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Reviewer's Choice
Corporal Cannon: A Female Marine in Afghanistan
Savannah Cannon
Casemate Publishers
1940 Lawrence Road, Havertown, PA 19083
www.casematepublishers.com
9781636241661, $34.95, HC, 264pp
https://www.amazon.com/Corporal-Cannon-Female-Marine-Afghanistan/dp/1636241662
Synopsis: Not even old enough to drink, Corporal Savannah Cannon is a young enlisted United States Marine deployed to
support Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan in 2010. As a tactical data networking specialist, she is sent away from
everyone she knows and attached to a Regimental Combat Team where women are not allowed to repair communications.
Her experiences over the next few months shed light on the unique and difficult positions women are placed in when
supporting combat roles, while offering a raw look at the painful choices women must sometimes make.
Cannon finds herself in a combat zone, ostracized from family, friends, and even her fellow Marines as the men are told to
avoid her. The connections she makes are born from trauma and desperation and the choices she makes will echo
throughout many lives.
"Corporal Cannon: A Female Marine in Afghanistan" is not the story of a heroine; it is the hard-hitting account of just one
of the flawed individuals who make up the United States' fighting forces. Mistakes in the battlefield can have dire
consequences, personally and professionally. Reflecting on her time in service, Cannon deftly weaves a story of past and
present, and the healing that can come with admitting our mistakes and moving past them.
Critique: A simply riveting and impressively candid military memoir from cover to cover, "Corporal Cannon: A Female
Marine in Afghanistan" will be of special value to readers with an interest in the subject of women in the American military,
America's involvement in the Afghanistan War. While especially recommended for community and academic library
American Military Biography/Memoir collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Corporal Cannon: A
Female Marine in Afghanistan" is also available from Casemate Publishers in a digital book format (Kindle, $20.95).
Editorial Note: Savannah Cannon spent five years in the United States Marine Corps, leaving in 2012. She spent years
ignoring what she endured in Afghanistan before deciding to write her story as a way to process the events. She currently
works as a network engineer on unmanned aircraft for the United States Navy.
The Writing/Publishing Shelf
The Writers' Room Survival Guide
Niceole Levy
Michael Wiese Productions
12400 Ventura Blvd., #1111, Studio City, CA 91604
www.mwp.com
Dreamscape Media
https://www.dreamscapepublishing.com
9781615933464, $29.95, PB, 230pp
https://www.amazon.com/Writers-Room-Survival-Guide-Screw/dp/1615933468
Synopsis: A writers' room is a space where writers, usually of a television series, gather to write and refine scripts. The
television industry has long had a collaborative model for writing shows. With the explosion of scripted shows, and the
competition among the networks and streaming channels, a "fluidity has developed to the way shows are created." The
writers room follows no single formula; it is an open-ended process with a range of set-ups. Room sizes vary from two to
thirty, depending on the budget and number of episodes, each room with its own rules. "Mini-rooms" exist for limited series
and smaller shows, mostly those haven't gotten the thumbs-up. (Wikipedia)
Writers' rooms can be a heaven or hell, depending on a few things. The best rooms foster inclusive and productive creative
flow. The worst create a toxic stew of bad feelings and doubt. Both kinds and everything in between require basic
knowledge of how the room works. These fundamentals are best learned before you go in. The mystery box of the writers'
room need not stay sealed shut forever.
Critique: With the publication of "The Writers' Room Survival Guide: Don't Screw up the lunch order and other keys to a
happy Writers' Room" by experienced film and television writer Niceole Levy provides aspiring script writers with a true
insider's perspective on what its like to work on script developments as a group process in a room with two or more
additional writers working on joint writing projects. A unique, informative, insightful, and fascinating read throughout, "The
Writers' Room Survival Guide: Don't Screw up the lunch order and other keys to a happy Writers' Room" is a 'must' for all
aspiring script writers and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject of how films and TV shows are
made. While absolutely recommended as essential additions to professional, community, and academic library
Writing/Publishing instructional reference collections, it should be noted that "The Writers' Room Survival Guide: Don't
Screw up the lunch order and other keys to a happy Writers' Room" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle,
$22.49) and as a complete and unabridged audio book (Dreamscape Media, 9781666626704, $22.99, CD).
Editorial Note: Niceole Levy (https://niceolelevy.com/about) studied acting at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts
which eventually yielded the epiphany that she preferred writing. She completed the Master of Professional Writing
program, also at USC. She is also an alum of the CBS Writers Mentoring Program, NBC's Writers on the Verge, and the
WGAw Showrunner Training Program, Niceole has written on Ironside, Allegiance, The Mysteries of Laura, Shades of
Blue, Cloak & Dagger, Fate: the Winx Saga, and S.W.A.T. She also co-wrote a feature, The Banker, with former Allegiance
showrunner and director George Nolfi, available on AppleTV+. Niceole is currently a co-executive producer on Graymail,
which will air on Netflix, and has several TV and feature projects in development.
The Christmas Shelf
How Christmas Became Christmas
Nathaniel Parry
McFarland & Company
PO Box 611, Jefferson NC 28640
https://mcfarlandbooks.com
9781476688282, $39.95, PB, 260pp
https://www.amazon.com/How-Christmas-Became-Christian-Origins/dp/1476688281
Synopsis: In some respects, the contrasts of Christmas are what make it the most delightful time of the year. It is a time of
generosity, kindness and peace on earth, with broad permission to indulge in food, drink and gifts. On the other hand,
Christmas has become a battleground for raging culture wars, marred by debates about how it should be celebrated and
acknowledged as a uniquely Christian holiday.
With the publication of "How Christmas Became Christmas: The Pagan and Christian Origins of the Beloved Holiday",
Nathaniel Parry argues that much of the animosity is based on a fundamental misunderstanding of the holiday's core
character. By tracing Christmas's origins as a pagan celebration of the winter solstice and its development in Europe's
Christianization, this detailed and documented history explains that the true "reason for the season" has as much to do with
the earth's movement around the sun as with the birth of Christ.
Individual chapters deftly chronicle how Christmas's magic and misrule link to the nativity, and why the carnival side of the
holiday appears so separated from traditional Christian beliefs.
Critique: A simply fascinating and expertly presented historical study, "How Christmas Became Christmas: The Pagan and
Christian Origins of the Beloved Holiday" features black/white historical images and is informatively enhanced for the
reader with the inclusion of a four page Bibliography, twenty-two pages of Chapter Notes; and a five page Index. "How
Christmas Became Christmas: The Pagan and Christian Origins of the Beloved Holiday" will prove a welcome and
enduringly valued addition to personal, community, college, and university library Christmas Holiday collections and
supplemental curriculum reading lists.
Editorial Note: Nathaniel Parry is an American researcher and writer living in Denmark. He is the editor of several books
and his work has appeared in outlets such as Consortium News, In These Times, Common Dreams, Global Research, and
Truthout. Since 2008, he has worked at the Parliamentary Assembly of the Organization for Security Cooperation in Europe,
where he is currently head of communications.
The Environmental Studies Shelf
Greenhouse Planet
Lewis H. Ziska
Columbia University Press
61 West 62nd Street, New York, NY 10023-7015
http://cup.columbia.edu
9780231206709, $25.00, HC, 240pp
https://www.amazon.com/Greenhouse-Planet-Rising-Changes-Plants/dp/0231206704
Synopsis: The carbon dioxide that industrial civilization spews into the atmosphere has dramatic consequences for life on
Earth that extend beyond climate change. CO2 levels directly affect plant growth, in turn affecting any kind of life that
depends on plants -- in other words, everything and everyone.
With the publication of "Greenhouse Planet: How Rising CO2 Changes Plants and Life as We Know It", Professor Lewis H.
Ziska reveals the stakes of increased CO2 for plants, people, and ecosystems -- from crop yields to seasonal allergies and
from wildfires to biodiversity.
A veteran plant biologist Professor Ziska describes the importance of plants for food, medicine, and culture and explores the
complex ways higher CO2 concentrations alter the systems on which humanity relies. He explains the science of how
increased CO2 affects various plant species and addresses the politicization and disinformation surrounding these facts.
Professor Ziska also confronts the claim that "CO2 is plant food", a longtime conservative talking point. While not exactly
false, it is deeply misleading. CO2 doesn't just make "good" plants grow; it makes all plants grow. It makes poison ivy more
poisonous, kudzu more prolific, cheatgrass more flammable. CO2 stimulates some species more than others: weeds fare
particularly well and become harder to control. Many crops grow more abundantly but also become less nutritious. And the
further effects of climate change will be formidable.
Critique: Impressively well written, organized and presented for readers with an interest in the effects of Climate Change on
horticulture and botony, and detailing essential environmental and horticultural science with wit and clarity, "Greenhouse
Planet: How Rising CO2 Changes Plants and Life as We Know It" must be considered as an indispensable book for all
readers interested in the ripple effects of increasing CO2. While unreservedly recommended for personal, professional,
community, and academic library Climatology collections, it should be noted for students, academia, governmental and
industrial policy makers, as well as non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "Greenhouse Planet:
How Rising CO2 Changes Plants and Life as We Know It" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $11.99).
Editorial Note: Lewis H. Ziska (https://research.com/u/lewis-h-ziska) is Associate Professor of Environmental Health
Sciences at Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health. He served for nearly twenty-five years as a scientist at
the U.S. Department of Agriculture, resigning in 2019 to protest interference by the Trump administration with his research
into the effects of rising carbon dioxide on rice cultivation. His books include Agriculture, Climate Change, and Food
Security in the Twenty-First Century: Our Daily Bread (2017).
Ripple Effects: How We're Loving Our Lakes to Death
Ted J. Rulseh
University of Wisconsin Press
728 State Street, Suite 443, Madison, WI 53706-1418
www.uwpress.wisc.edu
9780299339609, $26.95, HC, 288pp
https://www.amazon.com/Ripple-Effects-Loving-Lakes-Death/dp/0299339602
Synopsis: Lakes are among the Upper Midwest's greatest treasures and most valuable natural resources. The Great Lakes
define the region, and thousands of smaller lakes offer peace, joy, and recreation to millions. And yet, in large part because
of the numbers of people who enjoy the local waterways, the lakes of Wisconsin, Michigan, and Minnesota face numerous
challenges. Invasive species, pollution, defective septic systems, inadequate shoreland zoning laws, and climate change are
present and increasingly existential threats. We are, quite possibly, loving our lakes to death.
With the publication of "Ripple Effects: How We're Loving Our Lakes to Death", and in his engaging and conversational
style, Ted Rulseh details each of these challenges and proposes achievable solutions. He draws on personal experience,
interviews, academic research, and government reports to describe the state of the lakes, the stresses they are under, and
avenues to successful lakeside living for a sustainable future.
"Ripple Effects" will be a go-to source for all who love lakes and who advocate for their protection; its driving question is
summed up by one of Rulseh's interviewees: "We love this lake. What can we do to keep it healthy?"
Critique: Informatively enhanced for the reader with the inclusion of an Epilogue (Toward a Land and Water Ethic), sixteen
pages of Notes, a six page List of Interviews, and a fourteen page Index, "Ripple Effects: How We're Loving Our Lakes to
Death" is a clarion call and much needed warning of how we are environmentally damaging our lakes and rivers throughout
the Great Lakes states of Wisconsin, Michigan, and Minnesota. Exceptionally well written, organized and presented,
"Ripple Effects: How We're Loving Our Lakes to Death" is an unreservedly recommended addition to personal reading lists
of environmental activists, lake and river enthusiasts, and a critically important and urgent contribution to community and
academic library Environmental Studies collections and supplemental curriculum studies syllabus.
Editorial Note: Ted J. Rulseh (https://www.thelakeguy.net/about) lives in the lake-rich region of north central Wisconsin
and writes the newspaper column "The Lake Where You Live". He is active in lake-advocacy organizations, including the
Wisconsin Citizen Lake Monitoring Network. The editor and publisher of several books on the Great Lakes region, he is
also the author of "A Lakeside Companion".
The Health/Medicine Shelf
The Doctor and the Algorithm
S. Scott Graham
Oxford University Press
198 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10016-4314
www.oup.com/us
9780197644461, $49.95, HC, 264pp
https://www.amazon.com/Doctor-Algorithm-Promise-Future-Health/dp/0197644465
Synopsis: For years, technologists and computer scientists have promised an AI revolution that would transform the very
basis of how we imagine and administer modern medicine. AI-driven advancements in medical error rates, diagnostic
accuracy, or disease outbreak detection could potentially save thousands of lives. But health AI also carries the potential for
exacerbating deep systemic biases if left unchecked.
With the publication of "The Doctor and the Algorithm: Promise, Peril, and the Future of Health AI", Professor S. Scott
Graham has combined insights drawn from science and technology studies, critical algorithm studies, and public interest
informatics to better understand the promise and peril of health AI.
"The Doctor and the Algorithm" draws on case studies in automated diagnostics, algorithmic pain measurement, AI-driven
drug discovery, and death prediction to investigate how health AI is made, promoted, and justified. It also explores the
enthusiastic promises of health AI marketing communication and medical futurism while also analyzing the inequitable
outcomes new AI technology often creates for already marginalized communities. Finally, "The Doctor and the Algorithm"
closes with specific recommendations for regulatory frameworks that might support more ethical and equitable approaches
to health AI in the future.
Interweaving textual analysis and original informatics, "The Doctor and the Algorithm" offers a sobering analysis of the
promise of medical AI against the real and unintended consequences that deep medicine can bring for patients, providers,
and public health alike.
Critique: A seminal and groundbreaking study that is timely, well written, impressively informative, exceptionally thought
provoking, and enhanced for the reader with the inclusion of an eight page Technical Appendix, twenty four pages of Notes,
a sixteen page listing of References, and a six page Index, "The Doctor and the Algorithm: Promise, Peril, and the Future of
Health AI" is unreservedly recommended for personal, professional, community, medical school, college, and university
library Health/Medicine and AI collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists. It should be noted for students,
academia, members of the medical profession, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "The
Doctor and the Algorithm: Promise, Peril, and the Future of Health AI" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle,
$25.49).
Editorial Note: S. Scott Graham (http://sscottgraham.com) is Associate Professor in the Department of Rhetoric and Writing
at the University of Texas at Austin. He has written extensively about communication in health science and policy. He is
also the author of The Politics of Pain Medicine (University of Chicago Press, 2015) and numerous articles in journals
ranging from the Journal of Medical Humanities and Rhetoric of Health & Medicine to Plos-One and the Annals of Internal
Medicine. His research has been reported on in The New York Times, US News & World Report, Science, Health Day, AI
in Health Care, and Scientific Inquirer.
The Cookbook Shelf
PlantPure Comfort Food
Kim Campbell
BenBella Books
www.benbellabooks.com
9781637742273, $29.95, PB, 304pp
https://www.amazon.com/PlantPure-Comfort-Food-Plant-Based-Gluten-Free/dp/1637742274
Synopsis: Good health begins in the kitchen, and great recipes make switching to (or maintaining) a plant-based diet easy.
"PlantPure Comfort Food: Over 100 Plant-Based and Mostly Gluten-Free Recipes to Nourish Your Body and Soothe Your
Soul" by Kim Campbell is a culinary compendium that offers over 100 re-inventions of comforting culinary classics,
including: Southern Style Polenta and Greens; Lasagna Stew; Spinach Quesadillas; Chickpea Tikka Masala; Samosa
Burritos; Sweet Potato Spice Muffins; Apple Cranberry Crisps; and more!
Plus, Campbell offers helpful suggestions on how to swap out flavors and ingredients to truly make these recipes your own,
as well as detailed guidelines for swapping meat, dairy, and egg for whole plant substitutes in your own family's favorite
dishes.
Food is a vital part of who we are. It's what brings us together, connects us to tradition, and feeds us, physically and
spiritually. Create for your family a new tradition of delicious, sustaining, health-promoting whole plant foods. Give them
the gift of a plant-pure table.
Critique: Beautifully illustrated throughout with full color photos of finished dishes, "PlantPure Comfort Food: Over 100
Plant-Based and Mostly Gluten-Free Recipes to Nourish Your Body and Soothe Your Soul" will have a special appeal to
those who are considering (and practicing) a vegetarian/vegan life-style. Each recipe is thoroughly 'kitchen cook friendly' in
organization and presentation. While also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $12.99), "PlantPure Comfort Food:
Over 100 Plant-Based and Mostly Gluten-Free Recipes to Nourish Your Body and Soothe Your Soul" is very highly
recommended for personal, professional, and community library cookbook collections.
Editorial Note: Kim Campbell (https://www.plantpurenation.com/products/ppn1000) has developed more than 250 delicious
whole food plant-based recipes using no processed oils. Kim is also the Director of Culinary Education and Development at
PlantPure, where she helps to develop new food products and deliver educational programming. Kim is gifted at creating
traditional American cuisine using 100% accessible plant-based ingredients. She builds flavors and textures that are familiar
to most people, helping to make the transition to plant-based diet easier for people.
Fish for You
Spencer Watts
Fitzhenry & Whiteside
www.fitzhenry.ca
9781770503649, $34.95, PB, 234pp
https://www.amazon.com/Fish-You-Inspired-Seafood-Recipes/dp/1770503641
Synopsis: With the publication of "Fish for You: Inspired Seafood Recipes from Market to the Plate", celebrity chef Spencer
Watts showcases fun, exciting and globally influenced recipes with one-of-a-kind twists on seafood and fish. As a culinary
expert, Spencer makes the ordinary not so ordinary and provides recipes that are celebrated by beginners and culinary
superstars alike.
"Fish for You" is separated into 6 different sections including Happy Hour, Salads, Hand-helds, Pasta and more. "Fish for
You" also includes a wide variety of recipes including: Crispy Fried Oysters, Brioche Shrimp Toast Bites, Warm
Lobster/Potato Salad, Creole Shellfish Bisque, Jerk Rubbed Mahi Mahi Tacos, Nashville Style Crispy Fried Halibut
Sandwich, Steamed Mussels and Clams, Salt Cod Filo Pie, Shellfish Cassoulet, Dungeness Crab Croquette, Baked Halibut
in Puff Pastry, Miso Honey Glazed Salmon Rice Bowls and more!
Critique: Illustrated throughout with inspiring, instructive, and memorable full color photography, "Fish for You: Inspired
Seafood Recipes from Market to the Plate" is thoroughly DIY friendly in organization and presentation, allowing even the
most novice of kitchen cooks to produce fine restaurant quality seafood dishes suitable for any and all dining occasions. A
pure culinary pleasure to plan menus with, "Fish for You: Inspired Seafood Recipes from Market to the Plate" is
unreservedly recommended for personal, professional, and community library cookbook collections.
Comfort Baking
Stephanie Wise
Herald Press
P.O. Box 866, Harrisonburg, VA 22803
www.heraldpress.com
9781513810294, $34.99, HC, 336pp
https://www.amazon.com/Comfort-Baking-Feel-Good-Savor-Share/dp/1513810294
Synopsis: Emphasized with the pandemic lock down, for tens of thousands of men and women baking was an past-time
hobby, a means to a delicious end, and now continues to be a source of solace, relief, and relaxation. With the publication of
"Comfort Baking: Feel-Good Food to Savor and Share", baking expert Stephanie Wise focuses on easy-to-follow recipes
that make people feel good from the inside out. For anyone who is looking for a moment in the kitchen as a time to create,
worship, relax, or prepare a recipe for a friend in need, this is your guidebook.
In addition to over 100 recipes that exude comfort from beginning to end, baker Stephanie Wise of Girl vs. Dough includes
plenty of helpful tips along the way to make the process as simple and enjoyable as possible. Whether preparing a quiche or
whipping up a late-night batch of cookies, the recipes in comprising "Comfort Baking" are guaranteed to bring surcease
from the stresses and worries of daily life.
Critique: Beautifully and profusely illustrated with full color photography throughout, "Comfort Baking: Feel-Good Food to
Savor and Share" is a simple pleasure to browse through one page at a time -- and ideal for planning menus with for any and
all dining occasions from a midnight snack to a full blown holiday dinner. A thoroughly 'kitchen cook' friendly compendium
of clearly organized and presented step-by-step recipes for all manner of baked goods, "Comfort Baking" is an
extraordinary and unreservedly recommended addition to personal, professional, and community library cookbook
collections. It should be noted that "Comfort Baking is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $19.99).
Editorial Note: Stephanie Wise (https://open.spotify.com/episode/2eTg8G9nJnfRdGocSrvDSZ) is the owner and sole
creator of the food blog Girl Versus Dough, which is currently in its eleventh year online. On Girl Versus Dough, she
develops, photographs, and writes delicious and easy recipes for decadent desserts, homemade breads, and family-friendly
dinners.
The Italian Cooking Course
Katie Caldeis, author
Giancarlo Caldeis, author
Kyle Books
c/o Octopus Publishing
236 Park Avenue, New York NY 10017
http://www.kylebooks.com
www.LowCarbTogether.com
9781914239748, $49.99, HC, 512pp
https://www.amazon.com/Italian-Cooking-Course-Masterclasses-Ingredients/dp/1914239741
Synopsis: Katie Caldeis has travelled the rice fields of Italy's northern provinces and the lemon groves of the south, the
richly diverse urban and rural terrains and patchwork regions. While doing so she has collated recipes, techniques and
ingredients to create "The Italian Cooking Course: Techniques. Masterclasses. Ingredients. Traditional Recipes", a unique
and comprehensive compendium devoted to Italian cuisine.
"The Italian Cookery Course" will guide kitchen cooks through the vast collection of famous recipes and lesser-known
regional dishes, with clear instruction on how to replicate them at home. This culinary instructional compendium is broken
down into straightforward chapters including 'Meat', 'Fish', 'Dolci' and 'Cheese'. Each chapter contains 'masterclasses' on
technique, revealing the practical secrets of Italian cooking and giving the reader new confidence in the kitchen. All this is
interwoven with fascinating narration about the culinary influences that have created this wonderful cuisine.
Critique: The perfect DIY textbook for becoming an expert with respect to Italian cuisine, "The Italian Cooking Course:
Techniques. Masterclasses. Ingredients. Traditional Recipes" is profusely and beautifully illustrated throughout with full
color photography enhancing the thoroughly kitchen cook friendly step-by-step recipes for all manner of palate-pleasing,
appetite-satisfying, authentic Italian dishes. "The Italian Cooking Course: Techniques. Masterclasses. Ingredients.
Traditional Recipes" is an impressive and unreservedly recommended addition to personal, professional, and community
library ethnic cookbook collections.
Editorial Note: Katie and Giancarlo Caldesi (www.caldesi.com) own restaurants Caldesi in Marylebone as well as Caldesi
in Campagna in Bray. They are also the co-authors of The Diabetes Weight-Loss Cookbook, The 30 Minute Diabetes
Cookbook, The Reverse your Diabetes Cookbook, Around the World in Salads and The Gentle Art of Preserving -- which
was nominated for the Guild of Food Writers' Cookbook of the Year Award.
Homage: Recipes and Stories from an Amish Soul Food Kitchen
Chris Scott, author
Sarah Zorn, author
Brittany Conerly, photographer
Chronicle Books
680 Second Street, San Francisco, CA 94107
www.chroniclebooks.com
9781797207742, $35.00, HC, 272pp
https://www.amazon.com/Homage-Recipes-Stories-Amish-Kitchen/dp/1797207741
Synopsis: With the publication of "Homage: Recipes and Stories from an Amish Soul Food Kitchen", renowned chef Chris
Scott (with the assistance of food writer Sarah Zorn) tells the remarkable story of his family over seven generations via
comforting dishes and vivid narratives: From his enslaved ancestors to his great-grandfather, who migrated to Pennsylvania
after the Emancipation Proclamation, to his own childhood in Amish country, and, ultimately, his successful restaurant
career in Philadelphia and New York City.
Beautifully illustrated throughout with the full color photography of Brittany Conerly, "Homage" is a tribute to those who
came before him. In this culinary compendium Chris Scott shares 100 dishes born of a unique blend of Southern, German,
Dutch, and Amish cuisines, including Chicken Fried Steak with Sassafras Country Gravy, Charred Radicchio Salad with
Roasted Grapes and Shaved Amish Cheddar, and the ultimate Whoopie Pies.
"Homage" is ideal for home cooks who enjoy soul flavors or Midwestern food, or who are drawn to cookbooks with vivid
storytelling, a sense of place, and a new point of view.
Critique: More than just a cookbook, "Homage: Recipes and Stories from an Amish Soul Food Kitchen" is an epic culinary
showcase for illustrative and inspiring commentary relating to the cuisine of the Black American Diaspora and the fusion of
Black Southern cuisine with German and Dutch influences and dishes. A simple and informative pleasure to browse through
one page at a time, and ideal for planning truly memorable and thoroughly 'kitchen cook friendly' menus with, "Homage:
Recipes and Stories from an Amish Soul Food Kitchen" is especially and unreservedly recommended for personal, family,
professional, and community library cookbook collections.
Editorial Note #1: Chris Scott (https://ice.edu/newyork/explore-ice/chefs/chris-scott) is a New York - based chef and the
previous owner of Brooklyn Commune and Butterfunk Kitchen, both in Brooklyn, as well as Birdman Juke Joint in
Bridgeport, CT, which celebrates Black farmers and agriculture. He is the current owner of Butterfunk Biscuit, which
highlights heritage baking at its finest. He was also a finalist on Top Chef, season 15. He lives in New Jersey with his
family.
Editorial Note #2: Sarah Zorn (https://www.allrecipes.com/author/sarah-zorn) is a food writer and editor, as well as the
coauthor of Sunday Best and Levant. She was the recipe tester for The Nom Wah Cookbook and Xi'an Famous Foods: The
Cuisine of Western China, from New York's Favorite Noodle Shop, and the author of Brooklyn Chef's Table: Extraordinary
Recipes from Coney Island to Brooklyn Heights.
Editorial Note #3: Brittany Conerly (https://www.brittanyconerlyphotography.com) is a Dallas based food, lifestyle and
travel photographer.
The Pets/Wildlife Shelf
Display: Appearance, Posture and Behaviour in the Animal Kingdom
Steve Parker
Ivy Press
c/o Quarto Publishing Group USA
100 Cummings Center, Suite 265D, Beverly, MA 01915
www.quartoknows.com
9780711278523, $36.00, HC, 240pp
https://www.amazon.com/Display-Appearance-posture-behaviour-kingdom/dp/0711278520
Synopsis: For many animals use of color is essential to surviving in the wild. Both a built-in defence mechanism and a
cunning tactic for attack, this biological advantage helps animals hide from dangerous predators and catch unsuspecting
prey. It is used in many different ways, primarily to mask one's identity, movement or location, and changes over time as
animals evolve and adapt to live.
"Display: Appearance, Posture and Behaviour in the Animal Kingdom" offers simply stunning photographic collection
showcasing 100 creatures from around the world paired with fascinating insights from leading UK zoology author Steve
Parker. Each animal will have a profile of 300 words paired with striking photographic examples featuring a wealth of color
and ingenious uses of color for display or disguise.
Critique: Categorically organized geographically (North America; Central and South America; Europe; Africa; Asia;
Australasia; Islands, Seas and Oceans), "Display: Appearance, Posture and Behaviour in the Animal Kingdom" is a coffee-
table style volume (8.85 x 1 x 10.3 inches, 2.71 pounds) that will be of immense interest to readers with an interest in
Wildlife Biology, Endangered Species; and Plant/Animal Photography. An informative pleasure to simply browse through,
and also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $27.49), "Display: Appearance, Posture and Behaviour in the Animal
Kingdom" is an especially and unreservedly recommended addition to personal, professional, community, college, and
university library collections and supplemental curriculum Wildlife studies lists.
Editorial Note: Steve Parker (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Parker_(writer)) is a British science writer of children's
and adult's books. He has written more than 300 titles and contributed to or edited another 150.
The American History Shelf
The Fortress Kingdom
Paul Hill
Pen & Sword Books
c/o Casemate (US distribution)
www.casematepublishers.com
https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk
9781399010610, $42.95, HC, 264pp
https://www.amazon.com/Fortress-Kingdom-Aethelflaed-Edward-899-927/dp/1399010611
Synopsis: "The Fortress Kingdom: The Wars of Aethelflaed and Edward the Elder, 899-927" is the second part of historian
Paul Hill's four-volume military and political history of the Anglo-Saxon kingdom and follows the careers of Aethelfl‘d,
Alfred the Great's eldest daughter, and Edward the Elder, Alfred's eldest son, as they campaigned to expand their rule after
Alfred's death. They faced, as Alfred had done, the full force of Danish hostility during the early years of the tenth century, a
period of unrelenting turbulence and open warfare. But through their military strength, in particular their strategy of fortress
building, they retained their hold on the kingdom and conquered lands which had been under Danish lords for
generations.
Aethelfl‘d's forces captured Derby and Leicester by both force and diplomacy. Edward's power was always immense. How
each of them used forts (burhs) to hold territory, is explored. Fortifications across central England became key. These
included Bridgnorth, Tamworth, Stafford, Warwick, Chirbury and Runcorn (Aethelfl‘d) and also Hertford, Witham,
Buckingham, Bedford and Maldon (Edward), to name a few.
Paul Hill's absorbing narrative incorporates the latest theories and evidence for the military organization and capabilities of
the Anglo-Saxons and their Danish adversaries. "The Fortress Kingdom" gives the reader a detailed and dramatic insight
into a very sophisticated Anglo-Saxon kingdom.
Critique: Exhaustively researched, impressively well written, exceptional in both organization and presentation, "The
Fortress Kingdom: The Wars of Aethelflaed and Edward the Elder, 899-927" is an extraordinary and unreservedly
recommended addition to community and academic library Medieval British History collections and supplemental
curriculum studies lists. It should be noted that "The Fortress Kingdom" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle,
$18.99) for the personal reading lists of students, academia, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the
subject.
Editorial Note: Paul Hill (https://www.paulhillauthor.co.uk) is the former curator of Kingston Upon Thames Museum in
Surrey, and is well known as a lecturer, author and expert on Anglo-Saxon and Norman history and military archaeology.
He has written several books on these subjects, among them The Age of Athelstan: Britain's Forgotten History, The Viking
Wars of Alfred the Great and The Anglo-Saxons at War 800-1066.
The Anglo-Saxons At War 800-1066
Paul Hill
Pen & Sword Books
c/o Casemate (US distribution)
www.casematepublishers.com
https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk
9781848843691, $39.95, HC, 224pp
https://www.amazon.com/Anglo-Saxons-at-War-Paul-Hill/dp/1848843690
Synopsis: In the time of the great Anglo-Saxon kings like Alfred and Athelstan, ’thelred and Edmund Ironside, what was
warfare really like - how were the armies organized, how and why did they fight, how were the warriors armed and trained,
and what was the Anglo-Saxon experience of war?
As Paul Hill demonstrates in his compelling new study, "The Anglo-Saxons at War 800-1066", based on documentary
records and the growing body of archaeological evidence, answers these questions with authority. Hill's broad, detailed and
graphic account of the conduct of war in the Anglo-Saxon world in the unstable, violent centuries before the Norman
Conquest will be illuminating reading for anyone who wants to learn about this key stage of medieval history.
The role of violence and war in Anglo-Saxon society is explored, in particular the parts played by the king and the
noblemen, and the means by which, in times of danger, the men of the fyrd were summoned to fight. The controversial
subject of the Anglo-Saxon use of cavalry is also explored. Land and naval warfare are central sections of "The
Anglo-Saxons at War 800-1066", and also covers the politics and diplomacy of warfare -- the conduct of negotiations, the
taking of hostages and the use of treachery.
The weapons and armor of the Anglo-Saxons are described including the spears, the scramsaxes, axes, bows, swords,
helmets, shields and mail that were employed in the close-quarter fighting of the day. Among the most valuable sections of
this historical study are those dealing, in vivid detail, with actual experience of battle and siege -- with the brutal reality of
combat as it is revealed by campaigns against the Danes, in the battles of Ashdown, Maldon and Stamford Bridge, and
sieges at Reading and Rochester.
Critique: Informatively enhanced for the reader with the inclusion of maps, tables, figures, an appendix (Rulers of the
English c. 871-1066), a bibliography and an index, "The Anglo-Saxons at War 800-1066" is a key addition to both
community and academic library Medieval British History collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists. It should
be noted for students, academia, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "The Anglo-Saxons at
War 800-1066" is also avalable in a paperback edition (9781399077156, $26.95) and in a digital book format (Kindle,
$1.99).
Editorial Note: Paul Hill ((https://www.paulhillauthor.co.uk) is the author of a number of history books about Anglo-Saxon,
Viking and Norman warfare, including "The Age of Athelstan - Britain's Forgotten History" Paul has explored the strengths
and weaknesses of the western military powers of the medieval period in each of his books, but has recently branched into a
long overdue analysis of how one particular crusading group (the Knights Templar) prosecuted their wars. Paul has
appeared on TV in 'Battlefield Detectives - Massacre at Waterloo' and 'Bloodbath at Hastings' in which he focused on the
military consequences of the challenges of the landscape.
Military History of Late Rome 565-602
Ilkka Syvanne
Pen & Sword Books
c/o Casemate (US distribution)
www.casematepublishers.com
https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk
9781848848528, $52.95, HC, 432pp
https://www.amazon.com/Military-History-Late-Rome-565-602/dp/1848848528
Synopsis: With the publication of "Military History of Late Rome 565-602", Professor Ilkka Syvanne provides a new fresh
analysis of the Roman Empire in the aftermath of the reconquests of Justinian I (527-65). It is often claimed that Justinian
overstretched the Roman resources, but this analysis proves that view wrong. It demonstrates that the initial troubles were
largely the result of the mistakes of Justin II (565-78) and that his successors, Tiberius II (578-82) and Maurice (582-602),
not only restored its fortunes but were, at the time of the death of Maurice, actually poised to complete the reconquests of
Justinian.
It was thanks to the reforms of Maurice, which were codified in the military treatise the Strategikon, that the Roman army
had achieved a position of relative superiority over all of its enemies so that by 602 the Romans had decisively defeated the
Persians, Slavs and Avars and were poised to complete the project of reconquest. These gains, however, were lost when
Maurice was murdered in a military mutiny which brought Phocas to power.
"Military History of Late Rome 565-602" explains why the Roman army overthrew one of the greatest Roman emperors
who ever lived. This was an era of epic battles so it is not a surprise that the author also pays particular attention to the
period tactics and analyses all of the period battles in great detail. These include for example such battles as Melitene,
Constantia, Sirmium, Nymphius River, Solanchon, Lake Urmiah, Plain of Canzak, Iatrus, and the epic battles of Priscus and
Comentiolus in the Balkans.
Critique: "Military History of Late Rome 565-602" continues Professor Ilkka Syvanne's Roman military history series that
began with "Military History of Late Rome 518 - 565". Informatively enhanced with the inclusion of maps, diagrams, a
section of full color plates, two Appendices (The First Turkish Empire; The Couched Lance Technique and the Strategikon),
twenty-nine pages of Notes, a six page Bibliography, and a twenty-nine page Index, "Military History of Late Rome 565 -
602" is a prized and recommended addition to personal, professional, community, and academic library Roman History
collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists. It should be noted that "Military History of Late Rome 565-602" is
also available to students, academia, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "Military History
of Late Rome 565-602" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $24.99).
Editorial Note: Ilkka Syvanne (https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/Ilkka-Syvanne/a/2164) gained his doctorate in history in
2004 from the University of Tampere in his native Finland. Since then he has written extensively about ancient and
medieval warfare and his publications include: 'The Age of Hippotoxotai, Art of War in Roman Military Revival and
Disaster 491-636' (Tampere UP 2004), 'The Reign of Gallienus' (Pen & Sword, 2019), the multivolume 'Military History of
Late Rome' published by Pen & Sword and the critically acclaimed Caracalla. He is the co-author with Professor Katarzyna
Maksymiuk of the 'Military History of Third Century Iran' (Siedlce UP, 2018) and the 'Military History of Fifth Century
Iran' (Siedlce UP, 2019). He was Vice Chairman of the Finnish Society for Byzantine Studies from 2007 until 2016.
Currently residing in Kangasala, Finland, he has been an Affiliated Professor of the University of Haifa since 2016.
Women of the American Revolution
Samantha Wilcoxson
Pen & Sword Books
c/o Casemate (US distribution)
www.casematepublishers.com
https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk
9781399001007, $29.95, HC, 192pp
https://www.amazon.com/Women-American-Revolution-Samantha-Wilcoxson/dp/1399001000
Synopsis: With the publication of "Women of the American Revolution", author Samantha Wilcoxson explores the trials of
war and daily life for women in the United States during the War of Independence. What challenges were caused by the
division within communities as some stayed loyal to the king and others became patriots? How much choice did women
have as their loyalties were assumed to be that of their husbands or fathers?
The lives of women of the American Revolution will be examined through an intimate look at some significant women of
the era. Many names will be familiar, such as Martha Washington who traveled to winter camps to care for her husband and
rally the troops and Abigail Adams who ran the family's farms and raised children during John's long absences. Elizabeth
Schuyler Hamilton, popularized by Lin Manual Miranda's Hamilton, was also an early activist working tirelessly for
multiple social causes. Decide for yourself if the espionage of Agent 355 or the ride of Sybil Ludington are history or
myth.
Not all American women served the side of the revolutionaries. Peggy Shippen gambled on the loyalist side and paid severe
consequences. From early historian Mercy Otis Warren to Dolley Madison, who defined what it means to be a US First
Lady, women of the American Revolution strived to do more than they had previously thought possible during a time of
hardship and civil war.
Critique: A simply fascinating, comprehensive, and informative study, "Women of the American Revolution" by Samantha
Wilcoxson is a factual history that reads with the narrative style of a deftly crafted historical novel. Informatively enhanced
for the reader with the inclusion of eighteen pages of Notes, a two page Bibliography, and a three page Index, "Women of
the American Revolution" is unreservedly recommended for community and academic library American History and
Women's History collections. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of students, academia, and non-specialist
readers with an interest in the subject that "Women of the American Revolution" is also available in a digital book format
(Kindle, $11.49).
Editorial Note: Samantha Wilcoxson (https://www.facebook.com/PlantagenetEmbers) is an author of historical fiction and
administrator of a history blog. She has written four full-length novels, three novellas, and two middle grade chapter books.
Topics of her writing have ranged from the Wars of the Roses to America's Civil Rights Movement. Samantha is passionate
about history and exploring the personal side of events. In her writing, she urges the reader to truly experience what it might
have felt like to live through a moment in history. Samantha's most recent novel is biographical fiction featuring Catherine
Donohue, one of America's "radium girls." She features in Hauntings, an anthology published by the Historical Writers
Forum.
A Contest of Civilizations
Andrew F. Lang
University of North Carolina Press
116 South Boundary Street, Chapel Hill, NC 27514-3808
https://uncpress.org
9781469672496, $37.50, HC, 568pp
https://www.amazon.com/Contest-Civilizations-Exposing-Exceptionalism-Littlefield/dp/1469660075
Synopsis: Most mid-nineteenth-century Americans regarded the United States as an exceptional democratic republic that
stood apart from a world seemingly riddled with revolutionary turmoil and aristocratic consolidation. Viewing themselves
as distinct from and even superior to other societies, Americans considered their nation an unprecedented experiment in
political moderation and constitutional democracy.
But as abolitionism in England, economic unrest in Europe, and upheaval in the Caribbean and Latin America began to
influence domestic affairs, the foundational ideas of national identity also faced new questions. And with the outbreak of
civil war, as two rival governments each claimed the mantle of civilized democracy, the United States' claim to unique
standing in the community of nations dissolved into crisis. Could the Union chart a distinct course in human affairs when
slaveholders, abolitionists, free people of color, and enslaved African Americans all possessed irreconcilable definitions of
nationhood?
"A Contest of Civilizations: Exposing the Crisis of American Exceptionalism in the Civil War Era" is sweeping history of
political ideas as Professor Andrew F. Lang reappraises the Civil War era as a crisis of American exceptionalism. Through
this lens, Lang shows how the intellectual, political, and social ramifications of the war and its meaning rippled through the
decades that followed, not only for the nation's own people but also in the ways the nation sought to redefine its place on the
world stage.
Critique: An impressive work of detailed and erudite scholarship by historian and academician Andrew F. Lang, "A Contest
of Civilizations: Exposing the Crisis of American Exceptionalism in the Civil War Era" is enhanced with the inclusion of a
Prologue (The Young Men's Lyceum), an Epilogue (The Paradox of Civilization), a four page listing of Acknowledgments,
seventy-two pages of Notes, a fifty-four page Bibliography, and a nineteen page Index. Comprehensive, insightful, thought-
provoking, exceptional, and thoroughly 'reader friendly' in organization and presentation, "A Contest of Civilizations" is
unreservedly recommended as a core addition to community and academic library 19th Century American History
collections in general, as well as supplemental curriculum American Slavery/Abolition/Emancipation studies in particular. It
should be noted for the personal reading lists of students, academia, historians, and non-specialist general readers with an
interest in the subject that "A Contest of Civilizations" is also available in both a paperback edition (9781469672496,
$29.95) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $19.99).
Editorial Note: Andrew F. Lang (https://www.history.msstate.edu/directory/afl78) is Beverly B. and Gordon W. Gulmon
Scholar in the Humanities and associate professor of history at Mississippi State University.
This Land Was Saved for You and Me
Jeffrey H. Ryan
Stackpole Books
5067 Ritter Road, Mechanicsburg, PA 17055-6921
www.stackpolebooks.com
9780811771665, $26.95, HC, 232pp
https://www.amazon.com/This-Land-Was-Saved-You/dp/0811771660
Synopsis: "This Land Was Saved for You and Me: How Gifford Pinchot, Frederick Law Olmsted, and a Band of Foresters
Rescued America's Public Lands" by Jeffrey H. Ryan is the story of how America's public lands (our city parks, national
forests, and wilderness areas) came into being, the history of which can be traced to a few conservation pioneers and
proteges who shaped policy and advocated for open spaces. Some, like Frederick Law Olmsted and Gifford Pinchot, are
well known, while others have never been given their due.
Ryan covers the nearly century-long period between 1865 (when Olmsted contributed to the creation of Yosemite as a park
and created its management plan) to the signing of the Wilderness Act of 1964. Olmsted influenced Pinchot, who became
the first head of the National Forest Service, and in turn, Pinchot hired the foresters who became the founders of The
Wilderness Society and creators of the Wilderness Act itself.
This fascinating history emphasizes the cast of characters (among them Theodore Roosevelt, Bob Marshall, Benton
MacKaye, Aldo Leopold, and Howard Zahniser) and provides context for their decisions and the political and economic
factors that contributed to the triumphs and pitfalls in the quest to protect public lands.
It is of interest to note that in researching this history, Ryan traveled to the places where these crusaders lived, worked, and
were inspired to take up the cause to make public lands accessible to all.
Critique: Fascinating, informative, exceptional, and unreservedly recommended for inclusion in community and academic
library American Environmental History collections, it should be noted for the personal reading lists of students, academia,
environmental activists, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "This Land Was Saved for
You and Me: How Gifford Pinchot, Frederick Law Olmsted, and a Band of Foresters Rescued America's Public Lands" is
also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $19.49).
Editorial Note: Jeffrey H. Ryan (https://www.jeffryanauthor.com) is passionate about the outdoors and the conservation of
public land, whose work has been cited in Forbes, USA Today, Appalachia and other notable publications. He is the author
of Appalachian Odyssey (2016) and Blazing Ahead (2017).
The World History Shelf
When Women Ruled the World
Maureen Quilligan
Liveright
c/o W. W. Norton & Company
www.wwnorton.com
Blackstone Audiobooks
www.blackstoneaudio.com
9781631497964, $29.95, HC, 320pp
https://www.amazon.com/When-Women-Ruled-World-Renaissance/dp/1631497960
Synopsis: The sixteenth century in Europe was a time of chronic destabilization in which institutions of traditional authority
were challenged and religious wars seemed unending. Yet it also witnessed the remarkable flowering of a pacifist culture,
cultivated by a cohort of extraordinary women rulers (most notably, Mary Tudor; Elizabeth I; Mary, Queen of Scots; and
Catherine de' Medici) whose lives were intertwined not only by blood and marriage, but by a shared recognition that their
premier places in the world of just a few dozen European monarchs required them to bond together, as women, against the
forces seeking to destroy them, if not the foundations of monarchy itself.
Recasting the complex relationships among these four queens, Maureen Quilligan, a leading scholar of the Renaissance,
rewrites centuries of historical analysis that sought to depict their governments as riven by personal jealousies and petty
revenges. Instead, with the publication of "When Women Ruled the World: Making the Renaissance in Europe", Professor
Maureen Quilligan shows how these regents carefully engendered a culture of mutual respect, focusing on the gift-giving by
which they aimed to ensure ties of friendship and alliance. As Professor Quilligan demonstrates, gifts were no mere signals
of affection, but inalienable possessions, often handed down through generations, that served as agents in the creation of a
steep social hierarchy that allowed women to assume political authority beyond the confines of their gender.
Professor Quilligan also reveals how eleven-year-old Elizabeth I's gift of a handmade book to her stepmother, Katherine
Parr, helped facilitate peace within the tumultuous Tudor dynasty, and how Catherine de' Medici's gift of the Valois
tapestries to her granddaughter, the soon-to-be Grand Duchess of Tuscany, both solidified and enhanced the Medici family's
prestige. Quilligan even uncovers a book of poetry given to Elizabeth I by Catherine de' Medici as a warning against the
concerted attack launched by her closest counselor, William Cecil, on the divine right of kings -- an attack that ultimately
resulted in the execution of her sister, Mary, Queen of Scots.
Beyond gifts, "When Women Ruled the World" also delves into the connections the regents created among themselves,
connections that historians have long considered beneath notice. "Like fellow soldiers in a sororal troop," Professor
Quilligan writes, these women protected and aided each other. Aware of the leveling patriarchal power of the Reformation,
they consolidated forces, governing as "sisters" within a royal family that exercised power by virtue of inherited right -- the
very right that Protestantism rejected as a basis for rule.
Vibrantly chronicling the artistic creativity and political ingenuity that flourished in the pockets of peace created by these
four queens, Professor Quilligan's lavishly illustrated work offers a new perspective on the glorious sixteenth century and,
crucially, the women who helped create it.
Critique: A brilliant presented and extraordinarily informative contribution to personal, professional, community, college,
and university library European Renaissance History collections and supplemental curriculum studies reading lists, (and
featuring an 8-page color insert and 40 black-and-white images) it should be noted for students, academia, and non-
specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "When Women Ruled the World: Making the Renaissance in
Europe" is also available in a paperback edition (9781324092377, $18.95), in a digital book format (Kindle, $14.16), and as
a complete and unabridged audio book (Blackstone Audio, 9798200921515, $46.99, CD).
Editorial Note: Maureen Quilliganis (https://whenwomenruled.blog) is the R. Florence Brinkley Distinguished Professor
Emerita of English at Duke University. The author of books about medieval and Renaissance literature, she was also co-
editor of the groundbreaking essay collection "Rewriting the Renaissance: The Discourses of Sexual Difference in Early
Modern Europe".
The Bletchley Park Codebreakers in Their Own Words
Joel Greenbert
Greenhill Books
c/o Casemate Publishers
1940 Lawrence Road, Havertown, PA 19083
www.casematepublishers.com
9781784388119, $39.95, HC, 352pp
https://www.amazon.com/Bletchley-Park-Codebreakers-Their-Words/dp/1784388114
Synopsis: With the publication of "The Bletchley Park Codebreakers in Their Own Words", historian Joel Greenberg tells
the story of Bletchley Park through countless letters written by key players to former colleagues and loved ones as the war
unfolded.
Having intercepted millions of German communications, the codebreakers had felt bound by the Official Secrets Act and
said little about their wartime activities. Some who had stayed on at GCHQ after the war, were concerned that speaking out
could jeopardize their pensions.
Over one hundred letters have been included in this informative volume and have either been recovered from family
members or declassified by GCHQ. They reveal fresh information about the clandestine operation and disclose the true
feelings of the participants at Bletchley Park.
In contrast to early accounts, which lacked detail and were occasionally inaccurate, "The Bletchley Park Codebreakers in
Their Own Words" thoroughly lays bare the day-to-day experiences at Bletchley Park and uncovers the operational and
technical reasons behind the organization's successes and failures.
Simultaneously intimate and comprehensive, it will interest historians, World War II researchers, and anyone who wants to
learn the secrets of Britain's signal intelligence effort.
Critique: A unique and substantial contribution to the growing number of World War II histories, "The Bletchley Park
Codebreakers in Their Own Words" is informatively enhanced for the reader with the inclusion of an Appendix (Letters to
the Editor), ten pages of Notes, a three page Bibliography, and a five page Index. An extraordinary 'eye-witness' based
history, "The Bletchley Park Codebreakers in Their Own Words" is a critically important and recommended addition to
personal, professional, community, and academic library World War II History/Biography collections. It should be noted for
students, academia, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject of World War II military intelligence
that "The Bletchley Park Codebreakers in Their Own Words" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle,
$14.99).
Editorial Note: Joel Greenberg (https://www.joelgreenberg.co.uk) is an author and historian who researches and writes
about signals intelligence and its impact on two world wars. He is the author of "Gordon Welchman: Bletchley Park's
Architect of Ultra Intelligence". This book is the basis of "The Forgotten Genius of Bletchley Park" -- a joint
BBC/Smithsonian Network 2015 documentary about Welchman.
Celtic Warfare
Gioal Canestrelli
Pen & Sword Books
c/o Casemate (US distribution)
www.casematepublishers.com
https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk
9781399070171, $42.95, HC, 224pp
https://www.amazon.com/Celtic-Warfare-Fifth-Century-First/dp/1399070177
Synopsis: Warfare was a crucial aspect of Celtic society, deeply linked to the spreading of their culture through all Europe.
Between the fifth century BC, when La TŠne Culture Celts developed in Europe, and the first century AD, when they faced
the complete subjugation or annihilation of most of their communities, their approach to warfare was subject to constant
evolution, driven both by contact with Mediterranean cultures and different requirements closely related to social issues that
were in constant flux.
With the publication of "Celtic Warfare: From the Fifth Century BC to the First Century AD", historian Gioal Canestrelli
offers an interdisciplinary approach, combining archaeological and literary sources and examining Celtic warfare from both
a practical perspective, linked to weapons structure and military tactics, and a social perspective, analyzing the cultural
implications of Celtic military development. Furthermore, "Celtic Warfare" analyses the different areas of the Keltike, from
Britain to Gaul, from Spain to the Alpine region, with more than 120 black & white drawings of the archaeological finds
and a number of original color artworks of Celtic warriors.
Critique: In addition to a number of color plates, "Celtic Warfare: From the Fifth Century BC to the First Century AD" also
features an Appendix (Stratagems and Poliorcetics - Siege War); a seven page Dictionary; twenty pages of Notes; an eleven
page Bibliography; and a four page Index. Of special appeal to students, academia, and non-specialist general readers with
an interest in the subject, "Celtic Warfare: From the Fifth Century BC to the First Century AD" is highly recommended for
personal, professional, community, and academic library Celtic History collections and supplemental curriculum studies
lists. It should be noted that "Celtic Warfare: From the Fifth Century BC to the First Century AD" is also available in a
digital book format (Kindle, $18.99).
Historical Dictionary of Medieval Russia, second edition
Lawrence N. Langer
Rowman & Littlefield Publishing Group
4501 Forbes Blvd., Suite 200, Lanham, MD 20706
www.rowman.com
9781538119419, $150.00, HC, 322pp
https://www.amazon.com/Historical-Dictionary-Medieval-Dictionaries-Civilizations/dp/1538119412
Synopsis: The emergence of Russia or Rus', as it was known, from a group of scattered Slavic tribes into one of the most
powerful states of medieval and modern European history is an extraordinary story. It is a story filled with much struggle as
there were historical periods when Russia almost ceased to exist as it underwent invasion and conquest.
Now in a newly updated and expanded second edition, "Historical Dictionary of Medieval Russia" by Professor Lawrence
N. Langer features a chronology, a glossary, an informative introduction, and an extensive bibliography. The dictionary
section itself has more than 300 cross-referenced entries on important personalities as well as aspects of the country's
politics, economy, foreign relations, religion, and culture.
Critique: With both an editor's Foreword and a Reader's Note, this newly published second edition of "Historical Dictionary
of Medieval Russia" is an excellent and impressively informative resource and a highly recommended addition to personal,
professional, community, college, and university library Medieval Studies collections in general, and supplemental
curriculum Russian History studies lists in particular. It should be noted for students, academia, and non-specialist general
readers with an interest in the subject that the "Historical Dictionary of Medieval Russia" is also available in a digital book
format (Kindle, $125.94).
Editorial Note: Lawrence N. Langeris (https://history.uconn.edu/person/lawrence-n-langer) retired from the University of
Connecticut, where he taught in the history department and served as director of Slavic and East European Studies. He is
currently an associate of the Davis Center for Russian and Eurasian Studies, Harvard University, and is the editor in chief of
the journal Russian History.
The Civil War Shelf
The Confederate Military Forces in the Trans-Mississippi West, 1861-1865
William Royston Geise, author
Michael J. Forsyth, editor
Savas Beatie
PO Box 4527, El Dorado Hills, CA 95762
www.savasbeatie.com
9781611216219, $32.95, HC, 240pp
https://www.amazon.com/Confederate-Military-Forces-Trans-Mississippi-1861-1865/dp/1611216214
Synopsis: The late William Royston Geise was a Ph.D. candidate at the University of Texas at Austin in the early 1970s
when he researched and wrote The Confederate Military Forces in the Trans-Mississippi West, 1861- 1865: A Study in
Command in 1974. Although it remained unpublished, it was not wholly unknown. Deep-diving researchers were aware of
Dr. Geise's work and lamented the fact that it was not widely available to the general public. In many respects, studies of the
Trans-Mississippi Theater are only now catching up with Geise.
"The Confederate Military Forces in the Trans-Mississippi West, 1861-1865: A Study in Command"is an intriguing study
that traces the evolution of Confederate command and how it affected the shifting strategic situation and general course of
the war. Dr. Geise accomplishes his task by coming at the question in a unique fashion. Military field operations are
discussed as needed, but his emphasis is on the functioning of headquarters and staff -- the central nervous system of any
military command. This was especially so for the Trans-Mississippi.
After July 1863, the only viable Confederate agency west of the great river was the headquarters at Shreveport. That hub of
activity became the sole location to which all isolated players, civilians and military alike, could look for immediate overall
leadership and a sense of Confederate solidarity. By filling these needs, the Trans-Mississippi Department assumed a unique
and vital role among Confederate military departments and provided a focus for continued Confederate resistance west of
the Mississippi River.
Dr. Geise's work mining primary archival sources and published firsthand accounts, coupled with a smooth and clear writing
style, helps explain why this remote department (referred to as "Kirby Smithdom" after Gen. Kirby Smith) failed to function
efficiently, and how and why the war unfolded there as it did.
In the role of editor, Trans-Mississippi Theater historian and Ph.D. candidate Michael J. Forsyth (Col., U.S. Army, Ret.) has
resurrected Dr. Geise's smoothly written and deeply researched manuscript from its undeserved obscurity. This edition
newly published by Savas Beatie, with its original annotations and Forsyth's updated citations and observations, is bolstered
with original maps, photographs, and images. Students of the war in general, and the Trans-Mississippi Theater in
particular, will delight in its long overdue publication.
Critique: A skillfully edited and treasured contribution to the ever expanding library of American Civil War histories, "The
Confederate Military Forces in the Trans-Mississippi West, 1861-1865: A Study in Command" by the late William Royston
Geise is an extraordinary and unreservedly recommended addition to personal, professional, community, and academic
library collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists. Nicely enhanced with the inclusion of numerous maps and
photographs, "The Confederate Military Forces in the Trans-Mississippi West, 1861-1865: A Study in Command" is also
available in a digital format (Kindle, $14.99).
Editorial Note #1: William Royston Geise graduated from the Missouri Military Academy in 1936 and was attending the
University of Texas at Austin when the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor. He joined what would become the Air Force and
retired as a lieutenant colonel in 1961. He earned Bachelor's in English from the University of Arizona and his Master's in
English and Ph.D. in American History in 1974 from UT-Austin. Geise taught history at San Antonio College for 15 years
and published articles in a variety of periodicals before passing away in 1993.
(https://www.savasbeatie.com/the-confederate-military-forces-in-the-trans-mississippi-west-1861-1865)
Editorial Note #2: Michael J. Forsyth (https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Michael-Forsyth) is a retired U.S. Army field
artillery colonel and currently an assistant professor in the Department of Joint, Interagency, and Multinational Operations at
the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College. He is a veteran of Operation DESERT STORM, served three tours in
Afghanistan, and is a Ph.D. candidate at the Royal Military College of Canada. Michael is the author of many articles and
four books, including The Great Missouri Raid: Sterling Price and the Last Major Confederate Campaign in Northern
Territory (2015).
Yours Affectionately, Osgood
Sarah Trace Burrows, editor
Ryan W. Keating, editor
The Kent State University Press
1118 Library, P.O. Box 5190, Kent OH 44242
http://www.kentstateuniversitypress.com
9781606354407, $58.00, HC, 350pp
https://www.amazon.com/Yours-Affectionately-Osgood-1862-1865-Interpreting/dp/160635440X
Synopsis: More than 3 million men served in the American Civil War. With the publication of "Yours Affectionately,
Osgood: Colonel Osgood Vose Tracy's Letters Home from the Civil War, 1862 - 1865", co-editors Sarah Tracy Burrows and
Ryan W. Keating have assembled a collection of letters from one of those soldiers -- Osgood Vose Tracy of the 122nd New
York Infantry.
Sarah Tracy Burrows, a descendant of Col. Osgood Tracy, has compiled this expansive collection from her family's private
papers. Paired with illuminating discussion and historical context from noted Civil War historian Ryan W. Keating, Tracy's
letters home follow his journey as a soldier and prisoner of war from his enlistment in August 1862 through the end of the
war in May 1865, as Tracy then readjusted to civilian life.
The letters in "Yours Affectionately, Osgood", were primarily written to his mother and provide a uniquely detailed
perspective of everyday life in the Army of the Potomac, adding considerably to the existing literature on the experiences of
citizen soldiers in America's Civil War.
A well-educated young man, Tracy offers his opinion on pressing social and political issues of the time, including his
definite abolitionist sentiments; ruminates on the Union war effort and its campaigns; and demonstrates his deep
commitment to family, as well as his sweetheart, Nellie Sedgwick, back home.
Tracy's letters constitute an incredibly rare primary source volume that will be both fascinating and foundational in the
scholarly community and for more general interest readers of the history of the Civil War.
Critique: An invaluable contribution to the growing library of American Civil War History/Biography/Memoir studies,
"Yours Affectionately, Osgood: Colonel Osgood Vose Tracy's Letters Home from the Civil War, 1862 - 1865" is
unreservedly recommended for personal, professional, community, and academic library American Civil War
collections.
Editorial Note #1: Sarah Tracy Burrows (https://sarahtracyburrows.com) is a graduate of Hobart and William Smith
Colleges with a BA in English and history. She worked for CFO Publishing Corporation in Boston, Massachusetts, and is
currently a trustee and chair of steering for the Jacob Leisler Institute for the Study of Early New York History, named for
her 8x great-grandfather.
Editorial Note #2: Ryan W. Keating (https://www.kentstateuniversitypress.com/author/rkeating) is Professor of History and
Director of the Office of Student Research at California State University San Bernardino, where he teaches and researches
on the Civil War era. He is also the author of "Shades of Green: Irish Regiments, American Soldiers, and Local
Communities in the Civil War Era" and "The Greatest Trials I Ever Had: The Civil War Letters of Margaret and Thomas
Cahill".
The Military Shelf
Taking Berlin: The Bloody Race to Defeat the Third Reich
Martin Dugard
Caliber Dutton
c/o Penguin Group USA
https://www.penguin.com
9780593187425, $30.00, HC, 352pp
https://www.amazon.com/Taking-Berlin-Bloody-Defeat-Third/dp/0593187423
Synopsis: Fall, 1944. Paris has been liberated, saved from destruction, but this diversion on the road to Berlin has given the
Germans time to regroup. The American and British armies press on from the west, facing the enemy time and again in the
Hurtgen Forest, during the Market-Garden invasion, and at the Battle of the Bulge, all while American general George
Patton and British field marshal Bernard Montgomery vie for supremacy as the Allies' top battlefield commander.
Meanwhile, the Soviets begin to squeeze Hitler's crumbling Reich from the east. Led by Generals Zhukov and Konev, the
Red Army launches millions of soldiers, backed by tanks, artillery, and warplanes, against the Germans, leaving death and
scorched earth in their wake, pushing the Wehrmacht back toward their fatherland. As both the Anglo-American alliance
and the Soviets set their sights on claiming the capital city of Nazi Germany, Churchill seeks to ensure Britain's place in a
new world divided by Roosevelt's America and Stalin's Soviet Union.
With the publication of "Taking Berlin: The Bloody Race to Defeat the Third Reich" and featuring a sweeping cast of
historical figures, author and historian Martin Dugard reveals a pulse-pounding race into the final, desperate months of the
Second World War and toward the fiery destruction of the Thousand-Year-Reich -- chronicling a moment in history when
allies became adversaries.
Critique: Enhanced for scholars with a twelve page Index, and engendering all the compulsive fascination of a finely crafted
novel for the non-specialist general reader, "Taking Berlin: The Bloody Race to Defeat the Third Reich" is an especially and
unreservedly recommended addition to personal, professional, community, college, and university library World War II
military history collections. It should be noted for students, academia, and military history buffs that "Taking Berlin" is also
available in a digital book format (Kindle, $14.99).
Editorial Note: Martin Dugard began writing professionally in 1988.
Bored by an unfulfilling corporate marketing job, he began writing articles for endurance sports magazines such as
Competitor and Runner's World in the mornings and on weekends. In 1993, inspired after covering the Raid Gauloises
adventure race in Madagascar, Dugard left the corporate world to pursue a full-time writing career. Now he is the author of
several books of history, among them the Killing series, "Into Africa", and "The Explorers". https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_Dugard_(author)
Information in War
Benjamin M. Jensen, author
Christopher Whyte, author
Scott Cuomo, author
Georgetown University Press
3240 Prospect Street, NW, Washington, DC 20007
www.press.georgetown.edu
9781647122638, $149.95, HC, 266pp
https://www.amazon.com/Information-War-Innovation-Artificial-Intelligence/dp/1647122635
Synopsis: In the coming decades, artificial intelligence (AI) could revolutionize the way humans wage war. The military
organizations that best innovate and adapt to this AI revolution will likely gain significant advantages over their rivals. To
this end, great powers such as the United States, China, and Russia are already investing in novel sensing, reasoning, and
learning technologies that will alter how militaries plan and fight. The resulting transformation could fundamentally change
the character of war.
With the publication of "Information in War: Military Innovation, Battle Networks, and the Future of Artificial Intelligence,
the team of Benjamin Jensen, Christopher Whyte, and Scott Cuomo provide a deeper understanding of the AI revolution by
exploring the relationship between information, organizational dynamics, and military power. The authors analyze how
militaries adjust to new information communication technology historically to identify opportunities, risks, and obstacles
that will almost certainly confront modern defense organizations as they pursue AI pathways to the future. Information in
War builds on these historical cases to frame four alternative future scenarios exploring what the AI revolution could look
like in the US military by 2040.
Critique: Informative enhanced for the reader with the inclusion of illustrations, a twenty-two page Bibliography, and an
eight page Index, "Information in War: Military Innovation, Battle Networks, and the Future of Artificial Intelligence" must
be considered essential reading for anyone with an interest in the subject of artificial intelligence and its impact on military
science and history, military intelligence and espionage. Exceptionally well organized and presented, informed and
informative, "Information in War: Military Innovation, Battle Networks, and the Future of Artificial Intelligence" is a
critically important and unreservedly recommended addition to personal, professional, community, and academic
Contemporary Military Studies collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists. It should be noted for the personal
reading lists of students, academia, governmental policy makers, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the
subject that "Information in War: Military Innovation, Battle Networks, and the Future of Artificial Intelligence" is available
in a paperback edition (9781647122645, $49.95) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $37.49).
Editorial Note #1: Benjamin M. Jensen (https://www.benjaminmjensen.com) is a professor at the Marine Corps University's
School of Advanced Warfighting, a senior fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, and an officer in the
US Army Reserves with multiple deployments.
Editorial Note #2: Christopher Whyte is an assistant professor at the Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs at
Virginia Commonwealth University. (https://wilder.vcu.edu/people/faculty/christopher-whyte-.html)
Editorial Note #3: Lt. Col. Scott Cuomo (USMC) is a veteran of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, served as the Marine
Corps representative on the National Security Commission on Artificial Intelligence, and is currently assigned to the Office
of the Secretary of Defense for Policy focused on Strategy and Force Development.
(https://www.usni.org/people/scott-cuomo)
Without Honor: Defeat in Vietnam and Cambodia, second edition
Arnold R. Isaacs
McFarland & Company
PO Box 611, Jefferson NC 28640
https://mcfarlandbooks.com
9781476686356, $49.95, PB, 446pp
https://www.amazon.com/Without-Honor-Vietnam-Cambodia-Updated/dp/1476686351
Synopsis: Originally published in 1983 and now release in a newly updated second edition, "Without Honor: Defeat in
Vietnam and Cambodia" by journalist Arnold R. Isaacs provides a detailed review of the end of the Vietnam War.
Drawing on the author's eyewitness reporting and extensive research, this new edition of "Without Honor: Defeat in
Vietnam and Cambodia" relies on carefully reported facts, not partisan myths, to reconstruct the war's last years and
harrowing final months. The catastrophic suffering those events brought to ordinary Vietnamese civilians and soldiers is
vividly portrayed.
The largely unremembered wars in Cambodia and Laos are examined as well, while new material in an updated final
chapter points out troubling parallels between the Vietnam War and America's wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Critique: A simply fascinating and impressively informative read, "Without Honor: Defeat in Vietnam and Cambodia" will
have a very special appeal to readers with an interest in the history of America's military and political involvement in the
Vietnam War. While highly recommended for both community and academic library collections, it should be noted for the
personal reading lists of students, academia, and non-specialist general readers that this a significantly updated edition has a
special relevance today given the American military and political involvement with Afghanistan and now Ukraine.
Editorial Note: Arnold R. Isaacs (https://dartcenter.org/bio/arnold-r-isaacs) is a freelance writer and educator. He reported
on the closing years of the Vietnam war during six years in Asia as a correspondent for the Baltimore Sun. Following his
career in daily journalism, he continued to travel widely as a teacher and international journalism trainer.
To Save An Army: The Stalingrad Airlift
Robert Forsyth
Osprey Publishing
4301 21st St, Suite 220B, Long Island City, NY 11101
www.ospreypublishing.com
9781472845412, $35.00, HC, 352pp
https://www.amazon.com/Save-Army-Stalingrad-Airlift/dp/1472845412
Synopsis: Using the diaries of Luftwaffe commanders, rare contemporary photographs and other previously unpublished
sources, with the publication of "To Save An Army: The Stalingrad Airlift" military historian Robert Forsyth analyzes the
human, strategic, tactical and technical elements of one of the most dramatic operations arranged by the Luftwaffe.
Stalingrad ranks as one of the most infamous, savage and emotive battles of the 20th century. It has consumed military
historians since the 1950s and has inspired many books and much debate. "To Save An Army" tells the story of the
operation mounted by the Luftwaffe to supply, by airlift, the trapped and exhausted German Sixth Army at Stalingrad in the
winter of 1942/43. The weather conditions faced by the flying crews, mechanics, and soldiers on the ground were appalling,
but against all odds, and a resurgent and active Soviet air force, the transports maintained a determined presence over the
ravaged city on the Volga, even when the last airfields in the Stalingrad pocket had been lost.
Yet, even the daily figure of 300 tons of supplies, needed by Sixth Army just to subsist, proved over-ambitious for the
Luftwaffe which battled against a lack of transport capacity, worsening serviceability, and increasing losses in badly needed
aircraft.
Critique: Once again Robert Forsyth has contributed another deftly researched, exceptionally well written, organized and
presented study that is unreserved recommended to personal, professional, community, and academic library World War II
History collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists. Informatively enhanced with the inclusion of illustrations,
maps, a Glossary, a Table of Ranks, four Appendices, a Bibliography, twenty-seven pages of Notes, and an extensive Index,
it should be noted for students, academia, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "To Save An
Army: The Stalingrad Airlift" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $14.46).
Editorial Note: Robert Forsyth (https://ospreypublishing.com/us/author/robert-forsyth) is an author, editor and publisher,
specializing in military aviation and military history. He is the author of over 25 titles for Osprey Publishing, on the aircraft,
units and operations of the Luftwaffe, including Luftwaffe Special Weapons 1942-45 and DUEL 97 Tempest V vs Fw
190D-9: 1944-45.
Dunkirchen 1940: The German View of Dunkirk
Robert Kershaw
Osprey Publishing
4301 21st St, Suite 220B, Long Island City, NY 11101
www.ospreypublishing.com
9781472854377, $30.00, HC, 352pp
https://www.amazon.com/D%C3%BCnkirchen-1940-German-View-Dunkirk/dp/1472854373
Synopsis: The British evacuation from the beaches of the small French port town of Dunkirk is one of the iconic moments
of World War II military history. The battle has captured the popular imagination through LIFE magazine photo spreads, the
fiction of Ian McEwan and, of course, Christopher Nolan's hugely successful Hollywood blockbuster movie.
But what is the German view of this stunning Allied escape? Drawing on German interviews, diaries and unit post-action
reports, with the publication of "Dunkirchen 1940: The German View of Dunkirk", historian Robert Kershaw creates an
iconoclastic history of a battle that we thought we knew.
"Dunkirchen 1940" is the first major history on what went wrong for the Germans at Dunkirk -- from the German
perspective. As supreme military commander, Hitler had seemingly achieved a miracle after the swift capitulation of
Holland and Belgium, but with just seven kilometres before the panzers captured Dunkirk (the only port through which the
trapped British Expeditionary force might escape) they came to a shuddering stop. Hitler had lost control of his stunning
advance. Only a this detailed interpretation of the German perspective (historically lacking to date) can provide answers as
to why.
Drawing on his own military experience, his German language skills, and his historian's eye for detail, Robert Kershaw
creates a new history of this familiar battle. With a fresh angle on this famous conflict, "Dunkirchen 1940" delves into the
under-evaluated major German miscalculation both strategically and tactically that arguably cost Hitler the war.
Critique: Simply stated, no World War II European Theatre history collections can be considered comprehensive or up-to-
date without the inclusion of Robert Kershaw's "Dunkirchen 1940: The German View of Dunkirk". Featuring an impressive
insert of black/white historical photographs, illustrations, maps, sixteen pages of Notes, a six page Bibliography, and a nine
page Index, "Dunkirchen 1940: The German View of Dunkirk" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $12.60)
and unreservedly recommended for personal, professional, community, and academic library World War II Military History
& Biography collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists.
Editorial Note: Robert Kershaw (https://robertjkershaw.com) joined the Parachute Regiment in 1973. He served numerous
regimental appointments until selected to command the 10th Battalion the Parachute Regiment (10 PARA). He attended the
German Staff College spending a further two years with the Bundeswehr as an infantry, airborne and arctic warfare
instructor. His active service includes several tours in Northern Ireland, the First Gulf War and Bosnia. He has exercised in
many parts of the world and served in the Middle East and Africa. His final army appointment was with the Intelligence
Division at HQ NATO in Brussels Belgium. On leaving the British Army in 2006 he became a full-time author of military
history as well as a consultant military analyst. He has recorded for BBC radio and interviewed on numerous TV
documentaries including Dutch TV and National Geographic, and published frequent magazine and newspaper articles
including The Times, The Sunday Times, Sunday Telegraph and Daily Telegraph.
Eastern Front Sniper: The Life of Matthaus Hetzenauer
Roland Kaltenegger, author
Introduction by Martin Pegler
Greenhill Books
c/o Pen & Sword Books
www.casematepublishers.com
https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk
9781784382162, $32.95, HC, 192pp
https://www.amazon.com/Eastern-Front-Sniper-Hetzenauer-Greenhill/dp/1784382167
Synopsis: Mathaus Hetzenauer, the son of a Tyrolean peasant family, was born in December 1924. He was drafted into the
Mountain Reserve Battalian 140 at the age of 18 but discharged five month's later.
He received a new draft notice in January 1943 for a post in the Styrian Truppenubungsplatz Seetal Alps where he met some
of the best German snipers and learned his art. Hetzenauer went on to fight in Romania, Eastern Hungary and in Slovakia.
As recognition for his more than 300 confirmed kills he was awarded on the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on April 17,
1945.
After nearly five years of Soviet captivity Mathaus Hetzenauer returned to Austria on January 10, 1950. He lived in the
Tyrol's Brixen Valley until his death on 3 October of 2004.
Critique: A fascinating and informative military biography, "Eastern Front Sniper: The Life of Matthaus Hetzenauer" by the
team of military historians Roland Kaltenegger and Martin Pegler is a comprehensive biography of one of Germany's most
accomplished snipers on the Eastern Front in the dark days of World War II. Ably translated into English by Geoffrey
Brooks, "Eastern Front Sniper: The Life of Matthaus Hetzenauer" is a singular and riveting read from first page to last.
While also available in a paperback edition (9781784387945, $22.95) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $2.99), "Eastern
Front Sniper: The Life of Matthaus Hetzenauer" is unreservedly recommended for personal, professional, community, and
academic library World War II History/Biography collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists.
Editorial Note #1: Roland Kaltenegger is the author of more than ten books on World War II including The Mountain
Troops Of the Waffen-SS 1941-1945 and Weapons and Equipment Of the German Mountain Troops In World War II.
Editorial Note: Martin Pegler is a well-known military historian and writer who has made a special study of historic firearms
and the battles of the Great War. He was Senior Curator of Firearms at the Royal Armouries Museum, Leeds and is the
author of many articles in military history journals and magazines and has written seven books.
Hitler's Armed SS: The Waffen-SS at War, 1939-1945
Anthony Tucker-Jones
Pen & Sword Books
c/o Casemate (US distribution)
www.casematepublishers.com
https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk
9781399006910, $34.95, HC, 240pp
https://www.amazon.com/Hitlers-Armed-SS-Waffen-SS-1939-1945/dp/1399006916
Synopsis: The Waffen-SS was one of the most formidable German military formations of the Second World War. It was
feared for its tenacity and ruthlessness in battle, and infamous for the atrocities it committed.
As a distinct fighting force derived from the Nazi Party's SS organization, it stood apart from the other units of the German
army. Its origins, structure and operational role during the war are often misunderstood and the controversy still surrounding
its conduct make it difficult today to get an accurate picture of its actions and its impact on the fighting.
With the publication of "Hitler's Armed SS: The Waffen-SS at War, 1939-1945", military historian Anthony Tucker-Jones
provides a concise and fluently written account that provides the reader with an absorbing and clear sighted introduction to
it.
"Hitler's Armed SS" traces its development under Himmler from modest beginnings in the early 1930s as Hitler's personal
protection squad of elite soldiers to a force which eventually amounted to thirty-eight divisions. Towards the end of the war
many Waffen-SS units were formed from foreign volunteers and proved to be of poor quality, but its premier panzer
divisions thoroughly deserved their reputation as tough fighters.
Through accounts of the Waffen-SS's major battles on the Eastern Front, in Normandy and finally in defense of Germany, a
detailed picture emerges of the contribution it made to the German war effort, especially when Hitler's armies were in
retreat. The parts played by the most famous Waffen-SS formations (Das Reich, Totenkopf, Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler
among them) and their commanders (men like Dietrich and Hausser) can be seen in the wider context of the war and
Germany's defeat.
Critique: An up-to-date history and assessment of Germany's once elite fighting force in the European theatre of World War
II, "Hitler's Armed SS: The Waffen-SS at War, 1939-1945" is an extraordinarily informed and informative account that will
prove to be a welcome and enduringly appreciated contribution to personal, professional, community, and academic library
World War II history collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists. Students, academia, military buffs, and non-
specialist general readers with an interest in the subject should note that "Hitler's Armed SS: The Waffen-SS at War, 1939-
1945" is also availble for personal reading lists in a digital book format (Kindle, $12.99).
Editorial Noe: Anthony Tucker-Jones (https://www.atuckerjones.com) is a former defense intelligence officer and a widely
published expert on regional conflicts, counter-terrorism and armored and aerial warfare. He is the author of over thirty
books, is security and terrorism correspondent for intersec, The Journal of International Security.
Consolidated B-24 Liberator
Graham M. Simons
Pen & Sword Books
c/o Casemate (US distribution)
www.casematepublishers.com
https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk
9781848846449, $34.95, HC, 256pp
https://www.amazon.com/Consolidated-B-24-Liberator-Images-War/dp/1848846444
Synopsis: The Consolidated B-24 Liberator was almost certainly the most versatile World War II Bomber. Apart from its
bombing role in all theaters of operation, the B-24 hauled fuel to France during the push towards Germany, carried troops,
fought U-boats in the Atlantic and, probably most important of all, made a vital contribution towards winning the war in the
Pacific. Its most famous single exploit is possibly the raid on the Ploesti oil fields in August 1943.
The B-24 ended World War Two as the most produced Allied heavy bomber in history, and the most produced American
military aircraft at over 18,000 units, thanks in large measure to Henry Ford and the harnessing of American industry. It still
holds the distinction as the most produced American military aircraft. The B-24 was used by several Allied air forces and
navies, and by every branch of the American armed forces during the war, attaining a distinguished war record with its
operations in the Western European, Pacific, Mediterranean and China-Burma-India theaters.
With the publication of "Consolidated B-24 Liberator", military aviation historian Graham M. Simons focuses on the
design, engineering, development and tactical use of the many variants throughout the bomber's service life and presents the
reader with all the information available on the B-24!'
Critique: "Consolidated B-24 Liberator " is enhanced for the reader with dramatic photographs coupled with the clarity of
commentary that creates an engaging and entertaining history of this iconic Allied bomber -- a key component in several of
their biggest victories and a marvel of military engineering. While also available for personal the reading lists of students,
academia, and military aviation fans in a paperback edition (9781399019651, $26.95) and in digital book format (Kindle,
$8.99), "Consolidated B-24 Liberator" is recommended as a core addition to World War II History and Military Aviation
collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists.
Editorial Note: English professional aviation writer, publisher and historian Graham M Simons is one of the founders of the
world famous aviation museum at Duxford near Cambridge (https://www.iwm.org.uk/visits/iwm-duxford) where his
interest was piqued watching the making of the 'Battle of Britain' film there in the late 1960's and from the days when you
could go 'aircraft spotting' at London Heathrow and other airports.
Meat Grinder: The Battles for the Rzhev Salient, 1942-43
Prit Buttar
Osprey Publishing
4301 21st St, Suite 220B, Long Island City, NY 11101
www.ospreypublishing.com
9781472851819, $35.00, HC, 464pp
https://www.amazon.com/Meat-Grinder-Battles-Salient-1942-43/dp/1472851811
Synopsis: The fighting between the German and Russian armies in the Rzhev Salient during World War II was so grisly, so
murderous, and saw such vast losses that the troops called the campaign 'The Meat Grinder'. Though millions of men would
fight and die there, the Rzhev Salient does not have the name recognition of Leningrad or Moscow. It was simply a vast
tract of forests and swamps in the heart of Mother Russia that has been largely ignored by Western military historians.
With the publication of "Meat Grinder: The Battles for the Rzhev Salient, 1942-43", Prit Buttar, a world expert on the
Eastern Front during World War II, reveals the depth and depravity of the bitter fighting for the Rzhev Salient in this
astonishing new history. He details how the long-ignored region held the promise of a renewed drive on the Soviet capital
for the German Army -- a chance to turn the tide of war. Using both German and Russian first-hand accounts, Buttar
examines the four major offensives launched by the Red Army against the salient, all of which were defeated with heavy
losses, exceeding two million killed, wounded or missing, until eventually, the Germans were forced to evacuate the salient
in March 1943.
Drawing on the latest research, "Meat Grinder" provides a new study of these horrific battles while also examining how the
Red Army did ultimately learn from its colossal failures and how its analysis of these failures at the time helped pave the
way for the eventual Soviet victory against Army Group Centre in the summer of 1944 -- leaving the road to Berlin
clear.
Critique: Informative enhanced for the reader with the inclusion of Maps, Illustrations, an eight page listing of 'Dramatis
Personae', sixteen pages of Notes, a six page Bibliography, and a seven page Index, "Meat Grinder: The Battles for the
Rzhev Salient, 1942-43" is a comprehensive detailed history that is a simply fascinating read from first page to last. A
welcome and highly prized addition to personal, professional, community, and academic library World War II Military
History collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists, it should be noted by students, academia, military history
buffs, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "Meat Grinder: The Battles for the Rzhev
Salient, 1942-43" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $14.46).
Editorial Note: Prit Buttar (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prit_Buttar) is an established expert on the Eastern Front in
20th-century military history. His previous books include the acclaimed Battleground Prussia: The Assault on Germany's
Eastern Front 1944-45 and Between Giants: The Battle for the Baltics in World War II. He is also the author of The
Reckoning: The Defeat of Army Group South, 1944 (Osprey, 2020). Prit originally studied medicine at Oxford and London
before joining the British Army as a doctor. He latterly worked as a General Practitioner for several years. He now writes
exclusively from his home in rural Scotland.
Bitter Peleliu
Joseph Wheelan
Osprey Publishing
4301 21st St, Suite 220B. Long Island City, NY 11101
www.ospreypublishing.com
9781472849502, $30.00, HC, 336pp
https://www.amazon.com/Bitter-Peleliu-Forgotten-Struggle-Battlefield/dp/1472849507
Synopsis: In late 1944, and as a precursor to the invasion of the Philippines, U.S. military analysts decided to seize the small
island of Peleliu to ensure that the Japanese airfield there could not threaten the invasion forces. "Bitter Peleliu: The
Forgotten Struggle on the Pacific War's Worst Battlefield" by Joseph Wheelan is important new study that explores the
dramatic story of this 'forgotten' battle and the campaign's strategic failings.
"Bitter Peleliu" reveals how U.S. intelligence officers failed to detect the complex network of caves, tunnels, and pillboxes
hidden inside the island's coral ridges. More importantly, they did not discern (nor could they before it happened) that the
defense of Peleliu would represent a tectonic shift in Japanese strategy. No more contested enemy landings at the water's
edge, no more wild banzai attacks. Now, invaders would be raked on the beaches by mortar and artillery fire. Then, as the
enemy penetrated deeper into the Japanese defensive systems, he would find himself on ground carefully prepared for the
purpose of killing as many American soldiers as possible.
For the battle-hardened 1st Marine Division Peleliu was a hornets' nest like no other. Yet thanks to pre-invasion
over-confidence on the part of commanders, 30 of the 36 news correspondents accredited for the campaign had left prior to
D-Day. Now some 78 years latter, "Bitter Peleliu" reveals the full horror of this 74-day battle, a battle that thanks to the
reduced media presence has never garnered the type of attention it deserves.
Critique: Pacific War historian Joseph Wheelan deftly dissects the American intelligence and strategic failings, provides an
insightful analyses the shift in Japanese tactics, and candescently recreates the Marines' horrific experiences on the worst of
the Pacific battlegrounds. "Bitter Peleliu: The Forgotten Struggle on the Pacific War's Worst Battlefield" is a compelling,
detailed, and comprehensive study rescuing from obscurity a forgotten but critically important battle. While also available
for the personal reading lists of World War II military history buffs, "Bitter Peleliu: The Forgotten Struggle on the Pacific
War's Worst Battlefield" is a very highly recommended addition to personal, community, and academic library World War
II Pacific Theatre collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists.
Editorial Note: Joseph Wheelan (https://www.josephwheelan.com/biography.html) is the author of ten books about 19th-
and 20th-century American history including Midnight in the Pacific (2017) and Bloody Okinawa (2020). Previously, he
was an editor and reporter for The Associated Press for 24 years.
The Literary Fiction Shelf
Rocked in Time
Charles Degelman
Harvard Square Editions
2152 Beachwood Terrace, Hollywood, CA 90068
www.harvardsquareeditions.org
9781941861882, $22.95, PB, 408pp
https://www.amazon.com/Rocked-Time-Charles-Degelman/dp/1941861881
Synopsis: "Rocked in Time" by Charles Degelman slips behind the scenes of a blasphemous theater company hell-bent on
toppling America's Vietnam-era establishment with punch lines, pratfalls, and comic rebellion. Along the way, the
protagonist pursues a love for the stage and a passion for resistance amid the tear-gassed campuses and burning cities of a
nation at war with itself.
We've heard about the generation that changed the politics and culture of the 1960s. But how did that rebellion change those
who made it happen? "Rocked in Time" delivers that tale from a unique theatrical perspective. - Tony Kahn, writer,
producer, PBS, NPR
Critique: A fictional reflection of an historical era, "Rocked in Time" by novelist Charles Degelman is a compelling and
compulsive page turner of a read that is as entertaining as it is thought-provoking. W compelling work of historical/literary
fiction, "Rocked in Time" is an especially and unreservedly recommended addition to personal reading lists and
community/academic library Contemporary Literary Fiction collections.
Editorial Note: Charles Degelman (https://www.charlesdegelman.org) is an author, performer, and producer living in Los
Angeles. His recent novel, A Bowl Full of Nails, set in the counterculture of the 1970s, collected a Bronze Medal from the
2015 Independent Publishers Book Awards and was a finalist in the Bellwether Competition, sponsored by Barbara
Kingsolver. His novel Gates of Eden, set during the anti-war movement of the 1960s, won an Independent Publishers book
award, and his first screenplay, "FIFTY-SECOND STREET", garnered an award from the Diane Thomas Competition,
sponsored by UCLA and Dreamworks. He is also on the Faculty of California State University where he teaches writing in
the Television, Film, and Media Studies/Communications Studies program.
The Mystery/Suspense Shelf
Holmes Coming
Kenneth Johnson
Blackstone Publishing
31 Mistletoe Road, Ashland, OR 97520
www.blackstoneaudio.com
9798200706884, $25.99, HC, 350pp
https://www.amazon.com/Holmes-Coming-Kenneth-Johnson/dp/B09QHN7DW3
Synopsis: With the publication of "Holmes Coming", Dr. Amy Winslow tells the following story: In foggy, nighttime San
Francisco a jogging SFPD captain is savagely attacked by a Bengal tiger which then vanishes. In her ER, Amy labors
unsuccessfully to save the captain's life, then consoles his aggrieved closest friend, Lt. Luis Ortega. Neither suspects their
lives will intertwine in a life-or-death mystery.
The next day, checking on former patient Mrs. Hudson at her Victorian house isolated in Marin County's forest, Amy
discovers in the cellar a secret, cobweb-covered 1899 electrochemical laboratory containing a Jules Verne-esque steam-punk
sarcophagus out of which springs a wild-eyed, half-mummified, crypt-keeper-like man who injects himself with something
before falling dead at her feet. Amy barely revives him.
He claims to be a real-life Victorian master chemist and detective named Holmes, who allowed Conan Doyle to write stories
based on his cases, though was slightly annoyed when Doyle changed his real first name to the catchier Sherlock. Becoming
uninspired by 1890s crime, Holmes devised this method to hibernate for a century to investigate future mysteries.
Amy assumes he's a lunatic. His Scotland Yard identity papers were stolen while he slept, so it takes her a while to realize
his amazing story is true.
Respectably handsome when cleaned up, Holmes is still the same brash, egoistic, uber-English, cocaine-addicted,
non-feminist genius (but now a century out of sync) so his still-brilliant deductions are sometimes laughingly or dangerously
wrong. Holmes and Amy, his reluctant new Watson, find themselves unexpectedly attracted to each other while perilously
involved in reclaiming his proof of identity, aided by cybersavvy street teen Zapper. It's all connected to the horrific
death-by-tiger, only the first of several bizarre, mystifying murders being committed by an exquisitely fiendish descendant
of Holmes' Victorian archenemy, Professor Moriarty.
Critique: The tone of "Holmes Coming" by novelist Kenneth Johnson is an iconic blending of Edwardian Era science fiction
and the deductive mystery solving Sherlock Holmes, blended with a refreshing twist of fish-out-of-water humor and a
surprising spark of genuine romance. A 'must' for the legions of Sherlock Holmes fans and available for personal reading
lists in a digital book format (Kindle, $8.99) and as a complete and unabridged audio book (Blackstone Audio,
9798200706037, $31.95, CD), "Holmes Coming" is an unabashedly recommended addition to community library
collections.
Editorial Note: Kenneth Johnson (www.KennethJohnson.us) is the author of numerous books including The Man of
Legends, The Darwin Variant, V The Second Generation. He is a successful writer-producer-director of film and TV.
Creator of the critically acclaimed landmark TV miniseries V, Kenneth also produced The Six Million Dollar Man and
created such iconic Emmy-winning series as The Bionic Woman, The Incredible Hulk, and Alien Nation. Recipient of
multiple Saturn Awards from the Academy of Science Fiction. He can be followed on Facebook at:
www.Facebook.com/KennethJohnsonAuthor
The Fantasy/SciFi Shelf
Legends & Lattes
Travis Baldree
Tor Trade
c/o Tor/Forge Books
www.tor-forge.com
9781250886088, $17.99, PB, 304pp
https://www.amazon.com/Legends-Lattes-Travis-Baldree/dp/1250886082
Synopsis: After a lifetime of bounties and bloodshed, Viv is hanging up her sword for the last time. The battle-weary orc
aims to start fresh, opening the first ever coffee shop in the city of Thune. But old and new rivals stand in the way of success
-- not to mention the fact that no one has the faintest idea what coffee actually is.
If Viv wants to put the blade behind her and make her plans a reality, she won't be able to go it alone. But the true rewards
of the uncharted path are the travelers you meet along the way. And whether drawn together by ancient magic, flaky pastry,
or a freshly brewed cup, they may become partners, family, and something deeper than she ever could have dreamed.
Critique: A laugh out loud fantasy richly laced with humor, "Legends & Lattes" is a memorable novel of 'High Fantasy and
Low Stakes'. An impressively original, fun, and thoroughly entertaining read fro cover to cover, it should be noted that this
paperback edition of "Legends & Lattes" by Travis Baldree also includes a very special, never-before-seen bonus story,
'Pages to Fill.' While available for the personal reading lists of all dedicated fantasy fans in a digital book format (Kindle,
$7.99), "Legends & Lattes" is especially and unreservedly recommended for community library Science Fiction & Fantasy
collections.
Editorial Note: Travis Baldree (https://travisbaldree.com) is a full-time audiobook narrator who has lent his voice to
hundreds of stories. Before that, he spent decades designing and building video games like Torchlight, Rebel Galaxy, and
Fate. And now with the publication of "Legends & Lattes" he has also begun to write books.
The Lost Metal
Brandon Sanderson
Tor Books
c/o Tor/Forge Books
www.tor-forge.com
9780765391193, $29.99, HC, 528pp
https://www.amazon.com/Lost-Metal-Mistborn-Novel-Saga/dp/0765391198
Synopsis: For years, frontier lawman turned big-city senator Waxillium Ladrian has hunted the shadowy organization the
Set (with his late uncle and his sister being among their leaders) since they started kidnaping people with the power of
Allomancy in their bloodlines.
When Detective Marasi Colms and her partner Wayne find stockpiled weapons bound for the Outer City of Bilming, this
opens a new lead. Conflict between Elendel and the Outer Cities only favors the Set, and their tendrils now reach to the
Elendel Senate (whose corruption Wax and Steris have sought to expose) and Bilming is even more entangled.
After Wax discovers a new type of explosive that can unleash unprecedented destruction and realizes that the Set must
already have it, an immortal kandra serving Scadrial's god, Harmony, reveals that Bilming has fallen under the influence of
another god: Trell, worshipped by the Set.
And Trell isn't the only factor at play from the larger Cosmere -- Marasi is recruited by offworlders with strange abilities
who claim their goal is to protect Scadrial at any cost!
Wax must choose whether to set aside his rocky relationship with God and once again become the Sword that Harmony has
groomed him to be. If no one steps forward to be the hero Scadrial needs, the planet and its millions of people will come to
a sudden and calamitous ruin.
Critique: Another brilliantly scripted and imaginatively original novel in Brandon Sanderson's epic fantasy series 'Mistborn',
"The Lost Metal" is a fun and fascinating read from first page to last. While highly recommended as a popular addition to
community library collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists of dedicated heroic fantasy fans that "The Lost
Metal" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $14.99). It should be noted that the three previous novels
comprising the 'Mistborn' series are: "Mistborn: The Final Empire"; "The Well of Ascension"' and "The Hero of Ages".
Editorial Note: Brandon Sanderson (https://www.brandonsanderson.com) teaches creative writing at Brigham Young
University. He is the author of such bestsellers as the Mistborn trilogy and its sequels, The Alloy of Law, Shadows of Self,
and The Bands of Mourning; the Stormlight Archive novels The Way of Kings and Words of Radiance; and other novels,
including The Rithmatist, Steelheart, and Skyward. In 2013, he won a Hugo Award for Best Novella for The Emperor's
Soul, set in the world of his acclaimed first novel, Elantris. Additionally, he was chosen to complete Robert Jordan's Wheel
of Time sequence.
The Business Shelf
Smarter Collaboration
Heidi K. Gardner, author
Ivan A. Matviak, author
Harvard Business Review Press
60 Harvard Way, Boston, MA 02163
http://hbr.org/books
9781647822743, $30.00, HC, 320pp
https://www.amazon.com/Smarter-Collaboration-Approach-Breaking-Transforming/dp/1647822742
Synopsis: Market volatility. Sustainability demands. Hybrid working. Opportunities and hazards of fast-changing
technology and regulations. Companies and nonprofits face more daunting challenges than ever. How can we collaborate in
our organizations (and with outside partners) to solve problems, innovate, and succeed?
With the publication of "Smarter Collaboration: A New Approach to Breaking Down Barriers and Transforming Work", co-
authors Heidi K. Gardner and Ivan A. Matviak offer truly groundbreaking solutions. "Smarter Collaboration" lays out a
pragmatic action plan blending rich stories, new empirical research, and loads of practical advice to help companies thrive
by collaborating more effectively.
As Harvard professor Heidi K. Gardner and senior executive Ivan A. Matviak show, firms that collaborate smarter
consistently generate higher revenues and profits, boost innovation, strengthen client relationships, and attract and retain
better talent. In this successor to Gardner's bestselling first book, "Smarter Collaboration", the co-authors expand their
mandate, illustrating the fundamental dynamics of collaborating well across industries like financial services, health care,
biotech/pharma, consumer products, automotive, and technology.
Based on their research with thousands of executives from around the world, they share deep insights on how to implement
smarter collaboration and avoid the potential pitfalls. They also help leaders troubleshoot thorny challenges like misaligned
incentives, collaboration overload, and unintended consequences on diversity and inclusion. Complete with illustrative
how-tos and cases, "Smarter Collaboration" concludes with inspiring examples of groups harnessing smarter collaboration
to tackle society's biggest challenges such as saving the oceans, eradicating diseases, and tackling global warming.
Critique: Exceptionally well written, organized and presented, "Smarter Collaboration: A New Approach to Breaking Down
Barriers and Transforming Work" must be considers as an essential and 'real world practical' instructional guide and 'how to'
manual for corporate leaders at all levels to improve the way they work, and as a result, increase the impact and success of
their corporate or non-profit organizations. Both Heidi K. Gardner and Ivan A. Matviak can be connected with at
www.gardnerandco.co. While especially recommended for personal, professional, community, and academic library
Business Management & Leadership collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Smarter Collaboration: A
New Approach to Breaking Down Barriers and Transforming Work" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle,
$14.99).
Editorial Note #1: Heidi K. Gardner (https://hls.harvard.edu/heidi-k-gardner) is a Distinguished Fellow at Harvard Law
School and a former professor at Harvard Business School. Previously a McKinsey consultant and Fulbright Fellow, she is
the author of "Smart Collaboration: How Professionals and Their Firms Succeed by Breaking Down Silos", and was named
by Thinkers50 as a Next Generation Business Guru and is cofounder of both the research and advisory firm Gardner & Co
and Smart Collaboration International.
Editorial Note #2: Ivan A. Matviak (https://clearwateranalytics.com/authors/ivan-matviak) is a senior executive in the global
financial services and fintech sectors. Formerly chair of multiple software companies, adviser to private equity firms, and
Bain consultant, Matviak is a cofounder of Smart Collaboration International.
The Library Science Shelf
Intermediate Horizons: Book History and Digital Humanities
Mark Vareschi, editor
Heather Wacha, editor
University of Wisconsin Press
728 State Street, Suite 443, Madison, WI 53706-1418
www.uwpress.wisc.edu
9780299338107, $79.95, HC, 184pp
https://www.amazon.com/Intermediate-Horizons-History-Digital-Humanities/dp/029933810X
Synopsis: The collaborative work of co-editors Mark Vareschi and Heather Wacha, "Intermediate Horizons: Book History
and Digital Humanities" is innovative collection tat examines how book history and digital humanities (DH) practices are
integrated through approach, access, and assessment.
There are eight erudite essays by rising and senior scholars practicing in multiple fields (including librarians, literature
scholars, digital humanists, and historians) that consider and reimagine the interconnected futures and horizons at the
intersections of texts, technology, and culture and argue for a return to a more representative and human study of the
humanities.
Integrating intermedial practices and assessments, the editors and contributors explore issues surrounding the access to and
materiality of digitized materials, and the challenge of balancing preservation of traditional archival materials with access.
They offer an assessment in our present moment of the early visions of book history and DH projects. In revisiting these
projects, they ask us to shift our thinking on the promises and perils of archival and creative work in different media.
"Intermediate Horizons: Book History and Digital Humanities" reconsiders the historical intersections of book history and
DH and charts a path for future scholarship across disciplinary boundaries.
Critique: Of special relevance and appeal to readers with an interest in the subjects of General Library & Information
Science, Communications & Media Studies, and Continuing Education, "Intermediate Horizons: Book History and Digital
Humanities" is collaboratively compiled and co-edited by Professors features fourteen illustrations, a four page listing of the
contributors and their credentials, as well as a fourteen page Index. Impressively informative and thought-provoking
throughout, "Intermediate Horizons: Book History and Digital Humanities" is a strongly recommended addition to personal,
professional, community, college, and university library Library Science collections and writer/publisher/bibliophile reading
lists.
Editorial Note #1: Mark Vareschi (https://english.wisc.edu/staff/vareschi-mark) is an Associate Professor of English at the
University of Wisconsin - Madison and the author of "Everywhere and Nowhere: Anonymity and Mediation in
Eighteenth-Century Britain".
Editorial Note #2: Heather Wacha (https://ischool.wisc.edu/blog/staff/wacha-heather) is a former University of Wisconsin
fellow and CLIR Postdoctoral Fellow and associate coordinator of the Center for the History of Print and Digital Culture at
the University of Wisconsin - Madison. She is also the coauthor of "The Cartulary of the Abbey of Premontre: A Dual Print
and Digital Edition".
The Mathematics Shelf
Linear Algebra
Lina Oliveira
Chapman & Hall
c/o CRC Press
6000 NW Broken Sound Parkway NW, Suite 300, Boca Raton, FL 33487
www.crcpress.com
9781032287812, $160.00, HC, 328pp
https://www.amazon.com/Linear-Algebra-Lina-Oliveira/dp/1032287810
Synopsis: The narrative of "Linear Algebra" takes a matrix approach: the exposition is intertwined with matrices either as
the main subject or as tools to explore the theory. Each chapter contains a description of its aims, a summary at the end of
the chapter, exercises, and solutions. The reader is carefully guided through the theory and techniques presented which are
outlined throughout in "How to..." text boxes. Common mistakes and pitfalls are also pointed out as one goes along.
"Linear Algebra" is written to be self-contained and ideal as a primary textbook for an undergraduate course in linear
algebra. Applications of the general theory which are of interest to disciplines outside of mathematics, such as engineering,
are also a part of "Linear Algebra".
Critique: "Linear Algebra" by mathematician Lina Oliveira is intended primarily as an undergraduate textbook but is written
in such a way that it can also be a valuable resource for independent learning as well. Exceptional in organization and
presentation, "Linear Algebra" is unreservedly recommended for personal, community, and academic library Applied
Mathematics, Albegra and Trigonometry collections and curriculums. It should be noted for students, academia, and non-
specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "Linear Algebra" is also available in a paperback edition
(9780815373315, $64.95) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $64.95).
Editorial Note: Lina Oliveira (https://www.math.tecnico.ulisboa.pt/~linaoliv) earned her DPhil in Mathematics from the
University of Oxford, UK and is a faculty member of the Department of Mathematics of Instituto Superior Tecnico,
University of Lisbon, Portugal. She has taught several graduate and undergraduate courses at Instituto Superior Tecnico
where she regularly teaches Linear Algebra since 2001. Her research interests are in the areas of Functional Analysis,
Operator Algebras and Operator Theory. She is currently the head of the Linear Algebra course at the Portuguese Air Force
Academy.
The Audiobook Shelf
The American Indians and Their Music
Frances Densmore, author
Shaun Taylor-Corbett, narrator
Brilliance Audio
www.brillianceaudio.com
9781799784807, $9.99, MP3-CD
https://www.amazon.com/American-Indians-Their-Music-AmazonClassics/dp/1799784800
Synopsis: During the early twentieth century, the American government's standing expectation was that Native Americans
should be adopting Western customs. In the face of that prospect, anthropologist and musicologist Frances Theresa
Densmore sought to preserve Native American culture -- particularly as it was expressed through music. In her extensive
writings on Native American lifestyles, music, and history, Densmore opened a window onto American experiences that had
been obscured by stereotypes, and encouraged a better appreciation of the varied traditions of tribes nationwide. In the
various essays collected here (covering everything from dances and games to love songs and instruments) Densmore
overturned the misrepresentation of a rich heritage and shared the vital importance of music as a gateway to knowledge and
understanding.
Critique: An 'Amazon Classic' audio book production from Brilliance Audio, this complete and unabridged edition features
the vocal narrative skills of Shaun Taylor-Corbert whose superbly crafted reading of "The American Indians And Their
Music" is very highly recommended for personal, family, highschool, community, college, and university library audio book
collections in general, and supplemental Native American Studies curriculum lists in particular. (MP3-CD, 1 disc, 3 Hours,
31 Minutes).
Editorial Note #1: Frances Theresa Densmore (1867 - 1957) was an American anthropologist and ethnomusicologist born in
Red Wing, Minnesota. After studying music at Oberlin College, she devoted her life to recording and transcribing Native
American music and documenting its cultural significance. Collecting thousands of recordings, Densmore worked with
tribes nationwide, including the Chippewa, Sioux, Pawnee, Seminole, Arapaho, Cheyenne, Pueblo, and many more.
Throughout her career, she wrote monographs for the Smithsonian Institute; contributed to American Anthropologist,
among other journals; and, in 1926, published The American Indians and Their Music.
Editorial Note #2: An American actor, singer and writer, Shaun Michael Taylor-Corbett
(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shaun_Taylor-Corbett) is the son of choreographer Lynne Taylor-Corbett and Music
Executive Michael Corbett. Shaun Michael Taylor-Corbett is of Native American descent.
The Raven Song
Luanne G. Smith, author
Susannah Jones, narrator
Brilliance Audio
www.brillianceaudio.com
9781713668725, $14.99, MP3-CD
https://www.amazon.com/Raven-Song-Novel-Conspiracy-Magic/dp/1713668726
Synopsis: Forever untangling the branches of her strange family tree, Edwina Blackwood is at a turning point. Her parents'
disappearances still strike her as unaccountably odd. Her sister's questionable life and untimely death have left her shaken.
Spellfire has transformed her home and livelihood to ash. And now a devious stalker is on her trail. With supernatural
detective Ian Cameron by her side, Edwina can't get out of London fast enough.
Gaining safe passage, she finds refuge with Sir Henry Elvanfoot, famed wizard of the north, and is promised protection from
ill-aimed curses. But in this unfamiliar city of fair folk and witches, where the veil between Earth and the Otherworld is
about to be lifted, something is amiss. How else to explain Edwina's sudden prophetic visions? Or the fear that surviving
whoever pursues her will require the powers of an ancient bloodline she's only beginning to comprehend?
Whatever destiny awaits, it's Edwina's to finally control. Where will it lead? Only time, cunning, and magic (in this world or
the Other) will tell.
Critique: Now brought to life in a vivid and memorable 'theatre of the mind' experience by narrator Susannah Jones'
remarkable vocal talents, this complete and unabridged audio book production from Brilliance Audio Luanne G. Smith's
fantasy novel "The Raven Song" is an especially welcome and recommended addition to personal and community library
audio book collections. (MP3-CD, 1 disc, 8 Hours, 47 Minutes).
Editorial Note #1: Luanne G. Smith (www.luannegsmith.com) is also the author of The Raven Spell, The Vine Witch, The
Glamourist, and The Conjurer.
Editorial Note #2: Susannah Jones (https://www.beeaudio.com/narrator/susannah-jones) is an audiobook narrator, writer
and actress with over 150 books under her own name and her pseudonym.
A Christmas Candy Killing
Christina Romeril, author
Bernadette Dunne, narrator
Dreamscape Media
https://www.dreamscapepublishing.com
9781666616675, $22.99, MP3-CD
https://www.amazon.com/Christmas-Candy-Killing-Christina-Romeril/dp/1666616672
Synopsis: Identical twin sisters Alex and Hannah are the owners of Murder and Mayhem, a mystery bookshop that sells their
famous poison-themed Killer Chocolates. But now, there's a real killer in their midst.
Shortly before Christmas, their septuagenarian neighbor, Jane, confides to Alex that a murderer from a true-crime show has
taken up residence in the village. Unfortunately, she's also shared her suspicions with town gossip Netta. The next morning,
Alex shows up at Jane's house to watch the show, but instead she discovers Jane's body, with a box of Killer Chocolates
nearby.
The sheriff quickly zeroes in on two suspects: Alex, a beneficiary in Jane's will, and Zack, a handyman who was seen
leaving the crime scene. But Alex maintains her innocence and sets out to draft a list of other potential suspects -- townsfolk
who'd recently been seen arguing with Jane. When Alex gets hold of Jane's journal, she begins to understand the truth. But a
bearer of ill tidings is arriving early this year -- and Alex just might not make it to Christmas.
Critique: One of novelist Christina Romeril's classic cozy mysteries, "A Christmas Candy Killing" is superbly performed by
the vocal talents of Bernadette Dunne in this complete and unabridged MP3-CD edition from Dreamscape Press. A 'must'
for all dedicated cozy mystery fans, "A Christmas Candy Killing" is unreservedly recommended for both personal and
community library audio book collections.
Editorial Note #1: Christina Romeril (https://christinaromeril.com) is a cozy-mystery writer. She grew up in Kitchener,
Ontario, and has been devouring stacks of books since third grade when the Trixie Belden series sparked her love of the
genre.
Editorial Note #2: Bernadette Dunne (http://www.bernadettedunne.com) has been honored to narrate the work of some of
the finest fiction and nonfiction writers of our time, including Margaret Atwood, Joyce Carol Oates, and Sandra Day
O'Connor. The winner of more than a dozen Earphones Awards and a three-time Audie Award nominee, she has voiced
countless bestsellers, including Memoirs of a Geisha, The Devil Wears Prada, and A Tree Grows in Brooklyn. She studied
at The Royal National Theater and lives in New York.
When Life Gives You Vampires
Gloria Duke, author
Meg Sylvan, narrator
Dreamscape Media
https://www.dreamscapepublishing.com
9781666614466, $22.99, MP3-CD
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/when-life-gives-you-vampires-gloria-duke/1140788894
Synopsis: Twenty-five-year-old Lily Baines is used to waking up hungover, overweight, and underemployed. Waking up
with fangs? Not so much. But when a little light necking has more serious consequences than she ever imagined, Lily is
determined to get to the bottom of it or die (again) trying.
Tristan hadn't meant to turn Lily (it's against vampire law) but now that she's here, they need to team up to save both their
hides. They strike an uneasy truce, fending off other vampires, Lily's work-rival-turned-slayer, and her mother's tone-deaf
romance and fitness advice -- all while Lily faces down her insecurities about the fact that she lives in a diet-obsessed world
with a body that will never age, never die, and never change.
Falling for her maddeningly gorgeous sire? Easy. Surviving an ancient vampire Master determined to see her twice-dead?
Piece of cake. But can Lily ever truly learn to love the woman she'll be forevermore?
Critique: Fun, funny, and a vampire fans delight from beginning to end, "When Life Gives You Vampires" by Gloria Duke
is exceptionally well narrated in a superb vocal performance by Meg Sylvan. This complete and unabridged MP3-CD
edition from Dreamscape Media is a 'must' for personal and community library audio book collections.
On Good Authority
Briana Una McGuckin, author
Lauren Irwin, narrator
Brilliance Audio
www.brillianceaudio.com
9781713667827, $14.99, MP3-CD
https://www.amazon.com/Good-Authority-Novel-Suspense/dp/1713667827
Synopsis: When lady's maid Marian Osley and footman Valentine Hobbs assume their positions at the cliff-top estate of
Valor Rise, they already share a history. Raised together as paupers in a London workhouse, they escaped through games of
imaginary crimes and sublime punishment. Now they've been unexpectedly reunited -- in subservience to the brooding
Wythe Bornholdt and his frail wife, Diana. A master and mistress with their own dark secrets.
In private, Marian and Valentine return to their playful and addictive games -- now tinged with BDSM. But when lecherous
Wythe sees something he desires in Marian, he turns the pair's diversions violently against them. The line between servitude
and bondage is drawn, and the dynamics of dominance and submission will shift in this sensually charged story of Gothic
suspense.
Critique: The stuff of which BBC movies are made, author Briana Una McGuckin's historical thriller "On Good Authority"
is now available as a riveting, complete and unabridged audio book ably and effectively narrated by an outstanding vocal
performance by Lauren Irwin. In a 1 disc MP3-CD edition from Brilliance Audio, "On Good Authority" is an ideal addition
to personal and community library audio book collections.
Editorial Note: Briana Una McGuckin writes Gothic Romance/Romantic Suspense and fabulist fiction. Her work appears in
the Stoker-nominated Not All Monsters, an anthology of women's horror (Rooster Republic), as well as The Arcanist,
Breath & Shadow, and Hides the Dark Tower (Pole-to-Pole Publishing). She has an MFA from Western Connecticut State
University. She can be followed on Twitter @BrianaUna, and has a blog at: http://brianaunamcguckin.com
Beautiful Graves
L. J. Shen, author
Cassandra Campbell, narrator
Brilliance Audio
www.brillianceaudio.com
9781799790228, $14.99, MP3-CD
https://www.amazon.com/Beautiful-Graves-L-J-Shen/dp/1799790223
Synopsis: They say first loves are oftentimes the end of one's innocence. Those words couldn't ring truer for Everlynne
Lawson, whose first brush with romance came with a heartbreak and the thing that seems to follow her everywhere she goes
-- Death.
After a great tragedy, Everlynne loses all she cares about -- her dreams, her family, and her soulmate, Joe. Guilt-ridden,
Everlynne decides to isolate herself in Salem, Massachusetts. A shell of the woman she once was, she takes her days one at
a time, careful not to allow herself the joy she believes others in her life were robbed of.
But when the mysterious, handsome Dominic storms into her life, it becomes more difficult to stay in solitude. Dominic is
different: adventurous, joyous, with lust for life and a passion to make her his. Everlynne is on the cusp of reinventing
herself once again when the old wounds of her past are resurrected, rawer than ever.
There is nothing worse than being in love with two men. Especially when one of them hates you!
Critique: A unique, clever, fascinating, engaging, and with a special appeal to fans of angst riddled contemporary romance,
L. J. Shen's new novel, "Beautiful Graves" is brought to life in the mind's eye by the superbly performed narration of
Cassandra Campbell in this Brilliance Audio complete and unabridged MP3-CD edition. With a running time of 11 Hours
46 Minutes, "Beautiful Graves" is especially and unreservedly recommended for personal and community library audio
book collections.
Editorial Note #1: L. J. Shen (www.authorljshen.com) is a an author of contemporary, new adult, and young adult romance.
Her books have been sold in twenty different countries. She can be followed on Instagram (@authorljshen), or her Facebook
group at http://goo.gl/QZJ0NC. Fans can sign up for her newsletter at https://bit.ly/3LhsIrb, and text SHEN to 313131 to get
new release alerts (United States only).
Editorial Note #2: Cassandra Campbell has hundreds of audiobook credits to her name each one with refreshing clarity and
honesty. (https://www.audible.com/ep/narrator-cassandra-campbell).
The Last Hill
Bob Drury, author
Tom Clavin, illustrator
George Newbern, narrator
Macmillan Audio
www.macmillanaudio.com
9781250866738, $39.99, CD
https://www.amazon.com/Last-Hill-Ranger-Battalion-Defined/dp/1250866731
Synopsis: In the European Theatre of World War II, "Rudder's Rangers" was the most elite and experienced attack unit the
American Army had. In December 1944, they would be the spearhead into Germany, taking the war into Hitler's homeland
at last. Their colonel was given this objective: Take Hill 400. The second objective: Hold Hill 400. To the last man, if
necessary. The battle-hardened battalion had no idea that the German Volks-Grenadiers, who greatly outnumbered the
Rangers, had been given the exact same orders. The clash of the two determined forces was one of the bloodiest and costly
ones of World War II.
Castle Hill, the imposing 400-foot mini-mountain the grunts simply called Hill 400, was the gateway to still-powerful Nazi
Germany. Even an entire division had been repulsed by the desperate defenders. The Allies had to have it to drive a dagger
into Germany's heart. Hitler had to hold onto it because hidden behind it was the massive army of men and machines poised
to smash their way through Allied lines in the Battle of the Bulge.
The stalemate could not continue. For Gen. Dwight Eisenhower and his top brass, there was only one solution: Send in the
Rangers. After two days, when they were finally relieved, only 16 Rangers remained to stagger down from the top of Hill
400. The Last Hill is filled with unforgettable action and characters -- a gripping, finely detailed saga of what the survivors
of the battalion would call "our longest day."
Critique: Unreservedly recommended for personal, community, and academic library audio book and WWI military history
collections, this complete and unabridged audio book edition of Bob Drury and Tom Clavin's "The Last Hill" from
Macmillan Audio is brilliantly narrated by the vocal performance of narrator George Newbern who brings this bit of World
War II history vividly to life as a true 'theatre of the mind' production.
Editorial Note #1: Bob Drury (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_Drury) is the recipient of several national journalism
awards, a three-time National Magazine Award finalist, as well as a Pulitzer Prize nominee. Drury honed his investigative
skills writing for all four New York City newspapers as well as a variety of national publications. His journalism career has
arced from sports to crime to adventure travel to foreign correspondence. He is also the author, co-author, or editor of ten
non-fiction books, including Blood and Treasure, Valley Forge, and Lucky 666.
Editorial Note #2: Tom Clavin (https://us.macmillan.com/author/tomclavin) has worked as a newspaper editor, magazine
writer, TV and radio commentator, and a reporter for The New York Times. He has received awards from the Society of
Professional Journalists, Marine Corps Heritage Foundation, and National Newspaper Association. His books include the
Frontier Lawmen trilogy (Wild Bill, Dodge City, and Tombstone) as well as Blood and Treasure with coauthor Bob
Drury.
Yule Be Sorry
Kim M. Watt, author
Patricia Gallimore, narrator
Isis Audio
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print, Inc.
www.ulverscroftusa.com
9781399124331, $98.95, MP3-CD
https://www.ulverscroft.com/store/us/search/Yule%20Be%20Sorry
Synopsis: One should never meddle in the affairs of dragons, but someone has been doing just that. They've been making
imitation dragon scale baubles that are nothing short of lethal, and kidnapping delivery drivers all over the Yorkshire Dales.
They've also been leaving behind some distinctly dragon-ish traces.
Beaufort Scales, High Lord of the Cloverly Dragons, is hot on the trail - or would be, if he wasn't having certain political
problems at home. That leaves Alice and Miriam to track down the real culprits, rescue the hostages, and salvage Mortimer's
bauble reputation, all while misleading the police regarding the of existence of dragons, and hopefully without being blown
up by unexpectedly aggressive Christmas decorations in the process. Luckily they have the full resources of the Toot
Hansell Women's Institute at their disposal. They'll need it.
And then there's the small question of who stole all the Christmas turkeys...
Dragons, the Women's Institute, and one very suspicious cat. What could possibly go wrong?
Yule Be Sorry is the perfect Christmas cozy mystery for anyone who likes their crime funny, dragonish, and full of cake and
friendship.
Critique: A festive tale of kidnapping, explosions, & stolen turkeys, "Yule Be Sorry" is Book 2 of the Beaufort Scales Cozy
Mysteries by novelist Kim M. Watt. This Isis Audio edition is a complete and unabridged production featuring the
impressively entertaining narrative storytelling skills of Patricia Gallimore. With a running time of 11 Hours 5 Minutes,
(and featuring dragons!) "Yule Be Sorry" is especially recommended to fans of the Cozy Mystery genre and community
library audio book collections.
Editorial Note #1: Kim M. Watt (https://kmwatt.com) is renowned for her originality, humor, and narrative storytelling
skills. A listing of her books can be found at https://kmwatt.com/books
Editorial Note #2: There is a complete listing of audio books narrated by Patricia Gallimore at
https://www.audiobooks.com/browse/narrator/3722/patricia-gallimore
Murder in Tuscany
T. A. Williams, author
Simon Mattachs, narrator
Boldwood
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print, Inc.
www.ulverscroftusa.com
9781804832233, $88.95, MP3-CD
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/murder-in-tuscany-t-a-williams/1142057304?ean=9781804832233
Synopsis: A remote retreat nestled high in the Tuscan hill, Villa Volpone is home to renowned crime writer Jonah Moore
and his creative writing course. It's also the last place retired DCI Dan Armstrong expected to spend his retirement! Dan's no
writer, but maybe this break will help him to think about the next chapter in his own life story?
Then there is a gruesome murder only days into the course. Jonah Moore is found stabbed to death with his award-winning
silver dagger! And Dan finds himself pulled out of retirement with a killer to catch.
There are eleven possible suspects (the other guests) each of whom seem shocked by Jonah's death. But Dan knows that one
of them must be lying. And as he and Italian Commissario Virgilio Pisano begin to investigate it quickly becomes clear that
everyone at Villa Volpone has secrets to hide. But can Dan discover who the murderer is before they strike again?
Critique: "Murder in Tuscany" is a gripping new murder mystery series launched by novelist T.A. Williams that is brought
vividly to life in a true 'theatre of the mind' experience for dedicated fans of the Cozy Mystery genre by the narrative skills
of Simon Mattacks. 7 hours and 15 minutes of pure entertainment, this MP3-CD audio book edition of "Murder in Tuscany"
will prove a prized and appreciation addition to personal and community library audio book collections.
Editorial Note #1: An accomplished novelist, there is a complete listing of books by T. A. Williams at
https://www.bookseriesinorder.com/t-a-williams
Editorial Note #2: Simon Mattacks (https://www.simonmattacks.com) has been and continues to be a prominent voiceover
actor/performer for more than 30 years.
The Library CD Shelf
Shimmer: Ambient Flute from the Tank
Suzanne Teng & Gilbert Levy
Mystic Journey
www.mysticjourney.net
$17.00
https://mysticjourney.net/cds
Shimmer: Ambient Flute from the Tank is a beautiful, instrumental album recorded in a seven-story former water tank with
acoustic reverberation of up to 40 seconds. These original compositions feature low flutes, bamboo flutes, ocarina, Mayan
flute and Native American flute, as well as hand pan drums, Turkish lute, and more. A rich, ambient soundscape ideal for
fostering meditation, creativity, or spiritual awakening, Shimmer: Ambient Flute from the Tank is a treasure to experience
and highly recommended for both personal and public library collections. The tracks are Hanging Lake, Shimmer, And the
Crickets Sing, Mother and Child, Harmonic Dance, Catch Me if You Can, Golden Temple, Farewell Miranda, Calling the
Raven, Sounding the Bell, The Crossing, and Una.
A Country Boy Singing His Heart Out
Webb Pierce
Country Rewind Records
https://www.countryrewindrecords.com
$10.98 CD / $9.49 MP3
https://www.amazon.com/Country-Boy-Singing-His-Heart/dp/B0B5F8T5HX
A Country Boy Singing His Heart Out presents recordings long thought lost by American honky-tonk vocalist, songwriter,
and guitarist Webb Pierce (1921-1991). These classic country songs are as vivid and stirring today as they were decades
past. A Country Boy Singing His Heart Out lives up to its title, and is a welcome contribution to both personal and public
library country music collections. A Country Boy Singing His Heart Out also makes an excellent gift for fans of the genre,
during the holidays or any day! Highly recommended. The tracks are I Ain't Never; Why Baby Why; I Don't Care; Slowly;
Wondering; Memory #1; Back Street Affair; There Stands The Glass; That Heart Belongs To Me; I'm Walking The Dog;
Fool, Fool, Fool; Yes, I Know Why; How Do You Talk To A Baby; Goodbye City, Goodbye Girl; and It's My Way.
Oasis: The Music of Gregg Hill
Rodney Whitaker
Origin Records
$TBA
https://open.spotify.com/album/40vKB8KZo2FBz149mN7OWu
Oasis: The Music of Gregg Hill is the third album co-produced by Rodney Whitaker and composer Greg Hill. All songs
were composed by Greg Hill except for "Blues for Gregg", which is composed by Rodney Whitaker. The songs are
vivaciously performed by Terell Stafford on trumpet and flugelhorn, Tim Warfield on tenor and soprano saxophone, Bruce
Barth on piano, Rodney Whitaker on bass, Dana Hall on drums, and Rockelle Fortin lending vocals to four tracks.
Rapturous, varied, and thoroughly immersive, Oasis: The Music of Gregg Hill is a jazz treasure, sure to delight connoisseurs
of the genre! Highly recommended for both personal and public library collections. The tracks are Betty's Tune, Puppets,
Minorabilia, Interlude, Sunday Afternoon, The Jazzdiddy Waltz, S'Cool Days, Blues for Gregg, Fan-O-Gram, To the Well,
and Oasis.
The Dryad
If I Had a Hi Fi
Composed, arranged, and produced by Gideon Frankel
Privately Published
$18.00 AUD CD / $TBA digital
https://ifihadahifi1.bandcamp.com/album/the-dryad
The Dryad is an extraordinary, unconventional album composed, arranged, and produced by Gideon Frankel. Beginning as a
passion project during Melborune, Australia's extended pandemic lockdowns, The Dryad evolved into a collaborative
instrumental work with contributions on flute by Jamichael Frazier in Los Angeles, vibraphone by Gianluca Manfredonia in
Italy, and additional music artists worldwide. A smoothly crafted hybridization of jazz, world, folk, classical, reggae, blues
and more elements into a transcendent soundscape, The Dryad is a choice pick for listeners in search of a groundbreaking
new experience and highly recommended. The tracks are Broken Dreams, The Dryad, Burning Blues, Chocolate Box, Sweet
Tears, The Phoenician, Catch Some Honey, Spirit Dance, The Start of Something, Evenings, and Mellow Jive.
The Photography Shelf
Ernst Haas: The American West
Ernst Haas, photographer
Paul Lowe, author
Prestel Publishing
www.prestel.com
9783791388250, $55.00, HC, 224pp
https://www.amazon.com/Ernst-Haas-American-Paul-Lowe/dp/3791388258
Synopsis: With the informative commentary of Paul Lowe, "Ernst Haas: The American West" showcases a memorable
collection of striking photographic color images from the American West with which photographer Ernst Haas provides
both a visually moving national portrait as well as a celebration of analog color photography.
The photographer behind Life magazine's first ever all-color photographic essay, Ernst Haas made (and captured) history as
an early adopter of Kodachrome film.
The Austrian-born artist had already established himself as a black and white photographer when he moved to America in
1951. But as a member of the renowned Magnum agency, he transformed the genre with his color-saturated images, the
perfect medium for capturing America's geographic and cultural landscapes.
From desert storms, Route 66 gas stations, and Las Vegas neon to rolling prairie, dilapidated farms, small-town parades, and
city sidewalks, Haas' perfectly composed images, contain a distinct pictorial language, suffused with poetry, pattern, and
light. At the same time his pictures communicate a journalist's point of view, whether the subject is rural poverty, suburban
comfort, or the myth of the American West.
This remarkable compendium of the work of Ernst Haas offers a magnificent vision of America as captured through the lens
of a camera combined with an artist's eye for form and feature.
Critique: Ernst Haas (1921 - 1986) is acclaimed as one of the most celebrated and influential photographers of the 20th
century and considered one of the pioneers of color photography. Haas was born in Vienna in 1921, and took up
photography after the war. His early work on Austrian returning prisoners of war brought him to the attention
of LIFE magazine. He declined a job offer as staff photographer in order to keep his independence. At the invitation of
Robert Capa, Haas joined Magnum in 1949, developing close associations with Capa, Henri Cartier-Bresson, and Werner
Bishof. Enhanced with an informative essay by photography expert Paul Lowe, the coffee-table style (9.88 x 0.94 x 11.75
inches, 1.25 pounds) volume is an especially and unreservedly recommended addition to personal, professional, community,
and academic library 20th Century American Photography collections. (https://ernst-haas.com/biography)
Editorial Note: Paul Lowe (https://viiphoto.com/profile/paul-lowe) is a senior lecturer in photography and an award-winning
photographer. He teaches at the London College of Communication. His photographs have appeared in Time, Newsweek,
Life, the Sunday Times Magazine, the Observer, and the Independent, among others.
The Art Shelf
Mesozoic Art: Dinosaurs and Other Ancient Animals in Art
Steve White, editor
Darren Naish, editor
Bloomsbury Wildlife
c/o Bloomsbury Press
www.bloomsbury.com
9781399401364, $40.00, HC, 208pp
https://www.amazon.com/Mesozoic-Art-Dinosaurs-Ancient-Animals/dp/139940136X
Synopsis: Dinosaurs are endlessly fascinating to people of every age, from the youngest child who enjoys learning the
tongue-twisting names to adults who grew up with Jurassic Park and Walking with Dinosaurs. As our knowledge of the
prehistoric world continues to evolve and grow, so has the discipline of bringing these ancient worlds to life artistically.
Paleoart puts flesh on the bones of long-extinct organisms, and illustrates they world they lived in.
Collaboratively compiled and edited by the team of Steve White and Darren Nais, "Mesozoic Art: Dinosaurs and Other
Ancient Animals in Art" beautifully showcases twenty of the best artists working in this field, representing a broad spectrum
of disciplines, from traditional painting to cutting-edge digital technology. Some provide the artwork for new scientific
papers that demand high-end paleoart as part of their presentation to the world at large; they also work for the likes of
National Geographic and provide art to museums around the world to illustrate their displays. Other artists are the new
rising stars of paleoart in an ever-growing, ever-diversifying field.
Arranged by portfolio, "Mesozoic Art" is an ideal introduction of dramatic artwork to a wide, contemporary, and
appreciative audience. The art is accompanied by an informed and informative text on the animals and their live, written by
palaeontologist Darren Naish. Paleoart is dynamic, fluid and colourful, as were the beasts it portrays, which are showcased
in a truly magnificent book.
Critique: A unique and fascinating presentation of museum quality art, "Mesozoic Art: Dinosaurs and Other Ancient
Animals in Art" is an extraordinary and unreservedly recommended coffee-table style (11.1 x 1 x 12.35 inches) volume that
will have particular attraction to readers with an interest in the natural history and biology of dinosaurs. While also available
in a digital book format (Kindle, $15.12) for the personal reading lists of students, academia, and non-specialist general
readers with an interest in the subject, "Mesozoic Art: Dinosaurs and Other Ancient Animals in Art" would be a choice and
elegant selection for community and academic library Memorial Fund acquisition.
Editorial Note #1: Darren Naish (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Darren_Naish) is an author, researcher and qualified
scientist, based in England, UK, who writes about animals living and extinct. His special interests include dinosaurs, ancient
marine reptiles, the flying pterosaurs, mystery animals, conservation biology and the portrayal of ancient animals in art. Dr
Naish has published several books on all of these things: several more are in preparation.
Editorial Note #2: Steve White (https://stevewhiteart.co.uk) had his first credit as a colourist on Care Bears. Since then he
has worked as an editor for Marvel UK, Tundra UK and Titan Comics, as well as writing, illustrating, inking and colouring
numerous and varied titles including not just comics but children's non-fiction. He has also edited a line of artbooks for
Titan Books, including the critically acclaimed "Dinosaur Art: The World's Greatest Paleoart".
The Hidden Language of Symbols
Matthew Wilson
Thames & Hudson, Inc.
500 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10110-0017
www.thamesandhudsonusa.com
9780500025291, $45.00, HC, 272pp
https://www.amazon.com/Hidden-Language-Symbols-Matthew-Wilson/dp/0500025290
Synopsis: With the publication of "The Hidden Language of Symbols", art historian Matthew Wilson covers a wide-ranging
selection of visual culture and art under one unified theme: symbols. Often not immediately apparent, our day-to-day lives
abound with symbols of various kinds, from national emblems to emojis, allegories to logos, all of which have a fascinating
story.
Organized across four all-encompassing themes (power, faith, hope, and uncertainty) "The Hidden Language of Symbols" is
a stimulating and illustrated account of forty-eight key symbols from global art history is aimed at museum-goers, armchair
art sleuths, or anyone who wants to understand the history of their visual environment from an unusual and creative
angle.
Drawing on artistic examples from the imaginary, natural, physical, and religious worlds, from dragons to eagles, butterflies
to labyrinths, and rainbows to wheels, Wilson discusses the lives of these different types of symbols. Analyzing their
development, why they evolved, and the various ways they have been interpreted, Wilson also explains in what way
symbols are markers of identity, that is, how they gain the power to unite and divide societies.
Looking at how they have shaped the world beyond the museum, Wilson reveals the impact of visual symbols on the
appearance of our cities, the language of advertising, and even the design of corporate logos.
Critique: A simply fascinating and impressively insightful work of meticulous scholarship, "The Hidden Language of
Symbols" is an extraordinary and beautifully illustrated volume that is informatively enhanced for the reader with the
inclusion of a two page listing of Illustrations Sources, seven pages of Notes, and a four page Index. Aptly organized and
presented, "The Hidden Language of Symbols" is an especially and unreservedly recommended addition to personal,
professional, community, and academic library Art History collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists.
Editorial Note: Matthew Wilson (https://www.matthewwilson.uk) is an art historian, educator, and writer. He has written for
numerous publications and media on art and culture. He is also the author of the Symbols in Art in the Art Essentials
series.
Roman Warriors: The Paintings of Graham Sumner
Simon Elliot, author
Greenhill Books
c/o Pen & Sword Books
www.casematepublishers.com
https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk
9781784387198, $70.00, HC, 224pp
https://www.amazon.com/Roman-Warriors-Paintings-Graham-Sumner/dp/1784387193
Synopsis: Showcasing the truly stunning artwork of historian and artist Graham Sumner's impressive, expansive portfolio,
featuring never-before-seen illustrations of Ancient Rome's military through paintings, "Roman Warriors: The Paintings of
Graham Sumner" is a colorful and comprehensive anthology.
Introduced with a foreword by historian and author Adrian Goldsworthy, Sumner's beautiful color reconstructions of
Ancient Roman warriors over time are complemented expertly with informative, enlightening text by renowned historian
and author Simon Elliott.
This combination of Sumner's illustrations and Elliott's writing leaves no stone unturned as they divulge information about
this fascinating period of military history in mesmerizing, intricate detail. Readers will swiftly become fully immersed in
this ancient world, and will leave it with a wealth of knowledge about and a profound understanding of the warriors of
Ancient Rome, and a great appreciation for Sumner and Elliott's expertise in the area.
Critique: "Roman Warriors: The Paintings of Graham Sumner" is a coffee-table style (11.65 x 1.14 x 9.02 inches, 3.26
pounds) volume comprised of a stunning compilation of museum quality artwork and informative commentary. Especially
and unreservedly recommended for personal, professional, community, college, and university library Roman Military
History collections, it should be noted for the personal reading lists of students, academia, and non-specialist general readers
with an interest in the subject that "Roman Warriors: The Paintings of Graham Sumner" is also available in a digital book
format (Kindle, $14.99).
Editorial Note #1: Graham Sumner is an accomplished archaeological and historical artist.
(https://uk.linkedin.com/in/graham-sumner-9186a099)
Editorial Note #2: Simon Elliott (https://www.imdb.com/name/nm10980790/bio) is an historian, archaeologist and
Honorary Research Fellow at the University of Kent where he studied for his PhD in Archaeology on the subject of the
Roman military in Britain. He also has an MA in War Studies from KCL and an MA in Archaeology from UCL. For a day
job he runs his own PR company, and is a former defense and aerospace journalist at titles including Jane's Defence Weekly
and Flight International. He frequently gives talks on Roman themes and is co-Director at a Roman villa excavation.
The Nautical Shelf
Olympic Titanic Britannic
Simon Mills
Adlard Coles
c/o Bloomsbury Press
www.bloomsbury.com
9781472988652, $35.00, HC, 272pp
https://www.amazon.com/Olympic-Titanic-Britannic-anatomy-evolution/dp/1472988655
Synopsis: The Olympic Class liners were conceived as the largest, grandest ships ever to set sail. Of the three ships built, the
first only lost the record for being the largest because she was beaten by the second, and they were both beaten by the third.
The class was meant to secure the White Star Line's reputation as the greatest shipping company on earth. Instead, with the
loss of both the Titanic and the Britannic in their first year of service, it guaranteed White Star's infamy.
"Olympic Titanic Britannic: The anatomy and evolution of the Olympic Class" by Simon Mills is unique maritime history
that tells the extraordinary story of these three extraordinary ships from the bottom up, starting with their conception and
construction (and later their modification) and following their very different careers. Behind the technical details of these
magnificent ships lies a tragic human story -- not just of the lives lost aboard the Titanic and Britannic, but of the designers
pushing the limits beyond what was actually possible, engineers unable to prepare for every twist of fate, and ship owners
and crew who truly believed a ship could be unsinkable.
A fascinating maritime history enhanced with rare photographs, new computer-generated recreations of the ships, and
unique wreck images that explore how well the ships were designed and built. "Olympic Titanic Britannic: The anatomy and
evolution of the Olympic Class" offers unparalleled access to shipbuilders Harland & Wolff's specification book for the
Olympic Class, including original blueprints and (being made widely available for the first time) large fold-out technical
drawings showing how these extensive plans were meant to be seen.
Critique: An incredibly impressive, profusely illustrated, definitively researched, well organized and presented maritime
history of three now legendary ocean liners, "Olympic Titanic Britannic: The anatomy and evolution of the Olympic Class"
is a singular and unreservedly recommended for personal, professional, community, and academic library 20th Century
Maritime History collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists.
Editorial Note: Simon Mills (https://eurotek.uk.com/simonmills-2) has helped to research a number of maritime-themed
documentaries, authored or edited 11 books, and has for many years written articles on the Britannic and the Olympic class
liners for maritime periodicals. All of this now takes second place to coordinating the development of the Britannic project,
the wreck of which he bought in 1996.
The Aviation Shelf
Ace in a Day
Lt. Col. Wayne K. Blickenstaff, author
Graham Cross, editor
Casemate Publishers
1940 Lawrence Road, Havertown, PA 19083
www.casematepublishers.com
9781636242095, $39.95, HC, 360pp
https://www.amazon.com/Ace-Day-Memoir-Eighth-Fighter/dp/163624209X
Synopsis: Wayne K. Blickenstaff, known as "Blick," was a stalwart member of the 350th Fighter Squadron of the 353rd
Fighter Group based at Goxhill, Metfield and Raydon, England as part of the Eighth Air Force prosecuting the strategic air
campaign against Germany. As an original cadre member, he rose steadily through the ranks from a Second Lieutenant
Element Leader to Flight Leader, Squadron Operations Officer, Squadron Leader and finally to a Lieutenant Colonel and
Group Operations Officer. Flying the P-47 Thunderbolt and P-51 Mustang, he completed two tours of operations between
1943 and 1945 encompassing 133 missions and claims of 10 enemy aircraft destroyed in the air. His double "ace" status
included a Me262 jet fighter and the destruction of five aircraft in one mission -- giving him rare "ace in a day" status.
With editorial assistance by Graham Cross, "Ace in a Day: The Memoir of an Eighth Air Force Fighter Pilot in World War
II" is Blick's candid and gritty personal memoir of his air war experiences in Europe. His vivid writing places you in the
cockpit as he and his comrades battle the enemy in the skies or attack ground targets across Europe. His account conveys a
true sense of just how dangerous flying World War II fighters, in all weather conditions, really was. It was not just the
enemy that could kill you. A moment's inattention, overconfidence or simple mistake could be deadly.
As a keen observer of character, Blick's pen portraits of those around him, including many of those who sadly did not
survive the war, offer a poignant and deeply moving tribute to those with whom he served.
Anyone wanting an understanding of the dynamics of a working fighter squadron at war and the dilemmas faced by those in
command should read this book. Supported by an impressive array of original documentation, photographs, and detailed
appendices, including Blick's never-before published wartime journal, "Ace in a Day" provides a unique and valuable
insight into the harsh realities of the air war in Europe from one of the "Mighty Eighth's" top fighter pilots.
Critique: An inherently fascinating and 'eye-witness informative' account, "Ace in a Day: The Memoir of an Eighth Air
Force Fighter Pilot in World War II" is a valued and unreservedly recommended addition to personal, professional,
community, and academic library World War II History/Biography collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists. Of
special note to students, academia, military history buffs, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject
that "Ace in a Day: The Memoir of an Eighth Air Force Fighter Pilot in World War II" is also available in a digital book
format (Kindle, $20.95).
Editorial Note #1: Having achieved his childhood dream of learning to fly, Wayne K. Blickenstaff set aside his wings and
turned his artistic talent and love of adventure strip illustrations into a successful career as an advertising, editorial and book
illustrator. He later became a teacher and art director. People gravitated to him because of his calm demeanor, great listening
skills and insight. In 1989 Blick and his wife moved from Connecticut to North Carolina to be closer to family and spend
time at their beloved summer home in the Blue Ridge Mountains. During retirement he pursued his interest in writing and
this book was his passion project. Thanks to his friend and editor, Graham Cross, his dream to have it published has finally
been realized.
Editorial Note #2: Graham Cross earned his doctorate in History from the University of Cambridge, and he specializes in
twentieth century American military, diplomatic and political history and particularly the era of the two World Wars, the
Allied air campaign and the presidency of Franklin D. Roosevelt. He has taught American history at Cambridge, University
College Dublin, the University of Glasgow and Manchester Metropolitan University. He is a respected expert on the history
of the 8th Air Force and for thirty-five years has been the historian and UK contact for the 353rd Fighter Group. He wrote
what many consider to be the definitive fighter group history - Jonah's Feet Are Dry-The Experience of the 353rd Fighter
Group During WWII (2001).
The Literary Studies Shelf
The New Annotated Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
Robert Louis Stevenson, author
Leslie S. Klinger, editor
The Mysterious Press
c/o Penzler Publishers
https://penzlerpublishers.com
c/o W.W. Norton (distribution)
https://wwnorton.com
9781613163214, $39.95, 224pp
https://www.amazon.com/Annotated-Strange-Case-Jekyll-Hyde/dp/1613163215
Synopsis: There's no question that "The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde" is one of the most influential texts of all
time. The now iconic tale by Robert Louis Stevenson has confounded and thrilled readers for more than a century. It was
described by one scholar as the only detective-crime story in which the solution is more terrifying than the problem. And
even as its plot gets continually reinterpreted and reimagined in literature, film, and theater, the main themes persist, as do
the titular characters, now so familiar as to have become a part of the English language.
This new edition of "The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde" gives the classic tale of depraved murder and
unrelenting horror its most complete and illuminating presentation yet. Heavily illustrated with over a hundred and fifty full
color images from the history of this cultural touchstone -- including reproductions of rare books, film stills, theatrical
posters, and the true-life people associated with the adventure - and extensively annotated by Edgar Award winning editor
and noted Victorian literature expert Leslie S. Klinger, this thorough and authoritative approach is both an invaluable
resource for scholars and a sumptuous treat for fans of the text.
Introduced by a compelling and erudite essay from novelist and short story writer Joe Hill, this complete illustrated and
annotated edition of "The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde" is the ultimate tribute to an enduring classic, combining
revelatory and surprising information and in-depth historical context with beautiful illustrations and photographs. It is sure
to please anyone interested in the Victorian era, mystery fiction, and horror tales.
Critique: An absolute 'must' for the legions of Robert Louis Stevenson fans, this literary study of "The Strange Case of Dr.
Jekyll and Mr. Hyde" is especially and unreservedly recommended for personal, professional, community, college, and
university library collections. It should be noted for anyone with an interest in Occult Fiction, Historical Mysteries, and
Traditional Detective Mysteries that "The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde" is also readily available in a digital
book format (Kindle, $16.99).
Editorial Note #1: Robert Louis Stevenson was a Victorian author born in Scotland in 1850. He is best known for his novels
Treasure Island and The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. He died in Samoa in 1894.
(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Louis_Stevenson)
Editorial Note #2: Leslie S. Klinger (https://lesliesklinger.com) is considered to be one of the world's foremost authorities
on Sherlock Holmes, Dracula, Frankenstein, and H. P. Lovecraft. Klinger is a member of the Baker Street Irregulars and
Treasurer of the Horror Writers Association. His nonfiction works have won numerous awards.
Eclogues and Georgics
Vergil, author
James Bradley Wells, translator
University of Wisconsin Press
728 State Street, Suite 443, Madison, WI 53706-1418
www.uwpress.wisc.edu
9780299337407, $29.95, HC, 248pp
https://www.amazon.com/Eclogues-Georgics-Vergil/dp/0299337405
Synopsis: With the publication of Vergil's "Eclogues and Georgics", Professor James Bradley Wells combines creative
practice and intimate knowledge of contemporary poetry and classical antiquity in this thought-provoking new translation of
two early works by ancient Rome's most well-known and most esteemed poet, Vergil's Eclogues and Georgics. With its
emphasis on the musicality of English, Wells's translations honor the original spirit of Latin poetry as both a written and
performance-based art form.
The accompanying introductory essays situate Vergil's poems in a rich literary tradition. Professor Wells provides historical
context and literary analysis of these two works, eschewing facile interpretations of these oft examined texts and ensconcing
them in the society and culture from which they originated. These annotated essays, a pronunciation guide, and a glossary,
alongside Professor Wells's bold vision for what translation choices can reveal, guide readers as they explore this ancient
and famously difficult poetry.
Critique: Erudite, informative, insightful, thought-provoking, and superbly translated into English for an American
readership by Professor James Bradley Wells, "Eclogues and Georgics" by the Roman poet Vergil includes a Chronology, a
statement on Translation, a Pronunciation Guide, a thirty-eight page Glossary, twelve pages of Notes, and a four page
Bibliography -- making it a significant and unreservedly recommended addition to personal, professional, community, and
academic library Ancient & Classical Poetry collections in general, and supplemental curriculum Roman Poetry/Vergil
studies lists in particular.
Editorial Note #1: Publius Vergilius Maro (15 October 70 - 21 September 19 BC), who is usually called Virgil or Vergil in
English, was an ancient Roman poet of the Augustan period. He composed three of the most famous poems in Latin
literature: the Eclogues (or Bucolics), the Georgics, and the epic Aeneid. A number of minor poems, collected in the
Appendix Vergiliana, were attributed to him in ancient times, but modern scholars consider his authorship of these poems as
dubious. Virgil has been traditionally ranked as one of Rome's greatest poets. His Aeneid is also considered a national epic
of ancient Rome, a title held since composition.
Editorial Note #2: James Bradley Wells is an associate professor of classical studies at DePauw University. He has worked
widely as a poet, translator, and critic. He is author of Pindar's Verbal Art and his own original poetry has been collected
and published in Bicycle and The Kazantzakis Guide to Greece.
The Biography Shelf
The Reign Of Emperor Antoninus Pius
John S. McHugh
Pen & Sword Books
c/o Casemate (US distribution)
www.casematepublishers.com
https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk
9781526773982, $36.95. HC, 256pp
https://www.amazon.com/Fortress-Kingdom-Aethelflaed-Edward-899-927/dp/1399010611
Synopsis: The reign of Emperor Antoninus Pius is widely seen as the apogee of the Roman Empire yet, due to gaps in the
historical sources, his reign has been overlooked by modern historians. He is considered one of the five good emperors of
the Antonine dynasty under whom the pax Romana enabled the empire to prosper, trade to flourish and culture to thrive. His
reign is considered a Golden Age but this was partly an image created by imperial propaganda. There were serious conflicts
in North Africa and Dacia, as well as a major revolt in Britain. On his death the empire stood on the cusp of the catastrophic
invasions and rebellions that marked the reign of his successor Marcus Aurelius.
Antoninus Pius became emperor through the hand of fate, being adopted by Hadrian only after the death of his intended
heir, Lucius Aelius Caesar. His rule was a balancing act between securing his own safety, securing the succession of his
adopted heir, and denying opportunities for conspiracy and rebellion. 'Equanimity' was the last password he issued to his
guards as he lay on his death bed. In the face of the threats and challenges he remained calm and composed, providing
twenty-three years of stability; a calm before the storms that gathered both within and beyond Rome's borders.
Critique: A fascinating, informative, and detailed biography that is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $18.99),
"The Reign of Emperor Antoninus Pius, AD 138 - 161" by John S. McHugh is an extraordinary and welcome contribution
to the growing library of Ancient Roman Histories & Biographies. Informatively enhanced with the inclusion of a section of
b/w plates, maps, a timeline, an Appendix (Thye Ancient Sources Historical and Biographical Works), twenty-eight pages
of Notes, a nine page Bibliography, and a five page Index, "The Reign of Emperor Antoninus Pius, AD 138 - 161" must be
considered a core addition to personal, professional, community, and academic library second century A.D. Roman Empire
History & Biography collections.
Editorial Note: John S. McHugh has a BA and MA in Ancient History. He is currently an Assistant Headmaster at a
secondary school in Bolton. He is the co-author of a text book on Boltons connections with the slave trade and is currently
assisting Bolton Museum with a project to record the oral history of the local populace with the aim of promoting
understanding between people of different generations or ethnic and social backgrounds.
Robert the Bruce: Scotland's True Braveheart
Phil Carradice
Pen & Sword Books
c/o Casemate (US distribution)
www.casematepublishers.com
https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk
9781399002608, $34.95, HC, 200pp
https://www.amazon.com/Robert-Bruce-Scotlands-True-Braveheart/dp/1399002600
Synopsis: With the publication of "Robert the Bruce: Scotland's True Braveheart", historian Phil Carradice provides readers
with a detailed account of the life and times of the Scottish hero and monarch. This impressive biography covers his life
from childhood to death, as well as the political, social and military life of Scotland before, during and after the time of
Robert the Bruce.
"Robert the Bruce: Scotland's True Braveheart" also looks at the relationship between The Bruce and people like Edward I
and Edward II of England, William Wallace and the other contenders for the Scottish crown. The main thrust of this
biography is a chronological account of how The Bruce clawed his way to power, his struggles and battles and his eventual
victory which gave Scotland independence and freedom from an acquisitive and warlike neighbor. It looks in detail at the
murder of John Comyn, of which The Bruce stood accused, and the political ramifications of the killing.
Robert the Bruce was no saint. He was a ruthless, cunning warrior, a man of his times, dedicated to what he saw as his
mission in life. Flawed he may have been, he was also a great King, a worthy warrior and a man who deserves to emerge
from the shadow of William Wallace -- a position to which he has been relegated ever since the film Braveheart.
Critique: A fascinating, documented, and informative historical/biographical study, historian Phil Carradice's "Robert the
Bruce: Scotland's True Braveheart" also features four pages of Endnotes, a two page Bibliography, and a three page Index.
While available for the personal reading lists of students, academia, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the
subject, "Robert the Bruce: Scotland's True Braveheart" is an impressively and highly recommended addition to both
community and academic library Scottish History, Military & Biography collections and supplemental curriculum
syllabus.
Editorial Note: Phil Carradice (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phil_Carradice) is a well-known poet, story teller, and historian
with over 60 books to his credit. He is a regular broadcaster on BBC Radio and TV, presents the BBC Wales History
program The Past Master and is widely regarded as one of the finest creative writing tutors in Wales.
Baldur von Schirach: Nazi Leader and Head of the Hitler Youth
Oliver Rathkolb, author
John Heath, translator
Frontline Books
c/o Pen & Sword Books
www.casematepublishers.com
https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk
9781399020954, $42.95, HC, 256pp
https://www.amazon.com/Baldur-von-Schirach-Leader-Hitler/dp/1399020951
Synopsis: Though three of his four grandparents were from America and the first language he learned at home was English,
Baldur von Schirach became one of the Third Reich's most influential individuals. He joined the Nazi Party as early as 1925
at the age of eighteen and three years later became a member of its National Leadership. He also married Henriette, the
daughter of Hitler's personal photographer, Heinrich Hoffmann.
Von Schirach continued to rise through the ranks of the Nazi Party, reaching the rank of SA-Gruppenfuhrer. It was as the
leader of the Hitler Youth organization, however, for which von Schirach is best remembered, becoming Reichsfuhrer of the
Hitler Youth on 16 June 1932, and the following year was given responsibility for all youth organizations in Germany. He
also became a member of the Reichstag as a representative of the Party.
Despite his influential position, he was called up for military service and served in the French campaign of 1940. Following
this he became Reich Governor and the Nazi's Gauleiter Reichsstatthalter in Vienna -- powerful positions he retained until
the final collapse of the Third Reich in May 1945. His responsibilities as Gauleiter and Reichsstatthalter included
overseeing the deportation of Vienna's Jews to ghettos and concentration camps in occupied Poland. Though a confirmed
anti-Semite, later in the war he pleaded for a moderate treatment of the eastern European peoples and criticized the
conditions in which Jews were being deported. This caused a breach with Hitler and the Nazi leadership, though he
managed to retain his position in Vienna.
Following his capture by US troops, von Schirach was among the major war criminals put on trial at Nuremburg. Found
guilty of crimes against humanity on 1 October 1946, von Schirach was sentenced to twenty years imprisonment. He served
out his time in the company of Rudolf Hess and Albert Speer in Spandau prison. He admitted his crimes and his role in the
deportations and in his autobiography, "I Believed in Hitler", he explained how he was drawn into the world of the Nazis.
He also said that his aim was destroy any belief in the rebirth of Nazism as well as blaming himself for not having done
more to prevent the concentration camps.
With the publication of "Baldur von Schirach: Nazi Leader and Head of the Hitler Youth" author Oliver Rathkobl provides
detailed and balanced analysis of Baldur von Schirach that reveals the true and ambivalent nature of a complex and
fascinating individual who played a key role in the events leading up to, and during, the Second World War.
Critique: A fascinating and impressively informative biography by Oliver Rathkolb, "Baldur von Schirach: Nazi Leader and
Head of the Hitler Youth" is ably translated into English by John Heath. Also featuring a seven page Select Bibliography,
twenty-nine pages of Notes, and a six page Index, "Baldur von Schirach: Nazi Leader and Head of the Hitler Youth" is a
welcome and highly recommended addition to personal, professional, community, and academic library World War II
Biography/Memoir collections. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of students, academia, and non-specialist
general readers with an interest in the subject that "Baldur von Schirach: Nazi Leader and Head of the Hitler Youth" is also
available in a digital book format (Kindle, $18.99).
Editorial Note: Professor Oliver Rathkolb (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oliver_Rathkolb) is the head of the Institute for
Contemporary History at the University of Vienna. The author of numerous publications on Austrian and international
contemporary, cultural and music history, Professor Rathkolb has also been the editor of the journal Zeitgeschichte since
2002 and is chairman of the scientific advisory board of the House of Austrian History.
The Holocaust Studies Shelf
The Devil's Workshop
Adolf Burger
Frontline Books
c/o Pen & Sword Books
www.casematepublishers.com
https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk
9781399019156, $26.95, PB, 296pp
https://www.amazon.com/Devils-Workshop-Memoir-Counterfeiting-Operation/dp/1399019155
Synopsis: One of the most remarkable episodes of the Second World War was the German attempt to forge currency and
trigger the economic collapse of the Allies. The counterfeit operation was one of the largest the world has ever seen and lead
to the post-war reissue of sterling.
At the Sachsenhausen concentration camp near Berlin, Jewish prisoners of 13 different nationalities were forced to work on
producing counterfeit pound and dollar notes worth billions. The plan was known as Operation Bernhard.
The forgeries that were produced were virtually undetectable. Only the most senior forgers were able to spot the fakes --
even staff at the Bank of England failed to do so.
"The Devil's Workshop: A Memoir of the Nazi Counterfeiting Operation" is an extraordinary memoir in which the sole
surviving Czech counterfeiter, Adolf Burger (12 August 1917 - 6 December 2016), describes his wartime experiences. He
recounts the harrowing facts surrounding the murder of his wife Gizela in Auschwitz, as well as his own time as a prisoner
in four concentration camps. He was working as a counterfeiter until his liberation from a concentration camp at Ebensee on
5 May 1945.
Supported by hitherto unseen documentation and photographs that Burger took of his fellow prisoners after the war, this is a
shocking account which sheds fresh light on the calculated barbarity of the Nazi war machine.
Critique: An invaluable and singular contribution to the growing body of World War II History/Biography collections, "The
Devil's Workshop: A Memoir of the Nazi Counterfeiting Operation" is an essential, important, and unreservedly
recommended addition to personal, professional, community, and academic library Holocaust and World War II History
collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists.
Editorial Note: Currently residing in Prague, Adolf Burger was born in Slovakia in 1917. He was arrested in August 1942
together with his wife and both were sent to Auschwitz. Burger was transferred to the forgery workshop at Sachsenhausen in
Berlin in 1944. He is one of the last surviving witnesses of the Nazi counterfeiting operation and was a consultant for the
film The Counterfeiters, winner of the 2008 Foreign Language Oscar. His memoir 'The Devil's Workshop' has been
published in Hungarian, Persian, Japanese and Czech. He continues to travel to speak about his wartime experiences.
(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adolf_Burger)
James A. Cox, Editor-in-Chief
Diane C. Donovan, Editor
Midwest Book Review
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Oregon, WI 53575-1129
phone: 1-608-835-7937
e-mail: mbr@execpc.com
e-mail: mwbookrevw@aol.com
http://www.midwestbookreview.com
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