|
Book
Reviews,
Book Lover Resources, Advice for Writers and Publishers |
Home / Small
Press Bookwatch |
Small Press Bookwatch
Table of Contents
Reviewer's Choice
Museum of Unheard (of) Things
Roland Albrecht
Already Not Yet
www.alreadynotyet.org
9780996944205, $20.00, 272pp, PB, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Roland Albrecht's "Museum of Unheard (of) Things" is the catalogue raisonne of the
world-famous "literary cabinet of curiosities" in Berlin, which holds the record of being the most
visited museum in the German capital. The museum collects unique objects to which curator
Roland Albrecht has patiently lent his ear in order to hear the unheard (of) story each of them has
to tell. This volume is the first publication to assemble all the 78 stories in the current collection,
all categorized according to weight, translated into English for the first time. Included are
unheard (of) tales about a clock of a Swiss inventor who promoted "New-Time" (where the day
was only twenty hours long, an hour fifty minutes, and a minute fifty seconds) and was
subsequently arrested by the authorities; the first portrait ID card in history created for Michel de
Montaigne; a fork which reveals the secret history of a meeting of chefs in the Alps; the stone
that inspired Thomas Mann to write many of his stories; and the scandalous relationship between
the Brothers Grimm and alphabet soup. "Museum of Unheard (of) Things" concludes with a story
about the museum itself which may make some readers ponder about the veracity of its existence.
These extraordinary tales of seemingly ordinary objects invite the reader to imagine the world
differently by listening more carefully and intimately to all the things that surround our everyday
lives.
Critique: An inherently fascinating and absorbing read from beginning to end, "Museum of
Unheard (of) Things" is certain to be an enduringly popular addition to both community and
academic library collections, as well as the personal reading lists of anyone with an interest in the
strange, the weird, the obscure, and the kind of things that made 'Ripley's Believe Or Not' so
popular for so many decades.
Leadership And Soft Skills For Students
Cary J. Green
Dog Ear Publishing
4011 Vincennes Road, New Augusta, IN 46268-3005
www.dogearpublishing.net
9781457539190, $19.99, PB, 164pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: In today's competitive educational and employment landscape, brains alone won't get
you very far. Truly successful students and young professionals exhibit certain skills that make
them really stand out from the crowd. They communicate well, dress and act professionally,
solve problems, and seem to be natural leaders. "Leadership And Soft Skills For Students" is an
instructional guide to acquiring these important leadership and soft skills. Educator and mentor
Cary J. Green draws upon his more than 20 years of teaching students to show everyone how they
can thrive in their education and in their career by applying the three Rs of Readiness,
Relationships, and Results. Readiness teaches you self-awareness. Relationships teaches you to
communicate effectively and connect with others in your personal and professional life. Results
teaches you to be future-oriented and to set and achieve your goals.
Critique: Whether one is in high school, college, or graduate school, or at the beginning of a
career, the advice and practical exercises contained in "Leadership And Soft Skills For Students:
Empowered To Succeed In High School, College, And Beyond" are useful for building
confidence, social skills, and a professional image. Very highly recommended, especially as a
resource teaching invaluable networking techniques that classroom study doesn't cover.
Freedom: The End of the Human Condition
Jeremy Griffth
WTM Publishing and Communications
GPO Box 5095, Sydney NSW 2001, Australia
http://www.wtmpublishing.com
9781741290240, $22.95, PB, 798pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Why do we thinking, rational, immensely clever, supposedly sensible beings behave so
ruthlessly, competitively and selfishly that human life has become all but unbearable and we have
nearly destroyed our own planet? Are we a flawed species, some sort of evolutionary mistake,
fundamentally worthless beings -- or are we possibly the absolute heroes of the story of life on
Earth? How are we to make sense of the awesome contradictions of the human condition? Yes,
how are we to truly understand ourselves -- because without redeeming, biological understanding
there can be no real peace for the human mind, no basis for the much-needed psychological
rehabilitation and maturation of the human race.
Venturing, however, into the heart of darkness of this most foreboding of all frontiers for the
human mind of the issue of self, the issue of what the human condition really is, has been a near
impossible task. When the poet Gerard Manley Hopkins wrote, 'O the mind, mind has mountains;
cliffs of fall, frightful, sheer, no-man-fathomed', he was acknowledging how fearfully depressing
the issue of the human condition has been for virtually all humans, and why, therefore, our
condition has never been truthfully 'fathomed' -- 'truthfully' because innumerable explanations
have been put forward for the human condition, but none have genuinely confronted and, by so
doing, solved the human condition.
But no longer is this the case, because Australian biologist Jeremy Griffith has been able to
venture right to the bottom of the dark depths of what it is to be human and return with the fully
accountable, true explanation of our seemingly imperfect lives. At long last we have the
redeeming and thus transforming understanding of human behavior! And with that explanation
found all the other great outstanding scientific mysteries about our existence are now also able to
be truthfully explained -- of the meaning of our existence, of the origin of our unconditionally
selfless moral instincts, and of why we humans became conscious when other animals haven't.
Yes, the full story of life on Earth can finally be told -- and all of these incredible breakthroughs
and insights are presented here in this 'greatest of all books'.
Critique: Impressively well written, persuasively argued, deftly organized and accessibly
presented, "Freedom: The End of the Human Condition" is a compelling and articulate read
throughout. Highly recommended for both community and academic library collections,
"Freedom: The End of the Human Condition" will prove to be of compelling interest to both
academia and the non-specialist general reader.
The Education Shelf
The Pigeon Books
Brenda Van Dixhorn
Shell Education
5301 Oceanus Drive, Huntington Beach, CA 92649-1030
www.shelleducation.com
9781480769922, $16.95, PB, 72pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Children will love analyzing these hilarious, fun books about a silly Pigeon who tries
to get away with too much! Students ages 8 and older will learn to analyze various story elements
through the fun, challenging activities and lessons provided in this instructional guide for
literature. This guide is the perfect tool to aid students in analyzing and comprehending these
goofy stories. Appealing and challenging cross-curricular lessons and activities incorporate
research-based literacy skills to help students become thorough readers. These lessons and
activities work in conjunction with the text to teach students how to analyze and comprehend
story elements in multiple ways, practice close reading and text-based vocabulary, determine
meaning through text-dependent questions, and much more.
Critique: Brenda Van Dixhorn's "The Pigeon Books" is a choice pick for classroom teachers and
home-schooling instructors to use as reading skills development curriculum materials. "The
Pigeon Books" is also simply fun for parents or caregivers to share with children, while making
an educational game out of a silly story. Highly recommended.
The Fiction Shelf
The Airshipmen
David Dennington
CreateSpace
4900 LaCross Rd., North Charleston, SC 29406
www.createspace.com
9781518642524, $24.99, PB, 660pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: After WorldWar I, Lou Remington leaves the Marine Corps and joins the Navy to fly
airships. He is sent to England to train with his crew to fly R38 back to New Jersey. After a
terrible accident, he falls in love and settles down to a blissful life in rural Yorkshire. But the
British come knocking at his door with offers for him to assist in building the safest and
mightiest airships the world has ever seen. Accepting the position could lead to a spectacular
career with infinite rewards - or maybe cost him his life. The British Airship Program is a morass
of infighting and political intrigue. Two teams are pitted against each other, each to design and
build their own massive airship, modeled as ocean liners of the sky - one will fly to Canada, the
other to India. By design, only one team will survive this deadly competition. As an outsider and
seconded liaison officer between the two teams, Lou Remington's mission is simple: Keep the
peace between the warring parties and help prevent another national tragedy. But it is the
misguided passions of the charismatic Lord Thomson, which have more to do with a certain
Romanian princess than with aviation, which threaten Lou's goals and forever change the lives of
all involved, foreshadowing the demise of the British Empire.
Critique: An impressively crafted multilayered novel, "The Airshipmen" is a fully absorbing read
from beginning to end and clearly showcases author David Dennington as a gifted storyteller of
the first order. A solidly entertaining novel, "The Airshipmen" is very highly recommended for
community library General Fiction collections. For personal reading lists it should be noted that
"The Airshipmen" is also available in a Kindle edition ($6.99).
The Secrets of Solomon and the Queen of Sheba
M. Carol Coffey
Outskirts Press, Inc.
10940 S. Parker Road, #515, Parker, CO 80134
www.outskirtspress.com
9781478761518, $20.95, PB, 90pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: As the ruler of two kingdoms, Ethiopia and Yemen, Sheba controlled the Red Sea, an
important trade route, and was a legendary trader-with precious spices and stones and gold at her
command. Sheba had heard of King Solomon and wanted to meet the man who was known to
surpass all the kings of the earth in riches and wisdom. Solomon ruled Israel and built a
magnificent temple in Jerusalem that housed the Ark of the Covenant; he believed in the One
True God and authorized the Bible's Song of Songs and the book of Ecclesiastes. Sheba traveled
six long months over the Arabian Desert to meet King Solomon in Jerusalem, where she
showered him with gold and gifts, hoping to establish new trade routes. "The Secrets of Solomon
and the Queen of Sheba" brings the story of the infamous meeting between these two influential
people from ancient times to vivid life.
Critique: Thoroughly entertaining from beginning to end, "The Secrets of Solomon and the
Queen of Sheba" is a fascinating and absorbing read that will be enjoyed by anyone who
appreciates a well-crafted and biblically based story. Very highly recommended, it should be
noted for personal reading lists that "The Secrets of Solomon and the Queen of Sheba" is also
available in a Kindle edition ($7.99).
Otma 82-The First Day: Trial and Resurrection
Serge Jusyp
iUniverse, Inc.
c/o Author House
1663 Liberty Dr. Suite #300, Bloomington, IN 47403
www.iuniverse.com
9781462021765, $27.95, HC, 276pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: At fifty-nine, George Harvey, a retired teacher, makes a sudden realization of where
death might actually lead and alters his life with changes in ways he could never have previously
imagined. George finds himself propelled on a headlong journey to another world, where he
searches for the truth. Though they are strangers at first, George joins forces with a single mother
and two young men, each seeking their own truth. With no easy answers, George, Luba, Philip,
and Alyosha experience what seems impossible. Now they must decide if what they have learned
is not just real-but inevitable. Each answer inspires more questions, and these four apparent
survivors of death must now decide for themselves: When does life really end?; Can broken lives
ever be reconnected and restored?; How dangerous are our beliefs and our faith?; Are we
destined to be put on trial at some time and place in the cosmos?; Can our darkest fears ever be
overcome or our most cherished dreams realized?; Is there only one path after death?; What does
time really mean? Their search for truth challenges everything they once believed about life,
death-and what may follow.
Critique: A deftly crafted and complex metaphysical novel of the first order, "Otma 82-The First
Day: Trial and Resurrection" by Serge Jusyp is a deftly crafted, entertaining, thought-provoking,
and occasionally iconoclastic novel that is very highly recommended for personal reading lists, as
well as community and academic library Metaphysical Fiction collections. It should be noted that
"Otma 82-The First Day: Trial and Resurrection" is also available in a paperback edition
(9781462021772, $17.95) and in a Kindle format ($3.99).
Snake Garden Paradise
Kenneth Hart
CreateSpace
4900 LaCross Rd., North Charleston, SC 29406
www.createspace.com
9781475012965, $10.00, PB, 242pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: "Snake Garden Paradise" by Kenneth Hart is a set in the mid 1970's. The major
characters are young people who carry the baggage of their years with the spirit of the times.
They are part of a generation who grew up on the dream of a better society, and thought that it
would come as easily as all other things had come to them. They brought their energy,
confidence, and self-absorption to their projects with creativity and the brash sureness that was
part of their country and their age. "Snake Garden Paradise is a novel about how some of them
dealt with change and personal loss. People who entered their twenties in the 1970's were already
recoiling from an amount of cultural disillusionment. They were old enough to remember the
New Frontier of John Kennedy and impressionable enough to have bought into his vision for
America. The Civil Rights Movement had affected them, and they had viewed the injustices that
were perpetrated against certain underprivileged of the society. They had objected to the Viet
Nam War, and they had taken part in political demonstrations. They had stood witness to
America's Space program, and they had learned that the possibilities of what man together could
achieve were closer to the dreams of fantasy that any before them had supposed. They saw the
pop culture as something that they created, and they assumed the music that went with it was just
one in what would be an endless series of manifestations of their creative visions. In addition to
this array of experiences, about which they knew better was the world of street drugs. Marijuana
and what was known at the time as non-addictive cocaine were their tickets to both economic
freedom and to worlds yet unexplored. They saw the drug as something they could use with
impunity and discarded any information to the contrary as inaccurate hypocrisy.
Critique: Although a work of fiction, "Snake Garden Paradise" author Kenneth Hart has paid
close attention to historical detail in the social, political, and cultural context of his novel. The
result is a fully absorbing read from beginning to end and an enthusiastic recommended for
community library General Fiction collections. For personal reading lists it should be noted that
"Snake Garden Paradise" is also available in a Kindle edition ($3.99). Also very highly
recommended is Kenneth Hart's first novel (set in 1969) in his Ron Tuck series "Reinforcements"
(9781470184971, $14.00 PB, $3.99 Kindle, 444pp).
The Valles Caldera
Gary L. Stuart
Gleason & Wall Publishing
9780986344121, $14.95, PB, $6.99 Kindle, 300pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: In Book One in The Angus Series, "Ten Shoes Up" (9780986344107, $14.99 PB,
$6.99 Kindle, 360pp), Angus came down off his mountain refuge, became a U.S. Marshal and
rejoined civilization. That was in 1881. In Book Two, "The Valles Caldera", almost two years
have passed when Angus gets another assignment. He's back in the saddle, riding the Rio Chama
south to its confluence with the Rio Grande in New Mexico. "The Valles Caldera" is a pressure
cooker novel set in New Mexico's Jemez Mountains. For millions of years the caldera escaped
human notice. In the 1700s it sustained generations of Indians, Hispanics, and Anglos. It also
became a perfect hideout for Mendoza Mendoza and his men. They hope to ambush Marshal
Angus and his posse. But Angus and No Mas won't be stopped.
Critique: Once again author Gary L. Stuart has written a truly riveting western action/adventure
novel that is a solid entertainment from beginning to end. Of special note are the descriptive
action scenes and unexpected plot twists. Like "Ten Shoes Up", "The Valles Caldera" is very
highly recommended for western fiction fans and community library collections.
Tom Ugly
Helen Joan Vandepeer
CreateSpace
4900 LaCross Rd., North Charleston, SC 29406
www.createspace.com
9781495365690, $9.59, PB, 140pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: "Tom Ugly" by Helen Joan Vandepeer is the story of Mary, an aboriginal girl who
gives birth to her baby Tom alone. The father is Old Tom, a man who refuses to acknowledge his
son and throws both mother and child out into the night. So begins the life of Tom Ugly as an
outcast from both the indigenous tribes of Australia and the new European society. A boy who
belong a nobody.
Critique: A deftly crafted and compelling story from first page to last, "Tom Ugly" showcases
author Helen Joan Vandepeer as a truly gifted and original storyteller capable of producing an
impressively consistent and entertaining narrative. Highly recommended for community library
General Fiction collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Tom Ugly" is also
available in a Kindle edition ($5.99).
No Man's Land
Michael Califra
Hadrian Books
9780692342541, $14.00, PB, 332pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Berlin, 1989. Richard, an expatriate American, is working a profitable yet "pointless"
job selling software for a small U.S. firm in West Berlin. Among his companions are Katarina
Weber, a married mother whose hedonistic escapades help distract Richard from the emptiness of
his existence; Knut Heino, a theology student who considers work the consequence of original
sin and aims to avoid it by entering the priesthood; and Klaus, a former East German border
guard who fled over the Wall and could never adjust to life in the West. Stranded in the isolated
enclave of West Berlin without the means to leave, Klaus asks Richard for a favor that requires
an excursion to the East German capital. There he meets Traudi Franzke, a young nurse addicted
to the communist ideals inherited at an early age from her father. The relationship that ensues
between Richard and Traudi, separated from reality by the notorious concrete border, exposes
hopes long since betrayed but clung to, nevertheless. Throughout that momentous year, Richard
straddles the two distinct worlds of East and West Berlin until events send them careening
toward a collision that destroys Traudi's life, completing a journey from an age of ideologies to
the "end of history".
Critique: "No Man's Land" by novelist Michael Califra is a compelling and multilayered story set
in the heart of the Cold War era and recreates a divided Berlin with impressive accuracy as the
background to an original story of intense personal struggle. Very highly recommended for
community library General Fiction collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that
"No Man's Land" is also available in a Kindle edition ($2.99).
An X-Ray Affair: Or a Modern Comedy of Errors
Chris Malone
CreateSpace
4900 LaCross Rd., North Charleston, SC 29406
www.createspace.com
9781517799823, $9.95, PB, 220pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Niall McFadden is a prosperous doctor, married and living a sedate life in the
mid-west, but after years of mediocrity he covets a top job in an academic institution. Using guile
and deception he reaches his goal, but he is quickly out of his depth, and his limited competence
soon has disastrous consequences. "An X-Ray Affair: Or a Modern Comedy of Errors" is a
humorous exposure of the world of academic medicine that includes Niall's adventures in
extra-marital sex, fraud, misconduct and pure hubris.
Critique: A deftly crafted and original story from beginning to end, "An X-Ray Affair: Or a
Modern Comedy of Errors" showcases the exceptional storytelling talents of novelist Chris
Malone and will leave his enthusiastic readers looking eagerly toward his next literary effort.
Highly recommended for community and academic library Contemporary Literary Fiction
collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "An X-Ray Affair: Or a Modern
Comedy of Errors" is also available in a Kindle edition ($3.99).
Journeys Off the Road
Alan Hilfiker
CreateSpace
4900 LaCross Rd., North Charleston, SC 29406
www.createspace.com
9781502326942, $16.00, PB, 198pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: An old man with a lifelong secret seeks out a German priest in "Old Soldiers". A
rancher tracks down a wolf ravaging his livestock in "Alpha Lupus". An army radio technician
with a history of running away seeks to escape death in wartime Holland in "The Deserter". In
keenly observed encounters ranging from the German battlefields of World War II to a quiet
communion on a New York City park bench, Alan Hilfiker's "Journeys Off the Road" is a
collection of poignant, intimate, and memorable short stories about men and women trying to
find some measure of grace, or power, in a morally complex world.
Critique: The short stories comprising "Journeys Off the Road" wonderfully showcase author
Alan Hilfiker's impressive storytelling talents. An exceptionally entertaining and original
anthology, "Journeys Off the Road" is very highly recommended for personal reading lists, as
well as community and academic library Contemporary Literary Fiction collections.
Till Father's Found
Jackson Adams
Privately Published
9780692605639, $14.95, PB, 334pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: James and Theobald arrive in Oxford University to study Theology. One is searching
for evidence of his biological father, who mysteriously disappeared before he was born. The
other finds himself caught up in a movement to reform Christianity led by the Evangelical
Doctor, John Wyclif. Though separated by centuries, the two tales intertwine, both finding more,
and less, than they originally thought possible.
Critique: "Till Father's Found" is a unique, original, and deftly crafted novel, and impressively
entertaining read that will hold the reader's fully rapt attention from beginning to end. Very
highly recommended for community library General Fiction collections, it should be noted for
personal reading lists that "Till Father's Found" is also available in a Kindle edition ($4.99).
The Wiregrass
Pam Webber
She Writes Press
www.shewritespress.com
www.thewiregrass.com
www.pamwebber.com
9781631529436, $16.95, PB, 392pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Nettie has spent every summer of her life in the Southern Wiregrass town of Crystal
Springs, Alabama. This year, she hopes the small town's relaxed pace will give her a break from
the unrelenting physical and emotional changes of puberty. But a chance encounter with
Mitchell, a seductively handsome yet secretive young man, turns Nettie's summer plans and her
heart upside down. As their relationship grows, Nettie realizes Mitchell is harboring a dark and
dangerous secret one that, when revealed, rocks the core of the sleepy little town and has Nettie
and those she loves running for their lives.
Critique: Smoothly written, deftly crafted, "The Wiregrass" is a compelling and entertaining read
from cover to cover. Clearly author Pam Webber is an impressively gifted storyteller of the first
order. "The Wiregrass' is very highly recommended for community library General Fiction
collections. For personal reading lists it should be noted that "The Wiregrass" is also available in
a Kindle edition ($9.49).
Resting Places
Michael C. White
Open Books Press
4735 South SR 446, Bloomington, IN 47401
www.openbookspress.com
9781941799239, $16.95, PB, 276pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: After receiving the devastating news of her son's death, Elizabeth ekes out a lonely and
strained relationship with her husband, Zach. While he takes comfort in support groups,
Elizabeth becomes withdrawn and seeks solace from the only thing that helps her forget: alcohol.
A chance meeting with a man on the side of the road spurs her to travel cross-country to the site
of her son's death in the hope of understanding what had happened. During the trip, she
undergoes a transformation, one which allows her to confront the demons of her past but also to
acknowledge the possibilities of her future. Through the wisdom and kindness of a man she
meets along the way, she finds a means not only of dealing with her pain and her guilt, but of
opening herself to the redemptive power of love, and of faith in something.
Critique: An inherently absorbing novel from beginning to end, "Resting Places" is ultimately an
inspiring, upbeat story of genuine faith in what we cannot see except with our hearts. Showcasing
author Michael C. White's impressive skills as an original and accomplished storyteller, "Resting
Places" is an especially recommended addition for community library General Fiction
collections. For personal reading lists it should be noted that "Resting Places" is also available in
a Kindle edition ($3.99).
Silk Road: The Journey
Kenneth Canatsey
Xlibris Corporation
1663 South Liberty Drive, Bloomington, IN 47403-5161
www.xlibris.com
9781514405369, $19.99, PB, 398pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: It is 1966, and the narrator and his roommate are leaving their California college town
in order to hitchhike to New York City and join their friends who are already there. So begins
what will become a 20,000 mile journey of loss and redemption. "Silk Road: The Journey" by
Kenneth Canatsey is a tale of travel, adventure, and a young man's coming of age, evolving under
unexpected and, at times, the most unusual of circumstances. Here, the changing landscape
becomes an active - although not always benign - participant in the story. Above all, "Silk Road"
is a chronicle of impermanence, in which the narrative - on one level a series of adventures in
which places and events change, and bonds between people are formed, developed and severed -
becomes, on a deeper level, an examination of transience, as the protagonist searches for
meaning and permanence to the farthest ends of the earth, but is able to find it only when he
returns home. A spirited, free-wheeling and ultimately sobering story of irreverent and reckless
youth.
Critique: Exceptionally well written with impressively original storytelling, "Silk Road: The
Journey" by novelist Kenneth Canatsey is uncommonly entertaining from beginning to end. Very
highly recommended for community library General Fiction collections, it should be noted for
personal reading lists that "Silk Road" is also available in a Kindle edition ($3.99).
As All My Fathers Were
James A. Misko
Northwest Ventures Press
www.jimmisko.com
9780964082649, $19.95, PB, 416pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Richard and Seth Barrett are devoted to running the family ranch on Nebraska's Platte
River. It is their intent to keep doing so the rest of their lives; however, the terms of their
mother's will requires them to travel by horse and canoe along the Platte River, to understand
why their maternal grandfather homesteaded the ranch three generations earlier. From the grave,
she commands them to observe industrial farming's harm to the land, air, and water. A 90-old
bachelor farmer, with a game plan of his own, butts in and threatens to disrupt and delay the
will's mandatory expedition. Using a gullible hometown sheriff and a corrupt local politician, a
conniving, wealthy neighbor, seeking to seize the property, thwarts their struggle to keep their
ranch and meet the will's terms. The Platte River, a mile wide and an inch deep, becomes its own
character in this turbulent novel and lives up to its legend as being too thick to drink and too thin
to plow.
Critique: An extraordinarily well written and unfailingly entertaining read from beginning to end,
"As All My Fathers Were" showcases the impressive storytelling talents of novelist James A.
Misko. Very highly recommended for community library General Fiction collections, "As All My
Fathers Were", it should be noted for personal reading lists that this outstanding novel is also
available in a Kindle edition ($9.95).
The Governess
Noorilhuda
CreateSpace
4900 LaCross Rd., North Charleston, SC 29406
www.createspace.com
9781500998561, $18.99, PB, 530pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: At thirty-four, John Lockwood was the best landlord in Berkshire because for despite
his absences, his tenants remained happy; he was the richest - the crops and investments both
yielded annual benefits; he was the sole heir to his aunt, Lady Cavendish's estate; his advice was
sought by peers and friends, and political entrants; he was at the prime of his life, a robust man,
with few creases in the face, and he had children to carry his name forward. Still, he wanted to
burn everything down. He wanted none of it. It repulsed him. From the abundance of it all, to the
gratitude of tenants, to the praise of gentry, to the demands he could not shake off no matter how
many creditors he juggled. He hated it all. His good fortune gave him a headache. His children
gave him no joy and he hated himself for it. He felt like a disease. He didn't wish to be anywhere
for more than a few seconds. He simply wanted an escape it all. Jane was the perfect wife and
daughter till a single act of selfishness took it all away from her: "I cannot imagine a sentence
more severe than a person limited not by his or her own abilities but by the opinions and
expectations of others. And having been made to organize in such a way, comes the
remuneration, but no penance or escape." And when their paths cross, the fiery odd relationship
guides each towards their inner truths.
Critique: A compelling and deftly crafted novel from beginning to end, "The Governess" is all
the more impressive when considering that it is author Noorilhuda's (a senior broadcast producer
and freelance journalist currently working in Islamabad, Pakistan) debut performance as a
novelist. Solidly entertaining and highly recommended for community library General Fiction
collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "The Governess" is also available in
a Kindle edition ($2.99).
Open Country
Jeff Richards
Paycock Press
3819 North 13th Street, Arlington, VA 22201
www.gargoylemagazine.com
9780931181436, $14.95, PB, 224pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: "Open Country" a striking debut novel by Jeff Richards, which told in the form of
eighteen interwoven stories. Set during the Civil War, "Open Country" offers readers a lyrical
and historically presented experience of 19th Century America's defining conflict. These are
interrelated tales of love and war, told to potent effect in the vernacular of the time, in which
family and human relationships and the music of the time take center stage over the blood-soaked
trenches and battlefields.
Critique: An inherently compelling read from beginning to end, "Open Country" is an
extraordinary work of historical fiction that is very highly recommended and certain to be an
enduringly popular addition to community library collections. For personal reading lists it should
be noted that "Open Country" is also available in a Kindle edition ($5.99).
General Houston's Little Spy
Cara Skinner
Tate Publishing
127 East Trade Center Terrace, Mustang, OK 73064
www.tatepublishing.com
9781680284362, $15.99, PB, 180pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: "General Houston's Little Spy: A Texas Revolution Story" is the story a girl named
Samantha (who originally only wanted to marry her fiancee, Danny Autry, and settle in Texas) as
she finds herself embarking on a dangerous mission to assist General Sam Houston and his small
fledgling army in their fight for Texas independence against Santa Anna's superior military
force.
Critique: Impressively well written and a thoroughly absorbing read from beginning to end,
"General Houston's Little Spy: A Texas Revolution Story" is a terrifically entertaining historical
novel that is very highly recommended for community library Historical Fiction collections. For
personal reading lists it should be noted that "General Houston's Little Spy" is also available in a
Kindle edition ($13.79).
Goodnight Sunshine
Mark Cameron
Catch Our Drift Productions
PO Box 62, 15 - 292 Gower Point Road, Gibsons, BC, Canada, V0N 1V0
www.catchourdrift.ca
9780994095305, $17.95, PB, 348pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Sleepwalking through life on a quiet island near Seattle, Oliver Bruce is struck twice in
one day. Emerging unscathed from an accident that leaves his SUV a crumpled mess, Oliver
finds a fragment of a letter about an invention that could change the global energy sector. The
discovery brings Oliver face-to-face with the widening chasm between the life he is living as a
tedious existence as a cafe owner, husband and father, and the richer life he longs for. Drawn
toward the mystery behind the message he intercepted, and to the wife of the man who wrote it,
Oliver finds himself on a mission to locate the invention by embarking on a journey that takes
him into the jungles of Ecuador. Told against a backdrop of colorful characters and exotic
locations, "Goodnight Sunshine" unwinds Oliver's gradual descent from youthful optimism to
mid-life malaise, ultimately forcing him to re-evaluate his core beliefs and to face the true source
of his discontent.
Critique: A deftly crafted and skillfully written novel from beginning to end, "Goodnight
Sunshine" is highly recommended and unfailingly entertaining read documenting author Mark
Cameron as an especially skilled and original storyteller. Indeed, "Goodnight Sunshine" is certain
to be an enduringly popular addition to community library General Fiction collections.
Epiphany
Nickolae Gerstner
CreateSpace
4900 LaCross Rd., North Charleston, SC 29406
www.createspace.com
9781516839353, $19.95, PB, 322pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Philip Rockcastle discovers that an unimaginable crime paved the way for him to
become a priest. Now pastor of a neighborhood church, is he doing what he was meant to do or is
his life a mistake? He feels responsible when his counseling efforts drive a mentally troubled
parishioner to seek validation for fantasies by making a bogus confession to a murder. Troubled,
he visits Tara, a divorced mother of two young boys. The visit is innocent. He is not in love with
her. He tells himself that frequently. When a mysterious young girl finally tells him her name,
Philip is too shocked to believe, too hopeful to discredit. The young girl and Philip's niece
scheme to catch the actual murderer, but he catches them. For once in his life, Philip has no time
to reflect. He must act. "Epiphany" delivers an intriguing plot with snappy dialogue and
unforgettable characters whose efforts combine to solve a murder. More important, Philip solves
the dilemma of his life.
Critique: An original, deftly crafted, and compelling read from beginning to end, "Epiphany"
documents author Nickolae Gerstner as an impressively gifted novelist. Very highly
recommended for community library General Fiction collections, it should be noted that
"Epiphany" is also available for personal reading lists in a Kindle edition ($19.95).
Keeping It Cool
Taylor Hardman
Outskirts Press, Inc.
10940 S. Parker Road, #515, Parker, CO 80134
www.outskirtspress.com
9781478752493, $27.95, HC, 288pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Bill Evans feels his life plan is on track. He has his own heating and air conditioning
company in the hot California town on the banks of the Colorado River. He has enough work to
survive if he keeps expenses down. The repairs and upgrades on an old house he bought at
auction are coming along. Then, a box of old letters sends him on a detour. A beautiful young
history teacher offers to help him research the events described in the letters and learn more
about the soldier and the young woman who had dreams of their own. Soon there is more than
just research involved. Having your own business is never easy, certainly not in a tight economy,
and complications are soon multiplying. Can Evans meet all the challenges and still find time to
follow his heart?
Critique: It's interesting to note that "Keeping It Cool" is a novel that skillfully benefits in terms
of background accuracy from its author, Taylor Hardman, having worked as a highschool teacher
and worked in his family's heating and air conditions business. A deftly crafted and thoroughly
entertaining read from beginning to end, "Keeping It Cool" is highly recommended for
community library General Fiction collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that
"Keeping It Cool" is also available in a paperback edition (9781478750727, $15.95) and in a
Kindle format ($5.99).
An Undisturbed Peace
Mary Glickman
Open Road Media
http://www.openroadmedia.com
9781504018340 $16.99, PB, 378pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Abrahan Bento Sassaporta Naggar has traveled to America from the filthy streets of
East London in search of a better life. But Abe's visions of a privileged apprenticeship in the
Sassaporta Brothers' empire are soon replaced with the grim reality of indentured servitude in
Greensborough, North Carolina.
Some fifty miles west, Dark Water of the Mountains leads a life of irreverent solitude. The
daughter of a powerful Cherokee chief, it has been nearly twenty years since she renounced her
family's plans for her to marry a wealthy white man.
Far away in Georgia, a black slave named Jacob has resigned himself to a life of loss and
injustice in a Cherokee city of refuge for criminals.
A trio of outsiders linked by love and friendship, Abe, Dark Water, and Jacob face the horrors of
President Jackson's Indian Removal Act as the tribes of the South make the grueling journey
across the Mississippi River and into Oklahoma.
Critique: "An Undisturbed Peace" is a compelling novel taking as its theme the infamous 'Trail of
Tears' event that saw the wholesale exodus of Native Americans from their homeland as
governmental forces removed them to more hostile reservation locations further west. The result
was a kind of death march and an enduring blot on the history of America that still reverberates
to this day. "An Undisturbed Peace" is an exceptionally written read from beginning to end and
clearly documents author Mary Glickman as a novelist of consummate literary skills. Very highly
recommended for community library Historical Fiction collections, it should be noted for
personal reading lists that "An Undisturbed Peace" is also available in a Kindle edition
($9.99).
Jake & Clara
David R. Stokes
Critical Mass Press
www.davidrstokes.com
9780996989206, $18.99, PB, 348pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: "Jake & Clara" is a novel by David R. Stokes that is based on a true story about
scandal, politics, Hollywood, and murder, at the dawn of the Jazz Age. When Warren Harding
won the White House in 1920, his campaign received millions from Jake Hamon known as "The
Oil King of Oklahoma". Harding planned to make Jake the most powerful businessman in
America. But Mrs. Harding (some called her "The Duchess") had one condition -- the married
man had to end his affair with his long-time mistress, a girl named Clara. Jake and Clara had
been together for ten years, since she was seventeen and he was thirty-seven. But Jake coveted
the powerful Washington job, and he dumped Clara a couple of weeks after Harding was elected.
A few days later, Clara shot Jake. By the time Jake died, Clara was in the wind. A
headline-grabbing national search was conducted for the beautiful fugitive. Clara "sightings"
were reported far and wide. A pair of colorful lawmen found Clara in an unlikely hiding place
and brought her back to Ardmore, Oklahoma to face the charge of first-degree murder. What
followed was one of the most sensational murder trials of the era. A "dream team" of powerful
lawyers surrounded Clara in the courtroom. Soon Hollywood came calling, wanting to put Clara's
story on the big screen -- starring Clara as herself.
Critique: A riveting page-turner of a read from beginning to end, "Jake & Clara" reveals author
David R. Stokes as a first rate novelist of consummate storytelling skills. Very highly
recommended for community library General Fiction collections, it should be noted for personal
reading lists that "Jake & Clara" is also available in a Kindle edition ($4.99).
Switch-a-Wish
M. B. Earnheardt
Three World Press
www.threeworldsproductionsllc.com
9781943477050, $11.99, PB, 278pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Chris and Amanda Claridge are that couple. They look happy. They live in a well-kept
home, have three little girls and fit squarely into the roles of husband and wife. Chris is a
handsome college professor who easily charms everyone he meets. He loves his job and can't
wait to go to work everyday. Amanda is a dedicated mother and caretaker. She tends to the kids
and appreciates how important her job is, even if others don't get it. Underneath the surface of
this functioning family, things are unraveling. Marital problems are about to split them apart
when something magical happens. Chris and Amanda make a bedtime wish that forces them to
live life as the other person. Chris must pretend to be his wife as he takes on childcare and
household chores. Amanda steps out of her heels and into her Chris's shoes to tackle his job as a
college professor. The role reversal is a revelation for the couple. Neither one has it as good, or
bad, as they expected. Can Chris and Amanda make it past the secrets they have kept from each
other? Will this new perspective give them the chance to find their way back to love?
Critique: Deftly crafted from beginning to end, "Switch-a-Wish" is a consistently engaging
entertainment that showcases author M. B. Earnheardt as a consummately skilled novelist. Very
highly recommended for community library General Fiction collections, it should be noted for
personal reading lists that "Switch-a-Wish" is also available in a Kindle edition ($2.99).
Codename Cupcake
Jillian Green DiGiacomo
CreateSpace
4900 LaCross Rd., North Charleston, SC 29406
www.createspace.com
9781519165015, $12.95, PB, 276pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Frazzled mom, Molly Peterson is recruited by a superspy agency to infiltrate the PTA
and save the world. Midwood Elementary School is cooling at an alarming rate and Molly must
determine the cause and help prevent a potential calamity. A staunch PTA avoider, Molly is
disappointed to learn that her assignment will require her to not only join the PTA but "become"
the PTA in order to spend as much time as possible in the building . With a back drop of ordinary
school functions including back to school night and a fall concert, "Codename Cupcake offers a
new twist on the superhero genre. It is fast paced and funny with the underlying message that life
really is better when you have super powers.
Critique: "Codename Cupcake" by Jillian Green DiGiacomo is a deftly crafted and absolutely
entertaining satire that reveals the author to be an extraordinarily gifted and original storyteller
with an impressive gift for wit and humor. Very highly recommended and certain to be an
enduringly popular addition to community library collections, it should be noted for personal
reading lists that "Codename Cupcake" is also available in a Kindle edition ($2.99).
Monday's Edition
Paul Lawrence
Outskirts Press, Inc.
10940 S. Parker Road, #515, Parker, CO 80134
www.outskirtspress.com
9781478762713, $17.95, PB, 294pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Martin Adams is a single man that lives in a small East Texas town. He is an IT
professional - a computer expert. He works at four different banks by contract three or four days
a week. That is his first passion. His second passion is gambling on college and professional
football. He started betting in the early 1980's and has not stopped. Not only did he bet with
bookies from his home, but he has been to Las Vegas many times in 20 years. He has bet at
sports books in Vegas and played all the casino games. He finally quit going to Las Vegas and
just concentrated on betting from his home. Some years he would win and some years he would
lose. Martin fully explains the basics of football and betting. On opening day of the professional
football season one year, he discovered an incredible secret advantage that enabled him to win
any pro game he bet on. A secret so powerful, that he could not bet with any of his usual bookies
- they would eventually cut off. His only choice was to return to the gambling capitols of the
world - Las Vegas and Reno. He would increase his bets to the extent that could make him a
multi-millionaire in one season. And that is what he did. What he did not know, that there were
the many problems he would face with this choice. He also includes some history of Las Vegas,
the dam, and how the 'strip' started. After several weeks, he got on the casino's 'black list',
because he always won. Due to the transparency of the Internet, he came to be known as 'the man
who never loses'. They could not figure it out. Word got out to casinos all over the state of
Nevada. Consequently, he was banned from many casinos. He was accused of cheating and
knowing the scores of games in advance (they were getting close). They would throw many
roadblocks in his way, but he was able to sidestep them almost every time, due to disguising
himself and the help of his friends, who would make his bets. How long can he keep it up?
Critique: With a unique combining of fantasy and gambling and the highroller world of casinos,
"Monday's Edition" by Paul Lawrence is a terrifically entertaining page turner of a read from
beginning to end from a consummately skilled author with a genuine knack for original
storytelling. "Monday's Edition" is highly recommended for personal reading lists and
community library General Fiction collections.
The Political Science Shelf
Economic Conservative/Social Liberal
Mark Bragg
U.S. Investment Company
www.independentvoters.com
9780615548944, $12.95, PB, 114pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: In 2014, America bought $508 billion more in foreign goods than foreigners bought
from us. The largest single destroyer of jobs in America (nearly 30 million jobs have been
exported) has been our enormous trade deficit But why is this subject never mentioned in
presidential campaigns? For the simple reason that no one knows what to do about it. Most
Members of Congress are lawyers with no real business experience or economic
background.
Originally created for the poor, Social Security was for those unable to support themselves in
their old age - before it was forced on everyone as a savings account. Unfortunately, that money
was stolen first to pay for the Vietnam War and then satisfy other "unfunded federal liabilities".
Those are promises the federal government has made with no revenue to pay for them. Few
people are aware that the missing money was replaced with IOUs, which Uncle Sam is now
borrowing to repay.
While author Mark Bragg agrees it was necessary for an environmental movement to force the
government to clean the air and water, he says extremists have now taken over the federal
bureaucracy and are using various federal laws to attack our food supply. Even Al Gore believes
spending $7 billion a year to subsidize corn production for ethanol is senseless. He should know.
He established the stupidity that allows 41% of our corn supply to be made into a corrosive fuel
that costs more energy to make than it actually produces.
Government jobs take money from private enterprises to spend on self-defeating welfare, a
declining educational system, excessive military defense, and environmental extremism. Rather
than generating any wealth, the government's expenditure are consuming it. Most politicians and
virtually all bureaucrats don't know the difference between jobs that produce wealth and jobs that
consume wealth and stop wealth production.
In "Economic Conservative/Social Liberal", Bragg offers a plan for fixing the dire problems our
country currently faces. Written to engage, educate, and inspire further discussion, this deftly
written study is intended for any reader interested in gaining greater political and economic
understanding for challenging the status quo. Although it is bound to boil the blood of the left
and the right, it will make perfect sense to many of the Independent Voters who will decide the
next election. You can visit the Mark Bragg's web site at www.independentvoters.com.
Critique: Factual, insightful, informed and informative, "Economic Conservative/Social Liberal"
is exceptionally well written, organized and presented. Ideal for the non-specialist general reader
with an interest in American governmental issues such as the national debt and what can be done
about it, "Economic Conservative/Social Liberal" is very highly recommended for both academic
and community library Political Science collections. For personal reading lists it should be noted
that "Economic Conservative/Social Liberal" is also available in a Kindle edition ($3.99).
The Fantasy/SciFi Shelf
Topaz and the Green Fairies
Pat Frayne
CreateSpace
4900 LaCross Rd., North Charleston, SC 29406
www.createspace.com
9781518621154, $10.75, PB, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: "For once in his young life he had a sense of self-reliance and what a responsibility that
truly was. Whatever happened to him on this journey had the power to make him stronger. Or he
could let it destroy him." Such are the thoughts of young Bozel, a pivotal new character
introduced in "Topaz and the Green Fairies", the third installment in the 'Tales of Topaz the
Conjure Cat' series by Pat Frayne. In this latest high adventure story we journey to an island in
the midst of chaos. Severe storms are threatening to obliterate the home where the Green Fairies
have lived for generations. It is up to young Bozel to find help to save his people before they
perish. Along the way he encounters numerous obstacles and life changing situations. Bozel must
overcome not only his own personal fears and self-doubt, but grave danger as well. At the same
time there is trouble for Topaz and the other inhabitants of Knownotten Kingdom. Otis has been
injured and is trapped in a desolate land where he finds himself held in the thrall of a sinister
creature. When Bozel finally crosses paths with Topaz and his friends the race is on to hatch a
daring plan to save the Green Fairies. Topaz will be faced with the ultimate test of strength,
courage and commitment to others.
Critique: Another superbly crafted and entertaining story from the pen of gifted and original
novelist Pat Frayne, "Topaz and the Green Fairies" is very highly recommended as an enduringly
popular addition to any community library Fantasy Fiction collection. It should be noted for
personal reading lists that "Topaz and the Green Fairies" is also available in a Kindle edition
($2.99).
A Hole in the Ice
McCallum J. Morgan
Little Bird Publishing House
www.littlebirdpublishinghouse.com
9780956739575, $11.99, PB, 300pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: "A Hole in The Ice" is an epic historical fantasy sweeping across time, myth and
nineteenth-century Europe. A decadent cast of characters embark on a mysterious journey in
pursuit of a mythical lost land said to be inhabited by beautiful but deadly mermaids. As the
reader sweeps across the story under the glimmer of chandeliers and falling snow flakes, they are
taken on a beautiful adventure to the very limits of the imagination. Each character in this
extraordinary tale has their own personal treasure they are hunting and each one will pay a price
higher than they ever anticipated.
Critique: An impressively entertaining and thoroughly absorbing read from beginning to end, "A
Hole in the Ice" documents author McCallum J. Morgan as an exceptionally talented author and a
master of the fantasy adventure genre. Very highly recommended for community library Science
Fiction/Fantasy collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "A Hole in the Ice"
is also available in a Kindle edition ($2.99).
Der Filmvorfuhrer: A Novel
Frederick Barrows
Lone Argonaut
5000 West Esplanade Avenue, #280, Metairie, LA 70006
www.loneargo.com
9780989372992, $28.99, HC, 350pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Jarrett Yawp thought he could "control the light". But he soon discovers that being a
successful projectionist, the master manipulator of fantasy and reality behind the immersive new
art form of the HoloPlay (a holographic-projected format that allows players to appear in classic
and new movies), means being able to comprehend-and control-far more than the simple reality
in front of you. What constitutes art in our ever-evolving consumer culture? How much control
do we really exert over our own fates? Is time travel a scientific possibility? "Der Filmvorfuhrer"
(The Projectionist), poses these and other intriguing questions, while taking the reader on a
whirlwind tour of some of the more obscure corners of film history.
Critique: "Der Filmvorfuhrer: A Novel" by Frederick Barrows is an impressively crafted novel
that is a compelling, thought-provoking, and entertaining read throughout. Especially
recommended for community and academic library Literary and Speculative Fiction collections,
it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Der Filmvorfuhrer" is also available in a Kindle
edition ($5.99).
Humanicide
Henry Melton
Wire Rim Books
www.wirerimbooks.com
9781935236634, $14.99, PB, 276pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Mars was terraformed, and the biotech engineers could walk on Luna without
breathing gear. Earth had three moons and hundreds of orbiting habitats in the Clusters. The great
Terraforming Project was hitting its stride, but there were conflicts over which nations would get
favored colonization sites on Luna and the anti-technology Three Sins cult was demanding that it
all stop. But what disturbed Dr. Bet Nomad, circuit doctor for many of the minor habitats in the
Clusters was a simple cough that seemed to be found every place she visited. The more she
learned, using banned genetic technology, the tighter her own limitations restricted what she
could do. She was banned genetic tech herself, living in the shadows lifetime after lifetime. But
she was certain something was wrong -- something evil. "Humanicide" is the final chapter of the
Earth Branch of the Project Saga.
Critique: Deftly crafted and compelling from beginning to end, "Humanicide" is an especially
recommended read for all dedicated science fiction enthusiasts and one in which author Henry
Melton demonstrates that he is a master of the genre. Highly recommended for community
library Science Fiction collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that
"Humanicide" is also available in a Kindle edition ($4.99).
The Terran Consensus
Scott Washburn
Zmok Books
c/o Winged Hussar Publishing
1525 Husle Road, Unit 1, Point Pleasant, NJ 08742
www.wingedhussarpublishing.com
9780990364986, $18.00, PB, 325pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: On a lovely summer evening, naval officer Robert Hancock and his daughter, Melissa,
look up to see a space battle between alien spaceships taking place in orbit above Earth.
Astronaut Kay Youngs and engineer Usha Vasthare have a much closer view from the
International Space Station. When one of the alien ships crash lands near an American city, the
main characters find themselves drawn into an ancient interstellar war. As evidence mounts that
one side in the war has been manipulating humanity for decades in hopes of turning them into
unwitting allies in their conflict, the humans are faced with the fact that the other side is
preparing an attack to make sure there are no Earthlings left to become allies to anyone. With
time running out, the humans must decide who, if anyone, they can trust and how they can best
survive the coming storm.
Critique: A science fiction novel set in the near future, "The Terran Consensus" is a deftly crafted
story from beginning to end and clearly demonstrate's author Scott Washburn's impressive
mastery of the science fiction genre. Very highly recommended for community library Science
Fiction collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists of dedicated science fiction
enthusiasts that "The Terran Consensus" is also available in a Kindle edition ($9.49).
The Biography Shelf
The Broken Places
Joseph McBride
Hightower Press
www.thebrokenplaces.info
9781943784127, $27.50, PB, 336pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: In "The Broken Places", author Joseph McBride, an internationally acclaimed
American cultural historian, recalls his troubled youth in the Midwest during the 1960s.
Searingly immediate and yet reflective, this is the McBride's memoir of his breakdown as a
teenager and triumphant recovery. "The Broken Places" gives an unsparing look at physical and
psychological abuse, family dysfunction and addiction, sexual repression, and Catholic guilt. And
at its heart, "The Broken Places" is a haunting, often joyous love story. "The Broken Places"
offers an unforgettable portrait of Kathy Wolf, a brilliant, vibrant, shattered young Native
American woman who taught Joe how to live even though she could not save herself. Kathy's life
exemplifies what Ernest Hemingway wrote, "The world breaks every one and afterward many are
strong at the broken places. But those that will not break it kills. It kills the very good and the
very gentle and the very brave impartially." "The Broken Places" is an extraordinary love story
will move you and disturb you.
Critique: A candid, absorbing, thought-provoking, and compelling read from beginning to end,
"The Broken Places" is a deftly crafted and intensely personal memoir that is very highly
recommended for both community and academic library American Biography collections. For
personal reading lists it should be noted that "The Broken Places" is also available in a Kindle
edition ($18.50).
Surviving Life: Through Faith, Hope and Love
Melissa M. Carson
Outskirts Press, Inc.
10940 S. Parker Road, #515, Parker, CO 80134
www.outskirtspress.com
9781478709732, $29.95, HC, 72pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Melissa Carson gave birth to a daughter she named Cori. The child developed Cerebral
Palsy, blindness, respiratory distress (which required a tracheotomy), and who was non-verbal.
Yet Melissa felt herself to have been blessed to share Cori's journey through life. "Surviving Life:
Through Faith, Hope and Love" is also the story of discovering that life isn't short of resources
and opportunities. That the true measure of a person's strength is how we continue to exist when
that moment does arrive.
Critique: Impressive, exceptional, inspired and inspiring, "Surviving Life: Through Faith, Hope
and Love" is a heartfelt read and one of those intensely personal, real-life stories that will linger
in the mind and memory long after the book itself is finished and set back upon the shelf.
"Surviving Life: Through Faith, Hope and Love" is very highly recommended for community
library collections. For personal reading lists it should be noted that "Surviving Life: Through
Faith, Hope and Love" is also available in a Kindle edition ($2.99).
My Father's Son: A Memoir
John Davis
Outskirts Press, Inc.
10940 S. Parker Road, #515, Parker, CO 80134
www.outskirtspress.com
9781478764199, $24.95, HC, 158pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: John Davis grew up in the 1970s and '80s on the rough streets of Brooklyn, a place
where no one thought twice when parents smacked around their kids-or each other. At the center
of the tumultuous neighborhood, and John's world, was his larger-than-life father, Roberto. The
Argentinean butcher and kingpin drug dealer was a sadistic bully whose mercurial temper left a
trail of tears and chaos across his family. John, in particular, seemed to bear the brunt of
Roberto's wildly swinging moods. Any wrong word could cause an explosion. Every knock on
the door might be one of Roberto's enemies, or the police. In "My Father's Son: A Memoir",
Davis recounts how he spent his childhood in constant terror and his teen years learning to fight
back. But it was much later, as an adult, that he learned the most shocking thing of all about his
father, his past, and himself.
Critique: A vividly candid, deftly crafted, intensely personal, and raptly compelling read from
beginning to end, "My Father's Son: A Memoir" is very highly recommended for community and
academic library Contemporary American Biography collections. For personal reading lists it
should be noted that "My Father's Son: A Memoir" is also available in a Kindle edition
($9.99).
Love And Sobriety
John Wiley
First Edition Design Publishing
PO Box 20217, Sarasota, Florida
www.firsteditiondesignpublishing.com
9781622876112, $12.95, PB, 174pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: The nightmare journey does not end when early sobriety has been reached. The
personality characteristics that made him an alcoholic in the first place still remain. That was a
discovery of "John Wiley" who remains anonymous to adhere to the traditions of AA. John's true
story as candidly revealed in the pages of "Love And Sobriety" will shock you, enlighten you,
and warm your heart.
Critique: More than just another AA memoir, "Love And Sobriety" is a compelling account of
personal struggle and redemption that is especially commended to the attention of anyone who is
engaged in a similar endeavor to overcoming substance abuse in general, and alcoholism in
particular. Exceptionally well written, absolutely candid, thoughtful and thought-provoking,
"Love And Sobriety" is very highly recommended for personal reading lists, as well as
community and academic library collections.
Miracle Man
Scott Pribyl
Tate Publishing
127 East Trade Center Terrace, Mustang, OK 73064
www.tatepublishing.com
9781682706336, $10.99, 98pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Scott Pribyl, survived an internal injury that is 90-95 percent fatal. In the pages of
"Miracle Man", he describes his seven-year rehabilitation and comeback. It is noteworthy that in
"Miracle Man" Pribyl also describes how he lost fifty pounds in less than two months!
Critique: Exceptionally well written and an inherently absorbing read from beginning to end,
"Miracle Man" is specifically recommended to the attention of anyone having to personal deal
with a major surgery, illness, disease, or other life-changing personal/financial situation. "Miracle
Man" will prove to be of immense value for anyone in need hope, inspiration, spiritual grace, and
the sheer will to keep going in an otherwise catastrophic and unforseen personal trauma. Anyone
struggling with weight issues will find "Miracle Man" an inspiring example of how to go about
losing excess weight quickly yet permanently, and with minimal exercise. It should be noted for
personal reading lists that "Miracle Man" is also available in a Kindle edition ($7.25).
The Pets/Wildlife Shelf
Wild Notes
Mike Lubow
CreateSpace
4900 LaCross Rd., North Charleston, SC 29406
www.createspace.com
9781499624465, $11.99, PB, 166pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: "Wild Notes: Observations Over Time About Birds And Other Fleeting Things"
chronicles several year's worth of daily observations written in a logbook style by Mike Lubow, a
regular guy who happens to be a bird watcher, among other things. Like so many before him,
Lubow is hooked on the elemental kick that starts with an easy-going interest in birds and goes
beyond to an interest in all fleeting things. Bird watching, once considered a gentle hobby, is now
known to be a wilderness adventure enjoyed by rough and ready men and women of all ages.
Hard-muscled, hard-bitten, bug-bitten explorers who bushwhack trackless wilds. Or ordinary folk
who stalk neighborhood nature trails. Whichever kind you are, you're out to find animals that are
not only accessible, but entirely wild. They could be avian migrants newly arrived from a South
American jungle to spend summer with you. Or winter vagrants that flew across a thousand-mile
tundra to visit your neck of the woods. Birds, like uninhibited thoughts, go where they want.
From them you can acquire a "life list" of sightings, but you can also get insights that would
never have occurred if you hadn't lost yourself in the woods for a bit to stalk things that fly in and
out of your life. Throughout "Wild Notes", the date shown on the left page indicates a true
moment in time. The right page explains what happened then: what was seen, thought about and
what was worth sharing with you.
Critique: A uniquely engaging compendium of observation and rumination, "Wild Notes:
Observations Over Time About Birds And Other Fleeting Things" is by turns entertaining,
insightful, thoughtful, and thought-provoking. A truly absorbing read from beginning to end,
"Wild Notes" is very highly recommended for both community and academic library collections.
For personal reading lists it should be noted that "Wild Notes" is also available in a Kindle
edition ($8.99).
The Christian Studies Shelf
Christ & Caribbean Culture(s)
Gabriel Malzaire
AuthorHouse
1663 Liberty Drive, Suite 200, Bloomington, IN 47403-5161
www.authorhouse.com
9781504920032 $14.95 pbk / $3.99 Kindle www.amazon.com
Synopsis: This book focuses on the Caribbean church in its attempt to unravel the significance of
the Christ-Event in the Caribbean context.
The Challenges for the Catholic Christian in the New Millennium (Part I) articulates the major
concerns of the Caribbean church under three main themes, namely, relevance, authenticity, and
evangelization. These are presented as the evangelical posture needed for the contemporary
period.
Christ and Ethnicity in the Caribbean (Part II) attempts, through the use of the notion of the
incarnation, to unravel the concept of Christ as Saviour in the Caribbean context. It attempts to
show that genuine Caribbean theology is a reflection on the Christ-Event in the lives of its
people. It is geared toward helping Caribbean Christians develop a greater sense of self-worth. It
purports that Christology must be related to the identity of a people if it is to engender effective
pastoral action.
Toward a Caribbean Christian Civilization (Part III) gives a comprehensive view of the
Caribbean reality in which Christianity is lived. It takes into account the influence of the history
of the region, the effects of colonialism, the evolution of its culture(s), its ethnic composition and
the dispositions that surrounded it, the challenge of traditional religious elements, and the moral
question in its varied dimensions. Finally, it presents some suggestions on what a Caribbean
Christian civilization should look like if it is to carry out the mandate of Christ.
Critique: Author and bishop Gabriel Malzaire shares his expertise in theology in four essays that
discuss the intersection of Caribbean history, society, and Christianity from religious, didactic,
and practical points of view. Although Christ & Caribbean Culture(s) adopts a scholarly tone and
does not shy from complex concepts, the terminology is generally accessible to readers of all
backgrounds. Christ & Caribbean Culture(s) is a welcome and informative addition to public and
church library Christian Studies shelves.
Touching the Heart of God
Paul Wilbur
Certa Publishing
PO Box 2839, Apopka, FL 32704-2839
www.CertaPublishing.com
9780996571333, $14.48, PB, 140pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Did you know that you have a huge inheritance and that you serve a King who exposes
His plans, purposes, power, and deepest secrets to you as a citizen in His Kingdom? In
"Touching the Heart of God: Embracing the Calendar of the Kingdom" you will learn about this
King and His Kingdom, including its order, its benefits, and the privilege afforded to its citizens
in celebrating the greatest military and spiritual victories in recorded history. The God of all
creation actually keeps a calendar that celebrates His activity in the history of mankind and
encourages our participation in the feasts. Whether you are a Messianic or Gentile believer in our
amazing Messiah, you will find new and empowering insights in "Touching the Heart of God",
which will build your faith and provoke your participation.
Critique: "Touching the Heart of God: Embracing the Calendar of the Kingdom" by Paul Wilbur
(an Integrity Music recording artist and the founder of Wilbur Ministries) is an exceptionally well
written and organized presentation that is as informed and informative as it is inspired and
inspiring. Very highly recommended reading for all members of the Christian community
regardless of their denominational affiliation, it should be noted for personal reading lists that
"Touching the Heart of God" is also available in a Kindle edition ($7.99).
A Contrite Heart: Heaven's Doorway
Carol Pettus
Outskirts Press, Inc.
10940 S. Parker Road, #515, Parker, CO 80134
www.outskirtspress.com
9781478768159, $15.95, PB, 152pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Our life and the many hard experiences that come can be used to make us heaven
ready. The door to heaven is a broken and contrite heart and getting there is often painful.
Beyond the pain there waiting for us are the treasures promised since the beginning of time.
God's love always provides a way to turn something bad into stepping stones towards His
glorious home. "A Contrite Heart: Heaven's Doorway" is an personal account of some of author
Carol Pettus' own trials and the road traveled that is still leading her towards the goal.
Critique: An inherently fascinating, informative, and ultimately inspiring account, "A Contrite
Heart: Heaven's Doorway" is very highly recommended and rewarding reading that is especially
appropriate for all members of the Christian community regardless of their denominational
affiliation.
The Warrior Way
Leanne McDougall
AuthorHouse
1663 Liberty Drive, Suite 200, Bloomington, IN 47403-5161
www.authorhouse.com
9781504925532, $13.95, PB, 100pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Leanne McDougall only knew peace and joy as a child, therefore, accepting Jesus as
her savior was as natural and easy as breathing air. But when pressures and failures began to
overtake her life, Leanne found herself sinking into a black hole of despair where even positive
thinking could not save her. Then came that fateful day when her world crumbled around her,
leaving her vulnerable to a seemingly invincible enemy: Satan. As anguish consumed her, Satan
reveled in what he thought was a victory to capture her soul. But as Leanne discloses in her
inspirational memoir, "The Warrior Way: How to Battle Satan and Win Every Time", the
moment that should have destroyed her instead transformed her life forever by providing her with
spiritual lessons led by her Mighty Warrior-God. As He began to show her how to unravel the
mysteries of the Bible and battle Satan to win every time, Leanne now shares the incredible
lessons she learned as she discovered the path of the Warrior Way. Indeed, "The Warrior Way"
offers her readers poignant glimpses of one woman's journey as God teaches her how to utilize
practical methods to battle Satan, believe in herself, and embrace true faith.
Critique: Inspired and inspiring, "The Warrior Way: How to Battle Satan and Win Every Time"
is a compelling and rewarding read that is very highly recommended to all members of the
Christian community regardless of their denominational affiliation. It should be noted for
personal reading lists that "The Warrior Way" is also available in a Kindle edition ($3.99).
The Self-Help Shelf
Life Without Limits: 100 Inspirational Stories
Ken Taylor
Outskirts Press, Inc.
10940 S. Parker Road, #515, Parker, CO 80134
www.outskirtspress.com
9781478762638, $17.95, PB, 224pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: "Life Without Limits" is a collection of 100 inspirational stories written by the author
Ken Taylor, who is nationally known as "America's Corporate & Personal Coach". Ken's stories
cover sports, business, history and everyday people who have performed extraordinary feats of
courage and strength.
Critique: Exceptionally well written, organized and presented, these succinctly presented
individual stories offer inspired and inspiring accounts across a spectrum of subjects and
situations that will prove to be encouraging and motivating for readers of all ages, all
backgrounds, and all circumstances. Also available in a Kindle edition ($4.99), "Life Without
Limits: 100 Inspirational Stories" is very highly recommended, especially for community library
Self-Help/Self-Improvement collections.
The Mystery/Suspense Shelf
Between Black and White
Robert Bailey
Thomas & Mercer
c/o Amazon Digital Publishing
9781503953079, $15.95, PB, 398pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: In 1966 in Pulaski, Tennessee, Bocephus Haynes watched in horror as his father was
brutally murdered by ten local members of the Ku Klux Klan. As an African American lawyer
practicing in the birthplace of the Klan years later, Bo has spent his life pursuing justice in his
father's name. But when Andy Walton, the man believed to have led the lynch mob forty-five
years earlier, ends up murdered in the same spot as Bo's father, Bo becomes the prime suspect.
Retired law professor Tom McMurtrie, Bo's former teacher and friend, is a year removed from
returning to the courtroom. Now McMurtrie and his headstrong partner, Rick Drake, must defend
Bo on charges of capital murder while hunting for Andy Walton's true killer. In a courtroom
clash that will put their reputations and lives at stake, can McMurtrie and Drake release Bo from
a lifetime of despair? Or will justice remain hidden somewhere between black and white?
Critique: A gripping legal suspense thriller of the first order, "Between Black and White" clearly
displays author Robert Bailey's impressive talents as a novelist. An absorbing and riveting read
from beginning to end, "Between Black and White" is certain to be an enduringly popular
addition to community library collections. For personal reading lists it should be noted that
"Between Black and White" is also available in a Kindle edition ($5.99).
Imogene in New Orleans
Hunter Murphy
Rolltop Publishing
http://huntermurphywriter.com
9780990979203, $15.00, PB, 297pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: At the ripe old age of 73, Imogene Deal McGregor has a penchant for following her
own instincts, as well as more grit and spunk than her hypochondriac son, Billy McGregor, and
Billy's impulsive partner Jackson Miller can handle. The boys take Imogene to New Orleans with
their devilishly handsome English bulldog Goose, hoping to visit friends and attend a second line
parade, but moments after arriving in the French Quarter, they find their friend Glenway Gilbert
murdered in his art gallery. Immediately, Imogene and the boys run into a temperamental and
ethically-challenged lieutenant who appears hell-bent on neglecting the crime, compelling them
to seek answers themselves. As they delve into Glenway Gilbert's murder, Imogene and the boys
realize the deceased artist was surrounded by suspicious friends and lovers. With Goose the
bulldog by their side, Jackson and Billy seek answers among old friends and new enemies, while
Imogene follows her own ideas on the case. But the sooner they solve the murder, the sooner they
can get back to catching beads and eating pralines.
Critique: An exceptionally well crafted mystery replete with unexpected plot twists and turns,
"Imogene in New Orleans" is a highly recommended addition to community library
Mystery/Suspense collections. For the personal reading lists of dedicated mystery buffs, it should
be noted that "Imogene in New Orleans" is also available in a Kindle edition ($2.99).
Presidential Declarations
Douglas J. Wood
CreateSpace
4900 LaCross Rd., North Charleston, SC 29406
www.createspace.com
9781508806318, $19.95, PB, 336pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: "Presidential Declarations" by Douglas J. Wood is a behind-the-scenes political thriller
and an inspiring portrayal of a woman's rise to the highest office in the land that gives readers a
lot to think about when casting their votes in the next presidential election. Ambitious, smart and
one of Washington D.C.'s power elite, Samantha "Sam" Harrison's entire political career, once
seemingly unstoppable, is in question and her loyalty to her country is about to be tested as never
before. Washington, D.C. sustains the worst terrorist attack in American history, and the
President of the United States needs Sam to serve her country once more. Political rivals on
opposite sides of the aisle, Sam and the president have never agreed on deeply dividing issues.
While Sam realizes that it's time to put aside political differences, get justice, and help the nation
to heal, she's not sure whom she can trust. Leading the country out of chaos could put the White
House once more within her grasp, but will place Sam, her daughter and her daughter's first child
directly in harm's way. Sam's actions in the coming days will decide her family's survival, her
political future, and the fate of the United States of America. The stakes have never been
higher.
Critique: A riveting read of political suspense, and one that could reflect the political
machinations of today's presidential contests, "Presidential Declarations" is a deftly crafted and
highly recommended novel for community library General Fiction collections. For personal
reading lists it should be noted that "Presidential Declarations" is also available in a Kindle
edition ($6.95).
White Ashes
John D. Moulton
iUniverse
c/o AuthorHouse
1663 Liberty Drive, Suite 200, Bloomington, IN 47403-5161
www.authorhouse.com
http://www.white-ashes.com
9781491771495, $44.95, HC, 738pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Rachael Farrington is sitting on a riverbank when young Jason Beauvale wanders into
her life. The two become inseparable, but Rachael's mother is suspicious of the boy; he's wealthy
and, for reasons of her own, she has no trust for him and his kind. As the couple become closer,
Jason shares a secret: Many years earlier he witnessed his father escape, badly injured, under a
hail of bullets. He doesn't know why it happened, or if his father survived, or why his mother
then chose a life in hiding, refusing to speak much of him or their past lives again. These are
mysteries that haunt the boy and which he aches to resolve. In an ironic twist, as the young
couple battle against those determined to end their passionate relationship, they are confronted by
the very forces that lurked in Jason's past. In the turmoil that follows, loved ones soon face
abduction, imprisonment and death, as an unscrupulous organization, known as The Syndicate,
seeks to fulfill a long-outstanding resolution to which Jason unwittingly becomes the key. The
fight for justice falls to Rachael, but with high-ranking police corruption working to defeat her,
how can she alone bring The Syndicate down?
Critique: An impressively written and complex saga, "White Ashes" is an absorbingly
entertaining read from beginning to end and showcases author John D. Moulton as an
exceptionally gifted novelist. Very highly recommended for community library General Fiction
collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "White Ashes" is also available in a
paperback edition (9781491771518, $34.95) and in a Kindle format ($3.99).
The Flying Dragon
Georges Ugeux
Archway Publishing
1663 Liberty Drive, Bloomington, IN 47403-5161
www.archwaypublishing.com
9781480818545, $30.95, HC, 190pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: No one can resist Victoria Leung. She's beautiful, brilliant, and fearless. Since leaving
the fraud department of the Hong Kong Police, she has enjoyed her new status as senior detective
at Pegasus, an international security firm based in London. She climbed the ladder by taking
down Sun Hung Kai Properties' Kwok Brothers, a real estate empire, and earned the nickname
"The Flying Dragon" in the process.
On an otherwise typical morning, Victoria receives a panicked message from her close friend
Diana Yu asking for help: Diana's ex-lover, Henry Chang, is in grave danger. Bertrand
Wilmington, head of the derivative trading desk of a global bank, has fallen from a window of
the twenty-second floor trading room, and Henry Chang is somehow involved. Perhaps with
Victoria's help they can clear his name and reveal the secret behind Wilmington's death.
While Hong Kong and Mainland authorities attempt to crack the case with little success, Victoria
puts her experience as a banking auditor to use. Her expertise is critical in discovering key clues,
and she won't back down until she gets answers. As she searches for the truth, The Flying Dragon
quickly becomes enmeshed in a web of arrogance, power, money and sexuality. Will she expose
the corruption and bring down a financial giant?
Critique: Clearly author Georges Ugeux effectively draws upon his many years of experience and
expertise as a business and government consultant to deftly craft a riveting novel that plays out
against a background that has all the earmarks of authenticity. A riveting read from first page to
last, "The Flying Dragon" is very highly recommended for community library General Fiction
collections. For personal reading lists it should be noted that "The Flying Dragon" is also
available in a paperback edition (9781480818569, $14.99) and in a Kindle format ($3.99).
The Keeper of the Crows
Kyle Alxeander Romines
Sunbury Press
50 West Main Street, Mechanicsburg, PA 17055
www.sunburypress.com
9781620066461, $16.95, PB, 284pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: No evil can remain buried forever, as disgraced journalist Thomas Brooks discovers
when a wave of death grips the rural Kentucky town of Gray Hollow in terror. Following a very
public humiliation, Thomas is looking for a story to get him back on the map - and free of the
small town newspaper where he serves out his exile. The apparent murder of a stranger seems to
be just what the opportunistic reporter needs, until he discovers the death is merely the start of
something bigger. Also investigating the murder is Sheriff Jezebel Woods, who doesn't approve
of Thomas' sensationalist intentions. Mounting deaths force the pair to set aside their differences
to confront a force that threatens to destroy the entire town.
At the center of the mystery is the disappearance of a boy named Salem Alistair, who designed a
series of grotesque scarecrows for his parents' farm - scarecrows that are turning up at each
subsequent crime scene. Thomas begins to doubt his uneasy alliance with the sheriff when he
realizes Jezebel has her own secret history with Salem Alistair. Thomas and Jezebel are
completely unprepared to face the supernatural force at odds with Gray Hollow. As the killings
continue, and the town slowly begins to yield its dark secrets, the truth will pit Thomas and
Jezebel on a collision course with true evil.
Critique: A compelling and entertaining read from cover to cover, "The Keeper of the Crows" is
a deftly crafted novel that reveals author Kyle Romines as a master of the genre. Very highly
recommended for community library Mystery/Suspense collections, it should be noted for the
personal reading lists of mystery buffs that "The Keeper of the Crows" is also available in a
Kindle edition ($2.99).
S.Y.P.H.E.N.
Cortez Law
Metro Black & Blue Books
www.cortezlaw.net
9780967347875, $12.95, PB, 290pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: In near the near future metropolis of Sin City, Lincoln Boddies and his friends enjoy a
little R & R. Then he sees a woman. He doesn't perceive her as a threat, but something about the
woman is off-kilter. Soon after, he recalls the face and realizes that she might hold the key to
solving a personal mystery. Yet when he utilizes his psychological insight to generate a
behavioral listing to profile what she and the appearance of her male suitor wear, act and whisper
about, so only the two of them can hear, though not a perfect checklist unease still courses
through him. The conclusion: He believes he's staring at a pair of potential suicide bombers. As
his suspicions grow, he enlists the assistance of those friends that refer to themselves quite
simply as, The Unit. The uncertainty of the possible catastrophe in the making leaves The Unit
doubtful of any imminent threat and some doubtful of Boddies' leadership. Evidence to the
contrary, The Unit's surveillance leads them to both old and new Islamic enemies of the state
with a diabolical plan to destroy America. However, what lies ahead unbeknownst to them all
encompasses a terrifying doomsday scenario. Despite the military and terrorism training and
combat against each other around the globe, nothing may help the Delta Force, Al-Qaeda and the
Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham or ISIS members to conquer this newest enemy and defy their
inescapable trap. Moreover, there may be no survivors left to stop the S.Y.P.H.E.N.
Critique: A compelling and consistently entertaining novel that is impressively well written from
beginning to end with just enough plot twists and turns to keep the reader riveted to the story as it
unfolds, "S.Y.P.H.E.N." wonderfully showcases author Cortez Law as an exceptionally skilled
and original storyteller. Very highly recommended for community library General Fiction
collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "S.Y.P.H.E.N." is also available in a
Kindle edition ($2.99).
Dark Money
Larry D. Thompson
Storey Merchant Books
www.storymerchantbooks.com
9780996990806, $16.95, PB, 430pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Jackson Bryant, the millionaire plaintiff lawyer who turned to pro bono work in Larry
Thompson's novel "Dead Peasants" (Thomas Dunne Books, 9781250009494, $34.95 HC, $7.99
Kindle, 304pp), is caught up in the collision of money and politics when he receives a call from
his old army buddy Walt Frazier. Walt needs his assistance in evaluating security for Texas
Governor Rob Lardner at a Halloween costume fundraiser thrown by one of the nation's richest
Republican billionaires at his mansion in Fort Worth.
Miriam Van Zandt is the best marksman among The Alamo Defenders, an anti-government
militia group in West Texas. She attends the fundraiser dressed as a cat burglar--wounds the
governor and murders the host's brother, another Republican billionaire. She is shot in the leg but
manages to escape.
Jack is appointed special prosecutor and must call on the Texas DPS SWAT team to track Van
Zandt and attack The Alamo Defenders' compound in a lonely part of West Texas. Van Zandt's
father, founder of the Defenders, is killed in the attack and Miriam is left in a coma. The
authorities declare victory and close the case-but Jack knows better. The person behind the
Halloween massacre has yet to be caught. When Walt and the protective detail are sued by the
fundraiser host and the widow of the dead man, Jack follows the dark money of political
contributions from the Cayman Islands to Washington to Eastern Europe, New York and New
Orleans to track the real killer and absolve his friend and the Protective Detail of responsibility
for the massacre.
"Dark Money" is a thriller, a mystery and an expose of the corruption of money in politics caused
by the Supreme Court's decision in Citizens United.
Critique: Exceptionally well written and an all too believable plot premise given the growing
havoc that the Citizens United decision continues to have on American politics and traditional
concepts of American democracy, "Dark Money" is a compelling read from beginning to end and
very highly recommended for both community and academic library collections. For personal
reading lists it should be noted that "Dark Money" is also available in a Kindle edition
($5.99).
The Bus Bench
Wes Bundy
Outskirts Press, Inc.
10940 S. Parker Road, #515, Parker, CO 80134
www.outskirtspress.com
9781478765929, $13.95, PB, 290pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Terribly naive' and unworldly, unwed 17 year old Edna Rollins firmly believes that
only married girls have babies. She is devastated, bringing a child into the world the product of
being raped nine months earlier. She rejects him and takes her own life two days after his birth.
The infant is adopted by a childless couple who christen him Gerry and raise him in an idyllic
setting in the farmland of central Ohio. Gerry's childish crush on a TV news woman becomes an
overwhelming obsession as he matures. When the network moves her aside for a new face, he is
overwhelmed with grief. Her celebrity quickly fades as promotional billboards, placards and
posters throughout the city are scrapped except for a solitary and forgotten bus bench which bears
her image. Fearful that the bench, which has become his shrine will be discovered, he maneuvers
it to an obscure place enabling him to meet and communicate with the love of his life. Learning
that she has married a wealthy industrialist and moved to California, he orchestrates a cross
country journey to find her. The improbable characters he encounters on his journey ridicule his
efforts, serving only to plunge himself deeper into finding her. An unforgettable chain of events
ends in a face to face meeting. He finds her terminally ill which he blames on her husband. He
formulates a swift and brutal "payback", then kidnaps her taking her back home to Ohio and his
beloved bus bench.
Critique: A deftly written, original, and compelling story, "The Bus Bench" effectively
documents novelist Wes Bundy as an exceptionally gifted storyteller. An absorbing and solidly
entertaining read from beginning to end, "The Bus Bench" is very highly recommended for
community library General Fiction collections. For personal reading lists it should be noted that
"The Bus Bench" is also available for personal reading lists in a Kindle edition ($8.99).
Disappearing Honeymooner
Pamela Troutman
Outskirts Press, Inc.
10940 S. Parker Road, #515, Parker, CO 80134
www.outskirtspress.com
9781478767046, $12.95, PB, 212pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Leonard Townsend is a private detective who is happily planning a trip to Mexico on
his newly purchased sailboat when a young woman named Ellie shows up. She is a honeymooner
and she explains that her new husband has just disappeared. She wants Len to find her husband
for her. Len reluctantly agrees to help. So Ellie tells Len about her brief romance, her hasty
marriage and answers all his questions. The more Len hears, the more he wishes he had already
left on his sailboat adventure because this case looks unpleasant. But there was a whole lot more
to come.
Critique: A brilliantly crafted and thoroughly entertaining read from beginning to end,
"Disappearing Honeymooner" is very highly recommended for the personal reading lists of
dedicated mystery buffs, and is certain to be an enduringly popular addition to community library
Mystery/Suspense collections.
The Parenting Shelf
Ask More, Tell Less
Greg Wayburton
Outskirts Press, Inc.
10940 S. Parker Road, #515, Parker, CO 80134
www.outskirtspress.com
www.selfreliantkids.com
9781478708810, $19.95, PB, 294pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: When faced with a misbehaving child, do you find yourself resorting to lecturing,
reminding, or even yelling? Do you sometimes feel helpless and panicky after you have tried
everything you know to do and your child still seems "out of control" or withdrawn? Do you feel
frustrated when nothing you are doing is moving your children to be responsible and achieve
their unique potential? "Ask More, Tell Less: A Practical Guide for Helping Children Achieve
Self-Reliance" provides a new model of parenting that can help transform the growing-up years.
Life will become fulfilling and enjoyable rather than an ongoing, painful collision of wills.
Behavior troubles diminish or vanish when children discover that they have the power to make
their lives run more smoothly. These methods are not a "cater to the children" approach. Instead,
they take the pressure off parents and put the whole family on a positively different road,
traveling together in a land of mutual dignity and respect, maturity, and lasting change. In "Ask
More, Tell Less", licensed mental health counselor Greg Warburton brings time-tested, practical
methods out from behind the counselor's door to enable you to give your children the greatest gift
of all: self-reliance. Through artful questioning, you can give them a clear and compelling road
map for getting on with growing up in this rapidly changing world.
Critique: Informed and informative, thoughtful and thought-provoking, exceptionally well
written, organized and presented, "Ask More, Tell Less: A Practical Guide for Helping Children
Achieve Self-Reliance" is impressively 'user friendly' throughout and very highly recommended
for personal reading lists, as well as community and academic library Parenting Skills reference
collections. It should be noted that "Ask More, Tell Less" is also available in a Kindle edition
($8.99).
Beyond A Charmed Life
Barbara Huntress Tresness
Divine Phoenix
PO Box 1001, Skaneatels, NY 13152
www.divinephoenixbooks.com
9781941859438, $20.00, PB, 206pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: "Beyond a Charmed Life, A Mother's Unconditional Love" by Barbara Huntress
Tresness is an inspirational memoir about a mother's love for her special needs son with heartfelt
stories and a triumphant spirit of overcoming insurmountable challenges. From caretaker to
advocate role, Barbara wants to share the reality to others in similar circumstances that "you are
not alone and hope does exist". "Beyond A Charmed Life" is a story of tenacity, triumph and a
spiritual awakening to the universal forces that help mother and child have an unbroken bond
that transcends everything.
Critique: Impressively well written and an inherently absorbing read from beginning to end,
"Beyond a Charmed Life, A Mother's Unconditional Love" is a candid and heartfelt memoir that
is very highly recommended to the attention of any and all parents struggling to raise a special
needs child. While strongly recommended for community library Parenting collections, it should
be noted for personal reading lists that "Beyond a Charmed Life" is also available in a Kindle
edition ($7.99).
The Health/Medicine Shelf
Type 2 Diabetes The Owner's Manual
Daryl Wein
CreateSpace
4900 LaCross Rd., North Charleston, SC 29406
www.createspace.com
9781522858270, $11.99, PB, 178pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Daryl Wein discovered he was among the millions of patients with type 2 diabetes
while studying to become a Physician Assistant. That's when he found out that, despite type 2
diabetes making up the vast majority of cases, most of the reading material he could find was
geared toward patients with type 1 diabetes. "Type 2 Diabetes The Owner's Manual" is his way of
fixing that. This handbook is an easy-to-read guide on how to manage your blood sugar primarily
through diet. It is written clearly and concisely, explaining the difference between the two
diseases in a way that is easy to grasp. Wein includes concrete examples of what to eat and what
to avoid. He talks about the importance of exercise and provides information about medicines in
a way that the layman can comprehend without needing to know medical terminology. "Type 2
Diabetes The Owner's Manual" also includes a useful question-and-answer section that covers a
variety of specifics about type 2 diabetes to help you make sense of it all.
Critique: As thoroughly 'reader friendly' in text, organization, and presentation, as it is informed
and informative, "Type 2 Diabetes The Owner's Manual" is the most practical and useful
instructional guide currently available for the non-specialist general reader having to deal with
Type 2 diabetes with respect to themselves or a loved one. Simply stated, no community library
Health & Medicine reference collection should be without a copy of "Type 2 Diabetes The
Owner's Manual" available for their patrons, and everyone with Type 2 Diabetes needs to have
"Type 2 Diabetes The Owner's Manual" as part of their personal reading list. It should be noted
that "Type 2 Diabetes The Owner's Manual" is also available in a Kindle edition ($6.99).
A Food Guide to Lowering Blood Triglycerides
Yuchi Yang, MS, RD
American Nutrition Counseling, LLC
3856 260th Avenue SE, Issaquah, WA 98029
www.anutritioncounseling.com
c/o CreateSpace
4900 LaCross Rd., North Charleston, SC 29406
www.createspace.com
9781519643162 $14.27 pbk / $9.99 Kindle www.amazon.com
Synopsis: People with high blood triglycerides are bombarded with nutrition information every
day. Many have tried different diets including a low-fat diet with little or no success.
In this book, Yuchi Yang, a registered dietitian, offers you four simple steps to lowering your
blood triglycerides:
Step 1: Limit Processed Sugar to 6 Teaspoons
Step 2: Eat the Right Amount of Carbohydrates
Step 3: Consume Oils and Fats in Moderation
Step 4: Have an Adequate Amount of Dietary Fiber
This book is designed to be a workbook that you can refer to and record your success. Each step
starts with some facts and ends with a tool that you can use to track your progress. There are
relevant tools and tables included in this book. When you make your own meal plan, you can
refer back to the tables and examples. In addition, this book provides answers to some of the
most frequently asked questions, such as "Are smoothies healthy?", "How much oil do you
need?", and "What is a good ratio of different fats?"
Critique: It must be emphasized that author Yuchi Yang is not a "nutritionist" (a word that, like
the label "all-natural" on food products, has no legal meaning whatsoever); she is a registered
dietitian, who has earned her credentials through accredited study, internship, and practice. A
Food Guide to Lowering Blood Triglycerides: 4 Simple Steps lives up to its title as an accessible,
user-friendly guide with step-by-step, week-by-week recommendations. A Food Guide to
Lowering Blood Triglycerides cannot substitute for the diagnosis or consultation of a trained
physician, but is highly recommended an extremely useful supplemental resource for anyone
seeking to lower their blood triglycerides on the advice of their doctor.
Our Parents in Crisis
www.annsjoerdsma.com
Ann G. Sjoerdsma
Improbable Books
211 N. Union Street, Suite 00, Alexandria, VA 22314
www.improbablebooks.com
9780615193021 $27.95 hc / $8.99 Kindle www.amazon.com
Synopsis: During her mother's illness, which was misdiagnosed by a succession of physicians
until the family arranged for her transfer to Duke Medical Center, Ann discovered a new calling
and passion: medical advocacy. She became a dedicated bedside advocate, representing her
parents' interests in all healthcare venues and doing extensive research about medicine, diseases
prevalent in older age, anatomy, physiology, and the facts of normal aging, all of which she
shares in her impressive book.
As her parents experienced more health crises - a pulmonary embolus; falls leading to hip and leg
fractures; heart disease - Sjoerdsma witnessed firsthand how fragmented, error-prone, and
patient-unfriendly the U.S. healthcare system is and how often doctors engage in ageism and
what she calls "No-Think."
"Our Parents in Crisis" is a call to action to protect elders from biases and other risks in U.S.
healthcare. It is also a poignant family story.
Critique: Our Parents in Crisis: Confronting Medical Errors, Ageist Doctors and Other
Healthcare Failings is far more than a personal testimony; it is a wake-up call and a "must-read".
The practical-minded advice for dealing with obstructive doctors and health care bureaucrats just
might help you advocate for and protect your loved ones in their hour of greatest need. Highly
recommended!
The Relationship Shelf
Disagree and Stay in Love
Liz SueprLibrarian
Livre Publishing
www.stayinlovebook.com
9780977587278 $19.95 www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Tips for fighting Fair. Perfect relationships don't exist. Arguments will happen. Learn
to fight fair and the love will last. This is a book that gives you easy tips on how to 'fight fair' and
'stay in love'. Each page has a simple tip with supporting creative photos that enhances the
experience of discovering these tips. The entertaining photos make it a great gift book for anyone
who likes creative photos and new ideas on having a happier and healthier relationship with
loved ones.
Critique: Adorable, full-color photography of animals illustrate these simple truisms for keeping
one's relationship healthy in spite of difficult disagreements or problems. "Don't allow an
argument to become a blasting match about past events. Stay in the present and keep it relevant."
Although Disagree and Stay in Love is especially valuable for romantic couples, the practical
advice is also directly applicable to arguments between friends, family members, co-workers, or
neighbors. The heartwarming images also make Disagree and Stay in Love a joy to page through,
and an excellent giftbook!
Other People's Kids
Troy Anthony
CreateSpace
4900 LaCross Rd., North Charleston, SC 29406
www.createspace.com
9781497549579, $16.11, PB, 248pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: In "Other People's Kids", author Troy Anthony provides an entertaining adventure in
single-parent dating and can be utilized as a kind of guidebook for guys and gals dating (or
considering dating) someone with children of their own. Based on a true story, "Other People's
Kids" gives many examples of the games played after a divorce and the vigilance required in
dating a single-parent.
Critique: Funny, poignant, practical, insightful, entertaining, exceptionally well written, and
all-to-true with illustrative real-life examples of recognizable situations commonly encountered
all across the country today, "Other People's Kids" is very highly recommended for community
library collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "Other People's Kids" is also
available in a Kindle edition ($3.99).
The Military Shelf
Battlefield Doc
William J. "Doc" Anderson
Moonbridge Publications
http://moonbridgebooks.com
9780977232338, $12.95, PB, 240pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: War is hell! Bullets flying, explosions turning night into day, the enemy charging in
overwhelming waves. When soldiers are wounded in battle their first cries are for "Doc," the
Army medics or Navy corpsmen first responders trained to handle almost anything but surgery.
William "Doc" Anderson was a medic on the front lines during the Korean War. What was it like
saving and losing lives, and how was it for the soldier on the ground battling not only a relentless
enemy but blazing hot summers, below-zero winters, and monsoon rain and mud. Doc writes not
about history or politics or strategy, but about real ground-level, front line experiences, the
humanity and inhumanity of war, what combat veterans wish they could forget and what
everyone else should know and remember. North Korea's continuing threats remind us that even
after more than half a century, "The Forgotten War" has never really ended.
Critique: Exceptionally well written, deeply absorbing, as informed and informative as it is
thoughtful and thought-provoking, "Battlefield Doc: Memoirs of a Korean War Combat Medic"
is a compelling read from beginning to end. An invaluable addition to the growing library of
Korean War memoirs and biographies, "Battlefield Doc" is a very highly recommended addition
to community and academic library Military History reference collections in general, and Korean
War supplemental studies reading lists in particular. It should be noted for personal reading lists
that "Battlefield Doc" is also available in a Kindle edition ($4.99).
A Drill Sergeant's Fame
Kimberly Mae
AuthorHouse
1663 Liberty Drive, Suite 200, Bloomington, IN 47403-5161
www.authorhouse.com
9781491870334, $23.99, HC, 114pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: During Kimberly Mae's military career, she gained a deeper appreciation for life and
the little pleasures therein. While serving in the US Army for three years as a generator
mechanic, she completed one deployment to Afghanistan. Relishing this experience with her two
sons Michael and Caleb, it proved to be a lonesome and exasperating yet edifying experience.
While struggling with the chills of escaping combat's curse and becoming enthralled with
another's life of compassion, deception and exhilaration, a collection of divergent views emerge
in the pages of Mae's "A Drill Sergeant's Fame". Although Mae had many character-building
experiences while serving in the military, for a period she also existed in the desolation of her
own psyche, remembering soul-shattering incidents that all readers can relate to. The poems she
wrote are combined with journal notes for a deeper understanding of her experiences to distinctly
express many of these triumphs and defeats.
Critique: An inherently fascinating, thoughtful, insightful, and absorbing read, "A Drill
Sergeant's Fame" is an exceptionally well written, organized and presented blend of memoir and
poetry, observations and insights. Very highly recommended for both community and academic
library collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "A Drill Sergeant's Fame" is
also available in a paperback edition (9781491870327, $14.95) and a Kindle format ($3.99).
The American History Shelf
Galena, Illinois: A Timeless Treasure
Philip A. Aleo
Aleo Publications
PO Box 1085, Dundee, IL 60118-1085
www.aleopublications.com
9780985608163, $49.95, HC, 320pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Bringing a fresh perspective on Galena's history through the written page, numerous
newspaper articles from the 1800's, and hundreds of restored vintage photographs, "Galena,
Illinois: A Timeless Treasure" by Philip A. Aleo presents the reader with a comprehensive view
of what life was like in Galena in the early 1800's. The photography throughout "Galena, Illinois:
A Timeless Treasure" is simply stunning.
Critique: A "must" have for any Galena enthusiast "Galena, Illinois: A Timeless Treasure" is a
model of regional history and highly recommended, especially for community and academic
library American Regional History collections. Indeed, "Galena, Illinois: A Timeless Treasure"
would well serve as a template for similar histories of other American communities.
The Woodworking Shelf
Woodworking Simplified
A. William Benitez
Positive Imagining, LLC
http://positive-imaging.com
9781944071004, $12.95, PB, 148pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: "Woodworking Simplified: Your How-To Guide For Making Beautiful and Functional
Projects" by woodworking expert Bill Benitez is specifically written and appropriate for the
novice woodworker. Benitze draws upon his more than 40 years as a custom woodworker (29 of
them running his own business) to create what will be the first of a series for the non-pro, the
person who wants to build wood projects for home, family, and friends. "Woodworking
Simplified" shows how to customize projects by detailing exactly how to do it and also how to
change a given woodworking project for your own needs and taste. Of special note are the
sections detailing fast, simplified methods and the use of power tools. It should also be noted that
Benitez invites the readers of "Woodworking Simplified" to send him any questions they may
have at bill@woodworking-simplified.com.
Critique: Absolutely 'user friendly' throughout, "Woodworking Simplified: Your How-To Guide
For Making Beautiful and Functional Projects" is especially recommended for the non-specialist
general reader with an interest in learning the basics of woodworking. Simply stated, no
woodworking novice, no area trade school, no highschool wood shop, or community library
woodworking instructional reference collection should be without a copy of William Benitez's
"Woodworking Simplified: Your How-To Guide For Making Beautiful and Functional
Projects".
The Science Shelf
Kelvin, Thermodynamics and the Natural World
M. W. Collins, et al.
WIT Press
25 Bridge Street, Billerica, MA 01821
www.witpress.com
9781845641498, $274.00, HC, 482pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: "Kelvin, Thermodynamics and the Natural World" offers a detailed survey of the life
and works of Lord Kelvin, including his standing and relationships with Charles Darwin, T. S
Huxley and the X-club, therefore throwing new light on the nineteenth- century conflict between
the British energy and biology specialists. "Kelvin, Thermodynamics and the Natural World"
focuses on two principal issues. Firstly, there is the contribution made by Kelvin to the
formulation of the Laws of Thermodynamics, both personal and in the content of the scientific
communications exchanged with other workers, such as Joule and Clausius. Secondly, there is
Kelvin's impact on the wider field of science such as thermoelectricity and geology
(determination of the age of the earth). Of late a number of studies and initiatives, including the
Centenary celebrations of Kelvin's death and exhibits such as that of the 'Revolutionary Scientist'
in the Hunterian Museum, Glasgow, have been undertaken aiding the redefinition of Kelvin's
greatness and achievements. "Kelvin, Thermodynamics and the Natural World" also raises
awareness to 'improve our approach to the teaching of elementary thermodynamics by attempting
to empathize with Kelvin's perspective'. "Kelvin, Thermodynamics and the Natural World" is
completed by a full biography, overviews of various monuments to his memory, and short
'Stories in Pictures' on the Atlantic cable, Maxwell's Demon, the universities associated with the
development of thermodynamics and the Royal Society of Edinburgh. Scientists and engineers
with an interest in thermodynamics and anyone interested in the work of Lord Kelvin will find
benefit in Kelvin, Thermodynamics and the Natural World.
Critique: Informed and informative, comprehensive and thorough, "Kelvin, Thermodynamics and
the Natural World" is a unique and exceptional blend of history, science and biography.
Impressively well organized and presented, "Kelvin, Thermodynamics and the Natural World" is
very highly recommended, especially for academic library 19th Century Science History
collections.
The LGBT Studies Shelf
Every Breath We Drew
Jess T. Dugan, photographer
Amy Galpin, contributor
Dawoud Bey, contributor
Daylight Books
121 W. Margaret Lane, Suite D, Hillsborough, NC 27278
www.daylightbooks.org
9781942084044, $50.00, HC, 116pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Jess T. Dugan (a 30 year old artist whose work explores issues of gender, sexuality,
identity, and community) has created intimate portraits that engage with issues of identity,
sexuality, gender, and community and presents them in the pages of "Every Breath We Drew" as
images drawn from within the framework of queer experience and actively constructed
masculinity. These portraits examine the intersection between private, individual identity and the
search for intimate connection with others.
Critique: Informationally enriched with an informed and informative introduction by Amy Galpin
(Curator of the Cornell Fine Arts Museum, Rollins College, Orlando, Florida), "Every Breath We
Drew" is very highly recommended to the attention of those with an interest in LGBT histories
and issues. Indeed, "Every Breath We Drew" offers an absorbing array of striking and memorable
visual images, making it very highly recommended for academic library Contemporary
Photography and Human Sexuality reference collections.
The Business Shelf
I Think I Need Marketing
Bonnie Taylor
I Think I Need
IThinkINeed.com
9780578168616 $19.95 pbk / $6.99 Kindle www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Marketing. Applied properly, this investment in future buyers reaches every nook and
cranny within a business and is the fundamental path toward achieving business growth.
Misapplied, it's a waste of time and money. Using an easily understood narrative and common
sense approach, I Think I Need Marketing strives to eradicate this waste by identifying the steps
and tools every business must have in place before finding success in marketing, regardless of
industry, location, or size. Geared toward business owners and management alike, I Think I Need
Marketing transcends basic information and gimmicks and instead focuses on developing the
infrastructure and processes required by a profitable marketing program. The journey begins with
developing a marketing strategy and branding program before discussing and weighing the many
traditional and digital marketing options available today, setting budgets, using marketing
research, hiring and working with outside consultants, and finally, evaluating results. Along the
way, actionable steps, helpful tips, illustrations, and definitions ensure that I Think I Need
Marketing delivers marketing knowledge anyone in business will find useful.
Critique: I Think I Need Marketing: The Knowledge You Need to Build and Manage a
Successful Marketing Program is a candid, accessible, and user-friendly guide, interspersed with
occasional color illustrations. Accessible to entrepreneurs of all backgrounds, I Think I Need
Marketing covers how to develop a marketing strategy, the components of a brand identity, how
to set a marketing budget (as well as the most common ways to waste money), tips for working
with consultants and suppliers, and much more. A "must-read", especially for small business
owners!
Navigating in Organizations
Gary T. Moore
Outskirts Press, Inc.
10940 S. Parker Road, #515, Parker, CO 80134
www.outskirtspress.com
9780578173047, $15.95, PB, 150pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Most organizations are hierarchical, social, political, competitive, and...frustrating! Get
a running head start on the competition and learn what it takes to succeed in this environment.
Many young people enter social, business, non-profit, or other organizations without the skills
they need to be effective...or help move the organization (and themselves) forward. Often they
don't even know what the skills are. With "Navigating in Organizations" by Gary T. Moore,
you'll learn tactics to navigate and help your organization meet its objectives while
accomplishing your own goals. "Navigating in Organizations" offers specifics on how to build
personal and professional relationships; sell your ideas; effectively run meetings; impact
meetings others are running; and six more critical how-to tactics. "Navigating in Organizations"
also includes 11 Don'ts - actions counterproductive to your and the organization's effectiveness,
such as "Don't take things personally...but assume everyone else does." "Navigating in
Organizations" also outlines 9 critical skills, such as public speaking and conflict management,
and most chapters end with specific "Get Started" actions to implement the topic's principles,
along with a list of helpful resources. Throughout "Navigating in Organizations" the principles
discussed are illustrated with Real-World Experiences in the form of short vignettes from author
Gary Moore's 50-plus-year career of "getting things done" in organizations.
Critique: Impressively well written and a thoroughly 'user friendly' read from beginning to end,
"Navigating in Organizations" is a very highly recommended addition to community and
academic library Business Management reference collections and supplemental studies lists. For
personal reading lists it should be noted that "Navigating in Organizations" is also available in a
Kindle edition ($7.95).
The Art Shelf
Art as Adornment
Charles L. Russell
Outskirts Press, Inc.
10940 S. Parker Road, #515, Parker, CO 80134
www.outskirtspress.com
9781478744788, $64.95, HC, 264pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: "Art as Adornment: The Life and Work of Arthur Smith" is specifically focuses on a
prominent player in the Modernist Jewelry Movement. The trade name, "ArtSmith" came to
resonate with fashion and theater types in New York and all over the country during the three
decades following World War II. As a Black navigating the racial tensions of the period, Arthur
Smith managed to rise above the fray and achieve extraordinary success in the development of
designs for jewelry that were eminently wearable and for the wearer a decorative pizazz triumph.
Featuring more than 150 illustrations, "Art as Adornment" is a coffee table art book that provides
an awe inspiring journey starting with Arthur Smith's parents' migratory trek from Jamaica
through Cuba and ultimately to New York City, to Arthur's education in the arts, and concluding
with a detailed description of his jewelry styling and creativity.
Critique: Informative, comprehensive, beautifully illustrated, impressively well written,
organized and presented, "Art as Adornment: The Life and Work of Arthur Smith" is very highly
recommended for community and academic Contemporary American Art and African American
Art History reference collections and supplemental studies lists. It should be noted for personal
reading lists that "Art as Adornment: The Life and Work of Arthur Smith" is also available in a
paperback edition (9781478743156, $56.95).
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
Copyright ©2001
Site design by Williams Writing, Editing &
Design