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Small Press Bookwatch

Volume 16, Number 10 October 2017 Home | SPBW Index

Table of Contents

Reviewer's Choice American History Shelf World History Shelf
Military Shelf Christian Studies Shelf Fiction Shelf
Mystery/Suspense Shelf Fantasy/SciFi Shelf Health/Medicine Shelf
Biography Shelf Human Sexuality Shelf Business Shelf
Photography Shelf    


Reviewer's Choice

The Woman Without a Voice
Louise Farmer Smith
Upper Hand Press
PO Box 91179, Bexley, OH 43209
www.upperhandpress.com
9780998490632, $10.00, PB, 60pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: "Two people, husband and wife, sat side by side on the wagon bench. Though they looked down the same rough road and experienced the same dazzling or dismal scenery, the diaries suggest that they lived in different worlds." With "The Woman Without a Voice: Pioneering in Dugout, Sod House and Homestead", author Louise Farmer Smith sets her readers squarely by the side of the woman on the wagon bench and vividly recreates the turmoil, excitement, and trepidation pioneer women experienced as they moved into the unknown. "The Woman Without a Voice" tells the extraordinary story of a pioneering family her own westward traveling forebears. This is an engaging story told from the perspective of a woman, mother, and wife. Using diaries and family stories, Smith focuses on the pioneer women in her own family. Silence and submission were the lot of married women who had no property and no say in where or how their families would live.

Critique: A compelling, informative, entertaining, thoughtful and thought-provoking read from beginning to end, "The Woman Without a Voice: Pioneering in Dugout, Sod House and Homestead" is very highly recommended for both community and academic library 19th Century American History collections, as well as the personal reading lists of non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject.

Keys To The Truculent Me
John Branning
www.JohnBranning.com
Pusillanimous Books
9780997077315 $8.95 pbk / $4.99 Kindle amazon.com

Synopsis: Keys To The Truculent Me contains fifty odd (as in "off-kilter," not "he lost count after fifty") essays in which author John Branning dissects the most mundane of topics (among them: cats, toilet paper, the Kardashians) and finds something objectionable about nearly all. He himself is not above criticism, documenting it in this collection with scrupulous accuracy before eviscerating whomever launched the unjustified attack. Branning explores dilemmas, some real but most largely imagined, inspired by the challenges of marriage (people pity his wife), parenting (his only child, now an adult, identifies himself by first and last name when he calls), home ownership (his tasks come from a "honey-don't" list), and the English language (by which he is flummoxed at every turn).

In the post "Rude Awakening," he is awakened by a punch in the nose -- from his wife. In "Climb Every Mantra," he reluctantly attends a yoga class and in short order become mindful of the importance of beer and chocolate. And "No Rhyme or Reason (well, it rhymes a little bit)" is a poetic exploration into the firing of FBI Director James Comey. Often petulant, frequently irritated, occasionally profane - but always funny - whether you share Branning's viewpoints or not, you'll alternate between laughing with and at him. Mostly at him.

Critique: A mishmash of musings, mantra, and mystification, Keys To the Truculent Me is alternately funny, frugal, and insightful. "Our dentist recommended that we start using a rechargeable electric toothbrush; fair enough, but the brand the practice encouraged us to purchase comes with Bluetooth connectivity, sharing the data with an app to keep track of how often and how long we brush each day. Honest to God, if someone needs to utilize that level of technology to avoid cavities, then dentures are a foregone conclusion." Keys To the Truculent Me is compelling browse, whether a few pages here and there in moments of spare time or cover to cover all at once. Highly recommended! It should be noted for personal reading lists that Keys To the Truculent Me is also available in a Kindle edition ($4.99).


The American History Shelf

A Final River to Cross
Gretchen Duling, Ph.D. and Dennis Duling, Ph.D.
Buffalo Heritage Press
266 Elmwood Avenue, Suite 407, Buffalo, New York 14222
www.BuffaloHeritage.com
9781942483403 $59.95 pbk amazon.com

Synopsis: This local and regional study fills the gap in documenting Youngstown's role in the Underground Railroad in New York State. It also offers further proof of the existence of, support for, and operation of the Underground Railroad in Western New York. It is a comprehensive and extensive book meant for both the general reader and scholars. The authors have uncovered a rich treasure of information in newly discovered primary source materials. Learn the compelling stories of the Village and its citizens who formed an intricate Underground Railroad network.

Critique: Extensively documented with a wealth of footnotes, appendices, and an index, A Final River to Cross: The Underground Railroad at Youngstown, NY offers a wealth of evidence that the Underground Railroad (a network of people who aided and abetted the escape of slaves in America before the Civil War) existed within Youngstown. Thoroughly accessible to readers of all backgrounds, A Final River to Cross is expertly researched and documented, and an excellent addition to both public and college library American History collections. Highly recommended.


The World History Shelf

The Magnificent Losers
Gregg Coodley M.D.
Bendrogo Press
https://www.themagnificentlosers.us
9780999077009, $14.95, PB, 337pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: Impressively well researched, written, organized and presented, "The Magnificent Losers: History's Greatest Unsuccessful Reformers, Revolutionaries and Fighters for Freedom and Justice" by Gree Coodley (a physician and founder of the Fanno Creek Clinic, an independent primary care clinic in Southwest Portland) is the story of history's greatest unsuccessful reformers, revolutionaries and fighters for freedom and justice.

The twenty plus heroes and heroines of the book range in time from the Roman Republic to the Twentieth century. "The Magnificent Losers" sweeps from the steppes of Russia to the streets of Boston, from Paris to the Philippines for the battles for freedom and justice were not limited to one era or country. While these leaders did not achieve their goals in their lifetimes, perhaps they did not lose after all. For the ideas they fought for survived them and often became reality later.

The land reform of Tiberius Gracchus has been copied in countries across the world for the next 2000 years. The English hedge priest John Ball argued for the essential equality of man, a heretical position in 1381 that has been an accepted idea today. The Persian reformer Mazdak formulated communism over a thousand years before Karl Marx. Elizabeth Cady Stanton argued for women's equality in the 19th century, but it would take years after her death before her beliefs began to be practically implemented. Other leaders fought for independence for their nations without success, but today their countries stand free.

"The Magnificent Losers" tells the too little retold stories of great leaders, well known and obscure, who helped left behind not immediate victory, but immortal legend.

Critique: A uniquely informed and informative approach to history, "The Magnificent Losers" is an inherently fascinating read that is as thoughtful and thought-provoking as it is inspired and inspiring. Compelling and documented accounts of the memorable and the obscure, "The Magnificent Losers" is unreservedly recommended for both community and academic library World History collections and supplemental studies lists. It should be noted for students and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "The Magnificent Losers" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $5.49).


The Military Shelf

Bombs Away!
Ralph Welsh
Privately Published
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QJgOdY0RzGc
9780692796375, $17.00, PB, 342pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: Knowledgeably compiled and deftly edited by Ralph Welsh (who himself was an 8th Air Force Pilot during World War II who flew 33 bombing missions), "Bombs Away!" is an impressively informative anthology of inherently fascinating first-hand accounts of World War II written by members of the 8th Air Force, and preserving for a new generation of appreciative readers vitally important stories from a generation of American service men that is now passing from the scene.

Critique: A unique and very special contribution to a growing library of World War II military memoirs, biographies, and first hand accounts, "Bombs Away!" is unreservedly and emphatically recommended for both community and academic library 20th Century American Military History collections in general, and World War II supplemental studies lists in particular. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of military history students and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "Bombs Away!" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $4.99).


The Christian Studies Shelf

Arise! My Message Is In My Mess
Denise Newsome
Azz1 Productions
c/o Denise Newsome Publishing
9780982711033, $15.00, PB, 146pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: Sooner or later, everyone will makes mistakes or simply fall on hard times. And often, the way we choose to handle a situation may not have been the best choice. However, we are not just our mistakes, or our circumstances. We are God's children, just looking to make the best of the life we are given. But in order to achieve that, we have to realize that we cannot do it alone. We should not do it alone. For God loves us and can heal all things if we believe in Him and His Glory.

"Arise! My Message Is In My Mess" by author, playwright, producer, director and a motivational speaker Denise Newsome is a collection of candidly personal essays describing the trials and tribulations that an author has faced, and how God's love helped see them through.

Sexuality, drug abuse, physical and emotional abuse, violence, incarceration, and sickness are just some of the topics discussed in "Arise! My Message Is In My Mess". Like God's love, "Arise! My Message Is In My Mess" is meant for all people revealing a way to connect to those who have experienced similar difficulties and inspire others that there is a way out. That no matter what walk in life you are coming from, He can take away your burdens. Through these testimonies, the reader will see documented examples underscoring that anyone is capable of redemption; that people of every hue, creed, nationality, and background can be set free.

Critique: Exceptionally well written, inherently inspiring, "Arise! My Message Is In My Mess" is unreservedly recommended for both community and academic library Self-Help/Self-Improvement collections and the personal reading lists of anyone struggling with recovering from their own mistakes or deal with their own daily life difficulties.


The Fiction Shelf

The Ghost of Captain Hinchliffe
David Dennington
CreateSpace
4900 LaCross Rd., North Charleston, SC 29406
www.createspace.com
9781546638506, $11.99, PB, 244pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: Millie Hinchliffe lives a near-perfect existence, tucked away with her loving fighter-pilot husband in their picture-postcard cottage in the glorious English countryside. As a mother, artist, classical pianist and avid gardener, Millie has it all. But when 'Hinch' goes missing with a beautiful heiress over the Atlantic in a bid to set a flying record, her world is shaken to the core. Heartbroken and facing ruin, she questions the validity of messages she receives from the 'other side' -- messages that her husband is desperate to help her. In this suspenseful tale of unconditional love, desperate loss and wild adventure, Hinch charges Millie with an extraordinary mission: Put a stop to the British Airship Program and prevent another national tragedy.

Critique: An original and deftly crafted novel that will have particular appeal to readers with a metaphysical bent, "The Ghost of Captain Hinchliffe" clearly showcases author David Dennington's genuine flair for engaging his reader's rapt attention from beginning to end. While unreservedly and enthusiastically recommended, especially for community library General Fiction collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "The Ghost of Captain Hinchliffe" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $4.99).

Two Friends, Too Old
Robert Scott
https://robertscottwriter.wordpress.com
Fresh Ink Group
https://freshinkgroup.com
9781936442119, $4.95, PB, 128pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: What would you do if you saw your best friend for 60 years slipping over the edge into mental oblivion? You would do anything to help him, right? Frank and Clay have been friends since the first day of first grade. Now both in their mid-sixties and retired, Frank is looking forward to spending a lot of quality time hanging out with his lifelong friend. But all that is threatened when Frank sees Clay going around the bend.

Clay denies he has a problem and rejects Frank's initial suggestions for help. But when Frank stumbles upon a drug that might help, he renews his efforts to help his buddy and he talks Clay into taking the drug. That works great, for a while. But Frank couldn't quite bring himself to tell Clay the entire truth about the drug, and that deception has tragic consequences, not only for Clay but also for Frank.

Critique: What was once known as the Babyboomer generation is now entering senior citizen status -- and with it the inevitable rise of dementia within the general population. Although a deftly written work of fiction, "Two Friends, Two Old" is a compelling read that will especially resonate with anyone who has friends or family members of their own having to deal with the impact of dementia. While very highly recommended, especially for community library General Fiction collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Two Friends, Two Old" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $2.99).

Investing in Vain
William Worsley
RSBPress
http://www.rsbpress.com
9781937667191, $25.95, HC, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: When Bruce Benson, a nerdy quantitative analyst at Quandary Capital, stumbles upon the last great secret for beating the stock market, his entire world is turned upside down. Forced to flee, he assumes the guise of a transgender to work at Vain Capital, a Washington firm promoting morality-based investing to its self-righteous clients. There he joins buxom Alison Hartswell in her frustrating search for gay money managers to help re-elect the governor of California.

How does Bruce then become entangled in an international power struggle that threatens to ignite World War III? Why are agents from the U.S., Russia, and Quandary Capital out to get him?

Transgender investment managers, Russian skullduggery, asset managers catering to the latest in social umbrage, and the absurd mystery underlying the ultimate stock market anomaly form elements of this riotous tale of financial markets, politics, and modern mores. Find out whether Bruce can save the day for everyone -- in high heels.

Critique: Portraying a world of political correctness run amok, "Investing in Vain" is a modern satire that distills the follies of our time with memorable one-liners, jarring juxtapositions, colorful images, and deadpan humor that will have any reader simply laughing out loud. This is an inherently fascinating, deftly crafted, unfailingly entertaining novel that is also quite thoughtful and thought-provoking at the same time. Showcasing author William Worsley's genuine flair for memorable and original storytelling, "Investing in Vaine" is very highly recommended and certain to be an enduringly popular addition to community library Contemporary General Fiction Collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "Investing in Vain" is also available in a paperback edition (9781937667177, $16.95) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $6.99).


The Mystery/Suspense Shelf

Card Games
Cam Griff
www.idtheftnovelcardgames.com
LifeRich Publishing
9781489710871 $19.99 amazon.com

Synopsis: In this case, fiction is based on fact. He was living a great life - until his identity was stolen. Who stole it? How did they get his personal information? Were they caught? What agencies were on the case? Would his life ever be the same? There were no easy answers. The author began researching identity theft after experiencing it. The extent to which this personally invasive crime has exploded around the world means that people need to know how it happens and how they can avoid it. This book is a result of Griff's desire to pass along an engaging story that combines real life risk with possible resolution.

Critique: Although Card Games is a work of fiction, it's a dilemma based on real-life events that happen to far too many people in the modern age. Divided into brief yet intense chapters, Card Games follows the story of Joe, a banker who learns that fraudulent purchases were made on his credit card - and that's just the tip of the iceberg! Joe's quest to find the thieves and protect himself from further cybercrimes spirals into a larger cyberplot, in this exciting thriller that speaks to the modern age. Highly recommended!

The Han Agent
Amy Rogers
Science Thrillers Media
http://www.sciencethrillers.com
9781940419183, $27.99, HC, 258pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: In the 1930s, Japanese scientists in China committed heinous crimes in their quest for the ultimate biological weapon -- and while the war ended, their mission did not.

Eighty years later, Japanese-American scientist Amika Nakamura won't let rules stand between her and scientific glory. When the ambitious young virologist defies a ban on the genetic manipulation of influenza, she's expelled from the university. Desperate to save her career, she accepts a position with a pharmaceutical company in Tokyo.

Soon after, a visit to a disputed island entangles her in a high-profile geopolitical struggle between Japan and China. Applying her singular expertise with bird flu in a risky experiment may be the only way out. Little does she know that Japanese ultra-nationalists and a legacy of unpunished war crimes lurk in the shadows, manipulating people, politics, and science.

But DNA doesn't lie. Amika uncovers a shocking truth: a deadly virus is about to put the "gene" in genocide.

Critique: A deftly crafted and truly riveting read from cover to cover, "The Han Agent" is a thrill ride of a novel that showcases author Amy Roger's genuine literary flair for originality. While very highly recommended, especially for community library Contemporary General Fiction collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "The Han Agent" is also available in a paperback edition (9781940419152, $9.99) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $3.99).


The Fantasy/SciFi Shelf

A Small Charred Face
Kazuki Sakuraba
Haika Soru
haikasoru.com
9781421595412 $15.99 pbk / $8.99 Kindle amazon.com

Synopsis: Even monsters need families. What are the "bamboo"? They are from China. They look just like us. They live by night. They drink human lifeblood, but otherwise keep their distance. And every century, they grow white blooming flowers.

A boy name Kyo is saved from the precipice of death by Bamboo, a vampire born of the tall grasses. They start an enjoyable, yet strange shared life together, Kyo and the gentle Bamboo. But for Bamboo, communication with a human being is the greatest sin.

Critique: Bamboo is a different type of vampire novel. The Bamboo, mysterious race of vampires from China, have survived untold millennia by remaining unknown to humans, and contact with humans is the worst possible offense of their culture. But when a vampire breaks the taboo to rescue a boy named Kyo, it is the beginning of a mysterious, enduring bond. Wistful and thought-provoking, A Small Charred Face keeps the reader enraptured to the final page. It should be noted for personal reading lists that A Small Charred Face is also available in a Kindle edition ($8.99).


The Health/Medicine Shelf

Remedy: How I Cured The Incurable
Matthew J. Murphy
Xulon Press
2301 Lucien Way, Suite 415, Maitland, FL 32751
www.xulonpress.com
9781545606285, $17.99 PB, 126pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: When Matthew Murphy was told by his doctors that his malady was both lethal and incurable and that only surgery could hope to save him he chose a different and ultimately successful route.

"Remedy: How I Cured The Incurable" is part memoir, part inspirational, part how-to book. Altogether it is the story of how Matthew overcame a major health crisis by formulating a plan of attack that combined miracle working bone broth and his own spiritual beliefs, along with the wealth of information he had gathered through thousands of pages of research and countless hours toiling through every medium imaginable to find an alternative that could possibly heal him.

He finally found just the right combination -- the basis for a working "remedy" for his health problems and a cure what the doctors said I was incurable.

"Remedy: How I Cured The Incurable" will walk the reader, step-by-step, through everything Matthew did -- and that will finally be able to let allow the reader to live a fuller, more meaningful life.

Critique: Exceptionally well written, organized and presented, "Remedy: How I Cured The Incurable" is a 'must read" for the estimated 60 to 80 million Americans suffer from digestive ailments. While unreservedly recommended for both community and academic library Alternative Medicine instructional reference collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Remedy: How I Cured The Incurable" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $7.99).


The Biography Shelf

William Shatner: A Transformed Man
Dennis William Hauck
www.DWHauck.com
CreateSpace
4900 LaCross Rd., North Charleston, SC 29406
www.createspace.com
9781974063963, $14.50, PB, 403pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: Dennis William Hauck is an author and lecturer working to facilitate personal and planetary transformation. His interests include consciousness studies, Jungian psychology, personal alchemy, and mystical and paranormal experiences. He worked with Shatner in the film "Mysteries of the Gods" and helped the star work through his own alien contactee experience. Impressed by Shatner's prolific career as an actor, director, and writer, he summarized nearly 1,000 of his credits in "William Shatner: A Bio-Bibliography," a reference book in Greenwood's Performing Arts Series (1994). He also wrote a mass-market unauthorized biography of Shatner titles "Captain Quirk" (Kensington 1995).

Now in "William Shatner: A Transformed Man", Hauck produced a new biography of the 86 year old actor. This biography of William Shatner adds some surprises beyond all the stories of his eccentric behavior and reveals what makes the man tick. Hauck draws upon his interviews with all the cast and crew and sifting through fifty years of archives. He has come up with many amazing insights, including the shocking, untold story of what was really behind the Star Trek franchise.

Yet, "William Shatner: A Transformed Man" is intended for people who are not Star Trek fans. Rather it is a moving portrait of a fascinating man. It is an in-depth and often unsettling biography of a modern icon. It is a probing character study of one of the most iconic and recognizable persons on the face of the planet. This behind-the-scenes look at Shatner's amazing career and fascinating personal life uncovers the raw passion and powerful psychological forces behind his public facade, steamy relationships with women, and strained interactions with fellow actors.

To the babyboomer generation, William Shatner will always be known for his starring role as Captain Kirk in the iconic Gene Roddenberry television 'Star Trek' series and films. The newest generation of teens and young adults may know him best as a pitch man for a series of television commercials hyping a law firm's services. However, after being launched into a lasting fame in "Star Trek", Shatner also played the eponymous veteran police sergeant in T. J. Hooker (1982 - 86) and hosted the reality-based television series, Rescue 911 (1989 - 96), which won a People's Choice Award for the Favorite New TV Dramatic Series. Shatner also appeared in the NBC series, 3rd Rock from the Sun in seasons 4 and 5 as the role of the "Big Giant Head" who the alien characters of the Series reported to. From 2004 until 2008, he starred as attorney Denny Crane in the final season of the legal drama "The Practice" and its spinoff series "Boston Legal", a role that earned him two Emmy Awards.

Critique: Of special appeal to Shatner's legions of fans, in this new biography of the man in terms of his professional accomplishments, is the focus on the off screen stories of his personal life. Exhaustively researched, exceptionally well written, impressively informed and informative, and thoroughly 'reader engaging' in organization and presentation, "William Shatner: A Transformed Man" is unreservedly and enthusiastically recommended, especially for community and academic library Contemporary American Biography collections. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of legions of dedicated fans that "William Shatner: A Transformed Man" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.95).

Beautiful Bodies
Kimberly Rae Miller
http://thekimchallenge.com
Little A
c/o Amazon Digital Publishing
9781503935174, $24.95, HC, 222pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: Like most people, Kimberly Rae Miller does not have the perfect body, but that hasn't stopped her from trying. And trying. And trying some more. She's been at it since she was four years old, when Sesame Street inspired her to go on her first diet. Post-college, after a brief stint as a diet-pill model, she became a health-and-fitness writer and editor working on celebrities' bestselling bios -- sugarcoating the trials and tribulations celebs endure to stay thin. Needless to say, Kim has spent her life in pursuit of the ideal body.

But what is the ideal body? Knowing she's far from alone in this struggle, Kim sets out to find the objective definition of this seemingly unattainable level of perfection. While on a fascinating and hilarious journey through time that takes her from obese Paleolithic cavewomen, to the bland menus that Drs. Graham and Kellogg prescribed to promote good morals in addition to good health, to the binge-drinking-prone regimen that caused William the Conqueror's body to explode at his own funeral, Kim ends up discovering a lot about her relationship with her own body.

Critique: A deftly written blend of memoir and social history "Beautiful Bodies" will appeal to anyone reader who has ever been caught in a power struggle with his or her own body! Candid, engaging, insightful, replete with wit and more than a little wisdom, "Beautiful Bodies" is as thoughtful and thought-provoking an account as it is an inherently engaging read from beginning to end. While very highly recommended, especially for community library Contemporary American Biography collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Beautiful Bodies" is also available in a paperback edition (9781477829578, $14.95) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $5.99).

Who Am I and Where Is Home?
Andrea Jackson
Privately Published
9780692872383, $10.00, PB, 264pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: Compiled with commentary by Andrea Jackson, "Who Am I and Where Is Home?: An American Woman in 1931 Palestine" is part memoir, part biography, and a fascinating compilation of letters to and from a young Jewish-American poet who lived in Palestine for one year during the Great Depression. Of special note is the inclusion of correspondence with her family in Brooklyn and with two of her suitors -- one an ardent Zionist full of romantic schemes and the other a beginning attorney struggling to support his parents and sisters. Befriending other young Americans living in Jerusalem, she teaches English and then works as secretary to a British engineer charged with overhauling the Jerusalem sewer system, which had been constructed by the Romans some 2000 years before. Her active social life is interrupted when one of the suitors arrives for a visit.

Critique: An absolutely fascinating, deftly crafted read from cover to cover, "Who Am I and Where Is Home?: An American Woman in 1931 Palestine" is an extraordinary, candid, engaging, account of an inherently interesting woman in an inherently interesting time. While very highly and unreservedly recommended for both community and academic library biography collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Who Am I and Where Is Home?" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $2.99).


The Human Sexuality Shelf

I Fell in Love with an Asexual
Dave Wheitner & Evan Ocean
www.davewheitner.com
Divergent Drummer Publications
http://asexualbook.com
9780981776484, $15.99, PB, 372pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: Asexuality is the lack of sexual attraction to others, or low or absent interest in or desire for sexual activity. It may be considered the lack of a sexual orientation, or one of the variations thereof, alongside heterosexuality, homosexuality and bisexuality. It may also be an umbrella term used to categorize a broader spectrum of various asexual sub-identities.

Millions worldwide may be asexual. Yet, asexuality remains the "invisible orientation," largely unknown and misunderstood, even among therapists. Deeper in the shadows are many sexual partners, some in sexless relationships, frustrated and confused.

"I Fell in Love with an Asexual" is the personal story of Evan Ocean, a man whose partner revealed to him that she had never felt physically or sexually attracted to him or anyone else. This candid account blends firsthand experience with psychology training. The result is self-help memoir and answers questions such as: What is asexuality?; How can you tell if your partner is asexual, and what are your options if they are?; How can you improve your sex life, increase physical intimacy, and become a better sex partner, regardless of your partner's orientation?

Critique: Inherently fascinating, impressively informative, and ultimately inspiring, "I Fell in Love with an Asexual: Recover from a Sexless Marriage or Relationship with Someone Who Lacks Sexual Attraction & Reclaim Your Sexuality, Sanity, & Self" is an extraordinary and unreservedly recommended addition to both community and academic library Human Sexuality reference collections and supplemental studies reading lists. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of sexually frustrated partners, relationship counseling professionals, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "I Fell in Love with an Asexual" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $6.99).


The Business Shelf

LeaderShift
Ken Carnes & David Cottrell
Corner Stone Leadership Institute
PO Box 764087, Dallas, TX 75376
www.CornerStoneLeadership.com
9780996146951, $16.95, PB, 128pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: How would you like every person in your organization to share the responsibility of leadership?

Highly sought-after management consultant Ken Carnes and perennial best-selling Monday Morning Leadership author David Cottrell have effectively collaborated on an original, deftly written, compelling and illuminating fable about a previously successful leader whose work life is unraveling right before his eyes and he doesn't understand why.

Frustrated and at his wits end, Tod asks one of his old professors to provide him direction and encouragement. The professor invites him to sit in on six orientation sessions where the professor teaches his team a successful leadership philosophy called LeaderShift. The sessions serve as a timeless and potent reminder that success as a leader can come down to practicing a few shifts that will help create an atmosphere where any team can prosper.

Here are the shifts: from fiction to truth from waiting to be led to leading where you are from structure to enabled autonomy from drifting to purpose from customer duty to customer passion from fighting change to guiding change LeaderShift is a gripping fable that serves as a timeless reminder that the foundation of leadership is not about power but rather truth, humility, and allowing others to take ownership for their success. It reinforces that long-lasting leadership requires as much courage as it does insight.

"LeaderShift" presents a powerful yet deceptively simple message that provides a solid foundation for conducting business in a new way one that aligns the organization around a common set of principles. LeaderShift provides inspiration and enlightenment to frontline leaders who have the courage to learn, the willingness to lead and the passion to share.

Critique: Impressively informed and informative, thoughtful and thought-provoking, 'real world practical', and thoroughly 'user friendly' in organization and presentation, "LeaderShift: Making Leadership Everyone's Business" is an extraordinary and unreservedly recommended addition to corporate, community, and academic library Business Management collections and supplemental studies lists. It should be noted for MBA students, individual entrepreneurs, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "LeaderShift" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).


The Photography Shelf

The Photographing Tourist
David Noyes
D.F. Noyes Studios
http://www.noyestravels.com
9780996523905, $29.95, PB, 224pp

Synopsis: Beautifully illustrated with more than 300 photographs from around the world, and featuring twelve magazine-style travel narratives, "The Photographing Tourist" by David Noyes takes his reader on a superbly presented visual journey to some of the most remote corners of our fascinating world.

Filled with stories about isolated cultures, exploring local life, and challenging personal adventures, "The Photographing Tourist" is a storytellers guide to travel and photography that reads like an eight-month collection of articles from a favorite travel magazine.

Ranging from environmental portraits and local lifestyles, to landmarks and sacred places, the chapters comprising "The Photographing Tourist" deftly explore different photographic subjects that a tourist photographer will encounter. Sprinkled throughout the book are also technical shorts with valuable information on elements of design, composition, depth of filed, exposure, using lines, and developing a point of view.

Critique: An inherently fascinating read from cover to cover, "The Photographing Tourist" is impressively informative, exceptionally well written, and thoroughly 'user friendly' in organization and presentation. "The Photographing Tourist" will prove to be an enduringly popular and useful addition to personal and community library Contemporary Photography & Travel collections.


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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