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The Bookwatch

Volume 11, Number 11 November 2016 Home | BW Index

Table of Contents

Reviewer's Choice Journalism Shelf Christian Studies Shelf
Mystery/Suspense Shelf Sports Shelf Comix/Graphic Novel Shelf
Audiobook Shelf Education Shelf Crafts Shelf
Needlecraft Shelf Technology Shelf Fantasy/SciFi Shelf
Computer Shelf Art Shelf Cookbook Shelf
Health/Medicine Shelf Biography Shelf American HistoryShelf


Reviewer's Choice

The Future of Family Farms
Teresa Opheim, Editor
University of Iowa Press
119 West Park Road, Iowa City, IA 52242-1000
9781609384531, $24.95, www.uiowapress.org

The Future of Family Farms: Practical Farmers' Legacy Letter Project outlines a trend towards the transfer of farmland in the U.S. due to the aging farmer (the average age is fifty-eight, with forty percent of leasing farmers over sixty-five years old). The Farm Legacy Letter project was developed by a nonprofit group to encourage farmers to think about the future of their land. This collection gathers the letters and stories of these farmers under one cover, outlining the major challenges to small-time agriculture in America in general and the Midwest in particular, and considering how what kinds of farmers will make their living from the land, in the future. Any collection strong in agriculture needs this hard-hitting consideration of the forces influencing the American farm's future.


The Journalism Shelf

Skewed
Larry Atkins
Prometheus Books
59 John Glenn Drive, Amherst, NY 14228-2197
9781633881655, $24.00, www.prometheusbooks.com

Skewed: A Critical Thinker's Guide to Media Bias is recommended reading for college-level audiences interested in media and journalism, and focuses on advocacy journalism's bias and processes and how different types of media structures create and influence news and public perception. Chapters consider both the positive and negative roles of advocacy journalism and provide a series of tools helpful in analyzing media presentations. In presenting discussions that help craft a more informed audience, Skewed offers insights that are particularly recommended for classroom discussion and debate for audiences already involved in media studies.


The Christian Studies Shelf

Goddess and God in the World
Carol P. Christ and Judith Plaskow
Fortress Press
P.O. Box 1209, Minneapolis, MN 55440-1209
http://fortresspress.com
9781506401188, $29.00, www.fortresspress.com

Goddess and God in the World: Conversations in Embodied Theology comes from two feminist theologians who met while each was earning her PhD in Religious Studies at Yale University, and represents the third book they've worked on together - and, perhaps, the most revealing. Half of the book is autobiographical in nature, describing each author's life and spiritual evolution. The second half represents an interactive dialogue between the two, in which they consider the elements and nature of the God and Goddess in the world. While the two friends and colleagues have basic differences in perspective which are explored within this dialogue process, their similarities, questioning attitude, and respectful discussion will prove intimate and revealing to any who also feel close to spiritual alternatives in the world. From the metaphysical cause of evil to the infinite nature of the divine, these conversations are recommended for feminist and alternative spiritual thinkers alike.


The Mystery/Suspense Shelf

Winter's Child
Margaret Coel
Berkley Books
c/o Penguin Group (USA)
375 Hudson Street, 4th floor, New York, NY 10014
www.penguin.com
9780425280324, $27.00, www.penguin.com

Winter's Child provides a satisfying "Wind River" mystery saga that continues a series, providing a saga that will attract newcomers and prior fans alike. Myra and Eldon Little Shield find an abandoned baby on their doorstep during a blizzard, and raise the girl as their own. Five years later, she's ready for school - but her adoptive parents haven't faced the truth: that perhaps the white child will be taken from them because they aren't her legal parents. They hire a lawyer hoping to make the adoption official, but when the lawyer's run down, it's up to co-counsel Vicky to unravel a series of clues that point to something more dangerous than a child's uncertain heritage.


The Sports Shelf

Basketball Essentials
Ryan Goodson
Human Kinetics Publishers, Inc.
PO Box 5076, Champaign, IL 61820-5076
97814925196114, $19.95, www.humankinetics.com

Basketball Essentials: Improve Ballhandling, Shooting, Rebounding, and All Aspects of Your Game offers a close review of the basics of basketball, and adopts a 'learn as you do' approach to the subject using black and white photos paired with sequential instruction to explain the basics of how to play. Novice basketball players receive a survey of all the fundamental skills and how to move them from basic to advanced in the course of practicing, and receive clear explanations of strategies for offensive and defensive maneuvers in an exceptionally clear overview that should be the starting point for any layer newly entering the game.


The Comix/Graphic Novel Shelf

Comic Book Fever
George Khoury
TwoMorrows Publishing
10407 Bedfordtown Drive, Raleigh, NC 27614
9781605490632, $34.95, www.twomorrows.com

Comic Book Fever: A Celebration of Comics 1976-1986 captures the look and feel of a bygone era of comic book enthusiasm, when comics of all types could be found in every local business, artists proliferated, and comics were experiencing revolutionary trends from limited series publications to new artists and real-world inspirations for comic book heroes. Chapters packed with color photos from comics, ads, and media supplement interviews with major artists and industry professionals with discussions of the social and artistic developments that helped influence and change the comic book world and created a decade of powerful transformation, lending to a book that is a fitting tribute for any comic book history enthusiast.


The Audiobook Shelf

Hachette Audio
237 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10017
www.hachetteaudio.com

Tom Wolfe's The Kingdom of Speech (9781478953166, $30.00) is presented as an unabridged audio narrated by Robert Petkoff, a film and television actor who holds many credits to his name and who lends a smooth and evocative voice to a startling examination of language and social science - startling because Tom Wolfe is more commonly associated with powerful works of fiction. This isn't to say that Wolfe doesn't employ some of his most successful fictional approaches here, though: as he surveys Darwinism, evolution, language, and speech over human history, he provides a riveting and often rollicking survey that lends well to a lively audio presentation. Emma Donoghue's The Wonder (9781478911751, $30.00) receives a fine narration by Kate Lock, whose voice successfully brings to life the story of English nurse Lib, trained by Florence Nightingale herself, who is in a poor Irish village to investigate a pre-teen who has eaten nothing for four months. Lib's job is to verify this - but it turns into something more than exposing a hoax as Lib discovers the origins of true wonder in the world she thought she knew so well. A powerful saga of discovery and revelation makes for a riveting account. Robert Hicks' The Orphan Mother (9781478940579, $35.00) receives an engrossing coverage by Adenrele Ojo, whose captivating voice is the perfect accompaniment of choice to tell of Mariah Reddick, a former slave, whose post-Civil War career as a midwife to the women of Franklin, Tennessee is once again about to change in the face of political struggle. This time it's her son who is involved in a rally and a fight, and when murder happens, Mariah faces the destruction of everything she knows, once again. This engrossing novel comes to life in audio. Amy Myers, MD's The Thyroid Connection (9781478938675, $30.00) is narrated by Hilary Bogert who successfully and clearly covers the highlights of a health guide on how to identify thyroid problems and understand their impact on one's life. From exhaustion to brain fog and weight gain, a malfunctioning thyroid can exhibit many symptoms attributed to other things. Here Dr. Myers shows how to work with one's physician to get the tests and treatment that help identify thyroid problems and alleviate their symptoms. James Patterson and Maxine Paetro's Woman of God (9781478941668, $35.00) receives a vivid reading by Therese Plummer as it tells of a new pope who promises to be like none other in history. Brigid's faith has always been locked in adversity and she faces vast changes in her life at the same time as the Church is struggling for a new identity and meaning in the world. Diverse purposes dovetail in this story of faith, renewal, and revolution. Maureen Dowd's special brand of political commentary comes to life in The Year of Voting Dangerously: The Derangement of American Politics (9781478964322, $35.00), a blend of pointed humor and candid criticism of the 2016 election year's ironies and two candidates who have the highest 'dislike' rating of any other election. Dowd's background as a NY Times columnist who has covered Trump and Clinton for decades lends a special authority to her vivid analysis, which should be enjoyed by a wide audience of voters. Affinity Konar's Mischling (9781478912828, $30.00) is narrated by Vanessa Johansson and includes an interview with the author as it tells of Pearl and her twin sister, who are sent to Auschwitz with their mother in 1944 and who become part of a terrible experiment by Mengele. When Pearl vanishes, her sister is convinced she's still alive and a search evolves that is every bit as compelling as the struggle for survival. A powerful saga evolves, which is especially engrossing and gripping in audio. Eowyn Ivey's To the Bright Edge of the World (9781478964759, $35.00) is narrated by John Glouchrevich, Kiff Vandenheuvel and Christine Lakin who bring to life an impressively compelling saga of survival set in 1885 and revolving around an expedition to the wild Alaska Territory. As events continue, the group makes discoveries while a pregnant wife left behind struggles with a winter that will bring changes and challenges into her life. James Patterson and Michael Ledwidge's Bullseye (9781478928164, $35.00) is read by Danny Mastrogiorgio and provides an engrossing Detective Michael Bennett thriller revolving around a deadly encounter in Manhattan's Upper West Side, where a storm hides the activities of a team of assassins on the hunt. Bennett may be the only force standing between them and a new Cold War as politics and intrigue evolve into a gripping confrontation that comes to life in audio. John C. Maxwell's Jump Start Your Priorities (9781478909804, $15.00) benefits from Chris Sorensen's smooth and precise reading which captures Maxwell's 90-day improvement plan. The focus on setting priorities for daily success helps listeners stay organized and keep their eyes on their goals. It doesn't just say how to develop strategies: it shows how to manage changing priorities in the process of achievement. All are exceptional audios.


The Education Shelf

Creative Block Play
Rosanne Regan Hansel
Redleaf Press
10 Yorkton Court, St. Paul, MN 55117-1065
9781605544458, $39.95, www.redleafpress.org

Creative Block Play: A Comprehensive Guide to Learning Through Building is another title that should be in any early learning collection; especially those concerned with incorporating creative block play into the curriculum. It focuses on how to use the simple block toy to foster a child's creativity and ability to engage successfully with others, and photos and stories of different block play activities create many ideas adults can apply to a child's playtime. From organizing a block area and showing kids how to creatively handle loose parts to understanding various stages of block play, Creative Block Play takes a relatively simple play tool and provides new connections to learning.

Stenhouse Publishers
480 Congress Street, Portland, ME 04101-3451
www.stenhouse.com

Jennifer Allen's second edition of Becoming a Literacy Leader (9781625310965, $33.33) covers the author's work as she moved to a new school and position as a literacy specialist, and examines what it means to assume such a role in supporting learning and change. While the first edition of this book detailed her work and move, this latest continues the process of evaluating her newfound role as a literacy guide, adding more information gleaned from the ten years since her first discussion and surveying the basics of how she applied her job to the school community. The result is more than just an update of events, but a re-assessment gained from further experiences in the blossoming school system and new position, and is a highly recommended reference for any teacher considering the role of a literacy leader. Kathy G. Short, Deanna Day and Jean Schroeder edit Teaching Globally: Reading the World Through Literature (9781571107923, $37.33) will reach teachers of grades K-8 with a discussion of how a global curriculum operates and why it's important for students to know not only geographical facts about other cultures, but their perspectives and social environment. The tips on how to incorporate such a curriculum in an existing structure comes from an author who has developed and applied her own framework, and shows teachers how to blend an expanded global focus into existing literacy and social studies programs. From concrete examples of approaches that helped open specific countries to students to tables and charts that offer data supporting case histories and examples, Teaching Globally offers a powerful key to fostering student understanding. Vicki Meigs-Kahlenberg's The Author's Apprentice: Developing Writing Fluency, Stamina, and Motivation Through Authentic Publication (9781571109415, $33.33) is a year-long guide filled with weekly lesson plans and strategies for encouraging students to write, and is an interesting new approach that incorporates mentoring, middle grade to young adult published authors, and ideas for turning notebooks, writing assignments, and projects into 'challenges' that spark student interest. From creating characters to using National Novel Writing Month as an impetus for extended writing projects beyond the usual essay or singular paper, The Author's Apprentice is an inspiring survey that breathes new life into student creative writing projects. Kristin Ackerman and Jennifer McDonough's Conferring with Young Writers: What to Do When You Don't Know What to Do (9781625310392, $28.00) is for teachers of grades K-5 and any interested in helping a child build early writing habits. The authors have been teaching writing for several years, and though their classroom experiences and lesson plans they've created a structured program specifically directed to writing teachers. Visual reproductions of student papers accompany extensive notes from common core state standards to creating and keeping writing goals at the forefront of creative assignments.


The Crafts Shelf

Making Art from Maps
Jill K. Berry
Rockport Publishers
c/o Quayside Publishing Group
400 - 1st Avenue North, Suite 300, Minneapolis, MN 55401-1721
9781631591020, $24.99, www.quartoknows.com

Making Art from Maps: Inspiration, Techniques, and an International Gallery of Artists views maps in a different light than geographer applications: it shows how artists around the world are incorporating maps into fashion, sculpture, and even carved books and jewelry. The project-oriented display includes step-by-step instructions, color photos, materials lists, and a range of techniques for blending color maps into various projects. Brief autobiographical sketches of each map artist and how they got started accompany these selections and round out a crafts guide dedicated to taking maps to a whole new level of artistic endeavor, blending them into everyday life decor.


The Needlecraft Shelf

Folk Art Quilted Traditions
Suzy Webster
American Quilter's Society
PO Box 3290, Paducah, KY 42002-3290
9781683390077, $22.95, www.aqsquilt.com

Suzy Webster's Hungarian background led to her interest in Hungarian folk art which, when combined with her penchant for quilting, offers some twelve inspired quilt blocks for newcomers and advanced quilters alike in Folk Art Quilted Traditions. These blocks are then incorporated into different projects that benefit from the folk art tradition. Chapters cover applique layering, fusion, numbering pieces, and quilt stitching the results, creating a powerful gathering of possibilities any quilter will want to know.


The Technology Shelf

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

James Sinopoli's Advanced Technology for Smart Buildings (9781608078653, $159.00) comes from an expert in his field and provides a basic introduction to new technologies that can be used for advanced smart buildings working with security, energy, and control systems. It's a cutting-edge discussion that documents how information technology is changing the building industry and how offices and homes are created, and it discusses the role of the facility data manager and builder, various new smart technologies and their network requirements, how smart technologies are utilized under different conditions, and specifications for future building. Protap Pramanick and Prakash Bhartia's Modern RF and Microwave Filter Design (9781630811570, $179.00) surveys the latest best practices for designing RF and microwave filters, offering engineers and technical personnel a manual packed with information key to designing a filter design software package, and using these filters in different mechanisms. Discussions of prototypes, configuration requirements and processes, transmission lines, power capabilities are accompanied by charts and formulas at every step, reinforcing this technical reference's usefulness to practicing engineers.


The Fantasy/SciFi Shelf

The Span of Empire
Eric Flint and David Carrico
Baen Books
PO Box 1188, Wake Forest NC 27588
9781476781532, $26.00, www.baen.com

The Span of Empire tells of a long battle against opponents who have been terrorizing the galaxy - a battle looking for new soldiers as this book opens. Preceptor Ronz, guardian of Earth, is sending an exploration fleet to gain more allies in the struggle; but the fleet's only find remnants of intelligent species who have been slaughtered by the Ekhat. Even as they search for support, the Ekhat are growing stronger as new warriors come into power. How can the Jao and their contingent win such an impossible battle? Fans of military science fiction will find much to like in this gripping saga of struggle and survival.


The Computer Shelf

Microsoft Access 2016 Programming By Example
Julitta Korol
Mercury Learning
PO Box 605, Herndon, VA 20172-0605
9781942270843, $54.95, www.merclearning.com

Microsoft Access 2016 Programming By Example with VBA, XML, and ASP has been updated for Access 2016 and provides programmers with the latest guide to the latest Access interfaces and techniques. Like its previous editions, this "by example" coverage maintains the depth and completeness of information, directs its detailed references to those already familiar with the basics of Access, and blends in hands-on exercises with its wealth of programming specifics, including code and real-world examples. These illustrated exercises form the foundation of a book that is visually and textually clear on all the specifics of applying Access 2016's many new tools to the latest objectives in the business and programming world, making it a top reference.

Introduction to Scientific and Technical Computing
Frank T. Willmore, Eric Jankowski and Coray Colina, Editors
CRC Press
6000 NW Broken Sound Parkway NW, Suite 300, Boca Raton, FL 33487
9781498745048, $79.95, www.crcpress.com

Introduction to Scientific and Technical Computing should be in any college-level collection strong in science and engineering, as well as in many a practicing professional's library, and is designed to help scientists with the basic techniques that can apply to scientific processes from the computer world. Chapters offer direct routines and scientific research and analysis, covering the basics of software engineering and providing references suitable for a wide range of scientific disciplines. With its project examples including modification tips, practical issues and problem points, software design and decision-making, and tips for creating new features, this is a solid reference that reviews the entire process.


The Art Shelf

Octopus Publishing
236 Park Avenue, New York NY 10017
www.octopusbooksusa.com

Harriet Quick's Vogue: The Shoe (9781840916591, $125.00) appears in an oversized edition including a clam shell case and presents lovely photos capturing amazing styles. Here are some 300 oversized color images of shoes that come from a hundred years of British Vogue, accompanying an in-depth discussion of changing styles and the inspirational sources for their creation. Besides being a 'must have' pick for fashion collections, a secondary strength of this collection lies in its stunning photographic representations of shoes which come from some of British Vogue's most talented artists. Luxurious, revealing, and opulent in structure and presentation, Vogue: The Shoe is not to be missed by any fashion or photography artist or collections catering to them. Judith Miller's Art Deco: Living with the Art Deco Style (9781784721060, $39.99) traces the popularity of Art Deco among collectors and artists alike and is recommended for any who want a basic overview of the movement, its origins, its influence on the art world, and its lasting presence today. An oversized presentation packed with illustrations discusses both specific artists and general impact of the Art Deco period, with chapters displaying examples of works that have found their way into homes, public places, and professional circles. Glassworks, clocks, pottery and sculpture are all covered as part of the exploration of the wide-ranging applications of Art Deco beyond the usual architectural focus. No arts collection should be without this sweeping overview of the style's many incarnations, artists and examples.


The Cookbook Shelf

There's Always Room for Chocolate
Naomi Josepher, Jon Payson, and Georgia Freedman
Rizzoli
300 Park Avenue South, 3rd floor, New York, NY 10010
9780847848638, $32.50, www.rizzoliusa.com

There's Always Room for Chocolate: Recipes from Brooklyn's The Chocolate Room is recommended reading for any cook who has already made numerous chocolate dishes from other books but who seeks innovative, fresh new ideas. The Chocolate Room creates dishes that incorporate high-quality ingredients with recipes both traditional and new. Here one will find chocolate Canoes with Vanilla Cream Filling (a take-off on the Twinkie), an unusual Chocolate Almond Flan, and a wide variety of puddings, cakes, and baked goods. Yes, there are Chocolate Chip Cookies and Brownies, but there are also many new surprises, making for an inviting cookbook packed with refreshing new ideas.

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

Dan Doherty's Toast Hash Roast Mash: Real Food for Every Time of Day (9781784721374, $29.99) comes from a chef who focuses on comfort food recipe inspirations that have their roots in breakfast and brunch dishes, but represent adaptations on a theme which may be served all day. A wide variety of dishes are represented, from a Smoked Haddock, Crispy Onions and Curry Sauce hash topped with poached eggs to an unusual consistency and flavor combination for Rhubarb and Custard, or a sandwich variation on a burger, The Paddy Melt, made with Swiss cheese, onion jam, pickles and minced beef. From classic Chicken and Waffles to Toffee Apple, Mascarpone, Granola Crumble, the blends of sweet, savory, and familiar fare with original innovations makes this a powerfully appealing collection. Kevin Dundon and Neil Cubley's The Raglan Road Cookbook: Inside America's Favorite Irish Pub (9781784722364, $34.99) comes from an Irish chef and a writer who focus on the traditional Irish pub and Dundon's Raglan Road restaurant in Florida. Its unique pairing of Irish history and culture on both sides of the pond and its recipes gleaned from the signature dishes of Raglan Road makes for an appealing, oversized presentation packed with full-page color photos to accompany such fare as Beef & Irish Stout Stew, Homemade Chicken Kiev, Lemon Zest Crusted Cod, Cherry Vine Tomatoes & Broad Beans, and a fruit-cased Rhubarb Pannacotta. Nourish: Vibrant Salads to Relish and Refresh by Amber Locke (9781784722326, $16.99) packs over a hundred salad recipes under one cover; and if you're wondering how that many variations could be made on a single dish, read further. These salads are designed to be eye-popping as well as delicious, pairing as many compatible colors as possible into one fish, and in many cases, adding international flavors. Thus, one will find a beautiful Massaged Kale Salad with Oranges & Cranberries, a Simple Carrot Salad consisting of spiral slices of red cabbage, herbs, and peeled heirloom carrots, and an eye-opening Cauliflower Salad made of cauliflower, okra, and edible flowers. "Vibrant" is the key here, and it's represented in a combination of different slicing techniques and an attention to colorful detail to make presentation of prime interest in the salad attraction process. It's always a special pleasure to see a new Diana Henry book, and Simple: Effortless Food, Big Flavors (9781784722043, $32.99) is no exception. Her books excel in taste combinations you won't find in every cookbook, her ingredients are easy to find in ordinary supermarkets, and her approaches to cooking lend an international flavor, yet present no complicated methods, making her books very accessible to newcomers with little prior background in cooking. Here simple classics, such as Chicken Piccata, appear alongside more inviting and unique dishes such as Artichokes, Carrots and Preserved Lemons with Ginger & Honey or Baked Sausages with Apples, Raisins & Hard Cider. The result is a mouth-watering gathering that represents classic Diana Henry attention to foolproof dishes done with flair.

Kyle Books
www.kylebooks.com
c/o National Book Network
4501 Forbes Boulevard, Suite 200, Lanham, MD 20706
www.nbnbooks.com

Annie Rigg edits The Meat Free Monday Cookbook (9781909487499, $22.95), which doesn't come from a restaurateur, but originated as a UK campaign to encourage people to eat less meat. The idea was to make it an easy choice - and the campaign launched in the U.S. in 2003 as a movement that's now in over forty countries. This vegetarian cookbook supports that movement, offering menus for each of the 52 months of the year with two main dishes for each day and supporting ideas for other meals of the deal. Packed with full-page color photos and recipes that include many international influences, vegetarians and meat-eaters alike will find much to like here, from Risotto with Artichokes and Split Pea Dahl and Cauliflower Curry to Parsnip Gratin and Eggplant and Dried Apricot Pastilla. Even cooks with plenty of cookbooks on Thai cooking or curries will find much to like, and many new ideas, in 50 Great Curries of Thailand by Vatcharin Bhumichitr (9781909487451, $14.95). While the title may sound as though its dishes will be time-consuming, one of the pleasures of this book is its simple, easy instructions on how to assemble a variety of curry pastes that then can be quickly added to any other dish in the book. Access to an Asian or Thai market for such specialty ingredients as Kaffir lime leaves, pickled bamboo shoots, or fresh lemongrass will make this cookbook a snap to use. Readers who go to the effort of making these pastes (all the recipes are outlined in an introductory section) will find the rest of the book's recipes require very minimal preparation, lending to its use by busy cooks who want Thai curries that are quick to put together.


The Health/Medicine Shelf

Outpatient Nutrition Care and Home Nutrition Support
Carol Ireton-Jones, PhD, RDN, Editor
CRC Press
6000 NW Broken Sound Parkway NW, Suite 300, Boca Raton, FL 33487
9781498711029, $99.95, www.crcpress.com

Outpatient Nutrition Care and Home Nutrition Support: Practical Guidelines for Assessment and Management is a nutrition support title recommended for any college-level healthcare collection and for any professional reference library concerned about nutritional issues in home health systems. It synthesizes the latest research and best practices information in nutrition for RDNs and other professionals working outside of hospital settings, offering information specific to assessing and meeting nutritional requirements in all kinds of settings. Common nutritional problems and how to manage them receive clear direction in a guide that links risk factors and management challenges with information specific to conditions commonly seen in home health care settings, making for an invaluable reference nutritionists will need.


The Biography Shelf

Shirley Jackson: A Rather Haunted Life
Ruth Franklin
Liveright Publishing
c/o W. W. Norton & Company
500 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10110
9780871403131, $35.00, www.wwnorton.com

Shirley Jackson: A Rather Haunted Life provides a strong biographical study that blends history, literature, and biography in a survey of Shirley Jackson like none other. It follows her mentors, her struggle to balance her literary creations with her life as a wife and mother, and her depiction of her trapped role as part of her horror writing (as in her powerful We Have Always Lived in the Castle), and it offers a different view of Jackson's works and her controversial frankness in an era where women's liberation wasn't a part of social thought. The result is more than another survey of Jackson's works; but deeply probes their origins, their social influences, and the mentors and life from which they evolved: essential reading for any student of Shirley Jackson's writings.


The American History Shelf

The Electrifying Fall of Rainbow City
Margaret Creighton
W. W. Norton & Company
500 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10110
9780393247503, $28.95, www.wwnorton.com

The Electrifying Fall of Rainbow City: Spectacle and Assassination at the 1901 World's Fair tells of the year (1901) when Buffalo, New York hosted the world's fair meant to celebrate the beginnings of a new century. Fair organizers envisioned it as a pinnacle of beauty and achievement; but in fact the Buffalo Exposition became synonymous with murder, strife, and protest. The key figures of this spectacle come to life in The Electrifying Fall of Rainbow City, with chapters reading with the high drama and attraction of fiction as they present a captivating, different viewpoint of an exposition's high and low moments. Vintage black and white images pepper the story line and bring the times and its events to life in a coverage that should be part of any American history holding.


James A. Cox, Editor-in-Chief
Diane C. Donovan, Editor
Midwest Book Review
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Oregon, WI 53575-1129
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e-mail: mbr@execpc.com
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