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Small Press Bookwatch

Volume 15, Number 9 September 2016 Home | SPBW Index

Table of Contents

Reviewer's Choice Money/Finance Shelf Health/Medicine Shelf
Mystery/Suspense Shelf Fiction Shelf Political Science Shelf
Human Sexuality Shelf Self-Help Shelf Metaphysical Studies Shelf
Photography Shelf Biography Shelf Holocaust Studies Shelf
Architecture Shelf Fantasy/SciFi Shelf Education Shelf
Christian Studies Shelf American History Shelf Theatre/Cinema Shelf


Reviewer's Choice

Simple Grant Funding Research
Nikki Kirk
CreateSpace
4900 LaCross Rd., North Charleston, SC 29406
www.createspace.com
www.getgrantready.com
9781512387070, $25.99, PB, 73pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: Grant writing and grant seeking are unique technical skills, often times acquired through formal, informal, and hands-on training. In "Get Grant Ready: Volume I - Simple Grant Funding Research", professional grant writer Nikki Kirk draws upon her years of experience and expertise to create a practical, yet comprehensive instruction manual for the specific purpose of assisting grant writers and grant seekers how to find grant funds as well as information for nonprofit organizations, charities, civic groups, public and charter schools, fraternal orders, postsecondary institutions, local governmental entities, as well as public safety and first responders.

"Simple Grant Funding Research" works to eliminate all the stress and worry that comes with locating grants for organizations. With fewer dollars available for professional development for staff education, many organizations are struggling to train their staff on how to effectively locate grants. Many organizations are moving away from consultants to in-house grant writing and research. Staff being asked to conduct these new tasks are literally being asked to perform highly technical skills, often times with little or no support. This is especially the case with public safety, law enforcement, and first responders.

"Simple Grant Funding Research" is a one-stop shop for new grant writers and organizations desiring to learn where and how to find grant funding relative to your organization's mission and purpose. "Simple Grant Funding Research" is a no-fluff effort to assist new and seasoned grant writers as well as grant seekers not only locate grant funding, but also how to interpret what is found in the funding opportunity announcements in order to provide the appropriate information in grant proposals prior to the grant review process.

Competing for grants can only happen if you find the grants. "Simple Grant Funding Research" ( which is the first volume of Kirk's Get Grant Ready Series), aims to make finding grants actually happen.

Critique: Simply stated, acquiring a copy of "Simple Grant Funding Research" is a complete course of instruction under one cover and will prove to be more cost-effective than attending a grant writing training, allowing organizations (regardless of size) to learn how to locate grant funds. Thoroughly 'user friendly' in tone, content, organization and presentation, "Simple Grant Funding Research" is unreservedly recommended for personal, professional, NGO, community, college, and university library Grant Writing instructional reference collections.

WTF? Where's the Fraud?
Larry Benson and Andy Bucholz
www.fraudoftheday.com
Archway Publishing
1663 Liberty Drive, Bloomington, IN 47403
www.archwaypublishing.com
9781480825604 $12.99 amazon.com

Synopsis: WTF? Where's the Fraud?--How to Unmask and Stop Identity Fraud's Drain on Our Government reveals the true epidemic facing our nation, the profiles of its perpetrators, and the devastating cost of this multi-billion dollar industry. Larry Benson and Andy Bucholz marshal their experiences at LexisNexis Risk Solutions as researchers and developers of solutions for identity theft and fraud.

WTF? Where's the Fraud? explains identity fraud and answers the questions, "Why should I care?" and "How much does it cost us?" It reveals the information gold mine that perpetrators already know about and take advantage of. It sheds light on the growing insecurity of the government's benefits administration, and points to the emerging problems of fraud in health care. This book gives both government and citizen alike a leg-up against an unwieldy and adaptive enemy.

Critique: WTF? Where's the Fraud? How to Unmask and Stop Identity Fraud's Drain on Our Government lives up to its title as an expose of holes and weaknesses in the American government's security. The primary focus is on how identity theft is used to defraud the government, rather than private individuals. Growing problems include the use of stolen Social Security numbers, particularly on the tax forms of illegal immigrants; how the Social Security numbers of people who have died have been and continue to be fraudulently used to collect benefits; why healthcare fraud is likely to surge in the near future; and much more. Practical recommendations to stymie identity theft, particularly with regard to needed legislative changes, round out this eye-opening guide.

Kingdom's End
Charles D. Blanchard
Lulu Publishing
3101 Hillsborough Street, Raleigh, NC 27607-5436
www.lulu.com
9781483449388, $35.99, HC, 338pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: The rats made their massive colony inside the ruins of an abandoned motion picture palace, where for thirty long dark years, the aged blind leader ruled over them. A beloved figure held in high regard, he ruled with patience understanding justice and love. The new ruler of the colony offered little patience towards his subjects, and his punishments were harsh. As he conspired with determination to reach the top, it was all in vain, as forces worked against him to remove him from power and end his wretchedness. "Kingdom's End" by Charles D. Blanchard is an extraordinary tale of courage and survival as seen through the eyes of the leading characters who are all rodents. "Kingdom's End" is the story of their struggle to survive in an urban landscape where there is conflict at every turn and living in fear is part of their existence. The novel reaches its harrowing climax when the colony must decide on life or death.

Critique: An extraordinary, unique, and exceptional novel, "Kingdom's End" clearly establishes author Charles D. Blanchard has having a genuine knack for truly impressive storytelling, who makes his deftly crafted animal characters spring to life in the course of a consistently compelling tale. One of those rare and treasured novels that will linger in the mind and memory long after the book has been finished and set back upon the shelf, "Kingdom's End" is unreservedly recommended for community library General Fiction collections. For personal reading lists it should be noted that "Kingdom's End" is also available in a paperback edition (9781483449364, $16.99) and in a Kindle format ($7.55).

Surviving Cancer, Healing People: One Cat's Story
Sula, Parish Cat at Old Mission
MSI Press, LLC
1760-F Airline Highway, #203, Hollister, CA 95023
http://msipress.com
9781942891086, $24.95, PB, 95pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: Sula is a cat with a divine mission who has an uncanny ability to sense which parishioners at the California's San Juan Bautista Old Mission who need her attention at any given Mass. But is it really uncanny, or does St. Francis give Sula tasks during her daily conversations with him? Or is she led by God? Sula has developed a special bond with cancer survivors like herself. The bond between her and the Old Mission parishioners saw her through two bouts of cancer, flooding her with gifts: money for surgery, a home for recovery, prayers, and love. In the pages of "Surviving Cancer, Healing People: One Cat's Story" is comprised of truly charming, heartwarming, endearing, and inspiring stories, shared by parishioners and told from the point of view of a lovable and amazingly insightful cat.

Critique: Simply stated, "Surviving Cancer, Healing People: One Cat's Story" is one of those books that will linger in the mind and memory of the reader long after it is finished and set back upon the shelf! Heartwarming and thoughtful, "Surviving Cancer, Healing People" is a joy to browse and highly recommended.


The Money/Finance Shelf

Understanding Living Trusts, seventh edition
Vickie Schumacher
Schumacher Publishing, LLC
www.livingtrust.com
9780945811282, $29.95, PB, 288pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: Now in a fully updated seventh edition that includes all of the 2016 tax law changes, "Understanding Living Trusts" is an essential do-it-yourself guide for individuals and families with all size estates. Estate and trust expert Vickie Schumacher explains in clear, conversational English how you can lose control when you have a will; when you have no plan; when you use joint ownership; when you give away assets; and when you rely on beneficiary designations. She then goes on to explain just how a living trust can give you maximum control of your financial legacy, both at incapacity and after you die; the many benefits beyond avoiding probate; and why a living trust meets the needs of today's families far better than any other estate plan.

"Understanding Living Trusts" also provides instruction on creating your own personal action plan for having a living trust. You will learn what a living trust is, how it works, and the steps you'll need to take to set up one; what to consider when deciding how you want your loved ones to inherit from you; how to find the right attorney to prepare your living trust; how to organize information your family will need; and step-by-step instructions for your family if you become incapacitated and after you die.

Critique: Enhanced with a profusion of charts, examples, and checklists, including a Personal and Financial Organizer that will help you prepare to meet with your attorney, "Understanding Living Trusts " has the added benefit of saving you considerable time and money by avoiding the necessity to have an attorney. While very highly recommended for personal and community library Money/Finance instructional collections, it should be noted that anyone can visit www.livingtrust.com for a free special report.


The Health/Medicine Shelf

In the Crucible of Chronic Lyme Disease
Kenneth B. Leigner, M.D.
Xlibris Corporation
1663 South Liberty Drive, Bloomington, IN 47403-5161
www.xlibris.com
www.inthecrucibleofchroniclymedisease.com
9781503587373 $34.99 pbk / $19.99 Kindle amazon.com

Synopsis: Following completion of his medical training and a one-year stint as attending physician on Howard Champion's Surgical Critical Care Service and MedStar Unit at Washington Hospital Center in the District of Columbia, Kenneth Liegner, M.D. returned to Westchester County, home of his Alma Mater, New York Medical College, to start a private practice. Unwittingly, he had 'plunked himself down' in the heart of a burgeoning epidemic of Lyme disease. His patients confronted him with puzzling syndromes that defied 'tidy' formulations of the illness and thrust him in to a Maelstrom of medical controversy.

Lyme disease, a new poorly understood disease, emerged hand in hand with the rise 'managed care'. Physicians caring for persons with Lyme disease, loyal to the Hippocratic Oath and serving what they saw as patients' best medical interests, found themselves on a collision course with a new Corporate Medical Ethic dedicated to maximizing profit.

One practitioner's work over 25 years is presented here along with correspondence with many principals in the field. Documentational in nature and not written as a narrative, the materials, nonetheless, convey the intensity of the struggle to characterize the nature of Lyme disease and the desperate fight for proper diagnosis and treatment upon the outcome of which patients' very lives depended. The volume includes protocols useful as reference materials for patients and practitioners alike, as well as photographic images of many persons important in the history of Lyme disease. The foreword is by Pam Weintraub, Senior Editor of aeon digital magazine and author of award-winning book Cure Unknown: Inside the Lyme Epidemic.

Critique: Author Dr. Leigner has spent a sizeable portion of his life studying Lyme and tick-borne diseases, as well as caring for patients with chronic Lyme disease. In the Crucible of Chronic Lyme Disease assembles scientific articles, speeches, presentations, correspondence with legislators and experts in the field, even a handful of black-and-white photographs. Above all, Leigner emphasizes the need for better diagnoses, treatment, and prevention of Lyme and other tick-borne diseases. Due to the extensive amount of primary source material, In the Crucible of Chronic Lyme Disease is more accessible to healthcare professionals and scientists than lay readers, but readers of all backgrounds can appreciate the call to legislative and health care action.

The Final Hurdle
Dennis Hursh
Advantage Media Group
65 Gadsden Street, Charleston, SC 29401
http://advantagefamily.com
9781599323138, $69.97, 178pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: Dennis Hursh has been providing healthcare legal services in Pennsylvania since 1982. Since 1992, he has been Managing Partner of Hursh & Hursh, P.C., serving the legal needs of a variety of clients including physicians, physician groups, integrated delivery systems, and preferred provider organizations. In the pages of "The Final Hurdle: A Physician's Guide to Negotiating a Fair Employment Agreement" he draws upon his years of experience and expertise to provide a complete instruction manual for physicians on employment contracts with clinics, hospitals, and medical practices. "The Final Hurtler covers Compensation and Benefits; Restrictive Covenants; Call Coverage; Defining what is expected of them: The Term of the Agreement (including Issues with hospital and managed care credentialing, and how to work around them, Grounds for termination, and "without cause" termination issues, Medical record issues, Assignment of location of service, Budgetary weasel language to avoid, Malpractice issues in common provisions); Malpractice Insurance; Private Practice Issues (Time to ownership, Concerns with "guaranteed" ownership; Costs of the buy-in; Methodologies for determining the buy-in, and the pros and cons of each; Why a cheap buy-in may not be best; What provisions are absolutely vital in regard to future ownership). Of special note is the inclusion of a checklist for a Physicians Employment Agreement.

Critique: Exceptionally well written, organized and presented, "The Final Hurdle" is unreservedly recommended for professional, university, and medical school reference collections. For the personal reading lists of aspiring or already in practice physicians, it should be noted that "The Final Hurdle" is also available in a Kindle format ($47.85).


The Mystery/Suspense Shelf

The Weaver Fish
Robert Edeson
Aardvark Bureau
9781910709144, $14.95, www.aardvarkbureau.com

Synopsis: Edvard is a Cambridge linguist is presumed to have died in a balloon crash. When he staggers in from a remote swamp, gravely ill and swollen beyond recognition, his colleagues at the research station are relieved and very happy to see him. But Edvard's has not only survived, he has made a discovery about a rare giant bird draws the attention of an international crime syndicate.

Critique: All the more impressive when considering that "The Weaver Fish" is author Robert Edeson's debut as a novelist, this is an extraordinary and unique story that was originally published in Australia and is now available to an American readership. "The Weaver Fish" by Robert Edeson is part thriller, part literary epic, and part mathematical puzzles set on the island nation of Ferendes in the South China Sea. While enthusiastically recommended for community library General Fiction collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "The Weaver Fish" is also available in a Kindle format ($3.82).

Static
Eric Laster
Automatic Publishing
www.automaticpublishing.com
9780991272938, $17.99, HC, 233pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: When Curtis Brooks starts receiving phone calls from his older brother Wilt, who's been dead a week, he's sure it's to help him find evidence that will lead to a murderer's arrest. But Wilt claims he wasn't murdered; his calling, meant to help him adjust, is standard protocol for newly deceased at the Aftermart -- a kind of inescapable, ever-expanding Walmart filled with discontinued products. Wilt's death ruled a homicide, Curtis embarks on a dangerous plan to find the killer, which soon has him scheming against a billionaire and floundering toward love with his brother's ex-girlfriend Suzy, all while struggling through high school and his single mom's poor choices. Why does Wilt help Curtis win over Suzy, even as he organizes a rebellion at the Aftermart? Who'd wanted him dead? Curtis risks his life to answer these questions, in the process forging a bond with his brother unlike any they've ever had.

Critique: A riveting read from beginning to end, "Static" is an exceptionally well crafted novel that fully showcases author Eric Laster's impressive knack for storytelling. While very highly recommended for community library Mystery/Suspense collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Static" is also available in a paperback edition (9780991272990, $9.99) and in a Kindle format ($9.99).


The Fiction Shelf

In Twenty Years
Allison Winn Scotch
www.allisonwinn.com
Lake Union Publishing
www.apub.com
9781503935242 $14.95 pbk / $4.99 Kindle amazon.com

Synopsis: Twenty years ago, six Penn students shared a house, naively certain that their friendships would endure - until the death of their ringleader and dear friend Bea splintered the group for good. Now, mostly estranged from one another, the remaining five reluctantly gather at that same house on the eve of what would have been Bea's fortieth birthday.

But along with the return of the friends come old grudges, unrequited feelings, and buried secrets. Catherine, the CEO of a domestic empire, and Owen, a stay-at-home dad, were picture-perfect college sweethearts - but now teeter on the brink of disaster. Lindy, a well-known musician, is pushing middle age in an industry that's all about youth and slowly self-destructing as she grapples with her own identity. Behind his smile, handsome plastic surgeon Colin harbors the heartbreaking truth about his own history with Bea. And Annie carefully curates her life on Instagram and Facebook, keeping up appearances so she doesn't have to face the truth about her own empty reality.

Reunited in the place where so many dreams began, and bolstered by the hope of healing, each of them is forced to confront the past.

Critique: In Twenty Years is a wistful novel about six former roommates who shared a house when they were college students. Once they were fast friends; then the sudden death of one of their number caused them to part ways and grow distant. Two decades later, these once fast friends have gathered for an uneasy reunion. Each harbors their own midlife crises and unfulfilled yearnings. A story of learning to accept the past and confront the future, In Twenty Years is a heart-wrenching read, highly recommended.

The Blood Led Her
Robert Digiacomo
CreateSpace
4900 LaCross Rd., North Charleston, SC 29406
www.createspace.com
9781530422685, $13.50, PB, 343pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: Claudia doesn't care who Jesus is supposed to be. Her husband Decius has a job to do -- kill him. She helps bathe him when he gets home, grasping the scroll that carried his orders. When Claudia accidentally swallows some of the blood of Jesus, Decius suddenly dies.

Centuries later in Philadelphia, Al Campo's trying to distance himself from government agencies counting on him to do their dirty work. He unexpectedly saves Eva, a twelve-year-old girl, when he's almost shot by an assailant chasing her down. She can't explain much about why she's totally alone, and she won't part with her backpack. Al later discovers the scroll she carries as they visit his sick friend. What he can't begin to imagine is its immense power.

Only two things are for certain. Whoever's after her won't give up, and Al's all she has. So it's a race for survival as he remains her protector. But in the end, who's protecting whom?

Critique: An original and riveting read from first page to last, "The Blood Led Her" clearly establishes author Robert Digiacomo as a master of the suspense/thriller genre. Certain to be an enduringly popular addition to community library collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "The Blood Led Her" is also available in a Kindle format ($5.99).

Serpents and Doves
G. Lloyd Helm
Rogue Phoenix Press
www.roguephoenixpress.com
MousePrints Publishing
9781624202766, $10.99, PB, 270pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: The title "Serpents and Doves" comes from the warning Jesus gave to his disciples as he sent them out to preach the gospel, knowing the dangers they were going into. He said "Be wise as serpents and harmless as doves." Stephen Mitchell learns first-hand what that warning means when he goes to a Tennessee church college in the midst of the turbulent sixties. He learns about friendship, war, protest, the sexual revolution, civil rights -- and just what it means to be black in the segregated south.

Critique: Exceptionally well written, "Serpents and Doves" is a consistently compelling novel from beginning to end. While highly recommended for community library General Fiction collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Serpents and Doves" is also available in a Kindle format ($3.99).

A Wolf Called Ring
A. W. Sibley
www.awolfcalledring.com
Brighton Publishing LLC
www.BrightonPublishing.com
9781621831976, $12.95, PB, 271pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: Dub Sibley is a farm boy growing up in pre-WWII Louisiana who raises a half-wolf pup and names it Ring. The black wolf-dog with the white ring around its neck becomes Dub's best friend, and together they work on the farm, explore the woods nearby, and hunt for squirrels and other animals that are vital to the Sibley family's survival. No one understands the bond between the boy and his dog, not even Dub's parents or his sisters and brother.

When Ring's talent for hunting and treeing squirrels shows up a wealthy rival in a well-publicized contest, the rival wants more than revenge: he wants to own Ring. But Dub isn't selling his prized dog, no matter what the man offers, because Ring isn't his possession-he's Dub's best friend. The wealthy man finds he must use other, illegal means to ensure the wolf dog never again hunts for anyone but him.

Finding himself a prisoner, alone, confused, and far from home, Ring the wolf-dog must seek a means of escape so he can head back home to his friend, Dub. His cross-country journey from his kidnapper's home in Massachusetts to Dub's farm in Louisiana will be long, arduous, and filled with challenges that only a wolf can survive. Does he have the strength and courage it will take to find his way back to Dub? Along the difficult trek, Ring must decide whether to be a dog or a wolf-and his decision will affect not only his own survival, but also the life or death of the she-wolf he meets along the way.

Critique: "A Wolf Called Ring" clearly establishes author A. W. Sibley as an impressively gifted storyteller of the first order. A consistently compelling read from first page to last, "A Wolf Called Ring" is unreservedly recommended and certain to be an enduringly popular addition to community library General Fiction collections. For personal reading lists it should be noted that "A Wolf Called Ring" is also available in a Kindle format ($5.99).

Hard Acceleration
David Batts & Ta'Lishia Batts
Archway Publishing
1663 Liberty Drive, Bloomington, IN 47403-5161
www.archwaypublishing.com
9781480823860, $44.95, HC, 477pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: Davin Jamison is already burned out when he receives an honorable discharge from the United States Army. After he lands a job in Manhattan, Kansas, his life seems to be on track until his boss lays him off. As a father and husband, Davin already feels the pressure as the provider. But when his wife continually reminds him of his failed military career, an angry David abandons his family for a new beginning in Arkansas.

Anxious to see Kansas in his rear mirror, Davin pushes his motorcycle to its limits. After he speeds past a trooper, the officer pursues him on a death-defying chase into Topeka that grabs news coverage and the attention of two men who bail him out of jail. Donald Walker and Richard Sharpe have been searching for the right driver to represent them in the Transcontinental American Race. As an alternative to prison, they invite Davin to participate in a coast-to-coast race with sixteen others that include an Englishman, an ex-marine, and a beautiful Porsche test driver. As the race begins, Davin soon learns that speed limits are simply suggestions.

Critique: Since the era of the Cannon Ball Run movies, transcontinental race stories have been enduringly popular. "Hard Acceleration" is a deftly crafted novel that is a consistently compelling and entertaining read from beginning to end and establishes the writing team of David and Ta'Lishia Batts to be truly extraordinary. While enthusiastically recommended for community library General Fiction collections, it should be noted that "Hard Acceleration" is also available for personal reading lists in a paperback edition (978-1480823877, $28.95) and a Kindle format ($3.99).

Friends of the Wigwam
John William Huelskamp
Barrington Group Publications
www.friendsofthewigwam.com
9780692348826, $16.95, PB, 382pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: "Friends of the Wigwam: A Civil War Story " by Civil War expert and consultant John William Huelskamp is a historical novel and love story about six young friends whose innocence is stripped from them seemingly overnight in the brutal setting of the American Civil War.

Meticulously researched and based on real-life people and true events, "Friends of the Wigwam" spans 1857-1865 and introduces you to the courageous men and women from Illinois who staged one of the first contested national conventions, were responsible for getting Abraham Lincoln elected and made the ultimate sacrifice during the American Civil War.

From the true story of a young woman who successfully masqueraded as a man during the Civil War and was buried with full military honors to the often heart-wrenching letters home to wives and families and actual military correspondence between military leaders, author John William Huelskamp brings to life a volatile nation at war.

Critique: A consistently compelling read from beginning to end, "Friends of the Wigwam: A Civil War Story" is a deftly written work of fiction that is quite accurately factual in background details. While very highly recommended for community library General Fiction collections, it should be noted, especially for the personal reading lists of Civil War enthusiasts, that "Friends of the Wigwam" is also available in a Kindle edition ($5.99).

Alannah
Leslie Brooks
Love Incarnate Books
PO Box 111, Colrain, MA 01340
9780996652322, $15.99, PB, 225pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: "The old one rocks herself by the hearth gently, so as not to wake the child in her lap. A circle of children sits at her feet, fidgeting and restless because the story has not yet begun, but knowing that, from this old one, it will be true. There is a faraway look in her eyes as she draws the tale from her memory, and then, her face wreathed in a smile, she looks into the eyes of each child, one by one, and begins to weave the story into their souls.

"'In a place called Far Away, and a time called Long Ago, there once lived a woodcutter and his wife, in a simple hut like this one, in a hamlet in the woods. They were happy but for the fact that they had no child. Nearby, around a plain and halfway up a mountain, towered a mighty castle where lived the king and queen of the land. They too longed for a child.

"'And long before that Long Ago, and far beyond that Far Away, in a place of deepest magic hovering beyond the mists and veils of time itself, there was talk of change. And so the story begins.'"

"Alannah" by Leslie Brooks is that story, the tale of a young hamlet girl who finds the true inside of herself, and the courage and compassion to transform those of evil into the light they once were. Of course, as in all the best stories, Alannah meets a handsome Prince Tarek along the way!

Critique: A deftly crafted, compelling, and original tale that is pure entertainment from beginning to end, "Alannah" clearly demonstrates author Leslie Brooks' impressive storytelling talents and imaginative creativity. A consistently compelling novel from first page to last, "Alannah" is enthusiastically recommended for personal reading lists and community library General Fiction collections.

Ride With Me
Brett Champan
NorthWaters Press
http://northwaterspress.com
9780988332126, $14.00, 236pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: Earl Timmings is a hardworking young man graced with deep character and a zeal for life-and fishing. But nothing would be the same for him after stepping into the old country store one spring afternoon and meeting Ruth, a beautiful girl from Iowa who would steal his heart. Weeks later, when Ruth returns to the small town for good, a sweet summer romance begins. But when their relationship blossoms into something more, World War II threatens to cut it short. As Earl ships out for the Pacific front, they will soon discover that few things ever stay the same.

Critique: A deftly written and consistently compelling novel from start to finish, "Ride With Me" clearly documents author Brett Champan as an impressively skilled and original storyteller. Enthusiastically recommended for community library General Fiction collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Ride With Me" is also available in a Kindle format ($9.00).

Done Growed Up
Mary Morony
www.MaryMorony.com
Westropp Press
9780996328906, $16.99, PB, 350pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: When we last left the Mackey Family in the late 1950s in volume one of Mary Morony's 'The Apron Strings' trilogy, their lives were in turmoil that included divorce, alcoholism, racism, death, and puberty.

"Done Growed Up" is the second volume of the trilogy and finds Ethel, a black maid in a racist world - the true heart and soul of the Mackey Family, is the children's only constant as she fights her own numerous demons. Twelve-year-old Sallee struggles to understand the world with little enlightenment from the adults around her. Her older sister Stuart, a college student New York City, finally escaped the South and drama of her family only to succumb to the terrible temptations of urban life; Gordon, a 14 year old boy feeling anger and hatred as he begins to slowly realize the harsh reality of the people and world around him; while Ginny, newly divorced mother of four, finds that she's not the spoiled princess she once was. She is overwhelmed with responsibility, feelings of abandonment, and alcoholism. Joe, Ginny's ex, and the children's father, revels in new-found wealth and popularity with women, yet yearns for family and simpler times.

Author Mary Morony was born and raised in Charlottesville, Virginia, mainly by her family's beloved black maid. Her childhood was a time of segregated schools and many places that prohibited black people. Morony's inspiration for the Apron Strings Trilogy was her strong relationship with her maid and caretaker, who taught her more about life and love than anyone has since. Morony also uses personal life tragedies and triumphs to produce novels with real experiences and true emotion.

Critique: Although the middle volume of a three novel story arc (volume one being "Apron Strings"), Mary Morony's "Done Growed Up" is a complete and deftly crafted tale in and of itself. Enthusiastically recommended for community library General Fiction collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Done Growed Up" is also available in a Kindle format ($3.99).


The Political Science Shelf

A Faltering American Dream
Robert W. Merriam
Archway Publishing
1663 Liberty Drive, Bloomington, IN 47403-5161
www.archwaypublishing.com
9781480821170, $28.95, HC, 121pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: In "A Faltering American Dream: Excessive Accumulation of Money and Power Through the Federal Elections Market", economic researcher, scientist and academician, Robert W. Merriam provides the reader with a somewhat iconoclastic analysis of the current United States' decline in government capabilities and solvency compared to other advanced nations of the world. "A Faltering American Dream" documents infrastructure deterioration, high national debt and poverty, scarcity of good jobs, and decreases in affordable higher education. The origin of these problems is in Washington where the harsh, uncompromising clash of political ideologies has resulted in a functionally disabled Congress.

"A Faltering American Dream" presents a wide range of information to arrive at a unique perspective on the policy differences so bitterly contended in Congress: the size, functions, and business regulations of the federal government, and its tax support of traditional services. This erudite study also directly compares economic and employment results of contending party policies, since World War II when each party held the presidency. Dr. Merriam demonstrates that government spending per person since the 1980's is increasing faster than inflation, population, and GDP growth. These increases have occurred through administrations of both parties and show little or no effect of ideological differences. Dr. Merriam seeks answers for why is this happening.

With the publication of "A Faltering American Dream", Dr. Merriam clarifies how and why such changes are happening to America's economy and former world prominence. At the root of most of these problems, he identifies a fatal flaw in our governance structure, unanticipated by the framers of the constitution. "A Faltering American Dream" concludes with an urgent call for a practical correction of this defect and a plea for the campaign rhetoric of the 2016 political candidates to express clearly the reasons why they advocate their policy positions on important economic issues.

Critique: Impressively well written, reasoned, organized and presented, "A Faltering American Dream: Excessive Accumulation of Money and Power Through the Federal Elections Market" is as informed and informative as it is thoughtful and thought-provoking. Enhanced with the inclusion of five key graphs, and on table, "A Faltering American Dream" is unreservedly recommended for community, college, and university library Contemporary American Political Science reference collections and supplemental studies reading lists. It should be noted for students and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "A Faltering American Dream" is also available in a paperback edition (9781480821187, $11.99) and in a Kindle format ($3.99).


The Human Sexuality Shelf

Yes You Can
Dr. Barb DePree
Lulu Publishing
3101 Hillsborough Street, Raleigh, NC 27607-5436
www.lulu.com
9781312302860, $12.95, PB, 168pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: "Yes You Can: Dr. Barb's Recipe for Lifelong Intimacy" by Barb DePree (a gynecologist providing health care for women for more than 25 years) is a comprehensive and essential guide to sexual health at midlife and beyond for women -- and the men who love them, "Yes You Can" is a thoroughly 'reader friendly' compendium of sound, practical medical advice that will empower women to remain as sexually active as they wish for as long as they choose.

Critique: Simply stated, "Yes You Can: Dr. Barb's Recipe for Lifelong Intimacy" is a 'must' for all women who are approaching or who are already experiencing menopause. Informed and informative throughout, of special note is what Dr. DePree has to say about arthritis and female sexual activity. "Yes You Can" is an outstanding contribution to women's health literature and should be a part of every community library's Health & Medicine collection. For personal reading lists it should be noted that "Yes You Can" is also available in a Kindle format ($6.49).


The Self-Help Shelf

How My Cat Made Me a Better Man
Jeremy Feig
MSI Press, LLC
1760 Airline Hwy., F-203, Hollister, CA 95023
http://msipress.com
9781933455457 $9.95 amazon.com

Synopsis: Jeremy Feig was at rock bottom - broke, alone, and living in a shoebox-sized apartment. At the same time, his cat was perfectly content. What was her secret? She couldn't say it out loud, but it was clear she had all the answers to living a good life. How My Cat Made Me a Better Man is a hilarious self-help book for guys, based on the lessons of an edgy cat named Shelly. It's packed with useful advice on topics like relationships, dealing with stress, and even grooming habits. If you feel like your life is spinning out of control, this book will help you set things right - and keep you laughing along the way.

Critique: Witty, whimsical, and featuring life-changing "Cat Lessons", How My Cat Made Me a Better Man is filled with everything from dating tips to coping with anxiety and pursuing life goals. Although written with a spry dash of feline humor, How My Cat Made Me a Better Man is a genuine self-help book filled with nine lives' worth of wisdom! Highly recommended. "Of course, a shelter visit only gives you a glimpse of a cat's personality [...] It's the same thing on a first date. Both you and your partner try to only show your best sides, hiding all your faults. It's like playing poker, where you lay some cards on the table and keep the rest hidden away. You can't learn what a person is truly like after one dinner and a mediocre romantic comedy."

Born to Heal
Luke Adler
Healer Press
www.lukeadlerhealing.com
9780692665077, $19.95, PB, 367pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: A board certified acupuncturist and herbalist, Luke Adler's basic message in "Born To Heal: Heal Yourself, Heal The World" is that until and unless you discover the wellspring of love within, you will endlessly seek love from the outside world. Featuring seventy-five exercises and meditations, illustrations, case studies, and personal stories, "Born to Heal" will inspire courage and help to develop and trust our own inner and innate guidance. Readers will learn to examine stuck places in their lives, to own their part in creating that stagnation, and become skilled with new ways of healing themselves and the world the live in.

Upbringing and societal conditioning have taught us to suppress our emotions, our truth, and the voice of our hearts. "Born to Heal" helps unpack that suppression and encourages the growth of stronger clarity, intuition, and a focus on healing. "Born to Heal" uses the lens of ancient Chinese medicine, enhanced by Luke's own personal and diverse exploration into his own consciousness and that of the thousands of people he has served. His goal is to help patients and readers bring to light the systematic way we suppress our inner guidance and the physical effect of that suppression. "Born to Heal" teaches how to reverse the disease process by looking within, learning to love what you discover, taking up daily meditation practice, and using breath work to increase an ability to see life in all its nuanced beauty.

Critique: Impressively well written and exceptionally well organized and presented, "Born To Heal: Heal Yourself, Heal The World" is one of those life altering discoveries that happen perhaps once in a generation. Thoroughly 'reader friendly' in tone, commentary and content, "Born to Heal" is one of those rare and transformative compendiums of practical insight that will linger in the mind and memory long after the book itself has been finished and set back upon the Shelf. Available only in a paperback edition, "Bron to Heal" is unreservedly recommended for personal reading lists, as well as community, and academic library Self-Help/Self-Improvement collections.

Sobrietease
Martha Carucci
Sobrietease
www.sobrietease.org
9780692686904, $14.00, PB, 192pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: Substance abuse and addiction, be it with alcohol or any of the many forms of narcotics or prescription medications, is commonplace in every community throughout the country. From the homeless on the street to the soccer mom sitting in a PTA meeting, drug addicts are not confined to television stereotypes but can be anyone, anywhere. In "Sobrietease" author Martha Carucci points out (based upon her own experience and observations) that every one has stresses and adverse conditions they must contend with, ranging from depression, anxiety, martial abuse, and malfunctioning relationships to problems at work, that contribute to substance abuse and misuse. But substance abuse can be overcome. "Sobrietease" is a humorous, heartfelt story about a suburban mom's journey through recovery and sobriety into a better life.

Critique: As intensely personal as its message is universal, "Sobrietease" is exceptionally well written, organized and presented. As informative, thoughtful, thought-provoking, and ultimately inspirational, "Sobrietease" is unreservedly recommended for community library Self-Help/Self-Improvement reference collections and the personal reading list of anyone struggling with substance abuse -- or has a loved one who is.


The Metaphysical Studies Shelf

A New World
Jonathan R. Banks
http://jonathanrobertbanks.com
Black Rose Writing
PO Box 1540, Castroville, TX 78009
http://www.blackrosewriting.com
9781612966465, $22.95, PB, 520pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: Foretold by ancient seers and now by scientists, the human race is at an unprecedented historic and evolutionary crossroad. We have the capacity to transform ourselves spiritually and our civilization materially or de-evolve into an Orwellian nightmare.

Religion, the new age and traditional spiritual practices have not enlightened us nor has science. Yet science is the only institution that can spiritually unite humanity with a new world view. However, science needs to evolve from its current, mechanistic, reductionist, metaphysically immature form to achieve this.

Consciousness, design, purpose, a god concept, spirits and all psychic phenomena can now be accounted for by a maturing science, with new fields like complexity, artificial life, AI, quantum information and higher dimensional physics, supported by computation and neuroscience. Such a science can incorporate mystical wisdom, yet supersede it with a rigorous new worldview, more sophisticated and all encompassing than anything in history.

In "A New World: The Science of Higher Dimensional Computation and Metaphysics", author Jonathan R. Banks presents a detailed examination of the evolution of science and a dramatic and inspiring vision of how we may fulfill our spiritual destiny.

Critique: Exceptionally well written, organized and presented, "A New World: The Science of Higher Dimensional Computation and Metaphysics" is an inherently fascinating and consistently compelling study that is thoroughly 'reader friendly' in tone, content and commentary. Insightful, informative, iconoclastic, thoughtful and thought-provoking, "A New World" is unreservedly recommended for personal, community and academic library Metaphysical Studies collections. Non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject might well be interested in visiting author Jonathan Banks' web site at http://jonathanrobertbanks.com


The Photography Shelf

Treasured Lands
Q. T. Luong, photographer
http://treasuredlandsbook.com
Cameron + Company
www.cameronbooks.com
9781944903008, $65.00, HC, 456pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: America's national parks and the art of photography have been intimately intertwined for the entire history of the national park movement. After Congress first viewed photos of Yosemite, President Abraham Lincoln was moved to sign a bill that paved the way for the U.S. National Park Service, which was founded in 1916 and is now celebrating its centennial. In "Treasured Lands: A Photographic Odyssey Through America's National Parks", photographer QT Luong pays visual tribute to the millions of acres of protected wilderness in our country's 59 national parks.

Luong, who is featured in Ken Burns's and Dayton Duncan's documentary "The National Parks: America's Best Idea", is one the most prolific photographers working in the national parks and the only professional photographer to have made large-format photographs in each of them. In an odyssey that spanned more than 20 years and 300 visits, Luong focused his lenses on iconic landscapes and rarely seen remote views, presenting his journey in this sumptuous array of more than 500 breathtaking images.

Accompanying the collection of scenic masterpieces is a guide that includes maps of each park, as well as extended captions that detail where and how the photographs were made. Designed to inspire visitors to connect with the parks and invite photographers to re-create these landscapes, the guide also provides anecdotal observations that give context to the pictures and convey the sheer scope of Luong's extraordinary odyssey.

Critique: Enhanced with an informative introduction by documentary filmmaker Dayton Duncan, "Treasured Lands: A Photographic Odyssey Through America's National Parks" is an inherently fascinating and consistently compelling volume of superbly produced and presented images. This is one of those rare photographic collections that will linger in the mind and memory long after the book itself is finished and set back upon the shelf. Ideal for armchair travelers and for non-specialist general readers with an interest in America's national park system, "Treasured Lands" will prove to be an enduringly popular addition to personal, community, college, and university library American Photography collections.


The Biography Shelf

A Love Story: An Intensely Personal Memoir
Lance Secretan
The Secretan Center Inc.
www.secretan.com
9780986565410 $24.95 hc / $9.99 Kindle amazon.com

Synopsis: Literature and history are filled with epic, romantic love stories Antony and Cleopatra, Napoleon and Josephine, Lancelot and Guinevere, Romeo and Juliet, Orpheus and Eurydice but who has experienced or witnessed a real-life love story? As Francois de La Rochefoucauld has written, True love is like ghosts, which everyone talks about and few have seen. It is exceptionally rare, and A Love Story is a book bursting with passion that describes a remarkable union of two souls, whose single powerful flame inspired everyone they touched. It is a radiant source of inspiration that describes how two lovers met and inspired each other forever. The story is told through a rich tapestry of luscious poetry and anecdote. If everyone lived their lives this way, the divorce courts would be empty and world peace would prevail.

Critique: Alternating between poetry and vignettes, A Love Story: An Intensely Personal Memoir is a reflective journey of the good times, bad times, and cherished love shared between author Lance Secretan and their spouse and soulmate, A Love Story is heart-touching, personal, and reaffirms the eternal beauty that lies within something as simple as everyday life. Highly recommended. It should be noted for personal reading lists that A Love Story is also available in a Kindle edition ($9.99).

Access Denied
Katherine Reddick
www.saveus2.com
Page Publishing
9781683482062, $31.95, HC, 312pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: "Access Denied" is an intensely personal memoir that follows Katherine Reddick's lifelong transformation from a small girl escaping a life destined for crime, ignorance, and generational poverty and abuse to a successful adult. Her story grants the reader an insider's look at America's foster care system and its impact on a child's entire life. She shares her real-life experiences through the innocence of childhood to the confused and insecure adolescence to the instability of adulthood. Eventually, her negative experiences are overcome by her persistence to become a well-educated, compassionate adult fighting for the rights of America's abused and neglected children. Of special note is that the major themes within "Access Denied" have specific solutions included at the end of the book, giving every reader the opportunity to join Dr. Reddick's campaign to save, rather than store America's foster children. Dr. Reddick's campaign can be followed at www.saveus2.com or on Facebook.

Critique: A compelling, sobering, insightful, thoughtful and thought-provoking read, "Access Denied" is an extraordinary account of an extraordinary life that is unreservedly recommended for community and academic library Contemporary American Biography collections in general, and Child Welfare supplemental studies reading lists in particular. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of students and non-specialist general readers that "Access Denied" is also available in a paperback edition (9781683489931, $17.95) and in a Kindle format ($9.99).


The Holocaust Studies Shelf

Dancing through Darkness
Ann Markham Walsh
www.amwalsh.com
Cable Publishing
9781934980064, $24.95, HC, 230pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: In April 1943, 20-year-old Saartje Wijnberg (Selma Engel) and nearly 2000 fellow prisoners arrived at Sobibor Death Camp and were herded from a Nazi transport by shouting SS guards using guns, snarling dogs, and whips to speed the sorting process. Crazed by hunger and thirst after three days and nights of living hell, not knowing where she was and why, and unable to understand the orders screamed at her, she was suddenly shoved from the line -' terrified about her unknown fate. The Nazi guards ordered her to dance with Chalm Engel, a prisoner from Brudzew, Poland. Ultimately surviving the Holocaust, the two of them would spend the rest of their lives together. "Dancing through Darkness: When Love & Dreams Survived a Nazi Death Camp" is drawn from Saartje's diary which is now housed in the Holocaust Museum in Washington, D.C.

Critique: A story of the triumph of the human spirit against the horrors of the Holocaust, "Dancing through Darkness" is an incredible, true story that is unreservedly recommended for community, college, and university library Holocaust Studies collections. For personal reading lists it should be noted that "Dancing through Darkness" is also available in a paperback edition (9781934980071, $18.95) and in a Kindle format ($9.95).


The Architecture Shelf

Sheds
Howard Mansfield, author
Joanna Eldredge Morrissey, photographer
Bauhan Publishing LLC
PO Box 117, Peterborough, NH 03458
www.bauhanpublishing.com
9780872331860, $25.00, PB, 192pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: Author Howard Mansfield defines a shed as "the shortest line between need and shelter". In "Sheds", Mansfield. draws upon on material taken from his recent study "Dwelling in Possibility", as he explores the different types of sheds found around New England and beyond including: covered bridges, barns, worksheds, "worship sheds" (meeting houses), extended farmhouses, and bob houses for ice fishing. In lyrical style and profusely supported by the color photography of Joanna Eldredge Morrissey, "Sheds" shows the connection between the design of these structures and their roles in our lives. As Mansfield writes: "Sheds are like our lives - not the grandest building or the most graceful. Sheds are ordinary - and in that they are exalted."

Critique: Superbly illustrated throughout, "Sheds" is an extraordinary and unique study that is as impressively well written as it is exceptionally well organized and presented. Simply stated, "Sheds" is unreservedly recommended for both community and academic library collections, and will prove to be of special interest to students of architecture as well as non-specialist general readers with an interest in the variety and utility of these relatively simple structures.


The Fantasy/SciFi Shelf

The Unforgiven
A. Katie Rose
www.akatierose.com
House Anderson Publishing
9780990427551 $21.95 pbk / $0.99 amazon.com

Synopsis: When the moon and the sun Are joined as one, From tears of strife, from the bitter ashes, From sorrow and from rage That what was once parted shall again be one. First Captain Vanyar: Disgraced. Outlawed. Haunted by the chilling murder of his own men, he is consumed by guilt and knows he can never find redemption for his crimes. The most talented Shape-Shifter ever born, only he can save Princess Iyumi from a Witch's evil, and help her find the child of prophecy. But his Atani brothers, seeking justice for the slaying of Vanyar's unit, plan his private execution against the King's orders.

Princess Iyumi: She is the legendary "She Who Hears", the voice of the gods, and the gods' chosen tool. Only she knows where to find the child spoken of in the ancient prophecy, the child who will unite two warring countries and protect the world of magic from obliteration. Caught between two warring men, only her love is hers to give, to offer to the only man she ever wanted.

Prince Flynn: Despised by his own people, cruelly abused by his father, he fights to hide his magical gifts from those who would slay him for possessing them. By blood and by fire, he gains a terrible power, and condemns his own soul. He must find Princess Iyumi and the child, and bring them to his father's mistress, the Red Witch. Or the only people who ever mattered to him, his mother and his sister, will die.

Critique: A sweeping, fantastic saga of war, magic, and love, The Unforgiven is a high fantasy epic that makes the stuff of legends come alive. Princess Iyumi and Prince Flynn are heroes in the crux of an overwhelming threat, and their desperate struggle to save their loved ones is compelling to the final page. Highly recommended, especially for connoisseurs of the genre! It should be noted that The Unforgiven is also available in a Kindle edition ($0.99).

Globes Disease
Lance Oliver Keeble
www.KeebleInk.com
CreateSpace
4900 LaCross Rd., North Charleston, SC 29406
www.createspace.com
9780996123303, $33.97, HC, 352pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: "Globes Disease" by Lance Oliver Keeble is an original novel about werewolves told from the werewolves' perspective. Jodi and her shape shifting friends all suffer from the same affliction of lycanthropy. Each of them must deal with their struggles in their own personal way. These unfortunate residents of the small quiet town of La Mort Douce must band together as their peace is threatened by a mysterious Vampire, werewolf hunters who treat them like wild game and a government agency with promises of a cure. With many more threats looming, this eclectic group must come together to achieve a common goal. They must fight for their humanity or die alone, like animals.

Critique: Exceptionally well written and a consistently compelling read from beginning to end, "Globes Disease" clearly underscores author Lance Keeble's extraordinary and imaginative storytelling talents. While unreservedly recommended and certain to be an enduringly popular addition to community library Science Fiction & Fantasy collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Globes Disease" is also available in a paperback edition (9781530227655, $13.97) and in a Kindle format ($3.97).


The Education Shelf

The Graduate Handbook
Russell J. Bunio
Trafford Publishing
1663 Liberty Drive, Bloomington, IN 47403
www.trafford.com
9781490762203, $22.10, HC, 174pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: In "The Graduate Handbook: You Don't Know What You Don't Know", Russell J. Bunio draws upon what he has learned from successful supervisors and colleagues when his college bound nephew peppered him with questions about careers, college majors, and being successful. He distilled those lessons into fifty best practices to help his nephew (and anyone else) get on the fast track to success upon entering the workforce. Lessons include: Seek out a mentor so you'll be better equipped to please your primary customer - your boss; Concentrate on doing it right the first time, because you may not get a second chance; If you can't find some fun in your job, maybe you should look for someplace else to work; Show and prove that you are reliable, and you will generate trust; Focus on making positive contributions and avoid gossip and rumors; Keep a balance and make time for eating, sleeping, and exercising-daily.

Critique: Thoroughly 'reader friendly' in tone, content and commentary, "The Graduate Handbook: You Don't Know What You Don't Know" is as informed and informative as it is thoughtful and thought-provoking. Simply stated, "The Graduate Handbook" should be read by every graduating highschool student anticipating entering college. It would also prove to be an invaluable resource for Freshman and Sophomores already in attending college. While unreservedly recommended for highschool and community library collections, it should be noted for students and their parents that "The Graduate Handbook" is also available in a paperback edition (9781490762210, $12.10) and in a Kindle format ($7.99).


The Christian Studies Shelf

God and Political Justice
Landa Cope
YWAM Publishing
PO Box 55787, Seattle, WA 98155
www.ywampublishing.com
9781576588345, $17.99, PB, 352pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: Amid widespread violence, social turmoil, and failures in governance, people and nations worldwide have a deep hunger for justice. Can our societies overcome such tragedies and get back on track? If so, how? With the publication of "God and Political Justice: A Study of Civil Governance from Genesis to Revelation", the latest volume in the acclaimed Biblical Template series, author Landa Cope (who is also the Executive Director of The Template Institute, and committed to a comprehensive biblical approach to issues in the public forum) shows that the answer is yes -- and it will require hard work and an unwavering commitment to God's revealed principles.

Critique: Exceptionally well written, organized and presented, "God and Political Justice: A Study of Civil Governance from Genesis to Revelation" is a consistently informative and compelling read from beginning to end. A much needed contribution to our understanding as Christians in a world of Black Lives Matter, and the current political campaigns with reference to social and economic issues that divide the country with extreme and hostile rhetoric on all sides, "God and Political Justice" is especially commended to the attention of all members of the Christian community regardless of their denominational affiliation. It should be noted for personal reading lists that " "God and Political Justice" is also available in a Kindle edition ($9.99).


The American History Shelf

A History of Slave Resistance in the United States
Joseph E. Holloway
New World African Press
PO Box 7071, Porter Ranch, CA 91327
9781945171093 $49.95 NewWorldAfricanPress.com

Synopsis: The purpose of this new book by Joseph E. Holloway is to provide a comprehensive examination of slave resistances, including enslaved African resistance on board slave ships, and in the United States. This new book makes an important and valuable educational contribution to our understanding of how slave actions contributed to changes in the laws governing African Americans. This book makes available new information for teachers, scholars and the general public on the role that enslaved Africans played in the making of America through their struggles and sacrifices for freedom. Enslaved Africans resisted throughout the transatlantic slave trade; they resisted slavery from its inception in the New World, particularly the United States in the early 1600s to the end of the middle 1800s.

Critique: Chapters examine insurrections aboard slave ships, in colonial America, and in the antebellum South, as well as the modern-day effort to reclassify American slave revolts. Drawing heavily upon a wealth of data gathered from primary and secondary sources, including compilations of recorded slave insurrections, A History of Slave Resistance in the United States is extremely insightful, edifying, and accessible to readers of all backgrounds. A History of Slave Resistance in the United States is a seminal work of scholarship and research, and a choice pick for personal reading lists as well as public and college library American History collections. Highly recommended.


The Theatre/Cinema Shelf

In Search of Lost Films
Phil Hall
BearManor Media
PO Box 71426, Albany, Georgia 31708
www.bearmanormedia.com
9781593939380 $19.95 amazon.com

Synopsis: It is one of the most astonishing facts of cinema history: an extraordinary number of important films are believed to be lost forever. Spanning from the early days of the silent movies to as late as the 1970s and touching all corners of the global film experience, groundbreaking works of significant historical and artistic importance are gone. Cinema icons including Orson Welles, Stanley Kubrick, Alfred Hitchcock, Oscar Micheaux and Vincente Minnelli are among those impacted by this tragedy, and pioneering technological achievements in color cinematography, sound film technology, animation and widescreen projection are among the lost treasures. How could this happen? And is it possible to recover these missing gems? In this book, noted film critic and journalist Phil Hall details circumstances that resulted in these productions being erased from view. For anyone with a passion for the big screen, In Search of Lost Films provides an unforgettable consideration of a cultural tragedy.

Critique: In Search of Lost Films discusses how cinema can fade into obscurity, and efforts to recover and reconstruct their contributions to cultural history. Chapters discuss the search for ten unique lost silent films, another ten unique sound era films, the hunt for missing sequences/segments, the circumstances that prompted the disappearance of groundbreaking footage, and much more. In Search of Lost Films is a "must-read" for dedicated cinema connoisseurs, highly recommended.


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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