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Small Press Bookwatch

Volume 14, Number 6 June 2015 Home | SPBW Index

Table of Contents

Reviewer's Choice Writing/Publishing Shelf Health/Medicine Shelf
Business Shelf Christian Studies Shelf Fiction Shelf
Mystery/Suspense Shelf American History Shelf Photography Shelf
Biography Shelf Self-Help Shelf Parenting Shelf
Fantasy/SciFi Shelf Cookbook Shelf Travel Shelf
Military Shelf    


Reviewer's Choice

Roadside Survival
Walt Brinker
CreateSpace
4900 LaCross Rd., North Charleston, SC 29406
Word Slinger Publicity
9781493786817, $14.95, 108pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: "Roadside Survival: Low-tech Solutions to Automobile Breakdowns" is a collection of practical, low-tech wisdom and advice gained from over 2,000 free-of-charge roadside assists that Walt Brinker has performed as a hobby. "Roadside Survival" is based on hands-on experience, not theory. There are two kinds of drivers: 1) those who have experienced a disabled vehicle, and 2) those who will. Two hundred million licensed motor vehicle drivers in the United States expose themselves routinely to significant risk while betting that they will not become stranded when they drive. Motorists can decrease the chances that they will have a breakdown and become stranded. Some folks learn only by experiencing inconvenience, embarrassment, and potentially serious risks. Others make the proactive choice to learn how to prevent problems and the methods to counteract them should they occur. "Roadside Survival" provides the opportunity to avoid the negatives associated with becoming stranded (including no bathroom, no water, no food, too cold, too hot, darkness, and encountering predators).

Critique: Simply stated, the glove compartment of every car should contain a copy of Walt Brinker's "Roadside Survival: Low-tech Solutions to Automobile Breakdowns". Direct, practical, exceptionally well written, organized and presented, "Roadside Survival" should be a curriculum supplement for every high school Driver's Education class. For personal reading lists it should be noted that "Roadside Survival" is also available in a Kindle edition ($5.99).

GuruNanda's Happy Breath Yoga
GuruNanda
Healthland LLC
602 North Canon Drive, Beverly Hills, CA 90210
www.healthlandllc.com
Light Years Ahead
9780986138409, $14.99, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: Are you an ever-striving entrepreneur? A multi-tasking stay-at-home mom or dad? A college student studying hard while working to pay off student loans? Or are you a freelance creative meeting rapid-fire deadlines? Today, anyone who is valiantly trying to reach goals in our harried and high-pressure world is a Wall Street personality! In fact, most of us are Wall Street Personalities. Stress has become the norm. We've basically forgotten how to breathe! "GuruNanda's Happy Breath Yoga: Wall Street Yoga" invites you to experience the scientifically proven benefits of yoga, yogic breathing and meditation in just 14 minutes a day! You can choose from easy-to-follow, efficient and effective routines that address the key challenges plaguing Wall Street Personalities: depression and anxiety, sleep disorders, excess weight, back problems, potential heart disease, and even road rage! You'll also get GuruNanda's expert advice on diet, stress, relationships, productivity and creativity. Experience more joy, calmness and overall wellbeing when you simply "Move, Laugh, Breathe" with "GuruNanda's Happy Breath Yoga: Wall Street Yoga".

Critique: Exceptional and impressive from beginning to end, "GuruNanda's Happy Breath Yoga: Wall Street Yoga" is an ideal 'how to' instruction manual and guide that is specifically appropriate for the non-specialist general reader who would like to acquire the mental, spiritual, and physical health benefits of yoga. "GuruNanda's Happy Breath Yoga: Wall Street Yoga" uses the language of the entrepreneur to introduce the value of yoga for dealing with a myriad of problems that competition and the volatility of daily life will inevitably produce. Of special note is the nine page Directory of Poses and Breathing Exercises and the two page list of References. A relatively quick and easy read, "GuruNanda's Happy Breath Yoga: Wall Street Yoga" is very highly recommended for personal reading lists and would be an enduringly popular addition to community and academic library Yoga & Mediation reference collections.

Flying Hung-Over
Brian Oard
Xlibris Corporation
1663 South Liberty Drive, Bloomington, IN 47403-5161
Bohlsen Group
9781465371959, $24.99, 50pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: "Flying Hung-Over" is about-the journey home after a trip in which one is sleep deprived, a little under the weather, or just a little sensitive or irritable because they are worn-out from being away from the comforts of home for a while. "Flying Hung-Over" talks directly about some of the battles that one goes through while traveling home, from driving to the airport, checking in, boarding the plane, to the ride home, as well as the many other experiences one faces with the travel home. In the middle of flying home, the author discusses topics as big as religion, race, raising kids, and topics not so important, like luggage and male attire, as well as a few jokes here and there. But once the reader is done reading "Flying Hung-Over", they will find themselves agreeing and disagreeing with the author Brian Oard's view points. "Flying Hung-Over" will give everyone something to think about and might even make them laugh.

Critique: A quick and easy read, "Flying Hung-Over" is especially recommended for anyone who has every had to deal with airports, flying, and traffic while struggling to recover from too much the night before. A unique addition to community library collections and one that is certain to be enduringly popular, "Flying Hung-Over" for personal reading lists is also available in a paperback edition (9781465371942, $15.99) and in a Kindle format ($9.99).

Power Shift
Robert Arthur Stayton
Sandstone Publishing
PO Box 2911, Santa Cruz, CA 95063
9780990479208, $22.95, 346pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: The world is transitioning from energy to power, a change that is setting human civilization on a new course for the future. "Power Shift" describes this fundamental change in the human relationship with energy. For two hundred years human society has mined caches of fossil energy to build and run our mechanized civilization. Now we have reached the limits of fossil fuels because of their unintended consequences including climate change and ocean acidification. Our next step is not to dig up a new energy source, but instead to tap into the vast dynamic power sources that flow all around us, sources that derive their power from the Sun. Unlike fossil fuels, the Sun is a permanent source of clean power that will never run out. "Power Shift" offers breakthrough insights regarding a great transformation from static fossil energy to dynamic solar power, altering the basic relationship between humans and energy. This shift is so fundamental that it defines a new historical epoch, and looms as large as the discovery of fire, the development of agriculture, and the exploitation of fossil fuels. Today few are aware that this new epoch has already begun. "Power Shift" is a retelling the story of humans in terms of energy. It shows how energy defined our species and supported our expansive takeover of Planet Earth. It clearly outlines our current energy dilemma, and the way forward.

Critique: Exceptionally well written, organized and presented, "Power Shift" by Robert Arthur Stayton (who has a masters degree in physics and has taught college courses in physics, energy, and solar energy at the University of California Santa Cruz and Cabrillo College, as well as actively participating in community energy activities) is very highly recommended for both community and academic library collections. It is especially commended to the attention of non-specialist general readers with an interest in alternative energy issues and the inevitable transition form petroleum based energy to non-fossil fuel resources. it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Power Shift" is also available in a Kindle edition ($15.99).


The Writing/Publishing Shelf

Gender Bias in Mystery and Romance Novel Publishing
Anna Faktorovich
Anaphora Literary Press
1803 Treechills Parkway, Stone Mountain, GA 30088
http://anaphoraliterary.com
9781511888905, $20.00, 298pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: "Gender Bias in Mystery and Romance Novel Publishing: Mimicking Masculinity and Femininity" by Anna Faktorovich (Director and Founder of the Anaphora Literary Press) examines gender bias from the perspective of readers, writers and publishers, with a focus on the top two best-selling genres in modern fiction. It is a linguistic, literary stylistic, and structurally formalist analysis of the male and female "sentences" in the genres that have the greatest gender divide: romances and mysteries. The analysis will search for the historical roots that solidified what many think of today as a "natural" division. Virginia Woolf called it the fabricated "feminine sentence," and other linguists have also identified clear sex-preferential differences in Anglo-American, Swedish and French novels. Do female mystery writers adopt a masculine voice when they write mysteries? Are female-penned mysteries structurally or linguistically different from their male competitors', and vice versa among male romance writers? The first part can be used as a textbook for gender stylistics, as it provides an in-depth review of prior research. The second part is an analysis of the results of a survey on readers' perception of gender in passages from literature. The last part is a linguistic and structural analysis of actual statistical differences between the novels in the two genres, considering the impact of the author's gender.

Critique: Informed and informative, thoughtful and thought-provoking, "Gender Bias in Mystery and Romance Novel Publishing" is an inherently fascinating read which is strongly recommended to the attention of literary scholars and romance novel enthusiasts alike. Enhanced with the inclusion of a four page Glossary, a seven page listing of Works Cited, a seven page Index, and an eight page Appendix (Gender and Genre Survey), "Gender Bias in Mystery and Romance Novel Publishing" will prove of considerable interest to authors of romance fiction. "Gender Bias in Mystery and Romance Novel Publishing" is especially and highly recommended for academic library Literary Studies reference collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "Gender Bias in Mystery and Romance Novel Publishing" is available in a Kindle edition ($2.99).


The Health/Medicine Shelf

Things I Wish I'd Known: Cancer and Kids
Deborah J. Cornwall
Bardolf & Company
5430 Colewood Place, Sarasota, FL 34232
www.thingsiwishidknown.com
www.bardolfandcompany.com
The Cadence Group
9781938842221, $7.95, 60pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: "Things I Wish I'd Known: Cancer and Kids" was written specifically for cancer caregivers who are responsible for helping children understand what a cancer diagnosis means for a loved one or for themselves. The cancer experience shakes most caregivers to their core. It is even more compelling and poignant when it involves children. Thousands of families each year face this shocking reality. Based on interviews with caregivers who have first-hand knowledge, "Things I Wish I'd Known: Cancer and Kids" is intended to help anyone facing a cancer diagnosis affecting a child, either as the patient or as a member of a family. It offers advice and cites resources to help discuss cancer with children of different ages, manage the impact of the disease on their daily lives, navigate treatment for kids with cancer, and deal with children's grief in the event of a death in the family. In short and direct language, it offers guidance and resources (both references and internet links) for communicating and taking action in five areas: Sharing the News about Cancer; Managing the Impact of a Cancer Diagnosis for Children; When the Child is the Cancer Patient; Handling the Death of a Parent or Sibling; Other Resources for Caregivers Concerned About Cancer and Children. The references provided are comprehensive and will save time and energy navigating through a challenging situation.

Critique: A quick and informative read, "Things I Wish I'd Known: Cancer and Kids" is impressively well written, organized and presented. An invaluable and instructive reference, "Things I Wish I'd Known: Cancer and Kids" is very highly recommended reading for parents and caregivers of children having to deal with medical and emotional impact of cancer. It should be noted that "Things I Wish I'd Known: Cancer and Kids" is also available in a Kindle edition ($4.99).


The Business Shelf

Dream With Your Eyes Open
Ronnie Screwvala
Rupa Publications
7 / 16 Ansari Road, Daryananj, New Deli, India, 110002
Davidson & Choy Publicity
9788129135889, $19.95, 208pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: In "Dream With Your Eyes Open: An Entrepreneurial Journey", first-generation entrepreneur and UTV-founder Ronnie Screwvala details his vast experiences and the myriad lessons learnt from more than two decades of building some successful (and some not-so-successful) businesses, bringing clarity to a quickly changing business landscape and making an impassioned case for the role of entrepreneurship in India's future. "Dream With Your Eyes Open" will demystify failure, inspire success, raise ambitions and help even the most novice of entrepreneurs to "think big:.

Critique: Exceptionally well written, organized and presented, "Dream With Your Eyes Open" is especially recommended to the attention of anyone who has every had a product or business concept or idea; are contemplating running their own business or want to improve the business venture they have been operating; considering leaving there secure but unfulfilling professional job to pursue the dream of owning their own business. Very highly recommended for community and academic library Business/Careers reference collections and supplemental studies reading lists, it should be noted that "Dream With Your Eyes Open" is also available in a Kindle edition ($15.99).

Marketing Above the Noise
Linda J. Popky
Bibliomotion
39 Harvard Street, Brookline, MA 02445
www.bibliomotion.com
Cave Henricks Communications
9781629560373, $27.95, 224pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: With all the new marketing techniques accessible to the masses, it's becoming harder and harder to stand out from the crowd. The result is more and more messages, hitting us more often in new and more intrusive ways. For customers, it's a lot of noise. Through her work with a wide range of organizations from small companies to professional service providers to Fortune 500 companies, Linda Popky has developed Dynamic Market Leverage, an approach to help cut through the clutter, stand out, and effectively build business. In "Marketing Above the Noise: Achieve Strategic Advantage with Marketing that Matters", Popky takes a contrarian approach by not focusing on social media, digital marketing, or other new tactics, and instead helping organizations understand: The critical up-front work needed to really understand customers, markets and unmet needs; The value of consistent, focused messaging; Why empowering employees to effectively represent the brand is so critical; How to thrive in an age of user-generated content and customer driven marketing; Why it's key not to confuse selling with installing. Employing the Dynamic Market Leverage Model, readers will learn how to measure marketing clout by looking at eight core marketing disciplines and five additional Leverage Factors that can help an organization focus on key aspects of their marketing function that will provide the most significant return on their marketing investment.

Critique: Drawing upon her years of marketing experience and expertise, Linda J. Popky has deftly crafted a complete course of instruction under one cover. Very highly 'user friendly' from beginning to end, "Marketing Above The Noise" is critically important reading for any entrepreneur charged with marketing any manner of service or product. Also available in a Kindle edition ($9.99), "Marketing Above The Noise" is commended for personal reading lists, as well as community, corporate, and academic library collections.

Create a Happy Business
Carol Merlo
MPowered Press
www.createahappylife.com
Word Slinger Publicity
9780981468938, $14.99, 132pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: "Create a Happy Business: How to Be a Successful SoloPreneur" is a step-by-step guide that will teach you the inner (how you think, your attitudes, and habits) and the outer skills (time management, marketing, communication, delegation, and execution) you will need in order to achieve success as a self-employed business person. The Inner Game starts with your fundamental ideology and helps you determine your vision, values, and mission and shows you how thought impacts performance. The Outer Game will teach you what to do to build your business; how to get ready by having your office and product available, get set with a sales funnel and marketing mechanism, and go with a feedback loop to effectively communicate to resolve problems and retain your customers, as well as making the best use of your time and energy. Full of practical tips and explanations, "Create a Happy Business" will bring you to a new level of success in your business.

Critique: As practical and 'user friendly' as it is informed and informative, "Create a Happy Business: How to Be a Successful SoloPreneur" will prove to be an enduringly valuable as an instructional guide and reference for anyone contemplating or initiating an entrepreneurial business in today's highly volatile and competitive economic world. Very highly recommended for both personal reading lists and community library Business Management collections, it should be noted that "Create a Happy Business: How to Be a Successful SoloPreneur" is also available in a Kindle edition ($3.99) and in an audio book format ($6.08).


The Christian Studies Shelf

Dewdrops
Jessica L. Morris
Aperture Press LLC
201 Washington Street, Suite 533, Reading, PA 19601
www.aperturepress.net
9780991096282, $16.99, 382pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: Begin each day with renewed faith in your creator and courage to live your life to the fullest with Jessica L. Morris' charming compilation "Dewdrops", an inspired daily devotional of meditations that will cultivate faith, love, service, and healing. "Dewdrops" was written for everyone: the spiritually enlightened, those who are searching for spirituality, those simply needing answers to life's many complexities, those recovering from addictions or abuse, those contemplating suicide, or those who are just seeking a way to enrich their lives. "Dewdrops" is a personal collection of powerful God-inspired messages from one woman who, through her faith, overcame addiction, abuse, and a close call with suicide. "Dewdrops" continues to enrich her life as she practices each day enhancing her own spiritual journey. Wake up each morning and experience the peace that Jessica Morris and her readers enjoy every day. A day filled with purpose is a day filled with joy!

Critique: Ideal for daily meditations, "Dewdrops" is a book of enduring value for inspiration, reflection, and support. This is one to be browsed through and sampled again, and again, and again. It should be noted for that "Dewdrops" is also available in a Kindle edition ($4.99).


The Fiction Shelf

The Girl in the Photo
Wally Wood
CreateSpace
4900 LaCross Rd., North Charleston, SC 29406
www.woodwriters.com
9781491230237, $13.95, 358pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: "The Girl in the Photo" by Wally Wood is a compelling novel about love and longing, regret and renewal. David and Abbie are a brother and sister who discover a surprising secret after the death of their father in the form of a photo of a young woman who was his lover decades before and half a world away. Even as they mourn their father, an eminent surgeon, David and Abbie question what they thought they knew about his life (and theirs) as they struggle with conflicting memories, unexpected emotions, and new possibilities.

Critique: A deftly crafted work of literary fiction, "The Girl in the Photo" is an inherently fascinating and deftly crafted read from beginning to end. Strongly recommended for community library General Fiction collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "The Girl in the Photo" is also available in a Kindle edition ($2.99).

The Cockney Lad and Jim Crow
John Sharer
Wompetias Press
c/o Pedernales Publishing, LLC.
PO Box 1503, Johnson City, TX 78636
www.pedernalespublishing.com
Ballantines PR
9780996114288, $24.99, 436pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: In November 1950 seventeen year old Peter Mason decides to 'look around' America and sails, steerage, on the French Line Liberte. He has survived the German blitz on London, but has lost his mother. His father, returning from service in the British army has long since deserted the family. He spends several days in New York, then drifts down to Jackson, Mississippi. What he finds there he will never forget, and it will irrevocably alter the course of his life.

Critique: Author John Sharer is an especially gifted novelist who can engage the reader's full and informed attention through a deftly crafted story that is an accurate portrayal of the antebellum south's brutal segregation and murderous oppression of African-Americans. Here's just a sample: "The boy watched in horror as one of the robed and hooded men pushed the Negro off the stool. A second man kicked the stool away. The Negro's body jerked. It swung back and forth and then it was still. The only sounds heard at that moment were the rustling of leaves in nearby magnolia trees and the boy's muted sobs. He knew that what had happened was his fault, and he would live with the scars until he died." "The Cockney Lad and Jim Crow" is a compelling read from beginning to end and one that will linger in the mind long after the novel is finished and set back upon the shelf. Very highly recommended for community library collections.

The Naive Guys
Harry Patz Jr.
Gondolin Advisors LLC
http://www.linkedin.com/in/harrypatz
9780990539322, $29.99, 452pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: Against the historical backdrop of New York City in the early 1990s, "The Naive Guys: A Memoir of Friendship, Love and Tech in the Early 1990s" is an hysterically funny yet poignant coming-of-age novel. Mark Amici embarks on a challenging journey through the post-college world, where he struggles to emerge from his sheltered upbringing to a life of love, friendship, and career success. Fighting through the bad economy of 1991, Mark takes an entry-level sales role at a growing tech company, Fishsoft, at the dawn of the Internet Age. Living at home with his gruff uncle, mother, and older sister, Mark pursues his aspirations with a trio of wingmen, Pete, Sally, and Kostas. His quixotic search for love, his desire to truly understand his family, and his pitfalls through corporate machinations all provide a humorous glimpse during an uneven period of life transition. Interwoven with key moments of the times, including the Bill Clinton and Rudolph Giuliani electoral victories, the first World Trade Center bombing, OJ Simpson, and New York's NBA Knicks and NHL Rangers simultaneously in their respective finals, "The Naive Guys" tells the story of one man's journey to uncover and fully understand his identity.

Critique: Exceptionally well written and an inherently fascinating read from beginning to end, "The Naive Guys: A Memoir of Friendship, Love and Tech in the Early 1990s" is an original work of absorbing and entertaining fiction that documents novelist Harry Patz Jr. as a writer of true literary merit. "The Naive Guys" is highly recommended for community library Contemporary Fiction collections. For personal reading lists it should be noted that "The Naive Guys" is also available in a paperback edition (9780990539315, $18.99) and in a Kindle format ($4.99).

Things Lost In The Fire
Katie Jennings
Sapphire Royal Publishing
www.katieajennings.com
Blue Harvest Creative Concepts
9780692333402, $12.95, 332pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: Sadie McRae grew up in the Hollywood Hills, the only daughter of two rock 'n' roll legends. When a violent assault on her life ends in a torrid scandal, fifteen-year-old Sadie escapes to the quiet forests of Lake Tahoe. Unable to resist the music in her blood, she returns to Los Angeles years later and sings under an alias. When her secret is unintentionally exposed by an old friend, journalist-turned-paparazzi Brody Odell, he'll do anything to make it up to her, including uncovering the truth about the attack from eleven years earlier. Stardom beckons and the chance at love is within her grasp, but the horrors of her past threaten to tear everything apart. As Sadie fights for the life she deserves, a dangerous stalker begins his game, determined to bring it all to an end.

Critique: A powerfully written novel of the first order, "Things Lost In The Fire" is a compelling read from beginning to end. Very highly recommended for community library General Fiction collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Things Lost In The Fire" is also available in a Kindle edition ($2.99).

The Scary Girls
J.D. Kaplan
CreateSpace
4900 LaCross Rd., North Charleston, SC 29406
Word Slinger Publicity
9781505715279, $12.99, 354pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: Male guitarist needed. Talented humans only. Ask for Forsythia. Trick is looking for a new band. So what the hell, he makes the call. Which is how he meets the Scary Girls. Mysterious, Beautiful, and otherworldly, there's something downright scary about them. But the music he makes with them is incredible. Magical. Because of them, he discovers a world within the one he knows, just left of center, hiding around the next corner. A world of magic, improbability, and impossibility. Trick changes. He senses more -- he is more. He's always felt out of place, uncomfortable in his own skin. Now, he's coming alive. But who is relentlessly and terrifyingly hunting him? Can Trick figure it out before someone gets hurt? All he can do it try. As it turns out, that's a fine place to start.

Critique: An extraordinary and original novel, "The Scary Girls" is a compelling and entertaining read from beginning to end. "The Scary Girls" is strongly recommended and certain to be an enduringly popular addition to community library collections. For personal reading lists it should be noted that "The Scary Girls" is also available in a Kindle edition ($2.99).

Survival
Mahra Casden
Lulu Publishing
3101 Hillsborough Street, Raleigh, NC 27607-5436
Bohlsen Group
9781483417936, $23.50, 242pp, www.lulu.com

Synopsis: They say she is insane, and lock her away in a sanatorium. No longer able or willing to speak, the woman relives her tormented past through writing her hidden diary, relating the salient events that brought her to this point. Born into an elite minority, her childhood tale is of vicious maltreatment at the hands of a mother obsessed with glamour and wealth. With the elite overthrown in a violent revolution, she survives the ruthless brutalities of incarceration in a prison camp, with the help of her husband-to-be. After they flee their homeland, they build a privileged life elsewhere, but much as she struggles to maintain a shaky hold on the pretense of 'normality', the birth of their son sets off an inevitable journey towards disintegration that eventually lands her in the present - institutionalized, unsafe, and unsound. This powerful and poignant narrative reveals her horrifying experiences of human cruelty, her battle to survive her past and her present, and her own shocking secrets.

Critique: Written as a first person narrative, "Survival" is a compelling read from first page to last. An accomplished writer of non-fiction, "Survival" is author Mahra Caseden's debut novel and reveals a genuine talent for deftly crafted storytelling. Recommended for community library General Fiction collections, "Survival" is also available in an ebook edition (9781483417929, $8.99).

Entrevoir
Chris Katsaropoulos
Luminis Books
1950 East Greyhound Pass, #18, PMB 280, Carmel, IN 46033
http://www.luminisbooks.com
JKS Communications
9781941311493, $26.95, 208pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: The unveiling of a new work of art by Jacob Marsteller is typically one of the most highly anticipated events in the international art scene -- but not this time. Jacob's new piece is a labyrinth of gossamer fabric perched on the peak of a mountain called Entrevoir in a remote corner of the south of France. It looks as if nobody except Jacob's teenage children and a few neighbors from the village will bother to show up at the gallery. As Jacob finishes dressing for the party, he and his wife Marya begin to argue. She warned him that moving from the vibrant art scene of New York to a tiny village in the middle of nowhere would be a fatal mistake for his career. As she turns her back to him and walks down the stairs, Jacob tells her there was a reason he had to come here to create this piece -- and that's when Jacob's whole world begins to unravel. Without realizing what is happening, he is lifted out of his body and taken to another dimension, where he becomes the watcher, the witness, and experiences lives he lived six decades ago and thousands of years ago, on other planets and as the highest forms of life. In the span of one instant and over the course of millions of years, Jacob comes to understand that he is not his body, he is not his mind, and he is not even his soul. By the end of the amazing unveiling of Jacob's true self, he will experience the greatest transfiguration any human being has ever known: the realization of the ultimate nature of human life, and of spirit itself.

Critique: A deftly crafted novel of complexity and storytelling skill, "Entrevoir" clearly documents author Chris Katsaroupoulos as a writer of considerable merit and originality. Highly recommended for community and academic library Literary Fiction collections, for personal reading lists it should be noted that "Entrevoir" is also available in a paperback edition (9781941311509, $17.00) and in a Kindle format ($6.99).

The Jewish Dog
Asher Kravitz
Penlight Publications
527 Empire Blvd., Brooklyn, NY 11225
www.penlightpublications.com
9780983868538, $19.95, 239pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: Filtering the darkest, most dramatic period of modern Jewish history through the naive, often sage, perspective of a remarkable canine, "The Jewish Dog" offers readers a view of the Holocaust as never seen before. "The Jewish Dog" follows the life and thoughts of Caleb, a contemplative dog unusually fascinated with human affairs. Born into a German-Jewish household in the mid-1930s, Caleb witnesses firsthand the rise of Nazism and the Holocaust. When events separate him from his Jewish owners, he is adopted by a Nazi family and employed by the SS as a military dog. Deeply ironic and even humorous, "The Jewish Dog" presents political commentary on humanity and degradation, as Caleb's philosophical musings explore loyalty, identity, and the fine line that separates humanity from animals.

Critique: A finely crafted and entertaining novel that is remarkably thoughtful and thought-provoking. Unique and unusual, entertaining and absorbing, "The Jewish Dog" is one of those novels that will linger in the mind and memory long after the book is finished and set back upon the shelf. "The Jewish Dog" is very highly recommended for personal reading lists, as well as community and academic library Literary Fiction collections.

Shadows of Us
Sylvia C. Stowers
Archway Publishing
1663 Liberty Drive, Bloomington, IN 47403-5161
www.archwaypublishing.com
Bohlsen Group
9781480812437, $30.95, 150pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: It is 1969 as Eileen Emerson points her car toward the California border. Eileen, who has always embraced her gift to see things not apparent to others, is used to keeping her abilities a secret. But thanks to a devoted mentor, Eileen is now heading toward a new job and beginning in San Diego. Nothing can stop her from achieving all she desires-or so she thinks. David Hearst has just been discharged after serving in Vietnam. Unfortunately, killing has changed him-and left him without much of a conscience at all. Now the caretaker of a multimillion dollar banking industry, his new hardened frame of mind guides him to guard a secret with consequences. Carl Baker is a talented and charming baseball player who has managed to keep his biggest secret from the public and his wife, Susan, a lawyer whose lust for life is only surpassed by her lust for love and acceptance. Alan Radcliff is a therapist who holds all secrets from those whose lives are steeped in triumphs and tragedies, sex and scandals, and betrayal and heartache. "Shadows of Us" is a compelling tale, several individuals caught up in money and power attempt to rise above their challenges during a time of change in America, only to be undermined by a waterfall of secrets.

Critique: The first volume of a forthcoming trilogy by author Sylvia C. Stowers, "Shadows of Us" is a deftly crafted, compelling and entertaining novel from beginning to end. Very highly recommended for community library collections, it should be noted that "Shadows of Us" is also available in a paperback edition (9781480812451, $12.99) and in a Kindle format ($4.99).

The Seventh Holy Man
William Brazzel
Xlibris Corporation
1663 South Liberty Drive, Bloomington, IN 47403-5161
www.xlibris.com
Bohlsen Group
9781499011791, $29.99, 116pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: The Vatican has been overrun, and many people have been murdered by Swiss Guards in St. Peter's Square. Attempting to understand the cause of this unbelievable event, Sean Carrol, an investigative reporter for the New York International News, undertakes the responsibility of investigating the circumstances surrounding this tragedy. He is challenged as he attempts to understand the link between the ancient kingdom of Malar and the current-day events taking place in the Vatican. As the hierarchy within the Vatican takes extreme steps to complete a plan of secularizing the Catholic Church, many strange occurrences arise. Sean is perplexed as he attempts to secure clues that will answer the additional unexplained questions that have emerged during his investigation. The involvement of some high-ranking officials within the Vatican raises more suspicion about the seriousness of the activities taking place within the church. Several deaths have been attributed to the progress of Sean Carrol's investigation and the potential threats to those in the Vatican hierarchy. With the potential destruction of the Catholic Church at hand, there must be a revival of the seven holy men who represent the Seven Spirits of God. They provide the only means of protecting the church. In reality, even with their intervention, there is no guarantee that the church will be preserved.

Critique: A riveting novel from first page to last, "The Seventh Holy Man" is an original and entertaining novel that establishes author William Brazzel as an impressive storyteller who will leave his readers looking eagerly toward his next literary venture. Very highly recommended for community library fiction collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "The Seventh Holy Man" is also available in a paperback edition (9781499011814, $19.99) and in a Kindle format ($3.99).

Condos & Condoms
Evam Alexander
Archway Publishing
1663 Liberty Drive, Bloomington, IN 47403-5161
Bohlsen Group
9781480814219, $28.95, 108pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: "Condos & Condoms" is an anthology of short stories by Evam Alexander that are both poignant and amusing. These are engaging tales that cleverly place diverse characters in front of everyday challenges that test their emotions, fortitude, and character. Tommy believes he is doing his best his own way. But what no one knows is that he is battling many personal demons. Vicky, a beautiful and talented singer, is about to realize the consequences of placing her trust in the wrong person. "Condos & Condoms" is a collection of short stories that celebrates life, friendship, heartache, and joy through a cast of characters who just want to find their way in a challenging world.

Critique: "Condos & Condoms" showcases a genuine literary talent for original storytelling by author Evam Alexander. Solidly entertaining, "Condos & Condoms" is recommended for community and academic library Literary Fiction collections. For personal reading lists it should be noted that "Condos & Condoms" is also available in a paperback edition (9781480814196, $8.99) and in a Kindle format ($2.51).

Searching For Wallenberg
Alan Lelchuk
Mandel Vilar Press
19 Oxford Court, Simsbury, CT 06070
www.mvpress.org
Over the River Public Relations
9781942134039, $26.95, 288pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: After reading a graduate student's thesis about the fate of Raoul Wallenberg, the Swedish diplomat who saved thousands of Jews in Budapest from 1944 to 1945, Professor Manny Gellerman (part-time detective, historian, and novelist) follows the twists and turns along unorthodox paths and uncovers some uncomfortable truths that may explain what happened when Wallenberg was arrested by the Soviets in 1945, taken to Moscow, and left to fester in a Lybianka prison. Now more than 65 years later, Gellerman begins un-threading these mysteries and discovers that the deepest mystery may be Wallenberg, himself. Who was the real man behind the legendary persona of noble diplomat and savior of Budapest Jews? Gellerman's quest eventually leads him to a Jewish Hungarian woman, who claims she is Raoul Wallenberg's daughter. At once a detective story and an unusual love story, "Searching For Wallenberg" is a novel within a novel and filled with multiple layers and surprising characters that all lead to a deeper understanding of this enigmatic hero.

Critique: A tour-de-force by author Alan Lelchuk, "Searching For Wallenberg" is deftly crafted and replete with distinctive characters and an impressively complex and absorbing original story. A solid entertainment from first page to last, "Searching For Wallenberg" is very highly recommended for community and academic library Literary Fiction collections. For personal reading lists it should be noted that "Searching For Wallenberg" is also available in a Kindle edition ($9.99).

My Childhood Christmas
Rootie Simms
CreateSpace
4900 LaCross Rd., North Charleston, SC 29406
Word Slinger Publicity
9781500229153, $14.95, 252pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: "My Childhood Christmas" by Rootie Simms is a nostalgic and humorous return to a forgotten America. It's Christmas1959, and ten year-old Trudy McFarlan has a lot on her plate; scrutinizing the Sears Catalog for gyp-free toys, riding roughshod over her troglodyte siblings, skirmishes with a diabolical teacher, battles with an orangutan babysitter and appeasing her best friend by pulling the prank of the century. And she has to do it all without incurring the dreaded consequence -- grounded for the holidays. Cigarette-smoking toys, radioactive chemistry sets, sledding wars, Santa pins and holiday corsages -- this is the Christmas of 1959. And this is where your childhood still lives!

Critique: An exceptionally clever and entertaining read anytime of the year, "My Childhood Christmas" is a timeless novel that showcases author Rootie Simms flair for deftly crafted stories that engage the reader's attention from beginning to end. Very highly recommended for community library General Fiction collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "My Childhood Christmas" is also available in a Kindle edition ($4.95).


The Mystery/Suspense Shelf

Rogues, Riches & Retribution
Harry Taylor
AuthorHouse UK
9781491885031, $20.49, 442pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: Toni Virenti and his twin Italian brother witness the death of their father. Family mafia elders decide that one day they will avenge their father's death. In Toni's quest for revenge, he meets and falls in love with the adopted daughter of the lawyer who killed his father. Her relationship with her father is at breaking point and, when she discovers a treacherous deed by him towards her, she makes a solemn promise that one day he will regret what he has done. Under cover of his business the lawyer administers deals for the underworld. He hires Virenti to undertake a mission with a wealthy Arab. Virenti engages in double dealing, leaving the Arab to believe the lawyer is responsible and seek revenge. Three people with one objective, one cause, choose to carry out their task on the day the lawyer hosts an elaborate garden party in the grounds of his home. Will either succeed?

Critique: Impressively well written, "Rogues, Riches & Retribution" is a riveting read from beginning to end. Characterized by deftly crafted characters and a complex, non-stop plot that grips the reader's total attention down to the very last page, "Rogues, Riches & Retribution" is highly recommended and certain to be an enduringly popular addition to community library collections. For personal reading lists it should be noted that "Rogues, Riches & Retribution" is also available in a Kindle edition ($9.99).

Murder In My Corner
Ralph J. Tuzzo
McNally Jackson Books
52 Prince Street, New York City, NY 10012
9781938022906, $14.95, 193pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: In his novel, "Murder In My Corner", Mr. Tuzzo mixes mystery, intrigue and fast-paced drama within the steamy and unsavory world of 1950's professional boxing. The main character, is loosely based on "Whitey" Micelli, a relative who is a current inductee in the Boxing Hall of Fame. With many twists and turns, reader's will find it a fast but fun

Critique: Exceptionally well written and solidly entertaining from beginning to end, author Ralph J. Tuzzo has a genuine flair for deftly created characters and an original story that will linger in the mind and memory long after the novel is finished and set back upon the shelf. "Murder In My Corner" is highly recommended for both personal reading lists and community library Mystery/Suspense collections.

The Cave
Michela Montgomery
Post Hill Press
275 Madison Avenue, 14th Floor, New York, NY 10016
http://posthillpress.com
Kelly & Hall Book Publicity
9781618689177, $16.00, 264pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: Six students from Stanford on summer break journey into The Wind Cave, one of the longest and deepest caves in North America. But what begins as a four-day excursion turns into a life-or-death battle for survival. The second day into their trip, nuclear war is launched against the United States from within the country. The geography of the cave changed with the movement of the blasts, and the group is unprepared to sacrifice what they must to escape. With their exit blocked and their food supply dwindling, they must navigate the maze of tunnels to find an alternate exit back home -- if there's still a home to return to.

Critique: "The Cave" documents author Michela Montgomery as an impressively skilled storyteller and a master of cliff-hanger suspense. A solidly entertaining, authentically original, and unrelentingly riveting novel from beginning to end, "The Cave" is highly recommended for community library collections. For personal reading lists it should be noted that "The Cave" is available in a Kindle edition ($7.99).

Flash
Donna Ball
Blue Merle Publishing
Drawer H, Mountain City, GA 30562
www.bluemerlepublishing.com
9780985774899, $16.95, 358pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: Aggie Malone is a dedicated young cop who has spent her entire life just looking for a place to call home. She never thought she'd find it in a quaint Florida village called Dogleg Island, where almost nothing ever happens -- almost... Deputy Ryan Grady is an easy going playboy who carries a surf board in the trunk of his patrol car and lives in the same rambling beach cottage his grandfather built seventy years ago. He grew up on Dogleg Island and can't imagine ever living anywhere else. It's always been the most peaceful place he has ever known -- Until... Flash is a black and white, blue eyed border collie with amazing powers of perception, recollection, and deduction. He was born to be nothing more than a pampered family pet, however, and his skills might never have been uncovered -- And then... A single night of blood and terror changed the lives of these three forever, and forged a bond between them that nothing will ever break. While each of them struggles to deal with the scars left by that night, they must also bring a killer to justice -- a killer who is also stalking them. And only Flash knows who it is.

Critique: An exceptionally entertaining and deftly crafted read for all mystery/suspense fans, "Flash" by Donna Bell is the first volume in a new and powerful new series that will leave enthusiastic readers looking eagerly toward the next title. "Flash" is certain to be an enduringly popular addition to community library Mystery/Suspense collections. For personal reading lists it should be noted that "Flash" is also available in a Kindle edition ($6.99).

Once Burned
Gerry Boyle
Islandport Press
PO Box 10, Yarmouth, ME 04096
www.islandportpress.com
9781939017604, $24.95, 368pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: There's something smoldering in the drop-dead pretty town of Sanctuary, Maine, and veteran crime reporter Jack McMorrow is back to sniff it out. For the moment, life is briefly as it should be for Jack McMorrow: He and his wife Roxanne have retreated from the stress and danger of their day jobs to raise their daughter Sophie. But when development and arson threaten the nearby town of Sanctuary, and a crazy accident brings back mistakes from Roxanne's past, Jack's nose for crime leads him into a dark and deeply twisted tale, taking the reader alongside as he hunts a killer with a long memory and a very short fuse.

Critique: "Once Burned" is the tenth and newest volume of Gerry Boyle's outstanding 'McMorrow Mystery' series. A truly riveting read from first page to last, "Once Burned" continues to document novelist Gerry Boyle as a master of the mystery/suspense genre. "Once Burned" is enthusiastically recommended for community library collections. For personal reading lists it should be noted that "Once Burned" is also available in a Kindle edition ($8.99).

Magno Girl
Joe Canzano
Happy Joe Control
www.happyjoe.net
9780990636502, $10.99, 320pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: When a Manhattan pizza maker is found dead in his own dough, Magno Girl enlists the aid of her biker ninja boyfriend to help solve the crime -- and quickly discovers there's more to the pie than meets the eye, including a sinister plot that spans the globe. Magno Girl leaps into action (after all she can fly, she can fight, and she can use her fearsome superpower, the "Gaze of the Guilt", to bring a hardened criminal to his knees) but the road ahead is hard. The city's other superheroes despise her, and the cops don't want her around, and her own mom won't stop spitting out advice about marrying a "respectable guy" and trading in her crime-fighting career for a baby carriage -- but is she attracted to "respectable guys"? And is she interested in emotional commitment? And will finding real love be her biggest challenge of all? Welcome to the world of Magno Girl, a wild and absurd place filled with humor, action, and romance.

Critique: A deftly crafted and unique story populated with memorable characters and a wealth of unexpected twists and turns, "Magno Girl" by Joe Canzano is a fun read from beginning to end. A solid entertainment that will leave Magno Girl fans looking eagerly toward novelist Joe Canzano's next foray into print, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Magno Girl" is also available in a Kindle edition ($2.99).

The Word
Hubert Crouch
Serpentine Books
www.HubertCrouch.com
JKS Communications
9780692369005, $14.99, 416pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: Lovers of legal thrillers will rejoice Hubert Crouch's new novel "The Word". This gripping, timely page-turner is about religious fanaticism, freedom of speech, courtroom intrigue, and high-stakes mystery. Ezekiel Shaw and his fanatical followers preach a gospel of hate, picketing the funerals of fallen soldiers, and praising God for sending America's soldiers back in body bags. But when they disrupt the funeral of Second Lieutenant Lauren Hanson, a West Point graduate killed by a roadside bomb in Afghanistan, hard-charging Fort Worth trial attorney Jace Forman becomes determined to put an end to their crazed crusade no matter the cost. As Jace and reporter Leah Rosen battle the odds and the clock in pursuit of justice and truth in the courts, they draw closer to uncovering a shocking conspiracy -- and facing sinister forces that will stop at nothing to keep them from revealing the truth. Blending fast-paced action with authentic courtroom drama, "The Word" will keep readers enthralled from its explosive prologue to nail-biting conclusion.

Critique: A truly riveting read from beginning to end, "The Word" is a deftly crafted thriller that will engage the reader's total attention right down to the last line of the last paragraph of the last page. "The World" is very highly recommended for community library collections. For personal reading lists it should be noted that "The World" is also available in a Kindle edition ($9.99).

Melancholy Manor
Ellie DeFarr
CreateSpace
4900 LaCross Rd., North Charleston, SC 29406
www.elliedefarr.com
9781500835460, $14.95, 310pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: Private Investigator Hera Hunter thinks it's odd when no one steps forward to identify the woman found dead behind City Hall. Then another friendless woman is gunned down on the street. "My stepbrother murdered them", Zoey Barnes cries. But everyone knows she's a little crazy. Besides, she's hated her stepbrother ever since he ran over her fiance twenty four years ago. Her cries go unheeded until their mother, Caroline Dunham, hires Hera to prove her stepson's innocence. But Caroline's a bit strange, too. She hears weeping from those who long ago were murdered in her stately home. Hera doesn't believe in mournful ghosts. But she does believe that there's a connection between these past and recent killings and that she must find it before another lonesome woman dies.

Critique: "Melancholy Manor" is a riveting read from beginning to end and wonderfully showcases the literary talents of author. "Melancholy Manor documents Ellie DeFarr as is a master of the mystery/suspense genre who will leave the fully entertained reader looking eagerly toward her next novel. Very highly recommended for community library Mystery/Suspense collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Melancholy Manor" is also available in a Kindle edition ($2.99).


The American History Shelf

Frontier Doctors and Snake Oil Peddlers
Alton Pryor
Stagecoach Publishing
5360 Campcreek Loop, Roseville, CA 95747
www.stagecoachpublishing.com
9780692390184, $14.95, 198pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: Pity the poor family whose bottle of Mrs. Winslow's Soothing Syrup patent medicine went dry. It was the standard treatment for frontier families whose babies were fussing or cutting teeth. It didn't just put the babies to sleep, Mrs. Winslow's syrup carried a whopping dose of morphine. Early doctors on the frontier were still practicing the ancient medicine of "bloodletting, purging and blistering". These accepted cures were often worse than the disease and seldom cured anything. If a patient got better it was because of the patient's stamina, not harsh treatments. Do you have tired blood? Well, let's take care of that right now. We'll just drop a half-dozen ten-penny nails into a bottle of strong vinegar. After the nails have dissolved we'll give you a teaspoon of this tonic each night before bedtime. In "Frontier Doctors and Snake Oil Peddlers: A Journal of Early Medical Procedures", author Alton Pryor also documents the good improvements in medical practices that have occurred through the years.

Critique: Featuring small black-and-white period photos, "Frontier Doctors and Snake Oil Peddlers: A Journal of Early Medical Procedures" is an inherently fascinating and informative read that will have direct appeal for the non-specialist general reader with an interest in the history and culture of America's Old West. Exceptionally well written, organized and presented, "Frontier Doctors and Snake Oil Peddlers" is highly recommended for both community and academic library American History collections. For personal reading lists it should be noted that "Frontier Doctors and Snake Oil Peddlers" is also available in a Kindle edition ($4.95).

America Invades
Christopher Kelly & Stuart Laycock
Book Publishers Network
PO Box 2256, Bothell WA, 98041
Smith Publicity
9781940598420, $29.95, 396pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: Americans have invaded nearly half the world's countries and been militarily involved with all the rest, except Andorra, Bhutan and Liechtenstein. In "America Invades: How We've Invaded or been Militarily Involved with almost Every Country on Earth", authors Christopher Kelly and Stuart Laycock take the reader on a global tour of America's military activity around the world ranging from the halls of Montezuma to the shores of Tripoli -- and everywhere in-between. Whatever your political views this is an extraordinary and often surprising story. Enhanced with the inclusion of personal photos, maps and an index, "America Invades: How We've Invaded or Been Militarily Involved with Almost Every Country on Earth" provides a perspective and approach to American history that should be brought to the attention of every U.S. citizen.

Critique: An impressive collaboration, "America Invades: How We've Invaded or been Militarily Involved with almost Every Country on Earth" is exceptionally informed and informative. An inherently fascinating read from beginning to end, "America Invades" is very highly recommended for both community and academic library American History reference collections and supplemental studies lists. For personal reading lists it should be noted that "America Invades" is also available in a Kindle edition ($9.99).


The Photography Shelf

Tsunami: Images of Resilience
Birgitte Rasine & Dan Root
Lucita Publishing
250 West El Camino Real, Suite 1313, Sunnyvale, CA 94087
www.lucita.net
9781938284205, $24.95, 112pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: The Indian Ocean tsunami of December 26, 2004, which devastated the shores of 11 countries and took the lives of over a quarter of a million people, burned through the world s consciousness for months afterwards. Just as the wave shattered everything in its path, so the stories of those who encountered it forever changed, torn apart and unraveled. The sea forced them not only to rebuild their lives, but to rewrite their stories. And so they did. They rebuilt and they rewrote. "Tsunami: Images of Resilience" offers a profoundly moving look into the unseen moments of survival, strength, and resilience among the survivors of the massive 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami. This impressive collection of rare photojournalistic images stands as testament to the extraordinary human capacity to survive the most devastating of natural disasters.

Critique: An impressive body of work, "Tsunami: Images of Resilience" is truly extraordinary and strongly recommended for community and academic library Contemporary Photography collections. For personal reading lists it should be noted that "Tsunami: Images of Resilience" is also available in a Kindle edition ($9.99).

Collier's Guide to Night Photography in the Great Outdoors
Grant Collier
Collier Publishing LLC
6898 Taft Court, Arvada, CO 80004
www.collierpublishing.com
9781935694120, $19.95, 160pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: While the night sky is an awe-inspiring spectacle, it can be difficult to capture in a photograph because it requires specialized techniques that are rarely used when shooting images during the day. In "Collier's Guide to Night Photography in the Great Outdoors", expert photographer Grant Collier provides practical and invaluable instruction on how to capture nighttime images by sharing secrets he has learned over the past 12 years. Collier deftly explains how to take photos of the Milky Way, northern lights, meteors, eclipses, lightning, and much more. Beginning by reviewing equipment and supplies that are helpful when photographing at night, Collier goes on to discusses many software programs, web sites, and mobile apps that will help aspiring photographers to plan their shots. Finally, Collier offers extensive advice on how to capture and process images at night. He goes beyond the basics and teaches how to blend multiple exposures and create huge stitched images to capture incredibly detailed photos that you never before thought possible! "Collier's Guide to Night Photography in the Great Outdoors" covers such issues as: How to photograph the Milky Way, northern lights, eclipses, meteors, lightning, air glow, lava, and more; What moon phases to shoot under; Light painting the foreground and recommended flashlights; Capturing star trails with both film and digital cameras; Creating comet-like star trails; Stitching huge images that can be printed very large; Stacking images and blending multiple exposures to increase detail; Focus stacking to increase depth of field; Using an equatorial mount (or star tracker); Enlarging star size to bring out constellations.

Critique: An extraordinary and highly 'user friendly' instruction manual, "Collier's Guide to Night Photography in the Great Outdoors" should be considered a "must read" by anyone wanting to take photographs of night sky phenomena. Impressively well organized, illustrated and presented, "Collier's Guide to Night Photography in the Great Outdoors" is certain to be an enduringly popular addition to personal, professional, community, and academic library Photography instructional reference collections.

Chasing Weather
Caryn Mirriam-Goldberg & Stephen Locks
Ice Cube Press
205 North Front Street, North Liberty, IA 52317
www.icecubepress.com
9781888160826, $25.00, 160pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: "Chasing Weather: Tornadoes, Tempests, and Thunderous Skies in Word & Image" Catches moments of stunning beauty and surprising shifts in the sky helps make the vibrant and variable world more visible to us, and shows us how to truly see where and who we are. "Chasing Weather" is an inherently fascinating volume of images and free verse commentary that merges the storm chasing photos of Stephen Locke with the poetry Caryn Mirriam-Goldberg.

Critique: Stunningly beautiful full color photography enhanced with thoughtful and thought-provoking verse make for one of those rare and unusual volumes that will linger in the mind and memory long after it is finished and set back upon the shelf. A unique book with flawless production values, "Chasing Weather: Tornadoes, Tempests, and Thunderous Skies in Word & Image" is very highly recommended for personal, community, and academic library collections.


The Biography Shelf

Last Boat to Yokohama
Nassrine Azimi & Michel Wasserman
Three Room Press
http://threeroomspress.com
Over The River Public Relations
9781941110188, $15.95, 168pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: "Last Boat to Yokohama: The Life and Legacy of Beate Sirota Gordon" tells a true story of both tragedy and grandeur in the 20th century. It recounts the life and work of Beate Sirota Gordon: the influence of her father, Leo Sirota, one of the greatest pianists of his generation; her secret work ensuring women's equality while helping to develop the post-WWII Japanese constitution -- at the age of 22; her broad influence on hundreds of Western artists such as Robert Wilson, David Byrne and Peter Sellars -- who she introduced to leading contemporary Asian music, dance, theater and visual artists through her extraordinary cross-cultural efforts. "Last Boat to Yokohama" relives Beate's drive, talent, ambition, and influence, with intimate diary excerpts from her mother, an introduction by Beate herself, and an afterword from her daughter, Nicole.

Critique: Inherently fascinating and exceptionally well written from beginning to end, "Last Boat to Yokohama: The Life and Legacy of Beate Sirota Gordon" is an impressive and highly recommended addition to community and academic library 20th Century Biography collections. For personal reading lists it should be noted that "Last Boat to Yokohama: The Life and Legacy of Beate Sirota Gordon" is also available in a Kindle edition ($10.99).

Aryan Papers
George Dynin
Archway Publishing
1663 Liberty Drive, Bloomington, IN 47403-5161
www.archwaypublishing.com
Bohlsen Group
9781480811386, $35.95, 262pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: In the early days of World War II, author George Dynin and his family escaped from Lodz, Poland, to Vilnius, Lithuania. The Soviets took his father away, and the family embarked upon a treacherous journey. In this memoir, he narrates how they survived by acquiring false documents and becoming Polish aristocrats by changing one letter in their surname. With new identities, Count Jerzy Dunin, his mother (Countess Dunin), and young sister, traveled to Horodyszcze, Belarus. Through many powerful and thought-provoking episodes, "Aryan Papers" shares stories of those harrowing days, including how George's mother became a secretary/translator to the mayor of the town, a Nazi collaborator. Mother and son joined the Polish Underground. His mother spied on the Germans and provided information to Jerzy, who passed it on to other members of the Underground, thereby sabotaging the Nazis and saving lives. With stark honesty, "Aryan Papers" describes, through the eyes of a teenage boy, the lives of his family surviving the atrocities of World War II. It captures and chronicles this period in history and what he and his people endured. It demonstrates how even the worst possible situation can be conquered with hope, determination, and action.

Critique: Exceptionally well written, organized, and presented, "Aryan Papers" is an inherently fascinating memoir and a valued contribution to the growing library of World War II literature. Strongly recommended for both community and academic library biography collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Aryan Papers" is also available in a paperback edition (9781480811379, $17.99) and a Kindle format ($5.99).

Sailor Man
Del Staecker
Hellgate Press
PO Box 3531, Ashland, OR 97520
Litrides & Associates (publicity)
334 Valleybrook Drive, Lancaster, PA 17601
www.hellgatepress.com
9781555718169, $14.95, 160pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: "Sailor Man: The Troubled Life and Times of J.P. Nunnally, U.S. Navy is the illuminating account of James Preston Nunnally, a teenager who lied about his age to enlist in the Navy, endured combat service in World War Two's Pacific Theater, and returned home. What sets "Sailor Man" apart, making it an invaluable addition to the canon of World War II, is that it also reveals the lesser known dark side -- the psychological trauma so many of these brave young men experienced as a result of their repeated encounters with the horror of war and what we now recognized and call Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.

Critique: An inherently fascinating, descriptively candid, and impressively well written biography, "Sailor Man: The Troubled Life and Times of J.P. Nunnally" is strongly recommended for anyone with an interest in the impact if war upon the young men who are called upon to wage it. "Sailor Man" is a critically important and strongly recommended addition to community and academic library American Biography and Military History collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "Sailor Man" is also available in a Kindle edition ($4.99).

Living Large: Wilna Hervey and Nan Mason
Joseph P. Eckhardt
WoodstockArts
PO Box 1342, Woodstock, NY 12498
www.woodstockarts.com
9780967926889, $39.50, 200pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: "Living Large: Wilna Hervey and Nan Mason", by noted silent film historian Joseph P. Eckhardt, is by turns a rollicking dual biography and a sweet love story. Wilna Hervey a six-foot-three-inch, three-hundred-pound heiress won the role of "The Powerful Katrinka" in the Toonerville Trolley comedies of the early nineteen-twenties through her impressive size. Her evocation of Katrinka was so successful that it became a permanent part of her identity. Wilna's movie work brought her something else that would long endure a partner for life. While filming on location in the Philadelphia suburbs, Wilna Hervey met Nan Mason, the surprisingly tall daughter of her Toonerville co-star, Dan Mason. Wilna and Nan became close friends and ultimately life partners.

They discovered that they had a mutual passion for art. So when Wilna's cinema work began to wane, she and Nan decided to pursue careers as artists in the famed artists' colony at Woodstock, New York. As artists, Wilna Hervey and Nan Mason evolved into accomplished and imaginative talents, exploring a wide variety of genres over the course of their long careers. As a same-sex couple, living in one of the few American communities where they could comfortably be themselves, the "Big Girls," as they were known locally, carved out extraordinarily creative lives for themselves. Uninterested in defining themselves except as artists, they lived a free and joyous existence, fully participating in the life of their community. They hosted some of the wildest parties ever seen in the Catskills, and frequently used their legendary "full moon" soirees to raise money for local causes such as the Woodstock Library and the children's health center.

An irrepressible enthusiasm permeated everything that Wilna and Nan did, whether it was building a real estate empire, trying their luck as farmers, painting houses or entertaining bar patrons with medleys of quaint old songs. Their many friends included a number of noteworthy figures in twentieth-century American arts and letters: film director Frank Capra; photographer Edward Weston; portrait artist Eugene Speicher; the Whitney Museum's Juliana Force; painters Henry Lee McFee, William Pachner and Charles Rosen; and legendary children's book illustrators Maud and Miska Petersham. Wilna Hervey and Nan Mason were inseparable for the better part of six decades. Their unfailing devotion to each other was respected, even admired, by their friends. Their enduring

Critique: Exceptionally well written and profusely illustrated throughout, "Living Large: Wilna Hervey and Nan Mason" is an inherently fascinating read and would make an important addition to academic library American Biography collections.

Wife of the Deceased
Dawn M. Bell
Privately Published
9780990643814, $12.00, 264pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: "Wife of the Deceased" is a personal memoir by Dawn M. Bell that spans the three years following the tragic and unexpected death of her husband, Matthew Bell, at thirty-eight years of age. The content is drawn from my journal entries depicting every aspect of Dawn's journey through the grieving process. This account of the physical, mental, and emotional effects of grief she experienced following his death is raw and uncensored.

Critique: Candid, revealing, and an inherently fascinating read, "Wife of the Deceased" is an intensely personal story that is replayed by hundreds of newly widowed women every day. Very highly recommended for community library collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Wife of the Deceased" is also available in a Kindle edition ($9.99).


The Self-Help Shelf

Missing Links
Daniel Petra
LingoVision Inc
9780615748290, $15.95, 300pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: In "Missing Links: Practical and Surprisingly Effective Tools for Self-Transformation ... and Behavior Modification" author Daniel Petra reveals the 'links' we need in order to be truly authentic, happy, creative and whole human beings -- and how not having (or missing) those links leaves us short of the kind of person and the kind of life we aspiring to being and to having. "Missing Links" provides us with practical and surprisingly effective tools for self-transformation and behavior modification in all aspects of our lives. "Missing Links" will enable you like to overcome any bad habits and with surprisingly little effort. Help us to help anyone else who needs to overcome a self-defeating behavior. Deal with relationships and avoid 'post-bad' relationship syndrome. Come to understand want to do with the rest of our life. "Missing Links" shows how to incorporate the "Tools" and the processes for self-transformation into a very busy daily life, by taking painless "Baby Steps" and in thin "Salami Slices" of time -- and more!

Critique: Impressively well written, organized and presented, "Missing Links: Practical and Surprisingly Effective Tools for Self-Transformation ... and Behavior Modification" is practical, sensible, rational, and thoroughly 'user friendly' from beginning to end. As informed and informative as it is thoughtful and thought-provoking, "Missing Links" is very highly recommended for community library Self-Help/Self-Improvement instructional reference collections. For personal reading lists it should be noted that "Missing Link" is also available in a Kindle edition ($9.99).

Are You Empowered??? -- The Basics
Cynthia Lynn
Daccord Press
www.daccordpress.com
9780989053648, $7.50, 164pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: "Are You Empowered??? -- The Basics" by Cynthia Lynn offers a unique self-help, the motivational approach of "small victories" against predator business and service providers that leads toward the improved management of your income for lifestyle changes + a chance to kick back to enjoy life, and to make possible what was once impossible, but how? Becoming empowered to live a better life starts with not being cheated and employing the self-help everyone needs to make changes that lead to making possible what once seemed impossible. Readers will learn how the managing of income leads to more: financial well being plus.

Critique: Exceptionally well written, organized and presented, "Are You Empowered??? -- The Basics" is practical, candid, informed and informative. Especially accessible and recommended for non-specialist general readers seeking to improve the quality of their lives and life experiences, as well as community library Self-Help/Self-Improvement collections.

Educate Your Brain
Kathy Brown
Balance Point Publishers
4915 East Pinchot Avenue, Phoenix, AZ 85018
www.balancepointpublishing.com
9781938550003, $21.95, 256pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: In "Educate Your Brain: Use Mind-Body Balance to Learn Faster, Work Smarter and Move More Easily Through Life", Kathy Brown (a Licensed Brain Gym Instructor/Consultant since 1998, and for 23 years a classroom K-6 educator) explains how the mind-body system has an innate intelligence that is ready and waiting to be tapped. By following its lead and utilizing a few simple movements from the innovative Brain Gym program, we can resolve even longstanding blocks to learning and achievement. The unique Brain Gym system can help you experience the confidence and self-esteem that come with ability, productivity, and fulfillment. In "Educate Your Brain", you will discover how you can change your own life, and the lives of those you touch.

Critique: Impressively well written, organized and presented, "Educate Your Brain" is an inherently fascinating read offering a thoroughly 'user friendly' approach to realizing one's full cognitive and performance potential. "Educate Your Brain" is recommended for personal and community library Self-Help/Self-Improvement instructional reference collections.

Sunny 101: The 10 Commandments of A Boss Chick
Sunshine Smith-Williams
Voices International Publications
196-03 Linden Blvd., St. Albans NY, 11412
http://www.voicesbooks.com
9780991104161, $14.95, 180pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: Some people foolishly believe life is a matter of chance, based on the cards they are dealt. Yet, a Boss Chick knows she can reign as captain of her own ship, regardless of how steep the tides may come! Because life, in fact, is a matter of choice, a Boss Chick chooses to strategically call the shots and she plays to win! Although she may face challenges at sea, a Boss Chick never travels without her navigation. As a result, when others around her falter, she always seem to have the answers to get ahead, turn around her situations and come out on top! The key to a Boss Chick's success resonates by the standards she sets and the rules she lives by, which keep her rooted and grounded. These rules give her wisdom to turn adversity into triumph. Everything she needs to know to become a virtuous woman, discover her purpose, find a mate, keep him, gain notoriety and wealth are now outlined in "Sunny 101: The 10 Commandments Of A Boss Chick".

Critique: Sunshine Smith-Williams was raised in Queens, New York by her mother, who struggled to make ends meet, in the absence of her dad. Smith-Williams grew up in impoverished housing projects with dim hope. Utilizing education as a weapon to overcome poverty, she obtained several degrees and certifications, climbing the corporate ladder to achieve success. After being laid off from her dream job in 2010, Smith-Williams gained the faith to start her own business. Through an intense journey that equipped her to discover her gifts and talents, dethrone her character flaws and increase her self-esteem, she successfully opened several thriving businesses and mentored others to do the same. This experience enlightened Smith-Williams to her purpose. Her life is a living testament that the past, regardless of the mistakes you make or your background, does not have to dictate your future! Sunshine Smith-Williams draws upon her years of experience and hard won expertise in "Sunny 101: The 10 Commandments of A Boss Chick" to offer a unique approach to crafting a self-help and self-improvement guide for contemporary women. Thoroughly 'user friendly' throughout, "Sunny 101: The 10 Commandments of A Boss Chick" is very highly recommended for commended as an addition to community library Self-Help/Self-Improvement collections. For personal reading lists it should be noted that "Sunny 101: The 10 Commandments of A Boss Chick" is also available in a Kindle edition ($6.99).

Entering Your Own Heart
Carole J. Morton
Balboa Press
c/o Hay House, Inc.
PO Box 5100, Carlsbad, CA 92018-5100
IM Media
9781452517223, $33.95, 194pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: In "Entering Your Own Heart", readers will embark upon a journey to the center of insights into themselves. "Entering Your Own Heart" will enable a conscious connection with love and peace within themselves rather than dwelling on or otherwise maintaining a condition of hurt, anger, anxiety or depression. In reading "Entering Your Own Heart" man and women can learn to experience the joy of living in full acceptance of what is, and be empowered to create a better life for themselves and those around them. "Entering Your Own Heart" is an impressive step-by-step guide appropriate for non-specialist general readers of all ages and sensibilities. "Entering Your Own Heart" will provide healing professionals greater insights into the healing process as they are detailed and presented.

Critique: Drawing upon her more than 30 years of experience and expertise as a licensed integrative psychotherapist, a mind-body-spirit medicine professional, public speaker, author Carole J. Morton's "Entering Your Own Heart: A Guide to Developing Self Love, Inner Peace and Happiness" is impressively well written, organized, practical, thoughtful, thought-provoking, inspired and inspiring. Thoroughly 'user friendly' in tone and substance, "Entering Your Own Heart" is highly recommended as an addition to community library Self-Help/Self-Improvement instructional reference collections. For personal reading lists it should be noted that "Entering Your Own Heart" is also available in a paperback edition (9781452517216, $14.99) and in a Kindle format ($3.99).


The Parenting Shelf

Who's Going to Watch My Kids?
Rachel Levy Lesser
Turning Stone Press
www.rachellevylesser.com
Smith Publicity
9781618520944, $17.95, 187pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: "Who's Going to Watch My Kids?: Working Mothers' Humorous and Heartfelt Struggles to Find and Hold on to the Elusive Perfect Nanny" is the personal story of working mom Rachel Levy Lesser's struggles to find and hold on to a nanny for her two young children. It also includes the stories of 15 other working moms and their humorous and heartfelt nanny tales. Each mother longs to employ the modern day Mary Poppins -- that perfect nanny who they soon learn doesn't exist. "Who's Going to Watch My Kids?" explores the unique relationships that develop between working mothers (and fathers) and the nannies and the kids they care for. These relationships are more than professional yet not as intimate as familial ones (or sometimes even more so!) The working mothers in this book, Rachel included, put up with more issues from their nannies than they ever would with their employees in their offices, but in turn they also learn many lessons from their nannies and grow closer than they ever imagined. Rachel includes her own nanny rules based off of lessons learned from her experiences and those of the other mothers in illustratively featured in "Who's Going to Watch My Kids?".

Critique: Exceptionally well written, organized and presented, "Who's Going to Watch My Kids?: Working Mothers' Humorous and Heartfelt Struggles to Find and Hold on to the Elusive Perfect Nanny" is as witty and entertaining as it is thoughtful and thought-provoking. Every working mother who has ever had to struggle with securing the services of someone competent and reliable to care for their kids will read "Who's Going to Watch My Kids?" with recognition and appreciation. Very highly recommended for community library Parenting collection, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Who's Going to Watch My Kids?" is also available in a Kindle edition ($7.99).


The Fantasy/SciFi Shelf

Blood Vengeance
Tessa Dawn
Ghost Pines Publishing
www.ghostpinespublishing.com
www.tessadawn.com
9781937223151, $14.84, 346pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: Ramsey Olaru is a bona fide bad-ass: a lethal vampire, a seasoned warrior, and a ruthless mercenary in the king's Sentinel Guard. He's accustomed to taking what he wants, ramrodding his way through obstacles, and silencing anything-or anyone-who gets in his way. So when his Gemini Blood Moon reveals Tiffany Matthews as his long-awaited destiny, he sets out to fulfill the demands of the Curse, claiming her as his own, swiftly and definitively. Tiffany Matthews is as independent as she is savvy, and she knows more than she should about the volatile underworld of the Vampyr, the powerful, preternatural beings that dwell in Dark Moon Vale. She has carved out a peaceful, solitary place in a world filled with violence and fear, and she plans to keep it that way. The sassy human has no time for the brutal, unforgiving warrior-or his ominous Blood Moon. Little do Tiffany and Ramsey know; they are not alone in this game of chance. Deep in the bowels of the Dark Ones' Colony, an unforeseen evil is stirring: A demon-hearted vampire has finally found a kindred soul, a human female so deliciously evil, she shares his desire to destroy the innocent. Before it's over, the moon will bleed, the heart will break, and the soul will seek the ultimate solace in a Blood Vengeance.

Critique: Exceptionally well written and imaginative, "Blood Vengeance" is an original take on the theme of vampires. Solidly entertaining and deftly crafted from beginning to end, "Blood Vengeance" will prove to be an enduringly popular addition to the personal reading lists of vampire fiction enthusiasts and to community library Fantasy Fiction collections. It should be noted that "Blood Vengeance" is also available in a Kindle edition ($6.95).

Eshen: An American Colony
Michael H. Davison
Dapa Publishing, LLC
PO Box 3488, Littleon, CO 80161
9780979243783, $17.00, 440pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: "Eshen: An American Colony" by Michael H. Davison is a science fiction novel that is interlaced with romance, philosophy, and political themes. The Esh are native inhabitants of a dark and ominous forest on the alien world of Eschen. They terrify humans with an incomprehensible power. "Eshen: An American Colony" is the story one man's perilous investigation and confrontation that results in the discovery of an unforseen truth about human beings in general, and himself in particular.

Critique: For a debut novel, "Eshen: An American Colony" is impressively well written and presented. A solid entertainment that is as entertaining and engaging as it is thoughtful and thought-provoking, "Eshen: An American Colony" will prove to be an enduringly popular addition to community library Science Fiction collections. For personal reading lists it should be noted that "Eshen: An American Colony" is also available in a Kindle edition ($7.00).

Bitter Waters
Brian Hurd
Xlibris Corporation
1663 South Liberty Drive, Bloomington, IN 47403-5161
Bohlsen Group
9781499066371, $23.99, 252pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: You've never heard of the existence of angels and demons such as these. When a killer appears in 1936 Chicago, a realm beneath the earth emerges, where angels and demons exist and are able to beget children with humans. Among these entities, there is none more dangerous to the human race than the mad angel Wormwood. Shunned by both heaven and hell, he dreams a future for Earth to rival his greatest triumph: the Fall of Rome and the Dark Ages that followed. To achieve this, one man must die -- the only one who can make a difference. Unable to intervene directly, Wormwood sends the best assassin to carry out the task, Mr. Tarragon. The hunt ensues when Tarragon procures the services of a private investigator, Harold Darnier. What follows is a discovery of the age-old discord between the ascended beings of Heaven and the alliance of the fallen and ancient demons, with humans caught right in the middle. When things go awry, Harold is soon forced to fight for his life against supernatural forces and creatures, only to be saved by two unlikely characters-a man named Crito and a pale, mysterious man in black. Bitter Waters is a compelling new read by Brian Hurd. Dark, imaginative, and thought-provoking, "Bitter Waters" takes the reader to a world where supernatural entities coexist with humans to find power and dominance.

Critique: Impressively well written from beginning to end, "Bitter Waters" by Brian Hurd is a riveting read that never fails to entertain with memorable characters deftly embedded into a story replete with unexpected twists and turns. A consummate dark fantasy novel, "Bitter Waters" is highly recommended for community library collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "Bitter Waters" is also available in a paperback edition (9781499066388, $15.99) and in a Kindle format ($3.99).


The Cookbook Shelf

Live Eat Cook Healthy
Rachel Khanna
Privately Published
www.liveeatcookhealthy.com
9780977956821, $24.95, 288pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: What is balanced living? It begins with awareness. Awareness about the food needs that are specific to you. Awareness about the needs of those who rely on you. And awareness about our environment. In "Live Eat Cook Healthy: Simple, Fresh and Delicious Recipes for Balanced Living", you will find all the information you need to learn how to assess your lifestyle and eating, and how to feed your body with what it truly needs. You will also learn about where food comes from and where to buy the healthiest, most environmentally sustainable and humane food. By choosing, cooking, and eating whole foods nothing processed, nothing refined, and no supplements you will begin to feel better. Even if you try just a few things from the pages of "Live Eat Cook Healthy", you will notice the benefits. Or, if you are interested in simply cooking more healthfully, there are over one hundred wonderfully healing recipes to choose from. "Live, Eat, Cook Healthy" will show how easy it is to identify those foods that are healthful, and bring real foods back into daily life. When you do, your body will find its balance, and you will reclaim your health, vitality, and well-being.

Critique: "Live Eat Cook Healthy: Simple, Fresh and Delicious Recipes for Balanced Living" by accomplished chef and holistic health counselor Rachel Khanna is exceptionally well organized and presented. Presented in three major sections (Think Healthy - Make a Plan; Choose Healthy - Get the Facts; Cook Healthy - Follow the Recipes), "Live Eat Cook Healthy" is enhanced with the inclusion of a four page list of Resources, a Recipe Index, and a ten page Index. The recipes range from Vietnamese Fresh Spring Rolls; Southwestern Black Bean Soup; Singaporean Chicken Rice; and Savory Buckwheat Ham and Cheese Crepes; to Italian-Style Cauliflower with Potatoes; Mache Salad with Shallots and Green Beans; Sweet Potato Pudding Pie; and Strawberry-Rhubard Crumble. Thoroughly kitchen-cook friendly, and as informed and informative as it is inspired and inspiring, "Live Eat Cook Healthy" is truly extraordinary and highly recommended for personal, family, and community library cookbook collections.


The Travel Shelf

Cruising the Latin Tapestry
W. E. Welbourne
Xlibris Corporation
1663 South Liberty Drive, Bloomington, IN 47403-5161
www.xlibris.com
Bohlsen Group
9781493108596, $44.99, 358pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: Cruising the Latin Tapestry is part travelogue and part adventure story. It's the story of W. E. Welbourne and his partner's MV Voyager's circumnavigation of South America in early 2013. "Cruising the Latin Tapestry" provides an interesting insight into the extraordinary beauty and colorful vigor of Latin America that a traveler can expect by visiting this fascinating continent.

Critique: Exceptionally well written from beginning to end, "Cruising the Latin Tapestry" is enhanced with a profusion of photographic illustrations. As informative as it is inherently fascinating, "Cruising the Latin Tapestry" is very highly recommended for armchair traveler reading lists and community library collections. It should be noted that "Cruising the Latin Tapestry" is also available in a Kindle edition ($3.99).


The Military Shelf

Shot Down
Steve Snyder
Sea Breeze Publishing
601 Sea Breeze Drive Seal Beach, CA 90740 United States
www.linkedin.com/company/sea-breeze-publishing-llc
http://stevesnyderauthor.com
9780986076008, $27.95, 376pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: "Shot Down: The True Story of Pilot Howard Snyder and the Crew of the B-17 Susan Ruth", the full and complete World War II story of the B-17 Flying Fortress Susan Ruth presented in impressively detailed and vividly related detail. Author Steve Snyder's story of his father, Lieutenant Howard Snyder, and the Susan Ruth crew, provides in-depth details about many aspects of World War II few understand or know about including: the separation for young families as men went off to war; training before heading to foreign soil; military combat operations; underground and resistance and what Lt. Snyder did when he joined it; German atrocities toward captured crew and civilians; behind-the-scenes stories of the Belgium civilians who risked all to save American flyers who were in the air one moment, spiraling down in flames the next; the creation and dedication of the monument to the Susan Ruth and its crew located in Macquenoise, Belgium in 1989 . "Shot Down" was created from the vast number of letters and journals of Howard Snyder; diaries of men and women on the ground who rescued, sheltered and hid the crew; and interviews conducted by historians. Centered around the 306th Bomb Group in Thurleigh, England, it is informative, insightful and captivating.

Criteria: Even thought more than half a century has passed since the end of World War II, what American airmen fighting in the European theatre against the Nazi's should never be forgotten. Toward that end, "Shot Down: The True Story of Pilot Howard Snyder and the Crew of the B-17 Susan Ruth" is a valued and strongly recommended addition to both community and academic library 20th Century Military History collections and supplemental studies reading lists. An inherently fascinating and deftly written account, "Shot Down" is an informed and informative reading for World War II history buffs and for personal reading lists it should be noted that it is available in a Kindle edition ($8.95) as well.


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


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