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Wisconsin Bookwatch

Volume 9, Number 10 October 2014 Home | WBW Index

Table of Contents

Reviewer's Choice Travel Shelf Cookbook Shelf
Martial Arts Shelf Health/Medicine Shelf Graphic Novel Shelf
Audiobook Shelf Music CD Shelf DVD Shelf
Mystery/Suspense Shelf Crafts Shelf Religion/Spirituality Shelf
Judaic Studies Shelf Christian Studies Shelf Large Print Shelf
Fiction Shelf Automotive Shelf Civil War Shelf
Art Shelf Pets/Wildlife Shelf Self-Help Shelf
Aviation Shelf Parenting Shelf Architecture Shelf
Needlecraft Shelf Philosophy Shelf Antiques/Collectibles Shelf
Memoir Shelf Wisconsin Shelf  


Reviewer's Choice

William Shakespeare Rewritten by You
Joelle Herr
Ulysses Press
PO Box 3440, Berkeley CA 94703-3440
www.ulyssespress.com
9781612433530, $10.00, www.amazon.com

Now anyone can rewrite famous quotes and scenes from Shakespeare with the help of Joelle Herr's "William Shakespeare Rewritten by You". This 128 page compendium of literary fun and verbal high jinks will entertain anyone who has ever sat through a high school or college English Literature class and come to appreciate why the Bard of Avon is considered on of the masters of the English language -- and a contributor to our English vocabulary to this very day. Now here's a chance to improve that highbrow education with low-brow word substitutions limited only by our imaginations -- or our vocabularies! Highly recommended as great fun from first page to last! It should be noted that "William Shakespeare Rewritten by You" is also available in a Kindle edition ($7.48).


The Travel Shelf

Lonely Planet: Argentina, ninth edition
Sandra Bao, et. al.
Lonely Planet Publications
150 Linden Street, Oakland CA 94607
9781742207865 $27.99 www.lonelyplanet.com

Now in its ninth updated edition, Lonely Planet: Argentina is an absolute "must-have" for Argentia's business travelers and vacationers alike. In keeping with Lonely Planet's high standards, there are a wealth of full-color maps and photographs, thumbnail descriptions (with telephone numbers and websites) of key hotels, restaurants, sites, events, and more, plus special features about everything from the history of tango to Argentinian cuisine. An easy-to-use index rounds out this handy, information-packed guide.

Discover Maui
Amy C. Balfour & Paul Stiles
Lonely Planet Publications
150 Linden Street, Oakland CA 94607
www.lonelyplanet.com
9781742206288, $21.99, www.amazon.com

The island of Maui is the second-largest of the Hawaiian Islands at 727.2 square miles (1,883 square kilometers) and is the 17th largest island in the United States. In 2010, Maui had a population of 144,444, third-highest of the Hawaiian Islands, behind that of O'ahu and Hawai'i Island. Kahului is the commercial and financial hub of the island. Wailuku is the seat of Maui County. Other significant places include Kihei (also Wailea and Makena in the Kihei Town; Lahaina; Makawao; Pa'ia; Kula; Ha'iku; and Hana). "Discover Maui" is the definitive travel guide from Lonely Planet Publications and will prove an invaluable, indispensable reference for planning itineraries for everything from a business day trip to an extended family vacation. Profusely illustrated, this compact, 360 page guide includes all manner of places to go, things to do, sights to see. From arranging lodging and transportation, to dining and shopping, to whale watching and luau dancing, "Discover Maui" has it all -- and more! If you are planning a trip to Maui, don't leave home without your own personal copy of "Discover Maui"!


The Cookbook Shelf

Organic Sweet Treats
Michal Moses & Juana Nitzan
Imagine Publishing
c/o Charlesbridge Publishing
85 Main Street, Watertown, MA 02472
9781623540395 $18.95 www.imaginebks.com

Color photography intersperses the sumptuous recipes of Organic Sweet Treats: More Than 70 Delicious Recipes, a cookbook that proves one doesn't have to sacrifice taste when making desserts entirely with organic ingredients! Recipes such as Fresh Fig Jam, Summer Fruit Compote with Tapioca, Buckwheat Crepes, Peanut Butter Chocolate Chunk Cookies, Chocolate Pecan Cake, and much more fill these decadently delicious compendium. A brief introduction featuring recommended organic ingredients and alternatives, as well as some cooking tips, tricks, and techniques, prefaces the straightforward instructions of the recipes themselves. A "must-have" for any health-conscious chef with a sweet tooth!

150 Best Dips and Salsas
Judith Finlayson and Jordan Wagman
Robert Rose Inc.
120 Eglinton Avenue East, Suite 800
Toronto, Ontario, Canada, M4P 1E2
9780778804857 $19.95 www.robertrose.ca

150 Best Dips and Salsas: Plus Recipes for Chips, Flatbreads and More lives up to its title as a cookbook repository of snack sensations. Recipes include flavorful spreads/dips such as Roasted Red Pepper Tzatziki, Smoky Baked Onion Dip, Pineapple Mango Salsa, Champagne and Raspberry Dip, and much more. A smorgasbord of chip/flatbread recipes to complement the dips include Easy Potato Crisps, Spicy Kale Chips, Parsnip Chips, and Yogurt Flatbread, among others. Recipe tips, tricks, techniques, and an index round out this "must-have" for preparing party food to remember!

Doughnuts! 100 Dough-Licious Recipes
Carol Beckerman and Dawn Otwell
Barron's
250 Wireless Boulevard
Hauppauge, NY 11788
9781438004631 $18.99 www.barronseduc.com

Mouth-watering color photography illustrates Doughnuts! 100 Dough-Licious Recipes, a cookbook featuring flavorful new twists on these beloved, succulent pastry delights. From Almond Doughnut Holes with Cherry Dipping Sauce, to Boston Cream Doughnuts, Baked Gluten-Free Chocolate Doughnuts with Butterscotch Glaze, Sticky Toffee Pudding Doughnuts, Banana Cream Pie Doughnuts and much more, Doughnuts! 100 Dough-Licious Recipes is a doughnut-lover's delight. A specialty cookbook treasury, ideal for making the fanciest and most memorable doughnuts for any occasion, from office meetings to festive parties!

Cool Layer Cakes
Ceri Olofson
Barron's
250 Wireless Boulevard
Hauppauge, NY 11788
9781438004204 $17.99 www.barronseduc.com

Illustrated with full-color photography throughout, Cool Layer Cakes: 50 Delicious and Amazing Layer Cakes to Bake and Decorate is a sumptuous compendium of deliciously decadent layer cake recipes, for intermediate to advanced bakers. An introductory section of tips, tricks, and techniques precedes the recipes, including Classic Neapolitan, Cubist Cool (a cake composed of chocolate, coffee, and salted honey cubes layered together with frosting), Red Raspberry Velvet, and much more. Astonishing, eye-catching cake designs enliven these mouth-watering creations, perfect for the ultimate birthday or holiday celebration. Highly recommended especially for any interested in taking their cake-baking skill and expertise to the next level!

The Big Book of Easy Baking with Refrigerated Dough
A Pillsbury Book
c/o Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
215 Park Avenue South, New York, NY 10003
9780544333161 $19.99 www.hmhpub.com

Created by Pillsbury (makers of one of the most popular brands of refrigerated dough, among other products), The Big Book of Easy Baking with Refrigerated Dough is a cookbook of recipes especially for bakers who are short on time. Each recipe uses refrigerated dough as an ingredient for baker's delights, such as Mini Tuscan Vegetable Wraps, Spicy Churro Crescent Bites, Steak Flatbread with Walnuts and Arugula, Deep-Dish Lasagna Pie, and much more. Gluten-free recipes (which involve gluten-free refrigerated dough) are also included! Color photography illustrates a number of the more involved recipes, in this excellent hands-on, easy-to-use resource.

Up in Smoke
Matt Pelton
Hobble Creek Press
c/o Cedar Fort, Inc.
2373 West 700 South
Springville, Utah 84663
9781462112654 $18.99 www.cedarfort.com

Color photography illustrates Up in Smoke: A Complete Guide to Cooking with Smoke is a cookbook especially for barbecue enthusiasts. World-class chef Matt Pelton describes step-by-step how to use smoke to add mouth-watering flavors to pork, chicken, beef, and more. An extensive introduction of barbecuing techniques and tips ("If you see brown or yellow smoke, remove whatever wood you were using and start over immediately. There is no such thing as good barbecue off a smoker that is putting out brown or yellow smoke.") prefaces step-by-step preparatory instructions for St. Louis-Style Ribs, Teriyaki-Style Smoked Fish, Tri-Tip Roast, and more. Recipes for barbecue rubs and side dishes (such as Creamed Cheesy Spinach, Classic Potato Salad, or Fresh Peach Cobbler) illustrate this must-have, step-by-step resource for meat lovers!

OATrageous Oatmeals
Kathy Hester
Page Street Publishing
27 Congress Street, Suite 103, Salem, MA 01970
Trina Kaye Organization
9781624140747, $19.99, www.pagestreetpublishing.com

Oatmeal, also known as white oats, is ground oat groats (i.e., grains, as in oat-meal, cf. cornmeal, peasemeal, etc.), or a porridge made from oats (also called oatmeal cereal or stirabout). Oatmeal can also be ground oats, steel-cut oats, crushed oats, or rolled oats. Oatmeal has been a staple of the human diet for millennia. But oatmeal is more than just what's for breakfast! Compiled and beautifully illustrated throughout by Kathey Hester, "OATrageous Oatmeals: Delicious & Surprising Plant-Based Dishes From This Humble, Heart-Healthy Grain" is a 208 page compendium showcasing a superbly presented cornucopia of wonderful dishes suitable for any and all dining occasions which have oatmeal at their core. Complete with ingredient lists and 'kitchen cook friendly' preparatory instructions, the recipes rage from Creamy Cashew-Oat Cream Cheese (a culinary delight on a toasted bagel!); to Pumpkin Coffee Cake Oatmeal; to Peanut Butter Banana Granola Bars; to Veggie Oat Taco Mince; to Oatmeal Cookie crusted Apple Crumb Pie. All of these recipes are vegan and include both soy-free and gluten-free recipes. Also available in a Kindle edition ($8.89), Kathey Haster's "OATrageous Oatmeals: Delicious & Surprising Plant-Based Dishes From This Humble, Heart-Healthy Grain" is a unique and highly prized addition to any personal, family, or community library cookbook collection!

South Your Mouth
Mandy Rivers
Quail Ridge Press
PO Box 123, Brandon, MS 39043
www.quailridge.com
9781938879012, $24.95, www.amazon.com

In "South Your Mouth" southern cuisine expert and food blogger Mandy Rivers has compiled a wonderfully illustrated, 224 page compendium showcasing authentic southern recipes suitable for any and all dining occasions. The recipes range from Southern Brewed Sweet Tea; Creamy Cheese Grits; Sweet Potato Praline Casserole; Nanny's Chicken and Dumplings; and Cheeseburger Pie; to Sweet and Tangy Smoked Sausage; Pan-Fried Chicken Tenders; Stewed Beef and Rice; Buffalo Chicken Salada; and Potato Goulash with Sausage. Of special note is the entire section on Cakes with desserts ranging a Chocolate Butterfinger Cake, to a Fresh Apple Cake with Butter pecan Glaze, to a Peanut Butter Brownie Cheesecake. Then there is the section devoted to Cookies & Candies with Fudge-Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars; Pink Lemonade Cupcake Truffles; and Chewy, Orange-Kissed Sugar Cookies. From appetizers, to side dishes, to main dishes, to desserts, "South Your Mouth" will prove to be an enduringly popular addition to family and community library cookbook collections!

Dishing Up New Mexico
Dave DeWitt
Storey Publishing
210 Mass MoCA Way, North Adams, MA 01247
www.storey.com
9781612122502, $19.95, www.amazon.com

Compiled and presented by culinary adept Dave DeWitt (author of more than 40 books on cooking, gardening, and food history) draws upon his many years of experience and expertise to compile a very nicely illustrated, 287page compendium showcasing 145 of the finest and most distinctive dishes New Mexico cuisine has to offer. Ranging from Calabacitas Caliente (Spiced-Up Squash); Roasted Tomato Bisque; Chicken and Chevre Enchiladas with Black Bean Sauce; and Chimayo Chile Steaks with Chipotle Potatoes; to Roast Duckling with Red Chile Glaze and Spiced Peaches; Salad Greens with Honey Chipotle-Lime-Mustard Dressing; Red Tractor Farm Blue-Corn Pancakes; and Green Chile-Pinon Ice Cream, all of these 'kitchen cook friendly' recipes will turn even the most ordinary of meals into a truly memorable dining occasion. Of special note are DeWitt's commentaries about the featured dishes and the people associated with them. Simply stated, "Dishing Up New Mexico" will become a prized contribution to any personal, family, professional, or community cookbook collection!

Foods That Make You Say Mmm-mmm
Bob Garner
John F. Blair, Publisher
1406 Plaza Drive, Winston-Salem, NC 27103
www.blairpub.com
9780895876294, $26.95, www.amazon.com

In "Foods That Make You Say Mmm-mmm", food expert Bob Garner has compiled a nicely illustrated, 240 page compendium showcasing the creation of some of the most delicious dishes to every come out of an American kitchen. Each recipe is enhanced with a chapter providing background information and extensive culinary commentary. The dishes range from a Down East Lemon Milk Pie; to an Ocracoke Fig Cake; to Anne's Old Fashioned Flat Dumplings; to Bob Garner's Simple Zing Wings. Of special note is Bob Garner's commentaries on the subjects of Krispy Kreme Doughnuts, Barbecues, and Fish Stews. Informative, engaging, a delight to simply browse through, and featuring thoroughly 'kitchen cook friendly' recipes throughout, "Foods That Make You Say Mmm-mmm" clearly lives up to its title and is highly recommended for personal, family, and community library cookbook collections. It should also be noted that "Foods That Make You Say Mmm-mmm" is also available in a Kindle edition ($9.99).

Taste: Seasonal Dishes from a Prairie Table
C. J. Katz
University of Regina Press
University of Regina
3737 Wascana Parkway
Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada, S4S 0A2
www.uofrpress.ca
9780889772779, $29.95, www.amazon.com

Compiled by food writer and documentary food photographer C. J. Katz, "Taste: Seasonal Dishes from a Prairie Table" is a beautifully illustrated, 200 page compendium showcasing cuisine from Canada's western prairie country. The dishes drawn from the Canadian heartland range from an Artichoke Dip with Seeded Crackers; Mixed Berry Shortcakes; Goat Cheese and Red Pepper Stuffed Chicken Breasts; Roasted Butternut Squash Soup; and Carrots with Horseradish-Cream Sauce; to Blackened Steaks with Creamy Mushroom Sauce; Whole Wheat-Quinoa Bread; Steelhead Trout with Tomato-Cream Sauce; Pan-Roasted Duck Breasts with Savoury Lingonberry Sauce; and Bread Pudding with Brandied Fruit. A special culinary treasure is the recipe for Liquid Gold Carrot Jam!. Throughly 'kitchen cook friendly', "Taste: Seasonal Dishes from a Prairie Table" is an amazing collection of dishes that would turn any dining occasion into something both special and memorable for all concerned! Very highly recommended for personal, family, professional, and community library collections.


The Martial Arts Shelf

The Book Of Dim Mak: Revised & Expanded
A. Flane Walker & Richard C. Bauer
Paladin Press
7077 Winchester Circle, Boulder, CO 80301
www.paladin-press.com
9781610048781, $40.00, www.amazon.com

The Touch of Death (or Death-Point Striking) refers to any martial arts technique reputed to kill using seemingly less than lethal force targeted at specific areas of the body and includes Dim Mak. The martial arts concept known as Dim Mak traces its history to traditional Chinese medicine acupuncture. Dim Mak is depicted as a secret body of knowledge with techniques that attack pressure points and meridians, said to incapacitate or sometimes cause immediate or even delayed death to an opponent. The collaborative work of martial arts experts A. Flane Walker and Richard C. Bauer, "The Book Of Dim Mak" has been significantly revised and expanded. This 322 page instruction manual is a complete treatise and now includes additional information on the history of Dim Mak and the martial arts science of applied trauma to the human body. "The Book Of Dim Mak" is especially recommended as an essential and core addition to personal, professional, dojo, and academic library Martial Arts instructional reference collections.


The Health/Medicine Shelf

Sugar Savvy Solution
Kathie "High Voltage" Dolgin
Reader's Digest Trade Publishing
44 South Broadway, White Plains, NY 10601
Goodman Media
www.rdtradepublishing.com
9781621451358, $24.99, www.amazon.com

The amount of sugar consumed daily by the average American is a major factor in such widespread health issues as obesity, diabetes, heart disease, hyperactivity, and now there is evidence that excess sugar plays a role in the development of some forms of cancer. Sugar can be as addictive as tobacco or alcohol. More than just another diet book, "Sugar Savvy Solution: Kick Your Sugar Addiction for Life and Get Healthy" is a 267 page compendium presenting a comprehensive six week program for getting weight down and energy level up by controlling sugar intake. Health and wellness pioneer Kathie Dolgin (aka High Voltage) shows how to crush cravings for sugar, detox the body from sugar, and retrain the brain to combat sugar and its harmful effects. The "Sugar Savvy Solution" motto: Eat whatever you want, but we will change what you want! Informed, informative, practical, science based, and thoroughly 'user friendly' from beginning to end, "Sugar Savvy Solution: Kick Your Sugar Addiction for Life and Get Healthy" is very highly recommended for community library Health/Medicine collections. It should also be noted for personal reading lists that "Sugar Savvy Solution: Kick Your Sugar Addiction for Life and Get Healthy" is also available in a Kindle edition ($10.67).


The Graphic Novel Shelf

Beauty
Hubert, story and colors
Kerascoet, art
NBM Publishing
160 Broadway, Ste. 700, East Wing, New York, NY 10038
c/o Independent Publishers Group (distribution)
814 North Franklin Street, Chicago, IL 60610
www.ipgbook.com
9781561638949 $27.99 www.nbmpublishing.com

Beauty is an original, full-color graphic novel, featuring a tragic twist on the classic fairy tale, with inspiration drawn from the Trojan War. When the ugly, simple-minded peasant girl Coddie frees the fairy Mab from a curse, Mab grants Coddie her heart's desire - radiant beauty! Or rather, the illusion of beauty, a mirage spell so powerful that the mere glimpse of Coddie's face literally drives men mad with lust, desire, and jealousy. Coddie, now called Beauty by (almost) every man who sees her, unintentionally incites chaos and violence wherever she goes. Men vie to possess her at any cost, and women hate her for captivating their men's souls! Eventually the king of the land claims Beauty as his queen, rejecting his political marriage and throwing the nation into war. Bloodshed reigns, all because of a fairy's "gift" - can Beauty find a way to stop to the seemingly endless suffering? Beneath the stylized, cartoon-like artwork lies a dark, serious-minded parable; Beauty is not a story for young children. Highly recommended, but only for older teen to adult readers due to violence, nudity, and sexual content.

Hello Kitty: Hello 40
Traci N. Todd and Elizabeth Kawasaki, editors
Perfect Square
c/o Viz Media LLC
1355 Market Street, Suite 200
San Francisco CA 94103
9781421571416 $29.99 www.viz.com

Hello Kitty: Hello 40 is a comic anthology tribute to the worldwide-beloved character of Hello Kitty, an inquisitive, friendly, anthropomorphic white cat first created in 1974. Each of the brief, wordless, full-color comics is by a different artist. The comics depict Hello Kitty on various adventures, from daydreaming about treasure hunting in a bubble bath, to flying from city to city in the classic umbrella-style of Mary Poppins, to a jubilant birthday party with friends, to befriending monsters with games and good food. Each comic artist also gives a brief text response to the question, "What does Hello Kitty mean to you?" The result is a heartwarming collection like no other, enthusiastically recommended for Hello Kitty fans of all ages.

Midnight Secretary, Volume 1
Tomu Ohmi
Viz Media LLC
1355 Market Street, Suite 200
San Francisco CA 94103
www.shojobeat.com
9781421559445 $9.99 www.viz.com

Intended for mature readers due to sensual romantic content, Midnight Secretary Volume 1 a black-and-white shojo manga (Japanese graphic novel geared toward a female audience) about a professional secretary whose new boss Kyohei Tohma seems... eccentric. Beyond the rumors, she learns that he is actually a suave and charming vampire! Scheduling "dinner dates", working night hours, and donating blood is one thing, but when the hot-tempered vampire takes an keen interest in her, does she dare return his affections? Enthusiasts of paranormal romance will also enjoy Tomu Ohmi's shojo manga "Spell of Desire Volume One" (9781421567754, $9.99), about an awakening witch and the "knight" who is sworn to protect her!

Time Killers Short Story Collection
Kazue Kato
Viz Media LLC
1355 Market Street, Suite 200
San Francisco CA 94103
www.shonenjump.com
9781421571676 $14.99 www.viz.com

Intended for older teens and adults due to some violent scenes, Time Killers: Short Story Collection is a manga (Japanese graphic novel) anthology by Kazue Kato, who is perhaps best known for her wildly popular "Blue Exorcist" manga series. Time Killers includes her very first story, "Boku to Usagi" ("Me and the Rabbit") as well as multiple stories featuring character designs that would later become part of the "Blue Exorcist" series. Kato's art is presented in its original "unflipped" form, read from right to left. Most of the stories are in black-and-white, but there are a few color pages in this vividly creative collection, especially recommended as a "spiritual prequel" to "Blue Exorcist"!

Food Wars! Volume 1
Story by Yuto Tsukuda
Art by Shun Seki
Viz Media LLC
1355 Market Street, Suite 200
San Francisco CA 94103
www.shonenjump.com
9781421572543 $9.99 www.viz.com

Recommended for older teens and adults, Food Wars! Volume 1 kicks off a new series of black-and-white coming-of-age manga (Japanese graphic novel), in which a young man strives to surpass his father as a professional chef. Soma has worked hard to become good at the art of food preparation all his life, but can he make the grade in a high-class culinary school that prides itself on a 10 percent graduation rate? The beautiful yet strong-willed heiress of the school is convinced that Soma isn't worthy to be there at all! "Yeah, Yukihira is just a tiny restaurant. And I don't doubt you guys are the culinary world's upper crust. Still... if all you're doing is sitting on your laurels up at the top... I think there's stuff out there you just can't make." The expressive art is presented in its original "unflipped" form (and therefore read from right to left), in this cheerful saga that will appeal to culinary gourmets and manga connoisseurs alike!


The Audiobook Shelf

Full Measure
T. Jefferson Parker, author
www.tjeffersonparker.com
Jay Snyder, narrator
Macmillan Audio
175 Fifth Avenue, Suite 315, New York, NY 10010
9781427244413 $39.99 www.macmillanaudio.com

Full Measure is the unabridged audiobook rendition of a dramatic novel about a family in crisis. Patrick Norris is an Afghanistan veteran who has survived the horrors of war, only to return to bleakness at home. A wildfire has destroyed the avocado ranch that was in his family for generations, his parents are on the brink of utter poverty, and his brother Ted Norris becomes embroiled with ruthless, violent criminals. Ted tries to redeem himself, but his efforts go horrendously wrong, forcing Patrick to make a hard choice with his family's lives in the balance. A tensely wound story about the both the light and the dark sides of the bond between brothers, Full Measure is highly recommended. 8 CDs, 10 hours.

Five Days Left
Julie Lawson Timmer, author
Read by Rebecca Lowman and Kirby Heyborne
Penguin Audio
c/o The Penguin Publishing Group
375 Hudson Street, New York, NY 10014
9781611763287 $45.00 http://us.penguingroup.com

Five Days Left is the unabridged audiobook adaptation of a heart-wrenching novel about family ties. The story is split into to narratives, following two friends who correspond over the internet. One is Mara, who has an adoring husband, an adopted daughter, and a successful career, yet uncontrollable changes in her own behavior are a warning sign that leads her to confront a terrifying medical diagnosis. Mara's friend Scott is a middle school teacher expecting a baby with his wife; they have also fostered a rambunctious eight-year-old boy for the past year, but soon the boy will have to return to his mother. What is a person to do when they have only five days left to spend with the ones they love? Poignant and insightful, Five Days Left is highly recommended. 10 CDs, 13 hours.

When the World Was Young: A Novel
Elizabeth Gaffney, author
Caitlin Davies, narrator
Tantor Media, Inc.
6 Business Park Road, Old Saybrook, CT 06475
9781494502546 $39.99 www.tantor.com

When the World Was Young: A Novel is the unabridged audiobook rendition of a postwar Brooklyn coming-of-age story. Wally Baker is a tomboy, trapped in an era when girls were supposed to like pretty dresses, needlepoint, and good manners. Wally's passions include an adoration of comics (especially Wonder Woman) and a fascination with ants! Her relationship with her gregarious yet emotionally unstable mother Stella is precarious at best, and the tolls of the war era make the hardship of growing up even more burdensome to bear. But she also learns that even in the darkest moments of life, there are reasons to hold fast to hope and cheer. When the World Was Young is a heart-touching saga, highly recommended for private and public library audiobook collections alike. 8 CDs, 9 hours.

The Bones Beneath
Mark Billingham
Highbridge Audio Books
c/o Recorded Books, LLC
270 Skip Jack Road, Prince Frederick, MD 20678
www.recordedbooks.com
9781622314041, $34.95, www.amazon.com

"The Bones Beneath" is the twelfth novel in the outstanding Tom Thorne series and finds Thorne facing the most dangerous killer he has ever put away -- Stuart Nicklin. When Nicklin announces that he wishes to reveal the whereabouts of one of his earliest victims and that he wants the cop who caught him to be there when he does it, it becomes clear that Thorne's life is about to become seriously unpleasant. Thorne is forced to accompany Nicklin to a remote island off the Welsh coast which is cut off from the mainland in every sense. Shrouded in myth and legend, it is said to be the resting place of 20,000 saints and as Thorne and his team search for bones that are somewhat more recent, it becomes clear that Nicklin's motives are far from altruistic. The twisted scheme of a dangerous and manipulative psychopath will result in many more victims and will leave Tom Thorne with the most terrible choice he has ever had to make. This complete and unabridged audio book production is ably narrated by its award winning author, Mark Billingham, and presented 9 hours, 30 minutes of total entertainment in the form of 8 CDs. Flawless production values, a ripping good mystery/suspense plot, all combine to make a very highly recommended addition to personal and community library audiobook collections.


The Music CD Shelf

The Paris Session
The Toure-Raichel Collective
Produced by Idan Raichel
Cumbancha
www.cumbancha.com
c/o Press Junkie PR
9901 Brodie Lane, Suite 160, PMB 221, Austin, TX 78748
$16.98 www.pressjunkiepr.com

The Toure-Raichel Collective, a band led by Israeli keyboard player and songwriter Idan Raichel and Malian guitarist Vieux Farka Toure, present their new album The Paris Session. Toure (an Israeli Jew) and Raichel (a Malian Muslim) did not set out to make a political album - they simply collaborated as artists and friends - yet the striking fruit of their combined talents makes a tremendous statement just by its existence. Heartrendingly beautiful, The Paris Session is a sonorous echo of love and the search for fulfillment. A wondrous, uplifting musical experience, highly recommended. The tracks are "From End to End" (4:15), "Tidhar" (5:27), "Hodu" (3:27), "Gassi Gabbi" (1:29), "L'Amour" (3:07), "Allassal Terey" (4:16), "Diaraby" (2:23), "Debo" (4:28), "Bandirabait" (3:53). "Diame" (2:23), "Soumbou Toure" (4:48), "Deni Deni" (2:13), "Philipa" (4:28).

Weightless: Ambient Transmissions Vol. 2
Marconi Union
marconiunion.comJust Publishing
justmusic.co.uk
c/o The Creative Service Company (publicity)
4360 Emerald Drive, Colorado Springs, CO 80918
$29.99 www.thecreativeservicecompany.com

Weightless: Ambient Transmissions Vol. 2 is the seventh album by Marconi Union, well-known for their quietly wondrous instrumental music. The first track of "Weightless" was originally created in collaboration with a sound therapist from the British Academy of Sound Therapy, as the ultimate expression of relaxing music. Successive tracks extend up on the theme, exploring the gentle, restful connections that music can bring to the mind, body, and spirit. A wonderful way to ease stress, or simply enjoy for its ethereal beauty, Weightless: Ambient Transmissions Vol. 2 is highly recommended. The tracks are "Weightless Part 1", "Weightless Part 2", "Weightless Part 3", "Weightless Part 4", "Weightless Part 5", and "Weightless Part 6".


The DVD Shelf

Gamebreakers: It's All in the Hands
Featuring Jake Reed and Cris Carter
Gamebreakers
c/o 411 Video Information (publicity)
PO Box 1223, Pebble Beach, CA 93953
www.411videoinfo.com
$19.99 http://gamebreakersdvds.com

Featuring former NFL players Jake Reed and Cris Carter, Gamebreakers: It's All in the Hands is a DVD sports training tool and the next best thing to personally attending a high-powered football training camp. Focusing on position-specific drills, exercises to increase performance accuracy, and speed, professional tips, recommended routes, and more, Gamebreakers: It's All in the Hands is an excellent resource for both amateur players seeking to improve their game and coaches interested in stepping up their team's training. Highly recommended for everyone serious about playing football, whether as an amateur sport or as a career!

Maidentrip
Laura Dekker
First Run Features
630 Ninth Avenue, Suite 1213
New York, NY 10036
$24.95 www.firstrunfeatures.com

Maidentrip is a documentary following 14-year-old Laura Dekker on her two-year voyage with the goal of becoming the youngest person ever to sail around the world alone. Though self-imposed mission incited a year-long legal battle with Dutch authorities, Laura persevered in an oceanwide quest that would take her to the Galapagos Islands, French Polynesia, Australia, and South Africa. Her extraordinary courage and resourcefulness, as well as the stunningly beautiful camera footage recorded by Laura herself, distinguish this captivating true story. DVD extras include a "behind the scenes" segment, extended scenes, and a photo gallery. 82 min., English language with English subtitles.

Anchor Bay Entertainment
2401 West Big Beaver Road, Suite 200
Troy, MI 48084-3304
www.anchorbayentertainment.com

Two new fitness DVDs from Anchor Bay Entertainment help make keeping in shape fun! In "Just Walk: Mix + Match Walk Blasters" (106 min.), Leslie Sansone shows how simple walking can get the viewer started on their health and fitness goals. From light walking to a walk/kick/jab combo, Leslie guides the viewer on an active regimen divided into varying types of walks that can easily arranged into a customized workout of varying length. In "Dance Off the Inches: Hip Hop Jam" (43 min. plus 23 min. step guide), viewers can use a simple step guide and an included "sculpting loop" to follow an exercise program that transforms fitness into a no-holds-barred party! Heavy on the cardio and sheer dance fun, Hip Hop Jam is a great way to improve one's body and revitalize one's spirits. Both are excellent additions to any exercise DVD collection, and thoroughly accessible to viewers of all fitness levels.


The Mystery/Suspense Shelf

The Madness of July
James Naughtie
The Overlook Press
141 Wooster Street
New York, NY 10012
9781468309614 $26.95 www.overlookpress.com

The Madness of July is a knife-edge spy thriller novel. Will Flemyng was originally trained as a spy behind enemy lines, but his current career is in politics - until a shocking death starts to bring dark governmental secrets to light. The lingering threat of the Cold War breathes down Will's neck; can he protect his own secrets and identity, let alone uncover a deadly family conspiracy? Saturated with edge-of-seat suspense to the very end, The Madness of July is highly recommended.

Windigo Island
William Kent Krueger
www.williamkentkrueger.com
Atria Books
c/o Simon & Schuster
1230 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020
9781476749235 $24.99 www.Simon&Schuster.com

"Windigo Island" is the newest Minnesota mystery title by famed local author William Kent Krueger, following further adventures of craggy detective Cork O'Connor, biracial descendant of Irish and Ojibwe ancestry. "Windigo Island" traces a modern tragedy/mystery of the drowning death of a young Ojibwe girl, found washed up on the shore of a deserted scenic island in Lake Superior. Honoring the heartfelt request of the Arceneaux family, relatives of another lost girl, Cork O'Connor plunges into waves of human trafficking, drug abuse, cultural abandonment, and an old pattern of racial targeting and abuse. "Windigo Island" includes the involvement of Cork's daughter, Jenny, an aspiring writer and the adoptive mother of Waaboozoons, a young Anishinaabe child found abandoned and orphaned in an earlier volume. Jenny plays a crucial role in this possibly darkest of the Cork O'Connor mysteries, helping her father confront the enigma of Michi Peshu, a vengeful spirit from Anishinaabe myth or prehistory. All turns of the screw lead to a darker set of implications in this exciting mystery set in scenic northern Minnesota and Lake Superior, leading to a stunning conclusion.

Drone Warrior
Captain Jack Watson
Atlantic Publishing Group, Inc.
1405 S.W. 6th Avenue, Ocala, FL 34471
9781601389770 $16.95 www.atlantic-pub.com

Technology continues to revolutionize modern warfare - but to what end? Drone Warrior: A James Barlow Adventure is an intense novel exploring the logical conclusion of America's increased reliance on unmanned aerial "drones" to fight battles, especially against terrorist enemies. Set in the all-to-near future, in which America and its fresh, first-term president depend almost exclusively upon machines to fight its wars, Drone Warrior shows how one man, drone prodigy James Barlow, must devise a brilliant solution to an utterly unexpected terrorism scenario. Fast-paced and dangerously prophetic, Drone Warrior is captivating to the last page!


The Crafts Shelf

Felt So Good
Tone Rorseth
Sellers Publishing
161 John Roberts Road
South Portland, ME 04106
9781416245278 $19.95 sellerspublishing.com

Captivating, full-color photography on almost every page (except for pages with reproducible cut-out patterns), Felt So Good: 70+ Felted and Plain Wool Designs For You and Your Home is a hands-on craft project book. Norwegian designer Tone Rorseth walks the reader through projects that transform leftover wool felt (such as scraps from worn or out-of-style wool sweaters) into gorgeous home accessories. Projects include chair covers, pillows, skirt decorations, slippers, mittens, camera cases, and much more. Step-by-step instructions for general techniques and specific creations alike make Felt So Good a user-friendly treasury!


The Religion/Spirituality Shelf

Comfort Prayers
June Cotner
Andrews McMeel Publishing
1130 Walnut Street
Kansas City, MO 64106-2109
9781449446017 $12.99 www.andrewsmcmeel.com

Comfort Prayers: Prayers and Poems to Comfort, Encourage, and Inspire is a pocket-sized hardcover of prayers, poems, and quotes from august personages throughout history; each expresses a sentiment of solace for those confronting trying times. Comfort Prayers is non-denominational, and speaks to any and all in need of spiritual encouragement. Highly recommended as a source of inspiration to persevere. "Often people have asked me, 'How do you recover from disaster?' I don't know any answer except the obvious one: You do it by meeting it and going on. From each you learn something, from each you acquire strength and confidence in yourself to meet the next one when it comes."


The Judaic Studies Shelf

The Philosophical Quest
Rabbi J. David Bleich, author
Rabbi Daniel Z. Feldman, series editor
Maggid Books
c/o Koren Publishers Jerusalem Ltd.
PO Box 8531, New Milford, CT 06776-8531
9781592643431 $39.95 www.korenpub.com

The Philosophical Quest: Of Philosophy, Ethics, Law and Halakhah is the first volume of the Riets Hashkafah series, created to use rigorous principles of philosophy to extend Judaic Studies and instruction of the Torah to a new level. What, precisely, are the fundamental dogmas of Judaism? Upon which areas of Judaic teachings are there long-standing disagreements, and how can these disputes be objectively framed? How do Judaic ethics and principles inform tenets of everyday life and public policy? The thoughtful, researched and reasoned essays of The Philosophical Quest cross-examine these and other crucial issues concerning what it means to be a Jew. Individual writings include "The Thirteen Principles of Faith", "Was Spinoza a Jewish Philosopher?", "Judaism and Natural Law", "Is There a Right to Physician-Assisted Suicide?", "Godtalk: Should Religion Inform Public Debate?" and much more. The Philosophical Quest is a "must-have" for Judaic Studies shelves, and an invaluable contribution to philosophy shelves as well.


The Christian Studies Shelf

Augustine's Theology of Preaching
Peter T. Sanlon
Fortress Press
P.O. Box 1209, Minneapolis, MN 55440-1209
9781451482782 $24.00 http://fortresspress.com

Augustine's Theology of Preaching is a scholarly study of Augustine of Hippo (354-430), also known as Saint Augustine or Saint Austin, who is well known as a Christian theologian and philosopher. The focus here is on Augustine as a preacher, offering Augustine's own views on the craft of preaching, in terms accessible to readers of all backgrounds. Chapters address the historical context of Augustine's preaching, pagan oratory, how preachers were once trained, and much more. "We may summarize Augustine's use of interiority and temporality with regard to resurrection as follows: Jesus is resurrected temporally, so that the apostolic witnesses may believe and be healed interiorly. This leads to the word being preached. When the word is heard and believed, people experience an interior resurrection. The ability to believe in Jesus' resurrection arises from that act occurring temporally, as part of God's ongoing teleological plan..." An extensive bibliography and an index round out this welcome addition to Christian theological shelves. Also highly recommended for its philosophical and religious contemplation is "The Ethics of Death" (9780800699192, $34.00), in which a philosophy/ethics professor Dennis R. Cooley and Religion Studies professor Lloyd Steffen discuss the moral, philosophical, and ethical quandaries revolving around death, including the complex, thorny issues surrounding abortion, the death penalty, war, suicide (whether assisted by a physician or not), euthanasia, and more.


The Large Print Shelf

Sign of the Hawk
Max Brand
Sagebrush
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print (USA), Inc.
PO Box 1230, West Seneca, NY 14224-1230
9780753153598 $29.99 www.ulverscroftusa.com

Sign of the Hawk is a large-print collection of two Western novellas written by the legendary Max Brand. "The Singular Horseman" is about the ferocious stallion Sedgewick, widely believed to be a man-killer. His owner, Elena Casimir-Jones, will not have him destroyed, until only one, ambitious horseman remains to challenge the untamed beast. "Sign of the Hawk" is the story of a gentleman thief outlaw, Handsome Harry Delancey, whose calling card is a hawk made of feathers. Delancey has never seriously harmed any of his victims... but when the man who raised him asks him to commit murder, will he bend his principles in honor of his foster father? These exciting and vivid adventures are especially recommended for connoisseurs of Western fiction, and public library collections.

Return to Tatanka Crossing
Will DuRey
F.A. Thorpe Publishing
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print (USA), Inc.
PO Box 1230, West Seneca, NY 14224-1230
9781444819588 $20.99 www.ulverscroftusa.com

Set two years after the Civil War, Return to Tatanka Crossing is a large-print Western novel about corruption among settlers. When Charlie Jefferson returns to his frontier home, he finds a township and a trading post falling into the grip of the ruthless Brent Deacon. Charlie's efforts to protect the innocent and resist injustice put him on a collision course with a wealthy land-grabber and his brutish henchmen, in this enthralling, high-stakes adventure!


The Fiction Shelf

Stars Go Blue
Laura Pritchett
Counterpoint Press
1919 Fifth Street, Berkeley, CA 94710-1916
9781619023086 $25.00 www.counterpointpress.com

Award-winning author Laura Pritchett presents Stars Go Blue, a dark novel about belated justice and impending dementia. Ranchers Renny and Ben Cross moved to separate ends of the ranch after the loss of their daughter. They have witnessed their farm's gradual decline, and to make matters worse, Ben has been diagnosed with Alzheimer's. On the verge losing contact with reality, Ben contemplates ending his own life with dignity. Then Ben learns that the abusive husband of his late daughter has been released from prison early. Ben changes his death wish into a remorseless quest; he sets out to confront the man who murdered his daughter, but will Ben's own mental faculties desert him before he can experience closure, or justice? Stars Go Blue is not only a suspenseful tale, but also offers a literary glimpse into what it's like to live with fragmenting mental faculties. Highly recommended.

Accidents of Marriage
Randy Susan Meyers
Atria Books
c/o Simon & Schuster
1230 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020
c/o Meryl L. Moss Media Relations Inc. (publicity)
155 Post Road East, Suite 8, Westport, CT 06880
9781451673043 $25.00 www.simonsays.com

Accidents of Marriage is a novel about the toll of emotional abuse. Maddy is a social worker, yet all her training and expertise in her chosen profession can't help her at home - no matter how hard she tries, she can't always prevent Ben's temper from erupting into heated verbal outbursts. The strain on their marriage culminates in a drive gone terribly wrong. In a fit of rage, Ben loses control of his driving, and Maddie is hurled through the windshield. Maddy falls into a coma, and her family all but falls apart - her relatives blame Ben for the accident, and Ben is horrified at his own actions. Ben and Maddie's fourteen-year-old daughter Emma is stretched to the breaking point, sick with worry about her mother, burdened with caring for her young siblings, and fed up with heated arguments with her ill-tempered father. Is there any hope for Maddy and her frayed family? A sober, serious-minded story about an all-too-common social problem, Accidents of Marriage will make the reader think long and hard, and is and highly recommended.


The Automotive Shelf

Drag Racing's Quarter-Mile Warriors Then & Now
Doug Boyce
CarTech Inc.
39966 Grand Avenue, North Branch, MN 55056
9781613251331 $34.95 www.cartechbooks.com

Filled with full-color photography and accessible to racing enthusiasts of all backgrounds, Drag Racing's Quarter-Mile Warriors Then & Now is a fascinating survey of the golden age of drag racing, which first became a sanctioned sport in the early 1950's with the creation of the National Hot Rod Association. Chapters shine a spotlight on especially successful and memorable racing vehicles; each automotive profile is accompanied by a detailed and descriptive profile. Drag Racing's Quarter-Mile Warriors Then & Now is a joy for automobile connoisseurs to page through from cover to cover.

Von Dutch: The Art, The Myth, The Legend
Pat Ganahl
CarTech Inc.
39966 Grand Avenue
North Branch, MN 55056
9781613251584 $29.95 www.cartechbooks.com

Illustrated with both black-and-white and color photography, Von Dutch: The Art, The Myth, The Legend is the story of beatnik artist and founder of "modern" pinstriping Kenneth Howard, popularly known as Von Dutch. He achieved cult fame among hod rodders, surfers, and artists in the 1950s and 60s for his talents in art, decoration, and even smithing guns and knives. He withdrew from the public as he grew older, yet stories about his talent continued to circulate. Von Dutch: The Art, The Myth, The Legend is a fascinating pop culture treasury, offering an evolutionary glimpse into the art of automobile decoration, especially recommended for vintage car connoisseurs!


The Civil War Shelf

On a Great Battlefield
Jennifer M. Murray
The University of Tennessee Press
110 Conference Center UT, Knoxville, TN 37996
9781621900535 $49.00 www.utpress.org

Jennifer M. Murray (assistant professor of history, University of Virginia's College at Wise) presents On a Great Battlefield: The Making, Management, and Memory of Gettysburg National Military Park, 1933-2013, an in-depth historical saga of how a battlefield became a national symbol, and the momentous commemorations held there (such as the Civil War Centennial from 1961-1965). A studious account nevertheless written to be accessible to readers of all backgrounds, On a Great Battlefield also explores America's connection to the Civil War - positive legacies and collective scars alike. Exhaustive notes, a bibliography, and an index round out this intriguing addition to Civil War history and studies shelves.


The Art Shelf

How to Draw Monsters
Chad Scheres and Paul Ledney
Wolfgang Publications Inc.
PO Box 223, Stillwater, MN 55082
c/o CarTech Inc. (distribution)
39966 Grand Avenue, North Branch, MN 55056
www.cartechbooks.com
9781935828914 $27.95 www.wolfpub.com

Graphic designer/pin striper Paul Ledney and 3-D sculptor Chad Scheres present How to Draw Monsters, a hands-on, how-to guide to doodling, painting, even sculpting monsters worthy of being Halloween decorations. Aesthetically grotesque imagery can be a snap when following these simple instructions concerning artist's tools, media guidelines, and sketch suggestions. Over 300 photographs, most of them in full color, illustrate the methods and step-by-step monstrous suggestions, in these excellent self-teaching resource accessible to budding artists of all age, skill, and experience levels. Highly recommended especially for the Halloween season!


The Pets/Wildlife Shelf

No Walks? No Worries!
Sian Ryan & Helen Zulch
Hubble & Hattie
Veloce House, Parkway Farm Business Park
Middle Farm Way, Poundbury, Dorchester, DT1 3AR, England
9781845846053 $21.95 www.hubbleandhattie.com

Written by professional canine caretakers, No Walks? No Worries! Maintaining Wellbeing in Dogs on Restricted Exercise is a user-friendly guide to maintaining the health of a dog on a restricted exercise for any number of reasons (including but not limited to physical injury). Full-color photography illustrates the practical-minded recommendations for dealing with emergency situations, identifying a dog's needs, planning a daily routine to include socialization and mental stimulation as well as physical exercise, scent games and food toys to brighten a dog's day, worksheets for crafting an individual canine care plan, assessing the progress of one's dog, how to gradually return to a normal routine, and much more. "A basket muzzle is the preferred choice if your dog needs to wear a muzzle for anything other than a short period fo time or specific treatment. Basket muzzles, as pictured, allow him to pant, drink and take treats, unlike cloth muzzles which prevent his mouth from opening properly." Highly recommended especially for devoted pet owners.


The Self-Help Shelf

The Qigong Workbook for Anxiety
Master Kam Chuen Lam
New Harbinger Press
5674 Shattuck Avenue, Oakland, CA 94609
9781608829491 $21.95 www.newharbinger.com

The Qigong Workbook for Anxiety: Powerful Energy Practices to Rebalance Your Nervous System and Free Yourself from Fear teaches the reader methods based upon ancient Chinese philosophy and medicine that promote inner calm. Breathing, posture, movement, and awareness exercises and described in plain terms, accessible to readers of all backgrounds. The Qigong Workbook for Anxiety is a user-friendly resource for coping with stress and emotional ills, enthusiastically recommended. "Despite all your efforts to relax while standing still, you may feel you are becoming tired and tense. One way of relieving this is to reposition your hands so that the backs of your wrists rest in the small of your back, just above your hip bones. Stand like this for a few moments, letting your shoulders completely relax and your wrists sink into the soft flesh of the small of your back."


The Aviation Shelf

Military Aircraft Insignia of the World
John Cochrane and Stuart Elliott
Specialty Press
99 Spring Street, 3rd floor, New York, NY 10012
9780955426872 $22.95 www.specialtypress.com

Organized by country, Military Aircraft Insignia of the World is a guide to markings used to identify nationality on military aircraft since 1910. A close-up, full-color representation of each national insignia is presented next to a detailed paragraph or two describing its appearance, history, and usage; often there is also a color photograph of an actual military airplane sporting the given insignia. A bibliography and an index round out this descriptive, easy-to-use specialized resource!


The Parenting Shelf

Creative Play the Steiner Waldorf Way
Christopher Clouder & Janni Nicol
Gaia
c/o Octopus Publishing
236 Park Avenue, New York NY 10017
9781856753517 $14.99 www.octopusbooksusa.com

Part DIY craftbook of simple children's toys, and part parenting guide, Creative Play the Steiner Waldorf Way shows parents how to use play to help their toddlers (2-4 years old) develop their creativity and imagination in accordance with the Steiner theory, which emphasizes the importance of natural, holistic learning. The easy-to-follow toy projects range from a knitted rabbit to felt finger puppets, wooden blocks, or a pull train (alternatively, similar store-bought toys can be substituted for handcrafted toys). "Look for small branches and different shaped logs while out on walks with your toddler. Peeling bark from fallen trees is a wonderful activity, particularly when your toddler discovers the little creatures hidden underneath. Pine cones make trees for a forest, while acorns, horse chestnuts or other seeds will feed the animals, feeding your child's imagination at the same time. All these natural materials help your toddler develop an appreciation for the abundance around him, especially if you treat each find with the wonder it deserves." Highly recommended!


The Architecture Shelf

The Hand of the Small-Town Builder
W. Tad Pfeffer
David R. Godine, Publisher
PO Box 450, Jaffrey, NH 03452
9781567923292 $40.00 www.godine.com

The Hand of the Small-Town Builder: Vernacular Summer Architecture in New England, 1870-1935 scrutinizes the evolution of architecture in homes built for middle-class families during the transitory era of the late nineteenth and early twentieth century New England. These houses often represented a high level of craftsmanship, taking both the practical considerations of the local environment and aesthetic beauty into account. Full color photography on virtually every page illustrates this thoughtful, detailed analysis, focusing on summer houses in the states of Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont. The Hand of the Small-Town Builder is a worthy addition to college and public library architecture shelves!


The Needlecraft Shelf

Crocodile Stitch Afghans
Joyce Lewis
Annie's
P.O. Box 8000, Big Sandy, TX 75755
9781573675628 $8.99 www.anniescatalog.com

Crocodile Stitch Afghans is a flat-spined project guide for intermediate to advanced crocheters. The step-by-step instructions for creating five beautiful and memorable afghans (each using the crocodile stitch) do presume basic familiarity with the conventions of the craft, although a helpful illustrated stitch guide on the final page illuminates some basic techniques. Full-color photographs of each project round out this inexpensive, practical-minded resource for crating beautiful and memorable cold-weather gifts!


The Philosophy Shelf

The Labyrinth
Philip Appleman
The Quantuck Lane Press
c/o W.W. Norton & Company, Inc.
500 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10110
9781593720575 $17.95 www.wwnorton.com

The Labyrinth: God, Darwin, and the Meaning of Life is a philosophical essay grappling with one of the most enduring conundrums of humanity - the God hypothesis. How can belief in a benevolent Creator be justified amid a world filled with misery and atrocities committed in the name of religion? Author Philip Appleman draws upon insights from the scientist Darwin to reveal that the meaning of life has far more potential than a bleak worldview - in placing value upon the transitory joys of existence, we discover the means to cherish the mundane and the inexplicable divine alike. "...the other face of religious escapism is social irresponsibility. 'God's will' becomes a thin mask for social cynicism. Writing twelve hundred years later, Charles Darwin supplied... 'To those who fully admit the immortality of the human soul, the destruction of our world will not appear so dreadful.'" Thought-provoking yet accessible to readers of all backgrounds, The Labyrinth is philosophical reading worthy of the highest recommendation.


The Antiques/Collectibles Shelf

Lionel Trains Pocket Price Guide 1901-2015
Roger Carp, editor
Kalmbach Books
21027 Crossroads Circle
Waukesha, WI 53187-1612
9781627001267 $19.99 www.kalmbachbooks.com

Lionel Trains Pocket Price Guide 1901-2015 is a pocket-sized guide packed with up-to-date prices for collectible Lionel toy trains, including pre-war trains, 1,700 special production items and 11,000 modern-era products. A brief introduction aids the reader with tips for evaluating a Lionel toy train by the standards of the Train Collectors Association, identifying an item's catalog number and using the guide to look it up quickly, and more. However, the bulk of Lionel Trains Pocket Price Guide 1901-2015 is devoted entirely to pricing tables. An excellent, easy-to-use resource especially for serious toy train hobbyists, collectors, and dealers.


The Memoir Shelf

The Girl from Station X
Elisa Segrave
Aurum Press
aurumpress.co.uk
c/o Quarto Publishing Group USA
400 First Avenue North, Suite 400
Minneapolis, MN 55401-1722
9781781312506 $14.99 www.quartous.com

While caring for her Alzheimer's-afflicted mother, author Elisa Segrave discovered a stash of World War II diaries that revealed a dramatically different side of aging woman Elisa had known all her life. The Girl from Station X tells how Elisa's mother, Anne Hamilton-Grace, had grown up amid luxury and privilege, yet jumped at the chance to join the war effort. She served at Bletchley Park, Bomber Command, and after the war, she worked in the newly liberated Germany. Interweaving diary pages with Elisa's historical research, insights, and musings about the her mother's adventurously altruistic side, The Girl from Station X is a transformative memoir, captivating to the last page.


The Wisconsin Shelf

For Love and Money
Carl Corey
Wisconsin Historical Society Press
816 State Street, Madison, WI 53575
9780870206467 $29.95 www.wisconsinhistory.org

For Love and Money: Portraits of Wisconsin Family Businesses is a full-color photography book dedicated to Wisconsin family-owned businesses that have existed for fifty years or longer. Images of multigenerational bakeries, funeral homes, cheesemakers, fishermen, furniture makers, winemakers and more are each paired with brief captions for context. An unforgettable glimpse of the heart and soul of entrepreneurs who persevere against economic hardship and tough competition, For Love and Money is a treasury. Highly recommended.


James A. Cox, Editor-in-Chief
Diane C. Donovan, Editor
Midwest Book Review
278 Orchard Drive
Oregon, WI 53575-1129
phone: 1-608-835-7937
e-mail: mbr@execpc.com
e-mail: mwbookrevw@aol.com
http://www.midwestbookreview.com


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