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Wisconsin Bookwatch
Table of Contents
Reviewer's Choice
The Unceasing Storm
Katherine Luo
Douglas & McIntyre
c/o Harbour Publishing
www.douglas-mcintyre.com
9781771621861 $22.95 amazon.com
The Unceasing Storm: Memories of the Chinese Cultural Revolution is the true-life memoir of
author Katherine Luo, who was born in Shanghai in 1935 and immigrated to Canada in 1998.
Luo's reflections center upon her life in mainland China, especially during the Cultural
Revolution, a time of intense zealotry, political persecution, and even arrest, torture, and
execution for those unfortunate enough to become targets. Luo tells of how the Communist Party
was trusted and revered among the people, to such an extent that all marriages had to be
approved by the Party - in fact, the Party denied her request to marry her first love, effectively
ending their relationship. Vivid, often painful, and always fascinating, The Unceasing Storm tells
of a historic, national upheaval stained with innocent blood, from an intensely personal
perspective, and is all but impossible to put down. Highly recommended for both public library
collections and personal reading lists.
Ciderology
Gabe Cook
Spruce
c/o Octopus Books
236 Park Avenue, New York NY 10017
www.octopusbooksusa.com
9781846015656, $19.99, HC, 224pp, www.amazon.com
Ciderology is about studying and understanding the way cider making has evolved over the
centuries, from the heart of cider country to the new wave of cider makers. It's about learning
how terroir and climate affect the quality of cider, just like a wine; and how to match your
favorite dishes with the perfect cider. It's about wassailing, community and tradition, but is also
about the innovative and creative craft cider makers emerging all over the world. In "Ciderology"
Gabe Cook, a leading global cider expert, shares his passion for all things cider (and perry!), with
an essential history of the drink and production processes, and a round-the-world tour of the most
important and exciting cider makers in operation. "Ciderology" also includes delicious, palate
pleasing recipes for incorporating cider into a variety of different dishes. Featuring a wealth of
anecdotes and tales that intermingle fact and myth, "Ciderology" will prove to be a real treat for
enthusiastic cider lovers and cider novices alike. Simply stated, "Ciderology" contains anything
and everything anyone will ever need to know about cider! While certain to be an immediate and
enduringly popular addition to community library collections, it should be noted for personal
reading lists that "Ciderology" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $11.99).
The Social Issues Shelf
Unapologetic
Charlene A. Carruthers
Beacon Press
24 Farnsworth Street, Boston, MA 02210
www.beacon.org
9780807019412, $22.95, HC, 184pp, www.amazon.com
Drawing on Black intellectual and grassroots organizing traditions, including the Haitian
Revolution, the US civil rights movement, and LGBTQ rights and feminist movements,
"Unapologetic: A Black, Queer, and Feminist Mandate for Radical Movements" by Charlene A.
Carruthers (a Black lesbian feminist and founding national director of the Black Youth Project
100, a leading organization of young activists in the movement for Black liberation) challenges
all of us engaged in the social justice struggle to make the movement for Black liberation more
radical, more queer, and more feminist. "Unapologetic" provides a vision for how social justice
movements can become sharper and more effective through principled struggle, healing justice,
and leadership development. It also offers a flexible model of what deeply effective organizing
can be, anchored in the Chicago model of activism, which features long-term commitment,
cultural sensitivity, creative strategizing, and multiple cross-group alliances. "Unapologetic" also
provides a clear framework for activists committed to building transformative power,
encouraging young people to see themselves as visionaries and leaders. An inspiring and 'real
world practical' handbook for aspiring activists seeking to effect social, cultural, and political
change, "Unapologetic" is unreservedly recommended for community, college, and university
library Social Issues & Activism collections and supplemental studies lists. It should be noted for
the personal reading lists of students, academia, social reform activists, and non-specialist
general readers with an interest in the subject that "Unapologetic" is also available in a digital
book format (Kindle, $17.99) and as a complete and unabridged audio book (Dreamscape Media,
9781974924417, $29.99, CD).
The Health/Medicine Shelf
Recreational Therapy Basics, Techniques, and Interventions
Heather R. Porter, editor
Idyll Arbor, Inc.
PO Box 720, Ravensdale, WA 98051
www.idyllarbor.com
9781882883974, $60.00, HC, 592pp, www.amazon.com
Compiled, organized and presented by recreational therapy expert Heather R. Porter (who is also
a faculty member in the Rehabilitation Sciences Department at Temple University) "Recreational
Therapy Basics, Techniques, and Interventions" is comprised of 51 densely informative chapters
about recreational therapy practice. Ten of those chapters describe the basics including topics
such as activity and task analysis, body mechanics, consequences of inactivity, and effects of
stress. The remaining 41 chapters provide in-depth descriptions of techniques and interventions
used by recreational therapists. These include adaptive sports, behavior strategies, disability
rights education, medical play, social skills training, walking and gait training, and wheelchair
mobility. Each individual chapter features a thorough discussion of how to apply the technique
along with indications, contraindications, and efficacy research supporting the use of the
technique. Expected outcomes, documentation, and links to ICF codes connect the intervention
to the therapists work as part of the healthcare team. Enhanced for academia and practitioners
with the inclusion of an informative introduction, twenty-five tables, two appendices (Common
Clinical Symbols and Abbreviations & Anatomical Orientation and Positioning), and a sixty-two
page index, "Recreational Therapy Basics, Techniques, and Interventions" is unreservedly
recommended as a core addition to college and university library Recreational Therapy
collections and supplemental studies reading lists.
Moodtopia
Sara-Chana Silverstein & Susan K. Golant
Lifelong Books / Da Capo Press
c/o Hachette Book Group
53 State Street, 9th Floor, Boston, MA 02109
www.perseusbooksgroup.com
9780738220048, $17.99, PB, 256pp, www.amazon.com
Moodtopia is a term that means being in control of our moods so they are not in control of us. In
the pages of "Moodtopia: Tame Your Moods, De-Stress, and Find Balance Using Herbal
Remedies, Aromatherapy, and More", master herbalist, classical homeopath, a board-certified
lactation consultant, businesswoman, and keynote speaker Sara-Chana Silverstein draws upon
her years of experience and expertise to advocate a natural regimen that nourishes the physical,
emotional, and spiritual lives of women. Packed from cover to cover with hundreds of tools, tips,
and strategies, "Moodtopia" is a practical, easy-to-use guide to herbs, adaptogens, aromatherapy,
color therapy, feng shui, intuition, homeopathy and so much more. Sara-Chana shares the best
natural remedies to help combat stress, anxiety, and promote peace of mind and general health.
She shows how herbs and other natural approaches are a gentle way to enhance one's emotional
state without having to resort to antidepressants, anti-anxiety pills, or other medications that may
have unwanted side effects. With an easy-to-implement 90-day program, "Moodtopia" teaches
women to harness the power of nature coupled with their own inner strength to achieve optimal
emotional and mental wellness. Thoroughly 'user friendly' in tone, commentary, organization and
presentation, "Moodtopia" is unreservedly recommended for personal, professional, community,
and academic library Alternative Health & Medicine collections and supplemental studies
reading lists. It should be noted that "Moodtopia" is also available in a digital book format
(Kindle, $11.99).
The Art Shelf
Ten-Step Drawing: Flowers
Mary Woodin
Walter Foster Publishing
c/o Quarto Publishing Group USA
400 First Avenue North, Suite 400, Minneapolis, MN 55401-1722
www.quartoknows.com
9781633224896, $14.99, PB, 128pp, www.amazon.com
An artist and illustrator based in Suffolk, United Kingdom, Mary Woodin specializes in painting
natural subjects and produces artwork for everything from stationery to ceramic tiles. Mary's
interest in the outdoors has inspired a number of publications, including The Painted Garden
Cookbook (a collection of illustrated recipes produced in her own garden) and Drawn to the
Country. In "Ten-Step Drawing: Flowers" she draws upon her years of experience and expertise
to provide aspiring artists with do-it-yourself tutorials for drawing seventy-five different types of
flowers. Offering hours and hours of meditative fun and recreation, "Ten-Step Drawing:
Flowers" is thoroughly 'user friendly' in organization and presentation, making it an ideal and
unreservedly recommended addition to personal instructional art book collections.
The Graphic Novel Shelf
Dr. Stone 1
Story by Riichiro Inagaki
Art by Boichi
Viz Media LLC
1355 Market Street, Suite 200, San Francisco CA 94103
www.viz.com
9781974702619 $9.99 pbk / $6.99 Kindle amazon.com
Dr. Stone 1 is the debut volume of a black-and-white, post-apocalyptic manga (Japanese graphic
novel) set in a world where all humans have been suddenly and mysteriously turned to stone.
Millenia have passed, and now former high school student Taiju has awakened to a world of
statues. He is not alone, though - his science-enthusiast friend has been conscious for a few
months prior, long enough to devise a grand plan to reawaken humanity and rebuild civilization.
But does every human truly deserve to be reanimated? An intriguing blend of action, philosophy,
and supercharged love of science, Dr. Stone is highly recommended for teen and adult
readers.
Radiant 1
Tony Valente
Viz Media LLC
1355 Market Street, Suite 200, San Francisco CA 94103
www.viz.com
9781974703814 $9.99 pbk / $6.99 Kindle amazon.com
Radiant 1 is a black-and-white, manga-style graphic novel by French-born creator Tony Valente,
debuting a brand new supernatural adventure series. In the world of Radiant, evil creatures
dubbed "Nemeses" fall from the sky, and the only mortals that can fight back against them are
"Wizards", infected individuals who survived their corruption. One of these survivors, Seth, has
vowed to not only fight back, but to track down "Radiant", the legendary nest of the Nemeses,
and destroy it! Created for a teen-to-adult audience, Radiant kicks off a wild and dangerous
adventure, and is enthusiastically recommended to action-packed graphic novel
connoisseurs!
Blackwax Boulevard: Five Years, What a Surprise (2012-2017)
Dmitri Jackson
Frotoon Press
http://blackwaxboulevard.com
9780999259634 $30.00
Intended for readers ages 15+ due to mature language, Blackwax Boulevard: Five Years, What a
Surprise (2012-2017) is a black-and-white anthology of the slice-of-life webcomic series.
"Blackwax" refers to an obscure vinyl record store that is a haven for music lovers. Main
characters include an intellectual, African-American vinyl enthusiast with a speech impediment;
his tough-as-nails cab driver older brother; the aging hippie store owner, and the irascibly
practical store employee Veronica. The local neighborhood is gentrifying, which places an
immense financial strain on everyone as business and residence rents skyrocket. Blackwax
Boulevard reflects the author's love of vinyl music, and the gritty day-to-day realities of urban
life, with a bold, lively flair that makes it a treat for connoisseurs of independent graphic novels.
Highly recommended!
The Wonderful World of Tank Girl
Alan Martin, author
Brett Parsons, illustrator
Titan Comics
https://titan-comics.com
9781785862076, $22.99, HC, 112pp, www.amazon.com
The eponymous character Tank Girl (Rebecca Buck - later revealed to have been born as Fonzie
Rebecca Buckler) drives a tank, which is also her home. She undertakes a series of missions for a
nebulous organization before making a serious mistake and being declared an outlaw for her
sexual inclinations and her substance abuse. The comic centres on her misadventures with her
boyfriend, Booga, a mutant kangaroo. The comic's style is heavily influenced by punk visual art,
and strips are frequently deeply disorganized, anarchic, absurdist, and psychedelic. The strip
features various elements with origins in surrealist techniques, fanzines, collage, cut-up
technique, stream of consciousness, and metafiction, with very little regard or interest for
conventional plot or committed narrative. The strip was initially set in a futuristic Australia,
although it drew heavily from contemporary British pop culture. These individual Alan C. Martin
'Tank Girl' stories are illustrated by Brett Parsons. "The Wonderful World of Tank Girl" is the
latest graphic novel showcasing the adventures of Tank Girl compiled from what was originally
published in the form of Tank Girl comic books. It should be noted for the personal reading lists
of all dedicated Tank Girl fans that "The Wonderful World of Tank Girl" is also available in a
digital book format (Kindle, $11.99).
Factory
Yacine Elghorri
Titan Comics
https://titan-comics.com
9781785865985, $16.99, PB, 104pp, www.amazon.com
Taking place on a dystopian planet where different species are in a constant struggle to survive,
"Factory" by Yacine Elghorri (who is an animator, illustrator, storyboard artist, conceptual
designer and comic book artist) is the story of a band of mutants who slog through the harsh
deserts in search of the Factory - the last semblance of civilization left among the wasteland
where all creatures, human, semi-human, and non-human are dying of hunger. A vividly
memorable and genuinely riveting read from beginning to end, "Factory" is an especially
recommended addition to personal and community library Science Fiction graphic novel
collections and reading lists.
A Confusion of Angels
Richard Dinnick, et al.
Titan Comics
https://titan-comics.com
9781785866890, $22.99, HC, 112pp, www.amazon.com
When the Doctor and his companions are drawn to a transport vessel in deadly trouble in deep
space, they're pulled into an impossible conflict, between the robotic Heavenly Host -- and the
infamous Weeping Angels! Featuring the Twelfth Doctor and fan-favorite companions Bill,
Nardole (and Missy!) Very highly recommended for community library graphic novel
collections, "Doctor Who: The Twelfth Doctor - Time Trials Volume 3: A Confusion of Angels"
is comprised of Doctor Who: The Twelfth Doctor Year Three #10-13, making it a 'must have'
addition to the personal reading lists and collections of all dedicated Doctor Who fans.
Rex Royd
Frankie Boyle, et al.
Titan Comics
https://titan-comics.com
9781785867248, $19.99, PB, 112pp, www.amazon.com
Each Rex Royd chapter comprising Frankie Boyle graphic novel "Rex Royd" takes the reader
further into the vivid imagination of this stand-up comedian and writer. Backed up by stunning,
stylish art by Mike Dowling and Budi Setiawan, the action takes place at RexCorp, a corporation
where violence is the day job. RexCorp is headed up by super scientist CEO Rex Royd,
indestructible Alan Black, and Eve. How will they cope against the incalculable power of the
extraterrestrial Proteoman? All this plus memory implants, drug-addicted schizophrenics,
sex-travelling aliens, and a Thunder God! A simply riveting and solidly entertaining read from
cover to cover, "Rex Royd" is certain to be an immediate and enduringly entertaining addition to
personal reading lists and community library graphic novel collections!
Tyler Cross: Black Rock
Fabien Nury, author
Bruno, illustrator
Titan Comics
https://titan-comics.com
9781785867309, $24.99, HC, 100pp, www.amazon.com
Tyler Cross is first and foremost an individualist. As a career criminal for hire, he's the best at
what he does, whether he's trafficking drugs or spraying bullets in a shoot-out. Being a freelance
agent in the criminal underworld he is in big demand. "Tyler Cross: Black Rock" may be his last
mission because he must deal with violence from a cartel, the mafia, and a corrupt family that
controls a small town. Complicating everything is that the 17 kilos of drugs in his possession are
found and sequestered by an old man whose price is that Tyler rescue his daughter from an
unwanted marriage. Black Rock is one adventure that Tyler may not survive! Another riveting
graphic novel by the team of author Fabien Nury and artist/illustrator Bruno, "Tyler Cross: Black
Rock" is very highly recommended for graphic novel fans and community library
collections.
Jason McLane's Inheritance
Yves Sente, author
Youri Jigounov, artist
Cinebook Ltd.
www.cinebook.com
c/o National Book Network (dist.)
4501 Forbes Boulevard, Suite 200, Lanham, MD 20706
www.nbnbooks.com
9781849184052, $13.95, PB, 56pp, www.amazon.com
Still with Annika, Jason McLane has the documents his godfather left for him to find in the
Netherlands deciphered. Once translated, the text offers revelations of breathtaking importance -
enough to change the geopolitical map for ever. But the killers sent by the Mayflower Foundation
are still after them, while in Afghanistan, Jones and Carrington's situation goes from bad to
worse. XIII will have to be on his best game to sort it all out - but at what price? Another deftly
riveting graphic novel by Yves Sente brought vividly to life with the artwork of illustrator Youri
Jigounov, "Jason McLane's Inheritance" is very highly recommended reading for graphic novel
enthusiasts. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "Jason McLane's Inheritance" is also
available in a digital book format (Kindle, $5.99).
Valerian: Shingouzlooz Inc.
Wilfrid Lupano, author
Mathieu Lauffray, illustrator
Cinebook Ltd.
www.cinebook.com
c/o National Book Network (dist.)
4501 Forbes Boulevard, Suite 200, Lanham, MD 20706
www.nbnbooks.com
9781849184014, $13.95, PB, 56pp, www.cinebook.com
An apparently simple mission (apprehending a super artificially intelligent speculator-droid)
turns into a race against time when the Shingouz drop in uninvited mid-arrest, begging Valerian
and Laureline for protection against someone who means to kill them. To the agents' surprise, it's
Mr. Albert who is an old friend who pops up in hot pursuit of the three Shingouz, guns blazing.
The ensuing shoot-out does little to simplify an already complicated situation: our heroes'
favorite information brokers have managed to lose Earth in a card game to a mercenary business
man who is planning on draining Earth's oceans for a profit! Another riveting action/adventure in
the Valerian series of graphic novels by author Wilfrid Lupano and artist/illustrator Mathieu
Lauffray, "Valerian: Shingouzlooz Inc." is certain to be a popular addition to the personal reading
lists of all science fiction fans, and an immediately popular addition to community library
collections!
The Silent Invasion: Red Shadows
Michael Cherkas and Larry Hancock
NBM Publishing
160 Broadway, Ste. 700, East Wing, New York, NY 10038
www.nbmpub.com
c/o Independent Publishers Group (dist.)
www.ipgbook.com
9781681121741 $16.99 pbk / $9.99 Kindle amazon.com
The Silent Invasion: Red Shadows collects and revises issues #1-6 of the black-and-white comic
"The Silent Invasion" into a single, dramatic story about a covert alien invasion and systemic
bureaucratic corruption, set during the "Red Scare" anti-Communist hysteria that pervaded 1950's
America. Matt Sinkage is an investigative reporter who may be in over his head, as his
investigation reveals evidence of cruel murders, a ruthless plan of otherworldly conquest, and
complicit involvement at the highest levels of government bureaucracy. A dark tale blend of
intrigue, sci-fi, and hard-boiled noir, The Silent Invasion: Red Shadows is riveting to the last
page and highly recommended.
The Whistling Factory
Jesse McManus
Uncivilized Books
https://uncivilizedbooks.com
9781941250297, $29.95, PB, 286pp, www.amazon.com
Imagine comics created from the DNA of John Kricfalusi, Charles Burns with a dash of Jim
Woodring. You'd end up with animated, visionary comics by illustrator and artist Jesse
McManus. His fluid, hyper-kinetic, and lush brush strokes delineate a surreal visionary world of
feral children, rubbery animals, and constantly-mutating monsters. "The Whistling Factory" is an
audacious debut from the sui generis frenetic imagination of Jesse McManus. Original and
inherently reader engaging from first page to last, "The Whistling Factory" is the perfect
introduction to the surreal imagination and storytelling style of one of the very best in avant garde
graphic novelists of our time. Unreservedly recommended for personal and community library
graphic novel collections.
The Audiobook Shelf
Beautiful Exiles
Meg Waite Clayton, author
Performed by Kirsten Potter
Brilliance Corporation
PO Box 887, Grand Haven, MI 49417
www.brillianceaudio.com
9781543674828 $14.99 megwaiteclayton.com
Beautiful Exiles is the unabridged MP3 audiobook (plays on MP3-CD enabled players or
transfers to portable devices) of a novel based on a true-life love affair during the Great
Depression. When skilled journalist Martha Gellhorn meets the literary titan Ernest Heming way
in a dive bar, their friendship grows into something greater while they cover the Spanish Civil
War. Martha adores Hemingway, yet he is unquestionably married. As they travel the globe,
Martha acts as a superlative war correspondent, while Hemingway begins the novel destined to
earn a Nobel Prize for Literature. Both of them are iron-willed achievers, each with their own
drives, and neither is willing to compromise their goals or identity for the benefit of the other!
Highly recommended. 1 MP3-CD, 10 hours 50 min.
Panzer Ace
Richard Freiherr Von Rosen
Tantor Media, Inc.
6 Business Park Road, Old Saybrook, CT 06475
www.tantor.com
9781977359490, $29.99, CD, www.amazon.com
Richard Freiherr von Rosen was a highly decorated Wehrmacht soldier and outstanding panzer
commander. After serving as a gunlayer on a Pz.Mk.III during Barbarossa, he led a Company of
Tigers at Kursk. Later he led a company of King Tiger panzers at Normandy and in late 1944
commanded a battle group (12 King Tigers and a flak Company) against the Russians in Hungary
in the rank of junior, later senior lieutenant (from November 1944, his final rank). Only 489 of
these King Tiger tanks were ever built. They were the most powerful heavy tanks to see service,
and only one kind of shell could penetrate their armor at a reasonable distance. Every effort had
to be made to retrieve any of them bogged down or otherwise immobilized, which led to many
towing adventures. The Von Rosen has a fine memory and eye for detail. His account is easy to
listen to and not technical, and adds substantially to the knowledge of how the German Panzer
Arm operated in the Second World War. Narrated in English for an American audience by Nigel
Patterson, this complete and unabridged Tantor Media edition is unreserved recommended for
community, college, and university library audio book collections. (7 CDs, 8.5 Hours).
Heaven Adjacent
Catherine Ryan Hyde, author
Performed by Laural Merlington
Brilliance Corporation
PO Box 887, Grand Haven, MI 49417
www.brillianceaudio.com
9781543678130 $24.99
Heaven Adjacent is the unabridged audiobook rendition of a heartfelt novel about relearning how
to experience joy in life after enduring sorrow. Roseanna Chaldecott is a talented Manhattan
lawyer, but when her best friend and law partner suddenly dies, the loss shakes her to the core.
She retreats to a farm at the foothills of the Adirondacks, and discovers unexpected residents - a
mother and daughter squatting on the property. Reluctantly, she allows them to stay, and
discovers a shared interest with the daughter in transforming junk on the farm into animal
sculptures. A thoughtful meditation on finding one's path in life, Heaven Adjacent is thought-
provoking and emotionally moving to the very end. Highly recommended. 8 CDs, 9 hours 41
min.
The Music CD Shelf
The Jamie Lawrence Sextet: New York Suite
Jamie Lawrence
www.jamielawrenceproductions.com
Good Mood Records, LLC
$11.99 digital download amazon.com
Begun in the late 1980s and finished almost thirty years later, The Jamie Lawrence Sextet: New
York Suite is a digital album featuring performances from exceptional jazz musicians. Five-time
Emmy Award winner Jamie Lawrence has brought together these lively team performances
featuring seductive saxophone, riotous rhythms, sublime synthesizer, and more. The Jamie
Lawrence Sextet: New York Suite is enthusiastically recommended as a treasure for jazz
connoisseurs. The tracks are "New York Suite", "Margot with a 't'", "Watts What", "Beluga
Triangle", and "Bonus Track - Tongue Twister". 43 min.
Kanawha County Flatpicking
Tyler Grant and Robin Kessinger
www.tylergrant.com
Grant Central Records, LLC
$TBA CD / $9.49 MP3 amazon.com
Flatpicking (or simply picking) is the technique of striking the strings of a guitar with a pick held
between the thumb and one or two fingers. Kanawha County Flatpicking is a music CD album
crafted by two friends with a shared love of bluegrass, flatpicking, and old-time music passed
down through the generations. Kanawha County Flatpicking is a "must" for bluegrass and
flatpicking fans, highly recommended. The tracks are "Soldier's Joy", "My Blue Ridge Mountain
Home", "Garfield's March", "Winfield Story", "No Hard Times", "Blue Water Hornpipe",
"Russian Lullaby", "Wednesday Night Waltz", "Boll Weevil", "Farewell to Long Hollow",
"Susannah Gal", "Rights of Man", "A Dime Looks Like a Wagon Wheel", "Flop Eared Mule",
and "A Song! A Beautiful Song!".
Woven Threads
Stu Mindeman
stumindeman.com
Sunnyside Records
sunnysiderecords.com
$12.95 CD / $9.00 digital
Pianist and composer Stu Mindeman presents Woven Threads, an original album drawn from
Mindeman's experience with both North and South American cultures, including visits to
childhood memories of the vibrant nation of Chile. The result is a musical tapestry woven from
elements of Chilean music and North American music, rich and sumptuously expansive. Woven
Threads is a choice pick for international music collections, highly recommended. The tracks are
"Casi, Casi", "El Aparecido", "Sin Sentido", "La Rueda", "La Casa De al Lado", "Woven Threads
- What Word", "Woven Threads - A Thousand Stars", and "No Puedes Volver Atras".
The DVD Shelf
Murdoch Mysteries: Home for the Holidays
Acorn Media
c/o RLJ Entertainment
www.us.RLJEntertainment.com
$24.99 DVD or Blu-ray www.acornonline.com
Available in both DVD and Blu-ray formats, Murdoch Mysteries: Home for the Holidays is a
feature-length mystery set during the late 1890s and early 1900s. The main character is the
dashing Detective William Murdoch (played by Yannick Bisson), whose interest in cutting-edge
forensic techniques helps him solve gruesome murders. Home for the Holidays is set in the days
before Christmas, as Murdoch and his wife, Dr. Julia Ogden (played by Helene Joy) travel to
Victoria, British Columbia to see Murdoch's quirky brother. The holiday visit takes a dark turn
when Murdoch is drawn into investigating a murder at an archaeological site. A cozy winter
murder mystery, Murdoch Mysteries: Home for the Holidays makes an excellent Christmas gift
for connoisseurs of the genre! Bonus material includes a behind-the-scenes featurette. 89 min.
plus 3 min. bonus, SDH subtitles.
The Good Karma Hospital, series 2
Acorn Media
c/o RLJ Entertainment
www.us.RLJEntertainment.com
$39.99 DVD or Blu-ray www.acornonline.com
Available in both DVD and Blu-ray formats, The Good Karma Hospital, series 2 continues this
poignant medical drama set in a coastal town in Southern India, at a cottage hospital where the
overworked staff perpetually lacks resources. In series 2, British expatriate Dr. Ruby Walker
(played by Amrita Acharia) tries to further career under her imposing boss, Dr. Lydia Fonseca
(Amanda Redman); Lydia's boyfriend and beach bar owner Greg (Neil Morrissey) tries to help
the newly widowed Paul (Philip Jackson) adjust to the loss of his wife; and a link to Ruby's
estranged family unexpectedly surfaces. An engrossing, character-driven saga, The Good Karma
Hospital, series 2 is highly recommended to connoisseurs of quality television. Bonus features
include a 30 min. behind-the-scenes featurette. 6 episodes on 2 DVDs or 2 Blu-ray discs, 288
min. plus bonus, SDH subtitles.
Holden Qigong series
Lee Holden
www.holdenqigong.com
YMAA Publications
PO Box 480, Wolfeboro, NH 03894-0480
$29.95 each www.ymaa.com
Qi Gong is a mind-body fitness practice that can benefit people of all ages and backgrounds. Two
excellent DVDs by Qi Gong expert Lee Holden guide the viewer to gentle, regular exercises
ideal for relieving stress and promoting good health. "Qi Gong for Better Breathing" (45 min.)
shows how practicing Qi Gong movements and better breathing habits nurtures one's vital
energies and benefits the mind as well as the body. "Qi Gong for the Arms, Wrists, and Hands"
(45 min.) emphasizes Qi Gong stretches and exercises especially suited for relieving pain and
tightness. Both videos are user-friendly, and make highly recommended supplements to fitness or
Qi Gong instructional collections.
The Metaphysical Studies Shelf
A Survival Guide for Those Who Have Psychic Abilities and Don't Know What to Do With
Them
Lisa Anne Rooney
www.PurpleLotus66.com
Llewellyn Publications
2143 Wooddale Drive, Woodbury, MN 55125
www.llewellyn.com
9780738756516, $16.99, PB, 216pp, www.amazon.com
Lisa Anne Rooney is a medium, life coach, and spiritual counselor who helps both the living and
the dead move forward. She has been teaching psychic development classes for more than ten
years and can be visited at www.PurpleLotus66.com. In "A Survival Guide for Those Who Have
Psychic Abilities and Don't Know What to Do With Them", she draws upon her years of
experience and expertise to deftly craft an empowering book comprised of practical tips and
effective techniques for learning to use our psychic abilities in a way that enhances our life and
helps us balance our mind, body, and spirit. Readers will discover how to tell the difference
between spirits and ghosts. Learn how to work with negative entities and protect ourselves from
psychic harm. Explore how to receive messages and channel the wisdom of our guides. Also
provided is crucial advice on everything from energy clearing to taking spiritual lessons to heart.
Also offering inspiring insights and words of encouragement for those times when we need it
most, "A Survival Guide for Those Who Have Psychic Abilities and Don't Know What to Do
With Them" is an especially and unreservedly recommended addition to personal and community
library Metaphysical Studies collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "A
Survival Guide for Those Who Have Psychic Abilities and Don't Know What to Do With Them"
is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $16.14).
Spirit of the Animals Oracle
Jody Bergsma
http://www.bergsma.com
U.S. Games Systems, Inc.
179 Ludlow Street, Stamford, CT 06902
www.usgamesinc.com
9781572817845, $23.95, Cards, www.amazon.com
"Spirit of the Animals Oracle" is a simply magnificent set of oracle cards by artist and gallery
owner Jody Bergsma that will guide the metaphysical studies student on an inspired and inspiring
journey to self-knowledge and empowerment with 51 different animal helpers. Aiding in the
discovering their powerful medicine, "Spirit of the Animals Oracle" card set includes 51 Animal
Spirit Cards, 1 Personal Choice Card, 116-page illustrated Guidebook, and Power Animals
Spread Sheet. Simply stated, "Spirit of the Animals Oracle" is unreservedly recommended for
personal and professional collections.
The Spirit Animal Oracle: A 68-Card Deck and Guidebook
Colette Baron-Reid
www.colettebaronreid.com
Hay House, Inc.
PO Box 5100, Carlsbad, CA 92018-5100
www.hayhouse.com
9781401952792, $29.99, Cards, www.amazon.com
Colette Baron-Reid is an internationally respected spiritual intuitive, psychic medium, educator,
and oracle expert. She is the founder of Oracle School, and her best-selling books and oracle
cards are published worldwide in 27 languages. Now newly published and available from Hay
House, she draws upon her years of experience and expertise to present"The Spirit Animal
Oracle: A 68-Card Deck and Guidebook", featuring a beautifully illustrated oracle card deck
depicting the Higher Spirits of different animals, insects, fish, and birds. Every animal has a
transcendent archetypal symbolism, a universal meaning holding a message of deep, enduring
truth. With guidance from intuitive master and oracle expert Colette Baron-Reid, even the most
novice student of the metaphysical arts can now awaken and garner their own inner strength.
Very highly recommended for personal and professional collections, "The Spirit Animal Oracle"
card set is both inspired and inspiring.
The Christian Studies Shelf
In His Image
Jen Wilkin
Crossway Books
1300 Crescent Street, Wheaton, IL 60187
www.crossway.org
9781433549878, $12.99, PB, 176pp, www.amazon.com
Jen Wilkin is a speaker, writer, and teacher of women's Bible studies. During her seventeen years
of teaching, she has organized and led studies for women in home, church, and parachurch
contexts. Jen and her family are members of the Village Church in Flower Mound, Texas. She
draws upon her experience and expertise in "In His Image: 10 Ways God Calls Us to Reflect His
Character" to explore ten characteristics of who God is (holy, loving, just, good, merciful,
gracious, faithful, patient, truthful, and wise) in a guidebook dedicated to helping all members of
the Christian community to understand who God intends for us to be. Her principle and biblically
based message is that through Christ, the perfect reflection of the image of God, we will discover
how God's own attributes impact how we live, leading to freedom and purpose as we follow his
will and are conformed to his image. While very highly recommended for church, seminary,
community, and academic library Contemporary Christian Studies collections, it should be noted
for personal reading lists that "In His Image: 10 Ways God Calls Us to Reflect His Character" is
also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $10.46) and as a complete, unabridged audio
book (Christian Audio, 9781545904954, $15.98, CD).
The Pilgrimage of Egeria
Anne McGowan & Paul F. Bradshaw
The Liturgical Press
2950 Saint John's Road, PO Box 7500, Collegeville, MN 56321-7500
www.litpress.org
9780814684214, $29.95, PB, 248pp, www.amazon.com
The collaborative work of Anne McGowan (Assistant Professor of Liturgy at Catholic
Theological Union in Chicago) and Pal F. Bradshaw (Professor Emeritus of Liturgy at the
University of Notre Dame), "The Pilgrimage of Egeria" is a new version of the late
fourth-century diary of journeys in and around the Holy Land known as the Itinerarium Egeriae.
"The Pilgrimage of Egeria" provides a more literal translation of the Latin text than earlier
English renderings, with the aim of revealing more of the female traveler's personality. The
substantial introduction to "The Pilgrimage of Egeria" covers both early pilgrimage as a whole,
especially travel by women, and the many liturgical rites of Jerusalem that Egeria describes. Both
this and the verse-by-verse commentary alongside the translated text draw on the most recent
scholarship, making this essential reading for pilgrims, students, and scholars seeking insight into
life and piety during one of Christianity's most formative periods. While unreservedly
recommended for church, seminary, community, college, and university library Christian History
collections, it should be noted for the personal reading lists of seminary students, academia,
clergy, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "The Pilgrimage of
Egeria" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $23.99).
Catholic Wisdom for a Mother's Heart
Donna-Marie Cooper O'Boyle
Paraclete Press
PO Box 1568, Orleans, MA 02653
www.paracletepress.com
9781612619224, $13.99, PB, 208pp, www.amazon.com
"Catholic Wisdom for a Mother's Heart" by Donna-Marie Cooper O'Boyle (who is a wife,
mother of five, grandmother, blogger, catechist, EWTN TV host, and popular speaker who
thoroughly enjoys her motherhood and considers it to be a sublime vocation) is a creative and
practical guide for a wide range of domestic church situations. Catholic women can live out their
familial vocation with seasoned, simple suggestions for answering Christ's universal call to
holiness. Lovely poems conclude each chapter on a note of warmth that will lift hearts beyond
the kitchen and up the path toward heaven. A theological and religious resource specifically
crafted for Catholic mothers (and grandmothers who often fill the motherly role) who are in the
trenches raising their children through thick and thin amid the bombardment of the culture. They
need and crave the guidance, encouragement, and affirmation that "Catholic Wisdom for a
Mother's Heart" will help to insure, making it unreservedly recommended to the attention of all
members of the Catholic community, but most especially the mothers and grandmothers.
Poverty: Responding Like Jesus
Kenneth R. Himes, OFM & Conor M. Kelly, editors
Paraclete Press
PO Box 1568, Orleans, MA 02653
www.paracletepress.com
9781612616827, $16.99 PB, $9.99 Kindle, 176pp, www.amazon.com
The poor will always be with you, Jesus said -- but that doesn't mean Christians have ever
figured out how to be with the poor. Pope Francis has emphasized a vision of a "Church that is
poor and for the poor". But growing economic inequality continues to spread across the globe.
Collaboratively compiled and edited by Kenneth R. Himes, OFM (who is a Catholic theologian,
currently teaching theology at Boston College) and Conor M. Kelly (who currently teaches
theology at Marquette University) "Poverty: Responding Like Jesus" takes a fresh look at the role
of churches, and individual Christians, in relating to poverty and the poor among them. A strong
focus is placed on the biblical and theological roots of the Church's commitment to care for the
poor. At times praised as a virtue and blessed as a condition, poverty easily confuses
contemporary Christians who are often left doing little to nothing to make a difference with and
for the poor. As a social evil and a burden, poverty has elicited many kinds of reactions among
the followers of Christ. It is time for Christians to figure out what to do about it and reading
"Poverty: Responding Like Jesus" is a very good place to start. While unreservedly
recommended to all members of the Christian community regardless of their denominational
affiliation, it should be noted that the contributors to "Poverty: Responding Like Jesus" include
Pope Francis, Pheme Perkins, Sandra M. Schneider, and Thomas Massaro SJ.
Challenged to Grow
Richard L. Akins
New City Press
202 Cardinal Rd., Hyde Park, NY 12538
www.newcitypress.com
9781565486256, $14.95, PB, 200pp, www.amazon.com
"Challenged to Grow: A Catholic Parent's Journey Through an Evangelical World" by Richard L.
Akins is in response to the growth in openness between Evangelicals and Catholics entering into
conversations. "Challenged to Grow" sums up for readers the stumbling blocks on the road to
mutual understanding, educating Catholics and Evangelicals alike concerning the key points of
view in their respective churches. Akins is dealing with difficult beliefs that lie at the core of his
Catholic faith concerning the sacraments, and human freedom and grace, but discusses them in a
language that makes them accessible. The passion for Christian unity shines out of the pages of
this book and a charity for the people with whom he sometimes shared a pew and other times a
kneeler. Reformed Christians will find permission via "Challenged to Grow" to rediscover the
wider Christian world as a larger family of God. As informative as it is thoughtful and thought-
provoking, "Challenged to Grow" is highly recommended to the attention of all members of the
Christian community, but most especially to Roman Catholics and Evangelical Christians.
Mary, Mother of Apostles
Giuseppe Forlai
Pauline Books & Media
50 St. Paul's Avenue, Boston, MA 02130-3433
www.paulinemedia.com
9780819849748, $12.95, PB, 128pp, www.amazon.com
Father Giuseppe Forlai is a spiritual director at the Pontifical Roman Major Seminary and a
member of the Institute of Jesus the Priest, a Roman Catholic organization founded by Blessed
James Alberione. Father Forlai has also taught Mariology at several institutions, including the
Pontifical Gregorian university. In "Mary, Mother of Apostles: How to Live Marian Devotion to
Proclaim Christ" Father Forali leads his readers deeper in their Marian devotion showing them
how Mary wants to form Jesus in us so that we can give Jesus to the world. Inspired and
inspiring, "Mary, Mother of Apostles" is unreservedly recommended for seminary libraries, and
to the attention of all members of the Roman Catholic community.
The Lost World of the Flood
Tremper Longman III & John H. Walton
IVP Academic
c/o InterVarsity Press
PO Box 1400, Downers Grove, IL 60515-1426
www.ivpress.com
9780830852000, $18.00, PB, 192pp, www.amazon.com
In our modern age the Genesis flood account has been probed and analyzed for answers to
scientific, apologetic, and historical questions. It is a text that has called forth flood geology,
fueled searches for remnants of the ark on Mount Ararat, and inspired a full-size replica of
Noah's ark in a biblical theme park. Some claim that the very veracity of Scripture hinges on a
particular reading of the flood narrative. But do we understand what we are reading? In "The Lost
World of the Flood: Mythology, Theology, and the Deluge Debate", John H. Walton (Professor
of Old Testament at Wheaton College and Graduate School) and Tremper Longman III
(Distinguished Scholar of Biblical Studies at Westmont college) urge us to hit the pause button
and ask, what might the biblical author have been saying to his ancient audience? The answer to
our quest to rediscover the biblical flood requires that we set aside our own cultural and
interpretive assumptions and visit the distant world of the ancient Near East. Responsible
interpretation calls for the patient examination of the text within its ancient context of language,
literature, and thought structures. And as we return from that lost world to our own, we will need
to ask whether geological science supports the notion of flood geology. The story of Noah and
the flood will continue to invite questions and explorations. But to read "The Lost World of the
Flood" is put our feet on firmer interpretive ground. Without attempting to answer all of our
questions, they lift the fog of modernity and allow the sunlight to reveal the true contours of the
text. As with other books in the simply outstanding Lost World series from InterVarsity Press,
"The Lost World of the Flood" is an especially informative, exceptionally well written, organized
and presented, thoughtful and thought provoking journey toward a more responsible reading of a
timeless biblical narrative. While very highly recommended for community, seminary, and
academic library Biblical Studies collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that
"The Lost World of the Flood" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $13.51).
The City of God
Saint Augustine, author
William Babcock, translator
Boniface Ramsey, editor
New City Press
202 Cardinal Rd., Hyde Park, NY 12538
www.newcitypress.com
9781565484818, $39.95, HC, 640pp, www.amazon.com
"The City of God" is undoubtedly one of the most influential works by Saint Augustine.
Following his critique of the Roman religious, political, and intellectual tradition in Books 1-10,
Books 11-22 set out his great vision of the origins, the histories, and the ultimate destinies of the
two cities: the earthly city, rooted in love of self as expressed in the pride and lust for domination
that shatter human society, and the heavenly city, rooted in love of God as expressed in the
humility and yearning for the supreme good that unite humanity in a just social order. For all
those who are interested in the greatest classics of Christian antiquity, "The City of God" is
indispensable reading. Now this impressive translation by William Babcock (and edited by
Boniface Ramsy), enhanced with an informative introduction and useful annotation makes
Augustine's monumental work approachable for seminary students, clergy, academia, and non-
specialist general readers with an interest in the subject. It should be noted that the Index for
Books 1-22 (both volumes of "The City of God") is contained in this volume. While very highly
recommended for church, seminary, community, and academic library collections, it should also
be noted for personal reading lists that "The City of God" is also available in a paperback edition
(9781565486607, $34.95) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $19.99).
Transforming
Austen hartke
Westminster John Knox Press
100 Witherspoon Street, Louisville, KY 40202-1396
www.wjkbooks.com
9780664263102, $16.00, PB, 225pp, www.amazon.com
Austen Hartke is the creator of the YouTube series Transgender and Christian, which seeks to
understand, interpret, and share parts of the Bible that relate to gender identity and the lives of
transgender individuals. He draws upon his years of experience and expertise in "Transforming:
The Bible and the Lives of Transgender Christians" to provides his readers with access into an
underrepresented and misunderstood community and will change the way those readers think
about transgender people, faith, and the future of Christianity. By introducing transgender issues
and language and providing stories of both biblical characters and real-life narratives from
transgender Christians living today, Hartke helps readers visualize a more inclusive Christianity,
equipping them with the confidence and tools to change both the church and the world. Informed
and informative, thoughtful and thought provoking, scripturally sound and an inherently
interesting read from cover to cover, "Transforming" is very highly recommended reading. It
should be noted that "Transforming" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle,
$11.72).
The Buddhist Studies Shelf
Treasures of Buddhism
Frithjof Schuon, author
Harry Oldmeadow, editor
World Wisdom
1501 East Hillside Drive, Bloomington, IN 47401
www.worldwisdom.com
9781936597581, $19.95, PB, 272pp, www.amazon.com
In his classic work on the subject, perennialist author Frithjof Schuon (1907-1998) explores the
vast and varied landscape that is Buddhism. Every reader interested in Buddhism from whatever
angle will here find much that speaks to his or her condition. Schuon presents Buddhism not as
an historical artifact of the past but as a living spiritual force. In describing the essentials of
Buddhism, he frequently makes use of comparisons with other traditions, including Western
religious thought. The rich and diverse world of Buddhist art (from its statuary to the tea
ceremony) is a subject treated with particular importance. A valuable section on Shinto, the
indigenous Japanese tradition of the "way of the gods", concludes the book. This revised and
expanded third edition under the deftly editorship of Harry Oldmeadow, contains more than 75
pages of new material, and features a fully revised translation from the French original as well as
previously unpublished selections from Schuon's letters and other private writings. Also included
is an editor's preface, editor's notes, a glossary of foreign terms and phrases, an index, and
biographical notes. An invaluable and welcome addition to the growing body of Buddhist
literature available for an American readership, "Treasures of Buddhism: A New Translation
with Selected Letters" is unequivocally and unreservedly recommended for personal, community,
college, and university library Buddhist Philosophy collections and supplemental studies reading
lists.
The Mirror of Dharma
Geshe Kelsang Gyatso
Tharpa Publications US
www.tharpa.com
9781910368800, $16.95, PB, 320pp, www.amazon.com
Venerable Geshe Kelsang Gyatso Rinpoche is a fully accomplished meditation master and
internationally renowned teacher of Buddhism who has pioneered the introduction of modern
Buddhism into contemporary society. He is the author of 23 highly acclaimed books that
perfectly transmit the ancient wisdom of Buddhism to our modern world. He has also founded
more than 1,200 Kadampa Buddhist centers and groups throughout the world. In "The Mirror of Dharma: How to find the real meaning of human life" he addresses questions like:
Why do we need to practice Buddha's teachings?; Why do I need to be concerned for my future
lives?; Why do we need permanent liberation from suffering? Buddha's teachings, or Dharma.
are the practical method to find the real meaning of human life. "The Mirror of Dharma" is an
outstanding and invaluable contribution to the growing library of Buddhist literature and very
highly recommended for both community and academic library collections. It should be noted for
the personal reading lists of students and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the
subject that "The Mirror of Dharma" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle,
$9.99).
The Fiction Shelf
Gravesend
William Boyle
Pegasus Books
80 Broad Street, 5th Floor, New York, NY 10004
www.pegasusbooks.com
9781681778495, $25.95, HC, 240pp, www.amazon.com
Some worship him and some want him dead, but either way, tensions run high when "Ray Boy"
Calabrese is released from prison. It's been sixteen years since Ray Boy's actions led to the death
of a young man. The victim's brother, Conway D'Innocenzio, is a 29-year-old Brooklynite
wasting away at a local Rite Aid, stuck in the past and drawn into a darker side of himself when
he hears of Ray Boy's freedom. But even with the perfect plan in place, Conway can't bring
himself to take the ultimate revenge on Ray Boy, which sends him into a spiral of self-loathing
and soul-searching. Meanwhile, Alessandra, a failed actress, returns to her native Gravesend after
the death of her cancer-stricken mother, torn between the desperate need to escape back to Los
Angeles as quickly as possible and the ease with which she could sink back into neighborhood
life. Alessandra and Conway are walking eerily similar paths -- staring down the rest of their
lives, caring for their aging fathers, lost in the youths they squandered -- and each must decide
what comes next. A simply riveting and deftly crafted novel of revenge, desperation, and escape,
"Gravesend" showcases author William Boyle's genuine flair as a novelist for character and
narrative driven storytelling. While very highly recommended, especially for community library
Contemporary General Fiction collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that
"Gravesend" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $22.73).
Hidden Among the Stars
Melanie Dobson
Tyndale House Publishers
351 Executive Drive, Carol Stream, IL 60188
www.tyndale.com
9781496417329, $15.99 pbk / $15.99 Kindle amazon.com
The year is 1938, and as Hitler's troops sweep into Vienna, Austrian Max Dornbach promises to
help his Jewish friends hide their most valuable possessions from the Nazis, smuggling them to
his family's summer estate near the picturesque village of Hallstatt. He enlists the help of Annika
Knopf, his childhood friend and the caretaker's daughter, who is eager to help the man she's
loved her entire life. But when Max also brings Luzia Weiss, a young Jewish woman, to hide at
the castle, it complicates Annika's feelings and puts their entire plan even their very lives in
jeopardy. Especially when the Nazis come to scour the estate and find both Luzia and the treasure
gone. Eighty years later, Callie Randall is mostly content with her quiet life, running a bookstore
with her sister and reaching out into the world through her blog. Then she finds a cryptic list in
an old edition of Bambi that connects her to Annika's story -- and maybe to the long-buried story
of a dear friend. As she digs into the past, Callie must risk venturing outside the safe world she's
built for a chance at answers, adventure, and maybe even new love. "Hidden Among the Stars" is
an emotionally compelling and inherently riveting read from beginning to end, making it
unreservedly recommended for community library Contemporary General Fiction collections. It
should be noted for personal reading lists that "Hidden Among the Stars" is also available in
paperback and in Kindle edition.
Becoming the Talbot Sisters
Rachel Linden
Thomas Nelson Publishers
PO Box 141000, Nashville, TN 37214
www.thomasnelson.com
9780718095765, $15.99, PB, 336pp, www.amazon.com
Celebrity chef Waverly Talbot has built a successful career with her home-entertaining show
Simply Perfect. Yet she and her husband, Andrew, have never been able to realize the true desire
of Waverly's heart: to become a mother. Meanwhile Waverly's twin sister, Charlie, buries her
bitter disappointment and shattered idealism beneath a life spent serving others as an
international aid worker in Budapest, Hungary. When the beloved aunt who raised them passes
away, Waverly and Charlie come together in their grief after living years on separate continents.
Struck by a fierce desire to bridge the distance between them, Charlie offers Waverly and her
husband the selfless gift of surrogacy. But soon the sisters find they are each in danger of losing
their jobs, seemingly putting their dreams on hold once again. When Waverly shows up
unannounced in Budapest with a plan to rescue Simply Perfect, the sisters embark on an
adventure across central Europe that could save them both from occupational hazards. Though
the twins haven't had to rely on each other since childhood, a dramatic turn in their journey
forces them to stand together to save their careers, the baby, and each other. A beautifully crafted
and inherently compelling novel that showcases author Rachel Linden's impressive talent as a
novelist for character and narrative driven storytelling, "Becoming the Talbot Sisters" is an
extraordinary and highly recommended addition to community library Contemporary General
Fiction collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "Becoming the Talbot
Sisters" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $8.99). Librarians should be aware that
there is a large print hardcover edition of "Becoming the Talbot Sisters" (Center Point
Publishing, 9781683248187, $36.95, 488pp).
Promised Land
Martin Fletcher
Thomas Dunne Books
c/o St. Martin's Press
175 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10010
www.stmartins.com
9781250118820, $28.99, HC, 416pp, www.amazon.com
"Promised Land" by Martin Fletcher is the sweeping saga of two brothers and the woman they
love, a devastating love triangle set against the tumultuous founding of Israel. The story begins
when fourteen-year-old Peter is sent west to America to escape the growing horror of Nazi
Germany. But his younger brother Arie and their entire family are sent east to the death camps.
Only Arie survives. The brothers reunite in the nascent Jewish state, where Arie becomes a
businessman and one of the richest men in Israel while Peter becomes a top Mossad agent
heading some of Israel's most vital espionage operations. One brother builds Israel, the other
protects it. But they also fall in love with the same woman, Tamara, a lonely Jewish refugee from
Cairo. And over the next two decades, as their new homeland faces extraordinary obstacles that
could destroy it, the brothers' intrigues and jealousies threaten to tear their new lives apart.
"Promised Land" is at once the gripping tale of a struggling family and an epic about a struggling
nation. A deftly crafted and inherently riveting novel showcasing author Martin Fletcher's erudite
skills as a compelling storyteller, "Promised Land" is unreservedly recommended for community
library Contemporary General Fiction collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists
that "Promised Land" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $14.99) and as a
complete and unabridged audio book (Macmillan Audio, 9781250299079, $57.99, CD).
One Step Enough
Carla Kelly
Bonneville Books
http://www.bonnevillebooks.com
9781462121564, $10.99, PB, 400pp, www.amazon.com
Now that she's married, Della believes she and Owen will live happily ever after, but he can't
keep his promise to stay out of the mines. Meanwhile, Della's wishing for a baby, but her arms
remain empty. Together they must face the secrets of her past as they struggle to build their
future. Very highly recommended for personal reading lists and community library Contemporary
Romance Fiction collections, "One Step Enough" is a simply riveting historical romance from
beginning to end -- and clearly showcases author Carla Kelly's distinctive and genuine flair for
character and narrative driven storytelling.
Narrator
Bragi Olafsson, author
Lytton Smith, translator
Open Letter Books
c/o University of Rochester
Lattimore Hall 411, Box 270082, Rochester, NY 14627
www.openletterbooks.org
9781940953823, $14.95, PB, 120pp, www.amazon.com
A deftly crafted work of fiction by Bragi Olafsson that is ably translated into English for an
American readership by Lytton Smith, "Narrator" is the story of a thirty-something aspiring
writer, G., who encounters a former romantic rival at the post office -- a man he once wished
didn't exist. On a whim, G. begins trailing the man throughout Reykjavik. What starts as an
amusing tale of cat and mouse turns into a complex, introspective journey of a man struggling to
complete the unfinished narrative of his own life. An erudite and compelling read from first page
to last, "Narrator" is an especially and unreservedly recommended addition to personal reading
lists, as well as community and academic library Contemporary Literary Fiction collections.
The Mystery/Suspense Shelf
Her Kind of Case
Jeanne Winer
Bancroft Press
PO Box 65360, Baltimore, MD 21209
www.bancroftpress.com
9781610882286, $25.00, HC, 320pp, www.amazon.com
"Her Kind of Case" is a legal drama by novelist Jeanne Winter (who is herself a longtime defense
attorney in Boulder, Colorado, as well as a black-belt karate expert) that centers on Lee Isaacs, a
female defense attorney on the cusp of turning 60, who, out of curiosity, determination, and
desire for a big, even impossible, professional challenge, chooses to take on a tough murder case
in which a largely uncooperative young man is accused of helping kill a gay gang member. "Her
Kind of Case" is a deftly resolving mystery showcasing fully fleshed-out characters -- and in
particularly the strong-willed and sharp-witted Lee, an older single woman who grieves the
recent loss of her husband, but continues her daily routine of law and karate, fighting tooth and
nail to prove her client not guilty. A simply riveting read from beginning to end, and laced with a
very special flair for unexpected humor, "Her Kind of Case" will prove to be an immediate and
enduringly popular addition to community library collections.
The Rose Quilt
Mark Pasquini
C&T Publishing
www.ctpub.com
9781617456350, $14.95, PB, 260pp, www.amazon.com
"The Rose Quilt" by Mark Pasquini is set in the 1920s in the world of quilting circles. A wealthy
woman and prominent local quilter is murdered with a pair of quilting shears during the
preparation for a flower show, leaving a dying clue on the lap quilt she and the executive
committee are making as the first prize. Unfortunately, the clue could point to anyone on the
committee or any of her three adopted children. All the more impressive when considering that
"The Rose Quilt" is author Mark Pasquini's debut as a mystery novelist, this simply riveting read
will prove to be an immediate and enduringly popular addition to community library collections
and leave dedicated mystery buffs looking forward to the next one in his Steve Walsh Mystery
series! It should be noted for personal reading lists that "The Rose Quilt" is also available in a
digital book format (Kindle, $9.59).
Path of the Dead
Mark Edward Langley
Blackstone Publishing
31 Mistletoe Road, Ashland, OR 97520
www.BlackstoneAudio.com
9781538507599, $24.99, HC, 216pp, www.amazon.com
Ex-marine Arthur Nakai spent years as a member of the Shadow Wolves, an ICE tactical unit
tasked by the US government to hunt human traffickers and drug smugglers on the US/Mexico
border. He put that life of confronting violence in the darker contours of the desert landscape
behind him and settled into a quiet existence in New Mexico with his wife, Sharon, a local TV
reporter. But when Sharon goes missing after crossing paths with a serial killer who has just
added to his list of young victims, Arthur's calm world is shattered. He must return to the
darkness of the life he left behind in order to save what matters most to him, and the future he
and his wife plan to share together. He can only hope that she is still alive, and that his skills will
be enough to find her. All the more impressive when considering that "Path of the Dead" is the
debut of Mark Edward Langley as a novelist, this inherently riveting read showcases his genuine
flair for character and narrative driven storytelling. While especially and unreservedly
recommended for community library Mystery/Suspense collections, it should be noted for the
personal reading lists of dedicated mystery buffs that "Path of the Dead" is also available in a
digital book format (Kindle, $6.15) and as a complete and unabridged audio book (Blackstone
Audio, 9781538478004, $29.95, CD).
Burning Ridge
Margaret Mizushima
Crooked Lane Books
2 Park Avenue, 10th floor, New York, NY 10016
www.crookedlanebooks.com
9781683317784, $26.99, HC, 281pp, www.amazon.com
Colorado's Redstone Ridge is a place of extraordinary beauty, but this rugged mountain
wilderness harbors a horrifying secret. When a charred body is discovered in a shallow grave on
the ridge, officer Mattie Cobb and her K-9 partner Robo are called in to spearhead the
investigation. But this is no ordinary crime -- and it soon becomes clear that Mattie has a close
personal connection to the dead man. Joined by local veterinarian Cole Walker, the pair scours
the mountaintop for evidence and makes another gruesome discovery: the skeletonized remains
of two adults and a child. And then, the unthinkable happens. Could Mattie become the next
victim in the murderer's deadly game? A deranged killer torments Mattie with a litany of dark
secrets that call into question her very identity. As a towering blaze races across the ridge, Cole
and Robo search desperately for her -- but time is running out! Another original, deftly crafted
and imply riveting mystery by Margaret Mizushima, "Burning Ridge" is unreservedly
recommended, especially for community library Mystery/Suspense collections. It should be noted
for the personal reading lists of Timber Creek K-9 Mystery fans that "Burning Ridge" is also
available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99), and as a complete and unabridged audio book
(Blackstone Audio, 9781982539955, $29.95, MP3 CD).
The Guilty Dead
P. J. Tracy
Crooked Lane Books
2 Park Avenue, 10th floor, New York, NY 10016
www.crookedlanebooks.com
9781683318583, $26.99, HC, 336pp, www.amazon.com
Gregory Norwood is Minnesota's most beloved philanthropist, and the story of his son's
overdose was splashed across the front page of all the papers. When a photojournalist sets out to
get a candid shot of the highly successful businessman on the one year anniversary of his son's
death, he's shocked to find Norwood dead with a smoking gun in his hand. The city is
devastated, and Minneapolis detectives Leo Magozzi and Gino Rolseth are called in to handle the
delicate case. It should be open and shut, but something is not right. Norwood's death is no
suicide. With no suspects and an increasing tangle of digital evidence that confounds the
Minneapolis Police Department's most seasoned cops, Magozzi calls on Grace MacBride,
Monkeewrench Software's founder and chief computer genius and the soon to be mother of their
child together. She and her motley crew of partners begin to unravel connections between
Norwood's death and an even larger plot. Norwood wasn't the first, won't be the last, and by the
end, may be just one of many to die. Another carefully crafted and simply riveting mystery by a
master of the genre, P. J. Tracey (the pseudonym of the mother/daughter writing team of P. J. and
Traci Lambrecht), "The Guilty Dead" 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 dedicated mystery buffs and P. J. Tracey fans that "The Guilty Dead" is also
available in a digital book format (Kindle, $10.69) and as a complete and unabridged audio book
(Blackstone Audio, 9781982540036, $29.95, MP3 CD).
Pieces of Her
Karin Slaughter
William Morrow & Company
c/o HarperCollins Publishers
195 Broadway New York, New York 10007
www.harpercollins.com
9780062430274, $27.99, HC, 480pp, www.amazon.com
Andrea knows everything about her mother, Laura. She knows she's spent her whole life in the
small beachside town of Belle Isle; she knows she's never wanted anything more than to live a
quiet life as a pillar of the community; she knows she's never kept a secret in her life. Because
we all know our mothers, don't we? But all that changes when a trip to the mall explodes into
violence and Andrea suddenly sees a completely different side to Laura. Because it turns out that
before Laura was Laura, she was someone completely different. For nearly thirty years she's been
hiding from her previous identity, lying low in the hope that no one would ever find her. But now
she's been exposed, and nothing will ever be the same again. The police want answers and
Laura's innocence is on the line, but she won't speak to anyone, including her own daughter.
Andrea is on a desperate journey following the breadcrumb trail of her mother's past. And if she
can't uncover the secrets hidden there, there may be no future for either one of them. "Pieces of
Her" is another deftly crafted and inherently riveting novels by Karin Slaughter who is a
definitive master of character and narrative driven storytelling. While highly recommended for
community library collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Pieces of Her" is
also available in a large print paperback edition (HarperLuxe, 9780062845764, $27.99, 736pp)
and in a digital book format (Kindle, $13.99).
The Last Breath
Danny Lopez
Oceanview Publishing
1620 Main Street, Suite 11, Sarasota, FL 34236
www.oceanviewpub.com
9781608092970, $26.95, HC, 288pp, www.amazon.com
Unemployed newspaper reporter Dexter Vega is hired to investigate the drowning of Liam
Fleming, the son of a wealthy real estate investor in Siesta Key. Vega's search for clues takes
him from one end of this picturesque barrier island off the coast of Sarasota to the other. But
nothing adds up. Liam was young, an experienced swimmer, apparently healthy and drowned
in four feet of water. And why was Liam living in a beach shack? Why was he buying properties
and not selling them? The police are getting nowhere as they identify every beach bum on Siesta
Key as a suspect. But Vega narrows his investigation to two one who disappears, and the other
he's falling in love with. Beach bums and hippies go missing, while greed, beachfront property,
and drugs swirl in vicious loops -- and when they converge, Vega puts his life on the line to find
the truth! Another deftly crafted Dexter Vega mystery penned by a true master of the genre, "The
Last Breath" by Danny Lopez is an inherently riveting read with unexpected twists and
unanticipated turns. While unreservedly recommended for community library Mystery/Suspense
collections, it should be noted for the personal reading lists of dedicated mystery buffs that "The
Last Breath" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $14.95).
City of Ink
Elsa Hart
Minotaur Books
c/o St. Martin's Publishing Group
175 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10010
www.minotaurbooks.com
9781250142795, $25.99, HC, 352pp, www.amazon.com
Li Du was prepared to travel anywhere in the world except for one place: home. But to unravel
the mystery that surrounds his mentor's execution, that's exactly where he must go. Plunged into
the painful memories and teeming streets of Beijing, Li Du obtains a humble clerkship that offers
anonymity and access to the records he needs. He is beginning to make progress when his search
for answers buried in the past is interrupted by murder in the present. The wife of a local factory
owner is found dead, along with a man who appears to have been her lover, and the most likely
suspect is the husband. But what Li Du's superiors at the North Borough Office are willing to
accept as a crime of passion strikes Li Du as something more calculated. As past and present
intertwine, Li Du's investigations reveal that many of Beijing's residents (foreign and Chinese,
artisan and official, scholar and soldier) have secrets they would kill to protect. When the threats
begin, Li Du must decide how much he is willing to sacrifice to discover the truth in a city bent
on concealing it, a city where the stroke of a brush on paper can alter the past, change the future,
prolong a life, or end one. A unique and compelling read that will have immense and immediate
appeal for all dedicated mystery buffs, "City of Ink" showcases author Elsa hart's total mastery of
the genre and highlights her originality and storytelling skills. While very highly recommended,
especially for community library Mystery/Suspense collections, it should be noted for personal
reading lists that "City of Ink" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $13.99) and as a
complete and unabridged audio book (Macmillan Audio, 9781427296238, $50.99, CD).
Marrakech Noir
Yassin Adnan, editor
Akashic Books
232 Third Street, #A115, Brooklyn, NY 11215
www.akashicbooks.com
9781617754739, $15.95, PB, 256pp, www.amazon.com
Compiled and edited by Yassin Adnan, "Marrakech Noir" is the newest addition to the simply
original and outstanding Akashic Books series of regionally or geographically based 'Noir'
anthologies that was originally launched in 2004 with "Brooklyn Noir". Each title in this unique
mystery/suspense series comprises all new stories, each one set in a distinct neighborhood or
location within the respective city and with "Marrakech Noir", North Africa finally enters this
Noir Series with a finely crafted volume of dark stories, all translated from Arabic, French, and
Dutch. Comprised of brand-new stories by such writers as Fouad Laroui, Allal Bourqia,
Abdelkader Benali, Mohamed Zouhair, Mohamed Achaari, Hanane Derkaoui, Fatiha Morchid,
Mahi Binebine, Mohamed Nedali, Halima Zine El Abidine, My Seddik Rabbaj, Yassin Adnan,
Karima Nadir, Taha Adnan, and Lahcen Bakour, "Marrakech Noir" is unreservedly
recommended for community library Mystery/Suspense collections. It should be noted for the
personal reading lists of dedicated mystery buffs that "Marrakech Noir" is also available in a
digital book format (Kindle, $15.15).
Dead Drop
P. K. Norton
Stillwater River Publications
http://stillwaterpress.com
9781946300485, $13.00, PB, 220pp, www.amazon.com
In Amy Lynch's world the past never really leave us. What starts out to be a well-deserved
vacation for Amy as a volunteer at an archaeological dig on the outskirts of Paris turns ugly when
the head archaeologist is found dead at the dig-site. A recently uncovered relic from World War
II threatens to expose treachery and betrayal from the time of the German Occupation. It
endangers the life of anybody bold enough to delve into its significance. New England Casualty
and Indemnity, the insurance company where Amy works as a claims investigator, is insuring the
dig. Amy's world turns upside-down as she reverts from vacation mode to conduct a full-blown
investigation. She meets with obstacles, resistance and threats to her own safety (as well as an
adorable French detective) in her quest to unmask a traitor. Another riveting read from a true
master of the genre, "Dead Drop" showcases P. K. Norton's genuine flair for narrative driven
storytelling with more twists and turns than a carnival roller coaster. While unreservedly
recommended for community library Mystery/Suspense collections, it should be noted for the
personal reading lists of dedicated mystery buffs that "Dead Drop" is also available in a digital
book format (Kindle, $5.95).
Blood Highway
Gina Wohlsdorf
Algonquin Books
PO Box 2225, Chapel Hill, NC 27515-2225
www.algonquin.com
9781616205638, $16.95, PB, 320pp, www.amazon.com
Rainy Cain is a tough, smart seventeen-year-old whose primary instinct is survival. That instinct
is tested when her life is upended by the sudden appearance of her father, Sam, who she thought
was long dead, but instead had been in prison for his part in an armored truck robbery gone
murderously wrong. Now escaped and on the run, he kidnaps Rainy, who he is convinced knows
where the money from the robbery, never recovered, is hidden. Accompanied by a henchman
with secret motives of his own, they set off on a cross-country dash to Big Sur, where Sam
suspects his late wife stashed the cash. On their heels is a Minneapolis cop intent on bringing
Rainy safely home. "Blood Highway" is an odyssey that will push Rainy to the limits of
endurance. What does Rainy really know -- and what is she willing to sacrifice in order to live?
A deftly crafted and simply riveting read from beginning to an unpredictable end, "Blood
Highway" is very highly recommended, especially for community library collections. It should be
noted for personal reading lists that "Blood Highway" is also available in a digital book format
(Kindle, $9.99) and as a complete and unabridged audio book (Highbridge Audio,
9781684416509, $34.99, CD).
K Street Killing
Colleen J. Shogan
Camel Press
PO Box 70515, Seattle, WA 98127
www.camelpress.com
9781603816137, $15.95, PB, 242pp, www.amazon.com
It's the height of campaign season, and instead of relishing newlywed bliss with her husband
Doug Hollingsworth, Capitol Hill staffer Kit Marshall is busy with a tough reelection fight for
her boss, member of Congress Maeve Dixon. Before Maeve and her staff (Kit included) leave
Washington, D.C. to campaign full time in North Carolina, they have one last fundraising
engagement. On the iconic rooftop of a restaurant overlooking the Capitol and the Washington
monument, Kit and her best pal Meg do their best to woo wealthy lobbyists for sizable campaign
donations. Everyone's enjoying the evening soiree until a powerful K Street tycoon mysteriously
tumbles off the rooftop. Even with claims the fall must be suicide, Detective Maggie Glass and
Kit aren't so easily convinced foul play isn't at work. While balancing Doug's mid-life career
crisis, Kit must spring into action to discover who killed the notorious Van Parker before Dixon's
candidacy sputters, even if it means investigating Meg's handsome new beau, the victim's
conniving widow, and a bicycle advocate hell-bent on settling a long-standing grudge. When
threatening note is left on Kit's car, warning her to back off the investigation, she knows she's
closing in on the true story of what happened. The fourth volume in author Colleen J. Shogan's
simply outstanding 'Washington Whodunit' series, "K Street Killing" is a consistently
entertaining read with many an unexpected twist and turn by a true master of the genre, While "K
Street Killing" is very highly recommended for community library Mystery/Suspense collections,
it should be noted for the personal reading lists of dedicated mystery buffs that "K Street Killing"
is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $4.95).
The Fantasy/SciFi Shelf
Sage Alexander and the Blood of Seth
Steve Copling
Brown Books Publishing Group
16250 Knoll Trail Drive, Suite 205, Dallas, TX 75248-2871
www.brownbooks.com
9781612549903, $18.99, HC, 504pp, www.amazon.com
For Sage Alexander, life was forever changed when he realized that the Angelic embodiments he
could always see, the magnificent heavenly powers that he possessed, and the destiny he had
always been told he had to fulfill were all real and true, and that his promised powers were
necessary to defeat the Seven Princes of Hell. After saving his father from the clutches of Greed
incarnate and destroying Prince Mammon, Sage has come to realize his place within the Angelic
Council and the world as a protector to humanity, though the prospect is daunting. Sage has only
just reunited his family back on earth, however, when Belphegor, the Prince of Sloth, takes
Sage's little brother Nick out of revenge for the fall of Mammon. Sage must now venture forth
yet again into that dark wasteland mortals call Hell, and retrieve what is his. Will he continue on
his path to destroy the seven embodiments of sin, or will he be thwarted by Sloth, and leave
humanity to evil's devices? Steve Copling's novel, "Sage Alexander and the Blood of Seth" is a
deftly written fantasy saga that will become an immediate and enduringly popular addition to
community library Science Fiction & Fantasy collections. It should be noted for the personal
reading lists of dedicated fantasy fans that "Sage Alexander and the Blood of Seth" is also
available in a digital book format (Kindle, $4.99).
The Political Science Shelf
Out of the Wreckage
George Monbiot
Verso
20 Jay Street, 10th Floor, Brooklyn, NY 11201-8346
www.versobooks.com
9781786632883, $24.95, HC, 224pp, www.amazon.com
As exemplified by the political administration of Donald J. Trump, a dangerous ideology of
extreme competition and individualism has come to dominate our world. But in "Out of the
Wreckage: A New Politics for an Age of Crisis", George Monbiot (who writes a weekly column
for the Guardian) maintains that this misrepresents human nature, destroying hope and common
purpose. Only a positive vision can replace it, a new story that re-engages people in politics and
lights a path to a better future. "Out of the Wreckage" shows how new findings in psychology,
neuroscience and evolutionary biology cast human nature in a radically different light: as the
supreme altruists and cooperators. Monbiot shows how we can build on these findings to create a
new politics: a "politics of belonging". Both democracy and economic life can be radically
reorganized from the bottom up, enabling us to take back control and overthrow the forces that
have thwarted our ambitions for a better society. Urgent and passionate, "Out of the Wreckage"
provides the hope and clarity required to change the world and is especially commended to the
attention of anyone who finds the current political climate abjectly depressing. While very highly
recommended for both community and academic library Contemporary Political Science
collections, it should be noted for the personal reading lists of political science students,
academia, political activists, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that
"Out of the Wreckage" is also available in a paperback edition (9781786632890, $16.95) and in a
digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
The Biography Shelf
Someone Has Led This Child to Believe
Regina Louise
Bolden
c/o Agate Publishing
1328 Greenleaf Street, Evanston, IL 60202
www.agatepublishing.com
9781572842229, $16.00, PB, 248pp, www.amazon.com
After years of jumping from one fleeting, often abusive home to the next, Louise meets a
counselor named Jeanne Kerr. For the first time in her young life, Louise knows what it means to
be seen, wanted, understood, and loved. After Kerr tries unsuccessfully to adopt Louise, the two
are ripped apart - seemingly forever - and Louise continues her passage through the cold
cinder-block landscape of a broken system, enduring solitary confinement, overmedication, and
the actions of adults who seem hell-bent on convincing her that she deserves nothing, that she is
nothing. But instead of losing her will to thrive, Louise remains determined to achieve her dream
of a higher education. After she ages out of the system, Louise is thrown into adulthood and,
haunted by her trauma, struggles to finish school, build a career, and develop relationships. As
she puts it, it felt impossible "to understand how to be in the world". Eventually, Louise learns
how to confront her past and reflect on her traumas. She starts writing, quite literally, a new
future for herself, a new way to be. Louise weaves together raw, sometimes fragmented
memories, excerpts from real documents from her case file, and elegant reflections to tell the
story of her painful upbringing and what came after. The result is a rich, engrossing account of
one abandoned girl's efforts to find her place in the world, people to love, and people to love her
back. "Someone Has Led This Child to Believe" is an unflinching, unforgettable memoir by
Regina Louise in which she tells the true story of how she overcame neglect in the US foster-care
system. Drawing on her experience as one of society's abandoned children, she tells how she
emerged from the cruel, unjust system, not only to survive, but to flourish. While very strongly
recommended for both community and academic library Contemporary American Biography
collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Someone Has Led This Child to
Believe" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
A Chance in the World
Steve Pemberton
Nelson Books
c/o Thomas Nelson Publishers
PO Box 141000, Nashville, TN 37214
www.thomasnelson.com
9781595552631, $24.99, HC, 272pp, www.amazon.com
Taken from his mother at age three, Steve Klakowicz lives a terrifying existence. Caught in the
clutches of a cruel foster family and subjected to constant abuse, Steve finds his only refuge in a
box of books given to him by a kind stranger. In these books, he discovers new worlds he can
only imagine and begins to hope that one day he might have a different life -- that one day he will
find his true home. A fair-complexioned boy with blue eyes, a curly Afro, and a Polish last name,
he is determined to unravel the mystery of his origins and find his birth family. Armed with just a
single clue, Steve embarks on an extraordinary quest for his identity, only to learn that nothing is
as it appears. "A Chance in the World" by Steve Pemberton is the unbelievably true story of a
wounded and broken boy destined to become a man of resilience, determination, and vision.
Through it all, Steve's story teaches us that no matter how broken our past, no matter how great
our misfortunes, we have it in us to create a new beginning and to build a place where love
awaits. Exceptionally well written and now the basis for a major motion picture, "A Chance in
the World" is an extraordinary and ultimately inspiring story that is unreservedly recommended
for community and academic library Contemporary American Biography collections. It should be
noted for personal reading lists that "A Chance in the World" is also available in a paperback
edition (9781404183551, $16.99) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $5.99).
The Woodworking Shelf
The Reclaimed Woodworker
Chris Gleason
Spring House Press
http://springhousepress.com
9781940611549, $24.95, PB, 168pp, www.amazon.com
"The Reclaimed Woodworker" by woodworking expert Chris Gleason provides inspiration and
easy-to-follow, step-by-step instruction for beginning and intermediate woodworkers who want
to make well-built, stylish furniture and furnishings from reclaimed lumber. Featuring 21
projects ranging from the ever-popular sliding barn door to modern desks to chairs with vintage
charm, each project is designed to use upcycled materials without sacrificing style. They are
modern and fresh, but based on tried and true craftsmanship and technique. Through the use of
beautiful photographs, inspired designs, and accessible building instructions, "The Reclaimed
Woodworker" is a comprehensive guidebook to sourcing recycled lumber and using it to build
your own furniture and furnishings. Because there is more to finding and using recycled lumber
than tearing apart old pallets, aspiring woodworkers will learn how to source environmentally
conscious wood in unexpected places. Once known how to find them, these materials often
provide a cost savings over traditionally-sourced lumber. "The Reclaimed Woodworker" is more
than just another how-to book, it is also a celebration of the creativity in reclaiming lumber and
discovering the possibilities for using it in your home. Thoroughly 'user friendly' in tone,
commentary, illustrated instruction, organization and presentation, "The Reclaimed
Woodworker" is unreservedly recommended for personal, professional, community, and
technical college woodworking instructional reference collections.
The Crafts Shelf
Lettering Workshop for Crafters
Suzanne McNeill, editor
Design Originals
c/o Fox Chapel Publishing Company
1970 Broad Street N., East Petersburg, PA 17520
www.FoxChapelPublishing.com
9781497204058, $17.99, PB, 160pp, www.amazon.com
Compiled with constructive instruction by Suzanne McNeil (who is the author of more than 230
crafts and hobby books), "Lettering Workshop for Crafters" provides a valuable resource for
anyone who wants to embellish crafts with beautiful letters, decorative word art, borders, and
corners! This big lettering workbook covers a wide range of decorative lettering styles, from
whimsical and modern to romantic and vintage. With 55 traceable alphabets, expert lettering tips,
and interactive practice exercises, you will learn to create your own unique lettering for
everything from art journals and scrapbooks to greeting cards, gift tags, invitations, and more.
"Lettering Workshop for Crafters" shows how to add color, interest, and pizzaz to your any
calligraphy project, whether writing a thank you note, designing a scrapbook page, finishing a
school project, making a poster, or embellishing any new artwork! Thoroughly 'user friendly' in
organization and presentation, "Lettering Workshop for Crafters" is unreservedly recommended
for anyone of any age with an interest in acquiring the skill of attractive, artistic, and coherent
lettering for any and all occasions!
Wire-Wrapped Jewelry Techniques
Lora S. Irish
Fox Chapel Publishing Company
1970 Broad Street N., East Petersburg, PA 17520
www.FoxChapelPublishing.com
9781565239555, $18.99, PB, 176pp, www.amazon.com
Lora S. Irish is an internationally known artist and author, whose acclaimed books include Great
Book of Carving Patterns, Great Book of Celtic Patterns, Great Book of Dragon Patterns, Great
Book of Tattoo Designs, The Official Vampire Artist's Handbook, Relief Carving Wood Spirits,
World Wildlife Patterns for the Scroll Saw, and many more. With "Wire-Wrapped Jewelry
Techniques: Tools and Inspiration for Creating Your Own Fashionable Jewelry" she draws upon
her years of experience and expertise to teach amateur jewelry makers using wire-wrapped
techniques how to: Add texture using tightly packed wire wrapped coils; Add a grunge look
using random, loosely packed twists and turns; Add bead clusters anywhere on a bent wire link;
Secure free-floating arms and anchor open hoops; Experiment with added coils and beaded
wires; Create intricate woven patterns with wire; Create connecting loops to add side chains and
earring hooks -- and a lot more! "Wire-Wrapped Jewelry Techniques" teaches 30 expert wire
wrapping methods for jewelry wire, such as forming bent-wire links, working a wrapping pattern,
wrapping sequential layers, embellishing decorative loops, adding coil elements, and much more.
This comprehensive and thoroughly 'user friendly' instructional guide to wire wrap jewelry
includes 8 step-by-step projects for stunning necklaces, pendants, hairpins, and earrings, making
it an ideal and highly recommended addition to personal and community library do-it-yourself
Jewelry Making instructional crafts collections.
Paper Crafts: A Maker's Guide
Victoria & Albert Museum
Thames & Hudson, Inc.
500 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10110-0017
www.thamesandhudsonusa.com
9780500294185, $29.95, PB, 176pp, www.amazon.com
Paper crafts are as old as paper itself, with a profusion of different traditions originating around
the world. The latest volume in the Victoria & Albert Museum series 'Maker's Guides', "Paper
Crafts" introduces a range of these fascinating traditions, offering paper projects inspired by a
variety of diverse techniques, which are exemplified by objects from the Victoria & Albert
Museum collection ranging from the classic Japanese art of origami to the gorgeously colorful
and festive Polish "Wycinanki" folk decorations. "Paper Crafts" also features a practical guide to
tools, techniques, and materials for the modern paper crafter. Step-by-step projects contributed by
experienced teachers and practitioners allow aspiring and established paper artists to hone their
craft. With projects ranging from braided paper-string jewelry to a concertina papercut
peepshow, from a silhouette family portrait to a handmade paper notebook, "Paper Crafts" will
introduce do-it-yourself crafting enthusiasts to the immensely exciting, creative, and entertaining
possibilities of paper! Enhanced with more than 220 photographs and illustrations, "Paper Crafts"
is thoroughly 'user friendly' in organization and presentation providing endless hours of
recreational fun
Beautiful Beaded Jewelry for Beginners
Cheryl Owen
IMM Lifestyle Books
c/o Fox Chapel Publishing Company
1970 Broad Street N., East Petersburg, PA 17520
www.FoxChapelPublishing.com
9781504801072, $14.99, PB, 136pp, www.amazon.com
An ideal do-it-yourself instructional guide for novice jewelry makers, the contemporary
collection of 25 designs comprising "Beautiful Beaded Jewelry for Beginners" by beaded jewelry
expert Cheryl Owen clear shows how to, step-by-step, make stunning beaded jewelry with readily
available beads and stones. An experienced craft designer, Cheryl shows just how easy it is to
make fabulous necklaces, chokers, bracelets, cuffs, brooches, earrings, and rings that will
compliment any ensemble. A techniques section at the start of this instructional guide works
through all the basic methods anyone needs to learn before embarking on the projects. Perfect for
beginners, each project is shown in full step-by-step detail, showing exactly what to do. The
designs are simple and sophisticated, and suitable for both daytime and evening wear. Beautifully
modeled pieces provide extra inspiration to complete these individual treasures. Thoroughly 'user
friendly' in tone, commentary, organization and presentation, "Beautiful Beaded Jewelry for
Beginners" is thoroughly and unreservedly recommended for personal and community library
Crafts & Hobbies collections.
Complete Guide to Soap Carving
Janet Bolyard
Fox Chapel Publishing Company
1970 Broad Street N., East Petersburg, PA 17520
www.FoxChapelPublishing.com
9781565239210, $16.99, PB, 160pp, www.amazon.com
Janet Bolyard is a full time wood carver/sculptor. She owns and operates Janet Lee Carvings,
LLC, and is a sales/instructor at WoodCraft in Chandler, Arizona. In "Complete Guide to Soap
Carving: Tools, Techniques, and Tips (Fox Chapel Publishing) 26 Step-by-Step Projects &
Comprehensive Guide, from Basic Methods for Beginners to Advanced Techniques for Artists"
she draws upon her years of experience and expertise to provide everything anyone needs to
know about carving soap, from basic carving methods for beginners to sophisticated techniques
for accomplished artists. A beautifully and profusely illustrated, comprehensive, step-by-step,
DIY guide, "Complete Guide to Soap Carving" also shows how to choose the best carving soap,
and how to test soap for carving quality. Comprised of twenty-six individual projects that range
from quick carvings to complex, elaborate soap sculptures, "Complete Guide to Soap Carving" is
a fun, safe, and easy-to-learn craft for adults and children of all ages -- making it very highly
recommended for both family and community library Crafts & Hobbies instructional reference
collections.
The Beer Shelf
The Craft Beer Dictionary
Richard Croasdale
Michael Beazley
c/o Octopus Books
236 Park Avenue, New York NY 10017
www.octopusbooksusa.com
9781784723880, $20.00, HC, 256pp, www.amazon.com
Richard Croasdale is an award-winning journalist, editor-in-chief of Ferment craft beer
magazine, and an all-round lover of anything cold and hoppy. A member of the Guild of Beer
Writers, Richard has traveled the world in search of the best beers and brewers, experiencing the
diversity of approaches and cultures that make craft beer so exciting. With "The Craft Beer
Dictionary: An A-Z of Craft Beer, From Hop to Glass" he draws upon his many years of
experience and expertise to showcase the craft beer revolution with an informatively in-depth
guide to the many complex terms and techniques, equipment and varieties that go into creating
the perfect beer. Hundreds of entries cover every aspect of the craft beer world, from ingredients,
brewing and storing to tasting notes for the many different styles of beer available today.
Profusely illustrated throughout, "The Craft Beer Dictionary" will prove to be an immediate and
enduringly popular addition to personal, professional, and community library collections. It
should be noted for dedicated amateur brewers that "The Craft Beer Dictionary" is also available
in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
The Education Shelf
On the Road to High-Quality Early Learning
Marjorie E. Wechsler, et. al.
Teachers College Press
www.tcpress.com
9780807759387 $29.95 pbk / $28.45 Kindle amazon.com
On the Road to High-Quality Early Learning: Changing Children's Lives is designed to help
policymakers and educators design, implement, and improve their programs for teaching young
children. A close study of how four states (Michigan, West Virginia, Washington, and North
Carolina) have created early education systems with a positive effect reveals how quality
preschool education can be effectively delivered through proven strategies. These strategies
include investing in knowledgeable educators; coordinating and aligning early education
programs with elementary school; building broad-based support; and much more. An index
rounds out this exemplary "must-read" for professionals in the field, highly recommended
especially for public and college library collections.
Focus, second edition
Mike Schmoker
ASCD
1703 North Beauregard Street, Alexandria, VA 22311-1714
www.ascd.org
9781416626343, $31.95, PB, 308pp, www.amazon.com
Now in a fully updated and expanded second edition, "Focus: Elevating the Essentials to
Radically Improve Student Learning", by former teacher, administrator, and coach Mike
Schmoker extends and updates the case that our schools could be on the cusp of swift,
unparalleled improvements. But we are stymied by a systemwide failure to simplify and
prioritize; we have yet to focus our limited time and energy on the most essential, widely
acknowledged, evidence-based practices that could have more impact than all other initiatives
combined. They are: simple, coherent curricula; straightforward, traditional literacy practices;
and lessons built around just a few hugely effective elements of good teaching. As Schmoker
demonstrates, the case for these practices and the need for them has grown prodigiously. A
compendium of late-breaking discoveries and practical advice on how to simplify the
implementation of new state standards in the subject areas; on the hidden pitfalls of our most
popular, but unproven instructional fads and programs; and on simple, versatile strategies for
building curriculum, planning lessons, and integrating literacy into every discipline, "Focus"
supports all of these identified strategies and findings with exciting new 'real world' evidence
drawn from actual schools. Exceptionally well organized and presented, "Focus" is unreservedly
recommended for school district, college, and university library Education Issues and Teacher
Education collections. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of classroom educators,
administrators, academia, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that
"Focus" is also available in a digital book format (eTextbook, $17.04).
What Works May Hurt
Yong Zhao
Teachers College Press
1234 Amsterdam Avenue, New York, NY 10027
www.tcpress.com
9780807759059, $29.95, PB, 176pp, www.amazon.com
Yong Zhao is a Foundation Distinguished Professor in the School of Education at the University
of Kansas and a professorial fellow at the Mitchell Institute for Health and Education Policy at
Victoria University in Australia. He is a recipient of the Early Career Award from the American
Educational Research Association and is an elected fellow of the International Academy for
Education. In "What Works May Hurt: Side Effects in Education" Professor Zhao draws upon his
years of research, experience and expertise in the area of educational reforms to: Provide
evidence showing how popularly endorsed education strategies, policies, and systems can
actually do harm to students; Encourage educators to consider some less-publicized or
lower-effect strategies that may be necessary and applicable for some students and classrooms;
Caution educators, policymakers, and parents to be more thoughtful when considering
educational programs and weighing evidence; and calls for researchers to include possible
downsides to strategies that they are testing and promoting in order to assist school leaders and
practitioners in choosing and implementing educational interventions. The history of American
education is a history of experiment, adaptation, and reforms -- some of which succeed but some
of which (and all to often!) have failed to achieve what was expected. While very highly
recommended for school district, college, and university Educational Issues & Teacher Education
collections, it should be noted for education students, school administrators, and non-specialist
general readers with an interest in the subject that "What Works May Hurt: Side Effects in
Education" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $28.45).
Inquiry-Based Early Learning Environments
Susan Stacey
Redleaf Press
10 Yorkton Court, St. Paul, MN 55117-1065
www.redleafpress.org
9781605545813, $36.95 PB, $35.10 Kindle, 176pp, www.amazon.com
From the time of their birth, children want to know how the world works and actively seek out
information. How educators respond to their questions is what "Inquiry-Based Early Learning
Environments: Creating, Supporting, and Collaborating" by Susan Stacey (who has worked in the
field of early childhood education for over thirty-five years as an early childhood educator,
director, practicum advisor, and instructor, in both Canada and the United States) is all about.
"Inquiry-Based Early Learning Environments" provides an in-depth look at children's innate
predilection for inquiry. What does inquiry look like in early childhood settings? How does the
environment affect children's inquiries and teachers' thought processes? "Inquiry-Based Early
Learning Environments" examines inquiry in all its facets, including environments that support
relationships, that create a culture of risk-taking in our thinking, that support teachers as well as
children, that include families, that use documentation as a way of thinking about our work, and
of course, the physical environment and all the objects and spaces within it. Throughout, stories
about environments and approaches to inquiry from around the world are included as examples.
Impressively organized and presented, "Inquiry-Based Early Learning Environments" is enhanced
with the inclusion of 70 full color photographs and 'real world examples' making it an ideal and
highly recommended addition to school district, college, and university library Teacher
Education collections in general and elementary school classroom teacher supplemental studies
curriculum lists in particular.
Place-Based Community Engagement in Higher Education
Erica K. Yamamura & Kent Koth
Stylus Publishing, Inc.
22883 Quicksilver Drive, Sterling, VA 20166-2012
www.styluspub.com
9781620366769, $95.00, HC, 176pp, www.amazon.com
While an increasing number of universities have or are committed to engaging their campuses in
their surrounding communities, many recognize they lack the strategic focus and resources to
maximize and sustain their impact on those communities. Place-based community engagement
provides a powerful way to creatively connect campus and community to foster positive social
transformation. The collaborative work of Erica K. Yamamura (who is an Associate Professor
and the Master's Degree Coordinator in the Student Development Administration Program in the
College of Education at Seattle University) and Kent Koth (who is the Executive Director of the
Center for Community Engagement at Seattle University), "Place-Based Community
Engagement in Higher Education: A Strategy to Transform Universities and Communities"
presents the emerging model of place-based community engagement as a powerful process for
attaining more positive and enduring results in their local communities as well as stimulating
wider engagement by campus constituencies. Drawing upon the concept of collective impact and
using data-driven decision making, place-based initiatives build long-term partnerships based
upon a shared vision. Done thoughtfully, these place-based initiatives have attained impressive
results. Featuring the case studies of five institutions that have implemented place-based
community engagement initiatives, "Place-Based Community Engagement in Higher Education"
provide guidance on the opportunities, challenges, and considerations involved in putting a
place-based approach into effect. Exceptionally well organized and presented, "Place-Based
Community Engagement in Higher Education" is a significant, insightful, and thought-provoking
study that is an especially recommended addition to college and university library Contemporary
Issues in Education collections and supplemental studies reading lists. It should be noted for the
personal reading lists of educators, administrators, students, academia, and non-specialist general
readers with an interest in the subject that "Place-Based Community Engagement in Higher
Education" is also available in a paperback edition ( 9781620366776, $35.00) and in a digital
book format (Kindle, $27.99).
The Needlecraft Shelf
Kaffe Fassett's Quilts in America
Kaffe Fassett
The Taunton Press
63 South Main Street, Newtown, CT 06470
www.taunton.com
9781631869617, $29.95, PB, 168pp, www.amazon.com
To celebrate the 20th anniversary of his highly successful series of patchwork and quilting books,
Kaffe Fassett has returned to his American roots. Using the collection of American vintage quilts
in Britain's American Museum in Bath as his inspiration, Kaffe has chosen 18 different quilts as
the basis for his 20 new designs showcased in the pages of "Kaffe Fassett's Quilts in America:
Designs Inspired by Vintage Quilts from the American Museum in Britain", a beautifully
illustrated volume for quilting enthusiasts that features designs drawn from both his latest fabrics
and his much-loved classics consisting mostly from the Kaffe Fassett Collective but also his
latest collection of Artisan fabrics. Of special note is an introductory section, featuring the
original quilts that inspired Kaffe, and which tells the reader something about their provenance.
Further more all the new designs demonstrate Kaffe's vivid and unique color combinations,
giving new meaning to familiar block patterns such as Tumbling Blocks, Starbursts, and Log
Cabins. Very highly recommended for personal and community library Needlecraft instructional
reference collections, each individual pattern contains full step-by-step piecing instructions and
detailed diagrams!
The Gardening Shelf
Miniature Japanese Gardens
Kenji Kobayashi
Tuttle Publishing
364 Innovation Drive, North Clarendon, VT 05759-9436
www.tuttlepublishing.com
9784805314821, $19.99, HC, 112pp, www.amazon.com
"Miniature Japanese Gardens: Beautiful Bonsai Landscape Gardens for Your Home" by
miniature gardening expert Kenji Kobayashi shows the aspiring gardener how to create simple
Japanese-style container gardens using inexpensive plants and materials that are easily available
everywhere. A detailed plan of each showcased miniature garden provides a basic template,
along with information about plant types and containers. The container itself can be an old pot,
ceramic bowl, or just about anything you might have lying around. Such "found" objects lend
themselves to the Japanese art concept of wabi-sabi -- the beauty of imperfection. Add rocks and
other elements to produce mini Zen gardens that enhance any interior space. "Miniature Japanese
Gardens" contains step-by-step instructions and photos of over 40 different projects, including:
Kokedama (moss ball); A miniature bamboo grove; A variety of bonsai trees; and many more!
"Miniature Japanese Gardens" is enhanced with full color photos of the Japanese landscape and
will have a very special appeal to gardeners, Zen students, and small space enthusiasts alike.
While very highly recommended for both community and academic library Contemporary
Gardening instructional reference collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that
"Miniature Japanese Gardens" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $18.99).
The Literary Studies Shelf
The Age of Dimes and Pulps
Jeremy Agnew
McFarland & Company
PO Box 611, Jefferson NC 28640
https://mcfarlandbooks.com
9781476669489, $39.95, PB, 242pp, www.amazon.com
From the dime novels of the Civil War era to the pulp magazines of the early 20th century to
modern paperbacks, lurid fiction has provided thrilling escapism for the masses. Cranking out
formulaic stories of melodrama, crime and mild erotica (often by uncredited authors focused
more on volume than quality)_publishers realized high profits playing to low tastes. Estimates
put pulp magazine circulation in the 1930s at 30 million monthly. This vast body of "disposable
literature" has received little critical attention, in large part because much of it has been lost -- the
cheaply made books were either discarded after reading or soon disintegrated. Covering the
history of pulp literature from 1850 through 1960, "The Age of Dimes and Pulps: A History of
Sensationalist Literature, 1830 1960" by Jeremy Agnew deftly describes how sensational tales
filled a public need and flowered during the evolving social conditions of the Industrial
Revolution. With occasional B/W images drawn from the pulps, and highly recommended for
both community and academic library American Literary Studies collections, it should be noted
for the personal reading lists of students, academia, and non-specialist general readers with an
interest in the subject that "The Age of Dimes and Pulps" is also available in a digital book
format (eTextbook, $19.99).
The Gaming Shelf
Master of Bridge Psychology
Jeppe Juhl with Peter Fredin
Master Point Press
www.masterpointpress.com
9781771400466 $21.95 amazon.com
Master of Bridge Psychology: Inside the Remarkable Mind of Peter Fredin is a bridge biography
of Peter Fredin of Sweden, a masterful competitive bridge player who won the 2009 European
Pairs and earned multiple medals in world events. Danish journalist Jeppe Juhl, a close personal
friend of Peter Fredin, showcases highlights of Fredin's bridge playing, including both best and
worst moments with commentary, analysis, and a wealth of bridge diagrams. Although Master of
Bridge Psychology is not expressly a "how-to" bridge guide, it's highly recommended especially
to connoisseurs of the game looking to take their skill to the next level!
The Kaizen of Poker
Sheree Bykofsky
ECW Press
2120 Queen Street East, Suite 200, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, M4E 1E2
www.ecwpress.com
9781770411944, $19.95, PB, 320pp, www.amazon.com
The game of poker, in all it's variations, continues to be wildly popular, attracting new players in
the hundreds every day. Kaizen is a Japanese term that means continuous improvement. In "The
Kaizen of Poker: How to Continuously Improve Your Hold'em Game", literary agent, author,
and avid poker player Sheree Bykofsky will help any dedicated poker player achieve the next
level their poker game -- and to the level after that! By learning how to identify and focus on the
skills and strategies needed to improve most, players will find themselves raking in more pots
and leaving the game a winner far more often. "The Kaizen of Poker" deals with such issues as:
Playing too many hands; Bluffing too little or ineffectively; Not knowing how to read the other
players' strategies and cards. Of special note is the "Morning After Challenge". Players can even
start outplaying the opponents they want to emulate! Exceptionally well written and thoroughly
'user friendly' in organization and presentation, "The Kaizen of Poker" is unreservedly
recommended for personal, professional, community, and academic library Poker instructional
reference collections. It should be noted that "The Kaizen of Poker" is also available in a digital
book format (Kindle, $13.99).
The Self-Help Shelf
The Perfection Detox
Petra Kolber
Lifelong Books
c/o Hachette Book Group
53 State Street, 9th Floor, Boston, MA 02109
www.perseusbooksgroup.com
9780738234854, $17.99, PB, 256pp, www.amazon.com
It is all too common today for adults to be tired, stressed, and simply overwhelmed with what
goes on in the world today and their struggle to try and achieve their definition of the perfect life,
the perfect family, the perfect career. Health and wellness expert Petra Kolber knows this
intimately. As a dancer and fitness professional, she has herself experienced the ultimately
dissatisfying quest for perfection. Her Perfection Detox program helps women to overcome the
unhealthy, unproductive demands we place on ourselves -- and others. Based on her popular
workshops, Kolber's strategies help women to recognize and constructively root out the
perfectionistic impulse to be critical of self or others and to harness the power of our own
internal resources, willpower, and habits. With simple steps and strategies such as adjusting our
internal monologues, cleaning up our vocabularies to include more positive language, becoming
a passionist rather than a perfectionist, and more, "The Perfection Detox" is an essential and
highly recommended guide to living a healthy, full, authentic life. Thoroughly real world
practical and thoroughly 'user friendly' in content, "The Perfection Detox" is certain to be an
immediately and enduringly popular addition to community and academic library Self-Help/Self-
Improvement instructional reference collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that
"The Perfection Detox" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $11.99).
The American History Shelf
Pacing Dakota
Thomas D. Isern
North Dakota State University Press
https://ndsupress.org
9781946163066 $29.95 amazon.com
Pacing Dakota is an anthology of essays contemplating the history and culture of the Great Plains
of North America. Historian Thomas Isern shares his ruminations on prairie churches, forgotten
artifacts, and little-known stories connected to the land and the generations who have called it
home. "The eradication of wild buffalo from the Great Plains was symbolic of something larger:
the killing off of most all large wild animals that happened with settlement of the prairies by
farmers and ranchers. The large herbivores were killed off for eating; the large predators were
killed off because they were incompatible with livestock husbandry." A handful of black-and-white photographs and an index enhance this unique blend of historical scholarship, outdoors
enthusiasm, culinary appreciation, cherished memories, and more. Pacing Dakota is highly
recommended for both public library collections and personal reading lists.
Through Their Eyes
Michael Koskey, Laurel Tyrrell, and Varpu Lotvonen
University of Alaska Press
PO Box 756240, Fairbanks, AK 99775-6240
9781602233577 $19.95 www.alaska.edu/uapress
Through Their Eyes: A Community History of Eagle, Circle, and Central is a history of three
small towns - Eagle, Circle, and Central - in the cold, sparsely populated central-eastern interior
of Alaska. These communities can trace their origins to not only the gold rushes of Alaskan
history, but also the traditional territories of the Han Hwech'in, the Gwichyaa Gwich'in, and the
Denduu Gwich'in Dena (Athabascan) peoples. Drawing upon oral narratives and archival
research, Through Their Eyes offers a rich portrayal of rural Alaskan life, featuring stories
directly from the people who called these towns home. A list of references cited and an index
rounds out this welcome contribution to public and college library American History shelves, as
well as personal reading lists.
A Bicentennial Commemorative of the Prairie State
David W. Scott, editor
Southern Illinois University Press
1915 University Press Drive, SIUC Mail Code 6806, Carbondale, IL 62901
www.siupress.com
9780809336883 $29.50 amazon.com
A Bicentennial Commemorative of the Prairie State: Readings from the Journal of the Illinois
State Historical Society is an anthology of articles selected from the "Journal of the Illinois State
Historical Society's scholarly archives, which span 110 years of history. More than thirty selected
articles offer insight into the complex history of Illinois, from a variety of perspective. Individual
writings include "Journalism in Illinois before the Thirties", "Cracker Barrel Days in Old Illinois
Stores", "Illinois Soldiers and the Emancipation Proclamation", "The Sanitation Revolution in
Illinois, 1870-1900" and much more. Edifying and enlightening, A Bicentennial Commemorative
of the Prairie State is a welcome contribution to public and college library American History
collections, highly recommended.
The World History Shelf
Antiquities of Rural Ireland
Muiris O Suilleabhain, author
Liam Downey, author
Dara Downey, author
Wordwell Books
c/o Dufour Editions, Inc.
PO Box 7, 124 Byers Road, Chester Springs, PA 19425-0007
www.dufoureditions.com
9780993351891, $50.00, HC, 420pp, www.amazon.com
An informative compilation assembled to specifically shed light on Ireland's agricultural and
rural past, "Antiquities of Rural Ireland" does not pretend to be systematically comprehensive,
but will prove to be interesting and eye-opening for both academia and non-specialist general
readers with an interest in the subject. The articles assemble reasonably up-to-date information
about the various archaeological traces, supported by images, a summary of diagnostic features,
and a list of publications where additional information may be sourced. Profusely illustrated
throughout, "Antiquities of Rural Ireland" is organized and presented eight distinctively thematic
sections: Agriculture; Food Processing; Settlement; Getting Around; Local Enterprises; Coastal
Features; Ritual and Ceremony. Enhanced with the inclusion of a six page Table of Monuments;
and a nine page Index of Sites, "Antiquities of Rural Ireland" is an impressively informative and
thoroughly 'reader friendly' study that is unreservedly recommended for both community and
academic library Irish History collections and supplemental studies reading lists.
The Cookbook Shelf
Eat at Home Tonight
Tiffany King
WaterBrook Press
c/o Waterbrook Multnomah Publishing Group
10807 New Allegiance Drive, Suite 500, Colorado Springs, CO 80921
http://waterbrookmultnomah.com
9780735291232, $22.00, PB, 224pp, www.amazon.com
Tiffany King has cooked more than ten thousand meals for her husband and four kids. Over the
years, Tiffany has learned what works and what doesn't for getting dinner on the table fast. Her
recipes have been developed in a real kitchen for her busy family and tested by the millions of
readers of her website, Eat at Home. In "Eat at Home Tonight" she draws upon her years of
culinary experience and expertise to showcase 101 family recipes that are simple, palate pleasing,
appetite satisfying utilizing such common kitchen tools as a slow cooker, a sheet pan, and the
usual pots and bowls. The recipes themselves range from 5-Minute Pesto-Rubbed Chicken; Sea
Salt Pork Chops and Potatoes with Gravy; Beanless Firehouse Chili; and Chili Waffle Fry
Nachos; to Tomato Goat Cheese Quiche; Little Black Dress Roasted Vegetables; and Cherry
Vanilla ice Cream. Beautifully illustrated in full color photography, "Eat at Home Tonight" is
very highly recommended for personal, family, and community library contemporary cookbook
collections.
The Religion/Spirituality Shelf
Homespun
Lorilee Craker, editor
Herald Press
P.O. Box 866, Harrisonburg, VA 22803
www.heraldpress.com
9781513803166, $15.99, PB, 192pp, www.amazon.com
Reading the contributions of the women that comprise "Homespun: Amish and Mennonite
Women in Their Own Words" is the next best thing to visiting with a group of Amish or
Mennonite women over a cup of coffee. This unique collections of stories and yarns include
personal writings about hospitality, home, grief, joy, and walks with God. Readers will learn of
one woman who struggles with feeling inferior to her sister, from another about her longing for a
baby, and from a third who accidentally bought stretchy material to sew her husband's pants.
Each woman's story is a testament to the grace of God and the blessings of community. Behind
Amish romance novels and tourist spots and television shows stand real people, with longings
and loves just like the rest of us. Every Amish and Mennonite woman has a story. Compiled and
edited by Lorilee Craker, in the pages of "Homespun" we all get to hear some of them. While
very highly recommended, especially for community library collections, it should be noted for
personal reading lists that "Homespun" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle,
$12.99).
Simply Amish
Donald B. Kraybill
Herald Press
P.O. Box 866, Harrisonburg, VA 22803
www.heraldpress.com
9781513803296 $10.99 amazon.com
Author and internationally recognized scholar of Anabaptist groups Donald Kraybill presents
Simply Amish: An Essential Guide from the Foremost Expert on Amish Life, a down-to-earth
distillation of Amish faith and culture. Explaining in plain terms how Amish society operates,
why their rules for daily living exclude owning common modern conveniences such as
computers, automobiles, radios, or televisions; guiding Amish religious and spiritual beliefs; and
much more, Simply Amish is a "must-read" for anyone seeking to better understand the Amish.
"An Amish person employed in an English-owned factory has no restrictions on using its
technology. Likewise, an Amish woman working as a secretary in a real estate office is allowed
to operate the office computer but may not own one in her home... The same access-but-not-
ownership distinction also explains why riding in motor vehicles owned by outsiders is
acceptable." Color photographs intersperse this thoroughly accessible, informed and informative
introduction, highly recommended for both public library collections and personal reading
lists.
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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