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Internet Bookwatch

Volume 27, Number 9 September 2017 Home | IBW Index

Table of Contents

Reviewer's Choice Writing/Publishing Shelf Cookbook Shelf
Needlecraft Shelf Fiction Shelf Mystery/Suspense Shelf
Christian Studies Shelf Buddhist Studies Shelf Metaphysical Studies Shelf
Pets/Wildlife Shelf Health/Medicine Shelf Comix/Graphic Novel Shelf
Audiobook Shelf Library CD Shelf Library DVD Shelf
Self-Help Shelf Business Shelf Travel Shelf
Education Shelf Fantasy/SciFi Shelf Biography Shelf
Railroading Shelf Gardening Shelf Computer Shelf
Music Shelf Automotive Shelf Civil War Shelf
Money/Finance Shelf Art Shelf Psychology Shelf
Interior Design Shelf Martial Arts Shelf Social Issues Shelf
Veterinary Studies Shelf Theatre/Cinema Shelf Environmental Studies Shelf
Botany Shelf Anthropology Shelf Language Studies Shelf
Biology Shelf Judicial Studies Shelf Criminology Shelf
Aviation Shelf World History Shelf Architecture Shelf
Dance Shelf Religion/Spirituality Shelf Photography Shelf
Relationship Shelf Science Shelf Technology Shelf
Wisconsin Shelf    


Reviewer's Choice

The Young Adult's Guide to Selling Your Art, Music, Writing, Photography, & Crafts Online
Ann O'Phelan
Atlantic Publishing Group, Inc.
1405 S.W. 6th Avenue, Ocala, FL 34471
www.atlantic-pub.com
9781620231777, $19.95, PB, 189pp, www.amazon.com

"The Young Adult's Guide to... Selling Your Art, Music, Writing, Photography, & Crafts Online: Turn Your Hobby into Cash" by Ann O'Phelan will provide the practical information and tools needed to sell material by using the internet. This is an ideal and thoroughly 'user friendly', step-by-step instruction guide and manual specifically written for writers and artists that have absolutely no experience with respect to selling on the internet. Included are tutorials, examples, and research that will turn any hobby into fast cash. "The Young Adult's Guide to Selling Your Art, Music, Writing, Photography, & Crafts Online" covers online galleries, website design, search engines, publicity sources, online forums, auction sites, the basics of online marketing, email marketing, and so much more. Those new to online selling will learn the exact times that people are most likely to look at a specific social media app so that they can reach as many people as they can. Of special note is the information regarding popular DIY sites like Etsy and Pinterest -- as well as how to start an online store. Exceptionally well organized and presented, "The Young Adult's Guide to Selling Your Art, Music, Writing, Photography, & Crafts Online" contains everything anyone will need to find customers -- and keep them coming back for repeat business. While very highly recommended for community library collections, it should be noted for personal reading and reference lists that "The Young Adult's Guide to Selling Your Art, Music, Writing, Photography, & Crafts Online" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $18.57).

The Blood of Patriots
Bill Fulton and Jeanne Devon
BenBella Books
10300 N. Central Expressway, Ste 400, Dallas, TX 75204
www.benbellabooks.com
9781944648077 $24.95 hc / $14.74 Kindle amazon.com

True patriotism isn't flag-waving - it's service, hard work, and sacrifice. The Blood of Patriots: How I Took Down an Anti-Government Militia with Beer, Bounty Hunting, and Badassery is the true-life story of author, Army infantry veteran, and professional bounty hunter Bill Fulton. When Fulton could no longer serve in the military due to problems with his knees, back, and ankles, he opened a military surplus supply store in Anchorage, and hired friends to help him apprehend more than 400 fugitives. When the FBI asked Bill to go undercover, he learned about the dark plans of Schaeffer Cox - a private militia commander building an arsenal and plotting to kill judges and law enforcement officers. Bill put his life on the line to take the murderous conspiracy down, all without a shot being fired - or a dollar of payment for doing the right thing (he was even shorted on reimbursement for expenses). Funny, honest, raw and candid, The Blood of Patriots is riveting from cover to cover and sure to prove a popular library lend. Highly recommended!

Buzz Ride
P. M. White
Lake Claremont Press
c/o Everything Goes Media
PO Box 1524, Milwaukee, WI 53201
https://www.everythinggoesmedia.com
9781893121669, $12.95, 145pp, www.amazon.com

"Buzz Ride: Driven to Disruption: Memoirs of an Uber Driver" is the story of a financially-comfortable fifty-something father of two (with a Mercedes) who ends up as an Uber driver late at night on the toughest streets of Chicago. Pat White (the author's pseudonym), is a financial advisor and business strategist, decided to go undercover to research how the disruptive technology of ridesharing affects commerce. Soon his business study warped into a study of humanity and himself. A summer experiment that took White down roads he never imagined he would travel. Being an Uber driver would entail him having to embrace danger, longing for the thrill of voyeuristic glimpses into private lives made public, and facing the depths of his shadow personality. An inherently fascinating read from cover to cover, "Buzz Ride" is an always wild ride that is sometimes dark, sometimes humorous, as well as providing a surprisingly insightful and touching side of Chicago nightlife in the smart-phone generation. An impressively well crafted and entertaining account, "Buzz Ride" is very highly recommended for personal reading lists and community library collections.

Apples
Roger Yepsen
The Countryman Press
c/o W. W. Norton & Company
500 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10110
www.countrymanpress.com
9781682680193, $18.95, HC, 288pp, www.amazon.com

"Apples" is compact and elegant book in which artist/writer Roger Yepsen that succinctly presents fascinating facts about more than 200 varieties of apples growing in the United States. With beautiful and distinctive watercolors, one for each apple variety showcased, "Apples" makes identification a snap. "Apple" also reveals how each variety tastes and which varieties are best for eating and which are best for cooking. A unique, portable, and extraordinary guide to one of the most popular and ubiquitous fruits on earth, "Apples" is unreservedly recommended for both community and academic library Gardening/Horticultural collections. It should be noted for personal reading and reference lists that "Apples" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $17.48).

The Benevolent Bee
Stephanie Bruneau
Quarry Books
c/o Quarto Publishing Group USA
400 First Avenue North, Suite 400, Minneapolis, MN 55401-1722
www.quartous.com
9781631592867, $24.99, Flexibound, 160pp, www.amazon.com

A honeybee hive produces much more than honey; it also produces pollen, propolis, royal jelly, beeswax, and bee venom. And humans have found uses for all these products. "The Benevolent Bee" by Stephanie Bruneau (who is a beekeeper, herbalist, and artist, and owner of The Benevolent Bee, a small business selling honey, beeswax candles, herbal body care products, and other handcrafted and hive-derived items) describes how and why the bees make these products, how they've been used by humans throughout the ages, and how beekeepers harvest the products. The Benevolent Bee" also presents simple do-it-yourself recipes for using the products in health and wellness, body care, nutrition, and craft. "The Benevolent Bee" specially features six amazing products of the honeybee hive: honey, pollen, propolis, royal jelly, beeswax, and bee venom. Appreciative readers will learn how to make a salve for burns and a cough syrup from raw honey; how to make a tincture, an infused oil, and a mouthwash from propolis, the anti-bacterial "bee glue" that lines the inside of the hive; and much more. Beautifully and profusely illustrated in full color from cover to cover, "The Benevolent Bee" is a wonderfully informative and highly recommended addition to both community and academic library collections. It should be noted for students and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "The Benevolent Bee" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $14.74).

For the Benefit of All
Jeffrey T. Ramsey & Margaret Nettesheim Hoffmann
Marquette University Press
PO Box 3141, Milwaukee, WI 53201-3141
www.marquette.edu/mupress
9781626003026, $20.00, HC, 208pp, www.amazon.com

Faye McBeath held a position of leadership and authority with the Milwaukee Journal at a time when women were often relegated to backrooms and not boardrooms. She believed in the importance of civic duty and in focusing resources on the Milwaukee community. McBeath chose to use her wealth gained from the success of her uncle, Journal founder Lucius Nieman, to help others by forming a philanthropic foundation. Her selection of five areas of giving (children, elderly, health education, health care, and civics and governmental affairs) helped the foundations board direct her donations to efforts that she loved and cemented her legacy. Deftly written by the team of historian Jeffrey Ramsey and researcher Margaret Hoffman, "For the Benefit of All. A Fifty-Year History of the Faye McBeath Foundation" is part of the outstanding Marquette University Press 'Urban Life' series and will guide the reader through the life of Faye McBeath and the history of her foundation that was specifically and deliberately designed to end on Dec. 31, 2014 -- as well as her framework for giving that led to donations of nearly $50 million to worthy causes in the Milwaukee area. Unreservedly recommended for both community and academic library collections, "For the Benefit of All" will prove to be of special and particular interest to students and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the history of American philanthropy in general, and the Favye McBeath Foundation in particular.

Why? What Makes Us Curious
Mario Livio
Simon and Schuster
1230 Avenue of the Americas, 14th fl., New York, NY 10020
9781476792095, $26.00, www.simonandschuster.com

Why? What Makes Us Curious comes from an astrophysicist and author who considers why people are curious, covering the latest findings in neuroscience, psychology, and evolutionary biology as well as providing biographies of notoriously curious - and successful - individuals from scientists to musicians. Human curiosity is a key ingredient to human nature, the arts, and the sciences, but here it's treated to an analysis that nicely documents its foundations, physiology, impact, and how it enhances humanity. Designed for lay readers as well as scientists across disciplines, Why? is recommended for both general-interest and high schools on up.

Not Quite a Genius
Nate Dern
Simon & Schuster
1230 Avenue of the Americas, 14th fl., New York, NY 10020
9781501122200, $26.00, www.simonandschuster.com

Not Quite a Genius comes from a senior writer at Funny or Die who offers funny stories and essays capturing everything from relationship conundrums and social oddities and inconsistencies to adventures, apps, a mother's Always Wear Suncreen rule and her hatred of the word 'murder', and the problems involved in trying to explain business mergers to a child. All these topics and just about everything in between invite a fun probe into society and self which offers both humor and food for thought in a production highly recommended for general-interest collections strong in literary humor observations.


The Writing/Publishing Shelf

Writer's Market 2018
Robert Lee Brewer, editor
Writer's Digest Books
c/o F+W Media
10151 Carver Road, Suite 200, Blue Ash, OH 45242
www.writersdigest.com
9781440352638, $29.99, PB, 896pp, www.amazon.com

Now in a fully updated and significantly expanded 97th edition, "Writer's Market 2018 " fully lives up to it's subtitle of 'The Most Trusted Guide to Getting Published'. Comprised of thousands of current listings for book publishers, magazines, contests, literary agents, internet resources and more, this new edition of "Writer's Market 2018" includes an invaluable webinar by C. Hope Clark for aspiring authors on funding a writing career. Of special note are the lists of professional writing organizations, samples of query letters, and a free digital download of Writer's yearbooks, featuring the 100 Best Markets. Exceptionally well organized and thoroughly 'user friendly' in presentation, "Writer's Market 2018" should be considered a core and indispensable reference work for personal, professional, community, and academic library Writing/Publishing collections.


The Cookbook Shelf

Ella's Kitchen: The Easy Family Cookbook ##1
Ella's Kitchen
Hamlyn
c/o Octopus Publishing
236 Park Avenue, New York NY 10017
www.octopusbooksusa.com
9780600631859, $19.99, www.amazon.com

Ella's Kitchen: The Easy Family Cookbook features some 100 recipes from the organic baby and toddler food brand Ella's Kitchen, and arranges chapters by mealtime with recipes designed for both tots and adults. From weaning babies to toddlers, dishes are designed to provide color and interested to cooks and their charges, from at-a-glance fold-out pages such as 'What Shall We Eat Today' which feature small color photos of the dishes in this book and page references to such fare as Carnival Curry and Sunshine Rice and Ultimate Beef Hotpot with Gnocci to Family Meal Planner charts for fill-in. Parents seeking inspiration the entire family can enjoy at one sitting will find this an appealingly delicious guide.

Aperitivo
Kay Plunkett-Hogge
Mitchell Beazley
c/o Octopus Publishing
236 Park Avenue, New York NY 10017
9781784723101, $19.99, www.octopusbooksusa.com

Aperitivo: Drinks and Snacks for the Dolce Vita gathers nearly a hundred recipes from across Italy and reveals their history and development, including recipes for Italian cocktails and wines and adding easy recipes for antipasto, crostini, vegetables, meats, and sweets. There's a classic Bellini drink that represents Venice which was originally named after the glow of a saint's toga in a fifteenth-century painting, an appetizer of Roast Beef with Horseradish and Watercress, and heartier dishes such as a Venetian Fish Mousse; all of which are served in bite-sized pieces. The result is a lively and different approach to appetizers which is nicely steeped in Italian traditions.

Hachette
c/o Octopus Publishing
236 Park Avenue, New York NY 10017
www.octopusbooksusa.com

Two fine new cookbooks from Hachette are recommended picks for readers looking for fresh, original dishes from chefs. Australia 'masterchef' Adam Liaw's Adam's Big Pot: Easy Meals for Your Family (9780600634720, $29.99) tells how to prepare family meals from familiar ingredients using just one wok, pan or pot. He focuses on international classics and fare that is family-friendly when offering his Thai-Style Braised Pork, a take-off on street vendor foods, his Big Pan Oyakodon or Japanese "parent and child" dish of chicken and egg, and Nori Butter Roast Chicken with orange juice and soy, among other ingredients. Add color photos throughout for a lovely presentation that stretches the boundaries of 'comfort food' to international levels. His The Zen Kitchen: Easy Japanese Recipes for Home Cooks (9780600634744, $34.99) moves beyond the usual sushi affiliation for Japanese fare in presenting family-friendly dishes and adaptations of Japanese fare. Readers who have associated Japanese cooking with a cabinet of specialty ingredients will find such dishes as the tea-leaf infused Salmon Ochazuke, Potato and Onion Miso Soup, and Barbarian Salmon with marinated fish and fresh vegetables requires a minimum of specialty ingredients. Access to just a few Japanese ingredients commonly found in either Asian or well-stocked supermarkets make for a collection of user-friendly, easy fare.

Betty Crocker Lost Recipes
Betty Crocker
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
215 Park Avenue South, New York, NY 10003
www.hmhco.com
9781328710338, $25.00, HC, 240pp, www.amazon.com

Simply stated, "Betty Crocker Lost Recipes" is an absolute 'must have' culinary compendium for the legions of devoted Betty Crocker fans -- as well as family kitchen cooks who are interested in recipes with a retro/nostalgic twist. Eighty percent of this beautifully illustrated cookbook includes tried-and-true recipes that simply aren't in today's cooking repertoire and are mainly comprised of from-scratch recipes that are hard to find. Twenty percent is a fun and informative look back at some of the cooking customs of the past that may not be worth repeating, but are worth remembering. Features include ideas like "How to Throw a Hawaiian Tiki Party," and the robust introductory pages contain interesting stories, anecdotes, and artwork from Betty Crocker's history. Recipes are carefully curated to ensure that they are still relevant, achievable, and made with available ingredients. The featured recipes range from Beef Stroganoff; Chicken la King; Waldorf Salad; and Chiffon Cake; to Manhattan Cocktails; Raspberry Pee-A-Books; Seven Layer Salad; Velvet Crumb Cake; and Lemon Schaum Torte. Thoroughly 'kitchen cook friendly' from cover to cover, "Betty Crocker Lost Recipes" will prove to be a treasured addition to family and community library cookbook collections. It should be noted that "Betty Crocker Lost Recipes" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).

Quick & Easy Low-Carb Cookbook
George Stella
Quail Ridge Press
PO Box 123, Brandon, MS 39043
www.quailridge.com
9781938879234, $19.95, PB, 224pp, www.amazon.com

Beautifully illustrated and thoroughly kitchen cook friendly in organization and presentation, "Quick & Easy Low-Carb Cookbook" is comprised of recipes for palate pleasing, appetite satisfying recipes for anyone wanting a paleo, ketogenic, gluten-free, wheat-free, low-carb, or sugar-free menu. Featuring recipes for dishes that range from Chicago Deep Dish Quiche; Cheesy Cauliflower Crown; 2-Hour Pot Roast with Zucchini and Yellow Squash; Tilapia with Melon Salsa; and Faux Fried Apples; to Berry & Cream Cheese Cookies; Strawberry & Cream Ice Pops; Mini Fruit Tarts with Lemon Custard; and Coconut Cheesecake with Macadamia Nut Crust, George Stella's Quick & Easy Low-Carb Cookbook" will prove to be an enduringly popular and valued addition to both personal and community library cookbook collections.

Instant Pot Miracle
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Editors
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
215 Park Avenue South, New York, NY 10003
www.hmhco.com
9781328851055, $22.99, PB, 304pp, www.amazon.com

Compiled by the editorial staff of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt,"Instant Pot Miracle: From Gourmet to Everyday, 175 Must-Have Recipes" is a culinary compendium of recipes especially appropriate for the family kitchen crockpot. A profusely illustrated cookbook featuring recipes for all the functions of the Instant Pot ranging from everyday staples to surprising new dishes, the thoroughly 'kitchen cook easy' dishes that range from an Artichoke Dip; to Chicken Toscana with White Beans; to Citrus Prawns with Orange-Cashew Rice; to Garlic Broccoli with Lemon & Olives; to Carrot Ginger Soup, and more! The 175 featured recipes cover everything from breakfast to dessert. Of special note are the recipes for jams and yogurts -- even an entire cheesecake. "Instant Pot Miracle" is recommended as the perfect companion to the best-selling kitchen appliance called an Instant Pot, and will prove to be a popular addition to community library cookbook collections.

Gumbo Love
Lucy Buffett
Grand Central Publishing
c/o Hachette Book Group
1290 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10104
www.hachettebookgroup.com
9781455566440, $30.00, HC, 336pp, www.amazon.com

In the pages of "Gumbo Love: Recipes for Gulf Coast Cooking, Entertaining, and Savoring the Good Life", Lucy Buffett combines over one hundred new recipes with old favorites. Incorporating among the authentic Gulf Coast recipes are stories from Lucy's childhood growing up in Mobile, Alabama, adventures traveling the seas as a cook, time spent working as a chef in New Orleans, and her philosophy of relaxation, gratitude, and seizing the day. Profusely and beautifully illustrated throughout, the recipes comprising "Gumbo Love" range from Buttermilk Orange Chess Pie; Fresh Herb and Garlic Cheese Spread; Pork Roast with Apples and Oranges; Grouper with Balsamic Butter Glaze; and Roasted Tomatoes with Garlic, Basil, Balsamic, and Black Olives; to Florida Lobster Salad with Grapefruit and Avocado; Cucumber Margarita; Heavenly Fried Crab Claws; Beer-Braised Beef Brisket with Cumin and Garlic; and Braised Collards with turkey Bacon, Pecans, and Balsamic. While "Gumbo Love" is unreservedly recommended for community library regional cookbook collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that it is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $15.99).

The Pumpkin Cookbook
Deedee Stovel
Storey Publishing
210 Mass MoCA Way, North Adams, MA 01247
www.storey.com
9781612128337, $16.95, PB, 248pp, www.amazon.com

Now in a newly revised second edition, "The Pumpkin Cookbook: 139 Recipes Celebrating the Versatility of Pumpkin and Other Winter Squash" is a compendium of pumpkin oriented dishes selected and showcased by veteran cookbook author Deedee Stovel to transform any dining occasion into a truly memorable one. Beautifully illustrated, the thoroughly 'kitchen cook friendly' recipes for pumpkin and other winter squish dishes range from Thai Curried Pumpkin in Phyllo Cups; Roasted Pumpkin and Barley Pilaf; Spicy Beef Stew in a Pumpkin Shell; Pumpkin Donut Muffins; and Chocolate-Pumpkin Brownies; to Almond Bread Pudding; Barbecued Chicken Thighs with Spicy Pumpkin Sauce; Red Cabbage and Maple-Roasted Delicata Salad; and Pumpkin Fudge. Whether from a can or a garden, "The Pumpkin Cookbook" will allow year round pumpkin based cuisine delights. While very highly recommended as an enduringly popular addition to personal, family, and community library cookbook collections, it should be noted that "The Pumpkin Cookbook" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).

Cambodian Cooking
Joannes Riviere
Tuttle Publishing
364 Innovation Drive, North Clarendon, VT 05759-9436
www.tuttlepublishing.com
9780804848466, $15.95, PB, 96pp, www.amazon.com

A beautifully and profusely illustrated compendium of authentic Cambodian cuisine, "Cambodian Cooking" brings a previously obscure culinary tradition to the table in a wealth of thoroughly 'kitchen cook friendly' dishes that will please any palate and satisfy any appetite. The easy to prepare, step-by-step recipes range from Fresh Salad Rolls with Shrimp; Hot and Sour Fish Soup; Beef Consomme with Star Anise; and Pork Ginger and Green Onions; to Coconut Ham Curry with Pineapple; Palm Sugar Pearls; Khmer Curry; and Pomelo and Shrimp Salad. Of special note is an ingredients section that includes the Cambodian names as well as the Vietnamese or Thai names of the ingredients whenever necessary for ease of shopping. While certain to be an enduringly popular addition to family and community library ethnic cookbook collections, it should be noted that "Cambodian Cooking" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).

The Good Mood Kitchen
Leslie Korn
W. W. Norton & Company
500 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10110
www.wwnorton.com
9780393712223, $24.95, HC, 272pp, www.amazon.com

"The Good Mood Kitchen: Simple Recipes and Nutrition Tips for Emotional Balance" by Leslie Korn (a clinician specializing in mental health nutrition and integrative medicine) is an ideal cookbook for anyone seeking to revolutionize their personal cooking and eating habits for optimal energy, health, and emotional well-being. "The Good Mood Kitchen" is a compendium of mood-savvy tips, tools, and delicious recipes guides, step by step, the family kitchen cook through all the essentials. "The Good Mood Kitchen" also features dozens of easy-to-understand graphics, lists, and charts to help prioritize choices for maximum benefit. Kitchen cooks will learn how to: Assess their unique digestive style and nutritional needs and develop the diet that's right for them and their family members; Substitute problem foods, ingredients, and habits with healthy, delectable alternatives; Navigate gluten sensitivity and other allergies; Use smarter, healthier food preparation options for busy schedules; Identify common nutritional complications behind depression, anxiety, and other mood challenges; Engage family and friends in nutritional change -- and so much more! While unreservedly recommended for personal, professional, family, community, and academic library collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "The Good Mood Kitchen" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).

Old Farm Country Cookbook
Jerry Apps & Susan Apps-Bodilly
Wisconsin Historical Society Press
816 State Street, Madison, WI 53575
www.wisconsinhistory.org
9780870208300, $26.95, PB, 320pp, www.amazon.com

Jerry Apps has been a rural Wisconsin historian and environmental writer for more than forty years. His daughter, Susan Apps-Bodilly, has been an elementary and middle school teacher for more than twenty years. Now together this father/daughter team has compiled recipes, menus and memories into an inherently fascinating and highly recommend "Old Farm Country Cookbook". The authentic country recipes of a yesteryear Wisconsin range from Baked Pork Chops with Sauerkraut; Beer Batter Fried Fish; and Butterscotch Oatmeal Cookies; to Corn and Noodle Casserole; Green Jell-O Salad; and Homemade Popcorn Balls. Of special note are the personal reminiscences that are scattered through out. Absolute treat to read and a delight to plan menus with, "Old Farm Country Cookbook" will prove to be an enduringly popular addition to community library cookbook collections. For personal reading lists it should be noted that "Old Farm Country Cookbook" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $15.99).

Christopher Kimball's Milk Street
Christopher Kimball
Little, Brown & Company
c/o Hachette Book Group
1290 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10104
www.hachettebookgroup.com
9780316437288, $40.00, HC, 336pp, www.amazon.com

Christopher Kimball's Milk Street is located in downtown Boston (at 177 Milk Street) and is home to a cooking school, a bimonthly magazine, and public television and radio shows. "Christopher Kimball's Milk Street: The New Home Cooking" is Milk Street's first cookbook and showcases recipes for a simpler, bolder, healthier way to cook that will become an act of pure pleasure, not a chore. These thoroughly 'kitchen cook friendly', palate pleasing, appetite satisfying recipes range from Spanish-Style Eggs with Garlicky Crums and Chorizo; Sweet-and-Spicy Ginger Green Beans; Gemelli Pasta with Chevre, Arugula and Walnuts; Brown Ale Turkey with Gravy; and Vietnamese Caramel Fish; to Multigrain Soda Bread; Date-Stuffed Semolina Cookies; Chocolate Tart; Tamarind Dipping Sauce; Pickled Chilies. Profusely and beautifully illustrated with full color photography throughout, "Christopher Kimball's Milk Street: The New Home Cooking" will prove to be an especially prized addition to personal, professional, family, and community library cookbook collections! It should be noted that "Christopher Kimball's Milk Street: The New Home Cooking" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $16.99).


The Needlecraft Shelf

The Mr. X Stitch Guide to Cross Stitch
Jamie Chalmers
Search Press USA
c/o Publishers Group West
1700 Fourth Street, Berkeley, CA 94710
www.searchpressusa.com
9781782214243, $19.95, PB, 128pp, www.amazon.com

In "The Mr. X Stitch Guide to Cross Stitch", needlecraft expert Jamie Chalmers (also known as Mr X Stitch) shows how to cross stitch using simple step-by-step instructions and also takes the needlecrafter to the frontiers of cross stitch design. Showcasing colleagues who are pushing the boundaries of this ancient craft, Mr X Stitch introduces more than 20 lovely, cutting-edge projects to make, and shows that beauty, innovation and 'craftivism' are alive and kicking in this inspirational book. Profusely illustrated throughout and thoroughly 'user friendly' in organization and presentation, "The Mr. X Stitch Guide to Cross Stitch " is highly recommended for stitchers of all abilities ranging from absolute beginners looking to learn a new craft to experienced embroiderers and cross stitchers who want to do something different in cross stitching. Of special note is Chalmer's focus on typography and there is a good balance of typographical and pictoral projects to stitch. The book is split into 5 themes: Color, Glow in the Dark, More than a Hobby, Using Computer Software and Outside the Hoop. Color explores techniques such as ombre design, inverting color and using geometric shapes; Glow in the Dark looks at how to use glow-in-the-dark threads to achieve different effects; More than a Hobby considers the idea of mindfulness in cross stitch, including black work, backstitch etc.; Using Computer Software looks at photorealism and how to originate your design on a computer; and finally, Outside the Hoop explores projects not stitched on canvas. The final spread of each section features an Outlier - the work of another stitcher to illustrate a different aspect of cross stitch made on a surface other than canvas. The book will be informative, fun, instructive and inspirational. Unreservedly recommended, "The Mr. X Stitch Guide to Cross Stitch" will prove to be an enduringly popular addition to personal, professional, and community library Needlecraft instructional reference collections.

Layered Cloth
Ann Small
Search Press Ltd.
c/o Publishers Group West
1700 Fourth Street, Berkeley, CA 94710
www.searchpressusa.com
9781782213345, $35.00, PB, 144pp, www.amazon.com

Ann Small's imaginative use of cutting and manipulating techniques, and her layering and coloring tricks, makes "Layered Cloth: The Art of Fabric Manipulation" an ideal 'go-to' guide for bringing form and texture to the fabric work of even the most novice of needlecrafters. "Layered Cloth" is a rich resource and reference for any and all textile artists seeking new ideas and who want to experiment with texture and pattern. Clear, close-up images and exciting hot tips help to make layering enjoyable and accessible. All aspects of texture and pattern are explored in this thoroughly 'user friendly' instructional reference manual and guide that will bring new dimensions to any fabric work. Simply stated, "Layered Cloth: The Art of Fabric Manipulation" is an ideal and unreservedly recommended addition to personal, professional, community, and academic library Needlecraft collections in general, and Textile Art supplemental studies reading lists in particular.

Japanese Knitting Stitch Bible
Hitomi Shida, author
Gayle Roehm, translator
Tuttle Publishing
364 Innovation Drive, North Clarendon, VT 05759-9436
www.tuttlepublishing.com
9784805314531, $16.95, PB, 160pp, www.amazon.com

Showcasing 260 superbly crafted patterns, the "Japanese Knitting Stitch Bible" is comprised of Hitomi Shida's strikingly original designs and variations on every imaginable classic stitch result in intricate patterns that form the basis for beautiful and unique knitted fashions. The perfect instruction guide for the experienced knitter who is looking for new stitches that yield spectacular results, the "Japanese Knitting Stitch Bible" features a wide range of rewarding and intricate stitches including: cables, popcorn stitches, twisted stitches, edgings, and a great many more. "Japanese Knitting Stitch Bible" includes a set of detailed, step-by-step diagrams show needlecrafters how to execute all the basic stitches. Instructions and diagrams for a series of small projects that offer practice working with large patterns, lacy patterns, pattern arrangement and round yokes among other things. These knitting projects include: A classic hat made using large patterns; An elegant scarf in lacy patterns; The ever-popular fingerless mittens; Thick socks that can be made using various patterns; A feminine collar using round stitching; and more! Profusely and beautifully illustrated throughout, thoroughly 'user friendly' in organization and presentation, "Japanese Knitting Stitch Bible" is a unique and highly recommended addition to personal, professional, and community library knitting instructional guide collections.

Pat Sloan's Teach Me to Make My First Quilt
Pat Sloan
Martingale & Company
19021 - 120th Avenue NE, Suite 102, Bothell, WA 98011
www.shopmartingale.com
9781604688276, $24.99, PB, 96pp, www.amazon.com

In "Pat Sloan's Teach Me to Make My First Quilt", Pat (a skilled instructor known for her warm and patient teaching style) draws upon her years of experience and expertise to guide even the most novice beginner quilting student through each and every step as they make their first quilt. Pat's easy-to-follow and profusely illustrated instructions (featuring more than 140 clear how-to photos) make it fun to start, stitch, and finish nine classic blocks and nine simple quilt projects. "Pat Sloan's Teach Me to Make My First Quilt" is an ideal instruction manual for the absolute beginner seeking to learn the basics of quilting ranging from the selecting of notions, to cutting fabric, to machine sewing, to quilting and binding. While unreservedly and enthusiastically recommended for personal and community library needlecraft instructional reference collections, it should be noted that "Pat Sloan's Teach Me to Make My First Quilt" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).

Superhero Sewing
Lane Huerta
Creative Publishing Interneational
c/o Quarto Publishing Group USA
400 First Avenue North, Suite 400, Minneapolis, MN 55401-1722
www.quartoknows.com
9781589239449, $24.99, PB, 144pp, www.amazon.com

In the pages of "Superhero Sewing: Playful Easy Sew and No Sew Designs for Powering Kids' Big Adventures--Includes Full Size Patterns" Lane Huerta draws upon her years of experience and expertise to present easy sewing projects for encouraging and satisfying your child's love of (and need for) richly imaginative play. Herself a mom and the owner of Lovelane Designs, "Lane Huerta, " is a noted independent maker of imaginative silk-screened playwear who deftly shares her creative know-how and adapts her charming designs for sewers and other needlecrafters. Following an overview of essential materials, tools, and techniques, "Superhero Sewing" features 20 projects in five playful themes (heroes, pirates, fairies, magicians, and animals) with color palette suggestions for both boys and girls. Each project is marked with a level of difficulty. Thoroughly 'user friendly' in organization and presentation, "Superhero Sewing" is unreservedly recommended for the personal instructional collections of all needlecrafting enthusiasts -- especially those with children!

Martingale & Company
19021 - 120th Avenue NE, Suite 102, Bothell, WA 98011
www.shopmartingale.com

Jen Lucas' Stunning Stitches: 21 Shawls, Scarves, and Cowls You'll Love to Knit (9781604688238, $24.99) comes from a designer who offers a collection of knitwear that can be produced from seven stitch patterns, and shows how these simple patterns lead to very diverse-looking projects from shawls and scarves to hooded scarfs. The lacy-looking creations are especially inviting while the attention to a nice array of colors, designs, and fabrics offers a wide range of options knitters will relish. Roseann Meehan Kermes' A Little Something: Cute-As-Can-Be Patterns for Wool Stitchery (9781604688604, $19.99) focuses on little home decor projects that can be produced in quick time, from coasters and wall hangings to bags and accessories, and pairs clear color photos with step-by-step directions for hand stitchers looking for something different. The materials list, cutting and assembly directions, and final projects are all appealing and lovely for newcomers and practiced needleworkers alike. Karne M. Burns compiles Baby Quilts for Beginners (9781604688641, $19.99), a gathering of baby-sized quilts for kids which offer a blend of traditional and new patterns and innovative, fun displays suitable for year-round gift-giving. Quilters will find these projects do a fine job of capturing childhood with bright, colorful patterns.


The Fiction Shelf

Delia's Crossing
V. C. Andrews
Pocket Books
c/o Simon & Schuster
1230 Avenue of the Americas, 13th fl., New York, NY 10020
www.pocketbooks.com
9781501162220, $5.99, PB, 432pp, www.amazon.com

After her parents are killed in a truck accident, Delia Yebarra's life is turned upside down. At fifteen, she leaves the rural Mexican village where she grew up and embarks on a new life in America. Coming to her wealthy aunt Isabella's huge estate in Palm Springs, California, should be a dream come true for a simple country girl like Delia -- only to become un preso del destino, a prisoner of destiny. Instead, her aunt refuses to acknowledge Delia's heritage, relegating her to servants' quarters with a licentious language tutor intent on exploiting the pretty young foreigner. Her cousin Edward is kind, but cousin Sophia is cruel, manipulative, and resentful of Delia's beauty. And just when Delia begins to embrace the life of a real American girl, a heartbreaking chain of events sends her spiraling back to a Mexico she hardly recognizes, making her wonder if she will ever find a place to call home. A deftly crafted, consistently engaging, extraordinarily entertaining read from cover to cover, "Delia's Crossing" is another literary gem from the mind and imagination of V. C. Andrews and a 'must read' for her legions of faithful fans. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "Delia's Crossing" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $4.99).

Autopsy of a Father
Pascale Kramer, author
Robert Bononno, translator
Bellevue Literary Press
c/o NYU School of Medicine
550 First Ave., OBV A612, New York, NY 10016
www.blpress.org
9781942658245, $16.99, PB, 208pp, www.amazon.com

When a young woman returns to her childhood home after her estranged father's death, she begins to piece together the final years of his life. What changed him from a prominent left-wing journalist to a bitter racist who defended the murder of a defenseless African immigrant? Set in Paris and its suburbs, and inspired by the real-life scandal of a French author and intellectual, "Autopsy of a Father" blends sharp observations about familial dynamics with resonant political and philosophical questions, taking a scalpel to the racism and anti-immigrant sentiment spreading just beneath the skin of modern society. Deftly translated into English for an American readership, "Autopsy of a Father" by Pascale Kramer (recipient of the 2017 Swiss Grand Prize for Literature) is a deftly crafted and inherently fascinating read by an impressively talented novelist. While unreservedly recommended for both community and academic library Contemporary Literary Fiction collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Autopsy of a Father" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $10.97).

Snake Oil: Easy Pickins
Marcus Galloway
Five Star Books
10 Water Street, Suite 310, Waterville, ME 04901
http://gale.cengage.com/fivestar
9781432832636, $25.95, HC, 268pp, www.amazon.com

Professor Henry Whiteoak is a salesman, a con artist, and a cheat. Traveling in a brightly colored wagon, he sells chemical concoctions and steeply priced contraptions to any and all who attend his medicine shows. When he arrives in the small town of Barbrady, Kansas, Henry Whiteoak also shows his talents in a fight and a mind that's sharper than a stiletto. Showcasing author Marcus Galloway's genuine flair for deftly crafted storytelling, "Snake Oil: Easy Pickins" is a unique and compelling read from cover to cover. While very highly recommended for community library collections where it will quickly become an enduringly popular addition, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Snake Oil: Easy Pickins" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $7.99).

A Far Trumpet
Fred Grove
Sagebrush Large Print Westerns
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print (USA), Inc.
PO Box 1230, West Seneca, NY 14224-1230
www.ulverscroftusa.com
9781785413810, $29.99, PB, Large Print, 276pp, www.amazon.com

Dishonorably dismissed from the Army after twelve years of service as a First Lieutenant in the 6th Calvary, Scott Dunham sets out to prospect and hunt in New Mexico. There, he meets Holly Warren, a frontier woman who had buried both a husband and a child. How can these two possibly make a future together? "A Far Trumpet" in an impressively crafted and consistently entertaining novel by of the storytelling arts. Indeed, Fred Grove's "A Far Trumpet" is unreservedly recommended for community library collections and this particular edition will have an immense appeal for readers needing a large print format.

The Summer That Made Us
Robyn Carr
Mira Books
c/o Harlequin
225 Duncan Mill Road, Don Mills, ON, Canada, M3B 3K9
www.mirabooks.com
9780778331049, $26.99, HC, 336pp, www.amazon.com

For the Hempsteads, two sisters who married two brothers and had three daughters each, summers were idyllic. The women would escape the city the moment school was out to gather at the family house on Lake Waseka. The lake was a magical place, a haven where they were happy and carefree. All of their problems drifted away as the days passed in sun-dappled contentment. Until the summer that changed everything. But after an accidental drowning that turned the lake house into a site of tragedy and grief, it was closed up. For good. Torn apart, none of the Hempstead women speak of what happened that summer, and relationships between them are uneasy at best to hurtful at worst. But in the face of new challenges, one woman is determined to draw her family together again, and the only way that can happen is to return to the lake and face the truth. An impressively entertaining read from beginning to end, "The Summer That Made Us" clearly reveals author Robyn Carr's total mastery of the genre and her genuine flair for deftly creating characters that linger in the mind and memory long after the book itself has been finished and set back upon the shelf. While unreservedly recommended and certain to be an enduringly popular addition to community library collections, it should be noted for the personal reading lists of the legions of Robyn Carr fans that "The Summer That Made Us" is also available in a paperback edition (9780778330868, $15.99) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).

On Love's Gentle Shore
Liz Johnson
Revell
c/o Baker Publishing Group
6030 East Fulton, Ada, MI 49301
www.bakerbooks.com
9780800728885, $25.99, HC, 338pp, www.amazon.com

When Natalie ORyan returns to Prince Edward Island to plan her wedding, she runs into her childhood best friend and discovers that the love she's been looking for is right where she left it. "On Love's Gentle Shore" is another gem of a novel by Liz Johnson who is an accomplished and skilled author with a genuine flair for originality and the creation of truly memorable characters. An engaging and entertaining read from cover to cover, "On Love's Gentle Shore" is unreservedly recommended, especially for community library Contemporary Romantic Fiction collections. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of dedicated romance fans that "On Love's Gentle Shore" is also available in a paperback edition (9780800724511, $14.99) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).

The Mandate of Heaven
Rob Flanigan
L. N. Smith Publishing
9780965331661, $12.95, PB, 306pp, www.amazon.com

The Mandate of Heaven is an ancient Chinese belief that a government's authority is divinely granted and that this authority lasts only for as long as the leadership rules with virtue. Thus, when the ruling classes become greedy, corrupt, and immoral, it is the right of the people (or Mother Nature) to rise up and remove them from power, thus proving they've lost the Mandate of Heaven. In the election year of 2032 it's the Chinese government that strikes at America's political vulnerability. Bert Alfred is an unknown American author who is silenced and robbed of his works by an official of the Chinese government. Unbeknownst to him, however, the strength of his ideas has won him a Chinese ally and given him a chance to reclaim what is rightfully his -- but will he, when the future of a brighter generation is at stake? Will Bert's interference in the lives of two Chinese children and his disruption America's political order end in success or disaster? An original, deftly crafted, and engagingly entertaining novel from beginning to end, "The Mandate of Heaven" by Wisconsin author Rob Flanigan is one of those books that will linger in the mind and memory long after they have been finished and set back upon the shelf. While unreservedly recommended as an enduringly popular addition to community library General Fiction collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "The Mandate Of Heaven" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $4.95).

These Healing Hills
Ann H. Gabhart
Revell
c/o Baker Publishing Group
6030 East Fulton, Ada, MI 49301
www.bakerbooks.com
9780800729721, $25.99, HC, 368pp, www.amazon.com

Francine Howard has her life all mapped out until the soldier she planned to marry at WWII's end writes to tell her he's in love with a woman in England. Devastated, Francine seeks a fresh start in the Appalachian Mountains, training to be a nurse midwife for the Frontier Nursing Service. Deeply affected by the horrors he witnessed at war, Ben Locke has never thought further ahead than making it home to Kentucky. His future shrouded in as much mist as his beloved mountains, he's at a loss when it comes to envisioning what's next for his life. When Francine's and Ben's paths intersect, it's immediately clear that they are from different worlds and value different things. But love has a way of healing old wounds and revealing new possibilities for life and love. With "These Healing Hills" author Ann H. Gabhart once again demonstrates her genuine flair for deftly crafted and memorable characters embedded in a consistently engaging story that will linger in the mind long after the book itself has been finished and set back upon the shelf. While very highly recommended, especially for community library Romance Fiction collections, it should be noted for the personal reading lists of dedicated romance novel enthusiasts that "These Healing Hills" is also available in a paperback edition (9780800723637, $15.99) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).

The Western Star
Craig Johnson
Viking Books
c/o Penguin Group USA
375 Hudson Street, New York, NY 10014
www.penguin.com
9780525426950, $28.00, HC, 304pp, www.amazon.com

Sheriff Walt Longmire is enjoying a celebratory beer after a weapons certification at the Wyoming Law Enforcement Academy when a younger sheriff confronts him with a photograph of twenty-five armed men standing in front of a Challenger steam locomotive. It takes him back to when, fresh from the battlefields of Vietnam, then-deputy Walt accompanied his mentor Lucian to the annual Wyoming Sheriff's Association junket held on the excursion train known as the Western Star, which ran the length of Wyoming from Cheyenne to Evanston and back. Armed with his trusty Colt .45 and a paperback of Agatha Christie's Murder on the Orient Express, the young Walt was ill-prepared for the machinations of twenty-four veteran sheriffs, let alone the cavalcade of curious characters that accompanied them. The photograph (along with an upcoming parole hearing for one of the most dangerous men Walt has encountered in a lifetime of law enforcement) hurtles the sheriff into a head-on collision of past and present, placing him and everyone he cares about squarely on the tracks of runaway revenge. Once again author Craig Johnson has penned an impressively entertaining and deftly crafted novel showcasing his genuine flair for originality and compelling storytelling. While unreservedly recommended for community library collections, it should be noted for dedicated Sheriff Longmire fans that "The Western Star" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $14.99). Librarians should be aware that there is a complete and unabridged audio book edition of "The Western Star" (Recorded Books, 9781501962592, $34.99, CD).

The Hours Between Us
Carol Graf
Mill City Press
https://www.millcitypress.net
www.thehoursbetweenus.com
9781635052367, $24.95, HC, 370pp, www.amazon.com

Kai Ingersohn was motivated to become a psychiatrist after a childhood of dysfunction with her tempestuous and manic-depressive grandmother, Dumpling. Now divorced, in private practice, and raising two teenagers, she starts work with Stephanie, a young grad student with acute leukemia, who has returned to Charleston and its mystic healing waters and marsh to fight for her life. Stephanie braves the revelations of shocking family secrets, while Kai seeks peace with her own past as the therapy unfolds. Both women emerge with new capacities for love, life, and spiritual truths. Set against a lush Lowcountry backdrop of Spanish moss, salt marshes, silent oaks, and the pounding sea, "The Hours Between Us" is an artful exploration by an impressively accomplished novelist of the heartbreaking struggles and unbreakable spirits of two extraordinary women. While unreservedly recommended, especially for community library Contemporary General Fiction collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "The Hours Between Us" is also available in a paperback edition (9781635051766, $15.95) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $6.99).

The Ready Made Thief
Augustus Rose
Viking Books
c/o Penguin Group USA
375 Hudson Street, New York, NY 10014
www.penguin.com
9780735221833, $26.00, HC, 384pp, www.amazon.com

Betrayed by her family after taking the fall for a friend, Lee finds refuge in a cooperative of runaways holed up in an abandoned building they call the Crystal Castle. But the facade of the Castle conceals a far more sinister agenda, one hatched by a society of fanatical men set on decoding a series of powerful secrets hidden in plain sight. And they believe Lee holds the key to it all. Aided by Tomi, a young hacker and artist with whom she has struck a wary alliance, Lee escapes into the unmapped corners of the city -- empty aquariums, deserted motels, patrolled museums, and even the homes of vacationing families. But the deeper she goes underground, the more tightly she finds herself bound in the strange web she's trying to elude. Desperate and out of options, Lee steps from the shadows to face who is after her -- and why. An impressively original and consistently well crafted novel from beginning to end, "The Ready Made Thief" by Augustus Rose will prove to be an instant and enduringly popular addition to community library General Fiction collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "The Ready Made Thief" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $12.99).

China Girl
Ho Lin
Regent Press
2747 Regent St., Berkeley, CA 94705
9781587903847, $19.00, PB, 214pp, www.regentpress.net

A compilation of short story by Ho Lin, "China Girl" tells tales of a modern woman adrift in modern China; would-be lovers connected and separated by random chance; a drunken dissident and his less-then-happy minder; a researcher of war atrocities who must come to grips with her own family tragedies; a princess of a kingdom that no longer exists; actors placed at the service of comedies and tragedies, depending on a filmmaker's whim, and more. In its nine deftly written and inherently fascinating short stories, "China Girl", although a series of fictional entertainments, insightfully documents the collisions between East and West, the power of myth and the burden of history, and loves lost and almost found. These nine short stories encompass everything from contemporary vignettes about urban life to fable-like musings on memories and the art of storytelling. Wide-ranging and playful, "China Girl" by a master of the short story format are little journeys into an Asia of the imagination by a truly gifted storyteller. Simply stated, "China Girl" is very highly recommended for personal reading lists, as well as both community and academic library Contemporary Literary Fiction collections.


The Mystery/Suspense Shelf

On Her Majesty's Frightfully Secret Service
Rhys Bowen
Berkley Prime Crime
c/o Penguin Group (USA)
375 Hudson Street, New York, NY 10014
9780425283505, $26.00, www.penguin.com

On Her Majesty's Frightfully Secret Service provides a new 'Royal Spyness mystery revolving around a distantly royal relative who is penniless and resourceful, Lady Georgiana Rannoch. In this addition to the series, Georgie and her long-time love are ready to wed, but her Majesty sends Georgie on another mission instead of blessing their union, and Georgie finds herself in the role of a foreign spy rather than a newlywed. Assigned a dubious task of meddling in another country's royal affairs, Georgie finds her skills put to the test in a powerful story of intrigue and fun that's hard to put down.

A Kiss Before Doomsday
Laurence MacNaughton
Pyr
c/o Prometheus Books
59 John Glenn Drive, Amherst, NY 14228-2197
9781633882676, $18.00, www.pyrsf.com

A Kiss Before Doomsday provides a Dru Jasper novel that blends fantasy, horror with zombies, sorcerers, demons and more. But, it's also a mystery and suspense piece as it tells of sorceress and business owner Dru's confrontation with evil forces that are being loosed on the streets. She's already thwarted one apocalypse - can she prevent another? A fun story evolves which defies easy categorization but provides an engrossing tale for fans who like genre-busting adventure.

The Lake District Murder
John Bude
Magna Large Print
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print (USA), Inc.
PO Box 1230, West Seneca, NY 14224-1230
www.ulverscroftusa.com
9780750544405, $35.50, HC, 348pp, www.amazon.com

John Bude was the pseudonym of Ernest Elmore (1901-1957), who wrote thirty crime novels. Bude was also a cofounder of the Crime Writers' Association and worked in the theater as a producer and director. Now one of his very best mysteries, "The Lake District Murder", which had long been out of print has been brought back for a new generation of appreciative readers in a large print edition. When a body is found at an isolated garage, Inspector Meredith is drawn into a complex investigation where every clue leads to another puzzle: was this a suicide, or something more sinister? Why was the dead man planning to flee the country? This classic mystery is set amidst the stunning scenery of a small village in the Lake District. Simply stated, no community library Mystery/Suspense collections should be without a copy of "The Lake District Murder" in their collections for the benefit of dedicated mystery buffs.

Riverwatcher: A Fly-Fishing Mystery
Ronald Weber
Skyhorse Publishing, Inc.
307 West 36th Street, 11th Floor, New York, NY 10018
www.skyhorsepublishing.com
9781620878101, $24.95, HC, 256pp, www.amazon.com

Lottery winner and ex-journalist Donal Fitzgerald joins forces with his girlfriend, DNR conservation officer Mercy Virdon, to solve the mysterious death of a beloved angler, Charlie, who was murdered in his tent in a state campground and who was known by all -- and who may have known too much. Fitzgerald and Mercy's investigation to discover the deadly secret among the locals leads to dead ends until a surprisingly bookish theory surfaces. Set in the engaging small town of Ossning on the Borchard River in Michigan's Upper Peninsula (an angler's dream, filled with eccentric, believable, sympathetic, and unforgettable characters) "Riverwatcher" is a classic whodunit. Author Ronald Weber expertly weaves this character-driven novel with a strong sense of place, creating a great yarn for anglers and mystery lovers and, as it turns out, a literally literary mystery. Absolutely certain to be an enduringly popular addition to any and all community library Mystery/Suspense collections, it should be noted for the personal reading lists of each and every dedicated mystery buff that "Riverwatcher: A Fly-Fishing Mystery" is also available in a paperback edition (9781510719248, $15.99) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $13.95).

Moskva
Jack Grimwood
Thomas Dunne Books
c/o St. Martin's Press
175 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10010
www.stmartins.com
9781250124777, $27.99, HC, 368pp, www.amazon.com

In 1985, the naked body of a young man is left in Red Square, outside the walls of the Kremlin. The body is frozen solid (like marble to the touch) and missing the little finger from his right hand. A week later, Alex Marston, the headstrong fifteen-year-old daughter of the British Ambassador, disappears. Army Intelligence Officer Tom Fox, posted to Moscow to keep him from telling the truth to a government committee, is asked to help find her. It's a shot at redemption. But Russia is reluctant to give up the worst of her secrets. As Fox's investigation sees him dragged deeper towards the dark heart of a Soviet establishment determined to protect its own, his fears for Alex's safety grow with those of the girl's father. And if Fox can't find her soon, she looks likely to become the next victim of a sadistic killer whose story is bound tight to that of his country's terrible past. A brilliantly written and compelling novel by an author with a genuine flair for originality, "Moskva" is chilling and sophisticated the serial killer style suspense thriller that is unreservedly recommended, especially for community library Mystery/Suspense collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "Moskva" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $14.99).

Two Nights
Kathy Reichs
Bantam Books
c/o The Random House Publishing Group
1745 Broadway, 17th floor, New York, NY 10019
www.randomhouse.com
9780345544070, $28.00, HC, 336pp, www.amazon.com

In Kathy Reichs' new novel, "Two Nights", readers will meet Sunday 'Sunnie' Night, a woman with physical and psychological scars, and a killer instinct. Sunnie has spent years running from her past, burying secrets and building a life in which she needs no one and feels nothing. But a girl has gone missing, lost in the chaos of a bomb explosion, and the family needs Sunnie's help. Is the girl dead? Did someone take her? If she is out there, why doesn't she want to be found? It's time for Sunnie to face her own demons -- because they just might lead her to the truth about what really happened all those years ago. An experienced and gifted novelist of the first order, "Two Nights" once again reveals Kathy Reichs' total master of the suspense thriller genre. While very highly recommended for community library Mystery/Suspense collections, it should be noted for the personal reading lists of the legions of Kathy Reichs fans that "Two Nights" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $14.99).

Over Maya Dead Body
Sandra Orchard
Revell
c/o Baker Publishing Group
6030 East Fulton, Ada, MI 49301
www.bakerbooks.com
9780800728892, $25.99, HC, 354pp, www.amazon.com

While vacationing on Martha's Vineyard, Serena Jones becomes entangled in a suspicious death with ties to an international antiquities smuggling ring. Will she find the killer before another person dies? "Over Maya Dead Body" is another deftly crafted masterpiece of a novel by an author is an award winning master of the mystery/suspense genre. While unreservedly recommended, especially for community library Mystery/Suspense collections, it should be noted for the personal reading lists of dedicated mystery buffs that "Over Maya Dead Body" is also available in a paperback edition (9780800726706, $14.99) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.53).

The Last Girl
Danny Lopez
Oceanview Publishing
595 Bay Isles Road, 120-G, Longboat Key, FL 34228
www.oceanviewpub.com
9781608092529, $26.95, HC, 229pp, www.amazon.com

After being laid off from his job as a newspaper reporter in a coastal Florida town, Dexter Vega meets a wealthy retiree who hires him to find his daughter who is supposed to be attending the local college. When Vega visits his client to inform him that his daughter is in Mexico, he discovers the man has been murdered. And Vega's prints are all over the murder weapon. As the police build a case against him, Vega flies to Mexico City to locate his client's daughter, hoping she will help him find the murderer and thus clear his name. But when he finds the woman, she tells him a very different story -- nothing is as it seems. Beaten by thugs and ordered to leave Mexico, Vega returns home to find himself immersed in a web of blackmail, greed, and revenge. Still pursued by the cops -- and now a target of evil predators. "The Last Girl" is an original and riveting novel from beginning to end, making it an unreservedly and enthusiastically recommended addition to community library Contemporary Mystery/Suspense collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "The Last Girl" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).

Death of an Avid Reader
Frances Brody
Minotaur Books
c/o St. Martin's Publishing Group
175 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10010
www.minotaurbooks.com
9781250067395, $25.99, HC, 368pp, www.amazon.com

Lady Coulton gave up the baby that would have ruined her marriage, born when Lord Coulton was abroad. Now that her husband is dying, she asks Kate to find Sophia. It is forty years since the ghost of a dead librarian haunted the old library, yet the stories have begun again. Kate does not believe in ghosts but obligingly takes part in a ceremony to expel the restless spirit. Shockingly, there is a body in the basement, strangled, and covered in dusty volumes from a fallen bookcase. It is Dr. Potter, a mathematician. Dr. Potter's body is taken away. The police find a sick man sheltering in the basement. He is an Italian, Umberto, an organ grinder and owner of a lively Capuchin monkey. Umberto becomes the prime suspect and will be charged with murder. Kate goes with Umberto to the infirmary. But he is too weak to be a suspect. And now Kate must set out to find the real culprit! A deftly crafted and simply riveting novel from beginning to end, "Death of an Avid Reader" showcases author Frances Brody impressively originality and complete master of the genre. While unreservedly and enthusiastically recommended for community library Mystery/Suspense collections, it should be noted for the personal reading lists of dedicated mystery buffs that "Death of an Avid Reader" is also available in a paperback edition (9781250067500, $16.99) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $12.99).


The Christian Studies Shelf

Thomas and the Thomists
Romanus Cessario, OP & Cajetan Cuddy, OP
Fortress Press
P.O. Box 1209, Minneapolis, MN 55440-1209
http://fortresspress.com
9781506405957, $39.00, PB, 170pp, www.amazon.com

Romanus Cessario, OP, is a fellow of the Pontifical Academy of Saint Thomas Aquinas and a professor of theology at St. John's Seminary in Brighton, Massachusetts. Cajetan Cuddy, OP, is completing a doctorate in sacred theology at the Universite de Fribourg in Switzerland. In "Thomas and the Thomists: The Achievement of Thomas Aquinas and His Interpreters" they effectively collaborate to produce a new volume in the outstanding Fortress Press 'Mapping the Tradition' series. "Thomas and the Thomists" effectively serves as an introduction to the life of Thomas Aquinas, the major contours of his teaching, and the lasting contribution he made to Christian thought. Together, Romanus Cessario and Cajetan Cuddy also outline the history of the Thomist tradition from the medieval era through revival in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. "Thomas and the Thomists" is an impressively informed and informative volume that affords its readers a working guide to understanding the history of Aquinas and his expositors as well as to grasping their significance for us today. While very highly recommended for seminary, community, and academic library Christian Studies collections in general, and Thomas Aquinas supplemental studies reading lists in particular, it should be noted for the personal reading lists of students and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "Thomas and the Thomists" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $24.86).

Salvation in Continuity
Mothy Varkey
Fortress Press
P.O. Box 1209, Minneapolis, MN 55440-1209
http://fortresspress.com
9781506425061, $79.00, HC, 304pp, www.amazon.com

It is clear that according to Matthew's Gospel, Jesus came to "save his people from their sins" (1:21), to "give his life as a ransom for many" (20:28), to have his blood "poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins" (26:28). But if salvation as promised in 1:21 is achieved only through Jesus' death, asks Mothy Varkey (who is honorary postdoctoral associate at Murdoch University, Australia, where he also completed his dissertation under the direction of William Loader), are the twenty-five preceding chapters merely preamble? Varkey argues, to the contrary, that the key theme of salvation in the Gospel is presented by Matthew as being in continuity with God's saving acts in the history of the Jewish people. Further, Varkey insists that, as a consequence of this theology of continuity, Jesus' death on the cross represents just one of the many ways in which the Gospel presents God's salvific deeds. The death of Jesus, while unique due to his ontological status as Son of God, should not be distinguished too sharply from his saving acts during his earthly ministry, which took the form of salvific teaching of the Torah, healings, exorcisms, and forgiving of sins. The result is a narrative emphasizing the continuity of salvation throughout Jesus' life, reaching into Israel's past, and beyond into the work of the disciples. An impressively erudite work of theological scholarship, "Salvation in Continuity: Reconsidering Matthew's Soteriology" is unreservedly recommended for seminary, college, and university library Christian Studies collections.

Grieving a Suicide
Albert Y. Hsu
InterVarsity Press
PO Box 1400, Downers Grove, IL 60515-1426
www.ivpress.com
9780830844937, $16.00, PB, 200pp, www.amazon.com

Suicide raises heartrending questions: Why did this happen? Why didn't we see it coming? Could we have done anything to prevent it? How can we go on? After his father's death by suicide, Albert Hsu wrestled with the intense emotional and theological questions surrounding suicide. While acknowledging that there are no easy answers, In "Grieving a Suicide: A Loved One's Search for Comfort, Answers, and Hope" he draws on the resources of the Christian faith to point suicide survivors to the God who offers comfort in our grief and hope for the future. For those who have lost a loved one to suicide and for their counselors and pastors, "Grieving a Suicide" is an essential companion for the journey toward healing. This newly revised edition incorporates updated statistics, has expanded resources for suicide prevention and mental health ministry, and now includes a discussion guide for suicide survivor groups. While unreservedly recommended, especially for seminary, community, and academic library Christian Studies collections in general, and Death & Dying supplemental studies lists in particular, it should be noted for ministers, counselors, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "Grieving a Suicide" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).

Saint Benedict for Boomers
Christine M. Fletcher
The Liturgical Press
2950 Saint John's Road, PO Box 7500, Collegeville, MN 56321-7500
www.litpress.org
9780814647028, $16.95, PB, 152pp, www.amazon.com

"Saint Benedict for Boomers: Wisdom for the Next Stage of Life" by Christine M. Fletcher (Associate Professor of Theology at Benedictine University and an Oblate of St. Procopius Abbey, Lisle, Illinois) is based on the idea that no one can retire from being a Christian; we are to love God and our neighbor throughout our life. And it recognizes that aging presents us with change, loss, and death, as well as new growth and opportunities for deep gladness and peace. The Christian vocation is valid when we are healthy and strong and when we are weak and sick. Taking Saint Benedict of Nursia as a guide, Professor Fletcher insists that those in the autumn of their lives still have much to contribute to society and to those around them, even when they are ill and dependent. Benedict's wisdom is perennial, and it remains helpful to those who negotiate new challenges in living well, preserving bodily health, discerning purpose in new stages of living, deepening faith, and ultimately, facing sickness and death. Inspired and inspiring, "Saint Benedict for Boomers" is unreservedly recommended to the attention of all members of the Christian community.

The Rule of Benedict
Jane Tomaine
Skylight Paths Publishing
Sunset Farms Offices, Route 4
PO Box 237, Woodstock, VT 05091
www.skylightpaths.com
9781594736322, $16.00, PB, 200pp, www.amazon.com

Many people today are realizing that the cultural focus on competition, success, acquisition and constant busyness is ultimately not satisfying. They hunger for a way of life that has more lasting value and deeper meaning. For centuries, people within and outside Christianity have turned to the writings of Benedict of Nursia, a sixth-century monk committed to shaping a life of humility and compassion, to guide their spiritual lives. His Rule speaks profoundly to our contemporary search for spiritual grounding. Anglican laywoman and writer Esther de Waal says that Benedict's Rule helps her know "how to be human now today, tomorrow and for the rest of my life". "The Rule of Benedict: Christian Monastic Wisdom for Daily Living--Selections Annotated & Explained" by Episcopal priest and retreat leader Jane Tomaine is an accessible introduction to the Rule of Benedict, intended for readers unfamiliar with Benedictine monasticism, and presents the Rule as a guide to a God-centered, balanced approach to life. "The Rule of Benedict" shows us how to use Benedict's wisdom to build relationships and communities formed by love and respect."The Rule of Benedict" offers historical background and personal reflections on Benedictine topics such as living in the present moment, balance, finding God in everyday life, individual and community prayer, hospitality, and healthy approaches to work and service. Highly recommended for church, seminary, and academic library Christian Studies collections in general, and Benedictine supplemental studies lists in particular, it should be noted that "The Rule of Benedict" is also available for personal reading lists in a digital book format (Kindle, $11.07).

Imaginative Prayer
Jared Patrick Boyd
InterVarsity Press
PO Box 1400, Downers Grove, IL 60515-1426
www.ivpress.com
9780830846252, $19.00, PB, 304pp, www.amazon.com

How can Christian parents help their children to connect with God? Most parents want their kids to learn to love God. But most of struggle to facilitate real spiritual experiences. It's hard enough to have a meaningful conversation with children about spiritual things, let alone help them experience true transformation in the presence of God. In "Imaginative Prayer: A Yearlong Guide for Your Child's Spiritual Formation", Jared Patrick Boyd (a pastor, spiritual director, and founder of The Order of Sustainable Faith -- a missional monastic order for the 21st century) discovered that children's spiritual formation is rooted in the imagination. When parents lead their children through guided times of imaginative prayer, they can experience a connection with God that transcends mere Bible knowledge or doctrinal content. "Imaginative Prayer" is unique and 'user friendly' resource that provides six units of weekly guided imaginative prayer, themed around core topics: God's love, loving others, forgiveness, God as king, the good news of God, and the mission of God. Each unit has six sessions, providing a year long experience of spiritual formation for children ages five to thirteen. Through imaginative prayer, parents can help their child connect with God. As they do so, they may find themselves connecting more closely with their children, and their own formation as a parent will deepen into greater awareness of God's work in there daily lives. As inspired and inspiring as it is exceptionally well organized and presented, and while very highly recommended for all members of the Christian community regardless of denominational affiliation, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Imaginative Prayer" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $12.25).


The Buddhist Studies Shelf

The Life of My Teacher
The Dali Lama, author
Gavin Kitty, translator
Wisdom Publications
199 Elm Street, Somerville, MA 02144
www.wisdompubs.org
9781614293323, $34.95, HC, 480pp, www.amazon.com

The Sixth Ling Rinpoche (1903 - 83) was a towering figure in Tibetan Buddhism. Combining great learning with great humility, he was ordained by the Thirteenth Dalai Lama and went on to serve as the head of the Geluk tradition and as the senior tutor to the present Dalai Lama. In temperament and wisdom, he had a profound influence on the current Dalai Lama's spiritual development, and he became a steadying presence for His Holiness during the chaotic changes that defined the Tibetan experience of the twentieth century, with the invasion of their county by Communist forces and the subsequent rebuilding of their culture in India. Ling Rinpoche's extensive travels among exiled communities abroad and across India buoyed the spirits of the Tibetan diaspora, and the training and activities of this consummate Buddhist master, here told by the Dalai Lama himself in the traditional Tibetan style, will inspire and amaze. Ably translated into English for an American readership by Gavin Kitty, "The Life of My Teacher: A Biography of Kyabje Ling Rinpoche" is enriched with more than one hundred archival photos that wonderfully illustrate an impressively informative text. While unreservedly recommended for both community and academic library Buddhist Studies collections and supplemental studies reading lists, it should be noted for the personal reading lists of students and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "The Life of My Teacher" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $17.99).


The Metaphysical Studies Shelf

Pagan Portals: The Crane Bag
Joanna Van Der Hoeven
Moon Books
c/o John Hunt Publishing, Ltd.
www.johnhuntpublishing.com
9781785355738, $10.95, PB, 112pp, www.amazon.com

Joanna van der Hoeven is a practicing Druid and the cofounder of Druid College UK. In "Pagan Portals: The Crane Bag: A Druid's Guide to Ritual Tools and Practices" she draws upon her years of experience and expertise to write a truly 'user friendly' introduction to the ritual tools and practices found in the Druid tradition. Held deeply within Celtic mythology, the crane bag is both a symbol of sovereignty, as well as an item containing the ritual tools of the Druid. With the proper use, it can further the Druid in working with the tides of nature, finding his or her own place in the environment, living in balance, harmony and peace. In ritual, these tools and practices can guide one to deeper levels of meaning and understanding within the tradition, helping the Druid on his or her journey through life and towards integration with the natural world. Impressively informed and informative, exceptionally well organized and presented, "Pagan Portals: The Crane Bag" is especially recommended for the novice student of Druidic Lore and would prove to be an enduringly popular and appreciated addition to personal, community, and academic library Metaphysical Studies collections. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of students and non-specialist general readers with an interest in Druidic Lore that "Pagan Portals: The Crane Bag" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $4.61).


The Pets/Wildlife Shelf

A New Basis for Animal Ethics
Bernard E. Rollin
University of Missouri Press
113 Heinkel Bldg., 201 S. 7th St., Columbia, MO 65211
www.umsystem.edu/upress
9780826221018, $40.00, HC, 208pp, www.amazon.com

Author Bernard E. Rollin is the University Distinguished Professor at Colorado State University. "A New Basis for Animal Ethics: Telos and Common Sense" is the culmination of Professor Rollin's forty years of theorizing about the moral status of animals, explicates and justifies society's moral obligation to animals in terms of the commonsense metaphysics and ethics of Aristotle's concept of telos. Professor Rollin uses this concept to assert that humans have a responsibility to treat animals ethically. Aristotle used the concept, from the Greek word for "end" or "purpose", as the core explanatory concept for the world we live in. The basic foundational concept is that we understand what an animal is by what it does. That this is the nature of an animal, and helps us understand our obligations to animals. Informative, insightful, exceptionally well written, organized and presented, "A New Basis for Animal Ethics" is an impressive work of outstanding scholarship and unreservedly recommended for both community and academic library collections. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of students and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject is that "A New Basis for Animal Ethics" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $23.49).

Whose Dog Are You?
Martin Wallen
Michigan State University Press
1405 South Harrison Road, Suite 25, East Lansing, MI 48823-5245
http://msupress.org
9781611862584, $49.95, HC, 182pp, www.amazon.com

The intriguing question in the title comes from an inscription on the collar of a dog Alexander Pope gave to the Prince of Wales. When Pope wrote the famous couplet "I am his Highness' Dog at Kew, / Pray tell me Sir, whose Dog are You?" the question was received as an expression of loyalty. That was an era before there were dog breeds and, not coincidentally, before people were generally believed to develop affectionate bonds with dogs. "The Aesthetics of Modern Human-Canine Relations" by Martin Wallen (Professor in the English department at Oklahoma State University) is an interdisciplinary study that focuses on the development of dog breeds in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. Beginning with the Foxhound (the first modern breed) Professor Wallen examines the aesthetic, political, and technological forces that generate modern human-canine relations. These forces have colluded over the past two hundred years to impose narrow descriptions of human-canine relations and to shape the dogs physically into acceptable and recognizable breeds. The largest question in animal studies today is how alterity affects human-animal relations. This cannot be fully considered until the two approaches to this question are understood as complements of one another: one beginning from aesthetics, the other from technology. Most of all, "Whose Dog Are You?" asks if we can engage with dogs in ways that allow them to remain dogs. Featuring sixteen pages of Notes, an eight page Bibliography, and a three page Index, "Whose Dog Are You?" is an original and seminal work of simply outstanding scholarship and will prove to be of immense and enduring interest to both academia and non-professional general readers with an interest in the history of dog breeding and human/canine relations. While unreservedly recommended for both community and academic library Pets/Wildlife collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Whose Dog Are You?" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $37.63).


The Health/Medicine Shelf

The Alzheimer's Medical Advisor
Philip D. Sloane, MD
Sunrise River Press
838 Lake Street South, Forest Lake, MN 55025
www.sunriseriverpress.com
9781934716663, $26.95, PB, 192pp, www.amazon.com

Dr. Philip Sloane is a geriatrician with over 35 years of experience managing and researching issues related to older persons, with a focus on Alzheimer's disease and related cognitive disorders and those who assist them with care and services. In "The Alzheimer's Medical Advisor: A Caregiver's Guide to Common Medical and Behavioral Signs and Symptoms in Persons with Dementia" he draws upon his professional experience and expertise to provide a resource for caregivers of people with Alzheimer's disease or a related dementia, the people who provide support for a variety of medical conditions and dementia-related behaviors. "The Alzheimer's Medical Advisor " contains information on more than 50 medical and behavioral conditions that caregivers often address. Each condition is presented in an easy-to-follow, two-page guide that provides basic facts; signs that indicate a possible emergency; practical guidance when conferring with health care professionals; and tips on providing relief in the home. Additional sections address how to best manage visits to medical offices, emergency departments, hospitals, nursing homes, and assisted living residences. Also, an entire chapter is devoted to how caregivers can take care of their own health and safety while helping someone with Alzheimer's disease or a related dementia. Based on the latest clinical knowledge and scientific research, "The Alzheimer's Medical Advisor" is unreservedly recommended for personal, community, and academic library Health/Medicine collections in general, and Alzheimer's supplemental studies reading lists in particular.

Lifelong Yoga
Sage Rountree & Alexandra Desiato
North Atlantic Books
2526 Martin Luther King Jr. Way, Berkeley, CA 94704-2607
www.northatlanticbooks.com
9781623171438, $19.95, PB, 160pp, www.amazon.com

Sage Rountree is a preeminent yoga authority for athletes, a yoga teacher trainer, and an endurance sports coach with certifications from USA Triathlon, USA Cycling, and the Road Runners' Club of America. Alexandra Desiato is a seasoned teacher of yoga and an expert Pilates instructor who has taught several athletic teams at the University of North Carolina, including the football team, men's basketball team, and women's rowing team. Together they draw upon their many years of experience and expertise to produce a comprehensive and thoroughly 'user friendly' instruction guide for students and practitioners of Yoga. This is a form of exercise that offers vital tools for healthy aging: strength, flexibility, balance, and peace of mind. A unique and effective 'how to' manual, "Lifelong Yoga' describe the poses and routines that can help keep people of any age fit and injury free. In addition to demonstrating simple ways to maintain and even increase our ability to be active into our 50s, 60s, and beyond. Profusely and effectively illustrated throughout, "Lifelong Yoga" offer poses and routines aimed toward specific goals, such as improving balance, maintaining strength and flexibility, and recovering properly between workouts. Each fully illustrated sequence is introduced with a brief overview of its benefits, along with modifications and options suited to individual requirements. "Lifelong Yoga" also features sequences that help support specific activities such as running, swimming, or golf, as well as yard work, travel, and caring for grandchildren. An essential and easy-to-follow guide, "Lifelong Yoga" offers key practices for maintaining and improving physical and mental well-being throughout a lifetime. While very highly recommended for both community and academic library Health/Medicine collections in general, and Yoga supplemental studies reading lists in particular, it should be noted for yoga students and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "Lifelong Yoga" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $12.99).


The Comix/Graphic Novel Shelf

Pearls Hogs the Road
Stephan Pastis
Andrews McMeel Publishing
1130 Walnut Street, Kansas City, MO 64106-2109
9781449483661, $18.99, www.andrewsmcmeel.com

Pearls Hogs the Road provides black and white and a peppering of color cartoon panels to celebrate all the classic characters from the popular Pearls Before Swine comic strip, and is recommended for both newcomers to the comic and, especially, prior fans. All the favorite characters are gathered here, from Pig and Rat to the alligator clan. Wry comments on life range from finding life's purpose and preparing for a natural disaster with a survival kit of beer and hot dogs to using a smartphone camera to best advantage. The result is a zany series of tongue-in-cheek humor, wordplay, and animal magic that will delight any fan of Pastis and his whimsical comic world; very highly recommended for a wide age range.

She and Her Cat
Story by Makoto Shinkai
Art by Tsubasa Yamaguchi
Vertical, Inc.
451 Park Avenue South, 7th floor, New York, NY 10016
9781945054402 $12.95 www.vertical-inc.com

She and Her Cat is a black-and-white manga (Japanese graphic novel) about a young woman who lives alone with her cat Chobi. Told primarily from Chobi's perspective, the complete-in-one- volume story addresses the troubles and loneliness that come with independence. Heartfelt and poignant, She and Her Cat is a touching, emotional story, and highly recommended for manga connoisseurs and public library collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that She and Her Cat is also available in a Kindle edition ($6.15).

Stardrop: Home in Time
Mark Oakley
I Box Publishing
iboxpublishing.com
9781926496054 $9.95

Stardrop: Home in Time is the third black-and-white graphic novel in an all-ages series blending otherworldly sci-fi and the joys and tribulations of everyday life. Space princess Ashelle and galatic noblewoman Lady Kytanna have settled into small-town life on Earth, but that doesn't preclude wacky antics, or even time-travel! In volume 3, Kytanna's genius boyfriend Tom desires to explore the larger universe beyond the confines of his native Earth; the time-traveling defender Jenny Mysterious gets tired of being broke; and then galactic invasion fleet appears on the Earth's horizon! Can space Ashelle, Kytanna, Jenny and their friends turn back an entire space amada before the Earth is burned to cinders? A charming series with highlights of comedy and excitement, Stardrop: Home in Time is a choice pick for both personal reading lists and public library graphic novel collections. Also highly recommended are the first two graphic novels in the series, "Stardrop" (9780968102572, $9.95) and "Stardrop: A Place to Hang My Space Suit" (9780968102589, $9.95).

Pride of the Decent Man
T.J. Kirsch
NBM Publishing
160 Broadway, Ste. 700, East Wing, New York, NY 10038
c/o Independent Publishers Group (dist.)
814 North Franklin Street, Chicago, IL 60610
www.ipgbook.com
9781681121208 $19.99 www.nbmpub.com

Pride of the Decent Man is a full color graphic novel about the struggle for redemption, set in upstate New York. Andrew Peters had a tough childhood, and his best friend persuades him to assist in a robbery - with dire consequences. In prison, Andrew learns that he has a daughter, and he resolves to reform himself in order to become a decent man and a good father; but the road to redemption is not easy. Poignant and powerful, Pride of the Decent Man is highly recommended for both personal and public library graphic novel collections.

The Wendy Project
Osborne Fish
Papercutz
160 Broadway, Suite 700E, New York, NY 10038
www.papercutz.com
9781629917696 $12.99 amazon.com

The Wendy Project is a graphic novel that subtly deconstructs and reinterprets the classic Peter Pan fable. 16-year-old Wendy accidentally crashes her car in a lake with her two brothers inside; when she awakes in a hospital, she is told that her younger brother Michael is dead. Yet she is certain that she saw him fly away in the custody of a mysterious boy, who strongly resembles Peter Pan. Fantasy, reality, and survivor's guilt blur in her mind as she begins to see the people around her as characters from "Neverland". The Wendy Project shifts colors between black-and- white of the everyday world and the fantastic colors of the Neverland world, and is at once both beautiful and heartrending. The Wendy Project is highly recommended for readers of all ages, as well as school and public library graphic novel collections.

Reed Crandall: Illustrator of the Comics
Roger Hill
TwoMorrows Publishing
10407 Bedfordtown Drive, Raleigh, NC 27614
www.twomorrows.com
9781605490779, $49.95, HC, 256pp, www.amazon.com

From the 1940s to the 1970s, Reed Crandall brought a unique and masterful style to American comic art. Using an illustrator's approach on everything he touched, Crandall gained a reputation as the "artist's artist" through his skillful interpretations of Golden Age super-heroes Doll Man, The Ray, and Blackhawk (his signature character); horror and sci-fi for the legendary EC Comics line; Warren Publishing's Creepy, Eerie, and Blazing Combat; the THUNDER Agents, Edgar Rice Burroughs characters; and even Flash Gordon for King Features. In "Reed Crandall: Illustrator of the Comics" comic art historian Roger Hill has compiled a complete and extensive history of Crandall's life and career, from his early years and major successes, through his tragic decline and passing in 1982. "Reed Crandall: Illustrator of the Comics" is a full-color compendium that includes never-before-seen photos, a wealth of rare and unpublished artwork, and a comprehensive and deftly crafted insight into one of the true illustrators of American comic books. An extraordinary biography of a major American comic book artist, "Reed Crandall: Illustrator of the Comics" is a seminal and core addition for both community and academic library 20th Century American Popular Art collections -- and a 'must' for the legions of Reed Crandall fans.

Molly and the Bear
Bob Scott
Cameron + Company
149 Kentucky Street, Suite 7, Petaluma, CA 94952
www.cameronbooks.com
9781937359850, $24.95, HC, 256pp, www.amazon.com

It can be tough on a family when someone new has moved in, especially if it's a 900-pound scaredy-bear so terrified of wilderness life that he's fled to the burbs. Fortunately Bear was found by Molly, a fearlessly optimistic 11-year-old girl who has taken him firmly in hand, devoted to seeing her hirsute BFF cope with modern life. Molly's Mom is happy with the new sibling -- Bear's an excellent conversationalist and loves her homemade cookies. But Dad is having a harder time, his role as center of the universe now shared with an ursine behemoth who, unfortunately, adores him. "Molly and the Bear" is comprised of the popular syndicated comic strip created by Disney Animation artist Bob Scott, whose illustrious career has spanned over three decades and has included projects ranging from Warner Brother's Bugs Bunny cartoons to Pixar's 'The Incredibles' and 'Ratatouille'! A wonderfully entertaining read from cover to cover, "Molly and the Bear" is highly recommended for community library collections and the personal reading lists of anyone of any age who appreciates original and consistently imaginative comic strip style humor!

Mobile Suit Gundam Wing: Endless Waltz, Glory of the Losers 1
Story by Katsuyuki Sumizawa
Art by Tomofumi Ogasawara
Original concept by Hajime Yatate and Yoshiyuki Tomino
Vertical, Inc.
451 Park Avenue South, 7th floor, New York, NY 10016
9781945054341 $12.95 www.vertical-inc.com

Mobile Suit Gundam Wing: Endless Waltz, Glory of the Losers 1 is the first graphic novel in a new retelling of Gundam Endless Waltz, a science fiction epic about violent war among spacefaring humans who use supremely powerful, piloted robots as deadly weapons. Taking place at the same time as the Gundam Wing anime (Japanese animation) television series, Endless Waltz, Glory of the Losers incorporates light novel and manga side-stories into the main Endless Waltz plot, the better to weave the multifaceted, character-driven war saga of Gundam Wing into a unified narrative. Set in the year A.C. (After Colony) 195, the story is about how the United Earth Sphere Alliance's exercise of near-totalitarian control over some of its colonies has prompted a growing rebellion. But if "Operation Meteor" takes flight, the cost in innocent lives could be inhumanly staggering! As is characteristic of the Gundam series, Endless Waltz, Glory of the Losers does not downplay the horrors of war, and is highly recommended for connoisseurs of military science fiction (with weaponized giant robots)!


The Audiobook Shelf

Jefferson's Garden
Timberlake Wertenbaker
L.A. Theatre Works
681 Venice Boulevard, Venice, CA 90291
9781682660430 $29.95 www.latw.org

Jefferson's Garden is an audiobook rendition of the full-cast, live performance of a play about America's Founding Father Thomas Jefferson, set primarily during the years from 1776 to the 1790's. The performance by a cast of talented actors is the next best thing to personally witnessing Jefferson's Garden acted on a stage. Sharply focusing on the shocking contrast between the lofty principles in America's Declaration of Independence, and the cruel reality of continued slavery in American colonies, Jefferson's Garden is highly recommended, especially for personal and public library audiobook collections. 2 CDs, 1 hour 54 min.

Oroonoko
Aphra Behn, author
Read by Clare Wille
Naxos of America, Inc.
1810 Columbia Avenue, Suite 28, Franklin, TN 37064
9781781980545 $22.98 www.naxosaudiobooks.com

Oroonoko is the unabridged audiobook rendition of a groundbreaking novel, originally published in 1688, by one of the first female professional writers of England. The story is a slave narrative, following Oroonoko, a valiant royal prince who is betrayed, robbed of his status, and sold into slavery. His kingly nature continues to burn within, but his unwillingness to submit comes at terrible cost. Controversial in its day for its condemnation of slavery, and its vivid portrayal of shocking violence, Oroonoko remains a classic work of literature, highly recommended especially for public and college library collections. 3 CDs, 3 hours 3 min. 22 sec.

Video Game Plotline Tester
Michael Atamanov
Tantor Media, Inc.
6 Business Park Road, Old Saybrook, CT 06475
www.tantor.com
9781515969334, $24.99, CD, www.amazon.com

Would you be prepared to work for free? How would you like to bust your hump for a large corporation sixty-plus hours a week without a wage or a single day off for the vague promise of some mysterious perks in the distant future? You'd refuse point blank, wouldn't you? But what if the job in question was playing a state-of-the-art fantasy MMORPG game? And what if this was the only thing you're really good at? Especially considering that your in-game partner is someone really special to you-and this person already lives a virtual life? Knowing all this, would you consider the mysterious future bonus worth your while? "Video Game Plotline Tester" is the original and impressively engaging story of a man and his sister who are dedicated role play gamers in an age where virtual reality machines can, quite literally, put them into the game in the form of avatar characters (he is a goblin, she is a kind of fairy) who find themselves involved with a cast of characters that range from trolls, to magicians, to assassins. There are two kinds of inhabitants in the virtual game of Boundless World -- NPCs (computer creations) and the Undying (humans who role play). Brought vividly to life in a true theatre of the mind experience by the narrative skills of Eric Michael Summer, "Video Game Plotline Tester" by Michael Atamanov is the first volume of the author's 'The Dark Herbalist' series, and especially commended to the attention of anyone who has ever had to level up a character in a fantasy role play game!

Dragonsworn
Sherrilyn Kenyon
www.sherrilynkenyon.com
Brilliance Corporation
PO Box 887, Grand Haven, MI 49417
9781511363228 $29.99 www.brillianceaudio.com

Dragonsworn is the unabridged MP3 audiobook (plays on MP3-CD enabled players or transfers to portable devices) of a dark fantasy about the savage conflict between gods, dragons, and mortals. The cursed dragon Falcyn harbors endless rage and vengeance toward humanity in general, and Greek humans in particular, while the Greek god Apollo cruelly dishes out the curse of death and virulent plague as he pleases. Apollo's granddaughter Medea has also been cursed to die, but her will is not crushed; to protect her people, she seeks a trump card held by a dragon that yearns to unleash Armageddon! A striking, fantastic saga featuring a passionate and resourceful heroine, Dragonsworn is highly recommended. 1 MP3 CD, 9 hours 19 min.

Comanche Trail
Ralph Compton, author
Tom Stechschulte, narrator
Recorded Books, LLC
270 Skip Jack Road, Prince Frederick, MD 20678
9781490681269, $TBA, CD, www.recordedbooks.com

Thad Taylor is no one's idea of a fine man. Usually drunk and shiftless, he's disapproved of by most-especially his father. But when his father doesn't return from a trip across the Kansas plains, Thad is the only one who can search for him. And he's far from ready for the ordeal. Because his father is already dead. He has fallen victim to the bloody Benders-a demented family who lures travelers into their cabin way station only to rob and brutally murder them. Now, for his father's memory, Thad, accompanied by an expected friend, must hunt the most lethal Benders down and deliver them either to the law-or to the grave. The problem is that the last surviving and utterly evil Bender is a woman! Impressively narrated by Tom Stechschulte, "Comanche Trail" is another thrilling western that continues to showcase author Ralph Compton's originality and mastery of the genre -- making it certain to be an enduringly popular addition to community library complete and unabridged audio book collections. (7 CDs, 8.25 Hours).


The Library CD Shelf

Flying Solo Silhouette
Ann Sweeten
Annsweeten.com
Orange Band Records
$16.00 CD / $9.99 download cdbaby.com

Flying Solo Silhouette is the first original solo piano album by composer Ann Sweeten, drawn from her music at created over ten years and five previous albums. Each of the tracks has been re-created as solo piano pieces for the first time, arranged in a playlist that naturally flows and is pleasing to the ear. Every composition has been remixed and remastered, transforming Flying Solo Silhouette into its own unique expression. Elegant, transformative, and inspirational, Flying Solo Silhouette is highly recommended for both personal and public library solo piano music collections. The tracks are "A Light Rain" (4:56), "Dawn on Red Mountain" (4:48), "Veil of Tears" (4:48), "Elysian Fields" (5:00), "Afterglow" (4:11), "Nikki's Song" (3:57), "December Snow" (4:40), "Broken Wing at North Light" (4:38), "Eclipse" (5:28), "The Hourglass" (5:38), "Falling Leaves" (5:03), and "On Wings of Light".

Morning Sun: Adventures with Oboe
Paul McCandless with Paul Winter Consort
www.paulwinter.com
Living Music
$15.00 CD / $8.99 download

Morning Sun: Adventures with Oboe is an anthology of recordings made by double-reed master Paul McCandless and seven-time Grammy winning group the Paul Winter Consort over the course of 45 years. Intended as both a historical retrospective and as a tribute, Morning Sun: Adventures with Oboe is a treasure, enhanced with a 32-page album booklet chronicling the Paul Winter Consort's history through the eyes of Paul Winter himself. Morning Sun: Adventures with Oboe is a mellifluous "must", highly recommended for both personal and public library music collections. The tracks are "All the Mornings Bring", "Elves' Chasm", "Bright Angel", "Whooper Dance", "On the Steppes of Central Asia", "Witchi Tai To", "Sunset on the Great Sand Dunces", "Um Abraco (A Big Hug)", "Anabela", "Sunderland", "Eagle", "Common Ground", "Twilight", "The Last Train", "Fantasia in G", and "Morning Sun". 66 min.

Miyo Kekisepa, Make A Stand
Northern Cree
Canyon Records Productions
1761 West University Drive, Suite 145, Tempe, AZ 85281-3220
$14.98 CD / $9.49 MP3 www.canyonrecords.com

Miyo Kekisepa, Make A Stand: Pow-Wow Songs Recorded Live at Red Mountain is from 7-time Grammy nominee Northern Cree, a group known for their Pow-Wow and Round Dance singing, and their commitment to their Cree culture, language, and traditions. The songs embody strength, love, and a way of life expressed with unfettered fervor. Miyo Kekisepa, Make A Stand is a choice pick for traditional Native American music collections, enthusiastically recommended. The tracks are "Dancers Only" (4:47), "Old Yeller" (5:23), "Angel Star" (3:20), "Old-Time Straight Song" (3:41), "TreyJam" (4:27), "Hop to the Drop (Crow Hop)" (3:11), "Str8-2 Vegas" (3:02), "#TicTac Adventures" (4:10), "Cheezy Legs (Crow Hop)" (3:15), "Don't Forget It" (3:55), "nimihito awasis ('Dancing Child')" (5:31), and "Red Mountain Royalty" (5:37).

Canyon Records Productions
1761 West University Drive, Suite 145, Tempe, AZ 85281-3220
$14.98 each www.canyonrecords.com

Two albums published by Canyon Records, each by a talented master of the Native American flute, provide a serene and wondrous audio experience. "Purify" by Tony Duncan melds cedar and cane flutes into a balance that promotes inner peace and harmony, ideal for accompanying yoga, massage, or meditation. "Gratitude", the debut recording of Jonah Littlesunday, accents Native American flute playing with an occasional light touch from Native percussion, and draws the listener in to its musical theme of unity, peace, and respect for the land itself. Both are a treasure for connoisseurs of flute music, and highly recommended for both personal and public library collections.

Before Breakfast
The Grascals
grascals.com
Mountain Home Music Company
mountainhomemusiccompany.com
$9.79 CD / $9.49 MP3 amazon.com

The latest album by three-time Grammy-nominated band The Grascals, Before Breakfast is a celebration of guitar, clawhammer banjo, and cherished popular bluegrass and country songs. A treasury of top-notch talent, Before Breakfast is highly recommended for both personal and public library music collections. The tracks are "Sleepin' with the Reaper", "Demons", "Delia", "I've Been Redeemed", "Lonesome", "Beer Tree", "Pathway of Teardrops", "Lynchburg Chicken Run", "He Took Your Place", "Lost and Lonesome", "There Is You", and "Clear Corn Liquor".

Juntos
ESSO Afrojam Funkbeat
Privately Published
$TBA www.essoafrojamfunkbeat.com

Juntos is an album by ESSO Afrojam Funkbeat, an eclectic group of musicians with a unique spin on afrobeat funk. The original songs have a profound message about transcending divisions of race, class, or ethnicity, reflecting the need for connection and tolerance. Juntos is lively, soul- stirring, and highly recommended. The tracks are "Baila", "La Calle", "Mariposa Negra", "Noche Tras Dia", "Cumbia del Encanto", "Homenaje", "Somos Hermanos", "Mi Gente", "Meet Me Out", "Cumbia Triste", "Stone Eagle", "Sangre", and "Piramides".

Another Part of Me
Marcus Monteiro
Whaling City Sound
www.whalingcitysound.com
c/o Naxos (dist.)
www.naxosusa.com
$18.61 CD / $8.99 MP3 amazon.com

Alto saxophonist Marcus Monteiro, along with John Harrison III on piano, Fernando Huergo on bass, and Steve Langone on drums present Another Part of Me, a jazz album that draws upon both classic and contemporary musical stylings. Original, windswept, and masterful, Another Part of Me is a treasure for jazz connoisseurs. The tracks are "Sister Sadie" (6:03), "Adagio" (7:28), "For Once in My Life" (5:25), "The Monteiro Backhand Var. 1" (4:14), "Easier Said Than Done" (6:25), "Wait Till You See Her" (5:58), "Another Part of Me" (4:13), "Slammin' Around" (5:12), "Receipt Please" (3:25), "Fell On Black Days" (4:35), "Mill Street" (7:51), "Sagg Shootin' His Arrow" (5:11).

Traveler
Sherry Finzer and Peter Sheridan
www.sherryfinzer.com
www.lowflutes.com
Heart Dance Records
www.heartdancerecords.com
$12.99 CD / $9.49 MP3 amazon.com

Traveler is a beautiful, collaborative album created by American New Age composer and flutist Sherry Finzer and Australian classical low flute specialist Peter Sheridan. The original, instrumental songs encourage relaxation, celebration, and quiet thought. Traveler embodies the lilting joy of the flute, and is highly recommended for personal and public library instrumental collections. The tracks are "Leaving Earth" (5:39), "Spiritual Crossing" (7:35), "Nocturnal Dance" (13:03), "Reverence" (8:44), "Hunt on the Plains" (8:07), and "Joy" (5:26).

Surface
The Ellameno Beat
www.theellamenobeat.com
$TBA CD / $7.99 download cdbaby.com

Surface is the debut full-length music album of The Ellameno Beat, which consists of Reggie Froom, James Rosenblit on drums, Dylon Hixon on bass, Matt Diamond on trumpet and vocals, and Walker Brantingham on keyboards. Surface is a deeply introspective album, fostering contemplation and expansion of the mind. Original and superbly beautiful, Surface is an extraordinary soundscape, highly recommended. The tracks are "Bumpy Road", "One of Us", "Half Empty", "Muse", "Distance", "Momentary Light", "Take Me Away", "Used to Be", "Grow On", and "Last Call (feat. Signal Fire)".

The Light
Ammoye
http://ammoyemusic.com
Privately Published
$TBA CD / $12.49 MP3 amazon.com

Nominated three times for a Juno award (Canada's answer to the Grammys), The Light is Jamaican-Canadian singer-songwriter Ammoye's latest album. Ammoye is particularly noteworthy as a reggae star, since she is one of very few female performers in a male-dominated genre. The Light carries a profound message of love, conveyed in roots reggae with a dash of electro-pop and sprinkle of R&B, and also reflects Ammoye's deep spiritual belief in God's universal presence. Highly recommended! The tracks are "Bloody Fire" (4:06), "Outta Town" (3:54), "Are You Ready" (3:00), "Soul Rebel" (3:10), "Jah Jah" (5:24), "Good Vibez" (4:26), "Honeymoon" (4:02), "Cool Gypsy Island" (3:59), "The Light" (3:26), "Reggae Rockit Boy" (3:28), "Oneness" (5:02), "Salvation/Redemption" (4:51), "Where Do We Go" (4:07), "Guns Off the Street (Wedda Man)" (3:29), "Don't Count Me Out" (4:31), "Don't Count Me Out (Dub Version)" (4:33), "Inna Di Ghetto" (3:52), "Sorry" (3:55), and "Shooting" (3:34).


The Library DVD Shelf

The Churchills
Presented by David Starkey
Athena
c/o Acorn Media
c/o RLJ Entertainment
www.us.RLJEntertainment.com
$34.99 www.acornonline.com

Historian David Starkey presents The Churchills, a three-episode documentary on DVD about two of Britain's greatest war leaders. Winston Churchill stood against Adolf Hitler during World War II, and Winston's ancestor John Churchill, opposed an earlier tyrant - the "Sun King" Louis XIV of France. Winston Churchill, a writer and historian before he was Prime Minister, drew inspiration from his ancestor, and composed a gigantic biography of John Churchill titled "Marlborough: His Life and Times". Starkey proposes that the decade Winston spent working on Marlborough is a pivotal aspect of what transformed and prepared him for the monumental task of leading Britain against Nazi Germany. The Churchills is an extraordinary and fascinating documentary, highly recommended especially for public and college library DVD collections. 1 DVD, 3 episodes, 150 min.

Louise by the Shore
With the voice of France Castel
First Run Features
630 Ninth Avenue, Suite 1213, New York, NY 10036
$24.95 www.firstrunfeatures.com

Louise by the Shore is an animated movie for all ages, about 75-year-old Louise who misses the last train out of a small, seaside resort town. An extremely heavy rainstorm floods the streets, and the next day she discovers that the town is deserted. Louise survives by herself in dreamlike solitude, encountering only a talking dog and memories from her past. Bordering on the surreal, Louise by the Shore is beautiful, introspective, and highly recommended for both personal and public library DVD collections. 75 min.

Zion, Bryce Canyon, Capitol Reef
Bennett Watt HD Productions, Inc.
13021 - 244th Avenue SE, Issaquah, WA 98027
9781604902136 $24.95 www.Bennett-Watt.com

Part of the excellent Discoveries... America National Parks series of high-definition video essays, Zion, Bryce Canyon, Capital Reef: Cedar Breaks, Glen Canyon & Rainbow Bridge reveals a wealth of beautiful national parks found in Utah. From the multi-hued sandstone cliffs of Zion, to the geologic monocline known as Waterpocket Fold at Capitol Reef, to the subalpine forest of Cedar Breaks and more, Zion, Bryce Canyon, Capitol Reef is utterly breathtaking, and the next best thing to experiencing the natural splendor of Utah's parks in person. Highly recommended, especially for armchair travelers and public library DVD collections. 51 min.

Delicious, Series 1
Starring Dawn French, Emilia Fox, and Iain Glen
Acorn Media
c/o RLJ Entertainment
www.us.RLJEntertainment.com
$34.99 www.acornonline.com

Delicious, Series 1 is a television drama on DVD following the glamors and tribulations of interpersonal relationships. Professional chef Leo Vincent's current wife begins to fear that Leo is having an affair, and she turns to Leo's first wife for advice - an act that kicks off a gathering storm of dark secrets and scandals. Is there any hope of reconciliation or friendship in the wake of harsh words and emotional devastation? World-class cuisine and gorgeous Cornwall scenery enrich this enjoyable drama-comedy series, highly recommended. Bonus materials include a brief (7 min.) behind-the-scenes featurette and photo gallery. 4 episodes, 185 min. plus bonus, widescreen, SDH subtitles.

Dominion Creek Series 2
Acorn Media
c/o RLJ Entertainment
www.us.RLJEntertainment.com
$39.99 www.acornonline.com

Set in Yukon's remote yet beautiful Klondike Valley during the 1890s gold rush, Dominion Creek Series 2 continues the television series following the endeavors of the Connolly clan. In Series 2, eldest brother Tom resolves to build a family empire at any price; Padraig proposes marriage to his sweetheart; and hot-blooded Seamus realizes that Tom's ambition is the key to success. But all is not well; a crooked judge may prevent justice from being served to Captain Pat, in spite of the callous murder that Pat committed. As lawlessness rises and typhoid extracts a deadly toll, Padraig must make a terrible choice between his family and the needs of the community. Gripping and unforgettable, Dominion Creek Series 2 is highly recommended both for personal and public library DVD collections. It should be noted that Dominion Creek Series 2 contains coarse language, graphic violence, nudity, and sexual situations. 4 episodes on 2 DVDs, 215 min., widescreen, SDH subtitles.

The Heart Guy, Series 1
Starring Rodger Corser
Acorn Media
c/o RLJ Entertainment
www.us.RLJEntertainment.com
$49.99 www.acornonline.com

The Heart Guy, Series 1 kicks off a medical dramedy series set in rural Australia. Gifted yet arrogant heart surgeon Hugh Knight (played by Rodger Corser) has his world upended when an incident involving alcohol and drugs results in probation and a ban on performing surgery. Now working as a general practitioner at an underfunded hospital, Hugh precariously adjusts to rural life and his thrice-complicated family situation (for example, Hugh's ex-girlfriend is now married to his younger brother). Witty and winsome, The Heart Guy, Series 1 is a "must" for connoisseurs of medical drama! Although The Heart Guy is not rated, it does contain scenes with strong language, sexual situations, graphic medical situations, nudity, and drug use, and is therefore recommended for mature viewers. 10 episodes on 3 DVDs, 489 min., widescreen.


The Self-Help Shelf

An Invitation to Self-Care
Tracey Cleantis, LMFT
Hazelden Publishing
c/o Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation
RW 9 PO Box 176, Center City, MN 55012-0011
www.hazelden.org/bookstore
9781616496791, $15.95, PB, 200pp, www.amazon.com

"An Invitation to Self-Care: Why Learning to Nurture Yourself Is the Key to the Life You've Always Wanted, 7 Principles for Abundant Living" by licensed marriage and family therapist Tracey Cleantis uncovers seven principles for care that are rooted in self-empowerment and self-knowledge. Through personal stories and observations, exercises and quizzes, and interviews with experts and everyday people, Tracey invites you to consider self-care across your relationships, finances, spiritual and professional life -- and more. By accepting who we are, what we need, and how those needs evolve over time, we create space for self-care's transformational magic in our lives. In fact, an authentic self-care practice is the secret to the life you've always wanted. As 'real world' practical as it is 'user friendly' in organization and presentation, "An Invitation to Self-Care" is unreservedly recommended, especially for community and academic library Self-Help/Self-Improvement instructional reference collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "An Invitation to Self-Care" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).


The Business Shelf

Digital @ Scale
Jurgen Meffert & Anand Swaminathan
Wiley
c/o Wiley Professional Trade Group
111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030-5774
www.wiley.com
9781119433743, $29.95, HC, 288pp, www.amazon.com

Value in the next phase of the digital era will go to those companies that don't just try digital but also scale it. The collaborative work of Jurgen Meffert and Anand Swaminathan (both of whom are senior partners in Digital McKinsey and McKinsey New Ventures helping companies leverage their technology and digital capabilities), "Digital @ Scale: The Playbook You Need to Transform Your Company" examines what it takes for companies to break through the gravitational pull of their legacy organizations and capture the full value of digital. Digging into more than fifty detailed case studies and years of McKinsey experience and data, the authors, along with a group of expert contributors, show how companies can move beyond incremental change to transform the business where the greatest value is generated -- at its core. "Digital @ Scale" provide practical insights into the three pillars of digital transformations that successfully scale: reinventing the business model, building out a business architecture from the customer back into the organization, and establishing an 'amoeba' IT and organizational foundation that learns and evolves. An ideal guide for all leaders who recognize the power and promise of a digital transformation, "Digital @ Scale" is unreservedly recommended for corporate, community, and academic library Contemporary Business Management collections and supplemental studies reading lists. It should be noted for students and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "Digital @ Scale" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $11.99).

The Think Big Movement
Jon Dwoskin with A. J. Reilly
Waldorf Publishing
2140 Hall Johnson Road 102-345, Grapevine, TX 76051
www.waldorfpublishing.com
9781945173479, $16.95, PB, 350pp, www.amazon.com

In "The Think Big Movement", readers will follow Jacob, the main character in this business book told as a fable, as he experiences the ups and downs of business like most business owners. He discovers a mentor in Marc Gardner, a wildly successful, humble man who built a thriving dental practice using true grit and tenacity. Marc takes Jacob under his wing and leads him down the path of, not only what success means, but how to achieve it, maintain it and grow it. As Jacob grows as a business man and as a human being, he begins to realize that the one thing he never realized is the secret sauce of every company in the world. "The Think Big Movement" is a unique, impressively written, accessibly organized, instructional guide filled from cover to cover with invaluable insight on how to grow a business. It gives entrepreneurs the tools, best practices and step-by-step guidance vital for moving a business forward, at any stage in its growth. Real world practical, inspiring, effective, and one of the most entertaining approaches to business education, "The Think Big Movement" is unreservedly recommended for personal reading lists, as well as community and academic library Business Management collections and supplemental studies lists.


The Travel Shelf

Drawn to the Dark
Chris Kullstroem
Pelican Publishing Company
1000 Burmaster Street, Gretna, LA 70053-2246
www.pelicanpub.com
9781455622948, $28.95, PB, 368pp, www.amazon.com

Inspired by a fascination with fear culture, writer Chris Kullstroem left her job and home to experience firsthand some of the world's most legendary scare shows. Under the guidance of locals, she saw it all: attractions like the Day of the Dead, the haunts of New Zealand, and even the mythical Krampus brought to life in the streets of Austria. Each eerie enactment evokes a sense of wonder, demonstrating powerful emotions that transcend language and culture to reveal a connection we all share. A lifelong Halloween, horror, and dark tourism enthusiast, Kullstroem holds seminars on how scare venues blend history, theater, and social interaction, and she enjoys exploring what these shows can teach us about our society and the people around us. It is interesting to note that Kullstroem has also worked as a traveling correspondent on the radio show Paranormal Talk. In "Drawn to the Dark: Explorations in Scare Tourism Around the World" she draws upon her experiences and expertise to create a truly riveting read from cover to cover. While highly recommended, especially for community and academic library Folklore & Mythology, Customs & Traditions collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists of students, academia, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "Drawn to the Dark" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $16.83).

Vacation on Location, Midwest
Joey Green
Chicago Review Press
814 North Franklin Street, Chicago, IL 60610
www.chicagoreviewpress.com
9781613737255, $16.99, PB, 240pp, www.amazon.com

"Vacation on Location, Midwest: Explore the Sites Where Your Favorite Movies Were Filmed" is the perfect guidebook for planning trips to places in the American Midwest where movies were made. Travel author and movie buff Joey Green gives his readers detailed, chronological, scene-by-scene breakdowns, complete with addresses and maps, for visiting sites throughout the Midwest where some of the most popular films of all time were shot. With "Vacation on Location, Midwest" as a guide, anyone can turn these 'visit the movie site' excursions into full-scale vacations or making quirky side trips to enhance an appreciation of favorite movies. The filming sites showcased include: The Blues Brothers, Home Alone, The Breakfast Club, Hoosiers, A Christmas Story, A League of Their Own, Fargo, Paper Moon, Ferris Bueller's Day Off, Purple Rain, Field of Dreams, The Shawshank Redemption, The Fugitive, The Untouchables, Groundhog Day, and 29 more! While very highly recommended for both community and academic library Travel Guide collections, it should be noted for the personal reading lists of dedicated movie buffs that "Vacation on Location, Midwest" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $10.97).

Take a Paddle Finger Lakes
Rich Freeman & Sue Freeman
Burford Books, Inc.
101 East State Street, #301, Ithaca, NY 14850
www.burfordbooks.com
9781580801843, $18.95, PB, 288pp, www.amazon.com

Rich and Sue Freeman are long-time outdoor enthusiasts and authors of many other guides to outdoor activities in the upstate New York. In "Take a Paddle Finger Lakes: Quiet Water for Canoes and Kayaks in New York's Finger Lakes" they have created is a thoroughly 'user friendly' map-filled guide for beginning and intermediate paddlers, as well as anyone else who enjoys the unique pleasures of flat-water paddling. "Take a Paddle Finger Lakes" covers 64 specific locations throughout the beautiful Finger Lakes region of New York, with 35 ponds and lakes and over 370 miles of streams and rivers to explore. Comprehensively detailed and 'real world' practical, "Take a Paddle Finger Lakes" includes locations of launch and take-out sites, difficulty level of each waterway, nearby campsites, canoe and kayak rental locations, even websites for current water conditions, and much more. Paddle the historic Erie Canal, inlets to the majestic Finger Lakes themselves, the broad Susquehanna River and many other classic paddles in this region. Ideal for family paddles or a quiet day on the water, "Take a Paddle Finger Lakes" is an indispensable guide for any canoer or kayaker in the region, highly recommended for personal and community library Travel Guide collections, and an invaluable resource for planning day trips or extended vacations in New York's Finger Lakes area.


The Education Shelf

Renew!
Shawna Coppola
Stenhouse Publishers
480 Congress Street, Portland, ME 04101-3451
9781625311047, $21.33, www.stenhouse.com

Renew! Become a Better - and More Authentic - Writing Teacher builds upon three basic principles - rethinking, revising, and renewing - to consider how traditional writing practices can be rewritten for greater effect. Writing teachers receive encouragement to revise their approaches in a book that considers how writing instruction matches student needs and interests, and which shows how to better adjust goals. As chapters cover the process of identifying places to revise writing instruction, they survey how to better engage modern students and how to revitalize tools used for teaching writing. No creative writing or English teacher should be without this.

Strategies That Work, third edition
Stephanie Harvey & Anne Goudvis
Stenhouse Publishers
480 Congress Street, Portland, ME 04101-3451
www.stenhouse.com
9781625310637, $44.93, PB, 298pp, www.amazon.com

Now in a newly updated and expanded third edition, "Strategies That Work: Teaching Comprehension for Engagement, Understanding, and Building Knowledge, Grades K-8" by education specialists Stephanie Harvey and Anne Goudvis offer insightful perspectives on how to explicitly teach thinking strategies so that students become engaged, thoughtful, independent readers. This new edition of "Strategies That Work" is comprised of thirty new lessons and new and revised chapters that shine a light on children's thinking, curiosity, and questions. Of special note is a new chapter on building knowledge through thinking-intensive reading and learning. Other fully revised chapters focus on digital reading, strategies for integrating comprehension and technology, and comprehension across the curriculum. This new edition is organized around three sections: Part I provides readers with a solid introduction to reading comprehension instruction, including the principles that guide practice, suggestions for text selection, and a review of recent research that underlies comprehension instruction; Part II contains lessons to put these principles into practice for all areas of reading comprehension; Part III shows you how to integrate comprehension instruction across the curriculum and the school day, particularly in science and social studies. Updated bibliographies, including the popular "Great Books for Teaching Content," are accessible online. This third edition of "Strategies That Work" is an essential and core addition to school district, college and university Teacher Education instructional reference collections, as well as the personal reading lists of both new teachers and experienced teachers alike.

Making Classroom Assessments Reliable and Valid
Robert J. Marzano
Solution Tree
555 North Morton Street, Bloomington, IN 47404
www.solution-tree.com
9781945349171, $29.95, PB, 176pp, www.amazon.com

"Making Classroom Assessments Reliable and Valid" by Robert J. Marzano (who is the cofounder and CAO of Marzano Research in Denver, Colorado with 48 years in the field of education) maintains that classroom assessments should become the primary method for formally measuring student learning over other types of assessment in education. Marzano identifies and explains the key advantages of classroom assessments over interim, end-of-course, and state assessments in how to assess student learning and measure growth over time. Marzano also addresses the validity and reliability of classroom assessments and how to improve those metrics before bringing them to their rightful place in K-12 assessments. "Making Classroom Assessments Reliable and Valid" outlines how to revamp validity and reliability to match technical advances made in classroom assessment. Using "Making Classroom Assessments Reliable and Valid", teachers, schools, and districts can design classroom assessments that are equally if not more reliable and valid than traditional large-scale assessments. "Making Classroom Assessments Reliable and Valid" covers: The history of large-scale assessments in US education and the purpose of standardized testing; Inspects the importance of and future role of classroom assessment; Explores the three mathematical models of reliability, as well as the three major types of validity; Understanding the principles of assessment for learning and the importance of measuring students individual and comparative growth; Using the provided formulas to create classroom assessments that match traditional interim or end-of-year assessments in reliability and validity. Impressively organized and presented from beginning to end, "Making Classroom Assessments Reliable and Valid" is an especially recommended addition to school district, college, and university Teacher Education collections and supplemental studies reading lists.

Developing Readers in the Academic Disciplines, second edition
Doug Buehl
Stenhouse Publishers
480 Congress Street, Portland, ME 04101-3451
www.stenhouse.com
9781625311214, $46.67, PB, 342pp, www.amazon.com

Being literate in an academic discipline means more than simply being able to read and comprehend text; it means you can think, speak, and write as a historian, scientist, mathematician, or artist. Now in a newly revised and expanded second edition, "Developing Readers in the Academic Disciplines" by Doug Buehl strips away the one-size-fits-all approach to content area literacy and presents a much-needed instructional model for disciplinary literacy, showing how to mentor middle and high school learners to become "academic insiders" who are college and career ready. "Developing Readers in the Academic Disciplines" shows classroom teachers how to help their students adjust their thinking to comprehend a range of complex texts that fall outside their reading comfort zones. "Developing Readers in the Academic Disciplines" provides the following supports for teachers with respect to: Instructional tools that adapt generic literacy practices to discipline-specific variations; Strategies for frontloading instruction to activate and build background knowledge; New approaches for encouraging inquiry around disciplinary texts; In-depth exploration of the role of argumentation in informational text; Numerous examples from science, mathematics, history and social studies, English/language arts, and related arts to show you what vibrant learning looks like in various classroom settings. Impressively informative and insightful, "Developing Readers in the Academic Disciplines" is thoroughly 'user friendly' in its organization and presentation, making it unreservedly recommended for school district, college, and university library Teacher Education instructional reference collections and supplemental studies reading lists.

A Professional's Guide to Promoting Self-discovery in Youth
Lissa Masters
Charles C. Thomas, Publisher
2600 South First Street, Springfield, IL 62704
http://www.ccthomas.com
9780398091842, $38.95, PB, 390pp, www.amazon.com

It is the premise of registered art therapist Lissa masters that education is the alchemical key to the evolution and enlightenment of humanity. "A Professional's Guide to Promoting Self-discovery in Youth: A Creative-Based Curriculum" is comprised of forty lessons that guide students through an exploration of the four domains of the self: physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual. Each individual lesson provides expressive art activities to enhance the process and to generate meaningful content. "A Professional's Guide to Promoting Self-discovery in Youth" consists of four sections, each of which offers detailed, easy-to-read, and easy-to-follow instructions. The contents comprising "A Professional's Guide to Promoting Self-discovery in Youth" offer children a foundational program of self-exploration, an important support for all other learning that will take place in preparation for adulthood. In addition, there is an extensive appendix with templates for Healthy Eating Plate, Medicine Wheel, and a Certificate of Participation. As well as, Group Warm-up Ideas, The Emergence of a New Educational Paradigm in America, and Suggested Readings. "A Professional's Guide to Promoting Self-discovery in Youth" is an unreservedly recommended curriculum textbook, especially for schools adopting holistic principles with respect to educating their students.

Empower Your Students
Lauren Porosoff & Jonathan Weinstein
Solution Tree
555 North Morton Street, Bloomington, IN 47404
www.solution-tree.com
9781945349249, $34.95, PB, 248pp, www.amazon.com

The collaborative effort of Lauren Porosoff (who teaches middle school English at the Ethical Culture Fieldston School in Bronx, New York) and Jonathan Weinstein (who is a clinical psychologist with the Veterans Administration), Empower Your Students: Tools to Inspire a Meaningful School Experience, Grades 6-12" is a complete instruction manual for showing teachers (regardless of the subject matter being taught) how to motivate their students in the classroom, using the elements of 'EMPOWER' -- Exploration, Motivation, Participation, Openness, Willingness, Empathy, and Resilience. By following the 'tips, tricks and techniques' outlined in this thoroughly 'user friendly' instructional, school teachers can provide a positive, meaningful experience in their students lives while cultivating intrinsic motivation. A highly practical resource offering enjoyable, engaging classroom activities, as well as a number of strategies for refining teaching practices, incorporating student values into course content, fostering the development of soft skills, and deeply connecting with learners, "Empower Your Students" covers: Understanding what values are and how they are different from preferences and goals; Discovering how to help students determine which values they want to enact at school and in life; Examining how to incorporate values work into the classroom curriculum in all disciplines; Exploring examples of classroom experiences that highlight the importance of student empowerment; Learning how to bring your own values to the classroom to become a better teacher and colleague. An ideal curriculum text for school district teacher education programs, "Empower Your Students" should be a part of every college and university library Teacher Education instructional reference collection. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of student teachers and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "Empower Your Students" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $33.20).

Beyond Reform
Lindsay Unified School District
Marzano Research Laboratory
555 N. Morton St., Bloomington, IN 47404
http://www.marzanoresearch.com
9781943360116, $19.95, PB, 176pp, www.amazon.com

Lindsay Unified School District (LUSD), located in California's Central Valley, serves over four thousand students in the city of Lindsay and its surrounding area. LUSD's implementation of performance-based education has become a model and an inspiration for schools and districts around the country. With the publication of "Beyond Reform: Systemic Shifts Toward Personalized Learning -Shift from a Traditional Time-Based Education System to a Learner-Centered Performance-Based System" it has created a detailed resource revealing how Lindsay Unified took action to improve student learning by shifting from a traditional time-based education system to a learner-centered performance-based system. By adopting and tailoring Lindsay Unified's instructional model, you and your team can embark on your own district's transformation toward establishing a revised education system that empowers and motivates all students to succeed. Readers will be able to: Consider Lindsay Unified's core values and visions for leadership, curriculum, assessment, learning, and technology; Meet Lindsay Unified students and see how the district's performance-based system transformed their learning; Explore core value rubrics that school staff can use to reflect on personal leadership growth, frame important conversations, and provide feedback; Study Lindsay; Unified's instructional model, which helps align the district's instructional decisions with its unified instructional vision; Download a free reproducible checklist for shifting to a performance-based system and lists of recommended strategies for ensuring a successful district transformation. A critically important and invaluable contribution to K-12 public school administration collections on the college and university level, it should be noted for the personal reading lists of school district administrators, school board policy makers, classroom teachers, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "Beyond Reform" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $16.52).

The Best 382 Colleges: 2018 Edition
Robert Franek, Kristen O'Toole, David Soto
The Princeton Review
c/o Random House Inc.
1745 Broadway, New York NY 10019
www.PrincetonReview.com
9781524710224, $24.99, PB, 880pp, www.amazon.com

The Princeton Review's college rankings started in 1992 with surveys from 30,000 students. Over 25 years and more than a million student surveys later, it is clear that there is no single "best" college, only the best college for a particular student. This updated 2018 Edition of "The Best 382 Colleges" is the single best guide available to graduating high school students and their parents. "The Best 382 Colleges" features 382 in-depth school profiles based on candid feedback from 137,000 students, covering academics, administration, campus life, and financial aid, while offering insights on unique college character, social scene, and more. Featured are: Lists of the top 20 colleges in 62 categories based on students' opinions of academics, campus life, facilities, and much more; Ratings for every school on Financial Aid, Selectivity, and Quality of Life; Bonus list of the 200 "best-value" schools featured in Colleges That Pay You Back; The "Inside Word" on competitive applications, test scores, tuition, and average indebtedness; Comprehensive information on selectivity, freshman profiles, and application deadlines at each school. Simply stated, "The Best 382 Colleges: 2018 Edition" is unreservedly recommended as a core and essential college reference guide for highschool, community, and academic library collections.

No Kidding About Bullying
Naomi Drew
Free Spirit Publishing
6325 Sandburg Road, Suite 100, Minneapolis, MN 55427-3674
www.freespirit.com
9781631981807, $39.99, PB, 304pp, www.amazon.com

With new lessons, an added foreword, and a revised introduction, this updated edition of "No Kidding About Bullying: 126 Ready-to-Use Activities to Help Kids Manage Anger, Resolve Conflicts, Build Empathy, and Get Along" by Naomi Drew (who is an expert on conflict resolution and peacemaking) gives classroom teachers, school administrators, and youth leaders hands-on activities to prevent bullying in schools and help children in grades 3 - 6 cope with the effects of bullying when it does occur. Based on a nationwide survey of more than 2,000 students and teachers, "No Kidding About Bullying" is a flexible resource can be used alone or as a complement to anti-bullying and character education programs already in place. Each of the 126 lessons may be completed in 20 minutes or less and include games, role-plays, group discussions, art projects, and language arts exercises that build respect, empathy, and kindness. Digital content includes student handouts from the book and bonus materials. Thoroughly 'real world practical' and user friendly in organization and presentation, "No Kidding About Bullying" is unreservedly recommended for school district, college, and university library Teacher Education collections in general, and Anti-Bullying supplemental studies reading lists in particular.

Renew!
Shawna Coppola
Stenhouse Publishers
480 Congress Street, Portland, ME 04101-3451
www.stenhouse.com
9781625311047, $21.33, PB, 113pp, www.amazon.com

The basic premise of "Renew!: Become a Better and More Authentic Writing Teacher" by K - 6 literacy specialist Shawna Coppola is that students are ever-changing, and so is the global landscape. While there is nothing inherently wrong with relying on instructional strategies that have worked in the past, "Renew!" challenges writing teachers to revise and renew their professional practice regularly. By looking at whether a practice matches students' needs and interests and examining whether it fits into what we know about children and learning and then adjusting our teaching accordingly, we can nurture students to become critical thinkers, problem solvers, and risk takers in the writing classroom and beyond. "Renew!" uses a framework of Rethinking, Revising, and Renewing to examine the most pervasive educational practices in writing instruction and to help ask the questions necessary in order to revise those practices so that they are effective for all students. "Renew!" instructively examines some of the most ubiquitous practices, including what it means to write, the tools used to teach writing, and how writing is assessed. "Renew!" also offers 'real world practical' ideas for how teachers can nurture their own writing lives and thus reinvigorate their instructional practice. Impressively informative, exceptionally well written, organized and presented, "Renew!" is unreservedly recommended for school district, college, and university library Teacher Education instructional reference collections and supplemental studies reading lists.

Educational Freedom
Neal McCluskey & Jason Bedrick, editors
Cato Institute
1000 Massachusetts Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20001-5403
www.cato.org
9781944424527, $12.46, PB, 152pp, www.amazon.com

Though his life was cut tragically short in 2016, Andrew Coulson had a remarkable impact on education policy. As director of the Cato Institute's Center for Educational Freedom from 2005 to 2015, he consistently advocated for free-market reforms that would make schools more flexible, innovative, and responsive to parents and students. "Educational Freedom: Remembering Andrew Coulson - Debating His Ideas" is newly published volume from the Cato Institute in which prominent education thinkers commemorate his legacy with explorations, expansions, and critiques of his ideas. While very highly recommended for both community and academic library Educational Policy collections and supplemental studies reading lists, it should be noted for the personal reading lists of students and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "Educational Freedom: Remembering Andrew Coulson - Debating His Ideas" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $3.99).


The Fantasy/SciFi Shelf

Fata Morgana
Steven R. Boyett & Ken Mitchroney
Blackstone Publishing
31 Mistletoe Road, Ashland, OR 97520
www.BlackstoneAudio.com
9781504757447, $26.99, HC, 384pp, www.amazon.com

At the height of the air war in Europe, Captain Joe Farley and the baseball-loving, wisecracking crew of the B-17 Flying Fortress Fata Morgana are in the middle of a harrowing bombing mission over East Germany when everything goes sideways. The bombs are still falling and flak is still exploding all around the 20-ton bomber as it is knocked like a bathtub duck into another world. Suddenly stranded with the final outcasts of a desolated world, Captain Farley navigates a maze of treachery and wonder -- and finds a love seemingly decreed by fate -- as his bomber becomes a pawn in a centuries-old conflict between remnants of advanced but decaying civilizations. Caught among these bitter enemies, a vast power that has brought them here for its own purposes, and a terrifying living weapon bent on their destruction, the crew must use every bit of their formidable inventiveness and courage to survive. An epic and original science fiction novel of love and duty at war across the reach of time, "Fata Morgana" is an extraordinarily entertaining read from cover to cover and unreservedly recommended, especially for community library Science Fiction collections. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of dedicated science fiction fans that "Fata Morgana" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $4.68). Librarians should note that there is a complete and unabridged audio book edition of "Fata Morgana" (Blackstone Audio, 9781504750622, $29.95, MP3 CD).

The Last Magician
Lisa Maxwell
Simon Pulse
c/o Simon and Schuster
1230 Avenue of the Americas, 14th fl., New York, NY 10020
9781481432078, $18.99, www.simonandschuster.com/teen

While The Last Magician is intended for a teen audience, it's reviewed here because mature teens to adult readers will equally find it a compelling story of magic and mayhem set in a New York where magic is all but gone. Its young protagonist, Esta, is a thief in this world, specializing in stealing magical artifacts from the Order and talented due to her ability to traverse time. But as she reaches back into a bygone world in search of these relics, a Magician looms and events threaten not only Esta's world of the future, but the worlds of the past. This engrossing, complex story will keep all ages enthralled.

Baen Books
PO Box 1188, Wake Forest NC 27588
www.baen.com

Robert Conroy and J.R. Dunn's The Day After Gettysburg: The South Strikes Back (9781481482516, $25.00) presents a fine alternate history scenario in which General Robert E. Lee retaliates after Gettysburg by launching a counterattack that pushes back the Union Army and thwarts surrender. At the same time as an actor has President Lincoln in his sights, major Steve Thorne, a lawyer who has become a Union fighter, and others find themselves in a battle for liberty that decidedly does not parallel the history we're familiar with. Fans of alternate history will find this an absorbing story. Eric Flint, Gorg Huff and Paula Goodlett's The Alexander Inheritance (9781481482486, $25.00) tells of the circumstances surrounding the third catastrophe hitting the planet and sending pieces of it back in time - this time affecting a cruise ship in the Caribbean whose passengers discover they've been transported to a strange world some 2,000 in the past, when Greek civilization was spreading around the world. Can crew and passengers of the Queen of the Sea survive this bloody world, much less find their way back home? An engrossing saga comes to life in a different kind of time-slip saga. Travis S. Taylor and Jody Lynn Nye's Moonbeam (9781481482523, $18.99) tells of teen farm girl Barbara who has been selected to participate in a reality show that will bring her to the Moon as one of a doctor's six students. Barbara faces amazing challenges and a new future on this remote Moon frontier - one that will require this loner to not only become part of a team effort, but which holds the potential for exposing a miracle. Young adult to adult sci-fi readers will find this an engrossing tale.


The Biography Shelf

The Unexpected President
Scott S. Greenberger
Da Capo Press
www.dacapopress.com
c/o Perseus Book Group
250 W. 57th St., Suite 1500, New York, NY 10107
www.perseusbooksgroup.com
9780306823893 $28.00 hc / $18.99 Kindle amazon.com

Thoroughly accessible to lay readers and scholars alike, The Unexpected President: The Life and Times of Chester A. Arthur tells the remarkable true story of America's 21st president, Chester A. Arthur (1829-1886), who served in office from 1881-1885 after president James A. Garfield was assassinated. A product of the New York political machine, Chester A. Arthur was widely criticized as unfit to govern - yet when he inherited the highest office in the land, he directly opposed the corruption that had controlled him for decades. He presided over civil service reform, signing into law and actively enforcing legislation to do away with the "spoils system" that used to dole out major political offices as juicy rewards. What brought out the honest within the generational crony? Biographer Scott S. Greenberger examines the positive influence of a little-known, bedridden young woman named Julia Sand, who wrote Arthur nearly two dozen letters urging him to prioritize the country ahead of his party, and find "the spark of true nobility" within. The Unexpected President is the extraordinary tale of a largely forgotten Gilded Age politician who found his conscience and his resolve when his country needed him most, and highly recommended for both public and college library biography and American History collections.

Until Antietam
Jack C. Mason
Southern Illinois University Press
1915 University Press Drive, SIUC Mail Code 6806, Carbondale, IL 62901
www.siupress.com
9780809336111 $22.50 pbk / $21.38 Kindle amazon.com

Until Antietam: The Life and Letters of Major General Israel B. Richardson, U.S. Army is an in- depth biography of Israel B. Richardson, who served as a Union general in the American Civil War until his fatal injury at the Battle of Antietam. Author Jack Mason encountered an unprecedented discovery when researching Richardson's life - more than one hundred previously unpublished letters from Richardson to his family, spanning Richardson's time as a West Pont cadet until the day before his lethal injury at Antietam. Richardson was a leader whose laid-back view of military rules earned him the goodwill of his men, and his leadership skills were just beginning to catch the eyes of his superiors when his life abruptly ended. Thorough, meticulous, and engrossing, Until Antietam is enthusiastically recommended for public and college library Civil War and Biography collections.

Stewart L. Udall: Steward of the Land
Thomas G. Smith
University of New Mexico Press
MSC05 3185, 1 University of New Mexico, Albuquerque NM 87131-0001
www.unmpress.com
9780826357755 $34.95 hc / $24.73 Kindle amazon.com

Expertly researched and presented by Thomas G. Smith (professor emeritus of history, Nichols College), Stewart L. Udall: Steward of the Land is the first biography of three-term member of Congress and secretary of the interior during the Kennedy and Johnson cabinets, Stewart L. Udall (1920-2010). Udall championed wilderness preservation, as well as reforming the seniority system in Congress, limiting the production and testing of nuclear weapons, and helping oppressed people of emerging nations. Extensive notes, a bibliography, and an index round out this studious, in-depth, yet thoroughly accessible and engaging life story of a passionate public servant. Highly recommended, especially for public and college library biography collections.

A Missouri Railroad Pioneer
Joel P. Rhodes
University of Missouri Press
113 Heinkel Bldg., 201 S. 7th St., Columbia, MO 65211
www.umsystem.edu/upress
9780826217981 $50 hc
9780826221414 $TBA pbk / $16.89 Kindle amazon.com

Expertly researched and detailed by author Joel P. Rhodes (professor in the History Department of Southeast Missouri State University), A Missouri Railroad Pioneer: The Life of Louis Houck is a thoughtful and studious biography of lawyer, journalist, entrepreneur, and philanthropist Louis Houck, known as the "Father of Southeast Missouri" because his efforts brought the railroad and industrialization to the state. In addition to economic development, he promoted art, culture, and formal education for all social classes. Enhanced with a bibliography and an index, A Missouri Railroad Pioneer will prove fascinating to scholars and lay readers alike, and is especially recommended for college and public library biography or American history collections.

A Forgotten Man
Geoffrey Elliott
I. B. Tauris Publishers
www.ibtauris.com
9781784538408, $30.00, HC, 264pp, www.amazon.com

John Lodwick (1916-1959) was one of the great novelists of the early twentieth century. Yet his novels, and indeed his own extraordinary life story, have been virtually lost to the mists of time. In "A Forgotten Man: The Life and Death of John Lodwick", independent writer and historian Geoffrey Elliott pieces together Lodwick's eventful life beginning with his youth in Ireland, then going on to his wartime experiences in the SOE and Special Boat Service, his subsequent literary career, and his untimely death in a car crash in Spain at the age of just 43. Initially acclaimed by Somerset Maugham and Anthony Burgess, soon after his death Lodwick's novels fell out of fashion and they have largely remained out-of-print since. Elliott makes the case for a revival in the fortunes of this singular English novelist, in a deftly crafted biography which sheds new light on the early twentieth century literary scene, the surrealist art world and the real-life experiences of World War II. Impressively informative and exceptionally well written, organized and presented, "A Forgotten Man" is an invaluable and highly recommended addition to both community and academic library Biography collections in general, and John Lodwick supplemental studies reading lists in particular.

The Million Dollar Man
Thomas Brennan
Regent Press
2747 Regent St., Berkeley, CA 94705
9781587904011 $19.95 www.regentpress.net

The Million Dollar Man: Jack Dempsy is a sports-focused biography of American heavyweight boxer Jack Dempsy (1895-1983). Dempsy left home at age fifteen, worked grueling jobs as a miner, and got into fights with anyone and everyone before he found his calling as a professional boxer. His success and savagery drew attention - and ticket sales. In 1921, Dempsy made history with the first "million dollar gate", i.e. the first boxing event to earn over a million dollars in revenue. Chronicling the turbulent and sometimes controversial life of a truly extraordinary fighter, The Million Dollar Man is utterly fascinating and highly recommended.

ALBRIGHT: The Life and Times of John J. Albright
Mark Goldman
Buffalo Heritage Press
266 Elmwood Avenue, Suite 407, Buffalo, NY 14222
www.buffaloheritage.com
9781942483359, $45.95 HC, 149pp, www.amazon.com

John Joseph Albright (1 January 1848 Buchanan, Virginia - 20 August 1931 Buffalo, New York) was a businessman, philanthropist, and one of Buffalo's leading socialites at the turn of the 20th century. "ALBRIGHT: The Life and Times of John J. Albright " is the inherently fascinating story of the elusive man who brought steel to Buffalo, harnessed the power of Niagara Falls, and gave Buffalo its most treasured gift, the Albright Art Gallery. To uncover and relate the personal history of this remarkable individual required a long and circuitous journey by biographer Mark Goldman that would range from small town archives, to big city libraries, to tracking down Albright descendents in New York, New Jersey and Massachusetts, to sifting through the many layers of mystery which have for so long shrouded this enigmatic man. The result is a beautiful, illustrated biography of industrialist and philanthropist John J. Albright that reveals the memorable story of a man and the turn-of-the-century city in which he lived. Exquisite photographs by Susan Fuller Albright enhance this outstanding biography that is unreservedly recommended for both community and academic library American Biography collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "ALBRIGHT: The Life and Times of John J. Albright" is also available in a paperback edition (9781942483342, $35.95).


The Railroading Shelf

Steam at Work
Fred Kerr
Pen & Sword Books
https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk
Casemate (distributor)
1940 Lawrence Road, Havertown, PA 19083
www.casematepublishers.com
9781473896574, $39.95, HC, 127pp, www.amazon.com

Fred Kerr was introduced to the world of industrial railways in 1956 when his parents moved from Edinburgh to Corby in Northamptonshire, where the local steelworks offered a mix of locomotives from several manufacturers. When steam traction finished on BR in August 1968, Fred's interest in railways continued with diesel and electric traction, whilst retaining a passing interest in industrial locomotives through his visits to the heritage lines which were initiated in the post-Beeching era. When Fred converted to digital photography in 2001, he visited many heritage lines as he sought to gain experience in the digital world. When he looked back after a decade of digital photography, he noted that industrial locomotives were still at work on many heritage lines throughout the UK. He also noted that during the 1960s the effort to preserve mainline steam traction had overlooked the availability of industrial locomotives, leading to the scrapping of many locomotives with both a story to tell and an incomplete working life. The result is "Steam at Work: Preserved Industrial Locomotives " is a beautifully and profusely illustrated compendium that pays tribute to industrial locomotives which are still at work by detailing the manufacturers of these workhorses and the locomotives which they built; identifying their working lives where possible; showing their entry into preservation and paying tribute to those heritage lines which appreciated the value of these unsung heroes of the Industrial Revolution by buying the 'scrap' locomotives then restoring and preserving them for the benefit of future generations. A unique and highly recommended addition to both community and academic library History of Railroading collections and supplemental studies lists, it should be noted for the personal reading lists of dedicated railroading buffs that "Steam at Work: Preserved Industrial Locomotives" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $23.97).


The Gardening Shelf

The Salad Garden
Joy Larkcom
Frances Lincoln Publishers
c/o Quarto Publishing Group
400 First Avenue North, Suite 400, Minneapolis, MN 55401-1722
www.quartoknows.com
www.franceslincoln.com
9780711238701, $24.99, PB, 288pp, www.amazon.com

In this nicely illustrated edition of "The Salad Garden", gardening expert Joy Larkcom draws upon her years of experience to deftly craft a definitive guide to growing over 200 salad plants in gardens of all sizes! "The Salad Garden" covers everything necessary for growing a personal or family garden filled with all manner of salad greens. Featuring the best growing techniques, and the best which varieties of plants based upon personal palette preferences, "The Salad Garden" also includes instruction on making a beautifully designed potager garden. Whether you have space for intricate walkways, or are growing in a window box, "The Salad Garden" will prove to be a thoroughly 'user friendly' instructional for even the most novice of gardeners. While unreservedly and enthusiastically recommended for community library Gardening instructional reference collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "The Salad Garden" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $16.10).

Urban Flowers
Carolyn Dunster, author
Jason Ingram, photographer
Frances Lincoln Publishers
c/o Quarto Publishing Group
400 First Avenue North, Suite 400, Minneapolis, MN 55401-1722
www.quartoknows.com
www.franceslincoln.com
9780711238626, $29.99, HC, 192pp, www.amazon.com

Creating color and interest in a small urban garden by growing a range of flowers and other decorative plants brings with it many rewards. In "Urban Flowers: Creating Abundance in a Small City Garden" Carolyn Dunster (who trained in floristry with Jane Packer and now works as a florist and planting designer, running her business, Urban Flowers, from her home in north London) shows aspiring gardeners what to grow and how to use their own blooms, leaves and berries in a range of indoor displays and hand-tied bouquets. Locally-grown flowers in season is a significant and welcome trend in floristry. The most local, seasonal flowers, which are the most satisfying to give and to display, are the ones that are 'home grown' -- and in "Urban Flowers" Carolyn Dunster shows how to do this in even the smallest of urban and suburban spaces. Beautifully and profusely illustrated throughout with the color photography of Jason Ingram, and unreservedly recommended for community library Gardening collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Urban Flowers" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $14.98).

Square Foot Gardening: Growing Perfect Vegetables
Mel Bartholomew
Cool Springs Press
c/o Quarto Publishing Group USA
400 First Avenue North, Suite 400, Minneapolis, MN 55401-1722
www.quartoknows.com
9781591866831, $17.99, PB, 160pp, www.amazon.com

For urban and suburban families, Square Foot Gardening is the most popular alternate gardening method in the world, and "Growing Perfect Vegetables" is a superbly written, organized and presented instructional guide and manual that gets to the root of what every gardener wants -- perfect produce, and lots of it! Whether you grow in a Square Foot Garden, a straw bale garden, containers, or a traditional garden plot, you'll be happy to have "Square Foot Gardening: Growing Perfect Vegetables" is an exceptionally helpful gardening book enabling even the most novice of gardeners to approach harvest time with confidence. In "Square Foot Gardening: Growing Perfect Vegetables", aspiring gardeners will find hundreds of beautiful photos that show exactly how produce should look when perfectly ripe, and ready for picking and buying. Of special note are the tips and clues to help novice gardeners to interpret what their plants are trying to tell them about the fruit they are bearing. Providing crucial information that includes optimal planting and harvesting times for more than 60 fruits and vegetables, along with the many high resolution photos of perfectly ripe produce, "Square Foot Gardening: Growing Perfect Vegetables" is thoroughly 'user friendly' and highly recommended for community library Contemporary Gardening collections and supplemental studies lists. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of aspiring gardeners that "Square Foot Gardening: Growing Perfect Vegetables " is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).

Gardens of the High Line
Piet Oudolf & Rick Darke
www.rickdarke.com
Timber Press
133 S.W. Second Avenue, Suite 450, Portland OR 97204-3527
www.timberpress.com
9781604696998, $40.00, PB, 320pp, www.amazon.com

A knowledgeable field ecologist and horticulturist, Rick Darke heads RICK DARKE LLC (www.rickdarke.com) a Pennsylvania USA-based consulting firm specializing in landscape ethics, photography, and contextual design. Darke's work blends art, ecology, horticulture, and cultural geography in the creation, conservation, and management of broadly functional living landscapes. Piet Oudolf is an innovative garden designer of some thirty years standing and a leading exponent of naturalist planting. With the publication of "Gardens of the High Line: Elevating the Nature of Modern Landscapes" Darke and Oudolf collaboratively draw upon their decades of experience and expertise to present the story of the High Line rail corridor that was an untouched, abandoned landscape overgrown with wildflowers. Today it is much more than that; it has become a central plaza, a cultural center, a walkway, and a green retreat in a bustling city that is free for all to enjoy. But above all else, it is a beautiful, dynamic garden with plantings designed by Piet Oudolf. Beautifully and profusely illustrated from cover to cover, "Gardens of the High Line" offers an in-depth view into the planting designs, plant palette, and maintenance of this landmark achievement. It reveals a four-season garden that is filled with native and exotic plants, drought-tolerant perennials, and grasses that thrive and spread. It also offers inspiration and advice to home gardeners and garden designers looking to recreate its iconic, naturalistic style. A unique and impressively informative study, "Gardens of the High Line" is unreservedly recommended and will prove to be an enduringly popular addition to both community and academic library Gardening and Landscaping collections and supplemental studies lists. It should be noted for personal reading lists of students and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "Gardens of the High Line" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $17.55).


The Computer Shelf

The Manga Guide to Microprocessors
Michio Shibuya, Takashi Tonagi, and Office Sawa
No Starch Press
245 - 8th Street, San Francisco, CO 94103-3910
www.nostarch.com
9781593278175 $24.95 amazon.com

Part of the excellent "Manga Guide" series designed to make science, technology, engineering, and math more accessible to readers by incorporating manga (comics drawn in the animated style of Japanese pop culture) into their lessons, The Manga Guide to Microprocessors is an in-depth guide to the internal workings of the CPU within all computers, phones, and modern electronic devices. The story of world-class shogi (a Japanese board game often compared to chess) player Ayumi who loses a match to a computer - and vows to learn all she can about her new nemesis. The Manga Guide to Microprocessors alternates manga with text and smaller illustrations designed to illuminate technical concepts. The result is an in-depth, scientific guide highly recommended for computer science students and intrigued lay readers alike. Chapters cover how computers perform arithmetic operations and store information; logic gates and how they're used in integrated circuits; assembly language and how it differs from high-level programming languages; and much more. The Manga Guide to Microprocessors is especially recommended, for public school and college library collections, both for its educational content and its reader- friendly format!

Procedural Generation in Game Design
Tanya X. Short & Tarn Adams, editors
CRC Press
6000 NW Broken Sound Parkway NW, Suite 300, Boca Raton, FL 33487
www.crcpress.com
9781138743311, $149.95, HC, 336pp, www.amazon.com

Making a computer based video game is an intensive process that if not planned accurately can easily run over budget. The use of procedural generation in game design can help with the intricate and multifarious aspects of game development; thus facilitating cost reduction. This form of development enables games to create their play areas, objects and stories based on a set of rules, rather than relying on the developer to handcraft each element individually. Collaboratively compiled and co-edited by Tanya X. Short (Director of Kitfox Games, the indie game studio behind Moon Hunters and Shattered Planet) and Tarn Adams (wo is best known as the developer of Dwarf Fortress since 2002 with his older brother Zach), aspiring game designers will learn to create randomized maps, weave accidental plotlines, and manage complex systems that are prone to unpredictable behavior. Comprehensive, informative, and exceptionally well written, organized and presented, "Procedural Generation in Game Design" offers a wide collection of chapters contributed by an impressive variety of game design experts that cover the implementation and enactment of procedural generation in games. Designers from a variety of studios provide concrete examples from their games to illustrate the many facets of this emerging sub-discipline. Highly recommended for academic library Game Design instructional reference collections and supplemental studies reading lists, it should be noted that "Procedural Generation in Game Design" is also available in a paperback edition ( 9781498799195, $59.95) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $47.36).

Murach's Java Programming, fifth edition
Joel Murach, author
Anne Boehm & Mary Delamater, editors
Mike Murach & Associates
4340 North Knoll Avenue, Fresno, CA 93722
www.murach.com
9781943872077, $59.50, PB, 800pp, www.amazon.com

Now in a fully revised and updated fifth edition, "Murach's Java Programming" continues to be a complete and comprehensive course of instruction in programming with Java under one cover. "Murach's Java Programming" presents: Object-oriented features like inheritance, interfaces, and polymorphism in a way that's both understandable and useful in the real world; New coverage of JavaFX, the date/time API, lambdas, and working with SQLite databases; Uses a self-paced approach that works whether you're a beginner or have years of programming experience; Provides a wealth of practical coding examples that enhance training and that provide starting code for new applications; Allows aspiring Java programmers to practice what they have just learned at the end of every chapter, to solidify your skills. Thoroughly 'user friendly' in organization and presentation, "Murach's Java Programming" is unreservedly recommended for personal, professional, community, and academic library Computer Science collections in general, and Java Programming supplemental studies reading lists in particular.

Mercury Learning
www.merclearning.com
c/o Stylus Publishing, Inc.
22883 Quicksilver Drive, Sterling, VA 20166-2012
www.styluspub.com

James R. Parker's Python 3 Pocket Primer (9781683920861, $32.95) is for programmers looking for a quick reference on Python 3 to get them up and running on projects, and covers both basic concepts and real-world applications. After covering how Python works, it includes a chapter on PyGame which teaches programmers to handle graphics and device interactions, and reviews the basics of interfaces and data and communications manipulation in the Python 3 environment. The result includes source code examples and a companion disc with everything on it, and is a recommended pick for any with a programming background looking to work with Python 3 in a manner that builds on prior knowledge and gets them up and running. O. Campesato's Android Pocket Primer (9781683920885, $32.95) covers the latest features of the Android VR and the new Google Pixel phone, and reviews all the basics on the latest versions of Android using code examples. The primer is recommended for self-taught programmers who would learn more about the Android environment and its applications. The result is a survey which acts as both a class supplement, self-study tool, and introduction to the latest Android features. L. Wittenberg's Data Structures and Algorithms in C++ Pocket Primer (9781683920847, $44.95) surveys the basic topics intrinsic to a successful C++ learning experience, and limits itself to only those basics key to those learning C++. Unlike similar self-study books, this primer uses 'literate programming techniques' to present its sample code, and is arranged with an undergrad data course user in mind. All are excellent choices for refresher, at-a-glance reference, or introductory learning.


The Music Shelf

So Much Things to Say
Roger Steffens
W. W. Norton & Company
500 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10110
9780393058451, $29.95, www.wwnorton.com

So Much Things to Say: The Oral History of Bob Marley offers a different set of insights into Marley's world through a discussion contributed by those key to his life and career, moderated by a leading reggae historian, and is a 'must' for any collection seeing interest in Marley's life and times. There are so many Marley biographies and music coverages on the market that one might wonder at the need for yet another; but there's actually much remaining to say about his influences, politics, and musical heritage, and this book's oral history gathers some forty years of interviews to answer many of these different perspectives and versions of his life. A chronological arrangement crafts an authoritative approach that readers will find easy to absorb in a 'must have' for any prior Marley enthusiast.

A Short History of Irish Traditional Music
Gearoid O hAllmhurain
O'Brien Press
c/o Dufour Editions, Inc.
PO Box 7, 124 Byers Road, Chester Springs, PA 19425-0007
www.dufoureditions.com
9781847178732, $14.00, PB, 208pp, www.amazon.com

A leading authority on Irish culture and heritage, Dr Gearoid O hAllmhurain is a 5th generation Irish traditional musician, scholar and former member of the legendary Kilfenora Ceili Band. Over the past 30 years, he has presented more than 1,000 concerts, lectures and workshops on four continents. In "A Short History of Irish Traditional Music" he draws upon his decades of experience and expertise to present an informed and informative single volume study of the history of Irish traditional music, song and dance from the mythological harp of the Dagda right up to Riverdance and beyond. Exploring a wide spectrum of sources, this impressively well written, organized and presented guide uncovers the contribution of the Normans to Irish dancing, the role of the music maker in Penal Ireland, as well as the popularity of dance tunes and set dancing from the end of the 18th century. It also follows the music of the Irish diaspora from as far apart as Newfoundland and the music halls of vaudeville to the musical tapestry of Irish America today. While very highly recommended, especially for community and academic library Irish Music History collections and supplemental studies reading lists, it should be noted for students and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "A Short History of Irish Traditional Music" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $5.77).

Billy Joel: America's Piano Man
Joshua S. Cuchan
Rowman & Littlefield
c/o Rowman & Littlefield Publishing Group
4501 Forbes Blvd., Suite 200, Lanham, MD 20706
www.rowman.com
9781442242050, $40.00, HC, 216pp, www.amazon.com

William Martin Joel (born May 9, 1949) is an American singer-songwriter and pianist who released his first hit song, "Piano Man", in 1973, and became the sixth best-selling recording artist and the third best-selling solo artist in the United States. In "Billy Joel: America's Piano Man", music historian Joshua S. Duchan (who currently teaches courses on music history and ethnomusicology at Wayne State University) looks at the career and music of this remarkable singer-songwriter, exploring the unique ways Joel channels and transforms the cultural life of a changing America over four decades into bestselling song after song and album after album. Original interviews with Billy Joel blend with Duchan's engaging analysis to provide readers of all backgrounds and ages a new look at Billy Joel's unforgettable songs. Music lovers and historians of both the academic and armchair variety will find this exploration of Joel's work a rewarding adventure into America's social, cultural, political, economic, and contemporary American popular music history. While unreservedly recommended for both community and academic library American Music History collections in general, and Billy Joel supplemental studies reading lists in particular, it should be noted for the personal reading lists of fans, students and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "Billy Joel: America's Piano Man" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $30.40).

The Rickenbacker Electric Bass, second edition
Paul D. Boyer
Hal Leonard Performing Arts Publishing
33 Plymouth St, Suite 302, Montclair, NJ 07042
www.halleonardbooks.com
9781495095214, $27.99, PB, 162pp, www.amazon.com

With the introduction of the two-pickup 4001 model in 1961, the Rickenbacker bass became a phenomenon among musicians and their audiences. The Beatles's use of Rickenbacker instruments was pivotal: teen groups everywhere wanted to have the same instruments the Beatles used so they could achieve the "right" sound. With its ultra-modern design that made the classic Fender precision bass look downright old-fashioned, the Rick quickly became a darling of progressive bands that loved its look as much as its different sound. "The Rickenbacker Electric Bass: 50 Years as Rock's Bottom" by Paul D. Boyer (a journalist, photographer, Rickenbacker bass player and collector) is the first book history of this iconic guitar, from its prototypes through its explosion of popularity in such bands as the Beatles, Yes, Deep Purple, and Motorhead, and so many others. Lavishly illustrated with archival shots, "The Rickenbacker Electric Bass" is a must-have for anyone who plays the Rick as well as anyone who plays the bass guitar. Now in a newly revised and expanded second edition, "The Rickenbacker Electric Bass" now features 16 bonus pages with up-to-date information on Rickenbacker's latest electric bass models, more photo coverage of artists playing Ricks, and some eye-popping custom-built iterations of the classic Rickenbacker electric bass. "The Rickenbacker Electric Bass" will prove to be a seminal and core addition to personal, professional, community, and academic library Contemporary American Music History collections.


The Automotive Shelf

1964 Pontiac GTO
David Bonaskiewich
CarTech Inc.
838 Lake Street South, Forest Lake, MN 55025
www.cartechbooks.com
9781613253205, $18.95, PB, 96pp, www.amazon.com

By the mid-1960s, the American automotive market was yearning for faster, more responsive, and sportier cars, and a crew of high-performance enthusiasts at Pontiac recognized this. Large V-8s were commonly installed in full-size cars, but performance was hampered by pure chassis weight. Under the guidance of Bunkie Knudsen, John DeLorean, Bill Collins, and others, Pontiac installed the high-performance 389 V-8 into the nimble and lightweight intermediate-size LeMans chassis. It was a watershed moment for Pontiac; the 1964 GTO delivered astounding performance and created the muscle car blueprint that the Detroit manufacturers followed in the 1960s and 1970s. Profusely illustrated and exceptionally informative, "1964 Pontiac GTO" by David Bonaskiewich is the latest in the Muscle Cars In Detail Series and delivers a comprehensive review of this trend-setting and historic car. The GTO housed a 389 V-8 engine with a single Carter AFB 4-barrel carburetor, and along with dual exhaust and a standard 3-speed or optional 4-speed manual transmission, it supplied extraordinary performance. To improve traction and handling, the GTO was fitted with stiffer springs, larger-diameter front sway bar, and wider wheels. And to give it panache, the GTO was adorned with distinctive badges and hood scoops. The 1964 GTO is a landmark car, and this book goes well beyond the glossy overview of other books about this car. "1964 Pontiac GTO" will prove to be of immense interest to automative historian and fans, making it an enduringly popular addition to personal reading lists and community library Automotive History collections and supplemental studies reading lists. Also very highly recommended in the CarTech 'Muscle Cars In Detail' series is Dan Burill and Denny Aldrige's "1969-1970 Ford Mustang Boss 429" (9781613253168, $18.95, PB, 96pp).


The Civil War Shelf

Horses in Gray: Famous Confederate Warhorses
J. D. R. Hawkins
Pelican Publishing Company
1000 Burmaster Street, Gretna, LA 70053-2246
www.pelicanpub.com
9781455623273, $27.95, PB, 208pp, www.amazon.com

"Horses in Gray: Famous Confederate Warhorses" is a unique and informative contribution to the growing library of American Civil War literature. For the first time, civil war buffs are provided with a comprehensive look at Confederate military horses in the Civil War -- and their lives before, during, and after battle. "Horses in Gray" explains why particular breeds or colors were chosen for specific tasks, what the life expectancy of military horses was, why they died, and the distinct challenges of caring for horses in wartime conditions. Individual chapters focus on how these horses were acquired by their owners, their lineages, the stories behind their names, and the ways in which they were immortalized. Robert E. Lee's Traveller, Stonewall Jackson's Little Sorrel, Forrest's thirty horses, Ashby's Tom Telegraph, and many more are included in this unusual and truly exceptionally history that is unreservedly recommended for the personal reading lists of civil war buffs, as well as both community and academic library American Civil War collections and supplemental studies reading lists.


The Money/Finance Shelf

Solve Your Money Troubles, 16th edition
Amy Loftsgordon & Cara O'Neill
Nolo Press
950 Parker Street, Berkeley, CA 94710
www.nolo.com
9781413321708, $24.99, PB, 392pp, www.amazon.com

For anyone who is facing wage garnishment, car repossession, foreclosure, lawsuits, or collection calls, "Solve Your Money Troubles: Strategies to Get Out of Debt and Stay That Way" provides the legal and practical information needed, plus sample letters and budgeting worksheets, so that they can get out of debt and make a fresh start. Readers will learn how to: prioritize debts and create a budget; understand your options; negotiate with creditors; stop harassment by debt collectors; deal with wage garnishment, car repossession, and foreclosure; reduce student loan payments; know what to expect if a creditor sues you; rebuild credit; decide if bankruptcy is right for you. This newly expanded 16th edition of "Solve Your Money Troubles" is fully updated with changes to federal student loan repayment programs, new foreclosure protections, legal information specific to specific states, and the latest legal developments in the world of debt, credit, and bankruptcy. Of special note is that this edition of "Solve Your Money Troubles: Strategies to Get Out of Debt and Stay That Way" has a supportive website where readers can stay current with legal updates and have access to podcasts and online calculators. While essential reader for anyone struggling to get out of debt, "Solve Your Money Troubles: Strategies to Get Out of Debt and Stay That Way" should be a part of every community and academic library Money Management & Finances collection. For personal reading lists it should be noted that "Solve Your Money Troubles: Strategies to Get Out of Debt and Stay That Way" is a available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.50).


The Art Shelf

Ancient Ivory: Masterpieces of the Assyrian Empire
Georgina Herrman
Thames & Hudson, Inc.
500 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10110-0017
www.thamesandhudsonusa.com
9780500051917, $60.00, HC, 208pp, www.amazon.com

Elephant ivory is a tactile, beautiful, and workable material. It can be made into many different forms and is the strongest material in the animal kingdom. It has been highly prized from the Paleolithic to the present day, and the impact on elephants has been severe. It was the primary reason that the Syrian elephant was hunted to extinction and that today's African elephants are in danger of extinction from the ravages of poachers. During the early first millennium bce (known historically as "The Age of Ivory") literally thousands of carved ivories found their way to the Assyrian capital city of Kalhu, or modern Nimrud, in northern Iraq. The majority were not made there but arrived as gifts, tributes, or booty gathered by the Assyrian kings from the small neighboring states of the ancient Middle Eastern world, with the ivory itself probably sourced from the African elephant. These ivories form a unique and unparalleled record of the art of the Middle East. "Ancient Ivory: Masterpieces of the Assyrian Empire" by Georgina Herrmann (Honorary Professor and Emeritus Reader in Near Eastern Studies at University College London and who for a decade directed the archaeological excavations at Merv, Turkmenistan, a series of medieval settlements on the Silk Road now designated, as a result of her project, a UNESCO World Heritage Site) documents these outstanding works and includes a general history of the art of ancient ivory, creating a resource of exquisite detail and exceptional importance, as so many works have been destroyed or lost in the sacking of the Iraq Museum as well as in the ongoing conflict and destruction of cultural heritage in the region. Beautifully and profusely illustrated with more than 350 full color photographs, "Ancient Ivory: Masterpieces of the Assyrian Empire" is exceptionally informative and an inherently fascinating read from cover to cover -- and unreservedly recommended for personal, community, and academic library Art History collections.

Terra Magna: Labrador
Jean Claude Roy
Breakwater Books
P.O.Box 2188, St. John's, NL, Canada, A1C 6E6
www.breakwaterbooks.com
9781550816839, $59.95, HC, 208pp, www.amazon.com

It took JC Roy years of painstaking dedication and travel to paint a scene from every town on the island of Newfoundland. And after seeing that grand vision made available to all in Fluctuat Nec Mergitur: JC Roy's Newfoundland, Roy headed north to finish the second half of his magnum opus. With Roy's singular brushwork, palette, and vision displayed in gorgeously rendered full-colour reproductions, and text in English, French, Innuaimun, and Inuttitut, "Terra Magna: Labrador" is a magnificent visual tribute to the cultures and landscapes of The Big Land. Elegantly designed and remarkably affordable, this vibrant volume of original and flawless reproduced art completes an imaginative project like no other and stands as an entirely unique testament to one artist's exhaustive and passionate commitment to a place. An absorbing visual experience from cover to cover, "Terra Magna: Labrador" is unreservedly recommended for personal, professional, community, and academic library Contemporary Canadian Art collections and supplemental studies reading lists.

How to Draw Manga in Simple Steps
Yishan Li
Search Press USA
www.searchpressusa.com
c/o Publishers Group West
1700 Fourth Street, Berkeley, CA 94710
9781782214724 $19.95 www.pgw.com

Comic creator Yishan Li presents How to Draw Manga in Simple Steps, a how-to drawing book featuring characters, animals, mythical beasts, and extra-cartoony "chibi" characters in the style of manga (Japanese comics). How to Draw Manga in Simple Steps has almost no text; each page is devoted to showing the step-by-step creation of a figure in eight or more stages - from simple shapes and sketches to the details, and for the final image, the addition of color. How to Draw Manga in Simple Steps is enthusiastically recommended for budding artists of all ages, especially for those who excel at visual-based learning.


The Psychology Shelf

Popular Myths about Memory
Brian H. Bornstein
Lexington Books
c/o Rowman & Littlefield Publishing Group
4501 Forbes Blvd., Suite 200, Lanham, MD 20706
www.rlpgbooks.com
9780739192184, $105.00, HC, 334pp, www.amazon.com

Misconceptions about memory phenomena often go hand-in-hand with popular misrepresentations about the function of memory in movies, novels, television, and other forms of popular media. In "Popular Myths about Memory: Media Representations versus Scientific Evidence", Brian H. Bornstein (Professor of Psychology and Courtesy Professor of law at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln) draws on examples of these media representations to examine a number of memory myths dealing with an array of topics, including memory permanence, recovered memory and repression, amnesia, eyewitness memory, superior memory, and other topics. Professor Bornstein examines how these myths about memory clash with scientific research findings, and discusses the consequences of these myths and possible strategies for debunking them. An exceptionally well written work of seminal scholarship, "Popular Myths about Memory: Media Representations versus Scientific Evidence" is unreservedly for professional and academic library Contemporary Psychology, Media & Cultural Studies collections. For the personal reading lists of students, academics, and non-specialist general readers with an interested in psychology, media and film studies, communication studies, and sociology, it should be noted that "Popular Myths about Memory" is also available in a digital book format (9780739192191, $99.00) from Lexington Books.

Woman's Embodied Self
Joan C. Chrisler & Ingrid Johnston-Robledo
American Psychological Association
750 First Street, NE, Washington, DC 20002-4242
www.apa.org/books
9781433827129, $89.95, HC, 273pp, www.amazon.com

"Woman's Embodied Self: Feminist Perspectives on Identity and Image" by the team of Joan C. Chrisler (Professor of Psychology at Connecticut College, where she teaches courses on the psychology of women, health psychology, and social psychology) and Ingrid Johnston-Robledo (Dean of Arts, Sciences, and Community Engagement at Castleton University in Castleton, Vermont) is compelling and informative examination of how women relate to their bodies and how attitudes toward the body affect women's sense of self. In particular, it documents the disturbing, never-ending barrage of standards used to judge women's bodies. These standards prompt women to pursue life-long body improvement projects, which lead to self-objectification or a negative embodied self. Professor Chrisler and Dean Johnston-Robledo analyze these phenomena using various psychological theories, including objectification theory, stigma theory, terror management theory, and stereotype embodiment theory. Importantly, they also suggest ways to help women and girls achieve a positive embodied self, which includes challenging and resisting pressures to alter and discipline their bodies in unhealthy ways. Unreservedly recommended for college and university library Contemporary Psychology and Women's Studies collections, "Woman's Embodied Self " is an impressively well organized and presented work of seminal scholarship that includes seventy-six pages of References and a twelve page Index.

Existential Psychology and the Way of the Tao
Mark C. Yang, editor
Routledge
711 - 3rd Avenue, Floor 8, New York, NY 10017-9209
www.routledge.com
9781138686991, $155.00, HC, 214pp, www.amazon.com

In ancient China, a revered Taoist sage named Zhuangzi told many parables. Compiled and edited by licensed clinical psychologist Mark C. Yang, "Existential Psychology and the Way of the Tao: Meditations on the Writings of Zhuangzi" is comprised of fourteen erudite articles providing insightful and informative commentary on a selection of these parables. Following each parable, the contributing existential psychologist shares a personal and scholarly reflection on the meaning and relevance of the parable for psychotherapy and contemporary life. All of the major tenets of Zhuangzi's philosophy are featured, including: Taoist concepts of emptiness, stillness, Wu Wei (i.e. intentional non-intentionality), epistemology, dreams and the nature of reality, character building in the midst of pain, meaning and the centrality of relationships, authenticity, self-care, the freedom that can come from one's willingness to confront death, spiritual freedom, and gradations of therapeutic care. A unique compendium of outstanding scholarship that is very highly recommended for academic library Taoist Studies and Psychology collections, it should be noted for the personal reading lists of students and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "Existential Psychology and the Way of the Tao" is also available in a paperback edition (9781138687004, $52.95) as well as in a digital book format (Kindle, $42.36).

Jessica Kingsley Publishers
400 Market Street, Suite 400, Philadelphia, PA 19106
www.jkp.com

Three new books feature very different subjects but important keys to helping special kids through everyday school life. Dr. Siobhan Timmins' Developing Resilience in Young People with Autism Using Social Stories (9781785923296, $12.95) presents insights on using Carol Gray's Social Stories(TM) model. This model is designed to help build coping strategies in young people, and here folks on the autism spectrum benefit from specific strategies geared to them. Parents and professionals working with kids with autism will find this an excellent survey. Lauren Brukner's Self-Control to the Rescue! Super Powers to Help Kids Through the Tough Stuff in Everyday Life (97817859237591, $19.95) pairs black and white cartoon-like illustrations with admonitions about how to cope with challenges during the day, and is directed to kids ages 4-7 to help them hone the exercises and routines that will help them maintain control. Kids and adults who work with them will find these routines receive chatty and specific discussion that's quite accessible and easy to absorb, with plenty of kid-friendly illustrations throughout. Sarah Helton's A Special Kind of Grief (9781785922732, $24.95) provides special education professionals with a resource book designed to help special schools address grief in special kids. From school procedures and support systems to recognizing different forms of grieving and tailoring activities and approaches to help students handle their loss, this is a guide any special needs educator will find specific and easy to employ.


The Interior Design Shelf

Celebrating Canada
Peter E. Baker
The Dundurn Group
3 Church Street, Suite 500, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, M5E 1M2
www.dundurn.com
9781459740327, $65.00, HC, 240pp, www.amazon.com

Inspired by the 150th anniversary of Canadian confederation (the same year recognizing 375 years of settlement in Montreal) Quebec antiques professional Peter E. Baker draws upon his years of experience and expertise to bring life to Canadian history and demonstrates how antiques and folk art can successfully be incorporated into a contemporary lifestyle, providing a home with a unique identity in "Celebrating Canada: Decorating with History in a Contemporary Home". Drawing from a single collection, Baker selects and showcases objects spanning three centuries of Canadian history ranging from the early days of French settlement to the creative boom of late-20th-century folk artists. Amply and beautifully illustrated, deftly and informatively written in a conversational, easy-to-read style, "Celebrating Canada" is not a traditional technical study of antiques representing a specific type or region, rather it is a coffee-table style volume that impressively showcases the story and the artistic merits of each object. An ideal reference for amateur and professional interior design reference collections, "Celebrating Canada" is unreservedly recommended for both community and academic library collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "Celebrating Canada" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $19.24).


The Martial Arts Shelf

Defensive Tactics for Today's Law Enforcement
Stephen K. Hayes & Joe Niehaus
CRC Press
6000 NW Broken Sound Parkway NW, Suite 300, Boca Raton, FL 33487
www.crcpress.com
9781498776677, $69.95, PB, 240pp, www.amazon.com

Few of the many defensive tactics books on the law enforcement training manual market include the training and methods of martial arts. Drawing on the centuries-old techniques of Ninjutsu, "Defensive Tactics for Today's Law Enforcement" by the team of Stephen K. Hayes (who was elected to the prestigious Black Belt Hall of Fame for his years of work introducing Japanese ninja martial arts to the Western world. He was awarded the rare honor of ju-dan 10th degree Black Belt in the historical ninja tradition.) and Joe Niehaus (who spent 36 years in the law enforcement field, retiring as a Lieutenant with the Kettering Police Department in Ohio, where he created the Defensive Tactics Program and developed one of the first Integrated Use of Force training programs in the United States) offers alternatives to the traditional police defensive tactics taught to most officers. "Defensive Tactics for Today's Law Enforcement" stresses relying on natural tendencies in a violent encounter to ensure officer safety and to better utilize the techniques and training officers do receive. By integrating existing training with martial arts expertise, "Defensive Tactics for Today's Law Enforcement" provides officers access a full complement of techniques to better navigate physical conflict safely and effectively. Intended for law enforcement practitioners, as well as practitioners of any other professions that present a personal security risk, "Defensive Tactics for Today's Law Enforcement" is unreservedly recommended for police department, community, and academic library collections, and will be of special interest to non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject with its wealth of information on a diverse range of appropriately lawful defensive tactics.

Tai Chi for Depression
Dr. Aihan Kuhn, CMD, OBT
YMAA Publications
PO Box 480, Wolfeboro, NH 03894-0480
www.ymaa.com
9781594395208 $16.95 pbk / $7.99 Kindle amazon.com

Depression is a serious mental health problem, and requires the care of a trained medical professional. With that understanding in mind, Tai Chi for Depression is a guide to a unique tai chi form combining elements of qigong and meditation, thoroughly accessible to practitioners of all skill and experience levels, and especially invaluable as a supplementary program to help combat depression. Detailed instructions and photographs depict the forms step by step, and suggest a 10-week plan to help readers incorporate Tai Chi into their journey to wellness. An index for ease of use rounds out this highly recommended program for both mental and physical fitness.


The Social Issues Shelf

Machine, Platform, Crowd
Andrew McAfee & Erik Brynjolfsson
W. W. Norton & Company
500 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10110
9780393254297, $28.95, www.wwnorton.com

Machine, Platform, Crowd: Harnessing our Digital Future offers a continuing discussion companion to The Second Machine Age, which predicted some of the effects of modern digital technology on human lives, this time focusing not so much upon prediction as upon sources of digital disruptions in society and how machines are changing minds and products alike. While there is a focus on exploring what technologies have become part of our lives recently, the discussions of their social impacts and how platforms are interacting with customers and vendors in new ways make for particularly intriguing insights into changing business, economic, and technological structures and their ultimate effects on individuals and crowds alike. The result will help readers identify how to apply these technological changes to their own lives - and how to keep up with the pace of change.

Ensuring America's Health
Christy Ford Chapin
Cambridge University Press
32 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10013-2473
www.cambridge.org
9781107044883, $113.00, HC, 369pp, www.amazon.com

"Ensuring America's Health: The Public Creation of the Corporate Health Care System" by Christy Ford Chapin (University of Maryland) explains why the US health care system offers world-class medical services to some patients but is also exceedingly costly with fragmented care, poor distribution, and increasingly bureaucratized processes. Based on exhaustive historical research, this comprehensive study deftly traces how public and private power merged to favor a distinctive economic model that places insurance companies at the center of the system, where they both finance and oversee medical care. Although the insurance company model was created during the 1930s, it continues to drive health care cost and quality problems today. An impressively wide-ranging work that not only evaluates the overarching political and economic framework of the medical system but also provides rich narrative detail, examining the political dramas, corporate maneuvering, and forceful personalities that created American health care as we know it, "Ensuring America's Health" breaks new ground in the fields of health care history, organizational studies, and American political economy. An impressive work of original and seminal scholarship, "Ensuring America's Health" is enhanced with the inclusion of ninety-two pages of Notes, and a seventeen page Index. While unreservedly recommended as an essential addition to both community and academic library Contemporary Social Issues collections, it should be noted for the personal reading lists of students, policy makers, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "Ensuring America's Health" is also available in a paperback edition (9781107622876, $32.99) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $31.34).


The Veterinary Studies Shelf

Ferret Medicine and Surgery
Edited by Cathy A. Johnson-Delaney, DVM
CRC Press
6000 NW Broken Sound Parkway NW, Suite 300, Boca Raton, FL 33487
www.crcpress.com
9781498707879, $125.95, HC; 544pp, www.amazon.com

An impressively detailed resource illustrated with full-color photography throughout, Ferret Medicine and Surgery is an in-depth, scholarly guide created for aspiring and practicing veterinary professionals. Chapters cover applied clinical anatomy and physiology of the ferret; ferret behavior, housing, and husbandry; preventative care; emergency care; disorders that can affect various bodily systems of ferrets; analgesia and anaesthesia for ferrets; common surgical procedures used on ferrets; and much more. Ideal for course instruction or self-study, Ferret Medicine and Surgery is an absolute "must-have" for veterinary college libraries as well as the personal study and reference collections of professionals who provide urgent care to ferrets. "It is important to be aware that removing a ferret from a group or pair for as little as 2 days, for example for veterinary care or hospitalization, can result in it being perceived as a stranger on reintroduction and lead to fighting." While unreservedly recommended for veterinary clinic, college and university library Veterinary Medicine collections in general and Ferret Veterinary Medicine supplemental studies lists in particular, it should be noted for the personal reading lists of veterinary students that "Ferret Medicine and Surgery" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $125.95).


The Theatre/Cinema Shelf

Storyboarding: Turning Script to Motion
Stephanie Torta and Vladimir Minuty
Mercury Learning
www.merclearning.com
c/o Stylus Publishing, Inc.
22883 Quicksilver Drive, Sterling, VA 20166-2012
www.styluspub.com
9781683920397, $49.95, www.amazon.com

Storyboarding: Turning Script to Motion uses a blend of text and an accompanying DVD to show how storyboards work in the film and script department, offering a range of techniques for analyzing scripts and turning them into storyboards that support film, videos, motion graphics and learning. Exercises and instructions accompany discussions packed with projects and interviews that include a glossary of terms and a range of storyboards and photos from different productions. Comparisons of storyboard approaches round out a discussion highly recommended for film collections appealing to producers and directors.

Forgotten British Film
Phillip Gillet
Cambridge Scholars Publishing
www.cambridgescholars.com
9781443898904, $104.95, HC, 245pp, www.amazon.com

Some films are remembered long after they are released; others are soon forgotten, but do they deserve oblivion? Are factors other than quality involved? "Forgotten British Film" by independent researcher and British cinema expert Phillip Gillet exhumes some of the films released in Britain over the last seventy years from Daybreak (1948) to 16 Years of Alcohol (2003), and considers the reasons for their neglect. As well as exploring the contributions of those involved in making the films, "Forgotten British Film" examines such issues as marketing and the response of critics and audiences. Films are grouped loosely into categories such as B films and television films. Some works were little seen when they were first released and have stayed that way; others were popular in their day, but have slipped into obscurity. In some cases, social change has overtaken them, making the attitudes or subjects they depict seem dated. Even being released as a DVD does not guarantee that a title will be rehabilitated. In addition, how significant is the American market? Unreservedly recommended for both community and academic library Theatre/Cinema/TV collections in general, and British Film History supplemental studies reading lists in particular, "Forgotten British Film" will have a strong and special appeal to lovers of British film, as well as to film studies students and everybody curious about the vagaries of success and failure in the arts.


The Environmental Studies Shelf

Our Peaceful Planet
Yasmin Davar
Morgan James Publishing
11815 Fountain Way, Suite 300, Newport News, VA 23606-4448
www.morganjamespublishing.com
9781683502418, $31.95, HC, 206pp, www.amazon.com

"Our Peaceful Planet: Healing Ourselves and Our World for a Sustainable Future" by environmental engineer Yasmin Davar contains extraordinary ideas that have the power to transform lives and the planet. "Our Peaceful Planet" is unique because it provides a practical healing framework for the whole world, starting at how people can change the beliefs that cause them to be destructive in their own lives and in their own world, to the actions that they can take to create global peace and environmental and economic sustainability. As each part of their world dynamically interacts in terms of their beliefs, their governance, their environment, their industries and their economy, "Our Peaceful Planet" provides a complete and 'real world practical' solution by considering all of those interactions in totality. "Our Peaceful Planet" contains big ideas for world leaders and little ideas for everyday people, because everyone has the power to make a difference, to themselves and others, and to the world. "Our Peaceful Planet" is a thoroughly 'user friendly' blueprint for the future in which everyone can play a role. While very highly recommended, especially for community, college, and university library Environmental Studies collections, it should be noted for students and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "Our Peaceful Planet" is also available in a paperback edition (9781683502401, $19.95) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).


The Botany Shelf

Mushrooms of the Northeastern United States and Eastern Canada
Timothy J. Baroni
Timber Press
133 S.W. Second Avenue, Suite 450, Portland OR 97204-3527
www.timberpress.com
9781604696349, $27.95, Flexibound, 600pp, www.amazon.com

Timothy J. Baroni is a Distinguished Professor of Biology at the State University of New York. He also teaches at SUNY College at Cortland and works on biodiversity research of macrofungi globally with emphasis on mushrooms and other fungi found in the Americas. In "Mushrooms of the Northeastern United States and Eastern Canada" he draws upon his many years of experience and expertise to create a compact and beautifully illustrated 600 page guide that is packed from cover to cover with descriptions and photographs of more than 400 of the region's most conspicuous, distinctive, and ecologically important mushrooms. The geographic range covered by "Mushrooms of the Northeastern United States and Eastern Canada" includes Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Wisconsin, and the Canadian provinces of New Brunswick, Newfoundland, Ontario, and most of Quebec. In addition to profiles on individual species, "Mushrooms of the Northeastern United States and Eastern Canada" also includes a general discussion and definition of fungi; information on where to find mushrooms and guidelines on collecting them; an overview of fungus ecology; and a discussion on mushroom poisoning and how to avoid it. Comprehensively definitive and thoroughly 'user friendly' in organization and presentation, "Mushrooms of the Northeastern United States and Eastern Canada" is an absolutely essential addition to both community and academic library mushroom identification guides. It should be noted for personal reference and reading lists that "Mushrooms of the Northeastern United States and Eastern Canada" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.44).


The Anthropology Shelf

An Introduction to Cultural Anthropology
C. Nadia Seremetakis
Cambridge Scholars Publishing
www.cambridgescholars.com
9781443873345, $104.95, HC, 260pp, www.amazon.com

Cultural anthropology is a branch of anthropology focused on the study of cultural variation among humans. "An Introduction to Cultural Anthropology" by Professor C. Nadia Seremetakis, who is a cultural anthropologist at the University of the Peloponnese, Greece where she teaches anthropology and cultural management, and who is also the founding head of the public anthropology program on Everyday Life and Culture (culture.uop.gr), engages students, teachers and anthropology researchers in a critical dialogue with past and present directions in cultural-historical studies. More particularly, This introductory study prepares prospective anthropologists, as well as non-specialist general readers interested in human cultures for understanding basic theoretical and methodological ethnographic principles and pursuing further what has been known as cultural anthropological perspectives. "An Introduction to Cultural Anthropology" discusses key, field-based studies in the discipline and places them in dialogue with related studies in social history, linguistics, philosophy, literature, and photography, among others. Exceptionally well written, organized, and presented, "An Introduction to Cultural Anthropology" would well serve as a basic text book for introductory courses in cultural anthropology and is to be considered as an essential, core addition to community, college, and university library Anthropology collections and supplemental studies reading lists.

Being Godless
Roy Llera Blanes & Galina Oustinova-Stjepanovic, editors
Berghahn Books
20 Jay Street, Suite 512, Brooklyn, NY 11201
www.berghahnbooks.com
9781785336287, $95.00, HC, 154pp, www.amazon.com

Collaborative compiled and co-edited by the team of Roy Llera Blanes (Ramon y Cajal Fellow at the Spanish National Research Council) and Galina Oustinova-Stjepanovic (Senior Research Fellow in the Department of Anthropology at the University of Edinburgh), "Being Godless: Ethnographies of Atheism and Non-Religion" is comprised of an informative Introduction (Godless People, Doubt, and Atheism) and Afterword (On Atheism and Non-Religion), and six erudite and impressively written essays by experts in the field. Drawing on ethnographic inquiry and the anthropological literature on doubt and atheism, "Being Godless" explores people's reluctance to pursue religion. The various contributors capture the experiences of godless people and examine their perspectives on the role of religion in their personal and public lives. In doing so, "Being Godless" contributes to a critical understanding of the processes of disengagement from religion and reveals the challenges and paradoxes that godless people face. While unreservedly recommended for both community and academic library Philosophy collections in general, and Atheism/Agnosticism supplemental studies reading lists in particular, it should be noted for academia and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "Being Godless" is also available in a paperback format (9781785335730, $27.95).


The Language Studies Shelf

Word Mastery through Derivatives Designed for Students of Latin
Elizabeth Heimbach
Bolchazy-Carducci Publishers
1570 Baskin Road, Mundelein, IL 60060
www.bolchazy.com
9780865168534, $24.95, PB, 163pp, www.amazon.com

"Word Mastery through Derivatives Designed for Students of Latin" by veteran teacher Elizabeth Heimbach is workbook is specifically constructed for students studying Latin. Heimbach organizes English derivatives by topic. Two chapters are devoted to affixes, twelve chapters present special topics like mythology, and eleven chapters featuring grammar-related derivatives like prepositions and deponent verb derivatives. A student-friendly and engaging narrative presents derivatives and demonstrates the symbiotic relationship between Latin and English. The text provides students the skills and practice to apply word-building analysis to their study of both Latin vocabulary and English derivatives. Of special note are the "just for fun" activities for each special topic chapter. Enhanced with appendices that list of derivatives broken out by chapter, as well as a list of phrases used in English, "Word Mastery through Derivatives Designed for Students of Latin" is an ideal and unreservedly recommended addition to academic library Latin Studies instructional reference collections in general, and as a Latin Studies curriculum supplemental studies reading lists in particular.


The Biology Shelf

Chromatin: Structure, Dyamics, Regulation
Ralf Blossey
Chapman & Hall
c/o CRC Press
6000 NW Broken Sound Parkway NW, Suite 300, Boca Raton, FL 33487
www.crcpress.com
9781498729369, $89.95, HC, 192pp, www.amazon.com

Chromatin is a complex of macromolecules found in cells, consisting of DNA, protein, and RNA. The primary functions of chromatin are: package DNA into a more compact, denser shape: reinforce the DNA macromolecule to allow mitosis: prevent DNA damage; and control gene expression and DNA replication. The primary protein components of chromatin are histones that compact the DNA. Chromatin is only found in eukaryotic cells (cells with defined nuclei). "Chromatin: Structure, Dynamics, Regulation" by Ralph Blossey (Research Director, French National Science Center) is a fully up to date and invaluable resource for computational biologists and researchers from other fields seeking an introduction to the topic. "Chromatin: Structure, Dynamics, Regulation" offers comprehensive coverage of this dynamic interdisciplinary field, from the basics to the latest research. Computational methods from statistical physics and bioinformatics are detailed whenever possible without lengthy recourse to specialized techniques. Featuring figures, tables, and a four page index, "Chromatin: Structure, Dynamics, Regulation" (the latest addition to the outstanding Chapman & Hall 'Mathematical and Computational Biology' series) is an unreservedly and highly recommended and core addition to professional, corporate, and academic library Contemporary Biology collections in general, and Genetics supplemental studies lists in particular. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of students, academicians, genetics researchers, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "Chromatin: Structure, Dynamics, Regulation" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $85.43).


The Judicial Studies Shelf

Multi-Criteria Analysis in Legal Reasoning
Bengt Lindell
Edward Elgar Publishing
9 Dewey Court, Northampton, MA 01060-3815
www.e-elgar.com
9781786430199, $120.00, HC, 240pp, www.amazon.com

Providing an accessible introduction to the application of multi-criteria analysis in law, "Multi-Criteria Analysis in Legal Reasoning" by Bengt Lindell (Law Department, Uppsala University, Sweden) illustrates how simple additive weighing, a well known method in decision theory, can be used in problem structuring, analysis and decision support for overall assessments and balancing of interests in the context of law. Through clear illustrations and a variety of concrete examples, "Multi-Criteria Analysis in Legal Reasoning" shows how simple additive weighing can be applied in any situation in which there are one or more objectives, multiple options and multiple decision criteria. Further demonstrating the use of fuzzy logic in conjunction with this method, Bengt Lindell adeptly shows the reader how extra-disciplinary methods have much to contribute in a legal decision-making context. The methods covered in "Multi-Criteria Analysis in Legal Reasoning" help to balance the issues of intuition versus structural analysis, risk and uncertainty, and the merging of probability and utility in the context of law. Practical and engaging, "Multi-Criteria Analysis in Legal Reasoning" will prove an invaluable and 'real world' practical guide for academics and scholars across many legal disciplines. Public and private decision makers will also benefit from its clear and concise approach, affording them new insights into the application of multi-criteria analysis in law. Unreservedly recommended as a curriculum textbook, as well as supplemental studies reading lists for novice lawyers, "Multi-Criteria Analysis in Legal Reasoning" is a critically important addition to law firm, college, and university library Contemporary Judicial Studies collections.


The Criminology Shelf

Criminal Justice Technology in the 21st Century, third edition
Laura J. Moriarty
Charles C. Thomas, Publisher
2600 South First Street, Springfield, IL 62704
http://www.ccthomas.com
9780398091514, $44.95, PB, 296pp, www.amazon.com

Now in a fully updated and expanded third edition, "Criminal Justice Technology n the 21st Century" by Laura J. Moriarty and eighteen other contributors offers a welcome and appropriate mixture of knowledge or information about specific types of technology along with empirical studies of certain technology used in various subcomponents of the criminal justice system. Comprised of 12 chapters, with eight completely new and four substantially revised and updated, "Criminal Justice Technology n the 21st Century" is arranged into two parts: law enforcement technology and public safety technology. Major topics include: technology infrastructure: what it is and how it's changing; current overview of law enforcement technology; body-worn cameras: the new normal; avoiding the technological panacea of the body-worn camera; examining perceptions of technology-enabled crimes; digital forensics; technological advancements in keeping victims safe; the evolution of offender electronic monitoring: from radio signals to satellite technology; technoprisons: technology and prisons; inside the Darknet: techno-crime and criminal opportunity; securing cyberspace in the 21st century; and assessing the deployment of automated license place recognition technology and strategies to improve public safety. Numerous illustrations and tables highlight the chapter contents. Featuring state-of-the-art information and a thoroughly 'reader friendly' organization and presentation, "Criminal Justice Technology n the 21st Century" is an ideal textbook and unreservedly recommended for professional, college, and university library Contemporary Criminology collections and supplemental studies reading lists.


The Aviation Shelf

Blackbird
James Hamilton-Paterson
Pegasus Books
80 Broad Street, 5th Floor, New York, NY 10004
www.pegasusbooks.com
9781681775050 $26.95 / $12.99 Kindle amazon.com

Blackbird: A History of the Untouchable Spy Plane is the fascinating true history of the SR-71 Blackbird, a "spy" jet designed to be the world's fastest and highest-flying aircraft. First proposed in the late 1950s, the Blackbird was fully developed in 1964, and used heavily over battlefields in Vietnam and later the Middle East. Not a single one was ever shot down. The Blackbird's saga of success comes to a close in 1999, and the modern trend toward unmanned military aircraft imply that there may never be another line of jets like it. A bibliography, glossary, and index round out this fascinating history, thoroughly accessible to readers of all backgrounds and especially recommended for public library collections and aviation history connoisseurs.


The World History Shelf

Midnight in the Pacific
Joseph Wheelan
Da Capo Press
c/o Perseus Book Group
250 W. 57th St., Suite 1500, New York, NY 10107
www.perseusbooksgroup.com
9780306824593 $28.00 hc / $18.99 Kindle amazon.com

Written with scholarly precision, yet thoroughly accessible to readers of all backgrounds, Midnight in the Pacific: Guadalcanal - The World War II Battle That Turned the Tide of War is a close study a turning point in the Pacific theater of World War II. The US Navy battled the Imperial Japanese Navy to a draw, at a heavy cost. Yet it was the first time the previously unstoppable military juggernaut of Imperial Japan was halted in its tracks. Exhaustively researched, and drawing directly upon accounts written by Guadalcanal's combatants, military archives, and oral histories, Midnight in the Pacific is highly recommended especially for public and college library military history collections.


The Architecture Shelf

The Historic Barns of Southeastern Pennsylvania
Gregory D. Huber
Schiffer Publishing Ltd.
4880 Lower Valley Road, Atglen, PA 19310
www.schifferbooks.com
9780764353192, $50.00, HC, 288pp, www.amazon.com

Greg Huber is a barn and house historian, consultant and owner of Past Perspectives and Eastern Barn Consultants, which are historic cultural resource companies. He has authored more than 210 articles on houseand barn architecture. In "The Historic Barns of Southeastern Pennsylvania: Architecture & Preservation, Built 1750-1900" he draws upon his years of experience and expertise to present an informed, informative, and beautifully illustrated volume for anyone who has ever admired a barn on an old country lane. Here is the background story of that barn and a great many others in Southeastern Pennsylvania, or, specifically, "the hearth", the area east of the Susquehanna River and South of the Blue Mountains. This was one of the earliest-settled areas in North America. This region of the Keystone State, which includes Lehigh, Bucks, and Lancaster Counties, is home to an astounding 20,000 standing barns, in various states of repair, built from the early 1800s on. "The Historic Barns of Southeastern Pennsylvania" also discusses the primary factors that have determined the fundamental structures and appearances of the six great barn classifications, including forest resources. Other featured topics include architectural aspects and regionalisms, dates of construction, survival of 18th-century examples, mysterious decorations, and barn preservation. Completing this exceptionally well written, organized and presented treatise are representative color photographs, building plan sketches, charts conveying the prevalence of types, and a glossary of barn terms. "The Historic Barns of Southeastern Pennsylvania" is an absolute 'must' for personal, community, and academic library Architectural Studies collections and supplemental studies reading lists.


The Dance Shelf

Dance Production and Management
Heather Trommer-Beardslee
Princeton Book Company
614 Route 130, Highstown, NJ 08520
www.dancehorizons.com
9780871273840, $24.95, PB, 128pp, www.amazon.com

Heather Trommer-Beardslee is the director of University Concert Dance Theater at Central Michigan University, and the booking agent for the Emmy Award-winning company Jump Rhythm Jazz. She lives in Mt. Pleasant, Michigan. In "Dance Production and Management" she draws upon her years of experience and expertise to present in a single comprehensive instructional guide everything from early conceptual work through performance and touring. A thoroughly 'user friendly' and ideal how-to book for dance management, "Dance Production and Management will allow dancers, as an educational exercise, to create a fictional company and follow it through a myriad of steps and complexities necessary for a successful production and troupe. After establishing a mission statement; holding auditions; and considering the specific needs of music, sound, lighting, costuming, and make up, this superbly organized and presented manual provides aspiring dance directors with the basic theater terminology and the skills needed when planning marketing and public relations campaigns for actual dance companies. Covering music, lighting, programming, technical theatre, box office management, booking, costuming, makeup, marketing, and fundraising, as well as featuring photographs, drawings, charts, examples, and 'helpful hints', "Dance Production and Management" is unreservedly recommended for personal, professional, community, and academic library Contemporary Dance Studies collections and supplemental studies reading lists.


The Religion/Spirituality Shelf

Countering Religious Extremism
David Carlson
New City Press
202 Cardinal Rd., Hyde Park, NY 12538
www.newcitypress.com
9781565486140, $15.95, PB, 147pp, www.amazon.com

"Countering Religious Extremism: The Healing Power of Spiritual Friendships" recounts David Carlson's personal journey into friendship with people of other faith traditions. "Countering Religious Extremism" profiles Christians, Muslims, and Jews who come to acknowledge one another's gifts and so come to value their own. In establishing and nurturing these friendships, Carlson (a Professor in the Philosophy and Religion Department at Franklin College, Franklin, Indiana where he has been teaching for 39 years) does not seek to change others, nor to settle for mere tolerance. He and his friends realize that they are entering into a way of life that asks much of them but in return gives even more. Indeed, they sense that they are making history. As timely as it is inspired and inspired, "Countering Religious Extremism" is a much needed contribution to our national dialogue in view of the current resurgence of antisemitic, anti- Muslim, white supremacist movements in our country. "Countering Religious Extremism" is an urgently recommended addition to personal, church, seminary, community, and academic library Religion/Spirituality collections and supplemental studies reading lists.


The Photography Shelf

New York in the Snow
Vivienne Gucwa
Ilex
c/o Octopus Publishing
236 Park Avenue, New York NY 10017
9781781574157, $24.99, www.octopuspublishingusa.com

New York in the Snow: A Magical Vision of New York City comes from the camera of a native New Yorker who has been documenting New York snowfalls since 2010, going out at night and in daytime to capture the storms of the city at their best. New Yorkers will find these nighttime scenes gorgeous representations of how weather transforms the cityscape and its peoples; all presented in lovely color with many full-page, artistic renditions. The result is an exceptional presentation which will make a delightful gift for any fond of New York City and its different atmospheres.


The Relationship Shelf

How to Fall in Love With Anyone
Mandy Len Catron
Simon and Schuster
1230 Avenue of the Americas, 14th fl., New York, NY 10020
9781501137440, $26.00, www.simonandschuster.com

Through the fun children peering through eyes on the front cover may seem to indicate this book is intended for a young audience, it should be advised that this blend of memoir and discussion of love is not intended for children, but for adult audiences interested in the mechanics and processes of romance. In 2014 the author went on a date and decided to try an experiment based on a 20-year-old study designed to foster love in a laboratory setting. Mandy and Mark spent their date asking each other nearly forty questions designed to increase intimacy and possibly lead to love. Their attempt turned into an intriguing experiment that changed their lives and results in a book which blends social observational with a psychological approach. The result is a lively and fun read for any who enjoy accounts of romance and psychological investigation.


The Science Shelf

Geology Underfoot in Southern Idaho
Shawn Willsey
Mountain Press Publishing Company
PO Box 2399, Missoula, MT 59806
9780878426782, $24.00, www.mountain-press.com

Geology Underfoot in Southern Idaho joins others in this publisher's geology series to examine destinations, geologic history, and travel in Southern Idaho; but readers needn't be either geologists or destination visitors in order to appreciate this coverage. It comes from a geology professor who blends photos and illustrations with the geologic stories of over twenty selected sites from canyons carved by floods to sand dunes and mountains. National reserves, monuments, and preserves are all considered for their rich history and for the indicators present today which reflect this heritage, all couched in lively language that makes science accessible to lay audiences. The result is an engrossing study that any Idaho enthusiast should find compelling reading, whether they're planning an actual trip or just want an armchair survey of the region.


The Technology Shelf

Basic Electronics Theory and Practice, 2nd Edition
Sean Westcott and Jean Riescher Westcott
Mercury Learning
PO Box 605, Herndon, VA 20172-0605
9781683920335, $49.95, www.merclearning.com

The second updated edition of Basic Electronics Theory and Practice is recommended for students of electronics seeking an in-depth but accessible introduction to the subject, and delves into theory and applications of basic electronics ranging from wireless communication to integrated circuits, switches, and memory processing. From digital signal quality and errors in transmission to sensors and writing code to integrate electronics systems into various projects such as robotics, this provides an excellent overview which will appeal to novices who want technical information easily absorbed.

Artech House
685 Canton Street, Norwood, MA 02062
www.artechhouse.com

Two new books form this publisher are highly recommended as key references to engineering collections strong in GPS and electrical engineering topics. Hans Hellsten's Meter-Wave Synthetic Aperture Radar for Concealed Object Detection (9781630810252, $179.00) reviews the basics of meter wave ground imaging radar and includes discussion of the basic laws of electromagnetism and reflectivity, among other principles. From design and processing systems to FFBP methods of processing and SAR design systems, this delves into electrical engineering basics including the formulas and science needed to understand basic operations and applications. Elliott CD. Kaplan and Christopher J. Hegarty edit Understanding GPS/GNSS Principles and Applications (9781630810580, $179.00), which appears in its third updated edition to bring together a team of experts who consider the GNSS system. Much new material has been added to this update, including all-new chapters on engineering of GPS, Beidou and other regional systems, and satellite and navigation systems. In-depth coverage is given to GNSS receivers, performance, and positioning while chapters include references to different code generation features, antenna operations with GNSS receivers, code signals, and more. Both are technical references highly recommended for professional and advanced college-level engineering science collections. Also highly recommended is Anatoly Belous, Vitali Saladukha and Siarhei Shevdau's Space Microelectronics Volume 1: Modern Spacecraft, Failure, and Electrical Component Requirements (9781630812577, $229.00), a first volume dedicated to exploring modern spacecraft classification and electrical operations. From their design, launch failures, and accident analysis to the types of electronics used in these craft, readers receive an in-depth and well-detailed electrical engineering survey of special importance to any working with electronics systems designed for space. From analysis of launch failure causes to charts and graphs filled with mathematical insights, this is a powerful reference. Boris Adryan, Domink Obermaier, and Paul Fremantle's The Technical Foundations of IoT (9781630812515, $129.00) provides detailed technical introduction to the components and processes of IoT, and offer engineers a basic survey covering physics, electronics and computing challenges alike. The book covers how IoT is integrated into various systems, common issues, product development for its devices, and its different hardware applications, and should be considered an essential 'must have' reference for an advanced engineering collection strong in IoT science. Zhancang Wang's High-Efficiency Load Modulation Power Amplifiers for Wireless Communications (9781608079872, $179.00) reviews the designs of radio frequency high effiency load modulation amplifiers for wireless systems, and covers all kinds of details for PA design and optimization that engineers must have. Readers receive technical discussions packed with charts and graphics, math, and surveys of different configurations and their advantages, including measurement methods for dynamic load amplifiers and discussions of various PAs and their design procedures. No college-level reference holding should be without these important discussions.


The Wisconsin Shelf

The Wisconsin Capitol
Michael Edmonds
Wisconsin Historical Society Press
816 State Street, Madison, WI 53575
www.wisconsinhistory.org
9780870208423, $25.00, HC, 144pp, www.amazon.com

A state capital building is not just the seat of state government, it is an architectural symbol and a memorial of all that the state stands for and aspires to. On the occasion of the Wisconsin state capitol's centennial in 2017, "The Wisconsin Capitol: Stories of a Monument and Its People" by Michael Edmons tells the remarkable story of the building in all its incarnations over the centur, as well as the people who made history beneath its dome. "The Wisconsin Capitol" covers the creation of the territorial capitol in 1837, the construction of the second capitol in the 1860s (and the fire that almost completely destroyed it in 1904), the eleven-year construction project that completed the third capitol in 1917, and the extensive conservation project of the 1990s that restored the building to its grandeur. Supporting the framework of this architectural history are colorful stories about the people who shaped Wisconsin from within the Capitol including attorneys, senators, -- and especially the governors (ranging from Henry Dodge to Scott Walker), as well as protesters, reformers, secretaries, tour guides, custodians, and even Old Abe, the Capitol's resident eagle. Combining historical photographs with modern, full-color architectural photos, "The Wisconsin Capitol" provides fascinating details about the building, while also emphasizing the importance of the Capitol in Wisconsin's storied history. While unreservedly recommended as an essential and core addition to every school and community library throughout Wisconsin, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "The Wisconsin Capitol" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).


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
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