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Table of Contents
Reviewer's Choice
Living With Less Stuff
Maria Ward, M.A.
Independently Published
9781734896213, $9.95
https://www.amazon.com/Living-Less-Stuff-Excess-Organize/dp/1734896213
Living With Less Stuff is a game plan directed towards older adults and retirees who find themselves laden with too
much material wealth. Its specific approach to an older audience facing not just a little clutter, but a lifetime of collecting
and accumulation, addresses more major problems than comparative literature on the topic of getting organized.
Chapters cover everything from purse organization and reducing kitchen clutter to organizing prescriptions, paperwork,
garages, and filing cabinet contents. This wide-ranging discussion embraces the idea of creating and sticking to a routine
that lends to better organizing and time management overall, tackling the potentially overwhelming task of identifying
what's important to keep or maintain and what is not. The techniques here have been tried and tested, in that they come
from inherently-well-organized Maria Ward's own models for putting life and stuff in its place.
Maintaining a weekly pill case, gifting former treasures to relatives and friends, setting up patterns for simplifying home
maintenance, and scaling down house contents to items that are truly loved and needed are just a few of the many
techniques Ward promotes for reducing clutter. To help those facing an overwhelming lifetime of accumulation, she
breaks her advice into starting points and more advanced organizational methods. Living With Less Stuff is an
accessible, inviting guide to not just throwing away and reorganizing, but changing the very habits that led to the
situation in the first place, to prevent them from happening again. Seniors will appreciate the age-specific advice that
encourages them to take the first step in redoing their lives for simpler, easier, more gratifying surroundings.
The Art and Humor of John Trever: Fifty Years of Political Cartooning
John Trever
University of New Mexico Press
unmpress.com
9780826362391, $24.95 Paperback
https://www.amazon.com/Art-Humor-John-Trever-Cartooning/dp/0826362397
Synopsis: As the Albuquerque Journal's editorial cartoonist for nearly fifty years, John Trever provides insights into New
Mexico's unique cartooning environment and the techniques and humor involved in the craft as he also shares his
experiences covering local and national events and issues of the twenty-first century. The Art and Humor of John Trever:
Fifty Years of Political Cartooning features the best, funniest, and most significant cartoons of Trever's
career--showcasing his unique style, method, and voice--that captivated readers in New Mexico as well as readers
throughout the United States through syndication. In addition, Trever provides anecdotes of how these drawings came to
be and what kind of reactions they provoked, offers his thoughts about the state of editorial cartooning, and gives a frank
account of what it takes to achieve, and sustain, a long career as a political mirror and as the political conscience of the
Southwest.
Critique: The Art and Humor of John Trever of the Albuquerque Journal showcases the black-and-white editorial
cartoons of John Trever, which have been run in the Albuquerque Journal since 1976. Each cartoon is adjacent to a
paragraph of text explaining relevant political or social issues connected to the message of Trever's work. Witty,
insightful, thought-provoking, and brilliantly capturing the foibles of modern political history, The Art and Humor of
John Trever: Fifty Years of Political Cartooning is highly recommended for both personal and public library
collections.
Editorial Note: John Trever has been the Albuquerque Journal's editorial cartoonist since 1976. His cartoons have been
syndicated to more than 350 daily and college newspapers and reprinted in major news and business publications and
textbooks. Honored by the Society of Professional Journalists, the Free Press Association, the New Mexico Legislature,
and the Albuquerque Arts Alliance, Trever continues creating a weekly cartoon for the Journal's Sunday edition.
Race Talk in a Mexican Cantina
Tatcho Mindiola
Michigan State University Press
msupress.org
9781611863994, $34.95
B093Y524MK, $19.22
https://www.amazon.com/Mexican-Cantina-Latinos-United-States/dp/1611863996
Synopsis: People avoid speaking about race in the presence of another racial group for fear of saying something wrong
and creating friction. This was not the situation at JB's, a small Mexican cantina located in one of Houston's oldest
Mexican barrios. Mexicans made up most of the regular patrons, but a small number of whites also visited the bar on a
regular basis. This situation created the circumstances for race talk in which the Mexican patrons needled and criticized
the white patrons because of their whiteness. The white patrons likewise criticized the Mexican patrons, but their
remarks were not as strident in comparison to those they received.
When Tatcho Mindiola visited the bar and heard the race talk, he realized that it was a unique situation. He thus became
a regular patron, and over a three-year period kept notes on the racial exchanges he observed and heard, which form the
basis of this insightful volume.
Critique: Race Talk in a Mexican Cantina is an ethnographic study drawn from conversations gathered from a
neighborhood bar in Houston, Texas primarily patronized by Mexican-American and white men. Chapters examine both
camaraderie and hostility in race-related talk among both groups, noting that the Mexican-Americans tended to be more
aggressive and strident than the whites. A final chapter also notes race-related talk regarding the bar's few African-
American customers. Although Race Talk in a Mexican Cantina is very much a microcosm case study, its insights are a
welcome contribution to ethnic and race-related social studies in America. It should be noted for personal reading lists
that Race Talk in a Mexican Cantina is also available in a Kindle edition ($19.22).
Editorial Note: Tatcho Mindiola is professor emeritus of sociology and the former director of the Center for Mexican
American Studies at the University of Houston. He is coauthor of Black-Brown Relations and Stereotypes.
The Longest Story
Richard Girling
richardgirling.com
Oneworld Publications
oneworld-publications.com
9780861540563, $30.00 hardcover
B08QJQFYB4, $12.99 Kindle
https://www.amazon.com/Longest-Story-humans-misunderstood-species/dp/0861540565
Synopsis: Without animals there would be no us. We are all fellow travellers on the same evolutionary journey. By
charting the love - hate story of people and animals, from their first acquaintance in deep prehistory to the present and
beyond, Richard Girling reveals how and where our attitudes towards animals began - and how they have persisted, been
warped and become magnified ever since.
In dazzling prose, The Longest Story tells of the cumulative influence of theologians, writers, artists, warriors,
philosophers, farmers, activists and scientists across the centuries, now locking us into debates on farming, extinction,
animal rights, pets, experiments and religion.
Critique: The Longest Story: How Humans Have Loved, Hated and Misunderstood Other Species blends natural history,
philosophy, and narrative artistry to explore the connections between humans and animals, from prehistory to the present
and the future. Written in descriptive, almost lyrical prose, The Longest Story does not shy away from history's horrors -
from condemning women to torture and death as "witches" in part because of their association with cats, to
experimentations on animals and outright extinctions of whole species. Here also are writings on agriculture, and how
humanity made raising animals for consumption efficient with industrial precision. Here also are stories of love for
animals, from welcoming pets into homes to appreciation for beasts of burden. The Longest Story is brimming cover to
cover with fascinating facts, and sure to prove an edifying browse for lay readers and scholars alike. It should be noted
for personal reading lists that The Longest Story is also available in a Kindle edition ($12.99).
Editorial Note: Richard Girling is an award-winning writer and the author of eight critically acclaimed books, including
The Man Who Ate the Zoo. He has been centrally involved in environmental journalism since the mid 1970s, pioneering
writing about climate change and species loss in national newspapers.
The Education Shelf
Culturally Responsive Teaching in Gifted Education
C. Matthew Fugate, author
Wendy A. Behrens, author
Cecelia Boswell, author
Prufrock Press
www.prufrock.com
c/o Taylor & Francis Group
https://taylorandfrancis.com
9781646320899, $39.95, PB, 300pp
https://www.amazon.com/Culturally-Responsive-Teaching-Gifted-Education/dp/1646320891
Synopsis: "Culturally Responsive Teaching in Gifted Education: Building Cultural Competence and Serving Diverse
Student Populations" is a professional learning tool specifically designed and intended for practitioners who are working
to create more culturally responsive school and classroom environments.
"Culturally Responsive Teaching in Gifted Education": Focuses on gifted and talented students from special populations,
including those who are culturally, linguistically, and economically diverse; Is presented as a collection of essays written
by educational advocates; Aims to increase the cultural competence of teachers and school leaders; Is organized in three
sections (Culturally Responsive Practices; Race, Ethnicity, and Culture; and Gender, Sex, and Sense of Self); Provides
readers with personal insights into the implicit biases that exist within the educational system and gifted programs.
Each individual chapter comprising "Culturally Responsive Teaching in Gifted Education" deftly illustrates the lived
experiences of students from special populations and includes reflection questions for continued conversations and
planning. Of special note is the provision of an 'Educator Inventory' that tasks educators with reflecting on their own
personal implicit biases and classroom practices related to the diverse populations of gifted and talented students in our
schools.
Critique: Essential reading and study for education policy makers, administrators, and classroom instructors, "Culturally
Responsive Teaching in Gifted Education: Building Cultural Competence and Serving Diverse Student Populations"
must be considered a core and essential addition to personal, professional, school district, college, and university library
Gifted Student Education, Contemporary Educational Philosophy, and Academic Development instructional reference
collections and supplemental studies reading lists.
The Parenting Shelf
A Parent's Guide to Virtual Learning
Felicia Durden EdD
Ulysses Press
ulyssespress.com
9781646041848, $16.95 paperback
B08LDX7HGD, $10.99 Kindle
https://www.amazon.com/Parents-Guide-Virtual-Learning-Classroom/dp/1646041844
Synopsis: Every parent wants to help their child succeed, but it can be difficult when online platforms and teaching
methods seem to be constantly changing. Now, A Parent's Guide to Virtual Learning takes the mystery out of digital
education and gives you the tools that you can immediately implement at home, no matter your district, school, or
distance learning model.
Written by a fellow parent and experienced educator, Dr. Felicia Durden breaks down how virtual learning works and
simple strategies for reinforcing classroom instruction, all with the busy parent in mind. In this book, parents will learn
how to:
Create an inspiring at-home workspace
Make the most out of virtual platforms
Understand core topics like math and reading
Set up remote learning pods with other kids
Support various online, hybrid, and distance learning models
Avoid burnout (for students and parents!)
Adapting to a virtual environment will be challenging and the role that parents play is crucial in student success. This
book will be a tool that you will go to again and again to stay prepared and energized each day to help your child reach
their learning goals.
Critique: A Parent's Guide to Virtual Learning: How to Help Your Child Thrive in an Online Classroom is an absolute
"must-have" for parents of school-age children in the modern era besieged by the COVID-19 pandemic. Remote learning
is very likely here to stay for a wide variety of other situations as well, including but not limited to online job training. A
Parent's Guide to Virtual Learning discusses how to prepare an environment conducive to virtual learning, why routines
matter and how to set up an effective routine, how to communicate with teachers and deal with technical difficulties,
strategies for helping one's child specifically with math, reading, and writing, how to keep a positive attitude, and much
more. A Parent's Guide to Virtual Learning is worthy of the highest recommendation for both personal and public library
collections! It should be noted for personal reading lists that A Parent's Guide to Virtual Learning is also available in a
Kindle edition ($10.99).
Editorial Note: Dr. Felicia Durden is an accomplished educator with over 20 years of experience. She has taught grades
K - 12 in her role as a reading specialist, served as an assistant director of reading and writing, and is a successful school
principal of a K - 6 school in Phoenix, Arizona. A Parent's Guide to Virtual Learning is Dr. Felicia's fourth book in
education. She has a strong desire to provide families with tools to help their children succeed in school. She believes
that as their child's first teacher it is important that they are given tools and tips that will help them on their journey. Dr.
Felicia enjoys traveling with her family and reading.
Tiny But Mighty Baby
Erin Zinkhan, MD
Robert Reed Publishers
https://rdrpublishers.com
www.tinybutmightybaby.com
9781944297978, $14.95 Paperback
B093LWLV9C, $7.99 Kindle
https://www.amazon.com/Tiny-But-Mighty-Baby-Intrauterine/dp/1944297979
Synopsis: Every year in the United States alone, more than 200,000 babies are born smaller than they should be. Their
parents are left adrift amid multiple tests and complex medical interventions for their tiny baby. Written by a
board-certified Neonatologist for parents of growth-restricted babies, "Tiny But Mighty Baby: A Parents' Guide to
Navigating Your Child's Diagnosis of Intrauterine Growth Restriction" ushers parents through the complex medical
terminology, technology, and loss of normalcy associated with a diagnosis of growth restriction.
"Tiny But Mighty Baby" guides parents through how growth restriction is diagnosed and what to expect from their
growth-restricted baby after delivery and throughout life. Intimate stories of parents' experiences of growth restriction
complement each medically focused chapter and include stories of miscarriage, infant loss, and childhood development.
"Tiny But Mighty Baby" encompasses the latest research about growth restriction to empower parents along their journey
to help their child live the healthiest life possible.
Critique: "Growth Restriction" is a term to describe an infant with a smaller body than expected. This can be caused by a
wide variety of problems, and while growth-restricted children can and often do lead full, happy lives, they are often at
higher risk for a number of problematic medical conditions. Written by a medical doctor with years of experience caring
for growth-restricted, premature, and sick infants, Tiny But Mighty Baby: A Parents' Guide to Navigating Your Child's
Diagnosis of Intrauterine Growth Restriction presents the complexities of this medical issue in plain terms that
prospective parents can readily understand. The true anecdotes of parents and children intersperse this candidly honest
"must-read" for any parents confronting a troubling diagnosis of growth restriction for their baby. Tiny But Mighty Baby
is highly recommended especially for public library collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that Tiny But
Mighty Baby is also available in a Kindle edition ($7.99).
Editorial Note: Erin Zinkhan, MD, is a doctor who cares for growth-restricted, premature, and sick babies in the newborn
intensive-care unit. She dedicated her research to unveiling the reasons why growth-restricted babies are more likely to
have health problems throughout life. Dr. Zinkhan published multiple research articles and presented her research at
international conferences to further the medical community's understanding of growth restriction. Now, she also focuses
her time on educating the general public about growth restriction.
The Social Issues Shelf
All Societies Die: How to Keep Hope Alive
Samuel Cohn
www.SamuelCohn.net
Cornell University Press
https://www.cornellpress.cornell.edu
9781501755903, $26.95 Hardcover
B09542FP4Q, $9.99 Kindle
https://www.amazon.com/All-Societies-Die-Keep-Alive/dp/1501755900
Synopsis: In All Societies Die, Samuel Cohn asks us to prepare for the inevitable. Our society is going to die. What are
you going to do about it? But he also wants us to know that there's still reason for hope.
In an immersive and mesmerizing discussion Cohn considers what makes societies (throughout history) collapse. All
Societies Die points us to the historical examples of the Byzantine empire, the collapse of Somalia, the rise of Middle
Eastern terrorism, the rise of drug cartels in Latin America and the French Revolution to explain how societal decline has
common features and themes. Cohn takes us on an easily digestible journey through history. While he unveils the past,
his message to us about the present is searing.
Through his assessment of past and current societies, Cohn offers us a new way of looking at societal growth and decline.
With a broad panorama of bloody stories, unexpected historical riches, crime waves, corruption, and disasters, he shows
us that although our society will, inevitably, die at some point, there's still a lot we can do to make it better and live a
little longer.
His quirky and inventive approach to an "end-of-the-world" scenario should be a warning. We're not there yet. Cohn
concludes with a strategy of preserving and rebuilding so that we don't have to give a eulogy anytime soon.
Critique: Sociologist Samuel Cohn presents All Societies Die: How to Keep Hope Alive, a scholarly examination of
societal decay from the collapse of the Byzantine empire to the proliferation of drug cartels and criminal gangs in Latin
America. What can be done to counter the looming threat of societal death, and the mass misery that societal collapse
brings? All Societies Die is not entirely grim; its final chapters examine how lasting, meaningful societal reform can
improve people's lives. All Societies Die is judiciously researched and expertly written, and its philosophical insights
could potentially make the difference between utopia and dystopia in both the present and the future. Highly
recommended, especially for public and college library Social Issues collections. It should be noted for personal reading
lists that * is also available in a Kindle edition ($9.99).
Editorial Note: Samuel Cohn is Professor of Sociology at Texas A & M University. He is the Founder and First President
of the American Sociological Association Section on Development He is author of The Process of Occupational
Sex-typing and Employment and Development under Globalization.
More Than Our Pain
Edited by Beth Hinderliter and Steve Peraza
State University of New York Press
http://www.sunypress.edu
9781438483115, $95.00 Hardcover
B08FBGKZZR, $32.95 Kindle
https://www.amazon.com/More-Than-Our-Pain-American/dp/1438483112
Synopsis: Covering rage and grief, as well as joy and fatigue, examines how Black Lives Matter activists, and the artists
inspired by them, have mobilized for social justice.
Confronted by a crisis in black American leadership, state-sanctioned violence against black communities, and colorblind
laws that trap black Americans in a racial caste system, Black Lives Matter activists and the artists inspired by them have
devised new forms of political and cultural resistance. More Than Our Pain explores how affect and emotion can drive
collective political and cultural action in the face of a new nadir in race relations in the United States. This foregrounding
of affect and emotion marks a clear break from civil rights - era activists, who were often trained to counter false
narratives about protesters as thugs and criminals by presenting themselves as impeccably groomed and disciplined
young black Americans.
In contrast, the Black Lives Matter movement in the early twenty-first century makes no qualms about rejecting the
politics of respectability. Affect and emotion has moved from the margin to the center of this new human rights
movement, and by examining righteous rage, black joy, as well as grief and fatigue among other emotions, the
contributors celebrate the vitality of black life while documenting those who have harmed it. They also criticize the ways
in which journalism has commercialized and sold black affect during coverage of the Black Lives Matter movement and
point to strategies and modes-of-being needed to overcome the fatigue surrounding conversations of race and racism in
the United States.
Critique: More Than Our Pain: Affect and Emotion in the Era of Black Lives Matter is an anthology of essays by a
variety of authors about the Black Lives Matter movement and the call for racial justice in twenty-first century,
particularly focusing on how emotional states have become a key aspect of the movement. Individual writings include
"The New Nadir: Decline and Despair in U.S. Race Relations", "The Uses of Anger: Wanda Coleman's Poetry of Black
Rage and #blacklivesmatter", "Black Joy in the Time of Ferguson", and much more. Writings also cross-examine
systemic violence perpetuated against black people throughout American history, from slavery to lynching to modern-day
crimes. More Than Our Pain is a thought-provoking compilation, highly recommended especially for college library
social issues collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that More Than Our Pain is also available in a
Kindle edition ($32.95).
Editorial Note: Beth Hinderliter is Assistant Professor of Art History and Director of the Duke Hall Gallery of Fine Art at
James Madison University. Her books include Antagonizing White Feminism: Intersectionality's Critique of Women's
Studies and the Academy (coedited with Noelle Chaddock). Steve Peraza is Assistant Professor of History and Social
Studies Education at Buffalo State College, State University of New York.
Recast Your City
Ilana Preuss
Island Press
www.islandpress.org
9781642831924 $30.00 pbk / $28.50 Kindle
https://www.amazon.com/Recast-Your-City-Small-Scale-Manufacturing/dp/1642831921
Synopsis: Too many U.S. cities and towns have been focused on a model of economic development that relies on
recruiting one big company (such as Amazon), a single industry (usually in technology), or pursuing other narrow or
short-term fixes that are inequitable and unsustainable. Some cities and towns were changing, even before the historic
retail collapse brought on by COVID-19. They started to shift to a new economic model that works with the community
to invest in place in an inclusive and thoughtful way, with short-term wins that build momentum for long-term growth. A
secret ingredient to this successful model is small-scale manufacturing.
In Recast Your City: How to Save Your Downtown with Small-Scale Manufacturing, community development expert
Ilana Preuss explains how local leaders can revitalize their downtowns or neighborhood main streets by bringing in and
supporting small-scale manufacturing. Small-scale manufacturing businesses help create thriving places, with local
business ownership opportunities and well-paying jobs that other business types can't fulfill.
Preuss draws from her experience working with local governments, large and small and illuminates her recommendations
with real-world examples. She details her five-step method for recasting your city using small-scale manufacturing: (1)
light the spark (assess what you can build on and establish goals); (2) find and connect (get out of your comfort zone and
find connectors outside of your usual circles); (3) interview (talk to people and build trust); (4) analyze (look for patterns
and gaps as well as what has not been said); and (5) act (identify short-term actions to help build long-term change). This
work is difficult and sometimes uncomfortable, but necessary and critical for success. Preuss supports and inspires
change by drawing from her work in cities from Knoxville, Tennessee, to Columbia, Missouri, to Fremont,
California.
Critique: Recast Your City: How to Save Your Downtown with Small-Scale Manufacturing lives up to its title by
presenting an alternative to relying on the presence of a single big business for the economic livelihood of a small town.
Small-scale manufacturing offers a robust, viable, and practical method to bring jobs, commerce, and economic
resilience to downtown streets. Real-world examples demonstrate how this strategy has transformed small cities for the
better. Recast Your City is highly recommended especially for mayors, city planners, community leaders, and anyone
passionate about urban revitalization! It should be noted for personal reading lists that Recast Your City is also available
in a Kindle edition ($28.50).
Dear White Peacemakers: Dismantling Racism with Grit and Grace
Osheta Moore
Osheta.com
Herald Press
heraldpress.com
9781513807669, $18.99 paperback
9781513807676, $29.99 hardback
B08F9JMF9V, $8.69 Kindle
https://www.amazon.com/Dear-White-Peacemakers-Dismantling-Racism/dp/1513807676
Synopsis: Dear White Peacemakers is a breakup letter to division, a love letter to God's beloved community, and an
eviction notice to the violent powers that have sustained racism for centuries.
Race is one of the hardest topics to discuss in America. Many white Christians avoid talking about it altogether. But a
commitment to peacemaking requires white people to step out of their comfort and privilege and into the work of
anti-racism. Dear White Peacemakers is an invitation to white Christians to come to the table and join this hard work and
holy calling. Rooted in the life, ministry, and teachings of Jesus, this book is a challenging call to transform white shame,
fragility, saviorism, and privilege, in order to work together to build the Beloved Community as anti-racism
peacemakers.
Written in the wake of George Floyd's death, Dear White Peacemakers draws on the Sermon on the Mount, Spirituals,
and personal stories from author Osheta Moore's work as a pastor in St. Paul, Minnesota. Enter into this story of shalom
and join in the urgent work of anti-racism peacemaking.
Critique: Pastor Osheta Moore presents Dear White Peacemakers, a call to all Americans and especially white Christians
to take action against racism. Chapters discuss the importance of rejecting white apathy to injustice, disarming white
fragility (the instinctively defensive reactions that white people commonly have when informed that their race gives them
social advantages and privileges denied to people of color), and "Forgiving While Black". Dear White Peacemakers is
ultimately a manifesto of love for all of God's children, that calls readers to come together and build a society with justice
for all. Highly recommended.
Editorial Note: Osheta Moore is a writer, pastor, speaker, and podcaster in Saint Paul, Minnesota, as well as a mother of
three and economic justice advocate for women in developing countries. She is the outreach and teaching pastor at
Woodland Hills Church and the pastor of community life at Roots Covenant Church alongside her husband. Moore has
consistently been a voice for peacemaking, justice, anti-racism, and community development in the urban core. Her work
has been featured on numerous websites and blogs, including Sojourners, SheLoves Magazine, A Deeper Story, The Art
of Simple, ReKnew, and Rachel Held Evans' blog. She is the author of Shalom Sistas: Living Wholeheartedly in a
Broken-Hearted World, published by Herald Press in 2017. Connect with her at Osheta.com and follow her on Instagram
@oshetamoore for encouragements to practice everyday peacemaking and invitations for White Peacemakers on their
anti-racism journey.
The Health/Medicine Shelf
Lyme Disease, Ticks and You
Shelley Ball, PhD
Firefly Books
www.fireflybooks.com
9780228103202 $19.95
https://www.amazon.com/Lyme-Disease-Ticks-You-Navigating/dp/0228103207
Synopsis: Lyme disease has been steadily on the rise since the 1990s, and the threat is expected to grow as warmer global
temperatures potentially prolong the tick season. Recent estimates suggest that approximately 475,000 people may get
Lyme disease each year in the United States (as noted on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website)
and the Government of Canada reported 1,487 cases in 2018. Lyme, if not treated early, can develop into a debilitating
disease, with symptoms that can be felt for months or even years. Lyme Disease, Ticks and You is an easy-to-follow and
essential guide to understanding, detecting and treating Lyme and other tick-borne diseases.
Dr. Shelley Ball, a trained freshwater insect ecologist, is a long-term Lyme sufferer who has been infected multiple times,
including with various other tick-borne diseases. Drawing from years of experience advocating for her own health, Dr.
Ball has gathered together the information and resources the reader needs to not only understand the science, prevent tick
bites and recognize Lyme, but also get treatment for this complex and often misdiagnosed disease.
Lyme Disease, Ticks and You is capped off with an extensive list of references and resources that will further equip each
reader with the information they need to deal with ticks, Lyme and other tick-borne diseases.
Critique: Written to be thoroughly accessible to lay readers and health professionals alike, Lyme Disease, Ticks and You:
A Guide to Navigating Tick Bites, Lyme Disease and Other Tick-Borne Infections lives up to its title as an invaluable
reference and resource about Lyme disease and other tick-borne maladies. Chapters discuss the biology of Lyme disease,
how to reduce the risk of a tick bite, what to do if bitten by a tick, the stages and symptoms of Lyme disease, how Lyme
disease is diagnosed and treated, and much more. Lyme Disease, Ticks and You is a "must-have" for anyone who lives in
tick country or engages in activities like outdoors hiking that have risk of tick bites, and is a welcome addition to public
library Health/Medicine collections.
Handbook of Cannabis for Clinicians: Principles and Practice
Dustin Sulak D.O.
W. W. Norton & Company, Inc.
https://wwnorton.com
9780393714180, $45.00 hardcover
B08D1M2MVF, $22.99 Kindle
https://www.amazon.com/Handbook-Cannabis-Clinicians-Principles-Practice/dp/0393714187
Synopsis: Despite thousands of years of medical use and an impressive record of safety, versatility, and efficacy,
Cannabis sativa has existed outside the modern pharmacopeia since the 1940s. Primarily driven by popular demand, this
botanical has returned to health care, but most clinicians lack the knowledge essential for identifying candidates for
treatment, guiding patients, maximizing benefit, and minimizing harm.
Dustin Sulak provides health care professionals including physicians, psychologists, pharmacists, and nurses with an
accessible and evidence-based reference that empowers them to intelligently discuss cannabis with their patients and
implement cannabis and cannabinoid therapies with confidence. Based on over a decade of clinical experience and an
extensive review of the literature, this detailed and scientifically accurate guide includes the history of cannabis in
medicine, the foundations of endocannabinoid physiology, the pharmacological effects of cannabis' myriad active
constituents, the clinical utility of its various preparations, and specific strategies and cautions for treating the most
common conditions presenting to a cannabis clinician. This guide is an essential resource for practitioners of any
specialty field or experience level who wish to improve their patients' outcomes, harness the healing potential of the
endocannabinoid system, and wield a powerful solution to many of healthcare's challenges.
Critique: Author and Doctor of osteopathic medicine Dustin Sulak presents Handbook of Cannabis for Clinicians:
Principles and Practice, a reference and resource grounded in both a decade of clinical experience and a thorough
analysis of medical literature. Chapters scrutinize in depth the physiology behind how cannabinoids can be used for
medicine or therapy; cannabis pharmacology; clinical preparation and delivery methods of cannabis; cautions against
potential adverse effects and how to mitigate them; and much more. An extensive list of references and an index round
out this "must-have" compendium created especially for aspiring and practicing professionals. Handbook of Cannabis for
Clinicians is also highly recommended for college library Health/Medicine collections. It should be noted for personal
reading lists that Handbook of Cannabis for Clinicians is also available in a Kindle edition ($22.99).
Editorial Note: Dustin Sulak, D.O., is an internationally acclaimed medical cannabis expert, author and educator. His
clinical practice serves adults and children with a wide range of refractory conditions, drawing on his background in
integrative medicine and skills in traditional osteopathy and the healing arts. He lives in Durham, Maine.
The Jobs/Careers Shelf
How To Fast-Track Your Academic Career
Edited by Adam Lindgreen, C. Anthony Di Benedetto, Joelle Vanhamme, & John Nicholson
Edward Elgar Publishing
www.e-elgar.com
9781839101779 $175.00
https://www.amazon.com/How-Fast-Track-Your-Academic-Career/dp/1839101776/
Synopsis: This insightful book considers the challenges faced by researchers pursuing an academic career. From applying
for grants to supervising PhD students, it utilises practical research and real experiences to illustrate how marketing
scholars can strike a healthy working balance between teaching and research to find success in academia.
Experienced scholars outline the key stages towards building an effective and varied academic portfolio, incorporating
pragmatic insights into generating ideas, building research groups, and drafting funding applications. The book describes
the processes involved in both collaborating with peers and engaging with research students, paying close attention to the
ways in which scholars translate research into teaching. Offering crucial advice based on practical knowledge, the book
guides early- to mid-career scholars to publication success and highlights the most effective ways to maintain relevance,
impact and societal value throughout one's career.
Providing a holistic view of research culture, this cutting-edge book is critical reading for early- to mid-career scholars.
The book will also be useful for recent graduates planning their careers in academia.
Critique: How To Fast-Track Your Academic Career: A Guide for Mid-Career Scholars lives up to its title as an in-depth
career guide by professional scholars, for professional scholars. Chapters address how to build research groups and apply
for funding, guiding PhD students and translating research into teaching, the nuances of writing articles for premier
academic journals, how to get one's research cited, and much more. An index rounds out this thoughtful, in-depth, "must-
have" for any college or university academic professional seeking to progress their career. Highly recommended.
Next Job, Best Job
Rob Barnett
RobBarnettMedia.com
Citadel
9780806541488, $27.00 Hardcover
B08R5BN7HW, $13.77 Kindle
https://www.amazon.com/Next-Job-Best-Headhunters-Strategies-ebook/dp/B08R5BN7HW
Synopsis: Rob Barnett is an innovator, a two-time entrepreneur, and a senior executive with five decades inside
legendary media companies. As an advisor to thousands of job seekers and company heads, he is uniquely positioned to
disrupt the job search industry. His inclusive platform is a life-saving escape hatch during the darkest hours of
unemployment and an expert guide to the work you deserve.
With humor, compassion, and a healthy dose of tough love, Barnett covers everything from the essentials of a modern
job search to ageism, ghosting, navigating LinkedIn and Zoom, and mastering the voodoo of social media.
Pivot from worrying to winning with inspired steps to:
Score perfect job interviews
Negotiate like a pro and get to "yes"
Rebrand yourself with a unique resume, digital profile, and killer cover letter
Ignite focus and restore motivation
Identify the best career path
Define the right job title
Get immediate replies and callbacks
Master networking
Banish self-defeating thoughts
Embrace success
Pay it forward
New strategies replace ancient job search rules that lead nowhere. Rise above every other candidate with an empowering,
easy method that finally works.
Critique: Next Job, Best Job: A Headhunter's 11 Strategies to Get Hired Now lives up to its title with job-hunting
strategies devised by professional headhunter, management executive, and entrepreneur Rob Barnett. Tips, tricks, and
techniques for presenting an optimal interview, mastering the art of networking, rebranding ones' digital profile, and
much more make Next Job, Best Job an invaluable reference and resource not only for unemployed job-seekers, but also
for anyone who knows they're worth more than what they're currently being paid. "Your first step to get social media
working for you is to take an oath. Swear that you'll never let a single day of job search go by without making at least one
professional, relevant, online post. the best way to build your online audience is by committing to regular, daily posting
at the same time each day." Next Job, Best Job is an absolute "must-have" in today's economy when almost no one works
for the same employer or company during their whole life. Highly recommended! It should be noted for personal reading
lists that Next Job, Best Job is also available in a Kindle edition ($13.77).
Editorial Note: Rob Barnett is a headhunter, management executive, podcaster, author, and entrepreneur. He founded
Rob Barnett Media in 2018, an inclusive platform for thousands of job-seeking professionals and industry leaders placing
the right people in the best jobs.
The Science Shelf
The Secret Life of Stars
Lisa Harvey-Smith
Thames & Hudson
https://thamesandhudson.com
9781760761585 $19.95 hc / $9.99
https://www.amazon.com/Secret-Life-Stars-Astrophysics-Everyone/dp/1760761583
Synopsis: In The Secret Life of Stars, award-winning astronomer Lisa Harvey-Smith takes us on a cosmic journey to
meet some of the weirdest, most extreme, and enigmatic stars in the universe.
We all know the Sun, the powerhouse of our solar system, but what about Luyten's Flare, the Rosino-Zwicky Object, or
Chanal's variable star? For those whose curiosity takes them far beyond Earth's atmosphere, The Secret Life of Stars
offers a personal and readily understood introduction to some of the Galaxy's most remarkable stars.
Written by award-winning astronomer Lisa Harvey-Smith, each chapter explains various different and unusual stars and
their amazing characteristics and attributes, from pulsars, blue stragglers, and white dwarfs, to cannibal stars and
explosive supernovae. With beautiful chapter illustrations by Eirian Chapman, this book brings to life the remarkable
personalities of these stars, reminding readers what a diverse and unpredictable universe we live in and how fortunate we
are to live around a stable star, our Sun.
Critique: Written for readers of all ages and backgrounds, The Secret Life of Stars: Astrophysics for Everyone lives up to
its title as a thoroughly accessible introduction the amazing and astonishing cosmic phenomena that are stars in the sky.
From the Sun that sustains life on Earth, to red dwarfs, giant stars, self-destructors, black holes, and much more, The
Secret Life of Stars is an extraordinary, enlightening, and utterly fascinating tour of the cosmos. The Secret Life of Stars
is highly recommended, especially for school and public library science collections. It should be noted for personal
reading lists that The Secret Life of Stars is also available in a Kindle edition ($9.99).
The Technology Shelf
Machine Learning Applications in Electromagnetics and Antenna Array Processing
Manel Martinez-Ramon, et.al.
Artech House
685 Canton Street, Norwood, MA 02062
www.artechhouse.com
9781630817756, $189.00
Machine Learning Applications in Electromagnetics and Antenna Array Processing is recommended for college-level
and professional connections strong in electromagnetic analysis, and discusses the trends, methods, and applications of
machine learning for a variety of electronic disciplines and purposes. A range of experts contribute to this overviews,
which includes not just definitions and processes but basic principles and how they are applied in the real world of
electromagnetics and antenna optimization. From the latest research to algorithms for success, functions, properties, and
basic concepts of deep learning are supported by math, charts, and diagrams that go far in illustrating machine learning
basics for all levels.
Reconfigurable Antenna Design and Analysis
Mohammod Ali
Artech House
685 Canton Street, Norwood, MA 02062
www.artechhouse.com
9781630817077, $169.00
Reconfigurable Antenna Design and Analysis belongs in any collection strong in antenna design, configuration, and
modern communications and radar systems, offering a basic review of antenna construction, common obstacles and
considerations, and performance concerns. The basics of antenna design specs and best practices are accompanied by
charts, diagrams, and insights into different types of antenna operations in an overview which will particularly attract
students of basic scanning and array technology. The result is a primer that covers all basics, best practices, and the latest
antenna design possibilities in a reference that will serve as both a refresher course for those with some existing
knowledge and an introduction for newcomers to the topic.
The Aviation Shelf
Building the B-17 Flying Fortress
Bill Yenne
Specialty Press
838 Lake St. S., Forest Lake, MN 55025
www.specialtypress.com
9781580072717, $34.95
Building the B-17 Flying Fortress: A Detailed Look at Manufacturing Boeing's Legendary World War II Bomber in
Original Photos belongs in any World War II, military, or aviation history collection, employing not only photos but
original drawings to provide a manufacturing history of the combat aircraft in satisfying detail. Those already well
familiar with the history of this extraordinary craft might wonder at the need for yet another book on the topic, but
anyone familiar with the existing literature will quickly recognize that the attention to detail here is unparalleled.
Hundreds of factory-original, close-up photos and illustrations compliment reproductions of original Boeing drawings
and an in-depth explanation that no other B-17 coverage can claim. Its authority and illustrative value makes Building the
B-17 Flying Fortress a standout reference for a variety of holdings.
The Cookbook Shelf
Cyprus Cuisine: Middle Eastern and Mediterranean Cooking
Christina Loucas
Whitecap Books
c/o Fitzhenry & Whiteside
www.fitzhenry.ca
9781770503373, $34.95, HC, 274pp
https://www.amazon.com/Cyprus-Cuisine/dp/1770503374
Synopsis: Though Cyprus is a small country, its cuisine features a large variety of dishes due to the many different
cultural influences affecting the island's history. There is also a substantial variation in climate around the country
ranging from sunny beaches to snow-capped mountains. Cyprus cuisine has a Mediterranean allure, mixing
Mediterranean and Middle Eastern flavors and ingredients.
Many Cypriot families still make home-made olive oil every year, and neighbors regularly exchange excess bounty of
homegrown fruits and vegetables, including pomelo, grapes, carobs, figs, oranges, lemons, cantaloupe, bergamot,
medlars, almonds, kumquats, cactus pears, and, of course, olives.
Most Cypriot dishes are not particularly hot or spicy, though there is ample use of local herbs such as wild oregano,
rosemary, mint, parsley, basil, cinnamon and coriander. Spices such as allspice, cloves, mastic and mahleb powders can
be found in many sweets and baked goods.
"Cyprus Cuisine" showcases 68 thoroughly 'kitchen cook friendly' recipes featuring all of these Cypriot culinary delights
and more! Illustrated throughout in full color, "Cyprus Cuisine" offers a wide variety of Cypriot dishes, ranging from
drinks to desserts, to soups, salads, small bites, breads and pastries, pickles, dips and main courses.
Critique: Exceptionally well organized and presented, as well as a mouth-watering delight to simply browse through and
ideal for planning truly memorable, palate pleasing, appetite satisfying menus with, "Cyprus Cuisine: Middle Eastern and
Mediterranean Cooking" will prove to be an extraordinary and welcome addition to personal, professional, family, and
community library collections.
Quick & Easy Dinner Solutions
Jenny Warsen, author
Ulrika Pousette, photographer
Skyhorse Publishing, Inc.
307 West 36th Street, 11th Floor, New York, NY 10018
www.skyhorsepublishing.com
9781510746275, $19.99, HC, 160pp
https://www.amazon.com/Quick-Easy-Dinner-Solutions-throughout/dp/1510746277
Synopsis: What's for dinner? is a daily question posed by family members to who ever is responsible feeding them dinner
seven days a week, 52 weeks a year.
Compiled by Jenny Warsen (one of Scandinavia's most popular food and baking blogs -- www.jennysmatblogg.nu and
the author of Baking with Candy) and beautifully illustrated throughout with the full color photography of Ulrika
Pousette, "Quick & Easy Dinner Solutions: Simple Meal Plans for Your Family throughout the Week" was especially and
particular intended for the busy homemaker or time stressed home cook who has run out of ideas for yummy, creative
menus and in dire need of easy-to-make recipes for those weekly dinners that the whole family will love, while saving
both time and money.
Critique: Showcasing step-by-step recipes for seventy simple and tasty dishes, and making life even easier by following a
four-week menu plan, "Quick & Easy Dinner Solutions: Simple Meal Plans for Your Family throughout the Week" with
its meat, seafood, vegetarian, and dessert dishes for weeknight dinner tables makes this an enduringly welcome addition
to personal, family, and community library cookbook collections. It should be noted that "Quick & Easy Dinner
Solutions: Simple Meal Plans for Your Family throughout the Week" is also readily available in a digital book format
(Kindle, $12.99).
Cooking for Two
Marie W. Lawrence
Skyhorse Publishing, Inc.
307 West 36th Street, 11th Floor, New York, NY 10018
www.skyhorsepublishing.com
9781510751187, $19.99, PB, 304pp
https://www.amazon.com/Cooking-Two-Comfort-Recipes-Roommates/dp/1510751181
Synopsis: Just because many of us live the life of singles or doubles doesn't mean we should deny ourselves one of life's
finer pleasures in the form of delicious, home-cooked meals! "Cooking for Two: Comfort Food Recipes for Couples,
Roommates, or Friends" by culinary expert Marie Lawrence (who is the author of The Farmer's Cookbook, Farmer's
Kitchen Handbook, and The Organic Lunchbox) showcases a number of palate pleasing, appetite satisfying, quick and
easy recipes for soups, salads, entrees, baked goods, and desserts ranging from Caramel Banana French Toast, Crispy
Oven-Fried Chicken, Beef Stew for Two, and Broccoli Mac & Cheese, to Overnight Mini Baguettes, Boston Cream Pie,
Sticky Date Pudding with Toffee Sauce; Chilled Cantaloupe Soup; Roast Cornish Hen with cranberry-Orange Stuffing
and Glaze, and so many more!
College students will especially appreciate that virtually every recipe in this illustrated culinary collection can be
prepared using either a microwave or toaster oven or a hot plate. Couples learning to cook together will particularly
appreciate the shopping tips, suggestions for appropriate cooking utensils, and easy-to-follow instructions. Of special
note is that each invidual recipe includes an approximate calorie count.
Critique: A mouth-watering pleasure to browse through and ideal for planning memorable menus with, "Cooking for
Two: Comfort Food Recipes for Couples, Roommates, or Friends" is especially recommended for personal, family and
community library cookbook collections. It should be noted that "Cooking for Two: Comfort Food Recipes for Couples,
Roommates, or Friends" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $14.99).
Nomaste: The Mindful Plant-Based Kitchen
Miranda Moore
Summersdale
c/o Octopus Publishing
octopusbooks.com
9781787838192 $17.99 hc / $7.99 Kindle
Synopsis: Combining the popularity of mindfulness and spirituality, this beautifully illustrated lifestyle book celebrates
mindful cooking and mindful eating. With tips on bringing the principles of mindfulness and yoga into your kitchen and
60 plant-based recipes.
Looking after our well-being and eating tasty, nourishing food go hand in hand. This beautifully illustrated book
celebrates mindful cooking and eating, teaching you how to bring the principles of yoga and mindfulness into your
kitchen. From ahimsa (non-violence) and Ayurveda (food as medicine) to the art of making your own bread, you'll learn
how to give your body what it really needs in order to flourish, and how to nurture a healthy, positive attitude toward
food. The 60 wholesome, plant-based recipes inside will add vitality to your daily life and leave you filled with good
food and gratitude
Critique: Nomaste: The Mindful Plant-Based Kitchen is a vegetarian cookbook inspired by Ayurvedic traditions. 80
plant-based recipes, simple home remedies, and suggested exercises to promote mindfulness fill this user-friendly
kitchen guide, enhanced with full-color photographs, nutrition advice, and simple tips for appreciating unique culinary
delights. From Vietnamese Almond Curry to No-Knead Ciabatta, Rice Paper Rolls with Alfalfa Sprouts and more,
Nomaste is a treasure for vegetarians and connoisseurs of international cuisine, and also makes an excellent giftbook! It
should be noted for personal reading lists that Nomaste is also available in a Kindle edition ($7.99).
Chetna's 30 Minute Indian: Quick and Easy Everyday Meals
Chetna Makan
Mitchell Beazley
www.octopusbooksusa.com
9781784727505, $29.99 hardcover
B08MFR7TZG, $9.99 Kindle
https://www.amazon.com/Chetnas-30-Minute-Indian-Delicious/dp/1784727504
Synopsis: Chetna Makan's bestselling cookbooks combine her creative flavour twists with a love of simple Indian home
cooking. Taking inspiration from the eclectic tastes of Indian cuisine, these tempting recipes can all be on the table and
ready to eat in less than 30 minutes.
Featuring fabulous salads, traditional fast snacks, imaginative toppings for toasts, delicious dals, comforting veggie, fish
and meat curries, all-in-one rice dishes, surprising raitas and dips as well as indulgent desserts, there are speedy options
for every occasion.
With brilliantly useful meal plans included, dishes can be enjoyed on their own or paired together and cooked quickly for
an easy feast to enjoy with friends. No complicated methods, just delicious, vibrant and varied food that the whole family
can enjoy every single night of the week and in little to no time at all.
Critique: Chetna's 30 Minute Indian: Quick and Easy Everyday Meals lives up to its title as a showcase of healthy,
delicious meal recipes drawn from East Indian cuisine. Each dish also requires no more than thirty minutes of preparation
time, making 30 Minute Indian ideal for busy cooks! Striking full-color photography, user-friendly step-by-step
instructions, a brief paragraph reflecting upon the meal in the context of Indian culture, and an index enhance this
wonderful addition to multicultural cookbook collections. Highly recommended! It should be noted for personal reading
lists that 30 Minute Indian is also available in a Kindle edition ($9.99).
Editorial Note: Chetna Makan was born in Jabalpur, an ancient city in central India. She has a degree in fashion and
worked in Mumbai as a fashion designer before moving to the UK in 2003. Chetna reached the semi-final of The Great
British Bake Off in 2014, and her first book, The Cardamom Trail, is a celebration of baking with Indian flavors. She has
a very popular YouTube channel 'Food with Chetna' where she shares her creative flair for food. Her other books, also
published by Mitchell Beazley, include Chai, Chaat & Chutney, Chetna's Healthy Indian, and Chetna's Healthy Indian
Vegetarian.
Makan: Recipes from the Heart of Singapore
Elizabeth Haigh
Bloomsbury USA
www.bloomsbury.com
9781472976505, $35.00 Hardcover
B08YD72X62, $14.46 Kindle
https://www.amazon.com/Makan-Recipes-Singapore-Elizabeth-Haigh/dp/1472976509
Synopsis: It's impossible to pinpoint a certain specific cuisine to one region, so when people ask me what type of food is
Singaporean, I simply reply with "the delicious type". Southeast Asian cuisine is a proud mix of migrants and influences
from all across Asia, which fuses together to create something even greater than the original.'
Meaning 'to eat' or 'dinner time' in Malay, in Makan, rising star Elizabeth Haigh draws together recipes that have been
handed down through many generations of her family, from Nonya to Nonya, creating a time-capsule of a cuisine.
Growing up, it was through food that Elizabeth's mum demonstrated her affection, and the passion and love poured into
each recipe is all collated here; a love letter to family cooking and traditions. Recipes include:
Nonya-spiced braised duck stew
pickled watermelon and radish salad
beef rendang
Singapore chilli crab
fried tofu with spicy peanut sauce
spicy noodle soup
nasi goreng (spicy fried rice)
Miso apple pie
...and many more!
Adapting these traditional recipes to ensure ingredients are easily sourced in the West, Elizabeth brings a taste of
Singapore to your own kitchen.
Critique: Makan: Recipes from the Heart of Singapore is a rich, extraordinary compendium of traditional family recipes
from Singapore, offering ingredient adaptations that are easily found in the West. Each dish is illustrated with a full-color
photograph, and features both highly detailed preparation instructions and a paragraph describing how the food is
cherished in Singaporean culture. Makan is a treasure for international cookbook collections, highly recommended! It
should be noted for personal reading lists that Makan is also available in a Kindle edition ($14.46).
Editorial Note: Elizabeth Haigh was the founding head chef at Pidgin in East London, where she guided the popular
neighbourhood restaurant to a Michelin star barely a year after opening. Her dishes have been described as bold and
exciting, and she fuses her Singaporean-British heritage and fine dining cooking experience with a passion for wood-fire
cooking. Elizabeth originally studied architecture, but after a stint on Masterchef UK in 2011 she realised that cooking
was her true calling. Since the show, Elizabeth has studied and worked with some of London's top chefs such as Neil
Rankin at Smokehouse and Bubbledog's, The Kitchen Table. In 2017 Elizabeth was awarded 'Chef to Watch' by the
National Restaurant Awards and listed in Observer Food Monthly's '50 of Observer Food Monthly's favourite
things'.
The Pets/Wildlife Shelf
Selecting and Training Your Service Dog
Jennifer Cattet, PH. D.
Dogwise Publishing
www.dogwise.com
https://medicalmutts.org
9781617812798, $19.95 Paperback
B094Q7J1LT, $18.95 Kindle
https://www.amazon.com/Selecting-Training-Your-Service-Dog-ebook/dp/B094Q7J1LT
Synopsis: Watching a service dog and her handler working as a team in a busy public space is a thing of beauty. Not
every dog has the temperament or genetic make-up to do service work, but with the proper reward-based training, many
dogs can succeed in public areas. Succeeding in Public Access Work is the subject of Jennifer Cattet's new book, which
is especially important given some of the controversies surrounding poorly or un-trained service dogs being brought into
public areas. Jennifer prepares you and your dog to meet the standards of the Public Access Test developed by Assistance
Dogs International. While the book focuses on training, it also covers in detail a number of other important questions
including:
How much time, effort and cost are involved in acquiring and training a service dog?
Can you train a shelter dog for service work and are there breeds of dogs you should avoid?
What are your rights and the laws relating to service dogs?
How do you deal with the public when working with your service dog?
Critique: Written by an expert in the field, Selecting and Training Your Service Dog: How to Succeed in Public Access
Work is a "must-have" guide for anyone interested in training a service dog for themselves or for others. Written in plain
terms accessible to readers of all backgrounds, Selecting and Training Your Service Dog covers both obvious and less
relevant pitfalls to properly training a service animal. One of the first hurdles to clear is selecting an animal that is
suitable for such training. "If at any time the dog doesn't give you the behaviors you are looking for, or instead presents
traits that are concerning, stop the test and move on to the next dog. It's also important to not cause harm while you're
testing the dog. If the dog becomes fearful and doesn't immediately bounce back, stop the test and help the dog recover."
Even those who are already relying upon aid from a trained service dog will find Selecting and Training Your Service
Dog insightful, practical-minded, and utterly invaluable. Highly recommended. It should be noted for personal reading
lists that Selecting and Training Your Service Dog is also available in a Kindle edition ($18.95).
Editorial Note: Jennifer Cattet, Ph.D., CPDT-KA, is the Executive Director of Medical Mutts, an Indiana based
non-profit service dog organization, and the founder of the Center for the Study of Medical Assistance Canines
(CMAC).
The American History Shelf
Determined: The 400-Year Struggle for Black Equality
Dr. Karen A. Sherry & Rev. Grady W. Powell
GILES
c/o D Giles Limited
gilesltd.com
9781911282990 $22.50
https://www.amazon.com/Determined-400-Year-Struggle-Black-Equality/dp/1911282999
Synopsis: Determined presents a concise overview of Black history in Virginia from the arrival of the first enslaved
Africans in Virginia in 1619 through the groundswell of racial justice protests of 2020. These four centuries encompass
slavery and emancipation, segregation and the civil rights movement, the election of the first Black president and the rise
of Black Lives Matter. Throughout this complex history, Black people have fought for freedom, justice, and opportunity
and against oppression, discrimination, and dehumanization. Their efforts have brought meaningful changes to American
society by forcing the nation to define the meaning of its highest ideals of democracy and universal equality.
A few of the individuals featured include John Punch, whose punishment for attempting to escape bondage in 1640
began the codification of a system of slavery that spread throughout the original Thirteen Colonies, and Nat Turner, who
shocked the nation with a slave revolt in 1831 that challenged the institution of slavery. John Mitchell, Jr. was a
journalist-editor who championed Black pride and civil rights in the Jim Crow era, and Barbara Johns led a student
protest that became part of Brown v. Board of Education (1954), the landmark Supreme Court decision dismantling
legalized segregation. A new generation of activists like Zyahna Bryant continues the fight for racial equity today.
Illustrations of historical artifacts and images bring to life these and other stories of Black determination and
resistance.
Determined focuses on Virginia, yet it tells an American story. Black people have shaped the nation's economic, political,
and cultural identity, and Virginia has played a formative and central role in national race relations. This book provides a
timely reckoning with America's fraught history with race and systemic racism. It fosters a greater understanding of the
legacies of slavery, segregation, and white supremacy to meet the challenges of today and forge a better tomorrow.
Critique: Featuring photographs, artwork, or images of historic documents on virtually every two-page spread,
Determined: The 400-Year Struggle for Black Equality chronicles the history of Black people in Virginia. The text
chronicles slavery, war, discrimination, and the arduous struggle for civil rights in plain terms thoroughly accessible to
lay readers and historians alike. Endnotes and an index round out this sober chronicle of a centuries-long struggle against
injustice. Highly recommended especially for public library American History collections.
Editor's Note: Dr. Karen A. Sherry is a curator specializing in American history and material culture with twenty years of
museum experience. Since 2017, she has served as a curator at the Virginia Museum of History & Culture, where she
organized the exhibitions Determined: The 400-Year Struggle for Black Equality and Agents of Change: Female
Activism in Virginia from Women's Suffrage to Today.
The Rev. Grady W. Powell, a native of Brunswick County, Virginia, has had a varied career in education and the
professional ministry. Along with his brief teaching career, he has served as pastor of rural and urban churches. His most
extensive pastoral work was in Petersburg, Virginia, at the historic Gillfield Baptist Church, where he retired after
thirty-six years of service. He has also worked on national and state boards, including the Virginia Historical Society, for
twenty years and has been active in civil rights causes since his college days and an active participant in improving racial
harmony among all groups.
The Road to Yorktown: The French Campaigns in the American Revolution, 1780-1783
Louis-Francois-Bertrand du Pont d'Aubevoye, comte de Lauberdiere, author
Edited and annotated by Norman Desmarais
Savas Beatie
www.savasbeatie.com
9781611214833, $32.95
https://www.amazon.com/French-Campaigns-American-Revolution-1780-1783/dp/1611214831
Synopsis: The fate of the American Revolution had yet to be decided when a remarkable 21-year-old Frenchman arrived
in America. Louis-Francois-Bertrand, the Count of Lauberdiere, belonged to an old noble family that traced its heritage
back to the Crusades. His father, Francois-Charles-Mathieu, was musketeer of the guard of King Louis XV. More
important, his uncle was General Rochambeau, the commander of all French forces in America. The Count of
Lauberdiere kept one of the most remarkable diaries of the entire war, and it is published here for the first time as The
Road to Yorktown: The French Campaigns in the American Revolution, 1780-1783, by Louis-Francois-Bertrand du Pont
d'Aubevoye, comte de Lauberdiere, translated and edited by Norman Desmarais.
Serving as aide-de-camp on General Rochambeau's staff, the young and well-educated Lauberdiere enjoyed a unique
perspective of the war. He rubbed shoulders with some of the Revolution's most important personalities (including
George Washington and Lafayette), and was in the epicenter of many of the war's momentous events. His journal covers
a host of topics in remarkable detail, including descriptions of the French army's camp in Newport, Rhode Island, the
long march to Yorktown, the siege, and capture, and a fascinating examination of the people and their distinctive colonial
culture.
His keen eye and sharp descriptions of the Army's daily activities and movements provide a wealth of information for
inquisitive readers and historians - details found only in this diary. For example, nearly all French diaries mention the
army's arrival and landing at Newport, but only Lauberdiere's identifies exactly where it occurred. Anti-French prejudices
were common, and the nephew recorded how Rochambeau dispelled them and won over the locals. Culture fascinated
the young Count, who keenly observed how the colonials attempted to imitate European manners and styles, marveling at
how Philadelphia adopted Parisian fashions in the brief time between his visits there. He even visited Washington's home
at Mount Vernon and made pointed comments about his wife, Martha.
With its expertly crafted footnotes, maps, and illustrations, The Road to Yorktown offers a fresh and invigorating
firsthand account that will satisfy even the most demanding student of the American Revolution.
Critique: The Road to Yorktown: The French Campaigns in the American Revolution, 1780-1783 is an invaluable
primary source of the American Revolutionary War. Originally a diary kept by the nephew (who served as an aide-de-
camp) of General Rochambeau, the commander of all French forces in America, who played a key role in helping the
American Continental Army fight against the British. This diary is translated into English and extensively annotated by
historian Norman Desmarais. Black-and-white photographs, maps, and an index enhance this window into history
rendered thoroughly accessible to readers of all backgrounds. The Road to Yorktown indispensable resource for public
and college library collections, highly recommended.
Editorial Note: Norman Desmarais is professor emeritus at Providence College and an active reenactor. He is a member
of Le Regiment Bourbonnais, the 2nd Rhode Island Regiment and the Brigade of the American Revolution. He is the
author of Guide to the American Revolutionary War series (six volumes about the war on land and seven volumes about
the war at sea and overseas), as well as America's First Ally: France in the American Revolutionary War, and is the
editor-in-chief of The Brigade Dispatch, the journal of the Brigade of the American Revolution. Mr. Desmarais translated
the Gazette Francoise, the French newspaper published in Newport, Rhode Island by the French fleet that carried the
Count of Rochambeau and 5,800 French troops to America in July 1780. It is the first known service newspaper
published by an expeditionary force.
400 Years of New York History
Sasha Vosk
https://vosktimetravelguide.com
Pictorial History Press
www.pediment.com/pages/pictorial-history-book-program
9781735164304, $22.95, PB, 88pp
https://www.amazon.com/400-Years-New-York-History/dp/1735164305
Synopsis: "400 Years of New York History: A Pictorial Guide: Book 1, New York as New Amsterdam in the 1600s" is
the first book in the new Vosk Time Travel Guide series which is designed by Sasha Vosk as a one-of-a-kind illustrated
guide offering readers an opportunity to view the city's history in a manner that has not been possible until now with the
benefit of 21st century art technology.
This beautifully and profusely illustrated history showcases: How Manhattan looked 400 years ago; The way of life of
Native Americans and the first Dutch settlers; New Netherland becoming New York when the English take over.
Sasha Vosk is an expert in photo-realistic imagery with over 30 years of experience. He created this book for everyone
who wants to know much more about New York's history than meets the eye on the streets of Manhattan.
Critique: Impressively informative, memorably delightful, inherently fascinating to browse through one page at a time,
"400 Years of New York History: A Pictorial Guide: Book 1, New York as New Amsterdam in the 1600s" is a unique,
extraordinary, and unreservedly recommended addition to personal, community, college, and university library 17th
Century American History collections and supplemental studies reading lists.
The World History Shelf
Conquering Jerusalem
Stephen Dando-Collins
Turner Publishing Company
https://turnerbookstore.com
9781684425471, $18.99 Paperback
B08M7DD62B, $12.99 Kindle
https://www.amazon.com/Conquering-Jerusalem-Stephen-Dando-Collins/dp/1684425476
Synopsis: Dando-Collins details the conflict from both sides of the 7-year campaign. His examination of the revolt draws
upon numerous archaeological and forensic discoveries made in recent years to illuminate the people and events as never
before.
Neither side emerges from the conflict unscathed. Both were at times equally heroic and barbaric. In the end, the Jewish
freedom fighters lost the war and lost Jerusalem, their holy city - the focus of the campaign by both sides. Yet today,
Jerusalem is once more the heart of the Jewish faith, while, thanks to Christianity - an offshoot of Judaism - the Roman
Empire and its gods are long gone. Conquering Jerusalem illustrates that faith can have its rewards, and the tables can be
turned, if you wait long enough.
Critique: Conquering Jerusalem: The AD 66-73 Roman Campaign to Crush the Jewish Revolt scrutinizes a seven-year
span of history in the city of Jerusalem. Compiling evidence from archaeological and forensic finds, author and historian
Stephen Dando-Collins vividly portrays a concentrated Jewish rebellion against occupying Roman forces. A bibliography
and an index round out this fascinating historical study, thoroughly accessible to lay readers and scholars alike.
Conquering Jerusalem is highly recommended, especially for public and college library World History collections. It
should be noted for personal reading lists that Conquering Jerusalem is also available in a Kindle edition ($12.99).
Editorial Note: Stephen Dando-Collins is the author of 44 books. Australian-born, he is an acknowledged authority on
the legions of ancient Rome. In all his books, Dando-Collins aims to travel roads others have not, to unearth new facts
and open new perspectives on overlooked figures and events. The majority of his works deal with military history,
ranging from Greek, Persian and Roman times to American 19th-century history and World War I and II.
The Viking Great Army and the Making of England
Dawn M. Hadley & Julian D. Richards
Thames & Hudson
https://thamesandhudson.com
9780500022016 $34.95 hc / $16.99 Kindle
https://www.amazon.com/Viking-Great-Army-Dawn-Hadley/dp/0500022011
Synopsis: When the Viking Great Army swept through England between 865 and 878 CE, the course of English history
was forever changed. The people of the British Isles had become accustomed to raids for silver and prisoners, but 865 CE
saw a fundamental shift as the Norsemen stayed through winter and became immersed in the heart of the nation. The
Viking army was here to stay. This critical period for English history led to revolutionary changes in the fabric of society,
creating the growth of towns and industry, transforming power politics, and ultimately leading to the rise of Alfred the
Great and Wessex as the preeminent kingdom of Anglo-Saxon England.
Authors Dawn Hadley and Julian Richards, specialists in Anglo-Saxon and Viking Age archaeology, draw on the most
up-to-date scientific techniques and excavations, including their recent research at the Great Army's camp at Torksey.
Together they unravel the movements of the Great Army across England like a detective story, while piecing together a
new picture of the Vikings in unimaginable detail. Hadley and Richards unearth the swords and jewelry the Vikings
manufactured, examine how they buried their great warriors, and which everyday objects they discarded. These
discoveries revolutionized what is known of the size, complexity, and social make-up of the army. Like all good stories,
this one has plenty of heroes and villains, and features a wide array of vivid illustrations, including site views, plans,
weapons, and hoards. This exciting volume tells the definitive account of a vital period in Norse and British history and
is a must-have for history and archaeology lovers.
Critique: Exhaustively researched and engagingly presented, The Viking Great Army and the Making of England
examines the historical impact that Viking settlers had on English civilization. Viking raids were a regular occurrence by
the late 700's, but in the winter of the year 865, Vikings remained in England throughout the winter and became
intertwined with English communities. The Viking Great Army and the Making of England gathers information from
modern archaeological discoveries to reveal the legacy of Scandinavian influence upon English civilization. Occasional
black-and-white photographs, notes, a bibliography, and index round out this excellent contribution to public and college
library history collections, highly recommended. It should be noted for personal reading lists that The Viking Great Army
is also available in a Kindle edition ($16.99).
Jews and the Mediterranean
Edited by Matthias B. Lehmann and Jessica M. Marglin
Indiana University Press
https://iupress.org
9780253047984, $20.00
https://www.amazon.com/Mediterranean-Indiana-Sephardi-Mizrahi-Studies/dp/0253047986
Synopsis: What does an understanding of Jewish history contribute to the study of the Mediterranean, and what can
Mediterranean studies contribute to our knowledge of Jewish history? Jews and the Mediterranean considers the
historical potency and uniqueness of what happens when Sephardi, Mizrahi, and Ashkenazi Jews meet in the
Mediterranean region.
By focusing on the specificity of the Jewish experience, the essays gathered in this volume emphasize human agency and
culture over the length of Mediterranean history. This collection draws attention to what made Jewish people distinctive
and warns against facile notions of Mediterranean connectivity, diversity, fluidity, and hybridity, presenting a new
assessment of the Jewish experience in the Mediterranean.
Critique: Jews and the Mediterranean is anthology of scholarly essays by a variety of learned authors about the history of
Jews in the Mediterranean region. Individual writings include "Jews and the Early Modern Mediterranean Slave Trade",
"Religious Boundaries in Italy during an Era of Free Trade, 1550-1750", "Soap and the Making of a Short-Distance
Network in the Nineteenth Century Adriatic", and much more. An index rounds out this studious, erudite, and highly
recommended addition to public and college library World History collections.
Editorial Note: Matthias Lehmann is Associate Professor of History and Teller Family Chair in Jewish History at the
University of California, Irvine where he holds the Teller Family Chair in Jewish History.
Jessica M. Marglin is assistant professor of religion and the Ruth Ziegler Early Career Chair in Jewish Studies at the
University of Southern California. Marglin lives in Los Angeles, CA.
Two Revolutions and the Constitution
James D.R. Philips
Hamilton Books
c/o Rowman & Littlefield
https://rowman.com
9780761872689 $19.99 pbk / $18.99 Kindle
https://www.amazon.com/Two-Revolutions-Constitution-American-Produced/dp/076187268X
Synopsis: Why and how did Americans conceive a republic built on individual liberty, in an era of oppressive
monarchies? Two Revolutions and the Constitution describes how the British revolutions and constitution shaped the
political values which were the foundation of the American Constitution.
The author explains how British colonial government, the innovations in the first American constitutions (the State
constitutions), and the failure of the States' first attempt to unite, all influenced the Framers in drafting the final
Constitution.
The book tells how developments in England since Magna Carta had enabled liberty and representative government to
develop in England and in colonial America. The charges against George III in the Declaration of Independence mirrored
the charges against Charles I at the founding of the English republic. The English replaced two kings in their revolutions
of the 1600s. Those revolutions led to enduring constitutional changes in Britain and in colonial America.
Philips also considers how the founding charters of the American colonies contained the seeds of American rebellion in
the 1760s and 1770s.
Critique: Two Revolutions and the Constitution: How the English and American Revolutions Produced the American
Constitution is an analysis of a crucial turning point in history. How did the principle of a republic arise in two nations
amid an era of monarchies, and how were those principles codified into a founding document? Written with meticulous
attention to detail, yet thoroughly accessible to readers of all backgrounds, Two Revolutions and the Constitution is an
utterly fascinating chronicle of advances in liberty and representative government in both England and its New World
colonies, from the Magna Carta onward. Two Revolutions and the Constitution is highly recommended for both public
and college library history collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that Two Revolutions and the
Constitution is also available in a Kindle edition ($18.99).
The Civil War Shelf
From Arlington to Appomattox
Charles R. Knight
Savas Beatie
https://www.savasbeatie.com
9781611215021, $39.95 Hardcover
B097713917, $17.21 Kindle
https://www.amazon.com/Arlington-Appomattox-Robert-Civil-1861-1865/dp/1611215021
Synopsis: Douglas S. Freeman's Pulitzer Prize-winning four-volume study on Robert E. Lee remains the most thorough
history of the man. After spending so many years with his subject, Freeman claimed he knew where Lee was every day of
his life, from West Point until his death. In fact, there are many gaps in Freeman's Lee, and hundreds of sources have
been discovered in the decades since that have changed many of the accepted "facts" about the general. In From
Arlington to Appomattox: Robert E. Lee's Civil War, Day by Day, 1861-1865 author Charles Knight does for Lee and
students of the war what E. B. Long's Civil War Day by Day did for our ability to understand the conflict as a whole. This
is not another Lee biography, but it is every bit as valuable as one, and perhaps more so.
Lost in all of the military histories of the war, and even in most of the Lee biographies, is what the general was doing
when he was out of history's "public" eye. We know Lee rode out to meet the survivors of Pickett's Charge and accept
blame for the defeat, that he tried to lead the Texas Brigade in a counterattack to save the day at the Wilderness, and took
a tearful ride from Wilmer McLean's house at Appomattox. But what of the other days? Where was Lee and what was he
doing when the spotlight of history failed to illuminate him?
Focusing on where he was, who he was with, and what he was doing day by day offers an entirely different appreciation
for Lee. Readers will come away with a fresh sense of his struggles, both personal and professional, and discover many
things about Lee for the first time using his own correspondence and papers from his family, his staff, his lieutenants, and
the men of his army.
General Lee intended to write a history of the Army of Northern Virginia but died before he could complete his work.
Based on hundreds of first-person accounts, From Arlington to Appomattox recreates, as far as such a thing is now
possible, a Lee-centric study of what the man experienced on a daily basis. It is a tremendous contribution to the
literature of the Civil War.
Critique: Exhaustively researched with an extensive bibliography and index, From Arlington to Appomattox: Robert E.
Lee's Civil War, Day by Day, 1861-1865 lives up to its title as a daily accounting of Confederate General Robert E. Lee's
life for the duration of the American Civil War. The main text consists of paragraphs assigned to each day listing Lee's
known actions; these paragraphs are expounded upon at extreme length with highly detailed footnotes concerning
uncertainties, clarifying context, referring to sources, and much more. From Arlington to Appomattox is a welcome
addition to Civil War literature, highly recommended especially for college library American History collections. It
should be noted for personal reading lists that From Arlington to Appomattox is also available in a Kindle edition
($17.21).
Editorial Note: Charles R. Knight is a native of Richmond, Virginia. He is a former Historical Interpreter at New Market
Battlefield State Historical Park, and currently serves as the curator of the Douglas MacArthur Memorial. Charlie has
written articles for various Civil War and railroad publications, including Blue & Gray, Classic Trains, and NRHS
Bulletin. He lives in Norfolk, Virginia, with his wife and son.
Matchless Organization: The Confederate Army Medical Department
Guy R. Hasegawa
Southern Illinois University Press
www.siupress.com
9780809338290, $26.50 paperback
https://www.amazon.com/Matchless-Organization-Confederate-Department-Engaging/dp/0809338297
Synopsis: Despite the many obstacles it had to overcome - including a naval blockade, lack of a strong industrial base,
and personnel unaccustomed to military life - the Richmond-based Confederate Army Medical Department developed
into a robust organization that nimbly adapted to changing circumstances. In the first book to address the topic, Guy R.
Hasegawa describes the organization and management of the Confederate army's medical department. At its head was
Surgeon General Samuel Preston Moore, a talented multitasker with the organizational know-how to put in place
qualified medical personnel to care for sick and wounded Confederate soldiers.
Hasegawa investigates how political considerations, personalities, and, as the war progressed, the diminishing
availability of human and material resources influenced decision-making in the medical department. Amazingly, the
surgeon general's office managed not only to provide care but also to offer educational opportunities to its personnel and
collect medical and surgical data for future use, regardless of constant and growing difficulties.
During and after the war, the medical department of the Confederate army was consistently praised as being admirably
organized and efficient. Although the department was unable to match its Union counterpart in manpower and supplies,
Moore's intelligent management enabled it to help maintain the fighting strength of the Confederate army.
Critique: Part of the "Engaging the Civil War" series, Matchless Organization: The Confederate Army Medical
Department is an extensively researched, eye-opening examination of the Confederate Army Medical Department during
the American Civil War. Chapters examine the roles of medical directors, medical inspectors, and medical purveyors; the
importation of medical supplies; general hospitals and prison hospitals; and much more. Particular attention is paid to
how the reduced availability of trained people and supplies as the war went on affected triage and medical decision-
making. Extensive notes, a bibliography, and an index round out this studious, detailed, and seminal addition to public
and college library Civil War shelves. Highly recommended.
Editorial Note: Guy R. Hasegawa, a retired pharmacist and editor, is the author of Villainous Compounds: Chemical
Weapons and the American Civil War and Mending Broken Soldiers: The Union and Confederate Programs to Supply
Artificial Limbs.
The Business Shelf
The Goal Driven Business
Edward W. Petty
https://www.goaldriven.com/home
New Insights Press
https://newinsightspress.com
9781735934433, $18.00
https://www.amazon.com/Goal-Driven-Business-Business-Building-Professional/dp/1735934437
The Goal Driven Business: A New Business-Building Methodology That is Simpler, Faster, More Profitable and Fun
than Whatever You Are Doing Now -- Especially for Professional Practices is an uplifting guide that connects business
pursuits to personal satisfaction in a manner few professional or self-help titles achieve, and is highly recommended for
practices and small businesses who want a better business-building model. It comes from Edward Petty's 35 years'
experience of honing a methodology that streamlines and systemizes a new way of achieving goals that can be
customized to apply to a wide variety of practices and has led to the creation of his new venture, GoalDriven.com.
One might ask: aren't all businesses goal-driven? Surprisingly, the answer is no (although it should be a firm 'yes'). That's
because too many business managers and owners experience a disconnect between their personal objectives and lives and
their business, which seems to take on a life (and goals) of its own simply through the rigors of daily management
processes. Chapters re-link the two, beginning with an introduction that helps business managers identify their personal,
individual goals within the business framework. More than an ethereal self-examination, this important section
introduces "20 big shifts" in attitude and approach which are expanded upon in later chapters, and which are key to
making real game-changing decisions in how a business is run.
Follow-up chapters discuss, in depth, the five stages of business development, the definition of a Goal Driven System
and how it differs from the typical business structure, and its 23 basic principles (derived from years of research,
observation) and real-world business approaches proven to be successful. At every juncture, Edward W. Petty cements
concept to exercises, internal and external processes and procedures, and discussions of how this system diverges from
the typical business management approach. The result is a very specific, pragmatic approach that will require an
organized, detail-oriented, and committed business leader to fully appreciate its objectives and strategies.
The Goal Driven Business promises rewards for those who make the decision to absorb its principles and apply them to
their own goals and business vision. It's an approach that is highly recommended for any collection strong in business
management and any business leader committed to change.
Content Inc., second edition
Joe Pulizzi
McGraw-Hill
https://www.mheducation.com
9781264257546 $27.00 hc / $14.34 Kindle
https://www.amazon.com/Content-Inc-Second-Content-First-Successful/dp/1264257546
Synopsis: Do you create digital content? Well, this is the business model you've been looking for! In these pages, Joe
Pulizzi provides a lower-risk, more effective way to create a path to success by re-engineering the process that so often
leads to failure: You'll learn how to develop valuable content, build an audience around that content and then create a
product for that audience. Content Inc. walks you through the entire process, showing how to:
Choose a topic
Unearth an area where little competition exists (break through the clutter)
Choose your best channel to build your platform
Build long-term customer loyalty (an audience)
Start making money from your content
Expand your content into multiple channels/platforms
Sell your content asset or scale it into a successful business
This updated edition includes new and enhanced coverage of platforms like TikTok, SnapChat, and Instagram, a new
section about the exit strategy for the model, more practical how-tos, and current examples of companies that have
successfully implemented these strategies.
Content Inc. provides an ingenious approach to business based on a profoundly simple concept: Having a singular focus
on audience, and building a loyal audience directly, provide the best, most nuanced understanding of what products
ultimately make the most sense to sell.
Critique: Now in an updated second edition with more information about platforms such as TikTok, SnapChat, and
Instagram, among other newly added tips, tricks and techniques, Content Inc. is a business guide that spins around the
traditional business model. Chapters discuss how to attract an audience by creating valuable digital content (videos, live
streams, articles on a website, etc.) and then offer that audience a product they will desire, rather than usual path of
inventing a product and then searching for the product's audience. Chapters discuss the metrics that drive a content-based
business model, making the most of social media, how to apply "survival monetization", evaluating options for a
successful exit plan, and much more. In today's digital media-driven world, Content Inc. is an invaluable reference and
resource for entrepreneurs everywhere. Highly recommended! It should be noted for personal reading lists that Content
Inc. is also available in a Kindle edition ($14.34).
When Bad Teams Happen to Good People
Valerie Patrick PhD
Career Press
careerpress.com
c/o Red Wheel Weiser
www.redwheelweiser.com
9781632651822, $19.95 paperback
B08HQKCKCP, $9.99 Kindle
9781713588801, $19.99 audio CD
https://www.amazon.com/When-Teams-Happen-Good-People/dp/1632651823
Synopsis: Why do some team members not get along? What is the best way to get new teams and ad-hoc teams to
maximize their performance in the least amount of time? How can meetings be designed to achieve useful
outcomes?
Teams are the source of problem-solving and innovation that today's organizations need to survive and thrive in an
increasingly complex and challenging marketplace.
Teamwork is hard because there is no magic formula or step-by-step procedure to ensure results. Think of a programmer
asked to develop new features for a cell phone: they write new code, test the code, troubleshoot problems encountered,
revise the code, and repeat the testing process until the new features work without problems. Similarly, a team leader
asked to deliver specified outcomes develops a plan, runs team meetings, troubleshoots problems encountered, revises
the plan, and repeats until the team outcomes are achieved. The difference is that a programmer has tools to help
streamline troubleshooting, while team leaders do not until now.
Critique: When Bad Teams Happen to Good People: Your Complete Repair Guide for Successful Teamwork lives up to
its title as a no-nonsense guide to troubleshooting subpar teams. Chapters address how to deal with difficulties related to
team membership and obstacles to inclusion, operational tactics to counter or manage disruption, the principles of good
meeting design, and much more. "I use the rule of thumb to dedicate at least half of the meeting time to interaction,
which means content presentations and instructions take up less than half the total time. This step can cause changes in
other parts of the design, such as revising the meeting purpose, objectives, and outcomes." When Bad Teams Happen to
Good People is a "must-read" for anyone aspiring to a managerial position in business, or a collaboration-based career
path. It should be noted for personal reading lists that When Bad Teams Happen to Good People is also available in a
Kindle edition ($9.99).
Editorial Note: Dr. Valerie Patrick, President of Fulcrum Connection LLC, is a facilitator, leadership trainer, and
professional speaker. Dr. Patrick is a PhD chemical engineer with 25 years of corporate experience leading technical and
strategic initiatives to identify and deliver new sources of organizational value at Bayer and Monsanto. Dr. Patrick has
over 10,000 hours of corporate experience as a team leader and is a Certified Creative Problem Solving Facilitator
through the Creative Problem Solving Group.
Talent, Strategy, Risk
Bill McNabb, Ram Charan, and Dennis Carey
Harvard Business Review Press
hbr.org/hbrpress
9781633698321, $35.00 hardcover
B08CGT7HXG, $16.99 Kindle
https://www.amazon.com/Talent-Strategy-Risk-Investors-Redefining/dp/1633698327
Synopsis: A big shift in public ownership has created a new set of challenges for boards. Much of the $14 trillion of
assets that firms like Vanguard, BlackRock, and State Street manage is now held in index funds, creating a huge class of
permanent institutional investors who own almost 60 percent of the Fortune 500. These investors are stating in no
uncertain terms that simply managing for short-term shareholder profit is not acceptable.
Bill McNabb, Ram Charan, and Dennis Carey have been on the front lines of these changes with the investment
community, corporate boards, and top-level management teams. Since TSR (total shareholder return) cannot keep the
short and long term in balance, the authors argue, boards should focus on a different kind of TSR - talent, strategy, and
risk - because decisions and actions around these factors, more than any others, determine whether or not a company
creates long-term value. This book redefines the board's agenda and explains how to:
Build and incentivize the right leadership team
Help leaders take a longer view and communicate it to investors
Refresh board composition and create diversity to meet the new challenges
Keep major risks, such as cyberattacks and sexual harassment allegations, front and center
Analyze the business through the eyes of a shareholder activist
With the new realities of corporate ownership, boards need to lead for the long term. This authoritative book shows them
how.
Critique: The title of Talent, Strategy, Risk: How Investors and Boards Are Redefining TSR is a play on the acronym
TSR, which traditionally stands for "Total Shareholder Return". Chapters show how the qualities of talent, strategy, and
risk can be applied as major factors to build company value. Wise risk management (such as establishing policies to
minimize potential damage from cyberattacks, or prevent sexual harassment), skillful strategy (such as applying a longer
viewpoint focused on stability as much as share values), and balanced talent recruitment (including suggestions for
keeping a diversity of backgrounds and opinions in board compositions) are all invaluable for sustaining company
investments. Talent, Strategy, Risk is highly recommended especially for company board members and executive
business leaders. It should be noted for personal reading lists that Talent, Strategy, Risk is also available in a Kindle
edition ($16.99).
Editorial Note: Bill McNabb is former Chairman and CEO of Vanguard, the world's second-largest mutual fund
manager, with over $5 trillion in assets.
Ram Charan is a world-renowned business adviser, author, teacher, and speaker who has spent the past forty years
working with the CEOs, boards, and executives of the world's top companies. He is the author or coauthor of more than
thirty books that together have sold over four million copies, including Boards That Lead and Talent Wins (both
coauthored with Dennis Carey).
Dennis Carey is Vice Chairman of Korn Ferry. He has recruited and assessed board directors and CEOs for some of the
world's best-performing companies. He has coauthored seven books on talent, strategy, CEO succession, and corporate
governance, including Boards That Lead and Talent Wins.
The General Fiction Shelf
The Show Girl
Nicola Harrison
St. Martin's Press
https://us.macmillan.com/smp
9781250200150, $27.99, HC, 400pp
https://www.amazon.com/Show-Girl-Novel-Nicola-Harrison/dp/1250200156
Synopsis: In 1927 Olive McCormick moved from Minneapolis to New York City. She was determined to become a star
in the Ziegfeld Follies. Extremely talented as a singer and dancer, it takes every bit of perseverance to finally make it on
stage. And once she does, all the glamour and excitement is everything she imagined and more -- even worth all the
sacrifices she has had to make along the way.
Then she meets Archie Carmichael. Handsome, wealthy and the only man she's ever met who seems to accept her
modern ways, her independent nature and passion for success. But once she accepts his proposal of marriage he starts to
change his tune, and Olive must decide if she is willing to reveal a devastating secret and sacrifice the life she loves for
the man she loves.
Critique: A masterfully crafted work of historical fiction and a genuine flair for creating memorable characters deftly
embedded in an inherently fascinating narrative, "The Show Girl" by novelist Nicola Harrison is an extraordinary and
unreservedly recommended addition to community library collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that
"The Show Girl" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $14.99).
The One Hundred Years of Lenni and Margot: A Novel
Marianne Cronin
Harper Perennial
https://www.harpercollins.com/collections/harper-perennial
9780063017504, $17.00 paperback
B08F7SS35N, $11.99 Kindle
https://www.amazon.com/One-Hundred-Years-Lenni-Margot/dp/0063017504
Synopsis: An extraordinary friendship. A lifetime of stories.
Seventeen-year-old Lenni Pettersson lives on the Terminal Ward at the Glasgow Princess Royal Hospital. Though the
teenager has been told she's dying, she still has plenty of living to do. Joining the hospital's arts and crafts class, she
meets the magnificent Margot, an 83-year-old, purple-pajama-wearing, fruitcake-eating rebel, who transforms Lenni in
ways she never imagined.
As their friendship blooms, a world of stories opens for these unlikely companions who, between them, have been alive
for one hundred years. Though their days are dwindling, both are determined to leave their mark on the world. With the
help of Lenni's doting palliative care nurse and Father Arthur, the hospital's patient chaplain, Lenni and Margot devise a
plan to create one hundred paintings showcasing the stories of the century they have lived - stories of love and loss, of
courage and kindness, of unexpected tenderness and pure joy.
Though the end is near, life isn't quite done with these unforgettable women just yet.
Delightfully funny and bittersweet, heartbreaking yet ultimately uplifting, The One Hundred Years of Lenni and Margot
reminds us of the preciousness of life as it considers the legacy we choose to leave, how we influence the lives of others
even after we're gone, and the wonder of a friendship that transcends time.
Critique: The One Hundred Years of Lenni and Margot is a heartwarming novel about an intergenerational friendship
between an ill teenager and an elderly woman. Though both of them are close to the end of their lives, they decide to
celebrate their years by creating an outstanding showcase of one hundred paintings, each connected to the one hundred
years of their combined lifespan. The One Hundred Years of Lenni and Margot is poignant, thoughtful, and a highly
recommended addition to both personal and public library General Fiction collections. It should be noted for personal
reading lists that The One Hundred Years of Lenni and Margot is also available in a Kindle edition ($11.99).
Editorial Note: Marianne Cronin was born in 1990 and grew up in Warwickshire, England. She studied English at
Lancaster University before earning a PhD in Applied Linguistics from the University of Birmingham. She now spends
most of her time writing, with her newly-adopted rescue cat sleeping under her desk. When she's not writing, Marianne
can be found performing improv in the West Midlands, where she now lives. Her debut novel, The One Hundred Years
of Lenni and Margot, is to be translated into over 20 languages and is being adapted into a feature film by a major
Hollywood studio.
A Theater for Dreamers
Polly Samson
Algonquin Books
www.algonquin.com
9781643751498, $26.95, Hardcover
B08GFTQB8W, $19.95 digital
https://www.amazon.com/Theater-Dreamers-Polly-Samson/dp/1643751492
Synopsis: It's 1960, and the world teeters on the edge of cultural, political, sexual, and artistic revolution. On the Greek
island of Hydra, a proto-commune of poets, painters, and musicians revel in dreams at the feet of their unofficial leaders,
the writers Charmian Clift and George Johnston, troubled queen and king of bohemia. At the center of this circle of
misfit artists are the captivating and inscrutable Axel Jensen, his magnetic wife Marianne Ihlen, and a young Canadian
ingenue poet named Leonard Cohen.
When eighteen-year-old Erica stumbles into their world, she's fresh off the boat from London with nothing but a bundle
of blank notebooks and a burning desire to leave home in the wake of her mother's death. Among these artists, she will
find an unraveling utopia where everything is tested - the nature of art, relationships, and her own innocence.
Intoxicating and immersive, A Theater for Dreamers is a spellbinding tour-de-force about the beauty between naivete and
cruelty, chaos and utopia, artist and muse - and about the wars waged between men and women on the battlegrounds of
genius. Roiling with the heat of a Grecian summer, A Theater for Dreamers is, according to the Guardian, "a blissful
piece of escapism" and "a surefire summer hit."
Critique: Set amid a colony of poets, painters, musicians, and writers living on a Greek island in 1960, A Theater for
Dreamers is a novel about the churning problems beneath what appears to be a utopia on the surface. When an eighteen-
year-old woman from London joins the colony, she must navigate a complex and tangled web of relationships,
confrontations, and accusations. A Theater for Dreamers is a thought-provoking page-turner, highly recommended. It
should be noted for personal reading lists that A Theater for Dreamers is also available in a digital edition ($19.95).
Editorial Note: Polly Samson is a writer of fiction and a lyricist. Her words have appeared on four number one albums,
including Pink Floyd's The Division Bell and David Gilmour's On an Island. She has also worked as a journalist and in
publishing, including two years as a columnist for the Sunday Times. Samson was made a fellow of the Royal Society of
Literature in 2018. Her first novel, Out of the Picture, was shortlisted for the Author's Club Award, and many of her
stories, including those from her first collection Lying in Bed, have been read on Radio 4. A second collection of short
stories, Perfect Lives, was a Book at Bedtime. She has written an introduction to a collection of Daphne du Maurier's
earliest stories and has been a judge for the Costa Book Awards. Her 2015 novel The Kindness was named a Book of the
Year by both the Times and the Observer.
TWICE: A Novel
Susanna Kleeman
www.twicenovel.com
John Hunt Publishing
www.johnhuntpublishing.com
c/o National Book Network (distribution)
http://www.nbnbooks.com
9781789046212, $18.95 Paperback
B095B24NFG, $7.49 Kindle
https://www.amazon.com/TWICE-Novel-Susanna-Kleeman/dp/1789046211
Synopsis: TWICE is a speculative thriller about false fronts and coercive control on a global and personal scale. It tells
the story of Nim, who discovers that her childhood games taught her dangerous secrets she must now keep from her first
love - and his doubles. Nim's ex-love returns from Silicon Valley, wanting a book from their childhood. She chucks him
out. Moments later, he's back again, one fingertip missing, claiming he's the real Chris and that Nim's first visitor was an
imposter. Nim doesn't believe him, so he abducts her, forcing her on a journey where nothing is as it seems.
Critique: TWICE: A Novel keeps the reader guessing with its twists and turns. A woman named Nim finds herself at the
center of an intrigue between Chris, a man she used to love, and his doubles. The man who claims to be the real Chris
forces her to come with him on a trip where illusion and reality overlap. Nim must figure out who and what she can trust
- including among her own memories! An absorbing page-turner that balances psychological suspense, duplicity, and the
human need for trust, TWICE is highly recommended. It should be noted for personal reading lists that TWICE is also
available in a Kindle edition ($7.49).
Editorial Note: Susanna Kleeman is a writer from London who works in digital tech. Her first book, MY REJECTIONS
(2020) is a short memoir of hubris, humiliation and triumph against the odds.
The Way of the Saints
Elizabeth Engelman
Southeast Missouri State University Press
www.semopress.com
9781733015332, $18.00, Paperback
https://www.amazon.com/Saints-Nilsen-Prize-First-Winner/dp/1733015337
Synopsis: The Way of the Saints is a multi-generational, historical collection of short stories, based on the author's family
and her personal experiences as the daughter of a Santeria priestess. The linked stories in the collection tell of three
generations of Puerto Rican women: Paula, Isabel, and Esther as they navigate Puerto Rico's Independence movement of
the 1930's, life in the 1950's tenements of New York, and the opulence of 1980's Westchester.
Critique: The Way of the Saints is a unique novel composed of linked short stories following three generations of Puerto
Rican women as they live among Puerto Rico's independence movement of the 1930's, the challenges of 1950's New
York, and the lavish surroundings of 1980's Westchester. The profound impacts of religion and growing up as the child
of a very dominant mother are reflected from story to story with repercussions that transcend eras, in this unforgettable
saga grounded in the author's own life experience as the daughter of a Santeria priestess. Highly recommended!
Editorial Note: Elizabeth Engelman is a recipient of the Marianne Russo Award and a Rotary Ambassadorial Scholar
Grant to Ireland. She was a 2019 top-ten finalist for the University of New Orleans Publishing Lab Prize, and her essays
have appeared in The New York Times and Endeavor Magazine. She holds an MFA from the University of Tampa, an
M.A. in Poetry from Lancaster University, and a B.A. from Carson-Newman University. Her poems have been published
in Yale's literary & art journal LETTERS, as well as the Riverside Center's Anthology of Poetry. She lives with her
family in St. Augustine, Florida, where she works at the Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind.
Hillwilla: A Novel
Melanie Forde
Mountain Lake Press
mountainlakepress.com
9780988591974, $25.00 hardcover
9781728617688, $16.95 paperback
B094HSP8TJ, $5.99 Kindle
https://www.amazon.com/Hillwilla-Novel-Novels-Book-ebook/dp/B094HSP8TJ
Synopsis: Beatrice Desmond, 55, lives on a remote farm nestled in a deep hollow in southern West Virginia. A native of
Boston and a graduate of an Ivy League college, Beatrice is a fish out of water in Seneca County; although she maintains
contact with certain friends and family, too often, Beatrice retreats into her work as a translator and editor, or into the
bottle of Jack Daniels she maintains nearby. Fate finally intervenes, requiring Beatrice to befriend and shelter Clara, an
abused teenager, and accept the job of ghostwriting the memoir of her dashing but enigmatic neighbor, Tanner
Fordyce.
Gradually, Beatrice finds her resolute independence and crusty reserve soften, her carefully constructed barriers fall, and
her guarded and self-protective nature moderates, as she explores the renewed pleasures of emotional involvement. At
times sad, at times hilarious, and always quirky, Hillwilla celebrates the glories of nature, the resilience of the human
spirit, the healing power derived from genuine connections with others, and the potential for reinventing ourselves at any
age.
Critique: First in a trilogy, Hillwilla: A Novel is the story of Beatrice, a middle-aged woman whose college education
sets her apart from her from her Seneca County neighbors. Beatrice's solitary life as a translator and editor is upended
when fate brings her to shelter an abused teenager, and when she accepts a ghostwriting job for her handsome yet very
private neighbor. Heartwarming and thoughtful, Hillwilla is an emotional story with a strong positive message. It should
be noted for personal reading lists that Hillwilla is also available in a Kindle edition ($5.99).
Editorial Note: For most of her writing career, Melanie Forde ghosted on international security issues. She published her
first novel, Hillwilla, in 2014, followed by On the Hillwilla Road in 2015. Her West Virginia trilogy culminates in
Reinventing Hillwilla, 2018. Twenty years in the making, her Irish-American family saga, Decanted Truths, was also
released in 2018.
On the Hillwilla Road: A Novel
Melanie Forde
Mountain Lake Press
mountainlakepress.com
9780990808930, hardcover $24.95
9781728618081, $16.95 hc / $5.99 Kindle
https://www.amazon.com/Hillwilla-Road-Novel-Melanie-Forde/dp/1728618088
Synopsis: This follow-up novel to Hillwilla explores how disparate characters can grow to need and depend on one
another In Hillwilla, Beatrice Desmond, a former Bostonian Ivy Leaguer, found herself in midlife on a llama farm in
remote West Virginia. Clara Buckhalter, a troubled young girl, drew Beatrice out of her lonely existence.
Now, Clara attends a different school at Beatrice's urging, and finds herself involved with two new friends who are
confusing and intimidating yet caring. Beatrice's tantalizing friendship and romance with the dashing, wealthy, and
extremely handsome Tanner Fordyce discover new and deeper connections though they continue to spar and infuriate
each other. And Beatrice's farm is replete with temperamental llamas; Ralph, her loyal English setter; and the occasional
wild critter further serves as an oasis of refuge and healing. This sequel explores how such disparate individuals can grow
to need and depend on one another, even as Beatrice finds herself confronted with a new, life-altering choice.
Critique: The second novel in a trilogy, On the Hillwilla Road continues the life-affirming story of a middle-aged woman
who has taken in a troubled young girl, and who maintains a complex, sometimes raucous relationship with her
exceptionally attractive neighbor. The three-dimensional character portraits make On the Hillwilla Road an absorbing
and memorable read, highly recommended. It should be noted for personal reading lists that On the Hillwilla Road is also
available in a Kindle edition ($5.99).
Editorial Note: For most of her writing career, Melanie Forde ghosted on international security issues. She published her
first novel, Hillwilla, in 2014, followed by On the Hillwilla Road in 2015. Her West Virginia trilogy culminates in
Reinventing Hillwilla, 2018. Twenty years in the making, her Irish-American family saga, Decanted Truths, was also
released in 2018.
Reinventing Hillwilla: A Novel
Melanie Forde
Mountain Lake Press
mountainlakepress.com
9781730785498, $16.95 paperback
9798748237529, $21.95 hardcover
B07K6TQC3R, $5.99 Kindle
https://www.amazon.com/Reinventing-Hillwilla-Novel-Melanie-Forde-ebook/dp/B07K6TQC3R
Synopsis: Life on a llama farm, set in remote "Seneca County," West Virginia, transitions from contented to chaotic in
this final novel in the Hillwilla trilogy -- all under the watchful eye of canine guardian Ralph. Five years after we first
met northern urban transplant Beatrice Desmond, she is finally adapting to her mountain hollow among the wary
"born-heres" and is more open to the blessings in her life. She has developed a rewarding mother-daughter relationship
with troubled local teenager Clara Buckhalter and is inching toward marriage with dashing, but complicated entrepreneur
Tanner Fordyce. Meanwhile, Clara sets off on a productive new path, one that would have been unthinkable had Beatrice
never come into her life.
All of that progress is suddenly jeopardized by Clara's scheming mother Charyce. Ultimately, the upheaval touched off
by Charyce's schemes serves as the catalyst for new beginnings for the Seneca County misfits (even Ralph).
Critique: The third and final novel of a trilogy, Reinventing Hillwilla concludes the story of the middle-aged woman
Beatrice, a young girl named Clara with whom Beatrice has forged a parental connection; and the handsome if somewhat
difficult entrepreneur with whom Beatrice has cultivated a relationship gradually approaching marriage. Yet when Clara's
double-dealing mother appears and starts spinning machinations, Beatrice's new family risks being pulled apart! A
dramatic, poignant saga about the enduring power of bonds and the priceless treasure of love, Reinventing Hillwilla is
captivating, thoughtful, and highly recommended. It should be noted for personal reading lists that Reinventing Hillwilla
is also available in a Kindle edition ($5.99).
Editorial Note: For most of her writing career, Melanie Forde ghosted on international security issues. She published her
first novel, Hillwilla, in 2014, followed by On the Hillwilla Road in 2015. Her West Virginia trilogy culminates in
Reinventing Hillwilla, 2018. Twenty years in the making, her Irish-American family saga, Decanted Truths, was also
released in 2018.
The Rules of Arrangement: A Novel
Anisha Bhatia
anishabhatia.com
Alcove Press
alcovepress.com
9781643856926, $16.99 paperback
B08L5TBVVD, $13.99 Kindle
9781666502312, $22.95 audio CD
https://www.amazon.com/Rules-Arrangement-Novel-Anisha-Bhatia/dp/1643856928
Synopsis: Zoya Sahni has a great education, a fulfilling job and a loving family (for the most part). But she is not the
perfect Indian girl. She's overweight, spunky and dark-skinned in a world that prizes the slim, obedient and fair. At 26
she is hurtling toward her expiration date in Mumbai's arranged marriage super-mart, but when her auntie's matchmaking
radar hones in on the Holy Grail of suitors--just as Zoya gets a dream job offer in New York City--the girl who once
accepted her path as almost option-less must now make a choice of a lifetime.
Big-hearted with piercing social commentary, The Rules of Arrangement tells a powerful, irresistibly charming and oh-so
relatable tale of a progressive life that won't be hemmed in by outdated rules. But not without a few cultural casualties,
and of course, an accidental love story along the way.
Critique: The Rules of Arrangement is a novel laced with severe social commentary. The story follows an East Indian
young woman named Zoya Sahni, whose plump figure, outspoken tongue, and darker than average skin makes her less-
than-desirable in the arranged-marriage market. At age twenty-six, she is about to be declared un-arrangeable... until a
seemingly miracle suitor solicits interest. At the same time, Zoya gets a dream job offer in New York City! Now she
must choose which path her life will follow - although there just might be some cultural debris (or an unexpected bloom
of love?) in the process. Insightful, character-driven, and utterly unrestrained, The Rules of Arrangement is highly
recommended. It should be noted for personal reading lists that The Rules of Arrangement is also available in a Kindle
edition ($13.99).
Editorial Note: Born and brought up in Mumbai, India, Anisha Bhatia now lives in San Diego, California with her
husband and their two children. She loves tea, biryani, books and beaches, not necessarily in that order. The Rules of
Arrangement is her first novel.
Business: A Novel
J.P. Meyboom
Dundurn Press
https://www.dundurn.com
9781459747050, $18.99 pbk / $9.49 Kindle
https://www.amazon.com/Business-J-P-Meyboom/dp/1459747054
Synopsis: A dark coming-of-age comedy set in a world of scoundrels and misfits at the end of their tether.
Paul Wint quits his dead-end gig composing greeting cards and falls in with Hornsmith, an ailing con on his last score.
Hornsmith is running a scam on Dr. Courtney, a cosmetic surgeon, and Simon Trang, a shadowy narc. He says it's
business, but it's really more of a blackmail job.
And it's not working out. While Hornsmith's distracted by his intestinal cancer, Courtney's gangsters plot to kill the deal.
Soon, Paul can't see his way for the complications in the swindle. His obsession with Marla, a singer with The Raging
Socket, doesn't help.
After a mysterious fire destroys his apartment building, Paul sets out on a road trip that is both terrifying and ridiculous, a
trip through America that brings together immigrants, crooks, and seekers in the vast, unforgiving, inspiring spaces of the
desert.
Critique: Business: A Novel is a crime thriller with blackmail, drug trafficking, and a desperate cross-country desert trip
to escape deadly consequences. Knife-edge suspense laced with shocking violence and ruthless treachery make Business:
A Novel an edge-of-seat page-turner to the very end. Highly recommended, especially for connoisseurs of the genre! It
should be noted for personal reading lists that Business: A Novel is also available in a Kindle edition ($9.49).
The Queer Principles of Kit Webb: A Novel
Cat Sebastian
Avon
www.harpercollins.com/collections/avon-books
9780063026216, $15.99 paperback
B08HZ4R7XP, $10.99 Kindle
https://www.amazon.com/Queer-Principles-Kit-Webb-Novel/dp/006302621X
Synopsis: Kit Webb has left his stand-and-deliver days behind him. But dreary days at his coffee shop have begun to
make him pine for the heady rush of thievery. When a handsome yet arrogant aristocrat storms into his shop, Kit quickly
realizes he may be unable to deny whatever this highborn man desires.
In order to save himself and a beloved friend, Percy, Lord Holland must go against every gentlemanly behavior he holds
dear to gain what he needs most: a book that once belonged to his mother, a book his father never lets out of his sight and
could be Percy's savior. More comfortable in silk-filled ballrooms than coffee shops frequented by criminals, his attempts
to hire the roughly hewn highwayman, formerly known as Gladhand Jack, proves equal parts frustrating and
electrifying.
Kit refuses to participate in the robbery but agrees to teach Percy how to do the deed. Percy knows he has little choice but
to submit and as the lessons in thievery begin, he discovers thievery isn't the only crime he's desperate to commit with
Kit.
But when their careful plan goes dangerously wrong and shocking revelations threaten to tear them apart, can these stolen
hearts overcome the impediments in their path?
Critique: A lighthearted historical novel featuring a spark of passion between two sharp-minded men, The Queer
Principles of Kit Webb is set during the 1700's and comes to life with a remarkable wealth of information about
stagecoach robberies and other dangerous realities of nearly three centuries ago. Kit Webb resists the desire to return to
his former life of thievery, yet crosses paths with an attractive nobleman with a less-than-transparent agenda. Kit agrees
to teach the persistent aristocrat all about robbery, while refusing to personally participate. When best-laid plans go awry,
the fallout could destroy them both - or at the very least, tear apart any chance of shared happiness! Witty, vivacious, and
crafted with unquenchable flourish, The Queer Principles of Kit Webb is highly recommended. It should be noted for
personal reading lists that The Queer Principles of Kit Webb is also available in a Kindle edition ($10.99).
Editorial Note: Cat Sebastian lives in a swampy part of the South with her husband, three kids, and two dogs. Before her
kids were born, she practiced law and taught high school and college writing. When she isn't reading or writing, she's
doing crossword puzzles, bird-watching, and wondering where she put her coffee cup.
The Rebellious Tide
Eddy Boudel Tan
Dundurn Press
https://www.dundurn.com
9781459746879 $17.99 pbk / $9.99 Kindle
https://www.amazon.com/Rebellious-Tide-Eddy-Boudel-Tan-ebook/dp/B08DS3CDTK
Synopsis: Sebastien's search for his father leads him to a ship harbouring a dangerous secret.
Sebastien has heard only stories about his father, a mysterious sailor who abandoned his pregnant mother thirty years
ago. But when his mother dies after a lifetime of struggle, he becomes obsessed with finding an explanation - perhaps
even revenge.
The father he's never met is Kostas, the commanding officer of a luxury liner sailing the Mediterranean. Posing as a
member of the ship's crew, Sebastien stalks his unwitting father in search of answers as to why he disappeared so many
years ago.
After a public assault triggers outrage among the ship's crew, Sebastien finds himself entangled in a revolt against the
oppressive ruling class of officers. As the clash escalates between the powerful and the powerless, Sebastien uncovers
something his father has hidden deep within the belly of the ship - a disturbing secret that will force him to confront
everything he's always wondered and feared about his own identity.
Critique: The Rebellious Tide is an intense novel about buried family secrets. The protagonist Sebastien searches for the
sailor father he never knew, and who abandoned Sebastien's pregnant mother to a life of hardship and ultimately an
untimely death. Sebastien's quest leads him to pose as a crew member of a luxury liner, and develop an unexpected gay
romance. Yet Sebastien's father knows more dangerous secrets than those of Sebastien's origin, and when violence
erupts, Sebastien is swept into a revolt against the oppression of the ship's ruling officers. A tautly written, thoroughly
compelling saga of identity and survival, The Rebellious Tide will keep the reader hooked to the very last page. It should
be noted for personal reading lists that The Rebellious Tide is also available in a Kindle edition ($17.99).
The Literary Fiction Shelf
Chola Salvation
Estella Gonzalez
Arte Publico Press
www.artepublicopress.com
9781558859142 $18.95 pbk / $9.99
https://www.amazon.com/Chola-Salvation-Gonz%C3%A1lez/dp/1558859144
Synopsis: In the title story of this collection, Isabela is minding her family's restaurant, drinking her dad's beer, when
Frida Kahlo and the Virgen de Guadalupe walk in. Even though they're dressed like cholas, the girl immediately
recognizes Frida's uni-brow and La Virgen's crown. They want to give her advice about the quinceanera her parents are
forcing on her. In fact, their lecture (don't get pregnant, go to school, be proud of your indigenous roots) helps Isabela to
escape her parents' physical and sexual abuse. But can she really run away from the self-hatred they've created?
These inter-related stories, mostly set in East Los Angeles, uncover the lives of a conflicted Mexican-American
community. In "Sabado Gigante," Bernardo drinks himself into a stupor every Saturday night. "Aqui no es mi tierra," he
cries, as he tries to ease the sorrow of a life lived far from home. Meanwhile, his son Gustavo struggles with his
emerging gay identity and Maritza, the oldest daughter, is expected to cook and clean for her brother, even though they
live in East LA, not Guadalajara or Chihuahua. In "Powder Puff," Mireya spends hours every day applying her make-up,
making sure to rub the foundation all the way down her neck so it looks like her natural color. But no matter how much
she rubs and rubs, her skin is no lighter.
Estella Gonzalez vividly captures her native East LA in these affecting stories about a marginalized people dealing with
racism, machismo and poverty. In painful and sometimes humorous scenes, young people try to escape the traditional
expectations of their family. Other characters struggle with anger and resentment, often finding innovative ways to exact
revenge for slights both real and imagined. Throughout, music traditional and contemporary accompanies them in the
search for love and acceptance.
Critique: Chola Salvation is an anthology of interconnected short stories by Latina author Estella Gonzalez, about
Hispanic-American life in her native East LA. A recurring theme is the burdens the younger generation suffer as they
come of age while coping with an environment marred by racism, rampant machismo, and poverty. The candid
storytelling brings the vibrancy, beauty, flaws, and hope within a thriving culture to unforgettable life. Chola Salvation is
a choice pick for public library Literary Fiction collections, highly recommended. It should be noted for personal reading
lists that Chola Salvation is also available in a Kindle edition ($9.99).
The Year of Our Love: A Novel
Caterina Bonvicini, author
Translated from the Italian by Antony Shugaar
Other Press
https://otherpress.com
9781635420623, $17.99 Paperback
B08GJSS339, $9.99 Kindle
https://www.amazon.com/Year-Our-Love-Novel-ebook/dp/B08GJSS339
Synopsis: Valerio and Olivia grow up together in the Morganti family's opulent villa in Bologna, inseparable friends even
though they come from vastly different worlds: Olivia, the Morgantis' daughter, is the heir to a large industrial fortune,
while Valerio is the son of their gardener and maid. Largely sheltered from the dangers rampant in the unstable Italy of
the 1970s, the two share their first innocent kiss at five years old, which heralds the start of a decades-long
relationship.
From Valerio having to move to a poor neighborhood in Rome and Olivia making her entrance in high society, life tries
to separate them at every turn, but without success, so strong is the bond between them. Year after year they meet only
for a few moments, which feel like they're eternal, and their friendship turns into something more intense, and scary.
They take different paths: Olivia travels the world looking for herself, while Valerio devotes himself to a prestigious
career that doesn't satisfy him, in a country that is quickly losing its identity in the political crises of the Berlusconi era.
Still, they keep meeting again and again at crossroads in life.
Critique: Superbly translated from Italian into English by Antony Shugaar, The Year of Our Love is a novel by Caterina
Bonvicini about the bond connecting two people from dramatically different social strata, in twentieth-century Italy.
Olivia is a wealthy heiress, while Valerio is the working-class son of her family's gardener and maid; the two have been
close as young children, and their decades-long relationship extends despite the vastly different paths each takes through
life. Part coming of age saga, part love story, and part reflection upon the political crises that beset Italy's Berlusconi era,
The Year of Our Love is a compelling work of literary fiction, highly recommended especially for public library
collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that The Year of Our Love is also available in a Kindle edition
($9.99).
Editorial Note: Caterina Bonvicini lives between Rome and Milan and holds a degree in Modern Literature from the
University of Bologna. Her novel L'equilibrio degli squali (2008) was hugely acclaimed and won the Premio Rapallo,
Premio Fregene, and Premio Frignano in Italy, and the Grand Prix de l'Heroine Madame Figaro in France. It was
followed by Il sorriso lento (2010), Correva l'anno del nostro amore (2014), Tutte le donne di (2016), and Fancy Red
(2018). Her books have been translated in several countries.
The Romantic Fiction Shelf
When a Duke Loves a Governess
Olivia Drake
St. Martin's Press
https://us.macmillan.com/smp
9781250174499, $8.99, PB, 320pp
https://www.amazon.com/When-Duke-Loves-Governess-Duchesses/dp/125017449X
Synopsis: Tessa James has worked and planned tirelessly to open her own millinery shop. All she needs now is a loan
from the lord who sired and abandoned her. The only problem is, she doesn't even know his name. What's a woman to do
to find him but enter the aristocratic world by becoming a governess?
Guy Whitby, the new Duke of Carlin, has returned to London after years abroad to discover that his young daughter
Sophy has become a wild-child known for scaring away every governess who's crossed his doorstep. When Tessa James
applies for the job, he hires her in desperation despite his misgivings that she's too bold and beautiful - and that she might
be fibbing about her qualifications.
Their blooming attraction leads them on a completely unexpected path to love that neither wants to deny. But when an
old enemy threatens Guy's family, their forbidden romance goes up in flames. Can they still learn to love and trust each
other as forces try to tear them apart?
Critique: "When a Duke Loves a Governess" is the third volume in author Olivia Drake's simply outstanding regency
romance series 'Unlikely Duchesses', and once again showcases her genuine flair for and mastery of the genre. While
especially and unreservedly recommended for community library Romance Fiction collections, it should be noted for the
personal reading lists of all dedicated regency romance fans that "When a Duke Loves a Governess" is also readily
available in a digital book format (Kindle, $8.99).
Her Child to Protect
Delores Fossen
Mills & Boon
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print, Inc.
https://www.ulverscroft.com
9780263293401, $61.99, HC, Large Print, 384pp
https://www.amazon.com/Her-Child-to-Protect/dp/0263293408
https://www.ulverscroft.com/title.php?sqlCmd=isbn%3D9780263293401
Synopsis: Arriving at a murder scene, Deputy Della Howell is not pleased to find her recent ex already on the job. She'll
work with Sheriff Barrett Logan but will keep her secret -- that she is pregnant with his child. But as the dueling cops
investigate, familiar sparks reignite between them -- just as they fall prey to a very tenacious killer. Nothing can stop
Deputy Howell from saving two lives.
Critique: A master piece of original storytelling in which author Delore Fossen (who maintains an informative website at
www.deloresfossen.com) deftly weaves a western romance with elements of police procedure and suspense, this large
print edition of "Her Child To Protect" from Mills & Boone will prove to be an immediate and enduringly popular
addition to both personal reading lists and community library collections.
The Man She Should Have Married
Louise Fuller
Mills & Boon
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print, Inc.
https://www.ulverscroft.com
9780263288568, $61.99, HC, Large Print, 283pp
https://www.amazon.com/Man-She-Should-Have-Married/dp/0263288560
Synopsis: The Scottish billionaire is back. Are they ready to rewrite the past? Breaking her engagement to Farlan Wilder
was the hardest decision Lady Antonia Elgin had to make, but their love simply wasn't built for reality. Now, thanks to
her irresponsible parents, she's made her second hardest decision: renting out their beloved Highland manor. Worse still,
is the realization that Farlan is staying there! Famed movie director Farlan has come a long way from the penniless boy
Nia rejected. But their reunion proves there's one thing he'll never be able to relinquish...their dangerously electric
connection!
Critique: Louise Fuller is one of the most accomplished romance writers working today. "The Man She Should Have
Married" is her latest and unreservedly recommended reading for all dedicated contemporary romance fans. This large
print edition from Mills & Boone is particularly appropriate for community library collections.
Dusk's Darkest Shores
Carolyn Miller
www.carolynmillerauthor.com
Kregel Publications
https://www.kregel.com
9780825446535, $15.99 paperback
B08RZ8NQWW, $9.99 Kindle
https://www.amazon.com/Dusks-Darkest-Shores-Regency-Wallflowers/dp/0825446538
Synopsis: Mary Bloomfield has no illusions. Her chances for matrimony have long since passed her by. Still, her
circumstances are pleasant enough, especially now that she has found purpose in assisting her father with his medical
practice in England's beautiful Lake District. Even without love, it's a peaceful life.
That is until Adam Edgerton returns to the sleepy district. This decorated war hero did not arrive home to acclaim and
rest, but to a new battle against the repercussions of an insidious disease. Mary's caring nature cannot stand to see
someone suffer--but how can she help this man see any brightness in his future when he's plunged into melancholic
darkness, his dreams laid waste by his condition?
Adam wants no charity, but he's also no coward. If this gentle woman can work hard, how can he do less? Together they
struggle to find a way forward for him. Frustration and antipathy slowly develop into friendship and esteem. Then a
summer storm atop a mountain peak leads to scandal--and both Mary and Adam must search the depths of their closed
hearts for answers if they hope to find any future path with happiness at its end.
Best-selling author Carolyn Miller is back with a fresh series that will not only thrill readers eager for more of her work,
but bring in new fans looking for beautiful writing, fascinating research, deftly woven love stories, and real faith lived
out in the Regency period.
Critique: A historical romance set during England's Regency era (the early 1800's), Dusk's Darkest Shores is a thoughtful
novel about the love that develops between a medical practitioner who has accepted that she is beyond her marriageable
years, and a decorated war veteran suffering from the long-term effects of a ravaging disease. Along with his physical
affliction, the veteran must grapple with pressure from melancholy of the mind. Descriptive prose and emotional passion
characterize this absorbing historical romance, highly recommended for connoisseurs of the genre. It should be noted for
personal reading lists that Dusk's Darkest Shores is also available in a Kindle edition ($9.99).
Editorial Note: Award-winning author Carolyn Miller lives in the beautiful Southern Highlands of New South Wales,
Australia. A longtime lover of Regency romance, Carolyn's novels have won a number of Romance Writers of American
(RWA) and American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) contests as well as the Australian Omega Christian Writers
Award. She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers and Australasian Christian Writers.
Jane of Battery Park
Jaye Viner
Red Hen Press
P.O. Box 40820 Pasadena, CA 91114
www.redhen.org
9781597091176, $16.95, PB, 248pp
https://www.amazon.com/Jane-Battery-Park-Jaye-Viner/dp/1597091170
Synopsis: Eight years after a romantic meet-cute in Battery Park, Daniel and Jane both search for someone to fill the gap
they imagine the other could've filled if given the chance. Jane compulsively goes on dates with every self-professed
expert in art, music, and food hoping they will teach her the nuances of the culture she couldn't access in her youth.
Daniel looks for a girlfriend who will accept the disabilities left from the cult attack. A loving woman will prove to
Daniel's blockbuster star brother, Steve, that he's capable of a supporting role in Steve's upcoming movie and relaunching
Daniel's career.
When a chance encounter unexpectedly reunites them, Jane and Daniel not only see another chance at the love they lost,
but an opportunity to create the lives they've always wanted. The only question is whether their families will let
them.
Critique: A deftly crafted and contemporary novel of a troubled romance in a kind of Romeo & Juliet scenario, and all
the more impressive when considering it is author Jaye Vinter's debut as a published novelist, "Jane of Battery Park" is a
truly compelling page turner of a read from cover to cover and will prove to be an a highly recommended and enduringly
welcome addition for community library Romance Fiction collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that
"Jane of Battery Park" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.49).
The Western Fiction Shelf
Whiteout!
Jay D. West
Linford Western Library
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print, Inc.
https://www.ulverscroft.com
9781444847109, $22.50, PB, Large Print, 185pp
https://www.ulverscroft.com/title.php?sqlCmd=isbn%3D9781444847109
Synopsis: Henry Mullins, a young cowboy from Southern California, sits back and watches the woman he loves marry
someone else. That's when he decides to leave this part of the country and ride off into the great unknown in search of
adventure. Intending to get to Los Angeles, he is forced inland by marauding Mexican bandits and eventually into the
Sierra Nevadas, where he starts to trap wild animals to stay alive. Coming across a bi-annual meeting of trappers, he
begins to learn the tricks of the trade and takes up trapping seriously. Attacked by wolves, bears, and the elements, Henry
gradually learns the art of survival. And then he comes across a teepee with a beautiful squaw and her dying grandfather
inside. Henry's life begins to change. Winter sets in high in the mountains, Henry's first. And it turns out to be the biggest
battle Henry has ever faced.
Critique: One of those singular western novels about man vs. nature, "Whiteout!" by novelist Jay D. West is an
inherently fascinating and fully entertaining read from cover to cover. This large print paperback edition from the Linford
Western Library series is certain to be an enduringly popular addition to the personal reading lists of all western
action/adventure fans, as well as a unique and recommended contribution to community library Western Fiction
collections. collections.
Houston's Story
Abe Dancer
Linford Western Library
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print, Inc.
https://www.ulverscroft.com
9781444847154, 22.50, PB, Large Print, 224pp
https://www.ulverscroft.com/title.php?sqlCmd=isbn%3D9781444847154
Synopsis: Man hunting for a bounty, George Houston's line of work, carries with it a degree of infamy (a presage of
danger) and it's not long before his peaceable ride through Utah is cut dramatically short. After a rare bank robbery and
the killing of one of its leading businessmen, the town of Bullhead is angry and wound up. But Agnes Jarrow believes it's
not the work of the young hothead named Billy Carrick -- who breaks free of the town jail. She shares personal
misgivings, thoughts that Houston can't ignore, and offers a contract that's hard to turn down. With his movements being
documented by a man with his sights on becoming a diarist and storyteller, up against a band of seemingly law-abiding
townsmen, Houston has to find a way to satisfy more than one protagonist. When he sets off on a perilous search for
Billy, he has to decide if he is making the affair a personal issue, collecting payment for a completed assignment, or
assisting the town sheriff to carry out a lawful duty.
Critique: A simply riveting and original action adventure set in the Old West by an author with a genuine flair for the
genre, this large print paperback edition of "Houston's Story" by Abe Dancer from the Linford Western Library
collections will prove to be an outstanding and enduringly popular addition to both personal reading lists and community
library Western Fiction collections.
The Valerons - Retribution!
Terrell L. Bowers
Linford Western Library
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print, Inc.
https://www.ulverscroft.com
9781444847192, $22.50, PB, Large Print, 256pp
https://www.amazon.com/Valerons-Retribution-Terrell-L-Bowerseng/dp/1444847198
Synopsis: Not all criminals wear masks and carry guns. Some hide behind respectability and employ others to wield a
weapon. In "The Valerons - Retribution!", the Valerons seek justice for an attack and theft that killed one of their hands
and severely wounded one of their oldest companions -- but they find no smoking gun, no gunmen, not a single piece of
evidence against the perpetrators. They realize they are dealing with clever and careful criminals. As Jared and Shane's
investigation alone can't expose the guilty party, Wendy Valeron and a new Valeron recruit named Julyis are assigned to
explore an alternative means. While trying not to risk Wendy's life, there is always great danger when attempting to
expose an organized criminal enterprise. With fear of exposure, the nervous culprits summon help and react violently.
How many lives on both sides will the Valerons' retribution claim?
Critique: Once again western author and novelist Terrell L.Bowers has written a compelling and original story adding to
the expanding legacy of the Valeron clan with a riveting read complete with cliff hanger suspense. A 'must' for the
legions of Valeron western fans, this large print edition of "The Valerons - Retribution!" from the Linford Western
Library collection is highly recommended for personal reading lists and community library Western Fiction
collections.
The Mystery/Suspense Shelf
Murder at the Lakeside Library: A Lakeside Library Mystery
Holly Danvers
authorhollyquinn.com
Crooked Lane Books
crookedlanebooks.com
9781643856322, $26.99 hardcover
B08L5VF4X5, $13.99 Kindle
9781666502183, $22.99 audio CD
https://www.amazon.com/Murder-Lakeside-Library-Mystery/dp/B091MBFTPB
Synopsis: After the untimely death of her husband, Rain Wilmot has returned to her family's waterfront log cabin in
Lofty Pines, Wisconsin. The cabin is peaceful compared to Rain's corporate job and comes with an informal library that
Rain's mother, Willow, used to run. But as Rain prepares for the reopening of the library, all hopes for a peaceful life are
shattered: She discovers the body of Thornton Hughes, a real-estate buyer, on the premises.
The community of Lofty Pines starts pointing fingers at Willow since she has been unusually absent from the library this
summer. A fishy rumor surfaces when Rain learns that Willow had been spending a lot of time with Thornton. The town
even thought they were having an affair.
While theories swirl about Thornton's death, Rain takes it upon herself to solve the case to exonerate her mother. As
more clues surface, she will have to piece together the mystery. But if she isn't careful, she may be the next to end up
dead in the water.
Critique: Part of the Lakeside Library Mystery series set within an idyllic Wisconsin waterfront, Murder at the Lakeside
Library follows recent widow Rain Wilmot, who hopes to re-open the humble library that her mother Willow used to run.
When Rain discovers the body of a dead real estate buyer, her plans for a peaceful life are strained to the breaking point.
Rain learns that her mother and the murder victim was rumored to have an affair, and sets to work trying to clear her
mother's name - but the killer just might have be targeting Rain next! Deftly written, and skillfully evoking both the
charm and the gossip-mongering of a small town, Murder at the Lakeside Library is a choice pick for connoisseurs of
cozy mysteries and lending libraries alike, highly recommended. It should be noted for personal reading lists that Murder
at the Lakeside Library is also available in a Kindle edition ($13.99).
Editorial Note: Holly Danvers grew up devouring every mystery novel on the shelf of her local library. She lives in the
Midwest with her husband and 3 chickens, where she's already plotting her next novel.
Murder in Piccadilly
Charles Kingston
Charnwood Large Print
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print, Inc.
www.ulverscroftusa.com
9781444846959, $38.50, PB, Large Print, 372pp
https://www.amazon.com/Murder-Piccadilly-Charles-Kingstoneng/dp/1444846957
Synopsis: When Bobbie Cheldon falls in love with a pretty young dancer at the Frozen Fang night club in Soho, he has
every hope of an idyllic marriage. But Nancy has more worldly ideas about her future: she is attracted not so much to
Bobbie as to the fortune he expects to inherit.
Bobbie's miserly uncle Massy stands between him and happiness: he will not relinquish the ten thousand a year on which
Nancy's hopes rest. When Bobbie falls under the sway of the roguish Nosey Ruslin, the stage is set for murder in the
heart of Piccadilly and for Nancy's dreams to be realised.
When Chief Inspector Wake of Scotland Yard enters the scene, he uncovers a tangled web of love affairs, a cynical Soho
underworld, and a motive for murder.
Critique: Originally published in the 1930s, "Murder In Piccadilly" by Charles Kingston is a rivetingly good vintage
mystery novel. Featuring an informative introduction by crime writer Martin Edwards (who is perhaps the leading expert
on inter-war detective fiction), this large print paperback edition is very highly recommended for both the personal
reading lists of dedicated mystery buffs and an enduringly popular addition to community library Mystery/Suspense
collections.
Editorial Note: Charles Kingston (1884-1944) wrote over twenty crime novels in the golden age of British crime fiction
between the two world wars. Many of his books (including Poison in Kensington and The Highgate Mystery) are set in
London.
The Creak On The Stairs
Eva Bjorg Aegisdottir
Isis Large Print
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print, Inc.
www.ulverscroftusa.com
9781785419843, $TBA, PB, Large Print, 378pp
https://www.ulverscroft.com/title.php?sqlCmd=isbn%3D9781785419843
Synopsis: When a body of a woman is discovered at a lighthouse in the Icelandic town of Akranes, it soon becomes clear
that she's no stranger to the area. Chief Investigating Officer Elma, who has returned to Akranes following a failed
relationship, and her colleagues S var and H"r ur, commence an uneasy investigation, which uncovers a shocking secret
in the dead woman's past that continues to reverberate in the present day. But as Elma and her team make a series of
discoveries, they bring to light a host of long-hidden crimes that shake the entire community. Sifting through the rubble
of the townspeople's shattered memories, they have to dodge increasingly serious threats, and find justice before it's too
late.
Critique: A compulsive page turner of a read from beginning to end, "The Creak On The Stairs" is author Eva Bjorg
Aegisdottir debut as a novelist. A truly riveting read and a 'must' for the personal reading lists of all dedicated mystery
buffs. This large print paperback edition from Isis Large Print is especially and unreservedly recommended for all
community library Mystery/Suspense collections.
A Trick of the Light
Ali Carter
Charnwood Large Print
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print, Inc.
www.ulverscroftusa.com
9781444845099, $68.01, PB, Large Print, 408pp
https://www.amazon.com/Trick-Light-Ali-Carter/dp/1444845098
Synopsis: Struggling with long-buried family secrets and her own heartbreak, artist and pet portraitist Susie Mahl hopes
her brief sojourn as art tutor at a Scottish mansion will prove a distraction. Can she get her mix of students to behave
long enough to draw a Highland cow? Can her hosts the Earl and Countess of Muchton save their family estate and its
prize art collection? Will Susie's pupils actually manage to survive the week? Scotland has an air of mystique about it,
with mist-covered glens and beautiful rivers and hills, but it also has a darker side, soon discovered by Susie. She must
look towards her craft for the answers. But can anyone be trusted, or is she in this alone?
Critique; With beautifully descripted images of rural Scotland and an aging mansion, distinctive characters and evocative
circumstances, "A Trick of the Light" by Canadian author Ali Carter (who has won numerous awards, including a CWA
Dagger and the Agatha Award some seven times, and was a finalist for the Edgar Award for Best Novel) is an inherently
fascinating read from cover to cover. This large print paperback edition from Charnwood Large Print publishing is an
extraordinary and highly recommended addition to community library Mystery/Suspense collections and an unfailingly
entertaining story for all dedicated Contemporary English Mystery buffs.
Present Tense: A Schalk Lourens Mystery
Natalie Conyer
Aurora Large Print
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print, Inc.
www.ulverscroftusa.com
9781787827028, $68.01, PB, Large Print, 330pp
https://www.ulverscroft.com/title.php?sqlCmd=isbn%3D9781787827028
Synopsis: Retired police chief Piet Pieterse has been murdered. The method used wasa tyre placed round his neck,
doused with petrol, set alight -- a classic South African 'necklace' execution from the apartheid era and one generally
confined to collaborators. Who would target Pieterse this way, and why now? Veteran cop Schalk Lourens is trying to
forget the past. But Pieterse was his old boss and when Schalk is put on the case, he finds the past has a way of infecting
the present. Meanwhile, it's an election year. People are pinning their hopes on charismatic ANC candidate Gideon
Radebe but there's opposition and in this volatile country, unrest is never far from the surface. Schalk must tread a
difficult path between the new regime and the old, between the personal and the professional, between justice and
revenge. This investigation will change his life, and could alter his country's future.
Critique: A deftly crafted and complex mystery set in Capetown, South Africa, and replete with memorable characters
and cliff hanger twists and turns, this large print paperback edition from Aurora Large Print of "Present Tense" by
mystery author Natalie Conyer is an extraordinarily memorable and recommended addition to community library
collections and dedicated mystery lover's reading lists.
A Racing Murder
Frances Evesham
Boldwood Books
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print, Inc.
https://www.ulverscroft.com
9781801629720, $31.86, HC
9781800480728, PB, Large Print, 268pp
https://www.amazon.com/A-Racing-Murder/dp/1801629722
https://www.ulverscroft.com/title.php?sqlCmd=isbn%3D9781800480735
Synopsis: Belinda Sandford thrills to the cheers of the crowd as her beautiful grey racehorse, 'Butterfly Charm', thunders
past the finishing post first at Wincanton Racecourse. She feels like the luckiest girl in the world. But joy soon turns to
despair as a stewards' enquiry overturns the result and awards the race to her long-time rival, Alexandra Deacon. When
Alex is found dead in suspicious circumstances, a host of accusing eyes turn to Belinda and her distraught mother begs
Adam Hennessy, her neighbour, retired police officer and publican, to help clear her daughter's name. As Adam, and
local hotelier Imogen Bishop, dig deep into the murky and powerful undercurrents of the horse racing world, they lay
bare the lives and loves of local jockeys, grooms, trainers and owners. They soon uncover a web of secrets hidden within
the spectacular Somerset countryside as they strive to find the killer in time to prevent more murders.
Critique: A winning horse. A fierce rivalry. A sudden death. These are the elements that author/storyteller Frances
Evesham so deftly weaves into an inherently fascinating murder mystery that fully engages the rapt attention of his
readers from first page to last in "A Racing Murder. This large print edition of "A Racing Murder" from Boldwood
Books is an extraordinary and especially recommended addition to the personal reading lists of all dedicated mystery
buffs and will prove to be a welcome and enduringly popular addition to community library Mystery/Suspense
collections.
Where The Dead Men Go
Liam McIlvanney
Aurora Large Print
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print, Inc.
https://www.ulverscroft.com
9781787824447, $13.86, PB, Large Print, 354pp
https://www.amazon.com/Where-Dead-Men-Liam-McIlvanney/dp/0571239862
https://www.ulverscroft.com/title.php?sqlCmd=isbn%3D9781787824447
Synopsis: After three years in the wilderness, hardboiled reporter Gerry Conway is back at his desk at the Glasgow
Tribune . But three years is a long time on newspapers and things have changed - readers are dwindling, budgets are
tightening, and the Trib 's once rigorous standards are slipping. Once the paper's star reporter, Conway now plays second
fiddle to his former protege, crime reporter Martin Moir. But when Moir goes AWOL as a big story breaks, Conway is
dispatched to cover a gangland shooting. And when Moir's body turns up in a flooded quarry, Conway is drawn deeper
into the city's criminal underworld as he looks for the truth about his colleague's death. Braving the hostility of gangsters,
ambitious politicians and his own newspaper bosses, Conway discovers he still has what it takes to break a big story. But
this is a story not everyone wants to hear as the city prepares to host the Commonwealth Games and the country gears up
for a make-or-break referendum on independence.
Critique: In the pages of "Where The Dead Men Go, (which is the second book in the author's 'Conway Trilogy'), author
Liam McIlvanney explores the murky interface of crime and politics in the new Scotland in an original, riveting, and
fully entertaining novel of mystery and suspense. This large print edition of "Where The Dead Men Go" is an especially
recommended addition to both personal reading lists and community library collections.
Sing the Dead Man's Songs
Arthur Burke
https://arthurburkebooks.com
Camel Press
https://camelpress.com
9781942078302, $14.95 Paperback
B08YH11B1G, $5.99 Kindle
https://www.amazon.com/Sing-Dead-Songs-Arthur-Burke/dp/1942078307
Synopsis: Eddie Jackson is one of the biggest rock stars in the world. When he dies in a car crash, a lot of people stand to
lose money, so his death is hushed up. Eddie's bandmate, Clem, is determined the truth must come out. As pressure is put
on Clem to play along, he suspects he's part of a bigger conspiracy and that Eddie's death was no accident.
Critique: Sing the Dead Man's Songs is a suspenseful novel about a con game run to hide the death of Eddie, a famous
rockstar. Eddie's bandmate Clem hates being conscripted to perpetuate a lie, and worse, fears that Eddie may have been
murdered! A riveting saga of intrigue, greed, and show business, Sing the Dead Man's Songs is enthusiastically
recommended for connoisseurs of quality suspense. It should be noted for personal reading lists that Sing the Dead Man's
Songs is also available in a Kindle edition ($5.99).
Editorial Note: Arthur Burke read philosophy at university so can spot the holes in most conspiracy theories, but that
doesn't stop him from devouring them and turning them into fiction.
The Art of Betrayal: A Kate Hamilton Mystery
Connie Berry
www.connieberry.com
Crooked Lane Books
https://crookedlanebooks.com
9781643855943, $26.99 Hardcover
B08HY2PSPD, $13.99 Kindle
https://www.amazon.com/Art-Betrayal-Kate-Hamilton-Mystery/dp/1643855948
Synopsis: Spring is a magical time in England--bluebells massing along the woodland paths, primrose and wild thyme
dotting the meadows. Antiques dealer Kate Hamilton is spending the month of May in the Suffolk village of Long
Barston, enjoying precious time with Detective Inspector Tom Mallory. While attending the May Fair, the annual pageant
based on a well-known Anglo-Saxon folktale, a body turns up in the middle of the festivities.
Kate is even more shocked when she learns the murder took place in antiquity shop owner Ivor Tweedy's stockroom and
a valuable Chinese pottery jar that she had been tasked with finding a buyer for has been stolen. Ivor may be ruined.
Insurance won't cover a fraction of the loss.
As Tom leads the investigation, Kate begins to see puzzling parallels between the murder and local legends. The more
she learns, the more convinced she is that the solution to both crimes lies in the misty depths of Anglo-Saxon history and
a generations-old pattern of betrayal. It's up to Kate to unravel this Celtic knot of lies and deception to save Ivor's
business.
Critique: Part of a series of mysteries featuring antiques dealer and amateur sleuth Kate Hamilton, The Art of Betrayal is
a mystery that begins with the discovery of a body during the May Fair celebration at a Suffolk village. As Kate becomes
more deeply involved, she draws connections between the murder and local legends. Is the crime rooted in a pattern of
betrayal dating back through generations of Anglo-Saxon history? A smartly written, cozy mystery that will especially
appeal to history buffs, The Art of Betrayal is highly recommended especially for connoisseurs of the genre, and sure to
prove a popular lending library pick. It should be noted for personal reading lists that The Art of Betrayal is also available
in a Kindle edition ($13.99).
Editorial Note: Connie Berry is the author of the Kate Hamilton Mysteries, set in the UK and featuring an American
antiques dealer with a gift for solving crimes. Like her protagonist, Connie was raised by antiques dealers who instilled
in her a passion for history, fine art, and travel. During college she studied at the University of Freiburg in Germany and
St. Clare's College, Oxford, where she fell under the spell of the British Isles. In 2019 Connie won the IPPY Gold Medal
for Mystery and was a finalist for the Agatha Award's Best Debut. She's a member of Mystery Writers of America and is
on the board of the Guppies and her local Sisters in Crime chapter.
The Kobalt Dossier: An Evan Ryder Novel
Eric Van Lustbader
http://www.ericvanlustbader.com
Forge Books
www.tor-forge.com
9781250751218, $27.99 Hardcover
B08GJQ12C9, $14.99 Kindle
https://www.amazon.com/Kobalt-Dossier-Evan-Ryder/dp/1250751217
Synopsis: After thwarting the violent, international, fascist syndicate known as Nemesis, Evan Ryder returns to
Washington, D.C., to find her secret division of the DOD shut down and her deceased sister's children missing. Now the
target of a cabal of American billionaires who were among Nemesis's supporters, Evan and her former boss, Ben Butler,
must learn to work together as partners - and navigate their intricate past.
Their search will take them from Istanbul to Odessa to an ancient church deep within the Carpathian Mountains of
Romania. And all along the way, an unimaginable enemy stalks in the shadows, an adversary whose secretive past will
upend Evan's entire world and everything she holds dear.
Critique: A novel of the Evan Ryder series featuring a female field agent for a black-ops element of the Department of
Defense, The Kobalt Dossier begins with a troubling, intensely personal crisis for Evan. She discovers that her division
has been shut down, and her deceased sister's children are missing! Can Evan and her former boss (with whom she has a
complicated relationship) withstand the ire of a billionaire cabal? A thriller balancing suspense, intrigue, and action, The
Kobalt Dossier is highly recommended especially for connoisseurs of the genre. It should be noted for personal reading
lists that The Kobalt Dossier is also available in a Kindle edition ($14.99).
Editorial Note: Eric Van Lustbader is the author of many New York Times bestselling thrillers, including The Testament,
First Daughter, Last Snow, and Blood Trust. Lustbader was chosen by Robert Ludlum's estate to continue the Jason
Bourne series. He and his wife live on the South Fork of Long Island.
Murder in the Family
Lesley A. Diehl
https://www.lesleyadiehl.com
Camel Press
https://camelpress.com
9781603817639, $15.95 Paperback
B08TFDNN14, $5.99 Kindle
https://www.amazon.com/Murder-Family-Lesley-Diehl/dp/1603817638
Synopsis: The past comes back seeking vengeance. To save her family and friends, Novice PI Eve Appel, pregnant with
her second child, must outwit the bad guys in a final act of desperation, risking her life and that of the man she's asked to
help her, her mob boss friend, Nappi.
Critique: Part of the Eve Appel Mystery series featuring part-time private investigator Eve Appel, Murder in the Family
puts Eve and her closest associates under dire threat. Someone from Eve's past desires vengeance on Eve and anyone
who considers her a friend... even the mob boss Nappi. Now pregnant with her second child, Eve must set a trap to catch
her enemy, all the while knowing that he could easily bring reinforcements. Murder in the Family is a riveting page-
turner with a strong-willed, sharp-thinking heroine, highly recommended for mystery connoisseurs. It should be noted for
personal reading lists that Murder in the Family is also available in a Kindle edition ($5.99).
Editorial Note: Lesley Diehl retired from her life as a professor of psychology, and is author of several mystery series, all
featuring country gals with attitude: the microbrewing mystery series set in the Butternut Valley of upstate New York - A
Deadly Draught and Poisoned Pairings; the Big Lake Murder Mystery series - Dumpster Dying and Grilled, Chilled and
Killed; and the Eve Appel Mysteries Series,A Secondhand Murder and Dead in the Water. Untreedreads publishes her
short stories as well as a novel length mystery, Angel Sleuth.
Palm Springs Noir
Barbara DeMarco-Barrett, editor
Akashic Books
www.akashicbooks.com
9781617759284, $16.95 paperback
9781636140421, $39.95 hardcover
B08LHBFQ6T, $9.99 Kindle
https://www.amazon.com/Palm-Springs-Noir-Akashic/dp/1617759287
Synopsis: Akashic Books continues its award-winning series of original noir anthologies, launched in 2004 with
Brooklyn Noir. Each book comprises all new stories, each one set in a distinct location within the geographic area of the
book.
Palm Springs Noir features brand-new stories by: T. Jefferson Parker, Janet Fitch, Eric Beetner, Kelly Shire, Tod
Goldberg, Michael Craft, Barbara DeMarco-Barrett, Rob Roberge, J.D. Horn, Eduardo Santiago, Rob Bowman, Chris J.
Bahnsen, Ken Layne, and Alex Espinoza.
From the introduction: The best noir writers make us feel the heat of the sun, the touch of a lover. Setting can be gritty
but can also be sublime, no longer relegated to urban locales and seedy hotel rooms but also mansions and swimming
pools. Hence, Palm Springs, which may seem like an odd setting for a collection of dark short stories--it's so sunny and
bright here. The quality of light is unlike anywhere else, and with an average of three hundred sunny days a year, what
could go wrong?...
The stories in this collection come on like the wicked dust storms common to the area. More than half are by writers who
live here full-time; all have homes in Southern California. They know this place in ways visitors and outsiders never will.
These are not stories you'll read in the glossy coffee-table books that feature Palm Springs's good life. There is indeed a
lush life to be found here, but for the characters in these stories, it's often just out of reach.
Critique: Part of an award-winning series of noir anthologies, Palm Springs Noir presents noir stories written by a
diversity of authors, all set in the general region of Palm Springs, California. These mysteries will captivate the
imagination and draw the reader into the darkest corners of the human heart, while reflecting the wicked, the saintly, and
the everyday elements daily life of Palm Springs. A treasure for connoisseurs of the genre, Palm Springs Noir is packed
with hidden surprises and is highly recommended. It should be noted for personal reading lists that Palm Springs Noir is
also available in a Kindle edition ($9.99).
Editorial Note: Barbara DeMarco-Barrett spends time in the desert whenever she can. She hosts Writers on Writing on
KUCI-FM, and her book Pen on Fire was a Los Angeles Times best seller. Her short story "Crazy for You" was
published in USA Noir: Best of the Akashic Noir Series. She has also published in the Los Angeles Times, the Los
Angeles Review of Books, Inlandia, Shotgun Honey, Crossing Borders, and The Literary Hatchet.
Dog Eat Dog
David Rosenfelt
www.davidrosenfelt.com
Minotaur Books
www.minotaurbooks.com
https://us.macmillan.com/audio
9781250257123, $27.99 hardcover
B08FZ8RV1W, $14.99 Kindle
9781250804075, $24.98 Audio CD
https://www.amazon.com/Dog-Eat-Andy-Carpenter-Novel/dp/1250804078
Synopsis: Lawyer Andy Carpenter and his wife, Laurie, enjoy walking their dogs, Tara and Sebastian. By this point in
their marriage, it's routine. When out for one of their strolls, their simple ritual isn't so simple anymore. Across the street,
a man is mistreating his dog. Three things happen at once: Andy yells, Laurie runs to stop the abuse, and so does a closer
passerby, who so thoroughly beats the owner that both are arrested when the cops arrive.
Andy scoops up the dog and takes him to the Tara Foundation, the dog rescue organization that's always been his true
passion. Meanwhile, at the police station, the passerby is identified as Matthew Jantzen, and he's wanted for murder.
Andy and Laurie are struck by the fact that Jantzen, a man on the run, would nevertheless intervene to help a dog, and
decide to find out more.
Dog Eat Dog, the twenty-second installment in the Andy Carpenter series, features the charming cast of characters - old
and new - that David Rosenfelt is known for and the dogs that accompany them.
Critique: The twenty-third mystery of the Andy Carpenter series, featuring a retired lawyer who cherishes his four-legged
friends, Dog Eat Dog begins when Andy and his wife Laurie stumble across a violent incident and take in a mistreated
pug. As the founder of a dog rescue organization, Andy is experienced with caring for animals, yet somewhat perplexed
when he learns that the violent man who demanded a promise to look after the pug is wanted for murder. Why would a
fugitive on the run care so deeply about a dog? A sharply-written sleuth tale that will appeal to dog lovers and mystery
aficionados alike, Dog Eat Dog is enthusiastically recommended for both personal and public library collections. It
should be noted that Dog Eat Dog is also available in a Kindle edition ($14.99) and as an audiobook read by Grover
Gardner (Macmillan Audio, 9781250804075, $29.99)
Editorial Note: DAVID ROSENFELT is the Edgar-nominated and Shamus Award-winning author of more than twenty
Andy Carpenter novels, including One Dog Night, Collared, and Deck the Hounds; its spinoff series, The K-Team; the
Doug Brock thriller series, which starts with Fade to Black; and stand-alone thrillers including Heart of a Killer and On
Borrowed Time. Rosenfelt and his wife live in Maine with an ever-changing pack of rescue dogs. Their epic
cross-country move with 25 of these dogs, culminating in the creation of the Tara Foundation, is chronicled in
Dogtripping.
The Weaver's Revenge
Kathleen Ernst
www.kathleenernst.com
HenschelHAUS Publishing
henschelhausbooks.com
9781595988102, $16.95, Paperback
B09471KLGN, $9.98 Kindle
https://www.amazon.com/Weavers-Revenge-Kathleen-Ernst/dp/1595988106
Synopsis: When offered a rare opportunity to help develop a fledgling historic site dedicated to Finnish American history
and heritage, curator Chloe Ellefson journeys to the remote Northwoods of Michigan's Upper Peninsula. In addition to
the consultant job, she's on a personal quest to learn about the enduring tradition of rag rug weaving. Encountering a dead
body upon arrival, however, immediately puts that goal in jeopardy. Although suspicion soon falls on her new
colleagues, Chloe is determined to persevere even if it means ignoring the advice of her new husband, police officer
Roelke McKenna. Can she identify the killer and complete her mission, or will all her dreams unravel?
Critique: A Chloe Ellefson Mystery featuring a plucky, sharp-minded curator, The Weaver's Revenge brings Chloe to the
Northwoods of Michigan's Upper Peninsula, as a consultant on the development of a historic site celebrating Finnish-
American heritage. When she discovers a dead body on the premises, her police officer husband advises her to withdraw,
but Chloe decides to persevere! Can she identify the killer before she becomes the next target? A cozy mystery that
brings the rustic charm of the Midwest to life, even incorporating the tradition of rag rug weaving, The Weaver's
Revenge will delight connoisseurs of the genre. It should be noted for personal reading lists that The Weaver's Revenge
is also available in a Kindle edition ($9.98).
Editorial Note: Kathleen Ernst is an award-winning author, educator, and social historian. She has published thirty-seven
novels and two nonfiction books. Her books for young readers include the Caroline Abbott series and other titles for
American Girl. In addition to the Chloe Ellefson Mysteries, she has started the Hanneke Bauer Mysteries.
The Other Passenger
Louise Candlish
Atria Books
www.simonandschusterpublishing.com/atria
9781982174101, $17.00 paperback
B08LDVHZSQ, $11.99 Kindle
https://www.amazon.com/Other-Passenger-Louise-Candlish/dp/1982174102
Synopsis: It all happens so quickly. One day you're living the dream, commuting to work by ferry with your charismatic
neighbor Kit in the seat beside you. The next, Kit hasn't turned up for the boat and his wife, Melia, has reported him
missing.
When you get off at your stop, the police are waiting. Another passenger saw you and Kit arguing on the boat home the
night before and the police say that you had a reason to want him dead. You protest. You and Kit are friends - ask Melia,
she'll vouch for you. And who exactly is this other passenger pointing the finger? What do they know about your
lives?
No, whatever danger followed you home last night, you are innocent, totally innocent.
Aren't you?
Critique: The Other Passenger is a psychological thriller written from the first person viewpoint of a narrator who may or
may not be unreliable. The vivid descriptions draw the reader into a surreal sense of furtive-glance-over-the-shoulder
unease, as the mystery of a man's sudden disappearance broadens into a possible murder inquiry where no one is beyond
suspicion. A shockingly intense page-turner, Other Passenger is highly recommended especially for connoisseurs of
tautly written suspense. It should be noted for personal reading lists that The Other Passenger is also available in a Kindle
edition ($11.99).
Editorial Note: Louise Candlish is the Sunday Times (London) bestselling author of fourteen novels. Our House, a #1
bestseller, won the Crime & Thriller Book of the Year at the 2019 British Book Awards, was longlisted for the 2019
Theakston Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year, and was shortlisted for the Goldsboro Books Glass Bell Award. It is
now in development for a major TV series with Red Planet Pictures, producers of Death in Paradise. Louise lives in
London with her husband and daughter. Visit her at LouiseCandlish.com or connect with her on Twitter
@Louise_Candlish.
A Hex for Danger: An Enchanted Bay Mystery
Esme Addison
esmeaddison.com
Crooked Lane Books
crookedlanebooks.com
9781643855868, $26.99 hardcover
B08FZL44DH, $13.99 Kindle
9781666502220, $22.99 audio CD
https://www.amazon.com/Hex-Danger-Enchanted-Bay-Mystery/dp/1643855867
Synopsis: The small town of Bellamy Bay has its share of skeletons in its closet, but it isn't used to bodies turning up in
the local history museum. After all, this Coastal North Carolina town is much like any other...except, of course, for the
mermaids.
Helping to run the family business, an herbal apothecary, while keeping her supernatural secret hidden is no easy feat for
water witch Aleksandra Daniels. But somehow she's still found time to help her friend Celeste, who has her own
Caribbean mermaid heritage, plan the annual Mermaid Festival. As fun-seekers throng the beaches, Alex gets to know
and is intrigued by renowned artist Neve Ryland, who's in town to decorate the local park with a mermaid-themed mural.
Celeste, however, is less enamored with the artist, as Neve has been spending entirely too much one-on-one time with her
boyfriend, Jasper, the director of Bellamy Bay's history museum. Then, a reception for Neve ends abruptly when the artist
is found dead in his office.
The police investigation nets Celeste who asks Alex to find the true culprit. With the help of her magically inclined aunt
and cousins, Alex dives in to clear her friend's name. But there was more to Neve Ryland than met the eye, and Alex
fears she may be in way too deep. Will she catch the crook or be next on the hook?
Critique: Part of the "Enchanted Bay Mystery" series, A Hex for Danger is a cozy fantasy-mystery set in a small, coastal
North Carolina town known for its local legends about mermaids. Legends are family reality for local water witch
Aleksandra Daniels, who quietly conceals her supermatural secrets beneath her herbal apothecary family business. When
an artist is found dead during the annual Mermaid Festival, Aleksandra's friend Celeste falls under police suspicion, and
Aleksandra decided to apply her powers in the pursuit justice - her way! A deftly crafted saga featuring canny characters,
mysterious magic, and shocking twists, A Hex for Danger is highly recommended especially for cross-genre literary
connoisseurs, and sure to be a popular lending library pick! It should be noted for personal reading lists that a Hex for
Danger is also available in a Kindle edition ($13.99).
Editorial Note: Ever since Esme discovered Nancy Drew, she's wanted to solve mysteries. As a mystery author, she's
finally found a way to make that dream come true. Esme lives in Raleigh, NC with her family. When she's not writing or
dreaming up new mysteries for her sleuths to stumble upon, you can find her dancing her calories away in Zumba,
patronizing her local bookstores or visiting the beach, the mountains and all historical sites in between. Learn more about
Esme at https://esmeaddison.com and follow her on Goodreads, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @EsmeAddison.
Subscribe to her newsletter at https://esmeaddison.com/newsletter/.
Dogged by Death: A Furry Friends Mystery
Laura Scott
laurascottbooks.com
Crooked Lane Books
crookedlanebooks.com
9781643856575, $26.99 hardcover
B08L5TPW4C, $13.99 Kindle
9781666502190, $22.99 audio CD
https://www.amazon.com/Dogged-Death-Furry-Friends-Mystery/dp/164385657X
Synopsis: Ally Winter is going through a ruff patch. The thirty-something veterinarian lost her fiance, her clinic, and her
savings in rapid succession. So when Ally's grandfather undergoes hip replacement surgery, she moves back to Willow
Bluff, Wisconsin, to care for him. She arrives home, tail between her legs, only to find sleazy lawyer Marty Shawlin
murdered in his home office. And the only witness was Marty's faithful boxer, Roxy.
Quick as a greyhound, Noah Jorgensen is on the case. The good news is, he's the best detective around. The bad news, at
least the way Ally sees it, is that Noah is still just as fetching as he was back in high school. He also just happens to have
witnessed every embarrassing incident that befell accident-prone Ally--including the fire-ant attack that set tongues
wagging and won her the unshakable nickname Hot Pants.
Meanwhile, true-crime aficionado Gramps fancies himself a sleuth, and he is doggedly determined to sniff out the culprit
himself...with Ally's reluctant help, of course. Ally has no choice but to team up with Noah--and the irrepressible
Roxy--to solve the case while keeping Gramps on a short leash.
Ally had better learn some new tricks, lickety-split. Because if she can't bring the killer to heel, she won't just be playing
dead.
Critique: Part of the "Furry Friends Mystery" series of cozy sleuth tales especially for animal aficionados, Dogged by
Death follows a down-on-her-luck veterinarian Ally and a strikingly handsome detective Noah as they investigate the
murder of a sleazy lawyer, who is survived by his faithful boxer Roxy. As Ally and Noah work to track down the culprit,
Ally must also keep her true-crime enthusiast grandfather (who is recovering from hip replacement surgery) from causing
trouble through his own efforts to find the killer! Dogged by Death is delightfully witty and snazzy, and sure to prove a
popular lending library pick. Highly recommended, especially for genre connoisseurs. It should be noted for personal
reading lists that Dogged by Death is also available in a Kindle edition ($13.99).
Editorial Note: Laura Scott is a registered nurse by day and an author by night. She has written over 60 books and has
more ideas than time to write! Laura lives in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin with her husband of 35 years and takes care of a
variety of pets, including a beautiful chocolate lab named Moose.
Autumn Leaves, 1922: A Kiki Button Mystery
Tessa Lunney
Pegasus Books
http://pegasusbooks.com
9781643137124 $25.95 hc / $16.99 Kindle
https://www.amazon.com/Autumn-Leaves-1922-Button-Mystery/dp/1643137123
Synopsis: October 1922. Kiki Button has had a rough year at home in Australia after her mother's sudden death. As the
leaves turn gold on the Parisian boulevards, Kiki returns to Europe, more desperately in need of Paris and all its
liveliness than ever. As soon as she arrives back in Montparnasse, Kiki takes up her life again, drinking with artists at the
Cafe Rotonde, gossiping with her friends, and finding lovers among the enormous expatriate community. Even her
summertime lover from the year before, handsome Russian exile Prince Theo Romanov, is waiting for her.
But it's not all champagne and moonlit trysts. Theo is worried that his brother-in-law is being led astray by political
fanatics. Kiki's boy from home, Tom, is still hiding under a false name. Her friends are in trouble - Maisie has been
blackmailed and looks for revenge, Bertie is still lovesick and lonely, and Harry has important information about her
mother. And to top it off, she is found by Dr. Fox, her former spymaster, who insists that she work for him once
more.
Amidst the gaiety of 1920s Paris, Kiki stalks the haunted, the hunted, and people still heartsore from the war. She parties
with princes and Communist comrades, she wears ballgowns with Chanel and the Marchesa Casati, she talks politics
with Hemingway and poetry with Sylvia Beach, and sips tea with Gertrude Stein. She confronts the men who would
bring Europe into another war. And as she uses her gossip columnist connections for her mission, she also meets people
who knew her mother, and can help to answer her burning question: why did her mother leave England all those years
ago?
Critique: Part of the Kiki Button series of mysteries featuring a seductive, sharp-minded French heroine of the roaring
1920's, Autumn Leaves, 1922 has Kiki walk a perilous balance between high-class socialite life and shadowy espionage.
Her former spymaster wants her to work for him again; her friends desperately need help; and powerful men are
colluding to drag Europe into another war! A salaciously rapturous intrigue, Autumn Leaves, 1922 is a treasure for
connoisseurs of historical mysteries and sure to prove a popular lending library pick! It should be noted for personal
reading lists that Autumn Leaves, 1922 is also available in a Kindle edition ($16.99).
Suspension of the Rules: A Washington Statehouse Mystery
Don Stuart
www.donstuart.net
Northwest Corner Books
c/o Epicenter Press
www.epicenterpress.com
9781603812740, $15.95, paper
9781603812757, $5.99 ebook
B08WRJ69GN, $5.99 Kindle
https://www.amazon.com/Suspension-Rules-Don-Stuart-ebook/dp/B08WRJ69GN
Synopsis: Politically active Yakima Valley dairy farmer, Fortis Henry, is found floating face down in his brand-new
livestock waste lagoon. All six of the visitors present at the Henry Dairy on the day of the man's death had intensely
disliked him. All of them had powerful motives to see him dead. Any of them could have killed him.
At the time, however, everyone, including the police, believes that the dairyman's ghastly death was a horrible accident.
The Yakima County Sheriff's file on the matter is quickly closed.
Several weeks later, professional lobbyist Sandy Dalton becomes suspicious as new information comes to light -
information that takes on significance given who was there that day. Those present included a farmer-activist whose big
plans were threatened, a state Representative facing a closely-contested election, a Federal employee whose job was at
risk, the legislative advocate for a powerful agriculture trade association whose authority was challenged, and another for
a nonprofit environmental group whose behind-the-scenes finagling was catching up with her. And there was Dalton
himself, whose recent contract to lobby for an association of conservation-minded farmers had been bitterly contested by
the deceased dairyman.
Dalton's quiet investigation is as subtle and clever as is his simultaneous balancing of the complex policy and political
challenges entrusted to him by his clients in conservation farming and in commercial fisheries. The investigation draws
upon his well-tuned natural intuition for reading people and a deep understanding of the complexities of legislative
politics. When he finally grasps the hidden motivations that unmask the killer, he also unexpectedly discovers a yet
deeper plot which places him and those close to him in peril - a plot that threatens very welfare of the people of the State
of Washington.
Critique: Part of the "Washington Statehouse Mystery" series, Suspension of the Rules is set amid systemic corruption in
politics and agribusiness. When a politically active dairy farmer dies a gruesome death, six people at his dairy are all
suspects; each suspect stood to lose money, power, or more, if the victim's pro-environmental efforts gained momentum.
Professional lobbyist Sandy Dalton dares to investigate the case that the police have all too quickly closed, and soon
uncovers a much greater plot that could imperil the entire state of Washington! Suspension of the Rules is a captivating
page-turner, suspenseful to the end, and highly recommended. It should be noted for personal reading lists that
Suspension of the Rules is also available in a Kindle edition ($5.99).
Editorial Note: Don Stuart is an attorney and a former commercial fisherman who, in 1990, became Executive Director
and a lobbyist for the Washington commercial salmon fishing industry. In 1995 he served as Campaign Manager in the
successful defense against a Washington statewide anti-commercial fishing ballot initiative (I-640). In 1996, he ran for
the U.S. Congress in Washington's First Congressional District. He took up lobbying again in 1997 as Executive Director
for the Washington Association of Conservation Districts and in 2000 as Northwest Regional Director for the American
Farmland Trust. He fought to protect agricultural land from development and to assure its responsible environmental
management. Don's recent book, Final Adjournment, A Washington Statehouse Mystery, takes the reader on a quest for
the truth inside the complex, chaotic, and sometimes unprincipled world of state legislative policy. Don is also the author
of Barnyards and Birkenstocks: Why Farmers and Environmentalists Need Each Other and of the Small Claims Court
Guide for Washington: How To Win Your Case. Don's website is www.donstuart.net
Sleeping Bear: A Thriller
Connor Sullivan
Atria/Emily Bestler Books
c/o Simon & Schuster
https://www.simonandschuster.com
9781982166397, $27.00 hc / $12.99 Kindle
https://www.amazon.com/Sleeping-Bear-Thriller-Connor-Sullivan/dp/1982166398
Synopsis: Perfect for fans of Brad Thor and Vince Flynn, this white-knuckled debut thriller follows a former Army
veteran seeking solitude in the Alaskan wilderness after her husband's death - only to find herself a pawn in a deadly
game with Russia.
After her young husband's untimely death, Army veteran Cassie Gale decides to take a few days of solitude in the Alaska
wilderness before she starts her new job. But when she fails to show up on her first day and her dog is discovered injured
at her wrecked campsite, her father knows that this is much more than a camping trip gone awry.
As it turns out, Cassie's not the first person to disappear without a trace in Alaska's northern interior. Bears. Wolves.
Avalanches. Frostbite. Starvation. There are many ways to die in here. But not all disappearances can be explained.
Cassie's is one of them, along with a number of other outdoor enthusiasts who have vanished in recent years.
Regaining consciousness in a Russian prison, Cassie finds herself trapped in a system designed to ensure that no one ever
escapes alive. It will require all her grit and skills to survive. Meanwhile, her father rushes to outrun the clock, scouring
thousands of acres, only to realize she's been taken by a far more nefarious adversary - one with the power of the Eastern
Bloc behind it. Ties to his past life, one full of secrets, threaten to surface. He knows there's a price to be paid, but he's
determined it won't be his daughter.
Critique: Sleeping Bear: A Thriller is an intense novel of a covert, Russian kidnapping network that has been making
outdoor enthusiasts in Alaska's remote wilderness "disappear". Their latest victim is Army veteran Cassie Gale, who
sought solitude while grieving her young husband's death, and awakens incarcerated in a Russian prison. Meanwhile, her
father suspects foul play connected to his own dark past, but his efforts to locate and rescue his daughter run counter to
the clout of a hostile nation! Riveting to the very end, Sleeping Bear is highly recommended. It should be noted for
personal reading lists that Sleeping Bear is also available in a Kindle edition ($12.99).
The Fantasy/SciFi Shelf
Rich Man's Sky
Wil McCarthy
Baen
www.baen.com
9781982125295, $25.00 hardcover
B08YZ4JBQM, $9.99 Kindle
https://www.amazon.com/Rich-Mans-Sky-Wil-McCarthy/dp/1982125292
Synopsis: Space: a tycoon's playground. From a space station full of women to a monastery on the Moon, from a Martian
reality-TV contest to a solar shade large enough to cool the Earth, the dreams of a handful of trillionaires dictate the
future of humanity. Outside the reach of Earthly law and with the vast resources of the inner solar system at their
disposal, the "Four Horsemen" do exactly as they please.
The governments of Earth are not amused; an international team of elite military women, masquerading as space
colonists, are set to infiltrate and neutralize the largest and most dangerous project in human history. But nothing is that
simple when rich men control the sky, as everyone involved is about to discover.
Critique: When contemporary billionaires make headline news by sponsoring their own trips into space, Rich Man's Sky
seems more like a window into the future than a science fiction novel. Set in a future where the mega-wealthy exercise
control over all the resources of the inner Solar System, Rich Man's Sky follows an international team of skilled military
women serving the governments of Earth on an elite undercover mission. Yet the odds are stacked against the team,
when their antagonists control space and sky itself! A deftly written saga that brings the all-too-near future of space travel
to vivid life, Rich Man's Sky is thoroughly compelling and highly recommended. It should be noted for personal reading
lists that Rich Man's Sky is also available in a Kindle edition ($9.99).
Editorial Note: Engineer/novelist/journalist/entrepreneur Wil McCarthy is a former contributing editor for WIRED
magazine and science columnist for the SyFy channel (previously SciFi channel), where his popular "Lab Notes" column
ran from 1999 through 2009. A lifetime member of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America, he has been
nominated for the Nebula, Locus, Seiun, AnLab, Colorado Book, Theodore Sturgeon, and Philip K. Dick awards, and
contributed to projects that won a Webbie, an Eppie, a Game Developers' Choice Award, and a General Excellence
National Magazine Award.
When the Sparrow Falls
Neil Sharpson
Tor Books
www.tor.com
9781250784216, $26.99 hc / $13.99 Kindle
https://www.amazon.com/When-Sparrow-Falls-Neil-Sharpson/dp/1250784212
Synopsis: Here, in the last sanctuary for the dying embers of the human race in a world run by artificial intelligence, if
you stray from the path - your life is forfeit. But when a Party propagandist is killed - and is discovered as a "machine" -
he's given a new mission: chaperone the widow, Lily, who has arrived to claim her husband's remains.
But when South sees that she, the first "machine" ever allowed into the country, bears an uncanny resemblance to his late
wife, he's thrown into a maelstrom of betrayal, murder, and conspiracy that may bring down the Republic for good.
Critique: When the Sparrow Falls is a dystopian novel set in a terrifying potential future where humanity's last survivors
cling to life in a realm governed by artificial intelligence. The sudden death of a government figure revealed to be
"machine" sparks a cascading crisis when the widow of "machine" - who is herself a "machine" - bears a striking
similarity to the deceased wife of the man assigned to chaperone her. Lies, betrayal, and treachery abound in this
escalating saga of what may be the last throes of a totalitarian state - or of humanity itself. Highly recommended! It
should be noted for personal reading lists that When the Sparrow Falls is also available in a Kindle edition ($13.99).
Editorial Note: Neil Sharpson lives in Dublin with his wife and their two children. Having written for theatre since his
teens, Neil transitioned to writing novels in 2017, adapting his own play The Caspian Sea into When The Sparrow Falls.
A huge fan of animation, Neil writes Unshaved Mouse, a comedic review blog mostly focusing on animated film and
comic book movies.
The Library of the Dead
T. L. Huchu
Tor
www.tor.com
9781250767769, $27.99 Hardcover
B08HKX3CCJ, $14.99 Kindle
https://www.amazon.com/Library-Dead-T-L-Huchu/dp/1529039452
Synopsis: Ropa dropped out of school to become a ghostalker - and she now speaks to Edinburgh's dead, carrying
messages to the living. A girl's gotta earn a living, and it seems harmless enough. Until, that is, the dead whisper that
someone's bewitching children - leaving them husks, empty of joy and life. It's on Ropa's patch, so she feels honour
bound to investigate. But what she learns will change her world.
She'll dice with death (not part of her life plan . . .) as she calls on Zimbabwean magic and Scottish pragmatism to hunt
down clues. For Edinburgh hides a wealth of secrets. And in the process, she discovers an occult library and some
unexpected allies. Yet as shadows lengthen, will the hunter become the hunted?
Critique: A dark blend of contemporary fantasy and suspense, The Library of the Dead follows Ropa, a teenage girl with
a gift for speaking with deceased. She uses her ability to earn a humble living, until the dead warn her that someone is
bewitching children. Ropa will have to draw upon both magic and unexpected allies to track down the source of the curse
- at the risk of becoming the mysterious threat's next target! An engagingly written supernatural saga, The Library of the
Dead is an utterly mesmerizing page-turner, highly recommended. It should be noted for personal reading lists that The
Library of the Dead is also available in a Kindle edition ($14.99).
Editorial Note: T. L. Huchu (he/him) has been published previously (as Tendai Huchu) in the adult market, but The
Library of the Dead is his genre fiction debut. His previous books (The Hairdresser of Harare and The Maestro, The
Magistrate and the Mathematician) have been translated into multiple languages and his short fiction has won awards.
Tendai grew in up Zimbabwe but has lived in Edinburgh for most of his adult life.
Broken Web
Lori M. Lee
https://lorimlee.com
Page Street Publishing
www.pagestreetpublishing.com
9781645672104 $18.99 hc / $9.99 Kindle
https://www.amazon.com/Broken-Web-Shamanborn-Lori-Lee/dp/1645672107
Synopsis: The Soulless is free from his centuries-long imprisonment. Now, he lurks in the Dead Wood recovering his
strength, while Sirscha and her allies journey east to the shaman empire of Nuvalyn. Everyone believes she is a soulguide
a savior but Sirscha knows the truth. She's a monster, a soulrender like the Soulless, and if anyone discovers the truth,
she'll be executed.
But there's nothing Sirscha won't risk to stop the shaman responsible for the rot that's killing her best friend. While the
Soulless is formidable, like all shamans, his magic must be channeled through a familiar. If Sirscha can discover what or
who that is, she might be able to cut him off from his power.
With Queen Meilyr bent on destroying the magical kingdoms, Sirscha finds herself caught between a war brewing in the
east and the Soulless waiting in the west. She should be trying to unite what peoples she can to face their common
enemies, but instead, her hunt for clues about the Soulless leads to a grim discovery, forcing Sirscha to question who her
enemies really are.
Critique: The sequel to "Forest of Souls", Broken Web continues a dark saga set amid magical kingdoms where shamans
wield terrifying power. One shaman in particular is using his power to slowly kill the best friend of Sirscha, a woman
who herself possesses a terrifying secret. Sirscha's quest to save her friend's life embroils her in the stirrings of a potential
war, in this captivating dark fantasy adventure. Highly recommended. It should be noted for personal reading lists that
Broken Web is also available in a Kindle edition ($9.99).
Out of the Shadows (Star Wars: The High Republic)
Justina Ireland
Disney Press
https://books.disney.com
9781368060653, $17.99 hardcover
B091M4WKVQ, $10.99 Kindle
https://www.amazon.com/Star-Wars-High-Republic-Shadows/dp/136806065X
Synopsis: Sylvestri Yarrow is on a streak of bad luck with no end of sight. She's been doing her best to keep the family
cargo business going after her mom's death, but between mounting debt and increasing attacks by the Nihil on
unsuspecting ships, Syl is in danger of losing all she has left of her mother. She heads to the galactic capital of Coruscant
for help, but gets sidetracked when she's drawn into a squabble between two of the Republic's most powerful families
over a patch of space on the frontier. Tangled up in familial politics is the last place Syl wants to be, but the promise of a
big payoff is enough to keep her interested
Meanwhile, Jedi Knight Vernestra Rwoh has been summoned to Coruscant, but with no idea of why or by whom. She
and her Padawan Imri Cantaros arrive at the capital along with Jedi Master Cohmac Vitus and his Padawan, Reath Silas
and are asked to assist with the property dispute on the frontier. But why? What is so important about an empty patch of
space? The answer will lead Vernestra to a new understanding of her abilities, and take Syl back to the past... and to
truths that will finally come out of the shadows.
Critique: A novel of the "Star Wars: The High Republic" series set roughly 200 years before the epic "Star Wars" science
fiction movies, Out of the Shadows is an original saga written for Star Wars fans ages 12 to 120. A young woman
struggling to keep the cargo business she inherited from her mother solvent becomes drawn into the feud of powerful
families over a mysterious, little-known patch of space on the frontier. A female Jedi Knight and her Padawan are also
tasked with settling the dispute, but the seemingly empty area of space may hold a secret far more ominous than any
clash of clans! An enthralling blend of mystery, heroism, and spacefaring adventure, Out of the Shadows is sure be a
popular lending library pick, and is especially recommended for connoisseurs of the Star Wars franchise and its rich,
extended lore. It should be noted for personal reading lists that Out of the Shadows is also available in a Kindle edition
($10.99).
Editorial Note: Justina Ireland enjoys dark chocolate, dark humor, and is not too proud to admit that she's still afraid of
the dark. She lives with her husband, kid, and dog in Pennsylvania. She is the author of Dread Nation (a New York
Times bestseller), Deathless Divide,Vengeance Bound and Promise of Shadows. Her Star Wars books are Lando's Luck,
Spark of the Resistance, and The High Republic: A Test of Courage.
The Ming Storm: An Assassin's Creed Novel
Yan Leisheng
Aconyte Books
aconytebooks.com
c/o Simon & Schuster
https://www.simonandschuster.com
9781839080883, $16.95 paperback
B08TB14L4H, $9.95 Kindle
https://www.amazon.com/Ming-Storm-Assassins-Creed-Novel/dp/1839080884
Synopsis: China, 16th century. The Assassins are gone. Zhang Yong, the relentless leader of the Eight Tigers, took
advantage of the emperor's death to eliminate all his opponents, and now the Templars hold all the power. Shao Jun, the
last representative of her clan, barely escapes death and has no choice but to flee her homeland. Vowing to avenge her
former brothers in arms, she travels to Europe to train with the legendary Ezio Auditore. When she returns to the Middle
Kingdom, her saber and her determination alone will not be enough to eliminate Zhang Yong: she will have to surround
herself with allies and walk in the shadows to defeat the Eight Tigers.
Critique: An original novel connected to the popular "Assassin's Creed" video game series, Assassin's Creed: The Ming
Storm is set in 16th century China, where the ruthlessly principled Assassins have been all but wiped out. Zhang Yong,
the leader of the Eight Tigers, consolidated his power after the Emperor's death and eliminated all his opponents; now the
Templars pull the strings of the Middle Kingdom. Shao Jun, the last survivor of the Assassin clan, is forced to flee her
homeland. She seeks training from the legendary Ezio Auditore, then returns to avenge her former comrades - but she
will need allies and more to bring down the Eight Tigers! An intense, action-packed historical novel, Assassin's Creed:
The Ming Story will appeal to aficionados of video games and sword-crossed intrigue alike! It should be noted for
personal reading lists that The Ming Storm is also available in a Kindle edition ($9.95).
Editorial Note: Yan Leisheng has had a special interest in science fiction since an early age, but it wasn't until his thirties
that he was first published. Since then, he has published twenty books, including novels, short story collections, essays,
and poetry. His most famous trilogy "Heaven Prevails" has sold over 500,000 copies in Chinese.
The Godel Operation
James L. Cambias
Baen
www.baen.com
9781982125561, $16.00 Paperback
B093F1Y9T2, $8.99 Kindle
https://www.amazon.com/Godel-Operation-James-L-Cambias/dp/198212556X
Synopsis: Daslakh is an AI with a problem. Its favorite human, a young man named Zee, is in love with a woman who
never existed - and he will scour the Solar System to find her. But in the Tenth Millennium a billion worlds circle the
Sun - everything from terraformed planets to artificial habitats, home to a quadrillion beings.
Daslakh's nicely settled life gets more complicated when Zee helps a woman named Adya escape a gang of crooks. This
gets the pair caught up in the hunt for the Godel Trigger, a legendary weapon left over from an ancient war between
humans and machines - which could spell the end of civilization.
In their search, they face a criminal cat and her henchmen, a paranoid supermind with a giant laser, the greatest thief in
history, and a woman who might actually be Zee's lost love.
It's up to Daslakh to save civilization, keep Zee's love life on the right track - and make sure that nobody discovers the
real secret of the Godel Trigger.
Critique: The Godel Operation is a sci-fi adventure, set in a far-flung future where a quadrillion beings live on a billion
worlds circle the Sun. A loyal artificial intelligence named Daslakh is concerned about its favorite human, a young man
who is apparently in love with a dream girl who doesn't exist. The unlikely pair crosses paths with a definitely-existing,
definitely-not-a-dream girl, run afoul of criminals, and join the ongoing hunt for the Godel Trigger, a dangerous relic of
an ancient war between humans and machines. Daslakh must apply every system his thought processes can manifest to
keep his favorite human alive, at least partially focused on the real world, and away from the world-destroying threat that
is the true secret of the Godel Trigger! The Godel Operation is a rousing sci-fi romp, with a character-driven plot marked
by unexpected twists and turns, and keeps the reader's rapt attention to the very end! Highly recommended, especially for
connoisseurs of the genre. It should be noted for personal reading lists that The Godel Operation is also available in a
Kindle edition ($8.99).
Editorial Note: James L. Cambias is a writer and game designer, and the cofounder of Zygote Games. He has been
nominated for the James Tiptree Jr. Award and the 2001 John W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer. He lives in
western Massachusetts.
Baen Books
P.O. Box 1188, Wake Forest, NC 27588
www.baen.com
These new Baen titles are top picks for sci-fi readers.
https://www.amazon.com/Tyger-Bright-T-C-McCarthy/dp/1982125179
T.C. McCarthy's Tyger Bright (9781982125172, $16.00) will appeal to readers of space opera and action-oriented tales
and tells of San Kyarr, a novitiate in a secret holy order who is assigned the job of infiltrating mankind's alien enemy.
The politics, competing factions, and challenges to San and her problems with humans and aliens alike come to life in a
fast-paced story of struggle and adventure which is cemented by strong characterization and a story filled with satisfying
twists and turns.
https://www.amazon.com/Domesticating-Dragons-Dan-Koboldt/dp/198212511X
Dan Koboldt's Domesticating Dragons (9781982125110, $16.00) provides a whimsical story of a future in which all dogs
are dead from plague. Their replacements? Dragons. Genetic engineer Noah has excited about his new job with Reptilian
Corp, which wants to a place a dragon pet in every home. That is, until he discovers that the company and its motives
may not be entirely clear. The whimsical blend of suspense, intrigue, and adventure that emerges will delight sci-fi and
fantasy readers looking for something different.
https://www.amazon.com/Blood-Whispers-C-Haskins/dp/1982125233
A.C. Haskins's Blood and Whispers: A Soldier of the Arcanum (9781982125233, $16.00) tells of sorcerer Thomas
Quinn, who has done many bad things during his centuries of life, and who is now settled as an occult bookstore owner.
Two Philadelphia detectives tap him to solve a ritual murder, and now Quinn is charged with resuming his role as a
Sorcerer of the Arcanum to face down those who would threaten human and magical worlds alike. As his struggles
involve and ultimately threaten both worlds, Quinn has some difficult decisions to make about where his alliances truly
lie, and how to change his life.
https://www.amazon.com/Crush-Moon-Queendom-Sol/dp/1982125241
Wil McCarthy's To Crush the Moon (9781982125240, $16.00) is a novel set in the Queendom of Sol and tells of Conrad
Mursk's return to Sol on a crippled shop, his crew refugees. Mursk is a thousand years older now, and he finds a vastly
changed Sol that brings him into a desperate mission to crush the moon and save billions. As he undertakes the
impossible, many worlds and his own people are on the line in this fast-paced sci-fi adventure, a story that proves hard to
predict.
https://www.amazon.com/1636-Calabars-War-Ring-Fire/dp/1982125306
Charles E. Gannon and Robert E. Waters's 1636: Calabar's War (9781982125301, $16.00) is recommended reading for
any who enjoy Eric Flint's ongoing Ring of Fire series of alternate history, providing a new adventure that centers on a
military advisor of mixed blood who helps the Dutch hit Portuguese and Spanish concerns, branding Calabar as a traitor.
When his family is captured, his choices are clear: sacrifice his family or help the Dutch end slavery. The moral and
ethical quandaries of his decision will affect generations to come in this absorbing story of confrontation and historic
transformation.
The Poetry Shelf
Bull
David Elliott
www.davidelliottbooks.com
HMH Books
https://www.hmhbooks.com
9781328596338, $17.99 Hardcover
B01I4FPLV0, $9.99 Kindle
https://www.amazon.com/Bull-David-Elliott/dp/0544610601
Synopsis: Much like Lin-Manuel Miranda did in Hamilton, the New York Times best-selling author David Elliott turns a
classic on its head in form and approach, updating the timeless story of Theseus and the Minotaur. A rough, rowdy, and
darkly comedic young adult retelling in verse, which NPR called "beautifully clever," Bull will have readers reevaluating
one of mythology's most infamous monsters. See the story of theseus and the minotaur in a whole new light.
Minos thought he could
Pull a fast one
On me,
Poseidon!
God of the Sea!
But I'm the last one
On whom you
Should try such a thing.
The nerve of that guy.
The balls. The audacity.
I AM THE OCEAN!
I got capacity!
Depths! Darkness! Delphic power!
So his sweet little plan
Went big-time sour
And his wife had a son
Born with horns and a muzzle
Who ended up
In an underground puzzle.
What is it with you mortals?
You just can't seem to learn:
If you play with fire, babies,
You're gonna get burned.
Critique: Bull is a unique novel written entirely in lyrical, sometimes rhyming verse, retelling the classic Greek myth of
Theseus and the Minotaur from the Minotaur's point of view. Sometimes bawdy, sometimes violent, always audacious,
Bull is an eyebrow-raising spin on a timeless tale, and a swift yet thoroughly engaging read to the very last page. Highly
recommended! It should be noted for personal reading lists that Bull is also available in a Kindle edition ($9.99).
Editorial Note: David Elliott is a NY Times bestselling children's author whose many titles include And Here's to You!,
The Evangeline Mudd books, In the Wild, On the Wing, and Nobody's Perfect. David has worked as a singer, a cucumber
washer, and a popsicle stick maker.
The Christian Studies Shelf
Christian Minimalism
Becca Ehrlich
Morehouse Publishing
https://www.churchpublishing.org
9781640653887, $16.95 pbk / $10.49 Kindle
https://www.amazon.com/Christian-Minimalism-Simple-Abundant-Living/dp/1640653880
Synopsis: Logically, we all know our purpose in life is not wrapped up in accumulating possessions, wealth, power, and
prestige Jesus is very clear about that but society tells us otherwise. Christian Minimalism attempts to cut through our
assumptions and society's lies about what life should look like and invites readers into a life that Jesus calls us to live:
one lived intentionally, free of physical, spiritual, and emotional clutter.
Written by a woman who simplified her own life and practices these principles daily, this book gives readers a fresh
perspective on how to live out God's grace for us in new and exciting ways and live out our faith in a way that is deeply
satisfying.
Critique: Ordained pastor Becca Ehrlich presents Christian Minimalism: Simple Steps for Abundant Living is a spiritual
self-help book about de-cluttering distractions in one's life in order to focus on higher values - love for one another,
working for the betterment of oneself and others, and the grace that comes from faith. "Our economy thrives on our
dissatisfaction. If we are constantly dissatisfied and continuously looking for happiness in material goods, we will
continue to buy more and more stuff [...] But God offers us another way to live. [...] Throughout the Bible, we hear that
we cannot find ultimate satisfaction in wealth or material stuff. Only God can fill our deepest needs and desires."
Christian Minimalism is a deeply reverent testimony, offering profound wisdom to readers of all faiths, and highly
recommended. It should be noted for personal reading lists that Christian Minimalism is also available in a Kindle
edition ($10.49).
Editorial Note: Becca Ehrlich is an ordained pastor in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA); she also
holds a doctorate in Christian Spirituality. As a Christian minimalist in a consumer society, she got rid of sixty percent of
her personal possessions in six months, took part in a year-long shopping fast, and moved into a smaller home.
Stumbling into Grace
Mary Pezzulo
Ave Maria Press
https://www.avemariapress.com
https://www.patheos.com/blogs/steelmagnificat
9781646800636, $15.95 paperback
B08TBBG3BM, $11.99 Kindle
https://www.amazon.com/Stumbling-into-Grace-Works-Mercy/dp/164680063X
Synopsis: Mary Pezzulo intended to learn all about God through graduate studies in philosophy and Christian ethics, but
serious illness ruined those plans and landed her young family in desperate straits. Despite chronic illness, deep poverty,
blatant discrimination, and the cruelty she encountered, Pezzulo began tripping over God in the tiny works of mercy she
offered to others and received herself. With striking candor and gritty faith she shows us how we also can meet God in
the smallest acts of love.
When Pezzulo began her blog Steel Magnificat in 2016, she never imagined she would be writing so much about
poverty, discrimination, abuse, or the loneliness of chronic illness. Nor did she realize that the corporal and spiritual
works of mercy would bring stark clarity and unflinching hope to her life. She had moved to Steubenville, Ohio, to study
philosophy and ethics so that she could teach people about Jesus and make the world a better place. She expected to find
God in beautiful churches, inspiring books, and the spoken words of brilliant scholars. But when her life and professional
ambitions crumbled around her, she entered a terrible darkness and floundered in desperate poverty, illness, and the
lingering trauma of abuse.
In that dark time, Pezzulo began to know mercy, finding God in countless tiny acts. In Stumbling into Grace she shows
how the works of mercy have become her anchor in turbulence and calm, piercing sorrow and ridiculous joy, overcoming
despair and bringing enduring hope. Now she shares with you how to live the works of mercy in your own life.
Critique: Stumbling into Grace: How We Meet God in Tiny Works of Mercy is a work of Catholic spirituality about the
profound transformations brought about by enacting good works for people who are in need. Individual chapters reflect
on the incalculable value of instructing the ignorant, feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, visiting the sick, comforting
the afflicted, praying for the living and the dead, and more. These timeless, biblical virtues are reexamined in the context
of modern day life. "It's a good idea to patronize charities such as Habitat for Humanity, which builds houses for people
who need them, with financial donations and with volunteer work depending on your time and skills." Stumbling into
Grace is uplifting, potentially life-changing, and highly recommended. It should be noted for personal reading lists that
Stumbling Into Grace is also available in a Kindle edition ($11.99).
Editorial Note: Mary E. Pezzulo is the creator of the Steel Magnificat blog on the Patheos Catholic channel, where she
writes about everything from current events to movies to poverty in the Ohio Valley to the kindness of strangers. Pezzulo
earned a bachelor's degree in English from Otterbein University and studied philosophy at Franciscan University of
Steubenville. She is the author of Meditations on the Way of the Cross.
God's Great Story and You
William A. Barry SJ
Loyola Press
www.loyolapress.com
9780829454307, $14.99 Paperback
B096L627WZ, $7.95 Audiobook
https://www.amazon.com/Gods-Great-Story-William-Barry/dp/0829454306
Synopsis: The Divine Narrative Begins with the Creation of the Universe and continues through humanity's fall and
struggle, the promises of the prophets, and the coming of Jesus. The story unfolds to reveal God's mercy for us over our
history of sin and redemption, and the plot includes us as partners in God's great dream for the world. In this parting
message to us, Fr. William A. Barry offers a lifetime of wisdom and compassion as he leads the reader through the
overarching story of God's relationship with us, the beloved creation.
With his characteristic warm and personal style, Fr. Barry invites us to ponder how the events and characters of Scripture
relate to us in real time and daily experience. His theme, so prominent in his life's work as author and spiritual director, is
simply this: God desires our friendships and participation in the grand story of grace.
Critique: God's Great Story and You is the final book of Jesuit spiritual leader William A. Barry, SJ, who passed on in
2020 at age ninety. His final testimony speaks of God's love for all creation, including us. Crafted around the frame of
human history as a story, with sections titled "God Responds to Our Messed-Up Plot", "Jesus Breaks the Hero Mold",
"We Are Key Characters in a Divine Plot" and more, God's Great Story and You is a testimony of grace, that draws upon
the verses of Scripture and applies them directly to present-day quandaries. A work of hope, reverence, and abiding faith,
God's Great Story and You is a welcome addition to Christian and spirituality collections.
Editorial Note: William A. Barry, SJ, is a veteran spiritual director who served as tertian director for the New England
Province of the Society of Jesus. He died in December of 2020, leaving a legacy that will long influence spiritual
directors and seekers.
Letters to My Students, Volume 2: On Pastoring
Jason K. Allen
B&H Publishing Group
9781087725895, $17.99 Hardcover
B095WDYSDC, $9.99 Kindle
https://www.amazon.com/Letters-My-Students-2-Pastoring-ebook/dp/B095WDYSDC
Synopsis: Few books have more influenced those called to gospel ministry than Charles Spurgeon's Lectures to My
Students. This influence of this book, like the Prince of Preachers himself, reverberates to our present age.
Carrying forward this tradition is Jason Allen's Letters to My Students. Dr. Allen serves as president of Midwestern
Baptist Theological Seminary and Spurgeon College, the former ranking as one of the largest and fastest growing
seminaries in North American. Dr. Allen has also served in multiple pastorates. His passion to serve the church by
equipping a generation of pastors, missionaries, and ministers for faithful service is reflected in Letters to My
Students.
Letters to My Students is a biblical, accessible guide for ministers and ministers-in-training. It brings both biblical and
practical wisdom to bear on the minister's three main responsibilities: preaching, leading, and shepherding the flock of
God.
Martin Lloyd-Jones famously described the call to ministry as the highest, greatest, and most glorious calling to which
one can be called. If this assessment resonates with you, you'll want every available tool to strengthen your ministry.
Letters to My Students is one such resource.
Critique: Written by a gospel minister, expressly for those called to ministry, Letters to My Students, Volume 2: On
Pastoring is the second title in a three-volume series. Writings reflect on both practical and spiritual duties of the
ministry, from sermons, baptisms, and church membership to cultivating requisite leadership qualities. Letters to My
Students, Volume 2: On Pastoring is an absolute "must-read" for practicing and aspiring ministers alike. It should be
noted for personal reading lists that Letters to My Students, Volume 2 is also available in a Kindle edition ($9.99).
Editorial Note: Dr. Jason Allen is the fifth and youngest president of Midwestern Baptist Seminary. He has served as
pastor and interim pastor of Southern Baptist churches in Alabama and Kentucky over the past fifteen years. He currently
serves the church more broadly through writing and preaching ministries, including his own website
www.jasonkallen.com, where he writes on various topics including higher education, theology, preaching, and cultural
and local church issues.
The Judaic Studies Shelf
Lamentations: Faith in a Turbulent World
Yael Ziegler
Maggid / The Toby Press
c/o Koren Publishers Jerusalem Ltd.
PO Box 8531, New Milford, CT 06776-8531
www.tobypress.com
9781592645558, $29.95, HC, 556pp
https://www.amazon.com/Lamentations-Faith-Turbulent-Yael-Ziegler/dp/1592645550
Synopsis: How do people progress from despair to hope? How does one maintain faith in God's justice in a world that
seems cruel and unfair? What is the nature of Israel's culpability and to what degree does sinfulness factor in Israel's
calamities? What is the nation's relationship to its land, to Jerusalem, and to the outside world?
Artfully combining traditional and academic scholarship, Dr. Yael Ziegler weaves together close readings of the book of
Lamentations (Eikha) with an integrated reading of each chapter and examinations of larger themes. To the reader's
surprise, Lamentations emerges as a coherent discourse on the way that people - as individuals and as nations - contend
with adversity.
Independent essays at the beginning and end of the book, as well as in appendices at the conclusion of the chapters, cover
topics such as Eikha's historical background, poetic techniques, theology, structure, and linguistic and thematic
connections to other biblical books, most notably the chapters of consolation in Isaiah.
Wide-ranging biblical and religious themes emerge, a veritable journey through the Bible's most profound questions.
Interweaving careful literary analysis with attention to religious themes, "Lamentations: Faith in a Turbulent World"
illustrates that Eikha is a testimony to the resilient faith of humans, who can persevere through adversity, emerging with a
more meaningful relationship with God, with the nation, and with themselves.
Critique: Impressively erudite in presentation, thoughtful and thought-provoking in context, inspired and inspiring in
content, "Lamentations: Faith in a Turbulent World" is an extraordinary and extensive treatise and one that is especially
and unreservedly recommended for personal, professional, community, college, and university library Contemporary
Judaic Studies & Biblical Studies collections. It should be noted for students, academia, and non-specialist general
readers with an interest in the subject that "Lamentations: Faith in a Turbulent World" is also readily available in a digital
book format (Kindle, $8.99).
The Needlecraft Shelf
Kaffe Fassett's Quilts in an English Village
Kaffe Fassett
The Taunton Press
63 South Main Street, Newtown, CT 06470
www.taunton.com
9781641551502, $29.99, PB, 144pp
https://www.amazon.com/Kaffe-Fassetts-Quilts-English-Village/dp/164155150X
Synopsis: 'Quilts in an English Village' superbly showcases Kaffe Fassett's exquisite collection of quilts, featuring both
his scintillating new fabric designs and his classics, all in his unique color palette. This location chosen for this display is
the medieval English village of Lavenham in Suffolk, where the 19 quilts are set off against the ancient half-timbered
Tudor houses. They are displayed in all their glory in a sumptuous eye-catching quilt gallery.
Included in this set of new designs are many very special ones by Kaffe, and several by his long-time friend and
co-designer, Liza Prior Lucy. Kaffe's Starry Night, featured on the cover, fussy cuts some of his brilliant floral fabrics in
deep rich colors to great effect, setting them off by surrounding stars in his Shot Cottons. Shards translates the traditional
Broken Dishes design into deliciously soft and subtle blends of pastel fabrics, shown off to perfection against the pale
plaster and weathered timbers of the Lavenham houses. In a quite different vein, the boldly contrasting background
stripes in black and white fabric in Blooming Columns make a dramatic contrast to the huge fussy-cut flowers appliqued
onto it.
Featured are a range of quilts for all skill levels, from beginners to advanced. Shaded Squares is one such lovely quilt for
first timers, with its cleverly shaded squares each made up from two large triangles, one plain and one striped in Kaffe's
Shot Cotton and Wide Stripe fabrics. Flat shots, a practical know-how section and glossary, back up the fully illustrated,
step-by-step instructions for each quilt.
Critique: A quilt maker's pure delight, "Kaffe Fassett's Quilts in an English Village" is informative and inspiring to
simply browse through one beautifully illustrated and descriptive page at a time. Simply stated, "Kaffe Fassett's Quilts in
an English Village" is a unique and unreservedly recommended addition to personal, professional, community, college,
and university library Contemporary Needlecraft & Quilting collections.
Editorial Note: San Francisco-born artist Kaffe Fassett is a name every quilter knows. His work has been commissioned
by the British monarchy, American fashion designers, and the Royal Shakespeare Company. He has written numerous
best-sellers including Kaffe Fassett's Quilts in Italy, Kaffe Fassett's Quilts in Morocco, and Kaffe Fassett's Quilts in the
Cotswold's.
The Crafts Shelf
Conscious Crafts: Pottery
Lucy Davidson
Leaping Hare Press
c/o The Quarto Group
https://www.quarto.com
9780711257436 $18.00 hc / $9.99 Kindle
https://www.amazon.com/Mindful-Makes-Pottery-playful-projects/dp/0711257434
Synopsis: Making is mindfulness made practical, and pottery is a popular meditative craft. Drawing on the traditions of
hand making, Lucy has created 20 modern makes with air dry and polymer clay - all without the need for a wheel or kiln:
imperfect pots; coasters; necklace beads; abstract earrings; terrazzo-style bracelets; bird brooches; pinch pot tea holders;
light pull; incense holder; botanical & feather wall hangings; festive decorations; potted herb markers; clay 'leaf' bowls;
plant hanger pots; indoor planters; miniature bunting; serving dishes; and seaside vases. She shares the basic techniques
to pottery and shows how these can be explored and personalized for different projects, as well as making your own clay
and memories.
Clean photography, contemporary illustration and heart-affirming text are beautifully mixed together to celebrate art of
making for a handmade future. Packed with inspiring ideas and practical guidance, Conscious Crafts: Pottery gives you
the raw skills to get started with this fulfilling craft, and shows how the pottery experience and the satisfaction of creating
your own unique makes can create happiness.
The Conscious Crafts series places mindfulness and well-being at the heart of making. Picking out proven meditative
crafts and bespoke authors, these practical, contemporary guides are an inviting introduction to reconnecting head, heart,
and hands.
Critique: Part of the "Conscious Crafts" series designed to guide readers to meditative crafting as a spiritually enriching
activity to promote well-being, Conscious Crafts: Pottery features full-color illustrations and step-by-step instructions for
a variety of simple claw projects. Plans for creating pots, coasters, jewelry, containers for plants, delightful decorations
and much more fill this wonderful, easy-to-use treasury of "hands-on" projects for clay shapers of all skill and experience
levels. It should be noted for personal reading lists that Conscious Crafts: Pottery is also available in a Kindle edition
($9.99).
The Automotive Shelf
Volkswagen Type 4: 411 and 412
Marc Cranswick
Veloce Publishing
www.veloce.co.uk
9781787115224 $60.00
https://www.amazon.com/Volkswagen-Type-Final-Rear-Engined-Cars/dp/1787115224
Synopsis: What kind of car is that? It looks like a big Beetle! If ever there was a car in search of a context and market, it
was the VW Type 4. Volkswagen's first foray into the upscale sector brought engineering innovation to Wolfsburg. It
also tried to convince worldwide buyers that VW still had the right stuff. With design origins in the Porsche consultancy,
the signs were hopeful. However, globally, the automarket was rapidly changing.
The VW Type 4's portfolio ran to unitary construction and fuel injection, but had to face fancy competition from Detroit's
European subsidiaries. All the while, VW was searching for its future road, and faced challenging developments. The
fuel crisis and Japanese competition in North America kept the pressure on at Wolfsburg.
Could the VW 411 and 412's solid traditional virtues carry the day? Then and now the Type 4's unbreakable VW quality,
and flat out sustainability, appealed to air cooled devotees. The 411 and 412 brought a new dimension in comfort to VW,
and its hardware design was utilized by the air cooled clan both on and off road. The Type 4 even had a sports car
connection, and never lost the power to surprise.
Critique: Lavishly illustrated with full-color photography on almost every page, Volkswagen Type 4: 411 and 412 - The
Final Rear-Engined VW Cars is a tribute and showcase to a line of cars that Volkswagen produced in the late 1960's and
the 1970's. These were the final rear-engined, air-cooled passenger cars, created with an emphasis on comfort and
marketed as "A luxury you can afford." Chapters describe the rise and fade of these automobiles in terms accessible to
car enthusiasts of all backgrounds; appendices provide more technical specifications to interested specialists. A
bibliography and an index round out this coffee-table treasury, highly recommended especially for Volkswagen
connoisseurs.
The Comix/Graphic Novel Shelf
Marvel Monsters
Kelly Knox
DK
c/o Penguin Random House
https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com
9780744028621 $25.00 hc / $10.99 Kindle
https://www.amazon.com/Marvel-Monsters-Beasts-Multiverse-Explored/dp/0744028620
Synopsis: This comprehensive field guide to Marvel flora, fauna, and beasts great and small shows off claws, teeth, tails,
and wings in sumptuous, never-seen-before detail.
From tyrannosaurus rexes from alternative worlds and genetically modified deinonychuses from the future to purple
cat-sized dragons and swamp monsters, the Marvel multiverse is brimming with creatures both heroic and villainous.
Explore swamps and the Savage Lands and more. Discover aerial beasts, artificially created creatures, and even monster
team-ups. This anthology is a beautifully curated guide to the best and the worst and ensures you will never get Fin Fang
Foom and Tim Boom Ba mixed up again!
Critique: Marvel Monsters: Creatures of the Marvel Universe Explored is a coffee-table book showcasing extraordinary,
sometimes awe-inspiring, sometimes grotesque monsters from the Marvel comic book universe. Not all of the monsters
are a dire menace; some are themselves heroes, while others are beings whose motives are not easily classified as good or
evil. Here are aliens, intimidating myths come to life, unfortunate humans transformed into something beastly, and more.
Marvel Monsters is a thoroughly enjoyable browse, and makes an excellent gift book for Marvel comic connoisseurs.
Highly recommended! It should be noted for personal reading lists that Marvel Monsters is also available in a Kindle
edition ($10.99).
Old Gods & New: A Companion To Jack Kirby's Fourth World
John Morrow with Jon B. Cooke
TwoMorrows Publishing
10407 Bedfordtown Dr., Raleigh, NC 27614
www.twomorrows.com
9781605490984, $26.95 paperback
https://www.amazon.com/Old-Gods-New-Companion-Kirbys/dp/1605490989
Synopsis: For its 80th issue, the Jack Kirby Collector magazine presents a double-sized 50th anniversary examination of
Kirby's magnum opus! Spanning the pages of four different comics starting in 1970 (New Gods, Forever People, Mister
Miracle, and Jimmy Olsen), the sprawling "Epic for our times" was cut short mid-stream, leaving fans wondering how
Jack would've resolved the confrontation between evil Darkseid of Apokolips, and his son Orion of New Genesis.
This companion to that "Fourth World" series looks back at Jack Kirby's own words, as well as those of assistants Mark
Evanier and Steve Sherman, inker Mike Royer, and publisher Carmine Infantino, to determine how it came about, where
it was going, and how Kirby would've ended it before it was prematurely cancelled by DC Comics! It also examines
Kirby's use of gods in Thor and other strips prior to the Fourth World, how they influenced his DC epic, and affected
later series like The Eternals and Captain Victory. With an overview of hundreds of Kirby's creations like Big Barda,
Boom Tubes and Granny Goodness, and post-Kirby uses of his concepts, no Fourth World fan will want to miss it!
Compiled, researched, and edited by John Morrow, with contributions by Jon B. Cooke.
Critique: Old Gods & New is an absolute "must-have" for connoisseurs of Jack Kirby's work in comics, and especially
his series-spanning "Fourth World" saga representing a modern-mythic clash between the cruel, tyrannical Darkseid of
Apokolips, and Darkseid's son Orion of New Genesis. Peppered with colorful illustrations and photographs, Old Gods &
New features full-page character artwork by Kirby himself, a balanced evaluation of Kirby's own words about the series,
and testimony from Kirby's assistants. Old Gods & New draws upon interviews, testimonies, and overviews of Kirby's
many previous creations to logically deduce how Kirby would have concluded the "Fourth World" saga, if DC Comics
had not prematurely cancelled it. Old Gods & New is a fascinating browse for comic book hobbyists, a treasure for
collectors, and highly recommended.
The Audiobook Shelf
Fallen
Linda Castillo
Read by Kathleen McInerney
Macmillan Audiobooks
https://us.macmillan.com/audio
https://us.macmillan.com/minotaurbooks
9781250804334 $39.99, 8 CDs
https://www.amazon.com/Fallen-Novel-Suspense-Kate-Burkholder/dp/1250804337
Synopsis: When a young woman is found murdered in a Painters Mill motel, Chief of Police Kate Burkholder is shocked
to discover she once knew the victim. Rachael Schwartz was a charming but troubled Amish girl who left the fold years
ago and fled Painters Mill. Why was she back in town? And who would kill her so brutally?
Kate remembers Rachael as the only girl who was as bad at being Amish as Kate was and those parallels dog her. But the
more Kate learns about Rachael's life, the more she's convinced that her dubious reputation was deserved. As a child,
Rachael was a rowdy rulebreaker whose decision to leave devastated her parents and best friend. As an adult, she was
charismatic and beautiful, a rabble-rouser with a keen eye for opportunity no matter who got in her way. Her
no-holds-barred lifestyle earned her a lot of love and enemies aplenty both English and Amish.
As the case heats to a fever pitch and long-buried secrets resurface, a killer haunts Painters Mill. Someone doesn't want
Rachael's past or the mysteries she took with her to the grave coming to light. As Kate digs deeper, violence strikes
again, this time hitting close to home. Will Kate uncover the truth and bring a murderer to justice? Or will a killer bent
on protecting a terrible past stop her once and for all and let the fallen be forgotten?
Critique: Fallen is a suspenseful audiobook written by Linda Castillo and superbly performed by Kathleen McInerney.
Chief of Police Kate Burkholder, formerly a member of the Amish community, must investigate the murder of a young
woman who also rejected the Amish way of life. The deeper Burkholder digs, the greater the victim's list of enemies both
among the Amish and the English seems to grow. Intensely riveting to the end, Fallen is sure to prove a popular lending
library pick for connoisseurs of mystery audiobooks. 8 CDs, 10 hours. It should be noted for personal reading lists that
Fallen is also available in hardcover format (Minotaur Books, $27.99) and in a Kindle edition ($14.99).
The Library CD Shelf
Over. Above. Beyond.
Jeeyoon Kim
www.JeeyoonKim.com
Namus Classics
$26.41 CD / $20.00 digital / $9.49 MP3
https://www.jeeyoonkim.com/product-page/over-above-beyond
https://www.amazon.com/Over-Above-Beyond-Jeeyoon-Kim/dp/B07LBB63GW
Classical pianist Jeeyoon Kim presents Over. Above. Beyond., an extraordinary music CD performance of timeless
tracks by master composers including Frederic Chopin, Johannes Brahms, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, and more. Here is
music as art in its purest and most evocative form, ideal for immersion, meditation, or inspiring creativity. An enduring
treasure for connoisseurs of classical piano, Over. Above. Beyond. is a joy to experience, a welcome addition to public
library music CD collections, and also makes an excellent gift.
10 More Minutes
Jeeyoon Kim
www.JeeyoonKim.com
Namus Classics
$19.81 CD / $20.00 digital / $9.49 MP3
https://www.jeeyoonkim.com/product-page/10-more-minutes
https://www.amazon.com/10-More-Minutes-Jeeyoon-Kim/dp/B01MA3KE80
Classical pianist Jeeyoon Kim selected the timeless songs of 10 More Minutes specifically to evoke treasured memories,
such as the desire to spend just ten more minutes with a loved one. The individual pieces performed included works by
Tchaikovsky, Brahms, Schubert, and more; the final, titular piece "10 More Minutes" is Jeeyoon Kim's own composition.
Lofty, wondrous, and inviting, 10 More Minutes is highly recommended for connoisseurs of classical music performance
and public library music CD collections, and also makes a delightful gift.
Change Is in the Wind
Ann Sweeten
www.Annsweeten.com
Orange Band Records
$15.99 CD
https://www.amazon.com/Change-Wind-Ann-Sweeten/dp/B096WTVKL8
Change Is in the Wind is an album of original, instrumental music by pianist and composer Ann Sweeten. Guest
contributions from musicians Nancy Rumbel (English Horn), Eugene Friesen (Cello), and Charlie Bisharat (Violin)
enhance the extraordinary soundscape, created out of the drive to share light and hope. Soul-stirringly beautiful, Change
Is in the Wind is a treasure for both personal and public library instrumental music collections. The tracks are Arctic
Dance, What Blooms Beneath the Snow, May 24 (42 Years Ago), Turning the Page, What My Eyes Can't See, One Last
October, Forever Sunday, Emergence, Change Is in the Wind, and Silver Lining.
The Music Shelf
Timekeeper: My Life in Rhythm
Howard Grimes with Preston Lauterbach
Devault Graves Books
9781942531401, $9.99 Kindle
https://www.amazon.com/Timekeeper-Life-Rhythm-Howard-Grimes-ebook/dp/B08WLCPJQB
Howard Grimes was a celebrated Memphis house drummer during the rise of Stax Records and the Memphis sound, and
drummed behind some of the biggest acts of his times. Co-writer Preston Lauterbach's literary career began in 2006,
when his research into black Memphis music history lead to a determination to get to know some of these iconic figures
before they, too, passed away. Timekeeper: My Life in Rhythm joins their lives to provide a revealing probe of the
evolution of music at Stax and Hi, the two major Memphis soul record companies, using a blend of Howard Grimes'
experiences and Lauterbach's research to create a full-flavored music history. Grimes cultivates a gritty, revealing tone
that contrasts past and present music environments. As he walks readers through these bygone years, Memphis and its
musicians come to life.
It's rare that a single life so intrinsically entwines with the evolutionary process of musical culture and creation, capturing
not just a singular ambition or success story, but the paths and creations of a unique musical moment in history.
Timekeeper is a strong piece as highly recommended for newcomers to Memphis soul music history as it is for prior fans
already knowledgeable about Howard Grimes and his achievements.
The Travel Shelf
Lonely Planet's Best Places to Eat in Every Country
Lonely Planet Food
Lonely Planet
https://www.lonelyplanet.com
9781838690472 $29.99 hc
https://www.amazon.com/Lonely-Planets-Places-Country-Planet/dp/1838690476
Synopsis: For the first time ever, Lonely Planet has compiled the best dining spots in every country of the world. Our
writers know how to sniff out the best food around and our picks favour local, authentic and atmospheric experiences -
whether that means tucking into tasty oysters at a seafood shack in southeast England or gorging on the best jerk chicken
in Jamaica.
Throughout the book's 600-plus pages, we also profile the must-try delicacies unique to each country, as well as advice
on how much to tip. Full-colour photographs and illustrations showcase lip-smackingly good cuisine, such as Mexican
pork-belly tacos and fresh Icelandic seafood, and accompanying text gives you the lowdown on the best restaurants to
wine and dine in, as well as where to drink craft beer, eat quesadillas and much more.
With over 2000 expert recommendations, this is the ultimate companion to help foodie travellers make the most of every
meal, wherever they are in the world.
Critique: Lonely Planet's Best Places to Eat in Every Country lives up to its title with over 2000 restaurant
recommendations around the world. Some pages features full-color photographs of selected eateries or choice dishes;
others have black-and-white images. Every suggested restaurant has a paragraph of description along with an address,
phone number, website, and typical price range for a meal. An index rounds out this choice pick for culinary armchair
travelers. Lonely Planet's Best Places to Eat in Every Country is highly recommended especially for anyone who travels
widely and desires to sample the best of the best!
Cool Recipes & Camping Hacks for VW Campers
Dave Richards
Veloce Publishing
www.veloce.co.uk
9781787117457 $25.00 pbk / $9.99 Kindle
https://www.amazon.com/Cool-Recipes-Camping-Hacks-Campers/dp/1787117456
Synopsis: Combining his love of vintage Volkswagens and good food, Dave Richards has produced a book which will
enable campers to improve their experience.
Cool Recipes & Camping Hacks for VW Campers is packed with nearly 120 recipes, tips and tales to make even the
most devoted city dweller want to camp. There's advice on VW Campervan ownership, ways to make your camping
easier and better, and a few tales which will simply make you laugh out loud. It's a book like no other, one minute a
reference book, the next a great coffee table browser. Camping has finally become cool again!
Recent events have brought a whole new selection of players to the camping game: people who've been holidaying
abroad for years may have been forced to look closer to home. Their experiences might have been mixed, but for anyone
who plans to continue camping and who may be looking for help and guidance, this volume provides valuable tips and
many inspired ideas. Seasoned campers alike will also find some pearls of wisdom, interesting recipe ideas, and enjoy
reading about the author's experiences.
Critique: Cool Recipes & Camping Hacks for VW Campers lives up to its title with almost 120 recipes, hot tips, and
exciting tales about the joys of camping in a VW Campervan. Camping enthusiasts and armchair travelers alike will find
Cool Recipes & Camping Hacks for VW Campers a joy to browse, and the practical advice is invaluable for first-time
road travelers. Even stay-at-home cooks will find the savory recipes a palate-pleasing delight! Highly recommended. It
should be noted for personal reading lists that Cool Recipes & Camping Hacks for VW Campers is also available in a
Kindle edition ($9.99).
The Best Buena Vista and Salida Hikes
Penelope Purdy
The Colorado Mountain Club Press
https://cmcpress.org
c/o Mountaineers Books (distribution)
https://www.mountaineers.org
9781733332132 $16.95
https://www.amazon.com/Best-Buena-Vista-Salida-Hikes/dp/1733332138
Synopsis: The soaring mountains near Buena Vista and Salida are among the most popular hiking destinations in
Colorado, offering so many trails, lakes, and peaks that the choices can seem overwhelming. The Best Buena Vista and
Salida Hikes solves that problem for you, as lifelong hiker and author Penelope Purdy curates 25 of the region's most
classic hikes in an easy-to-carry pack guide. The routes range from easy lake walks suitable for families to challenging
multiday mountain scrambles. It includes segments of the Continental Divide Trail and the Colorado Trail, both of which
pass through the area.
The book also provides information about where to find wildflowers, go bird watching, and catch trout. No matter your
skill level, the national forests, wilderness areas, and other public lands in the upper Arkansas River Valley offer
something for everyone. The Best Buena Vista and Salida Hikes is your guide to the best places in a truly beautiful part
of central Colorado.
Critique: Printed on durable laminated paper and featuring full-color photographs on almost every page, The Best Buena
Vista and Salida Hikes is a pocket-sized travel guide to the beautiful hiking trails near Buena Vista and Salida,
approximately 150 miles southwest of Denver, Colorado. Each of the twenty-five showcased trails has detailed
descriptions, maps, notes on where to spot wildflowers or birds, information about fishing spots, mileage listings and
suggested hikes to suit a wide range of endurance levels, and much more. The Best Buena Vista and Salida Hikes is a
"must-have" for anyone who wants to make the most of their experience on these gorgeous Colorado trails!
Otaku Japan
Gianni Simone
Tuttle
www.tuttlepublishing.com
9784805315149 $18.99 pbk / $16.99 Kindle
https://www.amazon.com/Otaku-Japan-Travel-Guide-Japanese/dp/4805315148
Synopsis: Are you crazy about Japanese manga, anime, video games, cosplay, toys and idols? If so, this book is for you!
Whether you're planning a trip to Japan, have a severe case of wanderlust, or are just fascinated by its culture, let Otaku
Japan transport you to the capital of cool.
In this practical travel guide, over 450 iconic shops, restaurants, cafes, clubs and events are presented in loving detail
with precise directions on how to find them. More than 20 maps, websites and over 400 color photos take you the length
and breadth of Japan to all the centers of Otaku culture - from snowy Hokkaido to sunny Kyushu.
Highlights include:
Interviews with Game Developers
Cosplay and Halloween Events in Japan
Dojinshi: Self-published Comics
A Visit to the Ghibli Museum
Interview with famous Japanese idols
Anime-themed Trains
A Glossary of Otaku Terms
And much, much more!
The book covers all major regions in Japan - Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto, Kobe, Nagoya, Sapporo and Fukuoka - as well as
lesser-known areas like Tohoku, Chugoku and Shikoku.
Critique: Featuring colorful photographs throughout, Otaku Japan is a travel and tourism guide created especially for
"otaku" connoisseurs of Japanese popular culture - including but not limited to manga (Japanese graphic novels), anime
(Japanese animation), video games, teen idols, cosplay (dressing up as fictional characters), and much more. Chapters
cover Japanese pop culture centers all over Japan, from the capital of Tokyo to various regions; highlighted museums and
tourist attractions each have a thumbnail summery with information about their hours, how to access them, and their
associated website or social media site. A selection of travel tips and a few pages about what to expect when visiting an
attraction such as a game center round out this treasury, ideal for armchair travelers as well as prospective visitors. It
should be noted for personal reading lists that Otaku Japan is also available in a Kindle edition ($16.99).
The Beer/Wine/Spirits Shelf
Beer Fest USA: Celebrating American Craft Brews
M. B. Mooney
www.mbmooney.com
Red Lightning Books
https://redlightningbooks.com
9781684351411, $18.00 Paperback
B08DLQW278, $16.43 Kindle
https://www.amazon.com/Beer-Fest-USA-Celebrating-American/dp/1684351413
Synopsis: While beer has always been an important part of American culture, the last three decades have seen an
explosion in the popularity of craft brews and microbrews, and, along with them, beer festivals. Modeled on their
German counterparts such as Munich's Oktoberfest, beer festivals allow brewers to introduce customers to their
creations, to educate the public about the differences between various craft beers, to learn from beer drinkers, and to
promote friendship.
Beer Fest USA introduces beer enthusiasts novices and seasoned beer geeks alike to thirteen of the biggest and best beer
festivals in the US, giving you a taste of the unique history and flavor of each. So get ready to drink up, laugh with
friends, and start planning your next beer festival vacation.
Critique: A wealth of black-and-white photographs enhance Beer Fest USA: Celebrating American Craft Brews, a tour of
thirteen of the biggest beer festivals in the United States. Inspired by German occasions such as Munich's Oktoberfest,
these venues are choice picks for craft beer connoisseurs and vacationers enjoy! Beer Fest USA is highly recommended
for American travelers who are also connoisseurs of craft brew. It should be noted for personal reading lists that Beer
Fest USA is also available in a Kindle edition ($16.43).
Editorial Note: M. B. Mooney was in the 2nd grade when his teacher, Mrs. Green, tried to keep him out of trouble by
saying, "Why don't you write me a story?" He thought that was the best idea ever, and it's kept him out of trouble ever
since. Mooney writes fiction and nonfiction and loves a good brew while he works, whether that be specialty coffee or
craft beer, which is the basis for his writing podcast, Brew & Ink. He lives with his amazing wife, three creative kids, and
a dog in Suwanee, Georgia.
The Atlas of Bourbon and American Whiskey
Eric Zandona
Mitchell Beazley
www.octopusbooks.co.uk
9781784727406, $19.99 hardcover
B0928JT9X3, $8.99 Kindle
https://www.amazon.com/Atlas-Bourbon-American-Whiskey-Journey/dp/1784727407
Synopsis: Take a region-by-region journey through the unique flavors of American whiskey, with spirits expert Eric
Zandona. From Kentucky's bourbon heartland to New York's Empire Rye revolution, learn all there is to know about the
only true American spirit.
Critique: The Atlas of Bourbon and American Whiskey: A Journey Through the Spirit of America lives up to its title as
an information-packed repository filled cover to cover with maps, facts, history, regional bourbon guides, cocktail
recipes, profiles of notable distilleries and their whiskey, and more. Full color photographs on almost every page and an
index enhance this "must-have" for hard liquor connoisseurs! It should be noted for personal reading lists that The Atlas
of Bourbon and American Whiskey is also available in a Kindle edition ($8.99).
Editorial Note: Eric Zandona is Director of Spirits Information at the American Distilling Institute, a spirits judge at the
prestigious International Wine & Spirit Competition, staff writer at Distiller magazine and author of two previous books,
The Bourbon Bible and The Tequila Dictionary. He lives in Vancouver, Washington.
The Metaphysical Studies Shelf
Symbols of the Occult
Eric Chaline
Thames & Hudson
thamesandhudson.com
9780500024034, $24.95 hardcover
https://www.amazon.com/Symbols-Occult-Eric-Chaline/dp/0500024030
Synopsis: This expansive illustrated directory showcases the key signs and symbols of the occult. Each entry has been
carefully selected for its powerful symbolism, and the stylish illustrations span from the myths and legends of the ancient
world to the icons used in modern science.
Award-winning author Eric Chaline introduces each topic with a short overview before featuring the key signs and
symbols and exploring similar and related entries. Including signs from ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia, as well as
Aztec, Celtic, Slavic, Native American, and Hindu societies, Symbols of the Occult examines more than 500 symbols
from history, art, and culture by decoding their iconography and exploring their historical significance. Arranged by
topic, this volume collects the key areas of astrology and cosmology; witchcraft and mysticism; satanism and
demonology; science and alchemy; math and sacred geometry; the natural world; and symbols of ancient and secret
societies.
This guide is the ultimate resource for the modern occultist.
Critique: Symbols of the Occult is a compiled directory of over five hundred signs, symbols, and icons, categorized
primarily by their origin (The Natural World, Sacred Writings, Occult Sciences, White Magic & Cartomancy, Black
Magic & Demonology, and Western Esoteric Tradition). In addition to black-and-white illustrations of the symbols
themselves, a wealth of color photographs complement the descriptive text concerning the history and uses of the
symbols. An inset cloth bookmark and an index further enhance this excellent reference and resource, highly
recommended especially for metaphysical enthusiasts.
Editorial Note: Eric Chaline is an author and editor based in London. He has a special interest in religion and philosophy
and has written books on a range of subjects, such as history, travel, and health and fitness. His published works include
The Book of Zen, The Book of Gods and Goddesses, 101 Dilemmas for the Armchair Philosopher, Lost Treasures,
Ancient Greece, and Strokes of Genius, which won the Lord Aberdare Literary Prize for the best book on the history of
sport in 2018.
The Last Ecstasy of Life: Celtic Mysteries of Death and Dying
Phyllida Anam-Aire
Findhorn Press
https://www.innertraditions.com
9781644112656, $14.99 Paperback
B08KQKRF1V, $9.99 Kindle
https://www.amazon.com/Last-Ecstasy-Life-Celtic-Mysteries/dp/1644112655
Synopsis: In the Celtic tradition dying is considered an act of birthing, of our consciousness passing from this life to the
next. Informed by an early near-death experience, spiritual midwife and former nun Phyllida Anam- ire offers an intimate
overview of the sacred stages of the dying process seen through the lens of her Celtic heritage. Compassionately
describing the final dissolution of the elements, she emphasizes how important it is to resolve and integrate our
psycho-spiritual shadows and wounds in this lifetime. What truly heals is our capacity for authentic compassionate
love--in life, in death, and after. Healing our ancestry before leaving the body eases not only our transition but sets future
generations free from old stories held in our family systems.
Sharing her insights into God consciousness, our earth/ego mind, and the soul's journey through the Aite or bardos,
Phyllida's poetic words guide us toward the final ecstasy as the soul leaves its material form and enters the vast Universal
Heart of cosmic energy. Providing a deep spiritual understanding of the mysteries of death and the afterlife, this
courageous book combines Celtic and Christian wisdom to dispel the fear of dying and invites us to live consciously and
with love to our very last breath.
Critique: Drawing upon both Celtic and Christian traditions, The Last Ecstasy of Life: Celtic Mysteries of Death and
Dying is a metaphysical exploration of death as a transition of the soul's boundaries. Thoroughly accessible to readers of
all backgrounds, The Last Ecstasy of Life offers insights on how to help those who are dying, learning to accept death as
preparation for what lies beyond, sample Celtic blessings and poems, and much more. The Last Ecstasy of Life is a
comforting browse and resource for anyone going through the difficult process of saying goodbye to a loved one, or
confronting their own final days. It should be noted for personal reading lists that The Last Ecstasy of Life is also
available in a Kindle edition ($9.99).
Editorial Note: Phyllida Anam-Aire, a former Irish nun and therapist, who trained with Elisabeth Kubler-Ross, has
worked extensively with the sick and dying. She offers talks and Conscious Living, Conscious Dying retreats, and
teaches Celtic Gutha, Irish mourning songs.
Animal Medicine
Erika Buenaflor M.A., J.D.
Inner Traditions
www.innertraditions.com
9781591434115, $18.00 paperback
B08KQLR7XY, $12.99 Kindle
https://www.amazon.com/Animal-Medicine-Curanderismo-Shapeshifting-Journeying/dp/B097TVTJ6N
Synopsis: In this guide, Erika Buena or explores the animal mythologies, spirit journeying techniques, and shapeshifting
practices of ancient shamanic traditions and modern-day curanderismo. She examines how indigenous Mesoamerican
peoples used animals in their ceremonial healing and divination rites and explains the innate gifts and powers that
different animals embody. She explores why certain animals are associated with and provide access to the nonordinary
realms--the Underworld, Middleworld, and Upperworld--wherein deities, ancestors, supernatural beings, and medicine
can be connected with or obtained. The author explores shapeshifting practices in detail and the physical, emotional,
mental, and spiritual benefits we can gain by engaging in shapeshifting practices. She also explores how to strengthen our
connections with our spirit animal guides.
Offering an alphabetical guide to 76 animals most prevalent in ancient Mesoamerican legends, ceremonies, and
medicinal rites, the author details each animal's spiritual gifts, shapeshifting medicine, the realm they are associated with,
and their symbolic meaning when they appear in a dream or vision. Providing multiple methods to connect with animals
for spiritual guidance, self-empowerment, and healing, Buena or reveals how each of us can enrich our lives with ancient
Mesoamerican wisdom for working with animal guides.
Critique: Animal Medicine: A Curanderismo Guide to Shapeshifting, Journeying, and Connecting with Animal Allies is
an extraordinary, in-depth guide into Mesoamerican lore about animal spirit guides. Chapters explore the physical,
emotional, and spiritual benefits that ancient wisdom and animal guides can bring to everyday life. The shapeshifting
discussed transcends the physical realm to include etheric or astral shapeshifting, which can provide greater insight into
time-space connections. Animal Medicine is fascinating to browse, and highly recommended a welcome addition to
metatphysical studies collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that Animal Medicine is also available in a
Kindle edition ($12.99).
Editorial Note: Erika Buenaflor, M.A., J.D., has a master's degree in religious studies with a focus on Mesoamerican
shamanism from the University of California at Riverside. A practicing curandera for more than 20 years, descended
from a long line of grandmother curanderas, she has studied with curanders/os in Mexico, Peru, and Los Angeles and
gives presentations on curanderismo in many settings, including at UCLA. She lives in Tujunga, California.
The Infinite Staircase
Geoffrey A. Moore
BenBella Books
https://benbellabooks.com
9781950665983, $26.95 Hardcover
B0936NR667, $12.99 Kindle
https://www.amazon.com/Infinite-Staircase-Universe-Ethics-Mortality/dp/1950665984
Synopsis: Two questions fundamental to human existence have always been the metaphysical "where do I fit in the grand
scheme of things?" and the ethical "how should I behave?" Religion is no longer a source of answers for many people,
and nothing has replaced it.
Moore uses his signature framework-based approach to answer these questions, taking us on an intellectual roller coaster
ride through physics, chemistry, biology, the social sciences and the humanities. Along the way, he builds a metaphorical
ladder that leads from the big bang to the need for ethical action in our daily lives.
Combining an extraordinary range of scholarship with an accessible and entertaining writing style, The Infinite Staircase:
What the Universe Tells Us About Life, Ethics, and Mortality provides a coherent and unified platform for a full human
life.
Critique: The Infinite Staircase: What the Universe Tells Us About Life, Ethics, and Mortality is a blend of ethical
philosophy, social science, and metaphysics. Chapters discuss metaphysical elements amid the hard sciences of physics,
chemistry, and biology, the metaphysics of memes (ideas expressed in language that especially attractive and therefore
frequently spread and repeated), the essence of philosophical concepts such as morality or justice, and much more.
Written for both scholars and lay readers alike, The Infinite Staircase is a welcome contribution to personal and public
library Metaphysical Studies collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that The Infinite Staircase is also
available in a Kindle edition ($12.99).
Editorial Note: Geoffrey Moore is an author, speaker, and high-tech business advisor best known for his seminal book,
Crossing the Chasm, first published in 1990, still in print, having sold over a million copies, translated into over a dozen
languages, and still being required reading in most business schools. Since then he has published six other bestselling
business books and advised leading high-tech enterprises including Salesforce, Microsoft, Intel, Adobe, Autodesk, Box,
Airbnb, and Splunk. Moore has a bachelors degree in American literature from Stanford University and a PhD in English
literature from the University of Washington, where his dissertation was on strategies for living in Spenser's The Faerie
Queene. Subsequently, he taught literature, conceptual models, and writing for four years at Olivet College before
returning to the Bay Area to take up a career in business.
The Self-Help Shelf
How to Make Feeling Good Your Priority
Holly Rouillard Johnson
feelgoodmindset.net
Balboa Press
https://www.balboapress.com/en
9781982263195, $30.95 Hardcover
B08X6L4P8B, $5.99 Kindle
https://www.amazon.com/Make-Feeling-Good-Your-Priority/dp/1982263202
Synopsis: Holly Rouillard Johnson's path to make feeling good a priority manifested in her childhood and high school
years. She discovered running, which led her on a twenty-seven-time marathon journey starting at age thirty-four. She
credits her accomplishments in racing and life to her feel-good mentality, including a proven formula on sustaining a
feel-good state for as long as possible both along marathon courses and life's paths.
Throughout the years, her commitment to feeling good led her to coaching and helping others adapt more positive
mindsets and helping her heal and overcome injuries and balance the demands of professional and running careers along
with family and other interests. It also fueled her courage to deal with adversity as an athlete and in life. This feel-good
commitment enables her to embrace every setback as an opportunity to learn, grow, and evolve, principles and practices
she shares in How to Make Feeling Good Your Priority.
Shifting the law of attraction in a positive direction, Johnson gives practical advice, guiding you in making the right
choices and shifting how you approach your day by thinking and focusing on what will make you feel good and happy.
Johnson insists you can choose how you want to feel around your kids, your spouse, at work, at the gym, on a run, or
simply how you approach each day. When you feel good, the world seems like a better place.
Critique: How to Make Feeling Good Your Priority: A Marathoner's Journey to a Feel-Good State is a self-help and self-
improvement guide that emphasizes the power of achieving and maintaining a positive emotional state. Anecdotes and
psychological exercises (as well as reminders of the uplifting emotional benefits of physical exercise) illuminate the
practical-minded wisdom of How to Make Feeling Good Your Priority. Highly recommended! It should be noted for
personal reading lists that How To Make Feeling Good Your Priority is also available in a Kindle edition ($5.99).
Editorial Note: Holly Rouillard Johnson has worked in the marketing and public relations field for more than thirty years
as a consultant; co-owner of two successful PR, marketing, design, and photography firms; and founder of her own
running and fit life coaching business, Runner's Mindset. Johnson has run twenty-seven marathons starting at age
thirty-four. She qualified for the Boston Marathon twenty times and ran six. This is her first book.
Permission Granted
Regina Louise
https://www.iamreginalouise.com
New World Library
https://newworldlibrary.com
9781608687268, $16.95 pbk / $9.99 Kindle
https://www.amazon.com/Permission-Granted-Strategies-Bootstrap-Unconditional/dp/1608687260
Synopsis: Get ready to discover and implement practical, fierce, and fun ways to manifest your desires in every personal
and professional sphere. With verve and heart, Permission Granted illustrates proven paths from "you couldn't possibly"
to "just watch me!" You'll begin to deeply understand who you are and what you have been through, moving toward
self-compassion and learning to give yourself the care and support you may have lacked.
Critique: Permission Granted: Kick-Ass Strategies to Bootstrap Your Way to Unconditional Self-Love lives up to its title
as a self-help guide to giving oneself compassion, care, and support. Chapters discuss positive strategies such as
composing a "permission statement", getting to know one's "inner child", cognitive behavior therapies oriented toward
cultivating courage, and more. An index rounds out this inspirational and emotionally uplifting resource. It should be
noted for personal reading lists that Permission Granted is also available in a Kindle edition ($9.99).
Editorial Note: Regina Louise is a sought-after speaker, teacher, coach, and author. Her writing and advocacy work have
been recognized with numerous awards. The Lifetime movie I Am Somebody's Child was based on her bestselling
memoirs. Currently a Hoffman Process teacher, she leads workshops and speaks frequently throughout the country. She
lives in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Who Do You Want to Be When You Grow Old?
Richard J. Leider and David Shapiro
Berrett-Koehler Publishers
www.bkconnection.com
9781523092451, $19.95 hardcover
B08N9M24LN, $9.99 Kindle
https://www.amazon.com/Who-You-Want-When-Grow/dp/1523092459
Synopsis: Everyone is getting old; not everyone is growing old. But the path of purposeful aging is accessible to all - and
it's fundamental to health, happiness, and longevity.
With a focus on growing whole through developing a sense of purpose in later life, Who Do You Want to Be When You
Grow Old? celebrates the experience of aging with inspiring stories, real-world practices, and provocative questions.
Framed by a long conversation between two old friends, the book reconceives aging as a liberating experience that
enables us to become more authentically the person we always meant to be with each passing year.
In their bestseller Repacking Your Bags, Richard J. Leider and David A. Shapiro defined the good life as "living in the
place you belong, with people you love, doing the right work, on purpose." This book builds on that definition to offer a
purposeful path for living well while aging well.
Critique: Who Do You Want to Be When You Grow Old?: The Path of Purposeful Aging lives up to its title as a candid
and thoughtful reflection on aging as a positive an liberating experience. Chapters address both practical and spiritual
matters related to aging. Framed in the form of a conversation between two old friends, The Path of Purposeful Aging
provides a positive, inspirational, much-needed message, and is highly recommended. It should be noted for personal
reading lists that Who Do You Want to Be When You Grow Old? is also available in a Kindle edition ($9.99).
Editorial Note: Richard J. Leider is the founder of Inventure - The Purpose Company, whose mission is to help people
unlock the power of purpose. Widely viewed as a pioneer of the global purpose movement, Leider has written or
cowritten eleven books, including three bestsellers, which have sold over one million copies.
David A. Shapiro is a philosopher, educator, and writer whose work consistently explores matters of meaning, purpose,
and equity in the lives of young people and adults. He is a tenured philosophy professor at Cascadia College, a
community college in the Seattle area.
The Interior Design Shelf
A Century of Color in Design
David Harrison
Thames & Hudson
https://thamesandhudson.com
9781760761288 $34.95
https://www.amazon.com/Century-Color-Design-David-Harrison/dp/1760761281
Synopsis: Discover the dazzling history of color in design, from Bauhaus to Memphis and beyond. This collection of
furniture, fabric, and decorative objects shows how color has defined design over the last century.
The allure of color is time honored and undeniable, but its inspired use in product design is a relatively new
development.
More than a century ago the Bauhaus movement changed the use of color in design. After World War II, pigment-imbued
molded fiberglass Eames chairs allowed buyers to express their individuality through colorful seating, altering the way
we think about furniture. The Eames chairs of the 1950s symbolize the cultural intersection of design, technology, and
color that continues to influence designers to this day.
From the pale blue Anglepoise lamp to Marimekko's hot-red poppy print and the wine-red Bookworm Bookshelf, this
book includes classics, future classics, and equally exciting contemporary pieces. A Century of Color in Design delivers a
snapshot of twentieth-century history through the lens of design, exploring the origins and rationale behind the design
and colorization of some of the century's most iconic furniture and objects.
Critique: Showcasing full-color photography on virtually every page, A Century of Color in Design is an extraordinary
gallery of designs with an emphasis on how color influenced the creative philosophy shaping iconic decorations and
furniture. From the stylized "Bofinger Chair" to the irregularly patterned "Tropical Rug" to the eye-catching "Color Fall
Shelving", these interior design pieces by a wide variety of creators are featuring extraordinarily distinctive forms, only
sometimes at the expense of function. Every spotlighted item also has a descriptive paragraph about its aesthetics and
purpose, with particular emphasis on its color scheme. A Century of Color in Design is striking, inspirational browse,
especially recommended for aspiring and practicing interior designers.
The Sports Shelf
Skateboard History of the Rinky Dink
John P. Boyle
Independently Published
9781700379214, $5.50 Paper/$1.99 Kindle
https://www.amazon.com/Skateboard-History-Rinky-Dink-Boyle/dp/1700379216
Skateboard History of the Rinky Dink offers a narrow focus on the development of the Rinky Dink skateboard in the
1960s, and will delight skateboarders of all ages who harbor an interest in skateboard history and development. In
contrast to the usual focus on Southern California's focal point in this history, John P. Boyle expands his survey to focus
on how his skateboard concept was marketed throughout the country, and how it entered into popular youth culture to
become a coveted item. From the first national ads offering skateboards for sale from 28-year-old entrepreneur Johnny to
how his innovative manufacturing venture took off and captured the imagination of youth around the country, John P.
Boyle adopts a chatty tone and revealing approach to the history. This invites even non-skateboard readers to become
absorbed in the overall process of developing and marketing a creative business idea.
More than just a history of the Rinky Dink's development, however, this slim survey packs in a punch with its inviting
review of how author John P. Boyle's dream became a manufacturing reality, changing the nature of skateboarding itself.
The author manufactured and sold over a million Rinky Dink skateboards, but in 1961 he was still not taken seriously by
those he approached with business opportunity suggestions. Nobody else is in the special position of this author to
explore this particular process. No other book focuses on the Rinky Dink's development and marketing - but more
importantly, no other book provides such a close inspection of the process. These elements make Skateboard History of
the Rinky Dink recommended not just for sports collections, but business holdings looking to appeal to an audience of
young innovators who harbor their own development dreams, and want to better understand the road that leads to
success.
Foul Ball
Jim Bouton
Turner Publishing Company
https://turnerbookstore.com
9781684426416, $42.99 Hardcover
https://www.amazon.com/Foul-Ball-Jim-Bouton/dp/1684426413
Synopsis: For the first time in two decades, enjoy Foul Ball as never before with freshly edited content and a new
foreword from Jim Bouton's wife, Paula.
With his trademark wit and distinctive voice, Bouton recounts his battle against the local elites' efforts to replace one of
the oldest parks in the United States against the wishes and votes of local citizens. But Foul Ball is more than just a lively
romp about saving an old ballpark near Bouton's home in Massachusetts.
In a detailed diary - his first since Ball Four - Bouton takes us along on his wild ride, into the teeth of corporate
malfeasance, anti-democratic processes, the tyranny of a one-newspaper town, and the real reason why the good old boys
wanted to build a new stadium.
Critique: Now in a new edition with freshly edited content and a brand new foreword by the author's wife, Foul Ball: My
Life and Hard Times Trying to Save an Old Ballpark is the memoir of a major league pitcher and his efforts to preserve a
local Massachusetts ballpark, in tandem with the desires and votes of local citizens. Foul Ball reveals how this one,
contested issue is a window into corporate wrongdoing, and the tyranny of monied elites who seek to exert their will on
the backs of taxpayers. An index rounds out this sobering look at the dark intersection between sports and crony
capitalism, highly recommended for both personal and public library collections.
Editorial Note: Jim Bouton was a major league pitcher for the New York Yankees, Seattle Pilots, Houston Astros and
Atlanta Braves. His book, Ball Four, was entered into evidence at the decisive arbitration hearing that led to free-agency
in baseball, and the New York Public Library included it as one of its Books of the Century.
The Political Science Shelf
The Dignity of Labour
Jon Cruddas
Polity
politybooks.com
9781509540792, $19.95
https://www.amazon.com/Dignity-Labour-Jon-Cruddas/dp/1509540792
Synopsis: Does work give our lives purpose, meaning and status? Or is it a tedious necessity that will soon be abolished
by automation, leaving humans free to enjoy a life of leisure and basic income?
In this erudite and highly readable book, Jon Cruddas MP argues that it is imperative that the Left rejects the siren call of
technological determinism and roots it politics firmly in the workplace. Drawing from his experience of his own
Dagenham and Rainham constituency, he examines the history of Marxist and social democratic thinking about work in
order to critique the fatalism of both Blairism and radical left techno-utopianism, which, he contends, have more in
common than either would like to admit. He argues that, especially in the context of COVID-19, socialists must embrace
an ethical socialist politics based on the dignity and agency of the labour interest.
This timely book is a brilliant intervention in the highly contentious debate on the future of work, as well as an ambitious
account of how the left must rediscover its animating purpose or risk irrelevance.
Critique: What do Blairism (a reference to policies resembling those of Britain's former prime minister Tony Blair, who
emphasized privatization, deregulation, and continued anti-union laws) and radical left techno-utopianism have in
common? Both take a fatalistic approach against proposals to benefit the working class, argues author and politician Jon
Cruddas. The Dignity of Labour is Cruddas' treatise arguing that Britain's Labour Party must lead the way to improved
well-being for the nation's workers. Cruddas studies the history of Marxist and social democratic philosophy about work,
as well as the modern-day context of the COVID-19 pandemic, and emphasizes the importance of crafting socialist
policies grounded in moral ethics and the innate dignity of work itself. The Dignity of Labour is thought-provoking,
critical, candid, grounded in real-life experiences drawn from Cruddas' working-class constituents, and highly
recommended.
Editorial Note: Jon Cruddas is the Labour Member of Parliament for Dagenham and Rainham.
The Biography Shelf
Jungle Jean
Geralyn Gendreau
Precision House Publications
https://junglejean.com
9781736791417, $19.95
https://www.amazon.com/Jungle-Jean-Transformed-Parenting-Continuum/dp/1736791435
Jean Liedloff lived with indigenous tribes in the Amazon rainforest in 1950s and 60s. Her observations led to her write
The Continuum Concept, which still holds a powerful place in educator and sociology studies decades later. Her theories
about early parent/child connections with mother's body during infancy led to key changes in how parent/child
relationships are fostered. It seems unlikely that such a lifestyle and such a powerful theory could stem from a Manhattan
socialite, but Liedloff was no ordinary society girl. Particularly intriguing is her pattern of distancing from relationships
even as she explored the foundations of the most central relationship of all, living with and befriending indigenous
peoples.
With Liedloff's full cooperation, Geralyn Gendreau explored this lifelong resistance to intimacy both with her subject and
in this authorized biography. This becomes a subplot in the book, increasing the strength of the story. The friendship
between these two women makes for a fascinating note and a book that could not have been as well-detailed and
explored by an outsider. Jungle Jean reads with the drama of a novel. This will particularly delight biography readers
who might have anticipated a dry, fact-filled account. Gendreau's ability to inject life into the biography makes for a
particularly engrossing, insight-packed discussion that embraces not just details, but Liedloff's underlying motivation and
the influences on life.
Combine this attention to detail with the personal touches and descriptive flair of a writer who was both intellectually
and emotionally involved with her subject makes for a thoroughly engrossing read. The book is very accessible not just to
those familiar with Liedloff's pioneering work, but to newcomers to her world who seek solidly compelling reads about
adventurous, influential women. Jungle Jean is very highly recommended for parenting, sociology, anthropology,
women's biography, and general-interest collections alike!
Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave
Frederick Douglass, author
Scott C. Williamson, introduction
Mercer University Press
https://www.mupress.org
9780881467925, $16.00 paperback
https://www.amazon.com/Narrative-Frederick-Douglass-American-Diaspora/dp/0881467928
Synopsis: "Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass" is a memoir on abolition written by Frederick Douglass. It is held
to be the most famous of a number of narratives written by former slaves during the 19th century. In factual detail, the
text describes the events of his life and is considered to be one of the most influential pieces of literature to fuel the
abolitionist movement of the early 19th century in the United States.
Frederick Douglass (1818-1895) was an African-American social reformer, abolitionist, orator, writer, and statesman.
After escaping from slavery in Maryland, he became a national leader of the abolitionist movement in Massachusetts and
New York, gaining note for his dazzling oratory and incisive antislavery writings.
Critique: Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave is the autobiography of Frederick Douglass
(1818-1895) an African-American slave who escaped bondage and became a leader of the abolitionist movement.
Frederick Douglass expressed his condemnation of slavery particularly from bitter personal experience, and was well-
known for his talented oratory and his fierce antislavery writings. His testimony is as vivid and profound today as it was
when first written in 1845, and remains an enduring American classic work. Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass,
an American Slave is a "must" for both college and public library biography collections, highly recommended.
The Art Shelf
Windows on Worlds: International Collections at Indiana University
Patrick O'Meara, Leah K. Peck
Indiana University Press
iupress.org
9780253054937, $30.00 Hardcover
B085SX7BYV, $19.08 Kindle
https://www.amazon.com/Windows-Worlds-International-Collections-University/dp/0253054931
Synopsis: Indiana University Bloomington houses exceptional materials from nearly every continent. Windows on
Worlds: International Collections at Indiana University takes readers on a visual journey through IU's collections like
never before. Ranging in works as diverse as painting, sculpture, costume, rare manuscripts, musical instruments, and
much more the museums, institutes, collections, and other holdings on IU's flagship campus provide unique engagement
opportunities for students, researchers, and members of the public.
Windows on Worlds showcases the unique and unexpected items from collections across the Bloomington campus, such
as the Boulle clock in the Federal Room of the Indiana Memorial Union; the Burmese headdresses in the Mathers
Museum of World Culture (now the IU Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology); the fish-shaped coffin in the Sidney
and Lois Eskenazi Museum of Art; the rare manuscripts and puzzles of the world-famous Lilly Library; and, finally, new
additions on campus like the IU Metz Carillon.
Brimming with beautiful photographs, this book offers readers insight into an extraordinary number of cultures and
societies through IU's collections.
Critique: Windows on Worlds: International Collections at Indiana University is an extraordinary showcase of world-
spanning, multicultural art displayed in collections at Indiana University's Bloomington campus. From clothing and
jewelry, to literature (including a copy of Shakespeare's First Folio), statues, music and instruments, cinematic
memorabilia and more, Windows on Worlds embraces myriad forms of art, and accompanies each full-color exhibit
photograph with a descriptive passage of text. Windows on Worlds is a wondrous and captivating browse, highly
recommended for both personal and public library artbook collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that
Windows on Worlds is also available in a Kindle edition ($19.08).
Editorial Note: Patrick O'Meara is Special Advisor to the Indiana University President, Vice President Emeritus, and
Professor of Public and Environmental Affairs and Political Science. O'Meara greatly expanded the range and depth of
international involvement at IU over the years, and has published extensively in global and international affairs.
Leah K. Peck worked with Patrick O'Meara while she earned her Ph.D. at Indiana University. Before coming to IU, she
had several years of experience in university administration in Minnesota. Her research focuses on international
development in higher education and various aspects of university internationalization efforts.
The Language Studies Shelf
The Origin of Language
Henry Kellerman, PhD.
American Mental Health Foundation
americanmentalhealthfoundation.org
9781590566091, $135.00 Hardcover
9781590566107, $30.00 paperback
https://www.amazon.com/Origin-Language-Henry-Kellerman-PhD/dp/1590566092
Synopsis: In this book, language is seen as embedded in the infant's universe of emotion. Thus, language is seen as innate
and is understood as representing prototype emotions implemented at birth, and connected to a brain-wired
attachment-need. The overarching power-theme of it all - including primacy of emotion with respect to language, along
with the importance of attachment-need - is identified and defined in detail, especially as it concerns the organizational
power of a person's basic-wish. This is where the center, the core of the interaction between emotion, attachment, and
language-origin, is revealed - that is, with respect to the relative success-index of the person's basic-wish. Such a
basic-wish is what gives shape and meaning to the person's entire personality. Thus, the psycho/biological underpinning
of The Origin of Language is that of an evolutionary view of the entire arena of the origin of language and its suffusion in
the primary emotions and primary behavioral prototypes found at all phylogenetic levels.
Critique: The Origin of Language presents psychologist Dr. Henry Kellerman's theories concerning the preverbal
language of infants, and the acquisition of language during brain development in young children. The core themes
revolve around the connections between the development of language and the development of emotions. The specific
emotions of Joy, Sorrow, Expectation, Surprise, Anger, and Fear and their interplay with language development are
especially scrutinized. A list of references, an index of authors, and an index of subjects round out this highly technical
treatise, written especially for researchers and practitioners in the field. The Origin of Language is especially
recommended for college library Psychology and Language Studies collections.
Editorial note: Spanning a 60-year career in the field of mental health, Dr. Henry Kellerman has held professional
academic appointments in the psychology doctoral programs at several universities and clinical appointments at mental
hospitals. In addition, he was the director of the psychology internship program at the Postgraduate Center for Mental
Health in New York City, where he was also a training analyst and senior supervisor in the center's Psychoanalytic
Institute. He holds fellow status in the American Psychological Association, the American Group Psychotherapy
Association, and the Academy of Psychoanalysis, and is a Diplomate in Clinical Psychology and Psychoanalysis, of the
American Board of Professional Psychology. Dr. Kellerman's books published by the American Mental Health
Foundation include: Personality: How it Forms; Anatomy of Delusion; There's No Handle on My Door: Stories of
Patients in Mental Hospitals; Psychotherapeutic Traction: Uncovering the Patient's Power-Theme and Basic-Wish;
Group Psychotherapy and Personality: A Theoretical Model; and Curing Psychological Symptoms.
The LGBT Studies Shelf
Outlove: A Queer Christian Survival Story
Julie Rodgers
1517 Media
https://www.1517.media
9781506464046, $24.99 hc / $16.59 Kindle
https://www.amazon.com/Outlove-Queer-Christian-Survival-Story/dp/1506464041
Synopsis: After decades of bouncing between hope and despair, Evangelical, Baptist-raised Julie Rodgers found herself
making a powerful public statement that her former self would have never said: "I support same-sex marriage in the
church."
When Rodgers came out to her family as a junior in high school, she still believed that God would sanctify her and
eventually make her straight. Wanting so intensely to be good, she spent her adolescent and early adult years with an
ex-gay ministry, praying for liberation from her homosexuality. In Outlove Rodgers details her deeply personal journey
from a life of self-denial in the name of faith to her role in leading the take-down of Exodus International, the largest
ex-gay organization in the world, to her marriage to a woman at the Washington National Cathedral. Through one
woman's intimate story, we see the larger story of why many have left conservative religious structures in order to claim
their truest identity.
Outlove is about love and losses, political and religious power-plays, and the cost to those who sought to stay in a faith
community that wouldn't accept them. Shedding light on the debate between Evangelical Christians and the LGBTQ
community--a battle that continues to rage on in the national news and in courtrooms across the country--this book
ultimately casts a hopeful vision for how the church can heal.
Critique: Outlove: A Queer Christian Survival Story is a profound, personal testimony of a deeply religious woman and
her call for the need to support same-sex marriage. Author Julie Rodgers spent years as an adolescent and an adult trying
to change her own sexuality by associating with an ex-gay ministry. She learned that prayer could not change her sexual
orientation. All denial could do was destroy any opportunity of finding love and happiness with a partner. Her story of
leaving the ex-gay ministry, and of the harm that anti-LGBT sentiment and policies cause Evangelical Christians, holds
out an inspirational ray of hope - hope that one day the church can reform and accept same-sex love. Outlove is a choice
pick for personal and public library LGBT Studies collections, highly recommended. It should be noted for personal
reading lists that Outlove is also available in a Kindle edition ($16.59).
Editorial Note: Julie Rodgers is a writer, speaker, and leader in the movement working for full inclusion for LGBTQ
people in Christian communities. She played a significant role in shutting down Exodus International, the largest
conversion therapy organization in the world, and she was also the first openly gay person to be hired by an evangelical
Christian college. She is featured in Pray Away (2020), a documentary about the movement to pray the gay away. Her
writing has been featured in Sojourners, The New York Times, The Washington Post, and Time.
The Genealogy Shelf
The Founding Mothers of Mackinac Island
Theresa L. Weller
Michigan State University Press
http://msupress.org
9781611863956, $32.95
https://www.amazon.com/Founding-Mothers-Mackinac-Island-Agatha/dp/1611863953
Synopsis: Drawing on a wide array of historical sources, Theresa L. Weller provides a comprehensive history of the
lineage of the seventy-four members of the Agatha Biddle band in 1870. A highly unusual Native and Metis community,
the band included just eight men but sixty-six women. Agatha Biddle was a member of the band from its first
enumeration in 1837 and became its chief in the early 1860s. Also, unlike most other bands, which were typically made
up of family members, this one began as a small handful of unrelated Indian women joined by the fact that the US
government owed them payments in the form of annuities in exchange for land given up in the 1836 Treaty of
Washington, DC.
In this volume, the author unveils the genealogies for all the families who belonged to the band under Agatha Biddle's
leadership, and in doing so, offers the reader fascinating insights into Mackinac Island life in the nineteenth century.
Critique: The Founding Mothers of Mackinac Island: The Agatha Biddle Band of 1870 lists genealogical information
about the Agatha Biddle band, a community of Native American and Metis (people who were of mixed indigenous and
European ancestry) of eight men and sixty-six women, many of whom were not family. One common factor among
members of the band was that the US government owed them annuity payments for land yielded in the 1836 Treaty of
Washington DC. The text of The Founding Mothers of Mackinac Island is concise, yet clearly details major life events to
members of the band and their offspring. Notes and a bibliography round out this welcome addition to genealogy
collections.
Editorial Note: Theresa L. Weller has been published in Michigan's Habitant Heritage, St. Ignace News, and the
Mackinac Island Town Crier. She is a member of the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians.
The Economic Studies Shelf
Why Trust Matters
Benjamin Ho
Columbia University Press
https://cup.columbia.edu
9780231189606, $35.00 Hardcover
B08L9QBKTZ, $19.24 Kindle
https://www.amazon.com/Why-Trust-Matters-Economists-Guide/dp/0231189605
Synopsis: Have economists neglected trust? The economy is fundamentally a network of relationships built on mutual
expectations. More than that, trust is the glue that holds civilization together. Every time we interact with another person
- to make a purchase, work on a project, or share a living space - we rely on trust. Institutions and relationships function
because people place confidence in them. Retailers seek to become trusted brands; employers put their trust in their
employees; and democracy works only when we trust our government.
Benjamin Ho reveals the surprising importance of trust to how we understand our day-to-day economic lives. Starting
with the earliest societies and proceeding through the evolution of the modern economy, he explores its role across an
astonishing range of institutions and practices. From contracts and banking to blockchain and the sharing economy to
health care and climate change, Ho shows how trust shapes the workings of the world. He provides an accessible account
of how economists have applied the mathematical tools of game theory and the experimental methods of behavioral
economics to bring rigor to understanding trust. Bringing together insights from decades of research in an approachable
format, Why Trust Matters shows how a concept that we rarely associate with the discipline of economics is central to
the social systems that govern our lives.
Critique: Why Trust Matters: An Economist's Guide to the Ties That Bind Us is a scholarly treatise on a nebulous yet
crucial aspect of economic studies - the unquantifiable quality of trust, sometimes also known as social capital. The
ability to trust that an institution will continue to function, that the bank will safely hold one's money, that employees will
not sabotage their employers, and more is critical to continued economic function. Why Trust Matters scrutinizes the
invisible glue of trust in fine detail, drawing upon decades of research to make salient points. Highly recommended,
especially for public and college library Economic Studies collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that
Why Trust Matters is also available in a Kindle edition ($19.24).
Editorial Note: Benjamin Ho is an associate professor of economics at Vassar College and a faculty affiliate for the
Center for Global Energy Policy at Columbia University. He was also lead energy economist at the White House Council
of Economic Advisers.
The Theatre/Cinema/TV Shelf
The Truth at Twenty-Four Frames per Second
Anthony Slide
BearManor Media
bearManormedia.com
9781629337401, $24.00
https://www.amazon.com/Truth-Twenty-Four-Frames-Second-Anthology/dp/1629337404
Synopsis: Collected together here are Anthony Slide's writings on film and television history from the 1960s through the
present. Subjects and individuals discussed are varied, including Lillian Gish, Val Guest, Vivienne Segal, Wendy
Richard, Elisabeth Welch, Lawrence Welk, and Betty White. All illustrate the author's scholarship, dedication to the
serious study of the history of popular culture, and also his unique sense of humor.
The book is a reminder of a career that has included time spent as resident film historian of the Academy of Motion
Picture Arts and Sciences and associate archivist of the American Film Institute. It complements Anthony Slide's work as
the author or editor of more than 200 books on the history of Popular Entertainment.
Critique: The Truth at Twenty-Four Frames per Second: An Anthology of Writings on Film History collects author and
film historian Anthony Slide's insights into film and television history from the 1960's to the present day. From
ruminations on horror films and the production code in the 1930's and 40's, to contemplations of specific films such as
"Giuseppina" and "Thursday's Children", to candid thoughts on actors and directors, and more, The Truth at Twenty-Four
Frames per Second is a treasure for cinephiles to browse. Highly recommended!
The Criminology Shelf
Giovanni's Ring
Giovanni Rocco with Douglas Schofield
Chicago Review Press
chicagoreviewpress.com
9781641603508 $27.99 hc / $14.99 Kindle
https://www.amazon.com/Giovannis-Ring-Life-Inside-Sopranos/dp/164160350X
Synopsis: Giovanni's Ring is the story of "Giovanni Rocco," a New Jersey police officer, known undercover as
"Giovanni Gatto," who was the mysterious agent at the epicenter of Operation Charlie Horse, a federal undercover
operation that ultimately brought down ten members and associates of New Jersey's DeCavalcante Mafia family, the
criminal organization known as "the real Sopranos."
Giovanni spent nearly three years working his way into the DeCavalcante hierarchy. That lethal assignment brought the
undercover operation to an end in March 2015, and the resulting string of high-profile arrests eviscerated the criminal
organization.
Giovanni's Ring is not simply a chronicle of Giovanni Rocco's adventures in the murky and dangerous Mafia world he
inhabited, but also a fascinating window into the psychological struggles that such a life inevitably entails.
Critique: Giovanni's Ring: My Life Inside the Real Sopranos is extraordinary story of an undercover police officer who
infiltrated New Jersey's DeCavalcante Mafia crime family, colloquially known as "the real Sopranos". He spent nearly
three years among them, and was crucial to a string of arrests that crippled the organization. Afterward, he retired from
law enforcement and moved to a hidden location with his family. Giovanni's Ring is intense, stressful, and an eye-
opening glimpse into a dark world of contraband goods, warehouse robberies, truck hijackings, drug trafficking, and
more. Thoroughly accessible to lay readers and criminology scholars alike, Giovanni's Ring is an invaluable addition to
public and college library collections, highly recommended. It should be noted for personal reading lists that Giovanni's
Ring is also available in a Kindle edition ($14.99).
What Happened to Paula
Katherine Dykstra
W. W. Norton & Company
https://wwnorton.com
9780393651980, $26.95
B08L6YYFVN, $9.32
https://www.amazon.com/What-Happened-Paula-Death-American/dp/0393651983
Synopsis: July 1970. Eighteen-year-old Paula Oberbroeckling left her house in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Four months later,
her remains were discovered just beyond the mouth of a culvert overlooking the Cedar River. Her homicide has never
been solved.
Fifty years cold, Paula's case had been mostly forgotten when journalist Katherine Dykstra began looking for answers. A
woman was dead. Why had no one been held responsible? How could the powers that be, how could a community, have
given up? Tracing Paula's final days, Dykstra uncovers a girl whose exultant personality was at odds with the Midwest
norms of the late 1960s. A girl who was caught between independence and youthful naivete, between a love that defied
racially segregated Cedar Rapids and her complicated but enduring love for her mother, and between a possible
pregnancy and the freedoms that had been promised by the women's liberation movement but that still had little practical
bearing on actual lives. The more Dykstra learned about the circumstances of Paula's life, the more parallels she saw in
the lives of the women who knew Paula and the women in Paula's family, in the lives of the women in Dykstra's own
family, and even in her own life.
Captivating and expertly crafted from interviews with Paula's family and friends, police reports, and on-the-scene
investigation, What Happened to Paula is part true crime story, part memoir, a timely and powerful look at gender,
autonomy, and the cost of being a woman.
Critique: What Happened to Paula: On the Death of an American Girl examines the true crime story behind a young
woman whose 1970 homicide was never solved. Paula single, estranged from her impoverished mother, and possibly
pregnant when she died. Her body was too decayed to determine the cause of death when discovered, but evidence of
bindings on the corpse made it clear that foul play was involved. What Happened to Paula is not only the story exploring
theories about the crime that ended Paula's life; it also reflects on other true crime stories with women as their victims,
including rape and rape-murder stories, and on the burdensome costs of being born in a female body. What Happened to
Paula is sobering, insightful, and a highly recommended addition to both true crime and women's issues collections. It
should be noted for personal reading lists that What Happened to Paula is also available in a Kindle edition ($9.32).
Editorial Note: Katherine Dykstra is a writer, editor, and teacher. Her essays have been published in the Washington
Post, Poets & Writers, and Real Simple, among other periodicals. She lives with her husband and two children in New
Jersey.
The Chicago Cub Shot For Love
Jack Bales
Arcadia Publishing
www.arcadiapublishing.com
www.historypress.com
9781467148481, $21.99 paper
B094X2TFYQ, $12.99 Kindle
https://www.amazon.com/Chicago-Cub-Shot-Love-Showgirls/dp/1467148482
Synopsis: In the summer of 1932, with the Cubs in the thick of the pennant race, Billy Jurges broke off his relationship
with Violet Popovich to focus on baseball. The famously beautiful showgirl took it poorly, marching into his hotel room
with a revolver in her purse. Both were wounded in the ensuing struggle, but Jurges refused to press charges. Even
without their star shortstop, Chicago made it to the World Series, only to be on the wrong end of Babe Ruth's legendary
Called Shot. Using hundreds of original sources, Jack Bales profiles the lives of the ill-fated couple and traces the ripple
effects of the shooting on the Cubs' tumultuous season.
Critique: The Chicago Cub Shot For Love: A Showgirl's Crime of Passion and the 1932 World Series is the true story of
a violent incident that impacted the Chicago Cubs baseball team close to a century ago. While the Cubs were competing
to enter the World Series, Cubs player Billy Jurges abruptly ended his relationship with the beautiful showgirl Violet
Popovich. She reacted bitterly to the rejection, and brought a revolver to Jurges' hotel room. Both Popovich and Jurges
were wounded in the resulting altercation; Jurges refused to press charged. The Chicago Cub Shot for Love examines the
repercussions of the crime on the Cubs, which made it to the World Series that year but did not win. A handful of vintage
black-and-white photographs and extensive notes enrich this historical analysis, meticulously researched yet written to be
thoroughly accessible to readers of all backgrounds. Highly recommended to baseball history and true crime enthusiasts
alike! It should be noted for personal reading lists that The Chicago Cub Shot For Love is also available in a Kindle
edition ($12.99).
Editorial Note: Jack Bales' lengthy career in librarianship included more than forty years at the University of Mary
Washington in Fredericksburg, Virginia. He has published books as well as numerous articles and essays for books,
journals, magazines, literary encyclopedias and newspapers. He is a member of the Society for American Baseball
Research, and his initial research on the 1932 shooting of Chicago Cub Billy Jurges appeared in the fall 2016 issue of the
Baseball Research Journal. "The Show Girl and the Shortstop: The Strange Saga of Violet Popovich and Her Shooting of
Cub Billy Jurges" won the McFarland-SABR Baseball Research Award in 2017. His in-depth history of the early
Chicago Cubs, titled Before They Were the Cubs: The Early Years of Chicago's First Professional Baseball Team, was
published in 2019 by McFarland. Bales retired in 2020 as Reference and Humanities Librarian Emeritus at UMW.
James A. Cox, Editor-in-Chief
Diane C. Donovan, Editor
Midwest Book Review
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Oregon, WI 53575-1129
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