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Table of Contents
Reviewer's Choice
Be a Critical Thinker
Donald L. Karshner
Bullen Publishing Services
125 South Valley Road, Paoli, PA 19301
www.bullenpublishingservices.com
9780615783741, $8.99, 106 pp., www.amazon.com
Synopsis: When reading the newspaper, listening to politicians or discussing current events, how
can you determine whether the facts and opinions shared are truthful and accurate or misleading
and false? Donald L. Karshner has had a lifelong interest in developing critical thinking skills.
Inspired by his granddaughter, who was open to suggestions as she went off to college, Karshner
began compiling his advice on honing critical thinking. This book evolved from the few pages he
had written for his granddaughter. Be a Critical Thinker offers a clear process for applying
critical thinking skills to scrutinize ideas, facts and interpretations, even when they are
inconsistent or contradictory. By applying the skills of critical thinking, you will be better
equipped to clarify your thinking process, to intelligently critique what you read and hear, to
correct errors, to dispel misunderstandings and ignorance, and to make a positive contribution to
a discussion or debate.
Critique: Deftly organized into two major sections (A Process for Critical Thinking; Supplements
to a Process for Critical Thinking), Donald Karshner's "Be a Critical Thinker: Hone Your Mind
to Think Critically" is itself a model of rational thought and highly recommended and instructive.
Thoroughly 'reader friendly' in style and presentation, "Be a Critical Thinker: Hone Your Mind to
Think Critically" would make an excellent high school or college curriculum textbook
supplement for Philosophy or Political Science classes. Very highly recommended for
community and academic library collections, it should also be noted that "Be a Critical Thinker:
Hone Your Mind to Think Critically" is also available in a Kindle edition ($3.49).
Zentangle Inc. / Design Originals
www.zentangle.com
www.d-originals.com
c/o Dalyn Miller Public Relations
www.dalynmillerpr.com
Originally created by Rick Roberts and Maria Thomas, Zentangle is the creation of beautiful
images by drawing structured patterns. It is a process that requires no special artistic talent and
can be accomplished and enjoyed by people of all ages. Certified Zentangle Teacher Sandy Steen
Bartholomew has created three "Yoga For Your Brain" decks comprised of 40 instructional
Zentangle cards designed to teach original tangle designs with easy to use steps for completing
each design on the back of each card, plus nine bonus cards introducing basic tangling methods.
These cards can be flipped to assemble a mind-bending puzzle. The three primary decks of tangle
cards include "Yoga For Your Brain: Original Edition" (9781574213560, $9.99); "Yoga For
Your Brain: Totally Tangled Edition" (9781574213577, $9.99); and "Yoga For Your Brain: Kids
Edition (9781574213584, $9.99). There is also a "Yoga For Your Brain: 20 Blank Tangle Cards"
(9781574213591, $3.99) set that will allow Zentangle enthusiasts to create their own designs
using the Zentangle method. Entertaining, relaxing, meditative, these decks designed by Sandy
Steen Bartholomew are very highly recommended -- especially for those new to the delights of
Zentangle.
Growing Through The Narrow Spots
Ruth Bachman
Tristan Publishing
2355 Louisiana Avenue North
Golden Valley, MN 55427
www.tristanpublishing.com
9780931674778, $16.95, 40 pp., www.amazon.com
Synopsis: "Growing Through The Narrow Spots" offers a timeless message about the one
constant in life, change. Beautifully pairing inspiring texts with thematically appropriate visual
images, "Growing Through The Narrow Spots" provides a model for managing change
whole-heartedly; with resilience, courage, and grace.
Critique: A beautifully produced volume, "Growing Through The Narrow Spots" is as thoughtful
and thought-provoking, as it is a pleasure for simple browsing, making it ideal for gift giving and
especially recommended for community library Memorial Fund acquisitions.
The Biography Shelf
The Last Guru
Paul R. W. Jackson
Dance Books
c/o Princeton Book Company
614 Route 130, Highstown, NJ 08520
www.dancehorizons.com
9781852731625, $33.95, 404 pp., www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Robert Cohan is part of the pantheon of American contemporary choreographers which
includes Alvin Ailey and Paul Taylor. Like them he follows in the tradition of their teacher
Martha Graham whose works were grounded in finding through dance a way to express the
human condition, in all its forms. This he has done in over fifty works, from early solos and duets
to large group works which have been performed by contemporary and ballet companies around
the world. A distinguished teacher, choreographer and advocate for dance, he has shaped the
lives of generations of dance artists. Robert Cohan joined the Martha Graham Dance Company in
1946 and left it 23 years later when he was invited by Robin Howard to become the first Artistic
Director of the Contemporary Dance Trust in London and as such was the founder Artistic
Director of The Place, London Contemporary Dance School and London Contemporary Dance
Theatre, which he directed for over 20 years. As director of LCDT he created many works for the
Company in collaboration with leading composers and designers, including the classics, Cell,
Stabat Mater, Forest and Nymphaeas. No one has had a greater influence on the development of
dance in Britain than Cohan. Having pioneered the teaching of contemporary dance technique in
Britain, he was instrumental in the development of a vast following, not only for the repertory of
LCDT but through his pioneering residencies held throughout the country, for the many other
British companies which followed. From 1980 to 1990 he acted as the Artistic Advisor to the
Batsheva Dance Company and choreographed several works for them and the Bat Dor Company
in Israel. He has been continually in demand as a director of choreographic courses, notably the
International Course for Professional Choreographers and Composers which he directed six
times. Since 1989 he has been working freelance and has choreographed ballets for Scottish
Ballet as well as companies in Germany and Italy. "The Last Guru: Robert Cohan's Life In
Dance, From Martha Graham To London Contemporary Dance Company" is based on extensive
interviews with Cohan, his family, friends and colleagues.
Critique: An exhaustive, deftly written, documented, and detailed biography of the life and work
of Robert Cohan, ""The Last Guru: Robert Cohan's Life In Dance, From Martha Graham To
London Contemporary Dance Company" is a definitive and highly recommended account that
should grace academic library 20th Century Dance History collections if they are to be
considered comprehensive.
Army Flunkies And Colorado Junkies
Jed Donavan
Tate Publishing
127 East Trade Center Terrace, Mustang, OK 73064
9781628542189, $13.99, 212 pp., www.tatepublishing.com
Synopsis: After failing his Army enlistment physical in the early 1970s, Jed Donavan engaged in
a downward spiral into alcoholism, drug abuse, and 'bad company' in the form of a group of
rebellious 'white hippies' from New York. After being expelled from a small mountain town in
Colorado, the group moves into the Denver's Five Points (a black ghetto area known as Little
Harlem). There Donavan and the group they embed themselves int a mixed subculture of drugs,
booze, gambling, and rap music -- and Old Jones, a bootlegger well versed in this world of
pimps, whores, drug dealers, death by overdose and murder. Somehow Donvanan survives all
this to emerge with a master's degree in psychology and working with more than one thousand
addicts to overcome their addictions, while himself remaining drug and alcohol free for the past
thirty years.
Critique: Candid, honest, gritty, intensely personal, thoughtful and thought-provoking, "Army
Flunkies And Colorado Junkies" is a unique and exceptionally well written memoir. Very highly
recommended for personal reading lists, as well as community and academic library 20th Century
American Biography collections.
Race With The Devil
Joseph Pearce
Saint Benedict Press
PO Box 410487, Charlotte, NC 28241
www.saintbenedictpress.com
9781618900654, $22.95, 265 pp., www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Before he was the world s foremost Catholic biographer, Joseph Pearce was a leader of
the National Front, a British-nationalist, white-supremacist group. Before he published books
highlighting and celebrating the great Catholic cultural tradition, he disseminated literature
extolling the virtues of the white race, and calling for the banishment of all non-white from
Britain. Pearce and his cohorts were at the center of the racial and nationalist tensions - often
violent - that swirled around London in the late-1970s and early 80s. Eventually Pearce became a
top member of the National Front, and the editor of its newspaper, The Bulldog. He was a
full-time revolutionary. In 1982 he was imprisoned for six months for hate speech, but he came
out with more anger, and more resolve. Several years later, he was imprisoned again, this time
for a year and it spurred a sea change in his life. In Race with the Devil: My Journey from Racial
Hatred to Rational Love, Pearce himself takes the reader through his journey from racist
revolutionary to Christian.
Critique: Candid, personal, insightful, deftly written and utterly engaging from first page to last,
"Race With the Devil: My Journey from Racial Hatred to Rational Love" deserves as wide a
readership as is possible in this age of racial and religion-based terrorism. Highly recommended
for community library collections, it should be noted that "Race With the Devil: My Journey
from Racial Hatred to Rational Love" is also available in a Kindle edition ($8.98).
Coach for a Nation
Jim Lefebvre
Great Day Press
c/o Cardinal Publishers Group (dist.)
2402 N. Shadeland Ave., Suite A
Indianapolis, IN 46219
9780981884127 $30.00 www.cardinalpub.com
Coach for a Nation: The Life and Times of Knute Rockne is the first comprehensive biography of
legendary 20th century football coach Knute Rockne (1888-1931). As a player and later coach of
Notre Dame's Fighting Irish team, Rockne was as skilled at oratory as coaching; he also dared to
stand against the Ku Klux Klan and their anti-Catholic vitriol. When he suddenly perished in a
plane crash, America lost a giant of the sports world far too soon. A handful of vintage black-
and-white photographs and an index round out Coach for a Nation, the detailed and definitive life
story of this extraordinary man. Highly recommended.
The Fiction Shelf
The Man Who Built Boxes And Other Stories
Frank Tavares
Bacon Press Books
www.baconpressbooks.com
9780988877955, $9.99, 238 pp., www.amazon.com
Synopsis: "The Man Who Built Boxes And Other Stories" is a twelve short story anthology that
showcases the literary storytelling talents of Frank Tavares. The themes of Tavares' original
stories range from deteriorating marriages, to disputing neighbors, to disagreeing partners, to lost
love, and more. The stories include: My First Ex-Wife's Third Wedding; The Illustrated Sally;
The Neighbors; Why Jimmy Mendoza hated the Late Tamale Jones; Max Ryland Meets the
Devil; Accident with a View; Girl in a Box; Woman with a Gun; When It's Over; Antonio's
Yard; Doin' the Laundry; and the title piece, The Man Who Built Boxes. Of special note is the
inclusion of an excerpt from Tavares' 'Diggin Up Mr. Bradley'.
Critique: Each story is a minor masterpiece of the writer's craft. The totality of this outstanding
collection, while thoroughly entertaining from beginning to end, is also thoughtful and
thought-provoking and while works of fiction, resonate with real life experiences of us all. "The
Man Who Built Boxes And Other Stories" is highly recommended for personal reading lists and
community library collections. It should be noted that "The Man Who Built Boxes And Other
Stories" is also available in a Kindle edition ($2.99).
The Architect Of Law
Michael Jeffrey Blair
Novabook Publishing
2104 Holly Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90068
9780989489645, $15.95, 410 pp., www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Two men. One a wealthy corporate lawyer from Los Angeles to whom success has
come easy. The other a former homeless child from the streets of Rio aching for the big money.
Both are reaching for something impossible, something that has always eluded them. For
ascending law firm associate Randal DeVergeres, success had come without much effort. He is
riding high on a free-running global economy that has reordered the world. He had attended the
right schools, cultivated the right contacts, made the right investments... he just assumed it would
never end. But now, his life has become confused and he is no longer driven by his inner
purpose. He cares little for the world where nations find themselves losing control over their own
destinies. He is preoccupied with expensive cars, trouble with women and mingling with the
moneyed and successful. At the same time another man grew up living on the streets of Rio
aching for the big money, one of the estimated 40-million homeless children in South America.
With inhuman strength, he had just barely clawed his way out of the nihilistic poverty
surrounding him, but it put him under the thumb of an enigmatic patriarch. He knew life was
precarious for men born without shirts. Now they find themselves in the middle of the Brazilian
gold rush up the Amazon in a floating gold town named Boca de Lobo. Cut off from civilization,
the lawyer is suddenly confronted with the brutal nature of law and his own failures deep in the
rainforest. When these two desperate lives cross in a lawless town on the Amazon during the
greatest gold rush in history, neither will ever be the same again. Both are reaching for something
impossible, something that has always eluded them. Pursued by dreams in the booming gold
fields of the Amazon they will find it.
Critique: "The Architect Of Law" clearly documents author Michael Jeffrey Blair as having a
literary talent for weaving a complex and skillfully crafted novel populated with memorable
characters against a background of contemporary social issues frame worked within a Brazilian
landscape. Inherently engaging and deftly written from beginning to end, "The Architect Of Law"
is especially recommended for community library Contemporary Fiction Collections. It should be
noted that "The Architect Of Law" is also available in a Kindle edition ($9.99).
The Pool Theory
Alexa Nazzaro
Two Pigeons Press
103 Michigan Avenue
Pointe-Claire, Quebec, H9R 3V7, Canada
www.thepooltheory.com
9780991816132, $13.95, 308 pp., www.amazon.com
Synopsis: If you asked Kye Penton what his greatest accomplishment is, he'd probably say
surviving years of bullying with nothing but his only friend Anthony and movies like The
Godfather and anything by Quentin Tarantino to get by. Sure, there are scars, like the social
phobia he can't seem to shake off despite the self-help books he stashes in his bedroom, but at
fifteen, things are finally looking up. By some miracle, Claudia in English likes him, and Julian
is both his new friend and a super cool guy in general. It looks like Kye's days of being an outcast
are ancient history - until Annie Cooper shows up: pregnant and claiming the baby is his. Kye's
life quickly unravels as he's pulled into a nightmare bigger than any bullying he has ever
survived. A young adult contemporary novel that tackles teen pregnancy, bullying and social
anxiety head-on, The Pool Theory is an honest depiction of what it means to live out the
so-called best years of your life when all you want to do is disappear off the face of the
earth.
Critique: Although written for a teenage readership, "The Pool Theory" is so well crafted that this
young adult contemporary novel will be enjoyed by anyone of any age who appreciated a well
crafted work of fiction that addresses such significant issues as teen pregnancy, adolescent social
anxiety, and the pervasive problem of bullying. Highly recommended for both school and
community library YA fiction collections, it should be noted that "The Pool Theory" is also
available in a Kindle edition ($2.91).
Brain
Dermot Davis
Expression Unleashed Publishing
201 SE 2nd Avenue, Suite 109
Gainesville, FL 32601
www.expressionunleashed.com
9780984418138, $9.59, 224 pp., www.amazon.colm
Synopsis: What if the most influential book in the history of mankind was not a religious or
spiritual book but a satire of a self-help book written by a crazy person? All Daniel Waterstone
ever wanted to do was write the great American novel and change the landscape of modern
literature forever. He has two literary books in print but no one's buying. His agent won't even
accept his latest masterpiece which he poured his soul into: apparently, it's not commercial
enough. In a final act of desperation, under the pseudonym of Charles Spectrum, he writes a
feverish satire on a Transformational, Self-help best-seller that's currently topping the charts.
Intended as a parody, "How to do Amazing Things Using Only Your Brain," similar to the
best-seller, contains crazy and hilarious exercises on how to increase one's brain power. Instead
of being published as satire, however, it hits the shelves with all the other serious pop
psychology, self-improvement books. It becomes a huge hit. People all around the world are
doing unbelievably zany exercises to improve themselves. Even crazier still: they're getting
results. Readers are levitating, bending spoons and seeing into the future. Daniel becomes one of
the most desired talk show guests and is soon lionized by agents and publicists. Seminars are
organized and what was intended as a joke takes on a huge life of its own. To complicate things
further, Daniel falls in love with a beautiful woman who adores him as Charles Spectrum, the
guru. If she was informed of his earlier incarnation as a penniless, failed author, would she still
love him? Daniel knows that at some point he must choose between the celebrity author gravy
train or, being true to his self and to his art, return to the pits of poverty, obscurity and perhaps,
worst of all, most likely lose the woman of his dreams.
Critique: "Brain: The Man Who Wrote the Book That Changed the World" is ironic, iconoclastic,
and pure entertainment from first page to last. It is also based upon an all-to-familiar scenario
common to almost anyone who has written their version of the 'Great American Novel' only to
have it (and them) rejected by an unappreciative publishing community and a culture that values
pop culture absurdity over literary erudition. Highly entertaining, "Brain: The Man Who Wrote
the Book That Changed the World" is recommended reading -- especially for anyone who has
ever set about trying to get something of quality published only to see hackneyed flack work be
received enthusiastically by an undiscerning public. It should be noted that "Brain: The Man
Who Wrote the Book That Changed the World" is also available in a Kindle edition ($2.99).
Also highly recommended is author Dermot Davis' earlier novel, "Stormy Weather"
(9780984418114, $8.99 pb, $2.99 Kindle).
Whirlwind
Marv Gold
Magi Books
3901 Ashford Street, San Diego, CA 92111
9781467554466, $21.95, 216 pp., www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Where does love go? Scarlett had no idea. Rhett wasn't sure. But some people wonder
where did their love go? Out the door? Into the wind? For the first time the world's best-selling
book, "Gone With the Wind" (and the movie too) are laid bare in the untold story of Marv Gold's
novel "Whirlwind". Never before have the deals and details of the film been revealed.
"Whirlwind" tells the inside story and steps that put the movie on course to become a supreme
cinematic achievement.
Critique: In "Whirlwind", author Marv Gold has done full and complete justice to Margaret
Mitchell's classic novel and her roster of unforgettable characters. Solid entertainment from
beginning to end, "Whirlwind" is especially recommended to all "Gone With The Wind" fans and
would make an enduringly popular addition to community library fiction collections.
Prospice
Karen Kelly
Legitur Books
c/o RMA Publicity
www.prospicenovel.com
9780989320016, $17.95, 390 pp., www.amazon.com www.bn.com
Synopsis: Struggling to move on with her life after she loses her husband in World War II,
Caroline Hunt brings her two daughters back to her childhood home in Salem, Massachusetts.
Caroline's chance meeting with her college sweetheart leads to a complex union that weaves two
families together, bringing both great joy and heartrending sorrow. At the center of this
compelling drama is the simmering, uncontainable attraction felt by step-siblings Dinah and Tru.
A profoundly stirring story of young people on the brink of adulthood and the stark realities of
family life-including harrowing grief and the consequences of long-buried secrets-Prospice is
rich with psychological detail and unforgettably delineated characters. In elegant prose and
pitch-perfect period detail, Karen Kelly draws us deep inside the lives of her characters, offering
poignant humor along with page-turning suspense that will captivate readers to the very last,
revealing page. Prospice is Latin for "look ahead," an apt designation for this beautifully wrought
debut novel that evocatively portrays several generations of vividly drawn women, in the story of
a family that learns, through sorrow and loss, to find happiness and the strength to look
ahead.
Critique: Her debut effort as a novelist, Karen Kelly demonstrates a superb literary talent for crafting a complex story populated with engaging characters that attract and hold the reader's interest from beginning to end. A thoughtful and entertaining effort, readers will be looking forward to her next novel with great anticipation. Highly recommended reading, it should also be noted that "Prospice" is available in hardcover (9780989320009, $28.95), paperback (9780989320016, $17.95) and Kindle ($5.99) editions, through both Amazon and Barnes & Noble.
Stormy Weather
Dermot Davis
Expression Unleashed Publishing
201 SE 2nd Avenue, Suite 109
Gainesville, FL 32601
www.expressionunleashed.com
9780984418114, $8.99, 132 pp., www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Robert Munro, a therapist specializing in dream interpretation, awoke one morning to
find himself in a dream from which he could not awaken. Experiencing first hand the limitations
of his own training and theories, he must solve the puzzle of his own dream in order to break free
from its bondage. In the process, he'll better understand himself, other people, and the nature of
consciousness itself.
Critique: With "Stormy Weather", novelist Dermot Davis has deftly crafted a minor literary
masterpiece. Fully engaging from beginning to end, this fictional portrayal of the role of dreams
with respect to human behavior is as entertaining as it is thoughtful and thought-provoking. Very
highly recommended for personal reading lists and community library contemporary fiction
collections, it should also be noted that "Stormy Weather" is also available in a Kindle edition
($2.99).
Wanting You
Becca Siller
Inkwater Press
6750 SW Franklin Street, Suite A
Portland, OR 97223-2542
www.inkwaterpress.com
9781592999347, $14.95, 302 pp., www.amazon.com
Synopsis: After a bad break-up from her abusive ex-boyfriend Tony, Charlotte McElroy and her
best friend Riley Tate decide to let loose in Las Vegas. Even though she has sworn off men,
Charlotte finds herself powerless against her attraction to a gorgeous dark-haired movie star. His
charming sense of humor and good looks are a lethal combination against her resolve to not get
involved with a man like him. Wyatt Grayson and Miles Porter embark on a weekend of drinking
and partying with their good friend and fellow actor Jesse. On a short break from filming the
second installment of the Forced Romance trilogy, the trio find themselves at the mercy of the
two beautiful women. Wyatt and Charlotte never intended to fall in love but when she's attacked
by her former boyfriend, Wyatt quickly learns that he can't live without her. Charlotte finds
herself clinging to Wyatt for her own salvation from her nightmare. But can their love withstand
the broken road they find themselves on? Can it prevail despite Wyatt's promiscuous history, the
temptation posed by ever-present and ever-willing bimbos, the geographic distance between
them, and his demanding film schedule? Or will the turmoil of Charlotte's past, Wyatt's troubled
childhood, and the threat posed by Tony keep them forever apart?
Critique: A complex and sophisticated novel of human relationships and sexuality, "Wanting
You" is highly recommended for an adult readership. Highly recommended reading, "Wanting
You" deftly combines finely crafted characters with a truly memorable storyline will engage the
reader's total attention from beginning to end.
Lady Gwendolyn
Magnolia Belle, author
Susan Helene Gottfried, editor
Black Wolf Books
http://blackwolfbooks.com
9780984287581, $17.99, 414 pp., www.amazon.com
Synopsis: In early medieval days, bandits beset a caravan taking Lady Gwendolyn Hampton of
England to marry Angus Dewar in Scotland. In the confusion, she escapes, while the bandits
think her maid, Madeleine, is her. From one peril to another, Madeleine must keep the ruse in
order to stay alive. Lady Gwendolyn's brother, Lord Richard Hampton, wants Madeleine as his
consort, and tries to rescue her. Through betrayal, intrigue and murder, she becomes a woman of
title, and must decide if she wants the life he offers.
Critique: A richly woven and complex historical novel, "Lady Gwendolyn" by Magnolia Belle is
a rewarding and entertaining read that will fully capture the reader's attention and hold it firmly
from beginning to end. A deftly crafted story set in a fully believable medieval setting, "Lady
Gwendolyn" is highly recommended reading and would make an enduringly popular addition to
community library Historical Fiction collections. It should be noted that "Lady Gwendolyn" is
also available in both hardcover (9781939332028, $26.99) and Kindle ($4.99) editions.
The Treasure Cave
Reg Down
Lightly Press
6187 Greenhaven Drive, Sacramento, CA 95831
9781492832409, $16.75, 172 pp., www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Tiptoes Lightly loves the sea, and when Farmer John and his children, Tom Nutcracker
and June Berry, drive to the seaside for Thanksgiving she goes along with them. Tom and June
discover a freshly uncovered cave in the bluffs that run along the shore. They call it their
Treasure Cave just for fun, but then find seven beautiful pearls and a finely wrought golden chain
buried in the sand. Tiptoes sets out to find the story behind the pearls, and soon a delicate web of
tales begins to unfold. Stretching back to the creation of the world, they weave together until
Tiptoes and the children are caught up in the ongoing drama between the Sea King and his lovely
daughter.
Critique: A deftly crafted novel by an experience and talented author and illustrator of books for
children, "The Treasure Cave" continues the Tiptoes Lightly stories with its superbly drawn
characters and thoroughly engaging storyline. Wonderfully entertaining, "The Treasure Cave" is
especially recommended for young readers ages 6 through 10 and will make an enduringly
popular addition to both school and community library children's fiction collections. Also very
highly recommended for young readers are Reg Down's previous children's books: "Tales of
Tiptoes Lightly" (9781453806340, $14.95); "Eggs for the Hunting: starring Pine Cone and
Pepper Pot and the illimitable Tiptoes Lightly" (9781470030018, $14.95); "The Lost Lagoon"
(9781453801963, $16.50); "The Magic Knot ~ and other tangles!: A making tale comedy starring
Pine Cone and Pepper Pot and the lovely Tiptoes Lightly" (9781453811573, $14.95) and "The
Midsummer Mouse: Midsummer Tales of Tiptoes Lightly and the Summer Queen"
(9781484871959, $16.50).
Signed Confessions
Tom Walker
Fomite
58 Peru Street, Burlington, VT 05401
www.tomwalker-blogspot.com
9781937677367, $15.00, 312 pp., www.amazon.com
Synopsis: "Signed Confessions" is an anthology of Tom Walker's darkly funny short stories
where guilt and a desperate need to repent drive the antiheroes to take action. Here readers will
encounter a gullible journalist who falls for the 40-year-old stripper he profiles in a magazine; a
faithless husband who abandons his family and joins a support group for lost souls; a merciless
prosecuting attorney grappling with the suicide of his gay son; an aging misanthrope who must
make amends to five former victims; an egoistic naval hero haunted by apparitions of his dead
wife and a mysterious little girl. These seven tales comprising "Signed Confessions" measure
how far guilty men will go to obtain a forgiveness no one can grant but themselves.
Critique: The seven stories forming "Signed Confessions" provides ample documentation of Tom
Walker as an accomplished writer who is able to engage his readers with unusual but
exceptionally well crafted and riveting tales of the human condition. "Signed Confessions" is
recommended for mature readers. It should be noted that "Signed Confessions" is also available
in a Kindle edition ($9.99).
The Pink Bra Archaeologist
Edward Dayne Curry
Merlin & Associates
963 Quail Run Quay, Virginia Beach, VA 23452
9780981468471, $15.99, www.pinkbraarchaeologist.com
The definition of a novel is a long prose narrative that describes fictional characters and events,
usually in the form of a sequential story. The definition of Edward Curry's novel "The Pink Bra
Archaeologist" is 498 page of superbly crafted entertainment. Drawing upon a Mayan/Inca blend
of historical facts, a contemporary archaeological dig, and a roster of memorable characters
embedded in a storyline rife with romance and adventure, "The Pink Bra Archaeologist" clearly
documents Edward Curry's ability to provide his readers with plot twists and turns that will keep
their total and engaged attention from beginning to end. A wonderfully crafted read, "The Pink
Bra Archaeologist" is highly recommended and would make an enduringly popular addition to
community library fiction collections. For those to whom "The Pin Bra Archaeologist" is their
first encounter with Curry's literary talent, they will be pleased to learn about his three earlier
works that also have Mayan themes: Temple of the Two Jaguars (9780981468402, $15.00 (pb),
$.99 (Kindle); 2012 Maya End Dates: A New Beginning (9780981468426, $18.95); and 2012: A
New Maya Nation Emerges (9780981468433, $18.95).
The Mystery/Suspense Shelf
Only on the Radio
Jean Ann Geist
Eli Kenoah Enterprises
PO Box 1283, Bowling Green, OH 43402
9780989172004, $14.95, 296 pp., www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Past and present collide as widow Liz McAlister and deejay David Morales' lives
become entangled with a deranged stalker. Set amidst a tapestry of Northwest Ohio's fertile
farmlands, "Only on the Radio" rocks the status quo, pitting the security of the known against the
threats... and possibilities... of an uncertain future. Author Jean Ann Geist weaves stained glass
artistry, a gardening legacy, and a passion for the local landscape-from the Lake Erie islands to
the remnants of the Great Black Swamp-into a richly layered story of romance and intrigue. She
has peppered her cast with seasoned characters, some of whom will be familiar to readers of her
earlier novel-with a promise to delight fans both new and old!
Critique: A smoothly woven yet complex novel, "Only on the Radio" will have a very special
appeal to readers who would enjoy a well crafted story of cross-culture small town romance that
is superbly tempered with elements of mystery, intrigue, suspense and surprise. Highly
recommended for personal reading lists and community library collections, it should be noted
that "Only on the Radio" is also available in a Kindle edition ($3.99).
Win, Place, or Die
Les Roberts with Dan S. Kennedy
Gray & Company, Publishers
1588 E. 40th St.
Cleveland, OH 44103
9781938441370 $24.95 www.grayco.com
Win, Place, or Die is the latest hard-boiled mystery novel featuring Cleveland P.I. Milan
Jacovich, as well as his new associate Kevin "K.O." O'Bannion, whose eagerness to learn the P.I.
business attracts trouble like sugar draws ants. Investigating the murder of a rich horse owner and
investment professional. The victim was loved by few... and could he have ties to the local mob
boss spotted at his funeral? Death, jealousy, and hot money pepper this exciting and suspenseful
novel, in which shifty humans may have as short a life expectancy as the racehorses they
back!
The Fantasy/SciFi Shelf
Casualties Of War
Bennet R. Coles
Promontory Press
c/o Author Marketing Experts
PO Box 421156, San Diego, CA 92142
B00CLUJEY0, Kindle $6.99, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: With a colonial rebellion put down, the veterans of Expeditionary Force 15 can return
to Earth. But the welcome they may have expected isn't waiting for them. Finding themselves in
a world that is in some ways just as hostile as the colonial battlegrounds, the veterans must hold
close to each other amongst the chaos of a peace no-one thinks will hold, combatting enemies
from without and, most of all, from within.
Critique: This is the sequel to Bennet Coles' outstanding novel "Virtues of War" and the science
fiction world of the Terran Astral Force. Coles once again demonstrates a remarkable and
imaginative talent for storytelling that is able to grip the readers total attention from beginning to
end -- and leave those readers looking eagerly toward his next book. Simply stated, "Casualties
Of War" is very highly recommended reading, especially for action/adventure science fiction
enthusiasts.
The Cookbook Shelf
Backpackers' Ultra Food
Cinny Green
Western Edge Press
126 Candelario Street, Santa Fe, NM 87501
www.westernedgepress.com
9781889921518, $16.95, 128 pp., www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Backpacking through wilderness areas and national parks is a laborious but very
rewarding experience. Backpackers' Ultra Food offers strategies and recipes for creating and
dehydrating one-pot wonders made of the tastiest, lightest, most nourishing and restorative food
and provides information on the nutritional demands incurred by hikers; advice for nourishing
and tasty food choices; instructions on simple food preparation and dehydration techniques;
guidance on creating a lightweight camp kitchen; a culinary wealth of great and hiker-friendly
recipes for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks -- and a great deal more!
Critique: Portable, 'user friendly', superbly organized and presented, Ginny Green's "Backpackers'
Ultra Food" is enthusiastically recommended for personal, family, and community library
collections.
Le Livre Blanc
Anne-Sophie Pic
Jacqui Small LLP
c/o Dalyn Miller Public Relations
www.dalynmillerpr.com
9781909342118, $60.00, www.amazon.com
Anne-Sophie Pic is the only French female chef to be awarded 3 Michelin stars. In "Le Livre
Blanc", Chef Pic provides American family cooks with a 240 page compendium of fifty superbly
presented modern recipes for culinary creations that will please any palate, satisfy any appetite,
and enhance any dining occasion from informal family meals to formal state dining occasions.
For example. Chef Pic provides step-by-step instructions for creating Blue Lobster (lobster
consomme with red fruits and a frothy cream of celery with pepper); Garnished strawberries with
babas soaked in dark rum and strawberry sauce; and Breton langoustines with country rhubarb,
green celery juice and Tasmanian green pepper. An erudite, elegant, culinary cornucopia of fine
dining, "Le Livre Blanc" is enthusiastically recommended for personal, professional, family, and
community library cookbook collections.
The Jobs/Careers Shelf
How To Get A Job While In High School And Beyond
Bob Striegel
Carpenters Son Publishing
www.highschooljobscoach.com
Business Ink (publicity)
9780989372213, $9.95, 96 pp., www.amazon.com
Synopsis: How To Get A Job While In High School and Beyond is a book for both parent and
child. Author and highschool job coach Bob Striegel takes the reader through a step by step
process for getting a first job. Covering all aspects of the job search and application process,
"How To Get A Job While In High School And Beyond" is the foundation for every job anyone
would ever be interview for. It gives the job seeking individual an advantage over the other
applicants, and allows the parents and their teenager to connect on a common goal. In addition to
offering common sense and practical advice for life, "How To Get A Job While In High School
And Beyond" has sample interview questions and answers that will give the reader the poise and
confidence he/she needs when going for an interview.
Critique: Short, succinct, practical, comprehensive, 'real world' oriented, and thoroughly 'user
friendly', Bob Striegel's "How To Get A Job While In High School And Beyond" will prove to be
an invaluable instruction guide for teens (and adults!) on how to land a suitable job while in
school, during the summer, and even after graduation! Highly recommended for both high school
and community library Jobs/Careers collections, it should also be noted that "How To Get A Job
While In High School And Beyond" is also available in a Kindle edition ($5.95).
The Metaphysical Studies Shelf
Your Soul Remembers
Joann DiMaggio
Rainbow Ridge Books
c/o Sgarlat Publicity
PO Box 4204, Charlottesville, VA 22905-4204
9781937907174, $17.95, 224 pp., www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Your Soul Remembers is proof positive that answers to questions about your past lives
are at the tip of your finger. Author and past-life specialist, Joanne DiMaggio, conducted a
groundbreaking research project, combining past-life regression and a form of inspirational
writing she calls Soul Writing. With the help of fifty volunteers, ranging in age from 23 to 81,
Joanne regressed each to the past life that was having the most impact on them now. After the
regression but while they were still in an altered state of consciousness she placed a pen in their
hand and a journal on their lap and instructed them to ask their soul for information about that
lifetime that eluded them in the regression. While they wrote, she also wrote, asking her Source
for information she could share. The results were astonishing.
Critique: A unique and very special contribution to the field of Past Life Regression Studies,
"Your Soul Remembers" is as informed and informative as it is thoughtful and
thought-provoking. Exceptionally well written and presented, "Your Soul Remembers" will
prove to be a welcome and enduringly popular addition to personal, community, and academic
library Metaphysical Studies reference collections and supplemental reading lists.
The Education Shelf
Mission Forsaken
John D. Murphy
Proving Ground Education
www.provinggroundeducation.com
9780966968316, $16.95, 286 pp., www.amazon.com
Synopsis: University of Phoenix co-founder John D. Murphy's inside account of the nearly
twenty-year struggle to overcome opposition by many in traditional higher education to a
for-profit nontraditional institution that integrated higher education into the lives of its students
rather than students integrating their lives into higher education. Mission Forsaken chronicles
what transpired as the result of its holding company, Apollo Group, going public, including the
forsaking of its founding mission of solely meeting the educational needs of working adult
learners to accept virtually anyone for enrollment holding a high school diploma or GED.
Mission Forsaken concludes with a call for the establishment of a "gainful education" standard to
replace admission to an accredited institution as the qualification for the receipt of federally
guaranteed student loans and grants. Murphy argues that the requirement of a gainful education
standard--all student loan recipients must evidence the capacity to benefit gainfully from all tax
supported postsecondary education--together with a prohibition of the expenditure of tax dollars
for remediation for persons admitted to accredited postsecondary institutions is the only way
public K-12 education will ever be reformed.
Critique: As informed and informative as it is thoughtful and thought-provoking, "Mission
Forsaken--The University of Phoenix Affair With Wall Street" provides a true insider's insights
into one of the previously obscured aspects of the American education system and the federal
government's relationship to institutions of 'higher learning'. The tension between the goals of
academia and corporate values is transparently laid out. Thoroughly 'reader friendly', "Mission
Forsaken--The University of Phoenix Affair With Wall Street" is an important and highly
recommended contribution to professional and academic library Contemporary Educational
studies reference collections and supplemental reading lists.
The Self-Help Shelf
A Call To Magic
Mitch Williams
Mitch Williams Magic Productions
665 South First Avenue, Canton, IL 61520
www.mitchinspires.com
9781479320349, $12.99, 246 pp., www.amazon.com
Synopsis: In the world of self-help and personal transformation, "magic" has become a wildly
popular term. Does it take a magician to change ourselves and our world? In "Personal
Transformation Help: A Call to Magic - the Artful Science of Transforming Self and World"
readers obtain a fresh perspective on bringing real magic into their lives -- from a real life
magician. As an international award winning professional magician, Mitch Williams understands
the power of transforming our perceptions of the world we see. As a long-time, avid student and
authority on creativity, peak performance, and personal transformation, he has keen insights into
how to apply this shift in perceptions to attain more success, fulfillment, and peace of mind in
every aspect of our everyday lives. "Call to Magic" is filled with practical suggestions on how to
radically alter our perspective on life and the world around us and live a life of true magic and
inspiration. We can even transform the world by changing our own approach to it.
Critique: Simply stated, if you only have time to read one self-help, self-improvement
instructional guide, then make it "Personal Transformation Help: A Call to Magic - the Artful
Science of Transforming Self and World". Thoroughly 'user friendly' in both tone and content,
Mitch Williams is a truly gifted communicator and his "A Call To Magic" will prove to be an
enduringly popular addition to community library Self Help reference collections. It should be
noted that "A Call To Magic" is also available in a Kindle edition ($1.99).
The Christian Studies Shelf
One in the Lord
Susan Muto
New City Press
202 Cardinal Rd., Hyde Park, NY 12538
www.newcitypress.com
9781565484825, $12.95, 128 pp., www.amazon.com
Synopsis: In "One in the Lord: Living Our Call to Christian Community", Susan Muto
(Executive Director and Co-Founder of Epiphany Associations), challenges us to turn away from
the cultural impulse toward me-centeredness. By word and deed, Jesus teaches us not to place
ourselves at the center of anything. Muto maps out the factors that work against our being one in
the Lord - both egotism and self-criticism, the demands of modern worklife, technology's
propensity to isolate us from one another, our preconceptions about the right way to proceed, and
the difficulty of forgiveness. She proposes intentionally orienting ourselves toward communion
with God and others. Muto offers practical suggestions for how to discover the freedom of
starting again when we've forgotten to begin each day looking for ways to 'love first' and to seek
God's will in each daily action. Reflection questions after each chapter make the book perfect for
sharing the journey toward communion in a parish or formation program.
Critique: Of special note are the 'Questions for Reflections' that conclude each individual chapter,
making "One in the Lord: Living Our Call to Christian Community" a thoughtfully inspiring and
highly recommended read that is especially recommended to any and every Christian seeking to
live a faith-based life within their spiritual community.
Listen to Your Blessed Mother
Gary E. Zimak
Liguori Publications
www.liguori.org
9780764823756, $10.99, www.amazon.com
According to Roman Catholic religious tradition, Mary (1st century BC - early 1st century AD)
was an Israelite Jewish woman of Nazareth in Galilee and the mother of Jesus Christ. Among her
many titles are Saint Mary, Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God, and Virgin Mary. She is
identified in the New Testament as the mother of Jesus through divine intervention. Christians
hold her son Jesus to be Christ (i.e., the messiah) and God the Son Incarnate (see Trinitarian
monotheism). "Listen to Your Blessed Mother: Mary's Words in Scripture " by Gary E. Zimak
(founder of 'Following The Truth', a lay apostolate dedicated to teaching the truths of the
Catholic faith) is a 144 page compendium comprised of instructive commentary on Mary's
messages to all Christians that is both biblically based and personal. Organized into three major
sections (Spoken Words; Unspoken Words; Selected Marian Prayers), "Listen to Your Blessed
Mother: Mary's Words in Scripture" is as informed and informative as it is inspired and inspiring.
Simply stated, "Listen to Your Blessed Mother: Mary's Words in Scripture" will prove
enlightened reading and is highly recommended for both Catholics and non-Catholics alike.
Beyond the Text: Franciscan Art and Construction of Religion
Xavier Seubert & Oleg Bychkov, editors
Franciscan Institute Publications
www.franciscanpublications.com
9781576593400, $65.00, www.amazon.com
The collaborative editorial work of Xavier Seubert (Thomas Plassmann Distinguished professor
of Art and Theology emeritus, St. Bonaventure University, Allegany, New York) and Oleg
Bychkov (Professor of Theology, St. Bonaventure University, Allegany, New York) is a superbly
illustrated, 240 page compendium comprised of fifteen erudite scholarly essays on 13th, 14th,
and 15th century art associated with the Franciscan order of the Roman Catholic Church. Of
special note are David Floods 'Images of Franciscan History' and Oleg Bychkov's 'The Place of
Aesthetics and the Arts in Medieval Franciscan Theology'. Informed and informative, presenting
models of original and meticulous scholarship, "Beyond the Text: Franciscan Art and
Construction of Religion" is a welcome and enthusiastically recommended addition to academic
library Art History, Medieval Studies, and Franciscan History reference collections and
supplemental reading lists.
The Islamic Studies Shelf
Embracing The World
Ori Z. Soltes
Tughra Books
345 Clifton Avenue, Clifton, NJ 07011
9781597842884, $14.95, www.amazon.com
Fethullah Gulen (born 27 April 1941) is a Turkish writer, former imam and preacher, and Islamic
opinion leader. He is the founder of the Gulen movement. He currently lives in a self-imposed
exile in Saylorsburg, Pennsylvania, USA. Gulen teaches an Anatolian (Hanafi) version of Islam,
deriving from Sunni Muslim scholar Bediuzzaman Said Nursi's teachings and modernizes them.
Gulen has stated his belief in science, interfaith dialogue among the People of the Book, and
multi-party democracy. He has initiated such dialogue with the Vatican and some Jewish
organizations. Gulen is actively involved in the societal debate concerning the future of the
Turkish state, and Islam in the modern world. "Embracing the World: Fethullah Gulen's Thought
and Its Relationship with Jelaluddin Rumi and Others", compiled and presented by Ori Z. Soltes
(Goldman Professorial Lecturer in Theology and Fine Arts, Georgetown university) is a 140 page
compendium exploring the thought, theology, complexities, and philosophical perspectives of
Gulen and Rumi within a larger context and framework than a simple contrast of the two would
afford. As informed and informative as it is thoughtful and thought-provoking, "Embracing the
World: Fethullah Gulen's Thought and Its Relationship with Jelaluddin Rumi and Others" is very
highly addition to academic library Islamic Studies collections. Also very highly recommended
for students of Fethullah Gulen is Erkan M. Kurt's "So That Others May Live: A Fethullah Gulen
Reader" (Blue Dome Press, 9781935295204, $14.95, 216 pp.).
The Art Shelf
Berta and Elmer Hader: A Lifetime of Art
Joy Hoerner, et al.
Joyful Productions
PO Box 1106, Roseburg, OR 97470
http://joyfulproductionspublishing.com
9780989108706, $30.00
Married in 1919, Berta and Elmer Hader enjoyed a fifty year artistic collaboration that produced
thousands of pieces of art, scores of children's books, hundreds of paintings and sketches, and a
Caldecott Award. "Berta and Elmer hader: A Lifetime of Art" is a 144 page compendium
providing an overview of their accomplishments and is enhanced with the inclusion of 285
images and 23 photographs, a glossary, extensive notes, a bibliography, and an index. A unique
and fitting tribute to two unique and extraordinarily talented people, "Berta and Elmer hader: A
Lifetime of Art" is a joy to browse and a welcome addition to personal, community, and
academic library 20th Century American Art & Artists collections.
The Health/Medicine Shelf
Digestive Health With Real Food
Aglaee Jacob
Paleo Media Group
www.paleomediagroup.com
9780988717206, $34.95, www.amazon.com
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS, or spastic colon) is a symptom-based diagnosis characterized by
chronic abdominal pain, discomfort, bloating, and alteration of bowel habits. As a functional
gastrointestinal disorder (FGID), IBS has no known organic cause. Diarrhea or constipation may
predominate, or they may alternate (classified as IBS-D, IBS-C or IBS-A, respectively).
Historically a diagnosis of exclusion, a diagnosis of IBS can now be made on the basis of
symptoms alone, in the absence of alarm features such as age of onset greater than 50 years,
weight loss, gross hematochezia, systemic signs of infection or colitis, or family history of
inflammatory bowel disease. Onset of IBS is more likely to occur after an infection
(post-infectious, IBS-PI), a stressful life event, or onset of maturity. Although there is no cure for
IBS, there are treatments that attempt to relieve symptoms, including dietary adjustments,
medication and psychological interventions. Patient education, a good doctor-patient
relationship, and an effective diet are also important. It's for that last element that "Digestive
Health with REAL Food: A Practical Guide to an Anti-Inflammatory, Nutrient Dense Diet for
IBS & Other Digestive Issues" will prove to be an invaluable culinary reference. This nicely
illustrated, 396 page compendium's opening chapters explain the basics of the digestion process,
what can be done when that process become problematic, and the role diet can play to alleviate
those problems. "Digestive Health with REAL Food: A Practical Guide to an Anti-Inflammatory,
Nutrient Dense Diet for IBS & Other Digestive Issues" covers personalized diet designing, the
role of supplements, the 'mind-body' connection, individual recipes, and even meal plans.
Informed, informative, thoroughly 'reader friendly' and a useful source of IBS relevant recipes for
dishes ranging from Coconut Chips, to Deviled Eggs, to Grain-Free, Sugar-Free Carrot
Cupcakes. "Digestive Health with REAL Food: A Practical Guide to an Anti-Inflammatory,
Nutrient Dense Diet for IBS & Other Digestive Issues" is especially recommended for anyone
suffering from a gastrointestinal disorder of any kind. It should be noted that "Digestive Health
With Real Food" is also available in a Kindle edition ($8.49).
The Military Shelf
Flying With The Flak Pak: A Pacific War Scrapbook
Kenny Kemp
Kemp Enterprises Inc.
www.kennykemp.com
www.flyingwiththeflakpak.com
9781892442703, $24.95, www.amazon.com
When Kenny's mother passed away in 2011 he inherited his father's military footlocker. Upon
opening it, Kenny found a wealth of his father's photos, medals, personal letters, log books, and
clothing. This was the genesis of "Flying With The Flak Pak: A Pacific War Scrapbook", the
story of his father's World War II experiences in the Pacific Theatre. Enhanced with interviews of
World War II veterans, including the only surviving member of his father's B-24 Liberator crew,
as well as more than a thousand photos, maps, and illustrations, "Flying With The Flak Pak: A
Pacific War Scrapbook" provides an intensely personal account of what his father's military
action as a young bomber commander. Expertly presented and notated, "Flying With The Flak
Pak: A Pacific War Scrapbook" is informed, informative, and an invaluable addition to the
growing library of World War II memoirs and histories.
The Parenting Shelf
Raising Parents Raising Kids
Dawn Menken, PhD
Belly Song Press
518 Old Santa Fe Trail, Suite 1 #626
Santa Fe, NM 87505
9780985266745 $18.95 www.bellysongpress.com
Therapist Dr. Dawn Menken, PhD presents Raising Parents Raising Kids: Hands-on Wisdom for
the Next Generation, a parenting guide addressing the emotional, spiritual, and social needs of
children. From handing the biggest questions ("why are we here?" and the search for meaning in
life), to fostering the emotional intelligence children need to navigate complex social
interactions, to dealing with serious social issues such as bullying or racial discrimination,
Raising Parents, Raising Kids is a "must-read" complement to "how-to" manuals that deal with
more mundane matters (i.e., Raising Parents Raising Kids is not about teaching kids to eat
healthy, exercise regularly, or use the potty). Highly recommended.
The Gardening Shelf
The New Vegetable Growers Handbook
Frank Tozer
Green Man Publishing
PO Box 1546, Felton, CA 95018
www.greenmanpublishing.com
9780977348992, $27.95, www.amazon.com
Growing one's own vegetables and herbs has several advantages -- including a better quality than
can be obtained in most grocery stores and supermarkets for less money and greater nutrition. A
superb "how to" instructional guide, "The New Vegetable Growers Handbook: A Users Manual
for the Vegetable Garden" is an ideal manual for the novice and holds a great deal of value for
even the more experienced home gardener with respect to the impressively wide variety of
vegetables this manual covers. Arranged alphabetically, the vegetables and herbs range from
Amaranth and Basil, to Lettuce and Micro-greens, to Pumpkins and Rutabaga, to Sweet Potato
and Watermelon. Whether exotic veggies such as Pak Choy, Chinese Brassicas, and French
Sorrel, to gardening mainstays like Asparagus, Garlic, and Radish, "The New Vegetable Growers
Handbook: A Users Manual for the Vegetable Garden" presents an enormous amount of useful,
practical information on each individual vegetable or herb including crop value, easy of growing,
soil preparation, planning, planting, seeds, care, pests, harvesting, kitchen uses, and more!
Thoroughly 'user friendly' (especially for the beginning gardener) "The New Vegetable Growers
Handbook: A Users Manual for the Vegetable Garden" is very strongly recommended for
personal, family, and community library instructional gardening reference collections and
supplemental reading lists.
The Poetry Shelf
Weaving the Light
Mary Ruth Donnelly, author
Cherry Pie Press
9780974846866, $10.00 http://cherrypiepress.blogspot.com
"Weaving the Light" is an collection of poems (Midwest Women Poets Series No. 8) that seem to
be distilled essences of experiences, expressed in evolving natural images, many of landscapes,
hills, and rivers, and also interspersing tantalizing gifts to the other sensing. One example is The
Tea Journals, comparing chocolate : "Tenochtitlan:/ satin chocolate laced with crushed red
pepper/ stamens of blood/ royal drink/ quickens the heart...." with "London:/ satin chocolate,/
with sugar, milk/ a lace sleeve/ at a man's wrist/ a china cup softens wit's edge...." and makes a
final comparison to Ear Grey Creme Tea in Imperial Winter. These delicate poems are intense
magnifications and quiet resonances that evoke larger rings of surprise or sadness tinged
reactions. "Weaving the Light" is a beautiful experience to the reader in every sense of the
word.
The Writing/Publishing Shelf
Writing in Community
Lucy Adkins and Becky Breed
WriteLife Publishing
2323 S. 171 St., Suite 202
Omaha, NE 68130
9781608080786 $11.95 pbk.
9781608080823 $5.99 ebook www.WriteLife.com
Writing in Community: Say Goodbye to Writer's Block and Transform Your Life is a reference
and resource for writers and poets of all backgrounds, skill, and experience levels. Authors Lucy
Adkins and Becky Breed have over thirty-five years of experience working with writing groups;
they share their tips, tricks, and techniques for overcoming writer's block and improving one's
creativity. Suggested exercises, a wealth of insights, and inspirational anecdotes pepper this
excellent motivational resource!
The Antiques/Collectibles Shelf
The Cracker Jack (R) Collection
Tom Zappala & Ellen Zappala with John Molori & Jim Davis
Peter E. Randall, Publisher
Box 4726, Portsmouth, NH 03802
c/o ATS Communications (publicity)
105 River Road, Merrimac, MA 01860
9781931807241 $30.00 www.perpublisher.com
The Cracker Jack (R) Collection: Baseball's Prized Players is the 100th anniversary
commemoration of one of the most extensive, treasured, and valuable collections of old baseball
cards originally packaged inside Cracker Jack (R) snack boxes. An oversized hardcover coffee-
table books packed with full-color illustrations and photographs, The Cracker Jack (R)
Collection is organized according the position that each card-featured baseball player once held,
their personal and professional statistics, and of course, reproductions of their classic Cracker
Jack (R) card. A treasury for baseball history enthusiasts and card collectors!
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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