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Wisconsin Bookwatch
Table of Contents
Reviewer's Choice
Ridge Stories
Gary Jones
Wisconsin Historical Society Press
816 State Street, Madison, WI 53575
www.wisconsinhistory.org
9780870209239, $20.00, PB, 208pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Raised on a small dairy farm in the Driftless area of Wisconsin in the mid-twentieth
century, Gary Jones gets real about his rural roots in the pages of "Ridge Stories: Herding Hens,
Powdering Pigs, and Other Recollections from a Boyhood in the Driftless".
"Ridge Stories" is a collection of interrelated stories in which Jones writes with plainspoken
warmth and irreverence about farm, family, and folks on the ridge. His readers will meet Gramp
Jones, whose oversized overalls saved him from losing a chunk of flesh to an irate sow; the
young one-room-school teacher who helped the kids make sled jumps at recess; Charlotte, the
lawn-mowing sheep who once ended up in the living room; Victor the pig-cutter, who learned his
trade from folk tradition rather than vet school; and other colorful characters of the ridge.
Often humorous and occasionally touching, Jones's essays paint a vivid picture that will entertain
city and country folk alike.
Critique: A delightfully entertaining memoir of life growing up in the Driftless area of
Wisconsin, author Gary Jones reveals a natural talent for the kind of entertaining storytelling that
will leave the reader wanting more and eagerly awaiting the next collection of his tales. While
especially and unreservedly recommended for community and academic library Contemporary
American Biography and Wisconsin History collections, it should be noted for personal reading
lists that "Ridge Stories: Herding Hens, Powdering Pigs, and Other Recollections from a
Boyhood in the Driftless" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $13.96).
Editorial Note: Gary Jones earned a bachelor of science degree from UW-Platteville, a master's
from UW- Madison, and a PhD from UW-Milwaukee. Gary Jones has also written professionally
as a freelancer since the 1970s, publishing in the Milwaukee Journal, Milwaukee Sentinel,
Milwaukee Magazine, and several Door County publications. He taught high school English for
many years and in retirement has taught college composition courses at University of Wisconsin-
Platteville.
Farm Girl: A Wisconsin Memoir
Beuna Coburn Carlson
University of Wisconsin Press
728 State Street, Suite 443, Madison, WI 53706-1418
www.uwpress.wisc.edu
9780299327545, $21.95, 232pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: When Beuna "Bunny" Coburn was growing up, neighbors came together in times of
hardship. No matter the trouble, they faced it with determination, camaraderie, and
resourcefulness. In the midst of the Great Depression, despite record-breaking heat and crop
failure, growing up on the family farm was nevertheless filled with bucolic pleasures.
"Farm Girl" her loving and autobiographical tribute to the gently rolling hills of western
Wisconsin. With an inviting and fluid voice, she shares with her readers intimate moments of
happiness from her childhood: collecting butternuts for homemade maple candy, watching her
father read by the flickering light of a kerosene lamp, and the joy of finding a juicy orange at the
bottom of a Christmas stocking. Underlying each vignette is the courage of a strong family
surviving adversity and finding comfort in one another.
"Farm Girl" is a memoir that readers can dip in and out of with pleasure.
Critique: Exceptionally well written, organized and presented, "Farm Girl: A Wisconsin
Memoir" is an extraordinarily entertaining and occasionally nostalgic read that is fully and
unreservedly recommended for both community and academic library Contemporary American
Biography collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "Farm Girl: A Wisconsin
Memoir " is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.95).
The Biography Shelf
Tom Hartley: The Dealmaker
Tom Hartley & Ken Gibson, authors
Veloce Publishing Ltd.
www.veloce.co.uk
9781787115675, $30.00, HC, 240pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Walking out of school at the age of 11, unable to read or write, Hartley set up his own
business buying and selling cars. From that moment, he defied logic and ripped up the rule book
on his way to the top. Today he runs one of the most successful independent family run
performance and luxury car businesses in the world. He has built up an unrivaled reputation as
"The Dealmaker."
Tom has been at the top of his trade for over 40 years, survived and thrived through four
recessions, and overcome three life threatening illnesses. In his own brutally honest words,
Hartley tells his gripping story of a boy from a traditional Romany family who swapped the
classroom for the cut-throat world of Glasgow's car auctions, buying and selling his first car at
the age of 12. Having decided to drive himself around illegally, he was only 15 when he had his
first car crash, and they don't come more spectacular than writing off a Ferrari Dino -- nothing
has ever been normal in the world of Tom Hartley!
Hartley had made his first million by the age of 17, but soon suffered major setbacks as his
business went bust, and he found himself at risk of losing his sight without major surgery.
Hartley started all over again, living in a mobile home with his wife and working from the back
of a car. He had gone from hero to zero, but his burning desire to be the best saw him climb his
way back to the top. His ability to clinch deals in some of the most bizarre places has become
legendary, like buying a car in a sauna, while stuck in a traffic jam on a motorway, and even in a
swimming pool!
Family has played a key part in the Tom Hartley story, his wife has been at his side all the way,
and his two sons have followed closely in their father's footsteps. Indeed Tom's belief in family is
one of the inspiring messages that comes through.
Critique: An inherently fascinating biography, "Tom Hartley: The Dealmaker" will prove to be
an immediate and enduringly popular addition to both community and academic library
Automotive History collections in general, and Contemporary Biography collections in
particular. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "Tom Hartley: The Dealmaker" is
also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $14.99).
The Metaphysical Studies Shelf
The Power of Giving and Gratitude!
Anthony DeNino
Ozark Mountain Publishing, Inc.
PO Box 754, Huntsville, AR 72740
www.ozarkmt.com
9781940265681, $9.50, PB, 104pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: "The Power of Giving and Gratitude!: A Path to Creating your Reality" by Anthony
DeNino will expand the reader's mind and lay out plans that will help that reader to live a more
meaningful, more powerful, more impactful life. In the process of living this enhanced life, the
reader will be empowered to help others do the same.
"The Power of Giving and Gratitude!" promises to help the reader to have a closer relationship
with their body, their mind, and their soul, while bringing into their life a more meaningful
relationship with God.
The fundamental and underlying message of "The Power of Giving and Gratitude!" is that all it
takes to have a lasting impact on the world is that one person who is you!
Critique: Inspired and inspiring, "The Power of Giving and Gratitude!: A Path to Creating your
Reality" is written from a distinctively metaphysical perspective. An extraordinary and
unreservedly recommended addition to community and academic library Self-Help/Self-
Improvement collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that dd"The Power of
Giving and Gratitude!: A Path to Creating your Reality" is also readily available in a digital book
format (Kindle, $9.50).
Editorial Note: Anthony DeNino is the founder and president of CORE (Creating Our Reality,
Inc.). Working with both for-profit companies and nonprofit organizations, his talks, trainings,
and workshops are targeted, interactive presentations that are customized to fit the specific needs
of the client.
The DVD Shelf
Agatha Raisin, series three
Acorn Media
c/o RLJ Entertainment
www.us.RLJEntertainment.com
$39.99 DVD www.acornonline.com
Agatha Raisin, series three is a three-disc DVD set featuring four, feature-length episodes of the
British mystery series based on the popular novels by M.C. Beaton. Agatha Raisin (played by
Ashley Jensen) is canny, resourceful, and now officially a private investigator operating her first
detective agency. The four episodes are "Agatha Raisin and The Haunted House", where Agatha
and James (played by Jamie Glover) look into the allegedly haunted Ivy Hall while they await
clients; "Agatha Raisin & the Deadly Dance", where a would-be assassin is found dead; "Agatha
Raisin & the Love from Hell", where James disappears after a bitter argument, leaving behind a
trail of blood and worse; and "Agatha Raisin: As the Pig Turns", where Agatha's vacation to a
traditional winter festival takes an unfortunately gruesome turn. Agatha Raisin, series three is a
treasure for connoisseurs of British mysteries, highly recommended. Bonus materials include a
locations tour and a behind-the-scenes featurette. 4 episodes on 3 DVDs, 398 min., SDH
subtitles.
The General Fiction Shelf
The Anatomist's Tale
Tauno Biltsted
Lantern Fish Press
www.lanternfishpress.com
9781941360330,$16.99, PB, 234pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Born into abject poverty in the British Empire, the narrator of "The Anatomist Tale"
aspires to a better life as a ship's surgeon -- until a tyrannical captain provokes a mutiny, forcing
him into a life of piracy and eventually to a tropical commune of maroons called New
Madagascar.
Told through a series of confessions to those who visit the narrator during his imprisonment at
Marshalsea, (a grim prison where the cells are slick with algae and vomit, sweaty with the
resigned terror of their occupants and has seen the end of many rogues and more than a few
innocents), "The Anatomist's Tale" Tauno Biltsted relates one man's brush with the heady
freedom of outlaws --and the price of returning to "civilization.
Critique: An inherently riveting read from cover to cover, "The Anatomist's Tale" showcases
author Tauno Biltsted's exceptional talents and originality as a narrative driven storyteller. This is
a unique and gripping novel that will prove to be an enduringly popular addition to personal
reading lists, as well as community and academic library Contemporary Literary Fiction
collections.
Sons of War
Nicholas Sansbury Smith
Blackstone Publishing
31 Mistletoe Road, Ashland, OR 97520
www.BlackstoneAudio.com
9781538556887, $26.99, HC, 368pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Across the world, the United States recalls troops to combat civil unrest after the
biggest economic meltdown in history. Marine Sergeant Ronaldo Salvatore's platoon comes
home to a powder keg that could ignite a civil war.
While some see the coming collapse as the end, others see opportunity. Fleeing Naples after rival
crime lords decimated his family, Don Antonio Moretti settles in Los Angeles to rebuild his
criminal empire. But he is far from alone in his ambitions -- the cartel and rival gangs all want
the same turf, and they will sacrifice their own soldiers and the blood of innocents to get it.
As open warfare erupts across the states, Salvatore fights his way back to LA, where his son has
joined the police in the battle for a city spiraling into anarchy. Family is everything, and the
Morettis and Salvatores will do what they must to protect their own. But how far will they go to
survive in a new economy where the only currency is violence?
Critique: A deftly crafted dystopian action/adventure novel that is made all the more plausible by
the anticipating coming of a second Covid 19 generated Great Depression, "Sons of War" by
Nicholas Smith is a simply riveting read from cover to cover. While especially and unreservedly
recommended for community library General Fiction collections, it should be noted for personal
reading lists that this simple riveting and impressively original novel is also readily available in a
digital book format (Kindle, $4.99).
The Silence
Susan Allott
William Morrow & Company
c/o HarperCollins Publishers
195 Broadway New York, New York 10007
www.harpercollins.com
www.blackstoneaudio.com
9780062983558, $27.99, HC, 304pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: It is 1997, and in a basement flat in Hackney, Isla Green is awakened by a call in the
middle of the night: her father phoning from Sydney. 30 years ago, in the suffocating heat of
summer 1967, the Greens' next-door neighbor Mandy disappeared. At the time, it was thought
she had fled a broken marriage and gone to start a new life; but now Mandy's family is trying to
reconnect, and there is no trace of her. Isla's father Joe was allegedly the last person to see her
alive, and now he's under suspicion of murder.
Isla unwillingly plans to go back to Australia for the first time in a decade to support her father.
The return to Sydney will plunge Isla deep into the past, to a quiet street by the sea where two
couples live side by side. Isla's parents, Louisa and Joe, have recently emigrated from England - a
move that has left Louisa miserably homesick while Joe embraces this new life. Next door, Steve
and Mandy are equally troubled. Mandy doesn't want a baby, even though Steve (a cop trying to
hold it together under the pressures of the job) is desperate to become a father.
The more Isla asks about the past, the more she learns: about both young couples and the secrets
each marriage bore. Could her father be capable of doing something terrible? How much does her
mother know? What will happen to their family if Isla's worst fears are realized? And is there
another secret in this community, one which goes deeper into Australia's colonial past, which has
held them in a conspiracy of silence?
Critique: All the more impressive when considering that "The Silence" is author Susan Allott's
debut as a novelist. The narrative driven writing style is fully engaging and the unexpected plot
twists and emotionally compelling turns make for a rewardingly entertaining read from beginning
to end. While an especially and unreservedly recommended addition to community library
General Fiction collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "The Silence" is
readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $14.99) and as a complete and unabridged
audio book (Blackstone Audio, 9781094157948, $14.99, CD).
Strange Hotel
Eimear McBridge
Farrar, Straus & Giroux
www.fsgbooks.com
9780374270629, $25.00, HC, 160pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: A nameless woman enters a hotel room. She's been here once before. In the years
since, the room hasn't changed, but she has. Forever caught between check-in and check-out, she
will go on to occupy other hotel rooms.
From Avignon to Oslo, Auckland to Austin, each hotel room is as anonymous as the last but
bound by rules of her choosing. There, amid the detritus of her travels, the matchbooks,
cigarettes, keys and room-service wine, she negotiates with her memories, with the men she
sometimes meets, with the cliches invented to aggravate middle-aged women, with those she has
lost or left behind -- and with what it might mean to return home.
Critique: A deftly crafted novel by an novelist who is a master of narrative driven storytelling,
Eimear McBride's "Strange Hotel" is one of those truly memorable noir novels of dark humor,
the urgency of human desire, and unexpected plot twists and turns. While an exceptional and
unreservedly recommended addition to both community and academic library Contemporary
Literary Fiction collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Strange Hotel" is
also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $11.99) and as a complete and unabridged
audio book (9781528892179, $59.99, CD).
Arroyo
Chip Jacobs
Rare Bird Books
453 S. Spring Street, Suite 302, Los Angels, CA 90013
https://rarebirdlit.com
www.highbridgeaudio.com
9781644280287, $27.00, HC, 384pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Set against two distinct epochs in the history of Pasadena, California, Arroyo is a
deftly crafted novel by Chip Jacobs that tells the parallel stories of a young inventor and his
clairvoyant dog in 1913 and 1993. In both lives, they are drawn to the landmark Colorado Street
Bridge, or "Suicide Bridge," as the locals call it, which suffered a lethal collapse during
construction but still opened to fanfare in the early twentieth century automobile age. When the
refurbished structure commemorates its 80th birthday, one of the planet's best known small
towns is virtually unrecognizable from its romanticized, and somewhat invented, past.
Wrought with warmth and wit, (and Jacobs' debut as a novelist), "Arroyo" digs into Pasadena's
most mysterious structure and the city itself. In their exploits around what was then America's
highest, longest roadway, Nick Chance and his impish mutt interact with some of the big
personalities from the Progressive Age, including Teddy Roosevelt, Upton Sinclair, Charles
Fletcher Lummis, and Lilly and Adolphus Busch, whose gardens were once tabbed the "eighth
wonder of the world." They cavort and often sow chaos at Cawston Ostrich Farm, the Mount
Lowe Railway, the Hotel Green and even the Doo Dah Parade. But it's the secrets and turmoil
around the concrete arches over the Arroyo Seco, and what it means for Nick's destiny, that
propels this story of fable versus fact.
While unearthing the truth about the Colorado Street Bridge, in all its eye-catching grandeur and
unavoidable darkness, the characters of "Arroyo" paint a vivid picture of how the home of the
Rose Bowl got its dramatic start.
Critique: Absorbing, entertaining, erudite and engaging from first page to last, "Arroyo" will
prove to be an enduringly popular addition to both community and academic library
Contemporary Literary Fiction collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that
"Arroyo" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $11.49) and as a complete and
unabridged audio book (HighBridge Audio, 9781684572328, $34.99, CD).
What Momma Left Behind
Cindy K. Sproles
Fleming H. Revell Company
c/o Baker Publishing Group
6030 East Fulton, Ada, MI 49301
www.revellbooks.com
9780800738716, $29.99, HC, 256pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Worie Dressar is 17 years old when influenza and typhoid ravage her Appalachian
Mountain community in 1877, leaving behind a growing number of orphaned children with no
way to care for themselves. Worie's mother has been secretly feeding a number of these little
ones on Sourwood Mountain. But when she dies suddenly, Worie is left to figure out why and
how she was caring for them.
Plagued with two good-for-nothing brothers (one who is unrelentingly greedy and the other a
compulsive drunkard) Worie fights to save her home and the orphaned children now in her
begrudging care. Along the way, she will discover the beauty of unconditional love and the
power of forgiveness as she cares for all of Momma's children.
Critique: "What Momma Left Behind is an inherently engaging novel of 'sacrifice, heartache, and
courage in the face of overwhelming obstacles" and reveals author Cindy Sproles as a remarkably
gifted and entertaining novelist with a genuine flair for originality and the kind of narrative
driven storytelling style that will leave her readers looking eagerly toward her next literary
project. While "What Momma Left Behind" is unreservedly recommended as a popular addition
to community library General Fiction collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists
that it is also readily available in a paperback edition (9780800737047, $15.99) and in a digital
book format (Kindle, $9.99).
The Golden Pact: Atto Solenne
Howard Eaton
Fithian Press
c/o Daniel & Daniel Publishers
PO Box 2790, McKinleyville, CA 95519
www.danielpublishing.com
9781564746153, $15.99, PB, 278pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: An oil heiress has died and left her $20 million dollar estate to be divided among a
group of charities. However, her will stipulates that none of the charities shall receive a penny
until a settlement is reached with her husband. Husband? -- What husband?
A committee of lawyers finds the husband in Milan, Italy. He's a WWII war hero, a former soccer
coach, handsome, athletic, proud, stubborn, and confused. He is fiercely determined that all
promises must be honored. The estate dispute threatens collapse into a confusion of legal
mayhem, conflicted love, and competing interests.
Critique: An original and deftly crafted work of fully reader engaging fiction by an author with a
distinctive and particularly narrative driven storytelling style, "The Golden Pact: Atto Solenne" is
a compelling novel from beginning to end and one that will prove to be an immediate and
enduringly appreciated addition to community and academic library Contemporary Literary
Fiction collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "The Golden Pact: Atto
Solenne" by Howard Eaton is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle,
$15.15).
The Romantic Fiction Shelf
The Lost Lieutenant
Erica Vetsch
Kregel Publications
2450 Oak Industrial Drive, NE, Grand Rapids, MI 49505
www.kregel.com
9780825446177, $15.99, PB, 304pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Evan Eldridge never meant to be a war hero -- he just wanted to fight Napoleon for the
future of England. And he certainly didn't think that saving the life of a peer would mean being
made the Earl of Whitelock. But when the life you save is dear to the Prince Regent, things can
change in a hurry.
Now Evan has a new title, a manor house in shambles, and a stranger for a bride -- all of which
were thrust upon him by a grateful ruler. What he doesn't have are all his memories. Traumatized
as a result of his wounds and bravery on the battlefield, Evan knows there's something he can't
quite remember. It's important, dangerous -- and if he doesn't recall it in time, will jeopardize not
only his marriage but someone's very life.
Critique: As a novelist, Erica Vetsch demonstrates her complete mastery of the Regency
Romance genre with the publication of "The Lost Lieutenant" -- the first volume of her new
'Serendipity & Secrets' series from Kregel Publications. An impressively engaging and
entertaining read from beginning to end, "The Lost Lieutenant" will prove to be an immediate
and enduringly popular addition to community library Christian Historical Fiction & Regency
Romances collections. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of all dedicated romance
fiction fans in general, and Regency Romance enthusiasts in particular, that "The Lost
Lieutenant" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
When You Wish Upon a Rogue
Anna Bennett
St. Martin's Press
https://us.macmillan.com/smp
9781250199508, $7.99, PB, 336pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Miss Sophie Kendall is happiest arranging the secret meetings of the Debutante
Underground, a group of women who come together to discuss the weekly advice column The
Debutante's Revenge. What makes Sophie most unhappy is her impending march down the aisle
to a man she does not love. But her family's finances are in increasingly dire straits.
Henry Reese, Earl of Warshire, hasn't slept in weeks. Desperate to escape his manor house and
its haunting memories, he heads for one of his abandoned London properties. There he meets a
beautiful, intriguing woman -- trespassing. Reese is far less interested in Sophie's search for a
secret meeting spot than he is in her surprising ability to soothe his demons. So he strikes a
bargain with her: his shop in exchange for spending one night a week with him.
Sophie never expected this to happen. But she cannot deny the fire Reese sparks in her -- and
soon their shared desire burns bright. Sophie is irrevocably promised to another. But maybe these
two ill-fated lovers can find a way to risk it all -- all the way to happily ever after!
Critique: The newest addition to author Anna Bennett's simply outstanding 'A Debutante Diaries'
series, "When You Wish Upon A Rogue" is a 'pitch perfect' Regency Romance novel and will
prove to be an immediate and enduringly popular addition to community library Romance Fiction
collections. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of all dedicated Regency Romance
fans that "When You Wish Upon A Rogue" is also readily available in a digital book format
(Kindle, $7.99).
The Mystery/Suspense Shelf
Rigged
D. P. Lyle
Oceanview Publishing
1620 Main Street, Suite 11, Sarasota, FL 34236
www.oceanviewpub.com
9781608093380, $26.95, HC, 233pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: First loves are never forgotten. Ever. Certainly not for Tommy "Pancake" Jeffers. His
first-kiss, sixth-grade love, Emily, who he has not seen since grammar school, is sliding toward
divorce in the artsy Gulf Coast town of Fairhope, Alabama. Longly Investigations has been
charged with looking into the finances involved.
When Emily doesn't appear for their nervously anticipated meeting, Pancake's radar goes on high
alert. Her body, along with that of Jason - (one of two guys she has been dating) is found
murdered, execution-style, Pancake calls in Jake, Nicole, and Ray. Who would have done this?
Could it be the soon-to-be ex, who has an ironclad alibi; the other guy Emily was seeing --
jealousy being a motive for harm; or do the drugs found in Jason's pocket indicate a drug-related
hit?
That world yields a host of suspects. As they peel back the layers of this idyllic community, dark
secrets come to light and convoluted motives and methods of murder are revealed.
Critique: A deftly crafted novel by a master of the suspense/thriller genre, "Rigged" by D. P. Lyle
offers his readers a narrative driven murder mystery laced with unexpected twists and turns laced
with traces of dark humor and inherently fascinating characters. A thoroughly entertaining read
from cover to cover, "Rigged" is very highly recommended, especially for community library
Contemporary Mystery/Suspense collections. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of
all dedicated mystery buffs that "Rigged" is also readily available in a digital book format
(Kindle, $9.99).
Berkeley Noir
Jerry Thompson & Owen Hill, editors
Akashic Books
232 Third Street, #A115, Brooklyn, NY 11215
www.akashicbooks.com
9781617759239, $36.95, HC, 214pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Berkeley, California, is a town named after a British philosopher. On the surface the
alleys don't seem that dark, until, in the short stories that comprise "Berkeley Noir" we look a
little closer! The sixteen deftly crafted stories comprising "Berkeley Noir" are by storytellers with
a complete mastery of the noir tradition of mystery fiction and are thematically organized into
three major sections: From the People's Republic; Directly Across from the Golden Gate;
Company Town.
Critique: A fun and fully immersive read from cover to cover, "Berkeley Noir" is a mystery
lover's delight and will prove to be an immediate and enduringly popular addition to community
library Mystery/Suspense collections. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of all
dedicated mystery fans that "Berkeley Noir" is also readily available in a paperback edition
(9781617757976, $15.95) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $10.99).
Silent Shadows
Natalie Walters
Fleming H. Revell Company
c/o Baker Publishing Group
6030 East Fulton, Ada, MI 49301
www.revellbooks.com
9780800737818, $29.99, HC, 320pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Pecca Gallegos moved to the tiny town of Walton, Georgia, to protect her son and
escape the dangerous lifestyle that once defined her. When a series of strange circumstances
evolve into threats, Pecca finds herself confiding in an unlikely ally -- her stubborn patient.
Army veteran Colton Crawford is desperate to recover from the undiagnosed disorder that is
ruining his life, and his instincts are on high alert when threats against his nurse and her son force
him to take action. But Colton's involvement only ramps up the danger when he uncovers a
family secret revealing that whoever is after Pecca is closer (and more deadly) than they
realized.
Critique: In the pages of "Silent Shadows", author Natalie Walters showcases her genuine flair
for originality as a novelist, as well as her impressive and narrative driven storytelling skills.
Certain to keep the reader in a compulsive page turning involvement from first page to last,
"Silent Shadows" will be an immediate and enduringly popular addition to community library
Mystery/Suspense collections. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of all dedicated
mystery buffs that "Silent Shadows" is also readily available in a paperback edition
(9780800735340, $15.99) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
The Sports Shelf
Changing the Game
Jim Host, author
Eric A. Moyen, author
The University Press of Kentucky
663 South Limestone Street, Lexington, KY 40508-4008
www.kentuckypress.com
9780813179551, $34.95, HC, 296, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: As founder and CEO of Host Communications, Jim Host was the pioneer in college
sports marketing. Host's prevailing innovation in collegiate sports was the concept of bundled
licensing, which encouraged corporate partners to become official sponsors of athletic programs
across media formats. Host and his team developed the NCAA Radio Network and introduced
what became known as the NCAA's Corporate Partner Program, which employed companies
such as Gillette, Valvoline, Coca-Cola, and Pizza Hut to promote university athletic programs
and the NCAA at large. Host was involved with the construction of Rupp Arena, the Kentucky
Horse Park, and the KFC Yum! Center.
"Changing the Game: My Career in Collegiate Sports Marketing" is the first complete account of
the entrepreneur's professional life, detailing his achievements in sports radio, management, and
broadcasting; his time in minor league baseball, real estate, and the insurance business; and his
foray into Kentucky politics, including his appointments under governors Louie B. Nunn and
Ernie Fletcher. "Changing the Game" provides a unique behind-the-scenes look at the growth of
big-time athletics and offers solutions for current challenges facing college sports.
Critique: A deftly crafted and impressively informative memoir, "Changing the Game: My
Career in Collegiate Sports Marketing" is an instructive and inherently fascinating read that will
hold a very special appeal for dedicated fans of intercollegiate athletics. While especially and
unreservedly recommended for community, college, and university library Contemporary
American Biography collections in general, and American Sports History curriculum
supplemental studies in particular, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Changing the
Game" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $19.22).
The Christian Studies Shelf
Honest Answers
Janelle Alberts & Ingrid Faro
Kregel Publications
2450 Oak Industrial Drive, NE, Grand Rapids, MI 49505
www.kregel.com
9780825446443, $15.99, PB, 224pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Somewhere between "Jesus Loves Me" and high school cynicism, the childlike
acceptance of pat answers about faith is lost -- often forever. But while many parents find this
transitional period daunting, they don't want their kids to leave the Christian faith just because
they didn't get good answers to how prayer works or whether dinosaurs were on Noah's ark.
"Honest Answers: Exploring God Questions with Your Tween" is basically a discussion book
specifically designed to help parents tackle the God questions that make them sweat. This isn't
the place to come for pat answers that will make their kids nod, smile, and disconnect. "Jesus
Loves Me" authors Janelle Alberts and Ingrid Faro know that when tweens start asking questions,
they're already old enough to understand the answers. They're determined to equip parents with
the language, theology, permission, and confidence to join in the discussion -- and to learn how
to offer deeply doctrinal answers in 140 characters or less.
The tween years present an incredible opportunity to build trust with kids and to keep them
coming back to their parents for answers rather than finding other sources. With the tools and
conversational tips here, mom and dad can engage in a hopeful conversation and help their
children build a Christian faith to hold them steady their whole lives.
Critique: Informative, practical, effective and inspiring, "Honest Answers: Exploring God
Questions with Your Tween" is unreservedly recommended to the attention of every parent of a
questioning child with respect to their religious beliefs and faith within a Christian context
regardless of their denominational affiliation. While highly recommended for both community
and church library collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Honest
Answers" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $13.77).
Analog Church
Jay Y. Kim
InterVarsity Press
PO Box 1400, Downers Grove, IL 60515-1426
www.ivpress.com
9780830841585, $18.00, PB, 216pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: What does it mean to be an analog church in a digital age -- and most especially in this
time of pandemic, in place sheltering, and social distancing?
In recent decades the digital world has taken over our society at nearly every level, and the
church has increasingly followed suit -- often in ways we're not fully aware of. But as even the
culture at large begins to reckon with the limits of a digital world, it's time for the church to take
stock.
Are online churches, video venues, and brighter lights truly the future? What about the digital
age's effect on discipleship, community, and the Bible?
As a pastor in Silicon Valley, Jay Kim has experienced the digital church in all its splendor. In
the pages of "Analog Church: Why We Need Real People, Places, and Things in the Digital Age,
Pastor Kim grapples with the ramifications of a digital church, from our worship and experience
of Christian community to the way we engage Scripture and sacrament.
"Analog Church" carefully address three major questions: Could it be that in our efforts to stay
relevant in our digital age, we've begun to give away the very thing that our age most desperately
needs: transcendence? Could it be that the best way to reach new generations is in fact found in a
more timeless path? Could it be that at its heart, the church has really been analog all along?
Critique: Impressively informative, exceptionally thought-provoking, exceptionally insightful,
and ultimately inspiring, "Analog Church: Why We Need Real People, Places, and Things in the
Digital Age" is an expertly written analysis that should be considered mandatory reading for all
members of the Christian community, clergy and laity alike. While a timely and unreservedly
recommended addition to community, church, seminary, and academic library Contemporary
Christianity collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Analog Church" is also
readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $10.20).
Native: Identity, Belonging, and Rediscovering God
Kaitlin B. Curtice
www.kaitlincurtice.com
Brazos Press
c/o Baker Publishing Group
6030 East Fulton, Ada, MI 49301
www.brazospress.com
9781587434891, $29.99, HC, 208pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: "Native: Identity, Belonging, and Rediscovering God" by Kaitlin Curtice is about
identity, soul-searching, and the never-ending journey of finding ourselves and finding God. As
both a citizen of the Potawatomi Nation and a Christian, Kaitlin offers a unique perspective on
these topics. In the pages of "Native", she shows how reconnecting with her Potawatomi identity
both informs and challenges her faith.
In "Native", Kaitlin draws upon her personal journey, poetry, imagery, and stories of the
Potawatomi people to address themes at the forefront of today's discussions of faith and culture
in a positive and constructive way. She encourages us to embrace our own origins and to share
and listen to each other's stories so we can build a more inclusive and diverse future. Each of our
stories matters for the church to be truly whole. As Kaitlin shares what it means to experience her
faith through the lens of her Indigenous heritage, she reveals that a vibrant spirituality has its
origins in identity, belonging, and a sense of place.
Critique: An inherently fascinating, impressively thoughtful and thought-provoking read
throughout, "Native: Identity, Belonging, and Rediscovering God" is an extraordinary
combination of personal memories, Native American stories and religiously oriented insights
from a Christian perspective. While especially recommended for community, church, seminary,
and academic library Christian Spirituality collections, it should be noted for the personal reading
lists of seminary students, clergy, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the
subject that "Native: Identity, Belonging, and Rediscovering God" is also readily available in a
paperback edition (9781587434310, $17.99) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.17).
Editorial Note: Kaitlin B. Curtice is a citizen of the Potawatomi Nation as well as a Christian,
public speaker, and poet. She travels around the country speaking on faith and justice within the
church as it relates to Indigenous peoples and has been a featured speaker at Why Christian,
Evolving Faith, Wild Goose Festival, The Festival of Faith & Writing, The Revolutionary Love
Conference, and more. Curtice is also a monthly columnist for Sojourners, has contributed to On
Being and Religion News Service, and has been featured on CBS and in USA Today and the
New Yorker for her work on having difficult conversations within the church about colonization.
She is the author of Glory Happening: Finding the Divine in Everyday Places and writes on her
blog at www.kaitlincurtice.com.
Experiencing God in the Ordinary
William A. Barry, SJ
Loyola Press
3441 North Ashland Avenue, Chicago, IL 60657
www.loyolapress.com
9780829450330, $14.95, PB, 200pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Most Christians tend to look for God in dramatic or miraculous moments, but such
expectations can blind us to God's ongoing presence. What if God is already with us, in the life
we have this moment? When we experience ordinary but meaningful events, such as our first
love or a favorite novel, we are in fact encountering God's presence. As we learn to notice
spiritual movement within and around us, we can recognize the many facets of God's love that
touch us daily.
Whether we are in pain or crisis, questioning if we are really worthy of God's attention, or are
simply wondering why God would be in the mundane details of our lives, "Experiencing God in
the Ordinary" can nurture our hope -- that God is always present and can be found in an ordinary
day. Complete with personal stories and various suggestions for prayer and meditation,
"Experiencing God in the Ordinary" is perfect for devotional reading, retreat, or small-group
discussion.
Critique: Thoughtful, insightful, inspiring, "Experiencing God in the Ordinary" is an
extraordinary and unreservedly recommended addition to church and seminary Contemporary
Catholicism collections. It should be noted for the personal Spirituality/Inspiration reading lists
of clergy, seminary students, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject
from a Catholic perspective, "Experiencing God in the Ordinary" is also readily available in a
digital book format (Kindle, $9.59).
Editorial Note: William A. Barry, SJ, is a veteran spiritual director who is currently serving as
tertian director for the New England Province of the Society of Jesus. He is also the author of
several popular books about Ignatian spirituality, including A Friendship Like No Other, Praying
the Truth, and Changed Heart, Changed World.
This Present Reality
Madson Baptiste
Westbow Press
c/o Thomas Nelson Publishers
PO Box 141000, Nashville, TN 37214
www.westbowpress.com
9781973679639, $28.95, HC, 138pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: "This Present Reality: Breaking the Timeline of Our Adversary" by Madson Baptiste
was written specifically to help members of the Christian community who find themselves
struggling to find the spiritual wisdom and strength to fight the fear in their lives. "This Present
Reality" offers a selection of revelatory letters to facilitate new breakthroughs for the reader and
provide them with the kind of freedom needed to serve God acceptably and passionately with
boldness and without fear.
The first in a three-part series, "This Present Reality: Breaking the Timeline of Our Adversary"
addresses current events taking place globally to a church in need of guidance where resources
are limited. Baptiste describes the current state of spiritual warfare so the church can more
accurately understand its role as it moves through the timeline of God's redemptive plan.
In this discussion, old foundations are rediscovered, and new revelations are brought forth. "This
Present Reality" shares the hope that the church can find a commonality of purpose in a day when
God's people appear to have lost their focus as his instrument for impacting the world for
Him.
Critique: Inspired and inspiring, "This Present Reality: Breaking the Timeline of Our Adversary"
is an extraordinary and unreservedly recommended church, seminary, and community library
Contemporary Religion/Spirituality collections. It should be noted for the personal reading lists
of all members of the Christian community that "This Present Reality" is also readily available in
a paperback edition (9781973679622, $11.95) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $8.99).
Editorial Note: Located in the heart of America "G.A.T.E. Ministry Fellowship" (Grapevine
Apostolic Transformation Enterprise) is based in Kansas City USA. GATE'S mission is to build
relationships in ministry by providing resources for churches desiring to transition into a higher
level of expression and authenticity in both their local church and mission outreaches.
For more information about the ministry of Madson Baptiste go to:
www.madsonbaptiste.com
Calling
Pierce Brantley
David C. Cook
c/o Cook Communications
4050 Lee Vance Dr., Colorado Springs, CO 80918
www.davidccook.org
9780830780730, $17.99, PB, 224pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis; Men today long for a calling but often settle for the next best thing: a job. They aspire
for a higher purpose but still have bills to pay and family to support. But what if men could find
their calling in the work they are already doing?
In "Calling: Awaken to the Purpose of Your Work", author, speaker, entrepreneur, and
businessman Pierce Brantley uses practical language and shares actionable steps to show men
how to redefine the purpose of their work and discover what it means to have a "called
career".
From a Christian perspective, Brantley shows men they can find a meaningful connection with
God in the work they are doing right now. Men were designed for this partnership, and once they
embrace it they will be awakened to the true purpose of their work -- not just a career but a
calling.
Critique: Inspired and inspiring, "Calling: Awaken to the Purpose of Your Work" is especially
commended to the attention those Christians who are involved in their communities as
entrepreneurs, businessmen, or corporate executives. While unreservedly recommended for
community library collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Calling: Awaken
to the Purpose of Your Work" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle,
$9.99).
40 Questions About the Great Commission
Daniel L. Akin, Benjamin L. Merkle, Georg G. Robinson
Kregel Publications
2450 Oak Industrial Drive, NE, Grand Rapids, MI 49505
www.kregel.com
9780825444487, $24.99, PB, 360pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: The 'Great Commission' of Jesus Christ is one of the key pillars of the Christian
church's evangelistic work and has been the guiding principle for missionaries throughout church
history. In 40 Questions about the Great Commission, Christian scholars Daniel Akin, Benjamin
Merkle, and George Robinson unpack the meaning, history, theology, and practical applications
of Jesus' command to go and make disciples.
Ideal for personal or group study, this volume will reignite your passion for evangelism while
answering key questions like: Where do we stand in relation to fulfilling the Great Commission?;
How do baptism and teaching relate to the Great Commission?; What is the meaning of "I am
with you always, to the end of the age"?; How does the Old Testament relate to the Great
Commission?; What is the special contribution of each Gospel's version of the Great
Commission?; What is the responsibility of the local church to the Great Commission?; What are
some mobilization resources that can help churches and individuals to become Great
Commission focused?
Other highlights include an overview of some of the great evangelists and missionaries in church
history, and a collection of notable quotations on the Great Commission, ideal for teaching and
preaching.
Critique: Expertly and insightful written, deftly and accessible organized, "40 Questions About
the Great Commission" is an ideal curriculum textbook for either personal or group study.
Unreservedly recommended for church, seminal, and academic library Contemporary Christian
Studies collections in general, and Evangelism/Christian Missionary Work supplemental studies
lists in particular.
Editorial Note: All three authors of "40 Questions About the Great Commission" serve as faculty
members at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in Wake Forest, North Carolina. Daniel
L. Akin is President and teaches theology and preaching. Benjamin L. Merkle teaches Greek and
New Testament. George G. Robinson teaches evangelism, disciple making, missiology and
international church planting.
That Way and No Other
Amy Carmichael
Plough Publishing House
www.plough.com
9780874863031, $12.99, PB, 144pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Amy Carmichael left everything to become a missionary in India. But then
seven-year-old Preena, fleeing sexual slavery, threw herself on the newcomer's protection. Could
Carmichael relinquish a religious vocation to become a "nursemaid"? A picture of Jesus washing
his disciples' feet came to her mind, and "the question answered itself and was not asked
again."
Joined by a growing team of Indian women, Carmichael founded Dohnavur, a community of
households that has provided family for hundreds of girls who might otherwise have been sold
into prostitution.
A modern-day saint, Amy Carmichael has inspired generations of missionaries and activists. The
practical wisdom in these selections, taken from her many books, confirms her as a trustworthy
spiritual guide for anyone honestly seeking to follow God's path.
Critique: Inspired and inspiring, "That Way and No Other: Following God through Storm and
Drought" is an inherently fascinating read and an unreservedly recommended addition to church,
seminary, community, and academic library Christian Biography collections. It should be noted
for personal reading lists that "That Way and No Other: Following God through Storm and
Drought" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $8.49).
Editorial Note: Born near Belfast, Ireland, Amy Carmichael (1867 - 1951) left Europe as a
Christian missionary to India at age twenty-seven, never to return. Over the next fifty-five years
she became Amma (mother) to hundreds of children and wrote dozens of books about the way of
discipleship.
The Judaic Studies Shelf
The Importance of the Community Rabbi
Rabbi Daniel Sperber
Urim Publications
c/o KTAV Publishing House
527 Empire Boulevard, Brooklyn, New York 11225
www.UrimPublications.com
9789655242386, $27.95, HC, 367pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: A rabbi is a spiritual leader or religious teacher in Judaism.[1] One becomes a rabbi by
being ordained by another rabbi, following a course of study of Jewish texts such as the Talmud.
The basic form of the rabbi developed in the Pharisaic and Talmudic era, when learned teachers
assembled to codify Judaism's written and oral laws.
The title "rabbi" was first used in the first century CE. In more recent centuries, the duties of a
rabbi became increasingly influenced by the duties of the Protestant Christian minister, hence the
title "pulpit rabbis", and in 19th-century Germany and the United States rabbinic activities
including sermons, pastoral counseling, and representing the community to the outside, all
increased in importance.
Within the various Jewish denominations there are different requirements for rabbinic ordination,
and differences in opinion regarding who is recognized as a rabbi. For example, Orthodox
Judaism does not ordain women as rabbis. Non-Orthodox movements have chosen to do so for
what they view as halakhic reasons (Conservative Judaism) as well as ethical reasons (Reform
and Reconstructionist Judaism). (Wikipedia)
The contemporary rabbi is influenced by the modern rabbinic establishments throughout the
world, including the rabbinate in Israel. The rabbinate's monopoly on opinions and
interpretations prevents rabbis from expressing their individual positions out of fear of
delegitimization. The current structure gives the public a negative impression of the rabbinic
establishment.
"The Importance of the Community Rabbi: Leading with Compassionate Halachah" by Rabbi
Daniel Sperber strives to describe and delineate key requirements for a good rabbi, i.e., one who
can provide socially acceptable halachic solutions within the parameters of Orthodox thinking.
Rabbi Sperber elucidates the halachic techniques and mechanisms that may be used toward this
goal. These are further illustrated with stories from rabbinic literature and examples from various
responsa.
Critique: Expertly written, organized and presented, "The Importance of the Community Rabbi:
Leading with Compassionate Halachah" is enhanced for the reader's benefit with the inclusion of
an informative Foreword by Rabbi Dov Linzer and Chaim Trachtman MD, as well as six
appendices, a subject index, a name index, and a source index. "The Importance of the
Community Rabbi: Leading with Compassionate Halachah" is an especially and unreservedly
recommended addition to personal, professional, community, synagogue, college, and university
library Judaic Studies collections in general, and Rabbinic Studies supplemental studies reading
lists in particular.
Editorial Note: Chaim Trachtman is chief of pediatric nephrology at NYU Langone Medical
Center. He is on the board of Yeshivat Maharat and is also the editor of the book "Women and
Men in Communal Prayer: Halakhic Perspectives" (KTAV, 2010)
The Music Shelf
The Doors Summer's Gone
Harvey Kubernik
Otherworld Cottage Industries
https://www.otherworldcottageindustries.com
9781892900036, $22.95, PB, 248pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: "The Doors Summer's Gone" is a compilation of author Harvey Kubernik's interviews
with the members of the Doors; keyboardist Ray Manzarek, drummer John Densmore, and
guitarist Robby Krieger conducted between 1974 - 2017, as well as Doors' engineer/producer
Bruce Botnick and Elektra Records' founder Jac Holzman.
"The Doors Summer's Gone" also includes Kubernik's reviews of the band's catalog product and
stories, some published, some never in print or online, and reflections over five decades, from
intimate Doors insiders; poets, writers, musicians, engineers, songwriters, authors, screenwriters,
filmmakers, and photographers.
The cover and text of "The Doors Summer's Gone" incorporates rare visuals and photographs
supplied by Kubernik's well-respected, music business contacts, and artifacts from the archives
of Ida Miller.
Kubernik witnessed a 1968 concert by the Doors, and has worked with band members, produced
recordings by Manzarek, theater events with Densmore, and chronicled their legacy since 1974.
His literary journey displays memories and reflections from others who shared the stage and
retail record bins with the Doors over the last half century.
The author of 14 books, Kubernik provided a multi-voice forum for Peter Lewis of Moby Grape,
Alex Del Zoppo of Sweetwater, multi-instrumentalist Chris Darrow, Carlos Santana, Paul
Kantner, Grace Slick, and Marty Balin of Jefferson Airplane, Burton Cummings, and Steven Van
Zandt.
There are chapters devoted to deejays Dave Diamond, Rodney Bingenheimer and Rick Williams;
photographers Guy Webster, Henry Diltz, Heather Harris, Kurt Ingham, Tom Gundelfinger
O'Neil, and Helie Robertson; filmmakers D.A. Pennebaker, Murray Lerner and Randall Jahnson;
authors Tosh Berman, Gene Aguilera, Eddi Fiegel, Ram Dass, Daniel Weizmann, Sandy
Robertson, David Dalton, and Jan Henderson; actors Jack Larson, Seymour Cassell, and Bill
Mumy; poets Stephen J. Kalinich, James Cushing and Celeste Goyer; record producers Kim
Fowley, Mark Guerrero and Greg Franco; writers Gary Pig Gold, David N. Pepperell, Michael
Macdonald; journalist Kirk Silsbee; graphic artist Denis Loren, 1970 head of Door's security
Tony Funches, and writer Anne Moore, a Jim Morrison confident.
Additional recollections from poets, deejays, musicians, poster artists and witnesses to the
1965-1971 world of the Doors are also documented.
Critique: Impressively informative and a simply fascinating and meticulously detailed read from
cover to cover, "The Doors Summer's Gone" is a 'must' for the legions of Doors fans and certain
to be an immediate and enduringly popular addition to both community and academic library
American Popular Music History collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that
"The Doors Summer's Gone" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle,
$9.99).
The Cookbook Shelf
My Pinewood Kitchen: A Southern Culinary Cure
Mee McCormick
Health Communications, Inc.
3201 S.W. 15th Street, Deerfield Beach, FL 33442-8190
www.hcibooks.com
9780757323522, $26.95, PB, 304pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Mee first started cooking when Crohn's disease, rheumatoid arthritis, and Hashimoto's
brought her debilitating daily pain. When conventional treatments couldn't help, Mee found relief
in a surprising place: her kitchen. Through relentless recipe testing, she put her condition into
remission and completely restored her health with gut-friendly whole foods, most of which she
grew and harvested on her family's farm outside of Nashville, Tennessee.
Once Mee was well, she opened Pinewood Kitchen, a farm-to-table restaurant in which she
shares locally grown and seasonal foods with her community. As restaurants go, Pinewood
Kitchen is unique in that every meal is created with the intention to serve everyone with the same
deliciousness regardless of dietary restrictions.
Inspired by her restaurant menus, "My Pinewood Kitchen: A Southern Culinary Cure " by Mee
McCormick brings a unique Southern twist to comfort food classics with more than 130 gluten
free recipes that heal the gut, reduce inflammation, and reverse chronic autoimmune diseases. To
each of her recipes Mee offers a completely customizable approach for recipe adaptations for
different dietary needs, whether it be gluten-free, Paleo, keto, or vegan in nature.
From immune-boosting smoothies to gut-friendly soups, salads, dinners, and desserts, "My
Pinewood Kitchen" is a four-color cookbook will become a serious and nutritious 'go-to' kitchen
resource, freeing the family cook from bland-tasting healthy food and the nightly question:
"What's for dinner?"
The recipes range from Kentucky Caramel Chicken, Cranberry Hot Wings, Grain-Free Fried
Chicken, and Sizzlin' Short Ribs, to Super Creamy Veggie Mac & Cheese, Roasted Red Pepper
Soup with Polenta Fingers, Roasted Squash & Sweet Potato Soup, Summertime Zucchini Soup,
Black Rice Salad with Snap Peas and Ginger-Sesame Vinaigrette, Caramel Apple Pancakes,
Raspberry Lemon Keto Muffins, Farm Fresh Eggs & Sausage-Stuffed Bell Peppers.
For desert try a Berry Cobbler, Chocolate Lava Cake, and Key Lime Tart, or Chocolate
Brownies, White Bean Cupcakes, and Chocolate Avocado Mousse!
Whether you want to eat healthier or you have diabetes, lupus, celiac, Crohn's, multiple sclerosis,
rheumatoid arthritis, or another autoimmune issue, you'll find a wealth of delicious, nutritious
recipes. Family cooks will also discover: The importance of intestinal health and how to improve
your own gut microbiome; Which foods are nutritional powerhouses and which must be avoided;
How to eat real food every day without breaking the bank!
Critique: Beautifully illustrated throughout, "My Pinewood Kitchen, A Southern Culinary Cure"
is a 'must' for anyone needing to deal with medical conditions in general, and autoimmune
impairment situations in particular. While especially and unreservedly recommended for
community library cookbook collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "My
Pinewood Kitchen, A Southern Culinary Cure" is also readily available in a digital book format
(eTextbook, $19.99).
Editorial Note: Mee McCormick is a real food maven, community food advocate, a restauranteur,
a rancher, a mother, and the author of My Kitchen Cure: How I Cooked My Way Out of Chronic
Autoimmune Disease with Whole Foods and Healing Recipes. When Mee isn't running her
restaurant, Pinewood Kitchen & Mercantile, or working on her biodynamic farm outside of
Nashville, she is touring the country as a speaker and community kitchen organizer. She has
appeared on national and local TV, on radio and in print nationwide. She is a regular on-air
contributor to Today In Nashville and a vital part of the Nashville restaurant scene. She maintains
two web sites: www.meemccormick.com and www.pinewoodkitchenandmercantile.com
The Travel Shelf
Cruising The World
Clark Norton, author
Dennis Cox, photographer
https://www.clarknorton.com
Photo Explorer Productions
c/o Dennis Cox, LLC
www.denniscox.com
9780578459608, $40.00, HC, 208pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Featuring an informative text by Clark Norton, "Cruising The World: From Gondolas
To Megaships" is a full-color illustrated, hardcover, coffee table style book that is comprised of
535 photos depicting 37 varieties of cruise vessels representing 77 countries on all seven
continents. From modern-day megaships to such timeless vessels as Venetian gondolas, Arabian
dhows, and Asian sampans, seasoned and professional travel photographer Dennis Cox has
drawn on his decades of cruising experience to take the reader on a memorable and fascinating
journey aboard ocean- and sea-going, river, lake, and canal boats around the world.
During a recent flurry of cruises through such widespread locales as the Galapagos Islands, the
Middle East, Hawai'i, Europe, and the Caribbean, "Cruising The World" documents the latest
cutting-edge innovations in cruising and cruise ships, while also showcasing the more exotic
forms of water-borne transportation that have carried sailors, passengers, fishermen, and royalty
over the centuries.
"Cruising The World" features beautiful images of the Caribbean, the Americas, Europe, the
Mediterranean, the Middle East, East Asia, the Far East Islands, Southeast Asia, South Asia, the
South Pacific, Africa, and Antarctica.
"Cruising The World" presents timely and timeless information on Megaships, Resorts at Sea,
Luxury Cruises, Cargo Ship Cruising, Cruise Ship Food & Entertainment. 'Most Colorful Ships',
Ferries, Canal Barges, Rice Boats, Tour Boats, River Ships, Tall Ships Expedition Ships, Paddle
Wheelers, Trajineras, Gondolas, and more!
Critique: Entertaining and educational, "Cruising The World: Fropm Gondoloas To Megaships"
is an inherently fascinating browse and ideal for the personal reading lists of armchair travelers in
general, and anyone considering a shipboard world traveling experience in particular. Very
highly recommended, "Cruising The World" is certain to be an immediate and enduringly
popular addition to personal reading lists, as well as community, college, and university library
Travel Guide collections.
Editorial Note: As an assignment photographer for magazines and as a stock travel photo
producer, Dennis Cox has photographed in 130 countries and territories and has made more than
50 trips to China alone.
The Political Science Shelf
The Socialist Manifesto
Bhaskar Sunkara
Basic Books
www.basicbooks.com
c/o Perseus Books Group
250 W. 57th St., Suite 1500, New York, NY 10107
www.perseusbooksgroup.com
www.blackstoneaudio.com
9781541617391, $28.00, HC, 288pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Bhaskar Sunkara is the founder and editor of Jacobin, which he launched in 2010 as an
undergraduate at George Washington University. He has written for the New York Times, the
Guardian, VICE, and The Washington Post. Sunkara is also the publisher of Catalyst and the
UK-based Tribune.
In "The Socialist Manifesto: The Case for Radical Politics in an Era of Extreme Inequality",
Bhaskar Sunkara explores socialism's history since the mid-1800s and presents a realistic vision
for its future. With the stunning popularity of Bernie Sanders and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez,
Americans are embracing the class politics of socialism. But what, exactly, is socialism? And
what would a socialist system in America look like?
In "The Socialist Manifesto" Sunkara shows that socialism, though often seen primarily as an
economic system, in fact offers the means to fight all forms of oppression, including racism and
sexism. The ultimate goal is not Soviet-style planning, but to win rights to healthcare, education,
and housing, and to create new democratic institutions in workplaces and communities. A primer
on socialism for the 21st century, "The Socialist Manifesto" is for anyone seeking an end to the
vast inequities of our age.
Critique: A timely and impressively informative contribution to our current national political
dialogue in the ethically corrupted Age of Trump, "The Socialist Manifesto: The Case for
Radical Politics in an Era of Extreme Inequality" should be considered an essential and core
addition to personal, community, and academic library Contemporary Political Science
collections. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of students, academia, political
activists, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "The Socialist
Manifesto: The Case for Radical Politics in an Era of Extreme Inequality" is also readily
available in a paperback edition (9781541647107, $16.99), in a digital book format (Kindle,
$11.99), and as a complete and unabridged audio book (Blackstone Audio, 9781549180224,
$35.00, CD)
The Woodworking Shelf
Whittling in Your Free Time
Tom Hindes
Fox Chapel Publishing Company
1970 Broad Street N., East Petersburg, PA 17520
www.FoxChapelPublishing.com
9781497100701, $12.99, PB, 96pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: "Inside Whittling in Your Free Time" by Woodcarving Illustrated magazine
contributor Tom Hindes showcases and illustrates the basics of whittling by practicing four
simple knife cuts with easy-to-follow exercises. Comprised of 16 fast, easy, fun whittling
projects anyone can complete in just one short sitting, "Whittling in Your Free Time" is packed
from cover to cover with step-by-step instructions, high-quality coordinating photography, and
clear guidance on painting and finishing each piece.
Progressing from very simple to more challenging, each project is meant to encourage novice and
experienced whittlers alike along the rewarding and relaxing path of whittling and help them to
build and hone their carving skills. Especially appropriate for anyone aspiring whittler who is
short on time, the quick and easy designs inside make "Whittling in Your Free Time" the perfect
project book for whittlers of any skill level.
Critique: Thoroughly 'user friendly' in tone, commentary, instructions, organization and
presentation, "Whittling in Your Free Time: 16 Quick & Easy Projects to Carve in Wood" is a
superb, easy-to-use reference and resource for hobbyists of all skill and experience levels. The
quality photography adds the perfect touch to the step-by-step instructions, and the sample
projects are especially selected to be ideal for hobbyists who are short on spare time. Highly
recommended!
The Needlecraft Shelf
Circus Embroidery
Susie Johns
The GMC Group
www.gmcbooks.com
9781784945473, $22.95, PB, 144pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: London based Susie Johns is an artist and designer who has written dozens of craft
books, mostly on knitting, crochet and sewing, including Knitted Pets, Knitted Woodland
Creatures, How to Embroider and Fat Quarter: Bags & Purses (GMC Publications).
In "Circus Embroidery" she draws upon her many years of experience and expertise to compile
an extensive collection of more than 200 bright, playful motifs, each of which makes a handy
resource for any embroidery enthusiast to dip into.
With spreads made up of template outlines on one side and the finished stitched items opposite,
is an ideal resource. The motives comprising "Circus Embroidery" cover every imaginable
spectacle that might be seen at a circus of yesteryear ranging from daring acrobats, tumblers and
tightrope walkers to incredible performing animals. Also included are the tents, signs and
caravans that make up the circus infrastructure along with decorative borders, banners and
lettering, as well as strongmen, acrobats, tumblers, clowns, elephants, train, dancers, musicians,
ringmasters, banners, flags, tents, ticket office, signs, big cats and many more!
Critique: Thoroughly 'user friendly' in organization and presentation, "Circus Embrodery" will
prove to be an enduringly welcome and unique addition to personal, professional, and
community library needlecraft resource collections.
The Business Shelf
How to Listen and How to Be Heard
Alissa Carpenter
Career Press Inc.
12 Parish Drive, Wayne, NJ 07470
www.careerpress.com
www.brillianceaudio.com
9781632651631, $17.95, PB, 256pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Too often, people avoid difficult conversations; but these discussions often need to
happen to bring people together so we can all succeed.
There's no denying that our workplaces are more diverse than ever. Age, race, gender -- there are
so many different perspectives and experiences being brought to the table. And the best
employees and leaders know that harnessing the power of these differences will build stronger
teams, ideas, and organizations. But how do we do this? If we all think, feel, and act so
differently, how do we get anything done?
The first step is recognizing that these differences exist. And that they're here to stay. We need to
respect and embrace our varied viewpoints, and then we can start to communicate across (not
against) them.
"How to Listen and How to be Heard" shows how to bridge the conversation gap and use the
reader's unique voice to start powerful conversations. About learning how to communicate with,
through, and alongside what makes us different, "Too often, people avoid difficult conversations;
but these discussions often need to happen to bring people together so we can all succeed.
Critique: Thoroughly 'user friendly' in organization and presentation, "How to Listen and How to
Be Heard: Inclusive Conversations at Work" is a unique and impressively informative
instructional guide and manual for improving communication skills in our professional (as well
as personal) lives. Inspired and inspiring, "How to Listen and How to Be Heard: Inclusive
Conversations at Work" is particularly recommended for community, corporate, and academic
library Communication Skills collections in general, and Business Conflict Resolution
supplemental curriculum lists. It should be noted be noted for personal reading lists that "How to
Listen and How to Be Heard: Inclusive Conversations at Work" is also readily available in a
digital book format (Kindle, $9.99) and as a complete and unabridged audio book (Brilliance
Audio, 9781799754367, $19.99, MP3 CD).
Editorial Note: Alissa Carpenter is a multi-generational workplace expert and owner of
Everything's Not Ok and That's OK, where she provides training, consulting, and speaking
services to organizations all over the world. Carpenter has delivered a TEDx talk on authentic
workplace communication, and has been featured in media outlets including Forbes, ABC, FOX,
and CNN Money.
Growth or Bust!
Mark Faust
Career Press Inc.
12 Parish Drive, Wayne, NJ 07470
www.careerpress.com
9781601631626, $15.99, PB, 224pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Now more than ever, company leaders need fresh ideas about how to grow their
organization's sales and profits. "Growth or Bust!: Proven Turnaround Strategies to Grow Your
Business " by Mark Faust is a manual that can be used by any company leader for finding
untapped growth potentials.
Whether used by a single member of a management team or as a workbook throughout the
company, "Growth or Bust!" shows how to: Build a growth strategy that will leverage all facets
of your organization; Initiate innovation process for increasing sales and profits; Mine the
untapped potential within your existing customer base; Get more productivity out of your team --
and so much more!
"Growth or Bust!" is a kind of toolbox for growth for top management, sales and marketing
management, and entrepreneurs in any business or industry. It will help identify what can be
implemented directly as well as where new or accelerated growth can be fostered in other parts of
any organization.
Critique: Expertly written, organized and presented, "Growth or Bust!: Proven Turnaround
Strategies to Grow Your Business" is an extraordinary compendium of business strategy
development techniques and is thoroughly 'user friendly' in tone and commentary. While
unreservedly recommended for community, corporate, and academic library Business
Management collections, it should be noted for the personal reading lists of business students,
academia, entrepreneurs, business managers, corporate executives, and non-specialist general
readers with an interest in the subject that "Growth or Bust!: Proven Turnaround Strategies to
Grow Your Business " is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $15.19).
Editorial Note: Mark Faust has worked with companies such as IBM, Monsanto, Apple,
Syngenta, Bayer, and John Deere, as well as smaller closely held organizations, second- and
third-generation family-owned companies, government agencies, and nonprofits. He has been an
adjunct COO, a vice president of sales, advisor on company boards and an Adjunct Professor at
the University of Cincinnati and Ohio University.
The Poetry Shelf
Words like Thunder: New and Used Anishinaabe Prayers
Lois Beardslee
Wayne State University Press
4809 Woodward Avenue, Detroit, MI 48201-1309
http://wsupress.wayne.edu
9780814347485, $15.99, PB, 144pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: "Words like Thunder: New and Used Anishinaabe Prayers" is a collection of poetry by
award-winning Ojibwe author Lois Beardslee. Much of the book centers around Native people of
the Great Lakes but has a universal relevance to modern indigenous people worldwide. Beardslee
tackles contemporary topics like climate change and socioeconomic equality with a grace and
readability that empowers readers and celebrates the strengths of today's indigenous peoples. She
transforms the mundane into the sacred. Similar in style to Nikki Giovanni, Beardslee might lure
in readers with the promise of traditional cultural material, even stereotypes, before quickly
pivoting toward a direction of respect for the contemporaneity and adaptability of indigenous
people's tenacious hold on traditions.
"Words Like Thunder" will appeal anyone who appreciates skillfully crafted verse, as well as to
anyone wanting to learn more about indigenous peoples of the Great Lakes, and to people who
care about the environment and socioeconomic equality. Even young readers, especially students
of color, will find parts of "Words Like Thunder" to which they can relate.
Critique: Reflective, inspiring, thought-provoking, deftly written, "Words Like Thunder: New
and Used Anishinaabe Prayers" by Lois Beardslee is the newest addition to the Wayne State
University Press 'Made in Michigan Writers Series'. While especially and unreservedly
recommended for both community and academic library Contemporary Women's Poetry and
Native American Studies collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Words
Like Thunder" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
The Self-Help Shelf
You Are the Key
Caitlin Crosby
www.thegivingkeys.com
Zondervan Publishing House
5300 Patterson Avenue, S.E., Grand Rapids, MI 49530
www.zondervan.com
Brilliance Audio
www.brillianceaudio.com
9780310357971, $24.99, HC, 240pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: The underlying message of "You Are the Key: Turning Imperfections into Purpose" by
Caitlin Crosby is that anyone who feels less-than about their work, worth, body, or the life they
are building can benefit from the fact that they do not have to have it all together to "qualify" for
their life's calling -- whatever they deem that calling to be.
Caitlin Crosby is a former Hollywood talent who didn't finish college, never got an MBA, and
wasn't supposed to become a CEO, yet that's exactly what she did (even if being a new mother
means she forgets to brush her teeth sometimes before heading to the office).
Caitlin's passion for people led her to launch The Giving Keys, a give-back jewelry brand with
the mission of helping its employees transition out of homelessness. Each of their one million
plus keys sold represents a person who wore it, then shared it with someone else, in a unique
pay-it-forward model. Yet just as her jewelry re-purposes throw-away keys to bear bold messages
of hope, faith, and courage, Caitlin has fought hard to believe her own imperfections can lead to
her greatest purpose.
In "You Are the Key", candidly reveals imperfections aplenty: like the time she accidentally
voice-texted a huge fight with her husband to her entire leadership team, or the terrifying day a
disgruntled employee brought a gun to their office, or the time this #girlboss landed herself in the
ER. For the first time, Caitlin also opens up to her readers about her own secret "flaw" that
rocked her sense of self-worth for the better part of two decades, and her private battle to believe
our scars are not sources of shame but proof of courage and prompts toward purpose.
Through Caitlin's all-too-real stories, sparkling with warmth and humor are to be found our own
free pass to embrace our own flaws and reframe our imperfections -- not as limitations but
signposts toward your greatest purpose.
Critique: Inherently fascinating, exceptionally engaging, ultimately inspiring, "You Are the Key:
Turning Imperfections into Purpose" is an extraordinary and unreservedly recommended addition
to personal, community, and academic library Self-Help/Self-Improvement collections. It should
be noted for personal reading lists that "You Are the Key: Turning Imperfections into Purpose" is
also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $12.99) and as a complete and unabridged
audio book (Brilliance Audio, 9781799734024, $24.99, CD).
Editorial Note: Caitlin Crosby is an actress, TEDx speaker, singer-songwriter, and founder of
The Giving Keys, a jewelry company with the mission of helping its employees transition out of
homelessness. She was named among Oprah's SuperSoul100 list of visionaries in 2016, and
featured on The Today Show, Cosmopolitan, Harper's Bazaar, and many other media outlets. She
can be contacted through Instagram @caitlincrosby and maintains a website at
www.thegivingkeys.com
Win Every Day
Mark Miller
Berrett-Koehler Publishers Inc.
1333 Broadway, Suite 1000, Oakland CA, 94612
www.bkconnection.com
www.dreamscapeab.com/audiobooks
9781523088409, $24.95, HC, 160pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: All high performance organizations have one thing in common: execution. The men
and women who work there sustain performance at seemingly otherworldly levels of precision,
accuracy, and consistency. "Win Every Day: Proven Practices for Extraordinary Results" is the
fifth and final book of Mark Miller's simply outstanding 'High Performance' series. In it he uses
his trademark business fable format to show how any organization can cultivate the kind of
everyday habits that yield extraordinary results.
"Win Every Day" tells the story of Blake Brown, a CEO who learns how to help his team to
consistently excel at execution from a perhaps unlikely source: his son's high school football
coach. The story is fictional, but the principles and practices are very real, derived from years of
research led by a team from Stanford University.
Miller and his team interviewed leaders and employees from numerous world-class
organizations, including the Navy SEALS, Starbucks, Apple, Southwest Airlines, the Seattle
Seahawks, Mayo Clinic, Cirque du Soleil, and more. The lessons learned were then field-tested
with over seventy businesses employing over 7,000 people.
"Win Every Day" also provides proven tools to release the untapped potential in people, create a
strong competitive advantage, and win not just on game day but every day!
Critique: Impressively 'reader friendly' in tone, commentary, organization and presentation, "Win
Every Day: Proven Practices for Extraordinary Results" is an inherently engaging read from
beginning to end. Extraordinarily effective, motivating and inspiring, "Win Every Day" is an
ideal and unreservedly recommended addition to both community and academic library Self-
Help/Self-Improvement collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "Win Every
Day" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $14.49) and as a complete and
unabridged audio book (Dreamscape Media, 9781690584407, $19.99, CD).
Conscious Luck
Gay Hendricks & Carol Kline
St. Martin's Essentials
c/o St. Martin's Press
https://us.macmillan.com/smp
9781250622945, $19.99, HC, 192pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: The basic premise of "Conscious Luck: Eight Secrets to Intentionally Change Your
Fortune " by Gay Hendricks and Carol Kline is that we can create your own luck, that living a
charmed life (being lucky in love, lucky in money, lucky in your chosen work) iss within our
control -- all that is necessary is to know how to do it.
"Conscious Luck" showcases eight Secrets that will allow anyone to intentionally change their
fortune. Instead of hoping and wishing that luck will come our way, let Conscious Luck show us
how to seize control of destiny and create the dazzling life of our personal dreams and
aspirations.
This powerful step-by-step program, which includes practical techniques, inspiring true stories,
and the authors' personal journeys, will lead the reader to a greater freedom and abundance. The
Secrets (four core shifts and four daily practices) teach the reader how to: Plant the seeds of luck
in your own psyche; Remove unlucky programming (including lifting "curses"); Move at an
Essence Pace; Practice Radical Gratitude -- and much more!
Critique: Inherently fascinating, thoughtful and thought-provoking, insightful, practical, and
thoroughly 'reader friendly in organization and presentation, "Conscious Luck: Eight Secrets to
Intentionally Change Your Fortune" is a unique and extraordinary addition to community and
academic library Self-Help/Self-Improvement collections. It should be noted for personal reading
lists that "Conscious Luck: Eight Secrets to Intentionally Change Your Fortune" is also readily
available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
Editorial Note: Gay Hendricks has served for more than forty years as one of the major
contributors to the fields of relationship transformation and body-mind therapies. His books
include Conscious Loving and The Big Leap.
Carol Kline has devoted her career to teaching, writing, and speaking about consciousness and
personal growth. Her books include Happy for No Reason, Love for No Reason, and she is the
author of five books in the Chicken Soup for the Soul series.
James A. Cox, Editor-in-Chief
Diane C. Donovan, Editor
Midwest Book Review
278 Orchard Drive
Oregon, WI 53575-1129
phone: 1-608-835-7937
e-mail: mbr@execpc.com
e-mail: mwbookrevw@aol.com
http://www.midwestbookreview.com
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