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Wisconsin Bookwatch

Volume 13, Number 3 March 2018 Home | WBW Index

Table of Contents

Reviewer's Choice Business Shelf Mystery/Suspense Shelf
Christian Studies Shelf Buddhist Studies Shelf Judaic Studies Shelf
Fiction Shelf Metaphysical Studies Shelf Graphic Novel Shelf
Audiobook Shelf Music CD Shelf DVD Shelf
Theatre/Cinema/TV Shelf Health/Medicine Shelf Biography Shelf
American History Shelf Pets/Wildlife Shelf Needlecraft Shelf
Cookbook Shelf Travel Shelf Beer/Wine/Spirits Shelf
Sports Shelf Gardening Shelf Woodworking Shelf
Gaming Shelf Coloring Book Shelf Education Shelf
Automotive Shelf Technology Shelf Fantasy/SciFi Shelf
Homeowner Shelf    


Reviewer's Choice

Styling for Instagram
Leela Cyd
St. Martin's Griffin
175 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10010
www.stmartins.com
9781250182210, $21.99, Flexibound, 192pp, www.amazon.com

Instagram is a digital wonderland of stunning photographs and inspirational images, but how can you make sure that your own photos stand out amidst the rainbow of eye candy? To master Instagram and earn that coveted double tap of approval, you need to have a strong personal brand and an aspirational style that captures the viewer. "Styling for Instagram: What to Style and How to Style It" by Leela Cyd (who is a food, lifestyle, and travel photographer and stylist with over sixty thousand followers on Instagram.) will help you achieve both. "Styling for Instagram" is packed from cover to cover with of Leela's expert advice on how to make the most of Instagram ranging from practical tips on arranging the perfect composition, to styling your shots to using natural lighting, to telling story with your work. "Styling for Instagram" is a complete course of thoroughly 'user friendly' instruction that will enable even the most novice of Instagram users to capture the attention of the Instagram community. While very highly recommended for personal reading lists, as well as community and academic library Social Media instructional reference collections.

Little by Little: People I've Known and Been
Rich Little
https://www.littlebookbylittle.com
7th Mind Publishing
c/o Dog Ear Publishing
4011 Vincennes Road, New Augusta, IN 46268-3005
www.dogearpublishing.net
9781457549571, $39.95, HC, 252pp, www.amazon.com

Richard Caruthers "Rich" Little (born November 26, 1938) is a Canadian-American impressionist and voice actor. He has been nicknamed "The Man of a Thousand Voices". "Little by Little: People I've Known and Been" is the story of his life and the people he's met with, worked with, laughed with, and occasionally commiserated with. Rich Little has spent time with such luminaries as Jack Benny, Johnny Carson, George Burns, Dean Martin, and Richard Nixon. These and so many others were the subjects for Rich's consummate impersonations. Exceptionally well written, organized and presented, "Little by Little: People I've Known and Been" is an inherently fascinating and impressively informative read from cover to cover. While very highly and unreservedly recommended for both community and academic library Contemporary American Biography collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Little by Little: People I've Known and Been" is also available in a paperback edition (9781457544392, $24.95) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).

A Small Book of Comfort
Lyn Willmott
Ozark Mountain Publishing, Inc.
PO Box 754, Huntsville, AR 72740
www.ozarkmt.com
978 1940265445, $11.00, PB, 100pp, www.amazon.com

Having suffered the dark weight of depression for most of her life, Lyn Willmott was inspired to create "A Small Book of Comfort: A Collection of Self-Help Dialogues and Methods for Working Through Depression" -- a collection of reminder notes to herself in an effort to reduce the stress. Eventually this attempt at self-help became the collection of dialogues that make up this inspired and effective compendium of observations, insights, and encouragements. Lyn has successfully used the dialogues and methods comprising "A Small Book of Comfort", and now shares the method for the benefit others who are dealing with the ravages of depression, physical pain, emotional torment, and/or chronic illness so that they might also gain some benefit from them. The words on these pages not only speak to what we might be suffering in this solid, three-dimensional world -- but at a deeper level they shine a light on the torment most of humanity is experiencing because of loss of contact with the inner self. Unfortunately we live in depressing times. Fortunately we now have "A Small Book of Comfort" to help us deal with that lamentable fact. While very highly recommended for counseling center, community, and academic library collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "A Small Book of Comfort" is available in a digital book format (Kindle, $8.99).

Unblinded
Traci Medford-Rosow & Kevin Coughlin
http://www.kevincoughlinunblinded.com
Morgan James Publishing
11815 Fountain Way, Suite 300, Newport News, VA 23606-4448
www.morganjamespublishing.com
9781683507840, $27.95, Library Binding, 222pp, www.amazon.com

Collaboratively written by Traci Medford-Rosow and Kevin Coughlin, "Unblinded: One Man's Courageous Journey through Darkness to Sight" is the true story of Kevin Coughlin, a resident New Yorker who became blind at age thirty-six due to a rare genetic disorder known as Leber's Hereditary Optic Neuropathy. Twenty years later, without medical intervention, Kevin's sight miraculously started to return. He is the only known person in the world who has experienced a spontaneous, non-medically assisted, regeneration of the optic nerve. "Unblinded" follows Kevin's descent into darkness, and his unexplained reemergence to sight. An inherently fascinating read from beginning to end, "Unblinded" is an extraordinary story of an extraordinary man and an especially recommended addition to community library Contemporary American Biography collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "Unblinded" is also available in a paperback edition (9781683507826, $16.95).


The Business Shelf

The Regenerative Business
Carol Sanford
Nicholas Brealey Publishing
53 State Street, Suite 9, Boston, MA 02109-3106
www.nicholasbrealey.com
9781473669109, $29.95, HC, 256pp, www.amazon.com

What if a corporate business leader stripped away all preconceptions about how business operates, allowing his or her organization to go back to its core and build itself back up to become something new-something so responsive, so innovative and resilient, it becomes virtually non-displaceable in the marketplace? "The Regenerative Business: Redesign Work, Cultivate Human Potential, Achieve Extraordinary Outcomes" by Carol Sanford (who is currently Executive in Residence and Senior Fellow in Social Innovation at Babson College) sets the stage for what is now only dreamt of by most of today's forward-thinking leaders and paves the path to make it possible. "The Regenerative Business" features: Real stories from companies leading innovation and transformation across the globe including; Google, Colgate Europe, Seventh Generation, Nike and others; A logical, comprehensive approach that factors in the complexities of the modern organization; Plus the work of internationally recognized leadership expert Sanford, who for decades has been designing and leading systemic business change. Exceptionally well written, organized, and presented, "The Regenerative Business" is informative, thought-provoking, and occasionally iconoclastic, making it especially and unreservedly recommended for corporate, community, and academic library Business Management instructional reference collections and supplemental studies lists. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of business students, active entrepreneurs, corporate executives, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "The Regenerative Business" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $3.99).

The 5 Secrets of a Phenomenal Business
Howard Partridge
Sound Wisdom
167 Walnut Bottom Road, Shippensburg, PA 17257
www.soundwisdom.com
9781937879860, $24.95, HC, 255pp, www.amazon.com

Howard Partridge grew up on welfare in Alabama and moved to Houston at age 18 with only 25 cents in his pocket. He started his first business at age 23 and has transformed it into a thriving multi-million dollar enterprise. Howard has helped small businesses all over the world dramatically improve their businesses and lives. In "The 5 Secrets of a Phenomenal Business" he draws upon his years of experience and expertise to help his readers understanding why they are in business, which will help them enjoy their business more -- and will help them build the right kind of business. Partridge explains how to stop being a slave to any business by transforming it into a Predictable, Profitable, Turnkey Operation. Readers will learn the 5 vital components of a system; why they are overwhelmed with their business; and how to streamline it so it runs like a well-oiled machine. Every business enterprise is about relationships. "The 5 Secrets of a Phenomenal Business" shows the only 3 ways to increase sales,, how to avoid the biggest marketing mistake of all, and how to build a large network of supporters. Thoroughly 'user friendly' in tone, commentary, organization and presentation, "The 5 Secrets of a Phenomenal Business" is unreservedly recommended reading for anyone involved in, or considering launching, a business enterprise of any size or nature. While "The 5 Secrets of a Phenomenal Business" should be a part of very community and academic library Business Management instructional reference collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that it is also available in a paperback edition (9781937879433, $16.99) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $1.99).

Social Startup Success
Kathleen Kelly Janus
Lifelong Books / Da Capo Press
c/o Perseus Book Group
250 W. 57th St., Suite 1500, New York, NY 10107
www.perseusbooksgroup.com
9780738219905, $27.00, HC, 272pp, www.amazon.com

Kathleen Kelly Janus, is a lecturer at the Stanford University Program on Social Entrepreneurship and the founder of the successful social enterprise Spark. When she set out to investigate what makes a startup succeed or fail, she surveyed more than 200 high-performing social entrepreneurs and interviewed dozens of founders. In "Social Startup Success: How the Best Nonprofits Launch, Scale Up, and Make a Difference" she shares her findings for the benefit of the legions of entrepreneurs who are working for social good and in the process, reveals how the best organizations get over the revenue hump. "Social Startup Success" tapps into strong connections to the Silicon Valley world where many of these ventures are started or and/or funded, revealing insights from key figures such as DonorsChoose founder Charles Best, charity: water's Scott Harrison, Reshma Saujani of Girls Who Code and many others. "Social Startup Success" will be social entrepreneurship's essential playbook; the first definitive guide to solving the problem of scale. Invaluable reading for anyone involved in starting up, maintaining, or seeking to expand a nonprofit, "Social Startup Success" is very highly recommended and will prove to be an enduringly appreciated and valued addition to community and academic library Business Management collections and supplemental studies lists. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "Social Startup Success" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $17.99).


The Mystery/Suspense Shelf

Death by Chocolate Cherry Cheesecake
Sarah Graves
Kensington Publishing Corp.
119 West 40th Street, Floor 21, New York, NY 10018-2522
www.kensingtonbooks.com
9781496711281, $25.00, HC, 240pp, www.amazon.com

Jake and Ellie have been through a lot together, from home repair to homicide investigation. So when they decide to open a chocolate-themed bakery, they figure it'll be a piece of cake. With Ellie's old family recipes luring in customers, they expect to make plenty of dough this Fourth of July weekend. Having family home for the holiday only sweetens the deal for Jake -- until the ill wind of an early-season hurricane blows up her plans. When the storm hits, Jake's grown son Sam is stranded in a Boston bus station, and her husband Wade is stuck on a cargo ship. But as bitter as the storm is, something even more sinister is brewing in the kitchen of The Chocolate Moose -- where health inspector Matt Muldoon is found murdered. Ellie never made a secret of her distaste for Matt, who had been raining on their parade with bogus talk of health code violations. Now, with no alibi for the night of the murder, she's in a sticky situation with the police -- and it's up to Jake to catch the real killer and keep Ellie living in the land of the free. A deftly crafted masterpiece of a mystery by an author who is a complete master of the genre, Sarah Graves' "Death by Chocolate Cherry Cheesecake" is an inherently compelling read from cover to cover and will prove to be an enduringly popular addition to community library Mystery/Suspense collections. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of dedicated mystery buffs that "Death by Chocolate Cherry Cheesecake" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99) and as a complete and unabridged audio book (Dreamscape Media, 9781520091167, $29.99, CD).

The Perfect Victim / Winner Take All
James McKimmey
Stark House Press
1315 H Street, Eureka, CA 95501
www.starkhousepress.com
9781944520281, $19.95, PB, 238pp, www.amazon.com

Once again Stark House Press brings another 'time lost' author to the attention of a new generation of appreciative readers and mystery fans with the publication of two of the late James McKimmey's crime novel classics. "The Perfect Victim" Jackson, traveling salesman knows that he isn't likely to get any equipment sales in Willow Creek, but he's nursing a hangover and stops here anyway. He's a friendly guy, on the road too long, and can't help flirting with the waitress, Grace. But Willow Creek folks don't take well to outsiders making time with their Grace. So when she is found murdered the next morning, everyone naturally assumes that the foreigner must have had something to do with it. And now Jackson is in jail while the town howls for blood. Only the real murderer knows what happened - and he has no intention of letting the salesman live to see a courtroom. Then "Winner Takes All" is about a man who shows up in a San Francisco hotel claiming to be a man's twin and offers to switch places for ten thousand dollars with him. Yeah, there's going to be some rough stuff when the look-alike stranger hasa gambling debt with some very dubious characters in Reno that needs settling. But the money looks good, as well as living the high life for awhile. But another surprise is the introduction of a lovely woman named Linda, as well as an unexpected double-cross that involved having been swapped for murder! Two deftly crafted noir stories under one cover, "The Perfect Victim / Winner Take All" will prove to be an enduringly popular addition to personal and community library Mystery/Suspense collections.

Matanzas
Garry Ryan
NeWest Press
#201, 8540-109 Street, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada T6G 1E6
www.newestpress.com
9781988732-091, $11.99, Kindle, 208 Pages, www.amazon.com

His psyche still reeling from having to kill a criminal in the line of duty, Calgary's Detective Lane flies to Cuba to celebrate the wedding of his beloved niece. While there, though, he finds himself drafted by the local police into investigating the murder of a Canadian tourist. Upon his return to Calgary, links between this incident and the deaths of local elderly pensioners start to make themselves known, drawing Lane and his partner Nigel Li further into a web of conspiracy, politics and big money. A very highly recommended addition to the 'Detective Lane Mystery' series, "Matanzas" is another deftly crafted novel that showcases author Garry Ryan's genuine flair for, and total mastery of, the mystery/suspense genre.

The Moscow Code
Nick Wilkshire
The Dundurn Group
3 Church Street, Suite 500, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, M5E 1M2
www.dundurn.com
9781459737143, $15.99, PB, 296pp, www.amazon.com

Ottawa bureaucrat turned diplomat Charlie Hillier is back in Nick Wilshire's "The Moscow Code". Having barely survived his first posting in Havana, Charlie is eager to put what he learned there to good use. And it isn't long before he's thrust into a fresh case -- a technical writer from Toronto in a Moscow jail on dubious drug charges. Charlie has barely put a dent in the brick wall that is the Russian legal system when the jailed man turns up dead, the official explanation: suicide. And just when evidence to the contrary is discovered, the body is "accidentally" cremated by the authorities. Undeterred by bureaucratic stonewalling and determined to help the victim's sister get to the bottom of her brother's death, Charlie follows the sparse clues available. But what he uncovers brings them both far too close to powers more dangerous than they could have imagined. Suddenly, getting at the truth is less important than getting out of Russia in one piece. Another entertaining and simply riveting read from beginning to end, "The Moscow Code" showcases novelist Nick Wilkshire's total mastery of the mystery/suspense genre and is unreservedly recommended for community library collections. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of dedicated mystery buffs that "The Moscow Code" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $5.38).

The Stakes
Ben Sanders
Minotaur Books
c/o St. Martin's Publishing Group
175 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10010
www.minotaurbooks.com
9781250140111, $25.99, HC, 336pp, www.amazon.com

Rip-offs are a dangerous game, but heist man Miles Keller thinks he's found a good strategy: rob rich New York criminals and then retire early, before word's out about his true identity. New town, new name, no worries. Retirement can't come soon enough, though. The NYPD is investigating him for the shooting of a hitman named Jack Deen, who was targeting Lucy Gates a former police informant and Miles's ex-lover. Miles thinks shooting hitmen counts as altruism, but in any case a murder charge would make life difficult. He's ready to go to ground, but then Nina Stone reappears in his life. Nina is a fellow heist professional and the estranged wife of LA crime boss Charles Stone. Miles last saw her five years ago, and since then her life has grown more complicated: her husband wants her back, and he's dispatched his go-to gun thug to play repo man. Complicating matters is the fact that the gun thug in question is Bobby Deen, cousin of the dead Jack Deen and Bobby wants vengeance. The stakes couldn't be higher, but Nina has an offer that could be lucrative. Maybe Miles can stick around a while longer. Another inherently riveting read for dedicated mystery buffs by Ben Sanders, "The Stakes" is unreservedly recommended for community library Mystery/Suspense collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "The Stakes" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $12.99).

Sunday Silence
Nicci French
William Morrow & Company
c/o HarperCollins Publishers
195 Broadway New York, New York 10007
www.harpercollins.com
9780062819840, $26.99, HC, 416pp, www.amazon.com

Frieda Klein is many things: a lover of London, a gifted psychologist, and a frequent police consultant. But now she's a person of interest in a murder case. A body has been discovered in the most unlikely and horrifying of places: beneath the floorboards of Frieda's house. The corpse is only months old, but the chief suspect appears to have died more than seven years ago. Except as Frieda knows all too well, he's alive and well and living in secret. And it seems he's inspired a copycat. As the days pass and the body count rises, Frieda finds herself caught in a fatal tug-of-war between two killers: one who won't let her go, and another who can't let her live. A thoroughly entertaining and absolutely riveting read from cover to cover, "Sunday Silence" showcases Nicci French (the pseudonym of the English wife and husband writing team of Nicci Gerrard and Sean French) as a master of the psychological suspense genre. While especially recommended for community library collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Sunday Silence" is also available in a paperback edition (978-0062676689, $15.99) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $10.99).

The Identity Thief
R. Franklin James
Camel Press
PO Box 70515, Seattle, WA 98127
www.camelpress.com
9781603816717, $15.95, PB, 256pp, www.amazon.com

Probate attorney Hollis Morgan is branching out into criminal law. Pardoned after serving time for her then-husband's white-collar crime, she knows something about the workings of the criminal mind. Hollis' first criminal case quickly gets complicated. Her client is a young man initially accused of identity theft, but his charge soon includes murder. Hollis has a knack for detecting lies, and although Justin Eastland lies with every breath, she doesn't believe he is a killer. Eastland is let out on bail as bait, and Hollis struggles to keep her client alive. She enlists the services of her young friend Vince, a former addict she helped get back on track, telling him to not let Eastland out of his sight. At the same time Hollis is handling a sensitive probate matter for a whistle-blower hiding from a revengeful cartel. It has not been easy for Hollis to learn to trust again, and in both these cases, a surprising number of people are not telling her the whole story. She thinks she can sort the truths from the half-truths and the outright lies, but how reliable are her instincts? Hollis' sense of justice does not always consider the law. If she's wrong, her clients aren't the only ones who could lose their lives. The sixth and final book in the Hollis Morgan mystery series by a true master of the mystery/suspense genre, "The Identify Thief" will prove to be an impressively and enduringly popular addition to any community library collection. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of dedicated mystery buffs that "The Identity Thief" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $4.95).

Solving Cadence Moore
Gregory Sterner
Aperture Press LLC
201 Washington Street, Suite 533, Reading, PA 19601
www.aperturepress.net
9780997302080, $19.95, PB, 370pp, www.amazon.com

How much will one man risk to solve the unsolvable? Ten years ago, famous young singer Cadence Moore disappeared without a trace on a remote highway in western Pennsylvania. To this day her fate remains unknown. Was she kidnapped or murdered? Or did she simply run away in search of a new life, leaving behind the abuse and heartbreak that haunted her? Charlie Marx, host of the popular conspiracy radio show "Underground Broadcast," is obsessed with Cadence. Desperate to find her after deceiving his boss to save his job, he launches an investigation of his own, digging deep into the missing woman's past and uncovering her darkest secrets. Working feverishly for weeks, he claims to have solved the mystery and promises to reveal Cadence's fate at the end of a groundbreaking podcast series and live radio special. But is it all a lie? As years of twisted details slowly unravel, Charlie races to solve the biggest mystery of the decade. If he succeeds, it will mean closure for Cadence. If he fails, his entire world will come crashing down live on air -- and the truth may be lost forever. A deftly crafted and compelling read from cover to cover, "Solving Cadence Moore" by Gregory Sterner is an extraordinary and unfailingly engaging read by a novelist with a genuine flair for narrative driven fiction and one that is unreservedly recommended for personal reading lists and community library Contemporary Literary Fiction collections.

A Reckoning in the Back Country
Terry Shames
Seventh Street Books
c/o Prometheus Books
59 John Glenn Drive, Amherst, NY 14228
www.prometheusbooks.com
9781633883673, $15.95, PB, 283pp, www.amazon.com

When Lewis Wilkins, a physician with a vacation home in Jarrett Creek, is attacked by vicious dogs, and several pet dogs in the area around Jarrett Creek disappear, Police Chief Samuel Craddock suspects that a dog fighting ring is operating in his territory. He has to tread carefully in his investigation, since lawmen who meddle in dog fighting put their lives at risk. The investigation is hampered because Wilkins is not a local. Craddock's focus on the investigation is thrown off by the appearance of a new woman in his life, as well as his accidental acquisition of a puppy. Digging deeper, Craddock discovers that the public face Wilkins presented was at odds with his private actions. A terrible mistake led to his disgrace as a physician, and far from being a stranger, he has ongoing acquaintances with a number of county residents who play fast and loose with the law. Another superbly crafted novel in Terry Shames simply outstanding Samuel Craddock Mystery series, "A Reckoning in the Back Country" is a compelling and entertaining read from cover to cover. While very highly recommended, especially for community library Mystery/Suspense collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "A Reckoning in the Back Country" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).


The Christian Studies Shelf

Enter the Ring
D. A. Horton & Elicia Horton
NavPress
www.navpress.com
c/o Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.
351 Executive Drive, Carol Stream, IL 60188
www.tyndale.com
9781631466953, $15.99, PB, 240pp, www.amazon.com

A book on marriage written from a distinctively Christian perspective, "Enter the Ring: Fighting Together for a Gospel-Saturated Marriage" takes a fresh, powerful, vulnerable approach to marriage by framing it as the fight that it is. The world uses different assaults and tactics to distract us, tempting us to walk away, in order to destroy our marriages. But there is hope: The constant forgiveness, grace, and intervention of God can preserve and protect us from not only the world but also ourselves. In the pages of "Enter the Ring", authors D. A. and Elicia Horton deftly explore the tension of two people becoming one and how spouses often fight over which "one of us" they become. "Enter the Ring" unpack topics such as: Seasons of suffering; Communication; Sexual and physical intimacy; The spiritual life of the home; and Money. "Enter the Ring" approaches the traditional topics of a marriage book with the brutal and life-giving honesty of two millennials who have fought together for their marriage. All topics are addressed through the vulnerable lens of the authors' own struggles and mistakes. Very highly recommended reading for all members of the Christian community, it should be noted that "Enter the Ring" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $12.59) and as a complete and unabridged audio book (Oasis Audio, 9781613759950, $14.99, CD).

Understanding and Loving a Person with Depression
Stephen Arterburn & Brenda Hunter
David C. Cook
c/o Cook Communications
4050 Lee Vance Drive, Colorado Springs, CO 80918
https://davidccook.org
9781434710543, $14.99, PB, 176pp, www.amazon.com

Even in the most observant Christian families, if a loved one is depressed, others will often feel confused, angry, and helpless. A part of The Arterburn Wellness Series, "Understanding and Loving a Person with Depression: Biblical and Practical Wisdom to Build Empathy, Preserve Boundaries, and Show Compassion" by Stephen Arterburn, M.Ed., (who is the founder and chairman of New Life Ministries and the host of the nationally syndicated Christian counseling talk show New Life Live!) and psychologist and internationally published author Dr. Brenda Hunter is an encouraging guide will help the reader to hold on to hope while broadening their understanding of depression and its treatment. Working from a Christian perspective and frame of reference, "Understanding and Loving a Person with Depression" explores: The multiple causes of depression; How men and women react to depression differently; The influence of social media and technology on depression; The unique challenges of depression in adolescence; How to take care of yourself while caring for someone who is depressed. While very highly recommended for both community and church library collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Understanding and Loving a Person with Depression" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).

How Well Do You Know Your Bible?
James Stuart Bell
Sourcebooks Inc.
1935 Brookdale Road, #139, Naperville, IL 60563
www.sourcebooks.com
9781492658238, $12.99, PB, 224pp, www.amazon.com

While for Christians the Bible is a source of faith and enlightenment for millions, most people think they know the Bible better than they really do -- especially in the faces of such questions as: What significant event in Jesus's life happened by the brook Kidron?; Though he doesn't identify himself in the book, who is generally considered the author of Mark?; What was Paul's side story?; What does the name Habakkuk mean?; Why did God remove Saul as king and replace him with David? These and some 500 more questions are explored and answered by Bible expert James Stuart Bell who deftly presents an extensive collection of over five hundred questions and answers designed to help readers deepen their understanding and appreciation of the essential Bible events and lessons. Blending valuable historical context and quizzes from all sixty-six books of the Bible, "How Well Do You Know Your Bible?" offers a variety of questions for readers to test their knowledge and possibly learn something new along the way. Ideal for personal or group Bible Study curriculums, "How Well Do You Know Your Bible?" is unreservedly recommended for church, seminary, community, and academic library collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "How Well Do You Know Your Bible?" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $7.99).

Preaching God's Word, second edition
Terry G. Carter, J. Scott Duvall, J. Daniel Hays
Zondervan Publishing House
5300 Patterson Avenue, S.E., Grand Rapids, MI 49530
www.zondervan.com
9780310536246, $37.99, HC, 304pp, www.amazon.com

Christians today are hungry for a word from God. Preachers and ministers need to prepare and deliver sound biblical sermons that connect with their parishioners in a meaningful way. Good preaching begins with good exegesis. The newly updated and expanded second edition of "Preaching God's Word, Second Edition: A Hands-On Approach to Preparing, Developing, and Delivering the Sermon" is a thoroughly user-friendly, practical, and proven textbook that walks seminary students and novice ministers through the five steps of the "Interpretive Journey" from the biblical text to contemporary application: Grasp the text in what it meant to the original audience; Measure the width of time that separates the biblical context from antiquity down to today; Identifying the timeless theological principles; Consult the biblical map; Grasp the text in our own time. While the science of solid biblical interpretation is essential to effective preaching, it must be married to the art of contemporary communication in order to bring the message home. "Preaching God's Word" also shows how to understand an audience, develop powerful applications, use illustrations well, and deliver the sermon effectively. The concluding chapters discuss the unique preaching challenges presented by the various biblical genres, providing interpretive keys, things to avoid, and numerous examples. A complete and comprehensive course of instruction under one cover, "Preaching God's Word" is ideal as a seminary curriculum textbook on the subject of pulpit preaching. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "Preaching God's Word" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $25.99).

Long Before Luther
Nathan Busenitz
Moody Publishers
820 N. LaSalle Blvd., Chicago, IL 60610
www.moodypublishers.com
9780802418029, $13.99, PB, 256pp, www.amazon.com

Where was the gospel before the Reformation? Contemporary Protestant evangelicals often struggle to answer that question. As a result, many Roman Catholics are quick to allege that the Reformation understanding of the gospel simply did not exist before the 1500s. They assert that key Reformation doctrines, like sola fide, were nonexistent in the first fifteen centuries of church history. Rather, they were invented by Martin Luther, John Calvin, and others. That is a serious charge, and one that evangelicals must be ready to answer. If an evangelical understanding of the gospel is only 500 years old, Protestants are in major theological difficulty. However, if it can be demonstrated that Reformers were not inventing something new, but instead were recovering something old, then key tenets of the Protestant faith are greatly affirmed. Hence, the need for "Long Before Luther: Tracing the Heart of the Gospel From Christ to the Reformation" by Nathan Busenitz (who is the Dean of Faculty and Assistant Professor of Theology at The Master's Seminary, Grace Community Church, Sun Valley, California) with which readers will: Possess a greater understanding of church history and the role it plays in the church today; Have a deeper appreciation for the hard-won victories of the Reformation; Be equipped to dialogue with Catholic friends about the presence of Reformed doctrines throughout church history; Feel renewed gratefulness for the unearned nature of grace and the power of the gospel. Exceptionally well written, organized and presented, "Long Before Luther" is very highly recommended for church and seminary library collections. For theology students and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject it should be noted that "Long Before Luther" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $8.79).

Ordinary Graces: Word Gifts for Any Season
Lucinda Secrest McDowell
Abingdon Press
2222 Rosa L. Parks Blvd., PO Box 280988, Nashville, TN 37228-0988
www.abingdonpress.com
9781501841828, $14.99, PB, 272pp, www.amazon.com

Everyone loves to receive a gift. And God has given us many, including his grace which is the gift we don't deserve and can never earn. God's Word will stand forever, in any season of life. These truths prompt us to respond with compassion and courage. Through the inspiring devotions comprising "Ordinary Graces: Word Gifts for Any Season", Lucinda Secrest McDowell reveals biblical blessings that remind us that: God's promises give us strength, God's grace can be most evident at our weakest points, a proper response to our abundance of blessings is simply gratitude, and the "more" we are all looking for is the same abundant life that Jesus came to give us. Very highly recommended for all members of the Christian community, "Ordinary Graces: Word Gifts for Any Season" is an impressively collections of inspired and inspiring devotional readings and short benedictions appropriate for any and every season to explore the many facets of Grace, Strength, Gratitude, and Life. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "Ordinary Graces: Word Gifts for Any Season" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).

Stranger No More
Annahita Parsan with Craig Borlase
Thomas Nelson Publishers
PO Box 141000, Nashville, TN 37214
www.thomasnelson.com
9780718095710, $22.99, HC, 288pp, www.amazon.com

Annahita Parsan was born into a Muslim family in Iran and grew up with the simple hope of one day finding a good husband, having children, and doing some good in the world. Married and a mother before she turned eighteen, Annahita found herself unexpectedly widowed and trapped for years in an abusive second marriage that she later fled -- discovering instead a God who might love her."Stranger No More: A Muslim Refugee's Story of Harrowing Escape, Miraculous Rescue, and the Quiet Call of Jesus" is the remarkable true story of Annahita's path from oppression to the life-changing hope of Jesus. Fleeing Iran across the mountains into Turkey, she spent months in the terrifying Agri prison before a miraculous release and flight to Europe, where she and her two children knelt in a church and prayed, "God, from this day on we are Christians." Filled with unthinkable circumstances, miraculous rescues, and the quietly constant voice of Jesus, "Stranger No More" leads readers deep into the heart of God and draws them toward the same call that Annahita heeds today: using her past to save others from theirs. As an ordained minister in the Church of Sweden, Annahita has baptized hundreds of former Muslims since her own conversion, has seen firsthand the powerful ways God is at work among those who have left Islam behind, and is reminded every day that saying yes to God is always worth the risk. A simply riveting read from cover to cover, "Stranger No More" is a compelling, inspiring, and unreservedly recommended reading for all members of the Christian community regardless of denominational affiliations. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "Stranger No More" is also available in a paperback edition (9781400207510, $10.99) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).

No Innocent Bystanders
Shannon Craigo-Snell & Christopher J. Doucot
Westminster John Knox Press
100 Witherspoon Street, Louisville, KY 40202-1396
www.wjkbooks.com
9780664262624, $16.00, PB, 144pp, www.amazon.com

The struggle for justice is ongoing. In answering the biblical call to act justly and love mercifully, can Christians cross lines of privilege to walk humbly not only with God but with their marginalized neighbors as well? "No Innocent Bystanders: Becoming an Ally in the Struggle for Justice" by the team of Shannon Craigo-Snell (Professor of Theology at Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary) and Christopher J. Doucot (Cofounder of the Hartford Catholic Worker community in Hartford, Connecticut) looks at the role of allies in social justice movements and asks what works, what doesn't, and why. It explains what allies legitimately can accomplish, what they can't, and what kind of humility and clarity is required to tell the difference. "No Innocent Bystanders" is also a start-up guide for spiritual or religious people who are interested in working for social justice but don't know how or where to begin, drawing on the lessons of history, the framework of Christian ideas, and the insights of contemporary activists. It offers practical guidance on how to meaningfully and mindfully advocate alongside all who struggle for a more just society. Informed and informative, thoughtful and thought-provoking, inspired and inspiring, "No Innocent Bystanders" is very highly recommended reading for all members of the Christian community. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "No Innocent Bystanders" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).

Make Your Voice Heard In Heaven
Barry C. Black
Tyndale Momentum
c/o Tyndale House Publishers
351 Executive Drive, Carol Stream, IL 60188
www.tyndale.com
9781496429490, $14.99, HC, 176pp, www.amazon.com

Now more than ever, Christians are fighting for their voices to be heard on earth. Christians march, tweet, and advocate on behalf of the voiceless, calling those in power to listen and come alongside us. Sometimes it feels as if we're never going to be heard and nothing will ever change. Known for his powerful prayers, in "Make Your Voice Heard in Heaven: How to Pray with Power" Chaplain Barry Black challenges his readers, individually and collectively, to make themselves heard in a way that really changes things -- by calling upon the One who holds ultimate power. Through personal story and practical insight, "Make Your Voice Heard in Heaven" will effectively help the reader learn to pray in a way that releases God's power and unleashes His blessing. While very highly recommended to the attention of all Christians regardless of denominational affiliations, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Make Your Voice Heard in Heaven" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99) and as a complete and unabridged audio book (Oasis Audio, 9781640910058, $12.99, CD).

Called to Create
Jordan Raynor
Baker Books
c/o Baker Publishing Group
6030 East Fulton, Ada, MI 49301
www.bakerpublishinggroup.com
9780801075186, $15.99, PB, 240pp, www.amazon.com

We were created by an infinitely creative God to reflect his love and character to the world. One way we do that is by continuing his creative work. In "Called to Create: A Biblical Invitation to Create, Innovate, and Risk", experienced entrepreneur and practicing Christian Jordan Raynor helps artists, entrepreneurs, writers, and other members of the Christian community to re-imagine our work as service to God and others, addressing such penetrating questions as: Is my work as a creative really as God-honoring as that of a pastor or missionary?; What does it look like to create not to make a name for myself but to glorify God and serve others?; How can I use my work to fulfill Jesus's command to create disciples?; Will what I make today matter in eternity?. To answer these questions, Raynor shares compelling stories from an eclectic group of 40+ Christian entrepreneurs, including the founders of TOMS Shoes, Charity: Water, Chick-fil-A, In-N-Out Burger, Guinness, HTC, and Sevenly, as well as nontraditional entrepreneurs such as C. S. Lewis, Johann Sebastian Bach, and J. R. R. Tolkien. Raynor's "show" rather than "tell," story-driven style makes you feel as if you are sitting at the feet of some of the godliest and most successful entrepreneurs of all time. Perfectly poised to reach today's growing creative class, "Called to Create" is a unique work that restores God's position as the first entrepreneur, helping Christians to see the eternal value in the work they do today. While very highly recommended for church and community library Christian studies and Business/Entrepreneurship collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Called to Create" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $8.63) as well as a complete and unabridged audio book (Blackstone Audio, 9781538512159, $29.95, CD).

Making Room
Billie Jamss
New Hope Publishers
PO Box 830711, Birmingham, AL 35283-0711
www.newhopepublishers.com
9781625915351, $14.95, PB, 192pp, www.amazon.com

What is God doing in and through you? It's a question we should all ask ourselves. In Making Room, join a spiritual journey toward the discovery of the reasons behind stagnant faith. Be encouraged to dig deeper, and learn how to put the distractions of life into perspective as you allow God to do more in them and through you. It's time to embrace all the meaningful life moments God has for you to glorify Him. While most of Billie Jauss's adult life has been filled with the adventure and excitement of being married to a professional baseball coach, it took a quiet Sunday morning to propel her on the spiritual journey of a lifetime. Now, her passion is for everyone to experience God's immeasurably more -- just as she has. That is her motivation for writing "Making Room: Doing Less So God Can Do More", an inspired and inspiring volume that is unreservedly recommended to the attention of all members of the Christian community.

Plan of Life
Roger J. Landry
Pauline Books & Media
50 St. Paul's Avenue, Boston, MA 02130-3433
9780819860439, $13.95, PB, 150pp, www.amazon.com

In "Plan of Life: Habits to Help You Grow Closer to God", Roger J. Landry draws upon his years of experience as an ordained parish priest working in inner city parishes in southeastern Massachusetts where he found that among those who had a great hunger for God, many had attended only a few years of catechetical classes and had received very little concrete guidance on how to grow in the love of God each day. Currently working of the Diocese of Fall Rivert, Massachusetts and who also works for the Holy See's Permanent Observer Mission to the United Nations, he presents an impressively inspired and inspiring volume of instructive commentary that is unreservedly recommended to all members of the Catholic community. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "Plan of Life: Habits to Help You Grow Closer to God" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $11.83).

Jesus Crucified
St. Dimitri of Rostov, author
John Mikitish, author
SVS Press
575 Scarsdale Road, Yonkers, NY 10707
www.svspress.com
9780881415780, $18.00, PB, 170pp, www.amazon.com

St Dimitri of Rostov (1651 - 1709), the "Russian Chrysostom", is well-known for his hagiographic writings, yet his other works are almost unknown to English-speaking audiences. For the first time in English, this translation of "Jesus Crucified: The Baroque Spirituality of St Dimitri of Rostov" by John Mikitish (who is a doctoral student at Yale University and a priest of the Orthodox Church in America, as well as the series editor of the Treasures of Orthodox Spirituality Series from SVS Press) presents a broad selection of St Dimitri's prayers, poems, and other devotional writings focusing on the Christ's Passion. Written for private devotion they remain as relevant, inspired and inspiring to the Orthodox Christian community today as they were some three centuries ago.

Further Up and Further In
Edith M. Humphrey
SVS Press
575 Scarsdale Road, Yonkers, NY 10707
www.svspress.com
9780881415971, $28.00, PB, 301pp, www.amazon.com

Clive Staples Lewis (29 November 1898 - 22 November 1963) was a British novelist, poet, academic, medievalist, literary critic, essayist, lay theologian, broadcaster, lecturer, and Christian apologist. Drawing on Lewis's broad corpus, both his beloved classics and his less well-known writings, Edith M. Humphrey (who is the William F. Orr Professor of New Testament at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary) brings Lewis into conversation with Orthodox thinkers from the ancient past down to the present day, on subjects as diverse and challenging as the nature of reality, miracles, the ascetic life, the atonement, the last things, and the mystery of male and female. An impressively informative, thought-provoking, inherently fascinating read from beginning to end, "Further Up and Further In: Orthodox Conversations with C. S. Lewis on Scripture and Theology" is an extraordinary and highly recommended addition to the personal reading lists of all interested Christians, as well as a critically important addition seminary and academic library Christian Studies collections in general, and C. S. Lewis supplemental studies reading lists in particular.

Barth in Conversation: Volume 1, 1959-1962
Karl Barth, author
Eberhard Busch, editor
Westminster John Knox Press
100 Witherspoon Street, Louisville, KY 40202-1396
www.wjkbooks.com
9780664264000, $40.00, HC, 350pp, www.amazon.com

Karl Barth (May 10, 1886 - December 10, 1968) is widely regarded as the most important theologian of the twentieth century, and his observations about the church and its place in a modern world continue to engage religious scholars nearly fifty years after his death. This English translation of the Swiss-published Conversations is a three-volume collection compiled and edited by Eberhard Busch and features correspondence, articles, interviews, and other short-form writings by Barth from 1959 1962. Among them are dialogues with representatives of the Evangelical Community Movement (1959); conversations with prison chaplains and a question-and-answer session with the Conference of the World Student Christian Federation (1960); discussions with Methodist preachers, Zurich pastors, and Catholic students of theology (1961); press conferences in New York and Chicago (1962); and an interview at the United Nations (1962). Within these pages, scholars and students will find a comprehensive view into Barth's life and thinking about theology and its role in society today. An extraordinary first volume of a very promising series, "Barth in Conversation" is unreservedly recommended for seminary, college, and university library Christian Studies collections in general, and Karl Barth supplemental studies reading lists in particular.

The Case for Catholicism
Trent Horn
Ignatius Press
PO Box 1339, Fort Collins, CO 80522
www.ignatius.com
9781621641445, $19.95, PB, 342pp, www.amazon.com

Trent Horn, a convert to Catholicism, has a BA in history from Arizona State University, and an MA in theology from Franciscan University of Steubenville. He is a regular guest on the radio program Catholic Answers Live, and a lecturer nationwide on the Catholic faith. He is the author and the author of Answering Atheism, Persuasive Pro-life, and Hard Sayings. "The Case for Catholicism: Answers to Classic and Contemporary Protestant Objections" is the most up-to-date, comprehensive, and thorough defense of the Catholic Church against Protestant objections in print and is especially relevant as the 500th anniversary of the Protestant Reformation draws near and discussion of the arguments made against the Church during that time in history receive renewed interest. "The Case for Catholicism" answers arguments put forward by early Reformers like Luther and Calvin as well as contemporary defenders of Protestantism like Norm Geisler and R.C. Sproul. It provides a meticulous defense of the biblical and historical nature of Catholic doctrines from Scripture and church history. Finally, in both answering Protestant objections to Catholicism and in providing evidence for the Faith, "The Case for Catholicism" cites modern Protestant scholars who question Reformation assumptions and show how evidence from Scripture and church history support aspects of Catholic theology. Divided into four sections, with each answering a key question Christians have asked about the nature of their faith, "The Case for Catholicism" is exceptionally well written, organized and presented, making it very highly recommended and instructive reading for all members of the Christian community -- Catholic and Protestant alike. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "The Case for Catholicism" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.18).


The Buddhist Studies Shelf

Zen Odyssey
Janica Anderson & Steven Zahavi Schwartz
Wisdom Publications
199 Elm Street, Somerville, MA 02144
www.wisdompubs.org
9781614292586, $17.99, PB, 384pp, www.amazon.com

Ruth Fuller Sasaki and Sokei-an Shigetsu Sasaki were two pioneers of Zen in the West. Ruth was an American with a privileged life, even during the height of the Great Depression, before she went to Japan and met D. T. Suzuki. Sokei-an was one of the first Zen priests to come to America; he brought the gift of the Dharma to the United States but in 1942 was put in an internment camp. One made his way to the West and the other would find her way to the East, but together they created the First Zen Institute of America and helped birth a new generation of Zen practitioners: among them, Alan Watts, Gary Snyder, and Burton Watson. They were married less than a year before Sokei-an died, but Ruth would go on to helm trailblazing translations in his honor and to become the first foreigner to be the priest of a Rinzai Zen temple in Japan. With lyrical prose, authors Steven Schwartz and Janica Anderson bring Ruth and Sokei-an to life. Two dozen intimate photographs photos show us two people who aren't mere historical figures, but flesh and blood people, walking their paths. Informative, engaging, and an inherently inspiring read from cover to cover, "Zen Odyssey: The Story of Sokei-an, Ruth Fuller Sasaki, and the Birth of Zen in America" is an extraordinary and unreservedly recommended addition to both community and academic library Zen Buddhism 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 "Zen Odyssey: The Story of Sokei-an, Ruth Fuller Sasaki, and the Birth of Zen in America" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $11.99).


The Judaic Studies Shelf

Between the Lines of the Bible: Exodus
Yitzchak Etshalom
Urim Publications
c/o Lambda Publishers
527 Empire Boulevard, Brooklyn, New York 11225
www.UrimPublications.com
9789655241174, $26.95, HC, 220pp, www.amazon.com

"Between the Lines of the Bible: Exodus: A Study from the New School of Orthodox Torah Commentary" is a rich volume in which Rabbi Yitzchak Etshalom (who is a leading teacher of the Tanakh, or Hebrew Bible, in North America, having received his rabbinic ordination from the Chief Rabbinate of Jerusalem) demonstrates the methodology through which traditional study meets academic rigor, a methodology that can offer new insights into the meaning of the Tanakh. Yitzchak Etshalom also describes the way in which fields such as anthropology, archeology, philology, and literary analysis have allowed students of the Tanakh to understand, with greater depth and insight, the stories, laws, prophecies, and poems that have formed the backbone of the Jewish faith for thousands of years. A model of rabbinic scholarship, "Between the Lines of the Bible: Exodus" is an especially and unreservedly recommended addition to personal, synagogue, community, and academic library Judaic Studies collections and supplemental studies reading lists.

Redeeming Relevance in the Book of Exodus
Rabbi Francis Nataf
Urim Publications
c/o Lambda Publishers
527 Empire Boulevard, Brooklyn, New York 11225
www.UrimPublications.com
9789655240375, $21.95, HC, 138pp, www.amazon.com

"Redeeming Relevance in the Book of Exodus: Explorations in Text and Meaning" was written by Rabbi Francis Nataf specifically for those who feel that there is nothing new to learn from reading the Book of Exodus again; that attempts at finding relevant meaning for today wallow in superficiality and flightiness. As he did with the Book of Genesis, veteran educator and Bible teacher Rabbi Francis Nataf shows us that careful and creative analysis of the text can still reap completely new and provocative insights geared to the intelligent modern reader. In a series of sophisticated yet readable essays, Rabbi Nataf uses his literary awareness and profound knowledge of text, Midrash and commentaries to come up with refreshingly original readings of some of the major stories in Exodus. The centrality of exile and alienation, national memory, the significance of clothing and how to relate to the "other" are only some of the topics that he discusses via the Biblical text's treatment of Moshe, Moshe's family and the Jewish nation as a whole. While "Redeeming Relevance in the Book of Exodus" is must-read for anyone looking to appreciate how we should study Exodus in our time, it will also prove to be an enduringly valued and appreciated addition to synagogue, community, and academic library Contemporary Judaic Studies collections and supplemental studies reading lists.


The Fiction Shelf

ActivAmerica
Meagan Cass
University of North Texas Press
1155 Union Circle, #311336, Denton, TX 76203-5017
www.untpress.unt.edu
9781574416947, $14.95, PB, 192pp, www.amazon.com

Drawing from fairy tales, ghost stories, and science-fiction, the short sports themed stories comprising Meagan Cass' "ActivAmerica" anthology explore how we confront (and exert) power and re-imagine ourselves through sports and athletic activities. A group of girls starts an illicit hockey league in a conservative suburb. A recently separated woman must run a mile a day in order to maintain her new corporate health insurance. Children impacted by environmental disaster create a "mutant soccer team". Two sisters are visited by an Olympic gymnast who demands increasingly dangerous moves from them. Sports allow the characters to form communities on soccer fields and hidden lakes, in overgrown backyards and across Ping-Pong tables. Throughout these original and deftly crafted tales, however, athletic risk also comes with unexpected, often unsettling results. Winner of the Katherine Anne Porter Prize In Short Fiction, Meagan Cass exhibits a natural flair for thoroughly entertaining her readers while subtly lacing underlying messages that are both reflective and thought-provoking. While "ActivAmerica" is unreservedly recommended for both community and academic library Literary Fiction collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that it is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.57).

The Sasquatch Murder: A Love Story
Jeffery Viles
Beaver's Pond Press
7108 Ohms Lane, Edina, MN 55439
www.BeaversPondPress.com
9781592987696, $19.95, HC, 272pp, www.amazon.com

"The Sasquatch Murder: A Love Story" by Jeffery Viles is an imaginative, tightly woven tale novel the reveals just how these 'Bigfoot' creatures came to be traipsing around in the big trees surrounding Mount St. Helens. While local oddballs and elbow-benders talk Bigfoot and relate their peculiar yarns at Hee-Haw's Tavern, Jake Holly and Jessica O'Reilly are falling in love despite an age difference that Jessica's powerful father cannot abide. When Sasquatch enters the picture, a tripwire is broken and every preconceived notion is instantly turned upside down. A deftly written and complex multilayered narrative driven story satirically featuring intricate details and language that's often dressed up in literary lipstick, "The Sasquatch Murder: A Love Story" superbly crafts a fast-moving story of events that consume the town of Aurora, a story that reverberates into the White House and around the world. A unique and unfailingly entertaining story that will hold the reader's rapt attention from cover to cover, "The Sasquatch Murder: A Love Story" is very highly recommended reading and certain to be an enduringly popular addition to community library fiction collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "The Sasquatch Murder: A Love Story" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $7.99).

Sleepytime Down South
C. W. Cannon
Livingston Press
University of West Alabama, Station 22, Livingston, AL 35470
www.livingstonpress.uwa.edu
9781604891997, $23.95, HC, 142pp, www.amazon.com

When Chicago Jazzman Maz Mazewski journeys to New Orleans one last time. he visits some old friends, blows a couple of notes, and hears music that changes him again -- but this time is forever. A deftly crafted and inherently engaging novel that evokes the feel and spirit of the Big Easy, "Sleepytime Down South" reveals author C. W. Cannon has having a genuine flair for narrative driven fiction populated by truly memorable characters. Very highly recommended, especially for community and academic library Contemporary Literary Fiction collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Sleepytime Down South" is also available in a paperback edition ( 9781604891980, $14.95).

The Liars' Asylum
Jacob M. Appel
Black Lawrence Press
http://www.blacklawrence.com
9781625579751, $16.95, PB, 180pp, www.amazon.com

Jacob M. Appel is a physician, attorney and bioethicist based in New York City. He is also the award-winning author of more than two hundred published short stories. Now the Black Lawrence Press has published an anthology of eight of the best of Appel's short stories that includes: Bait and Switch; Good Enough for Guppies; Prisoners of the Multiverse; The Frying Finn; Picklocks in Oblivion; The Summer of Interrogatory Subversion; When Love Was an Angel's Kidney; and the title piece, The Liars' Asylum. Taken collectively, these eight short stories reveal Appel's genuine gift for narrative driven storytelling that borders on a kind of prose poetry delivered with humor, irreverence, and a very special linguistic vibrance. While very highly recommended for both community and academic library Contemporary Literary Fiction collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "The Liars' Asylum" is also available in an inexpensive digital book format (Kindle, $0.99).

Comanche Captive
D. Laszlo Conhaim
Five Star Books
10 Water Street, Suite 310, Waterville, ME 04901
http://gale.cengage.com/fivestar
9781432837396, $25.95, HC, 224pp, www.amazon.com

Scott Renald is an Indian agent searching for white captives. Laura Little is a former captive seeking her Comanche-born son. They meet unexpectedly on the high plains. Touched by her story, Renald leads Laura's search while hostile tribesmen pursue them. Word of their predicament reaches Fort Sill, and agents are dispatched to grab her and recall him. Meanwhile, the army prepares for war with the Comanche. Circumstances propel all into a heart-wrenching and bloody conflict of competing loyalties and surprising discoveries against the scorched backdrop of the Staked Plain. How does a captive eventually become a willing tribal member? Can rescue and return be a crueler form of abduction? A deftly crafted and simply riveting read from cover to cover, "Comanche Captive" by D. Laszlo Conhaim depicts a compelling account of what happens after the taken has been found such as in Laura's case with its forced separation from her child, the imposition of unwanted psychiatric care, and finally the deadly consequences of her quest for her lost son. While very highly recommended, especially for community library Western Fiction collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Comanche Captive" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $7.99).

Hope in the Valley
Penny Heggie Austin
Dorrance Publishing Company
585 Alpha Dr. Suite 103, Pittsburgh, PA 15238
www.dorrancepublishing.com
9781480939240, $14.00, PB, 146pp, www.amazon.com

Tom and Ellen have both had their share of struggles, but from the moment they meet, they can't help their strong attraction to each other. As their love grows, the world around them becomes more complicated with a past that won't leave Tom alone. With the help of family, friends, each other, and God, Tom and Ellen will find the happiness for which they've been searching. A deftly written, reader engaging novel that showcases author Penny Heggie Austin's genuine flair for narrative driven and unfailingly entertaining storytelling, "Hope in the Valley" is an extraordinary and unreservedly recommended addition to community library Contemporary General Fiction collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "Hope in the Valley" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.00).

A Hero Dreams
Mark Ristau
Beaver's Pond Press
7108 Ohms Lane, Edina, MN 55439
www.BeaversPondPress.com
9781592988037, $19.95, PB, 288pp, www.amazon.com

Devastated by his father's sudden death, eight-year-old Ricky begins to see things -- a ghostly silhouette in his bedroom window, a gruesome train accident involving four local teenagers, a terrorist attack that won't occur for another twenty-five years. After a traumatic incident at a New England summer camp, the visions become more frequent, more vivid, and more disturbing. A mysterious voice assures him everything will be okay if he crosses the ''threshold.'' But just what is the threshold? And what lies beyond? In the pages of "A Hero Dreams", novelist and consummate storyteller Mark Ristau takes his reader on an epic journey along the furthermost frontiers of human consciousness and into a miraculous realm where anything is possible. An inspiring tale of hope, faith, courage, and profound self-discovery, "A Hero Dreams" is unreservedly recommended for personal reading lists, as well as community library Contemporary General Fiction collections.

Yipee's Gold Mountain
Raquel Rivera
Red Deer Press
c/o Fitzhenry & Whiteside Limited
195 Allstate Parkway, Markham, Ontario, Canada, L3R 4T8
www.reddeerpress.com
9780889955509, $14.95, PB, 224pp, www.amazon.com

Set in the Wild West of 1860s Arizona, "Yipee's Gold Mountain" is the story of Yip Yee, an orphaned Chinese ex-railway laborer who dreams of being a cowboy, and Na-tio, an Apache warrior-apprentice who is recovering from his first botched raid. Through alternating chapters both narrators reveal different sides of the story, as their initial and mutual suspicion evolves into true friendship. Together, Na-tio and Yip Yee face down a wolf attach, a sinister bounty hunter and even greater challenges in the hard scrabble world of fortune-seekers, soldiers and warriors. And through all of these adventures and trials, Na-tio must cope with a terrible crisis for his people, and Yip Yee must carefully guard a very important secret. A deftly crafted and original story by novelist Raquel Rivera, "Yipee's Gold Mountain" also features an informative interview with the author in which she discusses the historic background and setting of "Yipee's Gold Mountain" as well as the inclusion of a list of books and periodicals along with notes from a research trip to Arizona. A riveting and entertaining read from cover to cover, "Yipee's Gold Mountain" is very highly recommended for personal reading lists, and especially for community library collections.

Best of Luck
Corinne Scott
Camel Press
PO Box 70515, Seattle, WA 98127
www.camelpress.com
9781603813839, $14.95, PB, 248pp, www.amazon.com

Crew Costa isn't Irish, but for a kid from the school of hard knocks, he's had the luck of the Irish with his chain of faux-Irish pubs, O'Shaughnessy's Shenanigans. Number 13 is set to open in time for St. Patrick's Day. The Bronx is already the site of several authentic Irish pubs, including The Lion O'Brien. Started by Liam O'Brien, the pub is now managed by his youngest daughter Siobhan, but only after her four older brothers refused the job. Now Siobhan has to prove she is worthy. Siobhan falls for Crew, literally, after they collide while he is moving into her apartment building. Their attraction is immediate and powerful, but they are rivals. Siobhan is counting on the Lion winning the St. Patrick's Day Pub Crawl, which Crew has entered as well. The lead-up to the event involves "pranking" your competition, and the older pubs band together against the gaudy newcomer, with its McNaughty the Leprechaun and other cultural stereotypes. For Crew and Siobhan, the pranking quickly gets personal and expensive. Siobhan and Crew can't resist the electricity between them, but can Siobhan trust this streetwise charmer? Can Crew trust this daddy's girl whose overriding passion is her pub? And will the rage brewing among the other pub owners put their lives in danger? Another deftly crafted and unfailingly entertaining novel by Corinne Scott, "Best of Luck" is the second title in the author's simply outstanding O'Briens series and unreservedly recommended for community library Contemporary General Fiction shelf. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "Best of Luck" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $4.95).

Making Space
Sarah Tierney
Sandstone Press
c/o Dufour Editions, Inc.
PO Box 7, 124 Byers Road, Chester Springs, PA 19425-0007
www.dufoureditions.com
9781910985441, $16.00, 288pp, www.amazon.com

Miriam is twenty-nine years old, a temp worker, who is living with a roommate who is no longer a friend, and still trying to find her place in life. She falls in love with Erik after he employs her to clear out his paper-packed home. They are worlds apart: he is forty-five, a successful photographer and artist, and an obsessive hoarder still haunted by the end of his marriage. Miriam has an unsuccessful love life and has just got rid of most of her belongings. Somehow, she and Erik must find a way to reach each other. All the more impressive when considering that "Making Space" is author Sarah Tierney's debut as a novelist, this is a simply riveting and unfailingly entertaining read that showcases her genuine flair for a narrative driven fiction populated by deftly crafted and memorable characters. "Making Space" will prove to be an enduringly popular and appreciated addition to personal reading lists and community library Contemporary General Fiction collections.

Escape To Fort Abercrombie
Candace Simar
Five Star Books
10 Water Street, Suite 310, Waterville, ME 04901
http://gale.cengage.com/fivestar
9781432838188, $25.95, HC, 279pp, www.amazon.com

His mother and little sister Elsa have been kidnaped by Indians and his father lies dying, when fourteen-year-old Ryker Landstad promises to take the nine-year-old twins to safety and rescue Mama and Elsa. It takes all Ryker's gumption, to reach the fort, only to discover that Fort Abercrombie is besieged by 500 warriors. Another simply riveting read from a master of the western fiction genre, "Escape To Fort Abercrombie" is certain to be an enduringly popular and appreciated addition to any community library collections. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of dedicated western novel buffs that "Escape To Fort Abercrombie" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $7.99).

Beyond His Mercy
Johnny Neil Smith & Susan Cruce Smith
Sunstone Press
PO Box 2321, Santa Fe, NM 87504-2321
www.sunstonepress.com
9781632931870, $22.95, PB, 280pp, www.amazon.com

The American Civil War claimed and destroyed lives, stealing fathers and sons from those they loved. The horror caused many returning to cry out for death. They carried the festering scars of battle and were unable to overcome the torment of their souls. "Beyond His Mercy" by Johnny and Susan Smith is the story of Thomas Wilson, a soldier who returns home haunted by the destruction and devastation he both witnessed and caused. Although his regiment respects and reveres him as a sharpshooter, each man he has killed condemns him to a life of terrifying dreams and troubled days where forgiveness can never be obtained. Neither the love of his family nor the affection of a woman with sparkling dark eyes and soft black hair can chase his war demons away, for he is beyond mercy. Of special note is the inclusion of a Readers Guide. A deftly written, entertaining, and ultimately thought provoking read, "Beyond His Mercy" is unreservedly recommended for community library Western Fiction collection. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "Beyond His Mercy" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $4.99).

Lacemaker
Laura Frantz
Revell
c/o Baker Publishing Group
6030 East Fulton, Ada, MI 49301
www.bakerbooks.com
9780800734824, $25.99, HC, 418pp, www.amazon.com

On the eve of her wedding, Lady Elisabeth Lawsons world is shattered, as surely as the fine glass windows of her colonial Williamsburg home. In a town seething with Patriots ready for rebellion, her protection comes from an unlikely source; now if she could only protect her heart. "Lacemaker" is another perfectly crafted and immensely entertaining novel by a master of the historical romance genre. Author Laura Frantz has once again created what will prove to be an enduringly popular addition to community library Romance Fiction collections. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of dedicated romance fiction fans that "Lacemaker" is also available in a paperback edition (9780800726638, $15.99) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $1.59). Librarians should note that "Lacemaker" is also available as a complete and unabridged audio book (Dreamscape Media, 9781974905829, $24.99, CD).

Holding the Fort
Regina Jennings
Bethany House Publishers
c/o Baker Publishing Group
6030 East Fulton Road, Ada, MI 49301
www.bethanyhouse.com
9780764231193, $25.99, HC, 352pp, www.amazon.com

When dance hall singer Louisa Bell visits Fort Reno to see her brother, she is mistaken for the governess that the harried Major Daniel Adams is waiting for. Between his rowdy troops and his two daughters, he has more responsibility than he can handle alone. Eager for the opportunity, Louisa sets out to show the widower that she is a perfect fit. "Holding the Fort" is another deftly crafted and unfailingly entertaining romance novel by Regina Jennings -- who a true and tested master of the genre. While "Holding the Fort" is very highly recommended, especially for community library collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that it is also available in a paperback edition (9780764218934, $15.99) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $1.59).

Postcards from the Canyon
Lisa Gitlin
Bywater Books
P.O. Box 3671, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48106-3671
www.bywaterbooks.com
9781612941110, $16.95, PB, 360pp, www.amazon.com

Faced with the sudden and unexpected death of her mother, disillusioned novelist Joanna Jacobs begins chronicling her willful childhood in 1960s Cleveland, Ohio. But the writing exercise that starts out as a means to reflect and refocus becomes a journal of Joanna's rebellious existence. Jewish and gay, yet unwilling to expose herself to the accompanying scrutiny and rejection, Joanna spends much of her youth fostering chaos and embracing self-denial, even while celebrating an affirming commitment to the psychiatric ward. After an inadvertent bomb threat to a conservative talk-show host brings the FBI knocking on her door, Joanna finds herself navigating an unexpected immigrant invasion, a crew of juvenile delinquents in her living room, and a never ending low-pressure system. When the going finally gets too tough to wrangle alone, Joanna turns to her lifelong friends for emotional support -- but this comfort is tempered by a confusing cocktail of lingering hurts, unresolved anger, and resurgent disappointment, making it even more difficult for Joanna to put her life to paper. A deftly crafted and compelling read from cover to cover, "Postcards from the Canyon" is another extraordinary and unreservedly recommended novel by Lisa Gitlin. While certain to be a welcome addition to community library Contemporary Literary Fiction collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Postcards from the Canyon" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $7.99).


The Metaphysical Studies Shelf

Black Moon Astrology Cards
Susan Sheppard & Jane Marin, authors
Blue Angel
c/o Llewellyn Publications
2143 Wooddale Drive, Woodbury, MN 55125
www.llewellyn.com
9780738757599, $23.95, Cards, www.amazon.com

Drawing on the ancient discipline of interpreting the night sky, the Black Moon Astrology Cards is the collaborative work of Susan Sheppard and Jane Marin who seek to give access to the tangible wisdom contained in the heavens above. Aspiring students and practitioners don't need to be an astrologer to read these cards. With a divinatory meaning, key words, and tarot correspondence for each card, this deck of 52 cards, along with its accompanying guidebook makes the principles and revelations of astrology accessible to all. Visually impressive and inherently fascinating, "Black Moon Astrology Cards" is especially and unreservedly recommended for novice and seasoned astrology practitioners alike.

The New Sirian Revelations
Patricia Cori
North Atlantic Books
2526 Martin Luther King Jr. Way, Berkeley, CA 94704-2607
www.northatlanticbooks.com
9781623171711, $18.95, PB, 256pp, www.amazon.com

Patricia Cori is an internationally acclaimed author and spiritual lead. In July 1996, during an extraordinary out-of-body journey through the Milky Way and other galaxies, she was reconnected and attuned to a group of interdimensional light beings that she and her many readers came to know, through the first Sirian Revelations transmissions, as The Sirian High Council. During her remarkable mission as their Scribe, she has shared the insights of six-dimensional Sirian Light Emissaries through the books and teachings that have transformed readers over the past decades. Now, twenty years from the date of the first transmission, Cori shares new revelations that affirm the veracity of past prophecies and transmit new visions for the human race as we ascend through the outer reaches of the fourth dimension into new levels of conscious awareness and parallel realities as we prepare for our imminent emergence. Also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $12.99), "The New Sirian Revelations: Galactic Prophecies for the Ascending Human Collective" will prove to be a popular addition to community library Metaphysical Studies collections and a 'must' for the legions of Patricia Cori fans.


The Graphic Novel Shelf

Robotech Vol. 1: Countdown
Brian Wood, author
Marco Turini, artist
Titan Comics
https://titan-comics.com
9781785859137 $16.99 pbk / $9.59 Kindle amazon.com

Robotech Vol. 1: Countdown collects the issues of "Robotech" #1-4 into a single, full-color graphic novel adapting the classic anime sci-fi "Robotech" television series of war, love, and loss. The stylistic tone of the art is closer to Western comics rather than Japanese anime or manga, adding a new and different visual dynamic to the faithfully retold story. In volumes #1-4, the "robotechnology" within a crashed an alien ship on a remote island has transformed humanity's way of life, and spurred the genesis of the supersized SDF-1 starship. Ten years later, a warlike alien force arrives intent on reclaiming robotechnology - and testing the mortals who wield it with fire and blood! Hotshot pilot Rick Hunter and aspiring singer Lynn Minmei are swept up in the chaos of the invasion, while SDF-1 captain Henry Gloval must make a pivotal decision with the fate of all humanity in the balance. Robotech Vol. 1: Countdown is a "must- read" for fans of both anime and science fiction, highly recommended.

Mandrake the Magician
Lee Falk, author
Titan Comics
https://titan-comics.com
9781782766926, $49.99, HC, 256pp, www.amazon.com

Mandrake the Magician is a syndicated newspaper comic strip created by Lee Falk. Mandrake began publication on June 11, 1934. Phil Davis soon took over as the strip's illustrator, while Falk continued to script. The strip is distributed by King Features Syndicate. The look of Mandrake the Magician was updated to conform to the 1960s in terms of being hipper and cooler than the 1930s incarnation thanks to the art stylings of Fred Fredricks. And yet, both Fredericks and Mandrake's creator Lee Falk managed to land our top-hatted hero into some pretty outlandish and action packed adventures on this Earth and beyond! "Mandrake the Magician: Fred Fredericks Sundays Volume 1: The Meeting of Mandrake and Lothar" includes the unwelcome return of Mandrake's arch enemy, The Cobra, the introduction of a sinister new crime syndicate called The Underworld, and the creation of counter crime organization called Inter-Intel, headed up by Mandrake. Especially recommended for both community and academic library Graphic Novel/Comics collections, this beautifully reproduced edition of "Mandrake the Magician" should be considered a 'must' for the legions of dedicated Mandrake the Magician fans!

Captain Kronos: Vampire Hunter
Dan Abnett, author
Tom Mandrake, illustrator
Titan Comics
https://titan-comics.com
9781785861338, $16.99, PB, 112pp, www.amazon.com

Created by novelist and award-wining comic book writer Dan Abnett and dramatically drawn by Tom Mandrake, "Captain Kronos: Vampire Hunter" features the rebirth of one of the most iconic and much loved characters from Hammer Comic and Titan Comics. This time Kronos and his two trusted companions, the seasoned old vampire hunter Grost and the lethal young Carla, find themselves fighting vampires that seem immune to silver, garlic, and sunlight! Then there is the massive vampire leader Slake to contend with. But the real vampiric villains lay disguised. "Captain Kronos: Vampire Hunter" is a graphic novel 'must read' for all dedicated vampire fantasy fiction fans. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "Captain Kronos: Vampire Hunter" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $11.99).

Fighting American
Gordon Rennie, author
Joe Simon, creator
Jack Kirby, creator
Duke Mighten, illustrator
Titan Comics
https://titan-comics.com
9781785862106, $16.99, PB, 112pp, www.amazon.com

When Johnny Flagg (the secret identity of the superhero known as Fighting American) and his young teenage sidekick, Speedboy find themselves marooned in the 21st Century with no way to return they do the only thing they can do. They carry on fighting against the Commies regardless. Bringing some much-needed two-fisted justice and home-spun 1950s attitudes to a modern, media-obsessed cynical world as they battle a gang of villains plucked from their past and a mysterious villainess known only as Lady Chaos. Providing an enormous amount of tongue-in-cheek fun, "Fighting American" is a wonderfully entertaining read from beginning to end and does full justice to the comic book legacy of the legendary Jack Kirby and Joe Simon and is very highly recommended for all personal and community library graphic novel collections.

Babylon Berlin
Arne Jysch, author/illustrator
Volker Kutscher, creator
Titan Comics
https://titan-comics.com
9781785866357, $24.99, 216pp, www.amazon.com

Following an unfortunate incident of manslaughter and at a moment of radical change in Germany, Detective Inspector Gereon Roth moves from his old position in Cologne to a new appointment in Berlin. There he stumbles into an ever-growing criminal investigation into a pornographic sex ring, and discovers the hard way that he can trust no one -- not even the other members of the Berlin police force. Set in the 1920s, at the birth of the Weimar Republic amid great economic and political difficulties that would eventually give rise to the Nazis, "Babylon Berlin" is a graphic novel tale of corruption, trafficking, and scandal. An inherently fascinating mystery with many an unexpected twist and turn leading to a dramatic confrontational conclusion, "Babylon Berlin" is a very highly recommended and certain to be a perpetually popular addition to personal and community library Graphic Novel collections.

The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest
Steig Larsson, author
Sylvain Runberg, author
Jose Horns, illustrator
Titan Comics
https://titan-comics.com
9781785863455, $19.99, PB, 136pp, www.amazon.com

In the intensive care unit of a Swedish city hospital, Lisbeth Salander is a young woman who lies in critical condition due to a bullet wound to her head. She's fighting for her life in more ways than one: if and when she recovers, she'll be taken back to Stockholm to stand trial for three murders. With the help of her friend, journalist Mikael Blomkvist, she will not only have to prove her innocence, but also identify and denounce those in authority who have allowed the vulnerable, like herself, to suffer abuse and violence. And, on her own, she will plot revenge -- against the man who tried to kill her, and the corrupt government institutions that very nearly destroyed her life. Once upon a time, she was a victim. Now Salander is fighting back. A complex many threaded novel of intrigue, suspense, and murder, "The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest" is an inherent compelling read from cover to cover as Spanish illustrator Jose Horns does full and impressive justice to a noir style tale of political cabals and intrepid journalism leading to a dramatic and unexpected final confrontation. "The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest" is 'Hard Case Crime' graphic novel storytelling at its very best!


The Audiobook Shelf

Burn the Business Plan
Carl J. Schramm, author
Performed by Tom Parks
Brilliance Corporation
PO Box 887, Grand Haven, MI 49417
9781511307505 $24.99 www.brillianceaudio.com

Burn the Business Plan: What Great Entrepreneurs Really Do is an unabridged audiobook on MP3-CD (plays on MP3-CD enabled players or transfers to portable devices) of author Carl Schramm's guide to starting a successful company. A "plan" is not necessarily the first or the right step to starting a business, Schramm argues; successful companies that launched without a plan include Apple and Google. What is required? Innovation, adaptation, and awareness of common mistakes, misconceptions, and pitfalls, which Burn the Business Plan describes at length. Packed with candid, real-world advice, Burn the Business Plan is a "must" for anyone considering going into business for themselves. Highly recommended. 1 MP3-CD, 8 hours 2 min.

Now That You Mention It
Kristan Higgins, author
Narrated by Xe Sands
Recorded Books, LLC
270 Skip Jack Road, Prince Frederick, MD 20678
9781490641003 $TBA www.recordedbooks.com

Now That You Mention It is the unabridged audiobook rendition of a novel about learning to roll with the punches thrown by life itself. Nora Stuart had earned a Tufts scholarship and was on the path to becoming a Boston medical specialist when she was hit by a car. The severe injuries were bad enough; hearing her boyfriend hit on another doctor when she feared she was on the verge of dying was arguably worse. Nora retreats home to the close-knit Maine community she left fifteen years ago - a community that rejects her and blames her for virtually every disappointment or drama. Her tough, islander mother is as distant as always; her wild-child sister is in jail; and her withdrawn teenage niece years to escape the island as badly as Nora once did. Can Nora find a way to mend her troubled family? Heartfelt and engaging to the very end, Now That You Mention It is highly recommended for both personal and public library audiobook collections. 9 CDs, 11 hours.

A Man of His Word
Kathleen Fuller
Read by Callie Beaulieu
Tantor Media, Inc.
6 Business Park Road, Old Saybrook, CT 06475
www.tantor.com
9781541419445 $37.99 amazon.com

A Man of His Word is the unabridged audiobook rendition of a dramatic novel set in an Amish community. The story follows pregnant young newlywed Moriah Miller, who is devastated when her husband Levi suddenly abandons her, his family, and their faith. The community strives to aid her, and one among them - Gabriel Miller, Levi's twin brother - yearns to become more than a friend in her time of need. Poignant, thoughtful, and spiritual, A Man of His Word is highly recommended, and brought to life with a superb performance by classically trained actress Kathleen Fuller. 7 CDs, 8.5 hours.

Chili Con Corpses
Ellery Adams, author
Read by Karen White
Blackstone Audiobooks
31 Mistletoe Road, Ashland, OR 97520
9781541415263 $34.99 www.BlackstoneAudio.com

Skillfully performed by Karen White, Chili Con Corpses: A Supper Club Mystery is the unabridged audiobook adaptation of the third "Supper Club Mystery" featuring the amateur sleuthing of the Flab Five. When the supper club members join a Mexican cooking class at Lindy's suggestion, their education is marred by the murder of a classmate (one of two twin sisters with supermodel physiques). Worse, still is that Lindy is a prime suspect! Investigation, complex family and romantic relationships, and the challenge of reducing salt intake intertwine into a mouth-watering mystery that connoisseurs of the genre will savor! 7 CDs, 8.5 hours.

Sunburn: A Novel
Laura Lippman, author
Performed by Susan Bennett
Harper Audio
195 Broadway, Floor 2, New York, NY 10007-3132
9780062390127 $39.99 www.harperaudio.com

Sunburn: A Novel is the unabridged audiobook rendition of a dramatic, suspenseful story about a passionate love affair between two people harboring potentially deadly secrets. The intense redhead Polly and the reserved Adam meet in a small-town tavern. Each claims that they are only passing through, yet they remain there, ensnared in the flames of their attraction. Then an unexpected death threatens to tear their fragile bond apart. Intense and riveting to the very end, Sunburn: A Novel is highly recommended. 8 CDs, 9 hours.


The Music CD Shelf

Your Sound: Live at Dizzy's Club Coca-Cola
Jay Rodriguez
www.jayrodriguez.com
Whaling City Sound
c/o Naxos (distribution)
$12.99 CD / $8.99 MP3 amazon.com

Your Sound: Live at Dizzy's Club Coca-Cola is a jazz album featuring the musical genius of master performer Jay Rodriguez, who showcases his gift on the tenor saxophone, alto saxophone, flute, and bass clarinet. Additional musicians are Billy Harper on tenor saxophone; Larry Willis on piano; Eric Wheeler on acoustic bass; Billy Marton on percussion; and J.T. Lewis on drums. Most of Your Sound features Rodriguez' original work, although the final track is a soulful cover of "Kiss and Say Goodbye". Brimming with the bottled-lightning energy and passion that only a live performance can bring, Your Sound: Live at Dizzy's Club Coca-Cola is a "must" for jazz connoisseurs and highly recommended for both personal and public library collections. The tracks are "Ghost Dancer/Congo Call", "Golden Earring", "Clouds", "All of You", "Your Sound", "When the Stars Fell", "Spirits", "Inolvidable", "Lover", and "Let's Just Kiss and Say Goodbye". (61:37).

Tour Guide
Cheri Magill
www.cherimagillmusic.com
Red Shoe Records
$12.97 CD / $9.99 download cdbaby.com

Tour Guide is an album of ten original songs by award-winning independent singer/songwriter Cheri Magill. The central theme of the music is motherhood - from the joys of nurturing children and helping them grow, to how the pressures of being a parent can push one to the brink of crazy, to the priceless treasure of unconditional love. The original genesis of Tour Guide came when Cheri composed a song for each of her three children; that seed blossomed into this warmhearted, mellifluous celebration, highly recommended for both personal and public library music collections. The tracks are "Tour Guide", "Lasso the Moon", "You Are Here", "Crazy", "Brave", "Still", "Don't You Forget", "Better", "Unconditionally", and "Chopsticks Lullaby". 31 min.

Time Is Everything
Vivian Leva
Free Dirt Records
freedirt.net
$TBA vivianleva.com

Time Is Everything is a music album steeped in the roots of American culture, drawing upon elements of classic country, honky tonk, contemporary Americana and more. Up-and-coming performer Vivian Leva showcases her vocal and guitar talent with these expressive, soul-stirring original songs. Time Is Everything is highly recommended for connoisseurs and public library collections, and also makes an excellent gift for music lovers everywhere. The tracks are "Bottom of the Glass", "Time Is Everything", "Sturdy as the Land", "No Forever", "Wishes and Dreams", "Cold Mountains", 'Why Don't You Introduce Me as Your Darlin", "Last of My Kind", "Every Goodbye", and "Here I Am".

Aonki: Gateway of Love
Anaya Music
www.anayamusic.com
$15.99 CD / $9.49 MP3 amazon.com

Aonki: Gateway of Love is a new age album by award-winning Brazilian music artist Anaya Music. Balancing Anaya's talent is a live virtual symphony orchestra, recorded in the Czech capital of Prague. The original songs cascade with a passionate aspiration to reach for the stars, and enrapture the listener in their melliflous soundscape. Highly recommended, especially for personal and public library new age collections. The tracks are "Laman Song", "Breath", "Gate", "Over the clouds", "Because of You", "Aonki Mov I", "Aonki Mov II", "Extase II", "Just for you", and "A Path to the Infinite". (48:18).

Soft Spot of My Heart
Eleanor Dubinsky
Privatley Published
$TBA www.eleanordubinsky.com

Soft Spot of My Heart is an emotional, Lisbon-inspired music album by jazz songwriter Eleanor Dubinsky. The original songs reflect on the difficulties and the delicate balance of human relationships, from friendships to family bonds to love. Soft Spot of My Heart is sweeping, inspirational, and rapturous to experience, highly recommended especially for connoisseurs of the genre. The tracks are "Turn It Around", "Soft Spot Of My Heart", "Wind Won't Knock It Down", "Wait For You", "Free Again", "El Sabor De La Vida", "Morning Song", "I Let Go", "Cuando Voy A Mi Trabajo", and "You Are Special, You Are Beautiful".

Kiss The Quiet
Michael Whalen
www.michaelwhalen.com
Michael Whalen Music, Ltd.
$TBA CD / $8.99 MP3 amazon.com

Kiss The Quiet: Meditations on Life & Love is an album from ambient music creator Michael Whalen, featuring his masterful touch on ambient piano, synthesizers, and electronics. The gentle flow of the instrumental music soothes the mind and stirs the spirit. Kiss The Quiet is a choice pick for meditation, reflection, or simply winding down after a long day. Highly recommended, especially for personal and public library ambient music collections; Kiss The Quiet also makes an excellent gift for connoisseurs of the genre. The tracks are "Kiss The Quiet", "Heart So Full of Joy", "Full Moon Dance", "Almost Touching Heaven", "The Prayer Box", "No More Secrets", "Window To the Soul", "My Obsequious Tear", "Hush The Night", and "Ever Closer Ever Nearer Ever Sooner".

No Pressure
Hot Club Sandwich
Acoustic Oasis
$TBA www.hotclubsandwich.com

No Pressure is an original music album touching upon an eclectic diversity of styles, from jazz manouche to bolero romantico to Peruvian waltz and more. The fifth album of performance group Hot Club Sandwich, No Pressure showcases their signature quality - arrangements with memorably contrasting instrumental interplay. No Pressure is a joy to experience, highly recommended. The tracks are "Swang Thang", "No Pressure", "New Gravy Waltz", "Winter Rain", "Melancholy April", "Rockin' Chair", "Odiame", "Blackpot Coozie", "What A Pretty Miss", "Palm Springs Jump", "It Ain't Right", "Lilly's Bolero", "The Other Side of the Pillow", and "St. James Infirmary".


The DVD Shelf

Rebecka Martinson, series 1
Starring Ida Engvoll
Acorn Media
c/o RLJ Entertainment
www.us.RLJEntertainment.com
$49.99 www.acornonline.com

A gripping Swedish crime drama with subtitles in English, Rebecka Martinson, series 1 follows Rebecka Martin a successful Stockholm lawyer, who returns to her remote hometown near the Arctic Circle to discern the truth behind a violent death. Although the tragedy has been ruled an accident, Rebecka suspects foul play. As Rebecka's detective skills are put to the test, she must decide whether or not her destiny lies in a return to the big city. Set amid a landscape of breathtaking beauty, Rebecka Martinson, series 1 is highly recommended to connoisseurs. It should be noted that Rebecka martinson, series 1 is intended expressly for adult viewers, due to the presence of strong language, nudity, sexual situations, violence, and disturbing images. 8 episodes on a 2-disc DVD set, 370 min., SDH subtitles.

It Takes From Within
Written and directed by Lee Eubanks
First Run Features
630 Ninth Avenue, Suite 1213, New York, NY 10036
$24.95 www.firstrunfeatures.com

Filmed in stark and surreal black-and-white, It Takes From Within is a modern movie inspired by arthouse films of the 1960s. Set in a desolate town where an unnamed man and woman prepare to attend a burial, It Takes From Within gradually builds tension as increasingly bizarre and disturbing events happen, reflection manifestations of dread, despair, and the terror of death itself as the moment of internment draws ever closer. Emphasizing memorable cinematography and minimal spoken dialogue, It Takes From Within peers into the abyss that gnaws at the human soul, and the lingering chill that remains after the first wave of fear passes. Highly recommended, especially for connoisseurs of surreal suspense. This DVD version includes commentary from director Lee Eubanks. 95 min., black-and-white, widescreen.

Qigong for Women
With Daisy Lee
YMAA Publications
PO Box 480, Wolfeboro, NH 03894-0480
9781594395611 $29.95 www.ymaa.com

Daisy Lee (certified as an advanced qigong instructor and clinical practitioner by the National Qigong Association of America) guides the viewer to the exercise movements of qigong in Qigong for Women: Lotus Rises Through the Water Medical Qigong Form (40 min.), an instructional DVD that is thoroughly accessible to beginners. These movements and forms are an excellent way to promote better physical and mental health, by increasing energy flow and exercising the body's muscles. Each Qigong movement is presented as a stand-alone exercise on its own DVD track, so that the movements may be easily practiced in any combination or all in sequence. The routine on this DVD is designed specifically to benefit women, but practicing Qigong in general is highly beneficial to both sexes. Qigong for Women is a choice addition to women's health and fitness DVD collections. Also highly recommended are two previous DVDs featuring Daisy Lee: "Beginner Qigong for Women: Radiant Lotus Qigong Exercises" ($29.95) and "Beginner Qigong for Women: Radiant Lotus Medical Qigong Forms" ($29.95).


The Theatre/Cinema/TV Shelf

Jess Franco
Kristofer Todd Upjohn
Stark House Press
1315 H Street, Eureka, CA 95501
www.starkhousepress.com
9781944520601, $15.95, PB, 192pp, www.amazon.com

Jess Franco (12 May 1930 - 2 April 2013) was a director, cinematographer, writer, composer, editor, producer and actor in more than 150 fiercely independent films he made from 1959 to 2013. Born in Madrid, Spain, he was declared one of the most dangerous filmmakers by the Spanish Catholic Church. He was also one of the most prolific directors of Spanish cinema. His underground classics include Christina, Princess of Eroticism, Vampyros Lesbos, Daughter of Dracula, Tender Flesh, The Awful Dr. Orloff, Venus in Furs, Marquis de Sade's Justine, Revenge in the House of Usher and many others. Kristofer Upjohn celebrates Jess Franco in a collection of essays that examines his individual movies for the first time not just an artistic perspective but also with a subtextual psychological analysis as well from Count Dracula and Jack the Ripper, all the way to The Erotic Rites of Frankenstein and Countess Perverse. There has never been a low budget maestro like Jess Franco. All of his life's work is faithfully recorded in the pages of "Jess Franco: The World's Most Dangerous Filmmaker" by Kristofer Todd Upjohn, and is very highly recommended for personal, community, and academic library History of Cinema collections in general, and Jess Franco supplemental studies reading lists in particular.

Mr. Novak
Chuck Harter
BearManor Media
P. O. Box 1129, Duncan, OK 73534-1129
www.bearmanormedia.com
9781629331645, $40.00, HC, 376pp, www.amazon.com

The Mr. Novak television series was a landmark in the development of dramatic television. It starred James Franciscus with Dean Jagger and featured cutting-edge scripts, first-class production values and exceptional acting. It was the first program to portray teachers and students realistically. "Mr. Novak: An Acclaimed Television Series" by author, musician and popular culture consultant Chuck Harter is a profusely illustrated study that features: Comprehensive coverage of the original filming and air dates; An episode guide with vintage reviews and fresh perspectives; Interviews with over 35 actors who appeared on the show including Walter Koenig, Martin Landau, Beau Bridges, Tony Dow, Ed Asner, June Lockhart, and Sherry Jackson; Archival interviews with the series' stars and producers; A complete list of the many awards the series received, and so much more. Exceptionally well researched, written, organized and presented, "Mr. Novak" provides the reader with a complete and comprehensive profile of one of the finest TV series that ever aired. "Mr. Novak" is especially and unreservedly recommended for both community and academic library Television History collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "Mr. Novak" is also available in a paperback edition (9781629331638, $30.00) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.95).


The Health/Medicine Shelf

Dr. Colbert's Keto Zone Diet
Don Colbert, MD
Worthy Publishing
One Franklin Park, 6100 Tower Circle, Suite 210, Franklin, TN 37067
www.worthypublishing.com
9781683970248, $21.99, HC, 304pp, www.amazon.com

"Dr. Colbert's Keto Zone Diet" is specifically recommended for men and woman wanting or needing to lose weight. "Dr. Colbert's Keto Zone Diet" reveals that the answer to weight loss and weight control is not a pill, medication, or surgery. The answer is a nutritional one. Dr. Don Colbert has been practicing medicine for 30 years. In the pages of "Dr. Colbert's Keto Zone Diet" he has taken his nutrition, cancer treatment, and weight loss training to a whole new level. Dr. Colbert's instructional guide and manual will not only helps you lose weight, but will also help you plan out a healthy life that you can enjoy! Exceptionally well organized and presented, "Dr. Colbert's Keto Zone Diet" is unreservedly recommended for community library Health & Medicine instructional reference collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "Dr. Colbert's Keto Zone Diet" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $11.99).


The Biography Shelf

Captain Jack Helm
Chuck Parsons
University of North Texas Press
1155 Union Circle #311336, Denton, TX 76203-5017
9781574417180 $29.95 www.untpress.unt.edu

Captain Jack Helm: A Victim of Texas Reconstruction Violence is the true-life biography of Texan lawman Captain Jack Helm. Once a Confederate soldier, Helm switched his allegiance and became a passionate Unionist. He dedicated his life to establishing law and order in Central and South Texas, first as deputy sheriff, then as a Regulator and leader of a group of vigilantes. Helm was ruthless in the pursuit of his duty; after arresting suspected lawbreakers, he would often kill his prisoner before reaching a jail for "attempting to escape." His unfettered aggression would ultimate contribute to his downfall in a confrontation with two enemies amidst the Sutton- Taylor Feud. Extensive endnotes, a bibliography, and an index enhance this in-depth biography that reads like a Western! Highly recommended, especially for public library biography collections.

Everything's Bigger in Texas
Mary Lou Sullivan
Backbeat Books
c/o Hal Leonard Performing Arts Publishing Group
33 Plymouth Street, Suite 302, Montclair, NJ 07042-2677
www.halleonard.com
9781495058967, $29.99, HC, 344pp, www.amazon.com

Kinky Friedman has always maintained his Kinkster persona and hidden Richard Friedman from the public eye. Using one-liners, humor, and occasional rudeness, he follows the advice of his friend Bob Dylan to keep an aura of mystery. Author and biographer Mary Lou Sullivan spent many contentious days and nights at Kinky's Texas Hill Country ranch before he trusted her enough to open up and speak candidly. Best known as an irreverent cigar-chomping Jewish country-and-western singer, turned author, turned politician, Kinky has dined on monkey brains in the jungles of Borneo, supped with presidents, and vacationed with Bob Dylan in the tiny fishing village of Yelapa, Mexico. A satirist who loves pushing the envelope, he's been attacked on-stage, received bomb threats, and put on the only show in Austin City Limits' history deemed too offensive to air. From the 1970s music scene in L.A. with Tom Waits and the Band, to political platforms advocating legalized marijuana, to friendships with John Belushi, Joseph Heller, Don Imus, Willie Nelson, Dwight Yoakam, and Billy Bob Thornton, "Kinky Friedman has always maintained his Kinkster persona and hidden Richard Friedman from the public eye. Using one-liners, humor, and occasional rudeness, he follows the advice of his friend Bob Dylan to keep an aura of mystery. Author Mary Lou Sullivan spent many contentious days and nights at Kinky's Texas Hill Country ranch before he trusted her enough to open up and speak candidly. Best known as an irreverent cigar-chomping Jewish country-and-western singer, turned author, turned politician, Kinky has dined on monkey brains in the jungles of Borneo, supped with presidents, and vacationed with Bob Dylan in the tiny fishing village of Yelapa, Mexico. A satirist who loves pushing the envelope, he's been attacked onstage, received bomb threats, and put on the only show in Austin City Limits' history deemed too offensive to air. From the 1970s music scene in L.A. with Tom Waits and the Band, to political platforms advocating legalized marijuana, to friendships with John Belushi, Joseph Heller, Don Imus, Willie Nelson, Dwight Yoakam, and Billy Bob Thornton, "Everything's Bigger in Texas: The Life and Times of Kinky Friedman" is the candid account based on dozens and years of interviews of the larger-than-life Texan who is still writing books and songs, recording albums, and performing for enthusiastic audiences throughout the world. "Everything's Bigger in Texas" is candid biographical account based on dozens and years of interviews of the larger-than-life Texan who is still writing books and songs, recording albums, and performing for enthusiastic audiences throughout the world. While strongly recommended, especially for community and academic library Contemporary American Biography collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Everything's Bigger in Texas" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $17.44).


The American History Shelf

Presidents Who Shaped the American West
Glenda Riley and Richard W. Etulain
University of Oklahoma Press
2800 Venture Drive, Norman, OK 73069
www.oupress.com
9780806159072 $24.95 pbk / $23.70 Kindle amazon.com

Historians Glenda Riley and Richard Etulain present Presidents Who Shaped the American West, a historical study of how American presidents directly affected the development of the nation's Western frontier. Each chapter includes a brief biography of an influential president, the political context of their time in office, and their actions and policies that directly impacted the region, from Abraham Lincoln's Homestead Act to Theodore Roosevelt's conservation efforts to Franklin Roosevelt's New Deal and much more. Expertly researched, analytically presented, yet thoroughly accessible to readers of all backgrounds, Presidents Who Shaped the American West is highly recommended especially for public and college library American History collections.

Chicago Flashback
Chicago Tribune Staff
Agate Midway
c/o Agate Publishing
1328 Greenleaf Street, Evanston, IL 60202
www.agatepublishing.com
9781572842359, $35.00, HC, 400pp, www.amazon.com

The devoted journalists at the Chicago Tribune have been reporting the city's news for 170 years. As a result, the paper has amassed an inimitable, as-it-happened history of its hometown, a city first incorporated in 1837 that rapidly grew to become the third-largest city in the United States. Since 2011, the Chicago Tribune has been mining its vast archive of photos and stories for its weekly feature Chicago Flashback, which deals with the significant people and events that have shaped the city's history and culture from the paper's founding in 1847 to the present day. Now the editors of the Tribune have carefully collected the best, most interesting Chicago Flashback features into a single coffee-table volume. Each individual story is accompanied by at least one black-and-white image from the paper's fabled photo vault located deep below Michigan Avenue's famed Tribune Tower. Chicago Flashback offers readers a unique perspective on the city's long and colorful history. An inherently fascinating read from cover to cover, "Chicago Flashback" would well serve as a template for similar newspaper based city histories. While especially and unreservedly recommended for community and academic library American History and Journalism collections in general, and Chicago History supplemental studies lists in particular, it should be noted for the personal reading lists of students and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "Chicago Flashback' is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $19.25).


The Pets/Wildlife Shelf

Dog Tales
Andrea Hayes
Gill Books
c/o Dufour Editions, Inc.
PO Box 7, 124 Byers Road, Chester Springs, PA 19425-0007
www.dufoureditions.com
9780717179480, $30.00, HC, 326pp, www.amazon.com

"Dog Tales: Heart-warming Tales of Rescue Dogs who Rescued Their Owners Right Back" by Andrea Hayes is comprised of thirteen heart-warming stories of dogs that have been given a second chance at happiness, and of the dedicated owners who found a place in their hearts and homes for the abandoned and often traumatized animals. Filled with touching stories of love, loss and transformation, these dog tales will uplift the reader's soul, as they laugh, cry and fall in love with these amazing animals who often rescue their new owners right back. Inspired and inspiring, "Dog Tales" is an absolute 'must read' for anyone who has cherished a canine companion of their own. While unreservedly recommended for community library Pets/Wildlife collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Dog Tales" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).


The Needlecraft Shelf

Oh, Scrap!
Lissa Alexander
Martingale & Company
19021 - 120th Avenue NE, Suite 102, Bothell, WA 98011
www.shopmartingale.com
9781604688948, $27.99, PB, 96pp, www.amazon.com

"Oh, Scrap!: Fabulous Quilts That Make the Most of Your Stash" by needlecraft expert Lissa Alexander will be of special interest and value for anyone wanting to be a scrap quilter and take advantage of their inevitable collection of leftover scraps from previous quilting projects. Lissa Alexander has spent three decades honing her scrap-quilting talents, and in this, her debut quilting book, she draws upon her experience and expertise to offer page after page of practical tips for making dazzling scrap quilts saturated with color, print, and texture. Aspiring quilters will learn how to make insightful decisions about which fabric combinations work (and understand why others don't). Best of all, discover how to (finally!) use their unique stash to make scrap quilts that will uniquely stand out and serve both practical and ornamental purposes. Of special note is the inclusion of a preface by renowned quilt historian Barbara Brackman. While unreservedly recommended for personal and community library Needlecraft instructional reference collections, it should be noted that "Oh Scrap!" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $14.99).


The Cookbook Shelf

Fertility Foods
Elizabeth Shaw & Chef Sara Haas
Hatherleigh Press
c/o The Hatherleigh Foundation
62545 State Highway 10, Hobart, NY 13788
www.hatherleighpress.com
9781578267033, $20.00, PB, 320pp, www.amazon.com

Elizabeth Shaw is a nutrition expert, adjunct professor of nutrition and owner of a nutrition communications consulting business. With "Fertility Foods" she teams up with Chef Sara Hass, a food and nutrition expert with formal training in the culinary arts, to create an impressive compendium of more than 100 recipes for dishes that are unfailingly palate pleasing, appetite satisfying, and conducive to enhancing and fortifying fertility. Profusely and beautifully illustrated throughout, the thoroughly 'kitchen cook friendly' recipes range from Ricotta, Fruit and Nut Toast with Honey; Fast Veggie and Hummus Sandwich; 3-Cheese Baked Penne Lasagna with Fresh Arugula Salad; and French Lentil Salad with Spinach and Feta; to Protein Packed Freezer Burritos; Sauteed Mushrooms with Thyme and Bulur; Rustic Apple Galette; and Berrylicious Fruit Crumble. Of special note are the four appendices: Dietary Reference Intake; Building a health Kitchen - The Staples; Cooking Techniques and Terms; Food Safety Recommendations. A unique and unreservedly recommended addition to family and community library cookbook collections, it should be noted to couples dealing with fertility issues that the "Fertility Cookbook" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $10.99).

Super Fast Instant Pot Pressure Cooker Cookbook
Heather Rodino & Ella Sanders
Castle Point Book
c/o St. Martin's Press
175 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10010
www.stmartins.com
9781250149237, $19.99, PB, 160pp, www.amazon.com

Ideal for the time-stressed kitchen cook and beautifully illustrated throughout, "Super Fast Instant Pot Pressure Cooker Cookbook: 100 Easy Recipes for Every Multi-Cooker" is the collaborative work of editor, writer and food lover Heather Rodino and comfort food enthusiast Ella Sanders. Specifically designed to be prepared with a multi-cooker and on the dinner table in 60 minutes or less, the thoroughly kitchen cook friendly recipes range from Kielbasa Potato Soup; Hearty Beef and Bean Chili; Mediterranean Chicken with Olives; and Sirloin Tips in Mushroom and Onion Gravy; to Moo Shu Pork; Creamy Mashed Butternut Squash; Maple-Glazed Carrots; and Dark Chocolate Pudding. Also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99), the "Super Fast Instant Pot Pressure Cooker Cookbook" is an especially and unreservedly recommended addition to personal, family, and community library cookbook collections.

Delights from the Garden of Eden
Nawal Nasrallah
Equinox Publishing
https://www.equinoxpub.com
9781781794579, $45.00, 440pp, www.amazon.com

Beautifully illustrated throughout, and displaying the diversity of Iraqi traditional culinary practices and cuisine, "Delights from the Garden of Eden" showcases 300 original and authentic Iraqi recipes that are tested, easy to follow, and covers all food categories. Ingredients and cooking techniques indigenous to the region are fully explained, with practical ways for making them in the convenience of a modern kitchens, such as baking the Iraqi flat tannour bread and sammoun, and grilling fish masgouf way. "Delights from the Garden of Eden" uniquely traces the genesis and development of the Iraqi cuisine over the centuries, starting with the ancient Mesopotamians, through medieval times and leading to the present, aided throughout by the author's intimate native knowledge of cookery. Of particular interest is the inclusion of numerous food-related folkloric stories, reminiscences, anecdotes, songs, poems, excerpts from narratives written by foreign visitors to the region, and cultural explications of customs, all interwoven with the recipes. "Delights from the Garden of Eden" features a comprehensive glossary that will help familiarize American kitchen cooks with the indigenous ingredients used in creating authentic Iraqi meals, with substitutes suggested without compromising taste or tradition. "Delights from the Garden of Eden" is especially and unreservedly recommended for personal, family, professional, and community library Ethnic Cookbook collections.

The Hummingbird Bakery Cookbook
Tarek Malouf
Mitchell Beazley
c/o Octopus Publishing
236 Park Avenue, New York NY 10017
www.octopusbooksusa.com
9781845978310, $27.95, HC, 144pp, www.amazon.com

Deciding to open the first Hummingbird Bakery in 2004 in London's Notting Hill, Tarek Malouf now draws upon his experience and expertise to produce "The Hummingbird Bakery Cookbook", a culinary compendium that allows anyone to step produce in their own family kitchens such culinary delights as the Hummingbird Baker trademark butter cream swirls, sprinkles, and layer-cake slices. Profusely and beautifully illustrated throughout, this superbly organized and presented cookbooks offers the recipes for creating Hummingbird's Vanilla Cupcake topped with candy-colored butter cream frosting and scattered with sprinkles; Red Velvet Cupcakes; Carrot Cupcakes; Lemon Meringue Pies; Pecan Pies; Rocky Road Brownies: Muesli Bars; and a big, chewy cookie studded with chocolate chunks. A do-it-yourself cookbook compendium of 50 simple recipes of palate pleasing, sweet-tooth satisfying treats, "The Hummingbird Bakery Cookbook" is wholeheartedly and unreservedly recommended for personal, professional, family, and community library cookbook collections.


The Travel Shelf

Secret Montreal: An Unusual Guide, third edition
Philippe Renault
Jonglez Publishing
http://www.jonglezpublishing.com
9782361951870, $19.95, PB, 256pp, www.amazon.com

Philippe Renault, based in Montreal since 2006, has taken every opportunity to delve into the complexities of his adopted city, for both work and pleasure. Given his dedication to architecture and history, he was instantly seduced by the concept of a "Secret Montreal" guide. For several years he has sought out easily accessible features that few people know about including little museums, hidden gardens, overlooked buildings, enigmatic statues, and more. Now in a fully updated and expanded third edition, "Secret Montreal: An Unusual Guide" continues to be a premier resource for planning sightseeing trip itineraries for anyone seeking a truly memorable visit to Montreal, Canada. Profusely illustrated, impressively informative, exceptionally well organized and presented, thoroughly 'user friendly' and easily portable, "Secret Montreal: An Unusual Guide" is very highly recommended for personal, community, and academic library Travel Guide collections.

Women's London
Rachel Kolsky
Lifestyle Books
c/o Fox Chapel Publishing Company
1970 Broad Street N., East Petersburg, PA 17520
www.FoxChapelPublishing.com
9781504800822, $19.99, PB, 260pp, www.amazon.com

London Blue Badge Guide Rachel Kolsky runs Go London Tours. Her wide range of walks and visits specializes in exploring Jewish heritage, discovering women's history, and uncovering the human stories behind London's buildings. In the pages of "Women's London: A Tour Guide to Great Lives" she draws upon her years of experience and expertise to produce a thoroughly 'user friendly' and informative guidebook that celebrates to the women pioneers, suffragettes and scientists who helped to shape London down through the centuries to the present day. Profusely illustrated, expertly organized and presented, an inherently fascinating and informative reade from cover to cover, "Women's London" is an ideal reference and resource for planning sightseeing trips and tours of the great city of London with a unique and special reference to the role women have played in its formation.


The Beer/Wine/Spirits Shelf

Wild Wine Making
Richard W. Bender
Storey Publishing
210 Mass MoCA Way, North Adams, MA 01247
www.storey.com
9781612127897, $19.95, PB, 272pp, www.amazon.com

Boutique wine making for personal consumption and celebrations with friends has grown in popularity throughout the United States. Making wine at home just got more fun, and easier, with Richard Bender's "Wild Wine Making: Easy & Adventurous Recipes Going Beyond Grapes", a compendium of wine making experiments with a variety of ingredients ranging from Apple Champagne, Ginger - Green Tea Sake, Key Lime - Cayenne Wine, and 142 more non-grape sources. Whether new to wine making or a seasoned pro at it, "Wild Wine Making" will find this innovative and thoroughly 'user friendly' manual fully accessible and immense practical, thanks to its focus on small batches that require minimal equipment and use an unexpected range of readily available fruits, vegetables, flowers, and herbs. The ingredient list is irresistibly curious and features such unusual alcoholic beverages as banana wine, dark chocolate peach, plum champagne, sweet potato sake, Thai dragon, and even cannabis rhubarb wines! A unique, unusual, inspiring, "Wild Wine Making: Easy & Adventurous Recipes Going Beyond Grapes" will prove to be an enduringly popular and appreciated addition to personal and community library collections. It should be noted that "Wild Winemaking: Easy & Adventurous Recipes Going Beyond Grapes" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).

Japanese Whisky
Brian Ashcraft, Idzuhiko Ueda, Yuji Kawasaki
Tuttle Publishing
364 Innovation Drive, North Clarendon, VT 05759-9436
www.tuttlepublishing.com
9784805314098, $19.99, HC, 144pp, www.amazon.com

A unique and specialized study, "Japanese Whisky: The Ultimate Guide to the World's Most Desirable Spirit with Tasting Notes from Japan's Leading Whisky Blogger" features extraordinary archival images and informative interviews deftly chronicling the forgotten stories of Japan's pioneering whisky makers. "Japanese Whisky" reveals the unique materials and methods used by the Japanese distillers including mizunara wood, Japanese barley, and novel only-in-Japan production methods. It also examines the close cultural connections between Japanese whisky drinkers and their favorite tipples. For the first time in English, "Japanese Whisky" presents over a hundred independently scored whisky tastings from leading Japanese whisky blogger, with contributor Yuji Kawasaki shedding new light on Japan's most famous single malts as well as grain whiskies and blends. Japan expert Brian Ashcraft and photographer Idzuhiko Ueda crisscrossed Japan visiting all the major makers to talk about past and present whisky distillers, blenders and coopers. This unique Japanese whisky 'bible' features their exclusive interviews with the people involved in the early beginnings of the Japanese whisky industry over seventy years ago. "Japanese Whisky" not only explains how the country's award-winning whiskies are made but also the complete whisky history and culture, so readers can truly appreciate the subtle Japanese whiskies they're drinking and buying. Beautifully illustrated throughout, "Japanese Whisky" is an inherently fascinating read and very highly recommended for both community and academic library collections. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of dedicated whiskey fans and Japanese popular culture buffs that "Japanese Whisky" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $18.99).


The Sports Shelf

No Other Home
Matt Besler
Andrews McMeel Publishing
1130 Walnut Street, Kansas City, MO 64106-2109
www.andrewsmcmeel.com
9781449479770, $19.99, HC, 224pp, www.amazon.com

Sporting Kansas City captain Matt Besler has achieved something extraordinary in the least extraordinary way. At every level of his athletic career, Besler has heard the same questions and initial dismissal of his talent. Even as he made his slow, steady progression into the consciousness of his coaches, opponents, and fans, then onto the national and world soccer stage, he heard it still. How does a normal guy like Matt Besler end up playing in the World Cup, one of the most exclusive competitions in international sports? In the pages of "No Other Home: Living, Leading, and Learning What Matters Most", he offers an honest, first-person perspective into exactly what it takes to reach the highest levels of the sporting world. Matt shares his stories ranging from growing up in a loving but fiercely competitive family, to climbing through the ranks of high school, club, and college athletics, to dealing with injuries and professional setbacks, and even to his own rather extraordinary experience of becoming a father. The poignant lessons he's learned so far hold value for soccer fans and non-fans alike. "No Other Home" is a book to be shared among family members, young and old. And for parents looking for positive influences in professional athletics, they will find no better role model than Matt, for example, a portion of the proceeds from the sale of this book will be donated to the nonprofit charity, the Besler Family Foundation. While especially and unreservedly recommended for both community and academic library Sports/Athletics and Contemporary American Biography collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "No Other Home" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).


The Gardening Shelf

Landscaping Ideas That Work
Julie Moir Messervy
The Taunton Press
63 South Main Street, Newtown, CT 06470
www.taunton.com
9781600857805, $21.95, PB, 224pp, www.amazon.com

Julie Moir Messervy's vision for composing landscape of beauty and meaning is furthering the evolution of landscape design and changing the way people create and enjoy their outdoor surroundings. In the profusely illustrated pages of "Landscaping Ideas that Work" she draws upon her more than 30 years of experience and expertise to provide DIY homeowners the most comprehensive resource of inspired design ideas and practical solutions for all landscaping and outdoor living spaces. With practical design advice as well as over 350 innovative ideas and photographs, "Landscaping Ideas That Work" is the only sourcebook ever needed for smart design, buying, and installation decisions for your outdoor digs, showing how to fully design a landscape as well as create: Spaces that work; Open air rooms; Fences, walls, and hedges; Paths and walkways; Plantings; Details in the landscape. In to being a thoroughly 'user friendly' and practical guide to landscaping materials and design considerations, "Landscaping Ideas That Work" also includes a number of practical tips for working with professionals. While very highly recommended for personal and community library Gardening & Landscaping instructional reference collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Landscaping Ideas That Work" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $13.79).


The Woodworking Shelf

Traditional Wooden Handplanes
Scott Wynn
Fox Chapel Publishing Company
1970 Broad Street N., East Petersburg, PA 17520
www.FoxChapelPublishing.com
9781565238879, $19.99, PB, 204pp, www.amazon.com

A fourth generation craftsman, Scott Wynn brings a lifetime of involvement in craft, art, and design to his work. He has a broad base of hands-on experience as a carpenter, cabinetmaker, woodcarver, luthier, building contractor, and architectural designer. Scott has maintained a professional shop providing furniture, cabinetry, and woodcarving since 1976. In the profusely illustrated pages of "Traditional Wooden Handplanes" he draws upon his years of experience and expertise to provide the non-specialist general reader and aspiring woodworker with an essential reference for hand tool enthusiasts. In "Traditional Wooden Handplanes " he also: Explains how to restore, make, modify & use traditional wood handplanes; Provides step by step instructions for making a set of 6 types of this style of plane; Teaches how traditional wood planes work; Shows how to set up a flea market find; Instructs on how to tune up a new plane to get the best performance. Novice woodworkers will learn about the different types and how to use them to their best advantage; which blades angles are best, which blade steel you might want to use, and finally, how to make your own set of planes using some modern techniques that simplify construction and improve performance. Exceptionally well written, organized and presented, "Traditional Wooden Handplanes" is the ideal instruction guide and manual and unreservedly recommended for personal, highschool woodshop, and community library Woodworking instructional reference collections and supplemental studies reading lists.

Built-Ins, Cabinets & Shelves
Fine Homebuilding Editors
The Taunton Press
63 South Main Street, Newtown, CT 06470
www.taunton.com
9781631869129, $24.95, PB, 224pp, www.amazon.com

Every homeowner always seems to need more storage whether for household items and kitchenwares, books and other media, or just plain stuff. That's why built-ins and cabinets are so popular among do-it-yourself home carpenters and amateur woodworkers, whether the project is a simple shelved built-in or a high-style cabinet. Although building a basic box is fairly easy, constructing one that will hold a heavy load and has style takes some design savvy. The team effort of the editorial staff of 'Fine Homebuilding' magazine, "Built-Ins, Cabinets & Shelves" is a collection of 25 articles from 'Fine Homebuilding' and 'Fine Woodworking', in which America's most accomplished carpenters and woodworkers contribute their advice on building sturdy cabinets, built-ins, and bookcases. Profusely illustrated with thoroughly 'user friendly' step-by-step instructions, "Built-Ins, Cabinets & Shelves" is an especially and unreservedly recommended addition to personal, professional, highschool woodshop, and community library Woodworking instructional reference collections.


The Gaming Shelf

Demystifying Defense
Patrick O'Connor
Master Point Press
205-214 Merton Street, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, M4S 1A6
9781771400411, $16.95, PB, 140pp, www.masterpointpress.com

With the publication of A First Book of Bridge Problems" and "A Second Book of Bridge Problems", and winner of the American Bridge Teachers Association Book of the Year award in 2012, Patrick O'Connor has clearly established himself as a leading author for beginning players. Now in "Demystifying Defense" the addresses the hardest aspect of card play in Bridge: defense. After carefully explaining the basic concepts, O'Connor takes the reader through forty illustrative problems, using an over the shoulder style, and explaining every play as it is made. Beginners typically have more trouble with defense than any other part of the game, and "Demystifying Defense" will go a long way towards removing their unease. Exceptionally well written, organized and presented, "Demystifying Defense" is an especially and unreservedly recommended addition to personal, community, academic, and senior center library Bridge instructional reference collections and supplemental studies reading lists.


The Coloring Book Shelf

Look for Rainbows: Coloring Quote Journal
Samantha Snyder
AKA Associates
www.akabooks.com
9780998832258, $9.95, PB, 152pp, www.amazon.com

The fifteenth and newest title in Samantha Snyder's outstanding 'Doodle Art Alley Books' series of adult coloring books, "Look for Rainbows" is a 52-week coloring journal that shares more than 75 beautiful doodle designs of quotes, sayings, and seasonal images. Included are inspirational quotes from famous authors include Louisa May Alcott, George Eliot, William Shakespeare, Henry David Thoreau, Oscar Wilde, and more. There are also numerous sayings drawn from Believe in Your Dreams, Count Your Blessings, and Laugh Often to Stand a Little Taller, Take Time to Listen, and Wish Others a Great Day. Also featured are dozens of beautiful doodle designs and seasonal themes ranging from dream catchers, hearts, and flowers, to rainbows, stars, and waves. This coloring journal has more than 100 lined pages organized so that you begin and finish each and every week of the month and year with plenty of enjoyment, inspiration, and relaxation. Offering hours and hours of quite, contemplative, Journaling opportunities, "Look for Rainbows: Coloring Quote Journal" is especially and unreservedly recommended.


The Education Shelf

Don't Pay for Your MBA
Laurie Pickard
Amacom Books
1601 Broadway, New York, NY 10019
www.amacombooks.org
9780814438480, $17.95, PB, 240pp, www.amazon.com

Each year, the nation's top business schools are flooded with applications from people eager to pursue their MBA dreams. But those aspirations come at a steep price. The average debt load for graduates of NYU's Stern School of Business, MIT's Sloan School of Management, and other top business schools exceeds $100,000. Author Laurie Pickard couldn't shoulder that kind of debt, but she faced a dilemma: despite two degrees and a Peace Corps stint, she needed a business education to land her dream job in international development. She decided to take her education into her own hands, and found that some of those same prestigious business schools offer MOOCs (massive online open courses) for low or even no cost. By picking the right classes from the best schools, she gained the skills -- without all the debt. In "Don't Pay for Your MBA: The Faster, Cheaper, Better Way to Get the Business Education You Need", Pickard shows self-starters, career changers, and budding entrepreneurs how to navigate the expanding universe of online education. Building on her popular No-Pay MBA blog, Pickard reveals how to: Define your goals and tailor a curriculum that works for you; Master the language of business; Build a strong network; Choose a concentration and deepen personal expertise; Showcase nontraditional education in a way that attracts offers. Self-directed learning fills gaps in MBA training, positions for promotions, and opens up new opportunities. Why pay exorbitant tuition when you can MOOC your way to success? Thoroughly 'user friendly' in organization and presentation, thoroughly 'real world practical' in content, "Don't Pay for Your MBA" is unreservedly recommended for personal, community, and academic library collections. It should be noted for aspiring MBA students that "Don't Pay for Your MBA" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).


The Automotive Shelf

The Definitive Firebird & Trans Am Guide: 1970 1/2 - 1981
Rocky Rotella
CarTech Inc.
838 Lake Street South, Forest Lake, MN 55025
www.cartechbooks.com
9781613253212, $34.95, PB, 224pp, www.amazon.com

Profusely illustrated throughout, "The Definitive Firebird & Trans Am Guide 1970-1/2-1981" by Pontiac expert and historian Rocky Rotella examines each production year of the second generation of Firebirds. Production figures, option codes, running changes, model-year changes and variances, rarity, collectability, interviews with engineers, and more are thoroughly covered. This is sure to become the ultimate second-generation Firebird reference book. Complementing the detail and year-by-year analysis is a combination of archival photography from the development of these cars as well as beautiful color photos of original and restored examples today. "The Definitive Firebird & Trans Am Guide: 1970 1/2 - 1981" aptly tells the entire story of these immensely popular cars, whether you are into the second generation of F-Body regular models, Formula 400 performance models, the Super Duty Trans Ams, or the cars of Smokey and the Bandit fame. An impressively informative addition to any pony car, muscle car, or any enthusiast's library, "The Definitive Firebird & Trans Am Guide: 1970 1/2 - 1981" is very highly recommended for both community and academic library's Automotive History collection.


The Technology Shelf

The GIS 20: Essential Skills, third edition
Gina Clemmer
ESRI Press
380 New York Street, Redlands, CA 92378-8100
www.esri.com/esripress
9781589485129, $49.99, PB, 180pp, www.amazon.com

Gina Clemmer, president of the research and training company New Urban Research Inc., has trained thousands of new GIS users from across the US. Clemmer holds a master's degree in urban planning from the University of Iowa. Now in a thoroughly updated third edition of "The GIS 20: Essential Skills", Clemmer presents step-by-step instructions, illustrations, and practical tips on how to perform the top 20 skills needed to successfully use a geographic information system (GIS). These skills include finding and editing data, querying GIS maps, creating reports, and sharing and publishing maps. Exceptionally well written, organized and presented, "The GIS 20: Essential Skills" is especially and unreservedly recommended to community, corporate, college, and university library GIS collections and supplemental studies reading lists. It should be noted for students and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "The GIS 20: Essential Skills" is also available in a digital book format (eTextbook, $29.99).


The Fantasy/SciFi Shelf

In Search of the Unknown / Police!!!
Robert W. Chambers
Stark House Press
1315 H Street, Eureka, CA 95501
www.starkhousepress.com
9781944520380, $17.95, PB, 292pp, www.amazon.com

Robert William Chambers (May 26, 1865 - December 16, 1933) was an American artist and fiction writer, best known for his book of short stories entitled The King in Yellow, published in 1895. Now the Stark House Press has brought two of his superbly crafted supernatural fiction stories back into print and under one cover for the benefit of what will prove to be a whole new generation of appreciative readers. With "In Search of the Unknown" readers will journey with members of the Bronx Park Zoological Gardens as they search out exotic and seemingly extinct creatures like the dingue, the auk and the ux, wooly mammoths and even a prehistoric thermosaurus. Travel with them around the world as they dodge selkies and ekaf-birds in a series of adventures to tracks the weirdest creatures they can find. And then readers will join them again in "Police!!!" when they encounter amphibious humanoids, giant minnows, fire weasels and more! Of special note is the inclusion of a complete bibliography of the literary works of Robert W. Chambers, making "In Search of the Unknown / Police!!!" is unreservedly recommended for personal, community, and academic library collections.

Battlefield Earth
L. Ron Hubbard
Galaxy Press
7051 Hollywood Boulevard, Suite 200, Hollywood, CA 90028
www.galaxypress.com
9781592129577, $22.95, PB, 1072pp, www.amazon.com

In the year A.D. 3000, Earth is a barren wasteland, plundered of its natural resources by alien conquerors known as Psychlos. Fewer than thirty-five thousand humans survive in a handful of communities scattered across the face of a post-apocalyptic Earth. But from the ashes of humanity rises a young hero, Jonnie Goodboy Tyler. Setting off on an initial quest to discover a hidden evil, Jonnie unlocks the mystery of humanity's demise and unearths a crucial weakness in their oppressors. Spreading the seeds of revolt, Jonnie and a small band of survivors pit their quest for freedom in an all-out rebellion that erupts across the continents of Earth and the cosmic sprawl of the Psychlo empire. For the fate of the Galaxy lies on the Battlefield of Earth. An extraordinary and legendary classic, this new edition of L. Ron Hubbards science fiction saga "Battlefield Earth" is enhanced with the inclusion of an author interview and a discussion guide, making it an especially and unreservedly recommended addition to community and academic library Science Fiction collections.


The Homeowner Shelf

Complete Book of Outdoor DIY Projects
Penny Swift & Janek Szymanowski
Creative Homeowner
c/o Fox Chapel Publishing Company
1970 Broad Street N., East Petersburg, PA 17520
www.FoxChapelPublishing.com
9781580118002, $19.99, PB, 208pp, www.amazon.com

The work of DIY and how-to specialist Penny Swift in collaboration with professional photographer Janek Szymanowski, "Complete Book of Outdoor DIY Projects: The How-To Guide for Building 35 Projects in Stone, Brick, Wood, and Water" is the ultimate resource for constructing a wide variety of professional-looking, stylish structures, using stone, brick, wood or water. With step-by-step instructions and clear color photographs, all that a DIY homeowner needs is basic equipment and easy-to-learn skills. Projects include stone paths, garden archways, Japanese stone gardens and bamboo fountains, raised and free standing brick planters, pavers, decorative screen walls, rustic benches, and much more. Each individual yard and/or garden project is accompanied by detailed information on which tools to use, exactly what materials are required, how long it will take to make, and the level of difficulty involved, along with handy tips and time-saving techniques. Thoroughly 'user friendly' in tone, content organization, and effectively illustrated presentation, "Complete Book of Outdoor DIY Projects" is especially and unreservedly recommended for personal and community library DIY yard and garden project instructional reference collections.


James A. Cox, Editor-in-Chief
Diane C. Donovan, Editor
Midwest Book Review
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Oregon, WI 53575-1129
phone: 1-608-835-7937
e-mail: mbr@execpc.com
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