Mary Helen Stefaniak has written a magical, funny, and touching novel about four generations of
a Hungarian family whose lives span the globe and the twentieth century, from the wilds of Siberia
to the streets of Milwaukee.
Stefaniak is a graceful and compelling storyteller who draws the reader into this family in a tale
that is both comic and tragic.
Family history is never clear, never plain, never single. It's always a labyrinth of facts, dreams, and
outright lies--the story of what actually happened balanced or opposed against the story of what
could have happened. Stefaniak captures all this well, inventing a narrator who's attempting to
piece together the fragments of family history she's given while, at the same time, she tries to
understand her own place in the family.
At its heart, the book is about family stories and family mysteries. Why did Grandma Agnes run
crying from the theater at the sight of Omar Sharif in a movie? Did the narrator's mother have a
romance with a Turkish prisoner-of-war during World War I? And what of Uncle Marko, family
legend, who may or may not be dead, who may or may not be traipsing through the hinterlands of
Siberia? And that blind gypsy fiddler the grandmother adored--could he have been Uncle Marko's
father? For this family, the truth has more hairpin turns than a mountain road.
The author has taken an interesting risk in merging actual family history with fiction. The result is
a compelling narrative about the extraordinary and everyday magic of family life. At Bottom, it's
love and magic that hold this family--and this book--together. And it's magic of a very particular
kind--the magic of forgiveness.
The Turk and My Mother shows an author who's deeply wise aobut the ways that family
mysteries hold us together and, sometimes, threaten to drive us apart. Mary Helen Stefaniak's The
Turk and My Mother is a rich, rewarding novel by a writer who goes to the heart of who we
are.
The Sword of Islam: The Muslim Onslaught all but Destroys Christendom, A.D. 565-740
(fifth volume in the 12- volume series The Christians: Their First Two Thousand Years)
Ted Byfield, Paul Stanway, editors
Christian History Project
www.christianhistoryproject.com 1-800-853-5402
ISBN: 0968987346 $39.95 288 pp.
Brian Lehr
Reviewer
On September 11, 2001, the world began to change. Since that time the term "9/11" has come
into common parlance, referring to the date when terrorists acting, they declared, in the name of
Allah shook America to its core. In the midst of these incidents we heard the cry "Allahu
Akbar!" the Muslim proclamation that "God is great!"
Questions began to arise: "Who are these people? Why are they doing this to us? What did we
ever do to them?" Politicians and religious leaders attempted to answer those questions, but, in
the process, sometimes tended to further muddy the waters. The truth is that the answers to these
questions cannot be adequately provided without going back to the very beginning. Only by
knowing how Islam started and developed in the first place will we understand how the terrible
events of 9/11, and others since then, can take place. Such is the purpose of the latest volume
from the Christian History Project, entitled The Sword of Islam: The Muslim Onslaught all but
Destroys Christendom, A.D. 565-740. This book is the fifth in the twelve-volume series: The
Christians: Their First Two Thousand Years.
Through reading this book, I discovered that, from the first, Islam was not merely a spiritual
movement. It was also a political and military one. In its formative centuries it spread by the
sword and it took over entire governments. Its intended goal was to literally take over the world,
and it almost succeeded. After Islam took over Christian Spain, and attempted to bring France
under its control, a pivotal encounter occurred between the Muslims and the Christian Franks. It
was during this battle that the Muslims were stopped cold at Tours. Were it not for events such as
this, we could all be Muslim today.
The Sword of Islam helped me understand how the initial conflict between Islam and Christianity
began, how those battles have served to shape western civilization throughout the past 1400
years, and how those battles are still going on today. If you wish to get a better grip on what's
happening in the world today, and why certain groups within Islam are attacking the very
foundations upon which western society was built, then you must read this book.
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time
Mark Haddon
Doubleday
1540 Broadway, New York, NY 10036
ISBN 0385509456, $22.95, 221 pp.
Coletta Ollerer
Reviewer
"And then he held up his right hand and spread his fingers out in a fan, and I held up my left hand
and spread my fingers out in a fan and we made our fingers and thumbs touch each other." That is
the only way he can tolerate being touched and only by his parents. Christian John Francis Boone
is an autistic 15 yr. old, living with his father. He is gifted in mathematics, knowing every prime
number up to 7,057. He has memorized the capitals of every country in the world and is very
comfortable with animals. He can read words but has a hard time reading people. He converses
with people but only in the most logical way, that is, the nuances of slang elude him. He is more
comfortable with facts than relationships.
One morning he goes out and looks into the yard of his neighbor, Mrs. Shears, and notices her
large poodle, Wellington, is laying dead on the grass. Not only that but a garden fork has been
thrust through the body attaching it to the earth. He is overcome with sadness at this loss, calling
it a murder, and he takes on the task of its solution by becoming a lay detective.
He announces his intent to his father who suggests he abandon the idea, that it is just a dog and
that he should mind his own business. His dad is a no-nonsense guy struggling to keep a small
business going while caring for his handicapped son. Nonetheless, Christopher undertakes to get
to the bottom of the mystery. This book follows the boy on his quest. His logical mind sets goals
and we watch as each is achieved. "I was imagining a Chain of Reasoning inside my head which
was like this. 1) Why would you kill a dog? a) Because you hated the dog. b) Because you were
mad. c) Because you wanted to make Mrs. Shears upset. . . . ." He hits upon the idea of writing a
book about the murder and he decides to interview the other neighbors as a detective would to
provide material for his book. When his father finds out about it he becomes furious and takes the
manuscript from Christopher and throws it into the trash. Later he retrieves it and hides it from
Christopher. Christopher comes to discover it is not in the trash and logically sets out to search
for it in the house and finds it along with some other things which astound him and send him
reeling emotionally.
The author's choice of Christopher as narrator introduces us to the mind of an autistic. Mark
Haddon worked with autistic children as a young man and he brings his considerable knowledge
to the story in this easy conversational style. We get inside Christopher's head and see things as he
sees them. We marvel at how well he navigates in the world despite his handicap. We come to see
how others, living in a world less logical than Christopher's, respond to his unusual behavior. His
parents are separated but each loves the child dearly and is committed to his well-being but they
often become frustrated by his less than normal choices. Christopher finally uncovers the identity
of the dog's killer and along the way many other things are revealed. This is an engaging and
informative story and well worth the read.
Understanding Astrology: How to Unlock the Secrets of Your Personality
Jane Struthers
Connections Book Publishing Ltd.
St Chad's House, 148 King's Cross Road, London WC1X 9DH
http://www.connections-publishing.com/ Tel: +44 (0)1280 813111
ISBN: 1859060366 $AUD 29.95 128 pages
Rose Glavas, Reviewer
http://home.iprimus.com.au/fhopec
For the reader based in the UK, the information provided within Understanding Astrology gives
enough information to draw up a birth chart including world time zones, British Summer Time
and planetary positions from 1930 - 2006 (for the Sun, Moon, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and
Saturn). If you live outside of the UK you will need to have a good understanding of time changes
associated with daylight savings and other time adjustments.
Jane Struthers has been a student of astrology for more than 25 years. She has written for The
Sun newspaper in the UK and is regularly contributes to radio and TV programs. Her previous
titles include The Book of Destinies and an ongoing series of yearly horoscope books.
The author certainly looks as though she has enough experience to be writing a 'how-to' book.
She is clever enough to avoid some of the more difficult and complex parts of chart interpretation
as these could confuse the beginner.
Ms Struthers goes through explaining a simplified process of drawing up the birth chart using the
information provided at the back of the book as reference material. She also examines the balance
of elements and qualities and offers basic meanings to these.
Part One is dedicated to the exploration of the twelve sun-signs. This includes a section devoted
to each of the following headings: relationships, money, health and career.
Part Two looks at the Moon, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn and how they can be
interpreted in each of the twelve zodiac signs.
Even though I feel that astrology is a subject that is too complex to teach yourself (for most
people that is) all in all this is an excellent reference book for the person who wants to know more
about astrology than their Sun Sign and that wants to have a go at drawing up their own birth
chart.
Understanding Astrology is for the beginner.
Merlin's Door
Mary Triola
Quiet Storm Books
PO Box 1666, Martinsburg, WV 25402
Ingram, Baker & Taylor (dist.)
ISBN: 0974408433 $11.95 147 pp.
Grant R. Philips
Reviewer
Mary Triola, author of Caroline's Rose, has penned, Merlin's Door, her first middle grade novel.
Told in taut, quick-paced chapters, Merlin's Door is the kind of novel kids will enjoy reading on
their own, or have read to them by an adult. The tale is so well told and captivating it will be
enjoyed by readers of all ages.
Carter's great aunt has passed away. The eleven-year-old boy returns with his mother to the aunt's
house in order to sort through belongings and tie up loose ends. Carter's friend, Penny, lives in the
house behind Aunt B. And over the years, the two have become good friends. While staying at his
aunt's house, Carter and Penny stumble on many puzzling questions. Who is Uncle Mortimer and
how come Carter never heard of him before? Why is Uncle Mortimer and the rich old couple in
the expensive Rolls Royce so interested in an antique door?
When the kids stumble onto this mysterious door in the basement, Carter accidentally breaks it,
releasing the famous wizard, Merlin, from spell centuries old. Trying to teach Merlin the ways of
the present, the kids work to keep their secret visitor a secret. But it isn't easy. Especially since
Merlin and his magical Sphere of Power may be the exact thing everyone is searching for.
Like any Vivian Vande Velde novel, Merlin's Door promises to entertain. Triola has a way of
building witty and exciting scenes that demands page-turning action. Readers will love the
adventures Carter and Penny take, and the heroes they become. Dazzling, fun and memorable,
Merlin's Door is the kind of book that will leave fans of fantasy novels wanting more.
Kokopelli's Dream
Manny TwoFeathers
Wo-Pila Publishing
P.O. Box 8966, Erie, PA 16505
ISBN 1886340234 $10.00 176 pages
Joyce P. Hale
Reviewer
Manny TwoFeathers, Aztec and Yaqui, was born in Arizona, USA, and his ancestry influences
him in the form of southwest legends and native spirituality. He is a spiritual elder and
counselor.
A book of fantasy, Kokopelli's Dream is a fictional journey of the legend of Kokopelli, the flute
player. Kokopelli's image has been found in South, Central and North Americas and beyond, but it
is not known who he was nor from where he came; and his image and legend survive with vigor
today. The book is written with simplicity, and the author explains things well.
The author, Manny TwoFeathers, writes a story inspired by a dream he had, and written as
though he walked and lived Kokopelli's life. Anyone interested in legends, especially of the
Americas, will enjoy this tale of the peripatetic life of a man? spirit? who wanders the Americas
long ago, spreading the concept of compassion, peace, love, sexuality and spirituality; but whose
origin and end are unknown. The legend has travelled down through the ages and is a fascinating
read. However, be aware that this book is for adults only as there are several explicit sexual
situations included.
"When entering (the Tamascal - sweatlodge), we would stop at the door and say the words, "Oma
Teo." It is hard to translate, but it was brought to us to thank the Creator for all there is and for
all duality: the good, the bad; the day, the night; the female and male. In other words the Balance
to all life and all that exists."
Kendrick
A.H. Holt
Thomas Bouregy & Co.
Avalon Books
www.avalonbooks.com
ISBN: 0803496508, $21.95 190 pp.
KENDRICK is set in Colorado in 1898 and is an old-fashioned western involving a lot of action,
mystery and a splash of romance.
Wayne Kendrick, the hero of the story, is a Cattleman loyal to his friend Jim Carson who is
kidnapped by villains. He is in love with Meg, Jim's sister,and hopes that one day she will marry
him.
Jim Carson, the closest friend of Wayne, gets into serious trouble when he is kidnapped and
becomes one of the prisoners of Blake .
Blake, the head of the Blake Mining Company, is the major villain in this story who deceives and
kills miners looking for gold.
The story is about Kendrick who risks his life to save his friend Jim as well as a great number of
other miners who have disappeared. It is a story of slavery and courage that comes to light thanks
to the hero and his young friend, Davis, who helps him to uncover the villains and save the
miners.
KENDRICK is a fast-paced western that involves a lot of interesting characters and a lot of
action. The story is written in the first person ; it is the actual account of Wayne Kendrick who
cites the events that take place at that time in his place. The plot is complex and exciting, while
the story is well constructed offering the readers a satisfying end. There is a morale in the story
that can not be overlooked: the courageous hero beats the evil men and brings justice and relief to
the residents of Colorado. Fighting against odds and surviving has always been a popular formula,
even in up to date novels. The author has managed to grasp the readers' attention to the very end
of the story, so as this second book of hers is by no means less exciting than her first one,
SILVER CREEK. Though KENDRICK has got less romance than SILVER CREEK, as it is
mainly based on action, it raises important issues such as those of poverty of families and the
non-existent welfare of children . The story of the gold miners shows an era back in time when
people used to try desperately to find some gold in order to get by, while it also shows the other
side of the issue: the villains who try to exploit the poor and gather gold for themselves.
The first person style the author uses, makes the story more lively and truthful, while the language
is enriched by local accent and idioms suitable for that kind of story set at that time.
A.H. Holt, a historian, is an expert in narrating a cowboy's story back in 1898, using all the
devices her own experience and her studies can offer. She is also a poet and novelist and a Ph.D
candidate in history at Florida State University, and a great grandmother. You can visit her
online at: www.ahholt.com
KENDRICK is a good read for adult and young adult readers who love action, mystery and
suspence. You can get this book from: customerservice@avalonbooks.com
Related titles: Silver Creek, A. H. Holt, Baker and Taylor, Ingram ISBN 0803496001 $21.95
Masquerade
Alex Domokos and Rita Y. Toews
Books Unbound E-Publishing Co.
http://www.booksunbound.com
ISBN 159201027X E-book Instant Download $3.95, CD $8.95, 240 pp.
S. Joan Popek, Reviewer
http://www.sjoanpopek.com
When I was asked to review this book, I jumped at the chance to once again enter the exciting
worlds of award winning authors, Alex Domokos and Rita Y. Toews. I had read and reviewed
some of their work before and knew that I was in for a literary treat. I was not disappointed.
Masquerade is a lean, well written, "get to the story" tale with no excess fat/filler prose that adds
only words and little plot advancement like so many of today's novels seem to have. These
masterful authors don't need such diversionary devices to tell their tale. They are true story
tellers. In this book, you will find intrigue and mystery that draw you in from the first paragraph
and doesn't let you go until you turn the last page.
Do you like a good undercover cop story with international intrigue? Well, Masquerade has that
and more. The story begins with this paragraph, "Sealed in the cramped smuggler's hole...Sonja
Sepsik crouched on a folded blanket. Cold fingers of fear squeezed the air from her lungs and fed
her growing claustrophobia..." I was instantly hooked. I had to know more about Sonja and how
she got herself into such a predicament.
In the next chapter, we are introduced to Stan, a Royal Canadian Mounted Police undercover
agent coming home to Winnapeg after long years away. Soon he, an old childhood sweetheart, an
aging immigrant uncle with a dark past, and Sonja Sepsik are all embroiled in a deadly game
involving murder, drugs, prostitution and human organ smuggling.
Anyone of almost any age who enjoys a good mystery or thriller will enjoy this book. It is pure
entertainment with an element of "this could happen," that makes the reader aware that this is not
pure fiction, but a carefully thought out and highly possible scenario--and that, my friends, is a bit
unnerving. We are all hoping for a sequel to this exceptional story and I, for one, can't wait to see
where Stan and Sonja's next adventure will be. Perhaps they will go to Europe when they return
the stolen...umm...wait, I don't want to give away too much of the story. I'd take all the fun
away.
I highly recommend this book. Buy it, immerse yourself in this entertaining story. You will be
glad you did.
Dancing in the Mirror
Bryan Walton
Centreline Publications
ISBN Number: 0973437901 $27.95/$37.50 Cdn. 147 pages
Shirley Roe
Reviewer
"The practice of being in the heart is the essential step from which all other steps follow. The
heart state allows the opening of possibilities, the limitless expression of the greater self." Page
15
In your search for guidance and direction, not a day will go by that you don't refer to Dancing in
the Mirror. Intuitively flip to a page number and find the inspiration you need to go forward. This
is one of those "can't be without it" books that seem to come along just when you need it
most.
Like Tarot cards, Rune stones and ancient animal oracles, this book will provide deep
understanding of life's challenges and obstacles through gentle wisdom. It will inspire, encourage,
support and validate. Everyone, young and old, could benefit from Dancing in the Mirror.
Author Bryan Walton began his own spiritual quest at an early age, practicing daily meditation to
stay centered. As Bryan discovered, life journeys seem to be guided by unexpected inspirations
and life happenings. This book will become your daily source of these inspirations. Shawn
Andrews' strategically placed illustrations add a spattering of imagination and colour. The writings
themselves are reflective, enlightening and written to invoke insight into one's self and the world
around us. This is one book that will stay in my personal library. Pick up a copy of this highly
recommended book today.
Soldiers of Salamis
Javier Cercas
Translated from the Spanish by Anne MacLean
Bloomsbury
175 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10010
ISBN 1582343845 $23.95 208 pages
Mary Sarko
Reviewer
On the cover of Javier Cercas' novel "Soldiers of Salamis" is a somber portrait of a Loyalist
soldier from the Spanish Civil War.The soldier is not wearing a traditional military uniform, and
he looks tired. Not surprisingly, this is a photo done by Robert Capa, the Hungarian photographer
who covered five wars in the twentieth century and created archetypal images of the gritty and
determined people who stood up in Spain to the rise of European fascism. Readers of Cercas'
novel soon find out that his novel is not about the soldiers who fought an ancient and decisive
battle between the Greeks and Persians at Salamis but about a group of Nationalist and Loyalist
soldiers who confronted each other in the final days of the Spanish Civil War, but it is not until the
end of the novel that readers find out how appropriate the Robert Capa portrait on the cover
is.
The narration begins simply: "It was in the summer of 1994, more than six years ago now, when I
first heard about Rafael Sanchez Mazas facing the firing squad." The narrator is a journalist who
hears the story of Sanchez Mazas from his son Rafael Sanchez Ferlosio. Ferlosio tells the narrator
that in January 1939, very close to the end of the war, his father, one of the founders of Spanish
fascism, was being held prisoner in Barcelona by Loyalist forces. As Franco's troops were getting
close to Barcelona, Mazas was taken with other prisoners to a sanctuary not far from Gerona,
where fifty prisoners faced a mass firing squad on January 30. As the bullets were flying, Mazas,
who was only grazed, took advantage of the confusion, and ran into the woods and hid in a ditch.
Some Loyalist soldiers went after him, and one found him in the ditch. He looked directly at
Mazas, but when someone shouted to him and asked if he had found Mazas, the soldier
responded, "There's nobody over here!"
After hearing this story from Mazas' son, the narrator begins an investigation of the events of his
father's escape. He wants to know, first of all, if it really happened. He also investigates how
Mazas survived in the woods until Franco's troops arrived and what happened to him after the
war was over. But most important for the narrator is finding out who the Loyalist soldier was
who saved Mazas' life.
The investigation is compelling because the narrator's name is Javier Cercas, and Mazas was in
fact one of the major creators of Spanish fascism. Because the narration takes a detailed traverses
of not only the rise of fascism in Spain and the subsequent war but also the denouement of the
war and Spain's postwar history, the translator provides a brief introduction and some explanatory
footnotes. History though does not merely form a backdrop for a fictional recreation of the life of
Sanchez Mazas and the man who saved him. Cercas portrayal of Mazas is a probing look at how
history is told and on how non-fiction and fiction relate to each other.
It is fair to say that this novel is a classic postmodern text, but the term "postmodern" loosely
applied. Postmodernism for Cercas, as for Jose Saramago, is an interrogation of the foundations
of history and fiction. In this novel, Cercas, for example, realizes that Mazas' version of what
happened to him has two different forms: one for his friends and one for public consumption. But
Cercas finds that otherwise the story is largely formulaic, as though the story is predicated more
on previous tellings than on actual memories. What this is means is that there is no "true" history,
no perfectly objective history, just as fiction is never a purely creative act but instead is shaped
both by history and the author's attitude toward history.
Although the narrator sets up the expectation of journalistic objectivity, he ultimately does not
waffle on his indictment of Mazas and Spanish Fascism. Early in his investigation the narrator
remarks that the more he knew about Mazas the less he understood him, but then he goes on:
I had known but not understood and was intrigued that cultured, refined, melancholic and
conservative man, bereft of physical courage and allergic to violence, undoubtedly because he
knew himself incapable of exercising it, had worked in the twenties and thirties harder than almost
anyone so that his country would be submerged in a savage orgy of blood.
Cercas is not able to penetrate Mazas' psyche to determine why he produced the lethal texts and
political movement, just as when he finds the Loyalist soldier he is unable to understand exactly
why he saved Mazas' life, although he would like to.
Cercas' search for the Loyalist soldier is guided in part by the recently deceased Chilean writer
Roberto Bola¤o, who had been living in exile since the 1973 military coup in Chile. Because
Salvador Allende would not let his followers take up arms, Bola¤o tells Cercas that he thinks that
a hero is someone who doesn't kill or let others be killed, and then had adds: "I think there is
something blind, irrational, instinctive in a hero's behavior." With that discussion as a background,
Cercas' investigation finally takes him to France, where he meets Antoni Miralles, the man who
may have saved Mazas' life. There he also finds even more history, and a glimpse of what Robert
Capa saw in the anonymous Loyalist soldier. Capa famously said that "If you're pictures aren't
good enough, you aren't close enough." Cercas' portrait of Antoni Miralles, like that in the Capa
photo, is one that comes very close and draws without any artificial glosses the anonymous
existence of a hero.
The Martians
Kim Stanley Robinson
Voyager 1999
77-85 Fulham Palace Road Hammersmith, London W68JB
ISBN 000225932X, $TBA 400 pages
William Shaw
Reviewer
This book caught my attention because I recently read Robinson's Mars Colors trilogy. It is for
readers who have read any or all of the Mars trilogy. If you haven't there is little in it you will
enjoy. Robinson always uses a lot of authentic science in his work. This one has geology,
aerology, meteorology and vulcanology to highlight just a few. There is a long section on
climbing Olympus Mons (the huge volcano on Mars) that has them all. Many of the stories in the
book are short adventures set after the greening of Mars. The book contains background about
the characters, which is only hinted at in the trilogy including the early selection of the original
explorers during their year in Antarctica. Plus more information on Martian mythology and the
Constitution for a Free Mars that Robinson interwove into the story of the Mars evolution. There
is a collection of poetry in the style of Chinese poet Wang Wei about Mars. This is an excerpt
from one that illustrates Robinson's vivid descriptions of the changes to Mars.
There, on a wet, red beach
Green moss, green sedge. Green.
Not nature, not culture: just Mars.
Western sky deep violet,
Two evening stars, one white one blue:
Venus, and the Earth.
Love Monkey
Kyle Smith
William Morrow
ISBN: 0060574534 $23.95 352 pages
Terry Mathews
Reviewer
Dying For Redemption
Chris Freeburn
Quiet Storm Publishing
ISBN: 0974960853 $15.95
Phillip Tomasso III
Reviewer
Chris Freeburn decided to take a break from her crime novels featuring Rayven Forrester in order
to write a noir-style mystery, introducing P.I. Calamar Demar, who prefers to be called simply
Callous. Intriguing and original, Dying For Redemption is like a Mikey Spillane story with a
splash of the supernatural, just to keep give it some added bite.
Please note, this is not some fantasy novel, nor is it a horror novel. It is a very well told,
believable and acceptable private eye story filled with great characters, exciting scenes, humorous
elements, some serious sleuthing and a plausible tightly crafted plot. The book is hard to put
down. In a word, it is enjoyable.
Willow was a wealthy woman, ran her own business and believes her butler murdered her. Once
dead she visits Working Shadow. A detective agency located on the corner of Heaven and Hell,
or to be more exact, in limbo. Callous, a detective who was murdered in the 1950s, operates the
agency to help souls accept their fate, answer some troubling questions in order for their spirits to
move on to Heaven or Hell. He agrees to take on Willow's case.
Abigail is Callous' great niece. She is a college student, working on a paper for a criminal justice
class. When she returns home at the end of the day she is attacked by an unknown assailant.
Though Willow is enough to fill Callous' plate, he becomes intent on helping Abby track down
who might be responsible for the savage attack.
Working the cases as a ghost, flitting about on breezes and solidifying at times to torment and
demand answers, Callous finds himself faces with many suspects and not as many possible
answers. If anything, he is forced to realize his efforts, if anything, unearth more questions. But
does he want to know the answers? Will answering the questions about his own murder free his
spirit and send him prematurely on to Heaven? or Hell?
Packed solid with emotion, humorously haunting and intelligently penned, Freeburn's latest
attempt is a full of triumphant spirit. Though I loved her other novels, Parental Source and
Generation Without Souls, I firmly believe that Dying For Redemption is her best work and
cannot wait to see Callous in another transparent adventure.
Recommendation: ***
Not my cup of tea but a good look into the world of single men, sex, the city, and publishing.
Tom Farrell is 32, living the single life in Manhattan, and working for a rag called TABLOID. I
thought this might be a male version of SEX AND THE CITY, but found it lacking in depth.
Oh, wait. We're talking about young single men. They have no depth.
What they do have is a lot of gratuitous sex and lascivious thoughts about sex, filthy apartments
with great sound systems, nights on the town blurred from too much liquor, and they seem more
concerned with a girl's body than her brain.
Author Kyle Smith, a critic himself, does teach his reader about the publishing world and a
testosterone-led life in the city, but I was disappointed at the lack of insight into the thought
process of a young male. Guess it doesn't extend beyond, sex, food, sports, and alcohol.
Alisa's Bookshelf
Bumper Crop
Joe R. Lansdale
Golden Gryphon Press
http://goldngryphon.com http://www.joerlansdale.com
ISBN: 193084624X $24.95 275 pp.
Cover Artist: John Picacio
Bumper Crop by Joe Lansdale is an imaginative collection of 26 short stories each introduced by
the author. Bumper Crop and High Cotton are a definitive collection of Lansdale's short
stories.
The author's introductions to each story alone are worth reading the book. Lansdale advises us
that many of his stories are the product of his wife's popcorn. Most of the stories are reprints from
Rod Serling's The Twilight Zone, The Horror Show, and other publications.
Bumper Crop is appropriately titled as most of the stories have some food or food intake as a
major theme. These stories are not for the feint of heart or for the easily frightened. "Chompers"
in particular gave me nightmares. The idea of cannibalistic dentures is fairly disturbing to dream
about.
Each story has a definitive twist to them. From razor inspired to murderous teeth to prehistoric
sharks and on, this collection is one you will not easily forget. One theme repeated in the stories is
that inquisitive children, who find out why curiosity killed the cat are not likely to forget the
lesson. It is easy to imagine the mongoloid, albino banjo player from Deliverance to be serenading
in the background.
Bumper Crop is Joe Lansdale at his finest. I purchased High Cotton to complete my addiction to
these 'catchy' little stories.
Joe R. Lansdale is the author of over 20 books and has received numerous honors for his work.
He currently resides in Texas with his wife, Karen.
Dead Witch Walking
Kim Harrison
Harper Torch
http://www.harpercollins.com http://www.kimharrison.net/
ISBN: 0060572965 $6.99 416 pp.
Cover Artist:
Dead Witch Walking is a fantastically fun, first novel by Kim Harrison. The world Kim Harrison
has created is marred by tomatoes. In our search for genetically engineered food and medicine, we
created a nasty virus in tomatoes that has nearly wiped out mankind. This virus has exposed
paranormal races to the world as they are immune. Society has splintered with all the upheaval
and paranormal races have set-up residence in the Hallows. The Hallows can be compared to a
Las Vegas for the paranormal. 'Day-trippers' frequently take a walk-on-the-wild side to meet and
mingle in the Hallows with werewolves, vampires, witches, and so on.
Rachel Morgan is a witch and an I.S. runner similar to an FBI agent but for the paranormal
world. Her career is going nowhere. It seems as though she can do nothing right and is given the
lowest assignments available. Each day and night of work has become drudgery and Rachel is
looking for a way out.
Dead Witch Walking quickly immerses the reader in a vibrant cast of characters. We meet Ivy, a
living vampire; Jenks, a pixie with a lot of children; Trent, a businessman who may or may not be
human and is believed to be dealing in Brimstone, a nasty drug, and so on.
Dead Witch Walking is a paranormal mystery that can easily be compared to Jim Butcher's Harry
Dresden series or Laurell K. Hamilton's early Anita Blake novels. Rachel Morgan is a charming
character that is very easy to like. She certainly has her issues, but she has none of the angst or
brutality of Anita Blake.
Kim Harrison has created a fun book with laughs that are unexpected. The story line is not
completely predictable and has many different twists and turns. I hope this is the beginning of a
new series.
Kim Harrison describes herself as born in the Midwest. She has been called a witch, among other
things, but has never seen a vampire (that she knows of). She loves graveyards and midnight jazz,
and wears too much black. Please be sure to visit her website at:
http://www.kimharrison.net/
Slave Trade
Susan Wright
Pocket Star, an imprint of Simon & Schuster
1230 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020
http://www.simonsays.com/ http://www.susanwright.info
ISBN: 0743457633 $6.99 352 pp.
Cover Artist: David Stevenson
Slave Trade by Susan Wright introduces us to Rose Rico, a woman with a chip on her shoulders.
Rose lives in Mexico in a post-apocalyptic Earth where people just disappear regularly. Rose
learns that her mother and the rest of the World Council have entered into an arrangement with
aliens called the Domain. In return for technology, Earth provides slaves innocent human lives.
Through treachery, Rose finds herself in a cube hurtling through space as a slave.
Solians, as humans are called by the Domain are greatly desired as pleasure slaves. It would seem
as though the aliens of the Domain have lost the ability to be spontaneously sexual. They have lust
cycles that are dictated by the race of the alien. Solians are able to be sexual at any time and this
makes them ideal as sexual slaves.
Rose is not happy with her enslavement and does everything she can to escape. Lucky for Rose,
she meets Ash, a hir and hermaphrodite slave. Together, they have a chance at freedom, but have
no idea what to do once they are free.
The Domain has enslaved many different worlds. One world that is trying to fight back is Qin. Qin
is mired in political apathy that seems insurmountable. S'jen, a Qin battleship captain has decided
the time is ripe for the Qin to strike directly at the Domain. This strike places Rose and Ash
together and changes the entire tactics of the Qin.
The Domain, Qin, and the Solian slaves begin a war that takes many prisoners and has a huge cost
in life. Nothing will ever be the same for Rose and all her comrades.
Slave Trade is an interesting read, but does not contain any titillating sexual encounters. They
story is more of a space-opera/action adventure in genre. The beginning of the book is a bit on the
boring side as each player is meticulously introduced and we are given a glimpse into their
motivations. Once the action starts, things get interesting.
According to her website, Susan Wright writes science fiction novels and nonfiction books on art
and popular culture. She is the author of numerous Star Trek books and the Slave Trade series.
Slave Merchant, the second in the series was published in January 1, 2004 and Slave Revolt, third
in the series, is due to be published at a future date. New York City is her home, where she lives
with her husband Kelly Beaton. After graduating from Arizona State University in 1986, Susan
moved to Manhattan to get her masters in Art History from New York University's Institute of
Fine Arts. Susan is currently the Spokesperson for the National Coalition for Sexual Freedom, a
national organization committed to protecting freedom of sexual expression among consenting
adults.
Blood Is Thicker Than Water
Wynette A. Hoffman
Alien Perspective
4255 S. Buckley Rd. Suite 127, Aurora, CO 80013
http://www.alienperspective.com
ISBN: 0972109803 $14.99 360 pp.
Blood Is Thicker Than Water is the first book in the Reilly Vampire Chronicles from Wynette A.
Hoffman and it is a story any vampire fan will love.
Amy Reilly has some very dangerous friends. Amy is unable to feel pleasure and as a result,
experiences pain as pleasure. This little quirk has brought her to S&M and a very dangerous,
degenerate vampire. Through help from an unknown source, Amy survives her encounter, but she
is changed. Her sadistic vampire has marked her for death and is not happy she has survived.
Luckily for Amy, fate in the form of a Celtic goddess named Ceredwyn is on her side. Into this
mix of characters is Paul, Amy's brother and his pregnant wife Marcie; Lorcan, a 2000-year-old
vampire; Jake, his thrall and an ancestor of Amy and Paul's; and Sophia, Amy's best friend.
This intrepid cast of characters is thrust into vampire politics and is hard pressed to survive.
Hoffman has created an unforgettable story that will keep readers guessing until the end. Her
vampire's are wonderful, lusty creatures that need more then blood to survive. Lorcan is a very
intriguing, heroic vampire who doesn't just sweep Amy off her feet. They save each other from
certain death. This alone makes the story very intriguing.
This Reader Advisory from the back cover of the book accurately explains all the various
references in the book. Read at your own risk.
Reader Advisory - This book contains the following elements which may be considered unsuitable
by some readers and literary purists: violence, graphic sex, erotic blood sucking, foul language,
gore, angst, questions of morality, reincarnation, guns, S&M, family loyalty, pop culture
references, the promotion of anarchy, metaphors, Wiccans, Druids, ancient Celtic goddesses,
undead politics and etiquette, thralls, snappy banter and witty retorts, pregnancy & childbirth,
bisexuality, talking dogs, car wrecks, torture, romance, sibling rivalry, psychic powers & scenery,
and true love. And though promoted as a vampire novel, it may or may not contain vampires
within the parameters of any one person's definition of the undead and/or bloodsucking leeches.
Pure pulp, read at your own risk.
Blood Is Thicker Than Water is Wynette A. Hoffman's first book. Her second book, Love &
Benjamins was published in July, 2003. Life of Reilly, the second book in the Reilly Vampire
Chronicles will be published sometime late in 2004. Please visit Wynette A. Hoffman's website for
more information: http://www.alienperspective.com/NewFiles/Life.html
Shifter: The Chronicles of Galen Sword Book One
Judith &Garfield Reeves-Stevens
Babbage Press
8740 Penfield Ave., Northridge, CA 91324
http://www.babbagepress.com http://www.reeves-stevens.com/
ISBN: 1930235186 $18.95 261 pp.
Cover artist: Lydia C. Marano
Shifter by Judith &Garfield Reeves-Stevens is the first book in the Chronicles of Galen
Sword.
Shifter introduces us to the mysterious Galen Sword. Sword is a troubled man. Orphaned at an
early age, Sword has spent most of his life as a playboy looking for new thrills. One night, Sword
finds himself in the ER after a horrible car accident. The ER staff decides he is to far gone and
they move on to the next patient. At death's door, Sword is healed and gains memories of his
childhood. These memories are of a family life and heritage he never knew. Sword is the heir to
the Victor of Pendragon but he does not know what this means or where he is from.
After the restoration of these early memoirs, Sword is convinced he is not of this world. He is
certain werewolves and magic exist and is on a mission to prove this. To aid him in his quest are
Melody Ko, a brilliant scientist with commando training, Ja'Nette, a young women with the ability
for translocation, and Dr. Adrian Forsyte, a paraplegic scientist with secrets to keep.
Sword and his menagerie find what they seek and then realize just how deadly paranormal beings
are. What starts out as an investigation into the existence of paranormal beings ends in a fight for
their lives and the survival of our world.
At the conclusion of Shifter, Sword gains a great deal of knowledge about himself. This
knowledge comes at a huge price. The world as he knows it is completely changed and expanded.
I am looking forward to the next two installments of this imaginative storey, Nightfeeder and
Dark Hunter.
According to the author's website, Judith &Garfield Reeves-Stevens are New York Times
bestselling novelists of thrillers Quicksilver and Icefire. They authored media tie-ins for Alien
Nation and Star Trek. The author's have written numerous novels and screenplays for television
and screen. The Reeves-Stevens's currently live in Los Angeles.
The Summer Country
James A. Hetley
ACE
Penguin Group
375 Hudson St., New York, NY 10014-3657
http://www.penguinputnam.com http://www.sfwa.org/members/hetley
ISBN: 0441009727 $14.00 368 pp.
Cover Artist: Lori Early
The Summer Country by James A. Hetley is a wonderful first novel not to be missed.
Maureen Pierce is a very troubled young woman. She was sexually abused as a child, and as a
result feels damaged. She feels like she wears a psychic chastity belt as a result of the years of
abuse. Maureen is unable to trust any man and has allowed her fears to push her into an existence
that she loathes. Her sister, Jo has just stolen the man Maureen has spent the past two months
allowing to get close to her David. The betrayal she feels erodes any sense of self-esteem she
has fought for.
One fateful evening, Maureen is attacked in an alley by a very strange being almost looks like a
troll. Maureen's worst fear has come true someone is attacking her. To the rescue comes a
knight in shinning armor Brian Albion a Pendragon Knight. Brian dispenses with Maureen's
attacker and then continues to explain to Maureen that she is not a normal woman. She is a carrier
of the 'Old Blood' and unaware of its power.
The Old World is literally the old world of magic. It's called the Summer Country and is home to
magical beings of all kinds. Maureen's power is very desirable to the residents of the Summer
Country. Most of the residents of this Celtic Otherworld are sterile. Maureen is not and that
makes her a target. Women in the Summer Country are either sorceress or slaves. Dougal
MacKenzie has decided Maureen is his perfect mate and he will do anything to posses her and her
future children.
Brian has been sent to protect Maureen as best he can. The Pendragon Knight's are all that stand
between the Summer Country and the 'real' world. Maureen does not play the damsel in distress
and fights any protective measure Brian takes.
The Summer Country is a very fun book to read. It deals with many dark emotions, but is
tempered by true love and friendship. The characters are well written and diverse. Maureen is
such a wonderfully damaged person who decides to live and overcome her demons.
Charles de Lint says it best "Like an old Irish whiskey dark and smoky, abounding in flavor
and detail . All the tings a good novel should be."
The Summer Country is James A. Hetley's first novel. The sequel, the Winter Oak will be
published in November, 2004. According to the author's website, he is an architect and retired
Kempo karate instructor who lives in Maine. He also served three years in the U.S. Army during
the Vietnam War, and has worked such diverse jobs as electronics instructor, trash collector, and
operating engineer in a refrigeration plant. For more information please visit the author's
website.
The Piaculum
Richard C. Gray
iUniverse
http://www.iuniverse.com http://www.rich-gray.com
ISBN: 0595303013 $14.95 212 pp.
Cover Artist: Richard C. Gray
The Piaculum by Richard Gray is a book I will not forget anytime soon. The Piaculum is difficult
to categorize as it has many different levels to the story.
The Piaculum is set in a future, post-apocalyptic Earth. We follow the story of Cearl, a young
man with a white-mark and a Mone. The Mone are non-violent farmers, who value family and
religion. They are poor farmers who eek out a living in a desert-like landscape. The white-mark
Cearl has is rare. It is similar to an albino. He has pale skin compared to the dark color of the
other Mone.
Cearl is an inquisitive young man. His father is atypical of the Mone in that he fosters his son's
ability to think for himself. The Mone have a version of the Bible called the Book of Testaments.
Cearl is encouraged to read the Book of Testaments and to interpret it himself. This background
is crucial for the upcoming trials Cearl must face.
In contrast to the Mone are the Kathe. They are more prosperous city-dwellers who are religious
fanatics. The Kath have a much different interpretation of the Book of Testaments. To them,
Christ gave his only son for crucifixion in order for all to ascend to heaven. In order for a Kathe
to receive salvation, he must consume the blood of a white-mark male who is a living, walking,
and crucifixion a Piaculum. Only a Piaculum as a living God can grant salvation.
Every 12 years the Kathe send out armies to search out all young males with the white-mark.
These children are horribly tortured by a series of ascensions which result in metal chassis being
integrated into their bodies. The Kathe have no mercy for a Piaculum as the pain and suffering
they carry allows others into heaven.
The Kathe restrict reading to only a chosen few and by doing so ensures the fervor of it's citizens.
In contrast, Mone families read the Book of Testaments every night together. This crucial
difference is pivotal to the story-line.
According to Richard Gray, the Kathe are modeled after Mormons. It is easy to insert most any
religious fanatics who rule by restricting knowledge into the Kathe. Cearl's father instructed him
to also read and interpret the Book of Testaments for himself as no one can be completely
accurate in interpretation. Everyone should read and think for themselves.
Through history mankind has produced many horrors that are the result of someone's
interpretation of the Bible. One only needs to turn on the television to be reminded of the political
and religious upheavals of the Middle East. The violence man commits in the name of religion is
horrendous. Think of the Palestinian suicide bombers. How can one gain salvation by killing
others just because they are a different religion? While reading Piaculum, I was reminded of the
Romans who thought early Christians should be destroyed. The Romans believed the body and
blood of Christ was a true act of cannibalism. Today, most would not think twice about this, but
back in time it was a true outrage.
The Piaculum is a deeply moving book that will keep the reader thinking long after finishing the
book. It is a commentary on Christianity that can be applied to today's turbulent and violent
religious sects.
The Piaculum is Richard Gray's first book. According to the author's website, he was born in Utah
where the local landscape inspired much of his writing. He is a scientist, writer, and artist. He
earned his bachelor's degree in physics from the University of Utah and is currently living in
upstate NY while working toward his Ph.D. at Cornell University. Be sure to visit his website at
http://www.rich-gray.com/
Alisa McCune
Reviewer
Bethany's Bookshelf
Fragrance In Bloom
Ann Lovejoy
Sasquatch Books
119 South Main Street, Suite 400, Seattle, WA 98104
1570613974 $19.95 www.sasquatchbooks.com
In Fragrance In Bloom: The Scented Garden Throughout The Year, expert horticulturist and
veteran garden writer and columnist Ann Lovejoy has once again created a superb book on
gardening. This time, as the title suggests, Ann focuses upon gardening for the fragrances that
various garden plants and flowers can bring throughout the growing cycles of spring, summer and
fall. Beautifully enhanced with gorgeous full color photography by Lynne Harrison, Fragrance In
Bloom is confidently recommended reading -- especially for the novice garden wanting to
cultivate a truly memorable, imaginative, and fragrant garden offering a true diversity of aromatic
scents. Also very highly recommended are two of Ann Lovejoy's previous works: Naturalistic
Gardening and The Garden In Bloom.
Flower Origami: Fabric Flowers From Simple Shapes by Kumiko Sudo focuses upon teaching
quilters and other needlecrafters how to take a colorful scrap of ordinary fabric and manipulate it
into a visually impressive three-dimensional flower as part of a decorative needlecraft project.
Twenty wonderful flower designs are showcased on visually impressive quilt blocks. Impressively
enhanced with 300 easy-to-follow color drawings and specific guidance on sashiko stitching and
other Japanese inspired embellishment techniques, Flower Origami offers patters and directions
for an impressive diversity of fashion and home accessory projects. Flower Origami is
enthusiastically recommended as a unique addition to any dedicated and adventuresome
needlecraft
hobbyist's personal project reference collection.
How It All Vegan!
Tanya Barnard & Sarah Kramer
Arsenal Pulp Press
103, 1014 Homer Street, Vancouvr, BC, Canada, V6B 2W9
1551520672 $15.95 www.arsenalpulp.com
Self-described "lazy vegetarians" Sarah Barnard and Sarah Kramer are two long-time friends who
decided to "go vegan" as a result of their love of animals. Together they have collaborated to
bring aspiring vegetarians How It All Vegan!: Irresistible Recipes For An Animal-Free Diet in
order to help them make the transition from a meat-based to a meatless diet. The recipes include
entrees, soups, sauces, breads, salads, and desserts which can provide the makings of terrific
menus for any and all occasions. From Sparkling Homemade Ginger Ale; Garlic Dill Cream
Cheese; and Stuffed Spaghetti Squash; to Maple Buttersque Icing; Zesty Cheese Spread; and
Spiced Chai Tea, How It All Began is completely "kitchen cook friendly" and is additionally
enhanced with vegan friendly recipes for cosmetics, hair products, pet treats, and even household
cleaners. Also very highly recommended is their companion cookbook for dedicated vegetarians,
The Garden Of Vegan (1551521288, $17.95).
Yoga Kitchen
Faith Stone & Rachael Guidry
Book Publishing Company
PO Box 99, Summertown, TN 38483
1570671451 $18.95 1-931-964-3571 www.bookpubco.com
The collaborative work of master chefs Faith Stone and Rachael Guidry, Yoga Kitchen:
Vegetarian Recipes From The Shoshoni Yoga Retreat offers menus drawn from the Shoshoni
Retreat kitchen and which composed of meatless recipes that share the qualities of "conscious
energy, pleasurable dining, and cultural diversity". From Baked Corn and Coconut Kachoris;
Creamy Pumpkin Seed Dressing; Crisp Moo Shoo Vegetables with Homemade Scallion
Pancakes; and Curried Chickpea and Potato Stew; to Grilled BBQ Tofu; Sauteed Green Beans
and Swiss Chard with Toasted Urad Dal; Mountain Yogi Kichari; and Peach Surprise Muffins,
Yoga Kitchen is a very welcome, delightfully delicious, nutritionally wholesome, "user friendly",
and enthusiastically recommended complement to any vegetarian cookbook collection!
The Garden Of Eating
Rachel Albert-Matesz & Don Matesz
Planetary Press
PO Box 97040, Phoenix, AZ 85060-7040
0964126710 $29.95 1-602-840-4556 www.TheGardenOfEatingDiet.com
A combination weight lost/control manual and culinary cookbook, The Garden Of Eating: A
Produce-Dominated Diet & Cookbook is the enthusiastically recommended collaboration of
Rachel Albert-Matesz and her husband Don Matesz who draw upon their more than 35 combined
years of experience and expertise in the natural foods field. Rachel is a former restaurateur who
has led more than 600 cooking classes and developed 130 original recipes, and now teaches
Whole Food Cuisine at the Southwest Institute of Healing Arts (SWIHA) in Tempe Arizona. Her
husband Don is a freelance food and health writer and nutritionist and heads up the nutrition
program at SWIHA. Together they have published more than 250 food and health articles down
through the past three decades. The first seven chapters of The Garden Of Eating presents and
documents a compelling case for a produce-dominated omnivorous diet founded upon time-tested
food habits and practices of pre-agricultural peoples who are free of modern degenerative
diseases. This is followed by twelve chapters of recipes showcasing 250 family-friendly,
grain-free, gluten-free, dairy-free recipes with step-by-step "kitchen cook" instructions that
anyone can do -- and the results of which are wonderfully delicious, heart and body healthy meal
time delights (often of gourmet quality dining). From Broiled White Meat Fish Fillets with Garlic
& Pepper; Caveman Chili; Soothing Ginger, Squash & Apple Soup; and Frozen Banana Delight;
to Caffeine-Free, High-Protein Roastaroma Mocha; Sauteed Kale or Collards with Onions,
:Mushrooms & Sun-Dried Tomatoes; Blueberry-Protein Popsicles; and Licorice-Ginger Tea, The
Garden Of Eating offers recipes, menus, and dining ideas for any occasion from simply daily
family meals to elegant celebratory occasions around the banquet table.
The Habana Cafe Cookbook
Josefa Gonzalez-Hastings
University Press of Florida
15 NW 15th St, Gainesville, FL 32611
0813027373 $19.95 1-800-226-3822
Originally from Cuba, Josefa Gonzalez-Hastings is the head chef and owner of the Haban Cafe in
Gulfport, Florida. In The Habana Cafe Cookbook, Josefa draws upon her years of experience and
award-winning expertise to present a culinary compendium of "nuevo Latin cuisine" combined
with traditional recipes handed down through her family from her mother and aunts. This
showcase of Cuban recipes ranges from Frituras de Bacalao (Codfish Fritters); Bolliche a La
Naranjada (Pot Roast with Orange Sauce); and Rabo Encendido (Oxtail Stew); to Platanos en
Tentacion (Baked Sweet Plantains); Habana Tropical Punch; and Manzanas Rellenas En
Almendras (Stuffed Apples with Almonds). Enhanced with family stories, advice on Cuban food
and preparations, and an impressive insert of color photography, The Habana Cafe Cookbook is a
welcome and recommended addition to any and all kitchen cookbook collections!
The Everything Indian Cookbook
Monica Bhide
Adams Media Corporation
57 Littlefield Street, 2nd floor, Avon, MA 02322
1593370423 $14.95 1-800-872-5627 www.everything.com
One of the most "user friendly" cookbooks I've ever encountered which showcases regional dishes
from India, The Everything Indian Cookbook provides 300 authentic and easy-to-follow recipes
for dishes that are the equal of anything you could order at your favorite Indian restaurant. From
Pork Tikkas; Smoked Eggplant in Yogurt; and Green Beans with Coconut; to Cumin-Scented
Rice; Carom-Flavored Flatbread; and Instant Saffron Ice Cream, Indian native, chef and caterer
Monica Bhide has organized this outstanding collection so that even the most novice kitchen cook
can prepare and deliver absolutely savory meals and menus, whether for intimate dining with a
loved one or a celebratory party of dozens of guests.
Food That Rocks
Margie Lapanja & Cindy Coverdale
Conari Press
c/o Red Wheel/Weiser
368 Congress Street, Boston, MA 02210
1573249084 $24.95 www.redwheelweiser.com
Food writer and former professional baker and magazine editor Margie Lepanja and teamed up
with Cindy Coverdale (wife of David Coverdale, lead singer of Whitesnake, Deep Purple, and
Coverdale Page) to issue a unique cookbook that showcases musician owned restaurants, musical
cookbooks and songs about food, chefs who perform as well on stage as they do in the kitchen,
and recipes that "rock"! From Spicy Chicken Wingers; Pasta Alle Bossi with Pizza Bead; Ty
Peanut Sauce with Rice and Veggies; to Garlic Rubbed Rock & Roll Rib Steak; Pennsylvania
Funnel Cakes; and Oatmeal Honey-Butter Biscuits, Food That Rocks are recipes that would grace
any dining occasion. Enhanced with "Players' Hot Links" websites and "Hospitality Suite"
acknowledgements, Food That Rocks is an enthusiastically recommended cookbook.
Cookin' With Camille
Camille Johnston Manella
C & H Publishing
8437 Tuttle Avenue, Suite 128, Sarasota, FL 34243
097497420X $23.95 1-941-351-4797 hurricane03@comcast.net
Judging by the recipes compiled in Cookin' With Camille: Among Other Things, Camille Johnston
Manella is an inventive, imaginative, highly skilled, and a genuinely original thinker when it comes
to developing recipes that are true culinary delights and has a distinctive flair for thematically
appropriate anecdotes background her recipe's diverse origins and contributing influences.
Beautifully illustrated, the recipes range from Baked Grouper with Shrimp and Crabmeat
Dressing; to Camille's Best Chicken Salad; Grillades (Round Steak and Gravy); Grilled Marinated
Pork and/or Chicken with Horseradish Dipping Sauce; Turkey and Andouille Gumbo; and Veal
Roulades with Oyster Dressing. Cookin' With Camille is a welcome and recommended addition to
any and all family kitchen cookbook collections!
Sushi For Wimps
Aya Imatani
Sterling Publishing Company
387 Park Avenue South, New York, NY 10016
1402706731 $14.95 www.amazon.com
Sushi is a delicious, nutritious, and increasingly popular form of seafood that can go disastrously
wrong if and when American kitchen cooks doesn't really know what they're doing. Enter Aya
Imatani's Sushi For Wimps: From Seaweed To Dragon Rolls For The Faint Of Heart! Aya
Imatani's father owned a sushi bar in Kobe, Japan, and she draws upon her years of experience
and expertise running a catering business to show the aspiring sushi chef what tools and tableware
to use, how to go about choosing a whole fish or fillet, the role of sauces in sushi dishes, and
taking even the most novice kitchen cook step-by-step through the process of turning out simply
wonderful sushi dishes for the home. Superbly enhanced throughout with the color photography
of Matt Cohen highlighting plating and presentation, Sushi For Wimps offers mouth watering
recipes that range from sushi styles and categories ranging from sashimi, nigiri, gunkanimaki, and
temaki, to hosomaki, saimaki, vegetarian sushi, Japanese soups, and kawarizushi (Aya's
"Specials"). Confidently recommended for all make-it-yourself sushi enthusiasts!
Susan Bethany
Reviewer
Betsy's Bookshelf
Thousand Years Of English Poetry
Andrew Pagett
Chaucer Press
c/o International Publishers Marketing
22841 Quicksilver Drive, Dulles, VA 20166
1904449085 $25.95 www.internationalpubmarket.com
No language in the recorded history of the human race has been so versatile, so rich in
vocabulary, so unique in grammar, so fertile a tool for expressing poetic imagination. Writer and
historian Andrew Pagett's Thousand Years Of English Poetry is an impressive, 152 page
collection of the very best of the great poets whose use of the English language gave expression
to an impressive range of perceptions and emotions while dealing with subjects that ranged freely
from the earthly to the divine, from the tragic to the comedic, from everyday life experiences to
epic tales. From Chaucer to Langland, from Heaney to Hughes, From Oscar Wilde to John Keats,
from Rubert Brooke to Wilfred Owen, Thousand Years Of English Poetry is a superb memorial to
the best that English poetry has to offer -- past and present. Also very highly recommended from
Chaucer Press is the companion anthology, Thousand Years Of Spiritual Poetry (1904449069,
$25.00) compiled and edited by writer and painter Fiona Pagett.
Potterybarn Storage & Display
Martha Fay, et al.
Oxmoor House
80 Willow Road, Menlo Park, CA 94025
0848727622 $24.95 www.amazon.com
The latest entry into the outstanding Oxmoor House "Pottery Barn" series, Pottery Barn Storage
& Display specifically focuses on how ideas, tips and techniques for keeping, showcasing, and
storing everyday necessities just where they are handiest, most accessible, and aesthetically
pleasing through creative solutions and practical tips for storage and display in whatever room
(entryway, kitchen, bedroom, living room, utility area, laundry, closet, etc) is under consideration.
Enhanced with the showcase photography of Stefano Massei, the informed and informative text is
the collaboration of freelance writer Martha Fay, media personality and home design expert Carol
Endler Sterbenz, and professional interior designer Genevieve A. Sterbenz. Also very highly
recommended for homeowners and apartment dwellers seeking to instill a do-it-yourself elegance
into their personal and communal living spaces through deliberative interior design are the three
previous Pottery Barn Design Library titles: Pottery Barn Living (0848727592), Pottery Barn Bed
(0848727606); and Potter Barn Bath (0848727614).
The Food Service Professional Guide To Successful Catering
Sony Bode
Atlantic Publishing Group
1210 SW 23rd Place, Ocala, FL 34474-7014
0910627223 $19.95 www.atlantic-pub.com
One of the newest additions to the Atlantic Publishing Group's outstanding "The Food Service
Professional" series, The Food Service Professional Guide To Successful Catering: Managing The
Catering Operation For Maximum Profit. Here revealed are 365 "insider secrets" showcasing
everything necessary to launch a successful catering business; practical "real world" examples for
maximizing profits; and clear, accessible instructions on how to sell, market, and operate a
catering operation profitably no matter what part of the country it is located in. If you are
considering your own catering company as an entrepreneurial small business, then give a close
and careful reading to Sony Bode's The Food Service Professional Guide To Successful Catering:
Managing The Catering Operation For Maximum Profit!
Beyond The Ice Cream Cone
Pamela J. Vaccaro
Enid Press
KSB Promotions
PO Box 16462, St. Louis, MO 63125
097454440X $23.95 1-888-412-3953 www.beyondtheicecreamcone.com
Enhanced with 169 duo-tone photographs and illustrations, Beyond The Ice Cream Cone: The
Whole Scoop On Food At The 1904 World's Fair by academician and food history enthusiast
Pamela J. Vaccaro is as informed and informative as it is fun and fascinating! In celebration of the
100th anniversary of the 1904 World's Fair, Vaccaro offers an in-depth descriptive history of the
foods that were so central a part of the fairgoer's experience. Beyond The Ice Cream Cone
addresses such issues as whether or not the ice cream cone, iced tea, hot dogs, Dr Pepper, and
cotton candy (under the name of "Fairy Floss") were really introduced for the first time in the St.
Louis World's Fair of 1904. Were the life-sized "nut" elephant and the intimidating "prune" bear
the only displays at the Fair made of food items? What influence did the Pure Food Movement
have on food offered at the Fair? The phenomena of free samples to promote the newly
burgeoning food manufacturing conglomerates. Beyond The Ice Cream Cone is a compendium of
culinary fair lore and examined legendary, providing the reader with definitive historical fact
presented with a light and engaging touch. There are even 36 recipes reprinted and available for
duplication in the family kitchen! Beyond The Ice Cream Cone is simply wonderful reading and
enthusiastically recommended for personal and community collections!
Saturday Nights With Daddy At The Opry
Libby Leverett-Crew
Rutledge Hill Press
PO Box 141000, Nashville, TN 37214
1401601146 $19.99 www.rutledgehillpress.com
Saturday Nights With Daddy at The Opry by artist, writer, and photographer Libby
Leverett-Crew is the biographical story of country music photographer Les Leverett as told by his
daughter. As a little girl, Libby's father would take her along with him on his job as the official
photographer for the Grand Ole Opry -- a position he held for over 30 years. This is not only a
tribute to her father but also to the people (ranging from Dolly Parton and Minnie Pearl to Roy
Acuff and Bill Monroe) who touched the lives of her family and the powerful impact a loving
father has on the formative life of his daughter. Enhanced with more than a hundred photographs
from her father, Saturday Nights With Daddy At The Opry is enthusiastically recommended
reading -- especially for dedicated fans of the Grand Ole Opry.
Familiar Spirits
Donald Tyson
Llewellyn Publications
PO Box 64383, St. Paul, MN 55164-0383
0738704210 $14.95 www.llewellyn.com
A very highly recommended addition to any personal or professional Metaphysical Studies
collection, Familiar Spirits: A Practical Guide For Witches & Magicians introduces the reader to
Donald Tyson's revolutionary system of power glyphs and sigil-making for summoning,
controlling, and dismissing magical assistants. Even the most novice witch, warlock or magician
can now seek to utilize familiar spirits in their conjuring and occult activities with Tyson's help.
Readers are also provided a history of the use of familiar spirits and, critically important, shows
how to protect ourselves from ill-intentioned spirits. Aspiring practitioners can experience a fair
degree of confidence in following the instructions laid out in the pages of Familiar Spirit because
of Donald Tyson's long history, experience, and skill level in this difficult work of spirit
summoning -- and it should also be noted that Tyson has authored a great many respected
volumes on Western occultism, is the creator of rune dice, and has even assisted the U.S.
Department of Defense in decoding rune symbols.
Betsy L. Hogan
Reviewer
Betty's Bookshelf
A Heart for God: Learning from David Through the Tough Choices of Life
Rebecca Manley Pippert
InterVarsity Press
P.O. Box 1400, Downers Grove, IL, 60515-1426
ISBN 0830823417, $13.00 236 pgs.
Rebecca Manley Pippert, who once worked as a field worker for Inter-Varsity Christian
Fellowship, is now an internationally known speaker and writer. She's given keynote speeches at
many conferences, including Billy Graham's, and her books have been translated into more than
twenty-five languages.
Pippert is best known for Out of the Salt Shaker, her book on lifestyle evangelism, but I predict A
Heart For God will soon catch up. In it, as the subtitle says, she shows us what we can learn from
David's life, but instead of focusing on the same old angles of adultery, murder, and rebellious
children, which Christians sometimes feel they know only too well, she focuses on his years in the
wilderness running from a vengeful and murderous Saul, what he learned from it, and what we, in
turn, can learn from him.
Her insights on David are fresh and thought-provoking and each of her chapters end with
questions that encourage the reader to personally apply what she's taught so far.
Throughout, she shows us how David brought all of his life - his sin, his anger, his grief, his joy -
to God in honest openness, and how by doing so, he developed "... 'a heart like his' - a heart that
draws its life moment by moment from the living God, our Creator and Redeemer". Her
conclusion is that the same thing is possible for us, if we approach life the same way. We, too, can
have a heart for God.
Celebrate the Journey: Discovering God's Vision for Your Life
Debra Fulghum Bruce and Ellen Oldacre
Concordia Publishing House
3558 S. Jefferson Ave., St. Louis, MO, 63118-3968
ISBN 0570052440 $14.99 171 pgs.
Co-authors Debra Fulghum Bruce and Ellen Oldacre, in their book Celebrate the Journey, have
put together a book that will help readers look beyond a destination - marriage, a new job, getting
debts paid off - to the joy and contentment of the journey.
In chapter one of part one, "Celebrations and Concerns", they say, "Women of vision understand
the difference between wishing and living the life of peace and joy with which God blesses us".
Laying out problems familiar to their readers as well as various solutions for each, they offer
hope, stating, "There are times our decisions cause us to miss the biggest blessings He has in store
for us, but He creates new blessings and forgives us through Christ's death and resurrection."
In chapter two, they throw down the gauntlet: "We challenge you to consider your passion - that
highest vision in life - as you focus on reaching out and making a personal difference in the world,
as well as fulfilling your own needs as a Christian woman."
The rest of the book is divided into seven sections, each explaining an aspect of a woman with
vision and telling readers how to connect to the plan that God has for each of their lives. They
state bluntly, "When we care for our souls, all other areas of life inevitably fall into place. And this
care of the soul means giving meticulous attention to our daily actions - what we listen to, what
we feel, what we think, whom we befriend, what we read, and how much time we spend talking
with God" and they use stories of women from both today and Bible times, well-chosen
quotations, bulleted lists, and lots of Bible verses to support that. If a woman in your life could
use some encouragement to enjoy both the journey and the destination as she works out God's
plans for her life, buy her a copy of Celebrate the Journey.
The Travel Writer's Handbook 5th Ed: How to Write and Sell Your Own Travel Experiences
Louise Purwin Zobel
Surrey Books, Inc.
230 E. Ohio St., Suite 120, Chicago, IL, 60611
ISBN 1572840447 $18.95 322 pgs.
I want to go on vacation! No, not (just) because tomorrow is the first day of spring and the
weatherman just predicted snow showers all day; it's because of this book! The cover alone
(decorated with old-fashioned postcards and hotel logos) gave me the itch to go somewhere -
anywhere - that I could then write about. Then, the author got her chops in and now - bring on
that trip; I'm ready!
I don't know why I even wondered about the outcome, actually; after all, this book is a Writer's
Digest Book Club selection and WD has never let me down! Not only that, it's on its 5th edition -
in other words, it's been around a while (thus proving its value), but Zobel has brought it
up-to-date for a new generation of would-be travel writers. .
First, she tells you how to travel: what to take with you (and what to leave at home), how to
immerse yourself in the local culture, how to get oriented as soon as you get where you're going,
and what to eat and drink (including some trenchant words on handling alcohol intake).
Then, she gives you advice on how to write about it, which can also be applied to whatever other
kind of writing you do: how to write effective query letters, how to use the Internet for research,
how to find markets for your writing before you even leave your house, how photographs (taken
by yourself or bought from a stock photo company) can add to your salability, how to do
interviews (on and off the record). She even goes into how to keep your integrity in the face of
freebies and press junkets. (Oh, may I someday have those problems...)
It's all good stuff, but all by itself, her information on query letters, handling points of view, and
coming up with a "hook" would have made me give this book a place on one of my
always-overflowing bookshelves. And then there was all the rest... As I read, I used Post-It
Notes to mark places I wanted to refer back to later; by the time I was done, I had used up most
of a pad of notes and the edge of the book looked as though it had been decorated with a
three-layer-deep fringe of blue paper. So I'm keeping it, and it'll go on my shelf until I go on
vacation. Then, it'll go in my suitcase. The weatherman just said it's still supposed to snow
tomorrow. Tahiti, anyone?
Betty Winslow
Reviewer
Bogstad's Bookshelf
Some recent works of Science Fiction:
For this month, I am passing along my reactions to three recent science fiction works by three
authors at different stages in their careers. Amy Thompson, who has published many short stories
and now four novels has established herself as a write of talent but is in the early stages of her
career, and so appears first. C.J. Cherryh published her first work in the 1970s and has written
many novels and many more short stories. She's won enough awards so that her name is very well
known and a volume like that reviewed below, which collects some of her stories, is very
welcome. Ben Bova has been writing and editing science fiction since before World War II, and
his space-opera novel, part of an ongoing series, is as typical of adventure SF of that period as it
is of this. I've been reading a lot of Children's books in more recent months, and some mysteries,
all of which I hope to tell you about in the next installment. For now, here described are fictional
works by Thompson, Cherryh and Bova.
Episodes in the Lives of Two Tellers and Their Harsels:
Storyteller
Amy Thomson
Ace Trade Paperback Original
ISBN: 0441010946 $14.00 384 p.
The survival struggles of an orphan left to his own devices on a alien planet are almost a trope in
science fiction, but Thompson was not afraid to try a new twist on this tried and true method of
engaging a reader's sympathy. This young orphan is named Samad and he lives on the primitive
colony world of Thalassa. This talented but displaced boy tries to steal a bit of bread, is
apprehended but then rescued by a seemingly simple, elderly woman. His rescuer is a member of
the revered Storyteller guild, and she uses this profession because it gives her opportunities to
alleviate social ills, both large and small. Samad becomes one of Teller's projects, and then her
close friend and assistant. These are obvious parallels with Heinlein's beloved Citizen of the
Galaxy. But the story blossoms through its rich background. Samad and the elderly Teller live on
a world that is primarily water with a few clutches of small islands.
As with her other fiction, this work is more lyrical than technological. While it describes several
transition points in the lives of a young boy, Samad, as he is rescued from destitution by Teller, a
storyteller with a (long) past on the world Thalassa, it becomes broken up into several stories
rather than one continuous one. One can trace the inception, denouement and transition between
the relatively distinct stories of Samad's childhood adoption by Teller, travels in her harsel, Abeha,
death of Abeha, death of Teller and Samad's choice of profession. Each focuses on a very
different crisis in Samad's life from age eight to his early thirties. Thus the novel is thus loosely
linked together, and very distinctly episodic in nature.
Humans are colonizers of these island groups, but their civilization depends on the ability of some
to talk with and travel between islands inside the 'backs' of whale-like creatures. They are they
harsel, indigenous, are long-lived, charming and intelligent and Teller is also a Har Captain, to the
very old harsel Abeha. Having benefited from off-world rejuvenation drugs, Teller is also part of a
much larger, intergalactic culture, a culture that was responsible for some of Samad's childhood
problems. So the stages of his development from proud orphan of about eight to committed adult
in his thirties is embedded in a series of lyrical stories about the human past on Thalassa. And the
stories told by Teller and, later, Samad, give readers and colonists alike the myths and realities of
Thalassa's survival. They depend on their compact with the majestic and sometimes tragic harsel,
an agreement that binds human and harsel together both physically and psychically. These
interwoven tales will entertain with mystery and wonder.
The novel is full of ideas like rejuvenation and longevity (500 plus years), interstellar societies, the
choice of an ecological balance on Thalassa, enough to fill up a much longer novel. One of the
more enjoyable 'threads' is the secret of The Pilot, who is really Teller. Before the young character
is told the secret, the reader has first started to suspect it from hints in the text, then told it
through Teller's actions before she admits it to her young prot‚g‚. Readers will enjoy being in on
the mystery. Another is the fascinating culture of humans and aliens, large whale-like creatures
with telepathy, and the secrets surrounding their reproductive cycles. Additionally, the alien
sentients, the technology that allows humans to work with them and a related telepathic gift for
space travel in some humans, are extrapolated as the backdrop for Samad's quest for survival,
emotional stability and moral growth. Not only does this novel repay reading, it will be
re-read.
Presenting the Breadth of C.J. Cherryh's Fictive Talents:
The Collected Short Fiction of C.J. Cherryh
C.J. Cherryh
DAW Hardcover
ISBN: 0756402174 $23.95 400 pp.
This collection is sure to appeal to Cherryh enthusiasts as well as initiates who want to experience
a variety of her fictional types. Representing both SF and Fantasy, it includes two previously
published anthologies, Sunfall and Visible Light, as well as sixteen additional pieces ranging in
length from 125 words ("A Much Briefer History of Time") to 43 pages ("The Scapegoat"). The
pieces in Sunfall are at once about major earth cities and about a far-future earth where the sun
has begun to cool. Cherryh incorporates general knowledge of the cities of Paris, London,
Moscow, Peking, New York, Rome and Venice to describe how the inhabitants of each might
cope with gradual cultural and physical collapse. "Masks," her new Sunfall story (c 2004) portrays
carnevale revels in a far-future Venice as if it were again an independent city-state. Visible Light
has a second introduction and a frame story of two space-farers discussing their previous travels.
Here, the Hugo-Award piece, "Cassandra" typifies Cherryh's skill with characterization. Her use
of repackaged history is strongly represented as are her techniques for creating poignant,
believable characters embedded in political and personal conflicts. In the Other section, "Pots"
simultaneously recapitulates differing priorities in the politics and science of archeology. It's basic
premise, that archeological truth is not always acceptable to those in power, could equally
describe the past or the future of this science. Readers who want to really understand the breadth
of Cherryh's writings and the characteristics of her skill will do well to look to this substantial
anthology.
The type and quality of these stories varies and demonstrates the varied quality of the author's
novelistic works. Her ongoing fascination with characterization and with history are both
foregrounded. Some of the stories are very lyrical and her success at blending the tropes of
fantasy and science fiction, as well as to success at writing more purist forms of fantasy and
science fiction are also demonstrated.
All but one story and two introductions have been published elsewhere, two of them in named
anthologies, Visible Light and Sunfall. Therefore, this anthology will appeal most to those who
want to be sure they have complete Cherryh collections or those who don't want to be bothered
with collecting general anthologies.
The author's introductions don't introduce any new information to anyone who's followed
Cherryh's career and in addition they are brief and obviously intended to be more provocative than
informative. Some of these stories have won awards. Her protestations in the introduction to this
anthology that she's really a novel writer can pretty much be ignored.
As a document which helps readers see both her development as a writer over time and the
literary techniques that enrich her fantasy and her science fiction, this anthology is very useful.
Even if it requires that a reader have broad reading tastes or be a Cherryh fanatic. I have to say I
really enjoyed reading all 642 densely packed pages but then my very first published book review
in the 1970s was for her early novel Brothers of Earth.
Also, it should perhaps be noted that Visible Light and Sunfall are currently out of print and that
some of the other stories were published in very obscure anthologies so, even though the majority
of these stories are dated (22 were published in the 1980s as opposed to two 2 since 2000 and the
rest a the 1990s), this may be the only way that most of us will see them. I'd like to have seen
another perspective on some of these stories than that of Cherryh, but then I guess critics can
write books about them too.
The Essence of Adventure Series: Another One Just Like the Other Ones:
The Silent War: Book III of the Asteroid Wars
Ben Bova
TOR
ISBN: 0312848781 $24.95 380 pp.
Ben Bova is a six-time Hugo Award winner and author of over 100 books of fact and fiction. He's
a former editor of Analog and Omni and past president of the National Space Society. His contact
with science, space travel, physics, etc. is as a writer and promoter, but is respected by his readers
as if he were a scientist himself.
This novel is the third book in a libertarian space-opera trilogy, The Asteroid Wars Trilogy, that
exports the socio-economic world-view of corporate North America to the solar system, with
space-faring action, deadly personal rivalries and archaic social theories. This is a rather scattered
work which introduces several egregious elements into a very predictable classic space-adventure.
For example, the ongoing hatred between Lars Fuchs, the pirate and Martin Humphries, a
stereotypical megalomaniacal entrepreneur, culminates in a virtual auto-de-fee which kills neither
of them but is the occasion for the destruction of property and ghastly deaths of underlings.
Predictably, they feature the death of a woman and predictably, Lars' previous wife is another kind
of victim so we have the guys left to fight one another and two of the three remaining supposed
female heroes suffering ghastly deaths (fire and childbirth) for the sin of associating with these
guys. Really, Ben, what century are you in anyway?
The explorations of habitats on the moon, within the asteroid belt and areas in between
incorporate the hard science of today. And, in the tradition of Heinlein and Asimov, this science is
used in the service of commerce as if that were the only natural order of being. Competing
corporations, headed by powerful men with overweening desires, control millions of lives in their
lust to exploit the resources of the asteroid belt. The two feuding corporations of Bova's earlier
novels, The Precipice (2001) and The Rock Rats (2003) are joined by a reclusive competitor. But
it should also be noted that THIS trilogy, The Asteroid Wars Trilogy, is only one part of a much
larger series of works set in the same universe. While the ultimate bad guy, Martin Humphries of
Humphries Industries, has survived his corporate battle with Astro's Randolph, and his rivalry for
possession of Fuchs' wife, Amanda, his plans are foiled partially by The Yamagata Corporation, a
player in the new economy of asteroid mining, and Amanda, now his wife, who has arranged to
carry Fuchs' child. And the fact that the 'inscrutable' instigator of hostilities between old enemies,
Humphries and Poncho, is 'what a surprise' a Japanese company named 'Yamagata is downright
nauseating. This novel could have been written in the 1950s. (p. 266 is where the brilliant Poncho
figures this out.)
Yamagata manipulates things behind the scenes, at first, and plunges Astro Corporation and
Humphries Industries into a bloody space-war and consolidates their assets in the power vacuum
and Amanda's former husband wreaks his own revenge on Humphries. Readers will appreciate
this triumph of good over evil that introduces many loose-ends while killing off others, with the
cavalier sacrifice of thousands of innocents. They may also appreciate the frame story, set six
years after Humphries has survived Fuch's brutal assassination attempt. To me, the frame story
reads as another major disconnect within the context of this novel. It must however be noted that
the alien artifact transforms the conquest and mayhem of the main novel into a moral tale as
Humphries faces self-knowledge of his deeds and the universe gets its final revenge. The alien
artifact is the punishment and the salvation of both Humphries and his principal henchman. It has
no other reason for 'being' a part of this story except that it puts a thick icing of morality on top of
narrative that reads like a series of predictable cliff-hanger-episodes of violence, suffering, death
and male-primate standoffs.
The chapters are very short which also makes the action, the narrative and the overall effect of the
novel very jerky. It's hard to get absorbed in the reading but might be very useful to someone who
reads a few pages before bed or on a bus or subway. There's lots of action even if the plot gets
lost every once in awhile.
Jan Bogstad
Reviewer
Buhle's Bookshelf
America's "Failing" Schools
W. James Popham
Routledge
29 West 35th Street, New York, NY 10001
0415949475 $23.00 www.routledge-ny.com
America's "Failing" Schools: How Parents And Teachers Can Cope With No Child Left Behind by
education testing expert W. James Popham focuses upon providing parents and classroom
teachers with clear, precise explanations of the Bush administration's "No Child Left Behind"
doctrine and the implications this policy has for standardized testing, as well as what it means for
a school to be declared "failing", and concrete suggestions for what can be done in response to
such a school (and school district) condition. America's "Failing" Schools is timely and welcome
reading which is especially commended to the attention of concerned parents, classroom teachers,
school administrators, citizen groups like the PTA, and governmental policy makers on the state
and federal level in the field of K-12 public education.
When You Have A Visually Impaired Student With Multiple Disabilities In Your Classroom
Jane N. Erin, editor
AFB Press
11 Penn Plaza, Suite 300, New York, NY 10001
0891288732 $14.95 1-800-232-3044 www.afb.org
Compiled and edited by Jane N. Erin (Professor and Coordinator of Programs in Visual
Impairment in the Department of Special Education, Rehabilitation and School Psychology at the
University of Arizona) When You Have A Visually Impaired Student With Multiple Disabilities In
Your Classroom is an instructional guide for special education and regular classroom teachers
needing to address the learning conditions of students with visual impairments complicated with
additional disabilities. Comprehensively covering common conditions among studies with visual
and multiple disabilities to adapting instructions to meet special needs, to managing behavioral
issues, to specialized materials based on a child's ability, When You Have A Visually Impaired
Student With Multiple Disabilities In Your Classroom is an essential and continuing
reference.
Children's Play
Edward F. Zigler, et al.
Zero To Three Press
2000 "M" Street, NW, Suite 200, Washington, DC 20036-3307
094365775X $39.95 www.zerotothree.org
Collaboratively compiled and deftly edited by Edward F. Zigler (Sterling Professor Emeritus of
Psychology, Yale University), Dorothy G. Singer (Senior Research Scientist at the Department of
Psychology and Child Study Center, Yale University), and Sandra J. Bishop-Josef (Assistant
Director of the Yale Center In Child Development and Social Policy), Children's Play: The Roots
Of Reading is a collection of essays providing the reader with summaries of contemporary and
extensive empirical research into the value of play for both cognitive and social development. The
sixteen contributors are leading experts in play research, child development, and early childhood
education. The cumulative effect of the contributions is to underscore the importance of play in
enabling children to learn basic literacy skills, achieve social awareness, and in developing and
implementing creative problem solving skills. Children's Play is especially recommended for its
comprehensive summary of the developmental benefits of play enhanced with examples of how
research has been applied in practice, together with multicultural perspectives on play and ideas
for how to play imaginative games with children. Children's Play is very highly recommended and
quite accessible reading for parents, teachers, preschool staff members, and students in the field of
Child Development.
Closing The Achievement Gap
Belinda Williams
ASCD
1703 North Beauregard Street, Alexandria, VA 22311-1714
0871208385 $25.95 1-800-933-ASCD www.ascd.org
Compiled and edited by Belinda Williams, and now in an updated and revised second edition,
Closing The Achievement Gap: A Vision For Changing Beliefs And Practices focuses on the
necessity for educators becoming more sensitive to the worldviews of disadvantaged students and
incorporating this awareness into their curriculums and teaching strategies for such students. The
contributors persuasively argue that teachers, principals, and policy makers must learn about
cultural perceptions of human development; apply this knowledge to professional development
and comprehensive reform; and then aligning political and educational policies accordingly. Very
strongly recommended reading for the frontline classroom teacher, Closing The Achievement Gap
also offers specific suggestions for bridging the cultural divide through vocabulary instructions,
opportunity-to-learn strategies, and school-level organizational reform.
Viritual College
Pam Dixon
Peterson's
PO Box 67005, Lawrenceville, NJ 08648
1560796294 $9.95 1-800-338-3282 www.petersons.com
Earning a college degree or other educational certificates through the "long distance" venues of
television, computer, and the mails is becoming increasingly popular and commonplace. Virtual
College: A Quick Guide To All You Need To Know To Get The Degree You Want With
Computer, TV, Video, Audio, And Other Distance Learning Tools by education and education
technology expert Pam Dixon is an ideal introductory survey which includes all the information
required to select the program and the venue that is best for the reader's own particular
circumstances and goals. Included is timely information on what kind of credits/degrees can be
earned, whether credits already earned can be transferred, how much does long distant learning
cost, what it's like to take classes without being "on site", and so much more. If you are
considering off-campus learning as an alternative to traditional enrollment, then give Pam Dixon's
Virtual College a quick and carefully reading!
College Exploration On The Internet
College & Career Press, LLC
3139 North Lincoln Avenue, Suite 208, Chicago, IL 60657
0974525103 $19.95 www.collegeandcareerpress.com
College Exploration On The Internet: A Student And Counselor's Guide To More Than 500
Websites is an impressively compiled and organized 342-page resource directory to five hundred
college-related websites offering free information about themselves, and helping highschool
students, their parents and school counselors a great deal of time, money, and avoiding incorrect
information about college admissions, financial assistance, minority resources, women's issues,
and more. Of special value is the section devoted to more than 600 online resources and
publications offered by professional associations and governmental agencies. These resources will
materially assists students in learning about their college options relevant to more than 350
careers. Thoroughly "user friendly", College Exploration On The Internet is a highly
recommended addition to all highschool counseling reference shelves, and would be a welcome
and popular addition to community library collections for the use of those seeking to enter or
re-enter colleges as post-highschool adults.
Pathways Of Diversity And Enlightenment
Keith B. Armstrong
Educational Studies Press
College of Education, Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, IL 60115-2854
1879528290 $17.95 1-800-348-7543 www.niu.edu
In Pathways Of Diversity And Enlightenment: Critical Reflections For Transformation, Keith
Armstrong offers up a series of viewpoints drawn from university affiliated academicians and
"self-appointed" scholars with respect to the contemporary condition of higher education in
America. Armstrong outlines the benefits of the participatory group approach to define, describe,
and study the strengths and weaknesses of the collegiate community today -- a once "ivory tower"
society that nowadays has become a microcosm of the larger society in terms of who is allowed to
speak and who (covertly or overtly) is compelled to silence. Pathways Of Diversity And
Enlightenment is enthusiastically recommended reading, especially for anyone with an interest in
developing a free and open academia within a college or university culture of inquiry and
expression.
Writing Like Writers
Kathryn L. Johnson & Pamela V. Westcott
Prufrock Press Inc.
PO Box 8813, Waco, TX 76714-8813
159363000X $27.95 1-800-998-2208 www.prufrock.com
In Writing Like Writers: Guiding Elementary Children Through A Writer's Workshop, Kathryn
Johnson (who teaches Language Arts Methods and supervises student teachers at the University
of Rhode Island) has teamed up with Pamela Westkott (who has been teaching third grade for
most of her career in a suburban Rhode Island seaside town) to provide frontline elementary
school classroom teachers with a complete and comprehensive instruction manual on instilling
creative writing skills in their students through the forum of a writing workshop. Writing Like
Writers takes the instructor step-by-step through the process of creating an engaging and
productive young writer's workshop in any ordinary classroom and integrated into any standard
curriculum. The instructional text is enhanced with illustrative real-life experience-based
anecdotes and stories that will inspire the classroom teacher with respect to suggested changes in
their approaches to teaching writing to young students. Fully covered are such basic issues as
preparing classroom materials for an effective writing environment; utilizing scaffolding
techniques to guide the student through the process of writing; strategies and crafts allowing
young writers to clearly and descriptively express their ideas. There are even reproducible
workshops and helpful websites. Writing Like Writers is commended to the attention of
classroom teachers, school curriculum developers, and would prove immensely useful to
dedicated homeschooling parents for their use as well.
Improvisation For Actors And Writers
Bill Lynn Meriwether Publishing Ltd.
PO Box 7710, Colorado Springs, CO 80933-7710
1566080940 $17.95 1-719-594-4422 www.meriwether.com
Improvisation For Actors And Writers: A Guidebook For Improv Lessons In Comedy by Bill
Lynn is a complete handbook for the aspiring improv actor and organized into five specific
sections: Comedy Schools; Improv Comedy Basics; Developing Comic Characters; Long Form
Improv; and Writing Sketch Comedy. This informed and informative "how to" manual is
enhanced with an extensive appendix of improv exercises. Improvisation For Actors And Writers
is a clearly valuable addition to theatre department reference collections and "must" reading for
anyone who has an interest in writing or performing improv on the stage or for television.
Willis M. Buhle
Reviewer
Burroughs' Bookshelf
The Surfcaster's Guide To Baits, Rigs And Lures
Milt Rosko
Burford Books, Inc.
32 Morris Avenue, Springfield, NJ 07081
1580801188 $14.95 1-973-258-0960 www.burfordbooks.com
The Surfcaster's Guide To Baits, Rigs And Lures by angling expert Milt Rosko is a
comprehensive and superbly presented compendium of the basic tips, techniques, and equipment
so necessary for successful surfcaster fishing. The lures range from Rattle Plug, Rigged Eels, and
Plastic Bait Tail; to natural baits like Surf Clams, Sea Worms, Mullet, and Shrimp; to bait rigs
such as snap float rigs, multihook rigs, bait-snagging rigs, single-hook rigs, and fishfinder rigs.
The Surfcaster's Guide To Baits, Rigs And Lures is confidently recommended to the novice
surfcaster and has much to recommend as a refresher reference for even the more experienced
surfcasters.
Dynamite Doubles
Helle Sparre Viragh & Jim Schock
Regent Press
6020-A Adeline, Oakland, CA 94608
1587900661 $17.95 www.regentpress.net
Championship tennis player Helle Sparre in collaboration with sports broadcaster Jim Schock
teaches the club and tournament players just how to improve their "doubles" tennis game in a
single afternoon in Dynamite Doubles: Playing Winning Tennis Today! Players should address
four basic questions about doubles tennis: What should I have done?; Where should I have been?;
How could I have gotten that?; and Whose was that?. Enhanced with line drawings throughout,
Dynamite Doubles offers thoroughly "user friendly" instructional advice and insights
recommended to the attention of all dedicated tennis players seeking to substantially improve their
doubles play!
Rawlings Presents Big Stix
Rob Rains
Sports Publishing
804 North Neil Street, Champaign, IL 61820
1582617570 $24.95 1-877-424-2665 www.SportsPublishingLLC.com
Enhanced throughout with color photography, Rawlings Presents Big Stix: The Greatest Hitters
In The History Of The Major Leagues showcases the top twenty-five hitters in the history of
major league baseball. Veteran baseball writer Rob Rains presents a carefully documented and
descriptive analysis of baseball's all time great hitters and establishes a ranking for them that is fair
and balanced. This is no easy task as the hitter's are drawn from different eras of the game from
the legendary Babe Ruth to the 2003 baseball season phenomena of the San Francisco Giants'
Barry Bonds. Incidentally, the Rawlings referred to in the title is the Rawlings Sporting Goods
company which has a long history of providing players their bat of choice. Rawlings Presents Big
Stix is a welcome and recommended addition to any dedicated baseball fan's personal reading list
-- and will serve as the catalyst for many a spirited bar room or ball park discussion on the subject
of baseball's best and brightest hitters.
The Smell Of Sweat
William Blake Tyrrell
Bochazy-Carducci Publishers
1000 Brown Street, Unit 101, Wauconda, IL 60084
086516553X $29.00 1-847-526-4344 www.bolchazy.com
Impressively enhanced with an accompanying CD-ROM, The Smell Of Sweat: Greek Athletics,
Olympics, And Culture is enthusiastically recommended to the attention of students of Hellenic
Studies and/or Olympics Sports. This remarkable body of impeccable scholarship survey's Greek
athletics from the Homeric era down through the fourth century BCE. There is a wonderful body
of sound information on ancient religious and athletic centers, the festivals that were associated
with Hellenic games; the unique culture of the "gymnasion"; and more. The CD-ROM provides
easy access to literally hundreds of ancient original sources in translation. With its extensive
bibliography for further study, The Smell Of Sweat is enthusiastically recommended for personal
and academic instructional and reference collections.
Games For The Gods
John J. Herrmann, Jr. & Christine Kondoleon
MFA Publications
c/o Museum of Fine Arts - Boston
465 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA 02115-5523
0878466819 $29.95 1-617-369-3438 www.mfa-publications.org
Just as in our own 21st century western culture, sports and athletic contests were a vital part of
daily life in ancient Greece. Competitive tournaments were regularly held to venerate the gods,
honor local heroes, and advance the prestige of the contestants and their communities. Of all the
four major sporting events held periodically in Greece, it was the Olympic Games that held the
highest prestige and drew the largest crowds of spectators and numbers of contestants from all
over the Hellenic world. Games For The Gods: The Greek Athlete And The Olympic Spirit
explores these ancient contests held every four years and reveals the original traditions of athletics
-- comparing them to those of our modern Olympic games. Greek customs such as associating
athletic festivals with certain gods, seeing athletes compete in the nude, watching athletes resort
to fighting dirty as an accepted practice, and other elements of ancient gaming might seek
disquieting to contemporary readers, but the excitement of competition, admiration for athletic
skill, and the glorification of champions will seem very familiar indeed. Enhanced with superb
illustrations drawn from collections of antiquarian sculptures, vases and coins, Games For The
Gods is also illustrated by world class photographers in a unique celebration of the Olympic spirit.
Also available in a hardcover edition (0878466800, $45.00), Games For The Gods is a wonderful
acquisition selection for community libraries and "must" reading for anyone who has ever thrilled
to Olympic Game competitions!
The Culture Of The Roman Plebs
Nicholas Horsfall
Duckworth
c/o International Publishers Marketing
PO Box 605, Herndon, VA 20172-0605
0715632388 $19.95 1-800-758-3756
Most histories of Roman antiquity principally focus on the elite aristocracy and the military
generals that supported or overthrew them. The Culture Of The Roman Plebs by independent
scholar Nicholas Horsfall is a welcome and long needed history that specifically addresses the life
of the common people that populated and made possible what became known as the Roman
Empire. From the noisy, active role of the common populace, to their songs, dances, music,
shows, games, and daily life, The Culture Of The Roman Plebs fills in the larger picture. Of
special note is the Nicholas Horsfall has meticulously translated and reconstructed what the
average Roman talked and thought about as recorded in graffiti and the other odds and ends of
notation derived from the records of ordinary Roman life as they have survived over the past two
thousand years. The Culture Of The Roman Plebs is a welcome and enthusiastically recommended
addition to academic library collections and would make an excellent title for community library
Ancient History collections for non-specialist general readers with an interest in Roman
history.
Food Regulation And Trade
Tim Josling, et al
Institute For International Economics
1750 Massachusetts Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20036-1903
0881323462 $29.95 1-202-328-9000 www.iie.com
The collaborative effort of Timothy Josling (Emeritus Professor at the Food Research Institute
and Senior Fellow at the Stanford Institute for International Studies, Stanford University), Donna
Roberts (Senior Economist at the Economic Research Service, US Department of Agriculture),
and David Orden (Senior Research Fellow at the International Food Policy Research Institute and
a professor in the Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics, Virginia Polytechnic
Institute and State University), Food Regulation And Trade: Toward A Safe And Open Global
System is a seminal and ground breaking study which examines the current state of regulation
with respect to the increasingly global food system. Analyzing the underlying causes of trade
conflicts precipitated by conflicting national interests as well as such emergency anomalies as the
outbreak of "mad cow disease", Food Regulation And Trade outlines the steps that need to be
taken in order to ensure that food safety and open trade become not only compatible but mutually
supporting. With the use of illustrative case studies, suggestions for improving regulatory
authority performance, the focus on what international institutions can do to coordinate
international efforts among developed and developing countries, the necessity for international
rules focused on reductions in transaction costs, Food Regulation And Trade is a timely and
critically important contribution to corporate, governmental, and academic International
Economics Studies reading lists and reference library collections.
Defying The Odds
Eugene Versluysen
Kurmarian Press
14 Oakwood Avenue, West Hartford, CT 06119-2127
1565490932 $24.95 1-800-289-2664 www.kpbooks.com
Defying The Odds; Banking For The Poor is a seminal and ground breaking study on the growth
of what has been termed "microfinance" within the context of developing countries and their
socio-economic conditions. Utilizing specific country-based case studies, financial economist
Eugene Versluysen sheds considerable light on the experiences and achievements of microfinance
institutions and their clients. Defying The Odds is especially commended to the attention of the
students of International Economics, and will be of immense interest to non-specialist general
readers with an interest in the welfare and improvement of third world country economics and
societies.
Wolf At The Door
James R. Powell & Alan B. Flanders
Brandylane Publishers, Inc.
1711 East Main Street, Suite 9, Richmond, VA 23223
1883911575 $16.95 1-804-644-3090 www.brandylanepublishers.com
Attacks by German submarines on Atlantic coastline targets during World War II were a very real
possibility and one to be guarded against by the American Navy and Coast Guard. In Wolf At The
Door: The World War II Antisubmarine Battle For Hampton Roads, Virginia, James Powell
builds upon original scholarship and research (an in collaboration academician Alan B. Flanders
who is an expert in naval history and a prolific author of maritime history books) to reveal the
story of the U.S. Fifth Naval District's defeat of German U-boats in the struggle for Hampton
Roads, Virginian -- including perspectives of naval officers and captains from both sides of the
conflict, and in the process also informs the interested reader in the overall development of the
U.S. Antisubmarine Warfare Program. Wolf At The Door is a unique and invaluable addition to
the growing library of World War II Military Histories.
Tariffs, Blockades, And Inflation
Mark Thorton & Robert B. Ekelund Jr.
SR Books
104 Greenhill Avenue, Wilmington, DE 19805-1897
0842029613 $19.95 1-800-772-8937 www.scholarly.com
The scholarly collaboration of academicians Mark Thornton (Columbus State University) and
Robert B. Ekelund Jr. (Auburn University is part of the SR Books' "American Crisis Series" of
books on the Civil War era and recommended to the attention of Civil War buffs as well as
academia. Drawing upon contemporary economic analyses including supply and demand, modern
market theory, and the economics of politics to interpret events of the Civil War, Tariffs,
Blockades, And Inflation: The Economics Of The Civil War presents the often complex intricacies
to reveal the role played by economics in plunging the United States into civil war during the
1860s, as well as the effect of the war (including post-war Reconstruction) upon the economies of
the North and the South. Also available in a hardcover format (0842029605, $65.00), Tariffs,
Blockades, And Inflation is a work of meticulous detail enhanced with charts, a bibliographical
essay, and an index.
Jack Burroughs
Reviewer
Carson's Bookshelf
The Catalan
Alex Raetsky & Maxim Chetverik
Everyman Chess
c/o The Globe Pequot Press
PO Box 480, Guilford, CT 06437
1857443462 $19.95 1-800-243-0495
The Catalan is one of the most favored chess openings executed by the world's top players. The
collaborative effort of chess experts Alex Raetsky (Russian International Master) and Maxim
Chetverik (an FIDE Master), The Catalan offers a comprehensive survey of this specialized
opening, outlining the most common plans and tactics associated with the move. The Catalan is an
indispensable addition to the reference shelf and reading list of any and all dedicated players
seeking to play at tournament level proficiency and accomplishment.
Round Barns Of New York
Richard Triumpho
Syracuse University Press
1600 Jamesville Avenue, Syracuse, NY 13210
0815607962 $24.95 1-800-365-8929
Unique and very highly recommended reading, Round Barns Of New York by freelance writer
and columnist Richard Triumpho is an historical survey and celebration of the first five "round
barns" build across the American rural landscape. These barns were an architectural innovation
engaged in by farmers and were, in fact, octagonal in shape. The first one was erected in New
York state in 1874 by Elliott Stewart. Then after a dozen similar structures were created, John
McArthur constructed a polygonal (sixteen-sided, double octagon) barn was built and, at the time,
was the largest barn in the state and the second largest in the entire country. Enhanced with more
than 70 photographs and line drawings, historical data, and anecdotal stories by present owners,
Round Barns Of New York showcases the history of the basic and innovative idea behind round
barns.
Yaxcaba And The Caste War Of Yucatan
Rani T. Alexander
University of New Mexico Press
0826329624 $49.95 1-800-249-7737 www.unmpress.com
The "caste war" that took place in the Yucatan peninsula of Mexico from 1847 to 1901 is
justifiably considered to be the most successful Native American rebellion against European
influence and domination to take place in the recorded history of the New World. It was the
attempt by the Mayan people to eradicate foreign domination and revitalize their ancient culture.
The conflict led eventually to successful agrarian reform and the reassertion of traditional Mayan
land use. It also generate a new religion with priesthood and cultural practices focused on the
worship of a prophetic "talking" cross. The resulting economic and cultural transformation
provided informative insights for understanding present-day Mexico and the expansion of
capitalism to the rural countryside. Yaxcaba And The Caste War Of Yucatan: An Archaeological
Perspective by Rani T. Alexander (Assistant Professor, Department of Sociology and
Anthropology, New Mexico Statue University - Las Cruces) is an impressive work of original
scholarship and a highly recommended addition to academic library reference collections and New
World Archaeology supplemental reading lists.
Antidumping Exposed
Brink Lindsey & Daniel J. Ikenson
Cato Institute
1000 Massachusetts Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20001
1930865481 $24.95 www.cato.org
Brink Lindsey (Director of the Cato Institute's Center for Trade Policy Studies) and Daniel J.
Ikenson (Policy Analyst with the Cato Institute's Center for Trade Policy Studies) effectively
collaborate in Antidumping Exposed: The Devilish Details Of Unfair Trade Law to reveal how the
American antidumping law actually works. A popular law that sounds appealing with such
concepts as "fairness" and "level playing fields" is convoluted, technically complex, and doesn't
actually deliver as promised. Here revealed in comprehensive detail, is a step-by-step guide to
how dumping is both defined and implemented under current rules. The authors describe the many
methodological quirks and biases which result in the stigmatization of healthy competition as
"unfair" and penalized. Antidumping Exposed ought to be required reading for every national
politician, agency policy maker, economist, and corporate executive concerned with international
trade issues in general, and the anti-dumping laws in particular.
Analysis Of Shaolin Chin Na
Dr. Yang, Jwing-Ming
YMAA Publication Center
4354 Washington Street, Roslindale, MA 02131
1594390002 $26.95 1-800-669-8892 www.ymaa.com
Shaolin Chin Na is one of the four major Chinese martial arts fighting categories, the one dealing
with "size and control". The other three are Ti (kicking), and Da (striking), Shuai (wrestling).
Now in a completely updated and significantly expanded second edition, Analysis Of Shaolin Chin
Na by renowned Chinese martial arts and Qigong expert and instructor Dr. Yang, Jwing-Ming
shows the aspiring martial arts students every aspect and every step in effectively defending from
attack through the use of Shaolin Chin Na counters. For the substantial benefit of contemporary
martial arts students, the old Chinese spelling system has been replaced by the new academic
Pinyin system with Chinese characters being included in the text. Enhanced with 150 illustrative
photographs, easily learned and integrated into any martial arts style, Analysis Of Shaolin Chin Na
will be a welcome addition to personal, professional, and dojo library reference collections.
The Fighting Tomahawk
Dwight C. McLemore
Paladin Press
Gunbarrel Tech Center, 7077 Winchester Circle, Boulder, CO 80301
1581604416 $39.95 1-800-392-2400 www.paladin-press.com
A low-tech, high-impact weapon that traces its origins back into the dim mists of recorded human
history, the tomahawk has been carried by American soldiers into combat during every war and
"police action" the American military has conducted from the Revolutionary War down to the
contemporary battlefields of Afghanistan and Iraq. In The Fighting Tomahawk, Dwight
McLemore traces both the origins and the fighting techniques for this brutally effective weapons.
Enhanced with line drawings, readers can learn how to employ this weapon both singly or in
combination with the long knife, engaging either single combatants or multiple-opponent fights.
Both offensive and defensive moves are fully covered, including the chop, cut, rake, deflection,
intercepting punch, circular catch and pull, stab, scissor catch, and more. A combination weapons
history guide and combat instruction manual, The Fighting Tomahawk is both a unique and very
highly recommended addition to any martial arts or military combat techniques reference book
collection.
Trench Knives And Mustard Gas
Hughs S. Thompson
Texas A&M University Press
Drawer C, College Station, TX 77843-4354
1585442909 $29.95 1-800-826-8911
Trench Knives And Mustard Gas: With The 42nd Rainbow Division In France by historian Hugh
S. Thompson consists of his personal memoirs of fighting in the trenches of World War I.
Informed and informative, this is the story of a young man who entered the U.S. Army in 1918 as
an officer and served with the 42nd Rainbow Division -- which was one of the first units to secure
a sector of the line along the Western Front and experience the horror of mustard gas attacks by
the Germans. Thompson barely survived the lethal battles of Lorraine, Champagne, and St.
Mithiel, suffering severe wounds to the arm, leg, and back on three separate occasions. He was
eventually awarded the Silver Star, the French Legion of Merit, and the Purple Heart with three
Oak Leaf Clusters. Ably written with a personal intensity and realism, this battlefield memoir was
originally published in 1934 in the "Chattanooga Times". This new edition from Texas A&M
University Press has been enhanced with a superb introduction by historian, academician, and
World War I expert Robert H. Ferrell. Vivid, insightful, and very strongly recommended reading,
this memoir (Thompson died in 1961) is an enduring tribute to the hardships and horrors,
comraderie and dedication, that were so characteristics of life and death on the western
battlefields of World War I.
Collapse At Meuse-Argonne
Robert H. Ferrell
University of Missouri Press
2910 LeMone Boulevard, Columbia, MO 65201
0826215327 $29.95 1-800-828-1894
Collapse At Meuse-Argonne: The Failure Of The Missouri-Kansas Division by Robert H. Ferrall
(Professor Emeritus of History, Indiana University), is the story of the American Thirty-Fifth
Division during World War I. This military expeditionary force was composed of National Guard
units from Missouri and Kansas. Engaging in the battle of the Meuse-Argonne with no previous
battle experience and only a minor amount of training, as well as a few weeks of garrisoning in a
quiet sector in Alsace, this division and its thousands of men quite literally fell apart in the face of
enemy forces in only five days. Historian and academician Robert Ferrall does an impressive work
of original scholarship to describe what the problems were (including incompetence officer
leadership at the highest levels). The focus upon this single battle offers a "window-in-time"
perspective that will prove invaluable for a broader understanding of the difficulties of World War
I era frontline combat. Collapse At Meuse-Argonne is a superbly researched and presented body
of work that is strongly recommended for both academic library collections and military history
buff reading lists.
West Coast RV Camping
Tom Stienstra
Foghorn Outdoors
c/o Avalon Travel Publishing
1400 - 65th Street, Suite 250, Emeryville, CA 94608
1566916712 $21.95 www.foghorn.com
Exhaustively compiled and deftly organized by Tom Stienstra, West Coast RV Camping: The
Complete Guide To More Than 1,800 RV Parks And Campgrounds In California, Oregon, And
Washington is the definitive reference for anyone planning an RV vacation, day-trip, or scenic
travel along the western coast of America. West Coast RV Camping is a 917-page compendium
of helpful descriptions outlining campground features including wheelchair access, drive-through
sites, and power hookups. Travelers are succinctly informed with respect to a variety of RV
parks, including those near beaches, forests, lakes, rivers, hot springs, and urban areas. Precise
driving directions and information on fees and reservations policies are also included. Of special
note are Tom Stienstra's own "Picks" where he designates and recommends the prettiest lakes,
best fishing, and best wildlife viewing in the three state area. If you have an RV and are bound for
California, Oregon and/or Washington, then begin planning your itinerary with a copy of Tom
Stienstra's West Coast RV Camping!
Michael J. Carson
Reviewer
Christy's Bookshelf
Marvin Monster's Big Date
Tabatha Jean D'Agata
Illustrated by Bonnie Everett-Hawkes
Moo Press, Inc.
P.O. Box 54, Warwick, NY 10990-0054
www.MooPress.com 845-987-7750
ISBN 0972485368 $5.95, US $7.95 CAN 32 pages
Tabatha Jean D'Agata has written many children's books, including SILENT SAM, PAMPERED
PALS, PETER'S PEPPERONIA ADVENTURES, AND KEISHA'S BEST BIRTHDAY.
Founder of The Savvy Click, an online magazine on books and writing for all readers, Tabatha is
a member of the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators.
Illustrator Bonnie Everett-Hawkes is a graphic designer, illustrator, and photographer. She has
been professionally illustrating books since 1975 and graduated with honors from the Art Institute
of Dallas, Texas in 1998. Her work has been shown all over the world.
MARVIN MONSTER'S BIG DATE is the first book in the Early Reader Chapter Book series
teaching important social skills. Marvin Monster lives in Marshville and is a second grader at
Grim Castle Elementary School. Marvin makes his first date, to walk Reba Banshee to school,
which turns into a day in which nothing seems to go right. However, Marvin learns some
important lessons along the way involving friendship with his peers.
D'Agata combines a creative imagination and wonderful sense of humor to produce a sensitive,
heartwarming story for all young readers. The characters are wonderfully fun, the dialogue
freshly unique, and the lessons learned by Marvin valuable and relevant to the reader's age. The
illustrations sprinkled throughout are conducive to the story and eye-appealing, and presented
with true finesse. A highly entertaining children's story, MARVIN MONSTER'S BIG DATE
would make a valuable addition to any child's book collection as well as classrooms and libraries
across America.
The Buckseller
F. E. Mazur
PublishAmerica
P.O. Box 151, Frederick, MD 21705
www.publishamerica.com 301-631-9073
ISBN 1413707033 $19.95, 212 pages
Author F. E. Mazur resides on 71 acres in the Bluegrass region of Kentucky. THE
BUCKSELLER is Mazur's second novel, and his writing has been praised as "intelligent,
serious."
Opening day of deer season in Bingham County, Pennsylvania brings thousands of hunters into
the small communities comprising the county, welcomed by the local businesses while being
simply tolerated by the locals. On opening day, two hunters are found shot to death, one an
outsider, the second a local man who resided in the Buckseller. Rumors abound and several
blame a national anti-hunting organization for the deaths. Meredith Tome, editor of the Tier
Sentinel, smarting from a recent judgment against his paper, agrees not to publish the suspicion
the deaths could be caused by a sniper, due to the concern expressed by politicians and business
owners this will drive the hunters, ergo cash flow, away. A decision Tome will come to regret
when the killing continues.
THE BUCKSELLER, like SPINE, is fiction with an edge; a galvanizing look into the inner
workings of a small community, the ascendancy of provincial politicians and business owners who
want nothing more than to prosper from outsiders, and the inner turmoil of a man who has been
pressured into making a decision that does not set well with his principles. Written with keen
insight, this is a powerful read doling out action and suspense with true finesse.
Wind out of the West
Lila B. Mullins
PublishAmerica
P.O. Box 151, Frederick, MD 21705
