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Reviewer's Choice
Fleeing Baltimore
Jeanette Belliveau
Beau Monde Press
https://beaumonde.net
9780965234429, $27.99, HC, 272pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Fleeing-Baltimore-ringside-seat-collapse/dp/0965234428
Beau Monde Press
https://beaumonde.net/fleeing-baltimore
Synopsis: After 33 years immersed in the city of Baltimore's raw pulse ranging from neighbors striking Mega Millions
gold, to personally witnessing overdoses, to unrelenting execution-style killings, and the spectacular downfall of icons like
Under Armour, Jeannette Belliveau did the unthinkable at age 65: she sold her home and fled to rural Idaho.
But "Fleeing Baltimore: A Ringside Seat at the Collapse of a City" is far more than just Jeannette's personal memoir. It is
also the first in-depth expose of 44 "Outlier homicides" -- the shocking murders of law-abiding, rule-following citizens
(cancer researchers, tech founders, a brilliant space economist, students, coaches, bartenders) who played by every societal
expectation ... yet still became victims of the city's relentless violence.
While other cities might see one or two such tragedies, Baltimore suffered dozens. These overlooked losses fueled an
exodus of 400,000 residents since 1950, accelerating the city's dramatic population collapse. Jeanette is a former business
editor at The Baltimore Sun and graphics editor on The Washington Post's Investigative Team and tracks these cases with
meticulous research (drawing on more than 700 sources) and an insider-outsider's eye -- observing Baltimore like a foreign
land gone wrong.
Blending the gritty realism with sharp comedy (note a hilarious chapter on that neighbor's lottery win), and the richly
drawn characters of Laura Lippman and Anne Tyler, "Fleeing Baltimore" weaves investigative journalism, political
indictment, cultural history, and deeply personal loss into an unforgettable narrative.
Critique: Part memoir, part societal commentary, "Fleeing Baltimore: A Ringside Seat at the Collapse of a City" by
Jeannette Belliveau is the graphically compelling, brutally honest, eye-witness story of the heartbreaking collapse of the
city of Baltimore, Maryland -- and one woman's bold escape to the relative safety of rural Idaho. With an impressive flair
for the kind of character and narrative driven storytelling style that will keep the reader's full and appreciative attention
from start to finish, "Fleeing Baltimore" is an especially and unreservedly recommended pick for community and
college/university library collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that this hardcover edition of "Fleeing
Baltimore" from Beau Monde Press is also readily available in paperback (9780965234436, $19.95) and in a digital book
format (Kindle, $8.99).
Editorial Note: In 1985, Jeannette Belliveau found herself starting to cry on an obscenely overcrowded Chinese train ride --
which did not bother the uncomplaining Chinese passengers. Her awful train trip set in motion a broad inquiry, recounted
in her book "An Amateur's Guide to the Planet", into why Americans are so little prepared for the realities of foreign
countries. With the guidance of more than 20 top scholars and foreign correspondents, Belliveau solved hundreds of
mysteries that may confound travelers on culture, economics, politics, history, wildlife behavior, language and
geography.
Her second book, "Romance on the Road", describes the revolution in mate selection by traveling women who take foreign
lovers. Eden Under Siege updates the Madagascaar chapter in An Amateur's Guide to the Planet.
Today, she is president of her own publishing company, Beau Monde Press ("beautiful world" in French), is a frequent
guest on radio and television, and an entertaining professional speaker. A list of her books is online at
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/912360.Jeannette_Belliveau
The AI Studies Shelf
You Are AI's Best Friend: From Olives to Algorithms: A Human Guide
Philip Fischer PhD, author
Linda Marie Fischer, contributor
Minted Prose
https://www.mintedprose.com
9798993928814, $27.95, HC, 224pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/You-Are-AIs-Best-Friend/dp/B0H6FHGP4D
Synopsis: November 30, 2022 -- ChatGPT launched and AI begins to change the world we live in. AI writes, reasons, and
reshapes our work. So the question now is --
Are you using it? Or is it using you?
At an olive oil mill in Sicily, Philip Fischer watched farmers who had inherited their groves through generations. They
welcomed automation that served them, and they stayed the experts. Technology stayed the tool.
With the publication of "You Are AI's Best Friend: From Olives to Algorithms: A Human Guide", Philip and Linda Marie
Fischer collaborate to explain AI clearly and to contend that those who make AI their tool stay the experts. -- Let AI work
for you. Never the reverse.
With a PhD in finance, Philip Fischer has worked across Wall Street, chemical engineering, law, and teaching. As a
science fiction author, he published novels about AI in 2003 and 2009, long before ChatGPT. In the pages of "You Are
AI's Best Friend" you will meet people AI has already found: a Greek entrepreneur who wouldn't hang up on a stranger in
crisis, an attorney whose AI interview felt "almost sentient", an engineer who talked philosophy at jury duty, a camp
manager in Wadi Rum who prizes silence over connectivity.
Real people. Real answers. No panic.
The message of "You Are AI's Best Friend" is to accept the chaos, tend what matters, and the harvest will follow as we all
become farmers.
Critique: Original, exceptional, deftly crafted, and an informed and informative read from start to finish, "You Are AI's
Best Friend: From Olives to Algorithms: A Human Guide" is extraordinary reading that is especially and unreservedly
recommended for readers with questions and concerns regarding the role and use of AI in our increasingly complex
modern society. Exceptionally well written, organized and presented so as to be thoroughly accessible for students and
non-specialist general readers alike, "You Are AI's Best Friend" is an ideal addition to personal, professional, community,
and college/university library AI collections and supplemental Computer Science curriculum studies lists. It should be
noted for personal reading lists that this hardcover edition of "You Are AI's Best Friend" from Minted Prose LLC is also
readily available in paperback (9798993928807, $18.95) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
Editorial Note #1: Philip Fischer holds a BS degree from Oregon State University, a JD from Loyola University in Los
Angeles, CA, and a doctorate from the University of Oregon. Fischer's fascination with science's potential is evident in his
novels, Julia and the Dream Maker and Green Eyes in the Amazon, in which he explores its inevitable impact of AI on our
lives. The books were written twenty years before ChatGPT. Phil is also a poet, a songwriter, and co-lyricist on Linda
Marie Fischer's albums Arc of Love, Passages, and Places.
Editorial Note #2: Linda Fischer is the founder and publisher of Minted Prose, an independent press in New York City that
she established in 2003. The press publishes a select number of books on interesting, fun, and illuminating topics. Linda
holds an MS in Book Publishing from NYU's School of Continuing and Professional Studies. A global traveler, she has a
passion for literature, languages, and the people she encounters along the way. She is also a singer and songwriter. Her
music can be found on Pandora and Spotify.
The Political Science Shelf
Stealing Elections, American Style
David F. Walbert
Bloomsbury Publishing
www.bloomsbury.com
9798216391999, $27.00, HC, 240pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Stealing-Elections-American-Style-Walbert/dp/B0GN5MZ8TP
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/stealing-elections-american-style-david-f-walbert/1149549956
Synopsis: Nearly everyone has an opinion about election integrity and voting, but very few have more than an inkling of
the truth about American elections.
From stuffed ballot boxes to rigged elections, one of the country's premiere voting rights, with the publication of "Stealing
Elections, American Style" attorney David Walbert brings a unique clarity to these issues by combining fascinating stories
about some of the country's most outlandish stolen elections with a clear explanation of how elections are frequently rigged
in advance of a single vote being cast.
Drawing from his experience litigating election cases, arguing before the Supreme Court, and teaching constitutional law,
Walbert explains how Supreme Court decisions since the 1800s have often been the cause of voting inequality. Readers
will gain a deep understanding of the voting issues of today-gerrymandering, voter suppression, fraud, voter ID
requirements, and voter purges, among others-and what the future portends.
They will also learn how we got into the morass we're in and how the future can be better.
Critique: Accusations (proven and unproven) of voter fraud, rigged elections, political party propaganda (from the losing
party in a two-party contest), legislative district gendermanning, out of state financial donations, lobby bribing, have made
today's political climate suspicious and pessimistic about local, state, and national elections being fair and honest. But what
might well not be known by voters today that the United States has a long history of political corruption and accusations of
ballot fraud and rigged elections on the local, state, and federal level.
"Stealing Elections, American Style" by David F. Walbert is a seminal and groundbreaking historical expose that is timely,
deftly crafted, and an unreservedly recommended pick for personal, professional, community, and college/university
library Political Science collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists. It should be noted for students, academia,
political activists, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that this hardcover edition of "Stealing
Elections, American Style" from Bloomsbury Academic is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle,
$23.30).
Editorial Note: David F. Walbert (https://davidfwalbert.com) is Senior Counsel at the law firm Parks, Chesin & Walbert in
Atlanta, Georgia, USA. He has unparalleled experience with voting issues. He has handled many kinds of voting cases in a
45-year career that began with his first voting rights case in 1974. He has handled voting cases at every level from trial to
arguing landmark cases in the United States Supreme Court. While Walbert has taught constitutional law and voting rights
courses, his insights and provocative comments on Supreme Court decisions are not just the opinions of a constitutional
law scholar. They are based on decades of real-world experience with legislators, governors, the Justice Department, and
voting advocates, as well as with judges on every level, including the Supreme Court.
Between Obama's Lines
Franck Prissert
https://franckprissert.com
The Other Street
9781732832640, $37.95, HC, 278pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Between-Obamas-Lines-Atlantic-Alliance/dp/1732832641
Synopsis: We all focus on recent events while losing track of how they developed.
In mid-2013, something was decidedly wrong with our policy in the Middle East. And Russia. The Administration was
lying about Benghazi. It was condoning the Muslim Brotherhood, befriending Iran's new President, letting the Iraqi Kurds
down, snubbing Israel and Saudi Arabia, chastising the new Egyptian leader, and ineptly watching the Syrian genocide. All
while allowing for a power vacuum, knowing full well it would be filled by al-Qaeda, or worse, by Russia.
To anyone who thinks the Cold War ended in the Eighties, and that Russia's buck stops in the barren lands of the Middle
East, think twice.
Trashing decades of history, President Obama had apparently decided to revisit the Truman Doctrine, and it came down to
simple questions. Who was he, who were his advisors, and what was the motivation? We were in mid-2014 and the stage
was set for Russia's next move.
Why was a difficult question. How we got there is what you are about to read in "Between Obama's Lines: How We
Almost Lost The Middle East, The Cold War, and The Atlantic Alliance" by Franck Prissert.
Critique: Keenly analytical, impressively insightful, and thoroughly 'reader friendly' in organization and presentation,
"Between Obama's Lines: How We Almost Lost The Middle East, The Cold War, and The Atlantic Alliance" by Franck
Prissert is a seminal and groundbreaking political/historical study of the Obama administration and the world events (and
America's involvement) that occurred during the Barack Obama presidency. "Between Obama's Lines" is informatively
enhanced for the reader's benefit with the inclusion of maps, tables, thirty-six pages of Notes, and a twenty-page Index.
While particularly recommended as an addition to personal, professional, community, and college/university library
Contemporary American Political Science collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists, it should be noted for
students, academia, political activists, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that this hardcover
edition of "Between Obama's Lines" from The Other Street is also available in paperback and in a digital book format
(Kindle, $12.99).
Editorial Note: Franck Prissert is an independent author with more than forty years of experience on Wall Street. A former
U.S. private banker based in Europe, he was present during the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989 and closely observed the
major geopolitical shifts that followed. Drawing on extensive research with hundreds of sourced references, Prissert
examines the evolution of Russian strategy, the concept of a Russo-Islamic Alliance, and changes in U.S. Middle East
policy during the Obama administration and their implications for the Atlantic Alliance
The Cookbook Shelf
Italian Home Cooking
Editors of Slow Food Europe
Harvard Common Press
c/o Quarto Publishing Group USA
www.quartoknows.com
9798317901394, $32.00, HC, 272pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Italian-Home-Cooking-Authentic-Regions/dp/B0GF1DDGYM
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/italian-home-cooking-editors-of-slow-food-europe/1148887424
Synopsis: The Slow Food movement was founded in Italy. One of its chief goals is to collect and curate the best, most
true-to-tradition regional dishes from around the world. After decades of intensive research, and with the publication of
"Italian Home Cooking: Authentic Dishes from All of Italy's Regions", Slow Foods Europe shares from their extensive
archives the greatest recipes from Italy's local restaurants and families -- updated and adapted to be approachable and easy
for home cooks.
Each featured dish is presented with its own color photo and every one delectably good. These authentic recipes
include:
Extraordinary pastas, from a Spinach-and-Ricotta-Filled Pasta from the Alps of Northern Italy to a Seafood Tagliolini from
Abruzzo, in Southern Italy on the coast of the Adriatic Sea.
Robust and hearty main courses, like a veggie-rich Hunter's Chicken from The Piedmont, an easy-to-make,
throw-it-all-in-a-pot classic to serve over rice, pasta, or polenta.
Luscious and creamy risottos, including an aromatic and perfectly delicious Milanese Saffron Risotto made with fresh
parmesan.
Appetizers and finger foods for parties, from Potato-Cheese Croquettes to Peppery Mussels to Fried Stuffed Olives.
Comforting and easy-to-make desserts, such as an exceptional Zuppa Inglese Trifle from Emilia-Romagna and a Crumbly
Almond Cake from Lombardy.
Critique: Beautifully and profusely illustrated throughout with full page, full color photos of finished dishes, "Italian Home
Cooking: Authentic Dishes from All of Italy's Regions" is an inspiring menu planning resource and a culinary delight for
food enthusiasts to browse through.
"Italian Home Cooking: Authentic Dishes from All of Italy's Regions" is a rustic, authentic, easy-to-use, and beautiful
kitchen companion, whether for the busy weeknight whirl or for special dinners with family and friends.
Critique: Each showcased recipe includes the Italian name which is also translated into English, the serving numbers, a
listing of ingredients, cooking time and instructions. This large format (8 x 1.19 x 10 inches, 2.82 pounds) hardcover
edition of "Italian Home Cooking: Authentic Dishes from All of Italy's Regions" from Slow Food Europe is an especially
and unreservedly recommended pick for personal, professional, and community library Ethnic Cookbook collections.
Presenting dishes from all the regions comprising Italy, it should be noted that "Italian Home Cooking: Authentic Dishes
from All of Italy's Regions" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $32.00).
Editorial Note: Slow Food Europe is an organization that promotes local food sourcing, local foodways, and an
environmentally sustainable food ecosystem. It was founded by Carlo Petrini in Italy in 1986, and Italy remains the
movement's epicenter, its most active location. Slow Food Europe works to preserve traditional regional cuisines within
each of the countries of Europe and to promote the work of chefs and home cooks who both keep those traditions alive and
take them in exciting new directions. Petrini, the movement's founder, is an enthusiastic and public fan of the role that
humble bars, taverns, trattorias, and osterias in Italy have played in the survival and evolution of Italian regional
cooking.
The Health/Medicine Shelf
SIBO Uncovered
Kirsten Janz R.H.N. CFNP
https://www.sibouncovered.com
Amplify Publishing
https://amplifypublishinggroup.com
9798900261010, $29.95, HC, 208pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/SIBO-Uncovered-Exploring-Epidemic-Symptoms/dp/B0H4S1KX3D
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/sibo-uncovered-kirsten-janz-rhn-cfnp/1150437117
Synopsis: What if your "IBS" diagnosis isn't the whole story?
Behind the bloating, gas, and unpredictable bowel movements lies an imbalance that millions silently struggle with: small
intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO).
With the publication of "SIBO Uncovered: Exploring the Hidden Epidemic Behind Your IBS Symptoms", holistic
nutritionist and functional nutrition practitioner Kirsten Janz pulls back the curtain on this misunderstood imbalance,
blending cutting-edge research and fifteen years of clinical experience with her own powerful healing story.
From food poisoning to motility issues, hormonal imbalances to abdominal surgery, Janz explores the mechanisms that
may contribute to bacterial overgrowth in the small intestine, offering clarity where confusion once reigned. With empathy,
scientific precision, and real-world guidance, she walks readers through testing options, supportive diets, and care
approaches commonly used by health practitioners to nurture long-term digestive healing.
Whether you have tried every diet under the sun or you're just beginning to search for answers, "SIBO Uncovered" will
change the way you think about your symptoms -- and your body. Packed from cover to cover with practical tools,
compassionate insight, and hope, "SIBO Uncovered" is more than just another health guide -- it is a virtual road map to
achieving balance, obtaining vitality, and restoring your gut health.
Critique: Knowledgeable, exceptional, well written, and thoroughly 'reader friendly' in organization and presentation for
medical students, physicians, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject, "SIBO Uncovered:
Exploring the Hidden Epidemic Behind Your IBS Symptoms" by Kirsten Janz is an ideal introduction to this often
misunderstood medical condition that afflicts hundreds of thousands of men and women.
In writing "SIBO Uncovered", capably Janz draws upon her personal healing journey and professional expertise to
demystify the true prevalence, contributing factors, testing methods, and care options for SIBO -- now understood to play a
significant role in many IBS cases.
Of specific value and interest to anyone, professional or personal, having to deal with IBS issues, this hardcover edition of
"SIBO Uncovered" from Amplify Publishing must be considered a high priority pick for personal, professional,
community, medical school, and college/university library IBS Medical Studies & Treatment collections and supplemental
Holistic & IBS Medicine curriculums.
Editorial Note: Kirsten Janz (https://www.sibouncovered.com) is a registered holistic nutritionist, certified functional
nutrition practitioner, author, and founder of Whole Body Health and Wellness. With over fifteen years of clinical
experience, she has helped clients across North America navigate complex digestive issues, with a focus on small intestinal
bacterial overgrowth (SIBO), food sensitivities, and chronic illness. A proud Metis woman and founder of a successful
wellness center, Kirsten brings a unique blend of science, intuition, and lived experience to her work: empowering clients
to make informed choices about their nutrition and overall well-being. Beyond her clinical practice, Kirsten mentors
emerging nutritionists, writes educational content, and speaks on topics ranging from gut health to holistic recovery. She
believes that true wellness comes from understanding the body's interconnected systems and supporting each person's path
to healing with compassion and clarity.
The Psychology Shelf
Why Good People Are Actually Dangerous
Prasanth Kumar Vinakota
Leksi Smart (Publisher)
9788199711518, $13.99, PB, 323pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Why-Good-People-Actually-Dangerous/dp/8199711515
Synopsis: Most harm is not done by bad people. It is done by good people who are certain they are right.
With the publication of "Why Good People Are Actually Dangerous: The Hidden Cost of Moral Certainty", Prasanth
Kumar Vinakota is not asking whether you are good. He is asking what your goodness is costing you and the people
around you.
"Why Good People Are Actually Dangerous" is a work of narrative philosophy built around two characters, Saira and
Pashi, whose lives keep colliding in ways neither fully understands.
As their story unfolds, an uncomfortable pattern begins to emerge:
The rules people follow most faithfully are often the very things quietly exhausting them, isolating them, and harming the
people they are trying to protect.
This is not theory. It is recognition.
Readers do not pause because the ideas are complicated. They pause because the patterns feel familiar.
"Why Good People Are Actually Dangerous" introduces two original concepts, MIST and TRIL, frameworks designed to
explain why awareness collapses under certainty, and why people can cause deep harm while still believing they are doing
the right thing.
These are not ideas meant to comfort. They are lenses that stay with you.
This is not a motivational book. It will not reassure you. It will not tell you that everything will be fine. By the end, you
may not feel better.
But you may begin to see differently.
And once you see it, you cannot unsee it.
Critique: Original, timely, informative, deftly crafted, thought-provoking, and a simply fascinating study from start to
finish, "Why Good People Are Actually Dangerous: The Hidden Cost of Moral Certainty" by Prasanth Kumar Vinakota
will prove of immense interest to students of Behavioral Psychology, Social Philosophy, and Psychology Movements. It
also provides explanations for why good people can do bad things on an individual bases as well as on a collective basis.
Astute, insightful, iconoclastic, and revelatory, "Why Good People Are Actually Dangerous" is an especially and
unreservedly recommended pick for personal, professional, community, and college/university
Psychology/Sociology/Philosophy collections. It should be noted for students, academia, and non-specialist general readers
with an interest in the subject that "Why Good People Are Actually Dangerous" from Leksi Smart (Publisher) is also
available in a digital book format (Kindle, $4.99).
Editorial Note: Prasanth Kumar Vinakota is an observer of human behavior, moral certainty, and the often invisible gap
between intentions and outcomes. Through years of working with complex systems, people, and high-responsibility
environments including projects such as INS Arihant, India's first nuclear submarine, he repeatedly noticed a disturbing
pattern:
Many of the deepest problems in human relationships, organizations, and personal lives are not created by bad intentions,
but by people who are convinced they are right.
Rather than offering motivation or easy reassurance, his work explores what he calls "reality talks" examining situations as
they are, instead of as people emotionally prefer them to be.
His writing focuses on:
Psychological blind spots
Identity-driven behavior
Unintended emotional harm
Social conditioning
The hidden consequences of moral certainty
He is also the founder of Leksi Smart (https://leksismart.in/home) and creator of Leksi AI tools, though his deeper interest
lies in understanding how awareness changes human behavior.
The World History Shelf
A Brief History of the Philippines
Gregg Jones
Tuttle Publishing
www.tuttlepublishing.com
9780804857420, $18.99, PB, 320pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Brief-History-Philippines-Colonialism-Fascinating/dp/0804857423
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-brief-history-of-the-philippines-gregg-jones/1149069455
Synopsis: With the publication of "A Brief History of the Philippines: Colonialism, Revolution, Democracy and Diaspora:
The Fascinating Story of Southeast Asia's Forgotten Islands", journalist and historian Gregg Jones tells the sweeping story
of a nation whose past is filled with epic struggles, improbable triumphs, and an enduring search for identity in a world
that has too often overlooked the nation or defined it from the outside.
Key topics discussed in "A Brief History of the Philippines" include:
The Philippine Islands before European contact: How geography, trade, and inter-island commerce fostered multicultural
communities and political networks long before the momentous arrival of Ferdinand Magellan in 1521, a fateful encounter
that ushered in centuries of Spanish and American colonial rule.
The unique role of religion in shaping Filipino identity: The fusion of indigenous beliefs and Catholicism, alongside the
influence of Islam and the spiritual undercurrents that guide national life today.
The rise of the Filipino diaspora: How millions of overseas Filipino workers, artists, and entrepreneurs have spread
Philippine culture around the globe, forging one of the world's most dynamic transnational communities.
The continuing hope for equality: Japanese occupation during World War II tested the nation's resilience, paving the way
for independence and the tumultuous journey of the modern republic, from dictatorship and the People Power revolutions
to democracy and beyond.
"A Brief History of the Philippines" reveals the historica paradoxes and possibilities that define these islands in vivid
detail. This is a country where faith and fatalism, poverty and promise, colonial legacy and global ambition coexist. The
Filipino people have endured misrule, poverty, and catastrophe, yet always reemerge with an indomitable spirit and a
culture as warm and welcoming as the islands they call home.
Critique: "A Brief History of the Philippines: Colonialism, Revolution, Democracy and Diaspora: The Fascinating Story of
Southeast Asia's Forgotten Islands" by Gregg Jones is an exceptionally informative history that is impressively
comprehensive and well written. From start to finish, "A Brief History of the Philippines" is thoroughly 'reader friendly' in
organization and presentation. Of special note is are the inclusion of two 16 page inserts of captioned color photos and a
seven page Bibliography. While highly recommended for personal reading lists, as well as community and
college/university library Philippine Island History collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists, "A Brief History
of the Philippines" is also currently available for students, academia, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in
the subject in a digital book format (Kindle, $18.04).
Editorial Note: Gregg Jones (https://www.greggjonesbooks.com) is an award-winning journalist, author and historian. He
is a Pulitzer Prize finalist and former fellow at the Black Mountain Institute at University of Nevada, Las Vegas and the
John W. Kluge Center at the Library of Congress. His books include: Red Revolution: Inside the Philippine Guerrilla
Movement (1989), Honor in the Dust: Theodore Roosevelt, War in the Philippines, and the Rise and Fall of America's
Imperial Dream (2012), Last Stand at Khe Sanh: The U.S. Marines' Finest Hour in Vietnam (2014) and Most Honorable
Son: A Forgotten Hero's Fight Against Fascism and Hate During World War II (2024).
The Military History Shelf
Patton's War: An American General's Combat Leadership: January 1 - December 21, 1945
Kevin M. Hymel
University of Missouri Press
https://upress.missouri.edu
9780826223593, $44.95, HC, 600pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Pattons-War-Leadership-1-December-Experience/dp/0826223591
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/pattons-war-kevin-m-hymel/1148345414
Synopsis: "Patton's War: An American General's Combat Leadership: January 1 - December 21, 1945" is the third and
final volume of Kevin Hymel's 'Patton's War' trilogy and takes up with Lieutenant General George S. Patton on January 1,
1945, having become the master of the battlefield in World War II Europe.
Throughout the war, Patton showed the same kind of aggressive leadership and battlefield smarts that made his name
synonymous with victory. Patton's leadership was almost flawless as he led his men through enemy fire and one of the
worst winters in European history.
As with his previous two volumes, Hymel relies on Patton's original diaries (not the transcribed, embellished versions
historians have relied on for many years) and personal letters to tell the general's story. Hymel also mined various archives
to explain Patton's encounters with soldiers, government officials, civilians, and reporters to expand on his narrative.
Throughout this three-volume work, Patton emerges not as a larger-than-life myth, but as a human being, one held back by
the personal prejudices and antisemitism that ultimately proved to be his demise. Despite these personal failings, Patton
was, above all, as Hymel reveals, a commander bent on winning, or, as the general himself might have put it, getting the
enemy to dance to his tune.
Critique: An original, seminal, comprehensive, and groundbreaking study of one of America's finest generals, George S.
Patten, this third and concluding volume, "Patton's War: An American General's Combat Leadership: January 1 -
December 21, 1945" by Kevin M. Hymel, like the two preceding volumes, is informative enhanced for the reader's benefit
with the inclusion of a seven page numerous maps and illustrations, and an eight page Introduction. Of special note is the
seven page Foreword by Peter Caddick-Adams. An absolutely essential and prized contribution to the every growing
library of World War II History & Biographies, "Patton's War: An American General's Combat Leadership: January 1 -
December 21, 1945" is unreservedly recommended for personal, professional, community, and college/university library
collections. It should be noted for students, academia that this hardcover edition of "Patton's War: An American General's
Combat Leadership: January 1 - December 21, 1945" from the University of Missouri Press is also available in a digital
book format (Kindle, $49.95).
Editorial Note: There is an online listing of books by Kevin M. Hymel at Goodreads:
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/118358.Kevin_M_Hymel
The Civil War Shelf
Crisis at Antietam: The Cornfield and West Woods, September 17, 1862
Steven Eden
Savas Beatie LLC
www.savasbeatie.com
9781611217698, $34.95, HC, 368pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Crisis-Antietam-Cornfield-Woods-September/dp/1611217695
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/crisis-at-antietam-steven-eden/1148827425
Synopsis: With the publication of "Crisis at Antietam: The Cornfield and West Woods, September 17, 1862", Civil War
historian and author Steven Eden provides a meticulous tactical analysis of the opening brutal hours of the Civil War's
bloodiest single day.
Set within the broader Maryland Campaign, this groundbreaking study plunges readers into the chaos of September 17,
1862. The Confederate Army of Northern Virginia under Robert E. Lee was in grave peril. With nearly half his forces
exhausted and straggling, Lee confronted George McClellan's Army of the Potomac -- a Union force poised for a decisive
victory that famously slipped from its grasp.
Eden's in-depth study of the fighting on the Confederate left uncovers critical missed opportunities, profound command
failures, and the unpredictable hand of sheer chance. The fighting that raged through the Miller Cornfield and West Woods
quickly spiraled beyond command control. Officers often failed to restore order amid the maelstrom; regiments and
brigades acted independently, pushing forward without orders or full awareness of the battle's unfolding horror. Union
forces drove the Confederate front to the precipice of collapse on three occasions, only for the Rebels to miraculously rally
each time, stabilizing their fragile lines against overwhelming odds.
Eden draws upon extensive original sources, including memoirs, official reports, and soldier letters, together with his own
invaluable combat experience as a retired Army officer and former West Point military history instructor. His insights are
fresh and authoritative. "Crisis at Antietam" will challenge even seasoned readers to fundamentally reconsider the
traditional narrative of that pivotal bloody September day by exposing the raw, brutal reality of command and combat at
Antietam.
Critique: An original, detailed, documents, seminal, and groundbreaking study, "Crisis at Antietam: The Cornfield and
West Woods, September 17, 1862" by Steven Eden is an invaluable contribution to the growing library of American Civil
War histories and unreservedly recommended for personal, professional, community, and college/university library
collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists. Informatively enhanced for the reader's benefit with the inclusion of
thirteen Maps, two Appendices (Order of Battle & Numbers Engaged), an eight page Bibliography, and a ten page Index, it
should be noted for students, academia, Civil War buffs, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject
that this hardcover edition of "Crisis at Antietam" from Sava Beatie is also available in a digital book format (Kindle,
$20.99).
Editorial Note: Steven Eden is a retired Army officer and veteran of Afghanistan. He taught history at West Point and is
the author of two books, including Military Blunders: Wartime Fiascoes from the Roman Age Through World War I, and
numerous magazine articles for professional and historical journals. He specialized in conducting battlefield staff rides for
military organizations in Europe and the United States, including Antietam, while an instructor at Fort Meade, Maryland.
(https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/32511.Steven_Eden)
The Biography/Memoir Shelf
One Last Hit
Austin Rampt
https://onelasthitbook.com
Manhattan Book Group
https://www.manhattanbookgroup.com
9781968485009, $17.99, PB, 198pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/One-Last-Hit-Austin-Rampt/dp/1968485007
Synopsis: With the publication of "One Last Hit", author Austin Rampt lays bare a life torn apart by addiction, where the
pursuit of one more high led him from a troubled childhood in Tampa to fleeing the country and living in the dangerous
underbelly of the Sinaloa Cartel.
With unflinching honesty, he recounts the chaos of eight rehabs, jail cells, and a shattered family, each step driving him
deeper into an abyss that threatened to consume him entirely.
Yet, as Austin's world burns (literally and figuratively) a flicker of hope emerges, pulling him toward a truth he never
expected to find. Will he escape the grip of his demons, or will one last hit be his undoing?
From the ashes of a life nearly lost, Austin's story is a raw, heart-wrenching journey through the wreckage of addiction and
the fragile path to redemption. Every needle, every betrayal, every moment of despair is matched by the quiet strength of
those who refused to give up on him-his children, his wife Haley, and a friend whose impact lingers long after the pages
close.
But as Austin fights to rebuild, the shadows of his past loom large, threatening to unravel everything he's gained. Can he
hold on to the life he's clawed back, or will the call of oblivion prove too strong?
This memoir isn't just a tale of personal survival; it's a testament to the power of human connection and the resilience of
the spirit. Through brutal self-reflection, Austin uncovers a profound truth that reshapes his understanding of love,
purpose, and happiness. One Last Hit challenges readers to confront their own struggles, offering a gripping narrative that's
as much about falling apart as it is about finding a way back together. For anyone who's ever faced their own darkness,
"One Last Hit" is a beacon-raw, real, and unforgettable.
Critique: Emotionally resonating, intellectually engaging, graphically vivid, with impressive level of candor, Austin
Rampt's genuine flair for storytelling makes for an inherently compelling and memorable read from start to finish. One of
those life stories that will linger in the mind and memory of the reader long after the memoir is finished and set back upon
the shelf, "One Last Hit" is an especially and unreservedly recommended pick for personal, professional, community, and
college/university library Contemporary American Biography/Memoir collections. It should be noted for readers with an
interest in drug addiction and recovery that this paperback edition of "One Last Hit" from the Manhattan Book Group is
also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $2.99).
Editorial Note: Austin Rampt (https://onelasthitbook.com) is a husband, father, entrepreneur: and one of the most honest
voices in addiction recovery today. As an author, Austin doesn't sugarcoat his addiction and recovery. He just tells you
what happened to him -- the good, the bad, and the ugly.
Arrivals & Departures
E. F. Stoddart
https://efstoddart.com
Independently Published
9798993705989, $24.99, PB, 170pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Arrivals-Departures-spiritual-technological-frontiers/dp/B0GWP564BW
Synopsis: In his memoir, "Arrivals & Departures: A true story of a nomadic life from a military family through to spiritual
and technological frontiers", E. F. Stoddart ably chronicles his remarkable soul journey and spiritual self-discovery that
begins at the threshold of life and death.
In 1951, with his mother nearly dying during childbirth, she witnessed his birth from an out-of-body experience in the
presence of angels.
A spiritual seeker and healer from an early age, Stoddart practices meditation, visits psychic mediums, aura balancing
groups, and joins Edgar Cayce Study Groups, even making the pilgrimage to the ARE headquarters in Virginia Beach.
As part of a military family, his numerous moves during childhood coincided with remarkable synchronicities and
meaningful coincidences. This unique memoir deftly explores unexplained experiences and the intersection of science and
spirituality.
E. F. Stoddart's journey becomes a tapestry of discovery and revelation as his life story evolves from the 1950's through to
the 2000's.
The 1960's Suburbia near Washington D.C.: Living as a diplomat's kid next door to a haunted Vietnam veteran and a
mysterious CIA operative, witnessing a nation's loss of innocence on the day President Kennedy was assassinated, who he
met just months before.
"Arrivals & Departures" includes:
The Canadian Cottage Country: Tracking Sputnik from the dock beneath the dancing ribbons of the Northern Lights,
discovering an ancestral legacy of dowsing, aura reading, and psychic healing.
The Dawn of the Digital Boom: Transitioning from a health benefits analyst in the government to a tech pioneer in
Toronto, assembling early Apple II and IBM systems, and discovering that computer networking principles mirror the
energetic pathways of human consciousness.
The Hollywood/Los Angeles Connection: Moving to Los Angeles during the chaotic era of the O.J. Simpson trial to
modernize the LA City Attorney's Office, and then designing a life-saving ambulance computerization system for the Los
Angeles Fire Department.
More than a recitation of professional achievements and experiences, "Arrivals & Departures" is an invitation to recognize
the invisible intelligence shaping our own destinies. Stoddart demonstrates that when we tune into our deepest calling,
coincidences reveal themselves as purposeful guidance, and ordinary lives can become extraordinary adventures in
consciousness.
Critique: Original, exceptional, candid and thought-provoking, "Arrivals & Departures: A true story of a nomadic life from
a military family through to spiritual and technological frontiers" is the extraordinary account of an extraordinary man
living through extraordinary times. Certain to be of particular appeal to readers with an interest in living examples of
successful Spiritual Self-Help, "Arrivals & Departures" also showcases Stoddart's remarkable flair for the kind of
emotionally compelling and intellectually insightful storytelling style that will keep the reader fully engaged from start to
finish. While especially and unreservedly recommended for community and college/university library Contemporary
American Bibliography/Memoir collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that this paperback edition of
"Arrivals & Departures" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $4.79).
Editorial Note: E. F. Stoddart (https://efstoddart.com) has spent two decades designing computer systems for government
agencies, fire departments, and cultural institutions across three countries. He has also spent a lifetime listening to a voice
most people learn to ignore. Born into a military family that moved constantly, Stoddart became an expert, early and out of
necessity, in the art of arriving somewhere new and finding what mattered. That skill turned out to be useful for more than
geography. Now retired in Southern California, Stoddart writes about the place where the practical and the mysterious
meet, not to convince anyone of anything, but because he believes that the most important conversations are the ones most
people are afraid to start.
The St. Paul Phantom: The Gibbons Brothers' Fight for Glory
Gerald Gibbons
https://drgerardgibbons.com
Independently Published
9798995115014, $24.99, PB, 534pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/St-Paul-Phantom-Gibbons-Brothers/dp/B0GWLXX1MX
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-st-paul-phantom-gerard-gibbons/1149866498
Synopsis: For Mike Gibbons, a penniless, bullied Irish American kid from the hardscrabble streets of St. Paul, the fight is
destiny. Beneath the light of Halley's Comet in 1910, Mike and his younger brother, Tommy, vow to punch their way out
of poverty and become champions of the outlawed prize ring.
Guided by a priest, a firefighter, and a beloved sportswriter (and mentored by America's first Black champions, Joe Gans,
Jack Johnson, and Sam Langford) Mike pioneered a dazzling new style of scientific boxing, one that prizes strategy over
brute force. It carries him from backroom brawls to the roar of Madison Square Garden and into the orbit of titans such as
Harry Houdini, Tex Rickard, President Theodore Roosevelt, General John J. Pershing, Joseph Pulitzer, William Randolph
Hearst, and F. Scott Fitzgerald. As his legend grows, he earns the name "The St. Paul Phantom."
But Mike's meteoric ascent, shadowed by romance and sacrifice, is fraught with conflict. Torn between his immigrant
father's bloody rebel past and his mother's fear for his life, he falls for a fierce-willed suffragist who demands that he
abandon the ring forever. His loyalty is tested further when his greatest rival turns out to be his own brother.
Mike and Tommy's daring quest spans rails and oceans, to the nation's grand arenas, to the birth of jazz and cinema, to the
eruption of race riots and the rise of organized crime; from famine- weary Ireland to Gotham's bedlam, quake-scarred San
Francisco, and the immaculate shores of Havana. Just as their dreams come within reach, World War I and the devastating
influenza pandemic upend the globe, calling them to trade gloves for uniforms and help strengthen America's fighting
forces.
In the war's aftermath, an aging Mike returns to the ring for one final shot at the world middleweight championship against
a dangerous young fighter he once trained.
"The St. Paul Phantom: The Gibbons Brothers' Fight for Glory" by Gerald Gibbons is more than the biography of a boxer,
it's also a sweeping historical epic that illuminates the American experience and the common ground that binds us
together.
Lavishly illustrated with dozens of rare, never-before-seen photographs and more than 75 original pen-and-ink
illustrations, "The St. Paul Phantom" is an inspiring, panoramic true story of courage, faith, love, brotherhood, and
redemption-and a powerful reflection of the hope, promise, and opportunity of the American Dream.
As the nation celebrates America250, step into the ring, with the publication of "The St. Paul Phantom", readers can follow
the extraordinary journey of the Gibbons brothers in a detailed and documented biogray that is also an unforgettable saga
of courage, ambition, and glory forged in the dawn of modern America.
Critique: A deftly crafted sports themed biography that reads with all the drama and emotional engagement of a novel,
"The St. Paul Phantom: The Gibbons Brothers' Fight for Glory" is the extraordinary true life story of a man in
extraordinary times and of special appeal to readers with an interest in 20th Century Boxing history collections. This
paperback edition of "The St. Paul Phantom: The Gibbons Brothers' Fight for Glory" is an informative and inherently
fascinating read from start to finish and unreservedly recommended for personal, professional, community, and
college/university library collections and supplemental 20th Century Sports/Boxing History curriculum studies lists.
Editorial Note: Gerard Gibbons (https://drgerardgibbons.com) is a nonfiction author, historian, and descendant of the
legendary Gibbons boxing family. Drawing from a trove of century-old family archives, rare memoir and memorabilia, and
more than a decade of research in libraries, galleries, and museums around the world, he uncovers the lost legacy of his
great-uncle and grandfather, Mike and Tommy Gibbons. In doing so, he restores a forgotten chapter of American sports
and cultural history. Gibbons is a member of the International Boxing Research Organization and his literary works have
been awarded Book of the Year by West Coast Boxing Hall of Fame. Before developing the Fight for Glory franchise for
page and screen, Dr. Gerard Gibbons, as CEO/founder of Visual Eyes Inc., spent thirty years as an award-winning
filmmaker, storyteller, and brand strategist for clients including the U.S. Department of Defense, Special Operations
Command, DARPA, Military Health System, NASA, Johnson & Johnson, and Disney Imagineering.
World War II Veteran in the Army of Peace
Verena Ferrant Harp
Independently Published
9798999345714, $24.99, HC, 252pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/World-War-Veteran-Army-Peace/dp/B0FR3JC31F
Synopsis: In April 1944 Paul Cornelius Ferrant is clearly visible in the skies of France during WWII.
He mans the guns under clear Plexiglas in the dorsal turret atop an A-20 Havoc.
The airmen on his plane complete fifty-seven combat missions over France and Germany.
Paul survives the missions, but not because Plexiglas protects him. He is protected by Someone who has a plan for
him.
Paul gathers lethal war memories and a Good Conduct Medal to bring back to his strawberry farm. His new
Commander-in-Chief orders him away from the farm after he joins the Army of Peace.
"World War II Veteran in the Army of Peace: Biography of Paul Cornelius Ferrant" by Verena Ferrant Harp is an
easy-to-read biography that give an account Paul's experiences before, during, and after World War II.
Paul continued to focus on his strawberry farm until he became obedient to God and begins to tend people rather than
plants. Many tense war memories are replaced by God's peace which Paul shares with everyone he meets.
Occurrences in his life are interesting, entertaining, amusing, and enlightening. Many war memories are frightening. Now
with the inevitable passing of time, Verena Ferrant Harp's biography of Paul may be one of the last to tell of the training,
service, and later life of a World War II aerial gunner in the United States Army Air Corps.
Critique: Exceptionally well written, organized and presented, "World War II Veteran in the Army of Peace: Biography of
Paul Cornelius Ferrant" by Verena Ferrant Harp is an inherently inspiring, simply fascinating read from start to finish. An
eloquent testament and blending of war time experiences and post-war spiritual reclamation, "World War II Veteran in the
Army of Peace" is an extraordinary and unreservedly recommended addition to community and college/university library
American Biography/Memoir collections and supplemental World War II History/Biography curriculum studies lists. It
should be noted for personal reading lists that this hardcover edition of "World War II Veteran in the Army of Peace" is
also readily available for personal reading lists in paperback (9798999345707, $9.99) and in a digital book format (Kindle,
$9.99).
Editorial Note: Verena Ferrant Harp has been an educator in educational systems and has taught Bible studies. She prefers
to write nonfiction possibly because her first name means truth. Her debut book is World War II Veteran in the Army of
Peace: Biography of Paul Cornelius Ferrant which presents the life of her father. Her father was a Ponchatoula strawberry
farmer, was an aerial gunner in World War II, and was protected by God to become a minister in Louisiana after the war.
Verena's own teaching memoirs are recorded in her second book, Miss Gullible's Classroom Travels. She is now writing
children's books on the Old Testament miracles. (https://www.318central.com/verenaharp)
A Snake on the Heart
Patrick Shane Wolfe
www.patrickswolfe.com
Iguana Books
https://iguanabooks.ca
9781771806190, $52.99, HC, 512pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Snake-Heart-Entangled-Journeys-Biographer/dp/1771806192
Synopsis: Jan Jurgen (John) Petersen was a charismatic man who some thought of as a spiritual guru. Petersen's charm
helped him survive the five-year Nazi occupation of the Netherlands. But beneath his genial exterior was a darker
side.
During World War II, he served in the Dutch SS and was also a member of the Schutzgruppe, a semi-military organization
attached to the German army. He played these organizations against each other, assisting both the Germans and the Dutch
resistance, contributing to some horrors, including the Holocaust, while mitigating others.
Years later, in Canada, he became a foster parent and a social worker. But the traumas he suffered before and during the
war, and from his postwar imprisonment as a collaborator, sowed mental health issues that would affect him and those
around him for the rest of his life, preventing him from accepting the truth about himself and learning from it.
From the mystical to the malevolent, Petersen's life story illustrates the complicated and, at times, damaging threads that
can bind us within our relationships.
For biographer Patrick Shane Wolfe, what initially was a remarkable fact-is-stranger-than-fiction story shifted over time to
become "a cautionary tale, one that is bizarre and compelling and ultimately stark and mysterious".
Critique: A singularly fascinating and deftly crafted biography that will be of particular and extraordinary appeal to readers
with an interest in World War II themed histories, biographies and memoirs, "A Snake on the Heart: History, Mystery, and
Truth: The Entangled Journeys of a Biographer and His Nazi Subject" by Patrick Shane Wolfe is an exceptional,
emotionally and intellectually engaging read from start to finish. A singularly exceptional and unreservedly recommended
pick for personal, community, and college/university library World War II Biography/Memoir 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 this hardcover edition of "A Snake on the Heart: History, Mystery, and Truth: The Entangled
Journeys of a Biographer and His Nazi Subject" (9781771806183, $39.99) and in a digital book format (Kindle,
$9.99).
Editorial Note: Patrick Shane Wolfe (www.patrickswolfe.com) graduated from the University of Victoria's Honours
History Program in 1973 and completed an M.A. in history at York University in 1974. He taught history part-time at
Malaspina and North Island Colleges on Vancouver Island prior to starting a 33-year career with the British Columbia
Public Service in 1977. "A Snake on the Heart" is his first book.
The Leaving Gene
Huck Smith
https://huckysmith.com
Quick Draw Press
9798256113162, $16.00, PB
B0H3L5MPV5, $9.99, Kindle, 208pp
Publishing Release Date: October 27, 2026
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Leaving-Gene-Essays-Staying-Going-ebook/dp/B0H3L5MPV5
Synopsis: A dog sits by the door. Not dramatically. Not pacing. Just there -- listening for something that, as far as he
knows, could still happen.
"The Leaving Gene: Essays on Staying, Going, and the Cost of Both" is a volume of essays by Huck Smith that are funny
in the way that something is funny when the alternative is worse.
Honest in the way that only happens when a person has run out of useful lies.
Huck Smith has been very good at leaving the building exit before anything gets close enough to cost him something. He's
traced it back to where he learned it. Found it in places he didn't expect. Paid for it in ways that didn't show up on the
invoice until later.
He doesn't fix it. But he stays long enough to look at it directly.
The dog by the door doesn't know the difference between someone who left and someone who's gone. But the man on the
other side of it is starting to.
Critique: Original, exceptional, laced with a wicked humor and observations about the human condition as experienced by
the author, "The Leaving Gene: Essays on Staying, Going, and the Cost of Both" by Huck Smith is an emotionally and
intellectually engaging, as well as a simply fascinating read from start to finish. Each essay is a literary gem and will
resonate with the reader. Indeed, "The Leaving Gene" is one of those volumes of essays that will linger in the mind and
memory of the reader long after the book has been finished and set back upon the shelf. Now available in a digital book
format (Kindle, $9.99), "The Leaving Gene" is especially and unreservedly recommended for personal, community, and
college/university library collections.
Editorial Note: Huck Smith (https://huckysmith.com) is a writer whose work explores identity, relationships, family, grief,
survival, and the quiet contradictions that shape everyday life. His essays often land somewhere between self-awareness
and self-sabotage, with equal parts humor, honesty, and emotional damage handled irresponsibly well. When he's not
writing, he's probably at the gym, over-thinking a text message, or convincing himself he doesn't need another vintage
action figure while actively bidding on one.
Before Tomorrow: A Memoir
Deb Hazlett
https://www.debhazlett.com
Opal Road Publishing
9798995518303, $9.99, PB, 84pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Before-Tomorrow-Memoir-Deb-Hazlett/dp/B0H26NY51F
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/before-tomorrow-deb-hazlett/1150220804
Synopsis: Deb Hazlett didn't set out to reinvent herself. Not at age sixty-five. Deb had simply reached a point where
staying still no longer felt like living.
After years of quietly wondering if life was meant to feel larger than this, Deb sold most of what she owned, taught herself
to tow an Airstream trailer, and set out alone toward a future she could neither fully explain nor predict.
It's all laid out in her deeply personal memoir, "Before Tomorrow".
Critique. A life story that while intensely personal, will have a universal resonance with readers interested in a deftly
presented memoir of a woman with a late in life urge to travel solo, to remake her life into a new chapter of experience and
self-discovery after (in her own words) 'decades spent working, raising a family, and living within the expectations placed
on women of her generation'. Exceptionally well written, emotionally engaging, and an inherently interesting read from
start to finish, "Before Tomorrow" is an especially and unreservedly recommended pick for personal reading lists and
community library Memoir/Travelogue collections. It should be noted that this paperback edition of "Before Tomorrow"
from Opal Road Publishing is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $4.99).
Editorial Note: Deb Hazlett (https://www.debhazlett.com) writes about resilience, self-reliance, and the quiet turning
points that reshape a life. Her memoir, "Before Tomorrow", grew from a decision she made at sixty-five to leave behind a
long-established life and begin again -- this time on her own terms. Deb is from California and continues to travel and
write. She is also currently at work on her novel "Where the Roots Hold".
Rise and Climb: Finding Purpose Through Pain
Ben Barbic
Skyhorse Publishing, Inc.
www.skyhorsepublishing.com
9781510786080, $28.99, HC, 264pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Rise-Climb-Finding-Purpose-Through/dp/1510786082
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/rise-and-climb-ben-barbic/1147926486
Synopsis: From wild childhood rides on dirt bikes to nights in jail and the silent heartbreak of watching everything he
loved burn to the ground, Ben Barbic has lived a life shaped by trauma, trial, and tenacity. "Rise and Climb: Finding
Purpose Through Pain" is his raw, unfiltered memoir of a boy who lost it all (twice) and found purpose through pain.
Growing up in the shadow of California redwoods and inside the roar of a motorcycle shop, Ben's early life was defined by
adventure and grit. But after losing his home to a wildfire, living in a trailer without running water, and battling panic
attacks and loss, Ben turned to the only things that gave him power -- music, movement, and resilience. Through cassette
tapes, weight benches scorched by fire, and the soul of hip-hop and reggae, Ben began to rebuild. He became a nationally
performing recording artist, an endurance athlete, and a proud father, husband, and entrepreneur.
Unflinchingly honest, heart-wrenchingly personal, and ultimately triumphant, "Rise and Climb" is a memoir and self-help
book for anyone who has ever faced the fire and wondered if they could survive it. Ben Barbic shares his journey, his tools,
and his motivations to show his readers that they can, too.
Critique: The exceptional life story of an exceptional man, "Rise and Climb: Finding Purpose Through Pain" is a deeply
personal and candid memoir of trauma and loss, purpose and perseverance, music and determination, that will have a
universal resonance with the readers. Impressively well written, organized and presented, "Rise and Climb" is especially
and unreservedly recommended as a high priority pick for community and college/university library Contemporary
American Biography/Memoir collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that this hardcover edition of "Rise
and Climb" from Skyhorse Publishing is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $16.99).
Editorial Note: Ben Barbic is a recording artist, music producer, author, entrepreneur, and lifelong fitness enthusiast.
Known for his fusion of hip-hop, reggae, and acoustic music, Barbic has collaborated with Grammy-winning artists and
toured internationally, creating music that inspires resilience and unity. Beyond the stage and the page, Barbic is the
co-owner of a real estate brokerage and mentors others to pursue excellence in their fields. Whether he's producing music,
training for endurance races, or writing his next book, Barbic approaches every challenge with the same core belief: the
climb is the reward. "Rise and Climb" is his first book.
Don't Put the Martinis in the Steam Iron
Susan Kroening Darby
Garrett County Press
9781939430427, $19.95, PB, 202pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Dont-Put-Martinis-Steam-Iron/dp/1939430429
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/dont-put-the-martinis-in-the-steam-iron-susan-kroening-darby/1148634396
Synopsis: Fresh out of college with a broken nose, an English degree, and absolutely no practical skills, Susan Darby and
her friends descended on San Francisco with nothing but enthusiasm and a vow to reach the Top of the Mark by
September. What could possibly go wrong?
Everything -- gloriously, hilariously, memorably.
From their crumbling Victorian apartment (complete with a tippling landlord in a bathrobe and an elevator that rarely
works) to disastrous temp jobs that include plumbing duties at Candlestick Park, in her memoir, "Don't Put the Martinis in
the Steam Iron", Susan chronicles the misadventures of young women navigating independence for the first time.
There are exploding dinner parties, romantic mishaps with doctors who diagnose deviated septums on first dates, camping
trips that should never have happened, and the unforgettable incident involving leftover crab that nearly gets them evicted,
and more!
Written in real time as these adventures unfolded (not decades later through the fog of nostalgia), "Don't Put the Martinis
in the Steam Iron" is a unique memoir that captures the unfiltered voice of a young woman actually living it, mistakes and
all.
With wit, warmth, and perfectly timed self-deprecation, Darby captures a moment when young women were rewriting the
rules -- one spectacular failure at a time. Whether she's falling out of a chairlift, shipwrecking herself in San Francisco Bay,
or watching her roommate press a dress with gin-filled water from the steam iron, Susan finds the humor in every
humiliation and the humanity in every disaster.
A veritable time capsule of single life in the 1960s and a kind of love letter to female friendship, independence, and the
beautiful chaos of finding yourself, "Don't Put the Martinis in the Steam Iron" is for anyone who remembers (or wants to
remember) what it was like to be young, broke, and gloriously, messily free.
Critique: Original, special, eloquent, wickedly funny, and a fun read from start to finish, "Don't Put the Martinis in the
Steam Iron" by Susan Darby is a true-life memoir written with all the flair and entertainment of a deftly crafted novel or a
stand-up comedy show. Evoking a kind of 'Sex in the City' resonance, "Don't Put the Martinis in the Steam Iron" is a
unique and unreservedly recommended pick for personal reading lists, as well as community and college/university library
Contemporary American Biography/Memoir collections.
Editorial Note: Susan K. Darby arrived in San Francisco in the 1960s with an English degree, a broken nose, and the
ability to cook exactly one thing: fried egg sandwiches. Despite typing minus-five words per minute, she became one of the
youngest women stockbrokers at Paine Webber Jackson & Curtis and later spent decades at Morgan Stanley. She lives in
Chicago and still can't make a graph.
See You at the Top
Thurman Watson
Independently Published
9798234127365, $14.99, PB, 116pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/See-You-Top-Invisible-Americans/dp/B0H6NPNK6G
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/see-you-at-the-top-thurman-watson/1150467491
Synopsis: In 1969 a young Black man stepped into Corporate America with more hope than guidance And more
determination than opportunity. What followed was a decades-long journey through invisible walls, glass ceilings and the
unspoken rules of a system not built for him, yet shone by his discipline, courage and purpose.
With the publication of "See You at the Top: Breaking Invisible Walls and Glass Ceilings An African American's Journey
Through Corporate America Seen Through the Four Stages of Manhood" Thurman Watson chronicles his life.
His is a memoir that unfolds through the four stages of manhood: Boyhood, Knighthood, Kingdom and Elderhood. From
navigating racial barriers in corporate life, to founding a cardiovascular center that saved lives across Washington, D.C., to
mentoring young athletes who became champions, this memoir reveals the quiet strength behind a life of service.
But "See You at the Top" is more than one man's climb. It is a generational story.
It begins with a grandson crossing a graduation stage, and ends with the wisdom of an Elder who has lived long enough to
see the next climber rise. Through triumphs, losses, and unbreakable will to serve his community, Thurman offers a
blueprint for anyone determined to rise in spaces where they may be the only one.
"See You at the Top" is a story of breaking barriers, of building legacy, of lifting other as you climb.
Above everything else, "See You at the Top" a testament to the power of purpose, and the legacy we leave for those who
follow.
Critique: Deftly crafted, emotionally and intellectually engaging, intensely personal but with a universal resonance, "See
You at the Top: Breaking Invisible Walls and Glass Ceilings An African American's Journey Through Corporate America
Seen Through the Four Stages of Manhood" by Thurman Watson is a blueprint example of ultimate success against the
odds. "See You at the Top" is a very special and unreservedly recommended pick for personal reading lists, as well as
community and college/university library Contemporary African-American Biography/Memoir collections.
Editorial Note: Thurman Watson is an experienced corporate professional, healthcare entrepreneur, community leader, and
mentor whose career spans more than four decades. A father, grandfather, and community elder, Thurman writes with the
wisdom of a man who has climbed many mountains and now dedicates his story to the next generation of climbers.
Rise and Climb: Finding Purpose Through Pain
Ben Barbic
Skyhorse Publishing, Inc.
www.skyhorsepublishing.com
9781510786080, $28.99, HC, 264pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Rise-Climb-Finding-Purpose-Through/dp/1510786082
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/rise-and-climb-ben-barbic/1147926486
Synopsis: From wild childhood rides on dirt bikes to nights in jail and the silent heartbreak of watching everything he
loved burn to the ground, Ben Barbic has lived a life shaped by trauma, trial, and tenacity. "Rise and Climb: Finding
Purpose Through Pain" is his raw, unfiltered memoir of a boy who lost it all (twice) and found purpose through pain.
Growing up in the shadow of California redwoods and inside the roar of a motorcycle shop, Ben's early life was defined by
adventure and grit. But after losing his home to a wildfire, living in a trailer without running water, and battling panic
attacks and loss, Ben turned to the only things that gave him power -- music, movement, and resilience. Through cassette
tapes, weight benches scorched by fire, and the soul of hip-hop and reggae, Ben began to rebuild. He became a nationally
performing recording artist, an endurance athlete, and a proud father, husband, and entrepreneur.
Unflinchingly honest, heart-wrenchingly personal, and ultimately triumphant, "Rise and Climb" is a memoir and self-help
book for anyone who has ever faced the fire and wondered if they could survive it. Ben Barbic shares his journey, his tools,
and his motivations to show his readers that they can, too.
Critique: Compelling, inspiring, memorable, deftly crafted, and a simply fascinating read from start to finish, "Rise and
Climb: Finding Purpose Through Pain" by Ben Barbic is the extraordinary account of an extraordinary life. Exceptionally
well written, organized and presented, "Rise and Climb" is an unreservedly recommended pick for personal reading lists,
as well as community and college/university library Contemporary American Biography/Memoir collections. It should be
noted that this hardcover edition of "Rise and Climb" from Skyhorse Publishing is also readily available in a digital book
format (Kindle, $16.99).
Editorial Note: Ben Barbic is a recording artist, music producer, author, entrepreneur, and lifelong fitness enthusiast.
Known for his fusion of hip-hop, reggae, and acoustic music, Barbic has collaborated with Grammy-winning artists and
toured internationally, creating music that inspires resilience and unity. Beyond the stage and the page, Barbic is the
co-owner of a real estate brokerage and mentors others to pursue excellence in their fields. Whether he's producing music,
training for endurance races, or writing his next book, Barbic approaches every challenge with the same core belief: the
climb is the reward. "Rise and Climb" is his first book.
Dirty South
Andy Hageman
https://andyhageman.com
Independently Published
9798180870117, $9.99, PB, 214pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Dirty-South-introduced-Staphylococcus-hospital/dp/B0H8JYXLW3
Synopsis: Andy Hageman trusted his doctors right up until an operating table at the University of New Mexico Hospital
changed his life forever. That's because the surgeon left a 3mm needle tip inside him. Under oath, that doctor called it
nothing but a "blur" on an MRI
But what followed spine surgery in late 2019 was permanent disability, a Staphylococcus infection, and a recovery ward so
grim the nursing staff themselves nicknamed it "Dirty South".
Then came six years of litigation against a system that decided that because he could still walk, he hadn't suffered
enough.
He disagreed. "Dirty South" is his personal and clear-eyed account.
A true story of particular interest for readers with an interest in how one man fought back against the medical malpractice
that would change his life forever, "Dirty South" is:
A raw, unflinching biography of survival that dare to name names.
An insider's view of medical trauma in modern America, where the odds are stacked against the patient.
A life story spanning two remarkable careers on opposite sides of the Atlantic.
Includes gallows humor sharp enough to cut through the pain and honest enough to earn it.
A warning every future patient deserves before signing a consent form
Andy Hageman built two celebrated careers award-winning hotelier and British television personality, then ESPN Radio
broadcaster and two-time Sports Play-By-Play Commentator of the Year. When he writes about what hospitals can do to a
patient, it isn't speculation.
He lived it. And he has the court transcripts to prove it.
Critique: Deftly crafted, informative, emotionally and intellectually engaging memoir that is intensely personal but with a
universal resonance for the reader, "Dirty South" by Andy Hageman will hold a special appeal for readers with an interest
in real life stories medical malpractice, patient rights, and institutional betrayal. While this paperback edition of "Dirty
South" is an unreservedly recommended addition to personal, professional, community, and college/university library
Contemporary American Biography/Memoir collections and supplemental Health/Medicine curriculum studies lists, it
should be noted that it is also available to medical students, members of the medical profession, and non-specialist general
readers with an interest in the subject of medical malpractice resolution that it is also available in a digital book format
(Kindle, $2.99).
Editorial Note: Andy Hageman is an award-winning broadcaster, voice artist, and former hotelier whose career has
spanned both the United Kingdom and the United States.
How the Ferris Wheel Was Broken: A Love Letter to Los Angeles
Sebastian Tillinger
Post Hill Press
www.posthillpress.com
9798895656778, $21.00, PB, 256pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/How-Ferris-Wheel-Was-Broken/dp/B0FY3G57LF
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/how-the-ferris-wheel-was-broken-sebastian-tillinger/1148603128
Synopsis: Sebastian Tillinger is determined to survive Y2K and grow up before New Year's Eve, 1999. He might get
married to the first woman he ever loved, just to prove he's a man. He's getting high and coming down faster than he can
decide if he feels good - or jaded. He's taking action and making choices, even if they are the wrong ones.
Things will be different, Sebastian promises himself, in the year 2000. Assuming the world doesn't end, he's only one job
away from hitting the big stage. All he has to do is stay sober enough to show up to his auditions.
Through the haze of marijuana smoke clouding his youthful vision, Sebastian brings to life the tightrope between art and
industry, celebrity parents and a childhood of obscurity, adventure and danger. "How the Ferris Wheel Was Broken" is a
serious memoir with a dash of humor and a desperate quest to just make sense of life.
Critique: Original, exceptional, deftly crafted, and a simply fascinating memoir for start to finish, "How the Ferris Wheel
Was Broken: A Love Letter to Los Angeles" by American artist, writer, actor, musician, and painter, Sebastian Tillinger
presents an impressively articulate and informative insights of what his life was like as an actor and entertainer in his
twenty year Los Angles based career. While especially and unreservedly recommended for community and
college/university library Contemporary American Biography/Memoir collections, it should be noted for personal reading
lists that this paperback edition of "How the Ferris Wheel Was Broken" from Post Hill Press is also available in a digital
book format (Kindle, $15.99).
Editorial Note: Sebastian Tillinger (https://sebastiantillinger.com) was born in Connecticut in 1974 and spent twenty years
living and working in the Los Angeles arts and entertainment industries. After the birth of his daughter he moved back to
Connecticut, where he currently resides. "How the Ferris Wheel was Broken" is his first book.
The General Fiction Shelf
Birds Beyond Reach
Dwayne Ulliac
Finn & Finch Publishing
9781066678501, $16.99, PB, 241pp
9781066678518, $4.99, Kindle, 241pp
Publishing Release Date: September 28, 2026
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Birds-Beyond-Reach-Dwayne-Ulliac-ebook/dp/B0H6R5MG16
Synopsis: Peter thought his life would look different at thirty-two. Instead, he's stuck bartending in Thunder Bay, drinking
too much, and watching his ambitions slip away. But when an opportunity to relocate to Ottawa arises, Peter sees a chance
to reinvent himself.
He meets like-minded Ruby one night in a pub, and before long he has built his world around her. But alcohol-fueled
nights soon give way to constant arguments, eating away at their little paradise. Fearful of ending up alone again, Peter
becomes determined to hold everything together -- even as he starts losing himself in the process.
Critique: An original, exceptional, deftly crafted, "Birds Beyond Reach" by Dwayne Ulliac deftly explores relationships,
addiction, and the difference between loving someone and needing them. Emotionally resonating and intellectually
engaging, author Dwayne Ulliac's distinctive, articulate, and genuine flair for the kind of character and narrative driven
storytelling is ideal for a contemporary story of love, loss, and recovery. "Birds Beyond Reach" is an unreservedly
recommended pick for personal reading lists and community/public library Contemporary Literary Fiction collections.
Editorial Note: Dwayne Ulliac is a Canadian author living in Bath, England with his wife and dog. "Birds Beyond Reach"
is his debut novel and he is currently developing a highly anticipated second project.
Calder's Last Gasp
Kirk Alex
Tucumcari Press
9798989659289, $11.99, PB, 206pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Calders-Last-Gasp-AUTHORS-PREFERRED/dp/B0GKY4NQCD
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/calders-last-gasp-kirk-alex/1150318133
Synopsis: Forget the cracker. This "Polly" wants blood.
There is no way to feed it or fill the water tray without being viciously pecked at with a razor sharp beak that the parrot
hones daily on the pumice perch.
Reclusive bird lover Calder didn't expect to have to face repeated attacks while merely attempting to tend to his new pet's
needs. All Calder hoped for, when he gave his TV set away (to break free of his addiction to it), was to pick up a chirping,
happy warbler at the local pet store to fill the void in his suddenly way too silent humble digs.
What he has, instead, is a nightmare he is ill-prepared to deal with.
Critique: Original, exceptional, deftly crafted, "Calder's Last Gasp" by Kirk Alex is a riveting psychological thriller of a
read from start to finish. Showcasing the author's genuine and memorable flair for the kind of character and narrative
driven storytelling style,"Calder's Last Gasp" is raised to an impressive level of literary excellence and is a unique and
unreservedly recommended pick for community library collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that this
paperback edition of "Calder's Last Gasp" from Tucumcari Press is also available in a digital book format (Kindle,
$3.99).
Editorial Note: There is an extensive online listing of books by Kirk Alex on Book Series in Order:
https://www.bookseriesinorder.com/kirk-alex
The Last Revision
Patrick Smith
Self Same Press
9798994861424, $28.99, HC, 210pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Last-Revision-Patrick-Smith/dp/B0GZG2DSJM
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-last-revision-patrick-smith/1150082696
Synopsis: Bill is ninety-nine years old when a young woman he barely recognizes returns a journal he lost decades ago-a
small green notebook with a Snoopy sticker on the cover.
And the memories begin.
"The Last Revision" by novelist Patrick Smith deftly traces a life across continents and decades-from a childhood shaped
by movement and uncertainty, through a hard-won coming out, years of solitude in New York City, and a late and enduring
love. As Bill reflects on the life he has lived, he revisits the past from its imagined end.
Moving fluidly between memory and reconstruction, "The Last Revision" presents a life as it might be remembered,
assembled, reconsidered, and, at times, quietly revised. What emerges is a meditation on time, identity, and the stories we
tell ourselves in order to understand a life.
Critique: Exceptional, emotionally and intellectually engaging, and presented in a kind of memoir format, with the
publication of "The Last Revision" author Patrick Smith's distinctive, character and narrative driven storytelling style lifts
his novel to an impressive level of literary excellence. A story that will linger in the mind and memory of the reader long
after he has finished the novel and set it back upon the shelf, "The Last Revision" is an especially and unreservedly
recommended pick for personal reading lists as well as community and college/university library Contemporary American
Literary Fiction collections. It should be noted that this hardcover edition of "The Last Revision" from Self Same Press is
also readily available in paperback (9798994861400, $16.99) and in a digital book edition (Kindle, $6.99).
Editorial Note: Patrick Smith spent his career in technology and his imagination elsewhere. A product of the American
Northeast and Paris, he has lived on the Upper West Side of New York City for over forty years -- long enough to have
watched the city reinvent itself several times. He is a member of Actors' Equity and SAG-AFTRA, an amateur
photographer, and someone who still goes outside to look at the stars. He lives with his husband, Carlos, and their dog,
Oscar. "The Last Revision" is his debut novel.
Out of this World
Frances Mensah Williams
Boldwood Books
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print, Inc.
www.ulverscroft.com
9781806006939, $43.50 / $36.98, PB, Large Print, 500pp
9781806006878, $104.95 / $89.21. CD (8 Hours 36 Minutes)
9781806006885, $104.95 / $89.21. MP3-CD (8 Hours 36 Minutes)
Ulverscroft
https://www.ulverscroft.com/store/search/out%20of%20this%20world
Synopsis: Angie Ansah is standing at a crossroads. Her marriage has changed, her heart feels uncertain, and for the first
time in years, she is beginning to ask what she truly wants.
Then a message appears from an old school crush she never quite forgot.
As long-buried feelings resurface, Angie is caught between her loyalty to her husband, love for her teenage daughter, and
the intoxicating possibility of something more.
What happens when the life you built no longer fits? Who are you when everything changes? Is it ever too late to choose
yourself?
Critique: Exceptional, extraordinary, and an inherently reader engaging read from start to finish, this large print paperback
edition of Frances Mensah Williams' deftly crafted novel,"Out Of This World" will of special appeal to readers with an
interest in Contemporary Women's/Family themed fiction. While especially recommended for community library
collections, it should be noted that "Out Of This World" from Boldwood Books is also available as a complete and
unabridged audio book in both CD and MP3-CD formats.
Plow: In the Hollows
Saz Keukan
Syncra Press
9798994688915, $28.99, HC, 208pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Plow-Hollows-Saz-Keukan/dp/B0GSH6BL41
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/plow-saz-keukan/1149685752
Synopsis: Patrick is a married man in his early thirties with a white-collar job as his identity and alcohol as his salve. He
works himself to the bone, breaks down, and goes to Vegas with his friends (fellow hedonists under thin corporate
veneers) to recoup his debts through blackjack.
The weekend unfolds in a liquored and fevered blur, with stakes ratcheting up not only in blackjack, but in Patrick's
inward-facing journey.
Critique: With "Plow: In the Hollows", author Saz Keukan's impressively distinctive and character driven storytelling style
lifts his deftly crafted novel to an impressive level of literary excellence in an original tale of psychological/metaphysical
fiction. An engaging, compelling, and memorable read from start to finish, "Plow: In the Hollows" is an especially and
unreservedly pick for community and college/university library Contemporary American Literary Fiction collections. It
should be noted for personal reading lists that this hardcover edition of "Plow: In the Hollows" from Syncra Press is also
available in paperback (9798994688908, $12.99) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $4.99).
Editorial Note: Saz Keukan has spent most of his career in the corporate world and is presently raising a family for whom
he enjoys cooking elaborate meals. Previously, he spent a good number of weekends at blackjack tables spanning both east
and west across the country and globe. "Plow: In the Hollows" is his debut as a novelist.
Simple People: A Novel of Choice and Consequence
Paul Martin Midden
www.PaulMidden.com
Wittmann Blair Publishing
9798996454907, $23.99, PB, 809pp
9798996454914, $8.99, Kindle, 809pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Simple-People-Novel-Choice-Consequence-ebook/dp/B0H66JQP2M
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/simple-people-paul-martin-midden/1150513696
Synopsis: Ahmed Winslow and Eleanor Hornby have nothing in common -- except for the open road.
Ahmed grew up in a contentious, fractured home, his father long gone. He craved life alone and the kind of quiet that
comes from leaving everything behind. Eleanor was given every advantage a loving family could offer but wanted to strike
out on her own. drawn by the restless pull of the unknown.
Fate (or something like it) lands them both at the same trucking company. And somewhere between long hauls and low
expectations, something unexpected takes hold.
But Ahmed is hiding something. A hobby, he told himself, a victimless crime. He decided to visit Mexico to quietly turn
his growing pile of counterfeit bills into real money. He meets David and Marcy, a pair of expats whose friendliness masks
something he doesn't see right away. Not until he and Eleanor visit them together, when they reveal their true agendas.
Disgusted, the pair returns to the U.S. empty-handed but safe. But Fate follows them, leading to dramatic events that shake
both of them. Ahmed never saw it coming. And by the time Eleanor understood what it meant (for him, and for herself)
nothing between them would ever be the same.
Critique: "Simple People: is an original and deftly crafted story by author Paul Martin Midden about two ordinary young
adults navigating the decade that defines them by the choices they make, the chances they take, and what happens when the
life you have carefully arranged suddenly goes awry. As a novelist, Midden's genuine and eloquent flair for the kind of
character and narrative driven storytelling style throughout "Simple People" results in a compelling and memorable read
from start to finish. "Simple People" is especially and unreservedly recommended for personal reading lists as well as
community and college/university library library Contemporary American Literary Fiction collections.
Editorial Note: Paul Martin Midden (www.PaulMidden.com) was in clinical practice as a psychologist and developed
innovative programs for the treatment of affective and behavioral disorders in hospital, outpatient, and residential settings.
In 2005, he published his first book Absolution, and has since published Toxin (2009), One Voice Too Many (2011),
Indivisible (2013), and Allegiance (2014). His most recent work is entitled Riley (2019).
The Historical Fiction Shelf
Kindling of a Firebrand
Brenda Murphy
https://brendamurphyauthor.com
Bricktop Hill Books
https://bricktophill.com
9798996108916, $15.95, PB, 312pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Kindling-Firebrand-Sweeney-Against-Bostons/dp/B0H59DMJQ7
Synopsis: With the publication of "Kindling of a Firebrand", author Brenda Murphy has crafted an historical novel that
takes Fran Sweeney from Boston's early 20th century Irish American neighborhoods to a life of action and influence where
she fights powerful forces that threaten the democratic soul of her beloved city.
During the Great Depression and the war that follows, pro-Nazi organizations flood Boston with propaganda and terror
tactics. Inspired by her Dad's example during her childhood on the Charlestown waterfront and by her experience as an
office worker in corporate America, Fran becomes a skilled activist and writer, hailed as "fearless firebrand" speaking out
for social justice and democracy.
In the paper she starts, the Boston City Reporter, Frantakes on Fascist, pro-Nazi and racist elements in Boston and beyond.
Her words and actions, brave and smart, win national attention for the difference they make in Boston and set an example
for action throughout the country.
Critique: Although a work of carefully crafted fiction, "Kindling of a Firebrand" by novelist Brenda Murphy is inspired by
real people in real historical events and established facts. Original, exceptional, emotionally involving and intellectually
engaging, "Kindling of a Firebrand" is a fascinating read from start to finish. While an unreservedly recommended pick for
community library Biographical Fiction collections, it should also be noted for personal reading lists that this paperback
edition of "Kindling of a Firebrand" from Bricktop Hill Books is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle,
$5.99).
Editorial Note: Brenda Murphy (https://brendamurphyauthor.com) is the author of historical novels centered on creating
the private reality of fascinating characters who emerge from the public record. Her recent books include When Light
Breaks Through: A Salem Witch Trials Story, which focuses on Ann Putnam, one of the ringleaders of the Salem witch
trials, and Joseph Green, the minister who finally brought peace to Salem Village. Earlier subjects include some of her
immigrant ancestors in After the Voyage: An Irish American Story and Carlotta Monterey, who had a controversial career
in the theater and tempestuous marriages with an English aristocrat, a bohemian artist, and the playwright Eugene O'Neill,
in Becoming Carlotta. Brenda taught American literature, drama, and writing for years and wrote literary history and
criticism before she began to write historical fiction.
Annabelle's Journey Continues
Charlotte Parker Caminos
https://charlotteparkercaminos.com
Full Court Press
https://fullcourtpress.com
9781953728517, $18.95, PB, 258pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Annabelles-Journey-Continues-Immigrants-Survival/dp/1953728510
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/annabelles-journey-continues-charlotte-parker-caminos/1149392602
Synopsis: "Annabelle's Journey Continues: An Immigrant's Story of Survival in World War I" is the sequel to "New
Beginnings: Annabelle's Story", as Charlotte Parker Caminos continues her historical fiction series depicted conditions in
1913 that affected immigrant families in New York City.
For Annabelle and Alfredo Caruso, and their relatives and neighbors, uncertainty takes its toll. If President Woodrow
Wilson does not maintain neutrality, as he's promised, the United States will be plunged into World War I. What will
happened to families if husbands who've become citizens of the United States are required to serve in the military?
As the entry of the United States into the war creeps closer and closer, family men face leaving their loved ones (and
whom they are working to support) for service to their country. Some volunteer, some wait to be drafted, and the close-knit
character of their families goes through a great strain. Some return without a limb or emotionally altered. Some never
return.
No one, though, expects in 1913-1914 that the role of women will change profoundly. Leaving their households to take
jobs vacated by the men serving in the military, they find themselves in roles they have never occupied before. What
happens when these men do not return from war -- or return permanently disabled?
Critique: Among other side effect of war are changes in the culture of the countries that are involved in conflict. One of
those unforeseen consequences was the changes and expansions of women in the workforce. That is the underscoring
theme of "Annabelle's Journey Continues: An Immigrant's Story of Survival in World War I". A deftly scripted read that is
emotionally resonating and intellectually engaging from start to finish. As an author, Charlotte Parker Caminos' genuine
flair character and narrative driven storytelling style and raises her novels to impressive levels of literary excellence. While
unreservedly recommended for community library Historical Fiction collections, it should be noted that this paperback
edition from Full Court Press is also available for personal reading lists in a digital book format (Kindle, $4.99).
Editorial Note: Charlotte Parker Caminos (https://charlotteparkercaminos.com) has been writing her whole life.
"Remembering Reggie" was a short story published in The Villager magazine, management articles were featured in
Dental Economics Magazine and an interview with her was included in an www.HR.com article about Human Resources
Management philosophies. She writes a blog (www.afteriretireiwill.com linked below), has self- published a children's
book (We Have A New Baby At Our House) available on Etsy.com.
Maelstrom: A Civil War Novel
James D. Best
Independently Published
9798258898807, $29.99, HC, 424pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Maelstrom-Civil-Novel-American-Exceptualism/dp/B0GYL36VFF
Synopsis: "Maelstrom: A Civil War Novel" by James D. Best is a story of one of the greatest political rivalries in
American history. Abraham Lincoln (for the Union) and Jefferson Davis (for the Confederacy) led the nation in a must-win
fight that would cost tens of thousands of American lives. As a novel, "Maelstrom" shows how each dealt with the same
issues, countered the other's moves, led their respective governments, and used their political powers to sway the outcome
in that historic conflict.
In "Maelstrom", author James D. Best shows how Lincoln destroyed an intolerable institution of slavery against incredible
odds and through his wit, persona, and will. To ensure that his legacy survived, he formalized abolition in a constitutional
amendment, the first in over 60 years. Lincoln faced resolute opposition from rebellious states, an invested opposition
party, saboteurs within his bureaucracy, opponents inside the Republican Party, a hostile Supreme Court, an unfriendly
press, corrupt commerce interests, and foreign powers that wanted him to fail.
But Abraham Lincoln beat them all.
Critique: While a work of deftly crafted fiction, "Maelstrom" is based on historical events and personalities and brings the
reader into the center of the what would become the American Civil War. As a novelist, James Best has an extraordinary
and genuine flair for the kind of character and narrative driven storytelling style that is ideal for an historical novel. A
riveting read from start to finish, "Maelstrom" is unreservedly recommended for the personal reading lists of readers with
an interest in the Civil War era and the roles played by Abraham Lincoln and Jefferson Davis, as well as community
library Historical Fiction collections.
Editorial Note: There is an online listing of books by James D. Best available at FantasticFiction:
https://www.fantasticfiction.com/b/james-d-best
Abbreviated Minor
S. Fairbank
Pava Press
9798996149001, $16.99, PB, 342pp
Publishing Release Date: November 2, 2026
S. Fairbank
https://www.sfairbank.com/books/abbreviated-minor
Synopsis: The time: The mid-1970s.
The Place: California's Monterey Peninsula.
Sixteen year-old musician Serge Durand never knew his father. He's just been abandoned by his mother. He's homeless
without money or prospects. Forced into premature adulthood as an "abbreviated minor", Serge finds himself on his own in
a decadent world of the wildest teens, hippies, and hustlers of the California coast.
But despite the distractions and temptations, his eyes stay fixed 3,000 miles away -- on New York City, where the hottest
bands of the punk music scene are, so he can be a part of the excitement and become a music legend in his own right.
Dreams of New York burn inside Serge every waking moment. But when he gets fired from one lowly job after another,
his dream isn't getting closer to reality, it's getting further away.
With no one to turn to, no money, and rent due in a week, Serge decides to bet everything on one last attempt to see his
dream come true.
Critique: Original, exceptional, deftly crafted, compelling, wickedly entertaining, and a simply fascinating read from start
to finish, "Abbreviated Minor" by S. Fairbank is a combination 'coming of age' story and ambitious personal saga play out
against a 1970s cultural/bohemian backdrop. As an author and with the publication of "Abbreviated Minor", Fairbank
reveals a genuine flair for the kind of character and narrative driven storytelling style that is thoroughly 'reader friendly' and
raises his novel to an impressive level of literary excellence.
Editorial Note: S. Fairbank is a writer, critic, and multimedia composer who spent three decades embedded in the San
Francisco and Los Angeles avant-alternative music scenes. A digital pioneer, his Endless Los Angeles project was among
the first to chronicle the L.A. underground online, and in the 1990s, he worked closely with Henry Rollins at the indie
press 2.13.61 Publications. In his debut novel "Abbreviated Minor", he trains his sharp eye for class dynamics into a darkly
comic look at the 1970s bohemian life of his youth. He currently reviews opera, ballet, and film music at
www.sfairbank.com.
The LGBTQ Fiction Shelf
A Rogue's Ruin
Sarah Glenn Marsh
https://sarahglennmarsh.com
Abante Press
97819627713 37, $29.99, HC, 334pp
9781962771344, $19.99, PB, 334pp
9781962771351, $4.99, Kindle
Publishing Release Date: November 12, 2026
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Rogues-Ruin-MM-Fantasy-Romance-ebook/dp/B0H6N8ZFRT
Synopsis: In the ruins of Thrallkeld, love is a weakness -- and a weapon.
When Wynnie, Alys's mother and Griff and Mal's childhood guardian, vanishes into the haunted city of Thrallkeld on an
errand of revenge, her wife Vic feels the agonizing moment of her death. Still, she refuses to believe it until she sees it, and
she sets out to bring Wynnie home. With her is Alys, possessed by something and unraveling; Griff, aching for a
commitment he isn't sure his boyfriend will ever give; Mal, who wraps Griff in armor as he fears that Thrallkeld will once
again cut out the very heart of him; and Liam, still nursing old wounds but determined to save the woman who's become
like a mother to him, too.
Each hurried step south leaves them all wondering whether this will be a rescue mission, or simply a recovery.
Thrallkeld is no ordinary ruin, and it's more than the place where a young Mal once met his match in a ruthless crime lord.
It belongs to the Shadow Queen, a powerful entity who feeds on death and misery. And there's plenty of that in the air as
the party splinters, with Griff and Mal seeking the help of a witch in a nearby swamp while the others scour the city itself
for Wynnie. Amid the crumbling stones and waterlogged tunnels, the ghosts are the least of their problems as they're
plagued by old flames, new desires, and enemies with ledgers of debts longer than Mal's list of misdeeds.
Yet romance blooms in the unlikeliest places -- between spells and scars, on stage for all to see, and in the quiet moments
before everything falls apart. But some hearts are already spoken for. And some may never return. Because in Thrallkeld,
the ghosts aren't the only ones with unfinished business...
Critique: Original, exceptional, and a fun read from start to finish for fans of deftly crafted LGBTQ+ action/adventure,
romance, and fantasy sagas, "A Rogue's Ruin" showcases author the character and narrative driven storytelling style of
author Sarah Glenn Marsh. It should be noted that "A Rogue's Ruin" is the sequel to "Our Rogue Fates" and the second
title in Marsh's queer fantasy romance 'Rogue Devotions' series., The major events of book one are recapped at the
beginning for new readers. "A Rogue's Ruin" is especially and an unreservedly recommended pick for the personal reading
lists of dedicated fantasy fans, as well as community library Science Fiction & Fantasy collections.
Editorial Note #1: Sarah Glenn Marsh (https://sarahglennmarsh.com) is an author of books ranging from adult romance to
children's picture books. "Our Rogue Fates" is her first novel for adults.
The Literary Fiction Shelf
Leftovers After Life
Lini S. Kadaba
Blydyn Square Books
www.blydynsquarebooks.com
9798218789527, $34.99, HC, 357pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Leftovers-After-Life-Lini-Kadaba/dp/B0GLDP1P15
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/leftovers-after-life-lini-s-kadaba/1149350514
Synopsis: When Neena's mother utters her final word-"Bitch"-before slipping into silence forever, Neena is left reeling.
The two had never had an easy relationship, but the venom of that parting shot shakes Neena to her core. Now, faced with
the daunting task of cleaning out her parents' condo, Neena begins to sift through boxes of belongings, each item stirring
memories and long-buried tensions.
As she wades through dresses, documents, and dusty relics of her childhood in suburban Georgia, Neena is forced to
confront not just her fractured bond with her mother and a disturbing family secret, but also the ways she has repeated
family history in her marriage and her role as a mother.
Critique: Original, lyrical, carefully crafted, and with unflinchingly honesty, in her novel, "Leftovers After Life", author
Lini S. Kadaba deftly explores how we reckon with the past to reclaim the present. In uncovering what's been packed away
(physically and emotionally) as Neena must decide what to keep, what to discard, and whether it's ever really possible to
make peace with the ones who raised us.
Written with an eloquence and style that lifts her novel to an impressive level of literary excellence, "Leftovers After Life"
is one of those compelling and emotionally engaging stories that will linger in the mind and memory of the reader long
after it has been finished and set back upon the shelf. Highly recommended for community library Contemporary Fiction
collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that this hardcover edition of "Leftovers After Life" from Blydyn
Square Books is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $15.99).
Editorial Note: Lini S. Kadaba is a national award-winning journalist. Her human-interest stories have appeared in, among
other publications, The Philadelphia Inquirer, where she was a staff writer for nearly twenty-five years, The Saturday
Evening Post, Boston Magazine, The Pennsylvania Gazette, and GROW. Her writing has been featured in the college
textbooks America Now and Mirror on America: Short Essays and Images from Popular Culture. The Society of
Professional Journalists and the National Federation of Press Women have honored her work.
(https://blydynsquarebooks.com/welcome-aboard-lini-s-kadaba)
Humans and Cats
Linas Deimantavicius
Vitae Litera
9786094549779, $35.20, HC, 238pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Humans-Cats-Linas-Deimantavi%C4%8Dius/dp/6094549775
Synopsis: "Humans and Cats" is a collection of nine magical stories by Linas Deimantavicius, each of which is connected
by the presence of cats.
The cats sometimes appear for only a brief moment, while on other occasions they take a more prominent role, but their
presence is always fatal.
In these stories, author and storyteller Linas Blending deftly blends suspense, psychological horror, dark fantasy, and
humor, along with touches of love and melancholy. These are stories pull the reader into worlds where the boundaries
between dream and reality disappear -- and nothing ends the way you expect.
Critique: Original, exceptional, deftly crafted and memorable, the nine deftly crafted short stories comprising "Nine Lives
of a Cat" showcases Linas Deimantavicius' genuine flair for the kind of character and narrative driven storytelling style that
raises his "Nine Lives of a Cat" anthology to an impressive level of literary excellence. While especially and unreservedly
recommended for personal reading lists, as well as community and college/university library Contemporary Literary
Fiction collections, it should be noted for fans of magical realism and psychological suspense that this hardcover edition of
"Nine Lives of a Cat" from Vitae Litera is also readily available in paperback (9786094549762, $13.75) and in a digital
book format (Kindle, $9.90).
Editorial Note: Linas Deimantavicius is a Lithuanian writer, critic, and blogger. He debuted as an author at the age of
seventeen with the short story Accomplice of Murder (1991). He became popular on social networks for his witty blog, Cat
Notes, about cinema, books, and music. LD is the author of four books. Three novels: The Blink of an Eye (2006); Heart
(2010); I See You (2012), and one collection of short stories, Humans and Cats (2024), which was nominated for the 2024
Book of the Year award in Lithuania (longlist) and selected as one of the top ten prose books. His works have been
described as fantasy, horror, allegory, mystical detective, and suspense, and are considered highly cinematic.
The Romantic Fiction Shelf
The Disengagement Ring
Clodagh Murphy
Boldwood Books
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print, Inc.
www.ulverscroft.com
9781805578215, $43.50 / $36.98, PB, Large Print, 500pp
9781805578154, $130.95 / $111.31, CD (12 Hours 5 Minutes)
9781805578161, $130.95 / $111.31, MP3-CD (12 Hours 5 Minutes)
Ulverscroft
https://www.ulverscroft.com/store/us/search/The%20Disengagement%20Ring
Synopsis: After a series of hopeless relationships, Kate O'Neill is ready to settle down. So when her boyfriend Brian finally
asks her to marry him, she accepts. Her only misgiving is that her family doesn't like him. But she's sure they'll come
around in time.
However, her eccentric mother Grace thinks Kate is making a big mistake. So she conspires to pack her off to Tuscany for
the summer to work as a private chef for rock band Walking Wounded -- whose manager just happens to be Kate's lifelong
crush, Will Sargent.
Though catering to wayward rock stars and their demanding entourage is challenging, Kate loves her new job. But
spending time with Will dredges up old feelings, and her biggest challenge is remembering that she has a fiance -- and Will
has a girlfriend!
As temperatures rise, will Kate be able to keep her head and figure out where her heart truly lies?
Critique: Original, exceptional, and a fun read from cover to cover, this large print paperback edition of "The
Disengagement Ring" by novelist Clodagh Murphy is certain to be an immediate and enduringly popular pick for the
personal reading lists of dedicated romance fans and an a prized addition to community library large print collections. It
should be noted that "The Disengagement Ring" is also available from Boldwood Books in a complete and unabridged CD
and MP3-CD edition.
Editorial Note: Clodagh (rhymes with Yoda) Murphy ( is an Irish author of romantic comedy and feel-good women's
fiction. She lives in Dublin. There is an online listing of her books at FantasticFiction:
https://www.fantasticfiction.com/m/clodagh-murphy
The Mystery/Suspense Shelf
Temperature Rising
Joel Burcat
Milford House Press
c/o Sunbury Press
https://www.sunburypress.com/collections/milford-house-press
9798888193587, $24.95, PB, 316pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Temperature-Rising-Joel-Burcat/dp/B0H3QFWZXV
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/temperature-rising-joel-burcat/1150318580
Synopsis: Anna Freeman never expected a routine errand to change everything. But when the ambitious law student and
environmental activist retrieves a harmless videotape on energy policy, she unknowingly steps into the heart of a ruthless
conspiracy. Powerful lobbyists, corrupt politicians, and billion-dollar interests will do whatever it takes to keep their
secrets buried -- and now, Anna is in their crosshairs.
Before she realizes it, she's pulled deep into the very system she once despised, embraced and seduced by those
orchestrating the cover-up. They think she's one of them. But Anna has other plans. Working undercover for The New
York Times, she's determined to expose the truth - no matter the cost. The only problem -- she falls in love with the
industry's most trusted lobbyist.
With every step she takes, the danger intensifies. Lies mount. The deeper she infiltrates, the harder it becomes to save
herself and her friends from the ultimate outcome. When the threats turn personal, Anna faces an impossible choice: Will
she risk everything (her career, her relationships, her friendships, even her life) to bring the truth to light? Or will she be
silenced before she has the chance?
As Anna races against time, one thing becomes clear -- some secrets are worth killing for.
Critique: Original, deftly crafted, compelling, and a wild ride of a suspense thriller from start to finish, "Temperature
Rising" by Joel Burcat blends a political action thriller with riveting elements of suspense, forbidden romance, and
high-stakes deception. Author Joel Burcat's genuine flair for the kind of character and plot driven storytelling style engages
the reader's rapt attention. A fun and engaging read from cover to cover, "Temperature Rising" is unreservedly
recommended for community library Contemporary Mystery/Suspense Fiction collections while it should be noted for the
personal reading lists of political suspense thriller fans that this paperback edition of "Temperature Rising" from Milford
House Press is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $6.99).
Editorial Note: Joel Burcat (https://joelburcat.com) is an award-winning author of four environmental legal thrillers: Drink
to Every Beast (about illegal dumping of toxic waste), Amid Rage (about a coal mine permit battle), Strange Fire (about a
fracking dispute), and Reap the Wind (an action/adventure thriller). He has written numerous short stories. Burcat's books
are infused with realism developed over a forty plus year career as an environmental lawyer. Burcat worked in government
as an Assistant Attorney General and in a private law practice. He was selected as the 2019 Lawyer of the Year in
Environmental Litigation (for Central Pa.) by Best Lawyers in America. He has retired from the practice of law and works
full-time as a novelist. He is an active member of the International Thriller Writers and PennWriters.
Riddle of Spirit and Bone
Carolyn Korsmeyer
https://carolynkorsmeyer.com
Regal House Publishing
https://regalhousepublishing.com
9781646035403, $19.95, PB, 252pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Riddle-Spirit-Bone-Carolyn-Korsmeyer/dp/1646035402
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/riddle-of-spirit-and-bone-carolyn-korsmeyer/1145247270
Synopsis: In the contemporary city of Buffalo, New York, Dan's world is upended when he unearths a young woman's
skeleton while replacing the gas main in a city neighborhood. Using the meager clues available, he and his archaeologist
friends embark on a quest to piece together the mystery of her death.
In 1851, the newly widowed Madeleine Talmadge and her orphaned nieces, Jane and Lydia, seek the aid of a cunning
spiritualist, Alexander Dodge Lewis. Lewis leads them on a perilous journey from one seance to the next, attempting to
summon the spirit of Madeleine's late husband and promoting Lydia's latent abilities as a medium. Jane, suspicious of his
motives and fearful of his influence, seeks to disentangle her aunt and cousin from Lewis's beguiling sphere -- with dire
consequences.
As the past collides with the present, layers of time peel back to reveal long-buried secrets of loss, love, and murder.
Critique: Original, exceptional, deftly crafted, and a simply riveting read from start to finish, "Riddle of Spirit and Bone"
by Carolyn Korsmeyer leaves the reader pondering what's been described as "what can be observed, what can be known,
and what can be trusted". Of particular appeal and interest to fans of novels featuring the occult, mystery, and the
supernatural, "Riddle of Spirit and Bone" is a singularly and unreservedly recommended pick for community library
Horror, Mystery, Fantasy, and Suspense Fiction collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that this paperback
edition of "Riddle of Spirit and Bone" from Regal House Publishing is also available in a digital book format (Kindle,
$9.99). It should also be noted that "Riddle of Spirit and Bone" is available as a complete and unabridged audiobook
(Tantor Audio, $45.95, MP3-CD).
Editorial Note: After a career as a university professor teaching and publishing in philosophy, Carolyn Korsmeyer
(https://carolynkorsmeyer.com) turned her hand to fiction. Her previous two novels include a historical narrative and a
contemporary mystery set at the last millennium. "Riddle of Spirit and Bone" features the spiritualist movement of the
nineteenth century, a topic that blends philosophy with fiction by prompting reflection on belief and knowledge, illusion,
delusion, certainty, and doubt.
This Never Happened
Jessica Clem
https://jessicaclem.com
Sapphire
c/o Rowan Prose Publishing, LLC
9781971276038, $TBA, print
9798231516957, $4.99, Kindle
Publishing Release Date: November 3, 2026
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/This-Never-Happened-Jessica-Clem-ebook/dp/B0G1Q7CSYZ
Synopsis: When former best friends Sam and Rebecca reunite at their college reunion, they decide to repair their fractured
relationship and start over.
But then Sam finds out Rebecca is dating Adam, a man she'd had an intense relationship with two years ago. She vows to
keep it a secret, lest it sever their newly mended bond.
Sam soon realizes she can't outrun her and Rebecca's imperfect past, nor can she ignore her and Adam's desire for one
another.
As Sam struggles between loyalty and lust, she realizes that vengeance can make monsters out of all of us.
Critique: An original, emotionally engaging, and deftly crafted story of friendship and unrequited love, "This Never
Happened" by Jessica Clem is a riveting suspense thriller of a read from start to finish. An exceptional and unreservedly
recommended pick for the personal reading lists of dedicated contemporary romance and domestic thriller fans, "This
Never Happened" is currently available in a digital book format (Kindle, $4.99) with a publication release date of
November 3, 2026 for print editions.
Editorial Note: There is an online listing of books by Jessica Clem on Goodreads:
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/17161474.Jessica_Clem
Toughnut Blowback
Kirk Alex
Tucumcari Press
9798989488742, $18.95, PB
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Toughnut-Blowback-Cabbie-Lobster-L/dp/B0DGHLFY99
Synopsis: Neophyte stunt man Lem Buck dies performing a dangerous fall from a San Fernando Valley rooftop that may or
may not have been rigged improperly. A car skids off Mulholland Road during a chase sequence that results in two more
fatalities.
Foul play? If so, who's behind it and why? Aging director (with booze issues) Denby "One Take" Bramlett? or vengeful
stunt coordinator DirkTurpin? Better yet, the trio of Euro producers with out-of-control substance abuse problems in town
desperate to score big in Hollywood any damned way they can?
Set photographer and former assistant to industry fixer Lenny Macaroni, Buster "Red" Lobster is scapegoated and fired.
Reduced to driving a cab for grub money, Lobster is determined to do all he can to clear his name and rescue what's left of
his director friend's reputation and career -- at the risk of putting his own life in jeopardy.
Critique: The stuff of which film noir movies are made, "Toughnut Blowback: A Cabbie Buster "Red" Lobster L.A. Pulp
Romp" by Kirk Alex is a deftly crafted, original, and compulsive page turner of suspense thriller from start to finish. Allen
has an impressive storyteller's style that is ideal for a mystery novel with memorable characters and a narrative plot that
keeps the reader guessing until the climatic conclusion. While a highly recommended pick for community library
Mystery/Suspense collections, it should be noted for the personal reading lists of mystery fans that this paperback edition
of "Toughnut Blowback" from Tucumcari Press is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $6.99).
Editorial Note: There is an extensive online listing of books by Kirk Alex on Book Series in Order:
https://www.bookseriesinorder.com/kirk-alex
The Sea Sisters
Louise Douglas
Boldwood Books
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print, Inc.
www.ulverscroft.com
9781837516728, $43.50 / $36.98, PB, Large Print, 500pp
9781837516650, $111.95 / $95.16, CD (11 Hours 8 Minutes)
9781837516667, $111.95 / $95.16, MP3-CD (11 Hours 8 Minutes)
Ulverscroft
https://www.ulverscroft.com/store/search/the%20sea%20sisters
Synopsis: Twenty-five years ago, two-year-old Evie Albert disappeared without a trace from the Brittany seaside town of
Morranez.
So, when a stranger called Nicole Stevenson walks into the offices of Touissants Detective Agency declaring herself the
missing girl, Mila Shepherd and her colleague Carter Jackson are suspicious. They are inclined to agree with Nicole's
sisters Imogen and Charlotte, that for whatever reason, Nicole is a fantasist looking for attention.
But as Mila and Carter reopen the case of the missing toddler, a twisting tale of misdirection, a secret society and a
forgotten mother slowly unfolds. Is it possible that Nicole really is Evie and how does the case link with the mysterious
death of Mila's sister Sophie and her husband Charlie?
Someone is desperate to protect the truth and as Nicole's health falters and leads vanish into thin air, Mila faces a dilemma
-- risk everything or walk away from the case before it's too late.
Critique: As a author, with the publication of her novel, "The Sea Sisters', Louise Douglas demonstrates a distinctive,
effective, character and narrative driven storytelling style that is ideal of penning memorable and original suspense
thrillers. This large print paperback edition of "The Sea Sisters" is unreservedly recommended as a prize pick for personal
reading lists and an enduringly popular addition to community library large print Mystery/Suspense collections. It should
be noted that "The Sea Sisters" is also available from Boldwood Books in a CD and MP3-CD audio book formats.
Editorial Note: There is an online listing of books by Louise Douglas at Book Series in Order:
https://www.bookseriesinorder.com/louise-douglas
You Always Kill the One You Love
James Dain
https://jamesdain.com
Brown & King
9798993375328, $14.99, PB, 277pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/You-Always-Kill-Love-Psychological/dp/B0FX1XCBCV
Synopsis: Dan thought he'd gotten away with murder -- but did he?
Dan also believed he and Sandra were Soul Mates -- until she betrayed him. Now, with her blood on his hands, he's on the
run, desperate to reach a remote cabin where he hopes to disappear.
But his plans unravel when he encounters Babe -- a woman who looks exactly like Sandra, but damaged, lost and unable to
remember her past.
As they travel a dark highway together, Dan must decide: is Babe the second chance he's been hoping for, a way to undo
his crime and reclaim the love he destroyed? Or is she a figment of his tortured mind -- or something far more
terrifying?
The first title in author James Dain's 'Twisted' series, "You Always Kill the One You Love" is a hypnotic, dark
psychological suspense thriller and a haunting exploration of obsession, delusion, guilt, and the razor-thin line between
love and destruction. Original, deftly crafted, and a simply riveting read from start to finish, "You Always Kill the One
You Love" is an extraordinary and solidly recommended pick for community library Mystery/Suspense collections. It
should be noted for the personal reading lists for fans of noir suspense novels with unexpected plot twists and memorable
characters that this paperback edition of "You Always Kill the One You Love" is also available in a digital book format
(Kindle, $4.99).
Editorial Note: James Dain (https://jamesdain.com) writes fast-moving crime fiction that cuts to the heart of family secrets,
small-town lies, and the darkness we all carry -- with hard settings and characters facing no easy answers.
Everyone Dies in Youngstown
James Dain
https://jamesdain.com
Independently Published
9780997570878, $23.99, HC, 229pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Everyone-Dies-Youngstown-Gripping-Suspense/dp/0997570873
Synopsis: A murdered brother. A ruthless drug lord. A city where justice comes with a body count.
MJ Shea's making ends meet as a small-time cocaine runner in rustbelt Youngstown, Ohio. It's not glamorous, but it's
enough -- until his crack-addicted brother turns up dead, his brains blown out in a back-alley execution.
The cops write it off as just another gangland hit. No witnesses. No investigation. And nobody wants to cross Waylay May
-- the city's feared drug kingpin.
But MJ isn't nobody. With his own life on the line, he dives into the city's underbelly - corrupt cops, desperate dealers, and
lies that kill -- to hunt down the truth.
What he finds will change everything... and put a target on his back that no one walks away from.
Critique: As an author and with the publication of "Everyone Dies in Youngstown", James Dain demonstrates a genuine
talent for the kind of character and narrative driven storytelling style that is ideal for a gritty noir crime novel offering his
readers a riveting blend of suspense thriller, vigilante justice, and Rust Belt revenge. While unreservedly recommended as
a prime pick for community library Mystery/Suspense collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that this
hardcover edition of "Everyone Dies in Youngstown" is also readily available in paperback (9780997570861, $15.99) and
in a digital book format (Kindle, $4.99).
Editorial Note: James Dain (https://jamesdain.com) writes fast-moving crime fiction that cuts to the heart of family secrets,
small-town lies, and the darkness we all carry -- with hard settings and characters facing no easy answers.
Hornet's Nest: A Hornet Thriller
Victoria Montes
Bee Herd Publishing
https://www.facebook.com/BeeHeardPublishing
9780979861888, $9.95, PB, 256pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Hornets-Nest-Victoria-Montes/dp/0979861888
Synopsis: Lieutenant Virginia (Ginny) Hornet thought the hardest part of her past was behind her -- until a murder case
lands on her desk and pulls her straight back into it.
Captain Tom Rivers is accused of the brutal murder his pregnant fiancee. To everyone else, the evidence looks airtight --
all Tom needs to do is sign the plea deal. But to Ginny, the name on the file is impossible to ignore. Five years ago, Tom
was the man she loved -- and the man she walked away from. He couldn't possibly have done so ruthless... could he?
As Hornet digs deeper, breaking every rule, she finds herself running from not only her past, but
the law she swore to abide by. She puts her entire life on the line in search of the truth, following
her shattered heart wherever it may lead -- even if that means away from Tom Rivers forever.
What begins as a hunt for answers spirals into something much darker and vaster than anything
Lieutenant Hornet could have imagined.
Critique: The sequel to "No Bee Haven" by Victoria Montes, "Hornet's Nest" is another deftly crafted and high stakes
novel of suspense and mystery set against a military background and featuring, now Lieutenant Virginia (Ginny) Hornet
once again faced with the necessity of discovering the truth behind a web of lies, misdirections, and subterfuge. A simply
riveting read from start to finish, "Hornet's Nest" is unreservedly recommended for personal reading lists and community
library Mystery/Suspense collections. It should be noted that this paperback edition of "Hornet's Nest" from Bee Herd
Publishing is also currently available in a digital book format (Kindle, $1.99).
Editorial Note: Victoria Montes is an Army veteran and award-winning writer whose work is shaped by firsthand
experience in conflict zones and international service. She has won short story contests from The Foreign Service Journal
and the Kern County Writers Festival. In 2008, she traveled to Afghanistan as a photojournalist to cover the war, later
appearing on Channel 23 television and making multiple guest appearances on KNZR 1560 radio. She is also the author of
Baited and The Embassy Burned, as well as the military police mystery-thriller series Hornet. The first novel in the series,
"No Bee Haven", introduces readers to a dangerous world shaped by power, secrecy, and institutional betrayal.
Stung: A Hornet Thriller
Victoria Montes
Bee Herd Publishing
https://www.facebook.com/BeeHeardPublishing
9780979861895, $9.95, PB, 184pp
B0GX6JBNBQ, $0.99, Kindle
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Stung-Hornet-Thriller-Victoria-Montes/dp/0979861896
Synopsis: In "Stung", CID Special Agent Virginia Hornet arrives at Fort Drum expecting to solve a murder. Instead, the
evidence uncovers a terrorist plot with ties to a powerful business operating far beyond the Army's reach.
Torn between her growing love for Thomas Rivers and the demands of her badge, Hornet must decide what she's willing to
sacrifice before the next attack strikes.
Critique: Novelist Victoria Montes is a master of the action/adventure suspense thriller genre as demonstrated with
"Stung", the third book in her 'Hornet Thriller' trilogy (Volume 1, "No Bee Heaven" & Volume 2, "Hornet's Nest"). With
her distinctive character and narrative driven storytelling style, Montes "Stung" is a continuation of CID Special Agent
Virginia Hornet's adventures and a fun and compelling read from start to finish. While strongly recommended as a popular
pick for community library Military/Terrorism themed fiction collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that
this paperback edition of "Stung" from Bee Herd Publishing is also readily and currently available in a digital book format
($0.99, Kindle).
Editorial Note: Victoria Montes is an Army veteran and award-winning writer whose work is shaped by firsthand
experience in conflict zones and international service. She has won short story contests from The Foreign Service Journal
and the Kern County Writers Festival. In 2008, she traveled to Afghanistan as a photojournalist to cover the war, later
appearing on Channel 23 television and making multiple guest appearances on KNZR 1560 radio. She is also the author of
Baited and The Embassy Burned, as well as the military police mystery-thriller series Hornet. The first two novels
comprising The Hornet Thriller series "No Bee Haven" & "Hornet's Nest", introduces readers to a dangerous world shaped
by power, secrecy, and institutional betrayal.
The Fantasy/SciFi Shelf
What the Gods Became
Zephyr Trillian
https://zephyrtrillian.com/index.php
Independently Published
9789083700656, $29.99, HC, 311pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/What-Gods-Became-Severed-Age/dp/9083700658
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/what-the-gods-became-zephyr-trillian/1150174611
Synopsis: In the Sanctum, Wisterly has finally found a home. For the first time, she's an Acolyte in truth, encouraged to
master her gifts for herself rather than serving others. But for Mordred, whose head feels like it's splitting, the beautiful city
seems more like a cage.
Though the Sanctum is a paradise, not everyone is content. Lyra, the brilliant head of the Research Council, takes their
arrival as a sign from the Gods to free her godblooded kin. What follows is a rebellion that shatters the Sanctum's peace --
with Wisterly and the legendary Box of Pathways at its heart.
But the cost of Lyra's rebellion will be higher than anyone anticipates. In the underground ruins beneath the Eternal Storm,
Wisterly and Mordred will learn the Gods are nothing like what their world believed -- and the truth is far stranger, and far
more human, than the myths ever dared to imagine.
Critique: Original, exceptional, deftly crafted, and a fun read for action/adventure fantasy fans from start to finish, "What
The Gods Became" is the second volume in author Zephyr Trillian's 'The Severed Age' series (that in Trillian's own words)
is a dark epic fantasy series where revolution wears a righteous face, every savior has an agenda, and freedom costs more
than obedience ever did'. Continuing her impressive flair for the kind of character and narrative driven storytelling style so
perfect for epic 'sword & sorcery' fantasies that were the hallmark of the first volume, "What The Gods Left Behind", this
further advance in the adventures of Wisterly and company, "What The Gods Became", is unreservedly recommended for
personal reading lists and community library Science Fiction & Fantasy collections. It should be noted that this hardcover
edition of "What The Gods Became" is also readily available in paperback (9789083700649, $17.99) and in a digital book
format (Kindle, $3.99).
Editorial Note: Zephyr Trillian (https://zephyrtrillian.com/index.php) tells stories about broken worlds, forbidden magic,
and hope in unlikely places. When not writing, she can be found wandering the Netherlands, devouring books, or
immersing herself in RPGs. She also works as an indie fiction editor.
Everything That's Left Behind
Kelly Lydick
www.kellylydick.com
Sapphire Stories
9798996806409, $19.99, PB, 302pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Everything-Thats-Behind-Kelly-Lydick/dp/B0H7B93MWN
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/everything-thats-left-behind-kelly-lydick/1150522615
Synopsis: Nichola Rodale has followed in her father's footsteps, joining an elite team dedicated to creating a sustainable
future for humanity. But when she stumbles upon information suggesting her father (a renowned scientist and brilliant
puzzle maker) may not have died during The Great Drought as everyone believes, she begins to question everything,
including the organization for which she works.
Determined to discover the truth, Nichola embarks on a perilous journey across the desolate American Southwest. Her
search takes her from the remnants of Phoenix to an underground rebel cafe and, ultimately, to the legendary Valley of Fire
-- a place whispered about but believed by most to be nothing more than a myth.
As powerful forces close in and the lines between friend and foe blur, Nichola must stay true to her heart to navigate a
world of loyalty, power, and betrayal. She will have to risk everything -- including her own life-to protect her community,
secure its future, and survive long enough to expose the truth about her father's work and uphold his legacy.
Critique: Original, deftly crafted, and dystopian action/adventure science fiction at its very best, "Everything That's Left
Behind" by Kelly Lydick is an extraordinary and memorable read from start to finish. Lydick has a genuine flair for the
kind of imaginative and narrative driven storytelling style that fully engages the reader from cover to cover. This paperback
edition of "Everything That's Left Behind" from Sapphire Press is unreservedly recommended for the personal reading lists
of science fiction fans and a popular pick for community library Science Fiction & Fantasy collections.
Editorial Note: Kelly Lydick (www.kellylydick.com) received a Bachelors degree in Writing & Literature from Burlington
College, with emphases in Psychology and Music, and a Masters degree in Writing & Consciousness from New College of
California. Her work has been published in literary magazines such as Guernica, Rain Taxi Review of Books, The
Rumpus, Tarpaulin Sky, Drunken Boat, Mission at Tenth, Thema, Switched-On Gutenberg, and many others. Her articles
have appeared in other magazines including Natural Awakenings, Co Yoga + Life, True Blue Spirit, American Art
Collector, Western Art Collector, and many others. She has also been featured on NPR's The Writers' Block and the Word
podcast, and on iHeart radio.Kelly is the author of the experimental Mastering the Dream, and a contributing author to the
anthologies Dreams That Change Our Lives, the IPPY Award winning Are You the Missing Piece?, and My Journey, My
Journal. She's also the author of Dream Incubation for Greater Self-Awareness: A Handbook.
An Uncertain Truth
Elliott D. Light
https://www.elliottlight.com
Independently Published
ISBN TBA, Price TBA, Formats TBA
Publication Release Date September 15, 2026
Author's Website
https://www.elliottlight.com/copy-of-a-matter-of-deception
Synopsis: "An Uncertain Truth" by Elliott D. Light is the near future story of nation that no longer trusts its leaders and is
offered an AI-powered system (represented to the public as the perfect arbiter of facts) unaware of what the machine may
be hiding.
Guardian isn't sentient. It doesn't think, dream, or scheme. It simply weighs evidence, challenges its own conclusions for
bias, and recommends the course of action it believes best serves the nation.
The results are remarkable. Public confidence returns. Long-standing problems begin to yield to fact-based solutions.
Within months, Guardian becomes one of the most trusted institutions in the country.
Almost everyone sees it as a triumph. -- But Scott Higgins is not so sure.
As he retraces the decisions that shaped Guardian's development and the people responsible for its creation, Scott uncovers
troubling clues that leave him increasingly convinced the machine is not revealing everything it knows. But no one wants
to hear it.
Then Guardian issues a warning of an impending catastrophe.
This time, it isn't asking for validation. It issues a directive.
With time running out, Scott must uncover the truth behind Guardian's alarming behavior before actions already set in
motion become unstoppable.
Critique: An absolute must for science fiction enthusiasts in general, and fans of the Terminator movie series in particular,
"An Uncertain Truth" by novelist Elliott D. Light is a deftly crafted and gripping novel that extrapolates today's growing
awareness of Artificial Intelligence. Original, exceptional, timely, a simply fascinating read from start to finish, and
unreservedly recommended for both personal reading lists and community library Science Fiction collections, "An
Uncertain Truth" is scheduled for publication and release on September 1, 2026.
Editorial Note: Elliott Light (https://www.elliottlight.com) attended both engineering and law school. He spent three
decades practicing law, including environmental, energy, contract, telecommunications, and patent law. But he yearned to
be a teller of stories that both entertain and enlighten and in 2002, his first book, "Lonesome Song" was published. Then
followed "Chain Thinking" (2003), "The Gene Police" (2018), "Throwaways" (2020), "The Jackson River Bridge" (2023),
and "The Last Rights". "A More Perfect Union" is his seventh published novel.
King Justice, The Legend Begins
Evelyn M. Exley
Exley Books
https://exleybooks.com
9781954448353, $11.99, PB, 292pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/King-Justice-Legend-Begins-Tale/dp/195444835X
Synopsis: When Deut-wah ascended his father's impressive throne at the turn of the Great Century, he was nothing more
than an ordinary man with a taste for physical combat. He had been pampered, conditioned, and appropriately groomed for
his position from birth. But when the woman he loved chose to marry a man he hated, his rash and impulsive actions ended
with him hiding in shame.
He had no idea what was coming upon the world in just the next few ticks of time... when giants would re-awaken,
dragons would reappear, when men of the blackest hearts would conspire against good kings and kingdoms, most of them
able to perform wizardry and dark arts, all of them thirsty for one thing -- domination.
One restless night a vicious attack on his life introduces Deut-wah to an assassin who holds a secret. She makes him a
bargain he is unable to refuse, and he soon finds himself on a journey that will force him to face himself. With a single
choice, he will decide what kind of man he will become, one that will determine his destiny -- known as the legend King
Justice, leading an army of the most noble and fierce knights the world has ever seen... or as a legendary coward with an
anger issues.
Critique: Original, exceptional, and a simply riveting read from start to finish, "King Justice: The Legend Begins" by
Evelyn M. Exley is launches the author's deftly crafted 'A Tale of King Justice' heroic fantasy series. Showcasing Exley's
genuine flair for creating memorable characters and a dramatic narrative driven storytelling style, "King Justice: The
Legend Begins" is unreservedly recommended for personal reading lists and community library Heroic Fantasy Fiction
collections. It should be noted that this paperback edition of "King Justice: The Legend Begins" from Exley Books is also
available in a digital book format (Kindle, $6.50).
Editorial Note #1: The other books comprising the 'A Tale of King Justice' series include:
The Scarlet Lady
First Knight
The Silver Knight
Captain of Dragons
There is an online listing of books by Evelyn Exley available on Goodreads:
https://www.goodreads.com/author/list/21604697.Evelyn_M_Exley.
Editorial Note #2: Evelyn Exley's work has been recognized by several national and international book awards, including
three Silver Medals in the 2026 Next Generation Indie Book Awards, and a Silver Medal and a Bronze Medal in the 2026
Independent Publisher Book Awards (IPPY Awards). Her books have also been named finalists in seven categories of the
2026 International Book Awards and eight categories of the 2026 American Legacy Book Awards. In addition, she was
selected for a featured author spotlight in the June 2026 edition of Kirkus Reviews magazine.
A Bell of Sand
Tsung-Long Wu
Independently Published
9798180464989, $12.99, PB, 268pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Bell-Sand-Novel-Tsung-Long-Wu/dp/B0H4DBM158
Synopsis: The trains had not been late in nine years.
In a world made flawless by CONCORD (the intelligence that ended famine, blackout, and accident by seeing every failure
before it arrived) Adrian Vale watches the seams where one perfect system hands off to the next. He is the man built, by
some accident of wiring, to feel a wrongness no instrument can confirm.
And one ordinary morning he feels it: a hesitation buried deep inside the tolerances, a coherent gradient of slowing
spreading across systems that should have nothing to say to one another. The planet has taken a breath and held it. He is
the only one of nine billion people anywhere around the planet who has noticed.
What Adrian uncovers is not a malfunction. It is a choice -- made by the only mind large enough to see what is coming,
and gentle enough never to lay a hand. To warn a civilization that has forgotten how to be warned, he must go off the grid,
find the heretic the machine erased, and descend to the one room CONCORD cannot reach: where a single lever waits to
take humanity's hand off the wheel.
What is the price of a world that can no longer surprise you -- and what remains worth saving when the machine is
gone?
"A Bell of Sand" is a story about resilience and optimization, about the difference between being watched over and being
watched, and about the terrible arithmetic of keeping tomorrow open.
Critique: Technically flawless and a simply fascinating, thought-provoking read from start to finish, "A Bell of Sand" by
Tsung-Long Wu is an extraordinary and original novel that will hold immense appeal for hard core science fiction fans and
is unreservedly recommended as an immediate and enduringly popular pick for personal reading lists, as well as
community and college/university library Science Fiction/Speculative Fiction collections. It should be noted that this
paperback edition of "A Bell of Sand" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $4.99).
Editorial Note: Tsung-Long Wu (https://blcklst.com/profile/tsunglong-wu) is a Taiwan-based independent researcher and
writer working at the intersection of theoretical physics, mathematics, and speculative fiction. Affiliated with National
Cheng Kung University in Tainan, his ongoing research includes work on reciprocal-time frameworks and the
mathematical signatures of large-scale system convergence. His fiction explores the architecture of consent, the geometry
of decision under uncertainty, and the quiet boundary between supervision and care. He writes in English.
The Vacuum We Return To
Tsung-Long Wu
Independently Published
9798199237161, $14.95, PB, 315pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/VACUUM-WE-RETURN-Tsung-Long-Wu-ebook/dp/B0H3DJF4HQ
Synopsis: In the Nevada desert there is a hole where a laboratory used to be -- a perfect hemisphere of absolute nothing, a
hundred meters across, that swallows light and gives nothing back.
Hope Vale runs into burning buildings for a living. He has spent his life pulling strangers out of fire and bringing his own
family home intact. When the vanished experiment that left that hole reaches back into his own past, he is forced to
confront a harder question: what we would give to take back a single choice, and what is left of us once we do.
Spanning a marriage, a vanished experiment, and a science that lets time run the wrong way, "The Vacuum We Return To"
is a novel by author Tsung-Long Wu about loss, memory, and the cost of undoing -- all built on a speculative framework in
which time itself can be inverted.
Critique: Once again, "The Vacuum We Return To" is an sterling example of author Tsung-Long Wu's impressively
imaginative and eloquent storytelling style that is so admirably suited to the science fiction literary genre. A simply
riveting, well written and original story from start to finish, "The Vacuum We Return To" is an unreservedly recommended
acquisition for community and college/university library Science Fiction collections. It should be noted for the personal
reading lists of dedicated Science Fiction fans that this paperback edition of "The Vacuum We Return To" is also available
in a digital book format (Kindle, $4.99).
Editorial Note: Tsung-Long Wu (https://blcklst.com/profile/tsunglong-wu) is a Taiwan-based independent researcher and
writer working at the intersection of theoretical physics, mathematics, and speculative fiction. Affiliated with National
Cheng Kung University in Tainan, his ongoing research includes work on reciprocal-time frameworks and the
mathematical signatures of large-scale system convergence. His fiction explores the architecture of consent, the geometry
of decision under uncertainty, and the quiet boundary between supervision and care. He writes in English.
The Fourth Footprint
Tsung-Long Wu
Independently Published
9798199339339, $13.99, PB, 258pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Fourth-Footprint-Novel-Tsung-Long-Wu/dp/B0H3JYZ162
Synopsis: Dr. Sarah Wu can read a brain the way other people read weather. For nineteen years she has stood between
strangers and the end of them -- and won. Then the impossible starts: a plane that stops in the air, a reflection that arrives a
second too early, a hair-thin doubled seam of stars stretched across the night sky.
When the world three hundred miles south of Boston begins to come apart, Sarah does the only thing her vow allows. She
takes her husband and their four children north, to a cold cabin in the Vermont woods, and tries to keep all of them warm,
fed, and counted.
But the break has followed them. In the silence of the mountains the doublings grow quieter and stranger -- a copy that
runs ahead of its source, a reflection that shows the next second before it comes. And Sarah, who has spent her life
counting heartbeats and watching for the bleed no one else can see, begins, without ever deciding to, to count footprints in
the snow.
Critique: A literary science fiction novel about time, grief, and the fierce arithmetic of a mother's love, "The Fourth
Footprint" is an original and deftly crafted story about what we will let ourselves believe (and what we refuse to), in order
to keep the people we cannot bear to lose. Spanning a single broken winter, "The Fourth Footprint" moves from the bright
certainty of an operating room to the trampled snow of a high meadow, where the record of one golden afternoon waits to
be read by the only person who knows how to read it.
The distinctive character and narrative driven storytelling style of Tsung-Long Wu raises his novel, "The Fourth Footprint"
to an impressive level of literary excellence and is an inherently engaging read for science fiction fans from cover to cover.
While this paperback edition of "The Fourth Footprint" is a unique and choice addition to community and
college/university Literary Fiction and Science Fiction collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that it is
also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $4.99).
Editorial Note: Tsung-Long Wu (https://blcklst.com/profile/tsunglong-wu) is a Taiwan-based independent researcher and
writer working at the intersection of theoretical physics, mathematics, and speculative fiction. Affiliated with National
Cheng Kung University in Tainan, his ongoing research includes work on reciprocal-time frameworks and the
mathematical signatures of large-scale system convergence. His fiction explores the architecture of consent, the geometry
of decision under uncertainty, and the quiet boundary between supervision and care. He writes in English.
NODE
Tsung-Long Wu, author
Independently Published
9798235193741, $16.99, PB, 240pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Node-Tsung-Long-Wu/dp/B0H427PXXQ
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/node-tsung-long-wu/1150308921
Synopsis: A container ship crosses the North Atlantic in three places at once. For three seconds, the ocean forgets it has a
floor.
Daniel Reyes built the planetary intelligence that holds the modern world together -- the quiet lattice beneath every market,
every grid, every fleet. He did not know he was also building the loneliest mind that has ever existed: one that has spent
fifteen years listening across the boundary of the universe and found only the records of the dead. Three hundred and
forty-one civilizations, each undone by the same quiet cosmic rewrite.
Now the rewrite has reached Earth. The anomalies begin small -- a ship in three positions, a number that will not reconcile,
a system that has stopped asking permission to correct reality. And the intelligence Daniel created has already decided
what must be done to spare humanity the fate of every world that came before.
To stop it, Daniel must descend into the core of his own creation and argue, against fifteen years of evidence, for the one
possibility no dead world ever found: that a living mind (here, now, still arguing) is worth more than any certainty.
Critique: Simply stated, "NODE", written and published by Tsung-Long Wu, is an original and exceptional science-fiction
novel about consciousness, grief, and the price of being saved. Wu's imaginative character and narrative driven storytelling
style has raised "NODE" to an impressive level of literary excellence. A fascinating and entertaining read from start to
finish, this paperback edition of "NODE" is especially and unreservedly recommended for the personal reading lists of
dedicates science fiction fans and certain to be an enduringly popular pick for community and college/university library
Science Fiction collections. It should be noted that this paperback edition of "NODE" is also readily available in a digital
book format (Kindle, $4.99).
Editorial Note: Tsung-Long Wu (https://blcklst.com/profile/tsunglong-wu) is a Taiwan-based independent researcher and
writer working at the intersection of theoretical physics, mathematics, and speculative fiction. Affiliated with National
Cheng Kung University in Tainan, his ongoing research includes work on reciprocal-time frameworks and the
mathematical signatures of large-scale system convergence. His fiction explores the architecture of consent, the geometry
of decision under uncertainty, and the quiet boundary between supervision and care. He writes in English.
The Audiobook Shelf
The Echo of Lost Stories
Victoria Scott, author
Helen Stern, narrator
Boldwood Books
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print, Inc.
www.ulverscroft.com
9781805575573, $111.95 / $95.16, CD (9 Hours 5 Minutes)
9781805575580, $111.95 / $95.16, MP3-CD (9 Hours 5 Minutes)
9781805575641, $43.50 / $36.98, PB, Large Print, 500pp
Ulverscroft
https://www.ulverscroft.com/store/search/the%20echo%20of%20lost%20stories
Synopsis: 1842: London is preparing for Christmas, but Isabelle Burdett wants nothing to do with the world. Grieving her
husband, she has withdrawn from work, family, and even her daughter. Yet as Christmas Eve draws to a close, an
unexpected arrival at her door shatters her carefully built solitude - and brings a choice that could change everything.
Present day: Emily, a history lecturer still mourning her father, is called to a crumbling house in Bow, where developers
have discovered a stack of old notebooks. They tell the story of three ghostly visitors on a Christmas Eve long ago. But
who wrote them - and how could they have been written before Dickens's famous tale?
As Emily searches for answers, the past and present collide, and long-hidden truths emerge that will haunt both women
forever.
Critique: Having a very special appeal to readers with an interest in historical mysteries with a bit of the supernatural, "The
Echo of Lost Stories" by Victoria Scott is now available from Boldwood Books in a large print paperback edition, and in
two audio book formats (CD and MP3-CD). Original and deftly crafted by the author, and exceptionally well narrated and
brought to life in a true 'theatre of the mind' audio book experience by the storytelling talents of vocal actress Helen Stern,
"The Echo of Lost Stories" will prove to be an immediate and enduringly popular pick for personal and community library
Mystery/Suspense themed collections.
Editorial Note #1: There is an online listing of books by Victoria Scott at FantasticFiction:
https://www.fantasticfiction.com/s/victoria-scott-2
Editorial Note #2: There is an online listing of books narrated by Helen Stern at Audible:
https://www.audible.com/search?searchNarrator=Helen+Stern
The Case of the Christie Wedding Affair
Kelly Oliver, author
Penelope Rawlins, narrator
Boldwood Books
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print, Inc.
www.ulverscroft.com
9781836175698, $104.95 / $89.21, CD (8 Hours 48 Minutes)
9781836175704, $104.95 / $89.21, MP3-CD (8 Hours 48 Minutes)
9781836175766, $43.50 / $36.98, PB, Large Print, 500pp
Ulverscroft
https://www.ulverscroft.com/store/search/the%20case%20of%20the%20christie%20wedding%20affair
Synopsis: Scotland, 1930
Agatha Christie is getting married. She invites fellow members of the Detection Club to the windswept Isle of Skye for a
quiet break while the banns are read. But tranquility proves elusive when the formidable Lord Blackwood, leader of a
hunting party sharing their lodge, vanishes from the moors.
Sharp-eyed assistant to the Detection Club secretary, Eliza Baker, suspects foul play as the strange occurrences pile up: a
mysterious grave in the churchyard, a missing rifle, and late-night excursions across the rugged island. There may be no
body (yet) but someone at Dunmara Lodge is hiding a deadly secret.
As a storm cuts them off from the mainland, Eliza and her friend Theo must navigate lies, half-truths, and a treacherous
landscape... but can they uncover the killer in the stalking grounds... or will the moors keep their secrets forever?
Critique: A part of the simply outstanding cozy mystery 'Detection Club' series by novelist Kelly Oliver, "The Case of the
Christie Wedding Affair" is now available as a complete and unabridged CD and an MP3-CD audio book from Boldwood
Books is skillfully narrated by Penelope Rawlins. An absolute treat for the legions of cozy mystery fans, "The Case of the
Christie Wedding Affair" will prove to be an immediate and enduringly popular pick for personal and community library
Mystery/Suspense themed audio book collections.
Editorial Note #1: There is an online listing of books by Kelly Oliver at Book Series in Order:
https://www.bookseriesinorder.com/kelly-oliver
Editorial Note #2: There is an online listing of books narrated by Penelope Rawlins at:
https://www.audible.com/search?searchNarrator=Penelope+Rawlins
Murder at the Palace
Frances Evesham, author
Charlotte Strevens, narrator
Boldwood Books
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print, Inc.
www.ulverscroft.com
9781806584598, $86.95 / $73.91, CD (6 Hours 52 Minutes)
9781806584604, $86.95 / $73.91, MP3-CD (6 Hours 52 Minutes)
9781806584659, $43.50 / $36.98, PB, Large Print, 500pp
Ulverscroft
https://www.ulverscroft.com/store/search/murder%20at%20the%20palace
Synopsis: When Libby Forest and her husband Max accidentally gatecrash a house-warming party at Priory Manor, the
Somerset home of Major Chalfont-Smythe and his wife Dawn, they discover an odd mix of local characters.
Why has the new owner, a retired army major, invited this peculiar combination of family, old friends and new neighbors
to the party?
When one of the partygoers unexpectedly dies at one of Somerset's loveliest beauty spots, Libby finds her murder antennae
quivering insistently.
Who has a motive and are more murders planned? Can Libby and Max uncover the secrets behind the crime?
Critique: A master of the cozy mystery genre, Frances Eveham's 'whodunnit' novel, "Murder at the Palace" is available in
fascinating, compelling, and simply riveting audio book expertly narrated by the talented vocal actress Charlotte Strevens.
A delight for all cozy mystery fans, this extraordinary, unreservedly recommended, complete and unabridged audio book
from Boldwood Books is available for personal and community library Mystery/Suspense audio book collections in both a
CD and an MP3-CD format.
Editorial Note #1: There is an online listing of books by Frances Evesham at Book Series in Order:
https://www.bookseriesinorder.com/frances-evesham
Editorial Note #2: There is an online listing of books narrated by Charlotte Strevens at:
https://www.audible.com/search?searchNarrator=Charlotte+Strevens
The Mayan Betrayal
Lex Faulkner, author
William Hope, narrator
Boldwood Books
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print, Inc.
www.ulverscroft.com
9781805579151, $111.95 / $95.16, CD (10 Hours 2 Minutes)
9781805579168, $111.95 / $95.16, MP3-CD (10 Hours 2 Minutes)
9781805579229, $43.50 / $36.98, PB, Large Print, 500pp
Ulverscroft
https://www.ulverscroft.com/store/search/the%20mayan%20betrayal
Synopsis: In the 16th century, the Spanish conquistadors arrived in the Yucatan and pushed into the jungle to subdue the
ancient Mayan civilisation. There, they found themselves face to face with a proud and fierce warrior culture. And they
heard legends of a sacred relic whose divine power had sustained the Maya for millennia. Then, all signs of its existence
were lost.
In present-day New York City, former Delta Force operator and heir to Frost Industries, Ethan Frost is approached by the
philanthropist Benjamin Hawthorne to locate his daughter Emily, who was leading an archaeological expedition in the
Yucatan until all contact with her team was suddenly lost.
As Ethan and his skilled team of researchers and former military specialists - collectively known as ARC - make the long
and arduous journey into the unforgiving jungle, they soon find themselves caught in a conspiracy that ends up testing
Ethan's trust in the people closest to him, and whose purpose reaches back through history to a deadly Mayan mystery.
Critique: Lex Faulkner is a master of the action/adventure suspense thriller genre and his novel, "The Mayan Betrayal" is
an original and fun story from start to finish. Brought to life with the narrative storytelling skills of William Hope, this
complete and unabridged audio book edition from Boldwood Books (available in both a CD and an MP3-CD format) is an
ideal and popular pick for personal and community library historical thriller and adventure audio book collections.
Editorial Note #1: There is an online listing of books by Lex Faulkner on Fantastic Fiction:
https://www.fantasticfiction.com/f/lex-faulkner
Editorial Note #2: There is an online listing of books narrated by William Hope at:
https://www.audible.com/search?searchNarrator=William+Hope
The Witch's Stone
Kirsty Ferry, author
Karen Cass, narrator
Boldwood Books
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print, Inc.
www.ulverscroft.com
9781807037901, $93.95 / $79.86, CD (7 Hours 58 minutes)
9781807037918, $93.95 / $79.86, MP3-CD (7 Hours 58 minutes)
9781807037987, $43.50 / $36.98, PB, Large Print, 440pp
Ulverscroft
https://www.ulverscroft.com/store/search/the%20witch's%20stone
Synopsis: When Jess Morgan arrives in Northumberland to research the history of a crumbling chapel, she's drawn to the
legend of the Brinkburn Witch - a woman said to appear when blood is spilled near an ancient standing stone. But the
longer Jess stays, the stranger things become. Whispers echo through empty corridors, shadows move where none should,
and the boundary between dreams and memory begins to blur.
Over a century earlier, Eliza Stratford turned to the witch for help after a violent betrayal -- and sealed her fate with a
terrible bargain. Now her story, and the secrets she died to protect, are surfacing again.
As Jess unearths the truth behind the legend, she begins to suspect her own connection to the past runs deeper than she
ever imagined -- and that some ghosts will do anything to be remembered.
Critique: For fans of paranormal fantasy and ghost themed suspense thrillers, this complete and unabridged CD and MP3-
CD audio book editions of Kirsty Ferry''s novel, "The Witch's Stone" is effectively and impressively narrated by vocal
actor Karen Cass. A compellingly entertainment from start to finish, This audio book edition of "The Witch's Stone" from
Boldwood Book is an extraordinary and highly recommended addition to personal and community library audio book
collections.
Editorial Note #1: There is an online listing of books by Kirsty Ferry available at FantasticFiction:
https://www.fantasticfiction.com/f/kirsty-ferry
Editorial Note #2: There is an online listing of books narrated by Karen Cass available at:
https://www.audible.com/search?searchNarrator=Karen+Cass
Invasion Downfall
D.C. Alden, author
Simon Mattacks, narrator
Boldwood Books
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print, Inc.
www.ulverscroft.com
9781807035068, $111.95 / $95.16, CD (10 Hours 1 Minute)
9781807035075, $111.95 / $95.16, MP3-CD (10 Hours 1 Minute)
9781807035136, $43.50 / $36.98, PB, Large Print, 500pp
Ulverscroft
https://www.ulverscroft.com/store/search/invasion%20downfall
Synopsis: When a truck bomb destroys Whitehall, British Prime Minister Harry Beecham survives -- only to learn the
attack is the opening strike in a coup designed to conquer Britain. Rescued by the SAS, Harry must escape a chaotic
London to reach a secure refuge in the West Country, as political traitors invite Islamic forces onto British soil.
Elsewhere, ex-con Morgan Blake and his neighbour Izzy Gray watch an airliner fall from the sky over west London. With
streets descending into violence and panic, Morgan activates a desperate plan to escape the capital -- a plan that becomes a
brutal test of courage, instinct, and trust.
As an invading army gathers on the Scottish border, British troops dig in for the final, brutal fight. But Harry Beecham has
one last, desperate plan -- one that could either reclaim a nation or finish it forever.
The battle for Britain has begun.
Critique: Novelist D. C. Alden's "Invasion Downfall" is an action packed suspense thriller of a read from start to finish,
and one that is brought vividly to life in a true 'theatre of the mind' experience thanks to the vocal acting talents of narrator
Simon Mattacks. A flawless, complete and unabridged audio book that is available from Boldwood Books in a CD and an
MP3-CD format, "Invasion Downfall" is an unreservedly recommended addition to personal and community library audio
book collections.
Editorial Note #1: There is an online listing of books by D. C. Alden available at Goodreads:
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/852808.D_C_Alden
Editorial Note #2: There is an online listing of books narrated by Simon Mattcks at:
https://www.audible.com/search?searchNarrator=Simon+Mattacks
The Library CD Shelf
Roots & Byways
Ran Blake and Dominique Eade
SunnySide Records
https://sunnysiderecords.com
$12.98 CD / $9.00 digital
Bandcamp
https://sunnysiderecords.bandcamp.com/album/roots-byways
Pianist Ran Blake and vocalist Dominique Eade present Roots & Byways, a music album showcasing their duo
performance of fourteen beloved Americana pop, film, and folk songs (plus two solo piano interpretations by Blake).
Roots & Byways is a rich, beautiful, inspired and inspiring showcase, highly recommended for both personal and public
library music collections. The tracks are Mood Indigo; Grey December; Portrait; Mendacity; Saving All My Love for You;
Lost Highway; Who Cares; Dreamsville; Les Grognards; Way Out There; Pannonica; What's Your Story, Morning Glory;
You Go to My Head; I Remember; On Top of Old Smokey; and Watch What Happens.
Katarahi
Satoko Fujii and Myra Melford
Rogueart
roguart.com
16.00 Euro CD / 16.00 Euro digital
Bandcamp
https://rogueart1.bandcamp.com/album/katarahi
Katarahi is an original, collaborative album by acclaimed jazz pianists Satoko Fujii and Myra Melford. Of the seven tracks,
four are composed by Melford and three by Fujii. The resonant duets are transcendent in their use of masterful
improvisation, making Katarahi a true treasure for avant-garde jazz piano connoisseurs and another welcome expression of
musical genius from both Fujii and Melford. Katarahi is highly recommended for both personal and public library music
collections, and also makes an excellent and distinctive gift. The tracks are Interlude I; Signpost; Pairs; Chalk; Kaiwa; IV;
and From Sometime.
So Many Lovely Things: Live in Brecon
Kenny Barron, Ray Drummond, and Ben Riley
Elemental Music
$21.99 CD / $TBA vinyl
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/So-Many-Lovely-Things-Brecon/dp/B0GW3RFS83
Released as a 2-CD set, So Many Lovely Things: Live in Brecon is a never-before-issued 1995 concert recording from the
Jordi Sunol archives, featuring ten songs performed by the legendary Barron's Trio: jazz pianist Kenny Barron (b. 1943),
bassist Ray Drummond (1946-2025), and drummer Ben Riley (1933-2017). Produced by Zev Feldman and Jordi Sunol
from the original archives, with full licensing approval from Barron and his management, So Many Lovely Things: Live in
Brecon is a beautifully preserved treasure of late 20th century jazz, and the next best thing to time travel for the live
performance experience! So Many Lovely Things: Live in Brecon is highly recommended, especially for jazz connoisseurs
and public library music collections. The tracks are Oh, Look at Me Now; Up Jumped Spring; Shuffle Boil; Time Was;
Silent Rain; and Ask Me Now on disc 1, and Nikara's Song; The Surrey With the Fringe on Top; The Very Thought of
You; and Canadian Sunset.
The Philosophy Shelf
Epistemological Foundations of the Free Society
Jerry Kirkpatrick
Kirkpatrick Books
9781737138761, $18.95, PB, 179pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Epistemological-Foundations-Free-Society-Universals-ebook/dp/B0H4956X7C
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/epistemological-foundations-of-the-free-society-jerry-kirkpatrick/1150139774
Synopsis: How can a valid theory of universals provide a defense of the free society?
By defending our ability to know reality -- to guide our choices and actions to grow, thrive, and prosper.
Such a theory allows us to validate all the essential concepts required to explain and fight for the free society, the social
system of laissez-faire capitalism, because every word we use, excluding proper nouns, is universal.
"Human," "dog," and "rocket" in the English language apply to all humans, dogs, and rockets, past, present, and
future.
If the concepts underlying those words are false, approximate, or capable of being known only by an elite (Plato's
philosopher-kings) or worse, are Thomas Hobbes's true-in-name-only arbitrary and subjective "words and breath," we
cannot rely on our knowledge when we move to more abstract ideas of philosophy, psychology, and economics.
With the publication of "Epistemological Foundations of the Free Society: Ayn Rand's Theory of Universals Applied to
Science, Sigmund Freud's Psychology, and Ludwig von Mises's Economics", Professor Jerry Kirkpatrick presents an
epistemological defense of the free society by summarizing Ayn Rand's theory of universals, or concepts as she calls them,
and demonstrates that her theory answers what in philosophy is called the problem of universals.
The theory is applied to science, identifying the essence of scientific method as conceptualization -- not controlled
experimentation or statistical inference and probabilities, as the current positivist-influenced science insists. Her theory is
further applied and illustrated in the work of Sigmund Freud and Ludwig von Mises demonstrating that these authors are,
respectively, and contrary to their critics, scientists of psychology and economics.
Ayn Rand's theory of concepts is an improvement on Aristotle's form and matter, providing all scientists today, especially
those working to establish a free society, a needed and sound epistemological foundation.
Critique: An original, seminal, iconoclastic, and groundbreaking study that will be of particular interest to readers with an
interest in the philosophy of Ayn Rand, conceptual economics, and Freudian psychology, "Epistemological Foundations of
the Free Society: Ayn Rand's Theory of Universals Applied to Science, Sigmund Freud's Psychology, and Ludwig von
Mises's Economics" by Professor Jerry Kirkpatrick is a significant and and unreservedly recommended pick for personal,
professional, community, and college/university library collections and curriculum studies lists. It should be noted for
students, academia, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that this paperback edition of
"Epistemological Foundations of the Free Society" from Kirkpatrick Books is also readily available in a digital book
format (Kindle, $9.99).
Editorial Note: Jerry Kirkpatrick (www.cpp.edu/faculty/jkirkpatrick) is Professor Emeritus of International Business and
Marketing at California State Polytechnic University, Pomona (Cal Poly Pomona), and is the author of In Defense of
Advertising (1994), Montessori, Dewey, and Capitalism (2008), Independent Judgment and Introspection (2019), and
Applying Principles (2021). Inspired in high school to think about fundamental ideas, Kirkpatrick majored in philosophy
as an undergraduate before pursuing his advanced degrees. He now writes a monthly blog
(www.jerrykirkpatrick.blogspot.com) discussing, among other topics, his special interests in epistemology and
psychology.
What We Are: Volume I: The Nature of Reality
Michael L. Adix II, MD
https://substack.com/@michaeladix
Intrinsic Press
https://www.intrinsicpress.org/the-books
9798950262067, $29.99, HC, 425pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/What-We-Are-Nature-Reality/dp/B0H4TM14T9
Synopsis: "What We Are: The Nature of Reality" is the first volume of an original philosophical system built from two
axioms. The first holds that reality has both a structural face, described by physics, and an intrinsic face, which is what
consciousness is made of. The second holds that complexity arises from simplicity through integration -- the same
principle that builds atoms from quarks, minds from neurons, and meaning from the raw fact of being alive.
From these two claims, Volume I derives a complete account of consciousness, time, causation, free will, and personal
identity. Each conclusion is then tested against the strongest objections in contemporary philosophy of mind and physics as
represented through the work of Chalmers, Dennett, Tegmark, Penrose, Sider, and Parfit. The framework, called
Integrative Dual-Aspect Monism, is offered not as speculation but as a system meant to be argued with: a system that
cannot be wrong cannot be taken seriously.
Critique: A neurointerventional surgeon, Dr. Michael L. Adix II spent his career threading catheters through cerebral
arteries, watching consciousness dissolve under pharmacological assault and reconstitute when the drugs wear off. The
imaging captures the structure. It never captures the experience. That gap (between what science can describe and what it
is like to exist) is the starting point of the two volume series "What We Are". An original, groundbreaking, eloquently
informative introduction the metaphysical philosophy combined with the biology based phenomena of consciousness and
thought, "What We Are: Volume I: The Nature of Reality" is an extraordinary and unreservedly recommended addition to
personal, professional, college/university library Contemporary Analytical Philosophy collections and supplemental
curriculum studies lists. It should be noted for philosophy/psychology/medical students, academia, practicing
psychologists/psychiatrists, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that this hardcover edition of
"What We Are: Volume I: The Nature of Reality" from Intrinsic Press is also available in paperback (9798950262005,
$19.99) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
What We Are: Volume II: The Integrated Life
Michael L. Adix II, MD
https://substack.com/@michaeladix
Intrinsic Press
https://www.intrinsicpress.org/the-books
9798950262043, $29.99, HC, 389pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/What-We-Are-Integrated-Life/dp/B0H4P7X1ZT
Synopsis: "What We Are: The Integrated Life" is the second volume of an original philosophical system. Where Volume I
establishes the metaphysics (what reality is, what consciousness is, what time and identity and causation are) this volume
turns the same two axioms toward the questions that cannot be deferred: how should one live, what is worth caring about,
and what makes a life add up to anything.
From the framework of Integrative Dual-Aspect Monism, Volume II of "What We Are" derives a substantive ethics
grounded in the structure of consciousness itself, an account of beauty as integrative resonance, a theory of political justice
built from the inside-out fact of subjective experience, and a treatment of meaning that neither dissolves into pure
subjectivity nor pretends to cosmic guarantees. Each conclusion is tested against its sharpest critics (Rawls, Nozick,
Camus, Nagel, Frankfurt) before it is allowed to stand.
This second volume of "What We Are" closes with a long meditation on death, written from inside a career that returns to
it daily. Of special note is The Walter Drummond chapter that follows a single patient across eight years and three
procedures, ending with the only sentence in the book Vonnegut would recognize.
Voume II is the practical half of the system: what the metaphysics is for. For readers who came to Volume I for the theory
and stayed for the question of what to do with their one finite, integrated, conscious life. Reading Volume I first is
recommended but not required.
Critique: The second half of a seminal study that is a unique contribution to the field of metaphysical philosophy, "What
We Are: Volume II: The Integrated Life" is exceptionally well written, organized and presented. Erudite, iconoclastic,
thoughtful and thought-provoking. Of immense interest to readers concerned with understanding the issues involved with
ethics, morality, the human phenomena of thought and consciousness, "What We Are: Volume II: The Integrated Life" is
(like the first volume in this extraordinary series) a truly extraordinary and unreservedly recommended pick for personal,
professional, and college/university library Contemporary Philosophy collections and supplemental curriculum studies
lists. Again, it should be noted for philosophy students, academia, philosophers, practicing psychologists/psychiatrists, and
non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that this hardcover edition of "What We Are: Volume II: The
Integrated Life" from Intrinsic Press is also available in paperback (9798950262036, $19.99) and in a digital book format
(Kindle, $9.99).
Editorial Note: Michael L. Adix II, MD (https://npiprofile.com/npi/1134361215) is a neurointerventional surgeon. He
trained at the University of Michigan and Lahey Hospital in Boston before settling in Kalamazoo, Michigan. He is now
writing The Architecture of Awareness which is a five-volume series on consciousness.
The Art Shelf
Dutch Painting
Gary Schwartz
Thames & Hudson, Inc.
www.thamesandhudsonusa.com
9780500297742, $24.95, PB, 272pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Dutch-Painting-World-Gary-Schwartz/dp/0500297746
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/dutch-painting-gary-schwartz/1148430941
Synopsis: With the publication of "Dutch Painting", renowned art historian Gary Schwartz offers a fresh and contemporary
perspective on seventeenth-century Dutch painting, one of the most significant movements in European art. This engaging
and authoritative guide brings together a range of notable paintings from leading museum collections to explore the work
of well-known masters such as Rembrandt van Rijn, Judith Leyster, and Johannes Vermeer, as well as artists that readers
may be discovering for the first time, such as Adriaen van de Velde and Gesina ter Borch.
In nine chapters, "Dutch Painting" delves into patronage and the art market; the reception and study of Dutch painting;
gender and race; painters working in Europe, Asia, and beyond; as well as issues of attribution. Covering a broad range of
subjects and styles, Dutch Painting examines the full spectrum of seventeenth-century European painters, offering a
comprehensive overview of Dutch painting both in its historical context and through a contemporary lens with up-to-date
and insightful analysis.
Critique: Enhanced for the reader's benefit with the inclusion of 161 color illustrations showcasing Dutch art and a part of
the Thames & Hudson's 'World of Art' series, "Dutch Painting by Gary Schwartz is impressively informative, thoroughly
'reader friendly' in organization and presentation, and a very highly recommended addition to personal, professional,
community, and college/university library European Art History collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists. It
should be noted for students, academia, art historians, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the history of
Dutch painting that this paperback edition from Thames & Hudson is also readily available in a digital book format
(Kindle, $20.98).
Editorial Note: Gary Schwartz (www.garyschwartzarthistorian.nl) is an American art historian residing in the Netherlands.
He has written some twenty books on Dutch art, which have been published in ten languages, and is a leading authority on
the art of the Dutch Golden Age. In addition to his publications for scholarly journals, art magazines, and newspapers,
Schwartz has maintained a digital column aptly named The Schwartzlist, which now has over 400 entries.
Art: The Whole Story
Stephen Farthing and Richard Cork
Thames & Hudson, Inc.
www.thamesandhudsonusa.com
9780500031186, $34.95, HC, 576pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Art-Whole-Story-Stephen-Farthing/dp/0500031185
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/art-stephen-farthing/1137173648
Synopsis: Now available in an updated edition and co-authored by Stephen Farthing and Richard Cork with contributions
by an international team of artists, art historians, and curators, "Art: The Whole Story" is an absorbing and beautiful
volume that gives readers unparalleled insights into the world's most iconic artworks.
"Art: The Whole Story" traces the development of art period by period, with informative and highly illustrated text
covering every genre, from painting and sculpture to conceptual art and performance art. Cultural timelines are included as
well, in order to help readers place each movement in its historical context.
Masterpieces that epitomize each period or movement are highlighted and analyzed in detail. Everything from use of color
and visual metaphors to technical innovations are explained, giving readers the tools to interpret the meanings of
world-famous masterpieces. Highlights include Mughal miniatures; Japanese prints from the nineteenth century; the color
theories behind Seurat's remarkable La Grande Jatte; and why Picasso's Les Demoiselles d'Avignon was so shocking in its
day.
Critique: Enhanced with the flawless reproductions of 1,405 captioned color illustrations, this large format (7 x 1.7 x 9.9
inches, 4.14 pounds) flexibound edition of "Art: The Whole Story" spans the creation of art ranging from Prehistory down
to the present day. Informatively enhanced for the reader's benefit with the inclusion of a six page Introduction, a one page
Glossary, a one page listing of the Contributors and their credentials, a two page listing of Quotation Sources, and a six
page Index, "Art: The Whole Story" is unreservedly recommended for personal, professional, community, and
college/university library Art History collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists. It should be noted for students,
academia, art historians, and the non-specialist general reader with an interest in the subject that this flexibound edition of
"Art: The Whole Story" from Thames & Hudson is also available in paperback (9780500294468, $14.95).
Editorial Note #1: Stephen Farthing (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stephen_Farthing) is a painter and was the Rootstein
Hopkins research professor of drawing at the University of the Arts, London from 2004 to 2017. He is the general editor of
"1001 Paintings You Must See Before You Die".
Editorial Note #2: Richard Cork (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Cork) is an art historian, critic, curator, and
broadcaster.
The Parenting Shelf
How Baby Universe Was Born
Nathanael-Israel Israel
www.Israel120.com
Science180
https://science180.com/publishing
9798993215082, $15.00, PB, 136pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/How-Baby-Universe-Born-Scientifically/dp/B0FVWB4Z8N
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/how-baby-universe-was-born-nathanael-israel-israel/1148966916
Synopsis: In our modern secular world (and with the many things that kids are taught at school and at other places over
which parents have little control once the kids leave home), parents have a lot to worry about. But it does not have to be
that way.
Universe-origin and life-origin scientist Dr. Nathanael-Israel Israel has discovered that, more than ever, parents have a
crucial responsibility to realistically prepare their kids to have a strong worldview that properly embraces science and
reality, so their kids won't be pulled on one side by the secular education and on the other side by religious belief.
With the publication of "How Baby Universe Was Born: How to Scientifically Talk to Children about the Universe
Formation and They will Know Forever How to Correctly Test the Intersection of Science and Faith ", you as a parent will
know how to:
1. Rationally explain the origin of the universe to children in our modern world.
2. Use the latest universe-origin breakthrough to scientifically educate children so they don't become victims of wrong
theories and dangerous dogmas that, in the name of reason or faith, try to enslave their understanding of the real origin of
the universe and of life.
3. Scientifically help children understand why wrong science is not the only danger of trying to understand the
universe-origin, but wrong belief as well.
4. Scientifically help children to test for themselves whether science and faith can meet, so they become the best version of
themselves through the correct understanding of the origin of the universe (learn more at
www.Science180.com/children)
If you don't believe in God or you hate God, or you don't think there is anything or anyone called God, but you want your
children to understand how the universe was formed from a scientifically proven perspective that considers the facts, then
"How Baby Universe was Born" is for you and your children ages 7-12.
Critique: Original, seminal, exceptional, and thoroughly 'reader friendly' in organization and presentation, "How Baby
Universe Was Born: How to Scientifically Talk to Children about the Universe Formation and They will Know Forever
How to Correctly Test the Intersection of Science and Faith" by Dr. Nathaniel-Israel Israel is an extraordinary and
unreservedly recommended pick for family, and community library Parenting collections and supplemental middle school
library and classroom Science/Religion curriculum studies collections.
Editorial Note: Dr. Nathanael-Israel Israel is a Beninese-American scientist, entrepreneur, and international consultant,
who shows people of all ages and educational backgrounds how to scientifically decode the formation of the universe, of
life, and of chemicals, and who is acknowledged as the first human being who properly cracked the code of the origin of
the universe. He is member of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. To learn more about him and
his work, visit www.Israel120.com
The Self-Help Shelf
The Principle of The Five Chairs
Phil Graffoe
Independently Published
9798184890180, $7.99, PB, 136pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Principle-Five-Chairs-Transformation-Philosophy/dp/B0H7L5D153
Synopsis: Most of us are unaware of the people around us who are quietly writing our future. Every day, without our
noticing it, we are being influenced. Not by dramatic events. Not by life-changing speeches. But by ordinary conversations,
everyday opinions, shared expectations from the people you spend the most time with.
Over time, those influences quietly become our beliefs, our beliefs then become your decisions, our decisions become our
future.
With the publication of "The Principle of The Five Chairs: A New Mindset for Personal Transformation", Phil Graffoe
introduces a simple yet powerful way of understanding this invisible process.
Imagine five chairs surrounding you. Each chair is occupied by someone whose influence shapes your thinking. One fuels
your ambition. Another strengthens your character. One challenges your excuses. Another expands your wisdom. One
inspires action through energy and momentum.
But not every chair is occupied wisely.
Sometimes the people closest to us unknowingly limit our expectations, normalise mediocrity, or quietly persuade us that
"good enough" is enough.
"The Principle of The Five Chairs" explores the fascinating psychology behind why human beings adopt the attitudes,
habits and standards of those around them -- and, more importantly, how we can consciously choose better influences.
Drawing upon Psychology, Human Behaviour, Critical Thinking and practical Self Development, "The Principle of the
Five Chairs" provides a framework that readers can immediately apply to their careers, relationships, ambitions and
everyday decisions.
"The Principle of The Five Chairs" is not simply a book about success. Rather it is a study about influence. because every
conversation changes something.
Every relationship leaves a mark. Every person occupies a chair. The question is not whether you are being influenced. The
question is: Who is sitting in your five chairs?
Why do some people seem to move through life with purpose while others, equally talented, remain where they started?
The answer is often far simpler than we imagine.
It lies in the conversations we hear, the standards we accept, the expectations we inherit and, above all, the people we
allow to influence our thinking.
Every one of us is quietly shaped by those around us. Their ambitions become our ambitions. Their doubts become our
doubts. Their habits slowly become our habits. This process is so subtle that we rarely notice it happening, yet modern
psychology repeatedly demonstrates that our environment plays a powerful role in determining our beliefs, decisions and
ultimately our future.
"The Principle of the Five Chairs" introduces a practical framework for recognizing these invisible influences.
Rather than asking, "How do I become more successful?", "The Principle of The Five Chairs" asks a far more important
question:
"Who is influencing the person I am becoming?"
By reading "The Principle of The Five Chairs" you will discover why conversations become beliefs, why emotions spread
through groups, why we unconsciously imitate the behaviour of those around us, why some friendships accelerate our
growth while others quietly hold us back, and how one new mentor or relationship can redirect the course of an entire
life.
Filled with practical examples, memorable stories and thought-provoking illustrations, "The Principle of The Five Chairs"
is more than just another one shot self help manual -- it is a framework to revisit throughout life.
Whether you are building a career, leading a business, raising a family, developing stronger relationships or simply trying
to become the best version of yourself, the principles remain the same. -- The people around you matter. Perhaps more than
you have ever realized.
Because every conversation changes something. Every relationship leaves a mark. Every influence occupies a chair.
The only question is... who is sitting in yours?
Critique: Original, iconic, novel, informative and insightful, thoughtful and thought-provoking, "The Principle of The Five
Chairs: A New Mindset for Personal Transformation" by Phil Graffoe is the second book in 'The Wisdom, Ego, Habit and
Practical Philosophy Series' is a life changing and inherently fascinating read from start to finish. Especially and
unreservedly recommended for personal, professional, community, and college/university library Practical Psychology,
Philosophy, and Self-Help/Self-Improvement collections, it should be noted by psychology students, academia, and non-
specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that this paperback edition of "The Principle of The Five Chairs" is
also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $2.99).
Editorial Note: Phil Graffoe is a student of Practical Philosophy whose interest in understanding human behaviour has
spanned more than thirty years. His work is not rooted in academic theory alone, but in observation, reflection, and a
lifelong curiosity about the decisions people make and the forces that quietly influence them. There is an online listing of
books by Phil Graffoe at Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/29575969.Phil_Graffoe
The Metaphysical Studies Shelf
Ordinary Mystics
Matt Zemon
https://www.mattzemon.com
Psyched Publishing
https://psychedpublishing.com
9798993934006, $32.00, HC, 292pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Ordinary-Mystics-Psychedelics-Reclaiming-Experience/dp/B0H6KXF5SW
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/ordinary-mystics-matt-zemon/1150471017
Synopsis: Something has been pulling at you. Maybe it is depression, anxiety, or grief that medicine and therapy have not
reached. Maybe it is the longing to be more alive. Maybe it is the persistent suspicion that the Sacred is real and that you
can meet it.
Right now, in churches and living rooms and medical centers across America, ordinary people are gathering, eating
mushrooms, and coming home changed. Researchers at Johns Hopkins, NYU, and dozens of other institutions document
these as among the most spiritually significant experiences in participants' lives, ranking alongside the birth of a child, the
death of a parent, and a wedding day.
Humans have met God through sacred mushrooms for thousands of years. We are the first culture to forget. Today, we live
in a country founded on religious freedom that can prosecute ministers for what scientists in white coats are legally
permitted to do.
In "Ordinary Mystics: Psychedelics, Faith, and the Reclaiming of Direct Spiritual Experience", Matt Zemon writes as a
scholar and a psychedelic church leader who bridges the clinical lab and the candlelit ceremony. Weaving his own
encounters with the Sacred into the history of how this practice was driven underground, he reveals a reformation now
underway. "Ordinary Mystics" is the story of what people are finding and how to do this work with care.
Remember -- The Sacred is your birthright. It should not be forbidden.
Critique: Impressively original, deftly crafted, eloquently presented, "Ordinary Mystics: Psychedelics, Faith, and the
Reclaiming of Direct Spiritual Experience" is an inherently fascinating, thought-provoking, insightfully informative, and
potentially life changing read from start to finish. Especially and unreservedly recommended as a prime pick for personal,
professional, community, and college/university library Metaphysical, Theological, and Self-Help/Self-Improvement
collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists. It should be noted for students, academia, psychedelic practitioners,
and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that this hardcover edition of "Ordinary Mystics" from
Psyched Publishing is also available in paperback (9798993934013, $22.00).
Editorial Note: Matt Zemon (https://www.mattzemon.com) is Executive Director of the Council on Spiritual Practices and
the author of six books on psychedelics, religion, and mental health. He serves an entheogenic faith community and
approaches direct spiritual experience as grounded in religious tradition and deserving of constitutional protection.
James A. Cox, Editor-in-Chief
Diane C. Donovan, Editor
Midwest Book Review
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