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Wisconsin Bookwatch
Table of Contents
Reviewer's Choice
Zen in the Age of Anxiety
Tim Burkett, author
Wanda Isle, editor
Shambhala Publications, Inc.
300 Massachusetts Avenue, Boston, MA 02115-4544
www.shambhala.com
9781611804867, $16.95, PB, 184pp, www.amazon.com
Wrestling with fear doesn't have to be a negative experience. Written by Tim Burkett and edited
by Wanda Isle, "Zen in the Age of Anxiety: Wisdom for Navigating Our Modern Lives" offers an
approach to life that unlocks a new way of thinking and being in the world, one that leads directly
through the center of the anxieties we seek to avoid. In the style of an owner's manual, a guide to
being human, "Zen in the Age of Anxiety" focuses on areas of pain and anxiety as they tend to
manifest for modern people: feelings of unworthiness, and issues surrounding sex, money,
failure, and even death. Providing wisdom from Zen (channeled through his many experiences as
a psychotherapist) and using language and metaphors from popular culture, "Zen in the Age of
Anxiety" takes anxiety and teaches us to turn those fears into the building blocks of a fulfilling
life. Thoroughly 'reader friendly' in tone, commentary, organization and presentation, "Zen in the
Age of Anxiety" is unreservedly recommended for both community and academic library
collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "Zen in the Age of Anxiety" is also
available in a digital book format (Kindle, $11.99).
Homemade
Editors of Reader's Digest
Reader's Digest Trade Publishing
44 South Broadway, White Plains, NY 10601
www.rdtradepublishing.com
9781621453802 $19.99 pbk / $11.99 Kindle amazon.com
Homemade: 707 Products to Make Yourself to Save Money and the Earth is a compendium of
370 recipes for creating inexpensive, natural, and environmentally-friendly products at home.
Readers will learn how to make their own health and beauty supplies, pet food, pantry staples,
cleaning products and much more! From a nontoxic toilet bowl cleaner made from borax and
white vinegar, to a lightly scented aftershave created from witch hazel and rose water, to a wealth
of delicious kitchen recipes, Homemade is a homemaker's and budget-saver's delight! Highly
recommended.
Hen and the Art of Chicken Maintenance, second edition
Martin Gurdon
Fox Chapel Publishing Company
1970 Broad Street N., East Petersburg, PA 17520
www.FoxChapelPublishing.com
9781620082768 $19.99 amazon.com
Featuring vibrant, full-color photography of chickens on virtually every page, Hen and the Art of
Chicken Maintenance: Reflections on a Life of Raising Chickens is a unique memoir about
raising chickens. While there are plenty of chicken care tips, guides, and remembrances, Hen and
the Art of Chicken Maintenance is primarily an armchair tour of chicken-care, and not
necessarily a how-to guide. Hen and the Art of Chicken Maintenance is a delight to page through,
and an unforgettable glimpse into the trials, tribulations, and joys of raising backyard chickens.
Highly recommend!
White Hot Grief Parade: A Memoir
Alexandra Silber
Pegasus Books
80 Broad Street, 5th Floor, New York, NY 10004
www.pegasusbooks.com
9781681777641, $25.95, HC, 288pp, www.amazon.com
Alexandra "Al" Silber seems to have everything: brilliance, beauty, and talent in spades. But
when her beloved father dies after a decade-long battle with cancer when she is just a teenager, it
feels like the end of everything. Lost in grief, Al and her mother hardly know where to begin with
the rest of their lives. Into this grieving house burst Al's three friends from theatre camp,
determined to help out as only drama students know how and they're moving in for the
duration. Over the course of that winter, the now five-strong household will do battle with
everything Death can throw at them meddling relatives, merciless bureaucracy, soul-sapping
sadness, the endless Tupperware. They will learn (almost) everything about love and will
eventually return to the world, altered in different ways by their time in a home by a river. An
inherently fascinating and deeply personal memoir written with an impressive candor and a
genuine flair for narrative storytelling, "White Hot Grief Parade" is an especially and
unreservedly recommended addition to community library Contemporary American Biography
collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "White Hot Grief Parade" is also
available in a digital book format (Kindle, $12.99).
The Forgotten Father
Gary Roen
Taylor and Seale Publishing, LLC
9781943789856 $15.95 hc / $5.99 Kindle amazon.com
The Forgotten Father (Coping With Grief) is a brief yet profound memoir expressed in free-verse
poetry. Author Gary Roen expresses the raw, turbulent grief of losing his infant son to SIDS.
Society treated him as a "forgotten father", barely acknowledging that he felt extreme pain over
the death of his own child. The Forgotten Father reaches out to parents (especially fathers) who
have suffered unspeakable loss. Highly recommended. "so many in their wisdom say / with time
the pain and hurt will go away / it will be so much easier // i have news for them / sometimes it
doesn't."
The Cookbook Shelf
Instant Pot Miracle 6 Ingredients or Less
Ivy Manning
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
3 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10016
www.hmhco.com
9781328557124, $21.99, PB, 240pp, www.amazon.com
With the thoroughly 'kitchen cook friendly' recipes compiled by Ivy Manning and comprising
"Instant Pot Miracle 6 Ingredients or Less: 100 No-Fuss Recipes for Easy Meals Every Day" is a
culinary compendium of no-fuss recipes that complement the Instant Pot's many settings. The
result is simple, satisfying meals ready when they are wanted with a minimum of fuss and effort.
The recipes include meaty braises, soups and stews, healthy breakfasts (for anytime of day!),
pastas and grains, and more. For even greater convenience, one-pot recipes are noted with icons
throughout, and some versatile recipes can be made using either the Instant Pot's pressure-cook
or slow-cook function, so you can cook according to your schedule. "Tasty tips" and serving
suggestions offer even more flexibility to make the most of ingredients you already have on hand.
Whether you're just getting to know your Instant Pot or you're a long-time fan, "Instant Pot
Miracle 6 Ingredients or Less" makes cooking delicious, wholesome meals easier than ever.
While very highly recommended as an enduringly popular addition to personal, family, and
community library cookbook collections, it should be noted that "Instant Pot Miracle 6
Ingredients or Less" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
Canning Full Circle
Diane Devereaux, author
Photography by Jeff Hage
Privately Published
www.canningdiva.com
9780998686905 $29.99 amazon.com
Featuring full-color, full-page photography of each dish, Canning Full Circle is a sumptuous
cookbook designed especially for gardeners who preserve their own crops in jars and cans.
Chapters walk the reader through the basics of food preservation, step-by-step instructions for to-
the-jar "canning", followed by delicious recipes using those canned goods for to-the-table
"eating". From Apple Cider Butter Muffins, to Tangy Huevos (eggs with Tangy Pepper Salsa), to
Blonde Chutney Stuffed Pork Loin and much more, Canning Full Circle is a "must" for any
gardener and canner who seeks to make the most of their preserves, highly recommended. The
savory repast of recipes will also appeal to cooks who don't necessarily grow or preserve their
own ingredients!
Brian McDermott's Donegal Table
The O'Brien Press
c/o Dufour Editions, Inc.
PO Box 7, 124 Byers Road, Chester Springs, PA 19425-0007
www.dufoureditions.com
9781847179791 $32.00 amazon.com
Brian McDermott's Donegal Table is a cookbook featuring healthy, delicious meals for the whole
family, grounded in local produce. Award-winning chef Brian McDermott showcases recipes
based on tradition, such as Sunday's Finest Roast Lemon and Thyme Chicken, Wild Atlantic
Way Fish Pie, My Garden Rhubarb Crumble, Black Pudding Dipping Fritters and much more.
Beautiful, full-color photography and an index for ease of use round out this user-friendly
cookbook. Highly recommended!
Pulutan!: Filipino Bar Bites, Appetizers and Street Eats
Marvin Gapultos
Tuttle Publishing
364 Innovation Drive, North Clarendon, VT 05759-9436
www.tuttlepublishing.com
9780804849425, $14.99, HC, 120pp, www.amazon.com
In the pages of "Pulutan!: Filipino Bar Bites, Appetizers and Street Eats", food blogger and
creator of the first Los Angeles Filipino food truck 'The Manila Machine', Marvin Gapultos
showcases Filipino cuisine by exploring the drinking food and bar snacks of the Philippines
known as "Pulutan". Marvin shows how to eat and drink like a Filipino with a range of easy
Pulutan recipes -- all of which are perfect accompaniments to an icy cold beer! Toward this last
feature, Marvin also provides perfect beer pairings for each dish so the Filipino cuisine
experience can be elevated to the highest degree. An essential guide to Filipino food and drinking
culture the more than 60 thoroughly 'kitchen cook friendly recipes range from Grilled Coconut
and Lemongrass Shrimp; fried Calamari with Crispy Purple Yam Crust ; Fried Green Mangoes;
and Grilled Bacon Skewers with Pineapple Glaze; to Pork Meatballs with Spicy Coconut Sauce;
Beef and Tripe Ginger Soup; and Grilled Garlic Lamb Chops. Then there is the culinary wealth
of unique cocktails and desserts! While unreservedly recommended for personal, family,
professional, and community library ethnic cookbook collections, it should be noted that
"Pulutan!: Filipino Bar Bites, Appetizers and Street Eats" is also available in a digital book
format (Kindle, $14.24).
Beautiful Bundts
Julie Anne Hession
Robert Rose Inc.
www.robertrose.ca
9780778805762, $24.95, PB, 288pp, www.amazon.com
A Bundt cake is a cake that is baked in a Bundt pan, shaping it into a distinctive ring shape. The
shape is inspired by a traditional European cake known as Gugelhupf, but Bundt cakes are not
generally associated with any single recipe. The style of mold in North America was popularized
in the 1950s and 1960s, after cookware manufacturer Nordic Ware trademarked the name
"Bundt" and began producing Bundt pans from cast aluminum. Publicity from Pillsbury saw the
cakes gain widespread popularity. (Wikipedia) Today the appeal of bundt-style cakes is stronger
than ever. The distinctive ring shape of a Bundt pan is more popular than ever, with many
next-generation bakers discovering their unique and iconic shape for the first time. In the
beautifully illustrated pages of "Beautiful Bundts: 100 Recipes for Delicious Cakes and More",
successful chef, competitive cook, and popular food blogger Julie Hession has created 100
delicious and versatile recipes for every occasion featuring the retro classics enjoyed as a child, to
modern pull apart Bundts like Monkey Bread which have exploded in popularity. Each recipes is
thoroughly 'kitchen cook friendly' making this culinary compendium and absolute 'must' for
family, personal, professional, and community library cookbook collections.
The Metaphysical Studies Shelf
You Are Psychic
Sherrie Dillard
Llewellyn Publications
2143 Wooddale Drive, Woodbury, MN 55125
www.llewellyn.com
9780738751320, $18.99, PB, 312pp, www.amazon.com
In "You Are Psychic: Develop Your Natural Intuition Through Your Psychic Type", Sherrie
Dillard (who has been a professional intuitive, medium, medical intuitive and teacher for over
thirty years) guides the reader in discovering when and how their intuition works. Filled with
easy-to-follow exercises, guided meditations, and illuminating stories drawn from Sherrie's years
of teaching, "You Are Psychic" deftly shares the secrets of the four psychic types and shows how
to identify spiritual strengths while overcoming the doubts or fears that may be standing in the
way of personal and metaphysical success. Learning to trust the elusive energy of psychic
awareness can be an important step in life's journey. "You Are Psychic" will helps even the most
novice metaphysical student to interpret the intuitive information they receive, opening the
gateway to support, guidance, and love from the realm of spirit. Whether the desire is to improve
relationships, career, health, or finances, "You Are Psychic" will helps the reader to move beyond
the five senses and embrace their deep inner wisdom. Exceptionally well written, organized and
presented, "You Are Psychic" is especially informative and recommended reading that is also
available in a digital book format (Kindle, $11.49).
Barefoot Wisdom
Sharon Whiteley & Ann Marie Chiasson, MD
Red Feather
c/o Schiffer Publishing Ltd.
4880 Lower Valley Road, Atglen, PA 19310
www.schifferbooks.com
9780764355448, $16.99, PB, 112pp, www.amazon.com
Co-written by author, serial entrepreneur, and innovator Sharon Whiteley and Ann Marie
Chiasson (who is the co-director of the Fellowship in Integrative Medicine and Assistant
Professor of Medicine at the University of Arizona's Center for Integrative Medicine), "Barefoot
Wisdom: Better Health Through Grounding" shows the reader how to reconnect with nature's
energy to step into better health through getting grounded. Grounding is a freely available way to
tap into the Earth's always-accessible and ever-powerful natural energy to re-balance the body
and restore health. An indispensable primer on the natural health benefits of grounding,
"Barefoot Wisdom" specifically shows how to use the Earth's power to counteract the harmful
nature deficiency found in our modern society. Contemporary readers will learn what people
knew in the past about grounding and its use in linking to nature and the Earth, as well as finding
out how to use grounding to change their lives, regain connections to the Earth, dispel
misconceptions and challenge myths, and stay grounded wherever they are. By using the Earth as
a treatment table, "Barefoot Wisdom" will teach understanding with respect to keeping our feet
on the ground (sole to soil!) by taking a walk on the wild side -- all the way to a healthier future.
A unique and valued contribution to the growing library of Alternative Medicine, "Barefoot
Wisdom" is an extraordinarily informative, thoroughly 'reader friendly', and unreservedly
recommended addition to personal reading lists, as well as both community and academic library
collections.
The Fiction Shelf
Midnight
Tom Claffey
Farcountry Press
PO Box 5630, Helena, MT 59604
www.farcountrypress.com
9781591522188, $14.95, PB, 150pp, www.amazon.com
Forced off the road during a violent nighttime storm, big rig driver Kelsey Brannigan and her
feisty mutt Max shelter beside an abandoned church in Taiban, New Mexico. Inside the old
church, Max discovers a victim of the storm a raven with a broken wing. Kelsey names the
injured bird Midnight and a reaches out to Wildlife Rescue with hopes the can mend the wing
and return Midnight to the sky. Along the way, Kelsey introduces us to a gallery of truckers and
western towns while romance kindles between her and a stoic rugged cowboy named Rick
Delgado. A deftly crafted work of instantly engaged reading from first page to last, "Midnight"
clearly showcases the author's genuine flair for originality and character driven storytelling,
making Tom Claffey's "Midnight" certain to be an immediate and enduringly popular addition for
community library Contemporary General Fiction collections.
Rancher's Dream
B. J. Daniels
HQN Books
c/o Harlequin Books
225 Duncan Mill Road, Don Mills, Ontario, Canada, M3B 3K9
9781335006998, $7.99, PB, 384pp, www.amazon.com
Tragedy sent Deidre "Drey" Hunter running from rancher Hawk Cahill and into the arms of a
sleek businessman who promised her a new life. But dreams of Manhattan days and
cosmopolitan nights shatter when he brings her back to an ultramodern paradise in her hometown
of Gilt Edge, only to vanish on their wedding nigh!. Taunted by seclusion and silence, Drey starts
to doubt everything -- including her sanity. Only Hawk, the stubborn cowboy from her school
days, believes the threats are real and that someone is ready to kill. But is he willing to forgive
the past if it means ending her nightmare? With "Rancher's Dream", author B. J. Daniels has
once again demonstrated her genuine flair for narrative driven storytelling with an absolutely
absorbing novel that is unreservedly recommended for all Suspense & Romance fans.
The 53rd Card
Virginia Weiss
Beaver's Pond Press
7108 Ohms Lane, Edina, MN 55439
www.BeaversPondPress.com
9781592988150, $18.95, PB, 512pp, www.amazon.com
Agoraphobic Emma Addison is afraid of any place too far from home, afraid of outside. But
when one Christmas Eve she inadvertently summons the devil, she opens a door that will not
close. Emma dismisses her unbidden guest, though not before relinquishing a cherished stone
carving of Kuan Yin -- an unwitting concession that bestows on her an unusual power. This
power isn't much, but it's plenty enough to spark a craving for the devil's tantalizing promise of
more. And now Emma has some disquieting choices to make. Because if the devil is real, doesn't
that mean God is too? But if God is real, then why is the world such a mess and so desperately
wanting the attention of the very power in her hands? Meanwhile, a door hangs open, a portal
through which the devil will step, through which a host of divine beings will follow, all with an
agenda of their own. And impelled to the remotest regions of faith and doubt, Emma discovers a
place beyond both -- a place the reader just might recognize as home. Showing a genuine flair for
original and engaging narrative storytelling, with "The 53rd Card", author Virginia Weiss has
written an inherently compelling and consistently entertaining novel that will linger in the mind
and memory long after it has been finished and set back upon the shelf. While unreservedly
recommended, especially for community library collections, it should be noted for personal
reading lists that "The 53rd Card" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
The Queen & The Spymaster
Sandra E. Rapoport
KTAV Publishing House
527 Empire Blvd, Brooklyn, NY 11225
www.ktav.com
9781602802940, $39.95, HC, 520pp, www.amazon.com
Esther, a daughter of Israel, was queen of all Persia, beautiful and mysterious. In a royal court rife
with intrigue, she was also the ultimate coup for a spymaster: she was perfectly placed to
influence the most powerful king in the ancient Near East. Only when her people faced certain
genocide was the Bible's highest-placed sleeper agent activated. "The Queen & The Spymaster"
by Sandra E. Rapoport is a Biblically themed novel that is based on the story of Esther. It is
interest to note that award-winning author and scholar Sandra E. Rapoport deftly hews to the
ancient text while vividly imagining the suspenseful, gripping and ultimately triumphant
backstory of the unlikely heroes of Xerxes' ancient Persia. An inherently fascinating and
impressively entertaining saga of a novel, "The Queen & The Spymaster" will prove to be an
immediate and enduringly popular addition to personal reading lists and community library
Historical Fiction collections.
The Cottages on Silver Beach
RaeAnne Thayne
HQN
c/o Harlequin Books
225 Duncan Mill Road, Don Mills, Ontario, Canada, M3B 3K9
9781335007018, $7.99, PB, 384pp, www.amazon.com
Megan Hamilton never really liked Elliot Bailey. He turned his back on her family when they
needed him the most and it almost tore them all apart. So she's shocked when Elliot arrives at her
family's inn, needing a place to stay and asking questions that dredge up the past. Megan will rent
him a cottage, but that's where it ends -- no matter how gorgeous Elliot has become. Coming
back home to Haven Point was the last thing bestselling writer Elliot Bailey thought he'd ever do.
But the book he's writing now is his most personal one yet and it's drawn him back to the woman
he can't get out of his mind. Seeing Megan again is harder than he expected and it brings up
feelings he'd thought were long buried. Could this be his chance to win over his first love?
Another gem of a romance novel by a true master of the genre, RaeAnne Thayne's "The Cottages
on Silver Beach" is an entertainingly compelling read from first page to last and very highly
recommended for community library Contemporary Romance collections, as well as the personal
reading lists of the legions of RaeAnne Thayne fans.
Engraved on the Heart
Tara Johnson
Tyndale House Publishers
351 Executive Drive, Carol Stream, IL 60188
www.tyndale.com
9781496428318, $14.99, PB, 400pp, www.amazon.com
Reluctant debutante Keziah Montgomery lives beneath the weighty expectations of her staunch
Confederate family, forced to keep her epilepsy secret for fear of a scandal. As the tensions of the
Civil War arrive on their doorstep in Savannah, Keziah sees little cause for balls and courting.
Despite her discomfort, she cannot imagine an escape from her familial confines -- until her old
schoolmate Micah shows her a life-changing truth that sets her feet on a new path as a conductor
in the Underground Railroad. Dr. Micah Greyson never hesitates to answer the call of duty, no
matter how dangerous, until the enchanting Keziah walks back into his life and turns his
well-ordered plans upside down. Torn between the life he has always known in Savannah and the
fight for abolition, Micah struggles to discern God's plan amid such turbulent times. Battling an
angry fiance, a war-tattered brother, bounty hunters, and their own personal demons, Keziah and
Micah must decide if true love is worth the price -- and if they are strong enough to survive the
unyielding pain of war. An inherently compelling and deftly crafted novel by a true master of
narrative driven storytelling, Tara Johnson's "Engraved on the Heart" is certain to be an
immediate and enduringly popular addition to community library Historical Fiction collections. It
should be noted that "Engraved on the Heart" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle,
$13.88) and in a Large Print/Library Binding edition (Thorndike Press, 9781432856595, $29.99,
488pp).
The Two-Plate Solution
Jeff Oliver
Bancroft Press
PO Box 65360, Baltimore, MD 21209
www.bancroftpress.com
9781610882231, $25.00, HC, 224pp, www.amazon.com
A James Beard Award-winning chef stands atop a 50-foot-high diving platform having just
plated a competition-winning culinary masterpiece. He looks down, faints from fear of heights,
and careens into the water below. Worst of all? He knocks over his dish on the way down. So
begins "The Two-Plate Solution" by novelist Jeff Oliver -- and it only gets better from there!
Readers will follow a diverse cast of young talented chefs as they compete in a high-stakes TV
cooking competition set in Israel. Their culinary foes: fake "terrorists" brought in by the
producers -- that is, until some actual terrorists show up on set, and the producers must scramble
to either integrate them into the show, or risk death. Mysteries deepen, romances bloom, and
chefs cook for their lives in this laugh-out-loud culinary adventure that has more plot twists and
turns than a Coney Island roller coaster. With his genuine flair for originality and narrative driven
storytelling, author Jeff Oliver has created an inherently entertaining novel in "The Two Plate
Solutions" that will prove to be an immediate and enduringly popular addition to community
library Contemporary General Fiction collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists
that "The Two Plate Solutions" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
Beautiful Exiles
Meg Waite Clayton
http://www.megwaiteclayton.com
Lake Union Publishing
9781503900837, $24.95, HC, 384pp, www.amazon.com
Set in Key West, Flordia, in 1936, headstrong and accomplished journalist Martha Gellhorn is
confident with words but less so with men when she meets disheveled literary titan Ernest
Hemingway in a dive bar. Their friendship (forged over writing, talk, and family dinners)
flourishes into something undeniable in Madrid while they're covering the Spanish Civil War.
Martha reveres him. The very married Hemingway is taken with Martha -- her beauty, her
ambition, and her fearless spirit. And as Hemingway tells her, the most powerful love stories are
always set against the fury of war. The risks are so much greater. They're made for each other.
With their romance unfolding as they travel the globe, Martha establishes herself as one of the
world's foremost war correspondents, and Hemingway begins the novel that will win him the
Nobel Prize for Literature. "Beautiful Exiles" is a stirring story of lovers and rivals, of the
breathless attraction to power and fame, and of one woman who is ahead of her time in claiming
her own identity from the wreckage of love. A beautifully crafted novel and an inherently
fascinating story, "Beautiful Exiles" will prove to be a welcome and enduringly popular addition
to community library collections. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of Meg Waite
Clayton fans that "Beautiful Exiles" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $4.99), and
as a complete and unabridged audio book (Brilliance Audio, 9781543674828, $24.99, MP3
CD).
The Life Lucy Knew
Karma Brown
Park Row Books
195 Broadway, 24th Floor, New York, NY 10007
http://www.parkrowbooks.com
9780778319344, $16.99, PB, 304pp, www.amazon.com
After hitting her head, Lucy Sparks awakens in the hospital to a shocking revelation: the man
she's known and loved for years, the man she recently married, is not actually her husband. In
fact, they haven't even spoken since their breakup four years earlier. The happily-ever-after she
remembers in vivid detail (right down to the dress she wore to their wedding) is only one
example of what her doctors call a false memory: recollections Lucy's mind made up to fill in the
blanks from the coma. Her psychologist explains the condition as honest lying, because while
Lucy's memories are false, they still feel incredibly real. Now she has no idea which memories
she can trust -- a devastating experience not only for Lucy, but also for her family, friends and
especially her devoted boyfriend, Matt, whom Lucy remembers merely as a work colleague.
When the life Lucy believes she had slams against the reality she's been living for the past four
years, she must make a difficult choice about which life she wants to lead, and who she really is.
An extraordinary novel by a impressively gifted writer with a genuine flair for character and
narrative driven storytelling, author Karma Brown's "The Life Lucy Knew" is unreservedly
recommended for community library Contemporary General Fiction collections. It should be
noted for personal reading lists that "The Life Lucy Knew" is also available in a digital book
format (Kindle, $9.99). There is also a large print, library binding edition of "The Life Lucy
Knew" (Thorndike Press Large Print, 9781432857684, $39.99, HC, 458pp).
Disoriental
Negar Djavadi, author
Tina Kover, translator
Europa Editions
214 West 29th Street, Suite 1003, New York, N.Y. 10001
www.europaeditions.com
9781609454517, $18.00, PB, 320pp, www.amazon.com
Kimia Sadr fled Iran at the age of ten in the company of her mother and sisters to join her father
in France. Now twenty-five and facing the future she has built for herself as well as the prospect
of a new generation, Kimia is inundated by her own memories and the stories of her ancestors,
which come to her in unstoppable, uncontainable waves. In the waiting room of a Parisian
fertility clinic, generations of flamboyant Sadrs return to her, including her formidable
great-grandfather Montazemolmolk, with his harem of fifty-two wives, and her parents, Darius
and Sara, stalwart opponents of each regime that befalls them. "Disoriental" is a high-spirited,
deftly crafted, kaleidoscopic novel reflecting key moments of Iranian history, politics, and culture
that punctuate stories of family drama and triumph. Yet it is Kimia herself, a modern woman
divided between family traditions and her own "disorientalization" who captures the reader's rapt
attention from start to finish. While very highly recommended for both community and academic
library Contemporary Literary Fiction collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists
that, engagingly written by Negar Djavadi and deftly translated into English by Tina Kover,
"Disoriental" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $8.69).
Russian Resurgence
Allan Topol
SelectBooks, Inc.
325 West 38 Street, Suite 306, New York City, NY 10018
www.selectbooks.com
9781590794494, $16.95, PB, 304pp, www.amazon.com
Twelve year old Nick, escaping from the burning of his grandfather's house by Russian thugs, is
caught up in a plot by Russian President Kuznov to recreate the Soviet empire in eastern and
central Europe. The linchpin of Kuznov's plan is an agreement with a corrupt Hungarian
President to permit Russia to move troops into Hungary. Craig Page and Elizabeth Crowder,
working with Peter Toth, who bears the scars of the 1956 Hungarian Revolution, and Peter's
grandson, Nick, try to thwart Kuznov's plot. The action moves from Paris to Grozny, to
Washington, and finally to intriguing Budapest. Craig, Elizabeth and Nick face repeated attacks
on their lives. "Russian Resurgence" is author Allan Topol's deftly crafted and inherently riveting
novel that effectively showcases his genuine flair as a novelist for character and narrative driven
storytelling. While "Russian Resurgence" is very highly recommended, especially for community
library Contemporary General Fiction collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists
that it is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $8.69).
Playthings
Alex Pheby
Biblioasis
www.biblioasis.com
9781771961721, $14.95, PB, 248pp, www.amazon.com
"Playthings" by Alex Pheby is an hallucinatory, fragmentary, and tragic fictional telling of one of
the most famous psychotherapy cases in history, Offering a visceral and darkly comic portrait of
paranoid schizophrenia, "Playthings" is based on the true story of nineteenth-century German
judge Daniel Paul Schreber and artfully shows the disorienting human tragedy of Schreber's
psychosis, in vertiginous prose that blurs the lines between madness and sanity. An impressive
and deftly crafted work of original literature based upon historic events, "Playthings" is an
especially recommended addition to both community and academic library Contemporary
Literary Fiction collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "Playthings" is also
available in a digital book format (Kindle, $6.99).
The Mystery/Suspense Shelf
The Corpse at the Crystal Palace
Carola Dunn
Minotaur Books
c/o St. Martin's Publishing Group
175 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10010
www.minotaurbooks.com
9781250047052, $26.99, HC, 288pp, www.amazon.com
When Daisy Dalrymple Fletcher is visited in London by her young cousins, on the list of
must-see sites is the Crystal Palace. Discovering that her children's nanny, Nanny Gilpin, has
never seen the Palace, Daisy decides to make a day of it -- bringing her cousins, her 3-year-old
twins, her step-daughter Belinda, the nurserymaid, and Nanny Gilpin. Yet this ordinary outing
goes wrong when Mrs. Gilpin goes off to the ladies' room and fails to return. When Daisy goes to
look for her, she doesn't find her nanny but instead the body of another woman dressed in a
nanny's uniform. Meanwhile, Belinda and the cousins spot Mrs. Gilpin chasing after yet another
nanny. Intrigued, they trail the two through the vast Crystal Palace and into the park. After briefly
losing sight of their quarry, they stumble across Mrs. Gilpin lying unconscious in a small lake
inhabited by huge concrete dinosaurs. When she comes to, Mrs. Gilpin can't remember what
happened after leaving the twins in the nurserymaid's care. Daisy's husband, Detective Chief
Inspector Alec Fletcher of Scotland Yard, finds himself embroiled in the investigation of the
murdered nanny. Worried about her children's own injured nanny, Daisy is determined to help.
First she has to discover the identity of the third nanny, the presumed murderer, and to do so,
Daisy must uncover why the amnesic Mrs. Gilpin deserted her charges to follow the missing
third nanny. Another deftly crafted gem of a mystery in author Carola Dunn's extraordinary Daisy
Dalrymple Mystery series, "The Corpse at the Crystal Palace" is an especially recommended
addition to community library Mystery/Suspense collections. It should be noted for the personal
reading lists of dedicated mystery buffs that "The Corpse at the Crystal Palace" is also availble in
a digital book format (Kindle, $13.99), and as a complete and unabridged audio book
(Blackstone Audio, $34.99, CD).
Justice Betrayed
Patricia Bradley
Revell
c/o Baker Publishing Group
6030 East Fulton, Ada, MI 49301
www.revellbooks.com
9780800735142, $29.99, HC, 345pp, www.amazon.com
It's Elvis Week in Memphis, and homicide detective Rachel Sloan isn't sure her day could get any
stranger when aging Elvis impersonator Vic Vegas asks to see her. But when he produces a photo
of her murdered mother with four Elvis impersonators--one of whom had also been murdered
soon after the photo was taken--she's forced to reevaluate. Is there some connection between the
two unsolved cases? And could the recent break-in at Vic's home be tied to his obsession with
finding his friend's killer? When yet another person in the photo is murdered, Rachel suddenly
has her hands full investigating three cases. Lieutenant Boone Callahan offers his help, but their
checkered romantic past threatens to get in the way. Can they solve the cases before the murderer
makes Rachel victim number four? Another carefully crafted gem of a mystery novel by an
author who is a true master of the genre, "Justice Betrayed" by Patricia Bradley is unreservedly
recommended for community library Mystery/Suspense collections. It should be noted for the
personal reading lists of all dedicated mystery buffs that "Justice Betrayed" is also available in a
paperback edition (9780800727161, $15.99) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $10.99).
Death on the Menu
Lucy Burdette
Crooked Lane Books
2 Park Avenue, 10th floor, New York, NY 10016
www.crookedlanebooks.com
9781683317463, $26.99, HC, 295pp, www.amazon.com
Hayley Snow, fiery food critic for Key Zest magazine, has just landed a ticket to one of the most
prestigious events in Key West: a high-brow three-day conference at the Harry Truman Little
White House. Even though she'll be working the event helping her mother's fledgling catering
business, there's plenty of spicy gossip to go around. But just before her mother's decadent flan is
put to the test, Key West's most prized possession, Hemingway's Nobel prize gold medal for The
Old Man and the Sea, is discovered stolen from its case. Unsavory suspicions point to Gabriel, a
family friend and one of the new busboys working the event, who mysteriously goes missing
moments later. Anxious to clear his name, Gabriel's family enlists Hayley to help find him, but
right as they begin their search, his body is found stabbed to death in the storeroom. Hayley has
no shortage of suspects to interrogate and very little time before the killer adds another victim to
the menu. "Death on the Menu" is another beautifully crafted novel by a master of the genre and
the latest addition to author Lucy Burdette's 'Key West Food Critic' mystery series. While
unreservedly recommended for community library Mystery/Suspense collections, it should be
noted for the personal reading lists of Lucy Burdett fans that "Death on the Menu" is also
available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99) and as a complete and unabridged audio book
(Blackstone Audio, 9781982539870, $29.95, MP3 CD).
Three Strikes, You're Dead
Elena Hartwell
Camel Press
PO Box 70515, Seattle, WA 98127
www.camelpress.com
9781603817271, $15.95, PB, 288pp, www.amazon.com
In "Three Strikes, You're Dead", private investigator Eddie Shoes heads to a resort outside
Leavenworth, Washington, for a mother-daughter getaway weekend. Eddie's mother Chava wants
to celebrate her new job at a casino by footing the bill for the two of them, and who is Eddie to
say no? On the first morning, Eddie goes on an easy solo hike, and a few hours later, stumbles
upon a makeshift campsite and a gravely injured man. A forest fire breaks out and she struggles
to save him before the flames overcome them both. Before succumbing to his injuries, the man
hands her a valuable rosary. He tells her his daughter is missing and begs for her help. Is Eddie
now working for a dead man? Barely escaping the fire, Eddie wakes in the hospital to find both
her parents have arrived on the scene. Will Eddie's card-counting mother and mob connected
father help or hinder the investigation? The police search in vain for a body. How will Eddie find
the missing girl with only Eddie's memory of the man's face and a photo of his daughter to go
on? The third title in author Elena Hartwell's 'Eddie Shoes Mystery Series', "Three Strikes,
You're Dead" is another riveting read by a master of the genre who offers more plot twists and
turns than a Coney Island roller coaster! While especially and unreservedly recommended for
community library Mystery/Suspense collections, it should be noted for the personal reading lists
of all dedicated mystery buffs that "Three Strikes, You're Dead" is also available in a digital book
format (Kindle, $4.95).
Murder on the SS Rosa
Lee Strauss
https://www.leestraussbooks.com
Brown Books Publishing Group
16250 Knoll Trail Drive, Suite 205, Dallas, TX 75248-2871
www.brownbooks.com
9781612549941, $9.99, PB, 180pp, www.amazon.com
Another deftly crafted mystery by a master of the genre, "Muder on the SS Rosa" by Lee Strauss
is set in 1923, when young war-widow fashionista Ginger Gold makes a cross-Atlantic journey
with her companion Haley Higgins to London, England, to settle her father's estate. When the
ship's captain is found dead, Ginger is only too happy to lend her assistance to the handsome
Chief Inspector Basil Reed. The SS Rosa delivers a convincing array of suspects the wife, the
mistress, a jealous crewmate. To Ginger's dismay, her name has been added to the list! With a
little help from Ginger's dog, Boss, Ginger and Haley navigate the clues (those wartime operative
skills come in handy). They must solve the case and clear Ginger's name before they dock, and
oh, whatever shall she wear! Another inherently entertaining 'whodunnit' in author Lee Strauss' A
Ginger Gold Mystery series, "Murder on the SS Rosa" will prove to be a welcome and enduringly
popular addition to community library Mystery/Suspense collections. It should be noted for the
personal reading lists of all dedicated mystery buffs and Ginger Gold fans that "Murder on the SS
Rosa" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $2.99).
A Tiding of Magpies
Steve Burrows
Oneworld Publications
https://oneworld-publications.com
9781459737617, $15.99, PB, 384pp
When his most celebrated case is suddenly reopened, Detective Chief Inspector Jejeune's
long-buried secrets threaten to come to light. Meanwhile, his girlfriend, Lindy, faces an unseen
threat of her own, one which Jejeune may not be able to protect her from. Between fending off
inquiries from the internal review and an open murder case to solve, more than ever Jejeune will
have to rely on the help of the stalwart Sergeant Danny Maik. But Maik is learning things on his
own that have caused him to question his DCI's actions, both past and present. In the current
case, and in the former one, the facts seem clear enough. But it is in the silent spaces between the
facts that the truth is often found. The fifth title in author Steve Burrows simply outstanding
'Birder Murder Mystery' series, "A Tiding of Magpies" is a truly riveting read that will have
immense appeal for all dedicated mystery buffs. Offering more plot twists and turns that a Coney
Island roller coaster, "A Tiding of Magpies" will prove to be an enduringly popular addition to
community library Mystery/Suspense collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists
that "A Tiding of Magpies" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $6.99).
Fire in the Thatch
E. C. R. Lorac
Poisoned Pen Press
6962 E. First Ave., #103, Scottsdale, AZ 85251
www.poisonedpenpress.com
9781464209673, $12.95, PB, 244pp, www.amazon.com
The Second World War is drawing to a close. Nicholas Vaughan, released from the army after an
accident, takes refuge in Devon where he rents a thatched cottage in the beautiful countryside at
Mallory Fitzjohn. Vaughan sets to work farming the land, rearing geese and renovating the
cottage. Hard work and rural peace seem to make this a happy bachelor life. On a nearby farm
lives the bored, flirtatious June St Cyres, an exile from London while her husband is a Japanese
POW. June's presence attracts fashionable visitors of dubious character, and threatens to spoil
Vaughan's prized seclusion. When Little Thatch is destroyed in a blaze, all Vaughan's hard work
goes up in smoke -- and Inspector Macdonald is drafted in to uncover a motive for murder. Edith
Caroline Rivett (1894 - 1958) (who wrote under the pseudonyms E. C. R. Lorac and Carol
Carnac) was a British crime writer. Now Poisoned Pen Press has brought back one of her best to
represent her complete master of the genre for the edification of a new general of mystery buffs.
An inherently gripping read from beginning to end, "Fire in the Thatch" is unreservedly
recommended for community library Mystery/Suspense collections. It should be noted for
personal reading lists that "Fire in the Thatch" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle,
$4.23).
Trial on Mount Koya
Susan Spann
Seventh Street Books
c/o Prometheus Books
59 John Glenn Drive, Amherst, NY 14228
www.prometheusbooks.com
9781633884151, $15.95, PB, 256pp, www.amazon.com
In November 1565, Master ninja Hiro Hattori and Portuguese Jesuit Father Mateo travel to a
Buddhist temple at the summit of Mount Koya, carrying a secret message for an Iga spy posing
as a priest on the sacred mountain. When a snowstorm strikes the peak, a killer begins murdering
the temple's priests and posing them as Buddhist judges of the afterlife -- the Kings of Hell. Hiro
and Father Mateo must unravel the mystery before the remaining priests, including Father Mateo,
become unwilling members of the killer's grisly council of the dead. Set in medieval Japan with
meticulous attention to historical detail, author Susan Spann's "Trial on Mount Koya" is a
superbly crafted novel by a master of the genre and will prove to be an especially and enduringly
popular addition to both the personal reading lists of dedicated mystery buffs as well as
community library Mystery/Suspense collections. It should be noted that "Trial on Mount Koya"
is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
Undercurrents
Mary Anna Evans
Poisoned Pen Press
6962 E. First Ave., #103, Scottsdale, AZ 85251
www.poisonedpenpress.com
9781464209307, $26.95, HC, 341pp, www.amazon.com
Archaeologist Faye Longchamp has traveled to Memphis, a city steeped in music, poverty,
history, and the smoky tang of barbecue. She's there working alone to do an assessment of a site,
welcome work for her small archaeological consulting firm. When Faye spies a child too young
to be wandering along a creek alone, she follows the girl. A day later she uncovers a dying
woman, buried alive near a spot where Kali might well be hiding. Nobody would blame Faye for
running hard, but she can't make herself leave Kali, the woman's now orphaned daughter, who
might be in danger. She's not welcomed by the people in Kali's struggling community, nor by the
police working the crime. Yet she stays, for Kali, and for the bereaved who need her to
communicate their fears to a police department that they trust even less than they trust Faye.
When they confide rumors of other women beaten to death by a man so obsessed with burial that
he places fresh flowers in their cold hands, Faye begs the police to widen the investigation to
seek a serial killer. They refuse. Faye's gut is telling her that a monster is stalking Memphis,
endangering the child she has come to love. If the police can't catch him, then she will have no
choice but to try to find him herself. The eleventh title in author Mary anna Evans' simply
outstanding 'Faye Longchamp Mystery' series, "Undercurrents" is yet another riveting gem of a
novel that will prove to be an enduringly popular addition to community library
Mystery/Suspense collections. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of all dedicated
mystery buffs that "Undercurrents" is also available in a paperback edition (978-1464209321,
$15.95) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $7.99).
Sister of Mine
Laurie Petrou
Crooked Lane Books
2 Park Avenue, 10th floor, New York, NY 10016
www.crookedlanebooks.com
9781683317173, $26.99, HC, 304pp, www.amazon.com
Penny and Hattie, orphaned sisters in a small town, are best friends, bound together to the point
of knots. But Penny, at the mercy of her brutal husband, is desperate for a fresh start. Willing to
do anything for her older sister, Hattie agrees to help. A match is struck and a fire burns Penny's
marriage to the ground. With her husband gone, Penny is free, and the sisters, it seems, get away
with murder. But freedom comes at a cost. More than a year after the fire, a charming young man
comes to town. Hattie and Penny quickly bring him into the fold and into their hearts but their
love for him threatens the delicate balance. Soon long-held resentments, sibling rivalry, and debts
unpaid boil over, and the bonds of sisterhood begin to snap. As one little lie grows into the next,
the sisters' secrets will unravel, eroding their lives until only a single, horrible truth remains: You
owe me. "Sister Mine" by Laurie Petrou showcases that author's genuine flair as a for character
and narrative driven storytelling. The result is a compelling and entertaining novel that is
unreservedly recommended for community library collections. It should be noted for personal
reading lists that "Sister Mine" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99) and as a
complete and unabridged audio book (BlackstoneAudio, 9781982539559, $29.95, MP3
CD).
Wake Me When It's Over
Cheryl A. Head
Bywater Books
P.O. Box 3671, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48106-3671
www.bywaterbooks.com
9781612941158, $16.95, PB, 310pp, www.amazon.com
Born and raised in the now distressed city of Detroit, Charlene "Charlie" Mack has built a
highly-respected private investigations firm through hard work, smart choices, and relentless
ambition. When Charlie and her team of investigators are asked to take on a seemingly
impossible case (to identify and thwart an attack on the upcoming Detroit Auto Show) it takes a
$100K incentive and the help of a dozen freelancers for Charlie and her crew to unravel a twisted
plot that runs through several countries and many more bank accounts. But finding out who's
behind the intricate plot only solves half the problem. Charlie and her crew are drawn into a
deadly game of cat-and-mouse as they try to locate dozens of hidden bombs before they can be
detonated in an arena full of hundreds of people. "Wake Me When It's Over" is a simply riveting
novel with a roller coaster ride of plot twists and turns. Showcasing author Cheryl Head's
impressively mastery of the genre, "Wake Me When It's Over" is unreservedly and especially
recommended addition to community library Mystery/Suspense collections. It should be noted
for the personal reading lists of dedicated mystery buffs that "Wake Me When It's Over" is also
available in a digital book format (Kindle, $7.99).
The Moment Before Drowning
James Brydon
Akashic Books
232 Third Street, #A115, Brooklyn, NY 11215
www.akashicbooks.com
9781617756252, $25.95, HC, 224pp, www.amazon.com
In December 1959 a furious anticolonial war rages in Algeria. Captain Jacques le Garrec, a
former detective and French Resistance hero, returns to France in disgrace. Traumatized after
two years of working in the army intelligence services, he's now accused of a brutal crime. As le
Garrec awaits trial in the tiny Breton town where he grew up, he is asked to look into a disturbing
and unsolved murder committed the previous winter. A local teenage girl was killed and her
bizarrely mutilated body was left displayed on the heathland in a way that no one could
understand. Le Garrec's investigations draw him into the dark past of the town, still haunted by
memories of the German occupation. As he tries to reconstruct the events of the murder, the
violence of this crime and his recollections of Algeria intertwine, threatening to submerge him. A
skillfully constructed and absolutely riveting thriller of a novel by a genuine master of character
and narrative driven storytelling, James Brydon's "The Moment Before Drowning" is an
especially recommended addition to community library collections. It should be noted for
personal reading lists that "The Moment Before Drowning" is also available in a digital book
format (Kindle, $15.33).
The Fantasy/SciFi Shelf
Garrison Girl: An Attack on Titan Novel
Rachel Aaron
Attack on Titan created by Hajime Isayama
Quirk Books
215 Church Street, Philadelphia PA 19106
www.quirkbooks.com
9781683690610 $12.99 pbk / $9.99 Kindle amazon.com
Garrison Girl: An Attack on Titan Novel is an original, full-length prose novel that takes place
during the early chapters of the wildly popular Attack on Titan manga and anime series. Attack
on Titan is set in a horrific, dystopian, post-apocalyptic world where the last vestiges of humanity
huddle within walls. Outside of the walls stalk Titans, nigh-immortal humanoid giants that
relentlessly hunt and devour humans - not for food, but only to vomit out the tangled remains of
their hapless victims. Amid this bleak nightmare, Rosalie Dumarque defies the wishes of her
wealthy family to join the military's failing defense of human survivors at Wall Rose. Yet the
monstrous Titans are not Rosalie's only foes; can she survive the machinations of corrupt
officers, and win the trust of her fellow soldiers? A story of struggle, sacrifice, and even
forbidden romance in a world stalked by death, Garrison Girl is highly recommended especially
for connoisseurs of the series. It should be noted that, as a self-contained story, Garrison Girl is
also a good introduction to Attack on Titan for those new to this dark, terrifying, yet utterly
fascinating saga.
The Darkest Legacy
Alexandra Bracken
Hyperion Books
77 West 66th Street, New York, NY 10023-6298
www.hyperionbooks.com
9781368023245, $18.99, HC, 576pp, www.amazon.com
Five years after the destruction of the so-called rehabilitation camps that imprisoned her and
countless other Psi kids, seventeen-year-old Suzume "Zu" Kimura has assumed the role of
spokesperson for the interim government, fighting for the rights of Psi kids against a growing
tide of misinformation and prejudice. But when she is accused of committing a horrifying act,
she is forced to go on the run once more in order to stay alive. Determined to clear her name, Zu
finds herself in an uncomfortable alliance with Roman and Priyanka, two mysterious Psi who
could either help her prove her innocence or betray her before she gets the chance. But as they
travel in search of safety and answers, and Zu grows closer to the people she knows she shouldn't
trust, they uncover even darker things roiling beneath the veneer of the country's recovery. With
her future-and the future of all Psi-on the line, Zu must use her powerful voice to fight back
against forces that seek to drive the Psi into the shadows and save the friends who were once her
protectors. Another deftly crafted gem of a science fiction novel by a master of the genre,
Alexandra Bracken's "The Darkest Legacy" is a part of her simply outstanding 'Darkest Minds'
series and unreservedly recommended for community library Science Fiction collections. It
should be noted for the personal reading lists of dedicated science fiction fans that "The Darkest
Legacy" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $10.99).
The Religion/Spirituality Shelf
The Prayer List
Jane Knuth
Loyola Press
3441 North Ashland Avenue, Chicago, IL 60657
www.loyolapress.com
9780829446654, $14.95, PB, 184pp, www.amazon.com
When Jane inherited the family "prayer list" from her aunt, she decided to continue the tradition
of praying regularly with the list of needs and thanks for relatives and friends. But prayer fits
itself to every person's (and every family's) situation and culture. As Jane learned how to pray in
her family and explored the prayer experiences of other families, she discovered a simple truth:
the best way to pray with your family is the way that works best for your family. "The Prayer
List" shares the true stories of how families from many faith traditions (Christian, non-Christian,
or no defined faith) pray together in meaningful ways. With prompts to inspire prayer after each
chapter, collectively, these individual stories prove that family prayer can be a path to the
intimacy and closeness we long for. It's like making God a member of the family. Jane Knuth
wrote "The Prayer List" specifically for those who find themselves struggling to find the right
way to integrate prayer into their daily family life and are worried that their children won't
practice the same faith that has sustained them in times of difficulty. While very highly
recommended for all people of faith, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "The Prayer
List" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $11.99).
The Christian Studies Shelf
Treating Trauma in Christian Counseling
Heather Davediuk Gingrich & Fred C. Gingrich, editors
InterVarsity Press
PO Box 1400, Downers Grove, IL 60515-1426
www.ivpress.com
9780830828616, $55.00, HC, 400pp, www.amazon.com
As anywhere else, traumatic experiences are distressingly common within the Christian
community. And the risks of developing posttraumatic stress disorder are high. But in recent
years the field of traumatology has grown strong, giving survivors and their counselors firmer
footing than ever before on which to seek healing. Collaboratively compiled and co-edited by
counselor, scholar, teacher and former missionary Heather Gingrich and her husband Fred,
"Treating Trauma in Christian Counseling" is a combined effort to introduce counseling
approaches, trauma information, and Christian reflections to respond to the intense suffering
people face. With extensive experience treating complex trauma, Heather and Fred Gingrich
have brought together key essays representing the latest psychological research on trauma from a
Christian integration perspective. "Treating Trauma in Christian Counseling" provides an
overview of the kinds of traumatic experiences; coverage of treatment methods, especially those
that incorporate spirituality; material to critically analyze as well as emotionally engage trauma;
theoretical bases for trauma treatment and interventions; and references for further consideration
and empirical research. While unreservedly recommended for professional, community, college,
and university library Christian Studies and Psychology/Counseling instructional reference
collections, it should be noted for the personal reading lists of students, instructors, clinicians,
and researchers that "Treating Trauma in Christian Counseling" is also available in a digital book
format (Kindle, $33.40).
Finding Jesus in Israel
Buck Storm
Worthy Publishing
6100 Tower Circle, Suite 210, Franklin, TN 37067
www.worthypublishing.com
9781683971405, $19.99, HC, 256pp, www.amazon.com
An inherently fascinating blend of travel journal and spiritual guide, "Finding Jesus in Israel:
Through the Holy Land on the Road Less Traveled" by touring singer and songwriter Buck
Storm takes an unvarnished look at the Holy Land with an off-the-bus peek into the people and
places that make Israel such an amazing destination. We are shaped and transformed by the
oceans we sail, the deserts, mountains, and valleys we wander, and the people we meet along the
way. And as any traveler worth his salt knows, the real trip happens within. Most Israel books are
presented with a political, theological, or social agenda. Some are simply tourist guidebooks. But
"Finding Jesus in Israel" isn't driven by agenda but rather it is a traveler's journey an unreservedly
recommended reading for travel veterans, people with wanderlust, and anyone else who simply
enjoys a good story well told. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "Finding Jesus in
Israel" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $19.99).
A Theology of the Presence and Absence of God
Anthony J. Godzieba
The Liturgical Press
2950 Saint John's Road, PO Box 7500, Collegeville, MN 56321-7500
www.litpress.org
9780814663585, $49.95, PB, 340pp, www.amazon.com
Contemporary American society is dominated by technology and an economic system based on
consumerism. "A Theology of the Presence and Absence of God" by Anthony J. Godzieba
(Professor of Theology and Religious Studies, Villanova University) deftly explores the Christian
tradition of thinking and speaking about God. By focusing on God's dialectical character-divine
availability ("presence") and divine excess ("absence") -- and the belief that "God is love" (1
John 4:16), Professor Godzieba provides an informative and insightful history of just how God
became a problem in contemporary Western culture. He then goes on to show how human
experience remains accessible to divine transcendence and how that encounters with the
revelation of God as Trinity still persist. An impressive volume of theological inquiry within a
Christian framework, "A Theology of the Presence and Absence of God" is an especially
recommended addition to church, seminary, college, and university library Christian Studies
collections. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of theology students, clergy, and non-
specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "A Theology of the Presence and
Absence of God" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $24.99).
Plantation Jesus
Skot Welch & Rick Wilson
Herald Press
P.O. Box 866, Harrisonburg, VA 22803
www.heraldpress.com
9781513803319, $29.99, HC, 192pp, www.amazon.com
Not so long ago in the once segregated southern states, most white American Christians believed
that Jesus blessed slavery. God wasn't bothered by Jim Crow. Baby Jesus had white skin. Meet
Plantation Jesus: a god who is comfortable with bigotry, and an idol that distorts the message of
the real Savior. That false image of God is dead, right? Wrong, argue the authors Skot Welch and
Rick Wilson. "Plantation Jesus: Race, Faith, and a New Way Forward" is an authoritative new
look on one of the most urgent issues of our day. Through their shared passion for Jesus Christ
and with an unblinking look at history, church, and pop culture, Welch and Wilson detail the
manifold ways that racism damages the church's witness. Together they take on common
responses by white Christians to racial injustice, such as "I never owned a slave.", "I don't see
color; only people.", and "We just need to get over it and move on." Together they call out the
church's denials and dodges and evasions of race, and they invite readers to encounter the Christ
of the disenfranchised. With practical resources and Spirit-filled stories, "Plantation Jesus"
nudges readers to learn the history, acknowledge the injury, and face the truth. Only then can the
church lead the way toward true reconciliation. Only then can the legacy of "Plantation Jesus" be
replaced with the true way of Jesus Christ. Especially timely as racism is beginning to once again
become 'mainstream' under the encouragement of the Trump administration and the
contemporary corruption of bigotry that has contaminated the Republican Party, as well as the
present day leadership of the Evangelical Christian movement, "Plantation Jesus: Race, Faith,
and a New Way Forward" is deserving of the widest possible readership, especially within the
Christian community. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "Plantation Jesus" is also
available in a paperback edition (9781513803302, $16.99) and in a digital book format (Kindle,
$9.99).
42 Seconds: The Jesus Model for Everyday Interactions
Carl Medearis
NavPress
www.navpress.com
c/o Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.
351 Executive Drive, Carol Stream, IL 60188
www.tyndale.com
9781631464898, $15.99, PB, 176pp, www.amazon.com
The average length of Jesus' conversations as recorded in the Gospels was 42 seconds long.
Jesus' conversations were remarkably simple. Contemporary Christian lingo has set up a
dichotomy between what we call "discipleship" and "evangelism", but the Bible doesn't do that.
Jesus had conversations all the time with those who thought they were close to God, as well as
with those who deemed themselves lost and without hope. He invited all of them to come and
learn from Him. "42 Seconds: The Jesus Model for Everyday Interactions " by international
expert in Arab-American and Muslim-Christian relations Carl Medearis is a simple book that
uses the ordinary moments of our lives the way Jesus used the same moments in his own. The
premise is straightforward: If we can learn from Jesus how to have great conversations, it will
change our lives and the lives of those around us. Its four-part structure, including five short
chapters per section, is for churches and small groups to engage with the practical ideas together.
"42 Seconds" includes discussion questions to help groups and individuals implement Jesus'
natural rhythm of interaction in their own lives. In a time that desperately needs civility in our
dialogues, kindness in our personal and professional relationships, and the example of Jesus in
our conduct with one another, "42 Seconds: The Jesus Model for Everyday Interactions" is an
extraordinary useful and instructive read by all members of the Christian community. It should be
noted for personal reading lists that "42 Seconds" is also available in a digital book format
(Kindle, $9.99) and as a complete and unabridged audio book (ChristianAudio, 978-1545901922,
$12.98, CD).
The Divine Christ
David B. Capes
Baker Academic
c/o Baker Publishing Group
6030 East Fulton, Ada, MI 49301
www.bakerpublishinggroup.com
9780801097867, $24.99, PB, 224pp, www.amazon.com
For the past century, biblical scholars have debated when and how a divine Christology emerged.
Part of the Acadia Studies in Bible and Theology series, "The Divine Christ: Paul, the Lord
Jesus, and the Scriptures of Israel by David B. Capes (Associate Dean of Biblical and
Theological Studies and Professor of New Testament at Wheaton College, Wheaton, Illinois)
considers the earliest evidence we have -- the letters of Paul the Apostle. Professor Capes is a
veteran teacher and highly regarded scholar who deftly examines Paul's letters to show how the
apostle constructed his unique portrait of Jesus as divine through a rereading of Israel's
Scriptures. Exceptionally well written, impressively informed and informative, expertly
organized and presented, "The Divine Christ" is an ideal study for curriculum courses on Paul,
Christology, biblical theology, and intertextuality. While unreservedly recommended for church,
seminary, community, and academic library Christian Studies collections, it should be noted for
personal reading lists of seminary students, clergy, and non-specialist general readers with an
interest in the subject that "The Divine Christ" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle,
$14.74).
Sacred Signposts
Benjamin J. Dueholm
Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company
2140 Oak Industrial Drive, NE, Grand Rapids, MI 49505
www.eerdmans.com
9780802874177, $16.99, PB, 190pp, www.amazon.com
The church isn't a building or an institution. The church is what it does. At the very
heart of Christianity are its central, sacred, subversive practices -- the sacred signposts that have
always shown the way to practice Christian faith, even when the terrain around it changes. In
"Sacred Signposts: Words, Water, and Other Acts of Resistance", Benjamin J. Dueholm (who is
the Pastor of Worship and Education at Messiah Lutheran Church in Wauconda, Illinois)
unpacks Christianity's seven "holy possessions," which function as signposts -- words, water,
bread and wine, confession and forgiveness, ministry, worship, and suffering. Then he offers a
visionary account of the critical, radical, life-affirming role that faith can play in a secular,
post-Christian world. An impressively informative and inspiring read that is particularly well
written, organized and presented, "Sacred Signposts" is unreservedly recommended for
community, seminary, and church library collections, as well as the personal reading lists for all
members of the Christian community.
Our One Word: Creating Spiritual Joy and Depth
Martha Johnson Bourlakas
Church Publishing Incorporated
445 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10016
www.churchpublishing.org
9781640650190, $19.95, PB, 304pp, www.amazon.com
Women live uniquely demanding lives as providers, managers, caretakers, and, amidst those
many roles, both chosen and cast upon them, the individual spirit sometimes loses her voice. To
awaken this voice, Martha Bourlakas began a group for women in the Diocese of Southwestern
Virginia called "Our One Word" to pray about and observe the secular, holy, and personal
significance of one word each week. This simple goal affects participants in profound ways, and
now Bourlakas shares their practice with the rest of us in the pages of "Our One Word: Creating
Spiritual Joy and Depth". Here she provides a structure and resource for those who want to start a
group, as well as meditation for anyone who wants to expand her or his own spiritual horizons.
"Our One Word" encompasses words Bourlakas has offered to groups in the weekly format and
at weekend retreats. Each individual chapter focuses on a different word, such as Joy, Heart,
Change. There are brief quotations from religious texts, literature, music, etc. that explicate the
word, combined with her own perspective. "Our One Word" offers a way for individuals or
groups to cultivate a hospitable, constant presence, modeling the power of the Holy Spirit in our
lives as a way to celebrate, pray, and just be. Inspired and inspiring, "Our One Word" is
unreservedly recommended for all members of the Christian community. It should be noted for
personal reading lists that "Our One Word" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle,
$17.99).
The Judaic Studies Shelf
Maimonides: Between Philosophy and Halakhah
Lawrence J. Kaplan, editor
Urim Publications
c/o KTAV Publishing House
527 Empire Boulevard, Brooklyn, New York 11225
www.UrimPublications.com
9789655242034, $28.95, HC, 256pp, www.amazon.com
Compiled and edited by Lawrence J. Kaplan (Professor of Rabbinics and Jewish Philosophy in
the Department of Jewish Studies of McGill University in Montreal), "Maimonides: Between
Philosophy and Halakhah" is the first and only comprehensive study of the philosophy of
Maimonides by the noted 20th-century rabbinic scholar and thinker, Rabbi Joseph B.
Soloveitchik. Based on a complete set of notes, taken by Rabbi Gerald (Yaakov) Homnick, on R.
Soloveitchik's lectures on Maimonides' Guide of the Perplexed at the Bernard Revel Graduate
School, and edited by Professor Kaplan, this work constitutes a major contribution to our
knowledge of both Maimonides and Rabbi Soloveitchik. In these lectures Rabbi Soloveitchik
emerges as a major commentator on the Guide. In a wide-ranging analysis he eloquently and
incisively explores such diverse topics in Maimonides' philosophy as his views on prophecy, the
knowledge of and approach to God: normative, intellectual, and experiential; divine knowledge;
human ethics and moral excellence; the divine creative act; imitation of God; and the love and
fear of God. He also undertakes an extensive and penetrating comparison and contrast of
Maimonides' and Aristotle's philosophical views. Over the course of these lectures develops a
very profound and challenging overall approach to and interpretation of the Guide's central and
critical issue: the relationship between philosophy and divine law. This work sheds a bright light
on the thought of both Maimonides and Soloveitchik -- two great philosophers and rabbinic
scholars. Simply stated, "Maimonides: Between Philosophy and Halakhah" is a significant and
enduringly valued contribution to personal, rabbinic, community, and academic library Judaic
Studies collections in general, and Maimonides supplemental studies lists in particular.
The Islamic Studies Shelf
The Little Book of Sufi Stories
Neil Douglas-Klotz
Hampton Roads Publishing Company
65 Parker St., Ste. 7, Newburyport, MA 01950
www.hrpub.com
9781571748294, $15.95, PB, 240pp, www.amazon.com
Sufism is a form of Islamic mysticism characterized by values, ritual practices, doctrines and
institutions dating back to very early on in Islamic history. Both the well known and the obscure
Sufi tales comprising "The Little Book of Sufi Stories: Ancient Wisdom to Nourish the Heart"
are drawn from the dozens that Neil Douglas-Klotz (Director of the Edinburgh Institute for
Advanced Learning, Scotland) has enjoyed telling in his seminars over the past 20 years. Most of
them appear in works of the classical Sufis, such as Rumi, Attar, or S'adi. To preserve some of
the in-person feeling and bring the language up to date, Professor Douglas-Klotz has given them
his own improvised turns. Thoughtful and thought-provoking, "The Little Book of Sufi Stories"
is an inherently fascinating and entertaining read. While very highly recommended for both
community and academic library Religion/Spirituality collections in general, and Sufi studies
reading lists in particular, it should be noted for students, academia, and non-specialist general
readers with an interest in the subject that "The Little Book of Sufi Stories" is also available in a
digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
The Graphic Novel Shelf
My Hero Academia Vigilantes 1
Story by Hideyuki Furuhashi
Art by Betten Court
Original Concept by Kohei Horikoshi
Viz Media LLC
1355 Market Street, Suite 200, San Francisco CA 94103
9781974701599 $9.99 www.viz.com
Fast-paced and fun, My Hero Academia Vigilantes 1 kicks off a brand new black-and-white
manga (Japanese graphic novel) series set in a world that reinvents the superhero genre!
Superpower "quirks" are extremely common, and most citizens are required by law not to use
their powers, for the sake of societal order. Some brave individuals are licensed as heroes, and
legally permitted to use their powers for justice. Others are villains, who willfully use their
powers for selfish ends. But a very few are vigilantes, unlicensed "heroes" who fight for what's
right in their own way! Koichi Haimawari is a college student with a minor mobility quirk, who
isn't strong enough to earn the official status of a hero; a chance encounter with thugs leads him
to meet two other odd-heroes-out: a girl who aspires to be a pop star and a gruff old man who
enjoys the thrill of pummeling bad guys just a little too much. The three of them might be the
city's only hope against a new menace that has the police stumped - a black market drug that
transforms anyone with a quirk into a full-blown supervillain! My Hero Academia Vigilantes is
suggested for teen and older readers, due to occasional scenes of violence (but nothing
particularly severe). Highly recommended!
Robotech Archives: Macross Saga Volume 2
Created by Jack Herman and Carl Macek
Art by Svea Stauch, Neil Vokes, Reggie Byers, Dave Johnson, and Mike Leeke
Titan Comics
https://titan-comics.com
9781785862953 $24.99 amazon.com
Robotech Archives: Macross Saga Volume 2 continues the full-color, omnibus collection of rare
Robotech comics, gathering issues 12 to 23 of the "Macross Saga" in a single volume. Robotech
is a science fiction saga based on an enduringly popular anime (Japanese animation) series, about
the SDF-1 starship carrying untold technological secrets, and a ruthless, gigantic alien race out to
capture it - with the fate of humanity hanging in the balance! In volume 2, mortal peril stalks the
SDF-1 crew. The enemy aliens Khyron and Miriya return; Miriya in particular seeks to avenge
her battlefield honor by becoming a "Micronian" spy! Meanwhile, Rick Hunter must choose
which of two love interests to pursue - the charismatic singer Minmei or the dutiful military
officer Lisa. Robotech Archives: Macross Saga Volume 2 is a treasure especially for space opera
connoisseurs, making long out-of-print comics affordable and accessible at last, and is highly
recommended.
The Chronicles Of Corum: The Queen of the Swords
Michael Moorcock, author
Mike Baron, author
Mike Mignola, illustrator
Kelley Jones, illustrator
Titan Comics
https://titan-comics.com
9781782763260, $24.99, HC, 112pp, www.amazon.com
After his defeat of the Chaos Lord Arioch, Prince Corum has little time to rest. His actions have
angered Arioch's sister, Xiombarg, known as the Queen of the Swords. The Prince in the Scarlet
Robe must fight on, facing the formidable Mabden armies, and taking on the might of the Queen
of the Swords herself. Faced with immense powers of evil on all sides, Corum must reach the
City of the Pyramid. But first he will encounter nightmarish creatures, unsettling sorcery, and
uncanny new planes of existence. The second volume of the Chronicles Of Corum sword &
sorcery series, "The Queen of the Swords" is a vividly designed graphic novel that will hold the
reader's riveted attention from first page to last. Part of the Titan Comics 'Michael Moorcock
Library' graphic novel series, "The Chronicles Of Corum: The Queen of the Swords" will prove
to be an enduringly popular addition to community library Fantasy Graphic Novel collections. It
should be noted for the legions of Michael Moorcock fans that "The Chronicles Of Corum: The
Queen of the Swords" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $23.74).
Minky Woodcock: The Girl Who Handcuffed Houdini
Cynthia Von Buhler, creator
Hard Case Crime
c/o Titan Comics
https://titan-comics.com
9781785863974, $24.99, HC, 128pp, www.amazon.com
Unappreciated at her father's acclaimed detective agency, the fabulous, rabbit-loving Minky
Woodcock straps on her gumshoes in order to uncover a magical mystery involving noted author
Arthur Conan Doyle and world-famous escape artist, Harry Houdini in "Minky Woodcock: The
Girl Who Handcuffed Houdini". A 1920's noir mystery thriller that is written and illustrated by
Cynthia Von Buhler, with lettering by Simon Bowland, "Minky Woodcock: The Girl Who
Handcuffed Houdini" is an inherently riveting read from first page to last and highly
recommended. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of graphic novel mystery fans that
"Minky Woodcock: The Girl Who Handcuffed Houdini" is also available in a digital book format
(Kindle, $11.99).
Quarry's War
Max Allan collins
Hard Case Crime
c/o Titan Comics
https://titan-comics.com
9781785851186, $16.99, PB, 112pp, www.amazon.com
1970s Chicago and the grim brutality of the Vietnam War collide in the pages of "Quarry's War",
a brand new graphic novel title featuring Max Allan Collins' Quarry, an eponymous assassin who
is an expert sniper marksman and former Vietnam vet, as he receives details of his latest target
from The Broker. It's an assignment that will see his past as a U.S Marine sniper come back to
haunt him. In a unique storytelling format, Quarry's Vietnam back story and his current career as
a hit man are presented simultaneously on alternating pages -- until the final action-packed
chapter with a truly surprising and unanticipated plot twist. Another riveting read from Titan
Comics' Hard Case Crime series of graphic novels, "Quarry's War" is very highly recommended
and entertaining read. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "Quarry's War" is also
available in a digital book format (Kindle, $11.99).
Atlas & Axis
Pau, creator
Titan Comics
https://titan-comics.com
9781782763505, $19.99, PB, 160pp, www.amazon.com
Atlas and Axis follows the exploits of the two titular canine adventurers. When they return home
to find that their village has been destroyed by Viking raiders, Atlas and Axis set off in search of
the Viking homeland and their missing friends. A perilous journey across land and sea ensues as
the two dogs valiantly battle elements and enemies in the name of love and vengeance. A
beautifully illustrated anthropomorphic graphic novel that touches upon such fascinating subjects
as evolution and the ethics of invasion, "Atlas & Axis" is the first title in what is proving to be a
simply outstanding new graphic novel series -- and one which will leave its fully entertaining
readership looking eagerly toward the next volume of adventures by these two daring canine
adventurers in the next installment of what will prove to be a four part series.
Alisik: Fall
Hubertus Rufledt, author
Helge Vogt, illustrator
Titan Comics
https://titan-comics.com
9781785861321, $16.99 pbk / $9.99 Kindle www.amazon.com
One night, a young girl named Alisik wakes up in a cemetery. Frightened, she tries to flee only to
discover that nobody can see her, touch her, or help her except for a disparate group of other
deceased members of the cemetery community who are waiting for their own final judgements as
to whether they will ascent into the Light or descend into the Dark. Alisik is dead. Worse, she is
trapped between worlds, between hell and paradise, awaiting the judgment of Mr. Mortis, which
is slow to come. Meanwhile, the cemetery faces destruction and Alisik and her new friends in the
afterlife are bound to protect it. Luckily, Alisik has the help of Ruben, a young blind man, and
the only person able to hear her. With Ruben as a light to guide her, Alisik has a chance to save
the cemetery and find her way through the dark night. Very highly recommended and available in
a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99), it should be noted that "Alisik: Fall" is the first of an
original and outstanding new graphic novel series by the team of author Hubertus Rufledt and
illustrator Helge Vogt.
Hasib & The Queen of Serpents
David B., author/illustrator
NBM Publishing
160 Broadway, Ste. 700, East Wing, New York, NY 10038
www.nbmpub.com
9781681121628, $24.99, HC, 112pp, www.amazon.com
Heir to the wise Daniel, Hasib is a young woodcutter promised to a great future. When his greedy
companions abandon him in the middle of the forest, he meets the Queen of Serpents. She then
tells her story, a fabulous adventure filled with gods and demons, princes and prophets. From
Kabul to Cairo, journeys intertwine with intrigues and spiritual quests while the fabulous nights
follow one another. An enchanting and intricately designed interpretation of the story of Hasib
Karim ad-Dim, through which David B. opens for us the gates of the Thousand and One Nights.
A superbly crafted graphic novel for mature readers, "Hasib & The Queen of Serpents: A
Thousand and One Nights Tale" is an extraordinarily entertaining read from beginning to end. It
should be noted for personal reading lists that "Hasib & The Queen of Serpents" is also available
in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
The Audiobook Shelf
Nana
Emile Zola, author
Alfred Ernest Vizetelly, translator
Leighton Pugh, narrator
Naxos of America, Inc.
1810 Columbia Avenue, Suite 28, Franklin, TN 37064
www.naxosaudiobooks.com
9781781881481, $31.95, CD, www.amazon.com
Nana Coupeau is a beautiful woman, able to attract men of enormous wealth with the crook of
her finger. Part-time prostitute, part-time actress, she makes her debut in a mediocre operetta
"The Blonde Venus" at the bustling Paris World's Fair of 1867. She can't sing, act, or dance, yet
she is stunning. Nana soon rockets through elite Parisian society, and, blinded by desire, men
crawl to her feet, yielding to her every demand. Affections are manipulated, hearts are broken;
fortunes are gutted and inheritances squandered. The poverty and violence of Nana's upbringing
have led her to a cold and profligate life -- a metaphoric indictment of the excesses of France's
Second Empire, and a striking example of author Emile Zola's naturalism. A classic of French
literature that is superbly narrated by Leighton Pugh, this flawlessly produced, complete and
unabridged audio book edition of "Nana" is an especially and unreservedly recommended
addition to personal, community, college, and university library collections. (15 CDs, 17 Hours,
45 minutes).
Hell Divers III: Deliverance
Nicholas Sansbury Smith, author
R. C. Bray, narrator
Blackstone Audiobooks
31 Mistletoe Road, Ashland, OR 97520
www.BlackstoneAudio.com
9781584782481, $34.95, CD, www.amazon.com
Left for dead on the nightmarish surface of the planet, Commander Michael Everhart and his
team of Hell Divers barely escape with their lives aboard a new airship called Deliverance. After
learning that Xavier ''X'' Rodriguez may still be alive, they mount a rescue mission for the
long-lost hero. In the skies, the Hive is falling apart, but Captain Jordan is more determined than
ever to keep humanity in their outdated lifeboat. He will do whatever it takes to keep the ship in
the air -- even murder. But when he learns the Hell Divers he exiled have found Deliverance, he
changes course for a new mission -- find the divers, kill them, and make their new ship his own.
In the third installment of science fiction author Nicholas Sansbury Smith's Hell Divers series,
Michael and his fellow divers fight across the mutated landscape in search of X. But what they
find will change everything. Ably narrated by R. C. Bray, this complete and unabridged audio
book production is a 'must' for all Hell Diver fans as a natural conclusion to an outstanding post-
holocaust science fiction trilogy, but can be listened to as an individual 'stand alone' story,
making it highly recommended for personal as well as community library Science Fiction Audio
Book collections. (9 CDs, 11 hours, 18 minutes).
A Gathering of Secrets
Linda Castillo, author
Kathleen McInerney, narrator
Macmillan Audio
175 Fifth Avenue, Suite 315, New York, NY 10010
www.macmillanaudio.com
9781427296313, $39.99, CD, www.amazon.com
When an historic barn burns to the ground in the middle of the night, Chief of Police Kate
Burkholder is called in to investigate. At first it looks like an accident, but when the body of
eighteen-year-old Daniel Gingerich is found inside burned alive Kate suspects murder. But who
would want a well-liked and hardworking young Amish man dead? Kate delves into the
investigation and discovers Daniel had a dark side. He was a sexual predator. His victims were
mainly Amish women, too afraid to come forward, and he's been getting away with it for far too
long. Now someone has stopped him, but who? The women he victimized? Their boyfriends?
Their parents? As Kate wades through a sea of suspects, she's confronted by her own violent past
and an unthinkable possibility. Featuring more plot twists and turns than a Coney Island roller
coaster, "A Gathering of Secrets" is another deftly crafted mystery from Linda Castillo (a true
master of the genre) and expertly narrated by Kathleen McInerny. The result is an audio book
mystery that will prove to be an immediate and enduringly popular addition to community library
collections -- and a 'must listen' for all dedicated mystery buffs.
The Invaders Plan
L. Ron Hubbard
Galaxy Press
7051 Hollywood Boulevard, Suite 200, Hollywood, CA 90028
www.galaxypress.com
9781619865402, $19.99, CD, www.amazon.com
Voltar is an intergalactic empire 110 planets strong and headed straight for Earth which has been
targeted as a supply base for Voltar's galactic conquest. But the powers that be on Earth are
slowly destroying the planet, and it's up to the charismatic Jettero Heller to infiltrate the
population and stem the tide of pollution and global warming. It's a dangerous mission that puts
him into conflict with the ruthless Voltarian Lombar Hisst, who has plans of his own for the
planet. Playing with fire, however, is in Heller's nature; he has fallen in love with the hypnotic
Countess Krak -- a woman as voluptuous as she is violent. "Invaders Plan: Volume 1 - Soltan
Gris Confesses his Crimes" is the first volume of a ten audio book series based on L. Ron
Hubbard's 'Mission Earth' saga. This flawlessly produced audio book production features a cast
of more than 85 actors performing 127 characters; features more than 150,000 sound effects; has
a cinematic sound track with full orchestral musical compositions creating a captivating reality;
and showcases impressive productions of 6 original songs written by L. Ron Hubbard. An
extraordinary project that is especially and unreservedly recommended for all dedicated science
fiction fans (and leave them looking eagerly toward the next scheduled volume!), "Invaders Plan:
Volume 1 - Soltan Gris Confesses his Crimes" will prove to be an immediate and enduringly
popular addition to community library audio book collections. (17 CDs, 19 Hours).
Give Me Your Hand
Megan Abbott, author
Read by Chloe Cannon
Hachette Audio
1290 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10104
www.HachetteAudio.com
9781549168994 $30.00 amazon.com
Give Me Your Hand is the unabridged audiobook rendition of a psychological thriller, penned by
award-winning author Megan Abbott. Two high girls sharing a chemistry class once developed a
close friendship over their mutual love of science - a friendship that cracked under the strain of
an ominous secret. Over ten years later, the former friends are competing for the same, coveted
research job, directed by a genius who is their mutual idol. But the desperate desire for the career
of their dreams leads to dangerous obsession, in this deftly crafted novel of the dark sides of
gifted brilliance and all-out competition. Highly recommended, especially for public library
audiobook collections. 9 CDs, 11 hours.
The Music CD Shelf
Baby You Win
Cliff Westfall
cliffwestfallmusic.com
High Fidelity Recording
$TBA CD / $9.49 MP3 amazon.com
Country songwriter Cliff Westfall presents Baby You Win, and original country album crafted
with a flair for bittersweet humor. The music reflects on serious troubles, but also applies turns of
phrase as a subtle way to keep the listener's spirit elevated with a wry spark of hope. A
captivating Americana treasury, Baby You Win is highly recommended. The tracks are "It Hurt
Her To Hurt Me", "Baby You Win", "Till the Right One Comes Along", "More and More", "Off
the Wagon", "Hanging On", "I'll Play the Fool", "The Man I Used to Be", "A Lie If You Must",
"The End of the Line", "Sweet Tooth", and "The Odds Were Good".
The DVD Shelf
Keeping Faith
Starring Eve Myles
Acorn Media
c/o RLJ Entertainment
www.us.RLJEntertainment.com
$49.99 DVD or Blu-ray www.acornonline.com
Available in both DVD and Blu-ray formats, Keeping Faith is an original drama-thriller set in a
quiet Welsh town. Award-winning actress Eve Myles stars as Faith Howells, a happily married
lawyer with three children on extended maternity leave from the law firm she founded with her
husband, Evan (played by Bradley Freegard). Then one day, Evan disappears. Faith struggles to
handle the legal troubles of her firm's clients. Days go by with no sign of Evan. Faith becomes
the prime suspect of the police. In an increasingly desperate search for her husband, Faith learns
more about the criminal machinations beneath the surface of her seemingly sleepy town. The
more she discovers, the more Faith wonders whether she truly knew who her husband was at all.
Edge-of-seat engaging to the very end, Keeping Faith is highly recommended. Bonus materials
include a behind-the-scenes featurettes and brief character introductions. 8 episodes on 3 DVDs
or Blu-ray discs, 480 min. plus bonus, SDH subtitles.
No Offense, Series 1
Acorn Media
c/o RLJ Entertainment
www.us.RLJEntertainment.com
$49.99 www.acornonline.com
Winner of the Best Drama Series from the Royal Television Society, No Offense Series 1 is the
DVD debut of a British police procedural featuring an unorthodox, female police squad that takes
on Manchester's most bizarre and gruesome crimes. Their targets include drug dealers, neo-
Nazis, black-market organ sellers, and serial killers. A vicious streak of black humor threads
through this shockingly irreverent crime drama laced with plot twists. No Offense, Series 1 is a
"must-see" for connoisseurs of the genre, highly recommended. No Offense is expressly intended
for mature viewers due to the presence of violence, strong language, sexual situations, nudity,
scenes of drug use, and disturbing images. Bonus materials include a brief meet the cast and crew
section and deleted scenes. 8 episodes on 3 DVDs, 381 min. plus bonus, SDH subtitles.
The Hobby Shelf
Building Vehicles for Model Railroads
Jeff Wilson
Kalmbach Books
21027 Crossroads Circle, Waukesha, WI 53187-1612
www.kalmbachstore.com
9781627004633, $21.99, PB, 95pp, www.amazon.com
On any model railroad, vehicles are important in establishing the era and location of the layout.
In "Building Vehicles for Model Railroads", expert railroad modeler Jeff Wilson covers the many
facets of modeling vehicles in HO scale with accuracy and realism. Profusely illustrated
throughout, "Building Vehicles for Model Railroads" is a brief and ideal instructional guide to
the evolution of prototype autos and trucks. "Building Vehicles for Model Railroads" covers
assembling plastic, metal, and resin vehicle kits, as well as adding details to modify kits and
assembled models, including painting, decaling, weathering, kitbashing, scratchbuilding, and
converting toys to scale models. Thoroughly 'user friendly' in organization and presentation,
"Building Vehicles for Model Railroads" is a 'must' for all serious model railroad
enthusiasts!
The Complete Photo Guide to Hand Lettering and Calligraphy
Abbey Sy
Quarry Books
c/o Quarto Publishing Group USA
400 First Avenue North, Suite 400, Minneapolis, MN 55401-1722
www.quartous.com
9781589239630, $22.99, PB, 192pp, www.amazon.com
"The Complete Photo Guide to Hand Lettering and Calligraphy: The Essential Reference for
Novice and Expert Letterers and Calligraphers" by artist and designer Abbey Sy begins with an
overview of tools and materials, both traditional (pointed pen and fountain pen) and modern
(including brush markers and chalk), then presents a visual glossary of letterforms, highlights the
unique characteristics of the featured alphabets, and demonstrates how to draw letterforms to
foster an understanding of how they're created. The core chapters explore traditional, modern,
and special effects lettering using a variety of mark-making tools, with in-depth how-to on
adding flourishes and other special details, plus creative projects. There's also an introduction to
modifying and creating letterforms digitally, as well as practice sheets for the featured alphabets.
"The Complete Photo Guide to Hand Lettering and Calligraphy" is an ideal instructional guide
and manual, especially for those who have never tried lettering before or who would like to
develop their skills and consider all their creative options, Thoroughly 'user friendly' in
organization and presentation, this profusely illustrated edition of "The Complete Photo Guide to
Hand Lettering and Calligraphy" is especially recommended for personal, professional,
community, and academic library Calligraphy instructional reference collections. It should be
noted that "The Complete Photo Guide to Hand Lettering and Calligraphy" is also available in a
digital book format (Kindle, $19.66).
Launchers, Lobbers, and Rockets Engineer
Lance Akiyama
Rockport Publishers
c/o Quarto Publishing Group USA
400 First Avenue North, Suite 400, Minneapolis, MN 55401-1722
www.quartoknows.com
9781631594274, $24.99, PB, 144pp, www.amazon.com
In "Launchers, Lobbers, and Rockets Engineer ", Lance Akiyama presents step-by-step directions
to creating twenty devious weapons of backyard warfare. Each of these launchers are made from
PVC, soda bottles, rubber bands, hairspray cans, and anything you might find in the junk drawer,
and are capable of firing marshmallows, poker chips, tennis balls, sponges, and plenty more.
Although intended primarily for adults, kids and teens (under adult supervision) can get in on the
fun, too. The individual projects comprising "Launchers, Lobbers, and Rockets Engineer" range
from simple shooters suitable to being built by novice crafters, to the more complicated Slide
Action Rubber Band Gun, A Wrist-Mounted Crossbow, and even a Desk Drawer Booby Trap.
Offering hours of creative fun and excitement, "Launchers, Lobbers, and Rockets Engineer" is
very highly recommended for personal and community library collections. It should be noted that
"Launchers, Lobbers, and Rockets Engineer" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle,
$20.99).
The Needlecraft Shelf
The Cat Lover's Craft Book
Neko Shugei
Tuttle Publishing
364 Innovation Drive, North Clarendon, VT 05759-9436
www.tuttlepublishing.com
9784805314920, $12.99, PB, 80pp, www.amazon.com
Neko Shugei is a collective of cat-loving crafters comprising Yumi Ooami, Miko Ogura, Miyuki
Hayashi, Chizuko Kojima, Minou 14, Naoko Suzuki, Kyoko Maruoka, Yoko Kobayashi, Hitomi
Hanaoka, rie, Kanade Isshiki, Marupoleland, and nekogao along with their many feline muses.
Collectively they have produced "The Cat Lover's Craft Book: Cute and Easy Accessories for
Kitty's Best Friend" especially and particularly for anyone in love with all things cat-related!
Embroidery, crocheting, sewing, knitting or felting, there's a 'cat-tastic' project inside this
charming instructional guide and manual ranging from: Turning an umbrella handle into a furry
cat's tail; Sewing and embroidering a personalized cat book cover; Making a lovely hand
embroidered brooch or earrings; Making a cute cat door stop using a bottle and fabric; Making
cuddly cat pouches, purses and bags; Knitting, crocheting or sewing a charming cat-shaped
pillow; Sewing a chic cat badge or button cover using cross-stitched fabric; Sewing an adorable
cat doll and dress her up -- and so much more! Super simple, step-by-step instructions, diagrams,
and templates make these adorable cat crafts accessible to knitting, felting and embroidery
beginners. These 'purr-fect' needlework crafts will delight cat lovers of all ages, and provide
many hours of fun, making it an immediate and enduringly popular addition to personal and
community library do-it-yourself needlecraft collections!
The Philosophy Shelf
Iron Man vs. Captain America and Philosophy
Nicolas Michaud & Jessica Watkins, editors
Open Court Publishing Company
70 East Lake Street, Suite 800, Chicago, IL 60601
www.opencourtbooks.com
9780812699760, $19.95, PB, 276pp, www.amazon.com
Iron Man or Captain America? Which one is superior -- as a hero, as a role model, or as a
personification of American virtue? Argued out by legions of Marvel comic book fans, it is also
in the realm of philosophers who take different sides come together in Iron Man versus Captain
America to debate these issues and arrive at a deeper understanding of the strengths and
weaknesses of these iconic characters. The discussion ranges over politics, religion, ethics,
psychology, and metaphysics. Collaboratively compiled and co-edited by Nicolas Michaud
(Assistant Professor of Philosophy at Florida State College Jacksonville) and Jessica Watkins
(who is the co-editor of Jurassic Park and Philosophy: The Truth Is Terrifying), "Iron Man vs.
Captain America and Philosophy" is comprised of twenty-four erudite essays and thought-
provoking articles on the subject. An inherently fascinating and occasionally iconoclastic read,
"Iron Man vs. Captain America and Philosophy" is unreservedly recommended for both
community and academic library Contemporary Popular Culture and Contemporary Philosophy
collections. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of Marvel fans, students, academia,
and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "Iron Man vs. Captain
America and Philosophy" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $18.95).
The Business Shelf
Driving Digital Strategy
Sunil Gupta
Harvard Business Review Press
60 Harvard Way, Boston, MA 02163
http://hbr.org/books
9781633692688, $32.00, HC, 288pp, www.amazon.com
No business today, regardless of what product they are producing or service they are providing
can avoid utilizing computers and the internet to conduct their business. For over a decade, Sunil
Gupta (who is the Edward W. Carter Professor of Business Administration at Harvard Business
School) has studied digital transformation at Fortune 500 companies. He knows what works and
what doesn't. To succeed in our electronic age companies ensure that their digital strategy
touches all aspects of their organization including their: business model, value chain, customer
relationships, and company culture. In "Driving Digital Strategy: A Guide to Reimagining Your
Business", Professor Gupta informatively covers each aspect in vivid detail while providing
navigation tips and best practices along the way. Enhanced with rich and illuminating case
studies of companies at the forefront of digital transformation, "Driving Digital Strategy" an
impressively comprehensive guide that will enable even the most novice of business managers to
take full and effective advantage of the limitless opportunities the digital age provides for their
business activities. While very highly recommended for company, community, and academic
library Business Management instructional reference collections, it should be noted for the
personal reading lists of business executives, entrepreneurs, business students, and non-specialist
general readers with an interest in the subject that "Driving Digital Strategy" is also available in a
digital book format (Kindle, $17.27).
Knockout Presentations
Diane DiResta
https://www.diresta.com
Morgan James Publishing
11815 Fountain Way, Suite 300, Newport News, VA 23606-4448
www.morganjamespublishing.com
9781683508793, $19.95, PB, 294pp, www.amazon.com
"Knockout Presentations: How to Deliver Your Message with Power, Punch, and Pizzazz" by
Diane DiResta (who is the founder and CEO of DiResta Communications, Inc, a New York
City-based communications skills consultancy serving business leaders who want to
communicate with greater impact - whether one-to-one, in front of a crowd, or from an electronic
platform) is a "seminar in a book" on the subject of public speaking that will reduce fear and give
speakers the steps to craft of delivering a talk that will make them a knockout on the platform!
The next best thing to having Diane DiResta as a personal coach, "Knockout Presentations
provides all the fundamentals without the fluff. Aspiring speakers will learn what confidence
looks like, sounds like, and how to speak the language of confidence, reduce preparation time,
craft a compelling talk, size up an audience, overcome fear, and master questions and answers.
The Dos and Don'ts at the end of each chapter help speakers review and remember the principles
even after putting them into practice. Speaking is the new competitive advantage and Knockout
Presentations gives speakers tools and techniques, templates, and resources to improve their
skills. While very highly recommended for community, corporate, and academic library Self-
Help/Self-Improvement instructional reference collections, it should be noted for personal
reading lists that "Knockout Presentations" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle,
$9.99).
Delivery
Andre Babikian
Samfundslitteratur
c/o International Specialized Book Services
920 Northeast 58th Avenue, Suite 300, Portland, OR 97213
www.isbs.com
9788759330012, $24.00, PB, 132pp, www.amazon.com
"Delivery" by Andre Babikian is a succinct and thoroughly 'reader friendly' instructional guide and manual featuring 18 'tools' to help anyone produce powerful and effective presentations, whether they will be speaking for an audience of two or two thousand. "Delivery" is a compendium of simple 'tricks of the trade' that can help even the most novice of public speakers connect with an audience, and make a presentations lively, inspiring, engaging and relevant. "Delivery" will help to avoid the typical one-way communication trap, and show how to engage any kind of audience in collaborative workshops, as well as how to deftly adapt a presentation on the fly to ensure that the speaker and the speaker's message will impress and inform any audience. Thoroughly 'user friendly' in organization and presentation, "Delivery" is an especially recommended addition to personal, professional, corporate, community, and academic Business Studies instructional reference collections in general, and Public Speaking supplemental studies reading lists in particular.
The Automotive Shelf
Jaguar from the Shop Floor
Brian James Martin
Veloce Publishing Ltd.
www.veloce.co.uk
9781787112797, $50.00, HC, 192pp, www.amazon.com
In the pages of "Jaguar from the Shop Floor: Foleshill Road and Browns Lane 1949 to 1978",
Brian Martin (who is a long time member of both The Jaguar Drivers' Club, The Jaguar
Enthusiasts' Club, and The Jaguar Apprentices' Motor Club) tells the story of his life as a
long-time employee at Jaguar, giving a first-hand account of the development and production
processes, and the ups and downs of factory life through the eyes of someone who was actually
there. A part-autobiographical and part-historical account, "Jaguar from the Shop Floor" tells of
Brian's childhood in a typical working family of the depression era, and then describes his career
from starting at the Jaguar factory in 1949, through a spell doing national service in the RAF and
then going back to Jaguar. He left briefly in 1972 to try other jobs, but returned to the factory in
the mid-1970s. Providing a fascinating insight into the Jaguar production process, the book also
covers the development of the XK120, Mk V, Mk VII, MK X. The Mark 1 and 2 (2.4, 3.4 & 3.8
litre) saloons, the XKSS, E1A, E2A, lightweight E Types, XJ6 XJ12 & XJS, "Jaguar from the
Shop Floor" is a 'must' for all Jaguar car enthusiasts and will prove to be an enduringly popular
addition to personal, community, and academic library Automotive History collections.
Morris Minor: 70 Years On The Road
Ray Newell
Veloce Publishing Ltd.
www.veloce.co.uk
9781787112070, $60.00, PB, 224pp, www.amazon.com
The postwar Morris Minor, designed by Alec Issigonis, was one of the most popular vehicles in
British automotive history. 2018 marks 70 years since the first Minors rolled off the production
lines at Cowley in Oxfordshire. In this celebratory publication Ray Newell (who is a well known
and respected figure within Morris Minor circles, has been Secretary of the UK based Morris
Minor Owners Club since 1983, and has contributed significantly to the Club's growth and
development in that time) looks in detail at the development of the wide range of models
produced during a production run that spanned twenty two years in the UK. Using mainly
contemporary materials covering four decades, "Morris Minor: 70 Years On The Road"
transports the reader back to an era when the pace of life was much slower and the marketing of
the vehicles was considerably different to the slick advertising of today. The worldwide appeal of
this trend-setting vehicle is examined in the context of the 'export or die' mentality that
dominated postwar Britain, as are the innovative production methods used to ensure that 'Morris
Motors Ltd' lived up to its 'quality first' reputation. Variations from standard specifications are
considered with reference to mechanical uprating, different body styles and the use of modern
accessories to enhance further the comfort and styling of what was dubbed 'The World's Supreme
Small Car'. Issigonis sketches of the prototype cars, sales brochures, promotional materials, and
rare and unusual photographs make this a fascinating book. The continuing appeal of the car
voted Britain's most popular classic in 2016 is examined, as are the factors which continue to
attract a new generation of 21st century owners. Beautifully and profusely illustrated throughout,
"Morris Minor: 70 Years On The Road" will prove to be an immediate and enduringly popular
addition to personal, community, and academic library British Automotive History collections
and supplemental studies lists. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of students and
automotive history enthusiasts that "Morris Minor: 70 Years On The Road" is also available in a
digital book format (Kindle, $27.99).
Dyno Don
Doug Boyce
CarTech Inc.
838 Lake Street South, Forest Lake, MN 55025
www.cartechbooks.com
9781613254059, $34.95, PB, 176pp, www.amazon.com
The 1950s through the 1970s are arguably the 'Golden Years of drag racing as an organized sport.
That was when individual drivers often became associated with a particular manufacturer, such
as Chevy, Ford, or Chrysler through sponsorship, factory team rides, or sometimes simply their
own preference. The Ford company's most successful driver of the era was the legendary "Dyno
Don" Nicholson. His first wins on a national level were actually in the early 1960s in Chevrolet
products. He became extremely successful on the match-race circuit. Then, in 1964, he switched
over to Mercury with the new Comet after General Motors enacted a factory ban on racing
activities. He won 90 percent of his match races that year. He stuck with Ford and Mercury
products and won throughout the 1960s and 1970s, even after Ford also pulled the plug on
factory team sponsorship. He made it to the final rounds in nearly 50 national events during that
period, in addition to winning championships, awards, and match races along the way. Profusely
illustrated throughly, "Dyno Don: The Cars and Career of Dyno Don Nicholson" by drag racing
enthusiast Doug Boyce is an impressively informative and inherently fascinating read that is a
'must' for the legions of drag racing enthusiasts in general, and Dyno Don fans in particular!
The Travel Shelf
Moon: New England
Jen Rose Smith
Moon Handbooks
c/o Avalon Travel
1700 Fourth Street, Berkeley, CA 94710
www.moon.com
9781640491748, $23.99, PB, 550pp, www.amazon.com
Compiled, organized and presented by Vermont local Jen Rose Smith, "Moon: New England" is
a compact yet comprehensive travel guide that is ideal for exploring the best of New England's
historic cities, its famed fall foliage, as well as it's the stunning coastline. "Moon: New England"
includes: Flexible itineraries for every season, including quick weekend getaways from Boston
and New York and two weeks exploring all of New England; Strategic advice for
foliage-seekers, beach bums, winter sports enthusiasts, foodies, and more; Can't-miss highlights
and unique experiences: Catch America's first sunrise at Acadia, or hike the rocky landscape of
the White Mountain Peaks. With "Moon: New England" travelers can sample their way through
craft breweries, or sip chowder in America's oldest restaurant; Explore rolling dunes and sandy
beaches at Cape Cod, and find the best local seafood shack for lobster rolls, fresh-shucked
oysters, and piles of fried clams; Follow in the footsteps of the founders on Boston's Freedom
Trail, or gaze at glamorous 19th-century mansions in Newport; Hit the top slopes in the region
for skiing and snowboarding, or watch the changing leaves paint the landscape in red and gold.
Of special note is the expert advice from Jen Rose Smith on when to go, where to stay, and how
to get around. Enhanced with the inclusion of full-color photos and detailed regional and city
maps throughout; thorough background information on the wildlife, landscape, climate, and local
culture; recommendations for families with children, international visitors, seniors, travelers with
disabilities, and more, "Moon: New England" will prove an invaluable reference for planning
anything from day trips to extended vacations throughout New England. It should be noted that
"Moon: New England" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $16.99).
Hiking the Gulf Islands of British Columbia
Charles Kahn
Harbour Publishing
PO Box 219, Madeira Park, BC, Canada, V0N 2H0
www.harbourpublishing.com
9781550178258, $24.95, PB, 344pp, www.amazon.com
Nestled in the Strait of Georgia between British Columbia's mainland and Vancouver Island, the
Gulf Islands are a hiker's paradise, each boasting an eclectic character and an array of flora and
fauna unique to the temperate climate of the southern West Coast of Canada. Hikers can discover
the panoramic views, inviting beaches and friendly hospitality of the Gulf Islands -- all within a
short distance of Vancouver and Victoria. Now in a fully updated and expanded fourth edition,
"Hiking the Gulf Islands of British Columbia" includes something for everyone eager to explore
the diverse and stunning archipelago often referred to as BC's Enchanted Isles. A chapter, which
includes historical and practical information, is dedicated to each island ranging from the
much-visited Bowen Island at the entrance to Howe Sound to the often-overlooked islands of
Texada and Lasqueti. Along with helpful illustrations and maps, at-a-glance information is
provided for each hike, including a starred rating for the trail, a short description of the hike, its
length, the time required to hike it, the degree of difficulty, access points, as well as any cautions
for exploring the area responsibly to ensure the protection of these ecological oases. This
thoroughly 'user friendly' guide also contains up-to-date information on the islands' marine parks,
including the spectacular Gulf Islands National Park Reserve (36 square kilometres of land and
marine area scattered over fifteen islands) as well as paddling suggestions and launch sites for
kayakers. Exceptionally well organized and presented, "Hiking the Gulf Islands of British
Columbia " continues to be an ideal and very highly recommended travel guide for anyone with
an interest in visiting this scenic part of British Columbia.
Brian Solomon's Railway Guide to Europe
Brian Solomon
Kalmbach Media
21027 Crossroads Circle, Waukesha, WI 53187-1612
www.KalmbachHobbyStore.com
9781627004770 $24.99 amazon.com
Featuring tips and tricks for navigating 21 countries and a wealth of full-color photography,
Brian Solomon's Railway Guide to Europe is a "must-read" for any traveler who plans to see
Europe by train. There is a brief history with context and travel basics for each of the 21
countries, as well as suggestions for the best tickets to buy, and the most fascinating destinations
to visit. Railway connoisseurs of all walks of life will also find Brian Solomon's Railway Guide
to Europe a joy to page through.
Trekking in the Everest Region, sixth edition
Jamie McGuinness
Trailblazer
www.trailblazer-guides.com
9781905864812 $21.95 amazon.com
Now in an updated sixth edition, Trekking in the Everest Region is packed cover to cover with
tips, tricks, routes, health and safety guides, lodging recommendations, suggestions for
employing a guide or a porter, and much more especially for anyone seeking to trek through the
Everest region of Nepal's Himalaya. Author Jamie McGuinness puts his years of experience
living in Kathmandu, running a trekking agency, and climbing Everest (seven times!) to paper.
There are recommendations for travelers on a wide range of possible budgets, from staying
simple lodges with Sherpa families on a shoestring budget, to guided treks with luxuries for those
who can afford it. "In Thamel the nightlife has blossomed and so has the late-night trouble. After
11pm or so single women walking home have been hassled (albeit rarely), usually by Nepali guys
who have followed them out of a club." Trekking in the Everest Region is a "must-have" for any
tourist or business traveler destined for this remote, extraordinarily beautiful land, highly
recommended.
The Health/Medicine Shelf
The Headache Healer's Handbook
Jan Mundo
New World Library
14 Pamaron Way, Novato, CA 94949
www.newworldlibrary.com
9781608685134, $18.95, PB, 384pp, www.amazon.com
Jan Mundo, CMSC, CMT, has held headache programs at medical centers, universities, and
corporations including Kaiser Permanente, Stanford University, and Apple. She is a certified
Master Somatic Coach and massage therapist with advanced training in multiple healing
modalities. Mundo's mind-body program teaches headache and migraine sufferers how to relieve
and prevent their symptoms naturally -- without drugs and their side effects. In "The Headache
Healer's Handbook: A Holistic, Hands-On Somatic Self-Care Program for Headache and
Migraine Relief and Prevention" she shares her powerful personalized, comprehensive program
for the first time. In step-by-step instructions, she helps readers discover and prevent the triggers
that perpetuate their headaches -- and stop their pain on the spot with her unique hands-on
therapy. In a caring and compassionate presentation, she makes her techniques accessible to both
occasional headache sufferers and those who have long felt misunderstood and misdiagnosed.
Brimming with inspirational narratives, questionnaires, guidelines, tracking tools, and
author-illustrated instructions, "The Headache Healer's Handbook" effectively offers hope for a
headache-free future. Thoroughly 'user friendly' in tone, commentary, organization and
presentation, "The Headache Healer's Handbook" is unreservedly recommended reading for
anyone suffering from migraines or any other form of headache. While certain to be an
immediately useful and enduringly popular addition to community and academic library Health
& Medicine instructional reference collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that
"The Headache Healer's Handbook" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle,
$11.15).
Light Therapies
Anadi Martel
Healing Arts Press
c/o Inner Traditions International, Ltd.
One Park Street, Rochester, VT 05767
www.innertraditions.com
9781620557297, $24.99, PB, 384pp, www.amazon.com
Anadi Martel is a physicist and electronics designer, who has acted as a consultant for IMAX,
Cirque du Soleil, and the Metropolitan Opera of New York. For more than 30 years he has
researched the therapeutic properties of light and the interaction between technology and
consciousness, leading to the creation of the Sensora multisensorial system. In "Light Therapies:
A Complete Guide to the Healing Power of Light" he draws upon his years of experience and
expertise to create a comprehensive guide to the therapeutic benefits of light and color and how
they affect our physical and psychological well-being; to share scientific research on how
different wavelengths of light influence our cells, brain function, sleep patterns, and emotional
stability; to examine several forms of light therapy, including chromotherapy, heliotherapy,
actinotherapy, and thermotherapy; and to explain how to use light and color therapy, maximize
the benefits of sunlight, and avoid the health risks of new light sources such as compact
fluorescents and LEDs. Investigating the many laser, monochrome, audiovisual, and infrared
machines designed to heal disease and treat emotional disorders, Martel also reveals promising
medical applications for light that are currently in development, inviting the reader not only to
appreciate the complexities of light but to maximize its therapeutic dimensions. A unique,
impressively informative, and unreservedly recommended addition to both community and
academic library Alternative Medicine collections and supplemental studies lists, it should be
noted for the personal reading lists of non-specialist general readers that "Light Therapies" is also
available in a digital book format (Kindle, $16.99).
The Hard Road to Staying Thin, Healthy and Youthful, While Enjoying Life and Food to the
Fullest
Dafna Lazar
CreateSpace
4900 LaCross Rd., North Charleston, SC 29406
https://www.amazon.com/dp/1717183549
9781451235043, $24.95 PB, $3.49 Kindle, 104 pp, www.createspace.com
It's hard to live life and still remain healthy. "The Hard Road to Staying Thin, Healthy, and
Youthful, While Enjoying Life and Food to the Fullest" is a memoir and health guide from Dafna
Lazar as she shares her story of managing to attain balance for health and life with a degree of
spirituality thrown in. Thoughtful with many good ideas, "The Hard Road to Staying Thin,
Healthy, and Youthful, While Enjoying Life and Food to the Fullest" is an enticing pick.
The Education Shelf
Teacher - You Are Enough and More
Claire Rachel Maghtas & Karen Jean Epps
Morgan James Publishing
11815 Fountain Way, Suite 300, Newport News, VA 23606-4448
www.morganjamespublishing.com
9781683508991, $16.99, PB, 222pp, www.amazon.com
The collaborative project of teachers and academicians Claire Rachel Maghtas and Karen Jean
Epps "Teacher - You Are Enough and More" supports and uplifts educators in the demanding
world of education and features strategies, exercises, and tools that align teachers' spirits with
God to stay at peace while teaching. The authors' specific intention is to energize other educators
and give them tools for handling stress and persevering through the difficult times. "Teacher -
You Are Enough and More" is inspirational guide includes invigorating verses from the Bible
along with personal testimonies to help teachers cope. Teachers will learn strategies to stay in
balance while enhancing students' achievements and well-being. Finally, "Teacher - You Are
Enough and More" provide phrases of confirmations, gratitude statements, and a space for
journaling to help each teacher personalize their journey and achieve peace. While very highly
and unreservedly recommended for school district, college, and university library Teacher
Education collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Teacher - You Are
Enough and More" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $7.99).
The Pets/Wildlife Shelf
Dogs Just Wanna Have Fun!
Cheryl Murphy
Hubble & Hattie
www.hubbleandhattie.com
9781787112018, $16.99, HC, 112pp, www.amazon.com
Showcasing the photography of Cheryl Murphy, "Dogs Just Wanna Have Fun!: Picture This:
Dogs at Play" colorfully and evocatively demonstrates the sheer enjoyment our canine
companions experience simply from being a dog. The photographs in "Dogs Just Wanna Have
Fun!" are not about the bond between us and our canine companions, the results of dog training,
or the ever-expanding canine wardrobe. Rather, the focus is on how dogs behave when they are
freed from everyday constraints, and can indulge their natural instincts. The unsung heroes here
are the owners, who, after ensuring that their beloved best friend would be safe, let him or her
run free to interact with others for the photoshoot. The resultant images showcase pure doggie
delight - as the expressions on the dogs' faces demonstrate! Whether chasing balls or other dogs,
mud-bathing, swimming, or rolling, this is a joyous celebration of dogs simply enjoying
themselves! "Dogs Just Wanna Have Fun!" is a simple delight to browse through and very highly
recommended for anyone having or having had or aspiring to have a canine companion of their
own.
The Music Shelf
Accidentally Like a Martyr
James Campion
Backbeat Books
c/o Hal Leonard Performing Arts Publishing Group
33 Plymouth Street, Suite 302, Montclair, NJ 07042-2677
www.halleonard.com
9781617136726, $24.99, PB, 290pp, www.amazon.com
The late Warren William Zevon (January 24, 1947 - September 7, 2003) was an American rock
singer-songwriter and musician. Warren Zevon songs are like chapters in a great American novel.
Its story lies in the heart of his and our psyche. The lines are blurred. We never seem to know if
we are looking in a mirror or peering through a window; we only know that when we listen we
see something . The music sets the scene his voice a striking baritone, its narrator our guide
through a labyrinth of harrowing narratives. The plot unfolds without subtlety; each musical and
lyrical arc awakens imagination. In "Accidentally Like a Martyr: The Tortured Art of Warren
Zevon", music journalist James Campion presents 13 erudite and informative essays on seminal
Zevon songs and albums that provide context to the themes, inspirations, and influence of one of
America's most literate songwriters. In-depth interviews with Zevon's friends and colleagues
provide first-person accounts of how the music was lived, composed, recorded, and performed.
Longtime fans of this most uniquely tortured artist, as well as those who want to discover his
work for the first time, will get inside the mind, talent, and legacy of the wildly passionate
Excitable Boy. Exceptionally well written, organized and presented, "Accidentally Like a
Martyr" offers an extraordinary and analytical study of a man and his music that is unreservedly
recommended for both community and academic library Contemporary American Biography and
Contemporary American Music collections in general, and Warren Zevon supplemental studies
lists in particular.
The Art Shelf
One Piece Color Walk Compendium: East Blue to Skypiea
Eiichiro Oda
Viz Media LLC
1355 Market Street, Suite 200, San Francisco CA 94103
www.viz.com
9781421598505 $39.99 amazon.com
One Piece Color Walk Compendium: East Blue to Skypiea is a showcase of full-color images
and special illustrations from the worldwide popular manga (Japanese graphic novel) series One
Piece. A joy to page through and savor, One Piece Color Walk Compendium collects the
contents of the first three Color Walk art books into a single volume, spanning the early manga
storyline from the East Blue arc (where the main characters of One Piece's somewhat-maybe-
possibly-heroic "Straw Hat" pirate crew first meet) to the Skypiea arc. Occasional comments
from One Piece creator Eiichiro Oda, as well as several pages of interviews between Oda and
other famous artists including Final Fantasy visual designer Yoshitaka Amano and Dragon Ball
creator Akira Toriyama, round out this "must-have" treasure for One Piece connoisseurs. Highly
recommended!
The Military Shelf
The 31st Infantry Regiment
By the members of the 31st Infantry Regiment Association
McFarland & Company
PO Box 611, Jefferson NC 28640
https://mcfarlandbooks.com
9781476669090 $45.00 amazon.com
Featuring a wealth of black-and-white photographs, The 31st Infantry Regiment: A History of
"America's Foreign Legion" in Peace and War is a detailed chronicle of the U.S. Army 31st
Infantry Regiment, also known as the Polar Bears, who have fought in virtually every war in
modern American history. Here are chronicles of battlefields in Manila, Siberia, Iraq, the
nightmarish horrors of the Bataan Death March, and much more. A list of regiment soldiers who
were killed in action, extensive chapter notes, a bibliography, and an index round out this
excellent reference and resource. Highly recommended, especially for public and college library
Military History collections.
James A. Cox, Editor-in-Chief
Diane C. Donovan, Editor
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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