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Internet Bookwatch

Volume 27, Number 8 August 2017 Home | IBW Index

Table of Contents

Reviewer's Choice Social Issues Shelf Philosophy Shelf
Science Shelf Fishing Shelf Coloring Book Shelf
Graphic Novel Shelf Audiobook Shelf Library CD Shelf
Library DVD Shelf Metaphysical Studies Shelf Christian Studies Shelf
Buddhist Studies Shelf Fiction Shelf Mystery/Suspense Shelf
Self-Help Shelf Fashion Shelf Writing/Publishing Shelf
Theatre/Cinema/TV Shelf Cookbook Shelf Poetry Shelf
Needlecraft Shelf Photography Shelf Gardening Shelf
Biography Shelf Automotive Shelf Beer/Wine/Spirits Shelf
Art Shelf Music Shelf Health/Medicine Shelf
Education Shelf Literary Studies Shelf Criminology Shelf
Travel Shelf Sports Shelf Political Science Shelf
Library Science Shelf Psychology Shelf Technology Shelf
American History Shelf World History Shelf Civil War Shelf
Native American Studies Shelf Autism Shelf Jobs/Careers Shelf
Aviation Shelf Parenting Shelf Fantasy/SciFi Shelf


Reviewer's Choice

Doing Time Like A Spy
John Kiriakou
Rare Bird Books
453 South Spring Street, #302, Lost Angeles, CA 90013
www.rarebirdbooks.com
9781945572418, $26.95, HC, 293pp, www.amazon.com

On February 28, 2013, after pleading guilty to violating the Intelligence Identities Protection Act, John Kiriakou began serving a thirty month prison sentence. His crime: blowing the whistle on the CIA's use of torture on al Qaeda prisoners. "Doing Time Like A Spy: How the CIA Taught Me to Survive and Thrive in Prison" is Kiriakou's personal memoir and account of his twenty-three months in prison. Using twenty life skills he learned in CIA operational training, he was able to keep himself safe and at the top of the prison social heap. Including his award-winning 'Letters from Loretto' blog series. "Doing Time Like a Spy" is at once a searing journal of daily prison life and an alternately funny and heartbreaking commentary on the federal prison system. A unique, informative, and thought-provoking read, "Doing Time Like A Spy" is a compelling and highly recommended addition recommended for both community and academic library collections. An especially appreciated and uncommon contribution to our national discussion about the value of revealing governmental misconduct despite federal laws prohibiting such exposures, "Doing Time Like A Spy" deserves as wide an audience and readership as possible.

Vengeance in Reverse
Mark R. Anspach
Michigan State University Press
1405 South Harrison Road, Suite 25, East Lansing, MI 48823-5245
www.msupress.msu.edu
9781611862386, $24.95, PB, 136pp, www.amazon.com

How do humans stop fighting? Where do the gods of myth come from? What does it mean to go mad? In the pages of "Vengeance in Reverse: The Tangled Loops of Violence, Myth, and Madness", Mark R. Anspach (an American anthropologist and social theorist whose writings have appeared in nine languages) tackles these and other conundrums as he draws on ethnography, literature, psychotherapy, and the theory of Rene Girard to explore some of the fundamental mechanisms of human interaction. Likening gift exchange to vengeance in reverse, the first part of "Vengeance in Reverse" outlines a fresh approach to reciprocity, while the second part traces the emergence of transcendence in collective myths and individual delusions. From the peacemaking rituals of prestate societies to the paradoxical structure of consciousness, Anspach takes the reader on an intellectual journey that begins with the problem of how to deceive violence and ends with the riddle of how one can deceive oneself. An impressively researched, written, organized and presented study, "Vengeance in Reverse" features ten pages of Notes, a four page Bibliography, and a four page Index, making it unreservedly recommended for academic library Anthropology collections in general, and Religious Studies and Psychology supplemental reading lists in particular. For the personal reading lists of students and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject it should be noted that "Vengeance in Reverse" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $19.95).

Crater Lake & Beyond
Jim Turner, author
Jay Newman, Sue Newman, photographers
Rio Nuevo Publishers
PO Box 5250, Tucson, AZ 85703
www.rionuevo.com
9781940322179, $14.95, PB, 89pp, www.amazon.com

Browsing through the pages of "Crater Lake & Beyond: The Land of Fire & Ice" is the next best thing to a personal visit to the breathtaking sapphire blue water, primeval moss-covered forests, awesome lava formations, and waterfalls of Crater Lake National Park in southern Oregon. Mount Mazama exploded 7,700 years ago, shooting a giant pillar of ash and pumice thirty miles high. The mountain collapsed in on itself, and over the centuries the red-hot volcano cooled and filled with pure snow and rain, creating one of the clearest, deepest lakes in the world. But Crater Lake is only part of the show. This gem of the Cascade Volcanic Arc is surrounded by much more. Beautifully and profusely illustrated throughout, "Crater Lake & Beyond" is as entertaining and it is informative, making it very highly recommended for personal reading lists and community library collections.

The Chippewa
Richard D. Cornell
Wisconsin Historical Society Press
816 State Street, Madison, WI 53575
www.wisconsinhistory.org
9780870207808, $20.00, PB, 200pp, www.amazon.com

Richard D. Cornell traveled the Chippewa River from its two sources south of Ashland to where it joins the Mississippi. Over several decades he returned time and again in his red canoe to immerse himself in the stories of the Chippewa River and document its valley, from the Ojibwe and early fur traders and lumbermen to the varied and hopeful communities of today. In "The Chippewa: Biography of a Wisconsin Waterway", Cornell shares tales of such historical figures as legendary Ojibwe leader Chief Buffalo, world famous wrestler Charlie Fisher, and supercomputer innovator Seymour Cray, along with the lesser-known stories of local luminaries such as Dr. John "Little Bird" Anderson. Cornell gathered the firsthand stories comprising "The Chippewa" from diners and dives, local museums and landmarks, quaint small-town newspaper offices, and the homes of old-timers and local historians. Through his conversations with ordinary people, Cornell gets at the heart of the Chippewa and shares a history of the river that is both one of a kind and deeply personal. An extraordinarily informative, inherently fascinating, and deftly written account of people, places, and history, "The Chippewa" is a very highly recommended and unreservedly recommended addition to both community and academic library Wisconsin History 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 Chippewa" is also available in a digital book format ($15.99).

When Did Everybody Else Get So Old?
Jennifer Grant
Herald Press
1251 Virginia Avenue, Harrisonburg, VA 22802
www.heraldpress.com
9781513801384, $29.99, HC, 192pp, www.amazon.com

In "When Did Everybody Else Get So Old?: Indignities, Compromises, and the Unexpected Grace of Midlife", writer and veteran columnist Jennifer Grant takes an unflinching and spirited look at the transitions of midlife. In "When Did Everybody Else Get So Old?" she plumbs the physical, spiritual, and emotional changes unique to the middle years: from the emptying nest to the sagging effects of aging. Grant acknowledges the complexities and loss inherent in midlife and tells stories of sustaining disappointment, taking hard blows to the ego, undergoing a crisis of faith, and grieving the deaths not only of illusions but of loved ones. But she also illuminates the confidence and grace that this season of life can also bring. Deftly written, exceptionally well organized and presented, impressively magnetic, consistently good-humored, full of hope in the sustaining power of the Spirit, "When Did Everybody Else Get So Old?" is an inspiring read for anyone facing the flux and flow of middle age and will prove to be a much appreciated and valued addition to community library collections. For personal reading lists it should be noted for personal reading lists that "When Did Everybody Else Get So Old?" is also available in a paperback edition (9781513801315, $16.99) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $12.99).

Shatter Your Senses!
Ripley's Believe It Or Not
7576 Kingspointe Parkway, Suite 188, Orlando, FL 32819
www.ripleys.com
9781609911782, $28.95, HC, 256pp, www.amazon.com

"Shatter Your Senses!" is the 2018 edition of the annual series by Ripley's Believe It or Not! There's no way to prepare yourself for this all-true, all-new collection filled with incredible facts, unbelievable stories, and mind-blowing photography. Threatening a sensory overload, "Shatter Your Senses!" is sure to amaze and astound children and adults alike. Indeed, "Shatter Your Senses!" is filled from cover to cover with thousands of strange stories, bizarre feats, and hair-raising oddities from around the world. Readers will discover the sport of underwater ice hockey, marvel at the flower that bloomed in space, and enjoy so much more that is all weird and all true! Bursting with vibrant and eye-catching photos, as well as submissions from our dedicated Ripley's Believe It Or Not! fans, "Shatter Your Senses!" is a must-have for every Ripley's enthusiast and absolutely certain to be an enduringly popular addition to personal and community library collections for readers of all ages.

Always Share Your Iceberg
Jamison Odone
Tilbury House, Publishers
12 Starr Street, Thomaston, ME 04861
www.tilburyhouse.com
9780884485698, $14.95, HC, 112pp, www.amazon.com

It was Virginia Woolf who said, "For most of history, Anonymous was a woman." It was Confucius who said "Choose a job you love and you will never have to work a day." But who can remember such things? You'd remember if a penguin said them, and now they do in "Always Share Your Iceberg: A Penguin's Guide to Life". Compiled by Jamison Odone, "Always Share Your Iceberg" pairs 52 wise, witty, profound quotes from history's great writers, thinkers, and dreamers with penguin cartoons that bring the words to life in a new and engaging way. J.D. Salinger said, "She wasn't doing a thing that I could see, except standing there, leaning on the balcony railing, holding the universe together." And when the "she" in the illustration is a penguin, a great quote becomes unforgettable. Illustrated in color throughout, "Always Share Your Iceberg" is a wonderfully entertaining, thought-provoking, and simply delightful browse. While unreservedly recommended for both community and academic library collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Always Share Your Iceberg" is also available in a digital book format ($9.99).

The Patterning Instinct
Jeremy Lent
Prometheus Books
59 John Glenn Drive, Amherst, NY 14228-2197
9781633882933, $26.00, www.prometheusbooks.com

The Patterning Instinct: A Cultural History of Humanity's Search for Meaning provides college-level readers with a serious examination of the ways cultures have attached meaning to their worlds, and examines early peoples from ancient Egyptians and Chinese sages to modern pioneers who contributes to the makings of today's consumer-based society. As readers consider the concurrent development of civilization and a search for meaning in life, they receive a history that draws close connections between scientific and cultural discoveries and philosophical reflections in a book that goes in a surprising direction, outlining the future clash of two disparate forces: those interested in artificially enhanced human lives, and those interested in sustainability. No sociology or cultural history collection should be without this, which offers much food for thought and classroom debate.


The Social Issues Shelf

The Dangerous Divide
Peter Eichstaedt
Lawrence Hill Books
c/o Chicago Review Press
814 North Franklin Street, Chicago, IL 60610
www.chicagoreviewpress.com
9781613748367, $26.95, HC, 256pp, www.amazon.com

America's legendary border with Mexico is now a frontier of fear. Veteran journalist Peter Eichstaedt roams this fabled region from Tucson, Arizona, to El Paso, Texas. He meets with migrants, border security advocates, and communities ravaged by cross-border crime. He rides with the U.S. border patrol. He finds desperate migrants trapped in a world of predatory human smugglers and border security agents. Thousands of border agents and billions of dollars does not stem the tide of one million Mexicans and Central Americans, who cross the border each year. These migrants fill jobs that have become the underpinnings of the U.S. economy. In "The Dangerous Divide: Peril and Promise on the US-Mexico Border" Eichstaedt argues that the U.S. must reform its immigration and drug laws now. America must admit that costly, counterproductive, and antiquated policies have created a deadly situation on both sides of the border. America needs to recognize and legitimize the contributions made by Latin migrants to its way of life. A timely and definitive study, "The Dangerous Divide" is an invaluable and informative contribution to today's on-going national discussion on immigration reform in general, and the 'Border Wall' policy being advocated by the Trump administration. While very highly recommended for both community and academic library Contemporary Social Issues collections in general, and American/Mexico boarder policy supplemental studies reading lists in particular, it should be noted for students, governmental policy makers, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "The Dangerous Divide" is also available in a paperback edition (9781613738306, $16.99) and in a digital book format ($10.29).

Optimism Over Despair
Noam Chomsky
Haymarket Books
PO Box 180165, Chicago, IL 60618
9781608467990, $16.95, www.haymarketbooks.org

Optimism Over Despair: On Capitalism, Empire, and Social Change gathers interviews with Noam Chomsky on war and politics: recent perspectives conducted for Truthout by C.J. Polychroniou, where he discusses his own particular brand of neoliberalist thought and the evolving social and political issues of the U.S. and the world in general. As chapters offer his perspectives on everything from challenges to peace in the Middle East and the rise of Black Lives Matter to problems with the American electoral system (which will seem especially relevant given modern dilemmas), readers are treated to a powerful volume that offers a critical, reasoned discourse on politics and world social issues alike. No community or academic library political, linguistics or sociology collection should be without Optimism Over Despair.


The Philosophy Shelf

The Cambridge Companion to Fichte
David James & Gunter Zoller, editors
Cambridge University Press
32 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10013-2473
www.cambridge.org
9780521472265, $110.00, HC, 438pp, www.amazon.com

Johann Gottlieb Fichte (1762 - 1814) was the founding figure of the philosophical movement known as German idealism, a branch of thought which grew out of Kant's critical philosophy. Fichte's work formed the crucial link between eighteenth-century Enlightenment thought and philosophical, as well as literary, Romanticism. Some of his ideas also foreshadow later nineteenth- and twentieth-century developments in philosophy and in political thought, including existentialism, nationalism and socialism. The Cambridge Companion to Fichte is comprised of fourteen essays which collective cover all of the major aspects of Fichte's philosophy, ranging from the successive versions of his foundational philosophical science or Wissenschaftslehre, through his ethical and political thought, to his philosophies of history and religion. All the main stages of Fichte's philosophical career and development are charted, and his ideas are placed in their historical and intellectual context. Beginning philosophy students will find "The Cambridge Companion to Fichte" to be the single most convenient and accessible guide to Fichte currently available, while advanced students and specialists will find a conspectus of recent developments in the interpretation of Fichte. Featuring a listing of the contributors and their credentials; a listing of abbreviations; a chronology; a six page bibliography, and an eight page index, "The Cambridge Companion to Fichte" is an essential and core addition to both community and academic library History of Philosophy collections in general and Johann Gottlib Fichte supplemental studies reading lists in particular. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of students and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "The Cambridge Companion to Fichte" is also available in a paperback edition (9780521478052, $34.97) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $17.20).

Mr. Robot and Philosophy
Richard Greene and Rachel Robison-Greene
Open Court Publishing Company
70 East Lake Street, Suite 800, Chicago, IL 60601
9780812699616, $19.95, www.opencourtbooks.com

Mr. Robot and Philosophy: Beyond Good and Evil Corp is recommended for film and philosophy holdings alike and offers a new addition to the Popular Culture and Philosophy series which shows how modern philosophical perspectives may be applied to broader issues presented in cultural and literary circles. Mr. Robot considers issues from cybersecurity and mental health to ethics surrounding the right to privacy and whistleblowing, and quotes from various philosophical perspectives as it considers the underlying messages and dilemmas in Mr. Robot. Fans of the production and philosophy will find much food for thought in this lively, accessible coverage.


The Science Shelf

Veterinary Guide to Animal Breeds
Beth Vanhorn
Wiley-Blackwell
350 Main Street, Malden, MA 02148
www.wiley.com/wiley-blackwell
9781119299721, $59.97, PB, 120pp, www.amazon.com

In "Veterinary Guide to Animal Breeds", Beth Vanhorn (Instructor in the Adult Education Veterinary Assistant Program at the Dauphin County Technical School and Practice Manager with the Banfield Pet Hospital in a small animal clinic in Lancaster, Pennsylvania) offers a comprehensive reference for accurately recognizing small animal, exotic, and large animal breeds, with color photographs to aid in identification and important information for delivering veterinary care. Exceptionally well written, profusely illustrated, and impressively organized and presented, "Veterinary Guide to Animal Breeds" provides a reliable, veterinary-based guide to accurately recognizing breeds; covers small, large, and exotic animal breeds; emphasizes information targeted at daily veterinary practice; presents full-color photographs for comparison and identification; and includes access to a companion website offering teaching materials, including worksheets and teaching PowerPoints. While unreservedly recommended as a core addition to college and university school library Veterinary Medicine collections, it should be noted for veterinary students and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "Veterinary Guide to Animal Breeds" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $38.39).


The Fishing Shelf

The Fly Fisherman's Bucket List
Slim Randles
Rio Grande Books
925 Salamanca NW, Los Ranchos, NM 87107
www.riograndebooks.com
9781943681709, $18.95, PB, 144pp, www.amazon.com

With "The Fly Fisherman's Bucket List" by Slim Randles, aspiring anglers will learn to view fly fishing as a race to see how many of the hundred-plus top places to catch fish in America that are listed in its illustrated pages before their fly fishing days are ended. There are fly fishing experts in each state steer steering the reader to their own hotspots, telling the readers when to fish and which flies work best. "The Fly Fisherman's Bucket List" is an ideal guide for fishing trips with benefit of advice and counsel from a true-outdoors person like Slim Randles -- who has packed mules in the High Sierra, competed as a roper and bulldogger in rodeo, guided hunters in Alaska and New Mexico, and drove a team in the first Iditarod Dogsled Race. Thoroughly 'user friendly' in organization and presentation, "The Fly Fisherman's Bucket List" will prove to be an enduringly popular resource for all dedicated fly fishing enthusiasts!


The Coloring Book Shelf

Dinosaurs Live!
Ted Rechlin
Farcountry Press
PO Box 5630, Helena, MT 59604
www.farcountrypress.com
9781560377054, $9.95, PB, 64pp, www.amazon.com

Now anyone from 8 to 88 can bring the prehistoric world back to life in "Dinosaurs Live! The Ultimate Coloring Adventure!" with their own ultimate dinosaur coloring adventure. "Dinosaurs Live!" features wonderfully detailed and scientifically accurate coloring pages from acclaimed artist and dinosaur enthusiast Ted Rechlin. Each individual page is packed with amazing facts and coloring areas of an impressive variety of dinosaurs as fossilized museum mounts and in their full glory as they triumphantly roamed the Mesozoic earth. Featuring thirty-one dinosaurs in prehistoric scenes and species ranging from famous favorites to more recently unearthed finds, "Dinosaurs Live!" is the perfect coloring adventure for dinosaur lovers of all ages. This coloring book format makes "Dinosaurs Live!" highly recommended as the perfect gift for a friend or family member (or oneself!) and will provide hours and hours of informative fun.

The Age Of Glamour
The Victoria & Albert Museum
Thames & Hudson, Inc.
500 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10110-0017
www.thamesandhudsonusa.com
9780500420690, $19.95, PB, 96pp, www.amazon.com

Art Deco designs encompass a huge range of styles, techniques, and media. Throughout the boom and bust of the 1920s and 1930s, Art Deco defined modern style while drawing on the design traditions of the past. "The Age of Glamour: An Art Deco Coloring Book" draws upon the Art Deco collection at The Victoria & Albert Museum in London, England and showcases the breadth of the era, from abstract designs to intricate patterns and fashion plates. International in scope, this adult coloring book features designs by Georges Barbier and Robert Bonfils from the V&A's outstanding collection. Full-color reproductions of the original designs are interspersed among more than forty line drawings for readers to color in. A short introduction places the designs in their historic and artistic context, and thumbnails at the end of the book identify all the images. Offering hours of quiet contemplative recreation, "The Age of Glamour: An Art Deco Coloring Book" features 80 illustrations (35 in color) and is very highly recommended for any personal coloring book collection for adults.


The Graphic Novel Shelf

Rise of the Dungeon Master
David Kushner, author
Koren Shadmi, illustrator
Nation Books
c/o Perseus Book Group
250 W. 57th St., Suite 1500, New York, NY 10107
9781568585598 $16.99 www.nationbooks.org

Rise of the Dungeon Master is a black-and-white nonfiction graphic novel about the creation of the popular role-playing game pastime Dungeons & Dragons, and its co-creators Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson. Told in entirely second person, as if the reader were living Gygax's storied life, Rise of the Dungeon Master is an extraordinary chronicle of creativity, friendship, and a wildly popular game that changed lives. The saga also has its dark side, in how money, bureaucracy, and feuds driven by pride can taint friendships or change personalities. Rise of the Dungeon Master is captivating from cover to cover, and highly recommended for both personal and public library graphic novel collections.

Mighty Jack and the Goblin King
Ben Hatke
First Second
175 5th Avenue, New York, NY 10010
www.firstsecondbooks.com
9781626722668 $14.99 amazon.com

Inspired by the classic "Jack and the Beanstalk" fairy tale, Mighty Jack and the Goblin King is a full-color, fantasy-adventure graphic novel for all ages, about young people fighting to survive in an amazing yet dangerous other world. When ogres kidnap Jack's younger sister, Jack and Maddie must hurry to rescue her before she becomes fuel for a terrifying machine! Oppressed goblins, helpful dragons, and high-stakes action make for a thoroughly exciting read from cover to cover. Also highly recommended is the previous graphic novel in the series, "Mighty Jack" (9781626722644) and author Ben Hatke's sci-fi graphic novels "Zita the Spacegirl" (9781596434462), "Legens of Zita the Spacegirl" (9781596434479) and "Return of Zita the Spacegirl" (9781596438767).

Cast No Shadow
Nick Tapalansky and Anissa Espinosa
First Second
175 5th Avenue, New York, NY 10010
www.firstsecondbooks.com
9781596438774 $16.99 amazon.com

Cast No Shadow is a black-and-white graphic novel for all ages, about a teen romance between a girl ghost and a boy who has no shadow... or rather, no control of his shadow, which manifests and makes its own demands upon the whole town! Exploring deep themes such as the struggle to tame the subconscious id, Cast No Shadow is thought-provoking, character-driven, and thoroughly engaging from cover to cover. Highly recommended, especially for high school and public library graphic novel collections.

The Hidden Loch
Marlaine Maddux White, Author
St. Aubin, Illustrator
Jamie Luu Murphy, editor
Penny-Farthing Productions, Inc.
One Sugar Creek Center Blvd., Suite 820, Sugar Land, TX 77478
www.pfproductions.com/product/the-hidden-loch
9780999170908, $12.95, PB, www.pfproductions.com
9780999170915, $14.95, HC, www.amazon.com

The story of a community of formerly considered extinct sea creatures living below Scotland's Loch Ness and hiding from the humans they call 'dry walkers', "The Hidden Loch" features a consistently compelling and deftly crafted, and thoroughly original story that is exceptionally well supported by consistently impressively art work from cover to cover. Completely absorbing and engagingly entertaining, "The Hidden Loch" is one of those graphic novels that will linger in the mind and memory long after the book itself has been finished and set back upon the shelf. Certain to be an enduringly popular addition to personal and community library graphic novel collections for readers ages 8 to 80, "The Hidden Loch" is unreservedly and very highly recommended.

Home Time
Campbell Whyte
Top Shelf Productions
PO Box 1282, Marietta GA 30061-1282
www.topshelfcomix.com
9781603094122, $24.99, HC, 228pp, www.amazon.com

The last school bell has rung and it's finally going home time! Even though they're twins, Lilly and David don't agree on much -- except that the last summer before high school is the perfect time for relaxing with friends. But their plans for sleepovers, fantasy games, and romance are thrown out the window when the whole gang falls into a river and wakes up in a village of fantastic creatures. Hailed as magical spirits and attacked by lizards, these kids must find their way home -- if they don't throttle each other first. In "Home Time: Under The River", Australian cartoonist Campbell Whyte combines the rich imagination of Dungeons & Dragons with puckishly charming characters and a touch of video-game geometry in his thoroughly entertaining and inherently compelling coming-of-age graphic novel. While very highly recommended for elementary school and community library graphic novel collections for young readers, it should be noted for the personal reading lists of graphic novel enthusiasts that "Home Time" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $14.99).

Castle in the Stars: The Space Race of 1869, Book One
Alex Alice
First Second
175 5th Avenue, New York, NY 10010
www.firstsecondbooks.com
9781626724938 $19.99 amazon.com

Castle in the Stars: The Space Race of 1869, Book One is an extraordinary, full-color hardcover graphic novel capturing the spirit of exploration and discovery in the 1800's. The story begins when genius engineer Archibald Dulac and his son Seraphim learn about a previously lost logbook Archibald's wife and Seraphim's mother, the hot air balloonist Claire Dulac, who has been missing since her fateful stratospheric journey in search of the mysterious element of aether. Archibald and Seraphim journey to the court of a Bavarian castle led by an ambitious young monarch, but neither is prepared for the treachery that awaits! Castle in the Stars: The Space Race of 1869, Book One begins a grand and captivating adventure, and leaves the reader eagerly looking forward to the forthcoming sequel, "Castle in the Stars: The Moon-King".

Elric: The Vanishing Tower
Michael Moorcock, author
Roy Thomas, author
Jan Duursema, illustrator
Titan Books
www.titanbooks.com
9781782763192, $29.99 HC, $24.99 Digital, 168pp, www.amazon.com

With his reluctant companion Moonglum in tow, the albino emperor Elric of Melnibone embarks upon a perilous quest in search of the dark sorcerer Theleb K'aarna in "The Vanish Tower", the fifth volume in a graphic novel 'sword & sorcery' series. But in order to achieve his goal, he must first prove himself against the many horrors of the Young Kingdoms and form an unlikely pact with the beautiful and mysterious, Myshella - the Empress of the Dawn. Based on Michael Moorcock's most popular heroic fantasy work, adapted to a graphic novel format by Roy Thomas, and superbly illustrated by Jan Duursema, "The Vanishing Tower" is essential reading for all dedicated Michael Moorcock fans in an epic tale brought to life with luxuriant imagination -- and will prove to be an enduringly popular addition to community library graphic novel collections. While being a consistently entertaining, 'stand alone' read by itself and serving as an excellent introduction to the fantasy world that Michael Moorcock has created, dedicated fans will also want to read the other titles in this outstanding 'Elric of Melnibone' series: Elric of Melnibone (9781782762881, $22.99 HC, $13.70 Digital); The Sailor on the Seas of Fate (9781782762898, $22.99 HC, $14.04 Digital); The Dreaming City (9781785853340, $14.99 HC, $9.99 Digital); The Weird of the White Wolf (978-1782762904, $24.99 HC, $17.99 Digital).

Khaal
Louis, author
Velentin Secher, illustrator
Titan Books
www.titanbooks.com
9781782766889, $19.99, PB, 104pp, www.amazon.com

Space is harsh and only the strong survive in a world ship that has been traveling in the star-studded blackness for millennia. In the middle of a high-security secret gigantic galactic prison, the three dominant and ever-warring species must collaborate to operate the machinery that keeps them alive. But one terrifying warrior with unexplainable powers wishes to build himself an empire. The name the universe will never forget? -- Khaal, the Galactic Emperor! A simply riveting read from cover to cover, Velentin Secher's artwork brings to life this original science fiction story by Louis. The result is a graphic novel of exceptionally quality and one that will prove to be an enduringly popular addition to community library collections. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of all dedicated science fiction enthusiasts that "Khaal" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.87).

Dark Souls: Winter's Spite
George Mann, author
Alan Quah, artist
Titan Comics
www.titan-comics.com
9781785853678 $16.99

Dark Souls: Winter's Spite is a full-color, fantasy graphic novel based on the grim, brutal, yet extremely popular "Dark Souls" role-playing game series. Andred of Ithvale is a battle-hardened protagonist in search of the sacred relic that was stolen from him. His quest takes him on a perilous journey through a realm of eternal winter, savage monsters, cruel captors, and a tragic yet manipulative spirit. An emotionally gut-wrenching tale that walks the fine line between fantasy and horror, Dark Souls: Winter's Spite is a "must-read" for both fans of the games and connoisseurs of the dark fantastic. Highly recommended.


The Audiobook Shelf

One Nation Under Gold
James Ledbetter, author
Read by Jonathan Yen
HighBridge Audio Books
270 Skip Jack Road, Prince Frederick, MD 20678
9781681686653 $39.99 https://highbridgeaudio.com

One Nation Under Gold: How One Precious Metal Has Dominated the American Imagination for Four Centuries is the unabridged audiobook rendition of business and political writer James Ledbetter's examination of the allure of gold in the minds of the American public. Why does the idea of gold-backed currency remain so appealing to the American public even though economists soundly denounce it? Why is the American market for investing in gold so lucrative? Ledbetter traces America's gold obsession from pre-colonial days to William Jennings Bryan's epic Cross of Gold speech in 1896, to FDR's ban on private gold ownership, Nixon's 1971 decision to disconnect the dollar from gold, and much more. As much a study of the American psyche as it is the history of a precious metal in America, One Nation Under Gold is highly recommended for both personal and public library audiobook collections. 14.5 hours on 12 CDs.

Yeah Baby!
Jillian Michaels
Tantor Media, Inc.
6 Business Park Road, Old Saybrook, CT 06475
9781515914167 $39.99 www.tantor.com

Yeah Baby! The Modern Mama's Guide to Mastering Pregnancy, Having a Healthy Baby, and Bouncing Back Better Than Ever lives up to its title with guides to all-too-common environmental hazards, plain-terms explanations for the checkups and tests throughout pregnancy, discussions of common medical concerns, and ways to help a new baby grow up healthy, strong and smart. Now Yeah Baby! is available as an unabridged audiobook, with printable PDF format bonus material including recipes, meal plans, and suggested exercises. Yeah Baby! makes an excellent baby show gift and is highly recommended for expecting and new mothers, as well as public library audiobook collections. 9 CDs, 10.5 hours.

Dylan Goes Electric
Elijah Wald, author
Read by Sean Runnette
Tantor Media, Inc.
6 Business Park Road, Old Saybrook, CT 06475
9781541401457 $42.99 www.tantor.com

Dylan Goes Electric is the unabridged audiobook rendition of musician Elijah Wald's examination of a seminal event in modern music history - the evening of July 25, 1965, when Bob Dylan and an electric band performed Dylan's new rock music hit "Like a Rolling Stone" at the Newport Folk Festival. Marking the end of folk revival and the birth of rock as the music of the new generation, it was a performance that captured hearts, minds, and voices. Read by award- winning performer Sean Runnette, Dylan Goes Electric is insightful, thought-provoking, and highly recommended especially for modern music connoisseurs. 10 CDs, 12 hours.

The Baker Street Irregulars
Michael A. Ventrella & Jonathan Maberry, editors
Recorded Books, LLC
270 Skip Jack Road, Prince Frederick, MD 20678
www.recordedbooks.com
9781501915109, $23.95, CD, www.amazon.com

"The Baker Street Irregulars" is a compilation of short stories featuring what could best be described as showcasing 'alternative universe" depictions Sherlock Holmes, adapting and revolutionizing the iconic character. Ably narrated by Graham Halstead, Saskia Maarleveld, Steven Crossley, we are treated to Sherlock Holmes as a vampire, as a woman, as a parrot, as an alien in outer space, as a reality TV star, as a holodeck recreation, and more! The settings for these diverse stories are as varied as Russia in the near-future, a dystopian world, a reality show, and an orchestra. Without losing the very qualities that make Sherlock so illustrious a character, these superbly talented authors spin new webs of mystery around their own singular riff on one of literature's truly singular characters. A thoroughly entertaining treat from beginning to end, this audio book edition of "The Baker Street Irregulars" is a 'must' for the legions of Sherlock Holmes fans, and will prove to be an enduringly popular addition to community library audio book collections.

Forging Hephaestus
Drew Hayes, author
Amy Landon, narrator
Tantor Media, Inc.
6 Business Park Road, Old Saybrook, CT 06475
www.tantor.com
9781515912965, $69.99, CD, www.amazon.com

Gifted with meta-human powers in a world full of capes and villains, Tori Rivas kept away from the limelight, preferring to work as a thief in the shadows. But when she's captured trying to rob a vault that belongs to a secret guild of villains, she's offered a hard choice: prove she has what it takes to join them or be eliminated. Apprenticed to one of the world's most powerful (and supposedly dead) villains, she is thrust into a strange world where the lines that divide superheroes and criminals are more complex than they seem. The education of a villain is not an easy one, and Tori will have to learn quickly if she wants to survive. On top of the peril she faces from her own teacher, there are also the capes and fellow apprentices to worry about, to say nothing of having to keep up a civilian cover. Most dangerous of all, though, are those who loathe the guild's very existence. Old grudges mean some are willing to go to any length to see the guild turned to ash, along with each one of its members. Even the lowly apprentices. One of the most unique and compelling entertaining science fiction novels in recent years, "Forging Hephaestus" by Drew Hayes is a truly riveting 'theatre of the mind' experience in this Tantor Media complete and unabridged audio book edition so deftly narrated by Amy Ladon. Unreservedly and enthusiastically recommended for community library audio book collections, "Forging Hephaestus" is the first volume in a planned 'Villains' Code' series and is a 'must' for anyone who has every enjoyed a superhero comic book or movie!

The Ageless Body
Peta Bee and Dr. Sarah Schenker
Brilliance Corporation
PO Box 887, Grand Haven, MI 49417
9781543625011 $9.99 www.brillianceaudio.com

The Ageless Body: How to Hold Back the Years to Achieve a Better Body is an unabridged audiobook on MP3-CD (plays on MP3-CD enabled players or transfers to portable devices) about how women in their 40's, 50's, and beyond can maintain optimal health and a high quality of life, in spite of a naturally slowing metabolism and loss of muscle mass. Diet, exercise, and general advice for looking and feeling great through middle age and golden years make The Ageless Body a "must-have" for every woman over 30! Highly recommended. 1 disc, 7 hours.


The Library CD Shelf

Forever Young
Reggie Young
www.reggieyoung.org
Whaling City Sound
www.whalingcitysound.com
c/o Naxos (dist.)
www.naxosusa.com
$TBA CD / $6.93 MP3 amazon.com

Guitarist Reggie Young, whose storied career spans six decades, presents Forever Young, his debut album as a recording artist and a bandleader. Featuring seven original instrumental tracks, all written and produced by Young, Forever Young is a work of southern-style country-soul, highly recommended for connoisseurs of guitar music. The tracks are "Coming Home to Leipers Fork" (4:34), "Memphis Grease" (6:46), "Soul Love" (4:21), "Seagrove Place" (6:55), "It's About Time" (6:20), "Exit 2019" (4:57), and "Jennifer" (5:26).

Nigerian Spirit
Sonia Aimy
www.soniaaimy.com
Privately Published
$TBA CD / $10.99 download itunes.com

Nigerian Spirit is an original jazz album by Sonia Aimy, whose musical career draws upon her childhood in Nigeria, her performances in jazz and theater in Italy, and her current career in Ontario. The music expresses her anger and sorrow at the suffering that has befallen Africa - including the unchecked depredations of Boko Haram, the horrific toll of war in Somalia, and the drowning deaths of refugees struggling to flee to Europe. Nigerian Spirit is soulful, evocative, and highly recommended especially for world music collections. The tracks are "Light My Way Mother" (4:47), "Chotima" (4:20), "Nigerian Spirit" (5:51), "Voices of Orisa" (4:42), "Dreaming" (4:11), "A Dream for Somaliya" (4:52), "Ase'" (5:46), "Lampedusa" (4:42), "Husband in Canada" (4:36), "Ase' Radio Edit" (5:00) and "Nigerian Spirit - Radio Edit" (4:59).

Life Is A Story
Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver
Mountain Home Music Company
mountainhomemusiccompany.com
$TBA doylelawson.com

Life Is A Story is a bluegrass music album of up-tempo songs with lyrics that engage the listener. Stellar singing and a keen empathy with blue-collar working life resonate in this "must-have" for bluegrass and country fans! The tracks are "Kids These Days" (3:25), "Little Girl" (3:57), "Life of a Hard Workin' Man" (2:57), "Life to My Days" (3:07), "I See a Heartbreak Comin'" (2:33), "Guitar Case" (3:54), "What Am I Living For" (3:11), "Bluegrass Blues" (2:49), "Derailed" (3:22), "Love Lives Again" (3:22), "Cry Across Kansas" (2:48), and "Drivin' It Home" (2:43).

Songs of Hope
David Wells
www.dwellspiano.com
Privately Published
$TBA CD / $7.99 download cdbaby.com

Songs of Hope is the debut solo piano album of original songs composed and performed by David Wells, and recorded on a 7-ft. Yamaha Grand Piano. The songs incorporate both contemporary and new age elements, and range in tempo from mellow to fiery. A soundscape to inspire and delight, Songs of Hope is highly recommended especially to solo piano connoisseurs and public library music collections. The tracks are "Selah", "Summer's End", "Falling Leaves", "Winter's Chill", "Nocturne", "Blessings", "Hands of Time", "Time Away", "Hymn of Peace and Joy", and "Traveling Light".

Sharp & Ready
Double Tiger
doubletigermusic.com
Easy Star Records
$TBA CD / $9.99 download itunes.com

Sharp & Ready is an American reggae music album by Brooklyn-based artist/producer Double Tiger. Brimming with positive-minded enthusiasm, Sharp & Ready interlaces dulcet harmonies into its stylings ranging from progressive roots reggae to dancehall, smooth rock, rub-a-dub and more. Uplifting, energetic, and calling for action against injustice, Sharp & Ready is highly recommended. The tracks are "Rocking Time", "Creme De La Creme", "Babylon Expire", "Feel Is Nice", "Live Life", "Sharp & Ready", "A Feelin'", "Take a Lift", "Time Has Come", "Moonlight", "Falling", and "Ram Dancehall".

Mezana Dounia
Massa Dembele
Izniz Records
PO Box 681, Washington, DC 20044
$10.00 CD / $15.00 LP www.izniz.com

Mezana Dounia is the debut album of Burkinabe singer and songwriter Massa Dembele, an heir to a hereditary caste of West African musicians who traditionally serve as praise singers, historians, and social commentators. Dembele is skilled in a variety of traditional instruments, but has an especial affinity for the kamele n'goni, or West African harp. Mezana Dounia is an album of original, neo-traditional Mandinka music; the West African harp blends with indigenous percussion and imposing lyrics, fully translated for this international release. The songs express struggle and disillusionment with the modern world. Mezana Dounia is a unique and emotionally striking soundscape, highly recommended for international music collections. The tracks are "Mezana Dounia", "Sia", "Djelia", "Khanyome", "Seguin", "Bankebolou", "Trio", and "Yideni".

Guitare Mystique
Jim Stubblefield
jimstubblefield.com
Natural Elements Records
$12.98 CD / $9.99 download cdbaby.com

Guitare Mystique (the title is French for "mystical guitar") is an album showcasing Jim Stubblefield's talent as both an acoustic and an electric guitarist. The songs draw upon guitar styles from an array of world cultures, including Latin, Middle Eastern, Arabic, progressive-rock, and neo-classical guitar. Evocative and uplifting, Guitare Mystique is a unique and unparalleled joy to experience. The tracks are "Saint-Tropez", "Caravan of Souls", "Azure", "Before the Storm", "Cafe Cafe", "Voyager Aeternam", "Moonlight Requiem", "Oculus Tempestatis", "Rumba Furiosa, Opus 2", and "Sueno Pacifico".


The Library DVD Shelf

The Penguin Counters
A documentary by Peter Getzels & Harriet Gordon
First Run Features
630 Ninth Avenue, Suite 1213, New York, NY 10036
$19.95 www.firstrunfeatures.com

The Penguin Counters is a true-life nature documentary following a handful of biologists in their efforts to keep track of penguin populations as an indicator of climate change. Breathtaking footage of Antarctica and heartwarming (or heartbreaking) scenes from the life cycle of these dapper flightless birds fill this unforgettable video essay. The Penguin Counters is a treat for nature lovers of all ages, and highly recommended especially for public library DVD collections. 68 minutes, optional English subtitles.

Murdoch Mysteries Season 10
Acorn Media
c/o RLJ Entertainment
www.us.RLJEntertainment.com
$59.99 www.acornonline.com

Based on the novels by Maureen Jennings, Murdoch Mysteries Season 10 continues the quintessentially Canadian and enduringly popular police procedural series, set at the dawn of the twentieth century. Historical events such as the Great Toronto Fire of 1904 form the backdrop of these riveting blend of mystery and character-based drama. Murdoch Mysteries Season 10 is a "must-see" for connoisseurs of the genre! Bonus materials include 41 min. of "the making of" featurettes. 18 episodes on 5 DVDs, 792 min. plus bonus, SDH subtitles.

Feeding Your Family's Soul
Donna-Marie Cooper O'Boyle
Paraclete Press
PO Box 1568, Orleans, MA 02653
www.paracletepress.com
9781612619712, $59.99, DVD, www.amazon.com

"Feeding Your Family's Soul" is a seventy-five minute DVD specifically designed by Donna-Marie Cooper O'Boyle for parents seeking to create, strengthen and maintain the spiritual and faith-based bonds of parents with their children. "Feeding Your Family" is arranged and presented in seven distinctive segments: Learning to Love Our Neighbor from Mother Teresa; The Tradition of Prayer; Learning and Teaching Forgiveness; Whay Catholics Honor the Blessed Mother; Learning and Teaching the Virtues; Learning Perseverance from St. Monica; Learning Steadfast Faith from St. Teresa of Avila. Informative, engaging, and thoroughly 'viewer friendly' and 'user relevant', "Feeding Your Family' Soul" is very highly commended to the attention of all members of the Catholic community.

Qigong for Cancer
Helen Liang
YMAA Publications
PO Box 480, Wolfeboro, NH 03894-0480
9781594394799 $39.95 www.ymaa.com

Tai Chi / Qigong master and cancer survivor Helen Liang presents Qigong for Cancer, a DVD guide to simple qigong moves for personal fitness and healing. Suitable for viewers of all skill and experience levels, Qigong for Cancer demonstrates fifteen basic exercises to stimulate the body's natural healing abilities, which can be done sitting or standing. Highly recommended as an accessible physical activity source for people of all ages and backgrounds, especially survivors of difficult or devastating illness.


The Metaphysical Studies Shelf

Fasting the Mind
Jason Gregory
Inner Traditions International, Ltd.
One Park Street, Rochester, VT 05767
9781620556467, $14.95, www.innertraditions.com

Fasting the Mind: Spiritual Exercises for Psychic Detox belongs in new age, spirituality and self-help collections alike as it blends the spiritual perspectives and practices of classical yoga, Hinduism, Buddhism, and Taoism to explore how fasting the mind creates a buffer to the world's noise and confusion. Jason Gregory is a teacher and speaker specializing in Eastern and Western philosophy and metaphysics, among other things. His focus combines various practices and focuses on how to help the mind distance itself from stimulation so it can achieve balance, and chapters offer many keys to overcoming the obstacles of daily life.

Llewellyn's Little Book of Dreams
Michael Lennox
Llewellyn Publications
2143 Wooddale Drive, Woodbury, MN 55125
www.llewellyn.com
9780738752075, $12.99, HC, 248pp, www.amazon.com

Michael Lennox is a practicing psychologist and one of the most respected and sought after dream interpreters in the U.S. In "Llewellyn's Little Book of Dreams" he draws upon his years of experience and expertise to write pocket-sized guide to dreams and interpretation for improved understanding of our journey through life. Dreams are intensely personal, and they offer unparalleled insight to the depths of who we are and where we are in our journey. "Llewellyn's Little Book of Dreams" is a simple and concise reference guide, using language that speaks directly to the dreamer. "Llewellyn's Little Book of Dreams" covers the basics of dream interpretation and the history of Freudian and Jungian approaches; explores the contemporary scientific understanding of sleep and dreams; and provides a wealth of tips and techniques for remembering dreams, dream journaling, and using dreams to enhance creativity. The expanded dictionary style entries on common dream archetypes enables "Llewellyn's Little Book of Dreams" to provide symbolic meanings and ideas for connecting dream images to our personal life. Impressively informed and informative, "Llewellyn's Little Book of Dreams" is thoroughly 'user friendly' in organization and presentation, making it an ideal and highly recommended addition to personal, community, and academic library Metaphysical Studies collections in general, and Dream Interpretation supplemental studies reading lists in particular. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "Llewellyn's Little Book of Dreams" is also available in a digital book format as well ($12.34).

Chakras, Plain & Simple
Sasha Fenton
Hampton Roads Publishing Company
65 Parker St., Ste. 7, Newburyport, MA 01950
www.hrpub.com
9781571747730, $14.95, PB, 144pp, www.amazon.com

"Chakras, Plain & Simple" by professional astrologer, palmist, and tarot card reader Sasha Fenton is an accessible, comprehensive, and user-friendly introductions to the seven major chakras (those spinning vortexes of energy throughout the body) and presents ways of healing the emotional, mental, physical, and spiritual problems that arise when the chakras are blocked, misaligned, or too open. "Chakras, Plain & Simple" also describes how the chakras affect people and provides simple healing techniques, an explanation of the relationship between color and mood, tips for using gemstones to cleanse and energize, and advice for practicing aromatherapy and other complementary systems to channel energy within the body. A brief history of the chakras, a discussion of the relationship between the chakras and astrology, and an exploration of the chakras and kundalini are also included. Thoroughly 'reader friendly' in organization and presentation, "Chakras, Plain & Simple" will have special appeal for anyone interested in alternative medicine and will prove to be an enduringly popular addition to community and academic library Metaphysical Studies collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "Chakras, Plain & Simple" is also available in a digital book format ($12.06).

The Secret Nature of Matter
Richard Gordon
North Atlantic Books
2526 Martin Luther King Jr. Way, Berkeley, CA 94704-2607
www.northatlanticbooks.com
9781623171483, $18.95, PB, 240pp, www.amazon.com

Richard Gordon is widely recognized as one of the pioneers in the field of energy healing. In "The Secret Nature of Matter" he draws upon his many years of experience and expertise to layout new territory in the rarely explored intersection of science and spirituality in a fascinating investigation of the profound relationship between matter and consciousness. Building on the Quantum-Touch technique he has developed over the last four decades, Gordon explains how the hands-on energy healing technique that he uses to help to alleviate nerve pain, headaches, back pain, hip pain, TMJ, and more provides a unique window onto the secret nature of matter. He explains how, by examining pelvic and occipital torsion, and then aligning people without the use of touch or suggestion, he is able to run a wide range of simple experiments that challenge many dogmas of science. "The Secret Nature of Matter" teaches readers Gordon's technique along with 57 easy-to-reproduce experiments that allow them to test the results. These experiments clearly demonstrate that our consciousness can profoundly influence matter, and that an object charged with energy and intent can dramatically affect us physiologically in seconds. Exceptionally 'reader friendly' in organization and presentation, "The Secret Nature of Matter" is unreservedly recommended for personal, community, and academic library Metaphysical Studies collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "The Secret Nature of Matter" is also available in a digital book format ($12.99).

Magical Power For Beginners
Deborah Lipp
Llewellyn Publications
2143 Wooddale Drive, Woodbury, MN 55125
www.llewellyn.com
9780738751986, $15.99, PB, 336pp, www.amazon.com

What makes magic work? What can it do and what can't it do? "Magical Power For Beginners: How to Raise & Send Energy for Spells That Work" by Deborah Lipp ( who was initiated into a traditional Gardnerian coven of Witches in 1981, became a High Priestess in 1986, and has been teaching Wicca and running Pagan circles ever since) is straightforward, easy-to-follow guide answers the most common questions about magical power. By learning the fundamentals of raising and sending power, you'll gain the skills you need to create and perform spells and rituals that work. Written for beginners or adepts from any spiritual background, this approachable book shows how to: Personalize power to suit your purpose; Choose a magical goal; Use magical correspondences; Store power in your tools; Transcend time and space; Perform group magic; Construct a spell (with step-by-step samples); Develop mind skills (meditation, grounding, and visualization). A complete course of instruction under one cover, "Magical Power For Beginners" is impressively 'user friendly' in tone, commentary, organization and presentation, making it unreservedly recommended for personal reading lists and community library Metaphysical Studies collections. It should be noted for metaphysical studies students and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "Magical Power For Beginners" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).

Expect the Unexpected
Bill Philipps
New World Library
14 Pamaron Way, Novato, CA 94949
www.newworldlibrary.com
9781608683673, $22.95, HC, 232pp, www.amazon.com

Bill Philipps is a psychic medium who helps the deceased communicate with their loved ones on earth. He conducts individual readings in person, by phone, or via Skype, as well as small- and large-group readings throughout the United States. With testimonies from everyday men and women, celebrities, business leaders, and one-time skeptics, he draws upon his years of experience and expertise in "Expect the Unexpected: Bringing Peace, Healing, and Hope from the Other Side" to provide an honest firsthand account of how spirits communicate with hi, why he believes they chose him to do this, and how he works with them to ultimately convey their messages. As Philipps confirms, it is normal to ask questions about what happens to our loved ones after death and to hope to reconnect with them. In "Expect the Unexpected" he offers insight and suggestions to help you ask for and receive signs with or without a medium and shows why he is convinced that readings always contain the possibility for love, peace, healing, and hope. Exceptionally well written, organized and presented, "Expect the Unexpected" is unreservedly recommended for personal, community, and academic library Metaphysical Studies collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "Expect the Unexpected" is also available in a paperback edition (9781608684953, $15.95) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).


The Christian Studies Shelf

Scripture and Its Interpretation
Michael J. Gorman, editor
Baker Academic
c/o Baker Publishing Group
6030 East Fulton, Ada, MI 49301
www.bakerpublishinggroup.com
9780801098390, $34.99, HC, 464pp, www.amazon.com

Compiled and edited by Michael J. Gorman (the Raymond E. Brown Chair in Biblical Studies and Theology at St. Mary's Seminary and University in Baltimore, Maryland), "Scripture and Its Interpretation: A Global, Ecumenical Introduction to the Bible" is comprised of contributions by top-notch biblical scholars from around the world and from various Christian traditions offering a fulsome yet readable introduction to the Bible and its interpretation. "Scripture and Its Interpretation" concisely introduces the Old and New Testaments and related topics and examines a wide variety of historical and contemporary interpretive approaches, including African, African-American, Asian, and Latino streams. The illustrious contributors include N. T. Wright, M. Daniel Carroll R., Stephen Fowl, Joel Green, Michael Holmes, Edith Humphrey, Christopher Rowland, and K. K. Yeo, among others. Also featured are questions for reflection and discussion, an annotated bibliography, and a glossary. An impressive volume of Biblical scholarship that is thoroughly 'reader friendly' in organization and presentation, "Scripture and Its Interpretation" is unreservedly recommended for church, seminary, community, and academic library Biblical Studies collections. It should be noted for students, clergy, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "Scripture and Its Interpretation" is also available in a digital book format ($19.24).

Reunion
Bruxy Cavey
Herald Press
1251 Virginia Avenue, Harrisonburg, VA 22802
www.heraldpress.com
9781513801391, $21.99, HC, 226pp, www.amazon.com

The underlying premise of "Reunion: The Good News of Jesus for Seekers, Saints, and Sinners" by Bruxy Cavey (a teaching pastor at The Meeting House, a multisite Anabaptist congregation in Ontario, Canada) is that the message of Jesus changed the world -- until the world changed the message. "Reunion" deals with the question: Is a truncated and fragmented version of the good news masquerading as the full, forceful gospel of Jesus? There is a growing movement of truth-seekers and Jesus-lovers who believe so, and they are calling for a return to the first and foundational message of Jesus. "Reunion" is a dynamic investigation of the most earth-shattering, piety-smashing, life-changing news ever. Readers will dig into Scripture with Cavey as he unfolds God's message for the world; Follow the Bible in scouting out the real definitions of sin and salvation; Discover true citizenship in the Jesus nation (where you might be ready to die for a cause but never willing to kill for one); Glimpse a God who is love itself and who, like it or not, just can t stop thinking about you. A life-affirming and life-liberating read, "Reunion" is very highly recommended to the attention of those who are seeking a deeper understanding of Christian Principles in general, and organized Christian churches and denominations in particular. While unreservedly recommended for both church and community library Christian Studies collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists the "Reunion" is also available in a digital book format ($10.99).

Worshipful
James C. Howell
Cascade Books
c/o Wipf and Stock Publishers
199 West 8th Avenue, Suite 3, Eugene, OR 97401-2960
http://wipfandstock.com
9781498286633, $39.00, HC, 140pp, www.amazon.com

What does it look and feel like to be worshipful? Can we find a way to worship in such a robust, thoughtful way that when we aren't in worship, the worship might linger and invigorate us? Is it possible to live in the world -- doing the dishes, listening to music, being stuck in traffic, enmeshed in a thicket of meetings at work -- with a serene, abiding sense of God's presence despite all the racket, that we might do whatever we do for God, and sense God's presence? And maybe more importantly: could all we do between Sundays -- grocery shopping, paying bills, listening to music, taking a walk, visiting aging parents -- actually enrich and inform what we do on Sunday morning, making worship itself more vigorous, profound, just plain real, and memorable, and thus heightening the likelihood that the worship will linger through the rest of the week? "Worshipful" by James C. Howell (Senior Pastor of Myers Park United Methodist Church in Charlotte, North Carolina, and Adjunct Professor of Preaching at Duke Divinity School) is about living a worshipful life: understanding why we do what we do in Sunday morning worship, and then re-enacting those moods and actions all week long. Inspired and inspiring, "Worshipful" is very highly recommended reading for all members of the Christian community regardless of denominational affiliation. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "Worshipful" is also available in a paperback edition (9781625642479, $19.00) and in a digital book format ($9.99).

Everbloom
Shayne Moore & Margaret Ann Philbrick, editors
Paraclete Press
PO Box 1568, Orleans, MA 02653
www.paracletepress.com
9781612619330, $17.99, PB, 249pp, www.amazon.com

Through the transforming power of story the women of Redbud know and themselves have experienced the importance of spiritual shelter, and how easy it becomes to feel alone and misunderstood. In the "Everbloom: Stories of Deeply Rooted and Transformed Lives" collection so deftly compiled and co-edited by Shayne Moore (Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Redbud Writers Guild) and Margaret Ann Philbrick (who is a board member of the Redbud Writers Guild, as well as an author, gardener and teacher) the contributors offer essays, stories and poetry: intensely personal accounts of transformation; and their diverse journeys to ultimately find their own voices. Best of all, they invite the reader to join them, with writing prompts that encourage a response of honesty, faith and imagination. "Everbloom: Stories of Deeply Rooted and Transformed Lives" is strongly recommended for church and community library collections. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of all Christians, regardless of denominational affiliation, the "Everybloom" is also avalable in a digital book format ($4.99).

The Pastorals and Polycarp
Richard L. Pervo
Polebridge Press
c/o Westar Institute
P.O. Box 346, Farmington, Minnesota 55024
www.polebridgepress.com
9781598151787, $18.00, PB, 128pp, www.amazon.com

"The Pastorals and Polycarp: Titus, 1-2 Timothy, and Polycarp to the Philippians" by academician and theologian Richard L. Pervo is the first-ever gathering of the Pastoral Epistles and Polycarp to the Philippians under a single cover and moves beyond traditional debates about Pauline authorship to address specific second-century themes, such as combining the traditional Roman Household Code with the emerging Church Order, the corrosive effects of greed, and the price worth paying for unity. A truly impressive work of seminal scholarship, "The Pastorals and Polycarp" includes the Greek texts, Pervo's dynamic English translations, introductions, notes and an index. "The Pastorals and Polycarp" is unreservedly recommended for personal, seminary, and academic library New Testament Studies collections.

Every Job a Parable
John Van Sloten
NavPress
www.navpress.com
c/o Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.
351 Executive Drive, Carol Stream, IL 60188
www.tyndale.com
9781631465482, $14.99, PB, 240pp, www.amazon.com

A Walmart greeter, a nurse, and an astronaut walk into a church... Not the set up of a humorous jest, but examples of three Christians who each bring with them their own exhaustions and exasperations, their own uncertainty about whether and how their work matters to God. But here is the Good News: All work matters to God, because all work reflects some aspect of the character of God. God created the world so that it runs best when it mirrors Him, and we ourselves find the most fulfillment when we recognize God behind our labor. In "Every Job a Parable: What Walmart Greeters, Nurses, and Astronauts Tell Us about God", pastor, teacher and writer John Van Sloten offers a fascinating and innovative reflection on vocation: Our work is a parable of God; as we work, we are icons of grace. Informative, thoughtful, inspired and inspiring, "Every Job a Parable " is very highly recommended to the attention of all members of the Christian community regardless of denominational affiliations as a richly rewarding and life-enhancing read. It should be noted that "Every Job a Parable" is also available in a digital book format ($9.99), as well as a complete and unabridged audio book (Oasis Audio, 9781613759301, $17.99, CD).

Incarnation: A New Evolutionary Threshold
Diarmuid O'Murchu
Orbis Books
Price Building, Box 302, Maryknoll NY 10545-0302
www.orbisbooks.com
9781626982352, $25.00, PB, 248pp, www.amazon.com

The incarnation and resurrection of Jesus, writes Diarmuid O'Murchu in "Incarnation: A New Evolutionary Threshold", marks a new evolutionary threshold and points the way towards the fulfillment of our destiny. We can continue in that direction... or destroy ourselves. It is our choice: to co-create with God, or co-destruct on our own. Incarnation shows us what we need to know to choose rightly. "Incarnation" reveals how the notion of separateness of "others" and "borders" and the earth as an object to exploit endangers everyone and everything. O'Murchu expands the Christian idea of Incarnation to reveal a universal embodiment of Spirit. He shows how all forms of embodiment from bacteria to the stars, from our children to strangers evidence a God who loves bodies, and chooses the corporeal form in every initiative of co-creation. Thoughtful and thought-provoking, "Incarnation" is a compelling read that will have special appeal and interest for both clergy and laymen within the Roman Catholic community. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "Incarnation" is also available in a digital book format ($20.50).

God of Sense and Traditions of Non-Sense
Sigve K. Tonstad
Wipf and Stock Publishers
199 West 8th Avenue, Suite 3, Eugene, OR 97401-2960
http://wipfandstock.com
9781498233156, $50.00, HC, 476pp, www.amazon.com

"God of Sense and Traditions of Non-Sense" by Sigve K. Tonstad (Professor of Biblical Interpretation, Loma Linda University, California) is theology from a Holocaust perspective. In an opening salvo, Professor Tonstad presents Job speaking of a God of sense, with Elihu and Job's three friends inaugurating a tradition of non-sense. This is the existential and theological predicament. The problem of finite suffering in this life is addressed in the theological tradition with the prospect of infinite, endless suffering. In the Holocaust, 188 women and 42 children from Oslo were deported, gassed, and cremated by the Nazis. In "God of Sense and Traditions of Non-Sense" this is not seen as a problem that defeats belief, but as the reality that demands a religious and theological account of human existence. A unique, extraordinary, deftly argued, thoughtful and thought-provoking read from beginning to end, "God of Sense and Traditions of Non-Sense" is unreservedly recommended for seminary and academic library Christian Studies collections. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of clergy, seminary students, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "God of Sense and Traditions of Non-Sense" is also available in a paperback edition (9781498233132, $25.00) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).

At Home in this Life
Jerusalem Jackson Greer
Paraclete Press
PO Box 1568, Orleans, MA 02653
www.paracletepress.com
9781612616322, $18.99, PB, 208pp, www.amazon.com

In "At Home in this Life: Finding Peace at the Crossroads of Unraveled Dreams and Beautiful Surprises", Jerusalem Greer tells her story of finding redemption in what is rather than what could be, by practicing the presence of God through rediscovering ancient contemplative teachings and practices (solitude, study, work, prayer, and service) and pairing them with domestic arts (baking, gardening, sewing) -- all in the midst of beauty and mess, chaos and monotony, celebrations and mourning. Jerusalem writes with a raw honesty that reassures readers they are not alone in feeling not good enough, not wise enough, not Christian enough to figure out God's plans. Inspired and inspiring, "At Home in this Life" is an absorbing and potentially life changing read that is unreservedly recommended to the attention of all members of the Christian community regardless of denominational affiliation. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "At Home in the Life" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $4.99).

Mind the Gap
Matthais Henze
Fortress Press
P.O. Box 1209, Minneapolis, MN 55440-1209
http://fortresspress.com
9781506406428, $39.00, PB, 248pp, www.amazon.com

To have a more comprehensive understanding of the historical person of Jesus of Nazareth, his apostles, and the rise of early Christianity, it is necessary to study the Jews of the Second Temple period in terms of what they wrote and what Jesus and his followers might have read beyond the canonical Hebrew scriptures that comprised the Torah. In "Mind the Gap: How the Jewish Writings Between the Old and New Testament Help Us Understand Jesus", by Matthias Henze ( who is the Isla Carroll and Perry E. Turner Professor of Hebrew Bible and early Judaism and founding director of the program in Jewish studies at Rice University) the reader is introduced the four-century gap between the Old and New Testaments and some of the writings produced during this period (different Old Testaments, the Apocrypha and Pseudepigrapha, the Dead Sea Scrolls). Professor Henze also discusses how these texts have been read from the Reformation to the present, emphasizing the importance of the discovery of Qumran; guides the student's encounter with select texts from each collection; and then introduces key ideas found in specific New Testament texts that simply can't be understood without these early Jewish "intertestamental" writings the Messiah, angels and demons, the law, and the resurrection of the dead. Finally, Professor Henize discusses the role of these writings in the "parting of the ways" between Judaism and Christianity. A sound work of scholarship that is impressively well written, organized and presented, "Mind the Gap" provides insightful perspectives on early Judaism and early Christianity, making it an ideal and unreservedly recommended addition to community, seminary, and academic library Christian Studies collections, as well as the personal reading lists of both Christian clergy and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject.


The Buddhist Studies Shelf

Fighting Buddha
Jeff Eisenberg
Findhorn Press
www.findhornpress.com
9781844097227, $14.99, PB, 160pp, www.amazon.com

"Fighting Buddha: A Story of Martial Arts, Buddhism, Kicking Ass and Saving It" is Jeff Eisenberg's personal memoir and details his forty year journey in martial arts and meditation training, as well as some 25 years of Buddhist practice. Using autobiographical anecdotes, along with martial art fighting strategies, Buddhist folk stories, and koan and sutra teachings, Eisenberg explores both the benefits and detriments of each practice, as well as how they complement each other as a singular practice. An inherently fascinating, impressively informative, exceptionally well written, organized and presented read from beginning to end, "Fighting Buddha" is unreservedly recommended for both community and academic library Martial Arts and Buddhism collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "Fighting Buddha" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.10).


The Fiction Shelf

The Underground River
Martha Conway
Touchstone Books
c/o Simon & Schuster
1230 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020
www.simonandschuster.com
9781501160202, $26.99, www.amazon.com

The Underground River's powerful story of slavery, set on a 19th century riverboat, comes to life in the story of a naive seamstress who is blackmailed into becoming involved in the Underground Railroad - an effort which challenges both her career and her ethics. Early abolitionist efforts, the dilemma faced by a young woman who must make some impossible choices that challenge her to examine her life and heart, and the impact of both slavery and the choices of whose who oppose it make for an unusual kind of Underground Railway story that is compelling and hard to put down.

Shane
Jack Schaefer
University of New Mexico Press
1 University of New Mexico, Albuquerque NM 87131-0001
www.unmpress.com
9780826358417, $19.95, PB, 168pp, www.amazon.com

A legendary and iconic western classic, "Shane" by Jack Schaefer tells the story of a mysterious stranger who finds himself in the Wyoming Territory joining local homesteaders in their fight to keep their land and avoid the intimidating tactics of cattle driver Luke Fletcher. While trying to leave his gunslinging days behind him, the mysterious stranger, Shane, is tested by Fletcher and his men. Now brought back into print for a new generation of appreciative readers, "Shane" author Jack Schaefer executes a perfect Western narrative while exploring the overarching themes of virtue, the human condition, and a man's search for self. While unreservedly recommended for both community and academic library Western Novel & American Literary Fiction collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Shane" is also available in a digital book format ($9.99).

Tomas Jonsson, Bestseller
Gudbergur Bergsson, author
Lytton Smith, translator
Open Letter Books
c/o University of Rochester
Lattimore Hall 411, Box 270082, Rochester, NY 14627
www.openletterbooks.org
9781940953601, $17.95, PB, 411pp, www.amazon.com

A retired, senile bank clerk confined to his basement apartment, Tomas Jonsson decides that, since memoirs are all the rage, he's going to write his own (a sure bestseller) that will also right the wrongs of contemporary Icelandic society. Egoistic, cranky, and digressive, Tomas blasts away while relating pick-up techniques, meditations on chamber pot use, ways to assign monetary value to noise pollution, and much more. His rants parody and subvert the idea of the memoir -- something that's as relevant today in our memoir-obsessed society as it was when the novel was first published in 1966. Deftly translated from Icelandic into English for the benefit of an American readership by Lytton Smith, "Tomas Jonsson, Bestseller" is a consistently engaging and inherently fascinating read from cover to cover. While very highly recommended for both community and academic library International Literary Fiction collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Tomas Jonsson, Bestseller" is also available in a digital book format ($11.59).

Triumph
Jack Ludlow
Magna Large Print
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print (USA), Inc.
PO Box 1230, West Seneca, NY 14224-1230
www.ulverscroftusa.com
9780750543682, $35.50, HC, 408pp, www.amazon.com

In sixth century Byzantium, Emperor Justinian is determined to reunite the whole of the Roman Empire and his best general, Flavius Belisarius, is poised to invade Italy. Flavius and his men march north unopposed until the local senators of Naples refuse to surrender and a bloody assault ensues. Rome, hearing of the fate of Naples, yields the city to Flavius, but before long the Goths arrive and stage a brutal attack which Flavius's army only just survives. Besieged and mired in a cesspit of corruption, Byzantium's greatest general must navigate a world rife with deceit and brutality where only the most cut-throat survive. A simply riveting read by an author with a genuine flair for deftly created and inherently absorbing storytelling, "Triumph" by Jack Ludlow (in a large print format) is a superbly crafted novel that is unreservedly recommended for community library Historical Fiction collections.

Inheritance from Mother
Minae Mizumura
Other Press
267 Fifth Avenue, 6th Floor, New York, NY 10016
www.otherpress.com
9781590517826, $27.95, HC, 464pp, www.amazon.com

Mitsuki Katsura is a Japanese woman in her mid-fifties. She is also a French-language instructor at a private university in Tokyo. Her husband, whom she met in Paris, is a professor at another private university. He is having an affair with a much younger woman. In addition to her husband's infidelity, Mitsuki must deal with her ailing eighty-something mother, a demanding, self-absorbed woman who is far from the image of the patient, self-sacrificing Japanese matriarch. Mitsuki finds herself dreaming of the day when her mother will finally pass on. While doing everything she can to ensure her mother's happiness, she grows weary of the responsibilities of a doting daughter and worries she is sacrificing her chance to find fulfillment in her middle age. A deftly crafted and original novel by a master storyteller, Minae Mizumura's "Inheritance from Mother" (deftly translated from Japanese into English for an American readership by Juliet Winters Carpenter) not only offers insight into a complex and paradoxical culture, but is also a profound work about mothers and daughters, marriage, old age, and the resilience of women. While unreservedly recommended for both community and academic library Contemporary Literary Fiction collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Inheritance from Mother" is also available in a digital book format ($14.99). Librarians should be aware that there is an excellent audio book edition of "Inheritance from Mother" (Brilliance Audio, 9781543628609, $9.99, MP3 Una).

The Little Exile
Jeanette Arakawa
Stone Bridge Press
1393 Solano Avenue, Suite C, Albany CA 94706
www.stonebridge.com
9781611720365, $14.95, PB, 240pp, www.amazon.com

Jeanette Arakawa was born in San Francisco, California to Japanese immigrants. Between 1942 and 1945, during World War II, she was part of a diaspora that took her to Stockton, California, Rohwer, Arkansas, and Denver, Colorado. Interned in the 1940s at the Rohwer War Relocation Center in Arkansas she returned to San Francisco in 1946. In "The Little Exile" she clearly draws upon her own experiences to write the fictional story of little Marie Mitsui who, after Pearl Harbor, a little girl's typical life of school and playing with friends in San Francisco is upended. Her family and thousands of others of Japanese heritage are under suspicion and forcibly relocated to internment camps far from home. Living conditions in the camps are harsh, but in the end Marie finds freedom and hope for the future. Told from a child's perspective, "The Little Exile" deftly conveys Marie's innocence, wonder, fear, and outrage. While bringing to bear a new generation of reader's awareness of one of America's more shameful episodes of human rights abuse, "The Little Exile" has a renewed and special relevance for today's national discussion related to immigration issues and the unhappy willingness of a great many Americans to repeat the errors of our past. While very highly recommended for community library collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "The Little Exile" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $10.99).

Family Lexicon
Natalia Ginzburg
NYRB Classics
c/o New York Review of Books
435 Hudson Street, Suite 300, New York, NY 10014
www.nybooks.com
9781590178386, $14.95, PB, 224pp, www.amazon.com

Natalia Ginzburg (1916 - 1991) was born Natalia Levi in Palermo, Sicily, the daughter of a Jewish biologist father and a Catholic mother. Aptly translated into English for an American readership, an sizable Italian family complete with their routines and rituals, crazes, pet phrases, and stories, doubtful, comical, indispensable, comes to life in the pages of Natalia Ginzburg's "Family Lexicon". Giuseppe Levi, the father, is a scientist, consumed by his work and a mania for hiking -- when he isn't provoked into angry remonstration by someone misspeaking or misbehaving or wearing the wrong thing. Giuseppe is Jewish, married to Lidia, a Catholic, though neither is religious; they live in the industrial city of Turin where, as the years pass, their children find ways of their own to medicine, marriage, literature, politics. It is all very ordinary, except that the background to the story is Mussolini's Italy in its steady downward descent to race law and world war. The Levis are, among other things, unshakeable anti-fascists. That will complicate their lives. Family Lexicon is about a family and language, as well as storytelling as a form of survival and as an instrument of deception and domination. Although "Family Lexicon" is a work of fiction, in terms of human values and the human experience -- everything rings true. An inherently fascinating and absorbing read from cover to cover, "Family Lexicon" is unreservedly recommended for community and academic library Literary Fiction collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "Family Lexicon" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).

Serenity Harbor
RaeAnne Thayne
HQN Books
c/o Harlequin Books
225 Duncan Mill Road, Don Mills, Ontario, Canada, M3B 3K9
9780373799398, $7.99 PB, $3.99 Digital, www.amazon.com

Computer-tech millionaire Bowie Callahan is about the last person that schoolteacher Katrina Bailey wants to work for. As far as she can see, he's arrogant, entitled and not up to the task of caring for his young half brother, Milo. But Kat is, especially if it brings her closer to her goal of adopting an orphaned little girl. And as her kindness and patience work wonders with Milo, she realizes there's more to sexy, wary Bo than she'd ever realized. With "Serenity Harbor", author RaeAnne Thayne has added another deftly crafted masterpiece of thoroughly entertaining fiction to her outstanding 'Haven Point' series. "Serenity Harbor" will prove to be a welcome addition to personal reading lists and an enduringly popular addition for community library Contemporary Romance Fiction collections.

The Fabrications
Baret Magarian
Pleasure Boat Studio
201 West 89 Street, New York, NY 10024
www.pleasureboatstudio.com
9780912887494, $29.95, HC, 442pp, www.amazon.com

When Bloch, a popular London novelist, starts writing a fictionalized story featuring his unremarkable friend Oscar, the invented details from the story start to come true. Gradually, Oscar embarks on a surreal odyssey into fame, while Bloch descends into the dark places of his soul. Oscar falls in love with Najette, a bewitching painter, but their relationship hangs in the balance as his myth balloons out of all proportion. At the center of the hype and spin stands the demon-like publicist Ryan Rees, whose power enables him to manufacture the truth, and the story builds to an unforgettable, startling climax. Unique, original, deftly crafted, "The Fabrications" reveals author Baret Magarian's genuine flair for deftly created and memorable characters for a novel laced with throughout with humor and the unexpected. An absorbing, entertaining, read from cover to cover, "The Fabrications" is unreservedly recommended for both community and academic library Contemporary Literary Fiction collections. For personal reading lists it should be noted that "The Fabrications" is also available in a paperback edition (9780912887470, $19.95) and in an inexpensive digital book format ($0.99).

Alabaster
Chris Aslan
Kregel Publications
2450 Oak Industrial Drive, NE, Grand Rapids, MI 49505
www.kregel.com
9781782642282, $14.99, PB, 208pp, www.amazon.com

Maryam is stuck in an abusive marriage, living with her in-laws in a conservative, toxically religious village. A few years back, her father was given a jar of priceless perfume by a dying leper and it seemed as if their fortunes would improve, but then Maryam's father contracted leprosy and was exiled from the village. Maryam and her siblings, Eleazar and Marta, experience the shame and ostracism this brings. The precious jar that was meant to bring them freedom has only brought destruction. But rumors abound concerning a new doctor; perhaps hope is on the horizon. A compelling and deftly crafted novel by Chris Aslan, "Alabaster" brings a first-century Middle Eastern village and its culture to life for modern-day readers. While very highly recommended, especially for community library Historical Fiction collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Alabaster" is also available in a digital book format ($9.99).

Love Story
Karen Kingsbury
Howard Books
c/o Simon and Schuster
1230 Avenue of the Americas, 14th fl., New York, NY 10020
www.simonandschuster.com
9781451687590, $22.99, HC, 368pp, www.amazon.com

From the day they met, John and Elizabeth were destined to fall in love. Their whirlwind romance started when they were young college students and lasted nearly thirty years -- until Elizabeth died of cancer. So when John Baxter is asked to relive his long-ago love story with Elizabeth for his grandson Cole's heritage project, he's not sure he can do it. The sadness might simply be too great. But he agrees and allows his heart and soul to go places they haven't gone in decades. Back to the breathless first moments, but also to the secret heartbreak that brought John and Elizabeth together. At the same time, Baxter family friend Cody Coleman is working through the breakup of his complicated relationship with Andi Ellison. He is determined to move on when a chance sighting changes his plans -- and heart. Can Cody convince Andi to give their love another try, or is it time for them to say goodbye for good? As school comes to an end, Cole presents his report on the love story between his grandparents John and Elizabeth Baxter. It is a tale that touches the hearts of the entire family, and one that causes Cole to better understand his own beginning. A completely engaging, heart-warming, 'feel-good' entertainment, "Love Story" is one of those novels that will linger in the mind and memory long after the book itself has been finished and set back upon the shelf. A compelling and deftly crafted novel by a master of the genre with a genuine flair and mastery of the genre, "Love Story" by Karen Kingsbury will prove to be an enduringly popular addition to community library Romantic Fiction collections. It should be noted for the legions of Karen Kingsbury fans that "Love Story" is also available in a paperback edition (9781451687606, $15.99) and in a digital book format ($11.99).

House of Names
Colm Toibin
Scribner
c/o Simon and Schuster
1230 Avenue of the Americas, 14th fl., New York, NY 10020
www.simonsays.com
9781501140211, $26.00, HC, 288pp, www.amazon.com

"House of Names" by Colm Toibin is a retelling of the ancient Greek story of Clytemnestra and her children in ancient Mycena, the legendary Greek city from which her husband King Agamemnon left when he set sail with his army for Troy. Clytemnestra rules Mycenae now, along with her new lover Aegisthus, and together they plot the bloody murder of Agamemnon on the day of his return after nine years at war. Judged, despised, cursed by gods she has long since lost faith in, Clytemnestra reveals the tragic saga that led to these bloody actions: how her husband deceived her eldest daughter Iphigeneia with a promise of marriage to Achilles, only to sacrifice her because that is what he was told would make the winds blow in his favor and take him to Troy; how she seduced and collaborated with the prisoner Aegisthus, who shared her bed in the dark and could kill; how Agamemnon came back with a lover himself; and how Clytemnestra finally achieved her vengeance for his stunning betrayal -- his quest for victory, greater than his love for his child. An absolutely compelling and deftly crafted novel by an author with a genuine flair for originality, "House of Names" by Colm Toibin will prove to be an enduringly popular addition to both community and academic library Historical Fiction collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "House of Names" is also available in a digital book format ($13.99).

Chapel Car Bride
Judith Miller
Bethany House Publishers
11400 Hampshire Avenue South, Minneapolis, MN 55438
www.bethanyhouse.com
9780764230110, $25.00, HC, 352pp, www.amazon.com

Hope Irvine always sees the best in people. While traveling on the rails with her missionary father, she attracts the attention of a miner named Luke and a young mine manager. When Luke begins to suspect the manager is using Hopes missions of mercy as a cover for illegal activities, can he discover the truth without putting her in danger? Another deftly crafted, consistently engaging, impressively original, and unfailingly entertaining read from award-winning novelist Judith Miller, "Chapel Car Bride" is unreservedly and enthusiastically recommended, especially for community library General Fiction collections. For personal reading lists it should be noted that "Chapel Car Bride" is also available in a paperback edition (9780764219054, $15.99) and in a digital book format ($5.99).

Secrets of Southern Girls
Haley Harrigan
Sourcebooks Inc.
1935 Brookdale Road, #139, Naperville, IL 60563
www.sourcebooks.com
9781492647553, $15.99, PB, 400pp, www.amazon.com

Ten years earlier, Julie Portland had accidentally killed her best friend, Reba. What's worse is she got away with it. Consumed by guilt, she left the small town of Lawrence Mill, Mississippi, and swore nothing would ever drag her back. Now, raising her daughter and struggling to make ends meet in Manhattan, Julie still can't forget the ghost of a girl with golden hair and a dangerous secret. When August, Reba's first love, begs Julie to come home to find the diary that Reba kept all those years ago, Julie's past comes creeping back to haunt her. That diary could expose the shameful memories Julie has been running from, but it could also unearth the hidden truths that Reba left buried -- revealing that Julie isn't the only one who feels responsible for Reba's death. A deftly crafted and engaging novel from beginning to end, "Secrets of Southern Girls" showcases author Haley Harrigan's impressive flair for storytelling. While very highly recommended and certain to be an enduringly popular addition to community library General Fiction collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Secrets of Southern Girls" is also available in a digital book format ($9.99).

Fall from Grace
Libby Sternberg
Bancroft Press
PO Box 65360, Baltimore, MD 21209
www.bancroftpress.com
9781610882064, $25.95, HC, 288pp, www.amazon.com

Eli Baine has sinned. Spectacularly. When he's caught using a prostitution ring, the news blasts across print and broadcast media: the son of a reality TV evangelical clan, whose Christian lifestyle is showcased regularly in Baine Family Values television episodes, is exposed as a hypocrite. Carted off to rehab, Eli chafes at being lumped in with molesters and serial adulterers. But when he escapes to visit his wife, Ruth, he finds no solace there. She can hardly bear to look at him, let alone admit him back into her life with their infant child. This sets Eli off on a hard journey toward redemption, understanding and reconciliation. His first stop is at a mainline Protestant church that embraces him with tolerance and support, but where he must endure counseling from a "she-priest" and an ultimate betrayal by someone who had offered a helping hand. Meanwhile, Ruth herself sets out on a healing path, being counseled by a new, young pastor at her parents' fundamentalist church who offers her more than just spiritual guidance. Both Eli and Ruth wander in the wilderness of heartbreak, distrust, and eventual tragedy until they finally transform into different individuals who can see the light of hope and love in their marriage and their lives. Truly a novel for our times by an author with a genuine flair for deftly created characters and engaging storytelling from beginning to end, "Fall From Grace" is one of those novels that will linger in the mind and memory long after the book itself has been finished and set back upon the shelf.

The Threat Level Remains Severe
Rowena Macdonald
Aardvark Bureau
c/o Gallic Books
www.gallicbooks.com
9781910709153, $15.95, PB, 352pp, www.amazon.com

House of Commons secretary Grace has been counting the tea breaks in the same dull job for a decade. Brett is on a mission to shake up the dusty backrooms of power -- and set to collide with Grace. Office life begins to look up when Grace receives an email. But amid the gothic gloom of Westminster, she begins to wonder who soulful, enigmatic, Reuben Swift really is. Rowena Macdonald's "The Threat Level Remains Severe" is a deftly crafted and original novel by an author with a genuine flair for compelling storytelling. While very highly recommended, especially for community library Contemporary General Fiction collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "The Threat Level Remains Severe" is also available in a digital book format ($8.99).

Wabi-Sabi
Francesc Miralles, author
Julie Wark, translator
Alma Books
c/o Bloomsbury Press
175 Fifth Avenue, Suite 315, New York, NY 10010
www.bloomsbury.com
9781846883989, $11.00, PB, 300pp, www.amazon.com

Living apart from his girlfriend Gabriela, from whom he seems to have grown gradually distant, university lecturer Samuel is shaken from his humdrum existence when he receives an anonymous postcard from Japan depicting a porcelain figurine of a cat and the words "wabi-sabi", followed by the unexpected visit at work of a girl trying to identify the language of a strange, haunting song. This sets Samuel on a quest that will take him to the Land of the Rising Sun, not only to discover the meaning of the cryptic message, which may hold the key to some of his unanswered questions, but also to find enlightenment, a new equilibrium and a re-appreciation of the small joys of life. Written with author Francesc Miralles's trademark quirkiness, wit and lightness of touch, and deftly translated into English for the benefit of an American readership, "Wabi-Sabi" is a compelling and entertaining read from cover to cover -- and reveals Miralles' genuine flair for crafted a consistently engaging and truly memorable novel.

As Good as Gone
Larry Watson
Algonquin Books
PO Box 2225, Chapel Hill, NC 27515-2225
www.algonquin.com
9781616205713, $26.95, HC, 352pp, www.amazon.com

It's 1963, and Calvin Sidey, one of the last of the old cowboys, has long ago left his family to live a life of self-reliance out on the prairie. He's been a mostly absentee father and grandfather until his estranged son asks him to stay with his grandchildren, Ann and Will, for a week while he and his wife are away. So Calvin agrees to return to the small town where he once was a mythic figure, to the very home he once abandoned. But trouble soon comes to the door when a boy's attentions to seventeen-year-old Ann become increasingly aggressive and a group of reckless kids portend danger for eleven-year-old Will. Calvin knows only one way to solve problems: the Old West way, in which scores are settled and ultimatums are issued and your gun is always loaded. And though he has a powerful effect on those around him -- from the widowed neighbor who has fallen under his spell to Ann and Will, who see him as the man who brings a sudden and violent order to their lives--in the changing culture of the 1960s, Calvin isn't just a relic; he's a wild card, a danger to himself and those who love him. A deftly written and compelling read from an author with a genuine flair for originality and skilled storytelling, "As Good as Gone" by Larry Watson is an unreservedly recommended addition to community library General Fiction collections and one that will prove to be an enduringly popular and appreciated selection. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "As Good as Gone" is also available in a paperback edition (9781616206956, $15.95) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).

Medicine Feather
Will DuRey
Lindford Western Library
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print (USA), Inc.
PO Box 1230, West Seneca, NY 14224-1230
9781444830774, $20.99, PB, LP, 234pp, www.ulverscroftusa.com

Successful prospectors in the hills north of Council Bluffs are being ambushed and killed by a gang determined to snatch every ounce of gold that is dug from the ground or panned from the streams. But when one such indiscriminate attack earns the robbers nothing but a pack of pelts, it sets in motion a chain of events leading to a bloody conclusion. Their victim is a man unwilling to relinquish his possessions without seeking revenge. To the settlers along the Missouri he is known as Weston Gray, but to those further west he is Medicine Feather, brother of the Arapaho and friend of the Sioux. With "Medicine Feather", once again Will DuRey demonstrates that he is a master of the western action/adventure genre. This large print edition is a wonderfully entertaining read from beginning to end and highly recommended for the personal reading lists of all dedicated fans of a well crafted western.

The Deer Stalker
Zane Grey
Skyhorse Publishing, Inc.
307 West 36th Street, 11th Floor, New York, NY 10018
www.skyhorsepublishing.com
9781634502641, $14.99, PB, 256pp, www.amazon.com

Because of the unrestrained slaughter of cougars on Buckskin Mountain, the deer population has increased so fast that they begin to starve. But when Thad Eburne, chief forest ranger, hears the government's plan to open a massive deer hunt to hundreds of indiscriminate hunters, he worries that it will only worsen man's dangerous meddling with nature. Then, when Eburne decides to save a deer herd from a cattleman bent on selling illegal deer meat for easy money, he finds himself up against the deadliest outlaw in the West. There are a great many reasons why Zane Grey continues down to this day to be one of the most famous and appreciated authors of western fiction and in brining back into print his "The Deer Stalker", a new generation of enthusiastic readers will discover just what those reasons are. "The Deer Stalker", as with all of his other classic works, features swift action, magnificent descriptions of the desert and canyon country, plus the added valiant effort of a ranger's struggle to save the doomed herd of deer on the Buckskin range. A simply riveting read from cover to cover, "The Deer Stalker" is unreservedly recommended for the personal reading lists of the legions of Zane Grey fans, as well as all community and academic library Western Fiction collections.

The Lighthouse
Alison Moore
Biblioasis
1520 Wyandotte Street East, Windsor, ON N9A 3L2, Canada
www.biblioasis.com
9781771961455, $14.95, PB, 192pp, www.amazon.com

The "The Lighthouse" is the debut novel of author Alison Moore and is the story of Futh, a middle-aged, recently separated man who is heading to Germany for a restorative walking holiday. During his circular walk along the Rhine, Futh contemplates the formative moments of his childhood. At the end of the week, Futh returns to what he sees as the sanctuary of his hotel, unaware of the events which have been unfolding there in his absence. A unique, compelling, deftly crafted novel that reveals author Alison Moore's genuine flair for creating memorable characters and an unpredictable and consistently engaging storyline, "The Lighthouse" is unreservedly recommended for community library Contemporary General Fiction collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "The Lighthouse" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).


The Mystery/Suspense Shelf

Atlanta Noir
Tayari Jones, editor
Akashic Books
232 Third Street, #A115, Brooklyn, NY 11215
www.akashicbooks.com
9781617755378, $15.95, PB, 280pp, www.amazon.com

Akashic Books continues its award-winning series of original noir anthologies with the publication of "Atlanta Noir". Each book in this outstanding series comprises all new stories, each one set in a distinct neighborhood or location within the respective city. Compiled and edited by Tayari Jones, "Atlanta Noir" is comprised of fourteen original noir short stories deftly organized into three major sections: The Devil Went Down to Georgia; Kin Folks & Skin Folks; Nose Wide Open. All of these original and inherently fascinating tales are set in particular city of Atlanta settings ranging from Grant Park, to Cascade Heights, to East Lake Terrace. An absolute 'must' for dedicated mystery fans, and making an enduringly popular addition to community library Mystery/Suspense collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that, like all Akashic Books titles in their Noir series, "Atlanta Noir" is also available in a digital book format ($10.30).

Give Up the Dead
Joe Clifford
Oceanview Publishing
595 Bay Isles Road, 120-G, Longboat Key, FL 34228
www.oceanviewpub.com
9781608092048, $26.95, HC, 320pp, www.amazon.com

Three years have passed since estate-clearing handyman Jay Porter almost lost his life following a devastating accident on the thin ice of Echo Lake. His investigative work uncovering a kids-for-cash scandal may have made his hometown of Ashton, New Hampshire, a safer place, but nothing comes without a price. The traumatic, uncredited events cost Jay his wife and his son, and left him with a permanent leg injury. Jay is just putting his life back together when a mysterious stranger stops by with an offer too good to be true: a large sum of cash in exchange for finding a missing teenage boy who may have been abducted by a radical recovery group in the northern New Hampshire wilds. Skeptical of gift horses and weary of reenlisting in the local drug war, Jay passes on the offer. The next day his boss is found beaten and left for dead, painting Jay the main suspect. As clues begin to tie the two cases together, Jay finds himself back on the job and back in the line of fire. Another riveting novel by a master of the noir fiction genre, Joe Clifford's "Give Up The Dead" is the third and latest volume in the outstanding 'Jay Porter Series'. A simply riveting read from first page to last, "Give Up The Dead" is highly recommended and will prove to be an enduringly popular addition to community library Mystery/Suspense collections. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of dedicated mystery buffs that "Give Up The Dead" is also available in a digital book format ($9.99).

Death at Gills Rock
Patricia Skalka
University of Wisconsin Press
1930 Monroe Street, Third Floor, Madison, WI 53711-2059
www.uwpress.wisc.edu
9780299304508, $26.95, HC, 248pp, www.amazon.com

Park ranger and former Chicago homicide detective Dave Cubiak is elected Door County sheriff and finds himself confronted with unexpected deaths in the isolated fishing village of Gills Rock. Three prominent World War II veterans who are about to be honored for their military heroics die from carbon monoxide poisoning during a weekly card game. Blame falls to a faulty heater but Cubiak puzzles over details. When one of the widows receives a message claiming the men "got what they deserved," he realizes that there may be more to the deaths than a simple accident. Investigating, Cubiak discovers that the men's veneer of success and respectability hides a trail of lies and betrayal that stems from a single, desperate act of treachery and eventually spreads a web of deceit across the peninsula. Author Patricia Skalka is a master of the genre and in this second book of her outstanding 'Dave Cubiak Door County Mystery Series' has once again penned a simply riveting read with a deftly created story replete with unexpected twists and turns. An absolutely absorbing novel from cover to cover, "Death at Gills Rock" is unreservedly recommended and certain to be an enduringly popular addition to community library Mystery/Suspense collections. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of dedicated mystery buffs that "Death at Gills Rock" is also available in a paperback edition (9780299304546, $16.95) and in a digital book format ($9.49).

Another Man's Ground
Claire Booth
Minotaur Books
c/o St. Martin's Publishing Group
175 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10010
www.minotaurbooks.com
9781250084415, $25.99, HC, 320pp, www.amazon.com

Sheriff Hank Worth is called out to look at stands of trees that have been stripped of their bark, which the property owner had planned to harvest for the booming herbal supplement market. At first, Hank easily balances the demands of the investigation with his fledging political career. He was appointed several months earlier to the vacant sheriff position in Branson, Missouri, but he needs to win the fast-approaching election in order to keep his job. He thinks the campaign will go well, as long as he's able to keep secret the fact that a group of undocumented immigrants (hired to cut down the stripped trees) have fled into the forest and he's deliberately not looking for them. But then the discovery of a murder victim deep in the Ozark backwoods sets him in the middle of a generations-old feud that explodes into danger not only for him, but also for the immigrants, his deputies, and his family. He must rush to find a murderer before election day, and protect the vulnerable in Branson County, where politicking is hell and trespassing can get you killed. An original and deftly crafted novel by a true master of the genre, "Another Man's Ground" by Claire Booth is a consistently riveting read from cover to cover. While very highly recommended for community library Mystery/Suspense collections, it should be noted for the personal reading lists of dedicated mystery buffs that "Another Man's Ground" is also available in a digital book format ($12.99).

KNOLL: The Last JFK Conspiracist
Stephen Hillard
SelectBooks, Inc.
87 Walker Street, Suite B1, New York City, NY 10013
www.selectbooks.com
9781590794210, $23.95, HC, 256pp, www.amazon.com

A young protege of Edward Snowden flees the NSA after she learns that her project (KNOLL) is designed to detect and destroy any person with new facts about the conspiracy to assassinate JFK. The project's latest target: a small-town attorney, son of a mysteriously murdered cop, who has just discovered his family's involvement with deceased Mafia Kingpin Carlos Marcello, and the events that day in Dallas. All paths lead to a small Louisiana town that still hides its secrets, and converge on the doorstep of Marcello's still-active savant of assassins. He is unstoppable. His creed: Omerta Is Forever. A deftly crafted and inherently fascinating suspense thriller, "KNOLL: The Last JFK Conspiracist" reveals novelist Stephen Hillard's mastery of the genre and genuine flair for creating an unfailingly entertaining read from cover to cover. While very highly recommended, especially for community library Mystery/Suspense collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "KNOLL: The Last JFK Conspiracist" is also available in a digital book format ($9.99).

Cold Hearted River
Keith McCafferty
Viking Books
c/o Penguin Group USA
375 Hudson Street, New York, NY 10014
www.penguin.com
9780525429609, $26.00, HC, 320pp, www.amazon.com

When a woman goes missing in a spring snowstorm and is found dead in a bear's den, Sheriff Martha Ettinger reunites with her once-again lover Sean Stranahan to investigate. In a pannier of the dead woman's horse, they find a wallet of old trout flies, the leather engraved with the initials EH. Only a few days before, Patrick Willoughby, the president of the Madison River Liars and Fly Tiers Club, had been approached by a man selling fishing gear that he claimed once belonged to Ernest Hemingway. A coincidence? Sean doesn't think so, and he soon finds himself on the trail of a stolen trunk rumored to contain not only the famous writer's valuable fly fishing gear but priceless pages of unpublished work. The investigation will take Sean through extraordinary chapters in Hemingway's life. Another superbly crafted mystery by a true master of the genre, "Cold Hearted River" is a consistently compelling and unfailingly entertaining read from cover to cover. While strongly recommended and certain to be an enduringly popular addition to community library Mystery/Suspense collections, it should be noted for the personal reading lists of dedicated mystery buffs that "Cold Hearted River" (the sixth title in Keith McCafferty's outstanding Sean Stranahan Mystery Series) is also available in a digital book format ($12.99).

Ten Dead Comedians
Fred Van Lente
Quirk Books
215 Church Street, Philadelphia PA 19106
www.quirkbooks.com
9781594749742, $24.99, HC, 288pp, www.amazon.com

Nine comedians of various acclaim are summoned to the island retreat of legendary Hollywood funnyman Dustin Walker. The group includes a former late-night TV host, a washed-up improv instructor, a ridiculously wealthy "blue collar" comic, and a past-her-prime Vegas icon. All nine arrive via boat to find that every building on the island is completely deserted. Marooned without cell phone service or wifi signals, they soon find themselves being murdered one by one. But who is doing the killing, and why? A deftly crafted and inherently fascinating 'who done it' novel by a master of the genre, Fred Van Lente's "Ten Dead Comedians" is an ingeniously plotted puzzler with classically unanticipated twist ending. While unreservedly and enthusiastically recommended for community library Mystery/Suspense collections, it should be noted for the personal reading lists of dedicated mystery buffs that "Ten Dead Comedians" is also available in a paperback edition (9781683690221, $12.99) and in a digital book format ($12.99).

Murder on Black Swan Lane
Andrea Penrose
Kensington Publishing Corp.
119 West 40th Street, Floor 21, New York, NY 10018-2522
www.kensingtonbooks.com
9781496710772, $25.00, HC, 304pp, www.amazon.com

The Earl of Wrexford possesses a brilliant scientific mind, but boredom and pride lead him to reckless behavior. He does not suffer fools gladly. So when pompous, pious Reverend Josiah Holworthy publicly condemns him for debauchery, Wrexford unsheathes his rapier-sharp wit and strikes back. As their war of words escalates, London's most popular satirical cartoonist, A.J. Quill, skewers them both. But then the clergyman is found slain in a church with his face burned by chemicals, his throat slashed ear to ear -- and Wrexford finds himself the chief suspect. An artist in her own right, Charlotte Sloane has secretly slipped into the persona of her late husband, using his nom de plume A.J. Quill. When Wrexford discovers her true identity, she fears it will be her undoing. But he has a proposal -- use her sources to unveil the clergyman's clandestine involvement in questionable scientific practices, and unmask the real murderer. Soon Lord Wrexford and the mysterious Mrs. Sloane plunge into a dangerous shadow world hidden among London's intellectual enclaves to trap a cunning adversary before they fall victim to the next experiment in villainy. A Regency era mystery, "Murder on Black Swan Lane" is an extraordinary and deftly crafted read by a master of the genre, making this simply outstanding novel an unreservedly recommended addition to community library Mystery/Suspense collections. For the personal reading lists of dedicated mystery buffs it should be noted that "Murder on Black Swan Lane" is also available in a paperback edition (9781496713346, $15.95) and in a digital book format ($11.99).

Where Dead Men Meet
Mark Mills
Blackstone Publishing
31 Mistletoe Road, Ashland, OR 97520
www.BlackstoneAudio.com
9781504779739, $26.99, HC, 332pp, www.amazon.com

It's Paris in 1937 and Luke Hamilton (a junior air intelligence officer at the British Embassy) finds himself the target of an assassination attempt. This first appears to be simply a case of mistaken identity -- or so it seems. As Luke is hunted across a continent sliding toward war, he comes to learn that the answers lie deep in a past that predates his abandonment as a baby on the steps of an orphanage twenty-five years ago. Set against a terrific backdrop of Europe on the cusp of the Second World War, "Where Dead Men Meet" is a compelling and deftly crafted novel by a master of the genre. Rich in adventure, espionage, secrets, and lies, "Where Dead Men Meet" is a highly entertaining adventure thriller that will prove to be an enduringly popular addition to community library Mystery/Suspense collections. For the personal reading lists of dedicated mystery buffs it should be noted that "Where Dead Men Meet" is available in a digital book format ($1.99).

The Paris Spy
Susan Elia MacNeal
Bantam Books
c/o The Random House Publishing Group
1745 Broadway, 17th floor, New York, NY 10019
www.randomhouse.com
9780399593802, $26.00, HC, 320pp, www.amazon.com

Maggie Hope has come a long way since serving as a typist for Winston Churchill. Now she's working undercover for the Special Operations Executive in the elegant but eerily silent city of Paris, where SS officers prowl the streets in their Mercedes and the Ritz is draped with swastika banners. Walking among the enemy is tense and terrifying, and even though she's disguised in chic Chanel, Maggie can't help longing for home. But her missions come first. Maggie's half sister, Elise, has disappeared after being saved from a concentration camp, and Maggie is desperate to find her -- that is, if Elise even wants to be found. Equally urgent, Churchill is planning the Allied invasion of France, and SOE agent Erica Calvert has been captured, the whereabouts of her vital research regarding Normandy unknown. Maggie must risk her life to penetrate powerful circles and employ all her talents for deception and spycraft to root out a traitor, find her sister, and locate the reports crucial to planning D-Day in a deadly game of wits with the Nazi intelligence elite. "The Paris Spy" is another simply riveting read by a master of the genre and showcases author Susan MacNeal's genuine flair for compelling and deftly crafted storytelling. While unreservedly recommended for community library Mystery/Suspense collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "The Paris Spy" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $12.99).

Dead Certain
Adam Mitzner
Thomas & Mercer
9781477822593, $15.95, PB, 348pp, www.amazon.com

Ella Broden is living a double life. By day, Ella works as a buttoned-up attorney on some of the city's most grueling cases. By night, she pursues her passion for singing in the darkest clubs of Manhattan. No one knows her secret, not even Charlotte, the younger sister she practically raised. But it seems she's not the only one in the family with something to hide. When Charlotte announces she's sold her first novel, Ella couldn't be more thrilled... until she gets a call that her sister's gone missing. Ella starts investigating with the help of Detective Gabriel Velasquez, an old flame in the NYPD, and what she finds is shocking. If art imitates life, then her sister's novel may contain details of her real-life affairs. And any one of her lovers could be involved in her disappearance. Desperate to bring Charlotte home, Ella works through her list of suspects, matching fictitious characters with flesh-and-blood men. But will it be too late to save the sister she only thought she knew? "Dead Certain" is a simply riveting read from beginning to end and clearly reveals author Adam Mitzner as a deftly skilled novelist with an impressive mastery of the mystery suspense genre. While very highly recommended and certain to be a popular addition to community library collections, it should be noted for the personal reading lists of dedicated mystery buffs that "Dead Certain" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $4.99).

The Fifth Reflection
Ellen Kirschman
Oceanview Publishing
595 Bay Isles Road, 120-G, Longboat Key, FL 34228
www.oceanviewpub.com
9781608092505, $26.95, HC, 272pp, www.amazon.com

Police psychologist Dr. Dot Meyerhoff is pulled into the vortex of a terrible crime involving an eccentric photographer whose images of nude children make her a prime suspect in the disappearance of her own daughter. The principal investigator in the case is a young officer whose dedication to work and obsession with finding the missing child is tearing his own family apart. Trapped between her allegiance to the investigator, her complicated connections to the photographer, and her unstable relationship with the police chief, Dot must find a way to help everyone involved. As Dot's psychological expertise and determination contribute to solving the mystery, her involvement with the missing child's extended, dysfunctional family brings her face-to-face with painful psychological issues of her own. "The Fifth Reflection" delivers a chilling, up-close look at the psychological strain of investigating Internet crimes against children, the complexities of being married to a cop, and the deadliness of jealousy. A deftly crafted and riveting read from beginning to end, "The Fifth Reflection" clearly reveals author Ellen Kirschman's genuine flair for originality and mastery of the genre. While very highly recommended, especially for community library Mystery/Suspense collections, it should be noted for the personal reading lists of dedicated mystery buffs that "The Fifth Reflection" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).

Cast the First Stone
James W. Ziskin
Seventh Street Books
c/o Prometheus Books
59 John Glenn Drive, Amherst, NY 14228
www.prometheusbooks.com
9781633882812, $15.95, www.seventhstreetbooks.com

Cast the First Stone provides another Ellie Stone mystery in the 2017 Edgar Award-nominated series, and is set in 1962, when one Tony Eberle has just finished his first acting job in a Hollywood movie. A reporter is sent to Los Angeles to interview the upstate small town boy who made a name for himself, but when Ellie arrives in town, it's only to find that the subject of her report has vanished. Now she's involved in not just a search for him, but a search for the truth that uncovers the seedier side of Hollywood and some dangerous actors who would do anything for success - even murder. A powerful story evolves, steeped in the evocative atmosphere of Hollywood drama.

Berkley Prime Crime
c/o Penguin Group (USA)
375 Hudson Street, New York, NY 10014
www.us.penguingroup.com

Two excellent new books are recommended picks for mystery readers who especially enjoy a literary approach to their mystery reads. Kate Carlisle's Once Upon A Spine (9780451477729, $25.00) provides a new addition to the 'Bibliophile Mystery' series, exploring a San Francisco bookbinder's move from the world of rare books to the atmosphere of murder. Protagonist Brooklyn's future in-laws are coming from England to meet her, just as she and her fiance become embroiled in a threat to their neighborhood's atmosphere. A rare book, petty thefts, and a dead juice bar owner contribute to a series of events that threaten more than atmosphere, and which are intrinsically tied to rare books. Lorna Barrett's A Just Clause (9780399585913, $26.00) tells of Tricia and Angelica, who receive a shocking visitor from the past which engages the bookstore owner and sleuth in a family conflict and a crime. Is her father really a murderer as well as a con man, and who can Tricia trust? Add a thriller author's involvement and the plot thickens, resting heavily on book themes as it evolves a satisfying twist mystery fans will relish.


The Self-Help Shelf

Overcoming Your Difficult Family
Eric Maisel
New World Library
14 Pamaron Way, Novato, CA 94949
www.newworldlibrary.com
9781608684519, $15.95, PB, 232pp, www.amazon.com

Many of the difficult and even toxic people you encounter in daily life can be avoided -- but not if they're family members? What if the difficult person is a parent, a sibling, one of your children, or your mate? In "Overcoming Your Difficult Family: 8 Skills for Thriving in Any Family Situation", life coach and retired family therapist Eric Maisel offers useful strategies for dealing with the people you're connected to for life, even when they are not cooperative. Dr. Maisel tackles the problematic aspects of families, describing eight vital skills to help you cope with challenging relationships. "Overcoming Your Difficult Family" also serves as a unique "field guide" to personally thriving even if having to deal with common types of dysfunctional families, authoritarian families, anxious families, addicted families, and more. "Overcoming Your Difficult Family" is a compendium of practical, 'real world', battle-tested advice, tips, tricks and techniques for maintain inner peace in the midst of family chaos and create a better life for yourself and your whole family. While very highly recommended for community library Self-Help/Self-Improvement collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Overcoming Your Difficult Family" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).


The Fashion Shelf

Paris Fashion: A Cultural History, third edition
Valerie Steele
Bloomsbury Press
175 Fifth Avenue, Suite 315, New York, NY 10010
www.bloomsbury.com
9781635570892, $40.00, HC, 344pp, www.amazon.com

This beautifully illustrated, updated and expanded third edition of "Paris Fashion: A Cultural History" by Valerie Steele (Director and Chief Curator of the Museum of the Fashion Institute of Technology, New York) examines the history and culture of style in the fashion capital from the 14th century through to the present day. Paris has been the international capital of fashion for more than 300 years. Even before the rise of the haute couture, Parisians were notorious for their obsession with fashion, and foreigners eagerly followed their lead. From Charles Frederick Worth to Gabrielle "Coco" Chanel, Christian Dior, and Yves Saint Laurent, fashion history is dominated by the names of Parisian couturiers. But Valerie Steele's Paris Fashion is much more than just a history of great designers. "Paris Fashion: A Cultural History" demonstrates that the success of Paris ultimately rests on the strength of its fashion culture which was (and continues to be) created by a host of fashion performers and spectators, including actresses, dandies, milliners, artists, and writers. Impressively informative, exceptionally well written, a delight to simply browse through while offering students and non-specialist general readers with a comprehensive Parisian fashion history, "Paris Fashion: A Cultural History" is unreservedly recommended for both community and academic library collections. It should be noted for students and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "Paris Fashion: A Cultural History" is also available in a paperback edition (9781859739730, $32.95).


The Writing/Publishing Shelf

Writing For Bliss
Diana Raab
www.dianaraab.com
Loving Healing Press
5145 Pontiac Trail, Ann Arbor, MI 48105
www.lovinghealing.com
9781615993239, $21.95, PB, 240pp, www.amazon.com

Diana Raab is an award-winning memoirist, poet, blogger, workshop leader and speaker. In "Writing for Bliss: A Seven-Step Plan for Telling Your Story and Transforming Your Life" she draws upon her years of experience and expertise to provide aspiring writers with techniques and prompts for that will lead even the most novice writers to tap into their creativity through storytelling and poetry. "Writing for Bliss" also examines how life-changing experiences can inspire writing, pursue self-examination and self-discovery through the written word, and, understand how published writers have been transformed by writing. Featuring an appendix (A List of Writing Prompts); an eight page list of References; an eight page bibliography of Further Reading; a seven page listing of Recommended Memoirs; and a three page Index, "Writing for Bliss" is exceptionally well written, organized and presented, making it an ideal and highly recommended addition to personal, community, and academic library Writing/Publishing instructional collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "Writing for Bliss" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $6.95).


The Theatre/Cinema/TV Shelf

Cinegeek
Pluttark
IDW Publishing
2765 Truxton Road, San Diego, CA 92106
www.idwpublishing.com
9781631409004, $14.99, HC, 96pp, www.amazon.com

"Cinegeek" by Pluttark is an inherently fascinating and unfailingly entertaining encyclopedia of fun, colorful bits of trivia about popular films from the 1980s & 1990s! Imagine a list of the best romantic comedies without Hugh Grant! Or a tally of the most improbable fantasy flicks. Or even a ranking of giant movie monsters by size! Profusely illustrated on every page,"Cinegeek" is a celebratory and subjective appreciation of cinema that will prove to be an thorough delight for dedicated movie buffs and pop culture fans. Certain to be an enduringly popular addition to community, college, and university library Cinema/Movie collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Cinegeek" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $8.99).

Write! Shoot! Edit!
Deborah S. Patz
Michael Wiese Productions
12400 Ventura Blvd., #1111, Studio City, CA 91604
www.mwp.com
9781615932641, $23.95, PB, 210pp, www.amazon.com

Deborah Patz has been a professional in the film industry since the mid-1980s, with a filmography that spans family and children's programming, science-fiction extravaganzas, and feature films of various budget sizes. In "Write! Shoot! Edit!: The Complete Guide for Teen Filmmakers" she has written a complete course of instruction based upon today's digital technology which allows teens to produce short films with enviable accessibility. But there is a darker side to today's technology, too: the expectation to live and share your life online, to become an instant success with your first creations. Imagine being free to experiment and play with the medium. "Write! Shoot! Edit!" like having an experienced mentor beside you helping you craft solid, professional work that won't like someone's home movie project! Practical, informative, comprehensive, thoroughly 'user friendly' in organization and presentation, "Write! Shoot! Edit!" is unreservedly recommended for highschool and community library Theatre/Cinema instructional reference collections.

You Win or You Die
Ayelet Haimson Lushkov
I. B. Tauris Publishers
www.ibtauris.com
9781784536992, $15.95, PB, 272pp, www.amazon.com

If the Middle Ages form the present-day backdrop to the continents of Westeros and Essos, then antiquity is their resonant past. The Known World is haunted by the remnants of distant and powerful civilizations. Inspired by Carolyne Larrington's "Winter is Coming: The Medieval World of Game of Thrones", Ayelet Haimson Lushkov explores the echoes in "You Win or You Die" ranging from the Summer Islands to Storm's End. Lushkov discusses, the convergence of ancient Rome and the reach, scope, and might of the Valyrian Freehold. She shows how the wanderings of Tyrion Lannister replay the journeys of Odysseus and Aeneas. She suggests that the War of the Five Kings resembles the War of the Four Emperors (68-69 AD). She also demonstrates just how the Wall and the Wildlings advancing on it connect with Hadrian's bulwark against fierce tribes of Picts. "You Win or You Die" reveals the remarkable extent to which the entire Game of Thrones universe is animated by its ancient past and is a 'must read' for the legions of Game of Thrones fans. While very highly recommended for community library collections, it should be noted that "You Win or You Die" is also available in a digital book format ($9.99).


The Cookbook Shelf

Zoe's Ghana Kitchen
Zoe Adjonyoh
Mitchell Beazley
c/o Octopus Publishing
236 Park Avenue, New York NY 10017
9781784721633, $29.99, www.octopusbooks.com

Zoe's Ghana Kitchen: Traditional Ghanian Recipes Re-Mixed fro the Modern Kitchen comes from a London writer and cook who has been receiving acclaim for her pop-up restaurant and supper club, which introduces modern Ghanian food to non-natives unfamiliar with the African cuisine. Chapters focus on homemade and traditional flavors, but reformulates traditional Ghanian dishes for modern tastes and equipment. From Roasted and Stuffed Spiced Sweet Potato, which has enjoyed renewed community interest from the introduction of a variation on the theme, to a Ghanian Egg & Okra Stew, these dishes will appeal to any cook interested in regional African cooking who wants modern variations on a theme.

The One Peaceful World Cookbook
Alex Jack & Sachi Kato
BenBella Books
10300 N. Central Expressway, Suite 400, Dallas, TX 75204
www.benbellabooks.com
9781944648244, $22.95, PB, 350pp, www.amazon.com

"The One Peaceful World Cookbook: Over 150 Vegan, Macrobiotic Recipes for Vibrant Health and Happiness" is a culinary compendium that blends traditional wisdom with modern scientific and medical research. The result is a vegan macrobiotic approach that recognizes the profound effects food, environment, activities, and attitude can have on your physical and emotional health. Drawing upon traditional and contemporary cuisines from around the globe, "The One Peaceful World Cookbook" will enable even the most novice of kitchen cooks to prepare delicious, satisfying meals that nourish both body and mind. The recipes comprising this unique and highly recommended addition to personal, family, and community library cookbook collections range from Vegetable Sushi Rolls; Noodles in Clear Broth; Black Bean Stew; and Lentil Burger; to Sweet & Sour Tempeh; Orange Baked Yams; Cucumber-Wakame Salad with Tangerines; and Strawberry Mousse. It should be noted that "The One Peaceful World Cookbook: Over 150 Vegan, Macrobiotic Recipes for Vibrant Health and Happiness" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $14.39).

Natural Born Feeder
Roz Purcell
Gill Books
c/o Dufour Editions, Inc.
PO Box 7, 124 Byers Road, Chester Springs, PA 19425-0007
www.dufoureditions.com
9780717179084, $34.00, PB, 240pp, www.amazon.com

Roz Purcell began blogging at www.naturalbornfeeder.com in 2013 to document her love of cooking and share her recipes. Her approach to cooking is simple: use whole foods to live a whole life. Having developed a negative relationship with food that led her to make unhealthy choices, she changed her lifestyle by rediscovering her love of cooking. Roz used her passion for food to develop the most amazing recipes that fuel the body, providing the energy and vitality needed to look and feel great. For Roz a healthy lifestyle isn't about extremes, it's about balance. With "Natural Born Feeder" Ros draws upon her experience and expertise to showcase more than 170 easy-to-follow, kitchen cook friendly, delicious and nutritious recipes. The plate pleasing and appetite satisfying recipes ranges from Raspberry Lemonade; Spicy Sweet Potato and Egg Bake; Quinoa Salad with Broccoli, Feta and Hazelnuts; Steaks with Beetroot and Ginger Relish; and Chicken Satay Skwers; to Mini Coconut Rice Buns; Sesame Bagels; Roasted Carrot Hummus; Red Onion Marmalade; and Peanut Butter with Maple Syrup and Cinnamon. Enhanced with beautiful photos, "Natural Born Feeder" is an unreservedly recommended addition to personal, family, and community library cookbook collections. It should be noted that "Natural Born Feeder" is also available in a digital book format ($9.99).

Lean for Life: The Cookbook
Louis Parker
Mitchell Beazley
c/o Octopus Publishing
236 Park Avenue, New York NY 10017
www.octopusbooksusa.com
9781784723040, $24.99, HC, 224pp, www.amazon.com

Louise Parker has spent 20 years learning, researching, testing and improving The Louise Parker Method for weight control. Now in X she draws upon her experience and expertise to create "Lean for Life: The Cookbook ", a culinary compilation that not only contains over 120 fuss-free recipes, but provides even the most novice of kitchen cooks with the practical knowledge to create hundreds of variations so family members will never get bored with what they are served. With recipes ranging from Orange Pancakes with Lemon Dirzzle & Ricotta Cream; to Black & White Beluga Salad; to CoCo's Chocolate Con Carne Pressies; to Roast Fillet of Beef with Roast Cauliflower & Mustard Sauce; to Strawberry Limeade, "Lean for Life: The Cookbook" is a delight to browse through and a pleasure to plan menus with. While very highly recommended for personal, professional, family, and community library cookbook collections, it should be noted that "Lean for Life: The Cookbook" is also available in a digital book format ($8.99).

Artisanal Preserves
Madelaine Bullwinkel
Surrey Books
c/o Agate Publishing
1328 Greenleaf Street, Evanston, IL 60202
www.agatepublishing.com
9781572842199 $18.95 pbk / $11.28 eBook amazon.com

Artisanal Preserves: Small-Batch Jams, Jellies, Marmalades, and More is a unique cookbook of recipes for flavorful homemade preserves, and tasty breads, muffins, and desserts that use them! Chapters walk the reader through the techniques and equipment used to create preserves, and the vast array of recipes range from Peach Blueberry Jam to Lime Zucchini Marmalade, Quick Tropical Pineapple Preserves, French Toast with Plum Sauce, and even some no-sugar jams! A seasonal guide to fresh fruits and an index round out this accessible and reader-friendly kitchen guide.

Aperitivo: Drinks and Snacks for the Dolce Vita
Kay Plunkett-Hogge
Mitchell Beazley
c/o Octopus Publishing
236 Park Avenue, New York NY 10017
www.octopusbooksusa.com
978178472310, $19.99, HC, 224pp, www.amazon.com

Kay Plunkett-Hogge is a well-respected food and drink writer with a wide culinary repertoire and an in-depth knowledge of the drinks industry. In the beautifully illustrated pages of "Aperitivo: Drinks and Snacks for the Dolce Vita", she draws upon her years of experience and expertise to compile a thoroughly palate pleasing and kitchen cook friendly roster of fabulous recipes that are divided into two major sections: The Drinks; The Food. With cocktails ranging from Kay's perfect Negroni; to The Isola Del Sole; to The Roman Mule; and foods ranging from Peperoni Ripieni; to Salsa Di Faioli Toscani; to Bucce Di Melanzana Marinate Al Pepe; these are Italian treats that will make any and all special occasion parties and gatherings truly memorable. Of special note is the section devoted to Breads & Baking. While certain to be a perennial favorite, "Aperitivo: Drinks and Snacks for the Dolce Vita" is enthusiastically recommended for personal, professional, family, and community library cookbook collections. It should be noted that "Aperitivo: Drinks and Snacks for the Dolce Vita" is also available in a digital book format ($7.99).


The Poetry Shelf

Where Now: New and Selected Poems
Laura Kasischke
Copper Canyon Press
PO Box 271, Port Townsend, WA 98368
www.coppercanyonpress.org
9781556595127, $30.00, HC, 256pp, www.amazon.com

Laura Kasischke teaches in the University of Michigan MFA program and the Residential College. She has published seven collections of poetry and seven novels. "Where Now: New and Selected Poems" is her latest published collection and as an anthology represents some of her best work to date -- and a simple pleasure to browse through again and again and again. Showcasing the prose poetry of major and contemporary talent, "Where Now: New and Selected Poems" is an extraordinary and highly recommended addition to personal, community, and academic library Contemporary American Poetry collections. 'Your Last Day': So we found ourselves in an ancient place, the very / air around us bound by chains. There was / stagnant water in which lightning / was reflected, like desperation / in a dying eye. Like science. Like / a dull rock plummeting through space, tossing / off flowers and veils, like a bride. And // also the subway. / Speed under ground. / And the way each body in the room appeared to be / a jar of wasps and flies that day -- but, enchanted, like frightened children's laughter.


The Needlecraft Shelf

Silk Weavers of Hill Tribe Laos
Joshua Hirschstein & Baren Beck, authors
Joe Coca, photographer
Thrums Books
306 North Washington Street, Loveland, CO 80537
www.ThrumsBooks.com
9780997216899, $34.95, PB, 224pp, www.amazon.com

Joshua Hirschstein operates a private tutoring service and is the cofounder of Above the Fray: Traditional Hilltribe Art. Maren Beck teaches workshops on Lao and Vietnamese textiles throughout the Pacific Northwest and is the cofounder of Above the Fray. They live in Eugene, Oregon. Joe Coca is a diversified photographer with a special focus on handcrafted textiles and artisan goods.. Together they have collaborated to publish "Silk Weavers of Hill Tribe Laos: Textiles, Tradition, and Well-Being". Part travelogue, part silk-weaving primer, "Silk Weavers of Hill Tribe Laos" is a tender portrait of an American family's travels in Laos's Houaphon Province. As they learn about the ancient silk weaving traditions in the hilltribe community of Xam Tai, they gain an appreciation for the strong sense of well-being in Lao culture. Over the past decade, Hirschstein and Beck have developed deep connections with the villagers of Xam Tai who raise their own fiber from silkworms, dye it using local natural dyes, and weave the patterns of their ancestors into healing cloths, ceremonial textiles, and daily wear. A unique, beautifully illustrated, impressively informative volume, "Silk Weavers of Hill Tribe Laos" is thoroughly 'reader friendly' in organization and presentation. A truly exceptional study, "Silk Weavers of Hill Tribe Laos" will prove to be an enduringly popular addition to both community and academic library Needlecraft collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "Silk Weavers of Hill Tribe Laos" is also available in a digital book format ($12.99).

Baby Quilts for Beginners
Karen M. Burns
Martingale & Company
19021 - 120th Avenue NE, Suite 102, Bothell, WA 98011
www.shopmartingale.com
9781604688641, $19.99, PB, 64pp, www.amazon.com

Now with the aid of "Baby Quilts for Beginners" compiled by Karen M. Burns, even the most novice of quilting enthusiasts can create a truly memorable and appreciated quilt for a baby shower, birthday, and holiday gift giving -- or just to bring a smile to Baby's face! Comprised of 13 fabulously fast and delightfully simple quilts for little ones are that bright, adorable, and super easy to make, "Baby Quilts for Beginners" is thoroughly 'user friendly' in organization and presentation. While very highly recommended for personal and community library instructional quilting collections, it should be noted that "Baby Quilts for Beginners" is also available in a digital book format ($8.99).


The Photography Shelf

Chasing Light
Stefan Forster
teNeues Publishing Group
7 West 18th Street, New York, NY, 10011
www.teneues.com
9783832769161, $55.00, HC, 220pp, www.amazon.com

Captured in vivid color, the moments that photographer Stefan Forster uncovers in out-of-the-way places in nature take place on adventurous backcountry trips far from civilization, where he carries up to 80 pounds in camera gear and camping equipment. With enormous enthusiasm but still prepared for anything, he often hikes through remote areas for weeks at a time on his search for the extraordinary. He has taken long solo kayak trips along Greenland's west coast, hopped from island to island in Micronesia, and slogged through the swamps of Louisiana and Texas to find the area's most beautiful cypress trees, all the while dodging alligators. His method yields unique, fascinating photos. "Chasing Light" is a compendium of outstanding full color photographic images that showcases Stefan's work ranging from rare rainstorms in the world's driest desert; to the Northern Lights shimmering through icebergs; to spectacular shots of the Rocky Mountains -- and so much more!. It is interesting to note that Stefan was one of the first photographers to use state-of-the-art quadcopter drones to give his photos fresh, new perspectives. A beautiful browse for photography enthusiasts and students from cover to cover, "Chasing Light" is unreservedly recommended as a lastingly entertaining and inspiring addition to personal, professional, community, and academic library Contemporary Photography collections and supplemental studies lists.

New York in the Snow
Vivienne Gucwa
iLex
c/o Octopus Publishing
236 Park Avenue, New York NY 10017
www.octopusbooksusa.com
9781781574157, $24.99, HC, 192pp, www.amazon.com

Vivienne Gucwa, a native of Queens, began shooting New York City in the early 2000s with no formal training and just a simple point-and-shoot camera. It was not until 2010 that she began publishing the resulting photographs on her blog. Now she shoots assignments around the world, her work is followed by millions and she has won acclaim across the industry and the media alike most recently being named Sony's 9th Artisan of Imagery. "New York in the Snow: A Magical Vision of New York City" is a compilation of her work that showcases the iconic city of New York as a bustling, heady metropolis that, thanks to the power of media, everyone in the world knows intimately, even if they've never been there in person. But every once in a while it changes completely. At first a few flakes will fall, then more, and more. Hardened New Yorkers rush for warmth and, while they're absent, an amazing, glistening almost deserted winter wonderland momentarily appears. It is these moments Vivienne Gucwa lives for. She has been documenting them for more than a decade, rushing out to capture the city in snow. Of all the photos that have made her the celebrated, award-winning success that she is, it is these that are most loved, both online and in print. Here they are offered in a volume of images to be enjoyed by anyone who loves New York, whether from afar, as an occasional visitor, or if native New Yorkers who have never left the Big Apple. While very highly recommended for personal, professional, community, and academic library Contemporary American Photography collections, it should be noted that "New York in the Snow" is also available in a digital book format ($9.99).

George Rodger Nuba & Latuka: The Color Photographs
Chris Steele-Perkins, author
Aaron Schuman, editor
Prestel Publishing
900 Broadway, Suite 603, New York, NY 10003
www.prestel.com
9783791383224, $49.95, HC, 112pp, www.amazon.com

George Rodger (19 March 1908 - 24 July 1995) was a British photojournalist noted for his work in Africa and for photographing the mass deaths at Bergen-Belsen concentration camp at the end of the Second World War. "George Rodger Nuba & Latuka: The Color Photographs" introduces the Western world to the Nuba peoples of Sudan. In 1949 the photographer and co-founder of Magnum Photos, Rodger, learned of the Nuba tribe while traveling in the Kordofan region of the Sudan. Remarkably, he was granted permission by the Sudanese government to take pictures of these striking people, who lived as their ancestors had centuries before. After publication in National Geographic magazine, these pictures (as well as Rodger's fascinating journal entries from the shoot) have not been available to the wider public. Now, Rodger's rare softly colored Kodachrome images are gathered in a sumptuous volume, and introduced in an informative essay by photographer Chris Steele-Perkins. Beautifully reproduced, Rodger's photographs emphasize the muted colors of the Sudanese landscape as well as the Nuba's penchant for vivid body paint, clothing, and jewelry. They are a superb example of early color photography, and a stunning celebration of a little-known tribe that lives in one of the world's harshest environments. A simply outstanding volume, "George Rodger Nuba & Latuka: The Color Photographs" is unreservedly recommended for personal, professional, community, and academic library Photography collections.

100 Great Street Photographs
David Gibson
Prestel Publishing
900 Broadway, Suite 603, New York, NY 10003
www.prestel.com
9783791383132, $34.95, HC, 208pp, www.amazon.com

David Gibson is a street photographer, the author of The Street Photographer's Manual, and a founder of the street photography collective In-Public. He regularly leads street photography workshops in London and other cities across the globe. In "100 Great Street Photographs" he presents a celebration of contemporary street photography in all its edgy, strange, beautiful, haunting, colorful, and humorous glory, by brings together the work of a new generation of talented artists. Over the past few decades, the long tradition of street photography has been wholly transformed by the proliferation of digital cameras, the Internet, and smartphones. A new generation of photographers have embraced this modern technology to capture the world around us in a way that is un-staged, of-the- moment, and real. Exploring this rich seam of emergent and exciting street photography, the 100 photographs featured here (the majority of which are previously unpublished and taken in the last few years) are presented on double-page spreads along with commentary about the work and its creator. Curated by David Gibson, "100 Great Street Photographs" is a simply stunning volume of work that offers a truly global collection of images. Gibson's insightful introduction gives an insider's overview of street photography, illuminating its historic importance and its renaissance in the digital age. "100 Great Street Photographs" is unreservedly recommended for personal, professional, community, and academic library Contemporary Photography collections and supplemental studies lists.

Texas Wildflowers Impressions
Rob Greebon & Richard Reynolds
Farcountry Press
PO Box 5630, Helena, MT 59604
www.farcountrypress.com
9781560376750, $12.95, PB, 80pp, www.amazon.com

In the pages of "Texas Wildflowers Impressions" armchair travelers can go on a wildflower tour with native Texan photographers Rob Greebon and Richard Reynolds. From cacti blossoms at Big Bend National Park in West Texas, to the famous fields of bluebonnets in the Hill Country, to the carnivorous pitcher plants found in the Big Thicket National Preserve in East Texas, enjoy spectacular Texas wildflowers in 93 gorgeous color photographs. Included are the state's vegetational zones with tips on when and where to find blooms, and how to photograph your own beautiful wildflower landscapes. A simply beautiful compendium of full color photography from cover to cover, "Texas Wildflowers Impressions" is very highly recommended -- and could well serve as a template for dedicated photography enthusiasts in creating similar wildflower photography collections of other states.

Mallorca
Michael Poliza
teNeues Publishing Group
7 West 18th Street, New York, NY, 10011
www.teneues.com
9783832769215, $65.00, HC, 224pp, www.amazon.com

Majorca is the largest island in the Balearic Islands archipelago, which are part of Spain and located in the Mediterranean. An inimitable tourist destination for international travelers, nature photographer Michael Poliza focused on a place of legendary beauty that brims unexpected surprises in his compendium of photographs that comprise "Mallorca" beautifully showcasing an attractive mix of old and modern architecture, lively beaches and secluded bays, and the vibrant city of Palma, quaint mountain villages, and more! An ideal browse for the armchair traveler, "Mallorca" is certain to be an enduringly popular addition to personal, community, and academic library Contemporary Photography collections.


The Gardening Shelf

The Life In Your Garden
Reeser Manley and Marjorie Peronto
Tilbury House, Publishers
12 Starr Street, Thomaston, ME 04861
www.tilburyhouse.com
9780884484721 $34.95 amazon.com

Featuring full-color photography throughout, The Life In Your Garden: Gardening for Biodiversity is a guide especially for North American gardeners who seek to benefit the environment through their horticulture. Chapters guide the reader to transforming their garden into a haven of native trees, shrubs, and herbacious plants; providing food and shelter for local plants, insects, birds, and wildlife; controlling plant-eating insects naturally through insect-eating insects and songbirds; and protecting vegetables or small fruits through environmentally-friendly means such as interplantings, floating row covers, cutworm collars, and occasional hand-picking. "Using floating row covers successfully requires knowledge of how insects overwinter. Some Herbivores, like the Colorado potato beetle, spend the winter as adults in the soil near the plants on which they fed as larvae... Other herbivores that overwinter near last year's plant host include the onion maggot, corn rootworm, and flea beetle (which affects many vegetable seedlings). Clearly, crop rotation must be used along with row covers to foil these herbivores." An index enhances this thoroughly accessible and reader-friendly gardening guide, highly recommended for both personal and public library collections.

Visionary Landscapes
Kendall H. Brown & David M. Cobb
Tuttle Publishing
364 Innovation Drive, North Clarendon, VT 05759-9436
www.tuttlepublishing.com
9784805313862, $24.95, HC, 128pp, www.amazon.com

Japanese gardens are traditional gardens whose designs are accompanied by Japanese aesthetic and philosophical ideas, avoid artificial ornamentation, and highlight the natural landscape. Master garden designers Hoichi Kurisu, Takeo Uesugi, David Slawson, Shin Abe and Marc Keane have each interpreted the style and meaning of the Japanese garden in unique ways in their innovative designs for private, commercial and public spaces. Several recent Japanese-style gardens by each designer are featured in "Visionary Landscapes: Japanese Garden Design in North America, The Work of Five Contemporary Masters" with detailed descriptions and sumptuous color photos. Hoichi Kurisu focuses on transformative spaces for spiritual and physical equilibrium; Takeo Uesugi showcases bright, flowing gardens that evoke joyful living; David Slawson presents evocations of native place that fuse with the surrounding landscape; Shin Abe produces dynamically balanced "visual stories" that produce meaning and comfort; Marc Keane reflects on human connections with nature through the art of gardens. Also included are essays on the designers and mini-essays by them about gardens in Japan which have most inspired their work, as well as commentaries by patrons and visitors to their North American gardens. Profusely and beautifully illustrated throughout, "Visionary Landscapes" focuses on recently-created gardens to suggest how the art form is currently evolving, and understanding Japanese garden design principles and practices. Informed and informative, "Visionary Landscapes" is a delight to browse through and will prove to be an enduringly popular addition to personal, professional, community, and academic library Gardening & Horticultural collections in general, and Japanese Gardens supplemental studies reading lists in particular.


The Biography Shelf

Agent M
Henry Hemming
Public Affairs Books
c/o Perseus Book Group
250 West 57th Street, #1321, New York, NY 10107
www.publicaffairsbooks.com
9781610396844 $28.00 hc / $18.99 Kindle amazon.com

Agent M: The Lives and Spies of MI5's Maxwell Knight is the in-depth biography of the extraordinary spymaster reputed to be the real-life inspiration behind the character "M" of the James Bond franchise. Maxwell Knight was brilliant, eccentric, three-times married, a connoisseur of fine jazz and a keeper of exotic pets. Though personally unqualified for espionage, he had an unparalleled gift for transforming agents, and his work revolutionized British intelligence. Among his many accomplishments was his pioneering use of female agents. Utterly fascinating from cover to cover, Agent M is highly recommended for both personal and public library collections.

Santiago Perez Triana
Jane Rausch
Markus Wiener Publishers
231 Nassau Street, Princeton, NJ 08542
www.markuswiener.com
9781558766242, $48.95, HC, 220pp, www.amazon.com

Santiago Perez Triana (1858 - 1916) was a Colombian author, journalist, and diplomat who became one of the leading proponents of pan-American unity and a crusader against European intervention in the western hemisphere. He led a dramatic, globetrotting life and became on of Latin America's best-known public figures. Now a biography of his life and works "Santiago Perez Triana (1858-1916): Columbian Man of Letters and Crusader for Hemispheric Unity" by author and historian Jane Rausch rescues from obscurity the man who was a forceful advocate of the allied cause in World War I and enjoyed the status of being one of Latin America's most powerful voices on the world stage. Exceptionally well researched, written, organized and presented, "Santiago Perez Triana" is enhanced for scholars with the inclusion of twenty-two pages of Notes, an eight page Bibliography, and appendix (Perez Triana's Best Remembered Poems), and a six page Index. While highly and unreservedly recommended for both community and academic library Latin American Biography & History collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Santiago Perez Triana" is also available in a paperback edition (9781558766259, $24.95).

The Vegetarian's Guide to Eating Meat
Marissa Landrigan
Greystone Books
343 Railway Street, Suite 201, Vancouver, B.C. Canada V6A 1A4
www.greystonebooks.com
9781771642743, $16.95, PB, 256pp, www.amazon.com

Growing up in a household of food-loving Italian-Americans, Marissa Landrigan was always a black sheep. She barely knew how to boil water for pasta! But at college, she thought she'd found her purpose. Buoyed by animal rights activism and a feminist urge to avoid the kitchen, she transformed into a hardcore vegan activist, complete with shaved head. But Landrigan still hadn't found her place in the world. Striving to develop her career and maintain a relationship, she criss-crossed the U.S. Along the way, she discovered that eating ethically was far from simple -- and simply cutting out meat was no longer enough. As she got closer to the source of her food, eventually even visiting a slaughterhouse and hunting elk, Landrigan realized that the most ethical way of eating was to know her food and prepare it herself, on her own terms, to eat with family and friends. Part memoir and part investigative journalism, "The Vegetarian's Guide to Eating Meat" is as much the personal story of a search for identity as it is a fascinating treatise on food. An exceptionally well written and inherently fascinating memoir (and loving that ironic title!) "The Vegetarian's Guide to Eating Meat" is unreservedly recommended, especially for community and academic library Contemporary American Biography collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "The Vegetarian's Guide to Eating Meat" is also available in a digital book format ($10.94).


The Automotive Shelf

Auto Upkeep, fourth edition
Michael Gray & Linda E. Gray
Rolling Hills Publishing
300 Eagle Flight, Ozark, Missouri, 65721
www.rollinghillspublishing.com
9781627020169, $75.00, HC, 288pp, www.amazon.com

Now in a newly updated and expanded fourth edition, "Auto Upkeep" has been adopted by over 500 schools in the United States and Canada (as well as thousands of homeschoolers) to teach maintenance, light repair, auto ownership, and how cars work. "Auto Upkeep" is an outstanding and practical resource for anyone who wants to learn more about cars. Impressively comprehensive, profusely illustrated throughout, "Auto Upkeep" covers everything from choosing an insurance policy, to performing basic maintenance and repair, to advances in automotive technology, to automotive industry career paths, as well as including a glossary and an index. While unreservedly recommended as high school auto shop textbook, and certain to be an enduringly popular addition to community and academic library Automotive Studies collections. Thoroughly 'user friendly' in organization and presentation, it should be noted for personal reading lists that this new fourth edition of "Auto Upkeep" is also available in a paperback edition (9781627020114, $45.00).


The Beer/Wine/Spirits Shelf

The New Wine Lover's Companion, fourth edition
Ron Herbst and Sharon Tyler Herbst
Barron's
250 Wireless Boulevard, Hauppauge, NY 11788
www.barronseduc.com
9781438008820 $16.99 amazon.com

Now in an updated fourth edition, The New Wine Lover's Companion is a user-friendly reference to the world of fine wine, with alphabetical entries covering everything from "alluvial soil" (a type of soil prized in the viticultural world for the flavorful grapes it produces) to "Zinfandel" (a red-wine grape grown primarily in California). Charts and tables, guides to storing and serving wine, a bibliography, and much more round out this superb resource. Highly recommended, especially for anyone curious to learn more about the depth of wine culture!

Ancient Brews Rediscovered and Re-created
Patrick E. McGovern
W.W. Norton & Company, Inc.
500 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10110
www.wwnorton.com
9780393253801 $26.95 hc / $12.99 Kindle amazon.com

Ancient Brews Rediscovered and Re-created Including Homebrew Interpretations & Meal Pairings lives up to its title as an in-depth guide to the alcoholic drinks enjoyed by civilizations past. From the extensive historical context of intoxicating beverages enjoyed by the Neolithic Chinese or Middle Eastern kings, and even the "grog" cherished in Europe before wine stole center stage. Recipes, recommended meal pairings, a bibliography, and an index round out this treasury for those seeking to personally experience these heritage brews. A "must-have" for adventurous alcohol connoisseurs!

Brewing Revolution
Frank Appleton
Harbour Publishing
PO Box 219, Madeira Park, BC, Canada, V0N 2H0
www.harbourpublishing.com
9781550177824 $24.95 amazon.com

Brewing Revolution: Pioneering the Craft Beer Movement is the memoir of Frank Appleton, widely considered to be the father of Canada's craft-brewing movement. Appleton speaks candidly of the beer business, from working for a major brewery in his early years, to his efforts to establish the first cottage brewery in Canada. Attracting the attention of beer lovers away from the "Big Three" breweries was no easy task, further complicated by strife with the BC Liquor Control Board, and difficulties of brewing plant design as well as the complex process of malting itself. Appleton's efforts inspired a wealth of microbreweries in Canada and the US, and his story is a "must-read" for anyone interested in craft-beer revival. Highly recommended!

The Wildcrafted Cocktail
Ellen Zachos
Storey Publishing
210 Mass MoCA Way, North Adams, MA 01247
www.storey.com
9781612127422, $18.95, PB, 240pp, www.amazon.com

Compiled by Ellen Zachos, "The Wildcrafted Cocktail" showcases more than 50 recipes for bitters, garnishes, syrups, infusions, and juices using plants readily found in backyards, farmers' markets, and along roadside fields. Each thoroughly 'user friendly' recipes underscores just how easy it is to make delicious, one-of-a-kind mixed drinks with common flowers, berries, roots, and leaves that you can be found along roadsides or in your backyard or natural wilderness area. Foraging expert Ellen Zachos provides an impressive array of cocktail recipes that range from Quick Pickled Daylily Buds; Rose Hip Syrup, and Chanterelle-infused Rum; to Stinger in the Rye; Don't Sass Me; and Tree-tini. Absolutely certain to be an enduringly popular and appreciated addition to community library collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "The Wildcrafted Cocktail" is also available in a digital book format ($9.99).

The Mezcal Rush
Granuille Greene
Counterpoint Press
1919 Fifth Street, Berkeley, CA 94710-1916
www.counterpointpress.com
9781619028449, $26.00, HC, 256pp, www.amazon.com

Mezcal is a distilled alcoholic beverage made from any type of agave plant native to Mexico. In recent years, as the oldest spirit in the Americas, Mezcal has been reinvented as a pricy and popular choice among booze connoisseurs and the mixologists who use it as a cocktail ingredient. Unlike most high-end distillates, most small-batch mezcal is typically produced by and for subsistence farming communities, often under challenging conditions. As author Granville Greene spends time with maestros mezcaleros, who distill their drinks using local agaves and production techniques honed through generations, he came to realize that mezcal had become a spirit of contradictions, being both a liquid language celebrating village identity and craftsmanship, as well as a luxury export undergoing a gold-rush-style surge. "The Mezcal Rush: Explorations in Agave Country" deftly explores the complications that can arise when an artisanal product makes its way across boarders. Impressively informative, exceptionally well written, organized and presented, "The Mezcal Rush" is an original and inherently fascinating read from beginning to end. While unreservedly recommended for both community and academic library collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "The Mezcal Rush" is also available in a digital book format ($15.33).


The Art Shelf

On Christian Iconography
Francisco Pacheco
Spanish text translated by Jeremy Roe with Carles Gutierrez
Latin text translated by Jose Solis de los Santos
Saint Joseph's University Press
5600 City Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19131
9780916101893 $75.00 www.sjupress.com

Volume 16 of the scholarly "Early Modern Catholicism and the Visual Arts Series", On Christian Iconography: Selections from The Art of Painting (1649) is the first English translation of the writings on religious painting penned by 17th-century Spanish painter Francisco Pacheco. Notes, a bibiography, and an index aid in study of the text, while an extensive insert of beautiful, full- color artwork reproductions allow the reader to directly experience many of the works discussed. On Christian Iconography is highly recommended for college and public library art shelves, and would make a superb resource for a course on Spanish baroque art or counter-reformation visual culture.

Rodney McMillian
Anthony Elms, et al.
The Studio Museum in Harlem
c/o Distributed Art Publishers
155 Sixth Avenue, 2nd floor, New York, NY 10013-1507
www.artbook.com
9780942949438, $50.00, HC, 168pp, www.amazon.com

For more than a decade, Los Angeles - based artist Rodney McMillian (born 1969) has worked in sculpture, painting, video and performance to explore the intersections of race, class, gender and socioeconomic policy. Copublished by the Institute of Contemporary Art, University of Pennsylvania and The Studio Museum in Harlem on the occasion of Rodney McMillian: The Black Show and Rodney McMillian: Views of Main Street, "Rodney McMillian" is a large and profusely illustrated volume that provides an in-depth examination of McMillian's varied practice and his meditations on social systems, art history, science fiction and public policy. In addition McMillian's work displayed, there are informative contributions by co-editors Anthony Elms and Naima Keith. McMillian's radical use of postconsumer objects, video and painting are addressed in thoughtful essays by such leading figures in the art world as Charles Gaines, Rita Gonzalez, Dave McKenzie and Steven Nelson. A unique compendium of images and commentaries, "Rodney McMillian' will prove to be an especially prized addition to personal, community and academic library Contemporary American Art & Artists collections in general, and Rodney McMillian supplemental studies reading lists in particular.

Colville
Andrew Hunter
Goose Lane Editions
500 Beverbrook Court, Suite 330, Fredericton, NB, Canada, E3B 5X4
www.gooselane.com
9780864920171, $45.00, HC, 168pp, www.amazon.com

The late David Alexander Colville (24 August 1920 - 16 July 2013) was a Canadian painter, printmaker, and war veteran who drew his inspiration from the world around him, transforming the seemingly mundane figures and events of everyday life into archetypes of the modern condition. "Colville" is a compendium celebrating his work and is specifically designed to accompany an exhibition at the Art Gallery Ontario, honoring this iconic Canadian artist's legacy and explores the continuing impact of his work on film, literature, and music. Featuring more than 100 reproductions, "Colville" showcases works assembled from museums and private collections nationwide, spanning the entirety of Colville's career. Included are many works that have never been have never been reproduced, along with his most iconic paintings, including Horse and Train, 1953; To Prince Edward Island, 1965; Woman in Bathtub, 1973; and Target Pistol and Man, 1980. A pure pleasure to browse through, this informed and informative edition of "Colville" is unreservedly recommended for both community and academic library Canadian Art History collections. It should be noted for art students and non-specialist general readers with an interest the subject that "Colville" is also available in a paperback edition (9780864928962, $39.95).

The American Dream
Stephen Coppel, et al.
Thames & Hudson, Inc.
500 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10110-0017
www.thamesandhudsonusa.com
9780500239605, $60.00, HC, 332pp, www.amazon.com

"The American Dream: Pop to the Present" is published to accompany an exhibition at the British Museum, and presents an overview of the development of American printmaking since 1960, paying particular attention to such key figures as Andy Warhol, Jasper Johns, Robert Rauschenberg, and Ed Ruscha as well as Louise Bourgeois, Kara Walker, and Julie Mehretu. With more than 200 key works by nearly seventy artists, this fully illustrated publication traces the creative momentum in American printmaking over the past six decades, ranging from the moment pop art burst onto the New York and West Coast scenes in the early 1960s, to the rise of minimalism, conceptual art, and photorealism in the 1970s, to the different responses of artists working today. Using innovative techniques and appealing to a wide audience, American printmaking was the ideal medium to express the USA's power and influence, and to highlight contentious issues such as race, AIDS, and feminism. Featuring more than 350 illustrations in color and black-and-white, "The American Dream" will prove to be a welcome and enduringly popular addition to both community and academic library 20th Century American Art History collections in general, and American Print Making History supplemental studies reading lists in particular.

The Art of Painting in Colonial Bolivia
Suzanne L. Stratton-Pruitt, editor
Saint Joseph's University Press
5600 City Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19131
9780945402319, $120.00, HC, 530pp, www.sjupress.com

Knowledgeably compiled and deftly edited by art historian and curator Suzanne L. Stratton-Pruitt, "The Art of Painting in Colonial Bolivia / El arte de la pintura en Bolivia colonial" is a bilingual anthological volume dedicated to the art of painting in pre-independence Bolivia. This impressively informed and informative compendium of Antonio Suarez Weise's handsomely photographed, full-color images will bring renewed public and scholarly attention to a rich cultural heritage that has not heretofore received its proper due. An ambitious round of new photography has been joined by an international roster of scholarly contributors from the United States, Argentina, Peru, and Bolivia to offer both the general reader and specialists an overview of the art of painting in the region of South America once called "Charcas" and later "Alto Peru." Attention is brought to the role of European subjects and styles in the development of regional forms of expression, as well as the influence of art and artists from Cuzco, Peru. Works by painters active in La Paz, Sucre, and Potos- such as Leonardo Flores, Melchor Perez Holgu-n, and Gaspar Miguel de Berr-o have received close reading of iconographical themes that were often of particularly local interest. Expertly translated by David Auerbach and Blanca de Solorzano, this Saint Joseph's University Press edition will prove to be a unique and highly prized addition to personal, community, and academic library Art History collections in general, and Bolivian Art History supplemental studies reading lists in particular.

Andy Warhol: Dark Star
Douglas Fogle, et al.
Prestel Publishing
900 Broadway, Suite 603, New York, NY 10003
www.prestel.com
9783791356150, $49.95, HC, 208pp, www.amazon.com

Andy Warhol (August 6, 1928 - February 22, 1987) was an American artist, director and producer who was a leading figure in the visual art movement known as pop art. From soup cans to car crashes, his early work is reconsidered in "Andy Warhol: Dark Star", an illustrated collection of essays from a wide variety of scholars, writers, and artists. Warhol embodied many of the paradoxes of postwar America. Emerging as a successful commercial artist during the heyday of Madison Avenue, Warhol was obsessed with consumer objects and the production of fame. His early work reveals his fascination with Hollywood stars, everyday household products, disasters, car crashes, and the Kennedy assassination. "Andy Warhol: Dark Star" is a provocative and stimulating collection of essays, which accompanies an exhibition at Museum Jumex, Warhol and his art illuminate the utopian promise and the dark side of American culture. Profusely illustrated throughout with a wide-ranging series of images drawn from Warhol's famed as well as lesser-known works, this outstanding collection brings into clearer focus the artist's personal struggles. A unique and informative study, "Andy Warhol: Dark Star" is an inherently fascinating, impressively informative, and very highly recommended addition to personal, community, and academic library 20th Century American Art History collections in general, and Andy Warhol supplemental studies reading lists in particular.

"O'er the Wide and Tractless Sea"
Michael P. Dyer
New Bedford Whaling Museum
18 Johnn Cake Hill, New Bedford, MA 02740-6398
9780997516135, $65.00, HC, 365pp, www.whalingmuseum.org

From the 1750s through the first years of the 20th Century, American whaling voyages ranged farther off shore and ultimately around the world, in a pursuit that produced oil and baleen for the growing population and industrialization of the U.S. "O'er the Wide and Tractless Sea" is a compendium of artworks generated by and/or in celebration of those whaling voyages, experiences, history and culture in the form of paintings, drawings, prints, and scrimshaw. Showcasing some 327 illustrations and images, supported by an impressively informed and informative commentary by Michael P. Dyer (Curator of Maritime History at the New Bedford Whaling Museums and Old Dartmouth Historical Society), "O'er the Wide and Tractless Sea" is a unique and unreservedly recommended addition for the personal, community, and academic library American Art History collections.


The Music Shelf

Fiddler's Dream
Howard Wight Marshall
University of Missouri Press
113 Heinkel Bldg., 201 S. 7th St., Columbia, MO 65211
www.umsystem.edu/upress
9780826221216, $29.95, HC, 448pp, www.amazon.com

Including a CD with 30 archival recordings from 1939 to 2015 produced by Voyager Records, "Fiddler's Dream: Old-Time, Swing, and Bluegrass Fiddling in Twentieth-Century Missouri" is the sequel to Howard Wight Marshall's earlier book on old-time fiddlers in Missouri, "Play Me Something Quick and Devilish". In "Fiddler's Dream", Marshall (who is the Professor Emeritus of Art History and Archaeology, University of Missouri - Columbia) uses oral history, archival photographs, and transcriptions of selected tunes to trace the evolution of traditional fiddle music in Missouri from the early 1920s through the abrupt changes in American society and traditional music in the 1960s. As the title would suggest, the specific focus of "Fiddler's Dream" is on fiddle music in everyday life at music parties, dances, pie suppers, festivals, contests, and oprys. Professor Marshall's wealth of knowledge, gained through a lifetime of involvement in Missouri fiddle traditions, gives his comprehensive study an exceptional richness and depth in its content. Featuring interviews, transcriptions, notes, a selected bibliography, a discography, and index to text, and an index to the Voyager Records Companion CD, "Fiddler's Dream" is unreservedly recommended for personal, professional, community, and academic library American Music History collections and supplemental studies reading lists.

The Spree of 83
Freddy Powers, Catherine Powers, Jake Brown
Waldorf Publishing
2140 Hall Johnson Road 102-345, Grapevine, TX 76051
www.waldorfpublishing.com
9781945174940, $24.99, HC, 350pp, www.amazon.com

With an informative Foreword by Tanya Tucker, "The Spree of 83" features exclusive commentaries from Merle Haggard, Willie Nelson, John Rich, Tanya Tucker, The Voice finalist/Powers' protege Mary Sarah, and hosts of other Nashville luminaries, as it showcases Freddy Powers 50-year career expanding the perimeters of country and western music, including the creation of a fusion of country honky-tonk and swing jazz. In this candidly informative memoir, Freddy recounts first-hand the highly-entertaining and emotionally-touching story behind his decades-long roller-coaster ride through the music business, to the top of the charts, and his inspiring struggle in recent years battling Parkinson's disease, all while his legacy endured through generations of fans. An inherently compelling read from beginning to end, "The Spree of 83" is a 'must' for the legions of Freddy Powers fans and will prove to be an enduringly popular addition to community and academic library American Western Music History collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "The Spree of 83" is also available in a digital book format ($3.99). Librarians should be aware that there is an audio book edition of "The Spree of 83" (Blackstone Audio, 978-1441703897, $29.95, CD).


The Health/Medicine Shelf

Breast Cancer Clear & Simple
American Cancer Society
https://www.cancer.org/american-cancer-society-books.html
9781604432367, $14.95, PB, 208pp, www.amazon.com

Now in a newly revised and updated second edition, "Breast Cancer Clear & Simple: All Your Questions Answered" from the American Cancer Society guides cancer patients and their loved ones through the important decisions they'll need to make, from diagnosis through treatment, all in an easy-to-understand, "user friendly", question-and-answer format. Specifically, "Breast Cancer Clear & Simple" will enable women with breast cancer and their caregivers know what to expect, what to do, and how to get through what can be an overwhelming, life-changing experience. This newly expanded second edition features tips for choosing the right doctor, understanding treatment choices, dealing with the effects of treatment, seeking support groups, a list of specific resources for patients, and a glossary of terms related to breast cancer. An absolutely essential read for anyone with a diagnosis of breast cancer, "Breast Cancer Clear & Simple" is an invaluable and critically important addition to community and academic library Health/Medicine collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "Breast Cancer Clear & Simple" is also available in a digital book format ($11.34).

The Total ME-Tox
Beth Behrs
Weinstein Books
250 West 57th Street, 15th Floor, New York, NY 10107
www.weinsteinbooks.com
9781602863088, $26.00, HC, 304pp, www.amazon.com

Before hitting her stride as one of Hollywood's hottest rising stars, Beth Behrs was a high-strung, stressed out, junk-food-loving couch potato. Then one day, she decided she'd had enough: she was going to take back her life. Beth began with simple steps that led to big changes-and now she wants to help readers do the same. In "The Total ME-Tox: How to Ditch Your Diet, Move Your Body & Love Your Life", Beth shares her journey toward wellness, along with easy-to-follow healthy recipes, shrewd shopping tips, and fun living-room fitness routines (a.k.a. "Meh Workouts") each of which are specifically designed to revitalize and inspire even the laziest among us. As entertaining as it is instructive, "The Total Me-Tox" is an achievable program for looking and feeling great about yourself. Practical, effective, thoroughly 'user friendly' in organization and presentation, "The Total ME-Tox" is unreservedly recommended, especially for community, college, and university library Self-Help/Self-Improvement collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "The Total ME-Tox" is also available in a digital book format ($13.99).


The Education Shelf

Saving Play
Gaye Gronlund & Thomas Rendon
Redleaf Press
10 Yorkton Court, St. Paul, MN 55117-1065
www.redleafpress.org
9781605545301, $34.95, PB, 288pp, www.amazon.com

The fundamental message of "Saving Play: Addressing Standards through Play-Based Learning in Preschool and Kindergarten", is that play, academics, and standards can work together with the right strategies and support from educators. That educators can take an active role in child-directed play to guide learning. That educators (including parents, building principles, superintendents, and school board members can become strong advocates for saving play in early childhood education by empowering teachers to join play and standards, and learn how child-led, open-ended play addresses the seven domains and Common Core Standards. "Saving Play" is packed with research and resources that link academic learning and play experiences. Engage in provocative questions for teachers and administrators to help to effectively share the importance of play in early learning with others, and help restore play to its proper role as both fun and educational. While very highly recommended for school district and academic library Teacher Education collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Saving Play" is also available in a digital book format ($22.57).

Learner-Centered Pedagogy: Principles and Practice
Kevin Michael Klipfel & Dani Brecher Cook
ALA Editions
c/o American Library Association
50 East Huron Street, Chicago, IL 60611
www.alastore.ala.org
9780838915578, $60.00, PB, 208pp, www.amazon.com

Today's emphasis on metrics and personalization make evidence-based instruction an imperative. "Learner-Centered Pedagogy: Principles and Practice " by Kevin Klipfel (a lecturer in moral, political, and existential philosophy at Virginia Tech) and Dani Cook (Director of Teaching and Learning, University of Califronia - Riverside) is practice-based handbook that draws on the research of the humanistic psychologist and educator Carl Rogers to present an empathetic approach to information literacy sessions, reference service, and outreach. With an emphasis on everyday library work, "Learner-Centered Pedagogy: Principles and Practice" offers concrete, empirically-based strategies to connect with learners at all levels. Offering plentiful examples of pedagogy in action, "Learner-Centered Pedagogy: Principles and Practice" covers: 6 cognitive principles for organizing information literacy instruction, with sample worksheets and organization tools for instruction planning; how to establish rapport and kindle learners' motivation; tactics for transcending "cite 5 sources" and other uninspiring research assignments; educational evidence debunking the mythical perception that because students are skilled at computers and mobile technology, they already know how to do research; questions to keep in mind for inspiring autonomous learning; the power of story, as described by Joan Didion, Brene Brown's Ted Talk, and educational psychology research; the science behind information overload; and a balanced framework for evaluating specific educational technology tools. Fusing theory with practice, this handbook is exceptionally organized and presented, making it a valuable and very highly recommended resource to help every practitioner connect with learners more effectively. Enhanced with the inclusion of a eight page bibliography (Directions for Further Reading) and an eleven page Index, "Learner-Centered Pedagogy: Principles and Practice" is an unreservedly recommended addition to college and university Library Science collections and community library staff in-service training supplemental studies reading lists.

Campus Crisis
James D. Hardy Jr. & Ann Martin
McFarland & Company
PO Box 611, Jefferson NC 28640
www.mcfarlandpub.com
9781476665207, $35.00, PB, 216pp, www.amazon.com

The concept of the university (and the oldest of them) goes back for some 900 years in Western culture with most of their institutional structures essentially unchanged. They still serve three basic functions: educating the faculty, teaching students and gathering knowledge. Funding is, and always has been, the main difficulty within universities and most of the problems critics point to can be traced to a lack of it -- universities, it seems, are always in crisis. In "Campus Crisis: How Money, Technology and Policy Are Changing the American University", James D. Hardy, Jr., (Professor of History at Louisiana State University) and Ann Martin (who teaches English at Louisiana State University and has collected several teaching awards) effectively collaborate to demonstrate that universities are in fact doing quite well. Universities today generate an immense amount of research and drive the development of new technologies. On the whole, faculty members teach pretty well and students are in fact learning (at least something), and the challenges of inadequate funding are faced with adequate success. Featuring a ten page Bibliographic Essay, twenty pages of Chapter Notes, and a three page Index, "Campus Crisis" is unreservedly recommended for both community and academic library Contemporary Education Studies collections. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of students and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "Campus Crisis" is also available in a digital book format ($18.99).

The Coach Approach to School Leadership
Jessica Johnson, Shira Leibowitz, Kathy Perret
ASCD
1703 North Beauregard Street, Alexandria, VA 22311-1714
www.ascd.org
9781416623854, $28.95, PB, 179pp. www.amazon.com

The collaborative work of educators and academicians Jessica Johnson, Shira Leibowitz, Kathy Perret, "The Coach Approach to School Leadership", directly address a dilemma faced by many principals: how to function as learning leaders while fulfilling their evaluative and management duties. The answer? Incorporating instructional coaching techniques as an integral part of serious school improvement. "The Coach Approach to School Leadership" explain how principals can: Master the skill of "switching hats" between the nonjudgmental coach role and the evaluative supervisor role; Expand their classroom visits and combine coaching with evaluation requirements; Nurture relationships with teachers and build a positive school culture; Provide high-quality feedback to support the development of both teachers and students; Empower teachers to lead their own professional learning and work together as a team. Drawing from the authors' work with schools as well as their conversations with educators across the globe, "The Coach Approach to School Leadership" speaks to the unique needs of principals as instructional leaders, providing solutions to challenges in every aspect of this complex endeavor. The role of the principal is changing at a rapid pace. "The Coach Approach to School Leadership" is the ideal resource guide to improving administrative and supervisory practices while helping teachers master the high-quality instruction that will ultimately lead to student success. While very highly recommended for school district, college, and university Educational Studies collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "The Coach Approach to School Leadership" is also available in a digital book format ($25.85).

To Be Gifted and Learning Disabled
Susan M. Baum, Robin M. Schader, Steven V. Owen
Prufrock Press
PO Box 8813, Waco, TX 76714-8813
www.prufrock.com
9781618216441, $34.95, PB, 316pp, www.amazon.com

The collaborative work of Susan Baum (Director of the 2e Center for Research and Professional Development at Bridges Academy and Professor Emeritus in Education from the College of New Rochelle); Robin Schader (a Trustee of Bridges Academy, a school for twice-exceptional students, and who serves on the executive board of the 2e Center for Research and Professional Development); Steve Owen (who after 30 years of teaching Educational Psychology at the University of Connecticut, became a biostatistician at the University of Texas for a decade), and now in an updated and expanded third edition, "To Be Gifted and Learning Disabled" provides a comprehensive look at the complex world of students with remarkable gifts, talents, and interests, who simultaneously face learning, attention, or social challenges from LD, ADHD, ASD, and other disorders. Through case studies and years of research, "To Be Gifted and Learning Disabled" presents a rationale for using a strength-based, talent-focused approach to meeting the needs of this special population. From a thorough description of twice-exceptionality and the unique learning patterns of these students, to strategies for identification, comprehensive programming, talent development, and instructional strategies, "To Be Gifted and Learning Disabled" explores the distinguishing strengths (yellows) and complex challenges (blues) that these students face. In painting, green is a mix of yellows and blues. Because of their individual characteristics, twice-exceptional students come in a remarkable range of greens. Exceptionally well written, organized and presented, "To Be Gifted and Learning Disabled" is a critically important and core addition to college and university library Special Education collections and supplemental studies reading lists.

International Admissions
Mandee Heller Adler & Aimee Heller
Biographical Publishing Company
95 Sycamore Drive, Prospect, CT 06712-1493
www.biopub.us
9780997602845, $14.95, PB, 266pp, www.amazon.com

Mandee Heller Adler is the founder and principal of International College Counselors, one of the world's largest and most successful college and graduate school admissions counseling businesses. Aimee Heller is a writer and an essay expert for International College Counselors. Together they have collaborated to write "International Admissions: How to Get Accepted to U.S. Colleges". This do-it-yourself instruction manual and guide will enable aspiring students to gain the tools and resources they will need to find and get into U.S. colleges and universities -- including the world's top private and public schools. Aspiring students will learn what they need to do in high school and on their own time to make a college desire them as a student at their institution. Students will recognize just how to choose a school that meets their particular needs and goals. Exceptionally well written, organized and presented, "International Admissions" will enable students to make their skills, achievements, and potential shine through on college applications, in interviews, and during school visits. Students will learn how to make their background and experiences work for them. Thoroughly 'user friendly', impressively informed and informative, efficiently practical, exhaustively comprehensive, real-world practical, "International Admissions" is unreservedly recommended for personal, highschool, community, and academic library College Entrance Guide instructional reference collections.

School Leadership for Results
Beverly G. Carbaugh, Robert J. Marzano, Michael D. Toth
Learning Sciences International
c/o Marzano Research Laboratory
555 N. Morton St., Bloomington, IN 47404
http://www.marzanoresearch.com
9781941112106, $29.95, PB, 256pp, www.amazon.com

Parents, teachers, building principles, district superintendents, and school board members must struggle with the question of what defines an effective school leader -- and how do you measure effectiveness? School leaders have a direct and significant impact on student achievement. They drive the effectiveness of teachers who, in turn, influence the performance of students. Without the right kind of support, training, vision, and tools, however, school leaders are often unable to perform at the highest levels of effectiveness. Based on historical and contemporary research, "School Leadership for Results: Shifting the Focus of Leader Evaluation" explores the importance of evaluating school leaders based on something far more powerful than measurement alone: evaluating based on growth. Education authorities Beverly G. Carbaugh, Robert J. Marzano, and Michael D. Toth describe ways to transform evaluation into a model that: Measurably improves the performance of school leaders; Aligns the vision, mission, and goals of school leaders; Connects goals with practices that impact teachers and students; Is designed with domains, scales, and evidences to address key questions; Provides a clear course to help school leaders prepare for evaluations; Ensures that district leaders offer fair, unbiased school leader evaluations. Featuring Endnotes, a list of References, and a handy Index, "School Leadership for Results" is unreservedly recommended and will prove to be a core addition to school district and academic library Contemporary Education collections and supplemental studies reading lists. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of education policy makers and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "School Leadership for Results" is also available in a digital book format ($18.57).

The Wonder Wall
Peter Gamwell and Jane Daly
Corwin Press, Inc.
2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320-2218
9781506357379, $23.00, www.corwin.com

The Wonder Wall: Leading Creative Schools & Organizations in an Age of Complexity presents a blend of inspiration and beliefs about creating learning environments that support and encourage creativity in not just classrooms but overall community relationships, and is recommended for any educator or civic leader who would apply living systems theories to real-world encounters. While educators will be the most likely readers of a book designed to encourage imagination and creativity, its purpose is to explore new approaches to creating, recognizing, and using learning environments. The result is a powerful blend of stories, system analysis, classroom and community applications, and an introduction to various processes readers can use as the starting points for continuing their own explorations into wonder and extraordinary learning experiences. It's recommended for educators, business leaders, and community advocates as well.

William Morrow & Company
c/o HarperCollins Publishers
195 Broadway New York, New York 10007
www.harpercollins.com

Two reprints of classic Torey Hayden stories combine education and psychology as they tell of a teacher who works with emotionally troubled children to reach kids who were deemed 'impossible' to work with. Just Another Kid (9780062662774, $9.99) presents the true stories of six such children and tells of Torey Hayden's challenges, choices, and most of all, the meaning behind the kids' behaviors and how she employed unusual methods to break through to each of them. Readers of stories about 'special' kids will find this revealing and unique, as is Hayden's Ghost Girl (9780062564382, $9.99), which focuses on one child who never speaks or makes a sound. Jadie is locked in her mind and won't let anyone in, until Torey Hayden stumbles upon her secret and finds a way of reaching her. Both are powerful stories of the power a compassionate teacher an wield, and deserve a place in educator and psychologist collections alike.

Colleges That Create Futures, second edition
Robert Franek
The Princeton Review
c/o Random House Inc.
1745 Broadway, New York NY 10019
9780451487834, $14.99, www.princetonreview.com

Colleges That Create Futures: 50 Schools That Launch Careers by Going Beyond the Classroom appears in its second updated edition to provide important information about special college programs that more closely link to career goals than most, and profiles schools with programs proven to get great jobs for students. All 50 colleges have superior services outside of the normal classroom structure which offer unusual workplace experience or collaborative opportunities, and all are proven programs that link to better job opportunities. Any education or high school reference collection for the college-bound needs this.


The Literary Studies Shelf

H.C. Bailey's Reggie Fortune and the Golden Age of Detective Fiction
Laird R. Blackwell
McFarland & Company
PO Box 611, Jefferson NC 28640
www.mcfarlandpub.com
9781476670690, $39.95, PB, 188pp, www.amazon.com

Henry Christopher Bailey (1878 - 1961) was an English author of detective fiction. Bailey wrote mainly short stories featuring a medically qualified detective called Reggie Fortune. This fictional detective was one of the most popular protagonists of the Golden Age of detective fiction. Fortune appeared in nine novels yet it was in a series of 84 short stories that were published from 1920 to 1940 where he truly shone, combining elements of several popular archetypes -- the eccentric logician, the forensic investigator, the hard-boiled interrogator, the psychological profiler, the defender of justice. "H.C. Bailey's Reggie Fortune and the Golden Age of Detective Fiction" by Laird R. Blackwell (Professor Emeritus at Sierra Nevada College) is critical study that examines the Fortune stories in the context of other popular detective fiction of the era. Bailey's classics are distinguished by well-clued puzzles, brilliant sleuthing, vivid description and social critique, with Fortune evoking images of Don Quixote and the Arthurian Knights in his pursuit of truth and justice in an uncaring world. Impressively well informed, this outstanding work of seminal scholarship is unreservedly recommended for community and academic library Literary Studies collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "H.C. Bailey's Reggie Fortune and the Golden Age of Detective Fiction" is also available in a digital book format ($19.99).

On Shakespeare in Sonnets
E. L. Risen
Cambridge Scholars Publishing
www.cambridgescholars.com
9781443891455, $99.95, HC, 130pp, www.amazon.com

Reader Response Theory began to take hold in the 1960s. Much like the phenomenological approach to criticism that preceded it, it allows both reader and author intentionality and conscious presence, and it gives the reader particular presence in the fulfillment or completion of the text. The work of literary art mediates between author and reader, and the reader participates in an interpretive community that gives the work life and liveliness. "On Shakespeare in Sonnets" by E. L. Risden (Professor of English at St. Norbert College in De Pere, Wisconsin) is divided into three sections: Part I discusses the history and practice of Reader Response criticism; Part II comprises a collection of thirty-eight sonnets responding both critically and creatively to Shakespeare's works; and Part III discusses the poems of Part II as both creative and critical acts, elaborating on what they aim to show about the plays and how Shakespeare's plays continue to encourage varied analytical and personal response. As shown in the pages of "On Shakespeare in Sonnets", the creative and the critical need not be separate, exclusive acts; each invades the other. An original and seminal work of impressively thoughtful and thought-provoking scholarship, "On Shakespeare in Sonnets" also features a two page Bibliography and a three page Index, making it an ideal and unreservedly recommended addition to college and university library Literary Studies collections in general, and Shakespearian Studies supplemental reading lists in particular.

Wars and Peaces
Chester Aaron
Zumaya Eclectic
c/o Zumaya Publications
www.zumayapublications.com
9781612713182, $14.95, PB, 244pp, www.amazon.com

In a writing career spanning more than 60 years, Chester Aaron has written about war, peace and the pieces of our lives that reveal us at our most human. "Wars and Peaces: The Collected Short Stories of Chester Aaron" is an impressive ly representative collection of his short stories, spanning those six decades from his first published work to the 21st century, that humanity stands exposed in all its shame and glory and pleasure and pain. While highly and unreservedly recommended for both community and academic library Contemporary Literary Studies collections in general, and Chester Aaron supplemental studies reading lists in particular, it should be noted for students and the legions of Chester Aaron fans that "War and Peaces" is also available in a digital book format ($5.00).

Equatorial Guinean Literature in its National and Transnational Contexts
Marvin A. Lewis
University of Missouri Press
113 Heinkel Bldg., 201 S. 7th St., Columbia, MO 65211
www.umsystem.edu/upress
9780826221209, $65.00, HC, 252pp, www.amazon.com

Equatorial Guinea was a former Spanish colony, and is the only African country in which Spanish is an official language and which has a tradition of literature in Spanish. "Equatorial Guinean Literature in its National and Transnational Contexts" by Marvin A. Lewis (Professor Emeritus, Department of Romance Languages and Literature, University of Missouri) is a scholarly study of the literature produced by the nation's writers from 2007 to 2013. Since its independence in 1968, Equatorial Guinea has been ruled by dictators under whom ethnic differences have been exacerbated, poverty and violence have increased, and critical voices have been silenced. The result has been an exodus of intellectuals -- including writers who express their national and exile experiences in their poems, plays, short stories, and novels. The writers discussed in "Equatorial Guinean Literature in its National and Transnational Contexts" include Juan Tomas Avila Laurel, Donato Ndongo-Bidyogo, and Guillermina Mekuy, among others. Featuring an informative introduction (Nationalism, Migration, Diaspora, Transnationalism), six pages of Notes, a four page Select Bibliography, and a four page Index, "Equatorial Guinean Literature in its National and Transnational Contexts" is a unique and deftly crafted study that is unreservedly recommended for community and academic library Literary Studies collections in general, and Equatorial Guinea supplemental studies lists in particular. It should be noted for students and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "Equatorial Guinean Literature in its National and Transnational Contexts" is also available in a digital book format ($55.05).

The Linguistics of Stephen King
James Arthur Anderson
McFarland & Company
PO Box 611, Jefferson NC 28640
www.mcfarlandpub.com
9781476668345, $39.95, PB, 252pp, www.amazon.com

Stephen Edwin King (born September 21, 1947) is an American author of horror, supernatural fiction, suspense, science fiction, and fantasy whose books have sold more than 350 million copies, with many of them having been adapted into feature films, miniseries, television shows, and comic books. King has published 54 novels, including seven under the pen name Richard Bachman, and six non-fiction books. He has written nearly 200 short stories. Stephen King's influence on popular culture has drawn both strong praise and harsh criticism from reviewers and scholars alike. While his popularity cannot be overstated, his work has received relatively little critical attention from the academic world. "The Linguistics of Stephen King: Layered Language and Meaning in the Fiction" by James Arthur Anderson (who is a professor at Johnson & Wales University's North Miami Florida campus where he teaches writing, literature, and science fiction) examines King's fiction using modern literary theory, in a study that reveals the unexpected complexity of 22 short stories and novels, from Carrie to End of Watch. Professor Anderson finds King using fantasy and horror to expose truths about reality and the human condition. An impressively informative, thought-provoking, and inherently fascinating analysis, "The Linguistics of Stephen King" is a critically important and highly recommended addition to both community and academic library Contemporary Literary Studies collections. It should be noted for both students and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "The Linguistics of Stephen King" is also available in a digital book format ($19.99).

Hardboiled, Noir and Gold Medals
Rick Ollerman
Stark House Press
1315 H Street, Eureka, CA 95501
www.starkhousepress.com
9781944520328, $17.95, PB, 298pp, www.amazon.com

Rick Ollerman has been writing introductions for Stark House Press for the past six years. "Hardboiled, Noir and Gold Medals: Essays on Crime Fiction Writers from the 50s through the 90s" collects all those essays. "Hardboiled, Noir and Gold Medals" includes a lot of new material written specifically for this volume. Impressively informed and informative, exceptionally well written, thoughtful and thought-provoking, "Hardboiled, Noir and Gold Medals" should be considered a 'must read' for all dedicated fans of the noir mystery/suspense genre and is an especially recommended and unique addition to both community and academic library Contemporary Literary Studies collections.

Paperbacks from Hell
Grady Hendrix
Quirk Books
215 Church Street, Philadelphia PA 19106
www.quirkbooks.com
9781594749810, $24.99, PB, 256pp, www.amazon.com

In the pages of "Paperbacks from Hell: The Twisted History of '70s and '80s Horror Fiction", diehard horror fiction fan Grady Hendrix take the reader on an impressive tour through the horror paperback novels of the 1970s and '80s. Showcased are dozens and dozens of amazing book covers featuring well-dressed skeletons, evil dolls, and knife-wielding killer crabs! Then there are the shocking plot summaries that invoke devil worship, satanic children, and haunted real estate! Himself a published horror author and vintage paperback book collector, Hendrix offers killer commentary and witty insight on these trashy thrillers that tried so hard to be the next Exorcist or Rosemary's Baby. An affectionate, nostalgic, informative, and unflinchingly funny celebration of the horror fiction boom of two iconic decades (complete with story summaries and artist and author profiles), there are recommendations for which of these forgotten treasures are well worth the reading time and which one should stay buried -- with a proverbial stake through the heart! While very highly recommended for both community and academic library Literary Studies collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Paperbacks from Hell" is also available in a digital book format ($14.99).


The Criminology Shelf

Staggered Paths
Steven Spingola
Badger Wordsmith Books
www.badgerwordsmith.com
9780692910139, $14.95, PB, 170pp, www.amazon.com

During a twenty year span, over two dozen young men were found dead in Wisconsin lakes, rivers, and wooded areas. Law enforcement officials attribute almost all of these strange deaths to acute alcohol intoxication, but others suspect a shadowy serial killer. Like most readers, Steve Spingola first learned of these tragic incidents from newspaper and television reports. During a career that spanned parts of four decades, the now retired lieutenant of detectives spent fifteen years investigating some of Milwaukee's most complex and heinous murders, including those linked to Jeffrey Dahmer and the north side strangler. In Staggered Paths, the stellar sleuth poured through thousands of pages of police reports, dozens of newspaper accounts, and autopsy findings to independently review these strange and troubling deaths. Is a serial killer lurking in college towns, such as La Crosse and Eau Claire, to lure inebriated men to their watery graves? In "Staggered Paths: Strange Deaths in the Badger State" Spingola definitively answers this question and suggests some of these cases should be revisited. An extraordinary, unique, and inherently compelling read from cover to cover, "Staggered Paths" is unreservedly recommended addition to both community and academic library True Crime collections in general, and Wisconsin Criminal Histories supplemental studies reading lists in particular. Exceptionally well written, organized and presented, it should be noted for students and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "Staggered Paths" is also available in a digital book format ($8.99).

Death on the Lonely Llano Estacado
Bill Neal
University of North Texas Press
1155 Union Circle #311336, Denton, TX 76203-5017
9781574416954 $24.95 www.untpress.unt.edu

Thoroughly accessible to readers of all backgrounds, Death on the Lonely Llano Estacado: The Assassination of J.W. Jarrott, a Forgotten Hero is a historical analysis of a cold case murder committed in 1902. The Llano Estacado in far West Texas had been recently opened for settlement, yet frontier cattlemen using the unfenced prairie land to feed their herds hated the coming of the "nesters", as a potential threat to their income. Jim Miller, a famous hired assassin, murdered James W. Jarrott, leader of a band of twenty-five homesteader families. But who was Jim Miller's employer? Author and criminal law practitioner Bill Neal pieces together evidence revealing the culprit's guilt, in addition to honoring the legacy of a true people's champion and martyr. The story of Jarrott's young widow Mollie, who persevered against severe odds, adds further depth to this riveting true-life page-turner. Highly recommended, especially for public and college library collections.


The Travel Shelf

Tokyo Geek's Guide
Gianni Simone
Tuttle Publishing
364 Innovation Drive, North Clarendon, VT 05759-9436
www.tuttlepublishing.com
9784805313855 $16.95 amazon.com

Packed with helpful mini-maps and full-color photography throughout, Tokyo Geek's Guide: Manga, Anime, Gaming, Cosplay, Toys, Idols & More is a travel guide especially for Japanese pop culture enthusiasts. Chapters direct readers to highlights of Tokyo's cosplay scene ("cosplay" involves dressing up as fictional or animated characters for fun), as well as choice eateries with a pop culture theme, the "must-browse" shopes of anime and manga connoisseurs, a Tokyo festival and fair calendar, and much more. The lavish illustrations and lively text makes Tokyo Geek's Guide a blast for armchair travelers as well! Tokyo Geek's Guide is just plain fun to browse from cover to cover, and a "must-have" supplement for any manga, anime, or video game connoisseur on their trip of a lifetime to Tokyo.

Eat Smart in Portugal
Ronnie Hess and Joan Peterson
Ginkgo Press
PO Box 5346, Madison, WI 53705
www.eatsmartguides.com
c/o University of Wisconsin Press (dist.)
1930 Monroe Street, Third Floor, Madison, WI 53711-2059
www.uwpress.wisc.edu
9781938489112 $15.95 amazon.com

Part of the excellent "Eat Smart" series, Eat Smart in Portugal: How to Decipher the Menu, Know the Market Foods & Embark on a Tasting Adventure is a superlative culinary guide for travelers visiting Portugal on business or pleasure. Chapters include a brief historical survey of Portugal's cuisine, a tour of regional variations of Portuguese foods, helpful phrases in English translated into Portuguese especially for food shoppers, a menu guide, and more. A handful of inset color photographs, a bibliography, and an index round out this sumptuous resource!


The Sports Shelf

Cycling Science
Stephen S. Cheung & Mikel Zabala, editors
Human Kinetics Publishers, Inc.
PO Box 5076, Champaign, IL 61820-5076
www.HumanKinetics.com
9781450497329, $29.95, PB, 568pp, www.amazon.com

Knowledgeably compiled and co-edited by Stephen Cheung, PhD, (who is the science and training editor for PezCycling News and holder of the Canada Research Chair in environmental ergonomics at Brock University) and Mikel Zabala, (Director of the Cycling Research Center in Granada, Spain, and editor in chief of the Journal of Science and Cycling) "Cycling Science" is an informatively authoritative resource comprised of contributions from 43 top cycling scientists and coaches from around the world that will hold immense appeal for both amateur and professional cyclists. A perfect blend of science and application, "Cycling Science" takes the sport into the training room and research lab, and then out onto the course. The forty major articles comprising "Cycling Science" features: The latest thinking on the rider-machine interface, including topics such as bike fit, aerodynamics, biomechanics, and pedaling technique; Information about environmental stressors, including heat, altitude, and air pollution; A look at health issues such as on-bike and off-bike nutrition, common injuries, fatigue, overtraining, and recovery; Help in planning training programs, including using a power meter, managing cycling data, off-the-bike training, cycling specific stretching, and mental training; The latest coaching and racing techniques, including pacing theories, and strategies for road, track, MTB, BMX, and ultra-distance events. While unreservedly recommended for both community and academic library Contemporary Sports collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Cycling Science" is also available in a digital book format ($24.18).

Cheating Is Encouraged
Mike Siani and Kristine Setting Clark
Sports Publishing
www.sportspubbooks.com
c/o Skyhorse Publishing, Inc.
307 West 36th Street, 11th Floor, New York, NY 10018
www.skyhorsepublishing.com
9781613218204 $24.99 hc / $13.99 eBook amazon.com

Cheating Is Encouraged: A Hard-Nosed History of the 1970s Raiders is a sports history of the Oakland Raiders pro football team during the 1970s, a time when they were notorious for "behavioral issues", "attitude", and prioritizing victory above all else. Here are true tales of willful team owner Al Davis, creative genius coach John Madden, and colorful borderline-outlaw players such as John "Tooz" Matuszak and Lyle Alzado. Week-by-week summaries of football seasons enhance this adventurous history, accessible to readers of all backgrounds, and utterly fascinating whether one adores or despises the Oakland Raiders!


The Political Science Shelf

Bureaucracy in America
Joseph Postell
University of Missouri Press
113 Heinkel Bldg., 201 S. 7th St., Columbia, MO 65211
www.umsystem.edu/upress
9780826221230, $45.00, HC, 416pp, www.amazon.com

The rise of the administrative state is the most significant political development in American politics over the past century. While our Constitution separates powers into three branches, and requires that the laws are made by elected representatives in the Congress, today most policies are made by unelected officials in agencies where legislative, executive, and judicial powers are combined. This threatens constitutionalism and the rule of law. "Bureaucracy in America: The Administrative State's Challenge to Constitutional Government" by Joseph Postell (Assistant Professor of Political Science, University of Colorado - Colorado Springs) examines the history of administrative power in America and argues that modern administrative law has failed to protect the principles of American constitutionalism as effectively as earlier approaches to regulation and administration. Featuring fifty-two pages of Notes, a fourteen page Bibliography, and a fourteen page Index, "Bureaucracy in America " is a definitive model of outstanding scholarship and a timely, much needed contribution to our contemporary national dialogue on political governance and policy making. While unreservedly recommended for both community and academic library Contemporary Political Science collections and supplemental studies lists, it should be noted for students and non-specialist general readers that "Bureaucracy in America" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $45.00).


The Library Science Shelf

Creating and Sharing Online Library Instruction
Joelle Pitts, Sara K. Kearns, Heather Collins
Neal-Schuman Publishers
c/o American Library Association
50 East Huron Street, Chicago, IL 60611
www.alastore.ala.org
9780838915622, $54.00, PB, 160pp, www.amazon.com

"Creating and Sharing Online Library Instruction: A How-To-Do-It Manual For Librarians" is designed to be reused and shared, learning objects are digital content and assessments centered on student learning outcomes. The promise of sharing online instruction across libraries, campuses, or a consortium holds time-saving appeal. An easy to follow tutorial for creating online library instruction with learning objects, this manual is written by three librarians with the New Literacies Alliance and walks readers through creating and sharing outcome-based lessons that allow students to master skills at their own pace; demonstrates how to use assessment to ensure that students learn foundational research and critical thinking skills rather than simply how to use a database or discovery platform; sketches in the background and mission of NLA, sharing examples of successful collaboration across institutions; includes an assortment of NLA's workflows, design processes, and style guides; and offers project planning and implementation tools, including checklists, steps, and critical questions to consider. Specifically written for groups or individuals who want to collaborate to build learning objects, "Creating and Sharing Online Library Instruction" will also be useful to anyone with a desire to learn more about resource sharing, instructional design, and library instruction. Thoroughly 'user friendly' in tone, commentary, organization and presentation, "Creating and Sharing Online Library Instruction" will prove to be an invaluable and popular addition to community and academic library collections in general, and Library Science supplemental studies reading lists in particular.

Archives: Principles and Practices
Laura A. Millar
Facet Publishing
www.facetpublishing.co.uk
9780838916063, $79.00, PB, 304pp, www.amazon.com

Now in a fully updated and expanded second edition, "Archives: Principles and Practices" by Laura A. Millar (an independent consultant in the fields of records, archives and information management, publishing, and education) is written in clear language with lively examples. Outlining fundamental archival principles and practices, introducing core concepts, and explaining best practices to ensure that documentary materials are cared for as effectively as possible, this newly revised edition contains expanded discussion of the impact of digital technologies on archival materials and archival practice and an examination of the changing role of the archivist in the digital age, as archival professionals find that they need to be directly engaged with the creators of records in order to help ensure the preservation of valuable archives, for the present and for posterity. "Archives: Principles and Practices" addresses: The nature of archives and archival institutions; The role of archival service as a matter of trust; Core archival concepts such as provenance, original order and respect des fonds; The execution of central archival tasks, including appraisal, preservation, arrangement, description, reference and access; The changing role and responsibilities of the archival institution and archival practitioner as digital technologies fundamentally transform how records and archives are created, captured, preserved, used and shared. An absolutely indispensable instructional guide and manual, "Archives: Principles and Practices" is unreservedly recommended for community, academic, governmental, and corporate Library Science collections and supplemental studies lists.

American Libraries 1730-1950
Kenneth Breisch
W. W. Norton & Company
500 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10110
www.wwnorton.com
9780393731606, $75.00, HC, 320pp, www.amazon.com

Kenneth Breisch directs the historic preservation program at the University of Southern California. He is the author of numerous publications on American architectural history, especially in the areas of library design and vernacular building. In "American Libraries 1730-1950" he provides an impressively informative history of the evolution of the library in America. Although new technologies appear poised to alter it, the library remains a powerful site for discovery, and its form is still determined by the geometry of the book and the architectural spaces devised to store and display it. "American Libraries: 1730-1950" provides a history and panorama of these much-loved structures, inside and out, encompassing the small personal collection, the vast university library, and everything in between. Through 500 photographs and plans selected from the encyclopedic collections of the Library of Congress, Breisch deftly traces the development of libraries in the United States, from roots in such iconic examples as the British Library and Paris's Bibliotheque-Ste.-Genevieve to institutions imbued with their own, American mythology. Starting with the private collections of wealthy merchants and landowners during the eighteenth century, "American Librarians: 1730-1950 looks at the Library of Congress, large and small public libraries, and the Carnegie libraries, and it ends with a glimpse of modern masterworks. An ideal and highly recommended addition to library students supplemental studies reading lists, simply stated, no community, college, or university library should be without a copy of "American Library 1730-1950" in their Library Science collections.


The Psychology Shelf

Art Therapy with Students at Risk
Stella A. Stephney
Charles C. Thomas, Publisher
2600 South First Street, Springfield, IL 62704
http://www.ccthomas.com
9780398091613, $44.95, PB, 344pp, www.amazon.com

"Art Therapy with Students at Risk: Fostering Resilience and Growth Through Self-Expression" by Stella A. Stepney (a Registered and Board Certified Art Therapist licensed by New York State) reflects the current research, legislation, and trends that impact the theory and practice of art therapy with diverse at-risk student populations. "Art Therapy with Students at Risk" is divided into eight chapters and it covers twelve specific therapeutic techniques. Each of the twelve therapeutic techniques are written in a lesson plan format which provide opportunities for children to express their thoughts and feelings coupled with confirmation that their art is important to them and to others. Exceptionally well written, organized and presented, "Art Therapy with Students at Risk" is an especially recommended, informed and informative addition to professional, college, and university library Contemporary Psychology collections in general, and Art Therapy supplemental studies lists in particular.


The Technology Shelf

The Technical Foundations of IoT
Boris Adryan, Dominik Obermaier, Paul Fremantle
Artech House
685 Canton Street, Norwood, MA 02062
www.artechhouse.com
9781630812515, $129.00, HC, 480pp, www.amazon.com

IoT is the "Internet of Things", referring to the impact of a vast array of devices that connect to the internet, from computer mice to security cameras to garbage disposals. "The Technical Foundations of IoT" by the team of Boris Adryan (Head of IoT & Data Analytics for Zuhlke Engineering GmbH); Dominik Obermaier (Co-Founder and CTO at CD-Square Company); and Paul Fremantle ( who cofounded WSO2, where he was instrumental in creating the Carbon middleware platform) is comprehensive resource that presents a technical introduction to the components, architectures, software, and protocols of IoT. This book is especially catered to those who are interested in researching, developing, and building IoT. Comprehensive and thoroughly 'reader friendly' in organization and presentation, "The Technical Foundations of IoT" covers the physics of electricity and electromagnetism laying the foundation for understanding the components of modern electronics and computing. Readers learn about the fundamental properties of IoT along with security and privacy issues related to developing and maintaining connected products. "The Technical Foundations of IoT" highlights the integration of IoT in various verticals such as industry, smart cities, connected vehicles, and smart and assisted living. The overall design patterns, issues with UX and UI, and different network topologies related to architectures of M2M and IoT solutions are also explored. Hardware development, power, sensors, and embedded systems are discussed in detail. Unreservedly recommended for corporate and academic library instructional reference collections, "The Technical Foundations of IoT" offers insight into the software components that impinge on IoT solutions, their development, network protocols, back end software, data analytics and conceptual interoperability.


The American History Shelf

Al Capone's Beer Wars
John J. Binder
Prometheus Books
59 John Glenn Drive, Amherst, NY 14228-2197
9781633882850, $25.00, www.prometheusbooks.com

Al Capone's Beer Wars: A Complete History of Organized Crime in Chicago During Prohibition offers both an overall history of Chicago's crime and social atmosphere during the Prohibition period from 1920-1933 and a specific focus on the Capone gang, one of twelve major bootlegging mobs at the times, and how they came to control a wide swatch of Illinois through their activities. Readers interested in social histories, Prohibition era events, Capone in particular or Chicago's evolution will find much to like about this survey of the city's underworld. 25 years of research went into this survey, which uses many previously unexplored sources to paint a different history of Chicago's ribald years and fiery personalities.


The World History Shelf

Warfare in New Kingdom Egypt
Paul Elliott
Fonthill Media Limited
c/o Casemate
1940 Lawrence Road, Havertown, PA 19083
www.casematepublishers.com
9781781555804, $32.95, HC, 176pp, www.amazon.com

The New Kingdom of Egypt (the period in ancient Egyptian history between the 16th century BC and the 11th century BC) marks the apogee of military organization and preparedness for ancient Egypt. Beginning the era under foreign occupation, the Egyptians built up an army to challenge the invaders and liberate their land. Using the newest battlefield technologies (bows, chariots, and hand weapons), the new pharaohs pushed the frontiers of the New Kingdom into Syria and Ethiopia. This is the era of Set I, Ramses II, and Tuthmosis III, the greatest military pharaohs in Egyptian history. Warfare in New Kingdom Egypt narrates this incredible rise to power, describing in detail the way in which the Egyptian war machine was structured, how it was supplied, and how it fought. It considers all aspects, some often neglected, such as campaign tents, logistics, and rations, in addition to the design of hand weapons and bows. Various kits have been reconstructed for this history, giving the reader a very immediate sense of what an Egyptian warrior's equipment looked like. Impressively informative and exceptional well written, organized and presented, "Warfare in New Kingdom Egypt" by historian Paul Elliott is unreservedly recommended and will prove to be a critically acclaimed addition to both community and academic library Egyptology and Egyptian History collections and supplemental studies lists. It should be noted for students and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "Warfare in New Kingdom Egypt" is also available in a digital book format ($9.99).

Propaganda and Persuasion
Jennifer Anderson
University of Manitoba Press
301 St. John's College, Winnipeg, MB, Canada, R3T 2M5
www.uofmpress.ca
9780887557422, $31.95, PB, 272pp, www.amazon.com

During the early years of the Cold War, thousands of Canadians attended events organized by the Canadian-Soviet Friendship Society and subscribed to its publications. The CSFS aimed its message at progressive Canadians, hoping to convince them that the USSR was an egalitarian and enlightened state. Attempting to soften, define, and redirect the antagonistic narratives of the day, "Propaganda and Persuasion: The Cold War and the Canadian-Soviet Friendship Society" by historian Jennifer Anderson is the definitive story of the CSFS in Cold War era Canada. Featuring an informative Introduction and Conclusion, illustrations, a list of abbreviations, sixty-one pages of Notes, a ten page Select Bibliography, and a seven page Index, "Propaganda and Persuasion" is an impressive work of seminal scholarship and unreservedly recommended, especially for college and university library Canadian/Soviet collections and supplemental studies reading lists. It should be noted for students and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "Propaganda and Persuasion" is also available in a digital book format ($25.00).

Labour, Unions and Politics under the North Star
Mary Hilson, Silke Neunsinger, Iben Vyff, editors
Berghahn Books
20 Jay Street, Suite 512, Brooklyn, NY 11201
www.berghahnbooks.com
9781785334962, $120.00, HC, 346pp, www.amazon.com

Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden today all enjoy a reputation for strong labor movements, which in turn are widely seen as part of a distinctive regional approach to politics, collective bargaining and welfare. But as "Labour, Unions and Politics under the North Star" demonstrates, narratives of the so-called "Nordic model" can obscure the fact that experiences of work and the fortunes of organized labor have varied widely throughout the region and across different historical periods. Together, the essays collected here represent an ambitious intervention in labor historiography and European history, exploring themes such as work, unions, politics and migration from the early modern period to the twenty-first century. Knowledgeably compiled and deftly edited by the team of Mary Hilson (Professor of History at Aarhus University, Denmark); Silke Neunsinger (Associate Professor in Economic History and Director of Research at the Swedish Labor Movement Archives and Library); Iben Vyff (Head of Communication at Elsinore Museums, Denmark), "Labour, Unions and Politics under the North Star: The Nordic Countries, 1700-2000" thirteen erudite and informative articles by experts in the field of labor and trade unionism. Enhanced with the inclusion of illustrations, tables, maps, and a seven page index, "Labour, Unions and Politics under the North Star" is very highly recommended for college and university library International Studies in Social History collections in general, and European Labor and Trade Unionism History supplemental studies reading lists in particular.


The Civil War Shelf

Richmond Shall Not Be Given Up
Doug Crenshaw
Savas Beatie
PO Box 4527, El Dorado Hills, CA 95762
9781611213553 $14.95 www.savasbeatie.com

Part of the "Emerging Civil War" series, Richmond Shall Not Be Given Up: The Seven Days' Battles June 25 - July 1, 1862 is a studious examination of a critical turning point in the American Civil War. In the spring of 1862, defeat appeared inevitable to the South; yet when the brilliant confederate commander Gen. Robert E. Lee replaced Gen. Joseph E. Johnston, he worked a miracle of morale, tactics, and pure inner ferocity. Over the course of seven days, Lee launched attacks to drive the Federals away from Richmond and crush their fighting spirit. Illustrated with black-and-white photographs on almost every page, Richmond Shall Not Be Given Up is a captivating, in-depth account of history in the making. Highly recommended, especially for college and public library Civil War collections.


The Native American Studies Shelf

Art for an Undivided Earth
Jessica L. Horton
Duke University Press
905 W. Main St., Suite 18B, Durham, NC 27701
www.dukeupress.edu
9780822369547, $94.95, HC, 312pp, www.amazon.com

In "Art for an Undivided Earth: The American Indian Movement Generation" by Jessica L. Horton (Assistant Professor of Art History at the University of Delaware) reveals how the spatial philosophies underlying the American Indian Movement (AIM) were refigured by a generation of artists searching for new places to stand. Upending the assumption that Jimmie Durham, James Luna, Kay WalkingStick, Robert Houle, and others were primarily concerned with identity politics, Professor Horton joins them in remapping the coordinates of a widely shared yet deeply contested modernity that is defined in great part by the colonization of the Americas. Professor Horton follows their installations, performances, and paintings across the ocean and back in time, as they retrace the paths of Native diplomats, scholars, performers, and objects in Europe after 1492. Along the way, Professor Horton comments on a range of theories about global modernisms, Native American sovereignty, racial difference, archival logic, artistic itinerancy, and new materialisms. Writing in creative dialogue with contemporary artists, Professor Horton builds a picture of a spatially, temporally, and materially interconnected world -- an undivided earth. Featuring illustrations, fifty-two pages of Notes, a 134 page Bibliography, and a thirteen page index, "Art for an Undivided Earth" is an impressively informative and thought-provoking work of seminal scholarship and a critically important addition to both community and academic library Contemporary Native American collections in general, and American Indian Movement supplemental studies reading lists in particular. It should be noted for students and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "Art for an Undivided Earth" is also available in a paperback edition (9780822369813, $26.95) and in a digital book format ($26.95).

Spirit of the Earth: Indian Voices on Nature
Michael Oren Fitzgerald and Joseph A. Fitzgerald, Editors
World Wisdom
1501 East Hillside Drive, Bloomington, IN 47401
9781936597543, $14.95, www.worldwisdom.com

Spirit of the Earth: Indian Voices on Nature presents the philosophical ideals by which Indians valued animate and inanimate forms that shared their lives, and belongs on the shelves of Native American history and new age readers alike. It chooses quotes from various Native Americans and pairs them with colorful images that reinforce different notions of how spirit is reflected in human and natural worlds, and the power of nature translates to a sense of honoring self and environment. With its powerful combination of image and written word, this is a beautiful celebration of life, philosophy, and Native American worldviews.


The Autism Shelf

Faces of Promise: Looking Beyond Autism
Richard Ehrlich & Barbara Firestone
Graphic Arts Books
PO Box 56118, Portland, OR 97238-6118
www.graphicartsbooks.com
9781513260884, $27.50, HC, 104pp, www.amazon.com

A unique and impressive collaboration between a fine art photographer and surgeon and the CEO of a world renowned nonprofit group in Los Angeles serving children with autism disorder and special needs, "Faces of Promise: Looking Beyond Autism" by Richard Ehrlich and Barbara Firestone is a photo essay book that illustrates the dignity of children on the autism spectrum. This beautifully produces volume serves to counteract the uninformed and erroneous stereotypes many hold about autism and is an especially and unreservedly recommended addition to both community and academic library Photography collections in general, and Autism supplemental studies reading lists in particular.


The Jobs/Careers Shelf

Thriving in the Gig Economy
Marion McGovern
www.MarionMcGovern.com
Career Press Inc.
12 Parish Drive, Wayne, NJ 07470
www.careerpress.com
9781632650955 $15.99 pbk / $12.91 Kindle amazon.com

Thriving in the Gig Economy: How to Capitalize and Compete in the New World of Work lives up to its title as a guide to the changing labor market, where companies such as Uber, TaskRabbit, and Instacart have redefined the prospect of temporary work as a full-time career. Chapters discuss how skilled professionals who pursue independence can profit from digital talent platforms. Practical-minded tips for navigating digital platforms, digital branding strategies, making the most of social media such as Twitter and LinkedIn, and much more fill this "must-have" for workers in the new millennium.


The Aviation Shelf

Luftwaffe in Colour: From Glory to Defeat 1942-1945
Christophe Cony & Jean-Louis Roba
Casemate
1940 Lawrence Road, Havertown, PA 19083
www.casematepublishers.com
9781612004556 $24.95 amazon.com

Luftwaffe in Colour: From Glory to Defeat 1942-1945 is a full-color photographic showcase of the planes and the men who composed the Luftwaffe (the air force of Germany during World War II). Over 400 striking images, each placed in context with a descriptive caption, fill this fascinating compendium. "The wreck of a Bf 110 G-4 night fighter with the C9 code of NJG 5 on its fuselage. To facilitate the identification of planes by anti-aircraft batteries, the underside of the right wing was painted black." Luftwaffe in Colour will appeal to military historians and lay readers alike, and is a choice pick for public and college library collections. Also highly recommended is the companion volume, "Luftwaffe in Color: The Victory Years 1939-1942" (9781612004556, $24.95).


The Parenting Shelf

A New Way for Mothers
Louise Webster
Familius
1254 Commerce Way, Sanger, CA 93657
www.familius.com
9781945547171, $16.99, PB, 192pp, www.amazon.com

There is incredibly important yet untapped talent among mothers who have replaced career aspirations or creative outlets with family priority. Those women who have put their interests on hold to care for their children face a huge challenge in reconnecting with the professional world again in a way that recognizes their needs to continue to be available for their children. "A New Way for Mothers: A Revolutionary Approach for Mothers to Use Their Skills and Talents While Their Children Are at School" provides inspiration, encouragement, and a step-by-step approach for every mother wishing to engage their talents during the hours their children are at school. "A New Way for Mothers" has strategies and tips for all aspects of life from finding the right type of work to supporting your health to help moms find purpose and balance through the crucial preschool years and beyond. Exceptionally well written and thoroughly 'reader friendly' in tone, commentary, organization and presentation, "A New Way for Mothers" will prove to be an especially appreciated and popular addition to community library Parenting instructional reference collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "A New Way for Mothers" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).


The Fantasy/SciFi Shelf

The Gathering Edge
Sharon Lee & Steve Miller
Baen Books
PO Box 1188, Wake Forest NC 27588
9781476782188, $25.00, www.baen.com

The Gathering Edge is a new Liaden Universe novel that tells of Theo and her crew, who are looking for a break from adversity. They should be able to find this in a region known as "safe space," but it seems there's no rest for the weary as Theo discovers that this safest of havens is threatened by another universe, and that entire spaceships are invading. When she discovers that one of these ships holds unusual connections to her own past, Theo embarks on a mission to uncover a dangerous truth in this latest Liaden adventure, especially recommended for fans of the prior series titles.


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Diane C. Donovan, Editor
Midwest Book Review
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Oregon, WI 53575-1129
phone: 1-608-835-7937
e-mail: mbr@execpc.com
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http://www.midwestbookreview.com


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