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Table of Contents
Reviewer's Choice
We Were Promised
Julia Flint
The University Press of Kentucky
www.kentuckypress.com
9781985903067, $29.95, HC, 272pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Were-Promised-Appalachian-Grandmother-Corporate/dp/1985903067
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/we-were-promised-julia-flint/1147033420
Synopsis: "We Were Promised: How an Appalachian Grandmother Fought a Corporate Giant" is the story of Karen
"Momma K" Gorrell, a woman did not consider herself to be an activist. But when those she cared about were wronged,
she refused to remain silent.
With the economy still reeling from the Great Recession in 2011, Karen's husband and other retirees of the Century
Aluminum plant (a pillar of industry in their rural community of Ravenswood) had their healthcare benefits terminated.
The United Steelworkers had negotiated for these union members to have a portion of their wages deducted to fund future
benefits, and the employees worked for decades with the promise of health insurance upon retirement. When Century idled
the plant and reneged on its agreement, retirees were left without affordable care at the time they needed it most.
Knowing lives were on the line, Karen vowed to do whatever she could to pressure Century to reinstate retirees' promised
benefits. Within months, she became the lead organizer and spokesperson for a grassroots campaign that would capture the
attention of lawmakers and Century's CEO. The campaign would also test her resolve, her relationships, and her faith in
the systems that promised to protect working-class people.
"We Were Promised" follows Karen and a group of determined retirees on their long journey to seek justice -- from staging
an Occupy-inspired camp at the Ravenswood plant in West Virginia to confronting Century's corporate executives in
Illinois and California.
In highlighting Appalachia's role in the modern labor movement and the impact of women activists in the region, this story
serves as a powerful example of everyday folks, as Karen said, "having the courage to stand up and raise hell and fight
back."
Critique: Original, exceptional, inspirational, "We Were Promised: How an Appalachian Grandmother Fought a Corporate
Giant" by Julia Flint is an extraordinary story and an especially timely one for this second Gilded Age of corporate robber
barons and the local, state, and federal governmental officials that they have bought and paid for -- to the utter detriment of
the working class and the erosion of our democracy. A riveting and instructive read from start to finish, "We Were
Promised: How an Appalachian Grandmother Fought a Corporate Giant" is a critically important and unreservedly
recommended acquisition for community and college/university library American Labor History/Biography collections. It
should be noted for the personal reading lists of students, academia, political and union activists, governmental policy
makers, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that this hardcover edition of "We Were
Promised: How an Appalachian Grandmother Fought a Corporate Giant" from the University Press of Kentucky is also
readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $27.76).
Editorial Note: Julia Flint (https://juliaflint.com) is a writer from the Appalachian Rust Belt. She is the daughter of a
steelworker and a therapist. With a background in qualitative research, she has worked for the last decade as a research
assistant on projects related to community health and education.
The Writing/Publishing Shelf
Opening the Gate to New Worlds: How to Write a Book Children Will Treasure
Lauren Bingham
Independently Published
9798291073148, $15.49, HC, 128pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Opening-Gate-New-Worlds-Children/dp/B0FJF7PLTK
Synopsis: Once upon a time, we were all young readers. We were new to books, and each book we saw filled us with
delight. Through books, we learned about places and people far away in space and time. We went on adventures through
our imagination and found ourselves inspired, entertained, and educated every time we turned the page.
Do you often think of your favorite childhood book? Do you wish you could write a book for the children in your life?
Have you ever wished you could tell a story to younger generations?
With the publication of "Opening the Gate to New Worlds: How to Write a Book Children Will Treasure", author Lauren
Bingham draws upon her own experience and expertise in writing for children to examine what makes a good children's
book -- and how you can put this knowledge to work by writing your own book for young readers.
"In Opening the Gate to New Worlds: How to Write a Book Children Will Treasure" provides aspiring children's book
writers with a wealth of ideas and exercises to help:
Consider who you are building your book for, from choosing the right age group and audience for your book
Understand how a children's book differs from an adult reader's book
Determine how you will interact with your young readers
Find your voice as a children's author, and
Feel confident even though this project might be more challenging than you imagined
From vocabulary and detail to presenting topics in a way that connects with new readers on a level they can understand,
Bingham examines the aspects of writing for children that require special consideration. Starting with some of the earliest
stages of writing a children's book, topic, structure, and choosing your preferred age group to write for, Bingham gently
and kindly leads aspiring children's authors through some of the most important parts of writing a book that children will
love.
"In Opening the Gate to New Worlds: How to Write a Book Children Will Treasure" will help the new writer get started
with:
Helpful exercises that can help you get on the "write" track
Relatable examples to demonstrate the concepts discussed
Examples, excerpts, and analysis so readers can see what works best for their style and audience
Whether you are interested in writing the next best-selling children's book or looking for some help in capturing family
stories for future generations, in the pages of "In Opening the Gate to New Worlds: How to Write a Book Children Will
Treasure" by seasoned author Lauren Bingham you will find a treasury of wit and wisdom -- as well as success in writing
for young readerrs and find your books in K-12 school library collections.
Critique: A complete workshop/seminar in a DIY book form, "In Opening the Gate to New Worlds: How to Write a Book
Children Will Treasure" is highly recommended for community library Writing/Publishing collections -- and a 'must' for
anyone wanting to write for children, be it fiction or non-fiction, at preschool, elementary school, middle school levels.
Exceptionally well organized and presented, this large format (6.24 x 0.48 x 9.24 inches, 8.8 ounces) hardcover edition of
"In Opening the Gate to New Worlds: How to Write a Book Children Will Treasure" is also readily available in paperback
(9798290087283, $13.98) and currently in digital book format (Kindle, $0.99).
Editorial Note: Lauren Bingham grew up in a house full of books. A dedicated bibliophile by first grade, she often got into
trouble for voraciously consuming any written material - from consuming Reader's Digest cover to cover in one sitting to
completing library books before they even made it home. Lauren has been avidly writing for pure passion since childhood,
and thanks to the internet for providing a comfortable place where all writers are welcome. Ghostwriting and copywriting
since the early 2000s, she believes strongly that there is a story in each of us.
(https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/22011978.Lauren_Bingham)
Wondrous Instruction and Advice from Global Poets
Charlotte Digregorio
Artful Communications Press
9780991213924, $27.95, PB, 334pp
Author's Website
https://charlottedigregorio.wordpress.com/bio-and-books
Synopsis: A complete seminar (and more!) for aspiring and seasoned poets alike, publishing "Wondrous Instruction and
Advice from Global Poets: How to Write and Publish Moving Poems and Books and Publicize Like a Pro" was a labor of love by the successfully published and award-winning poet Charlotte
Digregorio. Based on her many years of experience and expertise it took her a little over two years to create. Of special
note is the large section (86 pages) on the Japanese forms, the chapter dedicated to "How to Write Effective Haiku and
Senryu", as well as the substantial sections on poetry in general and free verse in particular.
Critique: Original, extraordinary, exemplary, thoroughly 'reader/user' friendly in style, organization and presentation, this
large format (8.5 X 11) paperback edition of Charlotte Digregorio's "Wondrous Instruction and Advice from Global Poets: How to Write and Publish Moving Poems and Books and Publicize Like a Pro" from Artful Communications Press is ideal and unreservedly recommended addition to personal, professional, community,
and college/university library Introduction to Poetry collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists. It is also the
essential, comprehensive, DIY instruction manual for getting poetry published and effectively brought to the attention of the
poetry reading public. Of additional note for aspiring and practicing poets, as well as the non-specialist general reader with
an interest in the subject of writing/publishing poetry, is the Charlotte Digregorio Writer's Blog:
https://charlottedigregorio.wordpress.com/2025/04/22/wondrous-instruction-and-advice-from-global-poets-is-published
Editorial Note: Charlotte Digregorio is a retired professor who has won eighty-two poetry awards, and has been nominated for four Pushcart Prizes. She
has also been nominated and listed in "The International Authors and Writers Who's Who" in Cambridge, England and in
the "Who's Who In Writers, Editors & Poets U.S./Canada," among other directories. Charlotte has had 1,200
poems of sixteen forms published in international journals, books, and anthologies. Her poetry has been translated into
nine languages. Charlotte also does poetry readings at bookstores, libraries, art centers and galleries.
The Environmental Studies Shelf
The Burning Earth
Sunil Amrith
W. W. Norton & Company
www.wwnorton.com
9781324111276, $19.99, PB, 432pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Burning-Earth-Environmental-History-Years/dp/1324111275
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-burning-earth-sunil-s-amrith/1146011093
Synopsis: In this magisterial book, historian and academician Sunil Amrith twins the stories of environment and Empire,
of genocide and eco-cide, of an extraordinary expansion of human freedom and its planetary costs. Drawing on an
extraordinarily rich diversity of primary sources, he reckons with the ruins of Spanish silver mining in Peru, British gold
mining in South Africa, and oil extraction in Central Asia. He explores the railroads and highways that brought humans to
new terrains of battle against each other and against stubborn nature. Professor Amrith's account of the ways in which the
First and Second World Wars involved the massive mobilization not only of men, but of other natural resources from
around the globe, provides an essential new way of understanding war as an irreversible reshaping of the planet. So too
does this study reveal the reality of migration as consequence of environmental harm.
The imperial, globe-spanning pursuit of profit, joined with new forms of energy and new possibilities of freedom from
hunger and discomfort, freedom to move and explore, has brought change to every inch of the Earth. Amrith relates in
gorgeous prose, and on the largest canvas, a mind-altering epic (vibrant with stories, characters, and vivid images) in
which humanity might find the collective wisdom to save itself.
Critique: A brilliant, paradigm-shifting global history of how humanity has reshaped the planet, and the planet has shaped
human history, over the last 500 years, Professor Sunil Amrith's "The Burning Earth: An Environmental History of the
Last 500 Years" is enhanced for the reader's benefit with the inclusion of 8 maps, 40 illustrations, a four page Prologue
(Dreams of Escape), a ten page Introduction (Nature and Freedom), a nine page Epilogue (Roads to Repair), forty pages of
Notes, and a twenty-one page Index. An ideal introduction for both students and non-specialist general readers with an
interest in the subject, "The Burning Earth: An Environmental History of the Last 500 Years" is an extraordinary and
unreservedly recommended pick for personal reading lists, as well as community and college/university library Human
History and Environmental History collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists. Originally published in
hardcover, it should also be noted that this trade paperback edition of "The Burning Earth: An Environmental History of
the Last 500 Years" from W. W. Norton is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
Editorial Note: Sunil Amrith (https://www.sunilamrithauthor.com) is the Renu and Anand Dhawan Professor of History at
Yale University, with a secondary appointment as Professor at the Yale School of the Environment.
The American History Shelf
Perfecting the U.S. Constitution
Blaine Kaltman
Anthem Press
www.anthempress.com
9781839996337, $90.00, HC, 212pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Perfecting-U-S-Constitution-Counting-Amendments/dp/183999634X
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/perfecting-the-us-constitution-blaine-kaltman/1147348026
Synopsis: With the publication of "Perfecting the U.S. Constitution: 27 and Counting, The Amendments that Shaped
America's Future", Blaine Kaltman tells the story of each Constitutional Amendment and the role that the Amendments
have played in shaping the American experience.
"Perfecting the U.S. Constitution" is based on solid research and written in an engaging style that is easy to comprehend
and enjoyable to read.
The Amendments guarantee the fundamental rights and liberties that Americans enjoy and should be understood by every
citizen. They tell America's story from its founding to the present day. The Amendments play a vital role in the quest for
gender and racial equity, and the continuing struggle to achieve social justice. They are the result of the American people's
continuing efforts to perfect our Constitution, first through Acts of Congress, then through ratifications by State
Legislatures, and finally by judicial review and interpretation.
The Amendments are too important to be treated as afterthoughts, and "Perfecting the U.S. Constitution" gives each of
them the attention and explanation that they deserve.
Critique: Exceptionally well written, organized and presented, "Perfecting the U.S. Constitution: 27 and Counting, The
Amendments that Shaped America's Future" by Blaine Kaltman is an extraordinary and 'reader friendly' study that is an
unreservedly recommended pick for personal, professional, community, highschool, and college/university library Political
Science collections and supplemental American Constitution curriculum studies lists. It should be noted for students,
academia, political activists, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in General Constitutional Law that this
hardcover edition from Anthem Press of "Perfecting the U.S. Constitution: 27 and Counting, The Amendments that
Shaped America's Future" is also readily available in a paperback edition (9781839996344, $19.99).
Editorial Note: Blaine Kaltman is a former U.S. Department of State Foreign Service Officer. He earned a doctorate from
the University of Queensland, Australia. He is also the author of "Under the Heel of the Dragon: Islam, Racism, Crime,
and the Uighur in China".
The Civil War Shelf
Mending Broken Soldiers
Guy R. Hasegawa
Southern Illinois University Press
www.siupress.com
9780809331307, $50.00, HC, 160pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Mending-Broken-Soldiers-Confederate-Artificial/dp/0809331306
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/mending-broken-soldiers-guy-r-hasegawa/1111268481
Southern Illinois University Press
https://www.siupress.com/9780809339884/mending-broken-soldiers
Synopsis: The four years of the American Civil War saw bloodshed on a scale unprecedented in the history of the United
States. Thousands of soldiers and sailors from both sides who survived the horrors of the war faced hardship for the rest of
their lives as amputees.
Now with the publication of "Mending Broken Soldiers: The Union and Confederate Programs to Supply Artificial
Limbs", author Guy R. Hasegawa presents the first volume to explore the wartime provisions made for amputees in need
of artificial limbs -- programs that, while they revealed stark differences between the resources and capabilities of the
North and the South, were the forebears of modern government efforts to assist in the rehabilitation of wounded service
members.
Hasegawa draws upon numerous sources of archival information to offer a comprehensive look at the artificial limb
industry as a whole, including accounts of the ingenious designs employed by manufacturers and the rapid advancement of
medical technology during the Civil War; illustrations and photographs of period prosthetics; and in-depth examinations of
the companies that manufactured limbs for soldiers and bid for contracts, including at least one still in existence
today.
An intriguing account of innovation, determination, humanitarianism, and the devastating toll of battle, "Mending Broken
Soldiers" also shares the never-before-told story of the artificial-limb industry of the Civil War and provides a fascinating
glimpse into groundbreaking military health programs during the most tumultuous years in American history.
Critique An original, seminal, and groundbreaking study, "Mending Broken Soldiers: The Union and Confederate
Programs to Supply Artificial Limbs" by Guy R. Hasegawa is an extraordinary and unreservedly recommended addition to
personal, professional, community, and college/university American Civil War History collections and supplemental
curriculum studies lists. Enhanced for the reader's benefit with the inclusion of a fourteen page section of historical
photographs, two Appendices, Notes, a Bibliography, and an Index. A very high value contribution to the growing body of
American Civil War History/Biography collections, it should be noted for students, academia, Civil War scholars, Civil
War buffs, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that this hardcover edition of "Mending Broken
Soldiers: The Union and Confederate Programs to Supply Artificial Limbs" from the Southern Illinois University Press is
also readily available in paperback (9780809339884, $26.95).
Editorial Note: Guy R. Hasegawa is a pharmacist and senior editor of the American Journal of Health-System Pharmacy.
He is also a co-editor of "Years of Change and Suffering: Modern Perspectives on Civil War Medicine" and has written
many articles on the history of pharmacy and on Civil War era medicine. He serves on the board of directors of the
National Museum of Civil War Medicine. Additionally he is a director emeritus of the Society of Civil War Surgeons.
(https://www.civilwarmed.org/people/hasegawa)
The Military History Shelf
World War II Aerial Combat 1937 - 1945
Donald Nijboer
Firefly Books Ltd.
www.fireflybooks.com
9780228105879, $39.95, PB, 368pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/World-War-Aerial-Combat-1937/dp/0228105870
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/world-war-ii-aerial-combat-1937-1945-donald-nijboer/1147113865
Firefly Books
https://fireflybooks.com/BookDetails?Pid=28714
Synopsis: With the publication of "World War II Aerial Combat 1937 - 1945: The Allied and Axis Air Forces A Visual
History" and for the first time, the story of the victorious, the vanquished and the forgotten air forces that fought in the
Second World War is presented in the form of more than 300 captioned period photographs.
World War II would see the full potential of air power over the battlefield and oceans. From mere appendages of the army
and navy, air forces became essential tools of destruction and critical for future battlefield and naval success.
The histories of air warfare during World War II have focused exclusively on the air forces of the major powers: the
United States, Britain, Germany, the Soviet Union and Japan. What has been completely ignored is the forgotten men and
machines that fought alongside the Allies and Axis air forces -- and there were many. Some of these air forces even found
themselves fighting for both sides at the same time.
Along with coverage of the major air powers, "World War II Aerial Combat 1937-1945" includes information, rare photos
and illustrations from the numerous small Allied and Axis air forces that left their mark. This is the story of the forgotten
air forces of Poland, Belgium, Norway, Netherlands, France, Greece, India, China, Yugoslavia, Italy, Romania, Hungary,
Bulgaria, Croatia, Slovakia and Finland -- all of which fought with determination and some with great skill against
overwhelming odds.
"World War II Aerial Combat 1937-1945" fills an important gap in our knowledge of the Second World War and the
history of aviation in the mid-20th century.
Critique: Original, exceptional, extraordinary, profusely illustrated in B/W and Color photos, "World War II Aerial
Combat 1937 - 1945: The Allied and Axis Air Forces A Visual History" by Donald Nijboer is an comprehensive, seminal,
and ground-breaking study. This large format (8.9 x 1.1 x 10.2 inches, 3.35 pounds) paperback edition of "World War II
Aerial Combat 1937 - 1945: The Allied and Axis Air Forces A Visual History" from Firefly Books is a critically important
acquisition choice for personal, professional, community, and college/university library World War II Military Aviation
History collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists.
Editorial Note: Donald Nijboer (https://donaldnijboer.com) is an aviation author, historian and documentary
writer-producer. He has published many military aviation books, including Graphic War Navy, Fighting Cockpits, Air
Combat 1945, Graphic War: The Secret Aviation Drawings and Illustrations of World War II, Cockpit: An Illustrated
History of World War II Aircraft Interiors and B-29 Combat Missions. Nijboer has also written articles for Flight Journal,
Aviation History, The Aviation Historian and Aeroplane Monthly. He lives in Toronto, Canada.
Why War?
Richard Overy
W. W. Norton & Company
www.wwnorton.com
9781324116790, $18.99, PB, 312pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Why-War-Richard-Overy-Ph-D/dp/132411679X
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/why-war-richard-overy-phd/1144065569
Synopsis: Why has war been such a consistent presence throughout the human past? With the publication of "Why War?,
leading historian Richard Overy explains by drawing on rich examples and keen insights.
Overy is not the first scholar to take up the title question. In 1931, at the request of the League of Nations, Albert Einstein
asked Sigmund Freud to collaborate on a short work examining whether there was "a way of delivering mankind from the
menace of war". Published the next year as a pamphlet entitled Why War?, it conveyed Freud's conclusion that the "death
drive" (the psychological impulse to destruction was universal in the animal kingdom) made any deliverance impossible.
The global wars of the later 1930s and 1940s seemed ample evidence of the dismal conclusion by Freud.
A preeminent historian of those wars, Overy brings vast knowledge to the title question and years of experience unraveling
the knotted motivations of war. His approach is to separate the major drivers and motivations, and consider the ways each
has contributed to organized conflict. They range from the impulses embedded in human biology and psychology, to the
incentives to conflict developed through cultural evolution, to competition for resources -- conflicts stirred by the passions
of belief, the effects of ecological stresses, the drive for power in leaders and nations, and the search for security.
The discussions show remarkable range, delving deep into the Neolithic past, through the twentieth-century world wars,
and up to the current conflict in Ukraine. The examples are absorbing, from the Roman Empire's voracious appetite for
resources to the impulse to power evident in Alexander the Great, Napoleon, and Hitler.
The conclusion is not hopeful, but Overy's study offers readers a compact, judicious, engrossing examination of a
fundamental and relevant question.
Critique: A brilliant and seminal study, "Why War?", with its anthropological, biological, and military warfare history
samples and examples is inherently fascinating, impressive informative, exceptionally well written, organized and
presented. Originally published in hardcover (2024), this new paperback edition of "Why War?" from W. W. Norton is an
ideal pick for personal reading lists, as well as community and college/university library collections. It should also be noted
that "Why War?" is also readily available for students, academia, and the non-specialist general readers with an interest in
the subject in a digital book format (Kindle, $17.30).
Editorial Note: Richard Overy is the author of many outstanding histories of World War II, including Rain of Ruin: Tokyo,
Hiroshima, and the Surrender of Japan. His study of Hitler and Stalin, The Dictators, won the Wolfson History Prize. He
lives in England and Italy. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Overy)
The Education Shelf
An Education: How I Changed My Mind About Schools and Almost Everything Else
Diane Ravitch
Columbia University Press
https://cup.columbia.edu
9780231220293, $24.95, HC, 248pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Education-Changed-Schools-Almost-Everything/dp/0231220294
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/an-education-diane-ravitch/1147434365
Synopsis: For many years, Diane Ravitch was among the country's leading conservative thinkers on education. The cure
for what ailed the school system was clear, she believed: high-stakes standardized testing, national standards,
accountability, competition, charters, and vouchers.
Then Ravitch saw what happened when these ideas were put into practice and recanted her long-held views. The problem
was not bad teachers or failing schools, as conservatives claimed, but poverty. She denounced privatization as a hoax that
did not help students and that harmed the public school system. She urged action to address the root causes of
inequality.
"An Education: How I Changed My Mind About Schools and Almost Everything Else" is intimate and timely memoir of
her life's work as a historian and advocate. In it, Ravitch traces her ideological evolution. She recounts her personal and
intellectual journey: her childhood in Houston, her years among the New York intelligentsia, her service in government,
and her leftward turn.
Ravitch also shares how she came to hold conservative views and why she eventually abandoned them, exploring her
switch from championing standards-based curriculum and standardized testing to arguing for greater investment in
professional teachers and in public schools. Bringing together candid reflections with decades of research on education,
Ravitch makes a powerful case for becoming, as she calls herself, "an activist on behalf of public schools".
Critique: A fascinating, fully candid, informative, and thought-provoking read from start to finish, "An Education: How I
Changed My Mind About Schools and Almost Everything Else" by Diane Ravitch will prove to be of immense interest
into readers concerned with the issues that affect public school systems in these increasingly dire time. While also readily
available for personal reading lists in a digital book format (Kindle, $14.39), it should be noted that this hardcover edition
of "An Education" from the Columbia University Press is unreservedly recommended for community and
college/university library Contemporary American Biography/Memoir collections and supplemental Educational
Theory/Criticism curriculum studies lists.
Editorial Note: Diane Ravitch (https://dianeravitch.com) is a historian of education and a prominent commentator about
education and politics. Her many books include Reign of Error: The Hoax of the Privatization Movement and the Danger
to America's Public Schools (2013); The Death and Life of the Great American School System: How Testing and Choice
Are Undermining Education (2010); and The Great School Wars: New York City, 1805 - 1973 (1974). Ravitch was
assistant secretary of education under President George H. W. Bush and served on the national testing board during the
Clinton administration. She is cofounder and president of the Network for Public Education.
Art and Social Interaction: 2nd Edition
Judith Peck
Routledge
https://www.routledge.com
9781032971995, $190.00, HC, 342pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Art-Social-Interaction-Creativity-Institutional/dp/1032971991
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/art-and-social-interaction-judith-peck/1147109033
Synopsis: Now in a fully updated and expanded second edition, "Art and Social Interaction: How College Students Spark
Creativity, Purpose and Joy in Institutional Settings" by academician and sculptor Judith Peck expands upon a program
that teaches expressive visual arts activities to college students to share with individuals in jails, nursing homes, psychiatric
facilities, domestic abuse shelters and youth care centers.
Creating expressive art through interaction with those affected, students gain an intimate awareness of crime; mental
illness; substance, child, domestic abuse; and aging -- which are critical issues of our time. Specially designed projects in
drawing, painting, collage, sculpture and crafts are supplemented with student reflections on how the experience
influenced their lives and future careers plus institutional evaluation on the effectiveness of the program on their
clientele.
Delivering everything needed to set up the course in any liberal arts college, "Art and Social Interaction: How College
Students Spark Creativity, Purpose and Joy in Institutional Settings" covers planning, execution, projected outcomes and
evaluation, offering students an education relevant to their lives and careers while giving institutions a dynamically
effective program of self-enhancement through the arts.
Of special note is that full color versions of many of the cited projects can be viewed online at
www.routledge.com/9781032972008.
Critique: This large format (8.49 x 0.96 x 11.24 inches, 1 pound) hardcover edition of "Art and Social Interaction: How
College Students Spark Creativity, Purpose and Joy in Institutional Settings: 2nd Edition" by Judith Peck is an ideal
introduction to understanding the application of the arts into a college or university level educational curriculum with an
emphases on fostering empathy and engagement in the issues of our time. Exceptionally well designed, organized and
presented, and featuring B/W illustrations throughout (and available digitally in color), this new second edition of "Art and
Social Interaction" is a solid and unreservedly recommended pick for academic library Art Education collections and
supplemental curriculum textbook studies lists. It should be noted, for the personal reading lists of students, academia, and
non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject, that this hardcover edition of "Art and Social Interaction:
How College Students Spark Creativity, Purpose and Joy in Institutional Settings" from Routledge is also readily available
in a trade paperback edition (9781032972008, $48.99) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $46.54).
Editorial Note: Judith Peck (https://jpecksculpture.com) is a sculptor with work in 80 public and private collections
including the Yale Gallery of Art and the Ghetto Fighters Museum in Israel. Professor Emeritus of Art (Ramapo College of
New Jersey), Judith Peck holds a doctoral degree from New York University and two Master's degrees from Teachers
College, Columbia University.
Dynamic Play and Creative Movement
Judith Peck
Routledge
https://www.routledge.com
9781032184982, $170.00, HC, 252pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Dynamic-Play-Creative-Movement-Judith/dp/1032184981
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/dynamic-play-and-creative-movement-judith-peck/1141860470
Synopsis: With the publication of "Dynamic Play and Creative Movement: Powering Body and Brain", academician and
sculptor Judith Peck offers educators and caregivers effective and accessible methods to supplement elementary education
for young children using dance, movement, and play.
Imagination, physical energy, and the need for self-expression are childhood qualities recognized by parents but are not
sufficiently valued to be applied to formal education. Yet when valued as natural endowments, they might intelligently be
used to increase a child's perceptive abilities and self-confidence, essential to learning. These three qualities combine in
dynamic play, a term devised by the author to describe an approach to learning.
Through physical participation, children deal with concepts, ideas, and emotions while they reach out to touch a vast world
of people, animals, nature, and activities. The chapters comprising "Dynamic Play and Creative Movement: Powering
Body and Brain" provide for improvisations in music, visual art, drama and stories in addition to topics related to the
changing seasons, sports, school subjects, travel, games, and many other elements of the natural and man-made world.
Research about the correlation of movement to brain activity is included to support the thesis that creative movement is an
effective adjunct to learning.
Therapists, counselors, and preschool and elementary teachers will find "Dynamic Play and Creative Movement: Powering
Body and Brain" easily adaptable material and 'real world' practical in fostering perception, insight, and cognitive
understanding in children.
Critique: Original, accessible, comprehensive, and thoroughly 'reader friendly' in organization and presentation, "Dynamic
Play and Creative Movement: Powering Body and Brain" is an extraordinary and essential addition to personal,
professional, college and university library Child Psychology, Physical Education, and Behavioral Science collections and
supplemental curriculum studies lists. It should be noted that this hardcover edition of "Dynamic Play and Creative
Movement: Powering Body and Brain" from Routledge is also available for education students, school counselors, and
teacher reading lists in paperback (9781032184944, $42.99) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $31.81).
Editorial Note: Judith Peck (https://jpecksculpture.com) is a sculptor with work in 80 public and private collections
including the Yale Gallery of Art and the Ghetto Fighters Museum in Israel. Professor Emeritus of Art (Ramapo College of
New Jersey), Judith Peck holds a doctoral degree from New York University and two Master's degrees from Teachers
College, Columbia University.
The Cookbook Shelf
Veggies for Breakfast
Willi Galloway, author
Jim Henkens, photographer
Sasquatch Books
www.sasquatchbooks.com
9781632175557, $27.00, PB, 224pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Veggies-Breakfast-Delicious-Plant-Focused-Healthier/dp/163217555X
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/veggies-for-breakfast-willi-galloway/1146937464
Synopsis: "Veggies for Breakfast: 100 Delicious Plant-Focused Recipes for Healthier Mornings" by Willi Galloway is
certain to win over even the most skeptical breakfast skipper with easy, delicious, and seasonal savory and sweet
breakfasts. Cooking up a breakfast beyond cereal, smoothies, and yogurt is often perceived as a time suck, especially
during the week when you're frantically packing lunches for the family or trying to get out the door.
But Galloway is here to share her culinary breakfast themed DIY recipe compendium introducing kitchen cooks and their
families to the vibrant world of vegetables in making delicious, healthful morning meals -- and a call to reconsider what
exactly constitutes breakfast.
From classic avocado toasts to innovative ways to sneak green veg into sweet breakfasts, Galloway makes mornings
breakfast menus a breeze.
Here are step-by-step 'kitchen cook friendly, recipes for veggies piled on toast, stuffed into tacos, heaped into bowls,
stir-fried in skillets and baked with eggs -- all with a broad set of flavors to help you break out of ruts. Willi guides you on
a path to eating more vegetables more often by widening the definition of breakfast and diversifying what you eat.
Critique: Beautifully and profusely illustrated throughout with full color photographs by Jim Henkens of Willi Galloway's
recipes ranging from Cacio e Pepe Oatmeal, Summery Strawberry Toast with Chevre, Cucumber, and Avocado,
Shakshuka with Seared Halloumi, and Carrot Cake Overnight Oats with Pepita Crunch, to Tater Tot Breakfast Burritos,
Skillet Steamed Asparagus, Ciabatta Breakfast Sandwich, Simple Ricotta Toast Toppers, and Garlicky Toast, "Veggies for
Breakfast: 100 Delicious Plant-Focused Recipes for Healthier Mornings" from Sasquatch Books is especially and
unreservedly recommended -- especially for personal, family, professional, and community library Vegan & Vegetarian
cookbook collections. It should be noted that this trade paperback edition (7.3 x 0.64 x 8.54 inches, 13 ounces) of "Veggies
for Breakfast: 100 Delicious Plant-Focused Recipes for Healthier Mornings" is also readily available in a digital book
format (Kindle, $12.99).
Editorial Note #1: Willi Galloway (https://willigalloway.com/?page_id=17) is an award-winning radio commentator,
writer, and former editor at Organic Gardening magazine. Willi writes about kitchen gardening and seasonal cooking and
has taught joint gardening and cooking classes around the Pacific Northwest. She has hosted an online garden-to-table
cooking show, GROW. COOK. EAT., fielded questions as the vegetable gardening expert on Seattle's NPR station,
KUOW, and written for Vegetarian Times and Apartment Therapy. Her garden has been featured in Sunset magazine, and
she currently lives, gardens, and cooks in Portland, Oregon.
Editorial Note #2: Jim Henkens (https://www.jimhenkens.com) is a professional photographer specializing in culinary and
lifestyle subjects.
The Economic Studies Shelf
The Second Estate
Ray D. Madoff
University of Chicago Press
www.press.uchicago.edu
9780226835204, $25.00, HC, 192pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Second-Estate-Code-American-Aristocracy/dp/0226835200
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-second-estate-ray-d-madoff/1146965439
Synopsis: Amid conflicting narratives about the drivers of wealth and inequality in the United States, one constant hovers
in the background: the US tax code. No political force has been more consequential (or more utterly opaque) than the
7,000 page document that details who pays what in American society and government. Most of us have a sense that it's an
unfair system. But does anyone know exactly how it's unfair?
Legal scholar and academician Ray D. Madoff knows.
With the publication of The Second Estate: How the Tax Code Made an American Aristocracy, Professor Madoff offers an
unprecedented look behind the scenes of America's byzantine system of taxation, laying bare not only its capacity to
consolidate wealth but also the mechanisms by which it has created two fundamentally separate American societies: the
working Americans who pay and the ultra-rich who benefit.
"The Second Estate: How the Tax Code Made an American Aristocracy" is not a story of offshore accounts or secret tax
havens. In "The Second Estate", Professor Madoff shows that the US system itself has, over time, been stripped and
reconstituted such that it now offers a series of secret paths, hidden in plain sight, for wealthy people in the know to avoid
taxation altogether.
Through the strategic avoidance of traditional income, leveraging of investments and debt, and exploitation of rules
designed to promote charitable giving, America's wealthy do more than just pay less than their share; they remove
themselves from the tax system entirely. Wealth becomes its own sovereign state, and the living is surprisingly (and
maddeningly) cheap.
Critique: An amazing, extraordinary, revelatory and seminal study on the corruptive impact of the current American tax
system upon our broadly accepted principles of democracy and economic fair play, "The Second Estate: How the Tax Code
Made an American Aristocracy" by Professor Ray D. Madoff is exceptionally well written, organized and presented,
making it ideal for students, academia, economists, political activists, governmental policy makers, and non-specialist
general readers with an interest in the social/political/culture issues arising from ever increasing income inequality and
biased taxation laws that benefit the rich at a cost to the middle class and the blue color working class. While especially
and unreservedly recommended for personal, professional, community, and college/university library Contemporary
Economics, Taxation, and Political Science collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists, it should be noted that
this hardcover edition of "The Second Estate: How the Tax Code Made an American Aristocracy" from the University of
Chicago Press is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $22.53).
Editorial Note: Ray D. Madoff is a professor at Boston College Law School and the cofounder and director of the Boston
College Forum on Philanthropy and the Public Good. She is the author of Immortality and the Law: The Rising Power of
the American Dead and lead author of The Practical Guide to Estate Planning. Her writing has appeared in The New York
Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, and The New York Review of Books, among other outlets.
(https://press.uchicago.edu/ucp/books/author/M/R/au218144930.html)
The Biography/Memoir Shelf
Losing Katy: A Memoir of Love, Loss, and Living Grief
Jackie L. Disch
https://www.jackieldisch.com
Booklogix
9781665310482, $17.00, PB, 142pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Losing-Katy-Memoir-Living-Grief/dp/1665310480
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/losing-katy-jackie-l-disch/1148029136
Synopsis: In her memoir, author Jackie L. Disch writes about love and loss -- "Her death hit me on a level I did not realize
existed. Because of that, I learned new things about grief. Mostly, I learned what it means to live grief, to be one with it.
And I learned the ways that grief is an extension of our love for the one we lost. It walks with us, it ages with us 'like a
necessary guest you need to accommodate.'
With elegance and sparseness of words, "Losing Katy" is a poetic illustration of grief in action.
The beauty of "Losing Katy" is in how it brings love and compassion to grief and suffering, life to death, creativity to
dying, generosity to loss, and hope to despair. It is an inspiring example of honoring and revering one's grief.
At its core, "Losing Katy" is a heartbreaking, heartfelt testament to what it means to love-and to live that love in the face of
world-shattering loss.
Critique: Eloquent, emotionally engaging, deftly crafted, "Losing Katy: A Memoir of Love, Loss, and Living Grief" by
Jackie L. Disch is one of those deeply personal but universally resonating memoirs that will linger in the mind and memory
of the reader long after the book has been finished and set back upon the shelf. Especially recommended reading for
anyone who is grieving at the loss of a loved one, "Losing Katy: A Memoir of Love, Loss, and Living Grief" is especially
and unreservedly recommended for personal reading lists and community library Grief & Bereavement collections. It
should be noted that this paperback edition of "Losing Katy: A Memoir of Love, Loss, and Living Grief" from Booklogix
is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $6.99).
Editorial Note: Jackie L. Disch (https://www.jackieldisch.com) is a lifelong writer. She is the author of two poetry books:
Life Forces a Journey and Hitting Bone. Her third book, Losing Katy: A Memoir of Love, Loss, and Living Grief is her
most tender-hearted book to date. Her writing has always been personal in nature and carries with it the hope of helping
others, bringing a sense of connection and understanding to situations where it is easy to feel alone and
misunderstood.
Straight Outta Skokie: The Krockey Chronicles: 1968
Al Krockey
Magical Journey Media LLC
https://www.straightouttaskokie.com
9798218782825, $19.99, PB, 282pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Straight-Outta-Skokie-Krockey-Chronicles/dp/B0FTXW6C7Z
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/straight-outta-skokie-al-krockey/1148476162
Synopsis: In 1968, Al Krockey was eighteen years old -- coming of age in the most culturally explosive era in American
history.
But the road to that moment began years earlier in Skokie, Illinois, where a block of co-op apartments and split-level
houses felt like an entire universe.
From hustling a buck (hawking souvenirs outside Wrigley Field, working odd jobs, and dealing a little weed) to chasing
the music that defined a generation, Krockey lived fast and wide open.
Nights at Chicago's legendary Kinetic Playground, cross-country trips to wild pop festivals, and encounters with
unforgettable characters turned 1968 into a year of freedom, risk, and discovery.
Critique: A deftly crafted and nostalgic trip back to the Baby Boomer generation coming into its age of Drugs, Love, Rock
N Roll, "Straight Outta Skokie: The Krockey Chronicles: 1968" by Al Krockey is a fascinating and fun read from cover to
cover. This intensely personal and candid memoir will have a universal resonance for any of his readers who themselves
lived through that turbulent year, and will aptly serve as a descriptive resource for later generations wanting to know what
it was like to be young during that golden year of 1968. While especially and unreservedly recommended for community
and college/university library 20th Century American Biography/Memoir collections, it should be noted for personal
reading lists that this paperback edition of "Straight Outta Skokie: The Krockey Chronicles: 1968" is also readily available
in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
Editorial Note: Al Krockey was born in 1950, and only a few months later his parents settled in Skokie, Illinois. Raised in
a working-class Jewish family that often struggled to make ends meet, Krockey learned the value of hard work early on. By
the time he was twenty, he had already opened his record store, The Record Shack. His passion for music led him through
a whirlwind career in the 1970s - running a store, starting a record label, and even producing music - before leaving the
business in the early 1980s. He went on to build a successful career in insurance consulting, ultimately becoming vice
president of a national firm. At 68, he reached the final table of a World Poker Tour event, and at 75, he embarked on a
new journey as an author. Today, Krockey reflects on a life shaped by grit, reinvention, and a love for the hustle -- whether
in business, music, or cards.
The General Fiction Shelf
The Truth About You
Michael Clark
Ananias Publishing
https://www.ananiasfoundation.org
9798218748692, $14.99, PB, 294pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Truth-About-You-domestic-violence/dp/B0FMQ51N4T
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-truth-about-you-michael-clark/1148073040
Synopsis: When Lucy and Meg's mother is assaulted by her husband and their stepfather Greg, his arrest seems to mark the
end of a nightmare. But when their mother chooses to stay with him, the sisters are thrust into a disturbing moral
dilemma.
Desperate to protect her, they take a drastic step: secretly install hidden cameras to capture the truth for themselves -- and
the rest of the world. But what unfolds isn not what Lucy expected.
As Lucy grapples with conflicting narratives of abuse, loyalty, and manipulation, she is forced to question not only her
mother and stepfather's roles in this abusive relationship, but the entire framework of judgment, justice, and domestic
victimhood.
Critique: Although an impressively original and deftly crafted work of fiction, "The Truth About You" by Michael Clark
insightful probes the all to common gap between what we believe and what actually occurs so often in the real world to
real families. Riveting, emotionally engaging, reality challenging, psychologically insightful, unexpectedly revealing, as an
author, Michael Clark's genuine flair narrative driven storytelling raises his novel to an impressive level of literary
excellence. While an especially and unreservedly recommended addition to community and college/university library
Literary/Psychological Fiction collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that this paperback edition of "The
Truth About You" from Ananias Publishing is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $5.99).
Editorial Note: Michael Clark is the founder and Executive Director of the Ananias Foundation, a nonprofit organization
committed to ending domestic violence at its root, by working with those who have caused harm. Through the foundation,
Michael has supported thousands of individuals seeking to break free from abusive behaviors, offering guidance, and hope
for change. What makes Michael's voice distinct is the depth of personal experience he brings to his work. A former
domestic violence offender himself, he has walked the difficult road of transformation.
Who Do You Help?
Randy Knoewman
https://randyknoewman.com/book
Independently Published
9798218732301, $13.80, PB, Large Print, 328pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Who-You-Help-Randy-Knoewman/dp/B0FSRHYDZB?
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/who-do-you-help-randy-knoewman/1148519896
Synopsis: What would you do if you won the lottery? Would you spend it all, or would you be like Mr. Jones's late wife,
and ask him to "Help as many people as you can" with the money? That was her final request, but Mr. Jones's retired
mechanic skills weren't built to solve it. So he hires Linda, his server at the local diner and recent returnee to Miltonsville.
She's a single mother with one lonely, basketball obsessed kid, who needs money to get them back out of Miltonsville, a
place that never accepted her or her parents for being Asian-American.
The project is already hard enough, but everything's complicated when Linda is confronted by someone she had longed
hoped to forget, and he makes sure they don't forget about Miltonsville.
Critique: Original, deftly crafted, intellectually and emotionally engaging, "Who Do You Help" by Randy Knoewman is an
inherently fascinating read that will hold a particular appeal to readers with an interest in the complications and unexpected
issues affiliated with acts of philanthropy, aspirations towards charity, family relations, human frailties, and ultimate
resolutions. All the more impressive when considering that this is Randy Knoewman's debut as a novelist, "Who Do You
Help" is especially and unreservedly recommended for personal reading lists and community library Contemporary
General Fiction collections. It should be noted that this paperback edition of "Who Do You Help" is also available in a
digital book format (Kindle, $0.99).
Editorial Note: Randy Knoewman considers writing to be a fun and creative outlet for him. He feels privileged that his
full-time position as a doctor allows him to write fiction as a hobby and take whatever money I make from it and send it to
various charities. Knoewman states that instead of charging more for the book ($0.99 for Kindle, $10.96 for paperback
were the lowest prices Amazon would allow), he would kindly ask (who can say no to a kind ask?) that if you read the
book to consider donating to one of the groups he suggests in the Acknowledgments section. GoFundMe links are
provided there or can be found at found on his website -- www.randyknoewman.com
Butterfly
Orion Monroe, author
Travis Hunt, editor
Caspian Waters, illustrator
Greylander Press
https://www.facebook.com/GreylanderPress
9798998995378, $19.99, PB, 414pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Butterfly-Orion-Monroe/dp/B0FLFBQ8RY
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/butterfly-monroe/1148005697
Synopsis: Eighteen-year-old soccer prodigy Davis Day had everything: contract offers, loyal teammates, and a future on
the field. Until a single lie destroyed it all.
Overnight, he becomes a criminal in the court of public opinion. Friends vanish. Coaches turn their backs.
When prosecutors offer a plea deal that could save him or bury him, he faces an impossible choice: tell the truth and lose
everything, or confess to a crime he didn't commit.
Critique: Although a work of fiction, Orion Monroe's novel, "Butterfly" is inspired by actual events, demonstrating that
just one accusation can have the ability to destroy anything and everything. Deftly crafted and a simply riveting read from
start to finish, it should be noted that "Butterfly" is for the mature reader due to its emotionally compelling and intense
scenes that include vivid depictions of sexual trauma, social ostracism, and self-harm. These elements, so effectively
portrayed and integral to the subject of the novel can prove to be distressing. As an author, Orion Monroe demonstrates a
genuine flair for the kind of narrative driven storytelling style that raises his work of fiction to an impressive level of
literary excellence, making it highly recommended for personal reading lists and community library psychological thriller
collections. It should be noted that this paperback edition of "Butterfly" from Greylander Press is also readily available in a
digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
Editorial Note: Orion Monroe is a filmmaker, writer, and advocate for social change, committed to storytelling that sheds
light on critical societal issues. With a strong academic foundation, he holds advanced degrees in Economics, Accounting,
and Social Science; a combination that provides him with a deep and analytical understanding of human behavior,
financial systems, and the broader societal structures that influence social outcomes. His ability to merge these disciplines
allows him to explore the complexities of systemic inequality, mental health, and social justice in his work.
For most of his career, Orion has worked in forensic mental health services, where he has witnessed firsthand the struggles
faced by individuals navigating the intersections of psychology, law, and rehabilitation. His experience in this field has
given him profound insight into human resilience, institutional challenges, and the need for reform in mental health and
criminal justice systems. This exposure has shaped his storytelling, inspiring him to craft narratives that challenge
prevailing perspectives, foster empathy, and advocate for meaningful change.
The Historical Fiction Shelf
Wrong Hand Right
William Michael Ried
https://www.wmrauthor.com
CK Books Publishing
https://ckbookspublishing.com
9781966219163, $15.99, PB, 284pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Wrong-Hand-Right-William-Michael/dp/1966219164
Synopsis: In the neon-glare and grit of 1980s New York with its graffiti-streaked subways, squeegee men at stop lights,
dive bars and an old-world gentlemen's club, left-handed lawyer Finnegan Alger has built a routine of chasing trademark
counterfeiters and hapless romance -- until a deadly crime upends his life.
Navy pilots are dying, and Finn stumbles upon the cause. This should be the big break to make his career, but why does
everyone press him to look away? A pervasive cover-up forces him to confront more than the ghosts of his childhood
tragedy and grudge against the right-handed world. In a city built on ambition and silence, what will one outsider risk for
justice -- or retribution?
Critique: Riveting, original, exceptional, deftly crafted and an inherently fascinating read from start to finish, "Wrong
Hand Right" is an extraordinary blend of legal thriller and conspiratorial urban crime fiction. Showcasing author William
Michael Ried's extraordinary storytelling style as a novelist, "Wrong Hand Right" is an especially and unreservedly
recommended addition to community library Mystery/Suspense collections. It should be noted for the personal reading lists
of suspense/thriller fans that this paperback edition of "Wrong Hand Right" from CK Books Publishing is also readily
available in a digital book format (Kindle, $4.99).
Editorial Note: William Michael Ried (https://www.wmrauthor.com) practices law in New York City and is the author of
four other award-winning novels: "Five Ferries", "Backstory", "Pandion"and "Two Degrees: A Climate Change
Novel".
The Hollywood Fix
Richard Kirshenbaum
Post Hill Press
www.posthillpress.com
9798895652848, $21.00, PB, 400pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Hollywood-Fix-Richard-Kirshenbaum/dp/B0F316G1SB
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-hollywood-fix-richard-kirshenbaum/1147211234
Synopsis: During Hollywood's Golden Age, a destitute young man, Bartie Maddox, journeys to Los Angeles and, through
his wits, hard work, and talent, becomes the PR fixer to the most important film studio and its studio chief, Solomon
Myers. Through his experienced lens, Bartie influences the lives and creation of some of the world's greatest stars: Duke
Drake, Carroll Madison, Mirielle Montaigne, and the heiress, Grace Greystone, La Marquise de Faucigny, exposing how
their images are created, managed, and intersect through the Great War and glamor of Tinseltown.
Bartie's intricate fixes involve endless scandals of money, sex, captivating personas and even the cover-up of death. But in
the end, Bartie's own studio fix becomes the greatest fix of all.
Critique: "The Hollywood Fix" by novelist Richard Kirshenbaum, although a simply masterful and sweeping work of
literary fiction, is inspired by (and based upon) true stories drawn from the iconic movie studio system era and their PR
machines which not only created movie actor/actress legends but kept from exposure the dirty doings of those move stars
(and the studios that made money with them) shiny and clean for public consumption. An exceptional and entertaining
read from start to finish, "The Hollywood Fix" is an extraordinary and highly recommended pick for community library
literary fiction collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that this paperback edition of "The Hollywood Fix"
from Post Hill Press is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $14.99).
Editorial Note: Richard Kirshenbaum is the author of "Isn't that Rich", "Rouge", and "North Bay Road". An accomplished
entrepreneur and author, he has been inducted into the Advertising Hall of Fame and has written comedy for the legendary
Joan Rivers and Us Weekly's Fashion Police.
(https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/256351.Richard_Kirshenbaum)
Summer of Meteors
Kris Schaale
https://krisschaale.com
Catamount Press
c/o Sunbury Press
https://www.sunburypress.com/collections/catamount-press
9798888193426, $19.95, PB, 219pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Summer-Meteors-Kris-Schaale/dp/B0FR98G83J
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/summer-of-meteors-kris-schaale/1148353454
Synopsis: As the nation teeters on the edge of civil war, three women converge at the elegant Bedford Springs Hotel in
Pennsylvania.
Harriet Lane, strong-minded and vivacious niece to President James Buchanan and the nation's "Democratic Queen,"
begins to question the cost of loyalty as her uncle's stance on slavery casts a long shadow. Anne McCoy, a quiet Quaker
widow, carries the scars of loss, and dangerous secrets. Juba, an enslaved nursemaid to a presidential guest, dreams of
freedom and the family torn from her.
When a chance encounter with local agents of the Underground Railroad sparks a daring escape plan, loyalties are tested,
and lives are forever changed. Meanwhile as scandal brews and radical abolitionist John Brown plots revolution nearby,
these women must decide what they're willing to risk for justice and each other.
Set against the backdrop of a divided America, "Summer of Meteors" is a powerful tale of courage, sacrifice, and the
bonds forged in the fight for freedom. A forgotten summer where history burned across the sky and nothing, not even the
stars, would ever look the same.
Critique: With the publication of his novel, "Summer of Meteors", author Kris Schaale showcases an extraordinary and
deftly crafted storytelling style that fully engages his readers from cover to cover. Original, compelling, and with a skill
that raises his novel to an impressive level of literary excellence, "Summer of Meteors" is especially and unreservedly
recommended for community/public library Historical Fiction collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that
this paperback edition of "Summer of Meteors" from Catamount Press is also readily available in a digital book format
(Kindle, $9.99).
Editorial Note: Kris Schaale (https://krisschaale.com) is an American novelist interested in a wide array of genres. Though
her love of history and psychology always seems to find a way into her work. She uses her bachelor's and master's degrees
in psychology from Pennsylvania State University to study and write about people's behavior, motivations, and life
journeys. Through the format of story, she hopes her readers will learn and be enriched in their own understanding of
people and life.
The Literary Fiction Shelf
Sea of Glass
Patrick Shattuck, author
Genius Book Publishing
https://geniusbookpublishing.com
9781958727812, $19.95, PB, 284pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Sea-Glass-Patrick-Shattuck/dp/1958727814
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/sea-of-glass-patrick-shattuck/1148082574
Synopsis: Shannon Delaney always lived in the shadow of her twin sister, Sarah. Sarah is brilliant, beautiful, and bound for
Berkeley, while Shannon is unsure, overlooked, and heading nowhere fast. The only thing that's ever been hers is Frankie -
- her best friend since fifth grade, the one boy who saw her for who she really was.
But now Frankie is slipping away, drawn into Sarah's orbit as they compete together in a high-stakes math tournament.
Then something strange happens. A mysterious blue light glows from an old glass paperweight by Shannon's bed,
revealing ghostly visions -- of snow, of love, of heartbreak. She tries to convince herself it's just a dream, but the feeling
won't fade. The glass may be showing her the truth.
As Shannon watches her world shift -- her sister's secrets, Frankie's choices, her own unraveling sense of self -- one thing
becomes clear: the hardest truths aren't always the ones others hide. They're the ones buried inside.
Critique: Original, eloquent, deftly crafted, engaging, and an inherently fascinating read from start to finish, "Sea of Glass"
by author Patrick Shattuck showcases his extraordinary and narrative driven storytelling skills that raises his novel to an
impressive level of literary excellence. Blending 'coming of age', psychological suspense, and the supernatural, "Sea of
Glass is an especially and unreservedly recommended pick for community library collections. It should be noted for
personal reading lists that this paperback edition for "Sea of Glass" from Genius Book Publishing is also readily available
in a digital book format (Kindle, $4.99).
Editorial Note: In addition to being a longtime English teacher, Patrick Shattuck is also a dedicated writer who holds a
B.A. in English from Syracuse University and an M.A. in English from Simmons College. His short stories and poetry
have been published in the Antietam Review, Smashing Icons, Lonesome Traveler, Paradigm Magazine, Fox Cry
Magazine, and Evening Street Press. He is also the author of "Dawn's Web" and "Red Moon Over Manhattan".
The Romantic Fiction Shelf
The Secrets We Keep
B. J. Steele
https://www.bjsteelebooks.com
HMD Publishing
https://www.linkedin.com/company/hmdpublishing
9781835565469, $24.99, HC, 402pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Secrets-We-Keep-Secret/dp/1835565468
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-secrets-we-keep-b-j-steele/1148593449
Synopsis: "The Secrets We Keep" by B. J. Steele is a story of small-town second-chance romance.
Clara Monroe's carefully built life in Willow Cove unravels when her first love returns, unaware he's the father of her
twelve-year-old son. With gossip spreading, a fundraiser forcing them together, and old sparks reigniting, Clara must
decide if she can risk her heart again.
Critique: Original and deftly crafted, "The Secrets We Keep" is a unique and compelling love story of a woman having to
overcome meddling neighbors, long concealed heartache, unexpected renewal, and the life renewing, life shaping, power
of love, forgiveness, and second chances. Author B. J. Steele showcases a genuine and authentic flair for the kind of
storytelling style that has raised his romance novel to an impressive level of literary excellence. While especially and
unreservedly recommended for community/public library Contemporary Romance Fiction collections, it should be noted
for personal reading lists that this hardcover edition of "The Secrets We Keep" from HMD Publishing is also readily
available in paperback (9781835565452, $16.99) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $0.99).
Editorial Note: B.J. Steele (https://www.bjsteelebooks.com/about) is known for writing steamy, unputdownable romance
where power, passion, and plot twists collide. A lifelong storyteller, Steele is drawn to love stories that scorch, heal, and
haunt in equal measure -- and refuses to stop at "happily ever after" when a gasp-inducing twist will do!
The Western Fiction Shelf
Hornstone
Philip McCormac
Linford Western Library
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print, Inc.
www.ulverscroft.com
9781444855388, $25.00/$21.25, PB, Large Print, 291pp
Ulverscroft
https://www.ulverscroft.com/store/us/search/9781444855388
Synopsis: Major Tim Dillon resigns his army commission in order to run a saloon with his brother, and thinks his fighting
days are over. However, after arriving into town just in time to bury his brother's body, it seems that fate has other plans.
To bring his brother's murderer to justice, and free a town from the grip of evil cattle baron, Stirling Hornstone, he must
fight again. Only this time it will be a battle to the death!
Critique: Original, deftly crafted, and a great read from first page to last, "Hornstone" by Philip McCormac has everything
a western fans requires -- memorable characters, an engaging plot, and (of course) gunplay against the fearsome odds.
Whether for personal reading lists or community library collections, "Hornstone" is a highly recommended pick for any
and all action packed western novel fans.
Editorial Note: Philip McCormac lives in Leicestershire, England, and is a prolific western writer having 19 Black Horse
Westerns published under P. McCormac and various pen names.
Blood for Blood
Jack Tregarth
Linford Western Library
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print, Inc.
www.ulverscroft.com
9781444855425, $25.00/$21.25, PB, Large Print, 239pp
Ulverscroft
https://www.ulverscroft.com/store/us/search/9781444855425
Synopsis: When Will Grafton's wife is gunned down in a bungled robbery, the middle-aged grocer vows to bring the killers
to justice. Grafton hasn't always been a grocer and, as he pursues the ruthless Vallence Gang, it soon becomes clear that the
odds are not as unevenly stacked as might at first have been thought. From the quiet California town of Alila, Grafton's
quest leads him inexorably to a bloody showdown in Kansas - a fight from which only one man can emerge alive.
Critique: A classic action/adventure vengeance quest western, the stuff of which hardcore Spaghetti Western movies were
made back in the 60's and 70's, "Blood for Blood" is a truly riveting read and a 'must' for all dedicated fans of the genre.
This large print paperback edition of "Blood for Blood" by western novelist Jack Tregarth is an extraordinary and
unreservedly recommended addition to personal reading lists and community library Western Fiction collections.
Editorial Note: Jack Tregarth is also the author of "Guns Across The Rio Grande" (Linford Western Library,
9781444844962).
The Long Trail
John Armstrong
Linford Western Library
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print, Inc.
www.ulverscroft.com
9781444855340, $25.00/$21.25, PB, Large Print, 350pp
Ulverscroft
https://www.ulverscroft.com/store/us/search/9781444855340
Synopsis: At seventeen, Dot Pickett is young to be taking on the role of trail boss on a cattle drive. But Dot's life has been
hard, and he has learnt to be brave, resourceful - and occasionally ruthless.
Now he has successfully led a cattle drive from Texas to Kansas and is setting off for home with the bag of gold owed to
the Texan ranchers. But Dot has fallen foul of a notorious outlaw family and he knows that they will try to ambush
him.
Then when Dot goes to the aid of a young woman, the gold disappears and he embarks upon a quest to retrieve it. Dot's
search takes him on a long trail of danger, deception and intrigue, leading him from Abilene deep into the bayous of
Louisiana, where his courage and determination are pushed to the extreme in order to survive and reclaim the cattlemen's
gold.
Critique: John Armstrong is the experienced and talented author and western novelist whose latest epic, "The Long Trail"
is impressively well crafted and a simply riveting read from cover to cover. With a special appeal to fans of
action/adventure western sagas, this large print paperback edition of "The Long Trail" from the Linford Western Library
collections is an extraordinary and solidly recommended addition to personal reading lists and community library Western
Fiction collections.
Buzzard Roost
Colin Bainbridge
Linford Western Library
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print, Inc.
www.ulverscroft.com
9781444855371, $25.00/$21.25, PB, Large Print, 215pp
Ulverscroft
https://www.ulverscroft.com/store/us/search/9781444855371
Synopsis: When Joe Trueman rides into Dry Bluff with the injured body of Doc Drummond thrown across his horse's
back, he little realizes the trouble he is getting into. Drummond is just one more victim of Kettle and his gang of gunslicks,
who threaten not only the town but the wagon-train route to Denver and beyond.
Dealing with Kettle is only the start. Behind Kettle looms the more menacing figure of Cush Vogler, and it's a long ride to
Vogler's ranch, the Buckle M. Menaced every step of the way, Trueman arrives in the nearby settlement of Buzzard Roost.
Then things really get hot. As violence erupts and a range war breaks out between the Buckle M and the much smaller Two
Bar Cross, do the citizens have the nerve to stand by Trueman when the bullets fly?
Critique: A riveting read from start to finish, this large print paperback edition of western author Colin Bainbrdige is
highly recommended to the attention of all dedicated western action/adventure fans and will prove an enduringly popular
addition to community/public library Western Fiction collections.
Editorial Note: Editorial Note: There is an extended listing of novels by Colin Bainbridge online at
https://www.goodreads.com/author/list/1570982.Colin_Bainbridge
The Mystery/Suspense Shelf
Murder at the Wedding
Anita Davison
Boldwood Books
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print, Inc.
www.ulverscroft.com
9781836783558, $42.00/$37.70, PB, Large Print, 369pp
Ulverscroft
https://www.ulverscroft.com/store/us/search/9781836783558
https://www.ulverscroft.com/store/search/murder%20at%20the%20wedding
Synopsis: Hannah Merrill is about to marry the love of her life...
The couple are determined their low-key celebration will go without a hitch, but there can't be an 'I do' while the vicar is
missing. And when he's found dead (a victim of a poisoning) in the crypt behind the church, Hannah knows only she and
Aunt Violet can find out who did it.
Hannah's beloved thinks she shouldn't interfere. But if he fails to remember that an independent woman in 1916 doesn't do
what she's told to by a man, the dead vicar may be the least of his worries...
Then the vicar's own fiance appears on the scene, even though nobody knew he was engaged. And suddenly it becomes
clear someone has a secret, one shocking enough to kill for.
Will the intrepid pair of amateur sleuths catch the murderer before they kill again? Or will it be til death parts them
all?
Critique: Clearly, author Anita Davidson is an imaginative master of the cozy mystery genre with "Murder at the Wedding"
which continues this gifted novelist's mystery solving series. Original, clever, engaging, memorable, "Murder at the
Wedding" is a riveting and fun read from cover to cover by one of the best writers working today. This very special large
print paperback edition of "Murder at the Wedding" from Boldwood Books is an extraordinary and guaranteed popular
pick for both personal reading lists and community library Mystery/Suspense collections. It should be noted that "Murder
at a Wedding" is also readily available as a complete and unabridged CD & MP3-CD audio book from Boldwood
Books.
The Peculiar Incident at Thistlewick House
Jenni Keer
Boldwood Books
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print, Inc.
www.ulverscroft.com
9781836560869, $42.00/$35.70, PB, Large Print, 520pp
Ulverscroft
https://www.ulverscroft.com/store/us/search/9781836560869
https://www.ulverscroft.com/store/us/search/The%20Peculiar%20Incident%20at%20Thistlewick%20House
Synopsis: Norfolk, England, 1895: When renowned spiritualist Edward Blackmore receives a desperate message from his
cousin Barnabas, begging him to come to the coastal village of Thistlewick Tye, his first thought is to ignore the request.
Despite his cousin's insistence that his wife is possessed by a malevolent spirit, Edward has no time for the man who stole
his inheritance.
Lured by the promise of money, along with a genuine concern for Barnabas's wife (who he'd once loved) he reluctantly
travels to at Thistlewick House, only to arrive too late. Emma is dead.
Barnabas suspects there are supernatural forces at play. But Edward is convinced murder is afoot. As he begins to
investigate, he finds himself drawn into the lives of those in this isolated and unnerving village, especially the beguiling
woman who gathers up the human bones falling from the rapidly eroding cliffs.
Then he discovers that a travelling circus completely disappeared in the area forty years previously and no one is willing to
talk about it. Perhaps not everything at Thistlewick Tye is quite what it seems...
Critique: A deftly crafted historical mystery by novelist Jenni Keer, "The Peculiar Incident at Thistlewick House" is a
particularly compelling read for mystery buffs who would enjoy particularly clever plot twists and unexpected turn of
events. A solid and satisfying read from start to finish, this large print trade paperback edition of "The Peculiar Incident at
Thistlewick House" is an extraordinary and highly recommended addition to personal reading lists and community library
Historical Mystery/Suspense collections. It should be noted that "The Peculiar Incident at Thistlewick House" is also
readily available as a complete and unabridged CD & MP3-CD audio book from Boldwood Books.
Editorial Note: Jenni Keer (https://jennikeer.allauthor.com) lives in the glorious Suffolk countryside with her four grown
up children, three demanding cats, but just the one husband. Her novels are unique combinations of romance and history,
murder and mystery -- sprinkled with magical realism and peppered with jaw-dropping twists.
The Little Black Book Killer
Fiona Walker
Boldwood Books
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print, Inc.
www.ulverscroft.com
9781835619513, $42.00/$35.70, PB, Large Print, 568pp
Ulverscroft
https://www.ulverscroft.com/store/us/search/9781835619513
https://www.ulverscroft.com/store/us/search/The%20Little%20Black%20Book%20Killer
Synopsis: At last, Juno is feeling ready to start dating again, after having lost her husband some years before. She is sure
she can make time from being a Village Detective, indeed it might help distract her from her crush on hunky (but
far-too-young!) pub landlord - Mil.
So she's signed up to an exclusive new dating app and cannot wait. But when one of the founding investors in that same
dating app drops dead in front of fellow Village Detective Phoebe in a nearby hotel (and then a second investor is found
hanging in the local cricket pavilion just days later) Juno knows she will have to put her love life on hold.
Teaming up once more with Phoebe, Felix and Mil, in "The Little Black Book Killer" the Village Detectives are back. And
this time Juno (who'd thought she was getting under the covers) is going to go undercover!
Critique: With a wicked sense of humor and a deft mastery of the cozy mystery format, author Fiona Walker once again
provides her growing legions of fans with yet another fun read with the publication of "The Little Black Book Killer" in a
large print paperback edition from Boldwood Books. Original and riveting, this exceptionally entertaining 'whodunnit'
mystery should be considered a high priority pick for personal reading lists and community library Contemporary
Mystery/Suspense collections. It should be noted that "The Little Black Book Killer" is also available as a complete and
unabridged CD & MP3-CD audio book format from Boldwood Books.
Editorial Note: Fiona Walker (https://fionawalker.com)is the established author of over twenty novels who is known for
her witty, feel-good fiction packed with lovable characters, romantic chaos, and twisty drama. Her latest series, Village
Detectives, brings cosy crime to the English countryside. It follows old friends Juno and Phoebe as they navigate midlife,
murder, and mayhem in the picturesque (and deadly) Dunnett Valley.
The Fantasy/SciFi Shelf
Sudden Quiet: Book 1: Island and Main
Joshua Veith
https://www.joshuaveith.com
Independently Published
9798281411936, $65.00, HC, 486pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Island-Main-Sudden-Quiet-Book/dp/B0F7LN8FQT
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/island-and-main-joshua-veith/1145640286
Synopsis: Society has collapsed, the modern age has expired, and global mortality is curving toward 99 percent. In
northern Michigan, the electrical grid has been down for over a year.
Three scouts, all uninfected, start on a mission from Beaver Island to the darkened mainland.
They're on a search for allies and information, led by Keith Two-Crow, a Vietnam veteran and Ojibwe elder. Keith's two
charges, Mukwa and Miin, are foster siblings unrelated by blood but connected to the green-pulse of the planet by their
adoptive grandmother, Samantha, a traditional healer and mystic.
After reaching the mainland, the scouts are targeted by traffickers, befriended by eco-elves, and are astonished at Mother
Nature's resurgence and recovery.
Critique: Original, deftly crafted, compelling, "Sudden Quiet: Book 1: Island and Main" by novelist Joshua Veith is Book
1 of a trilogy and will have an extraordinary appeal to readers with an interest in Dystopian/Post-Apocalyptic fiction.
While "Sudden Quiet: Book 1: Island and Main" is a dark and dramatic exploration of the collapse of human civilization, it
also has an ultimate message of hope, healing, and redemption made possible by the perseverance and recovery made
possible by the support of community and a respect for the healing qualities of nature. An entertaining and fascinating read
from start to finish, "Sudden Quiet: Book 1: Island and Main" is especially and unreservedly recommended for community
library Science Fiction collections. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of dedicated SF fans that this hardcover
edition of "Sudden Quiet: Book 1: Island and Main" is also readily available in paperback (9781961302624, $19.95) and in
a digital book format (Kindle, $7.95).
Editorial Note: Joshua Veith (https://www.joshuaveith.com) is an educator, adventurer, and outdoor enthusiast. He earned
an MA in Literature from Eastern Michigan University. Josh strives to be an Indigenous ally, recognizing that traditional
relationships with the environment offer the most sustainable pathways for humankind's interaction with the planet.
John Hopkins: At the Heart of England
Shane Terry
Independently Published
9798269388908, $20.99, PB, 394pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/John-Hopkins-At-heart-England/dp/B0FVY8B273
Synopsis: John Hopkins can see ghosts. And if that wasn't hard enough to explain, as a Supernatural Private Investigator,
they hang around until he has solved the mystery of their demise. But Tim's death is going to lead him dangerously close to
his own...
Critique: Original, deftly crafted, and a 'must' for fans of supernatural fantasy fiction featuring a a private investigator, a
noir style mystery, compulsive page turning suspense -- and ghosts! A memorable and fun read from cover to cover, "John
Hopkins: At the Heart of England" by Shane Terry is a unique and unreservedly recommended pick for personal reading
lists and community library Contemporary Urban Fantasy Fiction collections. It should be noted that this paperback edition
of "John Hopkins: At the Heart of England" is also currently available in a digital book format (Kindle, $0.99).
Editorial Note: An online listing of books by Shane Terry can be found at Goodreads:
(https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/60472718.Shane_Terry)
The Place Where They Buried Your Heart
Christina Henry
Berkley Books
c/o Penguin/Random House
https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com
9780593953952, $30.00, HC, 320pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Place-Where-They-Buried-Heart/dp/0593953959
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-place-where-they-buried-your-heart-christina-henry/1146937727
Synopsis: On an otherwise ordinary street in Chicago, there is a house. An abandoned house where, once upon a time,
terrible things happened. The children who live on this block are told by their parents to stay away from that house. But of
course, children don't listen. Children think it's fun to be scared, to dare each other to go inside.
Jessie Campanelli did what many older sisters do and dared her little brother Paul. But unlike all the other kids who went
inside that abandoned house, Paul didn't return. His two friends, Jake and Richie, said that the house ate Paul. Of course
adults didn't believe that. Adults never believe what kids say. They thought someone kidnaped Paul, or otherwise hurt him.
They thought Paul had disappeared in a way that was ordinary, explainable.
The disappearance of her little brother broke Jessie's family apart in ways that would never be repaired. Jessie grew up, had
a child of her own, kept living on the same street where the house that ate her brother sat, crouched and waiting. And
darkness seemed to spread out from that house, a darkness that was alive -- alive and hungry.
Critique: With author Christina Henry's deft blending of supernatural thriller with action/adventure fantasy presented in a
present day scenario, "The Place Where They Buried Your Heart" is a compulsory read from cover to cover. This is the
stuff of which nightmare's are made and a riveting read that will linger in the mind and memory long after the book has
been finished and set back upon the shelf. Highly recommended for the fans of macabre and ghostly tales, "The Place
Where They Buried Your Heart" is recommended for community library Horror/Fantasy Fiction collections. It should be
noted for personal reading lists that this hardcover edition of "The Place Where They Buried Your Heart" from Berkley
Books is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $14.99).
Editorial Note: Christina Henry (https://www.christinahenry.net) is a horror and dark fantasy author whose works include
The House That Horror Built, Good Girls Don't Die, Horseman, Near the Bone, The Ghost Tree, The Girl in Red, The
Mermaid, Lost Boy, The Chronicles of Alice series (Alice, Red Queen and Looking Glass) and the seven-book urban
fantasy Black Wings series. Her short stories have been featured in the anthologies Elemental Forces, Cursed, Twice
Cursed, Giving the Devil His Due and Kicking It.
The Audiobook Shelf
Anatomy of a Gildy Episode
Peggy Adler
Blackstone Publishing
https://www.blackstonelibrary.com
9798228588103, $29.95, CD (0.50 Hours)
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Anatomy-Gildy-Episode-Marjories-Gildersleeve/dp/B0FBBNYNX3
Blackstone Publishing
https://www.blackstonelibrary.com/anatomy-of-a-gildy-episode?sp=611361
Synopsis: The Great Gildersleeve was a successful and popular radio comedy series broadcast in the United States from
August 31, 1941 to 1958.
In "Anatomy of a Gildy Episode", author Peggy Adler offers a compelling, behind-the-scenes look at The Great
Gildersleeve -- one of radio's most iconic comedies.
Through a single 1947 episode, Adler explores the artistry of Emmy-nominated scriptwriter John Ogden Whedon -- tracing
his impact from radio's Golden Age to the birth of the television sitcom. With a full transcript, historical context, and
insights into Whedon's multigenerational writing legacy, this audio book edition of "Anatomy of a Gildy Episode" is
essential listening for fans of classic media and pop culture historians alike.
This audio book edition features the complete episode of The Great Gildersleeve: "Marjorie's Hotrod Boyfriend".
Critique: Informative and fun from start to finish, this complete and unabridged CD audio book edition of "Anatomy of a
Gildy Episode: The Who's Who of GG470129 Marjorie's Hotrod Boyfriend: The Great Gildersleeve; John Whedon and
Beyond" is especially and unreservedly recommended for personal, community, and college/university library Comedic
Radio History audio book collections. The digital book edition (Kindle, 9.99) features the complete episode of The Great
Gildersleeve: "Marjorie's Hotrod Boyfriend," with Peggy Adler's Anatomy of a Gildy Episode included as a downloadable
PDF.
Editorial Note: Peggy Adler (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peggy_Adler) made her first professionally published
illustration for a New York publishing Company when she was thirteen years old and has written and illustrated many
books since then. She's a Marquis Who's Who Albert Nelson Marquis Lifetime Achievement honoree; a 2001 recipient of
the Association of Former Intelligence Officers' General Richard G. Stilwell Award; and a former police commissioner,
who currently chairs the Town of Clinton, Connecticut's Historic District Commission.
The Excalibur Code
Rob Jones, author
Simon Mattacks, narrator
Boldwood Books
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print, Inc.
www.ulverscroft.com
9781806000203, $100.95/$85.81, CD (8 Hours 59 Minutes)
Ulverscroft
https://www.ulverscroft.com/store/us/search/9781806000203
Synopsis: When ex-army officer and UNESCO archaeologist Max Hunter is sent to Normandy on the trail of England's
missing crown jewels, he thinks he's in for a few easy weeks.
But when the ancient Mont Saint-Michel abbey is attacked by gunmen, Hunter and his research assistant Lauren Lane are
forced to flee for their lives with a mysterious treasure chest hidden for centuries inside the abbey. After evading the
assassins, Hunter and Lauren find something inside the chest with world-changing consequences.
The search for the truth sees Hunter join back up with Amy Fox and the rest of HARPA, as they race across Europe in the
footsteps of an enigmatic warrior monk, trying to decipher his ancient code and beat the armed assassins to the greatest
treasure of all-time.
Critique: Superbly narrated by vocal actor Simon Attacks, "The Excalibur Code" by action/adventure novelist Rob Jones is
an extraordinary saga that will hold immense appeal for fans of high energy suspense thriller sagas. While especially
appropriate and recommended for community library Contemporary Action/Adventure audio book collections, it should be
noted that this complete and unabridged CD edition of "The Excalibur Code" is also readily available from Boldwood
Books in an MP3-CD format (9781806000210, $100.95/$85.81) and in a large print paperback edition.
Editorial Note #1: Rob Jones (www.robjonesnovels) has published over 40 novels in the genres of action-adventure,
action-thriller and crime. Many of his chart-topping titles have enjoyed #1 rankings in genre and all of his Joe Hawke,
Hunter Files and Jed Mason books have been international bestsellers.
Editorial Note #2: Sim Attacks is a seasoned and talented vocal actor whose many book projects (and a sample of his
narrative style) are listed online at https://narrator.page/n/simon_mattacks.
Doctor Who: The Third Monsters Collection
Maureen O'Brian, et al., performers
BBC Radio
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print, Inc.
www.ulverscroft.com
9781529983104, $130.95/$111.31, CD (19 Hours 50 Minutes)
Ulverscroft
https://www.ulverscroft.com/store/us/search/9781529983104
https://www.ulverscroft.com/store/search/doctor%20who%20the%20third%20monsters%20collection
Synopsis: A superbly produced BBC Radio/Studies production, "Doctor Who: The Third Monsters Collection" is
comprised of five classic TV novelizations that pitch the Doctor against an array of monstrous foes.
In Daleks: The Chase the First Doctor and his friends must flee from the path of a Dalek execution squad.
The Macra Terror awaits the Second Doctor, Ben, Polly and Jamie within an apparently idyllic Earth colony.
In Doctor Who and the Web of Fear the Yeti have colonized the London Underground, at the behest of the Great
Intelligence.
Doctor Who and the Mutants relates the oppression of the Solonian people at the hands of Earth authorities.
In Doctor Who and the State of Decay the Doctor, Romana, Adric and K9 encounter the terrifying Great Vampire.
Talented narrators and actors Maureen O'Brien, Anneke Wills, David Troughton, Jon Culshaw and Geoffrey Beevers read
these thrilling tales, with Nicholas Briggs as the voice of the Daleks and John Leeson as the voice of K9.
Critique: Simply and emphatically stated, this complete and unabridged audio book edition of "Doctor Who: The Third
Monsters Collection" from the BBC is an absolute 'must' for the legions of Doctor Who fans and will prove to be a truly
enduring and popular addition for personal and community library Science Fiction themed audio book collections. It
should be noted that this CD edition with its hard shell plastic casing is also readily available in an MP3-CD format
(9781529983111, $130.95/$111.31).
Editorial Note: There is a complete listing of all the CD & MP3-CD formatted Doctor Who audio book stories at:
https://www.ulverscroft.com/store/us/search/doctor%20who
Arthur Conan Doyle: A BBC Radio Drama Collection
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, author
Full Cast Narration
BBC Radio
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print, Inc.
www.ulverscroft.com
9781529983128, $90.95/$77.31, CD (7 Hours 16 Minutes)
Ulverscroft
https://www.ulverscroft.com/store/us/search/9781529983128
https://www.ulverscroft.com/store/search/arthur%20conan%20doyle
Synopsis: "Arthur Conan Doyle: A BBC Radio Drama Collection" is a compendium of BBC Radio dramatizations and
readings of some of Arthur Conan Doyle's other works - plus extracts from his letters and a bonus drama by Bert
Coules.
Arthur Conan Doyle is well known as the creator of Sherlock Holmes, but he also wrote numerous works in which the
great detective played no part. Included here is a selection of his best works in which Sherlock Holmes played no part.
This audio book format collection opens with the first of three BBC radio dramas featuring the hot-tempered,
larger-than-life scientist and explorer Professor Challenger. 'The Lost World' stars David Robb as Challenger, he heads on
an expedition to a plateau in the Amazon Basin. Following this drama we have two further dramatizations starring Bill
Paterson as Challenger this time.
In 'When the World Screamed', he sets out on a bold mission to be recognized by Mother Earth, while 'The Disintegration
Machine' sees him investigating dastardly Latvian inventor Theodore Nemor. 'The Captain of the Polestar' drama tells the
chilling story of a ship trapped in the Arctic, and stars Alec Heggie as Craigie, a man haunted by a strange apparition.
Also included are the short stories 'Playing With Fire', 'How It Happened', 'One Crowded Hour', 'The Fall of Lord
Barrymore', 'The Sealed Room' and 'The Lost Special' (read by Edward de Souza, Sam Dale, Christopher Harper and David
Schofield), and the fascinating series Arthur Conan Doyle: A Life in Letters, in which Forbes Masson and John Dougal
read extracts from his correspondence to his mother about marriage, fatherhood, killing off Holmes and going into politics.
Finally, how the author ran for Parliament in 1900 and lost is explored in Bert Coules' biographical drama Vote For Conan
Doyle!, starring John Sessions.
First published 1883 ('The Captain of the Polestar'), 1898 ('The Sealed Room', 'The Lost Special'), 1900 ('Playing With
Fire'), 1911 ('One Crowded Hour'), 1912 ('The Lost World'), 1912 ('The Fall of Lord Barrymore'), 1913 ('How It
Happened'), 1928 ('When The World Screamed'), 1929 ('The Disintegration Machine'), Cast and credits Written by Sir
Arthur Conan Doyle Track list Dramatizations:
Critique: Deftly produced and featuring a full cast of talented actors, "Arthur Conan Doyle: A BBC Radio Drama
Collection" is an absolute 'must' for the legions of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle fans -- especially for those whose only
experience with this legendary author are his Sherlock Holmes stories. This CD edition with its sturdy plastic clamshell
style casing is especially and unreservedly recommended for community and college/university library audio book
collections. It should be noted that "Arthur Conan Doyle: A BBC Radio Drama Collection" is also readily available in an
MP3-CD format (9781529983135, $90.95/$77.31).
Editorial Note: There is a readily available and complete listing of audio book editions distributed for American library
collections for the various Arthur Conan Doyle novels and stories at
"https://www.ulverscroft.com/store/search/arthur%20conan%20doyle)
Shield of Mercia
M. J. Porter, author
Sean Barrett, narrator
Boldwood Books
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print, Inc.
www.ulverscroft.com
9781836175094, $107.95/$91.76, CD (10 Hours 27 Minutes)
Ulverscroft
https://www.ulverscroft.com/store/us/search/9781836175094
https://www.ulverscroft.com/store/search/shield%20of%20mercia
Synopsis: 836 AD, Mercia, Britain
Following a brutally cold winter, King Wiglaf of Mercia is in the ascendancy. Even Wessex's Archbishop of Canterbury
extraordinarily ventures to Mercia to broker a religious accord. But, can the hard-won peace prevail?
Viking raiders threaten Wessex. These blood-thirsty warriors are fast, skillful and have no reticence about killing those
who stand in their way. Their aim isn't to rule but to overwhelm, slaughter and take ill-gotten wealth.
King Wiglaf is no fool. As the Vikings push to overwhelm Wessex, Mercia's lands look insecure. King Wiglaf needs the
shields of Mercia's warriors to prevent the overwhelming advancement of their deadliest enemy yet.
To save Mercia, Icel must first prevail over the two men who mean to end his life; King Ecgberht of Wessex and his son,
Aethelwulf of Kent and only then the marauding Viking army for whom boundaries have no meaning.
Critique: Unrelenting action, attention to historical detail, deftly crafted characters, and a simply riveting plot from start to
finish, "Shield of Mercia" by novelist M. J. Porter is set in the dark and bloody times of Mediaeval England and fully
brought to life with the dramatic narrative storytelling talents of Sean Barrett in this Boldwood Books complete and
unabridged audio book production. A part of Porter's 'The Eagle of Mercia Chronicles' series, this CD edition with its
sturdy clamshell casing, is particularly appropriate and highly recommended for community library Historical Fiction
audio book collections. It should be noted that it is also available from Boldwood Books in an MP3-CD format
(9781836175100, $107.95/$91.76) and in a large print trade paperback edition (9781836175155, $42.00/$35.70).
Editorial Note #1: M J Porter (https://www.mjporterauthor.com) is the acclaimed author of historical fiction set in early
age of the English, the Saxons and the Vikings (set as a whole before the Norman Conquest), as well as five 20th-century
historical mysteries and a fantasy.
Editorial Note #2: Sean Justin Barrett is an established British actor and successful audio book narrator.
(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Se%C3%A1n_Barrett_(actor))
War Lord: Scourge of Rome
Adam Lofthouse, author
David Thorpe, narrator
Boldwood Books
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print, Inc.
www.ulverscroft.com
9781836785255, $107.95/$91.76, CD (10 Hours 14 Minutes)
Ulverscroft
https://www.ulverscroft.com/store/us/search/9781836785255
https://www.ulverscroft.com/store/search/war%20lord%20scourge%20of%20rome
Synopsis: Alaric has been home for a year. He went north and saved the Cimbri, just as he said he would. But the cost has
been higher than he ever thought. A shadow of the War Lord he once was, he now trades in amber and dotes on his
children.
A simple life. And with it, contentment. But he knew this couldn't last forever; peace isn't for someone like him, and sure
enough trouble finds him once again. A routine journey south turns into a new and unknown wave of danger as
red-cloaked legionaries attack, causing confusion and carnage.
Warriors dressed as Romans have been scouring the country, slaughtering innocent people, and leaving Roman footprints
wherever they march. But things are not what they seem, and it falls to Alaric to don his armour once more, and march his
Ravensworn in pursuit of a mysterious enemy that could destabilize his world beyond repair.
Critique: The final installment of the superbly crafted 'Enemy of the Empire' series by author Adam Lofthouse, "War Lord:
Scourge of Rome" completes the saga of Alaric in the time of Rome's withdrawal of its legions from Britain that began in
"Raven: Defier of Rome", the continued with "Outlaw: Nemesis of Rome" and then "Eagle and the Flame: Shadow of
Rome". Brilliantly narrated by David Thorpe, especially and unreservedly recommended for community and public library
Historical Fiction themed audio book collections, it should be noted that this complete and unabridged CD audio book
with its sturdy clamshell casing from Boldwood Books is also readily available in an MP3-CD format (9781836785262,
$107.95/$91.76) and in a large print trade paperback edition (9781836785316, $42.00/$35.70).
Editorial Note #1: Adam Lofthouse (https://www.adamlofthouse.com) has for many years held a passion for the ancient
world. After ten years of immersing himself in stories of the battles that forged our history, he decided to have a go at
writing one for himself. He lives in Kent, UK
Editorial Note #2: Throughout his successful vocal acting career, David Thorpe has narrated a vast range of stories across
different genres. From a heart-warming romance to a spine-tingling thriller, he has a way of captivating audiences and
making the story truly come alive.
(https://masternarrators.com/experience-the-magic-of-david-thorpes-audiobook-narrations)
Desolation
Keith Moray, author
John Telfer, narrator
Boldwood Books
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print, Inc.
www.ulverscroft.com
9781837034260, $107.95/$91.76, CD (9 Hours 43 Minutes)
Ulverscroft
https://www.ulverscroft.com/store/us/search/9781837034260
https://www.ulverscroft.com/store/search/desolation
Synopsis: 1361, York. England. As the country recovers from the war with France, and whispers that the pestilence has
returned to England grow louder, fear is in the heart of every nobleman and commoner alike. Sir Ralph de Mandeville,
ex-solider and newly appointed Justice of the Peace is sent to Langbarugh, just outside York, to investigate the murder of
Coroner Sir Boderick de Whitby.
More deaths quickly follow, and while these are swiftly dealt with as plague victims, Sir Ralph and his two assistants
Merek and Peter soon uncover something altogether more horrifying... A greater evil is at large in the northern
wapentakes.
As panic escalates and the lines between plague and murder blur, Sir Ralph is thrust into a desperate race against time.
Every shadow hides a potential killer, every cough could be a death knell. Can he unmask a murderer lurking in the
terrifying shadow of the Black Death before they're all consumed by a terror more sinister than any plague?
Critique: A part of author Keith Moray's 'Ralph de Mandeville Mystery Series', "Desolation" is a deftly crafted and
compelling mix of mystery, history, and suspense. This complete and unabridged audio book edition of "Desolation" is
exceptionally well narrated by the impressive storytelling talents of experienced narrator John Telfer. The result is a true
'theatre of the mind' experience that will be of special and particular interest to fans of the medieval era 'whodunnit' murder
mystery genre. While an extraordinary and unreservedly recommended pick for community library Mystery/Suspense
audio book collections, it should be noted by dedicated mystery buffs that this CD edition of "Desolation" from Boldwood
Books is also readily available in an MP3-CD format (9781837034277, $107.95/$91.76) and in a large print trade
paperback edition (9781837034338, $42.00/$35.70).
Editorial Note #1: Keith Moray (https://keithmorayauthor.com) is the crime writing pen-name of Keith Souter, part-time
doctor, medical journalist and novelist. He is a member of the Crime Writer's Association, International Thriller Writers,
the Society of Authors and the Medical Journalists Association. His crime novels published by Sapere Books are set on the
Scottish island of West Uist, featuring Inspector Torquil McKinnon. He also writes the Sandal Castle Medieval Thrillers
series and soon a series set in ancient Egypt.
Editorial Note #2: John Telfer trained at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School after a degree in Music and Theatre at the
University of York. He has appeared in more than 35 plays with the Bristol Old Vic company, and other theatre work
includes tours with Cambridge, New Vic and Royal National Theatre companies. His television credits include parts in
The Bill and Casualty and he spent 5 years in the BBC Television drama, Bergerac, playing John Nettles' side-kick, Willie
Pettit. He also has considerable radio experience and joined the cast of The Archers in 2003 as the vicar, the Rev Alan
Franks. He is a regular audiobook voice, and works as a narrator for The Bristol Ensemble and Brodsky String
Quartet.
A Lake District Christmas Murder
Rebecca Tope, author
Julia Franklin, narrator
Soundings
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print, Inc.
www.ulverscroft.com
9781399194266, $100.95/$85.81, CD (8 Hours 53 Minutes)
Ulverscroft
https://www.ulverscroft.com/store/us/search/9781399194266
https://www.ulverscroft.com/store/search/a%20lake%20district%20christmas%20murder
Synopsis: As Christmas draws near, Simmy Henderson is invited to a party in Glenridding at the heart of the Lake District.
However, the festivities are overshadowed by two alarming discoveries: a man's body in the beck above the village and a
vulnerable newborn baby, apparently abandoned by its mother.
Caught in the hidden tensions of Glenridding's inhabitants, Simmy is drawn into the investigation. The season of goodwill
has been eclipsed by far darker emotions and a murderer must be found .
Critique: "A Lake District Christmas Murder" is the 14th title in Rebecca Tope's 'Lake District' murder mystery series. Her
brilliant storytelling style (one that has earned her legions of dedicated fans) is brought vividly to life in a true 'theatre of
the mind' experience with the extraordinary narration given by Julia Franklin. Featuring a hard clamshell casing for an
extended shelf life, this 8 CD edition of "A Lake District Christmas Murder" is a solid and enduringly popular pick for
community library Mystery/Suspense audio book collections. It should be noted that this complete and unabridged audio
book from Soundings is also available in an MP3-CD format (9781399194273, $100.95/$85.81) and in a large print trade
paperback edition (9781444854411, $42.00/$35.70).
Editorial Note #1: Rebecca Tope (http://www.rebeccatope.com) is the author of three crime series that are respectively set
in the Cotswolds, Lake District and West Country. She lives on a smallholding in rural Herefordshire, England, where she
enjoys the silence and plants a lot of trees.
Editorial Note #2: There is a listing of books narrated by Julia Franklin available online at AudioBooks
(https://www.audiobooks.com/browse/narrator/3659/julia-franklin)
The Library CD Shelf
Reflections on The Autobiography of an Ex-Colored Man
Mark Turner
Giant Step Arts
giantsteparts.org
$TBA CD / $15.00 digital
Bandcamp
https://markturnerjazz.bandcamp.com/album/reflections-on-the-autobiography-of-an-ex-colored-man
Tenor saxophonist Mark Turner presents Reflections on The Autobiography of an Ex-Colored Man, a jazz album that
investigates social issues raised by civil rights activist James Weldon Johnson (1871-1938) in his semi-fictional novel
about a biracial man who could "pass" as a white person during a threatening time in American history. Mark Turner's
original compositions, masterful tenor sax, and thoughtful narration are supported by Jason Palmer on trumpet, David
Virelles on piano, profit & organ, Matt Brewer on acoustic & electric bass, and Nasheet Waits on Drums. Seamlessly blending American history, dramatic storytelling, and masterful musical performance
into a multifaceted whole, Reflections on The Autobiography of an Ex-Colored Man is highly recommended for both
personal and public library music collections. The tracks are Anonymous; Juxtaposition; Pulmonary Edema; New York;
Europe; The Texan...The Soldier; Mother...Sister...Lover; Pragmatism; Identity Politics; and Closure.
Liberty Now!
Phil Haynes & Free Country
Corner Store Jazz
www.cornerstorejazz.com
$15.00 CD / $15.00 digital
Corner Store Jazz
https://www.cornerstorejazz.com/product/liberty-now
Bandcamp
https://philhaynesmusic.bandcamp.com/album/liberty-now
Phil Haynes and the socially conscious "jazz-grass" string band Free Country present Liberty Now! a two-disc music
album that explores modern political issues with a caution that the "good ol' days" weren't necessarily as good as claimed,
especially not for disadvantaged Americans. Free Country consists of Drew Gress on bass & vocals, Jim Yanda on guitar
& vocals, Hank Roberts on cello & lead vocals, and Phil Haynes on drums & vocals. The first CD consists of original
songs written by Free Country members; the second CD is Free Country's performance of classic and iconic American
songs. Liberty Now! lives up to its title and is worthy of the highest recommendation for both personal and public library
music collections. The disc 1 tracks are Situation Ethnics (Yanda); Past Time (Yanda); Strands of Liberty (Haynes);
Higgens (Roberts); Diaphana (Gress); Confetti (Gress); Corner Store Strut (Haynes); Joy (Haynes); Next of Kin (Yanda);
The Wire (Roberts); Home Road (Yanda); and Dawn on the Gladys Marrie (Haynes). The disc 2 tracks are The Way the
West Was Won; She'll be Comin' Round the Mountain; Revolution; Dakota Hymn; Johnny Guitar; Joshua Fought the
Battle of Jerico; Simple Gifts; Respect; What's Going On; To Ancreon in Heaven; The Defense of Fort McHenry; America
the Beautiful; Fanfare for the Common Man; and What a Wonderful World.
Homesteaders
Dave Mossing
www.davemossing.com
Bent River Records
$20.00 CAD CD / $11.00 CAD digital
Bandcamp
https://davemossing.bandcamp.com/album/homesteaders
The debut album of talented jazz trumpeter and composer Dave Mossing, Homesteaders is an introspective soundscape
commemorating the homesteaders who first immigrated to Saskatchewan, Canada and built a living there, including
Mossing's own ancestors. All songs are Mossing's original compositions, performed by Mossing on trumpet as well as
Jean-Michel Pilc on piano, Ira Coleman on bass, and Jim Doxas on drums. Homesteaders is an outstanding musical
celebration of Canada's early homesteaders and their storied legacy, highly recommended for both personal and public
library music collections. The tracks are Homesteaders; Interlude I; St. Olaf; Interlude II; Dirge; Interlude III; From What
You Have Given; Day Trip; Grace; Big Muddy; and Kindred.
Curtains of Light
Whitney Ross-Barris
whitneyrb.com
Privately Published
$20.00 CAD CD / $9.00 CAD digital
Creator's Website
https://whitneyrb.com/music-merch
Bandcamp
https://whitneyrb.bandcamp.com/album/curtains-of-light
Toronto jazz singer-songwriter Whitney Ross-Barris presents Curtains of Light, an album of Whitney's original songs.
Whitney's memorable lead vocals (and piano playing in "Sentrees") is supported by a plethora of exemplary musicians
contributing on alto, tenor, & baritone sax; trumpet; violin & viola; cello; guitar; bass; percussion; and background vocals.
Curtains of Light defies genres, incorporating elements of jazz, choral, neo-soul, spoken word, and folk into songs that tell
stories about human longing, the need to connect, the treasure that is community, and the perilous dilemma when such
vital things seem out of reach. Curtains of Light is a treasure for personal and public library music collections, highly
recommended. The tracks are Bourgeois Reverie; Up in the Night; Bird of Paradise; Sentrees; Stranger; Park Life; Sunrise;
There You Are; Just Waiting to be Asked; If I Were You; Only at Night; Midwinter Blue; and Curtains of Light.
Big Band Country
Nancy Hays
www.nancyhays.com
Nancy Hays Entertainment, Inc.
$10.97 CD / $9.49 MP3
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Big-Band-Country-Nancy-Hays/dp/B003LDKLP2
As the title suggests, Big Band Country is a fusion of country and big band music sung by Nancy Hays with the full
support of a brass band. A vivacious celebration of both genres, Big Band Country encourages the listener to move with
the swing, or better yet, get up and dance! Big Band Country is a choice pick for both personal and public library music
collections, highly recommended. The tracks are True Love; Tell Me I'm Crazy; Cheek to Cheek; Someday Soon; Mr. Man
in the Moon; Teach Me Tonight; Feels Like Home; Sentimental Ol' You; If I Were Brave; Dad; and Sweetest Thing.
Along the Coppermine Ridge
Rudy Adrian
Spotted Peccary Music
www.SpottedPeccary.com
$16.00 CD / $10.00 digital
Bandcamp
https://rudy-adrian.bandcamp.com/album/along-the-coppermine-ridge
Along the Coppermine Ridge is a new ambient electronic music album by talented creator Rudy Adrian. All tracks are
written, recorded, and mixed by Adrian; the title track is a live improvisation. Inspired by the work of photographer John
Johns, who captured scenes of New Zealand's breathtaking natural beauty in his work, Along the Coppermine Ridge draws
upon a rich medley of sounds to conjure a majestic tapestry of flowing music. Reverent, insightful, and inspirational,
Along the Coppermine Ridge is a treasure for connoisseurs of the genre. The tracks are Castle Rocks; Ridgetop Clouds;
The Higher Path; Where the Skylarks Sing; Memories of Thursday; Along the Coppermine Ridge; Moorlands; Serpentine
River; Alpine Tarn, Autumn Snow; and Showers in the Ranges.
Imagining
Alan Matthews
alanmatthewsmusic.com
Privately Published
$15.00 CD / $15.00 digital
Bandcamp
https://alanmatthews.bandcamp.com/album/imagining
Imagining is a new age solo piano album composed and performed by Alan Matthews. The music is warmly beautiful with
a slightly surreal touch, reflecting the impressionism-style art of the album's cover. Imagining lives up to its title, with
music that gently stirs the mind to reach greater heights. Highly recommended! The tracks are Imagining; Through Child's
Eyes; Angels Fly Away; Now Is Forever; If Wishing Made It So; Divine Light; One Way Life; Standing Still; Dodging
Clouds; Hiding in the Sun; Open Ocean; In a Million Years; and Just a Dream.
Sacred Balance
Dan Chadburn
www.DanChadburn.com
Privately Published
$15.99 CD with digital download / $8.79 MP3
Creator's Website
https://www.danchadburn.com/albums-store
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Sacred-Balance-Dan-Chadburn/dp/B0FNVS9B1X
Sacred Balance is a new age solo piano album by award-winning pianist and composer Dan Chadburn, who composed,
arranged, performed, and recorded all songs. Together with his husband and musical collaborator Tom Nichols, Dan
Chadburn has performed to benefit numerous charitable causes and compose choral anthems for GALA choruses. Sacred
Balance is a winding musical tour, created to honor the memory of artist and cherished friend Mark Alan Smith, who
passed away after battling cancer. The songs reflect the search for beauty and balance in a chaotic world, and encourage the
listener to reflect, meditate, and open one's mind to learning and understanding. Highly recommended! The tracks are
Sacred Balance; Blessed Be; Descending to Heaven; Beyond Imagination; Four Months; Cosmic Resonance; Walking
Each Other Home; One Day Soon; Patches; Waiting; Quick Costume Change; The Long Goodbye; Thirteen; and Lost and
Found.
Classics Reimagined: Impromp2
Ted Rosenthal Trio
www.tedrosenthal.com
Privately Published
$15.00 CD / $9.49 MP3
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Classics-Reimagined-Ted-Rosenthal-Trio/dp/B0FNNKDDHZ
Spinney Media
https://store.spinneymedia.com/products/ted-rosenthal-trio-classics-reimagined-impromp2-cd
Classics Reimagined: Impromp2 is an album of pianist Ted Rosenthal's reimagining of great classic works. Performed by
Ted Rosenthal on piano, Noriko Ueda on bass, Quincy Davis on drums, Tim Horner on drums, Ken Peplowski on clarinet,
and Sara Caswell on violin, Classics Reimagined: Impromp2 is an exciting and adventurous new way to experience these
timeless works, and highly recommended for both personal and public library music collections. The tracks are Waltz in C-
Sharp Minor (F. Chopin); Slavonic Dance (A. Dvorak); Mazurka in A Minor (F. Chopin); The Old Castle (M.
Mussorgsky); Vocalise (S. Rachmaninoff); Allegretto from Symphony No. 3 (J. Brahms); "Pathetique" Sonata, 2nd
Movement (L. v. Beethoven); "Pathetique" Sonata, 3rd Movement (L. v. Beethoven); Salut d'Amour (E. Elgar); Je Te
Veux (E. Satie); and Waltz in Ab (F. Chopin).
The Photography Shelf
Macro Photography: The Universe at Our Feet, 2nd Edition
Don Komarechka
Routledge
https://www.routledge.com
9781032782232, $180.00, HC, 328pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Macro-Photography-Universe-Our-Feet/dp/1032782234
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/macro-photography-don-komarechka/1146731169
Routledge
https://www.routledge.com/Macro-Photography-The-Universe-at-Our-Feet/Komarechka/p/book/9781032769844
Synopsis: This new and expanded second edition of industry staple "Macro Photography: The Universe at Our Feet" by
Don Komarechka, addresses every challenge that a macro photographer might encounter, from beginner problems like
focus and motion blur, to more complex issues with magnification and diffraction, lighting and composition, and so much
more.
Komarechka is an acknowledged expert in the field of Macro Photography and this newly updated second edition of
"Macro Photography: The Universe at Our Feet" begins by giving a brief overview of what Macrophotography is, before
delving into the best practices and techniques needed to capture brilliant macro photographs.
It is also packed from cover to cover with crisp HD images, case studies, exercises and workflows, all to supplement
reader comprehension. The newly expanded second edition includes all new content, such as editorial case studies, new
detail in high-magnification workflows, expert insights into software tools such as Zerene Stacker and Helicon Focus, and
much more. The rest of the content has also been thoroughly revised and updated to account for the latest tools and
techniques in the field.
With its concise and informal approach, "Macro Photography: The Universe at Our Feet: 2nd Edition" will prove to be an
extremely useful and accessible resource for professional photographers and photography students interested in all things
Macro Photography.
Critique: The profusely illustrated, large format (7 x 0.9 x 9.9 inches, 2.42 pounds), hardcover edition of "Macro
Photography: The Universe at Our Feet: 2nd Edition" by Don Komarechka is impressively comprehensive, an ideal
curriculum textbook, and thoroughly 'reader/user' friendly in organization and presentation. Motivating, inspiring, and
definitive, "Macro Photography: The Universe at Our Feet: 2nd Edition" is an unreservedly recommended pick for
personal, professional, community, and college/university library Photography collections and supplemental curriculum
studies lists. It should be noted that this hardcover edition of "Macro Photography: The Universe at Our Feet: 2nd Edition"
from Routledge is also readily available in paperback (9781032769844, $58.99) and in a digital book format (Kindle,
$58.99).
Editorial Note: Don Komarechka (https://www.donkom.ca/about) is a nature, macro and landscape photographer located
near Varna, Bulgaria. From auroras to pollen, insects to infrared, much of Don's photographic adventures reveal a deeper
understanding of how the universe works. Exploring the world that we cannot see with our own eyes has been a common
thread in Don's career as a professional photographer and educator. Don's work often pushes up against the technical
limitations of modern camera equipment and the physical limitations of light itself. His work with moving pictures has
been utilized in documentary films from CBC, BBC, Discovery, National Geographic and others.
Tashiding: Beyond Earth and Sky
Douglas Hamilton, author
Norman Barker, author
ORO Editions
www.oroeditions.com
9781961856868, $75.00, HC, 348pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Tashiding-Gardens-Douglas-Tsognie-Hamilton/dp/1961856867
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/tashiding-douglas-hamilton-jr/1147214796
Synopsis: The simply stunning, full color photography and the elegant design comprising "Tashiding: Beyond Earth and
Sky, The Gardens of Douglas & Tsognie Hamilton" by co-authors Douglas Hamilton Jr. and Norman Barker take the
reader on a truly exquisite visual tour of the property and its development, including the origins and culture of its owners --
Douglas Hamilton former president and chairman of The Walters Museum in Maryland and Tsognie Wangmo, the eldest
child of the last king of Sikkim, shortly before the Himalayan royal kingdom was taken over by India.
Once a Tibetan monastery, "Tashiding" beautifully showcases the joining of two distinct cultures, and how their Western
and Eastern backgrounds are manifest in the landscapes, garden themes, sculpture, ornament, and the house's interiors.
Everyone who has visited Tashiding is moved by the experiential sensation of the landscape's different places.
In developing Tashiding's four-seasons gardens, Douglas and Tsognie envisioned an environment that invites a sense of
harmony and well-being -- part arboretum, part park, and part Xanadu. This is a garden exquisitely designed for both
walking and quiet contemplation, for feeling the thrill of the wind on a cool March day or for sitting in the teahouse on a
rainy afternoon, watching the wind form abstract ripples on the surface of the lake.
Magnificent full page and double page photographs take the reader on an exquisite visual tour of the property, exploring its
varied influences, including the family histories and cultures of its owners. The breathtaking images celebrate the beauty of
the numerous gardens throughout the seasons.
Critique: This large format (12.5 x 2 x 9.5 inches, 5.6 pounds) coffee-table style hardcover edition of "Tashiding: Beyond
Earth and Sky, The Gardens of Douglas & Tsognie Hamilton" by Douglas Hamilton Jr. and Norman Barker is
informatively enhanced for the reader's benefit with the inclusion of a Foreword by Kate Markert, a four page Plant
Listing, a two page listing of Suggested Reading, a one page Acknowledgments, and a three page Index, this beautifully
crafted edition of "Tashiding: Beyond Earth and Sky, The Gardens of Douglas & Tsognie Hamilton" from ORO Editions is
unreservedly recommended for personal, community, and college/university library Regional/Residential/Vernacular
Architecture and Photography collections. It should be noted that "Tashiding: Beyond Earth and Sky, The Gardens of
Douglas & Tsognie Hamilton" is an ideal selection for Library Memorial Fund acquisition.
Editorial Note #1: Douglas Hamilton Jr. is a self-taught gardener who credits his lifelong curiosity about the natural world,
horticulture, travel, and Asian aesthetics as inspirations for the gardens he and his wife, Tsognie, developed at Tashiding.
Douglas serves as board chair of Hamilton Associates and related entities, a family of entrepreneurial companies where he
served as CEO for thirty-seven years. A former board chair and president of Baltimore's renowned Walters Art Museum,
Douglas has also served on the board of the Bhutan Foundation as well as those of the McDonogh School and the Valleys
Planning Council. Douglas and Tsognie have two sons, Douglas III and Palden, and three granddaughters, Charlotte, Alice,
and Tara.
Editorial Note #2: Norman Barker is a Professor of Pathology and Art as Applied to Medicine at the Johns Hopkins
University School of Medicine. Norman is an award-winning science photographer, writer, and designer. His work appears
in textbooks, journals, and museums worldwide. His photographs are in the permanent collections of more than forty
museums, including the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History, the George Eastman Museum, the American Museum of
Natural History, and the Science Museum in London. He is an Accredited Senior Imaging Scientist and a Fellow of the
Royal Photographic Society in Great Britain and the Biocommunications Association.
Editorial Note #3: Foreword writer Kate Markert, executive director of Hillwood Estate, Museum, and Gardens since
2010, knows something about transforming a public treasure in the heart of northwest Washington, DC, into a major,
landscaped destination.
The Mathematics Shelf
Another Sort of Mathematics
J. Jacob Tawney
Encounter Books
www.encounterbooks.com
9781641774444, $34.99, HC, 328pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Another-Sort-Mathematics-Necessary-Containing/dp/1641774444
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/another-sort-of-mathematics-jacob-tawney/1146909727
Synopsis: "Another Sort of Mathematics: Selected Proofs Necessary to Finally Acquire an Education in Mathematics" is
not a curriculum textbook, but an extensive and thought-provoking listing of some things from mathematics you should
experience but probably were never required to experience.
The theorems and proofs comprising "Another Sort of Mathematics: Selected Proofs Necessary to Finally Acquire an
Education in Mathematics" represent, in a small way, some of the best that has been said within the discipline of
mathematics by professional mathematicians.
There is something unique in the human soul that can only be satisfied by wondering about mathematics. And that means,
regardless of your background, "Another Sort of Mathematics: Selected Proofs Necessary to Finally Acquire an Education
in Mathematics" is ideal reading for anyone seeking to reclaim their mathematical inheritance, to embrace the
mathematician within themselves, and who choose to wonder.
Critique: Original, exceptional, thoughtful and thought-provoking, "Another Sort of Mathematics: Selected Proofs
Necessary to Finally Acquire an Education in Mathematics" is a unique, insightful, and extraordinary introduction to the
science and application of mathematics. While "Another Sort of Mathematics: Selected Proofs Necessary to Finally
Acquire an Education in Mathematics" is especially and unreservedly recommended for personal, professional,
community, and college/university library Mathematics 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
"Another Sort of Mathematics: Selected Proofs Necessary to Finally Acquire an Education in Mathematics" from
Encounter Books is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $34.95).
Editorial Note: J. Jacob ("Jake") Tawney has been enamored by mathematics for as long as he can remember, from
kindergarten to calculus. But he truly fell in love with it during his sophomore year at Denison University during a course
on mathematical proofs. After completing an undergraduate degree in mathematics and computer science from Denison, he
continued his studies at The Ohio State University. There he earned a master's degree in mathematics, submitting a thesis
on the mathematics of juggling. During his time in Ohio, Tawney taught at Upper Arlington High School and the
Pontifical College Josephinum, including courses in Euclid and the philosophy of mathematics. In 2014 he relocated his
family to Phoenix, Arizona, to join Great Hearts Academies, where he currently serves as the chief academic officer.
The Cartography Shelf
Telling Stories with Maps
Allen Carroll
Esri Press
www.esri.com/esripress
9781589488847, $69.99, HC, 244pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Telling-Stories-Maps-Place-Based-Narratives/dp/1589488849
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/telling-stories-with-maps-allen-carroll/1147021298
Synopsis: From scraping patterns in sand to drawing intricate lines on vellum and paper, to charting every place on the
planet, humans have used maps as a powerful storytelling medium. The advent of the digital age has revolutionized the
creation, distribution, and consumption of maps. The web created enormous opportunities for storytelling, enabling maps
to dance and weave, partnering with other multimedia elements (photos, video, audio, text) to tell countless tales about our
world.
Featuring a foreword by renowned travel writer and cofounder of Lonely Planet Tony Wheeler, "Telling Stories with
Maps: Lessons from a Lifetime of Creating Place-Based Narratives" bridges both the analog and digital realms,
showcasing how maps themselves tell stories and enrich narratives by providing context and insight. Richly illustrated
throughout with examples from traditional maps to the latest digital visualizations, "Telling Stories with Maps" is an
essential guide for anyone interested in the powerful storytelling potential of maps.
Topics covered in "Telling Stories with Maps" includes:
How storytelling is fundamental to our humanity
Comparing and contrasting the use of words, images, and maps in storytelling
How maps help us tackle the who, what, when, where, why, and how
Considerations for the deep connection between maps and memory
How cartography and location-based storytelling have changed during the digital age
How the author and his collaborators refined storytelling techniques to create printed wall maps and atlas plates
The roles that maps play in narrative context
Readers will learn:
15 approaches to storytelling and place-based topics
How exposure to maps and geography can change how we think
Storytelling approaches suited for digital media yet honoring the centuries-old conventions of cartography
How to develop multimedia stories with the ability to employ motion and interactivity for your audience
Practical features and functions of ArcGIS StoryMaps, Esri's storytelling platform, with insight and inspiration you can
apply to your stories.
"Telling Stories with Maps" is a winding armchair journey ranging from thoughts on how our brains process spatial
information to practical tips on creating stories. It will guide and inspire the creation place-based narratives that intrigue
readers.
Critique: Informed, informative, fascinating "Telling Stories with Maps: Lessons from a Lifetime of Creating Place-Based
Narratives" is a complete course in the use of purpose of maps from antiquity down to the modern age. Exceptional and
thoroughly 'reader friendly' in organization and illustrated presentation, "Telling Stories with Maps" is a unique and
unreservedly recommended addition to personal, professional, community, and college/university library cartography
collections and supplemental Geographic Information Systems 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 "Telling Stories
with Maps" from Esri Press is also readily available in paperback (9781589487970, $44.99) and in a digital book format
(Kindle, $44.99).
Editorial Note #1: Allen Carroll brings his experience from both the National Geographic Society and Esri into his writing.
Carroll spent more than a decade of his 27-year career at National Geographic Society as chief cartographer. In 2010,
Caroll joined Esri and founded its ArcGIS StoryMaps team, which developed web tools that enabled hundreds of
thousands of individuals and organizations to tell place-based stories combining interactive maps and multimedia
content.
The Library of Lost Maps
James Cheshire
Bloomsbury Publishing
www.bloomsbury.com
9781639734283, $40.00, HC, 384pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Library-Lost-Maps-Archive-Progress/dp/1639734287
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-library-of-lost-maps-james-cheshire/1146846583
Synopsis: Tucked just beyond offices and a lecture hall in the heart of London lies a turquoise door. Intrigued, James
Cheshire stepped through and was astonished by what he found inside: thousands of maps and atlases, spilling out of
wooden drawers. It was a map library.
With the publication of "The Library of Lost Maps: An Archive of a World in Progress", cartography expert Cheshire
transports us to the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, when the library's maps were wielded for war and negotiated during
peace; when its charts traced, for the first time, the icy peaks of the Himalayas.
Maps have played a vital role in shaping our scientific knowledge of the world, inspiring the theory of plate tectonics and
showing the impact of climate change. They have also guided politicians, encouraging both beneficial reforms and horrific
conquests, the consequences of which we live with today.
Brimming with surprising discoveries and stunning four-color map reproductions, "The Library of Lost Maps" unveils the
power of maps to remind us of our past and inspire us toward a better future.
Critique: The history of the world is a history of maps. "The Library of Lost Maps: An Archive of a World in Progress" by
renowned geographer James Cheshire takes the reader on an inherently fascinating tour through a forgotten collection of
maps that shaped the last 200+ years of Western history. Profusely illustrated throughout, "The Library of Lost Maps" is
enhanced for the readers benefit with the inclusion of a two page listing of Further Reading, a ten page Map Gallery, and a
four page Index. Unique, special, instructive, "The Library of Lost Maps" is an original and especially recommended pick
for personal, professional, community, and college/university library Cartography collections and supplemental curriculum
studies list. It should be noted for students, academia, cartographers, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in
the subject of Maps & Cartography that "The Library of Lost Maps" from Bloomsbury Press is also available in a digital
book format (Kindle, $9.24).
Editorial Note: James Cheshire (https://jcheshire.com) is Britain's only Professor of Geographic Information and
Cartography. A world-leading map maker, his cartographic creations have been enjoyed by millions. He is an elected
fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences and has been recognized with many prestigious awards from the likes of the
Royal Geographical Society and the British Cartographic Society. His co-authored book Atlas of the Invisible won the
American Association of Geographer's Globe Award.
Atlas of Borders: Walls, Migrations, and Conflict in 70 Maps
Delphine Papin, author
Bruno Tertrais, author
Xemartin Laborde, cartographer
Thames & Hudson, Inc.
www.thamesandhudsonusa.com
9780500030493, $39.95, HC, 192pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Atlas-Borders-Walls-Migrations-Conflict/dp/B0DXSN1MSX
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/atlas-of-borders-delphine-papin/1147732499
Synopsis: The history of the world is a history of borders.
There are borders that are easily crossed and borders that are entirely impassable; there are visible borders (sometimes
demarcated by fences, walls, flags, and posts) and invisible borders (not seen on a physical map and oftentimes restrictive
of access to targeted populations). There are land borders, maritime, political, and cultural borders.
With the publication of "Atlas of Borders: Walls, Migrations, and Conflict in 70 Maps", cartographer Xemartin Labortle
presents 70 case studies through maps and infographics. While the co-authors, Delphine Papin and Bruno Tertrais, are two
experts in geopolitics who reflect on the modern world through the lens of border lines, helping readers make sense of a
complex world.
"Atlas of Borders" also addresses conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East, the repercussions of Brexit, the Covid-19
pandemic, and the migration of peoples around the globe. Featuring up-to-date maps, "Atlas of Borders" also covers the
aquatic borders of the Svalbard Islands, the borders of the eastern Mediterranean and the Blue Line dividing Lebanon and
Israel.
In a confusing and at times chaotic world that seemingly defies interpretation, this unique atlas sheds light on larger issues
behind the lines that separate or connect us.
Critique: A seminal and groundbreaking study that is impressively informative, deftly organized, thoroughly 'reader
friendly in presentation, as well as enhanced for the reader's benefit with the inclusion of 200 illustrations, this large format
(10.2 x 0.9 x 9.8 inches, 2.58 pounds) hardcover edition of the "Atlas of Borders: Walls, Migrations, and Conflict in 70
Maps" from Thames & Hudson is an original and unreservedly recommended addition to personal, professional,
community, and college/university library Cartography and International Relations collections and supplemental
curriculum studies lists.
Editorial Note #1: The head of the Infography and Cartography department at the Le Monde newspaper, Delphine Papin
also works at the French Institute of Geopolitics. (https://www.geopolitique.net) .
Editorial Note #2: Bruno Tertrais (https://www.nato-pa.int/node/57695) is deputy director of the Foundation for Strategic
Research and the Associate Expert at the Institute Montaigne. He specializes in geopolitics and international relations, and
he has written numerous books on these subjects.
Editorial Note #3: Xemartin Laborde is a cartographer and infographic designer at Le Monde.
(https://www.lemonde.fr/en/signataires/xemartin-laborde)
The Humor Shelf
MISFIT 4
Mister John
Yak Publishing
www.yakpublishing.com
9798999220516, $24.99, HC, 220pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Misfit-4-Mister-John/dp/B0FRXQQK3W
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/misfit-4-mister-john/1148323147
Synopsis: Mister John hasn't had a home street or mailing address for over half his life. He's never made a mortgage or car
payment, nor has he rented an apartment or house. He's never had children or a cup of coffee, so he doesn't know about
those things either. Yet, he once held valid driver's licenses from three countries on three continents.
Does this small-town boy from humble beginnings live in another reality? Yes, after realizing at an early age that if he
lived a life like most everyone else, he'd get a life like most everyone else. John wanted something different. John got
something different, and then some, and then some more.
From his earliest memories to his latest doings, with the publication of MISFIT 4 (like each of the three previous volumes
in this unique series), Mister John recounts 36 of his humorous, reflective, inherently interesting, deftly crafted, thoughtful,
and thought-provoking short stories. When taken together, what emerges for the reader is the story of his serendipitous
life.
Authentic, skillfully written memoir storytelling, this is a truly impressive and special series that tells a compelling tale.
Mister John's unique perspective on life, presented in make-you-laugh, make-you-cry, make-you-think stories he hopes to
pass along to generations of appreciative readers, will leave you enlightened.
Critique: Original, unusual, exceptional, and an inherently fascinating blend of wry humor, engaging anecdotes, and
memorably life based incidents and insights, "MISFIT 4" is a compelling read and an introduction to a writer/author whose
remarkable and memorable storytelling talents are on full display. Highly recommended for personal reading lists and
community library Humor collections, it should be noted that this hardcover edition of "MISFIT 4" from Yak Publishing is
also readily available in paperback (9798999220547, $14.99) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $6.99).
Editorial Note: John's life took a sharp turn to the different on April Fools' Day 1991 when he accepted a position to teach
computers and math at United Arab Emirates University located in the desert oasis city of Al Ain. On the Men's Campus
his first year, he taught on the Women's Campus for the next seven, one of the first unmarried Western men permitted to
do so. He returned to the UAE in 2001, the Higher Colleges of Technology hiring him to develop a CAD/Interior Design
program at Sharjah Women's College. Where he met Sue, a native of Canada and his wife-to-be. With the program in
place, John transferred to Dubai Women's College to again teach computers and math. In 2007, John and Sue retired, at the
age of 44, moving to their riverfront property off a dead-end dirt (they aspired to gravel) road in the mountains near
Vilcabamba, Ecuador, where they currently reside.
The Philosophy Shelf
Pragmatism and Idealism
Robert B. Brandom
Oxford University Press
www.oup.com/us
9780192870216, $16.99, PB, 160pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Pragmatism-Idealism-Representation-Reality-Lectures/dp/0192870211
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/pragmatism-and-idealism-robert-b-brandom/1142096685
Synopsis: "Pragmatism and Idealism: Rorty and Hegel on Representation and Reality" is a slender compendium of the
Spinoza Lectures at the University of Amsterdam by Professor Robert B. Brandom who offers a pragmatist approach to
representation and reality, drawing on Richard Rorty and Hegel.
During the last decade of his life, Rorty emphasized the anti-authoritarian credentials of his pragmatism. He came to see
pragmatism as the fighting faith of a second phase of the Enlightenment. The first stage, as Rorty construed it, concerned
our emancipation from nonhuman authority in practical matters: issues of what we ought to do and how things ought to be.
The envisaged second stage addresses rather our emancipation from nonhuman authority in theoretical matters.
Professor Brandom shows how pragmatism moves beyond the traditional model of reality as authoritative over our
cognitive representations of it in language and thought, to a new conception of how discursive practices help us cope with
the vicissitudes of life.
Hegel anticipates the challenge to the very idea of objective reality as providing norms for thought which Rorty believed
required us to enact a second phase of the Enlightenment. Unlike Rorty, Hegel presents a detailed, constructive,
anti-authoritarian, non-fetishistic, social pragmatist account of the representational dimension of conceptual content.
At its heart, "Pragmatism and Idealism: Rorty and Hegel on Representation and Reality" is an account of the social
dimension of discursive normativity in terms of reciprocal recognition, and an account of the historical dimension of
discursive normativity in terms of a distinctive new conception of reason: the recollective rationality that turns a past into a
tradition. His idealism thereby offers a concrete pragmatist alternative to Rorty's global semantic and epistemological
anti-representationalism.
Critique: Original, deftly crafted, intellectually engaging, "Pragmatism and Idealism: Rorty and Hegel on Representation
and Reality" by Professor Robert B. Brandom is an extraordinary and unreservedly recommended addition to
college/university library Philosophy collections and supplemental Social & Political Philosophy curriculum studies lists.
It should be noted for the personal reading lists of philosophy students, academia, and non-specialist general readers with
an interest in the subject that this paperback edition of "Pragmatism and Idealism: Rorty and Hegel on Representation and
Reality" from the Oxford University Press is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $10.49).
Editorial Note: Robert B. Brandom is Distinguished Professor of Philosophy at the University of Pittsburgh and a Fellow
of both the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and the British Academy. He delivered the John Locke Lectures at the
University of Oxford and the Woodbridge Lectures at Columbia University. Brandom is the author of many books,
including Making It Explicit, Reason in Philosophy, and From Empiricism to Expressivism -- all from the Harvard
University Press. (https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/177093.Robert_B_Brandom)
Get a Life! A Guide to Finding a Philosophy to Live By
Alan Poon
Paper Tiger Publishing
https://papertigerpublishing.com
9781069711205, $11.99, PB, 177pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Life-Guide-Finding-Philosophy-Live/dp/1069711209
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/get-a-life-a-guide-to-finding-a-philosophy-to-live-by-alan-poon/1148136390
Synopsis: "Get a Life! A Guide to Finding a Philosophy to Live By" was written by Alan Poon specifically for the benefit
of readers who are searching for meaning in a world that increasingly feels hollow. To let his readers know that they are
not alone. That as modern life casts off the traditional anchors of the past, so many of us are left adrift.
What Alan presents in the pages of "Get a Life!" is a kind of introductory tour through the wisdom of the ages to
rediscover what has been lost. Exploring transformative ideas drawn from eight of humanity's greatest philosophies
ranging from Buddhist calm, to Existentialist courage, to Epicurean delight, to Confucian duty -- and everything in
between.
Wisdom comes in many shapes and sizes, and "Get a Life!" reveals alternatives to the script contemporary society has
given us when it comes to questions like: Why is life worth living? What things are worth fighting for? How do we be
good and do good?
"Get a Life!" mercilessly cuts through the mumbo jumbo of academia with clarity and wit to distill complicated ideas into
plain English, focusing on practical insights to live a life of purpose, fulfillment, and happiness. Whether you're a seeker,
skeptic, or simply feeling stuck, "Get a Life!" presents a roadmap to finding a philosophy of life that's right for you.
Critique: Original, extraordinary, emotionally and intellectually engaging, "Get a Life! A Guide to Finding a Philosophy to
Live By" by Alan Poon is exceptionally well written, organized and presented, making it an especially and unreservedly
recommended addition to personal, professional, community, and college/university library Self-Help/Self-Improvement
and Contemporary Philosophy collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists. It should be noted that this paperback
edition of "Get a Life! A Guide to Finding a Philosophy to Live By" from Paper Tiger Publishing is also readily available
in a digital book format (Kindle, $3.99).
Editorial Note: Alan Poon was born in Hong Kong and grew up in Vancouver. As a child, he read a complete encyclopedia
set for fun (it's like Wikipedia, but printed!). He had a reputation as a teenage rebel, writing his own answers on
multiple-choice tests and fearlessly opening the door to debate Jehovah's Witnesses. Armed with an engineering degree, he
works as a mailman and has no credentials to talk about philosophy. That hasn't stopped him from trying.
The Religion/Spirituality Shelf
Spiritually Homeless
Kris Girrell
https://krisgirrell.com
MSI Press
http://msipress.com
9781957354774, $19.95, PB, 220pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Spiritually-Homeless-Kris-Girrell/dp/1957354771
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/spiritually-homeless-kris-girrell/1148276611
Synopsis: For the masses of humans who consider themselves to be Spiritual But Not Religious, with the publication of
"Spiritually Homeless" author Kris Girrell offers as a kind of map through the wilderness of sorting out what we believe
and how we can codify and own that as our own "religion".
Girrell aptly serves as a guide for those undaunted explorers of faith and religion. Using his own journey and accounts
from dozens of other spiritual explorers, he lays out what it means to be spiritually homeless, how we got here, how to find
our people and ultimately our home in the world of spirituality.
"Spiritually Homeless" is replete with examples, ranging from what spiritual development looks like, to navigating
spiritual impasse and even offers tips on how to select a spiritual director. "Spiritually Homeless" is essential reading for
anyone who feels the tug of spirituality pulling them out beyond the walls and credos of traditional religions.
Critique: Original, engaging, thought-provoking, deftly crafted, a bit iconoclastic, and assuredly motivating spiritually,
"Spiritually Homeless" is an extraordinary and thoroughly 'reader friendly' treatise that is also available in a digital book
format (Kindle, $9.99) and is especially and unreservedly recommended for the personal reading lists for clergy, seminary
students, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject of Faith, Reason, Religion & Spirituality.
Editorial Note: Kris Girrell (https://krisgirrell.com) is an avid student of life, as seen through the lenses of psychology and
theology.
James A. Cox, Editor-in-Chief
Diane C. Donovan, Editor
Midwest Book Review
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Oregon, WI 53575-1129
phone: 1-608-835-7937
e-mail: mbr@execpc.com
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