 |
Book
Reviews,
Book Lover Resources, Advice for Writers and Publishers |
| Home / Small
Press Bookwatch |
Small Press Bookwatch
Table of Contents
Reviewer's Choice
Not In God's Name
Paula Fouce
Paradise Filmworks International
http://www.paradisefilmworks.com
http://notingodsnamebook.com
9780692435649, $17.99, 258pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Paula Fouce was trapped in a religious riot after the assassination of India's Prime
Minister Indira Gandhi. Her life was threatened as mobs murdered in revenge and the country
exploded in carnage. Before that time, she worked in Pakistan, Afghanistan, Kashmir, India,
Bhutan, Sri Lanka and Tibet, and it had been peaceful. Not in God's Name searches for the
causes and solutions to religious intolerance. Paula's quest to understand the causes of this
violence took her on a journey to meet faith leaders including Mother Teresa and the Dalai Lama.
She followed the Dalai Lama's guidance to understand religious intolerance. She produced the
film. Not in God's Name, that aired on PBS, and wrote this book. "Not In God's Name: Making
Sense of Religious Conflict" examines why religious clashes ravage our world, and why different
creeds sometimes don't live in harmony. At any given time in our world, there are fifty conflicts
being fought in the name of faith. Religion, a source of great peace, is sometimes misused to
create division and strife. "Not in God's Name" asks the bewildered question, "Why do people
kill in the name of God?"
Critique: Impressively well written, organized and presented, "Not In God's Name: Making Sense
of Religious Conflict" is an extraordinary read that is as insightful as it is thoughtful and
thought-provoking. "Not In God's Name" is strongly recommended and must be considered an
essential addition to church, community, and academic library collections. For personal reading
lists it should be noted that "Not In God's Name" is also available in a Kindle edition
($7.99).
Wrongly Charged: A Look at the Legal System
David Merkatz
Prominent Books LLC
9781942389033, $17.95, 202pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: What would you do if you were arrested and wrongly charged with a crime? It can
happen in the blink of an eye. It's not supposed to happen in the United States, but it can at any
time. After being advised by his attorney in 2013 that his new marketing strategy was legal,
Florida locksmith David Merkatz was shocked to learn he was under criminal investigation. Then
he was arrested and charged with money laundering and an organized scheme to defraud. With
the flip of a switch, he was facing a 20-year prison sentence. He was terrified. Life as he knew it
was over, and it happened in an instant. But David Merkatz was determined to fight back.
"Wrongly Charged: A Look at the Legal System" is his shocking and true story. Readers will
learn practical information and advice on such issues as: What to do if you're suddenly arrested;
How to get through the booking and arraignment process; Why you should always carry a bail
bondsman's card; The pros and cons of accepting a plea bargain; How to appeal a criminal
conviction or civil judgment; How to salvage your life and rebuild your reputation; And a great
many other things that can save your life as you know it today.
Critique: Exceptionally well written, organized and presented, "Wrongly Charged: A Look at the
Legal System" is packed with practical tips and fundamental information on how to deal with the
legal system should you ever be arrested -- a possibility that is always present as our nightly news
headlines so frequently attest. "Wrongly Charged" should be a part of every community and
academic library Criminology and Judicial studies reference collections (especially those
communities and schools with substantial minority populations) as well as Public Defender
offices and Prisoner Rights & Reform NGOs. For personal reading lists it should be noted that
"Wrongly Charged" is also available in an inexpensive Kindle edition ($0.99).
The Tale of Miss Susie and Her Steamboat
Sonja N. Kreps
CreateSpace
4900 LaCross Rd., North Charleston, SC 29406
9781505907957, $7.99, 168pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Miss Susie had a steamboat; the steamboat had a bell. Miss Susie went to Heaven, the
steamboat went to Hello, Operator, please give me number nine, and if you disconnect me, I'll
kick you from behind the 'frigerator, there was a piece of glass. Miss Susie sat upon it and broke
her little ask me no more questions, I'll tell you no more lies. The boys are in the bathroom,
zipping up their flies are in the city. Bees are in the park. Miss Susie and her boyfriend are
kissing in the d-a-r-k, d-a-r-k, d-a-r-k, dark, dark, dark. This is a simple song from your
childhood, right? But have you ever wondered how Miss Susie got in to all those messes? Or
what that song was specifically referring to? Imagine that the story of Miss Susie isn't an
innocent, age-appropriate song. What if she was a party girl whose life intertwined with other
campfire songs? Forget the eight-year old thrill of almost saying a bad word while chanting this
song over slapping hands, and get comfortable, because you're in for a wild ride.
Critique: Exceptional, original, informative, and above all, entertaining, "The Tale of Miss Susie
and Her Steamboat: And Other Songs from your Childhood Explained" by Sonja N. Kreps is an
inherently fascinating read from beginning to end. Very highly recommended for community
library Popular Culture collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "The Tale of
Miss Susie and Her Steamboat" is also available in a Kindle edition ($3.99).
Indy Writes Books: A Book Lovers Anthology
John Green & Dan Wakefield, authors
Travis M. DiNicola, editor
Indy Reads
911 Massachusetts Avenue, Indianapolis, IN 46202
www.indyradsbooks.org
9780692300299, $25.00, 400pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: "Indy Writes Books: A Book Lovers Anthology" is a compilation of the writings of
local Indiana authors who have helped Indy Reads' independent bookstore grow and thrive. "Indy
Writes Books" features fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and puzzles centered around bookstores and
reading. This anthology also includes works by the following authors, poets, and puzzle makers:
John Green, Dan Waikefield, John David Anderson, Victoria Barrett, Frank Bill, Ray
Boomhower, Mary Susan Buhner, Lorene Burkhart, Michael Dahlie, Cathy Day, Carol Faenzi,
Terence Faherty, Lou Harry, Liza Hyatt, Angela Jackson-Brown, Lyn Jones, Jeff Knurek &
David Hoyt, Karen Kovacik, Norbert Krapf, Bonnie Maurer, Susan Neville, Will Shortz, Barb
Shoup, Amy Sorrells, Gordon Strain & Dianne Moneypenny, Larry Sweazy, and Ben Winters. It
was edited by M. Travis DiNicola and Zach Roth.
Critique: An engaging and inherently entertaining literary cornucopia of excellent writing by
gifted novelists, short story writers, and poets, "Indy Writes Books: A Book Lovers Anthology"
is very highly recommended reading and would serve as a useful template for similar efforts by
other centers of literary accomplishment and productivity. One caveat is the rather small typeface
that will require good eyesight on the part of the reader. For personal reading lists it should be
noted that "Indy Writes Books: A Book Lovers Anthology" is also available in a Kindle edition
($0.99) which would address the type size issue quite nicely.
The Biography Shelf
No Limits
Leah Goldstein
Influence Publishing Inc.
1200 Lonsdale, Unit #310, North Vancouver, BC, V7M 3H6
http://www.influencepublishing.com
9781771411127, $19.95, 200pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: "No Limits: The Powerful True Story of Leah Goldstein: World Kickboxing
Champion, Israeli Undercover Police and Cycling Champion" is a personal story of what happens
when a person doesn't believe in any limitations? An internationally renowned professional
cyclist, Leah Goldstein has raced towards finish lines all her life. Her life lessons however extend
beyond her achievements on a bike -- from a young World Kickboxing Champion, to a trainer of
elite Israeli soldiers including the commandos; from breaking glass ceilings by entering Israel's
Undercover Police Unit, to breaking records as a professional athlete. Having faced fear many
times, Goldstein has learnt that no matter how genuine the actual danger we confront may be, we
have two choices: fight or flight. Yet, some of us have fallen into a third, much more dangerous
category, by simply freezing. We do nothing, and therefore risk neither failure nor success. Full
of tragedies and triumphs, crashes and podiums, Leah Goldstein's life has been a long series of
fights and even a few flights. Her fascinating story is not about being fearless but about being
unstoppable.
Critique: Exceptionally well written, organized and presented, "No Limits: The Powerful True
Story of Leah Goldstein: World Kickboxing Champion, Israeli Undercover Police and Cycling
Champion" is an inherently fascinating and ultimately inspiring read. Very highly recommended
for community and academic library Contemporary Biography collections, for personal reading
lists it should be noted that "No Limits" is also available in a Kindle edition ($9.99).
Letter from Alabama
David L. Workman
Workman & Associates, Inc.
http://www.workman-inc.com
9780996230919, $8.99, 212pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: David's life could turn out very, very badly. His mother dies suddenly when he is an
infant. Then at age two, he is gone. Vanished, with his father, and abandoned in a far-away place.
His future hangs on a letter from Alabama, a piece of paper that must travel hundreds of miles in
an envelope. Then it must land in exactly the right place in a busy office where nobody is under
any obligation to read it or pay any attention to it. "Letter from Alabama: The Inspiring True
Story of Strangers Who Saved a Child and Changed a Family Forever" is the true story of that
letter, and all that will transpire because of it. It's the story of human failure, and human triumph.
Forgiveness and redemption. It is a testament to, and a prayer of thanks for, good and decent
people everywhere who stand up for a child when they don't have to -- when they have nothing to
gain and perhaps much to lose. It's a tribute to those who see the potential in a young person and
give that person a chance to be the best that he or she can be. They are the heroes for whom this
story is now committed to writing.
Critique: Impressively well written, organized and presented, "Letter from Alabama: The
Inspiring True Story of Strangers Who Saved a Child and Changed a Family Forever" is a
compelling and inherently fascinating read from beginning to end. An extraordinary and
heartwarming account, "Letter from Alabama" is very highly recommended for community
library American Biography collections. For personal reading lists it should be noted that "Letter
from Alabama" is also available in a Kindle edition ($2.99).
Come Back Strong: A Widow's Song
Eileen McGuire Whaley
CreateSpace
4900 LaCross Rd., North Charleston, SC 29406
www.createspace.com
9781505219760, $14.95, 258pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Slammed down by four little words "It doesn't look good," a couple tries to be happy in
spite of the massive cancer in his chest. His bonus days eventually run out leaving her tired,
unhealthy, and sad to be the one "still breathing." "I'll find a way to get past this." The 64 year old
woman learns how to deal with her loss and her diminished health in a surprising and humorous
way. Stubbornly independent, she vows she'll never talk to anyone about her grief. Forever a
clumsy bookworm, she'll never join a gym. Yet soon after her husband's passing she is happily on
a new journey with a compassionate counselor she appreciatively refers to as "Compass" and a
tough trainer she laughingly names "Sheriff". They ultimately prepare her for a powerful first in
her life. "If you embarrass me, I'm out of here." Written especially for those facing loss, "Come
Back Strong, a Widow's Song" is a thoughtful yet humorous story of a woman's return to health
and happiness. Reading this motivational memoir is like a good hot soak while sipping wine. The
story of benevolence, friendship, and well-seasoned love will warm you inside and out. "Good to
see up. Been down way too long."
Critique: Exceptional, impressive, candid, intimate, inherently fascinating, inspired and inspiring,
"Come Back Strong: A Widow's Song" is very highly recommended for community library
American Biography collections. For personal reading lists it should be noted that "Come Back
Strong: A Widow's Song" is also available in a Kindle edition ($4.99).
It Only Hurts When I Can't Run
Gewanda J. Parker
MIS Press
1760-F Airline Hwy., #203, Hollister, CA 95023
www.msipress.com
9781933455808, $14.95, 260pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: "It Only Hurts When I Can't Run: One Girl's Story" is the personal story of Gewanda J.
Parker. Abandoned, neglected and beaten by a mother who really did care about her but suffered
from her own demons and addictions, left with friends and relatives, as well as placed in foster
homes, molested and raped on more than one occasion, including by men considered upright, the
little girl who grew up to become an educator, minister, and entrepreneur learned to survive by
running away again and again. This heartbreaking and heartwarming story, told with courageous
frankness, reveals a deep trust in God that, in the long run, promoted an unbelievable resilience,
allowing a young girl, turned young woman, to forgive those who hurt her and to reach out to all
those who hurt with a message of healing and hope.
Critique: Impressively candid, exceptionally informative, and ultimately inspiring, "It Only Hurts
When I Can't Run: One Girl's Story" is a compelling read from beginning to end. Very highly
recommended for personal reading lists, as well as community and academic library American
Biography collections.
That Old Bilbao Moon
Joseba Zulaika
Center for Basque Studies
University of Nevada, Reno /2322
Reno, Nevada 89557-2322
www.basque.unr.edu
9781935709589, $25.00, 352pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: "That Old Bilbao Moon: The Passion and Resurrection of a City" is a personal memoir
by Joseba Zulaika. It is an ethnography of desire, an essay tracking a generation's consciousness,
a manifesto for a new city and a new subject after the shipwreck. This Dantean narration presents
"characters," including its author, whose lives do not conform to idea cultural models. They are
rather figures under the threat of disintegration who require self-transformation for their survival.
Every conservation and event here narrated is ethnographically factual, yet the book is essentially
about the fundamental fantasies and subjective conversions of a generation surrendered to "the
passion for the real." This Bilbao generation of the sixties-branded inaugurally by the trauma of
ETA, socialism, atheism. Aresti's Malden behera (Downfall), the survival of Euskara, the art of
Oteiza and Chillida, feminism-found in Frank Gerhy's "shipwreck" masterpiece its ultimate
emblem and the promise of a new city. It is the architecture of labyrinth, a building of cuts and
torsions, "the reincarnation of Marilyn Monroe" (Muschamp), turned into the new face of "that
old Bilbao moon" that Brecht sang as "the most beautiful in the world." Because even after the
ruins and the defeat the mandate persisted: you must change your life, you must transform your
city.
Critique: Joseba Zulaika (Professor of Basque Studies, University of Nevada - Reno) has
produced an intensely informed and informative work that is an inherently fascinating read.
Thoughtful and thought-provoking, "That Old Bilbao Moon: The Passion and Resurrection of a
City" is extraordinarily well written, organized and presented, making it very highly
recommended reading and a critically important addition for personal and academic library
Basque Studies reference collections.
Stuck in the Passing Lane
Jed Ringel
About Face Press
9780986255007, $14.99, 288pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: What happens when a newly divorced, monogamous, family-oriented Baby Boomer
gets trapped on the Internet dating superhighway? From Spanish Harlem to Singapore, in
relationships with Muscovite intellectuals and streetwise Chinatown massage parlor queens, Jed
Ringel takes you on his personal, hilarious, heartrending, self-revelatory, and sometimes even
cringe-worthy journey. With the unsparing comments of his three daughters, and his own honest,
self-deprecating assessments, "Stuck in the Passing Lane" is the non-stop entertaining memoir of
a mature man, dauntlessly searching for his last great love; one that won't, in just a matter of
time, become relationship deja vu.
Critique: An inherently fascinating memoir, Jed Ringel writes with skill, candor, and a
thoroughly 'reader friendly' engagement that is rarely equaled. Extraordinary and highly
recommended for community library Contemporary American Biography collections, it should
be noted for personal reading lists that "Stuck in the Passing Lane" is also available in a Kindle
edition ($7.99).
Twisting My Kaleidoscope
Shannon Love
Outskirts Press, Inc.
10940 S. Parker Road, #515, Parker, CO 80134
www.loveskaleidoscope.com
9781478755500, $25.95, 302pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: In "Twisting My Kaleidoscope" author Shannon Love offers her readers a kind of
'observational window' into the world of psychosis. "Twisting My Kaleidoscope" carefully places
readers in a sort of enchanted bubble, transiting from one scene to the next. As readers position
themselves to view what best suits them, Love unbars the door to her therapy sessions, uncovers
the blanket of her thoughts, unlocks the key to her journal, and extends temporary access to her
physical being. "Twisting My Kaleidoscope" is a complex, multi-layered work of considerable
depth and sophistication.
Critique: Impressively well written, organized and presented, it must be stated that "Twisting My
Kaleidoscope" by Shannon Love is an ultimately rewarding read -- but not for anyone of faint
heart or weak constitution. An extraordinary and unique work by an extraordinary and unique
author, "Twisting My Kaleidoscope" is very highly recommended for community and academic
library collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "Twisting My Kaleidoscope"
is also available in a Kindle edition ($4.99).
Under Paris Rooftops
Arleen Shabel & Norman Shabel
Chateau Publishing House
525 Route 73, North, Suite 302, Marlton, NJ 08053
www.cphine.com
9781467591072, $23.95, 191pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: "Under Paris Rooftops" by Arleen and Norman Shabell is a non-fiction romantic
comedy in which Norman proves just how much he loves his beloved wife, Arleen, when he
indulges her request to buy a piece of Paris. Arleen is the dreamer and Norman is the realist and
together they battle the medieval French legal and banking systems in this 'his and her' portrayal
of buying a Parisian apartment. Follow the journey the Shabels took as they pursued their
adventure to straddle living in Paris and the United States in this easy to read modern day true
love story.
Extraordinary, unique, engaging, absolutely charming and always entertaining, "Under Paris
Rooftops" is a terrific read and will prove to be an enduringly popular addition to community
library collections. For personal reading lists it should be noted that "Under Paris Rooftops" is
also available in a Kindle edition ($5.99).
The Architecture Shelf
Catalyst Architecture
Hans Kiib & Gitte Marling
Aalborg University Press
c/o International Specialized Book Services
920 Northeast 58th Avenue, Suite 300, Portland, OR 97213
www.isbs.com
9788771122237, $59.00, 308pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: The collaboratively compiled by Hans Kiib (Professor of Urban Design, Aalborg
University, Denmark) and Gitte Marling (Professor of Urban Design, Aalborg University),
"Catalyst Architecture: Rio de Janeiro, New York, Tokyo, Copenhagen" raises a discussion in
regard to architecture's role as a catalyst for urban development. Through the study of eight
architectural projects in large cities on four different continents, the book's focus is placed on
how architecture can promote the enriching experiences of the tolerant, the democratic, the
learning- and the experience- rich city. In other words, the city worth living in, worth supporting,
and worth investing in. These architectural projects operate with a mix of design programs,
organized so that they invite diverse user groups to a variety of activities. Visual and other
sensuous architectural effects frame the interaction between the projects and the human activities
within their urban context - an interaction that indicates a direction for a new narrative about the
potential of place.
Critique: "Catalyst Architecture" will prove to be of particular interest to students and
non-specialist general readers with an interest in architecture and urban life in large cities.
Exceptionally informed and informative, "Catalyst Architecture" is very highly recommended for
community and academic library architecture, urban design, town planning, urban geography,
urban sociology, and aesthetic reference collections and supplemental studies reading lists.
The Fiction Shelf
Odin's Child
Bruce Macbain
Blank State Press
http://blankslatepress.com
9780991305865, $18.95, 350pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: An old grudge erupts into violence as Odd Tangle-Hair refuses to back down from the
men he believes shamed his father and betrayed their heritage by turning away from the old gods
in favor of the White Christ. But when the violence escalates and Odd's family bears the brunt of
it, he must leave his beloved Iceland behind and find his own way in the world. The golden age
of Viking conquest is fading when he takes to the seas with his rag-tag crew, but they will voyage
to primitive Lapland, war-torn Norway, the magic-drenched forests of Finland, and the borders of
Russia, where Odd enlists in the retinue of a renegade prince.
Critique: "Odin's Child" is the first of author Bruce Macbain's 'Odd Tangle-Hair Saga' trilogy.
Impressively well written, "Odin's Child" is an inherently fascinating read and documents
Macbain's considerable storytelling talents in crafting truly memorable characters and deftly
embedding them into a complexly woven and solidly entertaining story that will leave his readers
looking eagerly toward the next title in this outstanding series. Very highly recommended for
community library General Fiction collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that
"Odin's Child" is also available in a Kindle edition ($9.99).
Love
Leagan E. Kasper
CreateSpace
4900 LaCross Rd., North Charleston, SC 29406
www.createspace.com
9781511422338, $12.99, 202pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Many of us have experienced attraction, like, desire, lust, sex, and though the former
may often be confused with "love", few have and will know "love" and even fewer dare suffer
love (a kind of flame which once ignited has been known to cause insanity in men and women
alike) with only those feeling confident they deserve love able to bear the torment as well as the
power that comes with "love". But these two people, Herzog and Em (who met by mere
coincidence or not) are both living a life of secrecy, daring what few are courageous enough to
embrace -- the spark that ignites a raging inferno inside the innermost of their being, allowing
them to see themselves for who they really are. "Leagan E. Kasper" by Leagan E. Kasper is an
aesthetically erotic, as well as humorous novel.
Critique: An impressively well written and intrinsically fascinating novel by a naturally gifted
and original storytelling talent, Leagan E. Kasper's "Love" is highly recommended for a mature
readership. In addition to the paperback edition, it should be noted for personal reading lists that
"Love" is also available in a Kindle edition ($9.99).
The Last Dreamgirl
Shane Hayes
Drake Valley Press
http://www.drakevalleypress.com
9781935970248, $16.95, 278pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: For every man there's a girl who grips his imagination and his heart as no other girl
ever did or will. She may be in her teens or a mature woman. He responds to her as a boy to a
girl. Whether she comes early in his life or late, there is a throne in his subconscious that she
takes possession of, without trying, often without wanting to. The image he forms of her reigns
there in perpetuity, even if she has left his life, or this life. Or shed the image. Or proved
unworthy of it. The image endures. Her enchantment never fades or fails, and he is never
immune to it. She may not be for him the last wife or paramour, but she is the last dreamgirl.
Critique: A unique and finely crafted novel by a master storyteller, "The Last Dreamgirl" by
Shane Hayes is a well-tuned story that hold's the reader's fully entertained attention from
beginning to end. Very highly recommended for community library General Fiction collections,
it should be noted for personal reading lists that "The Last Dreamgirl" is also available in a
Kindle edition ($6.99).
To Ride a White Horse
Pamela Ford
Aine Press
9780990594215, $14.99, 374pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Set against the backdrop of 1840s Ireland and America, To Ride a White Horse is an
epic historical saga of hope, loyalty, the strength of the human spirit, and the power of love. With
Ireland ravaged by famine, and England unsympathetic to its plight, Kathleen Deacey, a spirited
and strong-willed young Irish woman faces a devastating choice--leave her country to find work
or risk dying there. Despising the English for refusing to help Ireland, she sets sail for Canada,
determined to save her family and find her missing fiance. But her voyage doesn't go as planned
and she ends up in America, forced to accept the help of an English whaling captain, Jack
Montgomery, to survive. As Jack helps her search for her fiance and fight to save her family and
country, she must make an impossible choice -- remain loyal to Ireland or follow her heart. With
insight and compassion, award-winning author Pamela Ford captures the anguish of a devastating
period in Irish history, illuminates the resilience of the human spirit and celebrates the strength of
love. To Ride a White Horse is a deeply-moving novel that wraps itself around the heart and
doesn't let go.
Critique: Another superbly crafted romance/adventure novel by a master of the genre. "To Ride
A White Horse" by Pamela Ford is highly recommended for community library collections. For
personal reading lists is should be noted that "To Ride A White Horse" is also available in a
Kindle edition ($4.99).
Solving For Y
Frederick Barrows
Lone Argonaut
5000 West Esplanade Avenue, #280, Metairie, LA 70006
www.loneargo.com
9780989372961, $25.99, 342pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Solving For Y explores a modern world defined by free agency, both personally and
professionally. It also probes the inherent mystery and ultimate unknowability of others.
Embodying these concepts is Y. Follow Y as he moves through a series of dramatically different
and challenging information technology jobs. Experience the tech boom of the 1990s to a near
future defined by radically life-altering technologies and the beginnings of commercial-driven
space exploration. You, the reader, see the world through Y's point of view. Those characters
most closely orbiting Y's life, however, struggle to understand the man, all the while attempting
to find a deeper meaning in their own lives.
Critique: Impressively well written and thoroughly entertaining from beginning to end, "Solving
For Y" is an exceptional and original novel that documents author Frederick Barrows as a
particularly gifted an innovative writer of considerable talent. Very highly recommended for
community library General Fiction collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that
"Solving For Y" is also available in a Kindle edition ($4.99).
The Naive Guys
Harry Patz Jr.
Alophie Press / Gondolin Advisors LLC
www.thenaiveguys.com
9780990539322, $29.99, 452pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Set against the historical backdrop of New York City in the early 1990s, "The Naive
Guys: A Memoir of Friendship, Love and Tech in the Early 1990s" is a hysterical yet poignant
coming-of-age novel. Mark Amici embarks on a challenging journey through the post-college
world, where he struggles to emerge from his sheltered upbringing to a life of love, friendship,
and career success. Fighting through the bad economy of 1991, Mark takes an entry-level sales
role at a growing tech company, Fishsoft, at the dawn of the Internet Age. Living at home with
his gruff uncle, mother, and older sister, Mark pursues his aspirations with a trio of wingmen,
Pete, Sally, and Kostas. His quixotic search for love, his desire to truly understand his family,
and his pitfalls through corporate machinations all provide a humorous glimpse during an uneven
period of life transition. Interwoven with key moments of the times, including the Bill Clinton
and Rudolph Giuliani electoral victories, the first World Trade Center bombing, OJ Simpson,
and New York's NBA Knicks and NHL Rangers simultaneously in their respective finals, "The
Naive Guys" tells the story of one man's journey to uncover and fully understand his
identity.
Critique: Impressively well written and thoroughly engaging from beginning to end, "The Naive
Guys" establishes author Harry Patz Jr. as a particularly gifted writer able to deftly craft
memorable characters into a complex story of layered detail and unexpected twists and turns.
Very highly recommended for community library General Fiction collections, it should be noted
for personal reading lists that "The Naive Guys" is also available in a paperback edition
(Gondolin Advisors LLC, 9780990539315, $14.95) and in a Kindle format ($0.99).
When Dreams Touch
Rosemary Hanrahan
SDP Publishing
http://sdppublishingsolutions.com
9780991316724, $14.00, 404pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Pregnant and uneducated, sixteen-year-old Adelaide trades her dream of escaping the
grinding poverty of her rural village for hopes of a better life for her unborn child. Kate, a young
American physician, often finds her roles as mother and wife to be in conflict with her childhood
dream to practice medicine in a third-world country. Giselle, a university-educated artist, lives in
Port au Prince. While she sympathizes with the plight of her fellow Haitians, she envisions her
and her family's future as a comfortable life in the United States. When the violent 1991 coup
d'etat erupts in Haiti, these three women's lives intersect and are forever changed. Despite
different cultures and life circumstances, the women share in the vision of a better future for their
children and the troubled country of Haiti. Their personal stories of adversity, tragedy, and
triumph are embedded in the complex social, political and cultural climate that evolves when
international assistance programs influence individuals and communities in the developing
world. Often in startling contrast, the women portrayed in "When Dreams Touch" are united
through mutual understanding and respect. With courage and perseverance, they confront the
broader injustices of the world they live in and create a legacy of enduring hope.
Critique: A riveting and original novel from beginning to end, "When Dreams Touch" documents
author Rosemary Hanrahan as a genuinely gifted storyteller able to deftly craft truly memorable
characters and embed them into a skillfully developed tale that will linger in the mind and
memory of the reader long after the book itself has been finished and set back upon the shelf.
Very highly recommended for community library collections, it should be noted for personal
reading lists that "When Dreams Touch" is also available in a Kindle edition ($1.99).
Incoming: Collected Stories
Vic Amato
iUniverse, Inc.
1663 Liberty Dr. Suite #300, Bloomington, IN 47403
www.iuniverse.com
9781491762394, $14.95, 204pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: The sixteen short stories by Vic Amato and anthologized in "Incoming" deftly explores
the nature of humanity through tales that are extraordinary, inspiring and even ridiculous. In
"Death by Peanut Butter," you'll meet Twain, a mentally challenged man with a large stock of
fluffy white hair who stuffs his mouth and makes a break for it. Tourist Dan in "Manhattan
Mendicant" encounters a downtown panhandler and resents him for being able to live in Nyc.
But when Dan sees the World Trade Center fall on Tv, he can think only of the beggar.
"Camille", a fun-loving artist, holds back information and her true feelings. On a hot night, it all
comes down on her boyfriend out on the front porch.
Critique: A master of the short story format, author Vic Amato defly creates truly memorable
characters within his original and highly entertaining stories. "Incoming: Collected Stories" is
very highly recommended for both community and academic library Literary Fiction collections.
For personal reading lists it should be noted that "Incoming: Collected Stories" is also available
in a Kindle edition ($3.99).
Shattered Hand: Sarah's Secret War
J. D. Liddle
CreateSpace
4900 LaCross Rd., North Charleston, SC 29406
www.createspace.com
9781507731628, $19.95, 218pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Sixteen-year-old Sarah Clarke and her father, Ted, live a quiet life in Tennessee, even
as tension mounts across the country on the subject of abolition vs. states' rights. When Ted and
Sarah accompany a party of men from Massachusetts on a hunting trip, the men's discussion
opens Sarah's eyes to the complexity of the issues at stake. After Ted joins the Union Army,
Sarah moves to live with her aunt in Knoxville where she is swept into involvement with the
Confederate Army. Sarah's work as a nurse brings her into contact with Matilda, an enslaved
woman, as well as a young female soldier who enlisted to fight side-by-side with her husband.
Listening to these women's stories and witnessing firsthand the brutality of war, Sarah is forced
to examine her allegiances. And when an old friend from Massachusetts enlists her aid spying for
the North, Sarah is forced to decide where her loyalties lie and what she is willing to sacrifice for
a cause she might not believe in.
Critique: An inherently fascinating and thoroughly entertaining read, "Shattered Hand: Sarah's
Secret War" is an exceptionally well written historical novel set in the Civil Ear era and taking
the unique perspective of a young women caught up in conflicting loyalties of the time. Deftly
crafted and skillfully presented, "Shattered Hand: Sarah's Secret War" is very highly
recommended and certain to be an enduringly popular addition to community library Historical
Fiction collections. For personal reading lists it should be noted that "Shattered Hand: Sarah's
Secret War" is also available in a Kindle edition ($5.99).
Righteous Release
Richard Gardner
CreateSpace
4900 LaCross Rd., North Charleston, SC 29406
www.createspace.com
9781501076633, $15.68, 418pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: David Chambers was born into a strictly religious family. As members of the Eternal
Fellowship, they have chosen to reject the ways of the world and have separated themselves from
the rest of humanity. As his arranged marriage to another follower (a woman he has come to
dislike) looms ever closer, David decides to break off the engagement. This comes as a shock to
his betrothed, his family and the wider Fellowship community. When the beautiful Alison
Johnson, a non-believer and former classmate re-enters his life, David makes a series of
decisions that will change his life forever. Righteous Release will captivate the mind of the
reader as David begins a life that is beyond his comfort zone. There are a number of difficulties
to overcome as he adapts to his new existence. Has David jumped out of the frying pan and into
the fire? Will he return to what he knows or embrace his new-found freedom?
Critique: Impressively well written and an inherently fascinating read, "Righteous Release" is a
solid entertainment that establishes author Richard Gardner as a novelist with an extraordinary
flair for deftly crafted, multi-layered storylines with unexpected twists and turns. Very highly
recommended for community library General Fiction collections, it should be noted for personal
reading lists that "Righteous Release" is also available in a Kindle edition ($2.99).
The Warming
Lorin R. Robinson
Mill City Press
www.millcitypress.net
9781634133128, $16.95, 380pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: It's 2047. Hundreds of millions around the world are suffering from the
warming-drought, rising ocean levels and increasingly calamitous weather. Dr. Jonathan Carver
is a brilliant marine scientist-both an observer and participant in the growing crisis. Despite
major roadblocks, he works to develop a project that, while it cannot stop the warming, would
address the growing hunger and famine. He also struggles to bring his dysfunctional personal and
professional lives under control. Readers are taken around the world to experience the human
impact of the warming close up. "The Warming" is a thought-provoking and artful amalgam of
fact and fiction that puts a human face on the growing crisis. Whatever the cause or causes, the
Earth is heating up, oceans are rising and the changing climate is bringing more severe weather.
The human race is in for a very rough ride.
Critique: Impressively well written and a logical projection of current climate change phenomena, "The Warming" is a riveting and prophetic read that is very strongly recommended for community library collections. For personal reading lists it should be noted that "The Warming" is also available both Kindle and Nook editions ($6.99).
Essie's Roses
Michelle Muriel
Little Cabin Books
2025 Zumbehl Road, #252, Saint Charles, MO 63303
www.littlecabinbooks.com
9780990938309, $24.95, 346pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Growing up in the Deep South during the years leading to the Civil War, two young
girls find freedom on a hillside overlooking Westland, an Alabama plantation. Essie Mae, an
intuitive, intelligent slave girl, and Evie Winthrop, the sheltered, imaginative dreamer and
planter's daughter, strike up a secret friendship that thrives amidst the shadows of abuse. Told
from the viewpoint of four women: Katherine Winthrop, kind mistress and unexpected heiress to
her father's small, cotton plantation; Delly, her sassy and beloved house slave; Essie Mae, her
slave girl; and Evie Winthrop, Katherine's only child, "Essie's Roses" tells of forbidden
relationships flourishing in secret behind Westland's protective trees and treasured roses. After
scandal befalls Westland, Evie and Essie, aged nineteen, travel to Richmond, Virginia, to escape
their abusive pasts. There, they face the gross indecencies and divisions leading to the War
Between the States. Though the horrors of slavery and discrimination prompt action, Evie and
Essie's struggles lie within. The secrets they hold and the pain of the past lead them away from
one another and back home again. A story about a black slave who frees a white woman, "Essie's
Roses" reveals the innocence of children's friendships, the diverse meanings of freedom, the
significance of a dream, and the power of love. In their efforts to save each other, will the women
of Westland find the true freedom they desire?
Critique: Impressively well written from beginning to end, "Essie's Roses" is an inherently
absorbing and skillfully presented read, establishing author Michelle Muriel as an exceptionally
talented novelist. Certain to be an enduringly popular addition to community library General
Fiction collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Essie's Roses" is also
available in a paperback edition (9780990938323, $14.95) and in a Kindle format ($8.99).
Musical Chairs
Sheila Levin
First Edition Design Publishing
http://www.firsteditiondesignpublishing.com
9781622877690, $24.95, 262pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: In a high-stakes game of musical chairs, there can be only one winner. Roberta Palmer,
newly widowed supermodel and Marcia Baker, New York congresswoman are getting ready for
the fight of their lives: both are running against each other in the primary for the democratic
candidate of the NY senate race. Marcia's ex-lover, Jake Rubin and Roberta's step-daughter, Joan
Palmer both hold secrets that could mean political suicide for both women. As the secrets
threaten to surface which woman will be left standing when the music draws to a close?
Critique: An impressively crafted novel from first page to last, "Musical Chairs" is a riveting read
and very highly recommended for community library General Fiction collections. For personal
reading lists it should be noted that "Musical Chairs" is also available in a paperback edition
(9781622877683, $14.95) and in a Kindle format ($6.99).
The Tree Of Young Dreamers
Frank Sousa
Xlibris Corporation
1663 South Liberty Drive, Bloomington, IN 47403-5161
www.xlibris.com
9781493176090, $34.99, 558pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Brought up in the years of the Great Depression, Johnny DaSilva is leader of a fun and
imaginative gang that lives out their dreams in the Big Tree in which each has a branch that
serves as the Lone Ranger's Silver, the race car of Morey Amsterdam, the rocket ship of Buck
Rogers, the crow's nest for Black Bart the Pirate. When World War II broke out, they tried every
ruse their young imaginations could think of to get into the marines, army, and navy but had to
settle for the Boy Scouts. But the faux pas war to end all wars came too soon for the Big Tree
Gang. Johnny is best described by an aunt as having the millstone around the neck of having a
strict English Episcopalian conscience and bucking bronco Portuguese sexual proclivities. Two
girls are in love with him, one wealthy and popular, the other sexually abused and who
considered herself a worthless toy, until she met Johnny. Whatever they knew about the facts of
life, male and female, were learned pretty much by trial and error.
Critique: A superbly crafted novel from beginning to end, "The Tree Of Young Dreamers" is
storytelling at it's very best and documents author Frank Sousa as a particularly gifted writer.
Very highly recommended for community library collections, it should be noted for personal
reading lists that "The Tree Of Young Dreamers" is also available in a paperback edition
(9781493176106, $23.99) and in a Kindle format ($3.99).
The Self-Help Shelf
The Personal Accountability Code
Di Worrall
Worrall & Associates
www.humanresourceschange.com.au
9780992319311, $17.00, 178pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: "The Personal Accountability Code" is specifically designed and intended for those
who are committed to personal or professional change, as well as those who are professionals in
the business of coaching others. The 6 modules comprising "The Personal Accountability Code"
unlock a winning strategy for transforming goals into reality while building a powerful system
for tracking progress and staying motivated and accountable to goals in the face of setbacks. "The
Personal Accountability Code" covers: Why traditional goal-setting sets you up to fail; How you
can use the new science of accountability to customize a 6-step pathway to success; The secrets
to creating a crystal clear vision of the future, minimizing distractions and getting your priorities
into laser sharp focus; How to unleash your natural energy, talent and motivation to create
self-discipline and willpower on steroids; Where to plan for setback in advance in order to soften
the blow; How you can make smart goals even smarter with a personal Accountability Action
Plan; The truth about your readiness for change with the Responsibility and Accountability
Assessment. "The Personal Accountability Code" presents practical answers to such challenges
as: How to get back on track after setback; How to deal with unmet expectations, broken
promises and failed commitments; How to hold yourself and others accountable; How to stay
motivated when life gets in the way; How to get inspired when goals are imposed upon you; How
to overcome procrastination and finish what you start, and so much more.
Critique: Exceptionally well written, organized and presented, "The Personal Accountability
Code: The Step-by-Step Guide to a Winning Strategy that Transforms Your Goals into Reality
with the New Science of Accountability" is thoroughly 'user friendly' from beginning to end and
very strongly recommended for personal self-help, self-improvement study lists. It should be
noted that "The Personal Accountability Code" is also available in a Kindle edition ($7.99). Also
very highly recommended for personal and professional instructional reference collections is Di
Worrall's "Accountability Leadership: How Great Leaders Build a High Performance Culture of
Accountability and Responsibility" (9780992319304, $13.95 PB, 132pp, $9.49 Kindle).
How To Overcome Once-Easy Tasks That Are Now Pains In The You-Know-What!, third
edn.
Heather Latimer
Letterbox of London, USA
10501 Broom Hill Drive, Las Vegas, NV 89134
9780943698861, $12.95, 101pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Now in an updated and expanded third edition, "How To Overcome Once-Easy Tasks
That Are Now Pains In The You-Know-What!" by Heather Latimer is a compilation of 101 pages
showcasing 200 'tips, tricks and techniques' for everything from selling used items; turning
mattress; picking up scattered pins; and lowering cholesterol; to dealing with verbal abuse; help
with Medicare forms; problems with neighbors; removing jewelry; hastening return of phone
call; starting small business; balancing a checkbook; keeping perishables fresh; getting up if you
fall; remembering dates; and what to do when someone dies. All these and another 185
more!
Critique: Exceptionally 'user friendly' in tone, substance, organization and presentation, "How To
Overcome Once-Easy Tasks That Are Now Pains In The You-Know-What!" is an inherently
fascinating and informative read, making it very highly recommended for personal, senior citizen
center, and community library Self-Help/Self-Improvement instructional reference
collections.
An Invitation To Think & Feel Differently In The New Millennium
Harry J. Bury
Trafford Publishing
1663 Liberty Drive, Bloomington, IN 47403
www.trafford.com
9781426942662, $30.33, 360pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Harry J. Bury (an American Roman Catholic priest and a Professor Emeritus of
Organizational Behavior and Administration) has a dream, a vision of how the world can be
immensely better in the future than it is today. In "An Invitation to Think and Feel Differently in
the New Millennium", Bury presents his hope for the world and provides a path to achieve this
goal. "An Invitation to Think and Feel Differently in the New Millennium" describes a practical
way of looking at life positively that brings meaning and fulfillment to oneself and others. This
guide tells stories that touch the deepest layers of our humanness-awakening our imagination and
transforming our understanding in a manner that makes us happy. Bury generates these stories for
the new millennium in order to overcome cynicism with reasonable hopefulness while suggesting
practical measures we can take to make life better for ourselves and for everyone in the world.
He invites citizens to participate in creating an emerging and global worldview that enables
humans to meet the challenges and opportunities of the new millennium. "An Invitation to Think
and Feel Differently in the New Millennium" encourages us to change our mind to change the
world.
Critique: As thoughtful and thought-provoking as it is inspired and inspiring, "An Invitation To
Think & Feel Differently In The New Millennium" is an inherently engaging and informative
read. A valued and highly recommended addition to community and academic library collections,
it should be noted for personal reading lists that "An Invitation To Think & Feel Differently In
The New Millennium" is also available in a paperback edition (9781426942655, $20.33) and in a
Kindle format ($9.99).
Embrace Happiness: The Art of Conflict Management
Ali Soleymaniha
iUniverse, Inc.
1663 Liberty Dr. Suite #300, Bloomington, IN 47403
www.iuniverse.com
9781491729588, $26.95, 182pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: It is your eternal responsibility to be successful and live happily; life is yours to enjoy.
In "Embrace Happiness: The Art of Conflict Management, author Ali Soleymaniha provides a
path to discover the Dao of life-the way toward happiness, success, and high achievement in both
one's personal life and business. Soleymaniha offers a theory that blends the philosophy of Dao
with modern conflict management concepts. He explores what conflict is, what causes it, how
people tend to react to conflict, and how you can manage it. He focuses specifically on the
conflict management process, guiding you down a straightforward path that requires neither
incredible tasks nor solitary contemplation, only practice. Embrace Happiness communicates the
importance of practicing and living the way of nature: the Dao of life. It maintains that happiness
is neither a target nor a destination; it is "the way" we are marching on. Soleymaniha teaches that
knowledge and awareness will start small, but can grow extensively-like a spiral moving upward
and outward, glowing brighter at each step on the way to fulfillment.
Critique: Exceptionally well written, organized and presented, "Embrace Happiness: The Art of
Conflict Management" is thoroughly 'reader friendly' in tone and substance. As insightful and
informative as it is thoughtful and thought-provoking, "Embrace Happiness: The Art of Conflict
Management" is very highly recommended for community library Self-Help/Self-Improvement
instructional reference collections. For personal reading lists it should be noted that "Embrace
Happiness: The Art of Conflict Management" is also available in a paperback edition
(9781491729571, $16.95) and in a Kindle format ($3.99).
The Mystery/Suspense Shelf
The Tick Rider
William Street
iUniverse, Inc.
1663 Liberty Dr. Suite #300, Bloomington, IN 47403
www.iuniverse.com
9781491755020, $28.95, 558pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: In the novel "The Tick Rider: A Story of Families, Homelands, Drugs, Redemption,
and the Dividing Rio Grande", a Texas cowboy, charged with rounding up tick-carrying Mexican
livestock, meets a ranchero's daughter. At the same time, two teenage boys, Miguel and
Guillermo, yearning for opportunity, begin the dangerous trek toward America, and Alejandro, a
young pilot for the cartel lands a load of cocaine in the mountains of Guatemala and finds fear.
The cartel plans to establish a plaza on the river, but an assassination delays the plan. Their
subsequent stories play out against the backdrop of the encroaching reach of the drug cartel, its
bosses and pistoleros. All their lives become more dangerous as the cartel's grip tightens,
culminating in an attempted escape as a pack-train of drugs crosses the Rio Grande in the
moonlight.
Critique: Impressively well written and thoroughly 'reader engaging' entertainment from
beginning to end, this debut novel clearly establishes William Street as an inherently talented
author, making "The Tick Rider: A Story of Families, Homelands, Drugs, Redemption, and the
Dividing Rio Grande" very highly recommended for community library General Fiction
collections. For personal reading lists it should be noted that "The Tick Rider: A Story of
Families, Homelands, Drugs, Redemption, and the Dividing Rio Grande" is also available in a
Kindle edition ($3.99).
Simple Witness
Bob Siqveland
Outskirts Press, Inc.
10940 S. Parker Road, #515, Parker, CO 80134
www.outskirtspress.com
9781478751588, $12.95, 248pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Harold Bartz, aka Bandit, has a low IQ which contrasts sharply with his delusions of
grandeur. He flees Minneapolis after witnessing a murder. Once in Las Vegas, rather than hiding,
he starts cooking up schemes. His pals, Banger and Diggs, soon join him. Bandit has company in
Vegas: Yuri Vostov and Nikki Kerlenko, two Russian hit men sent by the sadistic Jethro Plack.
A shady telemarketer, Plack separates guileless customers from their money. His company is in
Minnesota, but he oversees Internet swindles from a hidden office in London. Plack's scam,
Fortune Fate Lottery, gains the attention of Sean O'Dell, a St. Paul police lieutenant. O'Dell is
investigating the explosion of Internet crime and its elderly victims. "C. J." Johannson, a
Minneapolis cop, is assigned a suicide case. Lana Winton's death however, doesn't fit the profile
of a suicide. C.J. begins gathering clues that lead him to Plack's office in St. Paul. Plack's
elaborate scheme has evaded detection thus far. Working against him this time however, is his
own man, hacker extraordinaire Tommy Ling, who becomes uncomfortable with the idea of
destroying the lives of innocent victims. Ling hatches a plan to scam the scammers and become
the Robin Hood Hacker. When Bandit finally comes forward, C. J. can go after Plack for murder
and O'Dell can foil Plack's Internet scheme in London. With Plack behind bars, the Robin Hood
Hacker makes headlines while Bandit and his pals stumble into a surprise in Vegas.
Critique: An impressively well written and inherently gripping story from beginning to end,
author Bob Siqveland's deftly crafted novel is compelling, entertaining, and highly recommended
for community library collections. For personal reading lists it should be noted that "Simple
Witness" is also available in a Kindle edition ($3.18).
The ALTA Project
David Chen
AuthorHouse
1663 Liberty Drive, Suite 200, Bloomington, IN 47403-5161
www.authorhouse.com
9781491825648, $27.99, 236pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: James Jeffreys has mysteriously disappeared following an accident. Dr Albert
Anderson, the chief medical officer at BCG, awakens after a 5 year coma in 2017. Isolated and
unable to communicate with the outside world, he learns of the developments that have
transpired under the new military police state. The 2009 pandemic has reduced the world
population by 1/3, and the ensuing chaos creates a financial, political, and religious climate
unimaginable; but previously predicted. As Anderson is trying to figure out where he is and how
he got there, the Jeffreys family makes a disturbing discovery in their home, launching a search
which leads to a shocking turn of events. When BCG CEO Donald Parsons realizes there is a
glitch in the project, things start going horribly wrong. Learning of Anderson and Jeffreys
whereabouts (or their fate) becomes the all consuming focus of the US military police, as well as
a mysterious and dangerously powerful Italian man by the name of Giovanni. Science, politics,
and prophecy all converge on the success or failure of the ALTA project. Only a small group of
individuals understand the true implications of the ALTA project, and how it could change the
world -- forever.
Critique: A riveting novel from beginning to end, "The ALTA Project" is a compelling and deftly
crafted read that documents author David Chen as a major storytelling talent. Solidly entertaining
from first page to last, "The ALTA Project" is very highly recommended for community library
Science Fiction collections. For personal reading lists it should be noted that "The ALTA
Project" is also available in a paperback edition (9781491825655, $16.95) and in a Kindle format
($3.99).
Pardon The Ravens
Alan Hruska
Prospect Park Books
2359 Lincoln Avenue, Altadena, CA 91001
www.prospectparkbooks.com
9781938849404, $24.95, 320pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: In "Pardon The Ravens" author Alan Hruska tells the gripping story of what happens
when a man lets his heart get in the way of his business affairs -- and the consequences of
crossing the man who controls organized crime in New York City during the Mad Men era.
Gifted young lawyer Alec Brno is given the chance of a lifetime to try a huge fraud case making
international headlines--a case that might make him partner in a prestigious law firm. But he
risks it all when he falls for an alluring young woman whose enraged husband is a sadistic Mafia
don--and the criminal mastermind behind Alec's case. Suddenly, Alec finds himself caught
between saving the woman he's fallen for, pleasing the partners of his firm--and trying not to get
killed in the process. This riveting ride blasts through Wall Street, the city's most dangerous
neighborhoods and worlds where sex, drugs and unsolved murders hide behind every facade.
"Pardon The Ravens" will grab you and not let go until the last page.
Critique: Solidly entertaining, exceptionally well written, "Pardon The Ravens" establishes Alan
Hruska of an impressively talented novelist able to keep his readers fully engaged from beginning
to end. Very highly recommended for community library collections, it should be noted for
personal reading lists that "Pardon The Ravens" is also available in a Kindle edition ($9.99).
Killing Maine
Mike Bond
Mandevilla Press
www.mikebondbooks.com
9781627040303, $14.99, 386pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Surfer and Special Forces vet Pono Hawkins leaves Hawaii for Maine's brutal winter
to help former SF buddy Bucky Franklin beat a politically motivated murder rap. Pono quickly
learns that Maine is as politically corrupt as Hawaii, with huge energy corporations gobbling up
the state's beautiful mountains and purchasing its politicians at bargain prices. He is hunted, shot
at, betrayed, and stalked by knife-wielding assassins as he tries to find the murderer and free his
buddy. Nothing is certain, no one can be trusted, no place is safe. And with a rap sheet that
includes two undeserved jail sentences, Pono is a target for every cop in the state. Second in the
Pono Hawkins series by Mike Bond, "Killing Maine" reflects an insider's view of crooked Maine
politics and industrial crime, the state's magical and fast-disappearing natural beauty, how a lone
commando hunts down those who hunt him, and is based on the author's own experiences in
Maine, the Middle East and elsewhere.
Critique: Another terrifically entertaining read from a master of the storytelling craft, "Killing
Maine" by novelist Mike Bond is very highly recommended for personal reading lists and
community library Action/Adventure Suspense Fiction collections. Also highly recommended is
the first book in this outstanding series: "Saving Paradise" (9781627040013, $15.99 PB, $4.99
Kindle).
Plantation Shudders
Ellen Byron
Crooked Lane Books
http://www.crookedlanebooks.com
9781629532509, $24.99, 288pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: It's the end of the summer and Prodigal Daughter Maggie Crozat has returned home to
her family's plantation turned bed-and-breakfast in Louisiana. The Crozats have an inn full of
guests for the local food festival, including elderly honeymooners, the Cajun Cuties, a mysterious
stranger from Texas, a couple of hipster lovebirds, and a trio of Georgia frat boys. But when the
elderly couple keels over dead within minutes of each other (one from very unnatural causes)
Maggie and the others suddenly become suspects in a murder. With the help of Bo Durant, the
town's handsome new detective, Maggie must investigate to clear her name while holding the
family business together at the same time. And the deeper she digs, the more she wonders: are all
of the guests really there for a vacation or do they have ulterior motives?
Critique: Enthusiastically recommended, Author Ellen Bryon's debut mystery "Plantation
Shudders" is a deftly crafted and terrifically entertaining novel that will prove to be an enduringly
popular addition to community library Mystery/Suspense Fiction collections is also available as
an unabridged audio book (Blackstone Audio, 9781504644723, $29.95). For the personal reading
lists of mystery buffs, it should be noted that "Plantation Shudders" is also available in a Kindle
edition ($11.99).
Pursuit
Harry Taylor
CreateSpace
4900 LaCross Rd., North Charleston, SC 29406
www.harrytaylor.com
9781502864697, $15.50, 414pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Tony Virenti, a young Italian, is serving a life sentence in a dire English prison having
been wrongly convicted on circumstantial evidence of slaying a British lawyer and his family. In
Italy his uncle, Massimo Pulverenti, the Mafia Godfather, is under pressure from family elders to
seek Virenti's release as they are convinced there was collusion between the British police and
the authorities with Freemason connections at the trial. Massimo is also concerned with the
failing health of Virenti's mother, and as her desire is to see her son home again he makes a
promise to set the boy free. He assigns the Mafia's top Italian lawyer to the case but the lawyer
faces strong resistance from the British authorities and the police and he learns of the
involvement of the Freemasons. The lawyer is brilliant and has never lost a case and he is
determined to beat the British legal system but he encounters delays, delays that put pressure on
Massimo, who then decides to secretly free Virenti the Mafia way. Two methods with one single
objective. One legal, one illegal. Will either succeed?
Critique: Impressively well written, "Pursuit" is a riveting read from beginning to end and
establishes author Harry Taylor as a exceptionally talented novelist of the first order. Very highly
recommended for community library General Fiction collections, for personal reading lists it
should be noted that "Pursuit" is also available in a Kindle edition ($15.50).
Money, Family, Murder
Timothy Patten
Privately Published
9780692347263, $17.95, 292pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: In the picture-perfect community of Newport Beach violent crime is virtually
nonexistent until one sunny morning, when the beautiful bookkeeper of Newport's wealthiest
family is found strangled in her bed. Loyal husband, dad, philanthropist, and all-around decent
guy Johnny Barnes is arrested for the murder. Johnny has been wrongly accused. He is released
on $20 million bail, but the tide of public opinion turns rapidly against him. Everyone has
competing agendas, from the power-hungry DA to a perspicacious police detective to Johnny's
influential brother-in-law. With diminishing resources and dwindling hope, Johnny must conduct
his own investigation. His journey takes him from Montecito to North Dakota to Key Biscayne as
he uncovers a dazzling web of intrigue, self-dealing, extortion, and murder. The clock is ticking.
Soon Johnny will be sent to prison for crime he did not commit -- unless he is able to identify the
true murderer and clear his name in time.
Critique: a riveting read from beginning to end, "Money, Family, Murder" is a deftly crafted
mystery/suspense novel that documents author Timothy Patten as a particularly gifted storyteller
who will leave his readers looking eagerly forward to his next literary effort. Very highly
recommended for community library collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that
"Money, Family, Murder" is also available in a Kindle edition ($8.99).
Gold-in-Quartz
Ronald van Freymann
AuthorHouse
1663 Liberty Drive, Suite 200, Bloomington, IN 47403-5161
www.authorhouse.com
9781496917942, $28.99, 314pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: It has been a year since an Islamic cleric declared a fatwa against Bill and Jenn for
averting a terrorist plot to blow up two fully loaded passenger ferries off the southern coast of
California. Now, in "Gold-in-Quartz", the Watsons must contend with another group of
murderous thugs. While on a jewelry buying trip in Northern California's Gold Country, the
Watsons inadvertently stumble into a gruesome shooting at the Speckled Gold Mine. Suddenly
propelled into a set of circumstances that grows more mysterious-and perilous-by the day, Bill
and Jenn soon find themselves in witness protection. But their new enemies are never very far
behind. From the Gold Country to Catalina Island, to New York City to Paris, they are forced to
rely on the FBI, the French police, and hefty measures of their own quick wits, intuition, and
marksmanship to survive. When events lead them to Johannesburg, the Watsons and their
allies-including the tough-talking, trigger-happy friend Tiffany and a drop-dead gorgeous FBI
agent who refuses to carry a loaded weapon-must devise a plan to neutralize their adversary --
before their luck runs out.
Critique: A riveting read from beginning to end, with "Gold-in-Quartz", author Honald van
Freymann has once again demonstrated his creative abilities to deftly craft a no-holds-barred
suspense thriller of a novel. Certain to be an enduringly popular addition to community library
collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Gold-in-Quartz" is also available in
a Kindle edition ($3.99).
The Psychology Shelf
The Metrics of Human Consciousness
Richard Barrett
Lulu Publishing
3101 Hillsborough Street, Raleigh, NC 27607-5436
www.richardbarrett.net
9781291987966, $10.11, 108pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Richard Barrett is an author, speaker and internationally recognized thought leader on
the evolution of human values in business and society. He is the founder and chairman of the
Barrett Values Centre, a Fellow of the World Business Academy, an Advisory Board Member of
the Centre for Integral Wisdom, Honorary Board Member of the Spirit of Humanity Forum, and
Former Values Coordinator at the World Bank. He is also the creator of the Cultural
Transformation Tools (CTT) which have been used to support more than 5,000 organizations in
60 different countries on their transformational journeys. More than 5,000 change agents,
consultants and coaches have been trained by the Barrett Values Centre to use the Cultural
Transformation Tools in over 50 countries. In "The Metrics of Human Consciousness" he
addresses the subject of consciousness in terms of understanding and defining it, measuring
personal, organizational, and national consciousness.
Critique: Impressively well written, organized and informative, "The Metrics of Human
Consciousness" is enhanced with the inclusion of three appendices: Overview of the Origins of
the Seven Levels Mode; World views and stages of psychological development; The Seven
Stages of Psychological Development. As informed and informative as it is thoughtful and
though-provoking, "The Metrics of Human Consciousness" is an absorbing and inherently
fascinating read. Very highly recommended for community and academic library collections, for
personal reading lists it should be noted that "The Metrics of Human Consciousness" is also
available in a Kindle edition ($6.99). For those to whom "The Metrics of Human Consciousness"
is their first introduction to the thought and work of Richard Barrett, a complete listing of his
writings are available on his web site at www.richardbarrett.com.
The Business Shelf
7 EASY Ways to Show Your Employees YOU Care!
Jokima Hiller
Outskirts Press, Inc.
10940 S. Parker Road, #515, Parker, CO 80134
9781478754619, $6.95, 38pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Employees are very important to the success of any business! However, feeling
unappreciated is the number one reason why employees leave their jobs. As recruitment costs
continue to rise, this does not have to be your reality. As a manager, caring for someone is an
action requires some effort to connect with your team to exhibit your thoughtfulness, concern,
and compassion. "7 EASY Ways to Show Your Employees YOU Care! A Booklet for Hotel
Managers and Others" by Jokima Hiller (an Instructor for the Hospitality and Restaurant
Administration department at Missouri State University in Springfield, MO) reveals seven of
those ways in a quick and easy booklet where author Hiller shares her real-life experiences and
expertise.
Critique: Informed and informative, "7 EASY Ways to Show Your Employees YOU Care!"
should be considered essential reading for anyone with managerial responsibilities in the
hospitality industry -- and has enormous value for managers in any other form of business
endeavor. It should be noted that "7 EASY Ways to Show Your Employees YOU Care!" is also
available in a Kindle edition ($2.99).
The Highest Rung Of The Ladder
Deane May Zager
Archway Publishing
1663 Liberty Drive, Bloomington, IN 47403-5161
www.archwaypublishing.com
9781480815575, $35.95, 274pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Deane May Zager and Diana Turner were two young women with a dream when they
opened the first data processing service bureau in Orange County, California, in June 1962.
Within twenty-four hours after the idea of a business was conceived, they had a small office.
Using the slogan "Accuracy Is Our Key Word"; the two women included their home phone
numbers on business cards, pledged not to miss a call, and vowed never to date anyone in
authority to award contracts because it wasn't good business. As executive women in the data
processing field at that time, they were an anomaly, but they earned respect and built a booming
business a man's world -- all while enjoying an active family and social life. "The Highest Rung
of the Ladder: Achieving The American Dream" is their personal story filled with laughs galore
at some their unorthodox business adventures. "The Highest Rung Of The Ladder" also
demonstrates the value of friendship and confirms that with little more than a dream and
determination, anyone can blaze a trail in business and reach the pinnacle of success.
Critique: An absorbing and inherently fascinating read, ""The Highest Rung of the Ladder:
Achieving The American Dream" is an inspired and inspiring account that is especially
recommended reading for women entrepreneurs working in what has traditionally be a male
preserve. Certain to be an enduringly popular addition for community library collections, it
should be noted for personal reading lists that "The Highest Rung of the Ladder" is also available
in a paperback edition (9781480815582, $17.99) and in a Kindle format ($9.99).
Dare To Be Your Own Boss
Maya Sullivan
Synergy Books LLC
www.MayaSullivan.com
9780990754206, $22.99, 344pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: The prospect of being one's own boss appeals to millions of individuals. Yet it can be
challenging to know what type of enterprise to create or when to make the leap. "Dare To Be
Your Own Boss: Follow Your Passion, Create a Niche" helps a person design a business that is
both viable and fulfilling. Entrepreneurs include a variety of individuals such as employees
experiencing burnout, baby boomers who are too vibrant to retire, and graduates who dread the
thought of working in an office cubicle for 50 years. Launching a successful venture is a five-step
process: Step one - involves tapping into what sparks one's enthusiasm. The book offers readers
14 ways to clarify what is important to them in a fulfilling livelihood. Clues to an ideal vocation
are embedded in values, strengths, childhood dreams, and other areas; Step two - encompasses
looking at areas where there is a demand for products and services. This includes selecting the
types of groups to serve such as seniors, children or businesses. In others words the type of
people one feels impassioned to serve; Step three - involves matchmaking, taking ideas from
steps one and two then combining them to identify concepts that resonate. The greater the
excitement for what a person is doing, the more likely she is to prosper' Step four - focuses on
market research and includes 16 sources of information and a list of 21 questions. Learning about
the potential viability of a concept, the reality behind the dream, can save time and money. It
involves looking at trends and kinds of businesses that could do well, even in weak economies,
for well-managed enterprises; Step five - is about moving forward and taking 50 action steps to
make it happen. "Dare To Be Your Own Boss" includes a complimentary spreadsheet. There are
exercises throughout specifically designed to help readers gain insight into their interests and
level of enthusiasm. A complimentary spreadsheet, which is downloadable at
www.DareToBeYourOwnBoss.net, makes it easy to record what is appealing and offers a big
picture of one's entrepreneurial traits, interests and potential ventures. Exploring a variety of
ideas and offering 300 resources and over 600 opportunities that can help in discovering
thousands of potential niches, "Dare To Be Your Own Boss" encourages readers to follow their
heart and make a difference in their own unique way.
Critique: Impressively well written, organized and presented by an expert in her field, (Maya
Sullivan assists individuals in starting their own businesses through seminars and talks. She has
an MBA and her career has included being an accounting manager, financial analyst, stockbroker
and entrepreneur), "Dare To Be Your Own Boss: Follow Your Passion, Create a Niche" is as
thoroughly 'user friendly' as it is informed and informative. Very highly recommended for
community and academic library Small Business Entrepreneur instructional reference collections,
it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Dare To Be Your Own Boss" is also available
in a Kindle edition ($9.99).
The Christian Studies Shelf
God Does No Wrong
Jan Wooden Howse & Anthony Fred Howse
AuthorHouse
1663 Liberty Drive, Suite 200, Bloomington, IN 47403-5161
www.authorhouse.com
9781496924094, $26.95, 470pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: When reading "God Does No Wrong" you will experience romance, marriage, birth,
death, happiness, sadness, health, sickness and always the love and power of the Almighty!
Author Jan Wooden Howse lost her husband and her son. It was when her son died that she was
inspired to write "God Does No Wrong" as both a testament to her own faith in a just and
compassionate deity, and an inspirational aid for others confronted with a similar loss in their
own lives.
Critique: Exceptionally well written and deftly presented, "God Does No Wrong" is especially
recommended to the attention of anyone grieving a serious loss, and would prove to be an
enduringly useful and inspiration addition to church and community library collections. For
personal reading lists it should be noted that "God Does No Wrong" is also available in a Kindle
edition ($3.99).
The Health/Medicine Shelf
Adapting to Alzheimer's
Sherry Lynn Harris
CreateSpace
4900 LaCross Rd., North Charleston, SC 29406
www.createspace.com
9781499539400, $14.95, 250pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: True life examples provide hope, guidance, and inspiration in "Adapting to
Alzheimer's: Support for When Your Parent Becomes Your Child". Empowering caregivers by
providing must-have information, tools, and encouragement, "Adapting to Alzheimer's" also
gives ideas for adapting that can reduce stress and create joy. Author and Alzheimer's caregiver
Sherry Lynn Harris details immediately useful advice as someone who has been there and knows
from experience how to support a loved one through the disease's various stages. She poignantly
describes how she cared for her mother for 18 years, discovering many innovative ideas,
including ways to help caregivers cope emotionally. Ethical questions are explored, such as
remuneration and resuscitation, as well as many suggestions on how to create fun playful
moments. "Adapting to Alzheimer's" is a guidebook can sustain the caregiver through many
difficult issues including: Recognizing warning signals; Simplifying the environment to safely
remain at home as long as possible; Putting financial and legal affairs in order; Evaluating when
a move is necessary; Taking the car keys away; Using play and music to keep the brain active;
and Calming ideas to avoid aggression. Easily understood descriptions of scientific studies
describe what can be done to encourage brain health in those with Alzheimer's disease (AD),
such as the positive effects of listening to music, and the benefits of dancing. "Adapting to
Alzheimer's" offers many ways to provide support to your loved one with Alzheimer's, not only
advising what can be done at each stage, but explaining how to do it. This is particularly helpful
in areas which may be new to you, such as the financial steps that need to be taken or end-of-life
issues. This book sustains the caregiver through every stage of the AD experience, preparing
them for what can be expected and providing ideas for adapting, making their job tremendously
easier.
Critique: Exceptionally well written, organized and presented, "Adapting to Alzheimer's: Support
for When Your Parent Becomes Your Child" is thoroughly 'reader friendly' from beginning to
end and will prove to be an invaluable, practical, and comforting read for anyone charged with
(or anticipating) having to care for an loved one with Alzheimer's. Simply stated, "Adapting to
Alzheimer's" should be a part of every community library reference collection. For personal
reading lists it should be noted that "Adapting to Alzheimer's" is also available in a Kindle
edition ($5.38).
Don't Tell Her to Relax
Zahie El Kouri
BookBaby
www.bookbaby.com
9781631928055, $3.95, 62pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Having children is both a biological and cultural imperative for almost all women. In
"Don't Tell Her to Relax: 22 Ways to Support Your Infertile Loved One", Zahie El Kouri ( an
former infertility patient, and a parent) writes about infertility and immigrant culture, sharing her
experience of surviving infertility and directly addressing the needs and concerns of infertile
women.
Critique: Exceptionally well written for the non-specialist general reader having to deal with
infertility issues, "Don't Tell Her to Relax: 22 Ways to Support Your Infertile Loved One" is
enormously helpful, informative, and practical. Very highly recommended for community library
Health/Medicine collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Don't Tell Her to
Relax: 22 Ways to Support Your Infertile Loved One" is also available in a Kindle edition
($2.99).
Sassy Gal's How to Lose the Last Damn 10 Pounds or 15, 20, 25 ...
Sharon Helbert
Alegcris Press LLC
http://www.alegcrispress.com
9780983675266, $16.95, 182pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Get out of the way skinny girls, diet gurus and fitness fanatics- -- here comes "Sassy
Gal's How to Lose the Last Damn 10 Pounds or 15, 20, 25 ..." with a clever new approach by
author Sharon Helbert to losing weight you will actually want to follow! Forget the ridiculous
miracle diets, survival type food plans and strenuous workouts that lead most of us to quit and
say "To hell with it all!" This lifestyle plan encourages laughter as a pathway to success. The first
thing you'll do is delete the negative, destructive words diet and exercise and replace them with
your own humorous versions such as "Gimme Skinny" or "Kick Ass Plan" (Oprah did!). Then,
with Sharon's help, add some simple, believable strategies and you're on your way to a happier,
calmer and slimmer you. If the current trend of being a Vegan is too damn hard and too
restrictive, try Sassy Gal's Vegevore lifestyle so you can eat it all! It's about time someone with
real life experience tells it like it is and banishes all the unrealistic diet and exercise bullshit that
doesn't work, and guides us on an inspirational weight-loss journey.
Critique: Exceptionally well written, organized and presented, "Sassy Gal's How to Lose the Last
Damn 10 Pounds or 15, 20, 25 ...: How I told all diet gurus, fitness experts, and skinny people to
go to hell. Then I ... ate them, and still lost weight. You can too!" is a practical an approach to
weight control and as much fun to read as it is inspiring to apply. Very highly recommended for
community library Health & Medicine instructional reference collections, it should be noted for
personal reading lists that "Sassy Gal's How to Lose the Last Damn 10 Pounds or 15, 20, 25 ..." is
also available in a Kindle edition ($5.99).
Finding You In Fertility
Francisco Arredondo & Maria Eugenia Quevedo
Lulu Publishing
3101 Hillsborough Street, Raleigh, NC 27607-5436
www.lulu.com
9781329205222, $25.00, 72pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: In the pages of "Finding You In Fertility: A Step-by-Step Emotional Workbook for
Family Building through IVI and IVF", reproductive endocrinologist Francisco Arredondo
(Board Certified in OBGYN and Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility) and marriage and
family psychotherapist Maria Eugenia Quevedo (LPC, LMFT, RPT) effectively collaboratie to
provide the reader with both expert information from a medical perspective and emotional tools
to guide them through fertility. Whatever the unique process applicable to a particular reader,
"Finding You In Fertility" can be a powerful element in preparing for the family to be created.
Serendipitously, the emotional resiliency and self-discovery that this workbook provides will
transfer into other aspects of life as well.
Critique: Impressively well written, deftly organized, and accessible presented for the benefit of
non-specialist general readers who are dealing with fertility issues, "Finding You In Fertility: A
Step-by-Step Emotional Workbook for Family Building through IVI and IVF" will prove
enormously helpful and is very highly recommended.
Good Posture Made Easy
Carrie Mayes
Life Wise Ventures
www.goodposturemadeeasy.com
9780986080401, $12.95, 64pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: "Good Posture Made Easy" by professional chiropractor Carrie Mayes will help any
one to help themselves. It is an illustrated, easy-to-read do-it-yourself guide that will help anyone
who works/plays at the computer, sits, drives, sleeps or stands to ensure that their daily activities
are supporting their health and well being. During 14 years in private practice, Dr. Mayes has
also taught youth and adult workshops on posture and performed ergonomic consultations for
computer work stations in businesses. Both in and out of her office she has seen the need for
people to become aware of their daily postures and positions and apply simple corrections that
will reduce or prevent pain and other health concerns while improving productivity and
performance. Most people are simply unaware that how they work at the computer, sleep and
drive affects their health and appearance. Nor do they realize how simple it can be to change
postural habits. "Good Posture Made Easy" clearly and persuasively explains why posture is vital
to optimal health and provides easy to apply principles and details for ideal postures in everyday
activities.
Critique: Impressively well written, exceptionally well organized, deftly presented, "Good
Posture Made Easy" is a quick and easy read that is extraordinarily well informed and
informative. Critically important, "Good Posture Made Easy" should be considered a vital and
essential addition to community and academic library Health & Medicine instructional reference
collections. For personal reading lists it should be noted that "Good Posture Made Easy" is also
available in a Kindle edition ($8.99).
Why Is Mid-Life Mooching Your Mojo?
Joni Labbe
AuthorHouse
1663 Liberty Drive, Suite 200, Bloomington, IN 47403-5161
www.authorhouse.com
9781496954312, $28.99, 278pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: If you, or someone you love, have been diagnosed with hypothyroid, an autoimmune
disorder, or hormone disorders, you know what an ordeal life can become. You understand the
sleepless nights, brain fog, and rigors of trying to lose weight. Challenging? Yes. But girlfriends,
don't let mid-life mooch your Mojo. Instead know you have options and choices! In "Why Is
Mid-Life Mooching Your Mojo?: Solutions to Banish Fuzziness and Fatigue Forever!", thyroid
expert, chiropractic, and board certified clinical nutritionist, Joni Labbe helps you solve the
puzzle about some of the most innovative, science-based nutritional health advances. Protocols
that build you up, and get results. With candor, humor, and empathy, get ready to re-think your
approach to Hashimoto's, hypothyroid and hot flashes. Join her, and many other mid-life
(better-half) women across the country that are using effective alternative care and integrative
methods to radically change their experience of the mid-life transition.
Critique: Informed and informative, "Why Is Mid-Life Mooching Your Mojo?: Solutions to
Banish Fuzziness and Fatigue Forever!" is exceptionally well written, organized and presented.
Thoroughly 'reader friendly' from beginning to end, "Why Is Mid-Life Mooching Your Mojo?" is
very highly recommended and certain to be an enduringly popular addition to community library
Health & Medicine collections. For personal reading lists it should be noted that "Why Is
Mid-Life Mooching Your Mojo?" is also available in a paperback edition (9781888125054,
$19.95) and in a Kindle format ($3.99).
Stroke Victor
Bob Mandell
Global Book Publishers
c/o Creative Projects International Ltd.
4001 Santa Barbara Blvd., Naples, FL 34104
9780981822273, $16.95, 256pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: "Stroke Victor: How To Go From Stroke Victim To Stroke Victor" by stroke survivor
Bob Mandell is the ultimate "how to" instruction manual for anyone having to deal with the
aftermath of a stroke. It most definitely is not just another "survivor" story, "Stroke Victor"
brings stroke victims, their families and friends, the details, practical game changing lessons,
techniques and vital new information that only a persistent, dedicated fighter against the
"system", could learn. Follow this fact filled, informative and realistically holistic approach to
"beating the odds" after a stroke! Sex and travel, just two of life's simple pleasures, are just some
of the many "real-life" subjects covered in "Stroke Victor". Written in straight-forward language,
"Stroke Victor" covers what a stroke feels like and how to successfully deal with it. Bob Mandell
and his caregivers experienced frustration, "dead-end" paths, bad advice and rehabilitation
plateaus after his near-death stroke -- but along the way discovered and utilized little known
innovative therapies and techniques, tricks, techniques, devices and philosophies that today can
help every stroke victim have a better chance of a decent recovery and ultimate healing.
Critique: Impressively well written, organized and presented, "Stroke Victor: How To Go From
Stroke Victim To Stroke Victor" is very highly recommended reading for every stroke sufferer,
as well as their care-givers and relatives. Practical and thoroughly 'reader friendly', "Stroke
Victor" is very highly recommended for personal, professional, community and academic library
Health & Medicine instructional reference collections.
The Philosophy Shelf
Art, Science, Religion, Spirituality
David V. White
Meaningful Life Books
PO Box 1988, Knoxville, TN 37901
www.ameaningfullife.org
9780989853804, $16.95, 356pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Retiring at the age of 35 gives David V. White time to reflect on what is truly
important. After successful ventures in business, politics, and education, he devoted several years
to study, travel, and spiritual practice. Meaningful experiences came and insights arose. Further
insights emerged through interactions with participants in seminars and workshops given over
the last twenty years. One insight is this: We tend to compartmentalize our lives, thinking
separately about relationships, finances, health concerns, spiritual matters, career, sex, values,
passions, goals, political views, group identities, finding pleasure, aesthetic interests, and on and
on. At the living edge, however, where life happens, all these currents mingle and merge. To find
meaning and live a fulfilling life requires that we discover how these separate currents can be
prioritized and harmoniously integrated. The core motivations we humans have felt through the
centuries have not changed much. The challenge is, as it has always been, to discover and put
into practice wise responses to these motivations. In ancient Greece, the quest for this wisdom
was exemplified by the admonition of Socrates: "Know Thyself." Two thousand years later
mathematician, physicist, and philosopher Blaise Pascal said, "It is an extraordinary blindness to
live without investigating what we are." Continuing this theme in the 20th century, the humorist
James Thurber advised, "All human beings should try to learn before they die what they are
running from, and to, and why." Four of the most valuable trails through the wilderness of life's
confusion are: (1) Engagement with science; (2) Creating and experiencing art; (3) Following a
religious tradition; and (4) Undertaking a spiritual journey. Although different on the surface,
these four are not so different underneath. As Albert Einstein succinctly put it: "All religions, arts
and sciences are branches of the same tree." "Art, Science, Religion, Spirituality: Seeking
Wisdom and Harmony for a Fulfilling Life" covers the four branches of the tree of life: art,
science, religion, and spirituality in an exploration of the commonalities between them and the
guidance they each provide for a fulfilling and meaningful life.
Critique: Erudite, exceptionally well organized and presented, informed and informative,
thoughtful and thought-provoking, "Art, Science, Religion, Spirituality: Seeking Wisdom and
Harmony for a Fulfilling Life" is an extraordinary volume and one of those philosophical works
that will linger in the mind and memory long after the book itself is finished and set back upon
the shelf. "Art, Science, Religion, Spirituality: Seeking Wisdom and Harmony for a Fulfilling
Life" is very strongly recommended for community and academic library Philosophy collections.
It should be noted for personal reading lists that "Art, Science, Religion, Spirituality: Seeking
Wisdom and Harmony for a Fulfilling Life" is also available in a Kindle edition ($9.00).
The Cookbook Shelf
Cooking for Artists
Mina Stone
Kiito-San
http://www.kiito-san.com
9780984721078, $40.00, 226pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Chef Mina Stone has been cooking delicious lunches at Urs Fischer's Brooklyn-based
art studio for the past five years and producing private gallery dinners in the New York art world
since 2006. "Cooking for Artists" presents more than 70 of Stone's family-style recipes inspired
by her Greek heritage and her love of simple, fresh, seasonal food. "Cooking for Artists" is
designed by Fischer and includes drawings by Hope Atherton, Darren Bader, Matthew Barney,
Alex Eagleton, Urs Fischer, Cassandra MacLeod, Elizabeth Peyton, Rob Pruitt, Peter Regli, Josh
Smith, Spencer Sweeney and Philippos Theodorides -- all members of the community of artists
that delights in Stone's cooking.
Critique: A unique and elegant, coffee-table sized culinary compendium of recipes, "Cooking for
Artists" offers up 'kitchen cook friendly' recipes for dishes ranging from Grilled Ramps with
Crushed hazelnuts and Lemon; Tah-Dig with Pistachios, Apricots, and Caramelized Onions;
Wild Striped Bass in Parchment with Swiss Chard; and Smoky Spiced Chicken Kebabs; to Plum
and Greek Yogurt Tiramisu; Pistachio Orange Flower Cookies; Red Lentil Soup with Cumin and
Lime; and Spicy Chickpea Stew. As much fun to browse through as it is inspiring to plan menus
with, "Cooking for Artists" is very highly recommended for personal, professional, and
community library cookbook collections.
The Poetry Shelf
Black Poet
Cassius Ali
Outskirts Press, Inc.
10940 S. Parker Road, #515, Parker, CO 80134
www.outskirtspress.com
9781478747574, $23.95, 146pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: "Black Poet" is one man's expression of the hurt, anger and joy of looking at the world
as a black person. The author and actor Cassius Ali has written three poetry books "The Last
Word", "Poetic Expression" and "A Bully Story" (A Bully Story has two short tales of bullying as
well as poetry). After interviewing people of all colors, Cassius Ali tells their stories in "Black
Poet" using what he calls a "Poetic expression". Because of growing up through hardships, many
of his poems are filled with emotion and passion. Cassius has worked with and around children
for over two decades and learned that for most of us, that is when we decide the direction of our
lives. If we do not express the hurt, anger or even the joy we may hold inside of ourselves our
choices could be made because of un-channeled emotions. One example is that after watching the
news Cassius Ali wrote the poem called "On this Day".
Critique: An absorbing read throughout, "Black Poet" is a testament to the impressive literary
skills of Cassius Ali and very highly recommended for both community and academic library
collections. For personal reading lists it should be noted that "Black Poet" is also available in a
paperback edition (9781478739722, $13.95) and in a Kindle format ($5.00).
The Significance of Moths
Shirley Camia
Turnstone Press
206-100 Arthur Street, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, R3B 1H3
www.turnstonepress.com
9780888015334, $17.00, 96pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Against the backdrop of the changing seasons, Shirley Camia's poetry comprising "The
Significance of Moths" offers a graceful exploration of home and memory through the eyes of the
migrant and the migrant child. As lives are displaced by new landscapes, where does home exist?
In the land or in the mind? For new Canadians and their children there is no easy answer. In the
journey to form identity, "The Significance of Moths" confronts the ghosts of "what was" with
the here and now.
Critique: 'The Departure': the day was full of years / packed in a broken suitcase // as mama's lip
quivered // a violin string / played a sadness / that range until hollow // a cry for her old life / and
the lives she let go. Clearly, Shirley Camia is a poet of impressive abilities to evoke emotion
from the written word. "The Significance of Moths" is one of those collections of free verse that
will linger in the mind and memory long after the slender volume has been finished and set back
upon the shelf. Highly recommended for community and academic library Canadian
Contemporary Poetry collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "The
Significance of Moths" is also available in a Kindle edition ($9.99).
The Ash and The Thorn: God on Trial?
Leonard H. Roller
FriesenPress
P.O. Box 29, Neche, ND 58265
http://friesenpress.com
9781460254202, $27.99, 120pp, www.amazon.com
Kind David in a fevered dream spoke to the Lord and said but he was a sweet and unoffending
youth, O Lord - "I warn thee" came the voice, "You wrestle now not like Jacob with an angel, but
with the Lord himself." Thus King David dares to raise The Question: if God is good and
all-powerful, how come there's so much evil? Many thinkers and writers have even questioned
the justice and rightness of God's perceived actions -- or lack of perceivable action. In "The Ash
and The Thorn: God on Trial?", his second collection of poems, Leonard H. Roller explores,
through verse, the mystery of a seemingly self-contradicting Deity in a puzzling universe.
Themed to the stirring, Old Testament tale of Uzza, Leonard invites the reader to consider the
terrible beauty of the world.
Critique: 'If The Proper Study Of Mankind...': If the proper study of mankind should be man, /
That in no way annuls our right of God to scan. / Why did the Lord create this puzzling whole / If
not to inspire awe in the human soul? / Was not the universe made for this pelf, / That God,
through man, should perceive Himself? -- Unique, impressive, inherently fascinating, "The Ash
and The Thorn: God on Trial?" is a one-of-a-kind anthology of exceptionally well crafted verse
that is very highly recommended for community and academic library Contemporary Poetry
collections. For individual reading lists it should be noted that "The Ash and The Thorn: God on
Trial?" is also available in a paperback edition (9781460254219, $12.99).
The Fantasy/SciFi Shelf
Googolplex
KG Johansson
Affront Publishing
9789187585357, $14.50, 206pp, www.affront.se
Synopsis: Jack is part of a group of colonists traveling to the distant planet Shylock to build
themselves a new home. But Jack has trouble letting go of his past and the world he left behind.
He becomes obsessed with what could have been, and with the help of multis - mysterious beings
from parallel universes - he begins his search for truth. However, in a world where even love
seems impossible to define, what can he find?
Critique: Ably translated into English for an appreciative American readership, "Googolplex" by
Swedish author KG Johansson is an impressively original and deftly crafted science fiction novel
that will hold the reader's fully entertained and rapt attention from beginning to end. Very highly
recommended for community and academic library Speculative Fiction collections, for personal
reading lists it should be noted that "Googolplex" is also available in a Kindle edition
($6.50).
A Mile North Of Good And Evil
Charles D. Hayes
Autodidactic Press
PO Box 872749, Wasille, Alaska, 99687
www.autodidactic.com
9780962197956, $24.95, 480pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: "A Mile North Of Good And Evil" is the long awaited sequel to "Portals in a Northern
Sky" (9780962197956, $24.95 HC; 9780962197963, $14.95 PB; $9.99 Kindle), in which author
Charles D. Hayes delivers another engrossing adventure set in the Alaska wilderness and
populated with a colorful cast. It's 2028, seven years after introduction of the Portals System, and
the world is on the brink of all-out war. Now known as Adam 21, the Portals technology offers
the ability to look back in time and view any event in history from any angle. As a result, new
animosities have been unleashed worldwide, based on old ethnic wounds and past aggressions.
Convening in Alaska, a group of strategists consider innovative and unprecedented ways to calm
global tensions. At the same time, a brazen serial killer with ambitions of unequaled notoriety
works his way north, and a retired detective gathers clues on the killer's trail with the help of his
gifted niece. Operating from America's heartland, an influential religious leader objects to the
power of Adam 21 and seeks to subvert it. In a world mad with contempt and hatred, domestic
dogs tangle with wolves, and vengeance consumes the minds of those who feel wronged. As
these players and their stories converge at a remote location in Alaska, the entire world reacts to
living in the shadow of doomsday.
Critique: Exceptionally will written and an inherently fascinating read, "A Mile North Of Good
And Evil" documents the impressive abilities of author Charles D. Hayes to deftly craft
memorable characters and embed them into a riveting, complex, and thoroughly entertaining
story that will holder his readers' rapt and complete attention from beginning to end. Very highly
recommended for community library collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that
"A Mile North Of Good And Evil" is also available in a paperback edition (9780988579538,
$21.95) and in a Kindle format ($9.99).
Stowaway: Curse of the Red Pearl
Tracy Fobes
Tracy Fobes Books
www.tracyfobes.com
9780692439210, $8.99, 194pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Set on stormy seas during the early nineteenth century, "Stowaway: Curse of the Red
Pearl" features a unique plot revolving around a classic adventure that quickly becomes
supernatural horror. In the story, Kit Cabot is being groomed to take over his family's shipping
fortune in 1808 Boston, Massachusetts. While Kit yearns for the approval of his father, he finds
the day-to-day operations of the family business incredibly boring. Determined to do something
more with his life, and attracted to the seafaring life of his uncle, Kit decides to stowaway on his
uncle's ship. But instead of being swept up in the life of adventure and romance he always
imagined, Kit finds himself subjected to harsh 1800's maritime conditions and another stowaway
with a sinister mission of its own. "Stowaway: Curse of the Red Pearl" combines high sea
adventure with dark horror, and paints a world filled with both mundane and otherworldly
dangers. It builds a claustrophobic sense of supernatural terror as Kit and his friends are forced to
deal with the dangers of nature and an unknown horror possessing the ship.
Critique: Impressively written, unfailingly entertaining, featuring a deftly crafted multi-layered
storyline of unexpected twists and turns, "Stowaway: Curse of the Red Pearl" is very highly
recommended for community library collections. For personal reading lists it should be noted
that "Stowaway: Curse of the Red Pearl" is also available in an inexpensive Kindle edition
($0.99).
The LGBT Studies Shelf
The Peace Seeker
Susan E. Gilmore
Peaceseeker Press
PO Box 38, Fairview Village, PA 19409-0038
www.thepeaceseeker.com
9780615966922, $12.95, 176pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Susan E. Gilmore is a businesswoman, Christian church worker, and outspoken
advocate for increased tolerance toward gay Christians who have been ostracized from their
family of faith. She is also an activist blazing paths to peace between the Christian church and
Christian homosexuals to minimize inner conflicts for gay Christians and create greater
understanding and compassion in the Christian community. "The Peace Seeker: One Woman's
Battle in the Church's War on Homosexuality" is the true and personal story of how when she
planned a career in Christian work after graduating from Bible college in the early 1980s she
soon discovered that her identity as a lesbian would prohibit her from pursuing her dream. "The
Peace Seeker" chronicles her struggle to reconcile her sexual identity with the teachings of the
Christian church. Her nearly thirty-year search for self-acceptance and understanding, a story of
deep pain and devotion, is resolved only when she is prompted to investigate biblical passages
used to condemn homosexuality as a sin. "The Peace Seeker" is important because it informs the
public about what is going on behind the doors of the churches in their community. The world
needs to know about the treatment of gay Christians, and the church needs to take a second look
at what it is doing to the gay community. Whether you are interested in gay issues, religion,
biblical scholarship, or human rights, "The Peace Seeker" will expand your awareness.
Critique: With respect to the LGBT community, the times are changing as discrimination based
on sexual orientation is becoming discouraged in American society, culture, and politics. Now
the battle against sexual discrimination is emerging within the Christian communities as well.
"The Peace Seeker" is a critically important contribution to our on-going national dialogue and
very highly recommended for both community and academic library LGBT collections. For
personal reading lists it should be noted that "The Peace Seeker" is also available in a Kindle
edition ($6.95).
The American History Shelf
Washington's Rebuke to Bigotry
Facing History and Ourselves
9781940457116, $15.95, 320pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: "Washington's Rebuke to Bigotry: Reflections on Our First President's Famous 1790
Letter to the Hebrew Congregation In Newport, Rhode Island" from Facing History and
Ourselves" (an international educational and professional development organization whose
mission is to engage students of diverse backgrounds in an examination of racism, prejudice, and
antisemitism in order to promote the development of a more humane and informed citizenry) is a
reprint with commentary of George Washington's 1790 Letter to the Hebrew Congregation in
Newport, Rhode Island. This is a foundational document in the history of religious freedom in
the United States, and embodies a vision of religious harmony that remains deeply pertinent in
our increasingly diverse society. In "Washington's Rebuke to Bigotry", scholars from across the
disciplines use the letter as a springboard to engage with important and timely questions
regarding religious freedom, religious diversity, and civic identity.
Critique: Exceptionally well organized and presented, "Washington's Rebuke to Bigotry:
Reflections on Our First President's Famous 1790 Letter to the Hebrew Congregation In
Newport, Rhode Island" from Facing History and Ourselves" is a critically important,
impressively unique, and highly recommended contribution to the American History and
American Political Science reference collections for community and academic libraries, and
supplemental studies reading lists.
Icebound Empire, third edition
Elizabeth A. Tower
Old Stone Press
520 Old Stone Lane, Louisville, KY 40207
www.oldstonepress.com
www.iceboundempire.com
9781938462139 ebook
9781938462122 pbk, $24.95, 334pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: "Icebound Empire: Industry and Politics on the Last Frontier, 1898-1938" by Elizabeth
A. Tower is about industry and politics on the Last Frontier of Alaska. It is the epic story of three
men caught up in the early twentieth century battle for control of Alaska's land and resources.
George Cheever Hazelet, Stephen Birch, and David Henry Jarvis were prime movers in the most
ambitious early Alaska development initiative -- the Morgan-Guggenheim Alaska Syndicate.
These three men convinced New York investors to provide capital to build the Kennecott copper
mines and the Copper River and Northwestern Railway, but opposition from political
opportunists, Eastern conservationists, and muckraking journalists stifled further industrial
development on the last frontier.
Critique: Exceptionally well written, exhaustively researched, thoroughly informed and
informative, "Icebound Empire: Industry and Politics on the Last Frontier, 1898-1938" is a
compelling and inherently fascinating read. Now in an updated and expanded third edition,
"Icebound Empire" is very highly recommended for community and academic library American
History reference collections in general, and Alaskan History supplemental studies reading lists
in particular. For personal reading lists it should be noted that "Icebound Empire" is also
available in a Kindle edition ($9.99).
The Civil War Shelf
Grant Under Fire
Joseph A. Rose
Alderhanna Publishing
9781943177004, $42.50, 798pp., www.grantunderfire.com
Synopsis: Was Ulysses S. Grant a brilliant and unparalleled general who won the American Civil
War, a magnanimous and incorruptible man, and an honest and accurate chronicler of history? Or
was he remarkably untruthful, careless, persistent, indolent, aggressive, unjust, biased,
impetuous, and lucky? A stringent and detailed examination of Grant's generalship and character
in the war has long been necessary. Standard histories and biographies, founded on a lengthy
succession of biased and erroneous writings, have much of it wrong. Many of these inaccuracies
originated with the General himself. While Grant possessed many positive attributes and
achieved valuable objectives, his reputation as a military mastermind with a virtuous character is
hopelessly exaggerated. "Grant Under Fire: An Expose of Generalship and Character in the
American Civil War", thoroughly establishes this. For example: In a report revised years after the
battle of Belmont (but falsified to look as if written just ten days later) Grant fabricated
communications to cover up his insubordination in attacking. And he scapegoated Napoleon
Buford, who had avoided the ensuing rout of the federal expedition by taking a separate route to
the riverbank; Denying that the blunder-filled Overland campaign was a failure, Grant
misrepresented the size of the two armies, their casualties, and the results. After Grant assisted
Sheridan in the dismissal of corps commander Gouverneur Warren, by preemptively providing
authorization and then supplying incorrect information which made Warren look bad, as
General-in-Chief and as President he quashed Warren's repeated requests for a court of inquiry.
The court basically sided with Warren. Hundreds of other examples are described in "Grant
Under Fire: An Expose of Generalship and Character in the American Civil War".
Critique: Impressively researched, "Grant Under Fire" is an iconoclastic but exceptionally well
documented contribution to our clearer and more in-depth understanding of the role Grant played
in the American Civil War. Informed and informative, "Grant Under Fire" is a seminal work of
exhaustive scholarship and a critically important contribution to personal, community, and
academic library American Civil War reference collections and supplemental studies reading
lists.
The Religion/Spirituality Shelf
Spirit Training
William L. Conwill
Archway Publishing
1663 Liberty Drive, Bloomington, IN 47403-5161
www.archwaypublishing.com
9781480813250, $11.99, 142pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Many African American teens find themselves wondering what they should or should
not be doing and how they should behave toward each other. As they struggle to build their
characters, they receive a wide range of feedback from multiple sources, bringing about
confusion. "Spirit Training: A Book of Ethics for Black Teens" offers a guide through that
confusion by providing a personal training aid for Black teens in the arena of ethics. "Spirit
Training" holds that our spirits, which protect and sustain us, should direct and unify our
thoughts, efforts, and actions. Based on traditional African values, the principles presented in this
guide serve as directives or instructions on living, as well as means of defense against destructive
influences. These principles are represented throughout the text by Adinkra symbols, along with
a self-defense interpretation for each principle and a reading to help provide insight. Drawing on
brain science, transpersonal psychology, and mainstream psychiatry, as well as ancient traditions,
"Spirit Training" invites Black teens to conduct a personal and conscious examination of the
principles that have allowed us to survive, create, and nurture life.
Critique: Exceptionally well written, organized and presented, "Spirit Training: A Book of Ethics
for Black Teens" is very highly recommended for professional, community, school, and academic
library African-American Studies reference collections and supplemental reading lists. Fully
accessible to non-specialist general readers, "Spirit Training" is strongly commended to the
attention of the parents of adolescent African American boys.
James A. Cox
Editor-in-Chief
Midwest Book Review
278 Orchard Drive
Oregon, WI 53575-1129
phone: 1-608-835-7937
e-mail: mbr@execpc.com
e-mail: mwbookrevw@aol.com
http://www.midwestbookreview.com
Copyright ©2001
Site design by Williams Writing, Editing &
Design