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Table of Contents
Reviewer's Choice
Of Love And War
Angela Wanhalla
University of Nebraska Press
www.nebraskapress.unl.edu
9781496205100, $55.00, HC, 252pp
https://www.amazon.com/Love-War-Pacific-Brides-Studies/dp/1496205103
Synopsis: Between 1942 and 1945 more than two million servicemen occupied the southern Pacific theater, the majority of
whom were Americans in service with the U.S. Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marines. During the occupation, American
servicemen married approximately 1,800 women from New Zealand and the island Pacific, creating legal bonds through
marriage and through children. Additionally, American servicemen fathered an estimated four thousand non-marital
children with Indigenous women in the South Pacific Command Area.
With the publication of "Of Love and War: Pacific Brides of World War II" Professor Angela Wanhalla details the
intimate relationships forged during wartime between women and U.S. servicemen stationed in the South Pacific, traces
the fate of wartime marriages, and addresses consequences for the women and children left behind.
Paying particular attention to the experiences of women in New Zealand and in the island Pacific (including Tonga, Fiji,
Samoa, and the Cook Islands) "Of Love and War" illuminates the impact of global war on these women, their families, and
Pacific societies.
Professor Wanhalla also argues that Pacific war brides are an important though largely neglected cohort whose experiences
of U.S. military occupation expand our understanding of global war. By examining the effects of American law on the
marital opportunities of couples, their ability to reunite in the immediate postwar years, and the citizenship status of any
children born of wartime relationships, Professor Wanhalla makes a significant contribution to a flourishing scholarship
concerned with the intersections between race, gender, sexuality, and militarization in the World War II era.
Critique: A unique and seminal contribution to personal, professional, community, and college/university library World
War II Pacific Theatre military history collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists, "Of Love and War: Pacific
Brides of World War II" is an impressively meticulous and exceptionally well written, organized and presented study that
will be of paramount value to readers with an interest in the sociology of marriage/family, indigenous peoples studies, and
the role of women in war. Of special note is the inclusion of a number of illustrations, a sixteen page Bibliography, thirty-
six pages of Notes, and a thirteen page Index. For students, academia, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in
the subject that "Of Love and War: Pacific Brides of World War II" it should also be noted that there is also a digital book
format (Kindle, $52.25) edition available as well.
Editorial Note: Angela Wanhalla (Ngai Te Ruahikihiki, Ngai Tahu) is Professor of History at the University of Otago, New
Zealand. She is also the co-author of He Reo Wahine: Maori Women's Voices from the Nineteenth Century and author of
Matters of the Heart: A History of Interracial Marriage in New Zealand, winner of the Ernest Scott Prize for best book in
Australian and New Zealand history in 2014.
The Social Issues Shelf
The Jail is Everywhere
Jack Norton, author
Lydia Pelot-Hobbs, author
Judah Schept, author
Verso
www.versobooks.com
9781804291313, $19.95, PB, 208pp
https://www.amazon.com/Jail-Everywhere-Fighting-Geography-Incarceration/dp/1804291315
Synopsis: Nearly every county and major city in the United States has a jail, the short-term detention center controlled by
local sheriffs that funnels people into prisons and long-term incarceration. While the growing movement against
incarceration and policing has called to reform or abolish prisons, jails have often gone unnoticed, or in some cases seen as
a "better" alternative to prisons."
Yet jails, in recent decades, have been the fastest-growing sector of the US incarceration state. Jails are widely used for
immigrant detention by ICE and the U.S. Marshals and as a place to offload people that prisons can't hold. As jails grow,
they transform the region around them, and whole towns and small cities see health care, mental health care, substance
abuse, and employment opportunities taken over by incarceration concerns.
If jails are everywhere, resistance to jails is too. The recent jail boom has sparked a wealth of local activist struggles to
resist and close jails all across the United States, from rural counties to major cities.
"The Jail is Everywhere: Fighting the New Geography of Mass Incarceration" brings these disparate voices together, with
contributions from activists, scholars, and expert journalists describing the effects of this quiet jail boom, mapping the
growth of the carceral state, and sharing strategies from recent fights against jail construction to strengthen struggles
against jailing everywhere.
Critique: A seminal and ground-breaking study that will have particular value to readers with an interest in Criminology,
Human Rights Law, and incarceration reform, "The Jail is Everywhere: Fighting the New Geography of Mass
Incarceration" is an essential, core, and unreservedly recommended addition to personal, professional, community, and
college/university library collections. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of students, academia, jail/prison
reform political activists, governmental policy makers, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject
that "The Jail is Everywhere: Fighting the New Geography of Mass Incarceration" is also available in a digital book format
(Kindle, $9.99) as well.
Editorial Note #1: Jack Norton is Assistant Professor of Criminal Justice at Governors State University.
Editorial Note #2: Lydia Pelot-Hobbs is an Assistant Professor of Geography and African American & Africana Studies at
the University of Kentucky, and author of Carceral Crisis: Punitive State Power, Racial Capitalism, and Struggles for
Abolition Democracy in Louisiana.
Editorial Note #3: Judah Schept is a Professor in the School of Justice Studies at Eastern Kentucky University. He is the
author of Coal, Cages, Crisis: The Rise of the Prison Economy in Central Appalachia and Progressive Punishment: Job
Loss, Jail Growth, and the Neoliberal Logic of Carceral Expansion.
We're All Neurodiverse
Sonny Jane Wise
Jessica Kingsley Publishers, Inc.
www.jkp.com
9781839975783, $18.95, PB, 224pp
https://www.amazon.com/Were-All-Neurodiverse-Neurodiversity-Affirming-Neuronormativity/dp/1839975784
Synopsis: "We're All Neurodiverse" is an affirming and thoughtful guide that effectively outlines how and why we need to
fundamentally shift our thinking about neurodivergent people. We need to accept differences rather than framing them as a
problem, abnormality or disorder. Welcome to the neurodiversity paradigm.
At times challenging and radical, with the publication of "We're All Neurodiverse" is a framework for understanding
human brain function and mental illness. It argues that diversity in human cognition is normal and that some conditions
classified as mental disorders are differences and disabilities that are not necessarily pathological. ", Sonny Jane Wise
explores the intersections of neurodivergence with disability, gender, sexuality and race. Through interviews, narratives,
and the lens of their own raw experiences, they consider how current systems and structures that impact neurodivergent
people are rooted in outdated capitalist and racist frameworks, and how these need to change and adapt to be
neurodiversity affirming.
Sonny Jane's words are a rallying cry to challenge the pathology paradigm. They offer nine principles for facilitating
change, reflected in deeply personal stories from the neurodivergent community. Powerful and persuasive, "We're All
Neurodiverse" is a clarion call for a kinder and more neurodiversity affirming society.
Critique: Neurodiversity is a framework for understanding human brain function and mental illness. It argues that diversity
in human cognition is normal and that some conditions classified as mental disorders are differences and disabilities that
are not necessarily pathological. "We're All Neurodiverse" is a seminal study that will have immense value to both
medical/psychology professionals, parents of children with neurological pathologies and gender identification issues, as
well as non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject. Exceptionally 'reader friendly' in organization and
presentation, "We're All Neurodiverse" is especially and unreservedly recommended for personal reading lists, as well as
community and college/university library parenting of children with disabilities collections and supplemental curriculum
lists.
Editorial Note: Sonny Jane Wise (www.livedexperienceeducator.com) is a non-binary, disabled and neurodivergent
advocate based in Australia. Sonny were diagnosed as a child and grew up only hearing a deficit narrative. Since then, their
mission has been to change the narrative on neurodiversity and neurodivergence as an internationally recognized public
speaker, author and creator.
The International Studies Shelf
Belonging, Identity, and Conflict in the Central African Republic
Gino Vlavonou
University of Wisconsin Press
www.uwpress.wisc.edu
9780299345709, $89.95, HC, 256pp
https://www.amazon.com/Belonging-Identity-Conflict-Central-Republic/dp/029934570X
Synopsis: Political conflict in many parts of the world has been shaped by notions of who rightfully belongs to a place. The
concept of autochthony (that a true, original people are born of a land and belong to it above all others) has animated
struggles across post-colonial Africa. But is this sense of rootedness from time immemorial necessary to assertions of
original being and thus political supremacy?
With the publication of "Belonging, Identity, and Conflict in the Central African Republic" by Gino Vlavonou (a Program
Officer at the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada) deftly examines how political conflict unfolds
when the language of autochthony is detached from historical land claims.
Focusing on violent struggles in the Central African Republic between 2012 and 2019, Vlavonou explores the social
practices, discursive strategies, and government policies that emerged in the relentless project of African state
building.
Conflict and power struggles pitted Christian-animist communities, loosely organized as vigilante groups under the name
anti-Balaka, against Muslim rebels known as the Seleka. Fighters of the anti-Balaka claimed that they were autochthonous,
the "true Central Africans," reframing their Muslim neighbors as foreigners to be expelled.
While the country had previously witnessed episodes of violence, both peoples had lived together relatively peacefully and
intermarried. The speed and ferocity with which identity was weaponized puzzled many observers.
To understand this phenomenon, Vlavonou probes autochthony as a category of identity that differs from ethnicity in
important ways. He argues that elites and ordinary citizens alike mobilize the language of original belonging as "identity
capital," a resource to be deployed. The value of that capital is lodged in what people say and do every day to give meaning
to their identity, and its content changes across time and space.
Critique: An impressively original, seminal, and ground-breaking work of exhaustive research and meticulous scholarship,
Gino Vlavadnou's "Belonging, Identity, and Conflict in the Central African Republic" from the University of Wisconsin
Press also includes a number of figures and tables, as well as eighteen pages of Notes, a twenty-two page listing of
Resources, and an eighteen page Index. Of special and particular value to readers with an interest in 20th & 21st Century
national building in Central Africa, "Belonging, Identity, and Conflict in the Central African Republic" is a welcome and
exceptionally informative contribution to personal, professional, and college/university library Central African
International Studies collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists.
The Education Shelf
The Working Classroom
Matt Bromely, author
Andy Griffith, author
Crown House Publishing
www.crownhousepublishing.com
9781785836985, $24.95, PB, 220pp
https://www.amazon.com/Working-Classroom-School-Working-Class-Students/dp/1785836986
Synopsis: Collaboratively co-authored by Matt Bromley and Andy Griffith, "The Working Classroom: How to make
school work for working-class students" from the Crown House Publishing Company offers practical strategies and tools
to help secondary schools address the needs of working-class students, including by building cultural capital and designing
more engaging learning.
Schools do amazing work to support children from disadvantaged backgrounds. But "The Working Classroom" will enable
them to do even more. Disadvantage comes in many forms, but cultural poverty, where some students have relative
knowledge gaps compared with their more affluent peers, can be addressed successfully by schools. What "The Working
Classroom" does is to explore how working-class students are disadvantaged by a flawed system and what schools can do
to close the gap.
Written by two experienced authors with a deep understanding of the challenges that poverty and low aspiration can bring,
and a passion for social justice, "The Working Classroom" also examines how and why we must seek systemic changes.
The focuses is on actions within the control of teachers and school leaders which will ensure that we create a socially just
education system -- one that builds on the rich heritage of the working-class, rather than seeing their background as a
weakness. "The Working Classroom" offers practical ways for students and families to build on the best of working-class
culture, whilst also empowering teachers, students and parents to change the system.
"The Working Classroom" will provide teachers with useful methods to improve the cultural capital of students from
disadvantaged backgrounds that can be easily replicated and implemented in their own setting. Backed up by practical case
studies that have a proven impact in schools with high levels of deprivation, "The Working Classroom" will enable
teachers to audit their current provision and encourage them to adopt new systems and practices so that they, and the wider
school, will have a greater impact on the lives of working-class students and their families.
Critique: Deftly written, expertly organized, and thoroughly 'reader friendly' in style and presentation, "The Working
Classroom: How to Make School Work for Working-Class Students" is an ideal DIY instructional 'how-to' guide for both
teachers and leaders in a secondary school or sixth form college settings who seek to support social change in education
and anyone in the corporate or non-education world who wants to practice effective altruism or philanthropy. While
unreservedly recommended for personal, professional, school district, and college/university library Educational Theory &
Practice collections and Teacher Education curriculum syllabus, "The Working Classroom" is also available in a digital
book format (Kindle, $23.70).
Editorial Note #1: Matt Bromley is an education journalist, author, and advisor with twenty five years' experience in
teaching and leadership including as a secondary school headteacher and academy principal, further education college vice
principal, and multi-academy trust director.
Editorial Note #2: Andy Griffith is the director of MALIT and MALIT Community Learning. He is an award winning
trainer and the creator of high-impact training courses for leaders, teachers and students.
Creating a Reading Culture in Primary and Secondary Schools
Margaret K. Merga
Facet Publishing
www.facetpublishing.co.uk
9781783306398, $52.95, PB, 222pp
https://www.amazon.com/Creating-Reading-Culture-Primary-Secondary/dp/1783306394
Synopsis: A critically important question for parents and teachers is -- Does your school encourage a life-long love of
reading?
Children who identify as readers are three times more likely to have good mental wellbeing. A reading culture that
permeates a school can transform it into a space where reading is supported, encouraged, normalised and valued.
"Creating a Reading Culture in Primary and Secondary Schools: A Practical Guide" by Margaret K. Merga will help
teachers and librarians to: Advocate for the importance of a whole-school reading culture with recent research in this field;
Select from a number of research-supported strategies underpinning a whole-school reading culture to tailor your school's
approach according to resourcing and priorities; Develop a clear trajectory for building and sustaining stakeholder
engagement and resourcing, including securing external funding for related initiatives; Plan and manage a multi-faceted
approach to enable real change within your school.
Drawing on the Margare Merga's internationally-recognized experience in this field, "Creating a Reading Culture in
Primary and Secondary Schools: A Practical Guide" will be essential reading for anyone looking to develop reading in
schools.
Critique: Exceptionally well written, expertly organized, and throughly 'reader friendly' in presentation and style, "Creating
a Reading Culture in Primary and Secondary Schools: A Practical Guide" is an extraordinarily informative study that is
especially and unreservedly recommended for personal, professional, school district, and college/university library Reading
Education collections and curriculum studies syllabus. It should be noted that "Creating a Reading Culture in Primary and
Secondary Schools: A Practical Guide" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $50.30).
Editorial Note: Margaret K. Merga PhD; MEd; GradDipEd; BA(Hons), is the founder of Merga Consulting and consults
with schools, professional associations and governmental departments on educational policy and program issues.
(www.researchgate.net/profile/Margaret-Merga-2)
Classroom Assessment Essentials
Susan M. Brookhart
ASCD
www.ascd.org
9781416632528, $32.95, PB, 186pp
https://www.amazon.com/Classroom-Assessment-Essentials-Susan-Brookhart/dp/1416632522
Synopsis: Classroom assessment is a vital part of teaching. It helps make student learning (or a lack thereof) visible so that
teachers can adjust teaching practices and better support learners. But designing and implementing reliable assessments is a
complex process.
"Classroom Assessment Essentials" is comprehensive book by assessment expert Professor Susan M. Brookhart. In this
instructional guide Professor Brookhart covers the foundational concepts and practical skills necessary to be successful
with classroom assessment. Organized into 21 essentials, "Classroom Assessment Essentials " addresses everything from
using pre-assessment before starting new lessons to communicating with parents about their child's academic growth.
Additionally, classroom educators will discover how to:
* Create clear learning targets and success criteria based on standards.
* Provide meaningful feedback to students about progress toward goals.
* Involve students in the regulation of their own learning.
* Use homework to check for understanding.
* Decide on instructional follow-up based on formative assessment data.
* Make accommodations for students with IEPs and support equity and fairness.
* Design performance tasks for individuals and groups.
* Craft rubrics and design classroom tests.
With strategies that support high-quality assessment, tips and troubleshooting advice, and examples across subject areas
and grade levels, "Classroom Assessment Essentials" will help to make effective assessment a cornerstone of any public or
private K-12 classroom.
Critique: An ideal textbook for school district in-service training workshops, "Classroom Assessment Essentials" is
impressively comprehensive, exceptional well written, and thoroughly 'user friendly' in both organization and presentation.
Simply stated, "Classroom Assessment Essentials" is the only assessment book novice and experienced K - 12 teachers
alike will need in order to effectively monitor and maximize student learning. While unreservedly recommended for
professional, school district, and college/university library Education Assessment and Teaching Training collections and
supplemental curriculum studies lists, it should be noted for student teachers, academia, classroom teachers, school district
administrators, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "Classroom Assessment Essentials" is
also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $23.99).
Editorial Note: Susan M. Brookhart (https://susanbrookhart.com/about) is Professor Emerita in the School of Education at
Duquesne University and an independent educational consultant working with schools, districts, regional educational
service units, universities, and states doing professional development. She was the 2007 - 2009 editor of Educational
Measurement: Issues and Practice and is currently an associate editor of Applied Measurement in Education. She is also
the author or co-author of numerous books on classroom assessment, teacher professional development, and evaluation.
Brookhart has been named the 2014 Jason Millman Scholar by the Consortium for Research on Educational Assessment
and Teaching Effectiveness and is the recipient of the 2015 Samuel J. Messick Memorial Lecture Award.
Research Handbook on Migration and Education
Halleli Pinson, Nihad Bunar, and Dympna Devine, editors
Edward Elgar Publishing
www.e-elgar.com
9781839106354, $345.00, HC, 586pp
https://www.amazon.com/Research-Handbook-Migration-Education-Handbooks/dp/1839106352
Synopsis: Collectively compiled and co-edited by the team of Halleli Pinson, Nihad Bunar, and Dympna Devine,
"Research Handbook on Migration and Education" significantly contributes to the shaping of education and migration as a
distinct field of research. It is forward-looking Research Handbook from Edward Elgar Publishing that explores
cross-cutting questions on the range of challenges facing education systems, migrant children and students today.
Covering an impressive range of local, national and educational contexts, the contributors to the "Research Handbook on
Migration and Education" explore the diverse case studies, educational initiatives, approaches and policies that have been
developed to support migrant and mobile students, educational professionals and schools.
Diverse chapters offer a broad understanding of the multifaceted nature of global migration today, exploring varied
theoretical and methodological perspectives, and examining the educational challenges and opportunities presented by
migration.
The "Research Handbook on Migration and Education" ultimately stresses the importance of interdisciplinary research into
the complex phenomenon of global migration and its impact on education systems and the educational trajectories of
migrant children.
Students and scholars in the fields of education, migration, childhood studies and globalization studies will find the
"Research Handbook on Migration and Education" to be an invaluable reference. Its wide range of case studies on different
educational provisions designed to support migrant children in schools will further benefit educational practitioners and
policymakers.
Critique: Comprised of thirty-six articles deftly organized and presented in five major sections, informatively enhanced for
the reader with the inclusion of a twelve page listing of the contributors and their credentials, and featuring a twenty-two
page Index, the "Research Handbook on Migration and Education" must be considered an essential, significant, and core
addition to personal, professional, governmental, and college/university library Global Migration/Education reference
collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists.
Editorial Note #1: Halleli Pinson, is part of the School of Education, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Israel.
(https://www.humanmovement.cam.ac.uk/directory/halleli-pinson)
Editorial Note #2: Nihad Bunar (https://www.su.se/profiles/nbuna-1.188149) is part of the Department of Special
Education, Stockholm University, Sweden.
Editorial Note #3: Dympna Devine (https://people.ucd.ie/dympna.devine) is part of the School of Education, University
College Dublin, Ireland.
The Health/Medicine Shelf
All Bleeding Stops: Life and Death in the Trauma Unit
Stephen M. Cohn, M.D.
Mayo Clinic Press
https://mcpress.mayoclinic.org
9798887700632, $26.99, HC, 256pp
https://www.amazon.com/All-Bleeding-Stops-Death-Trauma/dp/B0BQYMD91N
Synopsis: For all the awe-inspiring medical stories we might hear and the hospital dramas that dominate the ratings on
television, most of us have no conception of the daily, Herculean efforts of trauma surgeons. A good trauma surgeon must
be a conductor presiding over an orchestra of healthcare providers as their patients cling to life by a thread. They are also a
steely quarterback who can't be rattled when they throw an interception -- lingering on a past failure would only ruin their
ability to care for the next patient, and the next. They have an encyclopedic knowledge of medical science and are
practiced in the art of instinctively reacting to whatever emergency comes flying at them on a stretcher, in addition to doing
anything they can to comfort patients' distraught families and friends.
"All Bleeding Stops: Life and Death in the Trauma Unit" by Dr. Stephen M. Cohn gives readers an intimate look at what
goes on inside a trauma center, highlighting injuries sustained in car crashes, shootings, and stabbings -- basically anything
bleeding, obstructed, or perforated. Having lived and breathed trauma for four decades, Dr. Cohn is an ideal guide to
demystify the role of the trauma surgeon and their place in a hospital. He pulls back the curtain to clarify such questions
as:
1. What exactly is a trauma surgeon, and what does one do?
2. How does a trauma center function, and what really goes on in the operating room?
3. How do you mold a medical student into a surgeon who can stay cool and act decisively when a patient's life hangs in
the balance?
His answers are infused with sobering tales from his career as a military surgeon and in trauma centers across the country
as well as his descriptions of high-profile medical stories.
Critique: Inherently fascinating, impressively informative, exceptionally well written, organized and presented, "All
Bleeding Stops: Life and Death in the Trauma Unit" is enhanced for the reader's benefit with the inclusion of four pages of
Notes and a six page Index. Unreservedly recommended for, and of particular value to, personal, professional, and
college/university library Health & Medical and Medical Practitioner Biography/Memoir collections and supplemental
Emergency Medicine Services curriculum studies, it should be noted that "All Bleeding Stops: Life and Death in the
Trauma Unit" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $12.99).
Editorial Note: Stephen Cohn, M.D., is a former surgeon in the U.S. Army Medical Corp in Desert Storm, past Division
Chief of Trauma and Surgical Critical Care at Yale University School of Medicine, past Medical Director of the Ryder
Trauma Center in Miami, past Chairman of the Department of Surgery at the University of Texas Health Science Center,
and current practitioner in New York City. He has also lent his knowledge as an educator and researcher, having produced
more than 300 scientific publications, edited eight surgical textbooks, conducted extensive funded research, participated in
many professional organizations, and served as an editorial reviewer for numerous journals. He is the recipient of Teacher
of the Year awards at Boston University, University of Massachusetts, Yale, and Northwell Health and a Lifetime
Achievement in Education award from the University of Miami Department of Surgery.
The Psychology Shelf
Footprints of Schizophrenia
Steven Lesk, MD
Prometheus Books
c/o Rowman & Littlefield Publishing Group
www.rowman.com
9781633889286, $28.95, HC, 256pp
https://www.amazon.com/Footprints-Schizophrenia-Evolutionary-Mental-Illness/dp/1633889289
Synopsis: Of all the mental illnesses, schizophrenia eludes us the most. No matter the strides scientists have made in
neurological research nor doctors have made in psychiatric treatment, schizophrenia remains misunderstood, almost
complacently mythologized. Without a reason for the illness, patients feel even more alienated than they already do,
families are left hopeless, and doctors struggle to provide accurate care.
Dr. Steven Lesk, though, after a medical career dedicated to those affected by schizophrenia and a determination to find the
answer to its existence, presents "Footprints of Schizophrenia: The Evolutionary Roots of Mental Illness", describing and
explaining a groundbreaking theory that will forever change the lives of the mentally ill.
In "Footprints of Schizophrenia: The Evolutionary Roots of Madness", Dr. Lesk threads evolutionary evidence with
neurological evidence, turning the mysteries of our minds into a tapestry of logic. With his breakthrough theory and this
unprecedented book, Dr. Lesk will invite necessary cultural dialogue about this stigmatized illness, provoke new
psychiatric and pharmacological research, and provide unequivocal comfort to those afflicted and affected by
schizophrenia.
Dr. Lesk's "primitive organization theory" is based in human evolution, from Neanderthals to Homo sapiens, and the
specific changes to our brains after the emergence of language. We have existed in human-like form for six million years,
but we've only had language for 50,000; within the vast span of evolutionary time, that's hardly any time at all.
Additionally, Dr. Lesk elucidates us to the hormones affected by language, especially dopamine, and with brilliant clarity,
connects human evolution, our brain affected by language, and those with schizophrenia whose dopamine doesn't flow in
our new, adaptive way. In other words, the twenty million people who have schizophrenia in the world don't suppress
dopamine in the way evolution has trained us, so their brains don't process language well and function as if they're in a
hallucinatory, delusional dream state.
Not only will Dr. Lesk's theory focus treatment efforts for schizophrenia, but it will also affect that of other
dopamine-related mental illnesses like Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, Huntington's chorea, Tourette's, ADD, and more.
Publishing Lesk's work will usher in a new era of psychiatric understanding, one that the field and the public desperately
needs.
Critique: An inherently fascinating, challenging, comprehensive, informed and informative study, "Footprints of
Schizophrenia: The Evolutionary Roots of Mental Illness" by Dr. Steven Lask will prove of immense interest to medical
professionals and non-specialist general readers who have an inerest in medical/psychological pathologies in general, and
schizophrenia in particular. Exceptionally and impressively written, organized and presented, "Footprints of
Schizophrenia" is especially and unreservedly recommended for personal, professional, community, and college/university
library Popular Psychology collections and supplemental Schizophrenia curriculum studies lists.
Editorial Note: A practicing psychiatrist for thirty-seven years, past Director of Inpatient Psychiatric Services and chairman
at the Brooklyn VA Hospital, and assistant professor at the hospital's affiliated medical school, Dr. Steven Lesk has a life
of experience observing and treating the mentally ill. His commitment to patients and the subject extends beyond
complacency with the existing knowledge of schizophrenia; with well-supported investigation, he pioneered new, better
knowledge. (https://stevenleskmd.com)
A Brain for Innovation
Min W. Jung
Columbia University Press
https://cup.columbia.edu
9780231213363, $35.00, HC, 240pp
https://www.amazon.com/Brain-Innovation-Neuroscience-Imagination-Abstract/dp/0231213360
Synopsis: What sets humans apart from other animals? Perhaps more than anything else, it is the capacity for innovation.
The accumulation of discoveries throughout history, big and small, has enabled us to build global civilizations and gain
power to shape our environment. But what makes humans as a species so innovative?
With the publication of "A Brain for Innovation: The Neuroscience of Imagination and Abstract Thinking" Professor Min
W. Jung offers a new understanding of the neural basis of innovation in terms of humans' exceptional capacity for
imagination and high-level abstraction. He provides an engaging account of recent advances in neuroscience that have shed
light on the neural underpinnings of these profoundly important abilities. Professor Jung examines key discoveries
concerning the hippocampus and neural circuits that have demystified the processes underlying imagination and abstract
thinking. He also considers how these capacities might have evolved as well as possible futures for intelligence.
Bringing together disparate findings in neuroscience, psychology, anthropology, and artificial intelligence, "A Brain for
Innovation" develops a unified perspective on the mechanisms of imagination, abstract thought, and creativity. Presenting
cutting-edge neuroscientific research in a way that is accessible to readers without a background in the subject, "A Brain
for Innovation" from the Columbia University Press is essential reading for anyone interested in the biological basis of one
of the most fundamental aspects of human nature.
Critique: Informatively enhanced for the reader's benefit with the inclusion of two Appendices (Dentate Gyrus & Value-
Coding Neurons), twenty-two pages of Notes, a twenty-page Bibliography, and a nine page Index, "A Brain for Innovation:
The Neuroscience of Imagination and Abstract Thinking" will prove of immense value for both professional and non-
professional readers with an interest in Cognitive Neuroscience & Neuropsychology. Exceptionally well written, organized
and presented, and also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $19.24), "A Brain for Innovation" is a seminal study that
is unreservedly recommended for personal, professional, community, and college/university library Psychology collections
and supplemental Neuroscience curriculum studies lists.
Editorial Note: Min W. Jung is a vice director of the Center for Synaptic Brain Dysfunctions at the Institute for Basic
Science in South Korea and a professor in the Department of Biological Sciences at the Korea Advanced Institute of
Science and Technology. He received his PhD from the University of California, Irvine. His primary interests are the
neural mechanisms of memory, imagination, and decision making.
Neurocomputational Poetics
Arthur M. Jacobs
Anthem Press
www.anthempress.com
9781839987700, $110.00, HC, 288pp
https://www.amazon.com/Neurocognitive-Poetics-Literature-Bibliotherapy-Well-Being/dp/1839987707
Synopsis: With the publication of "Neurocomputational Poetics: How the Brain Processes Verbal Art ", Professor Arthur
Jacobs introduces the new and thrilling field: Neurocomputational Poetics. The is the scientific combination of cognitive
poetics, data science and neuroscience.
The goal of neurocomputational poetics is to uncover the secrets of verbal art reception and to explain how readers come to
understand and like literary texts. For centuries, verbal art reception has been considered too subjective for quantitative
scientific studies and till date many scholars in the humanities and neurosciences alike view literary reading as too
complex for accurate computational prediction of the neuronal, experiential and behavioural aspects of reader responses to
texts.
"Neurocomputational Poetics: How the Brain Processes Verbal Art " will change this view in the field of cognitive
psychology.
Critique: Enhanced for the reader's benefit with the inclusion of an informative Introduction, sixteen pages of Notes, and a
fourteen page Index, "Neurocomputational Poetics: How the Brain Processes Verbal Art" is a seminal and ground-breaking
work that will hold a special interest for psychology students, researchers and practitioners in the field of cognitive
psychology and verbal communications. Expertly written, organized and presented, as well as being readily available in a
digital book format (Kindle, $37.99), "Neurocomputational Poetics: How the Brain Processes Verbal Art" is unreservedly
recommended as a significant addition to personal, professional, clinical, and college/university library Cognitive
Psychology/Verbal Communications collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists.
Editorial Note: Arthur Jacobs is Professor of Experimental and Neurocognitive Psychology at Freie Universitat Berlin
(FUB). He is also the co-author of more than 250 scientific publications in the fields of reading research, psycholinguistics,
affective neuroscience and neurocognitive poetics, among which is "Gehirn und Gedicht" (Brain and Poetry, 2011; with R.
Schrott). (https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=0QFr5KEAAAAJ)
Decolonizing Therapy
Jennifer Mullen, PsyD
W. W. Norton & Company
www.wwnorton.com
9781324019169, $43.99, HC, 480pp
https://www.amazon.com/Decolonizing-Therapy-Oppression-Historical-Politicizing/dp/1324019166
Synopsis: An essential work that centers colonial and historical trauma in a framework for healing, "Decolonizing
Therapy: Oppression, Historical Trauma, and Politicizing Your Practice" by Jennifer Mullan, Psy.D illuminates that all
therapy is (and always has been) inherently political.
To better understand the mental health oppression and institutional violence that exists today, we must become familiar
with the root of disembodiment from our histories, homelands, and healing practices. Only then will readers see how
colonial, historical, and intergenerational legacies have always played a role in the treatment of mental health.
"Decolonizing Therapy" is the emotional companion and guide to decolonization. It is an invitation for Eurocentrically
trained clinicians to acknowledge privileged and oppressed parts while relearning what we thought we knew. Ignoring
collective global trauma makes delivering effective therapy impossible; not knowing how to interrogate privilege (as a
therapist, client, or both) makes healing elusive; and shying away from understanding how we as professionals may be
participating in oppression is irresponsible.
Critique: Expertly organized and presented, impressively enhanced for the reader's benefit with the inclusion of 15 B/W
figures, 2 tables, a 26 page listing of Practitioner Resources, a 12 page Glossary, a 28 page list of References, and a 23
page Index, "Decolonizing Therapy: Oppression, Historical Trauma, and Politicizing Your Practice" is a clarion call to
action for all professional therapists to politicize their practice through an emotional decolonial lens. While unreservedly
recommended as a critically important addition to professional and college/university library Popular Psychology &
Pathology collections and supplemental curriculum lists, it should be noted for the personal reading lists of students,
academia, practitioners, and non-specialist general readers with an interest PTSD counseling that "Decolonizing Therapy"
is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $22.99).
Editorial Note: Jennifer Mullen, Psy.D (https://www.decolonizingtherapy.com) created the Decolonizing Therapy
Instagram in December 2017, which has since grown a large, enthusiastic following and profoundly shifted the world's
understanding of therapy and mental health. She continues to lead the charge - challenging how therapists are educated and
how they practice. Dr. Mullan has educated thousands of therapists, psychologists, social workers, and helpers as they
UNLEARN & UNDO colonial & Eurocentric methods of helping. Dr. Mullan received her doctorate in clinical
psychology from California Institute of Integral Studies, and Master's in Counseling & Community Agencies from New
York University. Through her research, teaching, therapy, personal and professional experiences, she developed expertise
in anti-oppressive practices in clinical practice child & adolescent wellness & trauma; community mental health; the
politicization of mental health; intergenerational & historical trauma transmission; ancestral healing; energy medicine;
family dynamics and personal development; sacred rage as medicine; and peer support & supervision.
LATER: The Neurophysiology of Decision-Making
Roger H. S. Carpenter, author
Imran Noorani, author
Cambridge University Press
www.cambridge.org
9781108827041, $59.99, HC, 190pp
https://www.amazon.com/LATER-Roger-H-S-Carpenter/dp/1108827047
Synopsis: Why is deciding to do something sometimes so slow and difficult? How do we make decisions when lacking key
information? When making decisions, the higher areas of the brain deliberately suppress lower areas capable of generating
much faster but ill-considered responses while they develop ones that are more sophisticated, based on what can be gained
in return.
With the publication of "LATER: The Neurophysiology of Decision-Making", co-authors Roger H. S. Carpenter and Imran
Noorani explore the increasingly popular neural model that may explain these mechanisms: the linear approach to
threshold ergodic rate (LATER).
Presenting a detailed description of the neurophysiological processes involved in decision-making and how these link to
the LATER model, this is the first major resource covering the applications in describing human behavior. With over 100
illustrations and a thorough discussion of the mathematics supporting the model, "LATER: The Neurophysiology of
Decision-Making" is a rigorous yet accessible resource for psychologists, cognitive neuroscientists and neurophysiologists
interested in decision-making.
Critique: A seminal work of meticulous and detailed scholarship, "LATER: The Neurophysiology of Decision-Making" is
especially and unreservedly recommended for personal, professional, college and university library Neuroscience,
Neurology, and Psychology collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists. It should be noted for students,
academia, practitioners, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "LATER: The
Neurophysiology of Decision-Making" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $54.84) as well.
Editorial Note #1: Roger H. S. Carpenter was formerly Professor of Oculomotor Physiology, University of Cambridge and
Tutor, Registrar and Director of Studies in Medicine, Gonville & Caius College. He was the creator of EPIC (the
Experimental Physiology Instrumentation Computer) and NeuroLab, a set of interactive demonstrations on the working of
the human brain. He was an influential scientist and passionate teacher of neurophysiology, collaborating with Dr Noorani
on the project before his death in 2019. Professor Carpenter made lasting contributions to the field of neurophysiology and
is widely regarded as an exceptional mentor by a plethora of his former students.
Editorial Note #2: Imran Noorani is a Neurosurgery NIHR Clinical Lecturer at University College London (Institute of
Neurology). He worked closely with Professor Carpenter to advance the LATER model to more complex decision
processes in the laboratory, such as antisaccades. Dr Noorani has won multiple awards for his research, including the
European Association of Neurosurgical Societies Award for Best Laboratory Research 2020, and in addition to clinical and
research interests, has a strong interest in teaching undergraduates.
The American History Shelf
Fighting for a Free Missouri
Sydney Norton
University of Missouri Press
https://upress.missouri.edu
9780826222923, $55.00, HC, 328pp
https://www.amazon.com/Fighting-Free-Missouri-Immigrants-Americans/dp/0826222927
Synopsis: The state of Missouri is well-known for its German American heritage, but the story of nineteenth-century
German immigrant abolitionists is often neglected in discussions of the state's history.
"Fighting for a Free Missouri: German Immigrants, African Americans, and the Issue of Slavery" is a collection of ten
original essays by Sydney Norton that relate to what unfolded when idealistic Germans, many of whom were highly
educated and devoted to the ideals of freedom and democracy, left their homeland and settled in a pre-Civil War slave
state.
Fleeing political persecution during the 1830s and 1840s, immigrants such as Friedrich Munch, Eduard Muhl, Heinrich
Boernstein, and Arnold Krekel arrived in the area now known as the Missouri German Heritage Corridor in hopes of
finding a land more congenial to their democratic ideals. When they witnessed the state of enslaved Blacks, many of them
became abolitionist activists and fervent supporters of Abraham Lincoln and the Union in the emerging Civil War.
Critique: Expertly compiled and edited by Sydney Norton, he and the other contributing authors to "Fighting for a Free
Missouri: German Immigrants, African Americans, and the Issue of Slavery" deftly explore the Germans' abolitionist
mission, their relationships with African Americans, and their activity in the radical wing of the Republican Party.
Markedly enhanced for the reader with an informative Foreword by Gary R. Kremer, a four page listing of the contributors
and their credentials, and a nine page Index, "Fighting for a Free Missouri" is a seminal work of collective scholarship and
an unreservedly recommended addition to personal, professional, community, and college/university library 19th Century
American History collections in general, and Missouri History curriculum studies lists in particular. It should be noted for
the personal reading lists of students, academia, historians, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject
that "Fighting for a Free Missouri" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $52.25) as well.
Editorial Note: Sydney Norton is an independent scholar and the director of German Language Solutions, a company that
specializes in language teaching, translation, and cultural programming. Her publications include exhibition catalogs and
journal articles on contemporary German art and literature, the performing and visual arts of the Weimar Republic, and
German immigrants in Missouri.
The World History Shelf
History of the Caucasus: In the Shadow of Great Powers
Christoph Baumer
I. B. Tauris Publishers
www.ibtauris.com
c/o Bloomsbury Press
https://www.bloomsbury.com/us
9780755636280, $48.00, HC, 384pp
https://www.amazon.com/History-Caucasus-Shadow-Great-Powers/dp/0755636287
Synopsis: "In the Shadow of Great Powers" is the second volume of Christoph Baumer's "History of the Caucasus". It
covers the period from the Seljuk domination of the Southern Caucasus around 1050 CE to the present day.
After the Kingdom of Georgia's golden age of independent power and cultural blossoming in the 12th and early 13th
centuries, the Caucasus was overrun by the Mongols and soon disintegrated into innumerable smaller kingdoms,
principalities and khanates.
At the same time, an Armenian kingdom in exile maintained a precarious independence in Cilicia, today's southern Turkey,
by applying a three-way diplomatic policy balanced between the Mongol Il-Khanate, the Crusader states and, to a lesser
degree, the Mameluke Empire.
Then followed four centuries during which the highly fragmented polities of the North and South Caucasus became
political pawns of the regional great powers, above all the Ottomans, Iran and Russia.
In the wake of World War I the South Caucasus enjoyed a short-lived independence whereas its northern neighbours were
engulfed by the Russian civil wars. But by 1921 the Soviet Union had re-established Russian dominance over the whole
region and, from a Western perspective, the region 'disappeared' behind the Iron Curtain.
Nevertheless, the Caucasian nations kept their pronounced identities even under Soviet rule, giving rise at the dissolution
of the Soviet Union to a number of internecine conflicts. Whereas the Russian Federation managed to maintain its
supremacy over the North Caucasus (albeit at the cost of bloody wars and insurrections) Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia
succeeded in more or less gaining control over their destiny. Of these three republics, only Azerbaijan secured a
wide-ranging independence thanks to its fossil fuel resources.
Following Russian interference, Georgia lost control over two of its provinces while Armenia remains dependent on
Russian support in the face of its notoriously antagonistic relations with neighboring Azerbaijan and Turkey over the
unresolved issue of Karabakh.
"In the Shadow of Great Powers" includes some 200 full-colour images and maps which further bring the turbulent history
of this region to light.
Critique: This large format (9.8 x 1.3 x 11.7 inches, 5.15 pounds) hardcover edition of Christoph Baumer's "History of the
Caucasus: Volume 2: In the Shadow of Great Powers" from I. B. Taurus Publishers is profusely illustrated throughout in
full color and extensively enhanced for the reader with the inclusion of an Appendix (Chronology of the Most Important
Caucasian Dynasties), eighty-two pages of Notes, an eleven page Bibliography, a one page listing of Maps, and three
Indexes (Concepts; People; Places). Exceptionally well written, organized and presented, "History of the Caucasus:
Volume 2: In the Shadow of Great Powers" is especially and unreservedly recommended for personal, professional,
community, and college/university library Caucasus History collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists.
Editorial Note: Christoph Baumer (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christoph_Baumer) is a Swiss explorer and historian of
Central Asia. Starting in 1984, he has conducted explorations in Central Asia, China, Tibet and the Caucasus, the results of
which have been published in numerous books, scholarly publications, TV and radio programs.
Road to Civil War, 1625-1642: The Unexpected Revolution
Timothy Venning
Pen & Sword Books
c/o Casemate (US distribution)
www.casematepublishers.com
https://www.penandswordbooks.com
9781399055888, $49.95, HC, 304pp
https://www.amazon.com/Road-Civil-War-1625-1642-Unexpected/dp/1399055887
Synopsis: With the publication of "Road to Civil War, 1625-1642: The Unexpected Revolution", author and historian
Timothy Venning presents a revisionist history showing a gradual build-up of opposition and a drift to conflict which few
expected or wanted. And this was despite growing Stuart absolutism, threats to Parliament and the accepted civil order and
religious controversy.
It is also a forensic study, replete with fascinating and even unexpected details, principal actors come to life and readers
will feel involved in an existential crisis of the British state(s).
"Road to Civil War, 1625-1642: The Unexpected Revolution" is also an important study of the three Kingdoms covers the
major themes of religious dispute with Laud, Wentworth and Strafford - towering figures - church reform, 'godly' religions
and explosion of 'news' and pamphlets, the King and Lords and Commons, the Queen's, often suspect influence, King
Charles' absolutism and rigidity, and iconic events like the Grand Remonstrance, arrest of the Five Members, Charles'
departure from London and the raising of the Royal Standard for war.
Critique: Impressive, informative, exceptional, and enhanced for the reader's benefit with the inclusion of a seven page
Bibliography, nineteen pages of Notes, and a five page Glossary, "Road to Civil War, 1625-1642: The Unexpected
Revolution" is a seminal, groundbreaking, and unreservedly recommended for personal, professional, community, and
college/university library 17th Century British History collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists. It should be
noted for students, academia, historians, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "Road to
Civil War, 1625-1642: The Unexpected Revolution" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $22.49).
Editorial Note: Timothy Venning is a specialist in the English- British Civil Wars and in the history and biography of the
17th century. He has a particular interest in the history of Parliament and also Irish history. An established author, he has
contributed to New Dictionary of National Biography. (https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/Timothy-Venning/a/2052)
The British Heroic Age: A History, 367-664
Flint F. Johnson
McFarland & Company
https://mcfarlandbooks.com
9780786495221, $29.95, PB, 284pp
https://www.amazon.com/British-Heroic-Age-History-367-664/dp/0786495227
Synopsis: Drawing on historical documents, legends, archeology and literature, "The British Heroic Age: A History,
367-664" is history by Flint F. Johnson who describes the disintegration of Roman Britain that reached a climax in the
decades after the Britons overthrew Constantine's government and were refused Roman rule.
Beginning with the weakening of Roman Britain, Flint chronicles the breakdown of the empire's social, political and
economic order and the re-emergence of British political, economic and social structure as well as a parallel development
among the Germanic invaders.
Also examined are the roles of religion, disease, the military, the Irish and the Picts during the 4th through 7th centuries.
"The British Heroic Age: A History, 367-664" is a study that synthesizes advances in post-Roman studies since Leslie
Alcock's 1971 classic "Arthur's Britain".
Critique: Impressively enhanced for the reader's benefit with the inclusion of an Appendix (The Vortigern Figure), a three
page Chronology: 367-664, a two page Glossary, a five page Guide to Period Sources, twenty-seven pages of Chapter
Notes, an eighteen page Bibliography, and a five page Index, "The British Heroic Age: A History, 367-664" is an
fascinating and informative read from start to finish. Exceptionally well written and thoroughly 'reader friendly' in
organization and presentation, "The British Heroic Age: A History, 367-664" is an ideal and unreservedly recommended
contribution to personal, professional, community, and college/university library British History collections and
supplemental curriculum studies lists. It should be noted for students, academia, historians, and non-specialist general
readers with an nterest in the subject that "The British Heroic Age: A History, 367-664" is also readily available in a digital
book format (Kindle, $13.49).
Editorial Note: Flint F. Johnson is an independent scholar whose academic areas of interest include post-Roman British
history, Heroic Age Greek and Norse history, and the cultures existing before the first river valley civilizations. There is a
listing of his books online at https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5860617.Flint_F_Johnson
The Worst Medieval Monarchs
Phil Bradford
Pen & Sword Books
c/o Casemate (US distribution)
www.casematepublishers.com
https://www.penandswordbooks.com
9781399083058, $49.95, HC, 256pp
https://www.amazon.com/Worst-Medieval-Monarchs-Phil-Bradford/dp/1399083058
Synopsis: Stephen. John. Edward II. Richard II. Richard III. These five monarchs are widely viewed as the worst of
England's medieval kings. Certainly, their reigns were not success stories. Two of these kings lost their thrones, one only
avoided doing so by dying, another was killed in battle, and the remaining one had to leave his crown to his opponent.
All five have been seen as incompetent, their reigns blighted by civil war and conflict. They tore the realm apart, failing in
the basic duty of a king to ensure peace and justice. For that, all five of them paid a heavy price. As well as being
incompetent rulers, some also have reputations for cruelty and villainy, More than one has been portrayed as a tyrant. The
murder of family members and arbitrary executions stain their reputations.
All five reigns ended in failure. As a result, the kings have been seen as failures themselves, the worst examples of
medieval English kingship. They lost their reputations as well as their crowns.
Yet were these five really the worst men to wear the crown of England in the Middle Ages? Or has history treated them
unfairly?
With the publication of "The Worst Medieval Monarchs", by author and historian Phil Bradford examines the stories of
their lives and reigns, all of which were dramatic and often unpredictable. It then examines how they have been seen since
their deaths, the ways their reputations have been shaped across the centuries.
The standards of their own age were different to our own. How these kings have been judged has changed over time,
sometimes dramatically. Fiction, from Shakespeare's plays to modern films, has also played its part in creating the modern
picture. Many things have created, over a long period, the negative reputations of these five. Today, they have come to
number among the worst kings of English history. Is this fair, or should they be redeemed?
That is the question that "The Worst Medieval Monarchs" sets out to answer.
Critique: An extraordinary and unique study, "The Worst Medieval Monarchs" is enriched for the reader's benefit with an
informative Preface and Introduction, a Conclusion (The Worst Monarchs?), thirteen pages of Notes, a twelve page
Bibliography, and a twenty page Index. A seminal and groundbreaking study of meticulous scholarship and a simply
fascinating read from first page to last, and also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $22.49), "The Worst Medieval
Monarchs" is a very special and unreservedly recommended addition to personal reading lists and
community/college/university library Royal English History collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists.
Editorial Note: Phil Bradford gained his PhD in medieval history from the University of York. He is the co-author of
"Proctors for Parliament: Clergy, Community and Politics, C.1248-1539" (Canterbury & York Society, 2017) and is
currently Vicar of St Michael's, Worcester.
The Civil War Shelf
Contrasts in Command: The Battle of Fair Oaks, May 31 - June 1, 1862
Victor Vignola
Savas Beatie LLC
www.savasbeatie.com
9781611216820, $34.95, HC, 288pp
https://www.amazon.com/Contrasts-Command-Battle-Fair-Oaks/dp/1611216826
Synopsis: A bloody two-day battle was fought on the doorstep of the Confederate capital. It was the first major combat in
the Eastern Theater since Bull Run/Manassas almost a year earlier, left more than 11,000 casualties in its wake, and cost
the primary Southern field army its commander. The possession of Richmond hung in its balance. Yet, almost nothing has
been written about the battle of Seven Pines/Fair Oaks -- not until the publication of Victor Vignola's "Contrasts in
Command: The Battle of Fair Oaks, May 31 - June 1, 1862", which focuses primarily on the Fair Oaks portion of the
battle, is a major contribution to the historiography of the war.
Maj. Gen. George B. McClellan marched his Army of the Potomac up the Virginia Peninsula during the early spring of
1862 and placed his inexperienced IV Corps at the tip of the spear south of the flood-prone Chickahominy River.
McClellan's opponent Joe Johnston took the opportunity to strike and crafted an overly complex attack plan for his
Virginia army to crush the exposed corps. A series of bungled marches, piecemeal attacks, and a lack of assertive
leadership doomed the Southern plan. One of the wounded late in the day on May 31 was Johnston, whose injury led to the
appointment of Robert E. Lee to take his place -- a decision that changed the course of the entire Civil War.
Vignola's use of primary and archival sources, many of which have never been used, helped craft a wholly original tactical
and leadership study that directly challenges conventional accounts. His stunning reassessment has led to renewed interest
in Fair Oaks and the acquisition of a significant parcel of land by the American Battlefield Trust. It is no hyperbole to
argue that "Contrasts in Command: The Battle of Fair Oaks, May 31 - June 1, 1862" may be one of the most important
tactical studies ever published on the American Civil War.
Critique: Enhanced for the reader's benefit with the inclusion of three Appendices, a six page Bibliography and a nine page
Index, "Contrasts in Command: The Battle of Fair Oaks, May 31 - June 1, 1862" is a seminal and ground-breaking study
that is an essential, core addition to personal, professional, community, and college/university library American Civil War
collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists. It should be noted for students, academia, military history buffs, and
non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "Contrasts in Command" is also available in a digital
books format (Kindle, $15.99).
Editorial Note: Historian Victor Vignola is a lifelong student of the Civil War who has written articles for publication in
North and South Magazine and other forums. He delivers historical programs, conducts tours, and regularly visits various
Civil War sites.
The Military History Shelf
Rockets and Missiles Over Ukraine
Mihajlo S. Mihajlovic
Frontline Books
Pen & Sword Books
c/o Casemate (US distribution)
www.casematepublishers.com
https://www.penandswordbooks.com
9781399048101, $42.95, HC, 304pp
https://www.amazon.com/Rockets-Missiles-Over-Ukraine-Changing/dp/1399048104
Synopsis: In the current and on-going Russian-Ukrainian war, both sides depended heavily on rockets and missiles. Some
of these date from Soviet times and some are very modern, being deployed in warfare for the first time.
The outbreak of the civil war in the east of Ukraine in 2014 showed that rockets and missiles, beside the artillery, are
among the decisive factors in both regular Ukrainian military, and paramilitary nationalistic formations as well as in the
separatists' bodies. For eight years hardly any day passed without these weapons being fired.
On 24 February 2022, Russia unleashed a 'limited military operation' (as President Putin defined it) with a barrage of new
equipment (cruise missiles and tactical ballistic missiles) pounding Ukrainian targets. The West responded with a pledge to
supply modern weapons to the otherwise outdated Ukrainian military to counter the Russian threat, especially armor.
Ukraine was turned into a vast depot for NATO ammunition and weapons including short-range air defense systems and
antitank rockets. Western stocks gradually shrank while numerous cargo lanes transported these weapons to Poland to be
hauled by trucks and railways to the Ukrainians.
In the meantime, Russia pounded these locations and large quantities of the Western aid disappeared in flames and
explosions - as yet more equipment poured into Ukrainian hands. The sheer amount is hard to estimate but large quantities
were captured by the Russians and occasionally turned against the former owners.
"Rockets and Missiles Over Ukraine: The Changing Face of Battle" by Mihajlo S. Mihajlovic is a comprehensive guide to
all missiles and rockets used by both sides as well as their effect on both military and civilian targets, including Russian
ship-borne weapons and anti-ship missiles used so effectively by Ukraine against the Russian cruiser Moskva. Besides the
numerous ex-Soviet, Ukrainian, and Russian anti-armor rockets (RPGs) and missiles, of particular interest are the
anti-armor missiles and rockets supplied by NATO which includes Javelin and British NLAW, and Brimstone.
The war in Ukraine was a full-scale conventional war between the two largest armies in Europe. But without modern
weapons, Ukraine's ability to hold out for an extended period was limited. Its only hope was help by the West. Yet NATO
supplies were precisely tracked and often destroyed immediately after unloading. Nevertheless, the Russian-Ukrainian war
allowed manufactures and military experts to assess the true effectiveness of their weapons in the most realistic setting of
all - the battlefield.
In his examination of the weaponry used in the conflict, Mihajlovic toured the Ukraine as the conflict unfolded, to
photograph and report on the first major war of the twenty-first century.
Critique: Profusely illustrated throughout with B/W photos and sketches, "Rockets and Missiles Over Ukraine: The
Changing Face of Battle" is impressively informative, exceptionally well organized, and thoroughly 'reader friendly' in
presentation. A seminal work based on exhaustive and meticulous research that is also available in a digital book format
(Kindle, $18.99), "Rockets and Missiles Over Ukraine: The Changing Face of Battle" is a welcome and unreservedly
recommended pick for personal, professional, community, and college/university library Russian/Ukrainian War
collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists.
Editorial Note: Mihajlo S. Mihajlovic is a professional engineer, physicist and historian with more than 25 years of
experience. He is a specialist in military technology, in particular weapons systems, missiles, radars and camouflage. His
area of specialties includes radar countermeasures and design of decoys. As a unique situation, he was member of the
Yugoslav armed forces during the conflict and later, after emigrating to Canada, he was also member of the Canadian
Armed Forces (officer), Electrical and Mechanical Engineers Branch, and served in Afghanistan. Mike is the author of
several books and articles related to the stealth technology, radar engineering, missile engineering and similar
subjects.
Revolutionary War Forts: New York
Michael Garlock
Casemate Publishers
www.casematepublishers.com
9781636242606, $39.95, HC, 160pp
https://www.amazon.com/Revolutionary-War-Forts-Casemate-Illustrated/dp/163624260X
Synopsis: During the American Revolutionary War, the forts in and around New York were instrumental in initiating and
maintaining America's desire for independence and helped the nascent nation to eventually prevail.
These forts saw crucial, campaign-determining naval battles, and pivotal land engagements between battle-hardened
well-led British troops and unproven American militia. In both land and sea engagements the garrisons deployed a range of
weapons including different calibers of smooth-bore cannon, howitzers, musket, bayonets, and even tomahawks.
"Revolutionary War Forts: New York" by Michael Garlock covers Amsterdam, Clinton, Fort Clinton at West Point,
Dayton, Decker, Flagstaff, Au Fer, Brooklyn, Defiance, Franklin, Golgotha, Herkimer, Jay, Klock, Montgomery, Niagra
Old Stone Fort, Salonga, Stanwix, Ticonderoga, Wadsworth, and Washington. The expert text supported by a wealth of
illustrations and images discusses design, armament, and current status of the forts. It also explores their garrisons,
commanders, and the battles fought, as well as the spatial and military dependent relationships these forts had with one
another.
Critique: This large format coffee-table style hardcover edition of "Revolutionary War Forts: New York" from Casemate
Publishers is a fully illustrated compendium of the 18 New York forts that played significant and strategic roles during the
American Revolutionary War. Informative and fascinating, "Revolutionary War Forts: New York" is a critically important
contribution to personal, professional, community, and college/university library American Revolutionary History
collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists. It should be noted for students, academia, and non-specialist general
readers with an interest in the subject that "Revolutionary War Forts: New York" is also available in a digital book format
(Kindle, $17.99).
Eyes on the Enemy: U.S. Military Intelligence in World War II
Chris McNab
Casemate Publishers
www.casematepublishers.com
9781636243849, $29.95, HC, 208pp
https://www.amazon.com/Eyes-Enemy-Intelligence-gathering-Techniques-Equipment/dp/1636243843
Synopsis: On December 7, 1941, an imperial Japanese carrier strike force attacked the US Pacific Fleet at Pearl Harbor,
taking advantage of what was one of the most profound intelligence failures in US history. Galvanized into action, the
branches of the U.S. military subsequently developed one of the greatest, albeit imperfect, intelligence-gathering and
analysis networks of the combatant nations, opening an invaluable window onto the intentions of their enemies.
The picture of U.S. military intelligence during World War II is a complex one. It was divided between the fields of signal
intelligence (SIGINT) and human intelligence (HUMINT), combat intelligence and War Department intelligence, and
between numerous different organizations, including the Military Intelligence Division (MID), Military Intelligence
Service (MIS), the Office of Naval Intelligence (ONI), the Counter Intelligence Corps (CIC), the Office of Strategic
Services (OSS) and the many intelligence units organic to Army, Navy, Army Air Forces, and Marine Corps.
The documents included in "Eyes on the Enemy: U.S. Military Intelligence in World War II" reveal the theoretical and
practical principles behind wartime intelligence gathering and analysis, from the frontline intelligence officer to the
Washington-based code-breaker. They explain fundamentals such as how to observe and record enemy activity and
intercept enemy radio traffic, through to specialist activities such as cryptanalysis, photoreconnaissance, prisoner
interrogation, and undercover agent operations.
The painstaking work of an intelligence operator required a sharp, attentive mind, whether working behind a desk or under
fire on the frontlines. The outputs from these men and women could ultimately make the difference between victory and
defeat in battle.
Critique: Military intelligence is essential for victory. Never was this more true than enabling the United States and its
allies to eventually overcome the arguably better prepared for war nations of Germany, Japan, and Italy. "Eyes on the
Enemy: U.S. Military Intelligence in World War II" is a seminal study on the subject and unreservedly recommended as an
essential, core addition to personal reading list, as well as professional, community, and college/university library World
War II collections and supplemental curriculum studies syllabus.
Editorial Note: Dr Chris McNab specializes in military history and related technology. To date he has published more than
100 books including US Soldier vs German Soldier (2020), Hitler's Tanks (2020) and The Great Bear at War (2019). Chris
has also written extensively for major encyclopedia series, magazines and newspapers.
Guderian 1941: The Barbarossa Campaign
David R. Higgins
Pen & Sword Books
c/o Casemate (US distribution)
www.casematepublishers.com
https://www.penandswordbooks.com
9781526762122, $37.95, HC, 288pp
https://www.amazon.com/Guderian-1941-Barbarossa-David-Higgins/dp/1526762129
Synopsis: During the first few weeks of Operation Barbarossa (Hitler's invasion of the Soviet Union in 1941), Heinz
Guderian's Second Panzer Group played a leading role, cutting through the defenses on the border, then taking part in the
massive encirclement battles near Minsk, Smolensk, and Kiev.
The extraordinary speed of the advance reflects the experience of the Wehrmacht as a whole during the first phase of the
war on the Eastern Front. That is why in "Guderian 1941: The Barbarossa Campaign" David Higgins's graphic narrative,
which describes how Guderian's forces achieved enormous success before they were forced to halt, is such compelling
reading. It is a fascinating story, vividly told.
Drawing on a wide range of official German and Soviet records, Higgins reconstructs the entire course of Second Panzer
Group's advance, covering each stage in unprecedented detail. His narrative offers a German perspective and an inside
view of what the opposing commanders knew during each operation and shows how important logistics became as the
German supply lines stretched deep into the Soviet Union. It also explains how Soviet resistance and reinforcements,
declining strength and the onset of the Russian winter combined to bring Guderian to a stop at Tula where he was relieved
of his command.
The high hopes with which the German army had launched the campaign were dashed only a few months later before
Moscow. "Guderian 1941: The Barbarossa Campaign", an in-depth study the of operations of Second Panzer Group, gives
the reader telling insights into what went wrong.
Critique: Informatively enhanced for the readers benefit with the inclusion of a descriptive Preface, Maps, an Appendix (A
Second Panzer Group, 22 June 1941), twenty-six pages of Notes, a four page Bibliography, a section of B/W historical
photos, and an eight page Index, "Guderian 1941: The Barbarossa Campaign" presents a key World War II German
campaign against the Russians as presented from the German perspective. A unique and seminal study that is also
available in a digital book format (Kindle, $14.49), "Guderian 1941: The Barbarossa Campaign" will prove to be a
welcome and highly valued addition to personal, professional, community, and college/university library World War II
history collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists.
Editorial Note: David R. Higgins is the author of several military history books and has written articles for magazines such
as Strategy & Tactics, Armchair General, World At War and Modern War. He has appeared on television's Greatest Tank
Battles.
The Han-Xiongnu War, 133 BC - 89 AD
Scott Forbes Crawford
Pen & Sword Books
c/o Casemate (US distribution)
www.casematepublishers.com
https://www.penandswordbooks.com
9781526790668, $34.95, HC, 176pp
https://www.amazon.com/Han-Xiongnu-War-133-BC-89-AD/dp/1526790661
Synopsis: The Han-Xiongnu War (133 BC - AD 89) pitted the Han dynasty of China against a confederation of nomadic
steppe peoples, the Xiongnu Empire. In campaigns waged on a huge scale by the standards of contemporary Western
warfare (perhaps half a million soldiers were fielded at the Battle of Mobei in 119 BC), the two states fought for control of
Central Asia, hungry for its rich resources and Western trade links. China's victory set the stage for millennia of imperial
rule and a vast sphere of influence in Asia.
With the publication of "The Han-Xiongnu War, 133 BC - 89 AD: The Struggle of China and a Steppe Empire Told
Through Its Key Figures", author and historian Scott Forbes Crawford examines the war in a lively, engaging
narrative.
He builds a mosaic encompassing the centuries of conflict through biographies of fifteen historical figures: the Chinese
and Xiongnu emperors who first led their armies into battle; 'peace bride' Princess Jieyou, whose marriage to a steppe king
forged a vital Chinese alliance; the explorer-diplomat Zhang Qian, who almost-inadvertently established the Silk Road,
among other key individuals. Their stories capture the war's breadth, the enduring impact on Han society and statecraft in
what became a Chinese golden age, and the doomed resistance of the Xiongnu to an ever-strengthening juggernaut.
Critique: Exceptionally well written, organized and presented, "The Han-Xiongnu War, 133 BC - 89 AD: The Struggle of
China and a Steppe Empire Told Through Its Key Figures" is an extraordinary and seminal work of historical scholarship
and a simply fascinating read from beginning to end. Special features include a Prologue (A Misread Prophecy), an
Epilogue (Reard in Each Other's Shadow), a Chronology of Major Events in the Han-Xiongnu War, five pages of Notes, a
two page Bibliography, and a three page Index. An seminal and unique study, "The Han-Xiongnu War, 133 BC - 89 AD:
The Struggle of China and a Steppe Empire Told Through Its Key Figures" is an unreservedly recommended pick for
personal, professional, community, and college/university library Chinese Military History collections and supplemental
Ancient China curriculum studies lists.
Editorial Note: Fascinated by China's past since first studying Mandarin at a Chinese university, Scott Forbes Crawford
(https://www.scottforbescrawford.com) has written extensively about Chinese and Asian history. His work, appearing in
Ancient History Magazine, Medieval Warfare Magazine, The History Network podcast and elsewhere, has explored
China's military developments, the culture of its nomadic steppe neighbours, and the conflicts borne at the intersection of
these areas. Also a novelist, Crawford brings narrative drive and an eye for character to the telling of history, making the
ancient past vivid to modern readers.
Weapons, Warriors and Battles of Ancient Iberia
Fernando Quesada-Sanz, author
Elizabeth Clowes, translator
Pablos Harding-Vera, translator
Pen & Sword Books
c/o Casemate (US distribution)
www.casematepublishers.com
https://www.penandswordbooks.com
9781781592755, $60.00, HC, 304pp
https://www.amazon.com/Armour-Ancient-Iberia-Fernando-Quesada-Sanz/dp/1781592756
Synopsis: In ancient times, the Iberian Peninsula (today's Spain and Portugal) was home to warriors of great renown.
Iberian and Celtiberian warriors, both infantry and cavalry, served as the backbone of the Carthaginian armies that
terrorized Italy under Hannibal, and proved even more fierce when defending their homeland against later Roman
occupation. While the Lusitanian resistance under Viriathus was among the toughest the Romans encountered
anywhere.
Translated into English by Elizabeth Crowes and Pablos Harding-Vera, and published by Pen & Sword Books, "Weapons,
Warriors and Battles of Ancient Iberia" by Professor Quesada-Sanz details the arms, armor and equipment of the various
warriors of the region in fantastic detail, drawing on his intimate knowledge of the latest archaeological and historical
research.
Professor Quesada-Sanz's clear and informative text is supported throughout by a wealth of photographs, diagrams and
enhanced with the inclusion of the exquisite color artwork by Carlos Fernandez del Castillo.
"Weapons, Warriors and Battles of Ancient Iberia" is a beautiful book offering detailed, comprehensive information and
sumptuous visual appeal that will be cherished by anyone with an interest in the warriors and weapons of the ancient
world. The Spanish edition won the Hislibris Award for the 'Best Historical Book' for 2010.
Critique: Profusely and beautifully illustrated throughout, "Weapons, Warriors and Battles of Ancient Iberia" is a seminal
work of exceptionally well organized and presented historical scholarship that will be of particular value to readers with an
interest in Roman and Iberian history. Deftly presented in three major sections (In Time and Space; Offensive and
Defensive Weapons; Warriors, Battles, and Society), and including a thirty page Bibliography, "Weapons, Warriors and
Battles of Ancient Iberia" must be considered an essential and core contribution to personal, professional, community, and
college/university library Roman/Iberian History collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists. For students,
academia, historians, and members of the general public with an interest in the subject it should be noted that "Weapons,
Warriors and Battles of Ancient Iberia" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $27.99).
Editorial Note: Fernando Quesada Sanz is Professor of Archaeology at the University of Madrid and respected worldwide
for his expertise on the evidence for warfare in ancient Iberia. He is the author of many books and articles including Arms
of the Greeks and Romans (2008). (https://fernandoquesadasanz.academia.edu)
The Korean War Remembered
Michael J. Devine
University of Nebraska Press
www.nebraskapress.unl.edu
9781496234698, $65.00, HC, 346pp
https://www.amazon.com/Korean-War-Remembered-Contested-Memories/dp/1496234693
Synopsis: With the publication of "The Korean War Remembered: Contested Memories of an Unended Conflict",
Professor Michael J. Devine provides a fresh, wide-ranging, and international perspective on the contested memory of the
1950 - 1953 conflict that left the Korean Peninsula divided along a heavily fortified demilitarized zone.
His seminal work examines "theaters of memory", including literature, popular culture, public education efforts,
monuments, and museums in the United States, China, and the two Koreas, to explain how contested memories have
evolved over decades and how they continue to shape the domestic and foreign policies of the countries still involved in
this unresolved struggle for dominance and legitimacy.
"The Korean War Remembered" also engages with the revisionist school of historians who, influenced by America's long
nightmare in Vietnam, consider the Korean War an unwise U.S. interference in a civil war that should have been left to the
Koreans to decide for themselves.
As a former Peace Corps volunteer to Korea, a two-time senior Fulbright lecturer at Korean universities, and former
director of the Harry S. Truman Presidential Library, Professor Devine offers the unique perspective of a scholar with half
a century of close ties to Korea and the Korean American community, as well as practical experience in the management of
historical institutions.
Critique: Enhanced for the benefit of the reader with a number of Illustrations, a listing of Abbreviations, forty pages of
Notes, a thirty-eight page Bibliography, and a nine page Index, "The Korean War Remembered: Contested Memories of an
Unended Conflict"is an impressively well written, organized and presented ground-breaking study that be of immense
value to readers with an interest in America's involvement in the Korean War -- which was the first war that America was a
part of that ended in stalemate and not end in victory for America and its allies. While also available for personal reading
lists in a digital book format (Kindle, $61.75), "The Korean War Remembered: Contested Memories of an Unended
Conflict" is especially and unreservedly recommended for community and college/university library Korean War
collections and supplemental 20th Century American Military History curriculum studies lists.
Editorial Note: Michael J. Devine (www.wilsoncenter.org/person/michael-devine) is an Adjunct Professor of History at the
University of Wyoming. Previously he was the director of the Harry S. Truman Presidential Library and a Professor of
History and Director of the American Heritage Center at the University of Wyoming. He is also the author of "John W.
Foster: Politics and Diplomacy in the Imperial Era, 1873 - 1917".
The Science Shelf
Thriving in Space
Medicine National Academies of Sciences, Engineering
The National Academies Press
www.nap.edu
9780309694988, $60.00, PB, 322pp
https://www.amazon.com/Thriving-Space-Ensuring-Biological-2023-2032/dp/0309694981
Synopsis: Research in biological and physical sciences in space provides the critical scientific and technological
foundations that make space exploration possible. As humanity looks towards the Moon and Mars for future missions, this
work is needed to help astronauts adapt and live in the harsh environments of space.
"Thriving in Space: Ensuring the Future of Biological and Physical Sciences Research: A Decadal Survey for 2023-2032"
provides a roadmap for increasing national investment in biological and physical science research, from experiments to
infrastructure to education. This report identifies key scientific questions, priorities, and ambitious research campaigns that
will enable human space exploration and transform our understanding of how the universe works.
"Thriving in Space" also reviews the state of knowledge in the current and emerging areas of space-related biological and
physical sciences research and generates recommendations for a comprehensive vision and strategy for a decade of
transformative science at the frontiers of biological and physical sciences research in space. Additionally, this report will
help NASA define and align biological and physical sciences research to uniquely advance scientific knowledge, meet
human and robotic exploration mission needs, and provide terrestrial benefits.
Critique: Of special value to readers with an interest in astrophysics and space science, "Thriving in Space: Ensuring the
Future of Biological and Physical Sciences Research: A Decadal Survey for 2023-2032" provides an impressively
informative survey of current findings from contemporary and on-going experiments and research. Exceptionally well
organized and presented, this large format (8.8 x 1.2 x 10.7 inches, 2 pounds) paperback edition of "Thriving in Space" is
particularly and especially recommended for personal, professional, college and university library Astrophysics/Space
Science collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists.
Editorial Note: The National Academies Press (NAP) publishes more than 200 publications per year on a wide range of
topics in science, engineering, and medicine, providing authoritative, independently researched information on important
matters in science and health policy.
The Cookbook Shelf
Mildreds Vegetarian: Vegetable Focused, Delicious Food
Mildreds
Hamlyn
c/o Octopus Books
www.octopusbooksusa.com
9781845339982, $32.99, HC, 256pp
https://www.amazon.com/Mildreds-Vegetarian-Cookbook-Daniel-Acevedo/dp/1845339983
Synopsis: Showcasing more than one hundred vegetarian recipes, "Mildreds Vegetarian: Vegetable Focused, Delicious
Food " from the culinary staff of the popular British vegetarian restaurant, Mildreds is a simply delight to browse through,
plan menus with, and general showcase elegant vegetarian dishes that are as appetite satisfying as they are palate pleasing
and nutritious.
Whether you are a vegetarian or are trying to cut down on your meat intake, the international influences reflected in these
recipes promise variety and flavor. There are also plenty of ideas for how to adapt the dishes quickly by adding meat, to
cater for keen omnivores.
With easy ingredients and smart, time-saving ideas, each recipe is easy to cook from the comfort of your own home. The
dishes are flexible and include ingredients that can be easily sourced, allowing you to make hassle-free and delicious
meals.
Critique: Beautifully illustrated, impressively organized, and thoroughly 'kitchen cook friendly' in presentation, "Mildreds
Vegetarian: Vegetable Focused, Delicious Food" is an ideal pick for personal, professional, and community library
Vegetarian Cookbook collections. It should be noted that "Mildreds Vegetarian: Vegetable Focused, Delicious Food" is
also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $15.99).
Editorial Note: Mildreds (www.mildreds.co.uk/our-story) is a mecca for all food lovers that has been offering exciting,
affordable vegetarian and vegan food from its original restaurant, in London's Soho, since 1988. It now has two more
branches in King's Cross and Camden, and is hugely popular, both for its food and its vibe, with musicians, comedians and
other celebrities. The Mildreds manifesto is 'To reach as many people as possible and give them the ideas and confidence
to enjoy vegetarian and vegan food at home.'
Mildreds Vegan: Bright Food, Bold Flavour
Mildreds
Hamlyn
c/o Octopus Books
www.octopusbooksusa.com
9781784729363, $32.99, HC, 256pp
https://www.amazon.com/Mildreds-Vegan-Bright-food-flavour/dp/1784729361
Synopsis: Bursting with clever vegan ideas for feasts with family and friends, as well as for delicious, simple everyday
meals, the recipes comprising "Mildreds Vegan: Bright Food, Bold Flavour" brings you punchy flavors, satisfying dishes, a
dash of urban cool and a refreshing take on the conventional stereotype of vegan food.
There are plenty of dishes to wow a crowd, including Walnut, Date & Cinnamon Rolls and Smoky Baked Beans on Grilled
Sourdough for a brunch with friends; Memphis Bourbon Barbecue Skewers and Rainbow Root Slaw with Orange, Maple
& Thyme Dressing for a summer barbecue; Chocolate Banana Cupcakes with Chocolate Fudge Icing (ideal for a children's
party); or Butternut Squash & Tofu Terrine with Redcurrant Stuffing and an I-can't-believe-it's-vegan Espresso Creme
Caramel for a celebration dinner.
A vegan diet the Mildreds way will bring joy and surprise to your life and ensure your taste buds are well, alive and
kicking, as they enjoy fantastic-tasting food suitable for everyone and every occasion.
Critique: Enhanced for the kitchen cook's benefit with a profusion of beautiful, full page, appetite arousing, color
photographs of finished dishes, "Mildreds Vegan: Bright Food, Bold Flavour" elevates a culinary wealth of vegan dishes to
the level of elegant cuisine. Certain to be an enduringly welcome addition to personal, professional, and community library
Vegan/Vegetarian cookbook collections, it should be noted that "Mildreds Vegan: Bright Food, Bold Flavour" is also
currently available in a digital book format (Kindle, $0.99, Amazon).
Editorial Note: Mildreds (www.mildreds.co.uk/our-story) is a mecca for all food lovers that has been offering exciting,
affordable vegetarian and vegan food from its original restaurant, in London's Soho, since 1988. It now has two more
branches in King's Cross and Camden, and is hugely popular, both for its food and its vibe, with musicians, comedians and
other celebrities. The Mildreds manifesto is 'To reach as many people as possible and give them the ideas and confidence
to enjoy vegetarian and vegan food at home.'
The Cookbook: Food for Wellness
Champneys
Aster
c/o Octopus Publishing
https://www.octopusbooks.co.uk
9781783255979, $32.99, HC, 224pp
https://www.amazon.com/Champneys-Cookbook-Food-Wellness/dp/1783255978
Synopsis: Champneys is a spa pioneer since 1925, offering four elegant English countryside health spa resorts, two luxury
spa hotels and a range of spa treatments, wellness and events. Celebrating the 100th anniversary of Champneys, "The
Cookbook: Food for Wellness" showcases healthy, hand-crafted recipes for wellbeing from the UK's leading spa
retreats.
Written with the guidance of Champneys' in-house nutritionist, "The Cookbook: Food for Wellness" is comprised of
balanced and nourishing recipes to support your personal health goals.
Featured are more than 100 recipes to choose from, including delicious breakfasts, lunches and dinner dishes, plus juice
shots and blended drinks, dips and salads, desserts and sweet treats, everything you need to create the Champneys menu
experience at home is here.
Critique: A visual and impressive delight to simply browse through, "The Cookbook: Food for Wellness" is beautifully and
profusely illustrated throughout with full color photography of finished dishes and is a truly 'kitchen cook friendly' menu
planning resource for elegant and memorable dining experiences both formal and informal. Of special note are the culinary
wealth of Lower Carb, Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, and Vegan selections and options suitable for breakfast, lunch, dinner,
snacks, juice drinks, and 'sweet treats'. While also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $1.99), "The Cookbook: Food
for Wellness" is an exceptionally impressive and highly recommended pick for personal, professional, and community
library cookbook collections.
Grow Cook Nourish
Darina Allen
Kyle Books
c/o Octopus Publishing
https://www.octopusbooks.co.uk
9781909487741, $49.99, HC, 640pp
https://www.amazon.com/Grow-Cook-Nourish-Kitchen-Companion/dp/1909487740
Synopsis: Growing your own food is exciting but, when it comes to knowing how to make the most of your produce, it can
be daunting. With the publication of "Grow Cook Nourish: A Kitchen Garden Companion in 500 Recipes", Darina Allen
draws on more than 30 years of experience gardening at Ballymaloe to take you through an extensive list of vegetables,
herbs and fruits.
Each individual entry includes explanations of different varieties, practical information on cultivation, growing and
maintenance, plus instructions for the best ways to cook produce as well as preserve and utilize a glut.
Showcasing more than 500 recipes, including dishes for every ingredient, Darina shows how to use your harvest to its full
potential. Vegetables range from annual crops such as chicory, radishes and kohlrabi to perennials like asparagus and
spinach. Fruits cover apples, currants and peaches as well as the more unusual and interesting myrtle berries, loquats and
medlars. Plus a comprehensive list of herbs, edible flowers and foraged foods such as samphire, wild garlic and
blackberries.
Critique: A large format (8.25 x 2.25 x 10 inches, 4 pounds) hardcover edition from Kyle Books, Darina Allen's "Grow
Cook Nourish: A Kitchen Garden Companion in 500 Recipes" is very nicely illustrated throughout in full color. An
impressive compendium of thoroughly 'kitchen cook friendly' recipes for any and all dining occasions both formal and
informal, "Grow Cook Nourish" is a delight to plan menus with -- and to simply browse through in search of culinary ideas
for making something new and memorable for family and friends. While a strongly recommended pick for personal,
professional, and community library cookbook collections, it should also be noted that "Grow Cook Nourish" is readily
available in a digital book format (Kindle, $8.99) as well.
Editorial Note: Darina Allen (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Darina_Allen) is Ireland's best-known food ambassador and
runs the world-renowned cookery school at Ballymaloe, Ireland. She is the author of 'Irish Traditional Cooking', 'A Year at
Ballymaloe Cookery School', 'Healthy Gluten-free Eating', 'Easy Entertaining', 'Forgotten Skills of Cooking' (winner of the
Andre Simon Food Book Award 2009), 'A Simply Delicious Christmas' '30 Years at Ballymaloe', 'Grow, Cook, Nourish
(winner of The World Gourmand Cookbook Award 2018) and most recently Simply Delicious, The Classic Collection
(publishing date end of September 2018). She has won many other awards including for outstanding contribution to the
Irish culinary sector by Euro-Toques in 2007, the UK Guild of Food Writers Lifetime Achievement Award 2013 and the
2018 Guaranteed Irish Food Hero Award.
Taste of Home Easy Everyday Cooking
Taste of Home
https://www.tasteofhome.com
c/o Trusted Media Brands
https://www.trustedmediabrands.com
9798889770121, $22.99, PB, 320pp
https://www.amazon.com/Taste-Home-Easy-Everyday-Cooking/dp/B0C99JKFH6
Synopsis: Showcasing 330 recipes, with each one delivering the time-saving convenience and fabulous flavor that modern
family cooks appreciate, "Taste of Home Easy Everyday Cooking" from the Taste of Home editorial staff brilliantly
showcases marvelous main courses, satisfying sides, heartwarming soups and tempting desserts are just the start.
There are also special chapters tailored to the way today's cooks create their family's meals -- including five-ingredient
recipes, one-dish wonders and make-ahead options. Shared by talented home cooks and approved by the experts in the
Taste of Home Test Kitchen, these recipes prove that the best meals don't rely on time-consuming methods or complex
steps -- not when they are made with quality ingredients and prepared with care and confidence.
Complete nutrition facts are featured with every recipe. Of special note is the inclusion of: Easy-to-Spot Icons throughout
the book identifying the healthiest recipes, freezer-friendly staples, five-ingredient classics, overnight dishes, recipes that
are done in 30 minutes or less, and those that use today's most popular kitchen gadgets -- the slow cooker, Instant Pot(TM)
and air fryer. Plus, a special icon index makes it simple to find just the type of dish you're looking for.
There is also 'Clip-&-Keep List of Quick-Fix Staples'. Cut this handy list off the back cover flap of the book, and tape it to
your pantry or fridge. Created by the experts at the Taste of Home Test Kitchen, it offers a thorough list of the convenience
items every cook should have on hand.
Critique: A highly prized compendium of delicious, nutrition, 'kitchen cook friendly', DIY recipes for memorable menus
for any and all dining occasions both formal and informal, "Taste of Home Easy Everyday Cooking: 330 Recipes for
Fuss-Free, Ultra Easy, Crowd-Pleasing Favorites" is a beautifully illustrated and highly recommended pick for personal,
professional, and community library cookbook collections. It should be noted that Taste of Home Easy Everyday Cooking"
is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $13.99).
Editorial Note: Taste of Home is the leading multi-platform producer of information on food, cooking, baking and
entertaining, serving home cooks engaging media that capture the joy and comfort received from food made with love.
Taste of Home magazine has a circulation of 1.5 million and publishes top-selling cookbooks and newsstand specials.
Tasteofhome.com is a top destination for engaging audiences with kitchen-tested recipes, how-to techniques, cooking
videos and more. Taste of Home has more than 6.1 million fans on Facebook, 1.9 million followers on Instagram, 2.6
million Pinterest followers and receives more than 28 million unique monthly visitors. For the best recipes from home
cooks visit www.tasteofhome.com.
The Biography Shelf
King of Diamonds
Ronald Winston, author
William Stadiem, author
Skyhorse Publishing, Inc.
www.skyhorsepublishing.com
9781510775602, $28.99, HC, 400pp
https://www.amazon.com/King-Diamonds-Flawless-World-Winston/dp/1510775609
Synopsis: Few American success stories rival that of Harry Winston.
Born Harry Weinstein, he came from humble roots. His parents were poor Jewish immigrants who left Ukraine around
1890 for New York, where they settled and started a small jewelry business. His genius for spotting priceless gems
emerged young. When Harry was twelve years old, he recognized a two-carat emerald in a pawn shop and bought it for 25
cents, selling it two days later for $800 - a massive sum in the early 1900s. From that moment on, Harry became obsessed
with gems, especially diamonds.
A compact, unassuming man with no formal education, but unlimited drive and ambition, Harry Weinstein transformed
himself into Harry Winston, the enigmatic figure who created the world's most prestigious luxury brand.
Harry Winston built his empire while the Depression raged, World War II reshaped the world, and America entered its
post-war period of prosperity. "King of Diamonds: Harry Winston, the Definitive Biography of an American Icon"is a
riveting life story whose readers get a bird's eye view of the dangers of the diamond trade and the lengths men would go to
get their hands on the best of the "rough."
There's also a glimpse into the lives of the rich and famous, who clamored for Winston's gems.
Although he traveled the world doing business with kings, queens, and movie stars, Winston remained a devoted family
man, whose chief wish was that his sons carry on the legacy he had built.
Harry's older son Ronald Winston worked alongside his father for decades. After Harry's death, Ron grew the company
into the international brand that is still revered today. He ran it expertly, until he was forced to sell the company, due to his
younger brother's maligning litigation. "King Diamond" is also the story of a family business that survived and thrived for
more than a century, until it was undone by one, bitter family member.
Critique: Fascinating, detailed, candid, and compelling read from start to finish, "King of Diamonds: Harry Winston, the
Definitive Biography of an American Icon", and written with the professional assistance of biographer and author William
Stadiem, is especially and unreservedly recommended pick for community and college/university library American
Biography collections. It should also be noted for the personal reading lists of anyone with an interest in the jewelry
business and the biographies of the rich and famous, that "King of Diamonds" is also readily available in a digital book
format (Kindle, $17.99).
Editorial Note #1: Ronald Winston, the eldest son of Harry and Edna Winston, was born in New York City in 1941 and
raised in Westchester, New York. As an undergraduate at Harvard University, he was twice recognized by the American
Rocket Society for research in solid propellants. He graduated from Harvard in 1963 with a degree in chemistry, then
worked at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and New York University developing rocket propulsion technologies.
In his late twenties, at the request of his father, he joined the executive team at Harry Winston, Inc. When his father passed
away in 1978, Ron assumed leadership of the company, turning it into the global luxury brand that is revered today. He left
the company in 2013 and returned to his first love, science. Winston holds many science patents and is currently working
in biotech on developing a cure for cancer.
Editorial Note #2: William Stadiem is the author of "Mr. S: My Life with Frank Sinatra", "Marilyn Monroe Confidential",
and "Dear Senator: A Memoir by the Daughter of Strom Thurmond". He has contributed to Vanity Fair and Town &
Country and was the Hollywood columnist for Andy Warhol's Interview and the restaurant critic for Los Angeles
Magazine. Stadiem is also a screenwriter whose credits include Elizabeth Taylor's last starring vehicle, Franco Zeffirelli's
Young Toscanini, and the television series L.A. Law.
The Great Survivor of the Tudor Age
Alex Anglesey
Pen & Sword Books
c/o Casemate (US distribution)
www.casematepublishers.com
https://www.penandswordbooks.com
9781399035095, $39.95, HC, 256pp
https://www.amazon.com/Great-Survivor-Tudor-Age-William/dp/1399035096
Synopsis: Like Cromwell and Wolsey before him, William Paget (1506 - 9 June 1563) came from nowhere to become one
of Henry VIII's most powerful 'new men'. After serving as ambassador to the Court of Francis I of France, he became
Henry's most influential foreign policy advisor and developed a close relationship with Emperor Charles V. He had the
king's ear in Henry's later years, was the key player in drafting his will (was it a forgery?) and in enabling Somerset to
become Lord Protector in the reign of the boy king, Edward VI. For a while, he was Somerset's 'right-hand man'.
When Somerset fell, Paget was imprisoned in the Tower and nearly executed. But he survived and regained power. He had
a major role in delivering the Crown to the Catholic queen, Mary, and in arranging her marriage to Philip II of Spain,
whom he then advised on English politics. He kept in with the Protestant princess Elizabeth and survived to have influence
when she came to the throne.
William was also the founder of the aristocratic Paget family - Barons of Beaudesert, Earls of Uxbridge and Marquesses of
Anglesey.
From records of the mansion that he built on a site next to today's Heathrow Airport, a picture has been created of how life
was actually lived in a Tudor household at the personal family level.
William' story is partly told from previously unexamined family letters. It is an exciting narrative of dramatic ups and
downs: from rags to riches, plague to plenty, and prison to peerage. Court intrigues, conspiracies, rebellions and coups,
follow one after the other. William is usually in the thick of it, the power behind the throne.
Critique: An inherently fascinating and informative read from start to finish, "The Great Survivor of the Tudor Age: The
Life and Times of Lord William Paget" is a masterpiece of biographical scholarship and a critically important contribution
to our understanding of 16th Century British history. Significantly enhanced for the benefit of the reader with the inclusion
of an Appendix (A Family Epilogue), thirteen pages of Notes, a three page listing of Sources & Bibliography, and a three
page Index, "The Great Survivor of the Tudor Age: The Life and Times of Lord William Paget" is an extraordinary and
expressly recommended contribution to personal, professional, community, and college/university library 16th Century
British History collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists. It should be noted for students, academia, historian,
and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "The Great Survivor of the Tudor Age: The Life and
Times of Lord William Paget" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $25.00).
Editorial Note: Alex Anglesey is the 8th Marquess of Anglesey, descendant of Lord William, founder of the Paget family.
He grew up in the family home, Plas Newydd on Anglesey, which is now part of the National Trust. After doing a PhD in
20th century British history, working in book publishing, and co-founding and running a successful business retailing and
publishing posters, he now works most of the time as an artist, mainly of landscapes in oils, under the name Alex
Uxbridge.
Favourite of Fortune: Captain John Quilliam Trafalgar Hero
Andrew Lambert, Andrew Bond, and Frank Cowin
Seaforth Publishing
c/o Naval Institute Press
www.nip.org
9781399012706, $44.95, HC, 256pp
https://www.amazon.com/Favourite-Fortune-Captain-Quilliam-Trafalgar/dp/1399012703
Synopsis: Born on the Isle of Man two hundred fifty years ago, Captain John Quilliam (29 September 1771 - 10 October
1829) has, until now, evaded detailed study of his extraordinary life. While celebrated as a Manx hero, in the wider world
beyond the Island one of the most important men on the quarter deck of HMS Victory at the Battle of Trafalgar remains
largely unrecognized.
Trafalgar, however, was not even the high point of Quilliam's professional journey. From the lowest rung of the ladder in
the dockyard at Portsmouth he climbed to become Victory's First Lieutenant, having already survived two of the bloodiest
sea-battles of the era at Camperdown and Copenhagen. In the process he won a share in undreamed of wealth through the
seizure of one of the largest hauls of Spanish gold ever taken by the Georgian navy.
Promoted post-Captain, Quilliam reached the apogee of his profession, commanding frigates in the Baltic and on the
Newfoundland station in the War of 1812. There, in a bizarre twist worthy of a novel by O'Brian or Forester, he defeated
an accusation of shirking an engagement with the American super-frigate President in a court-martial brought by his own
First Lieutenant.
Critique: Rescued from an undeserved obscurity by the team of Andrew Lambert (who is Professor of Naval History at
King's College, London), Manx Antiqurarian Andrew Bond,, and biographer Andrew Bond, "Favourite of Fortune:
Captain John Quilliam Trafalgar Hero" from Seaforth Publishing is impressively informative, exceptionally well written,
expertly organized and thoroughly 'reader friendly' in presentation. Enhanced for the readers benefit with the inclusion of
Illustrations, Notes, Glossary, Bibliography, and an Index, "Favourite of Fortune" is recommended as a key addition to
personal, professional, community, and college/university library War of 1812 Naval History and English Naval Biography
collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists. It should be noted for students, academia, and non-specialist general
readers with an interest in the subject that "Favourite of Fortune" is also available in a paperback edition (9781399016957,
$19.95).
Editorial Note: Andrew Lambert is Laughton Professor of Naval History in the Department of War Studies at King's
College, London. He provided the political and strategic context to the detailed biographical research by Andrew Bond, a
retired engineering journalist, while Frank Cowin, a prominent Manx antiquarian, dealt with Quilliam's background and
reputation on the Island.
The General Fiction Shelf
The Girl from the Red Rose Motel
Susan Beckham Zurenda
Mercer University Press
www.mupress.org
9780881469011, $27.00, HC, 291pp
https://www.amazon.com/Girl-Red-Rose-Motel/dp/0881469017
Synopsis: Impoverished high school junior Hazel Smalls and privileged senior Sterling Lovell would never ordinarily
meet. But when both are punished with in-school suspension, Sterling finds himself drawn to the gorgeous, studious girl
seated nearby, and an unlikely relationship begins.
Set in 2012 South Carolina, "The Girl from the Red Rose Motel" by Susan Beckham Zurenda interlaces the stories of
Hazel, living with her homeless family in the rundown Red Rose Motel; Sterling, yearning to break free from his wealthy
parents' expectations; and recently widowed Angela Wilmore, their stern but compassionate English teacher.
Hazel hides her homelessness from Sterling until he discovers her cleaning the motel's office when he goes with his
slumlord father to unfreeze the motel's pipes one morning. With her secret revealed, their relationship deepens.
Angela (who has her own struggles in a budding romance with the divorced principal) offers Hazel the support her family
can't provide. Navigating between privilege and poverty, vulnerability and strength, all three must confront what they need
from themselves and each other as Hazel gains the courage to oppose boundaries and make a bold, life-changing decision
at novel's end.
"The Girl from the Red Rose Motel" explores the complex bonds between adults and teenagers and the power of the
families we both inherit and create. Inspired by the author's own experiences teaching in a South Carolina high school, her
novel is also an unflinching, authentic look at the challenges faced by America's public school teachers and the struggles of
the thousands of homeless children in motels who live, precariously and almost invisibly, amid the nation's most affluent
communities.
Critique: Deftly crafted with an impressive eloquence, "The Girl from the Red Rose Motel" showcases author Susan
Beckham Zurenda's genuine flair for the kind of narrative driven storytelling that makes for effective literary fiction. A
novel that will linger in the mind and memory of the reader long after the book itself has been finished and set back upon
the shelf, "The Girl from the Red Rose Motel" is especially and unreservedly recommended for personal, community and
college/university library Contemporary Literary Fiction collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists. It should be
noted that "The Girl from the Red Rose Motel" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $20.00).
Editorial Note: Susan Beckham Zurenda (https://www.susanzurenda.com) taught English for thirty-three years to college
and high school students. Her debut novel, BELLS FOR ELI, has received several awards including first place for Best
First Book--Fiction in the 2021 Independent Publisher Book Awards. Zurenda has also published and won numerous
awards for her short fiction.
The Historical Fiction Shelf
The Excitements
CJ Wray
William Morrow & Company
c/o HarperCollins Publishers
www.harpercollins.com
9780063337480, $19.99, PB, 304pp
https://www.amazon.com/Excitements-Novel-CJ-Wray/dp/0063337487
Synopsis: "The Excitements" by novelist C. J. Wray introduces the Williamson sisters, Britain's most treasured World War
II veterans. Now in their late nineties, Josephine and Penny are in huge demand, popping up at commemorative events and
history festivals all over the country. Despite their age, they're still in great form -- perfectly put together, sprightly and
sparky, and always in search of their next "excitement."
This time it's a trip to Paris to receive the Legion d'honneur for their part in the liberation of France. And as always, they
will be accompanied by their devoted great-nephew, Archie.
Keen historian Archie has always been given to understand that his great aunts had relatively minor roles in the Women's
Royal Navy and the First Aid Nursing Yeomanry, but that's only half the story. Both sisters are hiding far more than the
usual "official secrets". There's a reason sweet Auntie Penny can dispatch a would-be mugger with an umbrella.
This trip to Paris is not what it seems either. Scandal and crime have always quietly trailed the Williamson sisters, even in
the decades after the war. Now armed with new information about an old adversary, these much decorated (but admittedly
ancient) veterans variously intend to settle scores, avenge lost friends, and pull off one last, daring heist before the curtain
finally comes down on their illustrious careers.
Critique: An impressively original, deftly crafted, and a thoroughly fun read from start to finish, "The Excitements" by C.
J. Wray will have a very special appeal to fans of 20th Century historical fiction. While available for personal reading lists
in a digital book format (Kindle, $12.99), "The Excitements" will prove to be an enduringly popular pick for community
library collections. It should be noted for librarians that "The Excitements" that there is also a large print, library binding
edition (Thorndike Press, 9798885799232, $36.99, 596pp) as well.
Editorial Note: C. J. Wray is the pseudonym of Christine Manby, an author with more than forty books to her name.
(www.harpercollins.com/blogs/authors/cj-wray-2023118511306)
The Literary Fiction Shelf
Tali Girls: A Novel of Afghanistan
Siamak Herawi, author
Sara Khalili, translator
Archipelago Books
https://archipelagobooks.org
9781953861665, $22.00, PB, 391pp
https://www.amazon.com/Tali-Girls-Afghanistan-Siamak-Herawi/dp/1953861660
Synopsis: With the publication of "Tali Girls", author Siamak Herawi brings Afghan women center stage and takes us deep
into the heart of his motherland to witness the reality of their lives under the Taliban's most extreme interpretation of
Islam. Based on true stories, the result is a sobering and harrowing tale that relates the current ethos of a country under
occupation by one power or another for more than half a century.
"Tali Girls" is deftly written in a direct, conversational prose that offers us a vivid picture of the endless cycle of the
suffering of girls and women in the grip of the Taliban authorities, of the imbalance of power and opportunity.
The central figures illuminate the power of love, friendship, and generosity in the face of poverty and oppression. Their
experiences and dilemmas have a visceral power and we become deeply attached to Kowsar, Geesu, and Simin. These are
testaments of resilience, hope, courage, and visceral fear, of doors of opportunity opening just a crack that offer a way
out.
In Sara Khalili's vibrant and nuanced translation from the Persian, "Tali Girls" tears down the curtain and exposes the
treacherous realities of what women are up against in modern-day, war-torn Afghanistan.
Critique: A riveting (and often heart-breaking) read from start to finish, "Tali Girls" reflects author Siamak Herawi's
narrative driven storytelling skills that, as a novelist, elevates this original and compelling story to the elevated heights of
literary excellence. Expertly translated into English for an American readership by Sarah Khalili, "Tali Girls" is especially
and unreservedly recommended for community and college/university library Literary Fiction collections. It should be
noted for personal reading lists that "Tali Girls' is readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $16.99) as well.
Editorial Note #1: Siamak Herawi was born in Herat province, Afghanistan, in 1968. He studied at Kabul University and
Stavropol University in Moscow. Returning to Afghanistan in 1991, Herawi started his career as a reporter and later joined
Anis Newspaper as its editor in chief. In 2003 he was appointed deputy spokesperson to President Hamid Kharzai, a
position he held until he was transferred in 2012 to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as deputy spokesperson. A year later, he
was appointed charges d'affaires of the Embassy of Afghanistan in London. Herawi resigned from his position in 2014
when Ashraf Ghani was elected president and remained in the UK. Despite his long career in politics, Siamak Herawi is
most recognised as one of Afghanistan's most prolific writers whose body of work includes twelve novels.
Editorial Note #2: Translator Sara Khalili is an editor and translator of contemporary Iranian literature based in New York.
Her many translations include Censoring an Iranian Love Story by Shahriar Mandanipour.
(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sara_Khalili)
Prima Facie
Suzie Miller
Henry Holt & Company
www.henryholt.com
9781250292209, $27.99, HC, 288pp
https://www.amazon.com/Prima-Facie-Novel-Suzie-Miller/dp/1250292204
Synopsis: Tessa Ensler loves her job. She's worked her way up to being a top criminal defense barrister against all the
odds, and fights to defend those pleading not guilty. Tessa believes in the law, believes in the system. Her quick-witted
cross-examinations and intelligence in the courtroom see her clocking up win after win - including securing freedom for
men accused of rape and sexual assault. Innocence until proven guilty is, after all, the bedrock of a civilized society.
But when Tessa is raped by a coworker, she struggles to find the strength to bring him to justice in the face of the barriers
and opposition within that same system. Determined to have her day in court, Tessa is forced to confront the stark reality
that the law was not written for victims, and that she is the one on trial. She fights on, even as her evidence is manipulated
to make her look like a liar, even while she is retraumatized in the stand.
Critique: A deftly crafted work of fiction that is based on the Olivier and Tony Award-winning play, author Suzie Miller,
in her debut as a novelist, is able to raise her crime thriller "Prima Facie" to a impressive level of literary excellence. This
is a compelling story of what happens when a victim who is exceptionally familiar with the legal system experiences must
learn from personal and hardcore experience that there is very little justice in the justice system -- even for her. While
especially and unreservedly recommended for community library Contemporary Crime/Justice System Fiction collections,
it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Prima Facie" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle,
$14.99).
Editorial Note: Suzie Miller (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suzie_Miller) is a contemporary international playwright,
screenwriter, and novelist. Based in both London and Sydney, Australia, Miller has had her work produced around the
world, winning multiple prestigious awards, including for her smash-hit one-woman play Prima Facie, which ran a
sold-out, critically successful season on London's West End, winning the Laurence Olivier Awards for Best New Play
2023 and Best Actress 2023; followed by a critically successful season on Broadway, receiving four Tony Award
nominations and a win for Best Actress 2023. Miller is educated in science and law, with a doctorate in drama and
mathematics. She practiced human rights law before turning to writing full-time and is currently developing major theater,
film, and television projects across the UK, USA, and Australia, including feature film adaptations of her plays. "Prima
Facie" is her first novel.
The Mystery/Suspense Shelf
Death of a Punk
John P. Browner
Stark House Press
www.starkhousepress.com
9798886010695, $12.99, PB, 218pp
https://www.amazon.com/Death-Punk-John-P-Browner/dp/B0CKDSTSCP
Synopsis: Lenny Hornblower used to drive a cab. Now he finds people for a fee -- $100 a day plus expenses. When Lisa
Perlont calls and asks him to find her son Blinky, it seems like an easy job. Blinky hangs out at an East Village punk club
called AC-DC.
Lenny puts up with the noise and aggravation, but when someone knocks him out in the alley and steals his wallet, he
starts to take it personally.
However, the search for Blinky turns up more than a young punk with a safety pin in his nose -- Lenny also finds a group
of equipment hijackers with a large stash of cocaine. In fact, it looks like Blinky is running a scam of his own, one that just
might prove fatal.
Lenny wants to do right by his lovely client but is this any way to make a living?
Critique: Originally published in 1980, "Death of a Punk" by John P. Browner was the first novel to come directly out of
the NYC CBGBs Punk scene. Now reissued the 'Black Cat' series from Stark House Press for the first time in more than 40
years this time-lost classic will have an immense appeal to a new generation of fans with an interest in classic hard boiled
private investigator crime novels. While a great pick for community library Mystery/Suspense collections, it should be
noted for personal reading lists that "Death of a Punk" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle,
$5.99).
Editorial Note: John P. Browner lived in Greenwich Village during the 70's. An habitue of the downtown clubs that
spawned the Punk/New Wave music scene, he wrote Death of a Punk in 1977 78. It was originally published by Pocket
Books in 1980. Currently, he lives with his wife, the writer Lisa Yarger, and his daughter, Greta, in Munich, Germany,
where he owns and operates The Munich Readery, an English secondhand bookshop (http://readery.de).
So Deadly Fair / Diamonds Don't Burn
Gertrude Walker, author
Bill Kelly, introduction
Stark House Press
www.starkhousepress.com
9798886010343, $19.95, PB, 272pp
https://www.amazon.com/Deadly-Fair-Diamonds-Dont-Burn/dp/B0C4NHZJFH
Synopsis: SO DEADLY FAIR -- It was dark and raining when Walter Johnson crawls out of the freight car that night. So
when he sees a woman motioning to him from the window of a house across from the tracks, he decides to investigate.
What he finds is a bloodied corpse, and the set-up with him as the killer. But Johnson doesn't intend to allow himself to be
railroaded into a murder charge. He grabs the woman who tried to frame him, and takes off with her for California.
Elizabeth is no victim herself. Sooner or later, she is going to have her way. She settles in with Johnson as a reluctant
married couple, but Johnson knows that it's only a matter of time before she makes her break. He just didn't realize that this
time he'd be accused of her murder.
DIAMONDS DON'T BURN -- Clara and her husband John have grown apart. Then John introduces her to his friend
Roger, and she feels an immediate attraction. But Clara is torn. She doesn't want to become an unfaithful wife. Still, Roger
is persuasive, and Clara finds herself meeting him in a New York hotel room. What neither of them could suspect is that a
diamond robbery has been planned for the next room that night. Mike Grant has been working on this plan for some time,
and nothing is going to get in his way. But how could he know that the man he has set out to rob would wake up, that he
would be forced to shoot him? And that racing to escape he would bump into Clara, also trying to escape her situation?
Who could foresee that their bags would get mixed up in the confusion?
Critique: Two time-lost classics of the hard-boiled crime novel genre by Gertrude Winifred Walker (April 8, 1902 - June
18, 1995) who was an American screenwriter, TV writer, and novelist best remember for her work on B movies at
Republic Pictures. "So Deadly Fair / Diamonds Don't Burn" have been brought back into print by Stark House Press as part
of their 'Crime Classics' series. The stuff of which film noir movies were made, "So Deadly Fair / Diamonds Don't Burn"
will prove to be a memorably entertaining read for mystery and crime novel fans. While an excellent and enduringly
popular pick for community library Mystery/Suspense collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "So
Deadly Fair / Diamonds Don't Burn" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $5.99).
Editorial Note: Gertrude Walker (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gertrude_Walker) joined the writing staff at Republic
Pictures, where she enjoyed the collegial atmosphere and working with writer Dane Lussier. As Walker later recounted,
she was almost laid off from the studio in 1944 - until her boss saw her script for Silent Partner (which she had written in
three days) and was blown away. During her time later in the decade at Warner Brothers, she also gained recognition as a
novelist; her 1948 title, So Deadly Fair, was named one of the 10 best mystery novels of the year. In 1955, her novel
Diamonds Don't Burn was published.
The Glass Heart / The Sleeping City
Marty Holland
Stark House Press
www.starkhousepress.com
9798886010534, $16.95, PB, 186pp
https://www.amazon.com/Glass-Heart-Sleeping-City/dp/B0CFZDD4KL
Synopsis: THE GLASS HEART -- Down on his luck, Curt snatches an overcoat and is chased by the police into a Beverly
Hills neighborhood where he meets Mrs. Virginia Block. Virginia is expecting a new handyman to show up, and Curt
quickly snags the position. He doesn't realize that this seemingly sweet old woman is a rich miser, and finds himself
working for pennies as her gardener, her chauffeur, and whatever else she needs to maintain her huge house. Then Lynn, as
aspiring actress, moves in, and things don't seem so bad there after all. But it isn't until Curt discovers Mrs. Block's secret
that he finds out what kind of a goldmine he's sitting on. All he has to do is figure out is how to work it... and then stay
alive.
THE SLEEPING CITY -- Officer Wade Reed is given his mission, to pose as a member of the Les Ties gang and infiltrate
a local mob. As Jim Cox, he is an out-of-town gunman who has been hired to help with a heist set up by Louie Thompson,
an old-style prohibition hoodlum who's planning a comeback. It's Wade's job to find out the details and report back to the
Gangster Squad. One false move from Jim Cox, and Wade's fiancee Betty will have to find a new husband. But Wade
doesn't figure on Thompson's girl Madge. At first she seems like a real tough cookie. But once she gets under Wade's skin,
he begins to have his doubts about the mission. Can he protect Madge and still stop the heist?
Critique: As an author, Marty Holland was a master of the hard-boiled mystery genre and two of her best were "The Glass
Heart" and "The Sleeping City". Now brought back into print for the benefit of a new generation of readers with an interest
in crime classics, this two tale Stark House edition of "The Glass Heart / The Sleeping City" will prove to be a welcome
and enduringly popular pick for community library Mystery/Suspense collections. It should be noted for personal reading
lists that "The Glass Heart / The Sleeping City" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $5.99) as
well.
Editorial Note: Marty Holland (1919 - 1971) began writing at age 12. After moving to Hollywood with her family, she
landed a job as a script typist for the movie studios. Marty's own work was soon recognized by movie mogul Otto
Preminger, who snapped up her novel, Fallen Angel, and made it into a major motion picture. Known for her dark,
hard-boiled writing, she again found cinematic success with The File on Thelma Jordan, starring Barbara Stanwyck and
Wendell Corey. One of her last books, The Glass Heart, was made into a screenplay by James M. Cain.
The Fantasy/SciFi Shelf
Medusa: A Novel
Jessie Burton
Bloomsbury Press
www.bloomsbury.com
9781639732685, $17.99, PB, 208pp
https://www.amazon.com/Medusa-Novel-Jessie-Burton/dp/1639732683
Synopsis: Exiled to a far-flung island after being abused by powerful Gods, Medusa has little company other than the
snakes that adorn her head instead of hair. Haunted by the memories of a life before everything was stolen from her, she
has no choice but to make peace with her present: she is Medusa the Monster. But when the charmed and beautiful Perseus
arrives on the island, her lonely existence is blown open, unleashing desire, love -- and betrayal.
Critique: An impressive re-invention of the Grecian myth, author Jessie Burton's newest novel, Medusa" is an original,
iconoclastic, and fun read from cover to cover. Bringing her readers a new perspective to a classic story, "Medusa: A
Novel" is one of those stories that will linger in the mind and memory of the reader long after the book itself has been
finish and set back upon the shelf. Original published in hardcover (2023), "Medusa: A Novel" this newly published
paperback edition from Bloomsbury Publishing is unreservedly recommended for community and college/university
library Literary Fiction collections. Of special note for personal reading lists is the "Medusa: A Novel" is also readily
available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
Editorial Note: Jessie Burton (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jessie_Burton) is the author of "The Miniaturist", which was
adapted into a PBS series, starring Anya Taylor-Joy. Jessie has written essays and reviews for The New York Times and
The Wall Street Journal.
The Graphic Novel Shelf
Zodiac: A Graphic Memoir
Ai Weiwei, author
Gianluca Costantini, illustrator
Ten Speed Graphic
c/o Ten Speed Press
www.penguinrandomhouse.com
9781984862990, $28.99, HC, 176pp
https://www.amazon.com/Zodiac-Graphic-Memoir-Ai-Weiwei/dp/1984862995
Synopsis: As a child living in exile during China's Cultural Revolution, Ai Weiwei often found himself with nothing to
read but government-approved comic books. Although they were restricted by the confines of political propaganda, Ai
Weiwei was struck by the artists' ability to express their thoughts on art and humanity through graphic storytelling. Now,
decades later, Ai Weiwei and Italian comic artist Gianluca Costantini present Zodiac, Ai Weiwei's first graphic
memoir.
Inspired by the twelve signs of the Chinese zodiac and their associated human characteristics, Ai Weiwei masterfully
interweaves ancient Chinese folklore with stories of his life, family, and career. The narrative shifts back and forth through
the years (at once in the past, present, and future) mirroring memory and our relationship to time. As readers delve deeper
into the beautifully illustrated pages of Zodiac, they will find not only a personal history of Ai Weiwei and an examination
of the sociopolitical climate in which he makes his art, but a philosophical exploration of what it means to find oneself
through art and freedom of expression.
Contemplative and political, Zodiac will inspire readers to return again and again to Ai Weiwei's musings on the
relationship between art, time, and our shared humanity.
Critique: Published in a B/W graphic novel style by Ten Speed Graphic, "Zodiac: A Graphic Memoir" by Ai Weiwei is a
compelling, thoughtful, thought provoking and unique memoir/biography presented through the illustrations of Gianluca
Costantini. A fascinating personal history and a compelling read from start to finish, "Zodiac: A Graphic Memoir" is
especially and unreservedly recommended for community and college/university library Biography/Memoir collections. It
should be noted for personal reading lists that "Zodiac: A Graphic Memoir" is also readily available in a paperback edition
(9781984863003, $22.99) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $11.99) as well.
Editorial Note #1: Ai Weiwei leads a diverse and prolific practice that encompasses sculptural installation, filmmaking,
photography, ceramics, painting, writing, and social media. Born in Beijing, China, in 1957, he is a conceptual artist who
fuses traditional craftsmanship and his Chinese heritage, moving freely between a variety of formal languages to reflect on
contemporary geopolitical and sociopolitical conditions. Ai Weiwei's work and life regularly interact and inform one
another, often extending to his activism and advocacy for international human rights.
Editorial Note #2: Gianluca Costantini is an Italian cartoonist, comic journalist, and activist. He has contributed to
numerous publications and is the author of several graphic novels. He is well known for his drawing related to human
rights campaigns all over the world. He collaborates with organizations such as the Committee to Protect Journalists,
ActionAid, and SOS Mediterranee. In 2019, he received the Art and Human Rights Award from Amnesty
International.
Nina Simone in Comics!
Sophie Adriansen
NBM Publishing
www.nbmpub.com
9781681123264, $27.99, HC, 160pp
https://www.amazon.com/Nina-Simone-Comics-NBM-Biographies/dp/1681123266
Synopsis: "Nina Simone in Comics!" by Sophie Adriansen is the personal story of the emancipation of a young black and
poor woman living in an America marked by segregation.
This is the graphic novel style but true story of a fierce battle, that of a musician involved in the civil rights movement.
This is also the story of the long career of a pianist and singer who was talented as she was determined.
This is the story of Nina Simone, a unique artist, role model, and inspiration for generations to come. Genius pianist,
fabulous singer and committed artist, Nina Simone remains an inspiration for generations.
Critique: Nina Simone (February 21, 1933 - April 21, 2003) born Eunice Kathleen Waymon, was an African American
singer, songwriter, pianist, composer, arranger and civil rights activist whose music spanned styles including classical,
folk, gospel, blues, jazz, R&B, and pop. Published by NBM Publishing in a graphic novel story style, "Nina Simone in
Comics!" by Sophia Adriansen is an impressively informative and compelling biography that is a simply fascinating read
from start to finish. Of special interest to her legions of fans, "Nina Simone in Comics! is especially recommended for
community and college/university library Composer/Musician Biography/Memoir collections. It should be noted for
personal reading lists that "Nina Simone in Comics!" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle,
$16.99).
Editorial Note: Sophie Adriansen (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sophie_Adriansen) is a French writer, a member of the
Socie te des gens de lettres and of the "Charte des auteurs et des illustrateurs jeunesse". She has written over 56 works,
from novels to graphic novels to non-fiction and biographies including a non-comics biography of Nina Simone.
The Audiobook Shelf
My Darling Bride
Ilsa Madden Mills, author
Sebastian York, narrator
Savannah Peachwood, narrator
Brilliance Audio
https://audiobookstore.com/publishers/brilliance-audio
9781501241635, $19.99, MP3-CD (9 Hours 48 Minutes)
https://www.amazon.com/My-Darling-Bride-Ilsa-Madden-Mills/dp/150124163X
Synopsis: On a normal day, Emmaline Darling isn't a car thief. She's just a simple girl who runs a bookstore and adores
cats. But when she's stranded in the desert and needs to get away from her dangerous ex-boyfriend, she picks her only
option: swiping the keys to a famous football player's Lamborghini and speeding away.
Football star Graham Harlan is in chaos. First he took a hit on the field that left him with a near-death experience, and now
he's promised his brother he'll get married to secure the family inheritance. Trouble is he isn't even seeing anyone.
Then a mystery woman steals his car. With his usual stubbornness, he tracks her all the way to Manhattan and gives her an
ultimatum: marry me or I'll press charges.
Her choice is obvious, only neither of them expect the sparks that ignite between them.
As the end of their arrangement looms, will Graham take a chance on love or let his darling walk away forever?
Critique: Truly the stuff of which Hallmark Move Channel rom-coms are made, this complete and unabridged audio book
edition of Ilsa Madden Mills' "My Darling Bride is a fun listening experience from start to finish. Superbly narrated by the
professional team of Sebastian York and Savannah Peachwood, "My Darling Bride from Brilliance Audio is especially and
unreservedly recommended as a prize addition to personal and community library Rom-Com & Contemporary Romance
audio book collections.
Editorial Note #1: Ilsa Madden-Mills (www.ilsamaddenmills.com) is an established author of angsty new adult and
contemporary romances.
Editorial Note #2 Sebastian York spent much of his youth as a military brat throughout Europe, Asia, and the U.S., which
spurred a very adventurous sense for travel and faraway places. He has a pilot's license and operates small flying tours over
New York City in between his narration work. (https://www.facebook.com/SebastianYorkNarrator)
Editorial Note #3: Savannah Peachwood (http://www.savannahpeachwood.com) is an award-winning audiobook narrator.
She has narrated hundreds of audiobooks for many New York Times & USA Today Bestselling authors.
Spiced Right
Gigi Templeton, author
Amanda Stribling, narrator
Aiden Snow, narrator
Brilliance Audio
https://audiobookstore.com/publishers/brilliance-audio
9781501225581, $19.99, MP3-CD (8 Hours 54 Minutes)
https://www.amazon.com/Spiced-Right-Gigi-Templeton/dp/1501225588
Synopsis: Don't ever think I didn't want more time with you, darlin'.
Those were her college boyfriend's last words to her after a phone call summoned him home to Texas. In the ten years
since, Jack Reed has taken over his family's ranch, and Jillian Parks has experienced devastating losses with traumatic
repercussions.
Now a reclusive insomniac, she podcasts about the specialty hybrid chili peppers she grows in her Seattle greenhouse,
keeping a closed door between her and the past. But when Jillian's producer coaxes her to make a surprise call in to Jack's
YouTube BBQ channel, their chemistry still sizzles!
An invite to the ranch for a follow-up collab is a scary proposal for Jillian. But forward movement is key to her recovery,
and it's time to take the bull by the horns. With Jack's commanding yet soothing presence, maybe this charismatic cowboy
is just the right ingredient to help her heal -- while adding a different kind of spice to her life.
Critique: An impressively original and emotionally riveting story of lost love regained, this complete and unabridged audio
book edition of Spiced Right" by novelist Gigi Templeton is brought to life by the superbly performed narrative talents of
Amanda Stribling and Aiden Snow. Offering just shy of 9 hours of drama and romance storytelling excellent, "Spiced
Right" will prove an enduringly welcome addition to personal and community library dedicated romance audio book
collections.
Editorial Note #1: Gigi Templeton (www.facebook.com/ggtbooks) has written numerous full-length novels for traditional
publishers, digital publishers and forward-thinking reader apps, such as Radish Fiction and YONDER. Her debut book,
HARD KNOX, has over five million organic views on Radish and became an international bestselling series. She has also
won awards and notable nominations under other pseudonyms, including as a finalist for Romantic Times magazine's Best
Book of the Year and their Seal of Excellence.
Editorial Note #2: Amanda Stribling (https://www.amandastribling.com) is a SOVAS and One Voice nominated
audiobook narrator who has narrated around 180 books from my home studio. Her favorite genres are Romance, Romantic
Comedy, Literature, Young-Adult, Sci-Fi/Fantasy, and Thriller. Being a self-proclaimed audio addict, she has listened to
thousands of audiobooks, and knows what it takes to engage the listener and help them to connect with the story. She also
works under the pseudonym of Allie Piper.
Editorial Note #3: Aiden Snow is a romance and erotica narrator who has been called "the crown prince of audio
romance." His rich baritone has garnered a solid fan base and has allowed him to range from paranormal romance to
military romance, from "motorcycle bad boy" to "boardroom dom." To him, every romance is true love, and every erotic
romance is true desire. (www.audible.com/search?searchNarrator=Aiden+Snow)
A Sure Duke
Christi Caldwell, author
Timothy Campbell, narrator
Brilliance Audio
https://audiobookstore.com/publishers/brilliance-audio
9781501208690, $19.99, MP3-CD (8 Hours 4 Minutes)
https://www.amazon.com/Sure-Duke-McQuoids-Mayfair/dp/1501208691
Synopsis: Alexandra Bradbury and Dallin McQuoid are neighbors who couldn't be more different. She's prim, mindful,
and skittish of social improprieties. Dallin is slightly scandalous, boisterously charming, and unbothered by gossip. On an
unexpected night of magic forged under the stars, they discover what they do have in common. Could theirs be a rare love
match that might last forever?
But everything changes in a heartbeat: a death in the Bradbury family, financial ruin, and Alexandra's betrothal to a
wickedly wealthy marquess. Alexandra is expected to do what's best for her family, regardless of her heart.
Until another crisis arises, and the dutiful daughter must embark on a journey with the waggish lord across the street to
prevent a catastrophe for both of their families.
Along the road, will their stars finally align?
Critique: Simply stated, as an author Christi Caldwell is a master of the historical romance genre in general, and the
Regency Romance subgenre in particular. In this complete and unabridged audio book edition from Brilliance Audio "A
Sure Duke" is one of Christi's newest and best brought vividly to life in an extended theatre of the mind presentation deftly
narrated by Timothy Campbell -- making this fully entertaining story a highly prized pick for personal and community
library Historical Romance audio book collections.
Editorial Note #1: When Christi Caldwell (www.christicaldwell.com) was at the University of Connecticut, she began
writing tales of love -- ones where even the most perfect heroes and heroines had imperfections. She learned to enjoy
torturing her couples before they earned their well-deserved happily ever after.
Editorial Note #2: Timothy Campbell (http://www.timcampbell.me) is an award winning actor and singer who works
primarily in audiobook narration & voice overs, and has narrated over 800 titles spanning almost every genre. He has won
or been nominated for almost every major award in the audiobook industry including a 2018 Audie, multiple Audie
nominations, a 2019 Voice Arts Award and several Audiofile Earphones Awards and Independent Audiobook Awards. He
specializes in accents, dialects, and character work and holds three degrees in theater and music as well as graduating from
the esteemed two year Great Books Colloquium of Pepperdine University.
Before the Dawn
D. S. Butler, author
Henrietta Meire, narrator
Brilliance Audio
https://audiobookstore.com/publishers/brilliance-audio
9781491596470, $19.99, MP3-CD (9 Hours 35 Minutes)
https://www.amazon.com/Before-Dawn-Detective-Karen-Hart/dp/1491596473
Synopsis: DC Sophie Jones was in the wrong place at the wrong time. Viciously bludgeoned one night in a dark alley, she
is left fighting for her life in hospital, leaving no clues as to why she was there or what might have motivated the
attack.
For Detective Karen Hart, fiercely protective of her young protegee, this is already deeply personal: an attack on Sophie is
an attack on the whole team. When a car workshop near the crime scene is linked to local mobster Quentin Chapman, the
man Hart has spent years trying to bring down, it's hard not to jump to the most obvious conclusion.
But Chapman not only denies any knowledge of the incident - he asks for Karen's help. Someone is killing his associates,
and he fears he might be next. With little else to go on, Hart has no choice but to rely on her sworn enemy and his
underworld connections for valuable information. Can she trust Chapman to tell her the truth -- or will this shady
collaboration be the last case of her career? Only one person can help crack this case -- but he's also the prime
suspect!
Critique: The eighth novel in author D. S. Butler's 'Detective Karen Hart' series, this complete and unabridged MP3-CD
edition of "Before The Dawn" from Brilliance Audio is masterfully narrated by Henrietta Meire and will have a particular
attraction to dedicated mystery buffs. Offering a compelling 'theatre of mind' experience, "Before The Dawn" is an a highly
recommended pick for both personal and community library audio book collections.
Editorial Note #1: Born in Kent, D. S. Butler (https://dsbutlerbooks.com) grew up as an avid reader with a love for crime
fiction and mysteries. She has worked as a scientific officer in a hospital pathology laboratory and as a research scientist.
After obtaining a PhD in biochemistry, she worked at the University of Oxford for four years before moving to the Middle
East. While living in Bahrain, she wrote her first novel and hasn't stopped writing since. She now lives in the United
Kingdom with her husband.
Editorial Note #2: Henrietta Meire is a full-time voice-over artist and actress. Her studio is her second home where she
loves to engross herself in books of all genres and make characters come to life -- from the girl next door to the troll-witch
next door to a talking battery that lives with the girl next door! In addition to narrating a plethora of audiobooks, Henrietta
has voiced numerous commercial and charity campaigns, as well as video game and animation characters. As an actress,
Henrietta has performed in plays across the West End and Los Angeles and can be seen in a number of popular current
movies as well as HBO and CBS shows.
Meadow Falls
Carolyn Brown, author
Brittany Pressley, narrator
Brilliance Audio
https://audiobookstore.com/publishers/brilliance-audio
9781491556504, $19.99, MP3-CD (8 Hours 3 Minutes)
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/meadow-falls-carolyn-brown/1143179805?ean=9781491556504
Synopsis: Angela Marie has spent all of her thirty-five years on Meadow Falls, the farm that's been in her Texas family for
generations. It wasn't her plan. It was an obligation. Now that her parents (less loving kin than strangers) have passed, the
whole shebang belongs to Angela. And a legacy that she never wanted is now hers to uphold.
She can't forsake it now. Her beloved nanny, Mandy, who was always more of a mother, needs a caregiver herself. And
Mandy's great-granddaughter, as close to Angela as a sister, has returned to roost. When a handsome veteran arrives
seeking work as a farmhand, Angela thinks the future might not be half-bad after all.
But it's the past that proves enlightening. Mandy is revealing secrets Angela never knew about her parents. As the clouds
on her family history begin to part, the inheritance feels more like a precious gift, and Meadow Falls more like the home
Angela's been looking for her whole life.
Critique: An extraordinary and highly recommended pick for personal and community library audio book collections, this
Brilliance Audio MP3-CD audio book edition of Meadow Falls" by Carolyn Brown is deftly and expertly narrated by the
vocal storytelling talents of of Brittany Pressley and will prove to have a particular attraction for fans of Contemporary
Romance.
Editorial Note #1: Carolyn Brown (www.carolynbrownbooks.com) is the author of more than 100 novels and several
novellas. She's a recipient of the Bookseller's Best Award, Montlake Romance's prestigious Montlake Diamond Award,
and also a three-time recipient of the National Reader's Choice Award. Brown has been published for more than 20 years,
and her books have been translated 21 foreign languages.
Editorial Note #2: Brittany Pressley has won several Earphones Awards as well as the prestigious Audie Award for Best
Narration in 2018. She has recorded over one hundred titles and has received several nominations for American Library
Association's annual list of Amazing Audiobooks for Young Adults. She is also an accomplished singer-songwriter and
voice actress. Her voice can be heard on national and international TV and radio commercials as well as several animated
series and video games.
The Last Caretaker
Jessica Strawser, author
Reba Buhr, narrator
Brilliance Audio
https://audiobookstore.com/publishers/brilliance-audio
9798400145247, $19.99, MP3-CD (10 Hours 50 Minutes)
https://www.amazon.com/Last-Caretaker-Novel-Jessica-Strawser/dp/B0BT4W6XSZ
Synopsis: Katie's divorce was, in a word, humiliating. So when her friend Bess offers a fresh start in the form of a resident
caretaking job at a nature preserve -- Katie accepts. No matter that she's not exactly a "nature person", just how hard can it
be?
But from day one, something feels off. Katie's new farmhouse looks as if the last caretaker barely moved out at all. When a
frantic, terrified woman arrives late at night, expecting a safe place to hide, it's clear caretaking involves way more than
Katie bargained for.
Suddenly, Katie is no longer sure who she can trust: the brooding groundskeeper, the daily regulars (hikers, dog walkers,
bird-watchers, photographers) even Bess. As Katie digs deeper for clues in what the last caretaker left behind, she must
discover courage she never knew she had -- and decide how much she'll risk to do the right thing.
Critique: Of immense appeal and interest to fans of deftly crafted novels with the themes of family life intermixed with
elements of suspense and apprehension, and unreservedly recommended for personal and community library audio book
collections, "The Last Care Taker" by novelist Jessica Strawser is ably and effectively narrated by Reba Buhr in this
complete and unabridged Brilliance Audio MP3-CD edition.
Editorial Note #1: Jessica Strawser (www.jessicastrawser.com) is the author of five previous book club favorites: Almost
Missed You, Not That I Could Tell (a Book of the Month selection), Forget You Know Me, A Million Reasons Why, and
The Next Thing You Know, a People magazine Pick. She is editor-at-large at Writer's Digest, where she curates the Learn
by Example column; a popular speaker at writing conferences; and a freelance editor and writer whose work has appeared
in the New York Times, Publishers Weekly, and others. A Pittsburgh native and graduate of Ohio University's prestigious
E.W. Scripps School of Journalism, she has also served as the 2019 writer-in-residence for the Cincinnati & Hamilton
County Public Library.
Editorial Note #2: Reba Buhr (https://www.rebabuhr.com/audiobooks) is the author of Get Thee to a Therapist, and an
actress, host, and voiceover artist based in Los Angeles, CA. Reba is also an outspoken mental health advocate. She uses
her instagram @get.thee.to.a.therapist to educate people about accessing mental health services and how to overcome the
stigma, fear, and other barriers to care that keep people from finding the healing they deserve.
Dream Town: Eve Ronin
Lee Goldberg
Brilliance Audio
https://audiobookstore.com/publishers/brilliance-audio
9781491595565, $29.99, MP3-CD (8 Hours 47 Minutes)
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/dream-town-lee-goldberg/1143348897
Synopsis: Hidden Hills is a private celebrity enclave of white picket fences and horse trails that seems to exist in a
dreamworld. But when reality superstar Kitty Winslow is killed within their gates and corpses are found in the vast state
park outside them, LASD detective Eve Ronin realizes there is a deadly, razor-thin line between what's real and what's
imagined.
Eve discovers that Kitty's surreal on- and off-camera life, a blur of fact and fantasy, shockingly mirrors her own as she
struggles to investigate the killings, wade into a music industry war, and battle a vicious Chilean gang - all while her life is
being turned into a fictional cop show directed by her estranged father.
Eve's grip on reality and the case is strained to the breaking point as the slayings continue, the media frenzy reaches a fever
pitch, and the only inescapable truth she can see is death... and it's coming for her.
Critique: A deftly crafted suspense thriller that will have a very special appeal to readers with an interest in police
procedural murder mysteries, "Dream Town" by Lee Goldberg is now available as a complete and unabridged MP3-CD
audio book from Brilliance Audio. Brilliantly narrated by the impressively talented skills of Nicol Zanzareela, "Dream
Town" is an especially and unreservedly recommended pick for both personal and community library audio book
collections.
Editorial Note #1: Lee Goldberg (www.leegoldberg.com) is a two-time Edgar Award and two-time Shamus Award
nominee and the author of more than forty novels, including the Eve Ronin series and the Ian Ludlow series. He has also
written and/or produced many TV shows, including Diagnosis Murder, SeaQuest, and Monk, and is co-creator of the
Mystery 101 series of Hallmark movies. As an international television consultant, he has advised networks and studios in
Canada, France, Germany, Spain, China, Sweden, and the Netherlands on the creation, writing, and production of episodic
television series.
Two Masquerades and a Major
Eloisa James, author
Felicity Foster, narrator
Brilliance Audio
https://audiobookstore.com/publishers/brilliance-audio
9798400137785, $14.99, MP3-CD (8 Hours 48 Minutes)
https://www.amazon.com/Two-Masquerades-Major-Seduction-3/dp/B0CLYY5QWN
Synopsis: Livie never worried much about the world's opinion of her -- until the world came to despised her. One minute
she is happily dancing through her first Season, and the next her family is plunged into scandal and exiled from
society.
Stealing into a masquerade ball, she meets the handsome, honorable Major FitzRoy, son of an earl. Yet if she removes her
mask and tells Joshua her name, the scandal might engulf him as well. Could he possibly love her enough to give up his
career -- and his honor?
Critique: Very strongly recommended for personal and community library audio book collections, "Two Masquerades and
a Major" is a carefully crafted historical romance novel by Eloisa James that is brought vividly to life in a true 'theatre of
the mind' listening experience produced by the eloquent storytelling talents of Felicity Foster. This complete and
unabridged MP3-CD edition from Brilliance Audio.
Editorial Note: Eloisa James (www.eloisajames.com) is a professor of English literature. She is the mother of two and, in a
particularly delicious irony for a romance writer, is married to a genuine Italian knight. She is also on Facebook at
(www.facebook.com/eloisajames)
Melody
Helen Hardt, author
Amanda Stribling, narrator
Lee Samuels, narrator
Brilliance Audio
https://audiobookstore.com/publishers/brilliance-audio
9781501224881, $19.99, MP3-CD (7 Hours 27 Minutes)
https://www.amazon.com/Melody-Steel-Brothers-Saga-28/dp/1501224883
Synopsis: Beautiful Brianna Steel has her life planned out. Graduate college early. Check. Work with her father in the Steel
family orchard. Check. Marry Jesse Pike -- but no check there because Jesse has never given her a look.
Finagling her way onto a rock and roll tour with Jesse and his band, Dragonlock, should help move her final goal along. At
least Brianna hopes it will. She's been in love with Jesse since she was fourteen years old, and though she's had several
relationships, no one compares to the darkly handsome rocker.
Jesse Pike and his band just got their big break. Opening for Emerald Phoenix on their Europe tour could lead to fame and
fortune, and his family desperately needs the money after a fire destroyed their livelihood. He can't let them down, and he's
determined not to let anything distract him - certainly not vivacious cowgirl Brianna Steel, even if she is the most gorgeous
woman he's ever laid eyes on.
In the end, though, it's not just his attraction to Brianna that puts the tour in jeopardy!
Critique: Of particular interest to fans of contemporary romantic erotica and suspense, this complete and unabridged audio
book edition of Helen Hardt's "Melodie" from Brilliance Audio is exceptionally performed by the narrative teamwork of
Amanda Stribling and lee Samuels. This MP3-CD edition is confidently recommended for personal and community library
collections.
Editorial Note #1: As an author, Helen Hardt (https://www.helenhardt.com) has a passion for the written word that began
with the books her mother read to her at bedtime. She wrote her first story at age six and hasn't stopped since. In addition
to being an award-winning author of romantic fiction, she's a mother, a black belt in Taekwondo, a grammar geek, an
appreciator of fine red wine, and a lover of Ben & Jerry's ice cream. She writes from her home. Helen loves to hear from
readers.
Editorial Note #2: Amanda Stribling (https://www.amandastribling.com) is a SOVAS and One Voice nominated
audiobook narrator who has narrated around 180 books from my home studio. Her favorite genres are Romance, Romantic
Comedy, Literature, Young-Adult, Sci-Fi/Fantasy, and Thriller. Being a self-proclaimed audio addict, she has listened to
thousands of audiobooks, and knows what it takes to engage the listener and help them to connect with the story. She also
works under the pseudonym of Allie Piper.
Editorial Note #3: Lee Samuels (https://leesamuelsnarration.com) is a Romance narrator (SAG-AFTRA) for nearly 200
audiobooks -- everything from small-town to suspense, rom-coms and erotica. With a background in theatre, his audiobook
career began in New York City when his roommate, working as an audiobook engineer, offered to help him record a few
auditions. Those auditions led to bookings and romance projects in all of its shades. His production credits include
Audible, Recorded Books, Lyric, Podium, One Night Stand, Brick Shop, Blue Nose, Dreamscape, Macmillan, and
others.
The Library CD Shelf
CT!
Adam Schroeder and Mark Masters
Capri Records Ltd.
www.caprirecords.com
$14.98 CD / $29.98 vinyl
https://caprirecords.com/html_index.cfm
Adam Schroeder and Mark Masters pay tribute to African-American swing and bebop trumpeter Clark Terry (1920-2015)
in CT!, a big band album with fresh arrangements of thirteen of Clark Terry's original classics. Additional music artists
lend their talents to creating this eclectic celebration of Clark Terry's musical career. Each song selection features a daring
solo, often but not always performed by Adam Schroeder. Highly recommended for both personal and public library music
collections. The tracks are Serenade to a Bus Seat, Ground Hog, Ode to Pres, Daylite Express, Boardwalk, Argentia,
Perdido Line, Slow Boat, Swingin' On The Cusp, Michelle, Top And Bottom, Boomerang, and In Orbit.
Believin' is Seein'
Re Mattei
www.ReMattei.com
Trendy Girl Records
$16.00 autographed CD
https://remattei.com/shop/believin-is-seein-signed-autographed-cd
Believin' is Seein' is a country music album featuring singer and songwriter Re Mattei, who also showcases her talent with
electric and acoustic guitars. Re Mattei is the co-writer of most tracks in this emotional album, supported by the talented
performers contributing background vocals, guitars, percussion, fiddle/mandolin, bass guitar, pedal steele and more.
Individual songs have creation dates ranging from 2007 to 2020. Passionate, entrancing, and uplifting with dulcet beautiful
vocals, Believin' is Seein' is highly recommended for country music fans and public library collections. The tracks are Try
To Break My Heart, Feels Like It's Gonna Rain, Bump Bump Bump, Flame Kissed, Ya Got Two Wheels, Believin' Is
Seein', Save It For Someone Who Cares, Let's Build A Church, Country Love, and Santa's Gone Country.
Sacred Places
Hollan Holmes
Spotted Peccary Music
www.SpottedPeccary.com
$16.00 CD (includes free downloads) / $8.00 MP3 / $10.00 16-bit + 24-bit studio master
https://spottedpeccary.com/shop/sacred-places
The third release of virtuoso Hollan Holmes, Sacred Places is an electronic, ambient instrumental collection of original
music. Inspired by Holmes' travels to beautiful natural sites, Sacred Places is an extraordinary and inspirational musical
reflecting, crafted on both hardware and software synthesizers. Sacred Places is excellent music for yoga, meditation, or
fostering creativity, highly recommended. The tracks are Order Out of Chaos, Temple of Stone, Bristlecone, Drawn To An
Intangible Energy, An Elevated Life, Hallowed Ground, Walking Among Kings, The Divine Connection, Primal Instinct,
A Light Unto The World, and Sacred Places.
No More Excuses
Danette McMahon
danettemcmahon.com
Privately Published
$20.00 CD / $12.00 digital
https://danettemcmahon.com/store
No More Excuses is a jazz album of songs created by singer and composer Danette McMahon, (plus her renditions of a
couple classics like "You and Me" by Dave Matthews and Oasis' "Wonderwall"). Supported by talented musicians on
piano, upright bass, guitar, percussion, and more, Danette McMahon sings songs resonating with the phases of her life, and
the challenges she has faced in her storied career. No More Excuses is soulful, rapturous, and highly recommended. The
tracks are Innocent Bystander, Come Dance With Me, Life Goes On, Road Trip, Closer To My Dream, Naughty Girl,
Fallin' Deeper, Wonderwall, My Pity Party, Don't Pretend, You and Me, Good Ol' Days, Bluebird, and The Lady I Never
Knew.
Tidal Currents: East Meets West
Winnipeg Jazz Orchestra with Jill Townsend and Christie Jensen
winnipegjazzorchestra.com
Chronograph Records
chronographrecords.com
$9.99 CD / $4.99 digital
https://chronographrecords.com/releases/tidal-currents-east-meets-west
The Winnipeg Jazz Orchestra is Canada's first community-based, non-profit professional jazz orchestra. Tidal Currents:
East Meets West is the Winnipeg Jazz Orchestra's seventh release, featuring a commission from expert big band jazz
writers Jill Townsend and Christine Jensen. Featuring sweeping, evocative harmonies and memorable soprano saxophone
solos, Tidal Currents: East Meets West is extraordinary, vibrant original work, highly recommended especially for big
band jazz connoisseurs. The tracks are Inside the Wave, Chrossing Lachine, Tidal Currents, and Rock Skipping Under
Half Moon.
Traces
Will Regnier
willregnier.com
Privately Published
$18.00 CAD (physical CD) / $10.00 CAD digital
https://willregnier.bandcamp.com/album/traces
Traces is the debut instrumental album from Montreal drummer, composer, and producer Will Regnier, with contributions
from Marcus Lowry on electric and acoustic guitar, Yannick Anctil on piano, and Alex Le Blanc on double bass. The
musical style transcends genre boundaries, incorporating elements of jazz, folk, and progressive rock. Traces is an
extraordinary, soul-stirring listening experience, highly recommended especially for music connoisseurs in search of
something new and inspiring. The tracks are Exit, Lights Out, Entre lis lignes, Whereto, Not a Real Place, Smoke and
Mirrors, Traces, Comme des traces oubliees, and Farewell.
The Art Shelf
Ceramics: An Atlas of Forms
Glenn Barkley
Thames & Hudson, Inc.
www.thamesandhudsonusa.com
9781760763930, $65.00, HC, 320pp
https://www.amazon.com/Ceramics-Atlas-Forms-Glenn-Barkley/dp/1760763934
Synopsis: What can we learn about the Roman Empire from an amphora made in 200 BCE? How can a simple, unadorned
cup made in 1945 tell us so much about history? And what will an artwork comprising a vast collection of clay spheres tell
our descendants about the act of making?
Once fired, clay has the strength to last for millennia. Practical uses aside, ceramic objects are a testament to the power and
innovation of ancient and ongoing cultural traditions. A single piece can tell an invaluable story about its time, the people
who made it, how it was collected, or its role within a broader cultural network.
"Ceramics: An Atlas of Forms" by Glenn Barkley is a massive global cultural study told through the lens of ceramics.
Organized chronologically and ranging from an Egyptian ceremonial jar made over five thousand years ago to works by
twentieth-century luminaries Lucie Rie and Bernard Leach, contemporary artists and entirely unknown makers, this
profusely illustrated collection deftly weaves a tale of rich cultural stories through the diverse history of ceramics, honoring
the artists who have left their mark on this timeless practice.
Critique: This large format (8.7 x 1.3 x 11.1 inches, 4.01 pounds) hardcover edition of "Ceramics: An Atlas of Forms"
from Thames & Hudson is informatively enhanced for the benefit of the reader with 220 color illustrations of
chronological arranged ceramic objects, each with its own descriptive commentary that is augmented to include the date,
origin, material, size, and history. Of immense value to readers with an interest in ceramic art history, "Ceramics: An Atlas
of Forms" is a core and especially recommended addition to personal, professional, community, and college/university
library collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists.
Editorial Note: Glenn Barkley (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glenn_Barkley) is an artist, writer, curator, and gardener
based in Sydney, Australia. Barkley was previously senior curator at the Museum of Contemporary Art Australia (2008 -
2014) and curator of the University of Wollongong Art Collection (1996 - 2007). His work can be found in most
Australian public collections, including the National Gallery of Australia. He is represented by the Mindy Solomon Gallery
in the United States.
The Life and Work of Ante Dabro, Australian-Croatian Sculptor
Peter Read
Anthem Press
www.anthempress.com
9781839989926, $49.95, HC, 234pp
https://www.amazon.com/Life-Work-Dabro-Australian-Croatian-Sculptor/dp/1839989920
Synopsis: Why does a highly skilled and highly trained sculptor, the master of every style and technique, insist on working
in the style of the Italian Renaissance? The answer is that to Australian/Croatian sculptor Ante Dabro, every sculpture must
speak to humanity, which means that it must be an element of humanity. If it does not, the sculptor has failed.
Working with female models throughout his long life, Dabro has sought to portray an essence of femininity, and therefore
an essence of humanity. As a sculptor and artist Dabro believes that the ability to see what other people don't see is a real
gift. In his own words: 'It's like a star wheeling round the earth, fertilising the imagination as it goes.'
"The Life and Work of Ante Dabro, Australian-Croatian Sculptor: The Midnight Sea in the Blood", Australian historian
Peter Read deftly explores the different ways he has liberated an essence of humanity by releasing the soul of a human
form from its imprisoning substance, whether it be from wood, marble, stone or plaster.
Critique: A seminal work on the life and accomplishments of sculptor Ante Dabro, "The Life and Work of Ante Dabro,
Australian-Croatian Sculptor: The Midnight Sea in the Blood" is informatively enhanced with the inclusion of an
Introduction (Making a Mark in Stone), eight pages of Notes, a six page listing of Works Cited, and a four page Index.
Comprehensive, definitively informative, thoroughly 'reader friendly' in organization and presentation -- and readily
available for personal/professional reading lists in a digital book format (Kindle, $42.30), "The Life and Work of Ante
Dabro, Australian-Croatian Sculptor: The Midnight Sea in the Blood" will prove to be a valued addition to art school,
community and college/university library Sculpture Art History/Biography collections and supplemental curriculum
studies lists.
Editorial Note: Peter Read (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Read_(historian)) is one of Australia's leading historians.
His work encompasses Australian history, Aboriginal history, Chilean history, and place studies.
The Library Science Shelf
Unframing the Visual
Maggie Murphy, et al.
ACRL Books Association of College & Research Libraries
c/o American Library Association
https://www.ala.org
9780838939918, $120.00, PB, 452pp
https://www.amazon.com/Unframing-Visual-Literacy-Libraries-Information/dp/0838939910
Synopsis: Visual literacy is an interconnected set of practices, habits, and values for participating in visual culture that can
be developed through critical, ethical, reflective, and creative engagement with visual media. Approaches to teaching
visual literacy in higher education must include a focus on context and not just content, process and not just product,
impact and not just intent. Unframing is an approach to visual literacy pedagogy that acknowledges that visuals are a
pervasive part of everyday life, as well as embedded into every scholarly discipline.
In four parts, "Unframing the Visual: Visual Literacy Pedagogy in Academic Libraries and Information Spaces" explores:
Participating in a Changing Visual Information Landscape; Perceiving Visuals as Communicating Information; Practicing
Visual Discernment and Criticality; Pursuing Social Justice through Visual Practice
Twenty-four full color chapters present a range of theoretical and practical approaches to visual literacy pedagogy that
illustrate, connect with, extend, and criticize concepts from the Framework for Visual Literacy in Higher Education:
Companion Document, to the Framework for Information Literacy for Higher Education. Topics include using TikTok to
begin a conversation on academic honesty and marginalization; supporting disciplines to move to multimodal public
communication assignments; critical data visualization; and exclusionary practices in visual media.
In exploring the discussions and engaging with the activities in "Unframing the Visual", you will find new inspiration for
how to unframe, adapt, and apply visual literacy pedagogy and praxis in your work.
Critique: Of special note is that "Unframing the Visual: Visual Literacy Pedagogy in Academic Libraries and Information
Spaces" also includes a complete listing of the editors, contributors, and their credentials. Expertly organized and
presented, and unreservedly recommended for personal/professional reading lists and college/university library collections,
"Unframing the Visual" is an ideal textbook that will have a very special value to readers with an interest in Library &
Informational Science, and supplemental General Library & Information Science curriculum studies lists.
Editorial Note #1: Maggie Murphy is an associate professor and art and design librarian at UNC Greensboro, where she
works with students, faculty, and curators in the School of Art, Weatherspoon Art Museum, and Departments of Interior
Architecture and Media Studies. Her scholarly interests include practice-based research methods for studio artists and
speculative pedagogies for creative engagement with artificial intelligence. As a practicing artist, her print and
mixed-media work explore the vulnerability of existential disquietude.
Editorial Note #2: Stephanie Beene is an associate professor and art, architecture, and planning librarian at the University
of New Mexico (UNM) in Albuquerque, New Mexico, where she supports the Art Department within the College of Fine
Arts and the entire School of Architecture and Planning. Stephanie received an MSIS from the University of Texas at
Austin, an MA in art history from the University of California, Riverside, and a BA in art and art history from Colorado
State University. She served as a member of the Association of College and Research Libraries Visual Literacy Task Force
and is active in the Art Libraries Society of North America, the Association of Architecture School Libraries, and the
International Visual Literacy Association. Before coming to UNM, she worked at Lewis and Clark College in Portland,
Oregon, as the visual resources and arts librarian. Her research interests include visual and information literacy frameworks
as they relate to trust, lifelong learning, and the politics of identity.
Editorial Note #3: Katie Greer is an associate professor at Oakland University in Rochester, Minnesota. She has an MA in
art history from the University of Notre Dame and an MLIS from Drexel University, and is currently pursuing a PhD in
educational leadership from Oakland University. Her published research includes undergraduate information behaviors and
best practices for online pedagogy and information literacy. She is currently studying the problems of conspiracy ideation
and how that is affecting information professionals, and how librarians and educators can utilize pedagogical and affective
strategies to help engender metaliterate and information literate learners.
Editorial Note #4: Sara Schumacher is the architecture image librarian at Texas Tech University, where she works to
improve visual media resources and promote visual literacy through discipline-specific and professional applications. She
holds an MA in art history from the University of Oregon (2007) and an MS in information studies from the University of
Texas at Austin (2011). Her research interests include ethical concerns surrounding using and creating visual media,
disciplinary-based visual literacy instruction, and bias within visual collections. She serves as the content editor for the
Visual Resources Association Bulletin, has published articles in Journal of Documentation, Journal of Visual Literacy,
portal: Libraries and the Academy, and Art Documentation, and was part of the task force that authored the ACRL
Framework for Visual Literacy in Higher Education.
Dana Statton Thompson is a research and instruction librarian at Murray State University in Murray, Kentucky. In this
capacity, she supports the teaching, learning, and research of students and faculty within the Arthur J. Bauernfeind College
of Business. Dana holds an MLIS, an MA in art history, an MFA in studio art from Louisiana State University in Baton
Rouge, Louisiana, and a BA in journalism and studio art from Washington and Lee University in Lexington, Virginia. She
is the president of the International Visual Literacy Association and an Institute for Research Design in Librarianship
scholar. She served as a member of the Association of College and Research Libraries Visual Literacy Task Force and is
active in the Art Libraries Society of North America. Her research and teaching interests focus on the intersection of visual
literacy and news literacy, the integration of visual literacy instruction into higher education, and the scholarship of
teaching and learning.
The Computer Shelf
Algorithmic Thinking, second edition
Daniel Zingaro
No Starch Press
www.nostarch.com
9781718503229, $49.99, PB, 480pp
https://www.amazon.com/Algorithmic-Thinking-2nd-Problem-Based-Introduction/dp/1718503229
Synopsis: Are you hitting a wall with data structures and algorithms? Whether you're a student prepping for coding
interviews or an independent learner, this newly updated and expanded second edition of "Algorithmic Thinking: Unlock
Your Programming Potential" by Daniel Zingaro is your essential guide to efficient problem-solving in programming.
You will be able to unlock the power of data structures and algorithms by learning about the intricacies of hash tables,
recursion, dynamic programming, trees, graphs, and heaps. Become proficient in choosing and implementing the best
solutions for any coding challenge.
"Algorithmic Thinking" includes real-world, competition-proven code examples. The programs and challenges featuring in
"Algorithmic Thinking" aren't just theoretical -- they are drawn from real programming competitions enabling you to train
with problems that have tested and honed the skills of coders around the world.
"Algorithmic Thinking" is ideal for getting 'interview ready" by preparing yourself for coding interviews with practice
exercises that help you think algorithmically, weigh different solutions, and implement the best choices efficiently.
All the code examples are written in C and designed for clarity and accessibility to those familiar with languages like C++,
Java, or Python. If you need help with the C code, no problem: recommended reading resources are also included.
Simply stated, "Algorithmic Thinking" is the complete package, providing the solid foundation you need to elevate your
coding skills to the next level.
Critique: Now is a fully updated and expanded second edition, Daniel Zingaro's "Algorithmic Thinking: Unlock Your
Programming Potential" from No Starch Press is an ideal, comprehensive, and thoroughly 'user friendly' instructional
resource for C Programming Language students and software development professionals alike. Also available in a digital
book format (Kindle, $29.99), "Algorithmic Thinking: Unlock Your Programming Potential: 2nd Edition" is a highly
recommended addition to personal, professional, and college/university library Computer Program Structured Design
collections and curriculum studies lists.
Editorial Note: Dr. Daniel Zingaro (https://danielzingaro.com) is an Associate Professor of Mathematical and
Computational Sciences at the University of Toronto Mississauga. He is well known for his uniquely interactive approach
to teaching and internationally recognized for his expertise in active learning. He is also the author of Learn to Code by
Solving Problems (No Starch Press) and a co-author of Learn AI-Assisted Python Programming (Manning).
Math for Security
Daniel Reilly
No Starch Press
www.nostarch.com
9781718502567, $49.99, PB, 312pp
https://www.amazon.com/Applied-Math-Security-Introduction-Programmers/dp/1718502567
Synopsis: For those who wish to explore the intersection of mathematics and computer security with this engaging and
accessible guide, "Math for Security: From Graphs and Geometry to Spatial Analysis" will equip you with essential tools
to tackle complex security problems head on. All you need are some basic programming skills. Once you've set up your
development environment and reviewed the necessary Python syntax and math notation in the early chapters, you will be
able to dive deep into practical applications, leveraging the power of math to analyze networks, optimize resource
distribution, and much more.
Of special note are the final chapters that will enable you to take your projects from proof of concepts to viable
applications and explore options for delivering them to end users.
As you work through various security scenarios, you will be able to: Employ packet analysis and graph theory to detect
data exfiltration attempts in a network; Predict potential targets and find weaknesses in social networks with Monte Carlo
simulations; Use basic geometry and OpenCell data to triangulate a phone's location without GPS; Apply computational
geometry to Voronoi diagrams for use in emergency service planning; Train a facial recognition system with machine
learning for real-time identity verification; Use spatial analysis to distribute physical security features effectively in an art
gallery.
Critique: Impressively comprehensive, expertly organized and thoroughly 'user friendly' in presentation, "Math for
Security: From Graphs and Geometry to Spatial Analysis" will prove of particular interest to aspiring security
professionals, social network analysts, or innovators seeking to create cutting-edge security solutions."Math for Security"
will empower readers with an interest in web encryption, computer hacking, and Python programming to resolve complex
problems with precision and confidence -- as well as embracing the intricate world of math as a secret weapon in creating
and maintaining computer security. While a core addition to personal, professional, corporate, and college/university
library Computer/Database Security collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists, it should be noted that "Math
for Security" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $29.99).
Editorial Note: Daniel Reilly is a security researcher, analyst, and consultant based out of Seattle, WA. He has worked in
the security field for 20 years, more than half of which has been spent developing and managing operational security for
small businesses.
The Art of Randomness
Ronald T. Kneusel
No Starch Press
www.nostarch.com
9781718503243 $49.99 pbk / $29.99 Kindle
https://www.amazon.com/Art-Randomness-Using-Randomized-Algorithms/dp/1718503245
Synopsis: The Art of Randomness is a hands-on guide to mastering the many ways you can use randomized algorithms to
solve real programming and scientific problems. You'll learn how to use randomness to run simulations, hide information,
design experiments, and even create art and music. All you need is some Python, basic high school math, and a roll of the
dice.
Author Ronald T. Kneusel focuses on helping you build your intuition so that you'll know when and how to use random
processes to get things done. You'll develop a randomness engine (a Python class that supplies random values from your
chosen source), then explore how to leverage randomness to:
Simulate Darwinian evolution and optimize with swarm-based search algorithms
Design scientific experiments to produce more meaningful results by making them truly random
Implement machine learning algorithms like neural networks and random forests
Use Markov Chain Monte Carlo methods to sample from complex distributions
Hide information in audio files and images, generate art, and create music
Reconstruct original signals and images from only randomly sampled data
Scientific anecdotes and code examples throughout illustrate how randomness plays into areas like optimization, machine
learning, and audio signals. End-of-chapter exercises encourage further exploration.
Whether you're a programmer, scientist, engineer, mathematician, or artist, you'll find The Art of Randomness to be your
ticket to discovering the hidden power of applied randomness and the ways it can transform your approach to solving
problems, from the technical to the artistic.
Critique: The Art of Randomness: Randomized Algorithms in the Real World is a useful reference and resource for anyone
who needs to apply the power of randomized algorithms, including programmers, scientists, engineers, mathematicians,
even artists and musicians. A wealth of graphs, tables, and example programing code in Python to help clarify the text's
discussion of applications such as reconstructing original signals or images from randomly sampled data, implementing
machine learning algorithms like neural networks and random forests, and designing scientific experiments with better
randomness, in order to generate more meaningful results. The Art of Randomness is highly recommended especially for
college library collections and the personal study of aspiring and practicing professionals. It should be noted for personal
reading lists that The Art of Randomness is also available in a Kindle edition ($29.99).
James A. Cox, Editor-in-Chief
Diane C. Donovan, Editor
Midwest Book Review
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Oregon, WI 53575-1129
phone: 1-608-835-7937
e-mail: mbr@execpc.com
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