and his Emerson Moore mystery adventure series can be found onhis personal website at www.BobAdamov.com
Murder on Madison Square
Victoria Thompson
Berkley Prime Crime
c/o Penguin Group (USA)
www.penguin.com
9780593337066, $26.00, HC, 352pp
https://www.amazon.com/Murder-Madison-Square-Gaslight-Mystery/dp/0593337069
Synopsis: Former policeman Frank Malloy is frustrated when a woman requests his private detective services to implicateher wealthy husband in adultery, the only legal grounds for divorce in New York state. Although Mrs. Bing seemsgenuinely distressed about her marriage and desperate to end it, she refuses to tell Frank the reason she absolutely mustdivorce her husband and admits she has no legal grounds. Frank explains he won't manufacture evidence for her and sendsher on her way.
The following week, Frank and Sarah happen to be attending the first ever auto show in Madison Square Garden whenthey meet the woman's husband, Alfred Bing, who has invested in a company that produces one of the electric motorcarson display. A few days later, the newspapers report that millionaire Alvin Bing has been found dead, pinned beneath one ofthe wheels of his very own motorcar. But who was driving it? The obvious suspect is Mrs. Bing, but Frank and Sarah findthat nothing is as it seems in their puzzling, dangerous search for truth.
Critique: Some writers just seem to have a natural talent for deftly crafting a riveting 'whodunnit' style of mystery novelthat keeps satisfied mystery buffs looking eagerly toward their next book. Award winning mystery novelist VictoriaThompson is just such a writer. Her latest novel, "Murder on Madison Square", is part of her simply outstanding 'AGaslight Mystery' series and will prove to be an enthusiastically popular addition to community library Mystery/Suspensecollections. It should also be noted for their personal reading lists by the growing legions of Victoria Thompson fans that"Murder on Madison Square" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $14.99).
Editorial Note: Victoria Thompson writes the Edgar and Agatha Award nominated Gaslight Mystery Series, a collection ofmysteries set in turn-of-the-century New York City and featuring midwife Sarah Brandt. She is also the author of the SueGrafton Award nominated Counterfeit Lady Series of mysteries set in early twentieth century New York City and featuringcon artist Elizabeth Miles. She also teaches in the Seton Hill University master's program in writing popular fiction.
Bear Witness
Lark O. Jensen
Crooked Lane Books
2 Park Avenue, 10th floor, New York, NY 10016
www.crookedlanebooks.com
9781643858968, $26.99, HC, 320pp
https://www.amazon.com/Bear-Witness-Alaska-Untamed-Mystery/dp/1643858963
Synopsis: No nine-to-five cubicle career will suit Stacie Calder -- as a naturalist, she much prefers working in the greatoutdoors. Specifically, the spacious and spectacular Alaskan wilderness, whose rugged charms she shares with sightseerson the top deck of the tour boat where she works. But one May afternoon, Stacie's passengers see more than glitteringglaciers, frolicking harbor seals, climbing bears and soaring seabirds -- they also witness a man lying dead in the frigidAlaskan waters. And it seems quite likely that someone gave him a fatal push.
Stacie didn't know the unfortunate victim, but he sure wanted to know a lot about her. He spent most of his final afternoonbombarding her with questions quite awkward to answer. And when he wasn't in her hair, he was arguing incessantly withthe boat's beleaguered crew. Which makes for a suspect list about as long as the passenger manifest. Furthermore, as policehelicopters relentlessly circle her boat in search of any clues, Stacie is shaken to find herself on that suspect list.
Before the tour boat reaches shore Stacie (accompanied by her beautiful blue-eyed husky, Sasha) must deduce just whosent the testy tourist tumbling into the turgid waters and have the authorities take custody. Because if she can't, then thekiller might aim a fatal ice-cold stare at Stacie!
Critique: An impressively crafted 'whodunnit' mystery with more unexpected plot twists and turns that a Coney Islandroller coaster, "Bear Witness" by Lark O. Jensen is a mystery buffs delight from first page to last. Original, compelling,entertaining throughout, "Bear Witness" is a very highly recommended and certain to be enduringly popular addition tocommunity library Mystery/Suspense collections. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of all dedicated mysteryfans that "Bear Witness" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $13.99).
Editorial Note: Lark O. Jensen has published 53 books so far, including mysteries and romantic novels. She has writtenseveral cozy mystery series including the Barkery & Biscuits Mysteries and Superstition Mysteries for Midnight Ink, andthe Kendra Ballantyne, Pet-Sitter Mysteries and Pet Rescue Mysteries for Berkley Prime Crime. She also writes romancesfor Harlequin, including Harlequin Romantic Suspense. Her latest romance ficton release is Colton First Responder, forHarlequin Romantic Suspense.
Magic, Lies, and Deadly Pies
Misha Popp
https://www.mishapopp.com
Crooked Lane Books
2 Park Avenue, 10th floor, New York, NY 10016
www.crookedlanebooks.com
https://www.dreamscapepublishing.com
9781643859958, $26.99, HC, 336pp
https://www.amazon.com/Magic-Lies-Deadly-Mushoku-Tensei/dp/1643859951
Synopsis: The first time Daisy Ellery killed a man with a pie, it was an accident. Now, it's her calling. Daisy bakes sweetvengeance into her pastries, which she and her dog Zoe deliver to the men who've done dirty deeds to the town's women.But if she can't solve the one crime that's not of her own baking, she'll be out of the pie pan and into the oven.
Parking her Pies Before Guys mobile bakery van outside the local diner, Daisy is informed by Frank, the crusty dinerowner, that someone's been prowling around the van -- and not just to inhale the delectable aroma. Already on thin icingwith Frank, she finds a letter on her door, threatening to reveal her unsavory secret sideline of pie a la murder.
Blackmail? But who whipped up this half-baked plot to cut a slice out of Daisy's business? Purple-haired campusdo-gooder Melly? Noel, the tender (if flaky) farm boy? Or one of the abusive men who prefer their pie without a deadlyscoop of payback?
The upcoming statewide pie contest could be Daisy's big chance to help wronged women everywhere -- that is, if shedoesn't meet a sticky end first. Because Daisy knows the blackmailer won't stop until her business is in crumbles.
Critique: Introducing unique and original protagonist in a unique and original mystery, "Magic, Lies, and Deadly Pies" bynew novelist Misha Popp is unabashed fun on the printed page and will have a wide appeal, not only for veteran mysterybuffs, but for anyone that appreciates irony, whimsey, and lethal pastries! While also available for personal reading lists ina digital book format (Kindle, $13.99) and as a complete and unabridged audio book (Dreamscape, 9781666581331,$22.99, CD), "Magic, Lies, and Deadly Pies" is highly recommended for community library ContemporaryMystery/Suspense collections.
Editorial Note: Misha Popp enjoys writing about murdery women and over-the-top baked goods. She has launched apersonal website at https://www.mishapopp.com
The Shadow of Memory
Connie Berry
www.connieberry.com
Crooked Lane Books
2 Park Avenue, 10th floor, New York, NY 10016
www.crookedlanebooks.com
9781643859088, $26.99, HC, 352pp
https://www.amazon.com/Shadow-Memory-Kate-Hamilton-Mystery/dp/1643859080
Synopsis: As Kate Hamilton plans her upcoming wedding to Detective Inspector Tom Mallory, she is also assisting hercolleague Ivor Tweedy with a project at the Netherfield Sanatorium, which is being converted into luxury townhouses.Kate and Ivor must appraise a fifteenth-century painting and verify that its provenance is the Dutch master Jan Van Eyck.But when retired criminal inspector Will Parker is found dead, Kate learns that the halls of the sanatorium housed muchmore than priceless art.
Kate is surprised to learn that Will had been the first boyfriend of her friend Vivian Bunn, who hasn't seen him infifty-eight years. At a seaside holiday camp over sixty years ago, Will, Vivian, and three other teens broke into anabandoned house where a doctor and his wife had died under bizarre circ*mstances two years earlier. Now, when a secondmember of the childhood gang dies unexpectedly, and then a third, it becomes clear that the teens had discovered more inthe house than they had realized.
Had Will returned to warn his old love? When Kate makes a shocking connection between a sixty-year-old murder and thelong-buried secrets of the sanatorium, she suddenly understands that time is running out for Vivian -- and anyoneconnected to her!
Critique: The stuff of which television's Hallmark Chanel Mystery Movies are made, "The Shadow of Memory" by veteranmystery writer Connie Berry is the latest volume in the author's Kate Hamilton Mystery series. Deftly crafted, inherentlycompelling, a real page turner of a read from cover to cover, "The Shadow of Memory" is unreservedly recommended forcommunity library Mystery/Suspense collections. It should be noted for the growing legions of Connie Berry fans that"The Shadow of Memory" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $13.99).
Editorial Note: Connie Berry is the author of the Kate Hamilton Mysteries, set in the UK and featuring an Americanantiques dealer with a gift for solving crimes. Like her protagonist, Connie was raised by antiques dealers who instilled inher a passion for history, fine art, and travel. In 2019 Connie won the IPPY Gold Medal for Mystery and was a finalist forthe Agatha Award's Best Debut. She's a member of Mystery Writers of America and is on the board of the Guppies and herlocal Sisters in Crime chapter. She also maintains a personal and professional website www.connieberry.com
One of Us Is Dead
Jeneva Rose
https://www.jenevarose.com
Blackstone Publishing
31 Mistletoe Road, Ashland, OR 97520
www.BlackstoneAudio.com
9798200706846, $28.99, HC, 318pp
https://www.amazon.com/One-Us-Dead-Jeneva-Rose/dp/B09BDRZR42
Synopsis: With the publication of her latest novel, author Jeneva Rose would like you to eet the women of Buckhead -- acommunity of expensive cars, huge houses, and competitive friendships.
Shannon was once the queen bee of Buckhead. But she's been unceremoniously dumped by Bryce, her politician husband.When Bryce replaces her with a much younger woman, Shannon sets out to take revenge...
Crystal has stepped into Shannon's old shoes. A young, innocent Texan girl, she simply has no idea what she's upagainst...
Olivia has waited years to take Shannon's crown as the unofficial queen of Buckhead. Finally, her moment has come. Butto take her rightful place, she will need to use every backstabbing, manipulative, underhand trick in the book...
Jenny owns Glow, the most exclusive salon in town. Jenny knows all her clients' secrets and darkest desires. But will sheever tell?
Who amongst these women will be clever enough to survive Buckhead -- and who will wind up dead? They say thatfriendships can be complex, but no one said it could ever be this deadly.
Critique: A deftly crafted blend of women's friendships, rivalries, ambitions, and suspense, "One of Us is Dead" is ariveting and entertaining read from first page to last. While also available for personal reading lists in a digital book format(Kindle, $8.69) and as a complete and unabridged audio book (9798200705955, $31.95, MP3-CD), "One of Us is Dead"will prove to be a welcome and popular addition to community library Contemprorary Mystery/Suspense collections.
Editorial Note: Jeneva Rose is also the author of The Perfect Marriage, which has been published in nearly a dozenlanguages and optioned for film. She maintains a website at https://www.jenevarose.com
The Echoes
Jess Montgomery
Minotaur Books
c/o St. Martin's Publishing Group
www.minotaurbooks.com
9781250623423, $27.99, HC, 288pp
https://www.amazon.com/Echoes-Kinship-4-Jess-Montgomery/dp/1250623421
Synopsis: As July 4, 1928 approaches, Sheriff Lily Ross and her family look forward to the opening of an amusem*nt parkin a nearby town, created by World War I military veteran and lumber mill owner Chalmer Fitzpatrick. When Lily isalerted to the possible drowning of a girl, she goes to investigate, and discovers schisms going back several generations, inan ongoing dispute over the land on which Fitzpatrick has built the park.
Lily's family life is soon rattled, too, with the revelation that before he died, her brother had a daughter, Esme, with awoman in France, and arrangements have been made for Esme to immigrate to the U.S. to live with them. But Esme nevermakes it to Kinship, and soon Lily discovers that she has been kidnaped. Not only that, but a young woman is indeed foundmurdered in the fishing pond on Fitzpatrick's property, at the same time that a baby is left on his doorstep.
As the two crimes interweave, Lily must confront the question of what makes family: can we trust those we love? Andwhat do we share, and what do we keep secret?
Critique: Original, deftly crafted, inherently engaging, populated with memorable characters and more plot twists and turnsthan a carnival roller coaster, "The Echoes" by Jess Montgomery is a simply riveting read by an accomplished novelist andwill prove to be a particularly welcome addition to community library Mystery/Suspense collections. It should be noted forthe personal reading lists of all crime fiction fans that "The Echoes" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle,$14.99).
Editorial Note: Jess Montgomery writes the Writer's Digest magazine column, "Level Up Your Writing (Life)" and wasformerly the "Literary Life" columnist for the Dayton Daily News. Based on early chapters of the first book in the KinshipSeries, The Widows, Jess was awarded an Ohio Arts Council individual artist's grant for literary arts and named the JohnE. Nance Writer-in-Residence at Thurber House in Columbus. She also hosts the podcast, "Tea with Jess: Chatting withAuthors & Artists."
Wild Creek Whispers
Cindy Keen Reynders
www.cindykeenreynders.com
Camel Press
6524 NE 181st Street, STE #2, Kenmore, WA 98028
www.camelpress.com
9781942078524, $16.95, PB, 256pp
https://www.amazon.com/Wild-Creek-Whispers-Cindy-Reynders/dp/1942078528
Synopsis: Wyoming private investigator Reese Golden has been hired by a distraught mother to find her missing 4-year-olddaughter. This is no small task, considering that the child has been missing for weeks and has seemingly vanished into thinair.
Unfortunately, the police and the FBI haven't been able to come up with any leads. Reese, a former police detective, wasshot on the job, which led to her departure from the force. She is still rebuilding confidence in her abilities, and hesitates totake on the case, but she cannot in good conscience deny the woman's plea for help.
Reese uses her gut instincts to research and follow leads that point to the missing girl's whereabouts. Despite the threatsagainst her life, she travels into the backcountry wilderness and the heights of mountain passes to try and locate thechild.
Although Reese's attempts to bring the missing girl home to her family prove to be a major challenge, one that is fraughtwith danger and intrigue, she fights against the odds to stay on her course. With a child's life at stake, she refuses to backdown.
Not only does Reese discover the truth about herself, she discovers the lengths to which human nature will driveindividuals who are desperate to have what they want, no matter the cost.
Critique: Some mystery authors seem to have a natural flair for originality combined with the kind of narrative drivenstorytelling that simply and fully engage the reader's total attention from cover to cover. Novelist Cindy Keen Reynders isjust such an author and her latest novel, "Wild Creek Whipsers" is a masterpiece of suspense and 'whodunnit' fiction.While especially and unreservedly recommended for community library Contemporary Mystery/Suspense collections, itshould be noted for the personal reading lists of dedicated mystery fans that "Wild Creek Whispers" is also available in adigital book format (Kindle, $5.99).
Editorial Note: Cindy Keen Reynders is the author of the Saucy Lucy series books (The Saucy Lucy Murders, Paws-itivelyGuilty and A Killer Slice). Solstice Publishing recently released her paranormal romance The Seven-Year Witch, A Witchat Midnight and Witch Tease. Over the years, Cindy has won or placed in different writing contests. She has also writtenfor and edited many newsletters. Additionally, she has sold several non-fiction magazine articles to "True West" and "WildWest." She maintains a website at www.cindykeenreynders.com
Metropolis
B. A. Shapiro
Algonquin Books
PO Box 2225, Chapel Hill, NC 27515-2225
www.algonquin.com
www.blackstoneaudio.com
9781616209582, $27.95, HC, 368pp
https://www.amazon.com/Metropolis-Novel-B-Shapiro/dp/1616209585
Synopsis: Was it really an accident? Was it suicide? A murder? Six mysterious characters, who rent units in, or areconnected to, the self-storage facility, must now reevaluate their lives.
Serge is an unstable but brilliant street photographer who lives in his unit, which overflows with thousands of undevelopedpictures; Zach is the building's owner who develops Serge's photos as he searches for clues to the accident; Marta is anundocumented immigrant who is finishing her dissertation and hiding from ICE; Liddy is an abused wife and mother whor*creates her children's bedroom in her unit; Jason has left his corporate firm and now practices law from his storage unit;and Rose is the office manager who takes kickbacks to let renters live in the building and has her own complicated familyhistory.
All six of these characters have a variety of backgrounds: they are different races; they practice different religions; they'reyoung and they're not so young; they are rich, poor, and somewhere in the middle. As they dip in and out of one another'slives, fight circ*mstances that are within and also beyond their control, and try to discover the details of the accident, in hisnew novel, "Meteropolis", author B. A. Shapiro both dismantles the myth of the American dream and builds tension to anexciting climax.
Critique: Skillfully crafted with memorable characters, "Metropolis" is a riveting psychological thriller of a read fromcover to cover. Raising crime fiction to an impressively high literary level, "Metropolis" is especially and unreservedlyrecommended for community library Contemporary Mystery/Suspense collections. It should be noted for personal readinglists that "Metropolis" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $13.17) and as a complete and unabridged audiobook (Blackstone Audio, 9798200880874, $41.99, CD).
Margaret Truman's Murder at the CDC
Margaret Truman, author
Jon Land, author
Forge
c/o Tor/Forge Books
www.tor-forge.com
https://www.dreamscapepublishing.com
9781250238894, $27.99, HC, 304pp
https://www.amazon.com/Margaret-Trumans-Murder-CDC-Capital/dp/1250238897
Synopsis: 2017: A military transport on a secret run to dispose of its deadly contents vanishes without a trace. A massshooting on the steps of the Capitol nearly claims the life of Robert Brixton's grandson. No stranger to high-stakesinvestigations, Brixton embarks on a trail to uncover the motive behind the shooting. On the way he finds himself probingthe attempted murder of the daughter his best friend, who works at the Washington offices of the CDC.
The connection between the mass shooting and Alexandra's poisoning lies in that long-lost military transport that has beenrecovered by forces determined to change America forever. Those forces are led by radical separatist leader Deacon FrankWilhyte, whose goal is nothing short of bringing on a second Civil War.
Brixton joins forces with Kelly Lofton, a former Baltimore homicide detective. She has her own reasons for wanting tofind the truth behind the shooting on the Capitol steps, and is the only person with the direct knowledge Brixton needs. Butchasing the truth places them in the cross-hairs of both Wilhyte's legions and his Washington enablers.
Critique: Building on the literary legacy of Margaret Truman, author Jon Land has added a new and much appreciatedaddition to the Capital Crimes mystery series with the publication of "Margaret Truman's Murder at the CDC". While veryhighly recommended for community library Mystery/Suspense collections, it should be noted for the personal reading listsof political thriller fiction that "Margaret Truman's Murder at the CDC" is also available in a digital book format ($14.99)and as a complete and unabridged audio book (Dreamscape Media, 9781662068270, $59.99, CD).
Editorial Note #1: Margaret Truman (February 17, 1924 - January 29, 2008) won faithful readers with her works ofbiography and fiction, particularly her Capital Crimes mysteries. Her novels let readers into the corridors of power andprivilege, and poverty and pageantry, in the nation's capital. She was the author of many nonfiction books, including ThePresident's House, in which she shared some of the secrets and history of the White House, where, as the daughter ofPresident Harry Truman, she once resided.
Editorial Note #2: Jon Land is the USA Today bestselling author of more than fifty books, over ten of which feature TexasRanger Caitlin Strong. The critically acclaimed series has won more than a dozen awards, including the 2019 InternationalBook Award for Best Thriller for Strong as Steel. He is also the author of Chasing the Dragon, a detailed account of theWar on Drugs written with one of the most celebrated DEA agents of all time. A graduate of Brown University, Land livesin Providence, Rhode Island and received the 2019 Rhode Island Authors Legacy Award for his lifetime of literaryachievements.
The Walled Garden
Robin Marrar Maass
https://robinfmaass.com
SparkPress
https://gosparkpress.com
9781684631315, $16.95, PB, 344pp
https://www.amazon.com/Walled-Garden-Robin-Farrar-Maass/dp/1684631319
Synopsis: American grad student Lucy Silver arrives in England hoping to solve a longstanding literary mystery, write herdissertation, and finish her graduate studies in a blaze of academic glory. But as Lucy starts to piece together thecorrespondence between her late grandmother and Elizabeth Blackspear, the famous poet and garden writer who's thesubject of Lucy's dissertation, she discovers puzzling coded references in the letters -- and when an elderly Englisharistocrat with a secret connection to Elizabeth offers Lucy access to a neglected walled garden on his estate, the mysterydeepens.
As spring turns to summer in Bolton Lacey, Lucy finds herself fighting the Blackspear Gardens' director's attempt to denyher access to vital documents in the archives -- and trying not to fall in love with an attractive Scottish contractor.
In the midst of this turmoil, she stumbles upon an illicit plot to turn the historic gardens into a theme park, and becomesdetermined to stop it. As she races against time to save the gardens, Lucy's search for the truth about Elizabeth's life leadsher to a French convent where she uncovers explosive evidence that will change her life and the lives of everyone aroundher, ultimately revealing a home (and an inheritance) more incredible than anything she could ever have imagined!
Critique: All the more impressive when considering that "The Walled Garden" is author Robin Farrar Maass' debut as anovelist, this remarkably well crafted and fully engaging story that deftly combines an historical mystery with elements ofa coming of age saga and of college romance. A perfect choice for a summer recreational novel, and also readily availablefor personal reading lists in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.49), "The Walled Garden" is an original, entertaining, andunreservedly recommended addition to community library collections.
Kingdom of Bones
James Rollins
William Morrow & Company
c/o HarperCollins Publishers
www.harpercollins.com
9780062892980, $28.99, HC, 464pp
https://www.amazon.com/Kingdom-Bones-Thriller-Sigma-Novels/dp/0062892983
Synopsis: It all begins in Africa. A United Nations relief team in a small village in the Congo makes an alarmingdiscovery. An unknown force is leveling the evolutionary playing field. Men, women, and children have been reduced to adull, catatonic state. The environment surrounding them (plants and animals) has grown more cunning and predatory,evolving at an exponential pace. The insidious phenomenon is spreading from a cursed site in the jungle (known to localsas the Kingdom of Bones) and is now sweeping across Africa, threatening the rest of the world.
What has made the biosphere run amok? Is it a natural event? Or more terrifyingly, did someone engineer it?
Commander Gray Pierce and Sigma Force are prepared for the extraordinary and have kept the world safe, vigilance forwhich they have paid a tragic personal price. Yet, even these brilliant and seasoned scientific warriors do not understandwhat is behind this frightening development -- or know how to stop it. As they race to find answers, the members of Sigmaquickly realize they have become the prey.
To head off global catastrophe, Sigma Force must risk their lives to uncover the shattering secret at the heart of the Africancontinent -- a truth that will illuminate who we are as a species and where we may be headed sooner than we know becauseMother Nature (red in tooth and claw) is turning against humankind, propelling the entire world into the Kingdom ofBones.
Critique: A simply riveting combination of suspense thriller, action-adventure, and near future science fiction, "Kingdomof Bones" is an absolute 'must read' for the legions of James Rollins fans. The stuff of which block-buster movies aremade, "Kingdom of Bones" is especially recommended for community library Contemporary Fiction collections. It shouldbe noted for personal reading lists that "Kingdom of Bones" is also available in a mass market paperback edition(9780062892997, $9.99), and in a digital book format (Kindle, $14.99). Librarians should be aware that there is a largeprint paperback edition of "Kingdom of Bones" (HarperLuxe, 9780062893000, $30.99, 704pp).
Editorial Note: James Rollins is the author of several international thriller novels that have been translated into more thanforty languages. In each novel, acclaimed for its originality, Rollins unveils unseen worlds, scientific breakthroughs, andhistorical secrets -- and he does it all at breakneck speed and with stunning insight.
The Fantasy/SciFi Shelf
G. G. Kellner
https://hopeahistoryofthefuture.com
SparkPress
https://gosparkpress.com
9781684631230, $16.95, 336pp
https://www.amazon.com/Hope-History-Future-G-G-Kellner/dp/1684631238
Synopsis: One quiet afternoon in 2037, Joyce Denzell hears a thud in her family's home library and finds a book lying inthe middle of the room, seemingly waiting for her -- a book whose copyright page says it was published in the year 2200.Over the next twenty-four hours, each of the Denzell family members discovers and reads from this mystical history bookfrom the future, nudged along by their cat, Plato.
As the various family members take turns reading, they gradually uncover the story of Gabe, Mia, and Ruth. It is a saga ofadventure, endurance, romance, mystery, and hope that touches them all deeply. Along the way, the Denzells all begin tobelieve that this book that has seemingly fallen out of time and space and into their midst might actually be from the future-- and that it might have something vitally important to teach them.
Engaging, playful, and thought-provoking, "Hope, a History of the Future" by G. G. Kellner is a seven-generation-spanningvision of the future as it could be and based on scientific projections, as well as historical and legal precedence.
Critique: An inherently fascinating, deftly written, thought-provoking, and fully entertaining blend of fantasy, theparanormal, and science fiction "Hope, a History of the Future" will leave readers grappling with questions of destiny,responsibility, and the possibility for hope in a future world some two centuries from now. A fun and original read, "Hope,a History of the Future" is especially and unreservedly recommended for community library Science Fiction & Fantasycollections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "Hope, a History of the Future" by G. G. Kellner is alsoavailable in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.49).
Editorial Note: G. G. Kellner is a writer, artist, poet, and former educator. She is also a weekly guest on the communityradio program The Brown Briefly, offering a humorous look at politics and culture. She maintains a personal andprofessional website at at www.gaylekellner.com.
The Discord of Gods
Jenn Lyons
Tor Books
c/o Tor/Forge Books
120 Broadway, 22nd Floor, w York, NY 10271
www.tor-forge.com
9781250175687, $29.99, HC, 528pp
https://www.amazon.com/Discord-Gods-Chorus-Dragons/dp/1250175682
Synopsis: Relos Var's final plans to enslave the universe are on the cusp of fruition. He believes there's only one being inexistence that might be able to stop him: the demon Xaltorath.
As these two masterminds circle each other, neither is paying attention to the third player on the board, Kihrin.Unfortunately, keeping himself classified in the 'pawn' category means Kihrin must pretend to be everything the propheciesthreatened he'd become: the destroyer of all, the sun eater, a mindless, remorseless plague upon the land. It also meansfinding an excuse to not destroy the people he loves (or any of the remaining Immortals) without arousing suspicion.
Kihrin's goals are complicated by the fact that not all of his 'act' is one. His intentions may be sincere, but he's still beingforced to grapple with the aftereffects of the corrupted magic ritual that twisted both him and the dragons. Worse, he's nowtied to a body that is the literal avatar of a star -- a form that is becoming increasingly, catastrophically unstable. All ofwhich means he's running out of time.
After all, some stars fade -- but others explode!
Critique: The fifth and concluding volume in author Jenn Lyons outstanding 'Chorus of Dragons' fantasy series, "TheDiscord of Gods" is an inherently engaging, impressively original, detailed and solidly entertaining read from cover tocover. While also available for the personal reading lists of the growing legions of Jenn Lyons fans in a paperback edition(9781250175700, $20.99) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $14.99), "The Discord of Gods" is unreservedlyrecommended for community library Science Fiction & Fantasy collections. It should be noted that the other four volumescomprising the 'Chorus of Dragons' series by Jenn Lyons includes "The Ruin of Kings", "The Name of All Things", TheMemory of Souls", and "The House of Always.
Editorial Note: Jenn Lyons is a video game producer by day, and spends her evenings world building and writingfantasy.
Tear Down the Throne
Jennifer Estep
Harper Voyager
HarperCollins Publishers
195 Broadway, New York, NY, 10007
www.harpercollins.com
9780063023093, $16.99, PB, 464pp
https://www.amazon.com/Tear-Down-Throne-Novel-Gargoyle/dp/0063023091
Synopsis: Crown princess. Clever spy. Powerful mind magier. Gemma Ripley of Andvari is all those things -- and she isdetermined to stop an enemy from using magical tearstone weapons to conquer her kingdom.
Gemma's quest for answers leads her to a trade Summit between the various kingdoms. Among the other royals inattendance is Queen Maeven Morricone of Morta and her son, Prince Leonidas -- who is Gemma's ever charming anddangerous nemesis.
Gemma knows that Maeven always has a long game in motion, and sure enough, the cunning queen invokes an arcanetradition that threatens the fragile truce between Andvari and the other kingdoms. Despite her best intentions, Gemma onceagain finds herself thrown together with Leo and battling her growing feelings for the enemy prince.
When a series of deadly attacks shatters the Summit's peaceful negotiations, Gemma realizes that someone wants to tearthe royals down from their thrones -- and that this enemy just might succeed!
Critique: The second volume in author Jennifer Estep's 'A Gargoyle Queen' series, "Tear Down the Throne" is a simplyriveting and deftly crafted read that will have tremendous and special interest to fans of action/adventure fantasy fictionframed in a dystopian society. While highly recommended for community library Science Fiction & Fantasy collections, itshould be noted for personal reading lists that "Tear Down the Throne" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle,$11.99) and as a complete and unabridged audio book (9798200969951, $49.99).
Editorial Note: Jennifer Estep is the author of the Crown of Shards, Gargoyle Queen, Elemental Assassin, and otherfantasy series. She has written more than 40 books, along with numerous novellas and stories. She has a website atwww.JenniferEstep.com, a blog at https://tinyurl.com/2dj4afb, and a newsletter athttp://www.jenniferestep.com/contact-jennifer/newsletter
The Great Clans of Rokugan
Robert Denton III, et al.
Aconyte Books
https://aconytebooks.com
9781839081200, $19.95, PB, 544pp
https://www.amazon.com/Great-Clans-Rokugan-Collected-Novellas/dp/1839081201
Synopsis: "The Great Clans of Rokugan: Legend of the Five Rings" is an impressive anthology of four novellas that sharethe theme of warring Japanese samurai clans who fight with swords and magic for the Emperor's favor.
Ice and Snow by Katrina Ostrander features a surprise attack and courtly machinations challenge the untested heir to theCrane Clan to keep the peace and prove her value to her family.
The Sword and the Spirits by Robert Denton III is the story of the female champion of the Phoenix Clan who must save herlost love from the darkness consuming him -- and from the menace of a desecrated shrine.
Whispers of Shadow and Steel by Mari Murdock takes place in the Scorpion City of Lies, where the "only honestScorpion" magistrate is caught between family and finding justice in a murder case.
Across the Burning Sands by Daniel Lovat Clark is the tale of the future heir to the mighty Unicorn Clan who must faceduplicity, assassins, betrayal, and even sorcery as he seeks peace with the caliph of al-Zawira.
Critique: Set in the political-intrigue laden realm of the "Legend of the Five Rings" collectible card game and tabletoproleplaying game, The Great Clans of Rokugan consists of four novellas; each is a simply riveting read and a 'must' forfans of samurai stories of action, adventure, and dark fantasy. While certain to be an enduringly popular addition tocommunity library Science Fiction & Fantasy collections, it should be noted for the personal reading lists of sword &sorcery/Japanese samurai fans that "The Great Clans of Rokugan: Legend of the Five Rings" is also available in a digitalbook format (Kindle, $14.95).
Shadow Avengers
Carrie Harris
http://carrieharrisbooks.com
Aconyte Books
https://aconytebooks.com
9781839081026, $16.95, PB, 352pp
https://www.amazon.com/Shadow-Avengers-Marvel-Crisis-Protocol/dp/1839081023
Synopsis: Doctor Strange created the Shadow Avengers to save the world from Dormammu, but instead they're on theverge of dissolution. When sudden weather anomalies across the world correspond with Asgardian heroes emerging fromportals ripe with Dormammu's magical signature, the Shadow Avengers realize the "Master" is making his move. Loki,Venom, and Green Goblin are behind a ceremony plotting to open a portal big enough to encompass Dormammu'spresence. From the Sanctum Sanctorum to the streets of NYC to beautiful Wakanda, the Shadow Avengers must stopDormammu at any cost - but the Master, in all his cunning wisdom, has something greater in store that will doom theworld once and for all.
Critique: An absolute 'must read' for the legions of Marvel Universe fans, "Shadow Avengers" by Carrie Harris is a MarvelCrisis Protocol Novel and certain to be an immediate and enduringly popular addition to community library ScienceFiction & Fantasy collections. The stuff of which block-buster Marvel movies are made, this action/packed Marveladventure is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.95).
Editorial Note: Carrie Harris writes licensed books (including Marvel novels), as well as her own weird stuff. She likesmonsters, superheroes, and things that explode in slow motion. A full time author living in New York, she has her ownwebsite at http://carrieharrisbooks.com
Valhalla: Sword of the White Horse
Elsa Sjunneson
Aconyte Books
https://aconytebooks.com
9781839081408, $16.95, PB, 320pp
https://www.amazon.com/Assassins-Creed-Valhalla-Sword-White/dp/1839081406
Synopsis: Mercia, 878. Witch-warrior Niamh discovers a new order called the Hidden Ones is seeking to establish afoothold in Lunden. Her land is already scarred by Viking raiders, bloody wars, and clashing cultures. Determined toprotect what remains of her homeland, she infiltrates this new group to discover whether they stand with her or against her.Yet when Niamh learns the Hidden Ones have stolen an artifact sacred to her people, her own loyalties are challenged.Casting aside newfound alliances and friendships, Niamh soon discovers that betrayal comes with a heavy price and it willtake everything in her power (her gods willing) to survive.
Critique: A Celtic warrior defending her people, her land, and herself against a Viking onslaught, "Valhalla: Sword of theWhite Horse" is a particularly enjoyed addition to the ever expanding Assassin's Creed action/adventure science fiction andfantasy universe. An original and fun read from cover to cover, "Valhalla: Sword of the White Horse" will have aparticular attraction for the growing legions of Assassin's Creed fans. While available for personal reading lists in a digitalbook format (Kindle, $9.95), "Valhalla: Sword of the White Horse" is particularly and unreservedly recommended forcommunity library Science Fiction & Fantasy collections.
Editorial Note: Hugo, Aurora and British Fantasy Award winning editor, the work of Elsa Sjunneson has appeared in CNNOpinion, The Boston Globe, metro.co.uk, and many other venues. Her debut memoir "Being Seen: One DeafblindWoman's Fight to End Ableism" releases in Autumn of 2021. She has a website at https://www.snarkbat.com
Zachareth: A Descent
Robbie MacNiven
Aconyte Books
https://aconytebooks.com
9781839081446, $16.95, PB, 352pp
https://www.amazon.com/Zachareth-Descent-Legends-Novel-Journeys/dp/1839081449
Synopsis: Zachareth, Baron of Carthridge, is a driven, ruthless and obsessive man - a man who could be a hero, but hewants so much more. Having watched his father fall under the sway of a sorceress, Zachareth grows up craving knowledgeand power. When his tutor at Greyhaven introduces him to forbidden magics, Zachareth discovers there is more to powerthan meets the eye. As he returns home to a barony on the verge of rebellion and beset by necromantic foes, Zacharethmust choose his true path - the path of virtue and heroism, or that of darkness and villainy; the line between the two is finerthan most imagine.
Critique: The first volume in the 'Legends of the Dark Novel", a new and original action/adventure fantasy series byRobbie MacNiven, "Legends of the Dark Novel: Descent" is a compulsive page turner of a read for all dedicated Sword &Sorcery fans. While also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.95), is highly recommended for community libraryScience Fiction & Fantasy collections.
Editorial Note: Robbie Macniven the author of several novels and many short stories for the series Warhammer 40,000 andAge of Sigmar universe, as well as the narrative for HiRez Studio's Smite Blitz RPG.
The Heir of Lemminkainen
David Allen Schlaefer
DartFrog Books
4697 Main Street, Manchester Center, VT 05255
www.dartfrogbooks.com
9781953910790, $16.99 Print/$4.99 ebook
https://www.amazon.com/Heir-Lemmink%C3%A4inen-Northern-Land-Saga/dp/1953910793
Book II of the Far Northern Land Saga, The Heir of Lemminkainen, continues an epic fantasy based on heroic figures inFinnish mythology and reflects David Allen Schlaefer's long-standing interest in and studies of Finland's folklore. Readerswho harbor a similar interest in folklore and myths won't be daunted by the unfamiliar words and letters that pepper thestory, and will find the diacritics, the attention to details that reflect how the peoples of Iron-Age Finland lived, and theadventures that embrace goblins, mortals, and mages to be thought-provoking and absorbing.
Under Schlaefer's hand, the world of the Kalevala comes to life, continuing the rich saga that began in the first book, TheMark of the Bear Clan, as King Egan tries to unite seven disparate clans in a common endeavor to survive. His efforts toassume command as Finland's High King involve overcoming witches and magical creatures in powerful clashes, andunraveling the complex and sometimes twisted purposes of men. Betrayal is the last thing he needs on his plate, but it's thefirst thing that will truly challenge his mission and his heart.
While Egan confronts his destiny, the tale's other protagonist, Ulla, embarks on her own journey to become a wizard. Bothher budding love for Egan and her deep-rooted fear of loss complicate her efforts to live up to the ancient prophecy thatforetold her pivotal role in the fight for the Far Northern Land's freedom.
As an author and storyteller, Schlaefer is a master at weaving Finnish mythology into the evolving story of a battle thattests all of the characters. The action is constant and swift, the cultural and mythological references are challenging butengaging and emotionally compelling, and the story is replete with satisfying twists and turns that most readers won't seecoming.
Most of all, The Heir of Lemminkainen charts the course of a leader and other characters who face challenges to theirobjectives, perspectives, and attempts to hold their worlds together.
The interplay of myths, magic, and minds is spiced with strong action, making The Heir of Lemminkainen a fantasy epicthat's accessible to a wide audience. But it's the reader who enjoys culturally-based fantasy and battles that test all of thecharacters, and who holds a special interest in Finnish legends and cultural influences who will find it an especiallycompelling read.
Baen Books
P.O. Box 1403, Riverdale, NY 10471
www.baen.com
Three new books are recommended reading for science fiction enthusiasts who like unusual scenarios and rivetingstories.
https://www.amazon.com/Jupiter-Knife-D-J-Butler/dp/1982125187
D.J. Butler and Aaron Michael Titchey's The Jupiter Knife (9781982125998, $8.99) is set in a 1934 Southeastern Utahunlike any in history. It tells of a small town facing dangerous magic that kills despite any efforts by traditional lawenforcement to quash it. What is needed is a cunning fighter also well-versed in magic as well as justice. Such comes forthin The Jupiter Knife, engaging readers in a vivid quasi-Western tinged with magic and unpredictable events.
https://www.amazon.com/Blood-and-Whispers/dp/B0911ZB3D3
Blood and Whispers by A.C. Haskins (9781982125981, $8.99) tells of sorcerer Thomas Quinn who has a guilty conscienceabout his centuries of actions. While he's retired from his service to the Arcanum, running a quiet occult shop, twodetectives involve him in a ritual murder's investigation that leads him back into the Arcanum and into his powers as asorcerer. A gripping story evolves blending supernatural fantasy with mystery and intrigue.
https://www.amazon.com/Valhellions-Tim-Akers/dp/1982125950
Valhellions by Tim Askers (9781982125950, $16.00) depicts a journey to hell and back as John Rast finds his quest to be ahero funneled into futile efforts to patrol game conventions seeking dangerous villains. When a necromancer shows up tochange this balance of power, John and his team find their efforts both needed and essential. As they gain new meaningand power, so do their enemies in this fine story of confrontation and heroic efforts.
The Christian Studies Shelf
Herbert W. Bateman IV, author
William C. Varner, author
Kregel Publications
2450 Oak Industrial Drive, NE, Grand Rapids, MI 49505
www.kregel.com
9780825445422, $39.99, HC, 320pp
https://www.amazon.com/James-Exegetical-Guide-Preaching-Teaching/dp/0825445426
Synopsis: To read the Greek text of James is to face a rugged style and brief phrasing that match the fervency of the letter'smeaning. The book of James powerfully exhorts the earliest Christian believers to faithful living. Biblical Greek expertsHerbert W. Bateman IV and William C. Varner lay out the linguistic and grammatical features unique to James (such ashis specialized vocabulary and prolific use of imperatives) to show how the book's many strong statements connect to oneanother in this masterwork on living according to the teachings of Jesus.
"James: An Exegetical Guide for Preaching and Teaching" features: Helpful charts, tables, and diagrams illustrate keypoints; Numerous callouts provide deeper insights into word meanings and theological issues; Visual cues highlightimportant information; An introduction to the grammar, style, and vocabulary that includes reminders and explanations ofkey terms.
Critique: An ideal curriculum textbook for New Testament Studies in general, and James in particular, "James: AnExegetical Guide for Preaching and Teaching" is a part of the Kregel Publications simply outstanding 'Big Greek Idea'series and unreservedly recommended for personal, church, clerical, seminary, community, college, and university libraryBiblical & Christian Theology Studies collections and for a supplemental curriculum studies syllabus.
Editorial Note #1: Herbert W. Bateman IV (PhD, Dallas Theological Seminary) has taught Greek language and exegesisfor more than twenty years. He is the author or editor of many works on the General Epistles, including Charts on the Bookof Hebrews, Four Views on the Warning Passages in Hebrews, and Interpreting the General Letters .
Editorial Note #2: William C. Varner (MDiv, ThM, Biblical Theological Seminary; EdD, Temple University) is professorof biblical studies and Greek at The Master's University. He is the author of thirteen books, including four on the letter ofJames.
Reconciliation, Healing, and Hope
Jan Naylor Cope, editor
Morehouse Publishing
c/o Church Publishing Incorporated
www.churchpublishing.org
9781640654846, $24.95, HC, 224pp
https://www.amazon.com/Reconciliation-Healing-Hope-Washington-Cathedral/dp/1640654844
Synopsis: Through their sermons, Cathedral clergy and guest preachers such as Jon Meacham, Kelly Brown Douglas, andPresiding Bishop Michael B. Curry share inspiring words. Collectively, they offer lasting guidance for difficult times,reinforcing that even in the midst of loss and chaos, God is at work among us, lifting us up and giving us hope for thefuture.
"Reconciliation, Healing, and Hope: Sermons from Washington National Cathedral" is a compendium of these sermons.The topics featured in these representative selections include hope, faith during times of distress, love, grief, and thepresence of God.
Of special note is the Foreword by Jon Meacham.
Critique: Inspired and inspiring, "Reconciliation, Healing, and Hope: Sermons from Washington National Cathedral" is animpressive compendium of sermons is especially and unreservedly recommended to the attention of clergy, seminarystudents, and all members of the Christian community regardless of denominational affiliations. While especiallyappropriate for Church, Seminary, Community, College, and University library Christian Studies collections, it should benoted for personal reading lists that "Reconciliation, Healing, and Hope: Sermons from Washington National Cathedral" isalso available in a digital book format (Kindle, $17.99).
Editorial Note: Jan Naylor Cope is the Provost of Washington National Cathedral. Prior to ordination, she served on thesenior staff of the White House and later led her nationally recognized executive search firm. She is a frequent guestpreacher and speaker nationally and internationally.
Stand Still
Terry Hershey
Franciscan Media
https://info.franciscanmedia.org
9781632534002, $16.99, PB, 128pp
https://www.amazon.com/Stand-Still-Finding-Balance-Upside/dp/1632534002
Synopsis: What do you do when life makes a sharp left turn? When the coronavirus pandemic hit, Terry Hershey foundhimself unexpectedly asking that question; and as a popular speaker and author, he was inundated with other people askingit too.
With the publication of "Stand Still: Finding Balance When the World Turns Upside Down", Hershey lays out the answer:that in every unforeseen challenge there is an invitation to pause, re-evaluate the status quo, and welcome the change ofheart that is knocking on your door. "Transformative events will be hard," he writes. "So, whatever love is in your heart...Nurture it. Develop it. Grow it. Spread it."
Through real-life stories, thoughtful reflections, and questions to meditate on, "Stand Still: Finding Balance When theWorld Turns Upside Down" offers a renewed perspective for a mindful approach to the present moment that can get youthrough any hardship. Writing in his trademark lighthearted and friendly style, Hershey will encourage you to embrace thechallenges of life with hope, curiosity, and a relentless optimism that goodness can be found anywhere --yes, even rightwhere you are today.
Critique: Exceptionally timely in this current era of pandemic, war, economic stress, and fiercely hostilepolitical/cultural/social division, "Stand Still: Finding Balance When the World Turns Upside Down" is a tremendoussource of comfort, inspiration, and 'real world' practical advice from a Christian perspective on dealing with theunexpected events that will inevitably afflict our ordinary lives. While highly recommended for community, church, andseminary library Christian Self-Help & Inspirational collections, it should be noted for the personal reading lists of clergy,seminary students, and non-specialist general readers throughout the Christian community, that "Stand Still: FindingBalance When the World Turns Upside Down" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $8.49).
Editorial Note: Terry Hershey is an author, humorist, inspirational speaker, dad, ordained minister, golf addict, and smittenby French wine. He is also the author of "This Is the Life: Mindfulness, Finding Grace, and the Power of the PresentMoment", "Soul Gardening", "Sanctuary", and "The Power of Pause". He divides his time between designing sanctuarygardens and sharing his practice of mindfulness and savoring this life.
Teresa of Jesus - Woman, Prophet, Mystic
Maria Rosaura Gonzalez Casas, S.T.J., author
Judy Roxborough, S.T.J., translator
ICS Publications
2131 Lincoln Road, NE, Washington, DC 20002-1199
www.icspublications.org
9781939272508, $17.95, PB, 240pp
https://www.amazon.com/Teresa-Jesus-Prophet-Transformation-Relationship/dp/1939272505
Synopsis: St. Teresa of Avila (March 28, 1515 - October 15, 1582),was, above all, a woman who searched for an encounterwith God, and her search was not in vain. Once she encountered God, she wanted nothing more than to put him at thecenter of her life and proclaim his greatness. Teresa's objective in writing was to teach her nuns the way of prayer utilizingher own systematized experience.
As a woman writer, Teresa had to confront misogynistic forces by unmasking them down to their very roots. As a skilledteacher of the spiritual life, Teresa knew how to spot inner resistances and movements to listen to and follow God's call. Atthe same time, she considered the inner dynamics that generate the process of relationship with God, making her writing asixteenth-century treatment of psychology. In her feminine humanity, Teresa supports a relational perspective.
"Teresa of Jesus - Woman, Prophet, Mystic: A Woman's Transformation Through Her Relationship With Christ" considershow relationships can act as a point of encounter and dialogue between the spiritual life and psychology.
In the first part, Sister Maria Rosaura reveals St. Teresa's feminine humanity by studying her life within hersixteenth-century historical context. The second part turns to Teresa's masterwork, The Interior Castle, and analyzes theunion between the soul and God from Teresa's feminine relational perspective established in the first part.
By drawing close to Teresa's life, "Teresa of Jesus - Woman, Prophet, Mystic: A Woman's Transformation Through HerRelationship With Christ" enables readers to drink from a spiritual fount that always yields fresh water.
Critique: As inspired and inspiring as it is informed and informative, (and also available in a digital book format - Kindle,$9.99) "Teresa of Jesus - Woman, Prophet, Mystic: A Woman's Transformation Through Her Relationship With Christ" isably translated into English by Judy Roxborough, S.T.J. and will prove to be an enduringly welcome addition to personal,community, church, seminary, college, and university library Christian Saint collections in general and St. Teresa of Aviasupplemental studies lists in particular.
Editorial Note #1: Maria Rosaura Gonzalez Casas, S.T.J., a native of Mexico, is a member of the Society of St. Teresa ofJesus. She studied chemistry, theology, and psychology, and received her doctorate in psychology at the PontificalGregorian University in Rome on the subject of Gender and Relationships. Sister Rosaura currently works full time for thePontifical Gregorian University in Rome, teaching at the Institute of Psychology and at the Center for Child Protection.She also serves on several commissions responsible for the care and protection of minors in Latin America and Rome. Sheis the author of various books and articles in Spanish and Italian.
Editorial Note #1: Judy Roxborough, S.T.J., has helped to translate works for the Society of St. Teresa of Jesus, but hasspent most of her life as a teacher. Currently Sister Judy teaches math to Spanish-speaking students in Texas.
Synodality: A New Way of Proceeding in the Church
Rafael Luciani
Paulist Press
997 MacArthur Boulevard, Mahwah, NJ 07430
www.paulistpress.com
9780809156115, $18.95, PB, 208pp
https://www.amazon.com/Synodality-New-Way-Proceeding-Church/dp/0809156113
Synopsis: During the Commemoration of the 50th Anniversary of the Institution of the Synod of Bishops, Francisdescribed synodality as the new model of Church. He said that "a synodal Church is a Church that listens... in whicheveryone has something to learn." Listening reconfigures the whole process of interaction among all ecclesial subjects in areciprocal and horizontal dynamics founded on the ecclesiology of the People of God.
In this model, bishops should not only listen to the People of God but listen as part of the People of God. And what isheard should then find ecclesial channels and structures (or as Francis said, "concrete mediations") that link it to ecclesialreforms. Synodality represents a deepening of the ecclesiology of the People of God by which Francis opens a new phasein the reception of the Council.
Essentially, "Synodality: A New Way of Proceeding in the Church" explores a new way of proceeding in the Church at alllevels, and as "a constitutive dimension of the Church." This path calls for a reconfiguration in the relations,communicative dynamics, and structures of the current institutional model of the Church. We have the challenge tocontribute to the building of this new way of being Church.
Critique: An extraordinary and informative contribution to Ecclesiology Christian Theology, "Synodality: A New Way ofProceeding in the Church" by Professor Rafael Luciani should be considered an essential and invaluable addition to thepersonal reading lists of clergy, seminary students, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject, as wellas church, seminary, college, and university library Christian Studies and Contemporary Catholic Studies collections.
Editorial Note: Rafael Luciani is a professor at the Andres Bello Catholic University of Caracas and extraordinaryprofessor at the Ecclesiastical Faculty of Boston College School of Theology and Ministry.
Old Testament Readings & Devotionals, Volume 9
C.M.H. Koenig (compiler)
C.M.H. Koenig Books (through IngramSpark)
www.cmhkoenigbooks.net
9781956475159, $14.99
https://www.amazon.com/Old-Testament-Readings-Devotionals-9/dp/195647515X
Like its predecessors, the 9th volume of Old Testament Readings & Devotionals continues the approach of linking dailydevotional readings to the accompanying wisdom of three Biblical commentators: Robert Hawker, Charles H. Spurgeon,and Octavius Winslow.
Their perspectives continues to offer the greatest accessibility by linking, in chronological order, books of the Bible tospiritual analysis that relates to daily experiences. The timeline in this 9th volume is 687 BC to 538 BC, before and afterthe exile of the people of Judah from the southern kingdom. The books covered are 2 Kings, 2 Chronicles, Nahum,Zephaniah, Jeremiah, Habakkuk, Lamentations, and Psalms.
Key verses for each day are presented in italics and are from the Christian Standard Bible, with scripture referencessometimes linked to the key passage and other times incorporating other scripture. When quoted directly, the AuthorizedKing James Version of the Bible is used. These readings are accompanied by footnotes linking to all the Biblicalreferences, including Romans, Ezekiel, Luke, and other Old Testament books. This deepens and widens discussions whichseek to emphasize the goodness and purpose of God through interactions in early history.
Within this 9th volume lie promises, insights, and analyses of prophecies and calamities alike. From the lessons of falseprophets and keys to identifying them to the role of the church in leading people closer to God, Hawker, Spurgeon, andWinslow's reflections use Biblical stories and examples to bring their lessons directly into the discussion groups and mindsof readers who would better interpret and understand God's word.
The books of Jeremiah help define the concept of the living God, while the inspections of these three wise men offerfurther enlightenment that Christian readers will find thought-provoking and essential to both the effort of daily living inkeeping with God's word and the bigger picture of how faith operates in human affairs and history.
Volume 9 continues the analytical path set forth in Volumes 1-8, and will be appreciated by Bible students who study thepassages and their connections to daily living.
Old Testament Readings & Devotionals, Volume 10
C.M.H. Koenig (compiler)
C.M.H. Koenig Books (through IngramSpark)
www.cmhkoenigbooks.net
9781956475180, $14.99
https://www.amazon.com/Old-Testament-Readings-Devotionals-10/dp/1956475184
Old Testament Readings & Devotionals, Volume 10 is another fine addition to Koenig's Bible study series. It expands thereflections of scholars Robert Hawker, Charles H. Spurgeon, and Octavius Winslow to consider works from Ezekiel,Daniel, Psalms, Haggai, and Zechariah.
This period of time covers Israel and Judah's exile from 605 BC to 518 BC. It examines key verses and scriptures that areaccompanied by in-depth reflections by one of the featured scholars on God's intentions and message. As with itspredecessors, each passage is linked to discussions designed not just to expand upon their underlying meaning andmessage, but link to the reader's daily experiences and efforts to become closer to God's living word. These range fromspecific admonitions key to the passages selected to general observations contrasting the approaches and messages of theBiblical prophets.
One early example lies in Hawker's thought-provoking contrast between Ezekiel's delivery and other prophet choices indelivering God's word. Ezekiel used lively images to cement his messages with visual embellishments, for example.Hawker's commentary on the passages and messages in Ezekiel allow for insights that expand upon the evolution of thechurch, God's message, and the Lord's concern for the poor and repressed of His world.
Hawker provides most of the commentary in this volume as he moves from Ezekiel to Zechariah's book of prophecy andits importance and impact on the church. The promise of salvation to representations of Christ, Israel's history, culture, andthe impact of the prophets on the delivery of God's word and its incarnation in human affairs makes for many thoughtprovoking insights highly recommended not just for individual pursuit, but, ideally, Bible group discussion.
Having the commentary linked to specific passages and presented in a digestible daily devotional format lends to a studythat excels in embracing the messages of God, Jesus, and how they were interpreted or can be reconsidered in light ofScripture references. Bible students will find this 10th volume an ongoing journey of discovery that offers many analyticalinsights connected to the word of God.
The Automotive Shelf
Dave Logan
CarTech Inc.
838 Lake Street South, Forest Lake, MN 55025
www.cartechbooks.com
9781613256992, $36.95, PB, 144pp
https://www.amazon.com/Ultimate-Off-road-Drivers-Guide/dp/161325699X
Synopsis: When you take a four-wheel-drive (4WD) truck or sport utility vehicle (SUV) off-road, there is a whole newworld to see and experience. The off-road community is huge and welcoming, and there are lifestyle shows to attend andtrail-driving events to experience.
With seat time and practice, your technical skills will improve. However, do you really want to head into the forestblindfolded? Driving off-road requires much more attention, skill, discipline, and preparation than merely driving aroundobstacles. Being fully prepared with information regarding the most updated techniques is critical for today's motorizedoff-road driving enthusiast.
With the publication of "The Ultimate Off-Road Driver's Guide", off-road driving expert Dave Logan covers topics aboutwhat to bring along for a trail ride and how to interact with other trail users. "The Ultimate Off-Road Driver's Guide" alsocovers the various 4WD systems and how they work, how to drive on various terrain (mud, sand, snow, and rocks), andwhat to do when encountering each of those elements.
Of special note is an entire chapter devoted to the subject of how to get unstuck. Covered also are ways to communicatewhen you lose cellular phone coverage as well as navigation options so that you don't end up lost and on the local newschannel.
Simply stated, "The Ultimate Off-Road Driver's Guide" must be considered as mandatory preparation for your off-roadtoolbox!
Critique: Profusely illustrated throughout with full color photography, "The Ultimate Off-Road Driver's Guide" isinherently interesting, exceptionally informative, and thoroughly 'user friendly' in organization and presentation. Anabsolute 'must' for aspiring (and even experienced) off-road drivers to insure a safe and entertaining experience, "TheUltimate Off-Road Driver's Guide" by Dave Logan is unreservedly recommended for personal, professional, community,college, and university library Automotive Recreation collections.
Editorial Note: In 1963, Dave Logan went for his first ride in an off-road vehicle, his grandfather's old Jeep. In 1993, hebought his first Jeep and has never looked back. As an avid 4WD explorer, he has traveled on dirt roads and trails acrossthe United States. In 2007, he became a certified International 4WD Trainer and opened 4WD School. He began workinginternationally shortly after that. Dave is also a member of the Tread Lightly! board of directors.
16,000 Miles to Mexico City
Robert Connor
McFarland & Company
PO Box 611, Jefferson NC 28640
https://mcfarlandbooks.com
9781476669670, $49.95, PB, 371pp
https://www.amazon.com/16-000-Miles-Mexico-City/dp/1476669678
Synopsis: Imagine driving 16,000 miles in 25 days over some of the roughest terrain in the world, at altitudes up to 16,000feet, where engines and lungs gasp for air. Imagine 500-mile speed trials over rocky mountain tracks, racing against theclock and 95 other cars.
Then imagine attempting this more than 50 years ago, without GPS or cell phones or modern safety equipment.
"16,000 Miles to Mexico City: The 1970 London to Mexico World Cup Rally" by automotive history enthusiast RobertConnor is the story of how, in April 1970, 241 men and women from more than 20 nations did just that, setting out fromLondon in cars ranging from a dune buggy to family sedans to Porsches, Rolls-Royces, camper vans and a Jeep Wagoneer,determined to get to Mexico City.
Illustrated throughout with black-and-white historical photos, and drawing on personal recollections of competitors,organizers, marshals and mechanics, "16,000 Miles to Mexico City: The 1970 London to Mexico World Cup Rally"recounts the ecstasies and agonies of perhaps the toughest endurance motorsports event ever -- the London to MexicoWorld Cup Rally.
Critique: Exceptionally well organized and presented, "16,000 Miles to Mexico City: The 1970 London to Mexico WorldCup Rally" is a truly extraordinary, detailed and documented account that will be of special and intense interests to carrally racing fans. While also available for the personal reading lists in a digital book format (Kindle, $22.49), "16,000Miles to Mexico City: The 1970 London to Mexico World Cup Rally" is a prized and especially recommended addition topersonal, professional, community, college, and university library Motor Sports & Automotive History collections, as wellas a supplemental curriculum studies syllabus.
Fast on the Sand
Aldo Zana
McFarland & Company
PO Box 611, Jefferson NC 28640
https://mcfarlandbooks.com
9781476680873, $39.95, PB, 204pp
https://www.amazon.com/Fast-Sand-Daytona-Beach-Record/dp/1476680876
Synopsis: The 1928 quest for the Land Speed Record on the sands of Daytona Beach was a first for America, with itssingular mix of technology, thrills and tragedy. Tens of thousands of people lined the dunes along the beach, a crowdlarger than any yet seen at Indianapolis 500.
Three contenders (two Americans and a Briton), raced for the ultimate distance-averaged top speed, in magnificentmachines built by different schools of design. The top American driver, Frank Lockhart, 25, survived a spectacularaccident and rebuilt his Stutz Black Hawk, only to meet his fate in the new runs. The facts and myths behind thecompetition are examined in depth for the first time, along with the innovations and fatal mistakes of vehicle design.
Critique: With the publication of "Fast on the Sand: The Daytona Beach Land Speed Record Runs of 1928", journalist andautomotive historian Aldo Zana chronicles the high-speed drama. Illustrated with black-and-white historical photo images,"Fast on the Sand" is an extraordinary automotive racing history and an unreservedly recommended addition to personal,professional, community, college, and university library collections. It should be noted for the personal reading list of carracing history fans that "Fast on the Sand" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $17.99).
Editorial Note: Currently residing in Milano, Italy, Aldo Zana is an Italian motor historian and journalist. He began writingarticles for motor magazines in the 1960s as a freelance editor of Autosprint and Rombo magazines developing aninclination towards history and historic cars and races. Since the late 1980s, he has become a regular contributor to Italianand foreign historic car publications. He is a member of SAH, Speed Record Club (UK), Aisa (Italian Association ofMotor Historians), the Museum and History Commission of ASI (Italian National Historic Car and Bike Association), andUgis (Italian Science Journalist Guild).
The Theatre/Cinema/TV Shelf
Gavin Schmitt
McFarland & Company
PO Box 611, Jefferson NC 28640
https://mcfarlandbooks.com
9781476678894, $39.95, PB, 232pp
https://www.amazon.com/Karl-Freund-Films-Gavin-Schmitt/dp/1476678898
Synopsis: Karl W. Freund, A.S.C. (January 16, 1890 - May 3, 1969) was an Austrian cinematographer and film directorbest known for photographing Metropolis (1927), Dracula (1931), and television's I Love Lucy (1951-1957). Freund wasan innovator in the field of cinematography and is credited with the invention of the unchained camera technique.
He is also the most important film pioneer most cinema fans have never heard of. From the silent film era to the rise of theAmerican sitcom, Freund was there at every turn. Countless camera techniques can be traced back to his "unchainedcamera." His lighting setup for filming I Love Lucy live remains standard to this day.
He was also the man behind the lens for many influential and award-winning films, from Metropolis to The Good Earth toKey Largo. "Karl Freund: The Life and Films" by film historian Gavin Schmitt is the first book-length biography of the lifeand work of one of the world's greatest cameramen.
"Karl Freund: The Life and Films" details the events of his early life, his entrance into the world of film, his work in bothGermany and America, and his legacy, while also putting his life and films into the historical context of the 20th century.Biographer Gavin Schmitt gives particular attention to Freund's role in the early horror films Der Golem, Dracula, Murdersin the Rue Morgue, The Mummy, and Mad Love.
Critique: Also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $23.99), "Karl Freund: The Life and Films" is impressivelyenhanced for academia and cinema history fans with the inclusion of twelve pages of Notes, a ten page Bibliography, and anine page Index. A comprehensive and detailed history of the life and cinematic accomplishments of pioneering filmmaker Karl Freund, this outstanding addition to film history is a unique and very highly recommended addition topersonal, professional, community, college, and university library Film History and Film Maker Biography collections andsupplemental curriculum studies reading lists.
Editorial Note: Gavin Schmitt is a local historian working in northeast Wisconsin. He has previously written onMilwaukee organized crime, the Menominee tribe, as well as various film topics for Horrorhound magazine.
Popeye The Sailor
Fred M. Grandinetti
BearManor Media
PO Box 71426, Albany, GA 31708
www.bearmanormedia.com
9781629338514, $35.00, HC, 230pp
https://www.amazon.com/Popeye-Sailor-hardback-1960s-Cartoons/dp/1629338516
Synopsis: Following the surprising popularity of the theatrical Popeye cartoons on television in the mid-1950s, KingFeatures Syndicate quickly went into production on new made-for-TV cartoons to capitalize on that success. Under thesupervision of Producer Al Brodax, 220 new cartoons were created by six different animation studios, including oneoverseen by former Disney animator Jack Kinney, and Paramount Cartoon Studios (whose staff had worked on thetheatrical Popeye cartoons). They appeared on television beginning in 1960.
Many of these cartoons featured excellent (though limited) animation, imaginative storytelling, and even occasionalself-referential humor. Several stories were adapted from E.C. Segar's Thimble Theatre newspaper comics, and charactersthat had first appeared there (such as The Sea Hag, and Alice the Goon) would make their animation debut. Thebest-known voice artists from the theatrical Popeye cartoons - Jack Mercer, Mae Questel, and Jackson Beck (now playingBrutus, instead of Bluto) - each reprised their roles.
However, several of these cartoons were poorly animated, with errors and inconsistent character designs, and too reliant onreused animation. This has given the series a reputation (perhaps unfairly) of poor quality. While casting a critical eye,"Popeye the Sailor: The 1960s TV Cartoons" will encourage appreciation of the better films of the series.
These new made-for-TV Popeye cartoons were a terrific success and continued to appear on television for more than 30years. They remain a beloved memory of childhood TV viewing.
Critique: An absolute 'must read' for the legions of Popeye the Sailor fans, "Popeye the Sailor: The 1960s TV Cartoons" isimpressively informed and informative -- and 'behind the scenes' fascinating from cover to cover. This iconic cartooncharacter and his beloved (and constantly endangered) Olive Oil, and of course, the pals, villains, nephews, and an endlesssupply of just-in-time cans of spinach, is a part of boomer era popular culture and one that still continues in popularitytoday with Popeye the Sailor cartoons being a regular feature on TCM cable television channels Saturday morning line-up.Also available in a paperback edition (9781629338507, $25.00) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.95), "Popeye theSailor: The 1960s TV Cartoons" is an especially and unreservedly recommended addition to personal, community, college,and university American Popular Culture and Theatre/Cinema/Television History collections.
The Gardening Shelf
Sadao Yasumoro, author
Joseph Cali, author
Tuttle Publishing
364 Innovation Drive, North Clarendon, VT 05759-9436
www.tuttlepublishing.com
9784805316146, $24.99, HC, 160pp
https://www.amazon.com/Inside-Your-Japanese-Garden-Creating/dp/4805316144
Synopsis: With instructive drawings and step-by-step techniques, "Inside Your Japanese Garden: A Guide to Creating aUnique Japanese Garden for Your Home" walks aspiring gardeners through designing and creating their very ownJapanese garden. From small projects like benches and gates, to larger undertakings like bridges and mud walls, "InsideYour Japanese Garden" provides a wide variety of ways to enhance the space around your home, no matter the size.Instructions on how to work with stone, mud and bamboo (as well as a catalogue of the 94 plant varieties used in thegardens shown in the book) round out this complete guide.
"Inside Your Japanese Garden" showcases 20 gardens that author Sadao Yasumoro has designed and built in Japan, andsome (like those at Visvim shop in Tokyo and at Yushima Tenjin in Tokyo) are open to the public. From small tsuboniwacourtyard gardens to a large backyard stroll garden with water features, stairs and walls, these real-life inspirations willhelp spark your own garden plan.
The inspirational garden projects comprising "Inside Your Japanese Garden" include: A Tea Garden for an UrbanFarmhouse featuring a clay wall with a split-bamboo frame and a stone base; The Landslide That Became a Garden with aterraced slope, trees, bushes, long grasses and moss; A Buddha's Mountain Retreat of Moss and Stone with vertical-splitbamboo and brushwood fencing; Paradise in an Urban Jungle with a pond, Japanese-style bridge, and stone lanterns.
Each individual garden is beautifully photographed in full color by Hironori Tomino and many of them also have diagramsand drawings to show the essential elements used in their planning and construction.
Critique: A visually beautiful book to simply browse through one garden at a time, "Inside Your Japanese Garden: AGuide to Creating a Unique Japanese Garden for Your Home" is impressively written, organized and presented. A sourceof inspiration, ideas, and practical instruction, "Inside Your Japanese Garden: A Guide to Creating a Unique JapaneseGarden for Your Home" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $21.27) and is an especially recommendedaddition to personal, professional, community, college, and university library Gardening/Horticulture instructionalreference collections.
Editorial Note #1: Sadao Yasumoro, now in his eighties, has been a Japanese garden designer and builder for over 60years. After high school he traveled all around Japan to study nature and visit the country's great gardens, and was deeplymoved by the beauty of garden landscapes made by unknown masters. He went on to study under some of Japan's mostfamous garden designers, including Katsuo Saito. Yasumuro's work has appeared in many publications in Japan. This ishis first book in English.
Editorial Note #2: Joseph Cali was born and raised in New York City and graduated from the Rhode Island School ofDesign with a degree in Fine Art and Painting. He has lived and worked in Japan as an interior designer, graphic designer,copywriter and illustrator for over 30 years. His work has appeared in numerous books and publications. He is thecoauthor, with Azby Brown, of The Japanese Dream House. His other books include The New Zen Garden and CreateYour Own Japanese Garden.
The Needlecraft Shelf
Hikaru Noguchi
Tuttle Publishing
364 Innovation Drive, North Clarendon, VT 05759-9436
www.tuttlepublishing.com
9780804854740, $16.99, HC, 104pp
https://www.amazon.com/Creative-Mending-Beautiful-Stitching-Techniques/dp/0804854742
Synopsis: Mending your favorite fabric items ranging from jeans to sweaters to sofa covers, becomes a true art form in"Creative Mending: Beautiful Darning, Patching and Stitching Techniques" by mending guru Hikaru Noguchi who revealsher entire range of valuable techniques from embroidery and patching to darning and felting.
Noguchi's basic rules of mending are that the repair should suit the fabric and its user, and that there are lots of creativeways to create beautifully customized repairs -- some subtle, others making a statement.
She also provides 13 techniques that show you how to: Apply creative repairs to both knitted and woven fabrics; Use yarn,floss, ribbon, and fabric to reinvent well-loved garments; Make understated repairs that add just a touch of contrast, color,or texture; Use visible mending techniques for bold repairs; Darn with felt to add body and dimension to a repaired item;Match your repairs to the damage, the fabric, and the wearer; Maneuver through tricky places like inseams and underarms-- and more!
The 13 illustrated lessons and over 300 color photos comprising "Creative Mending: Beautiful Darning, Patching andStitching Techniques" provide detailed examples for all the basic techniques. Lots of variations plus plenty of tips andexamples (67 in all) provide all the guidance needed to rethink and repair beautifully.
Critique: A unique and exceptionally impressive instructional guide and how-to manual, "Creative Mending: BeautifulDarning, Patching and Stitching Techniques" is thoroughly needlecrafter-friendly in presentation. An inspiringcompendium of ideas and DIY possibilities for even the most novice of needlecrafters, "Creative Mending: BeautifulDarning, Patching and Stitching Techniques" is an especially recommended addition to personal, professional, andcommunity library Needlecraft and Fashion collections. It should be noted that "Creative Mending: Beautiful Darning,Patching and Stitching Techniques" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $16.14).
Editorial Note: Currently residing in London, England, Hikaru Noguchi is a graphic artist and knitted textile designer. Herpassion for fabric has led her to become one of the world's leading experts in darning, with the aim to creatively fix ratherthan discard. Her darning books, including "Darning: Repair, Make, Mend" and her textiles have been widely exhibitedand are sold in boutiques worldwide. She has a website at www.hikarunoguchi.com and can be followed on Twitter at@hikaru_noguchi_design
100 Mini Cross Stitch Designs
Rosemary Drysdale
The GMC Group
www.gmcbooks.com
9781784946272, $24.99, PB, 160pp
https://www.amazon.com/100-Mini-Cross-Stitch-Designs/dp/1784946273
Synopsis: Cross-stitch is a form of sewing and a popular form of counted-thread embroidery in which X-shaped stitches ina tiled, raster-like pattern are used to form a picture. The stitcher counts the threads on a piece of evenweave fabric (suchas linen) in each direction so that the stitches are of uniform size and appearance. This form of cross-stitch is also calledcounted cross-stitch in order to distinguish it from other forms of cross-stitch. Sometimes cross-stitch is done on designsprinted on the fabric (stamped cross-stitch); the stitcher simply stitches over the printed pattern. Cross-stitch is oftenexecuted on easily countable fabric called aida cloth whose weave creates a plainly visible grid of squares with holes forthe needle at each corner. (Wikipedia)
Cross stitch is making a big comeback with modern crafters and it's easy to see why. Providing the perfect introduction forbeginners, "100 Mini Cross Stitch Design" by needlecraft expert Rosemary Drysdale will also appeal to intermediate andadvanced cross stitchers looking for inspiration. "100 Mini Cross Stitch Design" provides a detailed section on tools andmaterials, instructions on getting started, reading cross stitch charts, essential stitches and finishing touches.
The wonderful designs comprising "100 Mini Cross Stitch Design" ranges from bees to bicycles, caravans to cupcakes, androckets to rainbows. There are contemporary subjects and styles to suit every taste. Needlecrafters can display their stitchesin an embroidery hoop, frame or greeting cards or choose a pattern that adorns clothing, home furnishings or otherdecorative items. There are useful tips on how to add your own personality to projects and ways to incorporate leftoverthread or fabric.
Critique: Profusely illustrated in full color throughout, "100 Mini Cross Stitch Design" is exceptionally 'user friendly' inorganization and presentation. Whether a beginning novice or an experienced expert, "100 Mini Cross Stitch Design" willprove to be a welcome addition to personal, professional, and community library needlecraft instructional referencecollections and a 'must' for all dedicated cross stitch enthusiasts.
Editorial Note: Rosemary Drysdale grew up in the north of England near Newcastle, and learned to knit as a small child.She was at the forefront of the cross stitch craze in the 1990s, traveling the world teaching workshops and givingdemonstrations. She is recognized as a global expert on black work embroidery, as well as a teacher of many otheradvanced stitching techniques. Drysdale joined Vogue Knitting in the late 1990s and has consulted to some of the top yarnbrands in the industry. A prolific designer, she has had over 1000 designs published. She can be followed on Instagram@rosemary_drysdale
The Crafts Shelf
Yukinobu Fujino, Yuji Miura, et al.
Tuttle Publishing
364 Innovation Drive, North Clarendon, VT 05759-9436
www.tuttlepublishing.com
9780804854115, $16.99, PB, 144pp
https://www.amazon.com/Nature-Crafts-Japanese-Projects-Photos/dp/0804854114
Synopsis: With the publication of "Nature Crafts: Japanese Style Plant & Leaf Projects", anyone can now learn how toharness the beauty of plants, leaves and foliage (green decor) in this unique instructional guide comprised of 40 natureprojects that are fun, easy and inexpensive to make.
In "Nature Crafts", six of Japan's leading floral and plant designers offer a range of ideas to turn found and foragedmaterials into stunning arrangements and displays. With these visionary stylists as your guides, a few materials you alreadyhave at home and easy-to-obtain tools, you will be able to: Create charming glass-encased air plants and spoon-basedsucculents; Weave, bend and stack leaves and fronds into eye-catching arrangements; Style your own one-of-a-kind leaffashion accessories, from corsages to bracelets; Create living jewelry and one-of-a-kind plant handbags; Make a signatureleaf tapestry and leaf wrapping paper -- and so much more!
"Nature Craft" features over 250 gorgeous photographs and straightforward, step-by-step instructions that show how toturn personal surroundings into a verdant showcase for nature's beauty.
Critique: Offering a wealth of inspiring examples and also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $14.71), "NatureCrafts: Japanese Style Plant & Leaf Projects" is an ideal DIY guide to creating interior enhancing, plant based creationsdrawn from traditional Japanese home and office decorating traditions. Exceptional and 'user friendly' in commentary,organization and presentation, "Nature Crafts: Japanese Style Plant & Leaf Projects" is highly recommended for personal,professional, and community library Interior Design and DIY Crafting collections.
Editorial Note #1: Takaya Yamamura is representative director of Hana Noshou and representative of Deuxieme, theflower shop he opened in Nishi-ku, Hiroshima City in 1999. The store's concept is to bring together flowers that aremodern yet natural, and Yamamura's wide and varied work includes private lessons, bridal designs and finding new waysof incorporating flowers and greenery into businesses and private homes. Deuxieme opened its Furueshinmachi branch infall 2015. Yamamura was a finalist in the inaugural Florist Review. He won the Hanaike Battle Spin-Off edition atDaishoin temple in Miyajima in 2014 and in 2015 launched an event called "Connected by Coffee: A Journey with Flowersand Sound" (http://deuxi.jugem.jp/?eid=4089).
Editorial Note #2: Masahiro Yoshizaki studied interior design in his student days, going on to join a spatial designcompany. As his interest in the connection between plants and interior design grew, he left the company and beganworking in a flower shop. In 2003 he began studying under Inaba, opening his shop, Asebi, in 2009 in Hatanodai,Shinagawa. The business moved to Ebisu in April 2015. Yoshizaki currently works mainly on bridal-related projects suchas displays and decorations for photo shoots.
Modern Dried Flowers
Angela Maynard
White Lion Publishing
c/o Quarto Publishing Group USA
100 Cummings Center, Suite 265D, Beverly, MA 01915
www.quartoknows.com
9780711257030, $25.00, HC, 160pp
https://www.amazon.com/Gathered-Modern-Drying-Arranging-Flowers/dp/0711257035
Synopsis: With the publication of "Modern Dried Flowers", professional florist Angela Maynard offers nature-ledinspiration and step-by-step instructions to gain all of the basic skills, tools and techniques necessary to grow, cut, dry andstyle your stems to perfection.
A founding leader of the classic flower arranging craft's revival, Angela reveals her secrets and dispenses expert advice sothat even the most novice of flower arranges can master the art of everlasting beauty and wow-worthy decor, no matterwhat their style might be.
A practical and visually stunning instructional guide, "Modern Dried Flowers" is includes: 20 beautifully photographedprojects, from wearable keepsakes to majestic seasonal centrepieces; Tips to get creative with the leftover materials; Ahandy index of suitable flowers which outlines characteristics, symbols and best combinations.
Drawing upon the ideas, examples, and instructive guide lines, "Modern Dried Flowers" will enable anyone to use textureand color, discover unusual blooms and botanicals, and create something truly original that can last a lifetime.
Critique: Beautifully and profusely illustrated throughout in full color, "Modern Dried Flowers" by Angela Maynard isinspirational pleasure to simply browse through one page at a time. Impressively 'user friendly' in style, organization, andpresentation, "Modern Dried Flowers" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $21.00) and will prove a verywelcome and enduringly appreciated addition to personal, professional, and community library Flower Craftingcollections.
Editorial Note: Angela Maynard is the creative director of Botany, a floral shop and design studio in East London. Angelaalso runs workshops on floristry and dried flowers and heads seasonal wild flower walks. She has been featured in the TheIndependent, Financial Times, Evening Standard, Time Out, Elle Decor, Le Monde, Vogue, World of Interiors, HouseBeautiful, Homes & Gardens. Her clients include Adidas, L'Oreal, & Other Stories, and Toast. She maintains a website atwww.botanyshop.co.uk and can be found on Instagram @botanyshope5
The Fashion Shelf
Jerome Gautier
Thames & Hudson, Inc.
500 Fifth Avenue. New York, NY 10110-0017
www.thamesandhudsonusa.com
9780500025048, $60.00, HC, 312pp
https://www.amazon.com/Dior-New-Looks-J%C3%A9rome-Gautier/dp/0500025045
Synopsis: Lavishly illustrated in full color throughout, "Dior: New Looks" by Jerome Gautier is an exceptional collectionof the outstanding elements of Dior's style for every generation since 1947, pairing classic and contemporary photographstogether with some exquisite rarities.
Christian Dior's "New Look" amazed the world as it emerged after wartime austerity, and reset the boundaries of modernelegance. Dior's search for the perfect line and the ideal silhouette continues with couturiers of the first rank: Yves SaintLaurent, Marc Bohan, Gianfranco Ferre, John Galliano, Raf Simons, and Maria Grazia Chiuri have all made theirdistinctive contribution.
In these pages of this coffee-table style volume (8.9 x 1.3 x 11.7 inches, 4.23 pounds), the most beautiful fashion platesfrom Dior's own time sit beside examples of the house's creations from each decade. An impressively beautiful volume,"Dior: New Looks" honors and celebrates Dior past and present with undisputed elegance and panache.
Critique: Expertly organized and presented, exceptionally well informed and informative, and of particular and specialinterest to the legions of Dior fans in general and fashion students in particular, "Dior: New Looks" is a spectacularpresented and unreservedly recommended addition to personal, professional, community, college, and university libraryFashion History & Design collections.
Editorial Note: Jerome Gautier is an expert on fashion photography and the history of fashion. His book "Chanel: TheVocabulary of Style" was published to critical acclaim in 2011.
The Architecture Shelf
Kenneth Moffett
ORO Editions
31 Commerical Blvd., Suite F, Novato, CA 94949
www.oroeditions.com
9781951541729, $25.00, PB, 150pp
https://www.amazon.com/Architectures-New-Strangeness-Century-Peculiarity/dp/1951541723
Synopsis: With the publication of "Architecture's New Strangeness: A 21st Century Cult of Peculiarity", architect anddesign director Kenneth Moffett presents a compilation of numerous critiques of individual architectural projects, all withhand-drawn illustrations, and presented under main headings of Obscuration, Fragmentation, Deformation, andDegradation.
"Architecture's New Strangeness: A 21st Century Cult of Peculiarity" takes a somewhat acerbic tone, to distance thenarrative from the rather serious and high-minded approach to written material that the subject seems prey to.
Critique: With an inherently fascinating and iconoclastic perspective and commentary, "Architecture's New Strangeness: A21st Century Cult of Peculiarity" is a unique contribution to Contemporary Architectural Studies collections and will proveto be a highly prized and appreciated addition to personal, professional, college, and university library collections and for asupplemental curriculum architectural studies syllabus.
Editorial Note: Following a year abroad as a Paris Prize recipient and interning with The Architects Collaborative, KennethMoffett co-founded of the award-winning Tennessee architecture firm BullockSmith, where he has spent a career asDesign Director.
Emergence of a Modern Dwelling
Suzanne Singletary, editor
Suzanna Barucco, editor
ORO Editions
31 Commerical Blvd., Suite F, Novato, CA 94949
www.oroeditions.com
9781954081178, $25.00, HC, 80pp
https://www.amazon.com/Emergence-Modern-Dwelling-Richard-Hassrick/dp/1954081170
Synopsis: In the East Falls neighborhood of Philadelphia, just beyond the northern boundary of the Thomas JeffersonUniversity's East Falls campus, stands the Hassrick House (1958 - 61), designed by celebrated architect Richard Neutra, anicon of mid-century modern style. Often described as an East Coast interpretation of California Modernism, the HassrickHouse is one of only three buildings designed by Neutra within the city limits.
Thomas Jefferson University's relationship with the house began in the summer of 2015 when Andrew Hart, assistantprofessor of Architecture in the College of Architecture & the Built Environment initiated a series of summer courses tostudy the house. The first multidisciplinary group of students engaged in architectural survey, drawing, and photography.Subsequent summer courses refined the architectural drawings, following the Historic American Buildings Survey (HABS)and Historic American Landscape Survey (HALS) standards. Yet another student cohort undertook documentary researchto uncover the history of the house and its occupants. Then owners George Acosta and John Hauser were supportivecollaborators with students in this process.
Neutra's architecture and his relationship with the Hassricks (particularly Barbara who emerged as the primary client voicewhile the house was being designed) captured the hearts, minds, and imaginations of everyone who engaged with thehouse. As one student recalled, "We have all gotten swept away in the stories unfolding from our research." In 2018,Hauser and Acosta sold the property to the university with the understanding that the house would continue to be used foreducational purposes. In George's words, "I had come to realize that the students can be the future custodians of that home.They can be the eyes. They can be the archives. In a way, it becomes all of ours to share."
Collaboratively compiled and co-edited by Suzanne Singletary and Suzanna Barucco, "Emergence of a Modern Dwelling:Richard Neutra's Hassrick House" chronicles the students' findings that shed light on Neutra's design process, hiscollaboration with his clients, as well as the unsung role of Thaddeus Longstreth as Neutra's proxy negotiator throughoutthe design and construction stages. During its approximately sixty-three-year lifespan, the Hassrick House tells a saga ofdesign, dwelling, neglect, restoration, and reinvention today as a laboratory for learning. In many respects, the history ofthe Hassrick House tells an important story of the modernist movement in the US, both regionally and nationally.
Critique: Profusely and beautifully illustrated throughout, "Emergence of a Modern Dwelling: Richard Neutra's HassrickHouse" is an informative gem of a study and could well serve as a template for similar architectural studies of other iconicbuildings. Exceptionally well written, organized and presented, "Emergence of a Modern Dwelling: Richard Neutra'sHassrick House" will prove to be a prized and appreciated addition to personal, professional, community, college, anduniversity library Contemporary Architecture, Restoration, & Preservation collections and supplemental curriculum studieslists.
Editorial Note #1: Suzanna Barucco is an adjunct professor, historic preservationist, and principal of sbk + partners, LLC,a historic preservation consulting practice providing professional services for the assessment, preservation, restoration,rehabilitation, and adaptive reuse of historic buildings, sites, and landscapes.
Editorial Note #2: Suzanne Singletary is a professor at the College of Architecture & the Built Environment at TJU,teaches history and theory of historic preservation, architecture and design. As director of the Master of Science in HistoricPreservation and the Center for the Preservation of Modernism, Dr. Singletary teaches courses on critical issues inpreservation and the restoration and rehabilitation of modern and mid-century modern buildings and sites.
The Metaphysical Studies Shelf
Andrew Collins, author
Gregory L. Little, author
Bear & Company
c/o Inner Traditions International, Ltd.
One Park Street, Rochester, VT 05767
www.innertraditions.com
9781591434092, $24.00, PB, 400pp
https://www.amazon.com/Origins-Gods-Skinwalkers-Transdimensional-Intelligences/dp/1591434092
Synopsis: From Gobekli Tepe in Turkey to the Egyptian pyramids, from the stone circles of Europe to the moundcomplexes of the Americas, with the publication of "Origins of the Gods: Qesem Cave, Skinwalkers, and Contact withTransdimensional Intelligences", co-authors Andrew Collins and Gregory L. Little show how, again and again, ourancestors built permanent sites of ceremonial activity where geomagnetic and gravitational anomalies have beenrecorded.
In this original study, the authors investigate how the earliest forms of animism and shamanism began at sites like theDenisova Cave in the Altai Mountains of Siberia and Qesem Cave in Israel more than 400,000 years ago. They explainhow shamanic rituals and altered states of consciousness combine with the natural forces of the earth to create portals forcontact with otherworldly realms -- in other words, the gods of our ancestors were the result of an interaction betweenhuman consciousness and transdimensional intelligence.
"Origins of the Gods" also shows how the spiritual and shamanic beliefs of more than 100 Native American tribes alignwith the authors theory as they reveal how some of these shamanic transdimensional portals are still active, sharing vividexamples from Skinwalker Ranch in Utah and Bempton in Northern England.
Ultimately, "Origins of the Gods" show how our modern disconnection from nature and lack of a fully visible night skymakes the manifestations from these ultraterrestrial intelligences seem random. If we can restore our spiritual connections,perhaps we can once again communicate with the higher dimensional beings who triggered the advancements of ourearliest ancestors.
Critique: Enhanced with an informative introduction by Erich Von Daniken (author of the iconic and ground breakingbook "Chariots of the Gods", "Origins of the Gods: Qesem Cave, Skinwalkers, and Contact with TransdimensionalIntelligences" is essential reading for all students of ancient mysteries, ancient astronaut theories, shamanic beliefs, andmetaphysical studies collections. While highly recommended as a unique and impressively informative addition topersonal, professional, community, college, and academic library collections, it should be noted that "Origins of the Gods:Qesem Cave, Skinwalkers, and Contact with Transdimensional Intelligences" is also available in a digital book format(Kindle, $16.99).
Editorial Note #1: Andrew Collins is a science and history writer, and the author of over fifteen books that challenge theway we think about the past. Among those books are From the Ashes of Angels (1996), The Cygnus Mystery (2006),Gobekli Tepe: Genesis of the Gods (2014), and The Cygnus Key: The Denisovan Legacy, Gobekli Tepe and the Birth ofEgypt (2018). In 2008 Andrew and Egyptological researcher Nigel Skinner Simpson discovered a previously unrecordedcave system beneath the shadow of the Great Pyramid at Giza. It is a story that has brought Andrew acclaim across theworld, the caverns even becoming known as Collins' Cave. The story is told in his book Beneath the Pyramids (2009). Hisnew book, Denisovan Origins: Hybrid Humans, Gobekli Tepe and the Genesis of the Giants of Ancient America is alsoco-authored with Greg L. Little.
Editorial Note #2: Gregory L. Little has a Master's Degree in Experimental Psychology and a Doctorate in Counseling &Educational Psychology from Memphis State University (now the University of Memphis). He is a retired NationallyCertified Psychologist (NAMP) and a retired LPC. He is the author of several books on Native American beliefs andhistory. He has been featured in documentaries on History, National Geographic, The Learning Channel, MSNBC, andother networks. He is also part Seneca.
Witch Please
Victoria Maxwell
Red Wheel/Weiser
65 Parker Street, Suite 7, Newburyport, MA 01950
www.redwheelweiser.com
9781590035320, $18.95, PB, 208pp
https://www.amazon.com/Witch-Please-Empowerment-Enlightenment-Modern/dp/1590035321
Synopsis: With the publication of "Witch, Please: Empowerment and Enlightenment for the Modern Mystic", which isnow readily available in paperback or Kindle, aspiring witches and metaphysical studies students can learn to take controlof their lives and reconnect with their purposes by using a modern magic that is soundly based upon ancientspirituality.
"Witch, Please" is a modern mystic's practical guide to life, love, and creating a fulfilling existence, ranging from turning ahome into a sacred sanctuary, to manifesting magical relationships, to loving a career, to money magic!
A compendium of inspiration, practical advice and rituals, "Witch, Please" will guide novice witches and metaphysicalstudies through the process of tapping into their intuition, intention, and self-empowerment to discover and harness themagic within them.
Critique: A compact compendium of information, instruction, lore, advice, insight, and practice, "Witch, Please:Empowerment and Enlightenment for the Modern Mystic" is impressively 'reader friendly' in composition, commentary,organization and presentation. While strongly recommended as an introduction to magical practices, it should be noted forpersonal, professional, and community library collections that "Witch, Please: Empowerment and Enlightenment for theModern Mystic" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
Editorial Note: Victoria 'Vix' Maxwell is the creator of New Age Hipster, an online spiritual home for good witches,lightworkers, starseeds, and spiritual seekers. A Priestess for present times, modern mystic, and spiritual teacher inConverse sneakers, Vix supports her worldwide community in reconnecting to their own light, inner guidance, and powerthrough soul readings, courses, an online spiritual development circle, spiritual business coven, podcast, blog, and socialmedia channels. She can be followed on Instagram at @newagehipster333
Consorting With Spirits
Jason Miller
Weiser Publishers
c/o Red Wheel/Weiser/Conari
65 Parker Street, Suite 7, Newburyport, MA 01950
www.redwheelweiser.com
9781578637546, $18.95, PB, 240pp
https://www.amazon.com/Consorting-Spirits-Working-Invisible-Allies/dp/1578637546
Synopsis: Throughout recorded history, humans have sought power and knowledge from spirits. Learning how to conjure,communicate, and negotiate with these unseen powers is one of the keys to success in magic.
Withe the publication of "Consorting with Spirits: Your Guide to Working with Invisible Allies", Jason Miller presents adetailed explanation of what spirits are, their different classifications, and how they exist in relation to the world wenormally perceive. The reader will then learn a system of practices that will cultivate three main skills: The capacity toperceive spirits clearly, the ability to interact with them effectively, and the tools to deepen your relationships. It is thisfocus on deepening relationships and increasing clarity in communications that has been missing from much of thematerial about spirits.
"Consorting with Spirits" will teach you different ways of interacting with spirits, from offerings and invitations to forcefulconjurations. With these tools in hand, you can work with your spirit allies to achieve any goal, from protection, to wealth,to vast knowledge.
"Consorting with Spirits" covers such topics as: Proper training necessary for calling and conversing with spirits; How toevaluate the messages you receive; A full view of different modes of contact and what situations each mode lends itself to;Why the best sorcery is local; The tools to establish and maintain a long-term relationship with spirits (consorting); The 6different manifestations of spirits and their corresponding magickal operations, qualities, benefits, and drawbacks; The 4methods of interacting with spirits: prayer, conjuring, compelling, and evocation.
Critique: Enhanced for the reader with an informative introduction by Mat Auryn (the author of "Psychic Witch","Consorting with Spirits: Your Guide to Working with Invisible Allies" is an exceptionally well written, organized, andpresented DIY instruction manual and guide that is unreservedly recommended for anyone with an interest in occultism,spirit guides, and white magic. Certain to be an interesting addition to personal and professional collections, it should benoted that "Consorting with Spirits: Your Guide to Working with Invisible Allies" is also readily available in a digital bookformat (Kindle, $9.99).
Editorial Note: Jason Miller has devoted 35 years to studying practical magic in its many forms. He is the author of sixbooks, including the now classic "Protection & Reversal Magick". He teaches several courses online including theStrategic Sorcery One Year Course, the Sorcery of Hekate Training, and the Black School of Saint Cyprian. He maintainsan informative website at www.StrategicSorcery.net
Create Your Own Tarot Cards
Theresa Reed, author
Adrianne Hawthorne, author
Walter Foster Publishing
c/o Quarto Publishing Group USA
100 Cummings Center, Suite 265D, Beverly, MA 01915
www.quartoknows.com
9780760375952, $22.99, PB, 144pp
https://www.amazon.com/Create-Tarot-Cards-step-step/dp/076037595X
Synopsis: With painting lessons from Adrianne Hawthorne of Ponnopozz, (an artist with a vibrant, contemporary style),"Create Your Own Tarot Cards" is a step-by-step guide to designing a unique and personalized tarot deck that will inspireyou to make your own beautifully expressive tarot cards in a variety of colors.
In addition to learning how to create a personalized deck, Theresa Reed, (The Tarot Lady), situates you in the world oftarot with a thorough introduction to this ancient art, as well as an overview of tarot reading. It's a perfect primer for novice(and even experienced) tarot enthusiasts!
Acrylic and gouache painting projects are presented in a step-by-step format with easy-to-follow instructions. All projectsare accompanied by beautiful photography and a clean, contemporary design. The included card stock with 80 blank,one-sided cards (2.25" 4.25") allows you to jump right in to painting.
"Create Your Own Tarot Cards" encourages you to craft your own personal colorful style. Connect with your creativity andintuition with this fresh and fun take on this timeless tradition.
Critique: Impressively organized and thoroughly 'user friendly in instruction and presentation, "Create Your Own TarotCards" is the ideal DIY instruction guide and 'how to' manual for creating a distinctive and uniquely personal tarot deck. Abeautifully illustrated and consumable workbook, "Creat Your Own Tarot Cards" is a unique and highly recommendedaddition to the personal and professional collections of any and all dedicated tarot users from novice to expert.
Editorial Note #1: Adrianne Hawthorne runs the Chicago art studio called Ponnopozz, where she sells her own art alongwith works by other artists. A self-taught artist, Adrianne has a background in graphic design and supports smallbusinesses, particularly those that are women-led and/or Black-owned. Adrianne uses tarot as a means for looking insideherself and for providing clarity on life situations, and she seeks to pass this curiosity and exploration on to others. Shemaintains and informative website at www.ponnopozz.com.
Editorial Note #2: Theresa Reed is known as 'The Tarot Lady'. She is also the author of The Tarot Coloring Book (SoundsTrue, 2016), Tarot for Troubled Times (Weiser Books, 2019), and Tarot: No Questions Asked (Weiser Books, 2020).Theresa works full time with tarot and runs a successful Patreon community. She has an informative website atwww.thetarotlady.com, and can be followed on on Instagram @thetarotlady
The Biography Shelf
Jean Beauvoir
Chicago Review Press
814 North Franklin Street, Chicago, IL 60610
www.chicagoreviewpress.com
9781641604765, $27.99, HC, 288pp
https://www.amazon.com/Bet-My-Soul-Rock-Roll/dp/164160476X
Synopsis: Jean Beauvoir joined the Plasmatics in 1979, playing bass and keyboards for the most notorious band to emergeout of the New York City punk scene. By 1982, he was a member of Little Steven and the Disciples of Soul, a retro-rockrevival act headed by Steven Van Zandt. The Disciples of Soul videos played on MTV during the network's earliest years,making Beauvoir one of the first Black recording artists to cross the start-up music channel's "color line."
Beauvoir went on to become a multi-platinum artist, producer, and songwriter. written with the assistance of JohnOstrosky, "Bet My Soul on Rock 'n' Roll: Diary of a Black Punk Icon follows Beauvoir's ride through the American musicindustry, detailing his encounters with rock stars such as Bruce Springsteen, Paul Stanley, Gene Simmons, and Lita Ford,as well as the actor Sylvester Stallone, the billionaire executive Richard Branson, and even Donald Trump.
With the publication of "Bet My Soul on Rock 'n' Roll: Diary of a Black Punk Icon", Beauvoir also considers the mannerin which his Haitian heritage has shaped his public image, his music, and his role as an activist for the dispossessed and thepoor.
Critique: An impressively informative, organized and presented memoir, "Bet My Soul on Rock 'n' Roll: Diary of a BlackPunk Icon" will be of immense interest to the legions of Jean Beauvoir fans. While also readily available for personalreading lists in a digital book format (Kindle, $11.49), "Bet My Soul on Rock 'n' Roll: Diary of a Black Punk Icon" is anespecially recommended acquisition choice for community, college, and university library American Music History andAfrican-American Biography/Memoir collections.
Editorial Note #1: Jean Beauvoir is an American singer, multi-instrumentalist, producer, and songwriter of Haitian descent.Guitar World featured him on its list of the fifty "Most Influential Black Rockers" of all time. Beauvoir's worldwide musiccatalogue, currently administered by Universal Music Publishing, contains over 600 published titles. As an artist, producer,and songwriter, he has sold in excess of 40 million records.
Editorial Note #2: John Ostrosky, is the co-author of Ace Frehley's No Regrets. He is also the co-host of Talking Metal anda Berklee alumnus who has performed with musicians including members of the Ramones and Twisted Sister.
The Jobs/Careers Shelf
Marcus Buckingham
Harvard Business Review Press
60 Harvard Way, Boston, MA 02163
http://hbr.org/books
9781647821234, $28.00, HC, 320pp
https://www.amazon.com/Love-Work-Find-What-Rest/dp/1647821231
Synopsis: We have all been given the advice that we should "Do what you love." It sounds simple, but the real challenge ishow to do this in a world not set up to help you. Most of us actually don't know the real truth of what we love (i.e. whatengages us and makes us thrive) and our workplaces, jobs, schools, even our parents, are focused instead on making usconform. Sadly, no person or system is dedicated to discovering the crucial intersection between what you love to do andhow you contribute it to others.
With the publications of "Love + Work: How to Find What You Love, Love What You Do, and Do It for the Rest of YourLife", Marcus Buckingham shows you how to break free from this conformity -- how to decode your own loves, turn theminto their most powerful expression, and do the same for those you lead and those you love.
How can you use love to reveal your unique gifts? How can you pinpoint what makes you stand out from anyone else?How can you choose roles in which you'll excel? Love and Work unlocks answers to these questions and others, so youcan: Choose the right role on the team; Describe yourself compellingly in job interviews; Mold your existing role so that itcalls upon the very best of you; Position yourself as a leader in such a way that your followers quickly come to trust in you;Make lasting change for your team, your company, your family, or your students.
Love, the most powerful of human emotions, the source of all creativity, collaboration, insight, and excellence, has beensystematically drained from our lives, our work, our teams, and our classrooms. It's time we brought love back in. "Love +Work" will show you how.
Critique: A 'real world practical' compendium of experience based insights, advice, commentaries, and information, "Loveand Work: How to Find What You Love, Love What You Do, and Do It for the Rest of Your Life" is a kind of DIYself-help with respect to discovering what the world of work can be shaped to offer in terms of satisfaction, success,personal and professional fulfillment. Basically an instruction manual for making that old truism "If you do what you enjoyyou will never work a day in your life.", "Love + Work" is especially recommended for personal, professional, corporate,college, and university library Jobs/Careers and Business Management collections. It should be noted that "Love + Work"is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.80).
Editorial Note: For over twenty-five years, Marcus Buckingham has been the world's leading researcher on strengths andhuman performance, as well as an entrepreneur, founding the strengths-based leadership development firm The MarcusBuckingham Company. He began his career at Gallup and was the co-creator, with Donald O. Clifton, of StrengthsFinder.He is also the author or co-author of ten books, including First, Break All the Rules; Now, Discover Your Strengths;StandOut 2.0; and Nine Lies About Work. He is currently Head of People + Performance Research at the ADP ResearchInstitute. He has two websites: www.loveandwork.org and www.marcusbuckingham.com/about
The Travel Shelf
Katie Gerber, author
Heather Anderson, author
Mountaineers Books
1001 SW Klickitat Way, Suite 201, Seattle, WA 98134-1161
www.mountaineersbooks.org
9781680515442, $24.95, PB, 208pp
https://www.amazon.com/Adventure-Ready-Planning-Training-Resiliency/dp/1680515446
Synopsis: With the publication of "Adventure Ready: A Hiker's Guide to Planning, Training, and Resiliency", renownedhikers Katie "Salty" Gerber and Heather "Anish" Anderson take what they've learned both on the trail and through teachingtheir online classes to a new level: preparing long-distance hikers for all the challenges--physical, emotional, andmental--they may encounter while on the trail for weeks or months.
This clear and comprehensive DIY guide and manual sets backpackers up for success with detailed information abouteverything from the basics of gear selection, navigation, safety, and trip planning to nutritional and physical preparationand body resiliency to how to readjust after returning home.
Included are worksheets and checklists that make it easy to stay on top of all the planning a long-distance hike requires,while thoughtful prompts to address the "Why" of your adventure help to keep you motivated.
"Adventure Ready" empowers both men and women to create goals, face challenges, and be stronger and smarter on thetrail.
Critique: As impressively organized and presented as it is informed and 'user friendly' and nicely illustrated with colorphotography throughout, "Adventure Ready: A Hiker's Guide to Planning, Training, and Resiliency" is an ideal andunreservedly recommended addition to personal, professional, and community library Backpacking, Hiking, Running,Jogging, Mountain Climbing, and Outdoors Camping/Survival collections. Of special note is that "Adventure Ready: AHiker's Guide to Planning, Training, and Resiliency" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle,$12.99).
Editorial Note #1: Katie Gerber is a certified holistic health and nutrition coach, wilderness instructor, guide, and writer.She is a seasoned long-distance hiker who has logged thousands of miles on trails and routes including the ContinentalDivide Trail, the Pacific Crest Trail, the Colorado Trail, and the Oregon Desert Trail. She lives and adventures in themountains of Colorado. She can be found online at www.katiegerber.com or on Instagram @katiegerber_wellness
Editorial Note #2: Heather Anderson is a National Geographic Adventurer of the Year, avid mountaineer, professional speaker, and author. She holds several Fastest Known Times and was the first woman to complete the Triple Crown of thru-hiking in a calendar year. She can be followed at wordsfromthewild.net and on Instagram @_wordsfromthewild_
The Philadelphia Inquirer's Walking Tours of Historic Philadelphia
Edward Colimore
Camino Books, Inc.
PO Box 59026, Philadelphia, PA 19102
www.caminobooks.com
9781680980318, $19.95, PB, 264pp
https://www.amazon.com/Philadelphia-Inquirers-Walking-Tours-Historic/dp/1680980319
Synopsis: Philadelphia (a metropolitan city where more than three centuries of history come alive) is not one but severalcities and you can experience all of them if you know where to look. Tucked amid the glass and steel skyscrapers stand thebrick and mortar buildings of the colonial and Federal periods as well as blocks of homes from the Civil War Era and theAge of Victoria.
Now in an newly updated and expanded fourth edition, "The Philadelphia Inquirer's Walking Tours of HistoricPhiladelphia" by Colin Colimore takes history buffs on twelve walking tours through different city neighborhoods, visitingvenerable buildings, quaint cobblestone streets, tiny courtyard gardens, magnificent parks, and out-of-the-way places thatwere part of the city's storied past. Arranged to help readers follow a logical path from site to site, on-site travel guideincludes maps, information about which sites can be toured, and tips on parking, public transportation, and nearbyrestaurants.
"The Philadelphia Inquirer's Walking Tours of Historic Philadelphia" is the definitive resource for visitors who want tostand in the spot where William Penn first set foot in his new city, follow in the footsteps of Washington, Jefferson,Adams, and Franklin, and explore grand Victorian-era buildings that remain a vibrant part of life here.
Also included are tours of the Independence Hall area, Society Hill, Penn's Landing, Rittenhouse Square, Fairmount Park,Germantown, and much more.
Critique: Enhanced with black/white photography, thoroughly 'user friendly' in organization and presentation, "ThePhiladelphia Inquirer's Walking Tours of Historic Philadelphia" is a simply indispensable guide for visitors toPhiladelphia, as well as those Philadelphia residents who want to know more about their city's past, and an ideal resourcefor non-specialist general readers who iare interested in the history of one of our country's oldest and greatest cities. Simplystated, "The Philadelphia Inquirer's Walking Tours of Historic Philadelphia" is especially and unreservedly recommendedfor personal, professional, community, college, and university library Regional American Travel Guide collections.
Editorial Note: Edward Colimore was a staff writer and editor at the Philadelphia Inquirer for 34 years, during which hewrote hundreds of articles on historic sites in and around Philadelphia.
Your Guide to the National Parks, third edition
Michael Joseph Oswald
Stone Road Press
www.stoneroadpress.com
9781621280767, $28.00, PB, 724pp
https://www.amazon.com/Your-Guide-National-Parks-Complete/dp/1621280764
Synopsis: "Your Guide to the National Parks: The Complete Guide to All 63 National Parks" by Michael Joseph Oswald isa comprehensive and full-color travel guidebook and the ultimate instructional reference to simplify travel planning to anyof America's national parks.
"Your Guide to the National Parks" is comprised of detailed maps highlighting popular attractions and trailheads that willhelp visualize any itinerary. Also included are lodging, camping, and hiking tables to make choosing where to stay andwhat trails to hike easy. Hiking is explored in depth, but there are also an abundance of details, including outfitteressentials, on all the most popular activities. Whether looking to raft the Grand Canyon, see Old Faithful erupt, climbMount Rainier, or simply select the perfect place to lay back and stare at the stars, those details are also featured.
Hundreds of lists put the best of America's Best Idea at your fingertips. A dozen suggested road trips, including hundredsof noteworthy stops beyond the parks, provide the building blocks for a trip of a lifetime.
Of special note are the tips and recommendations from Michael Oswald for when to visit and how to avoid crowds.
The completely and newly updated third edition of "Your Guide to the National Parks" features more than 150 large mapsand 100 easy-to-read tables. 550 new photos showcase our most scenic treasures before you set foot in them.
Critique: Comprehensive, instructive, illustrated, exceptionally well organized and impressively presented, "Your Guide tothe National Parks: The Complete Guide to All 63 National Parks" is an ideal resource for getting the most out a visit toany or all of America's national parks. While especially and unreservedly recommended for personal, professional, andcommunity library American Travel Guide collections, it should be noted for both on-site visitors and armchair travelersalike that "Your Guide to the National Parks: The Complete Guide to All 63 National Parks" is also available in a digitalbook format (Kindle, $15.00).
Editorial Note: Home based in Whitelaw, Wisconsin, Michael Joseph Oswald is an award-winning American travel writerwho's spent more than a decade exploring America's most scenic treasures -- our National Parks. Oswald learned muchover the course of hundreds of trips and thousands of miles hiking, biking, and paddling across these one-of-a-kindwilderness areas. There's much to see and do in our parklands and his goal is to help his readers make the most of theirNational Park adventures.
The Photography Shelf
Stefan Gronert
Prestel Publishing
www.prestel.com
9783791387802, $60.00, HC, 320pp
https://www.amazon.com/D%C3%BCsseldorf-School-Photography-Stefan-Gronert/dp/3791387804
Synopsis: Inspired and guided by Bernd and Hiller Becher, themselves pioneers in the area of documentary photography,the artists of Germany's Dusseldorf School not only pushed the boundaries of their teachers' practice, but also ushered inthree generations of technical and compositional achievement that is rivaled in importance only by the arrival of colorphotography.
This new edition of "The Dusseldorf School of Photography" by Stefan Gronert (curator for photography at the SprengelMuseum in Hanover, Germany) introduces readers to the historic, cultural, and scientific environments in which theBechers' practice thrived. It explores the teaching philosophies with which they encouraged their students, and considersthe qualities that highlight the Dusseldorf School: intricate detail, large scale, painterly distance combined with animmersive quality.
The plate section, organized by artist, features 160 beautifully reproduced images by Andreas Gursky, Thomas Struth,Thomas Ruff, Candida Hofer, Axel Hutte, Laurenz Berges, Elger Esser, Simone Nieweg, Jorg Sasse, and PetraWunderlich.
Critique: An inherently fascinating and absorbing volume to be enjoyed one captioned and illustrated page at a time, "TheDusseldorf School of Photography" is a photography enthusiast's delight from cover to cover. With its publication in acoffee-table style volume (10.63 x 1.25 x 12.31 inches), "The Dusseldorf School of Photography" is an ideal, thematicallyappropriate, and highly recommended addition to personal, professional, community, college, and university libraryPhotography collections.
What I See
Glen E. Friedman
Akashic Books
232 Third Street, #A115, Brooklyn, NY 11215
www.akashicbooks.com
9781636140360, $40.00, HC, 256pp
https://www.amazon.com/What-See-Black-Photographs-Friedman/dp/163614036X
Synopsis: "What I See: The Black Flag Photographs of Glen E. Friedman" is an incredible compilation of all of Friedman'smost iconic and recognizable images (from 1980 to 1983), of this seminal American punk band, as well as over onehundred never-before-seen photos made during those phenomenal peak years in the group's history.
"What I See" includes a foreword by Chuck Dukowski, a cofounder and bass player of Black Flag. Friedman's ownintroduction to the book takes readers through his journey with the group, from the very first time he heard their music, tohis perspectives on the music of the era, to the how, why, and what Black Flag were doing at the time. His words provideadditional context to the imagery, explaining what drove him to create his art alongside the band.
From the streets around Black Flag's single-room home base/office, rehearsing for their first album, handing out flyers,wheat-pasting posters, driving for hours to a show and returning the same night, house parties, clubs, to the big stage andthe beach, Glen E. Friedman was there with his heart, soul, and most importantly his camera.
With the publication of "What I See", he shares with us and inspires us with these images that were made over anincredibly volatile four-year time span.
Critique: A coffee-table style volume (8.8 x 1 x 10.8 inches), "What I See: The Black Flag Photographs of Glen E.Friedman" is a truly memorable and thought-provoking compendium of both black/white and color full page photos thatwill be of particular interest to fans of Punk Rock in general, and the group Black Flag in particular. Simply stated, "What ISee: The Black Flag Photographs of Glen E. Friedman" is an especially recommended addition to personal, professional,community, college, and university library American Music History and Photography collections.
Editorial Note: Glen E. Friedman, one of the most important photographers of his generation, is known for his influentialand iconic images of rebellious artists from classic skateboarding, punk, and hip-hop cultures. As a true artist his processwas much more incendiary than it was documentary. Friedman, first published at the age of fourteen, has produced overone hundred record covers, countless magazine pages, and almost a dozen books, including DogTown: The Legend of theZ-Boys, Keep Your Eyes Open, The Idealist, Recognize, My Rules, and Together Forever: The Run-DMC and BeastieBoys Photographs. His work is now included in a number of notable international collections, including the MetropolitanMuseum of Art and the Smithsonian Institution
Our Selves: Photographs by Women Artists
Roxana Marcoci, editor
The Museum of Modern Art
www.moma.org
9781633451339, $45.00, HC, 152pp
https://www.amazon.com/Our-Selves-Photographs-Women-Artists/dp/163345133X
Synopsis: Spanning more than 100 years of photography, the works comprising "Our Selves: Photographs by WomenArtists" range from a turn-of-the-century photograph of racially segregated education in the United States, by FrancesBenjamin Johnston, to a contemporary portrait celebrating Indigenous art forms, by the Chemehuevi artist CaraRomero.
"Our Selves: Photographs by Women Artists" affirms the creative and political agency of women artists. Included is acritical essay by curator Roxana Marcoci asks the question "What is a Feminist Picture?" and reconsiders the art-historicalcanon through works by Claude Cahun, Tina Modotti, Carrie Mae Weems, Catherine Opie and Hulleah J. Tsinhnahjinnie,among others.
Additionally, twelve focused essays by emerging scholars explore themes such as identity and gender, the relationshipbetween educational systems and power, and the ways in which women artists have reframed our received ideas aboutwomanhood.
Published in conjunction with a groundbreaking exhibition of photographs by women artists (drawn exclusively fromMoMA's collection, thanks to a transformative gift of photographs from Helen Kornblum in 2021), "Our Selves:Photographs by Women Artists" is a richly illustrated catalog that features more than 100 color and black-and-whiteplates.
As we continue to aspire to equity and diversity, "Our Selves: Photographs by Women Artists" contributes vital insightsinto figures too often relegated to the margins of our cultural imagination.
Critique: Knowledgeably compiled and edited by Roxana Marcoci, "Our Selves: Photographs by Women Artists" is acoffee-table style (9.2 x 0.7 x 10.8 inches) volume the is especially and unreservedly recommended as a core addition topersonal, professional, community, college, and university library Photography collections in general, and the history ofwomen in photography reading lists in particular.
Editorial Note: Roxana Marcoci is MoMA's David Dechman Senior Curator of Photography. She holds a PhD in arthistory, theory, and criticism from the Institute of Fine Arts at New York University. The recipient of the Center forCuratorial Leadership Fellowship in 2011, Marcoci also chairs the Central and Eastern European group of MoMA'sContemporary and Modern Art Perspectives (C-MAP) program.
The Health/Medicine Shelf
Dr. Stephen Hussey, MS, DC
Chelsea Green Publishing Company
85 North Main Street, Suite 120, White River Junction, VT 05001
www.chelseagreen.com
9781645021308, $24.95, PB, 336pp
https://www.amazon.com/Understanding-Heart-Surprising-Evolutionary-Disease_and/dp/1645021300
Synopsis: Heart disease is the number-one killer in the world. Despite ever-advancing medical procedures and more andmore powerful pharmaceutical drugs, the rate of heart disease continues to rise. According to Dr. Stephen Hussey, this isdue in part to misunderstandings about how the heart really functions and how to keep it healthy. These misunderstandingsresult in improper medical approaches and off-target intervention therapies.
As a type 1 diabetic, Dr. Hussey has always known that he was at two to four times greater risk of developing heartdisease. As a result, he has dedicated his entire adult life to understanding the heart, to prevent himself from becoming astatistic. And then his worst nightmare came true. Dr. Hussey suffered a "STEMI," a blockage in the left anteriordescending artery of his heart. STEMIs are typically so fatal that they are known as "widowmakers." Only 12 percent ofthose who experience them outside of a hospital setting survive.
Dr. Hussey was among the lucky 12 percent, but faced a difficult decision during his recovery: follow the standard of carelaid out for him by the attending cardiologist, or politely decline and apply everything he'd learned about the heart to arecovery protocol that would look massively different than what the doctors were recommending.
With the publication of "Understanding the Heart: Surprising Insights into the Evolutionary Origins of Heart Disease - andWhy It Matters", Dr. Hussey shares the information that guided him through the highest-stakes decision of his life,including: A large body of research suggesting that the heart is not the main mover of blood in the body, and what thatmeans for your overall health; The evolutionary origins of the nervous system, and how these manifest today in rampantrates of heart disease; Deep analysis of the widely accepted idea that saturated fat and cholesterol will clog your arteries:The importance of reducing oxidative stress for a heart healthy lifestyle.
Also, in the pages of "Understanding the Heart", Dr. Hussey lays bare everything he has learned in his deep investigationinto the heart, and guides you on a path to prevent disease in the context of a highly diseased modern world in order toenjoy lifelong good health.
Critique: Enhanced for the reader with the inclusion of an Appendix (Resources for a Heart Health Lifestyle), a one pagebibliography of Recommended Reading, forty-eight pages of Notes, and a twenty page Index, "Understanding the Heart:Surprising Insights into the Evolutionary Origins of Heart Disease - and Why It Matters" is exceptionally 'reader friendly'in organization and presentation, making this an ideal and highly recommended addition to community, college, anduniversity library Health/Medicine collections. Informative and iconoclastic, it should be noted for the personal readinglists of medical students, academia, cardiologists, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that"Understanding the Heart: Surprising Insights into the Evolutionary Origins of Heart Disease - and Why It Matters" is alsoreadily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $18.99).
Editorial Note: Dr. Stephen Hussey is a board-certified chiropractor and functional medicine practitioner. He has abachelor's degree in health and wellness promotion from the University of North Carolina Asheville as well as a doctorateof chiropractic and master's in human nutrition and functional medicine from the University of Western States. In additionto working as a chiropractor in clinical practice, Dr. Hussey has worked with people all over the world, coaching themback to health; he sees the power of food, lifestyle change, and personal environment modification change lives every day.He can be found on his website, www.resourceyourhealth.com, or on social media @drstephenhussey. He is also theauthor of "The Health Evolution: Why Understanding Evolution is the Key to Vibrant Health".
Mental Health Survival Kit and Withdrawal from Psychiatric Drugs
Peter C. Gotzsche
Institute for Scientific Freedom
c/o Loving Healing Press
5145 Pontiac Trail, Ann Arbor, MI 48105
www.lovinghealing.com
9781615996209, $37.95, HC, 222pp
https://www.amazon.com/Mental-Health-Survival-Withdrawal-Psychiatric/dp/1615996206
Synopsis: "Mental Health Survival Kit and Withdrawal from Psychiatric Drugs: A User's Guide" by Professor Peter C.Gotzsche can help people with mental health issues to survive and return to a normal life. Citizens believe, and the scienceshows, that medications for depression and psychosis and admission to a psychiatric ward are more often harmful thanbeneficial. Yet most patients take psychiatric drugs for years. Doctors have made hundreds of millions of patientsdependent on psychiatric drugs without knowing how to help them taper off the drugs safely, which can be verydifficult.
"Mental Health Survival Kit and Withdrawal from Psychiatric Drugs: A User's Guide" explains in detail how harmfulpsychiatric drugs are and gives detailed advice about how to come off them including: Why you should not see apsychiatrist if you have a mental health issue; That psychiatric drugs are addictive; That the biggest lie in psychiatry is theone about a chemical imbalance being the cause of psychiatric disorders; That psychiatric diagnoses are unscientific andthat doctors disagree widely when making diagnoses; That psychiatric drugs can lead to permanent brain damage; Thatpsychiatric drugs should never be stopped abruptly because withdrawal reactions can be dangerous; Why psychotherapyand other psychosocial interventions should be preferred over drugs; Why you should generally not believe what doctorstell you about psychiatric disorders and their treatment; Why volunteers have found the book so important that they havetranslated it into French, Portuguese and Spanish
Critique: A combination of iconoclastic information about mental health drugs and their role in psychology, psychiatry,and instructional advice on their usage and withdrawal, "Mental Health Survival Kit and Withdrawal from PsychiatricDrugs: A User's Guide" by internal medicine and drug trials expert Peter C. Gotzsche is a critically important contributionto the field of mental health medicine and treatment. While especially and unreservedly recommended for mental healthclinic, college, university, and medical school Psychopharmacology collections, it should be note for the personal readinglists of medical students, academic, doctors, mental health workers, and non-specialist general readers with an interest indrug dependance and recovery that "Mental Health Survival Kit and Withdrawal from Psychiatric Drugs: A User's Guide"is also available in a paperback edition (9781615996193, $24.95).
Editorial Note: Professor Peter C. Gotzsche is a specialist in internal medicine; worked with clinical trials and regulatoryaffairs in the drug industry 1975-83, and at hospitals in Copenhagen 1984-95. With about 80 others, he co-founded theCochrane Collaboration in 1993 (the founder is Sir Iain Chalmers), and established the Nordic Cochrane Centre the sameyear. He became professor of Clinical Research Design and Analysis in 2010 at the University of Copenhagen and hasbeen a member of the Cochrane Governing Board twice. He became visiting Professor, Institute of Health & Society,Newcastle University in 2019. Professor Gotzsche has published more than 75 papers in the big five (BMJ, Lancet, JAMA,Annals of Internal Medicine and New England Journal of Medicine) and his scientific works have been cited over 150,000times.
The Art Shelf
Heather Ecker, et al.
Thames & Hudson, Inc.
500 Fifth Avenue. New York, NY 10110-0017
www.thamesandhudsonusa.com
9780500024799, $70.00, HC, 320pp
https://www.amazon.com/Cartier-Islamic-Art-Search-Modernity/dp/0500024790
Synopsis: Louis Cartier (1875 - 1942), the grandson of Cartier founder Louis-Francois, was an impassioned collector andpatron of the arts. He was particularly entranced by Islamic arts, especially Persian book arts: their geometric shapes, colorcombinations, and motifs are apparent in Cartier jewelry to this day.
Louis's younger brother Jacques (an expert in precious stones) traveled to India and the Persian Gulf in 1911 and 1912 toexperience the culture and bring home treasures of the Middle East: natural pearls. This was the pivotal moment when thedialogue between these two worlds opened up, eventually blossoming into a beautiful relationship that has lasted fordecades.
Published to accompany a major exhibition at the Musee des Arts Decoratifs in Paris and the Dallas Museum of Art,"Cartier and Islamic Art: In Search of Modernity" is a collective project that delves into the Cartier archives to trace thestory of Louis Cartier's love of Islamic art and the ways in which he incorporated the Islamic world's stylized motifs intoCartier's jewelry. Dazzling photographs are accompanied by in-depth texts from a raft of distinguished scholars of bothIslam and the decorative arts.
Critique: A visual feast presented in a profusion of full color photographs, "Cartier and Islamic Art: In Search ofModernity" is immensely informative and a most impressive coffee-table style volume (9.4 x 1.2 x 11.8 inches, 4.41pounds) that would be a prized pick for any personal or professional Art History collections. Community, college, anduniversity librarians should note that "Cartier and Islamic Art: In Search of Modernity" is an ideal selection choice for theirMemorial Fund acquisition lists.
Editorial Note: Comprised of ten informative contributions by experts in their fields, "Cartier and Islamic Art: In Search ofModernity" is the collaborative editorial work of Heather Ecker (The Marguerite S. Hoffman and Thomas W. LentzCurator of Islamic and Medieval Art at the Dallas Museum of Art); Judith Henon-Reynaud (Curator and Assistant to theDirector of the Department of Islamic Arts at the Louvre); Evelyn Posseme (Chief Curator at the Musee des ArtsDecoratifs in the Art Nouveau, Art Deco, and antique and modern jewelry department); Sarah Schleuning (Interim ChiefCurator and the Margot B. Perot Senior Curator of Decorative Arts and Design at the Dallas Museum of Art); and PierreRainero (who is the image, style, and heritage director of Cartier).
Banksy
Alessandra Mattanza, author
John Brandler, contributor
Prestel Publishing
www.prestel.com
9783791388243, $40.00, HC, 240pp
https://www.amazon.com/Banksy-Alessandra-Mattanza/dp/379138824X
Synopsis: Banksy is a pseudonymous England-based street artist, political activist and film director whose real name andidentity remain unconfirmed and the subject of speculation. Active since the 1990s, his satirical street art and subversiveepigrams combine dark humor with graffiti executed in a distinctive stenciling technique. His works of political and socialcommentary have appeared on streets, walls and bridges throughout the world. Banksy's work grew out of the Bristolunderground scene, which involved collaborations between artists and musicians. Banksy says that he was inspired by 3D,a graffiti artist and founding member of the musical group Massive Attack. (Wikipedia)
Accompanied by stunning full-page, full-color reproductions and photographs of works in situ (including many that havebeen lost to time) photographer and street art expert Alessandra Mattanza's impassioned and informed text comprising"Banksy" follows this graffiti artist's career trajectory from creator of message-laden stencils on London's city walls to asought-after champion of human and environmental rights.
Alessandra investigates many of the key images that populate Banksy's work, including animals, children, historic figures,balloons, cartoon characters, police officers, and others. She shows how Banksy's oeuvre has expanded beyond graffiti andstenciling and how his art has helped support his activism in a variety of causes -- from calls for peace in the Middle Eastto the preservation of the natural environment.
Best of all Alessandra helps readers make sense of the rather unusual path Banksy has chosen as an artist who uses hisglobal platform to raise awareness about the underserved, rather than to his own celebrity. Readers will come away with anew understanding of how Banksy helped transform an illegal act of criminal damage into a high art form, and how, byridiculing institutionalized art, he has achieved enormous fame within those very institutions.
Critique: A coffee-table style volume (9.38 x 0.98 x 12.13 inches), "Banksky" is an extraordinary and impressivelycomprehensive study and presentation of the art and artistry of the man known only as Banksky -- arguably the most wellknown of the graffiti artists to become recognized (and appreciated) by the art world for their talent. Inherently fascinating,"Banksky" is especially recommended as a core addition to personal, professional, community, college, and universitylibrary Contemporary Pop Culture Art & Artists collections.
Editorial Note: Alessandra Mattanza is an author, screenwriter, and photographer. She currently works as a foreigncorrespondent, contributor, and editor for several publishers in Italy and Germany, and is the author of Street Art: FamousArtists Talk About Their Vision.
The Wine/Beer/Spirits Shelf
Nancy Matsumoto, author
Michael Tremblay, author
nancymatsumoto.com
Tuttle Publishing
364 Innovation Drive, North Clarendon, VT 05759-9436
www.tuttlepublishing.com
9784805316511, $19.99, PB, 256pp
https://www.amazon.com/Exploring-World-Japanese-Craft-Sake/dp/4805316519
Synopsis: Sake (also referred to as Japanese rice wine) is an alcoholic beverage of Japanese origin made by fermenting ricethat has been polished to remove the bran. Whether you're a sake novice or an experienced connoisseur, "Exploring theWorld of Japanese Craft Sake: Rice, Water, Earth" offers fascinating insights, practical tips, and rich stories about thispopular beverage.
Authors and sake experts Nancy Matsumoto and Michael Tremblay personally undertook the challenge of visiting 35artisanal sake breweries in Japan, the US, and Canada to interview makers and document every stage of the sake brewingprocess. Nancy's celebrated journalistic background combined with Michael's sake sommelier experience have led to anengaging and informative look at the world of sake.
With over 300 color photos and a lively narrative, "Exploring the World of Japanese Craft Sake" is fascinating volume thatincludes: A comprehensive introduction to the science and history of sake brewing in Japan; A look at how fine craft sakesare brewed today using traditional methods and no additives -- only rice, water, koji, and yeast; Histories of Japan'svenerable breweries, some of them over 300 years old!; An answer to why some breweries are able to turn out a superiorquality of sake; A discussion of rice varieties and the contentious topic of terroir in the context of sake making; Currenttrends in the world of sake, including the fine sakes now brewed outside Japan; Tasting notes and recommendations for topcraft sakes you have not heard about yet.
"Exploring the World of Japanese Craft Sake" also includes personal recipes from several top Japanese sake-brewingfamilies along with food-pairing tips and a chapter on the authors' own Japanese sake-bar-going adventures.
Critique: A sake lover's informative delight to simply browse through, and an essential read for anyone wanting to becomea sake connoisseur, "Exploring the World of Japanese Craft Sake: Rice, Water, Earth" is the definitive instructional guideand history. While also readily available for personal reading lists in a digital book format (Kindle, $14.99), "Exploring theWorld of Japanese Craft Sake: Rice, Water, Earth" is especially recommended for professional, community, college, anduniversity library Wine/Spirits/Beer collections.
Editorial Note #1: Nancy Matsumoto is a writer and editor who covers sake, food, agroecology, and Japanese arts andculture. Her work has appeared in The Wall Street Journal, Time, The Los Angeles Times, The Toronto Globe and Mail,Food and Wine, and theAtlantic.com. She is also the editor of By the Shore of Lake Michigan, an English-languagetranslation of Japanese tanka poems, and a contributor to a number of other books and publications. The holder of threesake certifications, she divides her time between Toronto and New York City. She has a website at nancymatsumoto.comand can be followed at @NancyMatsumoto
Editorial Note #2: Michael Tremblay is a Sake Samurai and Wine Spirit Education Trust (WSET) certified Educatorresiding in Toronto. He is the Sommelier at ki modern Japanese + bar, a Japanese restaurant with one of Canada's largestsake programs. He is also the Founder of the Sake Scholar Course, a certification course that explores the regionality ofsake. @mtrsake
The Antiques/Collectibles Shelf
Judith Miller
Mitchell Beazley
c/o Octopus Books
236 Park Avenue, New York NY 10017
www.octopusbooksusa.com
9781784728304, $47.99, HC, 600pp
https://www.amazon.com/Millers-Antiques-Handbook-Price-2022-2023/dp/1784728306
Synopsis: Comprised of over 5,000 color photographs and enhanced with the inclusion of some 5,000 price ranges, the"Miller's Antiques Handbook & Price Guide 2022-2023" continues to be the essential and most trusted guide to theantiques market. It has earned the reputation of being antique reference guide that no dealer, collector or auctioneer shouldbe without.
Compiled by Judith Miller, world-renowned antiques expert and co-founder of this annual reference resource, this newedition of "Miller's Antiques Handbook & Price Guide 2022-2023" features more than 8,000 antiques. The price ranges arebased on actual prices, either what a dealer will take or the full auction price, giving you a ball park figure of what youshould pay for a similar item.
Comprehensive sections cover Ceramics, Asian Antiques, Furniture, Glass, Silver and Metalwares, Jewellery and objets devertu, Clocks and Watches, Books, Textiles, Toys, Decorative Arts and Modern Classics. Special features explain why onepiece is worth more than another, show how to value an item and teach you to be your own valuer. Biographies ofdesigners and factories give the background information you need to help date and value objects, while special 'JudithPicks' sections give fascinating background and valuation details for particularly interesting or unusual objects.
Critique: Beautifully illustrated with color photography on every page, thoroughly 'user friendly' in organization andpresentation, "Miller's Antiques Handbook & Price Guide 2022-2023" is an essential and unreservedly recommendedaddition to personal, professional, community, college, and university library Antiques/Collectibles reference collections.It should be noted that this edition of "Miller's Antiques Handbook & Price Guide 2022-2023" is also available in a digitalbook format (Kindle, $21.99).
Editorial Note: Judith Miller began collecting in the 1960s while a student at Edinburgh University in Scotland. She hassince extended and reinforced her knowledge of antiques through international research, becoming one of the world'sleading experts in the field. In 1979 she co-founded the international best-seller Miller's Antiques Price Guide and hassince written more than 100 books which are held in high regard by collectors and dealers. She is an expert on the BBC'sAntiques Roadshow and has co-hosted the popular BBC series The House Detectives, ITV's Antiques Trail, andDiscovery's It's Your Bid. She has appeared on The Martha Stewart Show and CNN. She is a regular lecturer andcontributor to numerous newspapers and magazines, including the Financial Times, the Daily Telegraph, BBC Homes &Antiques and House & Garden. She has lectured extensively, including at the V&A in London and the Smithsonian inWashington.
The Library Science Shelf
Alison Cullingford
Facet Publishing
www.facetpublishing.co.uk
9781783305384, $170.21 (Amazon), PB, 336pp
https://www.amazon.com/Special-Collections-Handbook-Alison-Cullingford/dp/178330538X
Synopsis: Now in an updated and expanded third edition, "The Special Collections Handbook", by Alison Cullingford is acomprehensive desk reference providing the essential principles, skills, and knowledge to manage special collections inany setting and covering all aspects of special collections work: preservation; developing collections; understandingobjects; emergency planning; security; legal and ethical concerns; cataloguing; digitilisation; marketing; outreach;teaching; impact; advocacy, and fundraising.
This new third edition has been revised and expanded to incorporate the many developments in the field, reflecting thegrowth and dynamism of the sector and the complexity of the environment in which we operate.
These include: Enriched and updated guidance on decolonising collections management and all other elements of specialcollections work; Working towards zero-carbon buildings, preservation, and other aspects of special collections work;Lessons/impact of Covid-19: managing remote access by staff and users, emergency planning, health and safety, riskassessments; New legislation affecting special collections, notably in the UK the Data Protection Act 2018; New andrevised standards, such as the new British Standards relating to collections care, BS EN 16893 and BS 4971, which replacePD5454; New and emerging technologies in collections discovery, digitisation, digital resource and digital libraries, andhow to manage them and build capacity.
Particular attention will be paid to the implications of the 'digital shift' and the place of special collections in online andhybrid learning.
Comprehensive and written in a highly accessible manner, "The Special Collections Handbook" continues to be anessential resource for staff working with special collections in a wide range of settings, including academia, publiclibraries, religious organizations, museums, and at scales from solo librarians to 'nationals'.
Critique: "The Special Collections Handbook, third edition" by experienced special collections librarian AlisonCullingford is an ideal and unreservedly recommended textbook for college and university Library Science curriculumsand instructional reference collections, as well as an essential instructional resource for the personal and professionalreading lists of both novice and experienced librarians, including special collection custodians and stewards.
Editorial Note: Alison Cullingford is Head of Library and Collections at Durham Cathedral, where she leads the teamresponsible for stewardship of the Cathedral's collections of medieval manuscripts, early printed books, archives, andobjects. Previously she was Special Collections Librarian at the University of Bradford, where she was responsible for over100 collections of modern archives and rare books and also managed the Unique and Distinctive Collections project forResearch Libraries UK. An active member of the CILIP Rare Books and Special Collections Group and many other sectorgroups, Alison regularly presents at conferences, blogs and tweets on the importance of the special collectionslibrarian.
The Mythology Shelf
Joshua Frydman
Thames & Hudson, Inc.
500 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10110-0017
www.thamesandhudsonusa.com
9780500252314, $24.95, HC, 224pp
https://www.amazon.com/Japanese-Myths-Guide-Heroes-Spirits/dp/0500252319
Synopsis: While people around the world love Japan's cultural exports from manga and anime to Zen, not everyone isfamiliar with Japan's unique mythology that shapes these interests, which is enriched by Shinto, Buddhism, and regionalfolklore. Compiled by Joshua Frydman, "The Japanese Myths: A Guide to Gods, Heroes and Spirits" is a smart andsuccinct guide to the rich tradition of Japanese mythology, from the earliest recorded legends of Izanagi and Izanami withtheir divine offspring and the creation of Japan, to medieval tales of vengeful ghosts, through to the modern-dayreincarnation of ancient deities as the heroes of mecha anime.
Mythology remains a living, evolving part of Japanese society. The ways in which the people of Japan understand theirmyths are very different today even from a century ago, let alone over a millennium into the past. "The Japanese Myths: AGuide to Gods, Heroes and Spirits" not only retells these ancient stories but also considers their place within the patterns ofJapanese religions, culture, and history, helping readers understand the deep links between past and present in Japan, andthe ways these myths live and grow.
With the publication of "The Japanese Myths: A Guide to Gods, Heroes and Spirits ", author Joshua Frydman takes thevery earliest written myths in the Kojiki and the Nihon Shoki as his starting point, and from there traces Japan's mythologythrough to post-war State Shinto, the rise of the manga industry in the 1960s, J-horror, and modern-day myths. Frydmanties in the reinventions and retellings of myths that are present across all genres of contemporary Japanese culture, from itsauteur cinema to renowned video games such as Okami. "The Japanese Myths: A Guide to Gods, Heroes and Spirits" is foranyone interested in Japan and Japanese exports, as knowing its myths allows readers to understand and appreciate itsculture in a new light.
Critique: Joshua Frydman (an Assistant Professor of Japanese at the University of Oklahoma and an expert in ancientJapanese literature) draws upon his academic expertise in cultural research to provide a comprehensive volume that will beof particular and acute interest to students of Japanese culture, history and religion -- making "The Japanese Myths: AGuide to Gods, Heroes and Spirits" and valued and appreciated addition to personal, professional, community, college, anduniversity library Folklore & Mythology collections.
The Great Book of King Arthur
John Matthews, author
John Howe, illustrator
Harper Design
c/o HarperCollins Publishers
195 Broadway, New York, NY, 10007
www.harpercollins.com
9780063243125, $32.50, HC, 512pp
https://www.amazon.com/Great-Book-King-Arthur-Knights/dp/0063243121
Synopsis: The stories of King Arthur and Merlin, Lancelot and Guinevere, Galahad, Gawain, Tristan and the rest of theKnights of the Roundtable, and the search for the Holy Grail have been beloved for centuries and are the inspiration ofmany modern fantasy novels, films, and shows. These legends began when an obscure Celtic hero named Arthur steppedon to the stage of history sometime in the sixth century, generating a host of oral tales that would be inscribed some 900years later by Thomas Malory in his classic Morte D'Arthur (The Death of Arthur).
"The Great Book of King Arthur: and His Knights of the Round Table" brings these legends into the modern age, usingaccessible prose for contemporary readers for the first time. In addition to the stories in Morte D'Arthur, author andstoryteller John Matthews includes many tales of Arthur and his knights either unknown to Malory or written in otherlanguages, such as the story of Avenable, the girl brought up as a boy who becomes a famous knight; Morien, whoseadventures are as fantastic and exciting as any found in Malory's work; and a retelling of the life of Round Table favoriteGawain, from his strange birth to his upbringing among the poor to his ascension to the highest position -- Emperor ofRome.
In addition, there are some of the earliest tales of Arthur, deriving from the tradition of Celtic storytelling. The epic hero isrepresented in such powerful stories as "The Adventures of Eagle-boy" and "The Coming of Merlin," which is based on theearly medieval text Vita Merlini and tells a completely new version of the great enchanter's story.
Critique: Enhanced for the reader's enjoyment, "The Great Book of King Arthur: and His Knights of the Round Table"features 15 full-color paintings and 25 pencil drawings by artist/illustrator John Howe. The result is a fun and informativevolume that will prove to be an especially prized and appreciated addition to community, college, and university libraryFolklore & Mythology collections. An absolute 'must read' for the legions of King Arthur fans, it should be noted forpersonal reading lists that "The Great Book of King Arthur: and His Knights of the Round Table" is also available in adigital book format (Kindle, $19.99) and as a complete and unabridged audio book (9798200969715, $57.99, CD).
A Jewish Bestiary, updated and expanded edition
Mark Podwal
Penn State University Press
820 North University Drive, University Park, PA 16802-1003
www.psupress.org
9780271091730, $14.95, 88pp
https://www.amazon.com/Jewish-Bestiary-Fabulous-Creatures-Hebraic/dp/0271091738
Synopsis: "Ask the beast and it will teach thee, and the birds of heaven and they will tell thee." Job 12:7
In the Middle Ages, the bestiary achieved a popularity second only to that of the Bible. In addition to being a kind ofencyclopedia of the animal kingdom, the bestiary also served as a book of moral and religious instruction, teaching humanvirtues through a portrayal of an animal's true or imagined behavior. With the publication of "A Jewish Bestiary: FabulousCreatures from Hebraic Legend and Lore", Mark Podwal revisits animals, both real and mythical, that have captured theJewish imagination through the centuries.
Originally published in 1984 and called "broad in learning and deep in subtle humor" by the New York Times, this newlyupdated and expanded edition of "A Jewish Bestiary" features new full-color renderings of thirty-five creatures fromHebraic legend and lore. The illustrations are accompanied by entertaining and instructive tales drawn from biblical,talmudic, midrashic, and kabbalistic sources.
Throughout "A Jewish Bestiary", Podwal combines traditional Jewish themes with his own distinctive style. The resultingjuxtaposition of art with history results in a delightful and enlightening bestiary for the twenty-first century. From the ant tothe ziz, herein are the creatures that exert a special force on the Jewish fancy.
Critique: A fascinating and informative pleasure to simply browse through one page at a time, this new and impressivelyillustrated edition of "A Jewish Bestiary: Fabulous Creatures from Hebraic Legend and Lore" is enhanced for academiaand the non-specialist general reader with an interest in the subject with a two page Selected Bibliography. While alsoavailable for personal reading lists in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.59), "A Jewish Bestiary: Fabulous Creatures fromHebraic Legend and Lore" is especially and unreservedly recommended for community, synagogue, college, and universitylibrary Judaism and Folklore/Mythology collections
Editorial Note: Mark Podwal achieved early recognition for his drawings on the New York Times Op-Ed page. His art isrepresented in the collections of the Metropolitan Museum, the Victoria and Albert Museum, the Israel Museum, and theJewish Museums in Berlin, Prague, Vienna, and New York, among other venues. He is the illustrator of a number ofbooks, including Hebrew Melodies, also published by Penn State University Press.
The Pets/Wildlife Shelf
Ellen Greene Stewart
McFarland & Company
PO Box 611, Jefferson NC 28640
https://mcfarlandbooks.com
9781476687797, $19.99, PB, 228pp
https://www.amazon.com/Elephants-Personal-Ellen-Greene-Stewart/dp/147668779X
Synopsis: Elephants are a keystone species upon which a whole host of other species rely on for their survival -- and havebeen a part of the magic of the thickly forested land of South Africa for millennia. With the publication of "Elephants: UpClose and Personal", author Ellen Greene Stewart focuses on the history and work of Knysna Elephant Park, a leadingSouth African elephant research facility that has been home to more than 40 elephants in 25 years.
Unfortunately, all the mystique of the Knysna elephant has been reduced to a single elephant left alive. Exploring a widerange of topics, "Elephants: Up Close and Personal" covers the impact of elephants' interactions with tourists, how theyrecover from trauma and even their relevance in human healthcare.
Renowned elephant researchers explain the majesty of the elephant brain, which has the largest temporal lobe devoted tocommunication, language, spatial memory and cognition. To this effect, "Elephants: Up Close and Personal" emphasizesthe threat of poaching to these gentle giants, which has now forced them to the brink of extinction in the wild. If wehumans pay attention to how elephants symbolize our relationship with nature, we can learn important lessons abouthumanity itself.
Critique: Nicely illustrated throughout with black-and-white photos, "Elephants: Up Close and Personal" is impressivelyinformative, exceptionally well written, and thoroughly 'reader friendly' in organization and presentation. Unreservedlyrecommended reading for elephant enthusiasts and the simply curious, "Elephants: Up Close and Personal" is anextraordinary and recommended addition to community and academic library Wildlife Collections in general, and ElephantStudies reading lists in particular. In addiction to a trade paperback edition, "Elephants: Up Close and Personal" is alsoreadily available for personal reading lists in a digital book format (Kindle, $11.99).
Editorial Note: Ellen Greene Stewart is the author of three previous non-fiction books and numerous articles inpeer-reviewed journals. She has also volunteered at the Knysna Elephant Park several times and is completely passionateabout elephants and their welfare.
Mammals of Ohio
John D. Harder, author
Guy N. Cameron, author
Ohio University Press
215 Columbus Road, Suite 101, Athens, OH 45701
www.ohioswallow.com
9780821424636, $39.95, PB, 456pp
https://www.amazon.com/Mammals-Ohio-John-D-Harder/dp/0821424637
Synopsis: "Mammals of Ohio" is a comprehensive reference that illustrates how fifty-five species drawn from each of theseven orders of mammals in Ohio share modes of reproduction, locomotion, and nutrition, providing a framework forunderstanding the fascinating world of mammalian biology. Presentations of natural history in each account of the variousspecies are enhanced with descriptions of intriguing adaptations for avoiding demise from predators, food shortages, andthe frigid conditions of Ohio winters. "Mammals of Ohio" is richly illustrated with range maps, exquisite skull drawings,beautiful photography, and engaging artwork.
Challenges to wildlife conservation are considerable in Ohio, with its vast industrialized urban centers distributed across alargely agricultural landscape. With frequent citations of scientific reports and conservation efforts of the Ohio Division ofWildlife and of other public and private entities, this book instills an appreciation for the rich mammalian fauna of Ohio, aswell as knowledge on how to join efforts to protect it.
Covering all of the state's mammals, from tiny, obscure shrews to the magnificent white-tailed deer, "Mammals of Ohio" isa definitive resource for professional biologists and students. The narrative style throughout this compendium ofmammalian wildlife is fully accessible, providing the general reader with an appreciation for the full scope of the richmammalian diversity in the state.
Critique: Enhanced with the pen-and-ink artwork of Suellen Jacob and maps by Anthony Mosinski, "Mammals of Ohio" isthe impressive work of Professors and Ohio wildlife experts John D. Harder and Guy N. Cameron. Exceptionally wellwritten, illustrated, organized and presented, "Mammals of Ohio" was created with the cooperation of the Ohio Division ofWildlife and the Ohio Department of Natural Resources. A sterling study of meticulous scholarship, "Mammals of Ohio"could well serve as a template for similar studies in other states and is unreservedly recommended for Ohio's community,college, and university library Wildlife Studies collections and supplemental studies curriculums. It should be noted forstudents, academia, and non-specialist readers with an interest in the subject that "Mammals of Ohio" is also readilyavailable for personal reading lists in a digital book format (Kindle, $36.45).
Editorial Note #1: John D. Harder is associate professor emeritus in evolution, ecology, and organismal biology at TheOhio State University, where he taught upper-division courses in mammalogy and conservation biology. His research onthe reproductive biology and ecology of mammals has focused on marsupials and involved field studies in Ohio,Venezuela, and Amazonian Peru.
Editorial Note #2: Guy N. Cameron is professor emeritus and former head of biological sciences at the University ofCincinnati, where he taught courses in ecology, population biology, and ecological techniques. He is the former presidentof the American Society of Mammalogists and the Texas Mammal Society. His research focuses on rodents in the US andMexico, but he also studies invasive plants, the impact of tornados on forests, and nutritional ecology.
The Archaeology Shelf
Coilin O. Drisceoff, author
Aidan Walsh, author
Wordwell Books
c/o Casemate Publishers
1940 Lawrence Road, Havertown, PA 19083
www.casematepublishers.com
9781916291270, $35.00, HC, 232pp
https://www.amazon.com/Materialising-Power-archaeology-Black-Monaghan/dp/1916291279
Synopsis: Focusing on the archaeology of the Black Pig's Dyke, Co. Monaghan, Ireland, "Materialising Power" by the teamof Coilin O. Drisceoff and Aidan Walsh is a richly illustrated volume that offers a fresh perspective on linear earthworks,perhaps the most enigmatic and neglected of all of Ireland's prehistoric field monuments.
Focusing on one of the best-preserved and largest examples of the monument type in Europe, the renowned Black Pig'sDyke in County Monaghan (named from a folk-tale that describes how the earthworks were torn into the landscape by theangry marauding of a giant mythical schoolteacher-turned-pig) "Materialising Power" integrate the results of excavationsundertaken by Aidan Walsh in 1982 with new surveys and scientific dating to present a radical reassessment of thechronological and physical development of the monument and its environmental and archaeological setting.
Critique: Of immense and particular interest to student and practicing archeologists, "Materialising Power" is animpressively informative and exceptionally well organized and presented study that is enhanced for the reader with awealth of illustrations, tables, a list of abbreviations, a listing of contributors and their credentials, two appendices(Possible additional prehistoric linear earthworks in Ireland & Stratigraphy at Aghareagh West), a twenty-pagebibliography, and a thirteen page index. Uncommonly informative, "Materialising Power" is especially and unreservedlyrecommended addition to professional, college, and university library Archaeology collections and supplementalcurriculum studies lists.
Editorial Note #1: Coilin O Drisceoil is the director of the Black Pig's Dyke Regional Project and the managing director ofKilkenny Archaeology, archaeological consultants. He is co-editor of the book William Marshal and Ireland (Four CourtsPress, 2017).
Editorial Note #2: Aidan Walsh, curator and archaeologist, was the formative curator of the award-winning MonaghanCounty Museum. He directed the excavation on the Black Pig's Dyke at Aghareagh West (1982) which forms the core ofthis monograph.
The Military Shelf
Eberhard Baumgart, author
Eva Burke, translator
Greenhill Books
c/o Pen & Sword Books
https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk
www.casematepublishers.com
9781784387112, $29.95, HC, 208pp
https://www.amazon.com/Battle-Halbe-1945-Eyewitness-Accounts/dp/1784387118
Synopsis: In April 1945, German troops withdrawing from the Seelow Heights were encircled by the Soviet Army near thesmall town of Halbe, south-east of Berlin. Rather than surrender, their orders were to attempt to break out, westward, andjoin up with the German 12th Army. A brutal battle ensued, with an estimated 30,000 German and 20,000 Russian soldierskilled, along with thousands of civilians.
Compiled and presented by Eberhard Baumgart (who served with th German forces fighting to escape from ther HalbePocket in 1945), "The Battle of Halbe, 1945: Eyewitness Accounts from Hell's Cauldron" is collection of first-handaccounts telling the story of the battle and its aftermath from the German perspective. It is an eclectic mix, containing therecollections of ordinary soldiers, SS-men and men of the Panzer Divisions, as well as civilians caught up in the battle asthey attempted to flee ahead of the advancing armies. It brings to life the grim realities of this one-sided engagement,revealing the brutal vengeance of the Soviets and the desperation of the Germans to escape the slaughter.
Critique: Ably translated into English for the first time by Eva Burke, "The Battle of Halbe, 1945: Eyewitness Accountsfrom Hell's Cauldron" provides important and informative insights into this devastating and little-known aspect of WorldWar II history. An inherently fascinating and memorable read, "The Battle of Halbe, 1945: Eyewitness Accounts fromHell's Cauldron" must be regarded as an essential and valued addition to community, college, and university library WorldWar II histories. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of students, academia, dedicated military history buffs,and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "The Battle of Halbe, 1945: Eyewitness Accountsfrom Hell's Cauldron" is also available in an inexpensive digital book format (Kindle, $0.99).
SOG: A Photo History of the Secret Wars
John L. Plaster
Casemate Publishers
1940 Lawrence Road, Havertown, PA 19083
www.casematepublishers.com
9781636240848, $49.95, HC, 456pp
https://www.amazon.com/SOG-Photo-History-Secret-Wars/dp/1636240844
Synopsis: In 1972 the U.S. military destroyed all known photos of the top-secret Studies and Observations Group, with theintention that details could never be made public. But unknown to those in charge, SOG veterans had brought back withthem hundreds of photographs of SOG in action and would keep them secret for more than three decades.
In this new edition of "SOG: A Photo History of the Secret Wars" by John L. Plaster, more than 700 irreplaceable photosbring to life the stories of SOG legends Larry Thorne, Bob Howard, Dick Meadows, George Sisler, "Q" and others, anddocument what really happened deep inside enemy territory: Operation Tailwind, the Son Tay raid, SOG's defense of KheSanh, Hatchet Force operations, Bright Light rescues, HALO insertions, string extractions, SOG's darkest programs andmuch more.
Critique: With the publication of this new edition of "SOG: A Photo History of the Secret Wars" in a large coffee-tablestyle volume (8 x 10 inches), military historians, military history buffs, academia, and non-specialist general readers withan interest in the Viet Nam war are given an informative and memorable access to information sought to be suppressedfrom the American public by military brass and the Johnson administration. Profusely illustrated with both color andblack/white photography in support of an impressively informative commentary, "SOG: A Photo History of the SecretWars" must be considered a high priority and essential addition to personal, professional, community, college, anduniversity library pictorial 20th Century American Military History collections in general, and Vietnam War archives andsupplemental curriculum studies lists in particular.
Editorial Note: Major John L. Plaster, USAR (Ret.), served three 1-year tours in Southeast Asia with the top secret SpecialForces covert operations unit, MACV-SOG. Qualified as a paratrooper and a Green Beret weapons and communicationsNCO, he led intelligence-gathering recon teams deep behind enemy lines in Laos and Cambodia on the Ho Chi Minh Trail.Leaving Vietnam as a staff sergeant, due to his extensive combat experience he received a direct commission as a reserveofficer. Under the GI Bill he attended the University of Minnesota, earning a Bachelor's Degree in Journalism. In 1983 heco-founded the National Guard Sniper School which quickly became a major national training program, instructinghundreds of students from all military services and many law enforcement agencies, including the FBI, the U.S. CustomsService, Royal Canadian Mounted Police and Spanish Foreign Legion. After retirement he continued to instruct for policeagencies. He twice served as the Chief of Competition for the U.S. and European Military and Police SnipingChampionships, personally designing the targets and running the matches. In addition to guest lecturing at various SpecialOperations schools and the U.S. Army's Command & General Staff College, he has authored a number of books.
The Autism Shelf
Toni Flowers
Future Horizons, Inc.
107 W. Randol Mill Road, Suite 100, Arlington, TX 76011
www.fhautism.com
9781885477231, $19.95, PB, 100pp
https://www.amazon.com/Reaching-Child-Autism-Through-Art/dp/1885477236
Synopsis: It is well known among education professionals that the arts are often underestimated when it comes toeducation. But author and educator Toni Flowers knows that art encourages communication, positive self-image, conceptdevelopment, spatial relationships, fine-motor skills, and many more facets of healthy child development.
With the publication of "Reaching the Child with Autism Through Art", Flowers provides dozens of artistic activities(called "experiences") that will delight children with autism. Notes on each activity page offer helpful dos and don'ts, alongwith many real-life experiences she has encountered over the years she has worked with children on each activity.
"Reaching the Child with Autism Through Art" will enable teachers, parents and care givers to provide autistic children inwith fun opportunities to express themselves!
Critique: Of special note are the sections specifically devoted to an autistic child experiencing the creation of a collage,painting, playing, and sculpture. Comprised of easy to follow lessons plans that include Objectives, Choices, Implements,Surfaces, Suggested Directions, and helpful Notes, "Reaching the Child with Autism Through Art" is especiallyrecommended for classroom educator, school district, college, and university library Autism Education collections andsupplemental studies curriculum lists.
Editorial Note: Toni Flowers was awarded Teacher of the Year by the Autism Society of America in 1989. She has morethan 25 years of experience working with individuals with Autism. She is currently a special education administrator insouthern Indiana.
The Technology Shelf
Weisheng Lu, editor
Chimay J. Anumba, editor
Edward Elgar Publishing
9 Dewey Court, Northampton, MA 01060-3815
www.e-elgar.com
9781839105517, $380.00, HC, 768pp
https://www.amazon.com/Research-Companion-Information-Companions-Environment/dp/1839105518
Synopsis: Offering critical insights to the state-of-the-art in Building Information Modeling (BIM) research anddevelopment, "Research Companion to Building Information Modeling" outlines the prospects and challenges for the fieldin this era of digital revolution. Analysing the contributions of BIM across the construction industry, it provides acomprehensive survey of global BIM practices.
Accessible and thorough, the chapters comprising "Research Companion to Building Information Modeling" explore thetheory behind and facilitators of BIM, covering knowledge management around BIM, the development of ontologies andlanguage in the area, holistic implementations, and BIM ecosystems. This comprehensive volume also further discusses thetechnological developments of BIM, including scan-to-BIM, 3D digital reconstruction and AI and robotics techniques.Critical analysis of BIM-enabled construction and engineering management innovations are also examined, highlightingprospects and challenges in the area.
"Research Companion to Building Information Modeling" is critically important reading for engineering, constructionmanagement and architecture students looking for a comprehensive study of BIM. It will also be beneficial to practitionersworking in the Architecture, Engineering, Construction, Owner & Operation (AECOO) industry wanting a betterunderstanding of the benefits and future developments of BIM.
Critique: Knowledgeably compiled and deftly co-edited by Weisheng Lu (Professor, Department of Real Estate andConstruction, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR) and Chimay J. Anumba (Professor and Dean, College ofDesign, Construction, and Planning, University of Florida), "Research Companion to Building Information Modeling" iscomprised of thirty-five informative articles by experts in the field and must be considered an essential curriculumtextbook for professional, college and university level Engineering Project Management, Technical Project Management,and Civil Engineering curriculums.
The Music Shelf
Kenneth Partridge
Penn State University Press
820 North University Drive, University Park, PA 16802-1003
www.psupress.org
9780271090382, $24.95, HC, 280pp
https://www.amazon.com/Hell-Hat-Swing-American-History/dp/0271090383
Synopsis: In the late '90s, third-wave Ska broke across the American alternative music scene like a tsunami. In sweatyclubs across the nation, kids danced themselves dehydrated to the peppy rhythms and punchy horns of bands like TheMighty Mighty Bosstones and Reel Big Fish. As Ska caught fire, a swing revival brought even more sharp-dressed,brass-packing bands to national attention.
"Hell of a Hat: The Rise of '90s Ska and Swing" by Kenneth Partridge dives deep into this unique musical moment.
Prior to invading the Billboard charts and MTV, Ska thrived from Orange County, California, to NYC, where Moon SkaRecords had eager rude girls and boys snapping up every release. On the swing tip, retro pioneers like Royal Crown Revuehad fans doing the jump, jive, and wail long before The Brian Setzer Orchestra resurrected the Louis Prima joint.
Drawing on interviews with heavyweights like the Bosstones, Sublime, Less Than Jake, and Cherry Poppin' Daddies (aswell as underground heroes like Mustard Plug, The Slackers, Hepcat, and The New Morty Show) Partridge argues that therelative economic prosperity and general optimism of the late '90s created the perfect environment for fast, danceablemusic that (with some notable exceptions) tended to avoid political commentary.
An homage to a time when plaids and skan*in' were king and doing the jitterbug in your best suit was so money, "Hell of aHat" offers an inside look at '90s Ska, Swing, and the loud noises of an era when America was dreaming and didn't evenknow it.
Critique: As inherently fascinating as it is rock solid informative, "Hell of a Hat: The Rise of '90s Ska and Swing" is anideal introduction to a decade of American Music History that is just now beginning to be appreciated by academia and forthe now aging generation for which it is musical nostalgia of their youth. A ground breaking work of original andmeticulous scholarship that is also available for personal reading lists in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99), "Hell of aHat: The Rise of '90s Ska and Swing" is an especially and unreservedly recommended addition to personal, community,college, and university library 20th Century American Music History collections.
Editorial Note: Kenneth Partridge is a music and pop-culture journalist based in Brooklyn, New York. He has written forpublications such as Billboard, The AV Club, Pitchfork, The Atlantic, Refinery 29, and Genius, where he is a managingeditor.
The Philosophy Shelf
Christian Cotton and Andrew M. Winters, Editors
Carus Books
www.carusbooks.com
9781637700044, $19.95
https://www.amazon.com/Genesis-Evangelion-Philosophy-Popular-Culture/dp/1637700040
Neon Genesis Evangelion and Philosophy: That Syncing Feeling is the second volume in the Pop Culture and Philosophyseries edited by George A. Reisch connecting philosophy to popular TV and film. This book surveys the philosophy of ananime show that focuses on teens who defend Earth from destruction by Angels. While familiarity with this show andpreferably an interest in its popularity will lend special appreciation to this survey. Anyone interested in how modernphilosophy operates in pop culture and in media will find these discussions intriguing. From how reality is perceiveddifferently by different people to divine philosophy and representation, this book holds many inviting discussionsphilosophy classes and media studies students alike will find relevant and intriguing.
The Wisconsin Shelf
John A. Cross, author
Kazimierz J. Zaniewski, author
University of Wisconsin Press
728 State Street, Suite 443, Madison, WI 53706-1418
www.uwpress.wisc.edu
9780299335502, $39.95, HC, 472pp
https://www.amazon.com/Geography-Wisconsin-John-Cross/dp/029933550X
Synopsis: Co-authored by tow University of Wisconsin emeritus professors of geography, John A. Corss and Kazimierz J.Zaniewski, "The Geography of Wisconsin" is an accessible survey of Wisconsin geography is sure to delight scholars,students, and enthusiasts alike. A beautiful array of nearly 250 photographs and easy-to-read maps illustrate keygeographical concepts and structures, such as: Physical features including bedrock geology, glaciation, landforms, soils,climate, and vegetation; Cultural landscapes including population density, ethnic populations, demographics, and politicalaffiliations; Economic activity including agriculture, forestry, mining, manufacturing, transportation, recreation, andtourism.
Aware that geography is shaped as much by settlement patterns and people as by geology and weather, Professors John A.Cross and Kazimierz J. Zaniewski have created an up-to-date and authoritative overview of the Dairy State's lands and life.It is clear that "The Geography of Wisconsin" will remain a valuable personal, professional, and academic reference fordecades to come.
Critique: Profusely and beautifully illustrated throughout, "The Geography of Wisconsin" is enhanced for the reader withthe inclusion of numerous Tables and Figures, making it impressively comprehensive, exhaustively informative,exceptionally well organized, and throughly 'reader friendly' in presentation. Simply stated, "The Geography of Wisconsin"is an absolutely essential, unique, and unreservedly addition to community, college, and university library Wisconsingeography and history collections.
Editorial Note #1: The recipient of a National Science Foundation grant, John A. Cross is emeritus professor of geographyat the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh. He is also the author of "Ethnic Landscapes of America" and has publishedwidely on topics related to the geography of Wisconsin.
Editorial Note #2: Kazimierz J. Zaniewski is emeritus professor of geography at the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh. Hisco-authored books include "World Regional Geography", "The Internationalization of European Sports Teams and theIssue of National Citizenship", and "Atlas of Ethnic of Diversity in Wisconsin".
The Criminology Shelf
Nate Hendley
The Dundurn Group
3 Church Street, Suite 500, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, M5E 1M2
www.dundurn.com
9781459748101, $18.99, PB, 216pp
https://www.amazon.com/Beatle-Bandit-Nate-Hendley/dp/1459748107
Synopsis: The intelligent but troubled son of a businessman and mentally ill mother, twenty-four-year-old Matthew KerrySmith was a navy veteran with a young Indigenous wife and a hazy plan for violent revolution. On July 24, 1964, Smithdisguised himself with a mask and a Beatle wig, hoisted a semi-automatic rifle, then held up a bank in North York,Ontario.
Outside the bank, Smith was confronted by Jack Blanc, a former member of the Canadian and Israeli armies, whobrandished a revolver. During a wild shootout, Blanc was killed, and Smith escaped -- only to become the object of thelargest manhunt in the history of the Metropolitan Toronto Police Force.
Dubbed "The Beatle Bandit," Smith was eventually captured, tried, and sentenced to hang. His murderous rampage hadtragic consequences for multiple families and fueled a national debate about the death penalty, gun control, and the insanitydefense.
Critique: An absorbing true life story that reads with all the drama of a fiction novel, "The Beatle Bandit: A Serial BankRobber's Deadly Heist, a Cross-Country Manhunt, and the Insanity Plea that Shook the Nation" by journalist and authorNate Hendley is a compelling and informative read from cover to cover. Of special interest to readers with an interest inTrue Crime, "The Beatle Bandit" is an especially recommended addition to community, college, and university libraryCriminology collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "The Beatle Bandit" is also available in a digitalbook format (Kindle, $9.99).
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