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Volume 27, Number 10 October 2017 Home | IBW Index

Table of Contents

Reviewer's Choice Cookbook Shelf Fiction Shelf
Mystery/Suspense Shelf Fantasy/SciFi Shelf Christian Studies Shelf
Judaic Studies Shelf Islamic Studies Shelf Buddhist Studies Shelf
Fishing Shelf Audiobook Shelf Comix/Graphic Novel Shelf
Library CD Shelf Library DVD Shelf Sports Shelf
Needlecraft Shelf Photography Shelf Music Shelf
Travel Shelf Poetry Shelf Technology Shelf
Metaphysical Studies Shelf Woodworking Shelf Business Shelf
Pets/Wildlife Shelf Health/Medicine Shelf Beer/Wine/Spirits Shelf
Education Shelf Psychology Shelf Fashion Shelf
American History Shelf Civil War Shelf Writing/Publishing Shelf
Jobs/Careers Shelf Computer Shelf Economic Studies Shelf
Social Issues Shelf Biography Shelf Literary Studies Shelf
Science Shelf Military Shelf Political Science Shelf
Environmental Studies Shelf Philosophy Shelf Art Shelf
Library Science Shelf Judicial Studies Shelf Language Studies Shelf
Veterinary Studies Shelf    


Reviewer's Choice

Aging and the Digital Life Course
David Prendergast & Chiara Garattini, editors
Berghahn Books
20 Jay Street, Suite 512, Brooklyn, NY 11201
www.berghahnbooks.com
9781782386919, $120.00, HC, 300pp, www.amazon.com

Across the life course, new forms of community, ways of keeping in contact, and practices for engaging in work, healthcare, retail, learning and leisure are evolving rapidly. Breaking new ground in the study of technology and aging, "Aging and the Digital Life Course" examines how developments in smart phones, the internet, cloud computing, and online social networking are redefining experiences and expectations around growing older in the twenty-first century. Drawing on contributions from leading commentators and researchers across the world, "Aging and the Digital Life Course" is comprised of eleven erudite and informative articles exploring key themes such as caregiving, the use of social media, robotics, chronic disease and dementia management, gaming, migration, and data inheritance, and more. Of special note is the informative introduction (Critical Reflections on Ageing and Technology in the Twenty-First Century) the editors David Prendergast (a Social Anthropologist based at Intel Labs Europe and a Principal Investigator in the Intel Collaborative Research Institute for Sustainable Connected Cities with Imperial College and University College London. He also holds the position of Visiting Professor of Healthcare Innovation at Trinity College Dublin) and Chiara Garattini (who is an Anthropologist working as part of the Health & Life Sciences Group at Intel. Enhanced with the inclusion of a listing of illustrations, a ten page listing of the contributors and their credentials, and a five page index, "Aging and the Digital Life Course" is unreservedly recommended as a critically important addition to both community and academic library collections. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of academia and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "Aging and the Digital Life Course" is also available in a paperback edition (9781785335013, $34.95).

Communicating Emergency Preparedness, revised edition
Damon P. Coppola & Erin K. Maloney
CRC Press
6000 NW Broken Sound Parkway NW, Suite 300, Boca Raton, FL 33487
www.crcpress.com
9781138721067, $14.95, HC, 278pp, www.amazon.com

Once again the critical importance of local, state, and federal emergency preparedness and response has been underscored by Hurricane Harvey (in Texas) and Hurricane Irma (in Florida). Now in a fully revised and updated edition of "Communicating Emergency Preparedness: Practical Strategies for the Public and Private Sectors" includes timely and informative case studies, events, and references to articles and opinions about the direction of emergency preparedness communication. Authors Damon P. Coppola (author of several emergency management academic and professional texts, including Introduction to International Disaster Management, Introduction to Homeland Security, and Introduction to Emergency Management. He is also co-author of several FEMA Emergency Management Institute Higher Education Courses, including Crisis and Risk Communications and Hazards Risk Management) and Erin K. Maloney is a Director of Research in the FDA-funded Tobacco Center of Regulatory Science at the University of Pennsylvania, and an Adjunct Instructor in the Department of Communication Studies at West Chester University in Pennsylvania, and the Milken Institute School of Public Health at the George Washington University) collaborative draw upon their professional expertise, experience, and research to inject a new sense of practicality to the subject. New images displaying emergency preparedness campaigns are used to further illustrate the materials being presented. For instructors and practitioners alike, this new and expanded edition of "Communicating Emergency Preparedness" continues to provide the 'real world practical' how-to instruction that is often required, and will only improve upon the success of the first edition in doing so. Simply stated, every municipal, county, state, and FEMA agency should have their own copy of "Communicating Emergency Preparedness" for their in-service training programs. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of students, first responders, governmental emergency services policy makers, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "Communicating Emergency Preparedness" is also available in a paperback edition (9781498762366, $69.95) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $52.11).

The Great American Citizenship Quiz
Solomon M. Skolnick
Bloomsbury Press
175 Fifth Avenue, Suite 315, New York, NY 10010
www.bloomsbury.com
9781635570151 $16.00 pbk / $9.31 Kindle amazon.com

The Great American Citizenship Quiz presents complete test used by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, which naturalized U.S. citizens must pass. Additional background material, text of the original documents, quizzes, fun facts about American government and society, an index, and more round out this "must-read" for anyone aspiring to American citizenship - or interesting in learning more about this proud nation. The Great American Citizenship Quiz is highly recommended especially for public library collections.

Scooter Lifestyle
Veloce Publishing
www.hubbleandhattie.com
9781845841522, $38.45, HC, 128pp, www.amazon.com

It's over sixty years since the first Italian scooters rolled off the production lines but there is still a buzzing and vibrant lifestyle with the humble scooter as its nucleus. The small capacity machines have overtaken the lives of thousands of devoted scooter enthusiasts, often to the detriment of everything else they might hold dear. Careers, relationships and families have been known to suffer because of an overwhelming and expensive addiction to the scooter experience. An addiction to which there is no cure for needing the sickly sweet smell of synthetic two stroke oil and worship at the altar of our chosen gods, Lambretta and Vespa (or occasionally Gilera and Italjet). All too many devoted scooter enthusiasts are permanently ingrained with the oily "tattoos" of a thousand engine rebuilds and with major organs having suffered the long term effects of a scooter oriented and hedonistic lifestyle. Including interviews with well known Scootering personalities, over 150 color photographs of award winning custom scooters, best selling scooter models, rallies and events, "Scooter Lifestyle will have an extraordinary appeal for anyone interested in these fun and all-to-addictive machines! While unreservedly recommended for both community and academic library collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Scooter Lifestyle" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $23.99).

The Art of My Little Pony the Movie
Hasbro and Rebecca Dart
Viz Media LLC
1355 Market Street, Suite 200, San Francisco CA 94103
www.viz.com
9781421596488 $39.99 hc / $15.99 Kindle amazon.com

The Art of My Little Pony the Movie is an astonishingly beautiful, full-color showcase of art from the animated movie, which in turn is based on the enormously popular children's television series with an all-ages fanbase. (The show's popularity transcends demographics because it is intelligently written, expressly so that little girls and their parents can enjoy it together). Concept art, storyboards, alternate character interpretations and extensive commentary from the movie's creators enrich this "must-have" for fans of the series! Highly recommended.

America 51
Corey Taylor
Da Capo Press
c/o Perseus Book Group
250 W. 57th St., Suite 1500, New York, NY 10107
www.perseusbooksgroup.com
9780306825446, $26.00, www.dacapopress.com

There could possibly be no better timing for the appearance of America 51: A Probe Into the Realities That Are Hiding Inside "The Greatest Country in the World", a tongue-in-cheek humor piece blending serious social observation and outrage with Corey Taylor's rant about the state of modern America and world perceptions of its culture. From foreign policy and English speakers to truths the average American likely won't be happy to hear, this is a hard-hitting but engrossing and hard look at the state of modern America and those who live in this country, worthy of inclusion in any general lending library.


The Cookbook Shelf

Plentiful: The Big Book of Buddha Food
Chrisi Loon, et al.
Jacana Media
c/o Independent Publishers Group
814 North Franklin Street, Chicago, IL 60610
www.ipgbook.com
9781431424702, $23.95, PB, 176pp, www.amazon.com

Beautifully and profusely illustrated throughout, "Plentiful: The Big Book of Buddha Food" is the collaborative effort of culinary experts Chrisi Loon, Louisvan Loon, Paul Atkinson, and Angela Shaw. Their dedicated mission is to continue the tradition South African cuisine comprised of outstanding vegetarian dishes, centered on Mediterranean flavors, as are served at the Buddhist Retreat Center (BRC) in Ixopo, South African. These are dishes which has always had the personal touch of the head chef in charge of the menus and that of his co-chefs: the lovely, friendly local Zulu women who have worked in the kitchen for many years to great acclaim from visitors. These ladies were taught the skills of traditional Zulu cooking from their mothers, which they then readily adapted to cooking the vegetarian cuisine served at the BRC. These women could hold their own in the kitchen of any up-market restaurant anywhere. With "Plentiful: The Big Book of Buddha Food", the BRC also showcases the exquisite indigenous environment in which it is set, which has become a spiritual haven for South African and international visitors. The recipes comprising "Plentiful: The Big Book of Buddha Food " range from Occasionally Ochre (lightly curried cauliflower soup); A Fez of Carrots (Moroccan carrot salad); and Fra's Flamenco Frittata (roasted vegetable frittata); to Tantric Tarts (roasted vegetable and puff pastry tarts); A Choc-Worked Orange (gluten-free chocolate orange brownies); and The Caprese Strip (stuffed focaccia roulade). Of special note is the recipes for a homemade sourdough starter! Thoroughly 'kitchen cook friendly' in organization and presentation, "Plentiful: The Big Book of Buddha Food" is enthusiastically and unreservedly recommended for personal, family, professional, and community library Vegetarian Cookbook collections.

The Green City Market Cookbook
Rick Bayless
Midway
c/o Agate Publishing
1328 Greenleaf Street, Evanston, IL 60202
www.agatepublishing.com
9781572841574, $24.99, HC, 224pp, www.amazon.com

Green City Market was founded in Chicago in 1998. It is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to provide a marketplace for purchasing sustainably grown food, and to educate, promote, and connect farmers and local producers directly to chefs, restaurateurs, and the greater Chicago community. Showcasing recipes drawn from this famous Farmer's Market and contributed by the celebrity chefs, local farmers, loyal customers, and longtime vendors that make up the Green City Market community, "The Green City Market Cookbook" is beautifully illustrated with full-color photography. The recipes themselves range from an Artful Asparagus Salad; to Goat Cheese Bruschetta with Arrabbiata Sauce and Poached Egg; to Sunday Dinner Club Market Burger; to New World Cassoulet with Chilies and Turkey; to Maple-Glazed Breakfast Bread. With thoroughly 'kitchen cook friendly' recipes, "The Green City Market Cookbook" can turn even the most ordinary family meal into a truly memorable culinary adventure. While very highly recommended for personal, family, professional, and community library cookbook collections, it should be noted that "The Green City Market Cookbook" is also available in a paperback edition (9781572842366, $23.00), a digital book format (Kindle, $14.49), and a flexibound publication (9781572841574, $24.99).

The Grammar of Spice
Caz Hildebrand
Thames & Hudson, Inc.
500 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10110-0017
www.thamesandhudsonusa.com
9780500519677, $29.95, HC, 224pp, www.amazon.com

Spices have played an intrinsic part in the human story, running through history, geography, anthropology, politics, religion, culture, art, and design. From alligator pepper seeds, which in the Yoruba culture are given to newborn babies to taste a few minutes after birth, to charoli seeds, which are used in traditional Indian desserts eaten during the festival of Holi, and caraway seeds, which were added to medieval love potions, each spice has its own significance in the lives of the people who use it. "The Grammar of Spice" by Caz Hildebrand (an award-winning designer of cookbooks) is a practical resource for kitchen cooks that also changes the way we understand the role spices play in defining not only our food but also our place in the world. Featuring custom illustrations for each of the more than sixty spices featured here (inspired by the work of Owen Jones, one of the great designers and travelers of his time) this beautifully illustrated, impressively, informative book, exceptionally well organized and presented volume celebrates the world of flavors that spices open up to us. Even the most enthusiastic cooks and food lovers have jars of dusty powders inhabiting kitchen cabinets long past their expiration dates. We often don't know much about them, where they come from, or how to use them. And yet, spices can elevate the everyday act of making and consuming food to a higher plane of experience. It was no accident that the spice trade of the 16th, 17th, and 18th centuries were responsible for the rise and fall of empires. Now with "The Grammar of Spice" even the most novice of 21st century family cooks can create truly memorable meals with the contents of those little jars and cans that heretofore were just gathering dust in kitchen spice racks all across the country. Unreservedly recommended for personal and professional cookbook collections, no community library cookbook collection can be considered complete without the inclusion of a copy of Caz Hildebrand's "The Grammar of Spice".

Dishes and Beverages of the Old South, third edition
Martha McCulloch-Williams, author
John Egerton, contributor
The University of Tennessee Press
110 Conference Center UT, Knoxville, TN 37996
9781621903000, $38.00, PB, 277pp, www.utpress.org

Originally published in 1923, until its reissue in 1988 with the help of renowned southern culture scholar John Egerton, "Dishes and Beverages of the Old South" was justifiably considered to be an exceptionally rare text on southern foodways and cuisine. Now, in its third edition, and with a new foreword by food writer and American Souther cuisine expert Sheri Castle, this pathfinding cookbook (one of the first to be written in a narrative style) is available to a new generation of southern foodies and amateur chefs. In the pages of "Dishes and Beverages of the Old South" Martha McCulloch-Williams not only provided recipes for the modern cook, but she expounds upon the importance of quality ingredients, muses on memories brought back by a good meal, and deftly recognizes that comfort goes hand in hand with southern eats. Sheri Castle deftly navigates this third edition of "Dishes and Beverages of the Old South" with a clear vision of McCulloch-Williams and her southern culinary opus, that readers and cooks alike will appreciate as they browse the pages of this true American classic. Certain to be an enduringly popular and greatly appreciated contribution to personal, family, professional, community, and academic library cookbook and culinary history collections, "Dishes and Beverages of the Old South" is unreservedly, whole-heartedly, and enthusiastically recommended.

The Essential Hot Spice Guide
Dave DeWitt
Terra Nova Books
33 Alondra Road, Santa Fe, NM 87508
www.terranovabooks.com
9781938288319, $14.95, PB, 152pp, www.amazon.com

People have been spicing up their foods ever since cooking began. And it's a trend that's heating up all across the country. Dave DeWitt is an Associate Professor in Consumer and Environmental Sciences on the adjunct faculty of New Mexico State University, and also serves as chair of the Board of Regents of the New Mexico Farm and Ranch Heritage Museum. His interest in chile peppers and spicy foods which has helped make Dave one of the foremost authorities in the world and popular known as the 'Pope of Peppers'. David's research and expertise has led to him writing such classics as: The Whole Chile Pepper Book; The Pepper Garden; The Hot Sauce Bible; The Chile Pepper Encyclopedia; and The Spicy Food Lover's Bible. Now he has applied his impressive body of knowledge to "The Essential Hot Spice Guide" and the result is a spice lover's 'must-have' guide to the tastiest and healthiest combos from the worlds of powerful plants and creative cuisine with recipes ranging from a Ginger Plum Sauce Mustard; to a Tangerine and Carcked Black Pepper Sorbet; to a Thai Red Curry Paste. Deftly organized information into five major sections: Roots (Ginger, Horseradish, Wasabi); Pods (Chile Peppers and Their Condiments; Seeds: Mustard and All kinds of Pepper; Powders (Spice Blends, Rubs, and Curry); Resources. Exceptionally well organized and thoroughly 'reader friendly' in presentation, "The Essential Hot Spice Guide" will prove to be a welcome and popular addition to personal, professional, family, and community library culinary reference collections. Also very highly recommended from his 'Pepper Pantry' series is Dave DeWitt's companion title "Ancho And Poblano Chiles" (9781938288296, $12.95, PB, 148pp).

Nickel City Chef
Christa Glennie Seychew
Buffalo Heritage Unlimited Press
266 Elmwood Avenue, Suite 407, Buffalo, NY 14222
www.buffaloheritage.com
9780982574584, $24.95, PB, 112pp, www.amazon.com

Nickel City Chef is unique to Buffalo, New York. No other city hosts a culinary challenge featuring local chefs and local ingredients before a live audience. "Nickel City Chef: Buffalo's Finest Chefs and Ingredients" profiles, local ingredient resources and stunning photographs showcase the best of Western New York. Best of all, this unique culinary compendium includes 32 recipes, two from each of the 16 challenges featured, using locally-sourced ingredients from shiitake mushrooms to pasture-raised heritage pork. There is also a companion DVD documentary (Nickel City Chef: Food For Change) that features fascinating interviews with chefs, farmers, foodies and fans and takes you into the challenge kitchens with the chefs as they cook. An informative and entertaining browse for dedicated foodies, "Nickel City Chef: Buffalo's Finest Chefs and Ingredients" is inspiring to plan menus with for truly memorable meals and is unreservedly recommended for personal, professional, and community library cookbook collections.

The Asheville Bee Charmer Cookbook
Carrie Schloss
Surrey Books
c/o Agate Publishing
1328 Greenleaf Street, Evanston, IL 60202
www.agatepublishing.com
9781572842281, $21.95, HC, 208pp, www.amazon.com

The Asheville Bee Charmer was opened in 2014 by beekeepers Jillian Kelly and Kim Allen, and has become a 'must see' destination for both local foodies and tourists. This honey purveyor is located in one of the most pollinator-friendly parts of the United States and offers a range of bee-related products and more than 50 different artisanal honey varietals -- each with its own unique color, texture, and taste. Inspired by the vast honey selection available behind the Honey Bar, chef Carrie Schloss has created "The Asheville Bee Charmer Cookbook", a culinary collection featuring 130 recipes, 20 honey varietals, and 8 special Bee Charmer blends. With a color, aroma, and tasting guide to honey varietals and dishes like Bee Pollen Nut Brittle, Chipotle Honey - Marinated Skirt Steak, and Milk and Honey Dinner Rolls, this cookbook proves that honey is the best way to season or sweeten your next meal. Profusely and beautifully illustrated throughout, "The Asheville Bee Charmer Cookbook" is a unique and very special collection of thoroughly 'kitchen cook recipes' that is a pleasure to browse through and inspiring to plan menus with. While unreservedly recommended for family, personal, professional, and community library cookbook collections, it should be noted that "The Asheville Bee Charmer Cookbook" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $13.17).

Gizzi's Season's Eatings
Gizzi Erskine
Mitchell Beazley
c/o Octopus Publishing
236 Park Avenue, New York NY 10017
www.octopusbooksusa.com
9781784722159, $29.99, HC, 240pp, www.amazon.com

No one loves a get-together more than the bestselling, award-winning British chef Gizzi Erskine, so in her latest cookbook, "Gizzi's Seasons Eatings: Feasts & Celebrations from Halloween to Happy New Year", she shows even the most novice of family cooks just how to create delicious, crowd-pleasing fare for every occasion. Christmas dinner with all the trimmings, a New Year's brunch or a frightful feast for Halloween: whatever the occasion, "Gizzi's Season's Eatings" offers something special to share with the loved ones at mealtime. Beautifully illustrated throughout, the recipes showcases in "Gizzi's Season's Eatings" range from Holiday Turkey Mole Enchiladas; Wintry Sausage Casserole; and a Jewish Festive Cheesecake; to Smoke-Roasted Treacle-Cured Salmon with Potato, Cucumber & Buttermilk Salad; Charred Blood Orange Mimosa; and The Infamous Erskine Turkey Curry. Of special note is the recipe for My French Dip Christmas Leftover Sandwich! While an outstanding and highly recommended addition to personal, family, and community library cookbook collections, it should be noted that "Gizzi's Season's Eatings" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $7.99).

Super Tuscan
Gabriele Corcos & Debi Mazar
Touchstone Books
c/o Simon & Schuster
1230 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020
www.simonandschuster.com
9781501143595, $35.00, HC, 288pp, www.amazon.com

Good regional Tuscan-Italian cooking is family cooking. From potato gnocchi with a buttery red sauce, to the Tuscan fried chicken marinated in classic Italian flavors to put a whole new spin on a traditional American recipe, "Super Tuscan: Heritage Recipes and Simple Pleasures from Our Kitchen to Your Table" is a culinary showcase of he best of both Tuscan and American food cultures -- and introduces unique recipes that can only come from a multicultural kitchen. Along with more 100 tasty recipes, Tuscan cuisine experts Debi and Gabriele share entertaining anecdotes, useful tips, and day-to-day life in their household, reinforced with over 125 stunning photographs. Fun to browse and usefully practical to plan truly memorable menus with, "Super Tuscan" will inspire even the most novice of kitchen cooks to make cooking a daily experience in family life and live la dolce vita. While very highly recommended for persona, family, professional, and community library ethnic cookbook collections, it should be noted that "Super Tuscan" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $14.99).

Southern Seasons: 12 Months of Tea-licious Recipes & Ideas
Linda J. Hawkins
www.lindajhawkins.com
Heart to Heart Publishing
9781937008536, $29.99, HC, 200pp, www.amazon.com

Beautifully and profusely illustrated throughout, "Southern Seasons: 12 Months of Tea-licious Recipes & Ideas" showcases the significance, etiquette, elegance, diversity, and celebratory uses of tea in authentic American culture. From traditional tea parties, to fire side sipping on a winter's eve, to weddings and birthday celebrations. The recipes range from Hawaiian Caprese Sliders; Mini Stuffed Tomatoes; Blackberry-Peach Dumpling Soup; and Party Cheese Ball; to Turkey and Ham Roll-Ups; Orange Dreamsicle Fudge; Lemon Blueberry Pound Cake; and Stuffed Strawberries. Organized and presented seasonally, "Southern Seasons: 12 Months of Tea-licious Recipes & Ideas" is replete with interesting information and tips, making it fascinating to browse through and inspiring to plan party events with -- making it unreservedly and enthusiastically recommended for personal, professional, and community library cookbook collections.

Arab Cooking on a Prairie Homestead
Habeeb Salloum
University of Regina Press
University of Regina
3737 Wascana Parkway, Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada, S4S 0A2
www.uofrpress.ca
9780889775183, $29.95, PB, 336pp, www.amazon.com

In the 1920s, Habeeb Salloum's parents left behind the orchards and vineyards of French-occupied Syria to seek a new life on the windswept, drought-stricken Canadian prairies. With recollections that show the grit and improvisation of early Syrian pioneers, Habeeb Salloum draws upon his own life experiences and family traditions in "Arab Cooking on a Prairie Homestead: Recipes and Recollections from a Syrian Pioneer" to demonstrate his love of traditional Arab cuisine. By growing "exotic" crops brought from their country of origin (such as lentils, chickpeas, and bulgur) the Salloum family survived the Dust Bowl conditions of the 1930s, and helped change the landscape of Canadian farming. Primarily a massive compendium of authentic and 'kitchen cook friendly' recipes ranging from a Yogurt and Eggplant Appetizer; Garlic Bread in Olive Oil; Shrimp Salad; and Deep Fried Sweet Balls; to Chicken and Rice Stew; Fig and Honey Dessert; Mushroom and Cottage Cheese Pies; Hot Kishk Open-Faced pies; and Garlic Omelet, "Arab Cooking on a Prairie Homestead" is a delight to browse through and inspiring to plan menus with. Indeed, "Arab Cooking on a Prairie Homestead" will prove to be a unique and enduringly favorite addition to personal, family, and community library Ethnic Cookbook collections.

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

The Pumpkin Cookbook: 139 Recipes Celebrating the Versatility of Pumpkin and Other Winter Squash offers a much broader set of recipes than one would expect, given that the usual pumpkin cookbook focuses on sweet fare and this one includes savory dishes as well, in keeping with the 'versatility' angle of the book. Picture a Pork Tenderloin with Red Wine Sauce infused with pumpkin, a Pork Stew with Pumpkin and Prunes, or a White Bean, Chicken and Pumpkin Chili, to name just a few innovative ideas. Of course, there are good-sized sections of breads and desserts; but pair color photos with a well-rounded sampling of dishes for a cookbook that is a highly recommended pick for any pumpkin enthusiast looking for variations on the theme.

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

Two new cookbooks offer unusual approaches and recipes not easily found elsewhere, making them recommended picks for discriminating cooks and collections catering to them. Chlo‰ Callow's Cold Brew Coffee: Techniques, Recipes & Cocktails (9781784723606, $12.99) provides step-by-step direction for cold brewing coffee and recipes for using it in drinks, as a concentrate. Nothing is left to wonder, whether it be choosing beans for the process or mixing coffee with liqueur for desirable drinks. Chetna Makan's Chai, Chaat & Chutney: A Street Food Journey Through India (9781784722876, $29.99) may, at first glance, seem another Indian cookbook; but it comes from an author who has sampled regional street food throughout the country, and who assembles different dishes not to be found in the majority of general Indian cookbooks. These range from a Mumbai Falooda (a blend of sundae-meets-milkshake that includes pistachios, glass noodles and basil seeds) and a Bhakarwadi sweet and savory pastry snack to a Delhi Kaju Kishmish ice cream made of raisins, vanilla, and cashew nuts.


The Fiction Shelf

Mojo Rising: Masters of the Art
James L. Dickerson, editor
Sartoris Literary Group
PO Box 4185, Brandon, MS 39047
www.sartorisliterary.com
9781941644874, $35.00, HC, 224pp, www.amazon.com

Knowledgeably compiled and deftly edited by James L. Dickerson is publisher of Sartoris Literary Group (who is a successful short story writer and novelist, as well as the Sartoris Literary Group publisher) "Mojo Rising: Masters of the Art" includes stories by Nobel and Pulitzer Prize-winning author William Faulkner, Pulitzer Prize-winning author Eudora Welty, Pulitzer Prize-winning writer Tennessee Williams, Richard Wright (generally regarded as one of the top three African American writers in American history), noted Civil War historian and novelist Shelby Foote, author Willie Morris (legendary editor of Harper's Magazine in the 1960s, novelist, and journalist), American Book Award winner Ellen Gilchrist (who contributed a previously unpublished story), Elizabeth Spencer (graduate of Belhaven College and Vanderbilt University; University of Mississippi creative writing instructor; five-time winner of the O. Henry Award for short fiction), Stark Young, former drama critic for the New York Times and author of a bestselling novel So Red the Rose, and novelist and short writer Ellen Douglas, whose work has appeared in The New Yorker and in the O. Henry collection of prize stories. An extraordinary and impressive anthology, "Mojo Rising: Masters of the Art" showcases the literary art of the short story by true masters of the genre, "Mojo Rising: Masters of the Art" is unreservedly recommended for both community and academic library Contemporary Literary Fiction collections. it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Mojo Rising: Masters of the Art" is also available in a paperback edition (9781941644959, $21.95) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.95).

Two Guns North
Neil Hunter
Linford Western Library
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print (USA), Inc.
PO Box 1230, West Seneca, NY 14224-1230
www.ulverscroftusa.com
9781444830798, $TBA, PB, 256pp, www.amazon.com

Jason Brand's latest assignment takes him into the mountains, searching for two missing men - a Deputy US Marshal and a government geologist. But this apparently routine assignment turns out to be anything but. For Bodie the Stalker, hunting a brutal killer, rides the same trail. It's just another manhunt for him - until he finds himself on the wrong end of the chase. But then Bodie meets Brand. And when they join forces (complicated by the sudden arrival of Bodie's previously unknown son), it's as if Hell itself has come to the high country in the form of a large and murderous Monk clan. Another deftly crafted entertainment by a master of the genre, this large print edition of Neil Hunter's "Two Guns North" is unreservedly and enthusiastically recommended for both community library collections and the personal reading lists of dedicated western novel action-adventure fans!

The Honeyfield Bequest
Anna Jacobs
Charnwood Large Print
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print (USA), Inc.
PO Box 1230, West Seneca, NY 14224-1230
www.ulverscroftusa.com
9781444833553, $33.50, HC, 352pp, www.amazon.com

Set in Wiltshire, England in 1901, "The Honeyfield Bequest" is the story of Kathleen Keller, a young woman who is being forced by her cruel father into marriage with a man she despises. In an act of desperation, Kathleen runs away in a bid for a safer life, although one she might not otherwise have chosen. But when tragedy strikes, Kathleen is left vulnerable, and one man threatens the fragile peace she has made for herself. Meanwhile, Nathan Perry, a young man who works for his father's accountancy firm but yearns for something more satisfying is brought in to help with the purchase of Honeyfield House, established by a charitable benefactor as a safe house for women in trouble -- and there he encounters Kathleen. Their lives are set to intertwine, and neither will be the same again. Now available in a large print hardcover edition, "The Honeyfield Bequest" by Anna Jacobs is another deftly crafted and consistently entertaining historical romance by a master of the genre that is unreservedly and enthusiastically for both community library collections and the personal reading lists of historical romance fans.

Betrayal at Iga
Susan Spann
Seventh Street Books
c/o Prometheus Books
59 John Glenn Drive, Amherst, NY 14228
www.prometheusbooks.com
9781633882775, $15.95, www.seventhstreetbooks.com

Betrayal at Iga is set in 1565 and tells of ninja Hiro Hattori and Jesuit Father Mateo, who flee Kyoto for refuge with Hiro's ninja clan in the Iga province mountains. Trouble follows when an ambassador from the rival Koga clan is murdered, charging Hiro and Father Mateo with locating the murderer before the death of an individual erupts into a war between ninja clans. History, mystery, and tension permeate a novel packed with intrigue and a story line that is fast-paced and absorbing, making it a top recommendation for historical novel readers looking for more depth to their mysteries than most books offer.

The Savior's Game
Sean Chercover
www.chercover.com
Thomas & Mercer
9781477848791, $24.95, www.amazon.com

The Savior's Game concludes the Daniel Byrne trilogy with a finale that is drop-dead stunning, and is recommended reading for prior fans who have been awaiting the conclusion with baited breath. Around the world, a condition known as Anomalous Information Transfer brings visions that drive many to madness. For Daniel Byrne, this condition leads to visions of the future - a future of massacres and catastrophe. Charged with both deciphering the future and preventing it, Daniel is chased by assassins who want his possible influence eradicated, and embarks on a journey that translates to a race against time - which is running out. The thriller is well-written and fast-paced: perfect reading for fans of apocalyptic adventures.

The Mirror Sisters
V. C. Andrews
Pocket Books
c/o Simon & Schuster
1230 Avenue of the Americas, 13th fl., New York, NY 10020
www.pocketbooks.com
9781476792361, $7.99 PB, $6.99 Kindle, 384pp, www.amazon.com

"The Mirror Sisters" by V. C. Andrews is the first book in a new series featuring identical twin sisters forced to act, look, and feel truly identical by a perfectionist mother. Two sisters who are alike in every single way -- with one dark exception. As identical twins, their mother insists that everything about them be identical: their clothes, their toys, their friends . . . the number of letters in their names, Haylee Blossom Fitzgerald and Kaylee Blossom Fitzgerald. If one gets a hug, the other must too. If one gets punished, the other must be too. Homeschooled at an early age, when the girls attend a real high school they find little ways to highlight the differences between them. But when Haylee runs headfirst into the dating scene, both sisters are thrust into a world their mother never prepared them for - causing one twin to pursue the ultimate independence. The one difference between the two girls may spell the difference between life... and a fate worse than death. A simply spellbinding and original novel about tormented love, "The Mirror Sisters" will prove to be a 'must' for all author V. C. Andrews' fans. Also very highly recommended for both personal reading lists and community library Contemporary General Fiction collections is the second volume in this outstanding series, "Broken Glass" (9781476792378, $7.99 PB, $6.99 Kindle, 448pp).

Amanda Wakes Up
Alisyn Camerota
Viking Books
c/o Penguin Group USA
375 Hudson Street, New York, NY 10014
www.penguin.com
9780399563997, $26.00, HC, 336pp, www.amazon.com

When Amanda Gallo, fresh from the backwater of local TV, lands the job of her dreams at FAIR News (the coveted morning anchor slot) she's finally made it: a six-figure salary, wardrobe allowance, plenty of on-air face time, and a chance to realize her dreams, not to mention buy herself lunch. Amanda feels for the first time that she can make her mom and her best friend proud and think about an actual future with her boyfriend, Charlie. But she finds her journalistic ideals shredded as she struggles to keep up with the issues in a ratings-crazed madhouse -- battling for hair and makeup time, coping with her sexist (but scathingly handsome) co-anchor, Rob, mixing up the headlines with pajama modeling on the street, and showing Benji Diggs, her media maestro boss, that she's got what it takes. As the news heats up in a hotly contested election season and a wild-card candidate, former Hollywood actor Victor Fluke, appears on the scene, Amanda's pressure-cooker job gets hotter as her personal life unravels. Walking a knife's edge between ambition and survival, and about to break the biggest story of her career, Amanda must decide what she's willing to give up to get ahead -- and what she needs to hold on to save herself. "Amanda Wakes Up" is an inherently entertaining and engaging read that clearly showcases author Alisyn Camerota's genuine flair for originality in her debut as a novelist. While very highly recommended, especially for community library Contemporary General Fiction collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Amanda Wakes Up" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $12.99).

Island of Point Nemo
Jean-Marie Blas de Robles, author
Hannah Chute, translator
Open Letter Books
c/o University of Rochester
Lattimore Hall 411, Box 270082, Rochester, NY 14627
www.openletterbooks.org
9781940953625, $17.95, PB, 397pp, www.amazon.com

A stolen diamond and three right feet, wearing shoes of a non-existent brand, that wash ashore in Scotland set into motion the first plot of Island of Point Nemo, a rollicking Jules Verne-like adventure narrative that crosses continents and oceans, involves multilingual codes, a world-famous villain, and three eccentrically loopy detectives. Running parallel is the story of B@bil Books, an e-reader factory in France filled with its own set of colorful characters, including the impotent Dieumercie and his randy wife, who will stop at nothing (including a suspect ritual involving bees) to fix his "problem," and their abusive boss Wang-ilWong, obsessed with carrier pigeons and spying on his employees. An impressively crafted literary puzzle of a novel by a masterfully gifted author, "Island of Point Nemo" is an extraordinarily entertaining read from beginning to end and very highly recommended, especially for community library collections in general, and the personal reading lists of readers who enjoy novelty, originality, and eccentricity in their fiction.

High as the Heavens
Kate Breslin
Bethany House Publishers
c/o Baker Publishing Group
6030 East Fulton Road, Ada, MI 49301
www.bethanyhouse.com
9780764230363, $25.99, HC, 402pp, www.amazon.com

Set in 1917, "High as the Heavens" is the story of British nurse and war widow Evelyn Marche who is trapped in German occupied Brussels. She works at the hospital by day and as a waitress by night. But she also has a secret: She is a spy for the resistance. When a British plane crashes in the park, Evelyn must act quickly to protect the injured soldier who has top-secret orders and a target on his back. Can they make it out of Belgium alive? A simply riveting read from beginning to end, "High as the Heavens" is an extraordinarily entertaining and deftly crafted novel by an impressively gifted author with a genuine flair for originality. While very highly recommended, especially for community library General Fiction collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "High as the Heavens" is also available in a paperback edition (9780764217814, $15.99) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).

Eve / More Deadly Than The Male
James Hadley Chase
Stark House Press
1315 H Street, Eureka, CA 95501
www.starkhousepress.com
9781944520403, $19.95, PB, 380pp, www.amazon.com

James Hadley Chase (24 December 1906 - 6 February 1985) was an English writer. While his birth name was Rene Lodge Brabazon Raymond, he was well known by his various pseudonyms, including James Hadley Chase, James L. Docherty, Raymond Marshall, R. Raymond, and Ambrose Grant. He was one of the best known thriller writers of all time. The canon of Chase, comprising 90 titles, earned him a reputation as the king of thriller writers in Europe. He was also one of the internationally best-selling authors, and, so far, 50 of his books have been made into films. Now Stark House Press has brought back into print two of his 'time lost' gems under one cover with the publication of "Eve / More Deadly Than The Male". In "Eve" we find that Clive Thurston is living a lie. Having claimed a dying playwright's masterwork as his own, he is hailed as a brilliant, new author. Thurston is now living the good life in Hollywood. He has a house in the country, a manservant, a beautiful fiancee....then one night he meets Eve. Eve isn't beautiful at all, but she's got a way about her. Thurston is captivated, and in no time, he becomes obsessed. But as everybody knows, Eve is a prostitute, and his reputation around town begins to suffer. His fiancee has been patient, but she can take no more. Thurston is drinking too much, and making bad decisions. But what he can't figure is why Eve keeps rejecting him. If he can only make Eve love him, maybe his own redemption is at hand. "More Deadly Than The Mile" is the story of George, a man who knew the exact moment when he fell in love with Cora Brant. At one moment Cora was just someone with whom he hoped to alleviate an hour of lonely boredom; at the next she was someone he was physically and mentally aware of in a most overpowering way. He had bought drinks, and he had been startled that she tackled a pint of beer. And when he looked more closely at her, he realized she was not immaculate in the accepted sense of the word. But George was not critical. Any woman was a novelty to him, and a girl like Cora Brant was far more than a novelty - she was an exciting experience. George has been living in a gangster fantasy in which he is always the hero. Now he meets that world head on. George's troubles have only just begun... A highly and unreservedly recommended addition to community library collections, "Eve / More Deadly Than The Male" will send appreciative readers in an energetic search for other works by this genuinely gifted author.

Whispers of Warning
Jessica Estevo
Berkley Books
c/o Penguin Group (USA)
375 Hudson Street, 4th floor, New York, NY 10014
www.penguin.com
9780425281611, $15.99, PB, 336pp, www.amazon.com

Free from the clutches of her con artist father, Ruby Proulx is starting to settle in at the Belden, her aunt Honoria's seaside hotel. She loves finally being rooted in one place and also feels a sense of purpose as she helps Honoria keep her business afloat by acting as a psychic medium for the hotel's metaphysically inclined guests. When one of the guests, renowned Spiritualist and outspoken suffragist Sophronia Foster Eldridge, checks into the hotel for a month-long stay, Ruby finds her sense of purpose expands outside the confines of home and family. Sophronia takes Ruby under her wing and mentors her in the mediumistic abilities, encouraging her to fight for women's rights. But not everyone is as happy with Sophronia's appearance in Old Orchard. When a dangerous act of sabotage is carried out and a body is found floating in the pool of a local bathhouse, Ruby takes it upon herself to find answers - and in the process learns that her new friend has been hiding some deadly secrets of her own. Another deftly crafted and consistently entertaining novel by a master of the genre, "Whispers of Warning" by Jessica Estevo will prove to be an enduringly popular and appreciated addition to community library collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "Whispers of Warning" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $11.99).

Battle For Rome
Ian James Ross
The Overlook Press
141 Wooster Street, New York, NY 10012
www.overlookpress.com
9781468311235, $26.95, HC, 384pp, www.amazon.com

War is on the horizon for the Roman Empire, and only Maxentius, tyrant of Rome, stands between the emperor Constantine and supreme power in the west. Aurelius Castus is now a tribune in Constantine's army. But this great honor brings new challenges, and Castus is tormented by suspicions that his young wife has been unfaithful. As Constantine becomes increasingly devoted to Christianity, he is forced to ask himself whether he is following the wrong man. The approaching war will decide the fate of the empire, but Castus's own battle will carry him much further, carrying him headlong into the shadowy realms of treachery at the heart of Rome itself. The third volume in the outstanding 'Twilight of Empire" series by author Ian James Ross, "Battle For Rome" continues to showcase his genuine flair for writing a compelling novel that will have enduring appeal to fans of deftly crafted historical fiction. While very highly recommended for community library collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Battle For Rome" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $12.99).

Flood
Melissa Scholars Young
Center Street
c/o Hachette Publishing Group
1290 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10104
www.centerstreet.com
9781478970781, $26.00, HC, 336pp, www.amazon.com

Laura Brooks fled her hometown of Hannibal, Missouri, ten years ago after a historic flood and personal heartbreak. Now she's returned unannounced, and her family and friends don't know what to make of it. She says she's just home for a brief visit and her high-school reunion, but she's carrying too much luggage for that: literal and metaphorical. Soon Laura is embroiled in small-town affairs including the contentious divorce of her rowdy best friend Rose; the campaign of her twelve-year-old godson, Bobby, to become the town's official Tom Sawyer; and the renewed interest of the man Laura once thought she'd marry, Sammy McGuire. Leaving town when she was eighteen had been Laura's only option. She feared a stifling existence in a town ruled by its past, its mythological devotion to Mark Twain, and the economic and racial divide that runs as deep as the Mississippi River. She can't forget that fateful Fourth of July when the levees broke or the decisions that still haunt her. Now as the Mississippi rises again, a deep wound threatens to reopen, and Laura must decide if running away once more might be the best way to save herself. The debut novel by author Melissa Scholars Young, "Flood" is a deftly crafted entertainment from beginning to end and clearly showcases her undeniable flair for originality and storytelling talent. While very highly recommended, especially for community library General Fiction collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Flood" is also available in a paperback edition (9781478970774, $14.99) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $13.99).

Backed To The Wall
C. M. Wendelboe
Five Star Books
10 Water Street, Suite 310, Waterville, ME 04901
http://gale.cengage.com/fivestar
9781432837327, $25.95, HC, 248pp, www.amazon.com

It's a time when outlaws, fueled by cruelty they became addicted to during the War Between the States, roam and prey upon anyone unfortunate enough to cross their trail. It's a time in the Dakota Territory of the 1870s, when the line between outlaw and lawman is often blurred. Some of those sworn to protect the helpless might exploit them instead. And some of those deemed hard cases might redeem themselves. Another deftly written western novel by C. M. Wendelboe, "Backed to the Wall" plunges both a lawman and an outlaw into a blood battle that only one of them can survive -- that is, if the Indian raiders terrorizing homesteaders and cattlemen don't kill them first! Certain to be an enduringly popular addition to community library Western Fiction collections, it should be noted for the personal reading lists of dedicated western fans that "Backed To The Wall" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $7.99).

Birthright
David Hingley
Allison & Busby
c/o Casemate
1940 Lawrence Road, Havertown, PA 19083
www.casematepublishers.com
9780749020323, $19.95, HC, 352pp, www.amazon.com

In 1664, some four years after Charles II is restored to the throne, Mercia Blakewood find herself standing to lose everything: her father to the executioner's axe, her freedom to her treacherous uncle, her son to his resentful grandparents. But when her father leaves her a cryptic message in his last speech, she seizes her chance to fight back. With would-be lover Nathan Keyte and unlikely new friend Nicholas Wildmoor, Mercia must unravel her father's mystery to find a great prize long thought lost, striving to recover the King's stolen birthright in the hope of reclaiming her own. From London's bulging metropolis to the forests of Manhattan she will contend with murder, intrigue and lust, fighting for her future and her life as the town of New York is born. "Birthright" is a deftly crafted historical novel that will engage the reader's rapt attention from beginning to end. Showcasing author Davide Hingley's genuine flair for creating memorable characters and an unfailingly entertaining plot of unexpected twists and turns, "Birthright" is very highly recommended, especially for community library Historical fiction collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "Birthright" is also available in a paperback edition (9780749020422, $12.95) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $5.99).

Bounty of Greed: The Lincoln County War
Paul Colt
Five Star Books
10 Water Street, Suite 310, Waterville, ME 04901
http://gale.cengage.com/fivestar
9781432834494, $25.95, HC, 327pp, www.amazon.com

Powerful merchant and political strong man, James Dolan owns Lincoln County, until brash, young English business man John Tunstall hits town to challenge Dolan's empire. War breaks out when Tunstall is murdered. Tunstall partisan William Bonney vows revenge, launching the legendary outlaw career of Billy the Kid. Tunstall and Chisum gunmen, calling themselves Regulators, systematically hunt down and kill those responsible for Tunstall's murder. Deputy U.S. Marshal Ty Ledger is swept up in the tides of war, caught between determined forces swirling toward a bloody confrontation that threatens the woman he loves. The war comes to a fiery climax when the army is called in to battle for Lincoln. "Bounty of Greed: The Lincoln County War" by Paul Colt is a deftly written novel that fully captures the greed, cunning and vengeance that ignited the epic and infamous Lincoln County War. Unreservedly recommended and certain to be an enduringly popular addition to community library Western Fiction collections, it should be noted for the personal reading lists of dedicated western novel buffs that "Bounty of Greed: The Lincoln County War" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $7.99).

Mona Lisa
Robyn Sheridan
Waldorf Publishing
2140 Hall Johnson Road 102-345, Grapevine, TX 76051
www.waldorfpublishing.com
9781945172731, $16.95, PB, 340pp, www.amazon.com

When Mona Lisa Cicciarelli is left at the altar by Joey and his overbearing mother Alice, Mona Lisa wonders what will be worse -- the pitying stares from her friends and family or her parent's renewed obsession with the age of her ovaries and impending spinsterhood. Her father, Chick, tries to fix her up the day after she is jilted with the handsome, Italian-Catholic Dante Coletti, and it is then that Mona Lisa realizes her sanity is at risk. She needs to make a big change and when she's offered a job opportunity in Atlanta, she consults Noni, her eccentric grandmother and closest confidante who gives her the push she needs. "Mona Lisa" is an extraordinarily entertaining read from cover to cover and reveals author Robyn Sheridan's genuine flair for deftly crafted memorable characters and engagingly original storytelling. While "Mona Lisa" is unreservedly recommended, especially for community library Contemporary Romance collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that it is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $3.99) and in a complete and unabridged CD audio book edition (Blackstone Audio, 9781441749987, $29.95).

The Scot Beds His Wife
Kerrigan Byrne
St. Martin's Paperbacks
c/o St. Martin's Press
175 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10010
www.stmartins.com
9781250122544, $7.99, PB, 416pp, www.amazon.com

Gavin St. James, Earl of Thorne, is a notorious Highlander and an unrelenting Lothario who uses his slightly menacing charm to get what he wants -- including too many women married to other men. But now, Gavin wants to put his shady past behind him...more or less. When a fiery lass who is the heiress to the land he wishes to possess drops into his lap, he sees a perfectly delicious opportunity of a marriage most convenient. Samantha Masters has come back to Scotland, in a pair of trousers, and with a whole world of dangerous secrets from her time spent in the Wild West trailing behind her. Her only hope of protection is to marry -- and to do so quickly. Gavin is only too willing to provide that service for someone he finds so disturbingly irresistible. But even as danger approaches, what begins as a scandalous proposition slowly turns into an all-consuming passion. And Gavin discovers that he will do whatever is necessary to keep the woman he has claimed as his own. A riveting read from cover to cover, "The Scot Beds His Wife" shows that author Kerrigan Byrne is a complete master of the historical romance genre. While very highly recommended for both community library collections and the personal reading lists of dedicated historical romance fans, it should be noted that "The Scot Beds His Wife" is also available from St. Martin's Press in a digital book format (Kindle, $7.99).


The Mystery/Suspense Shelf

Whispers of Warning
Jessica Estevao
Berkley Books
c/o Penguin Group (USA)
375 Hudson Street, 4th floor, New York, NY 10014
www.penguin.com
9780425261611, $15.00, www.amazon.com

Whispers of Warning provides a fine 'Change of Fortune' mystery blending a quick-witted heroine and psychic, Ruby, with a second tale in a series; this one discussing crime at a small beachside town in Maine. History, mystery, and supernatural influences blend nicely in the story of a woman who finally finds her place in a small town after years on the run with her scam artist father, only to discover that her newfound friendships and home with family is threatened by a suffragist's stay at the hotel and the town politics that emerge in response. The result is a powerful and involving tale that operates deftly and efficiently on many levels, recommended for history and mystery buffs alike.

The Trout
Peter Cunningham
Arcade Publishing
www.arcadepub.com
c/o Skyhorse Publishing, Inc.
307 West 36th Street, 11th Floor, New York, NY 10018
www.skyhorsepublishing.com
9781628727449, $22.99, HC, 296pp, www.amazon.com

Alex Smyth, of Irish birth but living for many years with his wife in rural Canada, receives a trout fly in the mail, with no message and no return address. It stirs a fear that he is being stalked after the publication of his most recent book, and it awakens in him deeply buried, inchoate memories from his childhood in Ireland, before he was old enough to understand the adult world around him. It also evokes the guilt that he may have murdered a man, a feeling so strong it changes him and threatens his marriage. Alex has no choice but to return alone to Ireland and his estranged father, to try and begin to solve the mystery. Another masterfully written novel by award-winning author Peter Cunningham, "The Trout" is an original and multi-layered psychological thriller that will hold the reader's rapt attention from beginning to end. Of special note is how deftly Cunningham has occasionally inserted fishing lore into this narrative story of predators and prey. While very strongly recommended, especially for community library Mystery/Suspense collections, it should be noted for the personal reading lists of suspense thriller fans that "The Trout" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $13.79).

Wolf's Revenge
Lachlan Smith
Mysterious Press
c/o Grove/Atlantic, Inc.
154 West 14th Street, 12th Floor, New York, NY 10011
www.groveatlantic.com
9780802127075, $25.00, HC, 256pp, www.amazon.com

Leo Maxwell is no ordinary attorney. He spends as much time tracking corrupt politicians and gangland leaders across the Bay area to piece together the facts of a crime as he does crafting courtroom rhetoric. But Leo has never quite recovered from discovering his mother's murdered corpse as a child, or from growing up in the shadow of his brilliant older brother. Now Maxwell seeks an exit strategy from his family's deepening entanglement with a ruthless prison-based gang. Caught between the criminals and the FBI, Leo charts his own hazardous course in defense of a young woman who was manipulated into brazenly murdering an Aryan Brotherhood member. In the process, secrets from his own childhood and fractured family are revealed -- and fair play is the first casualty. "Wolf's Revenge" is the fifth novel in Lachlan Smith's outstanding series featuring attorney-detective Leo Maxwell and unreservedly recommended, especially for community library Mystery/Suspense collections. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of dedicated suspense fans and thriller buffs that "Wolf's Revenge" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $14.74). Librarians should be aware of a complete and unabridged audio book edition of "Wolf's Revenge" (Highbridge Audio, 9781681688053, $29.99, CD).

Chez Betty
Kenneth Farmer
Henschel Haus Publishing
2625 South Greeley Street, Suite 201, Milwaukee, WI 53207
http://henschelhausbooks.com
9781595985248, $16.95, PB, 310pp, www.amazon.com

Alan Newberg is a staid title-company lawyer in the middle of a divorce who escapes to the French Riviera in an effort to reinvent himself. But instead, he catches a case of careful what you ask for when his soon-to-be-ex wife freezes his bank accounts. Without access to money, Newberg gets a job working for a crazy American ex-pat from Texas who owns a questionable vehicle-for-hire business that is at war with a local mob-run cab company. The ever-growing predicament leads to Alan being framed for murder and forces him to run the gauntlet of French criminal justice. His knight in shining armor is the five-year-old daughter of his newly found love, who acts as his chief alibi witness. A deftly crafted and unfailingly entertaining novel from cover to cover, "Chez Betty" has everything from dark humor to romantic intrigue in a picturesque setting, all the while guiding the reader through a mysterious and unfamiliar court system. While very highly recommended, especially for community library Mystery/Suspense collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Chez Betty" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).


The Fantasy/SciFi Shelf

Monster Hunter Siege
Larry Correia
Baen Books
PO Box 1188, Wake Forest NC 27588
www.baen.com
9781481482254, $25.00, www.amazon.com

Monster Hunter Siege adds to an outstanding, well-written series about Monster Hunter International's encounters and tells of Owen Pitt, who finds himself inadvertently involved in a rescue mission when he receives a tip about missing monster hunters. His efforts become one of the major operations in the outfit's history as he discovers they are being held prisoner in another dimension - one that lies beyond a monster-infested war zone that harbors a powerful adversary. A strong story of intrigue and monsters impossible to defeat makes for a story that is action-packed and just as satisfyingly unpredictable as its predecessors. Prior fans, especially, will relish this latest expansion of the purposes and encounters of the Monster Hunter group.

The Castle in Cassiopeia
Mike Resnick
Pyr
c/o Prometheus Books
59 John Glenn Drive, Amherst, NY 14228-2197
www.prometheusbooks.com
9781633882317, $17.00, www.pyrsf.com

The Castle in Cassiopeia is Book Three in the 'Dead Enders' series; and as such, is particularly recommended for prior fans who have already absorbed the setting of Pretorius and his Dead Enders, who kidnapped a general and substituted a clone who had been trained in their Democracy. In this title they find that the clone has gone rogue and wants to take over - and having been raised on Earth, he knows too much about how to do this. Can Pretorius and the remnants of humanity reach him before disaster strikes? A powerful story evolves, adding depth and new intrigue to the tale.


The Christian Studies Shelf

The Church Guide for Making Decisions Together
Terence Corking & Julia Kuhn Wallace
Abingdon Press
2222 Rosa L. Parks Blvd.
PO Box 280988, Nashville, TN 37228-0988
www.abingdonpress.com
9781501838071, $22.99, PB, 224pp, www.amazon.com

While Robert's Rules of Order, or the traditional parliamentary style of decision-making used in many churches, can work for simple decisions that are aggregated and passed by consent, for complex and divisive issues, Christian churches need a decision process that does not result in a combative, winner-take-all approach to church life. A healthy church also tries to involve commitment from a wide range of stakeholders rather than privilege a few well-informed and capable speakers. A vital and healthy congregation yearns for a more collaborative, respectful, encouraging, engaging, and empowering process. "The Church Guide for Making Decisions Together" provides a step-by-step guidance on how to create a new way of working together. Drawing on tried and tested processes, it advocates for a consensus building approach and showing people how it can work in their setting (local church or judicatory meetings). Readers will learn how to design a consensus building business process for their church meeting while still respecting the denominational and legal requirements under which they must operate. Exceptionally well written, organized and presented, "The Church Guide for Making Decisions Together" is 'real world practical' as it is inspired and inspiring, making is specifically and unreservedly recommended for leaders, members of church boards and committees, and church members who know that there is something wrong with the present system but don't know what to do about it.

Gear Up!
Kay Kotan
Abingdon Press
2222 Rosa L. Parks Blvd., PO Box 280988, Nashville, TN 37228-0988
www.abingdonpress.com
9781501835513, $14.99, PB, 144pp, www.amazon.com

Kay Kotan is a credentialed coach, church consultant, speaker and author. She serves on the Healthy Church Initiative Executive Team for the Missouri Annual Conference of the UMC. In "Gear Up!: Nine Essential Processes for the Optimized Church" she draws upon her years of experience, prayer, and expertise to outline nine areas of Christian ministry where congregations must intentionally design a process. It is not enough to decide, "We are going to refocus in this direction." Pastors and Lay Leaders must decide how and what steps they will take. Who will do what, and when? This concise and exceedingly practical new book can help. Exceptionally well written, 'real world practical' while inspired and inspiring, "Gear Up!: Nine Essential Processes for the Optimized Church" is unreservedly recommended for church and seminary Christian Studies collections and supplemental pastoral studies reading lists. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of clergy and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "Gear Up!: Nine Essential Processes for the Optimized Church" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).


The Judaic Studies Shelf

A Concise Code of Jewish Law for Converts
Rabbi Michael J. Broyde
Urim Publications
c/o Lambda Publishers
527 Empire Boulevard, Brooklyn, New York 11225
www.UrimPublications.com
9789655242492, $24.95, HC, 180pp, www.amazon.com

While the topic of conversion in Judaism has been extensively covered in many fine studies, no one has yet explored the particular laws related to after conversion. In "A Concise Code of Jewish Law for Converts", Michael J. Broyde (Professor of Law at Emory University School of Law and a Senior Fellow at Emory University's Center for the Study of Law and Religion. He served for many years as the Yoshev Rosh (chair) and a dayan (judge) in the SouthEast Rabbinical Court for Conversion which was part of the GPS Conversion network) deftly explores many topics and questions that revolve around the life of a Jewish convert. Such topics include the place of a convert in a Jewish community according to Jewish law, the treatment of a convert in respect to acceptance and discrimination, and providing affirmative incentives to converts. Containing a detailed review of every aspect of Jewish law from the convert's perspective and in relation to them, as well as supplemental essays, "A Concise Code of Jewish Law for Converts" provides knowledge and guidance on life after conversion. Comprehensive, authoritative, exceptionally well organized and presented, "A Concise Code of Jewish Law for Converts" is a critically important and unreservedly recommended addition to synagogue and academic library Judaic Studies instructional reference collections and supplemental studies reading lists.

Gender Equality and Prayer in Jewish Law
Rabbi Ethan Tucker & Rabbi Michael Rosenberg
Urim Publications
c/o KTAV Publishing House
527 Empire Blvd, Brooklyn, NY 11225
www.ktav.com
9789655241983, $24.95, HC, 128pp, www.amazon.com

As gender equality has spread throughout modern society, including its religiously observant sectors, traditional Jewish communities turn to their guiding sources to re-examine old questions. This book opens the reader's eyes to the wealth of Jewish legal material surrounding gender and prayer, with a particular focus on who can lead the prayers in a traditional service and who can constitute the communal quorum (or minyan) that they require. With honesty, transparency, and rigor, "Gender Equality and Prayer in Jewish Law" is a powerfully informed and informative resource for grappling with these complex questions. Authored by Rabbi Ethan Tucker (Co-Founder and the Yeshiva Head at Mechon Hadar, where he serves as Chair in Jewish Law) and Rabbi Michael Rosenberg (Assistant Professor of Rabbinics at Hebrew College), "Gender Equality and Prayer in Jewish Law" not only explores this specific issue in depth, but it also provides a model how to mine the Jewish legal tradition for its underlying values, enabling its complex sources to serve as effective guides for contemporary communal decision-making. Thoughtful and thought-provoking, exceptionally well organized and presented, "Gender Equality and Prayer in Jewish Law" is an extraordinary and unreservedly recommended addition to rabbinic, and academic library Judaic Studies collections and supplemental studies reading lists.


The Islamic Studies Shelf

Islamic Art and Arabic Literature
Oleg Grabar & Cynthia Robinson, editors
Markus Wiener Publishers
231 Nassau Street, Princeton, NJ 08542
www.markuswiener.com
9781558762329, $44.95, HC, 162pp, www.amazon.com

Collaboratively compiled and deftly edited by the team of Islamic art history expert Oleg Grabar (Harvard University and the Institute for Advanced Study), and Cynthia Robinson (University of New Mexico and who specializes in the visual and literary cultures of the medieval Iberian peninsula), "Islamic Art and Arabic Literature: Textuality and Visuality in the Islamic World" breaks new ground in the field of Middle Eastern art history. While illuminated manuscripts from Persia and the Arab world are outstanding masterpieces of art, only recent scholarship in Islamic visual culture includes written sources in its consideration of the relationships between the textual and visual worlds. Likewise, scholars of Arabic and Persian literature have become aware of the comparative and interpretive possibilities contained within visual sources. Nevertheless, separation between the two fields of inquiry remains prevalent. Comprised of six essays (three by art historians and three by specialists in Arabic and Persian literature) "Islamic Art and Arabic Literature" deftly examine specific instances in which texts and images which would seem to have been intended as one cultural product have traditionally been studied separately. Each individual essay reunites visual and written or oral products in order to evaluate the mechanisms through which written (or spoke) texts and the images produced in conjunction with them operate in precise contexts. Beautifully illustrated, exceptionally informative, thoroughly 'reader friendly' in organization and presented, "Islamic Art and Arabic Literature" is an extraordinary body of scholarship and will prove to be a valued and appreciated addition to the personal reading lists of both academicians and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject, as well as both community and academic library Islamic Culture collections and supplemental studies lists.


The Buddhist Studies Shelf

Zen Master Raven
Robert Aitken
Wisdom Publications
199 Elm Street, Somerville, MA 02144
9781614293842 $19.95 hc / $11.99 Kindle www.wisdompubs.org

Zen Master Raven: The Teachings of a Wise Old Bird is inspired by the koans of ancient Zen masters. Filled cover to cover with snippets of conversations between forest animals, Zen Master Raven is true to the tradition of ancient story-dialogues that test one's thoughts and understanding. "Next day, Woodpecker came around when Raven was cleaning up after a windstorm and asked, 'Do you think I could be a teacher?' Raven looked her over. 'What is the dark side?' he asked. Woodpecker hesitated. 'I'm not sure there is one,' she said. Raven turned away, saying, 'Then how can you be a teacher?'" Thoroughly accessible to readers of all ages and backgrounds, Zen Master Raven is inspirational, wistful, and highly recommended.


The Fishing Shelf

Wide and Deep
Randy Spencer
Skyhorse Publishing, Inc.
307 West 36th Street, 11th Floor, New York, NY 10018
www.skyhorsepublishing.com
9781628736397, $29.95, HC, 272pp, www.amazon.com

Randy Spencer is a Master Maine Guide based out the Maine town of Grand Lake Stream. He draws upon his years of experience and expertise in "Wide and Deep: Tales and Recollections from a Master Maine Fishing Guide" to showcase the remote little town Grand Lake Stream, in eastern Maine, and its surrounding lakes for the benefit of dedicated anglers and hunters like himself. "Wide and Deep" will showcase the remote backwoods and crystal clear lakes at Grank Lake Stream with its most remote, rural Maine landscape in all its breathtaking natural and undisturbed beauty. The relationship between a sport and his guide is an ongoing conversation, one that can last hours, days, and even years. The company you offer is just as valued as the company you keep. Whether they are stories of joy or of pain, there, reading "Wide and Deep" is the next best thing to sitting around a campfire and listening to Randy Spencer in person. "Wide and Deep" perfectly captures the moments on the water that people wait their entire lives for and spend the rest of their lives remembering. While very highly recommended, especially for community library Fishing/Hunting collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Wide and Deep" is now available in a paperback edition (9781510714328, $17.99) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $11.62).


The Audiobook Shelf

MiniFarming
Brett L. Markham, author
Read by Christopher Solimene
Tantor Media, Inc.
6 Business Park Road, Old Saybrook, CT 06475
9781541407206 $34.99 www.tantor.com

MiniFarming: Self-Sufficiency on 1/4 Acre is the unabridged audiobook rendition of a thoroughly accessible and user-friendly guide to small-area farming, on as little as 1/4 an acre of land. No farming or gardening experience is required; MiniFarming covers all the basics for getting started, including buying and saving seeds, starting seedlings, establishing raised beds, soil fertility practices, dealing with pests and diseases, crop rotation, and much more. Recipes and additional supplemental materials in PDF format round out this "must" for anyone interested in growing food as more than just a hobby - there is potential to create eighty-five percent of a family's food or earn up to $10,000 in cash annually in less than half the time demanded by a standard job. Highly recommended, especially for public library audiobook collections.

All Day at the Movies
Fiona Kidman, author
Performed by Edwina Wren
Bolinda Audio
c/o Brilliance Corporation
PO Box 887, Grand Haven, MI 49417
9781489409317 $9.99 www.brillianceaudio.com

All Day at the Movies is an unabridged audiobook on MP3-CD (plays on MP3-CD enabled players or transfers to portable devices) of Fiona Kidman's multi-generational novel. The story begins in 1952 when Irene Sandle, widowed by World War II, seeks a fresh start in Motueka, New Zealand. Yet the reality of her new life is far harsher than the glamor of the silver screen. All Day at the Movies progresses to the story of Irene's children. The evolution of New Zealand itself, as cultural views and opportunities advance with the turn of decades, is also a central theme of this emotional and thought-provoking novel, superbly performed by Edwina Wren. Highly recommended! 1 MP3-CD, 9 hours 10 min.

A Life of Adventure and Delight
Akhil Sharma, author
Read by Neil Shah and Deepti Gupta
HighBridge Audio Books
270 Skip Jack Road, Prince Frederick, MD 20678
9781681687124 $29.99 https://highbridgeaudio.com

A Life of Adventure and Delight is the unabridged audiobook rendition of Akhil Sharma's anthology of short stories about individuals forced to reexamine their preconceptions about their lives and relationships. A young woman in an arranged marriage suddenly realizes that she does, in fact, love her husband; a retired divorce tries to improve himself for remarriage by browsing women's magazines; and a man's enduring contempt for his cousin is called into question when he witnesses her caring for a sick woman. Superbly performed by Neil Shah and Deepti Gupta, A Life of Adventure and Delight is erudite, thoughtful, and highly recommended. 5 CDs, 5.5 hours.

Secrets of Southern Girls
Haley Harrigan, author
Narrated by Jeanine Bartel and Liv Anderson
Recorded Books, LLC
270 Skip Jack Road, Prince Frederick, MD 20678
9781501947629 $TBA www.recordedbooks.com

Secrets of Southern Girls is the unabridged audiobook of a suspenseful novel about a young woman coming to terms with her troubled past and the death of her best friend. Julie Portland feels as though she killed her friend Reba ten years ago. She was never caught, and buried the memories. Now, struggling to make ends meet, she learns about a missing journal that Reba kept, filled with meticulous details of her life... and her relationship with an African-American boyfriend, against the will of her racist father. Perhaps Julie is not entirely responsible for Reba's death after all... but if that's so, then who is the other culpable party? A keenly written saga of buried character flaws, dark secrets, and the toll of racism even in the late 20th century and beyond, Secrets of Southern Girls is highly recommended. 9 CDs, 10.25 hours.

Assassin's Price
L. E. Modesitt Jr., author
William Dufris, narrator
Tantor Media, Inc.
6 Business Park Road, Old Saybrook, CT 06475
www.tantor.com
9781515902478, $54.99, CD, www.amazon.com

Six years have passed since the failed uprising of the High Holders, and the man behind the conspiracy is where the rex and Maitre Alastar can keep an eye on him. Charyn has come of age and desperately wants to learn more so that he can become an effective rex after his father - but he's kept at a distance by the rex. So Charyn sets out to educate himself - circumspectly. When Jarolian privateers disrupt Solidar's shipping, someone attempts to kill Charyn's younger brother as an act of protest. Threatening notes follow in the wake of acts of violence against the rex and his family, demanding action - build more ships or expect someone to die. Superbly narratived by William Dufrist, this Tantor Media complete and unabridged audio book edition of "Assassin's Price" by L. E. Modesitt Jr. is a deftly crafted "theatre of the mind" experience that will truly delight dedicated fantasy action/adventure fans and is certain to be an enduringly popular addition to community library audio book collections.


The Comix/Graphic Novel Shelf

Jurassic
Ted Rechlin
RexTooth Studios
www.rextooth.com
9781591522034 $19.95

Jurassic is a striking, full-color graphic novel that will appeal to dinosaur fans of all ages. The story follows a young Brontosaurus calf who becomes separated from his mother - a terrifying prospect, given how many ferocious predators roam the Jurassic era! The dinosaurs are not anthropomorphized at all, but rather portrayed as wild and dangerous. The realistic art style of author Ted Rechlin perfectly complements an action-packed story in keeping with the latest scientific findings about dinosaurs (such as the 2015 discovery that the Brontosaurus does in fact belong to a separate genus from Apatosaurus). Jurassic is a choice pick for school and public library graphic novel collections, and a "must-read" for anyone who loves dinosaurs! Also highly recommended is Ted Rechlin's "Tyrannosaurus Rex" (9781591521747. $16.95), a graphic novel about these mighty apex predators of a bygone time.

Girl Genius Volume 16: The Incorruptible Library
Kaja & Phil Foglio
Airship Entertainment
www.airshipbooks.com
9781890856656 $25.00 www.girlgeniusonline.com

Girl Genius Volume 16: The Incorruptible Library is a full color graphic novel continuing the wildly unpredictable escapades of Agatha Heterodyne, a brilliant genius in a world where mad science warps the laws of reality like magic. To free her people from a bubble of stopped time, Agatha has traveled to Paris, in search of the world's foremost expert on time manipulation. High-spirited comedy, political intrigue, and mortal peril are the course of the day in this three- time Hugo Award winning "gaslamp fantasy" series for all ages! Highly recommended.

Death Note All-in-One Edition
Story by Tsugumi Ohba
Art by Takeshi Obata
Viz Media LLC
1355 Market Street, Suite 200, San Francisco CA 94103
9781421597713 $39.99 www.viz.com

Death Note All-in-One Edition collects the complete, twelve-volume manga (Japanese comics) series Death Note into a single omnibus volume, along with an epilogue chapter never before seen in English. The story is a tense thriller with supernatural elements. It begins when a rogue death god, purely out of boredom, decides to leave his "death note" in the human realm - a notebook with the unearthly power to kill any person whose name is written within it. The brilliant student Light Yagami finds the notebook, and starts using it to purge those people he deems wicked or corrupt. But a cult of personality springs up around Light's ruthless actions, creating a "Kira" persona that gradually unhinges his sanity. Meanwhile, the expert detective L tries to track down this unknown vigilante killer who commits murder after murder. The stakes raise ever higher as both men desperately pursue their respective agendas, in this shocking, dramatic series intended for adult or older teen readers due to scenes of violence. Highly recommended, especially for manga and crime-fiction connoisseurs!

Swordquest
Written by Roy Thomas and Gerry Conway
Art by George Perez and Dick Giordano
Dynamite
www.dynamite.com
9781524104030 $15.99 pbk / $10.33 Kindle amazon.com

Swordquest is an anthology of the three full-color mini-comics created by beloved storytellers Roy Thomas, Gerry Conway, George Perez, and Dick Giordano, and bundled with Atari video game cartridges in the early 80's. The trilogy has been superbly remastered and presented along with a bonus Yars' Revenge comic, and a black-and-white cover gallery of unused cover art by George Perez. The story is a fantasy action-adventure, about a twin brother and sister who quest to avenge their family's death at the hands of a despotic king and his nefarious wizard. Their journey takes them through the hazards and mysteries of the elemental worlds of Earth, Fire, and Water (a fourth comic and video game set in the world of Air were planned, but never realized). Swordquest is a classic part of video game history, as well as an engaging, all-ages adventure in its own right. Notably, Swordquest co-stars a capable heroine, even though the 80's were an era when strong, self-reliant women in video games were few and far between! Highly recommended.

Kirby100
John Morrow, editor
Jack Kirby, illustrator
TwoMorrows Publishing
10407 Bedfordtown Drive, Raleigh, NC 27614
www.twomorrows.com
9781605490786, $34.95, PB, 224pp, www.amazon.com

The late Jack Kirby (August 28, 1917 - February 6, 1994) was an influential American comic book artist, writer, and editor, who was widely regarded as one of the medium's major innovators and certainly one of its most prolific and influential creators. TwoMorrows Publishing and the Jack Kirby Collector magazine celebrate Jack Kirby's 100th birthday in style with the release of "Kirby100", a full-color visual celebration of Jack Kirby's life and work! It features an all-star line-up of 100 comics pros who critique key images from Kirby's 50-year career, admiring his page layouts, dramatics, and storytelling skills, and lovingly reminiscing about their favorite characters and stories. Featured are contributions by Bruce Timm, Alex Ross, Walter Simonson, John Byrne, Joe Sinnott, Steve Rude, Adam Hughes, Wendy Pini, John Romita Sr., Dave Gibbons, P. Craig Russell, and dozens more of the top names in comics. Their essays serve to honor Jack's place in comics history, and prove (as if there's any doubt) that Kirby is King! This double-length book is edited by John Morrow and Jon B. Cooke, with a Kirby cover inked by Mike Royer. An absolute 'must' for the legions of Kirby fans, "Kirby100" will prove to be an enduringly popular and prized addition to personal reading lists, as well as both community and academic library 20th Century American Popular Culture collections in general, and Jack Kirby supplemental studies lists in particular.

Deliverance: Barracuda #6
Jean Dufaux, author
Jeremy, artist
Cinebook Ltd.
www.cinebook.com
c/o National Book Network (dist.)
4501 Forbes Boulevard, Suite 200, Lanham, MD 20706
www.nbnbooks.com
9781849183543, $15.95, PB, 56pp, www.amazon.com

With the publication of "Deliverance", it's time for the final and concluding act in the six part graphic novel pirate series "Barracuda" by author Jean Dufaux and artist Jeremy. In Puerto Blanco, the traders, the freebooters and the slaves are in open revolt, led by Raffy and Ferrango. At sea, Blackdog and the Barracuda have struck an alliance with the Red Hawk. Everywhere the Spanish are retreating, and the island should soon be recaptured. But beyond political and military considerations, there remains the question of the Kashar Diamond's fate. How many lives will be lost in the name of its curse? Who will survive? An absolutely fascinating story brought vividly to life by the superb action/action artwork of Jeremy, "Deliverance" offers a compelling and dramatic conclusion to an inherently riveting tale of piracy, power struggles, and supernaturally induced greed. One of the best graphic novels of the year, "Deliverance: Barracuda #6" is unreservedly recommended for personal reading lists and community library collections.

Ollie and Nina and... Daft Doggie Doings!
Neil Sullivan
Hubble & Hattie
www.hubbleandhattie.com
9781787110656 $12.99 amazon.com

Ollie and Nina and... Daft Doggie Doings! is a humorous graphic novel that alternates between cartoony, full-color comic strips about a pair of precocious dogs (based on the real-life beloved pets of author Neil Sullivan) and written anecdotes and escapades from their doggie daily lives. "Ollie loves the beach. When we first took him, he was totally blown away by the wide-open spaces. He'd bolt off like a loony in long, sweeping loops, pelting at full throttle with a massive grin on his face." Gentle and heartwarming, Ollie and Nina and... Daft Doggie Doings! is a choice pick for dog lovers, and makes an excellent giftbook any time of year. Highly recommended.


The Library CD Shelf

Ardor
Matthew Mayer
www.matthewmayer.com
Privately Published
$9.99 CD / $9.99 download cdbaby.com

Ardor is a new age solo piano album by multi-award winning music artist Matthew Mayer. A sweeping, beautiful collection of original songs that lift the mind and spirit, Ardor is a choice pick for new age connoisseurs. The tracks are "Stars on 123", "Ardor", "Source of Blue", "Shoe Strings", "Disappear It May", "Doc", "A Kindled Soul", "Moonlight Walk", "When Flowers Grew Wild", "Escape", "Dreams VI", and "We Met Once".

Prelude to a Dream
Shoshana Michel
www.ShoshanaMusic.com
Privately Published
$14.97 CD / $9.99 download cdbaby.com

Prelude to a Dream is a new age solo piano album featuring eleven original songs by talented music artist Shoshana Michel. The gentle, emotionally moving melodies have a drifting beauty, as delicate as new-fallen snow. Prelude to the dream is a treasure for connoisseurs of the genre, highly recommended for personal and public library music collections. The tracks are "Wonders", "Prelude to a Dream", "A Walk in the Rain", "Butterfly Kisses", "Tender Words", "Kaleidoscope", "Applewood", "Meditation", "A Most Precious Gift", "Silent Farewell", and "Ethereal". 50 min, 1 sec.

The Art of the Possible
Fer Isella
Limbo Music
$TBA www.ferisella.com

The Art of the Possible is a solo piano album by Fer Isella, inspired by weekly improvisational sessions with sound artist Ulises Conti. The sweeping, emotional musical tide envelops the listener in a finely nuanced experience. Reflective and poignant, The Art of the Possible is a choice selection for piano connoisseurs and public library music collections. The tracks are "Conversation", "Simple", "Desire", "Dan", "Sof", "Pendulum", "Cin", "Story", and "Farewell".

Into the Flow
Joseph Akins
www.josephakins.com
HeartSong Music
$TBA CD / $9.49 download amazon.com

The sixth solo piano album of music artists Joseph Akins, Into the Flow consists of 12 original compositions of sublime beauty. A soothing experience that relaxes the mind and soul, Into the Flow includes songs of tribute to people who touched and changed Akins' life. The tracks are "Into the Flow" (4:43), "A Pretty One for Unita" (4:04), "The Waterfall Waltz" (4:06), "Mystery Cafe" (4:23), "Winter Is Here" (4:46), "Memories of Far Away" (4:09), "Foster Falls" (4:46), "A Love Story" (4:23), "Ghost of Mill We Hollow" (5:00), "Lullaby for Baby G" (3:43), "On Saint Simmons" (3:48), and "Cosmic Microwaves" (2:46). Also highly recommended for solo piano connoisseurs is the joyful album "Equuis Rising" by Lisa Swerdlow ($12.99 CD / $7.92 MP3).

Dreamers
Lard Dog & The Band of Shy
www.houseoflard.com
Go Records, LLC
$TBA CD / $8.99 MP3 amazon.com

Dreamers is the sophomore music album of Lard Dog & The Band of Shy ("Lard" stands for "Life's A Real Dream"!), crafted in their signature style of "nerd rock". Wacky humor, vibrant creativity, and a strong message of tolerance and compassion distinguish the original songs in this all-ages delight. Highly recommended! The tracks are "Dreamers", "I Like", "Don't Let the Boogah Bug You Out!", "Rock in the Rockefeller", "The Kimbaloo", "Take the Road", "The Honey Bunny Song", "Who's Your Favorite Beatle?", "Colander Sun", "Have a Good Day", and "Ode to Flatiron".

A Kingston Story: Come from Far
New Kingston
www.newkingstonmusic.com
Easy Star Records
$TBA CD / $9.49 digital amazon.com

A Kingston Story: Come from Far is a reggae music album by New York-based trio of brothers New Kingston. Their energy and passion shines through these original songs. Uplifting and inspiring, A Kingston Story: Come from Far is enthusiastically recommended to connoisseurs of the genre. The tracks are "Come From Far", "Honorable & the Beast", "Starlight (feat. Pressure Busspipe)", "Browne's Interlude", "Agape", "Stereotypes", "Meditation", "Solid as a Rock", "Reggae Music's Playing", and "Kingston Fyah Dub".

Dare to Dream
Unleashed Dreams
www.unleasheddreams.com
L. Walker International Ltd. & Paddisongs Publishing Ltd.
$TBA CD / $12.00 download cdbaby.com

Singer-songwriter duo Unleashed Dreams (Lindsey Gaye Walker and Sean Michael Paddison), present their debut album Dare to Dream, featuring both vocal and instrumental pieces. A fusion of new age, neo classical, world music, and pop, Dare to Dream stirs a sense of exploration and wonder in the listener's psyche. Beautiful and original, Dare to Dream is a one-of-a-kind listening experience, and also makes a excellent gift. The tracks are "Deep", "dare to Dream Again", "Resonance", "Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep", "My Sacred Inner Child", "Riding the Winds of Change (instrumental)", "Trust (and Let Go)", "You Give Me Strength", "A New Day", "A Journey Within (instrumental)", "Onward to Glory, and "Moonlight Waltz (instrumental)".

Lullaby Girl
Lisa Loeb
LisaLoeb.com
Privately Published
$12.99 CD / $8.99 MP3 www.amazon.com

Grammy-nominated music artist Lisa Loeb presents Lullaby Girl, a family-friendly, all-ages album featuring dreamlike arrangements of 13 classic songs from a diversity of genres. Lullaby Girl is beautiful, and encourages the listener to slow down, relax, and experience the joy of the moment. Highly recommended! The tracks are "Be My Baby", "Don't Stop", "Close Your Eyes", "Dream a Little Dream", "In My Room", "O-O-H Child", "Rainbow Connection", "All the Pretty Little Horses", "Lullaby Girl", "Inch Worm", "What the World Needs Now is Love", "A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes", and "Tomorrow".

Loe Loa: Rural Recordings Under the Mango Tree
Betsayda Machado & Parranda El Clavo
Odelia
$18.99 CD / $7.99 MP3 amazon.com

Loe Loa: Rural Recordings Under the Mango Tree is the debut album of Betsayda Machado and her village's band La Parranda El Clavo. Born of Afro-Latin music and culture, the Spanish- language songs are vibrant and brimming with festivity, sure to enliven any listener's day. Loe Loa is highly recommended, especially for world music collections. The tracks are "Oh, Santa Rosa", "Pueblo de Fiesta", "No La Peles, Papa", "La Situacion", "Borracho", "Gaviota", "Merengada E' Ron", "Alae Alao", "Sentimiento", and "Barlovento Es".

Under a Second Moon
Holland Phillips
www.musicbyholland.com
Ageless Records
$9.99 CD / $9.99 download cdbaby.com

The sixth album by talented music artist Holland Phillips, Under a Second Moon is a beautiful, instrumental New Age album distilling piano and keyboard, guitar, and even saxophone into a dreamlike soundscape. The mellifluous songs reach out to embrace the listener and lift their spirits, in this timeless treasure. The tracks are "Out of the Frying Pan" (4:10), "Taking the Road Not Taken" (4:35), "A Moment in Time" (3:50), "Possibly Maybe" (4:15), "Under a Second Moon" (3:56), "Love Comes Gently" (4:22), "Long Way Home" (4:53), "Deepening Skies" (3:23), "Looking Back" (3:56), "It Comes To This" (3:58), and "Fairytale Nights" (3:36). Also highly recommended for connoisseurs of the genre is the acoustic new age album "Serenity" by Michael Kollwitz ($15.00 CD / $10.00 download).


The Library DVD Shelf

Germans & Jews
A film by Janina Quint & Tal Recanati
First Run Features
630 Ninth Avenue, Suite 1213, New York, NY 10036
www.firstrunfeatures.com
$24.95 www.germansandjews.com

Filmmakers and friends Janina Quint and Tal Recanati present Germans & Jews: History is the Memory of a People, a documentary about Germany's transformation as a society since the end of World War II. Today, decades after the horror of the Holocaust, Europe's fastest-growing population is in Berlin. Germany is considered one of the most democratic societies in the world, and is taking in hundreds of thousands of refugees. Germans & Jews examines through personal, individual stories how Germany has evolved to facing its past and its future head-on. Highly recommended, especially for high school and public library DVD collections. 76 min.

Loch Ness, series 1
Acorn Media
c/o RLJ Entertainment
www.us.RLJEntertainment.com
$49.99 DVD / $49.99 Blu-ray www.acornonline.com

Available in both DVD and Blu-ray formats, Loch Ness, series 1 debuts a new thriller series set in the beautiful Scottish countryside. Detective Annie Redford (played by Laura Fraser, known for her performance in "Breaking Bad") is assigned to her first murder case when a man is found dead at the bottom of a cliff. DCI Lauren Quigley (played by Siobhan Finneran) and forensic psychologist Blake Albrighton (played by Don Gilet) arrive to lead the investigation, but their personalities clash with those of the local police. Then more bodies appear, leading to the theory that a serial killer is targeting people on the shores of Loch Ness! Annie's obsession with the case distances her from her husband and teenaged daughter, as she strives to uncover a hidden monster before the death toll soars higher. A gripping mystery filled with shocking twists and turns, Loch Ness, series 1 is a "must-see" for connoisseurs of the genre. Bonus materials include cast interviews (19 min.), a behind-the-scenes featurette (13 min.), and a photo gallery. 6 episodes on 2 DVDs, 275 min. plus bonus, SDH subtitles, widescreen.

Line of Duty, series 4
Acorn Media
c/o RLJ Entertainment
www.us.RLJEntertainment.com
$39.99 www.acornonline.com

Line of Duty, series 4 is a DVD of six more episodes from the intense BBC police drama starring Thandie Newton as DCI Roz Huntley. In series 4, Roz and her team track down and charge alleged serial murderer. But could the young man they arrested by innocent? The chief forensic suspects that Roz could be ignoring crucial evidence, and seeks the help of AC-12. Undercover DS Kate Fleming (played by Vicky McClure) on Roz's team, while DS Steve Arnott openly questions Roz's methods. But the truth could be more complex than anyone imagined! A dark, character-driven crime story, Line of Duty is utterly riveting and highly recommended for connoisseurs of the genre. 6 episodes on 2 DVDs, 366 min., SDH subtitles, widescreen.

YMAA Publications
PO Box 480, Wolfeboro, NH 03894-0480
www.ymaa.com
www.holdenqigong.com

Four DVDs ($29.95 each) from YMAA Publications and expert Qi Gong teacher Lee Holden introduce viewers to the health and psychological benefits of Qi Gong, an ancient Chinese practice of coordinated body postures, movements, breathing, and meditation, used to give the body and mind a workout . "Introduction to Qi Gong" (44 min.) demonstrates basic stretches and Qi Gong movements for improved flexibility, the release of stress, internal energy, and mental calm. "Qi Gong for the Upper Back & Neck" (45 min.) focuses upon a Qi Gong routine specifically tailored to ease tension in the upper back and neck, and is especially recommended as a preventative measure. "Qi Gong for Anxiety" (37 min.) has exercises that help clear and anxiety with gentle stretching and long, flowing movements. "Qi Gong for Energy & Vitality" (52 min.) emphasizes the innate purpose of Qi Gong to promote energy, health, and overall well- being."Qi Gong for the Upper Back & Neck", "Qi Gong for Anxiety", and "Qi Gong for Energy & Vitality" each offer an abbreviated 20 minute "short routine" exercise program that is easier to incorporate into one's daily routine, as an alternative to the full-length exercise program. All four DVDs are thoroughly accessible to viewers of all backgrounds and skill levels, and highly recommended for personal health and well-being.


The Sports Shelf

Stretch to Win, second edition
Ann Frederick & Chris Frederick
Human Kinetics Publishers, Inc.
PO Box 5076, Champaign, IL 61820-5076
www.HumanKinetics.com
9781492515876, $24.95, PB, 240pp, www.amazon.com

Now in a fully updated and expanded second edition, "Stretch to Win" by Ann and Chris Frederick is specifically for men and women who are looking for the key to optimal physical performance including increased speed, power, and agility, A thoroughly 'user friendly' instructional guide and manual, "Stretch to Win" showcases the most effective techniques for preparing to engage in any physical sport or event. Using the new "Stretch to Win" fascia mobility assessment (FMA) protocol, the reader will be able to determine range of motion deficits and identify your performance inhibitors. Then, with the stretching matrix, they will be able to personalize a program developed for any particular sports need or goal. Of special note is the incorporation of the matrix into an existing workout as well as into rest days, when stretching can aid in recovery and bring a body back in balance. Comprehensive, practical, accessible, featuring thematically appropriate illustrations, "Stretch to Win" is an extraordinary and highly recommended addition to both sports center, community, and academic library Sports & Athletics collections. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of PE students and teachers, amateur and professional athletes, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "Stretch to Win" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $16.27).

Borchert Field
Bob Buege
Wisconsin Historical Society Press
816 State Street, Madison, WI 53575
www.wisconsinhistory.org
9780870207884, $26.95, PB, 392pp, www.amazon.com

Nestled between North Seventh and Eighth Streets and West Chambers and Burleigh, Borchert Field was Milwaukee, Wisconsin's major sports venue for 64 years. In this rickety wooden stadium (originally called Athletic Park), Wisconsin residents had a close-up view of sports history in the making, along with rodeos, thrill shows, and even multiple eruptions of Mount Vesuvius. In Borchert Field, baseball historian Bob Buege introduces the famous and fascinating athletes who dazzled audiences in Milwaukee's venerable ballpark. All the legendary baseball figures ranging from the Babe Ruth, Satchel Paige, and Ty Cobb, to Joltin' Joe, Jackie Robinson, the Say Hey Kid played there. Olympic heroes Jim Thorpe, Babe Didrikson, and Jesse Owens displayed their amazing talents in Borchert. Knute Rockne's Fighting Irish competed there, and Curly Lambeau's Green Bay Packers took the field 10 times. In the pages of "Borchert Field: Stories from Milwaukee's Legendary Ballpark" Bob Buege (President of the Milwaukee Braves Historical Association, director of the Wisconsin Old Time Ballplayers Association, and a member of the Society for American Baseball Research) tells stories of other monumental moments at Borchert as well, including a presidential visit, women ballplayers, the arrival of television broadcasting, the 1922 national balloon race, and an appearance by scat-singing bandleader Cab Calloway. Borchert Field is long gone, but every page of this unique history will takes readers back to the sights, sounds, and spectacle of its heyday. A simply outstanding work of sports history, "Borchert Field" is a 'must' for the legions of Wisconsins baseball fans and will prove to be an enduringly popular and appreciated addition to both community and academic library American Baseball History collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "Borchert Field" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).


The Needlecraft Shelf

Piece and Quilt With Precuts
Christa Watson
That Patchwork Place
c/o Martingale & Company
19021 - 120th Avenue NE, Suite 102, Bothell, WA 98011
www.shopmartingale.com
9781604688702, $26.99, www.amazon.com

Piece and Quilt With Precuts features 11 quilt projects and 18 machine-cutting designs and focuses on tricks and tips to make working with precuts and scraps a cinch. This comes from an award-winning quilt designer who uses some eleven projects as examples for building skills in walking-foot, free-motion and blends of these techniques. Complete with patterns, step-by-step instructions, and an approach that blends piecing and precut handling with innovative designs, this is a solid reference for any would-be quilter new to these ideas.

Block-Buster Quilts - I Love Star Blocks
Karen M. Burns
That Patchwork Place
c/o Martingale & Company
19021 - 120th Avenue NE, Suite 102, Bothell, WA 98011
www.shopmartingale.com
9781604688566, $24.99, PB, 80pp, www.amazon.com

Assembled by quilting expert Karen Burns, "Block-Buster Quilts - I Love Star Blocks" is comprised of 16 sparkling projects featuring quilters' favorite Star blocks contributed by array of stellar designers. Each individual project comes with clear, 'user friendly' instructions and easy-to-stitch designs, ranging from modern and bright to traditional and scrappy. "an array of stellar designers comes" is the perfect introduction for novice beginners to quilting with Star blocks and will hold enormous and lasting appeal for seasoned and experienced quilt makers. While very highly recommended for community library Needlecraft instructional reference collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Block-Buster Quilts - I Love Star Blocks: 16 Quilts from an All-Time Favorite Block" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).

Gradient Knits
Tanis Gray
Barron's
250 Wireless Boulevard, Hauppauge, NY 11788
www.barronseduc.com
9781438010595, $21.99, PB, 144pp, www.amazon.com

Now even the most novice of needlecrafters can add a whole new dimension to their knitting projects by utilizing gradient colors with help from "Gradient Knits: 10 Lessons and Projects Using Ombre, Stranded Colorwork, Slip-Stitch, and Texture" by Tanis Grey (who was the Yarn Editor of Vogue Knitting). A complete course of beautifully and profusely illustrated instruction under one cover, "Gradient Knits" features eye-catching yarns and 10 unique lessons on topics such as cabling, lace knitting, alternating stripes, thrumming, stranded colorwork, intarsia polka dots, modular knitting, German short rows, and simple knit and purl combinations -- all using gradient yarns. Aspiring needlecrafters can expand their knitting skill set with patterns for garments and accessories drawn from top designers from around the world. The perfect blend of beginners and advanced projects and a comprehensive techniques section give novice and experienced knitters the ability to create stunning gradient knitted accessories including mittens, a cabled hat, polka dot pillow, blanket, lace shawl, tea cozy, and more! Exceptionally 'user friendly' in organization and presentation, "Gradient Knits" is an wholeheartedly and unreservedly recommended addition to personal and community library Needlecraft instructional reference collections.


The Photography Shelf

Wild Weather on the Prairies
Calgary Herald & Monica Zurowski
Greystone Books
343 Railway Street, Suite 201, Vancouver, B.C. Canada V6A 1A4
www.greystonebooks.com
9781771643160, $29.95, HC, 160pp, www.amazon.com

Life on the open prairie has always been strenuous and often calling for collective cooperation by those that lived there. But nothing brings Prairie people together like the weather. It's a common tie and a topic discussed almost daily at water coolers in the region. When weather events rage across Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba, there are times when nothing and no one is safe. But something positive rises from the resulting debris, mud, and ashes. Resolve and grit take over and Prairie folk rebuild their communities and lend a helping hand to both neighbors and strangers. With text written by longtime Calgary Herald editor Monica Zurowski and two hundred striking color photographs pulled from the archives of the Calgary Herald, Calgary Sun, Edmonton Journal, Edmonton Sun, Regina Leader-Post, Saskatoon StarPhoenix, and Winnipeg Sun, "Wild Weather on the Prairies" is a visual celebration the indomitable spirit of Prairie people as they face tornadoes, floods, fires, blizzards, hailstorms, dust storms, and heat waves. A simply fascinating browse from beginning to end, "Wild Weather on the Prairies" is unreservedly recommended for personal, community, and academic library Contemporary Canadian Photography collections.

The Photography Exercise Book
Bert Krages
Allworth Press
www.allworth.com
c/o Skyhorse Publishing, Inc.
307 West 36th Street, 11th Floor, New York, NY 10018
9781621535379, $24.99 www.skyhorsepublishing.com

The Photography Exercise Book: Training Your Eye to Shoot Like a Pro uses cognitive science to supplement artistic discussions and the mechanics of taking a superior photograph. While photographers may not anticipate this approach (most books focus on artistry and mechanics alone), they will find it just one of the unique aspects particular to a book that teaches visual perception and how it can be captured in different ways, photographically. Artists thus receive an overall perspective on making the most of human perception and psychology as they craft their photos using lessons and exercises designed to better advance their art and its impact, making this a 'must' that stands out above other photography 'how to' guides.

Rene Magritte: The Revealing Image
Rene Magritte, photographer
Xavier Canonne, author
Ludion
c/o Distributed Art Publishers
155 Sixth Avenue, 2nd floor, New York, NY 10013-1507
www.artbook.com
9789491819735, $45.00, HC, 272pp, www.amazon.com

Belgian Surrealist Rene Magritte (1898 - 1967) is best known for his cerebral paintings that explore the distance between object, language and image. Magritte's careful, meticulous handling of form only makes his scenes more dreamlike; he once described painting as "the art of putting colors side by side in such a way that their real aspect is effaced". Magritte built up a large photo and film archive throughout his life, although it was only discovered in the 1970s, more than 10 years after his death. Revealing a lesser-known side of the Surrealist master, these photographs give us access to an informal Magritte, from his childhood to the last years of his life. Compiled with commentary by Xavier Canonne, "Rene Magritte: The Revealing Image", is a comprehensive catalog of Magritte's photography and film. Spontaneous snapshots are complemented by posed scenes, including improvised tableaus with his fellow artists, parodies of famous movies, portraits of Magritte at his easel and staged photographs that served as models for his paintings. Fans of Magritte's iconic paintings will find much to discover here; images where the artist and his friends hide their faces or turn away from the camera particularly resonate with his investigation of the "hidden visible". Profusely illustrated throughout, "Rene Magritte: The Revealing Image " is an extraordinary study of the artist as photographer and very highly recommended for personal, professional, community, and academic library History of Photography collections in general, and Rene Magritte supplemental studies reading lists in particular.

A Beautiful Ghetto
Devin Allen
Haymarket Books
PO Box 180165, Chicago, IL 60618
www.haymarketbooks.org
9781608467594, $24.95, HC, 124pp, www.amazon.com

Devin Allen, a Baltimore native, is only the third amateur photographer to have their photograph appear on the cover of Time. His work has also been featured in New York Magazine, the Washington Post, the New York Times, CNN, BBC, NBC News, Aperture Magazine, and "Yahoo!." Allen's photographs have been exhibited in the Smithsonian. On April 18, 2015, the city of Baltimore erupted in mass protests in response to the brutal murder of Freddie Gray by police. Devin Allen was there, and his iconic photos of the Baltimore uprising became a viral sensation. "A Beautiful Ghetto" is a collection of stunning b/w photographs in which Allen visually documents the uprising as he strives to capture the life of his city and the people who live there. Each photo reveals the personality, beauty, and spirit of Baltimore and its people, as his camera complicates popular ideas about the "ghetto". Allen's camera finds hope and beauty doing battle against a system that sows desperation and fear, and above all, resistance, to the unrelenting pressures of racism and poverty in a twenty-first-century American city. A unique compendium of truly memorable images, "A Beautiful Ghetto" is unreservedly recommended, especially for community and academic library Contemporary American Photography collections in general, and American Black History supplemental studies reading lists in particular.


The Music Shelf

Music Advocacy
John L. Benham
GIA Publications, Inc.
7404 South Mason Avenue, Chicago, IL 60638
www.giamusic.com
9781622772087, $23.95, PB, 234pp, www.amazon.com

A summary of the practice of music advocacy, "Music Advocacy: Moving from Survival to Vision" compiles the research of John L. Benham who is one of the nation's most successful advocates for music education. Exceptionally well written, organized and presented, "Music Advocacy" gives music educators, administrators, school board members, and community advocates step-by-step procedures for saving and building school music programs. Benham has been in music education for over forty years and has worked as an advocacy consultant saving and building music programs for thirty years. His advocacy work and the methods presented in "Music Advocacy" have saved $70 million in proposed music cuts, equivalent to approximately 2,000 teaching positions and 500,000 music students. A critically important and urgently recommended addition to school district, community, and academic library collections -- as well as to the personal reading lists of the non-specialist general reader with an interest in the subject.

Music/Video: Histories, Aesthetics, Media
Gina Arnold, Daniel Cookney, Kirsty Fairclough, Michael Goddard, eds.
Bloomsbury Press
175 Fifth Avenue, Suite 315, New York, NY 10010
www.bloomsbury.com
9781501313905, $120.00, HC, 328pp, www.amazon.com

Collaboratively compiled and edited by the team of Gina Arnold (Visiting Professor at the Evergreen State College in Washington, USA); Daniel Cookney (Lecturer in Graphic Design at the University of Salford, UK); Kirsty Fairclough (Director of International and Senior Lecturer in Media and Performance in the School of Arts and Media at the University of Salford, UK); and Michael N. Goddard is Senior Lecturer and Course Leader in Film, Television and Moving image at the University of Westminster, UK), "Music/Video: Histories, Aesthetics, Media" is a lively, comprehensive and timely reader on the music video, capitalizing on cross-disciplinary research expertise, which represents a substantial academic engagement with the music video, a mediated form and practice that still remains relatively under-explored in a 21st century context. The music video has remained suspended between two distinct poles. On the one hand, the music video as the visual sheen of late capitalism, at the intersection of celebrity studies and postmodernism. On the other hand, the music video as art, looking to a prehistory of avant-garde film-making while perpetually pushing forward the digital frontier with a taste for anarchy, controversy, and the integration of special effects into a form designed to be disseminated across digital platforms. In this way, the music video virally re-engenders debates about high art and low culture. This exceptionally well organized and informative collection presents a comprehensive account of the music video from a contemporary 21st century perspective. This entails revisiting key moments in the canonical history of the music video, exploring its articulations of sexuality and gender, examining its functioning as a form of artistic expression between music, film and video art, and following the music video's dissemination into the digital domain, considering how digital media and social media have come to re-invent the forms and functions of the music video, well beyond the limits of "music television". While very highly recommended for professional, community, and academic library Music Video instructional reference collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Music/Video: Histories, Aesthetics, Media" is also available in a paperback edition (9781501313912, $29.95) and in a digital book format (eTextbook, $15.33).

Rock Vegas
Pat Christenson
Huntington Press Publishing
3665 Procyon Street, Las Vegas, NV 89103
www.huntingtonpress.com
9781944877057, $19.95, PB, 300pp, www.amazon.com

As recently as the early '90s, Las Vegas was considered the place where headlining rock and roll bands went to die. Despite its reputation as the "Entertainment Capital of the World," the city was all but devoid of major touring acts, as the paradoxically conservative instincts of the casino bosses and city fathers made it difficult for cutting-edge bands, especially rock 'n' rollers, to gain a foothold. Then later in the '90s things began to change -- big time! Pat Christenson has participated in the evolution of live-music events in Las Vegas--working on more than 500 concerts. From 1983 through 2001, he managed the major arena (Thomas and Mack Center) and stadium (Sam Boyd Stadium) in Las Vegas. Since then, he has been president of Las Vegas Events. In "Rock Vegas: Live Music Explodes in the Neon Desert", Christenson draws upon his some 35 years of experience and expertise to write the history of how Las Vegas became a prestigious, profitable, and critically important venue for live performances as diverse as Van Halen, U2, Paul McCartney, Garth Brooks, and more. Comprehensive, detailed, impressively informative, and an inherently fascinating read from cover to cover, "Rock Vegas" is unreservedly and enthusiastically recommended addition to both community and academic library American Music History collections and supplemental studies lists. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of students and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "Rock Vegas" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).


The Travel Shelf

Take a Paddle: Western New York
Rich Freeman & Sue Freeman
Burford Books, Inc.
101 East State Street, #301, Ithaca, NY 14850
www.burfordbooks.com
9781580801850, $18.95, PB, 224pp, www.amazon.com

Authors Rich and Sue Freeman are long-time outdoor enthusiasts and authors of many other guides to outdoor activities in the upstate New York. From Rochester to Hornell, west to Chautauqua and north to the Buffalo region, western New York State is home to a wealth of quiet-water paddling locations for canoers and kayakers at all levels. "Take a Paddle: Western New York: : Quiet Water for Canoes and Kayaks" by Rich and Sue Freeman (who are long-time outdoor enthusiasts and authors of many other guides to outdoor activities in the upstate New York) is a detailed guide to 45 specific locations, with 20 ponds and small lakes and over 250 miles of quiet streams and rivers. Detailed and practical, "Take a Paddle: Western New York" includes maps of locations for launch and take-out sites, difficulty level of each waterway, nearby campsites, canoe and kayak rental locations, even web sites for current water conditions, and so much more. Ideal for family paddles or a quiet day on the water, "Take a Paddle: Western New York" will prove to be an indispensable guide for any canoer or kayaker in the region. Also very highly recommended for personal use and community library collections is Rich and Sue Freeman's other deftly crafted guide "Take a Paddle: Finger Lakes: Quiet Water for Canoes and Kayaks in New York's Finger Lakes" (9781580801843, $18.95, PB, 288pp).

The Best of the Black Hills
Alan Leftridge
Farcountry Press
PO Box 5630, Helena, MT 59604
www.farcountrypress.com
9781560376910, $19.95, PB, 176pp, www.amazon.com

Profusely illustrated throughout with a combination of up-to-date travel information, color photographs, guides and nine locator maps, "The Best of the Black Hills" of South Dakota is a comprehensive guide to the very best things to see and do ranging from the best day hikes and scenic drives, best campgrounds, the best cultural sites, to the best places to see wildlife, wildflowers, and sunsets. Showcasing the entire region's wealth of national parks and monuments, forests, grasslands, history and culture, and recreational opportunities, "The Best of the Black Hills" is the ideal companion for pre-planning a day trip and as a practical reference guide to better understand an excursion in the Black Hill country. Exceptionally well written, organized and presented, "The Best of the Black Hills" is unreservedly recommended for personal, community, and academic library American Travel Guide collections.


The Poetry Shelf

Late Empire
Lisa Olstein
Copper Canyon Press
PO Box 271, Port Townsend, WA 98368
www.coppercanyonpress.org
9781556595189, $16.00, PB, 104pp, www.amazon.com

Lisa Olstein is the author of four books of poetry and earned an MFA at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. She teaches at the Michener Center at the University of Texas and lives in Austin, Texas. "Late Empire", her fourth book and an impressive compendium of poems that are a kind of 'call-to-arms' in the face of our current social and political conditions. Once again Olstein has employed her signature wit, wordplay, candor, and absurdity in poems that are her most personal (and political) to date. Very highly recommended for personal, community, and academic library Contemporary American Poetry collections, Olstein's poetry ranges from animated discussions of politics, philosophy, and religion, to intimate considerations of motherhood, friendship, and eros. 'The Canary's Job is to Die': little flame / little match struck / little sunspot / little filament / golden smudge / silent siren / of no more air / of no longer there / suddenly fled we flee / go ahead and try / go ahead and die


The Technology Shelf

The Smart Grid as an Application Development Platform
George Koutitas & Stan McClellan
Artech House
685 Canton Street, Norwood, MA 02062
www.artechhouse.com
9781630811099, $119.00, HC, 220pp, www.amazon.com

The collaborative work of George Koutitas (an academic and entrepreneur in electrical and computer engineering) and Stan McClellan (the Director of the Ingram School of Engineering, Texas State University), "The Smart Grid as an Application Development Platform" is an authoritative and impressively informative resource that explores the power grid from its classical role as a utility or service provider towards its new role as an application development platform. "The Smart Grid as an Application Development Platform" gives insight into the vision, problems and solutions, and risks of the smart grid model. The evolution of the power grid as it develops into an application-centric environment is deftly explained. "The Smart Grid as an Application Development Platform" is an invaluable resource guides readers to better understand the primary motivation of the smart grid, and in exploring how the new technologies are creating a cleaner and more sustainable ecosystem for new business models to blossom. Exceptionally well written, organized and presented, "The Smart Grid as an Application Development Platform" is unreservedly recommended, especially for corporate, college, and university library Power Engineering collections and supplemental studies reading lists. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of students, professionals, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "The Smart Grid as an Application Development Platform" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $95.20).

The Arduino Inventor's Guide
Brian Huang & Derek Runberg
No Starch Press
245 - 8th Street, San Francisco, CO 94103-3910
www.nostarch.com
9781593276522, $29.95, PB, 360pp, www.amazon.com

With Arduino, anyone can build any hardware project they can imagine. This open-source platform is designed to help total beginners explore electronics, and with its easy-to-learn programming language data can be collected from the world around to make something truly interactive. "The Arduino Inventor's Guide: Learn Electronics by Making 10 Awesome Projects" opens with an electronics primer filled with essential background knowledge for your DIY journey. From there, readers will learn their way around the Arduino through a classic hardware entry point -- blinking LEDs. Over the course of the volume, hands-on projects will teach how to: Build a stop light with LEDs; Display the volume in a room on a warning dial; Design and build a desktop fan; Create a robot that draws with a motor and pens; Create a servo-controlled balance beam; Build a playable mini piano; Make a drag race timer to race toy cars against friends. Each individual project focuses on a new set of skills, including breadboarding circuits; reading digital and analog inputs; reading magnetic, temperature, and other sensors; controlling servos and motors; and talking to a computer and the Web with an Arduino. At the end of every project, there are tips on how to use it and how to modify it with additional hardware or code. While very highly recommended for both community and academic library collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "The Arduino Inventor's Guide" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $10.99).

Plug-in Electronic Vehicle Grid Integration
Islam Safak Bayram and Ali Tajer
Artech House
685 Canton Street, Norwood, MA 02062
www.artechhouse.com
9781630810511, $149.00, www.amazon.com

Plug-in Electronic Vehicle Grid Integration provides a detailed introduction to plug-in electronic vehicles and their adaptation, focusing on technological advancements and technologies but adding economic and social observations into the picture to help electronics engineers understand the interfaces and processes of charging infrastructures and PEV drivers. From the special challenges involved in adopting PEV into mainstream circles and habits to roadblocks to this integration process, capacity planning for charging stations, cost and demand models, and more, this is a 'must' for any technical discussion of electronic vehicles and their future.


The Metaphysical Studies Shelf

Chakra Wisdom Oracle
Tori Hartman
Watkins Publishing
Angel Business Club
www.watkinspublishing.com
9781780289151, $14.95, PB, 224pp, www.amazon.com

Tori Hartman is a world renowned psychic, author and spiritual teacher. In "Chakra Wisdom Oracle: How To Read The Cards For Yourself and Others" she draws upon her many years of experience and expertise to reveal to aspiring Tarot readers the secrets of professional card reading with techniques never shared in full before. "Chakra Wisdom Oracle" how to: Bypass your logical brain and let your intuition speak; Reprogram your life through buzzwords; Heal wounds from your family of origin; Use brand-new card spreads and create personalized layouts; Read the cards using Tori's profound 7 aspects method. Built around the 49 mystical fables revealed by angels to Tori Hartman, the "Chakra Wisdom Oracle" is a uniquely effective divination system that empowers even the most novice of Tarot readers to seize control of the life-changing tools they already have within them. Exceptionally well written, organized and presented, "Chakra Wisdom Oracle" is very highly recommended for personal, professional, community, and academic library Metaphysical Studies collections in general, and Tarot Reading supplemental studies instructional reading lists in particular. It should be noted for that "Chakra Wisdom Oracle" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).

Shamanic Healing
Itzhak Beery
ShamanPortal.org
Destiny Books
c/o Inner Traditions International, Ltd.
One Park Street, Rochester, VT 05767
www.innertraditions.com
9781620553763, $16.95, PB, 240pp, www.amazon.com

Itzhak Beery is an internationally recognized shamanic healer and teacher. He was initiated into the Circle of 24 Yachaks by his Quechua teacher in Ecuador and by Amazonian Kanamari Page. The founder of ShamanPortal.org and cofounder of the New York Shamanic Circle, he is on the faculty of New York Open Center and Kripalu. In "Shamanic Healing: Traditional Medicine for the Modern World" he draws upon his years of experience and expertise to create a story-based guide to the techniques of shamanic healing. "Shamanic Healing": Details indigenous medicine tools and soul healing techniques, including diagnosis and energy cleansing with plants, stones, fire, flower essences, and sound; Offers protection and self-defense techniques for confronting negative energies such as spirit attachment and possession; Shares healing stories that each address a specific condition, such as panic attacks, PTSD, depression, cancer, chronic pain, grief, and relationship problems. Exceptional, comprehensive, informative, thoroughly 'reader friendly' in organization and presentation, "Shamanic Healing" is an extraordinary and highly recommended addition to personal, professional, community, and academic library Metaphysical Studies collections. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of students and non-specialist general readers with an interest in shamanism that "Shamanic Healing" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $12.99).

Soul Whispering
Linda Star Wolf & Nita Gage
Bear & Company
c/o Inner Traditions International, Ltd.
One Park Street, Rochester, VT 05767
www.innertraditions.com
9781591432258, $18.00, PB, 288pp, www.amazon.com

In today's secular and 'divorced from nature' world, all too often the human soul is damaged and in critical need of an intimate and personal restoration. In "Soul Whispering: The Art of Awakening Shamanic Consciousness", Linda Star Wolf (Founding Director and President of Venus Rising Association for Transformation, Venus Rising University, and the Shamanic Ministers Global Network) and Nita Gage (Co-Founder of the Neurolmaginal Institute and Direct of Healer Within retreats), was written to help the reader in restore his or her relationship with their soul by breaking through patterns of dysfunction and learning how to hear the intuitive wisdom of their own soul's whisperings. "Soul Whispering" deftly explores shamanic tools, modern psychotherapy techniques, and ancient indigenous practices, such as the Native American medicine wheel; explains how to differentiate between our Inner Critic and the whisperings of our soul; details the Five Cycles of Change that we spiral through on our life's journey of transformation, detailing what to do if and when becoming stuck in one of the cycles. Of special note is the access provided to 5 audio journeys. Unreservedly recommended for personal and community library Metaphysical Studies collections, it should also be noted that "Soul Whispering" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $12.99).


The Woodworking Shelf

Build Stuff with Wood
Asa Christiana
The Taunton Press
63 South Main Street, Newtown, CT 06470
www.taunton.com
9781631867118, $21.95, PB, 208pp, www.amazon.com

With a background in engineering, woodworking, and journalism, Asa Christiana hit the ground running when he arrived at Fine Woodworking magazine in 2000, rising to become chief editor, a job he held for 8 years. Along the way, he helped launch StartWoodworking.com, a free website for beginning woodworkers. After stepping down in 2013, Asa moved with his family to Portland, Oregon, where he builds furniture and works as a freelance writer, editor, and photographer. In "Build Stuff with Wood: Make Awesome Projects with Basic Tools" Asa draws upon his years of experience and expertise to create a profusely illustrated and thoroughly 'user friendly' introductory instruction guide and manual for the beginning woodworker operating with a few portable power tools (cordless drill, jigsaw, etc.) to build a fourteen fun projects with that basic kit, -- then adding skills and tools as they go. For example, adding a small router to allowing the novice woodworker to gracefully round edges on tables and shelves; buying a simple doweling jig and learning the woodworking art of joinery. It should be noted that all of these individual projects can be built with just a few woodworking tools and off-the-shelf lumber in a home garage or basic family workshop. Exceptionally well written, illustrated, organized and presented, "Build Stuff With Wood" is very highly recommended for highschool woodshop curriculums, community library woodworking collections, and the personal reference shelf of do-it-yourself woodworking enthusiasts.


The Business Shelf

The Four Dilemmas of the CEO
Tom Biesinger, Ross Wall, Clifford Herbertson
Bloomsbury Business
c/o Bloomsbury Press
175 Fifth Avenue, Suite 315, New York, NY 10010
www.bloomsbury.com
9781472946843, $30.00, HC, 192pp, www.amazon.com

The personal journey of every CEO's of every incorporated business will be unique. However, there exists a very predictable, but previously unknown pattern: the CEO life cycle. "The Four Dilemmas of the CEO: Mastering the make-or-break moments in every executive's career" by the team of Tom Biesinger, Ross Wall and Clifford Herbertson (who are founding partners of Teallach, an exclusive consulting firm that works with mid-large cap CEOs, their boards and executive committees) outlines the common challenges that every CEO will face during their tenure, irrespective of geography or industry. Once understood, action can be taken to break through these glass ceilings that cause CEOs to get stuck in the business, while their mandate for working on the business is continually diverted. Framed within the life cycle of a CEO, the Four Dilemmas are: 1. You're in charge of everything, but cannot completely trust anything; 2. You know that today's executive cannot deliver tomorrow's results; 3. How do you engage the full capability of your executive working on the business when they are at capacity working in the business?; 4. At what point does the price of remaining personally relevant outweigh your other options? "The Four Dilemmas of the CEO" is the first study and instructional guide to focus on these four issues collectively, as the authors collectively draw on their decades of experience and expertise as trusted advisers across a range of industries to show every executive how to recognize and anticipate the individual dilemmas, master them, and accelerate through them. While unreservedly and assiduously recommended for corporate, community, and academic library Business Management collections and supplemental studies reading lists, it should be noted for the personal reading lists of MBA students, active CEOs, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "The Four Dilemmas of the CEO" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).


The Pets/Wildlife Shelf

The Supposedly Enlightened Person's Guide to Raising a Dog
Lisa Tenzin-Dolma & Kac Young
Hubble & Hattie
c/o Veloce Publishing
www.hubbleandhattie.com
9781787110595, $14.97, HC, 80pp, www.amazon.com

Kac Young never imagined that after a lifetime as a cat person she would fall in love with a tiny rescue dog named Talulah. Kac took Talulah home to the Californian woodlands to live with her partner and six cats. The stories of life as a first-time adopter describe Kac's progression from slightly shell-shocked beginner to savvy, adoring dog guardian. Entertaining and informative, readers will see how Kac consulted with behaviorist Lisa Tenzin-Dolma on all things dog-related, and will get Lisa's own observations and guidance on a wide range of subjects following Kac and Talulah's many stories. An engaging, entertaining, and informative read from cover to cover, "The Supposedly Enlightened Person's Guide to Raising a Dog" will help anyone with a new canine companion of their own to start off on the right foot (or paw) with a new dog, or get reacquainted with a longtime canine friend and companion! In addition to the personal reading lists of dog enthusiasts, "The Supposedly Enlightened Person's Guide to Raising a Dog" is very highly recommended for community library Pets/Wildlife collections.

The Secret Life of Flies
Erica McAlister
Firefly Books Ltd.
50 Staples Avenue, Unit 1, Richmond Hill, ON, Canada L4B 0A7
www.fireflybooks.com
9781770858091, $29.95, HC, 248pp, www.amazon.com

Erica McAlister is curator of Diptera at the Natural History Museum, London. As a child, she kept dead mammals to watch the maggots emerge from them. In "The Secret Life of Flies" she draws upon her years of experience, research, and expertise to put forth in clear, accessible language for the non-specialist general reader, an explanation of Diptera taxonomy and forensic entomology, and descriptions of the potential of flies to transform their relationship with humans from one of disease vector to partner in environmental preservation. Erica also reveals an appealing knack for storytelling, deftly transforming what could be dry descriptions of biology, reproduction and morphology into entertainment. Erica takes readers to piles of poo in Ethiopia by way of underground caves, latrines and backyard gardens, and opens the drawers at the Natural History Museum to rhapsodize over her favorite flies. While "The Secret Life of Flies" is comprised of both stories and tongue-in-check descriptions, be assured that the science is rigorous, authoritative and will be enjoyed by dipterists, lepidopterists, insect enthusiasts, naturalists, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject. Unique, informative, exceptionally well written, organized and presented, "The Secret Life of Flies" is an especially recommended addition to both community and academic library collections.

A Field Guide to Tracking Mammals in the Northeast
Linda J. Spielman
The Countryman Press
500 - 5th Avenue, LBBY 1, New York, NY 10110-0105
www.countrymanpress.com
9781682680643, $19.95, PB, 192pp, www.amazon.com

Linda Spielman is an environmental educator and leading expert in animal tracking, having studied it for more than 25 years. She coordinates the Ithaca chapter of Keeping Track, Inc. and leads the Ithaca Tracking Club, conducting tracking workshops and outings for trackers of all skill levels. In "A Field Guide to Tracking Mammals in the Northeast" she draws upon her years of experience and impressive expertise to create an instruction manual that provides all the details necessary for following animals large and small, ranging from chipmunks and woodchucks, to bobcats and black bears. Meticulously drawn illustrations and informative discussions provide the even the most novice of aspiring trackers with an array of tools for identification. Impressively informative, thoroughly 'user friendly' in organization and presentation, "A Field Guide to Tracking Mammals in the Northeast" is an ideal and highly recommended addition to both community and academic library Wildlife Studies collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "A Field Guide to Tracking Mammals in the Northeast" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).


The Health/Medicine Shelf

Basic Orthopaedic Sciences, second edition
Manoj Ramachandran, editor
Tom Nunn, illustrator
CRC Press
6000 NW Broken Sound Parkway NW, Suite 300, Boca Raton, FL 33487
www.crcpress.com
9781138091726, $159.90, 544pp, www.amazon.com

Now in a fully updated and expanded second edition, "Basic Orthopaedic Sciences" as edited by Manoj Ramachandran (Consultant Pediatric & Young Adult Trauma & Orthopaedic Surgeon, Barts NHS Trust, London, UK) has been fully updated and revised, with every chapter rewritten to reflect and include the latest research and practice. Featuring illustrations by Tom Nunn, "Basic Orthopaedic Sciences" encompasses all aspects of musculoskeletal basic sciences that are relevant to the practice of orthopaedics and that are featured and assessed in higher specialty exams. While its emphasis is on revision, "Basic Orthopaedic Sciences" contains enough information to serve as a concise textbook, making it an invaluable guide for all trainees in orthopaedics and trauma preparing for the FRCS (Tr & Orth) as well as for surgeons at MRCS level, and other clinicians seeking an authoritative guide. Of special note is that "Basic Orthopaedic Sciences" will material help the reader to understand the science that underpins the clinical practice of orthopaedics, an often neglected area in orthopaedic training, achieving a balance between readability and comprehensive detail. "Basic Orthopaedic Sciences" includes biomechanics, biomaterials, cell & microbiology, histology, structure & function, immunology, pharmacology, statistics, physics of imaging techniques, and kinesiology. Impressively comprehensive and thoroughly 'reader friendly' in organization and presentation, "Basic Orthopaedic Sciences" is an especially recommended addition to academic library and medical school collections. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of medical studies and orthopedic physicians that "Basic Orthopaedic Sciences" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $53.72).

Assistive Technology Assessment Handbook
Stefano Federici & Marcia J. Scherer, editors
CRC Press
6000 NW Broken Sound Parkway NW, Suite 300, Boca Raton, FL 33487
www.crcpress.com
9781439838655, $159.95, HC, 484pp, www.amazon.com

The process of matching a person who has a disability with the most appropriate assistive technology requires a series of assessments, typically administered by multidisciplinary teams at specialized centers for technical aid. "Assistive Technology Assessment Handbook" fills an urgent need for a comprehensive reference that will help assistive technology experts perform assessments that more effectively connect the person and the technology. Emphasizing the well-being of the individual with a disability, "Assistive Technology Assessment Handbook" proposes an ideal model of the assistive technology assessment process and outlines how this model can be applied in practice internationally. "Assistive Technology Assessment Handbook" is deftly organized into three major parts that: 1. Provides readers a toolkit for performing assessments; 2. Describes the roles of the assessment team members, among them the new profession of the psychotechnologist, who is skilled in understanding individuals and their psychosocial and technological needs and preferences; 3. Reviews cutting-edge technologies for rehabilitation and independent living, including brain - computer interfaces and microswitches. "Assistive Technology Assessment Handbook" synthesizes information scattered throughout the international literature, focusing on aspects that are particularly representative or innovative. It also addresses the challenges posed by the variety of health and social care systems and the different ways that individuals who need aid are defined -- are they users, patients, clients, or consumers, and how does that affect the assessment? Exceptionally well written, organized and presented, "Assistive Technology Assessment Handbook" is comprised of eighteen impressively informative articles by contributors who are expert in their fields making it a critically important addition to professional and academic library Medical Technology collections and supplemental studies lists. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "Assistive Technology Assessment Handbook" is also available in a paperback edition (9781138076716, $80.00) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $72.00 Rent; $80.00 Buy).

The Ear Book
Thomas J. Balkany MD & Kevin D. Brown MD
The Johns Hopkins University Press
2715 North Charles Street, Baltimore, MD 21218-4363
www.press.jhu.edu
9781421422848, $49.95, HC, 256pp, www.amazon.com

Intricately shaped and amazingly sensitive, ears are the organs of hearing and balance. When something goes wrong with the ears, whether from infection or cancer, eardrum perforation, or hearing loss, our overall well-being is generally disturbed. In "The Ear Book: A Complete Guide to Ear Disorders and Health", Drs. Thomas J. Balkany and Kevin D. Brown, who are both recognized experts on ears and hearing, deftly explain how the anatomy of the ear facilitates hearing and balance and then examine the causes, symptoms, and treatment of common problems of the outer, middle, and inner ear. Their explanations take the mystery out of hearing aids, the proper care of ears, and how the pressurized conditions of scuba diving and air travel affect the ears. And they debunk ear-related myths ranging from the notion that exposure to loud noise strengthens the ear, to the idea that tinnitus can be cured with nutrients, and urge readers to stop using ear candling or Q-tips to get rid of wax. "The Ear Book" also address such common questions as: Can dizziness be cured? How loud is too loud? Why do my ears ring? Do cochlear implants work for nerve deafness? What promise do innovations in gene therapy and stem cell therapy hold for the future? Fully illustrated and including helpful tables, hearing preservation tips, a glossary of terms, lists of ear medications and resources, as well as suggestions for further reading, "The Ear Book" is sure to be a welcome family guide. While very highly recommended for both community and academic library Health/Medicine reference collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "The Ear Book: A Complete Guide to Ear Disorders and Health" is also available in a paperback edition (9781421422855, $24.95) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $14.49).

Mastering the Addicted Brain
Walter Ling, MD
New World Library
14 Pamaron Way, Novato, CA 94949
www.newworldlibrary.com
9781608685004, $15.95, www.amazon.com

Mastering the Addicted Brain: Building a Sane and Meaningful Life to Stay Clean comes from the founding director of the UCLA Integrated Substance Abuse Programs and an expert in the field of addiction, and offers insights on how to understand addiction and its management. The latest scientific evidence supports these tips, which are directed to addicts and their loved ones and which chronicles the path to recovery and the pressures that can lead to failure. Chapters explain the mechanics of addiction, the triggers that can make addiction a challenge to overcome, and the processes of lasting behavioral change in a survey highly recommended for any struggling with addiction.

Seeing What Others Cannot See
Thomas G. West
Prometheus Books
59 John Glenn Drive, Amherst, NY 14228-2197
www.prometheusbooks.com
9781633883017, $18.00, www.amazon.com

Seeing What Others Cannot See: The Hidden Advantages of Visual Thinkers and Differently Wired Brains combines insights from cognitive psychology with discussions of how to recognize, educate and use nonverbal strengths, and offers a blend of science and health as it argues that dyslexics and others who typically fail in traditional educational processes often wind up excelling because of their special abilities as visual thinkers. Both educators and health collections will find this an intriguing discussion that blends examinations and examples of visual thinkers with an overall approach that encourages this process, making it an accessible 'must' for any interested in brain functions, perception, cognitive learning and health.

Smart Yoga
David Moore
North Atlantic Books
2526 Martin Luther King Jr. Way, Berkeley, CA 94704-2607
www.northatlanticbooks.com
9781623171414, $21.95, PB, 248pp, www.amazon.com

In the illustrated pages of "Smart Yoga: Apply the Alexander Technique to Enhance Your Practice, Prevent Injury, and Increase Body Awareness", David Moore draws on thirty years of experience and expertise teaching the Alexander Technique to bring fresh and practical insights into how it can materially contribute to a safer and more effective yoga practice. With a profusion of black-and-white photographic images that support the clear, precise explanations, "Smart Yoga" offers comprehensive advice in modifying a yoga practice to take into account the huge variability in individual ranges of movement. "Smart Yoga" includes techniques to accommodate limitations imposed by injuries, structure, body type, strength, and flexibility. "Smart Yoga" offers an explanation of the Alexander Technique's approach to posture and movement, suggestions for altering faulty breathing patterns, and information about how Hatha Yoga, Patanjali, and Buddhist insight practices relate to the Alexander Technique. A complete course of step-by-step instruction, "Smart Yoga" is thoroughly 'user friendly' in organization and presentation. While very highly recommended for both community and academic library Yoga instructional reference collections, it should be noted for the personal reading lists of yoga students and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "Yoga Smart" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $13.99).


The Beer/Wine/Spirits Shelf

Whisky
Aeneas MacDonald
Birlinn Ltd
c/o Independent Publishers Group
814 North Franklin Street, Chicago, IL 60610
www.ipgbook.com
9781780274218, $14.99, HC, 160pp, www.amazon.com

Whisky is a type of distilled alcoholic beverage made from fermented grain mash. Various grains (which may be malted) are used for different varieties, including barley, corn (maize), rye, and wheat. Whisky is typically aged in wooden casks, generally made of charred white oak. An enduringly popular alcoholic beverage and now the subject of a published history by the late Aeneas MacDonald, "Whisky" is written from the point of view of the consumer. But more than that, "Whisky" is poetic and polemic in style and has an emphasis on the importance of single malt whisky and its concern to protect and inform the consumer. it remains fresh and relevant to the interests of today's whisky drinker. A remarkably prophetic book, this new edition of "Whisky" is enhanced Ian Buxton's for a new generation of readers with shrewd commentary and analysis that is combined for the first time with period illustrations. An inherently fascinating read from cover to cover, "Whisky" is very highly recommended the personal reading lists of all dedicated whisky aficionados, as well as an enduringly popular addition to both community and academic library collections.


The Education Shelf

What Makes a World-Class School and How We Can Get There
James H. Stronge with Xianxuan Xu
ASCD
1703 North Beauregard Street, Alexandria, VA 22311-1714
www.ascd.org
9781416623939, $27.95, PB, 140pp, www.amazon.com

For years, students in the United States have lagged behind students in many other countries on such measures of achievement as the PISA and TIMSS assessments. In an increasingly globalized world, such a gap is worrisome. Armed with statistics, examples, and cautionary tales from Scandinavia to Japan, James H. Stronge (CEO of Stronge and Associates Educational Consulting, LLC, an educational consulting company that focuses on teacher and leader effectiveness with projects internationally and in many U.S. states) and Xianxuan Xu (a senior research associate at Stronge and Associates Educational Consulting, LLC) have collaborated in "What Makes a World-Class School and How We Can Get There" to help educators better prepare students and close that gap. "What Makes a World-Class School and How We Can Get There" presents: Careful analysis of recent international assessment results - what they mean and what can be done to improve them; In-depth profiles of high-achieving education systems around the globe - their histories, their lessons learned, and what they can teach educators and policymakers in the United States; Strategies for aligning successful educational approaches from international systems to U.S. schools with respect to which strategies to use, in which subjects, and with which students; Transformative ideas for cultivating a truly world-class system of schooling - both simple and complex ways to raise the bar for all students, no matter what their background. Educators in every country must ensure that their students are as prepared as possible to lead a future generation of citizens. "What Makes a World-Class School and How We Can Get There" is thought-provoking and copiously researched book provides educators with a blueprint for radical improvement based on the hard-learned experiences of their peers around the world. Impressively informative, exceptionally well organized and presented, "What Makes a World-Class School and How We Can Get There" is an unreservedly recommended addition for school district and academic library Education Administration collections and supplemental studies reading lists. For the personal reading lists of education policy makers and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "What Makes a World-Class School and How We Can Get There" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $26.53).

Teaching Gifted Children
Jeff Danielian, C. Matthew Fugate, Elizabeth Fogarty
Prufrock Press
PO Box 8813, Waco, TX 76714-8813
www.prufrock.com
9781618216724, $39.95, PB, 578pp, www.amazon.com

"Teaching for High Potential", is a quarterly publication of the National Association for Gifted Children. "Teaching Gifted Children: Success Strategies for Teaching High-Ability Learners" is a collection of articles drawn from this outstanding publication. Certain to be of use to any classroom teacher of high-ability students, "Teaching Gifted Children" includes such topics as: instructional methods across all content areas; tips and tools for reading and vocabulary instruction; integrating STEM content; engaging students in math; the identification, differentiation, and addressing of gifted students' social-emotional needs. The 87 articles also delve into current issues pertinent to the field of gifted education and this unique group of students, including underachievement and underrepresented minority populations, as well as new classroom strategies such as Makerspaces and teaching growth mindset. Exceptionally well organized and presented, "Teaching Gifted Children"is practical and wide-ranging resource that can be used to enhance a classroom lesson, guide curriculum development, or supplement professional development. While unreservedly and highly recommended for school district, college, and university library Educational Issues collections in general, and Gifted Education supplemental studies reading lists in particular, it should be noted for the personal reading lists of teachers, school district administrators, school board members, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "Teaching Gifted Children" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $37.95).

Hope, Heart, and the Humanities
Jean Cheney & L. Jackson Newell, editors
The University of Utah Press
295 South 1500 East, Suite 5400, Salt Lake City, UT 84112-0860
www.uofupress.com
9781607815273, $12.95, PB, 144pp, www.amazon.com

"Hope, Heart, and the Humanities: How a Free College Course is Changing Lives" tells the story of how Venture, a free, interdisciplinary college humanities course inspired by the national Clemente Course, has helped open doors to improve the lives of people with low incomes who face barriers to attending college. For over a decade, this course has given hundreds of adults, some of them immigrants or refugees, the knowledge, confidence, and power to rechart their lives. Readers will go inside Venture classrooms to see what occurs when adults enter serious discussions about literature, critical writing, art history, American history, and philosophy. Apparent also are the difficulties nontraditional students, who range in age from 18 to 60, often encounter in a college classroom and the hard choices they and their teachers make. What readers may remember most are the stories and words from people whose views of the world broaden and whose directions in life changed. Comprised of ten articulate and informative articles by Jean Chney, L. Jackson newell, Hilkmet Sidney Loe, Jeff Metcalf, and Bridget M. Newll, "Hope, Heart, and the Humanities" is an impressively informative and engaging read that includes a four page Bibliography and a listing of the contributors and their credentials. While very highly recommended, especially for college and university Contemporary Education collections and supplemental studies lists, it should be noted for students and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "Hope, Heart, and the Humanities" is also available in a digital book format (9781607815280, $21.95).

Strategies That Work, third edition
Stephanie Harvey and Anne Goudvis
Stenhouse Publishers
480 Congress Street, Portland, ME 04101-3451
www.stenhouse.com
9781625310637, $49.33, www.amazon.com

The third updated edition of Strategies That Work: Teaching Comprehension for Understanding, Engagement, and Building Knowledge Grades K-8 is packed with new ideas and projects the authors have done since the second edition a decade ago, and provides new ideas on how to teach thinking strategies to encourage blossoming readers in grades K-8 to become independent, engaged critical thinkers. The three sections to this new edition cover the latest research and materials surrounding comprehension processes, incorporate strategies for teaching comprehension and include lesson plans and tools supporting this process, and conclude with cross-discipline applications of these basics. No education collection should be without it.


The Psychology Shelf

Brief Dynamic Therapy, second edition
Hanna Levenson
American Psychological Association
750 First Street, NE, Washington, DC 20002-4242
www.apa.org/books
9781433827761, $24.95, PB, 200pp, www.amazon.com

Hanna Levenson has been specializing in the area of brief psychotherapy as a clinician, teacher/trainer, and researcher for 40 years In "Brief Dynamic Therapy" she draws upon her professional experience and expertise to create a concise study that revisits the history, theory, and practice of brief dynamic therapy. This integrative approach uses techniques from attachment theory, interpersonal neurobiology, affective-experiential learning, and systems orientations to help clients with long-standing, dysfunctional ways of relating to others. Fully revised and expanded, this new second edition of "Brief Dynamic Therapy" features updated case examples, as well as a wealth of new research findings including process-outcome studies that affirm treatment effectiveness, and new research on the "reconsolidation process" that demonstrates how sudden, dramatic change happens in brief dynamic therapy. Impressively informed and informative, "Brief Dynamic Therapy" is unreservedly recommended as a core addition to professional and academic library Psychology/Psychiatry collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists of students and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "Brief Dynamic Therapy" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $19.81).

Counselling Psychology
David Murphy, editor
Wiley
c/o Wiley Professional Trade Group
111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030-5774
www.wiley.com
9781119106852, $105.00, HC, 496pp, www.amazon.com

Compiled and edited by David Murphy (who is a Full Member of the British Psychological Society Division of Counselling Psychology; a Person-Centred Experiential Psychotherapist on the BPS Register of Psychologists Specializing in Psychotherapy; and the Course Director for the Master's program in Person-Centred Experiential Counselling and Psychotherapy at the University of Nottingham, UK), "Counselling Psychology: A Textbook for Study and Practice" is an ideal curriculum textbook for psychology students at undergraduate or graduate level. "Counselling Psychology" provides valuable insights into the key issues associated with theory and practice in this field from expert contributors representing a diverse array of approaches, reflecting the rich diversity within the area -- with care is taken to avoid favoring any one approach. "Counselling Psychology" begins with an overview of the historical and philosophical foundations of counseling psychology, the goes on to take a detailed look at major therapeutic approaches and exploring issues associated with specific client populations, ethics, research design, and more. In particular, "Counselling Psychology" seeks to explain how counseling psychology differs from and informs other areas of contemporary applied psychology. The result is an engaging balance of the personal and academically rigorous, presented in a highly accessible format. Simply stated, "Counselling Psychology" takes an authoritative introduction to and key issues involved with the theory and practice of counselling psychology for students and practitioners at all levels; considers all major approaches to psychotherapy including existential, person-centered experiential, psychodynamic, and cognitive-behavioral; and explores issues commonly encountered when working with specific client groups including children, people with intellectual disabilities, and emergency trauma victims. Comprised of 29 deftly presented and informatively erudite articles, "Counselling Psychology" is unreservedly recommended for both community and academic library Contemporary Psychology collections ans supplemental studies reading lists. It should be noted for students and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "Counselling Psychology" is also available in a paperback edition (9781119106869, $50.00) and in a digital book format (eTextbook, $99.75).

125 Years of the American Psychological Association
Wade E. Pickren & Alexandra Rutherford
American Psychological Association
750 First Street, NE, Washington, DC 20002-4242
www.apa.org/books
9781433827914, $69.95, HC, 464pp, www.amazon.com

"125 Years of the American Psychological Association" is published to coincide with the APA's 125th anniversary. The purpose of its publication is to demonstrates how the APA has evolved over the years in response to intellectual, cultural, political, economic, and other historical developments. Individual chapters describe the personalities and events that transformed the APA from a tiny organization of 26 members to one of the largest professional associations in the world. Key topics include the changing role of women in the APA, and the organization's considerable contributions to social change. From its origins in the late nineteenth century, through the two World Wars and a major reorganization, to the social and cultural turbulence of the 1960s and the economic uncertainties of the 1970s and 1980s, the APA's development has mirrored the growth of psychology as a discipline in the United States. This special 125th anniversary edition describes the unique challenges and triumphs that have marked the APA's early years in the twenty-first century. While very highly recommended, especially for professional and academic library collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "125 Years of the American Psychological Association" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $62.36).


The Fashion Shelf

Christian Dior: Designer of Dreams
Florence Muller & Fabien Baron, editors
Thames & Hudson, Inc.
500 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10110-0017
www.thamesandhudsonusa.com
9780500021545, $65.00, HC, 368pp, www.amazon.com

Christian Dior's first collection in 1947 heralded the birth of a new fashion silhouette for women. Knowledgeably compiled and collaboratively edited by Florence Muller and Fabien Baron, "Christian Dior: Designer of Dreams" is presents seventy of the most memorable looks created by Christian Dior and his successors (Yves Saint Laurent, Marc Bohan, Gianfranco Ferre, John Galliano, Raf Simons, and Maria Grazia Chiuri) have been specially selected and photographed in intimate detail. This essential volume also features those designs in original sketches, runway shots, and fashion shoots by the world's greatest fashion photographers, including Irving Penn, Richard Avedon, Cecil Beaton, William Klein, Helmut Newton, Peter Lindbergh, Mario Testino, Paolo Roversi, and Nick Knight. Exploring the classic elements of Dior in depth, this fully illustrated study covers the concept of line and architecture in fashion; the influence of history and art; the use of color; gardens and landscapes as sources of inspiration; and, of course, the brand's famous muses and clients: the Duchess of Windsor, Marlene Dietrich, Princess Grace of Monaco, Marilyn Monroe, Princess Diana, Natalie Portman, and Jennifer Lawrence, among many others. Impressively informed and informative, "Christian Dior: Designer of Dreams" is an especially recommended addition to personal, professional, community, and academic library Fashion History collections and supplemental studies reading lists.


The American History Shelf

The Dawn of Detroit
Tiya Miles
The New Press
120 Wall Street, floor 31, New York, NY 10005
www.thenewpress.com
9781620972311 $27.95 hc / $26.55 Kindle amazon.com

The Dawn of Detroit: A Chronicle of Slavery and Freedom in the City of the Straits examines the history of the American city of Detroit, Michigan (with emphasis on the years 1760-1817) through the impact that the heinous practice of slavery had upon it. Even though the Underground Railroad (a network created to help slaves from the American South escape) eventually ran through Michigan, loopholes in the Northwest Ordinance in Michigan allowed forced labor among indigenous people and African Americans. Slaveholders and forced labor are an unremovable stain on Detroit's history during its early colonial years, although an influx of renegade bondspeople from British Canada eventually started to push popular sentiment against slavery - to the extent that "led Detroit dockworkers, hatmakers, and sailors of European descent to threaten their own lawmakers if they returned runaway slaves." Although Detroit slave narratives are all but impossible to find, historical evidence reveals much about the sway that slaveholding had over the city's early years. Extensive notes and an index round out this scholarly, heavily-researched, and eruditely written recontexualization of Detroit's history, highly recommended especially for public and college library American History collections.

New Orleans: The First 300 Years
Errol Laborde & Peggy Scott Laborde, editors
Pelican Publishing Company
1000 Burmaster Street, Gretna, LA 70053-2246
www.pelicanpub.com
9781455621606, $35.00,HC, 192pp, www.amazon.com

The city of New Orleans is unlike anywhere else on Earth with its fusion of cultures, people, and food all establishing a whole that is greater than its constituent parts. From migration to politics to music to ethnic culture and identity, "New Orleans: The First 300 Years" is comprehensive and profusely illustrated volume touches on all aspects of New Orleans history for the past three centuries. Under the collaborative editorship of Errol and Petty Laborde, and featuring contributions from some of the leading influencers and scholars of New Orleans cultural history, no stone is left unturned in this vivid depiction of one of the most unique cities in the world. "New Orleans: The First 300 Years" is the quintessential book on New Orleans for every history buff, citizen of New Orleans, or visitor wanting to know more about the colorful history of New Orleans. Impressively informative and superbly organized and presented, "New Orleans: The First 300 Years" is very highly recommended for both personal reading lists and community library American History collections.

Shooting Lincoln
Nicholas J.C. Pistor
Da Capo Press
c/o Perseus Book Group
250 W. 57th St., Suite 1500, New York, NY 10107
www.perseusbooksgroup.com
9780306824692 $28.00 hc / $18.99 Kindle amazon.com

Shooting Lincoln: Mathew Brady, Alexander Gardner, and the Race to Photograph the Story of the Century is a remarkable history of Civil War era journalism, and the ferocious competition between two skilled photographers. During the Civil War, photojournalists Mathew Brady and Alexander Gardner sold out newspapers with their images from Civil War battlefields. After the Civil War, when the murder of President Lincoln shocked the nation, these two photographers rushed to produce pictures of the theater where Lincoln was slain, the gallows where the conspirators in Lincoln's death were hanged, the autopsy table where Lincoln's killer was identified, and more. Both photographers would be accused of staging some of their photos to make them appear more dramatic. Shooting Lincoln is as much a history of nascent tabloid sensationalism at it is a chronicle of how journalists reacted to a horrific tragedy in American history and culture. An inset selection of black-and-white vintage photographic plates, notes, a bibliography, and an index round out this highly recommended addition to public and college library American History shelves.

The Ghost Ship Brooklyn
Robert P. Watson
Da Capo Press
c/o Perseus Book Group
250 W. 57th St., Suite 1500, New York, NY 10107
www.perseusbooksgroup.com
9780306825521, $28.00, www.dacapopress.com

The Ghost Ship Brooklyn: An Untold Story of the American Revolution tells of the HMS Jersey, a ship which, during the American Revolutionary War, was renowned for the cruelty of its guards, its notoriously deplorable conditions under which colonial prisoners were kept by the British after it was converted to a prison ship, and for a reputation that was to spark additional rebellion in the colonies. The story of how this ship sparked enough outrage to fuel the Revolution makes for a powerful account which documents individuals who suffered on the ship, escaped from its conditions, and helped keep its memory a part of American history which has not been properly examined until this survey. No American history holding should be without this eye-opening account.

Notre Dame at 175: A Visual History
Charles Lamb & Elizabeth Hogan
University of Notre Dame Press
310 Flanner Hall, Notre Dame, IN 46556
www.undpress.nd.edu
9780268102456, $45.00, HC, 224pp, www.amazon.com

The year 2017 marks the 175th anniversary of the founding of the University of Notre Dame. To celebrate this milestone, Charles Lamb (senior archivist for photograph and audio-visual collections at the University of Notre Dame Archives) and Elizabeth Hogan (photograph archivist at the University of Notre Dame Archives) have chosen 175 images that illustrate the evolution of campus culture and its physical environment. Important pieces of Notre Dame's rich history are highlighted, along with depictions of everyday life on the beautiful campus. Each image is accompanied by a caption explaining why it is historically and artistically significant. Lamb and Hogan have taken care to find images that have not been featured in previous pictorial collections; even longtime and diehard Notre Dame fans will find new and unexpected images here. The truly memorable images range from a photo of a baseball game in 1888 on Brownson Field; to one of iconic chemistry professor Emil T. Hofman strolling with his students in 1983; to the photo of the spontaneous mass held on South Quad on September 11, 2001. Of special note is the inclusion of an informative foreword by current University President Rev. John I. Jenkins, C.S.C. A unique and inherently engaging study from beginning to end, "Notre Dame at 175" is unreservedly recommended for community and academic library American History collections in general, and Notre Dame University history supplemental studies reading lists in particular, as well as proving to be of special and enduring interest to the entire Notre Dame family of students, faculty, staff, alumni, and fans -- as well as amateur and professional photographers, historians, and art historians.


The Civil War Shelf

The Boys of Company K
Lee M. Cullimore
High Plains Press
PO Box 123, Glendo, WY, 82213
www.highplainspress.com
9781937147013, $18.95, PB, 336pp, www.amazon.com

"The Boys of Company K: Ohio Cavalry Soldiers in the West During the Civil War" by researcher, journalist, and historian Lee M. Cullimore shows how daily life on the western prairies was dangerous and unpredictably lethal for the common soldier. The American calvary men were faced the threat of hostile Indians, disease, and unpredictable Wyoming weather. "The Boys of Company K" is the story of one particular troop on their journey from Hillsboro, Dayton, Cincinnati and other Ohio, Kansas and Nebraska towns to Fort Laramie, Fort Halleck, the Powder River, and other frontier locations. Accounts are taken from first-hand sources such as newspaper articles, personal journals, and military records. Impressively detailed with a keen eye towards historical accuracy, "The Boys of Company K" is an inherently fascinating read from beginning to end. Impressively informed and informative, exhaustively researched, exceptionally well written, organized and presented, "The Boys of Company K" is unreservedly recommended for personal, community, and academic library 19th Century American History collections.

Battle Above the Clouds
David A. Powell
Savas Beatie
PO Box 4527, El Dorado Hills, CA 95762
www.savasbeatie.com
9781611213775, $14.95, PB, 192pp, www.amazon.com

In October 1863, the Union Army of the Cumberland was besieged in Chattanooga, all but surrounded by The Confederate Army of Tennessee. The Union troops were surviving by the narrowest of margins, thanks only to a trickle of supplies painstakingly hauled over the sketchiest of mountain roads. Soon even those quarter-rations would not suffice. Disaster was in the offing. Yet those Confederates, once jubilant at having routed the Union troops at Chickamauga and driven them back into the apparent trap of Chattanooga's trenches, found their own circumstances increasingly difficult to bear. In the immediate aftermath of their victory, the South rejoiced; the Confederacy's own disasters of the previous summer at Vicksburg and Gettysburg were seemingly reversed. Then came stalemate in front of those same trenches. The Confederates held the high ground, Lookout Mountain and Missionary Ridge, but they could not completely seal off Chattanooga from the north. The Union responded. Reinforcements were on the way. A new man arrived to take command: Ulysses S. Grant. Confederate General Braxton Bragg, unwilling to launch a frontal attack on Chattanooga's defenses, sought victory elsewhere, diverting troops to East Tennessee. "Battle Above the Clouds: Lifting the Siege of Chattanooga and the Battle of Lookout Mountain, October 16 - November 24, 1863" by American Civil War historian David Powell fully recounts the campaign to lift the siege of Chattanooga, including the opening of the "cracker line", the unusual night battle of Wauhatchie, and one of the most dramatic battles of the entire war -- Lookout Mountain. Illustrated throughout with black-and-white historical photos, "Battle Above The Clouds" is unreservedly and wholeheartedly recommended for both community and academic library American Civil War collections and supplemental studies lists. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of students and dedicated Civil War buffs that "Battle Above The Clouds" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $8.97).


The Writing/Publishing Shelf

How to Write a Book Proposal, fifth edition
Jody Rein & Michael Larsen
Writer's Digest Books
c/o F+W Media
10151 Carver Road, Suite 200, Blue Ash, OH 45242
www.writersdigest.com
9781440348174, $19.99, PB, 328pp, www.amazon.com

Jody Rein, former executive editor with divisions of HarperCollins Publishers and Penguin Random House, is the founder of boutique literary agency Jody Rein Books, Inc., and respected publishing consulting and coaching firm Author Planet Consulting. Jody has represented, published and coached hundreds of authors through successful publication in every form, from e-books to international bestsellers to major motion pictures. Michael Larsen, co-director of the San Francisco Writers Conference and the San Francisco Writing for Change Conference, is the author or co-author of eleven books. He is an author coach and a former agent, having co-founded the Larsen-Pomada Literary Agency, which sold books to more than 100 publishers and imprints. Together they draw upon their years of experience and expertise to publish the updated and expanded fifth edition of "How to Write a Book Proposal: The Insider's Step-by-Step Guide to Proposals that Get You Published". Being a complete and comprehensive course of step-by-step instructions and impressively informative commentary, "How to Write a Book Proposal" is absolutely essential reading for any author wanting to 'turn pro' and make a living with what they write be it fiction, non-fiction, or a combination of both. Of special note are the four appendices (The Publishing Process; The Virtual Media Kit; Four Sample Proposals; Sample Proposals Index), a listing of Additional Resources, and a four page Index. Simply stated, no personal, professional, community, or academic library's Writing/Publishing instructional reference collections should be without a copy of this newly revised fifth edition of "How to Write a Book Proposal: The Insider's Step-by-Step Guide to Proposals that Get You Published".

Divergent Trajectories
Flore Chevaillier
Ohio State University Press
180 Pressey Hall, 1070 Carmack Road, Columbus, OH 43210-1002
https://ohiostatepress.org
9780814213438 $79.95 hc / $19.95 Kindle amazon.com

Divergent Trajectories: Interviews with Innovative Fiction Writers is an anthology of scholarly interviews with contemporary fiction writers, in order to examine modern fiction through political, philosophical, and cultural lenses. The result is a studious exploration of the writer's journey and the complex choices that shape the creative process. An index rounds out this welcome contribution to personal and public library Writing/Publishing collections. Highly recommended.

The Online Writer's Companion
P.J. Aitken
Allworth Press
www.allworth.com
c/o Skyhorse Publishing, Inc.
307 West 36th Street, 11th Floor, New York, NY 10018
www.skyhorsepublishing.com
9781621535287, $19.99, www.amazon.com

The Online Writer's Companion: A Complete Guide to Earning Your Living as a Freelancer packs in a wealth of information on how to build a career as a freelance writer, and covers everything from pricing, locating, and bidding on writing jobs to blogging for pay, handling clients, employing a rating system that will bring in new work and clients, and more. From what kinds of jobs writers can look for to how to handle work when it comes, this is a writer's guide no aspiring writer should be without.


The Jobs/Careers Shelf

Soft Skills for the Effective Lawyer
Randall Kiser
Cambridge University Press
32 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10013-2473
www.cambridge.org
9781108403504 $29.97 pbk / $14.60 Kindle amazon.com

Soft Skills for the Effective Lawyer lives up to its title with a studious examination of invaluable "soft skills" for the legal profession - vital abilities that not traditionally studied in law school, including communication skills, resilience, leadership, and empathy. Chapters discuss the most essential soft skills, and effective ways to cultivate and maintain them, with particular emphasis on Wisdom, Self-Awareness, Self-Development, Social Proficiency, Leadership, and Professionalism. An index rounds out this invaluable supplementary resource for self- improvement, highly recommended especially for college library collections and the personal reading lists of legal professionals.

Starting Your Career as a Freelance Photographer
Tad Crawfor & Chuck DeLaney
Allworth Press
www.allworth.com
c/o Skyhorse Publishing, Inc.
307 West 36th Street, 11th Floor, New York, NY 10018
www.skyhorsepublishing.com
9781621535454, $19.99, PB, 352pp, www.amazon.com

Exceptionally well written, organized and presented, "Starting Your Career as a Freelance Photographer" is a comprehensive compendium of 'real world' advice, insight, and guidance for anyone who aspires to become a freelance photographer. The step-by-step advice covers the multitude of concerns facing aspiring and beginning freelance photographers ranging from compiling a portfolio and promoting your work, to winning the first client and running a healthy, profitable business. Attorney and writer Tad Crawford has teamed up with expert photography writer Chuck Delaney (and more than a dozen of the photo industry's leading experts) to provide comprehensive guidance, including: Photographic careers and the skills they require; How to shop for equipment and studio locations; Clients, websites, portfolios, and self-promotion; Studio management, insurance, and safety; Negotiating contracts, pricing, and model and property releases; Copyright law and protecting your work; Avoiding libel, trespass, and litigation; Accounting, record keeping, and taxes. For anyone looking to earn money with their photography, "Starting Your Career as a Freelance Photographer" crucial marketing, business, and legal know-how for every step of the process. While very highly recommended for both community and academic library Jobs/Careers instructional reference collections in the field of photography, it should be noted for the personal reading lists of photography students and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "Starting Your Career as a Freelance Photographer" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $19.99).

Starting Your Career as an Illustrator
Michael Fleishman
Allworth Press
www.allworth.com
c/o Skyhorse Publishing, Inc.
307 West 36th Street, 11th Floor, New York, NY 10018
9781621535096, $24.99 www.skyhorsepublishing.com

Starting Your Career as an Illustrator is for beginners new to the illustration career possibilities and assumes no prior knowledge in either career pursuit or illustration promotion as it surveys all the basics. Newcomers will enjoy the step-by-step considerations that range from how to create a first portfolio and how to show it to making contacts, setting up an office, acquiring supplies, pricing illustrations, and understanding the market. While some of the information is basic small business savvy, most is particular to the illustration market and is a solid discussion that incorporates professional viewpoints into a series of logical steps towards success.


The Computer Shelf

Java 9 for Programmers
Paul Deitel and Harvey Deitel
Pearson
c/o Pearson Technology Group
801 East 96th Street, #300, Indianapolis, IN 46240-3759
www.pearsoned.com
9780134777566, $59.99, www.informit.com

Java 9 for Programmers joins others in the Deitel Developer Series and provides professional programmers with a solid reference to Java 9, the latest Java edition. Those with prior background in the language will find this book uses a live-code approach to teaching its subject and offers a blend of tested programs with code and discussions of how the code works. Hundreds of complete Java 9 programs are supported by this code discussion and so programmers learn this edition of Java through topics that consider graphics, video applications, database management and interfaces, and more. The content is loaded with examples and applications that make it easy for professionals to transition from earlier versions to understand both the differences in Java 9 and best practices for using it in a guide especially recommended for self-study by practicing Java professionals.


The Economic Studies Shelf

The Great American Economy
Steve Slavin
Prometheus Books
59 John Glenn Drive, Amherst, NY 14228-2197
www.prometheusbooks.com
9781633883055, $25.00, www.amazon.com

The Great American Economy: How Inefficiency Broke It and What We Can Do to Fix It examines the fact that many Americans feel the economy is no longer working on their behalf, and considers how this is the case and what can be done. Gross inefficiency lies at the heart of this perspective: a condition which has been growing since the end of World War II. The massive institutions designed to support Americans in fact are failing in their jobs, Slavin points out; and he proposes big changes to pinpoint and eradicate inefficiency as a solution to the problem. This accessible discussion is recommended as a key acquisition for any collection strong in American economic concerns.


The Social Issues Shelf

Inequality in America, second edition
Stephen M. Caliendo
Westview Press
c/o Perseus Book Group
250 W. 57th St., Suite 1500, New York, NY 10107
www.westviewpress.com
9780813350530, $33.00, HC, 300pp, www.amazon.com

When inequality has such a firm and enduring hold on American society and public policy just what can an ordinary citizen do about it? Now in a fully updated and expanded second edition, "Inequality in America: Race, Poverty, and Fulfilling Democracy's Promise" by Stephen M. Caliendo (Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences and Professor of Political Science at North Central College, Naperville, Illinois) takes an in-depth look at race, class and gender-based inequality, across a wide range of issues from housing and education to crime, employment and health. Professor Caliendo deftly explores how individual attitudes can affect public opinion and lawmakers' policy solutions. He also illustrates how these policies result in systemic barriers to advancement that often then contribute to individual perceptions. This cycle of disadvantage and advantage can be difficult-though not impossible-to break. "Representing" and "What Can I Do?" feature boxes throughout the book highlight key public figures who have worked to combat inequality and encourage students to take action to do the same. Of special note in this newly revised second edition is the inclusion of a chapter on crime and criminal justice and an expanded discussion of immigration. Concise and accessible, "Inequality in America: is ideal for getting students to think critically about the attitudes, behaviors and structures of inequality. While very highly recommended for both community and academic library Contemporary Social Issues collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Inequality in America " is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $19.99).


The Biography Shelf

W. E. B. Du Bois
Shawn Leigh Alexander
Rowman & Littlefield
c/o Rowman & Littlefield Publishing Group
4501 Forbes Blvd., Suite 200, Lanham, MD 20706
www.rowman.com
9781442207400, $35.00, HC, 168pp, www.amazon.com

William Edward Burghardt "W. E. B." Du Bois (February 23, 1868 - August 27, 1963) was an African-American sociologist, historian, civil rights activist, Pan-Africanist, author, writer and editor. Born in Great Barrington, Massachusetts, Du Bois grew up in a relatively tolerant and integrated community. After completing graduate work at the University of Berlin and Harvard, where he was the first African-American to earn a doctorate, he became a professor of history, sociology and economics at Atlanta University. Du Bois was one of the co-founders of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) in 1909. "W. E. B. Du Bois: An American Intellectual and Activist" by Shawn Leigh Alexander (who is Associate Professor and Graduate Director of African and African American Studies and Director of the Langston Hughes Center at the University of Kansas, where he specializes in African American social and intellectual history of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries), is an impressively informative biography presented in a clear and concise manner, exploring Du Bois' racial strategy, civil rights activity, journalistic career, and his role as an international spokesman, as well as his work as an historian, a sociologist, an artist, a propagandist, and a peace activist. Of special note in this exceptionally well written, organized and presented study is the inclusion of Du Bois' chief critics including Booker T. Washington, Marcus Garvey, Walter White, the Young Turks of the NAACP -- not to mention the federal government's characterization of his ever-radicalizing beliefs, particularly after World War II. A simply outstanding body of deftly crafted scholarship, "W. E. B. Du Bois: An American Intellectual and Activist" is unreservedly recommended for both community and academic library Black American History & Biography collections in general, and W. E. B. Du Bois supplemental studies lists in particular. It should be noted for students and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "W. E. B. Du Bois: An American Intellectual and Activist" is also available in a paperback edition (9781442207417, $25.00) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $23.00).

The Fearless Benjamin Lay
Marcus Rediker
Beacon Press
24 Farnsworth Street, Boston, MA 02210
www.beacon.org
9780807035924 $26.95 hc / $25.99 Kindle amazon.com

Author Markcus Rediker (Distinguished Professor of Atlantic History, University of Pittsburgh) presents The Fearless Benjamin Lay: The Quaker Dwarf Who Became the First Revolutionary Activist, an extensively researched biography of Benjamin Lay (1681-1759), a Quaker dwarf and British-born American immigrant who opposed slavery with a ferocious passion, and who pushed others, especially his fellow Quakers, to condemn the institution of human bondage. His legacy inspired the anti-slavery movement for generations. Extensive notes and an index round out this detailed, inspirational biography of a forceful personality who refused to compromise his faith or his conscience. Highly recommended, especially for public and college library biography collections.

Hannibal's Oath
John Prevas
Da Capo Press
c/o Perseus Book Group
250 W. 57th St., Suite 1500, New York, NY 10107
www.perseusbooksgroup.com
9780306824241, $28.00, HC, 336pp, www.amazon.com

Few men whose lives and deeds in ancient history have managed to capture and hold the popular imagination down through the succeeding centuries quite like that of Hannibal, the fearless North African, perched on a monstrous elephant, leading his mercenaries over the Alps, and then, against all odds, descending the ice-covered peaks to challenge Rome in her own backyard for mastery of the ancient world. It was a bold move, and it established Hannibal as one of history's greatest commanders. But this same brilliant tactician is also one of history's most tragic figures; fate condemned him to win his battles but not his war against Rome. An internationally recognized expert on Hannibal for nearly thirty years, historian John Prevas has visited every Hannibal-related site and mountain pass, from Tunisia to Italy, Spain to Turkey, seeking evidence to dispel the myths surrounding Hannibal's character and his wars. In "Hannibal's Oath: The Life and Wars of Rome's Greatest Enemy" is an exceptionally well researched, comprehensive, documented, and deftly written biography of an iconic military leader that reads with the inherently engaging appeal of a deftly crafted novel. While very highly recommended for both community and academic library biography collections, it should be noted for the personal reading lists of history students, librarians, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "Hannibal's Oath" is also available in a complete and unabridged audio book format (Blackston Audio, 9781478975540, $35.00, CD).

The Wandering Princess
Edward Hanson
Fonthill Media Ltd.
c/o Casemate
1940 Lawrence Road, Havertown, PA 19083
www.casematepublishers.com
9781781555927, $40.00, HC, 464pp, www.amazon.com

Helene was a strong-willed princess who, while raised in France, was closely connected with the court of Queen Victoria. After the premature end to a romance with Victoria's grandson, she married into the royal family of Italy. However, Helene began extended adventuresome trips into Africa where she became a big-game hunter, explorer and travel writer, escaping from an unhappy marriage and the boredom of court life. Her travels took her around the world, but her sense of royal duty brought her back to nurse aboard a hospital ship in Libyan waters, then to an important role as head of the Italian Red Cross nurses during the First World War while her husband headed Italy's Third Army, and her two sons served in the artillery and the navy. Afterwards, her strong Italian nationalism made her an ally to Gabriele d'Annunzio and Benito Mussolini, but the disastrous Second World War saw her grandchildren interned in Austria and her older son die as a British prisoner-of-war while she continued her charitable work in Naples. When the country voted to become a republic in 1946, Helene was the only member of the royal family allowed to remain in Italy with her second 'secret' husband. An extraordinarily well researched, written, and organized biography, "The Wandering Princess: Princess Helene of France, Duchess of Aosta (1871-1951)" is impressively comprehensive and informative study of a singularly unusual woman who lived out her remarkable 80 years of life. An extraordinary and engaging read from beginning to end, "The Wandering Princess" is unreservedly recommended for both community and academic library biography collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "The Wandering Princess" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).

Silver: The Spy Who Fooled the Nazis
Mihir Bose
Fonthill Media Limited
www.fonthillmedia.com
c/o Casemate
1940 Lawrence Road, Havertown, PA 19083
www.casematepublishers.com
9781781553718 $40.00 hc / $9.99 Kindle amazon.com

Silver: The Spy Who Fooled the Nazis is the gripping, true-life story of the East Indian spy Bhagat Ram Talwar, codename Silver - the only quintuple spy of the Second World War. Silver spied for the Italians, Germans, -Japanese, Soviets, and British; between 1941 and 1945, he made twelve trips from Peshawar to Kabul to supply false information to the Germans. Each journey was a treacherous 200-mile trek on foot, over harsh mountain passes and hostile tribal territory. A handful of vintage black-and-white photographs, endnotes, and a bibliography round out this fascinating, in-depth portrait of a master manipulator. Highly recommended, especially for public and college library biography and espionage history shelves.


The Literary Studies Shelf

How to Read World Literature, second edition
David Damrosch
Wiley-Blackwell
350 Main Street, Malden, MA 02148
http://www.wiley.com/WileyCDA/WileyTitle/productCd-1119009162.html
9781119009160, $94.95, HC, 216pp

Now in a newly updated and expanded second edition "How to Read World Literature" by David Damrosch (Chair of the Department of Comparative Literature, Columbia University) continues to address the unique challenges and joys faced when approaching the literature of other cultures and eras. Fully revised to address important developments in World Literature, and generously expanded with new material, this second edition covers a wide variety of genres ranging from lyric and epic poetry, to drama and prose fiction, as well as discussing how each form has been used in different eras and cultures. An ideal introduction for those new to the study of World Literature, as well as beginners to ancient and foreign literature, "How to Read World Literature" offers a variety of "modes of entry" to reading these texts. "How to Read World Literature" provide readers with accessible ways of thinking creatively and systematically about key issues, such as reading across time and cultures, reading works in translation, emerging global perspectives, post-colonialism, orality and literacy, and more. More specifically, "How to Read World Literature" is accessible and enlightening in offering readers the tools to navigate works as varied as Homer, Sophocles, Kalidasa, Du Fu, Dante, Murasaki, Moliere, Kafka, Wole Soyinka, and Derek Walcott; is fully revised and expanded to reflect the changing face of the study of World Literature, especially in the English-speaking world; now includes more major authors featured in the undergraduate World Literature syllabus covered within a fuller critical context; and features an entirely new chapter on the relationship between World Literature and postcolonial literature. An ideal curriculum textbook for both undergraduate and postgraduate courses in World Literature, "How to Read World Literature" will also have immense and applicable appeal for readers with an interest in foreign and ancient literature. While unreservedly recommended for both community and academic library Literary Studies collections, it should be noted for students and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "How to Read World Literature" is also available in a paperback edition (9781405168267, $34.95) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $22.39).

The Morals of Monster Stories
Leslie Ormandy, editor
McFarland & Company
PO Box 611, Jefferson NC 28640
www.mcfarlandpub.com
9781476664842, $39.95, PB, 256pp, www.amazon.com

The simplicity of children's picture books (stories told with illustrations and a few well chosen words or none at all) makes them powerful tools for teaching morals and personal integrity. Children follow the story and see the characters' behaviors on the page and interpret them in the context of their own lives. But unlike many picture books, most children's lives don't feature monsters. Knowledgeably compiled and deftly edited by Leslie Ormandy (who technical writing, and basic composition courses at a rural Oregon community college), "The Morals of Monster Stories: Essays on Children's Picture Book Messages" is collection of fourteen new essays each of which explores the socially sanctioned behaviors imparted to children through the use of monsters and supernatural characters in the picture books that are to be commonly found in family, elementary school, and community library collections. The topics covered include monsters as instructors, the normalization of strangers or the "other," fostering gender norms, and therapeutic monsters, among others. Impressively informative, thought-provoking, and insightful, "The Morals of Monster Stories" is especially recommended to the attention of children's librarians, parents, and anyone with an interest in children's literature. While very highly recommended for both community and academic library Literary Studies collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "The Morals of Monster Stories" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $19.99).


The Science Shelf

Practical Handbook of Earth Science
Jane H. Hodgkinson & Frank D. Stacey
CRC Press
6000 NW Broken Sound Parkway NW, Suite 300, Boca Raton, FL 33487
www.crcpress.com
9781138552234, $150.00, HC, 402pp, www.amazon.com

The collaborative work of research geologists Jane H. Hodgkinson and Frank D. Stacey, "Practical Handbook of Earth Science" is a self-contained handbook that provides readers with a carefully researched, compact source of key earth science information and data, logically sorted by subject matter which is then accessibly cross-referenced. Appealing to both experts and non-experts alike, "Practical Handbook of Earth Science" presents earth science and environmental science as closely intertwined. "Practical Handbook of Earth Science" includes tables of the global distributions of fossil fuels, contrasted by tables of the distribution of non-fossil energy sources. Concise explanations cover the subject matters of geology, geophysics, oceans, atmosphere with attention to environmental implications and resources. Written in a simple and clear language by internationally known experts in geology, Written in a simple and clear language by acknowledged experts in geology, "Practical Handbook of Earth Science" is an ideal textbook for Earth Science curriculums, and a core addition for corporate and academic library collections. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of students and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "Practical Handbook of Earth Science" is also available in a paperback edition (9781138054448, $99.95) and in a digital book format (eTextbook, $142.50).

Dual Use Research of Concern in the Life Sciences
National Academies Press
500 Fifth Street, NW, Washington, DC 20001
www.nap.edu
9780309458887 $45.00 pbk / $36.99 Kindle amazon.com

Dual Use Research of Concern in the Life Sciences: Current Issues and Controversies directly addresses a thorny ethical issue in modern scientific research - balancing the need for secrecy to protect national security with the need for an open and transparent scientific culture, particularly within the life sciences. Particularly focusing on the U.S. strategy to reduce biosecurity risks in the life sciences, Dual Use Research of Concern in the Life Sciences is a scholarly analysis with extensive notes, concisely presenting committee findings as well as mechanisms to allow the dissemination of research results without impinging on national security. Dual Use Research of Concern in the Life Sciences is a "must-read" for current or aspiring professionals in the field of life science research, highly recommended.


The Military Shelf

Destination Casablanca
Meredith Hindley
Public Affairs Books
c/o Perseus Book Group
250 West 57th Street, #1321, New York, NY 10107
www.publicaffairsbooks.com
9781610394055, $30.00, HC, 512pp, www.amazon.com

In November 1942, as a part of Operation Torch, 33,000 American soldiers sailed undetected across the Atlantic and stormed the beaches of French Morocco. Seventy-four hours later, the Americans controlled the country and one of the most valuable wartime ports: Casablanca. In the years preceding, Casablanca had evolved from an exotic travel destination to a key military target after France's surrender to Germany. Jewish refugees from Europe poured in, hoping to obtain visas and passage to the United States and beyond. Nazi agents and collaborators infiltrated the city in search of power and loyalty. The resistance was not far behind, as shopkeepers, celebrities, former French Foreign Legionnaires, and disgruntled bureaucrats formed a network of Allied spies. But once in American hands, Casablanca became a crucial logistical hub in the fight against Germany -- and the site of Roosevelt and Churchill's demand for "unconditional surrender". Rife with rogue soldiers, power grabs, and diplomatic intrigue, "Destination Casablanca" is the riveting and untold story of this glamorous city. Exceptionally well researched, written, organized and presented, "Destination Casablanca" is a comprehensive and detailed military history that reads as smoothly and as inherently engaging as any novel. While unreservedly recommended for both community and academic library World War II Military History collections and supplemental studies lists, it should be noted for the personal reading lists of students, military buffs, and non-specialist general readers that "Destination Casablanca" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $16.99). Librarians should be aware that there is a complete and unabridged audio book edition of "Destination Casablanca" (Blackstone Audio, 9781478997696, $40.00, CD).


The Political Science Shelf

Daring Democracy
Frances Moore Lappe & Adam Eichen
Beacon Press
24 Farnsworth Street, Boston, MA 02210
www.beacon.org
9780807023815, $15.00, PB, 176pp, www.amazon.com

Ordinary working class and middle class Americans are becoming increasingly distraught as tightly held economic and political power drowns out their voices and values in the political halls of power on both the state and federal levels. In "Daring Democracy: Igniting Power, Meaning, and Connection for the America We Want", Adam Eichen (a Democracy Fellow at the Small Planet Institute) and Frances Moore Lappe (the author of "Diet for a Small Planet") offers a fresh and inspiring response to this crisis. "Daring Democracy" opens with an essential truth: It's not the magnitude of a challenge that crushes the human spirit. It's feeling powerless -- in this case, fearing that to stand up for democracy is futile. But "Daring Democracy" holds that it is not. "Daring Democracy" offers riveting stories and little-known evidence that help to demystify how we got here, exposing the well-orchestrated effort that has robbed Americans of their rightful power. But at the heart of this unique study are 'real world' solutions. Even in this divisive time, Americans are uniting across causes and ideologies to create a "canopy of hope" that is aptly referred to as the Democracy Movement. In this invigorating "movement of movements", millions of Americans are leaving despair behind as they push for and achieve historic change. The movement and democracy itself are vital to us as citizens and fulfill human needs (for power, meaning, and connection) essential to our thriving. The underlying message throughout "Daring Democracy" is that courage is contagious in the daring fight for democracy! While unreservedly and urgently recommended for every community and academic library Contemporary Political Science collection and supplemental studies lists, it should be noted for political science students and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "Daring Democracy" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $14.99). Librarians should be aware that there is also a complete and unabridged audio book edition of "Daring Democracy" (Dreamscape Media, 9781520090610, $24.99, CD).


The Environmental Studies Shelf

Land on Fire
Gary Ferguson
Timber Press
133 S.W. Second Avenue, Suite 450, Portland OR 97204-3527
www.timberpress.com
9781604697001, $27.95, HC, 212pp, www.amazon.com

It seams that every year the wildfire season is burning longer and hotter, affecting more and more people, especially in the western United States. "Land on Fire: The New Reality of Wildfire in the West" by nature writer Gary Ferguson deftly explores the fascinating science behind this phenomenon and the ongoing research to find a solution. This gripping narrative details how years of fire suppression and chronic drought have combined to make the situation so dire. "Land on Fire" reveals the extraordinary efforts of those responsible for fighting wildfires, and deftly explains how nature reacts in the aftermath of flames. The inclusion of dramatic photographs acutely reveals the terror and beauty of fire, as well as the staggering effect it has on the landscape. Exceptionally well written, impressively informative, thoughtful and thought-provoking, "Land on Fire" is unreservedly recommended for both community and academic library collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "Land on Fire" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.44).


The Philosophy Shelf

The Law of Nations Treated According to the Scientific Method
Christain Wolff, author
Joseph H. Drake, translator
Thomas Ahnert, editor
Liberty Fund, Inc.
8335 Allison Pointe Trail, Indianapolis, IN 46250
www.libertyfund.org
9780865977655, $24.00, HC, 840pp, www.amazon.com

Christian Wolff's natural law theory was founded on his rationalist philosophy and metaphysics, which were strongly influenced by the philosophy of Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz. Like Leibniz, Wolff was convinced that justice and morality were based on universally valid principles of reason and that these principles were accessible to human understanding without the aid of religious revelation. Wolff did not therefore follow the voluntarist tradition of natural law, which was characteristic of Germany's two other famous natural jurists of the early Enlightenment -- Samuel Pufendorf and Christian Thomasius. The laws of nature, Wolff argued, were not just because God had willed them; rather, God had willed them because they were just. According to Wolff, this natural law was the foundation of the law of nations. Wolff's work considered central issues such as the duties of nations toward themselves and other nations, the laws of war and peace, and the laws governing the treatment of diplomatic representatives. With this new Liberty Fund edition, Wolff's work, heretofore relatively unknown to the English-speaking world, will again become available to scholars and students alike. While unreservedly recommended as a critically important addition to community, and academic library History of Philosophy collections and supplemental studies lists, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "The Law of Nations Treated According to the Scientific Method" is also available in a paperback edition (9780865977662, $14.50).


The Art Shelf

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

Jean Claude (JC) Roy was born in Rochefort-sur-Mer, France, in 1948. After many years living and painting in the province, he now divides his time between his two countries: Canada and France. Primarily a landscape painter, he is entirely self-taught. His works can be found in public and private collections in the United States, Canada, and Europe. It took JC Roy years of painstaking dedication and travel to paint a scene from every town on the island of Newfoundland. And after seeing that grand vision of Newfoundland made available to all in "Fluctuat Nec Mergitur" (also available form Breakwater Books), Roy headed north to finish the second half of his magnum opus. With Roy's singular brushwork, palette, and vision displayed in gorgeously rendered full-color reproductions, and text in English, French, Innuaimun, and Inuttitut, "Terra Magna: Labrador" is a superbly reproduced art book in the form of a landscape compendium that is a delight to browse through and which would make an appealing Memorial Fund selection for a community library collection. Featuring bilingual captioning of the individual paintings, "Terra Magna: Labrador" will prove to be a critically important and enduringly popular addition to personal, professional, and academic library Contemporary Canadian Art History collections.

Tattoos in Japanese Prints
Sarah Thompson
MFA Publications
c/o Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
465 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA 02115
http://www.mfashop.com
9780878468461, $24.95, 152pp, www.amazon.com

The body art of the tattoo is an historical Japanese tradition that is widely recognized as one of the finest in the world for its detail, complexity and compositional skill. Its style and subject matter are drawn from the visual treasure trove of Japanese popular culture, in particular the color woodblock prints of the early 19th century known as ukiyo-e. Beautifully and profusely illustrated throughout, "Tattoos in Japanese Prints" by Sarah Thompson (Curator of Japanese Art, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston) tells the fascinating story of how ukiyo-e first inspired tattoo artists as the pictorial tradition of tattooing in Japan was just beginning. "Tattoos in Japanese Prints" explores the Japanese tattoo's evolving meanings, from symbol of devotion to punishment and even to crime, and reveals the tales behind specific motifs. With lush, colorful images of flowers blooming on the arm of a thief, sea monsters coiling across the back of a hero and legendary warriors battling on the chests of actors, the tattoos in these prints can offer the same vivid inspiration today as they did some 200+ years ago. A unique tribute to a very special form of Japanese art history, "Tattoos in Japanese Prints" is unreservedly recommended for personal, professional, community, and academic library Art History collections in general, and Japanese Art History supplemental studies reading lists in particular.


The Library Science Shelf

Library World Records, third edition
Godfrey Oswald
McFarland & Company
PO Box 611, Jefferson NC 28640
www.mcfarlandpub.com
9781476667775, $65.00, PB, 396pp, www.amazon.com

Now in an significantly updated and expanded third edition, "Library World Records" is a consistently fascinating, informative, and entertaining browse for any dedicated bibliophile or library enthusiast. It covers a myriad of documented facts answering such questions as: Which are the oldest public libraries in the world?; In what years were the first books printed in French, Thai, Japanese, Arabic, Turkish?; What are the oldest extant texts written in Chinese, English, Russian, Spanish?; When was the first major computer database used in libraries?; What are the titles of the largest, smallest or most expensive books ever published?; Where is the world's busiest public library?; Which three books were the first to contain photographs? "Library World Records" by former librarian and information consultant Godfrey Oswald is an indispensable reference work that provides hundreds of fascinating facts about libraries, books, periodicals, reference databases, specialty archives, bookstores, catalogs, technology, information science organizations and library buildings. Thoroughly 'reader friendly' in organization and presentation, "Library World Records" is unreservedly and enthusiastically recommended for the Library Science reference collections of both community and academic libraries. For the personal reading lists of academics, library science students, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject it should be noted that "Library World Records" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $35.99).


The Judicial Studies Shelf

Trends in the Judiciary
David Lowe & Dilip K. Das, editors
Routledge
711 - 3rd Avenue, Floor 8, New York, NY 10017-9209
www.routledge.com
9781498715133, $180.00, HC, 254pp, www.amazon.com

Collaborative compiled and edited by David Lowe (Principal Lecturer at Liverpool John Moores University's Law School) and Dilip K. Das (Professor of Criminal Justice, a former police chief serving in the Indian Police Service for 14 years, and founding editor-in-chief of Police Practice and Research: An International Journal) "Trends in the Judiciary: Interviews with Judges Across the Globe" is the third and newest volume in the outstanding 'Interviews with Global Leaders in Policing, Courts, and Prisons' series, and provides an insider's view of the judicial system. Offering interviews from judges in Africa, Asia, Australasia, Europe, North America, and the West Indies, "Trends in the Judiciary" explores the behind-the-scenes motivations of judges on a global scale, delving into the interviewees opinions on diverse legal systems, the interpretation of legal developments, and current issues in criminal law. Readers of "Trends in the Judiciary" will be experience the judicial system from within, including the plans, protests, and thought processes of practicing judges. Comprised of informed and informative contributions, a list of the contributors and their credentials, a list of acronyms and a glossary of terms, plus two appendices (Questionnaire and Writing Guide used by the Contributors; International Police Executive Symposium), and an index, "Trends in the Judiciary" is especially commended to the attention of criminal justice students and courtroom practitioners alike. While unreservedly recommended for college and university law school library collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Trends in the Judiciary" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $144.00).


The Language Studies Shelf

Plotinus on Beauty and Reality
Sarah Klitenic Wear
Bolchazy-Carducci Publishers
1570 Baskin Road, Mundelein, IL 60060
9780865168428, $29.00, PB, www.bolchazy.com

"Plotinus on Beauty and Reality: A Reader for Enneads I.6 and V.1" by Sarah Klitenic Wear (Professor of Classics, Franciscan University of Steubenville, Steubenville, Ohio) makes accessible to intermediate Greek students two treatises that describe the Neoplatonic cosmos of Plotinus. Enneads I.6 and V.1 treat the creation of the universe, the structure of the levels of reality, the place of the human soul in the universe, and how the soul can return to the One, its creator. The thorough introduction serves as a guide to Plotinus's metaphysics and his reception. Same- and facing-page notes and vocabulary accompany the Greek text of Enneads I.6 and V.1. Appendices including Diotima's Speech from Plato's Symposium, Augustine's reception of Plotinus, and a discussion of Porphyry situate Plotinus's work within a broader philosophical context. Special Features include: an informative Introduction; a Bibliography; Enneads I.6 and V.1 with same- and facing-page notes and vocabulary; Appendix 1: Diotima's Speech: Plato's Symposium, 210a - 211d; Appendix 2: Augustine's Reception of Plotinus: Confessions, Book 9, Chapter 10; Appendix 3: Porphyry: On the Life of Plotinus and the Arrangement of His Work; Appendix 4: Plotinian Technical Philosophical Vocabulary from Enneads I.6 and V.1; Appendix 5: Plotinus Word List. Exceptionally well written, organized and presented, "Plotinus on Beauty and Reality: A Reader for Enneads I.6 and V" is an ideal and unreservedly recommended addition to highschool, college and university library collections and as a valued and student friendly Latin Language Studies supplemental curriculum textbook.


The Veterinary Studies Shelf

Treatment and Care of the Geriatric Veterinary Patient
Mary Gardner & Dani McVety, editors
Wiley-Blackwell
350 Main Street, Malden, MA 02148
www.wiley.com/wiley-blackwell
9781119187219, $79.99, PB, 368pp, www.amazon.com

A very large part of urban veterinary practice is providing medical services (including euthanasia) of elderly family pets. Knowledgeably compiled and deftly edited by Mary Gardner (Hospice Veterinarian, Co-Founder, and Chief Technology Officer at Lap of Love Veterinary Hospice in Orange County, California, USA and Courtesy Lecturer at the University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine in Gainesville, Florida, USA) and Dani McVety (Hospice Veterinarian, Co-Founder, and Chief Executive Officer at Lap of Love Veterinary Hospice in Tampa, Florida, USA and Courtesy Lecturer at the University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine in Gainesville, Florida, USA), "Treatment and Care of the Geriatric Veterinary Patient" is a comprehensive textbook that offers both student veterinarians and practicing professionals with a complete guide to treating and managing geriatric canine and feline patients. "Treatment and Care of the Geriatric Veterinary Patient" offers practical guidance on managing all aspects of veterinary care in geriatric pets; takes a holistic approach to managing the geriatric patient, from common diseases and quality of life to hospice, euthanasia, client communications, and business management; focuses on dogs and cats, with a chapter covering common exotic animals; provides clinically oriented advice for ensuring quality of life for older pets; and includes access to a companion website with videos, client education handouts, and images. Exceptionally well written, organized and presented, "Treatment and Care of the Geriatric Veterinary Patient" is comprised of an informative introduction and 'The Final Chapter' by experienced veterinarian Mary Gardner, and twenty-eight specific articles by experts in the field which are deftly organized into three major sections: They Just Don't Live Long Enough; The Aging Body Systems; What Matters Most In The End. While unreservedly and emphatically recommended for veterinary clinic and academic library Veterinary Medicine collections and supplemental studies lists, it should be noted that "Treatment and Care of the Geriatric Veterinary Patient" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $51.19).


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Diane C. Donovan, Editor
Midwest Book Review
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Oregon, WI 53575-1129
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