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Table of Contents
Reviewer's Choice
Kamala, The Motherland, and Me
Dr. Nii-Quartelai Quartey
Press 49
https://www.press49.com
9781953315427, $29.99, PB, 270pp
https://www.amazon.com/Kamala-Motherland-Dr-Nii-Quartelai-Quartey/dp/1953315429
Synopsis: "Kamala, The Motherland, and Me", a memoir by Dr. Nii-Quartelai Quartey, who takes the reader on a journey
of self-discovery and political revelation --including being aboard Air Force Two, when he accompanied Vice President
Kamala Harris on a historic voyage to Africa, -- the homeland of his father.
As a Ghanaian-American political journalist and advocate, Quartey brings a fresh perspective to Vice President Harris's
leadership and challenges assumptions about Africa's place in global politics.
Through personal anecdotes and astute political analysis, Quartey delves into Vice President Harris's visit to Ghana,
Tanzania, and Zambia, offering insights into the intersections of race, gender, and sexuality. He reflects on the significance
of the trip, from discussions on human rights to female empowerment initiatives, shedding light on the complexities of
African identity and the global impact of US policies.
"Kamala, The Motherland, and Me" not only invites readers to reconsider their preconceptions about Vice President Harris
but also prompts critical examination of media representation and societal biases. Quartey's transparent narrative explores
themes of belonging, acceptance, and the pursuit of progress, resonating with readers across cultural divides.
Critique: Timely, informative, inherently interesting, and a 'must read' pick for the growing legions of Kamala Harris fans
with respect to her current presidential campaign, "Kamala, The Motherland, and Me" is a high value, high priority
acquisition for community and college/university library political biography/memoir collections. For personal reading lists
of anyone seeking to learn more about Kamala Harris and what she stands for -- make "Kamala, The Motherland, and Me"
by Dr. Nii-Quartelai Quartey your next book.
The Writing/Publishing Shelf
A Guide To Creative Writing
SJ Banham
White Owl
c/o Pen & Sword Books
https://www.penandswordbooks.com
Casemate (US distribution)
www.casematepublishers.com
9781399035149, $24.95, PB, 216pp
https://www.amazon.com/Guide-Creative-Writing-SJ-Banham/dp/1399035142
Synopsis: Does the idea of creative writing excite you, but you have no idea how to begin?
Do you want to write a story, a local interest book, or even complete a book of poetry? Maybe you would enjoy creating a
legacy piece to hand down to future generations, or capture the essence of your relative's lives but don't know where to
start or what to include?
Between suggestions, tips, anecdotes, and exercises, with the publication of "A Guide to Creative Writing" by SJ Banham
you will glean a mountain of information that will set you on your way no matter if you are new to creative writing or
already have a book or three under your belt.
With a friendly, accessible tone, "A Guide To Creative Writing" gives you all the tools you will need to write just for the
love of it or to take it further -- even professionally.
Critique: Exceptionally 'user friendly in style, organization and presentation, "A Guide To Creative Writing" is
compendium of invaluable suggestions, tips, anecdotes, and exercises to help you get started in Creative Writing. Inspiring
and 'real world practical, this DIY paperback edition of "A Guide to Creative Writing" by SJ Banham is especially and
unreservedly recommended for personal, professional, community, and college/university Creative Writing collections and
supplemental curriculum studies lists. It should be noted for students, aspiring authors, and non-specialist general readers
with an interest in the subject that "A Guide To Creative Writing" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle,
$12.99) as well.
Editorial Note: SJ Banham has been writing for almost four decades, penning a dozen fiction, non-fiction, and several
ghost written books. She runs her own business nurturing new writers and helping to develop the skills of those more
experienced. ( (www.loveofbooks.co.uk) A member of Society of Authors and Alliance of Independent Authors, she was
awarded a BA (Hons) in English Literature and Creative Writing in 2020. She lives in England.
(https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/SJ-Banham/a/5895)
The Supreme Guide to Writing
Jill Barton
Oxford University Press
www.oup.com/us
9780197754351, $99.00, HC, 240pp
https://www.amazon.com/Supreme-Guide-Writing-Jill-Barton/dp/019775435X
Synopsis: In "The Supreme Guide to Writing: Become a Great Writer with the U.S. Supreme Court as Your Guide", law
professor and seasoned journalist Jill Barton cuts through competing advice to detail definitive grammar rules based on the
nation's unequivocal authority: the U.S. Supreme Court.
"The Supreme Guide to Writing" details a revolution in legal writing, with the justices progressing beyond the drab and
technical for the deft and lyrical. With the first-ever analysis of 10,000 pages of Court opinions, this instructional guide
pinpoints grammar and style rules that the justices follow -- and describes the outdated rules they leave behind.
Today's Court casts aside formality in favor of pop-culture references, contractions, and approachable language. In addition
to establishing grammar and style rules, "The Supreme Guide to Writing" illustrates best practices with hundreds of
examples of the justices' most brilliant sentences from the past several years.
With its step-by-step instructions, "The Supreme Guide to Writing" describes how to emulate the justices' writing styles by
breaking down their strategies and techniques. It also shows how Justice Elena Kagan lands amusing quips and weaves
together down-to-earth analogies, how Justice Neil Gorsuch executes witty retorts, and how Chief Justice John Roberts
pens unforgettable lines with understated style and humor.
The best writing appears effortless, but it also takes tremendous effort. Legal writing even more so. "The Supreme Guide
to Writing" provides a nonpartisan look at how the justices present their words to the world.
Critique: Taking a unique approach as a DIY instructional guide on the art and craft of writing, Jill Barton's "The Supreme
Guide to Writing: Become a great writer with the U.S. Supreme Court as Your Guide" from the Oxford University Press is
essentially a complete, comprehensive, and thoroughly 'reader friendly' in terms of content, organization and presentation.
While also available in a paperback edition (9780197754368, $27.95) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $14.49) for
students, academia, judicial writers, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject, "The Supreme Guide
to Writing" is especially and unreservedly recommended for personal, professional, community, and college/university
library Constitutional & Administration Law instructional writing collections and supplemental curriculum studies
lists.
Editorial Note: Jill Barton (www.jillbarton.net) has published two legal writing textbooks and hundreds of news articles as
a journalist for the Associated Press. She currently serves as a professor and the legal writing director at the University of
Miami School of Law. She authored So Ordered: The Writer's Guide for Aspiring Judges, Judicial Clerks, and Interns.
And she coauthored The Handbook for the New Legal Writer, a popular law school textbook now in its third edition, that
aims to demystify the process of legal writing and inspire beginning and experienced legal writers. She has worked as an
appellate judicial clerk, conducted workshops for regional and national law firms, and presented her work at conferences
nationally, becoming a leading voice in the conversation on the best practices in writing.
The AI Shelf
Artificial Intelligence for Learning
Donald Clark
Kogan Page Inc.
www.koganpage.com
9781398615779, $134.00, HC, 312pp
https://www.amazon.com/Artificial-Intelligence-Learning-Generative-Development/dp/1398615773
Synopsis: Now in a newly updated and expanded second edition, "Artificial Intelligence for Learning: Using AI and
Generative AI to Support Learner Development" by Donald Clark continues to be an essential guide for learning
professionals who want to understand how to use AI to improve all aspects of learning in organizations. This new edition
debunks the myths and misconceptions around AI, discusses the learning theory behind generative AI and gives strategic
and practical advice on how AI can be used.
The new edition of "Artificial Intelligence of Learning" also includes specific guidance on how AI can provide learning
support, chatbot functionality and content, as well as ideas on ethics and personalization. This instructional textbook is
necessary reading for all learning practitioners needing to understand AI and what it means in practice.
Critique: Of immense and timely value for businesses seeking to integrate artificial intelligence (AI) into their operations,
this newly up-to-date second edition of Donald Clark's "Artificial Intelligence for Learning: Using AI and Generative AI to
Support Learner Development" from Kogan Page is a prized pick for personal, professional, community, corporation, and
college/university library Human Resources/Leadership Training/Personnel Management & Artificial Intelligence
collections and supplemental MBA curriculum studies lists. It should be noted for MBA students, academia, and corporate
executives with an interest in the subject that this new second edition of "Artificial Intelligence for Learning: Using AI and
Generative AI to Support Learner Development" is also available in a paperback edition (9781398615663, $42.00) and in a
digital book format (Kindle, $40.84).
Editorial Note: Donald Clark has over 30 years' experience in online learning, simulations, virtual reality, mobile and
artificial intelligence projects. He was a founding member of Epic Group plc and the Founder and CEO of Wildfire
Learning. He is a frequent global speaker, blogger, advisor and researcher on AI in learning and is also a Visiting Professor
at the University of Derby. (https://www.koganpage.com/authors/donald-clark)
Confident AI
Andy Pardoe
Kogan Page Inc.
www.koganpage.com
9781398616202, $71.00, HC, 296pp
https://www.amazon.com/Confident-AI-Essential-Artificial-Intelligence/dp/1398616206
Synopsis: Artificial intelligence has become an integral part of our everyday lives. But it remains an elusive, complex and
intimidating technology that has hundreds of iterations and nuances. With "Confident AI: The Essential Skills for Working
With Artificial Intelligence" by AI expert Andy Pardoe you can build your confidence when working with AI by learning
the fundamentals and discovering the intricacies of the industry.
Andy Pardoe has spent decades working with AI, not only as an influential academic but also within corporations and as a
consultant and accelerator for AI start-ups. He with the publication of "Confident AI" he has drawn upon his expertise and
lived experience to offer the essential skills and tools that you need to succeed with Artificial Intelligence, whether you are
pursuing it as a career or simply working with AI in your work-life.
Critique: An invaluable and timely contribution to our national discourse on the subject of artificial intelligence (AI),
"Confident AI: The Essential Skills for Working With Artificial Intelligence" is the ideal introduction for both
professionals, students, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject. Expertly written, organized and,
presented "Confident AI" is specifically recommended for personal, professional, community, corporate, and
college/university library Artificial Intelligence collections and supplemental AI curriculum studies lists. It should be noted
that "Confident AI" is also available from Kogan Page in a paperback edition (9781398615724, $19.99) and in a digital
book format (Kindle, $18.99).
Editorial Note: Andy Pardoe (https://pardoe.ai) is a leading AI thought leader, consultant, speaker and author. He is the
Founder & CEO of the Wisdom Works Group consultancy and is also the Managing Partner of Wisdom Works Ventures,
a specialist accelerator for AI startups. Based in London UK, ee is the Chair of the Deep Tech Innovation Centre at the
University of Warwick.
The Education Shelf
Building Blocks for Teaching Young Children in Inclusive Settings, 4th Edition
Susan R. Randall, et al.
Brookes Publishing Company
www.brookespublishing.com
9781681257990, $54.95, PB, 264pp
https://www.amazon.com/Building-Teaching-Children-Inclusive-Settings/dp/1681257998
Synopsis: Enhanced with new content, new topics, and more tools for planning effective instruction in a newly updated
and expanded fourth edition, "Building Blocks for Teaching Young Children in Inclusive Settings" from the Brookes
Publishing Company will prepare early childhood educators to teach children ages 2-5 in inclusive settings.
This updated "Building Blocks" guide gives pre- and in-service teachers three types of practical, evidence-based inclusion
strategies: curriculum modifications, embedded learning opportunities, and child-focused instructional strategies.
Educators will learn how to apply these three strategies for the benefit of all children; review the latest research that
supports the Building Blocks model; -and find ready-to-use tips and guidance on key topics, from fostering friendships to
promoting positive behavior.
New reproducible forms support planning and assessment, and seven training modules make it easy to teach the "Building
Blocks" framework in college courses and professional development sessions.
Equally useful as a student-friendly textbook and a go-to guide for practicing educators, "Building Blocks for Teaching
Young Children in Inclusive Settings, 4th Edition" is an invaluable resource readers will return to again and again for
proven, easy-to-use strategies that support all young learners.
While all chapters have now been updated, it should be noted that there is a new chapter on Ongoing Assessment and
Instructional Decision-Making; a new chapter on Implementing the Building Blocks Framework; 8 new checklists and
planning forms to support implementation; A new section on the impact of implicit bias on teachers' perception of
challenging behavior; Expanded content on key topics such as collaboration, curriculum modifications, friendships and
social relationships; plus Updated vignettes, terms, resources, and references.
Critique: Thoroughly 'user friendly' in organization and presentation, this large format (8.75 x 0.75 x 11.25 inches, 1.6
pounds) paperback edition of " Building Blocks for Teaching Young Children in Inclusive Settings" by co-authors Susan
R. Sandall, Ariane N. Gauvreau, Gail E. Joseph, and Ilene S. Schwartz is an ideal and unreservedly recommended textbook
for school district teacher in-service training programs, as well as college/university Teacher Education collections and
supplemental Early Childhood Education/STEM Education curriculum studies lists.
Editorial Note #1: Dr. Ariane N. Gauvreau is a clinical faculty member and Field Director of the Special Education
Program at the University of Washington.
Editorial Note #2: Dr. Gail E. Joseph is the Bezos Family Distinguished Professor in Early Learning at the College of
Education at the University of Washington, Seattle.
Editorial Note #3: Dr. Susan R. Sandall is Professor Emeritus at the University of Washington. She has directed personnel
preparation projects, developed curriculum materials for all age groups, and published materials on educational practices to
facilitate optimal outcomes for infants, toddlers, and preschoolers with disabilities.
Editorial Note #4: Dr. Ilene S. Schwartz is Professor of Special Education and Director of the Haring Center at the
University of Washington. Dr. Schwartz is also the Director of Project DATA (Developmentally Appropriate Treatment
for Autism), a school based early intervention intensive behavioral intervention program for children with autism.
Gender-Inclusive Schools
Dave Edwards
Free Spirit Publishing
www.freespirit.com
9798885543965, $39.99, PB, 144pp
https://www.amazon.com/Gender-Inclusive-Schools-Gender-Expansive-Students-Professional%C2%AE/dp/B0CW5HVJ
WM
Synopsis: Gender-expansive youth need school policies and practices that focus on their happiness, health, safety, and
privacy. Schools and teachers need concrete, accessible strategies and tools for supporting them. "Gender-Inclusive
Schools: How to Affirm and Support Gender-Expansive Students" by Dave Edwards empowers every educator with those
tools and strategies. Whether educators are brand new to or already familiar with gender diversity topics, they will find
opportunities to learn and practice in a judgment-free, low-stakes way.
This is a 'must-have' resource that will:
Helps educators understand, advocate for, and implement research-based best practices for gender-expansive youth.
Includes discussion prompts and reflection activities at the end of each chapter.
Shares strategies for affirming students through social transitions at school.
Supports educators by offering model language to address challenging questions related to gender in school
communities.
Provides concrete actions educators can take to adopt gender-inclusive language and create learning environments that
welcome students of all genders.
Offers perspectives from gender-expansive youth in their own words.
Written by educator and advocate Dave Edwards (founder of the Gender-Inclusive Schools organization),
"Gender-Inclusive Schools: How to Affirm and Support Gender-Expansive Students" grew from the resources and
education-specific trainings he has developed working with school districts, independent schools, and educators
throughout the United States and in Canada, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Digital content includes reproducible
forms from the book.
Critique: A seminal, ground-breaking, and thoroughly 'user friendly' instruction guide, this large format (8.5 x 0.4 x 11
inches, 15.7 ounces) paperback edition of "Gender-Inclusive Schools: How to Affirm and Support Gender-Expansive
Students" from Free Spirit Publishing is ideal for school district teacher in-service training programs and an unreservedly
recommended addition to personal/parental, professional, K-12 school district, and college/university Gender Equality
Education Policy/Practice collections
Editorial Note: Dave Edwards is a queer person and career educator who has served in almost every role in preschool/K -
12 school communities: special education paraprofessional, special education teacher, middle and high school classroom
teacher, special education coordinator, dean of students, and assistant head of school. Dave was lead instructor for the
nontraditional teacher licensure program in emotional and behavioral disorders at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities
and a professor in the teacher preparation program at Hamline University before devoting his efforts full-time to Gender-Inclusive Schools. Dave is the proud parent to a transgender daughter. The discrimination she experienced in kindergarten
led to his vocation of helping school communities create safe learning environments. He also serves on the board of the
Minnesota Transgender Health Coalition, and his family is heavily involved with Transforming Families Minnesota.
The Health/Medicine Shelf
Charting a Future for Sequencing RNA and Its Modifications
National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, Medicine
The National Academies Press
www.nap.edu
9780309706957, $40.00, PB, 260pp
https://www.amazon.com/Charting-Future-Sequencing-RNA-Modifications/dp/0309706955
Synopsis: Concerted efforts to deepen understanding of RNA modifications and their role in living systems hold the
potential to advance human health, improve crop yields, and address other pressing societal challenges.
RNA, which carries the information encoded by DNA to the places where it is needed, is amazingly diverse and dynamic.
RNA is processed and modified through natural biological pathways, giving rise to hundreds, in some cases thousands, of
distinct RNA molecules for each gene, thereby diversifying genetic information.
RNA modifications are known to be pivotal players in nearly all biological processes, and their dysregulation has been
implicated in a wide range of human diseases and disorders. Yet, our knowledge of RNA modifications remains
incomplete, hindered by current technological limitations.
Existing methods cannot discover all RNA modifications, let alone comprehensively sequence them on every RNA
molecule. Nonetheless, what is known about RNA modifications has already been leveraged in the development of
vaccines that helped saved millions of lives worldwide during the COVID-19 pandemic.
RNA modifications also have applications beyond health, for example, enhancing agricultural productivity.
"Charting a Future for Sequencing RNA and Its Modifications: A New Era for Biology and Medicine" calls for a focused,
large-scale effort to accelerate technological innovation to harness the full potential of RNA modifications to address
pressing societal challenges in health, agriculture, and beyond. This report assesses the scientific and technological
breakthroughs, workforce, and infrastructure needs to sequence RNA and its modifications, and ultimately understand the
roles RNA modifications play in biological processes and disease.
"Charting a Future for Sequencing RNA and Its Modifications" proposes a roadmap of innovation that will make it
possible for any RNA from any biological system to be sequenced end-to-end with all of its modifications - a capability
that could lead to more personalized and targeted treatments and instigate transformative changes across various sectors
beyond health and medicine.
Critique: A seminal and ground-breaking study, "Charting a Future for Sequencing RNA and Its Modifications: A New Era
for Biology and Medicine" must be considered an essential and required addition to personal, professional, medical school,
and college/university library Genetics & Medical Research collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists. It shoud
be noted for students, academia, and genetic researchers, that "Charting a Future for Sequencing RNA and Its
Modifications: A New Era for Biology and Medicine" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $32.99) as
well.
Editorial Note: The National Academies Press (https://nap.nationalacademies.org) publishes the publications of the
National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. They publish more than 200 publications per year on a wide
range of topics in science, engineering, and medicine, providing authoritative, independently researched information on
important matters in science and health policy.
The Cookbook Shelf
Taste of Home: What's For Dinner?
Taste of Home
https://www.tasteofhome.com
c/o Trusted Media Brands
https://www.trustedmediabrands.com
9798889770510, $22.99, PB, 320pp
https://www.amazon.com/Taste-Home-Whats-Dinner-QUESTION/dp/B0CWZ16PHW
Synopsis: "What's for dinner?" is a question family cooks have faced (and dreaded) for decades. Now it's easier than ever
to solve this mealtime quandary thanks to "What's for Dinner?" from the pros at Taste of Home.
Half the work of preparing dinner is deciding what to make, so that question is responded to with 358 dinner ideas that are
ideal for busy week nights and weekend menus alike. Featuring hundreds of half-hour dishes as well as 5-ingredient
favorites, slow-cooked specialties and other easy entrees, this kitchen companion transforms ho-hum dinner staples into
extraordinary eats.
Of special note for family cooks is the inclusion of a bonus chapter of 10-minute sides and desserts, no-fuss serving
suggestions that round out main courses and five At-a-Glance Icons to help you find the perfect dinner any night of the
week. Say goodbye to mealtime monotony and relish incredible new tastes any night of the week. It's a snap with "What's
for Dinner?" from Taste of Home.
Critique: Illustrated throughout with full color (and mouth watering) photos of finished dishes, 'Clip-and-Keep List of
Pantry Staples' guide for stocking your kitchen cabinets with the ingredients needed to whip up hearty meals., and Serving
Suggestions' offering effortless and inspiring ideas to round out entrees and help you set memorable menus on the table
even on your busiest nights, "Taste of Home: What's For Dinner?" will prove an immediately welcome and enduringly
popular addition to personal, family, professional, and community library cookbook collections. An inspirational joy to
plan menus with for any and all dining occasions both formal and informal, "Taste of Home: What's For Dinner?" is also
readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $14.99) as well.
Editorial Note: Taste of Home is America's #1 food/lifestyle brand, inspiring togetherness through cooking, baking and
entertaining. Featuring recipes shared by today's home cooks, Taste of Home magazine has hundreds of thousands of
subscribers throughout North America and publishes best-selling cookbooks and newsstand specials. The brand's web site
is a top destination, featuring kitchen-tested recipes, how-to techniques, cooking videos and more. Taste of Home has more
than 6.3 million fans on Facebook, 2 million followers on Instagram, 2.6 million Pinterest followers and receives more
than 28 million unique monthly visitors. Visit Taste of Home on Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest to learn more.
Taste of Home: Lazy-Day Dinners, Desserts & More
Taste of Home
https://www.tasteofhome.com
c/o Trusted Media Brands
https://www.trustedmediabrands.com
9798889770381, $19.99, PB, 256pp
https://www.amazon.com/Taste-Home-Lazy-Day-Dinners-Desserts/dp/B0CM29R2MZ
Synopsis: What to cook when you don't feel like cooking! Discover the joy of nearly effortless cooking with "Taste of
Home: Lazy-Day Dinners, Desserts & More", a cookbook made with the busy cook in mind.
With this culinary compendium of dishes that are so easy for the family chef to prepare that they practically make
themselves, you can say goodbye to long ingredient lists and hours of kitchen prep, and say hello to delicious homemade
meals that dazzle with their simplicity.
That's the magic of 'dump recipes' -- they are unbelievably simple yet incredibly tasty dishes that require so little effort,
they practically cook themselves! Using just a few ingredients and following simple steps, you can create mouthwatering
dishes on your timetable - things like breakfast while you sleep, meals ready to serve when you walk in the door, and even
hot homemade breads, scrumptious dump cakes and astoundingly simple sweets.
"Taste of Home: Lazy-Day Dinners, Desserts & More" offers: Mealtimes made easy with 200+ flavorful dishes you just
toss together and cook. We've rounded up our un-fussiest recipes into one handy collection; Recipes for every type of dish
- from breakfast that cooks while you sleep to simmer-all-day soups and dump desserts ready in a flash; Easy, breezy
gatherings, thanks a Sandwiches chapter brimming with sloppy joes, pulled barbecues and more crowd-pleasing options,
plus simple Snacks & Sips; Handy freeze icon indicates recipes store well and cook up in a jiffy; Pantry sweets and breads
that have never been easier with short ingredient lists, simple mix-and-bake techniques and shortcut products make
homemade cakes, dump desserts and even breads a snap.
Also featured are budget-friendly and versatile ingredients adding up to go-to recipes the busy cook will reach for time and
again and a bonus chapter of "Dump & Go Meal Preps" that is packed with timesaving ways to win the what's-for-dinner
game. Prep, freeze and go for future meals.
Critique: Replete throughout with full page, full color photos of finished dishes, "Taste of Home: Lazy-Day Dinners,
Desserts & More" is thoroughly 'kitchen cook friendly' in organization and presentation making it an ideal and candidly
recommended pick for personal, family, professional, and community library cookbook collections. It should be noted that
this edition of "Taste of Home: Lazy-Day Dinners, Desserts & More" from Taste of Home is also readily available in a
digital book format (Kindle, $11.99) as well.
Editorial Note: Taste of Home is America's #1 food/lifestyle brand, inspiring togetherness through cooking, baking and
entertaining. Featuring recipes shared by today's home cooks, Taste of Home magazine has hundreds of thousands of
subscribers throughout North America and publishes best-selling cookbooks and newsstand specials. The brand's web site
is a top destination, featuring kitchen-tested recipes, how-to techniques, cooking videos and more. Taste of Home has more
than 6.3 million fans on Facebook, 2 million followers on Instagram, 2.6 million Pinterest followers and receives more
than 28 million unique monthly visitors.
Chinese Cuisine
Margot Zhane, author
Zhao En Yang, illustrator
Firefly Books Ltd.
www.fireflybooks.com
9780228105152, $19.95, PB, 128pp
https://www.amazon.com/Chinese-Cuisine-Recipes-Anecdotes-Gastronomic/dp/0228105153
Synopsis: In China, one is saluted in any venue with the question, "Have you eaten?" This simple phrase suggests how
deeply anchored nourishment is in Chinese daily life. Food is about sustenance, but also communication of love and
respect. A meal is about food but also memories and friendship.
"Chinese Cuisine: Recipes and Anecdotes from Chinese Gastronomic Culture" is the fourth in a series of illustrated guides
to Asian cuisines and food culture and where you will find:
An introduction to the three important daily meals
Utensils from chopsticks to bamboo steamers and woks
Cutting and chopping tools and techniques
Sauces and broths
Ingredients like bok choi, oyster sauce, kumquats and chillies.
There is also a rundown on the eight regional Chinese cuisines, which are very different from Hunan to Sichuan:
Main ingredients: wontons and noodles, rice in all its forms, mushrooms and sprouts
The principal proteins: pork, chicken and tofu
Chinese herbal medicines and foods that cure
Street food, dishes/cakes for special occasions (steamed sponge cake, mooncake).
Charming full-color illustrations show every kind of ingredient and dish, from the familiar to the unusual, and depict
people in authentic situations enjoying food in their homes, at restaurants and on the street. The color illustrations of
vegetables, utensils and labels make this guide very easy to follow for the novice and a warm reminder for readers of
Chinese heritage.
Critique: Of special and particular interest to reader's with an interest in authentic Chinese cuisine, "Chinese Cuisine:
Recipes and Anecdotes from Chinese Gastronomic Culture" is a massively illustrated and thoroughly 'kitchen cook
friendly' compendium of clearly laid out step-by-step instructions for an impressive series of Chinese dishes that will
elevate both formal and informal dining occasions to an impressive level of culinary excellence -- making this paperback
edition of "Chinese Cuisine: Recipes and Anecdotes from Chinese Gastronomic Culture" a welcome an unreservedly
recommended pick for personal, family, professional, and community library Ethnic Cookbook collections.
Editorial Note #1: Margot Zhane has a YouTube site at www.youtube.com/c/MargotZhang.
Editorial Note #2: Zhao En Yang is on Instagram at www.instagram.com/yangyangcourage
The American History Shelf
The Long Ride Home: Black Cowboys in America
Ron Tarver, photographer
Art T. Burton. essayist
George F. Thompson Publishing
c/o Casemate Publishers
www.casematepublishers.com
9781960521026, $45.00, HC, 160pp
https://www.amazon.com/Long-Ride-Home-Cowboys-America/dp/1960521020
Synopsis: Here's something that Hollywood movies neglected to depict -- about 1 in 3 cowboys in the American Old West
were African-American.
"The Long Ride Home: Black Cowboys in America" by photographer Ron Tarver is among the first pictorial history books
to tell the story of the Black cowboy experience in contemporary America. Although Black cowboys have been a fixture on
the American landscape since the nineteenth century, few people are aware of their enduring contributions to the history of
the West and how their unique culture continues to thrive in urban as well as rural areas all over the country.
"The Long Ride Home" features Tarver's beautiful, compelling, and often surprising contemporary photographic images of
African-American cowboys that not only convey the Black cowboy's way of life and its rich heritage, but also affirm a
thriving culture of Black-owned ranches and rodeo operations, parades, inner-city cowboys, retired cowhands, and Black
cowgirls of all ages, too.
Tarver, who comes from a family of Black cowboys in Oklahoma, uses his artistry to question, if not upend, long-held
notions of what it means to be a cowboy and, with that, what it means to be an American.
In addition to Tarver's captioned photographs, "The Long Ride Home" includes an informative essay by Art T. Burton,
who is an expert on the history of Black cowboys. This impressive compendium of captioned photography is both a tribute
to and a celebration of the Black cowboy in America, providing an invaluable and unique perspective on American history
and culture as well as the Black experience in America.
Critique: This large format (11.81 x 0.63 x 9.76 inches, 2.7 pounds) coffee-table style hardcover edition of "The Long Ride
Home: Black Cowboys in America" is a genuine pleasure to browse through and an exceptionally unique, very special, and
fully recommended addition to personal, community, and college/university library Western American History, African-
American History, and Contemporary American Photography collections.
Editorial Note #1: Ron Tarver (www.rontarverphotographs.net) comes by his interest in contemporary Black cowboys
through his own experience. His grandfather, Thomas Wilson, was a working cowboy during the 1940s who drove cattle
along the Verdigris River, from Fort Gibson to Catoosa, Oklahoma, and was reported to have one of the best roping horses
in the area. Tarver grew up in northeastern Oklahoma, in the small agricultural community of Fort Gibson, where he spent
many long, hot summer days hauling hay and working on local farms. He is co-author, with journalist Yvonne Latty, of
"We Were There: Voices of African American Veterans" (Harper Collins, 2004), which was accompanied by a traveling
exhibition that debuted at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia.
Editorial Note #2:Art T. Burton (https://www.artburton.com) retired in 2015 after spending thirty-eight years in higher
education as a history professor at Prairie State College and South Suburban College, both in Illinois, and as an
administrator in African-American Student Affairs at Benedictine University, Loyola University Chicago, and Columbia
College Chicago. He is the author of several books, including Black, Red and Deadly: Black and Indian Gunfighters in the
Indian Territory, 1870 - 1907 (Eakin Press, 1991), Black Buckskin and Blue: African-American Scouts and Soldiers on the
Western Frontier (Eakin Press, 2008), Cherokee Bill: Black Cowboy-Indian Outlaw (Eakins Press, 2020), and Black Gun,
Silver Star: The Life and Legend of Frontier Marshal Bass Reeves (Bison Books, University of Nebraska Press,
2022).
The Traitor's Homecoming
Matthew E. Reardon
Savas Beatie LLC
www.savasbeatie.com
9781611216981, $34.95, HC, 448pp
https://www.amazon.com/Traitors-Homecoming-Benedict-Connecticut-September/dp/1611216982
Synopsis: Every student of the American Revolution is familiar with the name of at least one Revolutionary War battles.
Some, like Lexington and Concord, Bunker Hill, Saratoga, and Yorktown are household names. Others are less well
known but readily recognized when mentioned. But an engagement in Connecticut during the war's seventh year,
commanded by one of history's most infamous military names, is not among them.
Author and historian Matthew E. Reardon has set out to rectify that oversight with the publication of "The Traitor's
Homecoming: Benedict Arnold's Raid on New London, Connecticut, September 4-13, 1781".
By 1781, the war in North America had reached a stalemate. That changed during the summer when the combined
Franco-American armies of Generals George Washington and Jean-Baptiste comte de Rochambeau deceived British
General Sir Henry Clinton into believing they were about to lay siege to New York City. In fact, they were moving south
toward Yorktown, Virginia, in a bid to trap Lord Cornwallis's British army against the sea. Clinton fell for the deception
and dispatched former American general Benedict Arnold to attack New London, Conneticut. Clinton hoped to destroy the
privateers operating out of its harbor and derail militia reinforcements and supplies heading from Connecticut to the allied
armies outside New York City.
Situated in southeastern Connecticut, New London was the center of the state's wartime naval activities. State and
Continental naval vessels operated out of its harbor, which doubled as a haven for American privateers. Arnold landed on
September 6 and, in a textbook operation, defeated local militia, took possession of the town, harbor, and forts, and set
New London's waterfront ablaze. But that is not how it is remembered.
The Connecticut governor's vicious propaganda campaign against the British and Arnold, who was already infamous for
his treachery, created a narrative of partial truths and embellishments that persist to this day. As such, most of the attention
remains on the bloody fighting and supposed "massacre" at Fort Griswold. There is much more to the story.
"The Traitor's Homecoming" uses dozens of newly discovered British and American primary sources to weave a balanced
military study of an often forgotten and misunderstood campaign. Indeed, Reardon achieves a major reinterpretation of the
battle while dismantling its myths. Thirteen original maps and numerous illustrations and modern photographs flesh out
this provocative and groundbreaking study.
Critique: A seminal, inherently fascinating, iconoclastic, and documented military history, "The Traitor's Homecoming:
Benedict Arnold's Raid on New London, Connecticut, September 4-13, 1781" is a long needed and deftly crafted
reexamination of Benedict Arnold's 1781 raid on New London, Connecticut, dispelling myths and offering a balanced
military study of this episode in the American Revolutionary War. Informative enhanced for the reader's benefit thirteen
Maps, nine Appendices, a fourteen page Bibliography, and a fifteen page Index, "The Traitor's Homecoming" is an
essential and unreservedly recommended addition to personal, professional, community, and college/university library
American Revolutionary War 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 "The Traitor's Homecoming" is also readily
available in a digital book format (Kindle, $20.95).
Editorial Note: Matthew Reardon is a native of northeastern Connecticut. He earned his BA in history and an MA in
education from Sacred Heart University. His research interests mainly focus on Connecticut during the American
Revolution and the Civil War. He served as executive director of the New England Civil War Museum & Research Center
for more than 15 years. He currently works as a middle school teacher in Vernon, Connecticut, and serves as a command
historian for the Connecticut Military Department.
The Colfax County War
Corey Recko
University of North Texas Press
www.untpress.unt.edu
9781574419320, $34.95, HC, 256pp
https://www.amazon.com/Colfax-County-War-Territorial-C/dp/1574419323
Synopsis: When New Mexico became part of the United States, the territory contained 295 land grants, the largest of these
being the Maxwell Land Grant. The size and boundaries of the grant were disputed, with some believing that much of the
land was public domain. Settlers on this land were fought not only by the land grant owners but also by a group of corrupt
politicians and lawyers known as the Santa Fe Ring (most notably Thomas Catron and Stephen Elkins) who tried to use the
situation for personal profit and land acquisition.
The fight escalated in late 1875 with the assassination of Reverend F. J. Tolby, an outspoken critic of the Santa Fe Ring. In
a confession one of the assassins stated that men connected to the ring had paid to have Tolby killed. Outrage, civil unrest,
and more murders followed. The town of Cimarron alone was the scene of a lynching, a barroom gunfight in the St. James
Hotel involving legendary gunman Clay Allison, and a nighttime murder of a prisoner.
For a time the troubles in New Mexico were ignored by the federal government. But in 1878 the murder of John Tunstall
set off a wave of violence known as the Lincoln County War. Following that, a letter came to light that appeared to show
that the governor of the territory, Samuel B. Axtell, planned a mass execution of critics of the Santa Fe Ring, who he
considered to be agitators in the Colfax County troubles.
Finally, officials in Washington took notice and sent Frank W. Angel with orders to investigate the violence, murders, and
corruption that plagued the territory. Following his investigation, Angel concluded, "It is seldom that history states more
corruption, fraud, mismanagement, plots and murders, than New Mexico, has been the theatre under the administration of
Governor Axtell." The actions taken as a result of Angel's investigation wouldn't end the violence in New Mexico, but they
did lead to the end of the Colfax County War.
Critique: An absolutely fascinating read from cover to cover, "The Colfax County War: Violence and Corruption in
Territorial New Mexico" by Corey Recko is informatively enhanced for the reader's benefit with the inclusion of several
maps and illustrations, a fourteen page Bibliography, twenty-eight pages of End Notes, and a nine page Index. An
impressive work of original scholarship and historical research, "The Colfax County War" is a welcome and unreservedly
recommended addition to personal, community, and college/university library 19th Century American History collections
and supplemental curriculum studies lists, it should be noted that this hardcover edition of "The Colfax County War" from
the University of North Texas Press is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $27.96).
Editorial Note: Corey Recko (www.coreyrecko.com) is the author of Murder on the White Sands: The Disappearance of
Albert and Henry Fountain (UNT Press), winner of the Best Book of the Year award from the Wild West Historical
Association. He also wrote A Spy for the Union: The Life and Execution of Timothy Webster.
The World History Shelf
The Mysterious Death of Katherine Parr
June Woolerton
Pen & Sword Books
https://www.penandswordbooks.com
Casemate (US distribution)
www.casematepublishers.com
9781399054447, $34.95, HC, 224pp
https://www.amazon.com/Mysterious-Death-Katherine-Parr-Happened/dp/1399054449
Synopsis: What killed Katherine Parr?
She was the ultimate Tudor survivor, the queen who managed to outwit and outlive Henry VIII. Yet just over eighteen
months after his passing, Katherine Parr was dead. She had been one of the most powerful people in the country, even
ruling England for her royal husband, yet she had died hundreds of miles from court and been quickly buried in a tiny
chapel with few royal trappings. Her grave was lost for centuries only for her corpse to be mutilated after it was
rediscovered during a tea party. The death of Katherine Parr is one of the strangest of any royals -- and one of the most
mysterious.
The final days of Henry VIII's last queen included a faithless husband and rumors of a royal affair while the weeks after her
funeral swirled with whispers of poison and murder. With the publication of "The Mysterious Death of Katherine Parr:
What Really Happened to Henry VIII's Last Queen?" author June Woolerton dives into the calamitous and tumultuous
events leading up to the last hours of a once powerful queen and the bizarre happenings that followed her passing.
From the elaborate embalming of her body, that left it in a state of perfect preservation for almost three centuries despite a
burial just yards from her place of death, to the still unexplained disappearance, without trace, of her baby, the many
questions surrounding the death of Queen Katherine are examined in a new light.
With "The Mysterious Death of Katherine Parr: What Really Happened to Henry VIII's Last Queen?" royal author and
historian June Woolerton brings together, for the first time under one cover, all the known accounts of the strange
rediscovery of Katherine's tomb and the even odder decision to leave it open to the elements and graverobbers for decades
to ask -- How did Katherine Parr really die?
Critique: Fascinating, enthralling, informative, iconoclastic, and memorable, "The Mysterious Death of Katherine Parr:
What Really Happened to Henry VIII's Last Queen?" is a unique and unreservedly recommended addition to personal,
professional, community, and college/university library Royal British Biography History & Biography collections and
supplemental British Royal History curriculum studies lists. It should be noted for students, academia, and non-specialist
general readers with an interest in the Tudor Era that "The Mysterious Death of Katherine Parr: What Really Happened to
Henry VIII's Last Queen?" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $16.99) as well.
Editorial Note: June Woolerton (https://junewoolerton.com) is an author and journalist who's spent twenty years reporting
on and writing about royalty and royal history. She's the editor of a major royal website and has written extensively for
magazines and publications on history's most famous monarchies and rulers as well as presenting podcasts and radio shows
on royalty. After graduating in history, she enjoyed a broadcasting career before moving into print and obtaining a degree
in psychology. She lives near London with her husband and son.
Women and Warfare in the Ancient World
Karlene Jones-Bley
Pen & Sword Books
https://www.penandswordbooks.com
Casemate (US distribution)
www.casematepublishers.com
9781399068918, $39.95, HC, 288pp
https://www.amazon.com/Women-Warfare-Ancient-World-Virgins/dp/1399068911
Synopsis: With the publication of "Women and Warfare in the Ancient World: Virgins, Viragos and Amazons", author and
historian Karlene Jones-Bley presents a broad view of women and female figures involved in war in the ancient world,
incorporating mythological, legendary, archaeological, and historical evidence for women in a military setting. Within this
context are to be found not only fighters but also strategists, trainers, and leaders who may not have been on the actual
battlefield.
Exploring women and war within the Indo-European and Near Eastern worlds, "Women and Warfare in the Ancient
World" successfully challenges the misogynist view that women do not fight and that war is completely a male occupation
-- a view expressed as early as Xenophon and as late as the end of the 20th century.
In "Women and Warfare in the Ancient World", Karlene Jones-Bley begins her study by defining Virgins, Viragos, and
Amazons, going on to explore war goddesses, legendary, and historical women giving insights into different cultures, their
attitudes towards women and how these have developed over time. Recent archaeological evidence supports her
conclusions that women have always been a part of warfare.
Critique: Enhanced for the reader's benefit with the inclusion of a twenty-eight page Bibliography, twenty pages of
Endnotes, a three page listing of Classical References, and a seventeen page Index, "Women and Warfare in the Ancient
World: Virgins, Viragos and Amazons" is a seminal and ground-breaking history of the role women played in military
settings from antiquity down to the present day. As fascinating as it is informative, and a work of meticulously presented
and original scholarship, "Women and Warfare in the Ancient World" is a unique and welcome contribution to personal,
professional, community, and college/university library Women's History & Military History 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 "Women and Warfare in the Ancient World" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $19.28)
as well.
Editorial Note: Karlene Jones-Bley has taught archaeology and an introduction to Indo-European Studies at UCLA, history
at Marlbough School for Girls, and linguistics at California State University Los Angeles. She has also written a number of
articles regarding women and war as well as queenship, mythology, and burial ritual that have appeared in peer-reviewed
journals and anthologies. From 1997 to 2007, she served as co-editor of the Proceedings of the of the Annual UCLA
Indo-European Conference. As a result of her excavations and research in Russia, she produced the monograph, Early and
Middle Bronze Age Pottery from the Volga-Don Steppe.
(https://www.goodreads.com/author/list/222785.Karlene_Jones_Bley)
King Arthur and the Battle for Britannia
Tony Sullivan
Pen & Sword History
c/o Pen & Sword Books
https://www.penandswordbooks.com
Casemate (US distribution)
www.casematepublishers.com
9781399048682, $36.95, HC, 264pp
https://www.amazon.com/King-Arthur-Battle-Britannia-Bellorum/dp/1399048686
Synopsis: King Arthur and the Battle for Britannia is the last in a series of three books by Tony Sullivan and published by
Pen & Sword Books.
The first, "King Arthur: Man or Myth", weighed the evidence for and against a historical figure. The second, "The Battles
of King Arthur", looked in detail at the famous battle list from the Historia Brittonum.
Having looked at the questions of whether and where, this final book, "King Arthur and the Battle for Britannia: Dux
Bellorum and the Kings of the Britons" takes on the different question of who was Arthur? This historical study is intended
to save readers time and money wading through the scores of competing theories. It explains the problems with many of
these theories to date, their failure to gain widespread support and why many historians remain sceptical about the
existence of a historical Arthur.
There is however a reasonable consistency in medieval genealogies and a good reason why Arthur does not appear in any
of the list of kings of early kingdoms. Instead he is placed in the context of a fragmenting post-Roman provincial structure,
alongside the emergence of petty kingdoms with new cultural identities. A heroic Brythonic culture in the west and north
and a Germanic culture in the east and south.
"King Arthur and the Battle for Britannia: Dux Bellorum and the Kings of the Britons" examines at the evolution of the
legend comparing the chivalric French Romances with the Arthur of the darker Welsh tradition. A mythical figure may
have emerged from the mead halls and war band culture of the sixth century. However this study focuses on describing
how an historical figure may have been mythologised -- and who such a warrior may have been.
Critique: A simply fascinating read from start to finish, "King Arthur and the Battle for Britannia: Dux Bellorum and the
Kings of the Britons" is exceptionally well written and impressively 'reader friendly' in organization and presentation. A
model of historical research, "King Arthur and the Battle for Britannia: Dux Bellorum and the Kings of the Britons" also
features twelve pages of Notes, a seven page References & Bibliography, four page Index. While also available for
personal reading lists in a digital book format (Kindle, $18.99), this outstanding edition of Tony Sullivan's "King Arthur
and the Battle for Britannia: Dux Bellorum and the Kings of the Britons" is a very highly rated and unreservedly
recommended addition to community and college/university library Arthurian Studies and Welch History collections.
Editorial Note: Tony Sullivan lives in Kent with his wife and children. He spent 31 years in the London Fire Brigade and
have recently retired. He has been interested in dark age history and King Arthur in particular for many years.
The Teutonic Knights Strike East
William Urban & Darius Baronas
Greenhill Books
c/o Pen & Sword Books
https://www.penandswordbooks.com
Casemate (US distribution)
www.casematepublishers.com
9781805000549, $34.95, HC, 224pp
https://www.amazon.com/Teutonic-Knights-Strike-East-Lithuania/dp/1805000543
Synopsis: The history of the Teutonic Knights is one of crusading in an era of wars, intrigues, assassinations and betrayals.
Originally established as a hospital order during the Third Crusade in the Holy Land during the late 12th century, the order
evolved into a formidable military force dedicated to defending and expanding Christianity in the Baltic region.
Co-authored by Crusader historians William Urban and Darius Baronas, "The Teutonic Knights Strike East: The 14th
Century Crusades in Lithuania and Rus'" explores the crusade aimed at Lithuanian pagans in the Middle Ages, when
crusaders from the Holy Roman Empire, France, England and Scotland came to Prussia to fight alongside the Teutonic
Knights.
What ensued was a long-drawn out, many-sided struggle, with Lithuania and Poland first becoming powerful states, then
expanding into Belarus and Ukraine, where the Mongols and Tatars had long held sway. This study then culminates with
Lithuania converting to the Roman Catholic Church and the dramatic sieges of Vilnius.
Written by two leading experts on the Crusades in an enjoyable and compelling style, this is an accessible narrative of a
complex political and military history.
Critique: Impressively enhanced for the reader's benefit with the inclusion of a fourteen page section of color & B/W
illustrations, "The Teutonic Knights Strike East: The 14th Century Crusades in Lithuania and Rus'" by academicians
William Urban and Darius Baronas also features a ten page Bibliography and an eleven page Index. A masterpiece of
historical scholarship, exceptionally 'reader friendly' in organization and presentation, this is a seminal, groundbreaking,
and unreservedly recommended pick (which is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $16.99) for personal,
community, and college/university library Crusader History collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists.
Editorial Note #1: William L Urban (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Urban) is an internationally recognized
authority on the history of European warfare. He served as L Morgan Professor of History and International Studies at
Monmouth College (Illinois). For several years he was editor of the Journal of Baltic Studies. He has written some two
dozen scholarly books including The Teutonic Knights (2003) and Small Wars, and their Influence on the Nation State
(2016)
Editorial Note #2: Darius Baronas (https://istorija.academia.edu/DariusBaronas) is a medieval historian and professor at
the University of Vilnius, Faculty of History. His chief research interests lie in the study of the Christianization of
Lithuania and her relations with neighboring countries and regions.
Clash of Crowns
Harry Pearson
Pen & Sword Military
c/o Pen & Sword Books
https://www.penandswordbooks.com
Casemate (US distribution)
www.casematepublishers.com
9781399035910, $42.95, HC, 192pp
https://www.amazon.com/Clash-Crowns-Battle-Forgotten-Victory/dp/1399035916
Synopsis: The battle of Byland, on 14 October 1322, was a crucial battle in the Wars of Scottish Independence. "Clash of
Crowns: The Battle of Byland 1322: Robert the Bruce's Forgotten Victory" is an absorbing and informative study from
Harry Pearson sheds new light on one of the most overlooked battles in British history.
The area of the North York Moors National Park contains some of the most dramatic and scenic landscapes in the North of
England, and none more so than the section of the Cleveland Way, which clings to the edge of the escarpment that marks
the western boundary of the Hambleton Hills. On a clear day, the entire Vale of Mowbray can be seen. When visiting the
area today it is hard to imagine thousands of English and Scottish troops engaged in bitter conflict there.
At first light on the morning of October 14th in 1322, the armies of two kings confronted each other over this same
ground. The soldiers of King Edward II of England looked down from the heights at a force of several thousand men led by
King Robert I 'the Bruce' of Scotland, as they deployed below Sutton Bank in the area around Gormire Lake, with
thousands more approaching from the direction of Northallerton to the north-west.
Although a daunting sight for the English defenders, they no doubt had confidence in the strength of their seemingly
impregnable position. The early morning air would have been thick with the call of shouted orders and war cries and the
clamour of the readying of weapons, armour and harness as the Scots drew up into battle-formation, ready to attack up the
steep, narrow, and heavily defended pass.
Critique: This updated edition of "Clash of Crowns: The Battle of Byland 1322: Robert the Bruce's Forgotten Victory"
features fresh research results and more than 100 images and maps, telling the inherently fascinating story of the ensuing
battle, the dramatic circumstances which brought it about and the impact it had on the history of 14th Century Britain. A
welcome and recommended pick for personal, community, and college/university library British/Scottish Military History
collections, it should be noted for students, academia, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that
"Clash of Crowns: The Battle of Byland 1322: Robert the Bruce's Forgotten Victory" from Pen & Sword Books is also
available in a digital book format (Kindle, $25.00) as well.
Editorial Note: Harry Pearson volunteers with North York Moors National Park in a number of roles, and is a keen
amateur historian. His other passions include shooting the traditional English longbow, writing poetry, and
silversmithing.
The Battle of Thapsus (46 BC)
Gareth C. Sampson
Pen & Sword Military
c/o Pen & Sword Books
https://www.penandswordbooks.com
Casemate (US distribution)
www.casematepublishers.com
9781526793669, $36.95, HC, 240pp
https://www.amazon.com/Battle-Thapsus-46-BC-Metellus/dp/1526793660
Synopsis: Despite defeating his opponent Pompeius Magnus at Pharsalus, and the latter's subsequent murder by the
Egyptians, Caesar still faced a determined opposition in the Civil War that had engulfed the late Roman Republic.
Having become entangled in the intrigues and wars of the East, Caesar gave his opponents time to regroup under the lead
of Metellus Scipio and Cato the Younger, scions of two of the Republic's greatest families. Under their leadership Caesar's
dominance of the Republic was seriously challenged, culminating in a decisive battle at Thapsus in what is now
Tunisia.
With the publication of "The Battle of Thapsus (46 BC): Caesar, Metellus Scipio, and the Renewal of the Third Roman
Civil War", Gareth Sampson describes the campaigns that set the context for the battle, including the role played by the
various regional powers drawn into the Roman Civil War. He then recounts the battle itself in detail, analyzing the relative
strengths of the armies involved, their organization, equipment and tactics.
Sampson also assesses the opposing commanders and the strategies on the day which led to another victory for Caesar. He
then concludes with a discussion of the bloody aftermath of the battle and the myths that developed around the deaths of
Caesar's opponents.
Critique: A work of exceptional scholarship and impressively enhanced with the inclusion of numerous Maps & Diagrams,
a Timeline, Notes on Roman Names, four Appendices, a seven page Bibliography, eight pages of Notes, and a four page
Index, this edition of author and historian Gareth C. Samson's "The Battle of Thapsus (46 BC): Caesar, Metellus Scipio,
and the Renewal of the Third Roman Civil War" from Pen & Sword Books is a high value and firmly recommended
addition to personal, community, and college/university library Ancient Roman History collections and supplemental
curriculum studies lists. Noted for the reading lists of students, academia, and non-specialist general readers with an
interest in Roman Histories/Biographies is that "The Battle of Thapsus (46 BC): Caesar, Metellus Scipio, and the Renewal
of the Third Roman Civil War" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $14.49).
Editorial Note: After a successful career in corporate finance, Gareth C Sampson returned to the study of ancient Rome
and gained his PhD from the University of Manchester, where he taught history for a number of years. He now lives in
Plymouth with his wife and children. His previous books, The Defeat of Rome (2008), The Crisis of Rome (2010), The
Collapse of Rome (2013), Rome Spreads Her Wings (2016) and Rome, Blood and Politics (2017) were also published by
Pen & Sword. (www.goodreads.com/author/show/2218684.Gareth_C_Sampson)
Penda, Mercia's First King
Paul Barrett
Pen & Sword Military
c/o Pen & Sword Books
https://www.penandswordbooks.com
Casemate (US distribution)
www.casematepublishers.com
9781036102562, $42.95, HC, 256pp
https://www.amazon.com/Penda-Mercias-First-King-Anglo-Saxon/dp/1036102564
Synopsis: Since the Venerable Bede wrote his iconic Ecclesiastic History of England in the eighth century, King Penda has
been relegated to the role of villain and treated as a barrier to advancement in a battle between new ideas and a new
culture.
With the publication of "Penda, Mercia's First King: The Last Great Heathen Warlord of Anglo-Saxon England", author
Paul Barrett outlines the background to the Anglo-Saxon takeover in England and explores the broad concepts of the
Angles' traditional culture, before delving into the life of Penda (605 - 655).
Penda's life spanned the first half of the seventh century, the era which gave birth to national identities which still form the
central components of modern Britain; Wales, Scotland, and England all take shape through this period.
Penda's seemingly impossible ascent to prominence starts on the very periphery of power and ends with the dominance of
Britain. He is at the centre of Mercia's birth, expansion and rise. Throughout his reign his kingdom becomes a bastion of
stability in a period of endemic warfare, climate change challenges, cultural competition, and unstable nation-to nation
relationships.
Throughout his life Penda challenges the status quo and shows the value of cultural pluralism in a time when the growing
power of a new faith, Christianity, was pushing all others into extinction.
Guided by his loyalty to an ancient culture, service to his family, and his powerful Queen Cynewise, Penda launched
Mercia towards eventual supremacy, which would last for over 200 years. He was the last of the great Anglo-Saxon
heathen warlords.
Critique: A simply fascinating and definitive study from start to finish, "Penda, Mercia's First King: The Last Great
Heathen Warlord of Anglo-Saxon England" (featuring a Prologue, Epilogue, four pages of Notes, a nine page
Bibliography, and an 8 page Index), is an extraordinary and detailed account of the founding of Mercia under the reign of
King Penda and his wife Queen Cynewise. While also available from Pen & Sword Books in a digital book format
(Kindle, $25.00), "Penda, Mercia's First King: The Last Great Heathen Warlord of Anglo-Saxon England" is especially
recommended for personal, community, and college/university library British History/Biography collections and
supplemental curriculum studies lists.
Editorial Note: Paul Barrett has been researching Penda's life for many years. For the past 25 years he has also taken part in
the modern revival of the heathen faith practiced by Penda. He is a Coast Guard Officer and lives in British Columbia,
Canada. Paul Barrett has a Bachelor of Science (honors) in Sustainable Maritime Operations from the University of
Plymouth.
Women of the Jacobite Rebellions
Phil Carradice
Pen & Sword Books
https://www.penandswordbooks.com
Casemate (US distribution)
www.casematepublishers.com
9781399053297, $42.95, HC, 224pp
https://www.amazon.com/Women-Jacobite-Rebellions-Phil-Carradice/dp/1399053299
Synopsis: The flight of King James II in November 1688 was a seminal moment in British history. The deposed Catholic
King set up house and home in Paris, William and Mary succeeded to the throne of England. Then began over fifty years
of trouble, strife, war and execution began to consume England, Scotland and Ireland. The Jacobites - supporters of the
dethroned Stuart dynasty - were adamant that James and his heirs should sit once more on the English throne. Invasion
followed invasion, battle came after battle, culminating with the defeat of Charles Edward Stuart at Culloden in 1745.
The story of those battles and invasions has often been told. However, they have invariably focused on the male
participants, from Scottish clansmen to men like Rob Roy and Bonnie Dundee, from the Old to the Young Pretender
Bonnie Prince Charlie, the darling of the late Jacobite movement, they created a legend that still hovers over the period.
But very little has ever been written about the women who were involved.
Apart from figures of note like Flora MacDonald, the role of women in the rebellions and risings has been largely
forgotten. Yet there were hundreds involved in the Jacobite cause. Women tended to wounded soldiers, gave safety and
comfort to fleeing Jacobites, and sometimes led the riots and rebellions themselves. Many were imprisoned, many sent
away from their homelands, deported to strange and distant lands.
Others carried out daring escapes from prisons like The Tower of London and wrote poems and songs that are still read
and sung today. Some, women like Jenny Cameron and Grizzel Mhor, became household names for a short while,
forgotten now but resurrected here. There are many more, women like Anne Farquharson, Colonel Anne as she was
known, who defeated 1500 redcoats with a team of five servants in an engagement called the Rout of Moy. They were -
and remain - mostly unknown and forgotten. With the publication of "Women of the Jacobite Rebellions", Phil Carradice
tells their long forgotten stories.
Critique: As an author and historian, Phil Carradice's well-researched and easy, elegant style of writing laid out in the
pages of "Women of the Jacobite Rebellions" brings these forgotten women and their times vividly back to life with a
particular elegance that lifts this work of British history to an impressive level of literary elegance. While a strongly
recommended pick for personal, professional, community, and college/university library collections and featuring a 12
page of B/W photos, five pages of Notes, three page Bibliography, it should be noted that "Women of the Jacobite
Rebellions" is also readily available for students and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that
'Women of the Jacobite Rebellions" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $25.00) as well.
Editorial Note: Phil Carradice (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phil_Carradice) is a well-known writer and historian with
over 60 books to his credit. A poet, story teller and broadcaster, his most recent books are 'The Cuban Missile Crisis' (Pen
and Sword), 'The Call Up' (Fonthill) and the novel 'Stargazers' for Accent Press. He is a regular broadcaster on BBC Radio
and TV, presents the BBC Wales History programme 'The Past Master' and is widely regarded as one of the finest creative
writing tutors in Wales.
The Military History Shelf
From Yeomanettes to Fighter Jets
Dr. Randy Carol Goguen
Naval Institute Press
www.nip.org
9781682478899, $34.95, HC, 336pp
https://www.amazon.com/Yeomanettes-Fighter-Jets-Century-Transforming/dp/1682478890
Synopsis: With the publication of "From Yeomanettes to Fighter Jets: A Century of Women in the U.S. Navy", Randy
Carol Goguen addresses a major element of twenty-first century sea power -- the integration of women into all military
units of the U.S. Navy.
Goguen delineates the cultural, economic, and political conditions as well as the technological changes that shaped this
movement over the course of a century. Starting with the establishment of the Yeomen (F) in World War I and continuing
through today to address the current arguments over the registration of women for Selective Service and the reform of the
military justice system, Goguen describes how changes in civilian society affected the U. S. Navy and the role of Navy
women.
Gouen also highlights the contributions of key women and men in the military and civilian spheres who were willing to
challenge convention and prejudice to advance the integration of women and make the U.S. Navy a stronger
institution.
Today women in the U.S. Navy have proven themselves essential to the mission success of the service. They are forward
deployed around the world, sharing the same risks as their male counterparts. Some have commanded logistics and
combatant ships, including aircraft carriers. They fly and maintain combat and patrol aircraft and serve as crew members
on ships and submarines. Some hold major commands ashore and have risen to the highest echelons of navy
leadership.
Integrating women into the U.S. Navy has been a long and often contentious process, as women strived to overcome
resistance imposed by prevailing cultural and institutional norms and patriarchal prejudices.
Goguen, who is a retired naval reserve officer holding a PhD in military history from Temple University, has written a
comprehensive and up-to-date history of women's integration into the Navy. She argues that throughout the process, the
decisive force driving progress was exigency. That exigency took various forms: two world wars, communist
expansionism in the Cold War, the ending of the draft and the establishment of the All-Volunteer Force, as well as the
political pressures posed by social change, especially the mid twentieth-century feminist and contemporary "Me Too"
movements.
Despite a deeply ingrained institutional resistance cultivated within an insular, often misogynist, sea-going subculture,
today's U.S. Navy could not meet its mission requirements without women. Goguen asserts, "Exigency is the mother of
integration."
Critique: Informatively enhanced for the reader's benefit with the inclusion of a 14 page section of historic B/W photos,
forty-four pages of Notes, a fourteen page Bibliography, and a fifteen page Index, "From Yeomanettes to Fighter Jets: A
Century of Women in the U.S. Navy" is a seminal and ground-breaking work of original and meticulous scholarship and an
inherently interesting read from start to finish. A comprehensive and skillfully written history of women serving in the
American navy, "From Yeomanettes to Fighter Jets: A Century of Women in the U.S. Navy" from the Naval Institute Press
will prove a welcome and core addition to personal, community, and college/university library American Military History
collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists. It should be noted for students, academia, and non-specialist general
readers with an interest in the subject of women in the military that "From Yeomanettes to Fighter Jets: A Century of
Women in the U.S. Navy" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $34.95) as well.
Editorial Note: Randy Carol Goguen served as an enlisted Marine and a Navy Yeoman in the reserves before she was
commissioned as a naval intelligence officer in 1987. She retired at the rank of commander in 2010 with more than
thirty-two years of naval service. She was employed as the civilian historian for the Office of Naval Intelligence from 2002
until her retirement in 2022. (https://www.usni.org/people/randy-goguen)
Graphic War Navy
Donald Nijboer
Firefly Books Ltd.
www.fireflybooks.com
9780228104841, $49.95, HC, 288pp
https://www.amazon.com/Graphic-War-Navy-Drawings-Illustrations/dp/022810484X
Synopsis: Military history buffs can prepare to embark on an extraordinary journey into the heart of naval warfare during
World War II with "Graphic War Navy: The Secret Naval Drawings and Illustrations of World War II" by Donald
Nijboer.
Following the success of "Graphic War: The Secret Aviation Drawings and Illustrations of World War II", this new
volume dedicated navies of World War II, Donald Nijboer unveils a treasure trove of top-secret drawings that have
heretofore remained unpublished.
"Graphic War Navy" is meticulously curated collection showcases a wealth of training manuals, vibrant wartime posters,
and captivating illustrations. Scouring archives around the world, Nijboer has included naval material from Great Britain,
The United States, Germany, and Canada.
One of the highlights of "Graphic War Navy" is the stunning cutaway drawings of naval vessels and their armaments.
These visuals played a pivotal role in the strategies of both Allied and Axis forces. In an era where there was limited
intelligence about enemy craft, these illustrations were indispensable.
Readers will delve into the world of anonymous graphic artists and technical illustrators who, though unrecognized in their
time, left an indelible mark on history. Their work, revived within these pages, offers a rare glimpse into war room tactics
and the training of personnel.
Whether you're a naval enthusiast, a modeller, an artist, or simply someone fascinated with World War II history, Graphic
War Navy promises an enthralling insider's view of the epic battles fought in the vast expanse of the open sea.
Critique: This large format (7.87 x 5.51 x 0.39 inches, 2.31 pounds) hardcover edition of "Graphic War Navy: The Secret
Naval Drawings and Illustrations of World War II" from Firefly Books is an inherently fascinating, impressively
informative, exceptionally well organized and presented volume that will be a unique and welcome addition to personal,
professional, community, and college/university library World War II Naval History collections and supplemental World
War II History curriculum studies lists.
The Civil War Shelf
"Tell Mother Not to Worry"
Ronald D. Kirkwood
Savas Beatie LLC
www.savasbeatie.com
9781611217063, $34.95, HC, 320pp
https://www.amazon.com/Tell-Mother-Not-Worry-Gettysburgs/dp/1611217067
Synopsis: The George Spangler Farm in Gettysburg is today a place of reverence. Nurses held the hands of dying soldiers
and prayed and spoke last words with them amid the blood, stench, and agony of two hospitals. Heroic surgeons resolutely
worked around the clock to save lives. Author Ronald D. Kirkwood's best-selling "Too Much for Human Endurance": The
George Spangler Farm Hospitals and the Battle of Gettysburg established the military and medical importance of the
Spangler farm and hospitals.
"Tell Mother Not to Worry": Soldier Stories From Gettysburg's George Spangler Farm is Ron's eagerly awaited
sequel.
Kirkwood researched thousands of pensions and military records, hospital files, letters, newspapers, and diaries of those
present at the hospitals on Spangler land during and after the battle. The result is a deeper and richer understanding of what
these men and women endured -- suffering that often lingered for the rest of their lives. Their injuries and deaths, Yankee
and Rebel alike, carried with it not only tragedy and sadness for parents, spouses, and children, but often financial
devastation as well.
"Tell Mother Not to Worry" profiles scores of additional soldiers and offers new information on events and experiences at
the farm, including the mortally wounded Confederate Brig. Gen. Lewis Armistead. This sequel also includes another
chapter on the often-overlooked First Division, II Corps hospital at Granite Schoolhouse, a wounded list for that division,
and a chapter on Col. Edward E. Cross, who died at Granite Schoolhouse in the middle of Spangler land.
Kirkwood concludes by continuing the story of George and Elizabeth Spangler and their four children after the war and
ends with an uplifting chapter on their modern-day descendants and how they were found after the release of "Too Much
for Human Endurance."
Critique: Informatively enhanced for the reader's benefit with the inclusion of a number of B/W historic photos, four
Appendices, an eight page Bibliography, a ten page Index, and a five page listing of Acknowledgments, "Tell Mother Not
to Worry": Soldier Stories From Gettysburg's George Spangler Farm" is an inherently fascinating, meticulously researched,
and unreservedly recommended addition to personal, professional, community, and college/university library American
Civil War History collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists. It should be noted for students, historians, and
non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "Tell Mother Not to Worry": Soldier Stories From
Gettysburg's George Spangler Farm" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $20.95) as well.
Editorial Note: Ronald D. Kirkwood has been a Gettysburg Foundation docent at the George Spangler Farm Civil War
Field Hospital Site since it opened in 2013. He is a native of Dowagiac/Sister Lakes, MI, and a graduate of Central
Michigan University, where he has returned as guest speaker for journalism classes as part of the school's Hearst Visiting
Professionals series. Kirkwood's sequel increases the understanding of the lives of the soldiers and their families and adds
depth to the story of George and Elizabeth Spangler's farm.
Union General Daniel Butterfield
James S. Pula
Savas Beatie LLC
www.savasbeatie.com
9781611217001, $32.95, HC, 280pp
https://www.amazon.com/Union-General-Daniel-Butterfield-Biography/dp/1611217008
Synopsis: As an officer in the Union army, Dan Butterfield played a pivotal role during the Civil War. He led troops in the
field at the brigade, division, and corps level, wrote an 1862 Army field manual, was awarded a Medal of Honor,
composed "Taps", and served as the chief-of-staff for Joe Hooker in the Army of the Potomac.
Butterfield also introduced a custom that remains in the U.S. Army today: the use of a distinctive hat or shoulder patch to
denote the soldier's unit. Butterfield was also controversial, not well-liked by some, and tainted by politics. Award-winning
author James S. Pula unspools fact from fiction to offer the first detailed and long overdue treatment of the man and the
officer in "Union General Daniel Butterfield: A Civil War Biography".
Butterfield was born into a wealthy New York family whose father co-founded American Express. He was one of the war's
early volunteers and made an important contribution with his manual Camp and Outpost Duty for Infantry (1862). He
gained praise leading a brigade on the Virginia Peninsula and was wounded at Gaines' Mill, where his heroism would earn
him the Medal of Honor in 1892.
It was in the solemnity of camp following the Seven Days' Battles that he gained lasting fame for composing "Taps." When
its commander went missing, Butterfield took command of a division at Second Bull Run and did so with steadiness and
intelligence. His abilities bumped him up to lead the Fifth Corps during the bloodbath at Fredericksburg, where he was
charged with managing the dangerous withdrawal across the Rappahannock River.
Shocked and hurt when he was supplanted as the head of the Fifth Corps, he received another chance to shine when
General Hooker named him chief-of-staff of the Army of the Potomac. In this capacity Butterfield was largely responsible
for several innovations. He used insignia he designed himself to identify each corps, streamlined the supply system, and
improved communications between commands.
He played a pivotal role during the Chancellorsville and Gettysburg campaigns in managing logistics, communications,
and movements, only to be discarded while home recuperating from a Gettysburg wound. Politics and his testimony before
the Committee on the Conduct of the War tainted his rising star. When Hooker was sent west, Butterfield went along as
chief-of-staff and earned positive comments from Hooker and Gens. George Thomas, William T. Sherman, and U. S.
Grant. Butterfield led a division in the XX Corps during the Atlanta Campaign with conspicuous ability at Resaca before a
recurring illness forced him from the field.
Critique: "Union General Daniel Butterfield: A Civil War Biography" effectively raises a key Union army figure from an
undeserved obscurity. Civil War historian James A. Pula's absorbing prose, meticulous research into primary source
material, and evenhanded treatment of this important Civil War along with featuring numerous Maps, Illustrations, a ten
page Bibliography, and a nine page Index, "Union General Daniel Butterfield: A Civil War Biography" is an essential,
core, and unreservedly recommended addition to personal, professional, community, and college/university library
American Civil War History/Biography collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists. It should be noted for the
personal reading lists of students and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "Union General
Daniel Butterfield: A Civil War Biography" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $19.95).
Editorial Note: James S. Pula is a Professor of History Emeritus at Purdue University Northwest and the former
editor-in-chief of Gettysburg Magazine. Dr. Pula is the author or editor of more than two dozen books, including Under the
Crescent Moon with the XI Corps in the Civil War (winner of the U.S. Army Historical Foundation Distinguished Writing
Award); The Civil War from Its Origins to Reconstruction; The 117th New York Infantry in the Civil War: A History and
Roster; For Liberty and Justice: A Biography of Brigadier General Wlodzimierz B. Krzyzanowski, 1824 - 1887; and The
Sigel Regiment: A History of the 26th Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry, 1862 - 1865.
(https://www.goodreads.com/author/list/283564.James_S_Pula)
The Blood-Tinted Waters of the Shenandoah
Jonathan A. Noyalas
Savas Beatie LLC
www.savasbeatie.com
9781611217155, $16.95, PB, 192pp
https://www.amazon.com/Blood-Tinted-Waters-Shenandoah-Campaigns-Emerging/dp/1611217156
Synopsis: Decades after the Civil War's end, Confederate veteran John Alexander Stikeleather reflected on his experiences
as a soldier in the 4th North Carolina Infantry. He had served in many engagements during his four years of service, but
there was one in particular that Stikeleather believed should "never be forgotten": Cool Spring.
While largely overlooked or treated as a footnote to Gen. Jubal A. Early's raid on Washington in the summer of 1864, the
fight at Cool Spring, which one soldier characterized as "a sharp and obstinate affair," proved critical to Washington's
immediate safety. The virtually unknown combat became a transformative moment for those who fought along the banks
of the Shenandoah River in what ultimately became the war's largest and bloodiest engagement in Clarke County,
Virginia.
With the publication of "The Blood-Tinted Waters of the Shenandoah" author Jonathan A. Noyalas examines Gen. Horatio
Wright's pursuit of Jubal Early into the Shenandoah and the clash on July 17 - 18, 1864. Noyalas also analyzes the
decisions of leaders on both sides, explores the environment's impact on the battle, and investigates how the combat
impacted the soldiers and their families -- in its immediate aftermath and for decades thereafter.
Years of archival research (including an investigation into the backgrounds of the Union and Confederate soldiers who
perished in the fighting) coupled with intimate knowledge of the battlefield helps preserve the memory of the fight that
should "never be forgotten."
Author Jonathan Noyalas's study offers not only a history of an overlooked engagement in the oft-contested Shenandoah
Valley, but (as Pulitzer Prize finalist Brian Matthew Jordan notes in the book's Foreword) -- It is "a keen reminder that
Civil War battles are rich laboratories in which to observe the human experience in all its complexity."
Critique: A seminal and ground-breaking study that is enhanced for the reader's benefit with numerous B/W historic photos
and maps, "The Blood-Tinted Waters of the Shenandoah: The 1864 Valley Campaign's Battle of Cool Spring, July 17-18,
1864" is a vividly informative read from start to finish. While also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $10.00) from
Savas Beatie, "The Blood-Tinted Waters of the Shenandoah: The 1864 Valley Campaign's Battle of Cool Spring, July
17-18, 1864" is a valued and recommended pick for personal, community, and college/university library American Civil
War History collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists.
Editorial Note: Jonathan A. Noyalas is a history professor at Shenandoah University and director of its McCormick Civil
War Institute. He is the author or editor of 15 books. Noyalas is the recipient of numerous awards for his teaching and
scholarship, including the State Council for Higher Education in Virginia's Outstanding Faculty Award.
"Strong Men of the Regiment Sobbed Like Children"
John Michael Priest
Savas Beatie LLC
www.savasbeatie.com
9781611216899, $37.50, HC, 448pp
https://www.amazon.com/Strong-Regiment-Sobbed-Like-Children/dp/1611216893
Synopsis: The fighting on the first day at Gettysburg on July 1, 1863, was unexpected, heavy, confusing, and in many
ways, decisive. Much of it consisted of short and often separate simultaneous engagements or "firefights," a term soldiers
often use to describe close, vicious, and bloody combat. Several books have studied this important inaugural day of
Gettysburg, but none have done so from the perspective of the rank and file of both armies. John Michael Priest's "Strong
Men of the Regiment Sobbed Like Children": John Reynolds' I Corps at Gettysburg on July 1, 1863 from Savas Beatie
rectifies this oversight eloquence and style.
When dawn broke on July 1, no one on either side could have conceived what was about to take place. Anticipating a fight
and with a keen appreciation for terrain, Brig. Gen. John Buford deployed his Union cavalry in a giant arc north and west
of Gettysburg to slow down any Confederate advance until Maj. Gen. John Reynolds could bring up his infantry.
By the time the foot soldiers of the I Corps arrived, A. P. Hill's heavy Confederate formations had pushed back the troopers
from the west. Richard Ewell's troops would soon arrive from the north, threatening the town and its key road network.
Reynolds, who would die early in the fighting, poured his troops in as they arrived.
The road system and undulating ground broke up command control, and the various ridges, tall ground cover, and powder
smoke made target recognition difficult. Brigades and regiments often engaged on their own initiatives without the
direction of a division or corps commander. The men of both armies fought with determination born of desperation, valor,
and fear. By the time the fighting ended, the I Corps was in shambles and in pell-mell retreat for Cemetery Hill. Its bold
stand, together with the XI Corps north of town, bought precious hours for the rest of the Army of the Potomac to arrive
and occupy good defensive ground.
As an author and Civil War buff, Priest spent a decade researching this study and walking the ground to immerse readers
into the uncertain world of the rank-and-file experience. He consulted more than 300 primary sources, including letters,
diaries, memoirs, newspaper accounts, recollections, casualty lists, and drill manuals to present the battle from the ground
up. Nineteen detailed regimental-level maps illustrate the ebb and flow of the battle. The result is a fast-paced narrative
sure to please the most demanding students of the Civil War. The footnotes alone are worth the price of admission.
Readers will close the book with a full understanding of why a veteran New Yorker spoke for the survivors of both armies
when he wrote, "Strong men of the regiment sobbed like children."
Critique: One of the best Civil War accounts of Gettysburg ever published, no personal, professional, or academic library
American Civil War collections can be considered up-to-date with the inclusion of "Strong Men of the Regiment Sobbed
Like Children": John Reynolds' I Corps at Gettysburg on July 1, 1863". An exceptional, seminal and ground-breaking
work, "Strong Men of the Regiment Sobbed Like Children": John Reynolds' I Corps at Gettysburg on July 1, 1863 is a
solid and impressive addition to personal, community, and college/university library American Civil War History
collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists. It should be noted for students and non-specialist general readers
with an interest in the subject that "Strong Men of the Regiment Sobbed Like Children": John Reynolds' I Corps at
Gettysburg on July 1, 1863 is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $22.50) as well.
Editorial Note: Retired high school history teacher John Michael Priest has been interested in Civil War history since an
early age. He is a graduate of Loyola College in Baltimore and Hood College in Frederick, Maryland. He enjoys studying
and writing history with a grassroots-level perspective. John appeared on Discovery Channel's Unsolved History: "Pickett's
Charge" (2002) and has written extensively about the Civil War. His most recent book was "Stand to It and Give Them
Hell": Gettysburg as the Soldiers Experienced It from Cemetery Ridge to Little Round Top, July 2, 1863 (2016).
(www.goodreads.com/author/list/161823.John_Michael_Priest)
The Political Science Shelf
I Hate It Here, Please Vote for Me
Matthew Ferrence
West Virginia University Press
www.wvupressonline.com
9781959000273, $21.99, PB, 228pp
https://www.amazon.com/Hate-Here-Please-Vote-Political/dp/1959000276
Synopsis: When a progressive college professor runs for the Pennsylvania House of Representatives in a deeply
conservative rural district, he loses. That's no surprise. But the story of how Matthew Ferrence loses and, more importantly,
how American political narratives refuse to recognize the existence and value of non-conservative rural Americans offers
insight into the contemporary political morass of our nation.
In eleven eloquent essays (and the four page bibliography A Poetically Political Reading List) focused on showing goats at
the county fair, planting native grasses in the front lawn, the political power of poetry, and getting wiped out in an election,
Ferrence offers a counter-narrative to stereotypes of monolithic rural American voters and emphasizes the way stories told
about rural America are a source for the bitter divide between Red America and Blue America.
Critique: A fascinating, eloquent, insightful, thoughtful, thought-provoking, and timely contribution to our on-going
national political discourse, "I Hate It Here, Please Vote for Me: Essays on Rural Political Decay" by Matthew Ferrence is
a fun and engaging read that will have a special appeal and value to readers with an interest in the American Election
System, democracy, and political biographies/memoirs. While also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $20.89), "I
Hate It Here, Please Vote for Me: Essays on Rural Political Decay" from West Virginia University Press is an especially
and unreservedly recommended addition to personal, professional, community, and college/university library
Contemporary Political Science collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists.
Editorial Note: Matthew Ferrence (https://matthewferrence.com) lives and writes at the confluence of Appalachia and the
Rust Belt. With "I Hate It Here, Please Vote For Me", he has now completed a trilogy (of sorts) focused on rural
Appalachian identity and political narrative. He teaches creative writing at Allegheny College.
The Mythology Shelf
Egyptian Mythology
Ariel Slick & Fiona Baile, authors
Firefly Books Ltd.
www.fireflybooks.com
9780228105060, $29.95, HC, 256pp
https://www.amazon.com/Egyptian-Mythology-Monsters-Legends-Ancient/dp/0228105064
Synopsis: Alongside the mummies and the great treasure-filled burial chambers of the Pyramids are the many gods, heroes,
monsters and legends that defined their universe. Atum, the first being (who then begat Nut, the sky goddess and Geb, the
god of the land) and their union in turn producing Osiris, Seth, Isis and Nephthys.
With the publication of "Egyptian Mythology: The Gods, Heroes, Monsters and Legends of Ancient Egypt" readers will
enjoy exploring Ancient Egypt's creation myths, including the Book of the Dead, and the evolution of pictograms and
hieroglyphs, which documented many aspects of Egyptian life. They will learn how, across the long duration of the
Ancient Egyptian age, animals such as cats, falcons, baboons and scarab beetles became sacred, and how species like the
jackal, lion and the Nile crocodile became intertwined with the gods.
Death and the afterlife occupied a central place in the Ancient Egyptian belief system, and this well-illustrated
compendium of ancient Egyptian mythology and folklore explores the extraordinary lengths and care given to funerary
practices, including the Weighing of the Heart and the elaborate rituals to ensure the successful passage of the deceased
pharaohs into the afterlife -- to live in Paradise with Osiris.
Critique: This large format (8.5 x 1 x 10.75 inches. 2.55 pounds) coffee-table style hardcover edition of "Egyptian
Mythology: The Gods, Heroes, Monsters and Legends of Ancient Egypt" by co-authors Ariel Slick and Fiona Baile is
massively illustrated with photographs of shrines and statuary. This impressive and gift worthy Firefly Books edition of
"Egyptian Mythology" is the impressively informative, beautifully illustrated and definitive guide to the dark, complex and
extraordinary mythology of Ancient Egypt. Thoroughly 'user friendly' in organization and presentation, "Egyptian
Mythology" highly recommended for personal and professional reading lists -- and is an ideal 'Memorial Fund' accusation
selection for community and college/university library Mythology/Folklore collections.
Norse Mythology
Finn D. Moore
Firefly Books Ltd.
www.fireflybooks.com
9780228105046, $29.95, HC, 256pp
https://www.amazon.com/Norse-Mythology-Monsters-Legends-Culture/dp/0228105048
Synopsis: The Norsemen of old Scandinavia were a tough and hardy people, best known today for their prowess in bloody
combat and storytelling. Because they had no writing, Norse mythology and storytelling was passed down from generation
to generation in oral traditions.. With the publication of "Norse Mythology: The Gods, Heroes, Monsters and Legends of
the Viking Culture", Finn D. Moore documents the Norse myths that were sources of entertainment, comfort and
explanations of the universe ranging from animals, to the seasons, to the afterlife.
Given that there are no surviving texts, the remaining myths have been changed through hundreds of years of Norse oral
traditions. "Norse Mythology" draws on Prose Edda and Poetic Edda which are the two earliest and most faithful
recordings of Norse myths.
The chapters comprising "Norse Mythology include:
An introduction to Norse history and culture -- Vikings, long ships, and raiding
Cyclical time: Runes, the creation of the Cosmos, First Gods
Yggdrasil and the Nine Realms
The Aesir Gods (Odin, Thor, Loki, Sif, Baldur, Idun)
The Vanir Gods (Njord, Freyr, Freyja, The Mighty Thor)
The Jotnar (Hela, Skadi, Skoll and Hati)
Other myths (why is the sea salty?)
Ragnarok and the Rebirth of the World.
Monsters and other creatures (Dwarves, light elves Sleipnir, Odin's eight-legged horse, Kraken, trolls)
Critique: Impressively informative, illustrated throughout with museum quality artwork, enhanced for the reader's benefit
with numerous maps and photos of archaeological treasures, "Norse Mythology: The Gods, Heroes, Monsters and Legends
of the Viking Culture" is an entertaining and fun read from cover to cover. This large format (8.5 x 1 x 10.75 inches, 2.6
pounds) hard cover, coffee-table style edition "Norse Mythology: The Gods, Heroes, Monsters and Legends of the Viking
Culture" from Firefly Books is an extraordinary and highly recommended pick for personal, highschool, community, and
college/university library Mythology/Folklore collections.
Editorial Note: Finn D. Moore is a graduate of Ithaca College and has an MA from the New School. He also wrote The
Armchair Travel Guide to Ireland and currently resides in Linden, New Jersey.
The Archaeology Shelf
Picture Worlds: Storytelling on Greek, Moche, and Maya Pottery
David Saunders, et al.
Getty Publications
www.getty.edu/publications
9781606069059, $40.00, PB, 208pp
https://www.amazon.com/Picture-Worlds-Storytelling-Greek-Pottery/dp/1606069055
Synopsis: Satyrs and sphinxes, violent legumes, and a dancing maize deity figure in the stories painted on the pottery
produced by the ancient Greek, Moche, and Maya cultures, respectively.
"Picture Worlds: Storytelling on Greek, Moche, and Maya Pottery" is the first published study to examine the elaborately
decorated terracotta vessels of these three distinct civilizations.
Although the cultures were separated by space and time, they all employed pottery as a way to tell stories, explain the
world, and illustrate core myths and beliefs. Each of these painted pots is a picture world. But why did these communities
reach for pottery as a primary method of visual communication? How were the vessels produced and used?
In "Picture Worlds", a variety of experts offer introductions to the civilizations, exploring these foundational questions and
examining the painted imagery. The result is that readers will be rewarded with a better understanding of each of these
ancient societies, receive fascinating insights into their cultural commonalities and differences, as well as fresh
perspectives on image making and storytelling, practices that remain vibrant to this day.
This edition of "Picture Worlds: Storytelling on Greek, Moche, and Maya Pottery" from Getty Publications is published to
accompany an exhibition on view at the J. Paul Getty Museum at the Getty Villa from April 10 to July 29, 2024, and at the
Michael C. Carlos Museum at Emory University from September 14 to December 15, 2024.
Critique: This large format (9 x 0.7 x 10 inches, 2.3 pounds) paperback edition of "Picture Worlds: Storytelling on Greek,
Moche, and Maya Pottery" by the team of co-editors David Saunders and Megan E. O'Neil, and featuring contributions by
Kathleen Lynch, Ulla Holmquist Pachas, Andrew D. Turner, Jeffrey Quilter, Elena Vega, and Carlos Rengifo is especially
and unreservedly recommended for personal, professional, community, and college/university library Archeology, Ceramic
Art, and Mayan/Native American History collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists. It should be noted for
students and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "Picture Worlds" is also readily available in a
digital book format (Kindle, $32.30) as well.
Editorial Note #1: David Saunders is associate curator of antiquities at the J. Paul Getty Museum.
Editorial Note #2: Megan E. O'Neil is assistant professor of art history at Emory University.
Editorial Note #3: J. Paul Getty Museum (www.getty.edu/museum) is commonly referred to as the Getty. It is an art
museum in located in Los Angeles, California and housed on two campuses: the Getty Center and Getty Villa. It is
operated by the J. Paul Getty Trust.
The Pets Shelf
Dog Smart: Life-Changing Lessons in Canine Intelligence
Jennifer S. Holland
National Geographic Press
www.nationalgeographic.com
9781426222719, $30.00, HC, 304pp
https://www.amazon.com/Dog-Smart-Life-Changing-Lessons-Intelligence/dp/1426222718
Synopsis: With the publication of "Dog Smart: Life-Changing Lessons in Canine Intelligence", Jennifer Holland takes her
readers on a powerful search to unlock the secrets of dog cognition, based on evidence from trainers, owners, behaviorists,
and the animals themselves. With in-depth reporting and more than a few personal adventures, Holland digs into what
intelligence really means.
Readers will meet a pack of genius dogs embodying all types of smarts. Holland heads into the field with a cadaver dog
and his trainer to learn about "nose intelligence." To unpack emotional intelligence, she examines how dogs help people
dealing with trauma. To investigate task learning ability, she seeks agility trainers, TV-dog trainers, and a man whose dog
has learned to hang glide -- one step at a time. She interviews police-dog trainers (volunteering to be attacked by a bite dog
in the name of science), service-dog trainers, and trainers who rehabilitate "bad" dogs. And she gets to know breeds that
are considered especially intelligent - border collies, cattle dogs, and German shepherds -- to discover whether they are
truly "smarter" or just more willing to do as they're told.
In between field experiences, Holland spends time with the dogs she knows best while pondering the lessons the animals
teach us about ourselves. And she poses entrancing philosophical questions: How do we define intelligence in another
being? Where do "instinct" and "intelligence" meet and diverge? Can we be more "dog smart" in our own lives?
Both surprising and heartwarming, "Dog Smart" is one woman's quest to understand what it means to be smart -- and how
dogs got that way.
Critique: Absolutely recommended reading for anyone with a canine companion of their own, "Dog Smart: Life-Changing
Lessons in Canine Intelligence" is an extraordinary, fascinating, informative, and fun read from cover to cover. While also
available in a digital book format (Kindle, $14.99), "Dog Smart" is a highly commended addition to personal, professional,
community, and college/university library Dog Training & Canine Pet Care collections and reading lists.
Editorial Note: Jennifer S. Holland (www.jenniferhollandwriter.com) is the author of "Unlikely Friendships". She is also a
contributor to the New York Times, the Washington Post, and NPR, she splits her time between Maryland and Virginia
with her husband and two beloved dogs.
The Wildlife Shelf
The Bear Almanac
Gary Brown
The Lyons Press
www.lyonspress.com
c/o The Globe Pequot Press
www.globepequot.com
9781493086450, $29.95, PB, 352pp
https://www.amazon.com/Bear-Almanac-Comprehensive-Guide-Bears/dp/1493086456
Synopsis: The bears of the world (from the polar bears of the Arctic to the Andean bears of South America) are among the
most studied and beloved of all wild creatures. In this newly revised and updated edition of "The Bear Almanac: A
Comprehensive Guide to the Bears of the World", bear expert Gary Brown collects what is known about the world's bears,
capturing in words and images a complete factual compendium of bear knowledge for the amateur naturalist and the bear
specialist alike.
"The Bear Almanac" is an ideal and informative reference source for anyone who has ever paused to wonder at both the
might (and the mind) of the bear. Beyond their well-known, imposing physical traits, these generally shy creatures
command the ability to learn rapidly and to reason.
In addition to addressing such topics as bear physiology, social behavior, and habitats, "The Bear Almanac: A
Comprehensive Guide to the Bears of the World" is a comprehensive resource that lists endangered bears by state and
covers a breadth of other bear-related topics, such as the effects of war on bears and what to do if you meet up with one, as
well as issues in the news related to the most beloved, and mysterious, of creatures.
Critique: Beautifully illustrated with color photography throughout, "The Bear Almanac: A Comprehensive Guide to the
Bears of the World" is comprehensively informative and thoroughly 'user friendly' in organization and presentation.
Enhanced for the reader's benefit with the inclusion of two Appendices ('Stratigraphic Periods' & 'International
Conservation Organizations'), a two page Glossary, a twelve page Bibliography, and a thirteen page Index, "The Bear
Almanac: A Comprehensive Guide to the Bears of the World" is an extraordinary and unreservedly recommended addition
to personal, professional, community, and college/university Wildlife collections in general and Bear Biology collections
in particular.
Editorial Note: Gary Brown was a retired National Park Service ranger and an expert on conservation and bear
management. The author of "Outwitting Bears" and "Safe Travel in Bear Country", he lived in Bozeman, Montana. He
died in 2022.
The Nautical Shelf
The Sailing Bible, 3rd Edition
Jeremy Evans, Pat Manley, Barrie Smith
Firefly Books Ltd.
www.fireflybooks.com
9780228104650, $35.95, HC, 400pp
https://www.amazon.com/Sailing-Bible-Complete-Sailors-Experienced
Synopsis: Now in a newly updated, expanded, and revised third edition, "The Sailing Bible: The Complete Guide for All
Sailors from Novice to Experienced Skipper" by co-authors Jeremy Evans, Pat Manley and Barrie Smith continues to be
the complete, hands-on manual, essential instructional guide that is packed from cover to cover with detailed, step-by-step
diagrams, lively action photos, and helpful advice on getting the most out of your sailing at every level.
Whether one is a dinghy or yacht sailor, just learning the basics or wanting tips on sailing with the best, "The Sailing
Bible: 3rd Edition will deliver all the answers needed including:
What type of dinghy or yacht?
Cruising and racing
Launching, helming and capsizing
Mastering the trapeze
Sailing with a spinnaker
Managing a crew
Reading the weather
Racing techniques and tactics
Buoyage, tides, charts and navigation
Anchoring, and marina berthing
Knots, ropes and flags
Boat etiquette and seamanship
Rules of the road, safety and emergencies
Boat maintenance and repair.
This new third edition has been thoroughly revised and brought completely up to date with the inclusion of hundreds of
improvements cover new technology to help with navigation, communications and safety. It should be noted that there is
also an increased coverage of dinghies and racing.
Critique: Simply stated "The Sailing Bible" fully lives up to its title and this fully updated and expanded third edition of
"The Sailing Bible: The Complete Guide for All Sailors from Novice to Experienced Skipper" by sailing experts and co-
authors Jeremy Evans, Pat Manley, Barrie Smith is profusely illustrated in full color throughout, and an essential, core
acquisition for personal, professional, community, and college/university library Sailing instructional reference
collections.
Editorial Note #1: Jeremy Evans writes sailing books for the Royal Yachting Association (RYA) and also writes for
Yachting Monthly and Yachts and Yachting magazines.
Editorial Note #2: Pat Manley is an RYA Yachtmaster Instructor, a Fellow of the Royal Institute of Navigation and a
member of the Yachting Journalists Association. He has written several books on boat maintenance and is a regular
contributor to Practical Boat Owner magazine.
Editorial Note #3: Barrie Smith is an RYA Yachtmaster who has skippered or crewed on numerous yacht delivery trips and
long-distance races.
The Art Shelf
Art Heist: 50 Artworks You Will Never See
Susie Hodge
Ivy Press
c/o Quarto Publishing Group USA
www.quartoknows.com
9780711287938, $26.00, HC, 176pp
https://www.amazon.com/Art-Heist-Artworks-Will-Never/dp/0711287937
Synopsis: An intriguing investigation into over 50 elusive artworks that were stolen and never recovered as resulted in the
publication of "Art Heist: 50 Artworks You Will Never See" by art expert Suzie Hodge.
For viewing such iconic paintings as Mona Lisa, Starry Night, Birth of Venus, people travel for hundreds of miles to
observe these breathtaking paintings with their own eyes. Now with "Art Heist: 50 Artworks You Will Never See" the
public will be introduced to highly acclaimed works of that nobody can ever see -- and the fascinating stories behind their
disappearance.
The among the 50 daring heist stories compiled in "Art Heist are included:
Michelangelo's Mask of a Faun
Caravaggio's Nativity
Rembrandt's Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man
Cezanne's View of Auvers-sur-Oise
Van Gogh's The Parsonage Garden at Nuenen in Spring
With meticulous research and engaging storytelling, "Art Heist" uncovers the mysteries surrounding the thefts of these
valuable artworks and many more.
Each fated work is informatively discussed to reveal why it, and the artist who made it, was significant -- thereby gaining a
deeper appreciation for these artists, and the lasting impact they have had on the art world.
"Art Heist" also answers key questions about each missing piece, including:
Why and how was it stolen?
What attempts have been made to recover it?
Leads, red herrings, and suspects.
Critique: Beautifully and profusely illustrated throughout with full color photos of each work discussed, "Art Heist: 50
Artworks You Will Never See" offers a compelling narrative that will keep the fully engaged from start to finish. A
seminal and ground-breaking study, "Art Heist: 50 Artworks You Will Never See" is essential reading for anyone curious
about the intersection of art, crime, and history, Also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $24.70), "Art
Heist: 50 Artworks You Will Never See" is a unique and unreservedly recommended pick for personal reading lists, as
well as professional, community, and college/university library Art History collections and supplemental curriculum
studies lists.
Editorial Note: Susie Hodge (www.susiehodge.com) is a UK author who has written widely on art, art history and art
techniques. She has published over 100 books, including The Short Story of Art, Why Your Five Year Old Could Not
Have Done That: Modern Art Explained and Modern Art Explained
The Biography Shelf
Admiral Canaris
David Alan Johnson
Prometheus Books
c/o Rowman & Littlefield Publishing Group
https://rowman.com
9781633889989, $32.95, HC, 272pp
https://www.amazon.com/Admiral-Canaris-Hitlers-Intelligence-Betrayed/dp/163388998X
Synopsis: Admiral Wilhelm Canaris, was Adolf Hitler's chief of military intelligence. He accomplished something that
neither President Franklin D. Roosevelt nor Prime Minister Winston Churchill could ever achieve -- he saved the lives of
hundreds Jewish refugees and other racial and political undesirables by rescuing them from Nazi Germany and other
Nazi-occupied countries.
Seen as a quiet and uninteresting career naval officer, Canaris' unmilitary bearing was actually a cover he had devised for
himself, camouflaging a very sharp, and rebellious, mind. The life of Admiral Canaris is a compulsively dramatic and
page-turning story abut one of the most important and least likely saboteurs within the Third Reich.
Initially a supporter of Hitler and the plan to re-arm Germany, Canaris was appointed to direct the Abwehr (Germany's
military intelligence agency) after a long career in the navy built on fostering relationships with foreign agents. But when
the Nazis began their campaign of assassination and terror, including the systematic murder of thousands of Jews and other
"undesirables," the admiral became determined to do everything possible to fight Hitler and the Nazis.
After the failure of Operation Pastorious, a spy mission to disarm American manufacturing plants, Hitler extolled his
executive committee for risking German lives instead of the lives of "criminals or Jews". That speech gave Canaris an
idea. He would go on to disguise refugees as Abwehr agents and sent them to South America, under the official
designation of "infiltration agents," where they joined hundreds of authentic German agents operating in Argentina,
Uruguay, Brazil, and nearly every other South American country.
Canaris' anti-Nazi activities, along with some health issues, finally resulted in his dismissal as head of the Abwehr. He was
suspected of inefficiency and incompetence by senior Nazi officers (who had no idea that he had turned against the Hitler
regime) and exiled to a desk-job in the Economic Warfare Department. Little did the Fuhrer know, this placement was the
best thing that could have happened to Canaris' resistance efforts.
Critique: With the publication of "Admiral Canaris: How Hitler's Chief of Intelligence Betrayed the Nazis" from
Prometheus Press, author and biographer David Alan Johnson through his in-depth research and impressive storytelling
approach, deftly paints the picture of a driven and devious mind working amidst the darkest evil to save all those that he
could. An impressive and high value contribution to personal reading lists of military history buffs, as well as the growing
community and academic library collections of World War II Biographies & Histories.
Editorial Note: David Alan Johnson (www.davidalanjohnson.com) is the author of eleven books, including The Last
Weeks of Abraham Lincoln and Decided on the Battlefield: Grant, Sherman, Lincoln, and the Election of 1864.
Queen of the Court
Madeleine Blais
Atlantic Monthly Press
c/o Grove/Atlantic, Inc.
www.groveatlantic.com
9780802128324, $30.00, HC, 432pp
https://www.amazon.com/Queen-Court-Extraordinary-Tennis-Legend/dp/0802128327
Synopsis: In August 1939, Alice Marble graced the cover of Life magazine, photographed by the famed Alfred Eisenstaedt.
She was a glamorous worldwide celebrity, having that year won singles, women's doubles, and mixed doubles tennis titles
at both Wimbledon and the US Open, a then an unprecedented feat. Yet today one of America's greatest female athletes
and most charismatic characters is largely forgotten.
But now with the publication of "Queen of the Court: The Many Lives of Tennis Legend Alice Marble", biographer
Madeleine Blais places Alice back on center stage.
Born in 1913, Marble grew up in San Francisco; her favorite sport, baseball. Given a tennis racket at age 13, she took to
the sport immediately, rising to the top with a powerful, aggressive serve-and-volley style unseen in women's tennis.
A champion at the height of her fame in the late 1930s, she also designed a clothing line in the off-season and sang as a
performer in the Sert Room of the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York to rave reviews.
World War II derailed her amateur tennis career, but her life off the court was, if anything, even more eventful. She also
wrote a series of short books about famous women. She turned professional and joined a pro tour during the War,
entertaining and inspiring soldiers and civilians alike.
Ever glamorous and connected, she had a part in the 1952 Tracy and Hepburn movie Pat and Mike, and she played tennis
with the likes of Charlie Chaplin, Marlene Dietrich, and her great friends, Clark Gable and Carole Lombard.
However, perhaps her greatest legacy lies in her successful efforts, working largely alone, to persuade the all-white US
Lawn Tennis Association to change its policy and allow African American star Althea Gibson to compete for the US
championship in 1950, thereby breaking tennis's color barrier.
In two published memoirs, Marble also showed herself to be an at-times unreliable narrator of her own life -- which in this
edition of "Queen of the Court", biographer Madeleine Blais navigates skillfully, especially Marble's dramatic claims of
having been a spy during World War II.
Critique: An inherently fascinating life story of an inherently fascinating woman, "Queen of the Court: The Many Lives of
Tennis Legend Alice Marble" rescues from an undeserved obscurity a true legend of women's sports both off and on the
tennis court. Alice Irene Marble (September 28, 1913 - December 13, 1990) was an American tennis player who won 18
Grand Slam championships between 1936 and 1940. Exceptionally well written and presented, "Queen of the Court" is a
welcome and strongly endorsed pick for community and college/university library 20th Century American Women's &
Sports Biography/Memoir collections.
Editorial Note: Madeleine Blais was a reporter for the Miami Herald for years and won a Pulitzer Prize before joining the
faculty of the Department of Journalism at the University of Massachusetts. She is the author of To the New Owners, In
These Girls, Hope Is a Muscle, Uphill Walkers, and The Heart Is an Instrument, a collection of her journalism. She lives in
Amherst, Massachusetts. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Madeleine_Blais)
Ronald Moody: Sculpting Life
Ego Ahaiwe Sowinski
Thames & Hudson, Inc.
www.thamesandhudsonusa.com
9780500027035, $39.95, HC, 256pp
https://www.amazon.com/Ronald-Moody-Ego-Ahaiwe-Sowinski/dp/050002703X
Synopsis: Ronald Moody (12 August 1900 - 6 February 1984) was a significant artist of the twentieth century, yet until
now there has been no comprehensive monograph on his work. "Ronald Moody: Sculpting Life" is a detailed biography
that explores the development of his sculpture, reestablishing his place within the story of twentieth-century art.
Born in Jamaica, Moody arrived in Britain in 1923, establishing studios in London and Paris. In 1939, his works were
shown alongside African American artists in a large survey exhibition at the Baltimore Museum of Art. By 1941 he had
produced some forty known sculptures in bronze and wood, and was regularly exhibiting internationally. Immersed in the
art world, he formed friendships with journalists, actors, and artists including Marie Seton, Wifredo Lam, and Man Ray,
until forced to flee the Nazi occupation of Paris in 1940. Back in London, he continued to work and exhibit for nearly half
a century, accepting the prestigious Gold Musgrave Medal from the Institute of Jamaica for his eminence as an
international sculptor in 1977.
Contributions by those who knew him (Paul Dash, David A. Bailey, Cynthia Moody, Errol Lloyd, and Val Wilmer)
punctuate Ego Ahaiwe Sowinski's account exploring the artist's work and broader creative endeavors, including poetry and
broadcasts for the BBC World Service. Scores of Moody's works are illustrated, from large-scale figurative sculptures
carved in wood through to postwar experimentation with concrete and resin casting. These pieces are set within the context
of his contemporaries Barbara Hepworth and Henry Moore, and artists he exhibited alongside, such as Althea McNish and
Aubrey Williams, who were part of the group known as the Caribbean Artists Movement, of which Moody was a founding
member.
Critique: Deftly edited by Eleanor Clayton, "Ronald Moody: Sculpting Life" by Ego Ahaiwe Sowinski is informatively
enhanced for the reader's benefit with 124 color illustrations, contributions from David A. Bailey, Errol Lloyd, Cynthia
Moody, and Val Wilmar, plus eight pages of Notes, a two page listing of Exhibitions & Awards, a one page listing of
Reading & Resources, and a four page Index. This hardcover edition of "Ronald Moody: Sculpting Life" from Thames &
Hudson is an exceptionally informative, detailed, documented, and unreservedly recommended pick personal, professional,
community, and college/university library Sculptor biography/memoir collections.
Editorial Note: Ego Ahaiwe Sowinski is a Ronald Moody specialist. She is the coeditor of and contributing author to
Mirror Reflecting Darkly: The Rita Keegan Archive; contributing author to Archiving Caribbean Identity: Records,
Community, and Memory; and contributing coauthor to Communities, Archives and New Collaborative Practices.
The Historical Fiction Shelf
Follow the Stars Home
Diane C. McPhail
A John Scognamiglio Book
c/o Kensington Publishing Corp.
www.kensingtonbooks.com
Blackstone Audiobooks
https://www.blackstonelibrary.com
9781496750884, $27.00, HC, 304pp
https://www.amazon.com/Follow-Stars-Home-Diane-McPhail/dp/1496750888
Synopsis: It's a journey that most deem an insane impossibility. Yet on October 20th, 1811, Lydia Latrobe Roosevelt
(daughter of one of the architects of the United States Capitol) fearlessly boards the steamship New Orleans in Pittsburgh.
Eight months pregnant and with a toddler in tow, Lydia is fiercely independent despite her youth. She's also accustomed to
defying convention. Against her father's wishes, she married his much older business colleague, inventor Nicholas
Roosevelt (builder of the New Orleans) and spent her honeymoon on a primitive flatboat. But the stakes for this trip are
infinitely higher.
If Nicholas's untried steamboat reaches New Orleans, it will serve as a profitable packet ship between that city and
Natchez, proving the power of steam as it travels up and down the Mississippi. Success in this venture would revolutionize
travel and trade, open the west to expansion, and secure the Roosevelts' future.
Lydia had used her own architectural training to design the flatboat's interior, including a bedroom, sitting area, and
fireplace. The steamship, however, dwarfs the canoes and flatboats on the river. And no amount of power or comfort could
shield its passengers from risk. Lydia believes herself ready for all the dangers ahead -- growing unrest among native
people, disease or injury, and the turbulent Falls of the Ohio, a sixty-foot drop long believed impassable in such a large
boat.
But there are other challenges in store, impossible to predict as Lydia boards that fall day. Challenges which (if survived)
will haunt and transform her, as surely as the journey will alter the course of a nation.
Critique: Raising historical fiction to an impressive level of literary elegance, "Follow the Stars Home" by Diane C.
McPhail is an extraordinary and engaging read from start to finish. While especially and unreservedly recommended for
community/public library Historical Fiction collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Follow the Stars"
is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $12.99) and as a complete and unabridged audio book
(Blackstone Audio, 9798874830076, $45.95, CD).
Editorial Note: Diane C. McPhail (www.dianemcphailauthor.com) is an artist, writer, and minister. In addition to holding
an MFA, an MA, and DMN, she has studied at the University of Iowa distance learning and the Yale Writers' Workshop,
among others. Diane is a member of North Carolina Writers' Network and the Historical Novel Society.
The Literary Fiction Shelf
Queen Macbeth
Val McDermid
Atlantic Monthly Press
c/o Grove/Atlantic, Inc.
www.groveatlantic.com
9780802164292, $22.00, HC, 144pp
https://www.amazon.com/Queen-Macbeth-Val-McDermid/dp/0802164293
Synopsis: A thousand years ago in an ancient Scottish landscape, a woman is on the run with her three companions -- a
healer, a weaver, and a seer. The men hunting her will kill her because she is the only one who stands between them and
their violent ambition.
She is no lady: she is the first queen of Scotland, married to a king called Macbeth. As the net closes in, what unfurls is a
tale of passion, forced marriage, bloody massacre, and the harsh realities of medieval Scotland. At the heart of it is one
strong, charismatic woman, who survived loss and jeopardy to outwit the endless plotting of a string of ruthless and
power-hungry men. Her struggle won her a country. But now it could cost her life.
Britain's reigning "Queen of Crime" (The Scotsman), Val McDermid has ensnared audiences worldwide for over thirty
years with her thrilling and masterfully plotted crime oeuvre. A radical, rip-roaring counternarrative drawing on the
historical record, with her newest novel, "Queen Macbeth" she delivers an illuminating portrait of Shakespeare's most
famous villain, and the treacherous pursuit of ambition that made her legendary. Immersive and utterly riveting, "Queen
Macbeth" is an electric reimagining of one of Shakespeare's most celebrated tragedies
Critique: A compulsively fascinating and deftly crafted read from beginning to end, "Queen Macbeth" is an extraordinary
retelling of one of Shakespeare's iconic plays from a totally new perspective and brought vividly back to life through the
impressively original and exceptionally storytelling skills of novelist Val McDermid. While especially and unreservedly
recommended for community library historical fiction collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Queen
Macbeth" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $20.90) as well.
Editorial Note: Val McDermid (www.valmcdermid.com) is the author of novels that have won the Los Angeles Times
Book of the Year Award, and the Crime Writers' Association's Gold Dagger and Cartier Diamond Dagger Award for
outstanding achievement. She is also a five-time finalist for the Edgar Award, including for the Fact Crime nominee
Forensics and most recently the Sue Grafton Memorial nominee Past Lying. She lives in Scotland.
The Romantic Fiction Shelf
The Wicked Lady
Elena Collins
Boldwood Books
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print, Inc.
www.ulverscroft.com
9781802800371, $42.00, PB, Large Print, 528pp
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-wicked-lady-elena-collins/1145532042
Synopsis: 1648 Herfordshire, England -- Thirteen-year-old Katherine Ferrers is in despair at being betrothed to
arch-Royalist Thomas Fanshawe whose family are hellbent on plundering her family's fortune to champion the exiled
Charles. As her unhappy marriage stretches before her, her only comfort is her beloved childhood home The Cell.
But as the years pass and Kate grows restless, a new passion, a new love and a dangerous calling threaten to upend
everything she's ever known.
Present Day Hertfordshire, England -- Charlie Wolfe jumps at the chance to help his uncle renovate a tumbledown cottage
overlooking Nomansland Common. Number One Constable's Cottages was once the home of the man charged with ridding
the common of the highwaymen who terrorised travellers.
But it's the story of The Wicked Lady, the notorious female highway robber, that captures Charlie's imagination, and some
long winter's nights he's sure he can the hoofbeats of her horse echoing across time. What drove this mystery woman to
risk everything for a life of crime, and why is she still restless, wandering the common in grief?
It seems only Charlie can finally uncover the secret Katherine Ferrers has kept for hundreds of years; a secret of a terrible
betrayal and a tragic love that was never meant to end this way. . .
Critique: An original, fun, fascinating, deftly crafted novel that raises historical fiction to an impressive level of literary
elegance, this large print paperback edition of "The Wick Lady" by novelist Elena Collins from Boldwood Books is an
extraordinary and highly recommended addition to personal reading lists and community/public library Historical
Fiction/Literary Fiction collections.
Editorial Note: Elenda Collins wrote novels under the pen name of Judy Leigh. These are uplifting stories of the lives of
older women and the possibility of second chances, change and happiness. She also writes the Morwenna Mutton/Seal Bay
cozy crime series, set in Cornwall with a sixty-something sleuth who enjoys getting into mischief and solving crime.
Miss Bingley's Revenge
Eliza Austin
Boldwood Books
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print, Inc.
www.ulverscroft.com
9781836031895, $42.00, PB, Large Print, 506pp
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/miss-bingleys-revenge-eliza-austin/1145183110
Synopsis: Aware that some people consider her unworthy of the title Mrs Darcy, Lizzy is determined to prove her
detractors wrong by throwing a magnificent house party at her new home, Pemberley. Nothing can possibly go wrong...
can it?
Miss Caroline Bingley is quite determined to rescue Darcy from his reckless marriage. Convinced he must now regret his
choice, she finds an unlikely ally in George Wickham who also wishes to avenge Lizzy, albeit for a very different reason.
If Darcy were to find his 'fine-eyed' wife in a compromising position with Wickham of all people, he would surely never
forgive her.
Lizzy finds herself in a desperate fight to save her marriage to Darcy, but can she ever compete with Miss Bingley and
Wickham's evil machinations? And what damage will this do to her own sisters' happiness?
Critique: An artfully penned Regency Romance novel that will have a very special appeal for fans of Jane Austin's "Pride
& Prejudice", this large print paperback edition of Eliza Austin's "Miss Bingley's Revenge" from Boldwood Books is an
exceptional and unreservedly recommended pick for personal reading lists and community/public library Historical
Romance collections.
Editorial Note: Eliza Austin (aka Wendy Soliman) writes novels based on Jane Austin's classic regency romance stories
including "Lady Catherine's Demands", "The Darling Miss Darcy", Kitty Bennet's Ruin" and "The Scandalous Lydia
Wickham". (https://wendysoliman.com/eliza-austin)
What The Lady Wants
Emma Orchard
Boldwood Books
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print, Inc.
www.ulverscroft.com
9781835610633, $42.00, PB, Large Print, 440pp
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/what-the-lady-wants-emma-orchard/1145414018
Synopsis: Autumn, 1816 -- Lady Ashby is grieving the death of her beloved husband, just two years earlier. Although still
young and beautiful, Isabella is resolved never to marry again, and plans to leave London, return to her parents' Yorkshire
house, and resign from society before the year is over. But first, she wants one more taste of life...
Isabella has written a list, the contents of which, if discovered, would create a scandal that neither she nor her family would
recover from. A list of things she would like to experience, just once more, before she surrenders herself to the life of a
widow. And she knows just the man to help her: her friend, the handsome and honorable Captain Leo Winterton.
But Captain Winterton has a secret of his own. He is in love with Isabella -- and when she makes her most improper
proposal to him, he is powerless to resist her, even if she is resolved never to love again. Can he persuade her they are
destined to be together? Or will their impropriety be discovered, to the ruin of both?
Critique: A regency romance at its very best, this large print paperback edition from Boldwood Books of author Emma
Orchard's "What the Lady Wants" is a fun read from cover to cover. A carefully crafted historical romance "What the Lady
Wants" is a welcome and unreservedly recommended pick for both personal reading lists and community/public library
Historical Romance Fiction collections.
Editorial Note: Emma Orchard grew up in Salford and was given tickets to the grown-up library at the age of 11 because
she'd read all the children's books and the librarians were sick of the sight of her. She became obsessed with Georgette
Heyer and hasn't stopped reading her novels since. She studied English Literature at university and went on to work at
Mills & Boon and behind the scenes in television and in publishing. Emma's first two Regency romances - The Second
Lady Silverwood and The Runaway Heiress - were published in 2023.
The Western Fiction Shelf
Montana Bound
Greg Mitchell
Linford Western Library
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print, Inc.
www.ulverscroft.com
9781444853391, $25.00, PB, Large Print, 288pp
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/montana-bound-greg-mitchell/1132682479
Synopsis: Cowboys Marty and Harvey, at the end of a trail drive, decide to explore Montana, but fall foul of Jason Thorpe,
a bank robber masquerading as a town marshal. In revenge the two cowboys take a gold watch from him but, unbeknown
to them, the watch links Thorpe to a Civil War murder - and the killer is determined to get it back. Marty and Harvey soon
become caught up in fighting between Thorpe and his former gang members over stolen bank money. And if Thorpe has
his way, they will see Boot Hill before they see Montana.
Critique: Offering the reader a blaze of gunplay action in the Old West, "Montana Bound" by western novelist Greg
Mitchell is a compelling page turner of a read from start to finish. This large print paperback edition of "Montana Bound"
from the Linford Western Library collection is a solid and unreservedly recommended pick for community library Western
Fiction collections and the personal reading lists of all dedicated western fans.
Editorial Note: Greg Mitchell is an Australian author. While working on big stations in the Outback, he started writing
how-to articles for horse magazines. Eventually he contributed to publications in England and USA. He also started
writing historical features for Australian newspapers. and wrote his first Black Horse Western in 2006.
Gunn's Avengers
Alvin Ford
Linford Western Library
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print, Inc.
www.ulverscroft.com
9781444853124, $25.00, PB, Large Print, 252pp
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/gunns-avengers-alvin-ford/1130920591
Synopsis: Searching for his estranged sister who is homesteading in Dakota, Scottish clergyman Guthrie Gunn is
bushwhacked, and subsequently discovers that the same outlaws had previously killed all but one of his living
relatives.
Rescued by the Lakota, he finds his nephew living among them. Finding new faith after undergoing a Vision Quest, which
shows him that his destiny is to seek out the villain, he embarks on a search for the wrongdoers, preaching his own quirky
brand of religion along the way.
After seven years, he finds his way to Misery, Montana, where his enemies are now despotic lawmen. Gunn is joined by a
motley band of avengers - including a Lakota tribesman, a reformed outlaw, a dime novelist, and two of the most notorious
outlaws in the West - who will need all their diverse skills to stand a chance against the maniacal sheriff and his ruthless
deputies.
Critique: A classic yet impressive original vengeance saga novel of the Old West, this large print paperback edition of
"Gunn's Avengers" by Alvin Ford will prove an immediate and enduringly popular pick the for personal reading lists of
western action/adventure fans and community library collections.
Editorial Note: Alvin Ford (www.goodreads.com/author/show/18261120.Alvin_Ford) is also the author of "Brody's
Pledge".
Time to Decide
Frank Chandler
Linford Western Library
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print, Inc.
www.ulverscroft.com
9781444853117, $25.00, PB, Large Print, 240pp
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/time-to-decide-frank-chandler/1136775917
Synopsis: Riding to Colorado to investigate a shipment of doctored silver ingots, Trey Cormac comes across a robbery.
Scattering the bandits and saving a hostage is what any professional bounty hunter would do, but nothing is quite what it
seems. At twenty-five and slightly inexperienced, he lets himself be sweet-talked by a pretty young woman, which lands
him in a whole load of trouble. Embarrassed at being such a gullible target, Trey sets out to restore his self-respect. But
chasing after the young woman only draws him in deeper. Framed and friendless, he is left to face a hostile jury and a
hanging judge. Could things get any worse? Probably.
Critique: A fun read from cover to cover, this large print paperback edition of "Time to Decide" by western novelist Frank
Chandler is original, deftly crafted, and a welcome addition to the personal reading lists of dedicated western
action/adventure fans, as well as community/public library Western Fiction collections.
Editorial Note: Frank Chandler is the author of five Black Horse Westerns: Baruch Elias; Black Hearts, Black Spades; The
Danville Stagecoach Robbery; Two Trees Hollow and Chace Hexx.
(https://www.goodreads.com/author/list/1143400.Frank_Chandler)
Texas Feverr
Paul Beford
Linford Western Library
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print, Inc.
www.ulverscroft.com
9781444853469, $25.00, PB, Large Print, 246pp
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/texas-fever-paul-bedford/1132682502
Synopsis: John Ewing has a dream. He wants to put defeat in the war behind him, and make something of his life. In his
case, that means taking a herd of three thousand Texas Longhorns along the Chisholm Trail, all the way from San Antonio
to the Kansas Pacific railhead in Abilene, Kansas. A dangerous journey of over seven hundred miles, with seemingly
everything against him. But he has far more to contend with than just hostile Indians, prejudice from the victorious
northerners, and nature itself. Vernon Peck, an old Confederate Army comrade, turns up out of nowhere in desperate need
of a job. His lethal talent with a gun brings undoubted benefits, but is employment all he is really after? And in addition,
transcending all other concerns, there is the one thing that could ruin all of Ewing's hopes . . . Texas Fever!
Critique: "Texas Fever" by Paul Bedford has everything fans of the western genre require: a hero with a talent for gunplay,
a dangerous cattle drive, bad guys with guns, and more plot twists thatn a Texas tornado. This large print paperback edition
of "Texas Fever" from the Linford Western Library series is a welcome and recommended choice for personal reading lists
and community/public library Western Fiction collections.
Editorial Note: Paul Bedford has a strong interest in the history of the American frontier, and he tries to make his Black
Horse Westerns as factually accurate and realistic as possible. A listing of his novels is available at
https://www.goodreads.com/author/list/4575218.Paul_Bedford
The Mystery/Suspense Shelf
Booked on Murder
Allison Brook
Crooked Lane Books
www.crookedlanebooks.com
9781639108459, $29.99, HC, 304pp
https://www.amazon.com/Booked-Murder-Haunted-Library-Mystery/dp/1639108459
Synopsis: Carrie Singleton is ready to kiss the single life goodbye. Her wedding to Dylan Avery is just a few weeks away,
and a happy ending is about to be hers. But when a body is found on the lawn of their wedding venue, happily-ever-after is
looking deadlier than ever.
The victim turns out to be Billy Carpenter, a young man recently released from prison after serving time for a bank
robbery. The stolen money he'd buried is gone and Carrie and the police suspect Billy's two alleged co-conspirators, his
friends Luke Rizzo and Tino Valdez. But then Luke is murdered and Tino is nowhere to be found.
With no leads and only a week to go before her big day, Carrie is on the hunt for clues. She hopes to wrap up this
investigation with a neat bow before she and Dylan tie the knot. Carrie has something old, something new, and something
borrowed ready for her walk down the aisle. Now she needs to find the killer without becoming the 'something blue.'
Critique: An original and fun read that has everything a cozy mystery fans needs in their murder mystery, including a
female amateur sleuth, an inherently fascinating plot, and 'whodunnit' originality of plot, all told in a compelling and
narrative driven storytelling style, "Booked on Murder" is a part of author Allison Brook's 'A Haunted Library Mystery'
series and a welcome pick for public and community library Mystery/Suspense collections. This edition of "Booked on
Murder" from Crooked Lane Books (a premier publisher of cozy mystery novels) is also readily available in a digital book
format (Kindle, $17.99).
Editorial Note: Allison Brook writes mysteries, romantic suspense, and novels for young readers. She lives with her feisty
red cat, Sammy, on Long Island, where she writes her charming Haunted Library mysteries.
(https://cozy-mystery.com/allison-brook.html)
Quilty as Charged
Maggie Bailey
Crooked Lane Books
www.crookedlanebooks.com
9781639107995, $31.99, HC, 256pp
https://www.amazon.com/Quilty-Charged-Measure-Sewing-Mystery/dp/1639107991
Synopsis: Lydia Barnes has made the picturesque town of Peridot, Georgia her home. But as the new owner of the Measure
Twice fabric store, all financial burdens fall on her. In an effort to unspool herself from this tangle of thread and boost the
store's income, she invites her regular customers to a sewing retreat at her friend Fran's Cherry Log mountain home. In
between sewing lessons and quick lunches, a severe winter storm approaches. When Fran's body is discovered murder is
the only explanation, and the remaining six attendants are all suspects.
Trapped, with the power and phone lines out, Lydia is restless to unmask Fran's murderer. With the help of Auden, the
cabin's caretaker, Lydia must unravel the hidden lives of people she considered close neighbors and even friends,
especially when another body is found along with a suicide note and a suspicious confession.
In a daring plan to uncover the killer, Lydia must risk it all, including her life, before she is cut asunder and the bobbin runs
out.
Critique: "Quilty as Charged" is a crafts and hobbies cozy mystery and a part of novelist Maggie Bailey's 'A Measure
Twice Sewing Mystery'. A deftly crafted and impressively enjoyable read from start to finish, "Quilty as Charged"
(featuring an amateur female sleuth becoming involved in a puzzling 'whodunnit' murder mystery) is a quality read that is
unreservedly recommended for public and community library Mystery/Suspense Fiction collections and is also readily
available from Crooked Lane Books for the personal reading lists of dedicated cozy mystery fans in a digital book format
(Kindle, $17.99).
Editorial Note: Maggie Bailey (https: www.measuretwicemysteryseries.com) a graduate of Stanford, Oxford, Brown, and
Sewanee Universities, Maggie Bailey has previously published two volumes of poetry.
In the Event of Murder
Cynthia Kuhn
Crooked Lane Books
www.crookedlanebooks.com
9781639100705, $31.99, HC, 304pp
https://www.amazon.com/Event-Murder-Cynthia-Kuhn/dp/1639100709
Synopsis: Nestled on the banks of a breathtaking Rocky Mountain river and dotted with delightful boutiques and galleries,
Silvercrest, Colorado, is a book lover's paradise. Bookseller and literary event planner Emma Starrs is looking forward to
attending the annual Silvercrest Library Gala, a glamorous evening with celebrities including the legendary Whitney
Willton, currently on the hit crime show Chasers, and her niece, party-planner-to-the-stars Lyra Willton.
Gala Week is full of exciting activities honoring both page and screen, and library board president Tabitha Baxter is
basking in the glow of her successful launch -- until Lyra is found dead.
With the gala only days away, the board asks Emma for help, despite Tabitha (her longstanding nemesis) bristling over the
choice. Emma agrees, even though she is already in charge of a classic mystery panel at her family's bookstore, Starlit
Books, which turns out to have its own challenges.
Meanwhile, Whitney, who is aware of Emma's sleuthing skills, begs her to find the killer. The case grows more complex
with the disappearance of several priceless objects, an attack on one of the attending celebrities, and other predicaments.
Emma searches for clues while handling every unexpected twist and turn leading up to the extravagant affair.
But when the guests step onto the red carpet, a killer still lurks in the shadows -- and murder just might become the main
event.
Critique: A fun and fascinating 'whodunnit' cozy mystery of a read that plays fair with reader from start to finish, "In the
Event of Murder" is the latest installment of novelist Cynthia Kuhn's 'A Sartlit Bookshop Mystery' series. One of the best
cozy mystery writers today, this edition of "In the Event of Murder" from Crooked Lane Books is specifically
recommended for community and public library Mystery/Suspense Fiction collections. It should be noted that "In the Event
of Murder" is also available for personal reading lists in a digital book format (Kindle, $17.99).
Editorial Note: Cynthia Kuhn (https://cynthiakuhn.net) writes the Starlit Bookshop mysteries and the Agatha Award -
winning Lila Maclean Academic mysteries. Her work has also appeared in Mystery Most Edible, McSweeney's Quarterly
Concern, Copper Nickel, Prick of the Spindle, Mama PhD, and other publications. She is past president of Sisters in Crime
- Colorado and currently serves on the national board.
A Poisonous Palate
Lucy Burdette
Crooked Lane Books
www.crookedlanebooks.com
9781639108473, $29.99, HC, 288pp
https://www.amazon.com/Poisonous-Palate-West-Critic-Mystery/dp/1639108475
Synopsis: When food critic Hayley Snow receives an intriguing email about a mysterious, decades-old disappearance, her
curiosity is piqued. Writer Catherine Davitt has returned to the Keys to research a book about Hemingway's wives, but
she's also on the hunt for the truth about her missing friend. Hayley quickly agrees to help investigate and they hit the road
to see what clues they might find.
Back in the late 1970s, Catherine and her friend Veronica were part of a group of lost souls camping in the mangroves of
Big Pine Key, until Veronica vanished, and the sheriff's office cleared out the camp. Catherine and Hayley begin
interviewing Big Pine Key residents who were around at the time of Veronica's disappearance, but uncover more questions
than answers.
Catherine and Hayley stop to speak with a motel owner who frequented the fringes of the commune, but they find him
stabbed to death. Then Catherine also goes missing, and signs point to a connection between the old case and the new
murder. It's up to Hayley to unravel the knot of secrets and lies before time runs out.
Critique: A 'culinary' cozy mystery that also includes recipes, "A Poisonous Palate" by skilled novelist Lucy Burdette is a
fun read and a part of her popular 'A Leu West Food Critic Mystery' series. Original, deftly crafted, and a fun read from
cover to cover, "A Poisonous Palate" is especially and unreservedly recommended for community/public library
Mystery/Suspense collections. It should be noted for cozy mystery fans that "A Poisonous Palate" is also readily available
in a digital book format (Kindle, $17.99).
Editorial Note: Lucy Burdette (https://lucyburdette.com) is the author of twenty-two mysteries, including "A Clue in the
Crumbs" -- the latest in the Key West series featuring food critic Hayley Snow (Crooked Lane Books). The tenth book in
her Key West food critic mystery series, "The Key Lime Crime" won the Florida Book Award's bronze medal for popular
fiction. Her first thriller, "Unsafe Haven" was published by Severn House in 2021. Her books and stories have been
short-listed for Agatha, Anthony, and Macavity Awards. She's a past president of Sisters in Crime and is currently serving
as president of the Friends of the Key West Library.
The Jig Is Up
Lisa Q. Mathews
Crooked Lane Books
www.crookedlanebooks.com
9781639108510, $29.99, HC, 304pp
https://www.amazon.com/Jig-Up-Lisa-Q-Mathews/dp/1639108513
Synopsis: Single-mom and police chief's daughter Kate Buckley is all about family. After she receives an urgent text from
her younger sister Colleen, she puts her life on hold and rushes to her Irish-themed hometown of Shamrock,
Massachusetts, where her family owns and operates a bed and breakfast. With her two daughters in tow, she's ready to
fight if it means she can help her charming but hapless sibling.
When they arrive, Colleen claims it was all a misunderstanding. But everything changes in an Irish minute when Colleen's
best friend, Deirdre, a dance show star, is found dead in the parish hall. With the discovery of a possible witness, a chilling
motive, and a wee bit of incriminating evidence, Colleen quickly becomes a person of interest in Deirdre's murder.
Convinced her sister isn't a killer, Kate is determined to clear Colleen's name.
Critique: "The Jig Is Up" by author Lisa Q. Mathews has everything a cozy mystery needs to be a fun read from start to
finish -- an amateur female sleuth caught up in a 'whodunnit' murder mystery with memorable characters and more
unexpected plot twists and turns than an Oklahoma tornado. "The Jig Is Up" is the initial title in Mathews new cozy
mystery series 'An Irish Bed & Breakfast Mystery" and fully demonstrates her narrative driven storytelling style. While
highly recommended for community/public library Mystery/Suspense collections, it should be noted for the personal
reading lists of all dedicated cozy mystery fans that "The Jig Is Up" is also readily available in a digital book format
(Kindle, $17.99) as well.
Editorial Note: Lisa Q. Mathews (www.lisaqmathews.com) began her publishing career as a Nancy Drew book editor. She
wrote for other popular kids' series, including Mary-Kate and Ashley, Sweet Dreams, and the Lizzie McGuire Mysteries.
She now writes cozy mysteries for adults, including the Irish Bed & Breakfast series and the Ladies Smythe & Westin
series. Her short story "Fly Me to the Morgue" was an Agatha Award finalist.
The Mystery of Haverford House
Rachel Burton
Isis Large Print
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print, Inc.
www.ulverscroft.com
9781399169042, $42.00, PB, Large Print, 340pp
Synopsis: 1933. Annie Bishop is sixteen years old when she first climbs the steps of Haverford House ready to take service
as a maid. She knows her place until, during a summer of high society, she crosses paths with wealthy America heir,
Thomas Everard. In his arms, Annie dares to dream of a different life.
Until she vanishes without a trace.
2003. Viola Hendricks knows what it's like to dream big. So when she reads about Annie's disappearance shortly before
she sees an advert for a job at Haverford House, it seems fate is at work. Five years later, when the house faces closure,
Viola is determined to do everything she can to keep it open. What's not in her plans is enigmatic American Chase
Matthews, with an agenda of his own...
If they want to save Haverford House, they must look for answers together - but are they prepared for the truth about what
really happened to Annie Bishop?
Critique: A classic English historical romance/mystery novel, this large print paperback edition of author Rachel Burton's
"The Mystery of Haverford House" from Isis Large Print is a fun read from start to finish. With its themes of love, the true
meaning of home, and the haunting secrets that can bind generations, "The Mystery of Haverford House" is original,
compelling and memorable -- making it an ideal and recommended pick for the personal reading lists of dedicated romance
fans and community library Historical Romance collections.
Editorial Note: Rachel Burton (www.rachelburtonwrites.com) was born in Cambridge and grew up in a house full of books
and records. She has read obsessively since she first realized those black squiggles on the pages that lined her parents'
bookshelves were actually words and it has gone down in family history that any time something interesting happened, she
missed it because she had her nose in a book. After reading for a degree in Classics and another in English Literature she
accidentally fell into a career in law but her love of books prevailed as she realised that she wanted to slip into imaginary
worlds of her own making. She eventually managed to write her first novel on her lunch breaks. She is obsessed with old
houses and the secrets they keep, with abandoned gardens and locked gates, with family histories and surprising
revelations, and with the outcomes of those surprises many generations later.
Peach Tea Smash
Laura Childs
Berkley Books
c/o Penguin/Random House
https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com
9780593201015, $29.00, HC, 320pp
https://www.amazon.com/Peach-Tea-Smash-Shop-Mystery/dp/0593201019
Synopsis: During the Mad Hatter Masquerade, a fundraiser hosted by the Friends of the Opera on the grounds of the old
Pendleton Grist Mill, Harlan Sadler, husband of Cricket Sadler, the chairwoman, is killed.
He's been hit in the head with a croquet mallet, and his body hung on the chains and paddles of the grist mill. Nobody can
figure out why since Harlan was much beloved by everyone. It's only after Cricket and Delaine beg Theodosia to
investigate that she realizes the killer might have mistaken Harlan for his crazy son, Duke. After all, Duke is a slum
landlord and recently injured a woman in a boating accident.
Includes delicious recipes and tea time tips!
Critique: A fun and deftly crafted cozy mystery treat from start to finish for the legions of Laura Childs' fans and the
newest addition to her 'Tea Shop Mystery' series, "Peach Tea Smash" has the added bonus feature of tea making recipes
and tea time tips. While also available for personal reading lists in a digital book format, "Peach Tea Smash" is a
guaranteed popular pick for all community/public library Mystery/Suspense collections.
Editorial Note: Laura Childs is the author of the Tea Shop Mysteries, Scrapbook Mysteries, and Cackleberry Club
Mysteries. She was CEO/Creative Director of her own marketing firm and authored several screenplays.
(https://www.facebook.com/laurachildsauthor)
A Corpse In Christmas Close
Michelle Salter
Boldwood Books
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print, Inc.
www.ulverscroft.com
9781835612859, $42.00, PB, Large Print, 400pp
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-corpse-in-christmas-close-michelle-salter/1145495242
Synopsis: When Iris Woodmore visits Winchester for their annual pantomime, murder is the last thing she expects to find.
And there seems to be no valid reason as to why anyone would want to hurt lead actress, Rachel Lacey -- kind and
philanthropic, she organized the Christmas performance to raise funds for the Winchester Cathedral Great War Fund.
Determined to uncover the sinister forces at play, Iris and her dear friend Percy embark on a perilous journey through the
snow-lined streets of Winchester, where secrets lurk around every corner and danger looms in the shadows. But as they
close in on the truth, they find themselves drawn into a web of deceit and betrayal, where nothing is as it seems and the
line between friend and foe blurs dangerously.
Critique: A part of the author's 'Iris Woodmore Mystery' series, this large print paperback edition from Boldwood Books of
Michelle Salter's "A Corpse in Christmas Close" is a cozy mystery fan's delight from start to finish. An amateur female
sleuth caught up in a 'whodunnit' murder mystery, "A Corpse in Christmas Close" has everything a cozy mystery requires
and is especially recommended for both personal reading lists and community/public library Mystery/Suspense
collections.
Editorial Note: Michelle Salter (www.michellesalter.com) creates memorable characters and devise intriguing plots with a
focus on mystery rather than violence. And, after a journey full of twists and turns, the final chapters reveal all -- so that
each individual book can be read as a standalone novel -- even the Iris Woodmore Mysteries, although the characters
develop as the series progresses. She currently resides in England.
The Fantasy/SciFi Shelf
We Kept Her in the Cellar
W. R. Gorman
Crooked Lane Books
www.crookedlanebooks.com
9781639109142, $29.99, HC, 304pp
https://www.amazon.com/We-Kept-Her-Cellar-Novel/dp/1639109145
Synopsis: Eunice lives her life by three simple rules: One, always refer to Cinderella as family. Two, never let Cinderella
gain access to rats or mice. Three, never look upon Cinderella between the hours of twelve and three a.m.
Cinderella has dark and terrifying powers. As her stepsister, Eunice is expected to care for her and keep the family's secret.
For years, Eunice has faithfully done so. Her childhood flew by in a blur of nightmares, tears, and near-misses with the
monster living in the cellar. But when she befriends the handsome Prince Credence and secures an invitation to the ball,
Eunice is determined to break free.
When her younger sister, Hortense, steps up to care for Cinderella, Eunice grabs her chance to dance the night away -- until
Cinderella escapes. With her eldritch powers, Cinderella attends the ball and sweeps Prince Credence off his feet, leaving
behind a trail of carnage and destruction as well as a single green glass slipper.
With Cinderella unleashed, Eunice must determine how much of herself she is willing to sacrifice in order to stop
Cinderella. Unsettling and macabre at every turn, this page-turning horror will bewitch horror fans and leave its readers
anxiously checking the locks on their cellar doors.
Critique: A complete rewriting of the classic Cinderella story where one of her stepsisters is the hero and Cinderella is the
magically bad villain, "We Kept Her In The Cellar" by novelist W. R. Gorman is an impressively original, compulsively
fascinating, page turner of a read from beginning to end. While also available for personal reading lists in a digital book
format (Kindle, $17.99) and as a complete, unabridged audio book (9798874881139, $45.95, CD) narrated by the author,
"We Kept Her In The Cellar" will prove a popular pick for community library dark fantasy suspense/thriller fiction
collections.
Editorial Note: W.R. Gorman (https://wrgormanwrites.com) attended Macalester College and Hamline University, where
she studied linguistics and Hispanic studies, and teaching Spanish, respectively. Her hobbies include cooking, snuggling
cats, and reading absolutely everything she can get her hands on. She now resides in Saint Paul with her partner, child, and
three extremely mischievous cats.
The Graphic Novel Shelf
The Legend of Sleepy Hollow
Washington Irving, author
Brian James Gage, illustrator
K13 Classics
https://www.k13press.com
9798333121417, $27.77, HC, 87pp
https://www.amazon.com/Legend-Sleepy-Hollow-Cinema-Graphic/dp/B0D9GTXVYJ
Synopsis: Step into the eerie world of Sleepy Hollow, with artist/illustrator Brian James Gage's graphic novel adaptation of
Washington Irving's classic 1820 tale of the supernatural brings new life to the haunting legend of Ichabod Crane, the
formidable Brom Bones, and the infamous Headless Horseman.
An engaging blend of Irving's original text with stunning, contemporary illustrations, K13 honors the spirit of the classic
story while expanding the narrative into a fresh graphic novel format sure to provide an immersive experience for both new
readers and long-time fans.
Readers will fully enjoy following Ichabod Crane, the superstitious schoolteacher, as he becomes ensnared in a rivalry with
Brom Bones, the brawny local hero, over the affections of the charming and wealthy Katrina Van Tassel. As tensions
escalate, the ghostly figure of the Headless Horseman casts a terrifying shadow over Sleepy Hollow, setting in motion a
thrilling and mysterious climax.
Critique: A meticulously and deftly crafted graphic novel that breathes new life into one of America's literary ghost stories,
this edition of "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" weaves together suspense, romance, and the supernatural in a way that only
K13 Classics can deliver. Especially and unreservedly recommended for community and college/university library Graphic
Novel collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that this edition of "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" is also
available for personal reading lists in a paperback edition (9798333120229, $22.22) and in a digital book format (Kindle,
$7.77) as well.
Editorial Note #1: Brian James Gage (https://www.briangage.com) is currently enrolled at The French Conservatory of
Music in West Los Angeles where he studies classical piano performance.
Editorial Note #2: Washington Irving (April 3, 1783 - November 28, 1859) was an American short-story writer, essayist,
biographer, historian, and diplomat of the early 19th century. He wrote the short stories "Rip Van Winkle" (1819) and "The
Legend of Sleepy Hollow" (1820), both of which appear in his collection The Sketch Book of Geoffrey Crayon, Gent. His
historical works include biographies of Oliver Goldsmith, Muhammad, and George Washington, as well as several
histories of 15th-century Spain that deal with subjects such as the Alhambra, Christopher Columbus, and the Moors.
(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Washington_Irving)
The Library CD Shelf
Wanderers Like Me
The Po' Ramblin' Boys
Smithsonian Folkways Recordings
https://folkways.si.edu
Audio CD, $16.98; MP3 $9.49; Vinyl $19.99
https://www.amazon.com/Wanderers-Like-Me-Ramblin-Boys/dp/B0D49YD8H3
Synopsis: At a time when most people feel constantly distracted by technology and barraged by the news, authenticity and
straightforward honesty are paramount. There's something about the music of The Po' Ramblin' Boys that cuts right
through the noise of the world and speaks plainly to the soul.
Formed ten years ago in the Smoky Mountains in 2014, The Po' Ramblin' Boys are at once exactly what you would expect
and not at all what you would expect from a tattooed East Tennessee Bluegrass outfit. But they take pride in being
ambassadors of their genre, and the group has brought their music from rural bluegrass festival stages to the rock clubs of
Europe, with stunning results.
Critique: "Wanderers Like Me" is the latest Po' Ramblin' Boys album and is comprised of Lonely Pine; Clouds in My
Mind; Streets of Chicago; Trying to Live the Dream; The Old Santa Fe; In Remembrance of Me; The Condition of Samuel
Wilder's Will; I'm Still a Fool for You; Smoky Mountain Home; and the title piece, Wanderers Like Me. Flawless
produced and recorded, "Wanderers Like Me" is an especially recommended pick for personal, community, and
college/university library Contemporary Country Music collections.
Editorial Note: Smithsonian Folkways is the nonprofit record label of the Smithsonian Institution. It is a part of the
Smithsonian's Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage, located at Capital Gallery in downtown Washington,
D.C. The label was founded in 1987 after the family of Moses Asch, founder of Folkways Records, donated the entire
Folkways Records label to the Smithsonian.
The Global Suites
Ize Trio
izetrio.com
Privately Published
$20.00 CD / $20.00 digital
https://chasemorrin.bandcamp.com/album/ize-trio-the-global-suites
The Ize Trio consists of three talented musicians - Chase Morrin on piano, George Lernis on percussion, and Naseem
Alatrash on cello - who have a talent for combining jazz with Middle Eastern musical traditions. Together with legendary
bass virtuoso John Patitucci, as well as vocalists Farayi Malek and Heiraza for the two-part "Resurrecting the Amber Sky"
suite, the Ize Trio has crafted their stunning debut album The Global Suites. A beautiful, multicultural melding that also
addresses modern-day social issues, The Global Suites is a choice pick for connoisseurs of international music and highly
recommended for personal and public library collections. The tracks are The Machine, Echoes on the Wall, Let us Out,
Resurrecting the Amber Sky I. Present, Resurrecting the Amber Sky II. Past and Future, All Loved I. Home, All Loved II.
The Journey, Elemeno I. Be a Kid!, Elemeno II. Code Switching, and Elemeno III. Discovery.
Spinning on a Cosmic Dime
Jeff Johnson and Phil Keaggy
Ark Records, Inc.
ArkMusic.com
$20.00 CD
https://www.amazon.com/Spinning-Cosmic-Dime-Johnson-Keaggy/dp/B0D9WT93NN
Pianist and synth player Jeff Johnson and acoustic/electric guitar player Phil Keaggy present Spinning on a Cosmic Dime,
an instrumental new age album of original music that stokes the imagination. Spinning on a Cosmic Dime is a soulful
reflection upon the ephemeral and precious quality of life itself, and highly recommended especially for connoisseurs of
contemporary new age music and public library collections. The tracks are Spinning on a Cosmic Dime, A World in a
Keyhole, Floating in this Confluence, A Poor Soul's Kingdom, Through a Silver Veil, The Table of the Grail, A Co-
inherence, and Asking For Wonder.
The Railroading Shelf
The Hocking Valley Railway
Edward H. Miller
Ohio University Press
www.ohioswallow.com
9780821425312, $24.95, PB, 312pp
https://www.amazon.com/Hocking-Valley-Railway-Edward-Miller/dp/0821425315
Synopsis: The Hocking Valley Railway was once Ohio's longest intrastate rail line, filled with a seemingly endless string
of coal trains. Although coal was the main business, the railroad also carried iron and salt. Despite the fact that the
Hocking Valley was such a large railroad, with a huge economic and social impact, very little is known about it.
With the publication of "The Hocking Valley Railway", Edward H. Miller deftly traces the journey of a company that
began in 1867 as the Columbus & Hocking Valley, built to haul coal from Athens to Columbus. Extensions of the line and
consolidation of several branches ultimately created the Columbus, Hocking Valley & Toledo. This was a 345-mile
railway, extending from the Lake Erie port of Toledo through Columbus and on to the Ohio River port of Pomeroy.
The history of the Hocking Valley, like that of other railroads, is one of boom times and depression. By the 1920s, the
Hocking coalfields were largely depleted, and the mass of track south of Columbus became a backwater, while the Toledo
Division boomed. The corporate name has been gone for more than three-quarters of a century, but the Hocking Valley
lives on as an integral part of railroad successor CSX.
"The Hocking Valley Railway", enhanced with the inclusion of 150 photographs and illustrations, also documents a
historic transformation in midwestern transportation from slow canal boats to fast passenger trains. Historians and railroad
enthusiasts will find much to savor in the story of this ever-changing company and the managers who ran it.
Critique: A detailed and comprehensive history that is now available from the Ohio University Press in a paperback edition
and in a digital book format (Kindle, $23.70), Edward H. Miller's "The Hocking Valley Railway" is especially and
unreservedly recommended for personal, professional, community, and college/university library American Railroad &
Railroading History collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists.
Editorial Note: Edward H. Miller is retired from Hocking Valley Railway successor CSX. "The Hocking Valley Railway"
is his first book, which has been more than thirty years in the making and original published in hardcover by Ohio
University Press (2006).
The Business Shelf
The Ethical Imperative
Andrew C. M. Cooper
Wiley
c/o Wiley Professional Trade Group
www.wiley.com
9781394274833, $28.00, HC, 256pp
https://www.amazon.com/Ethical-Imperative-Leading-Conscience-Business/dp/1394274831
Synopsis: In an era marked by increasing profiteering and inequality, with the publication of "The Ethical Imperative:
Leading with Conscience to Shape the Future of Business", Andrew C. M. Cooper offers a compelling alternative vision
for the business community -- one where companies champion the collective prosperity of employees, shareholders, and
communities.
Cooper, a distinguished executive, leverages over twenty academic studies and fifty years of research to challenge the
status quo. He exposes the critical threat of public disengagement from businesses and institutions, urging a departure from
outdated, profit-only models that harm corporations, consumers, and communities alike.
"The Ethical Imperative" offers: Five actionable strategies you can employ immediately to transform your organization into
a beacon of trust and social responsibility; Techniques for navigating the age of social media and creating an authentic,
honest, and sustainable brand; Actionable tools to help your organization move beyond exclusively short-term
profit-driven models of growth.
Packed from cover to cover with engaging stories, practical tools, and insights from a seasoned leader determined to
revolutionize corporate culture, this book is an essential resource for business managers, executives, entrepreneurs, and
anyone aspiring to infuse their commercial endeavors with ethical principles.
Readers are invited to join Andrew Cooper in shaping a future where business is synonymous with compassion, equity,
and enduring prosperity. "The Ethical Imperative: is more than just another 'how to succeed in business' book -- it's the
blueprint for a movement towards the next phase of corporate evolution.
Critique: Exceptionally well written and thoroughly 'reader friendly' in organization and presentation, "The Ethical
Imperative: Leading with Conscience to Shape the Future of Business" is a ground-breaking and seminal study that is
unreservedly recommended for personal, professional, community, corporate, and college/university library Business
Ethics and Leadership/Motivation/Management collections and supplemental MBA curriculum studies lists. It should be
noted for MBA students, entrepreneurs, corporate executives, business managers, and non-specialist general readers with
an interest in the subject that "The Ethical Imperative" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $17.00) as
well.
Editorial Note: Andrew C. M. Cooper (www.andrew-cooper.com) is a Fortune 500 executive, attorney, inventor, lecturer,
writer, and board director. He is the Associate General Counsel for strategic transactions and mergers and acquisitions at
Meta Platforms, Inc. He also serves on the boards of seven professional and charitable organizations.
The Geography Shelf
Atlas of Iowa
Robert C. Shepard, et al.
University of Iowa Press
www.uiowapress.org
9781609389598, $39.95, PB, 216pp
https://www.amazon.com/Atlas-Iowa-Midwest-Experience/dp/160938959X
Synopsis: From Iowa Territory's nail-bitingly close referenda for statehood to the rise and subsequent erasure of German
language media, The "Atlas of Iowa" from the University of Iowa Press examines the state's geography, demographics,
agriculture, and political/cultural patterns.
Drawing upon archival materials and synthesizing little-known secondary sources, the four collaborative authors of this
thematic atlas have pulled together a comprehensive map series that depicts Iowa's complex, unique story of challenging
human-environmental interaction.
The narrative themes are conveyed both verbally and visually, allowing many of the state's cultural debates to come
alive.
From Iowa's rise to becoming a national leader in aspects of higher education and green energy development to its
oft-critiqued social fabric, Atlas of Iowa reveals the rich, complicated, and diverse heritage of the Hawkeye State.
Critique: This large format (11 x 0.4 x 8.5 inches, 1.5 pounds) paperback edition of "Atlas of Iowa" from the University of
Iowa Press by the team of co-authors Robert C. Shepard, Patrick Bitterman, J. Clark Archer, and Fred M. Shelley is an
high value and unreservedly recommended addition to personal, professional, community, governmental, and
college/university library American Maps/Atlas collections.
Editorial Note #1: Robert C. Shepard is GIS librarian at University of Chicago, where he also teaches coursework in
geovisualization and geospatial literacy.
Editorial Note #2: Patrick Bitterman is assistant professor of geography within the School of Global Integrative Studies at
the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. He has worked alongside policymakers, scientists, and other stakeholders to address
pressing socio-environmental issues in multiple regions.
Editorial Note #4: J. Clark Archer is emeritus professor of geography in the School of Global Integrative Studies at the
University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Among others, he coauthored Atlas of the Great Plains.
Editorial Note #4: Fred M. Shelley was emeritus professor of geography at the University of Oklahoma, where he
previously served as department head. Among others, he coauthored Atlas of Nebraska.
The Architecture Shelf
Creating the Regenerative School
Alan Ford, Kate Mraw and Betsy del Monte, editors
ORO Editions
www.oroeditions.com
9781957183749, $50.00, HC, 376pp
https://www.amazon.com/Creating-Regenerative-School-Alan-Ford/dp/1957183748
Synopsis: Each project showcased in "Creating the Regenerative School" is profiled with eight pages of content including
multiple photographs, plans, diagrams and approximately 1,000 words of narrative capturing the unique solutions. Case
studies were evaluated on five metrics: Net-Zero Energy/Carbon Strategies; Healthy, Regenerative Building Attributes;
Utilization of Evidence Based Informed Design; Occupant Satisfaction; and Post Occupancy Data.
These case studies are supplemented will essays from leading subject matter experts addressing topics ranging from:
Evidence Based Design; Occupant Health; Net Zero Energy; Net Zero Carbon; Designing for Resilience in the face of
Climate Change; Best Practices in Designing for Safety and Security; Biophilic Design; and Pathways to Advocacy.
Extensive research, communications, interviews data analysis were utilized in compiling "Creating the Regenerative
School" with the mission to share knowledge and insights that are vital to creating healthy, regenerative ECE-12 learning
environments in all manner of contexts. Outcomes for each project is profiled in the form of post occupancy data,
certifications received, and client perspectives.
Critique: Collaboratively compiled and co-edited by the team of architect Alan Ford, educator Kate Mraw, and
architect/activist Betsy del Monte, this large format (10.2 x 1.4 x 9.3 inches, 4.35 pounds) hardcover edition of "Creating
the Regenerative School" from ORO editions is profusely illustrated with cogently informative commentaries for each
individual project. Fascinating, informative, and inspiringly thoughtful -- making it an ideal and unique addition to
personal, professional, college/university library Sustainability/Green Design Architecture collections and supplemental
Contemporary Architecture curriculum studies lists.
Editorial Note #1: Alan Ford, FAIA, of Ford Architects is the author of the internationally released and bestselling 2007
book Designing the Sustainable School. He is a licensed architect with over 40 years of experience in the design of high
performance ECE-12 schools.
Editorial Note #2: Kate Mraw, LPA's K-12 Practice Director, brings 20 years of educational design experience to her work,
leading projects with learner-centered planning. Her research informed approach creates a connection at the intersection of
learning and innovative, sustainable environments to improve user experience.
Editorial Note #3: Betsy del Monte, FAIA, is an architect with 30 years of experience in high-performance design. She is
an activist, teacher, and consultant, trying to reach and inspire as many as possible.
First Additions: Strategies for Adding On
Stuart Cohen & Julie Hacker
ORO Editions
www.oroeditions.com
9781961856165, $60.00, HC, 276pp
https://www.amazon.com/First-Additions-Strategies-Stuart-Cohen/dp/1961856166
Synopsis: Like many small residential practices Cohen & Hacker Architects have made a career of doing house additions.
In a practice spanning almost forty years architects Stuart Cohen and Julie Hacker have evolved strategies for making
additions that represent both a theoretical and philosophical position about altering older buildings. They believe that
recycling existing houses, retrofitting them to meet new energy standards, preserving their embodied energy as well as
their cultural significance is the most sustainable way to practice architecture.
The projects comprising "First Additions: Strategies for Adding On" seamlessly and often invisibly extend the fabric of an
existing house. Cohen & Hacker's remodeled architectural interiors while respectful of the character and scale of the
existing house, transform these spaces with ideas taken from modern design, creating spatially open floor plans with
traditional details based on the existing architecture.
To help illustrate what Cohen & Hacker describe as transformation, "First Additions: Strategies for Adding On" contains
before and after floor plans and often exterior elevation drawings for every project. Almost every residential addition
project and remodeling includes photos of new kitchens and bathrooms, a staple typical of small residential practices.
From the largest to the smallest project the same care and attention to detail characterizes their work.
Critique: This large format (9 x 1.25 x 12.75 inches 4,4 pounds) coffee-table style hardcover edition of "First Additions:
Strategies for Adding On" from Oro Editions also includes an informative introduction by Steven W. Semes and is
profusely, beautifully illustrated throughout with full color, full page illustrations and floor plan designs. An erudite and
inherently interesting commentary is fully and elegantly supported by captioned photography. "First Additions: Strategies
for Adding On" is especially and unreservedly recommended for personal, professional, community, and college/university
library Contemporary Architecture collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists.
Editorial Note #1: Stuart Cohen (http://www.cohen-hacker.com) is professor of architecture emeritus at the University of
Illinois, Chicago and his writing on history and theory received an Arthur Ross Award from the Institute for Classical
Architecture and Art (ICAA) in 2018. He is the author of four books on the history of Chicago's residential architecture
and in 2019 he and Julie edited an issue of the Classicist on Chicago architecture for the ICAA. In 2021 he received a
lifetime achievement award from the Chicago Chapter of the AIA.
Editorial Note 32: Julie Hacker (http://www.cohen-hacker.com) currently serves on the board of directors of the Chicago
chapter of the AIA and on the national steering committee for AIA CRAN (Custom Residential Architects Network). She
has been responsible for programming for AIA CRAN National and organized their 2022 national symposium held in
Chicago. Julie served for six years on the Evanston, Illinois Preservation Commission and was instrumental in the
rewriting of their preservation and solar guidelines.
James A. Cox, Editor-in-Chief
Diane C. Donovan, Editor
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