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Internet Bookwatch

Volume 28, Number 9 September 2018 Home | IBW Index

Table of Contents

Reviewer's Choice Writing/Publishing Shelf Social Issues Shelf
Health/Medicine Shelf Science Shelf Art Shelf
Graphic Novel Shelf Audiobook Shelf Library CD Shelf
Library DVD Shelf Metaphysical Studies Shelf Christian Studies Shelf
Buddhist Studies Shelf Fiction Shelf Mystery/Suspense Shelf
Fantasy/SciFi Shelf Political Science Shelf Biography Shelf
Woodworking Shelf Crafts Shelf Beer Shelf
Education Shelf Needlecraft Shelf Gardening Shelf
Literary Studies Shelf Gaming Shelf Self-Help Shelf
Cookbook Shelf American History Shelf World History Shelf
Civil War Shelf Religion/Spirituality Shelf Parenting Shelf
Theatre/Cinema Shelf Philosophy Shelf Technology Shelf
Photography Shelf Computer Shelf Travel Shelf
Military Shelf    


Reviewer's Choice

The China-India Rivalry in the Globalization Era
T. V. Paul, editor
Georgetown University Press
3240 Prospect Street, NW, Washington, DC 20007
www.press.georgetown.edu
9781626165991, $110.95, HC, 312pp, www.amazon.com

Compiled and edited by T.V. Paul (who is the James McGill Professor of International Relations at McGill University) with the assistance of an international group of leading scholars, "The China-India Rivalry in the Globalization Era" deftly examines in detail whether the rivalry between the two countries that began in the 1950s will intensify or dissipate in the twenty-first century. The China-India relationship is important to analyze because past experience has shown that when two rising great powers share a border, the relationship is volatile and potentially dangerous. India and China's relationship faces a number of challenges, including multiple border disputes that periodically flare up, division over the status of Tibet and the Dalai Lama, the strategic challenge to India posed by China's close relationship with Pakistan, the Chinese navy's greater presence in the Indian Ocean, and the two states' competition for natural resources. Despite these irritants, however, both countries agree on issues such as global financial reforms and climate change and have much to gain from increasing trade and investment, so there are reasons for optimism as well as pessimism. An exceptionally well organized and presented study that includes a complete listing of the contributors and their credentials, "The China-India Rivalry in the Globalization Era" is unreservedly recommended for community and academic library Contemporary International Studies collections in general, and China/India Contemporary Studies reading lists in particular. It should be noted for students, governmental policy makers, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "The China-India Rivalry in the Globalization Era" is also available in a paperback edition (978-1626166004, $36.95) and in a digital book format (Ebook, 9781626266011, $36.95).

Inside the Neolithic Mind
David Lewis-Williams & David Pearce
Thames & Hudson, Inc.
500 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10110-0017
www.thamesandhudsonusa.com
9780500294413, $16.95, PB, 320pp, www.amazon.com

What do the headless figures found in the famous paintings at Catalhoyuk in Turkey have in common with the interlinked spirals carved on the monumental tombs at Newgrange and Knowth in Ireland? How can the concepts of "birth", "death", and "wild" cast light on the changes in relationships between people and animals? In the new compact paperback version of "Inside the Neolithic Mind: Consciousness, Cosmos and the Realm of the Gods", David Lewis-Williams (Professor Emeritus and Senior Mentor at the Rock Art Research Institute, University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa) and David Pearce (Associate Professor and Director at the Rock Art Research Institute, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa) collaboratively examine the intricate web of belief, myth, and society in the Neolithic period, arguably the most significant turning point in human history, when agriculture became a way of life and the fractious society that we know today was born. The authors focus on two contrasting times and places: the beginnings in the Near East, and Western Europe. "Inside the Neolithic Mind" argues that neurological patterns hardwired into the brain help explain the nature of the art, religion, and society that Neolithic people produced. In proposing provocative new theories about religious motivation in ancient times, "Inside the Neolithic Mind" creates a fascinating neurological bridge to the mysterious thought-lives of the past and reveal the essence of a momentous period in human history. Exceptionally well written, organized and presented, this new edition of "Inside the Neolithic Mind" is very highly recommended for community, college, and university library collections. It should be noted for students, academia, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "Inside the Neolithic Mind" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $15.30).

The Art of Reading
Jamie Camplin and Maria Ranauro
Getty Publications
1200 Getty Center Drive, Suite 500, Los Angeles, CA 90049-1682
www.getty.edu
9781606065860 $34.95 amazon.com

Featuring more than 150 striking, full-color reproductions of Western paintings by European and American artists depicting books and reading, The Art of Reading: An Illustrated History of Books in Paint is a studious cultural history. Chapters explore why artists love books; how books and paintings are a key to understanding past and present human culture; how the importance of reading has evolved in Western society; and much more. Written with scholarly insight, yet thoroughly accessible to readers of all backgrounds, The Art of Reading is highly recommended for personal, public, and college library collections.

The Unceasing Storm
Katherine Luo
Douglas & McIntyre
c/o Harbour Publishing
www.douglas-mcintyre.com
9781771621861 $22.95 amazon.com

The Unceasing Storm: Memories of the Chinese Cultural Revolution is the true-life memoir of author Katherine Luo, who was born in Shanghai in 1935 and immigrated to Canada in 1998. Luo's reflections center upon her life in mainland China, especially during the Cultural Revolution, a time of intense zealotry, political persecution, and even arrest, torture, and execution for those unfortunate enough to become targets. Luo tells of how the Communist Party was trusted and revered among the people, to such an extent that all marriages had to be approved by the Party - in fact, the Party denied her request to marry her first love, effectively ending their relationship. Vivid, often painful, and always fascinating, The Unceasing Storm tells of a historic, national upheaval stained with innocent blood, from an intensely personal perspective, and is all but impossible to put down. Highly recommended for both public library collections and personal reading lists.

Ciderology
Gabe Cook
Spruce
c/o Octopus Books
236 Park Avenue, New York NY 10017
www.octopusbooksusa.com
9781846015656, $19.99, HC, 224pp, www.amazon.com

Ciderology is about studying and understanding the way cider making has evolved over the centuries, from the heart of cider country to the new wave of cider makers. It's about learning how terroir and climate affect the quality of cider, just like a wine; and how to match your favorite dishes with the perfect cider. It's about wassailing, community and tradition, but is also about the innovative and creative craft cider makers emerging all over the world. In "Ciderology" Gabe Cook, a leading global cider expert, shares his passion for all things cider (and perry!), with an essential history of the drink and production processes, and a round-the-world tour of the most important and exciting cider makers in operation. "Ciderology" also includes delicious, palate pleasing recipes for incorporating cider into a variety of different dishes. Featuring a wealth of anecdotes and tales that intermingle fact and myth, "Ciderology" will prove to be a real treat for enthusiastic cider lovers and cider novices alike. Simply stated, "Ciderology" contains anything and everything anyone will ever need to know about cider! While certain to be an immediate and enduringly popular addition to community library collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Ciderology" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $11.99).

The Shift
Kimberly White
Berrett-Koehler
9781523094882, $18.95, www.bk-life.com

The Shift: How Seeing People as People Changes Everything presents a concept so simple that one might wonder why it would need a book to explore it in depth. The beauty of The Shift, however, lies in its approach on how to see people as basic human beings rather than numbers, statistics, or entities. Shifting one's perspective towards acknowledging shared humanity means that many other things shift, as well, encouraging a more nurturing, understanding environment as a whole. Chapters do more than present theory: they outline how this shift can happen, what to do with it, and how it can change everything. Readers seeking a different kind of self-help guide will find it a positive perspective filled with practical, game-changing applications to everyday life.


The Writing/Publishing Shelf

Writing Flash
Fred D. White
Quill Driver Books
9781610353175, $14.95, www.quilldriverbooks.com

Writing Flash: How to Craft & Publish Flash Fiction for a Booming Market is specifically for writers who want to excel in flash fiction, which is typically less than 1,000 words. There's a real trick to condensing both plot and word choice for an exceptionally short work. The effort can produce especially lively, evocative writing when done right, and this provides a modern course in all the techniques of notable flash stories to provide writers with all the basics they need to build a reputation on flash fiction. Master the art of flash writing and writers who would produce any manner of written art will find their skillsets vastly expanded, which is why Writing Flash should be the first step key to success not only with this medium, but as a creative writer.


The Social Issues Shelf

Unapologetic
Charlene A. Carruthers
Beacon Press
24 Farnsworth Street, Boston, MA 02210
www.beacon.org
9780807019412, $22.95, HC, 184pp, www.amazon.com

Drawing on Black intellectual and grassroots organizing traditions, including the Haitian Revolution, the US civil rights movement, and LGBTQ rights and feminist movements, "Unapologetic: A Black, Queer, and Feminist Mandate for Radical Movements" by Charlene A. Carruthers (a Black lesbian feminist and founding national director of the Black Youth Project 100, a leading organization of young activists in the movement for Black liberation) challenges all of us engaged in the social justice struggle to make the movement for Black liberation more radical, more queer, and more feminist. "Unapologetic" provides a vision for how social justice movements can become sharper and more effective through principled struggle, healing justice, and leadership development. It also offers a flexible model of what deeply effective organizing can be, anchored in the Chicago model of activism, which features long-term commitment, cultural sensitivity, creative strategizing, and multiple cross-group alliances. "Unapologetic" also provides a clear framework for activists committed to building transformative power, encouraging young people to see themselves as visionaries and leaders. An inspiring and 'real world practical' handbook for aspiring activists seeking to effect social, cultural, and political change, "Unapologetic" is unreservedly recommended for community, college, and university library Social Issues & Activism collections and supplemental studies lists. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of students, academia, social reform activists, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "Unapologetic" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $17.99) and as a complete and unabridged audio book (Dreamscape Media, 9781974924417, $29.99, CD).


The Health/Medicine Shelf

Recreational Therapy Basics, Techniques, and Interventions
Heather R. Porter, editor
Idyll Arbor, Inc.
PO Box 720, Ravensdale, WA 98051
www.idyllarbor.com
9781882883974, $60.00, HC, 592pp, www.amazon.com

Compiled, organized and presented by recreational therapy expert Heather R. Porter (who is also a faculty member in the Rehabilitation Sciences Department at Temple University) "Recreational Therapy Basics, Techniques, and Interventions" is comprised of 51 densely informative chapters about recreational therapy practice. Ten of those chapters describe the basics including topics such as activity and task analysis, body mechanics, consequences of inactivity, and effects of stress. The remaining 41 chapters provide in-depth descriptions of techniques and interventions used by recreational therapists. These include adaptive sports, behavior strategies, disability rights education, medical play, social skills training, walking and gait training, and wheelchair mobility. Each individual chapter features a thorough discussion of how to apply the technique along with indications, contraindications, and efficacy research supporting the use of the technique. Expected outcomes, documentation, and links to ICF codes connect the intervention to the therapists work as part of the healthcare team. Enhanced for academia and practitioners with the inclusion of an informative introduction, twenty-five tables, two appendices (Common Clinical Symbols and Abbreviations & Anatomical Orientation and Positioning), and a sixty-two page index, "Recreational Therapy Basics, Techniques, and Interventions" is unreservedly recommended as a core addition to college and university library Recreational Therapy collections and supplemental studies reading lists.

Moodtopia
Sara-Chana Silverstein & Susan K. Golant
Lifelong Books / Da Capo Press
c/o Hachette Book Group
53 State Street, 9th Floor, Boston, MA 02109
www.perseusbooksgroup.com
9780738220048, $17.99, PB, 256pp, www.amazon.com

Moodtopia is a term that means being in control of our moods so they are not in control of us. In the pages of "Moodtopia: Tame Your Moods, De-Stress, and Find Balance Using Herbal Remedies, Aromatherapy, and More", master herbalist, classical homeopath, a board-certified lactation consultant, businesswoman, and keynote speaker Sara-Chana Silverstein draws upon her years of experience and expertise to advocate a natural regimen that nourishes the physical, emotional, and spiritual lives of women. Packed from cover to cover with hundreds of tools, tips, and strategies, "Moodtopia" is a practical, easy-to-use guide to herbs, adaptogens, aromatherapy, color therapy, feng shui, intuition, homeopathy and so much more. Sara-Chana shares the best natural remedies to help combat stress, anxiety, and promote peace of mind and general health. She shows how herbs and other natural approaches are a gentle way to enhance one's emotional state without having to resort to antidepressants, anti-anxiety pills, or other medications that may have unwanted side effects. With an easy-to-implement 90-day program, "Moodtopia" teaches women to harness the power of nature coupled with their own inner strength to achieve optimal emotional and mental wellness. Thoroughly 'user friendly' in tone, commentary, organization and presentation, "Moodtopia" is unreservedly recommended for personal, professional, community, and academic library Alternative Health & Medicine collections and supplemental studies reading lists. It should be noted that "Moodtopia" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $11.99).


The Science Shelf

The Universe Explained
Heather Couper & Nigel Henbest
Firefly Books Ltd.
50 Staples Avenue, Unit 1, Richmond Hill, ON, Canada L4B 0A7
www.fireflybooks.com
9780228100829, $19.95, PB, 288pp, www.amazon.com

"The Universe Explained: A Cosmic Q and A" by the team of Heather Couper (who studied astrophysics at Oxford University and ran the Greenwich Planetarium, as well as a past President of both the British Astronomical Association and the Society for Popular Astronomy, and a Fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society and the Institute of Physics) and Nigel Henbest (wo was Astronomy Consultant to New Scientist magazine, Editor of the Journal of the British Astronomical Association, and Media Consultant to the Royal Greenwich Observatory) directly answers the most popular astronomy questions of today. Over the course of their illustrious work in astronomy, Couper and Henbest collected hundreds of the most popular astronomy questions that they've been asked and herein explain the scientific answers to these questions with expertise and a healthy dose of humor. "The Universe Explained" answers questions about space travel; telescopes; the solar system; comets, asteroids and meteors; stars; black holes; the Milky Way and other galaxies; the big bang and space and time; the possibility of life beyond our planet with up-to-date space discoveries; and debunk persistent myths and legends. Fun, informative, beautifully illustrated throughout, "The Universe Explained" is unreservedly recommended for both school and community library collections as an ideal introduction to astronomy and is especially appropriate for the non-specialist general reader with an interest in the subject.

A Feast of Science
Joe Schwarcz
ECW Press
2120 Queen Street East, Suite 200, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, M4E 1E2
www.ecwpress.com
9781770411920, $17.95, PB, 336pp, www.amazon.com

An entertaining and digestible volume that demystifies science, "A Feast of Science: Intriguing Morsels from the Science of Everyday Life" deftly explains the chemistry of everyday life while serving up practical knowledge to both inform and entertain the non-specialist general reader. Guaranteed to satiate your hunger for palatable and relevant scientific information, Dr. Joe Schwarcz (Director of the Office for Science and Society at McGill University, Montreal, Canada) proves that "chemical" is not necessarily synonymous with "toxic", and addresses a variety of other science-based questions such as: Are there fish genes in tomatoes? Can snail-slime cream and bone broth really make your wrinkles disappear? What's the problem with sugar, resistant starch, hops in beer, microbeads, and "secret" cancer cures? Are "natural" products the key to good health? And what is "fake news" all about? In the pages of "A Feast of Science", Dr. Joe answers these questions and more. Cutting through the fog of story, suggestion, and social-media speculation, "A Feast of Science" gets neatly to the essence and heart of the chemical reactions that make up our daily lives as human beings. Exceptionally well written, organized and presented, "A Feast of Science" is unreservedly recommended for personal, community, and academic library General Science collections and supplemental studies lists. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of students and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "A Feast of Science" is also available in a digital book format (eTextbook, $9.99) and as a complete and unabridged audio book (Brilliance Audio, 9781721333721, $14.99, MP3 CD).

At Least Know This
Guy P. Harrison
Prometheus Books
9781633884052, $19.00, www.prometheusbooks.com

At Least Know This: Essential Science to Enhance Your Life pairs journalism's flare for dramatic reporting with scientific examination of basic concepts that apply to everyday life. The result is a creation that blends science and drama to create an educational, appealing survey of basic scientific concepts. From changing average lifespans around the world and how astronomy provides a deeper recognition of mankind's place in the universe to how life began, At Least Know This distills the basics of scientific theory into a lesson anyone can absorb, and one which is inviting and fun to read.


The Art Shelf

Pueblo Bead Jewelry: Living Design
Paula A. Baxter, author
Barry Katzen, photographer
Schiffer Publishing Ltd.
4880 Lower Valley Road, Atglen, PA 19310
www.schifferbooks.com
9780764355851, $34.99, HC, 160pp, www.amazon.com

Paula A. Baxter is an art professional who has worked for such institutions as the Museum of Modern Art, New York, and the New York Public Library. She is the author of Southwest Silver Jewelry, Southwestern Indian Rings, and Southwestern Indian Bracelets. Beautifully illustrated with the full color photography of Barry Katzen, "Pueblo Bead Jewelry: Living Design" features more than 250 breathtaking images that integrates Paula Baxter's decades of research with updated findings. Beads were made in the prehistoric American Southwest by the ancestors of the Pueblo Indians, and survived into the historic era. Bead jewelry creations in shell, stone, and silver are important in the Native American jewelry marketplace. "Pueblo Bead Jewelry: Living Design" revisits some leading misconceptions about Pueblo jewelry-making in the existing literature. A survey of modern Pueblo jewelry innovation confirms that its design is second to none, and discusses how Pueblo design meshed with American mid-century modernist expression. Today's Pueblo jewelers, also featured here, continue to offer invention and originality. "Pueblo Bead Jewelry: Living Design" is an informed and informative testament that the bead played a vital role in Pueblo Indian jewelry design, and its influence continues today in modernist American design. A visual treasure to simply browse through, "Pueblo Bead Jewelry: Living Design" is very highly recommended for personal, professional, community, college, and university library Contemporary Native American Art collections and supplemental studies lists.

Ten-Step Drawing: Flowers
Mary Woodin
Walter Foster Publishing
c/o Quarto Publishing Group USA
400 First Avenue North, Suite 400, Minneapolis, MN 55401-1722
www.quartoknows.com
9781633224896, $14.99, PB, 128pp, www.amazon.com

An artist and illustrator based in Suffolk, United Kingdom, Mary Woodin specializes in painting natural subjects and produces artwork for everything from stationery to ceramic tiles. Mary's interest in the outdoors has inspired a number of publications, including The Painted Garden Cookbook (a collection of illustrated recipes produced in her own garden) and Drawn to the Country. In "Ten-Step Drawing: Flowers" she draws upon her years of experience and expertise to provide aspiring artists with do-it-yourself tutorials for drawing seventy-five different types of flowers. Offering hours and hours of meditative fun and recreation, "Ten-Step Drawing: Flowers" is thoroughly 'user friendly' in organization and presentation, making it an ideal and unreservedly recommended addition to personal instructional art book collections.


The Graphic Novel Shelf

The Only Living Boy Omnibus
David Gallaher and Steve Ellis
Papercutz
160 Broadway, Suite 700E, New York, NY 10038
www.papercutz.com
9781545801260 $24.99 amazon.com

Written for readers of all ages, and nominated for 4 Harvey Awards, The Only Living Boy Omnibus collects the entire, action-packed "Only Living Boy" comic book saga into a single, full-color graphic novel, complete with a brand new twenty-page story (a brief tale that fits neatly within the continuity of the larger whole). The story follows Erik, a young boy who is suddenly and inexplicably transported into a patchwork, mishmash world filled with fantastic, dangerous creatures, and ruled by a vicious dragon. There appear to be no other humans... a fact that works ever-so-slightly to his advantage, since no one in this bizarre landscape knows what a preteen boy is (or isn't) capable of! Yet his is not completely alone, as his desire to free prisoners and right wrongs leads him to befriend a Mermidonian warrior-woman; the princess of a potentially voracious race of insect-people; a gloomy captive subjected to horrific experimentation; and much more. The excitement never stops right up to the magnificent conclusion, in this treasure highly recommended for public library collections and connoisseurs of quality graphic novels..

The Beatles Yellow Submarine
Bill Morrison, illustrator
Titan Comics
https://titan-comics.com
9781785863943, $29.99, HC, 128pp, www.amazon.com

The music-loving, underwater paradise of Pepperland has been overrun by the music-hating Blue Meanies and their leader, Chief Blue Meanie. They turn the people of Pepperland into living statues by dropping apples on them and imprison the Pepperland's guardians, Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band inside a soundproof blue glass globe, before confiscating all the music instruments in the land. Pepperland's mayor sends aging sailor, Young Fred out in the fabled Yellow Submarine to find help. He travels to our world where he stumbles across the Beatles and begs them to help him free his world. They agree and head back to Pepperland, teaming up with Jeremy The Nowhere Man along the way to help overthrow the evil Blue Meanies through the power of music and love. This graphic novel is based on the popular Beatles song and vividly illustrated by comic book artist, writer, editor, and co-founder of Bongo Comics Bill Morrison. An enormously entertaining graphic novel that can be read with full enjoyment over and over again, "The Beatles Yellow Submarine" is especially recommended to all Beatles fans and will prove to be an immediate and enduringly popular addition to community library graphic novel collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "The Beatles Yellow Submarine" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $22.79).

Sea of Thieves
Jeremy Whitley, author
Rhoald Marcellius, illustrator
Titan Comics
https://titan-comics.com
9781785864629, $16.99, PB, 112.pp, www.amazon.com

An original story by Jeremy Whitley brought vividly to life with the colorful artwork of Rhoald Marcellius, "Sea of Thieves" features a crew of two bands of adventuring pirates, one led by the daughter of the most famous pirate in history -- and the other by her brother! Followed by such diverse personalities as a Japanese sharp shooting lady, a Portugese aristocratic boy in search of adventure, a skilled pickpocketing girl, a massive Viking-style warrior, and others a as they sail the Sea of Thieves! Voyaging to far islands in search of legendary buried treasure, our heroes (or villains, depending on how you look at things) will face rival thieves, the wrath of undead hordes guarding their riches, and the worst that the vast sea has to offer! Can they work together to survive long enough to cash in their reward? Or will they end up as ghosts on the Ferry of the Damned...? A simply riveting tale full of unexpected plot twists and turns, "Sea of Thieves" is a terrific read and highly recommended for personal and community library graphic novel collections. It should be noted that "Sea of Thieves" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.59).

The Quest of Ewilan Book One: From One World to Another
Based on the novel by Pierre Bottero
Adaptation by Lylian
Art by Laurence Baldetti
Coloring by Loic Chevallier
EuroComics
c/o IDW Publishing
2765 Truxton Road, San Diego, CA 92106
www.idwpublishing.com
9781684053254 $14.99 hc / $14.24 Kindle amazon.com

The Quest of Ewilan Book One: From One World to Another is the first graphic novel in a series adapting Pierre Bottero's novel about a young woman who is heir to the power of "Imaginators", able to harness her mind to transform reality and travel between two worlds. In the normal world, she is exceptionally bright in school but her affluent caretakers are extremely distant; in the mysterious other world, she may be civilization's best hope against the resurgence of a ferocious, insect-like race. Suitable for all ages, The Quest of Ewilan Book One is highly recommended for fantasy connoisseurs and public library graphic novel collections.

Dr. Stone 1
Story by Riichiro Inagaki
Art by Boichi
Viz Media LLC
1355 Market Street, Suite 200, San Francisco CA 94103
www.viz.com
9781974702619 $9.99 pbk / $6.99 Kindle amazon.com

Dr. Stone 1 is the debut volume of a black-and-white, post-apocalyptic manga (Japanese graphic novel) set in a world where all humans have been suddenly and mysteriously turned to stone. Millenia have passed, and now former high school student Taiju has awakened to a world of statues. He is not alone, though - his science-enthusiast friend has been conscious for a few months prior, long enough to devise a grand plan to reawaken humanity and rebuild civilization. But does every human truly deserve to be reanimated? An intriguing blend of action, philosophy, and supercharged love of science, Dr. Stone is highly recommended for teen and adult readers.

Radiant 1
Tony Valente
Viz Media LLC
1355 Market Street, Suite 200, San Francisco CA 94103
www.viz.com
9781974703814 $9.99 pbk / $6.99 Kindle amazon.com

Radiant 1 is a black-and-white, manga-style graphic novel by French-born creator Tony Valente, debuting a brand new supernatural adventure series. In the world of Radiant, evil creatures dubbed "Nemeses" fall from the sky, and the only mortals that can fight back against them are "Wizards", infected individuals who survived their corruption. One of these survivors, Seth, has vowed to not only fight back, but to track down "Radiant", the legendary nest of the Nemeses, and destroy it! Created for a teen-to-adult audience, Radiant kicks off a wild and dangerous adventure, and is enthusiastically recommended to action-packed graphic novel connoisseurs!

Blackwax Boulevard: Five Years, What a Surprise (2012-2017)
Dmitri Jackson
Frotoon Press
http://blackwaxboulevard.com
9780999259634 $30.00

Intended for readers ages 15+ due to mature language, Blackwax Boulevard: Five Years, What a Surprise (2012-2017) is a black-and-white anthology of the slice-of-life webcomic series. "Blackwax" refers to an obscure vinyl record store that is a haven for music lovers. Main characters include an intellectual, African-American vinyl enthusiast with a speech impediment; his tough-as-nails cab driver older brother; the aging hippie store owner, and the irascibly practical store employee Veronica. The local neighborhood is gentrifying, which places an immense financial strain on everyone as business and residence rents skyrocket. Blackwax Boulevard reflects the author's love of vinyl music, and the gritty day-to-day realities of urban life, with a bold, lively flair that makes it a treat for connoisseurs of independent graphic novels. Highly recommended!

The Wonderful World of Tank Girl
Alan Martin, author
Brett Parsons, illustrator
Titan Comics
https://titan-comics.com
9781785862076, $22.99, HC, 112pp, www.amazon.com

The eponymous character Tank Girl (Rebecca Buck - later revealed to have been born as Fonzie Rebecca Buckler) drives a tank, which is also her home. She undertakes a series of missions for a nebulous organization before making a serious mistake and being declared an outlaw for her sexual inclinations and her substance abuse. The comic centres on her misadventures with her boyfriend, Booga, a mutant kangaroo. The comic's style is heavily influenced by punk visual art, and strips are frequently deeply disorganized, anarchic, absurdist, and psychedelic. The strip features various elements with origins in surrealist techniques, fanzines, collage, cut-up technique, stream of consciousness, and metafiction, with very little regard or interest for conventional plot or committed narrative. The strip was initially set in a futuristic Australia, although it drew heavily from contemporary British pop culture. These individual Alan C. Martin 'Tank Girl' stories are illustrated by Brett Parsons. "The Wonderful World of Tank Girl" is the latest graphic novel showcasing the adventures of Tank Girl compiled from what was originally published in the form of Tank Girl comic books. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of all dedicated Tank Girl fans that "The Wonderful World of Tank Girl" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $11.99).

Factory
Yacine Elghorri
Titan Comics
https://titan-comics.com
9781785865985, $16.99, PB, 104pp, www.amazon.com

Taking place on a dystopian planet where different species are in a constant struggle to survive, "Factory" by Yacine Elghorri (who is an animator, illustrator, storyboard artist, conceptual designer and comic book artist) is the story of a band of mutants who slog through the harsh deserts in search of the Factory - the last semblance of civilization left among the wasteland where all creatures, human, semi-human, and non-human are dying of hunger. A vividly memorable and genuinely riveting read from beginning to end, "Factory" is an especially recommended addition to personal and community library Science Fiction graphic novel collections and reading lists.

A Confusion of Angels
Richard Dinnick, et al.
Titan Comics
https://titan-comics.com
9781785866890, $22.99, HC, 112pp, www.amazon.com

When the Doctor and his companions are drawn to a transport vessel in deadly trouble in deep space, they're pulled into an impossible conflict, between the robotic Heavenly Host -- and the infamous Weeping Angels! Featuring the Twelfth Doctor and fan-favorite companions Bill, Nardole (and Missy!) Very highly recommended for community library graphic novel collections, "Doctor Who: The Twelfth Doctor - Time Trials Volume 3: A Confusion of Angels" is comprised of Doctor Who: The Twelfth Doctor Year Three #10-13, making it a 'must have' addition to the personal reading lists and collections of all dedicated Doctor Who fans.

Rex Royd
Frankie Boyle, et al.
Titan Comics
https://titan-comics.com
9781785867248, $19.99, PB, 112pp, www.amazon.com

Each Rex Royd chapter comprising Frankie Boyle graphic novel "Rex Royd" takes the reader further into the vivid imagination of this stand-up comedian and writer. Backed up by stunning, stylish art by Mike Dowling and Budi Setiawan, the action takes place at RexCorp, a corporation where violence is the day job. RexCorp is headed up by super scientist CEO Rex Royd, indestructible Alan Black, and Eve. How will they cope against the incalculable power of the extraterrestrial Proteoman? All this plus memory implants, drug-addicted schizophrenics, sex-travelling aliens, and a Thunder God! A simply riveting and solidly entertaining read from cover to cover, "Rex Royd" is certain to be an immediate and enduringly entertaining addition to personal reading lists and community library graphic novel collections!

Tyler Cross: Black Rock
Fabien Nury, author
Bruno, illustrator
Titan Comics
https://titan-comics.com
9781785867309, $24.99, HC, 100pp, www.amazon.com

Tyler Cross is first and foremost an individualist. As a career criminal for hire, he's the best at what he does, whether he's trafficking drugs or spraying bullets in a shoot-out. Being a freelance agent in the criminal underworld he is in big demand. "Tyler Cross: Black Rock" may be his last mission because he must deal with violence from a cartel, the mafia, and a corrupt family that controls a small town. Complicating everything is that the 17 kilos of drugs in his possession are found and sequestered by an old man whose price is that Tyler rescue his daughter from an unwanted marriage. Black Rock is one adventure that Tyler may not survive! Another riveting graphic novel by the team of author Fabien Nury and artist/illustrator Bruno, "Tyler Cross: Black Rock" is very highly recommended for graphic novel fans and community library collections.

Jason McLane's Inheritance
Yves Sente, author
Youri Jigounov, artist
Cinebook Ltd.
www.cinebook.com
c/o National Book Network (dist.)
4501 Forbes Boulevard, Suite 200, Lanham, MD 20706
www.nbnbooks.com
9781849184052, $13.95, PB, 56pp, www.amazon.com

Still with Annika, Jason McLane has the documents his godfather left for him to find in the Netherlands deciphered. Once translated, the text offers revelations of breathtaking importance - enough to change the geopolitical map for ever. But the killers sent by the Mayflower Foundation are still after them, while in Afghanistan, Jones and Carrington's situation goes from bad to worse. XIII will have to be on his best game to sort it all out - but at what price? Another deftly riveting graphic novel by Yves Sente brought vividly to life with the artwork of illustrator Youri Jigounov, "Jason McLane's Inheritance" is very highly recommended reading for graphic novel enthusiasts. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "Jason McLane's Inheritance" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $5.99).

Valerian: Shingouzlooz Inc.
Wilfrid Lupano, author
Mathieu Lauffray, illustrator
Cinebook Ltd.
www.cinebook.com
c/o National Book Network (dist.)
4501 Forbes Boulevard, Suite 200, Lanham, MD 20706
www.nbnbooks.com
9781849184014, $13.95, PB, 56pp, www.cinebook.com

An apparently simple mission (apprehending a super artificially intelligent speculator-droid) turns into a race against time when the Shingouz drop in uninvited mid-arrest, begging Valerian and Laureline for protection against someone who means to kill them. To the agents' surprise, it's Mr. Albert who is an old friend who pops up in hot pursuit of the three Shingouz, guns blazing. The ensuing shoot-out does little to simplify an already complicated situation: our heroes' favorite information brokers have managed to lose Earth in a card game to a mercenary business man who is planning on draining Earth's oceans for a profit! Another riveting action/adventure in the Valerian series of graphic novels by author Wilfrid Lupano and artist/illustrator Mathieu Lauffray, "Valerian: Shingouzlooz Inc." is certain to be a popular addition to the personal reading lists of all science fiction fans, and an immediately popular addition to community library collections!

The Silent Invasion: Red Shadows
Michael Cherkas and Larry Hancock
NBM Publishing
160 Broadway, Ste. 700, East Wing, New York, NY 10038
www.nbmpub.com
c/o Independent Publishers Group (dist.)
www.ipgbook.com
9781681121741 $16.99 pbk / $9.99 Kindle amazon.com

The Silent Invasion: Red Shadows collects and revises issues #1-6 of the black-and-white comic "The Silent Invasion" into a single, dramatic story about a covert alien invasion and systemic bureaucratic corruption, set during the "Red Scare" anti-Communist hysteria that pervaded 1950's America. Matt Sinkage is an investigative reporter who may be in over his head, as his investigation reveals evidence of cruel murders, a ruthless plan of otherworldly conquest, and complicit involvement at the highest levels of government bureaucracy. A dark tale blend of intrigue, sci-fi, and hard-boiled noir, The Silent Invasion: Red Shadows is riveting to the last page and highly recommended.

The Whistling Factory
Jesse McManus
Uncivilized Books
https://uncivilizedbooks.com
9781941250297, $29.95, PB, 286pp, www.amazon.com

Imagine comics created from the DNA of John Kricfalusi, Charles Burns with a dash of Jim Woodring. You'd end up with animated, visionary comics by illustrator and artist Jesse McManus. His fluid, hyper-kinetic, and lush brush strokes delineate a surreal visionary world of feral children, rubbery animals, and constantly-mutating monsters. "The Whistling Factory" is an audacious debut from the sui generis frenetic imagination of Jesse McManus. Original and inherently reader engaging from first page to last, "The Whistling Factory" is the perfect introduction to the surreal imagination and storytelling style of one of the very best in avant garde graphic novelists of our time. Unreservedly recommended for personal and community library graphic novel collections.

The Ghost Script
Jules Feiffer
Liveright Publishing
c/o W. W. Norton & Company
9781631493133, $26.95, www.wwnorton.com

The Ghost Script ends a graphic novel series that completes his Kill My Mother trilogy, begun in 2014, and is especially recommended for fans of the prior books who have awaited this completion for years. Set in 1950s Hollywood, it offers a close inspection of the Hollywood industry, show business, McCarthyism, and plots affecting Archie Goldman, who find himself blacklisted and frustrated. Feiffer's vivid illustrations capture an era, individual angst, and the processes of social and personal change alike. Any reader who was left wondering at the outcome of Archie's experiences will relish this conclusive grand finale to an outstanding graphic novel saga.


The Audiobook Shelf

Organized Crime
Georgios A. Antonopoulos, author
Georgios Papanicolaou, author
Steven Crossley, narrator
Tantor Media, Inc.
6 Business Park Road, Old Saybrook, CT 06475
www.tantor.com
9781400172351, $24.99, CD, www.amazon.com

For many people around the world, instances of what is described as organized crime may be part of their everyday experience; in their neighborhoods, their streets, and the places they work and live. Policymakers, law enforcement, and the media rarely fail to bring up the issue when discussing the nature and seriousness of contemporary criminal threats, and the appropriate responses towards them. Many more people are familiar with the notion of organized crime, as the film and TV industry regularly draw on fictional and real figures and situations. "Organized Crime: A Very Short Introduction" by criminologists and authors Georgios A. Antonopoulos and Georgios Papanicolaou uncovers the reality of organized crime in our world today. Shining a light on the people involved in organized crime, Antonopoulos and Papanicolaou question whether the term "organized" is used to evoke the image, the operations, and power of a legitimate organization, such as a corporation. Discussing whether there are particular crimes that the label "organized crime" applies to, or if any crime can be organized, they also consider what happens when organized crime extends beyond borders. Expertly narrated by Steven Crossley, this complete and unabridged audio book edition is very highly recommended for both community and academic library Criminology and audio book collections. (4 CDs, 4.5 Hours).

Beautiful Exiles
Meg Waite Clayton, author
Performed by Kirsten Potter
Brilliance Corporation
PO Box 887, Grand Haven, MI 49417
www.brillianceaudio.com
9781543674828 $14.99 megwaiteclayton.com

Beautiful Exiles is the unabridged MP3 audiobook (plays on MP3-CD enabled players or transfers to portable devices) of a novel based on a true-life love affair during the Great Depression. When skilled journalist Martha Gellhorn meets the literary titan Ernest Heming way in a dive bar, their friendship grows into something greater while they cover the Spanish Civil War. Martha adores Hemingway, yet he is unquestionably married. As they travel the globe, Martha acts as a superlative war correspondent, while Hemingway begins the novel destined to earn a Nobel Prize for Literature. Both of them are iron-willed achievers, each with their own drives, and neither is willing to compromise their goals or identity for the benefit of the other! Highly recommended. 1 MP3-CD, 10 hours 50 min.

Panzer Ace
Richard Freiherr Von Rosen
Tantor Media, Inc.
6 Business Park Road, Old Saybrook, CT 06475
www.tantor.com
9781977359490, $29.99, CD, www.amazon.com

Richard Freiherr von Rosen was a highly decorated Wehrmacht soldier and outstanding panzer commander. After serving as a gunlayer on a Pz.Mk.III during Barbarossa, he led a Company of Tigers at Kursk. Later he led a company of King Tiger panzers at Normandy and in late 1944 commanded a battle group (12 King Tigers and a flak Company) against the Russians in Hungary in the rank of junior, later senior lieutenant (from November 1944, his final rank). Only 489 of these King Tiger tanks were ever built. They were the most powerful heavy tanks to see service, and only one kind of shell could penetrate their armor at a reasonable distance. Every effort had to be made to retrieve any of them bogged down or otherwise immobilized, which led to many towing adventures. The Von Rosen has a fine memory and eye for detail. His account is easy to listen to and not technical, and adds substantially to the knowledge of how the German Panzer Arm operated in the Second World War. Narrated in English for an American audience by Nigel Patterson, this complete and unabridged Tantor Media edition is unreserved recommended for community, college, and university library audio book collections. (7 CDs, 8.5 Hours).

Heaven Adjacent
Catherine Ryan Hyde, author
Performed by Laural Merlington
Brilliance Corporation
PO Box 887, Grand Haven, MI 49417
www.brillianceaudio.com
9781543678130 $24.99

Heaven Adjacent is the unabridged audiobook rendition of a heartfelt novel about relearning how to experience joy in life after enduring sorrow. Roseanna Chaldecott is a talented Manhattan lawyer, but when her best friend and law partner suddenly dies, the loss shakes her to the core. She retreats to a farm at the foothills of the Adirondacks, and discovers unexpected residents - a mother and daughter squatting on the property. Reluctantly, she allows them to stay, and discovers a shared interest with the daughter in transforming junk on the farm into animal sculptures. A thoughtful meditation on finding one's path in life, Heaven Adjacent is thought- provoking and emotionally moving to the very end. Highly recommended. 8 CDs, 9 hours 41 min.

The Moscow Offensive
Dale Brown
Brilliance Audio
9781511322461, $34.99, www.brillianceaudio.com

The Moscow Offensive is performed by Ryan Burke, who adds a solid, clear voice to the story of Russia's new weapon that only the Iron Wolf Squadron of America can stop. This story is the perfect example of how a well-written thriller translates exceptionally well to audio: pair a smooth, evocative voice with the gripping story of an American president unprepared for the realities of Russia's threats and then add a military edge with state-of-the-art weaponry for a completely engrossing listen that will keep thriller fans riveted to the end.


The Library CD Shelf

Full Circle: The Music of Joni Mitchell
Debra Mann
Whaling City Sound
www.whalingcitysound.com
c/o Naxos (dist.)
www.naxosusa.com
$14.99 CD / $8.99 MP3 amazon.com

In the album Full Circle: The Music of Joni Mitchell, music artist Debra Mann celebrates Mitchell's 75 years of life. Performing interpretations of Mitchell's music with a jazz quintet, Full Circle is a smooth, sensuous treasure, highly recommended for connoisseurs of the genre, gift- giving, and public library collections. The tracks are "Black Crow", "Jericho", "Be Cool", "Goodbye Pork Pie Hat", "Both Sides Now", "The Circle Game", "Big Yellow Taxi", "Blue", "A Case of You", "Dry Cleaner from Des Moines", "Urge for Going", and "Woodstock".

Been On Your Side
Courtney Hartman & Taylor Ashton
courtneyhartman.com
taylorashton.com
Free Dirt
freedirt.net
$14.98 CD / $9.49 MP3 amazon.com

Songwriters Courtney Hartman and Taylor Ashton have created original songs for Been On Your Side - some separately, and some together while living in New York City. Hartman's talents as a guitarist, Ashton's gift for the clawhammer banjo, and the vocal harmony of both distinguish this collaborative album of new American roots music. Been On Your Side makes an excellent gift for connoisseurs of the genre, and is highly recommended for public library music collections. The tracks are "Wayside", "Meadowlark", "Been on Your Side", "First of Us", "Which Will", "Loving Hands", "Dead to Me", "Better", "Nature of Us", "Hold Still", "Neighborhood Name", and "Liza".

Voyager
Lisa Swerdlow
LisaSwerdlowPiano.com
Heart Dance Records
HeartDanceRecords.com
$12.99 CD amazon.com

Voyager is a solo piano music album by talented music artist Lisa Swerdlow. Inspired by NASA's twin Voyager 1 and 2 spacecraft, these new and original compositions stir the heart's dreams. Voyager is a rapturous treasure, highly recommended for personal and public library music collections. The tracks are "Voyager", "Edge of Tranquility", "Mindful Moments", "Autumn Speaks to Me", "Sundays in Paris", "Gone Too Soon", "Winter Solstice", "Into the Center", "I Saw You Dancing With The Stars", and "Yuba River Journey".

Follow Your Heart
Eric Bikales
www.ericbikales.com
Libido Music Publishing
www.easygoingpiano.com
$TBA CD / $8.99 MP3 amazon.com

Follow Your Heart is the fourth solo piano album by Eric Bikales, now fully remastered and re- released. This rendition also includes three of Bikales' newest compositions, "Clockwork", "The Meeting", and "The Saint". Vibrant and free-spirited, Follow Your Heart is highly recommended for new age and solo piano connoisseurs as well as public library collections. The tracks are "Clockwork", "Maybe Yes Maybe No", "Follow Your Heart", "The Closer You Get", "The Meeting", "Someway Someday", "Fabulous Island", "Song For My Father", "Mysterier", "Miles To Go", "Franklin Jubilee", and "The Saint". 39 min. 32 sec.

Beautiful You
Matthew Mayer
www.matthewmayer.com
Privately Published
$TBA CD / $9.49 MP3 amazon.com

The twelfth piano album by music artist Matthew Mayer, Beautiful You features new age style music and a profoundly positive message about the importance of cherishing oneself. "You are Beautiful... You are Enough" is the theme around which these sweeping, intricately mellifluous songs are woven. Beautiful You is a choice pick for new age piano connoisseurs and gift-giving, highly recommended. The tracks are "Raindrops of Amor", "Fly Little Bird", "You Are Enough", "A Modern Introspection", "Beautiful You", "Of Haunt and Hope", "Broken Mirror", "Bill Next Door", "Tranquility", "Ordinary Way", "Dreams VII", and "In Spirit".

Half Moon Bay
Rick Sparks
www.ricksparksmusic.net
Privately Published
$9.99 CD / $8.99 download cdbaby.com

The fifth album by new age keyboardist Rick Sparks, Half Moon Bay is a blissful soundscape that encapsulates the leisurely splendor of a summer beach. Serene and drifting, Half Moon Bay includes one solo piano piece ("You're So Nice") as well as contributions from electric guitar, fingerstyle guitar, flute medley, and more in tribute to the sounds of nature. A blend of original music and selected covers, Half Moon Day is a treasure for relaxation, meditation, or inspiration, highly recommended. The tracks are "Sand and Stars", "Half Moon Bay", "Sunlight In Her Hair", "You're So Nice", "Ocean Blue", "First Light", "Lonely Sea", "Whisper In the Wind", "Sunset Dreams", and "Summer's Gone".

The Jamie Lawrence Sextet: New York Suite
Jamie Lawrence
www.jamielawrenceproductions.com
Good Mood Records, LLC
$11.99 digital download amazon.com

Begun in the late 1980s and finished almost thirty years later, The Jamie Lawrence Sextet: New York Suite is a digital album featuring performances from exceptional jazz musicians. Five-time Emmy Award winner Jamie Lawrence has brought together these lively team performances featuring seductive saxophone, riotous rhythms, sublime synthesizer, and more. The Jamie Lawrence Sextet: New York Suite is enthusiastically recommended as a treasure for jazz connoisseurs. The tracks are "New York Suite", "Margot with a 't'", "Watts What", "Beluga Triangle", and "Bonus Track - Tongue Twister". 43 min.

Kanawha County Flatpicking
Tyler Grant and Robin Kessinger
www.tylergrant.com
Grant Central Records, LLC
$TBA CD / $9.49 MP3 amazon.com

Flatpicking (or simply picking) is the technique of striking the strings of a guitar with a pick held between the thumb and one or two fingers. Kanawha County Flatpicking is a music CD album crafted by two friends with a shared love of bluegrass, flatpicking, and old-time music passed down through the generations. Kanawha County Flatpicking is a "must" for bluegrass and flatpicking fans, highly recommended. The tracks are "Soldier's Joy", "My Blue Ridge Mountain Home", "Garfield's March", "Winfield Story", "No Hard Times", "Blue Water Hornpipe", "Russian Lullaby", "Wednesday Night Waltz", "Boll Weevil", "Farewell to Long Hollow", "Susannah Gal", "Rights of Man", "A Dime Looks Like a Wagon Wheel", "Flop Eared Mule", and "A Song! A Beautiful Song!".

Woven Threads
Stu Mindeman
stumindeman.com
Sunnyside Records
sunnysiderecords.com
$12.95 CD / $9.00 digital

Pianist and composer Stu Mindeman presents Woven Threads, an original album drawn from Mindeman's experience with both North and South American cultures, including visits to childhood memories of the vibrant nation of Chile. The result is a musical tapestry woven from elements of Chilean music and North American music, rich and sumptuously expansive. Woven Threads is a choice pick for international music collections, highly recommended. The tracks are "Casi, Casi", "El Aparecido", "Sin Sentido", "La Rueda", "La Casa De al Lado", "Woven Threads - What Word", "Woven Threads - A Thousand Stars", and "No Puedes Volver Atras".


The Library DVD Shelf

Alone on the Island of the Blue Dolphins
A documentary by Paul Goldsmith
First Run Features
630 Ninth Avenue, Suite 1213, New York, NY 10036
$19.95 www.firstrunfeatures.com

Alone on the Island of the Blue Dolphins is a documentary about the woman whose life inspired the children's novel "Island of the Blue Dolphins". Here is the true-life story of a woman survived on an island by herself, with only her beloved dog for company, for 18 years. She was eventually 'rescued' and brought to Santa Barbara. Although the language barrier impeded her communication (she was the last native speaker of her language), she would sing for visitors. She tragically died of disease seven weeks later. This is the first documentary about her that directly visits the island on which she lived, including her campsite and cave. Alone on the Island of the Blue Dolphins is utterly fascinating, and highly recommended especially for school and public library documentary collections. 58 min.

Murdoch Mysteries: Home for the Holidays
Acorn Media
c/o RLJ Entertainment
www.us.RLJEntertainment.com
$24.99 DVD or Blu-ray www.acornonline.com

Available in both DVD and Blu-ray formats, Murdoch Mysteries: Home for the Holidays is a feature-length mystery set during the late 1890s and early 1900s. The main character is the dashing Detective William Murdoch (played by Yannick Bisson), whose interest in cutting-edge forensic techniques helps him solve gruesome murders. Home for the Holidays is set in the days before Christmas, as Murdoch and his wife, Dr. Julia Ogden (played by Helene Joy) travel to Victoria, British Columbia to see Murdoch's quirky brother. The holiday visit takes a dark turn when Murdoch is drawn into investigating a murder at an archaeological site. A cozy winter murder mystery, Murdoch Mysteries: Home for the Holidays makes an excellent Christmas gift for connoisseurs of the genre! Bonus material includes a behind-the-scenes featurette. 89 min. plus 3 min. bonus, SDH subtitles.

The Good Karma Hospital, series 2
Acorn Media
c/o RLJ Entertainment
www.us.RLJEntertainment.com
$39.99 DVD or Blu-ray www.acornonline.com

Available in both DVD and Blu-ray formats, The Good Karma Hospital, series 2 continues this poignant medical drama set in a coastal town in Southern India, at a cottage hospital where the overworked staff perpetually lacks resources. In series 2, British expatriate Dr. Ruby Walker (played by Amrita Acharia) tries to further career under her imposing boss, Dr. Lydia Fonseca (Amanda Redman); Lydia's boyfriend and beach bar owner Greg (Neil Morrissey) tries to help the newly widowed Paul (Philip Jackson) adjust to the loss of his wife; and a link to Ruby's estranged family unexpectedly surfaces. An engrossing, character-driven saga, The Good Karma Hospital, series 2 is highly recommended to connoisseurs of quality television. Bonus features include a 30 min. behind-the-scenes featurette. 6 episodes on 2 DVDs or 2 Blu-ray discs, 288 min. plus bonus, SDH subtitles.

Holden Qigong series
Lee Holden
www.holdenqigong.com
YMAA Publications
PO Box 480, Wolfeboro, NH 03894-0480
$29.95 each www.ymaa.com

Qi Gong is a mind-body fitness practice that can benefit people of all ages and backgrounds. Two excellent DVDs by Qi Gong expert Lee Holden guide the viewer to gentle, regular exercises ideal for relieving stress and promoting good health. "Qi Gong for Better Breathing" (45 min.) shows how practicing Qi Gong movements and better breathing habits nurtures one's vital energies and benefits the mind as well as the body. "Qi Gong for the Arms, Wrists, and Hands" (45 min.) emphasizes Qi Gong stretches and exercises especially suited for relieving pain and tightness. Both videos are user-friendly, and make highly recommended supplements to fitness or Qi Gong instructional collections.


The Metaphysical Studies Shelf

A Survival Guide for Those Who Have Psychic Abilities and Don't Know What to Do With Them
Lisa Anne Rooney
www.PurpleLotus66.com
Llewellyn Publications
2143 Wooddale Drive, Woodbury, MN 55125
www.llewellyn.com
9780738756516, $16.99, PB, 216pp, www.amazon.com

Lisa Anne Rooney is a medium, life coach, and spiritual counselor who helps both the living and the dead move forward. She has been teaching psychic development classes for more than ten years and can be visited at www.PurpleLotus66.com. In "A Survival Guide for Those Who Have Psychic Abilities and Don't Know What to Do With Them", she draws upon her years of experience and expertise to deftly craft an empowering book comprised of practical tips and effective techniques for learning to use our psychic abilities in a way that enhances our life and helps us balance our mind, body, and spirit. Readers will discover how to tell the difference between spirits and ghosts. Learn how to work with negative entities and protect ourselves from psychic harm. Explore how to receive messages and channel the wisdom of our guides. Also provided is crucial advice on everything from energy clearing to taking spiritual lessons to heart. Also offering inspiring insights and words of encouragement for those times when we need it most, "A Survival Guide for Those Who Have Psychic Abilities and Don't Know What to Do With Them" is an especially and unreservedly recommended addition to personal and community library Metaphysical Studies collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "A Survival Guide for Those Who Have Psychic Abilities and Don't Know What to Do With Them" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $16.14).

Spirit of the Animals Oracle
Jody Bergsma
http://www.bergsma.com
U.S. Games Systems, Inc.
179 Ludlow Street, Stamford, CT 06902
www.usgamesinc.com
9781572817845, $23.95, Cards, www.amazon.com

"Spirit of the Animals Oracle" is a simply magnificent set of oracle cards by artist and gallery owner Jody Bergsma that will guide the metaphysical studies student on an inspired and inspiring journey to self-knowledge and empowerment with 51 different animal helpers. Aiding in the discovering their powerful medicine, "Spirit of the Animals Oracle" card set includes 51 Animal Spirit Cards, 1 Personal Choice Card, 116-page illustrated Guidebook, and Power Animals Spread Sheet. Simply stated, "Spirit of the Animals Oracle" is unreservedly recommended for personal and professional collections.

The Spirit Animal Oracle: A 68-Card Deck and Guidebook
Colette Baron-Reid
www.colettebaronreid.com
Hay House, Inc.
PO Box 5100, Carlsbad, CA 92018-5100
www.hayhouse.com
9781401952792, $29.99, Cards, www.amazon.com

Colette Baron-Reid is an internationally respected spiritual intuitive, psychic medium, educator, and oracle expert. She is the founder of Oracle School, and her best-selling books and oracle cards are published worldwide in 27 languages. Now newly published and available from Hay House, she draws upon her years of experience and expertise to present"The Spirit Animal Oracle: A 68-Card Deck and Guidebook", featuring a beautifully illustrated oracle card deck depicting the Higher Spirits of different animals, insects, fish, and birds. Every animal has a transcendent archetypal symbolism, a universal meaning holding a message of deep, enduring truth. With guidance from intuitive master and oracle expert Colette Baron-Reid, even the most novice student of the metaphysical arts can now awaken and garner their own inner strength. Very highly recommended for personal and professional collections, "The Spirit Animal Oracle" card set is both inspired and inspiring.


The Christian Studies Shelf

In His Image
Jen Wilkin
Crossway Books
1300 Crescent Street, Wheaton, IL 60187
www.crossway.org
9781433549878, $12.99, PB, 176pp, www.amazon.com

Jen Wilkin is a speaker, writer, and teacher of women's Bible studies. During her seventeen years of teaching, she has organized and led studies for women in home, church, and parachurch contexts. Jen and her family are members of the Village Church in Flower Mound, Texas. She draws upon her experience and expertise in "In His Image: 10 Ways God Calls Us to Reflect His Character" to explore ten characteristics of who God is (holy, loving, just, good, merciful, gracious, faithful, patient, truthful, and wise) in a guidebook dedicated to helping all members of the Christian community to understand who God intends for us to be. Her principle and biblically based message is that through Christ, the perfect reflection of the image of God, we will discover how God's own attributes impact how we live, leading to freedom and purpose as we follow his will and are conformed to his image. While very highly recommended for church, seminary, community, and academic library Contemporary Christian Studies collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "In His Image: 10 Ways God Calls Us to Reflect His Character" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $10.46) and as a complete, unabridged audio book (Christian Audio, 9781545904954, $15.98, CD).

The Pilgrimage of Egeria
Anne McGowan & Paul F. Bradshaw
The Liturgical Press
2950 Saint John's Road, PO Box 7500, Collegeville, MN 56321-7500
www.litpress.org
9780814684214, $29.95, PB, 248pp, www.amazon.com

The collaborative work of Anne McGowan (Assistant Professor of Liturgy at Catholic Theological Union in Chicago) and Pal F. Bradshaw (Professor Emeritus of Liturgy at the University of Notre Dame), "The Pilgrimage of Egeria" is a new version of the late fourth-century diary of journeys in and around the Holy Land known as the Itinerarium Egeriae. "The Pilgrimage of Egeria" provides a more literal translation of the Latin text than earlier English renderings, with the aim of revealing more of the female traveler's personality. The substantial introduction to "The Pilgrimage of Egeria" covers both early pilgrimage as a whole, especially travel by women, and the many liturgical rites of Jerusalem that Egeria describes. Both this and the verse-by-verse commentary alongside the translated text draw on the most recent scholarship, making this essential reading for pilgrims, students, and scholars seeking insight into life and piety during one of Christianity's most formative periods. While unreservedly recommended for church, seminary, community, college, and university library Christian History collections, it should be noted for the personal reading lists of seminary students, academia, clergy, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "The Pilgrimage of Egeria" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $23.99).

Catholic Wisdom for a Mother's Heart
Donna-Marie Cooper O'Boyle
Paraclete Press
PO Box 1568, Orleans, MA 02653
www.paracletepress.com
9781612619224, $13.99, PB, 208pp, www.amazon.com

"Catholic Wisdom for a Mother's Heart" by Donna-Marie Cooper O'Boyle (who is a wife, mother of five, grandmother, blogger, catechist, EWTN TV host, and popular speaker who thoroughly enjoys her motherhood and considers it to be a sublime vocation) is a creative and practical guide for a wide range of domestic church situations. Catholic women can live out their familial vocation with seasoned, simple suggestions for answering Christ's universal call to holiness. Lovely poems conclude each chapter on a note of warmth that will lift hearts beyond the kitchen and up the path toward heaven. A theological and religious resource specifically crafted for Catholic mothers (and grandmothers who often fill the motherly role) who are in the trenches raising their children through thick and thin amid the bombardment of the culture. They need and crave the guidance, encouragement, and affirmation that "Catholic Wisdom for a Mother's Heart" will help to insure, making it unreservedly recommended to the attention of all members of the Catholic community, but most especially the mothers and grandmothers.

Poverty: Responding Like Jesus
Kenneth R. Himes, OFM & Conor M. Kelly, editors
Paraclete Press
PO Box 1568, Orleans, MA 02653
www.paracletepress.com
9781612616827, $16.99 PB, $9.99 Kindle, 176pp, www.amazon.com

The poor will always be with you, Jesus said -- but that doesn't mean Christians have ever figured out how to be with the poor. Pope Francis has emphasized a vision of a "Church that is poor and for the poor". But growing economic inequality continues to spread across the globe. Collaboratively compiled and edited by Kenneth R. Himes, OFM (who is a Catholic theologian, currently teaching theology at Boston College) and Conor M. Kelly (who currently teaches theology at Marquette University) "Poverty: Responding Like Jesus" takes a fresh look at the role of churches, and individual Christians, in relating to poverty and the poor among them. A strong focus is placed on the biblical and theological roots of the Church's commitment to care for the poor. At times praised as a virtue and blessed as a condition, poverty easily confuses contemporary Christians who are often left doing little to nothing to make a difference with and for the poor. As a social evil and a burden, poverty has elicited many kinds of reactions among the followers of Christ. It is time for Christians to figure out what to do about it and reading "Poverty: Responding Like Jesus" is a very good place to start. While unreservedly recommended to all members of the Christian community regardless of their denominational affiliation, it should be noted that the contributors to "Poverty: Responding Like Jesus" include Pope Francis, Pheme Perkins, Sandra M. Schneider, and Thomas Massaro SJ.

Challenged to Grow
Richard L. Akins
New City Press
202 Cardinal Rd., Hyde Park, NY 12538
www.newcitypress.com
9781565486256, $14.95, PB, 200pp, www.amazon.com

"Challenged to Grow: A Catholic Parent's Journey Through an Evangelical World" by Richard L. Akins is in response to the growth in openness between Evangelicals and Catholics entering into conversations. "Challenged to Grow" sums up for readers the stumbling blocks on the road to mutual understanding, educating Catholics and Evangelicals alike concerning the key points of view in their respective churches. Akins is dealing with difficult beliefs that lie at the core of his Catholic faith concerning the sacraments, and human freedom and grace, but discusses them in a language that makes them accessible. The passion for Christian unity shines out of the pages of this book and a charity for the people with whom he sometimes shared a pew and other times a kneeler. Reformed Christians will find permission via "Challenged to Grow" to rediscover the wider Christian world as a larger family of God. As informative as it is thoughtful and thought- provoking, "Challenged to Grow" is highly recommended to the attention of all members of the Christian community, but most especially to Roman Catholics and Evangelical Christians.

Mary, Mother of Apostles
Giuseppe Forlai
Pauline Books & Media
50 St. Paul's Avenue, Boston, MA 02130-3433
www.paulinemedia.com
9780819849748, $12.95, PB, 128pp, www.amazon.com

Father Giuseppe Forlai is a spiritual director at the Pontifical Roman Major Seminary and a member of the Institute of Jesus the Priest, a Roman Catholic organization founded by Blessed James Alberione. Father Forlai has also taught Mariology at several institutions, including the Pontifical Gregorian university. In "Mary, Mother of Apostles: How to Live Marian Devotion to Proclaim Christ" Father Forali leads his readers deeper in their Marian devotion showing them how Mary wants to form Jesus in us so that we can give Jesus to the world. Inspired and inspiring, "Mary, Mother of Apostles" is unreservedly recommended for seminary libraries, and to the attention of all members of the Roman Catholic community.

The Lost World of the Flood
Tremper Longman III & John H. Walton
IVP Academic
c/o InterVarsity Press
PO Box 1400, Downers Grove, IL 60515-1426
www.ivpress.com
9780830852000, $18.00, PB, 192pp, www.amazon.com

In our modern age the Genesis flood account has been probed and analyzed for answers to scientific, apologetic, and historical questions. It is a text that has called forth flood geology, fueled searches for remnants of the ark on Mount Ararat, and inspired a full-size replica of Noah's ark in a biblical theme park. Some claim that the very veracity of Scripture hinges on a particular reading of the flood narrative. But do we understand what we are reading? In "The Lost World of the Flood: Mythology, Theology, and the Deluge Debate", John H. Walton (Professor of Old Testament at Wheaton College and Graduate School) and Tremper Longman III (Distinguished Scholar of Biblical Studies at Westmont college) urge us to hit the pause button and ask, what might the biblical author have been saying to his ancient audience? The answer to our quest to rediscover the biblical flood requires that we set aside our own cultural and interpretive assumptions and visit the distant world of the ancient Near East. Responsible interpretation calls for the patient examination of the text within its ancient context of language, literature, and thought structures. And as we return from that lost world to our own, we will need to ask whether geological science supports the notion of flood geology. The story of Noah and the flood will continue to invite questions and explorations. But to read "The Lost World of the Flood" is put our feet on firmer interpretive ground. Without attempting to answer all of our questions, they lift the fog of modernity and allow the sunlight to reveal the true contours of the text. As with other books in the simply outstanding Lost World series from InterVarsity Press, "The Lost World of the Flood" is an especially informative, exceptionally well written, organized and presented, thoughtful and thought provoking journey toward a more responsible reading of a timeless biblical narrative. While very highly recommended for community, seminary, and academic library Biblical Studies collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "The Lost World of the Flood" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $13.51).

The City of God
Saint Augustine, author
William Babcock, translator
Boniface Ramsey, editor
New City Press
202 Cardinal Rd., Hyde Park, NY 12538
www.newcitypress.com
9781565484818, $39.95, HC, 640pp, www.amazon.com

"The City of God" is undoubtedly one of the most influential works by Saint Augustine. Following his critique of the Roman religious, political, and intellectual tradition in Books 1-10, Books 11-22 set out his great vision of the origins, the histories, and the ultimate destinies of the two cities: the earthly city, rooted in love of self as expressed in the pride and lust for domination that shatter human society, and the heavenly city, rooted in love of God as expressed in the humility and yearning for the supreme good that unite humanity in a just social order. For all those who are interested in the greatest classics of Christian antiquity, "The City of God" is indispensable reading. Now this impressive translation by William Babcock (and edited by Boniface Ramsy), enhanced with an informative introduction and useful annotation makes Augustine's monumental work approachable for seminary students, clergy, academia, and non- specialist general readers with an interest in the subject. It should be noted that the Index for Books 1-22 (both volumes of "The City of God") is contained in this volume. While very highly recommended for church, seminary, community, and academic library collections, it should also be noted for personal reading lists that "The City of God" is also available in a paperback edition (9781565486607, $34.95) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $19.99).

Transforming
Austen hartke
Westminster John Knox Press
100 Witherspoon Street, Louisville, KY 40202-1396
www.wjkbooks.com
9780664263102, $16.00, PB, 225pp, www.amazon.com

Austen Hartke is the creator of the YouTube series Transgender and Christian, which seeks to understand, interpret, and share parts of the Bible that relate to gender identity and the lives of transgender individuals. He draws upon his years of experience and expertise in "Transforming: The Bible and the Lives of Transgender Christians" to provides his readers with access into an underrepresented and misunderstood community and will change the way those readers think about transgender people, faith, and the future of Christianity. By introducing transgender issues and language and providing stories of both biblical characters and real-life narratives from transgender Christians living today, Hartke helps readers visualize a more inclusive Christianity, equipping them with the confidence and tools to change both the church and the world. Informed and informative, thoughtful and thought provoking, scripturally sound and an inherently interesting read from cover to cover, "Transforming" is very highly recommended reading. It should be noted that "Transforming" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $11.72).


The Buddhist Studies Shelf

Treasures of Buddhism
Frithjof Schuon, author
Harry Oldmeadow, editor
World Wisdom
1501 East Hillside Drive, Bloomington, IN 47401
www.worldwisdom.com
9781936597581, $19.95, PB, 272pp, www.amazon.com

In his classic work on the subject, perennialist author Frithjof Schuon (1907-1998) explores the vast and varied landscape that is Buddhism. Every reader interested in Buddhism from whatever angle will here find much that speaks to his or her condition. Schuon presents Buddhism not as an historical artifact of the past but as a living spiritual force. In describing the essentials of Buddhism, he frequently makes use of comparisons with other traditions, including Western religious thought. The rich and diverse world of Buddhist art (from its statuary to the tea ceremony) is a subject treated with particular importance. A valuable section on Shinto, the indigenous Japanese tradition of the "way of the gods", concludes the book. This revised and expanded third edition under the deftly editorship of Harry Oldmeadow, contains more than 75 pages of new material, and features a fully revised translation from the French original as well as previously unpublished selections from Schuon's letters and other private writings. Also included is an editor's preface, editor's notes, a glossary of foreign terms and phrases, an index, and biographical notes. An invaluable and welcome addition to the growing body of Buddhist literature available for an American readership, "Treasures of Buddhism: A New Translation with Selected Letters" is unequivocally and unreservedly recommended for personal, community, college, and university library Buddhist Philosophy collections and supplemental studies reading lists.

The Mirror of Dharma
Geshe Kelsang Gyatso
Tharpa Publications US
www.tharpa.com
9781910368800, $16.95, PB, 320pp, www.amazon.com

Venerable Geshe Kelsang Gyatso Rinpoche is a fully accomplished meditation master and internationally renowned teacher of Buddhism who has pioneered the introduction of modern Buddhism into contemporary society. He is the author of 23 highly acclaimed books that perfectly transmit the ancient wisdom of Buddhism to our modern world. He has also founded more than 1,200 Kadampa Buddhist centers and groups throughout the world. In "The Mirror of Dharma: How to find the real meaning of human life" he addresses questions like: Why do we need to practice Buddha's teachings?; Why do I need to be concerned for my future lives?; Why do we need permanent liberation from suffering? Buddha's teachings, or Dharma. are the practical method to find the real meaning of human life. "The Mirror of Dharma" is an outstanding and invaluable contribution to the growing library of Buddhist literature and very highly recommended for both community and academic library collections. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of students and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "The Mirror of Dharma" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).


The Fiction Shelf

Bear Haskell: U.S. Deputy Marshal
Peter Brandvold
Five Star Books
10 Water Street, Suite 310, Waterville, ME 04901
http://gale.cengage.com/fivestar
9781432843045, $25.95, HC, 322pp, www.amazon.com

"Bear Haskell: U.S. Deputy Marshal" features two of author Peter Brandvold's western novels featuring Bear Haskell, U.S. Deputy Marshal (a lawman who rides for Chief Marshal Henry Dade out of Denver's First District Court) under one cover. Haskell is a former Union war hero and Pinkerton agent, a big man over six and a half feet tall and as broad as a barn door. He wears a necklace of bear claws taken from the grizzly that almost had him for supper. That's the kind of man Bear Haskell is. He holds a grudge and he gives no quarter -- to grizzly bears or men. In the first of two rapid-fire western stories, 'Gun Trouble at Diamondback', Bear is given the nasty assignment of going after the man or men who backshot an old lawman friend. Then in 'The Jackals of Sundown", Bear heads down to Texas to hunt a notorious, mysterious, and cruelly cunning killer known only as "the Jackal". A consummate master of the western genre, novelist Peter Brandvold's "Bear Haskell: U.S. Deputy Marshal" is unreservedly recommended for community library collections. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of dedicated western buffs that "Bear Haskell: U.S. Deputy Marshal" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $7.99).

Sundown Over The Sierras
Dale Graham
Linford Western Library
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print (USA), Inc.
PO Box 1230, West Seneca, NY 14224-1230
www.ulverscroftusa.com
9781444830422, $20.99, PB, Large Print, 248pp, www.amazon.com

When Marshal Chase Farlow responds to a break-in at Macy's gun shop, he has no inkling of the ignominy it will unleash. His unfortunate shooting of the mayor's son forces him to leave town in disgrace. It matters not that the injury is superficial, and Farlow was only doing his duty because the boy and his friend were committing burglary. But the highly principled lawman has become a thorn in Mayer Stanton's side and this was the perfect cover for his dismissal. Can Farlow somehow resurrect his tarnished reputation? "Sundown Over The Sierras" has an attempted gold robbery, a friend's betrayal, a lovely and headstrong and naive young girl, a young gun, lethally dangerous mountain men, and an unexpected, unanticipated finale. A riveting great read from cover to cover, this large print edition of Dale Graham's "Sundown Over The Sierras" is certain to be an immediate and enduringly popular addition to personal reading lists and community library Western Fiction collections.

The Silver Trail
Ben Bridges
Linford Western Library
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print (USA), Inc.
PO Box 1230, West Seneca, NY 14224-1230
www.ulverscroftusa.com
9781444834123, $20.99, PB, Large Print, 224pp, www.amazon.com

Carter O'Brien's gun is for hire, but only when the job (and the money) is right. As tough as they come, O'Brien has been everything from lawman to bounty hunter in his time. Right now he's riding shotgun on an expedition led by an old Army buddy. The goal: to find a lost canyon of silver down in Mexico. But the way is blocked not only by gunmen working for a greedy businessman, but also an old enemy from O'Brien's past. Yet another riveting western by a master of the genre, this large print edition of Ben Bridges' novel "The Silver Travel" is certain to be an immediate and enduringly popular addition to personal reading lists and community library Western Fiction large print collections.

The Land Grabbers
D. B. Newton
Sagebrush Large Print Westerns
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print (USA), Inc.
PO Box 1230, West Seneca, NY 14224-1230
www.ulverscroftusa.com
9781785415517, $29.99, PB, Large Print, 198pp, www.amazon.com

During an outbreak of cattle rustling, ranchers blame the Cheyenne on the nearby reservation. But Johnny Logan, a Cheyenne working on the Bar J, is sure his kinfolk are innocent. But when he is hauled before the sheriff by Dallas Howbert (owner of the neighboring ranch) accused of aiding and abetting the rustlers, he must defend himself and his people against the forces that seek to remove the Cheyenne from their reservation so that they can claim the land as their own. Another deftly crafted and inherently riveting western novel by D. B. Newton, this large print edition is very highly recommended for both personal reading lists and community library collections.

Flame And Thunder
Ben Bridges
Linford Western Library
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print (USA), Inc.
PO Box 1230, West Seneca, NY 14224-1230
www.ulverscroftusa.com
9781444837575, $20.99, PB, Large Print, 280pp, www.amazon.com

The Katharyn stands to be the biggest oil well in the territory, providing wildcatter Bud Bishop can bring it in before his lease runs out. However Hugh Quillan (the fastest gun in that part of the west) wants to move in and keep the spoils for himself. So Bishop's backers hire freelance fighting man Carter O'Brien to keep Quillan's bullyboys in check. But the closer it comes to the deadline, the harder Quillan starts to play. With the threat of a full-scale war looming, O'Brien does the only thing he can - he makes sure his guns are loaded and prepare to fight it out to the death against Quillan and more than twenty of his hired guns. And O'Brien's only allies are a sheriff with a dubious reputation, a handful of oil catters, and a rancher who is no friend to the oil men. Featuring the further adventures of Carter O'Brien, "Flame And Thunder", Ben Bridges knows how to craft a riveting western novel with more twists and turns than an Oklahoma tornado, making this large print edition is very highly recommended and guaranteed entertaining addition to the personal reading lists of dedicated western buffs and community library collections.

The Last Gun
Peter Wilson
Linford Western Library
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print (USA), Inc.
PO Box 1230, West Seneca, NY 14224-1230
www.ulverscroftusa.com
9781444837612, $20.99, PB, Large Print, 320pp, www.amazon.com

Fighting on the Confederate side, Jack Crawford was badly wounded in the final action of the Civil War and it takes two years of hospitalization for him to recover. Then he returns home to only to discover that his parents have been massacred by a splinter group of the infamous Quantrill raiders and that the family ranch has fallen into the hands of empire-building newcomer Vic Bannon in collaboration with his older brother Clay. When Jack becomes the town sheriff when his predecessor is found murdered in the sheriff's office, he finds himself in opposition to the ruthless Bannon, with his own brother Clay who is helping to force the homesteaders and farmers out of the valley. As the threat of range war looms, Crawford must defend the home he now barely recognizes, before it disappears forever. Author Peter Wilson presents a simply riveting read from first page to last in a western novel that is strong on action and winds up with a completely unexpected conclusion. "The Last Gun" is strongly recommended for both personal reading lists and community library Western Fiction collections.

Rimrock Renegade
Ned Oaks
Linford Western Library
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print (USA), Inc.
PO Box 1230, West Seneca, NY 14224-1230
www.ulverscroftusa.com
9781444837605, $20.99, PB, Large Print, 232pp, www.amazon.com

Released after spending five years in prison for a crime he didn't commit, Hank Chesham only wants to return home to his ranch, the Rimrock, and resume his old life. But then he discovers that he has been betrayed by both his wife, Phoebe, and his best friend, Ted Flynn, who have conspired to steal the Rimrock from him. Now Chesham has but one thing on his mind: vengeance. But before he can take action, Flynn unleashes his hired killers. But with the help of Phoebe's sister Mandy, and a raging flame for vengeance in his quest, Chesham will take on all comers -- beginning with Flynn's three hired guns who made the mistake of leaving Chesham alive after their attempt to beat him to death. Set in 1882, "Rimrock Renegade" is another deftly crafted and thoroughly engaging novel by Ned Oaks and is thoroughly recommended for the personal reading lists of all western action/adventure fans and will prove to be an enduringly popular addition to community library large print fiction collections.

Gravesend
William Boyle
Pegasus Books
80 Broad Street, 5th Floor, New York, NY 10004
www.pegasusbooks.com
9781681778495, $25.95, HC, 240pp, www.amazon.com

Some worship him and some want him dead, but either way, tensions run high when "Ray Boy" Calabrese is released from prison. It's been sixteen years since Ray Boy's actions led to the death of a young man. The victim's brother, Conway D'Innocenzio, is a 29-year-old Brooklynite wasting away at a local Rite Aid, stuck in the past and drawn into a darker side of himself when he hears of Ray Boy's freedom. But even with the perfect plan in place, Conway can't bring himself to take the ultimate revenge on Ray Boy, which sends him into a spiral of self-loathing and soul-searching. Meanwhile, Alessandra, a failed actress, returns to her native Gravesend after the death of her cancer-stricken mother, torn between the desperate need to escape back to Los Angeles as quickly as possible and the ease with which she could sink back into neighborhood life. Alessandra and Conway are walking eerily similar paths -- staring down the rest of their lives, caring for their aging fathers, lost in the youths they squandered -- and each must decide what comes next. A simply riveting and deftly crafted novel of revenge, desperation, and escape, "Gravesend" showcases author William Boyle's genuine flair as a novelist for character and narrative driven storytelling. While very highly recommended, especially for community library Contemporary General Fiction collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Gravesend" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $22.73).

Hidden Among the Stars
Melanie Dobson
Tyndale House Publishers
351 Executive Drive, Carol Stream, IL 60188
www.tyndale.com
9781496417329, $15.99 pbk / $15.99 Kindle amazon.com

The year is 1938, and as Hitler's troops sweep into Vienna, Austrian Max Dornbach promises to help his Jewish friends hide their most valuable possessions from the Nazis, smuggling them to his family's summer estate near the picturesque village of Hallstatt. He enlists the help of Annika Knopf, his childhood friend and the caretaker's daughter, who is eager to help the man she's loved her entire life. But when Max also brings Luzia Weiss, a young Jewish woman, to hide at the castle, it complicates Annika's feelings and puts their entire plan even their very lives in jeopardy. Especially when the Nazis come to scour the estate and find both Luzia and the treasure gone. Eighty years later, Callie Randall is mostly content with her quiet life, running a bookstore with her sister and reaching out into the world through her blog. Then she finds a cryptic list in an old edition of Bambi that connects her to Annika's story -- and maybe to the long-buried story of a dear friend. As she digs into the past, Callie must risk venturing outside the safe world she's built for a chance at answers, adventure, and maybe even new love. "Hidden Among the Stars" is an emotionally compelling and inherently riveting read from beginning to end, making it unreservedly recommended for community library Contemporary General Fiction collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "Hidden Among the Stars" is also available in paperback and in Kindle edition.

Becoming the Talbot Sisters
Rachel Linden
Thomas Nelson Publishers
PO Box 141000, Nashville, TN 37214
www.thomasnelson.com
9780718095765, $15.99, PB, 336pp, www.amazon.com

Celebrity chef Waverly Talbot has built a successful career with her home-entertaining show Simply Perfect. Yet she and her husband, Andrew, have never been able to realize the true desire of Waverly's heart: to become a mother. Meanwhile Waverly's twin sister, Charlie, buries her bitter disappointment and shattered idealism beneath a life spent serving others as an international aid worker in Budapest, Hungary. When the beloved aunt who raised them passes away, Waverly and Charlie come together in their grief after living years on separate continents. Struck by a fierce desire to bridge the distance between them, Charlie offers Waverly and her husband the selfless gift of surrogacy. But soon the sisters find they are each in danger of losing their jobs, seemingly putting their dreams on hold once again. When Waverly shows up unannounced in Budapest with a plan to rescue Simply Perfect, the sisters embark on an adventure across central Europe that could save them both from occupational hazards. Though the twins haven't had to rely on each other since childhood, a dramatic turn in their journey forces them to stand together to save their careers, the baby, and each other. A beautifully crafted and inherently compelling novel that showcases author Rachel Linden's impressive talent as a novelist for character and narrative driven storytelling, "Becoming the Talbot Sisters" is an extraordinary and highly recommended addition to community library Contemporary General Fiction collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "Becoming the Talbot Sisters" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $8.99). Librarians should be aware that there is a large print hardcover edition of "Becoming the Talbot Sisters" (Center Point Publishing, 9781683248187, $36.95, 488pp).

Promised Land
Martin Fletcher
Thomas Dunne Books
c/o St. Martin's Press
175 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10010
www.stmartins.com
9781250118820, $28.99, HC, 416pp, www.amazon.com

"Promised Land" by Martin Fletcher is the sweeping saga of two brothers and the woman they love, a devastating love triangle set against the tumultuous founding of Israel. The story begins when fourteen-year-old Peter is sent west to America to escape the growing horror of Nazi Germany. But his younger brother Arie and their entire family are sent east to the death camps. Only Arie survives. The brothers reunite in the nascent Jewish state, where Arie becomes a businessman and one of the richest men in Israel while Peter becomes a top Mossad agent heading some of Israel's most vital espionage operations. One brother builds Israel, the other protects it. But they also fall in love with the same woman, Tamara, a lonely Jewish refugee from Cairo. And over the next two decades, as their new homeland faces extraordinary obstacles that could destroy it, the brothers' intrigues and jealousies threaten to tear their new lives apart. "Promised Land" is at once the gripping tale of a struggling family and an epic about a struggling nation. A deftly crafted and inherently riveting novel showcasing author Martin Fletcher's erudite skills as a compelling storyteller, "Promised Land" is unreservedly recommended for community library Contemporary General Fiction collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "Promised Land" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $14.99) and as a complete and unabridged audio book (Macmillan Audio, 9781250299079, $57.99, CD).

One Step Enough
Carla Kelly
Bonneville Books
http://www.bonnevillebooks.com
9781462121564, $10.99, PB, 400pp, www.amazon.com

Now that she's married, Della believes she and Owen will live happily ever after, but he can't keep his promise to stay out of the mines. Meanwhile, Della's wishing for a baby, but her arms remain empty. Together they must face the secrets of her past as they struggle to build their future. Very highly recommended for personal reading lists and community library Contemporary Romance Fiction collections, "One Step Enough" is a simply riveting historical romance from beginning to end -- and clearly showcases author Carla Kelly's distinctive and genuine flair for character and narrative driven storytelling.

Narrator
Bragi Olafsson, author
Lytton Smith, translator
Open Letter Books
c/o University of Rochester
Lattimore Hall 411, Box 270082, Rochester, NY 14627
www.openletterbooks.org
9781940953823, $14.95, PB, 120pp, www.amazon.com

A deftly crafted work of fiction by Bragi Olafsson that is ably translated into English for an American readership by Lytton Smith, "Narrator" is the story of a thirty-something aspiring writer, G., who encounters a former romantic rival at the post office -- a man he once wished didn't exist. On a whim, G. begins trailing the man throughout Reykjavik. What starts as an amusing tale of cat and mouse turns into a complex, introspective journey of a man struggling to complete the unfinished narrative of his own life. An erudite and compelling read from first page to last, "Narrator" is an especially and unreservedly recommended addition to personal reading lists, as well as community and academic library Contemporary Literary Fiction collections.

Beautiful Exiles
Meg Waite Clayton
Lake Union Publishing
9781503900837, $24.95, www.apub.com

Beautiful Exiles is set in Key West in 1936, where journalist Martha Gellhorn meets literary icon Ernest Hemingway in a bar. Suddenly two people who have a way with words but not social skills begin a friendship despite the fact that Hemingway is married and both are immersed in the reporter's world and looming war. As they become involved while their separate writing talents are blossoming, Ernest and Martha become more than friends and even more than professional rivals, attracted to the same things that threaten to destroy them. A fast-paced, involving novel brings Hemingway and Martha's world and romance to life.


The Mystery/Suspense Shelf

Her Kind of Case
Jeanne Winer
Bancroft Press
PO Box 65360, Baltimore, MD 21209
www.bancroftpress.com
9781610882286, $25.00, HC, 320pp, www.amazon.com

"Her Kind of Case" is a legal drama by novelist Jeanne Winter (who is herself a longtime defense attorney in Boulder, Colorado, as well as a black-belt karate expert) that centers on Lee Isaacs, a female defense attorney on the cusp of turning 60, who, out of curiosity, determination, and desire for a big, even impossible, professional challenge, chooses to take on a tough murder case in which a largely uncooperative young man is accused of helping kill a gay gang member. "Her Kind of Case" is a deftly resolving mystery showcasing fully fleshed-out characters -- and in particularly the strong-willed and sharp-witted Lee, an older single woman who grieves the recent loss of her husband, but continues her daily routine of law and karate, fighting tooth and nail to prove her client not guilty. A simply riveting read from beginning to end, and laced with a very special flair for unexpected humor, "Her Kind of Case" will prove to be an immediate and enduringly popular addition to community library collections.

The Rose Quilt
Mark Pasquini
C&T Publishing
www.ctpub.com
9781617456350, $14.95, PB, 260pp, www.amazon.com

"The Rose Quilt" by Mark Pasquini is set in the 1920s in the world of quilting circles. A wealthy woman and prominent local quilter is murdered with a pair of quilting shears during the preparation for a flower show, leaving a dying clue on the lap quilt she and the executive committee are making as the first prize. Unfortunately, the clue could point to anyone on the committee or any of her three adopted children. All the more impressive when considering that "The Rose Quilt" is author Mark Pasquini's debut as a mystery novelist, this simply riveting read will prove to be an immediate and enduringly popular addition to community library collections and leave dedicated mystery buffs looking forward to the next one in his Steve Walsh Mystery series! It should be noted for personal reading lists that "The Rose Quilt" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.59).

Path of the Dead
Mark Edward Langley
Blackstone Publishing
31 Mistletoe Road, Ashland, OR 97520
www.BlackstoneAudio.com
9781538507599, $24.99, HC, 216pp, www.amazon.com

Ex-marine Arthur Nakai spent years as a member of the Shadow Wolves, an ICE tactical unit tasked by the US government to hunt human traffickers and drug smugglers on the US/Mexico border. He put that life of confronting violence in the darker contours of the desert landscape behind him and settled into a quiet existence in New Mexico with his wife, Sharon, a local TV reporter. But when Sharon goes missing after crossing paths with a serial killer who has just added to his list of young victims, Arthur's calm world is shattered. He must return to the darkness of the life he left behind in order to save what matters most to him, and the future he and his wife plan to share together. He can only hope that she is still alive, and that his skills will be enough to find her. All the more impressive when considering that "Path of the Dead" is the debut of Mark Edward Langley as a novelist, this inherently riveting read showcases his genuine flair for character and narrative driven storytelling. While especially and unreservedly recommended for community library Mystery/Suspense collections, it should be noted for the personal reading lists of dedicated mystery buffs that "Path of the Dead" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $6.15) and as a complete and unabridged audio book (Blackstone Audio, 9781538478004, $29.95, CD).

Burning Ridge
Margaret Mizushima
Crooked Lane Books
2 Park Avenue, 10th floor, New York, NY 10016
www.crookedlanebooks.com
9781683317784, $26.99, HC, 281pp, www.amazon.com

Colorado's Redstone Ridge is a place of extraordinary beauty, but this rugged mountain wilderness harbors a horrifying secret. When a charred body is discovered in a shallow grave on the ridge, officer Mattie Cobb and her K-9 partner Robo are called in to spearhead the investigation. But this is no ordinary crime -- and it soon becomes clear that Mattie has a close personal connection to the dead man. Joined by local veterinarian Cole Walker, the pair scours the mountaintop for evidence and makes another gruesome discovery: the skeletonized remains of two adults and a child. And then, the unthinkable happens. Could Mattie become the next victim in the murderer's deadly game? A deranged killer torments Mattie with a litany of dark secrets that call into question her very identity. As a towering blaze races across the ridge, Cole and Robo search desperately for her -- but time is running out! Another original, deftly crafted and imply riveting mystery by Margaret Mizushima, "Burning Ridge" is unreservedly recommended, especially for community library Mystery/Suspense collections. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of Timber Creek K-9 Mystery fans that "Burning Ridge" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99), and as a complete and unabridged audio book (Blackstone Audio, 9781982539955, $29.95, MP3 CD).

The Guilty Dead
P. J. Tracy
Crooked Lane Books
2 Park Avenue, 10th floor, New York, NY 10016
www.crookedlanebooks.com
9781683318583, $26.99, HC, 336pp, www.amazon.com

Gregory Norwood is Minnesota's most beloved philanthropist, and the story of his son's overdose was splashed across the front page of all the papers. When a photojournalist sets out to get a candid shot of the highly successful businessman on the one year anniversary of his son's death, he's shocked to find Norwood dead with a smoking gun in his hand. The city is devastated, and Minneapolis detectives Leo Magozzi and Gino Rolseth are called in to handle the delicate case. It should be open and shut, but something is not right. Norwood's death is no suicide. With no suspects and an increasing tangle of digital evidence that confounds the Minneapolis Police Department's most seasoned cops, Magozzi calls on Grace MacBride, Monkeewrench Software's founder and chief computer genius and the soon to be mother of their child together. She and her motley crew of partners begin to unravel connections between Norwood's death and an even larger plot. Norwood wasn't the first, won't be the last, and by the end, may be just one of many to die. Another carefully crafted and simply riveting mystery by a master of the genre, P. J. Tracey (the pseudonym of the mother/daughter writing team of P. J. and Traci Lambrecht), "The Guilty Dead" will prove to be an immediate and enduringly popular addition to community library Mystery/Suspense collections, It should be noted for the personal reading lists of dedicated mystery buffs and P. J. Tracey fans that "The Guilty Dead" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $10.69) and as a complete and unabridged audio book (Blackstone Audio, 9781982540036, $29.95, MP3 CD).

Pieces of Her
Karin Slaughter
William Morrow & Company
c/o HarperCollins Publishers
195 Broadway New York, New York 10007
www.harpercollins.com
9780062430274, $27.99, HC, 480pp, www.amazon.com

Andrea knows everything about her mother, Laura. She knows she's spent her whole life in the small beachside town of Belle Isle; she knows she's never wanted anything more than to live a quiet life as a pillar of the community; she knows she's never kept a secret in her life. Because we all know our mothers, don't we? But all that changes when a trip to the mall explodes into violence and Andrea suddenly sees a completely different side to Laura. Because it turns out that before Laura was Laura, she was someone completely different. For nearly thirty years she's been hiding from her previous identity, lying low in the hope that no one would ever find her. But now she's been exposed, and nothing will ever be the same again. The police want answers and Laura's innocence is on the line, but she won't speak to anyone, including her own daughter. Andrea is on a desperate journey following the breadcrumb trail of her mother's past. And if she can't uncover the secrets hidden there, there may be no future for either one of them. "Pieces of Her" is another deftly crafted and inherently riveting novels by Karin Slaughter who is a definitive master of character and narrative driven storytelling. While highly recommended for community library collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Pieces of Her" is also available in a large print paperback edition (HarperLuxe, 9780062845764, $27.99, 736pp) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $13.99).

The Last Breath
Danny Lopez
Oceanview Publishing
1620 Main Street, Suite 11, Sarasota, FL 34236
www.oceanviewpub.com
9781608092970, $26.95, HC, 288pp, www.amazon.com

Unemployed newspaper reporter Dexter Vega is hired to investigate the drowning of Liam Fleming, the son of a wealthy real estate investor in Siesta Key. Vega's search for clues takes him from one end of this picturesque barrier island off the coast of Sarasota to the other. But nothing adds up. Liam was young, an experienced swimmer, apparently healthy and drowned in four feet of water. And why was Liam living in a beach shack? Why was he buying properties and not selling them? The police are getting nowhere as they identify every beach bum on Siesta Key as a suspect. But Vega narrows his investigation to two one who disappears, and the other he's falling in love with. Beach bums and hippies go missing, while greed, beachfront property, and drugs swirl in vicious loops -- and when they converge, Vega puts his life on the line to find the truth! Another deftly crafted Dexter Vega mystery penned by a true master of the genre, "The Last Breath" by Danny Lopez is an inherently riveting read with unexpected twists and unanticipated turns. While unreservedly recommended for community library Mystery/Suspense collections, it should be noted for the personal reading lists of dedicated mystery buffs that "The Last Breath" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $14.95).

City of Ink
Elsa Hart
Minotaur Books
c/o St. Martin's Publishing Group
175 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10010
www.minotaurbooks.com
9781250142795, $25.99, HC, 352pp, www.amazon.com

Li Du was prepared to travel anywhere in the world except for one place: home. But to unravel the mystery that surrounds his mentor's execution, that's exactly where he must go. Plunged into the painful memories and teeming streets of Beijing, Li Du obtains a humble clerkship that offers anonymity and access to the records he needs. He is beginning to make progress when his search for answers buried in the past is interrupted by murder in the present. The wife of a local factory owner is found dead, along with a man who appears to have been her lover, and the most likely suspect is the husband. But what Li Du's superiors at the North Borough Office are willing to accept as a crime of passion strikes Li Du as something more calculated. As past and present intertwine, Li Du's investigations reveal that many of Beijing's residents (foreign and Chinese, artisan and official, scholar and soldier) have secrets they would kill to protect. When the threats begin, Li Du must decide how much he is willing to sacrifice to discover the truth in a city bent on concealing it, a city where the stroke of a brush on paper can alter the past, change the future, prolong a life, or end one. A unique and compelling read that will have immense and immediate appeal for all dedicated mystery buffs, "City of Ink" showcases author Elsa hart's total mastery of the genre and highlights her originality and storytelling skills. While very highly recommended, especially for community library Mystery/Suspense collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "City of Ink" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $13.99) and as a complete and unabridged audio book (Macmillan Audio, 9781427296238, $50.99, CD).

Marrakech Noir
Yassin Adnan, editor
Akashic Books
232 Third Street, #A115, Brooklyn, NY 11215
www.akashicbooks.com
9781617754739, $15.95, PB, 256pp, www.amazon.com

Compiled and edited by Yassin Adnan, "Marrakech Noir" is the newest addition to the simply original and outstanding Akashic Books series of regionally or geographically based 'Noir' anthologies that was originally launched in 2004 with "Brooklyn Noir". Each title in this unique mystery/suspense series comprises all new stories, each one set in a distinct neighborhood or location within the respective city and with "Marrakech Noir", North Africa finally enters this Noir Series with a finely crafted volume of dark stories, all translated from Arabic, French, and Dutch. Comprised of brand-new stories by such writers as Fouad Laroui, Allal Bourqia, Abdelkader Benali, Mohamed Zouhair, Mohamed Achaari, Hanane Derkaoui, Fatiha Morchid, Mahi Binebine, Mohamed Nedali, Halima Zine El Abidine, My Seddik Rabbaj, Yassin Adnan, Karima Nadir, Taha Adnan, and Lahcen Bakour, "Marrakech Noir" is unreservedly recommended for community library Mystery/Suspense collections. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of dedicated mystery buffs that "Marrakech Noir" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $15.15).

Dead Drop
P. K. Norton
Stillwater River Publications
http://stillwaterpress.com
9781946300485, $13.00, PB, 220pp, www.amazon.com

In Amy Lynch's world the past never really leave us. What starts out to be a well-deserved vacation for Amy as a volunteer at an archaeological dig on the outskirts of Paris turns ugly when the head archaeologist is found dead at the dig-site. A recently uncovered relic from World War II threatens to expose treachery and betrayal from the time of the German Occupation. It endangers the life of anybody bold enough to delve into its significance. New England Casualty and Indemnity, the insurance company where Amy works as a claims investigator, is insuring the dig. Amy's world turns upside-down as she reverts from vacation mode to conduct a full-blown investigation. She meets with obstacles, resistance and threats to her own safety (as well as an adorable French detective) in her quest to unmask a traitor. Another riveting read from a true master of the genre, "Dead Drop" showcases P. K. Norton's genuine flair for narrative driven storytelling with more twists and turns than a carnival roller coaster. While unreservedly recommended for community library Mystery/Suspense collections, it should be noted for the personal reading lists of dedicated mystery buffs that "Dead Drop" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $5.95).

Blood Highway
Gina Wohlsdorf
Algonquin Books
PO Box 2225, Chapel Hill, NC 27515-2225
www.algonquin.com
9781616205638, $16.95, PB, 320pp, www.amazon.com

Rainy Cain is a tough, smart seventeen-year-old whose primary instinct is survival. That instinct is tested when her life is upended by the sudden appearance of her father, Sam, who she thought was long dead, but instead had been in prison for his part in an armored truck robbery gone murderously wrong. Now escaped and on the run, he kidnaps Rainy, who he is convinced knows where the money from the robbery, never recovered, is hidden. Accompanied by a henchman with secret motives of his own, they set off on a cross-country dash to Big Sur, where Sam suspects his late wife stashed the cash. On their heels is a Minneapolis cop intent on bringing Rainy safely home. "Blood Highway" is an odyssey that will push Rainy to the limits of endurance. What does Rainy really know -- and what is she willing to sacrifice in order to live? A deftly crafted and simply riveting read from beginning to an unpredictable end, "Blood Highway" is very highly recommended, especially for community library collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "Blood Highway" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99) and as a complete and unabridged audio book (Highbridge Audio, 9781684416509, $34.99, CD).

K Street Killing
Colleen J. Shogan
Camel Press
PO Box 70515, Seattle, WA 98127
www.camelpress.com
9781603816137, $15.95, PB, 242pp, www.amazon.com

It's the height of campaign season, and instead of relishing newlywed bliss with her husband Doug Hollingsworth, Capitol Hill staffer Kit Marshall is busy with a tough reelection fight for her boss, member of Congress Maeve Dixon. Before Maeve and her staff (Kit included) leave Washington, D.C. to campaign full time in North Carolina, they have one last fundraising engagement. On the iconic rooftop of a restaurant overlooking the Capitol and the Washington monument, Kit and her best pal Meg do their best to woo wealthy lobbyists for sizable campaign donations. Everyone's enjoying the evening soiree until a powerful K Street tycoon mysteriously tumbles off the rooftop. Even with claims the fall must be suicide, Detective Maggie Glass and Kit aren't so easily convinced foul play isn't at work. While balancing Doug's mid-life career crisis, Kit must spring into action to discover who killed the notorious Van Parker before Dixon's candidacy sputters, even if it means investigating Meg's handsome new beau, the victim's conniving widow, and a bicycle advocate hell-bent on settling a long-standing grudge. When threatening note is left on Kit's car, warning her to back off the investigation, she knows she's closing in on the true story of what happened. The fourth volume in author Colleen J. Shogan's simply outstanding 'Washington Whodunit' series, "K Street Killing" is a consistently entertaining read with many an unexpected twist and turn by a true master of the genre, While "K Street Killing" is very highly recommended for community library Mystery/Suspense collections, it should be noted for the personal reading lists of dedicated mystery buffs that "K Street Killing" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $4.95).

In Cold Chocolate
Dorothy St. James
Crooked Lane Books
2 Park Avenue, 10th floor, New York, NY 10016
www.crookedlanebooks.com
9781683317432, $26.99, HC, 327pp, www.amazon.com

The vintage seaside town of Camellia Beach, South Carolina seems like the perfect place for romance with its quiet beach and its decadent chocolate shop that serves the world's richest dark chocolates. The Chocolate Box's owner, Charity Penn, falls even further under the island's moonlit spell as she joins Althea Bays and the rest of the turtle watch team to witness a new generation of baby sea turtles hatch and make their way into the wide ocean. Before the babies arrive, gunshots ring out in the night. Cassidy Jones, the local Casanova, is found dead in the sand with his lover Jody Dalton (the same woman who has vowed to destroy the Chocolate Box) holding the gun. It's an obvious crime of passion, or so everyone believes. But when Jody's young son pleads with Penn to bring his mother back to him, she can't say no. She dives headfirst into a chocolate swirl of truth and lies, and must pick through an assortment of likely (and sometimes unsavory) suspects before it's too late for Penn and for those she loves. Another deeply entertaining and superbly crafted mystery from Dorothy St. James, In Cold Chocolate" is the third and latest entry in her 'A Southern Chocolate Shop Mystery" series and will prove to be an immediate and lastingly popular addition to community library Mystery/Suspense collections. It should be noted for the growing legions of Dorothy St. James fans that "In Cold Chocolate" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).

Read and Gone
Allison Brook
Crooked Lane Books
2 Park Avenue, 10th floor, New York, NY 10016
www.crookedlanebooks.com
9781683317340, $26.99, HC, 320pp, www.amazon.com

A devoted dad is as precious as diamonds, but Carrie Singleton wouldn't know since her dad Jim's been on the lam most of her life. In an unusual family reunion, she finds Jim breaking into her cottage in the middle of the night. The fun really starts when he begs her to help him recover his half of a twenty-million-dollar gem heist he pulled off with the local jeweler, Benton Parr. When she refuses, Jim takes off again. Carrie finds her father again behind bars for the recent murder of Benton Parr. Who made the connection? Unbeknownst to her, Carrie's boyfriend Dylan, an insurance investigator, has been searching for the gems. Determined to find the jewels herself, she starts examining every facet of Parr's life. She turns up a treasure trove of suspects, one of whom bashes her on the head as she's searching the victim's country cabin. Retreating to the quiet confines of the library where she works, Carrie watches as Smokey Joe, the resident cat, paws at a hole in the wall. Is he after the library's ghost Evelyn, or something shinier? Another superbly crafted novel by a master of the mystery and suspense genre, "Read and Gone" is the second title in the 'Haunted Library Mystery' series and will leave her readers looking eagerly towards the next riveting adventure from the pen of Allison Brooks. While unreservedly recommended for community library Mystery/Suspense collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Read and Gone" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $12.99) and as a complete and unabridged audio book (Blackstone Audio, 9781982539719, $29.95, MP3 CD).

Mrs. Jeffries and the Three Wise Women
Emily Brightwell
Berkley Prime Crime
c/o Penguin Group (USA)
375 Hudson Street, New York, NY 10014
www.penguin.com
9780399584220, $25.00, HC, 288pp, www.amazon.com

Christopher Gilhaney isn't a popular man, and he proves why once again when he insults every guest at Abigail Chase's Guy Fawkes Night dinner party. When Gilhaney is shot dead under the cover of the night's fireworks, his murder is deemed a robbery gone wrong. But when the case hasn't been solved six weeks later, Inspector Witherspoon is called upon to find the killer -- and quickly! With Christmas almost here, Inspector Witherspoon and everyone in his household is upset at the possibility of having to cancel their holiday plans -- all to solve a case that seems impossible. Only Luty Belle, Ruth, and Mrs. Goodge refuse to give up and let the crime become a cold case. In fact, the American heiress, the charming next-door neighbor, and the formidable cook use all of their persuasive powers to get the others on board, because these three wise women know justice doesn't take time off for Christmas. Another beautifully crafted title in author Emily Brightwell's 'A Victorian Mystery' series, "Mrs. Jeffries and the Three Wise Women" is an especially recommended addition to community library Mystery/Suspense collections. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of dedicated mystery buffs that "Mrs. Jeffries and the Three Wise Women" is also available in a paperback edition (978-0399584244, $16.00) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $12.99).

Titan Books
c/o Titan Publishing Group
http://titanbooks.com

There is no more enduringly popular fictional detective than the illustrious Sherlock Holmes. First brought to life by Sir Conan Doyle, this deductive crime solving genius comes back to life in two new volumes of his stories from Titan Books. "The Further Adventures of Sherlock Holmes - The Devil and the Four" (9781785657023, $14.95 PB, $6.15 Kindle, 352pp) by Sam Siciliano finds that Sherlock Holmes's latest case takes him to Paris in pursuit of Marguerite Hardy: a Frenchwoman who fled her London home in mysterious circumstances. Holmes discovers she left after receiving a mysterious letter, containing an obituary and the words "four for the devil". Holmes's investigations will take him and his cousin, Henry Vernier, into a world of seduction and betrayal -- and lead them to uncover a secret buried for over twenty years. "Sherlock Holmes vs. Cthulhu: The Adventure of the Neural Psychoses" (9781785652103, $14.95 PB, $7.55 Kindle, 400pp) by Lois H. Gresh finds that entities are leaking into the human realm and entering human minds. Two of the victims are Dr. Watson and leader of the cult, Prof. Henry Fitzgerald -- who seeks to use human sacrifice to open the door to the Old Ones. As violence erupts in London, Sherlock Holmes secludes himself in the Diogenes Club, developing an antidote to counter the neural psychoses. Then even as the infamous Professor Moriarty is using the drug to amass an army of addicts, Holmes discovers a link to a town in America called Innsmouth. Two new titles that are both 'must read' additions to the growing cannon of Sherlock Holmes adventures, ""The Further Adventures of Sherlock Holmes - The Devil and the Four" and "Sherlock Holmes vs. Cthulhu: The Adventure of the Neural Psychoses" will prove to be immediate and enduringly popular additions to community library Mystery/Suspense collections.


The Fantasy/SciFi Shelf

Pablo!
John Rechy
Arte Publico Press
University of Houston
4902 Gulf Freeway, Bldg 19, Rm 100, Houston, TX 77204-2004
www.artepublicopress.com
9781558858602, $17.95, PB, 180pp, www.amazon.com

In a jungle village an old man sees a strange girl who has collapsed in a field. Once a holy man, he is sure she is not an evil spirit. He carries her inside and puts her in a hammock, despite his wife's warning that the girl is the evil Xtabay, pretending to be lost and exhausted. The girl has fled her home in search of a mysterious boy who wandered into her village. She senses in him her own despair and loneliness: I loved him with the intensity of my soul and heart and body, and intends to follow him to the "great modern city" he was seeking. Using archetypal figures the man, the boy, the woman, John Rechy's novel "Pablo!" is steeped in indigenous myths and superstitions. Restless spirits roam the dark jungle howling for redemption amid the pyramids of their ancestors, witches predict doom and snakes stir ancient curses, like the disastrous loss of crops. Native religious rituals conflict dangerously with the Catholic religion. A deftly crafted, character driven, inherently engaging novel, this edition of "Pablo!" is unreservedly recommended for both community and academic library Contemporary Literary Fiction collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "Pablo!" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).

Sage Alexander and the Blood of Seth
Steve Copling
Brown Books Publishing Group
16250 Knoll Trail Drive, Suite 205, Dallas, TX 75248-2871
www.brownbooks.com
9781612549903, $18.99, HC, 504pp, www.amazon.com

For Sage Alexander, life was forever changed when he realized that the Angelic embodiments he could always see, the magnificent heavenly powers that he possessed, and the destiny he had always been told he had to fulfill were all real and true, and that his promised powers were necessary to defeat the Seven Princes of Hell. After saving his father from the clutches of Greed incarnate and destroying Prince Mammon, Sage has come to realize his place within the Angelic Council and the world as a protector to humanity, though the prospect is daunting. Sage has only just reunited his family back on earth, however, when Belphegor, the Prince of Sloth, takes Sage's little brother Nick out of revenge for the fall of Mammon. Sage must now venture forth yet again into that dark wasteland mortals call Hell, and retrieve what is his. Will he continue on his path to destroy the seven embodiments of sin, or will he be thwarted by Sloth, and leave humanity to evil's devices? Steve Copling's novel, "Sage Alexander and the Blood of Seth" is a deftly written fantasy saga that will become an immediate and enduringly popular addition to community library Science Fiction & Fantasy collections. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of dedicated fantasy fans that "Sage Alexander and the Blood of Seth" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $4.99).

Keepers
Brenda Cooper
Pyr
9781633884212, $18.00, www.pyrsf.com

Keepers is Book Two of the Project Earth series, and prior familiarity with Wilders will lend extra appreciation to this continuing story of two sisters, one from a big city and one from the wilderness, who find they must work together to bridge their relationship, lives, and the very different environments they are used to. Environmental issues, a puzzling secret, the fate of wolves and the efforts of the two to save both of their very different worlds makes for a riveting story that's multifaceted, complex, and hard to put down.


The Political Science Shelf

One Person, No Vote
Carol Anderson
Bloomsbury Press
175 Fifth Avenue, Suite 315, New York, NY 10010
www.bloomsbury.com
9781635571370, $27.00, HC, 288pp, www.amazon.com

In her book "White Rage", Carol Anderson (who is the Charles Howard Candler Professor and Chair of African American Studies at Emory University) laid bare an insidious history of policies that have systematically impeded black progress in America, from 1865 to our combustible present. Now in "One Person, No Vote: How Voter Suppression Is Destroying Our Democracy", she chronicles a related history: the rollbacks to African American participation in the vote since the 2013 Supreme Court decision that eviscerated the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Known as the Shelby ruling, this decision effectively allowed districts with a demonstrated history of racial discrimination to change voting requirements without approval from the Department of Justice. Focusing on the aftermath of Shelby, Anderson follows the astonishing story of government dictated racial discrimination unfolding before our very eyes as more and more states adopt voter suppression laws. In gripping, enlightening detail she explains how voter suppression works, from photo ID requirements to gerrymandering to poll closures. And with vivid characters, Professor Anderson deftly explores the resistance: the organizing, activism, and court battles to restore the basic right to vote to all Americans as the nation gears up for the 2018 midterm elections. A timely and erudite work of documented research and impeccable scholarship, "One Person, No Vote" is a critically important and invaluable contribution to our current national dialogue and an unreservedly recommended addition to community, college, and university library Contemporary Political Science and African American History collections. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of students, academia, political activists, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "One Person, No Vote" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).

Indefensible
Rohini Hensman
Haymarket Books
PO Box 180165, Chicago, IL 60618
www.haymarketbooks.org
9781608469116, $24.00, PB, 400pp, www.amazon.com

Rohini Hensman is a writer, independent scholar and activist working on workers' rights, feminism, minority rights and globalization. In the pages of "Indefensible: Democracy, Counterrevolution, and the Rhetoric of Anti-Imperialism" she offers an essential alternative to the ideology of those who claim to be anti-imperialists but oppose only Western imperialism and the despots it supports. Instead of ignoring or even supporting other imperialist nations like Russia and defending dictators such as Bashar al-Assad in Syria, Hensman takes on the question of how we got here, using important case studies of conflicts such as those in Russia, Syria, Iraq, Iran, Ukraine, and Bosnia. Indefensible powerfully argues for a genuine internationalism that supports mass struggles for freedom and democracy, no matter what regime they are fighting against, and suggests steps that can be taken to promote democracy, end the ongoing violence, and promote human rights. A seminal work of impeccable scholarship that is impressively informed and informative, "Indefensible" is enhanced for academia with the inclusion of an erudite Introduction, a list of Abbreviations, six pages of Notes, a two page listing of Acknowledgments; fifty-six pages of References; and a ten page Index. While unreservedly recommended for community, college, and university library Contemporary Political Science collections, it should be noted that "Indefensible" is also available for students, academia, and non-specialist general readers in a digital book format (Kindle, $14.16).

Out of the Wreckage
George Monbiot
Verso
20 Jay Street, 10th Floor, Brooklyn, NY 11201-8346
www.versobooks.com
9781786632883, $24.95, HC, 224pp, www.amazon.com

As exemplified by the political administration of Donald J. Trump, a dangerous ideology of extreme competition and individualism has come to dominate our world. But in "Out of the Wreckage: A New Politics for an Age of Crisis", George Monbiot (who writes a weekly column for the Guardian) maintains that this misrepresents human nature, destroying hope and common purpose. Only a positive vision can replace it, a new story that re-engages people in politics and lights a path to a better future. "Out of the Wreckage" shows how new findings in psychology, neuroscience and evolutionary biology cast human nature in a radically different light: as the supreme altruists and cooperators. Monbiot shows how we can build on these findings to create a new politics: a "politics of belonging". Both democracy and economic life can be radically reorganized from the bottom up, enabling us to take back control and overthrow the forces that have thwarted our ambitions for a better society. Urgent and passionate, "Out of the Wreckage" provides the hope and clarity required to change the world and is especially commended to the attention of anyone who finds the current political climate abjectly depressing. While very highly recommended for both community and academic library Contemporary Political Science collections, it should be noted for the personal reading lists of political science students, academia, political activists, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "Out of the Wreckage" is also available in a paperback edition (9781786632890, $16.95) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).

Enemies of the State
D.J. Mulloy
Rowman & Littlefield
9781442276512, $34.00, www.rowman.com

Enemies of the State: The Radical Right in America from FDR to Trump is essential reading for modern times because it considers the long-reaching history of the radical right in this country and various influences, movements, and actions that make Donald Trump's connections to them not 'unprecedented' but perhaps all too predictable. The radical right has long been an active force in this country and this history goes back to the Depression era to document its presence in America. No American history collection should be without this powerful survey of how America got to this point in time today.

Kompromat
Jeff Pegues
Prometheus Books
9781633884298, $24.00, www.prometheusbooks.com

Kompromat: How Russia Undermined American Democracy comes from a CBS News Justice and Homeland Security Correspondent who considers how Russia hacked into US databases, how the US election has been and is protected, and the impact of the events of 2016 on future election processes. It uses interviews from various officials and security experts to examine specifics of contacts between Russians and Trump representatives, it asks important questions about computer and network security, and it examines how voting systems can be protected both this year and in years to come. More importantly, it examines international espionage and influences with an eye to revealing a new battleground of digital warfare, considering how Russia became a powerful influencer and why it might do so again. Anyone interested in politics, security systems, and international relations needs to understand both events of the past and this book's contentions and documentation, making it especially recommended for political science holdings.


The Biography Shelf

Elisabeth Gilman: Crusader for Justice
Ross Jones
Secant Publishing
PO Box 79, Salisbury, MD 21803
9781944962456 $17.95 pbk
9781944962531 $24.95 hc

Elisabeth Gilman: Crusader for Justice is the biography of a truly remarkable and strong-willed woman. Elisabeth Gilman was a Maryland native, born into a life of privilege in the nineteenth century. In the twentieth, she transformed her resolve and her devotion to the Social Gospel into the will to campaign for social justice, including the rights of workers, women, and African- Americans. She joined the Socialist Party and was nominated as a candidate for governor of Maryland, United States senator, mayor of Baltimore, and sheriff of Baltimore. Even though she did not win any of these elections, she drove debate of the day's challenging issues, and even founded a forum for debate and discussion in Baltimore that brought celebrities to the city. Elisabeth Gilman: Crusader for Justice is a welcome addition to public and college library American Biography collections, highly recommended.

Someone Has Led This Child to Believe
Regina Louise
Bolden
c/o Agate Publishing
1328 Greenleaf Street, Evanston, IL 60202
www.agatepublishing.com
9781572842229, $16.00, PB, 248pp, www.amazon.com

After years of jumping from one fleeting, often abusive home to the next, Louise meets a counselor named Jeanne Kerr. For the first time in her young life, Louise knows what it means to be seen, wanted, understood, and loved. After Kerr tries unsuccessfully to adopt Louise, the two are ripped apart - seemingly forever - and Louise continues her passage through the cold cinder-block landscape of a broken system, enduring solitary confinement, overmedication, and the actions of adults who seem hell-bent on convincing her that she deserves nothing, that she is nothing. But instead of losing her will to thrive, Louise remains determined to achieve her dream of a higher education. After she ages out of the system, Louise is thrown into adulthood and, haunted by her trauma, struggles to finish school, build a career, and develop relationships. As she puts it, it felt impossible "to understand how to be in the world". Eventually, Louise learns how to confront her past and reflect on her traumas. She starts writing, quite literally, a new future for herself, a new way to be. Louise weaves together raw, sometimes fragmented memories, excerpts from real documents from her case file, and elegant reflections to tell the story of her painful upbringing and what came after. The result is a rich, engrossing account of one abandoned girl's efforts to find her place in the world, people to love, and people to love her back. "Someone Has Led This Child to Believe" is an unflinching, unforgettable memoir by Regina Louise in which she tells the true story of how she overcame neglect in the US foster-care system. Drawing on her experience as one of society's abandoned children, she tells how she emerged from the cruel, unjust system, not only to survive, but to flourish. While very strongly recommended for both community and academic library Contemporary American Biography collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Someone Has Led This Child to Believe" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).

A Chance in the World
Steve Pemberton
Nelson Books
c/o Thomas Nelson Publishers
PO Box 141000, Nashville, TN 37214
www.thomasnelson.com
9781595552631, $24.99, HC, 272pp, www.amazon.com

Taken from his mother at age three, Steve Klakowicz lives a terrifying existence. Caught in the clutches of a cruel foster family and subjected to constant abuse, Steve finds his only refuge in a box of books given to him by a kind stranger. In these books, he discovers new worlds he can only imagine and begins to hope that one day he might have a different life -- that one day he will find his true home. A fair-complexioned boy with blue eyes, a curly Afro, and a Polish last name, he is determined to unravel the mystery of his origins and find his birth family. Armed with just a single clue, Steve embarks on an extraordinary quest for his identity, only to learn that nothing is as it appears. "A Chance in the World" by Steve Pemberton is the unbelievably true story of a wounded and broken boy destined to become a man of resilience, determination, and vision. Through it all, Steve's story teaches us that no matter how broken our past, no matter how great our misfortunes, we have it in us to create a new beginning and to build a place where love awaits. Exceptionally well written and now the basis for a major motion picture, "A Chance in the World" is an extraordinary and ultimately inspiring story that is unreservedly recommended for community and academic library Contemporary American Biography collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "A Chance in the World" is also available in a paperback edition (9781404183551, $16.99) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $5.99).


The Woodworking Shelf

The Reclaimed Woodworker
Chris Gleason
Spring House Press
http://springhousepress.com
9781940611549, $24.95, PB, 168pp, www.amazon.com

"The Reclaimed Woodworker" by woodworking expert Chris Gleason provides inspiration and easy-to-follow, step-by-step instruction for beginning and intermediate woodworkers who want to make well-built, stylish furniture and furnishings from reclaimed lumber. Featuring 21 projects ranging from the ever-popular sliding barn door to modern desks to chairs with vintage charm, each project is designed to use upcycled materials without sacrificing style. They are modern and fresh, but based on tried and true craftsmanship and technique. Through the use of beautiful photographs, inspired designs, and accessible building instructions, "The Reclaimed Woodworker" is a comprehensive guidebook to sourcing recycled lumber and using it to build your own furniture and furnishings. Because there is more to finding and using recycled lumber than tearing apart old pallets, aspiring woodworkers will learn how to source environmentally conscious wood in unexpected places. Once known how to find them, these materials often provide a cost savings over traditionally-sourced lumber. "The Reclaimed Woodworker" is more than just another how-to book, it is also a celebration of the creativity in reclaiming lumber and discovering the possibilities for using it in your home. Thoroughly 'user friendly' in tone, commentary, illustrated instruction, organization and presentation, "The Reclaimed Woodworker" is unreservedly recommended for personal, professional, community, and technical college woodworking instructional reference collections.


The Crafts Shelf

Lettering Workshop for Crafters
Suzanne McNeill, editor
Design Originals
c/o Fox Chapel Publishing Company
1970 Broad Street N., East Petersburg, PA 17520
www.FoxChapelPublishing.com
9781497204058, $17.99, PB, 160pp, www.amazon.com

Compiled with constructive instruction by Suzanne McNeil (who is the author of more than 230 crafts and hobby books), "Lettering Workshop for Crafters" provides a valuable resource for anyone who wants to embellish crafts with beautiful letters, decorative word art, borders, and corners! This big lettering workbook covers a wide range of decorative lettering styles, from whimsical and modern to romantic and vintage. With 55 traceable alphabets, expert lettering tips, and interactive practice exercises, you will learn to create your own unique lettering for everything from art journals and scrapbooks to greeting cards, gift tags, invitations, and more. "Lettering Workshop for Crafters" shows how to add color, interest, and pizzaz to your any calligraphy project, whether writing a thank you note, designing a scrapbook page, finishing a school project, making a poster, or embellishing any new artwork! Thoroughly 'user friendly' in organization and presentation, "Lettering Workshop for Crafters" is unreservedly recommended for anyone of any age with an interest in acquiring the skill of attractive, artistic, and coherent lettering for any and all occasions!

Wire-Wrapped Jewelry Techniques
Lora S. Irish
Fox Chapel Publishing Company
1970 Broad Street N., East Petersburg, PA 17520
www.FoxChapelPublishing.com
9781565239555, $18.99, PB, 176pp, www.amazon.com

Lora S. Irish is an internationally known artist and author, whose acclaimed books include Great Book of Carving Patterns, Great Book of Celtic Patterns, Great Book of Dragon Patterns, Great Book of Tattoo Designs, The Official Vampire Artist's Handbook, Relief Carving Wood Spirits, World Wildlife Patterns for the Scroll Saw, and many more. With "Wire-Wrapped Jewelry Techniques: Tools and Inspiration for Creating Your Own Fashionable Jewelry" she draws upon her years of experience and expertise to teach amateur jewelry makers using wire-wrapped techniques how to: Add texture using tightly packed wire wrapped coils; Add a grunge look using random, loosely packed twists and turns; Add bead clusters anywhere on a bent wire link; Secure free-floating arms and anchor open hoops; Experiment with added coils and beaded wires; Create intricate woven patterns with wire; Create connecting loops to add side chains and earring hooks -- and a lot more! "Wire-Wrapped Jewelry Techniques" teaches 30 expert wire wrapping methods for jewelry wire, such as forming bent-wire links, working a wrapping pattern, wrapping sequential layers, embellishing decorative loops, adding coil elements, and much more. This comprehensive and thoroughly 'user friendly' instructional guide to wire wrap jewelry includes 8 step-by-step projects for stunning necklaces, pendants, hairpins, and earrings, making it an ideal and highly recommended addition to personal and community library do-it-yourself Jewelry Making instructional crafts collections.

Paper Crafts: A Maker's Guide
Victoria & Albert Museum
Thames & Hudson, Inc.
500 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10110-0017
www.thamesandhudsonusa.com
9780500294185, $29.95, PB, 176pp, www.amazon.com

Paper crafts are as old as paper itself, with a profusion of different traditions originating around the world. The latest volume in the Victoria & Albert Museum series 'Maker's Guides', "Paper Crafts" introduces a range of these fascinating traditions, offering paper projects inspired by a variety of diverse techniques, which are exemplified by objects from the Victoria & Albert Museum collection ranging from the classic Japanese art of origami to the gorgeously colorful and festive Polish "Wycinanki" folk decorations. "Paper Crafts" also features a practical guide to tools, techniques, and materials for the modern paper crafter. Step-by-step projects contributed by experienced teachers and practitioners allow aspiring and established paper artists to hone their craft. With projects ranging from braided paper-string jewelry to a concertina papercut peepshow, from a silhouette family portrait to a handmade paper notebook, "Paper Crafts" will introduce do-it-yourself crafting enthusiasts to the immensely exciting, creative, and entertaining possibilities of paper! Enhanced with more than 220 photographs and illustrations, "Paper Crafts" is thoroughly 'user friendly' in organization and presentation providing endless hours of recreational fun

Beautiful Beaded Jewelry for Beginners
Cheryl Owen
IMM Lifestyle Books
c/o Fox Chapel Publishing Company
1970 Broad Street N., East Petersburg, PA 17520
www.FoxChapelPublishing.com
9781504801072, $14.99, PB, 136pp, www.amazon.com

An ideal do-it-yourself instructional guide for novice jewelry makers, the contemporary collection of 25 designs comprising "Beautiful Beaded Jewelry for Beginners" by beaded jewelry expert Cheryl Owen clear shows how to, step-by-step, make stunning beaded jewelry with readily available beads and stones. An experienced craft designer, Cheryl shows just how easy it is to make fabulous necklaces, chokers, bracelets, cuffs, brooches, earrings, and rings that will compliment any ensemble. A techniques section at the start of this instructional guide works through all the basic methods anyone needs to learn before embarking on the projects. Perfect for beginners, each project is shown in full step-by-step detail, showing exactly what to do. The designs are simple and sophisticated, and suitable for both daytime and evening wear. Beautifully modeled pieces provide extra inspiration to complete these individual treasures. Thoroughly 'user friendly' in tone, commentary, organization and presentation, "Beautiful Beaded Jewelry for Beginners" is thoroughly and unreservedly recommended for personal and community library Crafts & Hobbies collections.

Complete Guide to Soap Carving
Janet Bolyard
Fox Chapel Publishing Company
1970 Broad Street N., East Petersburg, PA 17520
www.FoxChapelPublishing.com
9781565239210, $16.99, PB, 160pp, www.amazon.com

Janet Bolyard is a full time wood carver/sculptor. She owns and operates Janet Lee Carvings, LLC, and is a sales/instructor at WoodCraft in Chandler, Arizona. In "Complete Guide to Soap Carving: Tools, Techniques, and Tips (Fox Chapel Publishing) 26 Step-by-Step Projects & Comprehensive Guide, from Basic Methods for Beginners to Advanced Techniques for Artists" she draws upon her years of experience and expertise to provide everything anyone needs to know about carving soap, from basic carving methods for beginners to sophisticated techniques for accomplished artists. A beautifully and profusely illustrated, comprehensive, step-by-step, DIY guide, "Complete Guide to Soap Carving" also shows how to choose the best carving soap, and how to test soap for carving quality. Comprised of twenty-six individual projects that range from quick carvings to complex, elaborate soap sculptures, "Complete Guide to Soap Carving" is a fun, safe, and easy-to-learn craft for adults and children of all ages -- making it very highly recommended for both family and community library Crafts & Hobbies instructional reference collections.


The Beer Shelf

The Craft Beer Dictionary
Richard Croasdale
Michael Beazley
c/o Octopus Books
236 Park Avenue, New York NY 10017
www.octopusbooksusa.com
9781784723880, $20.00, HC, 256pp, www.amazon.com

Richard Croasdale is an award-winning journalist, editor-in-chief of Ferment craft beer magazine, and an all-round lover of anything cold and hoppy. A member of the Guild of Beer Writers, Richard has traveled the world in search of the best beers and brewers, experiencing the diversity of approaches and cultures that make craft beer so exciting. With "The Craft Beer Dictionary: An A-Z of Craft Beer, From Hop to Glass" he draws upon his many years of experience and expertise to showcase the craft beer revolution with an informatively in-depth guide to the many complex terms and techniques, equipment and varieties that go into creating the perfect beer. Hundreds of entries cover every aspect of the craft beer world, from ingredients, brewing and storing to tasting notes for the many different styles of beer available today. Profusely illustrated throughout, "The Craft Beer Dictionary" will prove to be an immediate and enduringly popular addition to personal, professional, and community library collections. It should be noted for dedicated amateur brewers that "The Craft Beer Dictionary" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).


The Education Shelf

Close Reading the Media
Frank W. Baker
Routledge
711 - 3rd Avenue, Floor 8, New York, NY 10017-9209
www.routledge.com
9781138216020, $34.95, PB, 162pp, www.amazon.com

"Close Reading the Media: Literacy Lessons and Activities for Every Month of the School Year" is a timely book written by media literacy expert Frank W. Baker who, as the subtitle declares, offers thematic lessons for every month of the school year specifically designed to teach middle school students to become savvy consumers of the TV, print, and online media that bombards them every day over radio, television, the internet and social media. Students will learn to think critically about photos, advertisements, and other media and consider the intended purposes and messages. The topics covered in "Close Reading the Media" include: Helping students detect fake news; Unraveling the messages in TV advertising; Looking at truth vs propaganda in political ads and debates; Revealing how big media influences the news we read; Understanding how pictures changed America during the Civil Rights Movement; Exploring the language of film and the symbols of costume design; Thinking about how media appeals to our emotions; Examining branding, product placement, and the role of celebrity; Reading and interpreting iconic news images; and so much more! Additionally, the "Close Reading the Media" featured lesson plans contain connections to key standards and step-by-step activities classroom teachers can use immediately. With this practical instructional guide, teachers will have all the tools and ideas they need to help today's students successfully navigate their media-filled world. While unreservedly recommended for school district, college, and university library Teacher Education collections, it should be noted for education students, teachers, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "Close Reading the Media" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $30.99).

Makerspaces in School
Lacy Brejcha
Prufrock Press
PO Box 8813, Waco, TX 76714-8813
www.prufrock.com
9781618217806, $21.95, PB, 192pp, www.amazon.com

Organized into an easy-to-follow, month-by-month plan for implementation, "Makerspaces in School: A Month-by-Month Schoolwide Model for Building Meaningful Makerspaces" by Lacy Brejcha (an elementary education teacher for over 15 years) provides field-tested and research-based knowledge that will serve educators as they create and maintain a meaningful Makerspace. Although science, technology, engineering, arts, and math have made huge gains in the past decade, STEAM jobs are not being filled at the rate they are being created or needed. Makerspaces in School promotes innovative thinking in students that fills this need. Through Makerspaces, project-based learning provides opportunities for credible, legitimate, and authentic growth and development. "Makerspaces in School" will allow any educator to walk away with a plan to create a Makerspace in his or her classroom or a school - or districtwide model that works for many. Makerspaces are very fluid places with each being unique in its own way! Thoroughly 'user friendly' in tone, commentary, organization and presentation, "Makerspaces in School" is unreservedly recommended for school district, college, and university library Teacher Education instructional reference collections and supplemental studies reading lists.

The School Leader's Guide to Building and Sustaining Math Success
Marian Small & Doug Duff
ASCD
1703 North Beauregard Street, Alexandria, VA 22311-1714
www.ascd.org
9781416626381, $28.95, PB, 176pp, www.amazon.com

How can K - 12 school leaders recognize and ensure that their school or district is supporting good math instruction? In "The School Leader's Guide to Building and Sustaining Math Success"
Marian Small (the former dean of education at the University of New Brunswick in Canada, writes and speaks about K - 12 math around the world) and Doug Duff (who is currently a Principal Instructional Leadership Coach with the Thames Valley District School Board in London, Ontario, Canada) provide the answer. Drawing on their vast experience working with administrators, Small and Duff provide a wealth of practical advice and helpful tools for improving math instruction. They collaboratively guide the reader through the initial steps of establishing a strong math culture, developing common tasks, and getting buy-in, and then offer specific suggestions for monitoring, supporting, and sustaining improvement. "The School Leader's Guide to Building and Sustaining Math Success" shows what sort of data to collect, what to look for in the classroom, what to listen for in conversations with teachers and students, and how to deal with reluctant staff or parents. With its real-world examples and insights, "The School Leader's Guide to Building and Sustaining Math Success" is essential reading for any principal or other school administrator who wants to bring about positive change and real growth in the teaching and learning of math in their school. As informative as it is inspiring, "The School Leader's Guide to Building and Sustaining Math Success" will prove a welcome and highly regarded addition to professional, school district, college, and university library Contemporary Education Issues collections and supplemental studies reading lists.

5 Steps to Healing Polarization in the Classroom
Amy Uelman & Michael Kessler
New City Press
202 Cardinal Road, Hyde Park, NY 12538
www.newcitypress.com
9781565486294, $7.95, PB, 64pp, www.amazon.com

The collaborative work of Amy Uelmen (who is a Lecturer at Georgetown Law School and a Research Fellow with the Berkley Center for Religion, Peace and World Affairs, and who from 2001 until July 2011 served as the founding Director of the Institute on Religion, Law & Lawyer's Work at Fordham University School of Law) and Michael Kessler (who is the Managing Director of the Berkley Center for Religion, Peace, and World Affairs at Georgetown University), "5 Steps to Healing Polarization in the Classroom: Insights and Examples" is 'real world' practical guide that will effectively helps teachers and students to foster a learning environment where even the most difficult and divisive issues can be discussed. "5 Steps to Healing Polarization in the Classroom" features examples that incorporate the voices and experiences of students. In a society that is increasingly polarized over political, religious, cultural, economic issues, "5 Steps to Healing Polarization in the Classroom" is essential reading for all classroom teachers from elementary school through university level student populations. While very highly and unreservedly recommended for school district, college, and university library Teacher Education collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "5 Steps to Healing Polarization in the Classroom" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $4.99).

Facilitating Evidence-Based Practice for Students with ASD
Christina R. Carnahan & K. Alisa Lowrey
Brookes Publishing Company
PO Box 10624, Baltimore, MD 21285-0624
www.brookespublishing.com
9781598579413, $34.95, PB, 144pp, www.amazon.com

Developed in collaboration with classroom teachers and administrators by Christina R. Carnahan, (Associate Professor of Special Education and Director of Advancement and Transition Services at the University of Cincinnati) and K. Alisa Lowrey (Associate Professor of Special Education within the Department of Curriculum, Instruction, and Special Education in the College of Education and Psychology at the University of Southern Mississippi), "Facilitating Evidence-Based Practice for Students with ASD: A Classroom Observation Tool for Building Quality Education" is essentially a Classroom Observation Tool for supporting school evaluation teams in implementing evidence-based practices for teaching students with ASD. After uncovering strengths and needs with the tool, educational leaders can use the practical guidelines and strategies in the book to strengthen instruction at the classroom, school, and district levels. Readers will also get critical background information on students with ASD, including their cognitive processes, the challenges they encounter in school, the fundamentals of intervention, and the key laws and regulations every school leader needs to know. With this informative tool and concise handbook, school leaders can make high-quality instruction the norm in every classroom by developing new ways to support the engagement and learning of all students with ASD. Exceptionally well organized and presented, "Facilitating Evidence-Based Practice for Students with ASD" is unreservedly recommended for school district, college, and university library Teacher Education collections in general, and Student ASD supplemental studies reading lists in particular.

On the Road to High-Quality Early Learning
Marjorie E. Wechsler, et. al.
Teachers College Press
www.tcpress.com
9780807759387 $29.95 pbk / $28.45 Kindle amazon.com

On the Road to High-Quality Early Learning: Changing Children's Lives is designed to help policymakers and educators design, implement, and improve their programs for teaching young children. A close study of how four states (Michigan, West Virginia, Washington, and North Carolina) have created early education systems with a positive effect reveals how quality preschool education can be effectively delivered through proven strategies. These strategies include investing in knowledgeable educators; coordinating and aligning early education programs with elementary school; building broad-based support; and much more. An index rounds out this exemplary "must-read" for professionals in the field, highly recommended especially for public and college library collections.

Focus, second edition
Mike Schmoker
ASCD
1703 North Beauregard Street, Alexandria, VA 22311-1714
www.ascd.org
9781416626343, $31.95, PB, 308pp, www.amazon.com

Now in a fully updated and expanded second edition, "Focus: Elevating the Essentials to Radically Improve Student Learning", by former teacher, administrator, and coach Mike Schmoker extends and updates the case that our schools could be on the cusp of swift, unparalleled improvements. But we are stymied by a systemwide failure to simplify and prioritize; we have yet to focus our limited time and energy on the most essential, widely acknowledged, evidence-based practices that could have more impact than all other initiatives combined. They are: simple, coherent curricula; straightforward, traditional literacy practices; and lessons built around just a few hugely effective elements of good teaching. As Schmoker demonstrates, the case for these practices and the need for them has grown prodigiously. A compendium of late-breaking discoveries and practical advice on how to simplify the implementation of new state standards in the subject areas; on the hidden pitfalls of our most popular, but unproven instructional fads and programs; and on simple, versatile strategies for building curriculum, planning lessons, and integrating literacy into every discipline, "Focus" supports all of these identified strategies and findings with exciting new 'real world' evidence drawn from actual schools. Exceptionally well organized and presented, "Focus" is unreservedly recommended for school district, college, and university library Education Issues and Teacher Education collections. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of classroom educators, administrators, academia, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "Focus" is also available in a digital book format (eTextbook, $17.04).

What Works May Hurt
Yong Zhao
Teachers College Press
1234 Amsterdam Avenue, New York, NY 10027
www.tcpress.com
9780807759059, $29.95, PB, 176pp, www.amazon.com

Yong Zhao is a Foundation Distinguished Professor in the School of Education at the University of Kansas and a professorial fellow at the Mitchell Institute for Health and Education Policy at Victoria University in Australia. He is a recipient of the Early Career Award from the American Educational Research Association and is an elected fellow of the International Academy for Education. In "What Works May Hurt: Side Effects in Education" Professor Zhao draws upon his years of research, experience and expertise in the area of educational reforms to: Provide evidence showing how popularly endorsed education strategies, policies, and systems can actually do harm to students; Encourage educators to consider some less-publicized or lower-effect strategies that may be necessary and applicable for some students and classrooms; Caution educators, policymakers, and parents to be more thoughtful when considering educational programs and weighing evidence; and calls for researchers to include possible downsides to strategies that they are testing and promoting in order to assist school leaders and practitioners in choosing and implementing educational interventions. The history of American education is a history of experiment, adaptation, and reforms -- some of which succeed but some of which (and all to often!) have failed to achieve what was expected. While very highly recommended for school district, college, and university Educational Issues & Teacher Education collections, it should be noted for education students, school administrators, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "What Works May Hurt: Side Effects in Education" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $28.45).

Inquiry-Based Early Learning Environments
Susan Stacey
Redleaf Press
10 Yorkton Court, St. Paul, MN 55117-1065
www.redleafpress.org
9781605545813, $36.95 PB, $35.10 Kindle, 176pp, www.amazon.com

From the time of their birth, children want to know how the world works and actively seek out information. How educators respond to their questions is what "Inquiry-Based Early Learning Environments: Creating, Supporting, and Collaborating" by Susan Stacey (who has worked in the field of early childhood education for over thirty-five years as an early childhood educator, director, practicum advisor, and instructor, in both Canada and the United States) is all about. "Inquiry-Based Early Learning Environments" provides an in-depth look at children's innate predilection for inquiry. What does inquiry look like in early childhood settings? How does the environment affect children's inquiries and teachers' thought processes? "Inquiry-Based Early Learning Environments" examines inquiry in all its facets, including environments that support relationships, that create a culture of risk-taking in our thinking, that support teachers as well as children, that include families, that use documentation as a way of thinking about our work, and of course, the physical environment and all the objects and spaces within it. Throughout, stories about environments and approaches to inquiry from around the world are included as examples. Impressively organized and presented, "Inquiry-Based Early Learning Environments" is enhanced with the inclusion of 70 full color photographs and 'real world examples' making it an ideal and highly recommended addition to school district, college, and university library Teacher Education collections in general and elementary school classroom teacher supplemental studies curriculum lists in particular.

Place-Based Community Engagement in Higher Education
Erica K. Yamamura & Kent Koth
Stylus Publishing, Inc.
22883 Quicksilver Drive, Sterling, VA 20166-2012
www.styluspub.com
9781620366769, $95.00, HC, 176pp, www.amazon.com

While an increasing number of universities have or are committed to engaging their campuses in their surrounding communities, many recognize they lack the strategic focus and resources to maximize and sustain their impact on those communities. Place-based community engagement provides a powerful way to creatively connect campus and community to foster positive social transformation. The collaborative work of Erica K. Yamamura (who is an Associate Professor and the Master's Degree Coordinator in the Student Development Administration Program in the College of Education at Seattle University) and Kent Koth (who is the Executive Director of the Center for Community Engagement at Seattle University), "Place-Based Community Engagement in Higher Education: A Strategy to Transform Universities and Communities" presents the emerging model of place-based community engagement as a powerful process for attaining more positive and enduring results in their local communities as well as stimulating wider engagement by campus constituencies. Drawing upon the concept of collective impact and using data-driven decision making, place-based initiatives build long-term partnerships based upon a shared vision. Done thoughtfully, these place-based initiatives have attained impressive results. Featuring the case studies of five institutions that have implemented place-based community engagement initiatives, "Place-Based Community Engagement in Higher Education" provide guidance on the opportunities, challenges, and considerations involved in putting a place-based approach into effect. Exceptionally well organized and presented, "Place-Based Community Engagement in Higher Education" is a significant, insightful, and thought-provoking study that is an especially recommended addition to college and university library Contemporary Issues in Education collections and supplemental studies reading lists. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of educators, administrators, students, academia, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "Place-Based Community Engagement in Higher Education" is also available in a paperback edition ( 9781620366776, $35.00) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $27.99).

Puzzle Piece Phonics series
Carolyn Banuelos, Danielle James, Elise Lund
Corwin
$TBA www.corwin.com

The 'Puzzle Piece Phonics' set of books from Corwin provide education libraries with in-depth, detailed piece-by-piece approaches to phonics which were developed by three teachers to provide daily lessons for kindergartners through second grade. The main overview teaching manual for kindergarten, Puzzle Piece Phonics: The Puzzle Pieces (9781506364674) outlines daily lessons and puzzle piece wall displays for engaging students with phonics. Ten phonics concepts, a weekly preparation section, daily lessons and supportive resources accompany some 100 puzzle pieces on card stock which can be cut out and used in a learning chart. The Teacher's Guide (9781506364513) offers teachers support in the form of a spiral-bound workbook that benefits from lay-flat presentation and discussions of specific instructional approaches, while the Learner's Notebook (9781506364810) is packed with reproducibles geared to different weeks and concepts, also presented in a lay-flat spiral bound format for easy use. From spelling checks to basic letter formation and weekly sorts, these cover all educational pursuits teachers will need to create an effective kindergarten phonics course. The volume Puzzle Piece Phonics: The Puzzle Pieces for second grade (9781506364766) offers the same approach but for more advanced young phonics users, surveying eight phonics concepts that cover 36 weeks of instruction. From how teachers can assess progress to suggestions for using the 160 puzzle pieces presented on card stock herein, this is an outstanding approach. The Teacher's Guide (9781506364612) is designed to be used as a companion to the Student Resource Kit and provides further discussion and resources for helping students develop foundation skills. It and the accompanying Learner's Notebook (9781506364919) group concepts, weeks, and themes to encourage students to apply the phonics lessons in meaningful ways. These books are also lay-flat designs, as is the Fluency Notebook (9781544319391), which breaks down concepts of narrative style into different weeks and helps second-graders apply fluent reading processes to the phonics lessons they've absorbed. The result is a course that will prove invaluable for any educator looking to apply phonics lessons to better classroom literary skills: an essential and key reference to a better approach than the usual phonics labs offer.


The Needlecraft Shelf

Kaffe Fassett's Quilts in America
Kaffe Fassett
The Taunton Press
63 South Main Street, Newtown, CT 06470
www.taunton.com
9781631869617, $29.95, PB, 168pp, www.amazon.com

To celebrate the 20th anniversary of his highly successful series of patchwork and quilting books, Kaffe Fassett has returned to his American roots. Using the collection of American vintage quilts in Britain's American Museum in Bath as his inspiration, Kaffe has chosen 18 different quilts as the basis for his 20 new designs showcased in the pages of "Kaffe Fassett's Quilts in America: Designs Inspired by Vintage Quilts from the American Museum in Britain", a beautifully illustrated volume for quilting enthusiasts that features designs drawn from both his latest fabrics and his much-loved classics consisting mostly from the Kaffe Fassett Collective but also his latest collection of Artisan fabrics. Of special note is an introductory section, featuring the original quilts that inspired Kaffe, and which tells the reader something about their provenance. Further more all the new designs demonstrate Kaffe's vivid and unique color combinations, giving new meaning to familiar block patterns such as Tumbling Blocks, Starbursts, and Log Cabins. Very highly recommended for personal and community library Needlecraft instructional reference collections, each individual pattern contains full step-by-step piecing instructions and detailed diagrams!

A Prairie Journey
Kathleen Tracy
Martingale & Company
9781904689365, $25.99, www.shopmartingale.com

A Prairie Journey: Small Quilts That Celebrate the Pioneer Spirit features 13 small quilts inspired by antique-style blocks and modern reproduction fabrics designed to mimic those of the past. From producing Wagon Wheels and Crossing the Prairie to working with scraps and making squares in blocks, this flavors its pioneer journey with vintage photos throughout to enhance and reinforce the idea of the pioneer spirit in quiltmaking efforts.


The Gardening Shelf

Miniature Japanese Gardens
Kenji Kobayashi
Tuttle Publishing
364 Innovation Drive, North Clarendon, VT 05759-9436
www.tuttlepublishing.com
9784805314821, $19.99, HC, 112pp, www.amazon.com

"Miniature Japanese Gardens: Beautiful Bonsai Landscape Gardens for Your Home" by miniature gardening expert Kenji Kobayashi shows the aspiring gardener how to create simple Japanese-style container gardens using inexpensive plants and materials that are easily available everywhere. A detailed plan of each showcased miniature garden provides a basic template, along with information about plant types and containers. The container itself can be an old pot, ceramic bowl, or just about anything you might have lying around. Such "found" objects lend themselves to the Japanese art concept of wabi-sabi -- the beauty of imperfection. Add rocks and other elements to produce mini Zen gardens that enhance any interior space. "Miniature Japanese Gardens" contains step-by-step instructions and photos of over 40 different projects, including: Kokedama (moss ball); A miniature bamboo grove; A variety of bonsai trees; and many more! "Miniature Japanese Gardens" is enhanced with full color photos of the Japanese landscape and will have a very special appeal to gardeners, Zen students, and small space enthusiasts alike. While very highly recommended for both community and academic library Contemporary Gardening instructional reference collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Miniature Japanese Gardens" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $18.99).


The Literary Studies Shelf

On Reading Well
Karen Swallow Prior
Brazos Press
c/o Baker Publishing Group
6030 East Fulton, Ada, MI 49301
www.bakerpublishinggroup.com
9781587433962, $19.99, HC, 272pp, www.amazon.com

In "On Reading Well: Finding the Good Life through Great Books", Karen Swallow Prior (Professor of English, Liberty University) takes her readers on a guided tour through works of great literature both ancient and modern, exploring twelve virtues that philosophers and theologians throughout history have identified as most essential for good character and the good life. In reintroducing ancient virtues that are as relevant and essential today as ever, Professor Prior draws on the best classical and Christian thinkers, including Aristotle, Aquinas, and Augustine. Covering authors ranging from Henry Fielding to Cormac McCarthy, Jane Austen to George Saunders, and Flannery O'Connor to F. Scott Fitzgerald, Professor Prior explores some of the most compelling universal themes found in the pages of classic books, helping readers learn to love life, literature, and God through their encounters with great writing. In examining works by these authors and more, Professor Prior shows why virtues such as prudence, temperance, humility, and patience are still necessary for human flourishing and civil society. "On Reading Well" also includes end-of-chapter reflection questions geared toward book club discussions, features original artwork throughout, and includes an informative foreword from Leland Ryken. An inherently thoughtful and thought-provoking read throughout, "On Reading Well" is unreservedly recommended for community, college, and university library Contemporary Literary Studies collections. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of students, academia, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "On Reading Well" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).

The Age of Dimes and Pulps
Jeremy Agnew
McFarland & Company
PO Box 611, Jefferson NC 28640
https://mcfarlandbooks.com
9781476669489, $39.95, PB, 242pp, www.amazon.com

From the dime novels of the Civil War era to the pulp magazines of the early 20th century to modern paperbacks, lurid fiction has provided thrilling escapism for the masses. Cranking out formulaic stories of melodrama, crime and mild erotica (often by uncredited authors focused more on volume than quality)_publishers realized high profits playing to low tastes. Estimates put pulp magazine circulation in the 1930s at 30 million monthly. This vast body of "disposable literature" has received little critical attention, in large part because much of it has been lost -- the cheaply made books were either discarded after reading or soon disintegrated. Covering the history of pulp literature from 1850 through 1960, "The Age of Dimes and Pulps: A History of Sensationalist Literature, 1830 1960" by Jeremy Agnew deftly describes how sensational tales filled a public need and flowered during the evolving social conditions of the Industrial Revolution. With occasional B/W images drawn from the pulps, and highly recommended for both community and academic library American Literary Studies collections, it should be noted for the personal reading lists of students, academia, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "The Age of Dimes and Pulps" is also available in a digital book format (eTextbook, $19.99).

Meg, Jo, Beth, Amy
Anne Boyd Rioux
W.W. Norton & Company
9780393254730, $27.95, www.norton.com

Meg, Jo, Beth, Amy: The Story of Little Women and Why It Still matters arrives on the cusp of the 150th anniversary of Alcott's novel, and examines how the story was created. In 1867, Louisa May Alcott was asked to write a book for girls: an odd request for one who'd always wished she was a boy, and who never liked or knew any girls aside from her siblings. Because her only experience was with her sisters, Alcott chose to write about four March sisters; and the rest is history. This survey of the Alcott family's parallels to her book lays the groundwork for better understanding Louisa's influences, relationships with her siblings, and how these translated into a book that became a literary icon. Any reader of Little Women who would betters understand its roots in reality will relish this lively story of the Alcott clan.


The Gaming Shelf

Master of Bridge Psychology
Jeppe Juhl with Peter Fredin
Master Point Press
www.masterpointpress.com
9781771400466 $21.95 amazon.com

Master of Bridge Psychology: Inside the Remarkable Mind of Peter Fredin is a bridge biography of Peter Fredin of Sweden, a masterful competitive bridge player who won the 2009 European Pairs and earned multiple medals in world events. Danish journalist Jeppe Juhl, a close personal friend of Peter Fredin, showcases highlights of Fredin's bridge playing, including both best and worst moments with commentary, analysis, and a wealth of bridge diagrams. Although Master of Bridge Psychology is not expressly a "how-to" bridge guide, it's highly recommended especially to connoisseurs of the game looking to take their skill to the next level!

The Kaizen of Poker
Sheree Bykofsky
ECW Press
2120 Queen Street East, Suite 200, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, M4E 1E2
www.ecwpress.com
9781770411944, $19.95, PB, 320pp, www.amazon.com

The game of poker, in all it's variations, continues to be wildly popular, attracting new players in the hundreds every day. Kaizen is a Japanese term that means continuous improvement. In "The Kaizen of Poker: How to Continuously Improve Your Hold'em Game", literary agent, author, and avid poker player Sheree Bykofsky will help any dedicated poker player achieve the next level their poker game -- and to the level after that! By learning how to identify and focus on the skills and strategies needed to improve most, players will find themselves raking in more pots and leaving the game a winner far more often. "The Kaizen of Poker" deals with such issues as: Playing too many hands; Bluffing too little or ineffectively; Not knowing how to read the other players' strategies and cards. Of special note is the "Morning After Challenge". Players can even start outplaying the opponents they want to emulate! Exceptionally well written and thoroughly 'user friendly' in organization and presentation, "The Kaizen of Poker" is unreservedly recommended for personal, professional, community, and academic library Poker instructional reference collections. It should be noted that "The Kaizen of Poker" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $13.99).


The Self-Help Shelf

The Perfection Detox
Petra Kolber
Lifelong Books
c/o Hachette Book Group
53 State Street, 9th Floor, Boston, MA 02109
www.perseusbooksgroup.com
9780738234854, $17.99, PB, 256pp, www.amazon.com

It is all too common today for adults to be tired, stressed, and simply overwhelmed with what goes on in the world today and their struggle to try and achieve their definition of the perfect life, the perfect family, the perfect career. Health and wellness expert Petra Kolber knows this intimately. As a dancer and fitness professional, she has herself experienced the ultimately dissatisfying quest for perfection. Her Perfection Detox program helps women to overcome the unhealthy, unproductive demands we place on ourselves -- and others. Based on her popular workshops, Kolber's strategies help women to recognize and constructively root out the perfectionistic impulse to be critical of self or others and to harness the power of our own internal resources, willpower, and habits. With simple steps and strategies such as adjusting our internal monologues, cleaning up our vocabularies to include more positive language, becoming a passionist rather than a perfectionist, and more, "The Perfection Detox" is an essential and highly recommended guide to living a healthy, full, authentic life. Thoroughly real world practical and thoroughly 'user friendly' in content, "The Perfection Detox" is certain to be an immediately and enduringly popular addition to community and academic library Self-Help/Self- Improvement instructional reference collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "The Perfection Detox" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $11.99).


The Cookbook Shelf

The Ultimate Grain-Free Cookbook
Annabelle Lee
Skyhorse Publishing, Inc.
307 West 36th Street, 11th Floor, New York, NY 10018
www.skyhorsepublishing.com
9781510729490, $24.99, HC, 320pp, www.amazon.com

What will be especially appreciated by those who must avoid sugar and starch in their diets, "The Ultimate Grain-Free Cookbook" is a beautifully illustrated culinary compendium of delicious dishes created by Annabelle Lee in her California kitchen. Beyond paleo and gluten-free, these are palate-pleasing, appetite satisfying dishes that are quick, easy, and delectable from recipes that combine fat-burning and nutritious ingredients to create both sweet and savory dishes, while maintaining traditional tastes and textures. The thoroughly kitchen cook friendly recipes range from a Blender BBQ Sauce; Carrot Yam Soup; Apple Spice Muffins, and Masa Flour Tortillas; to Gnocchi with Brussels & Squash; German Chocolate Cake with Coconut Pecan Frosting; No- Sugar Cookies; and a Sweet Chrry Pie. Of special note is the two page listing of Ingredient and Kitchen Resources; a two page Bibliography; a one page author biography (About This California Country Gal); a Conversion Chart; and a six page Index. Simply stated, "The Ultimate Grain-Free Cookbook" is certain to be an immediate and enduringly popular addition to personal, family, professional, and community library Sugar Free/Starch Free cookbook collections! It should be noted that "The Ultimate Grain-Free Cookbook" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $14.49).

Asian Cuisines
Karen Christensen, editor
Berkshire Publishing Group
122 Castle Street, Great Barrington, MA 01230-1506
www.berkshirepublishing.com
9781614720300, $39.95, PB, 170pp, www.amazon.com

Asian Cuisines: Food Culture and History of Asia from Japan and China to Afghanistan and Turkey is a compilation of expert-written articles on national and regional cuisines as well as agriculture, important foodstuffs, and social and economic issues throughout the world's largest and most diverse continent. Compiled and edited by Karen Christensen, "Asian Cuisines" is far more than just another cookbook. It is a professional quality guide tour through specific Asian cuisines ranging from China, Mongolia, Japan, Korea, India, Laos, and Thailand, to Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Afghanistan, Iraq, Iran, and Turkey. Of special note is the section devoted to the subject of Foodstuffs including: Rice and Rice Agriculture; Tofu; Tea - East Asia; Tea - South Asia; Spice Trade. Featuring a culinary wealth of authentic ethnic recipes adapted for American kitchens, "Asian Cuisines" also includes a listing of the contributors and their credentials, a sixteen page Glossary, and a four page Index. Impressively informative, a pleasure to plan menus with, and thoroughly 'kitchen cook friendly' in organization and presentation, "Asian Cuisines" is very highly recommended for personal, family, professional, and community library Ethnic Cookbook collections.

Eat at Home Tonight
Tiffany King
WaterBrook Press
c/o Waterbrook Multnomah Publishing Group
10807 New Allegiance Drive, Suite 500, Colorado Springs, CO 80921
http://waterbrookmultnomah.com
9780735291232, $22.00, PB, 224pp, www.amazon.com

Tiffany King has cooked more than ten thousand meals for her husband and four kids. Over the years, Tiffany has learned what works and what doesn't for getting dinner on the table fast. Her recipes have been developed in a real kitchen for her busy family and tested by the millions of readers of her website, Eat at Home. In "Eat at Home Tonight" she draws upon her years of culinary experience and expertise to showcase 101 family recipes that are simple, palate pleasing, appetite satisfying utilizing such common kitchen tools as a slow cooker, a sheet pan, and the usual pots and bowls. The recipes themselves range from 5-Minute Pesto-Rubbed Chicken; Sea Salt Pork Chops and Potatoes with Gravy; Beanless Firehouse Chili; and Chili Waffle Fry Nachos; to Tomato Goat Cheese Quiche; Little Black Dress Roasted Vegetables; and Cherry Vanilla ice Cream. Beautifully illustrated in full color photography, "Eat at Home Tonight" is very highly recommended for personal, family, and community library contemporary cookbook collections.

Gunpowder
Harneet Baweja, Devina Seth, and Nirmal Save
Kyle Books
9781909487864, $29.95, www.octopusbooksusa.com

Gunpowder: Explosive Flavors from Modern India comes from a husband-and-wife restaurant team and a chef who have gathered family gems and translated them to Gunpowder, a London home-style Indian kitchen and, now, a cookbook of the same name. The gunpowder spice mix is a classic, and this collection makes the most of it, pairing lovely photos with regional cuisine and innovations hard to find elsewhere, such as Malvani Sukka Chicken from a coastal area in Konkan; Tawa Kalimirch Chicken which pairs a traditional marinated chicken with an avocado dip that includes mango, ginger, and slices; or a Mint and Apple Lassi, which imparts an English twist on a traditional Indian drink. The full-page color photos add visual embellishment to a modern Indian cookbook which combines regional attention with modern innovations.


The American History Shelf

Women and the American Labor Movement
Philip S. Foner
Haymarket Books
PO Box 180165, Chicago, IL 60618
www.haymarketbooks.org
9781608469215, $25.00, PB, 632pp, www.amazon.com

Now in a reprint edition of a groundbreaking history, "Women and the American Labor Movement" by the late historian Philip S. Foner (1910 - 1994) deftly traces American women's struggle for freedom, equality and unity in the labor movement as it follows the triumphs and set backs of this fight from the early Colonial labor associations to the late twentieth century. "Women and the American Labor Movement" gives an articulated voice to the women who had to battle on the shop floor and in the union movement for dignity and respect and who through courage and tenacity won significant victories in struggle for equal rights. Impressively comprehensive, exceptionally informative, and an essential contribution of enduring value to both community and academic library 20th Century Women's History, 20th Century American History, and 20th Century Labor History collections and supplemental studies lists.

American Prisoner of War Camps in Arizona and Nevada
Kathy Kirkpatrick
Arcadia Publishing
420 Wando Park Blvd., Mount Pleasant, SC 29464
www.arcadiapublishing.com
9781634990530 $22.99 amazon.com

Part of the "America Through Time" series and featuring a wealth of historical black-and-white and some full-color photography, American Prisoner of War Camps in Arizona and Nevada is a window through time, revealing how the large prisoner of war camps affected the lives of people in Arizona and Nevada during World War II. Chapters present an overview of daily life in the camps, including care, employment, and even educational classes; they also tell of deaths and burials that occurred in the camps, and occasional escapes (which nearly always resulted in recapture). Thoroughly accessible to readers of all backgrounds, American Prisoner of War Camps in Arizona and Nevada is fascinating from cover to cover, and highly recommended especially for public library American History collections.

Virginia in the War of 1812
Christopher M. Bonin
McFarland & Company
PO Box 611, Jefferson NC 28640
https://mcfarlandbooks.com
9781476671086, $35.00, PB, 185pp, www.amazon.com

The state of Virginia saw significant military action during the War of 1812, ranging from the Chesapeake-Leopard Affair to the defense of Norfolk against British invaders. Many Virginians supported the struggle for independence from Great Britain while others vehemently opposed what they described as "Mr. Madison's War." A largely forgotten conflict, the war played an important role in the history of the United States. While comprehensive histories of the war are few, there is a positive lack of state-focused studies. Drawing on extensive primary and secondary sources, "Virginia in the War of 1812" by historian Christopher M. Bonin provides an in-depth portrait of the "Old Dominion" at war in the early years of the nation's history. Enhanced for academia with the inclusion of thirteen pages of Chapter Notes; a five page Bibliography, and a four page Index, "Virginia in the War of 1812" is an especially recommended addition to community and academic library 19th Century American History collections in general, and War of 1812 supplemental studies reading lists in particular. It should be noted for students, academia, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "Virginia in the War of 1812" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $18.99).

Pacing Dakota
Thomas D. Isern
North Dakota State University Press
https://ndsupress.org
9781946163066 $29.95 amazon.com

Pacing Dakota is an anthology of essays contemplating the history and culture of the Great Plains of North America. Historian Thomas Isern shares his ruminations on prairie churches, forgotten artifacts, and little-known stories connected to the land and the generations who have called it home. "The eradication of wild buffalo from the Great Plains was symbolic of something larger: the killing off of most all large wild animals that happened with settlement of the prairies by farmers and ranchers. The large herbivores were killed off for eating; the large predators were killed off because they were incompatible with livestock husbandry." A handful of black-and-white photographs and an index enhance this unique blend of historical scholarship, outdoors enthusiasm, culinary appreciation, cherished memories, and more. Pacing Dakota is highly recommended for both public library collections and personal reading lists.

Through Their Eyes
Michael Koskey, Laurel Tyrrell, and Varpu Lotvonen
University of Alaska Press
PO Box 756240, Fairbanks, AK 99775-6240
9781602233577 $19.95 www.alaska.edu/uapress

Through Their Eyes: A Community History of Eagle, Circle, and Central is a history of three small towns - Eagle, Circle, and Central - in the cold, sparsely populated central-eastern interior of Alaska. These communities can trace their origins to not only the gold rushes of Alaskan history, but also the traditional territories of the Han Hwech'in, the Gwichyaa Gwich'in, and the Denduu Gwich'in Dena (Athabascan) peoples. Drawing upon oral narratives and archival research, Through Their Eyes offers a rich portrayal of rural Alaskan life, featuring stories directly from the people who called these towns home. A list of references cited and an index rounds out this welcome contribution to public and college library American History shelves, as well as personal reading lists.

A Bicentennial Commemorative of the Prairie State
David W. Scott, editor
Southern Illinois University Press
1915 University Press Drive, SIUC Mail Code 6806, Carbondale, IL 62901
www.siupress.com
9780809336883 $29.50 amazon.com

A Bicentennial Commemorative of the Prairie State: Readings from the Journal of the Illinois State Historical Society is an anthology of articles selected from the "Journal of the Illinois State Historical Society's scholarly archives, which span 110 years of history. More than thirty selected articles offer insight into the complex history of Illinois, from a variety of perspective. Individual writings include "Journalism in Illinois before the Thirties", "Cracker Barrel Days in Old Illinois Stores", "Illinois Soldiers and the Emancipation Proclamation", "The Sanitation Revolution in Illinois, 1870-1900" and much more. Edifying and enlightening, A Bicentennial Commemorative of the Prairie State is a welcome contribution to public and college library American History collections, highly recommended.

The Revenger
Aaron Woodard
TwoDot
9781493033928, $16.95, www.globepequot.com

The Revenger: The Life and Times of Wild Bill Hickok considers Wild Bill's life, but does so in such a manner that 19th century American history and culture come to life. Wild Bill's actions and his times were affected by the Civil War's history and events, and this blends into an overall survey of his early jobs in law enforcement, media's role in turning his exploits into the tales of a national celebrity, and the changing nature of history and perceptions of lawmen in the West. Archival photos of Wild Bill and his contemporaries round out a lively survey not to be missed by any American history reader looking for a different approach that moves beyond biography and links the man's exploits to historical changes.

Five for Freedom
Eugene L. Meyer
Laurence Hill
c/o Chicago Review Press
9781613735718, $26.99, www.chicagoreviewpress.com

Five for Freedom: The African American Soldiers in John Brown's Army documents the true story of five black men who stood alongside John Brown's army in 1859, willing to die during Brown's attempt to incite a slave insurrection in Harpers Ferry. While many know of Brown's actions as the cause of the Civil War's opening salvo, this book rectifies a glaring omission, focusing on those who stood with John against all odds; but who have largely been forgotten by history. Having an entire book on the subject means that close inspection is possible, and this documentation of each man's life and achievements expands the knowledge of John Brown's army members and how their deaths affected generations to come. Vintage black and white photos and illustrations throughout enhance a well-researched, involving study recommended for civil rights, American history, and minority history holdings alike.


The World History Shelf

Ancient Antioch
Andrea U. De Giorgi
Cambridge University Press
One Liberty Plaza, Fl. 20, New York, NY 10006
www.cambridge.org
9781107130739, $105.00, HC, 238pp, www.amazon.com

From late fourth century BC, the Seleucid enclave as they capital of the Roman east. Antioch on the Orontes was one of the greatest cities of antiquity and served as a hinge between east and west. In "Ancient Antioch: From the Seleucid Era to the Islamic Conquest". field archaeologist Andrea U. De Giorgi (who is also an Assistant Professor, Classics Department, Florida State University) draws on a century of archaeological fieldwork to offer a new narrative of Antioch's origins and growth, as well as its resilience, civic pride, and economic opportunism. Situating the urban nucleus in the context of the rural landscape, "Ancient Antioch" integrates hitherto divorced cultural basins, including the Amuq Valley and the Massif Calcaire. "Ancient Antioch" also brings into focus the archaeological data, thus proposing a concrete interpretative framework that, grounded in the monuments of Antioch, enables the reader to move beyond text-based reconstructions of the city's history. Finally, "Ancient Antioch" considers the interaction between the environment and the people of the city who shaped this region and forged a distinct identity within the broader Greco-Roman world. Enhanced with the inclusion of figures, maps, a list of abbreviations, eighteen pages of Notes, a sixteen page Bibliography, and a nine page Index, "Ancient Antioch" is a unique and unreservedly recommended addition to college and university library World History collections in general, and Antioch supplemental studies reading lists in particular. It should be noted for students, academia, and non-specialist general readers that "Ancient Antioch" is also available in a paperback edition (9781107576711, $32.99) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $15.90).

This Fleeting World
David Christian
Berkshire Publishing Group
122 Castle Street, Great Barrington, MA 01230-1506
www.berkshirepublishing.com
9781933782041, $19.95, PB, 120pp, www.amazon.com

"This Fleeting World: A Short History of Humanity" by David Christian (who is Professor of World History at Macquarie University in Sydney, Australia) takes his readers on an informative and fascinating the journey through human history from the first Homo sapiens down to mankind as the dominant species on the Earth today. Professor Christian begins the story of mankind from the Big Bang to the earliest foraging era to the present Anthropocene epoch. This newly revised and expanded fifth edition includes material on what Professor Christian aptly calls "big history". A compact, easy-to-read overview of world history, "This Fleeting World" is an ideal textbook for highschool and college curriculums and very highly recommended for both community and academic library World History collections. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of students, history buffs, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "This Fleeting World" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.95).

Antiquities of Rural Ireland
Muiris O Suilleabhain, author
Liam Downey, author
Dara Downey, author
Wordwell Books
c/o Dufour Editions, Inc.
PO Box 7, 124 Byers Road, Chester Springs, PA 19425-0007
www.dufoureditions.com
9780993351891, $50.00, HC, 420pp, www.amazon.com

An informative compilation assembled to specifically shed light on Ireland's agricultural and rural past, "Antiquities of Rural Ireland" does not pretend to be systematically comprehensive, but will prove to be interesting and eye-opening for both academia and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject. The articles assemble reasonably up-to-date information about the various archaeological traces, supported by images, a summary of diagnostic features, and a list of publications where additional information may be sourced. Profusely illustrated throughout, "Antiquities of Rural Ireland" is organized and presented eight distinctively thematic sections: Agriculture; Food Processing; Settlement; Getting Around; Local Enterprises; Coastal Features; Ritual and Ceremony. Enhanced with the inclusion of a six page Table of Monuments; and a nine page Index of Sites, "Antiquities of Rural Ireland" is an impressively informative and thoroughly 'reader friendly' study that is unreservedly recommended for both community and academic library Irish History collections and supplemental studies reading lists.


The Civil War Shelf

Union Soldiers in the American Civil War
Lance J. Herdegen
Savas Beatie
PO Box 4527, El Dorado Hills, CA 95762
www.savasbeatie.com
9781611213393, $15.95, PB, 168pp, www.amazon.com

An award-winning journalist Lance J. Herdegen is the former director of the Institute of Civil War Studies at Carroll University and presently an historical consultant for the Civil War Museum of the Upper Middle West. In "Union Soldiers in the American Civil War: Facts and Photos for Readers of All Ages" he offers a complete guide for Civil War enthusiasts of all ages. Enhanced with 100 photographs that are coupled with clear and concise prose broken down into short, easy to understand chapters to better understand these men. The coverage includes such varied topics as the organization of the Union Army, learning to be soldiers, winter campaigning, photography, sick call, nurses, religion, discipline, prisoner of war camps, weaponry, uniforms, as well as numbers and losses and the strengths of the various Union armies. "Union Soldiers in the American Civil War" also examines the participation of U.S. Color Troops and the role played by African Americans during the Civil War. Featuring a list of Civil War points of interest, some bookshelf suggestions, and a glossary of Civil War terms, "Union Soldiers in the American Civil War" is unreservedly recommended for the personal reading lists of dedicated American Civil War buffs and community library American Civil War History collections.

"The Devil's to Pay"
Eric J. Wittenberg
Savas Beatie
PO Box 4527, El Dorado Hills, CA 95762
www.savasbeatie.com
9781611212082, $32.95, HC, 288pp, www.amazon.com

Although many scholarly studies on Gettysburg have addressed the role played by Brig. Gen. John Buford and his First Cavalry Division troops, there is not a single book-length study devoted entirely to the critical delaying actions waged by Buford and his dismounted troopers and his horse artillerists on the morning of July 1, 1863, until now. American Civil War historian Eric J. Wittenberg rectifies this glaring oversight with "The Devil's to Pay": John Buford at Gettysburg - A History and Walking Tour. This comprehensive tactical study examines the role Buford and his horse soldiers played from June 29 through July 2, 1863, including the important actions that saved the shattered remnants of the First and Eleventh Corps. Wittenberg relies upon scores of rare primary sources, including many that have never before been used, to paint a detailed picture of the critical role the quiet and modest cavalryman known to his men as "Honest John" or "Old Steadfast" played at Gettysburg. Certain to be an enduringly popular and impressively comprehensive contribution to the growing library of American Civil War histories, "The Devil's to Pay" is an extraordinary and highly recommended addition to personal, community, and academic library collections and supplemental studies lists. It should be noted for students, academia, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "The Devil's to Pay" is now also available in a paperback edition (9781611214444, $18.95) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).


The Religion/Spirituality Shelf

Lao Tzu's Tao Te Ching
Raymond Bart Vespe
Regent Press
2747 Regent St., Berkeley, CA 94705
www.regentpress.net
9781587904295 $19.95 amazon.com

Lao Tzu's Tao Te Ching: Soul Journeying Commentaries is a translation of a principal text of the ancient spiritual and philosophical tradition of Chinese Taoism. This translation is the original work of author and translator Raymond Bart Vespe, who interprets textual maxims as guides to a soul-journey from identifying with the ego to identifying with the spirit. Each poetic "transformative passage" translated from the original text is accompanied by an "explicative summary" and a "meditative inquiry" to not only aid understanding, but also encourage the reader to personally implement positive wisdom from this classic text. Lao Tzu's Tao Te Ching is highly recommended for both for public library collections and personal reading lists.

Homespun
Lorilee Craker, editor
Herald Press
P.O. Box 866, Harrisonburg, VA 22803
www.heraldpress.com
9781513803166, $15.99, PB, 192pp, www.amazon.com

Reading the contributions of the women that comprise "Homespun: Amish and Mennonite Women in Their Own Words" is the next best thing to visiting with a group of Amish or Mennonite women over a cup of coffee. This unique collections of stories and yarns include personal writings about hospitality, home, grief, joy, and walks with God. Readers will learn of one woman who struggles with feeling inferior to her sister, from another about her longing for a baby, and from a third who accidentally bought stretchy material to sew her husband's pants. Each woman's story is a testament to the grace of God and the blessings of community. Behind Amish romance novels and tourist spots and television shows stand real people, with longings and loves just like the rest of us. Every Amish and Mennonite woman has a story. Compiled and edited by Lorilee Craker, in the pages of "Homespun" we all get to hear some of them. While very highly recommended, especially for community library collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Homespun" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $12.99).

Simply Amish
Donald B. Kraybill
Herald Press
P.O. Box 866, Harrisonburg, VA 22803
www.heraldpress.com
9781513803296 $10.99 amazon.com

Author and internationally recognized scholar of Anabaptist groups Donald Kraybill presents Simply Amish: An Essential Guide from the Foremost Expert on Amish Life, a down-to-earth distillation of Amish faith and culture. Explaining in plain terms how Amish society operates, why their rules for daily living exclude owning common modern conveniences such as computers, automobiles, radios, or televisions; guiding Amish religious and spiritual beliefs; and much more, Simply Amish is a "must-read" for anyone seeking to better understand the Amish. "An Amish person employed in an English-owned factory has no restrictions on using its technology. Likewise, an Amish woman working as a secretary in a real estate office is allowed to operate the office computer but may not own one in her home... The same access-but-not- ownership distinction also explains why riding in motor vehicles owned by outsiders is acceptable." Color photographs intersperse this thoroughly accessible, informed and informative introduction, highly recommended for both public library collections and personal reading lists.


The Parenting Shelf

Being a Grandparent
Ray Guarendi
Franciscan Media
https://info.franciscanmedia.org
9781632532312, $15.99, PB, 144pp, www.amazon.com

Dr. Ray Guarendi believes that parenting is too important to be taken seriously - and that goes double for grandparenting. As a father of ten, clinical psychologist, radio host and author of many books about marriage and parenting, Dr. Ray has spent his career helping to strengthen families through a combination of Catholic theology, common-sense insights and wry humor. Now, having become a new grandpa himself, Dr. Ray is turning his attention to the joyful, rejuvenating and sometimes complicated subject of grandparenting in "Being a Grandparent: Just Like Being a Parent...Only Different" Here he answers real questions from grands. Some wonder how being a grandparent will differ from being a parent, and want to mature into it with as few wrinkles as possible. Some are a daily presence in their grandchildren's lives, perhaps even sharing a home with them and wanting their interactions to be as smooth as possible. Others live many miles away and fear yielding to the temptation of bribery to endear their distant grandbabies to them. Some are baffled as to why their own children are raising the grandkids so unlike they were raised - in practice, discipline or morals. Others see their grandchildren as difficult to be around, and ask what, if anything, they can do about it. Accessibly written for the non-specialist general reader, "Being a Grandparent" is very highly recommended, especially for senior citizen center and community library Parenting instructional reference collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "Being a Grandparent" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).


The Theatre/Cinema Shelf

Telling Time: Essays of a Visionary Filmmaker
Stan Brakhage
McPherson & Company
PO Box 1126, Kingston, NY 12402
www.mcphersonco.com
9781620540275, $18.00, PB, 144pp, www.amazon.com

Stan Brakhage was one of the most influential of independent American filmmakers. From 1952 to 2003 he issued nearly 400 original films, ranging in length from a few seconds to several hours. "Telling Time: Essays of a Visionary Filmmaker" is a collection of his controversial essays on the art of film and its intersections with poetry, music, dance, and painting. Published in small circulation literary and arts journals, they were gathered later into such books as "Metaphors on Vision" and "Film at Wit's End". Beginning in 1989, and for a decade thereafter, Brakhage wrote some of the essays comprising "Telling Time" as an occasional column for Musicworks, a Toronto quarterly. Ostensibly about the relation of film to music, they soon enlarged to explore primary concerns beyond film, including Brakhage's aesthetic theories based on the phenomenology of human cognition. In these essays he is as brilliant discussing Gertrude Stein or romantic love as he is on child psychology, astronomy, and physiology, all the while teasing out vital correspondences between the arts, and upending conventional ideas of how we perceive. His investigations of other artists are models of sympathetic intuition and generosity. Above all, he shares his theories, discoveries and understandings in the spirit of establishing a groundwork for many varieties of human liberation. His prose is filled with flashes of insight, elaborated metaphors, playful elisions, shorthand puns and neologisms, personal digressions, surprising epiphanies, leaps of faith, affronts to authority. He appeals to the imagination, and invites us to a more profound and personal experience of art. Thoughtful and thought-provoking, this collection of deftly crafted, insightful, and occasionally iconoclastic essays is an especially and unreservedly recommended addition to personal, professional, community, and academic library Cinematic History collections and supplemental studies lists.


The Philosophy Shelf

Finding Purpose in a Godless World
Ralph Lewis, MD
Prometheus Books
9781633883857, $26.00, www.prometheusbooks.com

Finding Purpose in a Godless World: Why We Care Even if the Universe Doesn't focuses on human purpose and caring in the world, and is written for those who like their science tinged with social inspection in the border area of religion and philosophical thinking. It presents and analyzes the major modern thinking in this area, pairing an attention to history and the author's own background in psychiatry with a focus on how people cope with seemingly random events that challenge their lives. From empathy and moral perspectives to understanding the meaning of a purpose-driven life, this multifaceted discussion sounds scholarly but will prove quite accessible to any educated reader interested in an interdisciplinary approach to life's meaning.


The Technology Shelf

Engineering Trustworthy Systems
O. Sami Saydjari
McGraw Hill Educational
1221 Avenue of the Americas, 45th Floor, New York, NY 10020
www.mhprofessional.com
9781260118179, $60.00, PB, 592pp, www.amazon.com

The security of our computer databases and networks is one of the leading issues of our day. "Engineering Trustworthy Systems: Get Cybersecurity Design Right the First Time" by O. Sami Saydjari (who has been a visionary thought-leader in cybersecurity for over three decades, working for elite organizations, including the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), National Security Agency, and NASA, among others) is a professional guide that shows, step by step, how to design and deploy highly secure systems on time and within budget. "Engineering Trustworthy Systems" offers comprehensive examples, objectives, and best practices and shows how to build and maintain powerful, cost-effective cybersecurity systems. Readers will learn to think strategically, identify the highest priority risks, and apply advanced countermeasures that address the entire attack space. "Engineering Trustworthy Systems" showcases 35 years of practical engineering experience from an expert whose persuasive vision has advanced national cybersecurity policy and practices and covers: Defining the fundamental nature and full breadth of the cybersecurity problem; Adopting an essential perspective that considers attacks, failures, and attacker mindsets; Developing and implementing risk-mitigating, systems-based solutions; Transforming sound cybersecurity principles into effective architecture and evaluation strategies that holistically address the entire complex attack space. Exceptionally well organized and presented, "Engineering Trustworthy Systems" is an ideal textbook on cyber security and unreservedly recommended for professional, corporate, community, college, and university library instructional reference collections. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of students, academia, cyber security professionals, corporate executives, governmental security administrators, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "Engineering Trustworthy Systems" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $34.99).

5G and Satellite Spectrum, Standards, and Scale
Geoff Varrall
Artech House
9781630815028, $169.00, www.artechhouse.com

5G and Satellite Spectrum, Standards, and Scale is a recommended reference for satellite and mobile communications engineers who seek a technical discussion of recently established Non Terrestrial network standards, different delivery options, and Low Earth Orbit, medium Earth Orbit, and Geostationary satellites. From different bands needed to support 5G and satellite networks to band performance, management, allocation and interfaces, this examines the design, costs, and future of implementing next generation satellite standards.


The Photography Shelf

Unearthing Ancient Nubia
Lawrence Berman
MFA Publications
c/o Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
465 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA 02115
www.mfa-publications.org
9780878468546, $40.00, HC, 144pp, www.amazon.com

Specially trained Egyptian photographers were an integral part of the pioneering Harvard - MFA expeditions during the first half of the 20th century. Over the course of some 40 years, their photographs documented the excavations with thousands of images as the riches of a great ancient civilization in northern Sudan were uncovered. George A. Reisner, the leader of the expedition, was keenly aware of the challenges of creating photographs under these conditions: "In judging the photographs, remember that the statues had to be photographed in the glaring light of the tropics under great difficulties owing to the weight and size of the objects which made it nearly impossible to put the statues together." In "Unearthing Ancient Nubia: Photographs from the Harvard University - Boston Museum of Fine Arts Expedition" by Lawrence Berman (who is the Norman Jean Calderwood Senior Curator of Ancient Egyptian, Nubian, and Near Eastern Art, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston), the best of these photographs bring to life the dramatic landscapes of the Nile Valley, the excitement of archaeological discovery and the artistry of the photographers who recorded it all. "Unearthing Ancient Nubia" deftly reveals the origins of the single most important collection of ancient Nubian art outside of Khartoum. A unique and superbly presented volume of captioned photographs, "Unearthing Ancient Nubia" will prove an enduringly valued addition to personal, professional, community, and academic library History of Photography collections in general, and Nubian Archaeology supplemental studies lists in particular.

NeoRealismo
Enrica Vigano, editor
DelMonico Books
c/o Prestel Publishing
900 Broadway, Suite 603, New York, NY 10003
www.prestel.com
9783791357690, $65.00, HC, 352pp, www.amazon.com

Originally used for Fascist propaganda, the camera in Italy became a tool for artists to reveal the poverty and oppression of their country and a way to instigate positive social development and create a national identity. The NeoRealismo style became a call for economic justice as well as an artistic movement that influenced the modern world. The achievements of that movement are celebrated in "NeoRealismo: The New Image in Italy 1932-1960", compiled with commentary by Enrica Vigano who is a journalist, photographer, and founder of Admira, an organization that oversees photographic exhibitions across Europe. Featuring more than 200 illustrations, including exquisitely reproduced photographs and magazine images as well as film stills and posters, collectively over some three decades these images portray the seismic changes that took place throughout Italy during and after the war in terms of the migration from south to north, rural and urban poverty, and the desire to establish a national identity. All are given expression through the photographers' lenses. Accompanying essays discuss the technological changes that transformed the country, trace the evolution of Neorealist cinema, and explore how writers became part of this revolution. Beautiful, raw, and free of artifice, these images and the people who created them ushered a unique and fascinating moment in modern art history, "NeoRealismo: The New Image in Italy 1932-1960" is enhanced for academia with the inclusion of an informative Foreword by Martin Scorsese, and index of the photographers, and a listing of the contributors and their credentials. A collectively impressive body of work, "NeoRealismo: The New Image in Italy 1932-1960" is an especially and unreservedly recommended volume for personal, professional, community, and academic library photography collections in general, and 20th Century Italian history supplemental studies reading lists in particular.


The Computer Shelf

Regular Expressions Pocket Primer
O. Campesato
Mercury Learning
9781683922278, $34.95, www.merclearning.com

Computer reference collections appealing to data scientists and professional learners who want a quick pocket reference for refresher purposes will find Regular Expressions Pocket Primer the perfect pick for technical pursuit. It's packed with examples and commands, doesn't assume any degree of prior technical knowledge or familiarity with expressions, and includes files with all the source code examples as a download from the publisher. Anyone interested in regular expressions for refining and using data will find this an important primer.


The Travel Shelf

Haunted Restaurants, Taverns, and Inns of Texas, second edition
Robert Wlodarski and Anne Powell Wlodarski
Globe Pequot
9781493032495, $17.95, www.globepequot.com

Haunted Restaurants, Taverns, and Inns of Texas appears in its second updated edition to present haunted locales listed by city, which lends to visitor planning as well as definitive armchair reading. History about the haunted places pairs with ghost stories that stemmed from the original hauntings, current-day incarnations of the spirits, and input from the establishment operator to make for a lively survey highly recommended for any true-life ghost story reader and especially those planning a visit to Texas.


The Military Shelf

Chasing the Demon
Dan Hampton
William Morrow
9780062688729, $28.99, www.harpercollins.com

Chasing the Demon: A Secret History of the Quest for the Sound Barrier, and the Band of American Aces Who Conquered It charts a top-secret military program to reach the sound barrier with the goal of delivering a nuclear device to its destination faster than the enemy. This effort was made through a classified program on a remote air base in California's Mojave Desert where pilots flew experimental aircraft. The penetration of the sound barrier was made public only because the story was leaked to the press, but this survey from an aviation historian goes beyond what has been general knowledge to consider connections between the Mach 1 program and nuclear war planning, the pilots who participated in the effort, and truths about the program which only appear in this book. Lively, revealing, and even frightening, Chasing the Demon requires no prior knowledge of military history, this program, or science in order to prove thoroughly engrossing.


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