Return to home
page Book Reviews, Book Lover Resources, Advice for Writers and Publishers
Home / Internet Bookwatch

Internet Bookwatch

Volume 27, Number 5 May 2017 Home | IBW Index

Table of Contents

Reviewer's Choice Autism Shelf Science Shelf
Fiction Shelf Mystery/Suspense Shelf Fantasy/SciFi Shelf
Christian Studies Shelf Buddhist Studies Shelf Gardening Shelf
Cookbook Shelf Needlecraft Shelf Fishing Shelf
Biography Shelf Poetry Shelf Health/Medicine Shelf
Music Shelf Art Shelf Comix/Graphic Novel Shelf
Audiobook Shelf Library CD Shelf Library DVD Shelf
Self-Help Shelf American History Shelf Civil War Shelf
Writing/Publishing Shelf Education Shelf Theatre/Cinema/TV Shelf
Computer Shelf Technology Shelf Military Shelf
Travel Shelf Automotive Shelf Business Shelf
Agriculture Shelf Political Science Shelf Jobs/Career Shelf
Parenting Shelf Library Science Shelf Psychology Shelf
Language Studies Shelf Native American Studies Shelf Pets/Wildlife Shelf
Reference Shelf Social Issues Shelf Sports Shelf


Reviewer's Choice

Neighbor Law, ninth edition
Emily Doskow & Lina Guillen
Nolo Press
950 Parker Street, Berkeley, CA 94710
www.nolo.com
9781413323412, $29.99, PB, 392pp, www.amazon.com

It's said that 'good fences make good neighbors'. Now in a newly updated and expanded ninth edition, "Neighbor Law: Fences, Trees, Boundaries & Noise" by attorneys Emily Doskow and Lina Guillen will help the non-specialist general reader to avoid neighborly nuisances from turning into a hostile and expensive lawsuits. More than just an ordinary legal guide, "Neighbor Law" is a practical, jargon free instructional guide filled from cover to cover with practical tips on how to solve problems and restore good neighbor relations. The topics covered include: noisy neighbors; trees that hang over a property line; blocked views; unclear boundary lines; high, unsightly, or deteriorating fences; dangers to children ("attractive nuisances"); problems with neighboring businesses; drones trespassing onto your property; and many other common issues ranging from secondhand smoke, to blighted property, to animal issues, and more! Of special note is the information related to updated laws and information on mediation, going to court, boundary fences, private nuisances, etc. While especially recommended for community library collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Neighbor Law" is also available in a Kindle format ($16.19).

Get the Most Out of Retirement
Sally Balch Hurme
LPM Publications
c/o American Bar Association
321 North Clark Street, Chicago, IL 60610
www.ababooks.org
9781634256513, $19.95, PB, 294pp, www.amazon.com

The rapidly aging baby-boomer generation is now entering their retirement years. That's what makes "Get the Most Out of Retirement: Checklist for Happiness, Health, Purpose, and Financial Security" by Sally Balch Hurme (currently a project advisor with the AARP Health Law Education team) to be a timely and much appreciated instruction manual that covers: Nurturing new and old relationships; Finding meaning through volunteer and work opportunities; Taking classes and pursuing hobbies; Deciding where to live; Retiring abroad; Getting organized and cleaning out the clutter; Staying within a budget; Simplifying the legal paperwork; Living healthfully; Public benefits associated with retirement, and so much more! Replete with checklists and charts, "Get the Most Out of Retirement" is thoroughly 'user friendly' in organization and presentation, making it very highly recommended for anyone preparing for or already experiencing their retirement years.

It's Up to the Women
Eleanor Roosevelt
Nation Books
c/o Perseus Book Group
250 W. 57th St., Suite 1500, New York, NY 10107
9781568585949 $24.00 hc / $16.99 Kindle www.nationbooks.org

Originally written in the midst of the Great Depression, It's Up to the Women is an advice guide by First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt. Ms. Roosevelt made her mark on history by reinventing the role of the First Lady - not continent to simply be the President's wife, she championed women's rights and civil rights, wrote a regular newspaper column, and penned It's Up to the Women as a call to fellow women to do their part. It's Up to the Women emphasizes the importance of cutting costs when needed, spending reasonably, taking personal responsibility, budgeting time as efficiently as money, pursuing a career, how to approach the demands of family life, and much more. A timeless resource of wisdom from a savvy, independent woman who changed history, It's Up to the Women is highly recommended especially for public library collections and personal reading lists.

Cows and Catastrophes
Brindley Hosken
Old Pond Publishing
c/o International Specialized Book Services
920 Northeast 58th Avenue, Suite 300, Portland, OR, 97213
www.isbs.com
9781910456484, $14.91, PB, 182pp, www.amazon.com

"Cows and Catastrophes: The Flights and Fancies of a Cornish Dairy Farmer" includes tales of author Brindley Hosken's 40 years of farming on the beautiful Lizard Peninsula in Cornwall, where he has lived and worked for all his life. After 35 years of dairy farming, and in an increasingly challenging market, Brindley made the difficult decision to sell his cows in 2010 and now contract rears dairy heifers. Most of the stories comprising "Cows and Catastrophes" are humorous, some of them asking such questions such as "What if I'm a Celebrity was set on a farm?", while others will inspire tears. Together, they are all thought-provoking. Featuring 32 specially commissioned illustrations by Rory Walker, "Cows and Catastrophes" will bring a wry smile to the faces of other farmers who will recognize situations that they too have been in. "Cows and Catastrophes" will also give readers who are not involved in farming an idea about what happens down farm lanes and in the patchwork of fields that they pass on their way to work each day. Readers will appreciate the tough job that farmers today face. Exceptionally well written, entertaining, informative, thought-provoking, organized and presented, "Cows and Catastrophes" is an especially recommended addition for community and academic library Dairy Farming, Agricultural Science, or Farm Life collections.

The Art of Plant-Based Cheesemaking
Karen McAthy
New Society Publishers
PO Box 189, Gabriola Island, BC, Canada, V0R 1X0
www.newsociety.com
9780865718364, $19.99, PB, 128pp, www.amazon.com

The popularity of artisan cheeses continues to increase at a rapid rate as is diary-free cheeses for those who are lactose intolerant or strictly vegan in their diets. In "The Art of Plant-Based Cheesemaking: How to Craft Real, Cultured, Non-Dairy Cheese" pioneering cheesemaker Karen McAthy (Founder and Head Cheesemaker at Blue Heron Creamery, which makes cultured, plant-based cheeses for restaurants, retail outlets, and private customers) draws upon her years of experience and expertise to present a profusely illustrated, user friendly, highly practical guide that extends traditional cheesemaking methods into the realm of plant-based media as a substitute for dairy. "The Art of Plant-Based Cheesemaking" covers: Understanding culturing and fermentation; Essential ingredients and equipment for crafting plant-based cheese; Plant and nut-based media and how to make them; How to create and train plant-based cultures; Delicious recipes for quick cheeses; Advanced recipes for cultured and aged cheeses; Resources for sourcing equipment and cultures. A complete, comprehensive, instruction manual that is packed from cover to cover with step-by-step recipes, straightforward processes, and encouraging experimentation, "The Art of Plant-Based Cheesemaking" makes plant-based cheesemaking accessible for beginners and serious foodies alike. Original, unique, and enthusiastically recommended for community library collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "The Art of Plant-Based Cheesemaking" is also available in a Kindle format ($19.32).

Continental Divide: A History of American Mountaineering
Maurice Isserman
W. W. Norton & Company
500 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10110
9780393353761, $18.95, www.wwnorton.com

Continental Divide: A History of American Mountaineering tells of a history that began in 1642, with a man who became the first American mountaineer to scale Mount Washington - and who was labeled insane for his effort. Modern mountain climbing is a respected endeavor - but it wasn't always that way, as Continental Divide points out. Chapters consider traditional views of mountains and their scaling, providing a focus on American mountaineering and its four hundred year journey to being accepted. Especially fascinating to learn is how a fear of mountains and their unknown environments translated to a respect and then an admiration for them. Any general-interest library seeing interest in mountaineering as a sport or the American history of changing places and perceptions will find this an engrossing, enlightening read.


The Autism Shelf

Unwritten Rules of Social Relationships
Dr. Temple Grandin & Sean Barron, authors
Veronica Zysk, editor
Future Horizons, Inc.
721 West Abram Street, Arlington, TX 76013
www.fhautism.com
9781941765388 $19.95 pbk / $12.88 Kindle amazon.com

Now in a new edition with author updates, Unwritten Rules of Social Relationships: Decoding Social Mysteries Through Autism's Unique Perspectives is a social interaction guide written for people with autism, and the parents, guardians, or teachers of children with autism. People with autism tend to have a rigidly logical mindset and an inability to pick up on nonverbal social cues, both of which can make interacting with members of society smoothly enough to make friends or hold a steady job difficult. Unwritten Rules of Social Relationships explains governing principles that are more readily apparent to neurotypical people, such as "Honesty is Different Than Diplomacy" or "Not Everyone Who Is Nice to Me Is My Friend". Each general "unwritten rule" is further discussed at length with specific examples, as well as true-life anecdotes and learning experiences from people with autism. Unwritten Rules of Social Relationships is highly recommended, and utterly invaluable especially for anyone responsible for teaching these unwritten social rules to an autistic child. "...what I encounter out in the trenches are adults who don't understand the thinking patterns of people with ASD and still try to use punishment-based behavior systems to work with them. Until that mistake gets corrected with adults, children and adolescents on the spectrum will suffer."

An Adult with an Autism Diagnosis
Gillian Drew
Jessica Kingsley Publishers, Inc.
400 Market Street, Suite 400, Philadelphia, PA 19106
9781785922466, $15.95, www.jkp.com

An Adult with an Autism Diagnosis: A Guide for the Newly Diagnosed differs from many child-focused autism books on the market in that it uses the author's own experience with Asperger's Syndrome to provide insights into how autism changes adult relationships, perceptions, and world views. An adult newly diagnosed can achieve greater happiness post-diagnosis by understanding these challenges and coping with them more effectively. From a caution on living in a household of adults with mental difficulties to overcoming struggles with social situations, this is packed with practical advice on how to make the most of life.

A Parents' ABC of the Autism Spectrum
Stephen Heydt
Jessica Kingsley Publishers, Inc.
400 Market Street, Suite 400, Philadelphia, PA 19106
9781785921643, $16.95, www.jkp.com

A Parents' ABC of the Autism Spectrum uses a simple dictionary-like format to provide a quick reference in an alphabetical categorization of possible issues a child with autism might experience. Clinical psychologist Stephen Heydt translates a wealth of information into an easy at-a-glance format busy parents will relish with an approach that centers on the special problems of ASD, from handling diagnosis and label implications to understanding comprehensive assessment tools and neurological tests.


The Science Shelf

Food Microbiology, fourth edition
Karl R. Matthews, Kalmia E. Kniel, Thomas J. Montville
American Society for Microbiology Press
1752 N St. NW, Washington, DC 20036
www.asm.org
9781555819385, $110.00, HC, 570pp, www.amazon.com

Food microbiology is the study of the microorganisms that inhabit, create, or contaminate food, including the study of microorganisms causing food spoilage. "Good" bacteria, however, such as probiotics, are becoming increasingly important in food science. In addition, microorganisms are essential for the production of foods such as cheese, yogurt, bread, beer, wine and, other fermented foods. Now in a newly updated and significantly expanded fourth edition, "Food Microbiology: An Introduction" is an ideal curriculum textbook that is the collaborative effort of Thomas J. Montville (Distinquished Professor of Food Microbiology at Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey), Karl R. Matthews (Professor of Microbial Food Safety at Rutgers University), and Kalmia E. Kniel (Professor of Microbial Food Safety in the Department of Animal and Food Sciences, University of Delaware, Newark, Delaware). Comprised of 29 chapters, each of which having their own succinct summary, suggested reading list, and questions for critical thought, "Food Microbiology" is enhanced for students with the inclusion of a Glossary, a listing of useful websites for food safety information, answers to Crossword Puzzles, Answers to Selected Questions for Critical Thought, and a twelve page Index. Impressively comprehensive and thoroughly 'reader friendly' in organization and presentation, this new fourth edition of "Food Microbiology: An Introduction" is unreservedly recommended for academic library Microbiology Science collections in general, and as a textbook for Food Microbiology courses and supplemental studies reading lists in particular.

The Everything Answer Book
Amit Goswami
Hampton Roads Publishing Company
65 Parker St., Suite 7, Newburyport, MA 01950
www.hrpub.com
9781571747624, $18.95, PB, 256pp, www.amazon.com

A theoretical nuclear physicist, Amit Goswami's basic premise underlying "The Everything Answer Book: How Quantum Science Explains Love, Death, and the Meaning of Life" is that quantum physics is not only the future of science, but is also the key to understanding consciousness, life, death, God, psychology, and the meaning of life. Quantum physics is an antidote to the moral sterility and mechanistic approach of scientific materialism and is the best and clearest approach to understanding our universe. In short, quantum physics is indeed the theory of everything. "The Everything Answer Book" covers how quantum physics affects our understanding of: Zen; Thoughts, feelings, and intuitions; Dreams; Karma, death, and reincarnation; God's will, evolution, and purpose; The meaning of dreams; The spiritualization of economics and business, politics and education, and society itself. Thoroughly 'reader friendly' in organization and presentation, "The Everything Answer Book" will appeal to a wide array of readers, ranging from those interested in the new physics to those captivated by the spiritual implications of the latest scientific breakthroughs. While very highly recommended, especially for community and academic library collections, it should be noted for students and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "The Everything Answer Book" is also available in a Kindle format ($9.99).

Not In Our Genes, second edition
R. C. Lewontin, Steven Rose, Leon J. Kamin
Haymarket Books
PO Box 180165, Chicago, IL 60618
www.haymarketbooks.org
9781608467273, $19.00, PB, 346pp, www.amazon.com

Now in a newly updated and expanded second edition, "Not In Our Genes: Biology, Ideology, and Human Nature" systematically exposes and dismantles the claims that inequalities (class, race, gender) are the products of biological, genetic inheritances. The collaborative work of Richard Lewontin (an American evolutionary biologist, geneticist, academic and social commentator. A leader in developing the mathematical basis of population genetics and evolutionary theory, he pioneered the application of techniques from molecular biology, to questions of genetic variation), Steven Rose (Emeritus Professor of Biology and Neurobiology at the Open University and Gresham College, London) and Leon J. Kamin (an American psychologists known for his contributions to learning theory and his critique of estimates of the heritability of IQ), "Not In Our Genes" is deftly organized into ten chapters ranging from 'The New Right and the Old Determinism' to 'New Biology versus Old Ideology'. Enhanced with the inclusion of twenty-two pages of Notes and a twenty-one page Index, "Not In Our Genes" is an informative, thought-provoking read that is very highly recommended as a seminal and core addition to professional, community, and academic library collections, as well as the personal reading lists of students and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject.


The Fiction Shelf

Maud
Melanie J. Fishbane
Penguin Books
c/o Penguin Group (USA)
375 Hudson Street, 4th floor, New York, NY 10014
9780143191254, $17.99, www.penguin.com

Although directed to teen audiences and published under Penguin's teen imprint, many an adult already familiar with the works of L.M. Montgomery will appreciate this story, inspired by Montgomery's life, and so it will appeal beyond the young audiences who are the usual reader of the 'Anne of Green Gables' series. Melanie Fishbane reconstructs Montgomery's teen years based on her diaries, letters, and research to create a compelling story that brings the Green Gables people to life. The result is a story that, though intended for teens, will reach well into adult audiences, attracting any who loved the Anne of Green Gables series and its creator.

The Swordfish And The Star
Gavin Knight
Isis Large Print
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print (USA), Inc.
PO Box 1230, West Seneca, NY 14224-1230
9781785413308, $74.99, HC, Large Print, 270pp, www.amazon.com

The Penwith Peninsula in Cornwall is where the land ends. Deftly written by Gavin Knight, "The Swordfish And The Star" is the compelling story of a whole community, especially those still working the last frontier on the edge of the sea: the Cornish fishermen, dreamers and fighters who prepare daily for battle with the vast grey Atlantic. Knight brings Cornwall and its seas to life, mixing drink and drugs and sea spray, moonlit beaches and shattering storms. The result is a tapestry of the precarious reality of life in Cornwall today, emerging from behind idyllic holiday snaps and picture postcards. Even the quaint fishermen's pubs on the quay at Newlyn, including the Swordfish and its neighbor the Star, turn out to be places where squalls can blow up (and down again) in an instant, on the most dangerous stretch of the Cornish coast. A consistently engaging and entertaining read from cover to cover, this large print edition of "The Swordfish And The Star" is especially recommended for both personal reading lists and community library General Fiction collections.

Shot To Hell
Scott Connor
Thorpe Large Print
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print (USA), Inc.
PO Box 1230, West Seneca, NY 14224-1230
www.ulverscroftusa.com
9781444831139, $20.00, PB, 216pp, www.amazon.com

Bounty hunter Jarrett Wade gained his reputation as a manhunter when he defeated the bandit Orlando Pyle in the town of Hamilton. But five years later Jarrett has lost his edge and has resorted to taking any lowly assignment he can find. A chance to relive his past glory appears when he's offered a seemingly simple assignment. Carry a cryptic message to someone and collect a fee for the service. He readily accepts, but before he can complete the task, he's gunned down and left for dead. Jarrett vows revenge, but after being nearly crippled and hiding out because of the all too real possibility of another assassination attempt upon his life, how can he possible track down the men responsible and prove he's still the formidable manhunter he used to be? A true master of the western action/adventure novel, Scott Connor has penned another original and riveting read that grips the readers rapt attention from cover to cover. This large print edition of "Shot To Hell" is unreservedly recommended for both personal reading lists and community library Western Fiction collections.

The Silk Tree
Julian Stockwin
Allison and Busby
c/o Casemate
1940 Lawrence Road, Havertown, PA 19083
www.casematepublishers.com
9780749017958, $25.00, HC, 432pp, www.amazon.com

Set in Rome 549 AD, "The Silk Tree" is the story of merchant Nicander and legionary Marius who are forced to flee the heart of the Roman Empire and escape to a new life in Constantinople. Determined to make their fortune, they plot a number of outrageous money-making schemes, until they chance upon their greatest idea yet. Armed with an audacious plan to steal precious silk seeds from the faraway land of Seres, Nicander and Marius must embark on a terrifying and treacherous journey across unknown realms. But first they must deceive the powerful ruler Justinian and the rest of his formidable Byzantine Empire in order to begin their voyage into the unknown. An adventurous tale of mischief and deception, Nicander and Marius must face danger of the highest order, where nothing in the land of the Roman Empire is quite what it seems. A consistently well written and enormously entertaining read from cover to cover, "The Silk Tree" is certain to be an enduringly popular addition to community library Historical Fiction collections. For personal reading lists it should be noted that "The Silk Tree" is also available in a paperback edition (9780749017538, $12.95) and in a Kindle format ($3.82).

Diablo
Chuck Tyrell
Linford Western Library
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print (USA), Inc.
PO Box 1230, West Seneca, NY 14224-1230
9781444827552, $20.99, Large Print, PB, 253pp, www.ulverscroftusa.com

On the streets of Diablo jobs are scarce, tempers roiling and dead men are stripped almost before they hit the ground. But Shawn Brodie needs to collect $3000 for Tin Can Evans, and that amount of money can cause epic problems for man in a hell of a town such as this. And when things go bad, those living south of the A&P tracks, in a jumble of huts and tents, get the blame. With a host of dangerous men walking its streets, it's only a matter of time before the fuse is lit that threatens to blow Diablo all to Hell...maybe where it belongs. Author Chuck Tyrell is a master of the action/adventure western genre and "Diablo" is a deftly crafted and highly recommended story replete with unexpected twists and turns that will prove to be an enduringly popular addition to personal reading lists and community library Western Fiction collections.

The Grub Rider
James C. Work
Five Star Books
10 Water Street, Suite 310, Waterville, ME 04901
http://gale.cengage.com/fivestar
9781432833954, $25.95, HC, 275pp, www.amazon.com

Mysterious forces drive Gabe Allen to leave home in search of the Keystone Ranch. Job by job, handout by handout, he finally makes it. But his next journey will be far more dangerous, more demanding. He is to see an arrogant lady safely home to her own ranch where her sister is being held hostage by an outlaw gang whose leader is almost certainly insane. Gabe's only weapons are his wit, ingenuity, and a .44 revolver; but what can one man and one gun do against an outlaw who decorates his stronghold with the skeletons of other men who have come against him? Author James C. Work doesn't just write ordinary westerns, he deftly crafts impressively original and consistently entertaining action/adventure novels that are set in the historical American west. Simply stated, "The Grub Rider" is very highly recommended for community library collections and the personal reading lists of dedicated western novel fans looking for a truly memorable read.

Miss Julia Weathers the Storm
Ann B. Ross
Viking Books
c/o Penguin Group USA
375 Hudson Street, New York, NY 10014
www.penguin.com
9780735220478, $27.00, HC, 288pp, www.amazon.com

Miss Julia's sweet and generous husband, Sam, has decided to take a big group trip to the beach, inviting family and friends. While Miss Julia prepares for the big trip, her longtime friend LuAnne comes to her with a horrifying discovery -- her husband may be cheating on her. Julia invites LuAnne along to the beach to get away and clear her head--and to keep from doing anything rash. Everyone settles into the rental house and six-year-old Latisha, their beloved housekeeper Lillian's great-granddaughter, is having a blast searching for seashells when she discovers some much more valuable treasures that have washed up from a strong storm off the coast. As the storm nears, the crew packs up to head back to Abbotsville, and it appears that the three strangers they met on the beach -- who seemed a bit too interested in little Latisha's treasures--have followed them back to their sleepy town. An original, deftly crafted, and consistently entertaining read from cover to cover, "Miss Julia Weathers the Storm" will prove to be an enduringly popular addition to community library General Fiction collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "Miss Julia Weathers the Storm" is also available in a Kindle format ($13.99).

Before We Sleep
Jeffrey Lent
Bloomsbury Press
175 Fifth Avenue, Suite 315, New York, NY 10010
www.bloomsbury.com
9781620404997, $28.00, HC, 400pp, www.amazon.com

Katey Snow, seventeen, slips the pickup into neutral and rolls silently out of the driveway of her Vermont home, her parents, Oliver and Ruth, still asleep. She isn't so much running away as on a journey of discovery. She carries with her a packet of letters addressed to her mother from an old army buddy of her father's. She has only recently been told that Oliver, who she adores more than anyone, isn't her biological father. She hopes the letter's sender will have answers to her many questions. "Before We Sleep" moves gracefully between Katey's perspective on the road and her mother, Ruth's. Through Ruth's recollections, we learn of her courtship with Oliver, their marriage on the eve of war, and his return as a changed man. Oliver had always been a bit dreamy, but became more remote, finding solace most of all in repairing fiddles. There were adjustments, accommodations, sacrifices--but the family went on to find its own rhythms, satisfactions, and happiness. Now Katey's journey may rearrange the Snows' story. In "Before We Sleep" accomplished novelist Jeffrey Lent has once again crafted an inherently insightful and entertaining read that will prove to be an enduringly popular addition to community library collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "Before We Sleep" is also available in a Kindle format ($9.99). Librarians should be aware that there is a complete and unabridged CD audio book edition of "Before We Sleep" (Tantor Audio, 9781541456983, $29.99).

Beneath a Scarlet Sky
Mark Sullivan
Lake Union Publishing
9781503943377, $14.95, PB, 524pp, www.amazon.com

Pino Lella wants nothing to do with the war or the Nazis. He's a normal Italian teenager who is obsessed with music, food, and girls. But his days of innocence are numbered. When his family home in Milan is destroyed by Allied bombs, Pino joins an underground railroad helping Jews escape over the Alps, and falls for Anna, a beautiful widow six years his senior. In an attempt to protect him, Pino's parents force him to enlist as a German soldier -- a move they think will keep him out of combat. But after Pino is injured, he is recruited at the tender age of eighteen to become the personal driver for Adolf Hitler's left hand in Italy, General Hans Leyers, one of the Third Reich's most mysterious and powerful commanders. Now, with the opportunity to spy for the Allies inside the German High Command, Pino endures the horrors of the war and the Nazi occupation by fighting in secret, his courage bolstered by his love for Anna and for the life he dreams they will one day share. An accomplished novelist with a genuine flair for narrative driven storytelling, Mark Sullivan has scored another inherently engaging and thoroughly entertaining read with "Beneath a Scarlet Sky". While very highly recommended, especially for community library General Fiction collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Beneath a Scarlet Sky" is also available in a Kindle format ($4.99) and as a complete and unabridged audio book (Brilliance Audio, 9781536623147, $9.99, MP3).

The Path of the Wind
James A. Misko
Square One Publishers
115 Herricks Road, Garden City Park, NY 11040
www.squareonepublishers.com
9780757004445, $17.95 PB, 304pp, www.amazon.com

Miles Foster is a newly minted teacher who dreams of getting a teaching job in the highly respected and financially stable Portland, Oregon school system where everything is available, and where he and his wife call home. But the only opening for his talents is in a remote lumber mill town in central Oregon, two hundred miles away. It is a poor school with forty students, and is controlled by a jealous superintendent and school board who tolerate no thinking outside the box and who conspire to destroy his teaching career. Miles must find a way to educate students who have been passed along regardless of what they learned, and defeat the damaging control of the school board and superintendent without losing his marriage or his job, or both. James Misko is a truly gifted novelist with a genuine flair for deftly created and memorable characters. "The Path of the Wind" is a consistently entertaining and highly recommended addition to community library General Fiction collections. For personal reading lists it should be noted that "The Path of the Wind" is also available in a Kindle format ($10.99).


The Mystery/Suspense Shelf

Sherlock Holmes and the Lady in Black
June Thomson
Magna Large Print
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print (USA), Inc.
PO Box 1230, West Seneca, NY 14224-1230
9780750543699, $TBA, HC, Large Print, 192pp, www.ulverscroftusa.com

The world's greatest detective, Sherlock Holmes, is now in his retirement, and has turned his attention to his beekeeping hobby. But when a shadowy figure is seen walking below the cliffs one night, Holmes cannot resist the temptation of solving one more mystery. He summons his old flatmate and confidante Dr Watson to help. Against the backdrop of the stormy Sussex coast, desirable women and suspicious men weave an engaging and complex case. In "Sherlock Holmes and the Lady in Black", author June Thomson has done full honors to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's beloved character in this deftly crafted Sherlockian novel that is a truly riveting read from cover to cover. An absolute 'must' for the legions of Sherlock Holmes fans, "Sherlock Holmes and the Lady in Black" will prove to be an enduringly popular addition to community library Mystery/Suspense collections. It should be noted by librarians that "Sherlock Holmes and the Lady in Black" is also available as a complete and unabridged audio book (Magna Story Sound, 9781785022975, $59.95, CD).

Steps To The Gallows
Edward Marston
Magna Large Print
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print (USA), Inc.
PO Box 1230, West Seneca, NY 14224-1230
www.ulverscroftusa.com
9780750543651, $88.97, 387pp, www.amazon.com

The year is 1816 and Mr. Leonidas Paige, who is notorious for satirical cartoons and newspapers, fears for his safety and hires a bodyguard to protect him from his countless enemies. But the bodyguard is attacked and Paige is found dead. Identical twins Peter and Paul Skillen try to find the killers before their jealous rivals the Bow Street Runners arrive. As the brothers investigate, a group of influential political figures emerges, each with a strong motive to kill Paige. With time running out, the twins have to confront the killers then identify the man who hired them. Clearly, author Edward Marston has a genuine flair for the genre and has impressively crafted a simply riveting read that will consistently entertain mystery buffs from beginning to end with this large print edition of his "Steps To The Gallows". Certain to be an enduringly popular addition to community library Mystery/Suspense collections, "Steps To The Gallows" in unreservedly and enthusiastically recommended.

Death On The Cherwell
Mavis Doriel Hay
Isis Large Print
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print (USA), Inc.
PO Box 1230, West Seneca, NY 14224-1230
9781785413186, $TBA, HC, 304pp, www.ulverscroftusa.com

For Miss Cordell, principal of Persephone College, there are two great evils to be feared: unladylike behavior among her students, and bad publicity for the college. So her prim and cosy world is turned upside down when a secret society of undergraduates meets by the river on a gloomy January afternoon, only to find the drowned body of the college bursar floating in her canoe. The police assume that a student prank got out of control, but the resourceful Persephone girls suspect foul play, and take the investigation into their own hands. Soon they uncover the tangled secrets that led to the bursar's death - and the clues that point to a fellow student. A deftly crafted novel by a master of the mystery genre, this large print edition of "Death On The Cherwell" is absorbingly entertaining from cover to cover, and highly recommended, especially for community library Mystery/Suspense collections.

Miguel's Gift
Bruce Kading
Chicago Review Press
814 North Franklin Street, Chicago, IL 60610
www.chicagoreviewpress.com
9781613736258, $14.99, PB, 288pp, www.amazon.com

In late 1980s Chicago, Nick Hayden, a rookie INS field agent, is eager to make his mark in the unit responsible for picking up illegal immigrants around the city. Hayden excels, whether he's raiding factories or busting Colombian drug dealers. Seen as a rising star by supervisors, over time the green, idealistic Hayden evolves into what one veteran agent terms a "gladiator," an agent willing to do whatever is necessary to get the job done. But Hayden's real reason for joining INS (the mysterious death of an agent thirteen years earlier) remains a closely guarded secret, even as he reluctantly begins a discreet inquiry to uncover the truth. Hayden's world changes dramatically when he recruits Miguel Chavez, a humble Mexican illegal immigrant, to be an informant to help take down Salvador Rico, the ruthless kingpin of Chicago's counterfeit document trade. Nick faces challenges during the investigation that profoundly alter his career and personal priorities as the story builds to a deadly confrontation. Author Bruce Kading has created a consistently compelling thriller with deftly crafted and memorable characters within the context of a deftly written police procedural storyline whose unexpected plot twists and turns fully engage his readers right down to the last page of the last chapter. While very highly recommended, especially for community library Mystery/Suspense collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Miguel's Gift" is also available in a Kindle format ($10.06).

Shanghai Flame / Counterspy Express
A. S. Fleischman
Stark House Press
1315 H Street, Eureka, CA 95501
www.starkhousepress.com
9781944520144, $19.95, PB, 256pp, www.amazon.com

Stark House Press is in the business of bringing back into print time lost classics for the benefit of a whole new generation of appreciative leaders. Albert Sidney Fleischman (March 16, 1920 - March 17, 2010), was an American author of children's books, screenplays, novels for adults, and nonfiction books about magic. Two of his mystery novels comprise this Stark House Press edition. In 'Shanghai Flame', Alex Cloud knows he's being followed. He only has a short period of time to find Flame and bring her back to the ship in order to leave Shanghai alive. China has turned Red, and an American newspaperman's life has turned worthless. Dodging from one risky situation to the next, Cloud runs into Haigmann, a canny middle-man who seems to think Cloud has something of value. Eventually Cloud finds Flame, but she wants nothing to do with him. Undaunted, he's sworn to get her out of Shanghai, but now finds himself carrying a lethal pack of cards with a microfilm of names glued into them. Now they re both on the run, trying to stay one step ahead of the spies and thieves who want that film ready and willing to kill anyone to get it. In "Counterspy Express', the dying words of Jim Cabot's European contact ring in his ears as finds himself being trailed by one woman and tempted by another. His mission is to locate Borsilov, a defected Russian scientist. His predecessor, Max Becker, died trying. And already Cabot has been knocked senseless and his life threatened by two gunmen as he tries to track down the missing scientist. Behind the threats is an Italian Red named Major Racasoli. Pitted against them all is an English opportunist, Sydney Jardine, who wants to sell Borsilov to the highest bidder. But those dying words of warning mean nothing to Cabot now, because he has met Pia--and all bets are off. Certain to be an enduringly popular addition to personal reading lists and community library Mystery/Suspense collections alike, "Shanghai Flame / Counterspy Express" is very highly recommended as a deftly crafted and consistently entertaining read from cover to cover.

Subject 375
Nikki Owen
Blackstone Publishing
31 Mistletoe Road, Ashland, OR 97520
www.BlackstoneAudio.com
9781504725798, $24.99, HC, 368pp, www.amazon.com

Plastic surgeon Dr. Maria Martinez has Asperger's. Convicted of killing a priest, she is alone in prison and has no memory of the murder. DNA evidence places Maria at the scene of the crime, yet she claims she's innocent. Then she starts to remember a strange room, strange people, and being watched. As Maria gets closer to the truth, she is drawn into a web of international intrigue and must fight not only to clear her name but to remain alive. The first volume of a planned 'Project' trilogy by Nikki Owen, "Subject 375" is a simply riveting read from cover to cover with all manner of unexpected twists and turns. A deftly crafted, multilayered story by a truly gifted novelist with a flair for suspense drive narratives, "Subject 375" is very highly recommended, especially for community library collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "Subject 375" is also available in a paperback edition (9781504754798, $9.99) and in a Kindle format ($7.99).

I Found You
Lisa Jewell
Atria Books
c/o Simon & Schuster
1230 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020
www.simonandschuster.com
9781501154591, $26.00, HC, 352pp, www.amazon.com

In a windswept British seaside town, single mom Alice Lake finds a man sitting on the beach outside her house. He has no name, no jacket, and no idea how he got there. Against her better judgment, she invites him inside. Meanwhile, in a suburb of London, twenty-one-year-old Lily Monrose has only been married for three weeks. When her new husband fails to come home from work one night she is left stranded in a new country where she knows no one. Then the police tell her that her husband never existed. Twenty-three years earlier, Gray and Kirsty are teenagers on a summer holiday with their parents. Their annual trip to the quaint seaside town is passing by uneventfully, until an enigmatic young man starts paying extra attention to Kirsty. Something about him makes Gray uncomfortable -- and it's not just that he's playing the role of protective older brother. "I Found You" is another storytelling gem from the pen of Lisa Jewell and continues to reveal her genuine flair for deftly crafted characters and truly engaging, narrative driven plots. While very highly recommended, especially for community library General Fiction collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "I Found You" is also available in a Kindle format ($12.99).

Moving Target
Lynette Eason
Revell
c/o Baker Publishing Group
6030 East Fulton, Ada, MI 49301
www.bakerbooks.com
9780800728540, $25.99, HC, 338pp, www.amazon.com

When Maddy McKay and Quinn Holcombe don't show up for Quinn's surprise birthday party, his friends know that something is very wrong. Their search turns up little beyond evidence that Quinn and Maddy just decided to take off for a long overdue vacation. But it soon becomes apparent that they did not leave of their own accord. Maddy awakens in a cement room with no idea where she is. But it's not long before she realizes she's in the clutches of a madman exacting revenge by hunting. His prey of choice? Humans. Now Maddy and Quinn must run for their lives, hoping to find their killer before the next game begins. Because if they don't win this game, they die. The third title in author Lynette Eason's outstanding 'Elite Guardians' series, "Moving Target" is a compelling and simply riveting read from cover to cover. While very highly recommended, especially for community library action/adventure suspense collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Moving Target" is also available in a paperback edition (9780800723248, $15.99) and in a Kindle format ($8.53).

Lies the Mushroom Pickers Told
Tom Phelan
Arcade Publishing
www.arcadepub.com
c/o Skyhorse Publishing, Inc.
307 West 36th Street, 11th Floor, New York, NY 10018
www.skyhorsepublishing.com
9781628724288, $24.95,HC, 336pp, www.amazon.com

When journalist Patrick Bracken returns to Gohen, the Irish village where he was born, he knows the eyes of the townspeople are on him. He has come home to investigate two deaths that happened decades earlier when he was a child, deaths that were ruled accidental. But Patrick knows (and believes the whole town knows) they were murders. He knows because he and his best friend, Mikey Lamb, were witnesses. Part human comedy and part mystery, "Lies the Mushroom Pickers Told" by accomplished novelist Tom Phelan is an enthralling, masterful story about what holds a village together and what keeps people apart. A consistently entertaining and deftly crafted read from cover to cover, "Lies the Mushroom Pickers Told" is an especially recommended addition to community library collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "Lies the Mushroom Pickers Told" is also available in a paperback edition (9781628727548, $16.99) and in a Kindle format ($11.01).

The Vanquished
David Putnam
Oceanview Publishing
595 Bay Isles Road, 120-G, Longboat Key, FL 34228
www.oceanviewpub.com
9781608092161, $26.95, HC, 320pp, www.amazon.com

Former cop and ex-con Bruno Johnson and his wife Marie, living in their safe haven in Costa Rica with the children they illegally rescued from certain death, find a message from their outlaw motorcycle gang enemies written on the back of one of their beloved children. The motorcycle gang, Sons of Satan, out for revenge, will stop at nothing to lure the now furious Bruno back into their web. Bruno and Marie, forced to return to Southern California, battle additional demons in the form of an ex-spouse's entanglements. The FBI, watching the Sons of Satan, recognizes Bruno's unique skills and ties. They recruit him to recover a stolen military drone armed with Hellfire missiles, while Bruno struggles to keep pregnant Marie out of the crossfire. Ultimately, Bruno's inability to ignore a woman in peril yields unspeakable consequences. A simply riveting read from cover to cover, "The Vanquished" is a deftly crafted novel the clearly reflects author David Putnam's years of experience and expertise from his former career in law enforcement. While certain to be an enduringly popular addition to community library General Fiction collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "The Vanquished" is also available in a Kindle format ($9.99).

Berkley Books
c/o Penguin Group (USA)
375 Hudson Street, 4th floor, New York, NY 10014
www.penguin.com

With respect to Susan Wittig Albert titles, mystery enthusiasts who missed China Bayles before should read Blood Orange (97804250280010, $7.99); it continues a best-selling series and is one of the strongest books in the ongoing story as it tells of China's involvement in a deadly mystery when a guest cottage rental turns into a terrible car accident. Too many people want her tenant out of the picture permanently - but who is the real threat? China's investigation reveals far more than she expected, and endangers her own life. The Last Chance Ranch (97804252080034, $27.00) is the latest mystery and involves China's efforts to save her husband when an escaped convict targets him. China wants to protect him from harm, but he insists she go to the Last Chance Olive Ranch to get away from the heat and teach her herbal workshop. One doesn't suspect that she's moving from the frying pan into the fire until the action shifts to the ranch's troubles and a series of events that place more than her husband in danger. These engrossing mysteries are hard to put down partially due to the fact that the character of China is engrossing and realistic, and the action features many twists and turns which are satisfyingly unpredictable, yet logical.


The Fantasy/SciFi Shelf

Brood of the Witch Queen / The Quest of the Sacred Slipper
Sax Rohmer
Stark House Press
1315 H Street, Eureka, CA 95501
www.starkhousepress.com
9781944520243, $19.95, PB, 296pp, www.amazon.com

Arthur Henry Ward (15 February 1883 - 1 June 1959), better known as Sax Rohmer, was a prolific English novelist. Now Stark House Press has brought back into print two true classics of the 20th century occult-mystery genre."Brood of the Witch Queen" is the story of Robert Cairn who is caught out in the rain and he sees something strange. Apollo, the king of the swans, seems to have died without apparent reason right in front of his eyes! When Robert goes to investigate, he discovers that the swan had its neck broken in three places. He's so spooked by this that he goes to the nearest home, the one of Antony Ferrara. Inside Antony's home, Robert feels frightened and suffocated. Antony has always been a strange man. He's been rumored to be a bad boy of sorts and was asked to leave Egypt. The reason for that, nobody quite knows. But Robert sees some strange things in Antony's home. He glimpses Egyptian artifacts and creepiest of all, an unwrapped mummy. Why Antony has all these items, one can only guess. Their guesses are nothing compared to the strange happenings that's actually happening. And Robert and his friends must find out what before it's too late! "The Quest of the Sacred Slipper" is an episodic supernatural mystery thriller in which the stolen slipper of Mohammed, one of the sacred relics of Islam, is sought by its guardian (a descendant of the ancient Assassins) and his henchmen (dwarfs turned by a drug into giants of strength and agility) armed with natural and supernatural vengeance devices. Brought back into print for a new generation of appreciative readers, this edition of "Brood of the Witch Queen / The Quest of the Sacred Slipper" is unreservedly and enthusiastically recommended for personal reading lists and community library collections.


The Christian Studies Shelf

Sons of Saint Patrick
George J. Marlin & Brad Miner
Ignatius Press
PO Box 1339, Fort Collins, CO 80522
www.ignatius.com
9781621641131, $34.99, HC, 506pp, www.amazon.com

"Sons of Saint Patrick" is the history of America's premiere Catholic see, the archdiocese of New York from the coming of French Jesuit priests in the seventeenth century to the early years of Cardinal Timothy Dolan. It includes many intriguing facets of the history of Catholicism in New York, including: the early persecution of and legal discrimination against Catholics; the waves of catholic immigrants, most notably from Ireland; the Church's rise to power under New York's first archbishop, "Dagger" John Hughes; the emerging awareness in the Vatican of New York's preeminence; the clashes between America and Rome over the "Americanist" heresy; the role New York's archbishops have played in the life of America's greatest city and in the world. "Sons of Saint Patrick" focuses on the ten archbishops of New York and shows how they became the indispensable partners of governors and presidents, especially during the war-torn twentieth century. Also discussed are the struggles of the most recent archbishops in the face of demographic changes, financial crises, and clerical sex-abuse cases. "Sons of Saint Patrick" is an objective but colorful portrait of ten extraordinary men men who were saints and sinners, politicians and pastors, and movers and shakers who as much as any other citizens have made New York one of the greatest cities in the world. All ten archbishops have been Irish, either by birth or heritage, but given New York's changing ethnic profile, Cardinal Timothy Dolan may be the last son of Saint Patrick to serve as its archbishop. A unique and comprehensive historical study by the team of George J. Marlin (Chairman of Aid to the Church in Need U.S.A., an agency under the guidance of the Pope) and Brad Miner (Senior Fellow of the Faith & Reason Institute in Washington, D.C., and the Senior Editor of the 'Catholic Thing'), "Sons of Saint Patrick" is an extraordinary and unreservedly recommended addition to personal, community, and academic library American Catholic History collections and supplemental studies reading lists.

Nothing to Fear
Barry C. Black
Tyndale House Publishers
351 Executive Drive, Carol Stream, IL 60188
www.tyndale.com
9781496421081, $22.99, HC, 256pp, www.amazon.com

We live in turbulent and hazardous times. Yet is it possible that, ultimately, there is actually nothing to fear? Barry C. Black is the spiritual "leader of leaders" for the US Senate and shepherding those governmental policy makers on the front lines of the decisions that shape our culture. Now in the pages of "Nothing to Fear: Principles and Prayers to Help You Thrive in a Threatening World", Chaplain Barry Black shows all of us how to thrive in the midst of today's turbulence and confusion by following eight principles that Jesus gave his disciples prior to sending them into a dangerous world. These teachings are as relevant today as when Jesus first spoke them two thousand years ago. Containing Scriptural insights and powerful prayers to help you seek God's guidance and blessing, "Nothing to Fear" will illuminate the way to live boldly, bravely, and faithfully in the face of today's perils. Informative, thoughtful, inspired and inspiring, "Nothing to Fear" is unreservedly recommended reading for all members of the Christian community regardless of denominational affiliations. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "Nothing to Fear" is also available in a paperback edition (9781496418685, $15.99), in a Kindle format ($8.85), and as a complete and unabridged audio book (Blackstone Audio, 9781538435809, $29.95, MP3 CD).

Control Girl
Shannon Popkin
Kregel Publications
2450 Oak Industrial Drive, NE, Grand Rapids, MI 49505
www.kregel.com
9780825444296, $14.99 PB, $10.49 Kindle, 216pp, www.amazon.com

Every wife and mother experiences little fights with their husband and kids. Unhappiness is the result of things not matching our versions of perfection. Tension, anger, fear, anxiety -- it all begins with a heart that craves control. When perspectives of how life should go replaces God's, we are doomed in our quests for security, peace, and joy before we can even get started. That's why Shannon Popkin has written "Control Girl: Lessons on Surrendering Your Burden of Control from Seven Women in the Bible" in which she shares what she has discovered about her own control struggles and about God from studying seven 'Control Girls' as recorded in the Bible. Whether it was Eve's desire to know instead of trust, Sarah's inability to wait for God to move, or Rebekah's controlling hand on her family's future, each of these women's stories contain warnings and lessons for us today. Readers will learn how they too can lay down this burden of trying to control everything and find rest in surrendering to the One who truly is in control. Biblically based, deftly written, thoroughly 'reader friendly' in organization and presentation, as thoughtful and thought-provoking as it is inspired and inspiring, "Control Girl" is very highly recommended for all members of the Christian community regardless of their denominational affiliation.

Unchained
Noel Jesse Heikkinen
David C. Cook
c/o Cook Communications
4050 Lee Vance View, Colorado Springs, CO 80918
www.cookministries.com
9781434709950, $22.99, HC, 272pp, www.amazon.com

Often when people follow Jesus, they feel more guilty instead of more free. A powerful book for the spiritually restless, "Unchained: If Jesus Has Set Us Free, Why Don't We Feel Free? " by Noel Jesse Heikkinen (a Pastor at Riverview Church, a multi-site church of over 3,000 near Lansing, Michigan) shows Christians how they can have a robust faith that celebrates their freedom in Christ without compromising their holiness as God's followers. "Unchained" turns to the person and work of Jesus Christ as the source of freedom -- not just his work 2,000 years ago but also what he is doing today. As readers dig into the meaning of the freedom that Jesus offers, they will understand, perhaps for the first time, what true freedom in Christ means. Exceptional, informative, thoughtful, inspired and inspiring, "Unchained" is highly recommended to the attention of all members of the Christian community regardless of their denominational affiliation. It should be noted that "Unchained" is also available in a Kindle format ($9.99).


The Buddhist Studies Shelf

The Miracle of Mindfulness
Thich Nhat Hanh
Beacon Press
24 Farnsworth Street, Boston, MA 02210
www.beacon.org
9780807064900, $20.00, HC, 168pp, www.amazon.com

"The Miracle of Mindfulness" is a classic guide to meditation that has introduced generations of readers to the life-changing beauty of mindful awareness. Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh (who is a global spiritual leader, poet, peace activist, and is revered around the world for his powerful teachings and best-selling writings on mindfulness and peace) offers gentle anecdotes and practical exercise as a means of learning the skills of mindfulness. From washing the dishes to answering the phone to peeling an orange, he reminds us that each moment holds within it an opportunity to work toward greater self-understanding and peacefulness. This gift edition features Thich Nhat Hanh's inspiring calligraphy, photographs from his travels around the world, and a revised afterword. An absolute 'must' for his legions of followers, the new edition of "The Miracle of Mindfulness" is unreservedly recommended for personal, family, community, and academic library Buddhist Studies collections in general, and Buddhist Meditation supplemental studies reading lists particular. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "The Miracle of Mindfulness" is also available in a Kindle format ($14.99).


The Gardening Shelf

The Food Lover's Garden
Jenni Blackmore
New Society Publishers
PO Box 189, Gabriola Island, BC, Canada, V0R 1X0
www.newsociety.com
9780865718425, $29.99, PB, 224pp, www.amazon.com

Vegetables and herbs fresh from a garden are uniformly superior to the origin-unknown, not-so-fresh, pesticide-laden offerings at the a local grocery store. "The Food Lover's Garden: Growing, Cooking, and Eating Well" is an impressively accessible, profusely illustrated, easy-to-use guide to growing, cooking, and preserving twenty-some popular, easy-to-grow vegetables and herbs. "The Food Lover's Garden" guides the aspiring family gardener through: Getting started with easy step-by-step growing instructions from balcony to backyard; Provides simple, tasty recipes incorporating each showcased vegetable and herb; Features meal combinations of two or more of the featured dishes; covers the selection of essential kitchen tools and gadgets to maximize the harvest; and even includes canning and pickling recipes to preserve what the garden produces. Thoroughly 'user friendly' in organization and presentation, "The Food Lover's Garden" is enthusiastically recommended, especially for community library Gardening instructional reference collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "The Food Lover's Garden" is also available in a Kindle format ($19.37).


The Cookbook Shelf

Let's Cook Japanese Food!
Amy Kaneko
Weldon Owen
415 Jackson Street, San Francisco, CA 94111
9781681881775, $24.95, www.weldonowen.com

Let's Cook Japanese Food! emphasizes everyday Japanese fare, not sushi, and so readers familiar with tempura and sushi might be surprised to see such dishes as Eggplant with Gingery Chicken, Miso-Flavored Ramen Noodle Soup with Corn & Butter, and Japanese-Style Sweet-&-Sour Pork. Color photos accompany these dishes and while access to a Japanese market for basics such as ginger juice, yakisoba noodles, or miso paste is recommended, the result is an enticing cookbook that expands the idea of what Japanese food can embrace.

Dinner Deja Vu
Jennifer Hill Booker
Pelican Publishing Company
1000 Burmaster Street, Gretna, LA 70053-2246
9781455622924, $28.95, www.pelicanpub.com

Dinner Deja Vu: Southern Tonight, French Tomorrow presents a refreshingly different idea - shop once for ingredients to make two meals: Southern one night and French the next - and provides an innovative approach that will delight cooks who like to produce international fare and who want fresh ideas that rely on the same ingredients. One example is a Blue Crab & Artichoke dish and an Artichoke & Crab Souffle. Another is Pulled Pork with Peppered Vinegar and a dish of Pork Rillettes. The Southern-born cook learned French cooking at Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts in Paris: her dual dishes will delight cooks who want to use the same basic ingredients for more than one meal.

Fress
Emma Spitzer
Mitchell Beazley
c/o Octopus Publishing
236 Park Avenue, New York NY 10017
9781784722982, $34.99, www.octopusbooksusa.com

Fress: Bold Flavors from a Jewish Kitchen comes from a MasterChef UK finalist who blends international influences gained from extensive travels throughout the Middle East with traditional Jewish recipes learned from her mother, creating a powerful blend of comfort food and ethnic variations on the theme. Oxtail Stew and Spaetzle is one example, combining the author's mother's traditional Oxtail Stew with soft spaetzle egg noodles, or a variation on stuffed cabbage leaves, Bubba Rose's Beef and Pistachio Stuffed Cabbage Leaves in Chraimeh Sauce "Holishkes". Add full-page color photos throughout and you have a cookbook that redefines Jewish flavors and fare.

The American Cancer Society New Healthy Eating Cookbook, fourth edition
Jeanne Besser
American Cancer Society
250 Williams Street NW, Atlanta, GA 30303-1002
www.cancer.org
9781604432374, $22.95, PB, 232pp, www.amazon.com

A proper diet is a critically important aspect for anyone having to deal with cancer. Now in a fully updated fourth edition, "The American Cancer Society New Healthy Eating Cookbook" by Jeanne Besser showcases a beautifully illustrated culinary compendium of recipes that are as appetite satisfying and kitchen cook friendly as they are palate pleasing and inherently nutritious. Very highly recommended for personal and community library cookbook collections, the recipes range from Seafood and Shellfish Stew; Flank Steak burrito Bowls with Corn Salsa; Sweet and Sour Chicken with Pineapple; and Double Creamy Grilled Cheese with Apple; to Honey Coleslaw; Southwest Tofu Scramble; Pomegranate-Ginger Granita; and Lemon-Rosemary Sorbet. Of special note is the opening chapter on 'What Is a Healthy Life?', and the inclusion of Deciphering Food Terms; Recipes by Category; Metric Conversions, and an Index. A delight to simply browse through and indispensable for planning menus with, "The American Cancer Society New Healthy Eating Cookbook" is an essential and unreservedly recommended addition to personal, family, and community library cookbook collections.

Vegan for Everybody
Editorial Staff
America's Test Kitchen
17 Station Street, Brookline, MA 02445
www.americastestkitchen.com
978 1940352862, $29.95, PB, 336pp, www.amazon.com

Veganism is both the practice of abstaining from the use of animal products, particularly in diet, and an associated philosophy that rejects the commodity status of animals. Compiled by the editorial staff of America's Test Kitchen, "Vegan for Everybody: Foolproof Plant-Based Recipes for Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, and In-Between" is a profusely and beautifully illustrated culinary compendium of vegan recipes that are palate pleasing, appetite satisfying, nutritious, and kitchen cook friendly in preparation. The recipes feature dishes ranging from Overnight Three-Grain Breakfast Porridge; Super Greens Soup with Lemon-Tarragon Cream; Chickpea Salad Sandwiches; and Garlicky Tofu Tabbouleh; to Spicy Peanut Rice Noodle Bowl; Pan-Seared Tempeh Steaks with Chimichurri Sauce; Indian-Style Curry with Sweet Potatoes, Eggplant, and Chickpeas; Whipped Cashew Dip with Roasted red peppers and Olives; and Peach-Raspberry Crisp. A delight to browse and inspiring to plan menus with, "Vegan for Everybody" showcases vegan dishes that would grace any dinning occasion and be appreciated by vegans and non-vegans alike. Simply stated, "Vegan for Everybody" is very highly recommended for personal, family, and community library cookbook collections.

The Low-FODMAP Solution
Cinzia Cuneo
Robert Rose Inc.
120 Eglinton Avenue East, Suite 800, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, M4P 1E2
www.robertrose.ca
9780778805694, $24.95, PB, 280pp, www.amazon.com

Approximately one in seven people suffer from Irritable Bowel Syndrome. That's why Cinzia Cuneo (the founder of SOSCuisine, a service that provides practical and personalized solutions to specialized meal plans designed under the supervision of dietitians) has compiled a specialized cookbook of 125 recipes for dishes that are particularly suitable for anyone suffering from IBS. "The Low-FODMAP Solution" has palate pleasing, appetite satisfying recipes for breakfasts, starters and salads, soups, entrees, sandwiches, sides, snacks and desserts. Each individual recipe provides serving size estimates, preparation times, standing times, cooking time, a listing of nutrients per service, kitchen equipment needed, a listing of ingredients, preparation instructions, and occasionally a special tip concerning that particular dish. Of special note is the first two sections of "The Low-FODMAP Solution" is 'The Principles of the Low-FODMAP Diet' and 'Applying the Low-FODMAP Approach'. From Homemade Microwave Popcorn; Carrot Soup with Orange and Ginger; Tofu Burgers; Baked Salmon with Herbs; and Grilled Chicken in Coconut Milk with Spices; to Slow Cooker Ham with Beer and Maple Syrup; Pork Chops with a Mustard Sauce; Filet Mignon with a Creamy Paprika Sauce; Oven-Roasted Peppers; and Coconut Macaroons. Beautifully illustrated and especially commended to the attention of anyone having to deal with IBS, "The Low-FODMAP Solution" is unreservedly recommended for personal, family, and community library cookbook collections.

Gluten-Free Cooking for Two
Carol Fenster
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
215 Park Avenue South, New York, NY 10003
www.hmhco.com
9780544828681, $19.99, PB, 240pp, www.amazon.com

Carol Fenster is the author of ten gluten-free cookbooks including "100 Best Gluten-Free Recipes" and the award-winning "1,000 Gluten-Free Recipes". In her latest culinary compendium, "Gluten-Free Cooking for Two", Carol has compiled and presents 125 recipes for outstanding gluten free dishes that will please any palate and satisfy any appetite. Beautifully illustrated throughout, the recipes range from Baked Eggs in Ham Baskets; Green Chile-Pork Stew; Chicken Tikka Masala; and Chiles Rellenos Casserole; to Pumpkin Spice Quick Bread; Orange Beef Stir-Fry; Polenta Lasagna with Sausage; and Bing Cherry Clafoutis. Of special note are the recipes for Cream Cheese Frosting and Cinnamon-Raisin Bread Pudding with Rum Sauce. Throughly 'kitchen cook friendly' in organization and presentation, "Gluten-Free Cooking for Two" is very highly recommended for personal, family, and community library cookbook collections. It should be noted that "Gluten-Free Cooking for Two" is also available in a Kindle format ($9.99).

Shut Up And Cook!
Erica Reid
BenBella Books
10300 N. Central Expressway, Suite 400, Dallas, TX 75204
www.benbellabooks.com
9781942952503, $19.95, PB, 304pp, www.amazon.com

Compiled and showcases by Erica Reid, the dishes comprising "Shut Up and Cook!" provides simple, healthy recipes for all lifestyles, dietary habits, and tastes -- and most of them only take 45 minutes or less to prepare, making them ideal for time stressed family cooks. In addition to 'kitchen cook friendly' mouth-watering recipes, "Shut Up and Cook!" offers guidance on everything from planning meals and shopping for ingredients to diversifying recipe lists. Featuring 101 healthy, everyday recipes easy for any level of experience ranging from Mother Earth Collard Green Wraps; Granola Brittle; Bun-less Turkey Burgers; and Mom's Staple Kielbasa with Sauerkraut; to Teriyaki Sauce; Maple Cider Vinaigrette; French-Style Radishes with Nondairy Butter; and Cinnamon Saturday Apple Crisp. Profusely illustrated from cover to cover, "Shut Up and Cook!" is a delight to browse through and inspiring to plan menus with. While very highly recommended for personal, family, and community library cookbook collections, it should be noted that "Shut Up and Cook!" is also available in a Kindle format ($18.93).

MasterChef: Street Food of the World
Genevieve Taylor
Absolute Press
c/o Bloomsbury Press
175 Fifth Avenue, Suite 315, New York, NY 10010
www.bloomsbury.com
9781472909169, $35.00, HC, 304pp, www.amazon.com

Street food is ready-to-eat food or drink sold by a hawker, or vendor, in a street or other public place, such as at a market or fair. It is often sold from a portable food booth, food cart, or food truck and meant for immediate consumption. Some street foods are regional, but many have spread beyond their region of origin. Most street foods are classed as both finger food and fast food, and are cheaper on average than restaurant meals. Now a culinary compendium of the best of street foods drawn from around the world have been compiled in the profusely illustrated pages of "MasterChef: Street Food of the World" and ranges from burritos, churros, and pretzels to shrimp po'boys, Pad Thai, or aromatic buns. Features recipe contributions from MasterChef winners from around the world, "MasterChef: Street Food of the World" is split into chapters celebrating the best of each nation and continent. With street food dishes ranging from Butter Tarts; Slow-Grilled Short Ribs with Chimichurri Sauce; Souvlaki Pittas with Tzatziki; and Gozleme with Spinach, Feta and Pinenuts; to Ful Medames with Lemon Tahini and Aleppo Pepper; Mango and Cardamom Kulfi Lollies; Aloo Tikki with Date and Tamarind Chutney; and Bunny Chow, "MasterChef: Street Food of the World" is a delight to browse through and inspiring to plan menus with. While "MasterChef: Street Food of the World" is very highly recommended and certain to be an enduringly popular addition to family and community library collections, it should be noted for the personal reading lists of dedicated 'foodies' that it is also available in a Kindle format ($13.79).

Favorite New Orleans Recipes
Suzanne Ormond, Mary Irvine, Denyse Cantin
Pelican Publishing Company
1000 Burmaster Street, Gretna, LA 70053-2246
www.pelicanpub.com
9781455623464, $12.95, PB, 96pp, www.amazon.com

New Orleans has long had the reputation for being the home of an excellent and distinctive cuisine. The collaborative effort of Suzanne Ormond, Mary Irvine, and Denyse Cantin, "Favorite New Orleans Recipes" is the first cookbook ever to have been issued simultaneously in English, French, and Spanish is the showcase entree into the culinary melange that is New Orleans. The three authors have drawn extensively from their own connections to these cultures, in some cases unlocking nineteenth-century cooking secrets discovered in old, handwritten notes. They present what they consider to be the 119 best recipes created in the city. From drinks like the Sazerac and Cafe au Lait to entrees such as Red Beans and Rice and Crawfish Etouffee to desserts including Cherries Jubilee, Bananas Foster, and Pain Perdu, every recipe is world class. All recipes include metric measures. A delight to simply browse through, inspiring to plan menus with, this thoroughly 'kitchen cook friendly' culinary compendium is very highly recommended for personal, family, and community library cookbook collections.

The Essential Amish Cookbook
Lovina Eicher
Herald Press
1251 Virginia Avenue, Harrisonburg, VA 22802
www.heraldpress.com
9781513800295, $22.99, PB, 296pp, www.amazon.com

There is a distinctive Amish cuisine. This cuisine is showcased in "The Essential Amish Cookbook: Everyday Recipes from Farm and Pantry" compiled and presented with succinct commentaries by Lovina Eicher (author of the syndicated column, Lovina's Amish Kitchen, which appears in 40 newspapers around the United States and on a weekly blog) as she shares traditional Amish recipes along with her own kitchen tips and secrets. Growing up, Eicher learned to cook and bake at an early age alongside her mother, longtime columnist and Amish cookbook author Elizabeth Coblentz, and has put those skills to use in her own Amish kitchen as she cooks for her eight children. The authentic, palate pleasing, appetite satisfying, kitchen cook friendly recipes range from Rhubarb Coffeecake; Amish Macaroni Salad; Sweet Potato Casserole; Campfire Stew; and Buttermilk Spice Cake; to Peanut Butter Dream Bars; Peach Butter; Homemade Church Cheese Spread; Poor Man's Steak; and Amish Wedding Nothings, or Knee Patches. Profusely illustrated from cover to cover, a delight to browse through and inspiring to plan menus with, "The Essential Amish Cookbook" will prove to be an enduringly popular addition to personal, family, and community library cookbook collections. It should be noted that "The Essential Amish Cookbook" is also available in a Kindle format ($18.99).

Ryland, Peters & Small
341 East 116th Street, New York, NY 10029
www.rylandpeters.com

Now available to Americans, the British publishing house, Ryland, Peters & Small, has published four simply outstanding ethnic and 'party hearty' illustrated cookbooks that will prove to be enduringly popular additions to personal, family, and community library cookbook collections. Dunja Gulin's "Falafel Forever: Nutritious and Tasty Recipes for Fried, Baked, Raw, Vegan and More!" (9781849758161, $15.95, HC, 64pp) showcases the Falafel, an ancient Middle Eastern food originally made with fava or chickpeas (garbanzo beans), which are crushed and mixed with herbs and spices and molded into patties. They are then traditionally served in pita bread pockets with salad and dips such as hummus, tzatziki, or tahini sauce. Featured recipes range from Red Lentil Falafel Wraps, to Mushroom and Walnut Falafel, to Falafel Coconut Curry. Of special note are the recipes for Cashew Yogurt Sauce, Tofu Mayonnaise, and Tahini Sauce. Nitisha Patel's "My Modern Indian Kitchen: Over 60 Recipes for Home-Cooked Indian Food" (9781849758147, $21.95, HC, 160pp) presents recipes for authentic Indian street food, vegetarian dishes, desserts and more with such culinary delights as Pulled Tandoori Lamb Kathi Rolls, Duck Pepper Stir Fry, Masala Roasted Potatoes, and Mushroom Pilau. Of special note is the recipe for An Indian Summer night's Dream. "Real Mexican Food: Authentic Recipes for Burritos, Tacos, Salsas and More" (9781849753425, $24.95 HC, $9.99 Kindle, 144pp) by the team of Felipe Fuentes Cruz and Ben Fordham showcases a wealth of dishes ranging from Ensalada de Habas (Spicy Broad/Fava Bean Salad); Tacos de Tofu (Tofu Tacos); and Enfrijoladas (Corn Tortillas Dipped in Black Bean Sauce); to Salsa de Aguacate (Avocado Salsa); Bunuelos (Cinnamon Fritters); and Agua de Flor de Jamaica (Hibiscus Flower Water). Of special note are the instructions on 'How To Make Corn Tortillas'. For parties of any and all occasions, "101 Bar Bites: Delicious Nibbles, Snacks and Small Plates to Complement Your Drinks" (9781849758079, $19.95, HC, 144pp) offering make-it-yourself recipes for everything from Sweet Potato Fries; Chicken Liver Parfait; Sliders; Baked Dates Stuffed with Harissa Couscous; and Thai-Style Mini Fish Cakes; to Duck Breast Chinese Pancakes; Roast Garlic Salt Cad Croquettes; Pizzettes, and Mini Popcorn Cheesecakes. All four of these culinary collections are a delight to browse through and inspiring to plan party menus with, making them each very highly recommended for personal, family, and community library cookbook collections.


The Needlecraft Shelf

Wise Craft Quilts
Blair Stocker
Roost Books
c/o Shambhala Publications, Inc.
300 Massachusetts Avenue, Boston, MA 02115-4544
www.shambhala.com
9781611803488, $29.95, HC, 192pp, www.amazon.com

In "Wise Craft Quilts: A Guide to Turning Beloved Fabrics into Meaningful Patchwork, Blair Stocker (quiltmaker, upcycler, painter, teacher, DIY daredevil, blogger, and founder of Wise Craft Handmade) shares ways to use cherished fabrics to make quilts with more meaning. Each of the twenty-one quilts illustratively showcased in this impressive volume gathers a special collection of fabric, outlines a new technique, and spins a story. By using special fabrics as the starting point for each project, ranging from a wedding dress to baby's first clothes, worn denim, Tyvek race numbers, and more, the finished quilt is made even more special. "Wise Craft Quilts" is the perfect instructional guide for making quilts that have a story to tell and which will offer a whole new level of appreciation for what they represent in quilter's life and the lives of the ones they love. Thoroughly 'user friendly' in organization and presentation, "Wise Craft Quilts" is very highly recommended for personal and community library Needlecraft instructional collections in general, and quilting supplemental studies reading lists in particular.

Flying Geese: New Quilts from an Old Favorite
Linda Baxter Lasco, editor
American Quilter's Society
PO Box 3290, Paducah, KY 42002-3290
www.americanquilter.com
9781683391067, $24.95, PB, 96pp, www.amazon.com

Compiled and edited by Linda Baxter, "Flying Geese: New Quilts from an Old Favorite" is the result of the popular National Quilt Museum annual contest based on a traditional quilt pattern. The challenge to quiltmakers stems from the contest name 'New Quilts From An Old Favorite'. This year's theme is the Flying Geese block. An exhibit of contest winners and finalists is held each year at the museum. "Flying Geese: New Quilts from an Old Favorite is an illustrated collection of the most innovative quilts entered in the contest. Inside avid needlecrafters will meet the quilters, discover their inspiration, and follow their techniques. Here presented is the color, the creativity, and the craft of a widely diverse group. "Flying Geese: New Quilts from an Old Favorite" will provide motivation for all quilters to consider their own interpretation of a traditional block to create a new quilt from an old favorite. Thoroughly 'user friendly' in organization and presentation, "Flying Geese: New Quilts from an Old Favorite" is unreservedly and enthusiastically recommended for personal and community library quilt making instructional reference collections.

Design Inspiration
Margaret Solomon Gunn
American Quilter's Society
PO Box 3290, Paducah, KY 42002-3290
www.americanquilter.com
9781683390138, $26.95, PB, 240pp, www.amazon.com

The AQS Signature Series brings an in-depth look into the quilting process of award winner Margaret Solomon Gunn (owner of Mainely Quilts of Love, a long arm quilting studio). The illustrated patterns comprising "Design Inspiration" feature easy-to-follow instructions for making three of Margaret's most well-known, award-winning show quilts. "Design Inspiration" chronicles Margaret's journey for of the three quilts from design inspiration to finished product, providing tips and insight on how the well-designed, pieced, and quilted masterpieces were created. Line drawings, thread suggestions, quilting instructions, and detailed photographs are provided of the quilting designs for key areas on each quilt. The three patterned designs will appeal to all quilting skill levels. Thoroughly 'user friendly' in organization and presentation, "Design Inspiration" is very highly recommended for personal and community library quilting instructional reference collections.

When Bad Things Happen to Good Crocheters
Beth Wolfensberger Singer
The Taunton Press
63 South Main Street, Newtown, CT 06470
www.taunton.com
9781627103947, $19.95, PB, 128pp, www.amazon.com

Comprehensive, practical, effective, and thoroughly 'user friendly' in organization and presentation, "When Bad Things Happen to Good Crocheters: Survival Guide for Every Crocheting Emergency" is an instructional 'how to' compendium of shortcuts such as how to change yarns halfway through a project; how professionals finish their crochet for a polished look; deciphering the magic that makes crochet charts work; reading crochet patterns like a pro; learning when and how to fix your mistakes; and avoiding finishing fiascos. "When Bad Things Happen to Good Crocheters" features projects that included the Time's Square Bag; Granny Square Mug Blankies; Bubble-Wrap Scarf; and more. Replete with get-organized tips will have even the most novice student crocheting at a professional level in no time at all, "When Bad Things Happen to Good Crocheters" will prove to be an enduringly popular addition to community library Needlecrafting instructional reference collections. For personal reading lists it should be noted that "When Bad Things Happen to Good Crocheters" is also available in a Kindle format ($13.99).

That Patchwork Place
c/o Martingale & Company
19021 - 120th Avenue NE, Suite 102, Bothell, WA 98011
www.shopmartingale.com

These fine new quilt-making guides are top picks highly recommended for all levels of quilting skills. Brigitte Heitland's Zen Chic Inspired: A Guide to Modern Quilt Design (978160468697, $26.99) shows how to apply Zen principles to quilting by pairing a quilt's design with a living space. Chapters offer not only 12 patterns and a different approach that incorporates interior design into quilting, but are packed with color palettes and tips on selecting fabric appropriate for different rooms. Kim Diehl and Jo Morton's Simple Friendships: 14 Quilts from Exchange-Friendly Blocks (9781604687354, $28.99) comes from two authors who each have different quilting styles and who here provide samples and instructions for making small to medium quilts, including wall hangings and home decor. Quilts who hold an affinity for scrappy patchwork styles combined with applique will find this packed with new ideas for combining the two in a colorful collection of ideas highly recommended for quilters seeking new options. Carol Hopkins and Linda M. Koenig's The 4" x 5" Quilt-Block Anthology: 182 Blocks for Reproduction Fabrics (9781604688177, $29.99) tells how to gather reproduction fabrics and stitch blocks from them, encouraging mix and match quilts by providing 182 blocks that resize traditional squares into 4" x 5" squares. From quick assembly processes to understanding traditional designs and their options, this is a solid anthology recommended for any quilter who would work with reproduction fabrics.


The Fishing Shelf

Nymph Masters
Jason Randall
Stackpole Books
5067 Ritter Road, Mechanicsburg, PA 17055-6921
www.stackpolebooks.com
9780811716796,$34.95, HC, 296pp, www.amazon.com

Sitting down with a copy of "Nymph Masters: Fly-Fishing Secrets from Expert Anglers" by Jason Randall is the next best thing to taking a fishing trip with the country's best anglers. Randall draws upon his expertise and experience with fly fishing giants such as George Daniel, Landon Mayer, Lefty Kreh, Ed Jaworowski, Ed Engle, Gary Borger, and Joe Humphreys and shares their top nymphing techniques, flies, and tactics with you. "Nymph Masters" covers everything from rigging flies, reading the water, casting, and fighting fish in streams and rivers from across the country from Pennsylvania to Alaska, in author and angler Jason Randall's personal quest to learn the methods of the masters. Profusely illustrated and thoroughly 'reader friendly' in organization and presentation, as informative as it is comprehensive, "Nymph Masters" is unreservedly and enthusiastically recommended for personal, professional, community, and academic library collections in general, and Fly Fishing supplemental studies reading lists in particular.


The Biography Shelf

True Genius
Joel N. Shurkin
Prometheus Books
59 John Glenn Drive, Amherst, NY 14228-2197
9781633882232, $25.00, www.prometheusbooks.com

True Genius: The Life and Work of Richard Garwin, The Most Influential Scientist You've Never Heard Of tells of a member of the Los Alamos team who created the final design of the hydrogen bomb, and who spent hundreds of hours trying to assure that nuclear weapons would not be used again. Aside from his involvement in nuclear bomb development, Garwin held many ideas for applying science to better living, from preventing flu epidemics to enabling interplanetary flight, and he also made powerful and often controversial scientific claims that landed him in trouble with fellow scientists. This book surveys his achievements, his controversial image, and some of the reasons why his name remains relatively obscure today, and is recommended for any collection where science history and scientists are of interest.

It Makes Me Wonder
William W. Sherrill
Bright Sky Press
2365 Rice Boulevard, Suite 202, Houston, TX 77005
9781942945383 $24.95 www.brightskypress.com

"It Makes Me Wonder" is Bill Sherrill's thoughtful memoir in which he shares with the reader his personal path that began as a Depression-era dropout to the highest echelons of LBJ's administration and international business. "It Makes Me Wonder" deftly details his combat experience on Iwo Jima, the inner-workings of the Federal Reserve Board, the development of Galveston Island's first recreational communities, and the founding of the Wolff Center for Entrepreneurship at the University of Houston's C. T. Bauer College of Business. More than just an inherently interest account of a life lived in interesting times, "It Makes Me Wonder" provides inspiration for those who want to improve their own lives as well as those who want to help others find success. Exceptionally well organized and presented, "It Makes Me Wonder" is an especially recommended addition to both community and academic library American Biography collections.

The Morning the Sun Went Down
Darryl Babe Wilson
Heyday Books
PO Box 9145, Berkeley, CA 94709
www.heydaybooks.com
9781597143622, $15.00, PB, 200pp, www.amazon.com

"The Morning the Sun Went Down" by Darryl Babe Wilson is a deftly crafted, lyrical, and richly textured memoir comprising both the beauty and the deep tragedies of his personal journey to adulthood. Born into the Achumawi and Atusgewi tribes (often called the Pit River Nation) of northeastern California, Wilson's early years were spent with his parents and eight brothers and sisters in a life rich in a Native American tradition. But when a car accident tore the family apart, Wilson entered into the foster system and then juvenile hall, where he was subjected to assimilation tactics that attempted to strip him of his identity. In "The Morning the Sun Went Down", Wilson blends his peoples' narratives with stories of youthful innocence to create a coming-of-age story that doubles as a cultural tour de force. Very highly recommended for personal reading lists, as well as community and academic library American Biography collections, "The Morning the Sun Went Down" is one of those candidly informative and intensely personal memoirs that will linger in the mind and memory long after the book itself is finished and set back upon the Shelf
.


The Poetry Shelf

Because I Cannot Leave This Body
Carol V. Davis
Truman State University Press
100 East Normal Street, Kirksville, MO 63501-4221
http://tsup.truman.edu
9781612481883, $15.95, PB, 112pp, www.amazon.com

In her new collection of free verse, "Because I Cannot Leave This Body", by poet Carol V. Davis crosses cultural and geographic boundaries to explore her family's history as Jews, as outsiders, as immigrants. Ranging from Los Angeles to Nebraska to Germany to Russia, Davis probes the boundaries between faith, folklore and superstition, trying to find her own way through terrain both menacing and inviting. The present, past and the human body move through the lens of her dark humor. Her restless mind is most at home at the uncomfortable edges where solace, when found, is ephemeral and fragmentary. Inherently engaging, thought-provoking, original, "Because I Cannot Leave This Body" is very highly recommended for both community and academic library Contemporary American Poetry collections. For personal reading lists it should be noted that "Because I Cannot Leave This Body" is also available in a Kindle format ($9.99).


The Health/Medicine Shelf

Living with HIV: A Patient's Guide, second edition
Mark Cichocki, RN
McFarland & Company
PO Box 611, Jefferson NC 28640
www.mcfarlandpub.com
9781476664958, $35.00, PB, 304pp, www.amazon.com

Although a great deal of progress has been made on the diagnosis and treatment of HIV in recent years, it still remains a global scourge. In this newly updated and significantly expanded second edition, "Living with HIV: A Patient's Guide is a helpful and practical guide that offers non-specialist general readers with a wealth of information for people living with HIV and for people caring for HIV-positive loved ones. All aspects of HIV/AIDS are discussed, including opportunistic and associated infections, dental care, exercise and nutrition, substance use and abuse and emotional treatment. New information will help the newly diagnosed adjust to their illness and long-term survivors to improve their quality of life. Up-to-date discussion of the latest medications covers the growing practice of using HIV drugs as preventatives. Essential Internet resources are provided that help patients live a longer, healthier life. No one living with, (having to deal with someone living with) an HIV infection can afford to not give "Living with HIV: A Patient's Guide" a complete and careful reading. Thoroughly 'user friendly' in organization and presentation, "Living with HIV: A Patient's Guide" is very strongly recommended, especially for community and academic library Health/Medical collections in general, and HIV supplemental studies reading lists in particular. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "Living with HIV: A Patient's Guide" is also available in a Kindle format ($18.99).

Anti-Inflammatory Foods and Recipes
Beverly Lynn Bennett
The Book Publishing Company
PO Box 99, Summertown, TN 38483
www.BookPubCo.com
9781570673412, $17.95, PB, 128pp, www.amazon.com

Inflammation is the immune system's defense mechanism in action. Acute inflammation is a desirable response to injuries and infections, but chronic inflammation, which can be present without noticeable symptoms for years, can lead to serious health problems, such as Alzheimer's disease, diabetes, cancer, and heart disease. In "Anti-Inflammatory Foods and Recipes", Beverly Lynn Bennett (an experienced vegan chef and baker, writer, and animal advocate who is passionate about showing the world how easy, delicious, and healthy it is to live and eat as a vegan) deftly explains the differences between acute and chronic inflammation, details their specific health effects, and outlines simple lifestyle strategies to minimize the damage that chronic inflammation can cause. Since poor diet is the primary driver of chronic inflammation, your food choices can make a crucial difference. "Anti-Inflammatory Foods and Recipes" identifies the most health-protective foods that contain the highest concentrations of phytochemicals and other essential inflammation-fighting nutrients. With "Anti-Inflammatory Foods and Recipes" as a guide, anyone can now effortlessly incorporate a wide variety of these power-charged foods into everyday dishes. "Anti-Inflammatory Foods and Recipes" is enhanced with the inclusion of 75 of Beverly's favorite recipes, offering a vast array of delicious, easy-to-prepare options that range from a Nutty Chocolate Smoothie; to Chipotle-Almond Mayo; to Island Fruit Salad on Greens; to Seared Pineapple with Date Caramel Sauce. Simply stated, "Anti-Inflammatory Foods and Recipes" is unreservedly and seriously recommended for personal, family, community, and academic library Health/Medicine collections in general, and Anti-Inflammation supplemental studies reading lists in particular.

The Oxygen Cure
William S. Maxfield, M.D.
Humanix Books
PO Box 20989, West Palm Beach, FL 33416
www.humanixbooks.com
9781630060510, $19.99, PB, 228pp, www.amazon.com

In the United States, the FDA currently recognizes hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) for 14 specific medical conditions, including decompression sickness, embolism, crush injury, bone infection, burns, wound healing, severe anemia, and several others. Now, in "The Oxygen Cure", hyperbaric expert William S. Maxfield (who is a board-certified physician in hyperbaric medicine, radiology, and nuclear medicine, and one of the nation's foremost experts in hyperbaric medicine, pioneering its use to treat wounds, brain trauma, multiple sclerosis, and other conditions), argues that HBOT is a vastly underused modality that deserves to take its place among frontline medical treatments. As a holistic treatment, HBOT targets the underlying disease or condition, not just the symptoms. Featuring hope-inspiring case histories and expert findings, "The Oxygen Cure" shows how HBOT not only benefits the sick and injured (including our wounded veterans), but may also reduce our country's staggeringly high medical costs. HBOT often provides a safe alternative to drug therapy and dangerous invasive procedures. Exceptionally well written, "The Oxygen Cure" is thoroughly 'reader friendly' in organization and presentation, making it very highly recommended, especially for community and academic library Health/Medicine collections. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of medical students and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "The Oxygen Cure" is also available in a Kindle format ($9.99).


The Music Shelf

The Hell-Bound Train, second edition
Glenn Ohrlin, author
Charlie Seemann, editor
Texas Tech University Press
PO Box 41037, Lubbock, TX 79409-1037
www.ttupress.org
9780896729629, $24.99, PB, 288pp, www.amazon.com

Glenn Ohrlin (1926-2015) was a cowboy singer, working cowboy, rodeo rider, storyteller, and illustrator. In "The Hell-Bound Train: A Cowboy Songbook" he has gathered dozens of his favorite songs, which chronicle the range and rodeo life he lived. Ohrlin was known for singing in an unornamented Western style, accompanying himself on the guitar and harmonica. Most of his repertoire comes from the period of 1875 to 1925. Edited by Charlie Seemann (Executive Director of the Western Folklife Center in Elko, Nevada), "The Hell-Bound Train" includes music and lyrics for songs such as "My Home's in Montana," "The Texas Rangers," and "Bull Riders in the Sky", along with Ohrlin's commentary on each work's provenance and meaning. "Charlie Seemann is executive director of the Western Folklife Center in Elko, Nevada" is a truly impressive collection that is very highly recommended for community and academic library American Music History collections, as is clearly a 'must-have' for any fan of cowboy and folk music in general, and Glenn Ohrlin in particular.


The Art Shelf

Drawing Calm
Susan Evenson
Quarry Books
c/o Quarto Publishing Group USA
400 First Avenue North, Suite 400, Minneapolis, MN 55401-1722
www.quartoknows.com
9781631591488, $22.99, PB, 144pp, www.amazon.com

Maybe it's the colors, or the eye-stretching vistas, or maybe it's just the idea that harmony can exist on a square of canvas, but there is something in art that lets it calm and inspire at the same time. In "Drawing Calm", artist Susan Evenson, shows readers how to do the same. It's a book for everyone - non-artists as well as those with plenty of experience in a studio. Using restful, but dynamic works of art as a starting point, the exercises comprising "Drawing Calm" teach how to capture the light and peace of the master painting. Making use of "soft" techniques such as torn-paper collage, blended pastels, and wet-on-wet watercolor, "Drawing Calm" is essential a do-it-yourself workshop that encourages stress-free creativity. Profusely illustrated from cover to cover, thoroughly 'user friendly' in organization and presentation, "Drawing Calm" is unreservedly and enthusiastically recommended for personal and art school instructional curriculums. It should be noted for art students and non-specialist general readers with an interest the meditative values of painting that "Drawing Calm" is also available in a Kindle format ($13.79).

Alexei Jawlensky
Vivian Endicott Barnett
Prestel Publishing
900 Broadway, Suite 603, New York, NY 10003
www.prestel.com
9783791356389, $60.00, HC, 192pp, www.amazon.com

Expressionism is a modernist movement, initially in poetry and painting, originating in Germany at the beginning of the 20th century. In painting, a typical trait of expressionism is to present the world solely from a subjective perspective, distorting it radically for emotional effect in order to evoke moods. Alexej Georgewitsch von Jawlensky (13 March 1864 - 15 March 1941) was a Russian expressionist painter active in Germany. Vivian Endicott Barnett is an expert on Jawlensky and his artistic career. In "Alexei Jawlensky", art expert Vivian Barnet focuses specifically on one of the lesser known Expressionist artists of the Blue Rider movement in a richly illustrated volume that presents the colorful paintings illustrating how the artist was influenced, apart from the German Expressionists, by the art of Vincent van Gogh, Paul Gauguin, Paul Cezanne, Henri Matisse and the Fauves, and by Ferdinand Hodler. "Alexei Jawlensky" presents the chronological and thematic development of Jawlensky's art from early figure painting to landscapes and from still lives to the late iconic portraits and fascinating meditations. An inherently fascinating and exceptionally informative study of a single artists work, influence, and career, "Alexei Jawlensky" is unreservedly recommended for personal, academic, and community library European Art History collections in general, and Expressionist Art History supplemental studies reading lists in particular.

Folk Art Fusion
Heather Galler
Walter Foster Publishing
c/o Quarto Publishing Group USA
400 First Avenue North, Suite 400, Minneapolis, MN 55401-1722
www.quartoknows.com
www.findfolkart.com
9781633221987, $21.95, PB, 128pp, www.amazon.com

In "Folk Art Fusion" artist Heather Galler (who paints with oil, acrylic, and mixed media to create bright, cheerful folk-art paintings, ceramic tiles, jewelry, and more, and whose prints are sold by more than 50 retailers worldwide) explores the colorful combination of art styles present in modern folk art paintings. With "Folk Art Fusion" aspiring artists will learn how traditional folk art continues to influence today's painters, and discover how to create contemporary folk-art paintings with approachable, step-by-step projects featuring traditional subjects painted with creative techniques and popular style, including flowers, animals, architecture, sugar skulls, portraits, and more. Colorful, contemporary, and inspirational, "Folk Art Fusion" allows artists of all skill levels to discover the joy of creating modern, global-inspired art in this time-treasured genre. Profusely and beautifully illustrated from cover to cover, "Folk Fusion Art" is an extraordinary and thoroughly 'user friendly' instruction manual in organization and presentation. While very highly recommended for community, academic, and art school instructional reference collections, it should be noted for art students, professional artists, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "Folk Art Fusion" is also available in a Kindle format ($9.99).

Figures in Stone
Robert Arthur King
W. W. Norton & Company
500 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10110
9780393712438, $19.95, www.wwnorton.com

Figures in Stone: Architectural Sculpture in New York City deserves a spot in two types of collections: arts holdings strong in architecture or sculpture, and any strong in the history of New York City. The former audience will appreciate some two hundred sculptural details that focus on the faces, figures and creatures that embellish NYC's buildings and the close-up black and white images throughout that capture these details, while fans of New York City history will welcome the historic background about how these were developed and placed throughout the city.

Defined by Design
Kathryn H. Anthony
Prometheus Books
59 John Glenn Drive, Amherst, NY 14228-2197
9781633882836, $18.00, www.prometheusbooks.com

Defined by Design: The Surprising Power of Hidden Gender, Age, and Body Bias in Everyday Products and Places considers design in everyday life and how design influences psychology and social issues. While this title could have appeared in either of the other sections, it's reviewed here because artists, especially, need to read this important survey of how design alters life itself. From fashions and high-tech design elements to packaging, architectural construction, and everyday objects, Kathryn H. Anthony points out flaws and problems across the board. Coming from a teacher of architecture and design who has served on design juries for decades as well as teaching students, this is a powerful survey that should be in every college-level arts collection, read by anyone interested in the social and political connections between artistic choice and designs and social impact.


The Comix/Graphic Novel Shelf

Boruto 1
Masashi Kishimoto, creator/supervisor
Art by Mikio Ikemoto
Script by Ukyo Kodachi
Viz Media LLC
1355 Market Street, Suite 200, San Francisco CA 94103
9781421592114 $9.99 www.viz.com

Boruto 1 is a "must-read" for fans of the long-running Naruto series of shonen manga (action- packed Japanese comics suitable for teens as well as adults) about ninja with the supernatural powers to promote peace or war. The Boruto series follows the next generation of aspiring ninja; though times are peaceful, not all is well in the home of Naruto Uzumaki. Young Boruto Uzumaki resents that his father's job as Hokage keeps him away from the family so much, and has no desire to follow directly in Naruto's footsteps - instead, the one who longs to earn the position of Hokage is his friend Sarada, Sasuke's daughter! But will Sasuke accept Boruto's request to become his student? Furthermore, the Chunin exams are about to begin, and the pressure to succeed is on! A supplemental short story about Mitsuki rounds out this highly recommended adventure.

Flying Witch 1
Chihiro Ishizuka
Vertical, Inc.
451 Park Avenue South, 7th floor, New York, NY 10016
www.vertical-inc.com
9781945054099 $10.95 amazon.com

Flying Witch 1 begins a black-and-white manga (Japanese comics) series about novice witch Makoto Kowata and her intelligent black cat familiar. The two of them move in with Makoto's distant relatives in rural region, so that Makoto can complete her training and become a full- fledged witch. But there is far more to witchcraft than magic and riding broomsticks - a witch has to be practiced in a multitude of skills, including gardening, navigation, and diplomacy with seasonal spirits! Flying Witch is a gentle, heartwarming story for all ages, highly recommended.

Nichijou My Ordinary Life 7
Keiichi Arawi
Vertical, Inc.
451 Park Avenue South, 7th floor, New York, NY 10016
www.vertical-inc.com
9781942993667 $10.95 amazon.com

Nichijou My Ordinary Life 7 is an eclectic black-and-white manga (Japanese comics) series; due to its lighthearted, episodic comedy nature, volume 7 is as good a jumping-on point as any. Among the adventures of volume 7, Yukko is impossibly baffled by the masterful deadpan sarcasm of her friend; parachute fireworks prove surprisingly dangerous; and the talking cat Mr. Sakamoto and an intelligent robot try to instill the tiniest bit of discipline in the child scientist who created them both! The Nichijou My Ordinary Life series is a delight for readers of all ages and an excellent pick-me-up for dreary days, highly recommended.

Nichijou My Ordinary Life 8
Keiichi Arawi
Vertical, Inc.
451 Park Avenue South, 7th floor, New York, NY 10016
www.vertical-inc.com
9781942993674 $10.95 amazon.com

Nichijou My Ordinary Life 8 continues the black-and-white manga (Japanese comics) about mostly ordinary school students in mostly everyday situations... except for all of the many, many times they're not! In volume 8, a 5-yen coin hypnotism goes terribly awry, the war to reclaim an Afro-style wig reaches epic proportions, and the talking cat Mr. Sakamoto meets the ditzy Yukko for the first time! Alternating between newspaper-style comic strip gags and silly vignettes, Nichijou My Ordinary Life is fun for all ages.

My Neighbor Seki 9
Takuma Morishige
Vertical, Inc.
451 Park Avenue South, 7th floor, New York, NY 10016
www.vertical-inc.com
9781945054013 $10.95 amazon.com

My Neighbor Seki 9 continues the black-and-white manga (Japanese comics) escapades of Seki, a brilliant yet easily bored student who amuses himself at school with extraordinarily creative games. Even though Seki's classmate Yokoi just wants to study hard, she inevitably gets caught up in Seki's wacky adventures! Among the vignettes of volume 9, Yokoi visits a restaurant where Seki's mother is working (could Seki have inherited his prodigious talents directly from her?); Seki persuades a more serious student to try physical exercise equipment in class; and even a severe cold can't keep Seki from his daily antics! Lighthearted, all-ages fun is the hallmark of this wonderful series, highly recommended.

Revolutionary Girl Utena Complete Deluxe Box Set
Story and Art by Chiho Saito
Original Concept by Be-Papas
Viz Media LLC
1355 Market Street, Suite 200, San Francisco CA 94103
www.viz.com
9781421585871 $49.99 amazon.com

Revolutionary Girl Utena Complete Deluxe Box Set collects the entire black-and-white shojo manga (Japanese comics aimed especially at girls and young women) classic that captivated a generation. This two-volume hardcover set includes the complete stories of "Revolutionary Girl Utena" (which inspired a beloved anime TV series) as well as "The Adolescence of Utena". ("The Adolescence of Utena" is a re-imagining of Utena's story, which formed the basis for the anime "Revolutionary Girl Utena - The Movie".) Featuring sweeping art, striking themes, and a strong heroine whose resolves to become like the prince she idolizes, Revolutionary Girl Utena is a timeless, fantastic story. Revolutionary Girl Utena is a "must" for shojo connoisseurs! The deluxe box set includes a beautifully illustrated case to hold the two graphic novels, and a stunning full-color poster of Utena and Anthy (both girls are nude in the poster, but the image is artistic, not erotic).

The Water Dragon's Bride 1
Rei Toma
Viz Media LLC
1355 Market Street, Suite 200, San Francisco CA 94103
www.viz.com
9781421592558 $9.99 amazon.com

The Water Dragon's Bride 1 begins a new shojo manga (Japanese comics aimed especially at girls and young women) series. A young, modern-day girl suddenly finds herself transported into a faraway feudal world. She befriends a boy named Subaru, but then Subaru's village decides to sacrifice her to become the bride of the Water Dragon God! Can she escape the clutches of the cold, enigmatic, and distant deity? And what hope awaits her even if she can return to the village that condemned her? A captivating original fairy tale showcasing both the light and dark in human nature, The Water Dragon's Bride is highly recommended.

Hero-A-Go-Go
Michael Evry
TwoMorrows Publishing
10407 Bedfordtown Drive, Raleigh, NC 27614
www.twomorrows.com
9781605490731, $36.95, PB, 272pp, www.amazon.com

It was in comic books that the children and young adults of the 60s would learn that spies liked their wars cold and their women warm, good guys beat bad guys with a pun and a punch, and Batman shook a mean cape."Hero-A-Go-Go: Campy Comic Books, Crimefighters, & Culture of the Swinging Sixties" celebrates the camp craze of the Swinging Sixties, when just about everyone (including the teens of Riverdale, an ant and a squirrel, even the President of the United States) was a super-hero or a secret agent. Back Issue magazine and former DC Comics editor Michael Eury takes the reader through that coolest cultural phenomenon with this all-new collection of nostalgic essays, histories, and theme song lyrics of classic 1960s characters like Captain Action, Herbie the Fat Fury, Captain Nice, Atom Ant, Scooter, ACG's Nemesis, Dell's super-Frankenstein and Dracula, the "split!" Captain Marvel, and others! Featuring interviews with Bill Mumy (Lost in Space), Bob Holiday (It's a Bird... It's a Plane... It's Superman), Ralph Bakshi (The Mighty Heroes, Spider-Man), Dean Torrence (Jan and Dean Meet Batman), Ramona Fradon (Metamorpho), Dick DeBartolo (Captain Klutz), Tony Tallarico (The Great Society Comic Book), Vince Gargiulo (Palisades Park historian), Joe Sinnott (The Beatles comic book), Jose Delbo (The Monkees comic book), and many more! Exceptionally informative, impressively comprehensive, deftly organized and presented, profusely illustrated, "Hero-A-Go-Go" is unreservedly recommended for personal, community, and academic library Literary Studies collections in general, and 1960s Comic Book Popular Culture History supplemental studies reading lists in particular.

The Circles of Power
Pierre Christin, author
Jean-Claude Mezieres, illustrator
Cinebook Ltd.
www.cinebook.com
9781849183260, $15.95, PB, 64pp, www.amazon.com

Broke, without a job, their badly damaged ship in dire need of major (and expensive) repairs, Valerian and Laureline are stuck on the planet Rubanis, unable to pay for said repairs. So when a trio of old acquaintances introduces them (for a price) to the head of the local police, who is looking for independent agents for a risky - but well-paid - mission, they accept readily enough. But Rubanis is the most corrupt planet in the entire galaxy. How are they to find out who really holds the reins of power there? "The Circles of Power" is the fifteenth volume in the outstanding science fiction graphic novel series featuring the interstellar adventures of Valerian and Laureline. Expertly scripted and impressively illustrated, "The Circles of Power" is solidly entertaining from cover to cover and is especially commended for the personal reading lists of science fiction fans, as well as community library graphic novel collections.


The Audiobook Shelf

The Devil and Webster
Jean Hanff Korelitz
Read by Kate Burton
Hachette Audio
1290 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10104
9781478934868 $30.00 www.HachetteAudio.com

The Devil and Webster is the unabridged audiobook rendition of a thought-provoking contemporary novel. Naomi Roth is the first female president of Webster College, a progressive liberal educational institution. When tenure is denied to an African-American professor for reasons she can't make public, it provokes a student demonstration led by a Omar Khayal, a charismatic Palestinian student with a troubled history. Naomi's own daughter Hannah joins the protesters. But the protest soon turns into a crisis situation, destabilizing the campus, and even endangering Naomi's friends, colleagues, and family. The Devil and Webster holds the listener's rapt attention to the very end, and is especially recommended for personal and public library audiobook collections. 9 CDs, 11 hours.

Being Elvis: A Lonely Life
Ray Connolly
Read by Jonathan Yen
Tantor Media, Inc.
6 Business Park Road, Old Saybrook, CT 06475
www.tantor.com
9781515916130 $44.99 amazon.com

Rock journalist Ray Connolly presents Being Elvis: A Lonely Life, an in-depth, chronological biography of one of America's most legendary rock-'n'-roll performers, now available as an unabridged audiobook smoothly read by Jonathan Yen. Extensively detailed, Being Elvis all but places the reader in the shoes of Elvis himself, from his childhood to his meteoric rise in popularity, to his untimely death. The extraordinary portrait of a cultural icon, Being Elvis is a "must" for anyone fascinated by Elvis' music and legacy, and sure to prove a popular pick for public library audiobook collections. 12 CDs, 14.5 hours.

The Accidental Bride
Jane Feather, author
Performed by Jenny Sterlin
Brilliance Corporation
PO Box 887, Grand Haven, MI 49417
9781536665673 $9.99 www.brillianceaudio.com

The Accidental Bride is an unabridged MP3 audiobook (plays on MP3-CD enabled players or transfers to portable devices) of a historical romance novel, part of the sultry "Brides Trilogy". The story follows Phoebe, a willful young woman with a passion for writing poetry. Suddenly, she finds herself forcibly engaged to the husband of her recently passed elder sister. At first Phoebe is inclined to spurn the marriage with a distant man, but then she notices how devilishly handsome he is...! Can a woman who thought she would never marry transform herself into the ultimate seductress? Passionate and sensual, The Accidental Bride is a treat for connoisseurs of the genre. 1 disc, 12 hours.

Thanos: Death Sentence
Stuart Moore
Graphic Audio
7520 Standish Place, Suite 100, Rockville, MD 20855
9781628513516, $19.99, CD, www.graphicaudio.net

The Mad Titan called Thanos whose mistress is Death itself and whose possession of the Infinity Gems enables him to slaughter all of the superheroes in the Marvel Universe and even to destroy the Earth itself in the beginning of "Thanos: Death Sentence" begins another simply riveting audio book from Graphic Audio. But when another Titan Chronos (father of Thanos) defeats him, takes back the Infinity Gems, and restores the universe to its former state, Thanos's beloved Mistress Death grants him one final chance. Stripped of his powers and his old skin, Thanos embarks on a cosmic walkabout to reassert his power over himself and the Multiverse. This all-new, original tale explores the inner life of one of the most powerful beings in the Marvel Universe. Haunted by family (or the semblances of it) the Mad Titan may become something else entirely. Will he maintain his illusions of grandeur, or is this a new path for a lost god? Once again, a gifted multicast of talented actors under the direction of Scott McCarmick, and dramatically enhanced with the inclusion of music and sound effects, make this an unreservedly recommended addition to community library audio book collections -- and a "must" for the legions of Marvel Universe fans.

Sorry to Disrupt the Peace
Patty Yumi Cottrell
Read by Nancy Wu
Blackstone Audiobooks
31 Mistletoe Road, Ashland, OR 97520
www.BlackstoneAudio.com
9781441755698 $34.95 amazon.com

Sorry to Disrupt the Peace is the unabridged audiobook rendition of one woman's investigation into her adoptive brother's despair. Why did he kill himself? The more she searches, the more reasons she finds not to go on living. The powerful tale a complex character confronting psychological demons, Sorry to Disrupt the Peace is a riveting experience, masterfully performed by theater, television, and film actress Nancy Wu. 6 CDs, 6 1/2 hours.

Hachette Audio
1290 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10104
www.hachetteaudio.com

Jean Charzky and Michael F. Roizen, MD with Ted Spiker's Age-Proof: Living Longer Without Running Out of Money or Breaking a Hip (9781478941132, $30.00) is narrated by Chatzky and Roizen and offers a series of insights gathered from the latest research on connections between health, wealth, and better aging. The link between better health and financial health is provided and then a series of strategies for catching up on both is surveyed in a discussion highly recommended for anyone interested in better lives. James Patterson and Emily Raymond's Humans, Bow Down (9781478909774, $35.00) is narrated by Tara Sands and is set after the great war, which the robots have won. A series of adventures and intriguing scenarios rival Isaac Asimov's themes and compliment many robot stories in a recommended listen for any robot sci-fi fan.


The Library CD Shelf

Smoke Behind the Clouds
The Bucking Mules
thebuckingmules.com
freedirt.net
$11.29 CD / $9.49 MP3 amazon.com

Smoke Behind the Clouds is an album of American old-time music. Featuring 17 mostly traditional songs retooled in The Bucking Mules' no-holds-barred style. Fans of hearty folk music, fine fiddling, and bustin' bluegrass are in for a treat! The tracks are "Smoke Behind the Clouds", "John Cooper's Tune", "Georgia Belles", "Jasper Jail", "Irish Washerwoman", "Railroad", "First On the Mountain", "Lexington", "More Good Women Gone Wrong", "Wild Geese at Flight", "Ruffled Drawers", "Girl From the Greenbriar Shore", "Altamont", "The Soldier and the Lady", "Climbing the Golden Stairs", "My Wife Died On Saturday Night", and "Greenback".

The Radio's Taking Our Songs Away
Adam Miller
Privately Published
PO Box 951, Drain, OR 97435
folksinging.org
$14.97 CD / $9.99 download cdbaby.com

The Radio's Taking Our Songs Away: The Irrepressible American Folksong in the Age of the Selfie is a music album about how modern technology has transformed everyday life, including and especially the lives of music artists who seek to make a living in a world where their medium is digitized for distribution more than ever before. Charming, candid, and the essence of down- to-earth folk, The Radio's Taking Our Songs Away is highly recommended for both personal and public library music collections. The tracks are "The Radio's Taking Our Songs Away" (2:53), "Tell Old Bill" (2:52), "Take Your Time" (4:41), "Zebra Dun" (3:26), "The Rivers of Oregon" (3:20), "By the Dry Cardrona" (4:20), "Summer Wages" (3:47), "Bury Me in My Overalls" (2:33), "The Two Sisters" (4:55), "Billy Venero" (4:12), "Young Man Who Wouldn't Hoe Corn" (1:24), "Damyankee Lad" (3:00), "Admiral Benbow" (2:21), "I Wish I Had the Shepherd's Lamb" (2:02), "Billy in the Low Land" (2:38), "Harry Herman" (2:53), "Gentle Annie" (2:34), "Cowboy's Barbara Allen" (3:09), and "Times A-Gettin' Hard" (3:18).

What We Hold Dear
Timothy Wenzel
Privately Published
$15.00 CD / $9.49 MP3 amazon.com

What We Hold Dear is a new age instrumental album by keyboardist/composer Timothy Wenzel. Inspired by the concept that it's crucial to treasure what we have, rather than fret about what we don't have, What We Hold Dear soothes the soul with tranquility and a sense of balance. Highly recommended, especially for new age connoisseurs. The tracks are "Murmuration" (4:12), "What We Hold Dear" (5:19), "Appalachian Waters" (4:21), "Ascension" (3:44), "A Spring Day in Autumn" (3:28), "Hypnotized" (4:07), "Incantations" (4:37), "Moon Dance" (4:24), "In a Little While" (5:04), "On a Quiet Night" (3:47), "Desert Dream" (4:11), and "Turquoise Sky, Emerald Sea" (3:53).

Neotolian Song
Neotolia (Nazan Nihal and Utar Artun)
www.neotolia.com
$TBA CD / $10.00 download cdbaby.com

Neotolian Song is an album from Neotolia, a group of musicians who draw inspiration from a wide range of sources, yet hold to a core of Turkish traditional songs, modes, and sounds. Some songs feature vocals; others have traditional Turkish instruments such as the qanun, ney, and oud along with Western and Eastern stringed instruments such as violin, cello, and erhu. The result is a mellifluous, complex soundscape, highly recommended especially for public library and private world music collections. The tracks are "Once Upon a Life", "Thrill of the Chase", "Change Takes Courage", "Neotolian Song", "Song of the Monastery", "Rondo Afro Turca", "I Dried Roses", "Pendulum", "Lydianic", and "Don't Touch My Sorrowful, Mournful Heart".

Runnin' For The Ghost
Big Mean Sound Machine
Privately Published
$TBA CD / $8.99 MP3 amazon.com

Runnin' For The Ghost is the fourth full-length studio album from Big Mean Sound Machine. An instrumental album that defies genres for a unique soundscape - certain tracks were learned, arranged, and recorded in a single day, and reflect the spontaneity and freedom of their origins. Runnin' For The Ghost surges with creative fervor, and is especially recommended for connoisseurs of fresh, original sound. The tracks are "Return of the March", "Seeing The Bigger Picture", "Van Chatter", "Runnin' for the Ghost", "Hired Guns", "Burning Van", "Kang's Lament", "Triple Bacon", "The G", "Sahara Cell Phones", and "Another Grain of Sand".

Dubtopia
Gentleman's Dub Club
www.gentlemansdubclub.com
www.easystar.com
$11.99 amazon.com

Dubtopia is the latest release from Gentleman's Dub Club, a group of nine musicians with an unparalleled talent for high-energy, hip-moving dub. A no-holds-barred celebration of the dub dancefloor, Dubtopia is enthusiastically recommended for fans of the genre! The tracks are "Intro", "Dancing in the Breeze", "Let a Little Love", "Fire in the Hole", "Gridlock", "Young Girl", "Hotter", "Higher Ground", "Take Control", "In Your Heart", "Fade Away", "Your Light", and "Sun Kissing".

Bring the Flavors
Jack Gates
www.jackgatesmusic.com
$14.99 CD / $9.99 download cdbaby.com

Bring the Flavors is an original album featuring Jack Gates' guitar talent (and that of his associates on the drums, bass, harmonica, and cello). Blending elements of new age, jazz, and folk to create a unique styling, Bring the Flavors captivates the listener with its richness. Highly recommended! The tracks are "Bring the Flavors" (3:03), "Time In" (3:22), "Wave Theory" (2:46), "Waterfalls" (4:25), "Seraphic Journey" (8:16), "Enigmatic Land" (3:00), "Cloud Forest" (4:31), "Marketplace" (3:04), "The Magician" (4:05), "Dawn Walker" (2:35), "Beach Traffic" (2:06), "Choco Latte" (5:39), "Electric Sonata" (4:13), and "Liquid Entropy" (3:30). 54 min. 35 sec.

Drapetomania
Grey Filastine and Nova Ruth
Privately Published
www.jarringeffects.net
www.postworldindustries.com
$14.99 CD / $8.99 MP3 amazon.com

Drapetomania is a music album drawing upon acoustic, pop, and experimental stylings. The album's theme decries xenophobia, and advocates a world that transcends arbitrary borders. In particular, the song "Perbatasan" was inspired by the band's performance at the Calais Jungle migrant camp in France, and was recorded inside the holding cell of a former deportation center. An outspoken call for human compassion, Drapetomania is striking, soul-stirring, and highly recommended. The tracks are "Miner" (4:03), "Blockchainz" (3:29), "Perbatasan" (3:39), "Cleaner" (3:33), "Fenomena" (2:56), "Halcyon" (4:04), "Senescence" (4:11), "Salarymen" (4:28), "Glass Seagulls" (3:47), "Matamata" (4:18), "Chatarreros" (4:23), and "Night X" (2:38).

AJ Lee
AJ Lee
www.aissalee.com
www.ajleemusic-ep.com
$8.99 CD / $6.99 download cdbaby.com

AJ Lee is the eponymous, second solo recording by talented 19-year-old singer AJ Lee, well- known for her exceptional California bluegrass music. Listeners of all ages will enjoy her mellifluous voice, and bluegrass connoisseurs especially are in for a treat! The tracks are "Look At Miss Ohio", "Hickory Wind", "California Cotton Fields", "Tomorrow Is A Long Time", "Just One Look", and "Wait A Minute". 22 min.


The Library DVD Shelf

Martin Clunes' Islands of Australia
Starring Martin Clunes
Athena
c/o Acorn Media
www.us.RLJEntertainment.com
$34.99 www.acornonline.com

Martin Clunes (star of the popular TV series "Doc Martin") showcases the natural beauty of Australia's islands in Martin Clunes' Islands of Australia, a three-part documentary about the islands' history, wildlife, highlights, and more. From Norfolk island, with its dark past as a prison for convicts; to the Tiwi islands, where Clunes visits Aborigines; to the island of Carnac, habitat of hundreds of venomous snakes; Islands of Australia is an extraordinary tour, the next best thing to visiting Australia's islands in person. A bonus photo gallery rounds out this excellent documentary, highly recommended both for personal enjoyment and for public library DVD collections. 3 episodes, 144 min., widescreen, SDH subtitles.

Agatha Christie's The Witness for the Prosecution
Starring Toby Jones, Kim Cattrall, and Andrea Riseborough
Acorn Media
c/o RLJ Entertainment
www.us.RLJEntertainment.com
$34.99 DVD / $34.99 Blu-Ray www.acornonline.com

Available in both DVD and Blu-ray formats, Agatha Christie's The Witness for the Prosecution adapts Christie's classic tale of mystery and suspense, set in 1920's London. When the glamorous heiress Emily French is cruelly murdered in her home, the prime suspect is her young lover, Leonard Vole, to whom she left her fortune. Vole insists that his wife, the reserved chorus girl Romaine can prove his innocence. As the crime goes to trial, its repercussions could ultimately doom solicitor John Mayhew! Agatha Christie's The Witness for the Prosecution is a "must-see" for mystery connoisseurs, highly recommended. Bonus materials include interviews, and featurettes on the story and period fashion. 122 min. plus bonus, widescreen, SDH subtitles.

Concrete Love
A film by Maurizius Staerkle Drux
First Run Features
630 Ninth Avenue, Suite 1213, New York, NY 10036
$24.95 www.firstrunfeatures.com

Concrete Love: The Architecture of the Bohm Family is a documentary about the passion for architecture as passed through the generations of a renowned German family. Panoramic photography of groundbreaking creations by Pritzker Prize laureate Gottfried Bohm, his father, his wife Elizabeth, and his sons. But when Elizabeth passes on, the repercussions of her loss shake the entire family. Interviews enrich this enlightening and emotionally moving film, especially recommended for public and college library DVD collections. 88 min.

Boruto: Naruto the Movie
Screenplay, Character Design, and Produced by Masashi Kishimoto
Viz Media LLC
1355 Market Street, Suite 200, San Francisco CA 94103
www.viz.com
$17.50 DVD / $29.98 Blu-ray/DVD combo pack amazon.com

Set in a world of Naruto, where the mystic powers of ninja can defend the peace or incite war, Boruto: Naruto the Movie is an anime (Japanese animated movie) chronicling the adventures of the next generation. Naruto Uzumaki has achieved his dream of becoming the Seventh Hokage, the primary protector of the Hidden Leaf Village. Now, the village is preparing its Chunin exams to train shinobi. Competitors include Sasuke's daughter Sarada; Mitsuki, a shinobi of remarkable talent yet unknown background; and Boruto, Naruto's son. Yet an unknown danger is imminent; Sasuke's warning does not come in time to prevent a ferocious attack, and Boruto is horrified to see his father vanish! A treat for action-packed anime connoisseurs, Boruto: Naruto the Movie is highly recommended for teen and adult viewers. Bonus features include storyboards, an option for clean end credits, and original Japanese trailers. It should be noted for personal anime collections that Boruto: Naruto the Movie is available both in DVD format ($17.50) and as a Blu-ray/DVD combo pack ($29.98).

Rake, Series 1
Starring Rihard Roxburgh
Acorn Media
c/o RLJ Entertainment
www.us.RLJEntertainment.com
$39.99 www.acornonline.com

Rake, Series 1 is an Australian comedy-drama about Cleaver Greene (played by Richard Roxburgh), a genius barrister who fights a daily struggle with his own self-destructive inclinations. Cleaver defends some of the most hopeless cases accused of murder, bigamy, or even cannibalism. Debt collectors and the Tax Office hound him endlessly, and his heart yearns for two women - one a former prostitute (played by Adrienne Pickering), the other his best friend's wife. Yet Cleaver's talent has won him case after seemingly unwinnable case, as well as the loyalty of his associates. Rake is a multifaceted character drama, highly recommended for mature viewers due to scenes of violence, strong language, nudity, drug use, and sexual situations. 8 episodes on 3 DVDs, 450 min, widescreen, SDH subtitles.

800 Words Season 2, Part 1
Starring Erik Thomson
Acorn Media
c/o RLJ Entertainment
www.us.RLJEntertainment.com
$49.99 www.acornonline.com

800 Words Season 2, Part 1 continues a touching Australian-New Zealand dramady about newspaper columnist George Turner (played by Erik Thomson), an Australian city boy trying to adapt to the eccentric (to put it mildly) New Zealand town of Weld. Though he wanted to give his children a fresh start after the passing of his wife, nothing about his new life has gone according to plan! Although 800 words is primarily a gentle-hearted drama, it is recommended for older teen or adult audiences due to some coarse language, nudity, and sexual situations. 8 episodes on 2 DVDs, 365 min. plus bonus material, widescreen, SDH subtitles.

The Steps
Monterey Media Inc.
125 Auburn Court #220, Westlake Village CA 91362
www.montereymedia.com
$5.99 DVD / $17.19 Blu-ray / $TBA video-on-demand

Available in DVD, Blu-ray, and video-on-demand formats, The Steps is an off-kilter, independent comedy about a family visit that devolves into a clash of lifestyles and expectations. When a brother and a sister go to their father's lakehouse to meet his new wife, the wife's rambunctious children and an unexpected announcement that the "step" parents will adopt a child bring long-buried resentments to the surface. Can this collection of strangers with contradicting personalities figure out a way to become a family? A serious, heart-tugging thread runs through this wry, insightful, and highly recommended movie. Bonus features include behind-the-scenes cast interviews. 98 min., closed captioned, widescreen.


The Self-Help Shelf

Live Your Happy
Maria Felipe
New World Library
14 Pamaron Way, Novato, CA 94949
www.newworldlibrary.com
9781608684533, $14.95, PB, 136pp, www.amazon.com

The Rev. Maria Felipe, is a Cuban American who was born in Miami, and found success as a model and actress before following a spiritual path that led her to study 'A Course in Miracles'. She went on to become an ordained minister at Pathways of Light and now leads monthly services in both Spanish and English at Unity Church in Burbank, California. Inspired, lively, and fun, in "Live Your Happy: Get Out of Your Own Way and Find the Love Within", reflects Maria Felipe's real-world approach to living based on A Course in Miracles. "Live Your Happy" will deftly guide the reader toward a life released from fear and doubt and filled with joy and power. In nine crystal-clear chapters, Maria shows just how to banish the "cuckoo voice of the ego" and connect with what she describes as an 'internal teacher', accessing unlimited love and strength. Maria's illustrative stories, shared from her own life and from her students' experiences, demonstrate that with a willing attitude and an open heart, true happiness isn't just possible -- it's inevitable! Inspired, inspiring, and thoroughly 'reader friendly' in organization and presentation, "Live Your Happy" is very highly recommended, especially for community library Self-Help/Self-Improvement collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "Live Your Happy" is also available in a Kindle format ($9.85).


The American History Shelf

Eyewitness Images from the American Revolution
Arthur S. Lefkowitz
Pelican Publishing Company
1000 Burmaster Street, Gretna, LA 70053-2246
www.pelicanpub.com
9781455621910, $28.95, HC, 288pp, www.amazon.com

Military historian and author Arthur S. Lefkowitz serves on the board of governors of the American Revolution Round Table and is a popular lecturer on the subject. With "Eyewitness Images from the American Revolution" he focuses specially on two centuries of paintings having as their subject the American Revolution. Most images depicting the American Revolution are historically inaccurate nineteenth- and twentieth-century recreations. in "Eyewitness Images from the American Revolution" Lefkowitz has gathered beautifully reproduced full color images from artists who were eyewitnesses to the events of our War for Independence. His research in museums and private collections in the United States, Canada, and Europe spanned years and brought together both professional and amateur artist renditions, including those from British officers. With over one hundred examples of "eyewitness" artwork, "Eyewitness Images from the American Revolution" draws readers into our nation's fight for independence, appealing to those interested in American history and art history alike. As informed and informative as it is thoughtful and thought-provoking, "Eyewitness Images from the American Revolution" is a unique and extraordinary study that is unreservedly recommended for personal, community, and academic library American History collections in general, and American Revolution supplemental studies reading lists in particular.

Philadelphia Celebrates
Edward W. Duffy
Camino Books, Inc.
PO Box 59026, Philadelphia, PA 19102
www.caminobooks.com
9781680980110, $19.95, PB, 208pp, www.amazon.com

Edward W. Duffy is the author of "Philadelphia: A Railroad History" (2013). Over the course of his career, Duffy has worked for the Philadelphia City Planning Commission, the Philadelphia Industrial Development Corporation, the Philadelphia Port Corporation, and the Philadelphia Department of Commerce. Now in "Philadelphia Celebrates: Three Great Anniversaries - 1876-1926-1976" explores such issues as: How do you celebrate a national commitment to equality, liberty, and tolerance in the middle of political upheaval, riots, and a national draft?; What can we learn about the character of a city by studying how its representatives plan such a celebration? A remarkable account of the Centennial, Sesquicentennial, and Bicentennial celebrations of the American Declaration of Independence, "Philadelphia Celebrates" lays bare the motivations behind the planning and execution of these celebrations. Far more than just a volume of city history, "Philadelphia Celebrates" is a portrait of the people who made these celebrations possible: the rebels, the crooks, the advocates, and the citizens forgotten in the shadow of politicians egos. "Philadelphia Celebrates" dives into unexpected places to unearth the relics of these celebrations, and ultimately presents the reader with a thoughtful history of Civil Rights, Women's Rights, and Religious Freedom in Philadelphia through the analysis of these three great anniversaries. And what a timely analysis it is: with 2026 fast approaching, "Philadelphia Celebrates" will remind citizens and city officials alike that the success of a celebration depends on the support of local residents, no matter what the political climate. Exceptionally well written, informative, organized and presented, "Philadelphia Celebrates" is a very highly recommended, instructive, thoughtful and thought-provoking read from beginning to end.

The Handy New York City Answer Book
Chris Barsanti
Visible Ink Press
43311 Joy Road, #414, Canton, MI 48187-2075
www.visibleinkpress.com
9781578595860, $21.95, PB, 464pp, www.amazon.com

New York is the self-proclaimed cultural capital of the world; the largest city in the United States; a melting pot of immigrants; as well as the site of Ellis Island, the Statue of Liberty, the Empire State Building, Central Park, Wall Street, Broadway, bridges, bodegas, restaurants, museums, and so much more. The "city that never sleeps", New York is bustling with people, cultural and sporting events, world-class shopping and high fashion, and other tourist attractions that draw in millions visitors from all over the world. Illustrated with black-and-white historical photos, "The Handy New York City Answer Book" by Chris Barsanti deftly explores the fascinating history, people, myths, culture, and trivia, taking an in-depth look at the city so nice, they named it twice. Showcasing the unique character of the city through a combination of facts, stats, and history, and the unusual and quirky, it answers more than 850 intriguing questions about people, events, government, and places of interest, including: Who were the first New Yorkers?; Why are Manhattan's streets laid out in a grid?; Why is there a windmill on the New York seal?; How did New York help elect Abraham Lincoln president?; What were "sweatshops"?; Who started the gossip column?; What is "stop and frisk"?; What was the first sport likely played by European settlers in New York was?, and an additional wealth of historical informational tidbits. Informed and informative, "The Handy New York City Answer Book" is thoroughly 'reader friendly' in organization and presentation. While very highly recommended for school and community library American History collections in general, and New York City History supplemental studies lists, it should be noted that "The Handy New York City Answer Book" is also available in a Kindle format ($13.82).


The Civil War Shelf

Confederate Waterloo
Michael J. McCarthy
Savas Beatie
PO Box 4527, El Dorado Hills, CA 95762
www.savasbeatie.com
9781611213096 $32.95 hc / $9.99 Kindle amazon.com

Confederate Waterloo: The Battle of Five Forks, April 1, 1865 and the Controversy that Brought Down a General is a detailed, scholarly analysis of one of the final battles of the American Civil War. Although The Battle of Five Forks ended in victory for the Union, its ramifications lasted long after Civil War's end. During the series of battles, General Phil Sheridan relieved V Corps commander Gouverneur K. Warren, sparking a lifelong effort by Warren and his allies to claim that Sheridan's action was unfair and dishonorable. This precipitated a Court of Inquiry with a greater record of testimony and exhibits than any other U.S military judicial case in the 1800's. Confederate Waterloo draws upon archival research and a wealth of primary sources to present a studious, unbiased account of the entire affair. Black-and-white maps, a bibliography, and an index round out this welcome contribution to public and college library Civil War shelves.


The Writing/Publishing Shelf

5-Minute Book Marketing for Authors
Penny Sansevieri
Privately Published
PO Box 421156, San Diego, CA 92142
www.amarketingexpert.com
9781520504544, $5.99, PB, 144pp, www.amazon.com

Penny Sansevieri is a professional book marketing expert who has drawn upon her years of successful experience (she is the founder of Author Marketing Experts, Inc.) to write "5-Minute Book Marketing for Authors" specifically for authors who feel like they have no time to market their books. On every page Penny shows even the most reluctant of authors how they can effectively market a book in only 5 minutes a day! "5-Minute Book Marketing for Authors" is set up so that book marketing by even the most novice of authors is just a 5-minute incremental work and includes instructions for when an author is ready to spend even more time in their efforts to bring their books to the attention of their intended readerships. With "5-Minute Book Marketing for Authors" authors will learn: How to Optimize Amazon in only 5 Minutes a day; How to Power up a Goodreads profile; How to Create eBook Promotions that sell digital copies of their books; How to Simplify social media; How to Sell more books on Amazon! -- And so much more! Thoroughly 'user friendly' in organization and presentation, "5-Minute Book Marketing for Authors" should be considered a 'must' for authors (especially self-published authors!) and small press publishers, and will prove to be an enduringly popular addition to community and academic library Writing/Publishing instructional reference collections.

Writing Hard Stories
Melanie Brooks
Beacon Press
24 Farnsworth Street, Boston, MA 02210
www.beacon.org
9780807078815, $16.00, PB, 248pp, www.amazon.com

Write an honest memoir is one of the most difficult tasks any writer can undertake. The more complex and multilayered the life, the more difficult it is to candidly and uncompromisingly record it for other people to read. In determining and illustrating what happens to autobiographers when the embark on that specific task, writer and teacher Melanie Brooks sought guidance from the memorists who most moved her to answer these questions. An essentially informed and informative read for creative writers "Writing Hard Stories: Celebrated Memoirists Who Shaped Art from Trauma" is a unique compilation of authentic stories about the death of a partner, parent, or child; about violence and shunning; and about the process of writing. It will serve as a tool for teachers of writing and give readers an intimate look into the lives of the authors they love. The authors profiled in "Writing Hard Stories" include: Andre Dubus III, Sue William Silverman, Michael Patrick MacDonald, Joan Wickersham, Kyoko Mori, Richard Hoffman, Suzanne Strempek Shea, Abigail Thomas, Monica Wood, Mark Doty, Edwidge Dantict, Marianne Leone, Jerald Walker, Kate Bornstein, Jessica Handler, Richard Blanco, Alysia Abbott, and Kim Stafford. An extraordinary and instructive read from cover to cover, "Writing Hard Stories" is a very highly recommended addition to community and academic library Writing/Publishing collections in general, and the supplemental studies reading lists for any and all aspiring writers of memoirs and autobiographies in particular. It should be noted that "Writing Hard Stories" is also available in a Kindle format ($15.99).

Writing Subtext, revised edition
Dr. Linda Seger
Michael Wiese Productions
12400 Ventura Blvd., #1111, Studio City, CA 91604
www.mwp.com
9781615932580 $18.95 pbk / $10.99 Kindle amazon.com

Now in a revised and expanded edition for both screenwriters and novel writers, Writing Subtext: What Lies Beneath is a guide to the intricate yet ultimately rewarding art of crafting works with rich subtext. Case studies from popular media including "The Big Short" and the "Abnormal Psychology" episode of "Cheers" help illustrate concepts such as playing with analogies, showing evidence of human love beneath the literal text, how to smoothly incorporate gestures and action, and much more. Writing Subtext is a superb resource for authors, especially professionals in the field seeking to refine their narrative polish! Highly recommended.

Naked Truths About Getting Book Reviews
Gisela Hausmann
http://www.giselahausmann.com
Educ-Easy Books
PO Box 6366, Greenville, SC 29606
9780986403439, $12.99, PB, 106pp, www.amazon.com

Book reviews are an essential, core, fundamental part of every successful marketing plan specifically designed to bring the book to the attention of the librarians, booksellers, and the reading public. In "Naked Truths About Getting Book Reviews", one of the most prolific and respected reviewers who posts on the Amazon.com web site has now written a 'how to' instructional guide for authors, publishers, and reviewers on how to successfully obtain and effectively employ reviews. "Naked Truths About Getting Book Reviews" also includes a wealth of practical information on a number of related issues including the dispelling of misunderstandings about reviews; contacting foreign reviewers; getting reviews from Amazon's top reviewers; getting reviews from friends and colleagues; buying reviews from paid review services; common mistakes authors make with respect to the book review process; how seeking reviews has changed since 2015; and so much more. Impressively informed and informative, thoughtful and thought-provoking, "Naked Truths About Getting Book Reviews" is also exceptionally 'user friendly' in organization and presentation. While very highly recommended for community, college, and academic library Writing/Publishing instructional reference collections in general, and Book Marketing supplemental studies reading lists in particular, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Naked Truths About Getting Book Reviews" is also available in a Kindle format ($4.89).

When Writers Drive the Workshop
Brian Kissel
Stenhouse Publishers
480 Congress Street, Portland, ME 04101-3451
www.stenhouse.com
9781625310736, $28.00, PB, 186pp, www.amazon.com

"When Writers Drive the Workshop: Honoring Young Voices and Bold Choices " by Brian Kissel (an educator for more than twenty years, and a Professor of Literacy and Elementary Education at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte) is practical, engaging instructional study that asks classroom teachers to go back to the roots of a writing workshop asking what happens when students, not planned teaching points, lead writing conferences? What happens when students, not tests, determine what they learned through reflection and self-evaluation? Writing instruction has shifted in recent years to more accountability, taking the focus away from the writer. "When Writers Drive the Workshop" explores what happens when empowered writers direct the writing workshop. Through stories from real classrooms, Professor Kissel reveals that no matter where children come from, they all have the powerful, shared need to be heard. And when children choose their writing topics, their lives unfold onto the page and teachers are educated by the young voices and bold choices of these writers. Written in an engaging, teacher-to-teacher style, "When Writers Drive the Workshop" focuses on four key components of writing workshop, with an eye on what happens when teachers step back and allow students to drive the instruction: Conferring sessions where students lead and teachers listen; Author's Chair where students set the agenda and ask for feedback; Reflection time and structures for students to set goals and expectations for themselves; Mini-lessons that allow for detours based on students' needs, not teacher or curricular goals. Each of the five chapters comprising "When Writers Drive the Workshop" includes practical ideas, a section of Guiding Beliefs, a list of Frequently Asked Questions, and some Digital Diversions to help teachers see the digital possibilities in their classrooms. Impressively comprehensive, informative, and thoroughly 'reader friendly' in organization and presentation, "When Writers Drive the Workshop" is an extraordinary and highly recommended addition to personal, professional, college, and university library Teacher Education instructional reference collections and supplemental studies reading lists.


The Education Shelf

Thrifty Teacher's Guide to Creative Learning Centers
Shelley Nicholson & Jessica Martinez
Gryphon House, Inc.
PO Box 10, 6848 Leon's Way, Lewisville, NC 27023
www.gryphonhouse.com
9780876596951, $29.95, PB, 216pp, www.amazon.com

Limited school budgets is a common dilemma for teachers in early childhood classrooms and necessitates learning how to provide new, interesting experiences on a shoestring budget. In the pages of "Thrifty Teacher's Guide to Creative Learning Centers", classroom teachers Shelley Nicholson and Jessica Martinez draw from their collective decades of experience in classrooms to present practical low-cost ideas for gathering and creating rich explorations in learning centers. "Thrifty Teacher's Guide to Creative Learning Centers" vividly describes the unique ways preschool and elementary school classroom teachers can use found and recyclable materials to encourage cognitive development and creative exploration in young children. In addition to photographic examples, "Thrifty Teacher's Guide to Creative Learning Centers" offers insightful, useful, and immediately applicable tips on how to source, select, and integrate materials into a center; how to get children started on using the materials; and how to scaffold learning with open-ended questions. These proffered ideas are just the beginning. Once the children's imaginations take off, they can use the materials in myriad and imaginative ways. Thoroughly 'classroom teacher friendly' in organization and presentation, "Thrifty Teacher's Guide to Creative Learning Centers" is unreservedly recommended for preschool, elementary school, home-schooling, and academic library Teacher Education collections and supplemental studies reading lists.

Seeing Students Learn Science
Alexandra Beatty & Heidi Schweingruber
National Academies Press
500 Fifth Street, NW, Washington, DC 20001
www.nap.edu
9780309444323, $34.95, PB, 136pp, www.amazon.com

The prosperity and security of the United States depends upon a scientifically literate citizenry -- and that begins with K-12 school children becoming educated in the basics of science and the scientific method. The introduction of the Next Generation Science Standards led many states, schools, and districts to change curricula, instruction, and professional development to align with the standards. In "Seeing Students Learn Science: Integrating Assessment and Instruction in the Classroom" by Alexandra Beatty & Heidi Schweingruber (and based upon the National Research Council Report 'Developing Assessments for the Next Generation Science Standards', is specifically designed to help educators improve their understanding of how students learn science and guide the adaptation of their instruction and approach to assessment. "Seeing Students Learn Science" features a wealth of examples for innovative assessment formats, ways to embed assessments in engaging classroom activities, and ideas for interpreting and using novel kinds of assessment information. "Seeing Students Learn Science" provides ideas and questions classroom educators can use to reflect on what they can adapt right away and what they can work toward more gradually. Impressively organized and presented, "Seeing Students Learn Science" is an especially recommended addition to school district, college and university library Teacher Education instructional reference collections and supplemental studies reading lists.

Beyond the Flannel Board
M. Susan McWilliams
Redleaf Press
10 Yorkton Court, St. Paul, MN 55117-1065
www.redleafpress.org
9781605544861, $29.95, PB, 232pp, www.amazon.com

The teaching strategies for classroom teachers when telling stories to their students is for the purpose of improving young children's language, social-emotional, and number sense development. Showcasing developmentally appropriate curriculum strategies, "Beyond the Flannel Board" demystifies the story retelling experience for teachers of young children by identifying effective, intentional teaching and learning practices and providing a variety of examples for integrating story retelling activities across the curriculum for building skills in social-emotional development, numbers, STEM, and more. Thoroughly 'teacher friendly' in organization and presentation, "Beyond the Flannel Board" is further enhanced with the inclusion of a sixteen page listing of Recommended Resources; an eight page Glossary; ten pages of Story-Retelling Forms; a six page listing of References; a six page listing of Children's Books References in the Text; and a seven page Index. Simply stated, "Beyond the Flannel Board" is unreservedly recommended for school district, college, and university library Teacher Education instructional reference collections and supplemental studies reading lists.

When Pre-K Comes to School
Bethany Wilinski
Teachers College Press
1234 Amsterdam Avenue, New York, NY 10027
www.tcpress.com
9780807758236, $32.95, PB, 160pp, www.amazon.com

"When Pre-K Comes to School: Policy, Partnerships, and the Early Childhood Education Workforce" by Bethany Wilinski (Assistant Professor in the Department of Teacher Education at Michigan State University) traces what happens for institutions and teachers when a school district and community ECE centers partner to provide public pre-K. Professor Wilinski deftly examines policy implementation across diverse sites, including a private part-day preschool, a corporate childcare center, and a public elementary school. "When Pre-K Comes to School" demonstrates how pre-K partnerships create opportunities but also considerable constraints for the institutions and teachers involved. Though teachers are required to comply with the same policy mandates, their compensation and access to resources varies greatly. "When Pre-K Comes to School" calls for policies and practices that will work better for teachers, which, in turn, will work better for children. "When Pre-K Comes to School" offers unique, insider perspective on how policy is actually enacted in schools provides important insight into what communities and policymakers should consider when creating pre-K policies. Enhanced with three pages of Notes; eleven pages of References; and a twelve page Index, "When Pre-K Comes to School" is an informative, thoughtful, and practical study that is particularly recommended for school district, college, and university library Teacher Education collections and supplemental studies lists. It should be noted for students and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "When Pre-K Comes to School" is also available in a Kindle format ($31.30).

The Balanced Teacher Path
Justin Ashley
Free Spirit Publishing
217 Fifth Avenue North, Suite 200, Minneapolis, MN 55401-1299
www.freespirit.com
9781631981012, $19.97, PB, 224pp, www.amazon.com

It wasn't long after being named North Carolina History Teacher of the year that Justin Ashley started noticing signs of burnout in his attitude toward his career. He knew he needed to make some radical changes in how he handled his work and personal life. In "The Balanced Teacher Path: How To Teach, Live, And Be Happy", Justin shares his personal story and in the process illuminates just how easy it is to give your job everything you've got and leave yourself with nothing outside of school -- and shows new teachers and veterans alike the self-care techniques they can employ to create work-life balance and prevent burnout. With equal parts humor and wisdom, Justin analyzes four key aspects of every teacher's life (career, social, physical, and financial) and offers insightful, practical advice to bring these areas into sync, reigniting a passion for teaching in the process. Unique and exceptional, "The Balanced Teacher Path" is impressively 'user friendly' in organization and presentation, making it an ideal and highly recommended addition to personal, school district, and academic library Teacher Education collections and supplemental studies reading lists for classroom teachers K-12.

Corwin Press, Inc.
2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320-2218
www.corwin.com

Alan Colburn's Learning Science By Doing Science (9781506344614, $32.95) takes classic science experiments and retools them to help teachers show kids how science really works, is directed to grades 3-8, and presents a primer on the process which guides teachers through the basics and development of scientific thinking processes. Chapters show how to take standard activities and adapt them to a given grade, demonstrate how to help kids understand the investigative process, and provide links to Next Generation Science Standards and best practices in science and engineering. Professional Standards for Educational Leaders: The Empirical, Moral, and Experiential Foundations by Joseph F. Murphy (9781506337487, $39.95) provides an introduction to the recently revised professional educational leadership standards and surveys each one. As it comes from the educational expert who devised the PSEL, it could not have better authority. Chapters discuss the leadership of learning, the professional ethics of educational leadership processes, norms of safety and the instructional potentials of school personnel, and more. Administrators, in particular, will find this a powerful survey. Nanci N. Smith's Every Math Learner: A Doable Approach to Teaching with Learning Differences in Mind, Grades K-5 (9781506340730, $36.95) packs in details for classroom videos, includes student work samples and surveys, templates for demonstrations, and more as it shows teachers how to encourage a math-strong classroom filled with order, engagement, and lesson ideas. From strategies to gauge classroom readiness using preassessment templates to applying proactive thinking decisions and crafting an inclusive classroom that encourages math applications, this is a 'must' for K-5 educators interested in building better classrooms. There's also a version of this book for grades 6-12 (9781506340746) which offers keys to success with secondary-level students and provides the basics structures, formative assessment techniques, and lesson plans specific to these grades. Classroom videos and student work examples and templates contribute to an invaluable collection of ideas. Veronica McDermott's We Must Say No to the Status Quo: Educators as Allies in the Battle for Social Justice (9781506345345, $32.00) considers the facets of injustice and privilege and the kinds of attitudes teachers can encourage as they face marginalization, racial and economic strife, and conflict in the school. Teachers can make a difference, as educator McDermott demonstrates - they just need tried-and-tested tools, which are presented here. From understanding the roots of bad policies to handling bullying in the school environment, this is a social action guide teachers need. H. Lynn Erickson, Lois A. Lanning and Rachel French's Concept-Based Curriculum and Instruction for the Thinking Classroom (9781506355399) appears in its second updated edition to show teachers how to incorporate discipline and intellectual challenges into a classroom environment using the Structure of Knowledge and Process. Chapters apply this process to efforts to teachers make to engage students in critical thinking, offering lesson overviews and concepts, reviews of skill-based, two-dimensional learning experiences, and lesson plan overviews. Another fine educator's reference! Julie Stern, et.al.'s Tools for Teaching Conceptual Understanding Secondary (9781506353702, $25.00) focuses on Concept-Based teaching strategies and shows teachers how to help students discover and work with conceptual relationships in all kinds of settings. Included in the discussion are insights on what makes Concept-Based learning different and how to apply these strategies to deeper learning in a range of disciplines, making for an excellent primer for any educator interested in a concept-based approach.

Jessica Kingsley Publishers
400 Market Street, Suite 400, Philadelphia, PA 19106
www.jkp.com

Three new books are solid acquisitions for education collections looking for specific keys to success in early education and special education. Jacqui Burke's Building Your Early Years Business: Planning and Strategies for Growth and Success (9781785920592, $24.95) combines business concerns with early education in an unusual survey recommended for educators who would make a business from their passion of working with kids. Various ideas for an 'early years' business discuss management, financial, and marketing keys to understanding what parents seek from childcare, and how to best address these concerns while remaining profitable. Gavin Reid's Dyslexia in the Early Years: A Handbook for Practice (9781785920653, $22.95) combines research findings with discussions and guidelines for early years teachers and tells how to make a standard classroom more accessible for children with dyslexia. From adapting common classroom materials to using special resources and handling social and emotional development, this is filled with practical advice. Margaret D. Malpas, MBE's Self-Fulfilment with Dyslexia: A Blueprint for Success (9781785921988, $18.95) uses case studies and interviews with dyslexics who made themselves successful to outline the process of getting both life skills and the best potential from dyslexia's challenges, and is recommended for dyslexics and their supporters who would understand the paths to success.


The Theatre/Cinema/TV Shelf

Romantic Comedies
Pamela Jaye Smith
Michael Wiese Productions
12400 Ventura Blvd., #1111, Studio City, CA 91604
www.mwp.com
9781615932511, $20.95, PB, 252pp, www.amazon.com

Most film guides simply list films alphabetically, give production facts, and offer rather dry descriptions. But not "Romantic Comedies: These Films Can Save Your Love Life!" by Pamela Jaye Smith. She has deftly designed her film guide to help people better understand themselves, their loved ones, and their romantic situations -- or lack thereof. Scientific studies show that couples who watch romantic movies together and then discuss them and their feelings about them have a much higher "stay-together rate" than couples who enter traditional therapy. "Romantic Comedies" is fun and colorful rom-com movie guide can help people find the perfect film to match their mood, put them in a different mood, bring up things hard to talk about, or generally improve their romantic well-being. Informed, informative, and thoroughly 'user friendly' in organization and presentation, "Romantic Comedies" is very highly recommended for both community and academic library Theatre/Cinema/TV collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "Romantic Comedies" is also available in a Kindle format ($18.52).

Bradypedia
Erika Woehik
BearManor Media
P. O. Box 1129, Duncan, OK 73534-1129
www.bearmanormedia.com
9781629331317, $34.99, HC, 380pp, www.amazon.com

The Brady Bunch is an American sitcom created by Sherwood Schwartz that aired from September 26, 1969, to March 8, 1974, on ABC. The series revolves around a large blended family with six children. "Bradypedia" is the newest book about The Brady Bunch and tells the story of the development of the original series through its end and then delves into the many spin-offs that ensued. There's a price guide for the memorabilia, a chapter on the 80+ songs recorded by the Brady kids, and biographical info on the actors and their families. New revelations abound such as: What did Chief Eagle Cloud really say to Alice in the Grand Canyon?; Were Mike and Carol scripted to have a baby together?; How many times was Peter Brady engaged to be married?; And what if Mike and Carol had adopted a bunch of kids after theirs left home? "Bradypedia" the most comprehensive reference guide to The Brady Bunch ever published making it an absolute 'must' for the legions of Brady Bunch fans and certain to be an enduringly popular addition to community and academic library American TV History collections and supplemental studies reading lists.


The Computer Shelf

Operating Systems: An Introduction
R. Garg & G. Verma
Mercury Learning
PO Box 605, Herndon, VA 20172-0605
9781942270386, $54.95, www.merclearning.com

Operating Systems: An Introduction is organized to be a self-help workbook instructional text, and uses a step-by-step approach to clarify all the basics about operating systems and how they work. From PCs to mobile devices, this surveys different platforms and provides undergrad students in computer science with a survey that covers all the basics, contrasting different systems and their strengths. Chapters cover the latest versions of these systems, move from the basics to advanced operations, and include discussions of Linux and more, integrating quizzes and self-tests throughout to reinforce knowledge. Self-learners who excel from such methodical discussions will relish this book's organization and approach.

Practical Packet Analysis, third edition
Chris Sanders
No Starch Press
245 - 8th Street, San Francisco, CO 94103-3910
www.nostarch.com
9781593278021, $49.95, PB, 368pp, www.amazon.com

Wireshark is the world's most popular network sniffer that makes capturing packets easy, but it won't be much help if the user doesn't have a solid foundation in packet analysis. Now in a fully updated and expanded third edition, "Practical Packet Analysis: Using Wireshark to Solve Real-World Network Problems" by Chris Sanders (a computer security consultant, researcher, and educator) covers: Monitoring your network in real-time and tap live network communications; Recognizing common network protocols including TCP, IPv4 and IPv6, SMTP, and ARP; Building customized capture and display filters to quickly navigate through large numbers of packets; Troubleshooting and resolving common network problems like loss of connectivity, DNS issues, and sluggish speeds with packet analysis; Understanding how modern exploits and malware behave at the packet level; Carving out data in a packet to retrieve the actual files sent across the network; Graphing traffic patterns to visualize the data flowing across your network; Using advanced Wireshark features to understand confusing captures; Building statistics and reports to help you better explain technical network information to non-techies. Exceptional informed and informative, "Practical Packet Analysis" is especially for novice network analysts, and has enduring instructional reference value for experienced administrators. Thoroughly 'user friendly' in organization and presentation, "Practical Packet Analysis" should be considered a critically important addition to personal, professional, community, and academic library Computer Science collections.


The Technology Shelf

Reflectionless Filters
Matthew A. Morgan
Artech House
685 Canton Street, Norwood, MA 02062
9781630813277, $139.00, www.artechhouse.com

Reflectionless Filters provides engineers with a technical resource introducing various techniques for creating reflectionless filters at all frequencies, and consider their possibilities and applications in supply, amplification, and converter systems, among others. Chapters discuss the process of developing these filters and the science involved, including formulas and diagrams to support technical information throughout. From experimental results to direct application of various theories, this is a 'must' for any engineering reference library.


The Military Shelf

Sioux Code Talkers of World War II
Andrea M. Page
Pelican Publishing Company
1000 Burmaster Street, Gretna, LA 70053-2246
9781455622436, $14.95, www.pelicanpub.com

Sioux Code Talkers of World War II is recommended for military, Native American, and American history holdings alike and adds to the story of Native American involvement during the war in exploring the little-known story of the code talkers of the Sioux tribe who, like the better-known Navajo, used native dialects to make and break code. Told by the great-niece of one of the Sioux code talkers, this survey outlines seven Sioux who set aside prejudice and lives to join the struggle against the Axis forces. It's a story that's long needed telling and this belongs in every American history or World War II collection.

The Chosen Few
Gregg Zoroya
DaCapo Press
c/o Perseus Book Group
250 W. 57th St., Suite 1500, New York, NY 10107
www.perseusbooksgroup.com
9780306824838, $27.00, www.dacapopress.com

The Chosen Few: A Company of Paratroopers and its Heroic Struggle to Survive in the Mountains of Afghanistan tells the story of a company nicknamed "Chosen Few" whose mission was to promote the Afghan government's influence in a remote region of the country. This seemingly-simple assignment would turn into fifteen months of deadly battles and one of the bloodiest encounters any US troops had faced. Official accounts and archive material lends to this coverage, which is enhanced by interviews with hundreds of members of the Chosen Company. The result is a vivid military story needed telling, which receives relatively little to no coverage elsewhere.

America's Needless Wars
David R. Contosta
Prometheus Books
59 John Glenn Drive, Amherst, NY 14228-2197
9781633882898, $24.00, www.prometheusbooks.com

America's Needless Wars: Cautionary Tales of US Involvement in the Philippines, Vietnam, and Iraq is more than just a survey of military strategy in these wars and countries: it examines U.S. foreign policy by comparing events in three unrelated conflicts, considering what went wrong in each instance and how these mistakes can be avoided in the future. This comes from a historian who uses official hearings, media investigations, memoirs of those on all sides of the conflicts, and social, historical, and military accounts to provide a well-reasoned examination of these preventable, regrettable actions. No military or social issues reader should be without this.

Airman's Guide, ninth edition
MSgt. Boone Nicolls, USAF (Ret.)
Stackpole Books
5067 Ritter Road, Mechanicsburg, PA 17055-6921
www.stackpolebooks.com
9780811717700, $21.95, PB, 368pp, www.amazon.com

Boone Nicolls served in the United States Air Force in the grades of Airman Basic to Master Sergeant. His more than twenty-four years' service were predominantly in Aerospace Defense Command, Air Defense Weapons Center, Air Mobility Command, and Air Education and Training Command. He is a graduate of the USAF noncommissioned Officer Academy, Squadron Officer School, and both the Army and Air force Inspector General Schools. In this newly updated and expanded ninth edition of "Airman's Guide", he has provided a comprehensive compendium of information that anyone serving in the United States Air Force will need in the course of their military experience and career. Of special note are the chapters on Standards of Conduct; Training and Education; The Family in the Air Force Community; and Veteran's Benefits. Enhanced with five appendices (Professional Reading Guide; Key References; Major USAF Installations; USAF Fitness Charts; USAF Acronyms and Abbreviations); and an eleven page Index, "Airman's Guide is an indispensable guide and instructional reference that is very highly recommended for community and academic library Military Studies collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that the "Airman's Guide" is also available in a Kindle format ($12.99).

America Star Books
PO Box 151, Frederick, MD 21705-0184
www.americastarbooks.pub

Major Hal Skaarup has served with the Canadian Forces for more than 40 years, starting with the 56th Field Squadron, RCE and completing his service as the G2 (Intelligence Officer) at CFB Gagetown, New Brunswick in August 2011. He was a member of the Canadian Airborne Regiment, served three tours with the Skyhawks Parachute Demonstration Team, and worked in the Airborne Trials and Evaluation section. He served as an Intelligence Officer overseas in Germany and Colorado, and has been on operational deployments to Cyprus, Bosnia, and Afghanistan. He has been an instructor at the Tactics School at the Combat Training Centre in Gagetown and at the Intelligence Training Schools in Borden and Kingston. He earned a Master's degree in War Studies through the Royal Military College. Major. Skaarup is also the author for four simply outstanding books on Canadian military history, military museums, and military monuments.. "Canadian War Trophies" (9781300964148, $38.60 PB, $0.99 Kindle, 492) describes and illustrates the captured weapons and equipment of former adversaries on display in Canada, including war prizes from the Crimean War, the Fenian Raids, the Boer War, the Great War, the Second World War, the Korean War, the Cold War, the Yugoslav Wars and Afghanistan. "Shelldrake" (9781469750002, $35.95 PB, $3.99 Kindle, 375pp) is an illustrated compendium of descriptively detailed Canadian army and navy artillery pieces, museums and monuments. The Royal Regiment of Canadian Artillery is represented by a long and distinguished line of gunners with historical ties back to the days before Canada's Confederation. "Ironsides" (9781462034642, $35.95 PB, $9.99 Kindle, 368pp) provides an informative and detailed synopsis of the carefully preserved and restored armored fighting vehicles on display in Canada. "Ironsides" highlights the importance of these upon key turning points in history when these AFVs were in use as tools of war at home and overseas. "Axis Warplane Survivors" (9781300067443, $41.30 PB, $0.99 Kindle, 546pp) is a superbly organized and illustrated guidebook to the preserved Military Aircraft of the Second World War Tripartite Pact of Germany, Italy, and Japan, joined by Hungary, Romania, Slovakia, Bulgaria, and Yugoslavia; the co-belligerent states of Thailand, Finland, San Marino and Iraq; and the occupied states of Albania, Belarus, Croatia, Vichy France, Greece, Ljubljana, Macedonia, Monaco, Montenegro, Norway, Cambodia, China, India, Laos, Manchukuo, Mengjiang, the Philippines and Vietnam. These four volumes are extraordinary, unique, and very highly recommended for personal, community, and academic library World War II History collections in general, and Canadian Military History supplemental studies reading lists in particular.


The Travel Shelf

The Disneyland Encyclopedia, third edition
Chris Strodder, author
Illustrated maps by Tristan Tang
Santa Monica Press
P.O. Box 850, Solana Beach, CA 92075
www.santamonicapress.com
9781595800909 $19.95 pbk / $14.72 Kindle amazon.com

Now in an updated third edition, The Disneyland Encyclopedia: The Unofficial, Unauthorized, and Unprecedented History of Every Land, Attraction, Restaurant, Shop, and Major Event in the Original Magic Kingdom lives up to its title as an amazingly detailed reference and resource, featuring over 600 A-to-Z entries interspersed with black-and-white photographs and maps. Travelers and trivia seekers alike will enjoy browsing the lowdown on just about every last bit of the Magic Kingdom, including the influential people who helped design it. A treasure trove for Disney aficionados, The Disneyland Encyclopedia will prove particularly appealing to tourists planning their visit, or in search of a memorable souvenir.


The Automotive Shelf

Steve Magnante's 1001 Mustang Facts
Steve Magnante
CarTech Inc.
838 Lake Street South, Forest Lake, MN 55025
www.cartechbooks.com
9781613252727 $24.95 amazon.com

Steve Magnante's 1001 Mustang Facts is packed cover to cover with completely true and often little-known facts about Mustang cars. Each technical trivia tidbit is succinctly presented in a single paragraph. A handful of black-and-white photographs intersperse this treat for automotive connoisseurs! "[Fact 88] Early 1965 Mustangs were fitted with a very unique brake master cylinder with the brake light trigger switch and wiring built into its body. Surprisingly, buyers who wanted power assist (a $48 upgrade) were restricted to drum brakes. The first power- boosted Mustang front disc brakes didn't arrive until 1967."


The Business Shelf

Unshakable
Tony Robbins with Peter Mallouk
Simon & Schuster
1230 Avenue of the Americas, 14th fl., New York, NY 10020
9781501164583, $26.00, www.simonandschuster.com

Unshakable: Your Financial Freedom Playbook comes from one of the better-known financial investment advisors of modern times who interviewed some fifty of the world's top financial people to create his best-selling Money: Master the Game - but this is far more than a follow-up to that approach. It offers a step-by-step framework for changing one's finances and gaining wealth, and tells how to create the kind of financial plan that will lead to long-term financial freedom and retirement income, whether it be from a 401(k) to strategies to insulate income from crashes, corrections, and catastrophes. It sounds complicated, but add four easy principles to a reasoned discussion of the factors that translate to wealth or loss and you have a guideline that is easy to understand, follow, and filled with customization opportunities.

Selling Contemporary Art
Edward Winkleman
Allworth Press
c/o Skyhorse Publishing, Inc.
307 West 36th Street, 11th Floor, New York, NY 10018
www.skyhorsepublishing.com
9781621535577 $19.99 amazon.com

Selling Contemporary Art: How to Navigate the Evolving Market lives up to its title as a modern business guide especially from the perspective of art dealers. Author and gallery owner Edward Winkleman covers aspects of the practice that have changed dramatically in recent years, including the rise of the art fair and the "mega gallery", the competitive online market for art, how art dealers can be art fair organizers, business models for art dealing in an increasingly post brick-and-mortar world, and much more. Selling Contemporary Art is an absolute "must-read" not only for any merchant in the art business, but also for modern artists looking to successfully sell their own work!


The Agriculture Shelf

Temple Grandin's Guide to Working with Farm Animals
Temple Grandin
Storey Publishing
210 Mass MoCA Way, North Adams, MA 01247
www.storey.com
9781612127606, $29.95, HC, 192pp, www.amazon.com

Mary Temple Grandin (born August 29, 1947) is an American professor of animal science at Colorado State University, consultant to the livestock industry on animal behavior, and autism spokesperson. She is one of the first individuals on the autism spectrum to publicly share insights from her personal experience of autism. She invented the "hug box" device to calm those on the autism spectrum. She is also an award-winning author who is famous for her groundbreaking approach to decoding animal behavior. Now in the pages of "Temple Grandin's Guide to Working with Farm Animals: Safe, Humane Livestock Handling Practices for the Small Farm", she extends her expert guidance to small-scale farming operations. Grandin's fascinating explanations of how herd animals think (describing their senses, fears, instincts, and memories) and how to analyze their behavior, will help you handle your livestock more safely and effectively. You'll learn to become a skilled observer of animal movement and behavior, and detailed illustrations will help you set up simple and efficient facilities for managing a small herd of 3 to 25 cattle or pigs, or 5 to 100 goats or sheep. Profusely illustrated throughout, "Temple Grandin's Guide to Working with Farm Animals" is impressively well organized and presented, making it unreservedly recommended for community and academic library Agricultural Studies collections in general, and Animal Husbandry supplemental studies reading lists in particular. For the personal reading lists of students and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject it should be noted that "Temple Grandin's Guide to Working with Farm Animals" is also available in a paperback edition (9781612127446, $19.95) and in an eTextBook format ($9.99).

Farmland Preservation, second edition
Edited by Wayne J. Caldwell, Stew Hilts, and Bronwynne Wilton
University of Manitoba Press
301 St. John's College, Winnipeg, MB, Canada, R3T 2M5
www.uofmpress.ca
9780887558207 $27.95 pbk / $25.00 Kindle amazon.com

Now in an updated second edition, Farmland Preservation: Land for Future Generations is an anthology of scholarly essays by learned authors discussing the problem of securing and protecting sufficient land for food production in the United States and Canada, despite uncertainties in climate, energy availability, and population growth. Individual writings include "The Farmland Preservation Program in British Columbia", "Farmland Preservation Policies in the United States", "Planning for the Future of Agriculture", and much more. A vital address to a timely problem, Farmland Preservation is especially recommended for public and college library Agricultural Studies shelves.


The Political Science Shelf

Hegemony How-To
Jonathan Matthew Smucker
AK Press
370 Ryan Avenue, #100, Chico, CA 95973
www.akpress.org
9781849352543, $16.95, PB, 290pp, www.amazon.com

Jonathan Smucker has worked as an organizer, consultant, and trainer for two decades within a breadth of organizations and social movements. He is co-founder of Beyond the Choir, an organization providing strategic support and organizational development to social justice organizations. In "Hegemony How-To: A Roadmap for Radicals" he has written a practical instructional guide to political struggle for a generation that is deeply ambivalent about questions of power, leadership, and strategy. Hopeful about the potential of today's burgeoning movements, long-time grassroots organizer Smucker nonetheless pulls no punches when confronting their internal dysfunction. Drawing from personal experience, he provides deep theoretical insight into the all-too-familiar radical tendency toward self-defeating insularity and paralyzing purism. At the same time, he offers tools to bridge the divide between anti-authoritarian values and hegemonic strategies, tools that might just help today's movements to navigate their obstacles -- and change the world. Given the social and political climate of our country today, "Hegemony How-To: A Roadmap for Radicals" is a critically important and unreservedly recommended addition to community and academic library Political Science collections. For the personal reading lists of political activists and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject it should be noted that "Hegemony How-To: A Roadmap for Radicals" is also available in a Kindle format ($8.79).


The Jobs/Career Shelf

Skills for a Scientific Life
John R. Helliwell
CRC Press
6000 NW Broken Sound Parkway NW, Suite 300, Boca Raton, FL 33487
www.crcpress.com
9781498768757, $49.95, HC, 215pp, www.amazon.com

Being, or wanting to become, a scientist requires academic training in the science subjects. To succeed as a research scientist and educator requires specific as well as general skills. "Skills for a Scientific Life" by John R. Helliwell (Emeritus Professor of Structural Chemistry, University of Manchester) provides insight into how to be successful in science and/or education. An instructional career manual specifically designed and intended for potential entrants, early career and mid-career scientists for a wide range of science disciplines, "Skills for a Scientific Life" address a wide range of thematically relevant issues including How to Publish One's Results; How to Coexist with Competitors; How to Chair Meetings; How to be a Good Mentor; How Do You Know If You Really Want to Be Head of a Department; How to Retain Your Own Peace of Mind - The Ethical Aspects. Enhanced with the inclusion of eleven Appendices, a three page Bibliography, a two page Name Index, and a four page Subject index, "Skills for a Scientific Life" is impressively comprehensive and exceptionally 'reader friendly' in organization and presentation. Practical, insightful, informed and informative, "Skills for a Scientific Life" is a unique and highly recommended addition to personal, professional, community, and academic library collection. It should be noted for students and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "Skills for a Scientific Life" is also available in a Kindle format ($39.46).


The Parenting Shelf

Positive Parenting 101
James A. (Jim) Baker
Bayou Publishing
2524 Nottingham, Houston, TX 77005-1412
www.bayoupublishing.com
9781886298354, $24.95, PB, 102pp, www.amazon.com

"Positive Parenting 101" by Jim Baker (one of America's forerunners in the field of corporate training who has received national and international acclaim for his worldwide training seminars specializing in conflict resolution, negotiation, and anger management) is a step-by-step resource guide written at basic high school reading level specifically for divorcing parents who want to anticipate the needs of their children during the trauma of divorce. "Positive Parenting 101", along with its companion online course, fulfills the parent education requirement now mandated by most family courts for divorcing families in the U.S. and Canada. With this easy-to-read book in their hands, parents will develop collaborative strategies for interacting with a divorcing spouse; select the most effective parenting style for addressing needs of children as they develop over time; and learn effective ways to help kids manage feelings--both during and after divorce. Exceptionally 'user friendly' in organization and presentation, "Positive Parenting 101" is an ideal workbook for couples counseling and a highly recommended addition to personal, professional, community, and academic library Parental Counseling collections and supplemental studies reading lists. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "Positive Parenting 101" is also available in a Kindle format ($9.99).


The Library Science Shelf

The Special Collections Handbook, second edition
Alison Cullingford
Facet Publishing
www.facetpublishing.co.uk
9781783301263, $85.00, PB, 336pp, www.amazon.com

Whether it is a community, academic, corporate, governmental, or private library, working with special collections can vary dramatically from preserving a single rare book to managing and digitizing vast mixed-media archives, yet the role of the information professional is always critical in tapping into the potential of these collections, protecting their legacy and bringing them to the attention of the wider public. Now in a fully updated and significantly expanded second edition, "The Special Collections Handbook" by Alison Cullingford (Special Collections Librarian at the University of Bradford, UK, where she is responsible for over 100 collections of modern archives and rare books) offers up-to-date guidance which pulls together insights from best practice across the heritage sector to build innovative, co-operative and questioning mind-sets that will help them to cope in turbulent times. "The Special Collections Handbook" covers all aspects of special collections work: preservation, developing collections, understanding objects, emergency planning, security, legal and ethical concerns, cataloguing, digitization, marketing, outreach, teaching, impact, advocacy and fundraising. This new second edition includes: coverage of new standards and concepts including unique and distinctive collections (UDCs), The Leeds Typology, Archive Accreditation, PD 5454:2012 and PAS 197; discussion of the major changes to laws affecting special collections including UK copyright law relating to library/archive exception and orphan works and forthcoming changes to data protection in the EU; exploration of new trends in research including the rise of digital humanities, open access, the impact agenda and the REF; updates to the sections on marketing, audience development and fundraising to include social media, customer journey mapping and crowdsourcing and more; and consideration of impact and indicators, digitization and new skills frameworks from CILIP and RBMS. Simply stated, is thoroughly 'user friendly' in organization and presentation, making it certain that all libraries and library systems should have a copy of "The Special Collections Handbook" in their professional instructional reference collections.

Collaborating with Strangers
Bess G. de Farber, April Hines, Barbara J. Hood
Neal-Shuman Publishers
c/o American Library Association
50 East Huron Street, Chicago, IL 60611
www.alastore.ala.org
9780838915424, $55.00, PB, 160pp, www.amazon.com

Community and academic libraries have always connected patrons and students to resources and information. "Collaborating with Strangers: Facilitating Workshops in Libraries, Classes, and Nonprofits" is an impressively organized and presented resource that shows how, through successful group collaboration, organizations can extend that connection to include the talents and assets of community members. The foundation of "Collaborating with Strangers" is the understanding that it is interaction with strangers that cultivates creativity and provides opportunities for joining forces to achieve great ends. However most people tend to avoid talking or working with people they do not know, whether in the library, a classroom, or in academic and nonprofit settings. And to do so is to short-circuit much of the creative potential that is so necessary for innovation, and that organizational stakeholders crave. To resolve this common failing, CoLAB. Developed and presented by Bess de Farber at workshops across the country, and used by the three collaborative authors of "Collaborating with Strangers" to successfully spur faculty-librarian collaboration at the University of Florida, and showcase the power of face-to-face conversations. Leading readers through a unique framework that breaks down barriers to collaboration while also kindling long-lasting enthusiasm, "Collaborating with Strangers" is a thoroughly 'user friendly' manual that includes: Testimonials from workshop participants that demonstrate the benefits of a Collaborating with Strangers workshop; Step by step guidance on every aspect of organizing and presenting a CoLAB workshop; Helpful photographs and diagrams that show prep and workshops in action; Ready to use surveys for assessment before and after the workshop; Grant proposal development techniques for bringing two or more organizations together on a project; Pointers on how to adapt the workshop for ice-breakers, conference programs, or classrooms; Samples of workshop promotion pieces that can be adapted as needed. Nicely illustrated throughout, "Collaborating with Strangers" is an excellent do-it-yourself manual for librarians and especially recommended for community and academic library Librarian Education instructional and in-service training collections.


The Psychology Shelf

The Psychology of Juries
Margaret Bull Kovera, editor
American Psychological Association
750 First Street, NE, Washington, DC 20002-4242
www.apa.org/books
9781433827044, $69.95, HC, 309pp, www.amazon.com

In American law, juries have a tremendous amount of power and responsibility. They determine the outcomes of trials, including whether a defendant is found guilty or not guilty and, in many cases, what the penalty will be. With the authority to deprive citizens of their freedom and potentially their lives, a fair trial requires that juries function as they should -- without bias. But do they function this way? Are juries capable of disregarding inadmissible evidence? Can they understand the instructions that they are given by the judge? And if not, what safeguards or changes would help? Research on juries once served as a pillar of psychological scholarship, but publication of such research has slowed considerably in recent years. In an attempt to reinvigorate scholarship on this important topic, "The Psychology of Juries" summarizes what is known about the psychology of juries and makes a strong call to arms for more research. Esteemed jury scholars identify important, yet understudied, topics at the intersection of psychology and law, review what research is currently available on the topics, and then suggest new research questions that would advance the field. Furthermore, the authors evaluate the relative importance of research methods that emphasize generalizability versus tight experimental control. Collectively, the chapters present a comprehensive survey of the literature on jury behavior and decision making and offer a robust agenda to keep researchers busy in years to come. Compiled and edited by Margaret Bull Kovera (Presidential Scholar and professor of psychology at John Jay College of Criminal Justice, City University of New York) is comprised of eleven major contributions by professional experts in this field that is further enhanced by the inclusion of an introductory overview by Professor Kovera; an informative conclusion (The Future of Jury Research) by Professor Kovera; and a ten page Index. A seminal and informative work of impressive scholarship, "The Psychology of Juries" should be considered an essential and core addition to professional, law firm, college, and university library Psychology collections in general, and Judicial and Juristic supplemental studies reading lists in particular.


The Language Studies Shelf

Latin For The New Millennium: Volumes 1 & 2
Milena Minkova & Terence Tunberg
Bolchazy-Carducci Publishers
1570 Baskin Road, Mundelein, IL 60060
www.bolchazy.com
Level One: 9780865168077, $75.00, HC, 456pp
Level Two: 9780865168114, $75.00, HC, 576pp

Bolchazy-Carducci Publishers is the premier publisher of Latin language studies materials. This newly updated and expanded second edition of their two volume "Latin For The New Millennium" series is the core of a two-year comprehensive introductory Latin series is specifically designed with both high school and college students in mind. This two volume textbook curriculum is complete with student texts, student workbooks, teacher's manuals, ancillaries on Roman history and mythology, and complemented by a website, test bank and generator, and student internet activities. Written by world-renowned Latinists, Milena Minkova and Terence Tunberg, and drawing on the authors specialty, this outstanding series features an oral activity in each chapter. Under the supervision of Editors LeaAnn Osburn and Elisa Denja, "Latin for the New Millennium: Volume 1 & 2" has been carefully vetted by seasoned teachers and a team of teachers who piloted the curriculum. The fusion approach to Latin is built into both levels, combining the best practices of the reading method and the traditional grammar approach with a cumulative vocabulary foundation that will ensure a smooth transition to upper-level literature courses. In both volumes, each chapter presents vocabulary found in the works of ancient Latin authors studied in both college and Advanced Placement courses. Exercises designed for oral use accompany a set of plentiful traditional exercises in each chapter. The Latin readings drawn from original Latin works span the ages from early Rome through the medieval and Renaissance periods, demonstrating the vitality and universality of the Latin literary tradition. The readings, illustrations, and inserts on Roman literature, history, mythology, and daily life seamlessly present the connection between the Latin language and its culture. Essays written by university scholars probe the connections between Roman culture and the modern world. To promote an enriched English vocabulary, each chapter features sections on derivatives, the influence of Latin vocabulary on English, and selected proverbs or common Latin sayings. The supportive "Latin for the New Millennium" website will feature a student section, a teachers-only section, the Teachers Lounge for sharing materials, networking with other teachers, posting student work, accessing a test generator. Thoroughly 'student friendly' in organization and presentation, "Latin For The New Millennium: Volumes 1 & 2" is unreservedly recommended textbooks for Latin Language curriculums. It should be noted that both volumes have their own student workbooks: "Latin for the New Millennium: Student Workbook Volume 1" (9780865168084, $22.00, PB, 165pp) and "Latin for the New Millennium: Student Workbook Volume 2 (9780865168121, $22.00, PB, 137pp).


The Native American Studies Shelf

A National Crime
John S. Milloy
University of Manitoba Press
301 St. John's College, Winnipeg, MB, Canada, R3T 2M5
www.uofmpress.ca
9780887557897 $26.95 pbk / $25.00 Kindle amazon.com

A National Crime: The Canadian Government and the Residential School System, 1879 to 1986 is both a scholarly study and a scathing revelation of the horrific side of Canada's residential school system for its Native American population. Author John Milloy draws upon previously unreleased government documents accessed during his work for the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples, and condemns the neglect and abuses of the school system (which contributed to outbreaks of potentially deadly diseases) as well as the racist governmental policies that pushed their creation. Extensive notes, a list of references, and an index round out this "must" for public and college library Canadian History and Native American Studies shelves.

The Apache Wars
Paul Andrew Hutton
Broadway Books
broadwaybooks.com
c/o Crown Publishing Group
1745 Broadway, 17th floor, New York, NY, 10036
9780770435837 $17.00 pbk / $14.99 Kindle amazon.com

The Apache Wars: The Hunt for Geronimo, the Apache Kid, and the Captive Boy Who Started the Longest War in American History lives up to its title as a thoughtful, in-depth history of the 1861 kidnapping of the boy who would one day become Mickey Free (the only man Geronimo ever feared), an event that sparked the decades-long Apache Wars. The Apache Wars would be a source of violence until 1890, when they finally ended with the once-powerful Apaches confined to reservations. Thoroughly accessible to readers of all backgrounds, The Apache Wars is a history of violence, generals, soldiers, and human legends that brings the Old West alive in the reader's mind. A handful of black-and-white photographs, notes, a bibliography, and an index round out this "must" for public library American History and Native American studies collections.


The Pets/Wildlife Shelf

Cat Tales
Aline Alexander Newman
National Geographic Press
101 West 104th Street, Suite 8, New York, NY 10025
www.nationalgeographic.com
9781426327346 $12.99 amazon.com

Featuring full-color photography of faithful furry friends throughout, Cat Tales: True Stories of Kindness and Companionship with Kitties is a heartwarming treasure trove of amazing true stories about cats. From Simon, the battle cat who served aboard the British warship HMS Amethyst and earned the PDSA Dickin Medal; to Sable, the street cat who became a feline crossing guard; to Bagel, a cat with medical special needs who helps raise funds for charity, these noble, affectionate, and adventurous felines will win the reader's heart. Cat Tales is sure to prove a popular lending library pick, and is especially recommended for personal browsing, or as a gift to cat-cherishing friends!


The Reference Shelf

The Merck Veterinary Manual, eleventh edition
Merck Publishing
PO Box 2000 RY34-A426, Rahway, NJ 07065-0900
www.merckbooks.com
9780911910612 $65.00 amazon.com

The Merck Veterinary Manual has been a definitive reference and resource for professionals in the field for over sixty years. Its updated eleventh edition includes new and expanded material concerning public health and epidemiologic principles, aquaculture, heart disease, diagnostic imaging, pharmacology, toxicology, backyard poultry, and more information about exotic animals. Tabs and an index for ease of use enhance this exhaustive compendium. The Merck Veterinary Manual is an in-depth "must have" for practicing veterinarians, and highly recommended for college and university collections.


The Social Issues Shelf

Gentrifier
John Joe Schlichtman, Jason Patch, and Marc Lamont Hill
University of Toronto Press
10 St. Mary Street, Suite 700, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, M4Y 2W8
www.utppublishing.com
9781442650459 $29.95 hc / $19.00 Kindle amazon.com

"Gentrification" is the process by which an influx of wealthy or middle-class new residents drives up local property values, often displacing poor or working-class communities that cannot afford to pay increasing rents and property taxes. It can also involve the forcible demolition and redevelopment of urban residences. Gentrifier directly addresses this hot-button topic with scholarly depth and precision, exploring the political, social, economic, and especially the ethical ramifications of urban gentrification. Authors John Joe Schlichtman, Jason Patch, and Marc Lamont Hill incorporate personal testimonies of themselves as self-identified gentrifiers, as well as the fruits of their studies concerning the issue. Gentrifier seeks to transparently present why impoverished communities, particularly ones that happen to be primarily African-American, may rightfully perceive gentrification as a threat. Gentrifier also decries injustices inherent in the system, particularly the tendency for public goods and amenities (from the use of sports playing fields to basic water quality) to be over-commoditized, placing an unfair burden on the poorest residents with the least disposable income to spend on things that previously shared as common resources. (Not every family can afford $125 to reserve a soccer field for their children!) Gentrifier seeks to promote a balanced perspective on a contentious topic, looking past rhetoric on both sides to examine both potential positives and negatives of gentrification, and is a "must-read" highly recommended especially for public and college library Social Issues collections.


The Sports Shelf

Running Flow
Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, et.al.
Human Kinetics Publishers, Inc.
PO Box 5076, Champaign, IL 61820-5076
www.HumanKinetics.com
9781492535720, $21.95, www.humankinetics.com

Running Flow: Mental Immersion Techniques for Better Running pairs psychology with coaching insights and a training details in a survey designed to help runner identify and improve 'flow' in their competitive efforts, and discusses the fundamentals of flow and its application. Where many running books focus on processes and strategies, this one's psychological examination uncovers many barriers that hinder effective competition and show how runners can become better performers through improved awareness techniques. The result is a training guide that stands out from the usual focus on physical endurance and deserves a place in any runner's reference collection.


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


Copyright ©2001

Site design by Williams Writing, Editing & Design