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Table of Contents
Reviewer's Choice
Using Computers Effectively
Debojit Acharjee
Rowman & Littlefield Publishing Group
4501 Forbes Blvd., Suite 200, Lanham, MD 20706
www.rowman.com
9781475868791, $90.00, HC, 168pp
https://www.amazon.com/Using-Computers-Effectively-Teachers-Knowledge/dp/1475868790
Synopsis: What we can do today with computers was not possible just a couple of decades ago. As the price versus
computing power of desktop computers became increasingly reasonable, using a desktop computer for everyday use has
become possible for everyone. There was a time when there wasn't much internet speed and computing power to do much
like HD gaming and video streaming, which have become as easy as pie these days.
That's why "Using Computers Effectively: How Teachers and Students Can Improve Their Knowledge and Practice" by
Debojit Acharjee was written, organized and presented in such a way that it will give overall knowledge about today's
computer technology and how it can be used for education .
"Using Computers Effectively" contains all the fundamentals related to computer hardware and software that could be
useful for almost anyone who is interested in learning computers. However, the last chapter of this instructional guide and
reference is mainly for students and teachers. Of special note is the final chapter with information about using various
types of apps and internet resources for doing homework and teaching.
Critique: Comprehensive, informative and thoroughly 'user friendly', "Using Computers Effectively: How Teachers and
Students Can Improve Their Knowledge and Practice" is the ideal DIY 'how to' introduction to utilizing the computer
today and is especially recommended textbook for highschool, community, and college Introduction to Computing
curriculum studies lists. It should be noted for students, academia, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the
subject that "Using Computers Effectively" is also available in a paperback edition (9781475868807, $35.00) and in a
digital book format (Kindle, $33.25).
Editorial Note: Debojit Acharjee (https://muckrack.com/debojit-acharjee) is a computer professional and enthusiast. He is
also a writer and has written many articles on computer technologies like Artificial Intelligence (AI), blockchain, DevOps,
Python, etc. He can be followed on Twitter @debojitacharjee
The Writing/Publishing Shelf
Launch Pad: The Countdown to Marketing Your Book
Mary Helen Sheriff, author
Grace Sammon, author
Red Penguin Books
https://redpenguinbooks.com
9781637773789, $12.99, PB, 266pp
https://www.amazon.com/Launch-Pad-Countdown-Marketing-Your/dp/1637773781
Synopsis: Your book is now written, and published. Now you discover that, as a self-published author the burden of
marketing, publicizing, promoting, and bringing to the attention your potential readers, booksellers, librarians, and
reviewers rested entirely on you. Even if your have become a mid-list published author with a large and well known
publisher with publicity/promotion directs and managers, marketing will still falls principally on your shoulders.
That's why co-authors and book marketing experts Mary Helen Sheriff and Grace Sammon have published "Launch Pad:
The Countdown to Marketing Your Book".
From Dan Blank's marketing mindset guidance to practical tips on leveraging social media, book clubs, reviews, and so
much more, "Launch Pad" (the third in a series of three on writing, publishing, and marketing your book) will help you get
it done! Each focused chapter engages you in a process that will raise your marketing IQ, build your skill set, and set you
on a path for a successful book launch and marketing plan. Replete with countdown tips, ways to connect directly to the
authors, and bonus downloadable planning sheets, "Launch Pad" delivers a marketing book that speaks right to you.
Critique: A complete and comprehensive instructional guide and 'how-to' DIY manual comprised of fourteen major
contributions by experts in the field, and with immense and practical value for novice authors (and novice publishers as
well), "Launch Pad: The Countdown to Marketing Your Book" is amazingly 'user friendly' in commentary style,
organization, and presentation. Of special note is the inclusion of several '10 Point' countdowns on such specialized
subjects as Book Getting Reviews, Networking, Social Media, and so much more! While also available for personal
reading lists in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99), "Launch Pad: The Countdown to Marketing Your Book" is an
essential and unreservedly recommended addition to personal, professional, community, college, university, and writer
workshop Writing/Publishing collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists.
Editorial Note #1: Mary Helen Sheriff (https://maryhelensheriff.com) is the author of Boop and Eve's Road Trip, which
won the American Fiction Award for Coming-of-Age books in 2020, as well as co-author (with Grace Sammon) of
"Launch Pad: The Countdown to Writing Your Book" and "Launch Pad: The Countdown to Publishing Your Book".
Editorial Note #2: Grace Sammon (https://www.gracesammon.net) is an entrepreneur, educator, speaker, radio show host,
and an author. She has started and managed two for-profit and two not-for-profit companies, and she has travelled to 35
states and 8 foreign countries.
How to Create a Million Dollar Speech
Judith Briles
MileHigh Press
http://www.milehighpress.com
9781885331953, $20.00, PB, 294pp
https://www.amazon.com/How-Create-Million-Dollar-Speech/dp/1885331959
Synopsis: These are the core reasons for a published author to also become a skilled public speaker: To change lives, sell
truckloads of books, make money from speaker fees, go places you never thought you would, make a difference, and to
have fun!
For authors, public speaking is the #1 way to sell thousands of books. As an author you have written a book, you know the
content of that book, and you are passionate about that book's topic and message. Now it's up to you to share it -- especially
to potential buyers of that book.
With the publication of " How to Create a Million Dollar Speech", Julie Briles (also widely known as 'The Book
Shepherd', shows you: How to pitch to the decision-maker; How to move from "free" to "fee"; How to identify your key
points and create stories to engage your audience.; How to hook an audience within the first few minutes of your
presentation; How to create a closing that delivers the "buzz" factor; How to discover sponsors and secure them; How to
market your speech to meeting planners.
Critique: Giving public speeches on the subject matter, genre, or information thematically relevant to their book is an often
overlooked or under-appreciated source of revenue for self-published authors. For those authors (and any others) who feel
they don't have the skills or expertise to speak publically I would bring "How to Create a Million Dollar Speech" by book
marketing expert Judith Briles to their attention. Comprehensive and exceptionally 'user friendly' in organization and
presentation, this effective combination of instructional reference and 'how-to' manual will help the inexperienced public
speaker to talk in front of an audience of any size from a handful in a bookstore signing event to an fully populated
auditorium assembled for a convention or a regional event with poise, interest, and persuasion. While motivational,
inspiring, and very highly recommended as essential for personal, professional, community, college, and university library
Public Speaking and Writing/Publishing collections, it should be noted that "How to Create a Million Dollar Speech" is
also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $8.99).
Editorial Note: Dr. Judith Briles (https://thebookshepherd.com) is the founder of AuthorYOU.org and AuthorU.org, a
membership organization designed for aspiring writers who want to be seriously successful. She is also the founder of the
Colorado Authors Hall of Fame, a 501c3 that is dedicated to ensuring the legacies of Colorado connected authors.
The Education Shelf
UDL Now!: A Teacher's Guide to Applying Universal Design for Learning, third edition
Katie Novak
Cast, Inc.
https://www.cast.org
9781930583825, $29.99, PB, 196pp
https://www.amazon.com/UDL-Now-Teachers-Applying-Universal/dp/1930583826
Synopsis: Now in an expanded and updated third edition of "UDL Now!: A Teacher's Guide to Applying Universal Design
for Learning", Katie Novak (education consultant, an author, an adjunct professor at the University of Pennsylvania)
provides practical insights and savvy strategies for helping all learners succeed in a post-pandemic world using the
principles of Universal Design for Learning (UDL).
This powerful guide for educators covers timely topics including: Supporting UDL within multi-tiered systems of support
(MTSS); UDL in the service of equity; Recruiting and engaging learners as UDL partners; How UDL and Differentiated
Instruction (DI) work together; The role of student choice and voice; What learning expertise really means; Preparing for
standardized assessments the UDL way.
In this third edition of "UDL Now!", Novak presents examples throughout in order to make the content relevant and
digestible. She then concludes each individual chapter with reflection questions to help classroom teachers apply key
concepts to their work. "UDL Now!" is a fun and effective playbook for great teaching.
Critique: Exceptionally well written, impressively 'reader friendly' in organization and presentation, offering a complete
course of instruction in a single 196 page volume, this new third edition of "UDL Now!: A Teacher's Guide to Applying
Universal Design for Learning" will have a very special appeal and value to anyone with an interest in Special Education
and Inclusive Education. While especially and unreservedly recommended for personal, professional, school district,
college, and university library Education Administration collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists, it should be
noted that "UDL Now!" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $22.49).
Editorial Note: Katie Novak (www.novakeducation.com), is the founder and director of Novak Education. She is an
internationally renowned education consultant, an author, an adjunct professor at the University of Pennsylvania, and a
former assistant superintendent of schools in Massachusetts. Katie has two decades of experience in teaching and
administration, has an earned doctorate in curriculum and teaching from Boston University, and has authored or
coauthored 10 published books, including Equity by Design: Delivering on the Power and Promise of UDL, and UDL and
Blended Learning: Thriving in Flexible Learning Landscapes, Innovate Inside the Box: Empowering Learners Through
UDL and the Innovator's Mindset, and UDL Playbook for School and District Leaders. Follow her on Twitter
@KatieNovakUDL
The Jobs/Careers Shelf
The Insider's Secrets to Getting Your School Leadership Job
Dr. Larry Aronstein
First Hill Books
c/o Anthem Press
www.anthempress.com
9781839988950, $24.95, PB, 102pp
https://www.amazon.com/Insiders-Secrets-Getting-School-Leadership/dp/1839988959
Synopsis: What separates "The Insider's Secrets to Getting Your School Leadership Job" by Dr. Larry Aronstein from all
the other books on this topic is that the author is the ultimate insider.
Dr. Aronstein knows how the hiring process works from the inside. In "The Insider's Secrets to Getting Your School
Leadership Job" he vividly and simply de-mystifies the inner dynamics of the job search process in schools.
As an experienced one-on-one coach, Larry's strategies are practical, teachable, and most importantly, they work. Larry's
clients are more than competitive -- they give interviews and get the job!
Critique: A slender but comprehensive DIY instructional guide and 'how-to' manual, "The Insider's Secrets to Getting Your
School Leadership Job" is exceptional 'user friendly' and effective in organization and presentation. While readily available
for personal reading lists in a digital book format (Kindle, $14.99), "The Insider's Secrets to Getting Your School
Leadership Job" is unreservedly recommended for personal, professional, school district, college, and university library
Academic Career Development collections and supplemental Education Administration/Vocational Guidance curriculum
studies lists.
Editorial Note: Laurence 'Larry' Aronstein is a leader among leaders and a consummate professional educator. He has
coached or mentored hundreds of school leaders across the world.
(https://www.linkedin.com/in/larryaronstein?original_referer=https%3A%2F%2Fduckduckgo.com%2F)
The Cookbook Shelf
The Cook's Book
Bri McKoy
Fleming H. Revell Company
c/o Baker Publishing Group
6030 East Fulton, Ada, MI 49301
www.revellbooks.com
9780800742942, $34.99, HC, 304pp
https://www.amazon.com/Cooks-Book-Essential-Techniques-Everyday/dp/080074294X
Synopsis: Beautifully illustrated throughout, "The Cook's Book: Recipes for Keeps & Essential Techniques to Master
Everyday Cooking" by Bri McKoy is a foolproof, upbeat kitchen companion that will help the most novice of home cooks
to go far beyond simple recipe reading by giving them the skills they need to master the art of confident cooking.
Critique: An ideal textbook for highschool Home Ec classes, an impressive DIY instruction program for the newly
married, an especially and unreservedly recommended addition to community library cookbook collections, "The Cook's
Book: Recipes for Keeps & Essential Techniques to Master Everyday Cooking" is thoroughly 'kitchen cook friendly' in
organization and presentation. From a kitchen that works for you, to adding flavor like a pro, to everyday food pairings
with wine, to the culinary art of soup, to 'The Beginner's Bar Cart', and more, "The Cook's Book" is also readily available
in a digital book format (Kindle, $25.99).
Editorial Note: Bri McKoy (https://brimckoy.com) is a self-described accidental home cook. She is also the author of
Come & Eat, and a lover of gathering people around her everyday table. Additionally, she is the creator of The Everyday
Kitchen Masterclass, a five-week online course that teaches people how to become more confident home cooks. You can
find stories and recipes on her food blog at www.OurSavoryLife.com or watch her videos with recipe tips and tricks and
read her reflections on Instagram @brimckoy
The Art Shelf
Drawing Digital
Lisa Bardot
Walter Foster Publishing
c/o Quarto Publishing Group USA
100 Cummings Center, Suite 265D, Beverly, MA 01915
www.quartoknows.com
9780760385326, $24.99, PB, 160pp
https://www.amazon.com/Drawing-Digital-complete-guide-learning/dp/0760385327
Synopsis: With the publication of "Drawing Digital: The Complete Guide for Learning to Draw & Paint on Your iPad",
digital artist and teacher Lisa Bardot (the expert behind @BardotBrush), introduces the art of digital drawing. Using your
tablet and Procreate, or another favorite drawing app, you can leave behind your pencil and paper and make art anywhere
and at any time.
Lisa gets you started with a range of easy-to-follow projects ranging from A still life, Cacti in the desert, Flowers,
Self-portraits, City scenes, and more! Accompanying each project are complete step-by-step instructions and Lisa Bardot's
signature, vibrant artwork.
"Drawing Digital" also features: Tips for finding creative inspiration; Information on tools; App basics; How to draw and
paint lines and shapes; Instructions for layering, duplicating, exporting, and more; A review that promises to help you draw
anything.
Lisa works in Procreate; however, her instructions apply to any digital drawing app, so you can use whatever you have on
hand. The projects, tips, and techniques offer the ideal starting point if you're a beginner to digital drawing, but if you're an
expert, you're sure to learn plenty from Lisa's expert advice, as well.
Lisa finds great joy in creating, and soon you will too, wherever and whenever you like to draw.
Critique: Allowing and enabling even the most novice of aspiring iPad artists to start their artistic creativity and learn to
draw on a tablet, "Drawing Digital: The Complete Guide for Learning to Draw & Paint on Your iPad" is impressively 'user
friendly' in instruction, organization, and presentation. While very highly recommended for personal, professional,
community, and art school instructional reference collections, it should be noted that "Drawing Digital" is also readily
available in a digital book format (Kindle, $11.99).
Editorial Note: Lisa Bardot (https://bardotbrush.com/about-lisa-bardot) is an illustration artist, a teacher, and an all-around
creative person based in California. With the iPad and Procreate as her tools of choice, she creates educational tutorials,
industry-leading digital brushes, and art-making resources to help beginners and experienced artists alike find joy in
creating. Her educational videos about drawing and illustration have been viewed millions of times, and she receives high
praise for her thorough, concise, and fun teaching style. Additionally, she runs the Making Art Everyday artistic prompt
challenge, followed by thousands of participants worldwide. You can check out more of Lisa's work on Instagram at
@lisabardot, @bardotbrush, or on the Bardot Brush YouTube channel.
Drawing the Natural World
Tim Pond
The GMC Group
www.gmcbooks.com
9781784946388, $24.99, PB, 144pp
https://www.amazon.com/Drawing-Natural-World-Pond/dp/1784946389
Synopsis: "Drawing the Natural World" by Tim Pond is a practical and inspirational guide for artists of all abilities and at
all levels of experience. It is divided into the fundamental concepts of art -- color and tone, pattern, texture, line, shape,
form and space to introduce the essential techniques and demonstrate how they can be used in drawing the natural world
through practical projects.
Background information about the featured animals and plants will broaden the aspiring artist's awareness of and
connection with the natural world. Further chapters cover the anatomy of animals to ensure posture and gait can be
accurately captured, and the fundamentals of composition.
In this accessible DIY instructional guide, seasoned artist Tim Pond deftly blends natural history and science with art to
help the aspiring artist understand the critical roles that animals and plants play in life
"Drawing the Natural World" features: An introduction to drawing materials and equipment; Is packed full of the author's
beautiful, inspirational drawings; provides easy-to-follow step-by-step tutorials; and includes numerous tips and techniques
to improve the aspiring artist's observational and drawing skills
Critique: Profusely illustrated with an informative commentary and step-by-step instructions, "Drawing the Natural World"
is thoroughly 'user friendly' in organization and presentation, making it a welcome, instructive, and highly recommended
pick for personal, professional, community library and art school Drawing/Painting instruction collections.
Editorial Note: The career of Tim Pond (https://www.timpond.me) spans three decades of working in various media and
for various clients, including books, magazines, newspapers, and film. Passionate about the natural world and education,
Tim has attracted worldwide critical acclaim for his artwork of animals, landscape and plants. His artwork has taken him
worldwide, from working as the expedition artist with Raleigh International in Alaska to sketching leaves in Mexico's
tropical forest. Tim is proud of his affiliations with the Zoological Society of London, The Royal Veterinary College
(where he is a guest lecturer on animal movement) and The Royal Society of Biology, where he is on a panel of judges for
the Nancy Rothwell Award. He also offers independent art classes where live animals are the life models, often on farms
or with owls in museums and at science festivals. His previous books are Watercolour the Natural World, published by
GMC Publications and The Field Guide to Drawing & Sketching Animals (Search Press).
Special Effects Lettering and Calligraphy
Grace Frosen
Quarry Books
c/o Quarto Publishing Group USA
100 Cummings Center, Suite 265D, Beverly, MA 01915
www.quartoknows.com
9780760380543, $22.99, PB, 144pp
https://www.amazon.com/Special-Effects-Lettering-Calligraphy-Step/dp/0760380546
Synopsis: With the publication of "Special Effects Lettering and Calligraphy: A Beginner's Step-by-Step Guide to Creating
Amazing Lettered Art - Explore New Styles, Colors, and Mediums", lettering artist and accomplished calligrapher Grace
Frosen has created a fun, colorful, and inspiring guide for lettering enthusiasts at all levels of experience.
With respect to aspiring lettering artists and calligraphers, "Special Effects Lettering and Calligraphy" covers: Getting
Started (experimenting with pens, paper, and other essential art materials; Creative Lettering for Beginners (warm-up
exercises, hand-lettering basics, and alphabet guides); Adding Extra Sparkle (developing your own style and add various
special effects and techniques to make your lettering pop); Colors and Blending (blending colors and learning to work with
metallics and other glittering mediums; Oodles of Doodles (adding illustrations, flourishes, and embellishments to your
lettering pieces; Putting It All Together (creating well-composed art pieces that combine different styles in beautiful
layouts).
Critique: Profusely and informatively illustrated throughout with examples and exercises, "Special Effects Lettering and
Calligraphy: A Beginner's Step-by-Step Guide to Creating Amazing Lettered Art - Explore New Styles, Colors, and
Mediums" is an ideal instructional reference that explores a wide range of mediums and styles, including dazzling special
effects, stunning color combinations, and impressive embellishments. While highly recommended for art school
curriculums and DIY calligraphy instruction collections, it should be noted that "Special Effects Lettering and Calligraphy"
is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $11.99).
Editorial Note: Grace Frosen is a lettering artist and illustrator with a popular following on Instagram @gracecallidesigns.
In addition to selling her doodle and lettering workbooks on her Etsy site GraceCalliStudios, Grace teaches a creative
lettering class on the online teaching platform Domestika.
The Money/Finance Shelf
Retirement Guardrails
Ian Ayres, author
Quinn Curtis, author
Cambridge University Press
One Liberty Plaza, Fl. 20, New York, NY 10006
www.cambridge.org
9781316518632, $110.00, HC, 180pp
https://www.amazon.com/Retirement-Guardrails-Proactive-Fiduciaries-Outcomes/dp/1316518639
Synopsis: In the world of finance, scores of lawsuits have pushed retirement plan sponsors to shorter, easier-to-navigate
menus, but - as co-authors and academicians Ian Ayres and Quinn Curtis argue in "Retirement Guardrails: How Proactive
Fiduciaries Can Improve Plan Outcomes" - we have only scratched the surface of retirement plan design.
Using participant-level plan data and straightforward tests, Professors Ayres and Curtis show how plan sponsors can
monitor plans for likely allocation mistakes and adapt menus to encourage success.
Beginning with an overview of the problem of high costs and the first empirical evidence on retirement plan fee lawsuits,
they offer an overview of the current plan landscape. They then show, based on reforms to a real plan, how streamlining
menus, eliminating pitfalls, and adopting static and dynamic limits on participant allocations to certain risky assets or
'guardrails' can reduce mistakes and lead to better retirement outcomes.
Focusing on plausible, easy-to-implement interventions, "Retirement Guardrails" shows that fiduciaries need not be
limited to screening out funds but can design menus to actively promote good choices.
Critique: A masterpiece of meticulous and exhaustive research, "Retirement Guardrails: How Proactive Fiduciaries Can
Improve Plan Outcomes" is an insightfully informative, thoughtful, thought-provoking, and highly recommended
contribution to personal, professional, college, and university library Contemporary Economics and Money/Finance
Studies collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists. It should be noted for students, academia, economists, tax
advisors, and non-specialist general readers with an interest Banking & Taxation Law that "Retirement Guardrails: How
Proactive Fiduciaries Can Improve Plan Outcomes" is also available in a paperback edition (9781009009843, $34.99) and
in a digital book format (Kindle, $33.24).
Editorial Note #1: Ian Ayres is a lawyer and economist. He is Deputy Dean and the Oscar M. Ruebhausen Professor at
Yale Law School and a Professor at Yale's School of Management.
Editorial Note #2: Quinn Curtis is Professor of Law and an Economist at the University of Virginia School of Law. His
work focuses on the regulation of retirement plans and investments.
The Theatre/Cinema/TV Shelf
Stooges Among Us
Lon Davis, author
Debra Davis, author
BearManor Media
www.bearmanormedia.com
9781593939502, $19.95, PB, 224pp
https://www.amazon.com/Stooges-Among-Us-Lon-Davis/dp/1593939507
Synopsis: In this paparazzi-inundated world, it's hard to imagine that there was a time when genuine movie stars were
accessible to ordinary members of the public. That was certainly the case in the 1970s with surviving members of the
Three Stooges comedy team. Moe Howard, Larry Fine, Curly-Joe DeRita and Joe Besser routinely corresponded with their
young admirers, invited them into their homes, and forged genuine friendships.
"Stooges Among Us" by Lon and Debra Davis is a record of these unique relationships told in the words of the fans
themselves.
Also sharing their insights are Stooges' family members, colleagues and close personal friends. Leonard Maltin, the
renowned film critic and historian, provides the foreword to this often candid, always affectionate tribute.
"Stooges Among Us" is a kind of back-stage pass to vaudeville theatres, movie sets, television studios and even a high
school auditorium which featured performances by "The Boys." You will be there for touching, personal moments, as well
as hilarious antics in which life mirrors the on-screen Stooge personas.
Critique: Featuring never-before published photographs and interviews with the Stooges, "Stooges Among Us" is
impressively informative and essential reading for their legions of fans, as well as a core addition to personal, professional,
community, college, and university library American Cinematic History & Biography collection and supplemental
curriculum studies lists. It should be noted that "Stooges Among Us" is also readily available in a digital book format
(Kindle, $9.95).
Editorial Note: Lon & Debra Davis have been collaborating on writing projects since they first met in college in 1978.
Their first major endeavor was penning King of the Movies, the authorized biography of silent screen legend Francis X.
Bushman, which was published to critical acclaim in 2009. Their other book collaborations include Silent Lives: 100
Biographies of the Silent Film Era (2008), Stooges Among Us (2008), CHASE! A Tribute to the Keystone Cops (2020),
and Ma and Pa Kettle on Film (2021). In 2021, their documentary film This is Francis X. Bushman was released on
Blu-ray by Flicker Alley.
Bits and Pieces: Screening Animal Life and Death
Sarah O'Brien
University of Michigan Press
839 Greene Street, Ann Arbor, MI 48104-3209
www.press.umich.edu
9780472076253, $75.00, HC, 210pp
https://www.amazon.com/Bits-Pieces-Screening-Animal-Death/dp/0472076256
Synopsis: "Bits and Pieces: Screening Animal Life and Death" by Sarah O'Brien gathers pivotal and more mundane
moments, dispersed across a predominantly Western history of moving images, in which animals materialize in movies
and TV shows, from iconic scenes of cattle slaughter in early Soviet montage to quandaries over hunting trophies in recent
home-renovation reality TV series, to animals in Black horror films.
Sarah O'Brien carefully views these fragments in dialogue with germinal texts at the intersection of animal studies, film
and television studies, and cultural studies. She explores the capacity of moving images to unsettle the ways in which
audiences have become habituated to viewing animal life and death on screens, and, more importantly, to understanding
these images as more and less connected to the "production for consumption" of animals that is specific to modern
industrialization.
By looking back at films and TV series in which the places and practices of killing or keeping animals enter, occupy, or
slip from the foreground, "Bits and Pieces: Screening Animal Life and Death" takes seriously the idea that cinema and
television have the capacity not only to catch but to challenge and change viewers' regard for animals.
Critique: A seminal, original, and groundbreaking study, "Bits and Pieces: Screening Animal Life and Death" by Sarah
O'Brien will have a special value for readers with an interest in how the cinematic and televised portrayal of animal life has
impacted public perception. Exceptionally well written, organized, and presented, "Bits and Pieces: Screening Animal Life
and Death" is unreservedly recommended as a unique addition to personal, professional, community, and academic library
Cinematic & Television History collections and supplemental Performing Arts curriculum studies lists. It should be noted
for students, academia, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "Bits and Pieces: Screening
Animal Life and Death" is also available in a paperback edition (9780472056255, $24.95).
Editorial Note: Sarah O'Brien (https://www.sarahobrienediting.com) is an academic editor.
The Biography Shelf
Onward & Upward
Michael Wiese
Michael Wiese Productions
www.mwp.com
9781615931392, $26.95
https://www.amazon.com/Onward-Upward-Reflections-Joyful-Life/dp/1615931392
Synopsis: From his humble beginnings in a small Midwestern town to becoming an integral part of the underground film
scene of San Francisco in the '60s.
From studying with Balinese shadow puppet masters to presenting documentary screenings for the Dalai Lama.
From producing the best parody ever of Star Wars to documenting the spiritual healing powers of Ayahuasca in the
Peruvian jungle.
From the hustle and bustle of film production in Hollywood to running the biggest "how-to" film making publisher in the
world.
Michael Wiese has lived a life accompanied by countless paradigm thinkers such as Buckminster Fuller and Salvador
Dali.
With the publication of his memoir, "Onward & Upward: Reflections of a Joyful Life", Michael candidly shares with his
reader what his personal journey to true success (on every level of life) looks like.
Critique: "Onward & Upward: Reflections of a Joyful Life" by Michael Wiese provides readers with a thoughtful and
memorable memoir from a publisher who founded Michael Wiese Productions and how he came to publish more books on
film than anyone else. His extensive, informative, and inherently interesting memoir is an essential, core addition for
personal, community, and academic library film and biography holdings alike, documenting both his rising influence in the
film industry and his travels around the world in search of meaning. Originally published in
While "Onward & Upward: Reflections of a Joyful Life " candidly offers his personal revelations and insights as a book
publisher and working in the film industry. Originally published in June 2013, "Onward & Upward" continues to be an
especially and unreservedly recommended pick for personal, community, and academic library Contemporary American
Biography/Memoir collections. It should be noted that "Onward & Upward" is also now readily available in a digital book
format (Kindle, $25.60).
Editorial Note: Michael Wiese (https://mwp.com), is the founder of Michael Wiese Productions (MWP) with more than
200 published books on filmmaking. Director, author, producer and publisher, Michael has been instrumental in
supporting the work of talented authors who bring to life unforgettable classics and have touched the hearts of audiences
worldwide. His unwavering dedication to making life easier and better for independent filmmakers and creative minds
worldwide, has earned him a reputation as a true champion of the arts.
Brass & Unity
Kelsi Sheren
https://brassandunity.com
Knox Press
c/o Permuted Press
https://permutedpress.com/knox-press
9781637588918, $28.99, HC, 304pp
https://www.amazon.com/Brass-Unity-Journey-Through-Afghanistan/dp/1637588917
Synopsis: Fresh out of high school, Kelsi Sheren, a diminutive nineteen-year-old woman, sought to join the military to help
liberate those oppressed by the Taliban in Afghanistan. While she was often the smallest person in basic training, she
proved she had the biggest heart and often the most energy.
She made it to Afghanistan and joined a British military unit for house-to-house insurgent patrol. What she saw there was
unimaginable death and destruction -- including the killing of a brother-in-arms. Devastated, Kelsi was sent home to get
her head straight, but even therapy and medication couldn't clear her mind -- or let her sleep.
When two others who served with her later took their own lives, she feared that was the only way out. But clinging to life
and the love of her husband and child, she knew she wasn't ready to give in. Finding respite in a jewelry business that
utilized spent shell casings, and with the help of innovative grief therapy, Kelsi not only survived but continues to thrive --
and works tirelessly to spread the word and help others.
Critique: A compelling, candid, and ultimately inspiring true life story of struggle and survival, "Brass & Unity: One
Woman's Journey Through the Hell of Afghanistan and Back" is a memorable and inspiring read from cover to cover.
While especially and unreservedly recommended for community and academic library Military History/Biography/Memoir
and Canadian Biography/Memoir collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "brass & Unity) is also
available in a digital book format (Kindle, $14.99).
Editorial Note: Kelsi Sheren is a combat veteran and artillery gunner in the Canadian military who served in Afghanistan
in 2009 with the Canadian, American, and British armed forces. After deploying to Afghanistan at nineteen, Kelsi was
diagnosed with PTSD and sent home only to begin a new war -- the war with herself. When her therapist recommended art
therapy, Kelsi started making jewelry out of spent shell casings. She began with a warrior bracelet that led to the creation
of a successful jewelry and eyewear brand, Brass & Unity. Twenty percent of net profits go toward helping veterans who
are suffering from PTSD, depression, anxiety, and suicide.
Wandering through Life: A Memoir
Donna Leon
Atlantic Monthly Press
c/o Grove/Atlantic, Inc.
www.groveatlantic.com
9780802161581, $26.00, HC, 208pp
https://www.amazon.com/Wandering-through-Life-Donna-Leon/dp/0802161588
Synopsis: "Wandering through Life: A Memoir" by Donna Leon is a series of vignettes filled with affection, irony, and
good humor, as she narrates a remarkable life that she feels has rather more happened to her than had been planned.
Following a childhood in the company of her New Jersey family, with frequent visits to her grandfather's farm and its
beloved animals, and summers spent selling homegrown tomatoes by the roadside, Leon got her first taste of the classical
music and opera that would enrich her life.
She also developed a yen for adventure. In 1976, she made the spontaneous decision to teach English in Iran, before
finding herself swept up in the early days of the 1979 Revolution. After teaching stints in China and Saudi Arabia, she
finally landed in Venice. Leon vividly animates her decades-long love affair with Italy, from her first magical dinner when
serving as a chaperone to a friend, to the hunt for the perfect cappuccino, to the warfare tactics of grandmothers doing their
grocery shopping at the Rialto Market.
Some things remain constant throughout the decades: her adoration of opera, especially Handel's vocal music, and her
advocacy for the environment, embodied in her passion for bees -- which informs the surprising crux of the Brunetti
mystery Earthly Remains. Even as mass tourism takes its toll on the patience of residents, Leon's passion for Venice
remains unchanged: its outrageous beauty and magic still captivate her.
Having recently celebrated her eightieth birthday, Leon poignantly confronts the dual challenges and pleasures of aging.
Complete with a brief letter dissuading those hoping to meet Guido Brunetti at the Questura, and always suffused with
music, food, and her sharp sense of humor, "Wandering through Life" offers Donna Leon at her most personal.
Critique: A remarkable life story by a remarkable woman, "Wandering through Life: A Memoir" is an impressively written
memoir laced with keen observation and humor. An inherently fascinating and memorable read from start to finish,
"Wandering through Life: A Memoir" is especially and unreservedly recommended for community library Contemporary
American Women's Biography/Memoir collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "Wandering through
Life: A Memoir" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $12.99).
Editorial Note: Donna Leon (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donna_Leon) was born in New Jersey in 1942. She has worked
as a travel guide in Rome and as a copywriter in London. She taught literature in universities in Iran, China, and Saudi
Arabia. Commissario Brunetti made her books world-famous.
Free Spirit
Tanya Same
Mitchell Beazley
c/o Octopus Books
236 Park Avenue, New York NY 10017
www.octopusbooksusa.com
9781784728465, $26.99, HC, 352pp
https://www.amazon.com/Free-Spirit-barefoot-catwalks-fabulous/dp/1784728462
Synopsis: "Free Spirit" is the personal life story of Tanya Same, from barefoot childhood in Brazil. to her years as a top
fashion model on the catwalks of New York. From busking with Andrew Loog Oldham before he managed the Rolling
Stones to being invited to stay with Sharon Tate the night of the Manson murders, Tanya was (and is) one of those people
who seems to have fitted more into one life than most of us would fit into nine. But above all, she is also modern day
phenomena -- a female entrepreneur who has achieved true global success with the fashion brand of the 1990s, Ghost,
solely as a result of her own hard work and talent and entirely on her own terms.
Critique: "Free Spirit" is an inherently fascinating and candidly informative memoir of the extraordinary life of a
remarkable and talented woman. Exceptionally well written, organized and presented, "Free Spirit" and will have a very
special appeal to readers with an interest in the world of High Fashion Modeling. "Free Spirit" is a very special and
recommended addition to personal, professional, and community library Contemporary Biography/Memoir
collections.
Editorial Note: Born in 1945 as an only child to refugee parents, Tanya Sarne spent the first two years of her life in a
children's home while her parents searched for suitable accommodation. After leaving Sussex University in 1967 with a
degree in History, early career choices included a stint as an actress, work as a fashion model and a script reader for
Universal Films. In the mid-1970s, when her first marriage collapsed, she started selling alpaca jumpers from Peru to
support her children. Thus began her involvement with fashion. She launched Ghost in 1984 and it became the 1990s'
biggest independent fashion brand, famous for its outrageous parties and clothes that made women feel confident about
themselves. The brand is now owned by Touker Suleyman.
The Long Field
Pamela Petro
Arcade Publishing
www.arcadepub.com
c/o Skyhorse Publishing, Inc.
307 West 36th Street, 11th Floor, New York, NY 10018
www.skyhorsepublishing.com
9781956763676, $27.99, HC, 356pp
https://www.amazon.com/Long-Field-Presence-Absence-Memoir/dp/1956763678
Synopsis: Hiraeth is a Welsh word that's famously hard to translate. Literally, it can mean "long field" but generally
translates into English, inadequately, as "homesickness." At heart, hiraeth suggests something like a bone-deep longing for
an irretrievable place, person, or time -- an acute awareness of the presence of absence.
With the publication of "The Long Field: Wales and the Presence of Absence, a Memoir", Pamela Petro braids essential
hiraeth stories of Wales with tales from her own life -- as an American who found an ancient home in Wales, as a gay
woman, as the survivor of a terrible AMTRAK train crash, and as the daughter of a parent with dementia.
Through the pull and tangle of these true life stories and her travels throughout Wales, hiraeth takes on radical new
meanings. There is traditional hiraeth of place and home, but also queer hiraeth; and hiraeth triggered by technology,
immigration, ecological crises, and our new divisive politics. On this journey, the notion begins to morph from a uniquely
Welsh experience to a universal human condition, from deep longing to the creative responses to loss that Petro sees as the
genius of Welsh culture. It becomes a tool to understand ourselves in our time.
Critique: Deftly crafted, candid, inherently fascinating, exceptional, memorable, "The Long Field: Wales and the Presence
of Absence, a Memoir" is a compelling, eloquent, and innately interesting life story told against a Welch backdrop.
Especially and unreservedly recommended for community and academic library LGBTQ and Contemporary
Biography/Memoir collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "The Long Field" is also readily available
in a digital book format (Kindle, $18.99).
Editorial Note: Pamela Petro (https://pamelapetro.com) is a writer, artist, and educator and the author of four books,
including Sitting Up with the Dead: A Storied Journey through the American South (published by Arcade) and Travels in
an Old Tongue: Touring the World Speaking Welsh. Her work has appeared in the New York Times, Atlantic, Granta,
Guernica, Paris Review, and others. Pamela teaches creative writing at Smith College and in Lesley University's MFA
Program, and is codirector of the Dylan Thomas Summer School at the University of Wales, where she is a fellow. Pamela
is also a visual artist.
The General Fiction Shelf
This Time Could Be Different
Khristin Wierman
www.khristinwierman.com
SparkPress
c/o Spark Point Studio
www.gosparkpress.com
9781684632169, $17.95, PB, 400pp
https://www.amazon.com/This-Time-Could-Be-Different/dp/1684632161
Synopsis: A compulsive overachiever, Madeline lives by the credo that easy is synonymous with mediocre. Which is why,
at forty-nine, she's a senior vice president at a prominent bank, frantically adheres to a five-step nightly face cream
regimen, and panics anytime she's a foot away from her phone.
Madeline works alongside her best friend, Emma -- a master juggler of her own career, marriage, and motherhood to a
fourteen-year-old daughter who speaks only in baffling acronyms. The path ahead for both women is brimming with
opportunity.
There's only one problem: Madeline is miserable.
Seeking purpose in her life while trying to unravel the source of habits she wants to change, Madeline reluctantly agrees to
try yoga, meditation, and other wacky suggestions her new-agey therapist tosses her way. She feels as if she's risking
everything -- but in doing so, she just might unlock a world more fulfilling than she ever could have imagined.
Critique: Funny, poignant, original, and memorable, "This Time Could Be Different" by novelist Khristin Wierman will
have a special affinity for readers who are fans of deftly crafted women's friendship themed stories laced throughout with
humor. While a highly recommended pick for community library Contemporary General Fiction collections, it should be
noted for personal reading lists that "This Time Could Be Different" is also readily available in a digital book format
(Kindle, $9.49).
Editorial Note: Khristin Wierman (www.khristinwierman.com) spent twenty years rising through the marketing ranks of
Fortune 500 companies, building a career that was lucrative, ego boosting, and a little bit soul crushing. So she quit -- and
writing novels ensued.
A Storm of Infinite Beauty
Julianne MacLean
Lake Union Publishing
https://amazonpublishing.amazon.com/lake-union-publishing.html
Brilliance Audio
9781542036726, $16.99, PB, 300pp
https://www.amazon.com/Storm-Infinite-Beauty-Novel/dp/1542036720
Synopsis: A singer, actress, and beloved fashion icon, Scarlett Fontaine is a true Hollywood legen. But Scarlett dies
tragically at just thirty-six years old, leaving behind no children. Or so the story goes...
Gwen Hollingsworth is the curator at a museum dedicated to Scarlett's life. She's also sole heir to Scarlett's fortune as a
descendant of the star. But all is not well in Gwen's world. She's dealing with a messy marital separation and is struggling
to move forward. So when Peter Miller, a biographer and photojournalist, comes to the museum with shocking claims
about Scarlett (a life of exile in Alaska, a baby born in secret) Gwen's whole world is turned upside down. Again.
Determined to uncover the truth, Gwen and Peter set out for Alaska together but soon find themselves on a path toward
something far deeper and more meaningful than either of them ever expected.
With the publication of "A Storm of Infinite Beauty", novelist and master storyteller Julianne MacLean offers her readers a
truly fascinating and entertaining journey that ranges from a lush vineyard in Nova Scotia to a rustic lodge in Alaska where
old family secrets are revealed and the quest for true happiness begins. Deftly crafted, impressively original, "A Storm of
Infinite Beauty" will especially appeal to readers with an interest in Family Life and Women's Domestic fiction. While a
highly recommended pick for community library Contemporary General Fiction collections, it should be noted for personal
reading lists that "A Storm of Infinite Beauty" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $4.99) and as a complete
and unabridged audio book (Brilliance Audio, 9798400147760, $19.99, MP3-CD).
Editorial Note: Julianne MacLean (http://www.juliannemaclean.com) is the author of more than thirty novels, including
the popular Color of Heaven series. MacLean is also a four-time Romance Writers of America RITA finalist and has won
numerous awards, including the Booksellers' Best Award and a Reviewers' Choice Award from the Romantic Times. Her
novels have sold millions of copies worldwide and have been translated into more than a dozen languages.
One Friday in Napa
Jennifer Hamm
She Writes Press
www.shewritespress.com
9781647425296, $17.95, PB, 248pp
https://www.amazon.com/One-Friday-Napa-Jennifer-Hamm/dp/1647425298
Synopsis: Vene feels like she and her mother have always been at odds - since she was a child, the first word she used to
describe Olivia was "cold." When news of her mother's imminent death comes, Vene returns to her family's home in Napa
to see if their strained relationship can be mended, only to find Olivia as harsh as ever and their reconciliation seemingly
unreachable.
But when Vene stumbles upon Olivia's old cookbook, she discovers a passion within her mother she didn't know existed.
The clipped tone and quick judgments of her dying mother don't match the young woman whose voice she finds between
the pages - one that tells a story of romance, longing, duty, and aching heartbreak. Curiosity consumes Vene, and she
embarks on an intimate journey to learn about the Olivia she never got to meet - before it's too late.
A captivating story told in alternating perspectives a half-century apart, "One Friday in Napa" explores the pains and joys
of devotion as two women learn the price of loyalty, the power of secrets, and the meaning of sacrifice.
Critique: "One Friday in Napa" is all the more impressive when considering that it is author Jennifer Hamm's debut as a
novelist. Original, deftly written, and thoroughly 'reader engaging' from start to finish, "One Friday in Napa" will hold a
special appeal to readers with an interest in stories of family dramas and a woman's complicated relationship issues with
another woman. While highly recommended for community library Contemporary General Fiction collections, it should be
noted for personal reading lists that "One Friday in Napa" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.49).
Editorial Note: Born and raised in Los Angeles, Jennifer Hamm graduated with a BA in English at UCLA and began her
writing career developing screenplays for movies and television. As a travel writer, she has covered the globe on
assignment for various magazines and brands. She also writes It's Only for A Year, a long-running blog chronicling her
adventures raising her four boys in two countries. Hamm currently splits her time between London and Los Angeles.
(https://shewritespress.com/portfolio/jennifer-hamm)
And This Shall Be My Dancing Day
Jennifer Kavanagh
https://www.jenniferkavanagh.co.uk
Roundfire Books
c/o Collective Ink Books
https://www.collectiveinkbooks.com
9781803412450, $16.95, PB, 192pp
https://www.amazon.com/This-Shall-Be-Dancing-Day/dp/1803412453
Synopsis: What is the mystery of the dying flowers in a dark doorway with an ever-open door? And why does it matter so
much? In "And This Shall Be My Dancing Day", novelist Jennifer Kavanagh presents two very different women who are
brought together by love, loss and their struggles with very modern moral choices -- whether to act against injustice, and
just how far to go.
Critique: With the publication of "And This Shall Be My Dancing Day", author Jennifer Kavanagh has a genuine flair for
eloquent, engaging, entertaining, and narrative driven storytelling. Original and a fun read from start to finish, "And This
Shall Be My Dancing Day" is an easy and memorable read, and one that is unreservedly recommended for community
library Contemporary General Fiction collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "And This Shall Be My
Dancing Day" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.49).
Editorial Note: Jennifer Kavanagh (https://www.jenniferkavanagh.co.uk) gave up her career as a literary agent to work in
the community in London's East End. She is a speaker and prolific writer on the Spirit-led life and an Associate Tutor at
Woodbrooke Quaker Study Centre.
Secret Agent Gals
Richard Gid Powers
Livingston Press
https://livingstonpress.uwa.edu
9781604893397, $21.95, PB, 420pp
https://www.amazon.com/Secret-Agent-Gals-Richard-Powers/dp/1604893397
Synopsis: Who are the Secret Agent Gals, Hilla Rebay and Peggy Guggenheim? Just two beautiful real-life socialite art
collectors, who later founded the Guggenheim Museum, but eventually answered the call of duty, joined the FBI, and who
pretty much won World War II all by themselves.
They won the war by stealing Hitler's and Stalin's mojos and used a secret weapon brewed in St. Louis. Also, they save J.
Edgar Hoover and his handsome sidekick Clyde Tolson from treasonous agents and The Pigeon who wants to take over all
the Post Toasties' Junior G-Men,Clubs.
The Gals team up with many other characters, including Secret Agent X-9, Presidential Agent 103, James Bonds' father
Jonquil "Junk" Bond, the Alabama Jamma of the Brooklyn Girls Roller Derby Team, the King and Queen of England and
their Corgis, along with the FBI's bevy of beautiful Secret Agents to uncover a secret so awful, so terrible, it can't even be
hinted at on the back cover of a book, for it is not suitable material for anyone who hasn't read Secret Agent Gals or at least
bought it.
This satire of the FBI's intelligence machine during World War II (believe it or not), is in part based on historical fact:
Peggy Guggenheim and Baroness Von Rebay did render intelligence on the German machine that was so infatuated with,
yes, art!
Critique: Satirical fiction at its very best, "Secret Agent Gals" is deftly crafted, compulsively compelling, impressively
original, laugh-out-loud funny, and an unreservedly recommended pick for community library World War II Alternate
History Fiction collections. It should be noted for the personal reading lists for readers with an interest in satire, and a bit
of science fiction in their action/adventure historical novels that "Secret Agent Gals" is also readily available in a digital
book format (Kindle, $9.95).
The Historical Fiction Shelf
A Bakery in Paris
Aimie K. Runyan
William Morrow & Company
c/o HarperCollins Publishers
www.harpercollins.com
Blackstone Audiobooks
https://www.blackstonelibrary.com
9780063247710, $18.99, PB, 384pp
https://www.amazon.com/Bakery-Paris-Aimie-K-Runyan/dp/0063247712
Synopsis: 1870: The Prussians are at the city gates, intent to starve Paris into submission. Lisette Vigneau (headstrong,
willful, and often ignored by her wealthy parents) awaits the outcome of the war from her parents' grand home in the Place
Royale in the very heart of the city.
When an excursion throws her into the path of a revolutionary National Guardsman, Theodore Fournier, her destiny is
forever changed. She gives up her life of luxury to join in the fight for a Paris of the People. She opens a small bakery with
the hopes of being a vital boon to the impoverished neighborhood in its hour of need. When the city falls into famine, and
then rebellion, her resolve to give up the comforts of her past life is sorely tested.
1946: Nineteen-year-old Micheline Chartier is coping with the loss of her father and the disappearance of her mother
during the war. In their absence, she is charged with the raising of her two younger sisters.
At the hand of a well-meaning neighbor, Micheline finds herself enrolled in a prestigious baking academy with her entire
life mapped out for her. Feeling trapped and desperately unequal to the task of raising two young girls, she becomes
obsessed with finding her mother. Her classmate at the academy, Laurent Tanet, may be the only one capable of helping
Micheline move on from the past and begin creating a future for herself.
Both women must grapple with loss, learn to accept love, and face impossible choices armed with little more than their
courage and a belief that a bit of flour, yeast, sugar, and love can bring about a revolution of their own.
Critique: An inherently fascinating and skillfully written historical novel by author Aimie K. Runyan, "A Bakery In Paris"
will have a very special appeal for fans of family life fiction and historical fiction. While also available for personal
reading lists in a digital book format (Kindle, $11.99) as well as a complete and unabridged audio book (Blackstone
Audio, 9798212693066, $41.99, MP3-CD), "A Bakery In Paris" is an original and unreservedly recommended addition for
community library Historical Fiction collections.
Editorial Note: Aimie K. Runyan (https://aimiekrunyan.com) is an author of historical fiction. She has been nominated for
a Rocky Mountain Fiction Writer of the Year award and two Colorado Book Awards.
A Beautiful Rival
Gill Paul
William Morrow & Company
c/o HarperCollins Publishers
www.harpercollins.com
Blackstone Audiobooks
https://www.blackstonelibrary.com
9780063245112, $18.99, PB, 384pp
https://www.amazon.com/Beautiful-Rival-Helena-Rubinstein-Elizabeth/dp/0063245116
Synopsis: They could have been allies: two self-made millionaires who invented a global industry, in an era when wife and
mother were supposed to be the highest goals for their sex. Elizabeth Arden and Helena Rubinstein each founded empires
built on grit and determination --and yet they became locked in a feud spanning three continents, two world wars, and the
Great Depression.
Brought up in poverty, Canadian-born Elizabeth Arden changed popular opinion, persuading women from all walks of life
to buy skincare products that promised them youth and beauty. Helena Rubinstein left her native Poland, and launched her
company with scientific claims about her miracle creams made with anti-ageing herbs.
And when it came to business, nothing was off-limits: poaching each other's employees, copying each other's products,
planting spies, hiring ex-husbands, and one-upping each other every chance they had. This was a rivalry from which there
was no surrender! And through it all were two women, bold, brazen, and determined to succeed -- no matter the personal
cost.
"A Beautiful Rival" by Gill Paul is a sweeping historical novel about two larger than life fashion icons embedded with all
their passion, bitterness, and ambition as they each tried to create the American dream for themselves.
Critique: A deftly crafted work of fiction based on the lives of two very real and iconic women, Gill Paul's historical novel
"A Beautiful Rival" is a fun, fascinating, and informative read from cover to cover. While also available for personal
reading lists in a digital book format (Kindle, $11.99) and as a complete and unabridged audio book (Blackstone Audio,
9798212694865, $41.99, CD), "A Beautiful Rival" is a very strongly recommended pick for community library Historical
Fiction collections.
Editorial Note: The novels of Gill Paul (http://gillpaul.com/author) include "The Secret Wife", "Women and Children
First", "The Affair", "No Place for a Lady". Her nonfiction includes "A History of Medicine in 50 Objects", "World War I
Love Stories", and "Royal Love Stories". Gill's expertise is often called upon for talks on historical subjects, including the
sinking of the Titanic.
The Last Masterpiece
Laura Morelli
William Morrow & Company
c/o HarperCollins Publishers
www.harpercollins.com
Blackstone Audiobooks
https://www.blackstonelibrary.com
9780063205987, $18.99, PB, 416pp
https://www.amazon.com/Last-Masterpiece-Novel-World-Italy/dp/006320598X
Synopsis: In the summer of 1943, Eva Brunner is taking photographs of Nazi-looted art hidden in the salt mines of the
Austrian hinterland. Across the ocean in Connecticut, Josephine Evans is working as a humble typist at the Yale Art
Gallery.
When both women are called to Italy to contribute to the war effort, neither imagines she will hold the fate of some of the
world's greatest masterpieces torn from the Uffizi Galleries and other Florentine art collections in her hands.
But as Italy turns from ally to enemy and Hitler's plan to destroy irreplaceable monuments and works of art becomes
frighteningly clear, each woman's race against the clock (and against one another) might demand more than they were
prepared to give.
With the publication of "The Last Masterpiece", novelist Laura Morelli takes her readers on a heart-pumping adventure up
the Italian peninsula, where nothing is as it seems and some of the greatest works of art and human achievement are at
stake. Who might steal and who might save a work of art -- and at what cost?
Inspired by the incredible true story of the Monuments Women, the Fifth Army WACs, and the looted Florentine art
collections during World War II, "The Last Masterpiece" plunges readers into the heart of war-torn Italy.
Critique: A work of fiction that is based on historical facts with respect to the Nazi attempt to acquire and then hide some
of the most famous art pieces in European history, "The Last Masterpiece" is itself a masterpiece of storytelling set in the
Italian theater of World War II. Original, riveting, knowledgeable, memorable, and solidly entertaining from first page to
last, "The Last Masterpiece" by Laura Morelli is unreservedly recommended for community library World War II
Historical Fiction collections. It should be noted for the growing legions of Laura Morelli fans that "The Last Masterpiece"
is also available for their personal reading lists in a digital book format (Kindle, $11.99) and as a complete and unabridged
audio book (Blackstone Audio, 9798212693189, $41.99, CD).
Editorial Note: Laura Morelli (https://lauramorelli.com) holds a Ph.D. in art history from Yale University and is an
award-winning historical novelist. Laura has taught college students in the U.S. and in Italy. She has covered art and
authentic travel for TED-Ed, National Geographic Traveler, Italy Magazine, CNN Radio, and other media. Laura is the
author of the popular Authentic Arts guidebook series that includes Made in Italy. Her historical novels, including The
Night Portrait and The Gondola Maker, bring the stories of art history to life.
A Council of Dolls
Mona Susan Power
Mariner Books
www.marinerbooks.com
c/o HarperCollins Publishers
www.harpercollins.com
Blackstone Audiobooks
https://www.blackstonelibrary.com
9780063281097, $30.00, HC, 304pp
https://www.amazon.com/Council-Dolls-Mona-Susan-Power/dp/0063281090
Synopsis: From the mid-century metropolis of Chicago to the windswept ancestral lands of the Dakota people, to the bleak
and brutal Indian boarding schools, "A Council of Dolls" by novelist Mona Susan Power is the story of three women, told
in part through the stories of the dolls they carried.
Sissy, born 1961: Sissy's relationship with her beautiful and volatile mother is difficult, even dangerous, but her life is also
filled with beautiful things, including a new Christmas present, a doll called Ethel. Ethel whispers advice and kindness in
Sissy's ear, and in one especially terrifying moment, maybe even saves Sissy's life.
Lillian, born 1925: Born in her ancestral lands in a time of terrible change, Lillian clings to her sister, Blanche, and her
doll, Mae. When the sisters are forced to attend an "Indian school" far from their home, Blanche refuses to be cowed by the
school's abusive nuns. But when tragedy strikes the sisters, the doll Mae finds her way to defend the girls.
Cora, born 1888: Though she was born into the brutal legacy of the "Indian Wars," Cora isn't afraid of the white men who
remove her to a school across the country to be "civilized." When teachers burn her beloved buckskin and beaded doll
Winona, Cora discovers that the spirit of Winona may not be entirely lost...
Critique: "A Council of Dolls" by author Mona Susan Power is thought-provoking, quietly devastating, reader engaging,
and ultimately hopeful novel of healing and love by a gifted novelist who has chosen to focus on the echoing damage
wrought by Indian boarding schools that still resonants today, as well as the historical massacres of Indigenous people. A
masterpiece of literary elegance and emotional eloquence, "A Council of Dolls" is unreservedly recommended for
personal, community, and academic library Contemporary American Literature collections. It should be noted that "A
Council of Dolls" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $14.99) and as a complete and unabridged audio book
(Blackstone Audio, 9798212693660, $41.99, CD).
Editorial Note: Mona Susan Powers (https://www.monasusanpower.com) is the award winning author of four books of
fiction, including The Grass Dancer (a National Bestseller awarded a PEN/Hemingway Prize), Roofwalker (a collection of
stories and essays awarded the Milkweed National Fiction Prize), Sacred Wilderness (a novel which received the Electa
Quinney Award), and A Council of Dolls, forthcoming from Mariner/HarperCollins in August 2023. Mona is also an
enrolled member of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe (Iha kt u wa na Dakhota), born and raised in Chicago. During her
childhood she was a member of the Chicago Indian Village movement, a group organized to protest the conditions of
Native people lured to urban areas with promises of secure jobs and good housing, that seldom materialized.
Voice of the Ancient
Connilyn Cossette
Bethany House Publishers
c/o Baker Publishing Group
6030 East Fulton Road, Ada, MI 49301
www.bethanyhouse.com
9780764241314, $29.99, HC, 352pp
https://www.amazon.com/Voice-Ancient-Kings-Connilyn-Cossette/dp/0764241311
Synopsis: When a nearby city is attacked, Avidan fights for the newly crowned King Saul. When one of his cousins goes
missing during the battle, he searches for him and instead stumbles across Keziah -- the daughter of a powerful man.
Traveling together, they must rely on each other to stay alive and learn to trust the King of Israel to guide their every
step.
Critique: A blending of romance with action/adventure and taking place in ancient Israel during the reign of King Saul,
"Voice of the Ancient" by novelist Connilyn Cossette is a deftly crafted, riveting, and simply fun read that will have a very
special and particular appeal to fans of Biblical Fiction and Historical Romance Fiction. While highly recommended as a
pick for community library historical fiction collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Voice of the
Ancient" is also readily available in a paperback edition (9780764238918, $16.99) and in a digital book format (Kindle,
$12.99).
Editorial Note: Connilyn Cossette (www.connilyncossette.com)is a Christy Award and Carol Award-winning author
whose books have been found on ECPA and CBA bestseller lists.
The Keeper of Hidden Books
Madeline Martin
Hanover Square Press
c/o HarperCollins Publishers
www.harpercollins.com
Blackstone Audiobooks
https://www.blackstonelibrary.com
9781335005779, $30.00, HC, 416pp
https://www.amazon.com/Keeper-Hidden-Books-Novel/dp/1335005773
Synopsis: All her life, Zofia has found comfort in two things: books and her best friend, Janina. But no one could have
imagined the horrors of the Nazi occupation in Warsaw. As the bombs rain down and Hitler's forces loot and destroy the
city, Zofia finds that now books are also in need of saving.
With the death count rising, Zofia jumps to action to save her friend and salvage whatever books she can from the
wreckage, hiding them away and even starting a clandestine book club. She and her dearest friend never surrender their
love of reading, even when Janina is forced into the newly formed ghetto.
As Warsaw creeps closer toward liberation, Zofia must fight to save her friend and preserve her culture and community
using the only weapon they have left: literature.
Critique: With a very special appeal to readers with an interest in World War II novels, "The Keeper of Hidden Books" by
novelist Madeline Martin is an original, compelling, and memorable read from start to finish. Exceptionally well written
with distinctive characters and unexpected plot twists and a dramatic conclusion, "The Keeper of Hidden Books" is a
celebration of the power of literature, reading, and the human spirit in a time of unimaginable horror and destruction.
While a strongly recommended pick for community library Literary Fiction collections, it should be noted for personal
reading lists that "The Keeper of Hidden Books" is also readily available in a paperback edition (9781335455024, $18.99),
in a digital book format (Kindle, $12.99), and as a complete and unabridged audio book (Blackstone Audio,
9798212658775, $41.99, CD).
Editorial Note: Madeline Martin (https://madelinemartin.com) is the award winning author of historical fiction and
historical romance with books that have been translated into over twenty different languages.
The Literary Fiction Shelf
How Love Came to Professor Guildea and Other Uncanny Tales
Robert Hichens
Stark House Press
www.starkhousepress.com
9798886010510, $15.95, PB, 250pp
https://www.amazon.com/Professor-Guildea-Other-Uncanny-Tales/dp/B0BSHG1846
Synopsis: "How Love Came to Professor Guildea and Other Uncanny Tales" is comprised of seven classic short stories of
occult fiction and supernatural mysteries by Robert Hichens including:
"How Love Came to Professor Guildea": Professor Guildea is an extremely unsentimental man - he doesn't need nor want
anyone's affection. He has his work, and that is enough. Until one evening when he sees a figure in the park, and crosses
the street to investigate. No one is there, and yet Guildea is convinced that someone follows him back into his house... a
strange presence with a curious and very irritating attraction to him.
"A Tribute of Souls": Alistair Ralston, the young Laird of Carlounie, has a feeble soul matched to his pinched and pallid
body. But his desires are Gargantuan, as is his hate for those more fortunate. And so one day he takes a book of magical
incantations into the woods and makes a pact with the grey traveller: three souls to Satan in exchange for a renewed body.
He is brought back to Carlounie in a fever. When he recovers, he is a new man - powerful, driven. It is time to use this
power...
"The Lost Faith": Olivia has known most of her life that she has the power to heal. It all comes down to faith. After she
heals young Fernol West - victim of a head injury - her fame spreads to England, where she and Fernol are hosted by the
noted eccentric, Lord Sandring. When Olivia meets Sir Hector and is asked to cure his skeptical sister of her blinding
headaches, her real test of faith begins.
These three (plus four more) original short stories are weird tales of the unexpected and introduce a whole new generation
of appreciative readers to time-lost, long out of print literary treasures by a gifted 19th Century author.
Critique: Enhanced for readers with an informative Introduction by S. T. Joshi and a one page Robert Hichens
Bibliography, "How Love Came to Professor Guildea and Other Uncanny Tales" is part of the Stark House Supernatural
Classics series and an unreservedly recommended addition to personal, community, and academic library Literary Fiction
collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "How Love Came to Professor Guildea and Other Uncanny
Tales" is also now available in a digital book format (Kindle, $5.99).
Editorial Note: Robert Smythe Hichens was born on November 14, 1864, the son of a clergyman and his wife. As a teen he
showed aptitude as a pianist and enrolled at the Royal College of Music, which he abandoned for the London School of
Journalism. During this time he also published his first novel, The Coastguard's Secret, a story of murder, romance and the
supernatural. In his late 20s he suffered a bout of poisoning, and decided to recuperate in Cairo. While there, he made
several literary friends and was introduced to Oscar Wilde, who inspired his quintessential London fin-de-siecle satire, The
Green Carnation. Hichens went on to write over fifty novels (exotic melodramas, mystery, romance) as well as nine story
collections and several works of non-fiction on the Near East. Many of his novels were staged or turned into films,
including The Paradine Case directed by Alfred Hitchcock. He died on July 20, 1959, in Switzerland, where he had moved
for his health.
The Romantic Fiction Shelf
A Beautiful Disguise
Roseanna M. White
Bethany House Publishers
c/o Baker Publishing Group
6030 East Fulton Road, Ada, MI 49301
www.bethanyhouse.com
9780764241819, $29.99, HC, 368pp
https://www.amazon.com/Beautiful-Disguise-Imposters-Roseanna-White/dp/0764241818
Synopsis: Sir Merritt Livingstone has spent a decade serving the monarch in the field, but when pneumonia lands him
behind a desk in the War Office Intelligence Division just as they're creating a new secret intelligence branch, he's intent
on showing his worth. He suspects an aristocrat of leaking information to Germany as tensions mount between the two
countries, but he needs someone to help him prove it, so he turns to The Imposters, Ltd. No one knows who they are, but
their results are beyond compare.
Left with an estate on the brink of bankruptcy after their father's death, Lady Marigold Fairfax and her brother open a
private investigation firm for the elite to spy on the elite. Dubbed The Imposters, Ltd., their anonymous group soon
becomes the go-to for the creme of society who want answers delivered surreptitiously. But the many secrets Marigold
learns about her peers pale in comparison to her shock when she and her brother are hired to investigate her best friend's
father as a potential traitor.
Lady Marigold is determined to discover the truth for her friend's sake, and she's more determined still to keep her heart
from getting involved with this enigmatic new client -- a man who simply cannot possibly be as noble as he seems.
Critique: Deftly combining romance, history and mystery, "A Beautiful Disguise" by novelist Roseanna M. White launches
'The Imposters' -- a new historical romance series starring private investigators and set in an Edwardian era England. An
original and fun read from start to finish, "A Beautiful Disguise" will be of special interest to fans of 20th Century
historical Christian romance novels. While highly recommended, especially for community library Historical Romance
Fiction collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "A Beautiful Disguise" is also readily available in a
paperback edition (9780764240928, $17.99) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $11.99).
Editorial Note: Roseanna M. White (www.roseannamwhite.com) is a Christy Award winning author of numerous novels,
ranging from biblical fiction to American-set romances to her new Edwardian British series.
Someone Just Like You
Meredith Schorr
Forever
c/o Hachette Book Group
www.hachettebookgroup.com
9781538754801, $16.99, PB, 352pp
https://www.amazon.com/Someone-Just-Like-Meredith-Schorr/dp/1538754800
Synopsis: New Yorker Molly Blum knows everything about her lifelong nemesis, Jude Stark. With their families so close,
they should have been best friends. Instead, she thinks he's a too-charming slacker, and he thinks she's allergic to fun. After
years of one-upping each other's pranks (chocolate-dipped cat treats are not as delicious as they appear), one high school
joke went too far, and they stopped speaking completely. But now that they're supposed to help plan a massive party for
their parents together -- and there's no better time to resume their personal war.
And it is on. Only somewhere between all the sniping and harmless hijinks, a reluctant friendship develops, along with an
unexpected spark of sexual tension. It might have to do with the fact that she's been dating Jude-lookalikes and he's been
dating Molly doppelgangers. Or the fact that neither of them is nearly as horrible as they thought. All Molly and Jude know
is that they've mastered the art of hating each other.
Falling in love, on the other hand, is a whole new battlefield.
Critique: An original, extraordinary, and simply fun read from beginning to end, "Someone Just Like You" by novelist
Meredith Schorr is the kind of romance that Hallmark Channel Rom-Com Movies are made. While also available for
personal reading lists in a digital book format (Kindle, $10.99), "Someone Just Like You" will prove to be an immediate
and enduringly popular addition to community library Contemporary Romance Fiction collections.
Editorial Note: Meredith Schorr (https://meredithschorr.com) is a born and bred New Yorker and lifelong daydreamer who
fueled her passion for writing everything from restaurant reviews, original birthday cards, and even work-related emails
into a career penning romantic comedies.
The Mystery/Suspense Shelf
The Velvet Fleece
Lois Eby, author
John C. Fleming, author
Stark House Press
www.starkhousepress.com
9798886010312, $15.95, PB, 174pp
https://www.amazon.com/Velvet-Fleece-Lois-Eby/dp/B0C4XVL2TJ
Synopsis: When their mark in a Miami con drops dead, Silky figures it's time to head West to Hart City on the California
coast. And since Rick is their point man, he gets the job of setting up the fix. It looks like a piece of cake, ripe for the
serving. All he has to do is pose as the best friend of a rich young war widow's dead husband, and he's in. With the rubes in
this town, Rick figures it's a cinch.
Of course, there's Silky's girlfriend, Tory, who's bored with the boss and only has eyes for Rick. She's supposed to be in
Havana, but Tory is no fool. She's followed Rick out west. And how he's got his hands full trying to keep the widow and
Tory apart, while working a con of his own, only this time he's going to try to con Silky!
Critique: Originally published in hardcover in January 1941, "The Velvet Fleece" by co-authors Lois Eby and John C.
Fleming has now been published in paperback for a new generation of 'hard-boiled' mystery fans who appreciate the art of
the con and the complications of a femme fatale. This new edition features an informative introduction by Curtis Evans to
the book and its genre. While also available for personal reading lists in a digital book format (Kindle, $5.99), this 'Time
Lost Treasure' of a read is a highly recommended pick for community library Mystery/Suspense collections.
Editorial Note: The novel, "The Velvet Fleece" was filmed as the movie "Larceny" in 1948 starring John Payne, Joan
Caulfield and Dan Duryea.
Thicker Than Water
Megan Collins
Atria Books
c/o Simon & Schuster
www.simonandschuster.com
Blackstone Audiobooks
https://www.blackstonelibrary.com
9781982196240, $27.99, HC, 320pp
https://www.amazon.com/Thicker-Than-Water-Megan-Collins/dp/1982196246
Synopsis: Julia and Sienna Larkin are sisters-in-law, connected by Julia's husband and Sienna's brother, Jason. More than
that, the two are devoted best friends and business partners, believing that theirs is a uniquely unbreakable bond. To
Sienna, her protective brother can do no wrong, and although Julia knows he's not perfect, they've built a comfortable life
and family together. Recently, Jason has been putting in long hours to secure a promotion at work, so when his boss is
found brutally murdered (and with his lips sewn shut) the Larkins are shocked and unsettled, especially as local gossip
swirls.
A few days later, Julia and Sienna's lives are upended when Jason gets into a car accident and is placed in a medically
induced coma. Worse, the police arrive with news that he's the prime suspect in the murder investigation. With Jason
unable to respond (and with Julia and Sienna working to clear his name) the two women find their friendship threatened
for the first time: Sienna staunchly maintains her brother's innocence, but as their investigation uncovers a complicated
web of secrets, Julia is less sure she's willing to defend her husband.
Critique: A finely crafted, richly textured, original and simply compelling read from start to finish, "Thicker Than Water"
by gifted novelist Megan Collins will have a special and consummate appeal to readers with an interest in psychologically
suspenseful murder mysteries featuring amateur women sleuthing and more plot twists and turns than an Oklahoma
tornado. While highly recommended for community library Mystery/Suspense collections, it should be noted for the
growing legions of Megan Collins fans that "Thicker Than Water" is also available in a paperback edition
(9781982196257, $17.99), in a digital book format (Kindle, $13.99), and as a complete and unabridged audio book
(Blackstone Audio, 9781797159607, $39.99, CD).
Editorial Note: Megan Collins (https://www.megancollins.com) is the author of "The Family Plot", "Behind The Read
Door", and "The Winter Sister". She taught creative writing for many years at both the high school and college level and is
the managing editor of 3Elements Review.
Murders in Silk
Asa Bordages (writing as Mike Teagle)
Stark House Press
www.starkhousepress.com
9798886010268, $11.99, PB, 218pp
https://www.amazon.com/Murders-Silk-Asa-Bordages/dp/B0BWL8RZFY
Synopsis: Tie Bixby spots the woman with the red hat getting on the train. But the guy she's trying not to be seen talking to
is strictly a lug. After she comes out of the ladies' room and announces that there is a man with his throat cut inside (that
same lug) Tie figures she's up to her neck in trouble. That night, while visiting Pa, there is an explosion next door. An
inventor is burned to death in the fire -- and Tie sees the woman in the red hat fleeing the scene.
He could tell the cops about her, but he decides to not to. He decides to play it cagey for awhile, and help her out. There is
definitely a mystery here. Why does the inventor's daughter hate him so much? And why is a gangster's lawyer hanging
around the scene of the crime? And who is the guy who was murdered on the train? Most importantly of all, what does the
woman with the red hat have to do with all of it?
Critique: A classic novel of the hard-boiled murder mystery genre, "Murders in Silk" by Asa Bordages (writing under the
pen name of Mike Teagle) is still another 'time lost' literary treasure original published in 1938 now brought back into print
for the benefit of a new general of readers. This Black Gat Books paperback edition from Stark House Press has a classic
1930's style cover art. A fun 'whodunnit' read from start to finish, "Murders in Silk" is strongly recommended for
community library Mystery/Suspense collections. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of dedicated hard-boiled
mystery fans that "Murders in Silk" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $4.99).
Editorial Note: Asa Cyril Bordages was born on March 2, 1906, in Beaumont, Texas. He lived in Houston, Texas in the
1920s and moved to New York in 1932, where he became a feature writer for the New York World Telegram, marrying
actress Gertrude Flynn in 1933. In 1941 Bordages authored a play, Brooklyn, USA, with screenwriter John Bright,
featuring characters based on Murder, Inc. gangsters. It ran for 47 performances, and was revived in Hollywood in 2010.
Bordages wrote two novels under his real name, and two more as Mike Teagle. He died on December 9, 1986, in
Columbia, Knowlton Township, New Jersey, at the age of 80.
How Can I Help You
Laura Sims
G. P. Putnam's Sons
c/o Penguin Group
www.penguin.com
9780593543702, $27.00, HC, 256pp
https://www.amazon.com/How-Can-I-Help-You/dp/059354370X
Synopsis: No one knows Margo's real name. Her colleagues and patrons at a small-town public library only know her
middle-aged normalcy, congeniality, and charm. They have no reason to suspect that she is, in fact, a former nurse with a
trail of countless premature deaths in her wake. She has turned a new page, so to speak, and the library is her sanctuary, a
place to quell old urges.
That is, at least, until Patricia, a recent graduate and failed novelist, joins the library staff. Patricia quickly notices Margo's
subtly sinister edge, and watches her carefully. When a patron's death in the library bathroom gives her a hint of Margo's
mysterious past, Patricia can't resist digging deeper -- even as this new fixation becomes all-consuming!
Critique: A deftly scripted suspense thriller of a read from cover to cover, "How Can I Help You" by novelist Laura Sims
is especially recommended to fans of psychological suspense stories that will linger in the mind and memory long after the
book has been finished and set back upon the shelf. While an especially commended pick for personal reading lists and
community library collections, it should be noted that "How Can I Help You" is also available in a digital book format
(Kindle, $14.99).
Editorial Note: Laura Sims (https://www.laurasims.net/about) is the author of the critically acclaimed novel, LOOKER,
now in development for television with eOne and Emily Mortimer's King Bee Productions. An award-winning poet, Sims
has published four poetry collections; her essays and poems have appeared in The New Republic, Boston Review, Electric
Lit, and more. She and her family live in New Jersey, where she works part-time as a reference librarian and hosts the
library's lecture series.
Windfall
Wendy Corsi Staub
William Morrow & Company
c/o HarperCollins Publishers
www.harpercollins.com
Blackstone Audiobooks
https://www.blackstonelibrary.com
9780063235311, $18.99, PB, 336pp
https://www.amazon.com/Windfall-Suspense-Wendy-Corsi-Staub/dp/0063235315
Synopsis: J.J., Molly, and Leila had once been inseparable, but it's been a long time since college, and life (not to mention
distance) have disrupted the former roommates' friendship.
When the three reunite for a birthday weekend in Las Vegas, the lottery ticket they buy on a whim has the winning
numbers -- giving them a billion-dollar windfall. Shell-shocked, they turn to Shea Daniels, a "sudden wealth manager"
who promises to guide them through the pitfalls of having more money than they'd ever imagined. But it would be the
girls' weekend they would live to regret.
The trio travels to a secluded California mansion, where Shea and her staff cater to their every whim, promising to teach
them to navigate their newfound wealthy lifestyles with ease. The house is luxurious beyond their wildest dreams -- and
purportedly cursed, the last place a missing movie star was seen alive. Their weekend turns to terror when they discover
they are trapped -- the roads are blocked and communication disrupted by the wildfires raging around them.
And when history repeats itself and one of them disappears (the one who's holding the billion-dollar ticket) the others must
face the fact that either their friend has betrayed them -- or a predator is lurking!
Critique: Another original and gem of a suspense thriller from the mind and imagination of novelist Wendy Corsi Staub,
"Windfall" will prove to be an immediate and enduringly popular addition to the personal reading lists of Staub's legions of
fans, as well as community library Mystery/Suspense collections. It should be noted that "Windfall" is also available in a
digital book format (Kindle, $11.99) and as a complete and unabridged audio book (Blackstone Audio, $36.99, CD).
Editorial Note: Wendy Corsi Staub (https://wendycorsistaub.com) is the award-winning author of more than seventy
novels and has twice been nominated for the Mary Higgins Clark Award.
Fatal Legacy
Lindsey Davis
Minotaur Books
c/o St. Martin's Publishing Group
www.minotaurbooks.com
9781250799906, $28.00, HC, 336pp
https://www.amazon.com/Fatal-Legacy-Flavia-Albia-Novel/dp/1250799902
Synopsis: Flavia Albia, daughter of Marcus Didius Falco, has taken over her father's business as a private informer. She
only has two hard and fast rules -- avoid political cases and family cases because nothing good comes of either of them.
Unfortunately, since Albia isn't good at avoiding either, it's really more of a guideline. So when her Aunt Junia demands
Albia track down a couple of deadbeats who owe her money, it's an offer Albia can't refuse.
It turns out to be a relatively easy job, requiring only some half-hearted blackmail, and it leads to some new work in the
form of tracking down some essential paperwork for the debtor family.
But nothing is truly easy in Rome. If Albia doesn't find the paperwork that proves that family's ancestor was a properly
freed slave, then the family could lose everything. The more she digs, the more skeletons she finds in their closet, until
murder in the past leads to murder in the present.
Now, it's serious, even deadly, and Albia has precious little time to uncover the truth.
Critique: Set In first century Rome, "Fatal Legacy" is the latest addition to author Lindsey Davis' wildly popular 'Flavia
Albia' series as Alba now takes on a seemingly easy case that soon proves to be anything but as, at every turn, bodies both
old and new keep turning up. A fun read for any and all dedicated historical mystery fans, "Fatal Legacy" is a welcome
pick for community library Mystery/Suspense collections and easily available for personal reading lists in a digital book
format (Kindle, $14.99).
Editorial Note: Lindsey Davis (https://lindseydavis.co.uk) was born and raised in Birmingham, England. After taking an
English degree at Oxford and working for the civil service for thirteen years, she "ran away to be a writer". Her novels
featuring ancient Roman detective Marcus Didius Falco include Venus in Copper, The Iron Hand of Mars, Nemesis and
Alexandria. She is also the author of Rebels and Traitors, set during the English Civil War. Davis is the recipient of the
Crime Writers' Association Cartier Diamond Dagger Award, the highest accolade for crime writers, as well as the Ellis
Peters Historical Dagger Award and the Authors' Club Best First Novel award.
The Moth Came Back
Tara Ratzlaff
Camel Press
www.camelpress.com
9781684920969, $15.95, PB, 230pp
https://www.amazon.com/Moth-Came-Back-Tara-Ratzlaff/dp/1684920965
Synopsis: Twenty-eight year old Carmen Karlaff, owner of a native grass and wildflower seed farm in northwestern
Minnesota is surprised when her employees find a dead body in her big bluestem field.
Her best friend, Jessica, is accused of the murder when the body is identified as Jessica's long lost brother who ran away
twenty years ago after injuring a young girl in a drunken driving accident. No one seems to know why he returned home
after all this time, or what would have caused him to be killed. The sheriff suspects Jessica of murdering her own brother
when he learns there is an inheritance at stake.
Things are further complicated when evidence implicating Jessica is found at her home. But Carmen knows Jessica isn't a
murderer and decides to investigate. In the midst of a building project to promote tourism on her farm, navigating her
feelings for her newly hired foreman with a past he's unwilling to share, and preparing for harvest; her questions lead her to
suspect this present day murder is tied to the twenty year old accident and if she's not careful the killer who is trying to
keep the knowledge of what really happened that night quiet will try to silence her too.
Critique: Specializing in the cozy mystery genre, novelist Tara Ratzlaff's newly published novel, "The Moth Came Back"
is set in the Midwest and features an inherently interesting female sleuth. This debut volume of a new cozy mystery 'Native
Prairie Mysteries' series has more unexpected plot twists and turns than a Kansas tornado and is a compulsive page turner
of a 'whodunnit' murder mystery from start to finish. While especially and unreservedly recommended for community
library Mystery/Suspense collections, it should be noted for the personal reading lists of dedicated cozy mystery fans that
"The Moth Came Back" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $5.99).
Editorial Note: Tara Ratzlaff (https://tararatzlaff.com) graduated from North Dakota State University with a degree in Civil
Engineering and became the first female County Highway Engineer in the state of Minnesota. She retired early from her
career as a Civil Engineer when she and her husband purchased a native grass and wildflower seed farm/business which
they operated for over twenty years before recently retiring. With her daughter in college pursuing her master's degree and
the seed farm no longer keeping her busy, she decided it was time to pursue her dream of writing cozy mysteries.
The Fantasy/SciFi Shelf
Gilded Shadows
Stephanie J. Cress
https://stephaniejcress.co
Mystic Publishers, Inc.
https://www.mysticpublishersinc.com
9781934051900, $15.99, PB, 248pp
https://www.amazon.com/Gilded-Shadows-Stephanie-J-Cress/dp/193405190X
Synopsis: The races in the city of Old Dominion live together in harmony, except for those of mixed race. The Sunfolk
Church has decided that the Mixed are second-class citizens because they cannot bear children. But through her research,
Dela has discovers that they can. And the church will do anything to keep her quiet. They send an assassin who studies his
targets until he finds his own reason to kill. But when it comes to Dela, the assassin cannot justify the execution and he
questions his employers for the first time in his career. Caught up in Dela's revolution, he falls in love. The assassin
discovers that the contract he made is unbreakable and not completing the job will still cost a life - Dela's or his.
Critique: Original, nicely crafted, and a fun read from beginning to end, "Gilded Shadows" showcases author Stephanie J.
Cress as a master of narrative driven storytelling. Deftly combing romance, adventure, and high fantasy, "Gilded Shadows"
is highly recommended for community library collections and is available for personal reading lists in a digital book format
(Kindle, $6.99).
Editorial Note: Stephanie J. Cress (https://stephaniejcress.co) is a complete and talented master of the High Fantasy genre.
That makes it a bit ironic when she describes herself as a high fantasy writer with aphantasia -- the inability to form mental
images of objects that are not present. Her writing is concise but emotional and is often referred to as "like nothing I've
ever read before".
The Future
Catherine Leroux
Biblioasis
www.biblioasis.com
9781771965606, $18.95, PB, 288pp
https://www.amazon.com/Future-Biblioasis-International-Translation-44/dp/1771965606
Synopsis: "The Future" by Canadian novelist Catherine Leroux is an alternate history of Detroit, in which the French never
surrendered Motor City to the US. Its residents deal with pollution, poverty, and the legacy of racism -- and strange and
magical things are happening: children rule over their own kingdom in the trees and burned houses regenerate themselves.
When Gloria arrives looking for answers and her missing granddaughters, at first she finds only a hungry mouse in the
derelict home where her daughter was murdered. But the neighbors take pity on her and she turns to their resilience and
impressive gardens for sustenance.
When a strange intuition sends Gloria into the woods of Parc Rouge, where the city's orphaned and abandoned children are
rumored to have created their own society, she can't imagine the strength she will find. A richly imagined story of
community and a plea for persistence in the face of our uncertain future, The Future is a lyrical testament to the power we
hold to protect the people and places we love -- together.
Critique: An inherently fascinating, original, and carefully crafted novel that raises 'alternate history' science fiction to a
highly level of literary eloquence, "The Future" is a unique, entertaining, and highly recommended contribution to
community and academic library Literary Fiction and Science Fiction collections. It should be noted for personal reading
lists that "The Future" (ably translated into English by Susan Ouriou) is also available in a digital book format (Kindle,
$9.99).
Editorial Note #1: Catherine Leroux (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catherine_Leroux) is the author of three highly praised
novels and an innovative sequence of short stories. Her first novel, La marche en foret (2011), was a finalist for Quebec's
Booksellers' Prize. Her second novel, The Party Wall, a translation of Le mur mitoyen, won the France-Quebec Prize in the
original and, in translation, was a finalist for the Scotiabank Giller Prize and the Dublin IMPAC Award. In the United
States, The Party Wall was a prestigious Indies Introduce selection. Leroux's story sequence, Madame Victoria, won
Quebec's Adrienne Choquette Prize and was a finalist for the Booksellers' Prize. The French original of The Future
(L'avenir) won the Jacques Brossard Prize and was a finalist for the Imaginary Horizons Prize. Catherine Leroux works as
a translator and editor in Montreal. She was awarded the 2019 Governor General's Literary Award for Translation.
Editorial Note #2: Susan Ouriou (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Susan_Ouriou) is an award-winning fiction writer and
literary translator with over sixty translations and co-translations of fiction, non-fiction, children's and young adult
literature to her credit. She has won the Governor General's Literary Award for Translation for which she has also been
shortlisted on five other occasions.
The Comix/Graphic Novel Shelf
The Best of Simon & Kirby's Mainline Comics
Jack Kirby, et al.
TwoMorrows Publishing
10407 Bedfordtown Drive, Raleigh, NC 27614
www.twomorrows.com
9781605491189, $49.95, HC, 256pp
https://www.amazon.com/Best-Simon-Kirbys-Mainline-Comics/dp/1605491187
Synopsis: In 1954, comic book industry legends Joe Simon and Jack Kirby founded Mainline Publications to publish their
own comics during that turbulent era in comics history. The four titles (Bullseye, Foxhole, Police Trap, and In Love)
looked to build off their reputation as hit makers in the Western, War, Crime, and Romance genres, but the 1950s backlash
against comics killed any chance at success, and Mainline closed its doors just two years later.
Now and for the first time, With the publication of "The Best of Simon & Kirby's Mainline Comics", TwoMorrows
Publishing has compiling the best of Simon & Kirby's Mainline comics work, including all of the stories with S&K art, as
well as key tales with contributions by Mort Meskin and others.
After the company's dissolution, their partnership ended with Simon leaving comics for advertising, and Kirby taking
unused Mainline concepts to both DC and Marvel.
This newly published collection bridges the gap between Simon & Kirby's peak with their 1950s romance comics, and the
lows that led to Kirby's resurgence with Challengers of the Unknown and the early Marvel Universe. With loving art
restoration by Chris Fama, and an historical overview by John Morrow to put it all into perspective, the Best of Simon &
Kirby's Mainline Comics presents some of the final, and finest, work Joe and Jack ever produced!
Critique: Simply stated, "The Best of Simon & Kirby's Mainline Comics" is an absolute 'must' for the legions of Jack
Kirby, Joe Simon, and Mort Meskin fans. A unique compendium of beautifully reproduced and illustrated stories, along
with being an informative contribution to American 20th Century comic book history, "The Best of Simon & Kirby's
Mainline Comics" truly lives up to its title and is unreservedly recommended for personal, professional, community,
college, and university library collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists.
Editorial Note: TwoMorrows Publishing (https://twomorrows.com) is a publisher of magazines about comic books. It was
founded in 1994 by John and Pam Morrow out of their small advertising agency in Raleigh, North Carolina, United States.
Its products also include books and DVDs.
The Music CD Shelf
This Could Be The Start
Linda Purl
lindapurl.com
Reaching Records
$TBA CD / $9.49 MP3
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CDYMJJXK
Music director and pianist Tedd Firth and dulcet vocalist Linda Purl present This Could Be The Start, a rapturous music
album with contributions by David Finck on bass, Ray Marchica on drums and percussion, and Nelson Rangell on reed.
Linda Purl is well-known for her roles on multiple iconic television series; in This Could Be The Start, she offers a
heartfelt performance of classic songs written and composed by a wide variety of creators. This Could Be The Start is a joy
to experience and also makes an excellent gift! Highly recommended. The tracks are This Could Be The Start Of
Something Big, I'm In The Mood For Love, Let's Get Lost, Blue Moon, Dream Dancing, Let Me Down Easy, Live Alone
And Like It, Two Hearts On Lawns, How High The Moon, Not While I'm Around, I Love Being Here With You, and
Wrap Your Troubles In Dreams.
In Time
Alyssa Giammaria
alyssagiammaria.com
Privately Published
$TBA CD / $6.93 MP3
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CF6ZFX25
Toronto vocalist and composer Alyssa Giammaria presents In Time, an album of her original music; she created half the
pieces in 2016 and half in 2022. A medley of jazz songs that range in nature from lively to contemplative, In Time
contrasts old and new styles and showcases Giammaria's beautiful singing voice, supported by Steven Noronha on piano,
Josh Sparks on guitar, PT Sandberg on bass, and Aidan McConnell on drums. Aoife Louise-Doyle and Stephanie Sloss
also contribute vocals to the songs "Conversations", "Mend" and "For Now". In Time is a sparkling gem, highly
recommended for both connoisseurs of original vocal jazz and public library collections. The tracks are The Only Part,
Dream Life, Conversations, In Time, What are the Words, Mend, and For Now.
Root in Tandem
Bellbird
www.bellbird.band
Privately Published
$TBA CD / $9.49 MP3
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CDMJ9LQF
Root in Tandem is the debut jazz album of the band Bellbird, showcasing the coordinated talents of Claire Devlin on tenor
saxophone, Allison Burik on alto saxophone and bass clarinet, Eli Davidovici on bass, and Mili Hong on drums. Each
member of the band has contributed original songs to Root in Tandem, resulting in an eclectic mix of jazz stylings that
draw upon influence from folk melodies, atonal counterpoint, rock and more. Root in Tandem is an adventurous work
capturing the spirit of improvisation, with both moments of calm introspection and striking solos that spur the imagination.
Highly recommended! The tracks are Blurred Season (Burik); Bluff (Davidovici); If You Can't Swim, Dance (Burik);
Manakin (Devlin); Pigeons & Disco (Devlin); Well (Hong); Ten Dog (Davidovich); and Maybe I Won't Go (Hong).
The Drip
Rubim de Toledo
rubim.com
Privately Published
$TBA CD / $8.91 MP3
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CC9XB926
Award-winning bassist, composer, and bandleader Rubim de Toledo presents The Drip, and album of his original songs;
most were created by Rubim alone, although "Freedom Ain't the Same", "Rhythm Chante", and "Equal Ground" were
created by both Rubim and co-performer Karimah. Rubim de Toledo performs on bass and guitar, along with Karimah
lending vocals on the three co-created songs, Bob Tildesley on trumpet, Audrey Ochoa on trombone, Chris Andrew on
keyboards, Feliz Tellez on guitar (in "Out from Under"), Raul Tabera on a variety of percussion instruments, and Jamie
Cooper on drums. The Drip is a celebration of Brazilian-Canadian musical heritage, blending jazz with elements of
Afrobeat and funk, and drawing inspiration from Caribbean musical stylings. Highly recommended, especially for
connoisseurs of standout original fusion music! The tracks are Out from Under, The Drip, Freedom Ain't the Same (feat.
Karimah), Rhythm Chante (feat. Karimah), Son del Arroyo, The Long Way (Down), Equal Ground (feat. Karimah), Danza
para los Difuntos, and The Long Way.
Someday
Marc Copland Quartet
marccopland.com
InnerVoiceJazz
innervoicejazz.com
$TBA CD / $8.99 MP3
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BNVCK5WH
The Marc Copland Quartet consists of Marc Copland on piano, Robin Verheyen on tenor and soprano saxophones, Drew
Gress on bass, and Mark Ferber on drums. Their first quartet CD in several years is Someday, an instrumental jazz album
of performances that revel in the thrill of the moment. The lively songs enthrall the listener with their balance of technical
proficiency and exuberant rhythm. Someday is a "must-have" for connoisseurs of original jazz, highly recommended. The
tracks are Someday My Prince Will Come (Churchill/Morley), Spinning Things (Copland), Dukish (Verheyen), Let's Cool
One (Monk), Round She Goes (Copland), Encore (Verheyen), Day and Night (Copland), and Nardis (Davis).
Memories of Empathy
Samir Bodhi
Rishov Music Publishing
$15.98 CD / $5.94 MP3
https://www.amazon.com/Memories-Empathy-Samir-Bodhi/dp/B0C8LZ3GSR
Memories of Empathy is the second new age fusion album by Samir Bodhi. Blending traditional melodies from India with
relaxing Western rhythms, Memories of Empathy features original songs with vocals that inspire reverie, sung by
Bollywood singer Madhumita Chatterjee and Indian classical vocalist Supriyo Dutta. Themed around the desire to
encourage empathy, the thought process of putting oneself in another's place, Memories of Empathy includes three tracks
co-produced by guitarist/bassist Sanjoy Das and three by American multi-instrumentalist David Vito Gregoli. Memories of
Empathy is a wonderful treasure for new age connoisseurs, highly recommended. The tracks are Affinity, Compassion,
Have and Have Nots, Heaven So High, Indifference, and World of Empathy.
Imaginary People
Viv & Riley
vivandriley.com
Free Dirt
freedirt.net
$14.98 CD / $8.99 MP3
https://www.amazon.com/Imaginary-People-Viv-Riley/dp/B0C858GC5X
Imaginary People is a music album blending elements of indie, pop, and roots music. Most of the songs are original
compositions, although "The Blackest Crow" is a new take on a traditional Ozark song. Vivian Leva provides vocals and
acoustic guitar; Riley Calcagno provides vocals, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, fiddle, and banjo; additional contributors
Alex Bingham, Andy Stack, Sam Fribush, Whit Right, lend their talent on a wide variety of instruments, with Bucket
Bingham contributing additional vocals. The result is a rich, earthy, unforgettable soundscape, highly recommended
especially for connoisseurs in search of a sublime balance of traditional and innovative approaches. The tracks are Kygers
Hill, Sauvie Island, The General, Is It All Over, Imaginary People, Flashing Lights, How to Lose, Chance Creek, The Long
Way, and The Blackest Crow.
I Ain't Ever Growing Up, volume 1
Tom Ciurczak
TomCiurczak.com
Ludlow TFC Records
$TBA CD / $7.92 MP3
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CBQM8KBV
Volume 1 of I Ain't Ever Growing Up is a feel-good, rock and roll album of eight original songs by singer and songwriter
Tom Ciurczak. Created in homage to legendary rock and roll figures that Ciurczak admires, including Bruce Springsteen,
Peter Gabriel, Warren Zevon, and Tom Petty, I Ain't Ever Growing Up is intensely exultant, showcasing rock stylings
ranging from heartland to prog rock to world music rock. Highly recommended, especially for rock music connoisseurs
everywhere! The tracks are Ontario Nights, All Night Long, Kilimanjaro Skies, Action Out There, Nights On Fire, Right
Or Wrong Choice, The Vault, and Bonnie and Clyde.
The Same Changes, Vol. II
Connor O'Neill
www.coneillmusic.com
Privately Published
$TBA CD / $5.94 MP3
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0C5R1MHPV
Like the preceding album The Same Changes Vol. I, The Same Changes Vol. II consists of original compositions and
arrangements by award-winning jazz musician Connor O'Neill (one track, "Early Departure", is co-credited to Connor
O'Neill and Jon Williams). The songs featuring Connor O'Neill Connor O'Neill on guitar, Alex Delcourt on bass, Steven
Perry on drumset, Morgan Walbridge on vibraphone (tracks 1, 2, 3, 6), Mervin Toussaint on alto saxophone (track 3),
Jessica Cantone's vocals (track 4) and Micah Graves on piano (track 5). The jazz music immerses the listener in a
contemplative journey, inviting exploration of new soundscape horizons. Highly recommended! The tracks are
Disordinance, Another Moment Reconciled, Gears, Early Departure, Singularity, and Jade.
The Christian Studies Shelf
Sacred Self-Care
Chanequa Walker-Barnes
HarperOne
c/o HarperCollins Publishers
www.harpercollins.com
Blackstone Audiobooks
https://www.blackstonelibrary.com
9780063287136, $21.99, PB, 224pp
https://www.amazon.com/Sacred-Self-Care-Practices-Nurturing-Selves/dp/0063287137
Synopsis: As Christians, taking care of ourselves is essential, and lately, we've started to pay more attention to the ways
our physical bodies need and deserve nourishment. But we are not just bodies, we sacred beings, and our souls need just as
much care and attention to be healthy.
As a clinical psychologist, pastor, and activist, Dr. Chanequa Walker-Barnes has studied and worked with clients, clergy,
seminary faculty, faith-based activists, and others to encourage them to think of self-care as both a divine right and a sacred
obligation. She has developed a seven-week guide gathering activities, habits, disciplines, and practices that promote
spiritual, physical, emotional, mental, and relational wholeness.
With the publication of "Sacred Self-Care: Daily Practices for Nurturing Our Whole Selves", includes a daily story
alongside short and simple prompts and scripture passages that help us shift behaviors in the short term and create lifelong
habits. Each week walks readers through the following areas: Mastering the Self-Care Fundamentals; Practicing
Self-Compassion; Setting Healthy Boundaries; Caring for Our Emotional Selves; Caring for Our Minds; Practicing
Self-Care as a Way of Life.
Also included is an inventory for identifying areas you may need to focus on, and a "Rule of Life" guide to help you direct
your self-care practice and maintain it throughout the year. Inspiring and practical, ruminative and actionable, "Sacred
Self-Care" invites us on a journey to craft a sustainable self-care practice to care for our whole selves.
Critique: As informed and informative as it is inspired and inspiring, "Sacred Self-Care: Daily Practices for Nurturing Our
Whole Selves" is especially and unreservedly recommended reading for all members of the Christian community
(including clergy, seminary students) regardless of denominational affiliations. Exceptionally well written, organized and
presented, "Sacred Self-Care" is especially timely in this current era of civil, political, economic, spiritual, and secular
unrest. It should be noted that "Sacred Self-Care" is also readily avialable in a digital book format (Kindle, $12.99) and as
a complete and unabridged audio book (Blackstone Audio, 9798212694070, $31.99, CD).
Editorial Note: Dr. Chanequa Walker-Barnes is a clinical psychologist and professor of practical theology and pastoral care
at Columbia Theological Seminary. Her work focuses upon writing and ministering to clergy and faith-based activists, and
supporting women of color engaged in Christian social justice activism. She is the author of I Bring the Voices of My
People and Too Heavy a Yoke. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chanequa_Walker-Barnes)
Pilgrim
Ruth Chou Simons
Harvest House Publishers
www.harvesthousepublishers.com
9780736982924, $34.99, HC, 256pp
https://www.amazon.com/Pilgrim-Ways-Character-Leads-Onward/dp/0736982922
Synopsis: Followers of Christ live each day as a pilgrim, traveling the path Jesus sets before them. Though the road may be
rocky, God provides reminders along the way to show that He writes our story, paves our path, and walks with us
always.
With the publication of "Pilgrim: 25 Ways God's Character Leads Us Onward", author and artist Ruth Chou Simons
provides an uplifting meditation on the character of God to accompany us on our pilgrim journey.
Featuring stunning new artwork, these 25 devotions will lead us to: Explore proof of God's faithfulness found in both
Scripture and daily life; Engage with many key attributes of God; Encounter hymns written throughout history that
illuminate timeless truths about who God is; and Experience the peace that accompanies focusing your heart on God's
character.
"Pilgrim" reminds us of profound truths by showing us how God's grace and provision shape each Christian's unique
journey of conforming to the image of Christ. On the path of spiritual growth and maturity, knowing God's character
makes all the difference. When our travels leave us worn and weary, God will not abandon us. We can lay your burdens in
His hands, find hope in His presence, and follow His path as He leads us onward.
Critique: Visually enhanced with the profuse inclusion of watercolor artwork, this large volume hardcover format (7.75 x 1
x 9.75 inches, 2.08 pounds) edition of "Pilgrim: 25 Ways God's Character Leads Us Onward" from Harvest House
Publishers is inspired and inspiring, making it especially and unreservedly recommended for all members of the Christian
community regardless of denominational affiliation.
Editorial Note: Ruth Chou Simons (https://ruthchousimons.com) is an award-winning author of several books -- including
GraceLaced, Beholding and Becoming, and Foundations. She is an artist, entrepreneur, and speaker, using each of these
platforms to spiritually sow the Word of God into people's hearts. Through her online shop at www.GraceLaced.com and
her social media community, Simons shares her journey of God's grace intersecting daily life with word and art. .
The Augustine Way
Joshua D. Chatraw, author
Mark D. Allen, author
Baker Academic
c/o Baker Publishing Group
6030 East Fulton, Ada, MI 49301
www.bakerpublishinggroup.com
9781540962485, $24.99, HC, 208pp
https://www.amazon.com/Augustine-Way-Retrieving-Churchs-Apologetic/dp/1540962482
Synopsis: Apologetics is the religious discipline of defending religious doctrines through systematic argumentation and
discourse. Early Christian writers (c. 120-220) who defended their beliefs against critics and recommended their faith to
outsiders were called Christian apologists. In 21st-century usage, apologetics is often identified with debates over religion
and theology. (Wikipedia)
As Christians living today, what can we learn from Augustine about apologetics? With the publication of "The Augustine
Way: Retrieving a Vision for the Church's Apologetic Witness", co-authors Joshua D. Chatraw and Mark D. Allen
collaborate to reveal how Augustine defended the Christian faith in late antiquity and how his approach to engaging the
culture has great significance for the apologetic task today.
Joshua Chatraw and Mark Allen effectively recover Augustine's mature apologetic voice to address the challenges facing
today's church. The Augustine Way offers a compelling argument for Christian witness that is rooted in tradition and
engaged with contemporary culture. It focuses on Augustine's best-known works, Confessions and The City of God, to
retrieve his scriptural and ecclesial approach for a holistic apologetic witness.
Critique: "The Augustine Way: Retrieving a Vision for the Church's Apologetic Witness" will prove to be immensely
useful for seminary students of Christian theology and history, as well as for pastors, church leaders, and practitioners of
Christian apologetics. It puts pastors and churches back at the center of apologetics, transcending popular contemporary
methods with a view to a more effective witness in post-Christendom. While also available for personal reading lists in a
digital book format (Kindle, $18.99), "The Augustine Way" is very highly recommended as an essential and informative
addition to church, seminary, and academic library Christian Theology & History collections, as well as supplemental
Augustinian curriculum studies lists.
Editorial Note #1: Joshua D. Chatraw (PhD, Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary) is the Billy Graham Chair of
Evangelism and Cultural Engagement at Beeson Divinity School.
(https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/profile/joshua-chatraw)
Editorial Note #2: Mark D. Allen (PhD, University of Notre Dame) is Professor of Biblical and Theological Studies at
Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia. He has served as a pastor and church planter for over twenty years.
(https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/profile/mark-allen)
Centering Jesus
Derek Vreeland
NavPress
www.navpress.com
c/o Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.
www.tyndale.com
Oasis Audio
www.oasisaudio.com
9781641586191, $17.99, PB, 224pp
https://www.amazon.com/Centering-Jesus-Transforms-Communities-Spiritual/dp/1641586192
Synopsis: With all the hostility boiling just under the surface of our world, and breaking out in all manner of conflicts
around the globe and here at home, we need a renewed vision of Jesus as the Lamb of God who can lead us in the
peaceable ways of the Kingdom. When we fail to keep Jesus at the center of our lives, we lean into the desires of our hearts
more than the desires God has for us. As a result, our entire spirituality becomes driven by the self and for the self. We
need renewed practices of centering Jesus in our hearts and minds.
With the publication of "Centering Jesus: How the Lamb of God Transforms Our Communities, Ethics, and Spiritual
Lives", Derek Vreeland invites you to imagine what it looks like to keep Jesus as the Lamb of God at the center of three
key areas of our lives -- our spiritual formation, our moral lives, and our common life together. With the deep divide in
American culture and the polarization that continues to grow, we need a renewed focus on the Lamb so that we might
blaze a path forward into civility and kindness.
"Centering Jesus" shows how to: Identify the problems that occur when Jesus is obscured from our view; Walk through
some of the key biblical descriptions of the Lamb; Describe a Lamb-shaped and Jesus-centered approach to the Christian
virtues of faith, hope, and love, the foundation of our moral lives; Experience the Lamb at the center of common life
together, specifically worship life, participation in acts of justice, and political life.
Critique: Inspired, inspiring, and off particular relevance and value to readers with an interest in adult Christian
discipleship, ministry, and spiritual growth, "Centering Jesus: How the Lamb of God Transforms Our Communities,
Ethics, and Spiritual Lives" is especially and unreservedly recommended for personal, professional, church and seminary
Christian Theology & Conflict Resolution collections. It should be noted for clergy, seminary students, and non-specialist
general readers and members of the Christian community that "Centering Jesus" is also readily available in a digital book
format (Kindle, $17.09) and as a complete and unabridged audio book (Oasis Audio, 9781685924089, $27.99, CD).
Editorial Note: Derek Vreeland (https://derekvreeland.com) is the Discipleship Pastor at Word of Life Church in St.
Joseph, Missouri, where he is known for his thoughtful, humorous, and authentic teaching style. In addition to teaching
and leading discipleship ministries at Word of Life Church, Derek enjoys reading, running, and hiking. He is a graduate of
Missouri Western State University (B.A. English/Writing), Oral Roberts University (M.Div.), and Asbury Theological
Seminary (D.Min). He is also the author of several books Primal Credo, a fresh reading of the Apostles' Creed for modern
followers of Jesus, two reader's guides to N.T. Wright books, By the Way, a book for discipleship.
The New Big Book of Christian Mysticism, revised edition
Carl McColman
Broadleaf Books
510 Marquette Avenue N, Minneapolis, MN 55402
www.broadleafbooks.com
9781506486840, $25.99, PB, 402pp
https://www.amazon.com/New-Book-Christian-Mysticism-Contemplative/dp/1506486843
Synopsis: Traditional Christianity is in crisis. Is mysticism necessary for the survival of Christianity? What exactly is
Christian mysticism? How can it be relevant in our crisis-ridden world? Questions like these inspired the publication of
"The New Big Book of Christian Mysticism: An Essential Guide to Contemplative Spirituality" in a newly updated edition
from beloved spiritual teacher Carl McColman.
"The New Big Book of Christian Mysticism" aptly serves as both introduction and practical instruction for a living
contemplative practice today. In addition to the overview of mysticism, spiritual and prayer practices in mysticism, the
various types of mysticism in Christian tradition, and influential mystics through the millennia, this new second edition of
"The New Big Book of Christian Mysticism" offers an embodied understanding of the mystic life with a more diverse
range of voices and perspectives ranging from Howard Thurman to Pauli Murray. It also includes new chapters and themes
that address embodied mysticism, contemplation and social justice, and the ongoing relevance of Jesus's message of radical
equality and inclusivity.
"The New Big Book of Christian Mysticism" introduces both Christians and non-Christians to the contemplative tradition
within Christianity, a tradition that has often been marginalized or cloistered (to the church's detriment). As a
practice-oriented book, this is an invitation to embrace the mystical element within Christianity -- a practice that can equip
faithful persons with a joyful sense of divine intimacy, not just for personal benefit but as a foundation to a life of service
and activism in the interest of justice.
McColman's overview of mysticism shows how it has been practiced and lived through the centuries and will prove
inspirational for today's seekers, regardless of their faith tradition. At its heart, Christian mysticism is an ancient practice
that incorporates meditation, contemplation, worship, philosophy, the quest for enlightenment, the thirst for a better world,
and the experience of divine presence.
Critique: Deftly organized into two major sections (The Christian Mystery & The Contemplative Life), this newly
expanded second edition of "The New Big Book of Christian Mysticism: An Essential Guide to Contemplative
Spirituality" is further enriched for the reader with the inclusion of three Appendices, a four page listing of
Acknowledgments, a sixteen page Bibliography, and eight pages of Notes. "The New Big Book of Christian Mysticism:
An Essential Guide to Contemplative Spirituality" must be considered a core addition to personal, professional,
community, church, seminary, college, and university library Christian Theology/Mysticism collections. It should be noted
for seminary students, clergy, academia, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "The New
Big Book of Christian Mysticism: An Essential Guide to Contemplative Spirituality" is also available in a digital book
format (Kindle, $17.99).
Editorial Note: Carl McColman (https://anamchara.com/carl) is a contemplative writer, storyteller, podcaster, and spiritual
director. He is a life-professed member of a lay Cistercian community under the spiritual guidance of Trappist monks. He
is the author of numerous books, including Eternal Heart, and regularly speaks and leads retreats on topics related to
Christian mysticism, Celtic spirituality, and interfaith dialogue. Carl and his wife, artist Fran McColman, live near Atlanta,
Georgia.
The Judaic Studies Shelf
Kohelet: A Map to Eden
David Curwin
Toby Press
c/o Koren Publishers Jerusalem Ltd.
www.korenpub.com
9781592646111, $29.95, HC, 250pp
https://www.amazon.com/Kohelet-Map-Eden-Intertextual-Journey/dp/1592646115
Synopsis: Of the five megillot in the Tanakh, only Kohelet does not describe a historical event or tell a personal story.
Rather, it relates life lessons, with frequent confusing or even conflicting messages. This makes it one of the most
challenging biblical books to comprehend. Yet, if the Sages included it in the biblical canon, it must have a lesson for all
generations.
We traditionally read Kohelet every Sukkot. Can we return home, this year, with an understanding of its message?
"Kohelet: A Map to Eden: An Intertextual Journey" is a seminal and groundbreaking study in which David Curwin draws
from traditional sources and modern scholarship to take us on an eye-opening journey through Kohelet and other books of
the Tanakh.
Starting with a look at the life of King Shlomo, whose successes and failures are reflected in the teachings of Kohelet,
Curwin then presents linguistic and thematic evidence suggesting strong parallels between the life of Adam and that of
Shlomo, and between the book of Kohelet and the opening chapters of Bereshit.
Critique: A seminal, thoughtful, fascinating study from first page to last, "Kohelet: A Map to Eden: An Intertextual
Journey" is a unique and invaluable contribution to the growing library of Contemporary Judaic Studies. While highly
recommended for personal, professional, synagogue, community, college, and university library Judaic Studies collections
and supplemental curriculum studies lists, it should be noted that "Kohelet: A Map to Eden: An Intertextual Journey" is
also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
Editorial Note: David Curwin (https://thelehrhaus.com/author/davidcurwin) is an independent scholar, who has researched
and published widely on Bible, Jewish thought and philosophy, and Hebrew language. His first book, "Kohelet - A Map to
Eden" was published by Koren/Maggid in 2023. Other writings, both academic and popular, have appeared in Lehrhaus,
Tradition, Hakirah, and Jewish Bible Quarterly. He blogs about Hebrew language topics at www.balashon.com.
The Last Words of Moses
Micah Goodman
Maggid Books
c/o Koren Publishers Jerusalem Ltd.
www.korenpub.com
9781592645589, $29.95, HC, 300pp
https://www.amazon.com/Last-Words-Moses-Micah-Goodman/dp/1592645585
Synopsis: The book of Deuteronomy is the fifth and final book of the Torah, and the Torah (according to Jewish tradition)
is divine. The book of Deuteronomy, however, presents itself as a human document. Most of the book is comprised of
three addresses which complement one another, all delivered by Moses. Moses speaks in first person. He tells the nation its
story through the lens of his own personal perspective. Up until the book of Deuteronomy, Moses is a hero of the Torah. In
the final book, he has become a narrator.
Critique: Ably translated from Hebrew into English for an American readership by Ilana Kurshan, "The Last Words of
Moses" by Micah Goodman is an impressively informative and thoroughly 'reader friendly' introduction to the book of
Deuteronomy and its asserted author, Moses. Featuring an informative Introduction (Moses on Moses), and Afterword
(The Book of Deuteronomy and the Renewal of Judaism), and a two-part Appendices (Who Wrote The Book of
Deuteronomy?) "The Last Words of Moses" is a fascinating and unreservedly recommended pick for personal, community,
synagogue, college, and university library Judaic Studies 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 Last Words of
Moses" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
Editorial Note: Micah Goodman (https://www.hartman.org.il/person/micah-goodman) is a Research Fellow of the Kogod
Research Center at Shalom Hartman Institute in Jerusalem. He is the author of six best-selling books. His first three books
- Moses's Final Speech, The Dream of the Kuzari, and The Secrets of the Guide for the Perplexed - explore classic Jewish
thought. His next three books - The Wondering Jew, Catch 67, and The Attention Revolution - explore contemporary
Israeli issues and ideas.
Why God Why?
Rabbi Gershon Schusterman
Gefen Publishing House
c/o Storch
255 Central Ave #B-206, Lawrence, NY 11559
www.gefenpublishing.com
9780826608468, $24.99, HC, 272pp
https://www.amazon.com/Believe-Heaven-When-Hurts-Like/dp/0826608469
Synopsis: Rabbi Gershon Schusterman knew all the textbook answers when comforting bereaved community members
who asked him, "Where is God? If God is loving, how could this happen?" But when the rabbi's own wife died suddenly,
leaving him a 38-year-old widower with eleven children to raise, he found himself reeling.
His personal quest for answers to these timeless questions led him to a deeper exploration of Judaism's teachings about
how to cope with and transcend tragedy, teachings that have provided comfort and understanding to millions of people
throughout the generations.
Written for anyone who has also endured devastating loss, ""Why God Why? How to Believe In Heaven When It Hurts
Like Hell" is wise and sensitive guide will help you to work through your grief while not becoming stuck in grief and grow
toward a hopeful, future oriented perspective -- because life is meant to be lived!
Critique: Even more impressive when considering that ""Why God Why? How to Believe In Heaven When It Hurts Like
Hell"" is Rabbi Gershon Schusterman's first book, this faith-based instructional guide is especially recommended and
inspired reading for anyone within the Jewish community suffering from the loss of a loved one. While highly
recommended for personal, professional, community, synagogue, and academic library Judaic Studies collections, it should
be noted that "Why God Why? How to Believe In Heaven When It Hurts Like Hell" is also reading available in a digital
book format (Kindle, $9.95).
Editorial Note: Rabbi Gershon Schusterman is an Orthodox Jewish rabbi and longtime founder of six Chabad Lubavitch
branches in Southern California. For 18 years, he led the Hebrew Academy in Orange County, California, and grew the
school from 86 to 500 students. He taught Chassidic philosophy at the Chabad-Lubavitch Rabbinical seminary in Los
Angeles, and is an inspirational speaker who has addressed Jewish organizations across the nation.
(https://www.chabad.org/news/article_cdo/aid/5709292/jewish/Why-God-Why-A-Guide-for-the-Brokenhearted.htm
The First Fifty Years
Rabbi Sue Lvi Elwell, et al.
CCAR Press
355 Lexington Avenue, 8th floor, New York, NY 10017
www.ccarpress.org
9780881236309, $18.95, PB, 168pp
https://www.amazon.com/First-Fifty-Years-Jubilee-Honoring/dp/0881236306
Synopsis: The ordination of Rabbi Sally J. Priesand in 1972 was a watershed moment in Jewish history. With the
publication of "The First Fifty Years: A Jubilee in Prose and Poetry Honoring Women Rabbis", contributors from across
the Jewish and gender spectrums reflect on the meaning of this moment and the ensuing decades, both personally and for
the Jewish community.
Collaboratively compiled and co-edited by Rabbi Sue Levi Elwell, Jessica Greenbaum, and Rabbi Hara E. Person, "The
First Fifty Years" is comprised of short pieces of new prose and poetry with the contributors (many of them pioneering
rabbis) share stories, insights, analysis, and celebrations of women in the rabbinate. These are intertwined with a wealth of
poetry that poignantly captures the spirit of this anniversary.
"The First Fifty Years" is a deep, heartfelt tribute to women rabbis and their indelible impact on all of us.
Critique: A unique, informative, fascinating and inspiring modern history of women becoming rabbis, "The First Fifty
Years: A Jubilee in Prose and Poetry Honoring Women Rabbis" is especially and unreservedly recommended for personal,
professional, synagogue, community, and academic library Judaic Studies/History collections and supplemental curriculum
studies lists. It should be noted that "The First Fifty Years: A Jubilee in Prose and Poetry Honoring Women Rabbis" is also
readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
Editorial Note #1: Sue Levi Elwell (https://jwa.org/rabbis/narrators/elwell-sue) is a pioneer of inclusive Judaism as one of
the first openly gay women rabbis, Rabbi Elwell helped empower countless Jewish women to take ownership of Jewish
tradition.
Editorial Note #2: Jessica Greenbaum (https://www.ccarpress.org/content.asp?tid=592) is the co-editor, with Rabbi Hara
Person, of CCAR Press' Mishkan HaSeder: A Passover Haggadah (2021). She is a poet, teacher, and social worker who
has taught for years in Manhattan's Central Synagogue, and more recently in Brooklyn's Congregation Beth Elohim.
Editorial Note #3: Rabbi Hara E. Person (https://www.ccarpress.org/content.asp?tid=395) is the Chief Executive of Central
Conference of American Rabbis. Previously, she was the CCAR's Chief Strategy Officer. In that capacity, she oversaw the
Communications Department and served as Publisher of CCAR Press, and worked with leadership on overall
organizational strategy. Rabbi Person was ordained in 1998 from the Hebrew Union College Jewish Institute of
Religion.
The Needlecraft Shelf
Cute & Cuddly Crochet
Lauren Bergstrom
Walter Foster Publishing
c/o Quarto Publishing Group USA
100 Cummings Center, Suite 265D, Beverly, MA 01915
www.quartoknows.com
9780760382905, $19.99, PB, 128pp
https://www.amazon.com/Cute-Cuddly-Crochet-huggable-amigurumi/dp/0760382905
Synopsis: With the publication of "Cute & Cuddly Crochet: Learn to make huggable amigurumi animals" author and artist
Lauren Bergstrom provides 12 step-by-step projects for crocheting popular, trendy, huggable animals, such as a flamingo, a
dinosaur, an elephant, an octopus, a red panda, a fox, a narwhal, and more.
While amigurumi animals are often very small, "Cute & Cuddly Crochet" features instructions and tips for crocheting
larger plushie animals that are perfect for baby gifts, birthday gifts for kids, home decor, and more. While crocheting a
larger animal may sound intimidating or like more work, it isn't! Included in the book are helpful hints for working with
bulky yarn, as well as how to stuff the animals.
"Cute & Cuddly Crochet" also offers a guide for crochet basics, such as crochet techniques, stitches, how to do color
changes, materials and where to source them, and much more. Accompanying the book are helpful videos from the
author.
Critique: Featuring fully illustrated step-by-step instructions, "Cute & Cuddly Crochet" is an ideal DIY instructional
resource for beginners to crocheting, crafters, makers, DIYers, teen artists, and more! Highly recommended for personal
and community library Needlecraft instructional reference collections, "Cute & Cuddly Crochet" is an ideal introduction to
the fun craft of crocheting!
Editorial note #1: Lauren Bergstrom (https://www.ravelry.com/designers/lauren-bergstrom) was born and raised in South
Africa and has been doodling and crocheting cute things for as long as she can remember. When she's not drawing or
painting, she spends her time designing crochet patterns for little stuffed animals at www.mohumohu.com and making
video games with her partner at Studio Any Percent. Lauren is also the author of "101 Super Cute Things to Draw" and
"Amigurumi Animals", both from Walter Foster Publishing.
Editorial Note #2: The Art Makers series from Walter Foster Publishing is designed for beginning artists and
arts-and-crafts enthusiasts who are interested in experiencing fun hands-on mediums, including polymer clay and
embroidery. Also available from The Art Maker series are: "Empowered Embroidery", "Polymer Clay for Beginners",
"Papier Mache", "Make Cute Stuff with Polymer Clay", and "Polymer Clay Jewelry".
Kaffe Fassett's Quilts by the Sea
Kaffe Fassett
The Taunton Press
63 South Main Street, Newtown, CT 06470
www.taunton.com
9781641551946, $34.99, PB, 144pp
https://www.amazon.com/Kaffe-Fassett-Quilts-Sea/dp/1641551941
Synopsis: This newly published edition of "Kaffe Fassett's Quilts by the Sea" is a landmark 25th book in Kaffe Fassett's
highly successful patchwork and quilt series. For it, Kaffe Fassett has chosen the southern coast of England as the
inspiration for his new collection of quilts where beachgoers have long enjoyed the rocky shores near Hastings in East
Sussex for their wild beauty and classic architecture.
Featuring several miles of coastline, this seaside community has its roots in the fishing industry and was the site of the
Norman Conquest's Battle of Hastings in 1066. Once a popular Victorian resort area, this gem of the southern coast is now
experiencing a travel renaissance thanks to a thriving arts movement.
The gallery section of "Kaffe Fassett's Quilts by the Sea" showcases the 21 new designs, all brilliantly photographed on
location by Debbie Patterson. The deep jewel tones of Kaffe's Maroon Frames are enhanced by the geometric lines of
similarly toned beach huts. Kaffe's Vintage Stars has an old-world quality featuring earthy tones that are brilliantly set
against the backdrop of a brick garden wall.
The stunning Colour Garden quilt, featured on the cover, feels perfectly at home draped over an old fishing boat
overlooking the sea, while his confectionary Fruit Sorbet cushion showcases taffy-inspired pastels sure to inspire a cozy
afternoon by the beach.
With both Kaffe's classic fabrics and his forward-thinking new designs to choose from, quilters will be thrilled with all
"Kaffe Fassett's Quilts by the Sea" has to offer.
Critique: With the first half consisting of beautiful, full color, full page, captioned photos of elegant quilts showcasing
their unique designs, and the second half featuring more distinctive and inspiring quilts with step-by-step DIY construction
instructions, "Kaffe Fassett's Quilts by the Sea" will prove a unique and treasured addition to personal, professional, and
community library Needcrafting collections.
Editorial Note: Kaffe Fassett (https://www.kaffefassett.com) is a name every dedicated quilter knows. His work has been
commissioned by the British monarchy, American fashion designers, and the Royal Shakespeare Company. He has written
numerous best-sellers including Kaffe Fassett's Quilts in Italy, Kaffe Fassett's Quilts in Morocco, and Kaffe Fassett's Quilts
in the Cotswold's.
Knitted Christmas Stockings
Emilee Reynolds
The GMC Group
www.gmcbooks.com
9781784946685, $24.99, PB, 144pp
https://www.amazon.com/Knitted-Christmas-Stockings-festive-designs/dp/1784946680
Synopsis: A special collection of 25 festive designs to make for family and friends, "Knitted Christmas Stockings" by
knitting expert Emilee Reynolds showcases stockings to knit for the Christmas holiday in a variety of vibrant designs, each
with something to suit all the family.
By following the fully illustrated step-by-step instructions, even the most novice of knitters can create that magical
moment for friends and family with these truly special handmade gifts featuring minimal modern designs, jolly elves,
classic nativity scenes and traditional festive themes. There is an available style to suit everyone. And why stop at one
stocking, when you could make them for the whole family!
Critique: Each individual design showcased in "Knitted Christmas Stockings" can be personalized with the recipient's
name. New knitters need not finding this to daunting because all the essential know-how you'll need to get started is found
at the back of the book ranging from which materials to buy to basic stitches to learn. Each one of 25 stocking designs is
presented by theme, to suit the whole family. With clear color knitting charts for each design, "Knitted Christmas
Stockings" also includes full instructions on how to personalize your stockings with the name of the recipient, making it
especially recommended for personal, professional, and community library needlecrafting collections.
Editorial Note: Taught to knit by her grandmother, Emilee Reynolds has been creating unique stockings for family and
clients ever since. She began her blog, Sweetly Made (just for you), to share her passion for knitting. She sells patterns and
stockings through her successful Etsy shop and Ravelry. Emilee's work has also featured in Let's Knit and Simply Knitting
magazines. (https://www.sweetlymadejustforyou.com)
The Gardening Shelf
The Seasoned Gardener
Liz Zorab
Permanent Publications
c/o Chelsea Green Publishing Company
www.chelseagreen.com
9781856232647, $27.95, PB, 240pp
https://www.amazon.com/Seasoned-Gardener-Exploring-rhythm-gardening/dp/1856232646
Synopsis: "The Seasoned Gardener: Exploring the rhythm of the gardening year" is a personal and profusely illustrated
gardening journey, in which Liz Zorab explores seasonal harvests and how the vegetable garden sits within the wider
context of the gardening landscape -- including weather, microclimates, water cycles, light levels, seasons and the
gardener's personal tastes.
Liz takes a salt of the earth approach to life and to the garden and her gentle humor makes "The Seasoned Gardener" an
easily digestible and informative read as she provides hundreds of practical tips, including how-to guides, observations and
inspiration for both the beginner and practiced gardener alike.
Unlike many gardening books that run from January to December, "The Seasoned Gardener" starts in the autumn, when
harvesting is at its peak. Most of the fruit, vegetables, herbs and flowers highlighted are grouped according to when we
enjoy them most -- at the point of harvest.
"The Seasoned Gardener" shows you how to: Enjoy the abundance of each month of the year; Decide which plants are best
to grow in your garden; Find pleasure in your growing space year-round; Avoid the pitfalls of doing too much at once; Be
creative with your garden resources; Make the most of your time and energy; Celebrate nature's productivity as much as
your own.
"The Seasoned Gardener" is a journey of experimentation and learning that will inspire you to grow tastier food and savor
the experience.
Critique: A joy and inspiration to browse through one fascinating and motivating page at a time, "The Seasoned Gardener:
Exploring the rhythm of the gardening year" is an ideal read for the aspiring and novice gardener, while has immense value
and interest for even the more experienced gardeners. Enhanced with the profuse inclusion of color photography
throughout, "The Seasoned Gardener" will prove an immediate and enduringly popular addition to personal, professional,
and community library DIY gardening instructional reference collections. It should be noted that "The Seasoned Gardener"
is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $11.99).
Editorial Note: Liz Zorab (https://bytherfarm.com) is also the author of "Grounded: A Gardener's Journey to Abundance
and Self-Sufficiency". An award-winning gardener, she gained an RHS Silver Medal for a community-led garden featured
on BBC's 'Gardeners World Live' in 2002. A health crisis led Liz to turn to her life-long passion for gardening and growing
food as a career. Liz spent several years transforming her 0.8-acre plot in Monmouthshire into an abundant smallholding.
She is now regenerating a tired, over-grazed 4.5-acre site using permaculture practices. On less than an acre, she grows
most of the food and drink her family enjoys each year, giving them food security, resilience and increased self-reliance.
Liz regularly writes for Permaculture Magazine, teaches gardening and self-sufficiency skills and encourages thousands of
people to take up their trowels and live their dreams through a vibrant YouTube Channel,
The Wine/Spirits Shelf
A Passion for Whisky
Ian Wisniewski
Mitchell Beazley
c/o Octopus Books
236 Park Avenue, New York NY 10017
www.octopusbooksusa.com
9781784729097, $29.99, HC, 256pp
https://www.amazon.com/Passion-Whisky-Scottish-creates-captivate/dp/1784729094
Synopsis: The Scottish island of Islay produces some of the world's most revered malt whiskies, and is described by the
New York Times as the equivalent of Bordeaux for wine lovers. With the publication of "A Passion for Whisky: How the
tiny Scottish island of Islay creates malts that captivate the world", whiskey expert Ian Wisniewski explores the unique
combination of tradition, innovation, climate and location, which create such superlative examples of Scotch whisky.
Individual profiles of Islay's 13 distilleries include tasting notes for selected malts that illustrate the incredible range of
peated styles produced, together with a section on tasting techniques, making this an indispensable guide for Scotch
whisky lovers.
Whisky sales overtook vodka in the US in 2022 for the first time in two decades, with no small influence from Scotch
whisky - the US imported 789.2 million British pounds' worth of in Scotch in 2021.
Critique: Inherently fascinating and information packed from cover to cover, "A Passion for Whisky: How the tiny Scottish
island of Islay creates malts that captivate the world" will be of particular and special interest to all dedicated whisky
enthusiasts, as well as connoisseurs of cocktails and mixed drinks. Expertly written, organized and presented, "A Passion
for Whisky" is an especially and unreservedly recommended addition to personal, professional, community, and academic
library Liquor/Wine/Beer collections.
Editorial Note: Ian Wisniewski (https://www.hachette.co.uk/contributor/ian-wisniewski) is a food, drink and travel writer
and broadcaster, specializing in spirits, particularly whisky and especially Scotch whisky. He is the author of three books
on whisky, including Classic Malt Whisky, and contributes to various publications including Whisky Magazine, Whisky
Quarterly and Malt Whisky Yearbook, and was a contributor to Michael Jackson's encyclopedic book, Whisky. He
conducts tutored tastings and classes on whisky, and visits distilleries on a regular basis to learn more about the production
process, which is one of his favorite subjects. He is a Master of the Quaich, the highest honor bestowed by the Keepers of
the Quaich, Scotland's premier whisky society.
How to Make Better Cocktails
Andrew Shannon, et al.
Mitchell Beazley
c/o Octopus Books
236 Park Avenue, New York NY 10017
www.octopusbooksusa.com
9780600637943, $19.99, HC, 224pp
https://www.amazon.com/How-Make-Better-Cocktails-techniques/dp/0600637948
Synopsis: With the publication of "How to Make Better Cocktails: Cocktail Techniques, Pro-Tips and Recipes" by co-
authors Andrew Shannon, Sebastian Hamilton-Mudge, and Natalia Garcia Burke avoids the confusing cocktail/liquor
industry terminology to unlock the magic of cocktail making without pretension by understanding the 'why', not just the
'how', behind cocktail making and in the process, making each individual drink much better.
By teaching the fundamentals of cocktails and breaking down each element, from equipment to ingredient to method, they
enable and empower creativity with cocktails.
Featuring not only classic recipes and Candra originals, but also in-depth explanations of techniques and equipment to help
you through the misconceptions and complexities of making great cocktails, additional space given in "How to Make
Better Cocktails" for an essential kit breakdown, what you might already have at home that can be repurposed, as well as a
glossary of cocktail terms and techniques.
Critique: Profusely illustrated in full color throughout, plus thoroughly 'user friendly' in both organization and presentation,
"How to Make Better Cocktails: Cocktail Techniques, Pro-Tips and Recipes" is a highly recommended instruction guide
and 'how-to' manual for the novice cocktail maker, and has a great deal of practical value for even the more experienced
cocktail enthusiast. If you have a home bar or intend to serve cocktails at a party function, then you need your very own
copy of "How to Make Better Cocktails: Cocktail Techniques, Pro-Tips and Recipes". While highly recommended for
personal, professional, and community library collections, it should be noted that "How to Make Better Cocktails: Cocktail
Techniques, Pro-Tips and Recipes" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $7.99).
Editorial Note #1: Sebastian Hamilton-Mudge began his career as a professional bartender. A respected expert, he worked
with spirit brands, such as Plymouth Gin, Martell Cognac and Absolut Vodka to develop innovative cocktails and exciting
ways to educate bartenders. During this time, he also consulted on bar operations across the UK, wrote an award-winning
college course on professional bartending and opened his own, much-loved venue, Eight Bar and Kitchen. He eventually
left the bar to travel the world as Global Brand Ambassador for Beefeater and Plymouth Gin, a prestigious role that kept
him on the road for the next nine years.
Editorial Note #2: Natalia Garcia Bourke is a former Brand Director for Mezcal El Silencio, Natalia is an accomplished
creative innovator with a love for building brands. She has worked for Midleton, a world-leading Irish whiskey distillery
and the home of award winning brands such Jameson and Redbreast. Her roles took her from Europe to Mexico, and then
back to the USA, where she spent time creating memorable events, brand partnerships and building community through
education.
Editorial Note #3: Andy Shannon began his career as a freelance graphic designer before moving into the drinks industry,
initially working at award-winning East London bar, Callooh Callay. From there, he moved on to Ian Schrager's luxury
EDITION hotels where he spent the next six years. He ran the bars at the London EDITION, and under his management,
they won several national and international awards. After his success in London, Andy helped launch the Sanya EDITION,
in southern China, before moving to Los Angeles to open the highly regarded West Hollywood EDITION. Andy developed
activations and bar takeovers in cities across the world, and delivered the global advocacy and education programme
'Punch on the Road', at key industry gatherings like Bar Convent Berlin, the Mexico Bar Show, and in iconic bars like New
York's Dead Rabbit.
The Business Shelf
Diversity Dividend
Paola Cecchi-Dimeglio
The MIT Press
www.mitpress.mit.edu
9780262048408, $29.95, HC, 256
https://www.amazon.com/Diversity-Dividend-Transformational-Changes-Everyone/dp/026204840X
Synopsis: Every business leader endeavors to invest in and manage their key asset (talent) to be as high-performing as
possible. Like a winning stock, successful diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) actions pay back over time. That dividend
is paid both to the company (through not only higher performance but also talent acquisition, training, and other savings)
and to society in general.
With the publication of "Diversity Dividend: The Transformational Power of Small Changes to Debias Your Company,
Attract Diverse Talent, Manage Everyone Better and Make More Money" leadership expert Paola Cecchi-Dimeglio offers
a fresh, detailed look at how to realize gender and racial equity along the company-employee pathway ranging from
attracting and interviewing applicants to onboarding, promoting, and sustaining hires -- as well as how to remove systemic
barriers at the organizational level that prevent women and underrepresented groups from advancing.
While other books have delved into DEI and the challenges inherent in sustaining successful efforts, no other book has
done so in concert with the depth and scope of data, basis in science, and application in the real world. In "Diversity
Dividend", Cecchi-Dimeglio artfully combines accessible anecdotal cases (where success was achieved or where, despite
best intentions and efforts, things did not go as expected) with scientifically rigorous solutions as well as applications of
data and big data.
As empowering as it is comprehensive, "Diversity Dividend" helps remove the guesswork and near-superstition that
naturally arise when some methods work and others fail, thereby giving leaders the tools and insight to make informed
choices at the right moments to create lasting change.
Critique: Informatively enhanced for the reader with the inclusion of an informative twenty-two page Introduction, an eight
page Conclusion, a six page listing of Acknowledgments, forty-six pages of Notes, and a six page Index, "Diversity
Dividend: The Transformational Power of Small Changes to Debias Your Company, Attract Diverse Talent, Manage
Everyone Better and Make More Money" will have a special relevance and an enduring value for readers with an interest
in Business Ethics, Workplace Culture, and General Gender Studies. While highly recommended for inclusion into
personal, professional, community, corporate, college, and university library Business Management collections and
supplemental MBA curriculum studies lists, it should be noted that "Diversity Dividend" is also available in a digital book
format (Kindle, $17.99).
Editorial Note: Paola Cecchi-Dimeglio, PhD, LLM, MSc, JD, is a leading authority on helping senior leaders make more
inclusive decisions for themselves and their organizations, having advised some of the largest for-profit and nonprofit
companies in the world. An award-winning expert on behavioral and data science, big data and AI, race and gender, and
leadership strategy, she holds dual appointments at Harvard's Kennedy School of Government and Harvard Law School,
where she serves as faculty chair of the Executive Leadership Research Initiative for Women and Minority Attorneys.
(https://www.paolacecchidimeglio.com)
The Financial Times Guide to High-Impact Negotiation
Kasia Jagodzinska
Pearson
c/o Pearson Technology Group
801 East 96th Street, #300, Indianapolis, IN 46240-3759
www.pearson.com
9781292400389, $36.50, PB, 202pp
https://www.amazon.com/High-Impact-Negotiation-Kasia-Jagodzinska/dp/1292400382
Synopsis: A compendium of strategy, tactics and templates to prepare for high-impact negotiations that result in successful
long-lasting deals, "The Financial Times Guide to High-Impact Negotiation: A Comprehensive Guide for Executing
Valuable Deals and Partnerships" by Dr. Kasia Jagodzinska provides a comprehensive and strategic roadmap to the whole
negotiation process from preparation to execution. Novice and experienced executives and deal makers alike can follow
the practical steps to complete negotiation successfully, build relationships and finalize their deals.
Critique: Exceptionally and impressively 'user friendly' in style, organization and presentation, "The Financial Times
Guide to High-Impact Negotiation: A Comprehensive Guide for Executing Valuable Deals and Partnerships" is a complete
DIY course of instruction in the art of the deal. While especially and unreservedly recommended for personal, professional,
community, corporate, and academic library Business Negotiation/Planning collections and supplemental MBA curriculum
studies lists, it should be noted that "The Financial Times Guide to High-Impact Negotiation: A Comprehensive Guide for
Executing Valuable Deals and Partnerships" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $30.99).
Editorial Note: Dr. Kasia Jagodzinska (https://www.negotiationbooster.com) strongly believes that personal empowerment
bridged with tactical preparation is the key to success. She combines an academic career with international business
advisory in the field of negotiations. She also serves as a Senior Adviser to the United Nations in Geneva where she assist
in multi-stakeholder negotiations.
The Folktale/Fairytale Shelf
Tales and Legends of the Devil
Claude & Corinne Lecouteux
Inner Traditions International, Ltd.
One Park Street, Rochester, VT 05767
www.innertraditions.com
9781644116852, $30.00, HC, 240pp
https://www.amazon.com/Tales-Legends-Devil-Guises-Shapeshifter/dp/1644116855
Synopsis: The devil has many more guises than the cliche red boogeyman named Lucifer or the Satan who haunts
Christianity. In some traditions the devil is sinister and cunning, while others portray him as an oaf who can easily be
conned and evaded by anyone with an ounce of cleverness. In other tales and legends, he is the primal shapeshifter, and the
Roma, also known as the gypsies, claimed his talents of metamorphosis were so strong he could even assume the
appearance of a priest.
Drawing on folk traditions from all over Europe, including Transylvanian Romania, Bulgaria, Albania, Switzerland, Italy,
France, Scandinavia, Moravia, Bohemia, Lapland, and the Baltic countries, with the publication of "Tales and Legends of
the Devil: The Many Guises of the Primal Shapeshifter", co-authors Claude and Corinne Lecouteux explore the many
forms and abilities of the devil in stories, tales, and legends throughout the ages.
They trace the devil's shapeshifting powers back to their Vedic origins in ancient India and look at his connections with
witches, storm magic, and other magical events. They examine the symbolic implications of the appearance of the devil in
these tales, such as how he is often either limping or disfigured with the legs or feet of a goat or other animals traditionally
linked to the lower powers or passions. They explain how the devil's limp or his goat-like feet reflect the prevalence in
world mythology of the sacred nature of crippling injuries.
Peeling back the Christian veneer embedded in many tales and legends about the so-called Evil One, "Tales and Legends
of the Devil" ultimately reveal how many of the qualities and magical powers attributed to the devil were once those
belonging to pagan gods, like the Lithuanian thunder god Perkunas or the Titan Chronos, as well as to playful woodland
spirits and the sometimes helpful, sometimes fearful fauns and satyrs of Greco-Roman mythology.
Critique: As fascinating as it is informative, "Tales and Legends of the Devil: The Many Guises of the Primal
Shapeshifter" by Claude and Corinne Lecouteux is ably translated into English for an American readership by Jon E.
Graham. A prized pick for personal, professional, community, and academic library Folklore, Mythology, and
Metaphysical Studies collections, it should be noted that "Tales and Legends of the Devil" is also available in a digital
book format (Kindle, $19.99).
Editorial Note #1: Claude Lecouteux is a professor emeritus of medieval literature and civilization at the Sorbonne. He is
the author of numerous books on medieval beliefs and magic, including Tales of Witchcraft and Wonder. Corinne
Lecouteux is a translator specializing in tales and legends. She is the coauthor with her husband, Claude, of Travels to the
Otherworld and Other Fantastic Realms. The authors live in Paris.
Editorial Note #2: Jon E. Graham is an award-winning translator, artist, and writer specializing in esoteric topics and
Surrealism.
The Computer Shelf
Dive Into Data Science
Bradford Tuckfield
No Starch Press
www.nostarch.com
9781718502888, $39.99, PB, 288pp
https://www.amazon.com/Science-Business-People-Bradford-Tuckfield/dp/1718502885
Synopsis: Packed with essential skills and useful examples, "Dive Into Data Science: Use Python To Tackle Your
Toughest Business Challenges" by Bradford Tuckfield offers a practical and comprehensive introduction to the world of
data science and will show you how to obtain, analyze, and visualize data so you can leverage its power to solve common
business challenges.
With only a basic understanding of Python and high school math, you will be able to effortlessly work through "Dive Into
Data Science" and to start implementing data science in your day-to-day work. From improving a bike sharing company to
extracting data from websites and creating recommendation systems, you will discover how to find and use data-driven
solutions to make business decisions.
The topics covered include conducting exploratory data analysis, running A/B tests, performing binary classification using
logistic regression models, and using machine learning algorithms.
You'll also learn how to: Forecast consumer demand; Optimize marketing campaigns; Reduce customer attrition; Predict
website traffic; Build recommendation systems.
With this practical guide at your fingertips, you will be able to harness the power of programming, mathematical theory,
and good old common sense to find data-driven solutions that make a difference.
Critique: Comprehensive and thoroughly 'user friendly' in in organization and presentation, "Dive Into Data Science: Use
Python To Tackle Your Toughest Business Challenges" is the ideal instructional reference guide to utilizing Python as a
basic and essential part of doing business in today's increasing complex, competitive, and digital world. Of particular and
specific value to those with an interest in the subjects of Data Mining, Computer Hacking, and Python Programming,
"Dive Into Data Science: Use Python To Tackle Your Toughest Business Challenges" is a highly recommended addition to
personal, professional, community, corporate, college, and university library Computer Programming & Business
Management collections and supplemental MBA curriculum studies lists. It should be noted that "Dive Into Data Science:
Use Python To Tackle Your Toughest Business Challenges" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle,
$23.99).
Editorial Note: Bradford Tuckfield (https://interpreterfoundation.org/author/bradfordt) is a data scientist, a consultant, and
a writer. He received a PhD from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, and a BS in Mathematics from
Brigham Young University. He is the author of Dive Into Algorithms (No Starch Press) and Applied Unsupervised
Learning with R (Packt). In addition to working as a data scientist and tech manager for top finance firms and startups, his
research has appeared in academic journals spanning math, business management, and medicine.
Adobe After Effects
Ben Goldsmith
Rocky Nook
1010 B Street, Suite 350, San Rafael, CA 94901
https://rockynook.com
9781681988658, $54.95, PB, 488pp
https://www.amazon.com/Adobe-After-Effects-Complete-Compendium/dp/1681988658
Synopsis: "Adobe After Effects: A Complete Course and Compendium of Features" by Adobe Certified Instructor Ben
Goldsmith is the ideal instructional guide to editing and enhancing videos in with Adobe After Effects. Whether you are
animating text or objects, changing a scene's setting, or creating a 3D scene, After Effects is the tool for you -- and this
comprehensive 'how-to' paperback textbook will teach you what you need to know.
First, with its complete Course that includes a set of projects and lessons derived from video editor and, you will learn the
procedures needed to use After Effects effectively and professionally. Dozens of exercises are included that can be applied
to any videos you have in mind. Through step-by-step lessons, you'll be exposed to all of After Effects' features in practical
contexts and its best practices for optimal workflows. To complete the Course, supply lesson documents are available and
their assets to downloaded, so that you can work alongside the text.
Then, for greater depth of knowledge and subsequent reference, you will use the Compendium to uncover more of the
"how" and "why" of After Effects. With each topic easy to access, you can find and explore all of Premiere Pro's key
features and concepts in depth.
With cross-references between the Course and Compendium, the two parts of "Adobe After Effects: A Complete Course
and Compendium of Features" complement each other perfectly. Best of all, when the lessons in the Course are done, the
Compendium will continue to serve you for months and years to come.
Critique: A complete and professional course of step-by-step instructions with respect to Adobe After Effects, this singular
edition of Ben Goldsmith's new "Adobe After Effects: A Complete Course and Compendium of Features" textbook from
Rocky Nook is an impressively comprehensive and thoroughly 'user friendly' in organization and presentation. While
unreservedly recommended for personal, professional, community, college, and university library Web Design, Digital
Video, and Editing collections and curriculum studies lists, it should be noted that "Adobe After Effects: A Complete
Course and Compendium of Features" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $34.48).
Editorial Note: Ben Goldsmith (https://www.benjaminausmith.com) tells stories and shares ideas through editing videos
and designing motion graphics. After receiving his BA at Hampshire College in digital media production, Ben developed
and created immersive media experiences for historic and scientific museums nationwide, including the FDR Museum and
the Boston Museum of Science. Ben now produces videos for Sparkworks Media (where he creates content for Amazon,
Alaska Airlines, and other local businesses) and teaches video editing at Luminous Works and the School of Visual
Concepts.
The Woodworking Shelf
Woodworking from Offcuts
Derek Jones
The GMC Group
www.gmcbooks.com
9781861088833, $24.95, PB, 176pp
https://www.amazon.com/Woodworking-Offcuts-Projects-Create-Scrap/dp/1861088833
Synopsis: With the publication of "Woodworking From Offcuts", woodworking expert Derek Jones shows how to make
something from that pile of leftover wood scraps stashed away in your workshop.
"Woodworking From Offcuts" is comprised of 20 useful DIY projects made from odds and ends of left-over scrap wood.
These made-from-scrap projects will not only clean up your shop, but provide satisfying work that results in useful items
for your home, office, garden -- or as nicely made gifts! The featured projects include: wooden salad serving forks, serving
platter, and meat tenderizer that would cost a pretty penny in a specialty shop, along with a letter rack, tool caddy, cute bird
house, and more.
There are show and tell instructions, as well as tips for all skill levels with each clever project explained in clear,
straightforward terms, with step-by-step photos that "show and tell" exactly what to do. And, whatever your abilities, there
are plenty of projects for you -- and opportunities to turn little bits and pieces into beautiful accessories like those in
high-end shops.
Critique: Unreservedly recommended for personal, professional, community, and highschool woodworking library
collections, "Woodworking From Offcuts: 20 Projects to Create from the Scrap Pile" by Derek Jones and published by
GMC Publications is a large format paperback (8.25 x 0.41 x 10.88 inches, 1.4 pounds) illustrated instructional reference
book which is also available for personal use in a digital book format (Kindle, $$16.99).
Editorial Note: Derek Jones began his career in the woodworking industry as an apprentice to a cabinetmaker, learning on
the job the meticulous skills needed for fine furniture making. He later took on his own furniture commissions and is now
the editor of Furniture & Cabinetmaking magazine. Derek is also the author of French Polishing and Bird, Bee & Bug
Houses. (https://blog.lostartpress.com/2021/10/02/derek-jones-making-things-work)
The Interior Design Shelf
Design Dreams
Maison de Sable, author
Charlotte Taylor, editor
Chronicle Chroma
c/o Chronicle Books
680 Second Street, San Francisco, CA 94107
www.chroniclebooks.com
9781797220161, $29.95, HC, 208pp
https://www.amazon.com/Design-Dreams-Interior-Architectural-Environments/dp/1797220160
Synopsis: "Design Dreams: Virtual Interior and Architectural Environments" is curated and edited by London-based
designer Charlotte Taylor, whose Instagram account @maison_de_sable features many of her own designs and
collaborations with render artists as well as those of her contemporaries. Featured designers and artists include the
following listed per their influential Instagram accounts: @sixnfive, @paulmilinski, @teaaalexis, @joemortell, and many
more.
3D architectural renderings were originally conceived as a communication tool between designers and clients to help them
visualize a proposed buildable design. This genre continues to be extremely useful for this purpose but has now also
become an art form in its own right that can convey dreamlike imaginary settings.
"Design Dreams: Virtual Interior and Architectural Environments" features many of the most prolific and skilled 3D artists
that showcase a high-end, modern and futuristic aesthetic that blurs the line between reality and fantasy. In this virtual
world, building and budget constraints do not impede the imagination of the creators.
Critique: A large format hardcover volume (8.19 x 0.94 x 10.08 inches, 2.45 pounds) "Design Dreams: Virtual Interior and
Architectural Environments" is an inspirational and aspirational volume for architects and designers as well as fans of high
design in interiors, furniture, landscape, travel, and lifestyle. A highly recommended pick for personal, professional,
community, and academic library Interior Design collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists, and fully capturing
the growing genre of architectural visualizations from an international roster of 3D render artists around the world who
create evocative and coveted dream homes and fantasy destinations, this seminal and ground-breaking study will have a
special value for readers with an interest in the decorative arts, interior design, and home decorating.
Editorial Note: Maison de Sable is the UK-based studio of artist Charlotte Taylor. Through Maison de Sable, Taylor
focuses on interior styling and creative direction, working collaboratively with a selection of 3-D render artists around the
world to design fictional spaces, interiors, and homes. (https://www.studiocharlottetaylor.com/maison-de-sable)
The Travel Shelf
Secret New York - Hidden Bars & Restaurants
Michelle Young, author
Laura Itzkowitz, author
Nicole Saraniero, author
Jonglez Publishing
https://jonglezpublishing.com
9782361954543, $19.95, PB, 224pp
https://www.amazon.com/Secret-New-York-Hidden-Restaurants/dp/2361954540
Synopsis: A club in the back of a lingerie store, a Hare Krishna temple with a lunch canteen, a Mexican pulque bar in a
Chinatown basement, a Central Asian eatery above the world's largest diamond district, hole-in-the-wall countertops inside
freight entrances, a Swiss ski chalet accessed through a kitchen, an open-to-the-public dining room in the United Nations, a
celebrity-loved party spot inside a pawn shop, a dance destination behind a barber -- all these and more comprise "Secret
New York - Hidden Bars & Restaurants"
Featured in "Secret New York - Hidden Bars & Restaurants" are more than 100 pages of amazing decor, eccentric
locations, bizarre food, newcomers, longtime holdouts, that will please and astonish underground and post-industrial
design buffs, refined gourmands, cocktail drinkers and anyone curious to discover more of the infinite ways to have fun in
New York City.
Critique: Thoroughly 'user friendly' in organization and presentation, "Secret New York - Hidden Bars & Restaurants"
must be declared as an essential, informative, inspiringly motivating guide to enjoying the amazing, hidden bar and
restaurant scene in the boroughs of New York City. While a highly portable pocked sized (4.31 x 0.52 x 7.3 inches, 8.8
ounces) paperback edition that is especially and unreservedly recommended for personal and community library New York
City travel guide collections.
Editorial Note #1: Michelle Young (https://untappedcities.com/author/michelle-young) is the founder of Untapped Cities, a
web magazine about urban discovery and exploration in New York City and around the world. Michelle holds a B.A. from
Harvard in the History of Architecture and a Master of Science in Urban Planning from Columbia University Graduate
School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation, where she is also an Adjunct Professor. Michelle is also the author of
the book Broadway, about the history of the famous street and she is one of the authors of 100 Ways to Make History,
published by the New York Public Library. She has been interviewed for The New York Times, Huffington Post Live, and
appeared in numerous documentaries.
Editorial Note #2: Laura Itzkowitz (http://www.lauraitzkowitz.com) grew up near Boston and lived in Paris and Rome
before moving to New York City, though she comes from a long line of (outer borough) New Yorkers. She writes for
Travel + Leisure, Fodor's Travel, Refinery29, Saveur, and is an editor at Untapped Cities. She contributed to Fodor's
Travel's forthcoming Brooklyn guidebook, writing the guides to her neighborhood (Greenpoint) and nearby Williamsburg.
She holds a Masters of Fine Arts in creative writing and translation from Columbia University's School of the Arts and a
B.A. from Smith College. She has been featured as a New York expert blogger in Time Out New York and named one of
Hotel Club's Top 20 NYC bloggers.
Editorial Note #3: Hannah Frishberg (https://hannahfrishberg.com) is a Features Writer at The New York Post where her
work has garnered an international readership and served as the basis for Discovery+'s 2022 docuseries "Hillsong: A
Megachurch Exposed." Her words and photos have also appeared in The New York Times, the Columbia Journalism
Review, BuzzFeed News, CityLab, Gothamist, Narratively, Urban Omnibus, The Huffington Post and Rizzoli's "Brooklyn
Photographs Now."
The Self-Help Shelf
Mindful in Minutes
Kelly Smith
Fair Winds Press
c/o Quarto Publishing Group USA
100 Cummings Center, Suite 265D, Beverly, MA 01915
www.quartoknows.com
9780760382141, $24.99, HC, 176pp
https://www.amazon.com/Mindful-Minutes-Meditation-Practices-Connection/dp/076038214X
Synopsis: As a certified yoga teacher, meditation teacher, and host of the chart-topping podcast Mindful in Minutes, Kelly
Smith is no stranger to the wide-ranging health benefits of meditation. And she discovered she needed them more than ever
when she became a mom for the first time.
Suddenly finding herself coping with sleepless nights, disheartening physical changes, uncontrollable worries, and near
constant sensory overload, Kelly found solace in the same thing she always had: her daily meditation practice. In doing so,
she discovered how meditation could help not only moms cope with common family challenges, but every other member
of the family as well.
Kelly shares her hard-won wisdom with listeners across the country in her second podcast Meditation Mama, and now, in
this fully illustrated edition of "Mindful in Minutes: Meditation for the Modern Family" she helps families of all kinds
learn how to use meditation to cope with the everyday struggles of being a person who is also part of a family.
The topics covered range from quieting the mind and managing stress to handling resentment and cultivating compassion.
"Mindful in Minutes" offers specialized practices for each family member by age -- adults, teens and older kids, and small
children.
With three distinct, age-appropriate practices for each topic, Kelly ensures that every member of the family has access to a
practical, focused meditation "toolkit" to draw on when they need a little extra help. "Mindful in Minutes" also includes a
series of dedicated meditations for expectant parents, a series of meditations to promote a healthy, loving relationship
between partners, and over 250 mantras to help you focus your mind and go deeper into your practice.
Critique: Exceptionally well written, deftly organized and thoroughly 'reader friendly in presentation, "Mindful in Minutes:
Meditation for the Modern Family: Over 100 Practices to Help Families Find Peace, Calm, and Connection" is especially
appropriate for the non-specialist general reader wanting to instill in their family life an effective means of mediation and
dealing with the inevitable stresses and strains of family life. While also available in a digital book format (Kindle,
$11.99), "Mindful in Minutes" is a welcome addition to personal, professional, and community library Meditation, Family
Activities, and Self-Help/Self-Improvement collections.
Editorial Note: Kelly Smith (https://www.yogaforyouonline.com) is the founder of Yoga For You, the host of the iTunes
chart-topping meditation podcast Mindful in Minutes and Meditation Mama, and the author of Mindful in Minutes:
Meditation For the Modern Family. She is an E-RYT 500, YACEP, and master trainer in meditation, yoga nidra, and
restorative yoga. Her meditations and work have been featured in Meditation Magazine, Popsugar Fitness, ABC News,
The Bump, Twin Cities Live, and the Lavendaire Lifestyle Podcast. You can find her on Instagram as
@yogaforyouonline
Mindfulness For the Wandering Mind
Pandit Dasa
Wiley
c/o Wiley Professional Trade Group
www.wiley.com
9781394197620, $27.00, HC, 224pp
https://www.amazon.com/Mindfulness-Wandering-Mind-Life-Changing-Improving/dp/1394197624
Synopsis: Written by monk-turned-leadership-guru Pandit Dasa, "Mindfulness For the Wandering Mind: Life-Changing
Tools for Managing Stress and Improving Mental Health At Work and In Life" offers unique insight on how you can focus
your mind, become more resilient, respond better to conflict, and build stronger professional (and personal) relationships.
It's all possible when you begin to understand how your mind works and take control of this complicated mechanism.
"Mindfulness For the Wandering Mind" will show you how to identify and close the "apps" that are constantly running in
your own mind, so you can eliminate distractions and find greater peace and productivity in your daily life.
"Mindfulness For the Wandering Mind" presents specific meditation processes and actions you can take to help you
succeed as you begin or continue your journey. Through presentations and talks across the country, Pandit Dasa has offered
his wisdom on applying mindfulness in the workplace. With the publication of "Mindfulness For the Wandering Mind", he
shares his wisdom with you, revealing that, no matter what your external circumstances or environment, you can find the
time and space to reflect and unlock the benefits of mindfulness.
"Mindfulness For the Wandering Mind" will help you: Reduce stress and anxiety by eliminating unnecessary distractions
and closing unused "apps" in your mind; Harness the principles of forgiveness, patience, compassion, and selflessness to
improve work-life balance and mental health for yourself and your employees; Break through the stigma surrounding
mental health concerns and identify the obstacles that are keeping you from happiness and fulfilment; Complete reflection
questions and exercises to develop a deeper awareness of how your mind works -- and what you can do to improve it.
"Mindfulness For the Wandering Mind" is for anyone who is looking for a solution to the constant feelings overwhelm,
distraction, and anxiety that plague us in today's fast-paced, media-saturated world. Teach your brain how to block out the
noise and find focus, and observe the radical transformation that mindfulness can make in your life.
Critique: Eloquent, informative, motivating, inspiring, "Mindfulness For the Wandering Mind: Life-Changing Tools for
Managing Stress and Improving Mental Health At Work and In Life" will have a special appeal and value to readers with
an interest in Motivational Management/Leadership, Business Motivation/Self-Improvement, as well as Personal
Transformation. While especially and unreservedly recommended for personal, professional, community, corporate, and
academic library Self-Help/Self-Improvement collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Mindfulness
For the Wandering Mind" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $16.00).
Editorial Note: Pandit Dasa (https://www.panditdasa.com) is an internationally renowned speaker, lecturer, and author. As
a former monk, he began speaking and teaching about mindfulness, work-life balance, and managing stress at Columbia
and New York Universities. He has since delivered over 700 speeches and workshops to organizations of all sizes,
including Kellogg, Citi, and Kantar.
The Metaphysical Studies Shelf
Cat Magick
Rieka Moonsong
Rock Point
c/o Quarto Publishing Group USA
100 Cummings Center, Suite 265D, Beverly, MA 01915
www.quartoknows.com
9781631069550, $19.99, HC, 160pp
https://www.amazon.com/Cat-Magick-Harness-Behaviors-Familiars/dp/1631069551
Synopsis: With the publication of "Cat Magick: Harness the Powers of Felines through History, Behaviors, and Familiars",
by Wiccan high priestess Rieka Moonsong instructs you on how to attract and identify a feline familiar. With two cat
familiars of her own, Rieka delves into: The magical role of cats as familiars and how to connect and strengthen your
relationship with them; Different breeds, colorings, and behavioral characteristics of cats and how these affect your
partnership; How to safely work with a familiar in your practices using discarded parts of your feline friend like shed
whiskers, claws, and fur.
"Cat Magick" dives into the history of cats, myths, and folklore, specifically some of the myths surrounding black cats.
With special features that are distinct to each type of cat, this helpful guide provides a new set of rituals and spells!
Readers will discover magick work for shorthair, purebred cats, and big cats like tigers, lions, panthers!
Some of the spells and rituals include: Calling feline guides and familiars to you; Strengthening the bond with your
familiar; Creating fur talismans. With "Cat Magick as your guide you can find and connect with your feline familiar
through spells and rituals while being guided by a seasoned practitioner.
Critique: Colorfully illustrated throughout, "Cat Magick: Harness the Powers of Felines through History, Behaviors, and
Familiars" is a unique, original, comprehensive, exceptionally well written, organized and presented instructional guide
that will hold a special appeal and utility for metaphysical studies and magick users with an interest in having and utilizing
a feline familiar. While very strongly recommended as an essential and core addition to personal, professional, community,
and academic library Metaphysical/Magic Studies collections, it should be noted that "Cat Magick: Harness the Powers of
Felines through History, Behaviors, and Familiars" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
Editorial Note: Rieka Moonsong (https://www.sacredearthwisdom.com/about-6) is a Wiccan high priestess and
mesa-carrying, Andean-trained shaman. She has made it her life's work to assist others in healing, transforming, and better
understanding their true purpose. She offers one-on-one consultations that bring balance and clarity in times of indecision
or confusion. Her services include divination, healing, soul work, and more. Her popular Instagram account is
@justamountainwitch
Power, Purpose, Practice
Kerry Ward
Fair Winds Press
c/o Quarto Publishing Group USA
100 Cummings Center, Suite 265D, Beverly, MA 01915
www.quartoknows.com
9780760383254, $22.99, HC, 160pp
https://www.amazon.com/Power-Purpose-Practice-Astrology-Numerology/dp/0760383251
Synopsis: Am I on the right path? That is the question internationally recognized tarot expert Kerry Ward faces daily from
thousands of private clients and readers of her popular Cosmopolitan tarot column. With the publication of "Power,
Purpose, Practice: Finding Your True Self Through Astrology, Numerology, and Tarot", she shows you how to answer that
question for yourself by using a simple system based on an insightful blend of astrology, numerology, and tarot that she has
perfected through 25 years of tarot reading.
Your birth date holds the key to the system. From there, astrology guides you to your ruling planet and your ruling element,
while tarot reveals your personality archetype. These three items (planet, element, archetype) represent your power.
To discover your purpose, we turn to numerology, which provides a guided map for your life journey via your Life Path
number.
Finally, Kerry provides a series of meditations and rituals for you to practice in your daily life, to help you amplify your
power and direct it toward your purpose.
Written in a casual, intimate voice and bursting with bold, inclusive artwork, this spiritual guide will help you understand
each of these cosmic connections and more as you explore every facet of your personality and discover your true self.
Critique: Nicely illustrated throughout in full color, "Power, Purpose, Practice: Finding Your True Self Through Astrology,
Numerology, and Tarot" by Kerry Ward is impressively 'reader friendly' in style, organization, and presentation. Of special
interest and value to students of astrology, numerology, and the tarot, "Power, Purpose, Practice" is a fascinating,
informative, and engaging instructional reference resource and highly recommended for both personal reading lists and
community/academic library Metaphysical Studies collections. It should be noted that 'Power, Purpose, Practice: Finding
Your True Self Through Astrology, Numerology, and Tarot" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle,
$11.99).
Editorial Note: Kerry Ward (https://www.cosmopolitan.com/author/17046/kerry-ward) is the creator of the best-selling
tarot deck and book Good Karma Tarot as well as Crystal Magic Tarot. She is the resident tarot columnist for
Cosmopolitan US and UK, as well as Metro UK and supports a global tarot client list of 500+, to whom she sends a
monthly email newsletter. She can be followed on Instagram at @mytarotbella
The Pride of Dragons Oracle
Angelo Thomas, author
Sonja Hedger, artist
Bear & Company
c/o Inner Traditions International, Ltd.
One Park Street, Rochester, VT 05767
www.innertraditions.com
9781591434924, $20.00, Card Deck/Guidebook
https://www.amazon.com/Pride-Dragons-Oracle-44-Card-Guidebook/dp/1591434920
Synopsis: Chosen by the Angels to act as a bridge between Heaven and Earth, the spiritual beings known as Dragons are
here to assist us in both daily life and the ascension process, delivering celestial wisdom from the ancient Angelic Realms
and offering intervention for our highest good.
Drawing on his lifelong spiritual connection to dragons, spirit medium Angelo Thomas created "The Pride Of Dragons
Oracle", a card deck and guidebook channeling 44 specific dragons from the angelic realms. The dragons who stepped
forward for this deck are unique in both nature and appearance, with their own personalities and perspectives on celestial
wisdom. Their messages reflect them as individual angelic beings and bring forth knowledge that can be used for inner
spiritual work.
Each of the 44 cards comprising "The Pride Of Dragons Oracle" feature artist Sonja Hedger's unique paintings, each card is
specifically designed to allow connection with the celestial energies of the dragons. The accompanying guidebook explains
how to use the cards to access ancient celestial wisdom and apply it to everyday life through rituals, spiritual practices, and
practical self-development tools.
Critique: Fascinating, memorable, inspiring, and compelling, "The Pride Of Dragons Oracle" is thoroughly 'user friendly'
and explains how to use the cards and apply Dragon wisdom to everyday life through daily rituals, spiritual practices, and
practical self-development tools is a unique and unreservedly recommended addition to those with an interest in
parapsychology, angels, spirits, and a metaphysical approach to personal transformation.
Editorial Note #1: Angelo Thomas (https://www.angelothomas.com.au) is a spirit medium and an earth-angel incarnate
who facilitates spiritual development events and podcasts internationally.
Editorial Note #2: Sonja Hedger offers spiritual consulting and intuitive commission- based art and writing through her
business Iridium Soul.
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
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