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Table of Contents
Reviewer's Choice
African American Almanac, second edition
Lean'tin Bracks, Ph.D.
Visible Ink Press
www.visibleinkpress.com
9781578598311, $74.95, HC, 592pp
https://www.amazon.com/African-American-Almanac-Excellence-Multicultural/dp/1578598311
Synopsis: African Americans helped build the United States. Their contributions, deeds, and influence are interwoven into
the fabric of the country. Celebrating centuries of achievements, this newly updated and expanded second edition of the
"African American Almanac: 400 Years of Black Excellence" provides insights on the impact and inspiration of African
Americans on U.S. society and culture spanning centuries and presented in a fascinating mix of biographies, historical
facts, and enlightening essays on significant legislation and movements.
Covering events surrounding African American literature, art and music; the civil rights movement; religion within the
black community; advances in science and medicine; and politics, education, business, the military, sports, theater, film,
and television, this important reference connects history to the issues currently facing the African American community.
The "African American Almanac" also honors the lives and contributions of 800 influential figures, ranging from Stacey
Abrams, Muhammad Ali, Maya Angelou, Josephine Baker, George Washington Carver, and Ray Charles, to Bessie
Coleman, Henry Louis Gates, Jr., Martin Luther King, Jr., Queen Latifah, and Thurgood Marshall.
Completely updated and revised for the first time in over a decade, this new second edition of the "African American
Almanac" also looks at the recent challenges, from the Black Lives Movement to Covid-19, and the ongoing resilience of
our nation, and it shines a light on our momentous and complicated history, the individual accomplishments and
contributions of the celebrated and unsung (but no less worthy) African-Americans who built our country and who
continue to influence American society.
Comprehensive and richly illustrated, it thoroughly explores the past, progress, and current conditions of America. This
seminal work is the most complete and affordable single-volume reference of African American culture and history
available today, and it illustrates and demystifies the emotionally moving, complex, and often lost history of black life in
America!
Critique: An ideal defense against the current attempts to deliberately suppress African American history in public school
curriculums and college/university curriculums and library collections, "African American Almanac: 400 Years of Black
Excellence, second edition" should be a core choice and acquisition selection for personal, professional, community,
highschool, college, and university library American History collections and supplemental African-American Studies
curriculum studies lists. It should be noted for students, academia, political activists, public school boards, and non-
specialist general readers with an interest in African-American history that "African American Almanac: 400 Years of
Black Excellence, second edition" is also available in a paperback edition (9781578597802, $36.95) and in a digital book
format (Kindle, $19.99).
Editorial Note: Lean'tin Bracks, Ph.D., is the retired professor of African American literature and retired chair of the
Department of Arts and Languages, discipline coordinator of English and coordinator of African American Studies at Fisk
University. Dr. Bracks continues to conduct research in the areas of African American Literature, Literature of the
Diaspora, and African American Women's Literature. She is the author of "Writings on Black Women of the Diaspora:
History Language and Identity"; and she is the co-editor of "Black Women of the Harlem Renaissance Era". She also has
contributed to resource publications and academic journals, including African American National Biography;
Encyclopedia of African American Popular Culture, and Encyclopedia of African American Business. Dr. Bracks earned
her undergraduate degree from Kenyon College in Gambier, Ohio, which also bestowed upon her an honorary doctorate,
and she completed her graduated work at the University of Nebraska, Lincoln.
National Geographic Atlas of Wild America
Jon Waterman
National Geographic Press
www.nationalgeographic.com
9781426222351, $65.00, HC, 432pp
https://www.amazon.com/National-Geographic-Atlas-Wild-America/dp/1426222351
Synopsis: Filled with authoritative maps, data-driven graphics, awe-inspiring photographs, and thoughtful essays,
"National Geographic Atlas of Wild America" is a vivid large format (10.62 x 1.31 x 13.8 inches, 6.53 pounds) volume
that will feed the soul of everyone who loves wild places. Six lush chapters take readers from the eastern woodlands to the
central plains, from the northern wilderness to southwestern desert lands -- including key wilderness areas in Canada and
Mexico.
"National Geographic Atlas of Wild America" reveals the fascinating history of the High Peaks of the Adirondacks,
presents fossil remains on the Upper Missouri River, showcases the rainforest canopy of Alaska's Tongass National Forest,
and includes the Grand Canyon Parashat's Dark Sky Park. Of special note is a section rich in maps and graphics highlights
13 thematic topics, such as the National Scenic Trail System and the human impact on wilderness areas.
"National Geographic Atlas of Wild America" is beautifully illustrated atlas replete with information and visual lyricism. It
will inspire all who have journeyed into the wild -- and intrigue many who still hope to do so!
Critique: From the deep forests of the Canadian Northwest to the red-rock deserts of the American Southwest, North
America offers a myriad of opportunities for hiking, camping, trekking, and simply enjoying the abundance of the natural
world. the "National Geographic Atlas of Wild America" is an opulent volume highlights 41 of those wilderness locations.
Exceptionally informative and impressively 'user friendly' in organization and presentation, "National Geographic Atlas of
Wild America" is ideal as a library memorial fund acquisition and is unreservedly recommended for personal, professional,
community, highschool, college, and university library American Atlas/Maps collections.
Editorial Note: Jon Waterman (https://jonathanwaterman.com) has written 15 books on adventure and the environment,
including the recent National Geographic Atlas of the National Parks. He has also worked as a wilderness guide and as a
National Park Service ranger and continues to explore remote places around the world by boat, foot, or dogsled. He has
received three grants from the National Geographic Society Expeditions Council, and his award-winning writing and
photography have appeared in numerous national magazines and newspapers.
Inside Pompeii
Luigi Spina
Getty Publications
www.getty.edu/publications
9781606068908, $125.00, HC, 480pp
https://www.amazon.com/Inside-Pompeii-Luigi-Spina/dp/1606068903
Synopsis: Pompeii, one of the most astonishing and well-preserved sites of classical antiquity, is also one of the world's
most visited architectural sites. This large format (9.5 x 2.1 x 12.5 inches, 8.15 pounds) hardcover edition from Getty
Publications is an impressive and lavish volume by Italian photographer Luigi Spina and takes its readers on a fantastic
tour of Pompeii through an array of visually compelling and original photographs. Produced in partnership with the Parco
Archeologico di Pompei, readers are expertly and visually guided through the Roman city's nine districts, including many
hidden corners that are inaccessible to most visitors.
Pompeii's architecture is a central feature of the images, which were shot at all times of day, in all seasons, and in natural
light. Lacy peristyles and rows of column fragments give way to intimate, atmospheric interior spaces. Mosaic floors and
beautiful (albeit fragmentary) wall paintings are reproduced with stunning fidelity and sensitivity. The volume also
includes an essay by Gabriel Zuchtriegel, director of the Pompeii archaeological park, and several meditations on the
history, architecture, and natural beauty of the city. "Inside Pompeii" provides the wondrous experience of wandering
through this remarkable site without ever leaving home.
Critique: The next best thing to being on-site in Pompeii in person, "Inside Pompeii" is an armchair traveler's dream. This
coffee-table style edition is inherently fascinating to browse through on full page image at a time. Useful commentaries
add a welcome and informative support for the stunning visual imagery. Simply stated, Luigi Spina's "Inside Pompeii" is
an ideal choice for a library Memorial Fund Acquisition selection and unreservedly recommended for personal,
professional, community, college, and university library Roman Art, Architecture, and Archaeology collections and
supplemental curriculum studies lists.
Editorial Note: Luigi Spina (https://www.luigispina.it/about-me) is an Italian photographer. He has published more than
twenty books and has created photographic campaigns for institutions and museums throughout Europe.
Secret Wisconsin
Tom & Kristi Flick Manus
Reedy Press
www.reedypress.com
9781681064949, $27.00, PB, 192pp
https://www.amazon.com/Secret-Wisconsin-Tom-Manus/dp/1681064944
Synopsis: Wisconsin is known for its outdoor recreation, supper clubs, and being "America's Dairyland," but intriguing
wonders and obscure events lie hidden in plain sight.
Why does a temporary circus billboard from 1885 still exist on a building? Did someone really exchange water with aliens
for extraterrestrial pancakes? Where can you honor deceased postal letter carriers? Have you been eating brats the wrong
way?
"Secret Wisconsin: A Guide to the Weird, Wonderful, and Obscure" takes you on an unforgettable trip to discover the
state's quirkiness and some of its best kept secrets. Find out where famous people secretly get turkeys in the basement and
where Al Capone let floatplanes land with his illegal booze before he shipped it by truck to Chicago. Learn about the
state's two Walls of China and the place where gravity can pull your vehicle uphill. Discover why JFK made a deposit in
Spooner or how Teddy Roosevelt's long speech saved his life from an attempted assassination. From donuts to whitefish
livers, find out where Wisconsin delicacies hide.
Local authors Tom and Kristi Flick Manus love uncovering stories that must be told. They are passionate about finding
Wisconsin's out-of-the-ordinary, hidden, and quirky side and then sharing them with you.
Critique: Profusely illustrated in full color throughout, "Secret Wisconsin: A Guide to the Weird, Wonderful, and Obscure"
is an ideal resource for exploring nooks and crannies of the Badger State that are all too often obscure and unknown --
even to native Wisconsinites. Whether you are an on-site visitor or an armchair traveler, "Secret Wisconsin" is a unique,
informative, and fun pick for personal, professional, community, college, and university library Wisconsin Travel Guide
collections.
Editorial Note: Tom and Kristi Flick Manus are freelance travel writers for print and online publications, along with their
website smalltownplussize.com. Kristi is a Madison area native while Tom happily adopted Wisconsin after their marriage
in 1995. After living in many states across the country, they moved to Eau Claire. They enjoy exploring different cultures,
history, roadside attractions, and nature by road trips on backroads and two-lane highways. Along with international travel,
they have visited 48 states, with only Hawaii and the elusive Rhode Island remaining.
(https://www.travelawaits.com/author/tom-kristi-manus)
The House that Cheese Built
Miguel Leal
Wiley
c/o Wiley Professional Trade Group
www.wiley.com
9781394184026, $28.00, HC, 272pp
https://www.amazon.com/House-that-Cheese-Built-Multibillion-Dollar/dp/1394184026
Synopsis: Miguel Leal came to the U.S. from his home in Mexico as penniless teenager, speaking almost no English. He
literally slept in the boiler room of a Wisconsin cheese factory for months before he was caught. Through hard work, grit,
and ingenuity Leal would go on to launch his own business. He is widely credited with introducing Mexican cheeses to the
U.S. market and grew his company to a multimillion-dollar success story that defined an industry. Yet, like many
successful entrepreneurs, Leal's great successes were matched by personal failures -- the end of a marriage; trouble with
law enforcement; and the deeply felt sense that there must be something more to life than great wealth.
"The House that Cheese Built: The Unusual Life of the Mexican Immigrant who Defined a Multibillion-Dollar Global
Industry" is the astounding memoir of a Mexican immigrant who worked his way to success in the American cheese
industry. Readers will find find inspiration in Miguel Leal's determination and refusal to give up on his dream. They will
learn how Leal persevered in the face of obstacles and setbacks in his personal life. They will eagerly follow Miguel's
personal story as he finds peace, purpose, and grace -- and ultimately realizes that money isn't everything.
Critique: A riveting and inspiring read from cover to cover, "The House that Cheese Built: The Unusual Life of the
Mexican Immigrant who Defined a Multibillion-Dollar Global Industry" is the extraordinary memoir of an extraordinary
man who was able to accomplish something truly extraordinary and against all odds. Exceptionally well written and
presented, "The House that Cheese Built: The Unusual Life of the Mexican Immigrant who Defined a Multibillion-Dollar
Global Industry" is a stellar and unreservedly recommended pick for community and academic library Contemporary
Biography/Memoir collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "The House that Cheese Built: The
Unusual Life of the Mexican Immigrant who Defined a Multibillion-Dollar Global Industry" is also available in a digital
book format (Kindle, $17.00).
Editorial Note: Miguel Leal (https://www.thehousethatcheesebuilt.com) founded Mexican Cheese Producers in 1994. Leal
eventually sold his business to Sigma Alimentos, which used his recipes to win the 2020 World Championship Cheese
Contest. Today, Miguel is deeply invested in a new passion project: supporting Mexico's organic farming movement with a
farm of his own.
Herbert Bayer's World Geo-Graphic Atlas and Information Design at Midcentury
Benjamin Benus
RIT Press
https://press.rit.edu
9781939125835, $58.80, HC, 128pp
https://www.amazon.com/Herbert-Bayers-Geo-Graphic-Information-Mid-Century/dp/1939125839
Synopsis: Between 1947 and 1953, the Austrian-born, Bauhaus-trained artist Herbert Bayer (1900-1985) oversaw the
design and production of the World Geo-Graphic Atlas, a landmark work of graphic design and data visualization.
Commissioned by Container Corporation of America to mark the twenty-fifth anniversary of the Chicago-based company's
founding, the Atlas would ultimately become much more than the promotional publication its patrons had initially
envisioned.
The Atlas's imaginative presentation methods have had a lasting impact within the fields of information design and visual
education, transforming the look and character of subsequent geographic atlases and popular scientific illustration.
Characterized by Bayer as "the concept of a 'visualist'", the Atlas's graphic presentations made complex and specialized
information comprehensible and engaging for readers -- a point he underscored in giving the Atlas's title its distinctive,
hyphenated formulation "geo-graphic".
The Atlas's narrative proved to be prescient as well, highlighting challenges related to economic globalization and
human-caused environmental destruction -- crises that have only grown more acute in the seventy years since its
publication.
In "Herbert Bayer's World Geo-Graphic Atlas and Information Design at Midcentury", Benjamin Benus tells the story
behind this work's creation. Richly illustrated and drawing on extensive archival documentation, Benus's account
reconstructs the working methods and intellectual exchanges through which Bayer and his circle of scientific collaborators
realized this remarkable work.
Reflecting on Bayer's attempt to balance and resolve the commissioned work's educational and advertising functions,
Benus's study offers broader insights into the roles twentieth-century artists and designers played in popularizing scientific
knowledge and shaping audiences' geographical worldviews.
Critique: A large format volume, "Herbert Bayer's World Geo-Graphic Atlas and Information Design at Midcentury"
includes a twenty-four page Introduction, a six page Conclusion, a four page Bibliography, and a three page Index.
Organized into four major sections (Lessons and Legacy of the Bauhaus; Production and Style; Sources and Methods;
Advertising and Information), "Herbert Bayer's World Geo-Graphic Atlas and Information Design at Midcentury" will be
of substantial value to readers with n interest in Historical Geography and Graphic Design, it is unreservedly recommended
for personal, professional, and academic library Atlas/Maps collections.
Editorial Note: Benjamin Benus (https://www.aspenideas.org/speakers/benjamin-benus) is an associate professor of art and
design history at Loyola University New Orleans. He specializes in the history of modern art, with a focus on
twentieth-century graphic design in Europe and the United States. He completed his PhD in art history at the University of
Maryland in College Park, and he earned a BFA and an MS in art history from the Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, New York.
His scholarship, which examines historical connections between modernist design and data visualization, has been
supported with research fellowships from the Vienna Circle Institute at the University of Vienna, the Wolfsonian-Florida
International University in Miami, and the Newberry Library in Chicago. Benus is the co-curator of the exhibition
"Concept of a Visualist: Herbert Bayer's World Geo-Graphic Atlas," which opened in June 2023 at the Aspen Institute's
Resnick Center for Herbert Bayer Studies in Aspen, Colorado.
The Joy of Costco
David & Susan Schwartz
Hot Dog Press, LLC
9781959505006, $35.00 Hardcover
https://www.amazon.com/Joy-Costco-Treasure-Hunt/dp/1959505009
The Joy of Costco: A Treasure Hunt from A to Z romps through Costco warehouses around the world, and is written by a
couple who has visited some 200 of Costco's 800+ warehouses. One might expect this survey to take the form of a
travelogue and consumer manual, but the authors utilize an A-Z format to cover everything from the demise of Costco's
relationship with American Express to the benefits of buying hearing aids from Costco (which involve more than a
favorable price, and outlines accompanying maintenance services), the history of Costco's Kirkland brand and signature
items, and how Costco maintains food safety in its meat departments. Each item on the A-Z list receives intriguing
coverage, facts, and history that documents all facets of Costco's operations, from its product lines and company structure
to how it maintains and supports its image and transactions. The unexpectedly lively nature of the narrative is supported by
boxed sidebars of information, succinct but precise descriptions, and operational facts.
While the primary draw of this book will be to Costco fans and customers, its wealth of business insights will also be
intriguing to business readers interested in the box store's background, development, and methods. These audiences will
find the celebratory nature of The Joy of Costco to be attractive, with its structure and visuals lending to an unexpectedly
easy-to-read title that will appeal on different levels of information and entertainment. For Costco superfans it will make
an ideal gift. Libraries and readers need not have a Costco membership card in order to imbibe. All that's required is a
basic interest in the company's processes and in the bigger picture of inventory control, product acquisition, and operating a
retail chain box store.
The Halloween Shelf
Oh My Gourd!: How to Carve a Pumpkin Plus 29 Other Halloween Activities
Jack Hallow
Smith Street Books
c/o Rizzoli
www.rizzoliusa.com
9781922754028, $19.95, HC, 72pp
https://www.amazon.com/Oh-My-Gourd-Halloween-Activities/dp/1922754021
Synopsis: As the sun sets on summer, there's no need to be sad. Fall is here, and it's time to carve some gourds!
But pumpkins aren't just for teenagers to smash on Halloween -- there are a multitude of uses for this versatile produce,
and "Oh My Gourd!: How to Carve a Pumpkin Plus 29 Other Halloween Activities" by Jack Hallow (who lives in
Melbourne, Australia and has been a Halloween fan since he was born) is your go-to gourd guide, with how-to-carve
step-by-step, illustrated instructions, 20 pumpkin recipes, 9 other uses for pumpkins and gourds, as well as 2 pumpkin
carving stencils.
With "Oh My Gourd!: How to Carve a Pumpkin Plus 29 Other Halloween Activities" you can get back to the basics with a
handy step-by-step for carving a pumpkin that will have your callers commenting on your crafty cutting pumpkin art.
Use one of the included templates to carve your creation! Then discover how to turn a simple gourd into a water bottle or a
colorful animal feeder that will bring all sorts of critters to your garden. After, why not whip up a batch of smoky pumpkin
deviled eggs, pumpkin chips, or a warming pumpkin spiced latte to sip while you watch your favorite holiday movie?
And that's just the beginning; you'll find lots of things can be improved with a little sprinkle of pumpkin spice! Transform
your festive fun with 29 ideas that will have you saying, "Oh my Gourd!"
Critique: Fun, inspiring, and a 'must' for personal, family, and community library Halloween pumpkin-based activities and
pumpkin based recipe cookbook collections, "Oh My Gourd!: How to Carve a Pumpkin Plus 29 Other Halloween
Activities" is a delight to browse through and an enduring pick for dedicated fans of Halloween.
The Computer Shelf
ChatGPT for Dummies
Pam Baker
For Dummies
c/o Wiley
https://www.wiley.com/en-us
9781394204632 $19.99 pbk / $12.00 Kindle
https://www.amazon.com/ChatGPT-Dummies-Computer-tech/dp/1394204639
Synopsis: ChatGPT For Dummies demystifies the artificial intelligence tool that can answer questions, write essays, and
generate just about any kind of text it's asked for. This powerful example of generative AI is widely predicted to upend
education and business. In this book, you'll learn how ChatGPT works and how you can operate it in a way that yields
satisfactory results. You'll also explore the ethics of using AI-generated content for various purposes. Written by a
journalist who's been on the front lines of artificial intelligence for over a decade, this book dives deep into ChatGPT's
potential, so you can make informed decisions - without asking ChatGPT for help.
Learn how ChatGPT works and how it fits into the world of generative AI
Harness the power of ChatGPT to help you, and avoid letting it hinder you
Write queries that deliver the kind of response you want
Take a look into how the ChatGPT API interacts with other tools and platforms
This just-in-time Dummies title is perfect for any life or career may be impacted by ChatGPT and other AI. ChatGPT is
just the tip of the iceberg, and this book can help you prepare for the future.
Critique: Upholding the "For Dummies" series tradition of making difficult topics as accessible and reader-friendly as
possible, ChatGPT for Dummies tackles the disruptive yet labor-saving potential of ChatGPT and similar artificial
intelligence language-learning models - generative AI "chatbots" that can write an essay, produce code, or create art in
response to a prompt. ChatGPT has the potential to revolutionize knowledge industries, yet ChatGPT also has tremendous
pitfalls, including its notorious tendency to "hallucinate", or make false and fictitious statements that it emphatically
affirms to be true. Tips for writing ChatGPT prompts in business or daily life, warnings about ChatGPT's limits and the
ethics of using AI responsibly, plain-terms explanations of how ChatGPT works and more fill this "must-have" reference
resource for everyday laypeople and knowledge industry professionals alike. Highly recommended! It should be noted for
personal reading lists that ChatGPT for Dummies is also available in a Kindle edition ($12.00).
Modeling and Simulation in Python
Allen B. Downy
No Starch Press
www.nostarch.com
9781718502161, $39.99, PB, 280pp
https://www.amazon.com/Modeling-Simulation-Python-Allen-Downey/dp/1718502168
Synopsis: With the publication of "Modeling and Simulation in Python: An Introduction for Scientists and Engineers",
Allen B. Downy provides a thorough but easy-to-follow introduction to physical modeling -- that is, the art of describing
and simulating real-world systems.
Readers are guided through modeling things like world population growth, infectious disease, bungee jumping, baseball
flight trajectories, celestial mechanics, and more while simultaneously developing a strong understanding of fundamental
programming concepts like loops, vectors, and functions.
Clear and concise, with a focus on learning by doing, "Modeling and Simulation in Python: An Introduction for Scientists
and Engineers" spares the reader abstract, theoretical complexities and gets right to hands-on examples that show how to
produce useful models and simulations.
Critique: An ideal introduction to Python and its predictive applications, "Modeling and Simulation in Python: An
Introduction for Scientists and Engineers" is comprehensive, exceptionally well organized, and thoroughly 'user friendly' in
presentation. While a strongly recommended pick for personal, professional, community, college, and university library
Computer Software and Python Programing collections, as well as supplemental Data Modeling/Programing curriculum
studies lists. It should also be noted that "Modeling and Simulation in Python: An Introduction for Scientists and
Engineers" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $23.99).
Editorial Note: Allen Downey (https://www.allendowney.com/wp) is a Staff Scientist at DrivenData and Professor
Emeritus at Olin College, where he taught Modeling and Simulation and other classes related to software and data science.
He is the author of several textbooks, including Think Python, Think Bayes, and Elements of Data Science. Previously, he
taught at Wellesley College and Colby College. He received his Ph.D. in computer science from the University of
California, Berkeley in 1997. His undergraduate and master's degrees are from the Civil Engineering department at MIT.
He is the author of Probably Overthinking It, a blog about data science and Bayesian statistics.
The Science Shelf
To Infinity and Beyond
Neil deGrasse Tyson, author
Lindsey Nyx Wallace, author
National Geographic Press
www.nationalgeographic.com
9781426223303, $30.00, HC, 320pp
https://www.amazon.com/Infinity-Beyond-Journey-Cosmic-Discovery/dp/1426223307
Synopsis: No one today can make the mysteries of the universe more comprehensible and fun than Neil deGrasse Tyson.
With the publication of "To Infinity and Beyond: A Journey of Cosmic Discovery" and drawing on mythology, history, and
literature (alongside his trademark wit and charm) Tyson and StarTalk senior producer Lindsey Nyx Walker have
effectively collaborated to bring planetary science down to Earth and principles of astrophysics within reach.
"To Infinity and Beyond: A Journey of Cosmic Discovery" is entertainingly informative book, illustrated with vivid
photographs and art, readers travel through space and time, starting with the Big Bang and voyaging to the far reaches of
the universe and beyond. Along the way, science greets pop culture as Tyson explains the triumphs (and bloopers) in
Hollywood's blockbusters -- all part of another of Tyson's entertaining rides through the cosmos.
"To Infinity and Beyond: A Journey of Cosmic Discovery" begins as we leave Earth, encountering new truths about our
planet's atmosphere, the nature of sunlight, and the many missions that have demystified our galactic neighbors. But the
farther out we travel, the weirder things get. What's a void and what's a vacuum? How can light be a wave and a particle at
the same time? When we finally arrive in the blackness of outer space, Tyson takes on the spookiest phenomena of the
cosmos: parallel worlds, black holes, time travel, and more.
For science junkies and fans of the conundrums that astrophysicists often ponder, "To Infinity and Beyond: A Journey of
Cosmic Discovery" is an enlightening adventure into the farthest reaches of the cosmos.
Critique: Fun, informative, fascinating, and an inherently compelling read from start to finish, "To Infinity and Beyond: A
Journey of Cosmic Discovery" by the team of Neil deGrass Tyson and Lindsey Nyx Walker is a highly prized,
unreservedly recommended, and enduringly popular addition to personal, professional, community, highschool, college,
and university library Astronomy/Cosmology science collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists. It should be
noted for students, academia, and the legions of Tyson fans that "To Infinity and Beyond: A Journey of Cosmic Discovery"
is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $14.99).
Editorial Note #1: Neil deGrasse Tyson (https://neildeGrassetyson.com) is the host of the acclaimed podcast StarTalk
Radio and Emmy award-winning National Geographic Channel shows StarTalk and Cosmos. He earned his BA in physics
from Harvard and his Ph.D. in astrophysics from Columbia. The author of more than a dozen books, Tyson is the first
Frederick P. Rose Director of the Hayden Planetarium. He can be followed on: Facebook: Neil deGrasse Tyson. Instagram:
@neildeGrassetyson Twitter: @neiltyson
Editorial Note #2: Lindsey Nyx Walker (https://lindseynyxwalker.com) is the senior producer and head writer at StarTalk -
- a popular science podcast and a four-time Emmy nominated television show on the National Geographic Channel. Before
co-authoring To Infinity and Beyond she was editor of Cosmic Queries, the second book in the publishing collaboration
between StarTalk and National Geographic.
The Education Shelf
Research Handbook on the Transformation of Higher Education
Liudvika Leisyte, et al.
Edward Elgar Publishing
www.e-elgar.com
9781800378209, $290.00 HC, $65.00 ebook, 458pp
https://www.e-elgar.com/shop/usd/research-handbook-on-the-transformation-of-higher-education-9781800378209.html
Synopsis: Co-edited by the team of Liudvika Leisyte, Jay R. Dee, and Barend J.R. van der Meuten, "The Research
Handbook on the Transformation of Higher Education" is compiled of contributions that captures the complexities and
paradoxes associated with higher education transformation. Drawing upon current empirical and theoretical scholarship, it
identifies the drivers, actors, developments and outcomes of transformational processes within the field.
Providing a multi-level outlook on higher education transformation, "The Research Handbook on the Transformation of
Higher Education" is timely and useful as it identifies key aspects and methods of transformational change that leaders can
apply to their own institutions. Through detailed analysis of the technological, socio-political and market forces that are
currently transforming universities and colleges, chapters portray change within higher education as responsive to global
academic challenges such as structural inequality, reductions in state funding and the pandemic-accelerated pace of
digitalisation.
Illustrating the scope, process and pace of higher education transformation, "The Research Handbook on the
Transformation of Higher Education" will be a particularly valuable resource for academics and doctoral scholars studying
educational policy, public administration and organization studies. Higher education administrators and those in leadership
positions within colleges and universities will additionally find it to be an enlightening read.
Critique: Comprised of 27 erudite contributions by experts in the field of higher education, "The Research Handbook on
the Transformation of Higher Education" also includes a seven page listing of the contributors and their credentials.
Insightfully informative and impressively well organized and presented, "The Research Handbook on the Transformation
of Higher Education" is a seminal work that is unconditionally recommended for personal, professional, college, and
university library Higher Education Administration collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists. The eBook version is priced $65.00 from eBook vendors while the print book can be ordered from the Edward Elgar Publishing website.
Editorial Note #1: Liudvika Leisyte is Professor of Higher Education, Centre for Higher Education, Department of Business
and Economics, TU Dortmund University, Germany.
Editorial Note #2: Jay R. Dee is Professor of Higher Education, University of Massachusetts-Boston.
Editorial Note #3: Barend J.R. van der Meulen is Professor of Institutional Aspects of (Higher) Education, Center for
Higher Education Policy Studies, Faculty of Behavioural, Management and Social Sciences, University of Twente, the
Netherlands.
Liberal Education and Citizenship in a Free Society
Justin Buckley Dyer, editor
Constantine Christos Vassiliou, editor
University of Missouri Press
https://upress.missouri.edu
9780826222831, $45.00, HC, 462pp
https://www.amazon.com/Liberal-Education-Citizenship-Constitutional-Democracy/dp/0826222 838
Synopsis: The liberal arts university has been in decline since well before the virtualization of campus life, increasingly
inviting public skepticism about its viability as an institution of personal, civic, and professional growth.
New technologies that might have brought people together have instead frustrated the university's capacity to foster
thoughtful citizenship among tomorrow's political, cultural, and economic leaders, as well as exacerbating socioeconomic
inequalities that are poisoning America's civic culture.
Collaboratively compiled and co-edited by Justin Buckley Dyer and Constantine Christos Vassiliou, "Liberal Education
and Citizenship in a Free Society" is a compendium of 19 original essays that present the work of a diverse group of
scholars to assess the value of a liberal arts education in the face of market, technological, cultural, and political forces
shaping higher learning today.
Critique: "Liberal Education and Citizenship in a Free Society" is a seminal and groundbreaking collection of astute,
eloquent, insightfully informative, thoughtful, thought-provoking, and exceptionally well organized and presented
contributions by experts in the field of Constitutional Democracy. Especially and unreservedly recommended for personal,
professional, community, college, and university library Political Science collections and supplemental Constitutional Law
curriculum studies lists, it should be noted for students, academia, political activists, and non-specialist general readers
with an interest in the subject that "Liberal Education and Citizenship in a Free Society" is also available in a digital book
format (Kindle, $42.75).
Editorial Note #1: Justin Buckley Dyer was, until June 2022, Professor of Political Science and Director of the Kinder
Institute on Constitutional Democracy at the University of Missouri. Last month, Justin took on the roles of Professor of
Government and Executive Director of the newly formed Civitas Institute at the University of Texas at Austin. Among his
many authored, co-authored, and edited books are Slavery, Abortion, and the Politics of Constitutional Meaning; Natural
Law and the Antislavery Constitutional Tradition; and American Soul: The Contested Legacy of the Declaration of
Independence.
Editorial Note #2: Constantine Christos Vassiliou is currently a Visiting Assistant Professor in the Department of Political
Science at the University of Houston. A political theorist who specializes in Enlightenment thought, Vassiliou's research
points to a perennial civic challenge, that of trying to balance commercial considerations with the public interest. His
upcoming project, "Montesquieu and the Scottish Enlightenment: Liberty and Honor in the Modern Commercial World,"
examines the competing theories of honor of Montesquieu, David Hume, Adam Smith, and Adam Ferguson to bring to
light a strand of foundational liberal thought that emphasizes the emotional basis of political life.
The Best 389 Colleges: 2024
Robert Franek, et al.
The Princeton Review
www.PrincetonReview.com
c/o Random House Inc.
https://www.randomhousebooks.com
9780593516867, $26.99, PB, 880pp
https://www.amazon.com/Bold-Beautiful-Watercolor-Skies-Beginners/dp/0760382948
Synopsis: The Princeton Review's college rankings started in 1992 with surveys from 30,000 students. Over 30 years and
more than a million student surveys later, they stand by their claim that there is no single "best" college -- only the best
college for you. This new 2024 edition of "The Best 389 Colleges, 2024: In-Depth Profiles & Ranking Lists to Help Find
the Right College For You" is the resource that will help you find it!
"The Best 389 Colleges: 2024" is a compendium of 389 in-depth school profiles based on candid feedback from 165,000
students, covering academics, administration, campus life, and financial aid. It offers useful insights on unique college
character, social scene, and more. Of special note are the cirect quotes from students about their school's professors,
campus culture, career services, and more.
"The Best 389 Colleges: 2024" also lists of the top 25 colleges in 50 categories based on students' opinions of academics,
campus life, facilities, and much more. Plus there are the ratings for every school on Financial Aid, Selectivity, and Quality
of Life.
With its detailed admissions information, "The Best 389 Colleges: 2024" provides useful information on competitive
applications, test scores, tuition, and average indebtedness, as well as selectivity, freshman profiles, and application
deadlines at each school.
Of special note is the free access to 2 full-length practice tests online (1 SAT and 1 ACT) to help aspiring students prep for
the important admissions-exams part of their college admissions journey.
Critique: "The Best 389 Colleges, 2024: In-Depth Profiles & Ranking Lists to Help Find the Right College For You" is an
absolutely essential addition to personal, professional, community, and highschool College Admissions instructional
reference collections and should be made available to every graduating highschool students aspiring to go to college. It is
also a vital and important informational resource for adults seeking to obtain a college degree after an absence from school
due to their own particular and personal life circumstances.
Editorial Note: Zaneena Nabeel, aka Aurora by Z, is an architect by profession and an artist by vocation. She returned to
artmaking after completing her architecture studies, finding healing and happiness through drawing, painting, and playing
with color, inspiring her to start and Instagram page, where she shares her work. In addition to teaching many classes on
Skillshare, she hosts art workshops and organizes exhibitions both locally and internationally. Originally from India, she is
currently based in Dubai. To see more of Zaneena's work, visit www.aurorabyz.com, @AurorabyZ on YouTube, and
@aurorabyz on Instagram.
The K&W Guide to Colleges for Students with Learning Differences, 16th edition
Marybeth Kravets, author
Imy Wax, author
The Princeton Review
www.PrincetonReview.com
c/o Random House Inc.
https://www.randomhousebooks.com
9780593517406, $35.99, PB, 752pp
https://www.princetonreview.com/press/k-and-w-guide-16th-edition
Synopsis: College bound students with a learning difference, their parents, and their highschool counselors require the most
up-to-date informational resources. And that can only mean the newly updated "The K&W Guide to Colleges for Students
with Learning Differences, 16th Edition: 325+ Schools with Programs or Services for Students with ADHD, ASD, or
Learning Differences" by the team of Marybeth Kravets and Imy Wax, and published by The Princeton Review.
Critique: Comprehensive and thoroughly 'user friendly' in organization and presentation, "The K&W Guide to Colleges for
Students with Learning Differences, 16th Edition: 325+ Schools with Programs or Services for Students with ADHD,
ASD, or Learning Differences" is an essential, necessary, and required resource that is unreservedly recommended for
family, highschool, and community library College Admission Reference & Guidance collections. It should be noted that if
purchased from a third-party seller, "The K&W Guide to Colleges for Students with Learning Differences, 16th Edition:
325+ Schools with Programs or Services for Students with ADHD, ASD, or Learning Differences" is not guaranteed by the
publisher for quality or authenticity.
Editorial Note #1: Marybeth Kravets, MA, formerly the President of the National Association for College Admission
Counseling, served as a counselor and college consultant at Deerfield High School for over 30 years and is currently the
Director of College Counseling at Wolcott College Prep High School in Chicago, Illinois.
Editorial Note #2: Imy F. Wax, MS, is a licensed psychotherapist, educational consultant, and founder of the Aspire
Group, a private educational consulting practice. She has written numerous articles about learning differences, and serves
clients throughout the world.
The Health/Medicine Shelf
The Knowledge
Dr. Nighat Arif
Cassell
c/o Octopus Books
https://www.octopusbooks.co.uk
9781783255733, $26.99, HC, 256pp
https://www.amazon.com/Knowledge-female-health-menstruation-menopause/dp/1783255730
Synopsis: With the publication of "The Knowledge: Your guide to female health - from menstruation to the menopause",
celebrated GP Dr Nighat Arif brings women's health to the forefront in this extensive medical guidebook designed to help
women (and the men who love them) better understand each of the three key stages of a woman's life: the puberty years,
the fertility years and the peri/menopausal years.
Every step of the way, Dr Nighat will help you get to know the female body by explaining what is normal, what to expect,
how to care for yourself and when to seek help. "The Knowledge" tackles many important topics: from the help available
for people with conditions like endometriosis and polycystic ovary syndrome to the symptoms of heart disease to look out
for in women.
"The Knowledge" is for everyone and encompasses all experiences, including the perspectives of women of color, people
of all abilities and cultures, and the transgender community to ensure that all groups affected by female health concerns are
a part of vital conversations.
Simply stated and true, "The Knowledge" is a life-saving book for all genders, ages and communities. From the young
preteen hoping to understand their first period, to the couple experiencing fertility issues, to the single father raising
teenage daughters, to the person unknowingly experiencing early signs of gynaecological cancer: this book is an
indispensable asset for us all.
Critique: Enhanced for the non-specialist general reader with the inclusion of an informative Introduction, an eight page
Glossary, a six page listing of Resources, and a five page Index, "The Knowledge: Your guide to female health - from
menstruation to the menopause" is comprehensive, well written, and thoroughly 'reader friendly' in organization and
presentation. While also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99), "The Knowledge: Your guide to female health -
from menstruation to the menopause" is strongly recommended as a core addition to personal, professional, community,
college, and university library Women's Health & Medicine collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists.
Editorial Note: Nighat Arif is a GP specialising in women's health and family planning with over 16 years of experience in
the NHS and private practice. She is based in Buckinghamshire and is able to consult fluently with patients in Urdu and
Punjabi. Dr Nighat is a medical educator and provides teaching to local trainee GPs as well as at national and international
conferences. Dr Nighat was nominated for the National Bevan Prize for Health and Wellbeing to acknowledge her
exceptional commitment to advancing wellbeing in her community. Dr Nighat has worked to raise awareness on
menopause and women's healthcare in Black and Asian women, she presented her clinical work at the 'Menopause in the
Workplace' Parliamentary committee hearing. She has also worked with Team Halo, a United Nation (UN) initiative to
bring an end to the pandemic and presented at the G7 Global Vaccine Confidence Summit that led to her being awarded an
Honorary Doctorate Degree in Science at London City University for Women's Health, Public Health and Inclusion.
(https://osdhealthcare.co.uk/our-experts/expert/dr-nighat-arif)
Digital Radiography in Practice, second edition
Quinn B. Carroll, M.Ed., R.T. (R)
Charles C. Thomas, Publisher
https://www.ccthomas.com
9780398094126, $45.95 PB / $45.95 ebook, 232pp
https://www.ccthomas.com/details.cfm?P_ISBN13=9780398094126
https://www.amazon.com/Digital-Radiography-Practice-Quinn-Carroll/dp/0398094128
Synopsis: This newly expanded and updated second edition of "Digital Radiography in Practice" is intended to provide
medical radiography programs with an economical textbook that focuses on the practical aspects of digital radiography. In
this new edition by digital radiography expert Quinn B. Carroll (and with content developed in close collaboration with the
medical physics community and several reviewers), this is the most accurate information on digital imaging available.
In this new edition, the terminology has been updated throughout the textbook to conform with the most recent revisions of
the ASRT Radiography Curriculum Guide and the ARRT Radiography Content Specifications. Several new illustrations
and helpful tables have been developed to clarify digital concepts.
A new table, Operator Adjustments to Digital Image Qualities and Their Primary Controls, beautifully summarizes the
effects of leveling, windowing, equalization, edge enhancement, smoothing and noise reduction, while related text reduces
dozens of different manufacturers' terms to these basic operations in the table.
Material on medical digital fluoroscopy and imaging informatics has been updated, with a continued emphasis on practical
application and clinically useful information. Extensive support materials, including slides correlated to a student
workbook, labs, comprehensive question banks and answer keys, have all been updated and improved.
Critique: Expertly organized and presented, "Digital Radiography in Practice, second edition" is ideal as a curriculum
textbook and a critical asset to personal, professional, medical school, and hospital library Digital Radiography collections
and Medical Radiography Program studies lists. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "Digital Radiography in
Practice, second edition" is also available as an eBook directly from Charles C. Thomas, Publisher ($45.95).
The Blue Zones Secrets for Living Longer
Dan Buettner
National Geographic Press
www.nationalgeographic.com
9781426223471, $32.50, HC, 288pp
https://www.amazon.com/Complete-Blue-Zones/dp/1426223471
Synopsis: Dan Buettner has traveled the globe to uncover the best strategies for longevity, which he found in the blue
zones: places around the world where higher percentages of people enjoy remarkably long, full lives.
With the publication of "The Blue Zones Secrets for Living Longer: Lessons From the Healthiest Places on Earth",
Buettner returns to Sardinia, Italy; Ikaria, Greece; Okinawa, Japan; Costa Rica's Nicoya Peninsula; and Loma Linda,
California to check in on the super-agers living in the blue zones and interprets the not-so-secret sauce of purpose, faith,
community, down-time, natural movement, and plant-based eating that has powered as many as 10 additional years of
healthy living in these regions. Buettner also reveals an all-new blue zone -- the first man-made blue zone yet
explored.
Throughout his two decades of research, Buettner has worked with some of National Geographic's top photographers to
document the healthy habits of the world's longest living communities. In this informative collection, their work
punctuates Buettner's lively text, offering a beautiful tour of the blue zones.
Critique: Profusely illustrated throughout with full color images, "The Blue Zones Secrets for Living Longer: Lessons
From the Healthiest Places on Earth" will prove to be of particular appeal and value for readers with an interest in
longevity, physiology, health promoting diets. Exceptionally well written, organized and presented, "The Blue Zones
Secrets for Living Longer: Lessons From the Healthiest Places on Earth" is an extraordinary, potentially life change, and
highly recommended addition to personal, professional, community, and academic library Health/Medicine collections. It
should be noted that "The Blue Zones Secrets for Living Longer: Lessons From the Healthiest Places on Earth" is also
available in a digital book format (Kindle, $14.99) to students, academia, health/medicine professionals, and non-specialist
general readers with an interest in the subject.
Editorial Note: Dan Buettner (https://danbuettner.com) is the founder of Blue Zones, an organization that helps Americans
live longer, healthier lives. His groundbreaking work on longevity led to his 2005 National Geographic cover story
"Secrets of Living Longer" and a second, "The Search for Happiness," in 2017. Buettner has authored seven national
bestsellers including: The Blue Zones Kitchen, The Blue Zones, Thrive, The Blue Zones Challenge, The Blue Zones of
Happiness, and The Blue Zones Solution. He is a National Geographic Explorer.
The Parenting Shelf
Things Have Changed
David Magee
Matt Holt Books
c/o BenBella Books
www.benbellabooks.com
9781637743966, $22.00, PB, 256pp
https://www.amazon.com/Things-Have-Changed-Educator-Substance/dp/1637743963
Synopsis: Raising a child in today's world can be a daunting responsibility for parents. Anxiety, depression, addiction,
eating disorders, loneliness, social media; the list goes on. With the publication of "Things Have Changed: What Every
Parent (and Educator) Should Know About the Student Mental Health and Substance Misuse Crisis ", author, student
wellbeing activist, and creator of The William Magee Institute for Student Wellbeing at the University of Mississippi,
David Magee offers guidance on raising teens amid increasingly common challenges.
Magee shares research-backed insights on how to: Have conversations about mental health and drug and alcohol abuse;
Empower your child to ask for help when they need it; Decide when and if treatment is needed; Encourage your child to
invest in healthy relationships; Be intentional about social media use and interactions; Foster your child's desire to engage
with your family; Create and maintain healthy boundaries; Advocate for your child's wellbeing at school and with
family.
Now, more than ever, parents and educators need better information about the challenges facing their children, what sorts
of issues to expect and when, and the warning signs to look for. You'll find the guidance you need to feel prepared and
tackle obstacles to your child's wellbeing in the pages of "Things Have Changed".
Critique: Thoroughly 'parent friendly' in style, organization, and presentation, "Things Have Changed: What Every Parent
(and Educator) Should Know About the Student Mental Health and Substance Misuse Crisis" must be considered essential
reading for the parents (and teachers) of children growing up in the age of Social Media, cyber-bullying, misinformation,
economic inequality, racial prejudice, substance addiction, gun crimes, and all the ordinary 'slings and arrows of
outrageous fortune' that are a part of modern life today. While available for personal reading lists in a digital book format
(Kindle, $11.99), "Things Have Changed: What Every Parent (and Educator) Should Know About the Student Mental
Health and Substance Misuse Crisis" is unreservedly recommended for family, community, and academic library Parenting
Teens & Young Adult collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists.
Editorial Note: David Magee (https://www.daviddmagee.com) is the author of Dear William: A Father's Memoir of
Addiction, Recovery, Love and Loss and other non-fiction books. A changemaker in student and family mental health and
substance misuse, he is the creator and director of operations of The William Magee Institute for Student Wellbeing at the
University of Mississippi and a frequent K-12 and university educational and motivational speaker, helping students find
and keep their joy.
The Environmental Studies Shelf
Democratic Management of an Ecosystem Under Threat
Kelly Dunning, et al.
Anthem Press
www.anthempress.com
9781839986710,$110.00, HC, 238pp
https://www.amazon.com/Democratic-Management-Ecosystem-Under-Threat/dp/1839986719
Synopsis: Using case studies from Florida and the Caribbean region, this book summarizes the state of coral reef
conservation today. The question this book answers is, what is the best way to protect the vulnerable coral reefs, with an
ever-worsening climate crisis? "Democratic Management of an Ecosystem Under Threat: The People's Reefs" by the team
of co-authors Kelly Dunning, Amanda Alva, Sabine Bailey, Daniel Morris, Kasen Wollly, and Ryan Williamson identifies
and examines closely the avenues available to anyone wanting to participate in coral reef management -- and how members
of the public are increasingly able to make their voices heard in the marine environment management process.
Critique: A comprehensively complete, exceptionally well written, deftly organized, and thoroughly 'reader friendly' in
presentation, "Democratic Management of an Ecosystem Under Threat: The People's Reefs" is a timely study in view of
the peril of extinction facing so many marine ecosystem environments due to human activities enhanced climate change.
"Democratic Management of an Ecosystem Under Threat: The People's Reefs" is especially and unreservedly
recommended for personal, professional, community, college, and university library Marine Environmental Studies
collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists.
Editorial Note #1: Kelly Dunning is an assistant professor and Director of the Conservation Governance Lab at Auburn
University. She holds a Ph.D. from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and is an expert on global coral reef
management.
Editorial Note #2: Ryan Williamson is an assistant professor in the Department of Political Science at Auburn University.
He received his Ph.D. from the University of Georgia and is an expert in congressional politics including policy,
procedure, and elections.
Editorial Note #3: Amanda Alva graduated with her MS from the Conservation Governance Lab at Auburn University
studying coral reef policy in the United States. She received her BSc in Marine Science from the University of Texas at
Austin. She is currently a Marine & Coastal Social Scientist at NOAA for CSS Inc.
Editorial Note #4: Sabine Bailey graduated with her MS from the Conservation Governance Lab at Auburn University
studying coral reef management. She received her BSc in Biology from McGill University. She is currently an NOAA
Digital Coast Fellow working with The Nature Conservancy and the Maryland Department of Natural Resources
Editorial Note #5: Daniel Morris graduated with his MS from Conservation Governance Lab at Auburn University
studying coral reef management. He received his BA from Auburn University in Political Science. He is currently a federal
Presidential Management Fellow.
Editorial Note #6: Kasen Wally graduated with his MS from the Conservation Governance Lab at Auburn University
studying coral reef management in Florida. He received his BSc in Environmental Science from Western Carolina
University. He is currently a Coastal Resiliency Specialist with the North Carolina Department of Environmental
Quality
The American History Shelf
Before the Gilded Age
Mark L. Godlstein
Georgetown University Press
www.press.georgetown.edu
9781647123611, $29.95, HC, 288pp
https://www.amazon.com/Before-Gilded-Age-Corcoran-American/dp/1647123615
Synopsis: The Gilded Age is a term coined by Mark Twain and used by some historians to refer roughly to the period
between 1877 to 1900.
With the publication of "Before the Gilded Age: W. W. Corcoran and the Rise of American Capital and Culture", Mark L.
Goldstein reveals the extraordinary ways in which entrepreneur W. W. Corcoran shaped the emerging cultural elite and
changed the capital and the country both for better and for worse. A complex and controversial character, Corcoran
influenced banking and finance, art and American culture, philanthropy, and the nation's capital.
Based on extensive archival research, "Before the Gilded Age" examines the fascinating life of an entrepreneur ahead of
his time. A generation before Andrew Carnegie and John D. Rockefeller donated vast sums of money, Corcoran gave away
most of his fortune and helped shape American philanthropy. His dedication to landscaping the emerging National Mall
predates plans for New York's Central Park. Other legacies included cofounding the Riggs Bank and founding the
Corcoran Gallery of Art, whose collection has been dispersed among other arts organizations in Washington, DC,
including the National Gallery of Art.
As a biographer, historian, and author, Mark L. Goldstein provides a colorful account of a political chameleon who
successfully transcended political party, geography, and ideology to become one of the richest and most influential people
in the country even as he navigated such controversies as rumors that he was linked to plots to kill President Lincoln.
"Before the Gilded Age" also offers readers a detailed historical perspective on the development of banking, investing,
lobbying, art collecting, and philanthropy.
Critique: Informatively enhanced for the reader with the inclusion of an eight page Introduction, forty-six pages of Notes, a
sixteen page Bibliography, and an eight page Index, "Before the Gilded Age: W. W. Corcoran and the Rise of American
Capital and Culture" is a seminal work of detailed and meticulous scholarship resulting in an exceptionally well written
and impressively comprehensive biography that is unreservedly recommended for personal, community, college, and
university library 19th Century American History/Biography collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists. It
should be noted for students, academia, historians, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that
"Before the Gilded Age" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $22.49).
Editorial Note: Mark L. Goldstein has held senior positions at the US Senate Committee on Governmental Affairs and the
US Government Accountability Office. He holds a master's degree in public administration from George Washington
University and a PhD in US history from the University of Maryland, College Park.
A History of Boston
Daniel Dain, author
Peter Vanderwarker, photographer
Peter E. Randall Publisher
www.perpublisher.com
9781942155614, $55.00, HC, 832pp
https://www.amazon.com/History-Boston-Daniel-Dain/dp/1942155611
Synopsis: Boston is today one of the world's greatest cities, first in higher education, hospitals, life science companies, and
sports teams. It was the home of the Great Puritan Migration, the American Revolution, the Industrial Revolution, the first
civil rights movement, the abolition movement, and the women's rights movement.
But the city that gave us the first use of ether as anesthesia, the telephone, technicolor film, and the mutual fund (the city
where Martin Luther King Jr. and Coretta Scott founded their world-changing partnership) was also the hub of the
anti-immigration movement, the divisive race-based busing era, and decades of self-inflicted decay.
Boston has the most important history of any American city. Yet its history has never been given a comprehensive
treatment until now. With the publication of "A History of Boston", author and history Dan Dain provides a tour guide
through the city's history from the arrival of First Peoples up to the election of Boston's first woman and person of color as
mayor. Dain's masterful historical study explores the policies and practices that took Boston from its highest heights to its
lowest lows and back again, and examines the central role that density, diversity, and good urban design play in the success
of cities like Boston.
Critique: This hefty edition (7.5 x 2 x 10.5 inches, 3.5 pounds) of "A History of Boston" features contemporary
photographs by Peter Vanderwarker and is impressively researched, detailed, documented, and informative, as well as
thoroughly 'reader friendly' in both organization and presentation by Daniel Dain. While an extraordinary and unreservedly
recommended addition to personal, professional, community, college, and university library American History collections
and supplemental curriculum studies lists, it should be noted for students, academia, historians, and non-specialist general
readers with an interest in the subject that "A History of Boston" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle,
$8.99).
Editorial Note #1: Daniel Dain was born in Boston and grew up in Newton before leaving the area to attend Vassar
College and Michigan Law School. Since then, he has spent his entire professional career as a lawyer in Boston, working
with commercial property owners and developers on issues related to their use and development of real estate. Dan is the
founder and president of the law firm Dain Torpy, where he chairs the firm's real estate litigation practice. He writes and
lectures widely on land-use law and urban planning. Dan is active in the community. He loves giving tours of Boston to
friends and visitors, and is known for his ability to give restaurant recommendations for any cuisine or location around
Greater Boston.
Editorial Note #2: Peter Vanderwarker is a photographer and artist. His photographs are in the collections of the Museum
of Fine Arts, Boston, the Addison Gallery of American Art, and the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston. Recent exhibitions
include The Language of Landscape at Gallery NAGA, 2023; Seaport Views at the US District Courthouse in 2016; and
Vanderwarker's Pantheon, at the Boston Athenaeum in 2009. Vanderwarker's work received Institute Honors from the
American Institute of Architects in 1991. Peter has a Bachelor of Architecture degree from University of California,
Berkeley, and he was a Loeb Fellow at Harvard University in 1997. His work has been supported by grants from the
National Endowment for the Arts and the Graham Foundation.
(https://www.gallerynaga.com/artists-list/peter-vanderwarker)
America's Good Terrorist: John Brown and the Harpers Ferry Raid
Charles P. Roland Jr.
Casemate Publishers
www.casematepublishers.com
9781636243221, $24.95, PB, 336pp
https://www.amazon.com/Americas-Good-Terrorist-Brown-Harpers/dp/1636243223
Synopsis: John Brown is a common name, but the John Brown who masterminded the failed raid at Harpers Ferry was
anything but common. His failed efforts have left an imprint upon our history, and his story still swirls in controversy. Was
he a madman who felt his violent solution to slavery was ordained by Providence or a heroic freedom fighter who tried to
liberate the downtrodden slave? These polar opposite characterizations of the violent abolitionist have captivated
Americans. The prevailing view from the time of the raid to well into the twentieth century (that his actions were the
product of an unbalanced mind) has shifted to the idea that he committed courageous acts to undo a terrible injustice.
The debate still rages, but not as much about his ultimate goal as the method he used in attempting to right what he
considered an intolerable wrong. Are citizens justified in bypassing the normal legal or governmental processes in a violent
way when they fail, in the eyes of the dissenter, to correct a wrong that touched so many? Brown's use of violence was to
strike terror in the heart of slave owners, terror that Brown hoped would intimidate them to free their slaves to ensure their
families' safety.
Despite the differences between modern terrorist acts and Brown's own violent acts, when Brown's characteristics are
compared to the definition of terrorism as set forth by scholars of terrorism, he fits the profile. Nevertheless, today Brown
is a martyred hero who gave his life attempting to terminate the evil institution of human bondage. Brown's violent method
of using terrorism to accomplish this is downplayed or ignored, despite being labeled by historians as America's first
terrorist. The modern view of Brown has unintentionally made him a "good terrorist," despite the repugnance of terrorism
that makes the thought of a benevolent or good terrorist an oxymoron.
"America's Good Terrorist: John Brown and the Harpers Ferry Raid" by Dr. Charles P. Poland Jr. is new biography covers
Brown's background and the context to his decision to carry out the raid, a detailed narrative of the raid and its
consequences for both those involved and America; and an exploration of the changing characterization of Brown since his
death.
Critique: Originally published in 2020 and now newly releases in a paperback edition, "America's Good Terrorist: John
Brown and the Harpers Ferry Raid" is informatively enhanced for the reader with the inclusion of a three page
Bibliographical Comment, twenty-six pages of Endnotes, and a seven page Index. An inherently fascinating and
iconoclastic work of impressive, meticulous, and seminal scholarship, "America's Good Terrorist: John Brown and the
Harpers Ferry Raid" is highly recommended for community and academic 19th Century American History/Biography
collections and supplemental American Civil War History curriculums studies lists. It should be noted for the personal
reading lists of students, academia, historians, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that
"America's Good Terrorist: John Brown and the Harpers Ferry Raid" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle,
$3.51).
Editorial Note: Dr. Charles Poland has taught history for more than five decades, touching the lives of thousands of
students and community members in Northern Virginia. A scholar of the American Civil War, he promotes direct
engagement with history and its tools. For example, from 1977 to 2015 he conducted celebrated field-trip courses to the
major and minor battlefields of the Civil War. He is the creator of a mobile Civil War Museum with hundreds of artifacts
and documents that he toured to public schools across the region. The author of eight books, he has appeared on television
and radio and made countless presentations to historic, civic, and educational groups on the Civil War and the impact of
unfettered development in Northern Virginia.
The World History Shelf
Catiline, Rebel of the Roman Republic
James T. Carney
Pen & Sword Books
c/o Casemate (US distribution)
www.casematepublishers.com
https://www.penandswordbooks.com
9781399067898, $39.95, HC, 232pp
https://www.amazon.com/Catiline-Rebel-Roman-Republic-Conspiracy/dp/1399067893
Synopsis: Lucius Sergius Catilina (c. 108 BC - January 62 BC), was a Roman aristocrat from a poor but noble family. He
was controversial figure both in his own times and in subsequent historical scholarship. Catiline was cast first as the
Roman equivalent of Richard III and later as a left-wing revolutionary, depending on the times and historians'
leanings.
Although Catiline's calls for debt relief and other measures in his second consular campaign earned him support from the
poor, historian and author James T. Carney finds that Catiline was motivated by pride and ambition rather than by an
interest in widespread social and economic reforms. Embittered by his failure to attain the consulship which he thought
was his due given his heritage. He had his lieutenant Manlius raise armed forces in Etruria while he planned to stage a
coup in Rome when these forces approached the city.
The conspiracy was betrayed to Cicero. Cicero skillfully used his knowledge of the conspiracy to force Catiline to leave
Rome and join Manlius, leaving the city conspirators without effective leadership. Catiline's urban lieutenants soon
blundered by seeking to enlist the support of a Gallic tribe whose emissaries were in the city. The Gauls, skeptical of the
conspirators; leadership. decided report all that they had learned about the conspirators' plans to Cicero. Using the evidence
obtained from the Gauls, Cicero presented a prosecutor's case against the conspirators to the Senate and rallied public
opinion against the Catilinarians.
Cicero then executed five of the key conspirators without trial. When Catiline's soldiers learned of destruction of the urban
conspiracy, many deserted. Cataline (finding his army trapped between two larger government forces) died fighting in a
fierce but doomed battle at Pistoia.
Critique: An informative and thought-provoking historical biography and history, "Catiline, Rebel of the Roman Republic:
The Life and Conspiracy of Lucius Sergius Catilina" is written by author James T. Carney with all the narrative skill of an
award-winning historical novel. An inherently fascinating study that is enhanced for the reader with the inclusion of nine
page Bibliography, fifty-six pages of Notes, and a seven page Index, "Catiline, Rebel of the Roman Republic: The Life and
Conspiracy of Lucius Sergius Catilina" is an especially and unreservedly recommended contribution to personal,
professional, community, college, and univesity library Ancient Rome History/Biography collections and supplemental
curriculum studies lists. It should be noted for students, academia, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the
subject that "Catiline, Rebel of the Roman Republic: The Life and Conspiracy of Lucius Sergius Catilina" is also available
in a digital book format (Kindle, $12.99).
Editorial Note: James T. Carney is a Yale educated historian and attorney who has been studying Catiline and the late
Republic since his third year at High School and, since his semi-retirement from legal practice in 2016, has devoted much
of his time to researching and writing this book.
Mapping the Great Game
Riaz Dean
Casemate Publishers
www.casematepublishers.com
Blackstone Audiobooks
https://www.blackstonelibrary.com
9781612008141, $32.95, HC, 256pp
https://www.amazon.com/Mapping-Great-Game-Explorers-19th-century/dp/1612008143
Synopsis: Although the ultimate prize of the Great Game played out between Great Britain and Imperial Russia in the 19th
century was India, most of the intrigue and action took place along its northern frontier in Afghanistan, Turkestan and
Tibet. Maps and knowledge of the enemy were crucial elements in Britain's struggle to defend the 'jewel in the crown.'
The Great Trigonometrical Survey of India had been founded in the 18th century with the aim of creating a detailed map of
the country. While most people today are readily able to identify the world's highest mountain, few know of the man,
George Everest, after whom it was named, or the accomplishment that earned him this singular honor. Under his
leadership, the Survey of India mapped the Great Arc, which was then lauded as 'one of the greatest works in the whole
history of science,' though it cost more in monetary terms and human lives than many contemporary Indian wars.
Much of the work of the Survey was undertaken by native Indians, known as Pundits, who were trained to explore, spy out
and map Central Asia and Tibet. They did this at great personal risk and with meager resources, while traveling entirely on
foot. They would be the first to reveal the mysteries of the forbidden city of Lhasa, and discover the true course of Tibet's
mighty Tsangpo River. They were the greatest group of explorers the world has seen in recent history -- yet they remain the
classic unsung heroes of the British Raj.
The story of these extraordinary pioneers who explored much of Asia during the 19th century to fill in large portions of its
map, and spy out the region for military reasons is often forgotten, but with the publication of "Mapping the Great Game:
Explorers, Spies and Maps in 19th-century Asia", author Riaz Dean's vivid account of their exploits, their adventurous
spirit and their tenacity in the face of great adversity, all set within the context of the Great Game and the Survey of India,
will finally bring them the attention they deserve.
Critique: A fascinating, informative, and seminal history of the British exploration of India is a welcome and unreservedly
recommended contribution to community, college, and university library British/India history collections and supplemental
curriculum studies lists. It should be noted for students, academia, military historians, and non-specialist general readers
with an interest in the subject that "Mapping the Great Game: Explorers, Spies and Maps in 19th-century Asia" is also
available in a paperback edition (9781636243764, $24.95), in a digital book format (Kindle, $11.99), and as a complete
and unabridged audio book (Blackstone Audio, 9798212292108, $41.99, CD).
Editorial Note: Riaz Dean is a member of the New Zealand Cartographical Society and an explorer himself, having
travelled much of the area in Central Asia described in Mapping The Great Game.
The Military History Shelf
Sustaining the Carrier War
Stan Fisher
Naval Institute Press
www.nip.org
9781682478479, $32.95, HC, 258pp
https://www.amazon.com/Sustaining-Carrier-War-Deployment-Pacific/dp/1682478475
Synopsis: The ability of the United States Navy to fight and win a protracted war in the Pacific was not solely the result of
technology, tactics, or leadership. Naval aviation maintenance played a major role in the U.S. victory over Japan in the
second World War. The naval war against Japan did not achieve sustained success until enough aircraft technicians were
available to support the high tempo of aviation operations that fast carrier task force doctrine demanded.
When the United States realized war was imminent and ordered a drastic increase in the size of its aviation fleet, the Navy
was forced to reconsider its earlier practices and develop new policies in maintenance, supply, and technical training. Not
only did a shortage of technicians plague the Navy, but the scarcity of aviation supply and repair facilities in the Pacific
soon caused panic in Washington.
While the surface Navy's modernization of at-sea replenishment was beneficial, it did not solve the problems of sustaining
war-time aircraft readiness levels sufficient to a winning a naval air war.
Military historian Stan Fisher clearly outlines the drastic institutional changes that accompanied an increase in aviation
maintenance personnel from fewer than 10,000 to nearly 250,000 bluejackets, the complete restructuring of the naval
aviation technical educational system, and the development of a highly skilled labor force.
"Sustaining the Carrier War: The Deployment of U.S. Naval Air Power to the Pacific" is the first comprehensive study on
the importance of aircraft maintenance and the aircraft technician in the age of the aircraft carrier, Sustaining the Carrier
War, provides the missing link to our understanding of Great Power conflict at sea.
Critique: Exceptionally well written, organized and presented, "Sustaining the Carrier War: The Deployment of U.S. Naval
Air Power to the Pacific" is informative enhanced for the reader with the inclusion of numerous illustrations, twenty-two
pages of Notes, a four page Bibliography, and a seventeen page Index. A comprehensively researched, detailed, and
meticulous work of seminal scholarship, "Sustaining the Carrier War: The Deployment of U.S. Naval Air Power to the
Pacific" is a primary and unreservedly recommended addition to personal, professional, community, college, and university
library World War II American Naval Military History and Strategy collections. It should be noted that "Sustaining the
Carrier War: The Deployment of U.S. Naval Air Power to the Pacific" is also readily available in a digital book format
(Kindle, $18.12) for students, academia, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject.
Editorial Note: Stan Fisher (https://www.usni.org/people/stan-fisher) is a commander in the U.S. Navy and an Assistant
Professor of Naval and American history at the United States Naval Academy. Before transitioning to classroom, he
accumulated over 2,500 flight hours as a Navy pilot, mainly in SH-60B & MH-60R Seahawk helicopters. He earned a
commission through the Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps in 1997 and has multiple deployments on frigates, cruisers,
and aircraft carriers. Fisher has also served as a weapons and tactics instructor, squadron maintenance officer, and
operational test director. Additionally, he has completed tours of duty in engineering and acquisitions at the Naval Air
Systems Command. He is a past recipient of the Samuel Eliot Morison Naval History Scholarship and earned his PhD
from the University of Maryland.
The Battle of the Little Bighorn: A New Appraisal
W. A. Wallace
Pen & Sword Books
c/o Casemate (US distribution)
www.casematepublishers.com
https://www.penandswordbooks.com
9781399046718, $42.95, HC, 280pp
https://www.amazon.com/Battle-Little-Big-Horn-Appraisal/dp/1399046713
Synopsis: Lt. Col. George Armstrong Custer died at the hands of Native Americans by the banks of the Little Bighorn in
Montana on the 25th June, 1876. This is an established undisputed fact. What is disputed is the real reason that he
died.
With the publication of "The Battle of the Little Bighorn: A New Appraisal" by W. W. Wallace reveals that we have
previously and incorrectly been indoctrinated to believe about George Custer.
30 years of diligent research has uncovered the truth in this groundbreaking history about the role that Custer's political and
military superiors played in the whatever forever would be known as Custard's Last Stand at the Little Bighorn river.
Critique: Iconoclastic history writing at its best, "The Battle of the Little Bighorn: A New Appraisal" is an inherently
fascinating, thoughtful and thought-provoking read from start to finish. Enhanced for the reader with the inclusion of an
Author's Note, an Introduction, a one plage listing of Acknowledgments, a twelve page Bibliography, and an eight page
Index, "The Battle of the Little Bighorn: A New Appraisal" is an original and ground-breaking study that is a strongly
recommended pick for community, college, and university library 19th Century American Military History and Native
American History collections and supplemental George Armstrong Custer 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 "The
Battle of the Little Bighorn: A New Appraisal" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $18.99).
Editorial Note: Wendy Ann Wallace is an established military historian known worldwide, whose previous books have
sold out and has written numerous articles for various journals. The author has also successfully lectured on the American
Indian Wars, reviewed military history books, is married and living in Leicestershire, England.
Alexander the Great Avenger
Manousos E. Kambouris
Pen & Sword Books
c/o Casemate (US distribution)
www.casematepublishers.com
https://www.penandswordbooks.com
9781399073929, $46.95, HC, 304pp
https://www.amazon.com/Alexander-Great-Avenger-Campaign-Achaemenid/dp/1399073923
Synopsis: Since 500 BC the mainland Greeks had been threatened by the Achaemenid Persian Empire. They had suffered
major invasions but subsequent attempts to take the offensive had been thwarted. With the invasion of Alexander the Great
and his army, the rules changed.
In Macedonia a new model army had been developed, taking the traditional hoplite heavy infantry in a new evolutionary
direction and similarly transforming the heavy cavalry. These developments neutralized the Persians' own efforts to
modernize their troops, tactics and equipment. Despite the inclusion of a state-of-the-art siege train, the structure of the
reformed Macedonian army allowed an unprecedented operational tempo.
Manousos Kambouris' detailed analysis in "Alexander the Great Avenger: The Campaign that Felled Achaemenid Persia"
explains that it was Alexander's intelligent use of these forces, that allowed him to dictate the course of the campaign. His
excellent strategic and operational decision-making, based on an intimate knowledge of geography and logistics, along
with well-timed movements and clever feints, allowed him to choose his battles, which he then won by tactical brilliance
and guts.
As an historian and author, Kambouris does not neglect to assess the Persian capabilities and decision making, concluding
that Darius III was not as inept as often thought. Indeed, he may have been the most militarily capable King of Kings but it
was his misfortune to be pitted against the genius of Alexander, the great avenger.
Critique: Simply put, "Alexander the Great Avenger: The Campaign that Felled Achaemenid Persia" is absolutely essential
reading for academia and non-specialist general readers with an interest in Alexander the Great and his conquests which
arguably changed the course of human history. A work of meticulous, detailed and documented scholarship, "Alexander
the Great Avenger: The Campaign that Felled Achaemenid Persia" will have a special value for readers with an interest in
Ancient Greek & Mesopotamia Military History collections and supplemental Alexander the Great curriculum studies
lists.
Editorial Note: Manousos E. Kambouris has been researching Ancient Greek warfare for many years and has published
numerous articles in Archeologija Prirodne Na (Archaeology and Science), Ancient Warfare, Military History, War &
History, NUOVA ANTOLOGIA MILITARE, Third Eye and Hellenic Nexus. He has written three previous books on
Marathon, Salamis and Xenophon's Ten Thousand. For the past 8 years he has been a historical consultant to the
experimental archaeology group Koryvantes, the Association of Historical Studies. His other two volumes in this Greco-
Persian military history trilogy are also available from Pen & Sword: "The Rise of Persia and the First Greco-Persian
Wars" and "The Greek Victories and the Persian Ebb 480-79 BC".
The Castle in the Wars of the Roses
Dan Spencer
Pen & Sword Books
c/o Casemate (US distribution)
www.casematepublishers.com
https://www.penandswordbooks.com
9781526797476, $26.95, PB, 256pp
https://www.amazon.com/Castle-Wars-Roses-Dan-Spencer/dp/152679747X
Synopsis: The Wars of the Roses is one of the most dramatic and fascinating periods in medieval British history. Much has
been written about the leading personalities, bitter dynastic rivalries, political intrigues, and the rapid change of fortune on
the battlefields of England and Wales. However, there is one aspect that has been often overlooked, the role of castles in
the conflict.
Originally published in 2020 and now newly available in a paperback edition, "The Castle in the Wars of the Roses" is Dan
Spencer's original study that traces their use from the outbreak of civil war in the reign of Henry VI in the 1450s to the
triumph of Henry VII some thirty years later. Using a wide range of narrative, architectural, financial and administrative
sources, he sheds new light on the place of castles within the conflict, demonstrating their importance as strategic and
logistical centres, bases for marshalling troops, and as fortresses
Critique: Exceptionally well written and an inherently fascinating read, "The Castle in the Wars of the Roses" is an
impressively informative and seminal contribution to the literature on the Wars of the Roses in general, and to the study of
siege warfare in the Middle Ages in particular. Very highly recommended for personal, professional, community, and
academic library British Military History collections and supplemental Medieval Warfare curriculum studies lists, it should
be noted that "The Castle in the Wars of the Roses" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $11.99).
Editorial Note: Dan Spencer (https://danspencer.info) is a historian and author who specializes in the study of medieval
military history. He is also the author Royal and Urban Gunpowder Weapons in Late Medieval England (Boydell &
Brewer 2019) and The Castle at War in Medieval England and Wales (Amberley Publishing 2018). Spencer also
co-authored The Agincourt Companion with Anne Curry, Peter Hoskins and Thom Richardson (Andre Deutsch Ltd 2015).
His doctorate in History was awarded by the University of Southampton in 2016, with his PhD thesis on The Development
of Gunpowder Weapons in Late Medieval England.
The Armies of Ancient Persia: The Sassanians
Kaveh Furrokh
Pen & Sword Books
c/o Casemate (US distribution)
www.casematepublishers.com
https://www.penandswordbooks.com
9781399024815, $34.95, PB, 504pp
https://www.amazon.com/Armies-Ancient-Persia-Sassanians/dp/1399024817
Synopsis: Throughout most of the classical period, Persia was one of the great superpowers, placing a limit on the
expansion of Western powers. It was the most formidable rival to the Roman empire for centuries, until Persia, by then
under the Sassanians, was overwhelmed by the Islamic conquests in the seventh century AD. Yet, the armies of ancient
Persia have received relatively little detailed attention, certainly in comparison to those of Rome. Originally published in
2017 and now available fro the first time in a paperback edition, "The Armies of Ancient Persia: The Sassanians" is the
first of three volumes that will form the most comprehensive study of ancient Persian armies available.
The Sassanians, the native Iranian dynasty that ousted their Parthian overlords in AD 226, developed a highly sophisticated
army that was able for centuries to hold off all comers. They continued the Parthians' famous winning combination of swift
horse archers with heavily-armored cataphract cavalry, also making much use of war elephants, but Kaveh Farrokh
interestingly demonstrates that their oft-maligned infantry has been much underestimated.
Critique: Enhanced for the reader with the inclusion of a number of Plates, Figures, Tables, and Historical Timeline of the
Sassanian Empire, Maps, forty-seven pages of Notes, a twenty page listing of References, and a thirty-one page Index,
"The Armies of Ancient Persia: The Sassanians" is a seminal work of original scholarship and highly recommended for
personal, professional, community, and academic library Persian Military History collections and supplemental curriculum
studies lists. It should be noted for students, academia, military historians, and non-specialist general readers with an
interest in the subject that "The Armies of Ancient Persia: The Sassanians" is also available in a digital book format
(Kindle, $17.99).
Editorial Note: Kaveh Furrokh (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kaveh_Farrokh) was born in Athens, Greece and is an expert
in ancient Persian languages and military history. He has been researching the military history and technology of Persia for
a quarter of a century. He obtained his PhD in 2001 from the University of British Columbia, where he is now a lecturer.
He is also Head of the Department of Traditions and Cultural History of the Waalm School of Cultural Diplomacy. He has
written three previous books on Persian military history. The second, Shadows in the Desert: Ancient Persia at War
(Osprey, 2007) has been translated into Russian and Persian, received the Best History Book Award of 2008 and was cited
as among the top 3 history books of 2008 by the Independent Book Publishers Association in the USA.
The Light Division in the Peninsular War, 1811-1814
Tim Sauncers, author
Rob Yuill, author/contributor
Pen & Sword Books
c/o Casemate (US distribution)
www.casematepublishers.com
https://www.penandswordbooks.com
9781399007948, $39.95, PB, 260pp
https://www.amazon.com/Light-Division-Peninsular-War-1811-1814/dp/1399007947
Synopsis: By the middle of 1811, Brigadier General Robert Craufurd's Light Division was emerging as the elite of the
Peninsular Army and Wellington was seeking opportunities to go over to the offensive, following the expulsion of Marshal
Massena from Portugal.
After a period of outpost duty for the Light Division on the familiar ground of the Spanish borders, Wellington seized 'the
keys to Spain' in the epic sieges of Ciudad Rodrigo and Badajoz. Still reeling from the loss of General Craufurd, 'The
Division' led the army against Marshal Marmont and after a protracted period of marching and counter marching, the
French were finally brought to battle at Salamanca. As a result of King Joseph being driven out of Madrid, the French
marshals united and in the autumn of 1812, the British were driven back to Ciudad Rodrigo in another gruelling
retreat.
With news of Napoleon's disaster in Russia and with reinforcements from Britain, Wellington prepared his army to drive
the French from the Peninsular. A lightening march across Spain to cut the Great Road found King Joseph and Marshal
Jourdan at Vitoria and the resulting battle, in which the Light Division fought their way into the heart of the French
position, was a triumph of arms for Wellington's light troops.
The pursuit into the Pyrenees, had a sting in the tail when Marshal Soult mounted counter offensives in an attempt to
relieve San Sebastian and Pamplona. Having thrown the French back and with the Sixth Coalition intact, the Light
Division fought their way through the mountains and into Napoleon's France.
With the allies closing in on all sides, the French fought on into 1814 and the Light Bobs had further fighting before the
spoils of peace in a war-weary France could be enjoyed.
Critique: Taking up where "The Light Division in the Peninsular War: 1808-1811" by co-authors Tim Saunders and Rob
Yuill left off, "The Light Division in the Peninsular War 1811-1814" continues this seminal history of the British military
enforced empire in the early decades of the 19th Century. Featuring an informative Introduction, six pages of Notes and a
three page Index, "The Light Division in the Peninsular War 1811-1814" is an exemplary and detailed history that is
solidly researched, exceptionally well written, and informatively presented in chronological order. While available for
personal reading lists in a digital book format (Kindle, $18.99), "The Light Division in the Peninsular War: 1811-1814" is
an extraordinary and highly recommended for community, college, and university library 19th Century British Military
History collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists.
Editorial Note #1: Tim Saunders served as an infantry officer with the British Army for thirty years, during which time he
took the opportunity to visit campaigns far and wide, from ancient to modern. Since leaving the Army he has become a full
time military historian, with this being his sixteenth book, has made nearly fifty full documentary films with Battlefield
History and Pen & Sword. He is an active guide and Accredited Member of the Guild of Battlefield Guides.
Editorial Note #2: Rob Yuill is also the co-author/contributor to "The Light Division in the Peninsular War: 1808-1811"
which is the first volume of this 19th Century British Military History series.
Argentine Perspectives on the Falklands War
Nick Van Der Bijl
Casemate Publishers
www.casematepublishers.com
9781636241647, $34.95, HC, 224pp
https://www.amazon.com/Argentine-Perspectives-Falklands-War-Recovery/dp/1636241646
Synopsis: In 1982, the United Kingdom and Argentina fought a war over an historical disagreement with respect to the
colonial "ownership" or rights over the Falkland Islands. Within months of the Argentinian defeat, General Edgardo Calvi,
then the Argentine Head of the Army Joint Chief of Staff, was instructed to undertake a wide-ranging and formal inquiry to
investigate the performance of the Argentine Army during the Falklands.
Calvi concluded that while the Army had the motivation, it lacked the organization, equipment, training, and ability to
oppose an army capable of operating in a variety of environments. The war exposed political, military, and public
weaknesses in a period of considerable internal unrest during the seven years of the Dirty War. Several senior officers who
fought in the Falklands were imprisoned for offenses committed during the Dirty War. Secrecy and political disagreements
isolated the Service chiefs of staff from the logistic and operational planning.
With the publication of "Argentine Perspectives on the Falklands War: The Recovery and Loss of Las Malvinas", the story
of the Falklands War is told from the perspective of Argentine Army.
Critique: "Argentine Perspectives on the Falklands War: The Recovery and Loss of Las Malvinas" by Nicholas van der Bijl
is the first book in English to examine the Falklands War from the Argentine point of view. Providing an intensely
informative perspective from the Argentinian point of view, "Argentine Perspectives on the Falklands War" will prove to
be a unique and greatly appreciated addition to personal, professional, community, and academic library 20th Century
British Military & Argentian Military History collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists. It should be noted for
students, academia, military historians, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "Argentine
Perspectives on the Falklands War" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $15.99).
Editorial Note: Nick van der Bijl served 30 years in the Army, mainly in the Intelligence Corps, that included 3 Commando
Brigade throughout the Falklands campaign, three years in Northern Ireland and elsewhere. His second career was as an
NHS security manager; also a Justice of the Peace for fifteen years. He is a Trustee of the Military Intelligence Museum.
He is now retired and has written a number of books about the Falklands War.
The Cookbook Shelf
Taste of Home Budget-Friendly Cookbook
Taste of Home, editor
Trusted Media Brands
https://www.trustedmediabrands.com
9781621459514, $19.99, PB, 320pp
https://www.amazon.com/Taste-Home-Budget-Friendly-Cookbook-thumbs-up/dp/1621459519< br>
Synopsis: With the publication of "Taste of Home Budget-Friendly Cookbook", it has never been easier for the family
cook to cut grocery bills while dishing out the meals everyone requests, ranging from homey meat loaves and lasagnas, to
new takes on pasta and ramen. "Taste of Home Budget-Friendly Cookbook" is packed with over 220 kitchen cook friendly
recipes, dinner ideas, and affordable desserts for every dining occasion. The family will love these dishes, and the financial
savings with respect to the weekly grocery bill.
Of special note is the bonus chapter on Pantry Staples showing how you can make your own marinara sauce, biscuit mix,
pizza dough and condiments.
Critique: Profusely illustrated with the inclusion of some 150+ full-color photos, helpful icons for slow-cooked foods,
recipes that use 5 or fewer ingredients, and 50+ dietitian-approved, good-for-you dishes, each recipe featured includes
Prep/Cook timelines with each dish, Nutrition Facts with every recipe, and expert tips throughout to help save money and
time alike. Thoroughly 'kitchen cook friendly' in organization and presentation, "Taste of Home Budget-Friendly
Cookbook" is an especially recommended addition to personal and community library cookbook collections. It should be
noted that "Taste of Home Budget-Friendly Cookbook" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $11.99).
Editorial Note: Taste of Home (www.Tasteofhome.com) is the leading multi-platform producer of information on food,
cooking, baking and entertaining, serving home cooks engaging media that capture the joy and comfort received from food
made with love. Taste of Home magazine has a circulation of 1.5 million and publishes top-selling cookbooks and
newsstand specials. The Taste of Home website is a top destination for engaging audiences with kitchen-tested recipes,
how-to techniques, cooking videos and more.
Eating with the Tudors: Food and Recipes
Brigitte Webster
Pen & Sword Books
c/o Casemate (US distribution)
www.casematepublishers.com
https://www.penandswordbooks.com
9781399092593, $42.95, HC, 256pp
https://www.amazon.com/Eating-Tudors-Recipes-Brigitte-Webster/dp/1399092596
Synopsis: "Eating with the Tudors: Food and Recipes" is an extensive collection of authentic Tudor recipes by culinary
historian Brigitte Webster that tell the story of a dramatically changing world in sixteenth-century England and highlights
how religion, reformation and politics influenced what was served on a Tudor's dining table from the very beginning of
Henry VII's reign to the final days of Elizabeth I's rule.
Fascinated readers will discover interesting and very carefully researched little food snippets drawn from Tudor society in
the form of household account books, manuscripts, letters, wills, diaries and varied works by Tudor physicians, herbalists
and chronologists. Readers will learn about the Tudor's obsession with food and uncover which key ingredients were the
most popular choice. Furthermore, they will rediscover old Tudor favorites that once again are being celebrated in trendy
restaurants and learn about the new, exotic food that excited and those foods that failed to meet the Elizabethan
expectations.
"Eating with the Tudors: Food and Recipes" explains the whole concept of what a healthy balanced meal meant to the
people of Tudor England and the significance and symbolic connotations of certain food, as well as its availability
throughout the year. Readers will gain an insight into the world of Tudor food, its role to establish class, belonging and
status and be tempted to re-create some iconic Tudor flavors and experience for yourself the many varied and delicious
seasonal tastes that Tudor dishes have to offer. Spice up your culinary habits and step back in time to recreate a true Tudor
feast by impressing your guests the Tudor way or prepare a New Year's culinary gift fit for a Tudor monarch!
Critique: Illustrated throughout with B/W photography, "Eating with the Tudors: Food and Recipes" is a unique, elegant,
fascinating, informative combination of culinary history and historical 16th & 17th Century British recipes that served the
royal courts of Henry VIII and Elizabeth I. A pleasure to browse through, ideal for recreating elegantly historical menus,
"Eating with the Tudors: Food and Recipes" is a very special and recommended addition to personal, professional,
community, and academic library cookbook collections and supplemental Tudor History curriculum studies lists. It should
be noted that "Eating with the Tudors: Food and Recipes" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle,
$18.99).
Editorial Note: Brigitte Webster (https://www.tudorexperience.com) is a qualified teacher of home economics and history,
making her the perfect 'accomplished' Tudor housewife in modern-day Britain. As a competent and experienced cook with
a deep passion for Tudor history she fully immersed herself in archaeological, experimental cookery which also motivated
her to grow period vegetables, herbs and fruits to achieve the most authentic end results.
In 2019 she and her husband bought a small Tudor manor that had escaped ruthless modernisation. This will form the hub
of their Tudor & Seventeenth-century Experience where guests can enjoy hospitality in a place for like-minded people who
can come together and embrace a stepping back into culinary Tudor England.
Brigitte has appeared on Professor Suzannah Lipscomb's TV series Walking Tudor England and is a regular contributor to
the magazine Tudor Places. She also appears in popular history podcasts. In 2019 Brigitte was a guest speaker at the first
TudorCon exposition in Pennsylvania.
The Cheese Life: Recipes, Cheeseboards and Pairings
Mathew Carver, author
Patrick McGuigan, author
Kyle Books
c/o Octopus Publishing
https://www.octopusbooks.co.uk
9781804191545, $29.99, HC, 208pp
https://www.amazon.com/Cheese-Life-Recipes-Cheeseboards-Pairings/dp/180419154X
Synopsis: Cheese has been around almost as long as human have. Now, as a new wave of artisan cheese appreciation
sweeps the globe, "The Cheese Life: Recipes, Cheeseboards and Pairings " by co-authors Mathew Carver and Patrick
McGuigan is an essential and inspirational companion for any and all cheese lovers. With gloriously gooey recipes,
perfectly put-together cheeseboards and mouth-watering flavor pairings, this culinary compendium has everything you
need to live the cheese life.
"The Cheese Life" begins with an introduction to the wonderful world of cheese, and how to buy, taste and cook with it,
followed by over 50 recipes divided into Grill, Melt, Bake and Grate. From Baked Feta with Stewed Peppers & Honey to a
Grilled Brie & Mushroom Sandwich, the recipes are creative, indulgent and let the quality and flavor of the cheese shine
through. A final section explores the art of the cheeseboard, featuring 5 thematic cheeseboard suggestions, recipes for
perfect accompaniments and a simple guide to drink pairing.
Interspersed throughout "The Cheese Life" are handy profiles for all key varieties, from mozzarella to halloumi, and
nuggets of cheesy wisdom, including what to do with leftover rinds, the importance of temperature and how to store and
slice your cheeses.
Critique: An absolute 'must' for the cookbook collections of all dedicated cheese fans, "The Cheese Life: Recipes,
Cheeseboards and Pairings" is beautifully illustrated compendium of palate pleasing, appetite satisfying, and truly
memorable ways to grill, melt, bake, grate, or simply utilizing sliced cheeses for any dining occasion. While also available
in a digital book format (Kindle, $12.99), "The Cheese Life: Recipes, Cheeseboards and Pairings" is a very special and
unreservedly recommended addition to personal, professional, and community library cookbook collections.
Editorial Note #1: Mathew Carver founded The Cheese Truck in 2014 after a brief 'research' trip across the States. Since
then, he's become a well-respected and vocal advocate of British cheese, judging at the World Cheese Awards since 2017,
the British Cheese Awards and Young Cheesemonger of the Year. He has three restaurants in London - The Cheese Bar,
Pick & Cheese and The Cheese Barge. Patrick McGuigan has written about cheese for publications including the
Telegraph, The Financial Times and delicious. His first book, The Philosophy of Cheese, was published by the British
Library in 2020.
Editorial Note #2: Patrick McGuigen (https://www.patrickmcguigan.com) is a UK-based cheese writer and teacher, who
has travelled from the Swiss Alps to the pastures of Vermont to interview the world's best cheesemakers, maturers and
cheesemongers. He writes extensively on the subject for national newspapers and magazines, such as The Telegraph and
delicious, and has appeared on BBC Radio 4's The Food Programme. His first book, The Philosophy of Cheese, was
published by The British Library in 2020.
A Very Vegan Christmas
Sam Dixon
Hamlyn
c/o Octopus Books
https://www.octopusbooks.co.uk
9780600638032, $19.99, HC, 176pp
https://www.amazon.com/Very-Vegan-Christmas-Plant-based-celebrating/dp/0600638030
Synopsis: For most of us, Christmas is a feast of meat, cheese and chocolate, but with more people turning to a plant-based
diet, there is a growing need for a festive vegan cookbook.
With the publication of "A Very Vegan Christmas: Plant-based recipes for celebrating in style", vegan expert Sam Dixon
showcases fabulous vegan recipes along with stellar color images so that a Christmas (or any other holiday) celebratory
occasion everyone, vegan and non-vegan, can sit at the table and enjoy some fantastic Christmas cooking.
Critique: "A Very Vegan Christmas" offers a wide range of palate pleasing, appetite satisfying, kitchen cook friendly,
solidly vegan recipes that include such culinary delights as a Spinich & Apricot Wreath, Mushroom Wellington, Creamy
Hispi Cabbage, Nut Roast Raps, Pastry Serap Suyn Dried Tomato Pinwheels, and so much more! -- Then there are vegan
deserts that range from Chewy Ginger Cookie Ice Cream Sandwiches, to Sticky Stem Ginger Toffee Pudding, to
Mincemeat & Apple Studel -- and more! Simply stated, "A Very Vegan Christmas" will prove an immediately welcome
and enduringly popular addition to personal, professional, and community library Vegan/Vegetarian cook book
collections.
Editorial Note: Sam Dixon (www.samdixonstylist.com) is a self-taught food stylist for cookbooks, magazines, film and
TV, learnt through industry with a background in baking. She officially started her career in food at Violet bakery in East
London. A love for seasonal ingredients, creativity and aesthetics was developed here. Since then, she has worked with
numerous publications and brands such as The Guardian, GQ, The Telegraph, Hix, the White Company, Kyle Books,
Quadrille and Hodder and Stoughton. She is also the co-creator of Studio Feast, a food photography studio in Hackney,
London.
Paddy's Pub
Laurel Randolph
Hyperion Avenue
c/o Disney Books
https://books.disney.com
9781368083799, $22.99, HC, 160pp
https://www.amazon.com/Paddys-Pub-Philadelphia-Always-Cookbook/dp/136808379X
Synopsis: Are you a dedicated fan of 'It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia'? Have you ever wanted to try Frank Reynolds's
iconic Rum Ham? Have you been dying to make your own Trash Bag Full of Chimichangas to rival Fat Mac's? Does the
mere sight of Charlie's delectable Milk Steak (raw jelly beans on the side) make your mouth water? If not, you're clearly a
jabroni.
But if you have any sense of taste or class, then this 'It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia' themed cookbook is the one for
you.
"Paddy's Pub: The Worst Bar in Philadelphia" is a wonderfully illustrated with full page, full color shots drawn from the
series with its memorable characters and features more than 45 recipes straight from the Gang. Now you can learn to cook
Guigino's special $44 Snapper so you can demonstrate your value even when your fish supplier has an incident at their
facility. Try your hand at making the McPoyles' Milk Punch, this time without the bath salts to save someone an eye or
two. And don't forget Mac's Famous Mac and Cheese, where you can live your perfect suburban life with a simple whip of
a spoon.
From breakfast to dinner, and plenty in between, this is a unique cookbook that turns your favorite meals from the show
into innovative and easy-to-follow recipes. Filled with playful photography and quotes, "Paddy's Pub: The Worst Bar in
Philadelphia" is the ultimate guide to all the iconic dishes and is a must-have for every fan. Whether you're the golden god
or the wild card, pick up this book and impress your own Gang with sick culinary skills. So . . . where's the food?
Critique: An absolute 'must' for the legions of 'It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia' fans, "Paddy's Pub: The Worst Bar in
Philadelphia" is fun to browse through and thoroughly 'kitchen cook friendly' to plan and create memorable and celebratory
dining occasions with friends and family. While also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $11.99), "Paddy's Pub:
The Worst Bar in Philadelphia" is especially and unreservedly recommended for personal, family, and community library
cookbook collections.
Editorial Note: Laurel Randolph (http://laurelrandolph.com) has been a food writer for over ten years and a cook since she
was old enough to properly hold a whisk. She is the best-selling author of The Unofficial Simpsons Cookbook, The Instant
Pot Electric Pressure Cooker Cookbook: Easy Recipes for Fast & Healthy Meals, The Instant Pot No-Pressure Cookbook:
100 Low-Street, High Flavor Recipes, and Instant Pot Desserts. She has developed hundreds of recipes and written for
numerous publications including The Spruce Eats, The Kitchn, Eaten Magazine, Food 52, Simply Recipes, Los Angeles
Magazine, EatingWell, Paste Magazine, and Serious Eats.
Food With Spirit: Alcohol-Infused Recipes
Alicia Shevetone
Gaudium Publishing
c/o Histria Books
www.histriabooks.com
9781592113118, $39.99, HC, 124pp
https://www.amazon.com/Food-Spirit-Alcohol-Infused-Alicia-Shevetone/dp/1592113117
Synopsis: "Food With Spirit: Alcohol-Infused Recipes" is a culinary compendium showcasing outstanding fifty recipes
spread across five sections: Appetizers, Soups, Entrees, Sides, and Desserts. All fifty recipes are infused with some of our
favorite intoxicants ranging from spiced rum to the smooth flavors of cognac. Each individual recipe is complemented
with beautiful full page photos, and accompanied by culinary author Alicia Shevetone's wonderfully entertaining stories of
her career as a Las Vegas chef.
Critique: While also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $14.99), this large format (8.5 x 0.6 x 11 inches, 1.77
pounds) coffee-table style edition of "Food With Spirit: Alcohol-Infused Recipes" is a unique, menu inspiring, unique and
prized addition to personal, professional, and community library cookbook collections.
Editorial Note: Alicia Shevetone (https://www.dinkcuisine.com) is a chef, an author, a television personality, and the
creator of DINK Cuisine (Dual Income No Kids) where there are no leftovers, cooking is easy, and you leave the kitchen
with a smile. She curates customized cooking experiences across print, digital, social media, and live media. Alicia's
ambition is to become the culinary voice for couples of all flavors. She is a frequent guest on lifestyle television programs,
and a provocative writer on topics ranging from overeating due to overcooking and the reduction of food waste through
portion control.
How to Fall in Love with Tofu
Emma de Thouars
Smith Street Books
c/o Rizzoli
www.rizzoliusa.com
9781922754479, $29.95, HC, 192pp
https://www.amazon.com/How-Fall-Love-Tofu-Breakfast/dp/1922754471
Synopsis: Tofu is a food prepared by coagulating soy milk and then pressing the resulting curds into solid white blocks of
varying softness: silken, soft, firm, extra (or super) firm. There are many varieties of tofu. It has a subtle flavor, so it can be
used in savory and sweet dishes. It is often seasoned or marinated to suit the dish and its flavors, and due to its spongy
texture, it absorbs flavors well. It is a traditional component of East Asian and Southeast Asian cuisines, and has been
consumed in China for over 2,000 years. In modern Western cooking, it is most often treated as a meat substitute.
(Wikipedia)
Nutritionally, tofu is low in calories, while containing a relatively large amount of protein. It is high in iron, and can have a
high calcium or magnesium content depending on the coagulants (e.g. calcium chloride, calcium sulphate, magnesium
sulphate) used in manufacturing.
Tofu is the perfect canvas to soak up a pan's flavors. Much more than a meat substitute or a health food alternative, tofu is
a delicious staple with endless, delicious possibilities.
With the publication of "How to Fall in Love with Tofu", culinary expert Emma de Thouars shares 40 of these recipes in
her new cookbook dedicated to tofu. Mostly inspired by cuisines across Asia, there are recipes for Mapo Tofu, Korean
Tofu Pancakes, Stuffed Tofu with Minced Pork, Omelets with Chili Oil, and Dumplings, as well as some Western
favorites like Sloppy Joes and Chocolate Mousse.
De Thouars also shares how all the varieties of tofu can shine as the centerpiece of a meal that's very much worth eating,
whether you're a vegan or a devoted meat eater. Anyone can learn to love tofu, and de Thouars is here to show you
how.
Critique: Beautifully and profusely illustrated throughout with full color photography of finished dishes and showcasing
the forty 'kitchen cook friendly' recipes for tofu based dishes that are ideal for all dining occasions ranging from breakfast,
to lunch, to dinner and dessert, "How to Fall in Love with Tofu" will prove to be an immediately inspiring and enduringly
welcome addition to personal, family, professional, and community library cookbook collections.
Editorial Note: Emma de Thouars is a culinary writer and recipe developer. She has a great fondness for Asian cuisines and
spends as much time as possible on that part of the globe. She has previously written Amazing Asia and Emma's Amazing
Asia: Vegan. You can find all her culinary inspiration on her Instagram (@emmadethouars), where she posts recipe videos
almost daily, from simple scrambled eggs with tomato to homemade tofu.
The Grace-Filled Homestead Cookbook
Lana Stenner
Ten Peaks Press
c/o Harvest House Publishers
www.harvesthousepublishers.com
9780736984782, $24.99, PB, 224pp
https://www.amazon.com/Grace-Filled-Homestead-Cookbook-Garden-Fresh-Celebrating/dp/073698478X
Synopsis: More than just a chore, home cooking can be a wonderful gift that you give yourself and your loved ones,
encouraging connection and simpler, slower living. Now, with the publication of "The Grace-Filled Homestead Cookbook:
Garden-Fresh Recipes Celebrating Food, Family, and the Farm", Lana Stenner enables you to experience a taste of the
good life with these mouth-watering recipes that incorporate some of the best ingredients each season of the year has to
offer.
Make your SPRING sing with bacon-wrapped asparagus, lilac-glazed donuts, and wild-violet hot cross buns.
Soak up SUMMER as you savor sweet zucchini scones with apricot compote, ladybug caprese mini salad, and raspberry
lemonade bloom popsicles.
FALL for a new favorite, including rosemary roasted concord chicken, stuffed acorn squash, and salted caramel cookie
cake.
Cozy up in WINTER with sugar plum cream cheese stuffed French toast, creamy baked potato soup, and buttermilk
biscuits with sage sausage gravy.
Are you hungry for more wholesome, homemade meals? As promised in its title, "The Grace-Filled Homestead Cookbook:
Garden-Fresh Recipes Celebrating Food, Family, and the Farm" is the cookbook offering you the fresh start you've been
looking for.
Critique: Beautifully illustrated throughout with full page color photographs of finished dishes, "The Grace-Filled
Homestead Cookbook: Garden-Fresh Recipes Celebrating Food, Family, and the Farm" is an impressively 'kitchen cook
friendly' compendium of seasonally based, palate pleasing, appetite satisfying, kitchen cook friendly dishes for every
dining occasion. This large format (7.75 x 0.75 x 9.75 inches) paperback edition from Ten Peaks Press is a very special
pick for personal, professional, and community library cookbook collections. It should be noted that "The Grace-Filled
Homestead Cookbook" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $18.99).
Editorial Note: Lana Stenner (https://lanastenner.com) shares stories about faith, family, and the farm (and more than a few
recipes) on her blog and podcast. She also teaches business classes at a local university. Along with her fireman husband
and five children, Lana lives on a small farmstead in Kansas City, Missouri, where she raises goats, chickens, and
bees.
The Business Shelf
Founder vs Investor
Elizabeth Joy Zalman, author
Jerry Neumann, author
HarperCollins Leadership
c/o HarperCollins Publishers
www.harpercollins.com
9781400242764, $29.99, HC, 288pp
https://www.amazon.com/Founder-Investor-Venture-Capital-Startup/dp/1400242762
Synopsis: From Google to Facebook to Twitter, Every iconic tech company was once a startup. And while these companies
like to paint an origin story full of surefooted confidence, the truth is usually something different: the early life of most
startups is pure chaos.
This chaos comes from the vastly different motivations and incentives between those with the vision and those with the
money. From fundraising paranoia to boardroom coups, with the publication of "Founder vs Investor: The Honest Truth
About Venture Capital from Startup to IPO" co-authors Elizabeth Zalman and Jerry Neumann focus on the gulf between
what founders and investors promised to do and what they ended up actually doing.
"Founder vs Investor" is the brutal and unvarnished truth showcasing each side's perspective, of the pitfalls of this tenuous
relationship -- where bad blood can turn sure things into shattered dreams. It is the only book written by insiders with the
temerity to pull back the curtain on the world of high growth venture-backed startups.
Critique: A fascinating, informative, and stellar study of tech company turmoil based on the differing perspectives and
goals between creators and financial investors inside the tech companies that have come to so dramatically and
fundamentally influence our lives, our economy, our politics, and our culture. While also available in a digital book format
(Kindle, $10.99), "Founder vs Investor: The Honest Truth About Venture Capital from Startup to IPO" is unreservedly
recommended for personal, professional, community, corporate, college, and university library Entrepreneurship and
Venture Capital collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists.
Editorial Note #1: Elizabeth Joy Zalman is an infrastructure and information security expert. She is a two-time founder and
CEO of venture-backed companies, building the first to a successful exit and the second to a multi-hundred-million-dollar
business. Elizabeth has raised more than $100 million in venture capital from the most renowned investors in the world.
She is a frequent speaker and guest at industry events and tech podcasts, in addition to being an investor and advisor
herself.
Editorial Note #2: Jerry Neumann is a twenty-five-year veteran of venture capital. He has invested in some of the most
successful venture-funded companies of the past three decades, including Datadog and Trade Desk, and has worked
alongside dozens of entrepreneurs as investor, board member, and advisor. Jerry also teaches entrepreneurship at Columbia
University, and authors articles on his popular blog, ReactionWheel.net
Creative Together
Steven Kowalski
Page Two Press
https://pagetwo.com/book/creative-together
9781774581629, $17.95, PB, 298pp
https://www.amazon.com/Creative-Together-Sparking-Innovation-World/dp/1774581620
Synopsis: In our era of rapid technological advances, changes, and disruptions, entrepreneurs and business managers are
being called on to innovate like never before. The trouble is, simply demanding or encouraging innovation and
collaboration doesn't work. Innovation doesn't just happen. It's the result of one of the most powerful and sustainable
forces available to us: creativity.
If you want innovation, you must activate creativity. And in the new world of work, going it alone won't work any longer.
We have to get creative together. Drawing on his decades of experience as a coach, consultant, and organizational
development expert, conscious creativity authority, with the publication of "Creative Together: Sparking Innovation in the
New World of Work", Steven Kowalski leads you on a three-part journey to reclaim your creativity and co-create with
others.
First, you will rewrite the story of who you are as a creator. Then, you will learn to adventure together with others --
bringing your whole, creative self into a new way of working together. With stories drawn from real, lived experiences,
research-backed insights, and powerful questions that will open you to new possibilities, you will master Kowalski's
GIFTED methodology to unlock your creativity, and tackle the biggest threat to conscious creativity -- Creative Disruption
Disorder.
Despite what you may think, you have what it takes to embrace the new story, take accountability for your creative power,
and create together within a world in flux. Once you claim your potential, there's no turning back. By participating in your
life with conscious creativity, you will transform the landscape of your future. You will become anew, with a deep faith in
your resilience and resourcefulness, and a future full of possibility for yourself -- and for the companies, organizations, and
causes whose mission you share.
Critique: Impressively well written, organized and presented, "Creative Together: Sparking Innovation in the New World
of Work" is a thoroughly 'reader friendly' and comprehensive instructional course and an ideal 'how-to' manual for deftly
instilling creativity into personal and cooperative efforts in the work place -- and in life. Of special and particular value to
readers with an interest in Business Management/Leadership, Workplace Culture, and Self-Improvement, "Creative
Together: Sparking Innovation in the New World of Work" is especially and unreservedly recommended for personal,
professional, community, corporate, college, and university library collections and supplemental MBA curriculum studies
lists. It should be noted that "Creative Together: Sparking Innovation in the New World of Work" is also available for
personal reading lists in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
Editorial Note: Steven Kowalski (https://www.stevenkowalski.com) is a leading voice in the global movement for
conscious creativity with more than 25 years of experience as an organizational development expert. Through his firm,
Creative License(TM) Consulting Services, he works with clients to shape organizational cultures and reinvigorate how
teams co-create new value. As a coach, speaker, and consultant-partner, he facilitates the creativity of scientists, engineers,
business leaders, and professionals across industries. Steven holds a PhD in adult learning and organizational creativity
from UCLA, and is the author of more than 100 workplace learning programs.
The Entrepreneurial Brain
Jeff Hays
HarperCollins Leadership
c/o HarperCollins Publishers
www.harpercollins.com
9781400243198, $22.99, PB, 288pp
https://www.amazon.com/Entrepreneurial-Brain-Waves-Entrepreneurship-About/dp/140024319X
Synopsis: When your biggest superpower is also your most critical weakness, it helps to have a manual on how to control
it. Entrepreneurs are creative, bold thinkers and risk-takers capable of great accomplishments. At the same time, for every
success story, there is a counter story of an epic collapse caused by a lack of a moral compass, values, or proper
guidance.
The author of "The Entrepreneurial Brain: How to Ride the Waves of Entrepreneurship and Live to Tell About It", Jeff
Hays knows the highs and the lows having ridden that rollercoaster many times in his life and career and provides a
much-needed user's manual for entrepreneurs everywhere and the people in their work and personal lives.
With "The Entrepreneurial Brain", you will:
Gain insights into the mindset entrepreneurs need to develop in order to survive. And when Hays says survive, he means it:
Your money, your relationships, your sanity, and even your life are at stake if you don't come to understand why you are
the way you are, and how to manage it.
Learn specific business tools to enjoy even more success than you've imagined. From real-world step by step instruction in
how to raise money for your venture, to how to build a build an email list and market to that list, Hays shares hard won
experience that isn't taught in any theoretical school.
Increase your perspective on the common pitfalls you need to avoid. Hays has learned the pitfalls the hard way, letting his
entrepreneurial brain drive him off a cliff over and over again. Failure has been one of his greatest teachers, showing him
how to work with his brain and how to work with others.
Access the wisdom and insights of mentors and other leaders. Throughout this groundbreaking instructional guide and
how-to' manual, Hays shares the transformational wisdom he learned from his own mentor along with insights and
perspectives from a variety of industry leaders and influencers to help you experience all of the ups, and more, while
protecting yourself against some of the downs.
Critique: Essential reading for anyone aspiring to, or already engaged in, and entrepreneurial venture of any kind,
anywhere, "The Entrepreneurial Brain: How to Ride the Waves of Entrepreneurship and Live to Tell About It" is
thoroughly 'reader friendly' in style, organization, and presentation. Impressively comprehensive, exceptionally insightful,
"The Entrepreneurial Brain" is an important and highly recommended pick for community, corporate, and academic library
Business/Entrepreneur collections and curriculum studies lists. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of MBA
students, academia, entrepreneurs, corporate executives, business managers, and non-specialist general readers with an
interest in the subject that "The Entrepreneurial Brain" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle,
$12.99).
Editorial Note: Jeff Hays (http://jeffchays.com) is a serial entrepreneur and filmmaker with a long colorful history of
visionary projects. In the mid-nineties he started Capstone Entertainment, a film and television production and distribution
company. Within its first year the company generated over $10 million in revenue and received numerous awards in the
children's programming category. Since then he has started over twenty companies including DealsthatMatter.com,
NextFitness, Podfitness, Zingback, MyCompanyRecords.com and Talk 2 Technologies. The companies he's founded have
collectively raised over $100 million in capital through both private investors and VCs. Recently he has also launched
several wildly successful crowd-funding campaigns, in addition to personally funding several ventures. He holds eight
patents in the tech industry.
Belonging Rules
Brad Deutser
Matt Holt Books
c/o BenBella Books
www.benbellabooks.com
9781637744024, $30.00, HC, 272pp
https://www.amazon.com/Belonging-Rules-Crucial-Actions-Performance/dp/1637744021
Synopsis: The need to belong is innate and enduring, yet often elusive. Genuine belonging requires a bold approach, one
that offers both depth and credibility to the work required from leaders whose organizations are craving a sense of
connection, security, and acceptance.
With the publication of "Belonging Rules: Five Crucial Actions That Build Unity and Foster Performance", Brad Deutser
offers nuanced, direct guidance for navigating both the pre-existing and ever-evolving social and organizational demands
of today's workplace. The five rules within, based on extensive research and application, create a framework to dissect and
decode the complex, complicated, and controversial issues of the modern workforce.
An executive coach and award-winning management consultant Brad Deutser gives leaders the confidence to address the
most critical societal imperative -- belonging. His approach doesn't tell leaders what to do, rather he provides leaders with
the how to: Identify the heart of existing power structures and societal mandates; Reframe the impact of inclusion at an
individual and organizational level; Challenge and fundamentally redefine the relationship with diverse stakeholders.
Leading can be uncomfortable. "Belonging Rules" is a guide will empower leaders to shift attention, understanding, and
effort toward bridging differences and uniting the "movable middle" which depowers the extremes, driving necessary
change and desired performance.
Critique: Instructive, informative, inspiring, effective, "Belonging Rules: Five Crucial Actions That Build Unity and Foster
Performance" is especially and remarkably well written and organized, as well as impressively 'reader friendly' in style and
presentation. While an extraordinary and unreservedly recommended addition to personal, professional, community,
college, and university library Business Management/Leadership collections and supplemental MBA curriculum studies
lists, it should be noted for students, academia, business managers, corporate executives, entrepreneurs, and non-specialist
general readers with an interest in the subject that "Belonging Rules" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle,
$14.99).
Editorial Note: Brad Deutser (https://deutser.com) is the visionary leader behind Deutser and Deutser Clarity Institute
(Houston, New York, Bermuda and Arizona). Brad is recognized for his ability to navigate complex, contentious,
ambiguous business and people challenges, both inside and outside organizations. He is sought after as an authority and
innovative thinker on matters of organizational change, belonging, DEI, and complexity in leadership. He is also the author
of "Leading Clarity: The Breakthrough Strategy to Unleash People, Profit, and Performance".
The Photography Shelf
Street Cat Tales and Tangled Times
Stephen Marc
George F Thompson Publishing
c/o Casemate Publishers
www.casematepublishers.com
9781938086984, $60.00, HC, 184pp
https://www.amazon.com/Street-Cat-Tales-Tangled-Times/dp/1938086988
Synopsis: In his previous and award-winning book, "American / True Colors", photographer Stephen Marc presented one
of the most comprehensive photographic surveys ever conducted about America and Americans. For his efforts (the survey
includes both the Obama and Trump presidencies), for his artistry, and for his unique African-American perspective, the
Independent Publishers Book Awards gave American / True Colors its 2021 Gold Medal for the Best Book of the Year in
Photography.
But Stephen Marc was not finished with telling the American story. With the publication of "Street Cat Tales and Tangled
Times: An American Journey Continues", the visual artist/photographer takes us on another sweeping journey, coast to
coast, this time straddling before and during the COVID years when America and Americans were confronted by a
multitude of unprecedented challenges that affected citizens in every aspect of life no matter where they might live.
With an informative Introduction by Dr. Carla D. Hayden (the 14th Librarian of Congress and the first woman and first
African American to hold that distinguished post since its founding in 1802), and featuring 210 full color, full page
photographs by Stephen Marc (including 85 captivating digital montages), "Street Cat Tales and Tangled Times" offers a
creative and highly insightful look at how Americans have been living their life on the streets during this time of COVID
and controversial Supreme Court rulings and the severe impacts of climate change, social injustice, mass shootings and
gun violence, inflation, intense political division, the Big Lie, the January 6 insurrection, Russia's invasion of Ukraine, and
so much more.
As was the case with :American / True Colors", in "Street Cat Tales and Tangled Times" we see how the American
journey continues. How in our ongoing search for a more perfect Union we need to recognize and respect more fully the
personal histories that brought us here and the truths we need to face. How in the process of moving forward toward an
uncertain future we embrace the joy of living and learn to grow and heal as families, communities, and a nation.
Critique: Adhering to that old adage about a picture being worth a thousand words, "Street Cat Tales and Tangled Times:
An American Journey Continues" speaks volumes with respect to the American people of this past decade and into the
present. Unreservedly recommended for personal, professional, community, and academic library American Photography
collections, and with its large coffee-table style hardcover format, each individual, full color photograph is cited as to
where it was taken. Simply stated, to browse through the pages comprising "Street Cat Tales and Tangled Times" is to take
an armchair tour through what is aptly described as truly memorable American Journey across our diverse and divided
nation.
Editorial Note #1: Stephen Marc is a documentary/street photographer and digital montage artist, who was raised on the
South Side of Chicago. He is Professor of Art at Arizona State University, where he began teaching in 1998, after twenty
years on the faculty of the Department of Photography at Columbia College Chicago. Marc has received grants from the
Arizona Commission on the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts, and his awards include the Society for
Photographic Education's Insight Award. In 2021, Marc was awarded a John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation
Fellowship in Photography. Marc has published three photography books: Passage on the Underground Railroad
(University Press of Mississippi, 2009); The Black Trans-Atlantic Experience: Street Life and Culture in Ghana, Jamaica,
England, and the United States (Columbia College Chicago, 1992); and Urban Notions (Ataraxia Press, 1983).
Editorial Note #2: Carla D. Hayden is the 14th Librarian of Congress, the first woman and first African American to hold
the post since 1802. From 1993 until 2016, she was the CEO of the Enoch Pratt Free Library in Baltimore and served as
President of the American Library Association from 2003 to 2004. In 1995, Dr. Hayden was honored with the National
Librarian of the Year Award by Library Journal, the first African American to receive this prestigious honor, and in 2020
she was elected to the American Philosophical Society. Her books include A Frontier of Librarianship: Services for
Children in Museums (Chicago, 1987) and, as editor, Venture into Cultures: A Resource Book of Multicultural Materials
and Programs (American Library Association, 1992).
The Uyghurs: Kashgar before the Catastrophe
Kevin Burbriski, photographer
Tahir Hamut Izgil, contributor
Dru Gladney, contributor
George F Thompson Publishing
c/o Casemate Publishers
www.casematepublishers.com
9781938086991, $60.00, HC, 248pp
https://www.amazon.com/Uyghurs-Kashgar-before-Catastrophe-English/dp/1938086996
Synopsis: The Uyghurs are a Turkic ethnic group originating from and culturally affiliated with the general region of
Central and East Asia. The Uyghurs are recognized as native to the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region in Northwest
China. They are one of China's 55 officially recognized ethnic minorities. The Uyghurs are also recognized by the Chinese
government as a regional minority and the titular people of Xinjiang.
In 1998, Kevin Bubriski was fortunate to spend time with the Uyghurs in Kashgar, their ancient city on the Silk Road in
Xinjiang, China. While there, he made unforgettable photographic portraits and street scenes that reveal a haunting beauty
and sense of the past in old Kashgar. Bubriski was drawn to the faces of ordinary people and their daily lives, with the
intent that through photographs mutual understanding between people might be fostered.
Although 1998 was an uncomfortable time of rapid transformation for the Uyghurs, their oasis city in the high desert was
still vibrant, even as the Chinese government's brutal crackdown was about to commence. In the last few years, up to a
million Uyghurs have been detained in "re-education camps" while others have been subjected to forced sterilizations and
wider persecution. The vibrancy, beauty, and grit that Bubriski witnessed and photographed more than two decades ago
has irrevocably changed.
The Uyghur cultural, economic, familial, religious, and spiritual traditions are captured in Bubriski's images and the
extensive text by Tahir Hamut Izgil and the late Dru Gladney. These traditions, interwoven in Uyghurs' lives and
community for more than two millennia, have been severely impacted by the overt and disastrous policies of the Chinese
government's crackdown on Uyghur civil, spiritual, and cultural activities.
The Uyghur community is now fractured and split due to widespread surveillance, mass detentions, and incarcerations.
"The Uyghurs: Kashgar before the Catastrophe" is also presented in a bilingual (English/Uighur) edition so that it is not
only accessible to Uyghur people living in non-English-speaking regions of the world, but a way for Uyghurs around the
world to reaffirm their cultural and social identity wherever they now live.
As many Uyghur families are now separated due to detentions or flight to asylum elsewhere, the book is meant to be an
enduring gift for the Uyghur people and for all who wish to understand better Uyghur culture and history. Bubriski's book
is a stunning work of art that reveals an earlier time when Kashgar, beloved city of the Uyghurs, retained much of its
traditional life and charm.
Critique: This large format coffee-table style edition of "The Uyghurs: Kashgar before the Catastrophe" made available to
a contemporary readership by George F. Thompson Publishing is a stellar compilation of full page black/white
photography (with the exception of 3 full page color photos at the end of the book) augmented by texts and poems from
Tahir Hamut Izgil, an informative essay by the late Dru C. Gladney, and translations by M. A. and Darren Byler. A
magnificent volume that will be of particular value to readers with an interest in Chinese Communist Party's racial
discrimination campaigns against the Uyghurs and Photography. "The Uyghurs: Kashgar before the Catastrophe" is a
unique and unreservedly recommended addition to personal, professional, community, college, and university library
Travel Photography collections and supplemental Contemporary China/Uyghur Issues curriculum studies lists.
Editorial Note #1: Kevin Bubriski (www.kevinbubriski.com) is a documentary photographer whose photographs are in the
permanent collections of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Museum of Modern Art, San Francisco Museum of Modern
Art, and Bibliotheque Nationale de France in Paris, among others. He has received Guggenheim, Fulbright, National
Endowment for the Arts, and Robert Gardner Peabody Museum Fellowships. Bubriski's other books include Portrait of
Nepal (1993), Pilgrimage: Looking at Ground Zero (2002), Nepal 1975-2011 (2014), Legacy in Stone: Syria before War
(2018), Our Voices, Our Streets: American Protests 2001-2011 (2020), and Nepal Earthquake (2022).
Editorial Note #2: Tahir Hamut Izgil is a prominent modernist Uyghur poet, filmmaker, and activist who grew up in
Kashgar, in China's Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region. He is recognized as one of the foremost poets writing in the
Uyghur language. Additionally, he has directed numerous documentaries, music videos, advertisement campaigns, and
feature films. Fearing persecution from Chinese authorities, he and his family sought asylum in the United States in 2017.
His poetry has been translated into English, Japanese, Swedish, Turkish, and other languages. He is the current chair of the
World Uyghur Writers Union.
Editorial Note #3: Dru C. Gladney (1950-2022) was Professor of Anthropology at Pomona College where he also served as
President of the Pacific Basin Institute. Gladney was the author of more than 100 academic articles and book chapters on
topics spanning the Asian continent, and his books include Dislocating China: Muslims, Minorities, and Other Subaltern
Subjects (Chicago, 2004), Ethnic Identity in China: The Making of a Muslim Minority Nationality (Wadsworth, 2003),
Making Majorities: Constituting the Nation in Japan, China, Korea, Malaysia, Fiji, Turkey, and the U.S. (Stanford, 1998),
and Muslim Chinese: Ethnic Nationalism in the People's Republic (Harvard, 1991).
Michael Freeman On... Black & White
Michael Freeman
Ilex Press
c/o Octopus Books
www.octopusbooksusa.com
9781781579053, $29.99, PB, 176pp
https://www.amazon.com/Michael-Freeman-Black-White-Photography/dp/1781579059
Synopsis: A quiet revolution has been gathering pace in photography -- a new enthusiasm for exploring the subtleties,
excitement and pleasure in making images in black and white. This is not a case of old traditions reasserting themselves,
but rather a rediscovery of what imagery made purely out of tones can offer to the creatively curious.
The fourth book in Michael Freeman's newest series, "Michael Freeman On... Black & White: The Ultimate Photography
Masterclass" is a clear and concise guide to a unique, enduring and very popular subset of photography. Broken down into
chapters covering every type of monochrome photography, the book provides both a practical guide to working without the
distraction colour, details of the unique challenges posed by a genre that is so defined by shape and light and the ways in
which working in monochrome can hugely improve your photographic practice.
Critique: Expertly written, organized and presented, "Michael Freeman On... Black & White: The Ultimate Photography
Masterclass" is an ideal DIY combination of instructional guide and illustrated 'how-to' manual that will be of special and
particular interest to both novice and experienced photographers alike. While also available in a digital book format
(Kindle, $15.99), "Michael Freeman On... Black & White: The Ultimate Photography Masterclass" is a thoroughly 'user
friendly' and unreservedly recommended addition to personal, professional, community, and academic library Photography
instructional reference collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists.
Editorial Note: Michael Freeman (http://www.michaelfreemanphoto.com) is a professional photographer and best-selling
author, who was born in England in 1945, took a Masters in Geography at Brasenose College, Oxford University, and then
worked in advertising in London for six years. In 1971 he made the life-changing decision to travel up the Amazon with
two secondhand cameras, and when Time-Life used many of the pictures he came back with, he embarked on a full-time
photographic career. Since then, working for clients that include all the world's major magazines, most notably the
Smithsonian Magazine (for which he has shot more than 40 stories over 30 years), Freeman's reputation as one of the
world's leading reportage photographers has been consolidated. He is the author of more than 60 titles on the practice of
photography. For this photographic educational work he was awarded the Prix Louis Philippe Clerc by the French Ministry
of Culture.
Queen Elizabeth II: A Photographic Portrait
Philip Ziegler, photographer
Emma Blau, foreword contributor
Thames & Hudson, Inc.
www.thamesandhudsonusa.com
9780500026359, $55.00, HC, 272pp
https://www.amazon.com/Queen-Elizabeth-II-Photographic-Portrait/dp/0500026351
Synopsis: Queen Elizabeth II was a remarkable figure on the global stage for well over half a century. Hundreds of
thousands of visitors to Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle each year are attracted by an image of this exceptional
monarch that has been shaped, in significant part, by the work of royal photographers, many of whom are internationally
distinguished practitioners of their art.
Drawing on an unparalleled collection of official portraits of the queen, each of the book's chapters begins with a text by
best-selling historian and biographer Philip Ziegler, covering the key royal and historical events of the period, with some
contextual photographs, followed by a sequence of plates in chronological order.
With over two hundred images of the queen by photographers such as Cecil Beaton, Lord Snowdon, and Rankin, the queen
is captured in a variety of poses, from formal photographs as a working monarch to intimate portraits relaxing with her
family at Balmoral and Windsor.
All the images have been officially approved by the palace, making this the ultimate illustrated book chronicling the life of
England's longest-reigning monarch!
Critique: Impressively illustrated throughout with what are arguably the finest photographs taken of the life of Queen
Elizabeth II, from her first official photograph as a baby in 1926 to her Platinum Jubilee in 2022, "Queen Elizabeth II: A
Photographic Portrait". Expertly compiled with accompanying citations by Philip Ziegler, this truly exceptional large
format (9 x 1.1 x 11.4 inches, 3.62 pounds) hardcover edition from Thames & Hudson is enriched for the reader with the
inclusion of an impressively informative Foreword by Emma Blau. Extraordinary and memorable, "Queen Elizabeth II: A
Photographic Portrait" is unreservedly recommended for personal, professional, community, and academic library
Photography & Biography collections -- and a 'must' for the legions of the late Queen Elizabeth II -- the longest serving
British ruler in the history of this island kingdom.
Editorial Note #1: Philip Ziegler (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philip_Ziegler) is the author of Mountbatten: The Official
Biography, King Edward VIII: The Official Biography, Diana Cooper: The Biography of Lady Diana Cooper, and London
at War, 1939 - 1945.
Editorial Note #2: Emma Blau (https://emmablau.com) is an award-winning photographic artist, curator, and
commentator. She is co-owner of Camera Press, the photo agency founded by her grandfather that hosts the work of royal
photographers from throughout the queen's life. She directed and produced the documentary Camera Press at 70: A
Lifetime in Pictures. Her photography is held in the collection of the National Portrait Gallery, London, and the
Parliamentary Art Collection, U.K.
The Theatre/Cinema Shelf
Creative Producing
Carol Baum
Allworth Press
www.allworth.com
c/o Skyhorse Publishing, Inc.
www.skyhorsepublishing.com
9781621538370, $19.99, PB, 216pp
https://www.amazon.com/Creative-Producing-Pitch-Picture-Development/dp/1621538370
Synopsis: As former co-president of Dolly Parton's production company, Sandollar, and as a successful independent
producer, Carol Baum is an expert in the art of film production.
With the publication of "Creative Producing: A Pitch-to-Picture Guide to Movie Development", Braum provides a DIY
crash course in the frequently misunderstood producer's role and the many skills needed to survive and thrive in
Hollywood. Readers receive a master class in production -- from pitching, script development, and packaging, to working
with stars, directors, and difficult executives.
Enhanced with behind-the-scenes stories from Baum's illustrious career, "Creative Producing" offers an intimate look
behind the Hollywood curtain to give film students, cinephiles, aspiring executives, and industry insiders a must-have
guide to understanding film development from successful pitch to hit picture.
Critique: Impressively comprehensive, exceptionally well written, thoroughly 'reader friendly' in organization and
presentation, "Creative Producing: A Pitch-to-Picture Guide to Movie Development" must be considered a core addition to
personal, professional, community, film school, and academic library Cinematic and Viceo Direction/Production
instructional reference collections. It should be noted that "Creative Producing: A Pitch-to-Picture Guide to Movie
Development" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $14.99).
Editorial Note: Carol Baum (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carol_Baum) has produced 34 movies, 17 of them
independently. As co-president of Sandollar Productions, Dolly Parton and Sandy Gallin's production company, she
produced such hits as Father of the Bride; the Academy Award-winning documentary Common Threads: Stories from the
Quilt; Jacknife; Buffy the Vampire Slayer; Kicking and Screaming; and many more. As an indie producer, Baum's films
include The Good Girl, My First Mister, and Boychoir, as well as television movies for Hallmark and several
documentaries. Baum currently teaches producing in the Film and Television Production Division at USC's School of
Cinematic Arts. She is also a mentor for the Peter Stark Producing Program at USC.
Horror on the Stage
Amnon Kabatchnik
McFarland & Company
https://mcfarlandbooks.com
9781476675558, $75.00, PB, 283pp
https://www.amazon.com/Horror-Stage-Monsters-Murders-Terrifying/dp/1476675554
Synopsis: There are numerous studies available about the horror genre in film and television, but none that provide
information about horror on a legitimate stage until now. With the publication of "Horror on the Stage: Monsters, Murders
and Terrifying Moments in Theater", Professor Amnon Kabatchnik highlights the most terrifying moments in theater
history, from classical plays like Aeschylus' Prometheus Bound and Euripides' Medea to the violence of the Grand Guignol
company productions in 18th-century France, and present-day productions like Stephen Sondheim's musical Sweeney
Todd, Stephen King's Carrie and dark 21st-century plays by Clive Barker and Conor McPherson.
In "Horror on the Stage: Monsters, Murders and Terrifying Moments in Theater" Professor Kabatchnik has compiled the
history and behind-the-scenes tales surrounding stage productions about monsters, hauntings and horrors both historical
and imagined. Included are the nightmarish adaptations of popular writings from Edgar Allan Poe, Oscar Wilde, H.G.
Wells, Henry James, Arthur Conan Doyle, and others, as well as plays starring popular characters like Frankenstein, Dr.
Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, the Invisible Man, the Phantom of the Opera, and the Woman in Black.
More than 500 plays are documented, accompanied by dozens of photographs. Each individual entry include plot synopses,
existing production data, and evaluations by critics and scholars.
Critique: Unique, seminal, impressively well written, exceptionally 'reader friendly' in organization and presentation,
"Horror on the Stage: Monsters, Murders and Terrifying Moments in Theater" is an essential and informative resource for
students, academia, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in Theatrical History, Horror/Supernatural Literary
& Performing Arts Criticism. While also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $33.99), "Horror on the Stage:
Monsters, Murders and Terrifying Moments in Theater" is especially and unreservedly recommended for personal,
professional, community, college, and university library collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists.
Editorial Note: Amnon Kabatchnik (https://amnonkabatchnik.com) has served as professor of theater at several top
universities. In New York, on the road and in summer stock he directed dramas, comedies, and thrillers, earning the Lola
D'Annunzio Honorary Citation for Outstanding Contribution to the Off Broadway Theater.
50 Movie Music Moments
Vasco Hexel
Routledge
www.routledge.com
9781032249575, $160.00, HC, 288pp
https://www.amazon.com/Movie-Music-Moments-Vasco-Hexel/dp/1032249579
Synopsis: "50 Movie Music Moments" by Vasco Hexel comprises a wide-ranging collection of analyses of some of the
most fascinating uses of music in modern Hollywood cinema. Considering narrative strategies, filmmaking techniques,
functions of film music, audience engagement and conditioning, cultural implications, and intertextuality, the case studies
gathered here introduce music as a crucial element of film.
In 50 examples drawn from popular and critically acclaimed Hollywood films from the late 1950s to the present, the
collection showcases the many dimensions of film music and its role in cinematic storytelling. Each example includes an
analysis addressing the film's context and providing a close reading of how music, narrative, and visual elements of the
scene interact.
Case studies exploring the role of music in film include Amadeus, Gladiator, Baby Driver, The Dark Knight, Philadelphia,
Schindler's List, and Black Panther.
"50 Movie Music Moments" is an invaluable collection that offers an ideal resource to support undergraduate and graduate
courses in film music history, film scoring, and filmmaking, as well as readers with a general interest in music in film.
Critique: Original, thoroughly researched, expertly written, organized and presented, "50 Movie Music Moments" is a
seminal work of meticulous scholarship and a unique, especially recommended addition to personal, professional, college,
and university library Cinematic History collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists. It should be noted for the
reading lists of students, academia, film historians, film makers, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the
subject that "50 Movie Music Moments" is also available in a paperback edition (9781032249551, $44.95) and in a digital
book format (Kindle, $31.69).
Editorial Note: Vasco Hexel (https://www.vascohexel.com) is a composer, author, and educator. He led the Master's
Programme in Composition for Screen at the Royal College of Music, London from 2008 to 2020 and most recently was a
visiting lecturer in film music at the University of Cambridge.
The Graphic Novel Shelf
Mingus
Flavio Massaruto, author
Squaz, illustrator
NBM Publishing
www.nbmpub.com
9781681123097, $29.99, HC, 160pp
https://www.amazon.com/Mingus-Comics-Biographies-Flavio-Massaruto/dp/1681123096
Synopsis: Charles Mingus Jr. (April 22, 1922 - January 5, 1979) was an American jazz upright bassist, composer,
bandleader, pianist, and author. A proponent of collective improvisation, he is considered to be one of the greatest jazz
musicians and composers in history, with a career spanning three decades and collaborations with other jazz greats such as
Duke Ellington, Charlie Parker, Max Roach, and Eric Dolphy.
Mingus's work ranged from advanced bebop and avant-garde jazz with small and midsize ensembles, to pioneering the
post-bop style on seminal recordings like Pithecanthropus Erectus (1956) and Mingus Ah Um (1959), and progressive big
band experiments such as The Black Saint and the Sinner Lady (1963).
"Mingus" is graphic novel style biography by author/biographer Flavio Massaruto and artist/illustrator Squaz that reveals
the jazz legend's troubled life, his battles against racism, and the brilliant music of a true master who has left an indelible
mark on the jazz scene. From his beginnings in Los Angeles in the 1940s to his heartbreaking end in Mexico, this is the
story of a man of indomitable and rebellious talent who crossed styles while always remaining himself, in perpetual
struggle against a society that wanted him marginalized and subordinated.
Critique: Fascinating, informative, entertaining, "Mingus" is especially and unreservedly recommended as a 'must read'
pick for the legions of Charles Mingus jazz fans, and will prove to be a welcome addition to personal, professional, and
community library 20th Century American Biography collections and supplemental Jazz Music History curriculum reading
lists. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of jazz enthusiasts that this NBM Graphic Novel edition of "Mingus"
is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $14.99).
Editorial Note #1: Flavio Massaruto has been writing about jazz since 2000 for specialized newspapers and magazines.
Currently he is a music critic for il manifesto. He has written short stories, comic stories and published several non-fiction
volumes. He investigated the relationship between jazz and comics with the books Assoli di china, finalist at the Naples
Prize for Italian language and culture 2012. He directs the San Vito Jazz festival and has conceived and curated
multidisciplinary projects over the years that have involved music, cinema, comics and theater.
(https://nbmpub.com/collections/artist-massarutto-flavio)
Editorial Note #2: Squaz is the pen name for Pasquale Todisco, an Italian comic artist with a very hard-edged
expressionistic style of art reminiscent of the famous Argentine artist Jose Munoz.
(https://nbmpub.com/collections/artist-squaz)
Murder on the Orient Express: The Graphic Novel
Agatha Christie
William Morrow & Company
c/o HarperCollins Publishers
www.harpercollins.com
9780063160354, $25.99, PB, 288pp
https://www.amazon.com/Murder-Orient-Express-Graphic-Novel/dp/0063160358
Synopsis: Just after midnight, the famous Orient Express is stopped in its tracks by a snowdrift. By morning, the
millionaire Samuel Edward Ratchett lies dead in his compartment, stabbed a dozen times, his door locked from the inside.
Without a shred of doubt, one of his fellow passengers is the murderer.
Isolated by the storm, detective Hercule Poirot must find the killer among a dozen of the dead man's enemies, before the
murderer decides to strike again.
Critique: A classic mystery by the legendary Agatha Christie, "Murder on the Orient Express: The Graphic Novel" is
beautiful, full-color graphic novel adaptation by Bob Al-Greene who brings this favorite mystery to life and is a perfect
pick for longtime Agatha Christie fans and new mystery/suspense readers alike. While also available in a digital book
format (Kindle, $13.99), "Murder on the Orient Express: The Graphic Novel" is especially and unreservedly recommended
for personal, community, and academic library Mystery/Suspense & Graphic Novel collections.
Editorial Note #1: Agatha Christie (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agatha_Christie) is the most widely published author of
all time, outsold only by the Bible and Shakespeare. Her books have sold more than a billion copies in English and another
billion in a hundred foreign languages. She died in 1976, after a prolific career spanning six decades.
Editorial Note #2: Bob -Al-Green (https://www.behance.net/bobalgreene) is an illustrator living and working in New York
City.
The Audiobook Shelf
Hello Stranger
Katherine Center, author
Patti Murin, narrator
Macmillan Audio
www.macmillanaudio.com
9781250893246, $39.99, CD (10 Hours 39 Minutes)
https://www.amazon.com/Hello-Stranger-Novel-Katherine-Center/dp/1250893240
Synopsis: Sadie Montgomery never saw what was coming. Literally! One minute she's celebrating the biggest achievement
of her life (placing as a finalist in the North American Portrait Society competition) the next she's lying in a hospital bed
diagnosed with a "probably temporary" condition known as face blindness. She can see, but every face she looks at is now
a jumbled puzzle of disconnected features. Imagine trying to read a book upside down and in another language. This is
Sadie's new reality.
But, as she struggles to cope, hang on to her artistic dream, work through major family issues, and take care of her beloved
dog, Peanut, she falls in love -- not with one man but two. The timing couldn't be worse.
Making judgment calls on anything right now is a nightmare. If only her life were a little more in focus, Sadie might be
able to have it all.
Critique: "Hello Stranger" is a romantic comedy by Katherine Center that is brought vividly to life by the narrative talents
of Patti Murin. This complete, unabridged, and flawless edition from MacMillan is a top pick for community library audio
book collections and a 'must' for the growing legions of Katherine Center fans.
Editorial Note #1: Katherine Center (https://katherinecenter.com) is the author of over half a dozen books, including How
to Walk Away, Things You Save in a Fire, and What You Wish For. Katherine writes laugh-and-cry books about how life
knocks us down -- and how we get back up. Her books have made countless Best-Of lists, including RealSimple's Best
Books of 2020, Amazon's Top 100 Books of 2019, Goodreads' Best Books of the Year, and many more. The movie
adaptation of Katherine's novel The Lost Husband (starring Josh Duhamel) hit #1 on Netflix, and her novel Happiness for
Beginners is in production now as a Netflix original starring Ellie Kemper.
Editorial Note #2: Patti Murin (https://www.audible.com/search?searchNarrator=Patti+Murin) is an American actress,
singer, dancer, and audio book narrator. On Broadway, she has originated the title role in Lysistrata Jones (2011) and
Princess Anna in Frozen (2018). She also had a recurring role as Dr. Nina Shore in the NBC medical drama Chicago Med
from 2016 to 2019.
The Raging Storm
Ann Cleeves, author
Jack Holder, narrator
Macmillan Audio
www.macmillanaudio.com
9781250910318, $39.99, CD
https://www.amazon.com/Raging-Storm-Detective-Matthew-Novel/dp/1250910315
Synopsis: When sailor, adventurer, and legend Jem Rosco blows into town in the middle of an autumn gale, the residents
of Greystone, Devon, are delighted to have a celebrity in their midst. But just as abruptly as he arrived, Rosco disappears
again, and soon his lifeless body is discovered in a dinghy, anchored off Scully Cove, a place with legends of its own.
This is an uncomfortable case for Detective Inspector Matthew Venn. Greystone is a place he visited as a child, a
community he parted ways with. Superstition and rumor mix with fact as another body is found, and Venn finds his
judgment clouded.
As the winds howl, and Venn and his team investigate, he realizes that no one, including himself, is safe from Scully
Cove's storm of dark secrets.
Critique: A very special treat for 'whodunnit' murder mystery fans, novelist Ann Cleeves' "The Raging Storm" is brought to
life in a true 'theatre of the mind' experience with this complete and unabridged Macmillan audio book edition featuring the
narrative skills of Jack Holden. "The Raging Storm" is a welcome and stellar addition to personal and community library
Mystery/Suspense audio book collections.
Editorial Note #1: Books by Ann Cleeves (https://www.anncleeves.com) have been translated into sixteen languages. She's
a bestseller in Scandinavia and Germany. Her novels sell widely and to critical acclaim in the United States. Raven Black
was shortlisted for the Martin Beck award for best translated crime novel in Sweden.
Editorial Note #2: Jack Holden is a talented actor and a listing of his narrated audio books can be found at
https://www.audible.com/search?searchNarrator=Jack+Holden
Identity
Nora Roberts, author
January LaVoy, narrator
Macmillan Audio
www.macmillanaudio.com
9781250893345, $32.99, CD (15 Hours 4 Minutes)
https://www.amazon.com/Audible-Identity-A-Novel/dp/B0BH9BBTZM
Synopsis: Former Army brat Morgan Albright has finally planted roots in a friendly neighborhood near Baltimore. Her
friend and roommate Nina helps her make the mortgage payments, as does Morgan's job as a bartender. But after she and
Nina host their first dinner party - attended by Luke, the flirtatious IT guy who'd been chatting her up at the bar - her
carefully built world is shattered. The back door glass is broken, cash and jewelry are missing, her car is gone, and Nina
lies dead on the floor.
Soon, a horrific truth emerges: It was Morgan who let the monster in. "Luke" is actually a cold-hearted con artist named
Gavin who targets a particular type of woman, steals her assets and identity, and then commits his ultimate goal:
murder.
What the FBI tells Morgan is beyond chilling. Nina wasn't his type. Morgan is. Nina was simply in the wrong place at the
wrong time. And Morgan's nightmare is just beginning. Soon she has no choice but to flee to her mother's home in
Vermont. While she struggles to build something new, she meets another man, Miles Jameson. He isn't flashy or
flirtatious, and his family business has deep roots in town. But Gavin is still out there hunting new victims, and he hasn't
forgotten the one who got away.
Critique: Of particular appeal to fans of romantic suspense and murder mystery novels, this complete and unabridged
Macmillan audio book edition of "Identity" by novelist Nora Roberts is expertly narrated by the storytelling talents of
January LaVoy and will prove a welcome and popular addition to community library Mystery/Suspense audio book
collections and a 'must' for the legions of dedicated Nora Roberts fans.
Editorial Note #1: Nora Roberts (https://noraroberts.com) is the author of more than 230 novels, including Legacy, The
Awakening, Hideaway, Under Currents, The Chronicles of The One trilogy,and many more. She is also the author of the
bestselling In Death series written under the pen name J.D. Robb. There are more than 500 million copies of her books in
print.
Editorial Note #2: January LaVoy (https://www.januarylavoy.com/home/audio) has narrated hundreds of audiobook and is
an Audiofile Magazine Golden Voice, with 18 Audie nominations (solo and multicast) and 7 wins. She was named
Audiobook Narrator of the Year by Publishers Weekly magazine in 2013, has received multiple SOVAS (Society of Voice
Arts and Sciences) awards, and over 40 Audiofile Earphones awards.
Flop Dead Gorgeous
David Rosenfelt, author
Grover Gardner, narrator
Macmillan Audio
www.macmillanaudio.com
9781250325303, $29.99, CD
https://www.amazon.com/Flop-Dead-Gorgeous-Carpenter-Mystery/dp/1250325307
Synopsis: Retired lawyer Andy Carpenter remembers every dog that's come through the Tara Foundation's doors, but the
most well-known alum of the dog rescue organization that Andy founded in Paterson, New Jersey, may be Mamie.
Adopted by famous actress Jenny Nichols (Andy's high school girlfriend) the miniature French poodle is now practically a
starlet in her own right.
Andy doesn't hold it against his friend. In fact, he and his wife, Laurie, have dinner with Jenny while she's in town filming
her next big hit. But after an eventful meal, there's a plot twist the next morning that none of them see coming: Jenny's co-
star is found dead, a knife in his back. It's not long before Jenny is arrested for the murder and finds herself in need of
Andy's legal services.
While Mamie becomes reacquainted with Tara, Andy's golden retriever, Andy digs into the lives of the rich and
famous.
Critique: An absolute gem of a mystery novel, Grover Gardner continues to superbly perform as the narrator for David
Rosenfelt's "Flop Dead Dangerous" in this complete and unabridged Macmillan audio book edition of the 27th title in the
author's 'Andy Carpenter Mystery' series. Laced with humor, plot twists, and fun, "Flop Dead Dangerous" is a 'must' for
any and all dog-loving mystery fans, as well as community library Mystery/Suspense audio book collections.
Editorial Note #1: David Rosenfelt (https://davidrosenfelt.com), was the former marketing president for Tri-Star Pictures
before becoming a writer of novels and screenplays. "Open And Shut" was his first novel; "First Degree," his second
novel, was named a best book of 2003 by Publishers Weekly.
Editorial Note #2: Grover Gardner (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grover_Gardner) is an American narrator of audiobooks.
As of May 2018, he had narrated over 1,200 books. He was also the Publishers Weekly "Audiobook Narrator of the Year"
(2005) and is among AudioFile magazine's "Best Voices of the Century".
Fractal Noise
Christopher Paloini, author
Jennifer Hale, narrator
Macmillan Audio
www.macmillanaudio.com
9781250871589, $39.99, CD
https://www.amazon.com/Fractal-Noise-Fractalverse-Christopher-Paolini/dp/1250871581
Synopsis: July 25, 2234: The crew of the Adamura discovers the Anomaly. On the seemingly uninhabited planet Talos VII
they find a circular pit some 50 kilometers wide. It's curve is not one created by nature, but designed by an
intelligence.
Now, a small team must land and journey on foot across the surface to learn who built the hole and why. But they all carry
the burdens of lives carved out on disparate colonies in the cruel cold of space. For some the mission is the dream of the
lifetime, for others a risk not worth taking, and for one it is a desperate attempt to find meaning in an uncaring
universe.
Each step they take toward the mysterious abyss is more punishing than the last. And the ghosts of their past follow.
Critique: Of particular appeal and interest to fans of explorative science fiction adventures, this complete and unabridged
audio book edition from Macmillan is effective and impressively narrated by Jennifer Hale who is able to bring
Christopher Paolini's original and deftly crafted novel to life in a true 'theatre of the mind' experience for the listener. A
Fractal Verse novel, "Fractal Noise" is a firmly recommended addition to community library Science Fiction collections
and the personal listening lists of dedicated science fiction fans. It should be noted that the first volume in the Fractal Verse
series is "To Sleep in a Sea of Stars" which is also available as a Macmillan audio book.
Editorial Note #1: Christopher James Paolini (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christopher_Paolini) is an American author
and screenwriter. He is best known for The Inheritance Cycle, which consists of the books Eragon, Eldest, Brisingr,
Inheritance, and the follow-up short story collection The Fork, the Witch and the Worm.
Editorial Note: Jennifer Hale (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jennifer_Hale) a prolific and highly acclaimed Canadian
American voice actress and singer, who has performed an impressive array of characters for video games, audiobooks, and
animated television shows. She made her audiobook debut with Christopher Paolini's "To Sleep in a Sea of Stars".
A Spanish Sunrise
Boo Walker, author
Dan John Miller, narrator
Brilliance Audio
https://audiobookstore.com/publishers/brilliance-audio
9781713667612, $14.99, MP3-CD (11 Hours 54 Minutes)
https://www.amazon.com/Spanish-Sunrise-Novel-Boo-Walker/dp/1713667614
Synopsis: Adjusting to the death of his wife hasn't been easy on Baxter Shaw -- or on their eight-year-old daughter, Mia.
Baxter has left his band and abandoned his dreams to focus on being a single father, but it's not enough: Mia's exhibiting
escalating behavioral problems. And neither has been able to face the past head-on... until the past reaches out to
them.
After surprising results from a DNA test, Baxter and Mia journey to southeastern Spain to connect with their mysterious
roots. Staying in a centuries-old villa on a renowned olive oil estate, they come to know the family they never realized they
had, including a woman whose strength and passion for the estate remind Baxter of the love he lost -- and that it's not too
late to rekindle his own dreams.
For Baxter and Mia, it's a healing season in Spain, and the romance of the culture awakens a new outlook on life. But when
long-simmering family secrets surface and the estate's fate is called into question, Baxter must choose to let go of the past
if he ever hopes to find love and live again.
Critique: A skillfully written novel of friendship, family life, and romance, "A Spanish Sunrise" by author Boo Walker is
dramatically and engagingly narrated by Dan John Miller. This complete and unabridged audio book from Brilliance Audio
will prove a welcome addition to both personal and community library audio book collections.
Editorial Note #1: Boo Walker ( www.boowalker.com) is the author of The Singing Trees, An Unfinished Story, and the
Red Mountain Chronicles. He initially tapped his creative muse as a songwriter and banjoist in Nashville before working
his way west to Washington State, where he bought a gentleman's farm on the Yakima River. It was there, among the
grapevines and wine barrels, that he fell in love with telling high-impact stories that now resonate with book clubs around
the world. Rich with colorful characters and boundless soul, his novels will leave you with an open heart and a lifted spirit.
He also writes thrillers under the pen name Benjamin Blackmore. (www.benjaminblackmore.com)
Editorial Note #2: Dan John Miller (https://danjohnmiller.com) is an Audie award-winning voice-actor and audiobook
narrator who has garnered 10 Earphones awards, 3 Publishers Weekly Listen Up! Awards, 5 Audie nominations and has
been named a "Best Voice" by Audiofile magazine 5 years running. He has narrated over 200 audiobooks,
A Woman in Time
Bobi Conn, author
Shannon McManus, narrator
Brilliance Audio
https://audiobookstore.com/publishers/brilliance-audio
9781713663652, $24.99, MP3-CD (11 Hours 10 Minutes)
https://www.amazon.com/Woman-Time-Novel-Bobi-Conn/dp/1713663651
Synopsis: The McKenzie women, empowered with a formidable history rooted in the foothills of Appalachia, have passed
down their folk-healing wisdom through generations. Rosalee, the last living headstrong daughter in Granny McKenzie's
line, soaked up everything she could about the secrets of the forest before a series of tragedies left her alone, without the
protection of the women who came before her.
The close-knit ties of Rosalee's childhood are long gone. Now, at her eastern Kentucky farm, she bears a marriage with a
volatile bootlegger. She struggles with the demands of motherhood. And her independence is relegated to its "proper
place": under the thumb of men. Her optimism dimming, Rosalee finds solace in the Kentucky woods, a space that holds
secret powers of protection from a life Rosalee can no longer control. To the graves of her female ancestors, beside the
waters of an enchanting spring, Rosalee returns time and again to consider her future -- and discovers a mysterious
connection to her past.
As Rosalee wrestles with her isolation, with being a wife in an increasingly dangerous marriage, and with being a woman
of her time, she must draw on her strength and resilience to survive (and to protect) on her own terms.
Critique: Original, compelling, deftly crafted, and superbly narrated from beginning to end, this complete and unabridged
audio book edition from Brilliance Audio of novelist Bobi Conn's "A Woman in Time" (and brilliantly narrated by
Shannon McManus) is now available and highly recommended for personal and community library Women's Fiction audio
book collections.
Editorial Note #1: Bobi Conn is the author of the memoir In the Shadow of the Valley. Born in Morehead, Kentucky, and
raised in a nearby holler, Bobi developed a deep connection with the land and her Appalachian roots. She obtained her
bachelor's degree at Berea College, the first school in the American South to integrate racially and to teach men and
women in the same classrooms. She attended graduate school, where she earned a master's degree in English with an
emphasis in creative writing.
Editorial Note #2: Shannon McManus (https://shannonmcmanus.com) is an Audie nominated narrator whose work has
garnered multiple AudioFile magazine Earphones and Publishers Weekly Listen Up awards. She has recorded over two
hundred titles in romance, mystery, fantasy, nonfiction, young adult, middle grade, and literary fiction..
Love on the Byline
Xio Axelrod
Brilliance Audio
https://audiobookstore.com/publishers/brilliance-audio
9781713656647, $19.99, MP3-CD (10 Hours)
https://www.amazon.com/Love-Byline-Plays-Players-Novel/dp/1713656647
Synopsis: Blake Dillon isn't exactly living the dream. She longs to follow in her grandfather's footsteps and make a
difference in the world as a journalist. Unfortunately, her current job has her paying-off hotel staff for celebrity gossip.
Tasked with shadowing a film star for an in-depth profile, Blake sees it as a chance to finally prove her worth. She never
expected the interview to reconnect her with her old college crush.
Oliver Benjamin agrees to move to Los Angeles to work as the executive assistant to his best friend, a rising star. He hopes
it will give him some direction. However, he soon discovers the only difference between being a frat boy and a Hollywood
heartthrob is the amount of free stuff and the level of media attention. Ollie spends most of his time putting out fires,
leaving little time for anything else. When Blake is sent to chronicle their lives, he finds himself face-to-face with the one
that got away.
Blake and Ollie are smart enough to recognize the signs (there are enough sparks between them to melt glass!) but they
agree to put a lid on it until the article is finished. Much easier said than done when they're forced to spend more time
together than apart. There's more going on than a simple interview, but they're both professionals. They must resist
temptation or risk unraveling both their lives.
Critique: The stuff of which Hallmark Rom-Com movies are made, this complete and unabridged audio book edition of
"Love on the Byline" by Xio Axelrod, co-narrated by Lynn Wright and William LeRoy, is published by Brilliance audio
and a strongly recommended pick for both personal and community library Contemporary Romance audio book
collections.
Editorial Note #1: Xio Axelrod writes different flavors of contemporary romance and what she likes to call, "strange,
twisted tales". Xio grew up in the recording industry and began performing at a very young age. A completely
unapologetic, badge-wearing, fic-writing fangirl, Xio finds inspiration in everything around her. From her quirky neighbors
to the lyrics of whatever song she currently has on repeat, to the latest clips from her favorite TV series.
Editorial Note #2: There is an extensive listing of Lynn Wright narrated audio books at:
https://www.audible.com/search?searchNarrator=Lynn+Wright
Editorial Note #3: There is an extensive listing of William LeRoy narrated audio books at:
https://www.audible.com/search?searchNarrator=William+LeRoy
Third Wheel
Nick Spalding, author
Will Watt, narrator
Brilliance Audio
https://audiobookstore.com/publishers/brilliance-audio
9781799783886, $14.99, MP3-CD (8 Hours 35 Minutes)
https://www.amazon.com/Third-Wheel-Nick-Spalding/dp/179978388X
Synopsis: Jake Carlisle is living his best life, thanks to the crazily successful influencer channel he created with his best
friend Sy. Reviewing whacky hobbies and adrenaline-fuelled adventures, Sy has pushed Jake into doing more exciting
stuff than either ever thought possible. Then disaster strikes.
When newbie Helena joins the team, Sy quickly falls head over heels for her... All of a sudden, with romance blossoming
and the business dynamic shifting, Jake is horrified to find himself becoming the dreaded third wheel.
Being the odd one out was not what he signed up for. And he'll do anything to get his best friend back -- even if that
involves a little light sabotage, an unhealthy amount of jealousy... and one very unfortunate pair of tartan Speedos.
Will Jake be relegated to the background from now on? Or will he finally learn to stand on his own two feet and succeed at
getting his life (along with his friendship) back on track?
Critique: Of very special appeal and interest to fans of contemporary satirical fiction, "Third Wheel" by author Nick
Spalding is impressively and effectively narrated by vocal actor Will Watt in this complete and unabridged edition from
Brilliance Audio. Fun and funny, "Third Wheel" will prove to be a stellar addition to personal and community Humorous
Fiction audio book collections.
Editorial Note #1: Nick Spalding (www.nickspalding.com) is the bestselling author of sixteen novels, two novellas and
two memoirs. Nick worked in media and marketing for most of his life before turning his energy to his genre-spanning
humorous writing.
Editorial Note #2: Will Watt (https://soundbooththeater.com/team/will-m-watt) is a British voiceover artist and audiobook
narrator with a talent for believable characters, intelligent delivery, and writing about himself in the third person. Although
American is not his native language, he speaks it almost as fluently as he speaks English!
The Heist
C. W. Gortner & M. J. Rose, authors
Chris Andrew Ciulla & Eva Kaminsky, narrators
Brilliance Audio
https://audiobookstore.com/publishers/brilliance-audio
9781713630197, $14.99, MP3-CD (4 Hours 10 Minutes)
https://www.amazon.com/Heist-Leopard-C-W-Gortner/dp/1713630192
Synopsis: The sequel to co-authors C. W. Gortner and M. J. Rose's "The Bait", "The Heist" finds that a year later Ania
Throne is once again on the prowl. Gone into hiding, she's planned her next move to perfection, intent on winning her
dangerous game of cat-against-cat with the Leopard. But Ania doesn't know that even the best-laid heists have hidden
flaws.
Meanwhile, Jerome Curtis has taken a job at a Hollywood movie studio to try and put his life back together. When a
familiar face from the past shows up unexpectedly, Jerome realizes that much as he's tried to forget her, there's no escaping
Ania. And this time, what she's about to do could be her doom.
The heist is on. Jerome must join with Ania again to bring down the mastermind thief who's dead-set on not getting
caught. Passion and vengeance collide as father and daughter bait each other in a high-stakes gambit, with Jerome caught
in the middle. Because no matter how much Ania has tried to keep her lover safe, she's only brought him back into the
center of her ploy - and the Leopard intends to take full advantage of it.
From the glamour of late 1950s Hollywood to a desperate chase in the ravines of Los Angeles, two leopards must hunt
each other to the end. And only one of them can bring down its prey!
Critique: "The Heist" is the thrilling conclusion in the 'To Catch A Leopard' series -- a dramatic romantic caper trilogy that
began with "The Steal", and then continued with "The Bait". A complete and unabridged audio book from Brilliance
Audio, "The Heist is masterfully narrated by the team of Chris Andrew Ciulla and Eva Kamnisky and highly recommended
for both personal and community library action/adventure audio book collections.
Editorial Note #1: C.W. Gortner (http://www.cwgortner.com) holds an MFA in Writing with an emphasis on Renaissance
Studies from the New College of California and a degree in fashion marketing. In his extensive travels to research his
books, he has experienced life in a Spanish castle and danced in a Tudor great hall. Half-Spanish by birth, his novels have
been translated in over 20 languages to date. C.W. enjoys talking to book groups.
Editorial Note #2: M. J. Rose (https://www.mjrose.com/content) work has appeared in many magazines including Oprah
Magazine and The Adventurine and she has been featured in the New York Times, Newsweek, WSJ, Time, USA Today
and on the Today Show, and NPR radio.
Editorial Note #3: Chris Andrew Ciulla (http://chrisciulla.com) is an award-winning narrator with over 425 credits.
Editorial Note #4: Eva Kaminsky (https://www.evakaminsky.com) is a NYC based actor who has worked on Broadway,
Off-Broadway, and has narrated over 300 audio books.
The Last Sentinel
Simon Gervais, author
Jeffrey Kafer, narrator
Brilliance Audio
https://audiobookstore.com/publishers/brilliance-audio
9781713651178, $14.99, MP3-CD (6 Hours 59 Minutes)
https://www.amazon.com/Last-Sentinel-Clayton-White/dp/1713651173
Synopsis: Ex - Secret Service agent Clayton White doesn't miss the relentless danger that had defined his career. These
days, he's enjoying life at sea with his fiancee -- who also happens to be the daughter of the double-dealing vice president,
Alexander Hammond. But for the most part, Clayton has made peace with his old nemesis.
Then their ship, the NOAAS Surveyor, comes under attack. That same day in Miami, the Second Lady of the United States
is assassinated. Hammond, who dodged the bullet meant for him, calls upon Clayton to help him hunt down the
responsible party.
Clayton wants nothing to do with the notorious vice president, who boasts a violent and capricious history. But with his
fiancee's life in the balance, Clayton has no choice. He jumps back into the fray, where he'll face off with enemies new and
old. And unbeknownst to Clayton, a deep-rooted enemy has been waiting in the shadows and has now set his sights on
him.
This time, it's not just the world Clayton's trying to save -- but the woman he loves.
Critique: An impressive action/adventure novel that will have a very special appeal to fans of politica/military suspense
thrillers, ths complete and unabridged audio book edition of "The Last Sentinel" by Simon Gervais is flawlessly narrated
by Jeffrey Kafer and a welcome, recommended pick for personal and community library Suspense/Thriller audio book
collections.
Editorial Note #1: Simon Gervais (https://simongervaisbooks.com) was born in Montreal, Quebec. He joined the Canadian
military as an infantry officer and was commissioned as a second lieutenant in 1997. In 2001, he was recruited by the
Royal Canadian Mounted Police and became a federal agent. His first posting was in Toronto, where he served as a drug
investigator. During this time, he worked on many international drug-related cases in close collaboration with his
American colleagues from the Drug Enforcement Administration. His career switched gears in 2004, and he was placed
with a federal antiterrorism unit based in the Ottawa region. During the following years, he was deployed in several
European and Middle Eastern countries. In 2009, he became a close protection specialist tasked with guarding foreign
heads of state visiting Canada. He served on the protection details of Queen Elizabeth II, US president Barack Obama, and
Chinese president Hu Jintao, among others.
Editorial Note #2: Jeffrey Kafer (https://www.jeffreykafer.com) is an avid performer on the stage and in voice-overs. He
has narrated over one hundred books spanning all genres and won the 2008 Voicey Award for Best New Voice.
Centers of Gravity
Marko Kloos, author
Eric G. Dove, narrator
Brilliance Audio
https://audiobookstore.com/publishers/brilliance-audio
9781713646808, $14.99, MP3-CD (9 Hours 48 Minutes)
https://www.amazon.com/Centers-Gravity-Frontlines-Marko-Kloos/dp/1713646803
Synopsis: Nine hundred light-years from home, Major Andrew Grayson and the crew of NACS Washington are marooned
in a sunless system with limited water, reactor fuel, and food. Their last hope for survival is to go where nothing human
has gone before.
After embarking on a scouting mission to the only moon with surface signs of life, Andrew and his special tactics team
make two startling discoveries. One is a dream: a form of protein and plant life that could save the starving humans in the
rogue system. The second is a nightmare: this harvested rock is infested with Lankies. Far from the seemingly mindless
aggressors Andrew has battled for years, these show a terrifying awareness, and they have surprising secrets of their own
hidden away in the darkness.
When the Lankies sense an uninvited presence in their world, Andrew's operation becomes an expedition to hell. The odds
against his small crew are stacked high. Of all the mysteries of space, how to escape with their lives is the greatest
unknown of all.
Critique: Science fiction action/adventure at its cliff-hanging best, "Centers of Gravity" by author Marko Kloos is vividly
presented by the impressively exceptional narrative talents of Eric G. Dove in this complete and unabridged audio book
edition from Brilliance Audio that is especially and unreservedly recommended for personal and community library
Science Fiction audio book collections.
Editorial Note #1: Marko Kloos (www.markokloos.com) is the author of two military science fiction series: The Palladium
Wars, which includes Aftershocks and Ballistic, and the Frontlines series, which includes Orders of Battle and, most
recently, Centers of Gravity. A member of George R. R. Martin's Wild Cards consortium, Marko writes primarily science
fiction and fantasy.
Editorial Note #2: Eric G. Dove (https://www.ericgdove.com) is an award-winning narrator whose career spans over 12
years and 450 titles encompassing numerous genres including thrillers, military fiction, romance, sci-fi, classics, westerns,
fantasy, non-fiction, and more.
The Hanging City
Charlie N. Holmberg, author
Amy Bentley, narrator
Brilliance Audio
https://audiobookstore.com/publishers/brilliance-audio
9798400131561, $29.99, MP3-CD (13 Hours 20 Mintues)
https://www.amazon.com/Hanging-City-Charlie-N-Holmberg/dp/B0BLZ6DZ6D
Synopsis: Seven years on the run from her abusive father, and with no hope of sanctuary among the dwindling pockets of
human civilization, Lark is out of options. Her only leverage is a cursed power: she can thrust fear onto others, leaving all
threats fleeing in terror. It's a means of survival as she searches for a place to call home. If the campfire myths of her
childhood are true, Lark's sole chance for refuge could lie in Cagmar, the city of trolls -- a brutal species and the sworn
enemies of humanity.
Valuing combat prowess, the troll high council is intrigued. Lark could be much more useful than the low-caste humans
who merely labor in Cagmar. Her gift makes her invaluable as a monster slayer to fight off the unspeakable creatures that
torment the trolls' hanging city, suspended from a bridge over an endless dark canyon.
Lark will do anything to make Cagmar her home, but her new role comes with a caveat: use her power against a troll, and
she'll be killed. Her loyalty is quickly put to the test when she draws the hatred of a powerful troll who loathes humankind.
Still, she finds unexpected friendship in the city and, even more surprisingly, love. But if everything else doesn't undo her,
being caught in the arms of a troll surely will.
Now in the fight of her life, Lark has a lot to learn -- about her past, about trust and hope when all seems lost, and above
all, about the extraordinary power of fear itself.
Critique: Original, fun, and fascinating, the narrative storytelling skills of Amy Bentley bring author Charlie Holmberg's
high fantasy action/adventure novel "The Hanging City" come alive in a true 'theatre of the mind' experience. This
complete and unabridged audio book edition from Brilliance Audio is a welcome pick for personal and community library
Science Ficton & Fantasy audio book collections.
Editorial Note #1: Charlie N. Holmberg (https://charlienholmberg.com) is an author of fantasy and romance fiction,
including the Paper Magician series, the Spellbreaker series, and the Whimbrel House series, and writes contemporary
romance under C. N. Holmberg. She is published in more than twenty languages, has been a finalist for a RITA Award and
multiple Whitney Awards, and won the 2020 Whitney Award for Novel of the Year: Adult Fiction.
Editorial Note: Amy Bentley (https://www.amymelissabentley.com) is an award winning audiobook narrator and has
completed over 200 audiobooks.
The Crying Cave Killings
Wes Markin, author
Aubrey Parsons, narrator
Boldwood Books
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print, Inc.
www.ulverscroft.com
$18.99, MP3-CD (11 Hours 55 Minutes)
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-crying-cave-killings-wes-markin/1143768895
Synopsis: DI Paul Riddick is a man tormented by his own actions and determined to right the wrongs of his past any way
he can. But when his instincts lead him to follow a child he believes to be in danger, Riddick gets in deeper than he ever
imagined -- especially when the child is found dead.
DCI Emma Gardner doesn't believe Riddick has blood on his hands, but he's off the case until she can clear his name. If
she can clear his name. Because Riddick seems determined to chase ghosts that only get him into more trouble.
Riddick's certain he didn't kill the kid in the cave. But he also remembers another case, twenty years ago, with shocking
similarities -- which means someone is trying to trap Riddick.
Critique: A murdered child. A case from the past. A detective inspector with nothing to lose. "The Crying Cave Killings"
deftly written by novelist Wes Markin and vividly narrated by Aubrey Parsons in this superbly presented, complete and
unabridged audio book production from Boldwood Books offers the listener a truly riveting 'theatre of the mind'
experience. This edition of "The Crying Cave Killings is especially and unreservedly recommended for both personal and
community library Mystery/Suspense audio book collections.
Editorial Note #1: Wes Markin (facebook.com/wesmarkinauthor) is the author of the DCI Yorke crime novels set in
Salisbury, England. He is also the author of the Jake Pettman series set in New England.
Strawberried Alive
Jenn McKinlay, author
Susan Boyce, narrator
Dreamscape Media
https://www.dreamscapepublishing.com
9781666540765, $22.99, CD (6 Hours 36 minutes)
https://www.dreamscapepublishing.com/single-audiobook/?titleid=2169
Synopsis: Life is smooth as buttercream at the Fairy Tale Cupcakes bakery, and newlyweds Mel and Joe are stopping to
smell the flours. But things start to crumble one night when an unknown gunman takes a shot at Mel. Even though the
bullets miss their mark, the cupcake crew goes on high alert to figure out who would want to kill a small-town baker -- and
why.
When more business owners are attacked, things turn fatal, and locals begin to wonder if the killer could be one of their
own. Every shop owner in town starts to fear it's only a matter of time before they too become victims of the mystery
murderer. Despite the cupcake crew's superb baking skills, it will be anything but a piece of cake to catch the killer, as they
try to prevent anyone else from being 'berried'.
Critique: Another of author Jenn McKinlay's 'Cupcake Bakery' murder mysteries, "Strawberried Alive" is expertly and
effectively narrated by the talented vocal performance of professional storyteller Susan Boyce. The result is a fun and
unabridged audio book from Dreamscape Media that is unreservedly recommended to the attention of the growing legions
of Jenn McKinlay fans and community library Cozy Mystery audio book collections.
Editorial Note #1: Jenn McKinlay (www.jennmckinlay.com) is the author of several mystery and romance series. She is
also the winner of the RT Reviewer's Choice Award for romantic comedy and the Fresh Fiction award for best cozy
mystery. A TEDx speaker, she is always happy to talk books, writing, reading, and the creative process to anyone who
cares to listen. She can be followed on Facebook: JennMcKinlayAuthor; Instagram: @mckinlayjenn; Twitter:
@JennMcKinlay
Editorial Note #2: There is an extensive listing of Susan Boyce narrated audio books at
https://www.audible.com/search?searchNarrator=Susan+Boyce
Original Sin
Gavin G. Smith, author
Qarie Marshall, narrator
Dreamscape Media
https://www.dreamscapepublishing.com
9781666623574, $TBD, CD (8 Hours 28 Minutes)
https://www.dreamscapepublishing.com/single-audiobook/?titleid=18824
Synopsis: Uatu the Watcher, a mysterious being who observes mankind from the Moon, is dead. Nick Fury leads a
cosmos-spanning investigation into the murder, forging unlikely alliances and sending Marvel's mightiest heroes to the
farthest corners of the universe.
To uncover the truth, Doctor Strange and the Punisher must cross deadly dimensions, the Guardians of the Galaxy, Moon
Knight and the Winter Soldier head into deep space, and Emma Frost, Ant-Man and Black Panther journey to the center of
the Earth. All the while, Unseen forces gather, and just when the Avengers think they've cornered their murderer,
everything explodes - unleashing the Marvel Universe's greatest secrets and rocking the heroes to their core!
In this novelization of the epic storyline by Jason Aaron and Mike Deodato Jr., truths will come tumbling into the light and
the original sins of our heroes will be exposed for all to see.
Critique: This thrilling Marvel Universe murder mystery written by Galvin G. Smith and so ably narrated by Quarie
Marshall comes a fun wealth of shocking plot twists and turns in an exciting re-imagining of the comic crossover
sensation. A 'must' for the legions of dedicated Marvel superhero/supervillian fans, this complete and unabridged audio
book edition of "Original Sin" from Dreamscape Media is certain to be an immediate and enduringly popular addition to
both personal and community library Science Fiction/Fantasy audio book collections.
Editorial Note #1: Jason Aaron (https://www.jasonaaron.info) is an American comic book writer, known for his work on
titles such as The Other Side, Scalped, Ghost Rider, Wolverine and PunisherMAX
Editorial Note #2: Quarie Marshall is a prolific audio book narrator who has a lengthy listing of his titles at
https://www.goodreads.com/author/list/13475888.Qarie_Marshall
The Water Outlaws
S. L. Huang, author
Emily Woo Zeller, narrator
Dreamscape Media
https://www.dreamscapepublishing.com
9781666634990, $59.99, CD (19 Hours 44 Minutes)
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-water-outlaws-s-l-huang/1141976516
Synopsis: Lin Chong is an expert arms instructor, training the Emperor's soldiers in sword and truncheon, battle axe and
spear, lance and crossbow. Unlike bolder friends who flirt with challenging the unequal hierarchies and values of Imperial
society, she believes in keeping her head down and doing her job. But then a powerful man with a vendetta rips that
carefully-built life away. Disgraced, tattooed as a criminal, and on the run from an Imperial Marshall who will stop at
nothing to see her dead, Lin Chong is recruited by the Bandits of Liangshan. Mountain outlaws on the margins of society,
the Liangshan Bandits proclaim a belief in justice, for women, for the downtrodden, for progressive thinkers a corrupt
Empire would imprison or destroy. They're also murderers, thieves, smugglers, and cutthroats. Apart, they love like
demons and fight like tigers. Together, they could bring down an empire.
Critique: Raising an action/adventure heroic fantasy to a stellar level of literary excellence, "The Water Outlaws" by
novelist S. L. Huang is brought vividly to life with the simply outstanding storytelling performance of Emily Woo Zeller.
This complete and unabridged audio book edition from Dreamscape Media is a particularly special, enduringly popular,
and truly memorable addition to personal and community library Fantasy Saga audio book collections.
Editorial Note #1: S.L. Huang (SLHuang.com) is a Hugo-winning author who justifies an MIT degree by using it to write
eccentric mathematical superhero fiction. The author of the Cas Russell novels as well as Burning Roses and The Water
Outlaws, she has had short fiction published in Analog, F&SF, Nature, and more, including best-of anthologies. She is also
a Hollywood stunt performer and firearms expert, with credits including Battlestar Galactica and Top Shot.
Editorial Note #2: Emily Woo Zeller is an Earphones award-winning audiobook narrator. After beginning her voiceover
career with Asian animation, she returned to the United States and began narrating a broad spectrum of audiobook genres.
Her multilingual, multicultural framework brings a particularly unique, clear-eyed, and intimate perspective to the Asian
American narratives she specializes in. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emily_Woo_Zeller)
A Nobleman's Guide to Seducing a Scoundrel
K. J. Charles, author
Martyn Swain, narrator
Dreamscape Media
https://www.dreamscapepublishing.com
$17.99, CD (10 Hours 39 Minutes)
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-noblemans-guide-to-seducing-a-scoundrel-kj-charles/1142781666
Synopsis; When Major Rufus d'Aumesty unexpectedly becomes the Earl of Oxney, he finds himself living in a remote
Norman manor on the edge of Romney Marsh with his noble, hostile, and decidedly odd family.
His position is contested both by his greedy uncle and by unexpected claimant Luke Doomsday, a dashing member of the
local smuggling clan. They should be natural enemies, but cocksure, enragingly competent Luke is a secretary by trade and
quickly becomes an unexpected ally, the partner Rufus needs -- and soon the lover he can't live without.
Unfortunately, Luke's not telling anything like the truth. He came to Stone Manor with an ulterior motive, one he's hiding
even from the lord he can't resist. And as family secrets unspool on both sides, master and man soon find their positions
and their partnership in danger of falling apart.
Critique: Especially commended to the attention of the LGBTQ community, this complete and unabridged audio book
edition of novelist K. J. Charles' "A Nobleman's Guide to Seducing a Scoundrel" from Dreamscape Media is deftly
narrated by the vocal storytelling talents of Martyn Swain and a highly recommended pick for personal and community
library Historical Mystery audio book collections.
Editorial Note #1: KJ Charles (https://kjcharleswriter.com) spent twenty years as an editor in British publishing before
fleeing the scene to become a full-time historical romance novelist. She has written over twenty-five novels since then and
her books have been translated into eight languages. She lives in London.
Editorial Note #2: Martyn Swain (http://martynswain.com) has for more than 30 years been a simultaneous interpreter,
telling other peoples stories in various languages.
Feathers So Vicious
Liv Zander, author
Shaina Summerville, Tor Thom, and Tommy Fuller, narrators
Dreamscape Media
https://www.dreamscapepublishing.com
$17.99, CD (13 Hours 40 Minutes)
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/feathers-so-vicious-liv-zander/1143867471
Synopsis: Perched between branches and shadows, We watch, we scheme, Fighting for a kingdom forgotten and forlorn.
Until we rip her away with our claws, Our prisoner, our pawn, our plaything. She's innocent and pure, Fragile and
helpless... ...but oh so guilty by blood. She calls us beasts, Wicked and evil, Vicious and cruel. We are all that and worse.
One of us offers her shelter beneath his wings, Whispering promises of pleasure, Seeking redemption. The other longs to
shatter her into a million pieces, Whispering promises of pain, Seeking revenge. Caught between our feathers, She endures
our deranged desires, Our secrets, our lies, Our twisted plans. Will she surrender to our darkness, or fight for a destiny
growing ever elusive?
Welcome to the Court of Ravens, little white dove. "Feathers So Vicious" is a full-length dark fantasy romance novel and
the first book in the Court of Ravens duet. The two-part story features two morally gray raven shifters, a young woman at
the mercy of their shadows, and a HEA. This world contains dark elements, violence, and themes some may find
disturbing. What this book doesn't contain is a hero -- because villains do it better. And two do it better than one.
Critique: Unique, deftly crafted, ably narrated, "Feathers So Vicious" is a compelling, memorable, and fascinating novel by
Liv Zander brought vividly to life in a true 'theatre of the mind' experience by the storyteller performances of Shaina
Summerville, Tor Thom, and Tommy Fuller in this complete and unabridged audio book edition from Dreamscape Media
making it an unreservedly recommended pick for dedicated fantasy fans and community library audio book
collections.
Editorial Note #1: Liv Zander (www.LivZander.com) has an unhealthy love for sexy villains. To cure herself of her poor
choice in men, she's currently undergoing therapy, but who can afford that these days? To fund her co-pays, she's writing
deliciously dark fantasy romance about the men who would burn the world to the ground for their women. Is that
counter-productive? Probably, but it's also a lot of fun!
Editorial Note #2: Shaina Summerville (https://www.shainasummerville.com) is a professionally gifted storyteller in a
good many mediums.
Editorial Note #3: Tor Thom (https://tantor.com/narrator/tor-thom.html) is an audiobook narrator of romance whose dulcet
baritone captures the softness of love and the deep passion of desire.
Editorial Note #4: Tommy Fuller has a lengthy listing of his work on the Audible website at
https://www.audible.com/search?searchNarrator=Tom+Fuller
Shards of Light Bundle
William Hahn
Independent Bookworm
B08248V7QC, $22.79 Audio
https://www.amazon.com/Shards-of-Light-Bundle/dp/B08248V7QC
Why listen to the audio version of Shards of Light? In this case, the audio version lends added value not just because it's
narrated by author William Hahn, who is intimately familiar, as creator, with every intended nuance of his epic fantasy
story, but because the audio version's dramatic flairs lead to understanding and absorption of the tale on a level that print
simply can't equal. William Hahn's narration is clear, dramatic, and compelling. It needed to be such, because listening to
four books in one audio bundle represents over 22 hours of pleasure (or pain, were it to be read under the wrong voice).
Hahn's ability to inject and reflect the underlying dramatic moments and pivot points of the epic fantasy lends a feel to not
just the plot, but the characters themselves as he adjusts his voice to capture each character and the interplays between
them. As conspirators, seers of the future such as W'starrah Altieri, and new imperial officer Justin, who is just as
convinced he has no future, clash, the epic struggles of individuals and kingdoms come alive in audio to bring forth a
powerful saga of individuals and traditions on the cusp of change.
From infantry clashes with longbows and the dragging hours of battlefield pauses to "smoking wounds" and the heat of fire
arrows and destruction, Hahn brings to life losses for the empire and individuals like as death and slaughter buffet Justin
and all around him. The power of an audio version of a book ideally is to bring the story to new life. When this force is
applied to a four-book bundle, it takes a strong voice and compelling blend of plot and oral narration to keep readers
thoroughly engrossed. The bundled audiobook version of Shards of Light achieves these goals in a manner that sets it
heads and shoulders above most fantasy book narratives. What is demanding in print becomes smooth and compelling in
audio, making Shards of Light Bundle a top recommendation for those who would listen with baited breath and unflagging
interest to an artist as adept at audio drama as he is at putting pen to paper.
The Library CD Shelf
Convergence
Nick Maclean Quartet featuring Brownman Ali
www.NicholasMaclean.com
Browntasauras Records
www.Browntasauras.com
$TBA
Vibrant synergy between four expert musicians elevates the jazz music of Convergence into a rapturous concert.
Convergence is the sophomore full-length album of the Nick Maclean Quartet: Nick Maclean on piano, Brownman Ali on
trumpet, Ben Duff on acoustic bass, and Jacob Wutzke on drums. (Special guests Mike Downes, Mateo Mancuso, Jesse
Dietschi, and Luisito Orbegoso contribute to a few tracks). Convergence consists of eight original songs (seven by
Maclean, one by Brownman), plus three re-imagined classic songs by beloved jazz musician and band leader Herbie
Hancock. The next best thing to seeing the Nick Maclean Quartet perform live, Convergence is highly recommended for
both jazz connoisseurs and public library music CD collections. The tracks are Dolphin Dance, Road Warrior,
Brotherhood, Why the Caged Bird Sings, Eye of the Hurricane, True North, Butterfly, Verboten, Lie of Easy Attainment,
Fragility of Being, and Wisdom of Aurelius.
The Speed of Time
Andrew Rathbun with Gary Versace, John Hebert, and Tom Rainey
andrewrathbun.com
Steeplechase Records
steeplechase.dk
$19.99 CD / $10.32 MP3
https://www.amazon.com/Speed-Time-Andrew-Rathbun/dp/B0CBNL2BQX
The Speed of Time is an original contemporary jazz album composed by Andrew Rathbun, featuring Rathbun on tenor and
soprano saxophone, Gary Versace on piano, John Hebert on bass, and Tom Rainey on drums. The songs showcase exciting
permutations in meter and rhythm; each piece has its own special twist. For example, Speed of Time plays simultaneously
on two metric planes - half the quartet plays in a cycle of four beats, while the other half plays in a cycle of eleven beats;
while Widen the Doorway forms a mirror-image clave in seven (a clave is a rhythmic pattern for temporal organization
often used in Cuban music). Velocity Unknown is a song in 9/4 time, although the piano divides the bar in half to make it
feel more like 9/8. The Speed of Time is an extraordinary album worthy of the highest recommendation for public library
collections, and especially for music connoisseurs interested in creations that push the boundaries of the genre! The tracks
are Speed of Time, Could It Be, Widen the Doorway, Wandering, Fast 5th, Velocity Unknown, Still a Thing, and Tooth
and Nail.
The Senator: A Tribute to Tommy Banks
Hutchinson Andrew Trio
hatjazz.com
Chronographic Records
https://chronographrecords.com
$12.99 CD / $8.99 MP3
https://www.amazon.com/Senator-Tribute-Tommy-Banks/dp/B0CBQC8KD4
The Senator: A Tribute to Tommy Banks is a jazz album by multiple-award-winning Hutchinson Andrew Trio (Chris
Andrew on piano, Kodi Hutchinson on bass, and Dave Laing on drums) with contributions for certain tracks by PJ Perry
on saxophone, Al Muirhead on trumpet, and Mallory Chipman performing vocals for "I'll Be Seeing You", "Make
Someone Happy", and "All of Me". The album is in honor of Tommy Banks (1936-2018), a world-class pianist, conductor,
arranger, and composer. Tommy Banks' multifaceted career transcended music; he was also a TV actor, producer, and a
politician who served nearly 12 years in the Canadian Senate. All of the songs on The Senator have been arranged by Chris
Andrew. The Senator is an unfettered celebration of a multi-talented genius' life, works, and accomplishments, and is
highly recommended for both personal and public library music collections. The tracks are Jig, I'll Be Seeing You, Kerry
Dance, Take The A-Train, Make Someone Happy, All of Me, Bank On It, Joy Spring.
Torrent
Satoko Fujii
www.satokofujii.com
Libra Records
$TBA CD / $TBA digital
https://satokofujii.bandcamp.com/album/torrent
Torrent is the ninth solo album by pianist Satoko Fujii, showcasing six original compositions performed with beauty and
passion. The music draws the listener into a rich soundscape tour of dream and emotion. Torrent is a treasure for solo
piano connoisseurs and public library music collections, highly recommended. The tracks are Torrent, Voyage, Light on
the Sea Surface, Cut the Painter, Horizon, and Wave Crest.
Sonic Bouquet
Jocelyn Gould
www.jocelyngould.com
Privately Published
$20.00 CD / $TBA digital
https://www.jocelyngould.com/store
JUNO award-winning guitarist Jocelyn Gould presents Sonic Bouquet, an album of new jazz arrangements of treasured
classic songs (and one original song). Roughly half the songs were arranged by Jocelyn Gould, and half were arranged by
Randy Napoleon. Supporting Jocelyn Gould's standout guitar performance are Randy Napoleon on guitar, Virginia
MacDonald on clarinet, Will Bonness on piano, Rodney Whitaker on bass, and Quincy Davis on drums. A delectable
spread of jazz including swing, bebop, blues, and more, Sonic Bouquet is an audiophile's treasure, highly recommended for
both personal and public library music collections. The tracks are Trail Blazer (J. Gould), Tender is the Night (Sammy
Fain), My Foolish Heart (Victor Young), The Kicker (Joe Henderson), Jessica's Birthday (Quincy Jones), Spring
Regardless (R. Napoleon), Last of the Rounders (R. Napoleon), Is That So? (Duke Pearson), and Napoleon's Prelude (R.
Napoleon).
A Million Miles Later
Exile
Clearwater Records
$TBA CD / $8.99 MP3
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CDCL17XK
A Million Miles Later is the first studio album in 30 years by Exile, who are celebrating their sixtieth anniversary as a
country band in 2023. They have reunited along with some longtime collaborators to perform a medley of their most
popular songs, their brand new song "Rough Around the Edges", and an unforgettable performance of the classic "Sixteen
Tons", originally penned by Mike Travis and made famous by Tennessee Ernie Ford. A Million Miles Later is an absolute
"must-have" for fans of Exile's enduring legacy, and highly recommended for both personal and public library country
music collections. The tracks are A Million Miles Later, Too Far Gone, After You, Daydreamin', Keep On Pushin',
Valentine Sky, This Ain't Nothin', Rough Around The Edges, Nothin' But Sunshine Now, Never Lets Go, Down In Cold
Water (featuring The Isaacs), Just To Get Home, Sugar Free, and Sixteen Tons.
No Goodbyes
John Stein
Whaling City Sound
www.whalingcitysound.com
c/o Naxos (distribution)
www.naxosusa.com
$11.89 CD / $8.99 MP3
https://www.amazon.com/No-Goodbyes-John-Stein/dp/B0CDXX8YJR
Guitarist John Stein presents No Goodbyes, his eighteenth recording with collaboration from Ed Lucie on bass, Mike
Connors on drums, and Cindy Scott performing vocals. No Goodbyes is an emotionally moving jazz album that swells
with courage, perseverance, and dedication. As inspirational as it is entertaining, No Goodbyes is highly recommended.
The tracks are Zip Line, Falling Grace, Dig Blues, What If Love Never Dies, Courage, Triste, No Goodbyes, Jardin del
Turia, Our Love Will See Us Through, Every Stepping Stone, and Groundswell.
Genesis
The Black Gold Orchestra
Sessions Lane Records
$TBA CD / $8.99 MP3
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CFGGDHHK
Genesis is the debut album of The Black Gold Orchestra, a world-class 19-piece big band founded by GRAMMY-
nominated producer Larry Wilson. Genesis showcases all types of Black American music, including jazz, R&B, hip hop,
house, rock, blues, and gospel, in the style of big band tradition. Featuring both original compositions from band members
and new arrangements of classic covers, Genesis is a choice pick for both personal and public library collections, highly
recommended. The tracks are Gyau, On The Move, Firm Roots, Midnight Oil, In The Beginning, The Creation, First Sight,
Intoxicating Beauty, Prototype, Release, Merging Lanes, and Nutville Remix.
Rezurrektion: String Quartets
Wayne Alpern
www.waynealpern.com
Henri Elkan Music
$TBA CD
Composer, arranger, and scholar Wayne Alpern presents Rezurrektion: String Quartets, an album that transforms and
reimagines classic works by Mozart and others. Each classic work has been arranged by Wayne Alpern; the performances
are by Chern Hwe Fung and Gregor Huebner on violins, Ron Lawrence on viola, and Jeremy Harmon on cello.
Rezurrektion: String Quartets is a dynamic new way to experience timeless works of artistry, highly recommended for both
personal and public library collections. The tracks are Eine Kleine Nachtmusik (Mozart), G Minor Quartet (Mozart), A
Minor Sonata (Mozart), F Major Sonata (Mozart), C Major Sonata (Mozart), Rent/Holberg (Larson/Grieg), Black Beauty
(Ellington), and Porgy and Bess (Gershwin).
Diatom Ribbons Live at the Village Vanguard
Kris Davis and the Diatom Ribbons band
Pyroclastic Records
$15.98 CD / $18.98 MP3
https://www.amazon.com/Diatom-Ribbons-Live-Village-Vanguard/dp/B0C4Q51PTL
Diatom Ribbons Live at the Village Vanguard is an album that pianist and composer Kris Davis and the Diatom Ribbons
band (Terri Lyne Carrington on drums, Val Jeanty on electronic instruments and turntables, Travor Dunn on bass, and new
band member Julian Lage on guitar) performed before a live audience at the end of a weeklong club stint. Adventurous and
explosive, Diatom Ribbons Live at the Village Vanguard is an unforgettable jazz celebration, highly recommended! Three
particularly standout -songs are the "Bird Suite" trio, which are inspired by the saxophone performances of the legendary
Charlie Parker and from recorded bird calls. The tracks are Alice in the Congo, Nine Hats, The Dancer, VW, Dolores
(Take 1), Bird Suite Pt 1: Kingfisher, Endless Columns, Bird Suite Pt 2: Bird Call Blues, Bird Suite Pt 3: Parasitic Hunter,
Brainfeel, and Dolores (Take 2).
Shaping the Invisible
Teri Parker
teriparkermusic.com
Privately Published
$TBA CD / $TBA digital
https://teriparker.bandcamp.com/album/shaping-the-invisible
Pianist Teri Parker presents Shaping the Invisible, her sophomore album as a bandleader. The original contemporary jazz
songs (most of which were composed by Parker herself) feature Teri Parker on piano, Luis Deniz on alto and soprano
saxophones, Andrew McAnsh on trumpet, Mark Godfrey on bass, and Ernesto Cervini on drums. An enthralling,
adventurous studio recording of jazz-club-tested music, Shaping the Invisible is a treat for connoisseurs of modern-day
jazz, highly recommended. The tracks are Becoming, Humph, K.T.T. Bass Intro, Kitchen Timer Tune, Desolate Places,
Segment (composed by Charlie Parker), Paw Prints, Retrograde (composed by James Blake), and Strolling.
Wild Child
Charlotte Morris
www.charlottemorrismusic.com
Privately Published
$TBA CD / $9.49 MP3
https://www.amazon.com/Wild-Child-Charlotte-Morris/dp/B0CCQLNT18
Charlotte Morris presents Wild Child, an original country music album with inspiration from folk and Americana. Wild
Child is Morris' first album since moving to Music City (also known as Nashville, Tennessee); the songs resonate with the
intensity, curiosity, and boldness of a wild child grown into a wild woman! Wild Child is adventurous, heartfelt, and
highly recommended especially for connoisseurs of modern-day country. The tracks are Tennessee, Your Number One,
Love Ain't Real, Wild Child, Good Kind of Hurt, Breathe, The Day We Lost You, Time Will Tell, If My Heart Had a Say,
and This Time 'Round.
The Diva Jazz Orchestra "30": Live at Dizzy's Club
The Diva Jazz Orchestra
www.divajazz.com
Privately Published
$17.99 CD / $TBA digital
https://divajazz.com/product/the-diva-jazz-orchestra-30
A fold-out cardboard sleeve full of photographs and a paper insert with comments on song selections enhances the physical
CD of The Diva Jazz Orchestra "30": Live at Dizzy's Club, an album celebrating the band's 30 years of performances. The
song selection for this special celebratory live performance showcases band and fan favorites - widely beloved classic
songs that transcend the era of their creation. The Diva Jazz Orchestra "30": Live at Dizzy's Club is a choice pick for
audiophile connoisseurs who appreciate world-class talent, highly recommended. The tracks are Something's Coming, In a
Mellow Tone, Here's to Life, I'm Gonna Go Fishin', Every Day I Have the Blues, I Feel Pretty, Three Sisters and a Cousin,
A Tribute to Ella Fitzgerald, Inka Dinka Doo, and Airmail Special.
The Library DVD Shelf
Biosphere
IFC Films
c/o RLJ Entertainment
www.us.RLJEntertainment.com
www.acornonline.com
B0C8VSLHMQ, $27.97 (IFC Films) / $16.99 (amazon.com)
https://www.amazon.com/Biosphere-Sterlin-K-Brown/dp/B0C8VSLHMQ
Synposis: In the titular life-sustaining structure, White House science advisor Ray (Sterling K. Brown) and lifelong pal and
old boss Billy (Mark Duplass) were becoming accustomed to possibly being the last people remaining on Earth. As the
reality of their situation sinks in and relationships become strained, Billy finds himself adapting to the new reality in an
unexpected fashion, in this darkly observational apocalyptic film.
Critique: A co-scripted farce written and performed by Mark Duplass and Sterling K. Brown, "Biosphere" is directed by
Mel Eslyn and now available as a 106 minute Widescreen DVD with an English soundtrack. A fun and memorable
blending of science fiction and comedy, "Biosphere" is especially and unreservedly recommended for personal and
community library DVD collections.
The Angry Black Girl & Her Monster
Starring Laya Deleon Hayes and Denzel Whitaker
Directed by Bomani J. Story
Image Entertainment
www.shudder.com
c/o RLJ Entertainment
www.us.RLJEntertainment.com
www.acornonline.com
B0C5S3G2HZ, $27.95 DVD Image Entertainment
$13.99 DVD / $14.99 Blu-ray amazon.com
https://www.amazon.com/Angry-Black-Girl-Her-Monster/dp/B0C5S3G2HZ
Synopsis: Gifted inner-city teenager Vicaria (Laya DeLeon Hayes) had hoped that her incredible grasp of science would
someday lift her out of the rough streets that had claimed her mother. When she lost her big brother Chris (Edem
Atsu-Swanzy) to gang violence, she had enough-but her successful efforts to reanimate his corpse would have unholy
consequences.
Critique: An intense and compelling modern day spin on the "Frankenstein" theme, "The Angry Black Girl & Her
Monster" stars Chad L. Coleman, Denzel Whitaker, and Reilly Brooke. Directed by Bomani J. Story and with a running
time of 91 minutes, this Widescreen and English soundtrack, this DVD edition is a riveting and recommended addition to
personal and community library Horror/Fantasy DVD movie collections. "The Angry Black Girl & Her Monster" is not
rated by the Motion Picture Association film rating system.
Cannes Confidential
Acorn Original / Acorn Media
c/o RLJ Entertainment
www.us.RLJEntertainment.com
www.acornonline.com
AMP-2989, $39.99 DVD
https://www.acornonline.com/XF8802.html
Synopsis: A popular television action/adventure mystery series, "Cannes Confidential" stars a no-nonsense detective
Camille and a charming international ex-conman Harry who are forced into an uneasy alliance and must cooperate in an
unlikely crime-fighting partnership dedicated to solving murder cases on the French Riviera.
Critique: "Cannes Confidential" is a beloved television series packed with excitement and intrigue throughout! This 6
episode, 4.5 hrs, 2 DVD edition of "Cannes Confidential" is a fun and unreservedly recommended pick for personal and
community library DVD collections.
The Biography Shelf
Loyalty First
David A. Foy
Casemate Publishers
www.casematepublishers.com
9781636243498, $37.95, HC, 288pp
https://www.amazon.com/Loyalty-First-Willoughby-MacArthurs-Intelligence/dp/1636243495
Synopsis: Major General Charles A. Willoughby served as Douglas MacArthur's stalwart chief intelligence officer (G-2)
for over a decade, throughout World War II and the Korean War. "Loyalty First: The Life and Times of Charles A.
Willoughby, MacArthur's Chief Intelligence Officer" by David A. Foy is the first full biography that specifically examines
Willoughby's shadowy origins in his native Germany, his curious arrival in the United States, and his military service in
World War I, as well as his work during the interwar years as a junior diplomat, budding historian, and neophyte
intelligence officer. His chance encounter with MacArthur in the mid-1930s would prove to be the genesis of a
near-symbiotic relationship between the two, with significant consequences for both.
Throughout his life, Willoughby identified with strong, authoritarian leaders, notably Franco, and (especially) MacArthur.
As a biographer, David Foy also assesses Willoughby's performance as a professional intelligence officer both in World
War II and Korea, where he is often vilified for his inaccurate assessments of enemy strength and most likely courses of
action, as well as his sycophantic relationship with his commander. Willoughby is most often criticized for his failing to
foresee the entry of Chinese forces into the Korean War and its impact upon the US Army and the prosecution of the war.
Following MacArthur's removal by President Truman in 1951, Willoughby retired and spent the rest of his days engaged in
right-wing political activity and in staunchly defending his much-maligned boss.
The legacy he left is one filled with lingering and important questions about loyalty to superiors, in civilian as well as
military environments, how far that loyalty should extend, and walking the tightrope involved in telling truth to
power.
Critique: Although a fascinating biography in its own right, "Loyalty First: The Life and Times of Charles A. Willoughby,
MacArthur's Chief Intelligence Officer" seems particularly timely and relevant given the new revelations about how the
current command structure of the U.S. Military was able (and had to) to resist the unlawful and deadly dangerous attempts
of Donald Trump to unconstitutionally use the military as his own personal instrument for insuring the continuation of his
power and authority as a President and Commander-in-Chief before and after an insurrection. The question is now, as it
was back then, of the necessity and limitations of loyalty in an American military chain of command. While highly
recommended for personal, professional, community, War College, and academic library American Military
Biography/History collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Loyalty First: The Life and Times of
Charles A. Willoughby, MacArthur's Chief Intelligence Officer" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle,
$17.49).
Editorial Note: Dr. David Foy received his Ph.D. in Modern European History from the University of Arkansas, where he
also was selected for Phi Beta Kappa. He has more than three decades' experience as a professional historian and
intelligence officer, having worked as a college faculty member, an active-duty and civilian member of the US Army, a
defence contractor, and an intelligence officer for several agencies within the US Intelligence Community. He is also the
author of For You the War is Over: American POWs in Nazi Germany During World War II, a history of the tenure of a
Director of National Intelligence.
Passionate Mothers, Powerful Sons
Charlotte Gray
Simon and Schuster
www.simonandschuster.com
Blackstone Audiobooks
https://www.blackstonelibrary.com
9781668031971, $29.99, HC, 432pp
https://www.amazon.com/Passionate-Mothers-Powerful-Sons-Churchill/dp/1668031973
Synopsis: Born into upper-class America in the same year, 1854, Sara Delano (later to become the mother of Franklin
Delano Roosevelt) and Jennie Jerome (later to become the mother of Winston Churchill) refused to settle into predictable,
sheltered lives as little-known wives to prominent men. Instead, both women concentrated much of their energies on
enabling their sons to reach the epicenter of political power on two continents.
In the mid-19th century, the British Empire was at its height, France's Second Empire flourished, and the industrial vigor
of the United States of America was catapulting the republic towards the Gilded Age. Sara and Jennie, raised with
privilege but subject to the constraints of women's roles at the time, learned how to take control of their destinies -- Sara in
the prosperous Hudson Valley, and Jennie in the glittering world of Imperial London.
Yet their personalities and choices were dramatically different. A vivacious extrovert, Jennie married Lord Randolph
Churchill, a rising politician and scion of a noble British family. Her deft social and political maneuverings helped not only
her mercurial husband but, once she was widowed, her ambitious son, Winston. By contrast, deeply conventional Sara
Delano married a man as old as her father. But once widowed, she made Franklin, her only child, the focus of her
existence. Thanks in large part to her financial support and to her guidance, Franklin acquired the skills he needed to
become a successful politician.
Set against one hundred years of history, "Passionate Mothers, Powerful Sons: The Lives of Jennie Jerome Churchill and
Sara Delano Roosevelt" is a study in loyalty and resilience in which historian and biographer Charlotte Gray argues that
Jennie and Sara are too often presented as lesser figures in the backdrop of history rather than as two remarkable
individuals who were key in shaping the characters of the sons who adored them and in preparing them for leadership on
the world stage.
Impeccably researched and filled with intriguing social insights, "Passionate Mothers, Powerful Sons: The Lives of Jennie
Jerome Churchill and Sara Delano Roosevelt" breathes new life into our understanding of Sara and Jennie while offering a
fascinating and fulsome portrait of how leaders are not just born but made.
Critique: Fascinating, informative, detailed, documented, extraordinary, and insightful, "Passionate Mothers, Powerful
Sons: The Lives of Jennie Jerome Churchill and Sara Delano Roosevelt" is a compelling and exceptionally well written
biography of two of the two most influential mothers of two of the most influential men of their time. While also available
for personal reading lists in a digital book format (Kindle, $14.99) and as a complete and unabridged audio book
(Blackstone Audio, 9781797167510, $49.99, CD), "Passionate Mothers, Powerful Sons" is especially recommended for
person, professional, community, college and university library Biography collections and supplemental Women In History
curriculum studies lists.
Editorial Note: Charlotte Gray (www.CharlotteGray.ca) is one of Canada's best-known writers and the author of twelve
acclaimed books of literary nonfiction, including The Promise of Canada. Her bestseller The Massey Murder: A Maid, Her
Master, and the Trial That Shocked a Country won the Toronto Book Award, the Heritage Toronto Book Award, the
Canadian Authors Association Lela Common Award for Canadian History, and the Arthur Ellis Award for Best Nonfiction
Crime Book. An adjunct research professor in the department of history at Carleton University, Charlotte has received
numerous awards, including the Pierre Berton Award for distinguished achievement in popularizing Canadian history. She
is a Member of the Order of Canada and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada.
Cougars on the Cliff
Maurice Hornocker, author
David Johnson, author
The Lyons Press
www.lyonspress.com
c/o The Globe Pequot Press
www.globepequot.com
9781493073290, $29.95, HC, 328pp
https://www.amazon.com/Cougars-Cliff-Pioneering-Understand-Mythical/dp/149307329X
Synopsis: Maurice Hornocker is recognized worldwide as the first scientist to unravel the secrets of America's most
enigmatic predator -- the mountain lion. A story of redemption, "Cougars on the Cliff: One Man's Pioneering Quest to
Understand the Mythical Mountain Lion" (written with the assistance of David Johnson) is a memoir about the
never-before-told adventures, challenges, and controversies surrounding Hornocker's groundbreaking study of cougars in
the remote reaches of the Idaho Primitive Area.
North America's biggest cat was once killed for bounty dollars, slaughtered with impunity and driven toward extinction.
But today's cat of intrigue, despite our lingering fears and misconceptions, has returned to much of its native range in the
western United States and gained respect as a predator integral and necessary to wild ecosystems. This turnaround was
triggered by one man: Maurice Hornocker. Cougars on the Cliff recounts the early years of his research (1964-1973) when
he tracked lions following a dog's nose and footprints in the snow - before telemetry was available.
Hornocker was first to learn that mountain lions living in stable populations limit their own numbers through territoriality
and a concept he called "mutual avoidance." This insight flew in the face of long-held beliefs that cougars were prolific
and wanton killers that needed to be controlled as vermin. Thanks to Hornocker's work, today cougars can be found
throughout the West and have even started to reclaim their place in New England.
Critique: Of particular appeal to readers with an interest in the biology of mountain lions, the environmental issues with
respect to their habitats, and the biographies of naturalists, "Cougars on the Cliff: One Man's Pioneering Quest to
Understand the Mythical Mountain Lion" is an inherently fascinating, impressively informative, expertly organized, and
thoroughly 'reader friendly' in presentation. While especially and unreservedly recommended for personal, professional,
community, college, and university library Contemporary American Biography/Memoir collections and curriculum
Wildlife Biology curriculums, it should be noted that "Cougars on the Cliff: One Man's Pioneering Quest to Understand
the Mythical Mountain Lion" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $21.49).
Editorial Note #1: Maurice Hornocker (https://www.cougarsonthecliff.com) is a wildlife biologist best known for
advancing our knowledge of the elusive mountain lion's behavior and ecology. During his fifty-five years of research in
Idaho, New Mexico, and Yellowstone National Park, he published numerous scientific papers about cougars and edited
books that include "Cougar: Ecology & Conservation," "Yellowstone Cougars" (which was the recipient of a 2020 The
Wildlife Society Publication Award), and "Desert Puma" (which was the recipient of the 2002 The Wildlife Society Book
of the Year Award). His writing, research, and mountain lion photographs have appeared in publications such as National
Geographic, Smithsonian, and National Wildlife magazine. He and his colleagues have also conducted pioneering research
on other big cat species throughout the world including Siberian tigers, jaguars, leopards, ocelots, lynx, and bobcats.
Hornocker and his wife, Leslie, live in Bellevue, Idaho, with their bird dogs, dressage horses, and a domestic cat named
Redd.
Editorial Note #2: David Johnson (https://muckrack.com/david-johnson-2) is a retired roving regional reporter-columnist
for the Lewiston Tribune in Lewiston, Idaho. He holds bachelor's degrees in wildlife management from the University of
Minnesota and journalism from the University of Idaho. Johnson lives with is wife, Linda Weiford, in Moscow,
Idaho.
The Art Shelf
The History of Color
Neil Parkinson
Frances Lincoln
c/o Quarto Publishing Group USA
www.quartoknows.com
9780711288843, $28.00, HC, 256pp
https://www.amazon.com/History-Color-Universe-Chromatic-Phenomena/dp/0711288844
Synopsis: Color is fundamental to our experience and understanding of the world. It crosses continents and cultures,
disciplines and decades. It is used to convey information and knowledge, to evoke mood, and to inspire emotion.
With the publication of "The History of Color: A Universe of Chromatic Phenomena", Neil Parkinson explores the history
of our understanding of color, from the ancient world to the present, from Aristotle to Albers. This is interspersed in the
historical story with numerous thematic essays that examine how color has been used across a wide range of disciplines
and fields: in food, music, language and many others.
The illustrations are drawn from the Royal College of Art's renowned Colour Reference Library which spans six centuries
of works and nearly 2,000 titles, from a Gothic manuscript on the composition of the rainbow to hand-painted
Enlightenment works on color theory and vibrant 20th-century color charts, including many fascinating examples not seen
in other books.
Delving far and wide in this fascinating and varied subject, "The History of Color: A Universe of Chromatic Phenomena"
will help readers find new layers of meaning and complexity in their everyday experiences and teach them to look closer at
our colorful lives.
Critique: A seminal, fascinating and informative study that will be appreciated by academia and non-professionals alike,
"The History of Color: A Universe of Chromatic Phenomena" is exceptionally well illustrated, impressive well written,
and thoroughly 'reader friendly in both organization and presentations. While also readily available in a digital book format
(Kindle, $21.49), "The History of Color: A Universe of Chromatic Phenomena" is a unique, effective, and unreservedly
recommended contribution to personal, professional, community, college, and university library Art History and Graphic
Design/Illustration collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists.
Editorial Note: Neil Parksinson (https://www.rca.ac.uk/more/staff/neil-parkinson) manages over 30 different special
collections at the Royal College of Art, providing access to the College's unique heritage materials and supporting a wide
range of research projects and enquiries from staff, students and the external research community. The College's special
collections include the RCA archives and art collections, the photographic record of student work, and the internationally
renowned Colour Reference Library, one of the largest collections of material on color in the world.
No Ordinary Magic: The Art of Laurie Swim
Carol Bruneau
Goose Lane Editions
www.gooselane.com
9781773103457, $40.00, HC, 104pp
https://www.amazon.com/No-Ordinary-Magic-Laurie-Swim/dp/1773103458
Synopsis: Laurie Swim is an artist of extraordinary range and vision. For more than forty years, she has been among the
most capable and passionate practitioners of textile art.
In her chosen art form, Swim captures the essence of the seacoast. For the ocean, she works with silk, pulling stitches until
they pucker to create gentle ripples. For vegetation and seaweed, she combines quilting, embroidery, painting, dyeing, and
other seemingly opposing techniques.
With the publication of "No Ordinary Magic: The Art of Laurie Swim", author Carol Bruneau showcases both Swim's
unconventional use of materials that is so distinctive, and her gift for narrative that makes her art both resonant and
endlessly intriguing. This a retrospective, large format (0.75 x 0.75 x 8.25 inches, 1.6 pounds) volume in which Bruneau
deftly explores Swim's history, her defiance of convention, and her reinvention of quilts as paintings-made-of-fabric. The
result is a profound exploration of Swim's sometimes monumental yet astonishingly intimate work.
Critique: Beautifully illustrated in color throughout, "No Ordinary Magic: The Art of Laurie Swim" is impressively
informative and a pure pleasure to simply browse through in full appreciation of a truly gifted textile media artist. "No
Ordinary Magic: The Art of Laurie Swim" will prove to be an immediate and enduringly appreciated and highly valued
addition to personal, professional, community, and academic library Textile Art collections and supplemental curriculum
studies lists.
Editorial Note #1: Carol Bruneau (https://carolbruneau.com) is the award-winning author of nine books. Her reviews,
essays, and articles have appeared across Canada, and she has previously taught courses on writing for the arts at the Nova
Scotia College of Art and Design.
Editorial Note #2: Laurie Swim has worked as an artist for forty years, developing unique and innovative treatments to
fashion her imagery in textiles with fabric and thread. She is the author of five books, including The Joy of Quilting (with
an introduction by Alex Colville), Quilting, Rags to Riches: The Quilt as Art (with an introduction by Mary Pratt), and a
children's book entitled Hope and Survival on the Halifax Explosion. Swims's works grace many private and public
collections, including the Art Gallery of Nova Scotia, Nova Scotia Art Bank, Nova Scotia Designer Craft Council, the City
of Toronto Art Collection, and the Museum of Arts and Design in New York.
Maria Magdalena Campos-Pons: Behold
Carmen Hermo, et al.
Getty Publications
www.getty.edu/publications
9781606068588, $45.00, HC, 216pp
https://www.amazon.com/Mar%C3%ADa-Magdalena-Campos-Pons-Carmen-Hermo/dp/160606 858X
Synopsis: Maria Magdalena Campos-Pons (b. 1959) makes powerful works of art that holds and beholds the stories of
historically silenced peoples and urges societal change. Her journey as an artist, teacher, and activist has taken her from
Cuba through the United States, and her autobiographical compositions honor her Nigerian and Chinese ancestors while
also facing the future.
With an artistic practice that crosses boundaries, intertwines media (from photography to sculpture, film to performance)
and references traditions and beliefs ranging from feminism to Santeria, Campos-Pons's work is deeply layered and
complex.
Published by the J. Paul Getty Museum, "Maria Magdalena Campos-Pons: Behold" is the first critical look at the artist's
oeuvre in nearly two decades, and surveys the concerns, materials, and places invoked throughout her forty-year career.
Thoughtful essays by contributors deftly explore her vibrant, arresting artwork, which confronts issues of agency and the
construction of race and belonging and challenges us to reckon with these issues in our own lives.
This unique volume (co-published with the Brooklyn Museum) accompanies an exhibition on view at the Brooklyn
Museum from September 15, 2023, to January 14, 2024, the Nasher Museum of Art at Duke University from February 15
to June 9, 2024, the Frist Art Museum from September 27, 2024, to January 5, 2025, and the J. Paul Getty Museum at the
Getty Center from February 11 to May 4, 2025.
Critique: Deftly compiled and edited by Carmen Hermo and featuring informative contributions by Mazie M. Harris,
Amalia Mesa-Bains, Jenee-Daria Strand, Philip Townsend, and Selene Wendt, this large format (9 x 1 x 10.5 inches)
hardcover coffee-table style edition of "Maria Magdalena Campos-Pons: Behold" is a singular informative, visually stellar,
memorably impressive, and unreservedly recommended addition to personal, professional, community, college, and
university library Individual Artist Monographs and Mixed Media Art collections. It should be noted by students,
academia, artists, art collectors, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "Maria Magdalena
Campos-Pons: Behold" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $42.75).
Editorial Note: Carmen Hermo (https://brooklynmuseum.tumblr.com/chermo) is associate curator at the Elizabeth A.
Sackler Center for Feminist Art, Brooklyn Museum.
Bold and Beautiful Watercolor Skies
Zaneena Nabeel, author
Quarry Books
c/o Quarto Publishing Group USA
www.quartous.com
9780760382943, $22.99, PB, 152pp
https://www.amazon.com/Bold-Beautiful-Watercolor-Skies-Beginners/dp/0760382948
Synopsis: Art challenges are a popular way for artists at all skill levels to learn about and master a medium and establish a
consistent creative practice. Written and illustrated by Zaneena Nabeel, popular Instagram artist and online art instructor
also known as Aurora by Z, "Bold and Beautiful Watercolor Skies: Learn to Paint Stunning Clouds, Sunsets, Galaxies, and
More - A Master Class for Beginners" teaches aspiring artists how to master simple techniques to create inspiring images
of striking skies through 30 sky projects.
"Bold and Beautiful Watercolor Skies" covers the essential supplies, techniques, and color knowledge through easy
exercises that give you the skills you will need to create the projects and provides 30 DIY projects. You can follow the 30
step-by-step tutorials to create a range of stunning, colorful skies and light effects, from a bright blue morning to a fiery red
sunset, from a starry night to the aurora borealis.
Whether you follow the program to make a painting a day or choose to create your paintings over a longer time frame,
"Bold and Beautiful Watercolor Skies" will teach you how to master basic techniques to create amazing images through
the support of a structured approach.
Critique; An ideal and effective DIY introduction to painting with watercolors, "Bold and Beautiful Watercolor Skies:
Learn to Paint Stunning Clouds, Sunsets, Galaxies, and More - A Master Class for Beginners", while unreservedly
recommended for personal, professional, community, and art school collections, is also readily available in a digital book
format (Kindle, $11.99) as well.
Editorial Note: Zaneena Nabeel, aka Aurora by Z, is an architect by profession and an artist by vocation. She returned to
artmaking after completing her architecture studies, finding healing and happiness through drawing, painting, and playing
with color, inspiring her to start and Instagram page, where she shares her work. In addition to teaching many classes on
Skillshare, she hosts art workshops and organizes exhibitions both locally and internationally. Originally from India, she is
currently based in Dubai. To see more of Zaneena's work, visit www.aurorabyz.com, @AurorabyZ on YouTube, and
@aurorabyz on Instagram.
Watercolor Made Simple
Nicki Traikos
Quarry Books
c/o Quarto Publishing Group USA
www.quartous.com
9780760383193, $24.99, PB, 144pp
https://www.amazon.com/Watercolor-Made-Simple-Techniques-Encouragement/dp/0760383197
Synopsis: Watercolor is a wonderful medium to explore your creativity, unwind, and have fun. Whether you're new to
watercolor painting or looking to expand your skills, with "Watercolor Made Simple", artist and watercolor expert Nicki
Traikos will deftly guide you to connect more personally with your watercolor practice and build your painting skills in a
relaxing, welcoming way. Nicki (who teaches popular watercolor classes through life i design), will help you avoid the
struggles and frustrations she experienced when first learning to paint with watercolors by providing encouraging
instruction, easy tutorials, and beautifully illustrated step-by-step projects.
Consider this your invitation to the world of watercolor as you: Get familiar with paints, brushes, and papers; Learn
fundamental watercolor washes and brush strokes; Explore simple color theory and color mixing; Use a sketchbook to
gather inspiration; Paint more than 15 popular subjects, such as flowers, leaves, feathers, still lifes, and simple landscapes,
step by step.
"Watercolor Made Simple" also includes: QR codes that link to helpful video tutorials; Traceable line drawings that allow
you to jump right into painting; Charming papercrafting projects to feature your watercolor paintings; Tips for storing and
displaying your art -- and even what to do with paintings you don't love.
With gentle encouragement and techniques she has honed through teaching tens of thousands of watercolor students, Nicki
will soon have you painting your favorite subjects with ease and enjoyment.
Thoroughly novice and aspiring watercolor artist friendly in organization and presentation, "Watercolor Made Simple" is
an ideal and comprehensive introduction to the medium and unreservedly recommended for personal, professional,
community, and art school instructional reference collections. Of special note is that "Watercolor Made Simple" is also
readily available for the personal reading lists of art students and amateur watercolorists in a digital book format (Kindle,
$11.99).
Editorial Note: Nicki Traikos is the founder of life i design, through which she teaches thousands of students to paint in
watercolor, produces books, and inspires people to live their most creative lives. A self-taught artist who has also worked
in the corporate world and as a makeup artist, she has taught more than 50,000 students from around the world in her
Watercolors Made Simple courses. Nicki and her work have been featured in a number of magazines, including Where
Women Create, In Her Studio, and UPPERCASE magazine's Compendium. Nicki has published two books of
trace-and-paint images and also teaches monthly live classes on the Michaels website. Currently residing in Unionville,
Ontario, Canada, she has a website at www.lifeidesign.com and can be followed on: Instagram: @lifeidesign, YouTube:
Nicki Traikos @lifeidesign, Facebook: life i design @lifeidesign, Pinterest: life i design @nickitraikos
The General Fiction Shelf
Picture Perfect Autumn
Shelley Noble
Avon Books
c/o HarperCollins Publishers
www.harpercollins.com
Blackstone Audiobooks
https://www.blackstonelibrary.com
9780063141544, $18.99, PB, 384pp
https://www.amazon.com/Picture-Perfect-Autumn-Shelley-Noble/dp/006314154X
Synopsis: Dani Campbell is the latest darling of the Manhattan art scene. As a self-taught photographer, Dani is loving
every minute of her sudden popularity, but has no idea how she got there, or a clue as to how to stay. On a shoot at an
antiques barn, she discovers an envelope of old photos and sees in them what her photos are missing. Her search for their
source leads Dani to a small Rhode Island town, a dilapidated American Gothic beach house -- and a man named Lawrence
Sinclair.
Reclusive and bitter, the last thing eighty-year-old Lawrence wants to think about is photography -- the thing that
inadvertently led to his son's death and tore his family apart. But Dani is determined and persuasive, and Lawrence can't
help but be intrigued by the girl with spiky hair who wants to learn from him, when almost everyone else just wants to
relieve him of his substantial fortune.
Dani and Lawrence's mentorship blossoms unexpectedly, but everything is put in jeopardy by the appearance of Lawrence's
estranged grandson, Peter. Peter is determined to spend some time reconnecting with his grandfather and to get rid of the
supposed fortune hunter after Lawrence's money. But Dani is not what he was expecting, and he soon discovers that they
have more things in common than not.
Brought together by fortune, fate, and the ties that bind, all three embark on journeys of discovery and love.
Critique: As an author, Shelley Noble is a novelist whose specialty is in Women's Family/Domestic Life and Contemporary Women's Fiction genres. "Picture Perfect Autumn" is her latest (and arguably her
best yet) novel and features a carefully crafted, original, and inherently interesting story populated by distinctively
memorable characters, as well as an impressively effective and narrative driven storytelling style. While a very highly
recommended pick for community library Contemporary General Fiction & Women's Fiction collections, it should be
noted for personal reading lists that "Picture Perfect Autumn" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99) and
as a complete and unabridged audio book (Blackstone Audio, 9798212696241, $41.99, CD).
Editorial Note: Shelley Noble (https://shelleynoble.com) is the author of Whisper Beach and Beach Colors. Her other titles
include Stargazey Point, Breakwater Bay, and Forever Beach (a story of foster adoption in New Jersey) and four spin-off
novellas. Shelley is a member of Sisters in Crime, Mystery Writers of America, and Women's Fiction Writers
Association.
Christmas at Corgi Cove
Annie England Noblin
Avon Books
c/o HarperCollins Publishers
www.harpercollins.com
HarperCollins Audio
9780063222243, $18.99, PB, 352pp / $41.99 audio CD
https://www.amazon.com/Christmas-at-Corgi-Cove-Novel/dp/0063222248
Synopsis: Rosie Reynolds had come to lakeside Corgi Cove as a lost, lonely girl abandoned by her own mother, but there
she discovered a true place to call home. She loves her Corgis, Bonnie and Clyde; loves the lakeside life; and loves her
aunt and uncle most of all. But when she discovers their struggling inn is about to be bought out by some big city chain,
she hatches a plan: to win a contest naming theirs the best Christmas-themed inn in the USA. It's a long shot, but she
knows if the whole town pulls together that they can do it.
But she didn't count on Everett St Claire, who emerged from his gleaming, black BMW, straightening his tie and asking
himself how did a big-city guy like him find himself in a speck on the map like Corgi Cove? And how fast could he get
back to the city? After all, it couldn't be that difficult to convince one elderly couple to take the money to retire.
He didn't count on getting sucked into life on the lake. Sure, the people might be... eccentric, and Rosie might seem like a
pain in the backside, but there is something alluring about the place. And with the holidays nearing, and the deadline
looming, Rosie and Everett are about to discover the magic of a Christmas at Corgi Cove.
Critique: A 'feel good' novel with the proverbial 'Happy Ending', "Christmas at Corgi Cove" by novelist Annie England
Noblin will be of special and particular interest to fans of contemporary women's friendship fiction. Carefully crafted with
memorable characters and a fully reader engaging storyline, "Christmas at Corgi Cove" showcases the author's genuine
flair for originality and the kind of narrative driven storytelling that makes for a truly memorable and fun read from start to
finish. While especially and unreservedly recommended for community library Contemporary General Fiction collections,
it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Christmas at Corgi Cove" is also available in a digital book format
(Kindle, $10.99) and as a complete and unabridged audio book (HarperCollins Audio, 9798212698580, $41.99, CD).
Editorial Note: Annie England Noblin lives with her son, husband, and three dogs in the Missouri Ozarks. She graduated
with an M.A. in creative writing from Missouri State University and currently teaches English and communications for
Arkansas State University in Mountain Home, Arkansas. She spends her free time playing make-believe, feeding stray
cats, and working with animal shelters across the country to save homeless dogs.
With Regrets
Lee Kelly
Crooked Lane Books
www.crookedlanebooks.com
Dreamscape Media
www.dreamscapeab.com
9781639104673, $29.99, HC, 320pp
https://www.amazon.com/Regrets-Novel-Lee-Kelly/dp/1639104674
Synopsis: When recent NYC-transplant Liz Brinkley and her husband are invited to an exclusive soiree by their neighbor,
"lifestyle guru" Britta Harris-Che, Liz's immediate thought is hell no. Britta is insufferable, and Liz is wary to leave her
young children with a barely-teenage babysitter. And yet she RSVPs anyway, trying to extend an olive branch to her
withdrawing husband, who seems desperate to get in with the cliquey elite.
They've barely made it through their first round of champagne when a "red alert" comes through their phones, and every
channel on the television tells the same story: strange atmospheric masses, reported to look like "glimmering clouds," have
been spreading through major U.S. cities and killing anyone they touch. Authorities have just one clear directive: Find
shelter. Immediately.
A collective panic seizes the dinner party; all the guests have children at home. In the mad dash to their cars, they see it: a
shimmering net floating over the town. The street is littered with wrecked cars and dead bodies. Leaving now is not an
option. Instead, the group launches into survival mode, grabbing supplies to take shelter in the hosts' wine cellar. But
everyone has very different opinions about the best plan from there.
Liz becomes increasingly willing to do anything it takes to get back to her children. As the glimmering clouds continue to
kill anyone who steps outside, the tensions and suspicions among the party guests near a boiling point. But she begins to
realize that there may be others in that cellar even more desperate than she is.
Critique: With a very particular and special appeal to readers with an interest in deftly crafted science fiction
technothrillers, "With Regrets" by novelist Lee Kely reveals this author's genuine flair for originality, urban fantasy, and a
distinctive, narrative driven, apocalyptic storytelling style. A memorable and unreservedly recommended pick for
community library Science Fiction & Fantasy collections, it should be noted that "With Regrets" is also available for
personal reading lists in a digital book format (Kindle, $14.99) and as a complete and unabridged audio book
(Dreamscape, 9781666645422, $59.99, CD).
Editorial Note: Lee Kelly (https://www.leekellyauthor.com) is the author of "City of Savages", "A Criminal Magic", and
"The Antiquity Affair" (co-written with Jennifer Thorne). Her short fiction and essays have appeared in Gingerbread
House, Orca, and Tor.com, among other publications. She holds her MFA degree from the Vermont College of Fine
Arts.
The Historical Fiction Shelf
The Literary Undoing of Victoria Swann
Virginia Pye
www.virginiapye.com
Regal Publishing
https://regalhousepublishing.com
9781646033973, $19.95, PB, 312pp
https://www.amazon.com/Literary-Undoing-Victoria-Swann/dp/1646033973
Synopsis: Victoria Swann is a successful author of romance and adventure novels who becomes a champion of women's
rights as she takes on the literary establishment and finds her true voice, both on and off the page. But everything changes
for Victoria when she goes against her publisher's demands and abandons her frivolous style to tell her own story.
Her new, young, Harvard-bred editor becomes her unexpected ally as she fights for the women who have been her faithful
readers. Set in Gilded Age Boston, "The Literary Undoing of Victoria Swann" by novelist Virginia Pye shows writing and
reading as acts of defiance and revision in life and revision on the page as intimately entwined.
Critique: A deftly crafted, thought-provoking, compelling, and fun read from start to finish, "The Literary Undoing of
Victoria Swann" fully showcases author Virginia Pye's genuine flair for memorable original characters and an original,
narrative driven plot that will have a very special appeal to readers with an interest in historical fiction reflecting the
struggle to have women's abilities recognized and appreciated in 19th Century America. While especially recommended
for community library Historical Fiction collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "The Literary
Undoing of Victoria Swann" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.49).
Editorial Note: Virginia Pye (www.virginiapye.com) is the author of the short story collection Shelf Life of Happiness
which won the 2019 IPPY Gold Medal for Short Fiction. Her two historical novels set in China, "Dreams of the Red
Phoenix" and "River of Dust", also received literary awards. Her essays have appeared in The New York Times, Literary
Hub, The Rumpus, and elsewhere. She is Fiction Editor at Pangyrus and has taught writing at NYU, UPenn, and at
GrubStreet Writing Center in Boston.
Flags on the Bayou
James Lee Burke
Atlantic Monthly Press
c/o Grove/Atlantic, Inc.
www.groveatlantic.com
9780802161697, $28.00, HC, 288pp
https://www.amazon.com/Flags-Bayou-James-Lee-Burke/dp/0802161693
Synopsis: In the fall of 1863, the Union army is in control of the Mississippi river. Much of Louisiana, including New
Orleans and Baton Rouge, is occupied. The Confederate army is retreating toward Texas, and being replaced by Red Legs,
irregulars commanded by a maniacal figure, and enslaved men and women are beginning to glimpse freedom.
When Hannah Laveau, an enslaved woman working on the Lufkin plantation, is accused of murder, she goes on the run
with Florence Milton, an abolitionist schoolteacher, dodging the local constable and the slavecatchers that prowl the
bayous. Wade Lufkin, haunted by what he observed (and did) as a surgeon on the battlefield, has returned to his uncle's
plantation to convalesce, where he becomes enraptured by Hannah.
"Flags on the Bayou" is an engaging, action-packed narrative that includes a duel that ends in disaster, a brutal encounter
with the local Union commander, repeated skirmishes with Confederate irregulars led by a diseased and probably deranged
colonel, and a powerful story of love blossoming between an unlikely pair. As the story unfolds, it illuminates a past that
reflects our present in sharp relief.
Critique: As a novelist, James Lee Burke is a gifted wordsmith who describes the rich Louisiana landscape, the sunsets on
the Mississippi River, the dingy saloons of New Orleans, the tree-lined shores of the bayou, and so much more as the
background framing of his impressively original and narrative driven storytelling style. "Flags on the Bayou" is a
memorable and unreservedly recommended pick for community library Historical Fiction collections. It should be noted
for personal reading lists that "Flags on the Bayou" is also available in a paperback edition (Grove Press, 9780802163387,
$18.00), in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.24), and as a complete and unabridged audio book (Simon & Schuster Audio,
9781797159485, $34.99, CD).
Editorial Note: James Lee Burke (https://www.jamesleeburke.com) is a two-time winner of the Edgar Award, and the
recipient of the Guggenheim Fellowship for Creative Arts in Fiction. He's authored thirty-seven novels and two short story
collections.
A Beautiful Rival
Gill Paul
William Morrow & Company
c/o HarperCollins Publishers
www.harpercollins.com
Blackstone Audiobooks
https://www.blackstonelibrary.com
9780063245112, $18.99, PB, 384pp
https://www.amazon.com/Beautiful-Rival-Helena-Rubinstein-Elizabeth/dp/0063245116
Synopsis: They could have been allies: two self-made millionaires who invented a global industry, in an era when wife and
mother were supposed to be the highest goals for their sex. Elizabeth Arden and Helena Rubinstein each founded empires
built on grit and determination -- and yet they became locked in a feud spanning three continents, two world wars, and the
Great Depression.
Brought up in poverty, Canadian-born Elizabeth Arden changed popular opinion, persuading women from all walks of life
to buy skincare products that promised them youth and beauty. Helena Rubinstein left her native Poland, and launched her
company with scientific claims about her miracle creams made with anti-ageing herbs.
And when it came to business, nothing was off-limits: poaching each other's employees, copying each other's products,
planting spies, hiring ex-husbands, and one-upping each other every chance they had. This was a rivalry from which there
was no surrender! And through it all were two women, bold, brazen, and determined to succeed -- no matter the personal
cost.
"A Beautiful Rival: A Novel of Helena Rubinstein and Elizabeth Arden" is sweeping historical novel in which two
larger-than life fashion icons are brought back to life with all their passion, bitterness, and ambition as they each try to live
the American dream.
Critique: Of special appeal to readers with an interest in historical fiction and celebrity biographical fiction, "A Beautiful
Rival: A Novel of Helena Rubinstein and Elizabeth Arden" is an enormously entertain, exceptionally well written novel by
Gill Paul who pays meticulous attention to historical details in his historical work of fiction. While a very highly
recommended pick for community library Historical/Literary Fiction collections, it should be noted for personal reading
lists that "A Beautiful Rival" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $11.99) and as a complete and
unabridged audio book (Blackstone Audio, 9798212694865, $41.99, CD).
Editorial Note: Gill Paul (http://gillpaul.com/author) is the author of twelve historical novels, many of them about real
women from the past whom she thinks have been marginalized or misjudged by historians. Her novels have reached the
top of the USA Today, Wall Street Journal, and Toronto Globe & Mail charts, and have been translated into twenty-two
languages. Gill also writes historical non-fiction, including A History of Medicine in 50 Objects and series of Love Stories.
Published around the world, this series includes Royal Love Stories, World War I Love Stories and Titanic Love
Stories.
Away from the Dead
David Bergen
Goose Lane Editions
www.gooselane.com
9781773103105, $24.95, PB, 226pp
https://www.amazon.com/Away-Dead-David-Bergen/dp/1773103105
Synopsis: Violence is the domain of both the rich and poor. Or so it seems in early 20th-century Ukraine during the tumult
of the Russian Revolution.
Anarchists, Bolsheviks, and the White Army all come and go, each claiming freedom and justice. In his novel, "Away from
the Dead", author David Bergen embeds his readers into the lives of characters connected through love, family, and
loyalty.
Lehn, a bookseller south of Kiev, deserts the army and writes poetry to his love back home; Sablin, an adopted
Mennonite-Ukrainian stableboy, runs with the anarchists only to discover that love and the planting of crops is preferable
to killing; Inna, a beautiful young peasant, tries to stop a Mennonite landowner from stealing her child.
In a world of violence, Sablin, Lehn, and Inna learn to love and hate and love again, hoping, against all odds, that one can
turn away from the dead.
Critique: Memorable, emotional, and thought-provoking, in the pages of "Away from the Dead", novelist David Bergen
reveals a world of yesteryear in which chaos reigned and where both the beauty and the horror of what humanity is capable
of are revealed. Simply stated, that "Away from the Dead" is especially and unreservedly recommended for personal
reading lists, as well as community and academic library Literary Fiction and Historical Fiction collections.
Editorial Note: David Bergen (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Bergen) is the author of numerous acclaimed novels
and short-story collections, including The Time In Between, winner of the Scotiabank Giller Prize, and Out of Mind,
winner of the McNally Robinson Book of the Year Award. "Away from the Dead" is his thirteenth book of fiction. He
lives in Winnipeg, Manitoba.
The Last True Templar
Boyd & Beth Morrison
Head of Zeus
https://headofzeus.com/home
9781801108683, $20.99, HC, 432pp
https://www.amazon.com/Last-True-Templar-Tales-Lawless/dp/1801108684
Synopsis: Italy, 1351. English knight Gerard Fox and the resourceful Willa have come through a death-defying journey
across war-torn Europe. Now looking towards their future together, they must first find a way to reconcile with their
difficult pasts.
In a small village between Florence and Siena, Fox and Willa are caught up in a deadly ambush. After rescuing the
enigmatic woman who is the target of the attack, they take refuge in her opulent villa and learn her heartbreaking story -- a
tale of loss, deception, as well as a burning desire for freedom.
Soon, Fox and Willa are involved in a perilous quest to save her family's legacy. To do so, they will have to solve a
mystery that points the way to the fabled lost treasure of the Knights Templar.
Critique: A carefully crafted and original medieval action/adventure novel, "The Last True Templar" is the sequel to co-
authors Boyd and Beth Morrison's historical novel "The Lawless Land". A perilous quest, a deadly legacy, knights in not-
so-shining armor, "The Last True Templar is a fun and riveting read from first page to last. While especially and
unreservedly recommended for community library Historical Fiction collections, it should be noted for personal reading
lists that "The Last True Templar" is also available in a paperback edition (9781801108706, $16.99) and in a digital book
format (Kindle, $8.99).
Editorial Note #1: Boyd Morrison (www.facebook.com/BoydMorrisonWriter) is author of twelve thrillers, including six
with Clive Cussler. His first novel, The Ark, was an Indie Next Notable pick and was translated into over a dozen
languages. He has a PhD in industrial engineering from Virginia Tech. You can follow Boyd on: @BoydMorrison IG:
@BoydMorrisonWriter
Editorial Note #2: Beth Morrison (www.facebook.com/BethMorrisonWriter) is Senior Curator of Manuscripts at the J.
Paul Getty Museum. She has curated major exhibitions including 'Imagining the Past in France, 1250-1500', and 'Book of
Beasts: The Bestiary in the Medieval World'. She has a PhD in the History of Art from Cornell University and can be
followed on: @BethMorrisonPhd IG: @BethMorrisonWriter
The LGBTQ Fiction Shelf
Disorderly Men
Edward Cahill
Empire State Editions
c/o Fordham University Press
www.fordhampress.com
9781531504441, $28.95, HC, 320pp
https://www.amazon.com/Disorderly-Men-Edward-Cahill/dp/1531504442
Synopsis: Roger Moorhouse is a Wall Street banker and Westchester family man with a preciously guarded secret. As the
shouting begins and flashlights blaze in his face, the life he's carefully curated over the years (a fancy new office
overlooking lower Broadway, a house in Beechmont Woods, his wife and children) is about to come crashing down around
him.
Columbia literature professor Julian Prince lives a comparatively uncloseted life when he finds his first committed
relationship tested to its limits. How could he explain to Gus, a fearless young artist, that he couldn't stay with him that
weekend because the woman who was still technically Julian's fiancee would be visiting? But when Gus is struck
unconscious by a police baton, Julian comes out of hiding to protect him, even if exposure means losing everything.
For Danny Duffy, an Irish kid from the Bronx with a sassy mouth and a diverse group of friends, the raid is a galvanizing,
Spartacus moment. Danny doesn't have too much left to lose; his family has just disowned him. But once his name appears
in the newspaper, he'll be fired from his job at Sloan's Supermarket, where he's risen to assistant manager of produce, and
begin a journey that veers between political enlightenment and violent revenge.
The three men find themselves in a police wagon together, their hidden lives threatened to be revealed to the world.
Blackmail, a private investigator, Gus's disappearance, and Danny's quest for retribution propel "Disorderly Men" to its
piercing conclusion, as each man meets the boundaries of his own fear, love, and shame. The stakes for each are different,
but all of them confront a fundamental question: How much happiness is he allowed to have -- and what share of it will he
lay claim to?
Critique: The story of three gay men in pre-Stonewall New York City who find their fates thrown together in the police
raid of a Village bar, "Disorderly Men" by novelist Edward Cahill will be of special and particular interest to readers in the
LGBTQ community. Although a work of fiction, the author has so accurately portrayed the times and events that were to
overcome centuries of abuse towards gay men in America and create changes that would go on to cultural and political
reforms that would ultimately result in a Supreme Court decision that would allow gay and lesbian couples to marry in the
eyes of the law. While also available for personal reading lists in a digital book format (Kindle, $27.50), "Disorderly Men"
is especially and unreservedly recommended for community library LGBTQ literary fiction collections and supplemental
LGBTQ demographic & gay history curriculum studies lists.
Editorial Note: Edward Cahill (www.edwardcahill.net) is Professor of English at Fordham University. He is the author of
Liberty of the Imagination: Aesthetic Theory, Literary Form, and Politics in the Early United States. Disorderly Men is his
first novel.
The Literary Fiction Shelf
No Use Pretending
Thomas A. Dodson
University of Iowa Press
www.uiowapress.org
9781609389178, $19.00, PB, 172pp
https://www.amazon.com/Pretending-Iowa-Short-Fiction-Award/dp/1609389174
Synopsis: The characters in the short stories that comprise "No Use Pretending" by Thomas A. Doson have been forced
into conditions of life that they find unbearable, and the stories chart their often tragically misguided attempts to relieve
their suffering via connections with other people or through the pursuit of addictive attachments (to opiates in one story, to
sleep in another).
This inherently fascinating collection encompasses diverse genres, from ecologically informed realism to a Kafkaesque
fairy tale, from fabulist "weird fiction" to an episode from The Odyssey that becomes a meditation on what distinguishes
human beings from animals. These stories invite the reader to reconsider moral and ideological certainties, to take a fresh
look at such issues as fracking and drone warfare.
In one story, a petroleum engineer discovers that one of his wastewater wells may be causing earthquakes, and in another
the pilot of an Air Force drone seeks to reconcile his conflicting roles as protector and executioner, husband and soldier.
The scientist and the serviceman are both presented with problems that have no easy or obvious solutions, situations that
force them to confront the messy, compromising complexity of being human.
Critique: With impressive literary excellence and eloquence, the eleven short stories comprising the Thomas A. Dodson
anthology, "No Use Pretending", are a compelling, memorable, and deftly crafted read. While especially and unreservedly
recommended for community and academic library Contemporary Literary Fictions & Short Story collections, it should be
noted for personal reading lists that "No Use Pretending" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle,
$9.99).
Editorial Note: Thomas A. Dodson (https://thomasadodson.com/about-thomas) is an assistant professor and librarian at
Southern Oregon University.
She's A Killer
Kirsten McDougall
Gallic Books
www.gallicbooks.com
9781913547653, $18.95, HC,
https://www.amazon.com/Shes-a-Killer/dp/1913547655
Synopsis: ALICE: 30-something, IQ of 159 (almost a genius), only communicates with her mother in Morse code. -- And
her imaginary friend is back.
ERIKA: 15, daughter of hot 'wealthugee' who loves Russian literature, is genuine genius, appreciates killer eyeliner and
possess killer instincts.
The climate is in crisis and wealthy immigrants are flocking to New Zealand for shelter, stealing land, driving up food
prices and taking over. But Alice has far more important things to worry about: hating her best friend's husband, getting
free wine and quiet-quitting her dull day job. Until she meets Erika.
Now, Alice is about to find herself drawn into action of the most radical (and dangerous) kind. Just what is a slacker to
do?
Critique: Original, iconoclastic, bold, brilliant, bizarre, and a compulsive page turner of a read from start to finish, "She's a
Killer" is a unique and very special satirical dystopian thriller. While highly recommended for community, college, and
university library Contemporary Literary Fiction collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "She's a
Killer" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.49).
Editorial Note: Kirsten McDougall (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kirsten_McDougall) is a New Zealand novelist, short
story writer and creative writing lecturer. She has published three novels, and won the 2021 Sunday Star-Times short story
competition.
The Romantic Fiction Shelf
The Little Beach Cafe
Sarah Hope
Boldwood Books
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print, Inc.
www.ulverscroft.com
9781805490913, $41.00, PB, Large Print, 388pp
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-little-beach-cafe-sarah-hope/1143775969
Synopsis: Love, friendship and new beginnings! It's all waiting for Pippa Jenkins at The Little Beach Cafe.
When Pippa's aunt leaves her a cafe by the beach, it doesn't take her long to jump at the chance of a new start. Waving
goodbye to mounting debt, threatening bailiffs and never-ending shifts at a job she hates, she and her young son, Joshua,
prepare for their new life. But as Pippa strives to make her new business a success, the arrival of her ex makes her question
everything. Will she succumb to his charms, or will Joe, the local plumber, be able to repair Pippa's heart?
Critique: With a very special appeal to fans of 'new beginnings' and 'starting over' romance novels, "The Little Beach Cafe"
by author Sarah Hope is as memorably entertaining as it is original, deftly crafted, and offering the basis of a Hallmark
Channel romance movie of the week! A fun diversion of a read from first page to lasts, this large print paperback edition of
"The Little Beach Cafe" from Boldwood Books is especially commended as a pick for personal reading lists and
community library Contemporary Romance Fiction collections.
Editorial Note: Sarah Hope prefers to write romance novels and novellas with a Happy Ever After ending. She has two
main romance series, the Escape To... series that focuses on single mums taking a chance and fulfilling their career dreams
as well as finding love, and The Cornish Bakery series, that follows a busy bakery in a beautiful fictional bay in Cornwall.
She has also written some women's fiction books. (https://www.boldwoodbooks.com/contributor/sarah-hope)
Every Duke Has His Day
Suzanne Enoch
St. Martin's Griffin
c/o St. Martin's Press
https://us.macmillan.com/smp
9781250842541, $17.99, PB, 320pp
https://www.amazon.com/Every-Duke-Has-His-Day/dp/1250842549
Synopsis: Michael Bromley, Duke of Woriton, has a passion, but it's not for chasing ladies or gambling till dawn. No, his
is the far more dangerous pursuit of the science of chemistry. He may be a tad eccentric, but he can navigate a society
ballroom, and manage a polite conversation -- if he must. He's certainly capable of taking care of his aunt's perfectly
behaved poodle, Lancelot, while she's on holiday.
Elizabeth "Bitsy" Dockering, third daughter of a viscount, is enjoying her second, spectacular Season in London. She is a
Diamond of the Season and is adored by all -- and especially by her precious black poodle, Galahad. To everyone else,
however, Galahad is a demon dog. So much so that Bitsy's most insistent beau and particular victim of Galahad's bad
manners, has hired a thief to steal the dog, clearing the way for his suit.
But none of them can plan for a chaotic encounter in the park, resulting in lost notes, a soaking in the Serpentine and an
accidental dog swap... and Lancelot being kidnapped instead of Galahad! Determined to locate the dog, Michael isn't
thrilled to be saddled with a flighty female insisting on helping - except that Bitsy has a great deal more sense than he
expected. And a sharp tongue to match. Still, what's a scientist to do but continue to pursue an outcome, however
unexpected it may be? But chemistry is all about attraction, and this is one formula with some hilariously romantic
results.
Critique: A deftly crafted and fun read from cover to cover, "Every Duke Has His Day" by Suzanne Enoch will have a very
special interest for fans of Regency Romance novels. Offering the kind of wonderfully entertaining and original story that
BBC television series and movies are made, "Every Duke Has His Day" is fully recommended for community library
Historical Romance Fiction collections. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of growing legions of Suzanne
Enock fans that "Every Duke Has His Day" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $12.99).
Editorial Note: Suzanne Enoch (https://suzanneenoch.com) loves movies almost as much as she loves books. She has
written more than 50 books, including Regency romances, historical romances, and contemporary romantic suspense.
Four Seasons at Cutler's: A Year to Choose the One
Caroline McBride
Post Hill Press
www.posthillpress.com
9798888451182, $17.99, PB, 306pp
https://www.amazon.com/Four-Seasons-Cutlers-Year-Choose/dp/B0C9SDHKYR
Synopsis: Serial dater Charlotte believes she has finally found her soul mate in Wyatt, but his elusive behavior leads her to
question his feelings for her. Completely devoted to him, she desperately tries to sustain their relationship while navigating
a demanding public relations career. When Charlotte meets Travis, her new boss, he offers a reprieve from the doldrums
caused by Wyatt's mixed signals. Dating the owner of the restaurant group who recently acquired her company in a hostile
takeover is a conflict of interest, but she can't resist his Southern charm. Until Wyatt resurfaces...
This neurodivergent love triangle takes place during a whirlwind year of travel (both for business and for pleasure) as
Charlotte faces challenges and self-discovery in vibrant destinations including Dubai, Mexico City, Los Angeles,
Philadelphia, Chicago, Miami, Las Vegas, Boston, Houston, East Hampton, and Park City. Escaping her tiny studio
apartment in New York City, she visits her family in Southern California and enjoys romantic interludes in Cannes,
Florence, Sirmione, Toronto, Puerto Rico, and Santa Barbara.
Critique: "Four Seasons at Cutler's: A Year to Choose the One" by Caroline McBride is a fun romantic comedy about
falling in love with someone who communicates differently than those smooth operators who appear perfect. The author's
genuine flair for originality and the kind of narrative driven storytelling and sense of humor is fully demonstrated in the
carefully constructed characters and a memorably entertaining story that will have a very special appeal for fans of Rom-
Coms. While a very strongly recommended pick for community library Contemporary Romance Fiction collections, it
should be noted for personal reading lists that "Four Seasons at Cutler's: A Year to Choose the One" is also readily
available in digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
Editorial Note: Caroline Alexa McBride (https://carolinemcbride.com) grew up in sunny Southern California and remained
there for college to earn her B.A. in Political Science at Loyola Marymount University. She holds an M.A. in International
Relations from the Universiteit van Amsterdam in The Netherlands where she studied as a Rotary International
Ambassadorial Scholar. As a publicist, she spent the past decade marketing, branding and launching restaurants across the
globe, as well as consulting for private clients. "Four Seasons at Angelino's" is McBride's debut novel. She was encouraged
by the love of her life to venture into writing fiction as a creative outlet inspired by her work experiences and personal
escapades around the world.
Lost and Found
Suzanne Woods Fisher
Fleming H. Revell Company
c/o Baker Publishing Group
www.revellbooks.com
9780800739522, $17.99, PB, 320pp
https://www.amazon.com/Lost-Found-Suzanne-Woods-Fisher/dp/0800739523
Synopsis: Trudy Yoder shares a passion for birding with Micah Weaver -- and she has an even greater passion for Micah.
Their friendship is finally turning romantic when Micah abruptly grows cold. Worse still, he wants to leave Stoney
Ridge.
Micah Weaver thought he was over Trudy's older sister. A year and a half ago, Shelley had broken his heart when she ran
away from Stoney Ridge to pursue a singing career in Nashville. Then, out of the blue, she's started to leave distressing
phone messages for him.
When the bishop asks for volunteers to scout out a possible church relocation in Tennessee, Micah is the first to raise his
hand. Despite scant details, he's confident he can find Shelley. After all, his reputation as a field guide is based on finding
birds that don't want to be found.
What Micah doesn't know is that what you're looking for isn't always what you find.
Critique: An Amish romance at its very best, author and storyteller Suzanne Woods Fisher's latest novel, "Lost and Found"
is a fun read from cover to cover. While a highly recommended pick for personal reading lists and community library
romance fiction collections, it should be noted that "Lost and Found" is also readily available in a digital book format
(Kindle, $12.99).
Editorial Note: Suzanne Woods Fisher is the award-winning, bestselling author of more than 30 books, including The
Moonlight School, Anything but Plain, The Sweet Life,and The Secret to Happiness, as well as the Three Sisters Island,
Nantucket Legacy, Amish Beginnings, The Bishop's Family, The Deacon's Family, and The Inn at Eagle Hill series. She is
also the author of several nonfiction books about the Amish, including Amish Peace and Amish Proverbs. She lives in
California. You can learn more at her at www.suzannewoodsfisher.com and follow her on Facebook
@SuzanneWoodsFisherAuthor and Twitter @suzannewfisher
The Western Fiction Shelf
The Guns of Gabriel
Sheldon B. Cole
Linford Western Library
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print, Inc.
www.ulverscroft.com
9781444850321, $24.50, PB, Large Print, 204pp
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-guns-of-gabriel-sheldon-b-cole/1136785775
Synopsis: Blake Durant is one of the crew driving Jay Hurwood's cattle to the railhead at Gabriel. The trail has been hard,
but nothing more than he'd expected. Then two murders are committed, right out on the open prairie, and suddenly
everyone becomes a suspect. Because there wasn't any love lost between Blake and the victim Joe Sowarth, Joe's brother
Lanny is convinced that Blake is the culprit, and figures to even the score any way he can. But there is more going on
around Hurwood's trail drive than anyone can imagine. The only way Blake can clear his name is by finding the real
killer...and their sinister motive!
Critique: Sheldon B. Cole is as good as he his prolific when it comes to action/adventure western novels. The large print
paperback edition of "The Guns of Gabriel" from the Linford Western Library series is a fun read from start to finish and is
unreservedly commended for both personal reading lists and community library Western Fiction collections.
Editorial Note: Roger Norris-Green (aka Sheldon B. Cole) has written 137 published westerns under 6 pen names plus 2
under his own name. Some of his westerns have received 'Best Western of the Month' awards. Roger lives with his wife
Elaine in Moonta Bay, South Australia. Although retired, he is still writing and has published more than 140 western
novels.
The Big Ranchero
E. Jefferson Clay
Linford Western Library
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print, Inc.
www.ulverscroft.com
9781444850277, $24.50, PB, Large Print, 228pp
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-big-ranchero-e-jefferson-clay/1136785770
Synopsis: After witnessing the cold-blooded killing of a man named Boyd Larsen, Duke Benedict and Hank Brazos find
themselves up to their gunbelts in mystery, murder and mayhem. Larsen was an insurance man investigating a claim of
rustled stock on Rancho Antigua, and his notes include a familiar name - Bo Rangle, the cut-throat outlaw the pair have
been tracking ever since he robbed them of a fortune during the Civil War. Benedict and Brazos set out to run the rustlers
to ground and exact their revenge on Rangle. But those cattle seem to have vanished right off the face of the earth!
Critique: Another superbly crafted and thoroughly fun action/adventure westerns starring the former Union Army Captain
Duke Benedict and his unlikely partner, former Confederate Sargent Hank Brazo -- and once again featuring that infamous
villain of the plains, Bo Rangle and his latest outlaw band. Warning -- the Benedict & Brazo westerns are addictive.
Nevertheless, this large print paperback edition of "The Big Ranchero" from the Linford Western Library series is a 'must'
for the personal reading lists of all western novel fans and a prime pick for community library Western Fiction
collections.
Editorial Note: E. Jefferson Clay (www.fantasticfiction.com/c/e-jefferson-clay) is one of the many pseudonyms for
Australian author, comic book writer and illustrator Paul Wheelahan.
Two Guns To Apache Wells
Cole Shelton
Linford Western Library
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print, Inc.
www.ulverscroft.com
9781444850338, $24.50, PB, Large Print, 210pp
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/two-guns-to-apache-wells-cole-shelton/1136777151
Synopsis: Rancher's daughter Rebecca Donnell is marked for death after recognizing one of the men robbing the stage she
is traveling on. Her father knows only that she has vanished off the face of the earth, so he hires Shane Preston and Jonah
Jones to find her -- or her body. The two gunfighters ride into the wilderness and discover the remains of the missing
stagecoach. Nearby are three shallow graves. Their quest should have ended there. But the lean gunfighter and his crusty
old companion know they won't rest until they settle with the killers themselves, the outlaws that call themselves the Long
Knife outfit.
Critique: A riveting read with more plot twists and turns that a Texas tornado, this large print paperback edition of"Two
Guns To Apache Wells" by western novelist Cole Shelton and from the Linford Western Library series is a fascinating and
compelling read from beginning to end. Original, exceptional, memorable, "Two Guns To Apache Wells" is a highly
recommended pick for the personal reading list of western novel fans and community library Western Fiction
collections.
Editorial Note: Cole Shelton is a prolific writer of action packed western novels. An impressive listing of them can be
found at (https://www.goodreads.com/author/list/7160486.Cole_Shelton)
Race Against Time
P. J. Gallagher
Linford Western Library
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print, Inc.
www.ulverscroft.com
9781444850499, $24.50, PB, Large Print, 228pp
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/race-against-time-p-j-gallagher/1137640879
Synopsis: Corporal Race Monro, a former Confederate officer and now a member of the North West Mounted Police, is on
a mission into Montana Territory when he is attacked and left for dead by fellow trooper Bill Westerman. But Race
survives, and he must complete his assignment - in addition to bringing his would-be murderer to justice...
Critique: P. J. Gallagher is among the best of the western novelist. His latest action/adventure epic, "Race Against Time" is
another of his impressively original, carefully crafted and thoroughly entertaining stories that his legions of fans have come
to expect. This large print paperback edition from the Linford Western Library series is an especially welcome addition to
personal reading lists and community library Western Fiction collections.
Editorial Note: P. J. Gallagher served in the British Army. He has written and had published close to 20 articles for The
Journal of the Royal Artillery, competed for the past 20 years in Cowboy Action Shooting, and is a collector of antique
firearms. There is an extensive listing of his books at: https://www.goodreads.com/author/list/281621.Paul_Gallagher
The Mystery/Suspense Shelf
Overdue or Die
Allison Brook
Crooked Lane Books
www.crookedlanebooks.com
9781639104833, $31.99, HC, 304pp
https://www.amazon.com/Overdue-Die-Haunted-Library-Mystery/dp/1639104836
Synopsis: Carrie Singleton has more than her fair share on her plate: her job at the Clover Ridge Library, preparing for her
wedding to Dylan Avery, and hoping that the local art gallery doesn't steal away one of her part-time employees. Her fiance
Dylan accompanies her to the beautiful home of Victor Zalinka (art collector and successful businessman) to select
paintings for an art show at the library. While Carrie muses that Victor's home would be the perfect wedding venue, Dylan
spots a forgery among the paintings in Victor's collection.
Then Martha Mallory is found murdered in her art gallery. With the assistance of Evelyn, the library ghost; the resident cat,
Smoky Joe; and the office manager of Dylan's private investigation company, Carrie comes up with a suspect list long
enough to rival the size of an encyclopedia. During her investigation, Carrie stumbles across a terrible truth: Martha's
murder was part of something far bigger and more dangerous than she could have ever imagined. And it all leads back to
the art gallery.
How far will Carrie go to find the killer and uncover the truth? If the killer finds her first - will Carrie finally be taken out
of circulation?
Critique: The seventh and newest addition to novelist Allison Brooks' 'A Haunted Library' cozy mystery series, "Overdue
or Die" is yet another carefully crafted and fun read with all the elements her fans have come to expect -- an intrepid
amateur female sleuth finding herself compelled to solve a puzzling murder mystery with many a false lead and
unexpected plot twist. A 'must read' pick for the growing legions of cozy mystery enthusiasts in general, and Allison Books
fans in particular, "Overdue or Die" is readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $18.99) and a welcome,
unreservedly recommended addition to community library Mystery/Suspense collections.
Editorial Note: Allison Brook (https://cozy-mystery.com/allison-brook.html) is a former Spanish teacher who now writes
cozy mysteries, and romantic suspense novels.
Lord James Harrington And The Michaelmas Fair Mystery
Lynn Florkiewicz
Isis Large Print
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print, Inc.
www.ulverscroft.com
9781399125765, $41.00, PB, Large Print, 342pp
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/lord-james-harrington-and-the-michaelmas-fair-mystery-lyn n-florkiewicz/114011216
9
Synopsis: It's a busy time of year for Lord James Harrington and his wife Beth. Their good friends Bert and Gladys are
getting married; James has a school reunion to attend; and he and Beth have entered the London-to-Brighton veteran car
run.
Before all that, there is the Michaelmas Fair in the village to enjoy. But matters take a sinister turn when the body of the
founder of the Jolly Madrigals singing group is discovered after the fair. James' friend DCI George Lane is in charge of the
investigation, but as further murders occur, he grows increasingly baffled. James and George are convinced that a single
killer is responsible for these deaths. But what could possibly connect the victims?
With dogged determination, James delves into his own past for clues -- and is shocked at what he learns!
Critique: A perfectly crafted and classic 'whodunnit' historical murder mystery, this large print paperback edition of "Lord
James Harrington And The Michaelmas Fair Mystery" by Lynn Florkiewicz is a fun read for mystery buffs from first page
to last -- and has the highest recommendation possible for personal reading lists and community library Mystery/Suspense
collections.
Editorial Note: Author Lynn Florkiewicz has created an informative website dedicated to her Lord James Harrington
novels at www.lordjamesharrington.com
Murder in Siena
T. A. Williams
Boldwood Books
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print, Inc.
www.ulverscroft.com
9781804832486, $41.00, PB, Large Print, 304pp
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/murder-in-siena-t-a-williams/1143427411
Synopsis: It's a lazy weekend in the country as Dan Armstrong and the new love of his life, Anna, are heading to a hotel
deep in the gorgeous Tuscan countryside for a long weekend, looking forward to some time away from the stresses of their
day jobs. With the beautiful and historic city of Siena just around the corner, it promises to be relaxing and enjoyable.
What could possibly go wrong?
A mutilated body! But when a mutilated body is discovered in the hotel grounds Dan is called in to help with the
investigation. But who or what could have been responsible for such a vicious attack? Was it the work of wild animals, or
is there a brutal murderer at large? A killer who cried wolf? Dan knows he is dealing with a clever killer -- whether two or
four legged! And as he sets out to solve the case he begins to worry about his own loyal canine companion. Could Oscar be
in more danger than any of the other hotel guests or is a murderer trying to cover their tracks? It's another case for Dan and
Oscar to solve!
Critique: Another carefully crafted, impressively written, cozy mystery fun delight for fans of this increasingly popular
genre, with the publication of "Murder in Siena", novelist T. A. Williams continues the adventures of Dan Armstrong, a
British police officer now retired and residing the loveliest (and apparently murderous) Italian countryside who keeps
finding himself helping the local Italian police with still another puzzling murder mystery. This large print trade paperback
edition of "Murder in Siena" from Boldwood Books is especially commended to personal and community library
Mystery/Suspense collections.
Editorial Note: T. A. Williams (www.boldwoodbooks.com/contributor/t-a-williams)is the author of more than twenty
bestselling romances for HQ and Canelo and has now turned his hand to writing cosy crime novels set in his beloved Italy.
The series introduces us to retired DCI Armstrong and his labrador canine companion Oscar. The other titles in this series
include Murder in Tuscany, Murder in Chianti, Murder in Florence, and Murder at the Matterhorn.
Mayhem in the Mountains
Kelly Oliver
Boldwood Books
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print, Inc.
www.ulverscroft.com
9781804831779, $41.00, PB, Large Print, 420pp
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/books/1143493644
Synopsis: 1918 Italy. When a deadly blizzard traps Fiona Figg and Kitty Lane in the Dolomite Mountains, it's all downhill
from here. Their hotel is snowed-in, and no one can get in or out. Then a man is found dead in his locked hotel room -' and
that means the killer is still on the premises. But with no murder weapon and too many suspects, their investigation is
treading on thin ice. The colder it gets outside, the hotter it gets inside as Fiona squares off with both her beloved Archie
and her nemesis Fredricks. With her love-life on a slippery-slope, Fiona risks everything in one bold move!
Critique: Another riveting read that is part of novelist Kelly Oliver's outstanding Fiona Figg & Kitty Lane Mystery Series,
"Mayhem in the Mountains" has everything a 'whodunnit' mystery fan could want -- carefully crafted characters embedded
in an inherently fascinating and original story replete with unexpected plot twists and turns, leading to a dramatic and
memorable conclusion. This large print trade paperback edition from Boldwood Books is an especially recommended pick
for personal reading lists and community library Mystery/Suspense collections.
Editorial Note: Kelly Oliver (KellyOliverBooks.com) is a Distinguished Professor Emerita of Philosophy at Vanderbilt
University and the award-winning author of three mystery series: the seven-book suspense Jessica James Mysteries; the
three-book middle grade Pet Detective Mysteries; and the five-book historical cozy Fiona Figg Mysteries. Kelly is also the
current Vice President of Sisters in Crime.
Foul Play at Seal Bay
Judy Leigh
Boldwood Books
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print, Inc.
www.ulverscroft.com
9781837514564, $41.00, PB, Large Print, 418pp
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/foul-play-at-seal-bay-judy-leigh/1143466259
Synopsis: It was meant to be the start of quiet season in the sleepy Cornish village of Seal Bay, but not for sexagenarian
librarian and wild swimming enthusiast Morwenna Mutton. Because when a local businessman is found on the beach with
a bread knife in his back, bungling police officer DI Rick Tremayne is soon out of his depth. Morwenna knows it's going to
be down to her to crack the case. The list of people the victim upset is long, the evidence is slight, and an arrest illusive.
Morwenna has plenty to occupy her time what with ghostly goings-on at the library and skulduggery at her granddaughter's
school, but she could never resist a challenge. And even the most ruthless of murderers should quake at the sight of this
amateur sleuth getting on her bike to track them down.
Critique: Everything that a cozy mystery fan could want is to be found in novelist Judy Leigh's "Foul Play at Sea Bay".
Shades of Miss Marple! An elderly and respectable lady must play sleuth if a the culprit is to be found in this entertainingly
crafted 'whodunnit' murder mystery. A part of author Judy Leigh's 'A Morwenna Mutton Mystery' series, this large print
trade paperback edition of "Foul Play at Seal Bay" from Boldwood Books will prove to be an immediate and enduringly
popular pick for personal and community library Mystery/Suspense collections.
Editorial Note: Judy Leigh (https://www.bookseriesinorder.com/judy-leigh) has had a 20 year career as an Advanced Skills
instructor of Theater Studies. She left that to complete an MA in Professional Writing at Falmouth University. As a
professional writer she has been published in magazines including the Feminist Wire, The Purple Breakfast Review, and
You is for University.
A Marriage To Murder For
E. V. Hunter
Boldwood Books
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print, Inc.
www.ulverscroft.com
9781804835869, $41.00, PB, Large Print, 384pp
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-marriage-to-murder-for-ev-hunter/1143611722
Synopsis: Social media influencer Crystabel Hughes is determined that her high society wedding to Giles Preston Smythe
will be the talk of the town. No matter the cost or the upset, nothing will stop this wedding. Except maybe a cheating
groom!
But for Alexi Ellis and the rest of the staff at Hopgood Hall, Crystabel's demands are becoming increasingly extreme. And
when Alexi spots the groom getting up close and personal with one of the bridesmaids, she fears trouble is only a bouquet
toss away. A killer bride caught red-handed?
And Alexi's fears are confirmed when the groom is found dead on the night before the wedding, stabbed through the heart
-- the person holding the dagger is his beloved bride-to be Crystabel. Hopgood Hall doesn't need any more bad press, but
the race is on to find the killer and close the case before Crystabel live streams her dilemma.
Can Alexi, Jack and Cosmo find out why Giles was killed? And, more importantly, can they stop the killer before they
strike again?
Critique: A riveting great read from first page to last, "A Marriage to Murder For" is novelist E. V. Hunter's third book in
her "Hopgood Hall Murder Mystery' series and another winner of a pick for the dedicated historical mystery/crime fiction
fan. This large print trade paperback edition of "A Marriage to Murder For" is especially and unreservedly recommended
for community library Mystery/Suspense collections and a 'must' for the growing legions of E. V. Hunter fans.
Editorial Note: E. V. Hunter (https://wendysoliman.com/about) is the pen name of author Wendy Soliman who has written
some of the best crime fiction being produced today.
Murder on the Farm
Kate Wells
Boldwood Books
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print, Inc.
www.ulverscroft.com
9781785134173, $41.00, PB, Large Print, 490pp
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/murder-on-the-farm-kate-wells/1143599221
Synopsis: Lambing season always brings the unexpected. But no one anticipated murder!
Jude Gray never thought she'd find herself widowed and running a working farm full-time, but here she is, living in the
small Malvern village her husband spent most of his life in. After a particularly gruelling lambing season, she is looking
forward to some time off, but there's no rest for the wicked, especially when she finds the body of one of Adam's oldest
friends on her farm.
Jude refuses to believe the official line, that Sarah's death was a suicide, and starts an investigation of her own. But as the
body count rises, danger creeps ever closer to Malvern Farm. A killer is on the prowl. And all that stands in their way is
one woman -- and her dog.
Critique: "Murder on the Farm" is another carefully crafted cozy mystery showcasing novelist Kte Wells' complete and
impressive mastery of the 'whodunnit' genre with its nonprofessional, driven to it by circumstance, female sleuth trying to
solve a murder mystery in dangerous circumstances. Replete with more unexpected twists and turns than an Oklahoma
tornado, and launching her new 'A Malvern Farm Mystery' series, this large print trade paperback edition of "Murder on
the Farm" is especially recommended for both personal reading lists and community library Mystery/Suspense
collections.
Editorial Note: There is a substantial listing of the published works of Kate Wells online at
https://www.goodreads.com/author/list/742356.Kate_Wells
Murder in the Bookshop
Anita Davison
Boldwood Books
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print, Inc.
www.ulverscroft.com
9781785133091, $41.00, PB, Large Print, 384pp
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/murder-in-the-bookshop-anita-davison/1143539359
Synopsis: 1915, London, and someone's been read their last rites.
Working in the dusty bookshop that her Aunt Violet mysteriously inherited, Hannah Merrill is accustomed to finding
twists in every tale. But discovering in the middle of the bookshop her beloved best friend Lily-Anne with a paperknife
through her heart is not a plotline she saw coming.
The case is anything but textbook. With the discovery of a coded German message, and Hannah's instinct that Lily-Anne's
husband is keeping secrets, she determines to get to the bottom of it. She can't do it alone though. To crack this case,
Hannah will need the enlist the help of her outrageous, opinionated, only-occasionally-objectionable Aunt Violet.
They think they're making progress until one of their chief suspects is found dead. And Hannah realises that she is herself
now in the murderer's sights. Will the final chapter be the ending of a killer -- or just a killer ending?
Critique: A 'Miss Merrill and Aunt Violet Mystery" by novelist Anita Davison, "Murder in the Bookshop" is especially
commended to the attention of all dedicated cozy mystery readers as a deftly crafted and fun read from first page to last.
This large print paperback edition from Boldwood Books is a deftly crafted and highly recommended addition to both
personal reading lists and community library Mystery/Suspense collections.
Editorial Note: Anita Davison's first published novels were set in the 17th Century, about The Woufe Family of Loxsbeare
in Exeter during the Monmouth Rebellion and the Glorious Revolution. Royalist Rebel, based on Elizabeth Murray, later
the Duchess of Lauderdale during her youth in the English Civil War. Her current works are the Flora Maguire Mysteries,
a series of Edwardian Cosy Mysteries published by Aria Fiction. The first book is Flora's Secret set on an Atlantic
Steamship in 1900, followed by Betrayal at Cleeve Abbey, A Knightsbridge Scandal, The Forgotten Children and The
Bloomsbury Affair which was released in November 2018.
Malibu Burning
Lee Goldberg
Thomas & Mercer
https://amazonpublishing.amazon.com/thomas-mercer.html
9781662500671, $28.99, HC, 304pp
https://www.amazon.com/Malibu-Burning-Lee-Goldberg/dp/166250067X
Synopsis: Hell comes to Southern California every October. It rides in on searing Santa Ana winds that blast at near
hurricane force, igniting voracious wildfires. Master thief Danny Cole longs for the flames. A tsunami of fire is exactly
what he needs to pull off a daring crime and avenge a fallen friend.
As the most devastating firestorms in Los Angeles' history scorch the hills of Malibu, relentless arson investigator Walter
Sharpe and his wild card of a new partner, Andrew Walker, a former US marshal, suspect that someone set the massive
blazes intentionally, a terrifying means to an unknown end.
While the flames rage out of control, Danny pursues his brilliant scheme, unaware that Sharpe and Walker are closing in.
But when they all collide in a canyon of fire, everything changes, pitting them against an unexpected enemy within an
inescapable inferno.
Critique: Given a timely sense of authenticity with respect to the fires currently plaguing Southern California, "Malibu
Burning" by Lee Goldberg will have a special appeal to fans of police procedure mystery thrillers. Original and compelling
from first page to last, "Malibu Burning is highly recommended, especially for community library Contemporary
Mystery/Suspense collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "Malibu Burning" is also available in a
paperback edition (9781662500688, $16.99) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $4.99).
Editorial Note: Lee Goldberg (https://en.wikipedia.org wiki Lee_Goldberg) is an American author, screenwriter, publisher
and producer known for his bestselling novels and TV crime series. He is the author of the .357 Vigilante, True Fiction and
The Man with the Iron-On Badge series, as well as the .357 Vigilante TV series. He also wrote and produced Diagnosis
Murder, A Nero Wolfe Mystery, Monk and other shows.
Death in the Reeds
John Gibson
Stark House Press
www.starkhousepress.com
9781951473853, $15.95, PB, 302pp
https://www.amazon.com/Death-Reeds-John-Gibson/dp/195147385X
Synopsis: At the start of the Iraq War, a priceless antiquity is stolen from the Iraq Museum. The three thousand year old
Death in the Reeds which once decorated an ancient throne. There are only two in the world, and billionaire collectors will
pay hundreds of millions of dollars to secure it. The thief escapes Iraq with his prize, but is murdered before he can sell it.
And now the missing antiquity becomes the object of a frantic chase.
In San Francisco, sexy TV star Cass Popadop (a close friend to Mickey Judge, recently hired by one of the local stations
after being fired from New York) finds out about the stolen art and tries to score a multi-million dollar commission. She
tempts the brother of the dead thief to fly to the Mideast, track it down and bring it back to San Francisco.
All the while, hired killer Pete Grand is stalking the object himself, dispatching anyone who gets in his way with a quick
toss from a fatal height.
And in the midst of all this grasping, greedy collection of crooked politicians, media moguls and rich eccentrics, Mickey
Judge finds himself becoming the ultimate bait in a chase for the billion dollar prize.
Critique: A deftly crafted an inherent engaging 'Mickey Judge Mystery' by novelist John Gibson is a simply riveting read
from start to finish. Memorable characters, original storyline, and more unexpected twists and turns than a Texas tornado,
"Death in the Reeds" is an especially and unreservedly recommended pick for community library Mystery/Suspense
collections. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of dedicated crime fiction fans that "Death in the Reeds" is also
available in a digital book format (Kindle, $5.99).
Editorial Note: John Gibson (http://starkhousepress.com/gibson.php) was a television news reporter, a network news
correspondent, a cable news anchor and a radio talk show host for over four decades. He lives in Texas. OJ's Knife was his
first novel, also published by Stark House. He previously published non fiction titles The War On Christmas, Hating
America, and How the Left Swiftboated America.
Murder and Mamon
Mia P. Manasala
Berkley Books
c/o Penguin/Random House
https://www.penguin.com/berkley-overview
9780593549162, $17.00, PB, 288pp
https://www.amazon.com/Murder-Mamon-Rosies-Kitchen-Mystery/dp/0593549163
Synopsis: Lila Macapagal's godmothers April, Mae, and June (aka the Calendar Crew) are celebrating the opening of their
latest joint business venture, a new laundromat, to much fanfare (and controversy).
However, what should've been a joyous occasion quickly turns into a tragedy when they discover the building has been
vandalized -- and the body of Ninang April's niece, recently arrived from the Philippines, next to a chilling message
painted on the floor. The question is, was the message aimed at the victim or Lila's gossipy godmothers, who have
not-so-squeaky-clean reputations?
With Ninang April falling apart from grief and little progress from the Shady Palms Police Department in this slippery
case, it's up to Lila and her network to find justice for the young woman.
The Calendar Crew have stuck their noses into everybody's business for years, but now the tables are turned as Lila must
pry into the Calendar Crew's lives to figure out who has a vendetta against the (extremely opinionated yet loving) aunties
and stop them before they strike again.
Critique: A 'Tita Rosie's Kitchen Mystery', "Murder and Mamon" by novelist and book coach Mia P. Manansala is a deftly
crafted amateur lady sleuth cozy mystery novel that is an original and fun read from first page to last. Memorable
characters and more plot twists that a Kansas tornado, "Murder and Mamon" is a truly riveting read and will prove to be a
welcome and popular addition to community library Mystery/Suspense collections. It should be noted for the personal
reading lists of dedicated mystery buffs that "Murder and Mamon" is also readily available in a digital book format
(Kindle, $11.99).
Editorial Note: Mia P. Manansala (https://www.miapmanansala.com) is a talented writer from Chicago who loves books,
baking, and badass women. She uses humor (and murder) to explore aspects of the Filipino diaspora, queerness, and her
millennial love for pop culture.
Harlem After Midnight
Louise Hare
Berkley Books
c/o Penguin/Random House
https://www.penguin.com/berkley-overview
9780593439289, $28.00, HC, 352pp
https://www.amazon.com/Harlem-After-Midnight-Canary-Mystery/dp/0593439287
Synopsis: Harlem, 1936: Lena Aldridge is a woman who grew up in a cramped corner of London, hearing stories of the
bright lights of Broadway. She always imagined that when she finally went to New York City, she'd be there with her
father. But now he's dead, and she's newly arrived and alone, chasing a dream that has quickly dried up.
When Will Goodman (the handsome musician she met on the crossing from England) offers for her to stay with his friends
in Harlem, she agrees. She has nowhere else to go, and this will give her a chance to get to know Will better and see if she
can find any trace of the family she might have remaining.
Will's friends welcome her with open arms, but just as Lena discovers the stories her father once told her were missing
giant pieces of information, she also starts to realize the man she's falling too fast and too hard for has secrets of his own.
And they might just place a target on her back.
Especially when she is drawn to the brightest stage in town.
Critique: A finely fashion, deftly crafted novel by an author with a genuine flair for the kind of original and narrative
driven storytelling that keeps the reader's total attention from first page to last, "Harlem After Midnight" by novelist Louis
Hare is especially and unreservedly recommended pick for community library contemporary African/American mystery
and suspense thriller fiction collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "Harlem After Dark" is also
readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $14.99).
Editorial Note: Louise Hare (https://louisehare.com) is the London-based author of Miss Aldridge Regrets. Her debut
novel, This Lovely City, was published in the UK to wide acclaim, and was a Between the Covers Book Club Pick on BBC
Two. She has an MA in creative writing from the University of London.
The Messenger
Megan Davis
Pegasus Crime
c/o Pegasus Books
www.pegasusbooks.com
9781639364473, $27.95, HC, 448pp
https://www.amazon.com/Messenger-Novel-Megan-Davis/dp/1639364471
Synopsis: After moving back to Paris to live with his French dad, Alex Giraud is struggling to fit in among the kids of the
rich elite at his exclusive school and he feels stifled by the expectations of his overbearing father. Eddy Giraud used to be
one of the most fearless journalists in Paris, but his professional and personal disappointments have made him a cynical,
opportunistic man who has little patience for his son's lack of ambition.
Desperate to escape the increasingly suffocating atmosphere at home, Alex seeks freedom in the French metropolis where
his new-found friend Sami teaches him the rules of the street. But everything has a price -- and one night of rebellion
changes their lives forever. A simple plan for a robbery takes a sinister turn when Alex's father is found dead.
Despite protesting their innocence, Alex and Sami are imprisoned for murder. Seven years later, Alex is released from
prison with a single purpose: discover who really killed his father.
As he searches for answers, Alex is tormented by his sense of guilt for his father (and for Sami) and, as he begins to
uncover the truth about his father's killer, other shocking revelations with far-reaching consequences come to light. Will
Alex be able to survive his own personal demons and, after all this time, bring the murderer to justice?
Critique: An elegant, original, deftly crafted, and inherently fascinating, memorable read from cover to cover, "The
Messenger" by novelist Megan Davis will be of special interest to fans of murder mysteries and suspense thrillers. While a
very highly recommended pick for community library Contemporary Mystery/Suspense collections, it should be noted for
the personal reading lists of all dedicated mystery buffs that "The Messenger" is also available in a digital book format
(Kindle, $17.99).
Editorial Note: Megan Davis (https://megandavis.co.uk) has worked in the film industry and her credits include
Atonement, In Bruges, Pride and Prejudice, and the Bourne films. Megan is also a lawyer at Spotlight on Corruption. Her
debut The Messenger, won the Bridport Prize for a first unpublished novel, judged by Kamila Shamsie, as well as the Lucy
Cavendish Prize. She currently resides in London.
Code Crisis
Joseph Purpura, MD
Greenleaf Book Group Press
www.greenleafbookgroup.com
9798886450132, $27.95, HC, 360pp
https://www.amazon.com/Code-Crisis-Joe-Purpura/dp/B0BDXZZ5M6
Synopsis: Dr. Vince DeLuca would normally take a Tito's straight up with two olives after a ruptured ectopic pregnancy
nearly flatlined a patient. Maybe follow it up with a one-night stand to chase away memories of the trauma that has kept
his emotional life stagnant for so long.
But when he overhears one of his recovering patients (married to the CEO of a defense contractor) mumbling about
"stingers", "revenge", and her affair with a mysterious man named Salaam, Vince's PTSD alights. Sure, it could just be the
ramblings of a woman on too much morphine, or she could be talking about the missing anti aircraft weapons he read
about and a highly sought-after terrorist.
Vince decides to leave it to the FBI, not suspecting that they would send him Carolyn, a drop-dead gorgeous, slightly
insane CIA agent who needs his help. Vince is soon thrown into the fray and finds himself both utterly in love and using
everything he ever learned in his medical career (including how to clamp a subclavian artery with a zip tie) to help home in
on the terrorists' plot, but not before they discover him and come looking for blood.
Critique: It is clear that as an author, Joe Purpura effectively draws upon his professional career experiences as a doctor to
provide "Code Crisis", his action/adventure mystery suspense thriller of a novel, with an air of authenticity. Showcasing
his genuine flair for originality and the kind of narrative driven storytelling style that holds his reader's rapt attention from
start to finish, "Code Crisis" will prove a welcome and enduringly popular pick for community library Mystery/Suspense
collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists of Medical Thriller and Terrorism themed fans that the "Code
Crisis" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
Editorial Note: Joseph Purpura, MD, is an obstetrician-gynecologist, patient safety expert, and award-winning faculty
member at Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine. He lives in Santa Barbara, CA. This is his first
novel.
Opulence and Ashes
Kate Belli
Crooked Lane Books
www.crookedlanebooks.com
9781639105304, $31.99, HC, 336pp
https://www.amazon.com/Opulence-Ashes-Gilded-Gotham-Mystery/dp/1639105301
Synopsis: It's Spring, 1890, and the long New York winter is over, the buds are blossoming, and romance is in the air. But
not all's right in Gilded-Age Manhattan. Genevieve, a society journalist, and her fiance, Daniel, are working with
photographer Dagmar Hansen on an investigation into the House of Refuge, a children's workhouse, inspired by Daniel's
near incarceration when he was young. Genevieve is also working on her own piece for the Globe about the Sunflower
Mission House, which burned down in a suspicious fire.
When a blaze consumes Dagmar's studio (and Genevieve barely escapes with her life in another) Daniel urges her to stop
her investigation. But Genevieve is determined to finish the story, and her leads take her deep into the heart of the Bowery.
When Genevieve suddenly goes missing, Daniel searches the city in a desperate effort to find her. When their new Fifth
Avenue home is also set ablaze, Daniel fears the worst.
Someone has their sights on Genevieve -- and if she can't escape, she could be the next to go up in flames!
Critique: An historical murder mystery set in the Gilded Age of late 19th Century New York City and involving an
amateur female sleuth and a ruthless, unknown killer, "Opulence and Ashes" by novelist Kate Belli is an expertly crafted
and thoroughly fun read that will hold a special interest for cozy mystery fans and fans of historical crime fiction. While
highly recommended for both personal reading lists and community library Mystery/Suspense collections, it should be
noted "Opulence and Ashes" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $19.99).
Editorial Note: Kate Belli (https://katebelli.com) writes historical mysteries and contemporary thrillers. Fascinated by
history from an early age, she earned a PhD in American art and has variously worked as an antiques appraiser, a museum
curator and a college professor. Kate has lived all over, from Florence, Italy, to Brooklyn, New York, to the Deep South, to
a cottage next to Monet's gardens in Northern France. Today she lives and works in Central Pennsylvania with her husband
and son.
The Socialite's Guide to Death and Dating
S. K. Golden
Crooked Lane Books
www.crookedlanebooks.com
9781639104857, $29.99, HC, 336pp
https://www.amazon.com/Socialites-Guide-Dating-Pinnacle-Mystery/dp/1639104852
Synopsis: New York, 1958. Even though Evelyn Murphy has made progress conquering her agoraphobia by leaving the
Pinnacle hotel, she still feels most comfortable in her father's hotel. With Malcolm Cooper, her new boyfriend and fellow
employee at the hotel, Evelyn feels prepared for whatever happens next. In this case, it's throwing a big fundraiser with the
who's who of New York City.
The night is a success, and Evelyn finally takes up Malcolm's offer to finally visit his apartment in Yonkers. As the party
ends, they sneak away to the garage to get Evelyn's car. But Evelyn's always been good at finding things, and she discovers
the dead body of a guest, Judge Baker, in a car -- with a needle in his arm.
Detective Hodgson and his new partner, Detective McJimsey, arrive on the scene, but before they can begin to question
Evelyn, they are startled by another mysterious discovery: there's a woman in the trunk of the car, and she screams as soon
as she sees Evelyn's face. Tangled up in the police investigation, Evelyn's got another problem, too -- her father insists she
break off her relationship with Mac. The next day, her father is found attacked just like the judge, only this time the
detectives find a dead woman nearby.
With Mac accused of the attacks and in police custody, Evelyn will have to find the killer on her own before she's checked
out of the hotel -- this time, for good!
Critique: With all the elements of a terrific cozy mystery beginning with an amateur female sleuth trying to solve the
mystery and discover the culprit behind a deadly series of murders, "The Socialite's Guide To Death & Dating" once again
showcases author S. K. Golden's impressively original and narrative driven storytelling style and her complete mastery of
the cozy mystery genre. While also available for personal reading lists in a digital book format (Kindle, $18.99), "The
Socialite's Guide To Death & Dating" will prove to be a particularly welcome and enduringly popular pick for community
library Mystery/Suspense collections.
Editorial Note: Sarah K Golden (www.skgoldenwrites.com) is also the author of the cozy mystery "The Socialite's Guide
to Murder".
Have Yourself a Deadly Little Christmas
Vicki Delany
Crooked Lane Books
www.crookedlanebooks.com
9781639104635, $30.99, HC, 288pp
https://www.amazon.com/Yourself-Deadly-Christmas-Year-Round-Mystery/dp/1639104631
Synopsis: It's the beginning of December in Rudolph, New York, America's Christmas Town, and business is brisk at Mrs.
Claus's Treasures, a gift and decor shop owned by Merry Wilkinson. The local amateur dramatic society is intensely
preparing a special musical production of A Christmas Carol. But it is not a happy set, as rivalries between cast and crew
threaten the production.
Tensions come to a head when a member of the group is found dead shortly after a shopping excursion to Mrs. Claus's
Treasures. Was someone looking to cut out the competition? Everyone in the cast and crew is a potential suspect, including
Aline, Merry's mother, and Merry's shop assistant Jackie O'Reilly, who was desperate for a starring role.
It could be curtains for Christmas (and for Merry!) unless the killer can be ferreted out of the wings.
Critique: Dedicated fans of the cozy mystery genre will not want to miss author Vicki Delany's latest (and arguably best
yet) novel, "Have Yourself A Deadly Little Christmas" featuring an amateur lady sleuth urgently needing to solve a
'whodunnit' murder mystery with clues and plot twists aplenty. A stellar and fun read from cover to cover, and also
available in a digital book format (Kindle, $13.99) is an especially recommended pick for community library
Contemporary Mystery/Suspense collections.
Editorial Note: Vicki Delany (http://vickidelany.com) is the author of more than thirty novels/novellas in several of
mystery's subgenres. Born in Manitoba and raised in Ontario, she is the former president of the Crime Writers of Canada, a
member of Capital Crime Writers, and a member of Sisters in Crime.
A Nutcracker Nightmare
Christina Romeril
Crooked Lane Books
www.crookedlanebooks.com
9781639104918, $$31.99, HC, 320pp
https://www.amazon.com/Nutcracker-Nightmare-Killer-Chocolate-Mystery/dp/1639104917
Synopsis: Twin sisters, Hanna and Alex, are the owners of the Murder and Mayhem book and chocolate shop who are busy
preparing for the Harriston High School's reunion weekend.
Neighbors will connect with old friends and perhaps try to avoid old foes. But one person no one can avoid is Kyle, the
former star quarterback, who is busy using his entire playbook to try and score with Hanna, even threatening her if she
doesn't play nice. At the reunion, Alex glimpses more drama than nostalgia as insults are flung around like a football at a
Friday night game. The party is put on hold when Alex finds the dead body of none other than Kyle himself, bludgeoned to
death by a nutcracker that the sisters admired earlier in the night.
Hanna quickly becomes the prime suspect -- someone saw her slap Kyle in the face at the reunion dance. She'll need her
sister, their sleuthing canine, Watson, and their old friends and colleagues to help break this case wide open. While looking
through old yearbooks and taking a stroll down memory lane, Alex uncovers a few secrets about Kyle, now, it seems like
everyone had a motive to kill him.
But when the suspects start becoming the victims, Alex and Hanna know that they can't melt under the pressure -- they
must find the killer before they become just another yearbook memory.
Critique: A fun and deftly crafted read for delighted cozy mystery fans, "A Nutcracker Nightmare" by author Christina
Romeril showcases her impressive skills and mastery of the genre. Cozy mystery buffs will enjoy the many unexpected
plot twists and turns as our intrepid amateur female sleuths are once again caught up in a riveting 'whodunnit' murder
mystery the must solve before the killer can strike again. While a riveting and highly popular pick for community library
Mystery/Suspense collections, it must be noted for personal reading lists that "A Nutcracker Nightmare" is also readily
available in a digital book format (Kindle, $18.99).
Editorial Note: Christina Romeril (https://christinaromeril.com) is a dedicated and talented cozy-mystery writer. She grew
up in Kitchener, Ontario, and has been devouring stacks of books since third grade when the Trixie Belden series sparked
her love of the genre. She has lived on both coasts of Canada as a member of the Canadian military and later as a military
spouse.
Murder at Midnight
Katharine Schellman
Crooked Lane Books
www.crookedlanebooks.com
9781639104321, $29.99, HC, 320pp
https://www.amazon.com/Murder-Midnight-LILLY-ADLER-MYSTERY/dp/1639104321
Synopsis: Regency widow Lily Adler is looking forward to a quiet Christmastide away from the schemes and secrets she
witnessed daily in London. Not only will she be visiting the family of her late husband; she will be reunited with Captain
Jack Hartley, her friend and confidante, finally returned after a long voyage at sea.
But secrets aren't only found in London. Jack's younger sister, Amelia, is the center of neighborhood scandal and gossip.
She refuses to tell anyone what really happened, even when an unexpected snowstorm strands the neighborhood families
together after a Christmas ball. Stuck until the snow stops, the Adlers, Hartleys, and their neighbors settle in for the night,
only to be awakened in the morning by the scream of a maid who has just discovered a dead body.
The victim was the well-to-do son of a local gentleman -- the same man whose name has become so scandalously linked to
Amelia's.
With the snow still falling and no way to come or go, it's clear that someone in the house was responsible for the young
man's death. When suspicion instantly falls on Jack's sister, he and Lily must unmask the true culprit before Amelia is
convicted of a crime she didn't commit.
Critique: Cozy mystery writing at its very best, "Murder at Midnight" by Katharine Schellman is an original 'whodunnit'
novel with all the elements of a fun read -- an amateur female sleuth and many an unexpected plot twist and turn. Certain
to be a cozy mystery fan favorite, "Murder at Midnight" is absolutely recommended for personal and community library
Historical Mystery collections. It should be noted for dedicated cozy mystery fans that "Murder at Midnight" is also
available in a digital book format (Kindle, $14.99).
Editorial Note: Katharine Schellman (https://www.katharineschellman.com) is a former actor, one-time political
consultant, and currently the author of the Lily Adler Mysteries. A graduate of the College of William & Mary, Katharine
currently lives and writes in the mountains of Virginia in the company of her family and the many houseplants she keeps
accidentally murdering.
Seams Deadly
Maggie Bailey
Crooked Lane Books
www.crookedlanebooks.com
9781639104697, $29.99, HC, 272pp
https://www.amazon.com/Seams-Deadly-Measure-Sewing-Mystery/dp/1639104690
Synopsis: Editorial Note: Lydia Barnes is excited for a fresh start when she moves to the quaint mountain town of Peridot,
Georgia. Her friend, Fran, offers her a job at the Measure Twice fabric store and even sets her up on a date with the
handsome Brandon Ivey, who also happens to be Lydia's new next-door neighbor. Finally, things are looking up. But after
a disaster first date that ends with a fist bump instead of a kiss, Lydia doesn't think her night can get any worse. She's soon
proven wrong when she later stumbles upon Brandon's dead body.
Considered the prime suspect by the police, Lydia calls on her friends to help her hunt for the truth and prove her
innocence. But when another body is soon found inside the Measure Twice store, Lydia knows that the killer must be close
by, and that this town has more than its fair share of secrets. Who would want to frame the newest addition to Peridot for
these terrible murders -- and why?
Lydia may discover that while sewing might have a pattern, killing rarely does. Will she be able to stitch together the clues
and clear her own name before the killer strikes again?
Critique: With a special appeal to readers with an interes in craft/hobby themed cozy mysteries featuring amateur female
sleuths and impressively reader engaging and unexpected plot twists and turns, "Seams Deadly" introduces a new 'Measure
Twice Sewing Mystery' cozy mystery series by Maggie Bailey. While also available for personal reading lists in a digital
book format (Kindle, $13.99) and as a complete and unabridged audio book (Dreamscape Media, 9781666645101, $22.99,
CD), "Seams Deadly" is a highly recommended pick for community library Mystery/Suspense collections.
Editorial Note: Maggie Bailey (https://crookedlanebooks.com/maggie-bailey) an enthusiastic seamstress and maker, is a
graduate of Stanford, Oxford, Brown, and Sewanee Universities, Maggie Bailey has previously published two volumes of
poetry. She lives in Atlanta with her husband, two young children, her dogs, and a growing fabric stash she can't help but
add to on a regular basis.
Death by a Thousand Sips
Gretchen Rue
Crooked Lane Books
www.crookedlanebooks.com
9781639104536, $30.99, HC, 336pp
https://www.amazon.com/Death-Thousand-Sips-Witches-Mystery/dp/1639104534
Synopsis: Ever since she moved to Raven Creek, Washington, Phoebe Winchester knew she would have to grow
accustomed to having a lot on her plate. She's beginning to make the Victorian manor she inherited from her dear and
adventurous Aunt Eudora feel more like home, successfully running the bookstore and tea shop, The Earl's Study, and
learning to harness her recently discovered magical powers. But when she discovers a dead body at an estate sale -- even
Phoebe wonders if this is simply too much.
Rumors of Phoebe's involvement force her to take action; she needs to find the killer and clear her own name, once again.
She enlists Rich Lofting, the handsome private detective and her childhood friend, in her investigation, all while she sorts
out her unresolved feelings for him. Is there something more sinister lurking in the shadows of this small tight-knit town?
And does Phoebe really want to find out?
With a dash of magic, a pinch of sleuthing skills, and a spoonful of friendly assistance, Phoebe needs to uncover the killer
to keep Raven Creek safe once again. But if she doesn't -- will she find herself in even more hot water?
Critique: Original, deftly crafted, and a fun read from first page to last, "Death by a Thousand Sips" is a cozy mystery
reader's delight from cover to cover. While also available for the personal reading lists of all dedicated cozy mystery fans
in a digital book format (Kindle, $13.99), "Death by a Thousand Sips" by impressively talented novelist Gretchen Rue is
especially and unreservedly recommended pick for community library Mystery/Suspense collections.
Editorial Note: Gretchen Rue (https://www.sierradean.com/gretchenrue) lives in the Canadian prairies, which affords her
ample time to read during the six months of winter. She plays cat mom to four mostly indifferent fur children, and plant
mom to roughly 100 very demanding flora. When she isn't sipping tea and working on her next novel, she enjoys
swimming, hiking, and watching baseball.
In the Wick of Time
Valona Jones
Crooked Lane Books
www.crookedlanebooks.com
9781639105076, $31.99, HC, 288pp
https://www.amazon.com/Wick-Time-Magic-Candle-Mystery/dp/1639105077
Synopsis: December in Savannah, Georgia, is a sight to behold. With all the festivities (including the traditional riverfront
luminary display during the boat parade) twin sisters Tabby and Sage Winslow are busier than ever setting up for the big
celebration. But that isn't the only thing on the sisters' minds. Both Sage and her fellow employee Mary Nicole are vying
for the sought-after assistant manager job at the plant nursery. But when Loren Lee, their boss, is found dead, and Sage
becomes the police's favorite suspect, both Winslow girls know that they'll need more than a flicker of magic and their
sisterhood to solve the murder and clear Sage's name.
Soon, Tabby realizes that this is just one of the many problems they have. If being a suspect for murder wasn't enough,
there are more magical problems that they have to fix: Sage's boyfriend is having a paranormal experience of his own he
can't control, there's an energy vampire searching for his supposedly lost cousin, her cat suddenly dislikes her, and oh --
every time Tabby hiccups, she turns completely invisible. The suspect list grows with each day and it seems everyone has a
reason or a connection to Loren Lee.
Tabby and Sage are burning the candle at both ends -- but will it be enough to keep their friends safe and find this killer?
Or will they be burned by their efforts?
Critique: A delicious combination of magic and the cozy mystery, "In The Wick of Time" is the latest title in author
Valona Jones' unique 'Magic Candle Shop' mysteries series and a fun read from cover to cover. While certain to be an
instantly and enduringly popular pick for community library Mystery/Suspense collections, it should be noted for personal
reading lists that "In The Wick of Time" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $19.99).
Editorial Note: Valona Jones (https://www.valonajones.com) worked as a scientist for many years, and then she
accidentally became a freelance reporter for a weekly paper, all while the stories in her head demanded to be written.
Murder by the Seashore
Samara Yew
Crooked Lane Books
www.crookedlanebooks.com
9781639104932, $31.99, HC, 256pp
https://www.amazon.com/Murder-Seashore-California-Bookshop-Mystery/dp/1639104933
Synopsis: Southern California is where dreams come true -- or so thought Scarlett Gardner.
When she moved there and opened the Palm Trees and Page Turners bookshop, she thought her boyfriend and business
partner would be part of the story. When he leaves her for a better job, Scarlett finds herself struggling to keep her new
business afloat. That's not the only thing she has to worry about -- she discovers something underneath the pier by her
bookshop that she didn't outline for her life's story: the dead body of a book-buying customer.
After Scarlett gives a statement to the police, she thinks her life can go back to business as usual. But when a lawyer,
representing someone named Lorelai Knight, tells Scarlett that she now stands to inherit a small fortune, she's left with
more questions than answers. Before she can make sense of any of it, the police bring her in for questioning; the body she
found was Lorelai Knight. And the evidence they have against Scarlett doesn't look good.
Business is booming as Scarlett returns to Palm Trees and Page Turners, but for all the wrong reasons -- curious tourists
don't want books, they want a glimpse of the Bookshop Killer.
Who could really be behind all of this? And why frame Scarlett? To clear her name, she's going to have get creative - and
hope she can remain one page ahead of the killer.
Critique: Cozy mystery writing at its very best, "Murder by the Seashore" showcases author Samara Yew's considerable
flair for originality and the kind of narrative driven storytelling style that fits the genre perfectly. "Murder by the Seashore"
is part of her 'California Bookshop Mystery' series from Crooked Lane Books and a fun read from cover to cover. While
available for all dedicated cozy mystery fans in a digital book format (Kindle, $17.99), "Murder by the Seashore" is a
stellar and unreservedly recommended pick for community library Contemporary Mystery/Suspense collections.
Editorial Note: Samara Yew (https://samarayew.com/?page_id=19) is a cozy mystery author who writes about adorable
bookshops and dead bodies. She is also a member of Sisters in Crime and International Thriller Writers.
Caught on the Book
Laura Gail Black
Crooked Lane Books
www.crookedlanebooks.com
9781639104819, $31.99, HC, 272pp
https://www.amazon.com/Caught-Book-Antique-Bookshop-Mystery/dp/163910481X
Synopsis: The annual fishing tournament and festival in Hokes Folly, North Carolina, is the high-water mark event of the
year. Antiquarian bookseller Jenna Quinn, owner of the Twice Upon a Time bookstore, is ready to catch some new
customers with her fishing-themed book display at the festival. That is, until a local author is found dead in his booth.
All fingers point to Frank Sutter, a former detective with the police department. His soon-to-be ex-wife had been dating the
victim, and Frank had been seen having an argument with him earlier that day. When Keith Logan, Jenna's boyfriend and
detective with the local police, asks Jenna for help to solve the case, she's shocked. Frank was Keith's former partner and
someone who had been determined to pin more than one murder on Jenna. Frank doesn't want Jenna's help any more than
Jenna wants to help him, but the two will have to put aside their animosity for each other if they want to reel in the
killer.
This bookselling sleuth knows she will have to cast a wide net in order to catch the killer, even if means dangerously luring
them in. Will her novel idea help her catch the killer, or is she bound for a more deadly ending?
Critique: Herself a dedicated bibliophile, as an author Laura Gail Black has a complete mastery of the cozy mystery genre
which, combined with a genuine flair for originality, offers her readers yet another deftly crafted and fun with the
publication of "Caught on the Book", the latest addition to her 'An Antique Bookshop Mystery' series. Available for
personal reading lists in a digital book format (Kindle, $19.99), "Caught on the Book" will prove an enduringly welcome
and appreciated pick for community library Cozy Mystery collections.
Editorial Note: Laura Gail Black (https://lauragailblack.com) writes cozy mysteries from her home on 10 acres, with a
view of the Sauratown Mountains in northern North Carolina, where she lives with her husband and four rescue dogs. She
began collecting antique books when she worked in a used and antique bookstore in college. Today, Laura's bookshelves
contain many antique books, some of which are close to 200 years old.
Stalking Around the Christmas Tree
Jacqueline Frost
Crooked Lane Books
www.crookedlanebooks.com
9781639104512, $31.99, HC, 288pp
https://www.amazon.com/Stalking-Around-Christmas-Tree-Mystery/dp/1639104518
Synopsis: For inn keeper Holly White, Christmas time in Mistletoe, Maine, is the ultimate holiday gift. Business at the
Reindeer Games Inn is booming, her wedding to Sheriff Evan Gray is nearly here, and the annual parade is about to begin.
The town is lucky to have another gift this year with the state's ballet company staying for several performances of The
Nutcracker. But disaster strikes when Tiffany, the lead ballerina, shows up dead on a float during the parade, the Rat
King's mask nearby. Holly will have to spruce up her sleuthing skills if she wants to catch the killer before Christmas --
and her wedding day.
Immediately, Holly discovers that Tiffany had more than a few secrets. She finds out that the star of the show had a super
fan that no one knows anything about. And the show's understudy slips some other intriguing information Holly's way: not
only was Tiffany secretly seeing someone romantically, but there seems to be more than one rat in this company. When
Holly discovers a secret passage leading to Tiffany's dressing room, with footprints leading out; she wonders if this is
evidence of a secret lover -- or a stalking killer.
With an impending snowstorm and the ballet company on the way out of town, Holly must act quickly if she wants to find
the person responsible for this terrible murder. Will she be able to save Christmas -- or will her investigation turn cold like
the weather?
Critique: A genuine treat for cozy mystery fans at any time of the year, "Stalking Around the Christmas Tree" is the newest
addition to author Jacqueline Frost's 'A Christmas Tree Farm Mystery' series from Crooked Lane Books and an
impressively well crafted and entertaining 'whodunnit' murder mystery from beginning to end. While available for cozy
mystery fans in a digital book format (Kindle, $18.99), "Stalking Around the Christmas Tree" is very highly recommended,
especially and particularly for community library Mystery/Suspense collections.
Editorial Note: Jacqueline Frost (https://cozy-mystery.com/jacqueline-frost.html) is a mystery loving pet enthusiast who
hopes to make her readers smile. Jacqueline is a member of the International Thriller Writers and Sisters in Crime.
The Christmas Guest: A Novella
Peter Swanson
William Morrow & Company
c/o HarperCollins Publishers
www.harpercollins.com
Blackstone Audiobooks
https://www.blackstonelibrary.com
9780063297456, $19.99, HC, 112pp
https://www.amazon.com/Christmas-Guest-Novella-Peter-Swanson/dp/0063297450
Synopsis: Ashley Smith, an American art student in London for her junior year, was planning on spending Christmas
alone, but a last-minute invitation from fellow student Emma Chapman brings her to Starvewood Hall, country residence
of the Chapman family. The Cotswold manor house, festooned in pine boughs and crammed with guests for Christmas
week, is a dream come true for Ashley. She is mesmerized by the cozy, firelit house, the large family, and the charming
village of Clevemoor, but also by Adam Chapman, Emma's aloof and handsome brother.
But Adam is being investigated by the local police over the recent brutal slaying of a girl from the village, and there is a
mysterious stranger who haunts the woodland path between Starvewood Hall and the local pub. Ashley begins to wonder
what kind of story she is actually inhabiting. Is she in a grand romance? A gothic tale? Or has she wandered into something
far more sinister and terrifying than she'd ever imagined?
Over thirty years later the events of that horrific week are revisited, along with a diary from that time. What began in a
small English village in 1989 reaches its ghostly conclusion in modern-day New York, many Christmas seasons later.
Critique: Carefully crafted and featuring an eloquent blending of psychological and suspense in a Christmas backgrounded
crime thriller of a read from start to finish, "The Christmas Guest" by novella author Peter Swanson is certain to be an
enduringly popular pick for community library Mystery/Suspense and Literary Fiction collections. It should be noted for
personal reading lists that "The Christmas Guest" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $11.99) and as
a complete and unabridged audio book (Blackstone Audio, 9798212698603, $27.99, CD).
Editorial Note: Peter Swanson (https://www.peter-swanson.com) is the author of nine novels, including The Kind Worth
Killing, winner of the New England Society Book Award, and finalist for the CWA Ian Fleming Steel Dagger, and Her
Every Fear, an NPR book of the year. His books have been translated into 30 languages, and his stories, poetry, and
features have appeared in Asimov's Science Fiction, The Atlantic Monthly, Measure, The Guardian, The Strand Magazine,
and Yankee Magazine.
Dead on Target
M. C. Beaton, author
R. W. Green, author
Minotaur Books
c/o St. Martin's Publishing Group
www.minotaurbooks.com
9781250898647, $27.00, HC, 256pp
https://www.amazon.com/Dead-Target-Agatha-Mystery-Mysteries/dp/1250898641
Synopsis: A visit to the local village fete for a spot of fun and relaxation turns into a nightmare for Agatha Raisin when she
discovers the body of the local landowner in the woods -- with an arrow in his chest and trousers round his ankles.
Agatha Raisin's old adversary, Detective Chief Inspector Wilkes, declares the death a tragic accident, believing the victim
has been hit by a stray arrow from an archery demonstration. Agatha is convinced of foul play, however, and is shocked
when Wilkes eventually agrees...with her as his prime murder suspect.
Determined to clear her name and find the real killer, Agatha launches her own investigation, quickly becoming involved
with a family at war, an unscrupulous gangster -- and a killer who is determined to make her the next victim!
Critique: A fun read from cover to cover, "Dead on Target" by the late cozy mystery novelist M. C. Beaton (and
posthumously co-authored by R. W. Green) features an iconic amateur lady sleuth, numerous plot twists and turns, in this
inherently engaging 'whodunnit' murder mystery that plays fair with the readers from start to finish. While especially and
unreservedly recommended pick for community library Mystery/Suspense collections, it should be noted for the legions of
M. C. Beaton fans that "Dead on Target" is also readily available in a
Editorial Note #1: M. C. Beaton (1936-2019), aka "Queen of Crime" was the author of the Agatha Raisin mystery novels
(which were also the basis for the hit show on Acorn TV and public television), as well as the Hamish Macbeth series, as
well as the Edwardian Murder Mysteries featuring Lady Rose Summer. Born in Scotland, she started her career writing
historical romances under several pseudonyms and her maiden name, Marion Chesney. In 2006, M.C. was the British guest
of honor at Bouchercon.
Editorial Note #2: R.W. Green (https://crimereads.com/expect-the-unexpected) is a long-time friend of M. C. Beaton, and
has written numerous works of fiction and non-fiction.
Let It Crow! Let It Crow! Let It Crow!
Donna Andrews
Minotaur Books
c/o St. Martin's Publishing Group
www.minotaurbooks.com
9781250893963, $27.00, HC, 304pp
https://www.amazon.com/Let-Crow-Meg-Langslow-Mysteries/dp/1250893968
Synopsis: Meg has been roped into participating in a weapon-smithing competition, a Forged in Fire wannabe organized by
a blacksmith friend. Meg originally turned down an invitation to participate, but the night before the filming starts,
someone attacks Faulk, her blacksmithing mentor, breaking his arm and eliminating him from the contest before it
begins.
Meg agrees to step in as his replacement to keep the project from failing. She's not thrilled that the filming will take place
during December - Christmas is already a crazy time for her. Since the competition is taking place on Ragnarshjem, the
picturesque estate that her friend Ragnar, the retired heavy metal drummer, is turning into a Goth castle, Meg won't have to
spend Christmas alone and gets to bring Michael and her twin sons with her.
So Meg joins the cast, to the dismay of several old-school blacksmiths who think women have no place in the profession
anyway. And if the show's producers were hoping for drama, they're in luck. The blacksmithing world is a small one, and
some of the contestants arrived already laden with grudges and feuds.
It's a high-stakes, cutthroat competition between people who wield large hammers and make swords and have forges full of
fire at their disposal. What could possibly go wrong?
Critique: As a cozy mystery novelist, Donna Andrews is as prolific as she is talented and original. "Let It Crow! Let It
Crow! Let It Crow!" is the thirty-fourth title in her 'Meg Langslow Mysteries' series and a riveting great read for her
legions of fans. While also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $13.99), and an unreservedly recommended pick for
community library Mystery/Suspense collections, "Let It Crow! Let It Crow! Let It Crow!" has humor, suspense, and one
of the most adventuress of amateur female sleuths in Meg Langslow who once again finds herself compelled to discover
'whodunnit' this time!
Editorial Note: Donna Andrews (http://www.donnaandrews.com) has won the Agatha, Anthony, and Barry Awards, an RT
Book Reviews Award for best first novel, and four Lefty and two Toby Bromberg Awards for funniest mystery. She is a
member of the Mystery Writers of America, Sisters in Crime, and Novelists, Inc. Andrews lives in Reston, Virginia. She
has written over 30 books in the Meg Langslow mystery series.
The Secret Hours
Mick Herron
Soho Crime
c/o Soho Press
www.sohopress.com
9781641295215, $27.95, HC, 384pp
https://www.amazon.com/Secret-Hours-Mick-Herron/dp/164129521X
Synopsis: Two years ago, a hostile Prime Minister launched the Monochrome inquiry, investigating "historical
over-reaching" by the British Secret Service. Monochrome's mission was to ferret out any hint of misconduct by any MI5
officer -- and allowed Griselda Fleet and Malcolm Kyle, the two civil servants seconded to the project, unfettered access to
any and all confidential information in the Service archives in order to do so.
But MI5's formidable First Desk did not become Britain's top spy by accident, and she has successfully thwarted the
inquiry at every turn. Now the administration that created Monochrome has been ousted, the investigation is a total bust --
and Griselda and Malcolm are stuck watching as their career prospects are washed away by the pounding London rain.
Until the eve of Monochrome's shuttering, when an MI5 case file appears without explanation. It is the buried history of a
classified operation in 1994 Berlin -- an operation that ended in tragedy and scandal, whose cover-up has rewritten thirty
years of Service history.
Critique: "The Secret Hours" by Mick Herron is a deftly crafted novel that is at once unsettling, compelling, and laced
throughout with humor. A fun read from start to finish, "The Secret Hours" has that inherent feel of authenticity that is
essential for a successful secret history spy thriller. While available for personal reading lists in a digital book format
(Kindle, $14.99), "The Secret Hours" is especially and unreservedly recommended for community library espionage
themed historical and political thriller fiction collections.
Editorial Note: Mick Herron (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mick_Herron) is a British novelist and short story writer who
was born in Newcastle and studied English at Oxford. He is the author of the Slough House espionage series, four Oxford
mysteries, and three standalone novels. His work has won the CWA Gold Dagger for Best Crime Novel, the Steel Dagger
for Best Thriller, the Theakston's Novel of the Year Award, the Palle Rosenkrantz Prize, the Ellery Queen Readers Award
and the USC Libraries Scripter Award, and been nominated for the Macavity, Barry and Shamus Awards.
The Fantasy/SciFi Shelf
The Mystery at Dunvegan Castle
T. L. Huchu
Tor Books
c/o Tor/Forge Books
www.tor-forge.com
9781250883063, $29.99, HC, 400pp
https://www.amazon.com/Mystery-Dunvegan-Castle-Edinburgh-Nights/dp/1250883067
Synopsis: Everyone's favorite fifteen-year-old ghostalker, Ropa, arrives at the worldwide Society of Skeptical Enquirers'
biennial conference just in time to be tied into a mystery -- a locked room mystery, if an entire creepy haunted castle on
lockdown counts. One of the magical attendees has stolen a valuable magical scroll.
Caught between Qozmos, the high wizard of Ethiopian magic; the larger-than-life Lord Sashvindu Samarasinghe;
England's Sorcerer Royal; and Scotland's own Edmund MacLeod, it's up to Ropa (and Jomo and Priya) to sort through the
dangerous secret politics and alliances to figure out what really happened. But she has a special tool -- the many ghosts tied
to this ancient, powerful castle.
Critique: "The Mystery at Dunvegan Castle" is the third title in novelist T. L. Huchu's 'Edinburgh Nights' fantasy series that
also includes "Library of the Dead" and "Our Lady of Mysterious Ailments". Bringing a feeling of authenticity to a
contemporary world of magic made real, "The Mystery at Dunvegan Castle" is an original and entertaining novel that will
have a special appeal to fans of Paranormal Urban Fantasy and Ghost Fiction. A fun read from beginning to end, "The
Mystery at Dunvegan Castle" is highly recommended for community library Science Fiction & Fantasy collections. It
should be noted for personal reading lists that "The Mystery at Dunvegan Castle" is also available in a paperback edition
(9781250883087, $18.99) and in digital book format (Kindle, $14.99).
Editorial Note: T. L. Huchu (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tendai_Huchu) has been published previously (as Tendai
Huchu) in the adult market, but the Edinburgh Nights series is his genre fiction debut. His previous books (The Hairdresser
of Harare and The Maestro, The Magistrate and the Mathematician) have been translated into multiple languages and his
short fiction has won awards. Tendai grew up in Zimbabwe but has now lived in Edinburgh for most of his adult life.
The Soul of Iuchiban
Evan Dicken
Aconyte Books
https://aconytebooks.com
9781839082290, $16.95, PB, 368pp
https://www.amazon.com/Soul-Iuchiban-Legend-Rings-Novel/dp/1839082291
Synopsis: The Emerald Empire stands on the brink of destruction. The dark sorcerer Iuchiban has escaped his tomb, and
desires dominion over all. Unicorn samurai Iuchi Qadan has been welcomed home and celebrated for her part in destroying
the Blood- speaker rebellion. Yet she is not herself... Possessed by Iuchiban, Qadan can do nothing but watch as the
undying sorcerer lord draws tight the noose he has wrapped around the throat of an unsuspecting empire. And hope that
someone will realize she is not who she seems. But the other survivors of Iuchiban's tomb are few, and made speechless by
the horrors they've endured. To stop Iuchiban's evil, new alliances between old enemies must be formed. They will be
brittle, untested, and marred by mistrust. Should these alliances fail, there will be no Rokugan.
Critique: A deftly crafted 'Legend of the Five Rings' novel, "The Soul of Iuchiban" will have an immense interest for
dedicated fans of Samurai sword & sorcery fantasy novels. Original, memorable, and just plain fun read from cover to
cover, "The Soul of Iuchiban" is a very special and unreservedly recommended pick for personal reading lists and
community library Science Fiction & Fantasy collections. It should be noted that "The Soul of Iuchiban" is also very
readily available for personal reading lists in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.95).
Editorial Note: Evan Dicken (http://www.evandicken.com) studies old Japanese maps and crunches data for research at
The Ohio State University. His fiction has most recently appeared in: Analog, Beneath Ceaseless Skies, and Strange
Horizons, and he has stories forthcoming from Black Library and Rampant Loon Press.
The Court of Shadows
Victor Dixen, author
Francoise Bui, translator
Amazon Crossing
Brilliance Audio
https://audiobookstore.com/publishers/brilliance-audio
9781662505690, $28.99, HC, 382pp
https://www.amazon.com/Court-Shadows-Vampyria-Saga/dp/1662505698
Synopsis: Louis XIV transformed from the Sun King into the King of Shadows when he embraced immortality and became
the world's first vampire. For the last three centuries, he has been ruling the kingdom from the decadent Court of Shadows
in Versailles, demanding the blood of his subjects to sate his nobles' thirst and maintain their loyalty.
In the heart of rural France, commoner Jeanne Froidelac witnesses the king's soldiers murder her family and learns of her
parents' role in a brewing rebellion involving the forbidden secrets of alchemy. To seek her revenge, Jeanne disguises
herself as an aristocrat and enrolls in a prestigious school for aspiring courtiers. She soon finds herself at the doors of the
palace of Versailles.
But Jeanne, of course, is no aristocrat. She dreams not of court but of blood. -- The blood of a king!
Critique: Not since Ann Rice has their been an author whose new take on the Vampire been as original, as seminal, and as
fun -- until French author Victor Dix sat down to write "The Court of Shadows". With a very special appeal for readers
with an interest in deftly crafted gothic fiction, dark fantasy, and vampire sagas, "The Court of Shadows" is especially and
unreservedly recommended for community library Fantasy Fiction collections. It should be noted for the personal reading
lists of dedicated vampire fans that "The Court of Shadows" is also readingly available in a paperback edition
(9781662505706, $16.99), in a digital book format (Kindle, $4.99), and as a complete and unabridged audio book
(Brilliance Audio, $29.99, MP3-CD).
Editorial Note #1: Victor Dixen (https://www.victordixen.com) is the two-time winner of the Grand Prix de l'Imaginaire
and stands at the forefront of French fantasy. His acclaimed series include Animale, Phobos, Cogito, Extincta, and
Vampyria. A nomadic writer, he has lived in Paris, Dublin, Singapore, New York, and now Washington, DC, drawing
inspiration from the promises of the future as much as the ghosts of the past.
Editorial Note #2: Francoise Bui (https://ccfw.calvin.edu/speakers/francoise-bui) spent twenty years as an executive editor
at Delacorte Press, an imprint of Random House Children's Books, where her list of edited books included numerous
novels in translation. Of these, four received the Mildred L. Batchelder Award (for most outstanding children's book
initially published in a foreign language), and two were Honor titles. Originally from France, Bui lives in New York
City.
Witches of Bone Hill
Ava Morgyn
Griffin Books
c/o St. Martin's Press
https://us.macmillan.com/smp
9781250835437, $18.00, PB, 416pp
https://www.amazon.com/Witches-Bone-Hill-Novel/dp/1250835437
Synopsis: Cordelia Bone's meticulously crafted life and career in Dallas is crashing down around her thanks to a
philandering husband with criminal debts. When her older, carefree sister, Eustace (a cannabis grower in Boulder) calls to
inform her that the great aunt they never met has died and they must now travel to a small town in Connecticut to deal with
the estate, she sees an opportunity to unload the house and save herself.
But once there, the sisters learn they are getting much more than they bargained for. The Victorian mansion they stand to
inherit is bound in a dynasty trust controlled by their late aunt's aging attorney, who insists they retain and inhabit the
house but keeps them in the dark about the peculiar rituals of their ancestors.
And there is also that sexy, tattooed groundskeeper with a shrouded past who refuses to leave the carriage house and a
crypt full of dead relatives looming at the property line.
As both women grapple with their current predicament, they come face to face with a haunting family secret, the truth of
what happened to their mother, and the enemy that's been stalking them from the shadows for generations.
In a twisting torrent of terror and blood, the sisters must uncover the power within them to heal their fractured relationship,
reverse their mysteriously declining health, and claim the lineage they wanted to escape but now must embrace if they are
to survive at Bone Hill.
Critique: A simply riveting read brought vividly to life by the exceptional narrative driven storytelling skills of author Ava
Morgyn, "The Witches of Bone Hill" is an impressively original and unreservedly recommended pick for community
library Paranormal/Romantic Fantasy collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "The Witches of Bone
Hill" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $12.99).
Editorial Note: Ava Morgyn (https://www.avamorgyn.com) grew up falling in love with all the wrong characters in all the
wrong stories, then studied English Writing & Rhetoric at St. Edward's University. She is a fan of witchcraft, tarot, and
powerful women with bad reputations. When not at her laptop spinning darkly hypnotic tales, she writes for her blog on
child loss, hunts for vintage treasures, and reads the darkest books she can find. She is also the author of YA novels
Resurrection Girls and The Salt in Our Blood.
House of Rough Diamonds
Jane Lindskold
Baen Books
www.baen.com
9781982192891, $18.00
https://www.amazon.com/House-Rough-Diamonds-Over-Where/dp/1982192895
Book 3 of the 'Over Where' series provides a sword-and-sorcery adventure in which a book wraith has all the books in the
Library of the Sapphire Wind worried. This challenges the new House of Rough Diamonds, which faces internal battles
over ownership of the Library, enemies which revolve around such control, and new groups of friends and secrets that
permeate the Over Where world. The result is a rollicking series of escapades that is especially recommended for prior
Over Where readers who will find these latest engagements expand the dilemmas and challenges of this special
universe.
Baen Books
www.baen.com
https://www.amazon.com/Very-Important-Corpses-Simon-Green-ebook/dp/B0BZQTL43G
Simon R. Green's Very Important Corpses (9781982192730, $18.00) is an Ishmael Jones novel that incorporates a murder
mystery with sci-fi elements. Here, the investigator is an alien living among humans, so his strengths and identity blend
with a gothic-style mystery to lend unexpected developments and appeal to an intriguing plot. Throw in a Loch Ness locale
for the added value of a supercharged story of investigative challenges and surprises.
https://www.amazon.com/Theyre-Here-Hank-Davis/dp/1982192747
The anthology They're Here! There Goes the Neighborhood, edited by Hank Davis and Sean CW Korsgaard
(9781982192747, $18.00) provides a collection of stories about different types of aliens who may have moved in under the
unsuspecting noses of humanity. Stories by such sci-fi greats as Larry Niven, Robert Silverberg, and Neil Gaiman presents
a satisfying diversity of approaches to the subject which will attract readers who look for more original approaches to the
traditional alien invasion theme. Both are attractive library acquisitions for their unpredictable stories and surprising
characters.
The Library Science Shelf
Creators in the Academic Library: Collections & Spaces
Rebecca Zuege Kuglitsch, editor
Alexander C. Watkins, editor
ACRL Books Association of College & Research Libraries
c/o American Library Association
https://www.ala.org
9780838939826, $72.00, PB, 278pp
https://www.amazon.com/Creators-Academic-Library-Collections-Spaces/dp/0838939821
Synopsis: Engineering students, designers, studio artists, and other student creators have unique research needs that college
and university libraries are well-positioned to meet. They use academic literature to inspire and ground creation, but also
seek information from trade literature, patents, technical standards, and how-to manuals. They apply tacit knowledge and
need to learn not only how to write within academic discourse but also create objects, designs, and experiences.
In four parts, "Creators in the Academic Library: Collections & Spaces" explores how academic libraries can build
collections, spaces, and communities that serve creators and is organized into four major sections: Tailoring Collections
for Creators; Making in the Academic Library; Creating Experiences in the Library; Cultivating Creator
Communities.
Individual chapters identify innovative ways the academic library can support creators by building new kinds of
collections, resources, and experiences, including the use of rare books and archives; building a comprehensive technology
and research equipment lending collection; performing in library spaces; supporting sustainability across disciplines; and
creating equitable access to creator spaces, tools, and resources.
This edition of "Creators in the Academic Library: Spaces & Collections" also documents spaces and collections that strive
for equity and authenticity, for playfulness and joy, and offers strategies for creating a library open to all comers seeking a
place to create in a liberating environment.
Critique: Collaborative compiled and deftly co-edited by the team of Rebecca Zuege Kuglitsch and Alexander C. Watkins,
"Creators in the Academic Library: Collections and Spaces" is very highly recommended for personal, professional, and
academic library Library Science collections and supplemental curriculum studies list. It should be noted that it is also the
companion book to "Creators in the Academic library: Instruction and Outreach" which is also from ACRL Books
Association of College & Research Libraries.
Editorial Note #1: Rebecca Zuege Kuglitsch (https://experts.colorado.edu/display/fisid_152452) is the faculty director and
team lead for Branches & Services at the University of Colorado Boulder. Her research draws on her experience in science
and engineering librarianship. She received her undergraduate degree in history and biology from Knox College, a master's
degree in history from UCLA, and her MLIS from the University of Washington.
Editorial Note #2: Alexander C. Watkins (https://www.colorado.edu/libraries/alexander-watkins) is the art and architecture
librarian and an associate professor at the University of Colorado, Boulder. His research focuses on methods for critical,
engaging, and effective teaching in libraries. He received a bachelor of arts degree in the history of art and anthropology
from the University of California Berkeley, and master's degrees in the history of art and design and library and
information science from Pratt Institute.
Creators in the Academic Library: Instruction & Outreach
Alexander C. Watkins, editor
Rebecca Zuege Kuglitsch, editor
ACRL Books Association of College & Research Libraries
c/o American Library Association
https://www.ala.org
9780838939703, $72.00, PB, 312pp
https://www.amazon.com/Creators-Academic-Library-Instruction-Outreach/dp/0838939708
Synopsis: Engineering students, designers, studio artists, and other student creators have unique research needs that
libraries are well-positioned to meet. They use academic literature to inspire and ground creation, but also seek information
from trade literature, patents, technical standards, and how-to manuals. They apply tacit knowledge and need to learn not
only how to write within academic discourse but also create objects, designs, and experiences.
In four parts (Technology, Tools, and Techniques for Creation; Inspiring Creativity through Research; Creator's Unique
Information Needs; Grounding Creation in Research), "Creators in the Academic Library: Instruction and Outreach"
explores how to teach specifically for creator research, motivate learning, and deepen students' understanding of their own
practice.
Individual chapters are grouped by learning objectives rather than discipline to highlight the throughlines that unite
creators regardless of their field. They include methods for researching creative technology, tools, and techniques in
different settings and disciplines; how to research for inspiration; adapting our tools and teaching to the unique
information-seeking behaviors of creator disciplines; and how these skills can be transferred to students' future
careers.
"Creators in the Academic Library: Instruction & Outreach" offers learning strategies and objectives that can help you
teach all manner of creators.
Critique: Collaborative compiled and deftly co-edited by the team of Rebecca Zuege Kuglitsch and Alexander C. Watkins,
"Creators in the Academic Library: Instruction & Outreach" is unreservedly recommended for personal, professional, and
academic library Library Science collections and supplemental curriculum studies list. It should be noted that it is also the
companion book to "Creators in the Academic library: Collections & Spaces" which is also from ACRL Books Association
of College & Research Libraries.
Editorial Note #1: Alexander C. Watkins (https://www.colorado.edu/libraries/alexander-watkins) is the art and architecture
librarian and an associate professor at the University of Colorado, Boulder. His research focuses on methods for critical,
engaging, and effective teaching in libraries. He received a bachelor of arts degree in the history of art and anthropology
from the University of California Berkeley, and master's degrees in the history of art and design and library and
information science from Pratt Institute.
Editorial Note #2: Rebecca Zuege Kuglitsch (https://experts.colorado.edu/display/fisid_152452) is the faculty director and
team lead for Branches & Services at the University of Colorado Boulder. Her research draws on her experience in science
and engineering librarianship. She received her undergraduate degree in history and biology from Knox College, a master's
degree in history from UCLA, and her MLIS from the University of Washington.
Practicing Privacy Literacy in Academic Libraries
Sarah Hartman-Caverly, editor
Alexandria Chisholm, editor
ACRL Books Association of College & Research Libraries
c/o American Library Association
https://www.ala.org
9780838939895, $90.00, PB, 390pp
https://www.amazon.com/Practicing-Privacy-Literacy-Academic-Libraries/dp/0838939899
Synopsis: Even in this ear of social media and internet hackers, privacy is not dead: Students care deeply about their
privacy and the rights it safeguards. They need a way to articulate their concerns and guidance on how to act within the
complexity of our current information ecosystem and culture of surveillance capitalism.
"Practicing Privacy Literacy in Academic Libraries: Theories, Methods, and Cases" can help to teach privacy literacy,
evolve the privacy practices at academic institution, and re-center the individuals behind the data and the ethics behind
library work.
This large format (7 x 0.9 x 10 inches, 1.11 pounds) edition of "Practicing Privacy Literacy in Academic Libraries:
Theories, Methods, and Cases" is divided into four major sections: What is Privacy Literacy?; Protecting Privacy;
Educating about Privacy; Advocating for Privacy.
Individual chapters cover a range of thematically relevant topics including privacy literacy frameworks; digital wellness;
embedding a privacy review into digital library workflows; using privacy literacy to challenge price discrimination; privacy
pedagogy; and promoting privacy literacy and positive digital citizenship through credit-bearing courses, co-curricular
partnerships, and faculty development and continuing education initiatives.
"Practicing Privacy Literacy in Academic Libraries: Theories, Methods, and Cases" provides theory-informed, practical
ways to incorporate privacy literacy into library instruction and other areas of academic library practice.
Critique: Collaboratively compiled and co-edited by experienced academic librarians Sarah Hartman-Caverly and
Alexandria Chisholm, "Practicing Privacy Literacy in Academic Libraries: Theories, Methods, and Cases" is an
extraordinary and unreservedly recommended addition to personal, professional, college, and university
Library/Information Science collections and as a supplemental Library & Information Science curriculum textbook.
Editorial Note #1: Sarah Hartman-Caverly, MS(LIS), MSIS, is a reference and instruction librarian at Penn State Berks,
where she liaises with Engineering, Business and Computing division programs. Sarah delivered her first privacy literacy
workshop, "Is Big Data Big Brother?," in 2014. She co-facilitated a faculty learning community examining learning
analytics through a privacy lens in 2017 and a professional community of practice workshop on privacy in 2021. Sarah's
research examines the compatibility of human and machine autonomy from the perspective of intellectual freedom, and she
publishes and presents on privacy literacy and other topics as part of this work. She earned her MS(LIS) and MS in
information systems from Drexel University College of Computing & Informatics (then iSchool) and holds a BA in
anthropology from Haverford College. Outside of the library, Sarah is an edible gardener, chicken herder, and homemaker.
Together, Sarah and Alex Chisholm created the Penn State Berks Privacy Workshop Series, collaborate on privacy literacy
research and professional development, and maintain the Digital Shred Privacy Literacy Toolkit.
Editorial Note #2: Alexandria Chisholm is an associate librarian at Penn State University Libraries and liaison to the Berks
campus' first-year experience program and science division. She has over ten years of reference and instruction experience
at both private and public baccalaureate- and doctoral-degree granting institutions. Chisholm's research focuses on privacy
literacy, with special attention on digital wellness and algorithmic transparency as well as information literacy and student
engagement. Together, Alex and Sarah Hartman-Caverly created the Penn State Berks Privacy Workshop Series,
collaborate on privacy literacy research and professional development, and maintain the Digital Shred Privacy Literacy
Toolkit.
The Mathematics Shelf
Mathematical Analysis of Machine Learning Algorithms
Tong Zhang
Cambridge University Press
www.cambridge.org
9781009098380, $54.99, HC, 479pp
https://www.amazon.com/Mathematical-Analysis-Machine-Learning-Algorithms/dp/100909838 1
Synopsis: The mathematical theory of machine learning not only explains the current algorithms but can also motivate
principled approaches for the future. "Mathematical Analysis of Machine Learning Algorithms" by Tong Zhang is
self-contained textbook that introduces students and researchers of AI to the main mathematical techniques used to analyze
machine learning algorithms, with motivations and applications.
The topics covered include the analysis of supervised learning algorithms in the iid setting, the analysis of neural networks
(e.g. neural tangent kernel and mean-field analysis), and the analysis of machine learning algorithms in the sequential
decision setting (e.g. online learning, bandit problems, and reinforcement learning).
Students will also learn the basic mathematical tools used in the theoretical analysis of these machine learning problems
and how to apply them to the analysis of various concrete algorithms. "Mathematical Analysis of Machine Learning
Algorithms" is ideal for anyone who has some background knowledge of basic machine learning methods, but wants to
gain sufficient technical knowledge to understand research papers in theoretical machine learning.
Critique: Impressively comprehensive, exceptionally well written, effectively organized and presented, Tong Zhang's
"Mathematical Analysis of Machine Learning Algorithms" is an ideal addition to personal, professional, college, and
university library Computer Science collections and Programming Algorithms & Pattern Recognition curriculum studies
lists. It should be noted for students and academia that "Mathematical Analysis of Machine Learning Algorithms" is also
available in a digital book format (Kindle, $52.24).
Editorial Note: Tong Zhang (http://tongzhang-ml.org) is Chair Professor of Computer Science and Mathematics at the
Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, where his research focuses on machine learning, big data, and their
applications. A Fellow of the IEEE, the American Statistical Association, and the Institute of Mathematical Statistics,
Zhang has served as Chair or Area chair at major machine learning conferences such as NeurIPS, ICML, and COLT, and
he has been an associate editor for several top machine learning publications including PAMI, JMLR, and 'Machine
Learning.'
The LGBTQ Studies Shelf
Bending Toward Justice
Vic Basile
Querelle Press
https://querellepress.com
9798985034165, $21.00, PB, 264pp
https://www.amazon.com/Bending-Toward-Justice-Leadership-Founding/dp/B0C7JNFQ6J
Synopsis: With the publication of "Bending Toward Justice: A Memoir of Two Decades of LGBTQ Leadership and the
Founding of the Human Rights Campaign", Vic Basile (with the assistance of Donna Mosher) deftly chronicles the early
years of a movement pressing for equal rights and lifesaving resources for LGBTQ people -- who for centuries had been
shunned by the ignorant, reviled by the so-called faithful, and shamed even by their own families.
Vic Basile was one of those who led the Human Rights Campaign through the AIDS epidemic, as it suffers too many lives
lost, fights for essential funding for research, education and treatment, confronts ignorance and discrimination, and begins
to shift the hearts and minds of Americans about equal treatment.
These unsung heroes of the LGBTQ movement worked unobtrusively and bravely within the system to change the system.
Some of them are still here, too many are gone. Every single one of them has a poignant, powerful story that must be told
and that never should be forgotten.
Critique: Exceptionally well written, comprehensively informative, impressively 'reader friendly' in organization and
presentation, "Bending Toward Justice: A Memoir of Two Decades of LGBTQ Leadership and the Founding of the Human
Rights Campaign" is a vital and appreciated history of the LGBTQ community struggle for equal rights and recognition
politically, culturally, socially, and legally. While also readily available for personal reading lists in a digital book format
(Kindle, $8.99), "Bending Toward Justice: A Memoir of Two Decades of LGBTQ Leadership and the Founding of the
Human Rights Campaign" is especially and unreservedly recommended for personal, professional, community, college,
and university library LGBTQ History/Biography collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists.
Editorial Note: Vic Basile (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vic_Basile) has enjoyed the rare opportunity and extraordinary
privilege of a career of public service and social justice advocacy. A widely recognized national leader in the LGBTQ
community, he currently lives in Maryland.
The Music Shelf
Mozart's Operas and National Politics
Marin Nedbal
Cambridge University Press
One Liberty Plaza, Fl. 20, New York, NY 10006
www.cambridge.org
9781009257596, $110.00, HC, 306pp
https://www.amazon.com/Mozarts-Operas-National-Politics-Formation/dp/1009257595
Synopsis: As both an in-depth study of Mozart criticism and performance practice in Prague, and a history of how
eighteenth-century opera was appropriated by later political movements and social groups, with the publication of
"Mozart's Operas and National Politics: Canon Formation in Prague from 1791 to the Present", Marin Nedbal (Associate
Professor of Musicology at KU School of Music) explores the reception of Mozart's operas in Prague between 1791 and
the present and reveals the profound influence of politics on the construction of the Western musical canon.
Tracing the links between performances of Mozart's operas and strategies that Bohemian musicians, critics, directors,
musicologists, and politicians used to construct modern Czech and German identities, Professor Nedbal explores the
history of the canonization process from the perspective of a city that has often been regarded as peripheral to mainstream
Western music history. Individual chapters focus on Czech and German adaptations of Mozart's operas for Prague's
theaters, operatic criticism published in Prague's Czech and German journals, the work of Bohemian historians interpreting
Mozart, and endeavours of cultural activists to construct monuments in recognition of the composer.
Critique: An original, seminal, inherently fascinating, and scholastically meticulous study, "Mozart's Operas and National
Politics: Canon Formation in Prague from 1791 to the Present" is enhanced for the reader with the inclusion of lists for
figures, tables, and musical examples. There is also a sixteen page Bibliography and a five page Index. While also
available in a digital book format (Kindle, $104.50), "Mozart's Operas and National Politics: Canon Formation in Prague
from 1791 to the Present" will prove of particular interest to Mozart enthusiasts and an unreservedly recommended
addition to personal, professional, community, and academic library Opera Music collections and supplemental Mozart
curriculum studies lists.
Editorial Note: Martin Nedbal (https://music.ku.edu/people/martin-nedbal) is Associate Professor of Musicology at the
University of Kansas. He is the author of Morality and Viennese Opera in the Age of Mozart and Beethoven (Routledge,
2016) and translator and editor of The Published Theoretical Works of Leos Janacek (Editio Janacek, 2020).
Metallica All the Songs
Benoit Clerc
Mitchell Beazley
c/o Octopus Books
www.octopusbooksusa.com
9781784728939, $60.00, HC, 528pp
https://www.amazon.com/Metallica-All-Songs-story-behind/dp/1784728934
Synopsis: Metallica is an American heavy metal band. The band was formed in 1981 in Los Angeles by vocalist and
guitarist James Hetfield and drummer Lars Ulrich, and has been based in San Francisco for most of its career. The band's
fast tempos, instrumentals, and aggressive musicianship made them one of the founding "big four" bands of thrash metal,
alongside Megadeth, Anthrax, and Slayer.
Metallica's current lineup comprises founding members and primary songwriters Hetfield and Ulrich, longtime lead
guitarist Kirk Hammett, and bassist Robert Trujillo. Guitarist Dave Mustaine, who formed Megadeth after being fired from
Metallica, and bassists Ron McGovney, Cliff Burton, and Jason Newsted are former members of the band.
From their widely circulated demo, No Life 'til Leather, all the way to their 10th studio album Hardwired... to Self-Destruct
- Metallica has earned the title of the biggest heavy metal band on the planet. Their albums, including the hugely influential
Master of Puppets, are now considered classics of rock and metal, while singles such as Enter Sandman, Fade to Black and
For Whom the Bell Tolls have stood the test of time. Follow the epic journey of the godfathers of thrash metal,
song-by-song, and see how they became one of the biggest selling bands in the world.
With the publication of "Metallica All the Songs: The story behind every track" by Benoit Clerc is impressively
comprehensive and illustrated throughout with incredible photography. Ranging from the inspiration behind the lyrics and
melodies, to the recording process, and noting the musicians and producers who worked on each track, "Metallica All the
Songs" pesents the stories behind the music in this truly definitive history of Metallica.
Critique: Fascinating, informative, comprehensive, exceptionally well organized, 'reader friendly' in presentation,, and a
must-have for the legions of Metallica fans, "Metallica All the Songs: The story behind every track" is the most in-depth
exploration of Metallica's songs ever written. While also available for personal reading lists in a digital book format
(Kindle, $18.99), "Metallica All the Songs: The story behind every track" is an impressive and unreservedly recommended
addition to community and academic library American Heavy Metal Music & Rock Band History collection and
supplemental curriculum studies lists.
Editorial Note: Author and composer Beno t Clerc has been a professional musician for over fifteen years. In addition to
composing music for film and television, in 2018 Benoit formed his own production company, Tivoli Songs.
The Jive 95
Hank Rosenfeld
Backbeat Books
www.backbeatbooks.com
c/o Globe Pequot
https://www.globepequot.com
9781493070862, $32.95, HC, 346pp
https://www.amazon.com/Jive-95-Americas-Underground-Francisco/dp/149307086X
Synopsis: With the publication of "The Jive 95: An Oral History of America's Greatest Underground Rock Radio Station,
KSAN San Francisco", Hank Rosenfeld provides an oral history of America's first hippie underground FM station which
broadcast the countercultural consciousness of the '60s and '70s to a new generation. It was a communal radio band of
intrepid hellraisers, pranksters, and drug-enlightened geniuses who defined this psychedelic era from the Summer of Love
in Golden Gate Park, to the rebellion and bitter end of the late 1970s which was to launch the Reagan Revolution.
Founded in San Francisco by Tom Donahue, a 1996 inductee into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, an entire generation of
Americans discovered a new musical universe among dance clubs, light shows and street fests -- the original pop-ups.
Almost overnight, KSAN became an audio clubhouse, where anyone could belong with friends and the cool cats and
hipsters they just met.
Rock gods, political stars, and literary celebrities, including Jerry Garcia, Ken Kesey, Sly Stone, and John Lennon were all
interviewed by founder Tom Donahue and his cohorts, whose listeners "tuned in and turned on" to bands like Jefferson
Airplane, The Grateful Dead, Janis Joplin, Quicksilver, Country Joe and the Fish, Hot Tuna, The Beatles and Santana,
among others.
Folk journalist Hank Rosenfeld was there during those final years -- writing, producing, and announcing. His warm, funny
voice presents a behind-the-mic experience at KSAN, the beloved, "Jive 95," whose delicious dose of enlightened sunshine
and 33 rpm LP dreamscapes ignited a radio explosion from coast to coast.
So, how did KSAN go from a liberating voice to a corporate cliche? It's all here in Rosenfeld's insightful, hilarious
account, which includes countless exclusive interviews with iconic performers and never before available in print or audio
form.
Critique: Fascinating, informative, exceptional, surprising, insightful, thoughtful and thorought-provoking, "The Jive 95:
An Oral History of America's Greatest Underground Rock Radio Station, KSAN San Francisco" is an extraordinary and
unique contribution to the history of 20th Century American Rock Music History. While especially and unreservedly
recommended for community, college, and university library collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that
"The Jive 95" is also readily availble in a digital book format (Kindle, $22.99) from Backbeat Books.
Editorial Note: Hank Rosenfeld (https://www.hankrosenfeld.com) produced news and comedy at KSAN, "The Jive 95."
He is co-author of the as-told-to memoirs, The Wicked Wit of the West by Marx Bros and MGM scenarist Irving Brecher,
and Memorie by Benjamin Mandil. He has written for The Realist, Los Angeles Times, San Francisco Chronicle, The
Forward, Village Voice, NY Post, etc. He produced radio shows in NYC, Minneapolis, and on The Voice of Peace pirate
radio ship broadcasting "from somewhere in the Mediterranean." He also told stories on NPR, and was on the staff of Spy
Magazine.
The Architecture Shelf
Cities & Rivers
Inaki Alday, author
Jover Margarita, editor
Actar D
c/o Actar Publishers
https://actar.com
9781945150746, $54.95, HC, 300pp
https://www.amazon.com/Cities-Rivers-I%C3%B1aki-Alday/dp/1945150742
Synopsis: "Cities & Rivers" consists of a collection of projects (each designed from their local and territorial DNA) that
respond in new ways to the global socio-ecological crisis in which we have been in engaged with since the beginning of
the 21st century.
Featured works comprising "Cities & Rivers" include public spaces, architecture and urban studies that incorporate natural
dynamics and that also emphasize (and recovering in some cases) legal access among all citizens and equal access to the
city and its opportunities.
The works presented are particularly renowned given their leadership role in a new approach to the relationship between
cities and rivers, in which natural dynamics become part of the public space, eliminating the effect of climate change
driven "catastrophes".
Critique: This large format hardcover edition (10.5 x 1.5 x 12.25 inches, 4.89 pounds) of "Cities & Rivers" is an
impressive compendium of forty eloquently written and exceptionally informative essays by experts in their field and will
prove to be of exceptional interest and value for personal, professional, community, college, and university library
Urbanism and Landscape Architecture collections, as well as a supplemental contribution to Urban/Land Use curriculum
studies lists.
Editorial Note: Aldayjover architecture and landscape was founded in 1996 in an old seventeen century palace in the center
of Barcelona, and expanded to Virginia (USA) in 2011. It is headed by three partners (Inaki Alday, Margarita Jover, Jesus
Arcos), and an associate director of landscape architecture Francisco Mesonero. Aldayjover is a multidisciplinary research
based practice, focused in innovation and in the specific character of the place. The work is particularly renowned by its
leadership in a new approach to the relation between cities and rivers, in which natural dynamics as the flood become part
of the public space, eliminating detrimental effects of flooding through urban landscaping designs.
The Literary Studies Shelf
Jazz Fiction: Take Two
David Rife, author
James Langdon, editor
Lulu Publishing
www.lulu.com
9781387422715, $43.02, HC, 458pp
https://www.amazon.com/Jazz-Fiction-Take-David-Rife/dp/1387422715
Synopsis: "Jazz Fiction: Take Two", written by David Rife and edited by James Langdon, is the sequel volume to "Jazz
Fiction: A History and Comprehensive Reader's Guide" which was originally published in 2008.
While the earlier work filled a pressing need in jazz studies by identifying and discussing 700 works of fiction with a jazz
component, "Jazz Fiction: Take Two" surveys over 500 newer works of jazz-inflected fiction that have appeared from the
turn of the 21st century to the present.
The essay style reviews at the heart of the book give readers a sense of the plot of each surveyed work and characterizes its
debt to jazz. The entries are written with both general readers and scholars in mind and are intended to entertain as well as
inform. This alone qualifies Jazz Fiction: Take Two as an original and useful resource.
Critique: Informative, comprehensive, and deftly organized into three major sections (Introduction to Select Categories;
Works Under Review; Reader Resources and Indices), "Jazz Fiction: Take Two" also features a four page Jazz Players and
Friends Reference Index, as well as a thirteen page Title Index. Offering a wealth of impressively organized and presented
'reader friendly' information and history that will be of particular and special interest to fans, students, and practitioners of
American Jazz, this exceptional and seminal compendium of jazz music history, recordings, and musicians is especially
and unreservedly recommended for personal, community, college, and university library Jazz Music History collections
and supplemental Music Biography/Index curriculum studies lists. It should be noted that "Jazz Fiction: Take Two" is also
readily available in a paperback edition (9781387515608, $27.10) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $15.00).
Editorial Note #1: The publication of "Jazz Fiction: A History and Comprehensive Reader's Guide" (Scarecrow Press,
9780810859074, $82.00, PB, 292pp) in November of 2007 revealed that David Rife's annotations qualify as short critical
essays, generally providing a jargon-free, often witty presentation, making them a pleasure to read. Broad in scope,
meticulously researched, and comprehensive with titles that have long been inaccessible, this definitive resource is
essential for libraries and valuable to scholars and fans of jazz and literature.
The Pets/Wildlife Shelf
Birds & Blooms Birds in Every Season
Birds & Blooms, editor
Trusted Media Brands
https://www.trustedmediabrands.com
9781621459774, $19.99, PB, 256pp
https://www.amazon.com/Birds-Blooms-Every-Season-Feathered/dp/1621459772
Synopsis: Reader-submitted stories and photos from Birds & Blooms magazine highlight the beauty of birds in every
season and from a variety of habitats in this all-new collection. More than 300 brilliant photos, stories from today's birders,
photography tips, and hints and ideas for attracting birds to your yard round out this keepsake book.
Now with the publication of "Birds & Blooms Birds in Every Season: Cherish the Feathered Flyers in Your Yard All Year
Long", anyone can now go birdwatching without leaving their house as they page through "Birds & Blooms Birds in Every
Season".
Incredible nature photography makes this large format (8.13 x 0.4 x 10.88 inches, 1.36 pounds) coffee-table style volume
that will be visited time and timeagain. The impressive and inherently interesting reader-submitted stories, hints and tips
offer insight into the rewarding hobby of birding.
Created by the pros at Birds & Blooms magazine, this keepsake highlights the beauty of birds in a variety of habitats
around the country, from brightly colored warblers and elegant egrets to stoic-looking owls and tiny finches. Birding
enthusiasts will full enjoy the photos and tales from fellow bird lovers about their encounters with these feathered friends,
and learn tips and tricks for successful seasonal birding in special sections at the end of each chapter.
Critique: Gorgeous full color photography, insightful and informative commentary, "Birds & Blooms Birds in Every
Season: Cherish the Feathered Flyers in Your Yard All Year Long" is a bird watcher's delight and a welcome, enduringly
popular, highly recommended pick for personal, professional, community, college, and university library Aviary and
Wildlife collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "Birds & Blooms Birds in Every Season: Cherish the
Feathered Flyers in Your Yard All Year Long" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $11.99).
Editorial Note: Birds & Blooms (https://www.birdsandblooms.com) is the #1 bird and garden magazine in North America
with more than 1 million subscribers. It prides itself on inspiring a lifelong love of birding, gardening and nature by
celebrating beauty in the backyard and beyond.
The Christian Studies Shelf
Healthy Feelings, Thriving Faith
Bill & Kristi Gaultiere
Fleming H. Revell Company
c/o Baker Publishing Group
www.revellbooks.com
9780800742812, $18.99, PB, 272pp
https://www.amazon.com/Healthy-Feelings-Thriving-Faith-Emotionally/dp/0800742818
Synopsis: If you have ever taken a personality test, you may have found yourself in enthusiastic agreement about the
positive aspects of your personality, while the less desirable traits listed may have made you a bit defensive. Maybe you
read up on a different personality type and wished you had more of those qualities. But the truth is, every type can get stuck
in unhealthy emotional and spiritual patterns. And no matter what your personality, you have the potential to grow into the
healthiest and most loving version of yourself.
With the publication of "Healthy Feelings, Thriving Faith", Drs. Bill and Kristi Gaultiere use the Enneagram to lead you
through a journey of discovery, showing you how God can transform unhealthy patterns of anger, shame, anxiety, and
sadness into freedom, joy, peace, and love. Through eye-opening insights, engaging stories, and simple soul care practices
and spiritual disciplines, this book offers an avenue to renewed hope and personal growth you may not have thought
possible.
If you want to go from knowing your personality type to growing in wholeness, empathy, and faith, let the Gaultieres and
"Healthy Feelings, Thriving Faith" be your guide.
Critique: Exceptionally 'reader friendly' in style, organization and presentation, "Healthy Feelings, Thriving Faith" is
impressively informative, thoughtful and thought-provoking, inspired and inspiring. While from a Christian perspective
and highly recommended for personal, professional, community, church, seminary, and academic library Personal Growth
& Self-Help collections, it should be noted for clergy, seminary students, and non-specialist general readers with an
interest in the subject that "Healthy Feelings, Thriving Faith" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle,
$14.49).
Editorial Note: Bill and Kristi Gaultiere (https://www.soulshepherding.org/about-us) have been counseling and ministering
to people for thirty years and are the authors of Journey of the Soul. Bill is a psychologist who has served in private
practice, co-led a New Life psychiatric day hospital, and pastored churches. Kristi is a marriage and family therapist who
has also served in private practice and church ministry. Together they are the founders of Soul Shepherding, a nonprofit
ministry to help believers discover their next steps for growing in intimacy with Jesus, emotional health, and loving
relationships.
Get Past Your Past
Jason VanRuler, author
Zondervan
https://www.zondervan.com
9780310367413, $19.99, PB, 208pp
https://www.amazon.com/Get-Past-Your-Facing-Connection/dp/0310367417
Synopsis: As Christians, any of us can get stuck in our struggle. Jesus came to set us free and give us life (abundant life)
but while we believe it for everyone else, it's hard to accept his forgiveness and grace for ourselves. We continue in our old
ways, living as one with no hope because we're afraid of failing if we try to get better.
But what if brokenness (the array of behaviors and symptoms that show us that all is not as it should be with us) isn't all
there is? What if we can change?
As a licensed therapist and a man who's dealt with his own problems (including childhood trauma, alcohol abuse, drug use,
and bouts of depression) Jason VanRuler understands what you're going through. With the publication of "Get Past Your
Past: How Facing Your Broken Places Leads to True Connection", he offers empathy, grace, and a hand to hold as he
shares from his own places of brokenness and his professional knowledge to help you:
1. Overcome the lie that you're the only one who struggles with brokenness
2, Look your brokenness square in the face and take small, doable steps to overcome it
3. Learn to love and be loved in your most cherished relationships
4. Cultivate authentic connection with those around you and with God
5. Find the courage to be vulnerable about your story and embrace the freedom that comes from sharing it
The life you dream of isn't that far away. But you can't stay where you are. It's time to embark on your journey toward
healing. "Let Get Past Your Past" be your guide along the way.
Critique: Written from a distinctively Christian perspective, "Get Past Your Past: How Facing Your Broken Places Leads
to True Connection" is a life-healing, life-enriching, life-affirming, and life-changing read. While also available for
personal reading lists in a digital book format (Kindle, $12.99), "Get Past Your Past" is especially recommended for
readers throughout the Christian community that have an interest in Christian Counseling and Spiritual Growth.
Editorial Note: Jason VanRuler (https://www.jasonvr.com) began his career in 2011 and has worked with many
populations over the years, ranging from persons who are incarcerated to top CEOs, performers and artists, and just about
everyone in between. Jason has extensive experience as a clinician, coach, and speaker and operates a multistate private
practice. In 2018, Jason joined Bethesda Workshops in Nashville, TN, where he serves as a group leader and facilitator.
Jason is known for his ability to relate and connect with his clients and offer hope to those who have felt hopeless. He has
an engaged and rapidly growing online audience for his insightful, short videos sharing practical tips for psychological
care, self-help, and healthy relationships.
The Catholic Parents' Survival Guide
Julianne Stanz
Loyola Press
www.loyolapress.com
9780829455175, $16.99, PB, 128pp
https://www.amazon.com/Catholic-Parents-Survival-Guide-Questions/dp/0829455175
Synopsis: Raising a Catholic family is never easy, especially when it comes to discussing our faith with our children.
Despite trying our best, sometimes we all need help addressing issues of faith respectfully, honestly, and accurately.
Written by author, catechist, lay church leader, and mother of three, Julianne Stanz, "The Catholic Parents' Survival Guide"
is a practical manual for talking with children about how to navigate life through the lens of the Catholic faith.
Featuring an accessible question-and-answer format, Julianne not only equips readers with tools to help explain Catholic
beliefs, ethics, morality, and faith practices, but she also prepares us for how to deliver this information in a manner that
will resonate with children.
She addresses such questions as:
Who is God?
What is the Holy Spirit?
What happens if you miss Mass?
What happens after we die?
Does God answer prayers?
What will we do in heaven?
Why do Catholics pray to Mary?
Why can't women become priests?
In addition, each individual chapter includes key takeaways, notes for reflection, recommended resources, and tips for
putting these insights into practice. "The Catholic Parents' Survival Guide" provides reliable information about the
Catholic faith and parent-tested methods for sharing it with children.
Critique: A welcome, informative, inspiring, and thoroughly 'parent friendly' in organization and presentation, "The
Catholic Parents' Survival Guide: Straight Answers to Your Kids' Toughest Questions" is especially and unreservedly
recommended reading for every Catholic parent wanting to instill in their child Catholic Christian Values. While also
available in a digital book format (Kindle, $11.49), "The Catholic Parents' Survival Guide: Straight Answers to Your Kids'
Toughest Questions" is a stellar pick for family, church, and seminary Catholic Parenting collections and reading lists.
Editorial Note: Julianne Stanz (https://www.juliannestanz.com) is a nationally known speaker, retreat leader, storyteller,
and the Director of Parish Life and Evangelization for the Diocese of Green Bay and a consultant to the USCCB
Committee on Catechesis and Evangelization.
The Travel Shelf
Spain: The Monocle Handbook
Tyler Brule, author
Andrew Tuck, author
Joe Pickard, author
Thames & Hudson, Inc.
www.thamesandhudsonusa.com
9780500978672, $50.00, HC, 224pp
https://www.amazon.com/Spain-Monocle-Handbook-Tyler-Br%C3%BBl%C3%A9/dp/0500978670
Synopsis: Hot on the heels of Portugal: The Monocle Handbook, Monocle's latest title turns its focus to sunny Spain in the
next of its country-specific books. This practical guide will steer you from the streets of Seville to the mountains of
Mallorca, introducing Monocle's favorite places to stay, eat, shop, and visit across the country.
Discover the sleekest beachside boltholes in the Costa Brava, the family-run restaurants plating up the tastiest tapas in
Andalucia, and the buzziest bars in Barcelona before getting your cultural fix in Valencia, Bilbao, or Madrid. You'll meet
the Spaniards making waves in the fashion industry, visit the artisans turning out beautiful contemporary designs, and hear
from the chefs shaking up the country's food scene. And of course you'll find out about the finest stretches of sand on
which to lay down your towel.
For those looking to put down roots in Spain, the book also profiles the cities, towns, and neighborhoods worth investing
in, the architects and designers to commission, and even some interior design inspiration for your apartment or holiday
home. Whether you are putting together an itinerary for a sun-soaked weekend or planning to stay a little longer, Spain:
The Monocle Handbook makes the perfect companion.
Critique: Beautifully and profusely illustrated in color throughout, "Spain: The Monocle Handbook" by co-authors Tyler
Brule (editorial director and chairman of Monocle), Andrew Tuck (the magazine's editor-in-chief), and Joe Pickard (its
head of book publishing), the traveler will discover Monocle's favorite and recommended places to stay, eat, shop, and
visit all across Spain. Creating lifetime memories of places, people, cuisine, and more, "Spain: The Monocle Handbook" is
an ideal resource for planning all manner of itineraries at all budget levels. Whether an on-site visitor or an armchair
traveler, "Spain: The Monocle Handbook" is a very special and unreservedly recommend addition to personal,
professional, community, and academic library European: Spain travel guide collections.
National Geographic Traveler: Florence and Tuscany, fourth edition
National Geographic, author
National Geographic Press
www.nationalgeographic.com
9788854419704, $21.99, PB, 400pp
https://www.amazon.com/National-Geographic-Traveler-Florence-Tuscany/dp/8854419702
Synopsis: Simply stated, "National Geographic Traveler: Florence and Tuscany" offers the best of Florence and Tuscany.
A 'user friendly' compendium of illustrations, history, and practical information, National Geographic Traveler: Florence
and Tuscany" allow even the most novice of travelers to learn much about the monuments of Florence, from the Duomo to
Piazza della Signoria, museums and galleries, Renaissance palaces, and churches.
After Florence, with "National Geographic Traveler: Florence and Tuscany" travelers can easily move toward Siena and
San Gimignano, visit the Chianti region if a wine lover or the Apuan Alps for some excursions, or head to the south of the
region to learn about the history and culture of the Etruscans on a beach holiday.
In central-southern Tuscany, you can appreciate the abbeys, historic villages, and the sublime countryside, stopping in
Pienza or Montalcino for excursions. Witness historical re-enactments and events and enjoy the pleasure of cooking,
including wines are an inseparable part of the trip. As well as indulging in shopping for fashion, art, and antiques.
Critique: Comprehensive, beautifully illustrated, thoroughly 'traveler friendly' in organization and presentation, "National
Geographic Traveler: Florence and Tuscany" is a handy and portable paperback (4.97 x 1.09 x 7.92 inches, 1.51 pounds)
Italian travel guide that is especially and unreservedly recommended for personal, professional, community, and academic
library Italian Travel Guide collections in general and Florence/Tuscany itinerary planning in particular.
Editorial Note: National Geographic is one of the world's leading nonfiction publishers, having published more than 1,700
titles in categories such as history, travel, nature, photography, space, science, health, biography, and memoir. A portion of
its proceeds is used to fund exploration, conservation, and education through ongoing contributions to the work of the
National Geographic Society.
Scenic Driving Arizona
Stewart M. Green
The Globe Pequot Press
www.globepequot.com
9781493070541, $24.95, PB, 272pp
https://www.amazon.com/Scenic-Driving-Arizona-Including-Monument/dp/1493070541
Synopsis: With the publication of "Scenic Driving Arizona: Including the Grand Canyon, Monument Valley, Sedona, and
Saguaro National Park" by photographer and travel writer Stewart M. Green, it has never been easier to simply pack up the
car and enjoy 25 drives ranging from 20 to 200 miles long through Arizona's most spectacular landscapes. Included in this
paperback edition from Globe Pequot are route maps; in-depth descriptions of special attractions and historical points; and
invaluable tips on lodging, camping, and dining.
Critique: Profusely illustrated, impressively informative, thoroughly 'user friendly' in organization and presentation, and an
ideal resource for planning on-site day trips and extended vacations with, "Scenic Driving Arizona: Including the Grand
Canyon, Monument Valley, Sedona, and Saguaro National Park" is especially and unreservedly recommended for
personal, professional, community, and academic library American Travel Guide and Arizona Travel Guide collections. It
should be noted that "Scenic Driving Arizona" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $21.34).
Editorial Note: Stewart M. Green is a freelance photographer and writer who is the author and photographer of many
books for Globe Pequot and FalconGuides, including five Scenic Driving Guides. His photographs have appeared in many
publications including Climbing, Rock and Ice, Outside, National Motorist, On The Edge, Alp, Sierra, and others. He has a
photo/writing website at: https://stewartgreenbooks.wixsite.com/stewartmgreenphoto
The Needlecraft Shelf
The Art of Weaving
Betty Briand
Stackpole Books
www.stackpolebooks.com
9780811771849, $39.95, HC, 284pp
https://www.amazon.com/Art-Weaving-Techniques-Understand-Structures/dp/0811771849
Synopsis: "The Art of Weaving: Master the Techniques, Understand the Weave Structures, Create Your Own Designs" by
Betty Briand is a comprehensive instruction guide to floor loom weaving. It begins with the basics (parts of the loom, how
to wind your warp and dress your loom; how to read and weave drafts) but then goes so much farther, explaining the
different types of weaves and how to read and weave from charts, and exploring a variety of weaves in depth.
"The Art of Weaving" covers each topic in detail, with illustrations, photos, and charts to guide you. The first half of the
book is devoted to the basics of weaving, and the second part teaches a variety of weave structures and how to use them
and adapt them to whatever you want to make.
"The Art of Weaving" is extensive in its scope, and a reference book appropriate for all skill levels as it covers: Preparing
your yarn and threading your floor loom; Understanding and working from drafts; Exploring weave structures; Finishing;
Troubleshooting.
Critique: Comprehensive, illustrated, and thoroughly 'user friendly' in organization and presentation, "The Art of Weaving:
Master the Techniques, Understand the Weave Structures, Create Your Own Designs" is an ideal introduction to loom
weaving wither as a DIY how-to manual or as an academic curriculum textbook. While highly recommended for personal,
professional, community, college, and community library collections, it should be noted that "The Art of Weaving" is also
readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $32.49) as well.
Editorial Note: Betty Briand's interest in textiles is rooted in the childhood skills she learned from her grandparents who
were passionate about fiber arts: weaving, spinning, vegetable dyeing, knitting, and making ropes. After solid training from
several instructors, she became a full-time weaving teacher. Today, she works with students in her ARTissage
workshop/school located in Chinon in Touraine, France, while continuing her own explorations in weaving.
Made to Measure
Elisalex Jewell
Quarry Books
c/o Quarto Publishing Group USA
www.quartous.com
9780760382806, $29.99, PB, 176pp
https://www.amazon.com/Made-Measure-Drafting-Wardrobe-Pattern-Free/dp/0760382808
Synopsis: When you learn to draft and sew your own customized clothes that fit you perfectly and make you feel fantastic,
you no longer need to feel confined by the boundaries of a sewing pattern in order to make clothes that fit beautifully and
represent your style in a way that store-bought clothes never can.
Designer and founder of popular pattern brand By Hand London, Elisalex Jewell is known for designing beautiful, fun
garments that look fabulous on women of all sizes. With the publication of "Made to Measure: An Easy Guide to Drafting
and Sewing a Custom Wardrobe - 16 Pattern-Free Projects", she guides even the most novice of seamstresses in creating
stylish garments while empowering them to learn new skills, be creative, and feel confident.
Following an overview of essential sewing tools, a primer on fabrics, and a guide to essential sewing techniques, you will
learn how to: Draft simple patterns based on your measurements; Take a pattern from an existing garment; Identify and fix
common fit issues.
The sixteen pattern-free projects for dresses, skirts, tops, a pantsuit, and more are a springboard for creating a versatile,
personalized wardrobe. The designs include: Sweet Shirred Top and Dress; Faux-Cute Jumpsuit; Paneled Wrap Skirt;
Prairie Dress; Not Your Grandma's Quilted Circle Skirt; Siren Slip Dress; Refashioned Sweater Dress.
In today's world of "fast fashion," sewing your own clothes is a wonderful way to slow down and create garments that are
sustainable and unique. While most sewing books show you how to create garments from specific patterns, "Made to
Measure" takes sewing clothes to the next level by allowing you to customize the designs to fit you.
Critique: Whether you are new to sewing clothes, or simply want to add to your garment-making skills, "Made to Measure:
An Easy Guide to Drafting and Sewing a Custom Wardrobe - 16 Pattern-Free Projects" is the ideal combination of
instructional guide and 'how-to' manual for creating an impressive and personalized wardrobe that is specifically tailored to
and for you. While also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $14.99), "Made to Measure" is an outstanding and
unreservedly recommended pick for personal, professional, and community library Needlecraft, Fashion, and Sewing
collections.
Editorial Note: Elisalex Jewell (www.byhandlondon.com) is the co-founder of the independent sewing pattern label and
sewing education platform By Hand London. She went to the London College of Fashion, where she trained as a
shoemaker, then worked in the fashion industry for four years. She founded By Hand London out of an interest in wanting
to equip people with the skills and confidence needed to sew their own clothes. She also teaches sewing and handicrafts
and contributes to various sewing and craft publications. She lives in London, United Kingdom and can be followed on
Instagram: @elisalex and Facebook: By Hand London
Customize Your Cross-Stitch
Lizzy Dabczynski-Bean
Walter Foster
c/o Quarto Publishing Group USA
www.quartoknows.com
9780760385357, $22.99, PB, 112pp
https://www.amazon.com/Customize-Your-Cross-Stitch-personalized-cross-stitch/dp/0760385351
Synopsis: "Customize Your Cross-Stitch: Friends & Family: Learn to customize, prepare, stitch, and finish your very own
personalized cross-stitch creations" by Lizzy Dabczynski-Bean is a very helpful and 'user friendly' guide that introduces
you to the basics of needlecraft stitching with easy-to-follow written directions and photographic instructions.
You will learn everything from using the tools of the trade to reading a pattern, creating basic stitches, and tweaking an
already-existing design. The beautiful, modern designs in this combination of 'how-to' manual are accompanied by simple
instructions appropriate for all skill levels.
The easy-to-follow lessons (complete with patterns, detailed instructions, and photographs) ensure success in customizing
patterns to create your very own unique pieces. You will discover how to swap out colors, alter hairstyles, change clothing,
and much more, to make your scene depict you and your own friends and family!
The instructive examples include: A couple sitting on a porch; A family portrait with a pet; Friends on a road trip; A
meeting for coffee at the cafe; A baby birth announcement; A family sledding scene; A family in the garden; A pool party;
A family picnic at the park.
An inspiration gallery at the end includes full-color images of additional finished pieces to inspire you to continue your
learning with even more patterns from Stitch People, which has offered patterns and instruction for do-it-yourself
cross-stitched family portraits since 2014.
Critique: Simply stated, "Customize Your Cross-Stitch: Friends & Family: Learn to customize, prepare, stitch, and finish
your very own personalized cross-stitch creations" by needlecraft expert Lizzy Dabczynski-Bean is fun, informatively
instructive, and a highly prized pick for personal, professional, and community library Needlecraft instructional reference
collections.
Editorial Note: Lizzy Dabczynski-Bean started her service business Stitch People in 2013. The first Stitch People portraits
were Christmas gifts for her family in 2011; now countless customized portraits have been stitched for families all over the
world based off of her designs. Stitch People is now a wife-and-husband team headed by Lizzy and has expanded its
pattern collections with digital patterns available for purchase and downloading online at www.StitchPeople.com
The Woodworking Shelf
Whittling Woodland Animals
Peter Benson
The GMC Group
www.gmcbooks.com
9781784946586, $19.99, HC, 136pp
https://www.amazon.com/Whittling-Woodland-Animals-Benson/dp/1784946583
Synopsis: With the publication of "Whittling Woodland Animals", expert wood carver Peter Benson introduces the simple
art of whittling with 15 wilderness creatures to create from scratch.
The relaxing and rewarding craft of whittling is synonymous with a woodland setting and time spent by the campfire. The
cunning projects included in this new step-by-step 'how to' guide from seasoned woodcarver, Peter Benson will inspire
budding whittlers of all ages.
Intricately carved and infused with character, this collection of wood carving projects makes a perfect beginner's guide to
the hobby. Making delightful gifts and trinkets for nature lovers, you'll want to carve every single animal in the book. The
main tools and techniques are clearly explained, how to carve safely and clear step-by-step instructions for each animal. A
handy campfire-friendly size, simply grab your whittling kit and head out into the woods to while away the hours.
Critique: Beautifully, profusely, and expertly illustrated throughout with full color photography, "Whittling Woodland
Animals" is an ideal introduction to the art and craft of woodcarving. Thoroughly 'reader friendly' in style, organization and
presentation, "Whittling Woodland Animals" is unreservedly recommended for personal, professional, and community
library Arts & Crafts Wood Carving instructional reference collections.
Editorial Note: Peter Benson set up the Essex School of Woodcarving in 1996. He travels often and runs many workshops
overseas as well as judging competitions around the world. He writes regularly for woodcarving journals and is the author
of The Art of Carving Netsuke, Whittling Handbook and Woodland Whittling published by GMC Publications.
The Sports Shelf
A Climber's Guide to the Teton Range, fourth edition
Reynold Jackson & Leigh N. Ortenburger, authors
Greg Winston, photographer
Mountaineers Books
www.mountaineersbooks.org
9781680511970, $49.95, PB, 544pp
https://www.amazon.com/Climbers-Guide-Teton-Range-4th/dp/1680511971
Synopsis: This fourth edition of "A Climber's Guide to the Teton Range" (which was years in the making) includes 932
routes on more than 235 peaks and canyon walls. For each route, longtime Teton climbing ranger Renny Jackson supplies
difficulty classification, first ascent information, and access to the route, and, as needed, also includes approach
considerations, route and/or pitch details, and route of descent. He also notes the estimated time needed for the climb and
any additional protection needs. Cross-references for each route shown on the topographic figures help climbers quickly
find the route details they need.
In this newly updated and expanded 4th edition of "A Climber's Guide to the Teton Range", aspiring climbers, both novice
and experienced, will find a greatly expanded section on the history of climbing in the Tetons along with updated
information about geology, climatology, preparation, regulations, and ethics. Jackson also covers possible traverses and
enchainments (linking up several routes).
Of special note is the inclusion of a new section explaining route descriptions, maps, and difficulty ratings enhances this
edition's usability, and a complete list of Jackson's favorite climbs rounds out this essential guide.
Critique: Co-authored by Renny Jackson and Leigh N. Ortenburger, and featuring 932 routes (including dozens of new
routes) and a new chapter on the Grand Traverse and all-new aerial photography by Greg Winston, with detailed route
overlays, "A Climber's Guide to the Teton Range: 4th Edition" is thoroughly 'user friendly' in organization and
presentation, making it an ideal resource for planning itineraries. While also available in a digital book format (Kindle,
$19.99), "A Climber's Guide to the Teton Range: 4th Edition" is a valued and recommended pick for personal,
professional, community, and academic library Rock Climbing, Mountain Climbing, and Western USA Travel Guide
collections.
Editorial Note #1: Renny Jackson (https://exumguides.com/renny-jackson) is a climber with over 50 years of experience,
worked as a climbing ranger for 34 years at Denali and Grand Teton National Parks before retiring in 2010.
Editorial Note #2: Leigh Ortenburger (1929-1991) was the original author of "A Climber's Guide to the Teton Range" and
his work continues to inform the current edition.
(http://publications.americanalpineclub.org/articles/12199228900/Leigh-Ortenburger-1929-1991)
Editorial Note #3: Greg Winston (www.gregwinstonphoto.com) creates landscape and nature images which are widely
published, and he has helped create natural history documentaries broadcast by National Geographic and the BBC.
The Hunting/Fishing Shelf
Waterfowling These Past Fifty Years
David Hagerbaumer
Stackpole Books
www.stackpolebooks.com
9780811772471, $39.95, HC, 182pp
https://www.amazon.com/Waterfowling-These-Past-Fifty-Years/dp/0811772470
Synopsis: "Waterfowling These Past Fifty Years" is a waterfowling classic that recounts the esteemed artist and skilled
duck hunter David Hagerbaumer's half century of experiences hunting brant and other species along the Pacific Coast.
Since his early days on the marsh in the 1920s, Hagerbaumer perfected the art and sport of waterfowling both painting
wood ducks and mallards and hunting every sporting bird species across North America. He especially appreciated the
black brant of the Pacific, saying they symbolized all that is wild and free.
Critique: In this recognized classic which was originally published in 1998, and is now newly re-published for a new
generation of appreciative readers by Stackpole Books, David Hagerbaumer presents a compendium of his best-loved
stories and recollections of waterfowl hunting and is enhanced for his readers with his finely drawn grey/white illustrations
throughout.
Editorial Note: David Hagerbaumer is waterfowler, naturalist, and artist who grew up during the Great Depression and
began duck hunting, trapping, and fishing at the age of eight in order to help support his family. He went on to spend most
of his life drawing and painting the birds he loved. (https://www.artnet.com/artists/david-hagerbaumer)
The Crimson Wave
Bill Horn
Stackpole Books
www.stackpolebooks.com
9780811772426, $39.99, HC, 192pp
https://www.amazon.com/Crimson-Wave-Sockeye-Rainbow-Alaskas/dp/081177242X
Synopsis: The word "Alaska" conjures visions of jagged icy peaks, smoking volcanoes, vast crimson tundra, sweeping blue
rivers and lakes, shaggy brown bears, bush airplanes and pilots, remote Native villages, flashing rainbow trout, and rivers
teeming with crimson salmon. These visions are realized, on a stupendous scale, in southwest Alaska's Bristol Bay region.
Each year 60 million or more wild salmon pour into the Bay to fight their way upstream past nets, anglers, bears, swirling
rapids, and cascading waterfalls in lake and river systems with magical names -- Iliamna, Kvichak, Naknek, Alagnak,
Becharof, Egegik, Nushagak, Togiak, and Ugashik.
Sport anglers travel to the region to pursue all five species of Pacific salmon, dolly varden and arctic char, grayling and
giant rainbow trout that provide unmatched thrills on the end of a line with their explosive runs and twisting leaps. This
unparalleled fishing (driven by the salmon) makes Bristol Bay the place of fly fisher's dreams.
With the publication of "The Crimson Wave: Sockeye Salmon, Rainbow Trout, and Alaska's Bristol Bay", author and
Alaskan fishing expert Bill Horn provides a detailed and compelling account of the natural history and life cycle of these
fish as well as a glimpse into the culture, management, and politics that are part of the sockeye salmon story. "The Crimson
Wave" also offers essential information for anglers planning a trip to the region, including best times of the year for
fishing, strategies and fly choices, and planning your trip.
Critique: Beautifully illustrated throughout with full color photography, "The Crimson Wave: Sockeye Salmon, Rainbow
Trout, and Alaska's Bristol Bay" by Bill Horn is informative, inspiring, and a 'must' for anyone who has ever aspired to
fishing the fabled waters of Alaska. This large format hardcover edition (7.75 x 0.66 x 9.36 inches, 1.43 pounds) of "The
Crimson Wave" is unreservedly recommended for personal, professional, community, and academic library
Hunting/Fishing collections and supplemental Fish Biology curriculum studies lists. It should be noted that "The Crimson
Wave" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $28.99).
Editorial Note: Bill Horn has had a fifty-year connection (professional and personal) with Alaska. He was part of a 1972
Trout Unlimited team making recommendations to the U.S. Department of the Interior for salmon and trout conservation
in the Bristol Bay region. He then worked for the Alaska Congressional delegation on the major Alaska Lands Bill enacted
in 1980. From 1981 - 84 he was Deputy Under Secretary of the Interior overseeing implementation of the 1980 Act and
continued that role as "Mr. Alaska" within the agency when he was nominated and confirmed in 1985 as Assistant
Secretary of the Interior for Fish, Wildlife, and Parks. Following government service, Horn joined an Alaska law firm and
represented an array of clients in the state including sport fishing lodges, bush pilots, Native corporations, hunting guides,
the State of Alaska, and Trout Unlimited-Alaska. Throughout these decades, he always found time to pursue char, grayling,
salmon, and trout in the Bristol Bay region. His on-the-ground angling experience includes all of the major river and lake
systems of Bristol Bay and all of the angling seasons there. He has written two previous books, Seasons on the Flats
(Headwater Books/Stackpole, 2012) and On the Bow (Stackpole, 2021).
The Interior Design Shelf
The Home Style Handbook
Lucy Gough, author
Simon Bevan, photographer
Mitchell Beazley
c/o Octopus Books
www.octopusbooksusa.com
9781784728632, $40.00, HC, 224pp
https://www.amazon.com/Home-Style-Handbook-make-home/dp/1784728632
Synopsis: We all want to live in a home that reflects our personalities, our experiences, our life's journey. But if we are not
a professional decorator or stylist, where do we start?
"The Home Style Handbook: How to make a home your own" is an inspirational and helpful DIY 'how-to' manual and
guide in which interiors stylist and tutor Lucy Gough will teach you how to understand your true style and how to
implement it in how you decorate your living space.
Your dream home needn't be a spacious, architecturally designed building -- it well could be small or rented. With "The
Home Style Handbook" you will discover what you love and what makes you happy -- all so that you can surround
yourself with the colors, furniture, furnishings and finishing touches that inspire you.
For Lucy, every good room scheme starts with a moodboard and she explains how to create your own and features them
throughout this instructive guide that explores the elements within a series of home case studies and why they work.
"The Home Style Handbook" includes: How to translate magazine imagery into your home; How to create impact with art,
plants and accessories; How to style your kitchen, living room, bathroom, home office and hallway; Key inspirational case
studies.
Critique: Profusely and beautifully illustrated throughout with the full color photography of Simon Bevan, "The Home
Style Handbook: How to make a home your own" is a complete, comprehensive, and 'user friendly' course of inspiring
instruction that will enable even the most novice of DIY home interior design aspirants to successfully remake, remodel,
rearrange their personal abode to reflect their particular interests, preferences, and ideas. While also available for personal reading lists in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99), "The Home Style Handbook: How to make a home your
own" is a solid and unreservedly recommended pick for community library DIY Home Interior Design collections.
Editorial Note: Lucy Gought (https://www.lucygoughstylist.com) is an Australian-born interior stylist who has lived and
worked in London for the last 12 years, but is currently based in New South Wales. Lucy has art directed, styled and
created concepts for brands and publications including John Lewis, Marks & Spencer, Livingetc, Homes & Gardens, The
Sunday Times, You Magazine, Dulux, Crown Paint, Heal's and many others, and continues to create unique and inspiring
imagery for all her clients. She writes regularly for The Sunday Times and has a monthly 'design your space' column in
House Beautiful UK.
The Folktale/Fairytale Shelf
Hausgeister!
Florian Schafer, author
Janin Pisarek, author
Hannah Gritsch, author
Eye of Newt Books
https://www.eyeofnewtpress.com
9781777791810, $34.95, HC, 197pp
https://www.amazon.com/Hausgeister-comprehensive-household-spirits-folklore/dp/1777791812
Synopsis: With the publication of "Hausgeister!: Household Spirits of German Folklore: Household Spirits of German
Folklore", interested readers will enter the world of ancient Germany where household spirits once held sway and linger
within the tales that we know and love today.
The household spirits of German folklore inhabit the pages of this fascinating volume just as they settled the homesteads of
ancient Germany. Belief in these creatures was ubiquitous and shaped daily life for the German people for centuries. The
legends of these creatures, first shared orally and later written down and compiled, most famously by the Brothers Grimm,
has shifted and changed through the tides of time.
Now, in the 21st century, a team of three German creators have set themselves the mission of bringing these creatures back
from oblivious references and foggy recollections to the international public. Domestic dragons and wild women, Kobolds
and Wichtel are portrayed through the lens of narrative and mythological research showing their regional peculiarities
within German folktales. Each creature is brought to life as a detailed sculpture in original size, based on historical
descriptions and beautifully photographed in Germany, in the landscape that these creatures might once have walked.
"Hausgeister!: Household Spirits of German Folklore: Household Spirits of German Folklore" offers a new, spectacular
approach that combines both art and cultural studies in an innovative way.
Critique: Beautifully and profusely illustrated throughout, "Hausgeister!: Household Spirits of German Folklore:
Household Spirits of German Folklore" is an inherently fascinating, impressively informative, and thoroughly 'reader
friendly' compendium of German folklore and of special appeal to anyone with an interest in mythical creatures and
Germanic fantasy. Extraordinary and very special, "Hausgeister!: Household Spirits of German Folklore: Household
Spirits of German Folklore" is an unreservedly recommended pick for personal, professional, community, and academic
library Germanic Myth/Folklore collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists.
Editorial Note #1: Florian Schafer (https://www.eyeofnewtpress.com/pages/florian-schafer) is the driving force behind
Forgotten Creatures. The biologist has been fascinated by the sagas and fairy tales of his homeland since childhood. In his
artistic work he combines his knowledge of anatomy and ecology, as well as his in-depth knowledge of cultural science. In
this way Florian creates unique creatures and spirits that give us insight into our own cultural past.
Editorial Note #2: Janin Pisarek (https://www.eyeofnewtpress.com/pages/janin-pisarek) is a folklorist and responsible for
the technical quality control at Forgotten Creatures. She studied folklore, cultural history, and educational science at the
Friedrich Schiller University in Jena. Her thesis on wolves and werewolves in oral stories and German folk belief,
including the current return of the wolf, received the Special Promotion Prize from the Marchenstiftung Walter Kahn.
Editorial Note #3: Hannah Gritsch (https://www.eyeofnewtpress.com/pages/hannah-gritsch) is a communication designer
with a focus on photography and graphic design. With her unique style, Hannah manages to breathe life into Florian's
sculptures in a fascinating way. She is the designated contact person for all graphical and aesthetical issues and supports
the project with her experience in the advertising industry.
The Wine Shelf
Hugh Johnson Pocket Wine 2024
Hugh Johnson, author
Margaret Rand, editor
Mitchell Beazley
c/o Octopus Books
www.octopusbooksusa.com
9781784729141, $17.99, HC, 336pp
https://www.amazon.com/Hugh-Johnson-Pocket-Wine-Johnsons/dp/1784729140
Synopsis: The world's best-selling annual wine guide, "Hugh Johnson's Pocket Wine Book 2024" is the essential reference
book for everyone who buys or invests in wine from shops, restaurants, or on the internet. Now in its 47th year of
publication, this premier wine-focused resource has no rival as the comprehensive, up-to-the-minute annual guide.
It provides clear succinct facts and commentary on the wines, growers and wine regions of the whole world. It reveals
which vintages to buy, which to drink and which to cellar, which growers to look for and why. As with its predecessors,
"Hugh Johnson's Pocket Wine 2024" gives clear information on grape varieties, local specialities and how to match food
with wines that will bring out the best in both.
"Hugh Johnson's Pocket Wine 2024" also includes a color supplement on Chardonnay, the world's most obliging grape,
discussing everything from history and taste to texture, fashion and the role oak.
Critique: Simply stated, this handy and easily portable edition of "Hugh Johnson's Pocket Wine Book 2024" from Mitchell
Beazley is as informed and informative as it is 'user friendly' in organization and presentation -- making it an essential and
unreservedly recommended addition to personal, professional, community, college, and university library collections. It
should be noted that "Hugh Johnson's Pocket Wine Book 2024" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle,
$7.99).
Editorial Note #1: Hugh Eric Allan Johnson OBE is an English journalist, author, editor, and expert on wine. He is
considered the world's best-selling wine writer. A wine he tasted in 1964, a 1540 Steinwein from the German vineyard
Wurzburger Stein, is considered one of the oldest to have ever been tasted.
(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hugh_Johnson_(wine_writer)
Editorial Note #2: Margaret Rand (https://uk.linkedin.com/in/margaret-rand-00729491) has been general editor of Hugh
Johnson's Pocket Wine Book for some 15 years and now, with Hugh's retirement, has taken over the hot seat. The book's
mix of personal insight and informed recommendations have made it the world's best-selling annual wine book. Margaret
Rand's curiosity about wine started several decades ago and led her to a career of writing about wine and editing wine
magazines, with the occasional foray into whisky. Her books include Grapes & Wines and 101 Wines to Try Before You
Die; she also writes regularly for The World of Fine Wine, www.timatkin.com and www.winesearcher.com
The Agriculture Shelf
The Organic Medicinal Herb Farmer, revised edition
Jeff & Melanie Carpenter
Chelsea Green Publishing Company
www.chelseagreen.com
9781645021124, $39.95, PB, 416pp
https://www.amazon.com/Organic-Medicinal-Herb-Farmer-Revised/dp/1645021122
Synopsis: In the first edition of "The Organic Medicinal Herb Farmer", authors Jeff and Melanie Carpenter (who co-run
Zack Woods Herb Farm in Hyde Park, Vermont) presented a comprehensive seed-to-bottle guide for aspiring and
experienced growers alike, from basic business considerations to planting and propagation to creating value-added
products.
Now they are back with a revised and updated edition of "The Organic Medicinal Herb Farmer", sharing the lessons
they've learned throughout their twenty-five years of operating a medicinal herb farm that prizes quality over quantity.
The Carpenters offer their insights and tips on every aspect of herb farming, including: Size and scale considerations; Data
management for profit maximization; The herbal marketplace and choosing which herbs to grow; Field and bed
preparation and planting, including building soil fertility; Plant-positive weed, pest, and disease control; Harvest and
post-harvest processing, including scalable dryer construction; value-added products and marketing; A new chapter on
growing cannabis -- and so much more!
The Carpenters make the case that growing organic medicinal herbs is not only viable and profitable, but also an important
step for improving the ecological health of farmland, taking pressure off of wild medicinal plant populations, and
increasing biodiversity. While local foodways are more often the focus of attention, local medicine ways are equally
critical and in need of restoration.
This newly updated and expanded edition of "The Organic Medicinal Herb Farmer" is a one-of-a-kind resource, complete
with detailed profiles of 50 medicinal herbs and over 200 color photographs. Whether you're looking to grow an herb farm
from the ground up, incorporate medicinal plants on an existing farm, or add tools to your belt as a seasoned grower, you
will find the information you need in this unique guide.
Critique: Very nicely and profusely illustrated in color throughout, "The Organic Medicinal Herb Farmer: Revised Edition"
from Chelsea Green Publishers is a complete and comprehensive instructional guide to successfully operating a medicinal
herb farming operation. While also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $29.99), "The Organic Medicinal Herb
Farmer: Revised Edition" is especially and unreservedly recommended for personal, professional, community, and
academic library Herb Gardening/Remedies collections and supplemental Sustainable Agriculture curriculum studies
lists.
Editorial Note #1: Jeff Carpenter has farming in his blood. Descended from generations of Vermont farmers, Jeff deepened
his love and understanding of plants through an apprenticeship with Rosemary Gladstar and as the former co-owner of
Sage Mountain Herb Products and the International Herb Symposium. Since those early days, Jeff's work as a farmer,
agricultural consultant, author, educator, and researcher has focused on the cultivation, conservation, and marketing of
medicinal herbs. His passion for the green world is evident as he spends his days working in the fields and in the
community.
Editorial Note #2: Melanie Carpenter grew up at Sage Mountain with her stepmother, herbal visionary Rosemary Gladstar.
It was from Rosemary that Melanie first cultivated a love for medicinal plants. Over the last twenty years, Melanie has
worked in the field of medicinal herbs as a farmer, community herbalist, educator, and mother. She believes that some of
the most profound teachings and healings come from working on the land with the plants and works to help people explore
and deepen their connection to the green world.
The Philosophy Shelf
The Godfather and Philosophy
Joshua Heter and Richard Greene, Editors
Open Universe
c/o Carus Books
www.carusbooks.com
9781637700372, $24.95
https://www.amazon.com/Godfather-Philosophy-Joshua-Heter/dp/1637700377
The Godfather and Philosophy adds to the series 'Pop Culture and Philosophy' by gathering philosophical reflections about
the Corleones, a classic Godfather family. One doesn't think of philosophy as applying to Mafia operations, but there's a
wealth of insights here that will provoke a different take, from contrasts between Plato and The Godfather to issues of
friendship, justice, and codas for behavior. The result is especially recommended for classrooms look at The Godfather in a
very different light.
The Metaphysical Studies Shelf
Pagan Portals - Blodeuwedd
Jhenah Telyn Dru
Moon Books
c/o Collective Ink Books
https://www.collectiveinkbooks.com
9781785352126, $12.55, PB, 136pp
https://www.amazon.com/Pagan-Portals-Blodeuwedd-Seasonal-Sovereignty/dp/1785352121
Synopsis: In Welsh lore and mythology, Blodeuwedd is the wife of Lleu Llaw Gyffes. She was created from the flowers of
broom, meadowsweet and oak by the magicians Math and Gwydion, and is a central figure in Math fab Mathonwy, the last
of the Four Branches of the Mabinogi.
Like a gathering of flowers from hedge and field, or a cloak made of owl feathers, Blodeuwedd is a figure of great
complexity. She is both Flower Maiden and Owl of Wisdom, an unfaithful wife and a representative of Sovereignty, a
fallen woman and a feminist heroine, a medieval cautionary tale and a reclaimed divinity.
Yet, for all of these seeming inconstancies, the key to understanding Blodeuwedd is being able to see her as a whole.
Bringing together strands of Celtic lore, Welsh literature, British folk practice, and modern devotion, with the publication
of "Pagan Portals - Blodeuwedd: Welsh Goddess of Seasonal Sovereignty", Celticist Jhenah Telyndru weaves a solid
foundation from which scholars and seekers alike can come into deeper relationship with this oft-misunderstood
figure.
Ultimately, this journey to reclaim Blodeuwedd's identity as a Sovereignty Goddess who ensured the cycle of the seasons
by choosing, in turn, to partner with the Solar Hero of Summer and the Otherworldly Champion of Winter, she is here
revealed a transformational mythic pathway that can also guide us in the reclamation of our own sovereignty.
Critique: Fascinating, informative, thought-provoking, exceptionally well written, organized and presented, "Pagan Portals
- Blodeuwedd: Welsh Goddess of Seasonal Sovereignty" is a prized and much appreciated contribution to the growing
library of Welsh Mythology and especially commended for personal, professional, community, and academic library Pagan
Goddess collections and supplemental Welsh Folklore/Mythology curriculum studies lists.
Editorial Note: Jhenah Telyndru (https://ynysafallon.com) is an author, educator, and Priestess. Founder of the Sisterhood
of Avalon, she presents Avalonian Training Intensives around North America, and facilitates pilgrimages to sacred sites in
the British Isles. Jhenah holds an MA in Celtic Studies from the University of Wales, and a BA in Archaeology from Stony
Brook University. She founded the Sisterhood of Avalon in 1995, and serves as Academic Dean of the Avalonian
Thealogical Seminary. She hosts residential training retreats, presents internationally at conferences and festivals, teaches
online workshops and immersion programs, and facilitates pilgrimages to sacred sites in the British Isles. A priestess in the
Avalonian Tradition for over 35 years, she has walked a Pagan path since 1986.
Floating World Tarot
Oliver Luke Delorie, author
Mia Komatsu, illustrator
Epic Ink
c/o Quarto Publishing Group USA
www.quartoknows.com
9780760385814, $26.99, Card Deck/Pamphlet, 80pp
https://www.amazon.com/Floating-World-Tarot-Traditions-Spiritualism/dp/0760385815
Synopsis: Ukiyo (which can be translated into English as a floating/fleeting/transient world) is the Japanese term used to
describe the urban lifestyle and culture (and especially the pleasure seeking aspects) of the Edo period (1600 - 1867) in
Japan. "Floating World Tarot" from Epic Ink creatively reimagines the ukiyo lifestyle through the lens of manga art and
pairs it with the ancient art of tarot to create an all-inclusive kit that gives you everything you need to master this powerful
divination tool.
"Floating World Tarot" features 78 tarot cards encompassing both Major and Minor Arcana, each illustrated in a unique
and gorgeous manga style and an 80-page illustrated guidebook with detailed explanations, guiding keywords, and
reversed meanings of each card .
With this deck and pamphlet, even the most novice of tarot users can gather the knowledge and master the ability to
analyze the symbolism that comes with each archetype. Then apply that wisdom to your everyday life.
Critique: An effective and impressive blending of Japanese spiritualist traditions and the ancient metaphysical format of
the Tarot, "Floating World Tarot" will be of special appeal and value to anyone with an interest in exploring the immersive
world of manga art as adapted to the Tarot. Unique, inspiring, fun, "Floating World Tarot" is especially and unreservedly
recommended for personal and professional Tarot collections.
Editorial Note #1: Steeped in Eastern philosophy and martial arts, multidimensional creative professional Oliver Luke
Delorie (www.oliverlukedelorie.com) has a black belt in self-help, penning the playful 100 Small Ways to Quit Worrying
and 100 Small Ways to Manage Time, the philosophical Wabi Sabi and Shinrin-Yoku, and the inspirational Creative
Manifestos, among several other books. He lives on Vancouver Island.
Editorial Note #2: Mia Komatsu (https://www.behance.net/miacomart) is a Japanese artist and calligrapher, currently based
in Germany. She specializes in modern ukiyo-e style illustrations and brush-and-ink calligraphy, but is increasingly
experimenting with digital art and photography. Primarily a freelance artist, Mia has designed everything from shop logos
to vinyl jackets. You can see more of her art on Instagram @miacomart
Practical Crystals: Crystals for Holistic Wellbeing
Kathy Banegas, author
Viki Lester, illustrator
Leaping Hare Press
c/o Quarto Publishing Group USA
www.quartoknows.com
9780711284609, $22.00, HC, 144pp
https://www.amazon.com/Practical-Crystals-Holistic-Wellbeing/dp/0711284601
Synopsis: With the publication of "Practical Crystals: Crystals for Holistic Wellbeing", its readers will discover the
powerful, healing and nurturing properties of 150 different crystals, and learn which ones are best to help you in a range of
scenarios. Learn which and why crystals work best for a specific purpose -- and how to empower yourself to nurture your
wellbeing every day with crystals.
Organised by theme, "Practical Crystals" reveal which crystals you can use for: Spiritual Wellbeing - use crystals to
manifest abundant love, gratitude, and creativity; physical wellbeing - use crystals to encourage better sleep, aid relaxation,
and promote good dreams; Unblocking Your Chakras - improve your feeling of balance and contentment by nurturing your
7 chakras; Connecting with Nature - sync with the four seasons and four stages of the moon cycle; Adding Magic to
Special Occasions - celebrate birthdays, weddings, promotions, and more; Enhancing or Starting Your Career - boost your
career or help manifest your dream job using crystals.
Critique: From rose quartz for self-love and self-care, to amethyst for tranquility and relaxation, there's a crystal to meet all
your wellbeing needs and "Practical Crystals: Crystals for Holistic Wellbeing" is your instructive, inspiring, and
comprehensive guide to selecting and using them. While also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $10.99), "Practical
Crystals: Crystals for Holistic Wellbeing" is an especially recommended pick for personal, professional, community, and
academic library Metaphysical Studies collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists.
Editorial Note: Kathy Banegas is the founder of The Healing Gem (@thehealinggem). After losing her mum to cancer in
2014, she looked for more holistic ways of healing and discovered the power of crystals. She created the Healing Gem in
May of 2015, and in 2016, went on to become a Crystal Healing Master Teacher, Sound Healing Master Teacher and Reiki
Master Teacher. In 2020, her Instagram page and shop gained popularity, amassing nearly 100k followers in one year, and
starting a trend for bite-sized crystal content.
James A. Cox, Editor-in-Chief
Diane C. Donovan, Editor
Midwest Book Review
278 Orchard Drive
Oregon, WI 53575-1129
phone: 1-608-835-7937
e-mail: mbr@execpc.com
e-mail: mwbookrevw@aol.com
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