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Small Press Bookwatch

Volume 15, Number 7 July 2016 Home | SPBW Index

Table of Contents

Reviewer's Choice Money/Finance Shelf Biography Shelf
Fantasy/SciFi Shelf Metaphysical Studies Shelf Fiction Shelf
Christian Studies Shelf Self-Help Shelf Mystery/Suspense Shelf
Poetry Shelf Health/Medicine Shelf Education Shelf
Business Shelf International Studies Shelf American History Shelf


Reviewer's Choice

Post-Hole Digger
James Pope
Xlibris Corporation
1663 South Liberty Drive, Bloomington, IN 47403-5161
www.xlibris.com
9781499029192, $24.99, HC, 100pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: "Post-Hole Digger" by James Pope is the true story of one Iowa farm boy and how he was called upon to fulfill responsibilities for things years beyond his age. These responsibilities are taking place every day on farms across the United States, and being called upon at an early age, childhood has passed them by. All too often children living on a farm do not have the luxury of playful activities as they must shoulder the responsibility of fulfilling their family needs.

Critique: An inherently and consistently compelling read from beginning to end, "Post-Hole Digger" is as entertaining as it is thoughtful and thought-provoking. While very highly recommended for community library collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Post-Hole Digger" is also available in a paperback edition (9781499029208, $15.99) and in a Kindle format ($3.99).


The Money/Finance Shelf

How to Hire (or Fire) Your Financial Advisor
Ivan M. Illan, CFS
iUniverse, Inc.
c/o Author House
1663 Liberty Dr. Suite #300, Bloomington, IN 47403
www.iuniverse.com
9781491770184 $13.95 pbk / $3.99 Kindle amazon.com

Synopsis: Ivan M. Illan, a longtime financial advisor to high net worth families, walks you through ten simple questions to ask your current advisor to determine if he or she should stay on the job, and so you can hire the best qualified person on the first try. Once you know what type of responses are best, you'll be able to uncover hidden conflicts of interest; determine what motivates an advisor; evaluate an advisor's intelligence; and develop a method to evaluate performance.

While there are many benefits to having an expert manage money, it's essential to pick the right person to preserve and grow wealth. Get the critical guidance you need in How to Hire (or Fire) Your Financial Advisor.

Critique: Certified Fund Specialist Ivan Illan shares his wisdom about money management, specifically in the matter of selecting the right financial advisor for one's needs. The average reader is likely unaware that some so-called "financial advisors" have strong conflicts of interest that puts the wealth of those they advise at risk. "The two terms advisor and broker are not synonymous. An advisor provides advice and is compensated on an ongoing basis related to the quality of the advice. A broker is compensated based on the sale of a recommended product... The problem in today's investment-services world is that this difference is poorly disclosed and little, if any, education is done by the industry or the media." Absolutely anyone considering or utilizing the services of a financial advisor should read How to Hire (or Fire) Your Financial Advisor from cover to cover!


The Biography Shelf

The Awkward Ozarker
Blant Hurt
www.blanthurt.com
Fairbourne Publishing
www.theawkwardozarker.com
9780997325607, $16.95, PB, 278pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: "The Awkward Ozarker" is the witty, wise, and heart-warming memoir of Blant Hurt, a fifty-something flatlander with urban sensibilities, who buys a ratty weekend cabin up in the dark heart of the Ozark Mountains. His new wife has a passing familiarity with this rugged area, but still just what are they doing? Their cabin is crudely built and lacks running water and electricity. Then there's the local land baron who aspires to build a giant sand mine on their doorstep. Aided by their deep-souled 'true Ozarker' neighbor, they slowly peel back the layers of what is basically a closed society up in the wilds of Izard County, Arkansas. They attend a one-room church with its oddball Yankee preacher, take on a magical stray dog that serves as his ever-eager hiking companion, brush against the local arts and crafts gentry (alas, neither he nor his wife has any craft-worthy skills, save her fondness for spray-painting), and even join a group of doomsday preppers. Through it all, they come to relish their new lives in this little lost corner of the world. Eventually, owing to the ruin of the local land baron, they scheme to amass more property to pass on to their heirs as a so-called one hundred year legacy, if only they, like so many other dreamers up in the Ozarks, can pull it off.

Critique: Exceptionally well written and presented, "The Awkward Ozarker" is a consistently compelling and inherently fascinating read from beginning to end. While very highly recommended for community library Contemporary American Biography collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "The Awkward Ozarker" is also available in a Kindle edition ($6.99).

The Boy with a Bamboo Heart
Amporn Wathanavongs & Chantal Jauvin
Maverick House
www.maverickhouse.com
9781908518224, $11.99, PB, 282pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: Orphaned at the age of five in a rural Thai village, Lek is thrust into a life-long struggle to find his place in the world. Alone and impoverished, he treads a precarious path, barely surviving in the markets of Surin until, at age fifteen, he finds himself brandishing a rifle as a boy soldier in the Cambodian jungle. Despair leads him to two suicide attempts. He is hell-bent on succeeding on his third try, but a stranger intervenes and offers him hope. Thus begins Lek's journey to become Dr. Amporn Wathanavongs, foster father to more than 50,000 Thai children. Driven to become a reputable member of society, he returns to his boyhood village to study at the local temple. But when his vows as a monk collide with his desire to learn English and have a family, he must choose between settling for a safe and predictable life, or risk living as a vagrant on the streets of Bangkok while searching for a way to make his dream a reality. Through the generous support of a Jesuit missionary working in Thailand, he achieves his objectives. But having a family, a formal education, and a respectable job in social work are not enough. He perseveres and finds his true calling helping others.

Critique: An inherently fascinating and consistently compelling memoir, "The Boy with a Bamboo Heart: The Story of a Street Orphan Who Built a Children's Charity" is an extraordinary, inspiring, and true story of a life well lived in "interesting times". While very highly recommended for community library Biography collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "The Boy with a Bamboo Heart" is also available in a Kindle edition ($2.99).

Dancing Love
Melody Richard
Xlibris Corporation
1663 South Liberty Drive, Bloomington, IN 47403-5161
www.xlibris.com
9781503591639, $29.99, HC, 112pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: Melody Richard was born on the island of Jamaica and then migrated to the United States, where she has lived for more than thirty years. She loves every moment of her stay in America and is, in every way, proud to be an American. She loves the outdoors and loves to cook. Her real enjoyment comes from spending time with her family. She loves their laughter, most especially her brothers and sisters. Melody is a mother of two boys, and her children mean the world to her. They are her greatest achievement and her life. She is also a grandmother to seven-four girls and three boys. "Dancing Love" tells about the struggles of her life and upbringing, the way that she was brought up.

Now writing as an adult victim of child sexual abuse and a traumatic past that has caused her a lifetime of health problems, it is Melody's intention that her personal study presented in the pages Of "Dancing Love" become part of a learning process for others who are facing or going through what she has experienced first hand. Another purpose in writing "Dancing Love" for Melody was a kind for a kind of catharsis even though in doing so she had to relive the pain. Here clearly selfless intention is that "Dancing Love" will help someone in need of faith and strength.

Critique: An inherently and consistently compelling read that is as thoughtful and thought-provoking as it is insightful and ultimately inspiring, "Dancing Love" is unreservedly recommended for community, college, and university library American Biography and Contemporary Social Issues collections in general, and Sexual Abuse Recovery supplemental studies reading lists in particular. For students and the non-specialist general reader with an interest in the subject it should be noted that "Dancing Love" is also available in a paperback edition (9781503591646, $19.99) and in a Kindle format ($3.99).

Strange As It Seems
Chip Jacobs
Rare Bird Books
www.rarebirdbooks.com
9781942600244, $15.95, PB, 280pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: Born into an entertainment family in suburban Los Angeles in the mid-1920s, Gordon Zahler was a lovable prankster and class clown, exasperating his parents with his endless teenage feats of derring-do. But Gordon's promising career as a public miscreant went pear-shaped one day in 1940 when he and his buddies where fooling around in their high school gym with a spring board. An unsteady jump no the board vaulted Gordon on a deadly trajectory landing him squarely on his neck, severing his spine. He was 14-years old.

"Strange As It Seems: The Impossible Life of Gordon Zahler", recounts the journey of a former nobody who defied the odds and biases racked up against him to frolic in Hollywood. Vividly retold by his nephew, Chip Jacobs, "Strange As It Seems" is so much more than just a biography, Jacobs' portrait evokes an early Hollywood era where art and fortunes were made by a colorful set of foreigners, weirdos, obsessives, and freaks. During the 1950s and 1960s, Gordon became a kingpin in this milieu, as his music/sound effects post-production house scored films for low budget sci-fi films, genre movies like Sam Fuller's Shock Corridor, Popeye and Bozo the Clown cartoons, as well as hundreds of other projects. Gordon, best known for his clever soundtrack on Ed Wood Jr.'s infamous Plan 9 From Outer Space, was always a better story than the scripts he accentuated.

Eventually wealthy, with a house off the Sunset Strip, a devoted blond trophy wife and raucous, star-filled parties, Gordon (a 95-pound dynamo) built an existence from scratch that mere able-bodied mortals could only dream about. How many of them could say Lucille Ball adored them, or they were partners with Walter Lantz, Woody Woodpecker's cartoonist and producer, or Ivan Tors, the brains behind Flipper, Gentle Ben and the nature-drama field still so popular today? Bored confining himself to one area, Gordon tried developing futuristic concepts, from audible books to talking gas-station pumps. He kept a powerboat for boozy excursions, traveled from Beirut to Thailand, was thrown out of moving cars, nearly died after being blessed by the pope and had a Forest Gumpian-knack for being in dangerous places at the wrong time.

Critique: An exceptional account of an exceptional man, "Strange As It Seems: The Impossible Life of Gordon Zahler" is a deftly crafted, inherently fascinating, thoroughly riveting read from first page to last. This detailed biography of the life and accomplishments of a 'larger than life' personality is an informative, astonishing, and occasionally iconoclastic narrative study that will prove to be an enduringly popular and much appreciated addition to community library American Biography collections. For personal reading lists it should be noted that "Strange As It Seems" is also available in a Kindle edition ($8.99).


The Fantasy/SciFi Shelf

A Dream of Ashes
Orlando A. Sanchez
www.orlandoasanchez.com
CreateSpace
4900 LaCross Rd., North Charleston, SC 29406
www.createspace.com
9781533090829, $7.99, PB, 228pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: Ava James is a fire mystic with the Mystic Investigative Division. As a branch of the Enclave, a worldwide mystic organization, the MID is feared, respected and reviled. When the half-charred body of a Mystic is found, the Enclave sends her to investigate the strange death. Ava finds that all the clues point to the killer being a fire mystic, one of her own. Accused by the Enclave of working with the killer she must solve the case before a secret buried in her past is revealed and destroys her world. Can she save herself? Will she find the murderer?

Critique: Exceptionally well written by Orlando Sanchez, "A Dream of Ashes " is a consistently compelling read that involves mystics, magic, murder, a rogue Mystic, a ruthless killer, and a dark secret. "A Dream of Ashes" will have special appeal for fans of paranormal mysteries and is a very highly recommended addition to community library Fantasy Fiction collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "A Dream of Ashes" is also available in a Kindle edition ($3.99).

God Awful Thief
S. Acevedo
Three Points Publishing
PO Box 210861, Milwaukee, WI 53221
www.threepointspublishing.com
9780986320736, $18.99, HC, 288pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: Cupid, the always adored and now restored God of Love has a new look, a new attitude, and even a steady girlfriend. With his humiliating dethronement and harrowing banishment behind him (see "God Awful Loser", 9780986320705, $18.99 HC, $3.99 Kindle), Cupid wants nothing more than to settle in to a comfortable immortality. But someone has dreamed up a different plan. With a sea god setting the oceans against him, a drama-loving hanger-on refusing to go away, and the king of the gods ordering Cupid to steal the most powerful relic ever made by the most cunning god ever angered, Cupid and his leading lady, Tamara, must join a new cast and crew to face their most challenging mission yet. The stage is set for an epic performance, but just who is writing this script? And will Cupid and his troupe figure it out before they lose their minds and quite possibly their lives?

Critique: An impressively imaginative, extraordinarily witty, and exceptionally talented novelist, Ms. Acevedo continues to provide a expanding parade of fickle gods entwined with Cupid's misadventures, potential tragedies, and everlasting comedies in her 'God' Awful series. An inherently riveting read from beginning to end, "God Awful Thief" is very highly recommended personal reading lists, as well as community library Fantasy Fiction collections.

Leave It All
April Kelley
CreateSpace
4900 LaCross Rd., North Charleston, SC 29406
www.createspace.com
9781519240552, $9.99, PB, 166pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: Lucas just wanted to be a normal human being, but normal is highly over-rated. Lucas Speck had been just some guy who worked at an office supply store and house-sat for his snowbird parents. He was nobody special. Or that's what he thought before the headaches start and weird things start to happen to him. When people start chasing him his whole life gets turned upside down. Bennett Somerset is a dragon shifter, who likes his quiet life in his quiet town. He isn't looking for complications. He already has a family that defines the words, weird and crazy, to perfection. Good thing they live in a small town where nothing ever happens. That is until he smells the most delicious thing in the world and realizes it's his mate. His little witch of a mate just made things way more complicated.

Critique: Original, entertaining, and a consistently compelling read from beginning to end, "Leave It All" by the obviously talented author April Kelly launches her 'Saint Lakes' series and is destined to become a welcome addition to personal and community library Fantasy Fiction collections. For the personal reading lists of fantasy fans everywhere, it should be noted that "Leave It All" is also available in a Kindle edition ($4.99).

Tomorrows Child
Anthony Mayor
Outskirts Press, Inc.
10940 S. Parker Road, #515, Parker, CO 80134
www.outskirtspress.com
9781478769415, $14.95, PB, 150pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: We've made our first contact with aliens, and they are us-or, more specifically, our children! Daniel has been recalled to the Copernicus Space Station more than two years after his departure. Little does he know that his recall is to regroup his core research team to study and interact with the greatest advancement in human evolution... Unbeknownst to the billions of inhabitants of Earth is a growing secret: newborns who have the potential to change the future of every living being in the solar system! As time progresses, the secret becomes more difficult to keep, and the safety of the space station children is jeopardized. Will these special children be allowed enough time to grow and test their burgeoning powers before being snatched up by a foreign power with a nefarious agenda?

Critique: A deftly written and original science fiction story by Anthony Mayor, "Tomorrows Child" is very highly recommended for the personal reading lists of science fiction fans and would prove to be an enduringly popular addition to community library Science Fiction & Fantasy collections. It should be noted that "Tomorrows Child" is also available in a Kindle edition ($5.99).

Shin'ar, My Love: Love Among the Ruins
Marty Duncan
The Pilot's Mate
c/o O'magadh Media
9780692632192, $14.95, PB, 292pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: The end of civilization appears imminent. The Great Deluge has devastated Sumeria, home of the Anunnaki, and the rumbles of war grow ever louder. Amid the chaos, Anunnaki princess Celi does what she can to help, working with her grandfather Mica to rebuild Lord Enki's temple in Eridu until shortly after her Naming Day, when the young woman is approached by Lord Enki's mate, Ninki. Ninki offers Celi the opportunity to rebuild the village of Arad, west of the Dead Sea, a request Celi can hardly refuse - even if it means separation from her love, the handsome shuttle pilot Deem. The assignment also means working with the Beag, a shorter race Celi intensely distrusts. As Celi labors with the Beag, however, she finds that wariness waning. Then disaster strikes: a nuclear warhead has wiped out Sodom from existence - and Deem has disappeared amid rumors he's been ensnared by Inanna, the so-called goddess of war and love. Celi can only wait and hope the gossip isn't true, and her beloved has survived what may be the end of her world.

Critique: Set in ancient Sumeria, "Shin'ar, My Love: Love Among the Ruins" is a deftly crafted and riveting read that showcases author Marty Duncan as an impressively skilled and original storyteller. All the more impressive when considering that "Shin'ar, My Love: Love Among the Ruins" is Duncan's debut as a novelist, it is still not all that surprising when considering the he has taught English and Journalism as part of his academic career. While "Shin'ar, My Love: Love Among the Ruins" is unreservedly recommended as an enduringly popular addition to community library Historical Fiction collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that it is also available in a Kindle edition ($2.99).

Billy Bedivere in the Quest for the Dragon Queen
Alan Sproles
Book Baby
www.bookbaby.com
9781682223895, $12.95, PB, 222pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: Would you like to leave on a camping trip poor and come back rich? But what if that meant fighting a vicious huge blue bunny, or a big black bear, or man-eating trees or a two-headed dragon guarded by giant spiders? That's what happened to Billy on a weekend camping with his dad and friends. Told by his dad not to cross the creek, Billy does just that when he hears the call for help from inside a large cave in the side of a cliff. Billy, the good scout, goes in the cave alone concerned that someone was in trouble. As he moved deeper and deeper into the cave Billy falls into a vortex that sweeps him into another world.

It is a brilliant but very strange place. It appears to be a one-way trip until he acquires some very strange and even famous characters as friends starting with a rose that has been calling out for help because a large bunny has been eating them. Rose informs him that the only person who can help him get home would be the genie and tells him how to get there. On the way Billy encounters Hansel and Gretel who accompanies him on his journey. After their near fatal encounter at the chocolate house of the witch they make it to the genie who informs them that the only way home is to defeat the Dragon Queen, a two-headed dragon at Flagara's house of Sad Faces. To return home Billy must grow up fast if he is to survive and conquer the biggest challenge of his life - if he can. Does he have what it takes?

Critique: The first volume in what promises to be a simply outstanding YA fantasy action/adventure 'Kingdom of Legends' series by Alan Sproles, "Billy Bedivere in the Quest for the Dragon Queen" is exceptionally well written, impressively original, consistently compiling, unfailingly entertaining, and certain to be an enduringly popular addition to school and community library Science Fiction & Fantasy collections. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of all fantasy adventure enthusiasts that "Billy Bedivere in the Quest for the Dragon Queen" is also available in a Kindle edition ($2.99).

The Train From Outer Space
Alan Sproles & Lizanne Southgate
Book Baby
www.bookbaby.com
9780996859110, $15.99, PB, 300pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: Collaboratively written by Alan Sproles and Lizanne Southgate, "The Train From Outer Space" is the story of 12 year old boy and his dog who rescue a tiny alien, Lil Dude, from a huge living train piloted by a vicious alien, Rotaxis. In an attempt to force Brady to hand over the little alien, Rotaxis accidentally sends Earth through a wormhole, placing it in harm's way. Now, in addition to protecting the secretive tiny being, Brady and his friends must figure out how to return Earth to its proper rotation before the planet is destroyed. When Lil Dude tells Brady where to find a wormhole reverser, Brady and best friend, Franky commandeer Rotaxis' living space ship and head for space to fight off alien monsters and bond with strange and wonderful creatures.

However, just as Brady finds the wormhole reverser, he discovers he's only the pawn in an intergalactic game and none of the players are on his side. Now, with more enemies to face and no one left to trust, Brady and Franky must fight to make it back to earth. They reach home, where Earth is only minutes from disaster. There, Brady and friends defeat the last of the monsters, reveal the startling true identity of Rotaxis and, with seconds left for humanity, save the planet from extinction, thereby winning the game. And somewhere, far, far away, the Game Master applauds and begins to plan the next challenge.

Critique: A deftly crafted and riveting read from beginning to end, "The Train From Outer Space" is an exceptional and enthusiastically recommended addition to both school and community library Science Fiction & Fantasy collections for young readers. For the personal reading lists of dedicated science fiction enthusiasts ages 8 to 14, it should be noted that "The Train From Outer Space" is also available in a Kindle edition ($3.99).


The Metaphysical Studies Shelf

Secrets of the Combined Astrology
Zakariya Adeel
http://adeelsastrology.com
Dodona Books
www.dodona-books.com
c/o John Hunt Publishing, Ltd.
www.johnhuntpublishing.com
c/o National Book Network (distribution)
4501 Forbes Boulevard, Suite 200, Lanham, MD 20706
www.nbnbooks.com
9781782794684 $48.95 pbk / $9.99 Kindle amazon.com

Synopsis: 144 Astrological Archetypes that reveal more about you than you knew about yourself. Secrets of the Combined Astrology is a comprehensive work focusing on the 144 combinations created when the 12 Chinese signs (Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Sheep, Monkey, Rooster, Dog and Boar) meet the 12 Western Zodiac signs (Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius and Pisces). Starting with the traditional four BAZI pillars i.e. day, month, year and time of birth, this information is converted into Astrological language the Western world understands, making what is otherwise a very complicated process easily accessible by the mainstream. Celebrities and public figures are used as references to illustrate each individual combination.

Critique: Secrets of the Combined Astrology de-mystifies the procedure of melding both Chinese and Western astrology. Written to be accessible to general readers, particularly those of Western background, Secrets of the Combined Astrology is a "must-read" for astrology enthusiasts and anyone curious to learn more about the secrets their birthdate and astrological signs hold. Highly recommended especially for Metaphysical Studies collections.


The Fiction Shelf

Backlash: A War of 1812 Novel
Mike Klaassen
www.mikeklaassen.com
Book Baby
www.bookbaby.com
9781682229712, $24.99, PB, 466pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: The War of 1812 between the English and the Americans had no clear victor. It was a conflict that will continually be debated among historians and has been described as the war that both sides won and the war that nobody won. A Canadian historian suggested that Americans think that they won the war, that Canadians know that they won the war, and that the British are blissfully unaware that the conflict took place. It is a complex story. Using the War of 1812 as the setting for "Backlash", author Mike Klaassen has based his fictional account on non-fictional facts. The result is a novel that is extremely engaging and with Klaassen's attention to detail and accurate portrayal of the life and times of that era, "Blacklash" is not only highly entertaining but also very educational. Readers will enjoy the drama and are sure to learn something new.

Critique: Impressively well written and a compelling read from beginning to end, "Backlash" will prove to be a very welcome addition to community library Historical Fiction collections. For personal reading lists it should be noted that "Backlash" is also available in a Kindle edition ($9.99).

Life Sliding
S. L. Maulden
TouchPoint Press
www.touchpointpress.com
9780692629727, $12.99, PB, 168pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: As his junior year in high school comes to an end, Gavin Bailey realizes his privileged world as the most popular kid in school is a lie. To make matters worse his father, feeling his overly indulged son needs redirection, sends him off for the summer to assist at a camp for children with special needs. Suddenly forced to dabble in a world less familiar, Gavin's past catches up with him at Camp Lift Me Up. An event from his sophomore year comes to the forefront; at the same time, he encounters a strange girl with multi-colored fingernails who refuses to issue a waiver for his arrogant behavior. Initially convinced he is the only one suffering, Gavin faces a summer of harsh lessons in reality and eventually determines to make a difference at school his senior year. With the help of old and new friends, he implements a plan to stir up the social order, but will they be able to survive the fallout of what they've put into motion?

Critique: "Life Sliding" is a compelling read from beginning to end and clearly demonstrates author S. L. Maulden's original and exceptionally gifted storytelling talents. While very highly recommended for school and community library YA Fiction collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Life Sliding" is also available in a Kindle edition ($2.99).

Heavenly Father
H. L. Grey
No Frills Buffalo
www.nofrillsbuffalo.com
9780692598269, $19.95, PB, 604pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: The Studebaker family of Houston, Texas, is settling down for dinner one night when a young orphan named Wren Rubenstein arrives on their doorstep. Father Jonny realizes she is the daughter of his late sister Anna Marie, whom their abusive and religiously fanatic father disowned for an interreligious marriage. Although Jonny disowned his sister in order to protect himself and his family from his father's wrath, he agrees to take in Wren. This causes both chaos in the house and each of the Studebakers to reflect on their dark secrets. But Jonny must decide whether he can and should reveal the biggest secret of all.

Critique: "Heavenly Father: The Saga Of The Studebaker Family" is the epic chronicle of a complex family's extended crisis that is a consistently compelling story from beginning to end. An impressively well written and extraordinary read that clearly establishes author H. L. Grey as an exceptionally gifted novelist able to deftly weave unexpected plot twists and turns into a riveting and multilayered tale. While very highly recommended for community library General Fiction collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Heavenly Father" is also available in a Kindle edition ($9.99).

Naomi's "American" Family
Mark Carp
Xlibris Corporation
1663 South Liberty Drive, Bloomington, IN 47403-5161
www.xlibris.com
9781503587526, $34.99, HC, 486pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: All alone, Joseph Moshev is a seventeen-year-old Russian Jewish immigrant who came to America in 1903 looking for streets paved with gold. Instead, Joseph finds a hard life awaits him as he fights to survive and fulfill his ambition of being a somebody. He has been preceded a decade before by his cousin Naomi Moshev, who is now sixteen in 1903, and who wants a career in show business. Can these two willful teenagers satisfy their vast ambitions in an ever-changing America?

Critique: Novelist Mark Carp is a writer of extraordinary talent and "Naomi's 'American' Family" is his fifth work of fiction following "Abraham: The Last Jew" (9781403391056, $14.95); "The Extraordinary Times of Ordinary People" (9781425993610, $14.95 PB, $9.99 Kindle); "The End of Hell" (9781434380531, $14.95 PB, $9.99 Kindle); "Segalvitz" (9781483643298, $29.99 HC, 9781483643281, $19.99 PB, $3.99 Kindle); and "Abel and the Family Cohen" (9781462829606, $24.99 HC, 9781462829590, $15.99 PB, $9.99 Kindle). A consistently compelling and deeply engaging read from beginning to end, "Naomi's 'American' Family" is very highly recommended for community library General Fiction collections. For personal reading lists it should be noted that this outstanding novel is also available in a paperback edition (9781503587519, $23.99) and in a Kindle format ($3.99).

Precious in His Sight
Karen Pashley
www.KarenPashley.com
Willow Branch Publishing
PO Box 59141, Nashville, TN 37205
9780997140408, $15.99, PB, 384pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: Feisty, tenacious, and adorably flawed, Sugar Brennan is fiercely committed to her family, her traditional Christian values, and her spotless reputation in her affluent Southern community. When she discovers her husband Clay has been unfaithful, Sugar is determined to right the wrongs in her life. Then Clay's former mistress returns to Westfield with devastating news, posing a heart-wrenching dilemma that challenges Sugar to rethink all she's believed about faith, family, and the healing power of forgiveness. She's been raised in a preacher's home, taught to love her enemies. She's got the fish sticker on her car and a collection of good works under her belt. But to reach out to the woman who nearly destroyed her marriage? Surely God wouldn't ask her to go that far.

Critique: "Precious in His Sight" is an extraordinary and exceptional novel that will have very special appeal, especially to all members of the Christian community regardless of their denominational affiliation. While very highly recommended for community library General Fiction collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Precious in His Sight" is also available in a Kindle edition ($7.99).

Oracles of an Ethiopian Coffeehouse
Paul T. Sugg
www.paultsugg.com
True Directions
9781491777145, $27.95, HC, 276pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: Long considered a place of mystery, the quaint ancient town of Axum, Ethiopia, is a mystical and fascinating place, rumored to house the legendary lost Ark of the Covenant. As two young men travel there on separate pilgrimages, neither has any idea that they will soon find much more than they ever imagined. As his plane lands in Axum, Garret Holcomb cannot help but wonder if he is on a true pilgrimage in search of the lost Covenant or to escape from the emptiness of emotional bankruptcy. His seatmate, Jamaal Abdul Meriweather, wants to be the next Spike Lee and is heading to Axum, where he hopes to film a documentary about the Covenant. After the two realize they have much in common, they pair up to help each other with their missions. But when they eventually meet up with three oracles of an Ethiopian coffeehouse, the holy men soon help them look inward to reflect about life's most burning issues as well as the personal challenges each has been afraid to face, ultimately revealing a stunning reality for both. "Oracles of an Ethiopian Coffeehouse" is poignant tale by Paul T. Sugg about two young men forced out of their conventional paradigms bravely confront their truths, with help from three oracles of an Ethiopian coffeehouse.

Critique: With the publication of his novel, "Oracles of an Ethiopian Coffeehouse", author Paul T. Sugg exhibits a truly impressive talent for original storytelling and an ability to hold his reader's full and total attention from beginning to end. A consistently compelling novel from beginning to end, "Oracles of an Ethiopian Coffeehouse" is very highly recommended for community library General Fiction collections. For personal reading lists it should be noted that "Oracles of an Ethiopian Coffeehouse" is also available in a paperback edition (9781491777152, $17.95) and in a Kindle format ($3.99).

A Man of Genius
Lynn Rosen
Una Publications
www.unapublications.com
9780997073812, $14.95, PB, 246pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: Samuel Grafton-Hall is a man of genius who demands reverence from all. A renowned architect, his point of view is not universally shared by students, critics, and colleagues - but this is of little consequence to Grafton-Hall, for he revels in his misanthropy. Immune to the barbs of the masses, Grafton-Hall also suffers no qualms about his personal peccadilloes and perversions. An unrepentant womanizer, Grafton-Hall leaves colleagues, friends, and lovers deeply scarred from having known him. And then there is the murder. The question of guilt is of less consequence than the question of whether the gift of genius makes one irreproachable.

Critique: A deftly crafted and consistently compelling read from beginning to end, "A Man of Genius" clearly establishes author Lynn Rosen as an exceptionally original and impressively gifted novelist. While "A Man of Genius" is enthusiastically recommended for community library collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that it is also available in a Kindle edition ($7.95).

Twenty-Four Shadows
Tanya J. Peterson
Apprentice House
www.apprenticehouse.com
9781627201056, $17.99, PB, 394pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: "Twenty-Four Shadows" by Tanya J. Peterson takes one inside the anguished mind of Isaac Bittman, who is an average family man experiencing mysterious and progressively violent mood swings (many of which he cannot remember) that is beginning to unravel the lives of those closest to him. After a series of bizarre encounters, including losing his job and waking up half-dead in the wilds of Idaho, Isaac begins treatment at a revolutionary mental health facility, where the childhood trauma he's repressed for decades leads to revelations that his personality has splintered into twenty-four shadows, or "alters". "Twenty-Four Shadows" intricately weaves together Isaac's internal angst and his wife and best friend's struggles to retain both a private and public semblance of normalcy. Stark and realistically rendered, "Twenty-Four Shadows" delves into the thought processes and erratic habits of a regular man dealing with life-altering mental illness, providing an empathetic, insightful glimpse into a misunderstood and often stereotyped condition.

Critique: Unique and a consistently compelling read from beginning to end, "Twenty-Four Shadows" clearly establishes author Tanya Peterson as an impressively gifted novelist. While unreservedly recommended for community library General Fiction collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Twenty-Four Shadows" is also available in a Kindle edition ($9.49).

The Lies That Bind
Ed Protzel
http://www.edprotzel.com
TouchPoint Press
https://touchpointpress.com
9780692591888, $16.98, PB, 270pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: In 1859, Durksen Hurst, a visionary charlatan on the run, encounters a dozen hungry slaves stranded in the Mississippi wilds. Led by the deceptively simple-looking Big Josh, together, they agree to build their own egalitarian plantation, with Hurst acting as figurehead "master" to hoodwink the town. But wise Big Josh fears that Hurst's grandiose schemes may doom them all to the hangman's noose. In the town, the reclusive widow, Marie Brussard French, manipulates the region's bankers and cotton brokers, that is, everyone except her frail, rebellious heir-apparent, Devereau. Driven by unbearable loneliness to mad acts, Devereau threatens to expose the family's own tenuous facade, a revelation that if made would prove fatal to the Frenches. Meanwhile, Antoinette DuVallier, a beautiful, Cassandra-like fugitive from New Orleans with mysterious ties to the Frenches, arrives on her own desperate mission. Her overpowering presence detonates long-repressed conflicts, unleashing a devastating upheaval of fire and blood that tears asunder the once-sleepy hamlet. As the story's tangled webs of deceit unravel, each startling plot twist and cathartic revelation shines a fresh light on what it means to be a man, a woman, free or enslaved -- indeed, what it means to be human.

Critique: The debut novel of author Ed Protzel's 'Dark Horse Trilogy' series, "The Lies That Bind" is a deftly crafted and consistently compelling read from beginning to end. While strongly recommended for community library Historical Fiction collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "The Lies That Bind" is also available in a Kindle edition ($4.99).

Dancing in the Dark
Bob Strauss
iUniverse, Inc.
c/o Author House
1663 Liberty Dr. Suite #300, Bloomington, IN 47403
www.iuniverse.com
9781491709801, $26.95, HC, 260pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: When Dr. Harry Salinger, a reputable, fifty-eight-year-old New York psychotherapist, informs his patient Jennifer Slater that she defends against "loving feelings as though they were a fearful threat," he might as well have been referring to himself. Salinger is still struggling to let go of his pain after his wife's death from cancer four years ago. But in a flash one day, his platonic relationship with fellow psychotherapist Amanda Blake becomes a new, uncertain thing.

As Salinger ponders his nonexistent love life, he helps his patients make sense of their own. He counsels both Jennifer Slater and Jacques Giraud, who meet and fall in love but remain blissfully unaware they share the same therapist.

Part drama, part comedy, "Dancing in the Dark" is about taking the risk to love as it explores the inner lives of its characters, spinning a tale of three flawed and wounded individuals who have suffered severe loss. Each must overcome grief and the fear of unfathomable loss to fully embrace life and love again. Theirs are journeys of self-discovery, healing efforts they dare not avoid.

Critique: Although a work of fiction, author Bob Strauss brings to his debut novel the experience and expertise of a practicing psychotherapist. The result is a consistently compelling, inherently riveting, and deftly crafted read from beginning to end. While very highly recommended for community library General Fiction collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Dancing in the Dark" is also available in a paperback edition (9781491709795, $16.95) and in a Kindle format ($3.99).

Major Wager: The Pure Round of Golf Jack Challenged Tiger To
Colin Koenig
CreateSpace
4900 LaCross Rd., North Charleston, SC 29406
www.createspace.com
9781518748561, $9.75, PB, 140pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: All-time golf majors champion Jack Nicklaus challenged first-time major champion Tiger Woods to a unique round of golf in 1997 to see if Tiger has 'what it takes' to someday break Jack's record of eighteen major titles. Nicklaus was 57 years old. Woods was 21. No one else was there.

Critique: Although a work of fiction, author Colin Koenig will keep the riveted attention of any and all golf enthusiasts to each and every page of his detailed account of an 18-hole round of golf -- included the what they would talk about and what they would think to themselves. Unreservedly and enthusiastically for personal reading lists and community library collections, it should be noted that "Major Wager: The Pure Round of Golf Jack Challenged Tiger To" is also available in a Kindle edition ($6.50).


The Christian Studies Shelf

The Heart: The Key to Everything in the Christian Life
Tim Rowe
Lulu Publishing
3101 Hillsborough Street, Raleigh, NC 27607-5436
www.lulu.com
9781483447919, $42.99, HC, 552pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: In "The Heart: The Key to Everything in the Christian Life", Tim Rowe (who hosts a weekly TV show called "Faith and the Law" on Lesea Channel 40 in Indiana) argues that Christians today need to recover a truth that has been all but lost to modern-day Christianity. It has been buried for too long, and it is too valuable to be forgotten. This life-changing truth is that the heart is the key to everything in the Christian life. The heart is the wellspring of all our actions, emotions, motives, and character. Everything we are, everything we say, and everything we do flows directly from the heart. In "The Heart: The Key to Everything in the Christian Life", believers will discover how the heart is central to spiritual growth and how it will help us better reflect the image of Christ in a fallen world. The heart is the key to our service and obedience to the Father. The heart is the key to the purity and depth of our worship, praise, and love of God. It is time the Christian church once again teaches a proper understanding of the heart so that we can fully embrace and manifest the life of Christ within us.

Critique: Exceptionally well written and presented, as thoughtful and thought-provoking as it is inspired and inspiring, "The Heart: The Key to Everything in the Christian Life" is very highly recommended for church and community library Christian Studies collections. For personal reading lists it should be noted that "The Heart: The Key to Everything in the Christian Life" is also available in a paperback edition (9781483447926, $25.08) and in a Kindle format ($7.55).

Don't Panic!
Maureen Pratt
Franciscan Media
28 West Liberty Street, Cincinnati, OH, 45202
www.franciscanmedia.com
9781616369491, $14.99, PB, 192pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: Crises can prompt questions about mortality, God, purpose, commitment and truth that can set our heads spinning and our footsteps on rocky and unsettling paths. We might doubt all that we've known to be true, including who we are and what our place in the world is. "Don't Panic!: How to Keep Going When the Going Gets Tough" by Maureen Pratt (an award-winning playwright, journalist, patient advocate, and author of the syndicated column "Living Well") is an immensely comforting book in which she offers antidotes to panic and despair. Using science, personal experiences and inspiration from the lives of others, Pratt asserts that "the times that try men's souls" can, in fact, strengthen us. Memories of surviving them can give us greater courage. And most importantly, they enable us to witness how the Spirit works no matter what might be falling apart around us.

Critique: Exceptionally well written, organized and presented, "Don't Panic!: How to Keep Going When the Going Gets Tough" is thoroughly 'reader friendly' in tone, commentary and content. While very highly recommended for community library Self-Help/Self-Improvement collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Don't Panic!" is also available in an inexpensive Kindle edition ($0.99) and in an Audio CD format ($32.25).

And Then...Everything Changed
Kinnith Holloway
Outskirts Press, Inc.
10940 S. Parker Road, #515. Parker, CO 80134
www.outskirtspress.com
9781478762744, $12.95, PB, 128pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: "And Then...Everything Changed" by Kinnith Holloway is a story of a young boy growing up in the Bible belt of the South. Kinnith was the last of nine children. His mother belonged to a Pentecostal Holiness church. His father belonged to a Methodist Church. Some of his siblings belonged to a Baptist Church. Other siblings belonged to a Holiness Church. His uncles were ministers and other siblings were gospel singers. When the young man found that these churches were not the same, but had their own beliefs, he begins to question the truth of Christianity. "How can all these churches have the same manual (Bible) and somehow be different?"

"And Then...Everything Changed" is the account of a forty-year journey of his quest to find the truth. How he grew up in Mississippi to his college days. How his personal study of Christianity and its denominations cause him to reject the Christian religion. How his studies of world religions brought him to know Jesus Christ. How his study of the Bible brought him to realize there were things missing from the Bible. How he developed "The Six Things" that could make the Bible true. How he seeks the answers to "The Six Things" for twenty years and could not get an answer. How he found the answers to those six things and then everything changed.

Critique: An inherently fascinating, consistently compelling, reader riveting account of one's man's life-long search for religious truths, his life's meaning, and the existence of God, "And Then...Everything Changed" is itself a potentially life-changing read that is unreservedly recommended to the attention of all members of the Christian community regardless of their denominational affiliation.


The Self-Help Shelf

The Resume of Life, second edition
Terry J. Walker, M.A.
www.iamterryjwalker.com
Inspire and Motivate, LLC
9780972925020, $16.95, PB, 174pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: If it is true we only have one life to live, then why not live it in a positive, productive and fulfilled way? In the pages of "The Resume of Life: A Guide to Realizing Your Purpose Through Spirit, Mind and Body", counselor and motivational trainer Terry J. Walker will teach you how to do just that! Packed with questions to help you find your own answers, your own truth, and your own purpose, "The Resume of Life" is an invaluable resource for finally discover how to release yourself from self-sabotaging behaviors and embrace true love and acceptance from the inside. Our lives are like puzzles and "The Resume of Life" will help you to put the pieces of the puzzle together so that you can create a more beautiful, insightful and enlightened existence.

Critique: Now in an expanded second edition, "The Resume of Life: A Guide to Realizing Your Purpose Through Spirit, Mind and Body" is thoroughly 'reader friendly' in tone, commentary, content, organization and presentation. As informative and thought-provoking as it is insightful and inspiring, "The Resume of Life" is unreservedly recommended for personal reading lists and community library Self-Help/Self-Improvement collections. It should be noted that "The Resume of Life" is also available in a Kindle edition ($4.99).


The Mystery/Suspense Shelf

A Perilous Question
Barry Finlay
Keep On Climbing Publishing
www.barry-finlay.com
9780993891052, $14.95, PB, 260pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: Strong, independent and recently divorced Marcie Kane is on a much needed vacation in Tanzania, Africa when her enjoyment of everything the country has to offer is shattered by one simple question posed by a teenage girl: "When are you taking me to America?" Harmless as it may seem, Marcie realizes that this question posed to the wrong person could spell disaster for the girl and her friend. Her fears prove to be well founded. When she inadvertently discovers the girls are victims of an international human trafficking ring in, of all places, her home state of Florida, her attempts to help quickly spiral out of control with deadly consequences. Meanwhile, her much cherished independence is being challenged by a good looking FBI agent who is working the case.

Critique: Impressively well written and a consistently compelling thriller of a read from beginning to end, "A Perilous Question" showcases author Barry Finaly's exceptional talents as an original and gifted storyteller who is able to keep his reader's riveted attention from first page to last. While very highly recommended for community library General Fiction collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "A Perilous Question" is also available in a Kindle edition ($3.99).

Colorblind
Peter Robertson
Gibson House Press
www.gibsonhousepress.com
9780985515867, $16.00, PB, 232pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: An impulsive act of theft coincides with an inexplicable death in the suburbs of Chicago. A long drive south to Louisiana follows the trail of an obscure folk singer that had drowned years ago in trusted waters. Before all the connections between the two deaths can be revealed, a series of hunches will lead Tom to dark and depressing truths about the nature of fandom and the fallibility of instincts. In the hunt for answers, Tom rediscovers his own love of music, his suppressed vulnerability, and the realization that this time around not all his hunches are good ones. Peter Robertson's "Colorblind" is mystery novel looks at the city of New Orleans through the eyes of a seasoned tourist and explores music both as a means of salvation and a road to obsession.

Critique: Original, deftly crafted, replete with unexpected plot twists and surprising turns, "Colorblind" is a compelling read and will prove to be an enduringly popular addition to community library Mystery/Suspense collections. Unreservedly recommended to the attention of all dedicated mystery buffs, it should be noted that "Colorblind" is also available in a Kindle edition ($9.99).

First Kill Wonder
R. Jerome Brooks
Prodigy Gold Books
www.prodigygoldbooks.com
9781939665188, $15.00, PB, 304pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: Naim Butler, a rainmaker, has perfected the art of sentencing mitigation, as a partner with Manhattan power-firm, Baker and Keefe. He's the kind of captivating and accomplished man that therapists vent too. His bachelorhood is turned upside down when an old flame, Sinia Love, drops a seventeen-year-old son into his lap forcing him to balance this revelation and his budding romance with Brandy Scott. Professionally, Naim's assigned to prove a man's innocence of murder is filthy work itself, but catastrophic when an envious lover of Sinia Love's sets out to kill him while hiding amongst the glitterati of Manhattan's upper crust.

Critique: An original and consistently compelling read from beginning to end, "First Kill Wonder" clearly demonstrates author Jerome Brooks' complete mastery of the Romance Suspense genre. While unreservedly recommended for community library fiction collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "First Kill Wonder" is also available in a Kindle edition ($2.99).


The Poetry Shelf

What Took You So Long
Neville Johnson
Cool Titles
www.cooltitles.com
9781935270393, $12.95, PB, 200pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: Author, songwriter, and attorney Neville L. Johnson has been writing amazing poems and lyrics for more than two decades. Now it is time to share 167 of these very special words and rhymes that honor the magic and mystery of romantic love, and then celebrate what happens when it all goes well in the pages of "What Took You So Long: Poems for People in Love". These poems were all written for Neville's wife, Cindy, but they apply to everyone who is in a relationship, everyone who is in love. Each of these funny, sweet, quirky, and heartwarming poems were written in love, and about love. Don't be surprised about the impact they make, because love makes life worth living. 'First and Last': I will walk behind you to support you / In front of you to protect you / And beside you to embrace life together / To be yours truly // I'm in love for the last time in my life / I'm in love for the first time in my life

Critique: If you only have time in your life for just one book of poetry, or as a librarian if you only have the budget to add one more book of poetry to your collection, then make it "What Took You So Long: Poems for People in Love" -- and you'll never regret it.


The Health/Medicine Shelf

The Joy of Nursing: Reclaiming Our Nobility
Juliana Adams
www.julianaadamsinc.com
Steamboat Springs Publishing
9780997200324, $25.00, HC, 256pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: Juliana Adams has lived her dream of being a nurse for 50 years. Her stories comprising the pages of "The Joy of Nursing: Reclaiming Our Nobility" are stunning and startling; raw and revealing; heart wrenching and heart soaring. In her eye-opening experiences, she provides a deeper perspective, always looking beyond the diagnosis, because every nurse is more than just a nurse! The Joy of Nursing: Reclaiming Our Nobility is provocative and riveting as the stories from new nurse to intuitive experienced nurse unfold. Far more than a memoir it is a rich journey from novice to expert, a concept with historical roots for all who enter this profession.

Critique: Exceptionally well written, organized and presented, "The Joy of Nursing: Reclaiming Our Nobility" is particularly commended to the attention of anyone who is a nurse or exploring nursing as a career; who is wondering what is true about being a nurse; and is questioning whether their nursing reality matches the dream of nursing that they once envisioned. While very highly recommended for community, nursing school, and academic library Health/Medicine collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "The Joy of Nursing: Reclaiming Our Nobility" is also available in a paperback edition (9780997200300, $20.00).


The Education Shelf

Never Wear White to a Jungle Juice Party and Other Legit College Tips and Hacks
Stattin Yates
Dream Think Be LLC
www.junglejuiceparty.com
9780997394511, $14.95, PB, 132pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: "Never Wear White to a Jungle Juice Party and Other Legit College Tips and Hacks" by Stattin Yates is specifically written for young men and women who are college bound. Whether staying close to home or venturing out on one's own, going to college is a new and sometimes scary experience! "Never Wear White to a Jungle Juice Party and Other Legit College Tips and Hacks" will reduce the anxiety of the unknown and new students to show up prepared with some advice that will help them in the dorm, in the classroom, in social situations, and in life! To cite two illustrative examples:

#23 Don't eat loud snacks in class. Being annoying is the quickest way to make enemies.

#39 If cheat sheets are allowed on tests, write small. You can fit far more words on a page when you type them versus write them, plus, they are way easier to read. If your notes are hand-written, consider transferring them to a computer.

Of special note is the inclusion of coloring pages for stress relief.

Critique: Practical, real-life based, exceptionally well organized and presented, "Never Wear White to a Jungle Juice Party and Other Legit College Tips and Hacks" should be considered to be mandatory reading for graduating high school seniors (or anyone else!) who is college bound. While very highly recommended for highschool and community library collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Never Wear White to a Jungle Juice Party and Other Legit College Tips and Hacks" is also available in a Kindle edition ($3.99).


The Business Shelf

Exit Signs
Pamela Dennis
www.pameladennisphd.com
Sustainable Business Press
c/o Six Degrees Publishing Group
www.SixDegreesPublishing.com
9781942497073, $29.95, PB, 298pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: In the next five to ten years, millions of small and mid-size business owners will try to sell their businesses. But an astonishing 87% of them don't have an exit plan. Specifically written for business owners needing to make a plan to transfer ownership of their business to someone else, "Exit Signs: The Expressway to Selling Your Company with Pride and Profit" is a comprehensive and exceptionally 'user friendly' guide to doing so safely, lawfully, and profitably. "Exit Signs" is about both the tactics of selling and the transitions of leaving. It provides a step-by-step map for selling any business in a way that produces the maximum profit. These steps bring business owners confidence and pride knowing their company will be in solid hands and they give the sellers of businesses greater serenity about the next chapter in their lives.

Critique: Practical, comprehensive, informed and informative, "Exit Signs: The Expressway to Selling Your Company with Pride and Profit" should be considered a "must" for anyone business owner thinking of selling their company or liquidating a company's assets. Simply stated, no corporate, community, or academic library Business Management instructional reference collections should be without a copy of "Exit Signs". For personal reading lists it should be noted that "Exit Signs" is also available in a Kindle edition ($15.95).


The International Studies Shelf

Let There Be Spring
Lofty Basta
Outskirts Press, Inc.
10940 S. Parker Road, #515, Parker, CO 80134
www.outskirtspress.com
9781478768807, $29.95, HC, 212pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: In "Let There Be Spring: Trump is Not the Future of Egypt", author, cardiologist, and academician Lofty Basta deals with such questions as: What happened to the "Arab Spring"? Was its derailment inevitable? What is the likelihood that Egypt will recover from her recent travails? Dr. Basta, was born and raised in Egypt and who is now an American citizen has always kept up with current events in his native country, Dr. Basta began documenting his reflections on Egypt's uprising and political turmoil in 2011, in the form of over fifty articles which he shared with opinion makers in America, Canada, Europe, Egypt, and many others connected to social media. He also conveyed them to Egyptian political leaders, heads of political parties, and ministers in government. "Let There Be Spring" is a compilation of these articles in their original form, representing the author's reactions and interpretations of events as they took place. Understandably, Egypt's citizens are anxious to see the fruits of their uprising, but a new chapter is being written and the story is by no means complete.

Critique: Informed and informative, thoughtful and thought-provoking, insightful and impressively reasoned, exceptionally well written, organized and presented, "Let There Be Spring: Trump is Not the Future of Egypt" is both a timely and highly recommended addition to community, college, and university library International Studies reference collections in general, and Contemporary Egyptian Political Science supplemental studies reading lists it particular. It should be noted for students and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "Let There Be Spring" is also available in a paperback edition (9781478768777, $14.95) and in a Kindle format ($2.99).


The American History Shelf

Thieves, Rascals & Sore Losers
Marilyn June Coffey
www.marilyncoffey.net
Omega Cottonwood Press
c/o CMI
9780996139915, $19.95, PB, 348pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: "Thieves, Rascals & Sore Losers: The Unsettling History of the Dirty Deals that Helped Settle Nebraska" is about the men and women who settled what was one day to become the state of Nebraska. They came, from Belgium and New Hampshire, from Ireland, Germany and Scandinavia, from the Chicago fire, and from the territories: Utah, Wyoming, Kansas, the Dakotas. Among them were cantankerous folk who brawled with one another about Indians, about border lines, about slavery, about who was the bigger imbecile. And then they fought the County Seat Wars in most of the 3,000 new counties. A thousand of those remaining ended up in south central Nebraska, scrapping about Harlan County and which still to be imagined town should hold the seat of government.

Critique: An impressively well researched, written, organized and presented regional history, "Thieves, Rascals & Sore Losers: The Unsettling History of the Dirty Deals that Helped Settle Nebraska" features a six page Selected Bibliography and a nine page Index. An extraordinary and consistently compelling read from beginning to end, "Thieves, Rascals & Sore Losers" is history as it is never taught in a classroom and a very highly recommended addition to community and academic library American History collections in general, and Nebraskan History supplemental studies lists in particular. For students and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the history of Nebraska, it should be noted that "Thieves, Rascals & Sore Losers" is also available in a Kindle edition ($4.49).


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


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