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Reviewer's Choice
Repair Revolution
John Wackman & Elizabeth Knight
New World Library
14 Pamaron Way, Novato, CA 94949
www.newworldlibrary.com
9781608686605, $18.95
https://www.amazon.com/Repair-Revolution-Transforming-Throwaway-Culture/dp/1608686604
Repair Revolution: How Fixers Are Transforming Our Throwaway Culture details the presence and rise of repair cafes
in American society, which counter the tendency to throw away products and broken items. These nonprofit, largely
volunteer efforts are free resources for repairing broken items, and give rise to a new philosophy about the value of
goods and the opportunities to fix rather than toss them. This book promotes sustainability and the movement for fixing
material objects and choosing resources that help protect the environment by conserving materials. From chapters on
resource recovery processes to repair efforts in classrooms, workshops, and at home, Repair Revolution makes a strong
case for recycling, reuse, and better resource management long-term.
Black Firsts, fourth edition
Jessie Carney Smith
Visible Ink Press
43311 Joy Rd., #414, Canton, MI 48187-2075
www.visibleinkpress.com
9781578597413, $74.95, HC, 704pp
https://www.amazon.com/Black-Firsts-Trailblazing-Achievements-Ground-Breaking/dp/1578597412
Synopsis: A celebration of achievement, accomplishments, and pride, this newly updated and expanded fourth edition
of "Black Firsts: 500 Years of Trailblazing Achievements and Ground-Breaking Events" showcases the first African
American president, U.S. senator, and the first black lawyer in the Department of Education. The first black chairman
of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff and the first African American commissioned officer in the Marine Corps. The first
black professors in a variety of fields. The first African American advertising agency. The first African American
Olympian. The first black pilot for a scheduled commercial airline. The first recorded slave revolt in North America.
The first African American cookbook writer.
Readers will revel and rejoice in the renowned and lesser-known, barrier-breaking trailblazers in all fields including the
arts, entertainment, business, civil rights, education, government, invention, journalism, religion, science, sports, music,
and more. "Black Firsts: 500 Years of Trailblazing Achievements and Ground-Breaking Events, Fourth Edition" bears
informed witness to the long and complex history of African Americans!
Expanded, updated, and revised for the first time in over eight years, this new fourth edition of "Black Firsts" collects
more than 500 all-new achievements and previously unearthed firsts. This massive tome proves that African American
accomplishments are wide-ranging and ongoing, documenting thousands of personal victories and triumphs.
Critique: Simply stated, this new fourth edition of "Black Firsts: 500 Years of Trailblazing Achievements and
Ground-Breaking Events" is an essential and core addition to family, highschool, community, college, and university
library Black Studies and American Biography collections. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of students
and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "Black Firsts: 500 Years of Trailblazing
Achievements and Ground-Breaking Events" is also readily available in a paperback edition (9781578596881, $29.95)
and in a digital book format (Kindle, $14.99).
Editorial Note: Distinguished in the library profession and recognized educator, author and scholar Jessie Carney Smith
is dean of the library and holds the Camille Cosby Distinguished Chair in the Humanities at Fisk University in
Nashville, Tennessee. She completed her undergraduate work at North Carolina A&T State University and holds
master's degrees from Michigan State University and Vanderbilt University, and a Ph.D. from the University of Illinois.
Among Dr. Smith's numerous awards are the National Women's Book Association's Award, the Candace Award for
excellence in education, Sage magazine's Anna J. Cooper Award for research on African American women, and the
Academic/Research Librarian of the Year Award from the Association of College and Research Libraries. Her work
includes Black Firsts, Black Heroes, The Handy African American History Answer Book, and with co-author Linda T.
Wynn, Freedom Facts and Firsts all published by Visible Ink Press.
The Global Age-Friendly Community Movement
Philip B. Stafford, editor
Berghahn Books
20 Jay Street, Suite 512, Brooklyn, NY 11201
www.berghahnbooks.com
9781785336676, $135.00, HC, 286pp
https://www.amazon.com/Global-Age-Friendly-Community-Movement-Transformations/dp/1785336673
Synopsis: The age-friendly community movement is a global phenomenon, currently growing with the support of the
WHO and multiple international and national organizations in the field of aging. Drawing on an extensive collection of
international case studies, "The Global Age-Friendly Community Movement: A Critical Appraisal" provides an
introduction to the movement. The contributors (both researchers and practitioners) touch on a number of current
tensions and issues in the movement and offer a wide-ranging set of recommendations for advancing age-friendly
community development. "The Global Age-Friendly Community Movement: A Critical Appraisal" concludes with a
call for a radical transformation of a medical and lifestyle model of aging into a relational model of health and
social/individual well being.
Critique: Knowledgeably compiled and deftly edited by Philip B. Stafford (Adjunct Professor of Anthropology at
Indiana University in Bloomington, and was Director of the Indiana University Center on Aging and Community until
2017), "The Global Age-Friendly Community Movement: A Critical Appraisal" is an extraordinary and unreservedly
recommended as a core addition to community, college, and university library Gerontology Social Sciences and in
Public Policy collections, as well as Social Services & Welfare supplemental curriculum studies lists. It should be noted
for students, academia, governmental policy makers, social workers, and non-specialist general readers with an interest
in the subject that "The Global Age-Friendly Community Movement: A Critical Appraisal" is also readily available in a
paperback edition (9781789207996, $29.95) and in a digital book format (eTextbook, $28.45).
Novel Advice
Jay Bushman
www.JayBushman.com
Tiller Press
9781982156299, $19.99, HC, 224pp
https://www.amazon.com/Novel-Advice-Practical-Favorite-Characters/dp/1982156295
Synopsis: What would happen if your favorite literary characters wrote in to ask for help from an advice columnist?
What suggestions would Hester Prynne need to cope with the judgmental neighbors? What if Mrs. Bennett from Pride
and Prejudice asked for tips about managing her financial woes? In "Novel Advice: Practical Wisdom for Your Favorite
Literary Characters", Emmy Award winning writer Jay Bushman imaginatively considers those scenarios and dozens
more as Aunt Antigone, the "agony aunt" who dishes practical advice, along with a fair dose of snark.
Grouped by theme, "Novel Advice" features favorite and most beloved literary characters from all genres as they write
in to Aunt Antigone for help with their "real-world" problems. Readers will enjoy discovering what Aunt Antigone has
to say when Ophelia and Ishmael ask about their dating woes, when Dr. Jekyll searches for the perfect work/life
balance, or when Scarlett O'Hara wants tips about the best way to handle stress.
Perfect for fans of Texts from Jane Eyre, Tequila Mockingbird, and booklovers everywhere, this book is a hilarious and
thought-provoking look at our favorite literary characters seeking help from an advice column with her own dramatic
background.
Critique: Written with an impressively entertaining, humorously insightful, and literarily inspiring flair by author Jay
Bushman, "Novel Advice: Practical Wisdom for Your Favorite Literary Characters" is a unique and unreservedly
recommended addition to community, college, and university library collections. It should be noted for dedicated
bibliophiles and any creative fiction novelist that "Novel Advice: Practical Wisdom for Your Favorite Literary
Characters" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $10.99).
Editorial Note: Jay Bushman has a long history of chopping up classic works of literature into new and surprising
formats. He won an Emmy Award as a writer and transmedia producer on The Lizzie Bennet Diaries, the hit transmedia
modernization of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice, and was the co-creator/show runner of its sequel interactive series
Welcome To Sanditon. Jay wrote one of the first Twitter novels, The Good Captain, a scifi adaptation of Herman
Melville's Benito Cereno, and his blog reimagining of Spoon River Anthology was honored in the International
Symposium on Electronic Art. Jay has written interactive experiences for stories like Disney's Haunted Mansion, Game
of Thrones, 13 Reasons Why, Terminator, and Arrival. He maintains a personal/professional website at:
www.JayBushman.com
The Sherlock Holmes Quiz Book
Kathleen Kaska
The Globe Pequot Press
246 Goose Lane, Suite 200, Guilford, CT 06437
www.globepequot.com
9781493053155, $21.95, PB, 312pp
https://www.amazon.com/Sherlock-Holmes-Quiz-Book/dp/1493053159
Synopsis: Now with "The Sherlock Holmes Quiz Book" the legions of Sherlock Holmes fans can metaphorically step
out of a hansom cab and onto the foggy streets of Edwardian London with this original and comprehensive collection of
fun and challenging fun facts, puzzles and trivia bout the adventures of the inimitable detective who intellectual feats
overwhelmed criminals and Scotland Yard alike.
Author and Sherlock Holmes fan Kathleen Kaska offers brainteasers on each story about the detective and his associate
Dr. Watson, as well as the background on how Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's own experiences contributed to his literary
work. She covers all of the different ways Holmes has been adapted including the recent Robert Downey Jr. films, and
TV shows featuring Benedict Cumberbatch and Johnny Lee Miller.
Critique: Offering hours and hours of wonderfully entertaining fun and ideal for bar trivia contests, "The Sherlock
Holmes Quiz Book" is very highly recommended for community, college, and university library collections. It should
be noted for personal reading and game-playing lists that "The Sherlock Holmes Quiz Book" is also readily available in
a digital book format (Kindle, $15.49).
Editorial Note: Kathleen Kaska is the author of What's Your Agatha Christie I.Q.? and The Alfred Hitchcock
Triviography and Quiz Book.
The Nature of Desert Nature
Gary Paul Nabhan, editor
University of Arizona Press
1510 E. University Boulevard, P.O. Box 210055, Tucson, AZ 85721-0055
www.uapress.arizona.edu
9780816540280, $16.95, PB, 192pp
https://www.amazon.com/Nature-Desert-Southwest-Center/dp/0816540284
Synopsis: Expertly compiled, and edited by Gary Paul Nabhan, "The Nature of Desert Nature" is refreshing collection
of twenty-six erudite observational essays that challenge traditional notions of the desert.
Beautiful, reflective, and at times humorous, Nabhan's extended essay also called "The Nature of Desert Nature" reveals
the complexity of what a desert is and can be. He passionately writes about what it is like to visit a desert and what
living in a desert looks like when viewed through a new frame, turning age-old notions of the desert on their heads.
Nabhan invites a prism of voices of friends, colleagues, and advisors from his more than four decades of study of
deserts to bring their own perspectives to bear. Scientists, artists, desert contemplatives, poets, and writers bring the
desert into view and investigate why these places compel us to walk through their sands and beneath their cacti and
acacia. We observe the spines and spears, stings and songs of the desert anew. Each essay offers renewed vocabulary
and thoughtful perceptions.
Critique: As thoughtful and thought-provoking as it is impressively well written, organized and presented, "The Nature
of Desert Nature" is an extraordinary contribution to community, college, and university library Nature Writing,
Ecology, Deserts Ecosystems collections. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of students, academia,
environmental advocates, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "The Nature of Desert
Nature" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
Editorial Note: Gary Paul Nabhan is the Kellogg Endowed Chair at the University of Arizona's Southwest Center. He is
author or editor of more than thirty books, including Enduring Seeds, Gathering in the Desert, and Food from the
Radical Center. Honored with a MacArthur "Genius" Award, a Lannan Literary Fellowship, the John Burroughs Medal
for nature writing, and other awards, Nabhan has lived in the desert for more than forty years.
The Writing/Publishing Shelf
Charitable Writing
Richard Hughes Gibson, author
James Edward Beitler III, author
InterVarsity Press
PO Box 1400, Downers Grove, IL 60515-1426
www.ivpress.com
9780830854837, $22.00, PB, 248pp
https://www.amazon.com/Charitable-Writing-Cultivating-Virtue-Through/dp/0830854835
Synopsis: Written words carry weight. Unfortunately, in today's cultural climate, what we and others write (especial in a
social media format) is all too often laced with harsh judgments and vitriol rather than careful consideration and
generosity. But might the Christian faith transform how we approach the task of writing? How might we love God and
our neighbors through our writing?
"Charitable Writing: Cultivating Virtue Through Our Words " is not a style guide that teaches you where to place the
comma and how to cite your sources (as important as those things are). Rather, it offers a vision for expressing one's
faith through writing and for understanding writing itself as a spiritual practice that cultivates virtue. Under the
guidance of two experienced Christian writers who draw on authors and artists throughout the church's history, we learn
how we might embrace writing as an act of discipleship for today -- and how we might faithfully bear the weight of our
written words.
Critique: Words can have the impact of a sledge hammer, the cutting edge of a surgeon's scalpel, the lethal consequence
of a gun shot. They can also heal a hurt, restore dignity, invoke hope, give life meaning, purpose, direction and resolve.
Anyone who writes and wants or has a readership for what they have written should give a close and attentive read to
"Charitable Writing: Cultivating Virtue Through Our Words". While especially and unreservedly recommended for
community, college, and university library Writing/Publishing collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists
that "Charitable Writing: Cultivating Virtue Through Our Words" is also readily available in a digital book format
(Kindle, $14.51).
Editorial Note: Richard Hughes Gibson (PhD, University of Virginia) is associate professor of English at Wheaton
College. He is the author of Forgiveness in Victorian Literature: Grammar, Narrative, and Community. With designer
Jeremy Botts, he codirects Manibus Press, an occasional publisher of artists' books.
James Edward Beitler III (PhD, University of Michigan) is associate professor of English at Wheaton College, where he
is the director of First-Year Writing and also coordinates the Writing Fellows Program. He is the author of Seasoned
Speech: Rhetoric in the Life of the Church and Remaking Transitional Justice in the United States: The Rhetorical
Authorization of the Greensboro Truth and Reconciliation Commission.
The Education Shelf
Bandwidth Recovery for Schools
Cia Verschelden
Stylus Publishing
22883 Quicksilver Drive, Sterling, VA 20166-2019
www.styluspub.com
9781642670776, $29.95
Bandwidth Recovery for Schools: Helping Pre-K-12 Students Regain Cognitive Resources Lost to Poverty, Trauma,
Racism, and Social Marginalization should be in every educator's reference library as a basic primer on how to assess,
address, and mitigate the effect of poverty and racism in the classroom. The basic idea is that cognition is linked to
economic and social forces that teachers can help compensate for by recognition and adjustments to learning and
developing strategies. Chapters explain exactly how to achieve this using not just ideals but strategies that have been
tested and proven to be successful in the real world. The result should be on the radar of all teachers; but especially
those working in urban areas where the effects of poverty are most evident.
Teaching Dual Language Learners
Lisa M. Lopez & Mariela M. Paez
Brookes Publishing Company
PO Box 10624, Baltimore, MD 21285-0624
www.brookespublishing.com
9781681253848, $39.95, PB, 200pp
https://www.amazon.com/Teaching-Dual-Language-Learners-Childhood/dp/1681253844
Synopsis: As the number of dual language learners (DLLs) in early childhood settings continues to rise, educators need
to know how to teach, engage, and assess children from different cultural and linguistic backgrounds. They'll have the
effective strategies they need with "Teaching Dual Language Learners: What Early Childhood Educators Need to
Know", a timely book and reader friendly guide that expertly connects research to practice for Preschool and
Kindergarten teachers of young DLL students ages 4-6.
Early childhood educators will start with a detailed review of the demographics of today's DLLs and the latest research
findings on supporting the learning and development of bilingual and multilingual children. Then they'll find practical
guidance on the best instructional and assessment practices to integrate into their classrooms. Throughout the book, five
in depth case studies of diverse children highlight the importance of considering each child's background, skills, and
home experiences when designing effective learning environments.
Critique: Exceptionally well written, organized and presented, as well as extending the groundbreaking work of Patton
O. Tabors and ideal for use as a textbook or in service guide, "Teaching Dual Language Learners: What Early
Childhood Educators Need to Know" is a concise book that compiles everything classroom teachers need to know
about working with young DLLs -- and setting them up for a lifetime of school success. While unreservedly
recommended for school district, college, and university library Teacher Education instructional reference guides, it
should be noted for the personal reading lists of educators and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the
subject that "Teaching Dual Language Learners: What Early Childhood Educators Need to Know" is also readily
available in a digital book format (eTextbook, $28.79).
Editorial Note: Lisa M. Lopez is an Associate Professor of Educational Psychology at the University of South Florida,
Tampa. Her research agenda involves understanding and improving upon the educational and environmental
opportunities of Latino dual language learner (DLL) children in the United States. Her main research objective is to
identify the developmental trajectory of school readiness skills for Latino DLL children while applying an ecological
perspective to better understand this developmental trajectory. Her research has been published in journals focused on
both education and developmental psychology.
Mariela M. Paez is an Associate Professor at the Lynch School of Education and Human Development, Boston College.
She has a doctorate in human development and psychology from the Harvard Graduate School of Education. Her
primary research interests include bilingualism, children's language and early literacy development, and early childhood
education.
Improving Student Learning One Teacher at a Time
Jane E. Pollock & Laura J. Tolone
ASCD
1703 North Beauregard Street, Alexandria, VA 22311-1714
www.ascd.org
9781416629696, $27.95, PB, 144pp
https://www.amazon.com/Improving-Student-Learning-Teacher-Time/dp/1416629696
Synopsis: This "Big Four" approach effectively showcases in this newly updated and expanded second edition of
"Improving Student Learning One Teacher at a Time" offers an easy-to-follow process that helps teachers build better
curriculum documents with: Curriculum standards that are clear and well-paced, and describe what students will learn;
Instruction based in research, from daily lessons to whole units of study; Assessment that maximizes feedback and
requires critical and creative thinking; Feedback that tracks and reports individual student progress by standards.
In the pages of this new edition of "Improving Student Learning One Teacher at a Time" academicians Jane E. Pollock
and Laura J. Tolone continue to collaboratively demonstrate how consistent, timely feedback from multiple sources can
help students monitor their own understanding and help teachers align assignments, quizzes, and tests more explicitly to
the standards. The Big Four shifts the focus away from the basics of what makes a good teacher toward what makes
good learning happen for every student every day.
Critique: Exceptionally well organized and presented, this newly published second edition of "Improving Student
Learning One Teacher at a Time" continues to be a welcome, insightful, and practical contribution to the growing body
of instructive educational literature. While an especially recommended addition to school district, college and university
library Teacher Education collections and supplemental curriculum textbook studies lists, it should be noted for student
teachers, academia, and school district in-service trainers that "Improving Student Learning One Teacher at a Time" is
also readily available in a digital book format (eTextbook, $20.49).
Editorial Note #1: Jane E. Pollock, PhD, coauthor of the ASCD bestseller Classroom Instruction That Works (2001),
works worldwide with teachers, coaches, and principals on instruction and supervision. Her work results in improved
student achievement at the classroom and school levels.
Editorial Note #2: Laura J. Tolone has served students for the past 25 years in U.S. and worldwide school communities
as a teacher, an athletic coach, a librarian, an administrative leader, and a consultant. She specializes in building
student-centered cultures that improve learning. Laura spent the past 15 years in the Dominican Republic working with
teachers to incorporate standards-based strategies into daily practices of teaching and learning.
Promoting Inclusive Classroom Dynamics in Higher Education
Kathryn C. Oleson
Stylus Publishing, Inc.
22883 Quicksilver Drive, Sterling, VA 20166-2012
www.styluspub.com
9781620368992, $32.50, PB, 240pp
https://www.amazon.com/Promoting-Inclusive-Classroom-Dynamics-Education-dp-1620368994/dp/1620368994
Synopsis: "Promoting Inclusive Classroom Dynamics in Higher Education: A Research-Based Pedagogical Guide for
Faculty" by Professor Kathryn C. Oleson is powerful, practical resource that will help faculty create an inclusive
dynamic in their classrooms, so that all students are set up to succeed. Grounded in research and theory (including
educational psychology, scholarship of teaching and learning, intergroup dialogue, and social justice theory),
"Promoting Inclusive Classroom Dynamics in Higher Education" provides practical solutions to help faculty create an
inclusive learning environment in which all students can thrive.
Each individual chapter focuses on palpable ideas and adaptive strategies to use right away when teaching. Chapter 1
consider professors' intersecting personal and social identities and their expectations for themselves and their
students.
Chapter 2 considers students' backgrounds, including class, race, disability, and gender, and focuses on what students
bring to the classroom, exploring their basic psychological needs of autonomy, competence, and belonging; their
approaches to learning; and their self-doubts and uncertainties.
Chapter 3 draws on universally-designed learning in combination with educational design rooted in social justice and
multiculturalism to describe ways to design spaces in which students flourish academically. Two chapters focus on
classroom dynamics.
Chapter 4 primarily focuses on preparation for having difficult conversations in the classroom, considering how
instructors can create a shared understanding between themselves and their students.
Chapter 5 focuses on in-the-moment strategies to both create and manage discomfort about sensitive and controversial
topics while supporting students of various social identities (such as gender, race, disability).
In the closing Chapter 6, Professor Oleson integrates all the elements in the preceding chapters, and also presents more
general college-wide programs to help faculty develop and improve their teaching.
Critique: Expertly written, organized and presented, "Promoting Inclusive Classroom Dynamics in Higher Education: A
Research-Based Pedagogical Guide for Faculty" is an extraordinary and unreservedly recommended curriculum
textbook and will prove to be a welcome addition to school district, college, and university library Contemporary
Education collections. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of education students, academia, classroom
teachers, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "Promoting Inclusive Classroom
Dynamics in Higher Education: A Research-Based Pedagogical Guide for Faculty" is also readily available in a digital
book format (Kindle, $21.75).
Editorial Note: Kathryn C. Oleson is Professor of Psychology and the former Director of the Center for Teaching and
Learning at Reed College. As inaugural Director of Reed College's Center for Teaching and Learning, she began an
Inclusive Practices Professional Development Series, and continues to co-lead workshops on promoting inclusive
practices and fostering inclusive classroom dynamics.
Eat That Frog! for Students
Brian Tracy & Anna Leinberger
Berrett-Koehler Publishers Inc.
1333 Broadway, Suite 1000, Oakland CA, 94612
www.bkconnection.com
9781523091256, $16.95, PB, 168pp
https://www.amazon.com/Eat-That-Frog-Students-Procrastinating/dp/1523091258
Synopsis: Like adults, students of all ages struggle with how to manage their time. Encountering the necessity of time
management for the first time, high schoolers juggle classes, extracurricular activities (all but mandatory for college
admissions), jobs, internships, family responsibilities, and more. College brings even more freedom and less structure,
making time management even more critical.
"Eat That Frog! for Students: 22 Ways to Stop Procrastinating and Excel in School" by Brian Tracy has helped millions
around the world get more done in less time. Now this life-changing global bestseller has been adapted to the specific
needs of students. Tracy offers readers tips, tools, and techniques for structuring time, setting goals, staying on task
(even when you're not interested), dealing with stress, and developing the skills to achieve far more than you ever
thought possible.
Critique: Timely and timeless, "Eat That Frog! for Students: 22 Ways to Stop Procrastinating and Excel in School"
should be considered mandatory reading for any student wanting to maximize their scholastic success and acquire the
kind of self-management/time-management skills that will serve them well throughout their adult life. While especially
and unreservedly recommended for highschool, school district, community, college, and university library collections
Self-Help/Self-Improvement collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Eat That Frog! for Students:
22 Ways to Stop Procrastinating and Excel in School" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle,
$9.99).
The Parenting Shelf
Compost Makes the Strawberries Grow
Lolita L. Jardeleza
Resource Publications
c/o Wipf and Stock Publishers
199 West 8th Avenue, Suite 3, Eugene, OR 97401-2960
http://wipfandstock.com
9781725270152, $18.00, PB, 148pp
https://www.amazon.com/Compost-Makes-Strawberries-Grow-Celebration/dp/1725270153
Synopsis: Even though countless "how-to" parenting books are on the market, with "Compost Makes the Strawberries
Grow: A Mother's Celebration of Parenting - Its Challenges, Humor, and Rewards" by parent and author Lolita L.
Jardeleza relates that after many years of parenting, it suddenly dawned on her that a mother's primary function is to
help her children discover just how wonderful they are. She also took on the task of sharing her story at the behest of
her eleven children, who are now parents themselves and want to cherish their children just as they were cherished.
But "Compost Makes the Strawberries Grow" is not all saccharine sweet talk. It gets down to the brass tacks of
everyday family living as Jardeleza tackles a wide range of real-life issues with an impressive honesty, heart, and
humor. The real world issues she deals with include sibling power, fighting the good fight, honesty, being kind to
others, obedience, values, and cultural literacy. Above all, "Compost Makes the Strawberries Grow" is a book that
treats parenting with gratitude and grace.
Critique: Inspired and inspiring, thoughtful and thought-provoking, informed and informative, and exceptionally well
written, organized and presented, "Compost Makes the Strawberries Grow: A Mother's Celebration of Parenting - Its
Challenges, Humor, and Rewards" is an extraordinary, quality of family life enhancing and highly recommended
reading for all parents seeking the best for the children in today's troubled world of pandemic, economic stress, social
isolation, and political unrest. Simply stated, no community library's Parenting collection should be without a copy of
"Compost Makes the Strawberries Grow: A Mother's Celebration of Parenting - Its Challenges, Humor, and
Rewards"!
The Literary Studies Shelf
A Priest in 1835
Jules Verne, author
Daniele Chatelin, translator
George Slusser, translator
BearManor Media
www.bearmanormedia.com
9781593939359, $24.95, PB, 316pp
https://www.amazon.com/Priest-1835-Jules-Verne/dp/1593939353
Synopsis: "A Priest in 1835" by the 19th Century French author Jules Verne, has now been translated for an American
readership with an informative introduction and notes by the team of Daniele Chatelain and George Slusser
"A Priest in 1835" is not only a re-discovered treasure, but a literary revelation. It is the very first novel written by Jules
Verne. Finished by the age of twenty and under the influence of Edgar Allan Poe, "A Priest in 1835" was composed
before Verne encountered any editors to hone his storytelling skills. Yet this tyro effort is a masterpiece, a gothic tale
told in a modernist style with a nonlinear narrative.
In addition to being talented translators, Daniele Chatelain and George Slusser are also noted science fiction scholars
and offer Jules Verne fans this first English translation, with extensive critical commentary. "A Priest in 1835" reveals
that Verne not only had the prophetic skills that would render him the father of science fiction, but a technique that
would win him a place among the vanguard of 21st century authors.
Vintage early engravings reveal the novel's actual settings, in Verne's home town of Nantes.
Critique: An absolute 'must read' for the legions of Jules Verne fans, this newly published edition of "A Priest in 1835"
from BearManor Media is an extraordinary and unreservedly recommended addition to all community, college, and
university library collections. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of students, academia, and Jules Verne
fans that "A Priest in 1835" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.95).
Savage West: The Life and Fiction of Thomas Savage
O' Alan Weltzien
University of Nevada Press
Mail Stop 0166, Reno, NV, 89557-0166
www.unpress.nevada.edu
9781948908863, $40.00, HC, 257pp
https://www.amazon.com/Savage-West-Life-Fiction-Thomas/dp/1948908867
Synopsis: Thomas Savage (April 25, 1915 - July 25, 2003) was arguably one of the intermountain American West's best
novelists. His thirteen novels received high critical praise, yet he remained largely unknown by readers. Although
Savage spent much of his later life in the Northeast, his formative years were spent in southwestern Montana, where the
mountain West and his ranching family formed the setting for much of his work.
"Savage West: The Life and Fiction of Thomas Savage" is O. Alan Weltzien's insightful and detailed literary biography
chronicles the life and work of this neglected but deeply talented novelist.
Savage, a closeted gay family man, was both an outsider and an insider, navigating an intense conflict between his
sexual identity and the claustrophobic social restraints of the rural West. Unlike many other Western writers, Savage
avoided the formula western novel; so popular in his time; and offered instead a realistic, often subversive version of
the region.
Each of his novels tell a hard, harsh story about dysfunctional families, loneliness, and stifling provincialism in the
small towns and ranches of the northern Rockies, and his minority interpretation of the West provides a unique vision
and caustic counter-narrative contrary to the triumphant settler-colonialism themes that have shaped most Western
literature.
"Savage West: The Life and Fiction of Thomas Savage" seeks to claim Thomas Savage's well-deserved position in
American literature and to reintroduce twenty-first-century readers to a major Montana writer.
Critique: Rescuing a major American author from an undeserved obscurity, "Savage West: The Life and Fiction of
Thomas Savage" is an extraordinarily informative and seminal work of original scholarship. Exceptionally well
organized and presented, "Savage West: The Life and Fiction of Thomas Savage" is an especially and unreservedly
recommended addition to community, college, and university library American Biography and American Literary
Studies collections. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of students, academia, and non-specialist general
readers with an interest in the subject that "Savage West: The Life and Fiction of Thomas Savage" is also readily
available in a digital book format (Kindle, $38.00).
Editorial Note: O. Alan Weltzien is an author and specialist in American and western American literatures. He worked
forty years as a full-time academic, 29 of which were at the University of Montana Western, in Dillon Montana. He has
published dozens of articles, two chapbooks, and nine books, including studies or collections of writers Rick Bass, John
McPhee, and Norman Maclean.
Excavating Stephen King
James Arthur Anderson
Lexington Books
c/o Rowman & Littlefield Publishing Group
4501 Forbes Blvd., Suite 200, Lanham, MD 20706
www.rlpgbooks.com
9781793628626, $105.00, HC, 258pp
https://www.amazon.com/Excavating-Stephen-King-Darwinist-Hermeneutic/dp/1793628629
Synopsis: "Excavating Stephen King: A Darwinist Hermeneutic Study of the Fiction" by James Arthur Anderson (who
is a professor of writing and literature at Johnson & Wales University's North Miami campus) combines approaches
from science and literary theory to examine the canon of Stephen King's fiction work in a single critical study.
Professor Anderson has devised the concept of Darwinist Hermeneutics as a critical tool to combine evolutionary
psychology, neuroscience, biology, and literary Darwinism with other more conventional critical theory, including
structuralism, narratology, semiotics, and linguistic analysis. Using this theory, Anderson examines King's works in
terms of archetypes and mythology, human universals, affective emotions, and the organization of story to create
maximum suspense.
This method brings new insights into King's stories and broader implications for storytelling as a whole.
Critique: Erudite, informatively insightful, impressively thoughtful and thought-provoking, "Excavating Stephen King:
A Darwinist Hermeneutic Study of the Fiction" is an extraordinary and unreservedly recommended acquisition
selection for college and university library Hermeneutic Literary Studies collections in general, and Stephen King
supplemental studies lists in particular. This well organized and presented curriculum style textbook would be a useful
template for similar studies of other literary figures. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of students,
academia, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the life and work of Stephen King that "Excavating
Stephen King: A Darwinist Hermeneutic Study of the Fiction" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle,
$89.59).
The Science Shelf
How to Astronaut
Terry Virts
Workman Publishing Company
225 Varick Street, New York, NY 10014-4381
www.workman.com
9781523509614, $27.95, HC, 320pp
https://www.amazon.com/How-Astronaut-Insiders-Leaving-Planet/dp/1523509619
Synopsis: "How to Astronaut: An Insider's Guide to Leaving Planet Earth" enables reader to
metaphorically 'ride shotgun' on a trip to space with astronaut Terry Virts who is a born storyteller with a gift for the
surprising turn of phrase and eye for the perfect you-are-there details. Terry captures all the highs, lows, humor, and
wonder of an experience few will ever know firsthand as he presents stories covering survival training, space shuttle
emergencies, bad bosses, the art of putting on a spacesuit, time travel, and so much more!
Critique: An inherently fascinating, thoroughly engaging, impressively entertaining, informed and informative read
from cover to cover, "How to Astronaut: An Insider's Guide to Leaving Planet Earth" will prove to be an immediate and
enduringly popular addition to community, college, and university library Astronautics & Space Flight collections and
supplemental curriculum Aeronautics & Astronautics studies lists. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of
students, academia, astronautics fans, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject of space flight
that "How to Astronaut: An Insider's Guide to Leaving Planet Earth" is also readily available in a digital book format
(Kindle, $9.44) and as a complete and unabridged audio book (Blackstone Audio, 9781664494664, $39.99, CD).
The Christian Studies Shelf
Brotherhood of Saints: Daily Guidance and Inspiration
Melanie Rigney
Franciscan Media
28 West Liberty Street, Cincinnati, OH 45202
9781632533050, $16.99, PB, 382pp
https://www.amazon.com/Brotherhood-Saints-Daily-Guidance-Inspiration/dp/1632533057
Synopsis: In a page-a-day format, "Brotherhood of Saints: Daily Guidance and Inspiration" by Melanie Rigney gives
her readers a panoply of widely known and more obscure saints who show the way to be better disciples of Christ. They
offer compelling examples of how to meet the challenges of daily life, be strengthened in your faith, and become the
man God created you to be.
While no such book would be complete without entries on Peter, Paul, the Francises, Anthony of Padua, Augustine and
the other Doctors of the Church, Ignatius of Loyola, Benedict, John, John Paul, and so on, "Brotherhood of Saints:
Daily Guidance and Inspiration" also includes many of the men canonized in the past fifty years, including Oscar
Romero, Louis Martin, Francisco Marto, Jose Gabriel del Rosario Brochero, Junipero Serra, and the martyrs of Otranto,
Natal, Korea, and the Spanish Civil War.
Critique: Inspired and inspiring, "Brotherhood of Saints: Daily Guidance and Inspiration" is especially and unreservedly
recommended to the attention of seminary students, clergy, and all members of the Roman Catholic community. It
should be noted for personal reading lists that "Brotherhood of Saints: Daily Guidance and Inspiration" is also readily
available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
Editorial Note: Melanie Rigney enjoys listening to the saints and sharing their stories. In addition to Brotherhood of
Saints (and Sisterhood of Saints), her previous books include Radical Saints: 21 Women for the 21st Century and
Blessed Are You: Finding Inspiration from Our Sisters in Faith (both Franciscan Media). She also writes for Living
Faith, CatholicMom, and other Catholic blogs and publications. Melanie maintains a website at
www.rejoicebeglad.com
My Other Self
Clarence J. Enzler
Ave Maria Press
PO Box 428, Notre Dame, IN 46556
www.avemariapress.com
9780870612480, $13.95, PB, 256pp
https://www.amazon.com/My-Other-Self-Conversations-Christ/dp/0870612484
Synopsis: Modeled on the fifteenth-century classic "The Imitation of Christ", this new edition of a little-known 1956
Clarence Joseph Enzler masterwork, "My Other Self: Conversations with Christ on Living Your Faith" is revived in a
new edition for modern Christians. This new edition of "My Other Self: Conversations with Christ on Living Your
Faith" includes an introduction from the author's son, Msgr. John Enzler, pastor of the Shrine of the Most Blessed
Sacrament in Washington, D.C.
In this intimate guide to the spiritual life, Christ speaks directly to the reader, whom Christ admonishes to be his
presence of love and service in the world. Through this creative mode of dialogue, Enzler leads the reader through the
journey of the Christian life, beginning with the call to live in friendship with Christ and fulfill Christs desire. He then
examines the means of the Christian life: detachment, virtue, prayer, avoidance of sin, and the Eucharist.
Finally Enzler explores the goal of the journey: a life of union with Christ as his disciple and complete joy with him in
eternity. Each individual chapter is divided into short, eloquent sections based on scripture and with beautiful prayers
for meditation. These convenient divisions make "My Other Self" ideal for use as a daily devotional, or a guide to
prayer.
Critique: Profoundly and spiritually inspiring, "My Other Self: Conversations with Christ on Living Your Faith" is
unreservedly recommended for a new generation of Catholic readers and is particularly commended to the attention of
clergy and seminary students. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of all members of the Catholic
community that "My Other Self: Conversations with Christ on Living Your Faith" is also readily available in a digital
book format (Kindle, $10.49).
Editorial Note: Clarence Joseph Enzler (1910-1976) is best known for his classic Lenten devotional booklet Everyone's
Way of the Cross, first published in 1970. He worked for the U.S. Department of Agriculture from 1937-1972, except
from 1943-1945 when he served as the feature editor with the National Catholic Welfare Conference News Service
(now known as Catholic News Service).
Sanctuary: Being Christian in the Wake of Trump
Heidi B. Neumark
Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company
4035 Park East Court SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49546
www.eerdmans.com
9780802878397, $24.99, HC, 240pp
https://www.amazon.com/Sanctuary-Being-Christian-Wake-Trump/dp/0802878393
Synopsis: Throughout her nearly forty years in ministry, Heidi Neumark has strived to make communities of faith into
sanctuaries amid the turmoils of life. Now, with the social and political upheaval of the years since Donald Trump was
elected president, Neumark believes the true Christian calling is to live out a counterpoint to today's prevailing spirits of
exclusion and hatred. In "Sanctuary: Being Christian in the Wake of Trump" and using her own bilingual, multicultural
congregation as a model, she moves through the seasons of the church calendar to reflect on what it looks like to live
out essential Christian convictions in community with others.
"Sanctuary: Being Christian in the Wake of Trump" is an amplifier for the many voices crying out against policies and
rhetoric that are cruel, dehumanizing, and dangerous. Neumark begins each chapter with a quote from Donald Trump
that she defies and dismantles with the power of her own stories -- anecdotes about offering shelter for queer youth in
her city, supporting immigrants and asylum-seekers being harassed by ICE, and embracing her church's diversity with a
Guadalupe celebration, to name a few. Timely, but also timeless, "Sanctuary: Being Christian in the Wake of Trump"
speaks to the deep wounds of this era, inflicted before and during the Trump presidency, which will remain long past its
end.
Critique: In an era that has left so many wondering why dedicated Christians supported a man for the presidency who
was responsible for separating and confining children from their families at the southern boarder, who constantly lied
about things trivial and important alike, who's personal life was rife with adultery and sexual depredations, neglected to
lead the nation in a time of pandemic and economic hardship, who fanned the flames of racial hatred and white
supremacy, and so much more in violation of the moral rules and commandments of the New Testament, "Sanctuary:
Being Christian in the Wake of Trump" will prove to be a welcome and appreciated read -- and a worth attempt to help
heal the wounds of a deeply troubled nation that led to the election of a Donald Trump and were sorely exacerbated
during his administrative tenure.
While also readily available for personal reading lists in a digital book format (Kindle, $16.72), "Sanctuary: Being
Christian in the Wake of Trump" is especially and unreservedly recommended for community, church, college, and
university library Religious/Political Ethics collections in general, and Church/State Religious Studies supplemental
curriculum lists in particular.
Editorial Note: Heidi Neumark is an author, speaker and Lutheran pastor who has served congregations in the South
Bronx and presently in Manhattan. Her experiences in congregational and community leadership in the Bronx led to a
highly acclaimed book, "Breathing Space: A Spiritual Journey in the South Bronx" (Beacon Press 2003), winner of the
2004 Wilbur Award given by the Religion Communicators Council. She has chapters and sermons in numerous other
books and writes regularly for the Christian Century and other journals. In her present position, Pastor Neumark also
serves as the executive director of a shelter for homeless LGBTQ youth. She holds an honorary doctorate of divinity
from Muhlenberg College.
I Love, Therefore I Am
Nicholas V. Sakharov
SVS Press
575 Scarsdale Road, Yonkers, NY 10707
www.svspress.com
9780881414554, $20.00, PB, 253pp
https://www.amazon.com/Love-Therefore-Am-Theological-Archimandrite/dp/0881414557
Synopsis: "I Love, Therefore I Am: The Theological Legacy of Archimandrite Sophrony" by Nicholas V. Sakharov
(who is a member of the Monastery of St. John the Baptist, Essex, UK) is critical exposition of the theology of
Archimandrite Sophrony Sakharov (1896-1993), an outstanding Christian ascetic, monk, and mystic of the twentieth
century.
"I Love, Therefore I Am" conveys the message that Christianity is not just an academic discipline but very reality, life
itself. This reality imprints a mark of indisputable authenticity upon each of Fr Sophrony's writings. Strange to abstract
scholasticism, his words breathe the inspiration of the living tradition, where Christ is the Divine Absolute, 'the same
yesterday, today and forever' (Heb 13:8).
Because Fr Sophrony traversed the major religious and intellectual movements of our time, his spiritual make-up is
enriched by various currents of thought. Notwithstanding this diversity, never does his theology transcend the
boundaries set out by the Orthodox tradition. The patristic heritage has for him indubitable authority. He absorbed the
legacy of the Fathers in its living depth. This came not by way of an academic research, but through his ascetic strivings
on Mount Athos. His wide spiritual and intellectual background elevates the Orthodox tradition to an authentic level
where it opens up to universal dimensions.
Critique: Erudite, insightful, thoughtful and thought-provoking, "I Love, Therefore I Am: The Theological Legacy of
Archimandrite Sophrony" is a seminal study that is enhanced for academia with a ten page Bibliography and a four page
Index of Names. While an especially and unreservedly recommended acquisition to church, seminary, community,
college, and university library Orthodox Christian Theology collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists, it
should be noted for the personal reading lists of seminarian students, clergy, and non-specialist general readers with an
interest in the subject that "I Love, Therefore I Am" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle,
$12.99).
Rekindled
Mallory Smyth
Ave Maria Press
PO Box 428, Notre Dame, IN 46556
www.avemariapress.com
9781646800094, $15.95, PB, 160pp
https://www.amazon.com/Rekindled-Jesus-Called-Catholic-Church/dp/1646800095
Synopsis: Mallory Smyth has been where many young Catholics are today. But the difference between her and other
fallen-away Catholics is that she figured out that when she overlooked the shortcomings of the Church as an institution,
she fell in love with Jesus and rediscovered the beauty and truth of her faith.
In "Rekindled: How Jesus Called Me Back to the Catholic Church and Set My Heart on Fire", Smyth's raw, relatable
account of her own disillusionment and departure is sure to resonate with anyone who has struggled to feel at home in
the Church. For anyone who has left the faith or has one foot out the door, this powerful book just might illuminate a
path back home -- to a Church that is both holy and in need of perfection.
Shallow homilies. Hypocritical authority figures. Trite answers to pressing questions. These and other shortcomings of
the Church have led plenty of Catholics to question their faith -- or to abandon it entirely.
"Rekindled" is for those who have left the Church and those with one foot out the door. Smyth's account of her own
disillusionment and departure is relatable and honest. She understands and validates the pain and doubt that many
Catholics and former Catholics feel.
Smyth also provides you with practical guidance for keeping your faith even when what you encounter in the Church
falls short including: How to recognize Christ's presence even in the most mediocre Mass experiences; Strategies for
finding faithful role models when authority figures let you down; Where to turn when the answers and pastoral
guidance you receive don't reach the heart of the issue; How to find fulfillment in Christ and in the community of the
saints even when joy seems to be in short supply in the Church.
Critique: Exceptionally well written, organized and presented, "Rekindled: How Jesus Called Me Back to the Catholic
Church and Set My Heart on Fire" is a timely and timeless contribution to helping those who are struggling with their
Roman Catholic faith in an era where the Church as an institution has been corrupted by the perceived evils and
hypocrisy of priests, bishops, cardinals, and even popes. With its underlying message of faith driven hope in the
redemptive power of God and the value of community to living a Christian life, "Rekindled: How Jesus Called Me
Back to the Catholic Church and Set My Heart on Fire" is especially recommended reading to all members of the
Catholic community. 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 "Rekindled: How Jesus Called Me Back to the Catholic Church and
Set My Heart on Fire" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $11.99).
Editorial Note: Mallory Smyth is the content manager at Walking with Purpose. She previously worked as director of
program growth for ENDOW and as a recruitment manager, development officer, and missionary for FOCUS. Smyth
earned a bachelor's degree in marketing from Louisiana State University. She has spoken at ENDOW and FOCUS
conferences, including SEEK. Smyth has been a guest on EWTN and her writing has appeared in Radiant
magazine.
Hope When Your Heart Is Breaking
Ron Hutchcraft
Harvest House Publishers
PO Box 41210, Eugene, OR 97404-0322
www.harvesthousepublishers.com
9780736981415, $13.99, PB, 192pp
https://www.amazon.com/Hope-When-Your-Heart-Breaking/dp/0736981411
Synopsis: You've lost someone you love. Or you're on the brink of losing your marriage. Your dreams. Your health. Or
perhaps the trauma of your past pursues you into the present. What is certain is that your life's going to change. Which
way it goes won't be decided by your loss, but by the choices you make. At the crossroads of grief, one road will lead to
hope and healing. The other, to more hurt.
"Hope When Your Heart Is Breaking: Finding God's Presence in Your Pain" is an honest look at both roads from a
Christian perspective, and how your greatest loss can lead to your greatest gain. Author Ron Hutchcraft writes from the
deep well of his own devastating loss and grief, and points you to the practical steps that lead to peace and wholeness.
"Hope When Your Heart Is Breaking" is a pathway to hope and a roadmap through the pain of grief and loss. The
reader will discover new strength through a new closeness to others and to God -- and make the decisions that lead to
comfort, growth, and life.
Critique: Inspired and inspiring, "Hope When Your Heart Is Breaking: Finding God's Presence in Your Pain" will prove
to be especially comforting for all members of the Christian community with respect to death, dying, and the grieving
process. Particularly timely in this present time of the COVID -19 pandemic, "Hope When Your Heart Is Breaking:
Finding God's Presence in Your Pain" is especially and unreservedly recommended for church and community library
collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "Hope When Your Heart Is Breaking: Finding God's
Presence in Your Pain" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $10.49).
Editorial Note: Himself a widower with three children and nine grandchildren, Ron Hutchcraft is a veteran ministry
leader, speaker, founder and president of Ron Hutchcraft Ministries and On Eagles' Wings Native American youth
outreach. He is the author of A Life That Matters, Peaceful Living in a Stressful World, The Battle for a Generation,
and more. His popular radio feature, A Word with You, is heard daily on over 1,300 outlets, and in the five most
spoken languages of the world.
On Wealth and Poverty
St. John Chrysostom
SVS Press
575 Scarsdale Road, Yonkers, NY 10707
www.svspress.com
9780881410396, $19.00, PB, 140pp
https://www.amazon.com/Wealth-Poverty-Saint-John-Chrysostom/dp/088141039X
Synopsis: John Chrysostom (c. 347 - 14 September 407), was an important Early Church Father who served as
archbishop of Constantinople. He is known for his preaching and public speaking, his denunciation of abuse of
authority by both ecclesiastical and political leaders, the Divine Liturgy of Saint John Chrysostom, and his ascetic
sensibilities. Chrysostom was among the most prolific authors in the early Christian Church, exceeded only by
Augustine of Hippo in the quantity of his surviving writings. He is honoured as a saint in the Oriental Orthodox,
Eastern Orthodox, Catholic, Anglican, and Lutheran churches, as well as in some others.
The sermons of St. John Chrysostom are noted as classical commentaries on the Christian life. Knowing well the
realities of life in the world, the temptation of rich and poor alike, this great orator (nicknamed "the golden-mouthed")
addresses the questions of wealth and poverty in the lives of people of his day. And yet, as the modern reader is
confronted with his words, it becomes apparent that he too is being addressed. Chrysostom's words are words
proclaiming the truth of the Gospel to all people of all times. The message of the story of the rich man and Lazarus
(Luke 16:19-31) is brought home to every person in these six sermons of Chrysostom with clarity, insight into the
human dilemma, compassion and judgment.
Critique: Inspired and inspiring, "On Wealth and Poverty" should be considered essential reading for all members of the
Christian community, regardless of their denomination affiliation. While highly recommended for church, seminary,
college, and university library Christian Theology collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "On
Wealth and Poverty" is also readily available from SVS Press in a digital book format (Kindle, $3.99).
The Business of War
James McCarty, editor
Matthew Tapie, editor
Justin Bronson Barringer, editor
Cascade Books
c/o Wipf and Stock Publishers
199 West 8th Avenue, Suite 3, Eugene, OR 97401-2960
http://wipfandstock.com
9781532641046, $33.00, PB, 278pp
https://www.amazon.com/Business-War-Theological-Reflections-Military-Industrial/dp/1532641044
Synopsis: Collaboratively compiled and co-edited by the team of James McCarty, Matthew Tapie, and Justin Bronson
Barringer, the contributors (Pamela Brubaker Stan Goff Christina McRorie Logan Mehl-Laituri Kara Slade Won Chul
Shin David Swartz Jonathan Tran Myles Werntz Matthew Whelan Tobia Winright) to "The Business of War:
Theological and Ethical Reflections on the Military-Industrial Complex" incisively interrogates the development and
contemporary implications of the military-industrial complex. They expose the moral dangers of life in neoliberal
economies dependent upon war-making for their growth and brings the Christian tradition's abundance of resources into
conversation with this phenomenon.
In doing so, "The Business of War" invite us to rethink the moral possibilities of Christian life in the present day with
an eye toward faithful resistance to "the business of war" and its influence in every aspect of our lives. In combining
biblical, historical, theological, and ethical analyses of "the business of war," the authors invite us to better understand it
as a new moral problem that demands a new, faithful response.
Critique: An impressive study in the ethics arising from a Christian Theology framework with respect to the operations
of a military/industrial complex, "The Business of War" is an extraordinary study deserving of the widest possible
readership. While resolutely recommended for community, college, and university library Contemporary Social Issues
and Christian Ethics collections, it should be noted for the personal reading lists of political activists, seminary students,
clergy, academia, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "The Business of War" is also
readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
Editorial Note: James McCarty is Director of the Center for Equity and Inclusion and Affiliate Professor of Education
at the University of Washington Tacoma. He has published essays on racial justice, restorative justice, and
peacebuilding in journals including the Journal of the Society of Christian Ethics, Theology and Sexuality, and the
Journal of Law and Religion.
Matthew A. Tapie is Assistant Professor of Theology and Director of the Center for Catholic-Jewish Studies at St. Leo
University. He is the author of Aquinas on Israel and the Church: The Question of Supersessionism in the Theology of
Thomas Aquinas.
Justin Bronson Barringer is a PhD candidate in Religious Ethics at Southern Methodist University. He is coeditor of A
Faith Not Worth Fighting For: Addressing Commonly Asked Questions about Christian Nonviolence and Practicing the
Kingdom: Essays on Hospitality, Community, and Friendship in Honor of Christine Pohl (forthcoming).
Soul Training with the Peace Prayer of Saint Francis
Albert Haase, O.F.M.
at www.AlbertOFM.org
Franciscan Media
28 West Liberty Street, Cincinnati, OH 45202
9781632533494, $16.99, PB, 192pp
https://www.amazon.com/Training-Peace-Prayer-Saint-Francis/dp/1632533499
Synopsis: From the introduction of "Soul Training with the Peace Prayer of Saint Francis" by Albert Haase -- "The
Peace Prayer gets you in the zone where God's grace shapes and stretches your soul, transforming you into a saint who
shimmers and shines."
"Soul Training with the Peace Prayer of Saint Francis" reveals why readers ranging from pontiffs, presidents,
politicians, to paralegals, plumbers, and proofreaders keep turning to the Peace Prayer. This simple prayer can train the
soul and keep a Christian in good spiritual shape until crossing the finish line into eternal life.
Essentially,"Soul Training with the Peace Prayer of Saint Francis" is a spiritual workout manual that offers
encouragement to condition all the muscles of the virtues to help a dedicated Christian stay spiritually fit: faith, hope,
love, forgiveness, joy, consolation, understanding, and selflessness.
Critique: Throughly 'reader friendly' in commentary, organization and presentation, "Soul Training with the Peace
Prayer of Saint Francis" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $8.49) and especially recommended
reading for clergy, seminary students, and all members of the Christian community.
Editorial Note: Albert Haase, OFM, is a popular preacher, teacher, and spiritual director. A former missionary to
mainland China for over eleven years, he is the author of twelve books on popular spirituality and the presenter on five
bestselling DVDs. He has trained spiritual directors for ten years and is currently chaplain at Cedarbrake Catholic
Retreat Center in the diocese of Austin, Texas. He maintains an informative website at www.AlbertOFM.org
Christ versus Caesar: Two Masters, One Choice
Connor Boyack
Cedar Fort, Inc.
2373 West 700 South, Springville, Utah 84663
www.cedarfort.com
9781462138883, $15.99, PB, 200pp
https://www.amazon.com/Christ-versus-Caesar-Masters-Choice/dp/1462138888
Synopsis: No man can serve two masters, yet both Christ and Caesar demand our allegiance. The prince of this world,
and the political institutions he supports and controls, entice us to rely on the arm of flesh as a means of solving our
problems. But God seems to want something different to us and His commandments carry political implications that we
ignore at our own spiritual peril.
Christians seem to find themselves torn between Christ and His counterfeit, looking for ways to compromise and satisfy
both. Jesus tells us to love one another, yet His disciples routinely intermingle with Caesar's mortal institutions, seduced
by their promises of power and wealth that inherently violate God's foundational commandment.
Because we cannot serve two masters, any loyalty to Caesar entails a rejection of Christ. Those who would be disciples
of Jesus must therefore, once and for all, choose whose side we are on.
Critique: Exceptionally well written and thoroughly 'reader friendly' in organization and presentation, "Christ versus
Caesar: Two Masters, One Choice" is eloquently informative, compellingly thought-provoking, and demonstratively
inspiring -- making it especially and unreservedly recommended reading for all members of the Christian community. It
should be noted for the personal reading lists that "Christ versus Caesar: Two Masters, One Choice" is also readily
available in a digital book format (Kindle, $6.99).
Editorial Note: Connor Boyack is founder and president of Libertas Institute, a free market think tank in Utah. Named
one of Utah's most politically influential people by The Salt Lake Tribune, Connor's leadership has led to dozens of
legislative victories spanning a wide range of areas such as privacy, government transparency, property rights, drug
policy, education, personal freedom, and more. A public speaker and author of over two dozen books, Connor is best
known for The Tuttle Twins books, a children's series introducing young readers to economic, political, and civic
principles.
Finding Quiet
Jamie Grace
Bethany House Publishers
c/o Baker Publishing Group
6030 East Fulton Road, Ada, MI 49301
www.bethanyhouse.com
9780764236075, $24.99, HC, 224pp
https://www.amazon.com/Finding-Quiet-Journey-Peace-Anxious/dp/0764236075
Synopsis: Whether it's the criticism of others, the clamor of injustice, or the voice of anxiety from within, we are
constantly being bombarded with emotional and distracting noise.
So what does it mean to find peace in the midst of all the noise? Is there a way to acknowledge the struggles we face
and learn how to manage the stressors and voices that trigger us while believing in the promises and goodness of
God?
Jamie Grace has lived in the middle of noise for most of her life. Many know her as a singer with radio hits who has
spent the last decade on stages and in front of the camera, but behind the scenes, she has struggled with Tourette
Syndrome, ADHD, and an anxiety disorder for most of her life. But in the middle of both inner and outer noise, Jamie
has learned how to manage the negative effects of her diagnoses, make the most of her strengths, and lean into the
journey God has led her on. -- A journey of Finding Quiet.
Critique: "Finding Quiet: My Journey to Peace in an Anxious World" is more than just another self-help memoir, it is
an example and a showcase of what is available to us all in terms of achieving peace of mine in these especially
troubled times. While also readily available in a paperback edition (9780764238239, $16.99) and in a digital book
format (Kindle, $15.32), "Finding Quiet" is a timely and timeless addition to personal reading lists as well as
community, college, and university library Contemporary American Biography, Christian Personal Growth, and Self-
Help/Self-Improvement collections.
The Judaic Studies Shelf
Ezekiel: From Destruction to Restoration
Tova Ganzel
Maggid / The Toby Press
c/o Koren Publishers Jerusalem Ltd.
PO Box 8531, New Milford, CT 06776-8531
www.tobypress.com
9781592645206, $29.95, HC, 344pp
https://www.amazon.com/Ezekiel-Destruction-Restoration-Tova-Ganzel/dp/1592645208
Synopsis: Ezekiel is the central protagonist of the Book of Ezekiel in the Hebrew Bible. In Judaism, Christianity, and
Islam, Ezekiel is acknowledged as one of the Hebrew prophets. In Judaism and Christianity, he is also viewed as the
6th-century BCE author of the Book of Ezekiel, which reveals prophecies regarding the destruction of Jerusalem, and
the restoration to the land of Israel.
As a prophet, Ezekiel speaks from a unique perspective: he resides in Babylonia, yet laments the destruction of the
Temple in Jerusalem; his prophecies range from furious messages of rebuke to comforting depictions of the future
redemption of the Jewish people. "Ezekiel: From Destruction to Restoration" by Tova Ganzel is a deep and methodical
study of the book of Ezekiel: its literary style, its historical context, and the progression of its prophecies from visions
of destruction to promises of restoration.
Critique: Ably translated into English for an American readership by Kaeren Fish, "Ezekiel: From Destruction to
Restoration" is enhanced by Tova Ganzel (a lecturer in Bible and Halakha at Bar-Ilan University and a certified
women's halakhic advisor) for academia with the inclusion of a informative Introduction (Ezekiel, Prophet of Exile) and
Conclusion (A Unique Prophet, a Unique Prophecy), as well as a five page Bibliography.
Impressively informative, well written, and throughly 'reader friendly' in organization and presentation, "Ezekiel: From
Destruction to Restoration" will prove to be an outstanding contribution to personal, professional, synagogue,
community, college, and university library Judaic Studies and Biblical Studies collections. It should be note for the
personal reading lists of students, academia, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that
"Ezekiel: From Destruction to Restoration" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $8.99).
Judaism Straight Up
Moshe Koppel
Maggid / The Toby Press
c/o Koren Publishers Jerusalem Ltd.
PO Box 8531, New Milford, CT 06776-8531
www.tobypress.com
9781592645572, $24.95, HC, 218pp
https://korenpub.com/products/judaism-straight-up
Synopsis: In the pages of "Judaism Straight Up", author Moshe Koppel deftly explores the central differences between
traditional societies (including traditional Judaism) and contemporary cosmopolitan ones. Koppel explains everything
you always wanted to know about the subtleties of Jewish morality, tradition, and belief, and how these have unfolded
to beat cosmopolitanism at its own game: advancing cooperation, fairness, and freedom. Written with incisiveness and
droll wit and a scientific sensibility that draws on economics, game theory, and other thematically appropriate
disciplines, "Judaism Straight Up" reveals the secret of Jewish traditionalism's endurance down through the centuries to
the present day.
Critique: Exceptionally well written, organized and presented, "Judaism Straight Up" is expertly organized into four
main sections: What is the Right Way to Live?; How Do We Decide What is Right and What is Wrong?; What is the
Connection between Belief and Commitment?; Where are We Headed? Informative, thoughtful and thought-provoking,
"Judaism Straight Up" is an extraordinary and unreservedly recommended addition to synagogue, community, college,
and university library Contemporary Judaic Studies collections. It should be noted for the personal reading list of
rabbinical students, academia, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "Judaism Straight
Up" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $7.99).
Editorial Note: Moshe Koppel is professor of computer science at Bar-Ilan University and the author of over 100
articles in leading academic journals and proceedings in mathematics, computer science, linguistics, law, economics,
political science and other disciplines. He is the author of three books on Jewish thought and founding director of Dicta,
a research institute devoted to developing tools for computational analysis of Jewish texts. Koppel is also founding
director of Kohelet, Israel's leading conservative-libertarian think tank, and he frequently advises members of Israel's
Knesset regarding legislative matters.
The Islamic Studies Shelf
Concise Guide to the Quran
Ayman S. Ibrahim
Baker Academic
c/o Baker Publishing Group
6030 East Fulton, Ada, MI 49301
www.bakerpublishinggroup.com
9781540963857, $39.99, HC, 192pp
https://www.amazon.com/Concise-Guide-Quran-Ayman-Ibrahim/dp/1540963853
Synopsis: What is so unique about Islam's basic scripture known as the Quran? Who wrote it, and when? Can we trust
its statements to be from Muhammad? Why was it written in Arabic? Does it command Muslims to fight Christians?
These are a few of the thirty questions answered in this clear and concise guide to the history and contents of the
Quran.
Ayman Ibrahim grew up in the Muslim world and has spent many years teaching various courses on Islam. Using a
question-and-answer format, Ibrahim covers critical questions about the most sacred book for Muslims. He examines
Muslim and non-Muslim views concerning the Quran, shows how the Quran is used in contemporary expressions of
Islam, answers many of the key questions non-Muslims have about the Quran and Islam, and reveals the importance of
understanding the Quran for Christian- Muslim and Jewish-Muslim interfaith relations.
This introductory guide is written for anyone with little to no knowledge of Islam who wants to learn about Muslims,
their beliefs, and their scripture.
Critique: An ideal introduction to the history and basic tenets of the Islamic faith, "Concise Guide to the Quran" is
deserving of the widest possible readership and is a timely and unreservedly recommended addition to community,
college, and university library Islamic Studies collections. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of students,
academia, clergy, seminarians, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that the "Concise Guide
to the Quran" is also readily available in a paperback edition (9781540962928, $22.99) and in a digital book format
(Kindle, $14.99).
Editorial Note: Ayman S. Ibrahim (PhD, Fuller Theological Seminary; PhD, Haifa University) is Bill and Connie
Jenkins Professor of Islamic Studies and director of the Center for the Christian Understanding of Islam at The
Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky. He was born and raised in Egypt and has taught in
various countries in the Muslim world and in the West. His articles on Islam and Christian-Muslim relations have
appeared in the Washington Post, Religion News Service, and First Things, among others. Ibrahim is the author of The
Stated Motivations for the Early Islamic Expansion.
The Religious Studies Shelf
The Church in the Roman Empire: Before A.D. 170
William M. Ramsay
Wipf and Stock Publishers
199 West 8th Avenue, Suite 3, Eugene, OR 97401-2960
http://wipfandstock.com
9781725290167, $76.00, HC, 542pp
https://www.amazon.com/Church-Roman-Empire-William-Ramsay/dp/1725290162
Synopsis: Originally published by Baker Book House in 1897, "The Church in the Roman Empire: Before A.D. 170" by
William M. Ramsay has been brought back into print for the benefit of a new generation of readers with an interest in
the earliest accounts of the Christian movement for the first 170 years after the crucifixion of Jesus and the movement
that would one day result in taking over the entire Roman Empire.
Organized into two major sections (St. Paul in Asia Minor; Being Lecutres At Mansfield College, Oxford, May And
June 1892), "The Church in the Roman Empire: Before A.D. 170" is impressively informative both from an historical
perspective and in terms of its intrinsic scholarship.
Critique: An exceptional compendium of historic import, "The Church in the Roman Empire: Before A.D. 170" is
especially recommended for seminary, church, community, college, and university library Christian History collections
and supplemental curriculum studies lists. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of seminary students, clergy,
and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "The Church in the Roman Empire: Before A.D.
170" is also readily available in a photomechanically reproduced paperback edition (9781725290174, $51.00).
Editorial Note: Sir William M. Ramsay is acknowledged as the outstanding authority on the life of Paul and the history
of the early church. Wilbur M. Smith spoke of him as "the greatest living authority on the historical, geographical and
archaeological aspects of the life of the Apostle Paul." Ramsay for the greater part of his life was professor of humanity
at the University of Aberdeen, Scotland. He carried on extensive research in Asiatic Turkey and the ancient Bible lands.
Among the many books presenting the results of his study are St. Paul the Traveller and the Roman Citizen and The
Cities of St. Paul.
Myth, Magic, and Morals
F. C. Conybeare
Andesite Press
c/o Wipf and Stock Publishers
199 West 8th Avenue, Suite 3, Eugene, OR 97401-2960
http://wipfandstock.com
9781725289093, $62.00, HC, 396pp
https://www.amazon.com/Myth-Magic-Morals-F-Conybeare/dp/1725289091
Synopsis: F.C. Conybeare (1856-1924) was a British Orientalist, Fellow of University College, Oxford, and Professor
of Theology at the University of Oxford. He was particularly noted for his attainments in Armenian and was a member
of the Venetian Armenian Academy.
As stated by Professor Conybeare in the introduction to "Myth, Magic, and Morals: A Study of Christian Origins" -- Of
all the great figures which look down upon us across the gulf and void of time, Jesus of Nazareth is the most gracious
and winning of aspect; and, although his memory was soon associated with that policy of craft and exclusiveness, of
cruelty and credulity, which in East and West styled itself orthodoxy, nevertheless his name has ever been for the poor
and the oppressed, for the despised and disinherited of the earth, a bond and symbol in union of peace and charity.
It behooves us, then, more than ever in this age when old faiths are loosening their hold on us, and new superstitions,
like Spiritualism, Occultism, and Christian Science, threaten to imprison our minds afresh, to inquire carefully who
Jesus of Nazareth was, what were his real aims and ideas, what the means at his command for realizing them, how the
great institutions connected with his name originated and grew up.
Critique: Originally published in 1909, "Myth, Magic, and Morals: A Study of Christian Origins" continues to be
regarded as a seminal work of ecclesiastical scholarship. This photomechanically reproduced edition from Wipf and
Stock Publishers is an ideal and especially addition to church, seminary, community, college, and university library
Christian Theology collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists. It should be noted for seminary students,
clergy, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the origins of Christianity that "Myth, Magic, and Morals"
is also readily available in a paperback edition (9781725289079, $15.95).
The Library Science Shelf
Bold Minds
Margaret Weaver & Leo Appleton, editors
Facet Publishing
www.facetpublishing.co.uk
9781783304530, $108.84, PB, 244pp
https://www.amazon.com/Bold-Minds-Library-Leadership-Disruption/dp/1783304537
Synopsis: In this new ages of social media and computer search engines are librarians and libraries still relevant in the
21st century? This is a fundamental question and one that presents differing opinions across the many diverse
information sectors. If there is a continuing need for libraries and for librarians, then how do library leaders obtain
strategic support when there appears to be a lack of clarity or understanding about the very purpose of libraries at a time
when economically, libraries are under pressure to develop new business models and be more commercially
focused?
Compiled and edited by the team of veteran librarians Marget Weaver and Leo Appleton, "Bold Minds: Library
Leadership in a Time of Disruption" brings together international leaders who frame many aspects of the current library
provision and who carry responsibility for the library models of the future to consider how librarians and libraries can
be a driving force in a time of disruptive economic, technological, and cultural change.
Each individual chapter critically presents a short leadership provocation regarding libraries and their purpose,
encompassing impact, service delivery, collections, staff skills, and professional training and assessing what it means
for leaders, their sectors and organizations, and how they have developed their personal leadership signature.
"Bold Minds: Library Leadership in a Time of Disruption" will be invaluable to library and information professionals in
a range of public and private sector libraries as well as policy makers in services where libraries are a component. It will
also be useful for students, educational establishments, and IT professionals with an information management element
to their work.
Critique; An absolutely essential and core addition to public, private, college, and university Library Science
collections, "Bold Minds: Library Leadership in a Time of Disruption" should be considered a mandatory addition to
Library Science supplemental curriculum reading lists, as well as an ideal in-service training textbook for serving
librarians.
Editorial Note: Margaret Weaver is former interim Head of Library Services at Brunel University London. A founding
member of the Northern Collaboration group of academic libraries, she has also chaired the (North West Academic
Libraries (NoWAL) collaboration and has contributed to the professional literature throughout her career on subjects
such as management and leadership, strategic staff development, learning support models, technology rich learning
spaces and latterly libraries and the student journey. She is an Associate of the Higher Education Academy and a
Chartered member of CILIP, the Library and Information Association.
Leo Appleton is Director of Library Services at Goldsmiths, University of London and is a researcher for the Centre for
Social Informatics at Edinburgh Napier University, where he is currently undertaking research in the value and impact
of public libraries in the UK. He has worked in numerous leadership and management roles in universities and further
education colleges throughout his career and is a fellow of CILIP, the Library and Information Assocation. Leo is the
editor of CILIP's Multimedia, Information and Technology journal, associate editor of the New Review of Academic
Librarianship and co-editor of UKSG eNews.
Electronic Legal Deposit
Paul Gooding & Melissa Terras, editors
Facet Publishing
www.facetpublishing.co.uk
9781783303779, $121.99, HC, 256pp
https://www.amazon.com/Electronic-Legal-Deposit-collections-Information/dp/1783303778
Synopsis: Since legal deposit regulations were introduced in the United Kingdom and Germany in the 17th Century,
societies have benefitted from the systematic preservation of our written cultural record by a small number of trusted
national and academic libraries. Expertly compiled and co-edited by the team of Paul Gooding and Melissa Terras,
"Electronic Legal Deposit: Shaping the library collections of the future" brings together some of the leading
contemporary international authorities on legal deposit to explore two primary questions. First, what is the impact of
electronic legal deposit on the 21st Century library? And second, what does the future hold for libraries as legal deposit
collections meet the digital age?
The 2013 announcement of e-Legal Deposit brought, for the first time, written information online under the purview of
the UK Legal Deposit Libraries, a trend evident across the world. This was heralded as a vital step in preserving the
UK's digital universe , a grand assertion that requires careful interrogation. In particular, while the regulations allow for
the systematic collection of digitised and born-digital texts, they also prescribe how these materials can be accessed by
the public in the short to medium term. The interface between legal deposit as an activity for posterity, and open
data-driven approaches to research and government, define the nature of this mooted digital universe.
The contributors to "Electronic Legal Deposit" draws on evidence gathered from real-world case studies produced in
collaboration with world-leading libraries, researchers and practitioners, as well as provide a thorough overview of the
state of legal deposit at an important juncture in the history of library collections.
"Electronic Legal Deposit" directly addresses issues such as: Contemporary user behavior with e-legal deposit
collections; The relationship between e-legal deposit, digital library services, and the digital divide; Ways in which
legal deposit legislation shape our use of library collections; The impact of digital scholarship on library services; The
future of legal deposit in a changing information landscape; The long-term implications of how our digital collections
are conceived, regulated and used.
Critique: Exceptionally well organized and presented, in addition to the ten erudite and informative essays, "Electronic
Legal Deposit: Shaping the library collections of the future" also includes a complete listing of the contributors and
their credentials, as well as an informative Foreword by Bethany Nowviskie, figures, tables, and a nine page Index --
making this volume an essential and core addition to college and university Library Science collections, and an ideal
curriculum textbook for library in-service training programs.
Editorial Note: Paul Gooding is the Eastern ARC Research Fellow for Digital Humanities at the University of East
Anglia, UK. A trained librarian with a background in Media Librarianship, his research explores the theoretical and
practical impact of large-scale digitization in the cultural heritage sector. He currently serves as reviews editor for the
journal Digital Scholarship in the Humanities, and as a member of the AHRC Peer Review College. He is currently
working on an AHRC-funded project entitled Digital Library Futures which explores the impact of electronic legal
deposit legislation in the academic library sector. His first monograph, on the impact of mass digitization on library
services and users of newspapers, was published with Routledge in 2016.
Melissa Terras is the Professor of Digital Cultural Heritage at the University of Edinburgh's College of Arts,
Humanities, and Social Sciences. With a background in Classical Art History, English Literature, and Computing
Science, her doctorate (Engineering, University of Oxford) examined how to use advanced information engineering
technologies to interpret and read Roman texts. Her publications include Image to Interpretation: Intelligent Systems to
Aid Historians in the Reading of the Vindolanda Texts (2006, Oxford University Press) and Digital Images for the
Information Professional (2008, Ashgate) and she has also co-edited various volumes such as Digital Humanities in
Practice (Facet 2012) and Defining Digital Humanities: A Reader (Ashgate 2013). She is currently serving on the Board
of Curators of the University of Oxford Libraries, and the Board of the National Library of Scotland, and is a Fellow of
the Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals and Fellow of the British Computer Society.
The Graphic Novel Shelf
Sherlock: A Scandal in Belgravia Part 1
Steven Moffat, author
Mark Gatiss, author
Jay, illustrator
Titan Comics
https://titan-comics.com
9781787733169, $19.99, PB, 192pp
https://www.amazon.com/Sherlock-Scandal-Belgravia-Jay/dp/1787733165
Synopsis: Fresh from confronting Moriarty in the end of The Great Game, Sherlock Holmes and his trusty companion
John Watson are called to save the royal family from blackmail at the hands of Irene Adler, an infamous dominatrix
known as "The Woman". Once again Adler pulls Sherlock into a complex web of mysteries involving the CIA and the
MOD, with secrets that could threaten to threaten international security and topple the monarchy.
Critique: Pure entertainment for all Sherlock Holmes fans, "Sherlock: A Scandal in Belgravia Part 1" is a deftly crafted
graphic novel that will leave its readers looking eagerly toward the next installment from Titan Comics. Herein are all
the elements that have made the world's greatest detective so popular, generation after generation of mystery/suspense
enthusiasts. While fully recommended for community library graphic novel collections, it should be noted for personal
reading lists that this graphic novel edition of "Sherlock: A Scandal in Belgravia Part 1" is also readily available in a
digital book format (Kindle/comiXology, $12,34).
Assassin's Creed: Origins Special Edition
Anthony Del Col, author
P. J. Kaiowa, illustrator
Neil Edwards, illustrator
Ivan Nunes, illustrator
Titan Comics
https://titan-comics.com
9781787731554, $19.99, PB, 128pp
https://www.amazon.com/Assassins-Creed-Omnibus/dp/1787731553
Synopsis: Based on the popular game series, "Assassin's Creed: Origins Special Edition" is an omnibus that follows a
fresh inductee into the modern-day Assassin Brotherhood -- as they uncover a conspiracy in their DNA that stretches
back hundreds of years! Compiles the first three volumes of the Assassin's Creed comic and for the first time collected
together in a special omnibus edition, Assassin's Creed fans will enjoy following the rise of Charlotte De La Cruz as
she's thrown into the world of the Assassin Brotherhood in their generation-spanning war with the Templar Order!
Critique: As riveting an memorable a read as it is fully entertaining, no dedicated Assassin's Creed fan will want to miss
"Assassin's Creed: Origins Special Edition". Certain to be an enduringly welcome addition to personal and community
library graphic novel collections, it should be noted that "Assassin's Creed: Origins Special Edition" is also readily
available to Assassin's Creed fans in a digital book format (Kindle/comiXology, $18.99).
Assassin's Creed: Bloodstone Vol. 2
Guillaume Dorison, author
Ennio Bufi, illustrator
Titan Comics
https://titan-comics.com
9781787734593, $9.99, HC, 48pp
https://www.amazon.com/Assassins-Creed-Bloodstone-Guillaume-Dorison/dp/1787734595
Synopsis: Continuing the riveting story begun with "Assassin's Creed: Bloodstone Vol. 1", this second volume of the
epic new Assassin's Creed adventure is set in the Vietnam War! Tomo, one of the youngest members of the Japanese
Assassin cell, has uncovered a conspiracy. In this thrilling sequel, what secrets will Tomo uncover in his ancestor's
memories? What horrific experiments took place secretly during the Vietnam War?
Critique: The imaginative storytelling of author Guillaume Dorison is perfectly showcased through the artwork of
illustrator Ennio Bufi resulting in a riveting graphic novel that is especially and unreservedly recommended for
community library collections. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of the legions of Assassin's Creed fans
that "Assassin's Creed: Bloodstone Vol. 2" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle/comiXology,
$9.49).
Doctor Who: Time Lord Victorious: Defender of the Daleks
Jody Houser, author
Roberta Ingranata, illustrator
Titan Comics
https://titan-comics.com
9781787733114, $17.99, PB, 112pp
https://www.amazon.com/Doctor-Who-Time-Lord-Victorious/dp/1787733114
Synopsis: After awaking in an alternate reality where the Time War never took place, the Tenth Doctor Who is
recruited by his deadly nemeses, the Daleks, to defeat a terror that even they fear. Can the Doctor make peace with his
enemies in order to stop this unknown monster from the Dark Times as it seeks to extinguish all life in the
universe?!
Critique: An inherently entertaining graphic novel by the team of author/storyteller Jody House and artist/illustrator
Roberta Ingranata, "Doctor Who: Time Lord Victorious: Defender of the Daleks" is an absolute 'must read' for the
legions of Doctor Who fans and will prove to be an immediate and enduringly popular addition to community library
graphic novel collections. It should be noted that "Doctor Who: Time Lord Victorious: Defender of the Daleks" is also
readily available in a digital book format (Kindle/comiXology, $8.99).
Editorial Note: This brand new time-travelling tale is part of the BBC's multi-platform event that connects across all
Doctor Who publishing media, including books, audio dramas, an escape room and much more!
Wyoming Doll
Franz Drappier , author/illustrator
Cinebook Ltd.
www.cinebook.com
c/o National Book Network (dist.)
www.nbnbooks.com
9781849184502, $16.95, PB, 68pp
https://www.amazon.com/Wyoming-Doll-Franz/dp/184918450X
Synopsis: Two families en route to Wyoming are ambushed by Crow warriors. The result is a massacre and and two
little girls missing. Logan is a young man who served as scout to the small two family convoy who was out scouting
when the ambush took place. Upon his return to the tragic scene he brings the only other survivor, old Giuseppe, back
to civilization, and makes him a promise that he will find and recover the girls. Meanwhile, Salmon Leap, a young
Lakota warrior turned away by the father of the woman he loves and now seeking a glorious death finds finds little
blond haired Sharon, one of the two missing girls and determines to help her at any cost.
Critique: With a storyline worth of Louis L'Amour, Zane Gray or Max Brand, "Wyoming Doll" is a fitting memorial to
the life and work of the late western author and graphic novelist Franz Drappier. The story stretches over a decade with
riveting and unexpected plot twists and turns. Pure and compelling entertainment from cover to cover and a true treat
for dedicated western fans, "Wyoming Doll" is certain to be an immediate and lastingly popular addition to personal
and community library Graphic Novel collections.
Editorial Note: Franz Drappier (1948-2003) was an extremely prolific Belgian artist. Political cartoons, comics, even
scriptwriting. He created or took over several prominent adventure series set in various times and locations: Jugurtha in
Ancient Rome, Poupee d'Ivoire in 12th century Central Asia, Lester Cockney and the British Empire of the 19thcentury.
A taste for History only equaled by his passion for horses was fertile soil for an original Western graphic novel like
"Wyoming Doll"!
Distant Worlds - Episode 5
Leo, author
ICAR, illustrator
Cinebook Ltd.
www.cinebook.com
c/o National Book Network (dist.)
www.nbnbooks.com
9781849183857, $11.95, PB, 48pp
https://www.amazon.com/Distant-Worlds-Episode/dp/1849183856
Synopsis: The Stepanerks, those strange aliens who sometimes mingle with Humans, have contacted another and as yet
undiscovered and more powerful alien species that has been guarding Altair for centuries. Those guardians want to
forcefully evict Humans, who are doing terrible damage to the ecosystem. But Paul, unwitting 'guest' at their meeting,
defended Humanity's right to a second chance. It now falls to him to convince the Human colonial authorities to change
everyone's behavior -- all while having to inform his mother and sister that his father is alive and had another
family.
Critique: The conclusion to Brazillian storyteller and author's five part science fiction saga that is so expertly illustrated
by artist ICAR, "Distant Worlds - Episode 5" is a highly entertaining and solidly recommended addition to personal and
community library graphic novel collections. It should be noted for all dedicated science fiction fans that "Distant
Worlds - Episode 5" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle/comiXology, $5.99).
The Legacy of the Sorcerer
Marc Vedrines, author/illustrator
Cinebook Ltd.
www.cinebook.com
c/o National Book Network (dist.)
www.nbnbooks.com
9781849184526, $13.95, PB, 52pp
https://www.amazon.com/Legacy-Sorcerer-Islandia-Marc-Vedrines/dp/1849184526
Synopsis: Jacques is dead, burned at the stake for sorcery by terrified villagers. The truth, however, is that Jacques
never existed, and was merely the reincarnation of all-powerful Icelandic sorcerer Grimu. His soul, freed at the moment
of his second death, has possessed the local magistrate, and his thirst for vengeance makes him commit terrible deeds.
The island's authorities are after him, though, and far worse than that: God himself has turned his eye towards the man
who defies him.
Critique: A story of a man driven to sorcery and rage-driven evil, who ultimately (with the help of another sorcerer)
comes to be redeemed and a force for progressive good over succeeding centuries, "Islandia: The Legacy Of The
Sorcerer" is the third and concluding volume of a simply outstanding graphic novel trilogy by author and illustrator
Marc Vedrines. While especially recommended for personal and community library graphic novel collections, it should
be noted that "Islandia: The Legacy Of The Sorcerer" is also readily available in a digital book format
(Kindle/comiXology, $5.99).
Editorial Note: Marc Vedrines is a comic lover who made his first bande dessinee age six! After studying art in college,
he worked in advertisement and illustration (for magazine, or designing playing cards), before finally achieving his
dream in 1995 when he met Jeremie Kaminka, with whom he'd go on to publish Phenomenum. Other series would
follow, such as La Main de Dieu and Forces Speciales.
The Audiobook Shelf
Name of the Wind
Patrick Rothfuss, author
Nick Podehi, narrator
Brilliance Audio
www.brillianceaudio.com
9781469203812, $19.99 , CD
9781491515013, $19.99, MP3-CD
https://www.amazon.com/Name-Wind-KingKiller-Chronicles-audio-cd/dp/1491515015
Synopsis: My name is Kvothe. I have stolen princesses back from sleeping barrow kings. I burned down the town of
Trebon. I have spent the night with Felurian and left with both my sanity and my life. I was expelled from the
University at a younger age than most people are allowed in. I tread paths by moonlight that others fear to speak of
during day. I have talked to Gods, loved women, and written songs that make the minstrels weep. You may have heard
of me.
So begins "The Name of the Wind", the story of a hero told in his own voice. It is a tale of sorrow, a tale of survival, a
tale of one man's search for meaning in his universe, and how that search, and the indomitable will that drove it, gave
birth to a legend.
Critique: An original action/adventure fantasy tale by novelist Patrick Rothfuss that is vividly narrated by Nick Podehi,
"Name of the Wind" is a story of vivid complexity and a literary richness that will keep the reader's rapt attention from
beginning to end. Certain to be an immediate and enduringly popular addition to personal and community library
Science Fiction & Fantasy audio book collections, it should be noted that this complete and unabridged recording is
available in both a standard CD and an MP3-CD format. (28 Hours, 2 minutes).
In an Instant
Suzanne Redfearn, author
Jesse Vilinsky, narrator
Brilliance Audio
www.brillianceaudio.com
9781978682962, $24.99, CD
9781978682979, $14.99, MP3-CD
https://www.amazon.com/Instant-Suzanne-Redfearn/dp/1978682972
Synopsis: Life is over in an instant for sixteen-year-old Finn Miller when a devastating car accident tumbles her and ten
others over the side of a mountain. Suspended between worlds, she watches helplessly as those she loves struggle to
survive.
Impossible choices are made, decisions that leave the survivors tormented with grief and regret. Unable to let go, Finn
keeps vigil as they struggle to reclaim their shattered lives. Jack, her father, who seeks vengeance against the one person
he can blame other than himself; her best friend, Mo, who bravely searches for the truth as the story of their survival is
rewritten; her sister Chloe, who knows Finn lingers and yearns to join her; and her mother, Ann, who saved them all but
is haunted by her decisions. Finn needs to move on, but how can she with her family still in pieces?
Critique: Emotionally compelling, deftly crafted, "In An Instant" is an inherently riveting read by novelist Suzanne
Redfearn that is brought vividly to life in a true 'theatre of the mind' listening experience by the narrative skills of Jesse
Vilinsky -- making it a very highly recommended addition to community library audio book collections. It should be
noted that a complete and unabridged edition of "In An Instant" is readily available in both a standard CD and an MP3-
CD formats. (10 Hours, 45 Minutes).
Savage Wars
Jason Anspach, author
Nick Cole, author
Stephen Lang, narrator
Brilliance Audio
www.brillianceaudio.com
9781713572688, $28.99, MP3-CD
https://www.amazon.com/Savage-Wars-Galaxys-Edge/dp/1713572680
Synopsis: They were the Savages. Raiders from our distant past. Elites who left Earth to create tailor-made utopias
aboard the massive lighthuggers that crawled through the darkness between the stars. But the people they left behind on
a dying planet didn't perish in the dystopian nightmare the Savages had themselves created: they thrived, discovering
faster-than-light technology and using it to colonize the galaxy ahead of the Savages, forming fantastic new
civilizations that surpassed the wildest dreams of Old Earth. -- Until the Savages came in from the Darkness!
When a Savage hulk lands on glittering New Vega, one of the crown jewels of the post-Earth galaxy, a coalition of
planetary governments amasses their forces to respond to the post-human Savage Marines who've come to sack and
enslave. But what the coalition forces find is something far more sinister than the typical Savage hit-and-run: this time,
the Savages have come to stay.
This is the intense beginning of The Savage Wars, an epic conflict built into the lore of Galaxy's Edge, that will
encompass over a thousand years of brutal fighting. Only the greatest military force in the galaxy can bring this war to
an end -- and the galaxy will never again be the same.
Critique: Ably performed by Stephen Lange, "Savage Wars" debuts the 'Galaxy's Edge' action/adventure science fiction
series from the collaborative efforts of Jason Anspach and Nick Cole. In a new series that will rival the scope and
diversity of Star Wars, this complete and unabridged audio book edition of "Savage Wars" is unreservedly
recommended for community library audio book collections and all dedicated science fiction fans. (1 Disc, 12 Hours,
35 Minutes).
The Library CD Shelf
Jingle Bell Rock: Special Nashville Edition
Bobby Helms
Country Rewind Records
$9.98 CD / $1.29 MP3
https://www.amazon.com/Jingle-Bell-Rock-Special-Nashville/dp/B07JZ5BMK6
Originally recorded in the 1980's and produced by Charlie Ammerman, Jingle Bell Rock: Special Nashville Edition
showcases talented American country music singer Bobby Helms (1933-1997) performing classic Christmas songs.
Grammy-winning record producer Robby Turner updated these tracks in 2018 with vocal backing and instrumentation,
creating a high-quality holiday celebration for the twenty-first century. Jingle Bell Rock: Special Nashville Edition is a
treasure for household and public library collections alike, highly recommended! The tracks are "Jingle Bell Rock",
"Here Comes Santa Claus", "Winter Wonderland", "White Christmas", "Another Christmas Without You", "I Saw
Mommy Kissing Santa Claus", "Silver Bells", "Rudolph, The Red-Nosed Reindeer", "I Want To Go To Santa Claus
Land", and "Jingle Bells".
Who I Am
Tim Atwood
timatwood.com
Privately Published
$20.00
https://timatwood.com/product/who-i-am
Vocalist, keyboard player, composer, and devout Christian Tim Atwood presents Who I Am, an album of original
compositions and unique twists on classic favorites. Emotional, passionate, and touching on topics ranging from love
and loss to the joy of party days, appreciating the sunrise, and spiritual grace. Who I Am is memorable, wondrous, and
highly recommended. The tracks are "Come On If You're Comin'", "Sending Me Angels", "Migraine Heartache",
"Throwback Man", "She Treats Me Like A Dog", "Monkey Around", "Blue Umbrella", "Just Because She Always
Has", "It Don't Matter To The Sun", "Somewhere Stoned Playin' Pinball", "Shortnin' Bread Rock", "Saved By Grace",
"You First", "Put Your Hand In The Hand", and "One Pair of Hands".
Beethoven's Egmont Overture for Guitar, Actor and Symphony Orchestra
The Great Kat
greatkat.com
Privately Published
$9.98 CD / $0.99 MP3
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08GTMK45N
Beethoven's Egmont Overture for Guitar, Actor and Symphony Orchestra is a single in which The Great Kat showcases
her mastery of guitar and violin shredding at unbelievable speeds. The Great Kat performs music that Beethoven
composed for Goethe's revolutionary play "Egmont", and narrates Egmont's final words with screams from Goethe's
original text. An extreme, intense, and utterly unforgettable way to experience classical music, Beethoven's Egmont
Overture for Guitar, Actor and Symphony Orchestra is shocking, provocative, enthralling, and highly
recommended.
The Political Science Shelf
Strongman
Kenneth C. Davis
Henry Holt & Company
www.henryholt.com
9781250205643, $19.99, HC, 272pp
https://www.amazon.com/Strongman-Rise-Five-Dictators-Democracy/dp/1250205646
Synopsis: What makes a country fall to a dictator? How do authoritarian leaders (known as strongmen) become capable
of killing millions to acquire their power? How are they able to defeat the ideal of democracy? And what can we do to
make sure it doesn't happen again?
By profiling five of the most notoriously ruthless dictators in history (Adolf Hitler, Benito Mussolini, Joseph Stalin,
Mao Zedong, and Saddam Hussein) in the pages of "Strongman: The Rise of Five Dictators and the Fall of Democracy
", author and historian Kenneth C. Davis seeks to answer these questions, examining the forces in these strongmen's
personal lives and historical periods that shaped the leaders they'd become.
Meticulously researched and complete with photographs, "Strongman" provides useful insights into the lives of five
leaders who callously transformed the world and serves as an invaluable resource in an era when democracy itself
seems in peril.
Critique: With the existential threat to democracy that the Trump administration (including the political impotence of
Congressional Republicans in the House and especially in the Senate) presented on an almost daily basis over the past
four years, "Strongman: The Rise of Five Dictators and the Fall of Democracy" is an incredibly timely contribution to
our on-going national dialogue with the coming to power of the Biden administration. Clearly Donald J. Trump and his
more than 71 million supporters and the spinelessly subservient elected Republicans in the Congress show that the
demise of a functioning democracy and the rise of an authoritarian strongman could very well happen here.
While unreservedly recommended for all community, college, and university library Contemporary Political Science
collections, it should be noted for the personal reading lists of students, academia, political activists, elected politicians,
governmental policy makers, judges, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "Strongman:
The Rise of Five Dictators and the Fall of Democracy" is also readily available in a digital book format ($9.99).
Editorial Note: Kenneth C. Davis is a frequent media guest and has appeared on hundreds of television and radio
shows, including NPR, The Today Show, CBS This Morning, and CNN. He has been a commentator for All Things
Considered, and has written for the New York Times Op-Ed page, Smithsonian, Washington Post, CNN.com and other
national publications.
Civil Liberties in Real Life
Timothy C. Shiell, editor
Cambridge Scholars Publishing
www.cambridgescholars.com
9781527557086, $105.00, HC, 245pp
https://www.amazon.com/Civil-Liberties-Real-Timothy-Shiell/dp/1527557081
Synopsis: "Civil Liberties in Real Life" is comprised of contributions by eight US authors who break new ground with
multidisciplinary perspectives and an exciting range of real-life topics concerning the central question, What is civil
liberty? The individual contributions collectively dive into such contemporary political issues as freedom of speech,
religious freedom, freedom of assembly, and much more, while also examining how and why marginalized groups such
as African Americans, women, and queers used civil liberties in their struggle for equality.
The topics covered in this impressive volume of seminal scholarship range from considering how we can moderate the
corrupting influences of luxury and consumerism promoted by private property rights to the dilemma of teaching
politically controversial civil liberty topics and the role of free speech in the classroom.
Critique: Simply stated, "Civil Liberties in Real Life: Steven Studies" is essential reading for anyone interested in civil
liberty, whether an expert, novice, or in-between. Thoughtful and thought provoking "Civil Liberties in Real Life" is a
timely and unreservedly recommended addition to personal, professional, community, college, and university library
Political Science, Contemporary Social Issues & Philosophy collections.
Editorial Note: Timothy C. Shiell is Professor of Philosophy and Director of the Menard Center for the Study of
Institutions and Innovation at the University of Wisconsin-Stout. He edited Legal Philosophy: Selected Readings (1993)
and authored two editions of Campus Hate Speech on Trial (1998 and 2009, as well as African Americans and the First
Amendment (2019). He has published dozens of book chapters, articles and book reviews, and is an activist defending
civil liberties through policy development, shared governance, membership in national committees and organizations,
and individual agitation and petition.
Democratic Theory Naturalized
Walter Horn
Lexington Books
c/o Rowman & Littlefield Publishing Group
4501 Forbes Blvd., Suite 200, Lanham, MD 20706
www.rlpgbooks.com
9781793624956, $105.00, HC, 262pp
https://www.amazon.com/Democratic-Theory-Naturalized-Foundations-Distilled/dp/179362495X
Synopsis: With the election of Donald J. Trump to the presidency, once again the term populism is prominent in the
national political dialogue. To some, the word populism suggests the tyranny of the mob; to others, it suggests a
xenophobic nativism. It is often even considered conducive to (if not simply identical to) fascism.
In "Democratic Theory Naturalized: The Foundations of Distilled Populism", Walter Horn uses his theory of "CHOICE
Voluntarism" to offer solutions to some of the most perplexing problems in democratic theory and distill populism to
its core premise: giving people the power to govern themselves without any constraints imposed by those on the left or
the right. Beginning with explanations of what it means to vote and what makes one society better off than another,
Horn analyzes what makes for fair aggregation and appropriate, deliberative representation. Through his examination of
the American government, Horn suggests solutions to contemporary problems such as gerrymandering, immigration
control, and campaign finance, and offers answers to age-old questions like why dissenters should obey the majority
and who should have the right to vote in various elections.
Critique: Erudite, insightful, thoughtful and thought-provoking, "Democratic Theory Naturalized: The Foundations of
Distilled Populism" is an extraordinarily timely contribution to our on-going national discussion and analysis of
contemporary politics both nationally and regionally. Providing a useful analysis of native populism's threat to the
democratic norms of American democracy as established over the past two centuries, as well as possible solutions to
restoring and safe-guarding those political norms, "Democratic Theory Naturalized: The Foundations of Distilled
Populism" is an especially an unreservedly recommended addition to community, college, and university library
Contemporary Political Science collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists. It should be noted for students,
academia, political activists, politicians, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject the
Democratic Theory Naturalized" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $99.50).
Empire of Resentment
Lawrence Rosenthal
The New Press
120 Wall Street, floor 31, New York, NY 10005
www.thenewpress.com
9781620975107, $27.99, HC, 272pp
https://www.amazon.com/Empire-Resentment-Populisms-Embrace-Nationalism/dp/1620975106
Synopsis: Since Donald Trump's presidential election victory and the UK's Brexit vote, much of the commentary on the
populist epidemic has focused on the emergence of populism. But in "Empire of Resentment: Populism's Toxic
Embrace of Nationalism" Professor Lawrence Rosenthal argues that what is happening globally is not the emergence
but the transformation of right-wing populism.
Professor Rosenthal, (who is the founder of UC Berkeley's Center for Right-Wing Studies), suggests right-wing
populism is a protean force whose prime mover is the resentment felt toward perceived cultural elites, and whose
abiding feature is its ideological flexibility, which now takes the form of xenophobic nationalism. In 2016, American
right-wing populists migrated from the free marketeering Tea Party to Donald Trump's "hard hat," anti-immigrant,
America-First nationalism. This was the most important single factor in Trump's electoral victory and it has been at
work across the globe. In Italy, for example, the Northern League reinvented itself in 2018 as an all-Italy party,
switching its fury from southerners to immigrants, and came to power.
Professor Rosenthal also paints a vivid sociological, political, and psychological picture of the transnational quality of
this movement, which is now in power in at least a dozen countries, creating a de facto Nationalist International. In
America and abroad, the current mobilization of right-wing populism has given life to long marginalized threats like
white supremacy. The future of democratic politics in the United States and abroad depends on whether the liberal and
left parties have the political capacity to mobilize with a progressive agenda of their own.
Critique: A timely, substantial, and eloquent contribution to our national dialogue with respect to the rise of an
American attempt at authoritarian rule as evidenced in the Republican support of Donald Trump's corrosive effect on
the institutions and norms of American Democracy, "Empire of Resentment: Populism's Toxic Embrace of
Nationalism" should have the widest possible readership -- making it an essential, high priority addition to community,
college, and university library Contemporary Political Science collections. It should be noted for the personal reading
lists of students, academia, political scientists, governmental policy makers, political activists, and non-specialist
general readers with an interest in the subject that "Empire of Resentment: Populism's Toxic Embrace of Nationalism"
is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $15.39).
Editorial Note: Dr. Lawrence Rosenthal is chair and lead researcher of the Berkeley Center for Right-Wing Studies. He
has taught at the University of California, Berkeley, in the sociology and Italian studies departments and was a
Fulbright Professor at the University of Naples in Italy.
The General Fiction Shelf
Notes for a Eulogy
Eric J. Matluck
Next Exit Press
c/o The Carriere Company
www.davidcarriere.org
9780578739991, $22.95
https://www.amazon.com/Notes-Eulogy-Eric-J-Matluck/dp/0578739992
Notes for a Eulogy tells of Morley Peck, a high school English teacher who is not only passionate about his vocation,
but a liar who can't help himself when he meets fellow Francine and begins spinning a new yarn. As he expands his
horizons and teeters on the edge of a relationship without quite falling into love, readers receive a powerful survey of
changing relationships, new views of life, and the role of a lifetime that departs from a carefully built script to take on a
life of its own. Morley's transformation is nicely done and thought provoking. As the story evolves, Morley becomes
the pivot point for something very different and takes readers along for the ride.
Whispering Hearts
V. C. Andrews
Gallery Books
c/o Simon and Schuster
1230 Avenue of the Americas, 14th fl., New York, NY 10020
www.simonandschuster.com
9781501162626, $26.99, HC, 320pp
https://www.amazon.com/Whispering-Hearts-House-Secrets-Andrews/dp/1501162624
Synopsis: The English countryside is beautiful, but for Emma Corey it cannot compare with the bright lights of New
York City. Tired of performing only in pubs and at church, she announces she's moving to America -- and her
conservative father disowns her on the spot.
Distraught but undeterred, Emma will become a Broadway star or die trying! Leaving the comforts of her youth is a
thrilling adventure. The largeness of the city, her new friends, the boundless opportunities make everything shine with
promise. However, New York has a way of chipping away at a newcomer's resolve. First a robbery. Then a low-wage
job. Then the realization that such a city attracts the young and the talented -- competitors all.
Just when it seems like Emma might have to admit defeat and return to the UK, she is introduced to a peculiar couple: a
wife that cannot bear children of her own, and a husband who would pay Emma to solve that problem.
Emma's father once told her, "Money is life." But when Emma trades one for the other and moves into the couple's
remote estate to participate in an elaborate ruse, there's no telling what kind of life she'll have once she's taken the
money.
Critique: Another deftly crafted and inherently fascinating read from the pen of V. C. Andrews, "Whispering Hearts" is
the third volume in the 'House of Secrets' series and will have a very special appear to gothic fiction fans. While also
readily available for personal reading lists in a paperback edition (9781501162602, $16.00), in a digital book format
(Kindle, $11.99), and as a complete and unabridged audio book (Simon & Schuster Audio, 9781508280279, $39.99,
CD), "Whispering Hearts" is unreservedly recommended for community library Contemporary General Fiction
collections.
Forbidden Fruits
Joscelyn Godwin & Guido Mina Di Sospiro
Inner Traditions International, Ltd.
One Park Street, Rochester, VT 05767
www.innertraditions.com
9781644111574, $19.95, PB, 288pp
https://www.amazon.com/Forbidden-Fruits-Occult-Joscelyn-Godwin/dp/1644111578
Synopsis: Amid the European refugee crisis, with the background of Southern Europe having become the point of
arrival for hundreds of thousands of desperate migrants, Monica Bettlheim, an American archaeologist, is trying to
recapture her former fame. She has a mission to uncover prehistoric cultures that conventional archaeology and history
both fear and deny. Her search is sponsored by an eccentric aristocrat, the larger-than-life Maltese billionaire Sebastian
Pinto.
On an underwater expedition off the coast of Malta, Monica finds a mysterious golden pomegranate that dates back to
prehistoric times. Within it, she discovers ancient remnants of the Kykeon, the hallucinogenic sacrament of the
Eleusinian mysteries, which offers those who drink it a direct experience of God. As the discovery leads to blackmail
and murder, Monica uncovers a secret ritual right at the heart of Christianity, knowledge of which was passed on
underground by Gnostics and alchemists for centuries.
Reluctantly, Monica teams up with the elusive and troubled Rafael, Pinto's son, who for some years has been deeply
immersed in esoteric studies. Driven by the need to avenge a murder and uncover the activities of an international crime
syndicate, they risk their lives by reviving the sacred ritual -- and are confronted by the most terrifying revelation of
all.
Critique: A deftly crafted, impressively original, and simply riveting read from cover to cover, "Forbidden Fruits: An
Occult Novel" is a compelling and unreservedly recommended addition to community library collections. It should be
noted for personal reading lists that "Forbidden Fruits: An Occult Novel" is readily available in a digital book format
(Kindle, $13.99).
Editorial Note #1: Educated at Cambridge and Cornell, Joscelyn Godwin, Ph.D., is the author, editor, and translator of
more than 30 books, including The Greater and Lesser Worlds of Robert Fludd, and was a professor of music at Colgate
University for more than 40 years until his retirement in 2016.
Editorial Note #2: Guido Mina di Sospiro was raised in Milan, Italy. An award-winning novelist and essayist, he has
written several books, including The Forbidden Book, coauthored with Joscelyn Godwin. He maintains a blog on
Reality Sandwich and for New English Review.
The Lady in Residence
Allison Pittman
Barbour Publishing
P.O. Box 719
1810 Barbour Drive, Uhrichsville, OH 44683
www.barbourbooks.com
www.oasisaudio.com
9781643527482, $12.99, PB, 256pp
https://www.amazon.com/Lady-Residence-Doors-Past/dp/1643527487
Synopsis: Young widow Hedda Krause checks into the Menger Hotel in 1915 with a trunk full of dresses, a case full of
jewels, and enough cash to pay for a two-month stay, which she hopes will be long enough to meet, charm, and attach
herself to a new, rich husband. Her plans are derailed when a ghostly apparition lures her into a long, dark hallway, and
Hedda returns to her room to find her precious jewelry has been stolen. She falls immediately under a cloud of
suspicion with her haunting tale, but true ghost enthusiasts bring her expensive pieces of jewelry in an attempt to lure
the ghost to appear again.
In 2017, Dini Blackstone is a fifth-generation magician, who performs at private parties, but she also gives ghost walk
tours, narrating the more tragic historical events of San Antonio with familial affection. Above all, her favorite is the
tale of Hedda Krause who, in Dini's estimation, succeeded in perpetrating the world's longest con, dying old and
wealthy from her ghost story. But then Dini meets Quinn Carmichael, great-great-grandson of the detective who
originally investigated Hedda's case, who's come to the Alamo City with a box full of clues that might lead to Hedda's
exoneration. Can Dini see another side of the story that is worthy of God's grace?
Critique, An original, deftly crafted, and inherently riveting read from cover to cover, "The Lady In Residence"
showcases author Allison Pittman's impressive talents as a novelist in general and her impressive narrative driven
storytelling skills in particular. Holding particular interest for Christian Mystery & Suspense Romance fans, and highly
recommended for community library collections, it should be noted that "The Lady In Residence" is also readily
available for personal reading lists in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99) and as a complete and unabridged audio
book (Oasis Audio, 9781640914766, $14.99, CD).
The Literary Fiction Shelf
A Small Earnest Question
J. F. Riordan
Beaufort Books
27 West 20th Street, Suite 1102, New York, NY 10011
www.beaufortbooks.com
9780825308925, $24.95, HC, 375pp
https://www.amazon.com/Small-Earnest-Question-North-Tension/dp/0825308925
Synopsis: It's spring on Washington Island. Despite her concerns about Roger's desire to bartend, Elisabeth is eager to
plan a grand opening for their newly remodeled hotel, but she quickly realizes that she may also need to make
accommodations for Roger's proposed goat yoga classes.
Bored and lonely, Oliver Robert joins bartender Eddie in forming a great books club at Nelsen's, and Emily Martin,
determined to make her mark on the community, forms a new Committee of the Concerned.
When Emily decides that the Island needs a literary festival, complete with a famous author, she imprudently seeks out
a notorious celebrity, hoping, as always, to enhance her own prestige.
Real estate agent Marcie Landmeier confides that an unknown someone is buying up the Island's shoreline,
newly-appointed Fire Chief Jim Freeberg contends with a string of suspicious fires, and Pali and Ben have a spiritual
encounter that will change them both.
Meanwhile, drawn once more into local controversy, and awash in suspicion herself, Fiona Campbell must determine
the answers to questions that will affect her future, and the future of the entire Island.
Critique: Set on a remote island in the Great Lakes,"A Small Earnest Question" is Book Four in the outstanding North
of the Tension Line series from novelist J. F. Riordan. A deftly crafted and engagingly entertaining story from
beginning to end, "A Small Earnest Question" will be an immediate and enduringly popular addition to community
library Contemporary American Literary Fiction collections. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of
dedicated Riordan fans that "A Small Earnest Question" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle,
$12.99).
Mademoiselle de Malepeire
Fanny Reybaud, author
Barbara Basbanes Richter, translator
Bancroft Press
PO Box 65360, Baltimore, MD 21209
www.bancroftpress.com
9781610885201, $17.95, HC, 188pp
https://www.amazon.com/Mademoiselle-Malepeire-Fanny-Reybaud-Translated/dp/1610885201
Synopsis: Originally published in1854, "Mademoiselle de Malepeire" is a novel by Fanny Reybuad that focuses on a
portrait of the portrait of the real life Mademoiselle de Malepeire, which hung in Dom Gerusac's home in the
countryside of southern France just before the first French Revolution.
Noted for her beauty, Mademoiselle de Malepeire had been painted by her well-to-do suitor, who was enthralled with
her beauty and able to disregard her cold and haughty demeanor. Her eventual love story is pieced together in Dom
Gerusac's home as many unexpected guests join him, and Mademoiselle de Malepeire's dramatic new identity is
revealed.
A fast-paced and delightful mystery, Reybaud's novel, in Richter's hands, is a clever, inspiring gem that can still pull at
the hearts of 21st century people, and perhaps, in this newest translation, will revive interest in Reybaud, once a
bestselling French female novelist and considered the equal of fellow female French novelist George Sand.
Critique: An inherently fascinating and entertaining read, "Mademoiselle de Malepeire" has been rescued from
obscurity and ably translated into English for an American readership by Barbara Basbanes Richter. While especially
and unreservedly recommended for community, college, and university library Literary Fiction collections, it should be
noted for personal reading lists that "Mademoiselle de Malepeire" is also readily available in a digital book format
(Kindle, $8.69).
Editorial Note: Fanny Reybaud was a 19th Century French writer who, at her zenith, authored no fewer than thirty
novels, in addition to numerous short stories and poems, and saw many of her works translated into Spanish, English,
and German. She frequented literary salons with the likes of Honore de Balzac, Frederic Mistral, and Alphonse Daudet.
In her writing, Reybaud remains faithful to the written tradition of Proven al storytelling-an oral, conversational tale
with opposing voices and differing opinions that is at once accessible and immensely readable.
By November of 1870, when Reybaud quietly died unmourned and unnoticed in a remote corner of southwestern
France, Napoleon III had already suffered a catastrophic defeat at the hands of Otto von Bismarck in the Battle of
Sedan, assuring a Prussian victory and the fall of the Second Empire. In short, she lapsed into literary obscurity because
there were other pressing national issues on the eve of her death, yet twenty-seven years earlier, Reybaud made the
rounds of the glittering Parisian literary circuit and was beloved by all she met.
Suburban Souls
Maria Espinosa
Tailwinds Press
http://www.tailwindspress.com
9781732848023, $14.00, PB, 232pp
https://www.amazon.com/Suburban-Souls-Maria-Espinosa/dp/1732848025
Synopsis: Against the vibrant and liberated backdrop of 1970's San Francisco, a husband and wife (both Jewish
immigrants) are indelibly traumatized by their childhoods in Nazi Germany and face the turbulence of an increasingly
sterile marriage.
Saul, an emotionally withdrawn scientist, escapes into New Age mysticism with Shivaya, a self-styled clairvoyant
Danish healer. Gerda drifts in and out of psychiatric care as her loosening grip on reality leaves its mark on their
teenage daughter, Hannah.
"Suburban Souls" by Maria Espinosa is an unflinching portrait of a woman's downward spiral into the nightmare of
modern domesticity, as the author deftly weaves a deceptively simple tale about the terror of abandonment and the
mysterious nature of suffering.
Critique: An inherently compelling read from cover to cover, "Suburban Souls" showcases the author Maria Espinosa's
genuine flair for originality, the creation of distinctively remarkable characters, and the kind of narrative storytelling
that will engage and retain the reader's rapt attention from first page to last. While especially and unreservedly
recommended for community, college, and university library Contemporary Literary Fiction collections, it should be
noted for personal reading lists that "Suburban Souls" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle,
$9.49).
Editorial Note: Maria Espinosa is the author of five novels, including "Longing", which won the 1996 American Book
Award; two collections of poetry (one of which was praised by Anais Nin as being very sincere and direct and rich in
feeling); and a translation of George Sand's "Lelia". The 2010 winner of the PEN Oakland/Josephine Miles Literary
Award, she has also taught creative writing and contemporary literature at New College of California and English as a
Second Language at City College of San Francisco.
Lazarus Rising
Joseph Caldwell
Delphinium
https://www.delphiniumbooks.com
9781883285999, $24.95, HC, 244pp
https://www.amazon.com/Lazarus-Rising-Novel-Joseph-Caldwell/dp/1883285992
Synopsis: "Lazarus Rising" takes place during 1992, when AIDS was still an incurable scourge and death casualties
were every day events. One cold winter night, when the artist, Dempsey Coates, is on the way home to her loft, she
encounters a several alarm blaze, water jetting every which way from hydrants and ends up offering several fireman a
place to get warm.
One of them is Johnny Donegan, a passionate lad who falls madly in love with her and is determined, through prayer
and sheer perseverance, to make a life with Dempsey that will be unimpeded by the specter of her illness. But when the
couple is finally blessed with an unexpected stroke of good luck, this very twist of fate that promises an enduring future
ends up coming between them in a very tragic and unforeseen way.
Critique: "Lazarus Rising" is a dark, propulsive novel and the crowning literary masterwork by the 92-year-old
Caldwell. A gritty, gripping, emotionally intense and impressively original novel by a master of the kind of narrative
storytelling style that is essential of a memorable work of literary excellence, "Lazarus Rising" is unreservedly
recommended for community, college, and university library Contemporary Literary Fiction collections.
Editorial Note: Joseph Caldwell is an acclaimed playwright and novelist who was awarded the Rome Prize for
Literature by the American Academy of Arts and Letters. He is the author of five novels in addition to The Pig Trilogy,
a humorous mystery series featuring a crime-solving pig. His most recent memoir, "In the Shadow of the Bridge", was
published by Delphinium in 2019.
The Romantic Fiction Shelf
The Princess and the Rogue
Kate Bateman
St. Martin's Press
www.stmartins.com
9781250306098, $7.99, PB, 336pp
https://www.amazon.com/Princess-Rogue-Street-Bachelors-Novel/dp/1250306094
Synopsis: Bow Street agent Sebastien Wolff, Earl of Mowbray, doesn't believe in love -- until a passionate kiss with a
beautiful stranger in a brothel forces him to reconsider. When the mysterious woman is linked to an intrigue involving a
missing Russian princess, however, Seb realizes her air of innocence was too good to be true.
Princess Anastasia Denisova has been hiding in London as plain 'Anna Brown'. With a dangerous traitor hot on her
trail, her best option is to accept Wolff's offer of protection (and accommodation) at his gambling hell. But living in
such close quarters, and aiding Wolff in his Bow Street cases, fans the flames of their mutual attraction. If Anya's true
identity is revealed, does their romance stand a chance? Could a princess ever marry a rogue?
Critique: Another deftly crafted and inherently compelling historical romance novel by Kate Bateman, "The Princess
And The Rogue" once again showcases the author's impressive flair for the kind of narrative storytelling style that
completely engages her readers from beginning to end. While certain to be an immediately popular addition to
community library Historical Romance Fiction collections, it should be noted for the growing legions of Kate Bateman
fans that "The Princess And The Rogue" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $7.99).
The Western Fiction Shelf
A Dark Dawn in Texas
Richard Smith
Linford Western Library
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print (USA), Inc.
PO Box 1230, West Seneca, NY 14224-1230
www.ulverscroftusa.com
9781444845365, $20.99, PB, Large Print, 240pp
https://www.ulverscroft.com/title.php?sqlCmd=isbn%3D9781444845365
Synopsis: On her deathbed in the spring of 1875, Laura Peters shocks her son Paul by belatedly revealing that his uncle
did not die alongside his father in the bloody confrontation at Gettysburg twelve years before. She urges Paul to ride
west in a quest to find this long lost relative who holds a guilty secret from those dreadful Civil War days. With mixed
emotions he takes up the challenge, eventually arriving in the Texas town of Ongar Ridge -- only to find himself
accused of murdering the man he has been seeking!
Critique: Another deftly scripted western novel with an unforseen and surprising finale, "A Dark Dawn in Texas" by
Richard Smith has a crooked mayor, a powerful rancher, ruthless gunfighters, a possibly crooked sheriff and deputy, a
sympathetic landlady, a violent blacksmith, and a seemingly never ending mystery to solve. This large print edition
from the Linford Western Library will prove to be an enduringly popular addition to community library Western Fiction
collections and is especially commended to the personal reading lists of western novel fans who like a little mystery
along with their action/adventure!
Day of the Hired Gun
Ethan Flagg
Linford Western Library
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print (USA), Inc.
PO Box 1230, West Seneca, NY 14224-1230
www.ulverscroftusa.com
9781444845402, $20.99, PB, Large Print, 248pp
https://www.ulverscroft.com/title.php?sqlCmd=isbn%3D9781444845402
Synopsis: Hired gunfighter Cole 'Kingpin' Jardine is planning to retire when he receives a mysterious job offer from the
Colorado town of Red Mesa. He's all set to ignore it when his partner Waco Santee arrives to announce that the army
are hot on their heels. Evading them and separating from Santee, Cole rides to Red Mesa, only to find himself being
challenged to a shoot-out by a old rancher who claims the hired gun's employer wants to steal his land. What will he
decide - especially when Santee arrives to back the opposing side?
Critique: Once again veteran western novelist Ethan Flagg has created a non-stop, action-packed, guns blazing
adventures complete with a lovely and headstrong young woman, a lethally jealous ranch foreman, and a cattle drive
with unexpected and decidedly dangerous difficulties for all hands. A terrific entertainment from cover to cover, "Day
of the Hired Gun" is one of Ethan Flagg's best to date and this large print paperback edition from the Linford Western
Library is very highly recommended for personal reading lists and community library Western Fiction collections.
Riding High
T. T. Flynn
Sagebrush Large Print Westerns
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print (USA), Inc.
PO Box 1230, West Seneca, NY 14224-1230
www.ulverscroftusa.com
9781785418617, $35.59, PB, Large Print, 252pp
https://www.amazon.com/Riding-High-T-Flynn/dp/1785418610
Synopsis: When the tall stranger rides quietly into town, nobody pays him much mind. Another drifter, they think, on
his way to St. Jo. But Mike Shafter is anything but a drifter -- he means to stay in Azul. And before the night ends, he
will challenge the power of the Wolcotts, who own Azul lock, stock and gun barrel. He will defy their order to leave
town, and furthermore, he will slap down the vicious Wolcott nephew, contemptuously refusing to go for his gun.
Finally, he will take on Con McCloud, who has beaten and killed on Wolcott orders. For that matter, Mike Shafter will
take on the whole town, because he knows that somewhere nearby lies the answer to his father's death and the murder
of his best friend.
Critique: A fully action packed western with more gun blazing twists, disastrous turns and lethal surprises than a raging
Colorado River in full flood, "Riding High" is a riveting read and this large print edition will prove to be a very special
and popular addition to both the reading lists of dedicated western fans and community library western novel
collections.
The Fury Of Zococa
Roy Patterson
Linford Western Library
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print (USA), Inc.
PO Box 1230, West Seneca, NY 14224-1230
www.ulverscroftusa.com
9781444844436, $21.49, PB, Large Print, 200pp
https://www.amazon.com/Fury-Zococa-Roy-Patterson/dp/1444844431
Synopsis: Enraged by the actions of ruthless hired gun Holt Danvers in killing rancher Frank Carver and leaving his
young daughter Mary on the verge of death, flamboyant Mexican bandit Zococa and his mute Apache sidekick Tahoka
vow vengeance against the heartless and murderous assassin for hire. After leaving the severely injured Mary in the care
of the monks at the San Maria mission, Zococa and his silent friend ride in pursuit of Danvers. The trail leads to the
lawless town of Diablo. There they encounter two governments agents on the same mission -- kill Holt Danvers by any
means possible. Can Zococa honor his vow of gun vengeance before the giant Tahoka wreaks his own brand of Apache
vengeance?
Critique: A rivetingly entertaining read from beginning to end, "The Fury Of Zococa" is still another simply outstanding
western action/adventure from the imaginative pen of author Roy Patterson and will prove to be a memorable and
enduringly welcome addition to both personal reading lists and community library western novel collections.
Valeron's Justice
Terrell L. Bowers
Linford Western Library
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print (USA), Inc.
PO Box 1230, West Seneca, NY 14224-1230
www.ulverscroftusa.com
9781444844382, $21.49, PB, Large Print, 256pp
https://www.amazon.com/Valerons-Justice-Terrell-L-Bowers/dp/1444844385
Synopsis; Brother and sister Nash and Wendy Valeron didn't expect that starting up a doctor's practice would be so
lively. But when a young woman rushes in and begs them to hide her, their lives are turned upside down. What begins
as protecting Trina from a couple of bullies turns out to include land grabbing, murder, and a corrupt asylum. Only the
combined strength and savvy of several members of the Valeron family can foil the wrong-doers' sinister plans. Who
will be left standing after the blood and gunsmoke finally clear?
Critique: Another fun read featuring the Valeron clan, "Valeron's Justice" by Terrell L. Bowers is another original
action/adventure western by a true master of the genre. This large print paperback edition is unabashedly recommended
for the personal reading lists of all dedicated western fans, and will prove to be an enduringly popular addition to
community library Western Fiction collections.
The Wizard Of War Smoke
Michael D. George
Linford Western Library
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print (USA), Inc.
PO Box 1230, West Seneca, NY 14224-1230
www.ulverscroftusa.com
9781444844412, $21.49, PB, Large Print, 200pp
https://www.amazon.com/Wizard-War-Smoke-Michael-George/dp/1444844415
Synopsis: Marshal Matt Fallen and his young deputy Elmer Hook have never seen the western town of War Smoke so
busy. People are gathering for the opening night of the Tivoli theatre, and top of the bill is the famed Mezmo, an
illusionist who can reputedly mesmerize anyone into doing his bidding. When a series of murders targeting the town's
four wealthiest men occurs before the show begins, Fallen is convinced that Mezmo is to blame. But as more men fall
victim to the mysterious assassin, can Marshal Fallen outwit the Wizard of War Smoke and discover the truth behind
the slayings?
Critique: Another riveting read from the prolific and accomplished western novelist Michael D. George, "The Wizard
Of War Smoke" deftly combines elements of detective work, gun play, and a bit of magical hocus pocus leading to a
completely unexpected finale. The result is a unique western novel that will prove to be an enduringly popular addition
to community library Western Fiction and Large Print collections.
The Mystery/Suspense Shelf
The Sea Glass Murders
Timothy Cole
Pace Press
c/o Linden Publishing
2006 S Mary St., Fresno, CA 93721
www.pacepress.com
9780941936033, $16.95
https://www.amazon.com/Glass-Murders-Gold-Coast-Mystery/dp/0941936031
The Sea Glass Murders is a fine mystery that offers twists, turns, and unexpectedly intriguing moments as it follows
events that stem from a headless corpse in a dumpster that evoke the unlikely duo of a small-town cop and a retired lady
spy to ferret out a public figure as the killer. Issues of trust, deception and violence, and tragedy swirl around what
begins as a singular murder, then evolves with more bodies and threats. The result is a fast-paced story filled with
quirky moments, tense confrontations, revelations, and strong characters that draw readers into the mystery with a
compelling saga indeed.
Sherlock Holmes and the Beast of the Stapletons
James Lovegrove
Titan Comics
https://titan-comics.com
9781789094695, $19.99, HC, 384pp
https://www.amazon.com/Sherlock-Holmes-Beast-Stapletons-Lovegrove/dp/1789094690
Synopsis: By 1894 the monstrous Hound of the Baskervilles has been dead for five years, along with its no less
monstrous owner, the naturalist Jack Stapleton. Sir Henry Baskerville is living contentedly at Baskerville Hall with his
new wife Audrey and their three-year-old son Harry.
Until, that is, Audrey's lifeless body is found on the moors, drained of blood. It would appear some fiendish creature is
once more at large on Dartmoor and has, like its predecessor, targeted the unfortunate Baskerville family.
Sherlock Holmes and Dr Watson are summoned to Sir Henry's aid, and our heroes must face a marauding beast that is
the very stuff of nightmares. It seems that Stapleton may not have perished in the Great Grimpen Mire after all, as
Holmes believed, and is hell-bent on revenge!
Critique: A deftly crafted and worthy addition to the ever growing library of Sherlock Holmes stories and novels,
"Sherlock Holmes and the Beast of the Stapletons" by James Lovegrove will prove to be an immediately welcome and
enduringly popular addition to community library Mystery/Suspense collections. It should be noted for the personal
reading lists of all dedicated Sherlock Holmes fans that "Sherlock Holmes and the Beast of the Stapletons" is also
readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $11.99).
Editorial Note: James Lovegrove is the author of The Age of Odin. He was short-listed for the Arthur C. Clarke Award
in 1998 and for the John W. Campbell Memorial Award in 2004, and also reviews fiction for the Financial Times. He is
the author of Firefly: Big Damn Hero with Nancy Holder and Firefly: The Magnificent Nine, and several Sherlock
Holmes novels for Titan Books.
Sherlock Holmes: The Spider's Web
Philip Purser-Hallard
Titan Comics
https://titan-comics.com
9781785658440, $14.95, PB, 400pp
https://www.amazon.com/Sherlock-Holmes-Spiders-Philip-Purser-Hallard/dp/1785658441
Synopsis: It is 1897, and Sherlock Holmes is called in to investigate a mysterious death at a society ball, hosted by a
family with a remarkable past.
After an unidentified man pitches to his death from a balcony during a party hosted by the famed Ernest Moncrieff,
Viscount Goring asks Holmes and Watson to prove the innocence of his wife, who is suspected of the crime. But
members of this elite circle, including the indomitable Lady Bracknell, are just as concerned with their interference as
they are the identity of the murderer.
For though the history of Ernest Moncrieff, alias Jack Worthing, is well known, there may be more to the story of his
discovery as a baby in a handbag at Victoria Station. And why did the dead man give his name as 'Mr Bunbury'? Soon
Holmes and Watson are on the trail of a mysterious blackmailer who trades in the shameful secrets of an elite
circle.
Critique: A gem of a Sherlock Holmes mystery that pays true homage to Conan Doyle's legendary detective, "The
Spider's Web" is an original mystery that will have a very special appeal to all Sherlock Holmes fans. While very highly
recommended for community library Mystery/Suspense collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists of all
dedicated mystery buffs that "The Spider's Web" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $8.99).
Editorial Note: Philip Purser-Hallard is the author of the trilogy of urban fantasy thrillers beginning with The Pendragon
Protocol, and the editor of a series of anthologies about the City of the Saved. As well as writing various other books
and short stories, Phil edits The Black Archive, a series of monographs about individual Doctor Who stories published
by Obverse Books.
The Book of Extraordinary New Sherlock Holmes Stories
Maxim Jakubowski, editor
Mango Publishing
9781642504323, $18.95, PB, 281pp
https://www.amazon.com/Book-Extraordinary-Sherlock-Holmes-Stories/dp/1642504327
Synopsis: In the pages of "The Book of Extraordinary New Sherlock Holmes Stories: The Best New Original Stores of
the Genre", the world's most famous detective once again returns in a wealth of new short stories. An icon of detective
fiction, readers have come across Sherlock Holmes and his mythical stories of crime and adventure for generations. In
this new short story anthology from Maxim Jakubowski, fans will reunite with their beloved British detective, and once
again marvel at his powers of deduction and his unerring quest for the truth.
A cornucopia of British detectives, dark deeds, and derring-do and collected by one of the detective fiction genre's
eminent editors, "The Book of Extraordinary New Sherlock Holmes Stories" features the timeless detective alongside
favorite characters, friends and enemies alike, including the infamous Professor Moriarty and faithful companion
Doctor Watson.
Critique: Expertly compiled and edited by Maxim Jakubowski, the fifteen original short stories, each by a dedicated
author in full support of Conan Doyle's iconic detective, "The Book of Extraordinary New Sherlock Holmes Stories:
The Best New Original Stores of the Genre" is certain to be an immediate and enduringly popular addition to
community, college, and university library collections. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of the legions of
Sherlock Holmes fans that "The Book of Extraordinary New Sherlock Holmes Stories: The Best New Original Stores of
the Genre" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $14.24).
Editorial Note: Currently residing in London, England, Maxim Jakubowski is a novelist and editor. He opened the
world-famous Murder One bookshop in London in 1988. He has compiled two acclaimed annual series for the
Mammoth list, Best New Erotica and Best British Crime. He is also a recipient of the Anthony and Karel awards, a
frequent TV and radio broadcaster, crime columnist for the Guardian newspaper, and Literary Director of London's
Crime Scene Festival.
The Red Ribbon
Pepper Bashman
Barbour Publishing
P.O. Box 719, 1810 Barbour Drive, Uhrichsville OH 44683
www.barbourbooks.com
9781643526492, $12.99, PB, 256pp
https://www.amazon.com/Red-Ribbon-True-Colors/dp/1643526499
Synopsis: In Carroll County, a corn shucking is the social event of the season, until a mischievous kiss leads to one of
the biggest tragedies in Virginia history.
Ava Burcham isn't your typical Blue Ridge Mountain girl. She has a bad habit of courting trouble, and her curiosity has
opened a rift in the middle of a feud between politicians and would-be outlaws, the Allen family. Ava's tenacious desire
to find a story worth reporting may land her and her best friend, Jeremiah Sutphin, into more trouble than either of them
planned.
The end result is known as The Hillsville Courthouse Massacre of 1912.
Critique: In her novel, "The Red Ribbon", author Pepper Bashman blends elements of romance, mystery, suspense, and
Christianity into an inherently fascinating and impressively entertaining read from beginning to end. While very highly
recommended, especially for community library Mystery/Suspense collections, it should be noted for personal reading
lists that "The Red Ribbon" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $10.82).
A Galway Epiphany
Ken Bruen
The Mysterious Press
c/o Grove/Atlantic, Inc.
154 West 14th Street, 12th Floor, New York, NY 10011
www.groveatlantic.com
www.dreamscapeab.com/audiobooks
9780802157034, $26.00, HC, 256pp
https://www.amazon.com/Galway-Epiphany-Taylor-Novel-Novels/dp/0802157033
Synopsis: Jack Taylor has finally escaped the despair of his violent life in Galway in favor of a quiet retirement in the
country with his friend Keefer, a former Rolling Stones roadie, and a falcon named Maeve. But on a day trip back into
the city to sort out his affairs, Jack is hit by a truck in front of Galway's Famine Memorial, left in a coma but
mysteriously without a scratch on him.
When he awakens weeks later, he finds Ireland in a frenzy over the so-called "Miracle of Galway." People have become
convinced that the two children spotted tending to him are saintly, and the site of the accident sacred. The Catholic
Church isn't so sure, and Jack is commissioned to help find the children to verify the miracle or expose the stunt.
But Jack isn't the only one looking for these children. A fraudulent order of nuns needs them to legitimatize its sanctity
and becomes involved with a dangerous arsonist. Soon, the building in which the children are living burns down, with
one of the children and the nuns inside, and the doors bolted. Jack recognizes the arsonist's stamp and begins to suspect
that the surviving girl is more sinister than miraculous. He sends her to live on the farm but is troubled over the
manipulative control she soon seems to exert over Keefer.
Jack's plan to intervene is derailed by traumatic memories of his deceased daughter, which send him into one of his
characteristic Jameson benders. He comes to days later to find a nightmarishly gruesome scene on the farm. His quest to
find the girl is now personal, and the stakes could not be higher.
Critique: A deftly crafted, impressively original, and inherently compelling page turner of a read from beginning to end,
"A Galway Epiphany" is especially and unreservedly recommended for community library Suspense/Thriller Fiction
collections. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of dedicated mystery buffs and fans of the Irish crime novel
that "A Galway Epiphany" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $17.09) and as a complete and
unabridged audio book (Dreamscape Media, 9781662052514, $22.99, CD).
Girl Gone Mad
Avery Bishop
Lake Union Publishing
www.brillianceaudio.com
9781542018715, $14.95, PB, 411pp
https://www.amazon.com/Girl-Gone-Mad-Avery-Bishop/dp/1542018714
Synopsis: Emily Bennett works as a therapist in Pennsylvania, helping children overcome their troubled pasts -- even as
she struggles to forget her own. Once upon a time, Emily was part of a middle school clique called the Harpies -- six
popular girls who bullied the new girl to her breaking point. The Harpies took a blood oath: never tell a soul what they
did to Grace Farmer.
Now, fourteen years later, it seems karma has caught up to them when one member of that vicious circle commits
suicide. But when a second Harpy is discovered dead shortly after, also from apparent suicide, the deaths start to look
suspicious. And when Emily starts seeing a woman who looks a lot like Grace Farmer lurking in the shadows, she's
forced to wonder: Is Grace back for revenge? Or is Emily's guilt driving her mad? Sticks and stones may break your
bones, but the Harpies are about to find out just how much words can hurt you.
Critique: A deftly penned and impressively original suspense thriller of a read from beginning to end, "Girl Gone Mad"
by novelist Avery Bishop is certain to be an immediate and enduringly popular addition to community library
Mystery/Suspense collections. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of Avery Bishop fans that "Girl Gone
Mad" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $1.99) and as a complete and unabridged audio book
(Brilliance Audio, 9781799759805, $14.99, CD).
The Color of Wounds
Frank Martorana
BookBaby
c/o Vincharo Ventures, LLC
9780998932644, $13.99, PB, 266pp
https://www.amazon.com/Color-Wounds-Kent-Stephenson-Thriller/dp/0998932647
Synopsis: Kent Stephenson is a veterinarian and lifelong resident of a small Upstate New York town. Through his work
with animals and their owners, he gets drawn into cases of murder, bombings, arson, and other mayhem. He and his
constant companion, a hound dog named Lucinda, unravel the crime, which is never as it appears, and bring
justice.
It's been years since Kent helped an old classmate expose inhumane animal testing at the research center of a prominent
university. But now, after all that time, his good intentions are coming back to haunt him. Ex-members of the US
military-industrial complex have Kent in their crosshairs. When threats and blackmail don't stop him, they bring on the
bombs.
Critique: The third and latest addition to the Kent Stephenson series by novelist Frank Martorana, "The Color Of
Wounds" once again plays out against a backdrop of veterinary medicine and as a kind of bonus provides the reader a
little insight into veterinary medicine and animal welfare as it continues to showcase that author's genuine flair for
originality, his mastery of the suspense/thriller genre, the development of memorable chartacters, and the kind of
narrative storytelling style that keeps his reader's full attention with following along the unexpected plot twists and
unforseen turns.
An inherently riveting read from beginning to end, "The Color Of Wounds" is especially and unreservedly
recommended for community library Contemporary Mystery/Suspense collections. It should be noted for the personal
reading lists of all dedicated suspense/thriller fans (and animal rights supporters!) that "The Color Of Wounds" is also
handily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $3.99).
Also very highly recommended are the two previous volumes in Frank Martorana's 'Kent Stephenson' series: "Taking
On Lucinda" ( 9780998932606, $13.99 PB, $3.99 Kindle, 294pp) and "Simpatico's Gift" (9780998932620, $13.99 PB,
$3.99 Kindle, 280pp).
Burying Daisy Doe
Ramona Richards
Kregel Publications
2450 Oak Industrial Drive, NE, Grand Rapids, MI 49505
www.kregel.com
9780825446528, $15.99, PB, 264pp
https://www.amazon.com/Burying-Daisy-Doe-Star-Cavanaugh/dp/082544652X
Synopsis: It seems that every small town has one unsolved case that haunts its memory, festering for generations below
the surface with the truth of humanity's darkness. In "Burying Daisy Doe" by Ramona Richard, a woman named Star
Cavanaugh is obsessed with the one that tore her own family apart.
Over sixty years ago, Daisy Doe was murdered and discarded outside Pineville, Alabama, buried without a name or
anyone to mourn her loss. When Star's father tried to solve the case, he was also killed. Now a cold-case detective with
resources of her own, Star is determined to get to the bottom of both crimes. But she'll have to face an entire town
locked in corruption, silence, and fear--and the same danger that took two other lives.
The only people in town she can trust are her grandmother and the charming Mike Luinetti, and both of them trust a
God that Star isn't sure she believes in. Can Christians so focused on the good really help her track down this evil?
Critique: A deftly written novel by an author with a full mastery of the genre, "Burying Daisy Doe" will especially
appeal to Cold Case mystery fans with novelist Ramona Richards' general flair for combining a sharp suspense, faith,
and humor, with an authentic and accurately detailed regional flavor. While especially recommended for community
library Mystery/Suspense collections, it should be noted for the personal reading lists of all dedicated mystery buffs that
"Burying Daisy Doe" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
Bone Canyon
Lee Goldberg
Thomas & Mercer
www.brillianceaudio.com
9781542042710, $24.95, HC, 288pp
https://www.amazon.com/Bone-Canyon-Eve-Ronin-Goldberg/dp/1542042712
Synopsis: A catastrophic wildfire scorches the Santa Monica Mountains, exposing the charred remains of a woman who
disappeared years ago. The investigation is assigned to Eve Ronin, the youngest homicide detective in the Los Angeles
County Sheriff's Department, a position that forces her to prove herself again and again. This time, though, she has
much more to prove.
Bones don't lie, and these have a horrific story to tell. Eve tirelessly digs into the past, unearthing dark secrets that
reveal nothing about the case is as it seems. With almost no one she can trust, her relentless pursuit of justice for the
forgotten dead could put Eve's own life in peril.
Critique: A deftly crafted 'cold case' mystery, "Bone Canyon" is a simply riveting read from cover to cover and
showcases author Lee Goldberg's total mastery of the genre. Original, entertaining, and especially recommended for
community library Mystery/Suspense collections, it should be noted for the personal reading lists of dedicated mystery
buffs that "Bone Canyon" is also readily available in a paperback edition (9781542042772, $15.95), in a digital book
format (Kindle, $4.99), and as a complete and unabridged audio book (Brilliance Audio, 9781799764496, $24.99,
MP3-CD).
A Stranger at the Door
Jason Pinter
Thomas & Mercer
www.brillianceaudio.com
9781542005944, $15.95, PB, 362pp
https://www.amazon.com/Stranger-Door-Rachel-Marin-Thriller/dp/1542005949
Synopsis: Rachel Marin is in a good place. After years of struggle, the single mother has found both a stable, loving
relationship and a new purpose: putting her investigative skills to work solving crimes for the local PD. But just as the
pieces of her life are finally starting to fall into place, her teenaged son's teacher is gruesomely murdered, starting a
domino effect that shatters her peaceful existence.
When Rachel discovers an ominous email the teacher sent to her just before his death, she knows she must help bring
his killer to justice. But soon a figure from her past reappears, threatening to expose Rachel's darkest secrets if she
doesn't tread lightly. And when her son is recruited by a shadowy businessman who may be connected to the murder,
Rachel knows this has just gotten very, very personal.
Someone out there is dead set on keeping this grisly cover-up good and buried, which means if Rachel's not careful, it's
only a matter of time before her dream life becomes her worst nightmare.
Critique: A psychological thriller of a suspense novel, "A Stranger At The Door" by Jason Pinter is a simply riveting
read from cover to cover and will prove to be an extraordinary and popular addition to community library
Mystery/Suspense collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "A Stranger At The Door" is also
available in a digital book format (Kindle, $4.99) as well as a complete and unabridged audio book (Brilliance Audio,
9781713506249, $14.99, MP3-CD).
Footsteps in the Night / Beat Back the Tide
Dolores Hitchens
Stark House Press
1315 H Street, Eureka, CA 95501
www.starkhousepress.com
9781944520939, $19.95, PB, 284pp
https://www.amazon.com/Footsteps-Night-Beat-Back-Tide/dp/1944520937
Synopsis: Stark House Press has brought back into print two classic mystery/suspense short stories by Dolores Hitchens
(December 25, 1907 - August 1, 1973) who was an American mystery novelist that wrote prolifically from 1938 until
her death. She also wrote as D. B. Olsen (a version of her first married name) and under the pseudonyms Dolan Birkley
and Noel Burke.
FOOTSTEPS IN THE NIGHT: The Southern California land had been in Dronk's family for years, but he sold most of
it to developers, and that's how Dellwood came to be. Once a few new houses went up, they flocked to buy... Miss
Silverter, the repressed spinster with a hidden passion. The brash, young Arthur family, including their stubborn old
grandfather. The Holdens, a curious couple who feed off each other's weaknesses. And the tightly-wound Bartletts, with
their beautiful young daughter, who immediately befriends Dronk's crippled teenage son. When she disappears one
evening, the Bartletts naturally assume that the son is involved. But Dellwood is so full of secrets that the son is only
one of Sheriff Ferguson's suspects. They're all guilty of something...
BEAT BACK THE TIDE: Glazer hires Francesca Warne as governess to his young son without realizing that she has a
history with his cliff house. Her husband Adam had been shot to death on the beach below, back before Glazer bought
it. Now she is asking Glazer to help her find out what really happened two years ago. So Glazer begins questioning the
people involved: lovely, sensuous Mary Shelton, who married one of the men who used to own his house; the sadistic
cop, Byronson, who still thinks Francesca was involved; pugnacious Conway, the other former owner, who knows more
than he is telling; and Tremaine, Adam's only friend. Glazer quickly learns that Adam Warne was a self-hating drunk
who had been despised by most of the town -- but who hated him enough to have killed him?
Critique: Another couple of 'time lost' suspense gems by an author who was a master of the genre, "Footsteps In The
Night / Beat Back The Tide" is especially and unreservedly recommended reading for all dedicated mystery buffs.
While certain to be an immediate and enduringly popular addition to community library Mystery/Suspense collections,
it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Footsteps In The Night / Beat Back The Tide" is also readily available
in a digital book format (Kindle, $4.99).
The Fantasy/SciFi Shelf
Destroyer of Worlds
Larry Correia
Baen Books
www.baen.com
9781982124847, $25.00
https://www.amazon.com/Destroyer-Worlds-Saga-Forgotten-Warrior/dp/1982124849
Destroyer of Worlds tells of Ashok Vadal, the military commander of a group of rebels and a turncoat who faces a new
plot to kill all the members of a caste. He faces down a former friend and Lord Protector who hunts him as a traitor, but
his rebels seek a secret kingdom rumored to be a paradise free of caste and political conflict. As battles, war, and grim
courage preside, a powerful story evolves that is packed with action and a format that will particular interest and engage
fans of military sci-fi and political clashes.
Straight Outta Deadwood
David Boop, editor
Baen Books
www.baen.com
9781982124885, $8.99
https://www.amazon.com/Straight-Outta-Deadwood-David-Boop/dp/148148432X
Straight Outta Deadwood: The Weird Wild West Rides Again gathers new stories by Mike Resnick, Jane Lindskold,
and others based on the 'weird West' theme begin in Straight Outta Tombstone, and will delight fans of Western sci-fi
settings who want a new collection of take-offs based on real Western events and themes. In this weird setting,
dilemmas of the past are revisited and twists on personalities, events, and history abound. Readers will find this
approach refreshingly original, thoroughly delightful, and spiced with creative embellishments by a host of seasoned
and new short story writers.
Curse of Honor
David Annandale
Aconyte Books
https://aconytebooks.com
9781839080173, $16.95, PB, 336pp
https://www.amazon.com/Curse-Honor-Legend-Rings-Novel/dp/1839080175
Synopsis: Striking Dawn Castle defends the mountains between the Rokugan empire and the demon-haunted
Shadowlands. When a mythical city is discovered in the forbidding peaks, Hida Haru, heir and sore disappointment to
his family, seizes the opportunity to prove himself. His rash expedition ends in disaster -- just one samurai returns alive,
and Haru is lost. Before a power struggle can break out, Striking Dawn's battle-hardened commander, Ochiba, is
dispatched to rescue Haru. She succeeds against supernatural horrors, but Haru has changed. Now, mysterious deaths
and ill fortune plague his family. Something evil is loose and must be stopped, at any cost.
Critique: Debuting author David Annadale's new fantasy action/adventure series 'Legend of the Five Rings', "Curse of
Honor" is a deftly crafted and inherently riveting read from first page to last. Clearly showcasing Annadale's genuine
flair for originality and the kind of narrative storytelling style that is as entertaining as it is compelling, "Curse of
Honor" will prove to be an immediate and enduringly popular addition to community library collections. It should be
noted for personal reading lists of all dedicated historical fantasy fans that "Curse of Honor" is also readily available in
a digital book format (Kindle, $9.95).
The Head of Mimir
Richard Lee Byers
Aconyte Books
https://aconytebooks.com
9781839080548, $16.95, PB, 352pp
https://www.amazon.com/Head-Mimir-Marvel-Legends-Asgard/dp/183908054X
Synopsis: It is a dark time for Asgard. The All-Father is trapped in a bewitched Odin sleep, inspiring an all-out assault
from the Frost Giants. They evade the gods' defenses with uncommon ease, as if guided by augury. Heimdall, a
quick-witted young warrior still finding his place amongst Asgard's defenders, believes it no coincidence that Odin lies
enchanted and that the Giants are so well-informed. Sneaking into Odin's inner chambers, he discovers that the severed
head of Mimir (a great source of wisdom) is missing. Accompanied by his sister, Lady Sif, Heimdall must quest across
the Nine Realms to retrieve it, lest mighty Asgard fall.
Critique: An absolute 'must' for the legions of Marvel Universe fans, "The Head of Mimir" debuts 'Legends of Asgard',
a new action/adventure fantasy series by Richard Lee Byers -- who is the author of over thirty-five fantasy and horror
novels, including a dozen set in the Forgotten Realms universe. With many an unexpected plot twist and turn, "The
Head of Mimir" is a wonderfully entertaining, impressively entertaining, and highly recommended addition to
community library Science Fiction & Fantasy collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "The Head of
Mimir" is available from Aconyte Books in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.95).
The Autobiography of Kathryn Janeway
Una McCormack, editor
Titan Books
https://titanbooks.com
9781789094794, $24.99, 224pp
https://www.amazon.com/Autobiography-Kathryn-Janeway-Una-Mccormack/dp/1789094798
Synopsis: In "The Autobiography of Kathryn Janeway", Captain Janeway of the U.S.S. Voyager reveals her career in
Starfleet, ranging from her first command to her epic journey through the Delta Quadrant, to her rise to the top as
vice-admiral in Starfleet Command. Her fans will discover the story of the woman who travelled further than any
human ever had before, stranded decades from home, encountering new worlds and species.
Her memoir explores how Captain Janeway brought together Starfleet and the Maquis as part of her crew, forged new
alliances with species across the galaxy and overcame one of Starfleet's greatest threats (the Borg) on their own remote
and hostile territory. Fans will get Captain Janeway's personal take on key characters such as Seven of Nine, her trusted
friend Tuvok, new arrivals like Neelix and her second-in-command, Chakotay.
Critique: "The Autobiography of Kathryn Janeway" by Una McCormack is a superbly written and novel contribution to
the every growing Star Trek universe and will be an immediately and enduringly welcome addition to community
library Science Fiction collections. An absolutely 'must read' for the legions of dedicated Star Trek fans, is should be
noted for personal reading lists that "The Autobiography of Kathryn Janeway" is also readily available in a paperback
edition (9781789095333, $15.95) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $12.99).
Editorial Note: Una McCormack is the author several Star Trek novels including: The Lotus Flower (part of The
Worlds of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine), Hollow Men, The Never-Ending Sacrifice, Brinkmanship, The Missing, The
Fall: The Crimson Shadow, and Enigma Tales, as well as the Doctor Who novels The King's Dragon, The Way
Through the Woods, and Royal Blood.
The Psychology Shelf
Emotional Neglect and the Adult in Therapy
Kathrin A. Stauffer
W. W. Norton & Company
500 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10110
www.wwnorton.com
9780393714418, $35.00, HC, 264pp
https://www.amazon.com/Emotional-Neglect-Adult-Therapy-Consequences/dp/0393714411
Synopsis: People who have experienced emotional neglect in the first months and years of life suffer negative
consequences into adulthood. As adult psychotherapy clients, they require long-term work and delicate emotional
attunement as well as a profound understanding of the experiences that have shaped their inner worlds. "Emotional
Neglect and the Adult in Therapy: Lifelong Consequences to a Lack of Early Attunement" by psychotherapist Kathrin
Stauffer provides therapists with an in-depth view of the subjective experience of such "ignored children" and a range
of possible theoretical models to help understand key features of their psychological functioning.
Stauffer presents the do's and don't's of psychotherapy with such clients. She draws on broad clinical experience to help
psychotherapeutic professionals deepen their understanding of "ignored children" and outlines available neurobiological
and psychological data to assist therapists in designing effective therapeutic interventions.
Critique: Enhanced for academia with the inclusion of an informative Introduction, twelve pages of Concluding
Remarks, a two page listing of Acknowledgments, a twelve page listing of References, and a fifteen page Index,
"Emotional Neglect and the Adult in Therapy: Lifelong Consequences to a Lack of Early Attunement" is impressively
well organized and presented, making it an ideal and unreservedly recommended addition to professional, college, and
university library Psychology/Psychotherapy collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists. It should be noted
for psychology students, academia, and professional counselors that "Emotional Neglect and the Adult in Therapy:
Lifelong Consequences to a Lack of Early Attunement" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle,
$16.05).
Editorial Note: Kathrin A. Stauffer, PHD, was born and educated in Switzerland. Originally a biochemist, she retrained
as a body psychotherapist and currently works in private practice in Cambridge and London as a body psychotherapist,
biodynamic massage therapist, trainer, and supervisor.
Recognizing and Treating Hoarding Disorder
Carol A. Mathews
W. W. Norton & Company
500 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10110
www.wwnorton.com
9780393713572, $35.00, HC, 304pp
https://www.amazon.com/Recognizing-Treating-Hoarding-Disorder-Much/dp/0393713571
Synopsis: Everybody has heard the statements "she's a pack rat" or "he's a hoarder," but how many of us really know
what that means? Pathological hoarding was first formally conceptualized as a syndrome separate from OCD in the
early 1990s, yet it wasn't until 2013 that hoarding received formal psychiatric diagnostic criteria in the DSM.
How can a mental health professional who sees clients in an office determine if hoarding is a factor in a client's life?
With the publication of "Recognizing and Treating Hoarding Disorder: How Much Is Too Much?", psychiatrist Carol
Mathews provides readers with the first-ever comprehensive clinical book on hoarding, covering every aspect of the
disorder. The topics covered include: epidemiology and impact; screening tools and clinical interview tools for
assessment; differential diagnosis and co-occurring disorders; when to suspect mild cognitive impairment and
dementia; hoarding behaviors in children; how to differentiate normal keeping of items from hoarding; animal
hoarding; the neurobiology of hoarding disorder; treatments, both psychopharmacological and otherwise; self-help
options; and the impact of hoarding on the family.
Critique: Anxiety Hoarders requiring treatment are those individuals who meet a diagnostic criteria of feeling anxiety or
discomfort about discarding possessions they do not need. This discomfort arises from an emotional attachment to
possessions and a strong belief that their possessions will be needed in the future. Possessions will take on a
sentimental value that outweighs their functional value. This is no different from someone without hoarding disorder;
the difference lies in the strength of this sentimental value and in how many items take on a sentimental value.
Discarding can feel like they are throwing away a part of themselves.
In severe cases, a house may become a fire hazard (due to blocked exits and stacked papers) or a health hazard (due to
vermin infestation, excreta and detritus from excessive pets, hoarded food and garbage or the risk of stacks of items
collapsing on the occupants and blocking exit routes). Hoarding affects more than just the person who has the strong
attachment to possessions, as other people living in the home and neighbours can be affected by the clutter. Individuals
with hoarding disorder have a quality of life as poor as those diagnosed with schizophrenia. The disorder increases
family strain, work impairment, and the risk of serious medical conditions.[Wikipedia]
Exceptionally well written, organized and presented, "Recognizing and Treating Hoarding Disorder: How Much Is Too
Much?" is a comprehensive and unreservedly recommended addition to community, college, and university library
Contemporary Psychology/Psychiatry collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists. It should be noted for
students, academia, counseling practitioners, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that
"Recognizing and Treating Hoarding Disorder: How Much Is Too Much?" is also readily available in a digital book
format (Kindle, $16.05).
Editorial Note: Carol Mathews, MD, is the Brooke Professor and the Vice Chair for Strategic Development in the
Department of Psychiatry at the University of Florida, as well as the Director of the Center for OCD, Anxiety, and
Related Disorders at U of F. She also serves on several advisory boards for non-profit organizations, including the
Tourette Association of America, the International OCD Foundation, and the MHASF Task Force on Hoarding and
Cluttering.
Embodied Healing
Jenn Turner, editor
North Atlantic Books
2526 Martin Luther King Jr. Way, Berkeley, CA 94704-2607
www.northatlanticbooks.com
9781623175344, $22.95, PB, 368pp
https://www.amazon.com/Embodied-Healing-Survivor-Facilitator-Trauma-Sensitive/dp/1623175348
Synopsis: Knowledgeably compiled and deftly edited by Jenn Turner, "Embodied Healing: Survivor and Facilitator
Voices from the Practice of Trauma-Sensitive Yoga" is a collection of erudite and informative essays which collectively
explores the applications of TCTSY (Trauma Center Trauma Sensitive Yoga) as a powerful evidence-based modality to
help clients heal in the aftermath of trauma. Written by a range of contributors including yoga facilitators, survivors,
and therapists, the first-hand accounts in "Healing with Trauma-Sensitive Yoga" examine real-life situations and
provide guidance on how to act, react, and respond to trauma on the mat. Each individual essay centers the voices,
wisdom, and experiences of survivors and practitioners who work directly with trauma-sensitive embodiment
therapies.
From navigating issues of touch and consent to avoiding triggers, practitioners and readers will learn how to support
survivors of trauma as they reintegrate their bodies and reclaim their lives. Organized into sections based on principles
of trauma-sensitive yoga (experiencing the present moment, making choices, taking effective action, and creating
rhythms) the essays will prove invaluable for yoga teachers, therapists, survivors, and mental health professionals and
trauma healers.
Critique: Exceptionally well organized and presented, "Embodied Healing: Survivor and Facilitator Voices from the
Practice of Trauma-Sensitive Yoga" is a seminal body of work that is especially and unreservedly recommended for
community, college, and university library Neuropsychology, Psychopathology, and Post-traumatic Stress Disorder
collections and supplemental curriculum reading lists. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of students,
academia, and practitioners that "Embodied Healing" is also readily available in a digital book format (eTextbook,
$16.99).
Editorial Note: Jennifer Turner has been working in the field of trauma and yoga for over 15 years. She is a co-founder
of the Center for Trauma and Embodiment at Justice Resource Institute (JRI) where she currently serves as Director of
Training. In her role, she leads a global network of leaders in the field of embodiment and trauma. She leads trainings to
other mental healthcare providers and embodiment practitioners throughout the US. Turner also has a private
psychotherapy practice in Boston where she works to support survivors of trauma to reclaim and reintegrate their lives
and bodies in the aftermath of trauma.
The Gaming Shelf
Barbara's Bridge Tips
Barbara Seagram
Master Point Press
www.masterpointpress.com
9781771400619, $19.95, PB, 192pp
https://www.amazon.com/Barbaras-Bridge-Tips-Barbara-Seagram/dp/1771400617
Synopsis: Residing in Toronto, Canada, Barbara Seagram travels around the world teaching bridge. She is the author or
co-author of dozens of well-known books, the most popular being 25 Bridge Conventions You Should Know (written
with Marc Smith).
Whether you have been playing bridge for a while or you re not very experienced, "Barbara's Bridge Tips" will help
dedicated players to move their game up to the next level. The tips cover all aspects of bridge including bidding, play
and defense. Advice and examples are drawn from material Barbara Seagram has developed for her students over the
last twenty years -- it's the next best thing to having a personal bridge coach sitting beside you as you improve your
game!
Critique: Drawing upon her years of experience and expertise, Barbara Seagram's thoroughly 'user friendly' instructional
guide, "Barbara's Bridge Tips" will prove to be an immediate and enduringly popular addition to personal, professional,
community, and academic library Bridge gaming collections.
The Biography Shelf
Custer
Ted Behncke & Gary Bloomfield
Casemate Publishers
1940 Lawrence Road, Havertown, PA 19083
www.casematepublishers.com
9781612008899, $34.95, HC, 264pp
https://www.amazon.com/Custer-General-Battle-Little-Bighorn/dp/1612008895
Synopsis: The collaborative project of authors and historians Ted Behncke and Gary Bloomfield, "Custer: From the
Civil War's Boy General to the Battle of the Little Bighorn" introduces a little-known side of George Armstrong Custer
-- a deeply personal side.
Custer grew up in an expanding young country and his early influences mirrored the times. Two aspects of this era
dominate most works about him: the Civil War, and the war with the Indians, culminating in his death at the Battle of
the Little Bighorn. When mentioned, if at all, his early life and years as a cadet at West Point are brief, and then only
enough to set some background for discussion of the mystery of the Little Bighorn. This is the first Custer biography to
focus on these lesser-known parts of his life in great detail.
The approach uses all of Custer's known writings: letters; magazine articles; his book, My Life on the Plains; and his
unfinished memoirs of the Civil War; along with materials and books by his wife, Elizabeth Custer; and reflections of
others who knew him well.
The five chapters are Early Life (growing up and as a West Point cadet), The Civil War, The Indian Fighter, The Little
Bighorn, and Conclusion. The theme of the book is not so much new historical information but the depth of his
character development and lesser-known influences of his life. Custer draws together these elements in a succinct and
accessible read.
"Custer: From the Civil War's Boy General to the Battle of the Little Bighorn" also includes illustrations (primarily
from Harper's Weekly) and photos, such as Matthew Brady's Civil War collection, to accompany the text.
Critique: Exceptional in comprehensiveness and presentation, "Custer: From the Civil War's Boy General to the Battle
of the Little Bighorn" is enhanced for academia with the inclusion of a six page Bibliography and a six page Index.
While an invaluable and enduringly appreciated addition to community, college, and university library 20th Century
American Biography & U.S. History collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Custer: From the
Civil War's Boy General to the Battle of the Little Bighorn" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle,
$17.99).
Editorial Note: Ted Behncke is a retired U.S. Army Lieutenant Colonel having served 30 years in varied command and
staff positions across the globe. While serving in the Army, he commanded an infantry rifle company in the 17th
Infantry Regiment -- the same regiment that had two companies in the Little Bighorn Campaign. He was a training
instructor and has a thorough knowledge of cavalry tactics and campaigns, including those from the Civil War and the
Indian Wars. Stationed at both historic Fort Riley and Fort Leavenworth, Kansas he gained hands-on knowledge of the
Custer residences, the weapons and accouterments used by cavalry soldiers in the 1800s and retraced the routes of the
7th Cavalry campaign against the Plains Indians. This included leading fellow Army officers and NCOS to the Little
Bighorn battlefield and discussing the movements of both opposing forces. He has written numerous military papers
and book reviews, including the prestigious Military Review, the Professional Journal of the U.S. Army.
Gary Bloomfield is a former Army Journalist of the Year, and managing editor for VFW magazine. He was the senior
editor for the two-volume illustrated series on WWII titled Faces of Victory. He wrote Duty, Honor, Victory: America's
Athletes in WWII followed by Duty, Honor, Applause: America's Entertainers in WWII which he co-wrote. His other
books include Maxims of General Patton, the citizenship study guide, I Will be an American Someday Soon, illustrated
bios on George Patton and Mark Twain (the latter co-written). He completed The Devil's Playground, about the Korean
DMZ, in the Summer of 2019, and The One, a compilation of stories from military doctors and nurses, published in the
Spring of 2020.
Polly Bemis
Priscilla Wegars
Caxton Press
312 Main Street, Caldwell, ID 83605-3299
www.caxtonpress.com
9780870046407, $29.95, PB, 530pp
https://www.amazon.com/Polly-Bemis-Chinese-American-Pioneer/dp/0870046403
Synopsis: Polly Bemis (September 11, 1853 - November 6, 1933), the mistakenly named Lalu Nathoy of books and
film, was forcibly brought to the United States, and to Idaho Territory, in 1872 when she was just eighteen. In 1894 she
married a Euroamerican man, Charlie Bemis, and they moved to a mining claim on the remote Salmon River; Charlie
died in 1922 and Polly died in 1933. Since her death, Polly Bemis' life has been greatly romanticized. Supposedly, she
was a prostitute, Hong King was her Chinese owner, and Charlie Bemis won her in a poker game. Not one of these
statements is true. Polly's life was genuinely fascinating, and it is time to both celebrate the known facts about her and
allow the stereotypical, undocumented legends to die out.
Imagine a child with feet permanently deformed by a cultural fetish, raised in destitution; a teenager discarded by her
parents, sold to a slaver, pressed into a trans-ocean voyage to a country and language entirely foreign, enduring a
horseback journey for hundreds of miles through a wilderness to an isolated mining camp, consigned a new name,
never to see or communicate with friends or family again, yet somehow still composing a vigorous life that endeared
her to all.
"Polly Bemis: The Life and Times of a Chinese American Pioneer" is her true story as definitively and meticulously
captured by astute historian Dr. Priscilla Wegars. More than that, it is the story of an era on a river where people
sustained each other with shared work and food, words and kind considerations.
Critique: Enhanced for the reader and for academia with the inclusion of black/white illustrations, an appendix, 118
pages of endnotes, a 20 page listing of cited references, and a 26 page Index, "Polly Bemis: The Life and Times of a
Chinese American Pioneer" is an impressively informative and meticulously researched biography that is especially and
unreservedly recommended for personal reading lists, as well as community, college, and university library American
Biography collections and Women's Studies supplemental curriculum reading lists.
Editorial Note: Priscilla Wegars is an Affiliate Assistant Professor and Volunteer Curator, Asian American
Comparative Collection for the University of Idaho. Her professional areas of academic interest include historical
Archaeology of Asian-Americans in the West, specifically Chinese-American and Japanese-American sites, artifacts
and history; Chinese women, specifically Polly Bemis; 19th and 20th Century American material culture.
Harry Dean Stanton: Hollywood's Zen Rebel
Joseph B. Atkins
The University Press of Kentucky
663 South Limestone Street, Lexington, KY 40508-4008
www.kentuckypress.com
9780813180106, $34.95, HC, 256pp
https://www.amazon.com/Harry-Dean-Stanton-Hollywoods-Classics/dp/0813180104
Synopsis: The late Harry Dean Stanton (1926 - 2017) got his start in Hollywood in TV productions such as Zane Grey
Theater and Gunsmoke. After a series of minor parts in forgettable westerns, he gradually began to get film roles that
showcased his laid-back acting style, appearing in Cool Hand Luke (1967), Kelly's Heroes (1970), The Godfather: Part
II (1974), and Alien (1979). He became a headliner in the eighties starring in Wim Wenders's moving Paris, Texas
(1984) and Alex Cox's Repo Man (1984), but it was his extraordinary skill as a character actor that established him as a
revered cult figure and kept him in demand throughout his career.
In "Harry Dean Stanton: Hollywood's Zen Rebel", author and biographer Joseph B. Atkins unwinds Stanton's enigmatic
persona in the first biography of the man Vanity Fair memorialized as "the philosopher poet of character acting".
"Harry Dean Stanton: Hollywood's Zen Rebel" sheds light on Stanton's early life in West Irvine, Kentucky, explores his
difficult relationship with his Baptist parents, his service in the Navy, and the events that inspired him to drop out of
college and pursue acting. Also chronicled are Stanton's early years in California, describing how he honed his craft at
the renowned Pasadena Playhouse before breaking into television and movies.
In addition to examining the actor's acclaimed body of work, "Harry Dean Stanton: Hollywood's Zen Rebel" also
explores Harry Dean Stanton as a Hollywood legend, following his years rooming with Jack Nicholson, partying with
David Crosby and Mama Cass, jogging with Bob Dylan, and playing poker with John Huston. "HD Stanton" was
scratched onto the wall of a jail cell in Easy Rider (1969) and painted on an exterior concrete wall in Drive, He Said
(1971). Critic Roger Ebert so admired the actor that he suggested the "Stanton-Walsh Rule," which states that "no
movie featuring either Harry Dean Stanton or M. Emmet Walsh in a supporting role can be altogether bad."
Critique: An impressive work of meticulous, definitive, and seminal research, "Harry Dean Stanton: Hollywood's Zen
Rebel" is deftly written, extraordinarily informative, and thoroughly 'reader friendly' in organization and presentation.
While especially and unreservedly recommended for community, college, and university library American Biography
and American Film History collections, it should be noted for the personal reading lists of the legions of Harry Dan
Stanton fans that this simply outstanding biography is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle,
$26.49).
Widowish: A Memoir
Melissa Gould
Little A
https://widowish.com
9781542018784, $24.95, HC, 220pp
https://www.amazon.com/Widowish-Memoir-Melissa-Gould/dp/1542018781
Synopsis: When Melissa Gould's husband, Joel, was unexpectedly hospitalized, she could not imagine how her life was
about to change. Overwhelmed with uncertainty as Joel's condition tragically worsened, she offered him the only thing
she could: her love and devotion. Her dedication didn't end with his death.
Left to resume life without her beloved husband and raise their young daughter on her own, Melissa soon realized that
her and Joel's love lived on. Melissa found she didn't fit the typical mold of widowhood or meet the expectations of
mourning. She didn't look like a widow or act like a widow, but she felt like one. Melissa was widowish.
Melissa's personal journey through grief and beyond includes unlikely inspiration from an evangelical preacher, the
calming presence of some Real Housewives, and the unexpected attention of a charming musician.
A modern take on loss, "Widowish: A Memoir" illuminates the twists of fate that break our world, the determination
that keeps us moving forward, and the surprises in life we never see coming.
Critique: An impressively eloquent, deftly written, exceptionally candid personal story of love and loss and adaptation,
"Widowish: A Memoir" and a truly memorable read from cover to cover. While especially recommended for
community library Contemporary American Biography collections, and unreservedly commended to the attention of
anyone who has suffered the loss of a loved one in this age of pandemic, it should be noted for personal reading lists
that "Widowish: A Memoir" is also readily available in a paperback edition (9781542018760, $14.95), in a digital book
format (Kindle, $4.99), and as a complete and unabridged audio book (Brilliance Audio, 9781713542643, $24.99,
MP3-CD).
Editorial Note: Melissa Gould's essays have appeared in the New York Times, the Los Angeles Times, the Washington
Post, Huffington Post, Buzzfeed, and more. She's an award-winning screenwriter whose credits include Bill Nye, the
Science Guy; Party of Five; Beverly Hills, 90210; and Lizzie McGuire. Interested readers can find out more about
Melissa at her website: https://widowish.com
The Martial Arts Shelf
Tai Chi Push Hands: The Martial Foundation of Tai Chi Chuan
David W. Grantham, author
Dr. Yang Jwing-Ming, author
YMAA Publications
PO Box 480, Wolfeboro, NH 03894-0480
www.ymaa.com
9781594396458, $29.95, PB, 320pp
https://www.amazon.com/Tai-Chi-Push-Hands-Foundation/dp/1594396450
Synopsis: Tai chi is an internal Chinese martial art practiced for defense training, health benefits, and meditation.
Tai chi push hands practice is a necessary next step for tai chi practitioners who wish to make their art come alive. Push
hands practice requires two people to engage in a variety of "light touch" moving and walking routines. By practicing
these movements, practitioners begin to develop tai chi's sensing, listening, and yielding skills. Combined, these skills
are the first step for developing your tai chi as a martial art.
The Dao De Jing classic reminds us that knowing others (an opponent) is important for knowing ourselves. By develop
tai chi push hand skills, one begins to obtain a profound sense of feeling of your own body and mind. This ability aids
greatly in regulating and controlling body, balance, health, perseverance, compassion, and overall spirit.
It is no mistake that tai chi offers a lifetime of continued learning and progress; the goal is a deep understanding of
yourself and your role in nature.
Critique: With profusely illustrated instructions throughout, "Tai Chi Push Hands: The Martial Foundation of Tai Chi
Chuan" is an ideal DIY instruction manual and guide for novice Tai Chi enthusiasts and experienced practitioners alike.
While very highly recommended, especially for martial arts studio, community, college and university library Martial
Arts instructional reference collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Tai Chi Push Hands: The
Martial Foundation of Tai Chi Chuan" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $11.59).
The Cookbook Shelf
The Tahini Table
Amy Zitelman
Agate Surrey
c/o Agate Publishing
1328 Greenleaf Street, Evanston, IL 60202
www.agatepublishing.com
9781572842892, $29.00, HC, 248pp
https://www.amazon.com/Tahini-Table-Beyond-Hummus-Recipes/dp/157284289X
Synopsis: Tahini is a condiment made from toasted ground hulled sesame. It is served by itself (as a dip) or as a major
ingredient in hummus, baba ghanoush, and halva. Tahini is used in the cuisines of the Levant and Eastern
Mediterranean, the South Caucasus, as well as parts of North Africa. Sesame paste (though not called tahini) is also
used in some East Asian cuisines.
Most people who know about tahini understand the sesame paste as simply one of the building blocks of hummus. But
for Amy Zitelman (CEO and cofounder of woman-owned Soom Foods -- the leading purveyor of tahini and tahini
products in the American market) the culinary potential of tahini goes far beyond hummus. In her cookbook
compendium "The Tahini Table: Go Beyond Hummus with 100 Recipes for Every Meal", tahini is introduced to home
cooks as a new pantry staple that can be used in recipes from dips to desserts.
Tahini, made from pressed roasted sesame seeds, is a healthy, vegan, dairy-free, gluten-free, and low-sugar superfood
rich in Omega fatty acids, protein, and calcium. Although tahini's historical roots are in the Middle East, Zitelman aims
to stretch the culinary borders of tahini outside of traditional Middle-Eastern fare. "The Tahini Table" beautifully
showcases 100 recipes that showcase tahini's wide range of uses. This "cult condiment" is mild enough to step in as an
inspiring replacement for the eggs, cheese, mayo, and cream called for in recipes that American home cooks are making
for their families every day. "The Tahini Table" also provides tahini hacks for reimagined American classics, including
vegan "queso," eggless mayonnaise, and gluten-free brownies.
From Vegan Mac and "Cheese" and Tahini Chicken Schnitzel, to Chocolate Halvah French Toast and Tahini Flan,
Zitelman writes with the home cook in mind, incorporating tahini into everyday cooking in delicious and unexpected
ways. With beautiful color photos, contributions from top restaurant chefs, and easy substitutions for a variety of diets,
"The Tahini Table" proves that tahini is the next must-have pantry staple for home cooks everywhere.
Critique: Beautifully and profusely illustrated throughout, "The Tahini Table: Go Beyond Hummus with 100 Recipes
for Every Meal" is a very special and unreservedly recommended addition to personal, professional, and community
library Middle Eastern Cuisine cookbook collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "The Tahini
Table: Go Beyond Hummus with 100 Recipes for Every Meal" is also readily available in a digital book format
(Kindle, $24.70).
The Automotive Shelf
Don "The Snake" Prudhomme: My Life Beyond the 1320
Don Rudhomme & Elana Scherr
CarTech Inc.
838 Lake Street South, Forest Lake, MN 55025
www.cartechbooks.com
9781613255186, $42.95, HC, 192pp
https://www.amazon.com/Don-Snake-Prudhomme-Life-Beyond/dp/1613255187
Synopsis: "Don "The Snake" Prudhomme: My Life Beyond the 1320" reveals for the first time ever an incredible life
and career on and off of the drag strip.
This profusely illustrated memoir is the next best thing to spending a year with Don "The Snake" Prudhomme, having
coffee together and talking about his life, his racing, his friends, and his family. There is the story of how he rose from
being a high school drop-out who was painting cars to a respected Top Fuel dragster driver and successful businessman.
There's the story of how he toured the country with Tommy Ivo and "The Hawaiian" Roland Leong, racing all the
legends from "Big Daddy" Don Garlits to "The Golden Greek" [Chris] Karamesines.
Then there's how he met Tom McEwen and recall how they became the Snake and the Mongoose, leading to a career in
Funny Cars that netted him four championships in a row. The thrill of first wins and owning his own teams but also the
struggles of bad seasons, crashes and fires, broken parts, and broken contracts. There are also fascinating stories about
the people in his life, such as engine-builder Keith Black and NHRA president Wally Parks, and those who were killed
in the wild and unpredictable sport of nitro racing.
"Don "The Snake" Prudhomme: My Life Beyond the 1320" isn't only about racing, but includes the sharing of lessons
learned about business and life from such varied sources as a neighbor in Granada Hills to Ford GT40 driver Dan
Gurney. Plus observations about the importance of family: how his wife, Lynn, and daughter, Donna, changed his world
and how finding out about his African-American roots opened his eyes to a culture and inheritance he'd always
wanted.
Critique: Exceptionally well written, profusely illustrated throughout, and thoroughly 'reader friendly' in organization
and presentation, "Don "The Snake" Prudhomme: My Life Beyond the 1320" is a 'must' for the legions of Prudhomme
fans and certain to be a welcome addition to community library automotive racing history and memoir collections.
Porsche 911
Lance Cole
Pen & Sword Books
c/o Casemate (distribution)
www.casematepublishers.com
https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk
9781526756800, $28.95, PB, 64pp
https://www.amazon.com/Porsche-911-CarCraft-Lance-Cole/dp/1526756803
Synopsis: The aim of the Pen & Sword Books innovative CarCraft series is to provide model makers and car
enthusiasts with a new standard of primarily visual reference of both full-size cars and their scale models. The newest
addition to this outstanding series, "Porsche 911" by Lance Cole contains detailed technical information imparted
through drawings and photographs while the meticulously researched full-color profiles provides a complete reference
for paint schemes and markings. Also featured is a summary of its design history and operational career.
Recognized as one of the most important sports cars in the history of the automobile, Porsche's 911 represents a vital
story in the annals of the design and driving of the motor car. Profuselly and beautifully illustrated in full color
throughout, "Proche 911" delivers an innovative format to the car enthusiast by covering the engineering, design, and
modeling of Porsche's 911 series.
A true icon, 911 is the designer legend - and a driving tool par excellence: the 911 stemmed from the Porsche 356 yet
created a new era and a new international definition of style amid a global motor sport record of success across race and
rally events
Here in CarCraft title Number Two, experienced automotive writer, industrial designer and Porsche enthusiast Lance
Cole pays tribute to the car in a detailed yet engaging commentary. New photography, the design story, and full
coverage of the modeling options in synthetic materials and die cast metals, create a narrative of vital interest.
Critique: An inherently fascinating and impressively informative tour-de-force with respect to the legendary car, "Porch
911" by Lance Cole is a truly extraordinary and unreservedly recommended addition to personal, professional, and
community library Automotive Studies collections in general, and the personal reading lists of all dedicated Porch 911
fans in particular.
Editorial Note: Lance Cole has been an automotive and aviation writer for over 25 years and is internationally
published and syndicated. A former Sir William Lyons Scholar, and national press columnist, Lance is the author of
over a dozen books and is also a trained designer, photographer and illustrator.
The Computer Shelf
Learn to Program with App Inventor
Lyra Blizzard Logan
No Starch Press
245 - 8th Street, San Francisco, CO 94103-3910
www.nostarch.com
9781593279684, $24.95, PB, 200pp
https://www.amazon.com/Learn-Program-Inventor-Lyra-Logan/dp/159327968X
Synopsis: You've swiped and tapped your way through countless apps, but have you ever created one? Now you can,
thanks to Learn to Program with App Inventor. The promise of Lyra Blizzard Logan is that with her instructional guide
"Learn To Program With App Inventor" that in less than an hour, you'll be able to build and run your first app!
"App Inventor" is a free software for making Android apps. All you need is a PC with an Internet connection to build
your app, and a mobile phone for testing. You'll use a simple drag-and-drop interface, which minimizes errors and
avoids too much typing.
As a certified App Inventor Master Trainer, in "Learn To Program With App Inventor" Logan breaks down each project
into logical steps, lists the components you'll need, and then shows you how to create screen designs, control program
flow with conditionals and loops, and store data in variables and lists. Once you've tested the app on your phone, you
can test what you learned with challenges at the end of each chapter.
With "Learn To Program With App Inventor" you will be able to build cool apps like: Hi, World!: Use your voice to
send a text message; Practice Makes Perfect: Rehearse a speech or dance routine with this video recording app; Fruit
Loot: Catch randomly failing fruit in this exciting game; Beat the Bus: Track a friend's journey using location services
and maps; Virtual Shades: Take a selfie, then try on some virtual sunglasses.
With "Learn To Program With App Inventor" even the most novice of computer users will be able to join the 6 million
people who have tried App Inventor, and make the journey from app user to app inventor.
Critique: The perfect DIY instruction manual and guide for creating apps, "Learn To Program With App Inventory" is
an ideal and unreservedly recommended addition to personal, professional, community, highschool, college, and
university library Computer Science & Technology collections. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of
students and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "Learn To Program With App Inventory"
is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $14.99).
Editorial Note: Lyra Blizzard Logan is a certified Perl, JavaScript and Database Design Specialist and Web
Development Professional, who develops web applications using PHP and MySQL. She is an MIT Master Trainer in
Educational Mobile Computing (App Inventor) and holds graduate certificates in Instructional Technology: Web
Design and in Online Teaching and Learning. She earned her BA from Fisk University and JD from Harvard. Currently,
Logan is Executive Vice President & General Counsel of the Florida Education Fund (FEF), a non-profit that creates
and implements educational programs for underrepresented groups. In addition, Logan directs FEF's pre-college
programs, which include after-school and summer coding camps for middle and high school students in Florida.
Data Structures and Program Design Using Python
D. Malhotra & N. Malhotra
Mercury Learning
c/o Stylus Publishing, Inc.
22883 Quicksilver Drive, Sterling, VA 20166-2012
www.styluspub.com
9781683926399, $79.95, PB, 376pp
https://www.amazon.com/Structures-Program-Design-Using-Python/dp/1683926390
Synopsis: Data structures provide a means to managing huge amounts of information such as large databases, using
SEO effectively, and creating Internet/Web indexing services. "Data Structures and Program Design Using Python: A
Self-Teaching Introduction" is specifically designed to present fundamentals of data structures for beginners using the
Python programming language in a friendly, self-teaching, format. Practical analogies using real world applications are
integrated throughout the text to explain technical concepts.
"Data Structures and Program Design Using Python: A Self-Teaching Introduction" also includes a variety of
end-of-chapter practice exercises, e.g., programming, theoretical, and multiple-choice. It's features include: Covering
data structure fundamentals using Python; Numerous tips, analogies, and practical applications enhance understanding
of subjects under discussion; "Frequently Asked Questions" integrated throughout the text clarify and explain concepts;
A variety of end-of-chapter exercises, e.g., programming, theoretical, and multiple choice.
Critique: Recommended as a classroom textbook or as a DIY instructional guide and manual, "Data Structures and
Program Design Using Python: A Self-Teaching Introduction" is exceptionally well written, organized and presented.
While highly recommended for community, college, and university library Computer Programming instructional guides
and manuals, it should be noted for the personal reading lists of Python users that "Data Structures and Program Design
Using Python: A Self-Teaching Introduction" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $59.95).
Editorial Note: D. Malhotra, PhD is a professor in information technology and has published numerous research articles
with international publishers such as ACM, Springer, Elsevier, and IEEE. N. Malhotra, PhD is a professor of computer
applications including data structures, big data analytics, business intelligence, and distributed programming. She has
research publications with numerous international publishers such as Emerald, Taylor and Francis, and Springer.
The Photography Shelf
Memories of Jewish Poland
NachumTim Gidal, photographer
Yosef Wosk, curator
Diane Evans, coordinator
Gefen Publishing House
c/o Storch
255 Central Ave #B-206, Lawrence, NY 11559
www.gefenpublishing.com
9789652295972, $19.95, HC, 118pp
https://www.amazon.com/Shtetle-Poland-Photo-Essay-Nahum/dp/9652295973
Synopsis: In 1932, the budding twenty-three-year-old photographer Nachum Gidalewitsch (who would later become
known as the celebrated Israeli photographer Tim Gidal) set out from his hometown of Munich, Germany, to visit
relatives and photograph what were to him the exotic locals in Jewish Poland. The extraordinary photographic record of
that visit is here presented for the first time in book form, in a poignant testimony and remembrance of a community
that had no way to know it was in its last years.
Gidal, who emigrated to British Mandate Palestine in 1936, was one of a select group of photographers who took
advantage of new technology specifically the lightweight and portable nature of the Leica camera to found the
pioneering field of photojournalism. He would go on to document World War II as a photo reporter and later to become
a noted objective photographer.
In these photographs that comprise "Memories of Jewish Poland. The 1932 Photographs of Nahum Tim Gidal" and
taken early in his remarkable career, Gidal captures the poignant ordinariness of a thriving community just before its
annihilation. These straightforward, honest, and intimate portraits embody the mission the photographer himself once
described as capturing variations on the everlasting tragicomedy of human life.
Critique: An inherently fascinating volume to simply browse through one careful page at a time, "Memories of Jewish
Poland. The 1932 Photographs of Nahum Tim Gidal" is especially and unreservedly recommended for personal,
professional, community, college, and university library Photography collection. Proving to be of immense interest and
value for students of 20th Century European Judaism, it should be noted that "Memories of Jewish Poland. The 1932
Photographs of Nahum Tim Gidal" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $4.69).
Richard S. Buswell: Fifty Years of Photography
Richard S. Buswell
University of New Mexico Press
MSC05 3185, 1 University of New Mexico, Albuquerque NM 87131-0001
www.unmpress.com
9780826361790, $29.95, HC, 112pp
https://www.amazon.com/Richard-S-Buswell-Fifty-Photography/dp/082636179X
Synopsis: Richard S. Buswell has been photographing Montana's ghost towns and homesteads for five decades. The
photographs comprising "Richard S. Buswell: Fifty Years of Photography" fully illustrate the range and variety of his
work from his earliest days to his most recent projects.
Beautifully crafted, sometimes unnerving, and always thought-provoking, Buswell's photographs showcase his love for
Montana and the American West. From panoramic sweeps of abandoned buildings to tightly framed depictions of
natural and man-made objects, "Richard S. Buswell: Fifty Years of Photography" celebrates wide-open skies and a
landscape that moves forward in time even when places and objects are forgotten. This stunning collection features
seventy-two duotone photographs, a reflective essay by Buswell, and a foreword by Barbara Koostra (who is the former
director of the Montana Museum of Art and Culture).
Critique: A striking, thought-provoking, and photography-as-art volume is an entertaining and memorable collection
that will prove to be of immense interest to all dedicated photographers, especially those working in a black-and-white
medium. A visual tour-de-force, "Richard S. Buswell: Fifty Years of Photography" is an especially and unreservedly
recommended addition to personal, professional, community, college, and university library Contemporary American
Photography collections.
Editorial Note: Richard S. Buswell's photographs are in more than two hundred museum collections and have been
published in five previous books, including What They Left Behind: Photographs and Close to Home: Photographs
(both from UNM Press). His complete oeuvre is housed within Yale University's Collection of Western
Americana.
The Needlecraft Shelf
Weekend Makes: Punch Needle
Sara Moore
GMC Publications
c/o The GMC Group
www.gmcbooks.com
9781784945893, $22.95, PB, 144pp
https://www.amazon.com/Weekend-Makes-Needle-Sarah-Moore/dp/1784945897
Synopsis: Punch Needle is one of the hottest trends in needlecraft right now. It's fun and its fast! With 25 quick and
easy punch needle designs, "Weekend Makes: Punch Needle" by experienced needlecrafter Sara Moore is great way to
learn the craft or challenge yourself with a new design idea. "Weekend Makes: Punch Needle" introduces you to the
basics of the craft, including the materials you need, marking your fabric, and the basic stitches and techniques. There
are also tips for successful stitching, guiding you through the process of making some stunning projects in very little
time.
Critique: Thoroughly 'user friendly' in organization and presentation, "Weekend Makes: Punch Needle" is an ideal and
practical introduction to Punch Needle work and will prove to be an immediately appreciated and enduringly valued
addition to personal, professional, and community library illustrated needlecraft instructional reference collections.
Editorial Note: Sara Moore is a modern punch needle artist, teacher, and the owner of Whole Punching, a needle
punching on-line shop. Based in Bristol, United Kingdom, Sara has been teaching the craft since 2018 throughout the
South West. Sara is passionate about encouraging others to engage in the craft through teaching in person and with her
online presence. Aspiring and practicing needlecrafters can access more of her work and instructive commentary at
https://www.wholepunching.co.uk/blogs/news, or follow her on Instagram @wholepunching.
Punch Needle Embroidery for Beginners
Luch Davidson
Search Press Ltd.
www.searchpressusa.com
9781782218647, $17.95, PB, 80pp
https://www.amazon.com/Punch-Needle-Embroidery-Beginners-Davidson/dp/1782218645
Synopsis: Punch needle embroidery is a simple technique that involves nothing more than a punch needle - like a
normal sewing needle, but with a handle and an aperture at the tip. It can be used on any fabric using either yarn or
thread, and creates a textured, raised finish that's soft to the touch and beautiful to look at.
The easy-to-learn technique and repetitive action makes punch needlework the perfect, mindful pursuit, and projects
from wall hangings and cushions to children's toys, bags and purses can be worked up quickly and easily with minimal
effort.
In "Punch Needle Embroidery for Beginners", expert and experienced needlcrafter Lucy Davidson's imaginative designs
are stunning, and will appeal to anyone with an eye for clean, modern design. All the techniques you need are described
at the start of this instructive 'how to' manual and guide, with information on how to hold the needle, how to start and
finish a thread and how to achieve a variety of interesting textures and colour combinations. There are then 12 projects
to try, all accompanied by charts, written instructions and beautiful photographs of the finished pieces.
Critique: Profusely and beautifully illustrated throughout, the easy step-by-step instructions comprising "Punch Needle
Embroidery for Beginners" will enable even the most novice of needlecrafters to swiftly can expertise in the use of the
punch needle for even the most sophisticated of embroidery projects -- making it an ideal and unreservedly
recommended addition to personal, professional, and community library needle crafting collections.
Editorial Note: Lucy Davidson is a freelance graphic designer who teaches punch needle, weaving and macrame in
workshops across the UK and in Europe. She also runs her own craft and lifestyle blog, Peas & Needles, which has led
to her writing tutorials for numerous craft and interiors magazines - from Mollie Makes and 91 Magazine to Elle
Decoration and KOEL. Lucy was featured on Kirstie's Handmade Christmas 2018, teaching Kirstie how to create
natural dyes, and in 2018 published 40 Knots and How to Tie Them (Pavilion).
Love to Sew
Various Authors
Search Press Ltd.
www.searchpressusa.com
9781782217923, $16.95, PB, 208pp
https://www.amazon.com/Love-Sew-stunning-accessories-make/dp/1782217924
Synopsis: Packed from cover to cover with 60 gorgeous projects from the Search Press Love to Sew series, this
specifically designed instructional guide and manual by expert needle crafters will give the aspiring needle crafter all
the inspiration they will need to get creative in creating wonderful items for home, friends, and family.
Aspiring needle crafters can choose from a roster of practical items such as coasters, a wall tidy, a door stop and a tablet
case, to beautiful, decorative pillows, cosy, warm quilts and practical, stylish bags.
Each individual project is clearly explained step by step, with supporting photographs and illustrations. "Love to Sew"
also contains all the templates needed, along with a handy techniques section at the start to make sure you have all the
information you need to get going.
Editorial Note: The talented designers who comprise this specific Search Press Studio project, "Love to Sew" are:
Saskia Abel, Debbie von Grabler-Crozier, Cecelia Hanselann, Alistair Macdonald, Christa Rolf, Rachael Rowe, Debbie
Shore, and Claudia Schmidt. These author designers have selected a best of series of projects for this wonderfully
practical and creative compilation.
Lace Reimagined
Elizabeth Healey
www.elizabethsquarters.blogspot.co.uk
Search Press Ltd.
www.searchpressusa.com
9781782217428, $19.95, PB, 128pp
https://www.amazon.com/Lace-Reimagined-Inspiring-Projects-Creatively/dp/1782217428
Synopsis: Typically associated with frilly hankies and flouncy collars that are time-consuming to make and invariably
white, the 30 projects comprising "Lace Reimagined: 30 Inspiring Projects for Making and Using Lace Creatively" by
Elizabeth Healey span the color spectrum and range from those that can be made in an afternoon to those that are more
involved.
This original and exciting guide to lace making is a visual feast of inspiring step-by-step projects and galleries; it
includes in-depth features and fascinating asides relating to the history of lace; it will encourage you to experiment,
inspire you with handy tips, and provide sources for further inspiration.
Projects include using needle lace, needle weaving and drawn-thread work on fabric, paper, and in conjunction with
found items. Some projects feature techniques such as using self-hardening clay and papier mache; some feature
ready-made lace, either entirely, or as something that can be added to.
Critique: Beautifully, profusely, and effectively illustrated throughout, "Lace Reimagined: 30 Inspiring Projects for
Making and Using Lace Creatively" is an extraordinary and thoroughly 'user friendly' instructional guide for novice
beginners and holds great and enduring value for even the more experienced lace maker and needle crafter. While very
highly recommended for personal, professional, and community needlecraft collections, it should be noted for personal
reading and reference lists that "Lace Reimagined: 30 Inspiring Projects for Making and Using Lace Creatively" is also
readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $18.95).
Editorial Note: Elizabeth Healey originally trained as a graphic designer at the London College of Printing, after which
she worked in various design groups. She is particularly interested in utility stitching and tries to use recycled textiles
wherever possible, in a way that looks fresh, modern and urban rather than old and fusty. Elizabeth has contributed
articles to the following magazines: Knitting, Making, Crafty, Felt Matters and Pretty Patches. Her first book, Stitch,
Fabric & Thread, was published in 2016. Needle crafters can see examples of her work on her blog:
www.elizabethsquarters.blogspot.co.uk
The Beer/Wine/Spirits Shelf
Wisconsin Cocktails
Jeanette Hurt
University of Wisconsin Press
728 State Street, Suite 443, Madison, WI 53706-1418
www.uwpress.wisc.edu
9780299328801, $29.95, HC, 257pp
https://www.amazon.com/Wisconsin-Cocktails-Jeanette-Hurt/dp/0299328805
Synopsis: Although Wisconsin is best known for its cheese and beer, The cocktail has always had a stronghold in
America's Dairyland. "Wisconsin Cocktails" by Jeanette Hur is a profusely illustrated volume that is comprised of
cocktail recipes and the true stories behind the state's obsession with brandy, ice cream drinks, and a smorgasbord of
garnishes.
Beyond delving into mythic origins of several classic creations, "Wisconsin Cocktails" introduces a new generation of
cocktails that offer a spin on standard concoctions as it explores the state's unique farm-to-table ethos influenced by an
abundance of locally sourced ingredients.
Also included are a wealth of interviews with notable mixologists, sharing numerous favorite recipes for specialty
pick-me-ups that connoisseurs and home bartenders alike will be clamoring to try. A definitive account of the beverages
we love, "Wisconsin Cocktails" insists we order our Old Fashioneds the right way -- with brandy!
Critique: A cocktail connoisseur's pure delight from cover to cover, "Wisconsin Cocktails" is exceptional 'user friendly'
in organization and presentation, making it an ideal and enduringly popular addition to personal, professional bar
tender, community, college, and university library Food & Beverage collections.
Editorial Note: An award-winning food and beverage writer, Jeanette Hurt is the drinking culture columnist for Forbes
and the cheese and spirits contributor for Milwaukee Public Radio's Lake Effect. Her books include Drink Like a
Woman, The Joy of Cider: All You Ever Wanted to Know about Drinking and Making Hard Cider, and The Cheeses of
Wisconsin: A Culinary Travel Guide.
The Metaphysical Studies Shelf
The Astrology Fix
Theresa Cheung
www.theresacheung.com
White Lion Publishing
c/o Quarto Publishing Group USA
100 Cummings Center, Suite 265D, Beverly, MA 01915
www.quartoknows.com
9780711255258, $19.99, HC, 176pp
https://www.amazon.com/Astrology-Fix-Modern-Guide-Cosmic/dp/0711255253
Synopsis: "The Astrology Fix: A Modern Guide to Cosmic Self Care" by Theresa Cheung is specifically for those who
feel themselves stressed and overwhelmed, who are lost and seeking direction, who are yearning safety, connection and
joy in their lives.
The underlying message of "The Astrology Fix" is that the universe is here to help us. By decoding the heavens and our
soul, we can begin a transformative journey to self-discovery, growth and fulfilment. That modern astrology is a form
of spiritual psychology -- one that can help us become the person we were born to be.
Part illuminating life-coach, part contemporary cosmic guide, "The Astrology Fix" helps to reconnect with our
innermost self. Tune into our astrological personality in terms of who we are and our general approach to life. Then try
over the 50 astrological fixes comprising this nicely illustrated instructional manual to transform our emotional,
physical and spiritual life.
Two indexes (one general and one organized by specific needs) enables the reader to quickly address any question or
issue that confronts them.
Critique: Especially 'user friendly' in organization and presentation, "The Astrology Fix: A Modern Guide to Cosmic
Self Care" is an extraordinary and unreservedly recommended addition to personal, professional, and community library
Metaphysical Studies collections in general, and Astrology instructional references in particular. It should be noted for
personal reading lists that "The Astrology Fix" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $12.99).
Editorial Note: Theresa Cheung is an acknowledged expert in divine healing, dreams, rituals, and astrology and has
published widely on these subjects. Her metaphysical titles have been translated into more than 30 different languages.
Her books include Touched By An Angel. She has over 120k Facebook fans and strong media connections. Cheung has
featured in the Daily Mail and the Express, and on ITV. She maintains a website at www.theresacheung.com.
Without Reservation
Randy Kritkausky
Bear & Company
c/o Inner Traditions International, Ltd.
One Park Street, Rochester, VT 05767
www.innertraditions.com
9781591433842, $20.00, PB, 288pp
https://www.amazon.com/Without-Reservation-Awakening-Spirituality-Ancestors/dp/1591433843
Synopsis: We are but a few generations removed from millennia spent living in intimate contact with the natural world
and in close commune with ancestral spirits. Who we are and who we think we are is rooted in historical connections
with those who came before us and in our relationships with the land and the sentient natural world. When we wander
too far from our roots, our ancestors and kin in the natural world call us home, sometimes with gentle whispers and
sometimes in loud voices sounding alarms.
"Without Reservation: Awakening to Native American Spirituality and the Ways of Our Ancestors" is a powerful story
of spiritual awakening in which Randy Kritkausky shares his journey into the realm of ancestral Native American
connections and intimate encounters with Mother Earth and shows how anyone can spiritually reconnect with their
ancestors and Nature.
Like 70 percent of those who identify as Native American, Kritkausky grew up off the reservation. As he explains, for
such "off reservation" indigenous people rediscovering ancestral practices amounts to a reawakening and offers
significant insights about living in a society that is struggling to mend a heavily damaged planet.
Kritkausky reveals how the awakening process was triggered by his own self-questioning and the resumption of ties
with his Potawatomi ancestors. He details his encounters with ancestral spirits and animal teachers, such as Coy-Wolf.
He shares moments of direct connection with the natural world, moments when the consciousness of other living
beings, flora and fauna, became accessible and open to communication.
Through his profound storytelling, Kritkausky shows how ancestral connections and intimate communications with
Nature are not unique or restricted to those with indigenous cultural roots. Offering a bridge between cultures, a path
that can be followed by Native and non-Native alike, the author shows that spiritual awakening can happen anywhere,
for anyone, and can open the gateway to deeper understanding.
Critique: Impressively well written, organized and presented, "Without Reservation: Awakening to Native American
Spirituality and the Ways of Our Ancestors" is an especially informative and ultimately inspiring personal account that
has universal ramifications for his readers. While recommended as a core addition to personal, community, college, and
university library Metaphysical Studies collections in general, and Native American Spirituality supplemental
curriculum reading lists in particular, it should be noted for students, academia, and non-specialist general readers with
an interest in the subject that 'Without Reservation: Awakening to Native American Spirituality and the Ways of Our
Ancestors" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $13.99).
Editorial Note; Currently residing in Vermont, Randy Kritkausky is an enrolled tribal member of the Citizen
Potawatomi Nation. He is a founder of ECOLOGIA, an international environmental organization that works on the
planet's more extreme challenges, and formerly professor at Keystone College, research scholar at Middlebury College,
and Erasmus Mundus Scholar at the Central European University in Budapest and Lund University in Sweden.
Secrets of the Druids
Teresa Cross
Inner Traditions International, Ltd.
One Park Street, Rochester, VT 05767
www.innertraditions.com
9781644111284, $19.99, PB, 256pp
https://www.amazon.com/Secrets-Druids-Indo-European-Origins-Practices/dp/1644111284
Synopsis: Druids and their magic, lore, and rituals have fascinated all those who encounter them, from the ancient
Greeks and Romans onward. Even today, the mere mention of their name evokes pictures of standing stones, mistletoe,
golden sickles, white-robed priests, and powerful sorcerers. But were they really as we picture them in contemporary
popular culture?
Drawing on comparative mythology and linguistics, archaeological evidence, and etymology, Teresa Cross offers
readers a comprehensive course in the history and development of the Celtic spiritual tradition and its lore,
reconstructing the Druidic faith from the remnants that have survived and dedicated study of scholarly sources. She also
reveals parallels with other Indo-European traditions, such as the similarities between Celtic and Vedic Hindu beliefs
and practices. She chronicles the ethics and spiritual teachings of Druidism and the Celtic faith and examines what
happened to these beliefs during centuries of Christianization.
Moving from history to practice, Cross details magical rites and ceremonies as practiced by modern-day followers of
Druidactos. She explores the structure of the Touta, which roughly corresponds to "tribe," methods for consecrating a
nemeton, the outdoor temple that offers the optimum sacred space for the meeting of heaven and earth, and the rites and
customs associated with important festivals such as Beltaine and Samhain. She also explores the rules of firecraft, the
sacred art of giving to the cosmos, making offerings to deities and spirits, sacred food and beverages, and the ancient
Coligny calendar, including the names of the months in old Gaulish.
Offering an authentic handbook for starting your own Celtic group led by Druids, Cross reveals the meanings and
metaphysics behind the Celtic and Druidic customs and traditions, reuniting the fragmentary remains of long-lost Druid
culture with the still-living practices of the Celtic faith.
Critique: Now in a fully updated and expanded second edition, "Secrets of the Druids: From Indo-European Origins to
Modern Practices" is a truly exceptional and unreservedly recommended addition to personal, professional, community,
college, and university library Metaphysical Studies collections in general, and Druidic Studies & History supplemental
curriculum reading lists in particular. It should be noted for students, academics, and non-specialist general readers with
an interest in the subject that "Secrets of the Druids: From Indo-European Origins to Modern Practices" is also readily
available in a digital book format (eTextbook, $13.99).
Editorial Note: Teresa Cross has been a Celtic scholar since 1982 and was a member of numerous Celtic cultural
organizations, including the Scottish Society of Dallas, Southwest Celtic Music Association, Clan MacKenzie Society,
and the Irish P.E.C. She is also the author of The Truth about the Druids and a frequent contributor to The Independent
Celt.
The Health/Medicine Shelf
Framework for Equitable Allocation of COVID-19 Vaccine
Consensus Study Report
National Academies Press
500 Fifth Street, NW, Washington, DC 20001
www.nap.edu
9780309682244, $70.00, PB, 260pp
https://www.amazon.com/Framework-Equitable-Allocation-COVID-19-Vaccine/dp/030968224X
Synopsis: In response to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and the societal disruption it has brought,
national governments and the international community have invested billions of dollars and immense amounts of
human resources to develop a safe and effective vaccine in an unprecedented time frame. Vaccination against this novel
coronavirus, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), offers the possibility of significantly
reducing severe morbidity and mortality and transmission when deployed alongside other public health strategies and
improved therapies.
Health equity is intertwined with the impact of COVID-19 and there are certain populations that are at increased risk of
severe illness or death from COVID-19. In the United States and worldwide, the pandemic is having a disproportionate
impact on people who are already disadvantaged by virtue of their race and ethnicity, age, health status, residence,
occupation, socioeconomic condition, or other contributing factors.
Framework for Equitable Allocation of COVID-19 Vaccine offers an overarching framework for vaccine allocation to
assist policy makers in the domestic and global health communities. Built on widely accepted foundational principles
and recognizing the distinctive characteristics of COVID-19, this report's recommendations address the commitments
needed to implement equitable allocation policies for COVID-19 vaccine.
Critique: Timely, comprehensive, expertly written, organized and presented, "Framework for Equitable Allocation of
COVID-19 Vaccine" is especially and unreservedly recommended for personal, professional, community,
governmental, college and university library COVID-19 medical policy collections and supplemental curriculum studies
lists. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "Framework for Equitable Allocation of COVID-19 Vaccine" is
also readily available in a digital book format (eBook, $54.99).
Dead Epidemiologists: On the Origins of COVID-19
Rob Wallace
Monthly Review Press
134 W. 29th Street, Suite 706, New York, NY 10001
www.monthlyreview.org
9781583679036, $89.00, HC, 260pp
https://www.amazon.com/Dead-Epidemiologists-COVID-19-Rob-Wallace/dp/1583679030
Synopsis: The COVID-19 pandemic surprised and shocked the world. It shouldn't have. Since this century's turn,
epidemiologists have warned of new infectious diseases. Indeed, H1N1, H7N9, SARS, MERS, Ebola Makona, Zika,
and a variety of lesser viruses have emerged almost annually and with one pandemic status approximately every
decade.
But what of the epidemiologists themselves? Some bravely descended into the caves where bat species hosted
coronaviruses, including the strains that evolved into the COVID-19 virus. Yet, despite their own warnings, many of
the researchers appear unable to understand the true nature of the disease -- as if they are dead to what they've seen.
"Dead Epidemiologists: On the Origins of COVID-19" is an eclectic collection of commentaries, articles, and
interviews revealing the hidden-in-plain-sight truth behind the current pandemic including global capital that drove the
deforestation and development that exposed us to new pathogens. Rob Wallace and his colleagues (ecologists,
geographers, activists, and, yes, epidemiologists) unpack the material and conceptual origins of COVID-19. From
deepest Yunnan to the boardrooms of New York City, "Dead Epidemiologists" offers a compelling diagnosis of the
roots of COVID-19, and a stark prognosis of what (without further intervention) may come.
Critique: Incredibly timely, "Dead Epidemiologists: On the Origins of COVID" is essential and unreservedly
recommended reading for medical professionals, governmental policy makers, and non-specialist general readers with
an interest in the subject of the current COVID-19 pandemic. An absolutely essential addition to community, college,
and university library Health/Medicine collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Dead
Epidemiologists" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $8.00).
Editorial Note: Rob Wallace is an evolutionary epidemiologist with the Agroecology and Rural Economics Research
Corps. He is author of Big Farms Make Big Flu and coauthor of Clear-Cutting Disease Control: Capital-Led
Deforestation, Public Health Austerity, and Vector-Borne Infection. He has consulted with the Food and Agriculture
Organization and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Probably Someday Cancer
Kim Horner
University of North Texas Press
1155 Union Circle #311336, Denton, TX 76203-5017
www.untpress.unt.edu
9781574417517, $22.95, HC, 208pp
https://www.amazon.com/Probably-Someday-Mayborn-Literary-Nonfiction/dp/1574417517
Synopsis: After learning that she inherited a BRCA2 genetic mutation that put her at high risk for breast and ovarian
cancer, Kim Horner's doctors urged her to consider having a double mastectomy. But how do you decide whether to
have a surgery to remove your breasts to reduce your risk for a disease you don't have and may never get?
Horner shares her struggle to answer that question in her medical memoir "Probably Someday Cancer". The mother of a
one-year-old boy, she wanted to do whatever would give her the best odds of being around for her son and protect her
from breast cancer, which killed her grandmother and great-grandmother in their 40s. Which would give her the best
chance at a long healthy life: a double mastectomy or frequent screenings to try to catch any cancer early? The answers
weren't that simple.
Based on extensive research, interviews, and personal experience, Horner writes about how and why she ultimately
opted for a double mastectomy (the same decision actress Angelina Jolie made for a similar genetic mutation) and the
surprising diagnosis that followed. "Probably Someday Cancer" explores difficult truths that get overshadowed by
upbeat messages about early detection and survivorship -- the fact that screenings can miss cancers and that even
early-stage breast cancers can spread and become fatal.
"Probably Someday Cancer" is also about Horner's efforts to push past her fear and anxiety. This candid medical
memoir can help anyone facing hereditary risk of breast and ovarian cancer feel less alone and make informed decisions
to protect their health and end the devastation that hereditary cancer has caused for generations in so many
families.
Critique: Kim Horner worked as a journalist for 21 years at newspapers including The Dallas Morning News. She
received a Rosalynn Carter Fellowship for Mental Health Journalism and awards from the Texas Medical Association
and Public Health Association for her coverage of the increased use of genetic testing for breast cancer risk.
Exceptionally well written, emotionally candid, impressively informative, thoroughly 'reader friendly' in organization
and presentation, "Probably Someday Cancer" is an extraordinary and unreservedly recommended addition to
community, college, and university library Women's Health & Medicine collections. It should be noted for personal
reading lists that "Probably Someday Cancer" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $13.99).
What Dumbass Doctors Tell You: A Patient's Perspective
Theresa Errante-Parrino
Atlantic Publishing
1405 SW 6th Avenue, Ocala, FL 34471-0640
www.atlantic-pub.com
9781620238189, $19.95, PB, 114pp
https://www.amazon.com/What-Dumbass-Doctors-Tell-You/dp/1620238187
Synopsis: From a young age we are taught to seek guidance from those who are more knowledgeable than ourselves.
Doctors, surgeons, and nurses have all been educated in their specific fields, but this doesn't always make them
experts.
Over the past five years, Theresa Errante-Parrino has dealt with cancer. In "What Dumbass Doctors Tell You: A
Patient's Perspective" she records her breast cancer story, sharing behind-the-scenes details of her personal experiences.
From dealing with difficult doctors to adjusting to a new lifestyle and new routines, Theresa gives insight into what
having cancer is really like.
Having learned from her own trials, Theresa hopes to encourage others to take control of their medical situations as
their own advocate, speaking out when they believe something isn't going to help them. With formal medical training as
a certified medical assistant, pharmacy technician, paramedic, and X-ray technician, Theresa has the knowledge to
recognize when medical conclusions are not truthful or correct. Educate yourself and raise your voice, because no one
knows your body like you do.
Critique: Specifically written for the non-specialist general reader with an interest in the subject, "What Dumbass
Doctors Tell You: A Patient's Perspective" also has a great deal of relevance, value and interest for any and all medical
professionals who deal one-on-one with patients. Exceptionally well organized and presented, "What Dumbass Doctors
Tell You: A Patient's Perspective" is unreservedly recommended for community, college, and university library
Health/Medicine collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "What Dumbass Doctors Tell You: A
Patient's Perspective" is also available from Atlantic Publishing in an eBook format (9781620238395, $19.95).
The Green Elephant
Matthew Fogel, FNP, author
Elizabeth Fogel, FNP, author
Jean-Paul Dedam, MD, author
Hatherleigh Press
c/o The Hatherleigh Foundation
62545 State Highway 10, Hobart, NY 13788
www.hatherleighpress.com
9781578268733, $15.95, PB, 208pp
https://www.amazon.com/Green-Elephant-Healthcare-Understanding-Prescribing/dp/1578268737
Synopsis: Delving into the history, biology, chemistry, and pharmacological effects of cannabis and CBD-based
therapy, "The Green Elephant: The Healthcare Provider's Essential Guide to Understanding and Addressing Medical
Cannabis and CBD" also explores in detail and in depth the equally important areas of ethics in practice, cannabis' legal
history, and current regulatory status -- all to enable healthcare professionals to better serve their patients.
"The Green Elephant" also provides healthcare professionals with much-needed information on dosing instructions,
potential drug interactions, long term and short term treatment plans, and so much more. Cannabis therapy has the
exciting potential to help millions of patients better manage their symptoms and enjoy a higher quality of life. The time
has come for all healthcare professionals to discuss this green "elephant in the room."
Critique: Backed by extensive research and medical expertise, "The Green Elephant: The Healthcare Provider's
Essential Guide to Understanding and Addressing Medical Cannabis and CBD" is a comprehensive guidebook that is
especially appropriate for healthcare professionals and non-specialist general readers looking to educate themselves on
cannabis therapy to better provide guidance for patients and their families.
Especially well written and thoroughly 'reader friendly' in organization and presentation, "The Green Elephant: The
Healthcare Provider's Essential Guide to Understanding and Addressing Medical Cannabis and CBD" is unreservedly
recommended for community, health/medical center, college, and university library Health/Medicine collections in
general, and Cannabis Medicine supplemental studies lists in particular. It should be noted for personal and professional
reading lists that "The Green Elephant: The Healthcare Provider's Essential Guide to Understanding and Addressing
Medical Cannabis and CBD" is also readily available in a digital book format (eTextbook, $9.99).
Editorial Note: Matthew Fogel is a Family Nurse Practitioner and a part of the Society of Cannabis Clinicians. He
graduated with an associate's degree in nursing from Pima Medical Institute in New Mexico, and graduated from
Simmons University in Boston with a Master's degree as a Family Nurse Practitioner. He spent his nursing career on a
Cardiovascular Intensive Care Unit (CVICU) specializing as an open-heart surgery recovery nurse. As a fierce medical
cannabis advocate, he wrote a petition for adding patients who suffer from neurodegenerative diseases to the accepted
list for medical cannabis conditions that was approved by the New Mexico Medical Cannabis Advisory Board.
Elizabeth Fogel is a Family Nurse Practitioner and patient advocate. She graduated from Central New Mexico
Community College with her associate's degree in nursing and graduated with her Master's degree as a Family Nurse
Practitioner from Simmons University in Boston. Elizabeth has spent most of her nursing career at the University of
New Mexico Hospital (UNMH), a level one trauma center. She has worked at UNMH as a mother/baby and Pediatric
Intensive Care Unit (PICU) nurse, as well as a charge nurse in their rheumatology and pulmonary clinics. Elizabeth's
focus is on patient autonomy and the importance of using all available medical research in the advancement of patient
care.
Jean-Paul Dedam is the in-patient medical physician at the Lovelace Heart Hospital of New Mexico in Albuquerque.
He graduated with a B.A. in Biochemistry at Dartmouth and an M.D. through their medical school. He practiced Family
Medicine in Lawrence, MA, then worked four years in Indian Health Services as the primary care physician. Jean-Paul
is also a board certified Medical Acupuncturist.
The Travel Shelf
Arizona's Scenic Roads and Hikes
Roger Naylor
University of New Mexico Press
MSC05 3185, 1 University of New Mexico, Albuquerque NM 87131-0001
www.unmpress.com
9780826359278, $21.95, PB, 184pp
https://www.amazon.com/Arizonas-Scenic-Roads-Hikes-Unforgettable/dp/0826359272
Synopsis: In the pages of "Arizona's Scenic Roads and Hikes: Unforgettable Journeys in the Grand Canyon State",
author and travel writer Roger Naylor directs his readers and Arizona visitors toward the very best that state has to offer
from sun-kissed deserts to the summits of snow-capped mountains, from the cosmic abyss of the Grand Canyon to the
red rocks of Sedona and the soaring monoliths of Monument Valley, visiting ancient Native American villages, chase
Old West legends, and get their kicks on Route 66!
"Arizona's Scenic Roads and Hikes" is a captivating new guide that features all twenty-seven of Arizona's
state-designated scenic and historic roads, including five National Scenic Byways. The stunning drives are arranged by
region and include starting and ending points, mileage, photos, full descriptions, and suggestions on locally owned
places to eat and sleep. Each road trip is paired with attractions and activities including nearby hiking trails. Create a
lifetime of memories while exploring the details of Arizona's endlessly diverse and amazing scenery.
Critique: An exceptional well written, organized and thoroughly 'user friendly' travel guide to the scenic highways and
byways of Arizona, travel expert Roger Naylor's "Arizona's Scenic Roads and Hikes: Unforgettable Journeys in the
Grand Canyon State" is unreservedly recommended for community library American State Travel Guide collections. It
should be noted for the personal reading lists of armchair travelers and on-site state visitors that "Arizona's Scenic
Roads and Hikes: Unforgettable Journeys in the Grand Canyon State" is also readily available in a digital book format
(Kindle, $8.99).
Editorial Note: Roger Naylor is an award-winning travel writer, an avid hiker, and a road-trip junkie. He is a member of
the Arizona Tourism Hall of Fame and the author of several Arizona guides, including "Arizona State Parks: A Guide
to Amazing Places in the Grand Canyon State" (UNM Press).
The Poetry Shelf
Funeral Diva
Pamela Sneed
City Lights Publishers
261 Columbus Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94133
www.citylights.com
9780872868113, $16.95, PB, 160pp
https://www.amazon.com/Funeral-Diva-Pamela-Sneed/dp/0872868117
Synopsis: "Funeral Diva" is a compilation of personal essays and poetry by poet and performer Pamela Sneed detailing
her coming of age as a member of the gay community in New York City during the late 1980s. "Funeral Diva" captures
the impact of AIDS on Black Queer life, and highlights the enduring bonds between the living, the dying, and the dead.
Sneed's poems not only converse with lovers past and present, but also with her literary forebears (like James Baldwin,
Toni Morrison, Audre Lorde) whose aesthetic and thematic investments she renews for a contemporary American
landscape.
Offering critical focus on matters from police brutality to LGBTQ+ rights, "Funeral Diva" confronts today's most
pressing issues with acerbic wit and audacity. The collection closes with Sneed's reflections on the two pandemics of
her time, AIDS and COVID-19, and the disproportionate impact of each on African American communities.
Critique: An absorbing and inherently engaging read from first page to last, "Funeral Diva" is one of those collections
of thoughtful introspection and observation that will linger in the mind and memory long after the book itself has been
finished and set back upon the shelf. Also readily available for personal reading lists in a digital book format (Kindle,
$12.99), "Funeral Diva" is especially and unreservedly recommended for community, college, and university library
LBGTQ collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists.
The Self-Help Shelf
Be the Awesome Man
Dennis Gazarek
Quill Driver Books
2006 S Mary Street, Fresno, CA 93721
www.lindenpub.com
9781610353373, $18.95
https://www.amazon.com/Be-Awesome-Man-Handbook-Happiness/dp/1610353374
Be the Awesome Man: A Young Man's Guide to Achieving Discipline, Success, and Happiness addresses the needs and
dilemma of a generation of young men in America who face more social challenges than ever before, from addiction to
psychological damage. Dennis Gazarek seeks to be a mentor to this generation of lost young men by providing a
self-help book that only needs a young man's motivation to read and follow it to prove successful. Ages 16 to 25 will
find this contains a hard-hitting message about discipline and achievement, pairing the author's real-world experiences
with similar challenges at different levels of his life with advice on how to identify the kinds of ideals and
self-discipline that lead to a better life. Young adult males should all receive this book as a graduation gift to new
adulthood. Its specifics and outline of pitfalls and promises along the way are nicely done and provide much practical
food for thought.
The Journey
Cathy Trinh
Balboa Press
c/o Hay House, Inc.
PO Box 5100, Carlsbad, CA 92018-5100
www.balboapress.com
9781982246860, $28.95, HC, 212pp
https://www.amazon.com/Journey-Mastering-Slowing-Beautiful-Existence/dp/1982246863
Synopsis: "The Journey: Mastering the Art of Slowing Down Into a Beautiful Existence" by Cathy Trinh is the real life
story of a Vietnamese-born mother, cancer survivor and advocate for mental health who has recovered from drug use,
alcohol abuse, emotional dependency and self-abandonment. In "The Journey", Cathy explores the hardships faced
finding her place in the world as a child of refugees and the challenges faced growing up in a blue-collar immigrant
household in the heart of gang-infested territory in Southern California.
She also explores in depth her struggles with addiction, lost loves and deep-seated pain. She personifies strength in her
own power, finding that grace, mercy and healing can only come from true self-love. Cathy uses her painful past to tell
stories of how anyone can overcome trauma to create a brighter future for themselves - one of hope, inner peace and
prosperity.
As a self-proclaimed, "Multi-potentialite," Cathy is insatiably curious, not just about human potential and
entrepreneurship, but spirituality, fitness and philanthropy. She continues to be invested in efforts that better the human
condition, individually and collectively.
Critique: Exceptionally well written, organized and presented, "The Journey: Mastering the Art of Slowing Down Into a
Beautiful Existence" is an inherently absorbing, memorable, and ultimately celebrator read that is unreservedly
recommended for community library Self-Help/Self-Improvement collections. It should be noted for personal reading
lists that "The Journey" is also readily available in a paperback edition, (9781982246846, $18.00) and in a digital book
format (Kindle, $0.99).
The American History Shelf
Boosting a New West: Pacific Coast Expositions, 1905-1916
John G. Putman
Washington State University Press
PO Box 645910, Pullman, WA 99164-5910
www.wsupress.wsu.edu
9780874223811, $34.95, PB, 306pp
https://www.amazon.com/Boosting-New-West-Expositions-1905-1916/dp/0874223814
Synopsis: The west coast cities of Portland, Seattle, San Diego, and San Francisco all held fairs between 1905 and
1915. "Boosting a New West: Pacific Coast Expositions, 1905-1916" by academician and historian John G. Putman
explores the fairs' cultural and social meaning by focusing on and comparing the promotions that surrounded them. The
marketing campaigns and vendor and exhibit choices expose biased racial attitudes and reveal western leaders'
perceptions of their city and region, as well as how they attempted to shape a new western identity.
Critique: A meticulous work of original and seminal historical scholarship, "Boosting a New West: Pacific Coast
Expositions, 1905-1916" is enhanced for the reader and for academia with the inclusion of illustrations, forty-six pages
of notes, a twenty page bibliography, and a nine page index. Impressively informative, exceptionally well organized and
presented, "Boosting a New West: Pacific Coast Expositions, 1905-1916" is an exemplary example of regional history
and a highly recommended cored addition to community, college, and university library American History
collections.
Editorial Note: John C. Putman is an Associate Professor at San Diego State University and is an historian of the
modern American West, particularly California and the Pacific coast states, and the author of "Class and Gender
Politics in Progressive-Era Seattle."
Freedom on Trial
Scott Farris
The Lyons Press
www.lyonspress.com
c/o The Globe Pequot Press
246 Goose Lane, Suite 200, Guilford, CT 06437
www.globepequot.com
9781493046355, $27.95, HC, 392pp
https://www.amazon.com/Freedom-Trial-Post-Civil-Battle-Suppression/dp/1493046357
Synopsis: The Confederacy lost the Civil War but quickly began to win the peace when a mysterious organization arose
called the Ku Klux Klan. The Ku Klux, as it was then called, sought to restore white supremacy by terrorizing the
formerly enslaved to prevent them from voting or owning firearms. To support Black resistance to the KKK's campaign
of murder and mayhem, President Ulysses S. Grant suspended the writ of habeas corpus in large portions of South
Carolina and sent the famed 7th Cavalry to make mass arrests.
Grant's new attorney general, the first former Confederate to serve in a presidential Cabinet and an ardent advocate for
Black equality, Amos T. Akerman, aggressively prosecuted the Ku Klux in a series of sensational trials that shocked the
nation and forced a reckoning regarding just how much the Civil War and the recently enacted Fourteenth and Fifteenth
amendments to the Constitution had changed America and its notions of citizenship.
Highlighting forgotten Black and white civil rights pioneers and weaving in the story of the author's own
great-grandfather's crimes as a member of the Ku Klux Klan, Freedom on Trial tells a gripping story of a moment
pregnant with promise when race relations in the United States might have taken a dramatically different turn. It is a
story that also offers a sober lesson for those engaged in the ongoing work of fulfilling the American promise of
equality for all.
Critique: A timely and timeless study, "Freedom on Trial: The First Post-Civil War Battle Over Civil Rights and Voter
Suppression" is an impressively meticulous work of historical research and one that helps to explain current 2016-2020
voter suppression efforts by some southern states such as Georgia and Mississippi with respect to their black voters.
Enhanced for academia with the inclusion of twenty-four pages of Notes, an eight page Bibliography, and a sixteen
page Index, "Freedom on Trial" is an especially and unreservedly recommended addition to community, college, and
university library 19th Century American History collections in general, and Civil Right/Voter Suppression
supplemental curriculum studies lists in particular. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of students,
academia, political activists, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "Freedom on Trial" is
also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $19.99).
Editorial Note: Scott Farris is the author of "Kennedy & Reagan: Why Their Legacies Endure" and "Almost President:
The Men Who Lost the Race but Changed the Nation". A former bureau chief for United Press International and a
political columnist, he has interviewed most of the men and women who have sought the presidency over the past thirty
years, and has managed several political campaigns. He appeared on the 2011 C-SPAN television series The
Contenders, and has appeared on MSNBC's "Morning Joe" and "Melissa Harris-Perry." His work has been published in
The New York Times, Washington Post, and Wall Street Journal.
A Lincoln Legacy
David Gardner Chardavoyne, author
Hugh W. Brennemann Jr., author
Wayne State University Press
4809 Woodward Avenue, Detroit, MI 48201-1309
http://wsupress.wayne.edu
9780814348048, $44.99, HC, 416pp
https://www.amazon.com/Lincoln-Legacy-History-District-Michigan/dp/0814348041
Synopsis: "A Lincoln Legacy: The History of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Michigan" by David
Gardner Chardavoyne and with the assistance of Hugh W. Brenneman, Jr. provides the first and only comprehensive
examination of the history of the United States federal courts in the Western District of Michigan.
The federal courts were established by the U.S. Constitution to adjudicate disputes involving federal laws, disputes
between litigants from different states involving state and federal laws, and to punish violations of criminal laws passed
by Congress. During the Civil War, Abraham Lincoln signed legislation creating two federal districts in the state of
Michigan: the Eastern and Western Districts-the latter of which is headquartered in Grand Rapids and which now
encompasses the western half of the Lower Peninsula and all of the Upper Peninsula.
With the rapid expansion of legislation passed by Congress, the increasing mobility of society, and the growth of
interstate commerce, the federal courts have assumed an important and sometimes dominant role in major litigation
today.
In "A Lincoln Legacy", Chardavoyne tracks the history of these courts over eleven chapters, from their creation by the
Northwest Ordinance of 1787 to 2020. He discusses the changes in society that drove the evolving federal litigation and
some significant cases heard in the Western District. Additionally, fifteen appendices are included in the book, listing of
all the federal circuit and district judges in the Western District; commissioners; magistrate judges and bankruptcy
judges; U.S. Attorneys; clerks of the courts; and more.
Chardavoyne also identifies auxiliary offices and organizations revolving around the federal court that play a major role
in its activities (e.g., the U.S. Attorney's Office, the Federal Public Defender's Office, the Federal Bar Association,
etc.).
Simply stated, "A Lincoln Legacy" provides a thorough examination of the history of the federal courts of Western
Michigan and will have a special appeal to those learning and practicing law, as well as anyone with an interest in
Michigan history.
Critique: Unique, comprehensive, exceptionally well written, organized and presented, "A Lincoln Legacy: The History
of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Michigan" is a part of the outstanding Wayne State University
Press 'Great Lakes Books' series and unreservedly recommended for community, college, and university library
American Judicial History collections in general, and supplemental curriculum studies lists in U.S. Civil War Women's
History, U.S. Immigrant History, and Legal History in particular. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of
students, academia, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "A Lincoln Legacy" is also
readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $42.74).
Lewis & Clark Reframed
David L. Nicandri
Washington State University Press
PO Box 645910, Pullman, WA 99164-5910
www.wsupress.wsu.edu
9780874223804, $32.95, PB, 156pp
https://www.amazon.com/Lewis-Clark-Reframed-Examining-Vancouver/dp/0874223806
Synopsis: Meriwether Lewis (August 18, 1774 - October 11, 1809) and William Clark (August 1, 1770 - September 1,
1838) benefitted from Spanish, British, and French explorers who reached the Pacific Northwest before them. James
Cook, George Vancouver, and Alexander Mackenzie (and to a lesser extent fur traders John Meares and Robert Gray)
directly and indirectly influenced the expedition. Based on new material as well as revised essays from popular history
journals, "Lewis & Clark Reframed: Examining Ties to Cook, Vancouver, and Mackenzie" by historian David L.
Nicandri deftly examines several curious and seemingly inexplicable aspects of the journey after the Corps of
Discovery crossed the Rocky Mountains.
Critique: An impressively informative and seminal work of meticulous and detailed scholarship, "Lewis & Clark
Reframed: Examining Ties to Cook, Vancouver, and Mackenzie" is an extraordinary and welcome addition to personal,
professional, community, college, and university library American History collections in general, and Lewis & Clark
supplemental studies reading lists in particular.
Editorial Note: Former Washington State Historical Society Director David L. Nicandri is an expert in Pacific
Northwest exploration history. His epilogue presents further opportunities to place the Lewis and Clark story and the
Enlightenment era into historical context. Nicandri is the author of "River of Promise: Lewis and Clark on the
Columbia" and co-editor of two volumes on Captain James Cook.
Patriots Twice
Stephen M. Hood
Savas Beatie
PO Box 4527, El Dorado Hills, CA 95762
www.savasbeatie.com
9781611215151, $32.95, HC, 256pp
https://www.amazon.com/Patriots-Twice-Confederates-Building-America/dp/1611215153
Synopsis: The long and bloody American Civil War claimed the lives of more than 700,000 men. When it ended,
former opponents worked to rebuild their reunified nation and moved into the future together. Many contemporary
readers may find that hard to believe -- especially in an era witnessing the destruction or removal of Confederate
monuments and the desecration of Confederate cemeteries, the latest being the removal of a Confederate statue from the
Virginia Military Institute (VMI).
In the unique and timely study, "Patriots Twice: Former Confederates and the Building of America after the Civil War",
author and historian Stephen M. Hood identifies more than three hundred former Confederate soldiers, sailors, and
government officials who reintegrated into American society and attained positions of authority and influence in the
federal government, the United States military, academia, science, commerce, and industry. Their contributions had a
long-lasting and positive influence on the country we have today.
Many of the facts in Patriots Twice will surprise modern Americans. For example, ten postwar presidents appointed
former Confederates to serve the reunited nation as Supreme Court justices, secretaries of the U.S. Navy, attorneys
general, and a secretary of the interior. Dozens of former Southern soldiers were named U.S. ambassadors and consuls,
and eight were appointed generals who commanded U.S. Army troops during the Spanish-American War. Former
Confederates were elected mayors of such unlikely cities as Los Angeles, CA, Minneapolis, MN, Ogden, UT, and Santa
Fe, NM, and served as governors of the non-Confederate states and territories of Colorado, West Virginia, Missouri,
Utah, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Alaska, and the Panama Canal Zone.
Ex-Southern soldiers became presidents of national professional societies including the American Bar Association, the
American Medical Association, and the American Gynecological and Obstetrical Society, to name only a few. Others
paved the way in science and engineering by leading the American Society of Civil Engineers, the American Chemical
Society, the American Association for the Advancement of Science, and the Geological Society of America. One
former Confederate co-founded the environmental and preservation advocacy group Sierra Club, and another
intellectual and scholar was president of the Society for Classical Studies.
Former soldiers in gray founded or co-founded many of our nation's colleges and universities -- some exclusively for
women and newly freed African-Americans. Other former Rebels served as presidents of prominent institutions,
including the University of California, Berkeley, and taught at universities outside the South including Harvard, Yale,
the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Johns Hopkins, the University of San Francisco, and Amherst College. Several
others served on the governing boards of the United States Military Academy at West Point and the United States Naval
Academy at Annapolis, Maryland.
Every reader of "Patriots Twice" has benefitted from the post-Civil War reconciliation when former combatants put
down their swords, picked up their plowshares, and accepted the invaluable contributions of these (and thousands of
other) former Confederates. The men who carried the bayonets found common cause and moved on together. This is an
important concept everyone must -- embrace to keep the American nation united, strong, and free.
Critique: An impressive work of meticulous, original, and detailed scholarship, "Patriots Twice: Former Confederates
and the Building of America after the Civil War" is a timely and timeless contribution to the current and on-going
national discussion about the legacy and aftermath of the American Civil War in terms of the Confederacy and how it is
to be interpreted in our current state of dramatic and divisive political polarization. While an invaluable and
unreservedly recommended addition to community, college, and university library 19th Century American History
collections and Post-Civil War supplemental curriculum studies lists. It should be noted for students, academia, history
buffs, political activists, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "Patriots Twice: Former
Confederates and the Building of America after the Civil War" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle,
$14.29).
Editorial Note: Stephen M. "Sam" Hood is a graduate of Kentucky Military Institute and Marshall University, and
served in the United States Marine Corps Reserve. Sam is the author of The Lost Papers of Confederate General John
Bell Hood and John Bell Hood: The Rise, Fall, and Resurrection of a Confederate General, winner of the 2014 Albert
E. Castel and Walt Whitman Book of the Year Awards. He is also a past president of the board of directors of the
Confederate Memorial Hall Museum Foundation in New Orleans.
Indian Raids and Massacres
Jeff Boone, author
Caxton Press
312 Main Street, Caldwell, ID 83605-3299
www.caxtonpress.com
9780870046353, $24.95, PB, 520pp
https://www.amazon.com/Indian-Raids-Massacres-Essayss-Central/dp/0870046357
Synopsis: "Indian Raids and Massacres: Essays on the Central Plains Indian War" by Jeff Broome covers incidents of
conflict in Kansas, Colorado and Nebraska from 1864-1870. Each individual chapter is a story unto itself and can be
read in any order as well as from the beginning directly to end.
There are two sides to each of these violent events, and while the focus is on the Euro-American perspective, the
contrary perspective of the Native American is also presented. Broome relies on primary-source documents usually
ignored by other authors. Untapped Indian depredation claims housed in Washington DC give the reader a deeper
understanding of the terrors of Indian raids, especially when experienced by new settlers to the region.
What emerges represents a bold and new history not found in other published accounts with chapters that accurately
reflect more than 20 years of Broome's research and writing on the Central Plains Indian War.
Critique: Comprised of thirteen specific incidences of Native American conflict with encroaching Americans forces,
"Indian Raids and Massacres: Essays on the Central Plains Indian War Paperback - August 24, 2020" is enhanced for
academia and the non-specialist general reader with the inclusion of a twenty-eight page Bibliography and a fourteen
page Index. Exceptionally well written, organized and presented, "Indian Raids and Massacres: Essays on the Central
Plains Indian War Paperback - August 24, 2020" is an extraordinary work of original scholarship and unreservedly
recommended for community, college, and university library Native American History and Western American History
collections and supplemental curriculum reading lists.
Editorial Note: Jeff Broome holds a doctoral degree in philosophy and is a long-tenured professor (and now professor
emeritus) from a state community college in Metro-Denver. He has also published four previous books dealing with the
conflicts on the central plains.
The World History Shelf
How the West Won
Rodney Stark
ISI Books
3901 Centerville Road, Wilmington, DE 19807-1938
www.isibooks.org
www.tantor.com
9781610171397, $18.00, PB, 464pp
https://www.amazon.com/How-West-Won-Neglected-Modernity/dp/161017139X
Synopsis: Modernity developed only in the West -- in Europe and North America. Nowhere else in the world did
science and democracy arise. Nowhere else was slavery outlawed. Only Westerners invented chimneys, musical scores,
telescopes, eyeglasses, pianos, electric lights, aspirin, and soap. The question is, Why?
Unfortunately, that question has become so politically incorrect that most scholars avoid it. But in the pages of "How
the West Won: The Neglected Story of the Triumph of Modernity", author and historian Rodney Stark provides the
answers in this sweeping new look at Western civilization.
"How the West Won" demonstrates the primacy of uniquely Western ideas -- among them the belief in free will, the
commitment to the pursuit of knowledge, the notion that the universe functions according to rational rules that can be
discovered, and the emphasis on human freedom and secure property rights.
Taking readers on a thrilling journey from ancient Greece to the present, Stark challenges much of the received wisdom
about Western history.
Critique: A work of exhaustive and meticulous scholarship throughout, "How the West Won: The Neglected Story of
the Triumph of Modernity" is a seminal study that is as informative as it is thought-provoking. While an especially and
unreservedly recommended for community, college, and university library World History collections and supplemental
curriculum studies lists. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of students, academia, and non-specialist
general readers with an interest in the subject that "How the West Won: The Neglected Story of the Triumph of
Modernity" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $11.99) and as a complete and unabridged audio
book (Tantor Audio, 9781494552497, $34.99, MP3-CD).
Hellenistic and Roman Naval Wars, 336 BC - 31 BC
John D. Grainger
Pen & Sword Books
c/o Casemate (distribution)
www.casematepublishers.com
https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk
9781526782328, $26.95, PB, 224pp
https://www.amazon.com/Hellenistic-Roman-Naval-Wars-BC-31/dp/1526782324
Synopsis: The period covered by author and historian John D. Grainger in "Hellenistic and Roman Naval Wars, 336 BC
- 31 BC" is well known for its epic battles and grand campaigns of territorial conquest, but Hellenistic monarchies,
Carthaginians, and the rapacious Roman Republic were scarcely less active at sea. Huge resources were poured into
maintaining fleets not only as symbols of prestige but as means of projecting real military power across the
Mediterranean arena.
Taking the period between Alexander the Great's conquests and the Battle of Actium, historian Grainger analyzes the
developments in naval technology and tactics, the uses and limitations of sea power and the differing strategies of the
various powers. He shows, for example, how the Rhodians and the Romans eschewed the ever-larger monster galleys
favored by most Hellenistic monarchs in favor of smaller vessels.
Critique: An inherently fascinating and impressively informative study of a heretofore neglected and obscure aspect of
ancient warfare, "Hellenistic and Roman Naval Wars, 336 BC - 31 BC" is an extraordinary work of exceptionally
thorough and painstaking research. While very highly recommended as an addition to community, college, and
university library Ancient Greek & Roman History collections in general, and Naval Military History supplemental
curriculum studies reading lists in particular, it should be noted for students, academia, and non-specialist general
readers with an interest in the subject that "Hellenistic and Roman Naval Wars, 336 BC - 31 BC" is also readily
available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
Editorial Note: John D. Grainger is a former teacher turned professional historian. He has over thirty books to his name,
divided between classical history and modern British political and military history. His previous books for Pen &
Sword are Hellenistic and Roman Naval Wars; Wars of the Maccabees; Traditional Enemies: Britain's War with Vichy
France 1940-42; Roman Conquests: Egypt and Judaea; Rome, Parthia and India: The Violent Emergence of a New
World Order: 150-140 BC; a three-volume history of the Seleukid Empire and British Campaigns in the South Atlantic
1805-1807.
The Norman Commanders: Masters of Warfare 911-1135
Paul Hill
Pen & Sword Books
c/o Casemate (distribution)
www.casematepublishers.com
https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk
9781783462285, $39.95, HC, 240pp
https://www.amazon.com/Norman-Commanders-Masters-Warfare-911-1135/dp/1783462280
Synopsis: Robert Guiscard, William the Conqueror, Roger I of Sicily, and Bohemond Prince of Antioch are just four of
the exceptional Norman commanders who not only led their armies to victory in battle but also, through military force,
created their own kingdoms in the eleventh and twelfth centuries. Their single-minded and aggressive leadership, and
the organization, discipline and fighting qualities of their armies, marked them out from their Viking forebears and
from many of the armed forces that stood against them.
Their brilliant careers, and those of Robert Curthose, William Rufus, Richard I of Capua and Henry I of England, are
the subject of "The Norman Commanders: Masters of Warfare 911-1135", historian Paul Hills latest study of medieval
warfare. In a narrative packed with detail and insight, and with a wide-ranging understanding of the fighting methods
and military ethos of the period, he traces the course of their conquests, focusing on them as individual commanders
and on their achievements on the battlefield.
The military context of their campaigns, and the conditions of warfare in France and England, in southern Italy and
Sicily, and in the Near East, are vividly described, as are their decisive operations and sieges among them Hastings,
Brmule, Tinchebrai, Civitate, Misilmeri, Dyrrhachium and the Siege of Antioch. There is no doubt that the Normans
success in war depended upon the leadership qualities and military capabilities of the commanders as well as the special
strengths of the armies they led. Paul Hills accessible and authoritative account offers a fascinating portrait of these
masters of warfare.
Critique: A masterpiece of historical research, "The Norman Commanders: Masters of Warfare 911-1135" is an
extraordinary and impressive work of meticulous scholarship that is further enhanced for academia with the inclusion of
a four page Bibliography and an eight page Index. While an especially and unreservedly recommended addition to
community, college, and university library English/French Medieval History collections in general, and Norman
Military History studies in particular, it should be noted for students, academia, military history buffs, and non-
specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "The Norman Commanders: Masters of Warfare 911-1135"
is also readily available in a paperback edition (9781526782014, $32.95) and in a digital book format (Kindle,
$14.99).
Editorial Note: Paul Hill, formerly curator of Kingston Upon Thames Museum in Surrey, is well known as a lecturer,
author and expert on Anglo-Saxon and Norman history and military archaeology, and he has written several books on
these subjects, among them The Age of Athelstan: Britain's Forgotten History, The Viking Wars of Alfred the Great
and The Anglo-Saxons at War 800-1066.
The Wars of the Maccabees
John D. Grainger
Pen & Sword Books
c/o Casemate (distribution)
www.casematepublishers.com
https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk
9781526782267, $26.95, PB, 208pp
https://www.amazon.com/Wars-Maccabees-John-D-Grainger/dp/152678226X
Synopsis: By the early second century BC, Israel had long been under the rule of the Hellenistic Seleucid Empire. But
the policy of deliberate Hellenization and suppression of Jewish religious practices by Antiochus IV, sparked a revolt in
167 BC which was led initially by Judah Maccabee and later by his brothers and their descendants.
Relying on guerrilla tactics the growing insurrection repeatedly took on the sophisticated might of the Seleucid army
with mixed, but generally successful, results, establishing the Maccabees as the Hasmonean Dynasty of rulers over a
once-more independent Israel. (It is Judah Maccabee's ritual cleansing of the Temple after his victories over the
Seleucids that is celebrated by Jews every year at Hanukkah). Internal disputes weakened the revived state, however,
and it eventually fell victim to the Romans who replaced the Seleucids as the local superpower.
In his in-depth study, "The Wars of the Maccabees", historican John D. Grainger explains the causes of the revolt and
traces the course of the various campaigns of the Maccabees, first against the Seleucids and then the Romans who
captured Jerusalem in 63 BC and partitioned the kingdom. The last chapters consider the continued Jewish resistance to
Roman rule and factional fighting, until the crowning of Herod, marked the end of the Hasmonean dynasty.
Critique: As informed and informative as it is inherently interesting and expertly presented, "The Wars of the
Maccabees" is an extraordinary and detailed introduction to the ancient Judaic/Hellenistic conflict that would result in
the independence of Israel until the coming of the Romans. While an especially prized and recommended addition to
community, college, and university library collections, it should be noted for the personal reading lists of students,
academia, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "The Wars of the Maccabees" is also
readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $8.99).
Editorial Note: John D. Grainger is a former teacher turned professional historian. He has over thirty books to his name,
divided between classical history and modern British political and military history. His previous books for Pen &
Sword are Hellenistic and Roman Naval Wars; Wars of the Maccabees; Traditional Enemies: Britain's War with Vichy
France 1940-42; Roman Conquests: Egypt and Judaea; Rome, Parthia and India: The Violent Emergence of a New
World Order: 150-140 BC; a three-volume history of the Seleukid Empire and British Campaigns in the South Atlantic
1805-1807.
Medieval Maritime Warfare
Charles D. Stanton
Pen & Sword Books
c/o Casemate (distribution)
www.casematepublishers.com
https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk
9781781592519, $39.95, HC, 368pp
https://www.amazon.com/Medieval-Maritime-Warfare-Charles-Stanton/dp/1781592519
Synopsis: Following the fall of Rome, the sea is increasingly the stage upon which the human struggle of western
civilization played out. In a world of few roads and great disorder, the sea is the medium on which power is projected
and wealth sought. Yet this confused period in the history of maritime warfare has rarely been studied. It is little known
and even less understood.
In his historical studies, "Medieval Maritime Warfare", Charles Stanton uses an innovative and involving approach to
describe this fascinating but neglected facet of European medieval history. He depicts the development of maritime
warfare from the end of the Roman Empire to the dawn of the Renaissance, detailing the wars waged in the
Mediterranean by the Byzantines, Muslims, Normans, Crusaders, the Italian maritime republics, Angevins and
Aragonese as well as those fought in northern waters by the Vikings, English, French and the Hanseatic League.
This pioneering study will be compelling reading for everyone interested in medieval warfare and maritime
history.
Critique: Exceptionally well written, impressively organized and presented, "Medieval Maritime Warfare" is a seminal
study that should be considered a core addition to community, college, and university library Medieval History
collections in general, and Naval Military History supplemental curriculum studies lists in particular. It should be noted
for the personal reading lists of student, academia, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that
"Medieval Maritime Warfare" is also readily available in a paperback edition (9781526782199, $34.95) and in a digital
book format (Kindle, $16.59).
Editorial Note: Dr Charles D. Stanton is a former US naval officer and airline pilot who, after retirement, studied
medieval Mediterranean history at Cambridge under David Abulafia. His particular focus is the Norman conquest of
southern Italy and Sicily on which he has published several well-received articles in scholarly journals. His recent book,
"Norman Naval Operations in the Mediterranean", has also been highly praised.
Religion & Classical Warfare: Archaic and Classical Greece
Matthew Dillion, author
Christopher Matthew, author
Michael Schmitz, author
Pen & Sword Books
c/o Casemate (distribution)
www.casematepublishers.com
https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk
9781473834293, $50.00, HC, 320pp
https://www.amazon.com/Religion-Classical-Warfare-Archaic-Greece/dp/1473834295
Synopsis: Religion was integral to the conduct of war in the ancient world and the Greeks were certainly no exception.
No campaign was undertaken, no battle risked, without first making sacrifice to propitiate the appropriate gods (such as
Ares, god of War) or consulting oracles and omens to divine their plans. Yet the link between war and religion is an
area that has been regularly overlooked by modern scholars examining the conflicts of these times.
Collaboratively compiled and co-edited by Christopher Matthew (who has just completed his doctoral thesis on hoplite
warfare at MacQuarie University in Sydney), Matthew Dillon (who is an Associate Professor of Classics and Ancient
History at the University of New England, New South Wales, Australia), and Michael Schmitz (who is a lecturer in
Classics and Ancient History at the University of New England, New South Wales, Australia), "Religion & Classical
Warfare: Archaic and Classical Greece" addresses that omission by drawing together the work of experts from across
the globe. The chapters have been carefully structured by the editors so that this wide array of scholarship combines to
give a coherent, comprehensive study of the role of religion in the wars of the Archaic and Classical Greek world.
Aspects considered in depth include: Greek writers on religion and war; declarations of war; fate and predestination, the
sphagia and pre-battle sacrifices; omens, oracles and portents, trophies and dedications to cult centers; militarized
deities; sacred truces and festivals; oaths and vows; religion & Greek military medicine.
Critique: Comprised of ten erudite and impressively informative articles by experts in the field of Greek antiquity,
"Religion & Classical Warfare: Archaic and Classical Greece" is enhanced for academia with the inclusion of a listing
of Abbreviations of Ancien Sources, a listing of Abbreviations of Modern Works, a listing of Spelling of Ancient
Names and Terms; a listing of the contributors and their credentials, figures, and informative introduction (New
Perspectives on Classical Greek Religion and Warfare), and a thirteen page Index.
A work of meticulous and detailed scholarship, "Religion & Classical Warfare: Archaic and Classical Greece" must be
considered as a core addition to community, college, and university library Antiquarian Greek History collections and
supplemental curriculum studies lists. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of students, academia, and non-
specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "Religion & Classical Warfare: Archaic and Classical
Greece" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $30.00).
The Civil War Shelf
The Maps of the Cavalry in the Gettysburg Campaign
Bradley M. Gottfried
Savas Beatie
PO Box 4527, El Dorado Hills, CA 95762
www.savasbeatie.com
9781611214796, $34.95, HC, 240pp
https://www.amazon.com/Maps-Cavalry-Gettysburg-Operations-Military/dp/1611214793
Synopsis: "The Maps of the Cavalry in the Gettysburg Campaign: An Atlas of Mounted Operations from Brandy
Station Through Falling Waters, June 9 - July 14, 1863" continues Civil War historian Bradley M. Gottfried's efforts to
study and illustrate the major campaigns of the Civil War's Eastern Theater. This is his seventh book in the on-going
Savas Beatie Military Atlas Series.
"The Maps of Gettysburg", Gottfried's inaugural and groundbreaking atlas published in 2007, covered only a small
portion of the cavalry's actions during the seminal campaign. "The Maps of the Cavalry in the Gettysburg Campaign"
addresses that topic in-depth in a way that no other study has ever achieved. Gottfried covers the opening battle of the
campaign at Brandy Station in detail, followed by the actions at Aldie, Middleburg, and Upperville, where Jeb Stuart's
cavalry successfully halted Alfred Pleasonton's probes toward the Blue Mountain passes in an effort to determine the
location of Robert E. Lee's army.
The movements toward Gettysburg are covered in a series of maps, including the actions at Westminister, Hanover, and
Hunterstown. The five major actions on July 2-3 at Gettysburg take up a considerable portion of the book and include
the fight at Brinkerhoff Ridge, and four more on July 3 (Stuart against David Gregg northeast of the town, Wesley
Merritt's fight along Emmitsburg Road, Judson Kilpatrick's actions near the base of Big Round Top, and Grumble
Jones's near-destruction of the 6th U.S. Cavalry near Fairfield).
The cavalry also played a vital role during Lee's retreat to the Potomac River. The numerous fights at Monterrey Pass,
Smithfield, Boonsboro, Funkstown, and Hagerstown were of critical importance to both sides and are covered in detail.
"The Maps of the Cavalry in the Gettysburg Campaign" concludes with the fight at Falling Waters and ends with an
epilogue recounting events occurring in Virginia through the end of July.
"The Maps of the Cavalry in the Gettysburg Campaign" also plows new ground by breaking down the entire campaign
into sixteen map sets or "action sections," enriched with 82 detailed full-page color maps. These cartographic originals
bore down to the regimental and battery level, and include the march to and from the battlefield and virtually every
significant event in between. At least two (and as many as ten) maps accompany each map set. Keyed to each piece of
cartography is a full-facing page of detailed text describing the units, personalities, movements, and combat (including
quotes from eyewitnesses) depicted on the accompanying map, all of which make the cavalry actions come alive.
This presentation allows readers to easily and quickly find a map and text on virtually any portion of the campaign.
Serious students will appreciate the extensive and authoritative endnotes and complete order of battle, and take it with
them on trips to the battlefields. A final bonus is that the maps unlock every other book or article written on any aspect
of the cavalry's actions during this important campaign.
Critique: A seminal work of meticulous, detailed, and exhaustive scholarship, "The Maps of the Cavalry in the
Gettysburg Campaign: An Atlas of Mounted Operations from Brandy Station Through Falling Waters, June 9 - July 14,
1863" is an essential and core addition to personal, professional, community, college, and university library American
Civil War collections.
Editorial Note: Dr. Bradley M. Gottfried serves as a board member of the Central Virginia Battlefield Trust. Brad and
his wife Linda have four children and five grandchildren. He has recently finished his manuscript on The Maps of
Spotsylvania, North Anna, and Cold Harbor Campaigns. He is hard at work on two projects: The Maps of Petersburg
and Appomattox and the story of the creation and consecration of the Gettysburg National Cemetery that will be
published as part of the Emerging Civil War Series. An avid Civil War historian, Dr. Gottfried is the author of eleven
books, including Stopping Pickett: The History of the Philadelphia Brigade (1999), Brigades of Gettysburg (2002),
Kearny's Own: The History of the First New Jersey Brigade (2005), and five previous Savas Beatie Military Atlas Titles
(First Bull Run, Antietam, Gettysburg, Bristoe Station/Mine Run, and Wilderness). Brad and his wife recently
published a history of the Point Lookout Civil War Prisoner of War Camp for Confederates.
Women Making War
Thomas F. Curran
Southern Illinois University Press
1915 University Press Drive, SIUC Mail Code 6806, Carbondale, IL 62901
www.siupress.com
9780809338030, $26.50, PB, 274pp
https://www.amazon.com/Women-Making-War-Confederate-Prisoners/dp/0809338033
Synopsis: During the American Civil War, more than four hundred women were arrested and imprisoned by the Union
Army in the St. Louis area. The majority of these women were fully aware of the political nature of their actions and
had made conscious decisions to assist Confederate soldiers in armed rebellion against the U.S. government. Their
crimes included offering aid to Confederate soldiers, smuggling, spying, sabotaging, and, rarely, serving in the
Confederate army. Historian Thomas F. Curran's extensive research highlights for the first time the female Confederate
prisoners in the St. Louis area, and his thoughtful analysis shows how their activities affected Federal military
policy.
Early in the war, Union officials felt reluctant to arrest women and waited to do so until their conduct could no longer
be tolerated. The war progressed, the women's disloyal activities escalated, and Federal response grew stronger. Some
Confederate partisan women were banished to the South, while others were held at Alton Military Prison and other
sites. The guerilla war in Missouri resulted in more arrests of women, and the task of incarcerating them became more
complicated.
The women's offenses were seen as treasonous by the Federal government. By determining that women (who were
excluded from the politics of the male public sphere) were capable of treason, Federal authorities implicitly
acknowledged that women acted in ways that had serious political meaning. Nearly six decades before U.S. women had
the right to vote, Federal officials who dealt with Confederate partisan women routinely referred to them as citizens.
Federal officials created a policy that conferred on female citizens the same obligations male citizens had during time of
war and rebellion, and they prosecuted disloyal women in the same way they did disloyal men.
The women arrested in the St. Louis area are only a fraction of the total number of female southern partisans who found
ways to advance the Confederate military cause. More significant than their numbers, however, is what the fragmentary
records of these women reveal about the activities that led to their arrests, the reactions women partisans evoked from
the Federal authorities who confronted them, the impact that women's partisan activities had on Federal military policy
and military prisons, and how these women's experiences were subsumed to comport with a Lost Cause myth -- the
need for valorous men to safeguard the homes of defenseless women.
Critique: Focusing on a heretofore obscure aspect of the American Civil War, "Women Making War: Female
Confederate Prisoners and Union Military Justice" is an extraordinary and seminal study of original, meticulous, and
detailed scholarship. Enhanced for academia with thirty-four pages of Notes, an eighteen page Bibliography, and a nine
page Index, "Women Making War: Female Confederate Prisoners and Union Military Justice" is an especially valued
and unreservedly recommended addition to personal, professional, community, college, and university library American
Civil War History collections. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of all Civil War buffs that "Women
Making War: Female Confederate Prisoners and Union Military Justice" is also readily available in a digital book
format (Kindle, $14.31).
Editorial Note: Thomas F. Curran has taught in the department of social studies at Cor Jesu Academy in St. Louis since
2003, and before that he taught at Saint Louis University and the University of Notre Dame. For eight years he served
as managing editor of the Journal of Policy History. Curran is the author of Soldier of Peace: Civil War Pacifism and
the Postwar Radical Peace Movement.
The Impulse of Victory
David A. Powell
Southern Illinois University Press
1915 University Press Drive, SIUC Mail Code 6806, Carbondale, IL 62901
www.siupress.com
9780809338016, $34.50, HC, 264pp
https://www.amazon.com/Impulse-Victory-Ulysses-Grant-Chattanooga/dp/0809338017
Synopsis: Union soldiers in the Army of the Cumberland, who were trapped and facing starvation or surrender in the
fall of 1863, saw the arrival of Major General Ulysses S. Grant in Tennessee as an impetus to reverse the tides of
war.
"The Impulse of Victory: Ulysses S. Grant at Chattanooga" by author and American civil war historian David A. Powell
is a sophisticated strategic and operational analysis of Grant's command decisions and actions shows how his
determined leadership relieved the siege and shattered the enemy, resulting in the creation of a new strategic base of
Union operations and Grant's elevation to commander of all the Federal armies the following year.
Powell's detailed exploration of the Union Army of the Cumberland's six-week-long campaign for Chattanooga is
complemented by his careful attention to the personal issues Grant faced at the time and his relationships with his
superiors and subordinates. Though unfamiliar with the tactical situation, the army, and its officers, Grant delivered
another resounding victory. His success, explains Powell, was due to his tactical flexibility, communication with his
superiors, perseverance despite setbacks, and dogged determination to win the campaign.
Through attention to postwar accounts, Powell reconciles the differences between what happened and the participants'
memories of the events. He focuses throughout on Grant's controversial decisions, showing how they were made and
their impact on the campaign. As Powell shows, Grant's choices demonstrate how he managed to be a thoughtful,
deliberate commander despite the fog of war.
Critique: An impressively informative and deftly written work of meticulous and descriptively detailed scholarship,
"The Impulse of Victory: Ulysses S. Grant at Chattanooga" is a welcome contribution to the growing library of
American War Histories. Enhanced for academia with the inclusion of illustrations, and informative Prologue, and
Appendix (Order of Battle, Chattanooga Campaign, twenty-two pages of Notes, a twelve page Bibliography, and a
seven page Index, "The Impulse of Victory: Ulysses S. Grant at Chattanooga" is an essential, core addition to
community, college, and university library American Civil War collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists. It
should be noted for students, academia, and American Civil War buffs that "The Impulse of Victory: Ulysses S. Grant
at Chattanooga" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $18.98).
Editorial Note: David A. Powell, an expert on the battle of Chickamauga, is the author of nine books on the Civil War,
including The Chickamauga Campaign trilogy as well as Battle above the Clouds: Lifting the Siege of Chattanooga and
the Battle of Lookout Mountain, October 16 - November 24, 1863.
The Military Shelf
Baker Bandits: Korea's Band of Brothers
Emmett Shelton Jr., author
Cynthia Shelton, editor
Casemate Publishers
1940 Lawrence Road, Havertown, PA 19083
www.casematepublishers.com
9781612008981, $34.95, HC, 384pp
https://www.amazon.com/Baker-Bandits-Koreas-Band-Brothers/dp/1612008984
Synopsis: B-1-5 was a unique company in the Korean War. Tagged 'The Baker Bandits' they fought at Inchon, Naktong,
Chosin Reservoir, Guerrilla Hunts and the many numbered hills. They inspired one B Company Commander, Gen.
Charlie Cooper, to the extent that when he became Commanding General of the Marines First Division in 1977, his
time with B-1-5 inspired his "Band Of Brothers Leadership Principles" used widely in the Corps for many years.
Emmett Shelton was a 19-year-old Marine Reservist in 1950. He was called to duty after graduating Austin High
School and, within six months, he was a rifleman in Korea. The Korean winter of 1950 was brutal and Emmett was
evacuated shortly after Chosin due to frostbite. After the war, Emmett got on with life, then in the 1980s he attended a
Chosin Few Reunion. He was overwhelmed by a need to reconnect with his old Company, his Baker Bandits.
Emmett tracked down B Company members one-by-one and started a newsletter, The Guidon, to share stories and
reconnect. For 20 years Emmett published The Guidon, monthly. The contributing readership grew to a high of 300,
including a number of young B Company Marines fighting in Afghanistan. The Baker Bandits brings together firsthand
accounts from The Guidon, written by the men of B-1-5 about their time in Korea: their battles, their fallen
commanders, death in the foxhole, lost platoons, injuries, and what happened to them after the war.
Critique: Deftly edited by Cynthia Shelton (the daughter of Emmett Shelton, who served in Korea and died in 2015),
"Baker Bandits: Korea's Band of Brothers" is an invaluable and singularly appreciated addition to community, college,
and university library 20th Century American Military History collections in general, and Korean War supplemental
curriculum studies lists in particular. Exceptionally well written, organized and presented, it should be noted for the
personal reading lists of students, academia, and dedicated military history buffs that "Baker Bandits: Korea's Band of
Brothers" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $13.49).
Invading Hitler's Europe
Roswell K. Doughty
Frontline Books
c/o Casemate Publishers
1940 Lawrence Road, Havertown, PA 19083
www.casematepublishers.com
9781526773227, $32.95, HC, 328pp
https://www.amazon.com/Invading-Hitlers-Europe-Salerno-Intelligence/dp/1526773228
Synopsis: On the day that Roswell K. Doughty graduated from Boston University he also received a commission as a
2nd Lieutenant in the Army of the United States of America. That, though, was in 1931 and it was not until 1942 that
he was called to active duty to face some of the toughest fighting of the Second World War.
With the rank of 1st Lieutenant, Doughty became an Intelligence Officer with the US 36th (Texas) Division. He
subsequently saw action in North Africa, then at the disastrous Salerno landings in Italy where the Allied divisions
involved suffered 4,000 casualties about which he reveals that suspected intelligence breaches led to the Allies plans
becoming known to the Germans.
Doughty was involved in the grueling battles against the formidable German defenses of the Gustav Line, particularly
in the tragic failed attempt to cross the Gari river (Battle of the Rapido River, January 1944) and the struggle to conquer
Monte Cassino. After the Anzio landings and the liberation of Rome, Doughty and his infantry regiment, the 141st,
took part in the invasion of Southern France in Operation Dragoon, fighting its way up the Rhone River and advancing
up to the River Moselle in December 1944. In March 1945, his unit breached the Siegfried Line and crossed into the
Germany itself.
Promoted to captain and later to major, Doughty led an Intelligence and Reconnaissance unit, the role of which was to
learn what it could of enemy strengths, minefields, useable roads and so on, which involved going behind enemy lines
to observe enemy movements firsthand. As an Intelligence Officer, it was also part of Doughty's duties to interrogate
enemy prisoners, which led him to being involved in the capture and detention of Reichsmarschall Goring and in
negotiating the surrender of the still-armed and hostile German First Army in May 1945.
"Invading Hitler's Europe: From Salerno to the Capture of Goring - the Memoir of a US Intelligence Officer" is the
fascinating and diverse account of one officer's part in the liberation of Europe in the Second World War, one which led
him from North Africa through Italy and France into the heart of the Third Reich.
Critique: Impressively informative, expertly presented, and inherently interesting read that will be especially
appreciated by both academia and the non-specialist general reader with an interest in the World War II European
Theatre operations, "Invading Hitler's Europe: From Salerno to the Capture of Goring - the Memoir of a US Intelligence
Officer" is an especially recommended, core addition to personal reading lists, as well as community, college, and
university library World War II History & Memoir collections.
Editorial Note: Roswell K. Doughty graduated from Boston University in 1931 with an Army ROTC second
lieutenancy. He was called up for active duty as an S-2 (Intelligence) officer with the 36th (Texas) Division after the
Pearl Harbor attack. He was shipped out April 1, 1943 and served in North Africa, Italy, France, and Germany until
after VE Day. Doughty later served as a G-1 (staff) officer in Korea from 1952-1953. Returning to civilian life, he
worked for the General Motors Acceptance Corporation, residing primarily in New York State. He died residing in
Vermont in 2001 at the age of 91.
The CIA War in Kurdistan
Sam Faddis
Casemate Publishers
1940 Lawrence Road, Havertown, PA 19083
www.casematepublishers.com
9781612008349, $34.95, HC, 241pp
https://www.amazon.com/CIA-War-Kurdistan-Untold-Northern-ebook/dp/B086KJFBVT
Synopsis: In 2002, Sam Faddis was named to head a CIA team that would enter Iraq to facilitate the deployment of
follow-on conventional military forces numbering over 40,000 American soldiers. This force, built around the 4th
Infantry Division, would, in partnership with Kurdish forces and with the assistance of Turkey, engage Saddam's army
in the North as part of a coming invasion. Faddis expected to be on the ground in Iraq within weeks, the entire
campaign likely to be over by summer. Over the course of the next year, virtually every aspect of that plan for the
conduct of the war in northern Iraq fell apart.
The 4th Infantry Division never arrived, nor did any other conventional forces in substantial number. The Turks not
only refused to provide support, they worked overtime to prevent the United States from achieving success. And an
Arab army that was to assist US forces fell apart before it ever made it to the field.
Alone, hopelessly outnumbered, short on supplies, and threatened by Iraqi assassination teams and Islamic extremists,
Faddis's team, working with Kurdish peshmerga, miraculously paved the way for a brilliant and largely bloodless
victory in the North and the fall of Saddam's Iraq. That victory, handed over to Washington and the Department of
Defense on a silver platter, was then squandered. The decisions that followed would lead to catastrophic consequences
that continue to this day.
"The CIA War in Kurdistan: The Untold Story of the Northern Front in the Iraq War" is the true and heretofore untold
story of the brave and effective team of men and women who overcame massive odds to help end the nightmare of
Saddam's rule. It is also the story of how incompetence, bureaucracy, and ignorance threw that success away and
condemned Iraq and the surrounding region to chaos.
Critique: An impressively detailed, documented, and presented study of a major American military operation, "The CIA
War in Kurdistan: The Untold Story of the Northern Front in the Iraq War" is deserving of the widest readership
possible -- especially when we as a nation are still dealing with the consequences of this troubled and troubling conflict.
While very highly recommended, especially for community, college, and university library American Military and Iragi
War History collections, it should be noted for the personal reading lists of students, academia, military history buffs,
and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "The CIA War in Kurdistan: The Untold Story of
the Northern Front in the Iraq War" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
Editorial Note: Sam Faddis is a retired CIA operations officer, published author, and national security commentator. In
addition to writing, speaking, and teaching, he consults for the US military, US government, and private industry.
Clipped Wings
Molly Merryman
New York University Press
838 Broadway, 3rd floor, New York, NY 10003
www.nyupress.org
9781479805761, $85.32, HC, 280pp
https://www.amazon.com/Clipped-Wings-Airforce-Service-Pilots/dp/1479805769
Synopsis: During World War II, all branches of the military had women's auxiliaries. Only the Women Airforce Service
Pilots (WASP) program, however, was made up entirely of women who undertook dangerous military missions more
commonly associated with and desired by men.
Within military hierarchies, the World War II pilot was perceived as the most dashing and desirable of servicemen.
"Flyboys" were the daring elite of the United States military. More than the WACs (Army), WAVES (Navy), SPARS
(Coast Guard), or Women Marines, the WASPs directly challenged these assumptions of male supremacy in wartime
culture. WASPs flew the fastest fighter planes and heaviest bombers; they test-piloted experimental models and worked
in the development of weapons systems. Yet the WASPs were the only women's auxiliary within the armed services of
World War II that was not militarized.
In "Clipped Wings: The Rise and Fall of the Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASPs) of World War II", author and
academician Molly Merryman draws upon military documents (many of which weren't declassified until the 1990s)
congressional records, and interviews with the women who served as WASPs during World War II to trace the history
of the over one thousand pilots who served their country as the first women to fly military planes. She examines the
social pressures that culminated in their disbandment in 1944 (even though a wartime need for their services still
existed) and documents their struggles and eventual success, in 1977, to gain military status and receive veterans'
benefits.
In the preface to this reissued edition of "Clipped Wings", Merryman also reflects on the changes in women's aviation
in the past twenty years, as NASA's new Artemis program promises to land the first female astronaut on the moon and
African American and lesbian women are among the newest pilot recruits. Updating the story of the WASPs, Merryman
reveals that even in the past few years there have been more battles for them to fight and more national recognition for
them to receive. At its heart, the story of the Women Airforce Service Pilots is not about war or planes; it is a story
about persistence and extraordinary achievement. These accomplished women pilots did more than break the barriers of
flight; they established a model for equality.
Critique: An impressively informative and comprehensive military history, "Clipped Wings: The Rise and Fall of the
Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASPs) of World War II" is a seminal work of meticulous research and unreservedly
recommended for community, college, and university library World War II Military & Aviation history collections and
supplemental curriculum studies lists. It should be noted for students, academia, military buffs, and non-specialist
general readers with an interest in the subject that "Clipped Wings" is also readily available in a paperback edition
(9781479805785, $30.00) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $1.99).
Editorial Note: Molly Merryman is the founding director of Kent State University's Center for the Study of Gender and
Sexuality and an associate professor of Sociology. She is also a documentary filmmaker and the Historic Research
Producer for the WASP documentary Coming Home (2020). Merryman is the research director for Queer Britain, the
UK's national LGBTQ+ Museum.
The Economic Studies Shelf
Capitalism and Freedom
Milton Friedman
University of Chicago Press
1427 East 60th Street, Chicago, IL 60637
www.press.uchicago.edu
9780226734798, $18.00, PB, 287pp
https://www.amazon.com/Capitalism-Freedom-Milton-Friedman-dp-022673479X/dp/022673479X
Synopsis: How can we benefit from the promise of government while avoiding the threat it poses to individual
freedom? "Capitalism and Freedom" is Milton Friedman's classic study in which he provides the definitive statement of
an immensely influential economic philosophy -- one in which competitive capitalism serves as both a device for
achieving economic freedom and a necessary condition for political freedom.
Critique: First published in 1962, this newly published edition of "Capitalism and Freedom" from the University of
Chicago Press features a new foreword by Binyamin Appelbaum and continues to be one of the most significant works
of economic theory ever written and is an essential, core edition to all community, college, and university library
Economic Theory collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists. It should be noted for the personal reading lists
of students, academia, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "Capitalism and Freedom"
is also readily available in a digital book format (eTextbook, $9.99).
Editorial Note: Milton Friedman (July 31, 1912 - November 16, 2006), was a Nobel Prize winner for excellence in
economics, was a senior research fellow at the Hoover Institution, Stanford University, and the Paul Snowden
Distinguished Service Professor Emeritus of Economics at the University of Chicago. His many published books
include Essays in Positive Economics, Monetary Trends in the United States and the United Kingdom, and Milton
Friedman on Economics, all published by the University of Chicago Press.
The Pets/Wildlife Shelf
Not Always Home Before Dark
Brooke Newman
Troy Book Makers
www.troybookmakers.com
9781614685722, $23.50
https://www.amazon.com/Not-Always-Home-Before-Dark/dp/1614685711
Not Always Home Before Dark tells the story of a dog named Cajun, found in 2005 wandering loose in St. Bernard
Parish, Louisiana in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Cajun was adopted by a Colorado family, but he never quite
recovered from the storm that nearly cost his life. This lovely story of his wanderings, rescue, and ongoing habit of
hitting the road whenever the fancy struck makes for an unusual rescue story that is captivating, celebrating the
heartwarming interactions between a dog, his new family of humans and fellow canines, and the hours spent finding
and soothing him. Dog lovers are in for a real treat in this fun story with its simple yet appealing back and white
illustrations and photos by author Brooke Newman.
Solving Equine Behaviour Problems
Rose M. Scofield
CABI
c/o Stylus Publishing, Inc.
22883 Quicksilver Drive, Sterling, VA 20166-2012
www.styluspub.com
9781789244878, $40.00, PB, 176pp
https://www.amazon.com/Solving-Equine-Behaviour-Problems-Equitation/dp/1789244870
Synopsis: Horses can develop a range of behavioral problems, which if left untreated, could cause the relationship
between horse and human to break down. With many different well-meaning opinions offered to solve such situations,
it can be difficult to find the right path.
In "Solving Equine Behaviour Problems: An Equitation Science Approach", author and horse training expert Rose
Scofield examines behavioral issues using the latest academic research. Offering practical solutions with useful
diagrams and photographs throughout, "Solving Equine Behaviour Problems: An Equitation Science Approach" helps
to protect and develop the horse-human relationship.
This throughly 'user friendly' instruction manual: Addresses issues by circumstance, making it easy to find solutions to
all your handling, groundwork, and riding problems; Uses scientific research to investigate both the problems
themselves and the methods tasked to solve them; Includes illuminating case studies illustrating problems and how
solutions work in practice.
Beginning with an introduction to the main principles of equitation science, Solving Equine Behaviour Problems then
covers over 30 major issues, including biting, kicking, separation anxiety, loading, shying, bucking and bolting. It
provides key points, take home messages and scientific references, translating lessons from experimental science into
practical help for both professionals and the horse enthusiast.
Critique: Profusely illustrated throughout, "Solving Equine Behaviour Problems: An Equitation Science Approach" is a
thoroughly comprehensive and exceptionally well written, organized and presented manual that should be considered
mandatory reading by anyone vested with the responsibilities of horse ownership and/or training. While highly
recommended for community, college, and university library Equine Studies collections, it should be noted for personal
reading lists that "Solving Equine Behaviour Problems: An Equitation Science Approach" is also readily available in a
digital book format (Kindle, $38.00).
Editorial Note: Rose M. Scofield has always been involved with horses when she eventually decided to start a degree in
the subject of Equine Behavior and Training. While studying, she worked at a veterinary surgery and found a desire for
discovering why horses act the way they do, and also how we as humans could intervene to improve their welfare in
their relationships with us. Her career in research stemmed from this, and subsequently she has presented her research
around the world. Her first foray into research looked at performance, but soon deviated into the world of equitation
science, exploring the relationship between horse and rider/handler. Rose has completed three pieces of research into
bitless bridles, and four in issues concerning the safety of horses and riders on our roads. She now intends to combine
aspects of behavior and road safety, and is beginning to explore how our knowledge of the behaviors of horses on our
roads can add to the profile of keeping them (and us) as safe as possible.
The Inside Out of Flies
Erica McAlister
Firefly Books Ltd.
www.fireflybooks.com
9780228102878, $24.95, HC, 288pp
https://www.amazon.com/Inside-Out-Flies-Erica-McAlister/dp/0228102871
Synopsis: "The Inside Out of Flies" by Erica McAlister is an informative study of the astonishing mechanics of fly
anatomy that reveals the engineering miracles embodied in each species of fly and some of the fascinating implications
they hold for human technology.
Readers will discover the physics of the mysterious "scuba diving fly," marvel at the venomous horsefly larvae which
prey on frogs, and glimpse the golden ratio in these creatures' spiral flight patterns.
"The Inside Out of Flies" also touches on the emerging field of biomimetics (the study of evolutionary adaptations to
devise new technology) and anticipates everything from medical needles based on the mosquito's proboscis to hearing
aids inspired by Ormia ochracea, a tiny fly with ears on its thorax. At every juncture she uncovers unique and surprising
science lessons encapsulated in the form and function of the humble fly.
Critique: Erica McAlister is an acknowledged expert at the top of her field and a skilled writer who masterfully imparts
knowledge while entertaining the reader with her enthusiasm and wit. With immense value for students and non-
specialist general raeders with an interest in the subject, "The Inside Out of Flies" is an ideal and unreservedly
recommended addition to personal reading lists, as well as community, college, university, and specialist/corporate
library collections.
Editorial Note: Erica McAlister is Curator of Diptera (flies) at the Natural History Museum, London. She has studied in
France, Australia and Costa Rica and her work with diptera has taken her all around the world. She has presented the
popular BBC Radio 4 series Who's the Pest? and participated in a New York Times, Science Facebook Live interview
which has been viewed over 134,000 times.
The Jobs/Careers Shelf
Best Resumes and Letter for Ex-Offenders
Wendy S. Enelow & Ronald L. Krannich
Impact Publications
14 Cotesworth Place, Savnnah, GA 31411
www.impactpublications.com
9781570234095, $29.95, PB, 272pp
https://www.amazon.com/Resumes-Letter-Ex-Offenders-Wendy-Enelow/dp/1570234094
Synopsis: Finding a good job is the best way to quickly transform the life of an ex-offender. That's especially true for
ex-cons with red flags in their backgrounds. Knowing employers are reluctant to hire them, many ex-cons face
rejections and lose hope. Indeed, lacking job search smarts (from properly writing resumes, networking for job leads,
and acing job interviews) many go from one dead end job to another -- and then back to prison. For many, their odorous
rap sheet becomes their resume!
But there is good news -- most ex-offenders ARE employable. Indeed, each year thousands of ex-cons find rewarding
jobs that change their lives. They discover many employers are willing to give them a second chance. But these job
seekers must first communicate their qualifications to prospective employers through powerful resumes and letters --
the most important step for getting a job interview.
Now in a fully updated and expanded second edition "Best Resumes and Letters for Ex-Offenders" effectively
addresses the unique job search challenges facing ex-offenders as they prepare to communicate their qualifications to
employers. Written by two of America's leading career experts, Wendy S. Enelow and Ronald L. Krannich, "Best
Resumes and Letters for Ex-Offenders" packed from cover to cover with the latest information, tips, strategies, and
examples of what you must do in order to get the critical job interview.
"Best Resumes and Letters for Ex-Offenders" includes: 25 things you must know about resumes; 35 writing mistakes
you should avoid; 19 frequently asked questions and expert advice; Step-by-step resume writing instructions; 40
examples of 2 types of winning resumes; 8 types of job search letters; 42 examples of effective letters you should write;
Resume and letter evaluation forms; Resume writing worksheets; 400+ action verbs and personality descriptors;
Re-entry resources and digital skills for ex-offenders.
Follow the principles, tips, and examples outlined in "Best Resumes and Letters for Ex-Offenders" and you, too, will
join the growing ranks of ex-offenders who have transitioned from rap sheet to resume. They began changing their
broken lives by finding a good job. You'll quickly discover that a well-crafted resume and letter can open the doors of
employers. Best of all, you'll get interviewed and hired, because you organized an effective job search according to the
many principles outlined in this special and effective instruction manual and guide.
Critique: Exceptionally well written, organized and presented, "Best Resumes and Letters for Ex-Offenders" must be
considered an essential and high priority addition to prison and community library Jobs/Careers instructional reference
and college/university library Penology collections. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of ex-offenders
seeking employment, prison reform advocates, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that this
new second edition of "Best Resumes and Letters for Ex-Offenders" is also readily available in a digital book format
(Kindle, $27.99).
Editorial Note #1: Wendy S. Enelow, CCM, MRW, JCTC, CPRW, is a recognized leader in the executive job search,
career coaching, and resume writing industries. She is the author of more than 30 books and numerous articles and is
frequently featured in leading publications and on numerous career-related websites. Her recent books include:
Modernize Your Job Search Letters, Modernize Your Resume, and Best Keywords for Resumes, Letters, and
Interviews.
Editorial Note #2: Ronald L. Krannich Ph.D., is a leading career writer who has authored more than 100 books (8+
million copies), including several recent bestsellers for ex-offenders: The Ex-Offender's Quick Job Hunting Guide, The
Ex-Offender's Job Interview Guide, The Ex-Offender's Re-Entry Success Guide, and Overcoming Employment
Barriers.
The Technology Shelf
Artech House
685 Canton Street, Norwood, MA 02062
www.artechhouse.com
https://www.amazon.com/Blockchain-Cyberphysical-Systems-Information-Security/dp/163081783X
https://www.amazon.com/Designing-Wireless-Network-Solutions-Tactical/dp/1630813370
https://www.amazon.com/Deep-Learning-Applications-Short-range-Radars/dp/1630817465
Ali Dorri, Salil Kanhere, Raja Jurdak's Blockchain for Cyberphysical Systems (9781630817831, 159.00) considers how
blockchain technology can overcame CPS problems in different disciplines, offering an alternative structure and
security which can be beneficial, yet is not always easily integrated into existing systems. The focus here is on
blockchain specifically for CPS processing, and examines its applicability to the end, what would have to be changed to
adopt it, and how to use it for purposes ranging from smart rids to the Internet of Things. From lightweight, scalable
blockchains to data modification for memory and use anonymity in the environment, this book is packed with insights
engineers will find specific to considering blockchain processes, adaptations, and CPS improvements.
Timothy D. Cole's Designing Wireless Sensor Network Solutions for Tactical ISR (9781630813376, $164.83) is a
highly recommended reference for intelligence engineers and communities interested in WSN systems and how they are
designed and operate, and provides discussions on various tactical intelligence operations, strategies, goals, and
operations. From the differences between WSN-based systems and their requirements to integrating emergent
technologies, chapters survey both theories and applications in the field. Diagrams, models, references, and
mathematical equations support the discussions, lending solid factual data perfect for understanding all the nuances of
challenges, attacks, and WSN system responses.
Avik Santra and Souvik Hazra's Deep Learning Applications of Short-Range Radars (9781630817466, $179.00) is
recommended for radar technology collections and professionals in the field who will find it an authoritative review of
the latest applications of artificial intelligence and deep learning to the short-range radar environment. The basics of
these concepts and how they relate and work are surveyed in chapters that examine and contrast different deep learning
environments, algorithms, and metrics, considering different learning models and applications specific to short-range
radar operations. From setup and characters to different applications such as fall detectors and people counts, this is a
well-detailed, in-depth discussion that supports theory with real-world applications and the math formulas needed to
understand them.
Artech House
685 Canton Street, Norwood, MA 02062
www.artechhouse.com
https://www.amazon.com/Applications-Geographic-Information-Wireless-Planning/dp/1630817635
https://www.amazon.com/RF-Circuits-Applications-Practicing-Engineers/dp/1630816310
https://www.amazon.com/All-Source-Positioning-Navigation-Timing/dp/1630817031
Francisco Saez de Adama, et.al.'s Applications of Geographic Information Systems for Wireless Network Planning
(9781630817633, $136.84) provides engineers with specifics on how to blend propagation methods with GIS mapping
systems to obtain radio coverage in open environments, and focuses on how GIS can be used to help enable wireless
networks in different scenarios. From different systems and how they are integrated with GIS to examples of main
screens and features of the application and contrasts between different propagation methods, Applications of
Geographic Information Systems for Wireless Network Planning is an excellent reference for any engineer or designer
involved in wireless network adaptations and planning who wants a clear overview of GIS connections to wireless
objectives.
Mougun Dong's RF Circuits and Applications for Practicing Engineers (9781630816315, $169.00) will appeal to
electrical and microwave engineering collections at the college level with a basic resource examining RF circuits and
their design. From theories of power amplifiers to basic processes, from matching networks to calculating RF circuit
efficiencies, theory is supported by real-world applications and a good degree of mathematical formulas and charts that
illustrate interface concepts, voltage breakdowns, and realistic circuit applications. It's a fine basic primer on the subject
that will appeal both as a refresher course, an update, and a reference for practicing engineers as well as classroom
students.
Rongsheng Li's All Source Positioning, Navigation, and Timing (9781630817039, $179.00) is the first technical
discussion of all source positioning, navigation and timing (PNT) in book form, and surveys the issues that arise in
GPS-denied and GPS-challenged PNT systems. It covers various types of PNT systems and their applications and
usage, providing error models, algorithm examples for attitude calculation and more, and measurement approaches that
hold the possibility of improving celestial navigation system design. It's a complete reference that probes solutions to
common GPS system obstacles, covering all the possibilities of PNT applications in various environments. As a
mainstay desk reference, its practical perspectives are invaluable.
James A. Cox, Editor-in-Chief
Diane C. Donovan, Editor
Midwest Book Review
278 Orchard Drive
Oregon, WI 53575-1129
phone: 1-608-835-7937
e-mail: mbr@execpc.com
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