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Internet Bookwatch

Volume 30, Number 4 April 2020 Home | IBW Index

Table of Contents

Reviewer's Choice Writing/Publishing Shelf Health/Medicine Shelf
Science Shelf Education Shelf Psychology Shelf
General Fiction Shelf Romantic Fiction Shelf Western Fiction Shelf
Mystery/Suspense Shelf Fantasy/SciFi Shelf Theatre/Cinema/TV Shelf
Military Shelf Art Shelf Environmental Studies Shelf
American History Shelf World History Shelf Civil War Shelf
Literary Studies Shelf Computer Shelf Pets/Wildlife Shelf
Agriculture Shelf Technology Shelf Political Science Shelf
Biography Shelf Travel Shelf Parenting Shelf
Library Science Shelf Money/Finance Shelf Anthropology Shelf
Gardening Shelf Architecture Shelf Music Shelf
Graphic Novel Shelf Audiobook Shelf Library CD Shelf
DVD Shelf Martial Arts Shelf Business Shelf
Christian Studies Shelf Judaic Studies Shelf Islamic Studies Shelf
Photography Shelf Needlecraft Shelf Poetry Shelf
Self-Help Shelf Cookbook Shelf Metaphysical Studies Shelf
Fishing Shelf Religion/Spirituality Shelf Terrorism Studies Shelf


Reviewer's Choice


Six Weeks to Zero Waste
Kate Arnell
GAIA
c/o Octopus Books
www.octopusbooksusa.com
9781856754118, $16.99

Six Weeks to Zero Waste: A Simple Plan for Life provides a step-by-step survey of converting one's world to a zero-waste lifestyle. Plenty of books advocate recycling and many offer tips, but eco blogger Kate Arnell's goal is to reinforce waste-free living entirely, and cements this purpose with a six-week plan that can be followed as easily as choosing reusable water bottles, considering packaging when shopping, and revising cleaning practices to reduce laundry and reliance on environmentally harsh cleaning products. From a bar of soap to reusable ear picks, all kinds of products factor into these goals and the ultimate zero waste objective, making for a thought-provoking blueprint for anyone who would tackle and change their daily
waste-producing habits.

The Smartphone Society
Nicole Aschoff
Beacon Press
24 Farnsworth Street, Boston, MA 02210
www.beacon.org
9780807061688, $25.95, HC, 216pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: Our smartphones have brought digital technology into the most intimate spheres of life. It is now time to take control of them, repurposing them as pathways to a democratically designed and maintained digital commons that prioritizes people over profit.

Smartphones have appeared everywhere seemingly overnight: since the first iPhone was released, in 2007, the number of smartphone users has skyrocketed to over two billion. Smartphones have allowed users to connect worldwide in a way that was previously impossible, created communities across continents, and provided platforms for global justice movements. However, the rise of smartphones has led to corporations using consumers' personal data for profit, unmonitored surveillance, and digital monopolies like Google, Facebook, and Amazon that have garnered control over our social, political, and economic landscapes.

But people are using their smartphones to fight back. New modes of resistance are emerging, signaling the possibility that our pocket computers could be harnessed for the benefit of people, not profit. From helping to organize protests against the US-Mexico border wall through Twitter to being used to report police brutality through Facebook Live, smartphones open a door for collective change.

Critique: Enhanced for academia with the inclusion of a fourteen page bibliography of Works Cited, fourteen pages of Notes, and an eleven page Index, "The Smartphone Society: Technology, Power, and Resistance in the New Gilded Age" is an extraordinary and seminal work of meticulous scholarship combined with insightful social/cultural commentary with respect to the impact of the 'SmartPhone' on the American public. "The Smartphone Society" is especially recommended for community, college, and university library collections in general, and supplemental curriculum studies lists for the Social Aspects of Technology, Computer Hacking, and the Politics of Privacy & Surveillance in particular. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of students, academia, social/political activists, and non-specialist general members with an interest in the subject that "The Smartphone Society" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $15.99).

Editorial Note: Nicole Aschoff is the editor at large at Jacobin magazine, where she writes about capitalism, technology, and labor. Her writing has also appeared in the Guardian, the Nation, Dissent, and Al Jazeera. Aschoff is also the author of The New Prophets of Capital, and she contributes frequently to podcasts, radio shows, and documentaries about corporate power. Aschoff received her PhD in sociology from Johns Hopkins University and previously taught at Boston University. She maintains a website at www.nicholeaschoff.com and can be contacted on Twitter (@NicoleAschoff).

Shakespeare's First Reader
Jason Scott-Warren
University of Pennsylvania Press
3905 Spruce Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104-4112
www.upenn.edu/pennpress
9780812251456, $45.00, HC, 344pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: The man known as Richard Stonley has all but vanished from history, but to his contemporaries he would have been an enviable figure. A clerk of the Exchequer for more than four decades under Mary Tudor and Elizabeth I, he rose from obscure origins to a life of opulence; his job, a secure bureaucratic post with a guaranteed income, was the kind of which many men dreamed. Vast sums of money passed through his hands, some of which he used to engage in money lending and land speculation. He also bought books, lots of them, amassing one of the largest libraries in early modern London.

In 1597, all of this was brought to a halt when Stonley, aged around seventy-seven, was incarcerated in the Fleet Prison, convicted of embezzling the spectacular sum of 13,000 British pounds from the Exchequer. His property was sold off, and an inventory was made of his house on Aldersgate Street. This provides our most detailed guide to his lost library. By chance, we also have three handwritten volumes of accounts, in which he earlier itemized his spending on food, clothing, travel, and books. It is here that we learn that on June 12, 1593, he bought "the Venus & Adhonay per Shakspere" -- the earliest known record of a purchase of Shakespeare's first publication.

In "Shakespeare's First Reader: The Paper Trails of Richard Stonley", Jason Scott-Warren (who is a Reader in Early Modern Literature and Culture at the University of Cambridge and a fellow of Gonville and Caius College) sets Stonley's journals and inventories of goods alongside a wealth of archival evidence to put his life and library back together again. He shows how Stonley's books were integral to the material worlds he inhabited and the social networks he formed with communities of merchants, printers, recusants, and spies.

Through a combination of book history and biography, "Shakespeare's First Reader" provides a compelling "bio-bibliography" -- the story of how one early modern gentleman lived in and through his library.

Critique: An inherently fascinating and impressively informative study of meticulous, detailed, and documented scholarship, "Shakespeare's First Reader: The Paper Trails of Richard Stonley" is a unique and unreservedly recommended addition to community, college, and university library Literary Studies collections. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of students, academia, dedicated bibliophiles, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "Shakespeare's First Reader" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $42.50).

Job Man: My Life in Professional Wrestling
Chris Multerer & Larry Widen
Wisconsin Historical Society Press
816 State Street, Madison, WI 53575
www.wisconsinhistory.org
9780870209253, $20.00, PB, 168pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: Milwaukee-native Chris Multerer wrestled for more than a decade, starting in 1978, on professional circuits around the United States. As a "job man", Multerer made the superstars of wrestling, such as Mad Dog Vachon and Hulk Hogan, shine. In cities around the country, thousands of screaming fans cheered when their favorite wrestlers pinned and punished Multerer in a variety of painful ways.

In "Job Man: My Life in Professional Wrestling", Multerer, along with his friend Larry Widen, shows what life was like for wrestlers outside the spotlight. Long nights on the road, thoughtful takes on some the biggest personalities in the business, and, perhaps most of all, a love for the sport, are as much a part of Multerer's revealing and remarkable story as his time in the ring.

Critique: An inherently fascinating and engagingly informative read from first page to last, "Job Man: My Life in Professional Wrestling" is an extraordinary and unreservedly recommended addition to both community and academic library Contemporary American Biography collections. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of all dedicated wrestling fans that "Job Man: My Life in Professional Wrestling" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).

Editorial Note: Chris Multerer is a retired professional wrestler. He worked for the American Wrestling Association and the World Wrestling Federation. As a "job man", or a wrestler trained to perform alongside the headliners, Multerer appeared live and on television with superstars such as Hulk Hogan. He has run a professional training camp, and supervised the wrestling choreography in the play Luchadora!

Larry Widen is a Milwaukee author and has been friends with Chris Multerer for more than forty years.

RuPaul: In His Own Words
Rachel Hinton & Helena Hunt, editors
Agate B2
c/o Agate Publishing
1328 Greenleaf Street, Evanston, IL 60202
www.agatepublishing.com
9781572842793, $12.95, PB, 224pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: RuPaul Andre Charles (born November 17, 1960) is an American drag queen, actor, model, singer, songwriter, and television personality. Since 2009, he has produced and hosted the reality competition series RuPaul's Drag Race, for which he has received six Primetime Emmy Awards, in 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2019. RuPaul is considered to be the most commercially successful drag queen in the United States. In 2017, he was included in the annual Time 100 list of the most influential people in the world. In 2019, Fortune noted RuPaul as "easily the world's most famous" drag queen. (Wikipedia)

Collaboratively compiled and co-edited by Rachel Hinton and Helena Hunt, "RuPaul: In His Own Words" is an impressive collection of quotes has been carefully curated from RuPaul's numerous public statements including interviews, books, social media posts, television appearances, and more. "RuPaul: In His Own Words" provides a comprehensive picture of his decades-long career, his transformative effect on pop culture, and his wise perspective on identity, love, and life.

Critique: Simply speaking, "RuPaul: In His Own Words" is essential reading for the legions of RuPaul fans and will prove to be an immediate and enduringly popular addition to community, college, and university library collections. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of all dedicated RuPaul fans that "RuPaul: In His Own Words" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.97). Now, for the first time, you can find his most inspirational, thought-provoking quotes in one place.


The Writing/Publishing Shelf

Writer's Notebook: A Guided Journal to Plan Your Story
Liz Delton
www.lizdelton.com
Tourmaline & Quartz Publishing
9781734523102, $11.95, PB, 126pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: "Writer's Notebook: A Guided Journal to Plan Your Story" by Liz Delton is specifically intended for anyone who has ever wanted to write a book. It will also have practical value for experienced writers engaged in starting their next story.

Aspiring authors can get their thoughts on paper by writing all your story ideas in this pre-organized journal. This notebook is part blank journal, part guided story planner. There's plenty of room for to customize notes, and enough guidance to help figure out plot, characters, and publishing goals.

Critique: A consumable instructional guide and thoroughly 'user friendly' DIY manual, "Writer's Notebook: A Guided Journal to Plan Your Story " is an especially recommended and highly valued addition to any writer's personal reference shelf.

Editorial Note: Liz Delton writes and lives in New England, with her husband and amazing son. She studied Theater Management at the University of the Arts in Philly, always having enjoyed the backstage life of storytelling. She loves reading and writing fantasy, especially the kind with alternate worlds. Liz is the author of the Arcera Trilogy, and the Realm of Camellia series. World-building is her favorite part of writing, and she is always dreaming up new fantastic places.

The Write to Happiness
Samantha Shad
Morgan James Publishing
11815 Fountain Way, Suite 300, Newport News, VA 23606-4448
www.morganjamespublishing.com
9781642798098, $17.95, PB, 288pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: What happens when aspiring writers compose stories? Neuro science reveals that writing stories transforms their brains and their minds.

"The Write to Happiness: How to Write Stories to Change Your Brain and Your Life" by Samantha Shad is an impressively practical tool that can help writers to change their lives in the direction they choose. In this strikingly original writing manual, Samantha Shad teaches aspiring writers not only how to write great stories, but also how writing will change their life for the better.

The process of changing the brain and the process of writing a great story are the same. "The Write to Happiness" teaches professional story structure to help writers to understand and use the power of storytelling. Those writers will also learn why gossip is central to survival, how forgetting creates meaning, and why accurate memory is a joke!

Critique: Effective storytelling is at the heart of any writer's success in both fiction and non- fiction. "The Write to Happiness: How to Write Stories to Change Your Brain and Your Life" should be considered essential reading for anyone seeking to write either for their own personal and private benefit or for publication and the benefit or entertainment of others. While unreservedly recommended for personal, professional, community, and academic library Writing/Publishing collections, it should be noted that "The Write to Happiness: How to Write Stories to Change Your Brain and Your Life" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).

Editorial Note: Samantha Shad was a member of the bar in three states and a practicing entertainment attorney in Beverly Hills before she turned her attention to screenwriting. She wrote twenty feature film scripts for the major studios, including Class Action (Twentieth Century Fox), as well as feature length and episodic television for each of the major networks, including the movie Vanished Without A Trace (NBC-Universal). Each story increased the joy in her life. She learned how to write her story to right her life. She now teaches advanced writing and leads seminars on how to Write to Happiness.

The Public Relations Writer's Handbook
Whitney Lehmann
Routledge
711 - 3rd Avenue, Floor 8, New York, NY 10017-9209
www.routledge.com
9780815365297, $155.00, HC, 202pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: From pitches and press releases to news and feature stories to social media writing and more, "The Public Relations Writer's Handbook" is a new book by author and communications expert Whitney Lehmann, along with a handful of experienced contributors that breaks down the most widely used types of public relations writing needed to become a PR pro.

"The Public Relations Writer's Handbook" serves as a guide for those both in the classroom and in the field who want to learn, and master, the style and techniques of public relations writing. Eighteen conversational chapters provide an overview of the most popular forms of public relations writing, focusing on media relations, storytelling, writing for the web/social media, business and executive communications, event planning and more. Chapters include user-friendly writing templates, exercises and AP Style skill drills and training.

A dedicated eResource also supports the book, with writing templates and answer keys (for instructors) to the end-of-chapter exercises in the text. www.routledge.com/9780815365280.

Critique: Offering a complete and comprehensive instruction manual and guide, "The Public Relations Writer's Handbook" is particularly recommended to the addition of PR majors and/or PR practitioners. While unreservedly recommended for personal, professional, community, corporate, college, and university library Writing/Publishing collections in general, and Public Relations curriculum supplemental studies lists in particular. It should be noted for students, academia, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "The Public Relations Writer's Handbook" is also readily available in a paperback edition ( 9780815365280, $64.95) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $61.70).

Editorial Note: Whitney Lehmann, Ph.D., APR, is an assistant professor of communication in the Department of Writing and Communication at Nova Southeastern University, USA. Her industry experience includes working for Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, Miami International Airport, Barry University and the Miami Herald.

The Author's Checklist
Elizabeth K. Kracht
New World Library
14 Pamaron Way, Novato, CA 94949
www.newworldlibrary.com
9781608686629, $15.95, PB, 240pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: The bad news for all aspiring writers seeking publication is that even really good manuscripts can have weak spots that are enough to garner rejections from agents and publishers. The good news is that most of these commonly encountered problems are easy to fix once the writer sees and understands them.

After several years of evaluating manuscripts, literary agent Elizabeth Kracht noticed that many submissions had similar problems, so she began to make a list of the pitfalls. "The Author's Checklist: An Agent's Guide to Developing and Editing Your Manuscript" is comprised of her short, easy-to-implement bites of advice, illustrated by inspiring (and cautionary) real-world examples. Most aspiring authors yearn for a friend in book publishing -- "The Author's Checklist" is just that!

Critique: A critically important instructional resource that should be considered essential reading for any writer (especially self-published authors) seeking publication of their work, "The Author's Checklist: An Agent's Guide to Developing and Editing Your Manuscript" is impressively well organized and thoroughly 'user friendly' in presentation. While especially and unreservedly recommended for both community and academic library Writing/Publishing instructional reference collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "The Author's Checklist" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).


The Health/Medicine Shelf

The Little Book of Doctors' Rules
Clifton K. Meador, MD
Square One Publishers
115 Herricks Road, Garden City Park, NY 11040
www.squareonepublishers.com
9780757004933, $14.95, PB, 112pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: In "The Little Book of Doctors' Rules: A Practical Guide To The Art Of Healing", Dr. Clifton Meador draws on his nearly sixty-year medical career for nuggets of advice with both compassion and humor. Although there may not be a defined medical disease behind every physical symptom, Dr. Meador reminds us that the reason behind a symptom may be found if a doctor observes and listens carefully to a patient. He believes an effective physician treats a patient, not just a patient's disease.

"The Little Book of Doctors' Rules" offers insightful rules that address a host of topics, which include developing a rapport with patients, treating dementia, and prescribing drugs. Designed for any healthcare professional, these short rules are easily understood and (mostly) non-technical. Here is a small sampling of Dr. Meador's advice, from the sage and somber to the clever and sometimes controversial.

Critique: Expertly written, organized and presented, "The Little Book of Doctors' Rules: A Practical Guide To The Art Of Healing" should be considered mandatory reading by all medical students, practicing physicians, and other members of the medical profession. "The Little Book of Doctors' Rules" should be considered a core and unreservedly recommended addition to college and university medical school library Health/Medicine collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists.

Editorial Note: Clifton K. Meador, MD is a graduate of Vanderbilt University School of Medicine. He trained at Columbia Presbyterian Hospital in New York and at Vanderbilt Medical School, where he completed a NIH fellowship in endocrinology. After practicing medicine, he joined the faculty of medicine at University of Alabama School, where he was professor of medicine and then dean of the UAB School of Medicine from 1968 to 1973. He returned to Vanderbilt and Saint Thomas Hospital, serving as chief of medicine and chief medical officer of Saint Thomas Hospital from 1973 to 1998. He then served as the first executive director of the Meharry-Vanderbilt Alliance from 1999 to 2012. He is professor of medicine emeritus at both Vanderbilt School of Medicine and Meharry Medical College.

Plants for the People
Erin Lovell Verinder, author
Georgia Blackie, photographer
Thames & Hudson, Inc.
500 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10110-0017
www.thamesandhudsonusa.com
9781760760465, $29.95, HC, 208pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: Plants are our oldest source of medicine and a leading wellspring of our future cures. "Plants for the People: A Modern Guide to Plant Medicine by master herbalist Erin Lovell Verinder is a celebration of plants and an introduction to their healing powers. An exploration of the plant world, combined with expert advice, "Plants for the People" deftly weaves ancient traditional knowledge with a modern approach to plant medicine.

Including dozens of medicinal plants (ranging from aloe vera to turmeric), "Plants for the People" introduces readers to each plant's unique personality, story, characteristics, quirks, and strengths. "Plants for the People" also explains how to use these herbs in tinctures, teas, balms, essences, lotions, and more. From gathering to storing, "Plants for the People" is packed from cover to cover with captivating visuals and informative text that will give readers an insightful understanding of plant medicines.

"Plants for the People" is a basic herbal compendium that encourages readers to explore the world of plant medicine and expand their journey to health and wellness through nature's bounty.

Critique: Enhanced with 80 full color photographic illustrations by Georgia Blackie, "Plants for the People: A Modern Guide to Plant Medicine" is thoroughly 'reader friendly' in commentary, organization and presentation, making it an ideal and unreservedly recommended addition to personal, professional, community, college, and university library Health/Medicine collections in general, and Herbal Medicine supplemental studies reading lists in particular.

Editorial Note: Erin Lovell Verinder is an herbalist, nutritionist, energetic healer, mentor, wellness expert, and writer. She trained in America and Australia and has spent more than eighteen years walking the plant path, working with natural medicine to promote health and well-being. She has written for multiple online platforms and magazines, such as The Planthunter and Vogue Australia.

Lipoprotein (a), the Heart's Quiet Killer
Joel K. Kahn & Beverly Lynn Bennett
The Book Publishing Company
PO Box 99, Summertown, TN 38483
www.BookPubCo.com
9781570673870, $19.95, PB, 160pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: A cardiologist Joel Kahn draws upon his professional experience and expertise in "Lipoprotein (a), the Heart's Quiet Killer: A Diet & Lifestyle Guide" to create a breakthrough book on lipoprotein(a). An estimated one in five people have elevated levels of a type of cholesterol called lipoprotein(a) which can increase the risk for cardiovascular disease, including blocked arteries, blood clots, and stroke.

Dr. Kahn explains how this condition is a factor of genetics rather than poor lifestyle choices, pinpoints who needs to have their levels checked, and which types of tests to request. He also shares research that shows plant-based diets in general provide the best defense against heart attacks, strokes, and cardiovascular disease and can play an important role in protecting individuals with elevated lipoprotein(a) levels.

In "Lipoprotein (a), the Heart's Quiet Killer: A Diet & Lifestyle Guide" He has partnered with vegan expert Beverly Lynn Bennett who provides dozens of delicious, oil-free recipes that feature foods rich in the nutrients found to be the most protective for heart-health.

Critique: A combination medical manual and cookbook, "Lipoprotein (a), the Heart's Quiet Killer: A Diet & Lifestyle Guide" showcases beautifully and profusely illustrated recipes for 'heart healthy' dishes that will please any palate and satisfy any appetite. Exceptional in both organization and presentation, "Lipoprotein (a), the Heart's Quiet Killer: A Diet & Lifestyle Guide" is unreservedly recommended for personal and community library cookbook collections and a 'must' for anyone having to deal with cholesterol issues.

Exercises for Sciatica
William Smith, M.S., author
Wazim Buksh, MD, MPH, author
Hatherleigh Press
c/o The Hatherleigh Foundation
62545 State Highway 10, Hobart, NY 13788
www.hatherleighpress.com
9781578267880, $15.00, PB, 160pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: Defined as back or leg pain caused by irritation to the sciatic nerve, sciatica is a debilitating and painful condition that is only growing more prevalent with time. As lifestyles become more and more sedentary, cases of sciatica become more common which is why a complete lifestyle overhaul, one which includes targeted exercise routines aimed at easing sciatica symptoms is required to help individuals with this condition live their lives pain-free.

"Exercises for Sciatica: A Simple and Effective Self-Care Program for Pain Relief and the Treatment of Sciatica" works as an integrated part of any sciatic or piriformis syndrome treatment plan, optimizing mobility, increasing strength and minimizing pain, while providing lifestyle tips to keep you motivated and moving forward.

"Exercises for Sciatica" also includes: A detailed overview of how exercise can relieve common sciatica symptoms; Clear, informative pictures of safe, effective exercises; Detailed instructions on how to perform each movement; Information on sciatica life-hacks for relaxation and motivation; A complete fitness approach to restoring health and functionality.

Featuring expert-approved fitness techniques, with options ranging from resistance training to mobility movements to light strength exercises, "Exercises for Sciatica" is the all-in-one resource for anyone looking to take back control and live their best life.

Critique: Expertly and profusely illustrated, "Exercises for Sciatica: A Simple and Effective Self-Care Program for Pain Relief and the Treatment of Sciatica" is an ideal DIY instruction manual and guide that is especially commended to the attention of the non-specialist general reader having to deal with Sciatica as a health issue for themselves or a loved one. While unreservedly recommended for both community and academic library Health/Medicine collections, It should be noted for personal reading lists that "Exercises for Sciatica" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).

Editorial Note: William Smith, MS, NSCA, CSCS, MEPD, completed his B.S. in exercise science at Western Michigan University followed by a master's degree in education and a post-graduate program at Rutgers University. In 1993, Will began coaching triathletes and working with athletes and post-rehab clientele. He was a Division I Collegiate Strength Coach and has been competing in triathlons and marathons since 1998, recently finishing the Steelhead Half Ironman in Michigan in 5 hours and 22 minutes. Will founded Will Power and Fitness Associates and currently consults for fitness, healthcare, and wellness centers in New York and New Jersey.

Wazim Buksh, MD, MPH, CAQSM, is board certified in both sports medicine and internal medicine. He currently practices both specialties as the lead physician for Primary Care at Novartis, an Atlantic Health System's practice, in New Jersey. He has worked with the New York Jets and the athletic departments of Seton Hall and Drew Universities, respectively. In addition, he has provided sports coverage for a multitude of high schools in the New Jersey area. Dr. Buksh practices with a focus towards prevention.

Taking Action Against Clinician Burnout
National Academy of Medicine
National Academies Press
500 Fifth Street, NW, Washington, DC 20001
www.nap.edu
9780309495479, $75.00, PB, 334pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: Patient-centered, high-quality health care relies on the well-being, health, and safety of health care clinicians. However, alarmingly high rates of clinician burnout in the United States are detrimental to the quality of care being provided, harmful to individuals in the workforce, and costly. It is important to take a systemic approach to address burnout that focuses on the structure, organization, and culture of health care.

"Taking Action Against Clinician Burnout: A Systems Approach to Professional Well-Being" builds upon two groundbreaking reports from the past twenty years, To Err Is Human: Building a Safer Health System and Crossing the Quality Chasm: A New Health System for the 21st Century, which both called attention to the issues around patient safety and quality of care. This report explores the extent, consequences, and contributing factors of clinician burnout and provides a framework for a systems approach to clinician burnout and professional well-being, a research agenda to advance clinician well-being, and recommendations for the field.

Critique: A timely and much needed study in view of today's pandemic threat to every medical resource in the country, "Taking Action Against Clinician Burnout: A Systems Approach to Professional Well-Being" is an urgent and unreservedly recommended addition to college and university medical school library collections and would well served as a textbook for supplemental curriculum studies lists. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of medical students and practicing physicians that "Taking Action Against Clinician Burnout: A Systems Approach to Professional Well-Being" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $59.84).

Antimicrobial Stewardship for Nursing Practice
Molly Courtenay & Enrique Castro-Sanchez, editors
CABI
745 Atlantic Avenue, 8th Floor, Boston, MA 02111
https://www.cabi.org
9781789242690, $32.95, PB, 160pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: Drug-resistant infections are one of the greatest threats to human health, and with resistance on the rise, appropriate antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) is more important than ever. This book, written by nurses for nurses, provides a clear and concise approach to good practice in this vital area.

Expertly compiled and co-edited by Molly Courtenay (Cardiff University) and Enrique Castro- Sanchez, (Imperial College, London) and exploring all aspects of AMS, "Antimicrobial Stewardship for Nursing Practice" is underpinned by a competency framework endorsed by scientific and professional societies, including the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE). It explains the practices that ensure optimal use of antibiotics for the best clinical outcome, with both minimal toxicity to the patient and minimal impact on subsequent antimicrobial resistance.

The first book that is applied directly to antimicrobial stewardship for nurses, supports standards of proficiency for registered nurses, and can therefore be used by regulators and professional bodies to inform standards of proficiency and guidance, "Antimicrobial Stewardship for Nursing Practice" covers infection prevention and control, antimicrobial resistance, diagnosis of infection and appropriate antimicrobial use, patient engagement, collaboration between professions and how to implement AMS in nursing practice. Including learning tools such as objectives, practical case studies and questions throughout, as well as lecture slides, this book is an essential read for undergraduate nursing students and specialist nurses worldwide.

Critique: An essential and core addition to college and university library Health/Medicine collections, and an ideal textbook for nursing school curriculums, "Antimicrobial Stewardship for Nursing Practice" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $31.12) for the personal reading lists of medical students, nurses, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject.


The Science Shelf

IFL Science WTF Weird True Facts
Ripley Publishing
c/o Ripley Entertainment Inc.
7576 Kingspointe Pkwy - Suite 188, Orlando, FL 32819
https://www.ripleys.com/publishing
9781609913830, $19.99, PB, 192pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: It's weird. It's true. And in the pages of "IFL Science WTF Weird True Facts", the folks at Ripley's Believe It or Not! have created a remarkable and memorable compendium of odd and unusual facts.

Did you know that there may be mini black holes passing through Earth every day? Or that the secrets of digestion were discovered by testing on a gentleman who was curiously living with a 6-inch hole in his stomach? What if we told you the color pink isn't real? These are all Weird True Facts!

From the editors of Ripley's Believe It or Not! and IFL Science comes an unusual volume that will not only educate but entertain, giving a deeper approach to science and wonders of the world around us.

Critique: An inherently fascinating, informative, and entertaining read from beginning to end, "IFL Science WTF Weird True Facts" is an extraordinary and certain to be enduringly popular addition to personal, school and community library collections.

Editorial Note: Ripley's Believe It or Not! is globally renowned as the authority on the weird, the eccentric, and the amazing. Ripley's Believe It or Not! provides entertaining books for children of all ages which educates and informs them in a humorous style. Every day the researchers at Ripley's are busy digging up the craziest true stories and the most unbelievable facts.


The Education Shelf

What to Expect When You're Expected to Teach Gifted Students
Kari Lockhart
Prufrock Press
PO Box 8813, Waco, TX 76714-8813
www.prufrock.com
9781618219077, $22.95, PB, 140pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: "What to Expect When You're Expected to Teach Gifted Students: A Guide to the Celebrations, Surprises, Quirks, and Questions in Your First Year Teaching Gifted Learners" by Kari Lockhart is a practical, easy-to-read guide for classroom teachings that: Reviews expectations versus likely classroom realities that first-time gifted teachers may face; Includes real-world advice for navigating the joys, surprises, and frustrations; Addresses specific topics related to gifted education, including students' social-emotional needs: Includes considerations for choosing appropriate curricular materials and working with parents and families; Features ways to advocate for gifted and advanced programming and tips for continued professional learning.

In each individual chapter the reader will dive into issues that are frequently cited as challenges for new gifted teachers and emerge equipped with resources and strategies to build a successful classroom that meets the needs of high-ability students.

Critique: Exceptionally well organized and presented, "What to Expect When You're Expected to Teach Gifted Students" by Kari Lockhart is especially recommended to the attention of classroom teachers who are new or inexperienced with respect to the education of gifted students K-12 -- and should be a core acquisition for school district, college, and university library Teacher Education & In-Service Training instructional reference collections.

Editorial Note: Kari Lockhart has served the public education system for 10 years in a variety of roles, including gifted and talented teacher, campus coordinator, and district coordinator. She has a master's degree in educational psychology, focusing on gifted education, and is now pursuing a doctoral degree in the field.

Classroom Talk for Social Change
Melissa Schieble, Amy Vetter, Kahdeidra Monet Martin
Teachers College Press
1234 Amsterdam Avenue, New York, NY 10027
www.tcpress.com
9780807763490, $105.00, HC, 160pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: With "Classroom Talk for Social Change: Critical Conversations in English Language Arts", classroom teachers can learn how to foster critical conversations in English language arts classrooms. This guide encourages teachers to engage students in noticing and discussing harmful discourses about race, gender, and other identities.

"Classroom Talk for Social Change" take readers through a framework that includes knowledge about power, a critical learner stance, critical pedagogies, critical talk moves, and vulnerability. The text features in-depth classroom examples from six secondary English language arts classrooms. Each chapter offers specific ways in which teachers can begin and sustain critical conversations with their students, including the creation of teacher inquiry groups that use transcript analysis as a learning tool.

"Classroom Talk for Social Change" features: Strategies that educators can use to facilitate conversations about critical issues; In-depth classroom examples of teachers doing this work with their students; Questions, activities, and resources that foster self-reflection; Tools for engaging in transcript analysis of classroom conversations: Suggestions for developing inquiry groups focused on critical conversations.

Critique: Expertly organized and presented, "Classroom Talk for Social Change: Critical Conversations in English Language Arts" is an extraordinary and unreservedly recommended addition to school district, college, and university library Teacher Education collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists. It should be noted for student teachers, classroom instructors, education administrators, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "Classroom Talk for Social Change" is also readily available in a paperback edition (9780807763483, $34.95) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $34.95).

Editorial Note: Melissa Schieble is an associate professor of English education at Hunter College of the City University of New York. Amy Vetter is a professor in English education in the School of Education at the University of North Carolina Greensboro. Kahdeidra Monet Martin is a presidential research fellow and doctoral candidate in Urban Education at the Graduate Center of the City University of New York.

Achieving Equity in Gifted Programming
April Wells
Prufrock Press
PO Box 8813, Waco, TX 76714-8813
www.prufrock.com
9781618218773, $24.95, PB, 150pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: "Achieving Equity in Gifted Programming: Dismantling Barriers and Tapping Potential" offers practical, research-based programming implementations to increase equity in gifted education.

"Achieving Equity in Gifted Programming" also: Helps educators understand diverse learners' identification and needs; Calls educators to act in response to the disproportionate participation of diverse students in gifted programs; Builds off of research on talent development, cultural awareness, and social justice in education; Tasks educators with exploring their own implicit and explicit biases; Asks educators to focus on culturally responsive teaching.

Each individual chapter poses an opportunity for educators to address under representation and their own understanding of culturally, linguistically, and economically diverse learners. Under representation in gifted education can be addressed -- it does not have to go on in perpetuity.

Critique: Expertly organized and accessibly presented, "Achieving Equity in Gifted Programming: Dismantling Barriers and Tapping Potential" is an ideal instructional guide that would well serve as a curriculum textbook for school district in-service training programs, and is an essential, core addition to both college and university library Teacher Education collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "Achieving Equity in Gifted Programming" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $16.99).

Editorial Note: April Wells is a district administrator in the second largest school district in Illinois. She facilitated the comprehensive redesign of the district's gifted program. She believes advocacy is key to achieving equitable access for gifted learners.

The Principal Reboot
Jen Schwanke
ASCD
1703 North Beauregard Street, Alexandria, VA 22311-1714
www.ascd.org
9781416628811, $29.95, PB, 172pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: Today's school principals face unprecedented challenges that can overwhelm even the most dedicated among them. What can they do when their initial enthusiasm for the job begins to deflate, when the demands of the job seem to outnumber the rewards? How can they regain the energy that propelled them early in their career?

"The Principal Reboot: 8 Ways to Revitalize Your School Leadership" by Jen Schwanke answers these questions with specific advice on how to reignite passion in addressing the many aspects of the principalship, including: Defining a school's values and mission through rebranding; Strengthening relationships with staff, students, and community; Leading renewed efforts to improve instruction; Developing teacher leadership; Using data effectively and innovatively; and
Improving operational procedures and processes.

Sharing the wisdom gained from colleagues and her own experience as a principal, author and school administrator Jen Schwanke offers an engaging, accessible account of the ups and downs of the job, along with helpful, step-by-step suggestions for how to reinvigorate a flagging career and restore the joy that comes with making a school the best that it can be.

Critique: As thoughtful and thought-provoking as it is informed and informative, "The Principal Reboot: 8 Ways to Revitalize Your School Leadership" offers an extraordinary, practical, and effective instructional guide that should be required reading of all school administrators and a core addition to school district, college, and university library Education Administration collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists.

Editorial Note: Jen Schwanke has been an educator for more than 20 years, teaching or leading at all levels. She is the author of You're the Principal! Now What? Strategies and Solutions for New School Leaders, published by ASCD. She has written for Choice Literacy, Education Week Teacher, Principal, and Principal Navigator and presented at conferences for ASCD, as well as NAESP, Battelle for Kids, and various state and local education organizations. She has provided professional development to various districts in the areas of school climate, personnel, and instructional leadership. She is an instructor in educational administration at Miami University and has served on several state-level committees and workgroups focused on best practices in school leadership. She is currently a principal for the Dublin City School District in Dublin, Ohio.

Research in Special Education, third edition
Phillip D. Rumrill, Jr., Bryan G. Cook, & Nathan A. Stevenson
Charles C. Thomas, Publisher
2600 South First Street, Springfield, IL 62704
http://www.ccthomas.com
9780398093167, $44.95, PB, 300pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: Now in a newly updated and expanded third edition, the primary purpose of "Research in Special Education: Designs, Methods, and Applications" is to offer a broad-based examination into the role of scientific inquiry in contemporary special education -- and to provide a comprehensive overview of the philosophical, ethical, methodological, and analytical fundamentals of social science and educational research.

Aspects of special education research that distinguish it from scientific inquiry in other fields of education and human services are specified. Foremost among these distinctions are the research beneficiaries children with disabilities, their parents, the special educators; availability of federal funds for research and demonstration projects that seek to improve educational outcomes; and the historical, philosophical, and legislative bases for the profession of special education.

This new third edition represents a revision of more than 30 percent with over 250 new references. Each individual chapter is thoroughly updated with new developments in research topics, designs, and methods that have emerged over the past decade in the field of special education. "Research in Special Education: Designs, Methods, and Applications" is a unique resource guide for graduate-level students, practitioners, teachers in the field of special education, disability studies, early intervention, school psychology, and child and family services.

Critique: With this updated and expanded third edition, "Research in Special Education: Designs, Methods, and Applications" continues to be an extraordinary and impressively informative volume that would well served as a curriculum textbook for Special Education coursework. The collective work of Phillip D. Rumrille, Jr. (Human Development Institute, University of Kentucky), Bryan G. Cook (Department of Curriculum, Instruction and Special Education), and Nathan A. Stevenson (School of Lifespan Development and Educational Sciences, Kent State University), "Research in Special Education: Designs, Methods, and Applications" is an essential and unreservedly recommended addition to college and university library Contemporary Education Issues collections and supplemental studies reading lists.

Student Conduct Practice, second edition
Diane M. Waryold & James M. Lancaster, editors
Stylus Publishing, Inc.
22883 Quicksilver Drive, Sterling, VA 20166-2012
www.styluspub.com
9781642671049, $125.00, HC, 312pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: Now in a fully updated and considerably expanded second edition, "Student Conduct Practice: The Complete Guide for Student Affairs Professionals" maintains the objectives of the first edition originally published in 2008 to constitute a compendium of current best practices in the administration of student conduct, to summarize the latest thinking on key issues facing practitioners today, and to provide an overview of the role and status of conduct administrators within their institutions.

This text invites student conduct administrators to examine current programs and policies to ensure that the spaces that they create during interactions with students are spaces in which all students feel welcome and heard. As we strive to prepare students not only to be productive members of today's workforce, and more importantly to be good people and upright citizens, this text accentuates the delicate balance between responding to regulatory mandates and meeting the educational aims of student conduct. The aim is to offer those with an interest in student conduct and those professionals who are new or seasoned student conduct administrators with both a compendium of chapters on best practices and the background to grapple with the thought-provoking situations they will encounter.

In close collaboration with the leadership of the Association for Student Conduct Administration (ASCA) the editors identified the most pressing conduct issues on our campuses and practitioners and faculty who offer related expertise and a necessary diversity of voices.

Critique: Enhanced for academia with the inclusion of a complete listing of the contributors and their credentials, "Student Conduct Practice: The Complete Guide for Student Affairs Professionals" is comprised of fifteen erudite and informative articles and a succinct conclusion. While especially recommended for college and university library Education Administration collections and supplemental studies lists, it should be noted for students, academia, teachers, administrators, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that this second edition of "Student Conduct Practice: The Complete Guide for Student Affairs Professionals" is also readily available in a paperback edition (9781642671056, $37.50) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $29.99).

Editorial Note: Diane M. Waryold is also an Assistant Professor of Human Development and Psychological Counseling at Appalachian State University. Prior to this position, Dr. Waryold served as the Executive Director for The Center for Academic Integrity and Program Administrator for The Kenan Institute for Ethics at Duke University in Durham, NC.

James M. Lancaster is currently an Assistant Professor of Human Development and Psychological Counseling at Appalachian State University. Prior to taking this position, Dr. Lancaster was Associate Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs at The University of North Carolina at Greensboro.


The Psychology Shelf

Evaluating ADHD in Children and Adolescents
Gene Carroccia, Psy.D.
Charles C. Thomas, Publisher
2600 South First Street, Springfield, IL 62704
http://www.ccthomas.com
9780398093204, $53.95, PB, 388pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a mental disorder of the neurodevelopmental type. It is characterized by difficulty paying attention, excessive activity and acting without regards to consequences, which are otherwise not appropriate for a person's age. Some individuals with ADHD also display difficulty regulating emotions. For a diagnosis, the symptoms should appear before a person is twelve years old, be present for more than six months, and cause problems in at least two settings (such as school, home, or recreational activities). In children, problems paying attention may result in poor school performance. Additionally there is an association with other mental disorders and substance misuse. Although it causes impairment, particularly in modern society, many people with ADHD can have sustained attention for tasks they find interesting or rewarding (known as hyperfocus).

"Evaluating ADHD in Children and Adolescents: A Comprehensive Diagnostic Screening System" is the ADHD diagnostic guide that assists clinicians to accurately conduct evidence-based ADHD evaluations, as well as identify and better understand the numerous other possible coexisting conditions that may present along with and worsen true ADHD, or cause ADHD-like presentations when ADHD does not exist.

"Evaluating ADHD in Children and Adolescents: A Comprehensive Diagnostic Screening System" diagnostic clinicians to: Confidently conduct ADHD evaluations; Identify conditions that coexist with, worsen, or mimic ADHD; Improve the accuracy of diagnosing ADHD and other conditions; Better understand and provide referrals for other suspected conditions.

"Evaluating ADHD in Children and Adolescents" is deftly organized into three major sections:

Part One presents the 10-Step ADHDology Evaluation Model, which provides the steps to comprehensively evaluate ADHD.

Part Two presents numerous medical, sleep, psychological, trauma, neurodevelopmental, sensory processing, and fetal substance exposure conditions. These chapters describe the conditions in detail, how they coexist with or appear similar to ADHD, how to distinguish them from true ADHD, and how mental health clinicians and specialists can further evaluate and treat these disorders.

Part Three is composed of the Comprehensive Diagnostic ADHD Screening System (CDASS), a unique approach to improve the accuracy of evaluating ADHD by utilizing checklists to help identify: the risk factors associated with ADHD, the many possible conditions presented in Part 2 that may exist so these can be further considered and evaluated by specialists, and little-known and not typically considered conditions that can cause ADHD-like presentations.

Critique: Expertly written, organized and presented, "Evaluating ADHD in Children and Adolescents: A Comprehensive Diagnostic Screening System" is comprehensive and thoroughly detailed, making it an ideal curriculum textbook for ADHD diagnostic curriculums and an essential, core addition to college, university, and medical school library Psychology Testing & Measurement collections in general, and ADHD supplemental studies reading lists in particular.

Editorial Note: Gene Carroccia is a licensed clinical psychologist and author who has extensive experience working with individuals with ADHD, as well as other conditions, including psychological trauma and maltreatment. For over twenty years, he has evaluated and treated hundreds of children, adolescents, and adults with ADHD. Dr. Carroccia works at a large not-for-profit health care system as a vice president of behavioral health care services. Previously, for many years, he supervised doctoral psychology interns and was the director of training of an accredited doctoral clinical psychology internship program. Dr. Carroccia is the author of two ADHDology books, Treating ADHD/ADD in Children and Adolescents: Solutions for Parents and Clinicians and Evaluating ADHD in Children and Adolescents: A Comprehensive Diagnostic Screening System. He was also the editor of the clinical workbook Treating Sexual Abuse and Trauma with Children, Adolescents, and Young Adults with Developmental Disabilities, published by Charles C. Thomas.

Healing Childhood Trauma
Robin Marvel
Loving Healing Press
5145 Pontiac Trail, Ann Arbor, MI 48105
www.lovinghealing.com
9781615994977, $26.95, HC, 106pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: Post-traumatic stress, anxiety, low self-esteem, substance abuse, depression, a lack of confidence and many other mental and physical ailments may be a result of childhood trauma you have endured. Uncovering, accepting and healing this childhood trauma will allow you to let go of the pain, releasing yourself from the guilt, shame and self-destruction you have been living with. "Healing Childhood Trauma: Transforming Pain into Purpose with Post-Traumatic Growth" by Robin Marvel (who is a multi-published author and motivational speaker in the field of self development) will provide you with tools and strategies to heal your childhood trauma allowing you to live fully.

"Healing Childhood Trauma" pinpoints the areas of struggle in your life now that are a reflection of the childhood trauma you endured. It also: Tackles limitations by learning how childhood trauma can be healed and forgiven; Strategizes an effective plan that will take you from struggle to success; Reveals hands-on strategies and plans to heal, recover and let go of the limits imposed on your daily living due to childhood trauma.

Critique: Thoroughly 'reader friendly' in tone, commentary, organization and presentation, "Healing Childhood Trauma: Transforming Pain into Purpose with Post-Traumatic Growth" is ideal for non-specialist general readers having to deal with the aftermath of childhood trauma in their adult lives. While unreservedly recommended for both community and academic library Contemporary Psychology & Counseling collections, it should be noted for the personal reading lists of students, academia, practitioners, and anyone else with an interest in the subject over overcoming childhood trauma and personal emotional growth.

Healing the Heart
Christine Fonseca
Prufrock Press
PO Box 8813, Waco, TX 76714-8813
www.prufrock.com
9781618218957, $17.95, PB, 200pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: Trauma permeates America's families, and no one is immune to its impact. Natural disasters such as the current pandemic, community and institutional violence, adverse childhood experiences -- all of these kinds of events impact the developing brains and bodies of our youth.

Trained as an educational psychologist, Christine Fonseca is dedicated to helping children and adults connect with their personal truth. She is also an award-winning author of fiction and nonfiction, a nationally recognized speaker, and an international consultant and coach.

In the pages of "Healing the Heart: Helping Your Child Thrive After Trauma" Christine: Provides parents with specific tools to help their trauma-impacted children; Combines the research on adverse childhood experiences and other traumatic events, positive psychology, and resilience: Is presented in an easy-to-read, conversational style; Uses evidence-based strategies, inspirational stories, and role-playing scenarios; Includes the information and tools needed to heal the negative impact of traumatic events.

With specific strategies to address diverse forms of trauma and diverse populations, "Healing the Heart" is an essential and must-read resource for any parent wanting to reestablish safety, increase resilience, and help heal the long-term impact of trauma their child is subject to.

Critique: Thoroughly 'reader friendly' in tone, commentary, organization and presentation, "Healing the Heart: Helping Your Child Thrive After Trauma" will prove to be a timely, welcome, and enduringly useful addition to personal, professional, community, and academic library Parenting collections.


The General Fiction Shelf

The Big One
Ed Moses
Daniel & Daniel
www.danielpublishing.com
9781564746160, $15.95

The Big One will especially delight fans of Huck Finn and other stories of young protagonists who narrate their adventures in the first person, confront the adult world with a precocious attention to problem-solving beyond their years, and face uncommon adversity in a romp between childhood and adult concerns. Twelve-year-old Eddie and his family live next to a river and he faces both adult moods and choices and his own growth during a summer of change and confrontation. Gramps is the one adult he can count on for steady wisdom. His hero is invested in fishing for The Big One, a legendary fish, and he involves Eddie in a journey that goes far beyond fishing. The characters, lively observations, and growth opportunities abound in a classic coming of age tale that holds its own powerful voice.

The Road to Delano
John DeSimone
Rare Bird Books
453 S. Spring Street, Suite 302, Los Angels, CA 90013
https://rarebirdlit.com
9781644280317, $26.00, HC, 320pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: A high school senior, Jack Duncan dreams of playing college baseball and leaving the political turmoil of the agricultural town Delano behind. Ever since his father, a grape grower, died ten years earlier, he's suspected that his mother has been hiding the truth from him about the suspicious circumstances surrounding the death.

With his family's property on the verge of a tax sale, Jack drives an old combine into town to sell it. On the road, an old friend of his father shows up with evidence that Jack's father was murdered. Armed with this new information, Jack embarks on a mission to discover the entire truth, not just about his father but the corruption endemic in the Central Valley.

When Jack's girlfriend warns him not to do anything to jeopardize their post graduation plans and refuses to help him, Jack turns to his best friend, Adrian, the son of a boycotting fieldworker who works closely with Cesar Chavez. The boys' dangerous plan to rescue the Duncan family farm leaves Adrian in a catastrophic situation, and Jack must step up to the plate and rescue his family and his friend before he can make his escape from Delano.

Critique: An original and deftly crafted novel that showcases author John DeSimone's impressive flair for originality and the kind of narrative storytelling style that keeps the reader's total attention from cover to cover, "The Road To Delano" is certain to be an immediate and enduringly popular addition to community library Contemporary General Fiction collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists and community libraries that "The Road To Delano" is also readily available as a complete and unabridged audio book (HighBridge Audio, 9781684572403, $39.99, CD).

Sharks in the Time of Saviors
Kawai Strong Washburn
Farrar, Straus & Giroux
175 Varick Street, 9th Floor, New York, NY 10014
www.fsgbooks.com
9780374272081, $27.00, HC, 384pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: In 1995 Kailua-Kona, Hawaii, on a rare family vacation, seven-year-old Nainoa Flores falls overboard a cruise ship into the Pacific Ocean. When a shiver of sharks appears in the water, everyone fears for the worst. But instead, Noa is gingerly delivered to his mother in the jaws of a shark, marking his story as the stuff of legends.

Nainoa's family, struggling amidst the collapse of the sugarcane industry, hails his rescue as a sign of favor from ancient Hawaiian gods -- a belief that appears validated after he exhibits puzzling new abilities. But as time passes, this supposed divine favor begins to drive the family apart: Nainoa, working now as a paramedic on the streets of Portland, struggles to fathom the full measure of his expanding abilities; further north in Washington, his older brother Dean hurtles into the world of elite college athletics, obsessed with wealth and fame; while in California, risk-obsessed younger sister Kaui navigates an unforgiving academic workload in an attempt to forge her independence from the family's legacy.

When supernatural events revisit the Flores family in Hawai'i (with tragic consequences) they are all forced to reckon with the bonds of family, the meaning of heritage, and the cost of survival.

Critique: "Sharks in the Time of Saviors" is all the more impressive when considering that is author Kawai Strong Washburn's debut as a novelist. A compelling and original story set in Hawaii, "Sharks in the Time of Saviors" is an inherently riveting read from beginning to end. While certain to be an immediate and enduringly popular addition to community and academic library Contemporary Literary Fiction collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Sharks in the Time of Saviors" is also readily available in a paperback edition (9781786896490, $19.00) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $13.99).

What She Lost
Melissa W. Hunter
Cynren Press
9781947976191, $17.00, PB, 320pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: For thirteen-year-old Sarah Waldman, life in the small Polish town of Olkusz is idyllic, grounded in her loving, close-knit family and the traditions of their Jewish faith.

But in 1939, as the Nazis come to power, a storm is gathering -- a relentless, unforgiving storm that will sweep Sarah and her family into years of turmoil in the ghetto and concentration camps, tearing them apart. Will Sarah's strong will and determination be enough for her to survive when everything she loves is taken from her?

Part memoir, part fiction, "What She Lost" is the re-imagined true-life story of the author Melissa W. Hunter's grandmother growing into a woman amid the anguish of the Holocaust. It is a tale of resilience, of rebuilding a life, and of rediscovering love.

Critique: An inherently fascinating and deftly crafted novel that is based on real events and people, "What She Lost" is an extraordinary read and one that will linger in the mind and memory long after the book itself has been finished and set back upon the shelf. While unreservedly recommended for community library collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "What She Lost" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).

Isaiah's Legacy: A Novel of Prophets and Kings
Mesu Andrews
WaterBrook Press
c/o WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group
10807 New Allegiance Drive Suite 500, Colorado Springs, CO 80921
http://waterbrookmultnomah.com
9780735291881, $16.99, PB, 400pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: At eight years old, Shulle has known only life in a small village with her loving but peculiar father. When Uncle Shebna offers shelter in Jerusalem in exchange for Shulle's help tutoring King Manasseh, Judah's five-year-old co-regent who displays the same peculiarities as her father, she's eager to experience the royal court. But Shulle soon realizes the limits of her father's strict adherence to Yahweh's Law when Uncle Shebna teaches her of the starry hosts and their power.

Convinced Judah must be freed from Yahweh's chains, she begins the subtle swaying of young Manasseh, using her charm and skills on the boy no one else understands. When King Hezekiah dies, twelve-year-old Manasseh is thrust onto Judah's throne, bitter at Yahweh and eager to marry the girl he adores. Assyria's crown prince favors Manasseh and twists his brilliant mind toward cruelty, beginning Shulle's long and harrowing journey to discover the Yahweh she'd never known, guided with loving wisdom by Manasseh's mother: Isaiah's daughter, the heartbroken Hephzibah.

Amid Judah's dark days, a desperate remnant emerges, claiming the Lord's promise, "Though we're helpless now, we're never hopeless -- because we serve El Shaddai." Shulle is among them, a girl who becomes a queen through Isaiah's legacy.

Critique: A superbly crafted and biblical inspired historical novel by an author with a genuine flair for originality and the kind of narrative storytelling that holds the reader's rapt attention throughout, "Isaiah's Legacy" by Mesu Andrews will prove to be an enduringly popular addition to community library collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "Isaiah's Legacy" is also readily available in a digital book format ($11.99). Librarians should also be aware that there is a large print edition of "Isaiah's Legacy" (Center Point Publishing, 9781643585970, $36.95, Library Binding, 500pp).

Irish Above All
Mary Pat Kelly
Forge Books
c/o Tor/Forge Books
175 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10010
www.tor-forge.com
9780765380883, $27.99, HC, 512pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: After ten years in Paris, where she learned photography and became part of the movement that invented modern art, Chicago-born, Irish-American Nora Kelly is at last returning home. Her skill as a photographer will help her cousin Ed Kelly in his rise to Mayor of Chicago. But when she captures the moment an assassin's bullet narrowly misses President-elect Franklin Roosevelt and strikes Anton Cermak in February 1933, she enters a world of international intrigue and danger.

Now, she must balance family obligations against her encounters with larger-than-life historical characters, such as Joseph Kennedy, Big Bill Thompson, Al Capone, Mussolini, and the circle of women who surround F.D.R. Nora moves through the Roaring Twenties, the Great Depression, and World War II, but it's her unexpected trip to Ireland that transforms her life.

Critique: An inherently interesting historical novel by Mary Pat Kelly, "Irish Above All" is the kind of book that blockbuster movies are made. Deftly written in that kind of narrative storytelling style that will keep and hold the reader's rapt attention from beginning to end, "Irish Above All" is certain to be an enduringly popular addition to community library History Fiction collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "Irish Above All" is also readily available in a paperback edition (9780765380890, $17.99) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).

Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend
Jenny Colgan
William Morrow & Company
c/o HarperCollins Publishers
195 Broadway New York, New York 10007
www.harpercollins.com
9780062869586, $16.99, PB, 400pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: Sophie Chesterton is London's "It Girl". She knows all the right people, goes to all the right parties, and wears all the right clothes -- and her rich parents pay for everything. But deep down she suspects that her best "friends" (and her posh lifestyle) are nothing but shallow fakes.

Then one evening Sophie's life takes a shocking, drastic turn, and her father decides it's high time for the party girl to make her own way in the world. Forced to earn a meager living as a lowly assistant to a "glamour" photographer, live in a shabby flat with four smelly boys, and eating baked beans from the can -- Sophie is desperate to get her old life back, at any cost. But does a girl really need diamonds to be happy?

Critique: With a subtly embedded message about the pitfalls of unearned wealth and the value of true happiness, "Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend" is an extraordinarily entertaining novel by an author with a genuine gift for imaginative and engaging storytelling. While a certain and unreservedly recommended addition to all community library Contemporary General Fiction collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $11.99) and as a complete and unabridged audio book (Blackstone Audio, 9781094116143, $29.99, CD). Full of warmth and sparkle, Diamonds are a Girl's Best Friend is a surprisingly winning tale about luxury, life lessons, and the surprisingly low cost of true happiness.

Hillbilly Hustle
Wesley Browne
West Virginia University Press
1535 Mileground, Morgantown, WV 26506
www.wvupressonline.com
9781949199284, $19.99, PB, 263pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: Knox Thompson thinks he's working a hustle, but it's a hustle that's working him. Trying to keep his pizza shop and parents afloat, he cleans out a backroom Kentucky poker game only to be roped into dealing marijuana by the proprietor -- an arrangement Knox only halfheartedly resists.

Knox's shop makes the perfect front for a marijuana operation, but his supplier turns out to be violent and calculating, and Knox ends up under his thumb. It's not long before more than just the pizza shop is at risk.

Critique: A deftly crafted novel by an author with a genuine flair for originality and the kind of narrative storytelling style that keeps his reader's rapt and continuing attention from first page to last, "Hillbilly Hustle" by Wesley Brown is an especially and unreservedly recommended addition to community library Contemporary General Fiction collections. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of all dedicated crime thriller fans that "Hillbilly Hustle" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $15.99).

The Body Politic
Brian Platzer
Atria Books
c/o Simon & Schuster
1230 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020
www.simonandschuster.com
9781501180774, $27.00, HC, 320pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: New York City is still regaining its balance in the years following 9/11, when four twenty-somethings (Tess, Tazio, David, and Angelica) meet in a bar, each yearning for something: connection, recognition, a place in the world, a cause to believe in. Nearly fifteen years later, as their city recalibrates in the wake of the 2016 election, their bond has endured -- but almost everything else has changed.

As freshmen at Cooper Union, Tess and Tazio were the ambitious, talented future of the art world -- but by thirty-six, Tess is married to David, the mother of two young boys, and working as an understudy on Broadway. Kind and steady, David is everything Tess lacked in her own childhood -- but a recent freak accident has left him with befuddling symptoms, and she's still adjusting to her new role as caretaker.

Meanwhile, Tazio (who once had a knack for earning the kind of attention that Cooper Union students long for) has left the art world for a career in creative branding and politics. But in December 2016, fresh off the astonishing loss of his candidate, Tazio is adrift, and not even his gorgeous and accomplished fiancee, Angelica, seems able to get through to him. With tensions rising on the national stage, the four friends are forced to face the reality of their shared histories, especially a long-ago betrayal that has shaped every aspect of their friendship.

Critique: A deftly crafted novel that insightfully explores the human condition in terms of commitments, the necessity of forgiveness, and the way that secrets will inevitably be revealed, "The Body Politic" by Brian Platzer is an especially and unreservedly recommended addition to community library Contemporary Literary Fiction collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "The Body Politic" is also readily available in a paperback edition (9781501180781, $17.99) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $12.99).

Two Blankets, Three Sheets
Rodaan Al Galidi, author
Jonathan Reeder, translator
World Editions
https://www.worldeditions.org
9781642860450, $16.99, PB, 356pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: Amsterdam Airport, 1998. Samir Karim steps off a plane from Vietnam, flushes his fake passport down the toilet, and requests asylum. Fleeing Iraq to avoid conscription into Saddam Hussein's army, he has spent seven years anonymously wandering through Asia. Now, safely in the heart of Europe, he is sent to an asylum center and assigned a bed in a shared dorm - - where he will spend the next nine years. As he navigates his way around the absurdities of Dutch bureaucracy, Samir tries his best to get along with his 500 new housemates. Told with compassion and a unique sense of humor, this is an inspiring tale of survival, a close-up view of the hidden world of refugees and human smugglers, and a sobering reflection of our times.

Critique: Ably translated into English for an American readership by Jonathan Reeder, "Two Blankets, Three Sheets" is a deftly written and engaging novel that showcases author Rodaan Al Galidi's exceptionally effective narrative storytelling style. While especially and unreservedly recommended for both community and academic library Contemporary Literary Fiction collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Two Blankets, Three Sheets" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $10.69).

The Deadly Kiss-Off
Paul Di Filippo
Blackstone Publisher
31 Mistletoe Road, Ashland, OR 97520
www.BlackstoneAudio.com
9781538450291, $26.99, HC, 336pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: As part of their trafficking in counterfeit merchandise, consummate con-artists Glen and Stan are looking to turn a few pallets of Grade Z computer chips into some military hardware sure to interest dictators and despots and drug lords around the globe. Bankrolled by a greedy local crime boss, the two of them hope to promote a half-genius, half-addlepated invention from a naive and principled inventor into a bonanza. But no one ever counts on complications arising from a wayward wife, some sexy Eurotrash go-betweens, and a lonely entrepreneurial girlfriend who finds her native tropical isle conducive to a troublesome loosening of morals. Add in a most unconventional explosives expert, and "The Deadly Kiss-Off" by Paul Di Filippo is a true page- turner of a compulsive read from first page to last.

Critique: "The Deadly Kiss-Off" by Paul Di Filippo is another of the author's original and thoroughly entertaining novels by a master of an impressively effective and reader engaging narrative storytelling style. While certain to be an immediate and enduringly popular addition to community library Contemporary General Fiction collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "The Deadly Kiss-Off" is also readily available in a paperback edition (9781094091082, $16.99), in a digital book format (Kindle, $8.69), and as a complete an unabridged audio book (Blackstone Audio, 9781538404690, $29.95, CD).

Followers
Megan Angelo
Graydon House
http://graydonhousebooks.com
9781525836268, $26.99, HC, 384pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: Orla Cadden is a budding novelist stuck in a dead-end job, writing clickbait about movie-star hookups and influencer yoga moves. Then Orla meets Floss who is a striving, wannabe A-lister that comes up with a plan for launching them both into the high-profile lives they dream about. So what if Orla and Floss's methods are a little shady -- and sometimes people get hurt? Their legions of followers can't be wrong.

Thirty-five years later, in a closed California village where government-appointed celebrities live every moment of the day on camera, a woman named Marlow discovers a shattering secret about her past. Despite her massive popularity (twelve million loyal followers!) Marlow dreams of fleeing the corporate sponsors who would do anything to keep her on-screen. When she learns that her whole family history is based on a lie, Marlow finally summons the courage to run in search of the truth, no matter the risks.

The paths of Orla, Floss and Marlow are deftly traced as they wind through time toward each other, and toward a cataclysmic event that sends America into lasting upheaval. At turns wry and tender, bleak and hopeful, this darkly funny story reminds us that even if we obsess over famous people we'll never meet, what we really crave is genuine human connection.

Critique: An inherently fascinating read from cover to cover, "Followers" by Megan Angelo showcase the author's genuine flair for originality and the kind of narrative storytelling skill set that will fully engage the reader from beginning to end. Certain to be an immediate and enduringly popular addition to community library Contemporary Literary Fiction collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Followers" is also readily available in a paperback edition (9781525809965, $17.99), in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99), and as a complete and unabridged audio book (Blackstone Audio, 9781094097466, $39.99, MP3 CD).

Weird Pig
Robert Long Foreman
Southeast Missouri State University Press
One University Plaza, MS 2650, Cape Girardeau, MO 63701
http://www.semopress.com
9781732039971, $18.00, PB, 266pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: Weird Pig is a pig who wants to do right. But doing right isn't always easy. He drinks. He eats pork chops. He rides a skateboard. He gets his fellow farm animals murdered, and fathers an illegitimate son who has a messiah complex.

When Weird Pig leaves the farm he calls home, he inspires a series of children's books that help bring on the end of his little world -- a farm where human and beast alike toil in the shadow of an ever-growing factory livestock complex.

In "Weird Pig" by Robert Long Foreman, and from farm to table and beyond, readers will follow the misadventures of Weird Pig in a kaleidoscopic portrait of America as seen through the eyes of a crazed animal who insists on making himself at home there!

Critique: Destined to be an anthropomorphic classic along the lines of Animal Farm or Watership Down, author Robert Foreman's "Weird Pig" is a unique and extraordinary comedic novel that reflects all too human conditions. "Weird Pig" is an original, deftly crafted and unreservedly recommended addition to personal reading lists, as well as both community, college, and university library Contemporary Literary Fiction collections.

The Immortals of Tehran
Ali Araghi
Melville House
9781612198187, $27.99, HC, 400pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: As a child living in his family's apple orchard, Ahmad Torkash-Vand treasures his great-great-great-great grandfather's every mesmerizing word. On the day of his father's death, Ahmad listens closely as the seemingly immortal elder tells him the tale of a centuries-old family curse -- and the boy's own fated role in the story.

Ahmad grows up to suspect that something must be interfering with his family, as he struggles to hold them together through decades of famine, loss, and political turmoil in Iran. As the world transforms around him, each turn of Ahmad's life is a surprise: from street brawler, to father of two unusually gifted daughters; from radical poet, to politician with a target on his back. These lives, and the many unforgettable stories alongside his, converge and catch fire at the center of the Revolution.

Exploring the brutality of history while conjuring the astonishment of magical realism, "The Immortals of Tehran" is a novel about the incantatory power of words and the revolutionary sparks of love, family, and poetry -- set against the indifferent, relentless march of time.

Critique: A skillfully crafted, inherently fascinating, and thoroughly entertaining novel by an author with a genuine flair for originality and the kind of narrative storytelling skill set that fully engages the reader's rapt attention from beginning to end. While especially and unreservedly recommended for community and academic library Contemporary Literary Fiction collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that Ali Argahi's new novel, "The Immortals of Tehran", is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $14.99).

Star of Persia: Esther's Story
Jill Eileen Smith
Fleming H. Revell Company
c/o Baker Publishing Group
6030 East Fulton, Ada, MI 49301
www.revellbooks.com
9780800737788, $26.99, HC, 354pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: In an effort to complete a war his father had planned to win, King Xerxes calls every governor, satrap, and official in his vast kingdom to his palace in Susa to strategize and feast. When they finally leave, he decides on one more week of frivolity, which ends in the banishment of his favorite wife, something he never intended to do. But when he discovers Esther, Xerxes is sure he has a second chance at happiness.

In her wildest dreams, Esther could never have imagined that she would end up as queen of Persia. Yet she knows better than to become complacent. Another of Xerxes's wives is vying for position, and his closest advisor has a deep and dangerous grudge against Esther's adoptive father. Caught in the middle of palace politics, Esther will find herself in an impossible position: risk her life or consign her people to annihilation.

Critique: With her impeccable research and her imaginative flair, author and novelist Jill Eileen Smith brings to life the romantic, suspenseful, and beloved story of Esther, queen of Persia in "Star of Persia: Esther's Story". Another of her deftly crafted and thoroughly entertaining novels, this one will again prove to be a welcome and enduringly popular addition to community library Historical Fiction collections. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of the growing legion of Jill Eileen Smith fans that "Star of Persia: Esther's Story" is also readily available in a paperback edition (9780800734718, $15.99) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).

Love, Death & Rare Books
Robert Hellenga
Delphinium Books
https://www.delphiniumbooks.com
9781883285852, $26.95, HC, 350pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: Grandfather, father and son, Chas. Johnson & Sons has been a family operation for three generations. But when it comes time for Gabe Johnson to take the reins of the business, the world of books has changed, and the combination of the internet and inner city rents forces the bookstore to close.

But instead of folding his hand, Gabe decides to risk everything he has and reopen the shop (and in a sense restart his life) in a small town on the shores of Lake Michigan. Haunted his entire life by an obsession with a former lover, he finds her again only to be faced with yet another even more difficult challenge that threatens the well-being of the revival of the bookstore as well as the fate of his rekindled relationship.

Critique: With the publication of "Love, Death & Rare Books", author Robert Hellenga once again demonstrates his effective narrative storytelling style and impressive flair as a novelist for originality and reader engagement. While certain to be an especially popular addition to community library Contemporary General Fiction collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Love, Death & Rare Books" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $17.99).

Salt the Snow
Carrie Callaghan
Amberjack Publishing
c/o Chicago Review Press
814 North Franklin Street, Chicago, IL 60610
www.chicagoreviewpress.com
9781948705646, $24.99, HC, 304pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: "Salt the Snow" by novelist Carrie Callaghan is the story of the trailblazing and liberated Milly Bennett, an American journalist Milly Bennett who has covered murders in San Francisco, fires in Hawaii, and a civil war in China. But the Russian city of Moscow in the 1930s presents her greatest challenge yet.

When Milly's young Russian husband is suddenly arrested by the secret police, she tries to get him released. But his arrest reveals both painful secrets about her marriage and hard truths about the Soviet state she has been working to serve. Disillusioned, and pulled toward the front lines of a captivating new conflict, Milly must find a way to do the right thing for her husband, her conscience, and her heart.

Critique: Based on the life of one of the first female war correspondents whose work has been all but lost to history, "Salt The Snow" is an inherently interesting and impressively crafted novel that is certain to be an immediate and enduringly popular addition to community and academic library Contemporary Literary Fiction collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "Salt The Snow" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $11.49).

Miss Austen
Gill Hornby
Flatiron Books
c/o Macmillan
175 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10010
www.macmillan.com
9781250252203, $26.99, HC, 288pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: England, 1840. For the two decades following the death of her beloved sister, Jane, Cassandra Austen has lived alone, spending her days visiting friends and relations and quietly, purposefully working to preserve her sister's reputation. Now in her sixties and increasingly frail, Cassandra goes to stay with the Fowles of Kintbury, family of her long-dead fiance, in search of a trove of Jane's letters. Dodging her hostess and a meddlesome housemaid, Cassandra eventually hunts down the letters and confronts the secrets they hold, secrets not only about Jane but about Cassandra herself. Will Cassandra bare the most private details of her life to the world, or commit her sister's legacy to the flames?

Critique: Residing in Kintbury, England, Gill Hornby is the author of the novels The Hive and All Together Now, as well as The Story of Jane Austen, a biography of Austen for young readers. In "Miss Austen" Hornby deftly movies back and forth between the vicarage and Cassandra's vibrant memories of her years with Jane, interwoven with Jane's brilliantly re-imagined lost letters. Exceptionally well written in a distinctively effective and narrative driven storytelling style, Hornby does full literary justice to one of literature's most enduringly popular novelists with the publication of "Miss Austen". While unreservedly recommended for both community and academic library Contemporary Literary Fiction collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Miss Austen" is also readily available in a digital book format ($13.99) and as a complete and unabridged audio book (Macmillan Audio, 9781250260598, $45.99, CD).

The Great Concert of the Night
Jonathan Buckley
New York Review of Books
435 Hudson Street, Suite 300, New York, NY 10014
www.nybooks.com
9781681373959, $15.95, PB, 304pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: David has just spent New Year's Eve alone, watching Le Grand Concert de la Nuit, a film in which his former lover Imogen starred. In the early hours of the new year, consoled and tormented by her ethereal presence, he begins to write. What follows is a brilliantly various journal, chronicling a year in the life of a thinking man.

David works as a curator at the ailing Sanderson-Perceval Museum in southern England, whose small collection of porcelain, musical instruments, crystals, velvet mushrooms, and glass jellyfish is as eccentric and idiosyncratic as the long-dead collectors' tastes. David himself is a connoisseur of the derelict and non-utilitarian, of objects removed from the flow of time.

Refusing the imposed order of a straightforward chronology, his journal moves fluidly back and forth in time, filled with fragments of life remembered, imagined, and recorded, from memories of his past life with Imogen or with his ex-wife, Samantha, to reflections on the lives and relics of female saints or the history of medicine.

There are quotations from Seneca, Meister Eckhart, and the Goncourt brothers mixed in with the equally compelling imagined words of fictional film directors, actors, and, always, the fascinating Imogen, who is alive now only "in the perpetual present of the sentence."

"The Great Concert of the Night" by Jonathan Buckley expertly interweaves sexual despair, cultural critique, the plot lines of one man's quietly brilliant life, and the problems and paradoxes of writing, especially writing about and to the dead.

Critique: Showcasing the author's genuine flair for originality and a pitch-perfect narrative storytelling style, "The Great Concert Of The Night" by Jonathan Buckley is especially and unreservedly recommended for both community and academic library Contemporary Literary Fiction collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "The Great Concert Of The Night" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $6.79).


The Romantic Fiction Shelf

The Worst Best Man
Mia Sosa
Avon Books
c/o HarperCollins Publishers
10 East 53rd Street, New York, NY 10022
www.harpercollins.com
9780062909879, $15.99, PB, 368pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: A wedding planner left at the altar? Yeah, the irony isn't lost on Carolina Santos, either. But despite that embarrassing blip from her past, Lina's offered an opportunity that could change her life. There's just one hitch -- she has to collaborate with the best (make that worst) man from her own failed nuptials.

Marketing expert Max Hartley is determined to make his mark with a coveted hotel client looking to expand its brand. Then he learns he'll be working with his brother's whip-smart, stunning (and absolutely off-limits) ex-fiancee. Plus, she loathes him!

If they can nail their presentation without killing each other, they'll both come out ahead. Except Max has been public enemy number one ever since he encouraged his brother to jilt the bride, and Lina's ready to dish out a little payback of her own.

Soon Lina and Max discover animosity may not be the only emotion creating sparks between them. Still, this star-crossed couple can never be more than temporary playmates because Lina isn't interested in falling in love and Max refuses to play runner-up to his brother ever again.

Critique: A superbly scripted novel by a master of the romance fiction genre, "The Worst Best Man" by Mia Sosa is a thoroughly entertaining and unreservedly recommended addition to the personal reading lists of all dedicated romance fans, and certain to be an immediate and enduringly popular addition to community library Contemporary Romance Fiction collections. It should be noted that "The Worst Best Man" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $10.99) and as a complete an unabridged audio book (Blackstone Audio, 9781094107684, $39.99, CD).

Out of the Embers
Amanda Cabot
Fleming H. Revell Company
c/o Baker Publishing Group
6030 East Fulton, Ada, MI 49301
www.revellbooks.com
www.dreamscapeab.com/audiobooks
9780800737801, $29.99, HC, 331pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: Ten years after her parents were killed, Evelyn Radcliffe is once more homeless. The orphanage that was her refuge and later her workplace has burned to the ground, and only she and a young orphan girl have escaped.

Convinced this must be related to her parents' murders, Evelyn flees with the girl to Mesquite Springs in the Texas Hill Country and finds shelter in the home of Wyatt Clark, a talented horse rancher whose plans don't include a family of his own.

At first, Evelyn is a distraction. But when it becomes clear that trouble has followed her to Mesquite Springs, she becomes a full-blown disruption. Can Wyatt keep her safe from the man who wants her dead? And will his own plans become collateral damage?

Critique: With a special blending of mystery and romance, "Out of the Embers" by novelist Amanda Cabot is an extraordinarily entertaining read that is embedded with many an unexpected twist and turn. While certain to be an immediate and enduringly popular addition to community library collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Out of the Embers" is also readily available in a paperback edition (9780800735357, $15.99), in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99), and as a complete and unabridged audio book (Dreamscape Media, 9781690585244, $22.99, CD).

A Happy Catastrophe
Maddie Dawson
Lake Union Publishing
9781542006460, $14.95, PB, 381pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: Marnie MacGraw and Patrick Delaney have been in love for a few years now, enough to realize that they are imperfectly perfect together. Still, there are some things that maybe need a little attention. Marnie's ebullient; he's brooding. She thrives on change; he prefers stability. She sees marriage and parenthood in their future, but he can't see beyond the shadow of an earlier tragedy.

Then an eight-year-old surprise from Patrick's past shows up on their doorstep, cartwheeling into their lives and spinning things in all directions. While it's not exactly the change she envisioned, it looks like instant family to Marnie. But Patrick, afraid of being hurt again, retreats further into himself. Suddenly, two very different pieces of a beautiful puzzle find it harder and harder to fit.

How can Marnie trust in the magic of the universe when it seems to be doing its best to knock her off her feet? But some love stories are worth waiting for. And what's love without a little chaos anyway?

Critique: An inherently engaging and entertaining novel from cover to cover, "A Happy Catastrophe" by Maddie Dawson will prove to be an immediate and enduringly popular addition to community library Contemporary General Fiction collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "A Happy Catastrophe" is readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $4.99) and as a complete and unabridged audio book (Brilliance Audio, 9781799747628, $14.99, CD).

Duke In Danger
Fenella J. Miller
Linford Romance Library
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print (USA), Inc.
PO Box 1230, West Seneca, NY 14224-1230
www.ulverscroftusa.com
9781444843972, $21.49, PB, Large Print, 328pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: Lady Helena Faulkner agrees to marry only if her indulgent parents can find a gentleman who fits her exacting requirements. Wild and unconventional, she has no desire for romance, but wants a friend who will let her live as she pleases. Lord Christopher Drake, known to Helena as Kit, her brother's best friend, needs a rich wife to support his mother and siblings. It could be the perfect arrangement. But when malign forces do their best to separate them, can Helena and Kit overcome the disasters and find true happiness?

Critique: Fenella J. Miller is a master of the historical romance genre and her latest novel, "Duke in Danger" is an expertly crated and extraordinarily entertaining read from first page to last. This large print edition of "Duke in Danger" is particularly recommended for the personal reading lists of all dedicated historical romance fans and community library Romance Fiction collections.

Love's Promise
Jean Robinson
Linford Romance Library
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print (USA), Inc.
PO Box 1230, West Seneca, NY 14224-1230
www.ulverscroftusa.com
9781444843996, $21.49, PB, Large Print, 320pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: Having worked the cruising circuit a number of years ago, Hannah now steps on board as a passenger, hoping for a relaxing break from her hectic life as a single parent. It's great to see some familiar faces and catch up with old friends. What she didn't bargain for was meeting her ex, and the father of her young son Charlie, on that ship! Then there's the bad-tempered Claudia, who won't leave him alone... Is Nick still that reckless adventurer, or could love really be lovelier the second time around?

Critique: A thoroughly 'reader engaging' and exceptionally entertaining romance novel that showcases author Jean Robinson's impressive knack for originality in her storytelling, this large print paperback edition of "Love's Promise" is certain to be an immediate and enduringly popular addition to the personal reading lists of all romance fans, as well as community library Romance Fiction collections.


The Western Fiction Shelf

Lonely Is The Hunter
Dale Graham
Linford Western Library
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print (USA), Inc.
PO Box 1230, West Seneca, NY 14224-1230
www.ulverscroftusa.com
9781444841404, $21.49, PB, Large Print, 240pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: When outlaw Caleb Ollinger and his gang stop in the New Mexico town of Carrizozo, a few drinks and a game of poker suddenly turn into a double killing. The gambler who was caught cheating matters little, but an innocent boy run down by Ollinger as he rode out of town was the son of New Mexico's territorial governor. Bounty hunter Chance Newcombe is hired to bring the killer in, though he hasn't reckoned on competition from an old comrade who's been promised amnesty for his past crimes if he secures the prize first.

Critique: A classic western novel of revenge, this large print edition of Dale Graham's "Lonely Is The Hunter" is a fully absorbing read from cover to cover and a 'must' for all dedicated western action/adventure fans -- and certain to be an enduringly popular addition to any and all community library Western Fiction collections.

Valeron's Range
Terrell L. Bowers
Linford Western Library
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print (USA), Inc.
PO Box 1230, West Seneca, NY 14224-1230
www.ulverscroftusa.com
9781444842357, $21.49, PB, Large Print, 256pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: When Scarlet Valeron, poised to be married in Pueblo, Colorado, she is kidnapped and her betrothed killed by a ruthless gang of outlaws. A desperate call goes out to the extensive Valeron family. Brothers, cousins, and hired help unite in an effort to find her and bring her back. They learn Scarlet is on her way to Brimstone, a bandit stronghold of over a hundred outlaws. Most would look at the incredible odds and figure Scarlet was lost forever. The Valerons and a lady Pinkerton agent, however, see it as a matter of honor to get their kin back -- and settle the score, in blood if necessary!

Critique: Once again veteran western novelist Terrell L. Bowers has written an action packed western with all manner of unexpected plot twists and turns -- including a surprising showdown at the end. Simply stated, This large print edition of "Valeron's Range" is very highly recommended for personal reading lists and community library Western Fiction collections.

Revenge Burns Deep
Ethan Flagg
Linford Western Library
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print (USA), Inc.
PO Box 1230, West Seneca, NY 14224-1230
www.ulverscroftusa.com
9781444842722, $21.49, PB, Large Print, 248pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: Army scout Green River Jim Claymaker's journey south is disrupted by a devastating prairie fire which claims the life of an old friend who has been scouting for a wagon train. The devious Ira Gemmel has his own reasons for preventing the wagon train from reaching New Mexico; so when he shoots the son of a Comanche chief, he puts the blame on Claymaker and the settlers. Claymaker's proficiency and courage are tested to the limit to bring the real perpetrator to justice and save the pioneers from the avenging Indians.

Critique: With more unexpected plot twists and cliff-hanger turns than a Disney Land roller coaster ride, "Revenge Burns Deep" by Ethan Flagg is western action/adventure at its very best. This large print edition from the Linford Western Library collection is especially recommended for the personal reading lists of all western novel enthusiasts and community library Western Fiction collections.

The Vigilance Committee War
Bill Sheehy
Linford Western Library
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print (USA), Inc.
PO Box 1230, West Seneca, NY 14224-1230
www.ulverscroftusa.com
9781444842395, $21.49, PB, Large Print, 256pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: A gang of vigilantes calling themselves the Vigilance Committee have gone on a lynching spree of rustlers and possibly non-rustlers who are just men in the wrong place at the wront time. This group of vigilantes are preventing part of the Indian Territory from becoming a state, and former Texas Rangers Buck Armstrong and Louie Lewis are being paid by local businesses and ranchers to bring them in -- when noone knows who they are! Making their job even more difficult is the fact that most of the area's ranchers don't care, or even approve of the hangings carried out by the Committee. When the Buck and Louie get too close to Committee members, Louie himself ends up at the end of a hangman's noose -- and things only get worse from there!

Critique: Combining a 'whodunnit' style mystery with a rousing western action novel, "The Vigilance Committee War" is a welcoming and entertaining treat for all dedicated western action/adventure buffs and will prove to be a cherished addition to any and all community library large print and/or Western Fiction collections.

Marshal Of The Barren Plains
I. J. Parnham
Linford Western Library
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print (USA), Inc.
PO Box 1230, West Seneca, NY 14224-1230
www.ulverscroftusa.com
9781444842753, $21.49, PB, Large Print, 232pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: When Marshal Rattigan Fletcher failed to stop Jasper Minx raiding the Ash Valley bank, he and his deputy Callan McBride were forced to leave in disgrace. In the town of Redemption, the pair are hired to find out why men from the Bleak Point silver mine have been disappearing - and when they discover that Jasper works there, they don't have to look far for a culprit. But as the miners side with Jasper, Rattigan will need all his instincts as a lawman if he is to bring his nemesis to justice.

Critique: Featuring and inherently riveting plot featuring many an unexpected twists and cliff hanger turns, "Marshal Of The Barren Plains" by I. J. Parnham is a superbly crafted and unrelentingly entertaining read from beginning to end. This large print edition from the Linford Western Library is an especially and highly recommended addition to the personal reading lists of all dedicated western action/adventure fans, as well as an enduringly popular inclusion to community library Western Fiction collections.


The Mystery/Suspense Shelf

Rinn's Crossing
Russell Heath
Koehler Books
www.koehlerbooks.com
9781633938861, $19.95, Soft Cover
9781633938885, $27.95, Hard Cover
9781633938878, $7.99, EBOOK

Rinn van Ness, who lives on a remote Alaskan island, commits a minor felony that turns into a conundrum which changes his life and revolves around a murder accusation. Rinn's Crossing is a thriller steeped in Alaskan environmental issues, politics, and Native tribal struggles for rights and survival. As such, it's story of betrayal, broken promises, and Native heritage that holds far more complexity and social insights than the usual thriller, juxtaposing a murder investigation and personal struggles with the political and social forces tearing at the fabric of Alaska's peoples. It's interesting to note that many of the questions about the murder are steeped in this Native Alaskan cultural overlay. One of its many characters is Dan Wakefield, a Tlingit Native who carries on the fight of his people for rights they'd been promised a generation ago. Rinn now suspects that Dan's fight has led him to murder. Another fighter is Kit Olinsky, who combats state legislation in a desperate attempt to preserve the Alaska she loves. As she wades through complex political and legal battles, readers receive a healthy dose of insight into the perspectives and objectives of many different sides. They come to realize that the men and women of Alaska are on the frontline of the environmental war between development and preservation and that the forces at play are often beyond their control. Kit's powerful encounters illustrate that women are as passionate about their homes as their male counterparts. In many ways, Kit is as rugged and gritty a survivalist as the male characters, defying the traditional view of Alaska as being largely a man's world. If the story line seems unexpectedly complex with this kind of background, that's only because Alaska itself is a multifaceted melting pot of often-disparate cultures operating at cross-purposes with one another. Depicting these conflicts and belief systems takes time and an attention to detail not usually seen in the thriller genre. However, the time readers take to absorb this background results in many rewards and insights beyond the murder mystery and political battles depicted in Rinn's Crossing. The philosophical reflections injected into the action are just as astute and revealing as Russell Heath's attention to political and social description. Combine such insights with fast-paced action and intrigue for a thriller that educates on many unexpected levels and remains vivid and engrossing up to its heartfelt conclusion. Thriller readers and anyone interested in Native American issues in general and Alaskan Native struggles in particular will find Rinn's Crossing thoroughly absorbing and hard to put down.

A Shadowed Fate
Marty Ambrose
Severn House
110 East 59th Street, 22th Fl., New York, NY 10022
www.severnhouse.com
9780727889928, $28.99, HC, 192pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: Claire Clairmont is the last survivor of the 'haunted summer of 1816' of the Byron/Shelley circle. Claire is now reeling from the series of events triggered by the arrival of Michael Rosetti two weeks before, which culminated in a brutal murder and a shocking revelation from her old friend, Edward Trewlany.

Stunned by her betrayal at the hands of those closest to her, Claire determines to travel to the convent at Bagnacavallo near Ravenna to learn the true fate of Allegra, her daughter by Lord Byron. But the valuable Cades sketch given to her by Rosetti is stolen, and Claire soon finds herself shadowed at every turn and in increasing danger as she embarks on her quest. Is the theft linked to Allegra, and can Claire uncover what really happened in Ravenna so many years ago?

Critique: Set in 1873, Florence, "A Shadowed Fate" is a superbly crafted historical mystery by an author with an impressive flair for the kind of narrative storytelling that will hold the reader simply riveted from first page to last. While especially and unreservedly recommended for community library Historical Mystery/Suspense collections, it should be noted for the personal reading lists of all dedicated mystery buffs that "A Shadowed Fate" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $14.99).

Ishmael Covenant
Terry Brennan
Kregel Publications
2450 Oak Industrial Drive, NE, Grand Rapids, MI 49505
www.kregel.com
9780825445309, $15.99, PB, 320pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: His marriage in tatters and his career ruined by lies, Diplomatic Security Service agent Brian Mullaney is at the end of his rope. Banished to Israel as punishment by his agency, he's assigned to guard a US ambassador and an insignificant box. Little does he know that this new job will propel him straight into a crisis of global proportions.

Inside the box is a messianic prophecy about the fate of the world. And a dark enemy known as The Turk and the forces of evil at his command are determined to destroy the box, the prophecy, and the Middle East as we know it. When Ambassador Cleveland gets in the way, his life and his daughter's life are threatened -- and Mullaney must act fast!

Now agents of three ancient empires have launched covert operations to secure nuclear weapons, in direct defiance of the startling peace treaty Israel and its Arab neighbors have signed. And a traitor in the US State Department is leaking critical information to a foreign power. It's up to Mullaney (still struggling with his own broken future) to protect the embassy staff, thwart the clandestine conspiracies, and unmask a traitor -- all before the desert is turned into a radioactive wasteland.

Critique: A simply riveting action/adventure suspense thriller of a novel by an author with an impressive flair for originality and the kind of deftly scripted narrative storytelling style that holds the reader's riveting attention from beginning to end, "Ishmael Covenant" by Terry Brennan is an especially and unreservedly recommended addition to community library Contemporary General Fiction collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "Ishmael Covenant" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).

A Cross to Kill
Andrew Huff
Kregel Publications
2450 Oak Industrial Drive, NE, Grand Rapids, MI 49505
www.kregel.com
9780825422744, $15.99, PB, 256pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: John Cross is a small-town pastor, bent on leading his flock to follow God's calling. He's not the sort of man one would expect to have a checkered past. But the truth is that the man behind the pulpit preaching to his sheep was once a wolf -- an assassin for the CIA. When John decided to follow Christ, he put that work behind him, determined to do penance for all the lives he took. He vowed never to kill again.

Now someone wants the peaceful pastor to pay for his sins with his own life. And when a terrorist out for revenge walks into the church, John's secrets are laid bare. Confronted with his past, he must face his demons and discover whether a man can truly change. Can he keep his vow -- even when the people he loves are in mortal danger? Will his congregation and the brave woman he's learning to care for be caught in the cross fire? In the end, John's life may be the only sacrifice he has left to offer. . .

Critique: All the more impressive when considering that "A Cross to Kill" is author Andrew Huff's debut as a novelist. Certain to be an immediate and enduringly popular addition to community library Mystery/Suspense collections, "A Cross to Kill" is both a simply riveting story of suspense and the moral quandaries facing anyone choosing to follow the path of peace in a violent and hostile world. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "A Cross to Kill" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).

Turn To Stone
James W. Ziskin
Seventh Street Books
c/o Prometheus Books
59 John Glenn Drive, Amherst, NY 14228
www.prometheusbooks.com
9781633885523, $15.99, PB, 344pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: Florence, Italy, August 1963. In Italy to accept a posthumous award for her late father's academic work, "girl reporter" Ellie Stone is invited to spend a weekend outside Florence with some of the scholars attending the symposium. A suspected rubella outbreak leaves the ten friends quarantined in the bucolic setting with little to do but tell stories to entertain themselves.

Deciding to make the best of their confinement, the men and women spin tales, gorge themselves on fine Tuscan food and wine, and enjoy the delicious fruit of transient love. But the summer bacchanalia takes a menacing turn when the man who organized the symposium is fished out of the Arno. "Morto." As long-buried secrets rise to the surface, Ellie must figure out if one or more of her newfound friends is capable of murder.

Critique: A classic 'whodunnit' style novel of mystery and suspense, "Turn To Stone" by James W. Ziskin is another deftly crafted and impressively entertaining story from first page to last. While very highly recommended to community library collections, it should be noted for the personal reading lists of all dedicated mystery buffs that "Turn To Stone" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).

A Forgotten Murder
Jude Deveraux
Mira Books
195 Broadway, 24th Floor, New York, NY 10007
www.mirabooks.com
9780778309895, $26.99, HC, 352pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: New York Times bestselling author Jude Deveraux has crafted another irresistible case in her bestselling Medlar Mystery series.

After solving two murder cases in their hometown of Lachlan, Florida, Sara Medlar, her niece Kate and their friend Jack need a change of scenery. Sara arranges for them to visit an old friend of hers in England. Upon arrival at Oxley Manor, a centuries-old estate that has been converted to a luxury hotel, Kate and Jack quickly realize that Sara is up to something. They learn that Sara has also invited a number of others to join them at Oxley.

When everyone assembles, Sara lets them know why they are there. Decades earlier, two people ran off together from Oxley and haven't been heard from since -- and Sara wants to solve the case. As the people who were there the night the two went missing, the guests find themselves cast in a live mystery-theater event.

In reenacting the events of that night, it becomes clear that everyone has something to hide and no one is safe, especially when the discovery of a body makes it clear that at least one of the people who disappeared was murdered.

Sara, Jack and Kate are once again at the heart of a mysterious case that only they are able to solve. But someone is willing to continue to kill to keep the truth about Oxley Manor buried, and none of the guests are safe.

Critique: A literary master of the mystery genre, "A Forgotten Murder" continues to showcase author Jude Deveraux's genuine flair as a novelist for originality and reader engaging plot twists and turns. While certain to be an enduringly popular addition to community library Contemporary Mystery/Suspense collections, it should be noted for the personal reading lists of Deveraux's legions of fans that "A Forgotten Murder" is also readily available in a paperback edition (9780778360902, $8.99), in a digital book format (Kindle, $12.99), and as a complete and unabridged audio book (Recorded Books, 9781980057772, $39.99, CD)

A View to a Kilt
Kaitlyn Dunnett
Kensington Publishing Corp.
119 West 40th Street, Floor 21, New York, NY 10018-2522
www.kensingtonbooks.com
9781496712653, $26.00, HC, 288pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: Liss has suddenly found herself in charge of the March Madness Mud Season Sale, a town-wide celebration created to boost the local economy during the slushy weeks of early spring. With businesses ailing after a rough winter, the pressure is on to make this year's effort the can't-miss-event of the season. But before Liss can get her hands dirty, her husband makes a horrifying discovery. There's a dead man on their property, and he didn't die of natural causes . . .

Stunned by the murder mystery developing in her own backyard, Liss receives another shock. The victim is identified as Charlie MacCrimmon, an uncle believed to have died eleven years before Liss was born. No one has seen or heard from Charlie since he went off to fight in Vietnam. What secrets could he have been hiding for so many years, and who would want to kill a man long thought to be dead?

Enlisting the help of her family, Liss uncovers more questions than answers as she delves into her uncle's murky past. One thing is clear -- before he met his end, Uncle Charlie was desperately trying to warn her about something sinister. And unless Liss can soon track down a maniacal criminal as elusive as the Loch Ness Monster, she just might be the next MacCrimmon to disappear!

Critique: An expertly crafted and wonderfully entertaining 'whodunnit' mystery from an author with an impressive and effective narrative storytelling style, "A View To A Kilt" by novelist Kaitlyn Dunnett will prove to be an extraordinarily popular addition to community library Contemporary Mystery/Suspense collections. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of all dedicated mystery buffs that "A View To A Kilt" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $12.99).

The Jerusalem Assassin
Joel C. Rosenberg
Tyndale House Publishers
351 Executive Drive, Carol Stream, IL 60188
www.tyndale.com
9781496437846, $27.99, HC, 464pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: Marcus Ryker has spent his entire career studying killers. One thing he knows for sure: a peace summit is the ultimate stage for an assassination.

President Andrew Clarke is determined to announce his historic peace plan from the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. But when senior American officials who support the plan begin violently dying, Clarke orders Ryker and his team of CIA operatives to hunt down those responsible and bring the killing spree to an end.

When the Palestinians denounce the American plan, the Saudis signal they may be ready to forge a historic treaty with Israel. Could the Saudi king's support be the missing ingredient that will lead to peace at long last?

Ryker soon uncovers a chilling plot to kill the American president. A well resourced international alliance is dead set against the peace plan. They will stop at nothing to strike a blow against the Americans and seize leadership of the Muslim world.

With all eyes on Jerusalem and the president in the crosshairs, it's up to Ryker to eliminate the terrible evil that's been set in motion. The fate of the region depends on his success. He has 48 hours.

Critique: A superbly crafted suspense thriller of a novel by an author with a total mastery of the genre and the kind of narrative storytelling style that will rivet the reader's total attention from cover to cover, "The Jerusalem Assassin" by Joel C. Rosenberg is an extraordinary and unreservedly recommended addition to community library Contemporary General Fiction collections. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of all dedicated suspense/thriller fans that "The Jerusalem Assassin" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $15.99) and as a complete and unabridged audio book (Brilliance Audio, 9781978623460, $24.99, CD).

Bells of Hell
Michael Kurland
Severn House
110 East 59th Street, 22th Floor, New York, NY 10022
www.severnhouse.com
9780727889690, $28.99, HC, 256pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: "Bells of Hell" is set in March, 1938. It's the story of Otto Lehman who arrives in New York on the S.S. Osthafen only to be immediately confronted by two men with FBI badges. Only, that isn't his real name and the men aren't with the FBI! The next day Lehman is found tied to a chair, beaten to death and naked, in an abandoned Brooklyn warehouse.

The sole witness to the crime, Andrew Blake, a homeless man struggling through the Great Depression, claims those responsible were speaking German. With the threat of the perpetrators being Nazis, President Roosevelt's own covert counter-intelligence agent Jacob Welker is brought in to investigate.

Welker recruits Blake along with Lord Geoffrey Saboy, a British 'cultural attache', and his wife Lady Patricia, to help him to thwart a Nazi terrorist attack. But who exactly are the Nazis, what is their target and when will they strike?

Critique: An inherently riveting and deftly crafted political suspense/thriller of a novel by a master of the genre, "The Bells Of Hell" by Michael Kurland is an extraordinary and unreservedly recommended addition to community library Mystery/Suspense collections. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of all dedicated mystery buffs that "The Bells Of Hell" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $14.99).

Budapest Escape
Bill Rapp
Epicenter Press
c/o Coffeetown Press
6524 NE 181st Street, Suite #2, Kenmore, WA 98028
www.camelpress.com
9781941890721, $15.95, PB, 244pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: CIA officer Karl Baier has been running a highly-placed source in the Communist Party and Hungarian government from his post in Vienna for over a year. When he receives a warning that is source is in danger, Baier knows he will have to return to Budapest to find and rescue his agent if he is even alive. Despite resistance from CIA Headquarters in Washington, Baier and a colleague will have to locate the Hungarian agent, overcome his reluctance and skepticism, dodge Soviet tanks, evade Red Army patrols, escape from KGB prisons, and disobey orders from Washington as they search for a way to freedom. Along the way he will discover support and betrayal where he least expected it.

Critique: An inherently riveting political spy thriller of a Cold War era novel by Bill Rapp, "Budapest Escape" has more unexpected plot twists and turns that a Coney Island roller coaster. "Budapest Escape" is certain to be an immediate and enduringly popular addition to personal reading lists and community library Suspense/Thriller collections.

The Familiar Dark
Amy Engel
Dutton
c/o Penguin Group USA
https://www.penguin.com
9781524745950, $26.00, HC, 256pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: Set in the poorest part of the Missouri Ozarks, in a small town with big secrets, The Familiar Dark opens with a murder. Eve Taggert, desperate with grief over losing her daughter, takes it upon herself to find out the truth about what happened.

Eve is no stranger to the dark side of life, having been raised by a hard-edged mother whose lessons Eve tried not to pass on to her own daughter. But Eve may need her mother's cruel brand of strength if she's going to face the reality about her daughter's death and about her own true nature. Her quest for justice takes her from the seedy underbelly of town to the quiet woods and, most frighteningly, back to her mother's trailer for a final lesson.

Critique: A superbly crafted dystopian noir novel of 'women doing the best they can for their daughters in dire circumstances', "The Familiar Dark" showcases author Amy Engel's very special and thoroughly reader engaging narrative storytelling style. While very highly recommended for community library collections, it should be noted for the personal reading lists of suspense/thriller fans that "The Familiar Dark" is also readily available in digital book format (Kindle, $13.99). Librarians should be aware that there is also a large print paperback edition (Random House Large Print, 9780593171851, $28.00, 460pp) of "The Familiar Dark" as well.

Hid from Our Eyes
Julia Spencer-Fleming
Minotaur Books
c/o St. Martin's Publishing Group
175 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10010
www.minotaurbooks.com
9780312606855, $27.99, HC, 352pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: Readers have waited years for this newest book and Julia Spencer-Fleming delivers with the exquisite skill and craftsmanship that have made her such a success.

In 1952, the Millers Kill Police Chief, Harry McNeil, is called to a crime scene where a woman in a party dress has been murdered with no obvious cause of death.

Then in 1972 the Millers Kill Police Chief, Jack Liddle, is called to a murder scene of a woman that's very similar to one he worked as a trooper in the 50s. The only difference is this time, they have a suspect. Young Vietnam War veteran Russ van Alstyne found the body while riding his motorcycle and is quickly pegged as the prime focus of the investigation.

Now the present-day Millers Kill Police Chief, Russ van Alstyne, gets a 911 call that a young woman has been found dead in a party dress, the same MO as the crime he was accused of in the 70s. The pressure is on for Russ to solve the murder before he's removed from the case.

Russ will enlist the help of his police squad and Reverend Clare Fergusson, who is already juggling the tasks of being a new mother to her and Russ's baby and running St. Alban's Church, to finally solve these crimes.

Critique: "Hid from Our Eyes" is the latest addition to author Julia Spender-Flaming's outstanding 'Clare Fergusson/Russ Van Alstyne' mystery series. This is mystery writing at its very best by a novelist with a complete mastery of the genre. While unreservedly recommended for all community library Mystery/Suspense collections, it should be noted for the personal reading lists of all dedicated mystery buffs in general, and the legions of Julie Spencer-Fleming fans in particular, that "Hid from Our Eyes" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $14.99) and as a complete and unabridged audio book (Macmillan Audio, 9781250261151, $54.99, CD).

Gone with the Whisker
Laurie Cass
Berkley Prime Crime
c/o Penguin Group (USA)
www.penguin.com
9780593100134, $7.99, PB, 352pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: It's the summer season in Chilson, Michigan, and the town is packed with tourists ready for a fabulous Fourth of July fireworks show. Minnie Hamilton and her rescue cat, Eddie, have spent a busy day on the bookmobile, delivering good cheer and great reads to even the library's most far-flung patrons. But Minnie is still up for the nighttime festivities, eager to show off her little town to her visiting niece, Katrina.

But then, during the grand finale of the fireworks display, Katrina discovers a body. Minnie recognizes the victim as one of the bookmobile's most loyal patrons. And she knows she (and Eddie) will have to get to the bottom of this purr-fect crime!

Critique: The perfect mystery for cat lovers and 'whodunnit' fans alike, "Gone with the Whisker" showcases the distinctive storytelling style of author Laurie Cass -- and her impressive originality as a novelist. While very highly recommended for the personal reading lists of dedicated mystery buffs and community library Mystery/Suspense collections, it should be noted that "Gone with the Whisker" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $7.99). Librarians should be aware that there is a large print edition of "Gone with the Whisker" (Center Point Publishing, 9781643586069, $36.95, HC, Large Print, Library Binding, 500pp).

Spitfire
M. L. Huie
Crooked Lane Books
2 Park Avenue, 10th floor, New York, NY 10016
www.crookedlanebooks.com
9781643852454, $26.99, HC, 312pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: It's 1946 in London. World War II has been over for a year, and former spy Livy Nash is celebrating with her third drink before noon. She went to war to kill Nazis. Dropped behind enemy lines as a courier, she quickly became one of the toughest agents in France. But her war ended with betrayal and the execution of the man she loved. Now, Livy spends her days proofreading a demeaning advice column for little ladies at home, and her nights alone with black market vodka.

But everything changes when she meets the infamous Ian Fleming. The man who will create the world's most sophisticated fictional secret agent has an agenda of his own and sends Livy back to France with one task: track down the traitor who killed the only man she ever loved. Livy jumps at the chance, heading back to Paris undercover as a journalist. But the City of Lights is teeming with spies, and Livy quickly learns just how much the game has changed. With enemies on every corner and ever-shifting alliances, she'll have to learn to fight a new war if she wants to conquer the past once and for all.

Critique: A superbly crafted Livy Nash mystery by M. L. Huie, "Spirtfire" is a riveting great read that is peppered throughout with unexpected twists and hazardous turns. While certain to be an immediate and enduringly popular addition to community library Mystery/Suspense collections. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of dedicated mystery buffs in general and M. L. Huie fans in particular that "Spitfire" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).

Hour of the Assassin
Matthew Quirk
William Morrow & Company
c/o HarperCollins Publishers
195 Broadway New York, New York 10007
www.harpercollins.com
9780062875495, $27.99, HC, 352pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: As a Secret Service agent, Nick Averose spent a decade protecting the most powerful men and women in America and developed a unique gift: the ability to think like an assassin. Now, he uses that skill in a little-known but crucial job. As a "red teamer," he poses as a threat, testing the security around our highest officials to find vulnerabilities -- before our enemies can. He is a mock killer, capable of slipping past even the best defenses.

His latest assignment is to assess the security surrounding the former CIA director at his DC area home. But soon after he breaches the man's study, the home's inner sanctum, Nick finds himself entangled in a vicious crime that will shake Washington to its foundations -- as all the evidence points to Nick.

Nick knows he's the perfect scapegoat. But who is framing him, and why? To clear his name, he must find the truth in a search that leads to a dark conspiracy whose roots stretch back decades. The prize is the most powerful position in the world: the Oval Office.

To save himself and the people he loves, Nick must stop the men who rule Washington before they bury him along with their secrets!

Critique: A pitch-perfect and high-octane conspiracy action-adventure novel by an author with an impressive flair for original and narrative driven storytelling, "Hour of the Assassin" is a compelling read from start to finish -- and will prove to be an immediate and enduringly popular addition to community library collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "Hour of the Assassin" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $14.99), as a complete and unabridged audio book (Blackstone Audio, 9781094117980, $39.99, CD), and in a HarperLuxe Large Print edition (9780062978929, $29.99, PB, 448pp).

Diver's Paradise
Davin Goodwin
Oceanview Publishing
1620 Main Street, Suite 11, Sarasota, FL 34236
www.oceanviewpub.com
9781608093830, $26.95, HC, 336pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: After 25 years on the job, Detective Roscoe Conklin trades his badge for a pair of shorts and sandals and moves to Bonaire, a small island nestled in the southern Caribbean. But the warm water, palm trees, and sunsets are derailed when his long-time police-buddy and friend back home, is murdered.

Conklin dusts off a few markers and calls his old department, trolling for information. It's slow going. No surprise, there. After all, it's an active investigation, and his compadres back home aren't saying a damn thing.

He's 2,000 miles away, living in paradise. Does he really think he can help? They suggest he go to the beach and catch some rays. For Conklin, it's not that simple. Outside looking in? Not him. Never has been. Never will be.

When a suspicious mishap lands his significant other, Arabella, in the hospital, the island police conduct, at best, a sluggish investigation, stonewalling progress. Conklin questions the evidence and challenges the department's methods. Something isn't right.

Arabella wasn't the intended target -- he was!

Critique: A deftly crafted and pitch-perfect mystery novel by a master of the genre, "Diver's Paradise" by Davin Goodwin will be an immediate and extraordinarily popular addition to community library Contemporary Mystery/Suspense collections. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of dedicated mystery buffs that "Diver's Paradise" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $10.49).

Dead on the Vine
Elle Brooke White
Crooked Lane Books
2 Park Avenue, 10th floor, New York, NY 10016
www.crookedlanebooks.com
www.dreamscapeab.com/audiobooks
9781643852966, $26.99, HC, 336pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: Charlotte Finn never wanted to inherit the family's produce farm--much less plow a heap of money into it. Her plan is to hammer a great big FOR SALE sign into the farm's fallow furrows -- but Charlotte's sunny hopes of a quick sale succumb to a killing frost when she finds a dead body entwined supine in the tomato vines. The poor man, it seems, was run through with a pitchfork!

Now, Charlotte is stuck with running the farm in the midst of a murder investigation. Charlotte's knowledge of farming is smaller than her bank balance, so she relies on caretakers Joe and Alice Wong and their farmhands. Can she trust them? She doesn't know them. There's also farmer Samuel Brown, who still carries a childhood grudge. But the case gets personal when Charlotte learns that the victim might have been her own kin -- and seeds of suspicion grow into a fertile field of suspects.

Charlotte turns to the farm's pig to help root out the killer. Soon, the goats, geese, and horse join in, but will Charlotte harvest a murderer -- or buy the farm?

Critique: A deftly crafted and simply pitch-perfect mystery novel by an author with an impressively effective and narrative driving storytelling style, "Dead On the Vine" by Elle Brooke White is an impressively entertaining and very highly recommended addition to community library Contemporary Mystery/Suspense collections. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of all mystery buffs that "Dead On The Vine" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $12.99) and as a complete and unabridged audio book (Dreamscape Media, 9781690599173, $22.99, CD).

Death on the Page
Essie Lang
Crooked Lane Books
2 Park Avenue, 10th floor, New York, NY 10016
www.crookedlanebooks.com
www.dreamscapeab.com/audiobooks
9781643852942, $26.99, HC, 330pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: There are a thousand stories arising from New York's scenic Thousand Islands, and when they are published, Bayside Books co-owner Shelby Cox tries to stock them all. But lately, the Blye Island bookseller's life is more about investigation than inventory. True-crime writer Savannah Page caps off two successful signings at Bayside Books with a night in Blye Castle. She's there to research Joe Cabana, a colorful Prohibition-era mobster who owned the castle -- until he was found dead in the island Grotto.

But crime becomes all too true for Savannah. Her body turns up the next morning, in a secret passage at the bottom of the stairs. The last thing Shelby Cox wants is to sleuth another murder, but she's intrigued about how a killer could have reached the island after hours. She's not at a lack for suspects either. It could have been anyone from Savannah's fiance, Liam Kennelly, who argued with her the evening before, to island caretaker Matthew Kessler, recently cleared of his wife's murder. Can Shelby keep regular store hours, elude the police chief, and assemble the clues into a hard-bound case without getting permanently shelved?

Critique: Another exquisitely crafted murder mystery by an author with a genuine flair for the genre, "Death on the Page" is the newest edition to novelist Essie Lang's 'A Castle Bookshop Mystery' series. Certain to be an immediate and enduringly popular addition to any and all community library Mystery/Suspense collections, it should be noted for the personal reading lists of all dedicated mystery buffs that "Death on the Page" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99) and as a complete and unabridged audio book (Dreamscape Media, 9781690590972, $19.99, CD).

Restless Coffins
M. P. Wright
Isis Large Print
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print (USA), Inc.
PO Box 1230, West Seneca, NY 14224-1230
www.ulverscroftusa.com
9781785418235, $35.50, HC, Large Print, 452pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: Bristol, 1967: JT Ellington, ex-cop and reluctant private eye, is still trading in favours, helping those scared of the police or trying to stay one step ahead of the law. But when news arrives of a tragedy that's unfolded thousands of miles away, life gets even tougher. He needs to journey home to Barbados to pay his final respects - but first he must travel to New York, where his cousin Vic is boss of a criminal empire. There, JT discovers a web of violence that stretches to Barbados and back, and connects him to the deaths of his own beloved wife and daughter. Embroiled in a world of drugs, corruption, voodoo and the legacy of slavery, can JT escape the demons of his past as he returns to the island of his birth?

Critique: Showcasing author M. P. Wright's impressive and narrative storytelling skills, this large print edition of "Restless Coffins" is a deftly crafted mystery lover's delight and an unreservedly recommended addition to both the personal reading lists of dedicated suspense/thriller fans and community library Mystery/Suspense collections.

The K Team
David Rosenfelt
Minotaur Books
c/o St. Martin's Publishing Group
175 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10010
www.minotaurbooks.com
9781250257192, $27.99, HC, 304pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: Corey Douglas and his K-9 partner, Simon Garfunkel, have recently retired from the police force. Not ready to give up the life yet, they come up with a proposal for fellow former cop, Laurie Carpenter, and her investigating partner, Marcus. Laurie and Marcus (who help out Laurie's lawyer husband Andy on cases) have been chafing to jump back into investigating on their own, so they are in.

They call themselves the K Team, in honor of Simon. Their first job as private investigators comes to them from Judge Henry Henderson, who's known as a very tough but fair judge, and they've all come up against him in court at one time or another. Though it's hard to believe, Judge Henderson is being blackmailed and extorted, and he doesn't want to involve the police -- he needs the K Team to figure out why.

Critique: David Rosenfelt is a master of the mystery/suspense genre and with "The K Team" he has launched a new and inherently entertaining series. While enthusiastically and unreservedly recommended for community library collections where it will prove to be an immediate and enduringly popular addition to their collections, it should be noted for the personal reading lists of all dedicated mystery buffs and the growing legion of David Rosenfelt fans that "The K Team" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $14.99) and as a complete and unabridged audio book (Macmillan Audio, 9781250260819, $29.99, CD).


The Fantasy/SciFi Shelf

Castaway Resolution
Ryk E. Spoor
Baen Books
PO Box 1188, Wake Forest NC 27588
www.baen.com
9781982124410, $25.00, HC, 384pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: The Kimei family and the second group of castaways, led by Sergeant Campbell, had finally joined forces after both had been forced to land on the bizarre planet Lincoln, whose "continents" were huge floating coral colonies, inhabited by even stranger lifeforms. They had survived crash-landings and venom-filled bites and disease, their own despair, and even the destruction (and consumption!) of one of their floating islands, and had learned to live, even prosper, in their strange new home.

Far away, Lieutenant Susan Fisher slowly pieces together the mystery of what happened to the starship Outward Initiative and begins to believe that, just possibly, some of the survivors might have escaped to a mysteriously unsuspected star system.

But even her preparations and the resourcefulness of the castaways may not be enough -- for Lincoln has far worse in store!

Critique: Another superbly crafted science fiction novel by an author with a very special flair for originality and the kind of narrative storytelling style that holds the reader's rapt attention from beginning to end, "Castaway Resolution" by Ryk E. Spoor will prove to be an immediate and enduringly popular addition to community library Science Fiction & Fantasy collections. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of all dedicated SciFi fans that "Castaway Resolution" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).

The Glass Magician
Caroline Stevermer
Tor Books
c/o Tor/Forge Books
120 Broadway, 22nd Floor, New York, NY 10271
www.tor-forge.com
9780765335043, $26.99, HC, 288pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: In 1905 New York City the Vanderbilts, the Astors, and the Morgans are the cream of society -- and collectively they pretty much own the nation on the cusp of a new century.

Thalia Cutler doesn't have any of those family connections. What she does know is stage magic and she dazzles audiences with an act that takes your breath away. That is, until one night when a trick goes horribly awry. In surviving she discovers that she can shapeshift, and has the potential to take her place among the rich and powerful.

But first, she'll have to learn to control that power -- before the real monsters descend to feast!

Critique: A superbly crafted and thoroughly entertaining fantasy with many an unexpected plot twist and turn, "The Glass Magician" showcases author Caroline Stevermer's remarkable originality and storytelling skills as a novelist able to blend magic and romance. While very highly recommended, especially for community library Science Fiction & Fantasy collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "The Glass Magician" is readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $13.99).


The Theatre/Cinema/TV Shelf

Ray Milland: The Films 1929-1984
James McKay
McFarland & Company
PO Box 611, Jefferson NC 28640
https://mcfarlandbooks.com
9781476678870, $49.95, PB, 337pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: With no formal training as an actor, Welsh-born Ray Milland (born Alfred Reginald Jones; 3 January 1907 - 10 March 1986), was a former trooper in the British Army's Household Cavalry, and enjoyed a half-century career working alongside some of the great directors and stars from the Golden Age of cinema.

He won the Academy Award for Best Actor for his performance as the alcoholic writer in The Lost Weekend (1945), a defining moment that enabled him to break free from romantic leads and explore darker shades of his debonair demeanor, such as the veiled menace of his scheming husband in Hitchcock's Dial M For Murder (1954).

A consummate professional with wide range, Milland took the directorial reins in several of his starring vehicles in the 1950s, most notably in the intelligent Western film A Man Alone (1955). He comfortably slipped into most genres, from romantic comedy to adventure to film noir. Later he turned to science fiction and horror movies, including two with cult filmmaker Roger Corman.

Critique: Compiled and edited by film buff James McKay, "Ray Milland: The Films 1929-1984" is first complete filmography covers the actor's screen career, and features a concise introductory biography, as well as an appendix listing his extensive radio and television credits -- making it an especially recommended addition to personal, professional, community, and academic library Cinematic History collections in general, and Ray Milland supplemental studies reading lists in particular.

Cinematography for Directors
Jacqueline B. Frost
Michael Wiese Productions
12400 Ventura Blvd., #1111, Studio City, CA 91604
www.mwp.com
9781615932740, $35.95, PB, 300pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: Through interviews with current ASC cinematographers, and a balance between technical, aesthetic, and historical content, "Cinematography for Directors: A Guide for Creative Collaboration" by Jacqueline Frost guides the director into a powerful collaboration with their closest on-set ally. Topics include selecting a cinematographer, collectively discussing the script, choosing an appropriate visual style for a film, color palette, film and digital formats, lenses, camera movement, genres, and postproduction processes - including the digital intermediate (DI). Interwoven are quotes from working ASC cinematographers.

Critique: Impressively informed and informative, expertly written, organized and presented, "Cinematography for Directors: A Guide for Creative Collaboration" is ideal as a DIY cinematography curriculum textbook and instructional reference resource. Essential reading for anyone seeking to create a work of film regardless of the technology or format to be utilized, "Cinematography for Directors: A Guide for Creative Collaboration" is especially and unreservedly recommended for personal, professional, community, and academic library Theatre/Cinema/TV collections and supplemental studies reading lists.

Editorial Note: Jacqueline Frost has been teaching the language of motion pictures (production, history, and cinematography) for thirty years at various universities. Currently a full professor at California State University, Fullerton, she is also an Adjunct Professor at Farleigh Dickinson University in Madison, NJ. She has taught Cinematography for Directors at the UCLA extension program, and for three lucky summers taught documentary production in Florence, Italy, as part of the CSUF study-abroad program. Additionally, Jacqueline has been the cinematographer or producer on numerous short films, independent features, and documentaries that have screened at festivals around the world. She is a partner and freelance cinematographer at Corazon Pictures.


The Military Shelf

Designing the T-34
Peter Samsonov
Gallantry Books
c/o Pen & Sword Books
https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk
c/o Casemate
www.casematepublishers.com
9781911658306, $19.99, PB, 90pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: When the German army launched Operation Barbarossa (the invasion of the Soviet Union) on June 22, 1941, it was expecting to face and easily defeat Russia's outdated and obsolete tanks -- and for the most part it did. But it also received a nasty shock when it came up against the T-34.

With its powerful gun and sloped armour, the T-34 was more than a match for the best German tanks at that time and the Germans regarded it with awe. German Field Marshal von Kleist, who commanded the latter stages of Barbarossa, called it 'the finest tank in the world'. Using original wartime documents in "Designing the T-34: Genesis of the Revolutionary Soviet Tank" author and military historian Peter Samsonov, (who is the creator of the Tank Archives blog at https://www.tankarchives.ca/) expertly explains how the Soviets came to develop what was arguably the war's most revolutionary tank design.

Critique: Profusely illustrated throughout, "Designing the T-34: Genesis of the Revolutionary Soviet Tank" is impressively and comprehensively informative -- making it an ideal and unreservedly recommended addition to the personal reading lists of dedicated military buffs, as well as to community and academic library World War II military history and armaments collections and supplemental curriculum studies reading lists.

Infantry Small Arms of the 21st Century
Leigh Nevill
Pen & Sword Books
https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk
c/o Casemate (distribution)
www.casematepublishers.com
9781473896130, $42.95, HC, 320pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: Soldiers in today's modern armies have access to ever more advanced infantry weapons; lighter, more compact and more accurate than anything seen in the last century. These new battlefield weapons include combat pistols, personal assault rifles, submachine guns, sniper rifles, shotguns, light machine guns and squad automatic weapons.

"Infantry Small Arms of the 21st Century: Guns of the World's Armies" by Leigh Nevill features all these weapons and more in exhaustive detail. "Infantry Small Arms of the 21st Century" features information drawn from the operational combat experience of the users in war zones such as Iraq, Afghanistan and Ukraine. As well as assessing and comparing the potency of different nations weapon systems, "Infantry Small Arms of the 21st Century" also looks to the future demands of the infantry man.

Critique: Profusely illustrated throughout, "Infantry Small Arms of the 21st Century: Guns of the World's Armies" is an extraordinarily detailed and impressively informative study that is an especially and unreservedly recommended addition to community, college, and university library Contemporary Military History & Armaments collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of students, academia, and dedicated military buffs that "Infantry Small Arms of the 21st Century: Guns of the World's Armies" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $19.99).

Editorial Note: Leigh Nevill is an Australian national who has written over a dozen titles on modern special operations forces, small arms, sniping, and the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. He has also professionally consulted on military topics for several wargame companies and television documentary makers. He maintains an informative website at www.leighneville.com

When The Tempest Gathers
Andrew Milburn
Pen & Sword Books
c/o Casemate (distribution)
www.casematepublishers.com
https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk
9781526750556, $32.95, HC, 336pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: "When the Tempest Gathers: From Mogadishu to the Fight Against ISIS, a Marine Special Operations Commander at War" is an account of the combat experiences of the first Marine to command a special operations task force, recounted against a backdrop of his journey from raw Second Lieutenant to seasoned Colonel and Task Force Commander; from leading Marines through the streets of Mogadishu, Baghdad, Fallujah and Mosul to directing multi-national special operations forces in a dauntingly complex fight against a formidable foe.

The journey culminates in the story's centerpiece: the fight against ISIS, in which the author is able to use the lessons of his harsh apprenticeship to lead the SOF task force under his command to hasten the Caliphate's eventual demise.

Milburn has an unusual background for a US Marine, and this is no ordinary war memoir. Very few personal accounts of war cover such a wide breadth of experience, or with so discerning a perspective. As Bing West comments: "His exceptional skill is telling each story of battle and then knitting them into a coherent whole. By the end of the book, the reader understands what happened on the ground in the wars against terrorists over the past twenty years."

Milburn tells his extraordinary story with self-effacing candor, describing openly his personal struggles with the isolation of command, post-combat trauma and family tragedy. And with the skill and insight of a natural story teller, he makes the reader experience what it's like to lead those who fight America's wars.

Critique: Exceptionally well written, organized and presented, "When the Tempest Gathers: From Mogadishu to the Fight Against ISIS, a Marine Special Operations Commander at War" is a unique and especially recommended addition to the personal reading lists of all dedicated military history buffs and a core addition to community, college, and university library American Military History collections and supplemental studies reading lists.

Editorial Note: Col. Andrew Milburn was born in Hong Kong and grew up in the United Kingdom where he attended St Paul's School and University College London. After graduating from law school, he enlisted in the US Marine Corps as a private. He was commissioned from the ranks, and as a Marine infantry and special operations officer, has commanded in combat at every grade. As the commanding officer of the Marine Corps' special operations regiment, he was selected to lead a multi-national task force given the mission of defeating ISIS in Iraq. He retired in 2019 as the Chief of Staff of Special Operations Command, Central (SOCCENT), the headquarters responsible for the conduct of all US special operations throughout the Middle East. He and his wife Jessica live in Tampa, Florida with their two children and a coterie of rescued dogs.

Mortar Gunner on the Eastern Front: Volume II
Hans Heinz Rehfeldt
Greenhill Books
Pen & Sword Books
https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk
c/o Casemate
www.casematepublishers.com
9781784383657, $32.95, HC, 352pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: Returning to his old unit, the grenade launcher, in May 1944, Hans Heinz Rehfeldt experienced the heavy defensive battles in Romania as a German army platoon commander and from August 1944 in East Prussia and Lithuania. After being transferred by ship from Memel to K"nigsberg in late 1944, he took part in the battles for Ostprussen in the winter of 1944/1945.

Constantly exposed to the attacks of Russian bombers and fighter planes and severely wounded by shrapnel on the leg, he manages, with the help of a Russian volunteer and a horse-drawn vehicle from Balga to Rosenberg, from there by ship transport via Pillau to Swinoujscie and by train to Schwerin.

Fleeing the impending Russian imprisonment to the west, he falls into American captivity on 3 May 1945 and is released in July 1945 in the home.

Critique: "Mortar Gunner on the Eastern Front: Russia, Hungary, Lithuania, and the Battle for East Prussia" is the second volume of Hans Heinz Rehfeldt's World War II military memoirs. Ably translated into English by Geoffrey Brooks and featuring an informative Foreword by Gilberto Villahemosa and unreservedly recommended for both community and academic library World War II History & Biography collections, it should be noted for the personal reading lists of all dedicated military buffs that it is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $14.99). Also very highly recommended is "Mortar Gunner on the Eastern Front: The Memoir of Dr Hans Rehfeldt. Volume 1: From the Moscow Winter Offensive to Operation Zitadelle" (9781784383619, $32.95 HC, $15.82 Kindle, 352pp).

Editorial Note: Dr Hans Heinz Rehfeldt was born on 21 April 1923 in Hagen/Westphalia. He left for the Front on 27 October 1941, at which point his story begins. He went on to receive several awards for valor in the face of extreme adversity. He went on to become a veterinarian following his studies of veterinary medicine. He died in 2017.

Special Forces Berlin
James Stejskal
Casemate Publishers
1940 Lawrence Road, Havertown, PA 19083
www.casematepublishers.com
9781612004440, $32.95, HC, 336pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: Highly classified until only recently, two U.S. Army Special Forces detachments were stationed far behind the Iron Curtain in West Berlin during the Cold War. The units' existence and missions were protected by cover stories, their operations were secret.

The massive armies of the Soviet Union and its Warsaw Pact allies posed a huge threat to the nations of Western Europe. US military planners decided they needed a plan to slow the juggernaut they expected when and if a war began. The plan was Special Forces Berlin. The first 40 men who came to Berlin in mid-1956 were soon reinforced by 60 more and these 100 soldiers (and their successors) would stand ready to go to war at only two hours' notice, in a hostile area occupied by nearly one million Warsaw Pact forces, until 1990.

Their mission should hostilities commence was to wreak havoc behind enemy lines, and buy time for vastly outnumbered NATO forces to conduct a breakout from the city. In reality it was an ambitious and extremely dangerous mission, even suicidal. Highly trained and fluent in German, each man was allocated a specific area. They were skilled in clandestine operations, sabotage, intelligence tradecraft and able to act as independent operators, blending into the local population and working unseen in a city awash with spies looking for information on their every move.

Special Forces Berlin was a one of a kind unit that had no parallel. It left a legacy of a new type of soldier expert in unconventional warfare, one that was sought after for missions such as the attempted rescue of American hostages from Tehran in 1979. With the U.S. government officially acknowledging their existence in 2014, their incredible story is now being told in "Special Forces Berlin: Clandestine Cold War Operations of the US Army's Elite, 1956 - 1990" by James Stejskal.

Critique: An extraordinary and seminal study, "Special Forces Berlin: Clandestine Cold War Operations of the US Army's Elite, 1956 - 1990" is impressively informative, expertly organized and presented, making it a unique and unreservedly recommended addition to community, college, and university library Cold War era Intelligence & Espionage History collections. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of students, academia, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "Special Forces Berlin: Clandestine Cold War Operations of the US Army's Elite, 1956 - 1990" is also available in a paperback edition (9781612008431, $22.95), in a digital book format ($11.99), and as a complete and unabridged audio book (Tantor Audio, 9781541458192, $29.99, CD).

Editorial Note: James Stejskal is an author, military historian, and conflict archaeologist. To gain inspiration and research his writings, he spent 35 years serving with the US Army Special Forces and the Central Intelligence Agency in such interesting places as Africa, Europe, the Balkans, the Near and Far East. He is also the author of numerous articles and the well-received book "The Horns of the Beast: The Swakop River Campaign and World War I in South-West Africa, 1914-15".

Taking Fire!
David L. Porter
McFarland & Company
PO Box 611, Jefferson NC 28640
https://mcfarlandbooks.com
9781476680514, $29.95, PB, 182pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: As a first lieutenant in the 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment, U.S. Army pilot David Porter was section leader in an Aerial Scout platoon in Vietnam. Their mission was to conduct reconnaissance in OH-6 aircraft (a.k.a. Light Observation Helicopter or "Loach") near the Cambodian border. Finding and engaging the enemy at low altitude in coordination with an AH-1 Cobra gunship circling above, these units developed a remarkable method of fighting the Viet Cong: Hunter-Killer Operations.

The tactic had great local success but died with the war. Few today are aware of the hazards these pilots faced during times of intense combat. Porter's vivid memoir recounts the internal workings of a legendary air cavalry troop, in-the-cockpit combat actions, and the men who were key players on this perilous battleground.

Critique: "Taking Fire! Memoir of an Aerial Scout in Vietnam" is an impressively informative, vividly written, inherently fascinating read from cover to cover -- making it an ideal and unreservedly recommended addition to both community and academic library 20th Century American Military History collections in general, and Vietnam War supplemental studies lists in particular. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of students, academia, military history buffs, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "Taking Fire! Memoir of an Aerial Scout in Vietnam" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $15.99).

Editorial Note: David L. Porter is a retired Regular Army Colonel with twenty-seven years' service as an Army Combat Arms officer. In addition to his year in Vietnam, he served multiple tours in the inter-zonal border between East and West Germany during the cold war. He also served tours in combat divisions, the Armor School, and various staff positions including the Pentagon. Upon retirement, he became the Director of Admissions at Colorado Technical University, in Colorado Springs, Colorado followed by a nineteen year career as a Government contractor. His contractor responsibilities focused on training American Soldiers at various locations throughout the United States and Germany.

Japan's Spy at Pearl Harbor
Taken Yoshikawa, author
Andrew Mitchell, translator
McFarland & Company
PO Box 611, Jefferson NC 28640
https://mcfarlandbooks.com
9781476676999, $35.00, PB, 308pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: Takeo Yoshikawa (1912-1993) was an ensign in the Imperial Japanese Navy and a naval intelligence officer assigned the task of spying on the U.S. Pacific Fleet at Pearl Harbor.

Assuming the alias "Morimura" and the role of secretary at the Japanese Consulate-General in Honolulu in March of 1941, Yoshikawa was able to travel all over the Hawaiian Islands to gather intelligence. His reporting during the nine months preceding the outbreak of the Pacific War would help pave the way for Japan's surprise attack at Pearl Harbor.

Yoshikawa's memoirs (published here in Andrew Mitchell's English translation for the first time) offer a gripping spy story, personal confessions, and a Japanese eyewitness view of the war in the Pacific.

Critique: A unique and unreservedly recommended addition to the growing library of World War II biographies and memoirs, "Japan's Spy at Pearl Harbor: Memoir of an Imperial Navy Secret Agent" is an important acquisition for community, college, and university library collections, and a 'must read' choice for the personal reading lists of all dedicated military history buffs.

Editorial Note: Takeo Yoshikawa was born in Matsuyama, Japan, in 1912 and was trained at the prestigious Etajima Naval Academy in the early 1930s.

From Omaha Beach to Nuremberg
Daniel Altman & Fawn Zwickel
McFarland & Company
PO Box 611, Jefferson NC 28640
https://mcfarlandbooks.com
9781476679235, $29.95, PB, 208pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: Sgt. Daniel Altman grew up in the Bronx, New York. He enlisted in the Army at 21 and served in the ETO. When he came state-side he integrated back into civilian life and repressed his memories of the war. "From Omaha Beach to Nuremberg: A Memoir of World War II Combat and the International Military Tribunal" is his personal memoir and history of what he experienced, what he saw, and what he now remembers with the assistance of his granddaughter Fawn Zwickel.

A tough Jewish kid from the Bronx, Dan Altman enlisted in the Army when the U.S. entered World War II. Adapting street smarts to soldiering, he became a skilled sharpshooter and attained the rank of sergeant in the 1st Infantry Division. On D-Day, Altman's unit was among the second wave to assault the German defenses at Normandy. Surviving the invasion, the fighting in the lethal hedgerow country, the Hurtgen Forest, and the Battle of the Bulge, he was later assigned to gather information on the Nazi atrocities performed at the concentration camps for the trials at Nuremburg.

Critique: A simply riveting read from first page to last, "From Omaha Beach to Nuremberg: A Memoir of World War II Combat and the International Military Tribunal" is an invaluable and enduringly appreciated contribution to the every growing library of World War II Histories & Biographies. While unreservedly recommended for both community and academic library collections, it should be noted for the personal reading lists of students, academia, military buffs, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "From Omaha Beach to Nuremberg: A Memoir of World War II Combat and the International Military Tribunal" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $13.59).

Attack at Chosin
Xiaobing Li
University of Oklahoma Press
2800 Venture Drive, Norman, OK 73069
www.oupress.com
9780806164991, $29.95, PB, 280pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: For members of the U.S. Army's "Task Force Faith" and the First Marine Division, the Battle of Chosin Reservoir is an epic story of survival, courage, and ingenuity. Their exploits are well known and woven into the storied histories of the U.S. Army and Marine Corps. Now, for the first time, "Attack at Chosin: The Chinese Second Offensive in Korea" recounts this battle from the Chinese perspective, describing the advance that forced General MacArthur to reorient his strategy, which not only marked a turning point in the Korean War but impacted events in Asia in ways that still resonate today.

The Battle of Chosin Reservoir, as the Chinese commanders foretold, determined the fate and length of the Korean War. Author Xiaobing Li describes the fighting that began on November 27, 1950, when 150,000 soldiers from the Chinese Ninth Army Group attacked the First Marines and elements of the 7th Infantry Division in the remote mountains of North Korea. It was a calculated attempt to repel MacArthur's "home-by-Christmas" offensive and to deter UN forces from further advances toward the Chinese border.

The fierce fighting that followed, combined with the bitter cold, made Chosin one of the deadliest battles of the war. By December 17, after suffering more than 40,000 casualties and failing to achieve their campaign objectives to destroy the American divisions, the Ninth Army Group was forced to withdraw. One day later, on December 18, 1950, the remaining survivors were recalled to China.

As the first book to explore the role of command and control, technology, and combat effectiveness from the point of view of the Chinese, and to examine cooperation and friction between Beijing and Pyongyang, "Attack at Chosin: The Chinese Second Offensive in Korea" sheds new light on the ultimate military success of the UN forces during the Korean conflict. Li also provides invaluable insights into Chinese military doctrine, strategy, and tactics that continue to influence foreign policy and American military institutions today.

Critique: Offering a unique perspective on a key battle of the Korean War, "Attack at Chosin: The Chinese Second Offensive in Korea" is an impressively informative contribution that is unreservedly recommended for personal, community, college, and university library American Military History collections in general, and Korean War supplemental studies lists in particular. Enhanced for academia with the inclusion of an eighteen page Selected Bibliography, a fourteen page Glossary of Names and Terms, fifty pages of Notes, and an Index, it should be noted for students, military historians, and non-specialist general readers that "Attack at Chosin" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $24.95).

Editorial Note: Xiaobing Li is the Professor of History and Director of the Western Pacific Institute at the University of Central Oklahoma. He is the executive editor of the Chinese Historical Review and the author or coauthor of numerous books, including China's Battle for Korea: The 1951 Spring Offensive and The Cold War in East Asia.


The Art Shelf

Degas at the Opera
Henri Loyrett
Thames & Hudson, Inc.
500 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10110-0017
www.thamesandhudsonusa.com
9780500023396, $60.00, HC, 320pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: Edgar Degas (19 July 1834 - 27 September 1917) was a French artist famous for his pastel drawings and oil paintings of ballerinas. Degas also produced bronze sculptures, prints, and drawings. Degas is especially identified with the subject of dance; more than half of his works depict dancers.

From his debut in the 1860s up to his final works after 1900, the Paris Opera formed a focal point of Edgar Degas's paintings. He explored the theater's various spaces (auditorium and stage, private boxes, foyers, and dance studios) and painted those who frequented them: dancers, singers, orchestral musicians, audience members, and subscribers watching from the wings. This theater presented a microcosm of infinite possibilities, allowing him to experiment with multiple points of view, contrasting lighting, motion, and the precision of movement.

A magnificently produced catalog "Degas at the Opera" by Henri Loyrette was created in concert with an exhibition at the Muse e d'Orsay in Paris, and the National Gallery of Art in Washington, DC, to consider the Paris Opera's influence on Degas as a whole by examining not only his passionate relationship with the house and his musical tastes, but also the infinite resources of the opera's marvelous toolbox.

Critique: Showcasing some 300 full color reproductions of Degas's work, and enhanced with the inclusion of insightful essays by leading curators and scholars Kimberly A. Jones, Leila Jarbouai, and Marine Kisiel, "Degas at the Opera" by Henri Loyrette (who is the former director of the Louvre Museum and former curator and director of the Muse e d'Orsay) is certain to be a much appreciated and enduringly popular addition to personal, community, and academic library Art History collections in general, and Edgar Degas supplemental studies lists in particular.

Museum of Fine Arts, Boston: A Guide to the Collections
Maureen Melton
Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
465 Huntington Avenue, Boston, Massachusetts 02115
www.mfa-publications.org
9780878468621, $24.95, PB, 440pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: Now in a newly updated and expanded edition, "Museum of Fine Arts, Boston: A Guide to the Collections" by Maureen Melton is the definitive guide to the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston's most enduring masterpieces and provides an enticing, informative, beautifully illustrated introduction to a collection that circles the globe and spans thousands of years.

Featuring more than 500 works of art ranging from Native American ceramics to European silver, Egyptian funerary arts to Warhol silkscreens, and alongside world-renowned paintings and sculpture (all reproduced in vibrant color) "Museum of Fine Arts, Boston: A Guide to the Collections" is substantial guide that invites readers and visitors alike to experience the surprise, delight and inspiration offered by the collections of a major museum.

Critique: A beautifully composed and impressively informative guide to one of the nation's premier museum collections, "Museum of Fine Arts, Boston: A Guide to the Collections" is a pleasure to simply browse through and an essential, practical, and thoroughly 'user friendly' reference for getting the most out of a trip to Boston's Museum of Fine Arts.

The Art of Spiral Drawing
Jonathan Stephen Harris
Walter Foster
c/o Quarto Publishing Group USA
400 First Avenue North, Suite 400, Minneapolis, MN 55401-1722
www.quartoknows.com
9781633228221, $19.99, PB, 128pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: Written and illustrated by Jonathan Stephen Harris, "The Art of Spiral Drawing" opens with helpful sections on tools and materials, perspective, and shading, ensuring that beginning artists know the basics before getting started on the step-by-step projects that follow. Instructions for creating basic shapes, including a triangle, a circle, and a square, progress into more detailed patterns. Instructions are also included for creating a variety of subjects, from flowers to animals, all featuring a spiral pattern as their framework. Artists can even add color to their spiral artwork using the tips featured in the book.

Critique: Specifically and effectively created for beginning and intermediate artists, doodlers, optical illusionists, and anyone else who would enjoy creating their own spiral and geometric art works, "The Art of Spiral Drawing: Learn to create spiral art and geometric drawings using pencil, pen, and more" is impressively 'user friendly' in commentary, organization and presentation. An ideal instructional guide and manual, "The Art of Spiral Drawing" will prove to be an enduringly popular addition to personal, professional, community, and academic library Pen/Pencil Drawing instructional collections.

Editorial Note: Jonathan Stephen Harris started his freelance artist career drawing portraits of people and pets, and then moved on to creating tattoo flash (tattoo designs) for studios all over the world. For 10 years he worked online creating custom tattoo designs. Now he spends most of his time painting and creating fonts and typefaces for both personal and commercial use. He has a successful YouTube channel (www.youtube.com/user/TattooWoo) showing how-to-draw videos and the processes he takes when creating art and designs. He also maintains an informative website at www.jonathanstephenharris.com.


The Environmental Studies Shelf

Replenish: The Virtuous Cycle of Water and Prosperity
Sandra Postel
Island Press
2000 M Street NW, Suite 650, Washington, DC 20036
www.islandpress.org
9781610917902, $35.00, HC, 336pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: We have disrupted the natural water cycle for centuries in an effort to control water for our own prosperity. Yet every year, recovery from droughts and floods costs billions of dollars, and we spend billions more on dams, diversions, levees, and other feats of engineering. These massive projects not only are risky financially and environmentally, they often threaten social and political stability. What if the answer was not further control of the water cycle, but repair and replenishment?

In "Replenish: The Virtuous Cycle of Water and Prosperity", Sandra Postel takes her readers around the world to explore water projects that work with, rather than against, nature's rhythms. In New Mexico, forest rehabilitation is safeguarding drinking water; along the Mississippi River, farmers are planting cover crops to reduce polluted runoff; and in China, "sponge cities" are capturing rainwater to curb urban flooding.

Efforts like these will be essential as climate change disrupts both weather patterns and the models on which we base our infrastructure. We will be forced to adapt. The question is whether we will continue to fight the water cycle or recognize our place in it and take advantage of the inherent services nature offers. Water, Postel writes, is a gift, the source of life itself. How will we use this greatest of gifts?

Critique: An impressively informative and timely contribution to our national dialogue over water use and dealing with the stresses on our water systems because of Climate Change, "Replenish: The Virtuous Cycle of Water and Prosperity" is an extraordinary and unreservedly recommended addition to both community and academic library Hydrology & Water Environmental Issues collections. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of students, academia, governmental policy makers, environmental activists, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "Replenish: The Virtuous Cycle of Water and Prosperity" is also readily available in a paperback edition (9781642830101, $26.00) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $16.49).

Editorial Note: Sandra Postel is the director of the Global Water Policy Project and co-creator of Change the Course, the national water stewardship initiative awarded the 2017 US Water Prize for restoring billions of gallons of water to depleted rivers and wetlands. From 2009-2015, she served as Freshwater Fellow of the National Geographic Society. Postel is author of Pillar of Sand: Can the Irrigation Miracle Last? and Last Oasis: Facing Water Scarcity, the basis for a PBS documentary. Her work has appeared in Science, Natural History, and Best American Science and Nature Writing.


The American History Shelf

Kingdom of Nauvoo
Benjamin E. Park
Liveright
c/o W. W. Norton
www.wwnorton.com
9781631494864, $28.95

Kingdom of Nauvoo: The Rise and Fall of a Religious Empire on the American Frontier makes a case for the importance of Mormons in American history, reexamining the story of Nauvoo, Illinois, as documented by records from the Church of Jesus Christ of latter-day Saints. Nauvoo was the community Joseph Smith and his Mormon followers created: a bustling collection of some twelve thousand inhabitants which served as a home for Smith's church, a testing ground for its new directions, and a community that threatened to become independently operated from the rest of America with its own laws, militia, and anti-democratic structure. From Illinois delegation influences on surrounding states' politics to racial tensions that drove Mormons to reach out to other disenfranchised parties, Kingdom of Nauvoo creates an engrossing inspection of an American frontier controversy that, until now, has received relatively little inspection. Thanks to newly released Mormon church records and Benjamin E. Park, this has been remedied and returns an important segment of Mormon American history to modern history shelves.

Radical Seattle: The General Strike of 1919
Cal Winslow
Monthly Review Press
134 W. 29th Street, Suite 706, New York, NY 10001
www.monthlyreview.org
9781583678534, $95.00, HC, 288pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: On a grey winter morning in Seattle, in February 1919, 110 local unions shut down the entire city. Shut it down and took it over, rendering the authorities helpless. For five days, workers from all trades and sectors ranging from streetcar drivers, telephone operators, and musicians, to miners, loggers, shipyard workers, fed the people, ensured that babies had milk, that the sick were cared for. They did this with without the police -- and they kept the peace themselves.

This had never happened before in the United States and has not happened since. Those five days became known as the General Strike of Seattle. Chances are most Americans have never heard of it. In "Radical Seattle: The General Strike of 1919", author and social/political/labor activist Cal Winslow explains why.

Winslow describes how Seattle's General Strike was actually the high point in a long process of early twentieth century socialist and working-class organization, when everyday people built a viable political infrastructure that seemed, to governments and corporate bosses, radical - even "Bolshevik."

Drawing from original research, Winslow depicts a process that, in struggle, fused the celebrated itinerants of the West with the workers of a modern industrial city. But "Radical Seattle: The General Strike of 1919" is not only an account of the heady days of February 1919; it is also about the making of a class capable of launching one of America's most gripping strikes - what E.P. Thompson once referred to as "the long tenacious revolutionary tradition of the common people."

In these especially troubled and troubling times, reading "Radical Seattle: The General Strike of 1919" might increase the chance that something like this could happen again anywhere in America!

Critique: A meticulously researched and detailed study, "Radical Seattle: The General Strike of 1919" is impressively informative, expertly written, and unreservedly recommended for community and academic library 20th Century American Labor History collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of students, academia, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "Radical Seattle: The General Strike of 1919" is also available from the Monthly Review Press in a paperback edition (9781583678527, $26.00).

Editorial Note: Cal Winslow is a longtime labor activist and educator, the Director of the Mendocino Institute, and a retired fellow in environmental history at UC Berkeley. Among his several books are Labor's Civil War in California and Rebel Rank and File. He also edited E.P. Thompson and the Making of the New Left.

Enterprising Waters
Brad L. Utter
Excelsior Editions
c/o State University of New York Press
State University Plaza, Albany, NY 12246-0001
www.sunypress.edu
9781438478265, $39.95, PB, 432pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: One of the largest public works projects in American history, the Erie Canal inspired a nationwide transportation revolution and directed the course of New York and American history. When completed in 1825, the engineering marvel unlocked the Western interior for trade and settlement, boomtowns sprang up along the canal's path, and New York City grew to be the nation's most powerful center of international trade. Millions of people poured into New York (and some through it) to take advantage of the tremendous opportunities provided by the canal, influencing settlement and the social, political, and commercial landscapes of America.

Produced in honor of the bicentennial of the beginning of construction of the canal, "Enterprising Waters: The History and Art of New York's Erie Canal" by Brad L. Utter (who is a Senior Historians and Curator at the New York State Museum) is a companion catalog to the New York State Museum's exhibition of the same name and includes reproductions of objects and images from the collections of more than thirty-five different institutions and individual lenders. It also contains reproductions of fifty-nine works of art used in the companion exhibition "Art of the Erie Canal." Themes of politics, engineering, commerce, life on the canal, and more are paired with full color images of artifacts, documents, and images to bring this unique American story to life, from its inception to today.

Critique: Profusely illustrated with captioned period photography throughout, "Enterprising Waters: The History and Art of New York's Erie Canal" is enhanced for academia with the inclusion of a two page Bibliography, two pages of Notes, and a fourteen page Index, making it an exceptional work that is unreservedly recommended for community, college, and university library American Transportation History collections in general, and Erie Canal history supplemental studies lists in particular. It should be noted for students, academia, and non- specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "Enterprising Waters: The History and Art of New York's Erie Canal" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $36.22).

The Old West's First Power Couples
William R. Nester
Rio Nuevo Publishers
PO Box 5250, Tucson, AZ 85703
www.rionuevo.com
9781940322445, $24.95, PB, 344pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: A century and a half before the Kennedys and the Clintons, the Fremonts and the Custers were American power couples. John and Jessie Fremont and George and Libbie Custer pioneered that American cultural phenomenon. -- So what made the Fremonts and the Custers so famous?

Fremont mapped swaths of the West in five expeditions and helped lead America's conquest of California. He was nominated as the newborn Republican Party's presidential candidate in the 1856 election. During the Civil War, Custer was the boy-general who led cavalry charges that routed rebel forces in a score or more combats. He achieved immortality for his last stand with 262 of his men against thousands of Indian warriors during the battle of the Little Bighorn. But above all he and his wife helped spearhead Manifest Destiny, the belief that Americans have a God-given right to expand their nation across the continent and beyond to the ends of the earth.

Although little known today, their wives, Jessie and Libbie, were nearly as famous as their husbands. Each served as her husband's political muse, offering candid advice and spurring him to higher ambitions. They were vivacious women who loved entertaining and being the center of attention. They were also courageous and followed their husbands into the dangers of war, the frontier, and the wilderness.

Proudly backed by their wives, Fremont and Custer committed epic acts in epic times that brought them enormous fame. Yet eventually each self-destructed. The reason was simple but serious character flaws and hubris that made each man his own worst enemy. Becoming adored heroes at an early age warped each to believe that he could get away with anything. Once extolled as symbolizing America's greatest traits of courage, decisiveness, and ingenuity, with time John Fremont, George Custer, and, by extension their wives, have increasingly been reviled in later generations for representing imperialism, racism, and genocide.

"The Old West's First Power Couples: The Fremonts, the Custers, and Their Epic Quest for Manifest Destiny" by William Nester (who is a professor at St. John's University in New York and the author of numerous books on American national security, global politics, military history, and the nature of power) neither celebrates nor demonizes the Fremonts and the Custers. Instead each couple is explored as an extraordinary, gifted, flawed, unique individuals who were half of a unique matrimonial pair that made history and advanced America's Manifest Destiny -- for better or worse.

Critique: An inherently fascinating and absorbing read throughout, "The Old West's First Power Couples: The Fremonts, the Custers, and Their Epic Quest for Manifest Destiny" is an impressively well written work of meticulous scholarship, making it a unique and truly extraordinary contribution to personal, community, and academic library Western American History and 19th Century American Biography collections.

Cranky Uncle vs. Climate Change
Dr. John Cook
Citadel Press
c/o Kensington Publishing Corp.
119 West 40th Street, Floor 21, New York, NY 10018-2522
www.kensingtonbooks.com
9780806540276, $16.95, PB, 176pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: When it comes to climate change, this truly is a golden age -- of fake news, post-truths, pluralistic ignorance, conspiracy theories, a willfully ignorant administration, and the Cranky Uncle. You know him. We all have one or know of one. That exasperating blusterer who digs in his heels even as the foundation of his denial thaws faster than the Arctic ice caps.

Written and illustrated by Dr. John Cook, a cognitive psychologist and founder of the award-winning website Skeptical Science, "Cranky Uncle vs. Climate Change" combines humor and science to make clear, calm, and winnable arguments in the public controversy of climate change.

Can we change our Cranky Uncle's mind? Probably, regrettably, not. But Dr. Cook makes it easier for us to understand him. And armed with this knowledge, prevent climate misinformation from spreading further.

Critique: Simply stated, "Cranky Uncle vs. Climate Change: How to Understand and Respond to Climate Science Deniers" should be a part of every persona, professional, K-12 school, community, college, and university library Environmental Studies collection. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of non-specialist general readers who are trying to educated their misinformed friends, family members and colleagues about the global dangers that human created and enhanced environmental degradations are causing (including the 6th Great Extinction event that we are all currently living through) with respect to predicted world wide environmental disasters ranging from rising sea levels to increasing catastrophic weather events. It should be also be noted for personal reading lists that "Cranky Uncle vs. Climate Change" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).


The World History Shelf

God's Viking: Harald Hardrada
Nic Fields
Pen & Sword Books
c/o Casemate (distribution)
www.casematepublishers.com
https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk
9781473823426, $44.95, HC, 336pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: Harald Hardrada (c. 1015 - 25 September 1066) is perhaps best known as the inheritor of 'seven feet of English soil' in that year of fateful change, 1066, when he was defeated by the invading Normans under the leadership of William the Conqueror. But Stamford Bridge was just the terminal point of a warring career that spanned decades and continents.

Prior to forcibly occupying the Norwegian throne, Harald had an interesting (and lucrative) career in the Varangian Guard, and he remains unquestionably the most notable of all the Varangians who served the Byzantine emperors. In the latter employment he saw active service in the Aegean, Sicily, Italy, Anatolia, Syria, Palestine and Bulgaria, while in Constantinople he was the hired muscle behind a palace revolution.

A man of war, his reign in Norway was to be taken up with a wasteful, vicious and ultimately futile conflict against Denmark, a kingdom (like England) he believed was his to rule. "God's Viking" also follow Harald's life from Stiklestad, where aged fifteen he fought alongside his half-brother king Olaf, through his years as a mercenary in Russia and Byzantium, then back to Norway, ending with his death in battle in England.

Critique: An extraordinary and inherently interesting historical study of meticulously detailed and deftly written scholarship that is enhanced for academia with the inclusion of three Appendices (Skald, Saga, Serpent Slayer, Son of Odinn; Mosfell Archaeological Project; He, Her, Hero, Heroine); a two page listing of Abbreviations; an eighteen page Bibliography; and a fourteen page Index, "God's Viking: Harald Hardrada" will prove to be a welcome addition to both community and academic library Medieval History collections in general, and Harald Hardrada supplemental studies lists in particular. It should be noted for students, academia, medieval history buffs, Viking history fans, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "God's Viking: Harald Hardrada" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $14.99).

Editorial Note: Nic Fields started his career as a biochemist before joining the Royal Marines. Having left the military, he went back to university and completed his doctorate in Ancient History at the University of Newcastle. He was Assistant Director of the British School at Athens, then a lecturer in Ancient History at the University of Edinburgh. He is now a freelance author and researcher based in southwest France, specializing in ancient military history.


The Civil War Shelf

Emotional Gettysburg: Paintings & Essays
Bruce E. Mowday, essayist
Karl J. Kuerner, artist
Regent Press
2747 Regent St., Berkeley, CA 94705
www.regentpress.net
9781587904820, $34.99, HC, 98pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: In a series of historic vignettes that deftly combine the contemporary paintings of artist Karl J. Kuerner and the essays of Bruce E. Mowday explore the Civil War battlefield of Gettysburg in a way never before depicted in the pages of "Emotional Gettysburg: Paintings & Essays".

For Karl, the spirit of art has spurred him to create a series of paintings that are peaceful and tranquil despite the death and destruction that took place here. Also, there are tears for those who sacrificed so much.

For Bruce, he calls upon his years of Civil War historical research to recount some of the heroic deeds of the conflict that threatened the very existence of the United States of America.

Ten of thousands of soldiers.... Ten of thousands of emotional stories each with a life of its own. So many stories will never be told, lost along with those who sacrificed their lives at Gettysburg during three days of July in 1863. What took place in Gettysburg, documented or not, forever will have profound meaning for Americans, a soul and a spirit.

Critique: A thoughtful, informative, beautifully enhanced, and moving volume, "Emotional Gettysburg: Paintings & Essays" is an extraordinary, unique, inherently fascinating, and unreservedly recommended contribution to personal, community, college, and university library American Civil War collections and supplemental studies reading lists.

Editorial Note: Bruce Mowday is an award-winning journalist who was given the Local Author Hero Award by the West Chester, Pennsylvania, library during its 2008 Literacy Heroes event at Longwood Gardens. Bruce is also listed on the author's mural at the Chester County Library, Exton. Bruce has authored books on history, true crime, sports and business. Mowday gives talks on his books and also offers help to other authors on publishing issues, and maintains a web site at www.mowday.com

Karl Kuerner's artwork has been exhibited in Belgium, Nigeria, and Togo through the "Arts in Embassies" program, as well as at the Brandywine River Museum and Berman Museum at Ursinus College. Karl exhibited his Places to Go, Things to See series at West Chester University where he received an Honorary Doctorate in Public Service. Bone Creek Museum of Agrarian Art, Nebraska, plans to feature Karl's creations in 2020. Karl has been featured in many books and publications, recently appearing in PBS's American Masters Series documentary Wyeth. A well respected teacher of 38 years, Karl has carried the "Art Spirit" throughout his time. Those interested can visit the web site at www.karljkuerner.com to explore Karl's paintings, books, news and more.


The Literary Studies Shelf

All of the Belles
F. Scott Fitzgerald
NewSouth Books
105 South Court Street, Montgomery, AL 36104
www.newsouthbooks.com
9781588384232, $23.95, HC, 112pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: During his Roaring Twenties heyday, F. Scott Fitzgerald wrote three stories about the belles of Tarleton, Georgia, a setting readers recognized as a thinly veiled version of his wife Zelda's hometown of Montgomery, Alabama.

Inspired by Fitzgerald's own belle, Zelda Sayre, whom he met in Montgomery while stationed at Camp Sheridan training for the Great War, these stories are minor masterpieces long regarded as the very best of the 160-plus short stories the writer published during his short life.

"All of the Belles: The Montgomery Stories of F. Scott Fitzgerald" collects these stories("The Ice Palace," "The Jelly-Bean," and "The Last of the Belles") in a single volume for the very first time. This very special book is being released to commemorate the centennial anniversary of Scott and Zelda's marriage and in recognition of the many hundredth anniversaries of Fitzgerald's work which will be celebrated starting in 2020.

The heroines of these still remarkable tales rebel against Southern expectations of women, revel in the newfound freedoms young people enjoyed at the outset of the modern age, and ultimately discover that home is far harder to run away from than they ever expected. The stories capture all the winsome qualities that readers love about F. Scott's writing: the keen observation of manners, the comic insights, the lyricism, and the poignant, powerful sense of loss. The Jazz Age may have begun a century ago, but Fitzgerald's works remain among American literature's most powerful writing, as will become clear with a reading of "All of the Belles".

Critique: Simply stated, every personal, community, highschool, college and university library in the country should have a copy of "All of the Belles: The Montgomery Stories of F. Scott Fitzgerald" in their American Literature collections in general, and F. Scott Fitzgerald literary curriculum studies reading lists in particular.

Editorial Note: Born in St. Paul, Minnesota, in 1896, F. Scott Fitzgerald first came to Alabama in the summer of 1918 as an Army lieutenant stationed at Camp Sheridan while training for the Great War. According to legend, that's where he met Montgomery belle Zelda Sayre at a country-club dance. The pair married on April 3, 1920 and, thanks to the success of Fitzgerald's debut novel (published eight days before the wedding) instantly became symbols of the Roaring Twenties. Over the next two decades, Fitzgerald published three more novels (including his masterpiece, The Great Gatsby) and 160-plus short stories. He died in 1940, having fallen out of public favor. Within a decade, however, readers and academia rediscovered his brilliance and he continues to be celebrated as one of America's greatest authors today.

Affect and Literature
Alex Houen, editor
Cambridge University Press
One Liberty Plaza, Fl. 20, New York, NY 10006
www.cambridge.org
9781108424516, $120.00, HC, 470pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: Expertly and knowledgeably compiled and edited by Alex Houen, the twenty three articles and essays comprising "Affect and Literature" collectively considers how 'affect', the experience of feeling or emotion, has developed as a critical concept within literary studies in different periods and through a range of approaches.

Stretching from the classical to the contemporary, the first section of the book, 'Origins', considers the importance of particular areas of philosophy, theory, and criticism that have been important for conceptualizing affect and its relation to literature. "Affect and Literature" also includes ancient Greek and Roman philosophy, eighteenth-century aesthetics, Marxist theory, psychoanalysis, queer theory, and post-colonial theory.

The chapters of the second section, 'Developments', correspond to those of the previous section and build on their insights through readings of particular texts. The final 'Applications' section is focused on contemporary and future lines of enquiry, and revolves around a particular set of concerns: media and communications, capitalism, and an environment of affective relations that extend to ecology, social crisis, and war.

Critique: A seminal body of meticulous, informative, and deftly presented scholarship, "Affect and Literature" is an extraordinary and unreservedly recommended addition to community and academic library Literary Criticism & Theory collections and supplemental curriculum reading lists. It should be noted for students, academia, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "Affect and Literature" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $96.00).

Editorial Note: Alex Houen is author of Terrorism and Modern Literature (2002), and Powers of Possibility: Experimental American Writing since the 1960s (2012). His edited publications include: a special issue on 'Affects, Text, and Performativity' of Textual Practice (March/April 2011); and (with Jan-Melissa Schramm), Sacrifice and Modern War Literature: Battle of Waterloo to the War on Terror (2018). He also co-edits the international journal of poetry, Blackbox Manifold.


The Computer Shelf

A First Course in Network Science
Filippo Menczer, Santo Fortunato, Clayton A. Davis
Cambridge University Press
One Liberty Plaza, Fl. 20, New York, NY 10006
www.cambridge.org
9781108471138, $44.99, HC, 300pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: Networks are everywhere: networks of friends, transportation networks and the Web. Neurons in our brains and proteins within our bodies form networks that determine our intelligence and survival. "A First Course in Network Science" by the team of Filippo Menczer, Santo Fortunato, Clayton A. Davis (all from Indiana University, Bloomington) is modern, accessible textbook introduces the basics of network science for a wide range of job sectors from management to marketing, from biology to engineering, and from neuroscience to the social sciences.

Students will develop important, practical skills and learn to write code for using networks in their areas of interest - even as they are just learning to program with Python. Extensive sets of tutorials and homework problems provide plenty of hands-on practice and longer programming tutorials online further enhance students' programming skills. This intuitive and direct approach makes the book ideal for a first course, aimed at a wide audience without a strong background in mathematics or computing but with a desire to learn the fundamentals and applications of network science.

Critique: Enhanced for academia with two appendices (Python Tutorial & NetLogo Models), a ten page listing of References, and a two page Index, "A First Course in Network Science" is an impressively informative and expertly presented introduction to Network Science and an original, highly recommended addition to both college and university library Physics collections in general, and Mathematical Physics collections in particular. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of students, academia, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "A First Course in Network Science" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $21.99).


The Pets/Wildlife Shelf

Older Dog? No Worries!
Sian Ryan
Hubble & Hattie
www.hubbleandhattie.com
9781787113664, $17.99, PB, 72pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: As they grow older, what dogs need will change, -- and they may not be as mentally, physically, or emotionally robust as they once were. But as a canine companion, older dogs are a joy and a privilege to care for, with opportunities to further strengthen a relationship with them as we adapt to their changing needs. "Older Dog? No Worries!", part of the No Worries! series by Sian Ryan and encourages dog owners to consider their dog's individuality, and adapt or introduce activities that help maintain their mental agility, emotional resilience, and physical health. Drawing upon the latest research to provide ideas for maximizing an aging dog's well-being, the individual chapters allow the development of a personalized care plan for a dog, that incorporates new or amended ideas into their daily routine, and to make simple changes to a home, garden, car, and walks, to ensure that an older dog is happy, safe, and invigorated.

Critique: Profusely illustrated throughout with full color photography, "Older Dog? No Worries!: Maintaining Physical, Mental and Emotional Well-being in Your Golden Oldie" is a thoroughly 'user friendly' instructional guide and reference. Expert advice expertly provided, "Older Dog? No Worries!" is an extraordinary and unreservedly recommended addition to personal, professional, and community library Pets/Wildlife collections. It should be noted for anyone with an aging canine companion that "Older Dog? No Worries!" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $7.99).

Butterflies: Their Natural History and Diversity
Ronald Orenstein, author
Thomas Marent, photographer
Firefly Books Ltd.
www.fireflybooks.com
9780228102496, $24.95, PB, 224pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: "Butterflies: Their Natural History and Diversity" is a visual feast that informatively showcases a multitude of butterfly and moth species from around the globe. Here featured are some of the most colorful, spectacular and sometimes weird examples of the world's butterflies and moths. Vibrant color photographs and macro images by Thomas Marent complement the enlightening text written by zoologist Ronald Orenstein, who explains the scientific curiosities of these amazing insects. "Butterflies: Their Natural History and Diversity" makes clear how to differentiate between butterflies and moths; how caterpillars camouflage themselves; and how their feeding strategies and evolutionary adaptations help them prevail in the wild.

Critique: Beautifully and profusely illustrated with truly stunning photography, "Butterflies: Their Natural History and Diversity" is an impressively written, organized and presented natural history of the butterfly and their role in the ecosystems of earth. This coffee-table style volume (8.9 x 0.7 x 10.9 inches) is especially and unreservedly recommended for personal, professional, school and community library Pets/Wildlife collections in general, and supplemental Lepidoptera curriculum studies lists in particular.

Editorial Note: Ronald Orenstein is a zoologist, lawyer and wildlife conservationist who has written extensively on natural history issues. His most recent books are Ivory, Horn and Blood and Hummingbirds.

Thomas Marent is a wildlife photographer based in Switzerland. His previous books include Frog, Rainforest and Life in the Wild.


The Agriculture Shelf

Cucumber Mosaic Virus
Peter Palukaitis & Fernando Garcia-Arenal, editors
APS Press
3340 Pilot Knob Road, St. Paul, MN 55121
www.shopapspress.org
9780890546093, $255.89, HC, 380pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: The cucumber mosaic virus (CMV) has the broadest host range of any virus, and among the 1,000-plus host plants it affects are economically important food crops such as tomato, pepper, and lettuce. New species of host plants are being identified every year, mostly among weeds and ornamental plants as the latter become more popular. This is especially true in the developing world, where many plant species have not yet been surveyed.

Collaboratively compiled and co-edited by Peter Palukaitis and Fernando Garcia-Arenal, "Cucumber Mosaic Virus" is the first collective study on the pathology and molecular biology of the virus, as well as CMV's exceptional ability to override host defense mechanisms (referred to as 'RNA silencing suppression') and evaluations of disease detection methods and management of strategies.

Critique: Drawing upon contributions from an international group of 29 experts that are exceptionally well organized and informatively presented, "Cucumber Mosaic Virus" is an ideal and authoritative reference that is unreservedly recommended for college and university library Gardening/Horticultural collections, as well as the supplemental curriculum studies reading lists for students, academia, and plant disease researchers.


The Technology Shelf

Parameter Extraction and Complex Nonlinear Transistor Models
Gunter Kompa
Artech House
www.artechhouse.com
1630817449, $169.00

Parameter Extraction and Complex Nonlinear Transistor Models adds to Artech House's microwave references and is a pick for college-level collections strong in modeling semiconductor device parameters. The Shockley model is used to explore semiconductor transistor device physics and device performance, with chapters considering models and measurement setups for different simulations and calculations. Engineering and microwave libraries strong in semiconductor FET device modeling will find this reference essential for in-depth study and understanding.

Structural Steel Design, third edition
Abi O. Aghayere & Jason Vigil
Mercury Learning
c/o Stylus Publishing, Inc.
22883 Quicksilver Drive, Sterling, VA 20166-2012
www.styluspub.com
9781683923671, $99.95, HC, 900pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: Now in a fully updated and significantly expanded third edition, "Structural Steel Design" by Abi O. Aghayere (who is a licensed professional engineer and a professor of structural engineering at Drexel University) and Jason Vigil (who is a consultant in Rochester, New York, and an adjunct professor at the Rochester Institute of Technology), is a simple, practical, and concise guide to structural steel design using the Load and Resistance Factor Design (LRFD) and the Allowable Strength Design (ASD) methods -- that equips engineering and architectural students with the necessary skills for designing real-world structures.

Civil, structural, and architectural engineering students intending to pursue careers in structural design and consulting engineering, and practicing structural engineers will find the text useful because of the holistic, project-based learning approach that bridges the gap between engineering education and professional practice. The design of each building component is presented in a way such that the reader can see how each element fits into the entire building design and construction process. Structural details and practical example exercises that realistically mirror what obtains in professional design practice are presented.

Critique: This new third edition of "Structural Steel Design" is comprised of updated content/example exercises that conform to the current codes (ASCE 7, ANSI/AISC 360-16, and IBC); Additional coverage to ASD and examples with ASD to parallel those that are done LRFD; Follows a holistic approach to structural steel design that considers the design of individual steel framing members in the context of a complete structure. Expertly written, organized and presented, "Structural Steel Design" is an ideal textbook for Architectural Materials, Metallurgy Materials Engineering, and Cvil Engineering curriculums, and an unreservedly recommended addition to college and university library collections. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of students and academia that "Structural Steel Design" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $49.95).

Telecommunication Electronics
Dante Del Corso, et al.
Artech House
685 Canton Street, Norwood, MA 02062
www.artechhouse.com
9781630817367, $179.00, HC, 260pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: All model parameters are fundamentally coupled together, so that directly measured individual parameters, although widely used and accepted, may initially only serve as good estimates. "Telecommunication Electronics" by the team of by Dante Del Corso, Vittorio Camarchia, Robert Quaglia, and Paolo Bardella is comprehensive resource presents all aspects concerning the modeling of semiconductor field-effect device parameters based on gallium-arsenide (GaAs) and generative adversarial network (GaN) technology.

Metal-semiconductor field-effect transistors (MESFETs), high electron mobility transistors (HEMTs) and heterojunction bipolar transistors (HBTs), their structures and functions, and existing transistor models are also classified. The Shockley model is presented in order to give insight into semiconductor field-effect transistor (FET) device physics and explain the relationship between geometric and material parameters and device performance. Extraction of trapping and thermal time constants is discussed.

Of special note is a section that is specifically devoted to standard nonlinear FET models applied to large-signal measurements, including static-/pulsed-DC and single-/two-tone stimulation. High power measurement setups for signal waveform measurement, wideband source-/load-pull measurement (including envelope source-/load pull) are also included, along with high-power intermodulation distortion (IMD) measurement setup (including envelope load-pull).

"Telecommunication Electronics" is the publication to cover of all aspects of semiconductor FET device modeling in a single volume.

Critique: Expertly written, organization and presented, "Telecommunication Electronics" is an ideal textbook for curriculum courses and unreservedly recommended for college, university library Telecommunications Technology collections and supplemental studies lists.

Editorial Note: Artech House provides today's professionals and students with books and software from the world's authorities in RF/microwave design, wireless communications, radar engineering, and electronic defense, GPS/GNSS, power engineering, computer security, and building technology. Artech House is a subsidiary of Horizon House Publications, Inc., publisher of Microwave Journal.


The Political Science Shelf

The Hidden History of the War on Voting
Thom Hartmann
Berrett-Koehler Publishers Inc.
1333 Broadway, Suite 1000, Oakland CA, 94612
www.bkconnection.com
9781523087785, $15.99, PB, 192pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: In today's America, only a slim majority of people register to vote, and a large percentage of registered voters don't bother to show up: Donald Trump was elected by only 26 percent of eligible voters. Unfortunately, this is not a bug in our system, it's a feature.

In "The Hidden History of the War on Voting: Who Stole Your Vote and How to Get It Back", Thom Hartmann unveils the strategies and tactics that conservative elites in this country have used, from the foundation of the Electoral College to the latest voter ID laws, to protect their interests by preventing "the wrong people" (such as the poor, women, and people of color) from voting while making it more convenient for the wealthy and white. But he also lays out a wide variety of simple, commonsense ways that we the people can fight back and reclaim our right to rule through the ballot box.

Critique: A timely and much needed contribution to our on-going national dialogue concerning voter suppression efforts by conservative right-wing political establishments, "The Hidden History of the War on Voting: Who Stole Your Vote and How to Get It Back" should be a part of every community, college, and university library collection in the country. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of students, academia, political activists, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "The Hidden History of the War on Voting: Who Stole Your Vote and How to Get It Back" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).

Editorial Note: Thom Hartmann is a progressive national and internationally syndicated talk show host. Talkers Magazine named him America's #1 most important progressive host and the host of one of the top 10 talk radio shows in the country every year for over a decade. A four-time recipient of the Project Censored Award, Hartmann is also a New York Times bestselling author of thirty-two books, translated into multiple languages.

A Short History of Presidential Election Crises
Alan Hirsch
City Lights Publishers
261 Columbus Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94133
www.citylights.com
9780872868298, $16.95, PB, 224pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: In 2000, the American public learned that an exceptionally close presidential election can produce chaos, because we have no reliable Constitutional mechanism for resolving disputes.

Since 2016, we have learned that foreign countries such as Russia and North Korea (and perhaps other malevolent actors) have been covertly attacking U.S. election systems. In the age of hacking, our elections are more vulnerable than ever, and yet we have failed to adequately prepare for all possible scenarios. It is time for us to think about how we can prevent and/or deal with disaster before it strikes.

In "A Short History of Presidential Election Crises: And How to Prevent the Next One", constitutional scholar Alan Hirsch addresses these issues with urgency and precision. He presents a concise history of presidential elections that resulted in crises and advocates clear, common-sense solutions, including abolishing the Electoral College and the creation of a permanent, non-partisan Presidential Election Review Board to prevent or remedy future crises.

Critique: In our present era of social media based misinformation, Russian troll bots, and a president who is an infamously compulsive, pathological liar of things both significant and insignificant, "A Short History of Presidential Election Crises: And How to Prevent the Next One" is an impressively timely (given the 2020 Presidential election cycle) and seminal work of meticulous and informative scholarship that should be considered as an essential and unreservedly recommended addition to community, college, and university library Contemporary Political Science collections. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of students, academia, political activists, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "A Short History of Presidential Election Crises" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $10.99).

Editorial Note: Alan Hirsch, is the Instructor in the Humanities and Chair of the Justice and Law Studies program at Williams College, is the author of a number of books including Impeaching the President: Past, Present, and Future (City Lights) and For the People: What the Constitution Really Says About Your Rights (Free Press) (coauthored with Akhil Amar). He received a J.D. from Yale Law School and B.A. from Amherst College. His work has appeared in the Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, Washington Times, Newsday, and the Village Voice. Hirsch also serves as a trial consultant and expert witness on interrogations and criminal confessions, testifying around the nation.

Beyond Populism
Jeff Maskovsky & Sophie Bjork-James
West Virginia University Press
1535 Mileground, Morgantown, WV 26506
www.wvupressonline.com
9781949199451, $99.99, HC, 240pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: Across the world, politics is lurching to the right, ethnic nationalism is on the rise, and people are furious. In "Beyond Populism: Angry Politics and the Twilight of Neoliberalism", the team of Jeff Maskovsky (Professor of Anthropology and Professor of Urban Studies at Queens College, City University of New York) and Sophie Bjork-James (Assistant Professor of Anthropology, Vanderbilt University) collaborate to compile and edited a number of essays that collectively examine the new destructive projects of resentment that have surfaced in the political spaces opened by neoliberalism's failures, particularly since the financial collapse of 2008.

"Beyond Populism" contextualizes the recent history of the Global North (notably Brexit and the Trump election) among wider comparative politics, with chapters on India, Colombia, Eastern Europe, the Philippines, Ethiopia, and other parts of the globe marked by populist insurgencies.

The essays collected here explore how global, regional, national, and local structures of power produce angry politics. They go beyond conventional academic debates about populism to explore the different kinds of anger that shape politics today and to make legible the multiplicity of forces, antagonisms, conflicts, and emergent political forms that mark the present.

By examining the politics of anger, "Beyond Populism" also considers what is needed to transform anger from a reactionary to an emancipatory force.

Critique: Enhanced for academia with a complete listing of the contributors and their credentials, and a seven page Index, "Beyond Populism: Angry Politics and the Twilight of Neoliberalism" is an extraordinary and timely contribution to both community and academic library Contemporary International Political Science collections and supplemental studies reading lists. It should be noted for students, academia, political activists, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "Beyond Populism" is also readily available in a paperback edition, (9781949199468,$26.99).


The Biography Shelf

Lost in Ghost Town
Carder Stout
Health Communications, Inc.
3201 S.W. 15th Street, Deerfield Beach, FL 33442-8190
www.hcibooks.com
9780757323546, $16.95, PB, 304pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: "Lost in Ghost Town" by psychologist to the Hollywood elite Dr. Carder Stout is a page-turning memoir about his fall from grace into the gritty underbelly of crack addiction, running drugs for the Shoreline Crips, surviving homelessness, escaping a murder plot, and finding redemption in the most unlikely of places.

Dr. Carder Stout's clientele includes Oscar-, Golden Globe-, Emmy-, Tony- and Grammy winners, bestselling authors, and billionaires. He may not be able to share their dark secrets, but for the first time, everyone will know his.

At the age of thirty-four, Carder would have gladly pawned the silver spoon he was born choking on for a rock of crack. His downfall was as swift as his privilege was vast -- or had he been falling all along?

Raised in a Georgetown mansion and educated at exclusive institutions, Carder ran with a crowd of movers, shakers, and future Oscar-winners in New York City. But words like "promise" and "potential" are meaningless in the face of serious addiction. Lost years and a stint in rehab later, when Carder was a dirty, broke, soon-to-be-homeless crackhead wandering the streets of Venice, California. His lucky break came thanks to his old Ford Taurus: he lands a job of driving for a philosophical drug czar with whom he finds friendship and self-worth as he helps deliver quality product to LA's drug enthusiasts, from trust-fund kids, gang affiliates, trophy wives, hip-hop producers, and Russian pimps. But even his loyalty and protection can't save Carder from the peril of the streets--or the eventual contract on his life.

From a youth of affluence to the hit the Shoreline Crips put on his life, Carder delves deep into life on the streets.

Critique: Incredibly candid, impressively well written, inherently fascinating, "Lost in Ghost Town: A Memoir of Addiction, Redemption, and Hope in Unlikely Places" is an insightfully informative study of "the power of addiction, the beauty of redemption, and finding truth somewhere in between". An extraordinary and unreservedly recommended addition to both community and academic library Contemporary American Biography collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Lost in Ghost Town" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $12.99).

Mountain Climber: A Memoir
Bill Katra
McFarland & Company
PO Box 611, Jefferson NC 28640
https://mcfarlandbooks.com
9781476679631, $25.00, PB, 258pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: Nearing his sixth decade as a dedicated climber, William "Bill" Katra describes himself as "not a great climber, but a persistent one." In his memoir, "Mountain Climber" he describes his climbs in vivid detail, and features some of the world's most popular routes while emphasizing that scenic beauty is as important to a hike as technical difficulty.

From his early partner-belayed adventures to his more recent unassisted solo "scamper-climbs," Bill's techniques have evolved, but his love for the experience remains steadfast. Within recent years, Bill has again summited a few climbs from his younger days, often reflecting on where senior climbers fit in the sport's changing social (and environmental) landscape.

"Mountain Climber" is memoir that presents the reader with a relatable and nostalgic account of a life well-spent in nature, as Bill Katra muses on his long-past adventures enriched and nurtured by the wisdom of the present.

Critique: An inherently fascinating and absorbing read from beginning to end, "Mountain Climber: A Memoir" is an extraordinary account of an extraordinary life and one that is unabashedly recommended for both community and academic library Contemporary American Biography collections. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of all dedicated mountaineering enthusiasts that "Mountain Climber: A Memoir" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $13.99).

Every Little Scrap and Wonder
Carla Funk
Greystone Books
www.greystonebooks.com
9781771644662, $24.95, HC, 240pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: Essayist and poet Carla Funk grew up in a place of logging trucks and God, pellet guns and parables. Every Sunday, she sat with her mother and brother in the same pew at the Mennonite church while her dad stayed home with his cigarettes and a fridge full of whiskey.

"Every Little Scrap and Wonder: A Small-Town Childhood" is her compendium of tender, humorous stories in which she stitches together the wondrous and the mundane ranging from making snow angels and carrying sacks of potatoes, to tossing pig bladders like footballs, and vying for the Christmas pageant spotlight.

Part ode to childhood, part love letter to rural life, "Every Little Scrap and Wonder" offers an original take on the memories, stories, and traditions we all carry within ourselves, whether we planned to or not.

Critique: An inherently interesting and entertaining memoir from first page to last, "Every Little Scrap and Wonder: A Small-Town Childhood" will prove to be an immediate and enduringly popular addition to community library Contemporary Biography collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "Every Little Scrap and Wonder: A Small-Town Childhood" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $16.88).

Editorial Note: Carla Funk was born and raised in one of the earliest Mennonite settlements in Vanderhoof, British Columbia, Canada. She is the author of five books of poetry, the former poet laureate for the City of Victoria, and a recipient of the Malahat Review's Constance Rooke Nonfiction Prize.

The Third Gift
J. D. McCabe & Kenny Intheam
Mascot Publishing
620 Herndon Parkway, #320, Herndon, VA 20170
http://mascotbooks.com
9781643073835, $25.95, HC, 368pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: J.D. Danny McCabe maintained a loving relationship with his wife for nearly twenty years before the underpinnings of their marriage, family, and world began to crumble. Their foundation had always been rooted in the mantra that trust is the bedrock of a healthy relationship. Indeed, Erin had always claimed that things would not, could not work without trust. But one day, for reasons Danny could not fathom, Erin became suspicious of his every move. Phone calls, text messages, and work emails were manufactured into proof of infidelity, drug addiction, and a network of lies.

Erin enlisted her mother in her efforts, and together they forged the words of family, trust and honesty into a metaphorical hammer and beat him into the ground. Their accusations accumulated, twisting reality and eventually resulting in Danny's involuntary hospitalization.

Danny was pushed to the edge, and was damn near ready to jump. Then, God intervened. Erin's shocking revelation, her Third Gift, lit the blind spots in his marriage that Danny had never before been able to reconcile.

Critique: An inherently fascinating and absorbing account, "The Third Gift: My Dance With The Devil (And Her Mother)" is a vividly rendered and singularly remarkable memoir -- and one that will linger in the mind and memory long after the book itself has been finished and set back upon the shelf. While especially and unreservedly recommended for community library Contemporary American Biography collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "The Third Gift" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).


The Travel Shelf

Lonely Planet: Chicago
Ali Lemer, et al.
Lonely Planet Publications
150 Linden Street, Oakland CA 94607
www.lonelyplanet.com
9781787013476, $21.99, PB, 336pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: Lonely Planet's "Chicago" is a succinct compendium of the most relevant and up-to-date advice on what to see and what to skip when visiting one of America's premier cities.

This compact edition of Lonely Planet's "Chicago" includes: a new pull-out, passport-size 'Just Landed' card with wi-fi, ATM and transportation info - all you need for a smooth journey from airport to hotel; Full Color maps and images throughout; Highlights and itineraries to help you tailor your trip to your personal needs and interests; Insider tips to save time and money and get around like a local, avoiding crowds and trouble spots; Essential phone numbers, websites, transit tips, prices; Honest reviews for all budgets for eating, sleeping, sightseeing, going out, shopping, hidden gems that most guidebooks miss; Cultural insights give you a richer, more rewarding travel experience - history, people, music, landscapes, wildlife, cuisine, politics.

Lonely Planet's "Chicago" also covers The Loop, Near North, Gold Coast, Old Town, Boystown, Wrigleyville, Andersonville, Uptown, Wicker Park, Bucktown, Ukrainian Village, Logan Square, Humboldt Park, West Loop, Pilsen, South Side, and more

Critique: Whether a native resident or just visiting for business or pleasure, this profusely informative and exceptionally 'user friendly' edition of Lonely Planet's "Chicago" is especially and unreservedly recommended for planning itineraries and getting the most out of your Chicago experience. It should be noted that Lonely Planet's "Chicago" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $13.19).

Iran, sixth edition
Bradt Guides
www.bradtguides.com
9781784775773, $26.99, PB, 392pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: This newly updated and expanded sixth edition of Bradt's Iran travel guide continues to provide the most detailed background, history and cultural information available when visiting this 'Jewel of Central Asia'. Thoroughly reviewed to provide all the latest information, including security and language, this new edition includes expanded information on travel to western Iran, namely Khorasan Province, which remains largely unexplored, with an emphasis on the uniqueness of Iranian cultural heritage combined with stunning landscapes.

Also featured are new are maps of Sadosaltaheh Caravanserai, Tabriz, Kerman and Shiraz and Tehran city centres. Travel through Iranian Kurdistan is included, as well as hiking routes in the Alborz and Zagros Mountains and expanded practical information for independent travellers.

Food and arts, rugs and handicrafts are all covered, plus details of recommended Iranian movies. For outdoor enthusiasts, there are details of swimming, skiing, and desert and eco-tours.

First-hand descriptions of attractions range from the exquisite mosques of Esfahan and the museums and palaces of Tehran to caravanserai, Nishapur, Qaleh Rudkhan and Kurdish villages on the Silk Road Trail. Up-to-date information on all the basics - hotels, restaurants, businesses and shops - help you to uncover the mysteries of ancient Persepolis, to enjoy a soak and scrub in a local hamam, or to pick up a pair of giveh slippers or a Persian rug in Kirman's baazar.

Critique: Profusely illustrated, expertly written, organized and presented, "Iran" is the ideal travel guide for getting the most out a visit to Iran whether it be for a business trip or a vacation. While especially and unreservedly recommended for community and academic library Travel Guide collections in general, and Iranian destination travel in particular, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Iran" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $22.49).

Editorial Note: Maria Oleynik is a Middle East expert and freelance translator fluent in ten languages, including Persian and Arabic. Since her first trip to the Middle East in 2003, she has studied in Yemen, Lebanon and Egypt. Since 2013 Iran has become her main professional and academic interest and she has studied Persian at the University of Esfahan, completed a Persian language teacher training course in Saadi Foundation in Tehran, studied Persian in Dekhoda Institute in the University of Tehran and is currently undertaking a degree in Middle Eastern Language (Persian) and Society in the University of Copenhagen. Describing Iran as the love of her life, she endlessly researches and merges into the culture and history of this magnificent land.

Discovering Denver Parks: A Local's Guide
Chris Englert
Mountaineers Books
1001 SW Klickitat Way, Suite 201, Seattle, WA 98134-1161
www.mountaineersbooks.org
9781680512489, $18.95, PB, 272pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: Compact and easy-to-use, "Discovering Denver Parks: A Local's Guide" is an informative, and fun guidebook that covers the range of what the city of Denver, Colorado has to offer ranging from tiny pocket parks to expansive open space, classic park facilities to conservation zones.

"Discovering Denver Parks" even explores destination parks in the foothills just beyond the city. Each park's listing includes: Icons for key features: accessibility, kid-friendly, dog-friendly, views, historic significance, public art, gardens, unpaved trails, paved trails, lakefront, riverfront, spray park/wading pool, horseback riding and--because it's Denver--winter sports; Notes for other major amenities, such as restrooms, shelters, playgrounds, and more; Public transportation, driving, and parking directions; Details on each park's history and size; History and descriptive highlights such as sledding hills, water features, mountain biking paths, and more; Ways to extend your park visit with easy add-on walks or bike rides to other nearby parks or attractions/

Critique: Exceptionally well organized and presented, "Discovering Denver Parks: A Local's Guide" showcases a wealth of practical and useful information that will provide locals and visitors with a wealth of options to explore and enjoy the many and varied parks of Denver. While very highly recommended for community library Travel Guide collections, it should be noted for personal reading and reference lists that "Discovering Denver Parks: A Local's Guide" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $12.61).

Editorial Note: Chris Englert moved to Denver in 2013 and decided to walk all of Denver's trails and neighborhoods. Walking raised questions for her: why were parks named the way they were, where could she find a good place for kids to play, and what made each park special? She has since become the authority on Denver's parks and trails. She is also the author of Best Urban Hikes: Denver (Colorado Mountain Club Press, 2020). Chris maintains a website at DenverByFoot.com and can be visited on her on Instragram, Facebook and Twitter @denverbyfoot.

Hike the Parks: Sequoia-Kings Canyon National Parks
Scott Turner
Mountaineers Books
1001 SW Klickitat Way, Suite 201, Seattle, WA 98134-1161
www.mountaineersbooks.org
9781680511543, $16.95, PB, 240pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: Whether you're visiting for a day or exploring for a week, "Hike the Parks: Sequoia-Kings Canyon National Parks - Best Day Hikes, Walks, and Sights" is a compact and easily transported travel guide that provides practical and useful information on the best hikes and walks in the Sequoia-Kings Canyon National Parks, as well as providing views, giant trees, camping, and more to help visitors make the most of there outdoor experiences.

All of the featured attractions are easily accessible from the parks' main roads, and the 40 carefully selected day hikes range from easy to challenging. Other features include: Park basics: visitor centers, permits and fees, info on gateway towns, fun facts; "Must-see" sights within the park; Overview of the parks' flora and fauna; Brief tips and advice for non-hiking activities; Overview of park campgrounds and lodging; Park and hiking safety.

Critique: Nicely illustrated, accessibly organized and presented, "Hike the Parks: Sequoia-Kings Canyon National Parks - Best Day Hikes, Walks, and Sights" is an ideal and unreservedly recommended travel guide. "Hike the Parks: Sequoia-Kings Canyon National Parks - Best Day Hikes, Walks, and Sights" is very highly recommended for both personal and community library Travel Guide collections.

Editorial Note: Scott Turner is also the author of Hike the Parks: Joshua Tree National Park and Hike the Parks: Zion and Bryce Canyon National Parks, both published by Mountaineers Books. He has also contributed over 250 trail descriptions across Southern California, the Sierra Nevada, Hawaii, Utah, Arizona, and Montana for ModernHiker.com, the West Coast's most widely read hiking website. Scott maintains the www.OneThousandMilesBlog.wordpress.com and can be followed on Instagram @scottturnerhikes.

The Meaning of Travel: Philosophers Abroad
Emily Thomas
Oxford University Press
198 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10016-4314
www.oup.com/us
9780198835400, $18.95, HC, 256pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: How can we think more deeply about our travels? This was the question that inspired Emily Thomas' journey into the philosophy of travel.

Part philosophical ramble, part travelogue, "The Meaning of Travel: Philosophers Abroad" begins in the Age of Discovery, when philosophers first started taking travel seriously. It meanders forward to consider Montaigne on otherness, John Locke on cannibals, and Henry Thoreau on wilderness.

On our armchair travels with Emily Thomas as we page through "The Meaning of Travel", we discover the dark side of maps, how the philosophy of space fuelled mountain tourism, and why you should wash underwear in woodland cabins. We also confront profound issues, such as the ethics of 'doom tourism' (travel to 'doomed' glaciers and coral reefs), and the effect of space travel on human significance in a leviathan universe.

The first ever exploration of the places where history and philosophy meet, "The Meaning of Travel" will reshape our understanding of travel in unexpected and often surprising ways.

Critique: A kind of 'philosophy meets travelogue' study, "The Meaning of Travel: Philosophers Abroad" is a unique and extraordinary read that is as informed and informative as it is thoughtful and thought-provoking. Enhanced with occasional illustrations, "The Meaning of Travel" is a meticulous work of engaging scholarship that is enhanced for academia with the inclusion of a twelve page Bibliography, fourteen pages of Notes, and an eight page Index. While an especially and unreservedly recommended addition to both community and academic library Travel & Philosophy collections, it should be noted for the personal reading lists of students, academia, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "The Meaning of Travel" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $13.99).

The Family Travel Handbook
Lonely Planet Publications
150 Linden Street, Oakland CA 94607
www.lonelyplanet.com
9781788689151, $17.99, PB, 168pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: Full of practical advice, ideas and inspiration from Lonely Planet's parents to you, "The Family Travel Handbook" is an essential guide offers a wealth of amazing travel experiences around the world, as well as cogent advice and commentary on how to plan and enjoy them with the family.

Also included is a section of recommendations on the best places to go, whatever sort of trip is being planned for the family ranging from the top five places for infants, toddlers, tweens and teenagers, and the top five budget destinations, to favorite family-friendly cruises, wildlife-spotting adventures and beach holidays.

Critique: Profusely illustrated throughout, expertly organized and thoroughly 'user friendly' in presentation, "The Family Travel Handbook" is certain to be an immediate and invaluable addition to family and community library Contemporary Travel Guide collections. It should be noted for personal use that "The Family Travel Handbook" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $12.82).


The Parenting Shelf

Parenting Made Simple
Dr. Sarah Huges
EK Books
c/o Exisle Publishing
www.exislepublishing.com.au
c/o The Quarto Group (dist.)
www.quartoknows.com
9781925820324, $19.99, PB, 240pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: "Parenting Made Simple: Straightforward, Practical Strategies for Common Childhood Challenges" is a practical, easy-to-implement guide in which specialist child psychologist Sarah Hughes gives parents the tools they will need for every age and stage of their child's development.

"Parenting Made Simple" focuses on six key areas that include: Challenging behavior; Emotions and tantrums; Confidence; Social skills and friendships; Anxiety; Parenting well through separation and divorce.

Parents will learn all the do's and don'ts, and discover effective techniques for raising well-adjusted children because Dr Hughes uses real-world examples and scenarios to delve deep into the emotional and behavioural development of children, including rooting out just why kids can't always behave well (hint: because their brains haven't finished developing yet).

Critique: A thoroughly 'user friendly' compendium showcasing a commonsense and effective approach that all parents can benefit from, "Parenting Made Simple: Straightforward, Practical Strategies for Common Childhood Challenges" fully lives up to the promise of its title and is an especially and unreservedly recommended addition to personal, professional, community, and academic library Contemporary Parenting instructional reference collections.

Editorial Note: Sarah Hughes is a clinical psychologist and the founder and director of Think Clinical Psychologists. She completed her clinical training at the University of Sydney and holds a Doctorate in Clinical Psychology and a PhD in child and adolescent anxiety disorders. She has a decade's worth of experience working with kids, teens, adults, and families experiencing a wide range of difficulties, including: anxiety, depression, eating disorders, and relationship issues. Sarah is also the author of the successful self-help guides, Skip the Drama: Practical, Get-Ahead Strategies to Survive Your Daughter's Teenage Years (Exisle) and Parenting Made Simple (Exisle), and regularly appears on Channel 7's The Morning Show as their parenting expert.


The Library Science Shelf

Cultivating Civility
Jo Henry, Joe Eshleman, Richard Moniz
ALA Editions
c/o American Library Association
50 East Huron Street, Chicago, IL 60611
www.alastore.ala.org
9780838947166, $59.99, PB, 232pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: Like other workplaces, libraries can sometimes be stressful, with library workers bearing the brunt of such problems as uncivil patrons, poor communication, inadequate leadership, and toxic behaviors by fellow employees. In "Cultivating Civility: Practical Ways to Improve a Dysfunctional Library, librarians Jo Henry, Joe Eshleman, and Richard Moniz present proactive solutions and guidance culled from their own research, including interviews with library administrators and staff. Sharing their valuable insights that will stimulate thought and discussion towards the goal of a healthier and more harmonious workplace.

"Cultivating Civility": Addresses the subject from four viewpoints (individual, team, leader, and organization) focusing on solutions and practical steps in each area; Shows how self-reflection and self-awareness can be key starting points for exploring workplace issues; Offers numerous suggestions for wellness and self-care; Provides tips for improving interpersonal communication and conversations in ways that prevent silos and span boundaries; Sheds light on forming and sustaining cohesive library teams, then provides solutions for misaligned teams and dissenters; Discusses why effectively conveying vision, role modeling, and demonstrating empathy are all crucial behaviors of library leaders; Shares actions library leaders can take to engage employees in the change process; Examines how organizational structures can either detract or contribute to a library's success; Details types of training that can be utilized to minimize dysfunction, including training for bias, empathy, conflict management, and diversity.

Critique: An expertly organized and presented compendium of beneficial and 'real world practical' advice, "Cultivating Civility: Practical Ways to Improve a Dysfunctional Library" is very strongly recommended resource that will help public, academic, corporate, and governmental libraries to be better workplaces for library staff, administrators, and ultimately the library patrons. Simply stated, "Cultivating Civility: Practical Ways to Improve a Dysfunctional Library" should be considered mandatory reading by all librarians, an ideal textbook for Library Science curriculums and in-service training programs, as well as a core addition to college and university library collections.

Editorial Note: Jo Henry is reference and instruction librarian at the Horry- Georgetown Technical College Library (Georgetown Campus), South Carolina. Previously she was a librarian at the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library and the information services librarian at South Piedmont Community College. She obtained her MLIS from the University of North Carolina Greensboro and a master's degree in public administration from Georgia Southern University. She has coauthored four books: Fundamentals for the Academic Liaison (2014), The Personal Librarian: Enhancing the Student Experience (2014), The Mindful Librarian (2016), and The Dysfunctional Library: Challenges and Solutions to Workplace Relationships (2017). Henry has presented at numerous library conferences and has co-facilitated library workshops (alongside Richard Moniz and Joe Eshleman) both online and in North Carolina and South Carolina.

Joe Eshleman is senior librarian at Central Piedmont Community College in Charlotte, North Carolina. He was previously the instruction librarian at the Johnson & Wales University Library - Charlotte from 2008 to 2015 and was head librarian for two years at the JWU Providence library. He received his MLIS degree from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro in 2007. He has completed the Association of College & Research Libraries' Immersion Program, an intensive program of training and education for instruction librarians. Eshleman is a coauthor of Fundamentals for the Academic Liaison (2014), The Mindful Librarian (2016), and The Dysfunctional Library: Challenges and Solutions to Workplace Relationships (2017). He is also a coauthor of Librarians and Instructional Designers: Innovation and Collaboration (2016) and a contributor to The Personal Librarian: Enhancing the Student Experience (2014). He has presented at numerous conferences on instructional librarianship and other topics.

Dr. Richard Moniz is the director of library services at the Horry-Georgetown Technical College, which has campuses in Conway, Georgetown, and Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. He previously served as the director of library services for Johnson & Wales University's North Miami campus from 1997 to 2004 and was director of library services for Johnson & Wales University's Charlotte campus from 2004 to 2018. He is also an adjunct instructor for the University of North Carolina at Greensboro's LIS program. In addition to publishing numerous articles, Moniz is the sole author of the textbook Practical and Effective Management of Libraries (2010) and the coauthor or coeditor of six other books: Fundamentals for the Academic Liaison (2014), The Personal Librarian: Enhancing the Student Experience (2014), The Mindful Librarian (2016), Librarians and Instructional Designers: Innovation and Collaboration (2016), The Dysfunctional Library: Challenges and Solutions to Workplace Relationships (2017), and Recipes for Mindfulness in Your Library (2019).


The Money/Finance Shelf

Find More Money
Art Rainer
B&H Publishing Group
1 LifeWay Plaza, Nashville, TN 37234
www.bhpublishinggroup.com
9781535971072, $17.99, PB, 240pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: What do you do when cutting your budget is no longer effective in managing your expenses? From pastors in the pulpit to people in the pews, many people have cut and cut, but still find themselves struggling to pay the bills. Their full-time job is giving them barely enough to get by; how could they even begin to think about eliminating debt, saving, and living generously?

In "Find More Money: Increase Your Income to Tackle Debt, Save Wisely, and Live Generously", financial expert and author Art Rainer helps answer these questions by pointing readers to the reality of the gig economy. When a full-time job doesn't provide what you need, finding a "gig" may be the answer to your problems.

"Find More Money" is not just about financial stewardship, but about stewarding your talents, time, and abilities -- not so you can get rich, but so you can live generously on mission for the kingdom.

Critique: Taking a Christian and professional perspective to money management, dealing with debt, and effectively handling financial issues, "Find More Money: Increase Your Income to Tackle Debt, Save Wisely, and Live Generously" is impressively 'user friendly' in organization and presentation. While very highly recommended for community and academic library Money Management & Finance collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that Find More Money: Increase Your Income to Tackle Debt, Save Wisely, and Live Generously" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $7.55).

Editorial Note: Art Rainer is the Vice President for Institutional Advancement at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. He holds a Doctor of Business Administration from Nova Southeastern University and an MBA from the University of Kentucky. He writes widely about issues related to finance, wealth, and generosity, and is the author of The Money Challenge: 30 Days of Discovering God's Design for You and Your Money, and The Marriage Challenge: A Finance Guide for Married Couples.

Women With Money
Jean Chatzky
Grand Central Publishing
c/o Hachette Book Group
1290 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10104
www.hachettebookgroup.com
9781538745380, $28.00, HC, 288pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: Ask successful women what they want from their money and they'll tell you: independence, security, choices, a better world, and way less stress -- not just for themselves but for their kids, partners, parents, and friends. Through a series of HerMoney Happy Hour discussions (when money is the topic, wine helps) and one-on-one conversations, Jean Chatzky gets women to open up about the one topic we still never talk about. Then she flips the script and charts a pathway to this joyful, purpose-filled life that today's women not only want, but also, finally, have the resources to afford.

Through Chatzky's candid three-part plan was formed through detailed reporting with the world's top economists, psychiatrists, behaviorists, financial planners, and attorneys, as well as her own two decades of experience in the field, In "Women with Money" her readers will learn to: Explore their relationships with money; Take control of their money; Use their money to create the lives they want.

"Women With Money" shows readers how to wrap their hands around tactical solutions to get paid what they deserve, become inspired to start businesses, invest for tomorrow, make their money last, and then use that money to foster secure relationships, raise independent and confident children, send those kids to college, care for their aging parents, leave a legacy, and bring them joy!

Critique: A complete, comprehensive, and thoroughly 'user friendly' instruction guide and manual for women with respect to managing their finances, "Women with Money: The Judgment-Free Guide to Creating the Joyful, Less Stressed, Purposeful (and, Yes, Rich) Life You Deserve" is an especially and unreservedly recommended addition to both community and academic library Money/Finance budgeting and investment collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "Women with Money" is also readily available in a paperback edition (9781538745397, $17.99), in a digital book format (Kindle, $11.99), and as a complete and unabridged audio book (9781478995913, $35.00, CD).

Editorial Note: Jean Chatzky launched HerMoney Media and HerMoney.com in 2018 to provide women with information about money they can actually trust. The award-winning financial editor of NBC Today, Jean has also appeared on shows including Oprah, MSNBC, CNN, The View, The Talk and many others. Millions have tuned into her podcast, HerMoney with Jean Chatzky which has received shoutouts from The New York Times, Yahoo Finance and Refinery29. The best-selling author of 11 books and an in-demand motivational speaker, Jean is also AARP's Financial Ambassador and a fierce advocate for financial literacy. In 2015, she partnered with the PwC Charitable Foundation and Time for Kids to launch Your $, an in-school magazine that reaches 2 million schoolchildren each month.


The Anthropology Shelf

Anthropology and Radical Humanism
Jack Glazier
Michigan State University Press
1405 South Harrison Road, Suite 25, East Lansing, MI 48823-5245
http://msupress.org
9781611863505, $45.95, HC, 260pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: Paul Radin, famed ethnographer of the Winnebago, joined Fisk University in the late 1920s. During his three-year appointment, he and graduate student Andrew Polk atson collected autobiographies and religious conversion narratives from elderly African Americans. Their texts represent the first systematic record of slavery as told by former slaves.

That innovative, subject-centered research complemented like-minded scholarship by African American historians reacting against the disparaging portrayals of black people by white historians. Radin's manuscript focusing on this research was never published.

Utilizing the Fisk archives, the unpublished manuscript, and other archival and published sources, "Anthropology and Radical Humanism" revisits the Radin-Watson collection and allied research at Fisk. Radin regarded each narrative as the unimpeachable self-representation of a unique, thoughtful individual, precisely the perspective marking his earlier Winnebago work.

As a radical humanist within Boasian anthropology, Radin was an outspoken critic of racial explanations of human affairs then pervading not only popular thinking but also historical and sociological scholarship. His research among African Americans and Native Americans thus places him in the vanguard of the anti-racist scholarship marking American anthropology.

In "Anthropology and Radical Humanism: Native and African American Narratives and the Myth of Race", Jack Glazier (Professor Emeritus of Anthropology at Oberlin College) sets Paul Radin's findings within the broader context of his discipline, African American culture, and his career-defining work among the Winnebago.

Critique: A meticulous work of detailed scholarship, "Anthropology and Radical Humanism: Native and African American Narratives and the Myth of Race" by Professor Jack Glazier is an extraordinary and seminal work that is enhanced for academia with the inclusion of a fourteen page Bibliography, thirty pages of Notes, and a six page Index. While an exceptional and unreservedly recommended addition to college and university library Contemporary Cultural Anthropology collections in general, and Racial Discrimination supplemental curriculum studies reading lists in particular, it should be noted for students, academia, and non-specialist general readers that "Anthropology and Radical Humanism: Native and African American Narratives and the Myth of Race" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $37.78).


The Gardening Shelf

Indoor Green: Living with Plants
Bree Flaffey, author
Lauren Bamford, photographer
Thames & Hudson, Inc.
500 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10110-0017
www.thamesandhudsonusa.com
9780500500538, $39.95, HC, 208pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: For centuries, plants have transformed interiors. Today the plant-filled home is an inspiration to every avid shelter-blog reader or expert Pinterest-board maker. In "Indoor Green: Living with Plants", Bree Claffey journeys into the interior worlds of fellow plant lovers to explore the enduring attraction of houseplants. From the ever-reliable peace lily and beguiling fiddle leaf fig to the elusive Chinese money plant, "Indoor Green" makes it obvious that even the humblest greenery can transform a home.

Houseplants encompass the art of decorative arrangement and add romance to any room. Within the pages of "Indoor Green", Lauren Bamford's gorgeous full color photographs of interiors from across the globe enhanced chapters such as "Plant Music," "How to Grow Fresh Air," "Plant Portraits," and more, making the magic easy to replicate in the reader's own home.

Interviews of indoor green enthusiasts appear alongside the images, as well as tips on caring for plants and an index of plant varieties. More than good-looking props, plants are living, growing, joyful things rooted in community and creativity, and are easy to introduce into any home and lifestyle.

Critique: Thoroughly inspiring and 'user friendly' in commentary, organization and presentation, "Indoor Green: Living with Plants" is an extraordinary and unreservedly recommended addition to community and academic library Gardening & Horticulture collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "Indoor Green: Living with Plants" is also readily available in a paperback edition (9780500501061, $29.95).

Editorial Note: Bree Claffey is the owner of Mr. Kitly, an emporium of carefully curated ceramics, housewares, and indoor plants.

Lauren Bamford is a Melbourne-based lifestyle photographer. She regularly contributes to national and international publications including Vogue Living Australia, Kinfolk, and the Wall Street Journal.

Gardening Your Front Yard
Tara Nolan
Cool Springs Press
c/o Quarto Publishing Group USA
400 First Avenue North, Suite 400, Minneapolis, MN 55401-1722
www.quartoknows.com
9780760364864, $30.00, HC, 208pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: With her unique combination of DIY/building savvy and gardening expertise, in "Gardening Your Front Yard: Projects and Ideas for Big and Small Spaces" author and gardener Tara Nolan takes aspiring yard gardeners past the main pitfalls they may encounter when trying to fit a garden or gardens between their home and the street.

Beautifully illustrated and informationally comprehensive instructional guide and manual, "Gardening Your Front Yard" shows how to accomplish several hardscape projects including building front patios, borders, edging, and walkways, as well as making raised beds, planting containers, trellises, rose arbors, privacy screens, and more -- all custom-designed for the rigors of front-yard gardening.

"Gardening Your Front Yard" also covers choosing the right plants when dealing with a small, highly visible area with less than ideal growing conditions -- a common trait of most front yards!
There is also practical advice on training vines up brickwork and planting around foundation walls, planting boulevards/hell strips. Shade gardens, privacy screening, and security dos and don'ts are covered, as well as how to intermingle edibles and landscape plants, cactus and succulent gardens, birdbaths, and so much more.

With the sage advice and step-by-step projects of this comprehensive guide, even the most novice of yard gardeners can successfully convert the front yard from a bland grasscape to a vital living space.

Critique: Profusely illustrated throughout and thoroughly 'user friendly' in organization and presentation, "Gardening Your Front Yard: Projects and Ideas for Big and Small Spaces" is an especially recommended addition to personal, professional, community, and academic library Gardening & Horticulture collections.

Editorial Note: Tara Nolan, author of Raised Bed Revolution, is a garden writer and editor with a diverse background in publishing. Her work has appeared in the Toronto Star, as well as in magazines, including Reader's Digest and Canadian Living, and on websites, like Design*Sponge. Tara is a co-founder, with three other garden writers, of Savvy Gardening (www.savvygardening.com) and was the award-winning web editor of Canadian Gardening magazine's website (CanadianGardening.com) for six years. Tara does work for the Toronto Botanical Garden and the Canadian Garden Council, and volunteers for the Royal Botanical Garden. She is also a member of GWA: The Association for Garden Communicators.

Mastering the Art of Flower Gardening
Matt Mattus
Cool Springs Press
c/o Quarto Publishing Group USA
400 First Avenue North, Suite 400, Minneapolis, MN 55401-1722
www.quartoknows.com
9780760366271, $30.00, HC, 240pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: "Mastering the Art of Flower Gardening: A Gardener's Guide to Growing Flowers, from Today's Favorites to Unusual Varieties" is gorgeously illustrated instructional gardening book by Matt Mattus that is based on decades of first-hand experience in his own garden and greenhouse that was made popular on his blog 'Growing with Plants'.

Every variety or species presented is one that he has personally trialed and grown. Mattus sets you up for success by providing everything you need to know about starting seeds, soil, sowing, hardening off, to transplanting, and growing on. Then, in the following chapters, you'll find tips for growing over 100 different annuals from seed and many summer bulbs, vines like wisteria and even blooming shrubs like lilacs. Every flower includes detailed information based on his hands-on experience, going beyond the information typically available on the seed packet or a nursery tag.

Aspiring flower gardeners can now learn useful, practical details and cultural facts that will help them to grow better flowers while introducing them to many more they may not be familiar with. This is a profusely illustrated compendium of tips for topics like how to grow challenging annual poppies and biennials from seedand forcing flowers for winter blooms. Just a small selection of the flowers covered: heirloom and exhibition chrysanthemums, larkspurs and annual poppies, delphiniums, peonies, lilacs and wisteria. Bulbs include spring and summer bulbs such as anemone, ranunculus, tulips, lilies, gladiolus, and cut flower dahlias, while winter indoor bulbs cover every aspect of forcing bulbs indoors like narcissus, amaryllis, South African bulbs -- and even how to force Lily of the Valley.

Critique: Expertly organized and presented for maximum instructional value, "Mastering the Art of Flower Gardening: A Gardener's Guide to Growing Flowers, from Today's Favorites to Unusual Varieties" is an extraordinary and thoroughly 'user friendly' instructional guide and manual that will prove to be an enduringly popular addition to personal, professional, community, and academic library Gardening & Horticulture collections and supplemental studies reading lists.

The Blue Garden
Arleyn Levee
Giles
c/o Giles D. Limited
www.gilesltd.com
9781911282594, $49.95, HC, 212pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: "The Blue Garden: Recapturing an Iconic Newport Landscape" by landscape historian Arleyn A. Levee is the compelling story about the decline and rebirth of a 100 year old garden. Until recently, the Blue Garden, an icon of Gilded Age splendor in Newport, Rhode Island, was known only from hand-tinted slides dating from 1917.

Originally designed in collaboration with the garden's original owner by Frederick Law Olmsted, Jr, and the Olmsted firm (founded by his father, the great landscape architect responsible for Central Park, New York City) it has now been brought back to life.

"The Blue Garden" skillfully interweaves the garden's design and social history, and stories of its founders and the Olmsted firm, with historical photos, original drawings and sketches, and images of the restored garden from 2015. "The Blue Garden" is a timeless and inspiring account of the devoted patrons, skilled artisans and great designers behind the creation and revival of a masterpiece, made possible by the vision of a devoted patron, and the relevance of historic preservation of gardens in the 21st century.

Critique: Profusely illustrated throughout, "The Blue Garden: Recapturing an Iconic Newport Landscape" is an inherently fascinating, impressively informative, and exceptionally well written, organized and presented study, making it especially and unreservedly recommended for personal, professional, community, college, and university library Gardening & Horticultural Studies collections.


The Architecture Shelf

Cairo Since 1900: An Architectural Guide
Mohamed Elshahed
www.Cairobserver.com
American University in Cairo Press
200 Park Avenue, Suite 1700, New York, NY 10166
www.aucpress.com
9789774168697, $39.95, PB, 407pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: The city of a thousand minarets, Cairo is also the city of eclectic modern constructions, turn-of-the-century revivalism and romanticism, concrete expressionism, and modernist design. Yet while much has been published on Cairo's ancient, medieval, and early-modern architectural heritage, the city's modern architecture has to date not received the attention it deserves. "Cairo Since 1900: An Architectural Guide" is the first comprehensive architectural guide to the constructions that have shaped and continue to shape the Egyptian capital since the early twentieth century.

From the sleek apartment tower for Inji Zada in Ghamra designed by Antoine Selim Nahas in 1937, to the city's many examples of experimental church architecture, and visible landmarks such as the Mugamma and Arab League buildings, Cairo is home to a rich store of modernist building styles. Arranged by geographical area, the guide includes entries for more than 220 buildings and sites of note, each entry consisting of concise, explanatory text describing the building and its significance accompanied by photographs, drawings, and maps.

This significant compendium is an ideal companion for the city's visitors and residents as well as an invaluable resource for scholars and students of Cairo's architecture and urban history.

Critique: Profusely illustrated throughout with black-and-white photography and maps, "Cairo Since 1900: An Architectural Guide" is enhanced for academia with the inclusion of a ten page Glossary, two pages of Notes, a four page Bibliography, and a two page Index of Architects. A unique, seminal and detailed study, "Cairo Since 1900: An Architectural Guide" is an extraordinary and unreservedly recommended addition to community, professional, and academic library Architecture collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists.

Editorial Note: Mohamed Elshahed is a researcher, curator, and specialist on architecture, design, and material culture in Egypt. He holds a PhD from New York University and an MA from MIT. He is the curator of the Modern Egypt Project at the British Museum and founder of the website www.Cairobserver.com.


The Music Shelf

Mutations
Sam McPheeters
Rare Bird Books
453 S. Spring Street, Suite 302, Los Angels, CA 90013
https://rarebirdlit.com
9781947856981, $18.00, PB, 312pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: How can so many people pledge allegiance to punk, something with no fixed identity? Depending on who and where you are, punk can be an outlet, excuse, lifestyle, escapism, conversation, community, ideology, sales category, social movement, punishable offense, badge of authenticity, reason to drink beer forever, or an aesthetic of belligerent incompetence. And if someone has a strong belief about what punk is, odds are they have even stronger feelings about what punk is not.

Sam McPheeters championed many different versions. Over the course of two decades, he fronted Born Against, released dozens of records and fanzines, and toured seventeen times across the northern hemisphere. In this collection of essays, profiles, criticism, and personal history, he examines the diverse realms he intersected (New York hardcore, Riot Grrrl, Gilman street, the hidden enclaves of Olympia, and New England, and downtown Los Angeles) and the forces of mental illness and creative inspiration that drove him, and others, in the first place.

Critique: An absolutely essential study for students and fans of the Punk Rock movement in music, "Mutations: The Many Strange Faces of Hardcore Punk" is an extraordinary and pitch- perfect history that will prove to be an immediate and enduringly popular addition to both community and academic library American Music History in general, and Punk Rock music history in particular. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of students, academia, punk rock enthusiasts, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "Mutations: The Many Strange Faces of Hardcore Punk" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $10.49).

Editorial Note: In 1981, at age twelve, Sam McPheeters co-authored Travelers Tales: Rumors and Legends of the Albany-Saratoga Region. Starting in 1989, he sang for Born Against, Men's Recovery Project, and Wrangler Brutes, touring seventeen times across North America, Europe, and Japan. Since 2009, he has written for Criterion, Vice, and The Village Voice, among others.

Raising Hell
Jon Wiederhorn
Diversion Books
443 Park Avenue South, Suite #1004, New York, NY 10016
www.diversionbooks.com
9781635766493, $30.00, HC, 480pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: In his song "You Can't Kill Rock and Roll" Ozzy Osbourne sings, "Rock and roll is my religion and my law." This is the mantra of the metal legends who populate Raising Hell - artists from Black Sabbath, Judas Priest, Slipknot, Slayer, and Lamb of God to Twisted Sister, Quiet Riot, Disturbed, Megadeth, and many more! It's also the guiding principle for underground voices like Misery Index, Gorgoroth, Municipal Waste, and Throwdown.

Through the decades, the metal scene has been populated by colorful individuals who have thwarted convention and lived by their own rules. For many, vice has been virtue, and the opportunity to record albums and tour has been an invitation to push boundaries and blow the lid off a Pandora's box of riotous experiences: thievery, vandalism, hedonism, the occult, stage mishaps, mosh pit atrocities, and general insanity.

To the figures showcased in "Raising Hell: Backstage Tales from the Lives of Metal Legends" by Jon Wiederhorn, metal is a means of banding together to stick a big middle finger to a society that had already decided they didn't belong. Whether they were oddballs who didn't fit in or angry kids from troubled backgrounds, metal gave them a sense of identity.

Drawing from 150-plus first-hand interviews with vocalists, guitarists, bassists, keyboardists, and drummers, music journalist Wiederhorn offers this collection of wild shenanigans from metal's heaviest and most iconic acts -- including the parties, the tours, the mosh pits, the rage, the joy, the sex, the drugs that made up the heavy metal life!

Critique: Impressively informative, exceptionally well written, organized and presented, "Raising Hell: Backstage Tales from the Lives of Metal Legends" is an extraordinary read from cover to cover. While especially and unreservedly recommended for both community and academic library American Music History collections in general, and Heavy Metal supplemental studies lists in particular, it should be noted for the personal reading lists of all dedicated heavy metal fans that "Raising Hell" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $10.99).

Editorial Note: Jon Wiederhorn is the author of Louder Than Hell: The Definitive Oral History of Metal (with Katherine Turman) and the co-author of My Riot: Agnostic Front, Grit, Guts & Glory (with Roger Miret), Ministry: The Lost Gospels According to Al Jourgensen (with Al Jourgensen) and I'm the Man: The Story of That Guy from Anthrax (with Scott Ian). He has written for Rolling Stone, SPIN, MTV, Guitar World, and Revolver, among others.


The Graphic Novel Shelf

Faschion Empire: Motel Universe 2
Joakim Drescher
Secret Acres
www.secretacres.com
9780999193570, $23.95, HC, 160pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: After the Skins' slave rebellion and assassination of tycoon dictator, Barton Flump, a lone bounty hunter, Clara Constellation, searches for Captain Littlehead and the ghost of Caligula. From Planet Pear, where screentime is all the time, to the Adonis Nebula, an empire where the Fashion Police rule with an actual iron fist, the adventure never ends!

Critique: In "Faschion Empire: Motel Universe 2" readers will once again return to the Motel Universe of author and illustrator Joakim Drescher. Presented in a unique and inherently fascinating graphic novel format, "Faschion Empire: Motel Universe 2" is unreservedly recommended for those who appreciate an avant garde approach to science fiction and will prove to be an enduringly popular addition to personal and community library collections.


The Audiobook Shelf

Most Likely
Sarah Watson, author
Read by Christie Moreau
Hachette Audio
www.HachetteAudio.com
9781549184499 $25.00 amazon.com

Synopsis: Ava, CJ, Jordan, and Martha (listed in alphabetical order out of fairness) have been friends since kindergarten. Now they're in their senior year, facing their biggest fears about growing up and growing apart. But there's more than just college on the horizon. One of these girls is destined to become the president of the United States. The mystery, of course, is which girl gets the gig.

Is it Ava, the picture-perfect artist who's secretly struggling to figure out where she belongs? Or could it be CJ, the one who's got everything figured out...except how to fix her terrible SAT scores? Maybe it's Jordan, the group's resident journalist, who knows she's ready for more than their small Ohio suburb can offer. And don't overlook Martha, who will have to overcome all the obstacles that stand in the way of her dreams.

This is the story of four best friends who have one another's backs through every new love, breakup, stumble, and success--proving that great friendships can help young women achieve anything...even a seat in the Oval Office.

Critique: The debut novel of Sarah Watson, an accomplished scriptwriter and creator of the TV series "The Bold Type", Most Likely is the story of four women who are best friends - and one of whom is destined to be the future president of America. A dramatic, insightful, and witty that keeps the reader guessing in its engaging tour of life's challenges great and small, Most Likely is available as in an unabridged audiobook rendition, brought to life with the superb narration of Christie Moreau. Highly recommended! 7 CDs, 9 hours.

Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You
Jason Reynolds and Ibram X. Kendi
Read by Jason Reynolds
Hachette Audio
www.HachetteAudio.com
9781549184482 $25.00

Synopsis: The construct of race has always been used to gain and keep power, to create dynamics that separate and silence. This remarkable reimagining of Dr. Ibram X. Kendi's National Book Award-winning Stamped from the Beginning reveals the history of racist ideas in America, and inspires hope for an antiracist future. It takes you on a race journey from then to now, shows you why we feel how we feel, and why the poison of racism lingers. It also proves that while racist ideas have always been easy to fabricate and distribute, they can also be discredited.

Through a gripping, fast-paced, and energizing narrative written by beloved award-winner Jason Reynolds, this book shines a light on the many insidious forms of racist ideas--and on ways readers can identify and stamp out racist thoughts in their daily lives.

Critique: Now available as an unabridged audiobook, Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You explores the history of racism in America's past, and how racist ideas have started, been spread, or been successfully confronted. Yet Stamped is not primarily a history book; instead, it is a book about making America a better place. Authors Jason Reynolds and Ibram X. Kendi discuss how racist ideas can be identifies and shut down, paving the way toward a more equal and just future, a future that better lives up to America's most noble ideals. Stamped is highly recommended for both personal and public library audiobook collections. 4 CDs, 4 hours.

The Book of Delights: Essays
Ross Gay
Recorded Books
www.recordedbooks.com
9781501977534 $TBA

Synopsis: The winner of the NBCC Award for Poetry offers up a spirited collection of short lyric essays, written daily over a tumultuous year, reminding us of the purpose and pleasure of praising, extolling, and celebrating ordinary wonders. Ross Gay's The Book of Delights is a genre-defying book of essays- some as short as a paragraph; some as long as five pages-that record the small joys that occurred in one year, from birthday to birthday, and that we often overlook in our busy lives. His is a meditation on delight that takes a clear-eyed view of the complexities, even the terrors, in his life, including living in America as a black man; the ecological and psychic violence of our consumer culture; the loss of those he loves.

Critique: Read by the award-winning author, The Book of Delights: Essays is the unabridged audiobook rendition of author Ross Gay's collection of essays about making space in life for joys great and small, and a wide variety of other reminiscences, observations, and insight. From the dark side of consumer-driven culture, to the everyday realities of life as an African-American man, to the difficulty of coping with loss, The Book of Delights: Essays covers topics that are thought-provoking and insightful. Highly recommended. 4 CDs, 5 hours.

Pearls of Wisdom
First Lady Barbara Bush
Read by Susan Larkin, et. al.
Hachette Audio
www.HachetteAudio.com
9781549129476 $25.00

Synopsis: First Lady Barbara Bush was famous for handing out advice. From friends and family to heads of state and Supreme Court justices, and certainly to her staff, her advice ranged from what to wear, what to say or not say, and how to live your life.

She especially loved visiting with students of all ages, from kindergartners to college graduates. When she turned 80, she owned up to all her advice-giving and explained it this way: After all, in 80 years of living, I have survived 6 children, 17 grandchildren, 6 wars, a book by Kitty Kelly, two presidents, two governors, big Election Day wins and big Election Day losses, and 61 years of marriage to a husband who keeps jumping out of perfectly good airplanes. So, it's just possible that along the way I've learned a thing or two.

At the end of the day, she taught all of us some valuable lessons. As First Lady, she made a point of cuddling a baby with AIDS and hugging a young man who was HIV positive and whose family had rejected him, showing us by example the importance of compassion and the myth of fear. As a mother, she made sure we all knew that your children must come first, and one of the most important things you can do is to read to them. As a friend and mentor, she showed that you had to be true to yourself, and even at the end of her life, she taught us how to die with grace.

Full of Barbara Bush's trademark wit and thoughtfulness, Pearls of Wisdom is a poignant reflection on life, love, family, and the world by one of America's most iconic -- and beloved -- public figures.

Critique: Pearls of Wisdom is the unabridged audiobook rendition of First Lady Barbara Bush's insights and inspirations. Here is the wisdom of a mother and matriarch, a woman of dignity and boundless compassion. Read aloud by a wide diversity of performers, and enhanced with a PDF of supplemental materials, Pearls of Wisdom is a motivational listening experience and highly recommended especially for public library audiobook collections. 4 CDs, 4 hours.

The Mirror & the Light
Hilary Mantel, author
Read by Ben Miles
Macmillan Audio
www.macmillanaudio.com
9781427289513 $59.99

Synopsis: With The Mirror & the Light, Hilary Mantel brings to a triumphant close the trilogy she began with her peerless, Booker Prize-winning novels, Wolf Hall and Bring Up the Bodies. She traces the final years of Thomas Cromwell, the boy from nowhere who climbs to the heights of power, offering a defining portrait of predator and prey, of a ferocious contest between present and past, between royal will and a common man's vision: of a modern nation making itself through conflict, passion and courage.

The story begins in May 1536: Anne Boleyn is dead, decapitated in the space of a heartbeat by a hired French executioner. As her remains are bundled into oblivion, Cromwell breakfasts with the victors. The blacksmith's son from Putney emerges from the spring's bloodbath to continue his climb to power and wealth, while his formidable master, Henry VIII, settles to short-lived happiness with his third queen, Jane Seymour.

Cromwell, a man with only his wits to rely on, has no great family to back him, no private army. Despite rebellion at home, traitors plotting abroad and the threat of invasion testing Henry's regime to the breaking point, Cromwell's robust imagination sees a new country in the mirror of the future. All of England lies at his feet, ripe for innovation and religious reform. But as fortune's wheel turns, Cromwell's enemies are gathering in the shadows. The inevitable question remains: how long can anyone survive under Henry's cruel and capricious gaze?

Eagerly awaited and eight years in the making, The Mirror & the Light completes Cromwell's journey from self-made man to one of the most feared, influential figures of his time. Portrayed by Mantel with pathos and terrific energy, Cromwell is as complex as he is unforgettable: a politician and a fixer, a husband and a father, a man who both defied and defined his age.

Critique: The Mirror & the Light is the complete and unabridged audiobook rendition of a sweeping historical novel, concluding a trilogy about Thomas Cromwell, a consummately skilled and powerful politician of 16th century England. A vivid, engaging, and powerful portrait of a complex individual, brought to life with a masterful performance by Ben Miles, The Mirror & the Light is highly recommended. Bonus materials include a conversation between the author and narrator, and a PDF featuring the cast of characters and two family trees. 30 CDs, 39 hours.

Hachette Audio
www.hachetteaudio.com

James Patterson and James O. Born's Blindside (9781549118906, $35.00) receives a fine narration by Danny Mastrogiorgio, who brings this Detective Michael Bennett thriller to life. Michael and the town mayor become connected when the mayor's daughter goes missing in New York, requiring a discrete investigative process that belays publicity and attention. The detective follows the clues to a Bronx homicide and a serial killer, and then it becomes difficult to keep under wraps. As national security enters the picture and is threatened, Bennett finds himself in the middle of a dangerous game that threatens his honor and career. Walter Mosley's Trouble Is What I Do (9781549121296, $30.00) is narrated by Dion Graham, who adds life and vigor to the story of Leonid McGill, a New York P.I. who is hired by a Mississippi bluesman to deliver a dangerous letter. When a hit man comes gunning for his client, McGill is drawn into a dangerous confrontation between past and present, and finds himself leading a team of investigators in a desperate attempt to uncover the truth before it's too late.


The Library CD Shelf

Blue Landscapes III: Frontiers
Robert Thies and Damjan Krajacic
Real Music
www.bluelandscapesmusic.com
$TBA CD / $9.49 MP3 amazon.com

Pianist Robert Thies and flutist Damjan Krajacic form the musical duo Blue Landscapes. Their combined talent captivates the ears and the mind in Blue Landscapes III: Frontiers, a harmonious and relaxing original album. A sumptuous listening experience that also makes an excellent gift, Blue Landscapes III: Frontiers is highly recommended for connoisseurs of music ideal for relaxation, meditation, or fostering creativity. The tracks are "Drifting", "Forest Path", "The Abandoned Monastery", "Le Musicien", "The Lighthouse", "Goodbye", "Frontiers", "Tranquility", "Take My Hand", "Infinity", "Distant Waterfall", "Waves on a Moonlit Sea", "The Valley of Echoes", "Forgotten Memories", and "Letting Go". 74 min. 55 sec.

Rune
David Helpling
Spotted Peccary Music
www.SpottedPeccary.com
$16.99 CD / $9.49 MP3 amazon.com

Masterful music artist David Helpling presents Rune, an album of original, ambient electric guitar songs. Although Helpling is also a virtuoso of synth-laden music, Rune is specifically devoted exclusively to electric guitar - no keyboards, synthesizers, or computer-based sound generation were involved in its creation. An extraordinary listening experience, heavily inspired by the majesty of the sea, Rune is a treasure for ambient music connoisseurs and highly recommended. The tracks are "Free Dive", "Glass", "Ascension of the Whales", "The Black Rock", "Be", "Under Shallow Seas", "Isle in Half Light", and "The Heart of Us".

Celtic Women
Putumayo
www.putumayo.com
$TBA CD / $9.49 MP3 amazon.com

Celtic Women is a music album anthology of contemporary songs inspired by Irish and Scottish traditions, performed by a variety of female singers. Some songs showcase the beauty of the Gaelic language. Celtic Women is a treasure for connoisseurs of Gaelic music, a choice pick for public library collections, and also makes an excellent gift. Highly recommended!

The Long Road
Monica Logani
www.monicalogani.com
Privately Published
$TBA CD / $9.49 MP3 amazon.com

The Long Road an original, new age, solo piano album that music artist Monica Logani crafted in tribute to the all too brief yet thoroughly vibrant life of a dear friend. Wistful and wonderous, The Long Road is a welcome contribution to both personal and public library collections. The tracks are "Birds", "Daybreak", "Juliette", "Poette", "Temporality", "Mantra", "The Long Road", "Storyteller", "Space", "Dreamer", "Valencia", "Devotion", "Savior", "Summer's End", and "The Last Embrace". 35 min.

A Classical Meditation
Gary Schmidt
www.apianist.com
Privatetly Published
$TBA CD / $9.49 MP3 amazon.com

A Classical Meditation is a new age, solo piano album of performances selected from the works of timeless masters including Bach, Beethoven, Dvorak, and more. These songs were chosen especially to draw upon the intrinsic, mind-expanding beauty of classical style music to promote meditation and relaxation. A Classical Meditation is a welcome addition to personal and public library solo piano music collections, and also makes an excellent gift. Highly recommended. 1 hour.


The DVD Shelf

Midsomer Murders, series 21
Acorn Media
c/o RLJ Entertainment
www.us.RLJEntertainment.com
$49.99 www.acornonline.com

Available in both DVD and Blu-ray formats, Midsomer Murders, series 21 is the latest collection of the internationally beloved, long-running British murder mystery series. This volume features four feature-length episodes, each a self-contained mystery. In "The Point of Balance" the arrival of the annual 'Paramount Dance Extravaganza' has a hidden darkness. In "The Miniature Murders", a real estate agent is killed before a crowd at the unveiling of a doll house collection. In "The Sting of Death", a powerful family controlling a lucrative beekeeping business will go to the most ruthless lengths to ensure their dominance. In "With Baited Breath", there is a clash in values between fishermen and women in search of a giant fish said to lurk in a remote village lake, and a rush of lycra-clad sporting enthusiasts eager to participate in the 'Psycho Mud Run'. Bonus materials include a behind-the-scenes featurette. Midsomer Murders, series 21 lives up to the quality of a top-notch, enduring favorite mystery series, and is highly recommended especially for connoisseurs of the genre. 2 CDs, 4 episodes, 371 min., SDH subtitles.


The Martial Arts Shelf

The Art and Science of Stick Fighting
Joe Varady
YMAA Publications
www.ymaa.com
9781594397332 $22.95 amazon.com

Synopsis: The Art and Science of Stick Fighting is a unique, non-style specific, approach to fighting with the short stick. Its curriculum is streamlined and divided into nine logical stages of training that allow the reader to quickly and methodically learn and develop the skills needed for fighting with the stick. Whether you are just starting out, or have been practicing stick fighting for years, there is something for everyone in this book. Also included are systematic workouts and descriptions of how to make and use specific training equipment as you learn and master The Art and Science of Stick Fighting.

This book stands apart from other stick fighting training manuals because it emphasizes the dynamics of combat. Many other books focus on forms and twirling. The author draws on thirty years of martial experience, presenting the best of both Eastern and Western traditions.

Whether you already study the stick or are just starting out, if you want to learn how to get an edge, The Art and Science of Stick Fighting is for you!

Critique: Black-and-white photographs on nearly every page illustrate The Art and Science of Stick Fighting, an in-depth, instructional guide to stick fighting. Chapters cover all aspects of this martial art, and offer recommendations for developing one's own stick fighting skills. A top- notch reference and resource for anyone interested in deepening their understanding of or personally practicing stick fighting, The Art and Science of Stick Fighting is highly recommended and a welcome addition to personal and public library Martial Arts collections.


The Business Shelf

Secrets to a Successful Startup
Trevor Blake
New World Library
www.newworldlibrary.com
9781608686667, $16.95

Secrets to a Successful Startup: A Recession-Proof Guide to Starting, Surviving, & Thriving in Your Own Venture comes from a successful serial entrepreneur who excels in startup businesses and the process of making them profitable successes. His book uses his own experiences and those of other business owners to examine all angles of this process, from rethinking a company's structure for a virtual business approach to making a pitch to investors, managing capital, and gathering customer information appropriate for gaining the most attention and sales results. No startup entrepreneur should be without this specific approach to crafting success with a new business, product, or market venture.

Essentials of Thought Leadership and Content Marketing
Paul M. Kaplan
Quill Driver Books
2006 South Mary, Fresno, CA 93721
www.quilldriverbooks.com
9781610353168, $18.95, PB, 240pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: What's the connection between thought leadership and increased sales? Consistent strategy. Thought leadership and content marketing can be powerful tools for your business, but to use them to their fullest potential, you need to have a plan. "Essentials of Thought Leadership and Content Marketing: Boost Your Brand, Increase Your Market Share, and Generate Qualified Leads" by Paul M. Kaplan helps businessmen and entrepreneurs to create a comprehensive and rigorous content marketing strategy in which every piece works together to meet their business goals.

Comprehensive, results-oriented, and practical, "Essentials of Thought Leadership and Content Marketing" covers every aspect of content marketing: researching customer needs; identifying your company's areas of expertise; generating thought leadership articles and other content; communicating content through email, social media, web marketing, and traditional media; evaluating response; generating sales leads; and measuring results.

Even more important, "Essentials of Thought Leadership and Content Marketing" shows how to coordinate these strategic elements to an overall plan. Interviews with business leaders and case studies show how content marketing concepts work in the real world.

Critique: Impressively informative, expertly written, organized and presented, "Essentials of Thought Leadership and Content Marketing: Boost Your Brand, Increase Your Market Share, and Generate Qualified Leads" is especially recommended reading for marketers, advertising professionals, entrepreneurs, and those who work in some capacity with content marketing whether in B2B or B2C business, for-profit or nonprofit. While unreservedly recommended for community, corporate, and academic library Business Management & Internet Marketing collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Essentials of Thought Leadership and Content Marketing" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $8.69).

Editorial Note: Paul M. Kaplan has worked in marketing for over fifteen years, focusing on content marketing and thought leadership, digital media, and product strategy for industry-leading companies, including Barnes & Noble, Inc., American Express, Broadridge Financial Solutions, and McGraw-Hill. Kaplan earned a BA from Yale College and an MBA from Yale School of Management.

Context Marketing Revolution
Mathew Sweezey
mathewsweezey.com
Harvard Business Review Press
60 Harvard Way, Boston, MA 02163
http://hbr.org/books
9781633694026, $32.00, HC, 240pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: We are in the midst of a massive media revolution. For the first time in history, ordinary people around the world have the ability to create, distribute, and consume content instantly, from anywhere, using connected devices. The massive increase in media "noise" created by these consumers and devices creates an entirely new situation that makes conventional marketing models obsolete. And yet countless companies and marketing organizations continue to rely on traditional models, assuming that their "campaigns" will sway customers. They couldn't be more wrong.

"Context Marketing Revolution: How to Motivate Buyers in the Age of Infinite Media" offers an informative, provocative and practical instructional guide and manual in which salesforce marketing maven Mathew Sweezey boldly outlines this new "infinite media" environment and poses a profound question: In a transformed world where customers shape their own experience, what is the key to breaking through and motivating them to buy? It is context--the close linkage between an individual's immediate desires and the experiences a brand creates to fulfill them.

Drawing on new research and new insights into current consumer psychology, Sweezey defines the five key elements of context. Customer experiences must be: Available: Helping people achieve the value they seek in the moment; Permissioned: Giving people what they've asked for, on their terms; Personal: Going beyond how personal it is to how personally you can deliver it; Authentic: Combining voice, empathy, and brand congruence simultaneously; Purposeful: Creating a deeper connection to the brand, beyond the product.

Sweezey uses vivid examples to highlight a new marketing model used by high-performing brands big and small. The final part of "Context Marketing Revolution" shifts to execution, providing a new rule book for context-based marketing.

Critique: Exceptionally and impressively 'reader friendly' in tone, commentary, organization and presentation, "Context Marketing Revolution: How to Motivate Buyers in the Age of Infinite Media" is an ideal and unreservedly recommended addition to professional, community, corporate, college, and university library Business Management & Media Marketing collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of entrepreneurs, corporate executives, marketing managers, MBA students, academia, and non- specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "Context Marketing Revolution: How to Motivate Buyers in the Age of Infinite Media" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $18.49).

Editorial Note: A researcher, thinker, award-winning marketer, and writer who his work has appeared in leading publications such as AdAge, Forbes, Brand Quarterly, The Economist, and The Observer, Mathew Sweezey is the Principal of Marketing Insights for Salesforce. He is the also author of Marketing Automation for Dummies. He keynotes at conferences around the world and routinely works with the world's largest and most well-respected brands, including UPS, Home Depot, AT&T, and Dell.

The Blueprint
Douglas Conant & Amy Federman
Wiley
c/o Wiley Professional Trade Group
111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030-5774
www.wiley.com
9781119560029, $28.00, HC, 368pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: In 1984, Doug Conant was fired without warning and with barely an explanation. He felt hopeless and stuck but, surprisingly, this defeating turn of events turned out to be the best thing that ever happened to him. Doug began to consider what might be holding him back from realizing his potential, fulfilling his dreams, and making a bigger impact on the world around him.

Embarking on a journey of self-reflection and discovery, he forged a path to revolutionize his leadership and transform his career trajectory. Ultimately, Doug was able to condense his remarkable leadership story into six practical steps. It wasn't until Doug worked through these six steps that he was able to lift his leadership to heights that ultimately brought him career success, joy, and fulfillment. Those steps were: Reach High - Envision; Dig Deep - Reflect; Lay the Groundwork - Study; Design - Plan; Build - Practice; Reinforce - Improve.

Part leadership manifesto, part practical manual, in "The Blueprint: 6 Practical Steps to Lift Your Leadership to New Heights" Doug teaches leaders how to work through the same six steps that he used to transform his journey. The six steps are manageable and incremental, designed to fit practically within the pace of busy modern life. Knowing how daunting the prospect of change can be, Doug arms readers with exercises and practices to realistically bring their foundation to life in every situation. Now, today's leaders who feel stuck and overwhelmed finally have a blueprint for lifting their leadership to make meaningful change in their organizations and in the world.

Critique: Expertly and effectively written, organized and presented, "The Blueprint: 6 Practical Steps to Lift Your Leadership to New Heights" is an extraordinary and thoroughly 'user friendly' instructional guide and manual that is especially and unreservedly recommended for community, corporate, and academic library Business/Entrepreneurial Development & Management collections. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of MBA students, academia, entrepreneurs, corporate executives, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "The Blueprint: 6 Practical Steps to Lift Your Leadership to New Heights" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $11.99).

Editorial Note: Doug Conant is the Founder of ConantLeadership, a former CEO of Campbell Soup Company, and former President of Nabisco Foods, shares transformational insights in his new book, The Blueprint. Conant is the only former Fortune 500 CEO who is a New York Times bestselling author, a top 50 Leadership Innovator, a Top 100 Leadership Speaker, and a Top 100 Most Influential Author in the World.

Leading with Gratitude
Adrian Gostick & Chester Elton
Harper Business
c/o HarperCollins Publishers
195 Broadway, New York, New York 10007
www.harpercollins.com
9780062965783, $29.99, HC, 272pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: Workers want and need to know their work is appreciated. Showing gratitude to employees is the easiest, fastest, most inexpensive way to boost performance. New research shows that gratitude boosts employee engagement, reduces turnover, and leads team members to express more gratitude to one another -- strengthening team bonds. Studies have also shown that gratitude is beneficial for those expressing it and is one of the most powerful variables in predicting a person's overall well-being -- above money, health, and optimism. The WD-40 Company knows this firsthand. When the leadership gave thousands of managers training in expressing gratitude to their employees, the company saw record increases in revenue.

In "Leading with Gratitude: Eight Leadership Practices for Extraordinary Business Results" Adrian Gostick and Chester Elton introduce eight simple ways managers can show employees they are valued. They supplement their insights and advice with stories of how many of today's most successful leaders (such as Alan Mulally of Ford and Hubert Joly of Best Buy) successfully incorporated gratitude into their leadership styles.

Showing gratitude isn't just about being nice, it's about being smart and successful. With "Leading with Gratitude: Eight Leadership Practices for Extraordinary Business Results" it is a skill that everyone can easily learn and apply.

Critique: Exceptionally well written, organized and presented, "Leading with Gratitude: Eight Leadership Practices for Extraordinary Business Results" should be considered essential reading for anyone charged with a management responsibility on any level. While unreservedly recommended for community, corporate, and academic library Business Management collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Leading with Gratitude: Eight Leadership Practices for Extraordinary Business Results" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $15.99) and as a complete and unabridged audio book (Blackstone Audio, 9781094115337, $29.99, CD).

Editorial Note: Adrian Gostick is the coauthor of The Carrot Principle and The Orange Revolution, a guide on workplace strategy and employee engagement. His research has been featured in numerous national publications and endorsed by Larry King of CNN. In addition to writing and teaching, he is a founder of the training and consulting firm The Culture Works.

Chester Elton is vice president of performance at the O. C. Tanner Company and a popular public speaker. He has been the subject of feature articles in the New York Times and Wall Street Journal, and he has spoken on the subject of employee recognition and motivation on ABC, CNBC, and NPR. He is coauthor, with Adrian Gostick, of A Carrot a Day and The 24-Carrot Manager.


The Christian Studies Shelf

Character Still Counts
James Merritt
Harvest House Publishers
PO Box 41210, Eugene, OR 97404-0322
www.harvesthousepublishers.com
9780736969444, $16.99, PB, 256pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: How often are we as Christians are more concerned with our outward image than with our inner qualities? Our reputation is what others think is true about us, but our character is who we are on the inside. And in the end, it's our character that counts.

If we long to invest our life in what matters most (the content of our character), author and pastor James Merritt examines 12 traits that are an essential part of godly living as a Christian. As we discover from role models in the Bible, good character is built brick by brick, thought by thought, action by action, and habit by habit on a daily basis. In "Character Still Counts: It Is Time to Restore Our Lasting Values" we will find the keys to growing in integrity, humility, respect, forgiveness, perseverance, self-control, honesty, loyalty, authenticity, courage, generosity, and faithfulness.

"Character Still Counts" shows how to build up God's kind of character qualities and live a life of authenticity. Let the past examples in Scripture inspire you today as you live out this truth: Character still counts, and it always will.

Critique: Exceptionally well written, organized and presented, "Character Still Counts: It Is Time to Restore Our Lasting Values" is the kind of inspired and inspiring reading that is unreservedly recommended for all members of the Christian community regardless of denominational affiliations, While very highly recommended for community, church, and seminary collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Character Still Counts" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $10.99).

Editorial Note: James Merritt is a pastor, author, past president of the Southern Baptist Convention, and host of the Touching Lives television program, seen nationwide and in 122 countries. As a national voice on faith and leadership, Merritt has been interviewed by Time, Fox News, MSNBC, and 60 Minutes.

An Ecological Theology of Liberation
Daniel P. Castillo
Marketing Department
Orbis Books
Price Building, Box 302, Maryknoll NY 10545-0302
www.orbisbooks.com
9781626983212, $40.00, PB, 272pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: What is the relationship between salvation, human liberation, and care for creation? To answer this question Daniel Castillo in "An Ecological Theology of Liberation: Salvation and Political Ecology" expands on the ideas presented in Gustavo Gutierrez's classic work A Theology of Liberation and proposes a novel concept: green liberation theology.

In this compelling and original work Castillo places Gutierrez in dialogue with a diverse array of theological, ecological, and socio-scientific discourses, drawing upon the work of Jon Sobrino, Willie James Jennings, Walter Brueggemann, Ellen Davis, and others, paying special attention to Pope Francis' encyclical Laudato Si'.

Critique: An erudite, thoughtful and thought-provoking work of original and meticulous theological scholarship from a Roman Catholic perspective, "An Ecological Theology of Liberation: Salvation and Political Ecology" is an especially recommended addition to seminary, college, and university library Contemporary Christian Liberation Theology collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of seminary students, academia, clergy, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "An Ecological Theology of Liberation: Salvation and Political Ecology" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $17.88).

Editorial Note: Daniel P. Castillo is an assistant professor of theology at Loyola University Maryland. His work, which focuses on the confluence of liberation theology and ecological theology, has appeared in a number of journals including Theological Studies, Political Theology, and Scriptura.

The Unknown God
Mathew P. John
David C. Cook
c/o Cook Communications
4050 Lee Vance Dr., Colorado Springs, CO 80918
www.davidccook.org
9780830780747, $17.99, PB, 208pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: In "The Unknown God: A Journey with Jesus from East to West", author Mathew P. John explores the redemptive revelations lurking in the darkness outside the boundaries of Christian tradition. In this spiritual journey through six major world religions, readers encounter a variety of symbols that point to the Jesus of the Bible. From Hindu avatars and Buddhist bodhisattvas, to Sikh gurus and Muslim prophets, and the Jewish messiah, "The Unknown God" consider how different religions attempt to answer the deep longing for a savior ingrained in the collective conscience of humanity.

Critique: An inherently interesting and exceptionally well written, organized and presented study, "The Unknown God: A Journey with Jesus from East to West" is an extraordinary study that is unreservedly recommended for community, church, seminary, college, and university library Christian Theology, Evangelical, and Christian Apologetics collections. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of seminary students, academia, clergy, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "The Unknown God: A Journey with Jesus from East to West" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).

Editorial Note: Originally an electrical engineer from India, Mathew P. John transitioned from technology to theology with a master's degree in theological studies from the University of Toronto (Canada) and a PhD in intercultural studies from Fuller Theological Seminary (USA). He has acquired over two decades of teaching experience in academic as well as ecclesiastical platforms, and has written extensively in the areas of theology, anthropology, and world religions.

Discerning Ethics
Hak Joon Lee & Tim Dearborn, editors
InterVarsity Press
PO Box 1400, Downers Grove, IL 60515-1426
www.ivpress.com
9780830852727, $32.00, HC, 344pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: Racism. Immigration. Gun violence. Sexuality. Health care. The number of ethical issues that demand a response from Christians today is sometimes overwhelming. How can Christians navigate such matters? What are faithful responses to these questions? Edited by Hak Joon Lee and Tim Dearborn, two theologians with pastoral experience, "Discerning Ethics: Diverse Christian Responses to Divisive Moral Issues" invites engagement with these issues and more by drawing on real-life experiences and offering a range of responses to some of the most challenging moral questions confronting the church today. With an unflinching yet irenic approach, this resource can help Christians as they seek to act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with God.

Critique: An absorbing, thoughtful and thought-provoking read throughout, "Discerning Ethics: Diverse Christian Responses to Divisive Moral Issues" is an extraordinary and unreservedly recommended addition to personal, church, seminary, college, and university library Contemporary Christian Ethics, Morality, and Theology collections and supplemental studies lists. It should be noted for seminary students, clergy, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "Discerning Ethics: Diverse Christian Responses to Divisive Moral Issues" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $17.27).

Editorial Note: Hak Joon Lee is the Lewis B. Smedes Professor of Christian Ethics at Fuller Theological Seminary. He is the author or editor of several books, including Intersecting Realities: Race, Identity, and Culture in the Spiritual-Moral Life of Young Asian Americans, The Great World House: Martin Luther King Jr. and Global Ethics, We Will Get to the Promised Land: Martin Luther King Jr.'s Communal-Political Spirituality, and Covenant and Communication: A Christian Moral Conversation with Jurgen Habermas.

Tim Dearborn is the former director of the Lloyd John Ogilvie Institute of Preaching at Fuller Theological Seminary. He is the author of several books, including Short-Term Missions Workbook, Business as a Holy Calling?, and Beyond Duty: A Passion for Christ, a Heart for Mission.

This Life We Share
Maggie Wallem Rowe
www.MaggieRowe.com
NavPress
www.navpress.com
c/o Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.
351 Executive Drive, Carol Stream, IL 60188
www.tyndale.com
9781641580076, $17.99, HC, 288pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: "This Life We Share: 52 Reflections on Journeying Well with God and Others" is a woman's guide to living well -- from the inner journey of dealing with anxiety and insecurity to the everyday moments of waiting and distraction to practical principles for parenting, grandparenting, and aging.

Jesus once said of the woman who anointed his feet, "She did what she could" (Mark 14:8, NIV) -- and that is Maggie's goal for "This Life We Share" -- to provide insights and wisdom for walking through life with the confidence that you're doing "what you can" to live well for God, love others, and take care of yourself.

Critique: Exceptionally well written, organized and presented, "This Life We Share: 52 Reflections on Journeying Well with God and Others" is as thoughtful and thought-provoking as it is inspired and inspiring. While especially recommended for personal, community and church library collections, it should be noted that "This Life We Share" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $17.99).

Editorial Note: Maggie Wallem Rowe is a national speaker, dramatist, blogger, and writer. She performs original one-woman dramas and is passionate about connecting people to God and each other. Maggie maintains a website at www.MaggieRowe.com

The Time Has Come
Ionut-Alexandru Tudorie
SVS Press
575 Scarsdale Road, Yonkers, NY 10707
www.svspress.com
9780881416558, $40.00, HC, 450pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: "The Time Has Come" has now brought back into print by SVS Press as a hardback commemorative volume, compiled in celebration of the 50th Anniversary of the autocephaly of the Orthodox Church in America (OCA).

Edited by St Vladimir's Academic Dean, Ionut-Alexandru Tudorie, "The Time Has Come" contains a collection of debates over the OCA Autocephaly reflected in St Vladimir's Quarterly (now known as the St Vladimir's Theological Journal). The various articles were written in the years leading up to and following the Russian Orthodox Church granting the Tomos of Autocephaly to the OCA (then known as the Russian Orthodox Greek Catholic Church of America) in 1970.

Critique: An impressively informative and landmark volume, "The Time Has Come" is an unreservedly recommended celebration of Orthodox Christianity and will prove to be an enduringly welcome and appreciated addition to personal, church, seminary, and academic library Christian Orthodox Theology & History collections. It should be noted for seminary students, clergy, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "The Time Has Come" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $14.99).

Encountering Jesus: A Holy Land Experience
Vincenzo Peroni
Franciscan Media
28 West Liberty Street, Cincinnati, OH 45202
https://info.franciscanmedia.org
9781632533159, $18.99, PB, 160pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: Whether you have made a pilgrimage to the Holy Land or have always wanted to walk where Jesus walked, "Encountering Jesus: A Holy Land Experience" offers a rich experience of the many sites associated with Gospel events. In "Encountering Jesus: A Holy Land Experience" Monsignor Vincenzo Peroni takes pilgrims on an unforgettable tour of the most important sites in the Holy Land through beautiful guided meditations, probing questions, and sensitive prayerful reflections. Eighteen original watercolor drawings by Alessandro Alghisi capture the beauty and sacredness of these places. Each individual chapter also contains Scripture texts that set the scene.

Critique: Ideal for the armchair traveler and highly recommended reading for anyone planning on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land, "Encountering Jesus: A Holy Land Experience" is an extraordinary and unreservedly recommended resource. While especially appropriate for church, seminary, and academic library Christian Studies collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Encountering Jesus: A Holy Land Experience" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).

Editorial Note: Vincenso Peroni is a priest of the Diocese of Brescia, Italy, and since 1994 he has served pastorally in the parishes of Sarezzo and Manerbio and in various diocesan assignments. In 2012 he obtained a License in Spiritual Theology (at the Faculty of Theology at Triveneto). Since 2010 he has served at the Holy See in the Office for Pontifical Liturgical Celebrations and as a Papal Master of Ceremonies since 2012. He has led numerous pilgrimages in the Holy Land.

Evangelism and Politics
John C. Barrett
www.professorbarrett.com
Wipf and Stock Publishers
199 West 8th Avenue, Suite 3, Eugene, OR 97401-2960
http://wipfandstock.com
9781725263659, $32.00, HC, 68pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: In "Evangelism and Politics: A Christian Perspective on the Church and the State", Professor John C. Barrett argues that Christians should participate in politics and government but their ultimate goal in doing so is evangelism, not political change. The way Christians participate in politics is therefore generally more important than the specific policies they advocate for. In short, Christian participation in politics should be marked by the fruit of the spirit.

At the same time, Christians should not be naive in thinking godly engagement in politics guarantees political success. Ungodly tactics are effective and Christians will be at a political disadvantage when they refuse to use such methods. Nevertheless, Christians should refuse to use them because they see God, not the government, as their ultimate protector and provider and godly engagement in politics as a way of providing an evangelistic witness to society that fulfills the Great Commission.

Critique: An impressive and timely contribution to our national dialogue regarding the phenomena of fundamentalist Christians supporting the immoral and ethically corrupt administration and person of Donald J. Trump for the purpose of insuring the appointments of conservative judges in the hopes of overthrowing Roe v. Wade and other legislature they deem hostile to their best political and commercial interests, "Evangelism and Politics: A Christian Perspective on the Church and the State" is especially and unreservedly recommended reading by all members of the Christian community. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "Evangelism and Politics" is also readily available in a paperback edition (9781725263741, $12.00).

Editorial Note: John C. Barrett is an assistant professor of political science at LeTourneau University, a private, interdenominational Christian university in Longview, Texas. He holds a BS in international relations from Georgetown University, an MA in international relations from the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Relations, and a PhD in religion, politics, and society from Baylor University. Professor Barrett also maintains a web site at www.professorbarrett.com.

History and Eschatology
N. T. Wright
Baylor University Press
One Bear Place, #97363, Waco, TX 76798-7363
www.baylorpress.com
9781481309622, $34.95, HC, 365pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: How can we know about God? That question increasingly bothered scientists and philosophers in the modern period as they chipped away at previously imagined "certainties." They refused to take on trust the "special revelation" of the Christian Bible, trying instead to argue up to God from the "natural" world. That is the theme of the Gifford Lectures, inaugurated more than 130 years ago.

This natural theology has usually bracketed out the Bible and Jesus -- and with them, usually, the scholars who study them.

"History and Eschatology: Jesus and the Promise of Natural Theology" by Professor N. T. Wright represents the first Gifford delivered by a New Testament scholar since Rudolf Bultmann in 1955. Against Bultmann's dehistoricized approach, Professor Wright argues that, since the philosophical and cultural movements that generated the natural theology debates also treated Jesus as a genuine human being (part of the "natural world") there is no reason the historical Jesus should be off-limits. What would happen if we brought him back into the discussion? What, in particular, might "history" and "eschatology" really mean? And what might that say about "knowledge" itself?

"History and Eschatology:" is a lively and wide-ranging discussion that invites us to see Jesus himself in a different light by better acquainting ourselves with the first-century Jewish world. Genuine historical study challenges not only what we thought we knew but how we know it. The crucifixion of the subsequently resurrected Jesus, as solid an event as any in the "natural" world, turns out to meet, in unexpected and suggestive ways, the puzzles of the ultimate questions asked by every culture. At the same time, these events open up vistas of the eschatological promise held out to the entire natural order. The result is a larger vision, both of "natural theology" and of Jesus himself, than either the academy or the church has normally expected.

Critique: Impressively thoughtful and thought-provoking, "History and Eschatology: Jesus and the Promise of Natural Theology" is a singularly impressive work of Christian scholarship that is enhanced for academia with the inclusion of a fourteen page Bibliography, forty pages of Notes, a four page Index of Modern Authors, and a six page Index of Passages. While especially and unreservedly recommended for community, church, seminary, college, and university library Christian Theology & Philosophy collections, it should be noted for the personal reading lists of students, academia, clergy, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "History and Eschatology: Jesus and the Promise of Natural Theology" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $29.92).

Editorial Note: N. T. Wright is the former Bishop of Durham and is Research Professor of New Testament and Early Christianity at the University of St Andrews. He is the author of more than eighty books, including The Paul Debate: Critical Questions for Understanding the Apostle.

One Small Step
Matthew Barnett
Chosen Books
c/o Baker Publishing Group
6030 East Fulton, Ada, MI 49301
www.bakerpublishinggroup.com
9780800799571, $22.99, HC, 224pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: Can ordinary people make a lasting impact on the world around them? Matthew Barnett's answer is an emphatic Yes! In "One Small Step: The Life-Changing Adventure of Following God's Nudges", he shows that it is not as daunting as one might think. It all starts with a heart that is open to the leading of the Holy Spirit and a willingness to do as he leads. These small steps (most often very simple acts that can be done on a daily basis) require only our obedience and follow-through.

With inspiring stories and biblical takeaways, Barnett calls readers to set aside their fears and boldly embrace the life-changing adventure of becoming the hands and feet of Jesus to the broken people right outside their front doors. His readers will soon discover that "random acts of kindness" are not so random after all!

Critique: As thoughtful and thought-provoking as it is inspired and inspiring, "One Small Step: The Life-Changing Adventure of Following God's Nudges" is a life-enhancing, spiritually nourishing read and one that is unreservedly recommended for all members of the Christian community regardless of denominational affiliations. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "One Small Step: The Life-Changing Adventure of Following God's Nudges" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $12.99).

Editorial Note: Matthew Barnett is senior pastor of the Los Angeles Dream Center and son of legendary pastor Tommy Barnett. Presently, 120 Dream Centers are located across the country. Presidents, religious leaders and many celebrities have referred to the Dream Center as a model of community transformation and renewal.

Defeating Sin, second edition
Fr. Joseph David Huneycutt
SVS Press
575 Scarsdale Road, Yonkers, NY 10707
www.svspress.com
9780881416091, $23.00, PB, 180pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: Now in an newly expanded second edition that provides both the diagnosis and a course of spiritual therapy, "Defeating Sin: Overcoming Our Passions and Changing Forever" investigates the nature of the passions and the saving grace of the virtues.

Many fundamental questions are explored including: What led to the fall of the devil and his angels?; What led to the fall of Adam and Eve, our first parents?; What causes our own falls?; How can we identify the deceptions and temptations of the enemy?; How do we get up when we fall?; How can we struggle toward God-pleasing solutions to our problems?

Critique: Written from an Orthodox Christian perspective, "Defeating Sin: Overcoming Our Passions and Changing Forever" is an extraordinarily informative, thoughtful and thought- provoking read throughout. While especially and unreservedly recommended for community, church, seminary, and academic library Orthodox Christian Theology collections and supplemental studies lists, it should be noted for seminary students, academia, clergy, and non- specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "Defeating Sin: Overcoming Our Passions and Changing Forever" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $13.99).

Editorial Note: The pastor of St Joseph Orthodox Church in Houston, Texas, and is well-known for his blog and podcast, both called Orthodixie, the Very Rev. Joseph David Huneycutt is also the author of One Flew Over the Onion Dome (SVS Press), and leads retreats on the passions, the virtues, and confession across the country.

The God Who Acts in History
Craig G. Bartholomew
Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company
4035 Park East Court SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49546
www.eerdmans.com
9780802874672, $29.99, PB, 265pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: Did the decisive event in the history of Israel known as the Exodus out of Egypt even happen?

The Bible presents a living God who speaks and acts, and whose speaking and acting is fundamental to his revelation of himself. God's action in history may seem obvious to many Christians, but modern philosophy has problematized the idea. Today, many theologians often use the Bible to speak of God while, at best, remaining agnostic about whether he has in fact acted in history.

Historical revelation is central to both Jewish and Christian theology. Two major events in the Bible showcase divine agency: the revelation at Sinai in Exodus and the incarnation of Jesus in the gospels. Surprisingly, there is a lack of serious theological reflection on Sinai by both Jewish and Christian scholars, and those who do engage the subject often oscillate about the historicity of what occurred there.

In "The God Who Acts in History: The Significance of Sinai", Craig Bartholomew (who is the Director of the Kirby Laing Institute for Christian Ethics, Tyndale House, Cambridge, UK) explores how the early church understood divine action, looks at the philosophers who derided the idea, and finally shows that the reasons for doubting the historicity of Sinai are not persuasive. "The God Who Acts in History" provides compelling reasons for affirming that God has acted and continues to act in history.

Critique: A masterpiece of biblical history combined with Christian theology and tradition, "The God Who Acts in History: The Significance of Sinai" is an extraordinarily informed and meticulously presented work of scholarship that is unreservedly recommended for church, seminary, community, and academic library Old Testament Criticism & Interpretation collections and supplemental studies lists. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of seminary students, academia, clergy, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "Old Testament Criticism & Interpretation" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $24.92).

Seasons of Amish Life: Rhythms of the Year
Danny Graber, photographer
Herald Press
P.O. Box 866, Harrisonburg, VA 22803
www.heraldpress.com
9781513806556, $19.99, HC, 144pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: An inherently fascinating project by photographer Danny Graber, "Seasons of Amish Life: Rhythms of the Year, is a memorably vibrant photographic collection of an Amish community through the year. Through remarkable photographs and sensitive prose, "Seasons of Amish Life" visually showcases a snow-covered pond at dawn, when men and boys cut blocks of ice and load them onto wagons, Amish women planting gardens in spring, and children helping their fathers thresh oats in high summer. Then Autumn brings together the whole Amish community to raise a barn in two days.

Critique: A beautiful book to simply browse through one charming page and image at a time, "Seasons of Amish Life: Rhythms of the Year" is an extraordinary and highly recommended addition to personal, community, church, and academic library Contemporary American Photography collections in general, and Amish cultural and history reading lists in particular.

Acres of Diamonds
Jentezen Franklin
Chosen Books
c/o Baker Publishing Group
6030 East Fulton, Ada, MI 49301
www.bakerpublishinggroup.com

9780800798673, $22.99, HC, 224pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: "Acres of Diamonds: Discovering God's Best Right Where You Are" by Jentezen Franklin was written specifically for the benefit of those members of the Christian community who are in a season of their lives where every search for direction, encouragement, or fulfillment seems to come up empty. For those who thought God had them in a place to thrive and grow, but who, because of their life experiences and stresses, are ready to call it quits. For those who feel that there has to be something better.

The message embedded within the pages of "Acres of Diamonds" is that we don't need a new garden; we just need to learn how to dig! "Acres of Diamonds" helps us to discover the unfathomable riches Jesus Christ has for us. Rather than chase after a better life, we can celebrate the untold spiritual provision to be found even in the midst of spiritual deprivation. Readers will learn to cherish where God has placed them as they uncover the hidden potential within their families, jobs, ministries, and communities -- right where they are.

Critique: As thoughtful and thought-provoking as it is inspired and inspiring, "Acres of Diamonds: Discovering God's Best Right Where You Are" is an extraordinary and exceptionally well written, organized and presented contribution to the growing library of Christian Spiritual Growth books. While especially and unreservedly recommended for community and church library Contemporary Christian Studies collections, it should be noted for the personal reading lists of seminary students, clergy, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "Acres of Diamonds: Discovering God's Best Right Where You Are" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $12.99).

Editorial Note: Jentezen Franklin is the Senior Pastor of Free Chapel, a multi-campus church. Each week his television program Kingdom Connection is broadcast on major networks all over the world. Jentezen has written eight books including the groundbreaking Fasting and Right People-Right Place-Right Plan.

Giving Thanks and Letting Go
Danielle Bean
Ave Maria Press
PO Box 428, Notre Dame, IN 46556
www.avemariapress.com
9781594719455, $14.95, PB, 128pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: Comforting, relatable, and practical, "Giving Thanks and Letting Go: Reflections on the Gift of Motherhood" shares Danielle Bean's personal experience of launching her children into their adult lives. From this crucial moment in her motherhood, she offers sage advice as she reflects on the precious years she spent raising children and learning to trust in God's providence.

"Giving Thanks and Letting Go" reveals the freedom Danielle discovered as she tossed out old trophies and Nordic Ware; the release she feels when she lets herself sob with abandon; the pleasant satisfaction of extra space in her home and in her marriage; and the happy recognition of God's abiding presence through all the years of family life.

"Giving Thanks and Letting Go" will help women to deal with: Letting yourself grieve; Acknowledging that being a mom has never been easy; Turning to your husband; Giving up control; Accepting the suffering with grace; Trusting in God to have the best plans; Sparking joy, give thanks, and move on; Nourishing the soul, body, and mind.

Critique: Candid, realistic, practical, and absolute fascinating, "Giving Thanks and Letting Go: Reflections on the Gift of Motherhood" is an extraordinary and inspiring read -- and unreservedly recommended to the attention of all members of the Christian community. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "Giving Thanks and Letting Go" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $8.99).

Editorial Note: Danielle Bean is the brand manager at www.CatholicMom.com, an apostolate of Holy Cross Family Ministries. A Catholic podcaster and cohost of The Gist on CatholicTV, she also has served as publisher and editor-in-chief of Catholic Digest. Bean is also the author of several books, including Small Steps for Catholic Moms, Momnipotent, and You Are Enough. She is a retreat leader and a popular speaker on a variety of subjects related to Catholic family life, education, marriage, and motherhood.

Post-Christian
Gene Edward Veith, Jr.
Crossway Books
1300 Crescent Street, Wheaton, IL 60187
www.crossway.org
9781433565786, $24.99, PB, 320pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: We live in a post-Christian world. Contemporary thought (claiming to be "progressive" and "liberating") attempts to place human beings in God's role as creator, lawgiver, and savior. But these post-Christian ways of thinking and living are running into dead ends and fatal contradictions.

"Post-Christian: A Guide to Contemporary Thought and Culture" by Professor Gene Edward Veith is a timely book that demonstrates how the Christian world view stands firm in a secular world dedicated to constructing its own knowledge, morality, and truth. Professor Veith points out the problems with how today's culture views humanity, God, and even reality itself. He also offers hope-filled, practical ways believers can live out their faith in a secularist society as a way to recover reality, rebuild culture, and revive faith.

Critique: Impressively informative, exceptionally thought-provoking, erudite in commentary, thoroughly 'reader friendly' in organization and presentation, "Post-Christian: A Guide to Contemporary Thought and Culture" is an extraordinary study and one that is unreservedly recommended for church, seminary, college, and university library Contemporary Christian Theology & Apologetics collections. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of seminary students, academia, clergy, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "Post-Christian: A Guide to Contemporary Thought and Culture" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $16.80).

Editorial Note: Gene Edward Veith is a Provost and Professor of Literature Emeritus at Patrick Henry College. He previously worked as the culture editor of World magazine. and is the author of Reading Between the Lines: A Christian Guide to Literature.


The Judaic Studies Shelf

Ani Maamin
Joshua Berman
Maggid Books
c/o Toby Press/Koren Publishers
PO Box 8531, New Milford, CT 06776-8531
www.korenpub.com
9781592645381, $29.95, HC, 334pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: For the last two centuries the academic study of the Bible has confronted the believing Jew with the most challenging of questions: Are the accounts of the Tanakh historically accurate? Was there an Exodus? Why does the Torah provide multiple versions of its law and its stories? What are the warrants for believing the Torah is a divine text? Can a Jew seeking intellectual honesty maintain fidelity to the Thirteen Principles of Faith?

The credentials Rabbi Dr. Joshua Berman brings to address these issues are unparalleled. An internationally acclaimed speaker, writer and educator, Rabbi Berman is also a professor of Tanakh at Bar-Ilan University and the author of two books published by Oxford University Press on the five books of the Torah.

"Ani Maamin: Biblical Criticism, Historical Truth, and the Thirteen Principles of Faith" is a landmark work and the first full-length treatment of these charged issues by an Orthodox thinker, offering the believing Jew an academically and traditionally based approach of spiritual and intellectual integrity.

Critique: An inherently interesting, impressively informative, exceptionally well organized, thoughtful and thought-provoking read, "Ani Maamin: Biblical Criticism, Historical Truth, and the Thirteen Principles of Faith" is an extraordinary and unreservedly recommended addition to personal, synagogue, community, college, and university library Contemporary Judaic Studies collections and supplemental curriculum reading lists.

Remix Judaism
Roberta Rosenthal Kwall
Rowman & Littlefield Publishing
c/o Rowman & Littlefield Publishing Group
4501 Forbes Blvd., Suite 200, Lanham, MD 20706
www.rowman.com
9781538129555, $30.00, HC, 266pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: "Remix Judaism: Preserving Tradition in a Diverse World" by Roberta Rosenthal Kwall offers an eloquent and thoughtful new vision for all Jews seeking a sense of belonging in a changing world, regardless of their current level of observance. Kwall sets out a process of selection, rejection, and modification of rituals that allow for a focus on Jewish tradition rather than on the technicalities of Jewish law.

Roberta's goal is not to sell her own religious practices to readers but, rather, to encourage them to find their own personal meaning in Judaism outside the dictates of Commandment by broadening their understanding of how law, culture and tradition fit together. In "Remix Judaism", she inspires her audience to be intentional and mindful about the space they allocate for these elements in defining their individual Jewish journeys and identities.

Critique: As thoughtful and thought-provoking as it is inspired and inspiring, "Remix Judaism: Preserving Tradition in a Diverse World" is an exceptionally well written, organized and presented study that will prove to be an enduringly popular and appreciated contribution to the growing body of Contemporary Judaic Studies literature. While highly recommended for community, synagogue, and academic library Judaic Studies collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Remix Judaism" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $27.09).

Editorial Note: Roberta Rosenthal Kwall is the Raymond P. Niro Professor at DePaul University College of Law. She earned her undergraduate degree in Religious Studies and American Civilization from Brown University and received her law degree from the University of Pennsylvania Law School, where she was on the Editorial Board of the Law Review and sang with the school's light opera company. She also has a Master's Degree in Jewish Studies. Professor Kwall is a prolific writer and lecturer whose work focuses on a wide array of topics including Jewish tradition and American Judaism, author's rights, creativity theory, and cultural analysis. In 2006, she was designated as one of the Ten Best Law Professors in Illinois by Chicago Lawyer Magazine. She can be followed on twitter at @robertakwall.

To This Very Day
Amnon Bazak
Maggid Books
c/o Koren Publishers Jerusalem Ltd.
PO Box 8531, New Milford, CT 06776-8531
www.korenpub.com
9781592645152, $34.95, HC, 492pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: In recent generations, there has been a renaissance of Tanakh study among Jewry in general, and in the study halls of the Religious-Zionist community in particular. This return to in-depth study of the plain text has brought with it new challenges. How should one respond to the complex questions raised by close textual reading, by new methodology, and by recent discoveries?

"To This Very Day: Fundamental Questions in the Bible Study" by Rabbi Amnon Bazak (an instructor at Yeshivat Har Etzion in Israel and a lectuerer in Bible and Oral Law at Herzog Collge) offers a unique approach that has arisen in the current generation of Bible scholars, who come to Tanakh study with deep, serious belief in the holiness and divine nature of the books, on the one hand, and on the other, the understanding that new discoveries in the scholarly world need neither be rejected out of hand nor adopted in their entirety.

Critique: An impressively written, exceptionally informative, thoughtful and thought-provoking study, "To This Very Day: Fundamental Questions in the Bible Study" is an extraordinary and unreservedly recommended addition to personal, rabbinical, synagogue, and academic library Contemporary Judaic Studies collections and supplemental curriculum reading lists.

Jewish Mysticism: From Ancient Times through Today
Marvin A. Sweeney
Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company
4035 Park East Court SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49546
www.eerdmans.com
9780802864031, $60.00, HC, 500pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: Questions of how the divine presence is understood and interacts within the world have been around since the time of the biblical prophets. The Jewish mystical tradition conceives God as active, just, powerful, and present while allowing for divine limitation so as to understand the relationship between G-d and the Jewish people in their history.

In "Jewish Mysticism: From Ancient Times through Today" Professor Marvin Sweeney surveys Jewish visionary and mystical experience from biblical and ancient Near Eastern times through the modern period and the emergence of modern Hasidism. Professor Sweeney also provides a comprehensive treatment of one of the most dynamic fields of Jewish studies in the twenty-first century, providing an accessible overview of texts and interpretative issues.

Professor Sweeney begins with the biblical period, which most treatments of Jewish mysticism avoid, and includes chapters on the ancient Near East, the Pentateuch, the Former Prophets and Psalms, the Latter Prophets, Jewish Apocalyptic, the Heikhalot Literature, the Sefer Yetzirah and early Kabbalistic Literature, the Zohar, Lurianic Kabbalah and the Shabbetean Movement, and the Hasidic Movement.

Placing Jewish apocalyptic literature into the larger development of ancient Jewish visionary and mystical experience, Professor Sweeney fills gaps left by the important but outdated work of others in the field. Ideal for the scholar, student, or general reader, "Jewish Mysticism" provides readers with a fresh understanding of the particular challenges, problems, needs, and perspectives of Judaism throughout its history.

Critique: An impressively informative and meticulously documented work of exceptional scholarship, "Jewish Mysticism: From Ancient Times through Today" is enhanced for academia with the inclusion of a twelve page Bibliography, a three page Index of Authors, a two page Index of Subjects, and an eight page Index. Simply stated, "Jewish Mysticism: From Ancient Times through Today" is an especially and unreservedly recommended addition to personal, community, college, and university library Contemporary Judaic History collections in general, and Jewish Mysticism/Kabbalah supplemental studies reading lists in particular.

Editorial Note: Marvin A. Sweeney is the Professor of Hebrew Bible at the Claremont School of Theology, where he teaches in the areas of Hebrew Bible studies and the history of Judaism and Jewish thought. He is a specialist in Jewish biblical theology, prophetic literature, narrative literature, and Jewish mysticism and visionary texts.


The Islamic Studies Shelf

The Many Faces of Political Islam, second edition
Mohammed Ayoob & Danielle N. Lussier
University of Michigan Press
839 Greene Street, Ann Arbor, MI 48104-3209
www.press.umich.edu
9780472037650, $29.95, PB, 258pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: Analysts and pundits from across the American political spectrum describe Islamic fundamentalism as one of the greatest threats to modern, Western-style democracy. Yet very few non-Muslims would be able to venture an accurate definition of political Islam.

Now in a fully revised and updated second edition, "The Many Faces of Political Islam: Religion and Politics in Muslim Societies" by the team of Danielle N. Lussier (who is an Associate Professor of Political Science at Grinnell College, Grinnell, Iowa) and Mohammed Ayoob (who is the University Distinguished Emeritus Professor of International Relations at Michigan State University, and a Non-Resident Senior Fellow at the Center for Global Policy, in Washington, DC) thoroughly analyzes the many facets of this political ideology and shows its impact on global relations.

Critique: An ideal introduction to the subject of Islamic political systems, "The Many Faces of Political Islam: Religion and Politics in Muslim Societies" is enhanced for academia with the inclusion of a sixteen page Bibliography, twenty-six pages of Notes, a four page Glossary, and a fifteen page Index. While an especially and unreservedly recommended addition to community, college, and university library Contemporary Islamic Studies & Political Science collections, it should be noted for the personal reading lists of students, academia, governmental policy makers, corporate executives seeking to do business in or with an Islamic country, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "The Many Faces of Political Islam" is also readily available in a digital book format (eTextbook, $29.95).


The Photography Shelf

Tulips
Peter Arnold
teNeues Publishing
350 Seventh Avenue, Suite 301, New York, NY, 10011
www.teneues.com
9783961712656, $24.95, HC, 144pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: No flower, whether in a garden or as a cut flower in a vase, is as well-known and as varied in shape and color as the tulip. Once the most expensive flower bulb in the world, this ever-cheerful member of the Lily family is defined by its vibrant hues and simple sophistication of form.

"Tulip" is a newly-designed classic of floral photography in which Peter Arnold fully captures the tulip in all its beauty and diversity. From familiar to exotic tulip varieties, his exquisite tulip pictures are supplemented with new texts -- including a Foreword by Sir Elton John.

Critique: A 'must' for all gardeners, flower lovers, and fans of art and flower photography, browsing through the pages of "Tulips" is the next best thing to personally walking through the tulip fields of Holland. A simply gorgeous photographic compendium, "Tulips" is unreservedly recommended for personal, professional, community and academic library collections.


The Needlecraft Shelf

Sunny Days
Jan Patek
Martingale & Company
www.shopmartingale.com
9781683560487, $18.99

Sunny Days: A Summertime Quilt Full of Folk-Art Fun shows quilters how to make fourteen block designs inspired by summer themes, from trees and flowers to birds and bees, and provides a template for a queen-size production that can be used for beds or display purposes. Patek's needle-turn technique is taught and can be used (or any other applique method) to craft these blocks, which can also be used for other non-quilt projects. Full-sized patterns are a bonus, here, accompanying wealth of color photos.

Cute Crocheted Wild Animals
Emma Varnam
The GMC Group
www.gmcbooks.com
9781784945480, $19.95, PB, 128pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: Inspired by the imagination of children, needlecraft expert Emma Varnam likes to make items that bring a smile. She has written a number of popular crochet books that include Granny Squares Home, Crocheted Keyrings & Charms, Cute Crocheted Animals and How to Crochet, all published by GMC Publications. Now with "Cute Crocheted Wild Animals" she draws upon her years of experience and expertise to create a DIY instruction manual and guide for creating ten adorable crocheted chums that have enviable wardrobes to mix and match. The five pairs of animals (pandas, lions, zebras, elephants and monkeys) all have distinctive personalities and gorgeous outfits. All the clothes can fit all of the animals, so there is lots of fun to be had dressing them up. Each individual project comprising "Cute Crocheted Wild Animals" is beautifully photographed and includes clear patterns and guidance. Of special note is a techniques section that gives clear instructions on all the skills needed and necessary to successfully make the animals and their outfits.

Critique: Thoroughly 'user friendly' in organization and presentation, "Cute Crocheted Wild Animals" is an ideal and unreservedly recommended addition to personal, professional, and community library Needlecraft instructional reference collections.


The Poetry Shelf

A Nail the Evening Hangs On
Monica Sok
Copper Canyon Press
PO Box 271, Port Townsend, WA 98368
www.coppercanyonpress.org
9781556595608, $16.99, PB, 88pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: Monica Sok uses poetry to reshape a family's memory (memories that iare both real and imagined) about the Khmer Rouge regime according to a child of refugees. Driven by myth-making and fables, the poems examine the inheritance of the genocide and the profound struggles of searing grief and PTSD.

Though the landscape of Cambodia is always present, it is the liminal space, the in-betweenness of diaspora, in which younger generations must reconcile their history and create new rituals. "A Nail the Evening Hangs On" seeks to reclaim the Cambodian narrative with tenderness and an imagination that moves towards wholeness and possibility.

Critique: All the more impressive when considering that "A Nail the Evening Hangs On" is Monica Sok's debut collection of her poetry, this deftly penned anthology is especially and unreservedly recommended for personal, community, college, and university library Contemporary Poetry collections.

Editorial Note: Monica Sok is a Cambodian American poet and the daughter of former refugees. She is the author of Year Zero winner of a Poetry Society of America Chapbook Fellowship. Her work has been recognized with a "Discovery" / Boston Review Poetry Prize. Currently, Sok is a 2018-2020 Stegner Fellow in Poetry at Stanford University. Residing in Oakland, California, Monica teaches poetry to youths at Banteay Srei and the Center for Empowering Refugees and Immigrants.


The Self-Help Shelf

How to Age Joyfully
Maggy Pigott
Vie
c/o Octopus Books
www.octopusbooksusa.com
9781786859686, $16.99

How to Age Joyfully: Eight Steps to a Happier, Fuller Life offers eight easy, key strategies for enjoying life to its fullest, from eating better and being more physically active to cultivating a life purpose, staying better connected with the world, and becoming a more positive, giving person. Each goal is accompanied by tips and quotes from those who succeeded in each objective, making it easy to absorb the lessons and apply them to daily life. This succinct synthesis of wisdom creates an especially simple, action-oriented set of admonitions perfect for those looking to improve their aging process.

How Not to Be a Hot Mess
Craig Hase & Devon Hase
www.devonandcraighase.com
Shambhala Publications, Inc.
300 Massachusetts Avenue, Boston, MA 02115-4544
www.shambhala.com
9781611807981, $18.95, HC, 176pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: It may seem like the world is going to hell in a hand basket right now. Whether it's big stuff like politics and climate change, or just the daily spin of paying your bills, getting to work on time, and fending off social media trolls, we can all admit, modern life ain't easy. "How Not to Be a Hot Mess: A Survival Guide for Modern Life" presents six really good guiding principles to keep you anchored and steady amidst the chaos and that are inspired from the ancient wisdom of Buddhism and mindfulness practice.

Critique: As thoughtful and thought-provoking as it is inspired and inspiring, "How Not to Be a Hot Mess: A Survival Guide for Modern Life" fully lives up to the promise of its title. Exceptionally well written, organized and presented, "How Not to Be a Hot Mess: A Survival Guide for Modern Life" is an extraordinary and unreservedly recommended addition to community, college, and university library Self-Help/Self-Improvement collections. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of anyone interested in a Buddhist perspective and approach to dealing with the stresses of life that "How Not to Be a Hot Mess: A Survival Guide for Modern Life" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $11.99).

Editorial Note: Craig and Devon Hase mentor dharma practitioners online, teach meditation on the Simple Habit app, and lead meditation retreats throughout North America and Europe. Devon teaches at the Insight Meditation Society and Spirit Rock and mentors mindfulness teachers for Jack Kornfield and Tara Brach's Mindfulness Meditation Teacher Certification Program. Craig spent six years in a Zen monastery and then completed a PhD in counseling psychology before making his topsy-turvy transition into teaching mindfulness, meditation, and dharma full time. They maintain a web site at www.devonandcraighase.com

Drive: 9 Lessons to Win in Business and in Life
Kelley Earnhardt Miller
Thomas Nelson Publishers
PO Box 141000, Nashville, TN 37214
www.thomasnelson.com
9780785229308, $26.99, HC, 224pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: Just like a race car as it takes to the track, each of us needs a certain amount of fine-tuning for our journey through life according to Kelley Earnhardt Miller, daughter of Dale Earnhardt Sr. and sister to Dale Jr., and grew up in the world of NASCAR. In "Drive: 9 Lessons to Win in Business and in Life" she shares the lessons she learned about being a successful business leader and what she discovered, often the hard way, about winning in life.

Kelley never felt she was winning at anything until she began to deal with the thoughts and feelings that were driving her decisions and taking her in the wrong direction. Her journey of transformation is what empowered her to run the family business in an entirely different way than she had previously and to lead people not only with her head but also with her heart.

Critique: Exceptionally well written and as thoughtful and thought-provoking as it is impressively insightful and ultimately inspiring, "Drive: 9 Lessons to Win in Business and in Life" by Kelly Earnhardt Miller is an especially and unreservedly recommended addition to personal, community, college 'Self-Help/Self-Improvement collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "Drive" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99) and as a complete and unabridged audio book (Brilliance Audio, 9781799732013, $26.99, CD).


The Cookbook Shelf

Ultimate Soup Maker
Joy Skipper
Hamlyn
c/o Octopus Books
www.octopusbooksusa.com
9780600636510, $14.99

Ultimate Soup Maker: More than 100 Simple, Nutritious Recipes promotes time-saving soup makers as a new opportunity for versatile, quick cooking, and is a basic primer for any new owner of a soup maker. Each recipe serves four, can be made in the single soup maker pan, and offers tips on how to use its various functions. Recipes are divided into chapters by preparation, dietary focus, and classic fare, and come from a nutritionist who offers such healthy specialties as Butternut and Cumin Soup, Stilton, Potato and Leek, and Red Chicken and Coconut Broth. The inclusion of color photos throughout and an index to speed location of a particular soup recipe contribute to an outstanding production.

Real Bento
Kanae Inoue
Tuttle Publishing
364 Innovation Drive, North Clarendon, VT 05759-9436
www.tuttlepublishing.com
9784805315774, $16.99, PB, 96pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: Bento is a single-portion take-out or home-packed meal common in Japanese, Taiwanese, and Chinese cuisines and other Asian cultures where rice is the main staple food. A traditional bento holds rice or noodles, fish or meat, with pickled and cooked vegetables, in a box. Containers range from mass-produced disposables to hand-crafted lacquerware. Bento are readily available in many places throughout Japan, including convenience stores, bento shops, railway stations, and department stores. However, Japanese homemakers often spend time and energy on carefully prepared lunch boxes for their spouses, children, or themselves. Bentos can be elaborately arranged in a style called "kyaraben" ("character bento"). Kyaraben are typically decorated to look like popular characters from Japanese animation (anime), comic books (manga), or video games. Another popular bento style is "oekakiben" or "picture bento". This is decorated to look like people, animals, buildings and monuments, or items such as flowers and plants. Contests are often held where bento arrangers compete for the most aesthetically pleasing arrangements. (Wikipedia)

"Real Bento: Fresh and Easy Lunchbox Recipes from a Japanese Working Mom" by Japanese housewife Kanae Inoue is packed from cover to cover with the time-saving tricks that allow even the most novice of kitchen cooks to make bento box lunches each morning in just 10 minutes, using ingredients and recipes that will satisfy the whole family! The recipes are presented by flavor type and key ingredient, so it's easy for parents to find dishes their kids will love.

In "Real Bento", Inoue presents 200 recipes, divided into "main dishes" and "sides" for 22 completed bento boxes. The colorful photos and step-by-step instructions make this an incredibly practical and easy-to-use resource for busy households! In her recipes, Inoue places great emphasis on healthy, fresh and colorful foods that look and taste great when presented together.

Her recipes include Japanese favorites and original recipes like: Teriyaki Chicken; Stuffed Bell Peppers; Ginger Salmon; Broccoli and Pasta Salad; Beef and Egg Stir Fry.

Critique: Profusely and beautifully illustrated throughout, "Real Bento: Fresh and Easy Lunchbox Recipes from a Japanese Working Mom"is the ideal beginning bento book for American family cooks and is a perfect instructional guide and manual for this distinctive approach to a distinctive form of Japanese cuisine. While especially recommended for community library cookbook collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Real Bento" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).

Editorial Note: Kanae Inoue is a wife, mother of three teenagers, a well-known author of bento cookbooks and a popular food blogger and personality in her home country of Japan. Her delicious, economical, and family-friendly recipes for bentos have garnered her a huge following.

Chetna's Healthy Indian Vegetarian
Chetna Makan
Mitchell Beazley
c/o Octopus Books
236 Park Avenue, New York NY 10017
www.octopusbooksusa.com
9781784726621, $29.99, HC, 208pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: "Chetna's Healthy Indian Vegetarian" by Chetna Makan is a celebration of Indian food at its fresh, vibrant and supremely delicious best! Showcasing more than 80 delicious and thoroughly 'kitchen cook friendly' recipes that vegetarian (and even the most dedicated of meat eaters!) will enjoy, Chetna shows just how creative you can be with even the most humble vegetable.

"Chetna's Healthy Indian Vegetarian" is packed with flavorful and innovative menu with dishes such as: Samphire and carom seeds pakoras; Red lentils and roasted cauliflower soup; Whole green chilli curry in a gram flour yogurt sauce; Zucchini kofta curry; Coconut and chana dal stuffed parathas; Cashew nut paneer rice; Chocolate coconut laddos; and Cardamom and almond bake.

Critique: Profusely and beautifully illustrated with full color photography throughout, "Chetna's Healthy Indian Vegetarian" is an ideal resource for vegetarian menu development and certain to be an enduringly favorite addition to personal, professional, and community library cookbook collections. It be noted that "Chetna's Healthy Indian Vegetarian" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $14.99).

Editorial Note: Chetna Makan was born in Jabalpur, an ancient city in central India. Chetna reached the semi-final of The Great British Baking Show in 2014, and her first book, The Cardamom Trail, is a celebration of baking with Indian flavors. She also has a very popular YouTube channel 'Food with Chetna' where she shares her creative flair for food.

The Ralph Nader and Family Cookbook
Ralph Nader
Akashic Books
232 Third Street, #A115, Brooklyn, NY 11215
www.akashicbooks.com
9781617757945, $24.95, HC, 104pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: Nowadays, the Mediterranean diet is considered one of the healthiest on the planet, but in the 1930s and '40s of Nader's youth it was considered by many Americans as simply strange. Luckily for Ralph Nader and his siblings, this didn't prevent their mother, Rose, from serving the family homemade, healthy meals -- dishes from her homeland of Lebanon. Rose didn't simply encourage her children to eat well, she took time to discuss and explain her approach to food; she used the family meals to connect all of her children to the traditions of their ancestors.

"The Ralph Nader and Family Cookbook: Classic Recipes from Lebanon and Beyond" shares the cuisine of Nader's upbringing, presenting Lebanese dishes inspired by Rose's recipes that will be both known to many, including hummus and baba ghanoush, as well as others that may be lesser known, such as kibbe, the extremely versatile national dish of Lebanon, and sheikh al-mahshi -- "the 'king' of stuffed foods."

The cookbook also includes an introduction by Nader and anecdotes throughout. "The Ralph Nader and Family Cookbook" will entice one's taste buds, while sharing a side of Ralph Nader that may not be commonly known, though will not surprise anyone familiar with his decades of activism and involvement in consumer protection.

Critique: Beautifully and profusely illustrated throughout with full color photography, "The Ralph Nader and Family Cookbook: Classic Recipes from Lebanon and Beyond" is an extraordinary and inspirational resource for planning palate-pleasing, appetite-satisfying, kitchen cook friendly dishes that will make for truly memorable meals. While unreservedly recommended for family, professional and community library cookbook collections, it should be noted for the personal reading lists that "The Ralph Nader and Family Cookbook" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $14.49).

Editorial Note: Ralph Nader is best-known for his social critiques and his efforts to increase government and corporate accountability, but what some might not know about him is his lifelong commitment to healthy eating. Born in Connecticut to Lebanese parents, Nader's appreciation of food began at an early age, when his parents, Rose and Nathra, owned an eatery, bakery, and delicatessen called the Highland Arms Restaurant. The family eschewed processed foods and ate only a moderate amount of lean red meat.


The Metaphysical Studies Shelf

Magdalene Mysteries
Seren Bertrand & Azra Bertrand, M.D.
Bear & Company
c/o Inner Traditions International, Ltd.
One Park Street, Rochester, VT 05767
www.innertraditions.com
9781591433460, $30.00, PB, 560pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: A sacred priestess of the ancient Womb Rites, Mary Magdalene was at the center of a great and enduring Mystery tradition, one that touched on a stream of perennial spiritual wisdom as old as humanity. Worshiped as the human embodiment of the Goddess, the earthly Sophia, her womb was the spiritual luminatrix that anointed and empowered Jesus, transforming him into the Christ. As a priestess of the Goddess, Mary Magdalene knew how to embody the light and the dark, how to harness the magic potency of sacred sexual energy, and how to cleanse, awaken, and resurrect the soul. Yet, even though she sparked the creation of a worldwide religion, her story and teachings have been forgotten because of the suppression efforts of the Roman Catholic church.

Unveiling the lost left-hand path of the Magdalene, the Feminine Christ, authors Seren and Azra Bertrand explore how this underground stream of knowledge has been carried forward over the millennia through an unbroken lineage of Womb Shamans, Priestesses, Oracles, and Medicine Women. They explain how the Magdalene Mysteries, symbolized by the Rose, have been encoded in Gnostic codices and gospels and in the highest art, literature, and architecture of many ages, including most significantly the Ghent Altarpiece. They examine Mary Magdalene's connection to moon wisdom, sacred harlot archetypes, and goddesses in many traditions, including Isis, Inanna, Asherah, Lilith, and Jezebel, and look at shamanic, tantric, and Cathar expressions of sacred feminine mysteries as well as the Witch and Templar roots of Robin Hood and Maid Marian.

"Magdalene Mysteries: The Left-Hand Path of the Feminine Christ" is a revelatory and magical study showcasing the lost feminine mystery traditions of Mary Magdalene and the lineage of Sophia. "Magdalene Mysteries" also presents an encompassing theological, historical, mythological, and archetypal wisdom, with rituals and practices to initiate the reader into the Womb magic of the ancient priestesses and the path of the wild feminine.

Critique: A unique, iconoclastic, inherently fascinating, exceptionally well written and informatively detailed study from cover to cover, "Magdalene Mysteries: The Left-Hand Path of the Feminine Christ" is unreservedly recommended for community and academic library New Age & Metaphysical Studies collections. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of students, academia, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "Magdalene Mysteries" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $20.99).

Editorial Note: Seren Bertrand is a visionary creatrix and spirit keeper with a degree in English literature and modern philosophy who is dedicated to restoring the lost global feminine wisdom traditions. Azra Bertrand, M.D., has a degree in biochemistry and studied at Duke University School of Medicine, with research at the NIH. He has been a pioneering doctor and mystic for over two decades, following the feminine pathway of alchemy. Seren Bertrand and Azra Bertrand are also the co-authors of Womb Awakening.

The Magic of Marie Laveau
Denise Alvarado
Weiser Books
c/o Red Wheel/Weiser/Conari
65 Parker Street, Suite 7, Newburyport, MA 01950
www.redwheelweiser.com
9781578636730, $16.95, PB, 224pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: Marie Catherine Laveau (September 10, 1801 - June 15, 1881) may be the most influential 19th Century American practitioner of the magical arts; certainly, she is among the most famous. She is the subject of songs, films, and legends and the star of New Orleans ghost tours. Her grave in New Orleans ranks among the most popular spiritual pilgrimages in the US. Devotees venerate votive images of Laveau, who proclaimed herself the "Pope of Voodoo." She is the subject of respected historical biographies and the inspiration for novels by Francine Prose and Jewell Parker Rhodes. She even appears in Marvel Comics and on the television show American Horror Story: Coven, where she was portrayed by Angela Bassett.

In "The Magic of Marie Laveau: Embracing the Spiritual Legacy of the Voodoo Queen of New Orleans", author Denise Alvarado explores Marie Laveau's life and work as a fascinating history and mystery. "The Magic of Marie Laveau" also gives an overview of New Orleans Voodoo, its origins, history, and practices. It contains spells, prayers, rituals, recipes, and instructions for constructing New Orleans voodoo-style altars and crafting a voodoo amulet known as a gris-gris.

Critique: Exceptionally informative and thoroughly 'reader friendly' in commentary, organization and presentation, "The Magic of Marie Laveau: Embracing the Spiritual Legacy of the Voodoo Queen of New Orleans" is an inherently fascinating and thought-provoking read from beginning to end. Certain to be an immediate and enduringly popular addition to both community and academic library 19th Century American Metaphysical History collections in general, and Mary Laveau supplemental studies reading lists in particular, it should be noted for students, academia, metaphysical practitioners, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "The Magic of Marie Laveau: Embracing the Spiritual Legacy of the Voodoo Queen of New Orleans" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).

Editorial Note: Denise Alvarado was born and raised in the rich Creole culture of New Orleans, Louisiana. She has studied indigenous healing traditions from a personal and academic perspective for over 4 decades and is the author of numerous books about Southern folk traditions. She is a rootworker in the Louisiana folk magic tradition, a spiritual artist, and a teacher of Southern conjure at Crossroads University.

Faery
John T. Kruse
Llewellyn Publications
2143 Wooddale Drive, Woodbury, MN 55125
www.llewellyn.com
9780738761893, $21.99, PB, 312pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: "Faery: A Guide to the Lore, Magic & World of the Good Folk" by John T. Kruse is an impressive source of both a folkloric resource and informational guide to living and working with our magical neighbors. Featuring an expansive look at the world of Faery and the history, behavior, and appearance of the Good Folk, "Faery" provides detailed and practical advice based on local legends and real encounters.

In "Faery", Kruse dives deep into the rich cultural traditions of the British Isles, revealing the symbiotic relationship between humans and faeries. Readers can explore the magic, habits, and culture of the Good Folk, discover the different types of faeries and how to find them, as well as what precautions should be taken when working with them.

Respectful and thorough, "Faery" will enrich our lives as it teaches us how to truly feel the presence of the Good Folk.

Critique: An inherently fascinating and impressively informative study from cover to cover, "Faery: A Guide to the Lore, Magic & World of the Good Folk" will prove to be an immediate and enduringly popular addition to personal, community, and academic library Metaphysical Studies collections in general, and the Faery Folk supplemental studies lists in particular. Expertly organized and presented, it should be noted that "Faery: A Guide to the Lore, Magic & World of the Good Folk" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $12.99).

Editorial Note: John T. Kruse (London, UK) has lectured on British fairy tradition at London's metaphysical bookstore Treadwells and is the author of British Fairies (Green Magic Publications, 2017). He has also written for Magical Times and Witches & Pagans.

Ancient Egyptian Magic: A Hands-On Guide
Christina Riggs
Thames & Hudson, Inc.
500 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10110-0017
www.thamesandhudsonusa.com
9780500052129, $24.95, HC, 224pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: In ancient Egypt, if you needed a love charm, wanted to contact your dead wife, or needed the ability to fly like a bird, the magicians and priests of Egypt were the ones who could make it happen.

In "Ancient Egyptian Magic: A Hands-On Guide", Christina Riggs explores how the Egyptians thought about magic, who performed it and why, and also helps readers understand why we have come to think of ancient Egypt in such a mystical way.

In the pages of "Ancient Egyptian Magic: A Hands-On Guide" readers will learn how to cure scorpion bites, discover why you might want to break the legs off your stuffed hippopotamus toy, and uncover whether mummies really can come back to life. Readers can also learn how to save a fortune on pregnancy tests (urinating on barley grains will answer that question) as well as how to use the next street parade to predict the future or ensure that an annoying neighbor gets his comeuppance.

Was magic harmless fun, heartfelt hope, or something darker? Featuring demons, dream interpreters, the Book of the Dead, and illustrations from tomb paintings and papyrus scrolls, "Ancient Egyptian Magic: A Hands-On Guide" breathes new life into ancient magic and uses early texts and images to illuminate the distinctions between magic, religion, and medicine.

Critique: Enhanced for the reader with the inclusion of 95 illustrations, "Ancient Egyptian Magic: A Hands-On Guide" is an inherently fascinating and impressively informative read that will prove especially interesting to students of Egyptology and the Metaphysical Arts. Christina Riggs' "Ancient Egyptian Magic: A Hands-On Guide" will prove to be an immediate and enduringly popular addition to personal, professional, community, college, and university library collections.

Editorial Note: Christina Riggs is a fellow of All Souls College, University of Oxford, and chair in the history of art and archaeology, University of East Anglia. She is the author of six books, including Ancient Egyptian Art and Architecture: A Very Short Introduction. She writes for a range of newspapers and magazines and has appeared in radio and TV shows for the BBC, National Geographic, and the History Channel.


The Fishing Shelf

The Angler's Book of Favorite Fishing Quotations
Jackie Corley
Hatherleigh Press
c/o The Hatherleigh Foundation
62545 State Highway 10, Hobart, NY 13788
www.hatherleighpress.com
9781578268351, $12.50, HC, 112pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: Fishing is a pastime as old as humanity itself, and while the process and techniques have changed and evolved with new technology and strategies, the simple goal of catching a fish is timeless. Whether by yourself on a tiny boat in the middle of a lake or with a group of people on the edge of a winding river, one only needs a simple rod, line, and bait -- as well patience!

Expertly compiled by Jackie Corley, "The Angler's Book of Favorite Fishing Quotations: An Inspired Collection of Wit and Wisdom for Those Who Love to Fish" captures this unique and joyful experience with words and wisdom from writers, thinkers, and of course, anglers!

Critique: Entertaining and inspiring, and a simply pleasure to simply browse through, "The Angler's Book of Favorite Fishing Quotations: An Inspired Collection of Wit and Wisdom for Those Who Love to Fish" is a perfect gift for anyone who loves fishing. "The Angler's Book of Favorite Fishing Quotations" is unreservedly recommended and will prove to be an immediate and enduringly popular addition to any and all community library collections.


The Religion/Spirituality Shelf

Power Divine and Human
Lucinda Mosher and David Marshall, editors
Georgetown University Press
www.press.georgetown.edu
9781589016774, $29.95

Power Divine and Human: Christian and Muslim Perspectives is recommended for both Christian and Islamic studies collections, and provides a series of dialogues between the two that encourages interactions between both based on issues of concern to each group. Essays by Christians and Muslims are intended for both study and discussion, and provides materials that not only contrast different points of view, but offer materials and pointers for crafting one's own discussions. From Islamic texts on ideals and realities to community dialogues on broader issues, this is an encouraging primer that advocates better communication and connections between the two groups.


The Terrorism Studies Shelf

Operation Jihadi Bride
John Carney with Clifford Thurlow
Monoray
c/o Octopus Books
www.octopusbooksusa.com
9781913184059, $16.99

Operation Jihadi Bride: My Covert Mission to Rescue Young Women From ISIS provides the true story of the ex-British Army soldier/author's journey into Syria to save the lives of over a hundred women and children, giving them a second chance. He was actually charged with protecting oil executives in Iraq when he was contacted by the desperate family of a young Dutch woman who begged him to save her from ISIS in Syria. Educated about the many young girls who had been enslaved by ISIS in that country, he embarked on a single-handled mission to rescue them, documenting these events in a powerful story of military encounters, social inspection, and courage which will prove enlightening and hard to put down.


James A. Cox, Editor-in-Chief
Diane C. Donovan, Editor
Midwest Book Review
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Oregon, WI 53575-1129
phone: 1-608-835-7937
e-mail: mbr@execpc.com
e-mail: mwbookrevw@aol.com
http://www.midwestbookreview.com


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