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Table of Contents
Reviewer's Choice
What Happened to Millennials: In Defense of a Generation
Charlie Wells
Abrams Press
https://www.abramsbooks.com
9781419770814 $28.00 hc / $14.99 Kindle
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/What-Happened-Millennials-Defense-Generation/dp/1419770810
Synopsis: What happened to millennials? At the birth of America's largest living generation, the outlook was strong:
unparalleled economic growth, the emerging Internet, the rise of the cell phone, and a geopolitics that had allegedly
reached "the end of history" all set expectations exceedingly high for a cohort entering adulthood at the dawn of the new
millennium.
That adulthood - a work in progress for more than a quarter century - has been disrupted by war, recession, pandemic, and
a sharp turn toward cultural and economic polarization. It has also been endlessly critiqued by others as immature, lazy,
weak, incomplete, selfish, and supposedly riddled with failure.
Now, 25 years after the first millennials began turning 18, Bloomberg News reporter Charlie Wells comes to the
generation's defense with a cultural history of an adulthood disrupted. Drawing on hundreds of hours of intimate interviews
with five millennials from across the country, he explores how the biggest events, ideas, and transformations of the century
played out in private lives.
Between the data points and statistical studies, news reports and archival records, his brutally honest, on-the-record
conversations about love, loss, work, addiction, tragedy, and sacrifice reveal how a generation once minimized can no
longer be ignored.
Critique: Award-winning journalist Charlie Wells presents What Happened to Millennials: In Defense of a Generation, a
thoughtful examination of the generation that came of age with the turn of the century. In addition to foundational
sociological research, What Happened to Millennials draws upon extensive interviews with five American millennials to
offer personal examples of how major events and transformations shaped a generation. What Happened to Millennials
challenges negative stereotypes, prompts readers to weigh historical factors, and is a welcome addition to both personal
and public library collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that What Happened to Millennials is also
available in a Kindle edition ($14.99).
The Writing/Publishing Shelf
The Screenwriting Sensei
Paul Chitlik
Michael Wiese Productions
www.mwp.com
9781615933631, $27.95, PB, 224pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Screenwriting-Sensei-Complete-Writing-Script/dp/1615933638
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-screenwriting-sensei-paul-chitlik/1146911509
Synopsis: Award-winning screenwriter and legendary UCLA and Loyola Marymount professor Paul Chitlik has taught
thousands of students how to write their first script -- and now with the publication of "The Screenwriting Sensei: A
Complete Guide to Writing Your First Script" he has created is a one volume DIY style film school class instructional
textbook that takes the aspiring screen writer step-by-step from first idea to final page.
"The Screenwriting Sensei" successfully recreates the classroom experience at a top film school, guiding you through each
phase of the writing process with clear lessons and practical assignments.
Critique: Exceptional, comprehensive, thoroughly 'reader/user' friendly in organization and presentation, "The
Screenwriting Sensei: A Complete Guide to Writing Your First Script" is the ideal DIY instructional guide for the novice
and aspiring screenwriter wanting to produce scripts that will result in movie and television productions. While also
available in a digital book format (9781615933686, $27.95, Kindle), this paperback edition of "The Screenwriting Sensei"
from Michael Wiese Productions is especially and unreservedly recommended for personal, professional, community,
college, and university library Screenwriting instructional reference collections and supplemental Cinematic/Screenwriting
curriculum studies lists.
Editorial Note: Paul Chitlik (https://paulchitlik.com) is an Award-winning screenwriter and legendary professor of
screenwriting at UCLA and Loyola Marymount University. He has written for all the major studios and networks and
taught at universities around the world. He was a story editor for The Twilight Zone (1985 - 1989), a staff writer on
Showtime's Brothers, and the writer-producer on UPN's Alien Abduction, among hundreds of hours of working on
television and film. He has overseen the development of more than 2,500 scripts both professionally and
academically.
The Social Issues Shelf
The Seven Mountains Mandate
Matthew Boedy
Westminster John Knox Press
www.wjkbooks.com
9780664269210, $25.00, HC, 226pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Seven-Mountains-Mandate-Dangerous-Christianize/dp/0664269214
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-seven-mountains-mandate-matthew-boedy/1146996351
Synopsis: With the publication of "The Seven Mountains Mandate: Exposing the Dangerous Plan to Christianize America
and Destroy Democracy", Professor Matthew Boedy exposes the decades-long plan to radically transform America -- how
the Seven Mountains Movement, prosperity preachers, and political operatives are destroying democracy under Trump's
second administration.
The movement to install a populist strongman in the White House with a game plan for enforcing right-wing policies and
catering to evangelical Christians started well before Donald Trump's first candidacy. For decades, a well-funded network
of religious and political operatives has been quietly working to dismantle democracy and replace it with Christian
theocracy. Their strategy?
The Seven Mountains Mandate is a plan to seize control of seven key pillars of American society and reshape the nation in
the fields of:
Education
Government
Religion
Family
Business
Media
Entertainment
Academician and scholar Matthew Boedy also exposes how this movement (driven by prosperity preachers, extremist
politicians, and right-wing power brokers) laid the groundwork for Trump's presidency and is now advancing its agenda
under his second administration.
From local school board elections to billion-dollar megachurches, this multipronged effort is reshaping the country in ways
most Americans don't even realize.
Professor Boedy's readers will discover what has motivated the key players in this movement, how they've operated, and
what is the unprecedented role of millennial "kingmaker" Charlie Kirk, founder of Turning Point USA and the new face of
Christian nationalism and the seven mountains movement, who believes that "we finally have a president who understands
the seven mountains of cultural influence".
Today's news is so much more than the scattershot orders of an extreme administration. With Project 2025 policies in
motion, the seven mountains movement is closer than ever to its goal of turning America into a Christian nationalist state.
Leaders of this movement have been playing a long game, undermining democracy to establish a theocracy, but it's not too
late to halt their progress and reverse the tide.
"The Seven Mountains Mandate: Exposing the Dangerous Plan to Christianize America and Destroy Democracy" clearly
reveals what's happening behind the scenes -- and what you can do to stop it!
Critique: Simply stated, "The Seven Mountains Mandate: Exposing the Dangerous Plan to Christianize America and
Destroy Democracy" by Professor Matthew Boedy is a timely and clarion call to action if we are to preserve and protect the
Constitution of the United States and our American style democracy against the rising tide of home grown fascism,
authoritarianism, civic corruption, and political violence. While especially and unreservedly recommended for personal,
professional, community, and college/university library Contemporary Social Issues and Political Science collections and
supplemental curriculum studies lists, it should be noted that this hardcover edition of "The Seven Mountains Mandate:
Exposing the Dangerous Plan to Christianize America and Destroy Democracy" from WJK Press is also readily available
to students, academia, political activists, governmental policy makers, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in
the subject in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
Editorial Note: Matthew Boedy (https://www.matthewboedy.com) was targeted by Turning Point USA in 2016 and listed
on its "professor watchlist" after speaking up against allowing concealed guns on college campuses. As one of the foremost
experts on Turning Point USA and its founder and CEO Charlie Kirk, Boedy exposes their role in perpetuating Christian
nationalism in the United States and the threat to democracy they pose. With a background in journalism, an MFA in
creative writing, and a PhD in rhetoric, he is a dynamic and experienced scholar whose first book, Speaking of Evil,
explored the evolving rhetoric surrounding evil. Boedy currently teaches rhetoric and composition courses at the
University of North Georgia.
The Environmental Studies Shelf
Riverine Dreams
George Frazier
University of Chicago Press
www.press.uchicago.edu
9780226838793, $26.00, HC, 296pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Riverine-Dreams-Glorious-Forgotten-Grassland/dp/022683879X
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/riverine-dreams-george-frazier/1147038651
Synopsis: The North American grasslands that once covered vast areas of the central United States are now our most
endangered ecosystems. But not far from any spot in the grasslands is a river. Grassland rivers are as central to the story of
prairies as bison and bluestem. Defined as rivers that drain prairie watersheds, these waterways are crucial to plains
ecosystems and no less endangered than the grasslands surrounding them.
They are also enigmatic: some are restricted by local access laws and others have simply been forgotten. In any given year,
fewer than a dozen people might lay eyes on tens of thousands of miles of America's grassland rivers. But, with the
publication of "Riverine Dreams: Away to the Glorious and Forgotten Grassland Rivers of America", environmental writer
George Frazier shows that following their twists and turns is one of the best ways to experience the wild essence of the
prairies.
"Riverine Dreams" also invites us on a trip along eight grassland rivers (including the Missouri, the Niobrara, and
Purgatoire) traversing their environmental and cultural histories and introducing us to the people who study, paddle, and
conserve them. This journey takes Frazier across the North American interior (from Montana and Colorado to Nebraska
and Missouri) where he uncovers a remarkable movement to celebrate and preserve these natural treasures: nothing less
than a grassland river revival.
The first accessible introduction to these waters, "Riverine Dreams" is a personal and professional exploration of the rivers
that are so vital to the health of the prairies.
Critique: An original, seminal, deftly crafted, unique and groundbreaking study, "Riverine Dreams: Away to the Glorious
and Forgotten Grassland Rivers of America" by George Frazier is especially and unreservedly recommended addition to
personal, professional, community, and college/university library Nature Conservationism and Ecotourism Travel Guide
collections, as well as supplement Ecology/Environmental Studies curriculum lists. Impressively comprehensive,
accessibly informative, and thoroughly 'reader friendly' in organization and presentation, it should be noted for students,
academia, environmental activists, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that this hardcover
edition of "Riverine Dreams: Away to the Glorious and Forgotten Grassland Rivers of America" from the University of
Chicago Press is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $24.70).
Editorial Note: George Frazier is the author of The Last Wild Places of Kansas: Journeys into Hidden Landscapes. He lives
in Lawrence, Kansas, with his wife and daughter.
The Psychology Shelf
Conducting Research As a Behavior Analyst Practitioner
Dennis H. Reid, author
Dorothea C. Lerman, author
Charles C. Thomas, Publisher
https://www.ccthomas.com
9780398094713, $45.95, PB, 306pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Conducting-Research-Behavior-Analyst-Practitioner/dp/0398094713
Synopsis: With the publication of "Conducting Research As a Behavior Analyst Practitioner: Benefits, Strategies, and
Missteps to Avoid ", co-authors Dennis H. Reid and Dorothea C. Leman describe how interested practitioners can
successfully engage in behavior analytic research during their ongoing work, whether functioning as a clinician, supervisor,
consultant, or staff trainer.
Analytical strategies are described in practical terms for selecting topics amenable for research in typical human service
agencies, planning and implementing applied research procedures, and writing papers about research for publication and
presentation purposes.
Common obstacles practitioners often face in incorporating research within their service delivery are also presented along
with specific means of overcoming them. Such means include, for example, collaborative processes to ensure sufficient
personnel resources to assist with research activities, promoting agency support for applied research, using existing
behavior analytic skills that are relevant for conducting research, refining practitioner skills when necessary for research
purposes, and selecting research methodologies that are most readily applicable within ongoing service delivery.
Additionally, attention is directed to how practitioners can comply with important ethical requirements associated with
research involving agency clients and staff. An underlying intent of "Conducting Research As a Behavior Analyst
Practitioner: Benefits, Strategies, and Missteps to Avoid" is to help interested practitioners initiate, complete, and publish
research that results in significant professional and personal benefits and, in turn, enhanced quality of work life.
Critique: Comprehensive, exceptionally well written, thoroughly 'reader/user' friendly in organization and presentation, this
trade paperback edition of "Conducting Research As a Behavior Analyst Practitioner: Benefits, Strategies, and Missteps to
Avoid" from Charles C. Thomas Publisher is an ideal textbook and unreservedly recommended for personal, professional,
college/university library Psychology collections and supplemental Psychology Testing/Measurements curriculum studies
lists.
Editorial Note #1: Dennis H. Reid (https://www.dennishreidau.com) has over 40 years of experience providing, directing,
and researching provision of supports and services for people with intellectual disabilities and autism. He has published
over 150 journal articles, chapters, and books as well as several widely used training curricula. His work is heavily
grounded in applied behavior analysis (ABA), focusing on promoting quality staff performance and enhancing life quality
among people with developmental disabilities.
Editorial Note #2: Dorothea C. Lerman is affiliated with the Center for Autism and Developmental Disabilities, University
of Houston - Clear Lake. She has published on such topics as 3D Element, Augmented Reality Games, Autism Spectrum,
Autism Spectrum Disorder Children, Dangerous Situations, Edge Server, Game System, HoloLens, Intelligence Services,
Mixed Reality, Neurotypical Children, and Real-World Environments.
(https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Dorothea-Lerman)
Calm Within Chaos
Paul DeRenzo
Your Mindful Moments, PLLC
https://www.yourmindfulmoments.com
9798899715983, $23.99, HC, 218pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Calm-Within-Chaos-Comprehensive-Resilience/dp/B0FBX33J91
Synopsis: Teens growing up in the 21st century are living in a world where social media, new technologies, and rapid
spreading of information make them feel more connected than ever before. With this connectedness also comes new social,
academic, and personal pressures nobody could have imagined decades ago. It is not surprising that over 70% of teens
report feeling stressed on a daily basis, according to a 2024 research report by the American Psychological
Association.
"Calm Within Chaos: A Teen's Comprehensive Guide to Managing Anxiety, Stress, and Anger for Greater Emotional
Resilience, Social Confidence, and Academic Success" by Paul DeRenzo is for teens who find themselves caught in the
whirlwind of stress, anxiety, or anger, and not knowing what you can do to get out of it -- and for the parents/caregivers of
teenagers who searching for ways to better understand and support a teenager through these inevitable emotional
struggles.
Inspired by countless conversations with teens (conversations that started with confusion, frustration, and feelings of being
misunderstood but ended with clarity and hope), "Calm Within Chaos" is specifically designed to enable the reader to
navigate these situations. While emotional struggles are an unavoidable part of growing up, having the right tools to
manage them makes all the difference.
But "Calm Within Chaos" isn't just about learning to control your emotions -- it also empowers you to live more fully,
make better decisions, and build lasting, meaningful relationships. Whether you're looking to reduce stress, improve your
mood, or understand your teen's emotional world, "Calm Within Chaos" provides the tools you need to create lasting
change including:
Science-backed explanations of how we develop and experience emotions
Techniques to address emotional triggers and develop healthy responses
Exercises to build skills in identifying emotions, managing stress, and building resilience
10 interactive challenges, quizzes, and reflections to reinforce your understanding
"Calm Within Chaos" is meant to help teens immediately! Each chapter ends with a 7-day long Teen Inner Peace
Challenge that will tell teens exactly how to apply the lessons from that chapter in their actual life. This will help them
navigate complex relationships with friends and classmates, family members, and even their social media
relationships.
Parents/caregivers can use these challenges as a guide to help them ask the right questions to their teen and play a part in
helping their teen gain healthy control of their emotions.
Critique: Original, effective, 'real world' practical, and offering a complete DIY course in crisis and stress management,
"Calm Within Chaos: A Teen's Comprehensive Guide to Managing Anxiety, Stress, and Anger for Greater Emotional
Resilience, Social Confidence, and Academic Success" by licenced therapist and counselor Paul DeRenzo is a
exceptionally 'reader/user' friendly in organization and presentation making it an ideal and unreservedly recommended
addition to personal, professional, family, community, and college/university library Adolescent Psychology & Counseling
collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists. "Calm Within Chaos" is not just for teens, and will help readers of
all ages who are dealing with anxiety and stress. It should be noted for that this hardcover edition of "Calm Within Chaos"
from Your Mindful Moments is also readily available in paperback (9798899716003, $16.99) and in a digital book format
(Kindle, $9.99).
Editorial Note: Paul DeRenzo, MSCP, NCC, LMHCA is a licensed therapist with over 10 years of experience helping
teens and adults navigate emotional challenges. He has expertise in addressing ADHD, anxiety, coping skills, depression,
family conflict, parenting, stress, and more. His approach blends mindfulness techniques with cognitive-behavioral
strategies to help develop emotional resilience, manage stress, and thrive in everyday life. His writing focuses on
presenting practical tools he has used in his career in a concise and easy-to-follow way. He is also the founder of Your
Mindful Moments, LLC. When he is not working with clients, he is working on building Your Mindful Moments as a
publisher dedicated to helping people take control of their emotional well-being.
The Science Shelf
Elementary Particle Physics: The Higgs and Beyond
Medicine National Academies of Sciences, Engineering
The National Academies Press
www.nap.edu
9780309732772, $24.00, PB, 98pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Elementary-Particle-Physics-Higgs-Beyond/dp/0309732778
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/elementary-particle-physics-national-academies-of-sciences-engineering-and-medicin
e/1147605202
Synopsis: Elementary particle physics reflects the human quest to understand the basic building blocks of nature and the
rules that govern the physical world. This quest has led not only to critical scientific advancements and technology
breakthroughs, but also to the development of essential technologies enabling new medical treatments, productive
techniques in manufacturing, and enhanced capabilities in quantum computing, as well as ancillary benefits such as the
precursor to the World Wide Web, which was created to manage the enormous data flows at CERN.
Created at the request of the Department of Energy and the National Science Foundation, "Elementary Particle Physics:
The Higgs and Beyond" is an up to date report that explores long-term goals and future ambitions for particle physics.
"Elementary Particle Physics: The Higgs and Beyond" ably presents a bold 40-year vision for the field and highlights
critical actions necessary to make this vision reality. The recommendations of this report will guide support and
investments to maintain U.S. leadership in particle physics and move the field forward.
Critique: This large format (8.50(w) x 11.00(h) x 0.00(d), 1.1 pounds) paperback edition of "Elementary Particle Physics:
The Higgs and Beyond" from The National Academies Press is an exceptionally well written, illustrated, organized and
presented study that is unreservedly recommended as a core and essential addition to personal, professional, college and
university library Science & Particle Physics collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists.
Editorial Note: The National Academies Press (NAP) publishes more than 200 publications per year on a wide range of
topics in science, engineering, and medicine, providing authoritative, independently researched information on important
matters in science and health policy.
The Education Shelf
Improving Instruction Together
Steve Ventura
ASCD
www.ascd.org
9781416633761, $32.95, PB, 147pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Improving-Instruction-Together-Leading-Achievement/dp/1416633766
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/improving-instruction-together-steve-ventura/1147486121
Synopsis: Strong instructional leadership is the cornerstone of student success. But what truly makes an instructional
leader effective, and how can you foster a collaborative environment where teacher teams thrive?
With the publication of "Improving Instruction Together: Leading Achievement Teams and PLCs", academician Steve
Ventura draws on years of experience and research-based strategies to demystify the often-challenging role of educational
leadership. Through practical frameworks, field-tested protocols, and real-world examples, he equips you with the tools to
build your collective: a unified community of educators aligned in their vision of success.
"Improving Instruction Together" is a powerful resource that shows you how to:
Cultivate a leadership mindset grounded in clarity, consistency, and accountability.
Guide teacher teams and professional learning communities (PLCs) with purpose and precision.
Balance people-centered practices with essential organizational structures.
Maximize the indicators of effective collaboration to make your teams more successful.
Foster a culture of reflection that drives continuous improvement.
Ventura also provides a sustainable road map for implementation that emphasizes specific leadership and coaching actions.
Whether you are a principal, an assistant principal, an instructional coach, or a teacher leader, you will find practical
guidance to elevate your impact and amplify student success. The path to academic excellence can be challenging, but with
the right leadership approach, it's paved with exciting opportunities for transformation.
Critique: This trade paperback (6.8 x 0.4 x 10 inches) edition of "Improving Instruction Together: Leading Achievement
Teams and PLCs" is exceptionally 'reader friendly' in organization and presentation, making it an ideal pick for school
district in-service training workshops for classroom instructors and college/university library supplemental Teacher
Education curriculum studies lists. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of K-12 educators that "Improving
Instruction Together: Leading Achievement Teams and PLCs" from ASCD is also readily available in a digital book
format (Kindle, $31.99).
Editorial Note: Steve Ventura is the president and lead consultant at Advanced Collaborative Solutions. A highly
motivational and knowledgeable speaker, he brings practical, research-based strategies to high-stakes professional
development. Steve's experience includes roles as an elementary and secondary teacher and as a school and district-level
administrator. He has authored multiple books and articles, including Improving Instruction Together and Achievement
Teams, and is a frequent presenter and keynote speaker at global education events. Steve is passionate about helping
school-based leaders build a culture of collective efficacy through his flagship work, Achievement Teams, which has
supported countless educators in enhancing their teaching practice.
(https://www.goodreads.com/author/list/369237.Steve_Ventura)
The American History Shelf
Catching Hell from All Quarters
Sean Rost
University of Missouri Press
https://upress.missouri.edu
9780826223289, $55.00, HC, 412pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Catching-Hell-All-Quarters-Anti-Klan/dp/0826223281
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/catching-hell-from-all-quarters-sean-rost/1146352382
Synopsis: In "Catching Hell from All Quarters: Anti-Klan Activists in Interwar Missouri, historian and researcher Sean
Rost works to invert the traditional history of what has been termed the second Ku Klux Klan (1915-1930) by examining
the efforts of anti-Klan activists, in particular in Missouri, who challenged the growth, recruitment, and political ambitions
of the Invisible Empire during the 1920s and 1930s through editorial crusades, educational campaigns, public pressure on
elected officials, political investigations, and in some cases counter-vigilantism.
Although anti-Klan activism was nation-wide, Missouri provides an excellent case study for the rise and fall of the second
Klan as the organization gained a large membership and obtained a notable level of political power in some parts of the
Show-Me State. Significantly, despite membership totals comparable to that of neighboring states, the Missouri Klan did
not translate its recruiting success into substantial influence and political power due to significant local opposition from
anti-Klan activists.
"Catching Hell from All Quarters" also addresses key questions about the legacy of the Klan, both in Missouri and
nationwide. Traditional scholarship on the second Klan stops at the hooded order's decline at the start of the Great
Depression, thus neatly splitting that era's Klan from the Civil Rights Movement era Klan of the 1950s and 1960s. This
book, however, draws direct connections between both eras by highlighting continued anti-Klan activism as well as several
far-right, fascist, and white supremacist organizations that found support among Klan members (both active and former)
during the 1930s and 1940s and aided not only in the Klan's re-emergence after World War II but also influenced
present-day hate groups.
Critique: An original, seminal, and groundbreaking study, "Catching Hell from All Quarters: Anti-Klan Activists in
Interwar Missouri" by Sean Rost is informatively enhanced for the reader's benefit with the inclusion of twenty-one
Illustrations, a sixteen page Introduction, a sixteen Epilogue, sixty pages of Notes, an eighteen page Bibliography, and a
ten page Index. A deftly crafted and impressively informative study that is thoroughly 'reader friendly' in organization and
presentation, "Catching Hell from All Quarters: Anti-Klan Activists in Interwar Missouri" is especially and unreservedly
recommended for personal, community, and college/university library 20th Century American History and Klu Klux Klan
History collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists. It should be noted for students, academia, historians, and
non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that this hardcover edition of "Catching Hell from All
Quarters: Anti-Klan Activists in Interwar Missouri" from the University of Missouri Press is also available in a digital
book format (Kindle, $52.25).
Editorial Note: Sean Rost (https://history.missouri.edu/people/rost) is the Assistant Director of Research at the State
Historical Society of Missouri. He earned his PhD from the University of Missouri-Columbia and specializes in
twentieth-century U.S. and Missouri history. He also holds a master's degree in history from Lincoln University and a
bachelor's degree in history education from William Woods University. Prior to joining the State Historical Society of
Missouri as an Oral Historian, he taught at Columbia College-Jefferson City, William Woods University, Westminster
College, and the University of Missouri-Columbia.
The World History Shelf
A Brief History of the Last 2 1/2 Million Years
Anthony O'Keeffe
Independently Published
9781068168604, $12.99, PB, 172pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Brief-History-Last-Million-Years/dp/1068168609
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-brief-history-of-the-last-21-2-million-years-anthony-okeeffe/1148267490
Synopsis: Spanning 2.5 million years of human history, "A Brief History of the Last 2 1/2 Million Years: When and Why
We Created God and How Religious Belief Transforms Our Evolution" by Anthony O'Keeffe is a bold, sweeping
exploration of the three milestones that shape our evolution. The most important of which is religious belief.
O'Keeffe unpacks the causal relationship between the arrival our of species, the birth of ritual and the creation of our gods,
tracing a lineage from primitive tool use and early cave art, to organized religion and the philosophical questions that
continue to define us today.
"A Brief History of the Last 2 1/2 Million Years draws together the remarkable discoveries that we have recently made into
our ancient past, to delve into why we believe, and what we believe in. Also explored is how those beliefs then shaped the
subsequent development of law, morality and the civilizations that followed.
Drawing on biological anthropology, philosophy, archaeology and evolutionary science, O'Keeffe builds a compelling case
for viewing religious belief as the transformative milestone in human evolution.
For readers of philosophy, human history and religion alike, this will prove to be a provocative and illuminating read that
challenges assumptions and invites renewed reflection on what it means to be human.
Critique: Offering an original, seminal, thought provoking and exceptional study of human history from the paleolithic to
the present day, "A Brief History of the Last 2 1/2 Million Years: When and Why We Created God and How Religious
Belief Transforms Our Evolution" by Anthony O'Keeffe is a simply fascinating read from start to finish. Informed and
informative, this unique study into human religious and cultural beliefs down through the ages is exceptionally 'reader
friendly' in organization and presentation. While especially and unreservedly recommended for personal, professional,
community, and college/university library World History and Religion/Philosophy collections, it should be noted for
students, academia, clergy, seminary students, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that this
paperback edition of "A Brief History of the Last 2 1/2 Million Years: When and Why We Created God and How
Religious Belief Transforms Our Evolution" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle,$2.99).
Editorial Note: Anthony O'Keeffe (https://anthonyokeeffe.com) brings a unique narrative lens to his exploration of
prehistory, the origins of belief and their impact on human evolution. Drawing on research from anthropology,
archaeology, ancient history and philosophy, his writing invites readers to rethink how religious belief has shaped our
development as a species.
The Military History Shelf
Neville Chamberlain's War
Frederic Seager
McFarland & Company
https://mcfarlandbooks.com
9781476698489, $39.95, PB, 217pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Neville-Chamberlains-War-Campaign-1939-1940/dp/1476698481
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/neville-chamberlains-war-frederic-seager/1147273757
McFarland & Company
https://mcfarlandbooks.com/product/neville-chamberlains-war
Synopsis: British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain, the arch-appeaser of 1938, waged the only war he could manage: a
war of appeasement that was phoney and self-defeating from the start.
He did not seek the defeat of Germany, since the British establishment considered that country to be the prime bulwark
against Bolshevism in Europe. He assumed that the good German people would replace Hitler with a government
amenable to Britain once they saw the threats of a fully mobilized French army and a British naval blockade.
Chamberlain had tried mightily to avoid a war with Germany. His hastily conceived guarantee to Poland was meant to
deter Hitler from starting one. Instead, the Phoney War resulted in Hitler's greatest triumph -- the conquest of Western,
democratic Europe, whose industrial and agricultural resources allowed Nazi Germany to pursue its aggression against the
Soviet Union.
As an island, Britain survived the defeat of 1940 and eventually emerged on the side of the victors. "Neville Chamberlain's
War: The British Campaign Against Hitler, 1939-1940" by Frederic Seager is a thoroughly researched history that presents
the entire story of Chamberlain's Phoney War and carries an important lesson: any power that goes to war without
weighing its chances of victory is courting disaster.
Critique: A seminal and groundbreaking study that focuses on an increasingly obscure series of diplomatic decisions by a
British Prime Minister that enabled Germany's launching a war of conquest on the European continent not seen sense the
Napoleonic Wars. Fascinating, original, and exceptional work of meticulously exhaustive research, "Neville Chamberlain's
War: The British Campaign Against Hitler, 1939-1940" by Frederic Seager is informatively enhanced for the reader's
benefit with the inclusion of a six page Introduction, a sixteen page Epilogue (Yalta and Beyond), a ten page Bibliography,
and a three page Index. While a highly recommended acquisition for community and college/university library World War
II collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists, it should be noted for students, academia, military history buffs,
and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that this trade paperback edition of "Neville Chamberlain's
War: The British Campaign Against Hitler, 1939-1940" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $25.99).
Editorial Note: Frederic Seager is a Canadian historian, now retired from active teaching at the Universite de Montreal. His
research has been focused primarily on Franco-German relations and on the two World Wars.
(https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2087761.Frederic_Seager)
The Political Science Shelf
Rational Thoughts
Sam Galanis
Page Publishing Inc.
www.pagepublishing.com
9798891578050, $13.95, PB, 70pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Rational-Thoughts-Common-Improvements-America/dp/B0D8MJBNB3
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/rational-thoughts-sam-galanis/1145945479
Synopsis: With the publication of "Rational Thoughts: Commonsense Improvements to Life in America", author Sam
Galanis provides the interest reader with a comprehensive guide to delving into the intricacies of the contemporary
condition of the United States.
Galanis imparts impressive insights into politics, finance, and both civilian and professional spheres, urging his readers to
engage in critical thinking and explore a spectrum of perspectives.
Skillfully transcending superficial discussions, Galanis adeptly presents an indispensable companion, fostering positive
transformations by promoting profound discussions on the interwoven elements shaping life in America over the
years.
"Rational Thoughts: Common Sense Improvements to Life In America" will encourage its readers to reflect on their roles
as citizens, consumers, and professionals, empowering them to contribute substantially to the ongoing evolution of the
American way of life.
Critique: Timely, exceptionally well written, informatively insightful, thoughtful and thought-provoking, "Rational
Thoughts: Common Sense Improvements to Life In America" by Sam Galanis is an inspiring and unreservedly
recommended addition to personal, professional, community, and college/university library Contemporary Political
Science collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists. It should be noted for students, academia, political activists,
governmental policy makers, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that his paperback edition
from Page Publishing is also readily available for personal reading lists in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
Editorial Note: For over fifty-three years, author Sam Galanis served as a financial advisor and was a senior institutional
consultant to public pension plans with the internationally recognized designation of CIMA (Certified Investment
Management Analyst).
The Wildlife Shelf
Woodpecker: A Year in the Life of North American Woodpeckers
Paul Bannick
Mountaineers Books
www.mountaineersbooks.org
9781680513165, $39.95, HC, 224pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Woodpecker-Year-North-American-Woodpeckers/dp/1680513168
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/woodpecker-paul-bannick/1147066075
Synopsis: Woodpeckers are one of the most remarkable bird species found in the avian world. They have evolved in ways
that make them ecologically critical to forest health, serving as keystone species in a variety of wooded habitats across
North America. Their activities support a variety of other creatures, making them catalysts of diversity in the places they
inhabit. They are, in many ways, the heartbeat of the forest.
With the publication of "Woodpecker: A Year in the Life of North American Woodpeckers" and informed by his own
experiences in the field as well as his extensive research, author and wildlife photographer Paul Bannick delves into the
natural and cultural history of woodpeckers from the boreal forest of northern Canada to oak woodlands and conifer forests
in the United States to the wet tropical forests of Mexico and the Caribbean.
Bannick fully captures the woodpeckers' charismatic behavior as well as their colorful displays and sensitive habitats in
astonishing images. And with accessible, science-based text, Bannick explores their courtship and nest selection process in
spring; life in the nest during summer; fledging and gaining independence in autumn; and the challenges of winter
survival.
Bannick also compares and contrasts typical behavior and anomalies among the 41 woodpecker species in North America,
and shares their conservation outlook for the future.
Robust captions, interesting sidebars, and a comprehensive field guide round out this extraordinary volume.
Critique: This large format (9.5 x 0.75 x 10.75 inches, 2.8 pounds) hardcover coffee-table style edition of Paul Bannick's
original and simple outstanding study "Woodpecker: A Year in the Life of North American Woodpeckers" from
Mountaineers Books is a truly fascinating, exceptionally informative, beautifully illustrated, and deftly crafted read from
cover to cover -- and one that will be considered an essential, core addition to personal, professional, community, and
college/university library Avian Wildlife collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists.
Editorial Note: Paul Bannick (https://paulbannick.com) is an award-winning author and photographer who makes images
to inspire education and conservation. Paul's photography has won awards in several prestigious contests, including those
hosted by Audubon Magazine and the International Conservation Photography Awards. His work appears in many bird
guides, including those from Audubon, Peterson, and The Smithsonian and has been featured in a variety of other books,
publications and national exhibits.
The Biography Shelf
Anna Atkins: Photographer, Naturalist, Innovator
Corey Keller
Getty Publications
www.getty.edu/publications
9781947440111, $21.95, HC, 112pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Anna-Atkins-Photographer-Naturalist-Innovator/dp/194744011X
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/anna-atkins-corey-keller/1146960408
Synopsis: With the publication of "Anna Atkins: Photographer, Naturalist, Innovator" by photography historian Corey
Keller, readers will step into the world of Anna Atkins (1799 - 1871), who was arguably the world's first female
photographer and a pioneer of the medium.
Anna Atkins lived an existence full of heartache and triumph, from her mother's death when Atkins was an infant to her
publication of multiple photographic books as an adult. After the passing of her mother, Atkins was raised primarily by her
father and grandfather, who placed an emphasis on both her emotional and intellectual growth.
As a result, she spent her life surrounded by some of the brightest minds of the day while they experimented in her family's
lab. Thanks to familial support and her own innate curiosity, Atkins felt empowered to pursue her passion for the natural
world alongside several of the greatest inventors of Victorian England during the Industrial Revolution.
Despite societal gender norms of the era, which typically limited women to a life within the home, Atkins gained the
respect of the scientific community with her ambitious multi-volume album Photographs of British Algae: Cyanotype
Impressions, now recognized as the world's first photographically illustrated book.
Her cyanotypes, in addition to their scientific accuracy, added a sense of artistic beauty to her publications, setting the stage
for new uses of this already experimental technology. In an era replete with state-of-the-art inventions and innovative
ideas, Anna Atkins pushed photography forward in its earliest days with courage, creativity, and brilliance.
Critique: A seminal and groundbreaking illustrated biography of historical interest to photography students and
amateur/professional photographers, "Anna Atkins: Photographer, Naturalist, Innovator" from Getty Publications is a
unique, informative, exceptional, unreservedly recommended for personal, professional, community and college/university
library History of Photography and 19th Century American Biography collections and supplemental curriculum studies
lists.
Editorial Note: Corey Keller is an acclaimed historian of photography who is based in Oakland, California. She currently
serves as adjunct professor in the photography program at California College of the Arts.
(https://photographmag.com/in-profile/may-june-2017-the-curators)
A German Jew's Triumph
Cindy Schweich Handler
McFarland & Company
https://mcfarlandbooks.com
9781476697352, $49.95, PB, 288pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/German-Jews-Triumph-Oppenheimer-Denazification/dp/1476697353
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-german-jews-triumph-cindy-schweich-handler/1146000118
McFarland & Company
https://mcfarlandbooks.com/product/a-german-jews-triumph
Synopsis: When Prussian soldier Fritz Oppenheimer left the World War I battlefield with two Iron Crosses, he could never
have imagined that the pinnacle of his military career would come 27 years later at the German surrender in World War II,
when he took top Nazi leaders into captivity and interrogated Wilhelm Keitel, head of the Wehrmacht.
A towering personality packed into a 5'3" frame, Oppenheimer was a wealthy Jewish Berliner who fled the Third Reich in
mid-1938, joined basic training in the U.S. Army at 45, and ultimately became General Eisenhower's legal aide and
translator, tasked with helping to build a sustainable postwar democracy in his former homeland. This historical biography
presents an untold David-and-Goliath story, demonstrating how one person's efforts can help change the course of history
and forge a more hopeful future.
Critique: A singularly fascinating, exceptionally well written, and impressively informative biography that also includes
and eight page Foreword (The Death She Wanted), a two page Prologue (The Refugee Returns), a four page Epilogue
(Looking Back On The Journey), twenty pages of Chapter Notes, a four page listing of Sources, and a fourteen page Index,
"A German Jew's Triumph: Fritz Oppenheimer and the Denazification of Germany" by Cindy Schweich Handler is an
extraordinary, unique, and unreservedly recommended addition to personal, community, and college/university library
World War II History/Biography collections. It should be noted for students, academia, military history buffs, and anyone
with an interest in denazification of Germany after the World War II ended in Europe that this trade paperback edition of
"A German Jew's Triumph: Fritz Oppenheimer and the Denazification of Germany " from McFarland & Company is also
available in a digital book format (Kindle, $29.99).
Editorial Note: Cindy Schweich Handler's work has appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, Newsweek,
Huffington Post and a host of other national publications.
(https://www.northjersey.com/staff/2648043001/cindy-schweich-handler)
Chapel Perilous
Gabriel Kennedy
Media Heist Publications
https://mediaheist.org/publications
9798991490528, $29.99, HC, 301pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Chapel-Perilous-Thought-Crimes-Robert/dp/B0DK41G53G
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/chapel-perilous-gabriel-kennedy/1147429789
Synopsis: With the publication of "Chapel Perilous: The Life & Thought Crimes of Robert Anton Wilson", author Gabriel
Kennedy has produced the first biography of the late counter-cultural novelist and underground philosopher, Robert Anton
Wilson (January 18, 1932 - January 11, 2007).
Co-authored with Robert Shea of "Illuminatus!" (one of American literature's most notorious novels) Wilson's life and
work were infused with magical insight and strange occurrence. In this detailed and comprehensive biography, Gabriel
Kennedy charts the undergrowth of Wilson's influence, from his time as a pioneering journalist in the American
underground press movement, to his work at Playboy magazine, and his long writing career on the fringes of the literary
world.
In "Chapel Perilous", Kennedy also presents a deeply inspiring work of creative genius and human struggle in a world run
by madmen.
Critique: Original, informative, meticulously researched, groundbreaking, deftly written, and a simply fascinating read
from start to finish, "Chapel Perilous: The Life & Thought Crimes of Robert Anton Wilson" by Gabriel Kennedy is the
extraordinary biography of an extraordinary man and will be of immense appeal to readers with an interest in Agnosticism,
Journalism, 20th Century Metaphysical Literature, and American Biography/Memoir collections. While this hardcover
edition of "Chapel Perilous" from Media Heist Publications is especially and unreservedly recommended for community
and college/university library collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that it is also readily available in
paperback (9798991490528, $24.99) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
Editorial Note: Gabriel Kennedy (aka Prop Anon) spent many years as a Hip-Hop artist known as Prop Anon, producing
music, videos, and street art under that name. Later, Prop started a doom metal band called 'Hail Eris!' releasing the
eponymous album, Hail Eris! which can be found on bandcamp.com along with Prop Anon music. As a writer, Gabriel's
work has been published by BoingBoing.net, Mondo2000.com, and his own websites Prop-anon.com and
chapelperilous.us, as well as his Medium page, Propanon99.medium.com. And finally, Gabriel has his own podcast, aptly
titled The Propanon Podcast (https://rss.com/podcasts/propanonpodcast), where he has interviewed some important and
fun guests on there.
The General Fiction Shelf
What Love Leaves Behind
Marion L. Thomas
L.B Publishing
https://www.lbpublishingbooks.com
9798989397938, $16.99, PB, 322pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/What-Leaves-Behind-Marian-Thomas/dp/B0FPV1PFBH
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/what-love-leaves-behind-marian-l-thomas/1148200725
Synopsis: Etta Harris has spent her life caring for other people's babies as a nurse-but never had the chance to raise one of
her own. When a newborn girl is left orphaned at the hospital, something inside her stirs. She knows this child belongs
with her. But her husband isn't convinced -- and the dream that once felt within reach threatens to unravel their
marriage.
Down the same hospital halls, Darren Johnson is shattered by the loss of his wife during childbirth. Though his newborn
son survived, Darren is drowning in grief-unable to connect with the baby who now needs him most.
As Etta fights for a child who was never meant to be hers, and Darren struggles to become the father he never expected to
be, long-buried truths emerge-revealing a bond that could change all of their lives forever.
Critique: Original, unique, exceptional, compelling, deftly crafted, and an emotionally engaging read from cover to cover,
"What Love Leaves Behind" by novelist Marian L. Thomas is one of those contemporary novels that will linger in the
mind and memory long after it has been finished and set back upon the shelf. As an author, with "What Love Leave
Behind", Thomas presents a genuine flair for the kind of narrative driven storytelling style that elevates her novel to an
impressive level of literary excellence that makes it especially and unreservedly recommended for community library
Contemporary Literary Fiction collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that this paperback edition of
"What Love Leaves Behind" from L.B. Publishing is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $3.99).
Editorial Note: Marian L. Thomas (https://www.marianlthomas.com) is also the author of "Saving Raine" and "Someone
Like Me". She is noted for writing heartfelt women's fiction that explores love, loss, and resilience. Her inspiring stories
invite readers to reflect, heal, and discover the strength found in life's unexpected journeys.
Great Slave Lake
Joseph Crew
Independently Published
9798298827218, $19.95, HC, 244pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Great-Slave-Lake-Joseph-Crew/dp/B0FN82PDYT
Synopsis: "Great Slave Lake" by novelist Joseph Crew is a story of friendships, secrets, and male bonding.
Jim, Ernie, Ben, and Donald are four middle-aged white males who have been buddies since their college days. They share
a love of outdoors, especially fly-fishing. With them, Crew has created a clever ensemble of characters that, despite their
similarities of sex, age, and ethnicity, are anything but a homogenous group.
As a novel, "Great Slave Lake" is a thought provoking read that probes big questions that many middle-aged men are
invariably faced with about marriage, divorce, children, and political beliefs.
Critique: Original, compelling, deftly crafted, engaging, and an inherently fascinating read from cover to cover, "Great
Slave Lake" showcases author Joseph Crew's impressive and genuine flair for the kind of narrative driven storytelling style
that raises his novel of male friendship into an extraordinary level of literary excellence. A novel that will linger in the
mind and memory of the reader long after it has been finished and set back upon the shelf, "Great Slave Lake" is especially
and unreservedly recommended for community and college/university library Contemporary American Literary Fiction
collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that this hardcover edition of "Great Slave Lake" is also readily
available in paperback (9798298827218, $14.95) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $3.99).
Editorial Note: A full listing of books by Joseph Crew is readily available online at Goodreads
(https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3463273.Joseph_Crew).
Adoration and Affliction: Novellas and Short Stories
Robert Scott Leyse
Shattercolors Press
9798998509308, $15.95, PB, 282pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Adoration-Affliction-Novellas-Short-Stories/dp/B0FHGHC68Y
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/adoration-and-affliction-robert-scott-leyse/1147825121
Synopsis: "Adoration and Affliction: Novellas and Short Stories" by Robert Scott Leyse is an impressive compendium of
psychological and sensual gothic-tinged tales that include:
1) Abrupt Awakening // An adolescent girl comes of age via revenge.
2) The Red Light (Bearings Blurred) // A chance encounter unbalances a man on his way home from work.
3) Penelope Prim // Stuart is attracted to his coworker, Penelope, a woman who leads a double life, fraught with danger,
against her will.
4) The Rooms I Will Not Enter // Loss of a loved one alters a man's personality.
5) Surveillance // An affluent woman, prodded by ennui, is unafraid of stressful experiences.
6) Dream Displacement, or Love from the Grave // A man falls in love despite himself and the object of his affection is
long dead.
7) The Urban Primeval // A volatile relationship, as challenging as rewarding.
8) Love on Glass // An uncommon love-ritual.
9) The Departure // A young man's imagination overwhelms his grasp of reality.
Critique: With a genuine flair for the kind of narrative driven storytelling style that raises his original and engaging stories
to an impressively consistent level of literary excellence, this paperback edition of "Adoration and Affliction: Novellas and
Short Stories" from Shattercolors Press is an especially and unreservedly recommended pick for personal reading lists and
community library Contemporary Literary Fiction collections and curriculum studies lists.
Editorial Note: Robert Scott Leyse (https://robertscottleyse.com) has a listing of his books online at Goodreads:
www.goodreads.com/author/show/3183425.Robert_Scott_Leyse
The Pedophile
Robin Murarka
https://www.robinmurarka.com
Independently Published
9798342608794, $20.00, PB, 440pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Pedophile-Robin-Murarka/dp/B0FQK2194S
Synopsis: Daniel Amber is a successful CTO. He dresses well. He speaks well. And yet... something's amiss. A shadow
resides, seemingly permanently, behind those eyes. Is it melancholy? Is it loneliness? Or is it something else?
"The Pedophile" by novelist Robin Murarka focuses on a protagonist with a behavior so reviled, so despised, that a
hundred murderers or despots would come first if graded by the average citizen. Someone whom hardened life-sentenced
prison inmates would seek to destroy, the pedophile is in a league of his own, truly and wholly dehumanized, even now,
for some abstract sentiment that surpasses reason.
And yet, where is the humanity? For what unique opportunity at the crux of all that is empathy to understand what one may
suffer, reviled as such by all including oneself, despite being absolutely driven by true conscience -- for the presence of
proclivity does not necessitate the absence of one, no matter how abominable that proclivity may be.
Critique: Original, unique, deftly crafted, and a simply riveting read from start to finish, "The Pedophile" by novelist Robin
Murarka is a compelling work of iconoclastic psychological fiction. Indeed, it is Murarka's impressive flair for the kind of
an engaging narrative driven storytelling style that lifts "The Pedophile' to an impressive level of literary eloquence. "The
Pedophile" is an especially and unreservedly recommended pick for community and college/university library
Contemporary Literary Fiction collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that this paperback edition of "The
Pedophile" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $4.99).
Editorial Note: Robin Murarka (https://www.robinmurarka.com) writes stories that lift the veil, whether scientific or
abstract, to explore whatever is underneath, revealing both the hideously vulgar and beautifully magnificent. One is just as
likely to be filled with joy as be disturbed, to loathe characters as much as adore them. He crafts engaging tales for readers
wanting to explore the fringes, who are willing to brave worlds without limitations, and who seek to discover what it truly
means to be alive.
The Historical Fiction Shelf
The Price of Loyalty: Serving Adela of Blois
Malve Von Hassell
Historium Press
https://www.historiumpress.com
9781964700250, $27.99, HC, 376pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Price-Loyalty-Serving-Adela-Blois/dp/1964700256
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-price-of-loyalty-malve-von-hassell/1147876265
Synopsis: Cerdic is a Saxon knight who serves Count Stephen-Henry of Blois with unwavering loyalty -- yet his soul
remains divided. Haunted by memories of England, the land of his childhood, and bound by duty to King William, the
conqueror who once showed him mercy, Cerdic walks a dangerous line between past and present, longing and loyalty.
At the center of his turmoil stands Adela -- daughter of a king, wife of a count, and the first to offer him friendship in a
foreign land. But when a political marriage binds him to the spirited and determined Giselle, Cerdic's world turns upside
down again. Giselle, fiercely in love with her stoic husband, follows him across sea and sand to the holy land, hoping to
win the heart that still lingers elsewhere.
As the clash of empires looms and a crusade threatens to tear everything apart, Cerdic must confront the deepest truth of
all-where does his loyalty lie, and whom does his heart truly belong to?
Critique: Original, deftly crafted, and a simply fascinating read from cover to cover, "The Price of Loyalty: Serving Adela
of Blois" by independent scholar and novelist Malve von Hassell, while a work of fiction, is an engaging story that is
impressively imbued with authenticity within its historical context. While especially and unreservedly recommended for
community library Historical Fiction collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that this hardcover edition of
"The Price of Loyalty: Serving Adela of Blois" from Historium Press is also readiy available in paperback
(9781964700267, $19.99) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $3.99).
Editorial Note: Malve von Hassell (https://malvevonhassell.com) is a freelance writer, researcher, and translator. She
published The Struggle for Eden: Community Gardens in New York City (Bergin & Garvey 2002) and Homesteading in
New York City 19781993: The Divided Heart of Loisaida (Bergin & Garvey 1996). She has also edited her grandfather
Ulrich von Hassell's memoirs written in prison in 1944, Der Kreis schlieBt sich - Aufzeichnungen aus der Haft 1944
(Propylaen Verlag 1994). She has published two children's picture books, Tooth Fairy (Amazon KDP 2012/2020), and
Turtle Crossing (Amazon KDP 2023), and her translation and annotation of a German children's classic by Tamara
Ramsay, Rennefarre: Dott's Wonderful Travels and Adventures (Two Harbors Press, 2012). The Falconer's Apprentice
(namelos, 2015 and KDP, 2025), was her first historical fiction novel for young adults, republished in 2024. She has
published Alina: A Song for the Telling (BHC Press, 2020, and KDP 2025), set in Jerusalem in the time of the crusades,
and The Amber Crane (Odyssey Books, 2021), set in Germany in 1645 and 1945, as well as a biographical work about a
woman coming of age in Nazi Germany, Tapestry of My Mother's Life: Stories, Fragments, and Silences (Next Chapter
Publishing, 2021).
In The Belly Of The Anaconda
C. Arthur Ellis, Jr.
Gadfly Publishing
https://gadflypublishing.us
97989997763105, $TBA HC / $22.64 Kindle, 703pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B0FTV6N6XS
Synopsis: A massive and historically detailed saga, "In The Belly Of The Anaconda" by historian and novelist C. Arthur
Ellis, Jr. is the compelling story of Rachel Durand, a New Orleans native who sheds her privileged illusions to confront the
cruelty of slavery and dedicates her life to social change. "In The Belly Of The Anaconda" is set against the backdrop of
the Civil War, the Union occupation of New Orleans, and the necessity to endure the seemingly unendurable, Of special
interest is the author's deft exploration of such themes as identity in a drastically, dramatically, and swiftly changing
society, along with the need for resilience, adaptation, and transformation.
Critique: Original, historically authentic, especially well written, impressively benefitting from the author's extensive
research involving dairies, newspapers, and archival accounts, "In the Belly of the Anaconda" is a riveting, engaging, and
thought-provoking read from start to finish. A simply fascinating and carefully constructed read, "In the Belly of the
Anaconda" is especially and unreservedly recommended for personal reading lists and community/public library American
Civil War themed fiction collections. It should be noted that this hardcover edition will also be available in paperback and
in a digital book format.
Editorial Note: C. Arthur Ellis, Jr. is an historian, author, and retired medical educator whose work deftly blends science,
literature and history. A listing of his books is available online at:
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2761922.C_Arthur_Ellis_Jr_
Boy of Heaven
Morris Hoffman
Resource Publications
9798385245796, $26.00, HC, 88pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Boy-Heaven-Morris-Hoffman/dp/B0F9BYFVL6
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/boy-of-heaven-morris-hoffman/1147350713
Synopsis: "Boy of Heaven" by novelist Morris Hoffman is the story of a seventeenth-century Italian orphan who finds the
long-lost piece of The Last Supper, missing since Dominican friars cut out a portion of the wall to connect the priory's
refectory with its kitchen.
The painting has long ago dissolved, and the refectory converted to stables. The orphan boy sleeps in the stables, and he
begins to have visions of the painting. Each night, the visions get clearer and clearer, until the boy sees the whole painting
as Leonardo first painted it two hundred years before.
But missing is the segment from the lower center of the painting, depicting the Christ's crossed feet, which was displaced
by the kitchen door. With the help of the prior, two loyal brothers, and the twelve workhorses who share the stables with
the boy (and whose presence he discovers is necessary to maintain his visions), the boy finds the missing piece of
wall.
But danger looms for all as soldiers of the Inquisition arrive to investigate the miracles.
Critique: Original, deftly crafted, inherently fascinating, and a compelling read from cover to cover, "Boy of Heaven"
reveals author Morris Hoffman's genuine flair for the kind of narrative storytelling style that raises his fiction to an
impressive level of literary excellence. Also available for personal reading lists in paperback (9798385245789, $11.00) and
in a digital book format (Kindle, $6.99) is an especially memorable and unreservedly recommended novella for community
and college/university library Literary/Historical Fiction collections..
Editorial Note: Morris Hoffman (https://morrishoffman.com) was a trial judge for more than thirty years. "Boy of Heaven"
is his second novel. His debut novel, "Pinch Hitting", was shortlisted for the 2024 CASEY Award for best baseball book of
the year, -- it was the only novel on the list that year.
The Literary Fiction Shelf
Last Moments: The Dark Shadows of Protest in Iran
Hirbod Human
Independently Published
9798869389749, $18.00, PB, Large Print, 106pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Last-Moments-Dark-Shadows-Protest/dp/B0DWBRV241
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/last-moments-hirbod-human/1145996379
Synopsis: With the publication of "Last Moments: The Dark Shadows of Protest in Iran", author Hirbod Human has
created a poignant collection of six short stories -- each one highlighting the struggles and sacrifices of individuals fighting
for their rights under an oppressive Islamic regime. These narratives are inspired by personal experiences and extensive
interviews with victims of human rights violations. Each one vividly presenting a raw and unflinching portrayal of life
under the Islamic Republic of Iran.
"Last Moments" is comprised of:
Airport -- In a cramped, oppressive room, a young woman faces the terror of an uncertain fate at the hands of the Iranian
Revolutionary Guard. Her demeaning encounter with a ruthless captain highlights the pervasive fear and powerlessness
many experience under the regime.
Prison -- An unnamed protagonist, numb and broken from incarceration, awaits execution. As he contemplates his life and
imminent death, his perceptions blur, and his emotions fade. Inspired by Darkness at Noon, this harrowing narrative
reveals the brutality of state violence and the psychological torment inflicted upon political prisoners in Iran.
Family -- Rojan, a heavily pregnant woman with two small children, frantically searches for her detained husband, Atta.
Though her family reassures her, an overwhelming sense of doom lingers. Her struggle reflects the anguish of countless
families torn apart by wrongful imprisonment and executions.
Car -- A routine car ride through a city in turmoil becomes a nightmare for Hamed. As he narrates the unfolding chaos via
video call to his family, he gradually realizes that while the streets outside burn with protests, something is very wrong
inside the car. This story captures the unpredictability of life in Iran, where any moment can turn into a fight for
survival.
Home -- A follow-up to Car, this story shifts focus to Hamed's family as they realize something terrible has happened.
Their immediate sense of security is shattered, highlighting how ordinary families can become collateral damage in a
system of fear and control.
Hospital -- A wounded protester clings to life in a hospital-an institution that should symbolize safety and healing. Yet, the
hospital itself becomes a dangerous space, where a doctor and nurse risk their own safety by treating those targeted by the
regime. This story underscores how oppression infiltrates even places meant for care and recovery.
Written in indirect yet poetic language, Last Moments is a deeply moving portrayal of resilience under tyranny. While
harrowing, these stories hold a quiet strength, leaving the reader with a lingering sense of both sorrow and hope.
Critique: Original, extraordinary, deftly crafted, compelling, harrowing, emotionally engaging, memorable, and a
compellingly fascinating read from start to finish, "Last Moments: The Dark Shadows of Protest in Iran" documents
Hirbod Human as an impressively gifted writer with a genuine and authentic flair for the kind of narrative driven
storytelling style that raises his short stories to an impressive level of literary elegance. Especially and unreservedly
recommended for personal, community, and college/university library collections, it should be noted that this paperback
edition of "Last Moments" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $14.99).
Editorial Note: Hirbod Human is a writer, filmmaker, and visual artist whose work explores themes of human rights,
political oppression, and cultural identity. His storytelling is deeply influenced by personal experiences, extensive research,
and interviews with individuals affected by authoritarian regimes. As a documentarian, he has produced multiple films and
podcasts focusing on the Middle East, Iran, and the struggles of those fighting for freedom. His work often bridges the
intersection of art, activism, and personal narrative, shedding light on the untold stories of resilience and survival under
oppressive systems. Currently pursuing a PhD in Design, Aesthetics, and the Arts, Hirbod continues to explore the power
of storytelling as a tool for awareness and change. Last Moments is a testament to this mission-offering a poignant
collection of short stories that reflect the harrowing realities of life under political repression while capturing the enduring
human spirit.
The Romantic Fiction Shelf
A Roommate for Christmas
Aryn Van Dyke
Book Rockstar
https://www.bookrockstar.com
9798991319614, $0.99, Kindle
9798991319638, $14.99, PB, 224pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Roommate-Christmas-Enemies-Lovers-Holiday-ebook/dp/B0FNV56VRD
Synopsis: Paige Ellis is obsessed with Christmas. Matching pajamas? Yes. Peppermint everything? Absolutely. "Is that a
Hallmark ornament?" Don't even ask.
But this December isn't so merry:
Her cheating ex still works at her awful job.
Her holiday bonus got axed.
Her best friend/roommate just moved out (rude!).
With an empty bedroom and emptier bank account, Paige takes a risk on a new roommate.
Enter Carter Kinney -- he's movie-star hot, willing to overpay, and basically the Grinch in human form. She's full of
gingerbread dreams. He's allergic to joy. She wants to hang garland. He wants to set it on fire.
Then a record-breaking Chicago snowstorm traps them inside together. With nowhere to run and way too much mistletoe,
their frosty standoff starts to melt into something much hotter...
Holiday romance. Enemies-to-lovers banter. Forced proximity. This Christmas, Paige might just find love where she least
expected it -- right across the hall!
Critique: Original, deftly crafted, fully engaging, and a fun read from cover to cover, "A Roommate for Christmas" by
gifted novelist Aryn Van Dyke is a unique 'Enemies-to-Lovers' Christmas themed holiday romance. As an author, Aryn
Van Dyke employs a uniquely effective, narrative driven, humor laden style that raises her contemporary romance to an
impressive level of literary excellence that makes "A Roommate for Christmas" especially and unreservedly recommended
for personal reading lists and community library collections.
Editorial Note: Aryn Van Dyke (https://www.arynvandyke.com) is an author and singer songwriter who is obsessed with
capturing love, heartbreak, and everything in between in words. Her albums I DO NOT NOT LOVE YOU and PULLING
AT THE THREADS can be found on most streaming services. When she isn't writing, Aryn teaches marketing strategy to
authors around the globe.Her music and writing updates can be followed on Instagram at @arynvandyke
The Western Fiction Shelf
Dry Gulch Outlaws
George Synder
Linford Western Library
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print, Inc.
www.ulverscroft.com
9781444855777, $25.00/$21.95, PB, Large Print, 263pp
Ulverscroft
https://www.ulverscroft.com/store/us/search/9781444855777
Synopsis: Link Bonner leaves Emma Fitzgerald behind in Fort Union when he gets word that one of the six Carp brothers,
who raped and murdered his young Pawnee bride Yana, is on his way to Yuma. Link drives stagecoaches out of Yuma for
income while he pursues information about the outlaw. Meanwhile, Emma has followed his trail and now intends to march
straight into his heart, without barriers or nonsense from him. Reluctant at first, he grows fond of her, and begins to feel
love. But he must finish what he started.
Critique: A riveting and action packed read from cover to cover, "Dry Gulch Outlaws" by George Synder fully lives up to
the promise of its title and is especially and unreservedly recommended to the attention of all staunchly devoted western
fans. This large print paperback edition of "Dry Gulch Outlaws" from the Linford Western Library series is an ideal and
prized addition to community and public library Western Fiction collections.
Editorial Note: George Synder (https://westernnovels.blogspot.com) is an award winning writer of hardboiled crime
adventure and western novels with more than sixty books published. His is the author of three crime thriller series: Baylor
Rumble, Logan Sand, Makayla Tuff, as well as the Hawkstone westerns.
Hell Bound for Spindriff
Dale Graham
Linford Western Library
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print, Inc.
www.ulverscroft.com
9781444855319, $25.00/$21.95, PB, Large Print, 229pp
Ulverscroft
https://www.ulverscroft.com/store/us/search/9781444855319
Synopsis: When outlaw Denny Blake betrayed the Arizona Raiders during a bank robbery in the town of Spindriff, he little
realized the storm he would unleash. Sentenced to twenty years in Yuma, Smokin' Joe McCabe has vowed to kill Blake
and burn the town to the ground. After escaping, McCabe heads for Spindriff. On the trail he encounters another prodigal
who has run afoul of the town's spineless officials. Red Spot Rick Norton has his own reasons for seeking vengeance, and
refuses to join up with McCabe. A clash is inevitable -- but who will emerge victorious?
Critique: Western action/adventure at its very best, this large print paperback edition of author Dale Graham's "Hell Bound
for Spindriff" from the Linford Western Library is an original, well crafted, and fun read from cover to cover. "Hell Bound
for Spindriff" is a highly recommended pick for both the personal reading lists of dedicated western fans and
community/public library Western Fiction collections.
Editorial Note: A listing of the books by Dale Graham is readily available online at Goodreads
(https://www.goodreads.com/author/list/1241869.Dale_Graham).
A Grizzly Revenged
D. M. Harrison
Linford Western Library
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print, Inc.
www.ulverscroft.com
9781444855272, $25.00/$21.95, PB, Large Print, 258pp
Ulverscroft
https://www.ulverscroft.com/store/us/search/9781444855272
Synopsis: Mayle Stone is a young fur trapper, who lives a Cherokee woman whom he received as "payment" for a debt of a
wolf skin. When the Cherokee Indian brave, who took the wolf skin and offered Izusa in exchange, tells Stone that she
already belongs to him because he saved her from a grizzly bear when she was a child.
Stone feels unable to return Izusa to the village, so they stay together with their two wolf pups, Dark Star and Moon. One
day, during a visit to Fort St Vrain for supplies, Izusa comes to the attention of an outlaw, Jon Rudyman. He plans to kill
the trapper and take the woman. The plan has flaws and Stone survives. Izusa disappears. Stone is out for revenge. Also
looking for Rudyman is the Bounty Hunter Rey Heston.
It's a race to see who will track down Rudyman first.
Critique: Original, deftly crafted, and a simply riveting read from start to finish, this Linford Western Library large print
paperback edition of "A Grizzly Revenged" by D. M. Harrison will prove to be a highly prized and appreciated pick for the
personal reading lists of western action/adventure fans, as well as community library Western Fiction collections.
Editorial Note: D. M. Harrison is the author of western action/adventure themed western novels
(https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14197998.D_M_Harrison)
The Valerons: No Boundaries
Terrell L. Bowers
Linford Western Library
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print, Inc.
www.ulverscroft.com
9781444855296, $25.00/$21.95, PB, Large Print, 248pp
Ulverscroft
https://www.ulverscroft.com/store/us/search/9781444855296
Synopsis: Some men operate beyond the law's reach. Such were the Macreedys. They sold whiskey to the Indians across
the Canadian border, then cashed in their loot (including the selling of Indian women and children) and returned to their
horse ranch outside of Rimrock, Wyoming, outwardly living respectable lives. But the killing of an ex-Mountie in
Wyoming reveals their operation to three travelers -- and one of those travelers was Scarlet Valeron. She promised the
dying MP that her family would see justice done. And if the law fails -- well, a Valeron had made a promise. Justice would
be served!
Critique: Another deftly crafted expansion of the Valeron family legend, "The Valerons: No Boundaries" is another
riveting western by novelist Terrell L. Bowers, a true master of the genre. This large print paperback edition of "The
Valerons: No Boundaries" from the Linford Western Library series is unreservedly recommended for western
action/adventure fans and a welcome pick for community library Western Fiction collections.
Editorial Note: Terrell L Bowers began writing novels at nineteen. It took fifteen years to get his first book published.
Since that time, he's had some 40 novels published in the U S, and another 40 published in the U K. He has been married
for over 50 years and has two grown, professional daughters and one cherished granddaughter. He writes wholesome
books to entertain his readers. (https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/102448.Terrell_L_Bowers)
The Mystery/Suspense Shelf
Zigzag Girl
Ruth Knafo Setton
https://ruthsetton.com
The Black Spring Press Group
https://blackspringpressgroup.com
9781917788038 $17.00
The Black Spring Press Group
https://blackspringpressgroup.com/products/zigzag-girl
Synopsis: Zigzag Girl, by Ruth Knafo Setton, is a twisty contemporary mystery with a touch of magic, set in Atlantic City
and the eerie New Jersey Pine Barrens. Lucy Moon, a brilliant young magician with a mysterious past, works in the town's
theatre, staging performances of enchantment and conjure. But one night, during the 'Sawing a Woman in Half' trick, Lucy
discovers her friend's body in the box, dead. As Lucy digs deeper, she uncovers a trail of murders and suspects. With the
help of a fierce group of female magicians and mystics, she must expose the truth before she becomes the final act.
Critique: Zigzag Girl is a savvy contemporary urban mystery featuring the Lucy Moon, a talented performing magician
with a hidden past. When one of her friends is murdered, she investigates, only to find more death and dangerous suspects.
Lucy has to enlist the help of fellow female magicians and mystics to reveal the killer, before she becomes the next
disappearing act! A fast-paced investigative saga with a bold, vivacious heroine, Zigzag Girl is a delight for connoisseurs
of modern mysteries, highly recommended.
The Black Swan Mystery
Tetsuya Ayukawa, author
Bryan Karetnyk, translator
Pushkin Vertigo
c/o Pushkin Press
www.pushkinpress.com
9781805335238, $18.95, PB, 352pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Black-Swan-Mystery-Tetsuya-Ayukawa/dp/1805335235
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-black-swan-mystery-tetsuya-ayukawa/1146174539
Synopsis: Early one morning, the owner of a local mill is found lying next to the railway tracks just outside of Kuki
Station, Japan. Suspicion initially falls on the workers' union, with whom the man had been embroiled in a labor dispute,
then on a new religious sect that has been gaining followers recently.
Chief Inspector Onitsura and his assistant Tanna are called in to investigate, and soon set off in a journey across Japan,
from Tokyo to Kyoto and Osaka, and finally to the island of Ky shu, in a hunt for the killer.
But as they investigate, the killer strikes again, and again. Will they be able to catch the murderer before even more people
are slain?
Fans of Agatha Christie's 4.50 from Paddington and Seicho Matsumoto's Tokyo Express will delight in the devious twists
and turns of The Black Swan Mystery, as well as in the characterisation and portrait of 1960s Japan.
The author, Tetsuya Ayukawa, is considered to be the master of alibi deconstruction mysteries - a talent that is on full
display in this brilliant classic railway murder mystery, which won the prestigious Japanese Detective Writers Club
Prize.
Critique: Original, deftly crafted, clever, replete with memorable characters, unexpected twists and turns, and ably
translated into English for an American readership by Bryan Karetnyk, "The Black Swan Mystery" by Japanese novelist
Tetsuya Ayukawa is compelling puzzle of a mystery and unreservedly recommended for personal reading lists and
community library Mystery/Suspense collections. It should be noted for readers with an interest in historical and
international crime novels that this paperback edition of "The Black Swan Mystery" from Puskin Vertigo is also readily
available in a digital book format (Kindle, $12.99).
Editorial Note #1: Tetsuya Ayukawa (February 14, 1919 - September 24, 2002) was born in the Sugamo district of Tokyo.
The son of a surveyor for the South Manchurian Railway Co., he spent much of his youth in the Japanese puppet state of
Manchukuo, returning to war-ravaged Japan only in 1944. He began writing detective mysteries, and introduced the
recurring character Inspector Onitsura, for which Ayukawa later became renowned. Celebrated as one of Japan's finest
writers of impossible crimes and alibi-deconstruction mysteries, he won the Japanese Detective Writers Club Prize for The
Black Swan Mystery, and in 2001 he was awarded the inaugural Honkaku Mystery Grand Prix for his contribution to the
genre. Many of his works have been adapted for radio and screen.
Editorial Note #2: Dr. Bryan Karentnyk has is an online listing of the books he has translated at Goodreads:
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8366193.Bryan_Karetnyk
Falling on Southport
M. J. Slater
The Wild Rose Press
https://wildrosepress.com/shop
ASIN: B0FMS6K2YC, $4.99, Kindle, 225pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Falling-Southport-M-J-Slater-ebook/dp/B0FMS6K2YC
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/falling-on-southport-mj-slater/1148075696
Synopsis: Abigail Lethican's world unravels when her husband admits to infidelity. Reeling from his betrayal, she follows
him -- only to become the prime suspect when he turns up dead!
With her trial looming and the media circling, she finds an unexpected ally in her handsome and enigmatic neighbor. As
they search for the truth, Abigail discovers her husband's polished facade concealed a maze of dangerous secrets.
Sometimes, the deadliest lies hide in plain sight.
Critique: Original, clever, deftly crafted, and a simply fascinating read from start to finish, "Falling on Southport" by M. J.
Slater, and in a digital book format from The Wild Rose Press, is an extraordinary and unreservedly recommended pick for
the personal reading lists of dedicated suspense/thriller fans.
Editorial Note: M. J. Slater (https://www.mjslaterauthor.com) is a native Chicagoan. After spending fifteen years in
finance, she decided to switch gears and start writing. She loves film noir, yoga, and walking along Lake Michigan with
her dog. She lives in the suburbs with her husband and two girls.
And to All a Good Bite
David Rosenfelt
Minotaur Books
c/o St. Martin's Publishing Group
www.minotaurbooks.com
9781250324573, $28.00, HC, 304pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/All-Good-Bite-Carpenter-Mystery/dp/1250324572
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/and-to-all-a-good-bite-david-rosenfelt/1146867974
Synopsis: Reluctant lawyer Andy Carpenter can't wait for Christmas. He doesn't care much about the season, unless it's
football season. Andy's excited to finally relax and watch the games. But when there's a murder related to an old case in
Paterson, New Jersey, Andy must put the games on pause.
Two years ago, a gas leak in an office building led to a tragic explosion that killed seven people. Jeff Wheeler was there to
pick up his girlfriend and ran into the building to help. All he heard was the barking of a dog, Rufus, and was able to save
him. The pup was the sole survivor and Jeff was named a hero. Initially, Rufus went to the Tara Foundation since his
owner had died in the accident. But Andy met Jeff and liked him, respecting his courage and allowed him to adopt Rufus.
Since then, Jeff and Rufus have formed an unbreakable bond.
The accident never sat right with Jeff. He believed that one of the building owners was responsible for the tragedy. Now
that owner has been murdered and Jeff is arrested for the crime, Rufus is left with Jeff's sister, who begs Andy to take the
case. Andy remembered Jeff's tremendous bravery and with the lingering Christmas spirit, decides to help reunite the
two.
Critique: Simply stated, author David Rosenfelt is a master of the mystery genre with his legions of fans looking eagerly
towards a new Andy Carpenter novel. With "And To All A Good Bite" their hopes and expectations are fully satisfied.
Original, brilliant, clever, and a fun read from cover to cover, "And To All A Good Bite" is an unreservedly recommended
and guaranteed popular pick for community/public library Mystery/Suspense collections. It should be noted for the
personal reading lists of dedicated mystery buffs that this hardcover edition of "And To All A Good Bite" from Minotaur
Books is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $14.99).
Editorial Note: David Rosenfelt (https://davidrosenfelt.com) is the Edgar-nominated and Shamus Award - winning author
of almost 30 Andy Carpenter novels, including "Dog Day Afternoon"; several stand-alone thrillers; nonfiction titles; and
several K Team novels, a series featuring some of the characters from the Andy Carpenter series. He currently resides in
Maine with twenty-five of the four thousand dogs he and his wife have rescued.
An American Spectacle
Lennox Caige
Finding Dimes Publishing LLC
9798993294131, $TBA, Hardback, 250pp
9798993294124, $TBA, Paperback
9798993294117, $TBA, Kindle, 55,000 words
9798993294100, $TBA, Audiobook (Downloadable audio file)
Synopsis: In 2022, the Supreme Court's extremist majority stripped away women's right to bodily autonomy, working
hand-in-glove with ruthless politicians who rushed to punish, restrict, and criminalize abortion. Women's freedoms were
dragged back generations, and the war on women entered its terminal phase.
Now Clay Vale's wife is dead -- the latest casualty of that culture war. Denied safe medical options, she resorted to a
back-alley abortion with lethal consequences. Inconsolable and consumed by grief and fury, Vale is determined to expose
those who preach morality while ignoring the very rules they impose on everyone else.
Vale concocts a twisted plot targeting one particular family to prove his point. When he and his crew (including a
disgraced doctor) kidnap the daughter of a rising politician, an outspoken champion of "family values," the crime explodes
into a national spectacle. Broadcast across social media and the news, the ordeal forces the powerful to confront the brutal
cost of their own hypocrisy.
As Detective James "Duff" Duffus hunts for answers, the clock ticks toward a public reckoning that could shatter careers,
families, and lives.
Taut, fearless, and unforgettable, An American Spectacle is a high-wire thriller that dares to ask: what happens when those
who make the rules are finally forced to live by them?
Critique: "An American Spectacle" is an original, compelling, authentic, deftly crafted, and a simply riveting work of
fiction that accurately reflects current social/culture possibilities given the growing element of violence in contemporary
American politics and policies over such fundamentally important subjects as abortion, contraception, reproductive rights,
and the religiously driven attacks on a woman's sovereignty over her own body -- and their inevitable consequences like
the one so accurately portrayed in the pages of "An American Spectacle" by author Lennox Caige. A fascinating and
riveting read from start to finish, and especially impressive when considering that this is author Lennox Caige's debut as a
novelist, "An American Spectacle" is a specifically and unreservedly recommended pick for personal reading lists and
community library Contemporary Suspense Thriller collections.
Editorial Note: Lennox Caige is a talented writer who combines his passion for human stories with his background in
analytics and risk management. A graduate of a Jesuit university, he brings precision, curiosity, and an eye for detail to his
fiction. When not writing, he enjoys volunteering, traveling and time with his family. "An American Spectacle" is his
debut novel, with more books to come.
The Fantasy/SciFi Shelf
Chester's Moonscape
Eric T. Reynolds
Hadley Rille Books
https://www.hrbpress.com
9798987619308, $24.00, HC, $15.00 PB, $5.99 Kindle, 264pp
Haldey Rille Books
https://www.hadleyrillebooks.com/titles.html
Synopsis: In 1948, space artist Chester Brache, is hired by a magazine to illustrate articles about space travel. The
mysterious editors have ways for Chester to produce realistic paintings, more so than the usual depictions of the Moon's
surface back then by taking him "on location"! What are their ultimate goals and how does a painter of celestial landscapes
like Chester figure in their plans?
Critique: Original, deftly crafted, and a 'must have' on the reading lists of all dedicated science fiction fans, "Chester's
Moonscape" by author/storyteller Eric T. Reynolds is an impressive call-back to the early years of sci-fi fiction themed
adventure by a novelist whose authentic flair for the kind of narrative driven style raises his novel to an impressive level of
literary excellence. An absorbing and fun read from cover to cover, "Chester's Moonscape" is especially and unreservedly
recommended for personal and community library Historical Science Fiction collections. It should be noted for the legions
of classic science fiction fans that this hardcover edition of "Chester's Moonscape" will also be available in paperback and
in a digital book format (Kindle).
Editorial Note: Eric T. Reynolds (https://www.hrbpress.com) is Editor/Publisher with Hadley Rille Books
(www.hrbpress.com). His fiction has appeared in the magazines Mythic Circle, Galaxy's Edge, in Sci Phi Journal, and in
several indie press anthologies. He has also had several non-fiction science articles published in an encyclopedia about the
history of space exploration. He is the author of "The Legend of Mulberry School", "The Artifacts", and "The Road to
Sugar Loaf".
The Poetry Shelf
You Must Live: New Poetry from Palestine
Sherah Bloor, editor
Tayseer Abu Odeh, editor
Copper Canyon Press
https://www.coppercanyonpress.org
9781556597206, $22.00, PB, 320pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/You-Must-Live-Poetry-Palestine/dp/1556597207
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/you-must-live-sherah-bloor/1147044389
Synopsis: A bilingual anthology of poems from Palestine (2023-2024), "You Must Live: New Poetry from Palestine"
attests to existence in the face of suppression of Palestinians from Gaza to the West Bank by the Israeli government and by
the Israeli citizenry.
Bearing witness to the realities of the Palestinian genocide, "You Must Live" is an anthology of recent Palestinian poetry
that has been translated from Arabic into English and edited by Tayseer Abu Odeh and Sherah Bloor. This unique
collection of verse gathers the voices of poets currently living in Palestinian territory, most of whom have never left.
Yet the poems comprising "You Must Live" refuse to cast their speakers as perpetual victims. Diverse voices and styles
shine throughout (powerful, prayerful, theatrical, and even humorous) as poets write love letters to the landscape, elegies
for martyrs and homes, and proclamations for the future.
Negotiating the interplay between aesthetics and politics, the individual and the collective, "You Must Live" sounds as an
urgent call to the global community.
Critique: Original, unique, diverse in theme and subject, and an inherently fascinating read from cover to cover, "You Must
Live: New Poetry from Palestine" by the editorial team of Sherah Bloor and Tayseer Abu Odeh is especially and reservedly
recommended for personal, community, and college/university library Middle Eastern/Muslim Poetry collections. It should
be noted for readers with an interest in poetry that address death, grief, loss, and hope, that this trade paperback format (7.3
x 0.9 x 9.1 inches, 1.45 pounds) edition of "You Must Live: New Poetry from Palestine" from Copper Canyon Press is also
available in a digital book format (Kindle, $22.00).
Editorial Note: Tayseer Abu Odeh is a Palestinian-Jordanian writer and translator. Among other outlets, his writing has
appeared in Michigan Quarterly Review, Arab Studies Quarterly, Journal of Postcolonial Writing, and Harvard Divinity
School's Peripheries: A Journal of Word, Image, and Sound. He serves as an international advisor on the editorial board of
The Journal of Holy Land and Palestine Studies and as a judge for writing competitions, including the Jubilee Institute's
2022 award for creative writing. Abu Odeh is the recipient of several awards that have funded language, social activism,
and literature study in Japan and the United States. He has also received a visiting scholar fellowship at the University of
California, San Diego, and recognition for his outstanding contributions to research at Indiana University of Pennsylvania,
from which Abu Odeh received a PhD in English literature and criticism in 2016.
Editorial Note #2: Sherah Bloor is a South African poet and scholar. Her first poetry collection, The Gathering, an epic in
cantos, is forthcoming from Omnidawn in fall 2026. She is currently working on a second collection, tentatively titled
Archives of the Free World. Having studied philosophy and social theory in Australia, she is completing a doctorate at
Harvard University in philosophy of religion on the medical history of the mystical and poetic imagination. Bloor is also
the editor-in-chief of Harvard Divinity School's literary and arts journal, Peripheries: A Journal of Word, Image, and
Sound (Harvard University Press). Her own poems have appeared in Chicago Review, Colorado Review, Conjunctions,
Dialogist, Lana Turner, and Paperbark, among other magazines.
The Literary Studies Shelf
What Matters in Jane Austen?
John Mullan
Bloomsbury Publishing
www.bloomsbury.com
9781408828731, $20.00 HC, 352pp
9781526693945, $19.00 PB, 352pp
9781408831694, $9.99 Kindle
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/What-Matters-Jane-Austen-Essential/dp/1526693941
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/what-matters-in-jane-austen-john-mullan/1147359525
Synopsis: Marking the 250th anniversary of Jane Austen's birth, with the publication of "What Matters in Jane Austen?:
Twenty Essential Questions Answered", author and academician John Mullan solves the mysteries of Austen's fictional
world including:
Is there any sex in Jane Austen?
What are the right and wrong ways to propose marriage?
Which important characters never actually speak?
Jane Austen's novels have been a staple of the English canon since the nineteenth century. Yet critics of the time did not
appreciate the true complexity of her work. Nothing, John Mullan argues, is accidental or coincidental in Austen. As
Austen herself said, she wrote for readers who have "a great deal of ingenuity themselves".
"What Matters in Jane Austen?" gets to the heart of what it is that makes Austen's work so singular. In twenty chapters,
answering questions her novels have posed for over two centuries, Mullan uncovers the hidden truth of an extraordinary
fictional world and reveals the true brilliance (and underappreciated complexity) of Austen's work.
Critique: Jane Austen is the iconic author of a number of classics in English literature including Pride and Prejudice,
Persuasion, and Sense and Sensibility. 2025 marks the 250th anniversary of Austen's birth, and, a beautiful, insightful
study, "What Matters in Jane Austen?: Twenty Essential Questions Answered" by Professor John Mullan (originally
published in 2014) is a timely and unreservedly recommended pick for personal, community and college/university library
Literary Studies/Jane Austin collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists. It should be noted for students,
academia, and the legions of Jane Austin fans that this hardcover edition of "What Matters in Jane Austen?: Twenty
Essential Questions Answered" from Bloomsbury Press is also readily available in paperback (9781620400425, $19.00)
and in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
Editorial Note: John Mullan is Lord Northcliffe Professor of Modern English Literature at University College London. He
has published widely on eighteenth- and nineteenth-century literature, his books including The Artful Dickens
(Bloomsbury, 2020). He has edited Jane Austen's Sense and Sensibility and Emma for Oxford World's Classics. He is also
a broadcaster and journalist, writing on contemporary fiction for the Guardian. He has taught Austen to university students
for over three decades, and has lectured widely to lovers of her fiction in both the UK and the US.
(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Mullan_(academic))
The Graphic Novel Shelf
The Once and Future Riot
Joe Sacco
Metropolitan Books
c/o Henry Holt & Company
www.henryholt.com
9781250880260, $27.99, HC, 144pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Once-Future-Riot-Joe-Sacco/dp/1250880262
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-once-and-future-riot-joe-sacco/1146657393
Synopsis: Compared to other episodes of lethal Indian communal violence, the clashes in Uttar Pradesh in 2013, the
Muzaffarnagar Riot, were a relatively small-scale affair -- some scores of people were killed and several tens of thousands
displaced.
It had happened before and will probably happen again: Hindus and Muslims, armed with guns and swords, riled up by
vitriolic rhetoric and a tangle of accusations, turn on one another. The truth fragments along religious lines, both in the
lead-up to the rampage and in its bloody aftermath.
In preparing for the publication of "The Once and Future Riot", author and illustrator Joe Sacco had immersed himself in
Uttar Pradesh, speaking to government officials, political leaders, village chiefs, and especially the victims, who were
mostly landless peasants, in a quest to understand this riot as an archetype of political violence.
In this extended process, he probed the role of savagery in a democracy; the power of crowds, rather than leaders, to
influence the course of events; the collision of competing narratives; and the accounts that perpetrators construct to explain
away their participation in bloodshed.
Critique: Presented in a B/W graphic novel format, "The Once and Future Riot" is an authentic and fully engaging history
of an illustrative episode of Hindu/Muslim relations and conflicts that began with the independence of India from British
Rule and, exacerbated by political rivalries, continues down to the present day. A fascinating (and in many ways,
heartbreaking) read from start to finish, "The Once and Future Riot" is a unique and unreservedly pick for personal reading
lists and community library International Studies collections. It should be noted for students, academia, and non-specialist
general readers with an interest in the subject that this large format (7.25 x 0.65 x 10 inches, 1.35 pounds) hardcover
edition of "The Once and Future Riot" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $14.99).
Editorial Note: Joe Sacco is the author of Footnotes in Gaza, for which he received the Ridenhour Book Prize and the
Eisner Award, as well as Paying the Land, Palestine, Journalism, Safe Area Gorazde, and War on Gaza, both also Eisner
Award winners. His comics reporting has appeared in the New York Times Magazine, the Guardian, and Harper's
Magazine. (https://www.goodreads.com/author/list/32468.Joe_Sacco)
More Weight: A Salem Story
Ben Wickey
Top Shelf Productions
c/o IDW
www.idwpublishing.com
9781603095600, $39.99, PB, 532pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/More-Weight-Salem-Ben-Wickey/dp/1603095608
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/more-weight-ben-wickey/1146712400
Synopsis: 1692 is a year of terror in of Salem, Massachusetts. When accusations of witchcraft plunge the community into
paranoia and death, curmudgeonly farmer Giles Corey and his great-souled wife Martha are forced to confront their
troubled pasts, fighting to hold onto their principles even at the cost of their lives.
In the 1860s, famed writers Nathaniel Hawthorne and Henry Wadsworth Longfellow stroll the streets of Salem together,
reflecting on their own dark connections to those wicked days.
Today, graphic novelist Ben Wickey wrestles with the complex legacy of "the Witch City" and what it shows us about the
best and worst of humanity.
Based on true events, set in three centuries, and hand-drawn over a decade, "More Weight" is a stunning visual symphony -
- a unique and profound inquiry in a graphic novel format into the infamous Salem witch trials and the long shadows they
still cast on us all down to the present day.
Critique: A massive graphic novel saga, "More Weight: A Salem Story" by author/illustrator Ben Wickey will hold a
special and enduring appeal to readers with an interest in historical fantasies and colonial witchcraft hysteria. Impressively
original, visually compelling and emotionally engaging, "More Weight: A Salem Story" is a simply fascinating read from
start to finish and highly recommended for personal, community, and college/university library Graphic Novel & Fantasy
collections. It should be noted that this large format (8.25 x 1.26 x 10 inches, 13 ounces) trade paperback edition of "More
Weight: A Salem Story" from Top Shelf Productions is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle,
$19.99).
Editorial Note: Ben Wickey (https://www.goreyesque.com/ben-wickey) is a Massachusetts-born artist, writer, and
animator who graduated from the California Institute of the Arts. He is one of the contributing illustrators of Alan Moore
and Steve Moore's The Moon and Serpent Bumper Book of Magic, the illustrator of Ki Longfellow's The Illustrated Vivian
Stanshall, and the director of several stop-motion animated short films, including the award-winning The House of the
Seven Gables.
The Audiobook Shelf
Templar Traitor
Angus Donald, author
David Thorpe, narrator
Isis Audio Books
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print, Inc.
www.ulverscroft.com
9781399189156, $126.95/$107.91, CD (14 Hours 48 Minutes)
Ulverscroft
https://www.ulverscroft.com/store/us/search/9781399189156
Synopsis: July 1241. Western Europe cowers in terror before the threat of a Mongol invasion. The swift cavalry columns
of Genghis Khan have smashed the steel-clad warriors of Russia, Poland and Hungary -- and now Austria lies directly in
their path.
At a skirmish outside the walls of Vienna, German knights capture a squad of Mongol scouts and are astonished to
discover one of their number is an Englishman and a former Templar who has been riding with these Devil's horsemen for
more than twenty years.
Interrogator Father Ivo of Narbonne is summoned to draw the truth from the prisoner before his impending trial, to find out
why he abandoned his faith, his Brethren and his homeland to become a traitor to Christendom.
Critique: Although a work opf fiction, "Templar Traitor" is based on a real historical event. The is the first novel in a new
medieval trilogy from noted author Angus Donald, this complete and unabridged audio book edition of "Templar Traitor"
from Isis Audio is exceptionally and effectively narrated by vocal actor David Thorpe. A riveting 'theatre of the mind'
experience from start to finish, "Templar Traitor" is an exceptional and unreservedly recommended pick for community
library audio book collections. It should be noted that this CD edition of "Templar Traitor" comes in a sturdy clamshell
protective casing insuring a lengthy shelf life and that it is also available in an MP3-CD format (9781399189163,
$126.95/$107.91).
Editorial Note #1: Angus Donald (https://angusdonaldbooks.com) is the author of the Outlaw Chronicles -- a series of
eight medieval tales about a gangster-ish Robin Hood. The last one, The Death of Robin Hood, was published in the
summer of 2017. He has also written a 17th-century series of historical novels called Holcroft Blood. The first book is
Blood's Game, which came out in hardback October 2017 (paperback out September 2018). I've written a blog about
Holcroft. He is also the author of Gates of Stone (writing as Angus Macallan), the first in his Lord of the Islands fantasy
series published in 2019.
Editorial Note #2: David Thorpe has appeared in numerous stage plays, in repertory, and on tour. Twice a member of the
BBC Radio Drama Company, he has been heard in many radio plays and readings. An award-winning audiobook narrator,
he has voiced several fantasy and science fiction books.
(https://audiobookstore.com/narrators/david-thorpe-audiobooks)
The Library CD Shelf
Simply 'S Wonderful: The Magic of Gershwin
Juliet Ewing
www.julietewing.com
HoneyDiva Music/Lexicon Classics
$TBA CD / $9.49 MP3
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0F6YTKJ48
Former Broadway theater performer and jazz singer Juliet Ewing presents Simply 'S Wonderful: The Magic of Gershwin, a
glowing performance of classic musical songs written by the legendary composers George and Ira Gershwin. Supported by
Ron Drotos and Tedd Firth on piano, David Finck on bass, and Mark McLean on drums, Ewing brings these timeless
musical treasures to life with her consummately beautiful performance. Simply 'S Wonderful: The Magic of Gershwin is a
"must" for fans of Gerswhin musicals and a choice pick for public library music collections, highly recommended. The
tracks are 'S Wonderful; Love Is Here To Stay/They Can't Take That Away From Me; I've Got A Crush On You; Oh, Lady
Be Good; Slap That Bass, But Not For Me; The Man I Love; A Foggy Day; The Lorelei; Embraceable You; Naughty
Baby; I Got Rhythm; and Summertime.
A Million Miles Later
Exile
Clearwater Records
$TBA CD / $8.99 MP3
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Million-Miles-Later-Exile/dp/B0CDCL17XK
Kentucky Hall of Fame country rock group Exile presents A Million Miles Later, their first studio album in 30 years
created in celebration of their 60th anniversary. The tracks include both songs that Exile has written recently, and favorites
from the band's extensive catalog; the final track is a cover of the classic "Sixteen Tons". Exile has still got it after all these
decades; their songs tell heartfelt stories with captivating rhythm and cadence. A Million Miles Later is a "must-have" for
Exile and country rock fans, and highly recommended for public library music collections. The tracks are A Million Miles
Later; Too Far Gone; After You; Daydreamin'; Keep On Pushin'; Valentine Sky; Nothin' But A Thang; Paint the Town;
This Ain't Nothin'; Rough Around The Edges; Nothin' But Sunshine Now; Never Lets Go; Down In Cold Water; Just To
Get Home; Sugar Free; and Sixteen Tons.
Rendering Time
Deborah Martin and Jill Haley
Spotted Peccary Music
www.SpottedPeccary.com
$16.00 CD (includes free downloads)
$10.00 digital (16 bit + 24 bit studio master)
$8.00 MP3
Spotted Peccary Music
https://spottedpeccary.com/shop/rendering-time
Available in CD format with free downloads included, a studio master digital version, and an MP3 digital version,
Rendering Time is an electronic ambient music album that weaves acoustic and electronic harmonies with vocals to create
beautiful, immersive soundscapes. The original creation of award-winning artist Deborah Martin and accomplished
symphonic orchestra player Jill Haley, Rendering Time explores a variety of ambient music stylings in its individual
tracks. A choice pick for fostering creativity, inspiration, or mindful meditation, Rendering Time is highly recommended.
The tracks are Rendering Time; Space Within Spaces; Cenote (Place of Deep Water); From Source; Fitful Dreams;
Shadow of the Moon; This Place We Call Home; Soaring; Secrets of the Talking Trees; and Sunlight and Starlight.
Hand Me Down Name
Trace Nixon
www.tracenixonofficial.com
Privately Published
$TBA CD / $6.45 MP3
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FKWHKP5T
The debut EP of neo-traditional country music singer/songwriter Trace Nixon, Hand Me Down Name consists entirely of
original songs. Three songs are entirely Nixon's compositions; "Secondhand Hold on Me" is by Trace Nixon and Ashley
Grant, and "Ready for the Takin' (When You Are)" is by Trace Nixon and Nick Nixon. A masterful team of musicians
performs the multilayered music: Trace Nixon on acoustic guitar and vocals, Shawn Fitcher on drums, Dave Francis on
bass, Dave Flint on electric guitar, Deanie Richardson on fiddle, Tony Paoletta on steel guitar, Chris Nole on piano, and
Billy Thomas, Wendy Newcomer, and Dani Flowers on background vocals. Hand Me Down Name is a treasure for fans of
original country music, highly recommended for both personal and public library collections. The tracks are This One's for
Alan; Hand Me Down Name; Secondhand Hold On Me; Ready for the Takin' (When You Are); and Love Lost Has
Been.
Sleight of Hand
Victor Towle
https://www.victortowle.com
Privately Published
$TBA CD / $9.49 MP3
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/music/player/albums/B0FB38QXQG
Sleight of Hand is an new age, acoustic guitar album of original songs composed by Victor Towle and masterfully
performed by Towle on acoustic guitar, electric guitar, and guitar synthesizer, along with Carolina Eyck on theremin (in "A
Tear And A Smile"), Brian Mahanke on horns and wind synthesizer, Ed Contreras on percussion, Josiah Contreras on bass,
and Mike DeGroot on bass. A reflective album ideal for fostering meditation, creativity, or just plain unwinding after a
long day, Sleight of Hand is a welcome addition to both personal and public library music CD collections, and also makes
an excellent gift. The tracks are Remember When; Now I Will Know; A Tear And A Smile; Languid Summer Sunday
Evening; Lost In Thought; Sleight Of Hand; Along The Platte River; Baile de Flores (Flower Dance); When Robins Sing;
Night Sky; Leaving; Sincerely Yours; and As It Is. Also highly recommended is Victor Towle's previous guitar album, Still
Young for Another Day.
The Art Shelf
1000 Botanical Colors
Caleb Warnock
Familius
www.familius.com
9798893960600, $29.99, PB, 392pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/1000-Botanical-Colors-Paints-Pottery/dp/B0DWJKKDMK
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/1000-botanical-colors-caleb-warnock/1147537695
Synopsis: Nature provides a rich palette of colors and tones from the plants and flowers around us. Join Caleb Warnock,
creator of the Backyard Renaissance series, and create your own natural colors for painting on paper or pottery and dying
cloth. With swatches of each shade to find your perfect match, information about each of the over 250 plants, and detailed
instructions to make your own paints, inks, and dyes, 1000 Botanical Colors is the home artist's ultimate guidebook.
Critique: Whether an amateur or professional artist, you will no loner be restricted to store-bought paint when with "1000
Botanical Colors: Make Your Own Dyes, Paints, Inks, Stains, and Pottery Paints from 250 Plants" you can now easily
learn how to make your own natural inks and dyes from plants and flowers -- exactly like the great artists of antiquity did.
Unique, massively illustrated in full color, expertly written, comprehensive, thoroughly 'reader/user' friendly in
organization and presentation, Caleb Warnock's "1000 Botanical Colors: Make Your Own Dyes, Paints, Inks, Stains, and
Pottery Paints from 250 Plants" is unreservedly recommended for personal, professional, community, art school, and
college/university library Arts & Crafts collections. It should be noted for art students, artists, academia, and non-specialist
general readers with an interest in the subject that this large format (7.99 x 10 x 10 inches, 1.11 pounds) paperback edition
of "1000 Botanical Colors: Make Your Own Dyes, Paints, Inks, Stains, and Pottery Paints from 250 Plants" is also
available in a digital book format (Kindle, $26.99).
Editorial Note: Caleb Warnock is the author of 24 nonfiction books, including "276 Edible Wild Plants of the United
States and Canada". He has taught gardening classes for more than 25 years.
(https://www.goodreads.com/author/list/4808474.Caleb_Warnock)
Picasso/Asia: A Conversation
Doryun Chong, author
Francois Dareau, author
Thames & Hudson, Inc.
www.thamesandhudsonusa.com
9780500481141, $60.00, HC, 240pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Picasso-Asia-Conversation-M-Museum/dp/0500481148
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/picasso-asia-doryun-chong/1146704951
Synopsis: Why is Pablo Picasso so famous the world over? How does Picasso, the quintessential modern artist of the
twentieth century but also undeniably a European, relate to the work of contemporary artists in other parts of the world,
such as Asia? And what do Picasso and his legacy mean in an age and a place that are far from his own?
These are some of the fundamental questions explored in Picasso/Asia, which accompanies a major exhibition at M+,
Hong Kong. At its heart are two intertwined narratives. First, Picasso's life and artistic practice are interpreted through the
four archetypes of the creative genius, the outsider looking in, the consummate magician, and the endlessly inquisitive
student of art history. Secondly, the fresh interpretation of Picasso's oeuvre is placed "in conversation" with the works of
Asian artists, thereby revealing what Picasso's art can tell us about artistic practice today, and vice versa. A visual timeline
shows how Asian art and artists migrated to Europe during Picasso's lifetime and became an unavoidable part of his
cultural context and milieu, as well as describing Picasso's reception in Asia from the 1910s right up to the end of the 20th
century.
A bold exploration of complex relationships between origin and reception, invention and adaptation, West and East, this
book enriches the discourse on transnational contemporary Asian art and visual culture, while contributing to the growing
critical literature on global art history.
200 color illustrations
Critique: Published to accompany a major exhibition at M+, Hong Kong and co-authored by Doryun Chong and Francois
Dareau, "Picasso/Asia: A Conversation" is an informative and fascinating catalog that places more than sixty Picasso
masterpieces alongside works by Asian and Asian-diasporic artists selected from the M+ Collections. Showeasing 200
captioned color illustrations, this large format (9.4 x 1.1 x 11.4 inches, 3.3 poundws) hardcover edition of "Picasso/Asia: A
Conversation" from Thames & Hudson extraordinary, unique, engaging, and a highly prized, unreservedly recommended
addition to personal, professional, community, art school, and college/university library European Art History collections
and supplemental Art History/Picasso curriculum studies lists.
Editorial Note #1: Doryun Chong is artistic director, curatorial, and chief curator of M+, Hong Kong.
Editorial Note #2: Francois Dareau is a research fellow at the Musee National Picasso-Paris, France.
Artists of the Middle East: 1900 to Now
Saeb Eigner
Thames & Hudson, Inc.
www.thamesandhudsonusa.com
9780500026137, $85.00, HC, 400pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Artists-Middle-East-1900-Now/dp/0500026130
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/artists-of-the-middle-east-saeb-eigner/1146479425
Synopsis: Compiled with commentary and captions by Saeb Eigner, "Artists of the Middle East: 1900 to Now" celebrates a
region of breathtaking creativity through the innovative, spectacular, and at times politically resonant work of more than
250 of its leading artists. Spanning diverse art movements and communities from Morocco to Iran, this is a groundbreaking
survey of more than a century of artistic activity, from 1900 to the present day.
Saeb Eigner shares his intimate knowledge of the stylistic, literary, and linguistic histories of the Middle East and North
Africa in the detailed biographies of almost 100 culturally significant artists from the region, ranging from early modernists
such as Shafic Abboud, Marwan, Bahman Mohassess, and Gazbia Sirry to contemporary artists such as Mona Hatoum,
Nabil Nahas, and Shirin Neshat. Concise profiles of almost 160 additional artists offer further insight into those shaping
this rich cultural landscape.
"Artists of the Middle East: 1900 to Now" is an essential resource for anyone interested in modern and contemporary art
and establishes a dialogue between works that engage with the prominent issues of our age and the ever-changing social,
political, and religious context of their creation.
Critique: Original, unique, exceptional, comprehensive, "Artists of the Middle East: 1900 to Now" by Saeb Eigner is an
informatively detailed survey of (and commentary on) the major modern and contemporary artists of the Middle East for
the past 125 years -- and showcases 580 color illustrations of their work. A truly seminal and groundbreaking study, this
large format (10.2 x 1.6 x 12.1 inches, 6.2 pounds) hardcover edition of "Artists of the Middle East: 1900 to Now" from
Thames & Hudson is a magnificent option for a library's 'Memorial Fund' acquisition selection and an unreservedly
recommended pick for personal, professional, community, art school, and college/university library Art History collection
and supplemental curriculum studies lists.
Editorial Note: Saeb Eigner is a specialist in Arab art and culture with a deep knowledge of the Middle East and is a
committed advocate of the arts. For several decades he has been an avid follower and at times a collector of modern and
contemporary Middle Eastern art, and works from his collection are on long-term loan to institutions, including his alma
mater the London Business School (of which he has been a governor for many years). Saeb Eigner was a co-curator of the
British Museum's exhibition "Word into Art: Artists of the Middle East" (2006; and touring from 2008).
Forbidden Territories: 100 Years of Surreal Landscapes
Eleanor Clayton, editor
Thames & Hudson, Inc.
www.thamesandhudsonusa.com
9780500028032, $45.00, HC, 208pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Forbidden-Territories-Years-Surreal-Landscapes/dp/0500028036
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/forbidden-territories-eleanor-clayton/1145020369
Synopsis: While surrealism's treatment of the body has been much researched, the role of landscape in surrealism paintings
has rarely been examined.
Published one hundred years after Andre Breton wrote the "Surrealist Manifesto", and knowledgeably edited by Eleanor
Clayton, "Forbidden Territories: 100 Years of Surreal Landscapes" reveals how surrealist ideas found their way into
depictions of landscape as a metaphor for the unconscious, the relationship between surrealism and ecology, and landscape
as a means to express political anxieties, gender constraints, and freedoms, ultimately reimagining our relationship with the
world around us.
Some of the earliest surrealist artists used automatic and psychoanalytical approaches to explore the landscapes of the
mind, drawing on childhood experiences to create magical, alluring, and uncanny environments. Recurring surreal terrains
will be interrogated, from the desert and forest to the sea, the latter expanding on surrealist mythologization of the
unconscious as a great ocean by examining links between bodies of water and psycho-surreal worlds in poetry, paintings,
and photographs from the unique perspective of women surrealists.
The development of surrealism in the 1920s and '30s coincided with that of ecology, and the unexamined interplay
between surrealism and life science, including the mutual influence of Sigmund Freud, is also explored in this beautifully
illustrated survey.
Taking a long look at surrealism, "Forbidden Territories" includes works by Eileen Agar, Leonora Carrington, Ithell
Colquhoun, Salvador Dali, Max Ernst, Man Ray, Lee Miller, and Yves Tanguy from the 1920s through the 1940s,
continuing with later surrealists such as Edith Rimmington, Desmond Morris, and Marion Adnams, and interventions by
contemporary artists working within the legacy of surrealism such as Maria Berrio, Helen Marten, and Wael Shawky.
Critique: Embellished with 100 full color, full page illustrations, this large format (7.9 x 1 x 10.2, inches, 2.2 pounds)
hardcover edition of "Forbidden Territories: 100 Years of Surreal Landscapes" from Thames & Hudson is an extraordinary
and seminal study informative enhanced with the contributions of Patricia Almer, Anna Reid, and Tor Scott. Also
featuring an excellent Foreword by Simon Wallis, "Forbidden Territories: 100 Years of Surreal Landscapes" is an
impressively informative contribution to our understanding of the Surrealist movement. Meticulous, exceptional, detailed,
informative, and thoroughly 'reader friendly' in organization and presentation, "Forbidden Territories: 100 Years of Surreal
Landscapes" is a critically important and unreservedly recommended addition to personal, professional, community, and
college/university library Art History/Surrealism collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists.
Editorial Note #1: Eleanor Clayton is senior curator at the Hepworth Wakefield and the author of several books, including
Barbara Hepworth: Art & Life.
Editorial Note #2: Patricia Allmer is a leading scholar of surrealism and teaches art history at the University of
Edinburgh.
Editorial Note #3: Anna Reid is lecturer in art history at the University of Leeds.
Editorial Note #4: Tor Scott is curatorial assistant at the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art.
Editorial Note #5: Simon Wallis is the director of the Hepworth Wakefield.
Maria Sibylla Merian
Catherine Powell-Warren
Getty Publications
www.getty.edu/publications
9781606069929, $45.00, HC, 144pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Maria-Sibylla-Merian-Illuminating-Artists/dp/1606069926
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/maria-sibylla-merian-catherine-powell-warren/1147315303
Synopsis: The career and achievements of Maria Sibylla Merian (1647 - 1717) are very well documented. A pioneering
artist and scientist, she spent much of her life innovating across various mediums and disciplines. Her curiosity was so
strong that it led her on a journey across the Atlantic Ocean from Europe to South America in pursuit of knowledge.
While her status as an entomologist and naturalist has garnered the most attention, Merian has not yet received her full due
as an artist. Raised by a family of illustrators and publishers, she learned how to draw, mix paints, create prints, and paint
in watercolor from her stepfather, still-life expert Jacob Marrel. Her stepfather's attention and tutelage would provide the
foundation for her talents to flourish and teach her that her gender was not a barrier to success.
With the publication of "Maria Sibylla Merian", author Catherine Powell-Warren examines Merian through an art
historical lens to better understand her life as a woman and illustrator in the early modern Dutch Republic. This
informative and illustrated volume highlights Merian's artistic range, financial successes, and historical significance.
Considering the obstacles women artists faced in this period, Merian's achievements (namely her management of a
successful artists' studio and for-profit workshop) were truly extraordinary.
Critique: Original, informative, extraordinary, and elegantly illustrated throughout with museum quality examples of
Merian's artwork, "Maria Sibylla Merian" by Catherine Powell-Warren is an impressively informative and deftly presented
descriptive commentary with examples of the life and artistry of Maria Sibylla Merian. This large format (7.5 x 0.8 x 9.88
inches, 1 pound) hardcover edition of "Maria Sibylla Merian" from Getty Publications is a unique and highly praise worthy
pick for personal, professional, community, and college/university library Art History & Biography collections.
Editorial Note: Catherine Powell-Warren is a junior postdoctoral research fellow at Ghent University whose research
focuses on the early modern art of the Low Countries. (https://kuleuven.academia.edu/CatherinePowellWarren)
The Library Science Shelf
Introduction to Public Librarianship, Fourth Edition
Jenny S. Bossaller, author
Denice Adkins, author
ALA Neal-Schuman
c/o ALA Editions
www.alastore.ala.org
9798892555630, $69.99, PB, 344pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Introduction-Public-Librarianship-Fourth-Bossaller/dp/B0CTT4SHRY
Synopsis: Now in an expanded and undated fourth edition, "Dubbed "Introduction to Public Librarianship" (co-authored by
academicians and information science experts Jenny S. Bosdsaler and Denice Adkins), is an ideal textbook for
college/university Library Science curriculums and collections.
Specifically intended to introduce library science students to the administration of public libraries and to be an up-to-date
resources for educating future professionals, current professionals in other parts of the field, and anyone else interested
about the irreplaceable and irrepressible entities that are public libraries, this newest edition of a trusted instructional
resource has been reimagined and restructured to make it even more relevant and useful.
The definitive handbook on this branch of the profession, "An Introduction To Public Librarianship" covers every aspect of
the public library, from its earliest history through its current incarnation on the cutting edge of the information
environment, including
A summary of current and historical issues in public libraries;
A new chapter on financing which covers traditional sources, creative funding, capital campaigns, special projects, and the
pros and cons of public/private partnerships;
Statistics, standards, planning, evaluations, and results;
Legal issues and politics, including how different states are set up, the role of state libraries, defining service population,
and when the law and values conflict (such as union/non-union scenarios);
Updated coverage of important advocacy issues, including advocacy for access, the legal limits of advocacy, involving the
community in advocacy, and communicating the effectiveness of the public library to stakeholders;
Organization, administration, and staffing, from the differences between small libraries and large systems to current issues
like non-MLIS library workers and unionization;
Learning about who public libraries serve by utilizing community analysis, community needs assessments, and diversity
considerations;
Adult services, youth services, children's services, and serving special populations such as older adults, adults with special
needs, schools, daycares, and the incarcerated;
Library technology, from structure and infrastructure to websites and makerspaces;
Issues related to library buildings and master plans, such as gathering community input and working with an architect on
library spaces and library services outside of the library;
Library associations, state library agencies, and other professional organizations;
Disaster planning and recovery from technological, ecological, and biological disasters;
Global perspectives on public libraries.
Critique: Offering a complete and comprehensive course under one cover, this new fourth edition of "An Introduction To
Public Librarianship" is especially and unreservedly recommended for personal, professional, college/university Library
Science collections and curriculums -- as well as a welcome resource for public library in-service training courses for
library staff members.
Editorial Note #1: Jenny S. Bossaller is Associate Professor at the School of Information Science & Learning Technologies
at the University of Missouri. Prior to that she was assistant professor at the University of Southern Mississippi. She was
coauthor of the third edition of Introduction to Public Librarianship. She has received grant support to prepare dozens of
students to work in public libraries. She received the ALISE/ Connie Van Fleet Award for Research Excellence in Public
Library Services to Adults in 2022.
Editorial Note #2: Denice Adkins is Professor and Associate Director of the School of Information Science & Learning
Technologies, University of Missouri, and former co-editor of the Journal of Education for Library and Information
Science. She earned her MLS and PhD from the University of Arizona. Prior to her academic career, Adkins was a public
librarian serving diverse communities in the southwestern United States. Her additional past experiences include a
Fulbright Scholarship to Honduras and a Fulbright Specialist to India, as well as serving as president and treasurer of
REFORMA, executive board for ALISE (Association for Library and Information Science Education), and
councilor-at-large for ALA.
The Architecture Shelf
Constructing Invisibility
Jeffrey S. Nesbit
ORO Editions
www.oroeditions.com
9781935935-575, $45.00, PB, 216pp
ORO Editions
https://oroeditions.com/product/constructing-invisibility
Synopsis: With the publication of "Constructing Invisibility: Infrastructure, Militarization, and the Extreme Environment",
Jeffrey S. Nesbit brings together contributions by scholars from across diverse disciplines to discuss themes including
critical histories of infrastructural urbanization, planetary urbanism, military-industrial complex, Cold War geographies,
nuclear landscapes, technical lands, and extreme environments.
Critique: This large format (8" x 10") paperback edition of "Constructing Invisibility: Infrastructure, Militarization, and the
Extreme Environment" from ORO Editions is deftly organized into three major sections (Environments and Technologies;
Politics and Geographies; Urbanisms and Defense), plus a Coda and a two page listing of the eighteen contributors and
their credentials. Effectively illustrated throughout with both B/W and Color images, this edition of "Constructing
Invisibility", so ably edited, organized and presented by ground design expert Jeffrey S. Nesbit (Professor of Architecture
& Urbanism, Temple University), offers a unique wealth of well organized and presented information on the subject that is
exceptional -- and highly recommended for personal, professional, and college/university library collections.
Editorial Note: Jeffrey S. Nesbit is an architect, urbanist, and founding director of the research group Grounding Design.
His experience spanning over a decade includes leading design teams for public architecture and large-scale urban projects,
along with managing sponsored design research projects for city governments, local institutions, and NGOs. Nesbit's
research focuses on processes of urbanization, infrastructure, and the evolution of "technical lands".
Re-Imagining Modern Architecture: Emilio Duhart, 1940-1970
Evelyn Meynard
Actar D
c/o Actar Publishers
https://actar.com
9781638401797, $49.95, HC, 280pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Re-Imagining-Modern-Architecture-Emilio-1940-1970/dp/1638401799
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/re-imagining-modern-architecture-evelyn-meynard/1147293320
Synopsis: With contributions by Jose Molina Kock, Isabel Garcia Perez de Arce, Jose Perez de Arce, and Fernando Perez
Oyarzun,"Re-Imagining Modern Architecture: Emilio Duhart, 1940-1970) by Evelyn Meynard presents an essential
selection from the portfolio of Emilio Duhart H. (1917-2006), a pivotal figure in Chilean architecture.
Interweaving episodes from his life and work with the expansion of the modern movement as a global phenomenon,
"Re-Imagining Modern Architecture" places Duhart at the center of an ongoing dialogue between the universal precepts of
modernism and the specificities of the Chilean cultural landscape.
From his early contact with Walter Gropius in the 1940s to his collaboration with Le Corbusier in the 1950s, Duhart
crafted an architectural narrative that not only adopted the ideas of modernism but transformed them, translating them into
a language deeply tied to the local circumstances.
Duhart's personal and professional trajectory offers a fascinating perspective for understanding the global expansion of
modern architecture, exploring themes central to its dissemination, such as migration, education, social class, housing, and
urban challenges. In this light, his life and work are presented as a matrix rich in connections, capable of dialogue with
other emblematic cases worldwide.
Critique: This large format (7.9 x 1 x 9.5 inches, 2.29 pounds) hardcover edition of "Re-imagining Modern Architecture:
Emilio Duhart, 1940-1970" from Actar D is informatively enhanced for the reader's benefit with the inclusion of six page
Foreword, a six page Preface, an eight page Introduction, a five page Bibliography, and a one page Index. An impressively
meticulous study of the life, work and influence of Emilio Duhart, "Re-imagining Modern Architecture" is an especially
and unreservedly recommended addition to personal, professional, college, and university library Architectural History
collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists.
Editorial Note: Evelyn Meynard is a historian, researcher and curator in the field of material culture. Her diverse interests
span architecture, urbanism, sustainability, and design theory. She holds an M.A. in Design History and Curatorial Studies
from Parsons School of Design and an M.F.A. in Design Research, Writing and Criticism from the School of Visual Arts
in New York.
The Photography Shelf
Aviary: The Bird in Contemporary Photography
William A. Ewing, author
Danae Panchaud, author
Thames & Hudson, Inc.
www.thamesandhudsonusa.com
9780500029084, $65.00, HC, 272pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Aviary-Contemporary-Photography-William-Ewing/dp/0500029083
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/aviary-william-a-ewing/1147000766
Synopsis: Co-authored by William A. Ewing and Danae Panchaud, "Aviary: The Bird in Contemporary Photography"
presents a thought-provoking overview of contemporary bird photography, featuring the work of more than fifty
internationally recognized photographers in an enthralling odyssey that is both a visual celebration of the wonders of nature
and a stark reminder of its fragility.
"Aviary" showcases the work of more than fifty internationally recognized photographers who explore our complex
relationship with birds, questioning how we observe them and respond to their presence -- and vice versa. Rather than
being organized by field of study or species, "Aviary" surveys the symbiotic relationship between animals and humans
through six thematic chapters imagined as 'Acts' in a theatrical pageant.
Photographs of birds feature rarely in the early decades of photography: birds were too fast to be captured in flight and
could not be depicted in color, limitations that took many years to rectify. Today, however, with superb technical means at
their disposal, photographers have taken to the subject with great enthusiasm, inspired by our ever-increasing
understanding and appreciation of avian complexity.
Taking an eclectic curatorial approach, co-authors Danae Panchaud and William A. Ewing weave together photography
from the diverse fields of art, documentary, fashion, portraiture, ornithology, and wildlife photography into six 'Acts' that
propose intriguing new dialogues and visual theater between these different modes of photographic expression.
Additionally, "Aviary" features over two hundred photographs from leading image-makers including Leila Jeffreys, Sarah
Moon, Roger Ballen, Vik Muniz, Tim Flach, Viviane Sassen, Robert Clark, and Nadav Kander, among many others.
Critique: This large format (10 x 1.1 x 11.9 inches, 4.22 pounds) hardcover edition of "Aviary: The Bird in Contemporary
Photography" from Thames & Hudson is an impressively original, magnificently presented, inherently fascinating,
exceptionally informative visual study of the relationship (beautiful, complex, and occasionally dark) between humans and
birds presented in 223 captioned color photographs. Well suited as a memorial fund acquisition selection for community
and college/university library collections, "Aviary: The Bird in Contemporary Photography" is especially and unreservedly
recommended for the personal reading lists of armature and professional photographers, as well as birdwatching
enthusiasts.
Editorial Note #1: William A. Ewing has been an author, lecturer, curator of photography, and museum director for more
than fifty years. His many publications on photography include The Body: Photographs of the Human Form, Civilization:
The Way We Live Now, Edward Burtynsky: Essential Elements, and Flora Photographica: The Flower in Contemporary
Photography. (https://www.goodreads.com/author/list/4003.William_A_Ewing)
Editorial Note #2: Danae Panchaud (https://danaepanchaud.net) is a curator and lecturer specializing in photography. She
is the director of the Centre de la Photographie Geneve and coauthor of Flora Photographica: The Flower in Contemporary
Photography.
The Mathematics Shelf
The Magic Theorem
John H. Conway, author
Heidi Burgiel, author
Chaim Goodman-Strauss, author
CRC Press
c/o Routledge
https://www.routledge.com
9781032182735, $150.00, HC, 190pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Magic-Theorem-Greatly-Expanded-Much-Abridged-Recreational/dp/1032182733
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-magic-theorem-john-h-conway/1146745665
Synopsis: Co-authored by the team of John H. Conway, Heidi Burgiel, and Chaim Goodman-Strauss, "The Magic
Theorem: a Greatly-Expanded, Much-Abridged Edition of The Symmetries of Things" presents a wonder-filled and unique
re-imagining of the classic book, "The Symmetries of Things".
Begun as a standard second edition by the original author team, "The Magic Theorem" changed in scope following the
passing of John Conway. This new edition of "The Magic Theorem" fulfills the original vision for the project: an
elementary introduction to the orbifold signature notation and the theory behind it.
"The Magic Theorem" features all the material contained in Part I of The Symmetries of Things, now redesigned and even
more lavishly illustrated, along with new and engaging material suitable for a novice audience. A significantly new book,
"The Magic Theorem" includes hands-on symmetry activities for the home or classroom and an online repository of
teaching materials.
Critique: Massively altered and impressively expanded, this new edition of "The Magic Theorem: A Greatly-Expanded,
Much-Abridged Edition of The Symmetries of Things" is especially and unreservedly recommended to the attention of
readers/students with an interest in analytical geometry, topology, and math games. While a unique acquisition choice for
personal, professional, and college/university library collections and supplemental Mathematics studies lists, it should be
noted for students, academia, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that this large format (8.46 x
0.59 x 9.92 inches, 1 pound) paperback edition of "The Magic Theorem" from CRC Press is also available in paperback
(9781032162003, $29.99) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $16.19).
Editorial Note #1: John H. Conway was the John von Neumann Chair of Mathematics at Princeton University. He obtained
his BA and his PhD from the University of Cambridge (England). He was a prolific mathematician active in the theory of
finite groups, knot theory, number theory, combinatorial game theory, and coding theory. He also contributed to many
branches of recreational mathematics, notably the invention of the Game of Life.
Editorial Note #2: Heidi Burgiel holds a Ph.D. in Geometry from the University of Washington and a Master's degree from
the Harvard Graduate School of Education. Her professional activities range from mathematical fiber arts through
computer systems administration. Over the past 30 years she has worked at the University of Washington, the University of
Minnesota, the University of Illinois at Chicago, the Boston Museum of Science, Boston University, Bridgewater State
University, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Harvard University, the University of Massachusetts at Lowell, and
Lasell University.
Editorial Note #3: Chaim Goodman-Strauss is Outreach Mathematician at the National Museum of Mathematics
(MoMath). Born and raised in Austin, Tex., he earned his Ph.D. in Knot Theory at UT Austin in 1994 and served through
2022 on the mathematics faculty at the University of Arkansas. He has held visiting positions at the Geometry Center at the
University of Minnesota, Princeton University, and the Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico.
The Native American Studies Shelf
Collecting the "Other Americas"
Victoria I. Lyall, editor
Ellen Hoobler, editor
Denver Art Museum
c/o University of Oklahoma Press
www.oupress.com
9781945483172, $29.95, PB, 194pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Collecting-Other-Americas-Ancient-Collections/dp/1945483172
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/collecting-the-other-americas-victoria-i-lyall/1147786597
Synopsis: The term "Pre-Columbian art" once described the material culture produced in the Americas, mostly south of the
US-Mexico border, prior to the arrival of Europeans. Museums across the United States now refer to these departments as
"the Americas" or "the ancient Americas."
A few individuals and museums began collecting in this area already in the late nineteenth century, but many others did not
embark on it until well into the twentieth. A range of figures brought these collections into being: a handful of dedicated
curators, pioneering directors, and passionate collectors and patrons engaged dealers, archaeologists, scholars, and
governments to amass artworks and present them to students and the public alike.
During this time, many art museums insisted on displaying these materials not as ethnographic or anthropological objects
but as finely crafted works of aesthetic value -- as art. During the latter half of the twentieth century, more concern arose
over acquisition methods and standards as well as the ethics of collecting objects of cultural heritage and import.
Stewards of these collections in American art museums have begun to confront the changing meanings and import of what
Nelson Rockefeller once described as the "Other Americas".
"Collecting the "Other Americas": Ancient Americas Collections in Art Museums" is a Mayer Center Symposium volume
that captures the history of collecting and display of ancient American works in art museums, a history surprisingly poorly
documented until now -- as well as their significance for communities today.
Critique: Collaboratively compiled and co-edited by Victoria I. Lyall and Ellen Hoobler, this large format (8.45 x 0.64 x
10.86 inches, 2.17 pounds) paperback edition of "Collecting the "Other Americas": Ancient Americas Collections in Art
Museums" from the Denver Art Museum is profusely illustrated compendium of eleven erudite and informative
contributions by experts in their field, along with an informative Director's Foreword, a thirteen page Appendix (Letters
from the Stendahl Art Galleries Archives, and a two page list of Acknowledgments. "Collecting the "Other Americas":
Ancient Americas Collections in Art Museums" is a unique, seminal, groundbreaking and unreservedly recommended
contribution to personal reading lists, as well as personal, professional, community, and college/university library Native
American Studies collections and supplemental Ancient American and Museum curriculum studies lists.
Editorial Note #1: Victoria Isabel Lyall (www.oupress.com/author/victoria-i-lyall) is the Frederick and Jan Mayer Curator,
Art of the Ancient Americas at the Denver Art Museum. Her exhibitions and publications focus on themes of translation,
narrativity, and the continued resonance of Ancient American art for contemporary artists. She has curated or co-curated
numerous projects including most recently, Traitor, Survivor, Icon: The Legacy of La Malinche and ReVision: Art in the
Americas. In 2021 she redesigned Denver's Ancient Americas galleries.
(https://www.curatorialleadership.org/participants/ccl-program/victoria-lyall)
Editorial Note #2: Ellen Hoobler (https://ellenhoobler.com) is the William B. Ziff, Jr., Curator of Art of the Americas at
the Walters Art Museum in Baltimore, MD. Prior to joining the Walters, Hoobler was Assistant Professor of Art History at
Cornell College (Mount Vernon, IA), and has also taught at Columbia University and the University of Puget Sound
(Tacoma, WA). Hoobler holds a doctorate from Columbia University in Art History and Archaeology, and an
undergraduate degree in Latin American Studies from Wellesley College.
The Language Studies Shelf
Unabridged
Stefan Fatsis
Atlantic Monthly Press
c/o Grove/Atlantic, Inc.
www.groveatlantic.com
9780802165824, $30.00, HC, 416pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Unabridged-Thrill-Threat-Modern-Dictionary/dp/0802165826
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/unabridged-stefan-fatsis/1147370073
Synopsis: Words are the currency of culture -- and never more than today. From selfie to doomscrolling to rizz, our
hyper-connected digital world coins and spreads new words with lightning speed and locks them into mainstream
consciousness with unprecedented influence.
Journalist and author Stefan Fatsis embedded as a lexicographer-in-training at America's most famous dictionary publisher,
Merriam-Webster, to learn how words get into the dictionary, where they come from, who decides what they mean, and
how we write and think about them.
As he recounts in "Unabridged: The Thrill of (and Threat to) the Modern Dictionary" he discovered the history and
fascinating subculture of the dictionary and of those who curate and revere "one of the most basic features of our collective
humanity".
Fatsis also reveals the little-known story of how the brothers George and Charles Merriam acquired Noah Webster's
original American dictionary and reshaped the business of language forever. Merriam-Webster became America's most
successful and enduring compendium of words, withstanding intense competition and cultural controversies -- only to be
threatened by the power of Google and the phenomena of artificial intelligence.
Additionally, while delving into Merriam's legendary archives and parsing its arcane rules, Fatsis learned about the
painstaking precision required for writing good definitions. "Unabridged" also examines how the dictionary has handled
the most explosive slurs and the revolutionary change in pronouns.
Fatsis votes on the annual Word of the Year, travels to the legendary Oxford English Dictionary, and visits the world's
greatest private dictionary collection in a Greenwich Village apartment stuffed with more than 20,000 books. Fatsis
demonstrates how words are weaponized in our polarized political culture (from liberal to woke to DEI) and, in a time of
insurrections and pandemics, how they can be a literal matter of life and death. Along the way, he manages to write a few
definitions that crack the code and are enshrined in the pixelated dictionary.
"I fell in love with the dictionary on my eleventh birthday," Fatsis writes about the full-color college lexicon he received on
that day. "The dictionary projects permanence, but the language is Jell-O, slippery and mutable and forever collapsing on
itself."
"Unabridged: The Thrill of (and Threat to) the Modern Dictionary" takes readers to the heart of an industry in flux,
celebrating as it does the sheer thrill and wonder of words.
Critique: An exceptional, seminal and groundbreaking study, "Unabridged: The Thrill of (and Threat to) the Modern
Dictionary" by Stefan Fatsis is fascinating, informative, original, and thoroughly 'reader friendly' in organization and
presentation. Enhanced for the reader's benefit with the inclusion of a six page Bibliography, sixty-six pages of Endnotes,
and a sixteen page Index, "Unabridged: The Thrill of (and Threat to) the Modern Dictionary" is a truly exceptional and
unreservedly recommended pick for personal, professional, community, and college/university library
Linguistics/Language collections and supplemental Communication/Media curriculum studies lists. It should be noted for
students, academia, linguists, writers, authors, bibliophiles, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the
subject that this hardcover edition of "Unabridged: The Thrill of (and Threat to) the Modern Dictionary" from the Atlantic
Monthly Press is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $28.50).
Editorial Note: Stefan Fatsis (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stefan_Fatsis) is the author of "Word Freak", about the world
of competitive Scrabble; "A Few Seconds of Panic", about life in the National Football League; and "Wild and Outside",
about minor league baseball. In four decades as a journalist, Fatsis has written and talked for Slate, the Wall Street Journal,
NPR, the New York Times, Sports Illustrated, and many other outlets.
The Criminology Shelf
No One Has To Die
Steve Monier
Genius Book Publishing
https://geniusbookpublishing.com
9781958727461, $19.95, PB, 392pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/No-One-Has-Die-Standoff/dp/1958727466
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/no-one-has-to-die-steve-monier/1146422827
Synopsis: On January 12, 2007, what began as a felony tax trial for Ed and Elaine Brown in Plainfield, New Hampshire,
spiraled into the longest armed standoff in U.S. Marshals history. Refusing to appear in court and surrender to federal
authorities, the Browns transformed their home into a fortress, drawing support from militia groups and anti-government
activists nationwide.
With the publication of "No One Has To Die: Inside the Longest Armed Standoff in the History of the U.S. Marshals",
Steve Monier (with contributions from Gary DiMartino and Dave Dimmitt) offers an in-depth look at the tense and
perilous nine month standoff that tested the resolve and tactics of the U.S. Marshals Service. Monier recounts in detail the
meticulous planning and tactical negotiations aimed at resolving the situation peacefully, against a backdrop of rising
militia activity and public scrutiny.
"No One Has To Die" is a compelling narrative that dives into the Browns' extremist beliefs, the challenges faced by law
enforcement, and the strategies employed to prevent another Waco or Ruby Ridge. Through detailed accounts and personal
insights, "No One Has To Die" highlights the importance of communication, patience, and strategy in averting violence
and ensuring that no one has to die.
Critique: Fascinating, informative, exceptional, thoughtful and thought-provoking, "No One Has To Die: Inside the
Longest Armed Standoff in the History of the U.S. Marshals" is the extraordinary and detailed account of an a unique
event and will be of special value to readers with an interest in contemporary law enforcement in a politically volatile era.
While especially and unreservedly recommended for personal, professional, community, police academy, and
college/university library Criminology/Law Enforcement collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists, it should
be noted for students, academia, members of the law enforcement community, governmental policy makers, political
activists, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that this paperback edition of "No One Has To
Die: Inside the Longest Armed Standoff in the History of the U.S. Marshals" from Genius Book Publishing is also readily
available in a digital book format (Kindle, $4.99).
Editorial Note: President George W. Bush nominated Stephen "Steve" Monier as United States Marshal on April 15, 2002.
Steve served as the U.S. Marshal for New Hampshire from May 19, 2002, until October 30, 2009. Marshal Monier and his
Chief Deputy, Gary DiMartino, received the 2007 U.S. Marshals Service "Leadership Beyond the Standard" Award for
their handling of the Ed & Elaine Brown stand-off in Plainfield, NH. Steve Monier is a Magna Cum Laude graduate of St.
Anselm College. Marshal Monier is also a graduate of the Delinquency Control Institute at the University of Southern
California, and the National Crime Prevention Institute at the University of Louisville. Marshal Monier is a past president
and life member of the NH Association of Chiefs of Police, a life member of the International Association of Chiefs of
Police, and a past chairman of the Commission on the Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA), Inc.; the
agency which accredits law enforcement and communications departments nationwide.
The Holocaust Studies Shelf
Plunder and Survival
Suzanne Loebl with Abigail Wilentz
Bloomsbury Academic
c/o Bloomsbury Publishing
www.bloomsbury.com
9781538194225, $29.00, HC, 240pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Plunder-Survival-Recovery-Migration-Uprooted/dp/1538194228
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/plunder-and-survival-suzanne-loebl/1147183576
Synopsis: Written by Suzanne Loebl (a Holocaust survivor whose family collected art) with Abigail Wilentz, "Plunder and
Survival: Stories of Theft, Loss, Recovery, and Migration of Nazi Uprooted Art" tells the stories of principal figures,
events, and artworks that contribute to the intricate story of the ruthless Nazi attack on modern art and the art world's
subsequent repositioning in America.
Each individual chapter focuses on a selection of artworks, the individuals who owned or acquired them, and those who
decided their fate. Since "Plunder and Survival" spotlights Hitler's crusade against "degenerate" art, readers will encounter
many Expressionist works, but they will also find old masters stolen by the Nazis and later restituted.
Suzanne Loebl has also added a personal element to the text, incorporating autobiographical anecdotes on her relatives'
special relationships to art, their voyage from Germany to America, and the fate of their collections.
Of special note is that following the main text, there are two appendices offer a listing of 100 Nazi-stolen artworks
currently housed in U.S. museums and capsule biographies of people discussed in "Plunder and Survival".
Critique: A unique and extraordinary contribution to the growing library of Holocaust related histories and accounts,
"Plunder and Survival: Stories of Theft, Loss, Recovery, and Migration of Nazi Uprooted Art" by co-authors Suzanne
Loebl and Abigail Wilentz is a deftly crafted and original study that is impressively well written, organized and presented.
An informative, engaging, and simply fascinating read from start to finish, "Plunder and Survival" is especially and
unreservedly recommended for personal, professional, community, and college/university library European Art History
collections and supplemental Holocaust History curriculum studies lists. It should be noted for students, academia, and
non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that this hardcover edition of "Plunder and Survival" from
Bloomsbury Academic is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $26.10).
Editorial Note #1: A Holocaust survivor, Suzanne Loebl (https://www.suzanneloebl.com) is the author of fourteen books,
most recently "America's Medicis: The Rockefellers and Their Astonishing Cultural Legacy". Suzanne was born into an
art-collecting family in Germany and escaped the Nazis as a teenager by hiding in Belgium. Her other books include
"America's Art Museums: A Traveler's Guide to Great Collections Large and Small" and a memoir on her experience
during World War II, "At the Mercy of Strangers: Growing Up on the Edge of the Holocaust". In 2012, Suzanne Loebl
received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the American Society of Journalists and Authors.
Editorial Note #2: Abigail Wilentz (https://www.linkedin.com/in/abigail-wilentz-6b09913) has developed books on art,
design, photography, fashion, lifestyle, and other topics as an editor at Universe Publishing, a division of Rizzoli
International Publications, at Watson-Guptill Publications, and independently with agents and authors. She has written
several books commissioned by publishers and directed a custom publishing line for the luxury fashion brand Brioni. She
lives in Manhattan with her husband.
Risk, Resilience, and Redemption
Frank W. Baker
Tree of Life Books
https://treeoflifebooks.org
9798998698132, $12.99, PB, 56pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Risk-Resilience-Redemption-Miraculous-Holocaust/dp/B0FHQTL2QT
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/risk-resilience-and-redemption-w-baker/1147924490
Synopsis: What is it like to have lived through six years of Holocaust slave labor and survive?
Bluma Tishgarten and Felix Goldberg were torn from their families and communities and cast into Hell.
Adolf Hitler was the devil that presided over Germany's descent into madness and led the Nazis in their murderous march
across Europe and beyond from 1939 to 1945.
Despite not knowing if their friends and neighbors and their families were still alive, the two young Polish Jews struggled
through the grueling conditions of near-starvation and slave labor as well as torture and terror with only the faint glimmer
of hope as their beacon leading them to survival.
They found each other. They found a life together and they found their way to America. "Risk, Resilience, and
Redemption: A Miraculous Holocaust Survival Story" is their miraculous story of their trials and tribulations -- of the risks
they took, the resilience to persevere, and their ultimate redemption.
Critique: As we see the current rise of anti-Semitism (the same kind of thing that enabled the Holocaust), "Risk,
Resilience, and Redemption: A Miraculous Holocaust Survival Story" is a timely reminder of something we must "Never
Forget". More a booklet than a book at 66 pages (with some effective B/W illustrations throughout), "Risk, Resilience, and
Redemption: A Miraculous Holocaust Survival Story" is a welcome and unreservedly recommended addition to personal,
family, community, synagogue, and college/university library Holocaust collections and supplemental curriculum studies
lists.
Editorial Note: Frank W. Baker (www.frankwbaker.com) has worked in television news, public education and public
television. In 2019, Frank was recognized by UNESCO with its GAPMIL (Global Alliance Partnership for Media &
Information Literacy) honor. In 1998 he founded the Media Literacy Clearinghouse website and began work helping
teachers and students better understand how to think critically about the media. His first book, "Coming Distractions:
Questioning Movies," was published by Capstone Press. His second book, "Political Campaigns & Political Advertising: A
Media Literacy Guide" was published by Greenwood Press. His third book, "Media Literacy in The K-12 Classroom" was
published by ISTE (2012). In 2017, Routledge published Baker's "Close Reading the Media: Literacy Lessons and
Activities for Every Month of the Year."
James A. Cox, Editor-in-Chief
Diane C. Donovan, Editor
Midwest Book Review
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Oregon, WI 53575-1129
phone: 1-608-835-7937
e-mail: mbr@execpc.com
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