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Wisconsin Bookwatch
Table of Contents
Reviewer's Choice
Settlin'
Muriel Simms
Wisconsin Historical Society Press
816 State Street, Madison, WI 53575
www.wisconsinhistory.org
9780870208850, $18.95, PB, 224pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Only a fraction of what is known about Madison's earliest African American settlers
and the vibrant and cohesive communities they formed has been preserved in traditional sources.
The rest is contained in the hearts and minds of their descendants.
Seeing a pressing need to preserve these experiences, lifelong Madison resident Muriel Simms
collected the stories of twenty-five African Americans whose families arrived, survived, and
thrived here in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. While some struggled to find
work, housing, and acceptance, they describe a supportive and enterprising community that
formed churches, businesses, and social clubs -- and frequently came together in the face of
adversity and conflict.
Critique: Deftly drawing upon original sources and showcasing an impressive roster of oral
histories, "Settlin': Stories of Madison's Early African American Families" provides a brief but
succinctly informative history of African American settlement in Madison, Wisconsin. Enhanced
for academia with the inclusion of two appendices, four pages of Notes, and a five page Index,
"Settlin': Stories of Madison's Early African American Families" is a unique and unreservedly
recommended addition to community and academic library Black History & Wisconsin History
collections and supplemental studies curriculums. It should be noted for the personal reading list
of students, academia, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that
"Settlin': Stories of Madison's Early African American Families" is also available in a digital
book format (Kindle, $9.99).
Editorial Note: Muriel Simms is a lifelong Madison resident and longtime educator in the
Madison Metropolitan School District. She received her doctorate from the University of
Wisconsin-Madison in 2002 and serves as an adjunct faculty member in the Doctoral Program in
Educational Leadership at Edgewood College.
The Big Book of Knives
Oliver Lang
Schiffer Publishing Ltd.
4880 Lower Valley Road, Atglen, PA 19310
www.schifferbooks.com
9780764357398, $39.99, HC, 216pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: The knife is a staple in every household and long considered one of mankind's most
important tools. Despite our long history, in today's fast-paced world many no longer know how
to recognize a good knife or the characteristics which define one. "The Big Book of Knives:
Everything about Mankind's Most Important Tool" details the differences between types of
knives, the characteristics a capable knife must have, the different locking systems for folding
knives, and more!
Critique: Profusely illustrated throughout, "The Big Book of Knives: Everything about
Mankind's Most Important Tool" is a veritable encyclopedia of meticulously detailed information
that is thoroughly 'user friendly' in organization and presentation. Comprehensive and aptly
serving an exhaustively informed source that includes a twelve page Glossary, and a 'The
Ingredients of Steel' five page listing, "The Book of Knives" is especially and unreservedly
recommended addition to personal, professional, community, college, and university library
collections.
Memorable Encounters
John Nott
Pen & Sword Books
c/o Casemate (distribution)
www.casematepublishers.com
https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk
9781526751157, $39.95, HC, 216pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: During his varied career John Nott has encountered numerous interesting people, some
household names and others well-known in their field. In "Memorable Encounters" he has
selected twenty individuals to discuss and reflect on their contribution.
His seventeen years as an MP, latterly as a Cabinet Minister, brought him into contact with
leading politicians, including Enoch Powell, Margaret Thatcher and Norman Tebbit. While
defense Secretary during the Falklands War he worked closely with Admiral Lewin and General
Bramall. As a young officer he served with the 2nd Gurkhas and, through a profile of
Humbahadur Thapa, he describes his experiences with these stalwart soldiers.
Nott's principal career was in the City and he describes the role Siegmund Warburg played in his
life.
To add variety and spice, Nott also includes personalities whom he came across during his
education, farming in Cornwall and pursuing his interest in fishing. Additionally he describes his
friendship with impressive characters including Ted Hughes, the Poet Laureate, and Martin Rees,
the Astronomer Royal. Robin Day, whose interview he famously walked out of, features as does
Nigel Farage.
Critique: An interesting live lived out in interesting times among interesting company,
"Memorable Encounters" is a deftly written, inherently fascinating and impressively informative
memoir that is unreservedly recommended for both community and academic library
Contemporary Biography and 20th Century British Politics collections. It should be noted for
personal reading lists that "Memorable Encounters" is also available in a digital book format
(Kindle, $20.95).
Editorial Note: Sir John Nott entered parliament at the 1966 General Election as MP for St Ives,
a seat he represented for the next seventeen years. He also served as a Treasury Minister in the
Heath government, and sat in Margaret Thatcher's first cabinet, initially as Trade Secretary and
then as Defence Secretary. Sir John and his wife Miloska now live and farm in Cornwall
The Writing/Publishing Shelf
How to Self-Publish Your Book
Jan Yager
Square One Publishers
115 Herricks Road, Garden City Park, NY 11040
www.squareonepublishers.com
9780757004650, $19.95, PB, 272pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: For the past few decades that saw that the increasing consolidation of established
publishers was resulting in fewer and fewer access opportunities for the publication books by
unknown or midlist authors. That self-publishing was the only viable alternative for an aspiring
authors wanting to be published and have what they'd written reach the general reading
public.
Part One of "How to Self-Publish Your Book: A Complete Guide to Writing, Editing, Marketing
& Selling Your Own Book" is divided into three parts and covers the initial manuscript
preparation -- setting your goals, writing, sequencing, editing, and proofing, as well as creating a
business plan for your book's eventual release.
Part Two focuses on the actual production of a book. It explains the importance of cover and
interior design, what you need to know about producing physical books and e-books, and how to
turn your title into an audiobook.
Part Three provides key information on how to market and sell a book -- subjects that are crucial
to a title's success, but of which most writers have very little understanding.
Also included is a valuable resource section that guides the aspiring author to websites which
offer essential information on self-publishing service providers, including complete
self-publishing companies as well as freelance editors, proofreaders, printers, distributors,
marketers, and publicists.
The fact is that any book's chance of success starts at its origin, not with the finished product.
However you choose to produce your book, whether through a self-publishing company or
through separate services, "How to Self-Publish Your Book" by Jan Yager is a complete road
map to becoming a successfully self-published author.
Critique: It should be noted that in the pages of "How to Self-Publish Your Book" that the
Midwest Book Review is positively cited (pages 168-169) as a recommended resource for the
self-published author. That said, this is one of the most comprehensive, practical, and 'user
friendly' how-to instructional guides available today on the subject of self-publishing. Of special
note is the inclusion of a six page Glossary, and a five page Index. Candidly, if you only have the
time or budget for one 'how to' book on the subject, then you would be well served as an aspiring
but unknown author seeking publication to give "How to Self-Publish Your Book" a careful
reading. That will save you time, money, and the avoidance of common mistakes. Simply stated,
"How to Self-Publish Your Book" is unreservedly recommended for personal, community, and
academic library Writing/Publishing instructional reference collections.
Editorial Note: Dr. Jan Yager received her M.A. in criminal justice from Goddard College, and a
Ph.D. in sociology from the City University of New York Graduate Center. Beginning at the age
23, she began her publishing career first working at Macmillan Publishing Company, and then at
Grove Press working directly under the company's founder, Barney Rosset. There she learned to
do everything from selling foreign and subsidiary rights to acquisitions, publicity, and sales. Jan's
life has been all about writing and publishing books. She is the author of more than 40 books
published by such major houses as Simon & Schuster, Penguin Random House, Scribner, Wiley,
and Doubleday, as well as self-published by her own company, Hannacroix Creek Books, Inc.
Dr. Yager's award-winning titles include Foreign Rights and Wrongs; Effective Business and
Nonfiction Writing; Career Opportunities in the Publishing Industry (with Fred Yager); Business
Protocol; Victims; When Friendship Hurts (translated into 29 languages); Friendshifts; The
Pretty One (a novel); Untimely Death (a novel, with Fred Yager); The Quiet Dog (illustrated by
Mitzi Lyman); Work Less, Do More; Put More Time on Your Side; and others.
The Education Shelf
Unschooled
Kerry McDonald
Chicago Review Press
814 North Franklin Street, Chicago, IL 60610
www.chicagoreviewpress.com
9781641600637, $18.99, PB, 288pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Education has become synonymous with conventional schooling, but it doesn't have to
be. As schooling becomes increasingly standardized and test driven, occupying more of
childhood than ever before, parents and educators are questioning the role of schooling in
society. Many are now exploring and creating alternatives.
In a compelling narrative that introduces historical and contemporary research on self-directed
education, "Unschooled: Raising Curious, Well-Educated Children Outside the Conventional
Classroom" by Kerry McDonald also spotlights how a diverse group of individuals and
organizations are evolving an old schooling model of education.
These innovators challenge the myth that children need to be taught in order to learn. They are
parents who saw firsthand how schooling can dull children's natural curiosity and exuberance and
others who decided early on to enable their children to learn without school. They are educators
who left public school classrooms discuss launching self-directed learning centers to allow young
people's innate learning instincts to flourish, and entrepreneurs exploring their disillusionment
with the teach-and-test approach of traditional schooling.
Critique: Of special and relevant interest to home schooling parents and progressive educators,
"Unschooled: Raising Curious, Well-Educated Children Outside the Conventional Classroom" is
an impressively informative, thoughtful and thought-provoking study. While very highly
recommended for community, school district, college, and university library Contemporary
Educational Theory collections and supplemental studies lists, it should be noted for parents,
teachers, education policy makers, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the
subject that "Unschooled" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $12.99) and as a
complete and unabridged audio book (Dreamscape Media, 9781974947980, $29.99, CD)
The Self-Help Shelf
The Answer Is Energy
Jarrad Hewett
https://jarradhewett.com
Morgan James Publishing
11815 Fountain Way, Suite 300, Newport News, VA 23606-4448
www.morganjamespublishing.com
9781642791587, $16.95, PB, 208pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: When someone's energy is in alignment with their true intention of being healthier,
happier, and more productive, great empowerment and life changing transformation occurs. On a
thirty-day personalized journey as laid out in the pages of "The Answer Is Energy: A Thirty-Day
Guide to Creating Your Ideal Life, Embracing True Abundance, and Knowing Your Worth From
Within", Jarrad Hewett (who is a multi-dimensional energy expert), shows his readers just how
energy creates with thoughts, feelings, and beliefs.
"The Answer Is Energy" teaches readers how to quickly shift into a paradigm of ease, bliss, love,
abundance, and tranquility, while helping them to seize their best life by showing them how to
not let their inner programming and the worn-out stories of their past crowd out their dreams and
aspirations. People are continually looking for solutions "out there" and forget that they have all
the magnificent resources and tools inside themselves to catapult their life into the stratosphere
by tapping into their own abundant source of energy.
Critique: Exceptional in organization and presentation, "The Answer Is Energy: A Thirty-Day
Guide to Creating Your Ideal Life, Embracing True Abundance, and Knowing Your Worth From
Within" is an ideal and unreservedly recommended addition to personal and community library
Self-Help/Self-Improvement instructional reference collections. Of special note is that "The
Answer Is Energy" is also available for personal reading lists in a digital book format (Kindle,
$7.39).
Editorial Note: Jarrad Hewett is a Multi-Dimensional Energy Expert, the Founder of the
Quantum Technology Frequency Method, the author of "Love, Life, God and The Gospel of
You", as well as the co-author of "The Big E - Everything is Energy". Jarrad's in-depth energy
work has led to a devoted client list featuring some of the biggest, and most well-known names
in the Self-Help and Spiritual Movements, as well as numerous radio and television show
appearances. He can also be heard on CMT, HGTV, DIY, and the Disney Channel.
The Radiant Midnight
Melissa Maimone
Harvest House Publishers
2975 Chad Drive, Eugene, Oregon 97408
www.harvesthousepublishers.com
9780736976473, $15.99, PB, 240pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Specifically written for anyone who has ever suffered with depression, sadness, or the
feeling that they just can't seem to get it together, who wonders if they could ever view their
deepest wounds in a different light, "The Radiant Midnight" by Melissa Maimone is an
extraordinary and unique self-help manual and guide with a distinctively Christian
perspective.
Through candid storytelling, biblical truth, honest lament, and unexpected humor, "The Radiant
Midnight" is a bold refusal to simplify the experience of suffering by moving too quickly to try to
relieve it. With questions to guide you and practical suggestions to lead you through dark
moments, author Melissa Maimone takes you on a journey of surrender, suffering, rest, and
restoration as it encourages and comforts you in whatever struggle you face.
The message of "The Radiant Midnight" is fueled by the passionate belief that not only will God
lead you out of darkness, He will be fully and beautifully present within it. You can find deep
contentment in painful circumstances and discover a profound intimacy with a compassionate,
tender God who is with you in every moment -- in each hope-filled dawn and every radiant
midnight.
Critique: A life changing, life-enhancing, thought-provoking, inspired and inspiring read from
cover to cover, "The Radiant Midnight" is an extraordinary and unreservedly recommended
addition to personal and community library Self-Help/Self-Improvement collections, it should be
noted for personal reading lists that it is also available in a digital book format (Kindle,
$14.01).
Living a Life of Harmony
Darren Cockburn
Findhorn Press
https://www.findhornpress.com
c/o Inner Traditions International, Ltd.
One Park Street, Rochester, VT 05767
www.innertraditions.com
9781620558904, $16.99, PB, 192pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: "Living a Life of Harmony: Seven Guidelines for Cultivating Peace and Kindness" by
Darren Cockburn showcases 7 simple yet powerful guidelines that provide a compass for
navigating life harmoniously, cultivating a peaceful mind, and spreading kindness. These 7
guidelines provide for living a life of harmony and peace based on existing guidance from
Buddhism, Yoga, and other great teachings, integrated and updated for the modern world.
"Living a Life of Harmony" also explains how to implement the guidelines in daily life on a
practical basis, supported by real-life examples and practices and illustrates in-depth how and
why each of these guidelines hold value and how they provide a set of tools to help us deal with
life's ups and downs more skillfully, mindfully, and compassionately.
Critique: A life changing, quality of life enhancing, and thoroughly 'user friendly' instructional
guide, "Living a Life of Harmony: Seven Guidelines for Cultivating Peace and Kindness" is
especially and highly recommended for personal and community library Self-Help/Self-
Improvement collections in general, and Spirituality & Mindfulness reading lists in particular. It
should be noted for personal reading lists that "Living a Life of Harmony" is also available in a
digital book format (Kindle, $10.99).
From Suffering to Peace
Mark Coleman
New World Library
14 Pamaron Way, Novato, CA 94949
www.newworldlibrary.com
9781608686032, $18.95, PB, 336pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Mindfulness is the psychological process of bringing one's attention to experiences
occurring in the present moment, which one can develop through the practice of meditation and
through other training. (Wikipedia)
Mindfulness as a meditative practice is to be found in everything ranging from medicine to the
military. In "From Suffering to Peace: The True Promise of Mindfulness" Mark Coleman (who
has studied and taught mindfulness meditation for decades) deftly draws on his knowledge to not
only clarify what mindfulness truly means but also reveal the depth and potential of this ancient
discipline.
Weaving together contemporary applications with practices in use for millennia, Coleman's
approach empowers us to engage with and transform the inevitable stress and pain of life, so we
can discover genuine peace -- in the body, heart, mind, and wider world. While profound and
multilayered, the mindfulness teachings Coleman shares have proved effective in a wide variety
of settings. "From Suffering to Peace" will help readers of all kinds access and benefit from the
"true promise of mindfulness".
Critique: Thoroughly 'user friendly' in organization and presentation, "From Suffering to Peace:
The True Promise of Mindfulness" is an ideal introduction to the subject and is unreservedly
recommended for both community and academic library Self-Help/Self-Improvement
instructional reference collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "From
Suffering to Peace" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $12.12).
The Graphic Novel Shelf
Ryuko, volume 1
Eldo Yoshimizu
Titan Comics
https://titan-comics.com
9781787730946 $14.99 pbk / $14.24 Kindle amazon.com
Synopsis: From creator Eldo Yoshimizu comes a stunning manga which tells the tale of Ryuko, a
fierce woman of the Yakuza thirsty for revenge.
Ryuko is a hard-hitting, motorcycle-riding, high ranking member of the Japanese mafia stationed
in the Middle-East. After a fierce battle with the government, she becomes embroiled with the
Chinese and an unknown terrorist organization. Everyone has their own agenda, but it becomes
personal for Ryuko when her mother is kidnapped and she was forced to kill her father. What is
the right thing to do in this morally complicated situation?
Ryuko has a choice to make, but it's tough when good and evil appear to be two sides of the same
coin...
Critique: Suggested for mature readers, Ryuko volume 1 is a black-and-white manga (Japanese
graphic novel) that tells the shocking, violent story of a woman of the Yakuza (Japanese
organized crime), and the difficulty choices she is forced to make in morally ambiguous
situations. Flashing between the present and the past, the fallout of a violent civil war in a foreign
country and the gritty streets of modern Japan, Ryuko is an utterly enthralling crime drama,
highly recommended to connoisseurs of the genre. It should be noted for personal reading lists
that Ryuko is also available in a Kindle edition ($14.24).
Doctor Who: The Thirteenth Doctor
Jody Houser, author
Rachel Stott, illustrator
Enrica Angiolini, illustrator
Titan Comics
https://titan-comics.com
9781785866760, $16.99, PB, 112pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: There is a cosmic villain who is compelling time travelers of different species to loot
and steal for him all along the time/space continuum. It's a situation that only the Doctor (with
the help of her traveling companions) can deal with.
Bursting straight out of her hit new television adventures, this first collection of the Thirteenth
Doctor's comic book tales is a scorchingly fresh incarnation that takes the decades long running
Dr. Who television series (and its graphic novel adventures) where no Doctor has gone
before!
Facing off against vile villains and misunderstood monsters in flavors both human and alien, the
now female incarnation of the Doctor and her friends must push the limits of time and space,
confronting evils deliberate and accidental all throughout history - and uncovering secrets
long-hidden and wonders never-seen along the way!
Critique; Superbly illustrated by the artistic talents of Rachel Stott and Enrica Angiolin, this
debut graphic novel story by Jody Houser is a 'must read' for the legions of Doctor Who fans.
Certain to be an immediate and enduringly popular addition to personal and community library
graphic novel collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Doctor Who: The
Thirteenth Doctor" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $11.01).
Monster
Enki Bilal
Titan Comics
https://titan-comics.com
9781785868733, $49.99, HC, 53pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Now available in English for the first time, The Monster tetralogy is influential creator
Enki Bilal's most personal work. The story follows Nike, Leyla, and Amir - three orphans born
days apart, in the same bed, amidst the bombs of Sarajevo (Bilal's homeland) during the war of
Yugoslavia in 1993.
The lives of the three spiral off on different trajectories before bringing them together once more.
Collecting the entire four-part story under one cover in this massive coffee-table sized graphic
novel edition, "Monster" includes: The Dormant Monster, December 32, Rendez-vous in Paris,
and Quatre?
Critique: An inherently fascinating read from cover to cover, "Monster" is unreservedly
recommended and is certain to be an immediate and enduringly popular addition to community
and academic library graphic novel collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that
"Monster" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $29.87).
Breakneck
Duane Swierczynski, author
Simone Guglielmini, illustrator
Titan Comics
https://titan-comics.com
9781785864612, $16.99, PB, 128pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: During an angry confrontation at two-bit motel, mild-mannered consultant Joe
Hayward is thrown headfirst into the middle of a frightening terrorist plot to bring Philadelphia to
its knees. With only two hours to thwart the attack, Joe is going to need all the help he can get --
including that of his wife's lover who turns out to be a federal agent caught up in an
espionage/counter-espionage exercise gone lethally wrong!
Critique: A page turner of a read with more unexpected plot twists and turns than a Coney Island
roller coaster, "Breakneck" is an especially recommended addition to personal and community
graphic novel collections for mature readers, and the personal reading lists of dedicated suspense
thriller enthusiasts.
The David
Raoul Cauvin, author
Willy Lambil, illustrator
Cinebook Ltd.
www.cinebook.com
c/o National Book Network (dist.)
4501 Forbes Boulevard, Suite 200, Lanham, MD 20706
www.nbnbooks.com
9781849184304, $11.95, PB, 48pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Even as the Civile War sea blockade by the Union Navy slowly strangles the South,
the picket ships begin to mysteriously blow up one after another. Lincoln, worried that the war
could stretch on too long if the Rebels are resupplied, orders that the Confederates' secret weapon
be identified. That means sending spies to Charleston, though, in the heart of the enemy's
territory. And the two unlucky fools the brass entrusts with such a dangerous mission are the ever
reluctant and danger adverse corporal Blutch and his ever encouraging Sergeant.
Critique: The twelfth title in Cinebooks' graphic novel series 'The Bluecoats' series by the team of
author Raoul Cauvin and illustrator Willy Lambil. A wildly funny and thoroughly entertaining
story of the Civil War misadventures of a less-than-daring duo, "The David" is unreservedly
recommended for all dedicated graphic novel fans and community library graphic novel
collections.
The Music CD Shelf
A Heritage of Faith
Cathy Oakes
www.cathyoakes.com
Higher Level Media
www.higherlevel.media
$12.97 CD / $9.99 download https://store.cdbaby.com
A Heritage of Faith is a new age piano album with additional enrichment with orchestrated synth
pads of strings and vocalizations. All songs are public domain religious hymns, arranged and
performed by music artist Cathy Oakes. A beautiful work of abiding love, A Heritage of Faith is
highly recommended for personal and church library music collections. The tracks are "In the
Garden", "Amazing Grace - Grace Greater Than Our Sin", "Sweet Hour of Prayer", "We Gather
Together - Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing", "I Am Thine, O Lord", "His Eye Is On the
Sparrow", "He Leadeth Me - Oh Blessed Thought", "Near the Cross - The Old Rugged Cross",
"'Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus", "My Jesus, I Love Thee", "Blessed Assurance", "He Hideth My
Soul", "I Need Thee Every Hour", "What A Friend We Have in Jesus", "It Is Well With My Soul
- Be Still My Soul" and "Hymn of Thanks".
Even the Sparrow
Kelly Hunt
www.kellyhuntmusic.com
Rare Bird Records
$10.00 CD / $9.49 digital amazon.com
Even the Sparrow is an album featuring music artist Kelly Hunt's talent for tenor banjo. Her
songs are masterful works of storytelling as well as music, bringing alive emotions and eras from
American history. Even the Sparrow is a "must" for connoisseurs of tenor banjo, highly
recommended. The tracks are "Across the Great Divide", "Even the Sparrow", "Back to Dixie",
"Men of Blue & Grey", "Sunshine Long Overdue", "Fingernail Moon", "Delta Blues", "Bird
Song", "Nothin' On My Mind", "Oh Brother, Where Art Thou?", "How Long", and
"Gloryland".
Summoning the Muse
Incendio
incendioband.com
Red Pyramid Publishing
$TBA CD / $9.49 MP3 amazon.com
Summoning the Muse is a new album of original music by Latin-based world-fusion band
Incendio. Showcasing Incendio's captivating guitar melodies, dazzling arrangements, and
charged performances, Summoning the Muse is an energizing listening experience, highly
recommended especially for connoisseurs of the genre! The tracks are "Monte Carlo", "Rumba
Poderosa", "Running", "Dog Mountain", "Don't Pretend", "Blue Bolero", "Morning in Maui",
"First Hill", "At Dawn We Ride", "High Tide", "Limitless", and "Amazon River
Hometown".
Mystic Messages
Brooks & Day
www.brooksandday.com
Daybrook Records
$TBA CD / $8.91 MP3 amazon.com
Mystic Messages is the debut album of Brooks & Day, featuring Ben Brooks on flute and
keyboards, and Peter Day on guitar and keyboards. Ambient, thoughtful, and moving, Mystic
Messages ranges in theme from gentle relaxation to vibrant global fusion. Reflecting the facets of
everyday life in its soundscape, Mystic Messages is highly recommended and Brooks & Day is a
musical duo to keep one's eye on! The tracks are "Sacred City", "A Song for My Father",
"Forgiveness", "Mystic Message", "Esquisse", "Secrets of the Lotus", "Hopeland", "Soaring", and
"No Regrets".
The DVD Shelf
Blood
Starring Adrian Dunbar
Acorn Media
c/o RLJ Entertainment
www.us.RLJEntertainment.com
www.acornonline.com
$39.99 DVD or Blu-ray
Available in both DVD and Blu-ray formats, Blood is a dark, six-episode drama starring BAFTA
nominee Adrian Dunbar as a father who may or may not have committed a terrible crime. When
the aloof Cat Hogan (played by Carolina Main) returns home after the sudden death of her
mother, she finds that details of the alleged accident don't hold up to scrutiny. Her father is a
well-respected doctor, but she has distrusted him ever since a traumatic incident in her childhood.
Was he involved in her mother's death, or is Cat being a troublemaker like her siblings claim?
Long-buried secrets come to light in this complex, character-driven psychological thriller. Highly
recommended, especially for connoisseurs of the genre. Bonus materials include cast and crew
interviews (17 min.) and a behind-the-scenes featurette (8 min.). 2 Blu-ray discs or 2 DVDs, 288
min. plus bonus, SDH subtitles.
Delicious, series 3
Starring Dawn French, Emilia Fox, & Iain Glen
Acorn Media
c/o RLJ Entertainment
www.us.RLJEntertainment.com
$34.99 www.acornonline.com
Delicious, series 3 is a British television drama about food, love, infidelity, and scandal. At the
luxurious Penrose Hotel, the late Leo Vincent (played by Iain Glen) observes from beyond the
grave as his ex-wife Gina (Dawn French) and widow Sam (Emilia Fox) work to keep business
running. In series, the pair have (mostly) settled their differences - until an extraordinarily
handsome restaurateur (Vincent Regan) with a reputation for appropriating smaller businesses
turns his rapacious eyes toward Penrose Hotel. Sultry, witty, and utterly delectable, Delicious,
series 3 adds the perfect ganache to personal or public library DVD collections. Bonus material
includes a 13 min. behind-the-scenes featurette. 4 episodes on one DVD, 185 min., SDH
subtitles.
Patrick Melrose
Starring Benedict Cumberbatch
Based on the novels by Edward St Aubyn
Acorn Media
c/o RLJ Entertainment
www.us.RLJEntertainment.com
$39.99 DVD or Blu-ray www.acornonline.com
Winner the 2019 BAFTA Awards for Best Mini-Series and Best Leading Actor, as well as five
Emmy nominations, Patrick Melrose is a dramatic miniseries laced with black humor, based on
the novels by Edward St Aubyn. Patrick Melrose (played by Benedict Cumberbatch) is an
English aristocrat whose life is riven with childhood trauma inflicted by an abusive father, a
neglectful mother, and heroin addiction. Melrose's struggle to remain drug-free and support his
family is an uphill battle. A riveting miniseries featuring stellar performances, Patrick Melrose is
available in both DVD and Blu-ray formats, and is highly recommended especially for
connoisseurs of the genre. Bonus materials include a behind-the-scenes featurette (5 min.) and a
36-page booklet of cast and crew interviews. 2 DVDs or 2 Blu-ray discs, 5 episodes, 302 min.
plus bonus, SDH subtitles.
The Fiction Shelf
The Fireball Brothers
M. David Hornbuckle
Livingston Press
University of West Alabama, Station 22, Livingston, AL 35470
www.livingstonpress.uwa.edu
9781604892284, $24.95, HC, 208pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: In 1959, two brothers in Alabama are swimming in a pond when a fireball hits the
water and they become fused together. When a New Orleans doctor claims he can help, they
travel throughout the Southeast playing music. What they discover is as astonishing as their
condition.
Critique: With "The Fireball Brothers", author M. David Hornbuckle has created an original,
deftly crafted, thoroughly entertaining, and impressively informative trek through the American
South that includes race relations, jazz, rock and roll, con-artists, the Red Scare, and the just
blooming space race. While very highly recommended, especially for community and academic
library Contemporary Literary Fiction collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists
that "The Fireball Brothers" is also available in a paperback edition (9781604892277,
$16.95).
Editorial Note: M. David Hornbuckle lives in Birmingham, Alabama where he teaches English at
the local university. Over the years, his career has included journalism, technical writing, and bee
farming. He is also a musician, most known for his former bands PopCanon and the M. David
Hornbuckle Dixieland Space Orchestra. In addition, Hornbuckle is the founding editor of Steel
Toe Review: A Journal of Southern Arts and Literature. "The Fireball Brothers" is his third
book.
The Island
Ragnar Jonasson
Minotaur Books
c/o St. Martin's Publishing Group
175 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10010
www.minotaurbooks.com
9781250193377, $27.99, HC, 352pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: In the Autumn of 1987, a young couple on a romantic trip in the Westfjords holiday --
a trip that gets an unexpected ending and has catastrophic consequences.
Ten years later a small group of friends go for a weekend in an old hunting lodge in Elli aey. A
place completely cut off from the outside world, to reconnect. But one of them isn't going to
make it out alive. And Detective Inspector Hulda Hermannsdottir is determined to find the truth
in the darkness.
Critique: "The Island" is the second title in author Ragnar Jonasson's new suspense thriller series
featuring Detective Inspector Hulda Hermannsdottir of the Reykjavik Police department. Another
deftly crafted and inherently riveting read from a master of the genre, "The Island" will prove to
be an immediate and enduringly popular addition to community library collections. It should be
noted for personal reading lists that "The Island" is also available in a digital book format
(Kindle, $14.99) and as a complete and unabridged audio book (Macmillan Audio,
9781250224002, $39.99, CD).
Shirtless Men Drink Free
Dwaine Rieves
Tupelo Press
www.tupelopress.org
9781946507044, $16.95, PB, 338pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: In a vision above her mother's deathbed, Doctor Jane Beekman sees her dying mother's
soul--a soul struggling with a decision, some undone task, something in this world too noble to
leave. The sight was brief, but surely a lesson. The lingering question -- Why? -- prompts a shift
in the doctor's priorities.
For in this election year Jane must do what her mother, an aspiring social activist, would have
done. Soon, Jane is deep in the world of Georgia politics, working to make sure her dynamic
young brother-in-law Jackson Beekman is elected the next governor, regardless of what the soul
of the candidate's dead father or that of his living brother (Jane's husband) might want done.
Indeed, it is a mother's persistence and a father's legacy that will ultimately turn one Beekman
brother against the other, a struggle with moral consequences that may extend far beyond
Georgia.
Set amidst 2004's polarizing election fears ranging from immigrants and job takeovers, to
terrorists in waiting, to the homosexual and outsider agendas, "Shirtless Men Drink Free" makes
vivid the human soul's struggle in a world bedeviled by desire and the fears that leave us all
asking -- Why?
Critique: A deftly crafted novel by an author with a genuine flair for originality and a
distinctively reader engaging narrative style of storytelling, Dwaine Rieves' "Shirtless Men Drink
Free" is an especially timely and unreservedly recommended addition to community library
Contemporary General Fiction collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that
"Shirtless Men Drink Free" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $8.69).
Crow
Amy Spurway
Goose Lane Editions
www.gooselane.com
9781773100234, $22.95, PB, 312pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: When Stacey Fortune is diagnosed with three highly unpredictable and inoperable
brain tumours, she abandons the crumbling glamour of her life in Toronto for her mother Effie's
scruffy trailer in rural Cape Breton. Back home, she's known as Crow, and everybody suspects
that her family is cursed.
With her future all but sealed, Crow decides to go down in a blaze of unforgettable glory by
writing a memoir that will raise eyebrows and drop jaws. She'll dig up "the dirt" on her family
tree, including the supposed curse, and uncover the truth about her mysterious father, who
disappeared a month before she was born.
But first, Crow must contend with an eclectic assortment of characters, including her gossipy
Aunt Peggy, hedonistic party-pal Char, homebound best friend Allie, and high-school flame
Willy. She'll also have to figure out how to live with her mother and how to muddle through the
unsettling visual disturbances that are becoming more and more vivid each day.
Critique: All the more impressive when considering that "Crow" is author Amy Spurway's debut
as a novelist, this original and deftly crafted story has more unexpected twists and unanticipated
turns that a Disneyland roller coaster. With a distinctive and reader engaging narrative
storytelling style, Amy Spurway's "Crow" is an inherently riveting read from cover to cover and
will prove to be an immediate and enduringly popular addition to community library
Contemporary General Fiction collections and personal summer reading lists. Witty, energetic,
and crackling with sharp Cape Breton humour, Crow is a story of big twists, big personalities,
big drama, and even bigger heart.
Priscilla: The Life of an Early Christian
Ben Witherington III
IVP Academic
c/o InterVarsity Press
PO Box 1400, Downers Grove, IL 60515-1426
www.ivpress.com
9780830852482, $20.00, PB, 208pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Who was Priscilla is one of the relatively few women who are named in the New
Testament. Readers of the Bible may know her as the wife of Aquila, Paul's coworker, or
someone who explained baptism to Apollos.
Biblical references to Priscilla spark questions: Why is she mentioned before her husband? Does
the mention of her instruction of Apollos mean that women taught in the church? What is her
story? In "Priscilla: The Life of an Early Christian", Ben Witherington deftly addresses these
questions and more.
In this work of historical fiction, Priscilla looks back on her long life and remembers the ways
she has participated in the early church. Her journey has taken her to Ephesus, Corinth, and
Rome, and she's partnered with Paul and others along the way. Priscilla's story makes the
first-century world come alive and helps readers connect the events and correspondence in
different New Testament books. Witherington ably combines biblical scholarship and
imaginative storytelling to give readers a vivid picture of an important New Testament
character.
Critique: An inherently entertaining, thoughtful and thought-provoking historical novel that will
hold the readers rapt attention from beginning to end, "Priscilla: The Life of an Early Christian"
is an extraordinary and highly recommended addition to personal reading lists and community
library collections. It should be noted that "Priscilla: The Life of an Early Christian" is also
available in a digital book format (Kindle, $13.55) and as a complete and unabridged audio book
(Tantor Audio, 9781515943761, $29.99, CD).
Starvation Shore
Laura Waterman
University of Wisconsin Press
1930 Monroe Street, Third Floor, Madison, WI 53711-2059
www.uwpress.wisc.edu
9780299323400, $27.95, HC, 416pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: In the summer of 1881, the twenty-five men of the Lady Franklin Bay Expedition
watched their ship sail for home from Discovery Harbor, just 500 miles from the North
Pole.
Commanded by the ambitious yet underqualified Adolphus W. Greely, this crew represented the
first U.S. attempt to engage in scientific study of the Arctic. The frigid landscape offered the
promise of great adventure and unknown dangers. It was an expedition Greely eagerly anticipated
long before it began. Standing there on that sunny summer afternoon, no one could have known
how much would go wrong.
Drawing upon historic records, diaries, and letters of the men who inhabited the makeshift shelter
they called Camp Clay, In "Starvation Shore" author Laura Waterman painstakingly portrays in a
deftly crafted work of fiction the true story of polar explorers fighting for their lives and their
sanity under dehumanizing conditions. The result is a truly gripping, tragic tale of hunger, fear,
and hope as told through the eyes of men at their worst and most desperate moments.
Critique: Based on an historical incident and told with an impressively distinctive narrative
storytelling style that will grip the reader's rapt attention from first page to last, "Starvation
Shore" is certain to be an immediate and enduringly popular addition to community and
academic library Contemporary Literary Fiction collections. It should be noted for personal
reading lists that "Starvation Shore" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle,
$11.99).
You Will Be Safe Here
Damian Barr
Bloomsbury Press
175 Fifth Avenue, Suite 315, New York, NY 10010
www.bloomsbury.com
9781635573510, $27.00, HC, 352pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: It is the height of the second Boer War in 1901 South Africa. Sarah van der Watt and
her six-year-old son Fred are forced from their home on Mulberry Farm. As the polite British
invaders welcome them to Bloemfontein Concentration Camp they promise Sarah and Fred that
they will be safe there.
One hundred and thirteen years later in2014, Sixteen-year-old Willem is an outsider. Hoping he
will become the man she wants him to be, his Ma and her boyfriend force Willem to attend the
New Dawn Safari Training Camp where they are proud to make men out of boys. They promise
that he will be safe there.
Inspired by real events, "You Will Be Safe here" is a novel that deftly uncovers the hidden
colonial history of South Africa and reveals a dark contemporary cultural counterpart.
Critique: "You Will Be Safe Here" showcases author Damian Ban's genuine gift for narrative
storytelling and ability to hold the reader's total attention from cover to cover. While very highly
recommended, especially for community library General Fiction collections, it should be noted
for personal reading lists that "You Will Be Safe Here" is also available in a digital book format
Kindle, $16.81).
Editorial Note: Living in Brighton, England, Damian Barr is the author of the memoir "Maggie &
Me", which the Sunday Times named Memoir of the Year. He is Literary Ambassador for the
Savoy in London where he hosts his Literary Salon (also carried as a podcast on British Airways
and recently featured in Vanity Fair). He is also the Literary Editor of the Soho House group and
appears regularly on BBC Radio 4. Additionally, he is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts and
was 2013's Stonewall Writer of the Year.
Truth, by Omission
Daniel Beamish
Blackstone Publishing
31 Mistletoe Road, Ashland, OR 97520
www.BlackstoneAudio.com
9781982544775, $25.99, HC, 288pp, www.amazon.colm
Synopsis: After surviving a desperate childhood of lawlessness and violence, Alfred Olyontombo
makes his way to a refugee camp while Rwanda's genocide rages behind him. His knowledge of
local languages catches the attention of an idealistic young doctor who opens the door to a whole
new life for Alfred. Seizing the chance, he moves forward, embracing the American dream and
becoming a respected physician married to a successful lawyer in Colorado.
However, his new life comes to a screeching halt when the transgressions of his youth come back
to haunt him.
With his future hanging in the balance, Alfred is forced to face the misdeeds and the nemesis he
had hoped time had buried forever. But is it too late for the truth to matter? And which version of
the truth can save him?
Critique: A deftly crafted and emotionally-wrenching saga played out on three continents and
over four decades, "Truth, by Omission" showcases author Daniel Beamish's genuine flair for
originality and being able to seamlessly intertwine factual events of recent times in Africa with a
compelling set of contemporary fictional circumstances and truly memorable characters. While
unreservedly recommended for community library Contemporary General Fiction collections, it
should be noted for personal reading lists that "Truth, by Omission" is also available in a digital
book format (Kindle, $9.99) and as a complete and unabridged audio book (Blackstone Audio,
9781982544270, $19.95 CD).
A Job You Mostly Won't Know How to Do
Pete Fromm
Counterpoint Press
1919 Fifth Street, Berkeley, CA 94710-1916
www.counterpointpress.com
9781640091771, $26.00, HC, 336pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: For young couple Taz and Marnie, their fixer-upper is the symbol of their new life
together: a work in progress, the beginning of something grand, all the more so when they learn a
baby is on her way. But the blueprint for the perfect life eludes Taz when Marnie dies in
childbirth, plummeting the taciturn carpenter headfirst into the new, strange world of fatherhood
alone, a landscape of contradictions, of great joy and sorrow -- a job no one can be fully prepared
for!
Critique: "A Job You Mostly Won't Know How to Do" by Pete Fromm returns is deftly crafted
novel about love, family tragedy, resiliency, and second chances. An thought-provoking and
unfailingly entertaining read from cover to cover, "A Job You Mostly Won't Know How to Do"
is unreservedly recommended for both community and academic library Contemporary Literary
Fiction collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "A Job You Mostly Won't
Know How to Do" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $15.33) and as a complete
and unabridged audio book (Blackstone Audio, 9781982683153, $29.95, MP3 CD).
The Road Home
Richard Paul Evans
Simon and Schuster
1230 Avenue of the Americas, 14th fl., New York, NY 10020
www.simonandschuster.com
9781501111822, $21.99, HC, 336pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Chicago celebrity and pitchman Charles James is supposed to be dead. Everyone
believes he was killed in a fiery plane crash, a flight he narrowly missed. But thanks to that
remarkable twist of fate, he's very much alive and ready for a second chance at life and love.
Escaping death has brought Charles some clarity: the money, the fame, the expensive cars; none
of it brought him true joy or peace. The last time he was truly happy was when he was married to
his ex-wife Monica, before their relationship was destroyed by his ambition and greed.
In the exciting and provocative 'Broken Road' trilogy by Richard Paul Evans that began with
"The Broken Road" and "The Forgotten Road", Charles is still on his pilgrimage across the
iconic Route 66 in "The Road Home". He intends to finish his trek from Amarillo to Santa
Monica, despite learning that his ex-wife is now planning to marry another man. With the initial
reason for his trip in jeopardy, he still has lessons to learn along the way before he discovers (and
arrives at) his true destination.
Critique: An absorbing and entertaining read from cover to cover, "The Road Home" continues
to reflect author Richard Paul Evans' genuine flair for originality and a distinctively reader
engaging narrative storytelling style. While unreservedly recommended for community library
Contemporary General Fiction collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "The
Road Home" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $10.99) and as a complete and
unabridged audio book (Simon & Schuster Audio, 9781508279105, $29.99, CD).
Elizabeth of Bohemia
David Elias
ECW Press
www.ecwpress.com
9781770414631, $16.95, PB, 360pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: In October of 1612, King James I is looking to expand England's influence in Europe,
especially among the Protestants. He invites Prince Frederic of the Palatinate to London and
offers him his 16-year-old daughter Elizabeth's hand in marriage.
The fierce and intelligent Elizabeth moves to Heidelberg Castle, Frederic's ancestral home, where
she is favored with whatever she desires, and the couple begins their family. Amid much turmoil,
the Hapsburg emperor is weakened, and with help from Bohemian rebels, Frederic takes over
royal duties in Prague. Thus, Elizabeth becomes the Queen of Bohemia.
But their reign is brief. Within the year, Catholic Europe unites to take back the Hapsburg throne.
Defeated at the Battle of White Mountain, Frederic, Elizabeth, and their children are forced into
exile for a much-reduced life in The Hague. Despite tumultuous seasons of separation and
heartache, the Winter Queen makes every effort to keep her family intact.
Critique: This deftly crated historical novel by David Elias includes such contemporary figures
such as Shakespeare and Descartes as it dramatically recreates intrigue and conflict between
17th-century England and the other European nations. It is interesting to note that although a
novel, it is historical fact that Elizabeth's children would include Rupert of the Rhine and Sophia
of Hanover, from whom the Hanoverian line descended down to the present Queen Elizabeth II.
A wonderfully scripted and entertaining read from cover to cover, "Elizabeth of Bohemia" is
certain to be an immediate and enduringly popular addition to community library Historical
Fiction collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "Elizabeth of Bohemia" is
also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $11.99).
The Tinderbox
Beverly Lewis
Bethany House Publishers
c/o Baker Publishing Group
6030 East Fulton Road, Ada, MI 49301
www.bethanyhouse.com
9780764233098, $22.99, HC, 320pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: On the day before her Amish parents' twentieth wedding anniversary,
nineteen-year-old Sylvia Miller stumbles across the key to the old brass tinderbox her father
keeps in his Lancaster County watch repair shop. Piqued by curiosity, Sylvia unlocks the
cherished heirloom, not realizing that what she is about to discover will splinter apart her happy
life.
Once Sylvia overcomes her shock, she confronts her father about the contents of the box. To her
amazement, the respected convert to the Old Order admits that he is not fit to be a member of the
Hickory Hollow Amish church -- in fact, he never was.
Burdened by the weight of his deception, Earnest Miller reveals the details about his past to
Sylvia -- and to his wife, Rhoda. The long-kept secret alters everything for the close-knit family,
and when word of Earnest's deceit reaches others in the community, the truth pits Amish
neighbors against one another and threatens to dry up Earnest's livelihood -- as well as to break
up Sylvia's engagement to the preacher's grandson.
Can the Millers find a way forward through the turmoil to a place of forgiveness and
acceptance?
Critique: Yet another deftly crafted gem of a novel by Beverly Lewis, "The Tinderbox" is an
inherently riveting and thoroughly entertaining read from cover to cover. While especially
recommended for community library Contemporary General Fiction collections, it should be
noted for personal reading lists that "The Tinderbox" is also available in a paperback edition
(9780764232831, $15.99) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $8.42).
Clio Rising
Paula Martinac
Bywater Books
P.O. Box 3671, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48106-3671
www.bywaterbooks.com
9781612941479, $16.95, PB, 310pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: In 1983 Livvie Bliss decides to leave western North Carolina for New York City.
Armed with a degree in English and a small cushion of cash from a favorite aunt, her goal is to
launch a career in publishing, -- but also to live openly as a lesbian. A rough start makes Livvie
think she should give up and head home, but then a new friend helps her land a job at a literary
agency run by the formidable Bea Winston.
Bea hopes Livvie's Southern charm and boyish good looks will help her bond with one of the
agency's most illustrious clients -- the cranky Modernist writer Clio Hartt, an octogenarian
recluse who accomplished just one great novel. When Livvie becomes Clio's girl Friday and
companion, the plan looks like it's working: The two connect around their shared western North
Carolina heritage, and their rapport gives Clio support and inspiration to think about publishing
again.
But something isn't quite right with Clio's writing. And as Livvie learns more about Clio's
romantic relationship with playwright Flora Haynes, uncomfortable parallels emerge between
Livvie's own circle of friends and the drama-filled world of expatriate artists in Paris in the
1920s. In Clio's final days, the writer shares a secret that could upend Livvie's life -- and the
literary establishment.
Critique: A deftly crafted and impressively erudite novel by an author with a genuine flair for
originality and an exceptionally effective and reader engaging narrative storytelling style, "Clio
Rising" by Paula Martinac is a truly extraordinary and very highly recommended addition to both
community and academic library Contemporary Literary Fiction collections. It should be noted
for personal reading lists that "Clio Rising" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle,
$9.99).
Becoming Us
Robin Jones Gunn
Multnomah Books
c/o Waterbrook Multnomah Publishing Group
12265 Oracle Blvd., Suite 200, Colorado Springs, CO 80921
http://waterbrookmultnomah.com
9780735290754, $14.99, PB, 320pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Five young women, including beloved such author Robin Gunn characters such as
Christy Miller and Sierra Jensen, gather for a simple Christmas party and soon become unlikely
best friends. Told from the viewpoint of Emily, a timid young mom going through a difficult
season of life, the regular gatherings provide the much needed community she's longed for.
As the women begin sharing their life stories in "Becoming Us" they are endeared to each other
and find ways to challenge, encourage, and help each other become the nurturing mothers they
wished they'd had when they were growing up. They see themselves as Haven Makers and unite
to be remembered for what they do and not for what was done to them.
Critique: Another deftly crafted gem of a novel by accomplished author Robin Jones Gunn,
"Becoming Us" is certain to be an immediate and enduringly popular addition to community
library Contemporary General Fiction collections. It should be noted for the personal reading lists
of the legions of Robin Gunn fans that "Becoming Us" is also available in a digital book format
(Kindle, $11.99). Of special interest for librarians is that "Becoming Us" is also available in a
large print edition (Thorndike Press, 9781432864804, $32.99, 432pp, Library Binding).
Smitten by the Brit
Melonie Johnson
St. Martin's Press
175 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10010
www.stmartins.com
9781250193056, $7.99, PB, 384pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: English professor Bonnie Blythe expects her life to play out like her favorite novels,
especially now that her long-term boyfriend has finally proposed. So when a shocking discovery
leads Bonnie to end her engagement, she decides to close the book on love. But the plot thickens
when a brand-new character enters the scene -- and quickens Bonnie's heart.
With his brilliant blue eyes, sexy accent, and irresistible charm, Theo Wharton is like a romantic
hero straight out of a Jane Austen novel. When fate places Bonnie in England for a summer
(conveniently close to Theo) she realizes a hot friends-with-benefits fling is exactly what she
needs to start a fresh chapter.
Just as Bonnie begins to believe she's falling in love, an eye-opening revelation into Theo's life
makes Bonnie feel like she's wandered into one of her favorite books. Will Bonnie have the
courage to risk her heart and turn the page with the dashing Brit to find her true happy ending
after all?
Critique: A wonderfully entertaining read from cover to cover by an author with a complete
master of the modern romance genre, Melonie Johnson's "Smitten by the Brit" will prove to be an
immediate and enduringly popular addition to personal reading lists and community library
Romance Fiction collections.
The Wonder of Lost Causes
Nick Trout
William Morrow & Company
c/o HarperCollins Publishers
195 Broadway New York, New York 10007
www.harpercollins.com
9780062884305, $26.99, HC, 464pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Dr. Kate Blunt will do anything for her son, Jasper. Well, almost anything. Since
Jasper has the incurable lung disease cystic fibrosis, Kate's always told him he couldn't get a dog.
It's a tough call, but she's a single mom taking care of a kid who fights for every breath he
takes.
The daily medical routine that keeps Jasper alive is complicated enough. Worse still, Kate's
personal resolve runs contrary to her work as the veterinarian in charge of a Cape Cod animal
shelter, where she is on a mission to find forever homes for dogs in desperate need.
The scarred, mistreated wreck of a dog that turns up doesn't stand a chance. Named Whistler, he's
too old, too ugly. But the dog forms an instantaneous bond with Jasper. Whistler never makes a
sound, yet he speaks to Jasper in a myriad of mysterious ways. The clock's ticking, the dog's
future hangs in the balance, and Jasper would do anything to find him a home; but Whistler has
chosen them for a reason!
Critique: A heartfelt and deftly crafted read from beginning to end, "The Wonder of Lost Causes"
deftly showcases author Nick Trout's distinctive flair for originality and a narrative storytelling
style the engages the reader's fully entertained attention from beginning to end. While very highly
recommended, especially for community library Contemporary General Fiction collections, it
should be noted for personal reading lists that "The Wonder of Lost Causes" is available in a
paperback edition (9780062747945, $16.99) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $11.99).
The Woman in Black
Erik Tarloff
Rare Bird Books
453 S. Spring Street, Suite 302, Los Angels, CA 90013
www.rarebirdbooks.com
9781947856974, $27.00, HC, 280pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Chance Hardwick, the star of the breakout film Plains and Hills, is widely considered
the greatest, most charismatic young movie actor of the postwar generation. However, his
meteoric rise to fame and his tragic demise have remained an inexplicable puzzle to all who
knew him, as well as to his millions of fans around the world.
But all these years later, famed producer and film historian Gordon Frost has gathered Chance's
family, friends, lovers, and colleagues (all the people who loved and loathed him) to tell his story
and try to come to terms with the elusive, unknowable figure who continues to haunt their lives.
The oral history he's pieced together uncovers the secret life of one of America's premier talents.
From Chance's humble Midwestern beginnings, to his time in New York as an acting student,
and finally his turn as a Hollywood icon, all the pieces fit together -- or so it would seem.
But who is Chance Hardwick really? And moreover, who is the mysterious woman watching
over his grave each year on the anniversary of his death?
Critique: An inherently engaging and thoroughly entertaining novel by an author with a genuine
and impressive flair for original and distinctive narrative storytelling, "The Woman in Black" by
Erik Tarloff will prove to be an enduringly popular addition to community and academic library
Contemporary Literary Fiction collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "The
Woman in Black" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $14.99).
In Another Life
C. C. Hunter
Wednesday Books
c/o St. Martin's Press
175 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10010
www.stmartins.com
9781250312273, $18.99, HC, 352pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Chloe was three years old when she became Chloe Holden, but her adoption didn't scar
her, and she's had a great life. Now, fourteen years later, her loving parents' marriage has fallen
apart and her mom has moved them to Joyful, Texas. Starting twelfth grade as the new kid at
school, everything Chloe loved about her life is gone. And feelings of deja vu from her early
childhood start haunting her.
When Chloe meets Cash Colton she feels drawn to him, as though they're kindred spirits. Until
Cash tells her the real reason he sought her out: Chloe looks exactly like the daughter his foster
parents lost years ago, and he's determined to figure out the truth.
As Chloe and Cash delve deeper into her adoption, the more things don't add up, and the more
strange things start happening. Why is Chloe's adoption a secret that people would kill for?
Critique: A riveting gem of a read from first page to last, "In Another Life" is a deftly crafted
novel by an author with an impressive flair for originality and a distinctive, reader engaging
narrative storytelling style. While very highly recommended, especially for community library
Contemporary General Fiction collections, it should be note for personal reading lists that "In
Another Life" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
A Palm Beach Wife
Susannah Marren
St. Martin's Griffin
c/o St. Martin's Press
175 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10010
www.stmartins.com
9781250088918, $29.99, HC, 304pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Amid the glamour and galas and parties of Palm Beach, Faith knows that image often
counts as much if not more than reality. She glides effortlessly among the highest of the high
society so perfectly that you would never suspect she wasn't born to this. But it wasn't always so;
though she hides it well, Faith has fought hard for the wonderful life she has, for her loving,
successful husband, for her daughter's future.
In this town of secrets and gossip and rumors, Faith has kept a desperate grip on everything she
holds so dear, built from so little. And yet even she (the only one who knows just how far she has
to fall) never suspects from which direction, or how many directions all at once, betrayal will
come.
Critique: A superbly crafted and thoroughly entertaining read from first page to last, "A Palm
Beach Wife" showcases author Susannah Marren's impressive storytelling skills and flair for
deftly woven narratives. While very highly recommended, especially for community library
Contemporary General Fiction collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "A
Palm Beach Wife" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
Moments We Forget
Beth K. Vogt
Tyndale House Publishers
351 Executive Drive, Carol Stream, IL 60188
www.tyndale.com
9781496427281, $24.99, HC, 448pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Jillian Thatcher has spent most of her life playing the family peacemaker, caught in the
middle between her driven, talented older sister and her younger, spotlight-stealing twin sisters.
Then on the night of her engagement party, a cancer diagnosis threatens to once again steal her
chance to shine.
Now, Jillian's on the road to recovery after finally finishing chemo and radiation, but residual
effects of the treatment keep her from reclaiming her life as she'd hoped. And just when her
dreams might be falling into place, a life-altering revelation from her husband sends her reeling
again.
Will Jillian ever achieve her own dreams, or will she always be "just Jillian," the less-than
Thatcher sister? Can she count on her sisters as she tries to step into a stronger place, or are they
stuck in their childhood roles forever?
Critique: A superbly written novel by an author with a definitive flair for originality, the creation
of memorable characters, and the deftly crafting of a throughly reader engaging storyline from
first page to last, "Moments We Forget" is unreservedly recommended for community library
Contemporary General Fiction collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that
"Moments We Forget" is also available in a paperback edition (9781496427298, $15.99) and in a
digital book format (Kindle, $3.99).
The Gardener of Eden
David Downie
Pegasus Books
148 West 37th Street, 13th Floor, New York, NY 10018
www.pegasusbooks.com
9781643130040, $25.95, HC, 272pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: A mysterious beachcomber appears one day on the coastal bluffs near the small town
of Carverville, a place whose best days are long behind it. Who is he, and why has he returned
after nearly forty years?
Carverville's prodigal son, James, serendipitously finds work at a gentrified motel, but his
homecoming soon takes a sinister turn when he and a local teenager make a gruesome discovery
on the beach. It forces him to reckon with the ghosts of his past -- and the dangers of the present.
Rumors, distrust, and conspiracies spread among the townsfolk, all of them seemingly trapped in
their claustrophobic and isolated world. But is there something more sinister at work here than
the mere fear of outsiders?
Critique: David Downie's "The Gardener of Eden" is a deftly crafted and engagingly entertaining
novel about redemption, revenge, justice, love, and the eroding price of secrecy as a man and a
community grapple with tortured pasts and a frightening future. While certain to be an enduringly
appreciated addition to community library Contemporary General Fiction collections, it should
be noted for personal reading lists that "The Gardener of Eden" is also available in a digital book
format (Kindle, $12.99).
The Mystery/Suspense Shelf
Throw Me to the Wolves
Patrick McGuiness
www.patrickmcguinness.org.uk
Bloomsbury Press
175 Fifth Avenue, Suite 315, New York, NY 10010
www.bloomsbury.com
9781620401514, $27.00, HC, 336pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: In the aftermath of Brexit, the body of a young woman is found by the river Thames,
and a neighbor, a retired teacher from Chapleton College, is arrested. An eccentric
loner-intellectual, shy, a fastidious dresser with expensive tastes-he is the perfect candidate for a
media monstering.
In custody he is interviewed by two detectives: the circumspect Ander, and his workaday foil,
Gary. Ander is particularly watchful now, because the man across the table is someone he
knows-someone he hasn't seen in nearly thirty years. Determined to salvage the truth as ex-pupils
and colleagues line up against the accused, he must face a story from decades back, from his own
time as a Chapleton student, at the peak of anti-Irish sentiment.
With the momentum of classic crime fiction, "Throw Me to the Wolves" follows two mysteries --
one unfolding in the media-saturated present, and the other bubbling up from the abusive past of
the 1980s English school system.
Critique: Written by an author with an impressive flair for originality and a reader engaging
narrative storytelling style, Patrick McGuiness' "Throw Me to the Wolves" is an inherently
riveting read that is laced with a dark humor, rending it a compulsively entertaining novel from
beginning to end. While unreservedly recommended for community library Contemporary
General Fiction collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Throw Me to the
Wolves" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $15.92).
Editorial Note: Patrick McGuinness is a professor of French and comparative literature at Oxford
University. His first novel, The Last Hundred Days, was longlisted for the Man Booker Prize,
and his memoir, Other People's Countries won the Duff Cooper Prize and was shortlisted for the
PEN/Ackerley Prize. McGuinness lives in Oxford and Caernarfon, Wales. His author website is
www.patrickmcguinness.org.uk.
Murder with Cinnamon Scones
Karen Rose Smith
Kensington Publishing Corp.
119 West 40th Street, Floor 21, New York, NY 10018-2522
www.kensingtonbooks.com
9781617739620, $7.99, PB, 544pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: As local merchants unite to attract tourists for a much anticipated weekend quilting
event, business is sure to spill over into eateries like Daisy's Tea Garden. Gorgeous craftwork is
hanging everywhere - but among the quilts, potholders, and placemats, one gallery owner is
wrapped up in some dangerous affairs . . .
Reese Masemer had been dating one of Daisy's employees, Tessa, an artist, though their last
interaction was as strained as a cup of loose leaf tea. Now Reese has been found dead near a
covered bridge where Tessa's been practicing her sketches. She's the obvious suspect, but Daisy's
learning that there were some major secrets in Reese's background, and several of his
relationships were infused with resentment. To save Tessa, she'll have to find out who's tainted
this quaint little town with murder .
Critique: Another deftly crafted gem of a mystery from a true master of the genre, "Murder with
Cinnamon Scones" by Karen Rose Smith is a riveting and entertaining read from first page to last
and unreservedly recommended for both community library Mystery/Suspense collections and
the personal reading lists of all dedicated mystery buffs.
The Jean Harlow Bombshell
Mollie Cox Bryan
Midnight Ink
2143 Wooddale Drive, Woodbury, MN 55125-2989
www.midnightinkbooks.com
9780738758695, $15.99, PB, 336pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Justine Turner is a world-famous biographer of Hollywood stars. She's also Charlotte
Donovan's overbearing boss. So it comes as no surprise to Charlotte when Justine requests an
emergency meeting related to her latest in-progress biography. It is a surprise, though, when
Justine up and dies before their urgent discussion can begin.
In the wake of such a tragedy, all Charlotte wants to do is finish the Jean Harlow biography that
Justine had started. Instead, she finds herself in grave danger - stalked both online and in person
by a drop-dead Jean Harlow look-alike. Together with police sergeant Den Brophy, Charlotte
uncovers shocking revelations. But will these revelations be enough to catch the killer?
Critique: Another deftly crafted gem of a mystery novel by a gifted master of the genre, "The
Jean Harlow Bombshell" showcases author Mollie Cox Bryan's originality and distinctive, reader
engaging, narrative storytelling style. While certain to be an immediate and enduringly popular
addition to community library Mystery/Suspense collections, it should be noted for the personal
reading lists of all dedicated mystery buffs that "The Jean Harlow Bombshell" is also available in
a digital book format (Kindle, $10.44).
Editorial Note: Mollie Cox Bryan is the author of the Cora Crafts Mysteries and the Cumberland
Creek Mysteries. Her books have been selected as finalists for an Agatha Award and a Daphne
du Maurier Award and as a Top 10 Beach Reads by Woman's World. She has also been
short-listed for the Virginia Library People's Choice Award. Mollie is distantly related to Jean
Harlow!
Rag and Bone
Joe Clifford
Oceanview Publishing
1620 Main Street, Suite 11, Sarasota, FL 34236
www.oceanviewpub.com
9781608093267, $26.95, HC, 256pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Having spent ten months on the run after he was framed for the murder of an
estate-clearing associate, handyman Jay Porter returns to his hometown of Ashton, New
Hampshire. During his time as a fugitive, he searched for a hard drive -- evidence that would put
his longtime nemeses Adam and Michael Lombardi behind bars. But he came up empty
handed.
Now he has nothing. No hard drive, no hope. He hasn't spoken to his ex-wife and son in almost a
year and he's broke. With his reputation tarnished and employment opportunities nonexistent, Jay
takes a charity assignment from old friend/flame Alison Rodgers and learns of a fire at Alison's
former rehab farm.
Jay is convinced that the Lombardis started a fire as a scare tactic to pressure Alison to sell. As
Jay begins to look into the origins of the fire, he hopes he will finally be able to put away his
enemies. But he soon discovers that evil isn't so easy to define, and that sometimes we need to
take the law into our own hands if we want justice.
Critique: Another deftly crafted novel and an inherently riveting read from beginning to end, by
an author with a genuine gift for originality, deftly scripted characters, and a distinctive narrative
storytelling style, "Rag and Bone" by Joe Clifford will prove to be an immediate and enduringly
popular addition to community library collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists
that "Rag and Bone" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $14.95).
RED Hotel
Gary Grossman & Ed Fuller
Beaufort Books
27 West 20th Street, Suite 1102, New York, NY 10011
www.beaufortbooks.com
9780825308901, $26.95, HC, 532pp, www.amazon.cpom
Synopsis: When a bomb rips the facade off the Kensington Hotel in Tokyo, dozens are killed and
injured while one man walks calmly away from the wreckage, a coy smile playing on his
lips.
Former Army intelligence officer Dan Reilly, now an international hotel executive with high
level access to the CIA, makes it his mission to track him down. He begins a jet-setting search
for answers as the clock ticks down to a climactic event that threatens NATO and the very
security of member nations.
Reilly begins mining old contacts and resources in an effort to delve deeper into the motive
behind these attacks, and fast. Through his connections he learns that the Tokyo bomber is not
acting alone. But the organization behind the perpetrator is not who they expect.
Facilitated by the official government from a fearsome global superpower, the implications and
reasons for these attacks are well beyond anything Reilly or his sources in the CIA and State
Department could have imagined, and point not to random acts of terror, but calculated acts of
war. RED Hotel is an incredibly timely globe-trotting thriller that's fiction on the edge of
reality.
Critique: In an inherently riveting plot that could well be ripped from tomorrow's newspaper
headlines, "RED Hotel" showcases the effective collaboration between co-authors Gary
Grossman and Ed Fuller. While especially and unreservedly recommended for community library
Contemporary General Fiction collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "RED
Hotel" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $11.49) and as a complete and
unabridged audio book (Brilliance Audio, 9781978691605, $14.99, CD)
Whispers in the Wind
Veronica Giolli
Pace Press
c/o Linden Publishing
2006 South Mary, Fresno, CA 93721-9875
www.woodworkerslibrary.com
9781610353298, $14.95, PB, 226pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: When fraud investigator Sunny Davis returns to her childhood home (an Indian
reservation in Nevada), for her best friend Gina's funeral, and she finds that nothing is what it
seems.
Sunny can't believe that Gina would shoot herself in front of her young children. Gina's family is
disengaged and evasive. And when Sunny receives a psychic vision of Gina's brutal death and
senses that Gina's spirit is contacting her, she becomes determined to find the truth.
Sunny's investigation leads her deep into a complex mystery, her tribal culture's spiritual beliefs,
and the secrets that tore apart Gina's family and threaten her own.
Critique: In "Whispers in the Wind", author Veronica Giolli has deftly crafted a smart and tough
investigator who solves cases with equal parts deductive logic, psychic perception and spiritual
intuition, in a story that portrays grief, courage, and compelling insights into Native American
families.
A unique and inherently riveting read from first page to last, "Whispers in the Wind" will prove
to be an immediate and enduringly popular addition to community library Mystery/Suspense
collections. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of all dedicated mystery buffs that
"Whispers in the Wind" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $7.19).
Editorial Note: Veronica Giolli's mystery stories have previously appeared in The Poison Pen.
She was a founding member of Writers of the Purple Sage Publishing Consortium in Reno,
Nevada. While living on a reservation Giolli acquired firsthand knowledge of tribal customs and
spiritual practices. This in part provided the inspiration to write Whispers in the Wind.
Have Your Ticket Punched by Frank James
Fedora Amis
Five Star Publishing
10 Water Street, Suite 310, Waterville, ME 04901
http://gale.cengage.com/fivestar
9781432851927, $25.95, HC, 311pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: After the Civil War, Frank and Jesse James earned fame as the most notorious robbers
of banks and trains who ever lived. When Jesse died in 1882 Frank went straight. November of
1898 found him punching tickets in a St. Louis theatre.
Against this backdrop, journalist Jemima "Jemmy" McBustle investigates the death of a
handsome athletic fellow. She chases leads through the boxing clubs and illegal bouts of 1898 St.
Louis.
Clues lure her across the city on a frantic chase from theatre to department store to the city jail to
the grand Jewish fair. She even explores the seedy world of patent medicine makers who
flourished in the years before the Pure Food and Drug Act of 1906 clamped down on the opiate
trade.
Critique: Another deftly crafted 'whodunnit' Victorian era mystery by a master of the genre,
Fedora Amis' "Have Your Ticket Punched by Frank James" is the second title in the outstanding
'Jemmy McBustle' series and will prove to be an extraordinary and enduringly popular addition to
community library Mystery/Suspense collections. It should be noted for the personal reading lists
of all truly dedicated mystery buffs who enjoy their novels to have more twists and turns than a
Disney Land roller coaster that "Have Your Ticket Punched by Frank James" is also available in
a digital book format (Kindle, $7.99).
Chocolate a la Murder
Kirsten Weiss
Midnight Ink
2143 Wooddale Drive, Woodbury, MN 55125-2989
www.midnightinkbooks.com
9780738757131, $15.99, PB, 312pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: It's Wine and Chocolate Days in San Benedetto, and paranormal museum owner
Maddie Kosloski has sweet dreams about her new Magic of Chocolate exhibit. Her latest
attraction is a haunted Mexican whisk called a molinillo that rattles if someone lies.
When Maddie visits the town's new boutique chocolate shop, she finds one of the owners dead
and covered in melted cocoa. Maddie's determined to catch the killer, and she soon uncovers
deadly dealings in the world of artisan chocolate. But the deception surrounding those dealings
are enough to make the molinillo rattle all night. Will Maddie have to temper her passion for
sleuthing before a killer makes her fate bittersweet?
Critique: A simply riveting read with more unexpected twists and unanticipated turns than a
Disney Land roller coaster, "Chocolate a la Murder" is author Kirsten Weiss' latest 'whodunnit'
mystery. Certain to be an enduringly popular addition to all community library Mystery/Suspense
collections, it should be noted for the personal reading lists of dedicated mystery buffs that
"Chocolate a la Murder" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.59).
Read on Arrival
Nora Page
Crooked Lane Books
2 Park Avenue, 10th floor, New York, NY 10016
www.crookedlanebooks.com
9781643850030, $26.99, HC, 304pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Septuagenarian librarian Cleo Watkins believes in gracious manners, sweet tea, and
justice - library justice. For over forty years, Cleo has tried every trick in the book to get
delinquent patron Dixie Huddleston to return the most overdue volume in Catalpa Springs,
Georgia. When Dixie says she'll finally relinquish the book, Cleo is shocked. She's even more
startled by the reason: superstitious Dixie says she's seen the signs: she's about to die and is
setting her affairs in order.
Cleo dismisses Dixie's ominous omens... until she and her gentleman friend, Henry Lafayette,
arrive at Dixie's home to find her dead. Cleo suspects murder. The police agree but promptly list
Cleo among the likely culprits. To clear her good name and deliver justice, Cleo uses her
librarian skills to investigate, with Henry and her trusty bookmobile cat, Rhett Butler, at her
side.
However, the killer has opened a new chapter of terror. Death threats appear around town, and
residents start seeing bad luck everywhere, including in Cleo and her beloved bookmobile Words
on Wheels. With her bookmobile and legacy on the line, Cleo accelerates her sleuthing. Suspects
and clues stack up, but so does the danger. Another death is coming due, and Cleo fears the killer
may be about to turn the final page on someone she loves most.
Critique: The second title in the 'Bookmobile Mystery' series by Nora Page, "Read on Arrival" is
a deftly crafted and terrifically entertaining 'whodunnit' page-turner of novel that will prove to be
an impressively popular addition to community library Mystery/Suspense collections. It should
be noted for the personal reading lists of dedicated mystery buffs that "Read on Arrival" is also
available in a digital book format (Kindle, $10.69).
A Deadly Feast
Lucy Burdette
Crooked Lane Books
2 Park Avenue, 10th floor, New York, NY 10016
www.crookedlanebooks.com
9781683319696, $26.99, HC, 272pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Thanksgiving is nearly here, and Key West food critic Hayley Snow has just one more
assignment to put to bed for Key Zest magazine before she gets to celebrate with her family and
her police officer fiance, Nathan Bransford. Then, just days later, wedding bells will ring - if
death doesn't toll first.
The sweet potatoes and stuffing will have to wait when Hayley picks up a distraught phone call
from her friend, Analise Smith. On the last stop of a seafood tasting tour run by Analise, one of
the customers collapsed -- dead. With the police on the verge of shutting down the tour (and
ruining Analise's business) Hayley can hardly refuse her friend's entreaties to investigate.
As if wedding jitters and family strife weren't enough for Hayley to worry about, there's crusty
pastry chef Martha Hubbard, whose key lime pie may have been the murder weapon - but did she
poison her own pie or was she framed? As the hours to Turkey Day tick away, the pressure
cooker is on for Hayley to serve up the culprit on a silver platter!
Critique: "A Deadly Feast", is author Lucy Burdette's taste-tempting ninth title in her outstanding
'Key West Food Critic' mystery series and includes recipes along with a plot that has more twists
and turns than an Atlantic hurricane. While especially recommended for all community library
Mystery/Suspense collections, dedicated mystery buffs should be aware for their own personal
reading lists that "A Deadly Feast" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $10.99) and
as a complete and unabridged audio book (Blackstone Audio, 9781982628918, $29.95, MP3
CD).
Assaulted Caramel
Amanda Flower
Kensington Publishing Corp.
119 West 40th Street, Floor 21, New York, NY 10018-2522
www.kensingtonbooks.com
9781496706393, $7.99, PB, 352pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Bailey King is living the sweet life as assistant chocolatier at world-famous JP
Chocolates in New York City. But just when Bailey's up for a life-changing promotion, her
grandmother calls with news that her grandfather's heart condition has worsened. Bailey rushes to
Harvest, Ohio, where her grandparents still run Swissmen Sweets, the Amish candy shop where
she was first introduced to delicious fudge, truffles, and other assorted delights.
She finds her grandfather is doing better than she feared. Unfortunately, the same can't be said for
a local English developer, whom Bailey finds dead in the candy shop kitchen -- with Jebediah
King's chocolate knife buried in his chest.
Now the police are sweet on her grandfather as the prime suspect. Despite the sincere efforts of a
yummy deputy with chocolate-brown eyes, Bailey takes it on herself to clear Jebediah. But as a
cunning killer tries to fudge the truth, Bailey may be headed straight into a whole batch of
trouble!
Critique: Another true gem of a 'whodunnit' novel that launches author Amanda Flower's new
Amish Candy Shop Mystery series, "Assaulted Caramel" is a riveting page-turner of a read with
more twists and turns that a carnival roller coaster. An absolute 'must' addition to the personal
reading lists of all dedicated mystery buffs, "Assaulted Caramel" is an especially recommended
addition to community library Contemporary Mystery/Suspense collections.
A Murderous Malady
Christine Trent
Crooked Lane Books
2 Park Avenue, 10th floor, New York, NY 10016
www.crookedlanebooks.com
9781683319290, $26.99, HC, 336pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: The London summer of 1854 is drawing to a close when a deadly outbreak of cholera
grips the city. Florence Nightingale is back on the scene marshaling her nurses to help treat
countless suffering patients at Middlesex Hospital as the disease tears through the Soho slums.
But beyond the dangers of the disease, something even more evil is seeping through the ailing
streets of London.
It begins with an attack on the carriage of Florence's friend, Elizabeth Herbert, wife to Secretary
at War Sidney Herbert. Florence survives, but her coachman does not. Within hours, Sidney's
valet stumbles into the hospital, mutters a few cryptic words about the attack, and promptly dies
from cholera. Frantic that an assassin is stalking his wife, Sidney enlists Florence's help, who
accepts but has little to go on save for the valet's last words and a curious set of dice in his jacket
pocket. Soon, the suspects are piling up faster than cholera victims, as there seems to be no end
to the number of people who bear a grudge against the Herbert household.
Now, Florence finds herself in a race against time -- not only to save the victims of a lethal
disease, but to foil a murderer with a disturbingly sinister goal!
Critique: A superbly crafted mystery novel by a master of the genre, Christine Trent's "A
Murderous Malady" is a terrifically entertaining read from first page to last. While very highly
recommended and certain 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 "A Murderous Malady" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle,
$10.69) and as a complete and unabridged audio book (Blackstone Audio, 9781982628833,
$29.95, MP3 CD).
Dead Man's Mistress
David Housewright
Minotaur Books
c/o St. Martin's Publishing Group
175 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10010
www.minotaurbooks.com
9781250212153, $26.99, HC, 320pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Louise Wykoff is arguably the most recognizable woman living in Minnesota, known
for her presence in over one hundred paintings by the late and brilliant Randolph McInnis.
Louise, known better as "That Wykoff Woman", was just a young apprentice when her intimate
representation and the fact of the McInnis's marriage caused rumors to fly -- and Louise to hide
away for decades.
All of McInnis's paintings are in museums or known private collections, until Louise confesses to
having three more that no one has ever heard of -- and now they've been stolen!
Rushmore McKenzie, an occasional unlicensed private investigator, agrees to look into the theft.
As he investigates, following clues that appear far too straightforward, he finds himself on the
wrong side of the bars wondering if the trail might be deeper and darker than he's been led to
believe.
Hours away from St. Paul, deep in the nature of Grand Marais, the truth seems murkier - and
deadlier -- than usual.
Critique: A deftly crafted gem of a mystery, "Dead Man's Mistress" by David Housewright is a
riveting and entertaining read from first page to last. With more plot twists and turns than a
Disney Land roller coaster, "Dead Man's Mistress" 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 "Dead Man's Mistress" is also available in a
digital book format (Kindle, $13.99).
Murder from Scratch
Leslie Karst
Crooked Lane Books
2 Park Avenue, 10th floor, New York, NY 10016
www.crookedlanebooks.com
9781683319535, $26.99, HC, 320pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Santa Cruz restaurateur Sally Solari's life is already boiling over as she deals with irate
cooks and other staffing issues at the busy Gauguin restaurant. The rainy December weather isn't
cooling things down, either. So she's steamed when her dad persuades her to take in Evelyn, her
estranged blind cousin whose mother has just died of a drug overdose.
But Evelyn proves to be lots of fun and she's a terrific cook. Back at the house she'd shared with
her mom, Evelyn's heightened sense of touch tells her that various objects (a bottle of cranberry
juice, her grandfather's jazz records) are out of place. She and her mom always kept things in the
same place so Evelyn could find them. So she suspects that her mother's death was neither
accident nor suicide, no matter what the police believe.
The cousins' sleuthing takes Sally and Evelyn into the world of macho commercial kitchens, and
the cutthroat competitiveness that can flame up between chefs. In Leslie Karst's scrumptious
fourth Sally Solari mystery, Sally will have to chop a long list of suspects down to size or end up
getting burned.
Critique: Another riveting 'whodunnit' novel by a master of the genre, Leslie Karst's "Murder
from Scratch" is a solidly crafted and unfailingly entertaining read from cover to cover. While
highly recommended for all community library Mystery/Suspense collections, it should be noted
for the 'don't miss this!' personal read lists of dedicated mystery buffs that "Murder from Scratch"
is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $10.69).
The Dead of Achill Island
Betsy Draine & Michael Hinden
University of Wisconsin Press
1930 Monroe Street, Third Floor, Madison, WI 53711-2059
www.uwpress.wisc.edu
9780299323806, $24.95, HC, 216pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Art historian Nora Barnes and her husband, Toby Sandler, are visiting West Ireland for
a family reunion when during a morning walk through a deserted village on Achill Island, Nora
stumbles upon a body -- it's her notorious uncle Bert. When a clue singles out her mother as the
likely suspect, Nora and Toby are on the case to clear her name.
Whether in a barroom brawl or the sauna of a swingers' club, Toby has Nora's back. As they
search, the dead of Achill seem to speak from graveyards, ruined churches, and megalithic
tombs. A second murder makes it all the more difficult to connect the dots. And when Nora and
Toby become the next targets, their own survival is at stake!
Critique: A deftly crafted novel by two erudite masters of the genre, "The Dead of Achill Island"
by the writing team of Betsy Draine and Michael Hinden is a genuine page-turner of a novel that
will prove to be an immediate and enduringly popular addition to community library
Mystery/Suspense collections. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of all dedicated
mystery buffs that "The Dead of Achill Island" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle,
$11.99).
Paper Son
S. J. Rozan
Pegasus Books
148 West 37th Street, 13th Floor, New York, NY 10018
www.pegasusbooks.com
9781643131290, $25.95, HC, 352pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: The Most Southern Place on Earth: is what they call the Mississippi Delta. But it's not
a place that Lydia Chin, an American-born Chinese private detective from Chinatown, NYC,
ever thought she'd have reason to go. But when her mother tells her a cousin Lydia didn't know
she had is in jail in Clarksdale, Mississippi, and that Lydia has to rush down south and get him
out, Lydia finds herself rolling down Highway 61 with Bill Smith, her partner, behind the
wheel.
From the river levees to the refinement of Oxford, from old cotton gins to new computer scams,
Lydia soon finds that nothing in Mississippi is as she expected it to be. Including her cousin's
legal troubles -- or possibly even his innocence. Can she uncover the truth in a place more
foreign to her than any she's ever seen?
Critique: An impressively original, exceptionally compelling, deftly crafted, and thoroughly
entertaining read from first page to last, "Paper Son" showcases author S. J. Rozan's literary
talents and master of the mystery/suspense genre complete with more unexpected plot twists and
turns than a Disney Land roller coaster. While unreservedly and enthusiastically recommended,
especially for community library collections, it should be noted for the personal reading lists of
all dedicated mystery buffs that "Paper Son" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle,
$12.99).
Blade of the Samurai
Susan Spann
Minotaur Books
c/o St. Martin's Publishing Group
175 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10010
www.minotaurbooks.com
9781250027054, $26.99, HC, 304pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: In June, 1565, master ninja Hiro Hattori receives a pre-dawn visit from Kazu, a fellow
shinobi working undercover at the shogunate. Hours before, the shogun''s cousin, Saburo, was
stabbed to death in the shogun's palace. The murder weapon: Kazu's personal dagger. Kazu says
he's innocent, and begs for Hiro's help, but his story gives Hiro reason to doubt the young
shinobi's claims.
When the shogun summons Hiro and Father Mateo, the Portuguese Jesuit priest under Hiro's
protection, to find the killer, Hiro finds himself forced to choose between friendship and personal
honor.
The investigation reveals a plot to assassinate the shogun and overthrow the ruling Ashikaga
clan. With Lord Oda's enemy forces approaching Kyoto, and the murderer poised to strike again,
Hiro must use his assassin's skills to reveal the killer's identity and protect the shogun at any
cost.
Kazu, now trapped in the city, still refuses to explain his whereabouts at the time of the murder.
But a suspicious shogunate maid, Saburo's wife, and the shogun's stable master also had reasons
to want Saburo dead. With the shogun demanding the murderer's head before Lord Oda reaches
the city, Hiro and Father Mateo must produce the killer in time -- or die in his place.
Critique: Attention all dedicated mystery buffs, if you only have time for one novel then make it
"Blade of the Samurai" by Susan Spann. A deftly crafted and multilayered historical mystery set
in sixteenth-century Japan, "Blade of the Samurai" has more unexpected plot twists and turns
than a Disney Land roller coaster. While certain to be an enduringly popular addition to
community library Mystery/Suspense collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists
that "Blade of the Samurai" is also available in a paperback edition (Seventh Street Books,
9781633885462, $15.95) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
A Shattered Lens
Layton Green
Seventh Street Books
c/o Prometheus Books
59 John Glenn Drive, Amherst, NY 14228
www.prometheusbooks.com
9781633885387, $15.95, PB, 344pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Annalise Stephens Blue has plans to become a world-famous filmmaker. As she begins
filming an expose of her small town called Night Lives, she uncovers more than she bargained
for: on the very first night of filming, she stumbles upon a murder in the woods, and flees the
scene steps ahead of the killer.
Detective Joe "Preach" Everson is called to investigate. The victim, David Stratton, is the town's
golden boy and high school quarterback. A modern version of what Preach used to be. Not only
that, the boy's mother is Claire Lourdis, a beautiful divorcee who Preach fell for in high
school--as well as the main suspect in her son's murder.
As Preach delves into the secrets lurking beneath the surface of the town and searches for the
missing girl who may have witnessed the crime, he must put his own feelings aside and pursue
the answer to a terrible question: is a mother capable of murdering her own child?
Critique: Another deftly crafted gem of a mystery novel by an author with a distinctive narrative
storytelling style that engages the reader's rapt attention from first page to last, Layton Green's
latest Detective Peach novel, "A Shattered Lens" is unreservedly recommended, especially for
community library Mystery/Suspense collections. It should be noted for the personal reading lists
of all dedicated mystery buffs that "A Shattered Lens" is also available in a digital book format
(Kindle, $9.99).
The Knowledge
Martha Grimes
Atlantic Monthly Press
c/o Grove/Atlantic, Inc.
154 West 14th Street, 12th Floor, New York, NY 10011
www.groveatlantic.com
9780802128010, $26.00, HC, 368pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Robbie Parsons is one of London's finest, a black cab driver who knows every street,
every theater, every landmark in the city by heart. In his backseat is a man with a gun in his hand
-- a man who brazenly committed a crime in front of the Artemis Club, a rarefied art
gallery-cum-casino, then jumped in and ordered Parsons to drive. As the criminal eventually
escapes to Nairobi, Detective Superintendent Richard Jury comes across the case in the Saturday
paper.
Two days previously, Jury had met and instantly connected with one of the victims of the crime,
a professor of astrophysics at Columbia and an expert gambler. Feeling personally affronted, Jury
soon enlists Melrose Plant, Marshall Trueblood, and his whole gang of merry characters to
contend with a case that takes unexpected turns into Tanzanian gem mines, a closed casino in
Reno, Nevada, and a pub that only London's black cabbies, those who have "the knowledge," can
find.
Critique: The latest little gem of a mystery in author Martha Grimes' Richard Jury mystery series,
"The Knowledge" is a riveting great read from cover to cover. A deftly crafted novel with more
plot twists and turns than a Disney Land roller coaster, "The Knowledge" is unreservedly
recommended for community library Mystery/Suspense collections. It should be noted for the
personal reading lists of all dedicated mystery buffs that "The Knowledge" is also available in a
paperback edition (Grove Press, 9780802129253, $16.00) and in a digital book format (Kindle,
$10.45).
The Fantasy/SciFi Shelf
Radicalized
Cory Doctorow
Tor Books
c/o Tor/Forge Books
120 Broadway, 22nd Floor, New York, NY 10271
www.tor-forge.com
9781250228581, $26.99, HC, 304pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: "Radicalized" is a timely collection consisting of four SF novellas by Cory Doctorow
that are connected by social, technological, and economic visions of today and what America
could be in the near, near future.
Unauthorized Bread is a tale of immigration, the toxicity of economic and technological
stratification, and the young and downtrodden fighting against all odds to survive and
prosper.
In Model Minority, a Superman-like figure attempts to rectify the corruption of the police forces
he long erroneously thought protected the defenseless...only to find his efforts adversely affecting
their victims.
Radicalized is a story of a darkweb-enforced violent uprising against insurance companies told
from the perspective of a man desperate to secure funding for an experimental drug that could
cure his wife's terminal cancer.
The fourth story, Masque of the Red Death, harkens back to Doctorow's Walkaway, taking on
issues of survivalism versus community.
Critique: Inherently engaging and deftly crafted science fiction 'what if' stories that have their
seeds in today's newspaper headlines and contemporary social issues ranging from the effects of
everything from financial inequality, the health insurance industry, the militarization of the
civilian police, and more, "Radicalized" will prove to be an immediate and enduringly popular
addition to community library Science Fiction collections. It should be noted for the personal
reading lists of dedicated science fiction fans that "Radicalized" is also available in a paperback
edition (9781250229250, $16.99), and in a digital book format (Kindle, $13.99).
The Christian Studies Shelf
An Uncommon Guide to Retirement
Jeff Haanen
Moody Publishers
820 N. LaSalle Blvd., Chicago, IL 60610
www.moodypublishers.com
9780802418920, $14.99, PB, 208pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: People talk about retirement like it's supposed to be an endless vacation. But what if,
like the majority of those facing retirement, you can't afford such a luxury? Or, what if you just
want something more from retirement?
Some advocate for no retirement at all. But you've worked for decades and a rest and reprieve do
sound appealing. What should you do? Does God have a purpose for your retirement?
As Jeff Haanen reveals in "An Uncommon Guide to Retirement: Finding God's Purpose for the
Next Season of Life" the answer is 'Yes, He does'.
Learn how to discern what it is by taking an uncommon approach as Jeff looks biblically and
practically at the need for rest and purpose in retirement and shows how to: Take a sabbatical rest
in early retirement; Listen to God's voice for their calling in retirement; Rethink "work" in
retirement; Understand family systems and leaving a legacy.
The ultimate message of "An Uncommon Guide to Retirement" is that planning retirement
doesn't have to be distressing. Anyone can retire in a way that's God-honoring, purpose-filled,
restful, and truly biblical.
Critique: Offering a solidly Christian and bible-based perspective, "An Uncommon Guide to
Retirement: Finding God's Purpose for the Next Season of Life" is as informative and thoughtful
as it is inspired and inspiring. While very highly recommended to all members of the Christian
community regardless of denominational affiliations, it should be noted for personal reading lists
that "An Uncommon Guide to Retirement" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle,
$9.99).
Editorial Note: Jeff Haanen (B.A., Valparaiso University; M. Div., Denver Seminary) is the
Founder and Executive Director of Denver Institute for Faith & Work, an educational nonprofit
that explores issues of faith, work, calling and culture. Jeff is a regular contributor to Christianity
Today and has written numerous articles on finance, character, work, and calling. He is a
nationally recognized voice on the intersection between faith and work.
Praying Our Way Toward Wholeness
Tracy O'Sullivan, O.CARM
Twenty-Third Publications
1 Montauk Ave #200, New London, CT 06320
www.23rdpublications.com
9781627854467, $12.95, PB, 112pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Fr. Tracy O Sullivan, a Carmelite priest with over 40 years experience as a pastor. He
has authored other books on prayer and spirituality and writes a blog. He worked for several
years at a parish in El Salvador.
One of the best ways to encounter Jesus, says Fr. O'Sullivan, is unswerving commitment to deep
personal prayer. And in this simple and elegant guide, "Praying Our Way Toward Wholeness: A
Step-by-Step Guide to Daily Prayer", he shows us step by step the path to such life-changing
prayer as practiced in the Carmelite tradition.
The Carmelite tradition is a special roadmap created by some of the great saints and Doctors of
the Church. It is a call for beginners, a lift for those on the way, and an awesome guide for those
approaching home. One thing we all share is that we need to take the next step.
Wherever you are on the spiritual path, the wisdom you will find in "Praying Our Way Toward
Wholeness will help you discover what is next for you in walking with Jesus in prayer.
Critique: Inspired and inspiring, "Praying Our Way Toward Wholeness: A Step-by-Step Guide to
Daily Prayer" is an extraordinary and highly recommended addition to personal reading lists for
all members of the Catholic community, as well as an invaluable acquisition for church and
seminary Christian Spirituality & Prayer collections.
Romans Disarmed
Sylvia c. Keesmaat & Brian J. Walsh
Brazos Press
c/o Baker Publishing Group
6030 East Fulton, Ada, MI 49301
www.bakerpublishinggroup.com
www.brazospress.com
9781587434426, $49.99, HC, 416pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Globalization. Homelessness. Ecological and economic crisis. Conflicts over sexuality.
Violence. These crisis-level issues may seem unique to our times, but Paul's Letter to the Romans
has something to say to all of them.
Following their successful "Colossians Remixed", in the pages of "Romans Disarmed: Resisting
Empire, Demanding Justice", Sylvia Keesmaat and Brian Walsh unpack the meaning of Romans
for its original context and for today. The authors demonstrate how Romans disarms the political,
economic, and cultural power of the Roman Empire and how this ancient letter offers hope in
today's crisis-laden world.
"Romans Disarmed" helps readers enter the world of ancient Rome and see how Paul's most
radical letter transforms the lives of the marginalized then and now. Intentionally avoiding
abstract debates about Paul's theology, Keesmaat and Walsh move back and forth between the
present and the past as they explore themes of home, economic justice, creation care, the violence
of the state, sexuality, and Indigenous reconciliation. They show how Romans engages with the
lived reality of those who suffer from injustice, both in the first century and in the midst of our
own imperial realities.
Critique: Exceptionally well written, organized and presented for the benefit of clergy, academia,
and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject, "Romans Disarmed: Resisting
Empire, Demanding Justice" is an extraordinary and unreservedly recommended study of Paul's
Letters to the Romans for all members of the Christian community. It should be noted for
personal reading lists that "Romans Disarmed: Resisting Empire, Demanding Justice" is also
available in a paperback edition (978-1587432842, $26.99) and in a digital book format (Kindle,
$21.59).
Editorial Note: Sylvia C. Keesmaat (DPhil, University of Oxford) is adjunct professor of biblical
studies at Trinity College and Wycliffe College in Toronto, Ontario, and biblical scholar in
residence at St. James Anglican Church in Fenelon Falls. She is the author of "Paul and His
Story: (Re)Interpreting the Exodus Tradition" and editor of "The Advent of Justice".
Brian J. Walsh (PhD, McGill University) serves as a Christian Reformed campus minister at the
University of Toronto and is an adjunct professor of theology at Trinity College and Wycliffe
College in Toronto, Ontario. He has written numerous books, including "Kicking at the
Darkness: Bruce Cockburn and the Christian Imagination".
Living on a solar-powered permaculture farm in Cameron, Ontario, Sylvia Keesmaat and Brian
Walsh are co-authors of "Colossians Remixed: Subverting the Empire" (IVP Academic,
9780830827381, $24.00, PB, 256pp).
Galatians
Cardinal Albert Vanhoy, author
Peter S. Williamson, author
Baker Academic
c/o Baker Publishing Group
6030 East Fulton, Ada, MI 49301
www.bakerpublishinggroup.com
9780801049729, $21.99, PB, 224pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: "Galatians" is the latest addition to the Baker Academic 'Catholic Commentary on
Sacred Scripture' series. In this volume of scriptural commentary, Cardinal Albert Vanhoy and
Peter S. Williamsson are two esteemed scholars who knowledgeably interpret Galatians from
within the living tradition of the Church.
Relating Galatians to Christian life today for faithful Catholics, this study is supplemented by
features specifically designed to help pastoral ministers, lay readers, and New Testament students
understand the Bible more deeply and use it more effectively.
Critique: Exceptionally well written, deftly organized, accessibly presented, "Galatians" highly
recommended to the attention of all members of the Catholic community, and is an extraordinary
and unreservedly recommended addition to personal, church, community, academic, and
seminary library collections and New Testament studies reading lists.
The God Who Sees
Karen Gonzalez
www.Karen-Gonzalez.com
Herald Press
P.O. Box 866, Harrisonburg, VA 22803
www.heraldpress.com
9781513804132, $29.99, HC, 232pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Featuring an informative Foreword by Sandra van Opstal, "The God Who Sees:
Immigrants, the Bible, and the Journey to Belong" by immigration advocate Karen Gonzalez, is a
riveting and true story of seeking safety in another land -- including a gripping journey of loss,
alienation, and belonging.
In "The God Who Sees", Karen recounts her own family's migration from the instability of
Guatemala to making a new life in Los Angeles and the suburbs of south Florida. In the midst of
language barriers, cultural misunderstandings, and the tremendous pressure to assimilate,
Gonzalez encounters Christ through a campus ministry program and begins to follow him.
Here, too, is the sweeping epic of immigrants and refugees in Scripture. Abraham, Hagar, Joseph,
Ruth: these intrepid heroes of the faith cross borders and seek refuge. As witnesses to God's
liberating power, they name the God they see at work, and they become grafted onto God's
family tree.
The underlying message of "The God Who Sees" is that it is every Christian's duty to find
resources for welcoming immigrants in their community and speak out against an outdated
immigration system so badly in need of reform, to find the power of Jesus, himself a refugee
Savior who calls us to become citizens in a country that not of this world.
Critique: A powerful advocacy for all Christians to come to the aid of 'the stranger within the
gate', "The God Who Sees: Immigrants, the Bible, and the Journey to Belong" is extraordinarily
timely and unreservedly recommended reading for all members of the Christian community
regardless of denominational affiliations. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "The
God Who Sees" is also available in a paperback edition (9781513804125, $16.99) and in a digital
book format (Kindle, $9.99).
Editorial Note: Karen Gonzalez is a speaker, writer, and immigrant advocate who works as
director of human resources for World Relief. An immigrant from Guatemala, Gonzalez studied
at Fuller Theological Seminary. She has worked in the nonprofit world for more than ten years
and is a former public school teacher. Gonzalez has written about spiritual formation, Latinx
identity, race, gender, the Enneagram, and immigration. Her work has been published in
Sojourners, Christ and Pop Culture, Faithfully Magazine, Mutuality Magazine, The Mudroom,
and The Salt Collective. Those who are interested can connect with her at
www.Karen-Gonzalez.com.
The Assurance of Salvation
Robert A. Peterson
Zondervan Academic
c/o Zondervan Publishing House
5300 Patterson Avenue, S.E., Grand Rapids, MI 49530
www.zondervan.com
9780310516323, $16.99, PB, 192pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: For years, Robert A. Peterson taught about the assurance of salvation in seminary and
Sunday school classrooms. He was concerned, however, to find that some people, for a variety of
reasons, were unable to grasp the certainty of their salvation. In "The Assurance of Salvation:
Biblical Hope for Our Struggles" Professor Peterson identifies these "troublers" of assurance and
provides the remedy to diffuse insecurity.
Professor Peterson asserts that difficult backgrounds and experiences, intellectual doubts, tender
consciences, habitual sins, and overconfidence that people face are the enemies of assurance.
Through a competent handling of the Bible, he explains that by embracing three gifts from God
(His Word, His Spirit, and His work in our lives) those who struggle with insecurity are able to
personally experience the freedom of God's assurance.
Critique: Exceptionally well written, organized and presented, "The Assurance of Salvation" is
an inspired and inspiring read that is as impressively articulate as it is insightfully informative.
While very highly recommended to the attention of all members of the Christian community, it
should be noted for personal reading lists that "The Assurance of Salvation" is also available in a
digital book format (Kindle, $9.99) and as a complete and unabridged audio book (Brilliance
Audio, 9781978671010, $21.99, CD).
Editorial Note: Robert A. Peterson was professor of systematic theology at Covenant Theological
Seminary in St. Louis, Missouri. He is author or editor of twenty books, including Salvation
Accomplished by the Son: The Work of Christ (Crossway, 2012), Our Secure Salvation:
Preservation and Apostasy (P&R Publishing, 2009), and, coedited with Christopher Morgan, Hell
Under Fire (Zondervan, 2004).
Holy Noticing
Charles Stone
Moody Publishers
820 N. LaSalle Blvd., Chicago, IL 60610
www.moodypublishers.com
9780802418579, $14.99, PB, 240pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: "Holy Noticing: The Bible, Your Brain, and the Mindful Space Between Moments" by
Charles Stone was written from a Christian perspective for those who want to feel more present
and connected to those you love. Who want to be able to listen without thinking the whole time
of what you're going to say next. Who want to feel less distracted, less busy, and more whole.
Who spend their distracted lives longing to get to the next, better moment and fail to notice the
present one.
"Holy Noticing" shows how to: Become more aware of your thoughts, emotions, and
environment; Recognize Christ's presence in the moment; Reduce personal stress by developing
the ability to focus on God and people rather than tasks.
Critique: As inspired and inspiring as it is real world practical in scope and application, "Holy
Noticing: The Bible, Your Brain, and the Mindful Space Between Moments" is unreservedly
recommended reading for all members of the Christian community. It should be noted for
personal reading lists that "Holy Noticing" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle,
$9.99).
Editorial Note: Dr. Charles Stone (M.Div., Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, D.Min.,
Trinity Evangelical Divinity Seminary) has served for 37 years in ministry, 24 of those years as a
senior pastor. He currently pastors West Park Church in London, Ontario, Canada, a
multicultural congregation with over 1,000 attendees. He founded StoneWell Ministries to serve
pastors and churches through coaching and consulting. Many of his articles have been featured in
magazines such as Outreach, Leadership Journal, REV, New Man, and In Touch and his blog
posts have appeared on sites such as Pastors.com, SermonCentral.com, ChurchCentral.com, and
Churchleaders.com.
Loving Your Neighbour in an Age of Religious Conflict
James Walters
Jessica Kingsley Publishers, Inc.
400 Market Street, Suite 400, Philadelphia, PA 19106
www.jkp.com
9781785925634, $24.99, PB, 168pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: "Loving Your Neighbour in an Age of Religious Conflict" by James Walters (a priest
in the Church of England, the Director of the LSE Faith Centre and a Senior Lecturer in Practice
at the London School of Economics) offers a fresh perspective on religious difference by setting
local challenges within the global picture, and exploring the meaning of religious resurgence for
Western secularist ideas. Theory and practical engagement are combined in an imaginative
Christian approach to responding to religious difference, without resorting to relativism.
Critique: Articulate, insightfully informative, thoughtful and thought-provoking, "Loving Your
Neighbour in an Age of Religious Conflict" is a timely and valued contribution to our socially,
culturally, and economically troubled times that have resulted in the rise of religious intolerance
and persecution. While very highly recommended reading for all members of the community it
should be noted for personal reading lists that "Loving Your Neighbour in an Age of Religious
Conflict" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $21.29).
Unraptured: How End Times Theology Gets It Wrong
Zack Hunt
Herald Press
P.O. Box 866, Harrisonburg, VA 22803
www.heraldpress.com
9781513804163, $29.99, HC, 255pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: As a teenager in the buckle of the Bible Belt, Zack Hunt was convinced the rapture
would happen at any moment. Being ready meant never missing church, never sinning, and
always listening to Christian radio. But when the rapture didn't happen, Hunt's tightly wound
faith began to fray. If he had been wrong about the rapture, what else about his faith might not
hold water?
Part memoir, part tour of the apocalypse, and part call to action, "Unraptured: How End Times
Theology Gets It Wrong" traces how the church's focus on escaping to heaven has it mired in
decay. Teetering on the brink of irrelevancy in a world rocked by refugee crises, climate change,
war and rumors of war, the church cannot afford to focus on the end times instead of following
Jesus in the here and now. Unraptured uses these signs of the times to help readers reorient their
understanding of the gospel around loving and caring for the least of these.
Critique: Eloquent, thoughtful and thought-provoking, "Unraptured: How End Times Theology
Gets It Wrong" is an extraordinary approach to the Christian faith and the spiritual perils of
misinformed expectations. While highly recommended to the attention of all members of the
Christian community, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Unraptured" is also
available in a paperback edition (9781513804156, $16.99) and in a digital book format (Kindle,
$8.49).
Editorial Note: Zack Hunt is a popular blogger, writer, and ordained elder in the Church of the
Nazarene. His writing on faith and politics has appeared in Huffington Post, Relevant Magazine,
and Patheos where he is a regular contributor. He has also contribute to The Boston Globe and
New York Magazine. After spending nearly a decade in ministry, Zack attended Yale Divinity
School, where he graduated with a master's degree in Christian history.
Simple Discipleship
Dana Allin
NavPress
www.navpress.com
c/o Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.
351 Executive Drive, Carol Stream, IL 60188
www.tyndale.com
9781631467134, $15.99, PB, 208pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Within a traditional Christian perspective, discipleship can feel like a meandering
journey in that we don't know what we want, and none of the programs offered seem to get us
anywhere.
As members of the Christian community, we need something to orient ourselves, and something
to direct our steps toward a clear destination. "Simple Discipleship: Grow Your Faith, Transform
Your Community", with its companion assessment tool, offers a plan for discipleship that is
tailored to your real life and your personality, and clearly pointed in the way of Jesus.
Most discipleship resources are designed as mass productions -- efficient for touching many, but
often failing to see individuals grow in Christ. "Simple Discipleship" offers the best of both
worlds -- it is an assessment tool for your entire church, combined with an achievable,
personalized discipling strategy.
Critique: Inspired and inspiring, "Simple Discipleship: Grow Your Faith, Transform Your
Community" by Dana Allin offers the Christian reader a clear, practical, effective, and spiritually
sound approach to living a Christian life in these troubled and secular times. While highly
recommended to all members of the Christian community, it should be noted for personal reading
lists that "Simple Discipleship" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
Mission Accomplished
Marty Meyer
YWAM Publishing
PO Box 55787, Seattle, WA 98155
www.ywampublishing.com
9781576589595, $14.99, PB, 201pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: "Mission Accomplished: Discover Your Destiny In The Mission Of Jesus" by Marty
Meyer will challenge Christian readers to find their true life-purpose by aligning their lives with
the mission of Jesus. "Mission Accomplished" is a clarion call for every believer to discover the
destiny for which they were created. It's a charge to find your purpose fulfilled by taking your
rightful place in the completion of the Great Commission.
"Mission Accomplished" is an opportunity to discover that living out Jesus' final mandate is the
key to living your life with purpose and joy. Packed from cover to cover with vibrant stories
darkness shattering advance of the Gospel. "Mission Accomplished" inspires readers to live for a
purpose beyond themselves. To discover and live a fulfilling dream growing within their hearts
and souls.
Critique: Eloquent, inspiring, motivating, thoughtful and thought-provoking, "Mission
Accomplished: Discover Your Destiny In The Mission Of Jesus" is extraordinary and
unreservedly recommended to all members of the Christian community. It should be noted for
personal reading lists that "Mission Accomplished" is also available in a digital book format
(Kindle, $9.99).
Fire by Night
Melissa Florer-Bixler
Herald Press
P.O. Box 866, Harrisonburg, VA 22803
www.heraldpress.com
9781513804194, $29.99, HC, 192pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: What do we do as Christians with the Old Testament? How do we read words written
in a world so different from ours, stories so ruthless and so filled with grace?
In "Fire by Night: Finding God in the Pages of the Old Testament", pastor Melissa Florer-Bixler
invites readers to marvel at the Old Testament. Page after page, in stories and poems and
prophecies, the Hebrew Scripture introduces us to a God who is unwieldy and uncontrollable,
common and extraordinary, and who brings both life and death. Using stories from Scripture and
from her ministry, pastor Florer-Bixler braids together the text with the sometimes ordinary,
sometimes radical grace of God. The same passages that confuse and horrify and baffle us can, if
we are paying attention, lure us closer toward God. This God has traveled with people through
cloud and fire, by day and by night, since the beginning of time.
The Old Testament is a perplexing book of profound grace, hope, and beauty. It's a book of fire.
To read the Old Testament is to draw close to God's love, which continues to burn away our
expectations and set us ablaze. This God has traveled with people through pillars of cloud and
fire, by day and by night, since the days of the exodus.
Critique: Impressively thoughtful and thought-provoking, "Fire by Night: Finding God in the
Pages of the Old Testament" is an extraordinary study that is both inspired and inspiring. While
very highly recommended to all members of the Christian community, it should be noted for the
personal reading lists of Biblical Studies students, clergy, and non-specialist general readers with
an interest in the subject that "Fire by Night" is also available in a paperback edition
(9781513804187, $16.99) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
Restless Faith
Richard J. Mouw
Brazos Press
c/o Baker Publishing Group
6030 East Fulton, Ada, MI 49301
www.brazospress.com
9781587434334, $29.99, HC, 192pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: "Restless Faith: Holding Evangelical Beliefs in a World of Contested Labels" by
Richard J. Mouw (one of the most influential evangelical voices in America chronicles) explains
what his faith has meant for him over the past half century as a "restless evangelical" -- and his
way of maintaining his identity in an age when many claim the label "evangelical" has become so
politicized that it is no longer viable.
Professor Mouw candidly reflects on wrestling with traditional evangelical beliefs over the years
and shows that although his mind has changed in some ways, his core beliefs have not. He
contends that we should hold on to the legacy that has enriched evangelicalism in the past. The
Christian life in its healthiest form, according to him is always a matter of holding on to
essentials while constantly moving on along paths that we can walk in faithfulness only by
seeking the continuing guidance of the light of God's Word.
As Professor Mouw affirms the essentials of the evangelical faith, he helps a new generation see
the wisdom embodied in them.
Critique: Exceptionally well written, organized and presented, "Restless Faith: Holding
Evangelical Beliefs in a World of Contested Labels" is as informative and insightful as it is
inspired and inspiring. A welcome and enlightening contribution to today's on-going discussion
about the role and nature of evangelical Christianity today (especially given today's divisive
secular climate) "Restless Faith" is very highly recommended to all members of the Christian
community. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of clergy, academia, and church
members that "Restless Faith" is also available in a paperback edition (9781587433924, $19.99)
and in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
Editorial Note: Richard J. Mouw is a renowned author and a widely traveled speaker, a Professor
of Faith and Public Life at Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, California, where he served
as president for twenty years. He has written numerous books, including Adventures in
Evangelical Civility, Uncommon Decency, Calvinism in the Las Vegas Airport, and The Smell
of Sawdust.
The Judaic Studies Shelf
The Encyclopedia of Jewish Values
Nachum Amsel
Urim Publications
c/o KTAV Publishing House
527 Empire Boulevard, Brooklyn, New York 11225
www.UrimPublications.com
9781602803107, $39.95, HC, 592pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Rabbi Dr. Nachum Amsel is the director of education at the Destiny Foundation and
the author of The Jewish Encyclopedia of Moral and Ethical Issues and The Encyclopedia of
Jewish Values. With "The Encyclopedia of Jewish Values: Between Man and Man" Rabbi Amsel
provides a continuation to his widely praised "Encyclopedia of Jewish Values".
"The Encyclopedia of Jewish Values: Between Man and Man" is a deftly organized compendium
of Jewish values and ethics that deal with human interaction. The topics addressed in this work
include Jewish attitudes to leadership, business ethics, modesty with dress, self-defense, peer
pressure, family, friendships, and more.
Gleaning from the Bible and classic Jewish texts, as well as later authorities such as Maimonides,
Nachmanides, Rashi, and the Code of Jewish Law, "The Encyclopedia of Jewish Values:
Between Man and Man" is accessible to readers of many backgrounds.
"The Encyclopedia of Jewish Values: Between Man and Man" covers a veritable compendium
topics that range from: Animals - How Jews Should Relate; Antisemitism and Amalek; Business
Ethics; Civil Disobedience; Climate Change - Is It a Jewish Issue? and Drugs, Alcohol &
Marijuana - Are They Ever Permitted in Judaism?; Ethics of Torture in Judaism; Family - the
Key to Jewish and World; Redemption; Friendship; Getting Old, Being Old and Senility; to
Going Beyond What is Required: Good Idea or Obligatory?; Honesty and Cheating; Human
Dignity, Human Embarrassment, and Humiliating Oneself; Individuality and Conformity; Jewish
Happiness; Jewish Hospitality - Hachnasat Orchim; Jewish Leadership - What is It?; Universal
Healthcare (Obamacare) from the Jewish Perspective; and so much more!
Critique: Deftly organized alphabetically from Advertising to War, "The Encyclopedia of Jewish
Values: Between Man and Man" is enhanced for easier access with a five page Index and a
complete listing of Hebrew Sources. An impressively organized and presented work of
meticulous and exhaustive scholarship, "The Encyclopedia of Jewish Values: Between Man and
Man" is unreservedly recommended for personal, synagogue, community, college, and university
library Judaic Studies collections and supplemental curriculum reading lists.
Mishkan Aveilut: Where Grief Resides
Eric Weiss, editor
CCAR Press
355 Lexington Avenue, New York, NY 10017
www.ccarpress.com
9780881233209, $7.99, PB, 170pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Grief often reweaves our lives into a different way of experiencing the world.
Compiled and edited by Eric Weiss, "Mishkan Aveilut: Where Grief Resides" is specifically and
effectively designed to complement the anchors of the Judaic tradition that contain, guide, and
support us as we familiarize ourselves with and move through our own particular terrain of
grief.
A beautiful companion to "Mishkan R'fuah: Where Healing Resides" this compendium is
comprised of readings, poems, and meditations to support the emotional and spiritual needs that
naturally arise at a time of loss. With opportunities for nourishment, contemplation, and
emotional renewal, the collection is meant to be used as a resource for spiritual leaders and
individuals alike.
Critique: Inspired and inspiring, "Mishkan Aveilut: Where Grief Resides" is an extraordinary
resource for times of trial, stress, and grief. Especially timely given the social climate in America
today that is seeing a dramatic rise in acts of anti-Semitism politically fostered by the current
presidential administration, "Mishkan Aveilut: Where Grief Resides" needs to be brought to the
attention of every member of the Judaic community. It should be noted for personal reading lists
that "Mishkan Aveilut: Where Grief Resides" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle,
$6.99).
The Metaphysical Studies Shelf
In Focus Chakra Healing
Roberta Vernon
Wellfleet Press
c/o Quarto Publishing Group USA
400 First Avenue North, Suite 400, Minneapolis, MN 55401-1722
www.quartoknows.com
9781577151814, $19.99, HC, 144pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Chakras are energy centers in our bodies whose flow monitor our internal functions,
such as health, state of mind, and body functions, as well as our external environments, like
alerting us when a place feels right for us or when it makes us feel uncomfortable. However, the
six major chakras (base, sacral, solar plexus, heart, throat, brow, and crown) are many times
blocked or misaligned, bringing about a host of negative ailments, feelings, and emotions.
Thankfully, chakras can be corrected through various healing practices.
Common ailments addressed by Roberta Vernon's "In Focus Chakra Healing: Your Personal
Guide" include: Overeating; Digestive Disorders; Fatigue; Allergies; Emotional Stress; Physical
Stress; Headaches.
Part of the In Focus series from Wellfleet Press, "In Focus Chakra Healing" applies a modern
approach to teaching this classic body, mind, and spirit subject. As a bonus, an 18 x 24-inch
illustrated wall chart is packaged inside to give readers a quick, go-to reference guide containing
the most important information on the subject of Chakra healing for both easy practice and
retention.
Critique: Nicely illustrated with images and charts throughout, "In Focus Chakra Healing: Your
Personal Guide" is thoroughly 'user friendly' in organization and presentation. While very highly
recommended as an addition to both community and academic library Metaphysical Studies and
Alternative Medicine collections, it should be noted for the personal reading lists of students,
academics, professionals, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that
"In Focus Chakra Healing" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $12.83).
Editorial Note: In an attempt to understand others and to learn how to future-proof herself against
life's vicissitudes, Roberta Vernon began studying palmistry and various forms of fortune telling,
while also developing her own psychic gifts. She took an interest in chakra healing while
working as a palmist. Like many who have experienced deep unhappiness, she was always more
interested in healing her clients' emotional misery than their health issues. However, after
spending over four decades working with people in the mind, body, and spirit field, she
understands energy healing of all kinds, including how to mend battered and misaligned chakras,
which can help to heal common ailments.
The Health/Medicine Shelf
You Can Achieve Normal Blood Sugar
Dennis Pollock
Harvest House Publishers
2975 Chad Drive, Eugene, Oregon 97408
www.harvesthousepublishers.com
9780736975971 $13.99 pbk / $9.97 Kindle amazon.com
Synopsis: If high blood sugar is something you struggle with, chances are you've been
overwhelmed by the wealth of well-meaning information you've heard from doctors,
nutritionists, and other sources. Isn't it time to put the theories to the test and determine once and
for all how to get your numbers back to normal?
That's exactly what bestselling author Dennis Pollock did. And the results of well over 100 blood
sugar tests he conducted for this book, further backed by brand-new research and real-life stories,
will give you the answers you've been searching for.
In addition, you'll learn why, how, and when to test, the importance of reading food labels,
helpful guidelines for weight control and general nutrition, and so much more.
For the first time in your diabetic journey, you will finally be able to experience what it feels like
to know that maintaining normal blood sugar isn't just possible, it's entirely achievable.
Critique: Written to be thoroughly accessible to readers of all backgrounds, You Can Achieve
Normal Sugar is a practical guide for people with type 2 diabetes. Chapters discuss opposing
schools of thought for managing one's diet (one view recommends a plant-based diet that restricts
or eliminates meat, the other suggests a low-carb diet that embraces meat; both schools agree that
sugary or high-carbohydrate foods are terrible for one's blood sugar); the role of exercise as a
valuable tool for cultivating good health, but not as crucially important for diabetics as
controlling one's diet; how to carefully read food labels; and much more. All conclusions are
supported by personal research with blood sugar tests, as well as research from secondary
sources. You Can Achieve Normal Blood Sugar is highly recommended for both personal and
public library collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that You Can Achieve
Normal Blood Sugar is also available in a Kindle edition ($9.97).
Healing the Thyroid with Ayurveda
Marianne Teitelbauc, D.C.
Healing Arts Press
Inner Traditions International, Ltd.
One Park Street, Rochester, VT 05767
www.innertraditions.com
9781620557822, $16.99, PB, 288pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: "Healing the Thyroid with Ayurveda: Natural Treatments for Hashimoto's,
Hypothyroidism, and Hyperthyroidism" is a comprehensive guide to addressing the growing
epidemic of thyroid disease from the perspective of the Ayurvedic tradition.
Author and Ayurvedic expert Marianne Teitelbauc provides details the author's successful
treatment protocols for Hashimoto's thyroiditis, hypothyroidism, and hyperthyroidism developed
over more than 30 years of Ayurvedic practice; explores the underlying causes of thyroid
malfunction, the thyroid's connections to the liver and gall bladder, and the importance of early
detection; and also includes treatments for common symptoms of thyroid disease, such as
insomnia, depression, fatigue, and osteoporosis, as well as for weight loss and hair growth.
A comprehensive guide for practitioners and those concerned with thyroid health, "Healing the
Thyroid with Ayurveda", integrates the ancient medicine of Ayurveda with modern scientific
findings to address the growing epidemic of thyroid disease.
Based on the treatment of thousands of patients, "Healing the Thyroid with Ayurveda" also
shares success stories of thyroid healing and the scientific studies that support the author's
Ayurvedic thyroid protocols. Offering an easy-to-follow yet comprehensive guide, "Healing the
Thyroid with Ayurveda" shows that optimum thyroid health as well as overall health are within
everyone's reach.
Critique: Comprehensive and thoroughly 'user friendly' in organization and presentation,
"Healing the Thyroid with Ayurveda: Natural Treatments for Hashimoto's, Hypothyroidism, and
Hyperthyroidism" is a critically important and unreservedly recommended addition to personal,
community, college, and university library Alternative Medicine collections in general, and
Thyroid Treatment supplemental studies lists in particular. It should be noted for students,
academia, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "Healing the
Thyroid with Ayurveda" is also available in a digital book format (eTextbook, $10.99).
Editorial Note: Marianne Teitelbaum, D.C., graduated summa cum laude from Palmer College of
Chiropractic in 1984. She has studied with several Ayurvedic doctors, including Stuart
Rothenberg, M.D., and Vaidya Rama Kant Mishra. The recipient of the Prana Ayushudi Award
in 2013, she lectures and writes extensively about Ayurvedic treatments for all diseases.
The Biography Shelf
A Life Beyond Reason: A Father's Memoir
Chris Gabbard
Beacon Press
24 Farnsworth Street, Boston, MA 02210
www.beacon.org
9780807060575, $24.95, HC, 240pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Before becoming a father, Chris Gabbard was a fast-track academic finishing his
doctoral dissertation at Stanford. A disciple of Enlightenment thinkers, he was a devotee of
reason, believed in the reliability of science, and lived by the dictum that an unexamined life is
not worth living. That is, until his son August was born.
Despite his faith that modern medicine would not fail him, August was born with a severe
traumatic brain injury as a likely result of medical error and lived as a spastic quadriplegic who
was cortically blind, profoundly cognitively impaired, and nonverbal.
While Gabbard tried to uncover what went wrong during the birth and adjusted to his new role
raising a child with multiple disabilities, he began to rethink his commitment to Enlightenment
thinkers -- who would have concluded that his son was doomed to a life of suffering. But August
was a happy child who brought joy to just about everyone he met in his 14 years of life -- and
opened up Gabbard's capacity to love.
Considering the philosophy question of who is deserving of humanity, Chris would come to
understand that his son is undeniably a person deserving of life.
Critique: A candidly written, thoughtful and thought-provoking memoir, "A Life Beyond
Reason" is an extraordinary personal story with universal implications. A inherently interesting
read from first page to last, "A Life Beyond Reason" is unreservedly recommended for both
community and academic library Contemporary American Biography collections. It should be
noted for personal reading lists that "A Life Beyond Reason" is also available in a digital book
format (Kindle, $15.99).
Dream of the Water Children
Frederick D. Kakinami Cloyd
2Leaf Press
PO Box 4378, Grand Central Station, New York, NY, 10163-4378
www.2leafpress.org
9781940939285, $24.99, PB, 476pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Born to an African American father and Japanese mother, Frederick D. Kakinami
Cloyd is the narrator of "Dream of the Water Children: Memory and Mourning in the Black
Pacific". His autobiography that reveals him finding himself not only to be a marginalized person
by virtue of his heritage, but often a cultural drifter, as well. Indeed, both his family and his
society treat Frederick as if he doesn't entirely belong to any world.
"Dream of the Water Children" deftly explores the specific contours of Japanese and African
American cultures, as well as the broader experience of biracial and multicultural identity. To tell
his story, Frederick incorporates photographs and Japanese writing, history, and memory to
convey both rich personal experience and significant historical detail.
Bringing together vivid memories with a perceptive cultural eye, "Dream of the Water Children"
brings readers closer to a biracial experience, opening up our understanding of the cultural
richness and social challenges people from diverse backgrounds face.
Critique: Impressively candid, thoughtful and thought-provoking, "Dream of the Water Children"
is presented in a spare narrative of clear poetic prose. The result is a compelling memoir that is at
once intensely personal and touching upon a universal humanity. Exceptional, engaging,
informative, and unreservedly recommended for personal reading lists, as well as both
community and academic library Contemporary Biography collections, "Dream of the Water
Children" is one of those books that will linger in the mind and memory long after it is finished
and set back upon the shelf.
Solitude & Company
Silvana Paternostro
Seven Stories Press
140 Watts Street, New York, NY 10013
www.sevenstories.com
9781609808969, $26.95, HC, 336pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: "Solitude & Company: The Life of Gabriel Garcia Marquez Told with Help from His
Friends, Family, Fans, Arguers, Fellow Pranksters, Drunks, and a Few Respectable Souls" by
Silvana Paternostro deftly recounts the life of a boy from the provinces who decided to become a
writer. Essentially "Solitude & Company" is the biographical story of how little Gabito became
Gabriel Garcia Marquez, and of how Gabriel Garcia Marquez survived his own
self-creation.
Critique: Occasionally illustrated with historic black-and-white photo images, "Solitude &
Company" is enhanced with the inclusion of an informative prologue (One Hundred Years of
Solitude), and a six page listing of Notes on the Most Important Voices'. A deftly crafted,
impressively informative, and inherently fascinating read, "Solitude & Company" is an
extraordinary and unreservedly recommended addition to community and academic library
biography collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "Solitude & Company" is
also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $16.99) and as a complete and unabridged audio
book (HighBridge Audio, 9781684413164, $39.99, CD).
The Environmental Studies Shelf
Climate Generation
Lorna Gold
New City Press
202 Cardinal Rd., Hyde Park, NY 12538
www.newcitypress.com
9781565486768, $14.95, PB, 172pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: In the pages of Lorna Gold's "Climate Generation: Awakening to Our Children's
Future" readers will join a mother discovering the reality of climate change and how she can
protect her children and their world.
Environmentalist Lorna Gold's personal journey brings hope for effective communal action
involving different generations. Gold issues a clarion call to take immediate action on climate
change or risk bequeathing a stark legacy to future generations. Lorna shares her personal journey
in coming to understand what climate change means to her both as an activist and as a mother
who is fearful for her children's prospects in a world that hovers on the brink of destruction.
Rather than simply lament the grave situation facing our planet, however, "Climate Generation"
offers the reader hope and a manifesto for change.
Critique: Exceptionally well written, organized and presented, "Climate Generation: Awakening
to Our Children's Future" is a unique and seminal contribution to the growing body of
environmental protection and reclamation literature and should be a part of every community and
academic library collection. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of environmentally
concerned parents, dedicated environmental activists, and non-specialist general readers with an
interest in the subject, that "Climate Generation" is also available in a digital book format
(Kindle, $9.99).
Editorial Note: Lorna Gold currently works as Policy and Advocacy Manager with the Irish
Catholic Agency for International Development, Trącaire. Before joining Trącaire, she received a
Ph.D. in Economic Geography from the University of Glasgow and worked in the Department of
Politics in the University of York. She writes extensively on global economic and social
development, with a particular focus on the contribution of Christian social thought in addressing
the challenges of ethical globalization.
The Business Shelf
Bleed a Creed
Matt Carcieri
Paramount Market Publishing, Inc.
274 North Goodman Street, STE D-214, Rochester, NY 14607
www.paramountbooks.com
9781941688625, $30.00, HC, 208pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: In the history of business, like a glacier reshaping the contours of commerce, purpose
has fundamentally changed the discipline of management, the experience of employees, the fruits
of capitalism -- and the future of the world.
The businesses that are embracing this shift are experiencing greater success. According to recent
studies, 80% of companies that over-perform on revenue growth link everything they do to
purpose, and brands with a purpose have outperformed the stock market by 120%. Other studies
show that Millennials are five times more likely to stay with a company when they have a strong
connection to its purpose; and consumers are more likely to advocate for a brand based on its
stand rather than its product features.
But for the majority of companies and brands, the promise of purpose is not their reality. That's
because their purpose is a platitude; it doesn't represent a heartfelt devotion that's authentic to the
DNA of the enterprise. And more often than not, leaders haven't taken the actions that are
required for it to penetrate the mechanics of the business.
"Bleed a Creed: How to Create and Activate a Powerful Brand Purpose" is navigational
guidebook by Matt Carcieri in which he helps entrepreneurs and business managers to overcome
the "purpose challenge": the challenge of finding a true devotion and embedding it within their
own organization, brand and operations.
Critique: Accessibly organized and presented, "Bleed a Creed: How to Create and Activate a
Powerful Brand Purpose" is an extraordinary and 'real world practical' instructional guide and
manual that will prove to be an invaluable and enduringly appreciated addition to corporate,
community, and academic library Business Management collections and supplemental
curriculum study lists. It should be noted for business students, academia, entrepreneurs, and
corporate managers that "Bleed a Creed: How to Create and Activate a Powerful Brand Purpose"
is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
Brand Hacks
Emmanuel Probst
Paramount Market Publishing, Inc.
274 North Goodman Street, STE D-214, Rochester, NY 14607
www.paramountbooks.com
9781941688540, $26.00, PB, 230pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Every year, brands spend over $560 billion (and counting) to convince us to buy their
products. Yet, as consumers we have become insensitive to most advertising. We easily forget
brands and may switch to another product on a whim. But there are ways for brands to break this
cycle.
Brands that succeed are the ones that help us find meaning. In this process, the brands become
meaningful in and of themselves. "Brand Hacks: How to Build Brands by Fulfilling the Human
Quest for Meaning" by Emmanuel Probst takes entrepreneurs and business managers on an
exploratory journey, revealing why most advertising campaigns fail and examining the personal,
social, and cultural meanings that successful brands bring to consumers' everyday lives.
Supported by in-depth research in consumer psychology, interviews with industry-leading
marketers, and case studies of meaningful brands, both big and small, "Brand Hacks" will show
just how to use simple brand hacks to create and grow brands that deliver meaning even with a
limited budget.
Critique: Exceptionally well written, organized and presented, "Brand Hacks: How to Build
Brands by Fulfilling the Human Quest for Meaning" is a complete course of instruction on how
branding works within local, regional, national, and international markets. 'Real world practical'
in scope and approach, "Brand Hacks" should be considered essential reading for anyone charged
with a corporate responsibility for promoting their company's services or products in a volatile
and competitive market. While unreservedly recommended for community, corporate, and
academic library Business Management collections and supplemental curriculum lists, it should
be noted for students, academia, entrepreneurs, business managers, and non-specialist general
readers with an interest in the subject that "Brand Hacks" is also available in a digital book
format (Kindle, $9.99).
Editorial Note: At Kantar, Dr. Probst supports numerous Fortune 500 companies by providing
them with a full understanding of their customer's journey. This encompasses brand awareness to
purchase and recommendation, leading to greater insights on the consumer within it. His clients
span across a wide range of industries, including consumer package goods, retail, financial
services, advertising agencies and media outlets. He also teaches Consumer Market Research at
the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA), and writes about consumer psychology for
numerous publications. Dr. Probst holds an MBA in Marketing from the University of Hull,
United Kingdom and a Doctorate in Consumer Psychology from the University of Nottingham
Trent, United Kingdom.
Innovation Capital
Jeff Dyer, Nathan Furr, Curtis Lefrandt
Harvard Business Review Press
60 Harvard Way, Boston, MA 02163
http://hbr.org/books
9781633696525, $32.00, HC, 272pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Great leaders of innovation know that creativity is not enough. They succeed not only
on the basis of their ideas, but because they have the vision, reputation, and networks to win the
backing needed to commercialize them. It turns out that this quality -- called "innovation capital"
-- is measurably more important for innovation than just being creative.
Jeff Dyer, Nathan Furr, Curtis Lefrandt have spent decades studying how people get great ideas
(the subject of The Innovator's DNA) and how people test and develop those ideas (explored in
The Innovator's Method). Now with "Innovation Capital: How to Compete and Win Like the
World's Most Innovative Leader" they share what they've learned from a multipronged research
program designed to determine how people compete for, and obtain, resources to launch new
ideas including : How you can build a personal reputation for innovation; What techniques you
can use to amplify your innovation capital; How you can garner attention for your ideas and
projects and persuade audiences to support them; What it means to provide visionary leadership
and how you can achieve it
Featuring interviews with the superstars of innovation like Jeff Bezos (Amazon), Elon Musk
(Tesla), Marc Benioff (Salesforce), Indra Nooyi (PepsiCo), and Shantanu Narayen (Adobe),
"Innovation Capital" will help you position yourself and your ideas to compete for attention and
resources so that you can launch innovations with impact.
Critique: A 'must read' selection for anyone seeking to become a successful entrepreneur,
corporate executive, or business investor, "Innovation Capital: How to Compete--and Win--Like
the World's Most Innovative Leader" is further enhanced with the inclusion of an appendix (How
We Rank the World's Most Innovative Leaders), ten pages of Notes, and a ten page Index. While
a very strongly and unreservedly recommended addition to community, corporate, and academic
library Business Management collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists, it should be
noted for personal reading lists that "Innovation Capital" is also available in a digital book format
(Kindle, $19.66).
Sales Truth
Mike Weinberg
HarperCollins Leadership
c/o HarperCollins Publishers
195 Broadway, New York, New York 10007
www.harpercollins.com
9781595557223, $27.99, HC, 240pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: In "Sales Truth: Debunk the Myths. Apply Powerful Principles. Win More New
Sales", sales consultant, coach, speaker, and author, Mike Weinberg offers a blunt wake-up call
to salespeople and sales leaders on how to get past the noise and nonsense, so you can start
winning more New Sales.
Weinberg asserts that: Many of these so-called sales experts lack clients, credibility, and a track
record of helping sellers achieve breakthrough results; The number of "likes" a sales
improvement article receives is often inversely proportional to its accuracy or helpfulness to the
typical seller or sales team.
What has worked exceedingly well in sales and sales management for the past couple of decades
is still the (not so) secret to sales success today, and "Sales Truth" showcases these accessible,
simple truths and best practices that will drive the results sales results desired.
In "Sales Truth" Weinberg brings sanity back to the sales effectiveness table by sharing proven
strategies that he sees working firsthand across sales teams in a myriad of industries around the
globe. By applying Weinberg's proven, powerful principles to help anyone to master the
fundamentals of professional selling and create more new sales opportunities than he or she ever
believed possible.
Critique: Impressively informed and informative, exceptionally well written, and thoroughly 'user
friendly' in organization and presentation. "Sales Truth: Debunk the Myths. Apply Powerful
Principles. Win More New Sales." should be considered a mandatory read by anyone seeking
success in corporate sales. While highly recommended for corporate, community, and academic
library Business Management collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Sales
Truth" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99) and as a complete and
unabridged audio book (Brilliance Audio, 9781799709763, $32.99, CD).
The Greenhouse Approach
Chitra Anand
The Dundurn Group
www.dundurn.com
9781459742857, $22.99, PB, 192pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Intrapreneurship, which harnesses the entrepreneurial drive within an existing
organization to foster new ideas and creative thinking, gives companies the problem-solving edge
to succeed in an ever-changing world. To stay on top, companies need to empower all their
employees (including their rebels, their trend spotters, their communicators, their researchers) to
find and implement new ways of operating.
Chitra Anand is an award-winning communications and marketing executive with over twenty
years' experience in the technology industry. She has spent time as the head of communications
for Microsoft Canada, director of marketing at Telus Corporation, and director of operations at
OpenText.
In "The Greenhouse Approach: Cultivating Intrapreneurship in Companies and Organizations",
Chitra shows how companies and organizations can use creative thinking to reimagine current
norms and structures and develop a culture of intrapreneurship, equipping them with the tools to
anticipate and adapt to change.
Critique: As inspiring in concept as it is real world practical application, "The Greenhouse
Approach" is especially and unreservedly recommended for personal, professional, corporate,
community, and academic library Business Management collections. It should be noted for
personal reading lists that "The Greenhouse Approach" is also available in a digital book format
(Kindle, $11.99).
The Automotive Shelf
Ford Bronco
Todd Zuercher
CarTech Inc.
838 Lake Street South, Forest Lake, MN 55025
www.cartechbooks.com
9781613254141, $42.95, HC, 191pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: GIs returning after World War II created an entirely new automotive market niche
when they bought surplus Jeeps and began exploring the rugged backcountry of the American
West. This burgeoning market segment, which eventually became known as sport utility vehicles
(SUVs), numbered about 40,000 units per year with offerings from Jeep, Scout, Toyota, and
Land Rover. In 1966, Ford entered the fray with its Bronco, offering increased refinement, more
power, and an innovative coil-spring front suspension. The Bronco caught on quickly and soon
established a reputation as a solid backcountry performer. In Baja, the legendary
accomplishments of racers such as Parnelli Jones, Rod Hall, and Bill Stroppe further cemented
the bobtail's reputation for toughness.
Ford moved upstream with the introduction of the larger Bronco for 1978, witnessing a huge
increase in sales for the second-generation trucks. The Twin Traction Beam front end was
introduced in the third generation, and further refinements including more aerodynamic styling,
greater luxury, and more powerful fuel-injected engines came on board in the generations that
followed. Through it all, the Bronco retained its reputation as a tough, versatile, and comfortable
rig, both on and off the paved road. With the reintroduction of the Bronco for 2020, Ford is
producing a vehicle for a whole new generation of enthusiasts that looks to bring modern styling
and performance to the market while building on the 30-year heritage of the first five generations
of the Bronco so dearly loved by their owners.
From the development process and details of the first trucks through the 1996 models, in "Ford
Bronco: A History of Ford's Legendary 4X4" Todd Zuercher shares technical details, rarely seen
photos, and highlights of significant models along with the stories of those people whose lives
have been intertwined with the Bronco for many years. This specialized Ford automotive history
will have new information for everyone and will be a must-have for longtime enthusiasts and
new owners alike!
Critique: Profusely illustrated throughout, informatively detailed, exceptionally well organized
and presented, "Ford Bronco: A History of Ford's Legendary 4X4" is unreservedly recommended
for personal, community, and academic library American Automotive History collections in
general, and Ford Bronco fans in particular.
Formula 1 - The Knowledge
David Hayhoe
Veloce Publishing Ltd.
www.veloce.co.uk
9781787112377, $85.00, HC, 544pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Now in a newly updated and expanded second edition, "Formula 1 - The Knowledge"
by David Hayhoe continues to be a groundbreaking volume specifically dedicated to F1 records
and trivia, which proved hugely popular with F1 enthusiasts and fans of racing statistics.
Featuring up-to-date stats, and an extended narrative including many amusing, and some serious,
stories from the history of F1, "Formula 1 - The Knowledge" offers performance records of every
driver, every car constructor, and every engine make to have taken part, a detailed insight into the
variety of qualifying procedures throughout the years, a summary of regulation changes since
1950 and a quick reference guide to every Grand Prix result.
The performances are analyzed by nationality, youngest/oldest, fastest/slowest, consecutive wins,
poles, most wins at different circuits, and lots more. It's not just focused on drivers and cars, but
circuits, engines and tires too.
A comprehensive photographic section depicts the changing scene of Formula 1 since its
inception in 1950.
Critique: Exhaustively researched, featuring a significant section of color photographs,
exceptionally well organized and thoroughly 'user friendly' in presentation, "Formula 1 - The
Knowledge "an invaluable and unreservedly recommended addition to personal, professional,
community, and academic library Formula 1 automotive racing reference collections.
Editorial Note: David Hayhoe developed a Formula 1 database and has written and contributed to
numerous Formula 1 books, media guides, magazines and newspapers since the 1980s. His first
book was the Grand Prix Data Book in 1989 (published by Haynes), followed by three further
editions. It led to being invited to be the statistician for the prestigious Autocourse Grand Prix
annual in 1991, a position he has held ever since. In 2016 he self-published the first edition of his
latest venture, Formula 1 The Knowledge. This was well-received globally and has led to more
ideas to make the second edition even more comprehensive.
The Photography Shelf
Volcanic 7 Summits
Adrian Rohnfelder
teNeues Publishing
350 Seventh Avenue, Suite 301, New York, NY, 10011
https://books-teneues.us
9783961711741, $55.00, HC, 200pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Adrian Rohnfelder cycles high above the steaming rainforests in the Kilimanjaro
massif, crosses the seething heat of the Atacama Desert in Chile, and climbs the summit of
Orizaba under dramatic circumstances. He knows the no-man's-land of the Antarctic and the
spectacularly-glaciated Mount Sidley, so remote that only a handful of people have ever seen it.
"Volcanic 7 Summits" is an impressive volume of simply stunning photographic images taken by
Adrian from the peaks of some of the highest volcanoes on earth.
Critique: Extraordinary, unique, fascinating, and memorable, Adrian Rohnfelder's "Volcanic 7
Summits" will prove to be an immediate and enduringly popular addition to personal,
professional, community, and academic library Contemporary Photography collections.
The Science Shelf
Roadside Geology of Tennessee
Marcy B. Davis
Mountain Press Publishing Company
PO Box 2399, Missoula, MT 59806
www.mountain-press.com
9780878426911, $26.00, PB, 400pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Tennessee, extending 500 diagonal miles between Bristol and Memphis, cuts across
numerous rock types ranging from the deformed gneiss of the Blue Ridge along the North
Carolina border to the young sediments exposed in the Chickasaw Bluffs that rise 100 feet above
the Mississippi River floodplain.
The state's more than 1 billion years of geologic history includes continental collisions that built
enormous mountains and rifting forces that almost split the ancient continent apart. The geologic
processes are still at work in Tennessee, with sinkholes claiming land in areas of limestone,
rivers eroding sediment and shifting channels, and some of North America's largest earthquakes
occurring every 500 years on the ancient rift faults near Reelfoot Lake.
"Roadside Geology of Tennessee" by Marcy B. Davis includes the unusual meteor impact sites
on the Highland Rim of Middle Tennessee, the world-famous fossils in the Coon Creek
Formation, and the source of saltpeter used for gunpowder in the Civil War. An extensive section
on Great Smoky Mountains National Park includes guides to nine roads, some extending in to
North Carolina.
With "Roadside Geology of Tennessee" as a guide, anyone can now explore the geologic
significance of many of the state's natural and historic sties such as Cumberland Gap National
Historic Park, Harpeth River State Park, Dunbar Cave State Natural Area, and Chickamauga and
Chattanooga National Military Park.
Critique: As impressively informed as it is accessibly organized and presented, "Roadside
Geology of Tennessee" is unreservedly recommended for personal, professional, community,
college, and university library American Geology collections and supplemental curriculum
studies reading lists.
Editorial Note: Marcy B. Davis earned an MS in geology at the University of Texas in Austin in
2001. She currently works as a research scientist associate at the University of Texas Institute for
Geophysics, supporting field science teams working in such far-flung regions of the world as
Antarctica, Greenland, New Zealand, the Arctic and Caribbean Oceans, and the western and
southern United States. Marcy is also a prolific science writer with contributions to Polar Field
Resources Field Notes as well as to the Earth and Sky radio series. While researching her family
history, Marcy traveled the back roads of Tennessee and became fascinated with the state's
geology.
The Needlecraft Shelf
Crocheting Adventures with Hyperbolic Planes
Daina Taimina
CRC Press
6000 NW Broken Sound Parkway NW, Suite 300, Boca Raton, FL 33487
www.crcpress.com
9781138301153, $51.95, HC, 210pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: The winner of the Euler Book Prize (which is awarded by the Mathematical
Association of America) and illustrated with more than 200 full color photographs, this newly
updated and revised second edition of "Crocheting Adventures with Hyperbolic Planes" by Daina
Taimina is a non-traditional, tactile introduction to non-Euclidean geometries that also covers
early development of geometry and connections between geometry, art, nature, and sciences.
For the crafter or would-be crafter, there are detailed instructions for how to crochet various
geometric models and how to use them in explorations. New to this expanded second edition is
Daina Taimina discussion of her own adventures with the hyperbolic planes as well as the
experiences of some of her readers. This new edition also includes recent applications of
hyperbolic geometry such as medicine, architecture, fashion & quantum computing.
Critique: Enhanced with an appendix (How to Make Models), eight pages of End Note, and a one
page Bibliography, this beautifully and profusely illustrated second edition of "Crocheting
Adventures with Hyperbolic Planes" is a unique and extraordinary instructional manual and
guide that is unreservedly recommended for personal, professional, community, and academic
library Needlecraft instructional reference collections. It should be noted that for dedicated
crocheting enthusiasts that "Crocheting Adventures with Hyperbolic Planes" is also available in a
digital book format (eTextbook, $38.12).
The Civil War Shelf
Civil War Myths and Legends
Michael R. Bradley
The Globe Pequot Press
246 Goose Lane, Suite 200, Guilford, CT 06437
www.globepequot.com
9781493039760, $18.95, PB, 208pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: In the pages of this newly updated and expanded second edition of "Civil War Myths
and Legends: The True Stories behind History's Mysteries" by Michael R. Bradley (who is a
professor, he is a member of the Sons of Confederate Veterans, Southern Historical Association,
American Association of University Professors, and the Society for Military History) readers will
learn of the American Civil War's most eerie occurrences, spooky events, unsolved mysteries,
and myths and legends related and debunked.
From the legend of the Yankee "human shield" behind Nathan Bedford Forrest's saddle, to the
unexplained sinking of the Hunley, "Civil War Myths and Legends", and so much more makes
civil war history a fascinating study as it pulls back the curtain on some of the most fascinating
and compelling stories of the war that almost tore America apart.
Critique: Offering a unique and impressively informative approach to Civil War studies, "Civil
War Myths and Legends: The True Stories behind History's Mysteries" will prove to be an
enduringly popular and valued addition to personal, community, college, and university library
American Civil War collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists -- and should be on the
'must read' lists for every dedicated Civil War history buff!
The Political Science Shelf
Divided Politics, Divided Nation
Darrell M. West
Brookings Institution Press
1775 Massachusetts Avenue, N.W., Washington, DC 20036-2188
www.brookings.edu
9780815736912, $24.99, HC, 234pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: The United States is caught in a partisan hyperconflict that divides politicians,
communities -- and even families. Politicians from the president to state and local office-holders
play to strongly-held beliefs and sometimes even pour fuel on the resulting inferno. This
polarization has become so intense that many people no longer trust anyone from a differing
perspective.
Drawing on his personal story of growing up as a fundamentalist Christian on a dairy farm in
rural Ohio, then as an academic in the heart of the liberal East Coast establishment, Darrell West
(Vice President and Director of Governance Studies at the Brookings Institution in Washington,
DC) analyzes the economic, cultural, and political aspects of polarization in "Divided Politics,
Divided Nation: Hyperconflict in the Trump Era". He takes advantage of his experiences inside
both conservative and liberal camps to explain the views of each side and offer insights into why
each is angry with the other.
West argues that societal tensions have metastasized into a dangerous tribalism that seriously
threatens U.S. democracy. Unless people can bridge these divisions and forge a new path
forward, it will be impossible to work together, maintain a functioning democracy, and solve the
country's pressing policy problems.
Critique: A valued, insightful, thoughtful and thought-provoking contribution to our current and
on-going political discussion with respect to the polarization of the electorate and its implications
for the survival of our American style democracy, "Divided Politics, Divided Nation:
Hyperconflict in the Trump Era" should be considered a very high priority addition to both
community and academic library Contemporary Political Science collections and supplemental
studies lists. It should be noted for students, academia, political activists, and non-specialist
general readers with an interest in the subject that "Divided Politics, Divided Nation:
Hyperconflict in the Trump Era" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $2.99).
War and the Rogue Presidency
Ivan Eland
The Independent Institute
100 Swan Way, Oakland, CA 94621-1428
www.independent.org
9781598133226, $27.95, HC, 352pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: In "War and the Rogue Presidency: Restoring the Republic after Congressional
Failure", Ivan Eland shows that almost immediately after the nation's founding, starting with the
first presidency of George Washington, the executive's role in defense and foreign policy began
expanding past what the framers of the Constitution had envisioned.
The Constitution enshrined Congress as the dominant branch of government, giving Congress,
not the President, most of the powers in defense and foreign policy. "War and the Rogue
Presidency" is comprehensive study that shows how the presidential aggrandizement of greater
powers has only been possible because of congressional abdication. However, this expansion of
the executive's role was still relatively contained until the Cold War when undeclared, permanent
war became ongoing policy, and then the post-9/11 war on terror dramatically expanded the
President's role. Such expansion has had deleterious effects on U.S. foreign policy abroad, as
well as a major erosion of the republic, its security at home, and the liberties of American
citizens.
"War and the Rogue Presidency" provides an in-depth examination of the history of the
congressional-executive tug-of-war over U.S. security policy and why reclaiming constitutional
standards is essential to restore both an effective national defense and civil and economic
liberties. To get Congress to do that, Dr. Eland presents ways in which internal congressional
incentives could be changed to provide motivation for legislative push-back.
As a result, "War and the Rogue Presidency" suggests important actions Congress could take for
such a push-back along with other reforms that would effectively rein in the rogue
presidency.
Critique: A timely and extraordinary contribution to the current on-going national discussion
over separation of powers with respect to our Federal government, "War and the Rogue
Presidency: Restoring the Republic after Congressional Failure" is a critically important and
unreservedly recommended addition to both community and academic library Contemporary
Political Science collections -- as well as a 'must read' study for political activists and non-
specialist general readers with an interest in the subject.
The Cookbook Shelf
The Mermaid Cookbook
Alix Carey
Andrews McMeel Publishing
1130 Walnut Street, Kansas City, MO 64106-2109
www.andrewsmcmeel.com
9781449497392 $14.99 hc / $9.99 Kindle amazon.com
Synopsis: Make a splash and be the mermaid you always wanted to be with this beautiful,
magical cookbook. Think Mermania meets Hello Kitty Cupcake!
The mysteries of the deep come to light in this delightful cookbook packed with pearls and
sparkles. From a Sandcastle Cake and Turtle Doughnuts to Jam Clams and Treasure Trifle, fulfill
all your dreams of becoming a mermaid. Or at least eating like one. Color photographs are paired
with easy-to-follow recipes. Besides various desserts (cupcakes, celebration cakes, cookies, and
bars and bites), the cookbook also includes party food (i.e. Crispy Starfish Churros), breakfast
(i.e. Mermaid Toast), and drinks (i.e. Seaplendid Smoothie) sections. Each recipe also shows
estimated time to make and difficulty rating.
Critique: Featuring sumptuous, full-color photography of its dishes, The Mermaid Cookbook is a
delightful recipe book of treats that resemble undersea works of art. From "wave cake" with
frosting that resembles ocean waves, to "turtle waffles" created with a banana to resemble a sea
turtle, to "fish doughnuts" that resemble brightly colored tropical fish and more, The Mermaid
Cookbooks is filled with surprises perfect for serving at parties, or simply brightening anyone's
day. Highly recommended!
The Food in Jars Kitchen
Marisa McClellan
Running Press
c/o Perseus Book Group
250 W. 57th St., Suite 1500, New York, NY 10107
www.runningpress.com
9780762492466, $24.00, HC, 240pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Marisa McClellan is a full time food writer and cooking teacher, and has been
blogging about canning, pickling, and preserving on her blog Food in Jars (three times nominated
by Saveur magazine for a Best Food Blog award) since 2009. She has published three books
about canning.
Now in "The Food in Jars Kitchen: 140 Ways to Cook, Bake, Plate, and Share Your Homemade
Pantry", she draws upon her years of experience and expertise to showcase how a pantry full of
homemade jams, jellies, salsas, and pickles can do a whole lot more than accompany toast. That
they can add bold bursts of flavor to home cooking!
The recipes compiled in "The Food in Jars Kitchen" cookbook range from a Blank Slate White
Bean Spread, to a Strawberry Basil Pizza, to Classic Buttery Thumprints, to a Goat Cheese and
Savory Jam Tart, to Quick Cucumber Pickles.
With chapters focusing on great ways to use preserves throughout the day and for every meal,
family cooks aren't required to have a specific preserve on hand to work in order to make this
cookbook flexible and easy to use for both experienced and novice canners.
Critique: Beautifully illustrated throughout, "The Food in Jars Kitchen: 140 Ways to Cook, Bake,
Plate, and Share Your Homemade Pantry" will prove to be a very special and impressively
unique addition to personal, family, and community library cookbook collections. It should be
noted that "The Food in Jars Kitchen" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle,
$12.99).
Healthy Electric Smoker Cookbook
Robyn Lindars
Alpha
c/o DK Publishing, Inc.
c/o Penguin Group USA
375 Hudson Street, New York, NY 10014
www.dk.com
9781465483690 $19.99 pbk / $12.99 Kindle amazon.com
Synopsis: With an electric smoker and Healthy Electric Smoker Cookbook, you can confidently
smoke just about anything and enjoy many advantages over traditional smoking methods.
More convenient - Precise temperature control means you don't need to spend hours tweaking
temperature, adding wood, and tending to the smoker.
Less cost - Conventional smokers require a significant amount of wood to produce consistent
smoke and heat over long periods of time, but electric smokers use a very small amount of wood,
which is used for flavoring and not as the energy source.
Smaller footprint - Electric smokers take up significantly less space and produce much less ash
than traditional smokers.
From happy hour, to entree, to dessert, use any brand of electric smoker to wow your family and
neighbors with smoke flavor without building a smokehouse in your backyard. Plus, no
unnecessary carbs and processed ingredients needed, making many recipes paleo-friendly and
lower carb. Smoke your own Old Fashioned, chipotle cherry beef jerky, pork belly burnt ends,
Jamaican jerk chicken, or campfire s'mores cheesecake. Sure, you can wait and watch your ribs
slowly tenderize if you want, but you can also go do your yard work while your electric appliance
turns out the most perfectly smoked and traditionally flavored barbecue you've ever created.
Critique: An electric smoker allows one to create authentic smoked flavor with greater ease of
use than traditional pit smokers. Healthy Electric Smoker Cookbook is packed with 100 recipes
designed to take advantage of what an electric smoker has to offer. From Chipotle Cherry Beef
Jerky to Chinese Five-Spice Duck, Smoked Salmon & Goat Cheese Frittata, Smoked Pineapple
Upside-Down Cake and much more, Healthy Electric Smoker Cookbook is a treasure trove of
mouth-watering delights, illustrated with full-color photographs. A "must-have" for anyone who
owns an electric smoker, Healthy Electric Smoker Cookbook is also available in a Kindle edition
($12.99).
The Campfire Cookbook
Viola Lex and Nico Stanitzok
DK Publishing, Inc.
c/o Penguin Group USA
375 Hudson Street, New York, NY 10014
www.dk.com
9781465483966 $17.99 pbk / $8.99 Kindle amazon.com
Synopsis: Chef Nico Stanitzok and lifelong camper Viola Lex have teamed up to create more
than 80 sweet and savory camping recipes. Alongside traditional campfire favorites such as BBQ
chicken, grilled corn on the cob, and kebab skewers, you'll find recipes for breads, grilled
Camembert, pancakes, and even chocolate cakes baked inside oranges. The eclectic mix of
recipes will satisfy the more adventurous outdoor cook, while the step-by-step instructions and
mouthwatering photography make the recipes easy to follow and suitable for those new to
outdoor cooking.
Each recipe has a symbol that tells you which is the best way to cook the dish, be it an open fire,
grill, or camping stove. Cook up glorious feasts regardless of whether you're at a festival, in an
RV on the open road, wilderness or primitive camping out on the trail, "glamping," or simply
campfire cooking on a picnic at the beach. As well as outdoor cooking hacks and tips, you'll find
checklists of camping essentials and basic recipes for camping must-haves such as BBQ sauce,
ketchup, and dukkah, and even a fun questionnaire to help you decide what kind of camper you
are. The Campfire Cookbook is the ultimate cookbook for open-air cooks who love to
explore.
Critique: The Campfire Cookbook: 80 Imaginative Recipes for Cooking Outdoors lives up to its
title with a wealth of adventurous, flavorful dishes that can be cooked over a campfire. Illustrated
with full-color photography, The Campfire Cookbook includes such outdoors delicacies as Pan-
Fried Sausage and Leek with Potatoes; BBQ Chicken in Orange Marinade; Eggless Pancakes;
Grilled Garden Vegetables; and much more. Tips, tricks, and techniques for bringing along one's
pantry and cooking in the great outdoors round out this treasure for camping and culinary
enthusiasts. Highly recommended! It should be noted for personal reading lists that The Campfire
Cookbook is also available in a Kindle edition ($8.99).
Waste Not, Want Not Kosher Cookbook
Yaffa Fruchter
Urim Publications
c/o KTAV Publishing House
527 Empire Boulevard, Brooklyn, New York 11225
www.UrimPublications.com
9781602803367, $29.95, HC, 152pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: In "Waste Not, Want Not Kosher Cookbook: Creative Ways to Serve Yesterday's
Meal", author and kosher cooking expert Yaffa Fruchter promotes a unique and exciting
approach to making leftovers new again in palate pleasing, appetite satisfying, kosher dishes
suitable for any and all dining occasions.
Boasting a collection of over 120 beautifully illustrated and innovative recipes, "Waste Not,
Want Not Kosher Cookbook" is culinary compendium that offers a comprehensive guide of the
best, safest, and most delicious ways to use what's on hand and eat well for kosher households.
To curb her own food-waster's guilt, Yaffa developed creative ways of using available
ingredients to produce excellent new dishes that will change the way you look at last night's
meals -- including 30 recipes that use cooked chicken, 15 that use bread and challah, and so
much more!
Critique: A unique and superbly organized cookbook that is inspiring to plan kosher menus and
meals using leftovers, "Waste Not, Want Not Kosher Cookbook" is an extraordinary and
unreservedly recommended addition to personal, family, and community library ethnic cookbook
collections.
Editorial Note: A consummate ''balabusta'' (homemaker), Yaffa Fruchter has been cooking from a
young age. With experience running an upscale restaurant to cooking for her growing family in
New York, Yaffa has been honing her skills for decades. Those who are interested can access a
lot more information about her cookbooks at
https://www.jewishpress.com/author/yaffa-fruchter
The Woodworking Shelf
Wooden Dinky Toys
Les Neufeld
Spring House Press
www.springhousepress.com
9781940611822, $24.95, PB, 160pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Dinky Toys were the most popular diecast toy vehicles for children ever made and they
led the charge of metal die-cast vehicles populating many a playroom floor. In "Wooden Dinky
Toys", Les Neufeld, a professional woodworker and wooden toy expert, redesigns the favorites
of the Dinky Toy line so anyone who enjoys working with wood can make beautiful versions of
these iconic toys.
"Wooden Dinky Toys" is a DIY instructional compendium of woodworking projects that will
appeal to all skill levels. Parents or grandparents can work with children to make a favorite while
novice woodworkers will feel comfortable tackling any of the toys. Strict adherence to the
"blueprints" isn't required and all the toys can be altered to suit personal preference. Many
options are provided along the way, with suggestions for ways to customize further, that allow
crafters to put their own stamp on each toy while generating lots of ideas for the next
project.
Critique: Thoroughly 'user friendly' in organization and presentation, "Wooden Dinky Toys" is an
extraordinary and unreservedly recommended for personal, professional, school, and community
library woodworking project instructional reference collections.
Editorial Note: Les Neufeld is a professional machinist and an avid woodworker. He received his
woodworking training at BCIT, and then earned Bachelor's and Master's degrees at UBC in
Vancouver, Canada. Later, as a high-school and college level teacher, he taught conventional and
CNC Machining and Metal-working, Drafting and Design, Residential House Construction and
Cabinetmaking. When his children were very young his avid woodworking interest turned to
designing and making wood toys of all sorts, shapes and sizes. So much so that he wrote three
other wooden toy books, "Tremendous Toy Trucks", "Making Toys that Teach", and "Great Big
Toy Trucks".
The Art Shelf
Watercolor Pencil Guide and Workbook
Madison R. Smolsky
Schiffer Publishing Ltd.
4880 Lower Valley Road, Atglen, PA 19310
www.schifferbooks.com
9780764357367, $19.99, PB, 80pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: With Madison Smolsky's "Watercolor Pencil Guide and Workbook" aspiring artists
will discover their artistic talents with this guide to practicing and expanding their watercolor
pencil techniques. For beginners as well as experienced artists wanting to explore a new medium,
"Watercolor Pencil Guide and Workbook" includes an introduction that covers the basics,
explains techniques, and offers tips and tricks to help you achieve your visions. The 62 full-page
outline drawings also allow learners to practice the techniques of their choice, including
gradients; shading; color theory; techniques using salt, coffee grounds, alcohol, and sugar water;
and dry brushing. Of special note is that when printed on watercolor paper, the images can be
removed from the book for painting and framing. The images comprising "Watercolor Pencil
Guide and Workbook" cover a variety of themes, including animals, seasons, nautical motifs,
food, faces, and many others.
Critique: Thoroughly 'user friendly' in organization and presentation, "Watercolor Pencil Guide
and Workbook" is an ideal textbook for beginning art classes and will prove to be a prized and
popular addition to personal, community, and art school library collections.
Draw 62 Magical Creatures and Make Them Cute
Keegyum Kim
Quarry Books
c/o Quarto Publishing Group USA
400 First Avenue North, Suite 400, Minneapolis, MN 55401-1722
www.quartous.com
9781631596827, $19.99, PB, 128pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: In "Draw 62 Magical Creatures and Make Them Cute: Step-by-Step Drawing for
Characters and Personality For Artists, Cartoonists, and Doodlers", Heegyum Kim takes aspiring
artists and cartoonists on a magical journey to expand their character-building skills as she shows
how to draw each creature, from simple shapes to identifying marks, and then shares several
other options for varying a design.
Aspiring artist and cartoonists will be able to change the view, the character's posture, their
features, or their expression as well as use the open spaces throughout this book to create their
own fantastic variations of each one.
Whether it's a gremlin, a gargoyle, a hobgoblin, or unicorn aspiring artists and cartoonists will be
inspired by the fascinating characters of this collection. Fresh, modern, and unexpected, there is
not a more enjoyable way to practice graphic illustrations and expand imaginations.
Critique: Thoroughly 'user friendly' in organization and presentation, "Draw 62 Magical
Creatures and Make Them Cute: Step-by-Step Drawing for Characters and Personality *For
Artists, Cartoonists, and Doodlers" is an ideal art instruction guide and manual that is
unreservedly recommended for personal and community library collections, as well as an art
school curriculum supplemental studies textbook.
Editorial Note: Heegyum Kim is a professional graphic designer and illustrator. She holds a
Master of Science in Communication Design from Pratt Institute and is the author of two
illustrated books featuring Mr. Fox, the charming and humorous character whose activities and
musings drive her popular Instagram account and make her followers giggle, as do a menagerie
of other delightful animal friends. She is also the author and illustrator behind the Draw 62 series
of books, which provide step-by-step instructions for drawing different types of cute characters.
Those who are interested can follow her drawing adventures on her web site at:
www.instagram.com/hee_cookingdiary
The Crafts Shelf
Milk Soaps
Anne-Marie Faiola
Storey Publishing
210 Mass MoCA Way, North Adams, MA 01247
www.storey.com
9781635860481, $21.95, Spiral Bound, 272pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: A good soap is essential to good health hygiene and for a great many people the
making of which is also a creative exercise and personal pleasure. Handmade soap can be made
extra-special with the addition of milk! Soaps enriched with milk are creamier than those made
with water, and milk's natural oils provide skin-renewing moisture and nourishment. In "Milk
Soaps", expert soapmaker Anne-Marie Faiola demystifies the process with step-of milk types, including cow, goat, and even
camel milk, along with nut and grain milks such as almond, coconut, hemp, rice, and more.
Photographs show soapmakers of all levels how to achieve a variety of distinctive color and
shape effects, including funnels, swirls, layers, and insets.
Critique: For beginners and experts alike, "Milk Soaps" is a focused guide to making
milk-enriched soaps offers an opportunity to expand their soapmaking skills in new and exciting
ways. Spiral bound so as to be able to lay flat on the surface of a table or counter, "Milk Soaps" is
unreservedly recommended for personal, community, and academic DIY library collections. It
should be noted that "Milk Soaps" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
The Railroading Shelf
Southern Maunsell 4-4-0 Classes
David Maidment
Pen & Sword Books
c/o Casemate (distribution)
www.casematepublishers.com
https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk
9781526714695, $70.00, HC, 232pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: The newest addition to the simply outstanding Pen & Sword Locomotive Portfolio
series, "Southern Maunsell 4-4-0 Classes" by David Maidment covers the rebuilding by Richard
Maunsell of the South Eastern & Chatham Railway 'D' and 'E' 4-4-0s as 'D1' and 'E1' locomotives
with higher pressure boilers and long-travel valve events following the Churchward
principles.
"Southern Maunsell 4-4-0 Classes" also covers the SE&CR 'L' class designed by Maunsell's
predecessor, Harry Wainwright, with modifications made by Maunsell just before their delivery
in 1914. Maunsell then designed a further 2 cylinder 4-4-0, the 'L1' for the Victoria-Folkestone
80-minute expresses of the mid-1920s and finally the 3-cylinder 'V' (the 'Schools' class), his
masterpiece, for express services on all three constituent parts of the Southern Railway.
The design, construction, operations and performance of these locomotives are described and
profusely illustrated with over 300 black & white and color photos from their construction right
through to their final demise in 1962, together with an update on the three 'Schools' that have
been preserved and operate on Britain's heritage steam railways.
Critique: Profusely illustrated throughout, "Southern Maunsell 4-4-0 Classes" is an
extraordinarily informative and very highly recommended addition to community and academic
library British Railroading History collections. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of
dedicated railroading history buffs that "Southern Maunsell 4-4-0 Classes" is also available in a
digital book format (Kindle, $33.60).
Editorial Note: David Maidment began his railway career in 1960 and retired from the railway
industry over twenty-two years ago. In 1996, David received an OBE for services to the railway
industry and, in 2012, he received a Life Achievement Award at the National Rail Awards. His
published works include articles on railway history, safety, practice, performance and nostalgia,
and several books including "The Great Western Eight Coupled Heavy Freight Locomotives",
"Southern Maunsell 4-4-0 Classes", and "The German Pacific Locomotive: Its Design and
Development", among other railroading history publications.
The Humor Shelf
Never!
Gerd De Ley
Hatherleigh Press
c/o The Hatherleigh Foundation
62545 State Highway 10, Hobart, NY 13788
www.hatherleighpress.com
9781578267965 $15.00 amazon.com
Synopsis: A wise man once said that "never" is a ridiculous word you should never use. Never!
contains over 750 quotes from people telling you to never do something. From the inspirational
like "Never agree to surrender your dreams" from Jesse Jackson to the comedic like "Never moon
a pit bull after sitting in A-1 sauce" from Johnny Carson. Never also has quotes we can all agree
on like "Never go to bed with someone who has no books" from John Waters and quotes that
makes you think like "Never trouble trouble till trouble troubles you" from John Adams. Full of
wit and wisdom, this collection of nevers is a keeper.
Words of advice on what you should do will never be as straightforward or as helpful as what
you should never do! With hundreds of quotes from around the world, Never! collects all the
wisdom you could ever need. Remember: Never make a mistake when someone else can make it
for you!
Critique: Never! 750+ Things You Should Never Do is a compendium of witty, tongue-in-cheek,
and dubiously insightful quotes about things one should never, ever do. For example, one quote
by Marco A. Almazan is "Never contradict your boss. You could be right." and another by
Meghan Skinner is "Never name your kid 'Chastity,' because that's just asking for it." A laugh-
out-loud collection that also makes an excellent giftbook, Never! is highly recommended.
The Travel Shelf
Yosemite National Park: Adventuring with Kids
Harley and Abby McAllister
Mountaineers Books
1001 SW Klickitat Way, Suite 201, Seattle, WA 98134-1161
www.mountaineersbooks.org
9781680511529 $16.95 amazon.com
Synopsis: Spot climbers on El Cap, hike to rushing Yosemite Falls, float in the refreshing
Merced River, visit Tuolumne's alpine meadows, take an afternoon bicycle ride around the
Valley--Yosemite has much to offer visitors, including its youngest ones. With an emphasis on
outdoor education and fun, authors Harley and Abby McAllister write with parental practicality:
kids aren't going to be excited about views, and even spouses get cranky when they're cold or
hungry.
Critique: Featuring recommendations for 3-day, 5-day, and 7-day family vacation itineraries,
Yosemite National Park: Adventuring with Kids is a "kid-tested" guide to making the most of a
trip to Yosemite National Park with children! Full-color photography on almost every page
enriches this "reader-friendly" guide to the natural wonders, wildlife, and available programs at
Yosemite (including the Junior Ranger program)! Yosemite National Park: Adventuring with
Kids is a "must" for families seeking to experience Yosemite National Park to the fullest, highly
recommended.
Hike the Parks: Redwood National & State Parks
John Soares
Mountaineers Books
1001 SW Klickitat Way, Suite 201, Seattle, WA 98134-1161
www.mountaineersbooks.org
9781680512090 $16.95 pbk / $11.72 Kindle amazon.com
Synopsis: Hike the Parks: Redwood National & State Parks is the first in a new series of national
park hiking guides that feature an easy-to-use design, pocket-sized format, and full-color photos
and maps, with top trails detailed alongside top sights. These public lands offer a breathtaking
setting of giant trees that have survived dinosaurs by millions of years.
*38 of the best day-hiking options, from nature walks to more challenging routes
*Distance and elevation in US and metric measurements
*Information on visitors centers, campgrounds, sights, permits, fees, park facts, and more
*Resources for park "gateway towns"
*1- and 3-day itineraries for visitors
*Overview of the parks' flora and fauna
Critique: Hike the Parks: Redwood National & State Parks is a travel guide to the extraordinary
redwood parks of nothern California, which feature tall trees far older than any human. Here are
recommended, tested trails; notes on the difficulty level of hikes; GPS coordinates; tips about
local flora and fauna; full-color trail maps and much more. Hike the Parks: Redwood National &
State Parks is a "must-have" for anyone eager to see these breathtaking forests for themselves,
highly recommended. It should be noted for personal reading lists that Hike the Parks: Redwood
National & State Parks is also available in a Kindle edition ($11.72).
Alpine Lakes Wilderness: The Complete Hiking Guide
Nathan Barnes and Jeremy Barnes
Mountaineers Books
1001 SW Klickitat Way, Suite 201, Seattle, WA 98134-1161
www.mountaineersbooks.org
9781680510775 $24.95 pbk / $16.49 Kindle amazon.com
Synopsis: The lush Alpine Lakes Wilderness in Washington's Central Cascades contains a
plethora of trails, rugged glacier-carved mountains, and more than 700 sparkling alpine lakes and
ponds. Accessed via nearly 50 trailheads, more than 600 miles of trails offer hikers leisurely
strolls along wooded creeks, climbs up mountain passes, or lunch spots next to glassy tarns. It is
one of the most popular and beloved places for hikers in this region.
The all-new guide, Alpine Lakes Wilderness, features a wide range of hikes that vary in
difficulty, geography, and theme so that hikers of any age and skill level will find trails that fit
their taste. Easy to use, the guide includes details on overnight permits, car-camping options near
wilderness access points, detailed maps, elevation gain/ loss, and turn-by-turn mileage and
directions. Interesting historical background and natural history round out the trail
descriptions.
Critique: Alpine Lakes Wilderness: The Complete Hiking Guide is a treasure trove of trail
descriptions, suggested backpacking itineraries, driving directions, trail GPS coordinates, maps,
historical background information, permit information, and much more. A "must-have" for
anyone seeking to enjoy Washington's old-growth forests, Alpine Lakes Wilderness is easy-to-
use, informative, and brimming with full-color photographs that make it a joy to simply page
through. Highly recommended! It should be noted for personal reading lists that Alpine Lakes
Wilderness is also available in a Kindle edition ($16.49).
The Criminology Shelf
Appearance Bias and Crime
Bonnie Berry, editor
Cambridge University Press
One Liberty Plaza, Fl. 20, New York, NY 10006
www.cambridge.org
9781108422314, $99.99, HC, 308pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Bonnie Berry is the Director of the Social Problems Research Group and formerly
university faculty. Her research interests include criminology, appearance bias, animal rights,
academic misconduct and ethical violations, and all measures of social inequality. She is the
author of several books and numerous scholarly journal articles. She has been awarded, among
other prizes, the Inconvenient Woman of the Year Award from the American Society of
Criminology's Women and Crime Division.
Relying on experts in criminology and sociology, and compiled/edited by Professor Berry,
"Appearance Bias and Crime" describes the role of bias against citizens based on their physical
appearance.
From the point of suspicion to the decisions to arrest, convict, sentence, and apply the death
penalty, crime control agents are influenced by the appearance of offenders; moreover, victims of
crime are held blameworthy depending on their physical appearance.
The contributing authors discuss timely topics such as Black Lives Matter, terrorism, LGBTQ
appearance, human trafficking, Indigenous appearance, the disabled, and the attractive versus
unattractive among us. Demographic traits such as race, gender, age, and social class influence
physical appearance and, thus, judgments about criminal involvement and victimization.
"Appearance Bias and Crime" collectively describes the social movements relevant to appearance
bias, recommends legislative and policy changes, offers practical advice to social control
agencies on how to reduce appearance bias, and proposes a new sub-discipline of appearance
criminology.
Critique: A body of original and seminal scholarship comprise of fifteen erudite articles,
"Appearance Bias and Crime" should be considered as an essential, core addition to college and
university library Criminology collections and supplemental curriculum lists. It should be noted
for the personal reading lists of judicial policy makers, students, academia, social activists, and
non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "Appearance Bias and Crime" is
also available in a paperback edition (9781108432016, $39.95) and in a digital book format
(Kindle, $28.00).
Dead in the Water
Penny Farmer
Diversion Books
www.diversionbooks.com
9781635766196, $15.99, PB, 304pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: In 1978, two tortured corpses that were hooded, bound, and weighted down with
engine parts were found in the sea off Guatemala. Junior doctor Chris Farmer and his girlfriend,
Peta Frampton, were still clinging to life when they were thrown from the yacht they'd been
crewing.
"Dead in the Water: My Forty-Year Search for My Brother's Killer" by Penny Farmer is the
gripping account of how Chris's family worked alongside police, the FBI, and Interpol to gather
evidence against the boat's Californian skipper, Silas Duane Boston. Almost four decades later,
in 2015, Chris's sister, Penny, used Facebook to track down Boston. Following the detailed,
haunting testimony of his own two sons (who also implicated their father in a string of other
killings) Boston was finally arrested and charged with two counts of maritime murder.
A story of homicide on the high seas, "Dead in the Water" is also a tale of a family's fortitude and
diligence in tracking down a monster.
Critique: Exceptionally well written and a page turner of a fascinating read from cover to cover,
"Dead in the Water: My Forty-Year Search for My Brother's Killer" is an extraordinary and
unreservedly recommended addition to community and academic library Contemporary
Criminology collections. The stuff of which movie plots are made, it should be noted for
personal reading lists that "Dead in the Water" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle,
$7.99) and as a complete and unabridged audio book (Blackstone Audio, 9781982639907,
$34.95, CD).
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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