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Table of Contents
Reviewer's Choice
One Hundred Hearts
Terry Sidford
Balboa Press
c/o Hay House, Inc.
PO Box 5100, Carlsbad, CA 92018-5100
www.balboapress.com
9781504337632, $13.99, 172pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: At least one point in your life you've probably faced adversity that made you question
your ability to go on. But you did go on, and since then: How would you define courage? Was
there a defining moment that made you who you are today? What do you want other women to
know? "One Hundred Hearts: Inspiring Stories from the Women who Lived Them" shares the
deeply introspective responses to these and other questions answered by one hundred women.
Through their answers, stories of ordinary women and their extraordinary courage come to life.
You'll laugh with them, cry with them, and see yourself in their journeys. Individually, the
women you meet in "One Hundred Hearts" display incredible courage. Collectively, they inspire
you to appreciate the courage you demonstrate in your own life on a daily basis.
Critique: Impressively written, deftly organized and presented, "One Hundred Hearts: Inspiring
Stories from the Women who Lived Them" is a thoroughly absorbing read from beginning to end
-- and one that is both inspired and inspiring. Very highly recommended for both community and
academic library Women's Studies collections, it should be noted that "One Hundred Hearts" is
also available in a Kindle edition ($4.99).
Grace in a Wintry Season
Edwin Steinmann
Florence Fleming LLC
P.O. Box 365, Saint James, MO 65559
www.graceinawintryseason.com
9780996184106, $11.99, 154pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: "Grace in a Wintry Season: Feeling Our Creator's Love in a World Grown Distant and Cold - and Loving in Return" is a spiritual memoir by Edwin Steinmann, a retired lawyer whose career included being a public defender, a prosecutor, an assistant attorney general, and other positions within the state of Missouri. "Grace in a Wintry Season" focuses on fourteen dreams that Steinmann had over a number of years, and also on one extraordinary inner vision ("mystical experience"). They persuaded him that what our predecessors experienced as God is still with us, and that he, she, or it is self-revealing, loving and healing. "Grace in a Wintry Season" is Steinmann's effort to help others discern his, her, or its presence in themselves, in order to feel God's love and to love God in return.
Critique: Impressive and exceptionally well written, organized and presented, "Grace in a Wintry
Season: Feeling Our Creator's Love in a World Grown Distant and Cold - and Loving in Return"
is a compelling and absorbing read that is as thoughtful and thought-provoking as it is inspired
and inspiring. Very highly recommended to the attention of the non-specialist general reader with
an interest in spirituality and metaphysics, "Grace in a Wintry Season" is highly recommended for
community library Religion/Spirituality collections. For personal reading lists it should be noted
that "Grace in a Wintry Season" is also available in a Kindle edition ($3.99).
Seeing the World Through Rose-Colored Trifocals
Claire Flatowicz
Pink Bunny Press
9780996884112, $16.95, PB, 205pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Growing old isn't all that funny. Except sometimes it is. Claire Flatowicz, author of a
column in the wildly popular Momaha blog published by the Omaha World-Herald, has collected
her favorite everyday thoughts and ponderings into "Seeing the World Through Rose-Colored
Trifocals: No-Nonsense Observations on Getting Older", a humorous, thoughtful, and fun
compendium of wit, wisdom, and insightful perspective. In her slightly irreverent and pleasantly
sarcastic tone, Claire examines marriage and family, illness, friends, work, politics, religion, and
holidays and finds the lighter side of every subject. Claire proves that family quirks and
eccentricities are universal, no matter your age, geography, or personal situation. You may see
someone you know in these stories, or you may even see yourself!
Critique: An inherently fascinating and thoroughly absorbing read from beginning to end,
"Seeing the World Through Rose-Colored Trifocals: No-Nonsense Observations on Getting
Older" is very highly recommended and certain to be an enduringly favorite acquisition for
community library collections. For personal reading lists it should be noted that "Seeing the
World Through Rose-Colored Trifocals: No-Nonsense Observations on Getting Older" is also
available in a Kindle edition ($3.99).
Hey, God? Yes, Charles.
Rebecca H. Cooper
Turner Publishing
www.turnerpublishing.com
9781681620954, $29.95, HC, 224pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Sunday, November 11, 2007, Becky Cooper watched her husband Charles drive out of
sight, heading from their Nashville condo to his office and apartment in Atlanta. She never saw
him conscious again. Monday, November 12, was his 58th birthday. Since he would be out of
town, their granddaughters and Becky had made him a cake and celebrated before he left on that
Sunday. Wednesday, November 14, Charles caught Becky at her desk, calling just to let her
know that he'd had some pain radiating down his back. He was sure it was nothing, but the
company nurse, who just happened to be in the office that day, heard what happened and insisted
on calling 911 as a precaution. They swapped love yous. She didn't even get out of her chair.
Twelve days later, despite hundreds, maybe thousands, of prayers, Charles died. Emergency open
heart surgery was followed by complications, including acute respiratory distress syndrome,
pneumonia, and various lung infections. He and Becky had been married almost 39 years. In the
following year, Becky learned that the connection with someone you love doesn't cease with
death. Charles was always bigger than life, and his presence, his love, his humor, and these
conversations were just as real after his death. For better, for worse, Becky started scribbling
down what she was overhearing in heaven. She was done talking to God. Charles, as it turned
out, was not.
Critique: Inspired and inspiring, "Hey, God? Yes, Charles.: Conversations on Life, Loss, and
Love" is a rare narrative of the beauty of life and the endlessness of love, all told from the
perspective of intimate, humorous and poignant conversations between Charles Cooper and God.
An "accidental masterpiece" taken from author Rebecca Cooper's notes, each conversation
between Charles and God is full of joy, empathy, and the revelation that while we may not live
forever, our memory and love are eternal. Of special interest for anyone struggling with the loss
of a friend or loved one, "Hey, God? Yes, Charles." is a unique and highly recommended read
from beginning to end.
The Road to Self: Reflections from a Soulful CEO
John B. Goodman
The Goodman Group
1107 Hazeltine Boulevard, Suite 200, Chaska, MN 55318
http://thegoodmangroup.com
9780998000107, $14.95, HC, 152pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Driving across the country, John Goodman (Chairman of The Goodman Group, and
who has spent 45 years building this family property management company into an
award-winning organization that creates and manages living environments that emphasize quality
of life) takes us on a personal journey as he searches for a definition of success beyond business.
He discovers that the rewards that dwell in all of us are true for business as well as life. As more
and more people look to the workplace for personal fulfillment John's timeless pieces of wisdom
resonate loud and clear. His approach to business recognizes that who we are as people, we carry
with us everywhere, even to the job. He takes to heart his company's mission to emphasize the
quality of life and enable residents and staff to achieve an optimum level of well-being. John
shares his journey in the hope of helping others. Learning to let go, spending time on your inner
connection to spirit and always being present for work and life are just a
few of the topics he touches on.
Critique: An inherently absorbing, thoughtful, thought-provoking, and candidly personal work,
"The Road to Self: Reflections from a Soulful CEO" is a very worthwhile and ultimately
inspiring read that is very highly recommended for personal and community library collections. It
should be noted that "The Road to Self" is also available in a paperback edition (9780998000183,
$11.95).
The Writing/Publishing Shelf
Fiction-Writing Modes
Mike Klaassen
www.mikeklaassen.com
Bookbaby
www.bookbaby.com
9781682221006 $19.99 pbk / $9.99 Kindle www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Most books about the craft of writing fiction explain a few fiction-writing modes, but
none addresses or even identifies all eleven. Fiction-Writing Modes: Eleven Essential Tools for
Bringing Your Story to Life is the most comprehensive and concise resource available anywhere
regarding fiction-writing modes and the mechanics of presenting them. A mode is a particular
manner of doing or expressing something. Eleven different modes comprise all written fiction.
Fiction-Writing Modes offers beginning writers an invaluable foundation from which to build
skills. This book can help experienced authors reach new levels of success. A better
understanding of fiction-writing modes can help any writer understand why some writing works
and why some does not.
Critique: Chapters cover a wide range of issues affecting the art of fiction writing, from how to
make dialogue sound natural (and properly punctuate it), to using attributions to control rhythm
and pace, to effectively using both action and dialogue to advance the plot, and much more.
Fiction writers of all skill and experience levels will find these insights, copiously demonstrated
with examples throughout, invaluable to refining their craft. Highly recommended!
The Biography Shelf
San Antonio Man Tells Tall Tale
John T. Saunders, Jr.
Hamilton Books
c/o Rowman & Littlefield Publishing Group
4501 Forbes Blvd., Suite 200, Lanham, MD 20706
www.rowman.com
9780761866305, $34.99, 136pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: John Saunders was born and raised in San Antonio, Texas where he attended school at
Alamo Heights, the University of Texas on a Golf Scholarship and has had a successful career in
the Oil and Gas Exploration Business. John married the love of his life, Laurie Ann Lewis and
together they have three children, John, Christina and Gracie, daughter in law, Lauren and two
grandchildren, Cuate and Ada Saunders with another one on the way. "San Antonio Man Tells
Tall Tale" is a Saunder's personal memoir of being a south Texas boy who came of age in the
second half of the twentieth century. Each tale more thrilling than the last as Saunders chronicles
a lifetime of hunting, fishing, and traveling throughout Texas, the Gulf Coast, the Rocky
Mountains, and South America. These powerful and often humorous stories of chasing white tail
deer, avoiding snakes, fishing for blue marlin, and even courting his wife are based on Saunder's
life experiences in the great outdoors with close friends and family.
Criteria: Published in a coffee table style format, "San Antonio Man Tells Tall Tale" features
colorful illustrations by San Antonio artists Clay McGaughy and Pat Safir whose images bring
the Saunders stories to life. Informative, entertaining, and a fun read from beginning to end, "San
Antonio Man Tells Tall Tale" is highly recommended for personal reading lists, as well as
community and academic library Contemporary American Biography collections.
The Primal Contradiction
Daniel St. Clair
Archway Publishing
1663 Liberty Drive, Bloomington, IN 47403-5161
www.archwaypublishing.com
9781480819924, $33.95, 196pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: "The Primal Contradiction: My Escape from the Pitfall of Self-Delusion" presents the
spiritual memoir of Daniel St. Clair, who examines his own life, beginning with his memories as
a young child. He shares his search for an explanation for the profound sense of solitude he
shouldered through the years of his youth. Finally, his exploration brings him to a realization of
the truth that he had been living by a pretense and that, all along, the real truth of his life had
been pursuing him. Grounded in the detailed recollections of a personal history, the chapters of
The Primal Contradiction entwine those stories with the seasoned reflections of the author's look
back on his own life. Chapter titles indicate the kinds of topics the author explores:
"Adolescence," "And Then I Die," "Awakened," "Good Dog," "The Cost," "Doubt," and "Going
Home." If you find either inspiration or consolation-or both-in sharing another's journey of
self-discovery, then The Primal Contradiction: My Escape from the Pitfall of Self-Delusion will
provide you with a thoughtful, honest, and truth-seeking account of one man's journey from
self-delusion to the recognition of the truth of his own life.
Critique: Impressive, candid, thoughtful and thought-provoking, "The Primal Contradiction: My
Escape from the Pitfall of Self-Delusion" is an absorbing read from beginning to end, and very
highly recommended for community and academic library Contemporary American Biography
collections. For personal reading lists it should be noted that "The Primal Contradiction" is also
available in a paperback edition (9781480819931, $14.99) and in a Kindle format ($2.99).
The Green Stick: A Memoir
Reg Van Cuylenburg
Blue Palm Press
PO Box 61255, Santa Barbara, CA 93160
9780977186631, $15.95, 168pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: "The Green Stick: A Memoir" by Reg Van Cuylenburg is gracefully told and set in
early twentieth-century colonial Ceylon. Depicting the journey of a youth imbued with the
experiences and wise guidance that form and shape a man's awareness, and open his eyes to the
complexity and wonder of life. Brought up by his grandfather in a Kandyan Sinhalese household,
and given the freedom to explore, Reg discovers his heritage and direction in the wider
world.
Critique: An inherently fascinating and fully absorbing read that is a perfect example of the
memoir as literature. Exceptionally well written from first page to last, "The Green Stick: A
Memoir" is very highly recommended for personal reading lists, as well as community and
academic library Biography collections.
May I Sit on Your Towel?: Joint Autobiography
Edward Morris & Elizabeth Morris
World Wide Products
740 Pine Street, San Francisco, CA 94108-3110
www.mayisitonyourtowel.com
9780934062169, $8.50, PB, 354pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Edward Morris is a GI returning from World War II meets Elizabeth, the girl of his
dreams, on the beach. "May I Sit on Your Towel?: Joint Autobiography" is a story of their 90
years of joys and tragedies from childhood to old age. In the pages of this mutual biography
readers will meet celebrities and fascinating people that influenced the lives of Edward and
Elizabeth. They will learn of their legal battle with a strange phenomenon. Experience the five
months at sea in their tiny boat with 5 children, and the fun of buying and enjoying a tropical
island. Enjoy their travel as First Lady and President of the magicians as they entertain around
the world. Their story captures the spirit of the times and shows how their lives were shaped by
the major events in world history. This joint autobiography reveals truths about themselves, their
talents and flaws, and the mistakes they made -- the negative material is not kept under the rug.
The reader will travel to unusual and fascinating locations of the world, and learn of their
unbelievable experiences.
Critique: Impressively well written with candor, wit and wisdom, "May I Sit on Your Towel?:
Joint Autobiography" is an inherently fascinating and thoroughly absorbing read from beginning
to end. Very highly recommended for community library American Biography collections, it
should be noted for personal reading lists that "May I Sit on Your Towel?: Joint Autobiography"
is also available in a Kindle edition ($1.99).
Coming to Las Vegas
Carolyn V. Hamilton
Swift House Press
www.carolynvhamilton.com
9780990966401, $19.95, PB, 222pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: "Coming to Las Vegas: A true tale of sex, drugs & Sin City in the '70s" is the story of
Carolyn V. Hamilton arrival in Las Vegas in 1973 to join a circus. When that job doesn't work
out, she worked at the new MGM Grand Hotel/Casino as a cocktail waitress. This turns out to be
more involved than a nice Lutheran girl from Seattle would think: parties, stealing, sex, drinking
and drugs are the main entertainment for a bored crew of casino employees. Some waitresses
date culinary union bosses, who have their own high drama of payoffs, fights for control, fire
bombings and an 18-day culinary union strike. Each story told in this memoir (which takes place
in the Martin Scorsese "Casino" era of Las Vegas) is true, and many are humorous as well as
outrageous.
Critique: Candid, informative, impressively well written, and at times downright eye-brow
raising, "Coming to Las Vegas" is an inherently fascinating and thoroughly absorbing read from
first page to last. Very highly recommended for community library American Biography
collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Coming to Las Vegas" is also
available in a Kindle edition ($4.95).
Cent' Anni : The Sinatra Legend at 100
Richard Muti
New Jersey Media Group
1 Garret Mountain Plaza, Woodland Park, NJ 07424
www.shoptherecord.com/centanni-the-sinatra-legend-at-100-by-richard-muti
9780990988946, $19.95, PB, 374pp, www.richardmuti.com
Synopsis: "Cent' Anni : The Sinatra Legend at 100" by Richard Muti is a fast-paced study of one
of the most fascinating entertainers of the 20th century. "Cent' Anni : The Sinatra Legend at 100"
examines the forces, both positive and negative, that made Sinatra a true legend from his time
down to ours. Of immense interest for academia as well as casual fans of Sinatra's music and film
career. "Cent' Anni : The Sinatra Legend at 100" also examines the love-hate relationship he
maintained toward Hoboken and New Jersey for most of his life.
Critique: An inherently fascinating and exceptionally informative read that is enhanced with the
inclusion of a 16-page photo insert, "Cent' Anni : The Sinatra Legend at 100" should be
considered a 'must read' for the legions of Sinatra fans and will prove to ben an enduringly
popular addition to both community and academic library 20th Century American Biography
collections.
The Fiction Shelf
Return to Robinson Island
T.J. Hoisington
www.SwissFamilyReturns.com
Aylesbury Publishing
www.aylesburypublishing.com
9780975888445 $22.95 hc / $0.99 Kindle www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Inspired by the "original" Swiss Family Robinson book written in 1812 by Johann
David Wyss, Return to Robinson Island is a continuation of the adventures of the Robinson
family fifteen years after their famous shipwreck.
Return to Robinson Island is an entertaining, action-packed adventure story that has a thread of
romance weaved throughout. It takes place fifteen years after the Robinson Family's famous
shipwreck on a remote island in the East Indies. The story highlights Ernest Robinson, who is
now twenty-seven years old, engaged to be married, and is a 1st Lieutenant in the British Royal
Navy. Ernest has distinguished himself as a fearless fighter, respected leader, God-fearing man,
and loyal friend. However, his loyalty is tested when his commanding officer, Captain Charlie, is
court-martialed on war crimes and Ernest has no choice but to tell the truth even if his testimony
sends his former captain to prison.
When reports reach England that a vast treasure trove has been found on Robinson Island, Ernest
and his family find themselves in mortal danger when Captain Charlie vows to retrieve the
treasure for himself and wreak revenge on the entire Robinson family. Will the Robinson Family
survive the attack? Will Ernest ever see his fiancee again? One thing is certain: they won't give
up the island - or their lives - without a fight!
Critique: Brimming with high-stakes adventure from cover to cover, Return to Robinson Island is
author T.J. Hoisington's worthy and inspired continuation of the beloved classic, "The
Adventures of Robinson Island" by Johann David Wyss. A "must-read" for anyone who ever
loved the original saga of courage and cooperation in the face of adversity, Return to Robinson
Island is enthralling to the very end!
Smoke
Catherine McKenzie
Lake Union Publishing
www.apub.com
9781503947214, $24.95, 342pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: After a decade-long career combating wildfires, Elizabeth has traded in her former life
for a quieter one with her husband. Now she works as the local arson investigator in a beautiful,
quaint town in the Rockies. But that tranquil life vanishes when she and her husband agree to
divorce and a fire in nearby Cooper Basin begins to spread rapidly. For Elizabeth, containing a
raging wildfire is easier than accepting that her marriage has failed. For Elizabeth's ex-friend
Mindy, who feels disconnected from her husband and teenage children, the fire represents a
chance to find a new purpose: helping a man who has lost his home to the blaze. But her faith is
shattered by a shocking accusation. As the encroaching inferno threatens the town's residents,
Elizabeth and Mindy must discover what will be lost in the fire, and what will be saved.
Critique: A deftly crafted novel that is a thoroughly absorbing read from beginning to end,
"Smoke" showcases author Catherine McKenzie's truly impressive storytelling talents. An
exceptional entertainment from first page to last, "Smoke" is very highly recommended for
community library General Fiction collections. For personal reading lists it should be noted that
"Smoke" is also available in a paperback edition (9781503945654, $14.95), and in a Kindle
format ($4.99).
Crossing Caine's Road
Maggie Hinton
Trafford Publishing
1663 Liberty Drive, Bloomington, IN 47403
www.trafford.com
9781466966734, $23.18 pbk / $3.99 Kindle, 448pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Michael Greyson, former college football legend and subsequent head coach for the
Arizona Marauders pro-football team, has lain in a coma for six years as a result of a plane crash.
Michael's wife, Melanie, decides to start a new life for herself by making use of her teaching
degree for the first time. She packs up her three children and moves to the small northern
Arizona village of Buena Suerte, better known to the younger generation as "B.S" where she will
teach high school English. Melanie's seventeen year-old daughter, K.C. an award winning
trumpet player, is distraught when she learns that the high school band program may be
abandoned. But then leather-jacketed, pony-tailed Jesse Cockran comes riding into town on his
old Harley Davidson motorcycle. A professional trumpet player from New York City, Jesse will
also be teaching for the first time, and, like Melanie, is seeking a new beginning. He moves into a
trailer across the street from Melanie on Caine's Road and she and her children soon become
emotionally drawn to him. Jesse has to prove himself to the community in spite of the school
board president's determination to find a reason to dismiss him. K.C. commences a feud with
Cooke Nasby, an Apache boy from the nearby reservation. And despite Melanie's objections, her
father-in-law is firm in his attempts to remove Michael from life support. In addition to this clash
of wills, Mel finds herself being sexually harassed by an anonymous stalker. The year is filled
with romance, conflict, and tragedy. Mel, Jesse, and K.C. all face crisis which will change their
lives and the lives of those they love. Crossing Caine's Road is a story of commitment and
second chances, of love and loss.
Critique: An extraordinarily entertaining read made all the more impressive when considering
that is it author Maggie Hinton's debut as a novelist, "Crossing Caine's Road" is very highly
recommended for community library General Fiction collections. For personal reading lists it
should be noted that "Crossing Caine's Road" is also available in a Kindle edition ($3.99).
Francesco's Song
C. M. Furio
CreateSpace
4900 LaCross Rd., North Charleston, SC 29406
9781512091847, $16.00, 388pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Set amidst the drama of Fascist Italy, "Francesco's Song" is the gripping story of one
man's struggle to survive. Based on her own family history, author C.M. Furio tells the poignant
story of young Francesco as he grows up in the small seaside town of Mola di Bari. The saga of
birth, love and death in rural southern Italy unfolds as Italy becomes involved in the cataclysm of
world events. Francesco's carefree youth ends when, the oratory of Mussolini and the false sense
of patriotism seduces him and he joins the military police of the Italian armed forces, the
Carabinieri Reali. Stationed in Yugoslavia and later in Milan, everything he treasures is
threatened as he confronts events during the war and witnesses firsthand the destruction of his
homeland. Fleeing from the occupying Nazi, Francesco is sheltered by sympathizers of a growing
resistance movement. He enters the darkest period of his life. where his only dream is to be
reunited with his family and the love of his life, Francesca. Based on letters and war-time
documents found in the author's family home "Francesco's Song" is a moving portrayal of the
struggles of the Italian people during the war years and the customs that bound them. It is the
story of an immigrant who never lost the love for his homeland and who valued family above all
else.
Critique: A work of deftly crafted fiction that is inspired by letters and war-time documents that
author C. F. Furio found in her family home, "Francesco's Song" is an inherently fascinating read
from first page to last and firmly established C. F. Furio as an exceptionally gifted novelist.
Highly recommended for community library General Fiction collections, it should be noted for
personal reading lists that "Francesco's Song" is also available in a Kindle edition ($9.00).
The Grass Sweeper God
Doug Howery
CreateSpace
4900 LaCross Rd., North Charleston, SC 29406
www.createspace.com
www.dhowery-book.com
9781499783490, $11.99, 250pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Being different in America has never been easy; being born different and in the wrong
body in Solitude, Virginia in the 1950's, is brutal. Smiley Hanlon lives day to day trapped in a
Coal Miners town, buffeted by the Appalachian's and generations of hate and mistrust. Any hint
of being different, or being a 'Freak' is enough to ostracize you, pigeon hole you and make you a
target for bullying - or worse. Backed by his best friend and protector, Lee Moore, Smiley made
it through the days until the night that everything shattered. Chosen as the lead in a new town
production called Dorothy of Oz Coal Camp, it seemed to be the beginning to acceptance and
maybe even happiness, but the world is cruel and mankind even crueler. The triumph of the play
decayed into a Coal Miners version of "Carrie" culminating in a tragic and horrific moment that
would change both Smiley and Lee, forever.
Critique: A novel of impressive depth, maturity and complexity, "The Grass Sweeper God" is an
absorbing read from beginning to end. Very highly recommended for community library General
Fiction collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "The Grass Sweeper God" is
also available in a Kindle edition ($2.99).
The Westhampton Leisure Hour and Supper Club
Samantha Bruce-Benjamin
CreateSpace
4900 LaCross Rd., North Charleston, SC 29406
www.createspace.com
9781512173758, $12.99, 344pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: "The Westhampton Leisure Hour and Supper Club" by Samantha Bruce-Benjamin
delivers a haunting and evocative insight into five minutes in the life of a celebrated Hamptons
society hostess, set against the backdrop of The Great Hurricane of 1938. At Serena Lyons'
exquisite Hamptons estate on September 21st 1938, the footmen are serving vintage champagne,
the orchestra is playing a favorite tune, and the house is lit so brightly it could almost be
mistaken for a star in the distance. The occasion is the last party of the season at The
Westhampton Leisure Hour and Supper Club and anybody who is anybody has turned out in
force. All except for one. As her guests arrive, Serena watches from her bedroom window,
searching for a face in the crowd: The Summer Visitor she has never forgotten. For thirty years
she has waited for him at the start of every party. But on this last evening, the ritual assumes a
greater significance. On a road nearby, Kit Peel, is at last returning to her, bringing with him the
answers to the unresolved mystery of his disappearance at the age of twenty-one, and the truth
behind the secrets that will finally set her free. If only he can get to her in time; if only Serena's
estranged husband, Captain Lyons, will allow him close enough. As The Great Hurricane of 1938
moves over Long Island, finally reaching the fabled Hamptons, the place and its people are
irrevocably changed. Over the course of five minutes, as Serena relives the defining moments of
her life, we learn of the tragedies that left their indelible mark, the promises that were made and
broken, and the decisions that brought them all there that evening, their destinies forever
intertwined and sealed.
Critique: Author Samantha Bruce-Benjamin has based "The Westhampton Leisure Hour and
Supper Club" on her historical research about the Hamptons at the peak of its grandeur, the
devastation that the 1938 hurricane wrought, and a real supper club called The Leisure Hour and
Supper Club. The result is a finely crafted, inherently absorbing, and highly recommended
historical novel that will prove to be an enduringly popular addition to any community library
General Fiction collection. For personal reading lists it should be noted that "The Westhampton
Leisure Hour and Supper Club" is also available in a Kindle edition ($4.99).
Warning's Wane
Jaclyn Little
Privately Published
9780996627702, $11.99, 466pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Upon notification of his mother-in-law's failing health, Paul Danniers agrees to move
with his wife, Colleen, to Praxia Island, a small town off the coast of Maine. The two suddenly
find themselves thrust into a society of recluses who obey a peculiar set of rules, including
Disappearance - the belief that if two people touch, they disappear. As their stay extends into
months, Paul enters an uncertain spiral of paranoia, and, with the help of the curious and
sometimes terrifying residents, begins to uncover the island's secrets - most troubling of which is
a deep-rooted connection that Colleen seems to have with the town, one that threatens to possess
her entirely. Rife with rich symbolism and nods to Greek mythology, "Warning's Wane" is a
dizzying study of madness, isolation, and the power of the collective unconscious.
Critique: A unique and deftly crafted novel that is a richly multilayered read from beginning to
end, "Warning's Wane" is an extraordinary novel by an impressively talented author. Very highly
recommended for community library collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that
"Warning's Wane" is also available in a Kindle edition ($4.99).
Accidental Lives
David Burger
Balboa Press
c/o Hay House, Inc.
PO Box 5100, Carlsbad, CA 92018-5100
www.balboapress.com
9781504333818, $30.95, 172pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: "Accidental Lives" is the story of a man who is in a car accident which leaves him
awake in the hospital with no memory of the past six months. Partially paralyzed, he struggles
with not having the life he had planned. Tomorrow finds him in a strange apartment in New York
City with no memory of the past six months. He cannot remember graduating college or his best
friend. Every other day he finds himself waking in the previous world convinced that the day
before and its world were merely a dream. He finds himself attracted to a woman from the
hospital that has a mystical belief system. He inadvertently discovers that what he is learning
from her may actually work as he finds evidence in his New York world. One world offers his
planned future and the other a love life. Torn between what appears to be two dream worlds, he
finds himself tortured for one to end. Eventually his New York world provides its own love. By
chance, she is the exact same image as his love interest in the other world. As he falls for both,
torment turns into fear that one will indeed end and prove only a dream.
Critique: A deftly written and fully absorbing story from beginning to end, "Accidental Lives"
documents author David Burger as an immensely talented and original novelist of the first order.
Very highly recommended for community library General Fiction collections, it should be noted
for personal reading lists that "Accidental Lives" is also available in a paperback edition
(9781504333795, $13.99) and in a Kindle format ($3.99).
When Giraffes Flew
Jeff Weddle
Southern Yellow Pine Publishing
4351 Natural Bridge Road, Tallahassee, FL 32305
http://www.syppublishing.com
9781940869605, $13.95, PB, 182pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: "When Giraffes Flew" by Jeff Weddle is an eclectic collection of twenty-nine short
stories will tantalize your imagination and your sense of propriety. In the short stories that
comprise "When Giraffes Flew" are to be found exploding chickens, flying giraffes, and one very
ugly monkey. Then there are barbers sick with love and school spirit; a mailman with a vendetta
against junk mail; mayhem, love gone wrong, and lost souls of all stripes.
Critique: Each one a deftly crafted literary gem, the stories comprising Jeff Weddle's "When
Giraffes Flew" is especially recommended for readers that have a taste for the bizarre, the
abstract, the peculiar, and the offbeat. It should be noted that "When Giraffes Flew" is also
available for personal reading lists in a Kindle edition ($4.99).
Evolution of a Revolution
Conallan Power
CreateSpace
4900 LaCross Rd., North Charleston, SC 29406
www.createspace.com
9781514294635, $19.00, PB, 510pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Raised in the Mississippi backwoods by his loving father, Andre Braden learns early
on that the world can be cruel and unfair. This causes Andre to begin a journey for
enlightenment, and he finds a world of contradiction. A job as a common laborer eventually leads
to Andre becoming a respected international labor leader. His curiosity and passion steer him to
explore the darker side of mankind -- and what he finds doesn't bode well for the future of the
workers of the world. Trying to work with the establishment, Andre partners with the more
experienced Daniel Martins, only to discover that Martins has revolution in his mind more than
labor organizing. Thousands of mercenaries are awaiting his beckon call. Andre is soon labeled a
terrorist by the ruling establishment. This among other establishment abuses pushes Andre and
Daniels to launch the revolution.
Critique: A vividly portrayed and inherently absorbing read from beginning to end, "Evolution of
a Revolution" is a deftly crafted novel of impressive complexity denoting author Conallan Power
as a truly gifted storyteller. "Evolution of a Revolution" is strongly recommended for both
community and academic library literary fiction collections. For personal reading lists it should
be noted that "Evolution of a Revolution" is also available in a Kindle edition ($8.00).
The Girl With Espresso Hair
J. S. Meer & Philip James Kirke
CreateSpace
4900 LaCross Rd., North Charleston, SC 29406
www.createspace.com
9781508867821, $18.00, PB, 232pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Jon Brook is a brilliant and uncompromising composer of film music. When his talent
attracts the attention of ruthless industry power-brokers he cannot foresee the lengths they will go
to contain him. When at last his is set up for a crime he hasn't committed (and then imprisoned)
he finally realizes something has to change -- and something does: He meets a beautiful young
architecture graduate and amateur singer called Anna. Initially resisting the attraction he feels for
her, Brook is eventually disarmed and their love is the collision of two brilliant creatives. "The
Girl With Espresso Hair" is an up-to-the-minute contemporary novel about ambition, beauty,
loss, love and finally transcendence.
Critique: A deftly crafted and thoroughly absorbing novel from beginning to end, "The Girl With
Espresso Hair" is very highly recommended for community library General Fiction collections.
For personal reading lists it should be noted that "The Girl With Espresso Hair" is also available
in a Kindle edition ($6.99).
Paul Bunyan
Darryl Wimberley
l'Aleph
www.l-aleph.com
www.darrylwimberley.com
9789176370179, $21.30, PB, 262pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Somewhere in an ancient stand of timber comes a request from an aging lumberjack. "I
need me a will", Paul Bunyan informs his camp's scribe and bean-counter. "But a will ain't just a
will, Johnny. It's a testament, too. What a man wants folks to remember 'bout hisself." And so it
begins, the story of Paul's life resurrecting characters like Sourdough Sam and Shot Gunderson
along with members of the Potawatomi and Ojibwe tribes whose dreams predict the legend of
Bunyan and his blue-hided ox. The deep woods are redolent with beauty and mystery, but also
peril. Paul is forced into a dreadful contest with Swede Sturleson, a timber baron emblematic of
The Gilded Age. Paul will not emerge unscathed in the course of that long encounter. But
something gets born in the interim, something akin to myth or hope, and in that place Paul
Bunyan stands without exaggeration.
Critique: "Paul Bunyan" is a thoroughly entertaining, page-turner of a read from beginning to
end, and clearly documents author Darryl Wimberley as an exceptionally talented novelist of the
first order. Very highly recommended for both community and academic library collections, it
should be noted for personal reading lists that "Paul Bunyan" is also available in a Kindle edition
($6.99).
Exiled to Eden
John Strassel
Outskirts Press, Inc.
10940 S. Parker Road, #515, Parker, CO 80134
www.outskirtspress.com
9781478763468, $32.95, PB, 1082pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: When fate tosses together beautiful heiress Miranda McClellan and missionary pilot
Zane Wylde on a remote jungle airstrip, neither one could have imagined just how much their
meeting would suddenly alter the destiny of three families, and perhaps the entire world. Set in
the year 2060, against the backdrop of World War III, "Exiled to Eden" is the epic saga of the
McClellans, the Wyldes, and the Emersons, and their respective struggles during the most
gruesome conflict the planet will ever face. From sensual tropical locales to the vicious bastions
of Islamic jihad, as well as the traditional halls of imperial influence, members of the three
families battle to keep alive their hope for ultimate survival when each day seems to present its
own set of desperate challenges.
Critique: Truly the magnum opus of a novel, "Exiled to Eden" is the stuff of which television
min-series are made. A thoroughly entertaining read written with imagination and an
extraordinary storytelling skill throughout, "Exiled to Eden" is very highly recommended for
community library General Fiction collections. For personal reading lists it should be noted that
"Exiled to Eden" is also available in an inexpensive Kindle edition ($2.99).
The 5K Zone: Cold War Border Intrigue
Gary R. Hall
Outskirts Press, Inc.
10940 S. Parker Road, #515, Parker, CO 80134
www.outskirtspress.com
9781478763864, $23.95, PB, 364pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Peter Ackerman and Trudi Kehle were children in 1945 when the Russians occupied
the Czechoslovakian Sudetenland. Peter escaped as a boy and structured his life to enable a
return to find his parents and evidence of horrific ethnic German expulsions. In 1958 Peter
returned as a US Army Special Forces sergeant. When he found Trudi, quite accidentally, on her
temporary pass in West Germany, they plotted her family escape from behind the east-west
border. In his young life, Peter has the unique experience of life under Nazi control in the
Sudetenland, the American military in West Germany, as a refugee boy on a post-war West
German hops farm and as a displaced person in America. All before he returns to his homeland.
His observations about rights to land, oppressed people and Nazism that he gained through that
experience is enlightening. Trudi's life, under Russian and Czech control, has been depressing.
When her mother's Czech husband died, they were hopelessly stranded as second-class citizens.
Only Trudi's athletic ability and her administrative assistant job with a Russian Colonel made her
life bearable. Finding Peter changed everything for her. Peter's entry into, and their dual escape
from Czechoslovakia were both lucky and the result of their determination and ingenuity.
Critique: A superbly crafted novel of complexity and richly developed character studies, "The 5K
Zone: Cold War Border Intrigue" by master storyteller Gary r. Hall is a memorably compelling
read from beginning to end. Very highly recommended for community library General Fiction
collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "The 5K Zone: Cold War Border
Intrigue" is also available in a Kindle edition ($8.99).
Q Island
Russell James
Samhain Publishing
www.samhainpublishing.com
9781619229792, $16.99, PB, 304pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: An ancient virus has surfaced on Long Island, NY, turning its victims into
black-veined, infectious, psychopathic killers. Chaos and madness rule. In desperation, the
military quarantines the island, trapping Melanie Bailey and her autistic son, Aiden. Somehow
Aiden survives infection. He could be the key to a cure if Melanie can get him to the mainland.
Gang leader Jimmy Wade also survives the virus, but he's acquired a hunger for human flesh.
Believing consuming Aiden will make him all-powerful, he and his gang hunt the boy. Melanie
and Aiden must evade both Wade's tightening grip and the growing army of the infected in an
impossible escape from what all call Q Island.
Critique: A riveting and impressively well crafted action/suspense novel, "Q Island" is an
exceptional read from beginning to end and very highly recommended for community libraries
where it will prove to be an enduringly popular addition to their collections. For personal reading
lists it should be noted that "Q Island" is also available in a Kindle edition ($4.24).
Tea & Crumples
Summer Kinard
Light Messages
5216 Tahoe Drive, Durham, NC 27713
www.lightmessages.com
9781611531237, $19.95, PB, 316pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Sienna and Peter had it all: a house they designed themselves, two dogs in a fragrant
garden, a new teashop, and a baby on the way. Then the worst happens. They lose their first child
to stillbirth, even though they'd expected a miracle. Soon after, Peter is diagnosed with cancer.
The sheltered peace of tea tables is shattered. Her baby gone, her husband dying, her dream
business threatened, Sienna is nearly lost. But when the worst happens, learning to love again
becomes the real miracle. Tea helps Sienna and Peter touch grief in the dark. With each shared
cup, they come back to one another as they begin to love in loss. Tea and Crumples. Learn to
love again.
Critique: A riveting and inspiring read from beginning to end, "Tea & Crumples" by the
exceptionally talented author Summer Kinard is one of those all-too-rare novels that linger in the
mind and memory long after the book itself has been finished and set back upon the shelf. An
extraordinary work, "Tea & Crumples" is very highly recommended for community library
General Fiction collections. For personal reading lists it should be noted that "Tea & Crumples"
is also available in a Kindle edition ($6.15).
Indian Leader Trail Boss
Clark Selby
Trafford Publishing
1663 Liberty Drive, Bloomington, IN 47403
www.trafford.com
9781490744810, $22.99, HC, 226pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: "Indian Leader Trail Boss" by Clark Selby is the story of a trail drive led by Texas'
most famous trail boss, due to never losing a herd or a man on a drive. Indian Leader was
contacted to lead 3,000 head of Longhorns from the Star Ranch, to Dodge City. He agrees to take
the job when he finds the owner killed by rustlers and his daughter Serene, desperate to get her
cattle to market to pay off a loan when her bank threatens to foreclose on her ranch. They have all
the normal problems of a trail drive; too many miles; too many rivers to cross as Indian has
people trying to kill him for killing their brother. Indian and Serene find they are falling in love
during the trip while a neighboring rancher, Kent Eagle, is determined to do anything he can to
take over Serene's ranch. Indian's problems grow with every mile: getting the cattle to market;
staying alive while people are trying to kill him; selling the herd; pay off the bank loan, and keep
Serene.
Critique: A deftly crafted western action/adventure novel of the first order, "Indian Leader Trail
Boss" is a thoroughly absorbing novel from beginning to end. Very highly recommended for
community library western fiction collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that
"Indian Leader Trail Boss" is also available in a paperback edition (9781490744797, $12.99) and
in a Kindle format ($3.99).
The Burned Bridges of Ward, Nebraska
Eileen Curtright
Little A
c/o Amazon.com
9781503950580, $24.95, HC, 237pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Rebecca Meer's hometown of Ward, Nebraska, is small. It is so small that she can't
even sneak home after a drunken girls' night without running into at least three people she knows.
But she has bigger problems than her reputation. The head doctor at her fertility clinic is losing
his mind, and his wild behavior could cost them the business. Her super successful ex-boyfriend
has blown back into town and somehow become her son's fifth-grade teacher and now her son is
asking awkward questions about the end of their relationship. Rebecca can't even run the PTA's
annual food drive without getting mixed up with criminals. In Eileen Curtright's astute comedy,
we see just how far a stressed-out single parent will go to be the "perfect" mother.
Critique: Impressively written with wit, skill, and memorable insights into the all-to-human
condition, "The Burned Bridges of Ward, Nebraska" is very highly recommended and certain to
be enduringly popular addition to community library General Fiction collections. For personal
reading lists it should be noted that "The Burned Bridges of Ward, Nebraska" is also available in
a paperback edition (9781503947610, $14.95) and in a Kindle format ($5.99).
Breath to Breath
Craig Lew
Relish Media
http://relish-media.com
http://www.littlepicklepress.com
9781939775085, $19.95, HC, 448pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: William is seventeen when he's uprooted from his home and sent to live with his
estranged father -- someone he hasn't seen since he was a little kid. When he's unexpectedly
dragged into a situation where he has no choice but to help an abused four-year-old boy,
William's world is rocked to the core as he discovers the truth of the boy's experience of extreme
sexual abuse. He and this boy are connected in ways William can't even imagine. As horrible
memories begin to flood his consciousness, William's rage drives him to steal a neighbor's guns,
convinced he must stop those responsible for causing a boy so much pain and betrayal. How
William finds the love and compassion he needs to make the right choices is the heart and pulse
of this riveting verse novel. Inspired by a true story, "Breath To Breath" explores what hurt and
healing really mean: to survive you hold your breath, but to live you must exhale.
Criteria: Impressively well written from beginning to end, "Breath to Breath" is an intense and
riveting read. Indeed, author Craig Lew has deftly crafted the kind of novel that will linger in the
mind and memory long after the book itself is set back upon the shelf. For personal reading lists
it should be noted that "Breath to Breath" is also available in a Kindle edition ($9.99).
The Mystery/Suspense Shelf
Seeds of Destruction
Gary Miller Proulx
Abbot Press
1663 Liberty Drive, Bloomington, IN 47403
www.abbottpress.com
9781458218711, $35.95, 266pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Dr. Jacob Miller, a world renowned radiation oncologist whose cancer patients are
dying suspiciously from their cancers after treatment that should have cured them, suspects
something sinister behind their deaths -- and it might even be murder. He also suffers further
turmoil when his romantic relationship ends, and, when flash backs occur to his own painful
childhood as an orphan he is brought to the bleak edge of despair. Incredibly, he battles back to
discover that terrorists are behind his patients being sent to early graves and are also plotting to
explode a 'dirty bomb' in Boston. When Miller's girlfriend is kidnapped by the terrorists, he
recruits his friends and co-workers to help him save her and stop the terrorist bombing. If he fails
his mission, he will not only fail his patients, but also the lives of countless thousands, and his
country.
Critique: A riveting read from beginning to end, "Seeds of Destruction" is a deftly crafted work
of impressive and surprising twists and turns. Documenting author Gary Miller Proulx as an
exceptionally talented author, "Seeds of Destruction" is very highly recommended for community
library General Fiction collections. For personal reading lists it should be noted that "Seeds of
Destruction" is also available in a paperback edition (9781458218704, $17.99) and in a Kindle
format ($3.99).
The Bequest
Nancy Boyarsky
BellBoy Books
9780692481721, $9.99, 270pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Nicole Lewis leads a hectic life, balancing work at L.A.'s most prestigious law firm
and a long-distance romance with her English lover. Things go sideways when she tracks down a
missing office mate, the firm's in-house investigator, and finds him murdered. Robert's murder,
his mysterious wealth, and his inexplicable bequest make Nicole a target for the police, the
paparazzi, and the killer. As Nicole's love life takes an unexpected turn, she uncovers evil and
corruption among the city's most powerful people. The thriller plays out against the backdrop of
Los Angeles, with its peculiar mix of balmy weather, the celebrity-crazed media, and a corrupt
power structure hidden by the veneer of glamour and wealth.
Critique: "The Bequest" is the sequel to Nancy Boyarsky's first novel featuring the adventures of
Nicole Lewis "The Swap" (9780692298442, $9.99 PB, $2.99 Kindle) and once again
demonstrates Boyarsky as a master storyteller of the first order. A deftly crafted novel that will
have immense appeal to mystery buffs, "The Bequest" is very highly recommended for
community library Mystery/Suspense collections. For personal reading lists it should be noted
that "The Bequest" is also available in a Kindle edition ($3.99).
Ordinary Evil
Gene Ferraro
iUniverse, Inc.
c/o Author House
1663 Liberty Dr. Suite #300, Bloomington, IN 47403
www.iuniverse.com
9781491704905, $30.95, HC, 356pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: When a series of international and seemingly unrelated events lead to the brutal murder
of a Catholic altar boy, conflicting notions of the law, obedience, forgiveness and revenge test the
faith of several Roman Catholic priests and two Catholic women. With the boy's death comes
scandal and pain for more than just the family who lost a son. In the aftermath of the horrific
crime and with the revelation of sexual abuse in the church, ordinary people must now confront
ordinary authority, uncovering a web of deceit that stretches from the towns and cities of New
England all the way to the Vatican. Even the law cannot reveal all things. In the end, despite the
terrible acts committed in his name, only God will ever know the truth.
Critique: All the more impressive when considering that "Ordinary Evil" is author Gene Ferraro's
debut as a novelist, this extraordinary story is a compelling read from beginning to end. Very
highly recommended for community library General Fiction collections, it should be noted for
personal reading lists that "Ordinary Evil" is also available in a paperback edition
(9781491704899, $20.95) and in a Kindle format ($4.99).
The Conversion Prophecy
Michael Solomon
Green Dragon Books
P.O. Box 1608, Lake Worth, FL 33460
http://greendragonbooks.com
9781623860158, $29.95, 252pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: When Robert Amanti assumed the office of President of the United States, during a
time of total peace and prosperity in the world, little did he know how one economic conference
could topple the world in just six months? The entire balance of global economic power will
change forever. Life on earth will take on a new meaning, as everything from energy to food
supplies will be controlled by one terrorist state and the madman who has the ability to control it
all. Peace, in the name of one religion, Islam, threatens to dominate mankind. What develops is a
different form of terrorism that doesn't require the firing of a single shot or the shedding of one
drop of blood. However, it could lead to a new world order. It spreads from the halls inside a
Mosque in Indonesia to the highest reaches of the political arena in Washington all in the name
of an everlasting peace - or is it? Will the Islamic flag fly in every capital city in the world? Only
one group, a secret society, led by one man, who must prove that he is stronger and wiser than
the conspiracy, has a plan of action to stop it. But, in order to prevent it, sacrifices have to be
made to move people around like pieces on a chess board. As the mystery unfolds, the President
of the United States finds he has no choice but to surrender his authority, in secret, to a friend he
reluctantly puts his trust in, with the hope of destroying the enemy within. Will he? And, can they
be stopped? Does Amanti really know who his friend is, or is he part of the conspiracy? This is
not just another story of good versus evil, it is more frightening than that. A work of fiction that
will leave the reader thinking whether or not such a thing could really happen - or even if it has
already begun?
Critique: A deftly crafted and impressively written novel of exceptional complexity with
surprising twists and unexpected turns throughout, "The Conversion Prophecy" showcases author
Michael Solomon has a master storyteller of the first order. "The Conversion Prophecy" is highly
recommended for community library General Fiction collections. It should be noted for personal
reading lists that "The Conversion Prophecy" is also available in a paperback edition
(9781623860134, $19.95) and in a Kindle format ($9.99).
Nerve Damage
Tom Combs
Evoke Publishing
9780990336006, $14.99, PB, 326pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: An emergency doctor with a past no physician is allowed to have. An experimental
drug that treats spinal cord injury. A diabolical woman working in the shadows of the
pharmaceutical industry who will stop at nothing to obtain the drug and the riches it will bring.
The attorney wife of one of Drake's partners startling death defies explanation - was she
murdered? The stakes ratchet ever-higher in "Nerve Damage, as Dr. Drake Cody, his wife
Rachelle and their two children become pawns in a multi-billion-dollar scheme where their lives
mean nothing. Drake's hidden past may help them survive - or destroy them. "Nerve Damage"
mirrors the real world of emergency care with life or death action revealed with authenticity and
feeling. Greed, betrayal, lust and violence confront courage and love of family.
Critique: A riveting read from beginning to end, it is no surprise that "Nerve Damage" is such a
compelling novel because it's author, Tom Combs, is himself a physician able to draw upon his
more than twenty years of experience and expertise in level one trauma/acute care ERs. The
result is the kind of novel that blockbuster movies are made. Very highly recommended for
community library General Fiction collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that
"Nerve Damage" is also available in a Kindle edition ($2.99).
Unfortunate Event
Marc David Veldt
CreateSpace
4900 LaCross Rd., North Charleston, SC 29406
www.createspace.com
9781502913401, $9.99, PB, 226pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: A man's life can easily be shattered by a single unfortunate event. After a patient dies
following a routine operation, hospital administration needs a scapegoat. They find their victim
in Dr. Jack Andrews, a brilliant anesthesiologist. Andrews's actions had no bearing on the
patient's death, but he finds himself thrown to the legal wolves by his so-called colleagues as they
scramble to protect themselves. Facing a relentless, amoral prosecutor and allied with a
malpractice insurance company acting in its own best interests, Andrews loses everything -- his
money and his standing in the medical community. His money-obsessed wife divorces him,
taking with her their two children. Jack's opponents think they've won. They think they're the
most ruthless players in the game of life. But Jack's about to introduce them to the game's next
level. He's got nothing left to lose, and a mind trained to make life-or-death decisions. People
start to die -- people who wronged Jack Andrews. A tense thriller, Unfortunate Event explores
the dark side of operating room culture, the cutthroat world of malpractice law, and the mind of
one man as his world crumbles around him.
Critique: A riveting read that never let's up from beginning to end, "Unfortunate Event" is very
highly recommended for community library collections. It should be noted for personal reading
lists that "Unfortunate Event" is also available in a Kindle edition ($4.99).
Hole in the Day
Steven A. Carr
Outskirts Press, Inc.
10940 S. Parker Road, #515, Parker, CO 80134
www.outskirtspress.com
9781478752509, $24.95, HC, 346pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Pristine Loon Lake holds a secret. When a fortune in US twenty dollar, gold Liberty
coins, originally belonging to Northern Mississippi Indian tribes, vanishes in 1868, it sets off a
147-year chain of events from Northern Minnesota to the exotic Cayman Islands. The legend of
the lost gold survives generations of Indians, and treasure hunters. A convict tells the tale to his
prison cellmate before disappearing from his home in the summer tourist town of Destiny,
Minnesota. Anthropologist, Dr. Elizabeth Pike and her father Professor Jon Pike believe her
mother, oblivious to its true value, acquired a copper vase, which may hold the key to the gold's
location. 1,500 miles away in Texas, revenge has compelled a shadowy millionaire for more than
thirteen years to track down the copper vase. He will stop at nothing to get his hands on the gold
and take back what he believes was taken from him--the lives of his comrades during the
Vietnam War, and his own humanity. Does the copper vase exist? Does the gold exist, and if so,
who can get to it first? Those with any information about the lost coins seem to disappear. So,
who is really controlling these events?
Critique: A riveting read from beginning to end, "Hole in the Day" clearly documents Steven A.
Carr as an exceptionally skilled novelist who is able to engage his reader's total attention leading
up to an unexpected and thoroughly satisfying conclusion, Indeed, "Hole in the Day" is one of those
truly memorable novels that will linger in the mind of the reader long after the book itself is
finished and set back upon the shelf. "Hole in the Day" is very highly recommended for both
personal reading lists and community library General Fiction collections.
For You Were Strangers
D. M. Pirrone
Allium Press of Chicago
1530 Elgin Avenue, Forest Park, IL 60130
www.alliumpress.com
9780989053594, $16.99, PB, 320pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: On a spring morning in 1872, former Civil War officer Ben Champion is discovered
dead in his Chicago bedroom with a bayonet protruding from his back. What starts as a routine
case for Detective Frank Hanley soon becomes anything but, as his investigation into Champion's
life turns up hidden truths best left buried. Meanwhile, Rivka Kelmansky's long-lost brother,
Aaron, arrives on her doorstep, along with his mulatto wife and son. Fugitives from an attack by
night riders, Aaron and his family know too much about past actions that still threaten powerful
men in a matter regarding defective guns provided to Union soldiers, and an 1864 conspiracy to
establish Chicago as the capital of a Northwest Confederacy. Champion had his own connection
to that conspiracy, along with ties to a former slave now passing as white and an escaped
Confederate guerrilla bent on vengeance, any of which might have led to his death. Hanley and
Rivka must untangle this web of circumstances, amid simmering hostilities still present seven
years after the end of the Civil War, as they race against time to solve the murder, before the
secrets of bygone days claim more victims.
Critique: The second volume in author D. M. Pirrone's Hanley & Rivka Mystery series, "For You
Were Strangers" is a simply riveting combination of historical novel and detective mystery. A
deftly crafted mystery/suspense thriller, "For You Were Strangers" clearly documents author D.
M. Pirrone as a master of the genre. Very highly recommended for community library
Mystery/Suspense collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "For You Were
Strangers" is also available in a Kindle edition ($6.99). Also very highly recommended is D. M.
Pirrone's first Hanley & Rivka mystery novel "Shall We Not Revenge" (9780989053532, $16.99
PB, $4.99 Kindle, 346pp).
Switchblade Heart
Denning
Archway Publishing
1663 Liberty Drive, Bloomington, IN 47403-5161
www.archwaypublishing.com
9781480818811, $17.99, PB, 242pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Reno Villarrubia has killed more men than she has kissed. A fierce Colombian
bodyguard who carries a switchblade in her boot, she protects a blackmarket kingpin named
Victor Pagnolli. When Pagnolli is blackmailed by a cop who knows more than he should, Reno
must stay alive on a reckless one-hundred-mile journey through the criminal underworld
surrounded by treachery, murderous jealousy, and pursuing FBI agents. As the clock ticks away,
Reno knows she is just one bad break away from being killed or arrested. "Switchblade Heart" is
a suspenseful story where criminal and cop, liar and lover, the innocent and the immoral all
collide together in an underworld climax where there is nowhere to hide.
Critique: A deftly crafted and riveting read from first page to last, "Switchblade Heart" is a
compelling read and certain to be an enduringly popular addition to community library General
Fiction collections. For personal reading lists it should be noted that "Switchblade Heart" is also
available in a Kindle edition ($3.99).
The House of Dread
John W. Cottrell
Outskirts Press, Inc.
10940 S. Parker Road, #515, Parker, CO 80134
www.outskirtspress.com
9781478761242, $21.95, PB, 570pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: There's nowhere to hide. Don Collier saw the campfire gleaming. Secrets, lies, dread,
and consequence, a multitude of people, some of them have a connection to the dreaded house,
some do not, but what they do have is the need to stay away, and the curiosity to know what lurks
in that house draws them. He had been dormant when the campfire party and a familiar tune from
a dead era started it. They woke him up, and now they must suffer. The house has sat undisturbed
for two years, and now this little neighborhood is in for a rude awakening. A series of murders
take place in this seemingly quiet, innocent, neighborhood, but beneath the veil of innocence
looms a terrible evil so real that the neighborhood residents meet it face to face. Some of the kids
feel trapped here, frightened of the house that looms over them and its dark past. They have big
dreams, but they are about to be shattered by the evil that resides here. The evil in this house
stalks them and watches their every move. Will they get out? Or die trying?
Critique: A deftly crafted saga of a novel, "The House of Dread" by John W. Cottrell is an
impressively written story of complexity and a thoroughly absorbing read from beginning to end.
Very highly recommended for community library General Fiction collections, it should be noted
for personal reading lists that "The House of Dread" is also available in a Kindle edition
($33.95).
The Health/Medicine Shelf
The Painful Truth
Lynn R. Webster, M.D.
Webster Media LLC
PO Box 58113, Salt Lake City, UT 84158
9780986140709, $27.00, HC, 246pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Chronic pain affects 1 in 3 Americans and exerts more than a $600-billion drain on the
economy annually. It is the largest invisible epidemic in the land. Having treated thousands of
patients with chronic pain-often when they were at their most vulnerable-Lynn R. Webster, M.D.,
continues to believe there is hope. Ultimately, a cure for pain will require more research, better
therapies, and improved policies. But healing can begin today with a broad-based approach to
treatment, including compassionate support from those closest to the ones who are hurting. "The
Painful Truth: What Chronic Pain Is Really Like and Why It Matters to Each of Us" is an
intimate collection of stories about people living with disabling pain, their attempts to heal, and
the challenges that we collectively face in helping them live meaningful lives. As a physician
who has treated people with chronic pain for more than thirty years, Dr. Lynn Webster reveals
the difficulties that patients face in dealing with chronic pain in a society that is often shamefully
prejudiced against those who are most in need of our empathy. He also shares how such biases
also affect medical professionals who treat patients with chronic pain.
Critique: As informed and informative as it is thoughtful and thought-provoking, ""The Painful
Truth: What Chronic Pain Is Really Like and Why It Matters to Each of Us" provides a wealth of
insights that are exceptionally well presented and will prove to be of immense interest for
academia and non-specialist general reader alike. Very highly recommended for both community
and academic library Health/Medicine reference collections and supplemental studies lists, it
should be noted for personal reading that "The Painful Truth" is also available in a paperback
edition (9780986140716, $16.99) and in a Kindle format ($9.99).
This Naked Mind
Annie Grace
ASPN Publications
9780996715003, $16.95, PB, 264pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Millions of people worry that drinking is affecting their health, yet are unwilling to
seek change because of the misery and stigma associated with alcoholism and recovery. They
fear drinking less will be boring, involving deprivation, difficulty and significant lifestyle
changes. "This Naked Mind: Control Alcohol: Find Freedom, Rediscover Happiness & Change
Your Life" by Annie Grace offers a new solution. Packed with surprising insight into the reasons
we drink, "This Naked Mind" will open your eyes to the startling role of alcohol in our culture.
Once a drinker who herself has successfully abandoned the consumption of alcohol, Annie Grace
brilliantly weaves psychological, neurological, cultural, social and industry factors with her
extraordinarily candid journey resulting in a must read for anyone who drinks. "This Naked
Mind", without scare tactics, pain or rules, gives you freedom from alcohol. By addressing causes
rather than symptoms it is a permanent solution rather than lifetime struggle. It removes the
psychological dependence allowing you to easily drink less (or stop drinking). Annie's clarity,
humor and unique ability to blend original research with riveting storytelling ensures you will
thoroughly enjoy the process.
Critique: As informative and thoughtful as it is 'real-world practical' and thoroughly 'reader
friendly' in tone, content, organization and presentation, "This Naked Mind: Control Alcohol:
Find Freedom, Rediscover Happiness & Change Your Life" is highly recommended as a
life-changing read that is especially recommended for inclusion in both community and academic
library Health/Medicine collections in general, and Alcoholism Treatment supplemental studies
reading lists in particular. For personal reading lists it should be noted that "This Naked Mind" is
also available in a Kindle edition ($9.99).
The Complete Cancer Organizer
Jamie L. Schwachter & Josette M. Snyder
Spry Publishing
315 East Eisenhower Parkway, Suite 2, Ann Arbor, MI 48108
www.sprypub.com
9781938170720, $19.95, PB, 208pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Throughout years of answering calls at renowned Cleveland Clinic's Cancer Answer
Line, Advance Practice Nurses Jamie Schwachter and Josette Snyder have spoken with patients
of all ages and with all types and stages of cancer. They have listened to countless stories and
offered advice. They've answered questions from friends and family members, and even from
physicians and other healthcare professionals. Questions such as: What should I wear to
chemotherapy? Should I get a second opinion? How do I talk with my family about my cancer?
Why does it take so long to get a diagnosis? Is complementary treatment something I should
consider? The more questions they fielded, the more they wanted to compile those questions -
and their answers - into a resource to help cancer patients everywhere. In "The Complete Cancer
Organizer: Your Answers to Questions About Living With Cancer", Jamie and Josette share
answers to the most common questions about living well during and following cancer treatment.
Full of lists, tips, and suggestions, "The Complete Cancer Organizer" allows patients and their
families to face a challenging time armed with knowledge and concrete strategies that have
worked for others before them. Cancer may be a new experience, but it doesn't have to be faced
alone. Cancer Answer nurses Jamie Schwachter and Josette Snyder can help guide you through
the process in "The Complete Cancer Organizer".
Critique: Simply stated, this spiral bound edition of "The Complete Cancer Organizer: Your
Answers to Questions About Living With Cancer" should be considered a "must read" for anyone
having to deal with cancer be it for themselves or for a family member or a friend. Exceptionally
well written, organized and presented, "The Complete Cancer Organizer" should be considered a
critically important acquisition of enduring value for community and academic library Health &
Medicine reference collections.
The Wellness Blueprint
Maiysha Clairborne, M.D.
Kallisti Publishing
332 Center Street, Wilkes-Barre, PA 18702
www.kallistipublishing.com
9780984816224, $16.00, PB, 236pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: "The Wellness Blueprint: The Complete Mind/Body Approach to Reclaiming Your
Health & Wellness" offers a modern approach to integrative health and wellness, by board
certified physician Dr. Maiysha Clairborne. "The Wellness Blueprint" goes back to the basics in
order to effectively teach you how to integrate very simple habits into your life that will empower
you to reclaim your mental, physical, and emotional well-being. "The Wellness Blueprint"
provides you with a complete wellness plan that has been proven to work. This intuitive and
innovative wellness blueprint will shift you from being a passive recipient to an active participant
in your health and well-being. Whether you suffer from an ailment or you want to simply
preserve the health that you enjoy, "The Wellness Blueprint" will result in you reclaiming
complete control of your health and wellness.
Critique: Offering a complete and thoroughly 'user friendly' plan for reclaiming and living a
contemporary life of health and wellness, "The Wellness Blueprint" is impressively well written,
organized and presented. Of special note are the chapters on The Different Aspects of Wellness;
Boundaries and Balance; and Emotional Intelligence. Very highly recommended for both
community and academic library Health & Medicine instructional reference collections, it should
be noted for personal reading lists that "The Wellness Blueprint" is also available in a Kindle
edition ($9.99).
The Self-Help Shelf
The Power of 10
Rugger Burke
Tjikko Publishing
www.tjikko.com
9780990975311, $27.00, 282pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: "The Power of 10" is a practice for engaging the voice of wisdom through inquiry and
advocacy. Inquiry raises our awareness of what is through inviting us to examine our current state
of being; advocacy prompts us to live into what is possible. Together, inquiry and advocacy
evoke the voice of wisdom that is the quiet, still voice inside us. It is the confluence of
knowledge, experience, and insight flowing through all living beings that speaks through our
bodies, hearts, and minds. As we learn to listen to it closely, the voice of wisdom reveals our true
nature and purpose, calls on us to commit to something greater, and guides us toward being our
best selves in every thought, word, and action. At its heart, "The Power of 10" sensitizes us to our
own, unique purpose, and helps us discover that spark of the divine at the core of our being. Put
simply, it is a practice for engaging your voice of wisdom to become the greatest you -- the you
who is meant to be.
Critique: If you only have time to read one self-help/self-improvement book as the new year
begins, make it "The Power of 10". Exceptionally well written, organized and presented
instructional by Rugger Burke is an inherently fascinating, informative, and motivating read from
beginning to end. Very highly recommended for both community and academic library Self-Help
collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "The Power of 10' is also available
in a Kindle edition ($9.99).
Conscious Being
T. J. Woodward
Balboa Press
c/o Hay House, Inc.
PO Box 5100, Carlsbad, CA 92018-5100
www.balboapress.com
9781504329316, $30.95, 174pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: "Conscious Being: Awakening to Your True Nature" by awakening coach,
inspirational speaker, and addiction counselor T. J. Woodward is a compelling resource for those
seeking self-realization. It serves as a guide for awakened living, which is a state of higher clarity
and presence and is a more natural condition than many are aware exists within each of us.
Woodward creates a powerful philosophy for living by masterfully weaving personal stories,
entertaining anecdotes, and deep, mystical truths. The result is a composition that offers practical
guidance to show the benefits of spiritual transformation, while encouraging each of us to shift
into a deeper awareness of our authentic inner wisdom. "Conscious Being" shows us how the
circumstances of our lives and what we call reality are created by our level of consciousness. It
offers methods for unlearning and releasing self-limiting beliefs and the illusion of ego so we can
come into alignment with an existence overflowing with compassion, love, and purpose. This
"great remembering," as TJ Woodward calls it, is available to us at every moment, for it is our
true nature and our divine birthright.
Critique: Informative, articulate, exceptionally well written, organized and presented, "Conscious
Being: Awakening to Your True Nature" is both inspired and inspiring from beginning to end.
Very highly recommended for community library Self-Help/Self-Improvement instructional
reference collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Conscious Being" is also
available in a paperback edition (9781504329293, $13.99) and in a Kindle format ($4.99).
Mountain Mantras
Kathryn Kemp Guylay
Healthy Solutions of Sun Valley
www.makewellnessfun.com
9780996532822, $15.99, 240pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: "Mountain Mantras: Wellness and Life Lessons from the Slopes" by certified
nutritional counselor Kathryn Kemp Guylay (who is also the founder of the national non-profit
organization Nuture) uses stories from the author's personal life as an engaging, often hilarious,
backdrop for studying wellness and life lessons. From starting a nonprofit to her family's journey
west and her humbling adventures learning to ski as an adult, Kathryn's stories inspire and
entertain. "Mountain Mantras" offers life lessons on how to: Achieve greater success in life
simply by adjusting how you perceive events around you; A 6-step framework to overcoming
obstacles in life; Using vision and visualization to turn dreams into reality; Strategies to engage
fully in life, while experiencing improved health and vitality.
Critique: As impressively well written, organized and presented, as it is inherently humorous,
absorbing, informative, and inspiring, "Mountain Mantras: Wellness and Life Lessons from the
Slopes" is very highly recommended for both community and academic library
Self-Help/Self-Improvement and Contemporary American Biography collections. For personal
reading lists it should be noted that "Mountain Mantras" is also available in a Kindle edition
($7.99).
It's a Match!: The Guide to Finding Lasting Love
Natalie Moore
MNM Publishing, Inc.
9780996532006, $15.99, 362pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: We all desire to find our true soul mate who will help us to achieve a life-long lasting
love. In "It's a Match!: The Guide to Finding Lasting Love", experienced and successful
Relationship Coach and Marriage and Family Therapist, Natalie Moore draws upon her
professional expertise and her own personal experience as a divorced woman in finding, getting,
and keeping a higher-level match. "It's a Match!" provides readers with a complete guide filled
with techniques and advice to find their perfect, long-term committed partner (offline or in the
digital dating world). Natalie provides tips to apply the "4 Levels of Love" model that she
personally developed to analyze a potential or existing relationship for longevity and happiness.
Applying skills Natalie developed working in the financial world, her "4 Levels of Love" model
provides a unique approach than what is typically advised to people seeking love. To determine if
a match is a Level 1, 2, 3 or 4, Natalie looks at the aggregate number of shared areas of
intimacies and core values.
Critique: Informed and informative, thoughtful and thought-provoking, as inspiring as it is
motivational, "It's a Match!: The Guide to Finding Lasting Love" is thoroughly 'reader friendly' in
tone, organization and presentation, making it very highly recommended for community library
Self-Help/Self-Improvement collections. For personal reading lists it should be noted that "It's a
Match!" is also available in a Kindle edition ($5.99).
The Victory Cycle
Michael Annese
The Peppertree Press, LLC
1269 First Street, Suite 7, Sarasota, FL 34236
www.peppertreepublishing.com
www.michaelannese.com
9781614933786, $24.95, HC, 150pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: In the pages of "The Victory Cycle: 7 Progressive Steps to Forge a Lifetime of
Everlasting Personal Growth and Change", Michael Annese has created a practical and effective
method for anyone regardless of background, circumstances or education. Readers will apply the
steps within "The Victory Cycle" to create the momentum required to fuel their journey,
achieving their own personal Victory. "The Victory Cycle" is direct, to the point, and quickly
yields results. "The Victory Cycle" provides a system for those who are ready to feed the fire
within their heart and soul.
Critique: Impressively well written, organized and presented, "The Victory Cycle: 7 Progressive
Steps to Forge a Lifetime of Everlasting Personal Growth and Change" is informative and
practical as it is thoughtful and inspiring. If you only have time for one self-help instructional,
make it Michael Annese's thoroughly 'reader friendly' do-it-yourself improvement guide, "The
Victory Cycle". Highly recommended for community library Self-Help/Self-Improvement
collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "The Victory Cycle" is also available
in a paperback edition (9781614933793, $14.95) and in a Kindle format ($3.99).
Live Love Soul: A Soul's Guide to Happy
Machel Shull
Ayni Books
c/o John Hunt Publishing, Ltd.
Laurel House, Station Approach, Alresford, Hants, SO24 9JH, UK
www.johnhuntpublishing.com
9781782792840, $21.95, PB, 288pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: "Live Love Soul: A Soul's Guide to Happy" by Machel Shull invites you to explore
habits and exercises that can help you discover your own inner joy. Machel shares personal
interviews with successful individuals who are achieving their soul's dream. "Live Love Soul"
reveals just what their secrets are and how you can apply their advice to empower your own
journey. "Live Love Soul" is dedicated to helping the reader cultivate real self-love, release
negative thought patterns, and to live a more balanced, exciting life.
Critique: "Live Love Soul: A Soul's Guide to Happy" is a riveting read from first page to last. If
you only have time to read one self-help book this year, make it Machel Shull's "Live Love
Soul"! Thoroughly 'reader friendly' in tone, content, organization and presentation, "Live Love
Soul" is certain to be an enduringly popular addition for community library
Self-Help/Self-Improvement collections. For personal reading lists it should be noted that "Live
Love Soul" is also available in a Kindle edition ($10.69).
The Pivotal Life
Jeffrey Wenzler
Henschel Haus Publishing
2625 South Greeley Street, Suite 201, Milwaukee, WI 53207
http://henschelhausbooks.com
9781595983824, $16.95, PB, 210pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: A 'pivotal life' is one that is filled with meaningful insights and awareness. It is a life
that is inspirational and passionate. A life that uncovers an individual's unique purpose. With the
help of Jeffrey Wenzler's "The Pivotal Life: A Compass for Discovering Purpose, Passion &
Perspective" readers can unlock their inner compass to discover a life filled with deeper purpose,
passion, and perspective. In the pages of "The Pivotal Life, Jeff Wenzler journeys through some
of life s most profound experiences and includes numerous inspirational and heartfelt stories of
tragedy and loss, discovery, and wonder along eight compass points. Also included are
Reflection Questions and Exercises that challenge you to examine the ordinary and seek the
extraordinary.
Critique: Exceptionally well written, organized and presented, ""The Pivotal Life: A Compass for
Discovering Purpose, Passion & Perspective" is as practical and insightful as it is thoroughly
'reader friendly' in tone and commentary. Very highly recommended for both academic and
community library Self-Help/Self-Improvement reference collections, it should be noted for
personal reading lists that "The Pivotal Life" is also available in a Kindle edition ($9.99).
Adventure, Day One
P. J. Jackson
Balboa Press
c/o Hay House, Inc.
PO Box 5100, Carlsbad, CA 92018-5100
www.balboapress.com
9781452514864, $13.99, PB, 172pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: What if you could overcome a huge challenge in your life by choosing to be positive?
When Rickey Jackson faced almost certain death from cancer, he and his wife P. J. Jackson
turned to simple strategies that had seen them through some rough times in the past, and applied
them to this greatest test of all. The first step they took was to change the way they viewed their
challenge. Instead of believing that the days ahead would be overwhelming and unbearable, each
day would be an adventure! That positive approach became their mainstay during the difficult
times ahead. Readers of "Adventure, Day One: 7 Positive Strategies When Life's Journey Gets
Rough" will learn their seven secrets for coping with life's challenges in this powerful memoir
and step-by-step guide. P.J. and Rickey will show you how you too can choose to face each day
as an adventure, one that provides strength and peace during challenging times.
Critique: Perhaps one of the best and most succinctly practical self-help books of recent memory,
"Adventure, Day One: 7 Positive Strategies When Life's Journey Gets Rough" will prove to be an
invaluable and even life-changing read. Very highly recommended for community and academic
library Self-Help/Self-Improvement reference collections, it should be noted for personal reading
lists that "Adventure, Day One: 7 Positive Strategies When Life's Journey Gets Rough" is also
available in a Kindle edition ($3.99).
The Metaphysical Studies Shelf
The Indigo Journals
Yol Swan
Sri Devi Press
PO Box 2033, Asheville, NC 28802
http://sridevipress.com
9780986365423, $24.95, PB, 446pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: If you feel disempowered and disconnected in a world that doesn't make sense to you,
"The Indigo Journals: Spiritual Healing For Indigo Adults & Other Feminine Souls" by Yol
Swan holds the answers you've been looking for. From Swan's mystical experiences, channeled
messages and encounters with enlightened teachers to the cosmic memories that led her to an
in-depth exploration of the wounded Feminine, she takes you on a spiritual healing journey of
self-discovery and personal growth to unlock your hidden feminine power, fulfill your purpose
and bring balance to an overly masculine world. "The Indigo Journals" will help you to:
Understand who you really are and the essential differences between the many soul types
inhabiting the Earth today; Master your hidden feminine power to transform your reality while
contributing to a better world; Develop emotional and spiritual freedom with practical tools to
integrate the Feminine and Masculine within you; Discover your true purpose, feel empowered to
live the life you want and promote a new cosmic cycle of light.
Critique: Enhanced with the inclusion of many spiritual yet practical tools provided, plus bonus
links to a Self-Assessment Questionnaire, Guided Meditation and Past Life Regression designed
to aid in the integration all the aspects of the human soul, ""The Indigo Journals: Spiritual
Healing For Indigo Adults & Other Feminine Souls" is very highly recommended for personal,
community, and academic library Metaphysical Studies, as well as Self-Help/Self-Improvement
reference collections. It should be noted that "The Indigo Journals" is also available in a Kindle
edition ($9.99).
The New Spiritual Chakras
Elizabeth Joyce
Visions of Reality
PO Box 128, Chalfont, PA 18914
www.new-visions.com
9780989802994, $21.95, PB, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: A chakra (Sanskrit cakra, "wheel") is thought to be an energy point or node in the
subtle body. Chakras are believed to be part of the subtle body, not the physical body, and as
such, are the meeting points of the subtle (non-physical) energy channels called nadi. Nadi are
believed to be channels in the subtle body through which the life force (prana) (non-physical) or
vital energy (non-physical) moves. Various scriptural texts and teachings present a different
number of chakras. It's believed that there are many chakras in the subtle human body, according
to the tantric texts, but there are seven chakras that are considered to be the most important ones.
In "The New Spiritual Chakras: and How To Work With Them", psychic Elizabeth Joyce
explores how men and women can connect with what is most separate and harness the
mechanical Third Dimension reality for the benefit of their life and the lives of those around
them. We grow and our consciousness expands as well as our spiritual gifts. Although this
information has been with us all along, we are now able to, for the first time in eons, access these
energies and apply them to ourselves by working with our Spiritual Chakras. It's the hope and
expectation that this process can eventual lead to world peace -- a goal to be devoutly aspired to
in our troubled times.
Critique: As informed and informative, as it is thoughtful and thought-provoking, "The New
Spiritual Chakras And How To Work With Them" is highly recommended and will prove to be
an extraordinary and appreciated addition to personal, community, and academic library
Metaphysical Science reference collections and supplemental studies reading lists.
The Great Mother Bible
Mare Cromwell, author
Remy Benoit & Beth Brock Duncan, editors
Pamoon Press
http://www.marecromwell.com
9780971703261, $21.95, PB, 298pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Referred to as "The Voice of Earth Mother" by a gifted Shoshone elder, Mare
Cromwell was given specific instructions from Mother in November, 2013, to write what became
"The Great Mother Bible". Out of that spiritual call has come teachings ranging from the role of
aliens on Earth, the Christ Consciousness, sacred dimensions and balance. "The Great Mother
Bible" is a revolutionary and humorous spiritual book that offers the reader essential wisdom and
guidance to birth the New World.
Critique: Impressively well written, exceptionally well organized and presented, as informed and
informative as it is thoughtful and thought-provoking, "The Great Mother Bible" is a significant
contribution to the growing library of Metaphysical Studies literature and an inherently
fascinating, absorbing read from beginning to end. Very highly recommended, it should be noted
for personal reading lists that "The Great Mother Bible" is also available in a Kindle edition
($8.99).
The Social Issues Shelf
Seduced: The Grooming of America's Teenagers
Opal Singleton
Xulon Press
2301 Lucien Way, Suite 415, Maitland, FL 32751
www.millionkids.org
9781498431064, $15.99, 236pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Opal Singleton is President and CEO of Million Kids and Training and Outreach
Coordinator for Riverside County Anti Human Trafficking Task Force. Opal trains thousands of
government agencies, school administrators, corporations, civic groups and faith based
organizations about how to prevent human trafficking. She sits with parents of missing kids and
talks with teens who are being "Sextorted" with a naked photo. Sometimes the young people are
coerced or forced into prostitution. This is human trafficking and it is the fastest growing crime
in the U.S. Opal has recognized a disturbing trend. Each encounter with a stranger, every illicit
photo represents an opportunity for exploitation. With advancing technology violence and sex
can be portrayed in ways that parallel reality. The result is a generation of "Desensitized
Teenagers". We are at a unique time in history. We have a generation of teens who have grown
up with the Internet but whose parents are techno-phobic. Parents give kids devices that open the
door to over a million predators that can influence a child's thinking on morality, spirituality and
sexuality while they are competing for approval in a fantasy world. Apps, social media and
online gaming allow access, grooming, recruitment and exploitation of our young people by total
strangers. "Seduced: The Grooming of America's Teenagers" is not just an Internet Safety
program. It is a parent and grandparent empowerment tool.
Critique: Impressively well written, organized and presented, "Seduced: The Grooming of
America's Teenagers" is a critically important report on one of the most pressing social issues of
our time -- how to keep kids safe in the era of the internet and the rapid technological advances
of electronic social media. An essential and highly recommended addition to community library
Parenting Studies instructional reference collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists
that "Seduced: The Grooming of America's Teenagers" is also available in a Kindle edition
($7.99).
Secrets of the IRS: Unbridled Bullies
Ann Hewitt
AuthorHouse
1663 Liberty Drive, Suite 200, Bloomington, IN 47403-5161
www.authorhouse.com
9781504917483, $14.95, HC, 122pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Twenty-seven years ago, Ann Hewitt endured a terrible audit that highhanded agents of
the IRS put her through. During that audit, she wrote down everything she was aware that they
were doing, knowing it was all terribly wrong. When the audit was over and she let the IRS know
she intended to publish what happened, they threatened her, letting her know she was still under
their regulations as a retired IRS employee. When Ann recently decided to publish "Secrets of the
IRS: Unbridled Bullies", she discovered all copies had mysteriously disappeared. Ann's sister,
who had the only remaining copy, found it on a shelf in her home and that is why Ann went
ahead with this edition of "Secrets of the IRS: Unbridled Bullies". Year after year the IRS keeps
advertising to the gullible public how "fair" and "honest" they are. Well, the public is not that
gullible! Over the last twenty-seven years, not much has changed. The supervisors still believe
their underlings, and for good reason. The supervisors are trained to be supervisors, not to know
the law. Therefore, if you irritate the agent who is performing your audit, beware of the big hand
of IRS retribution. "Secrets of the IRS: Unbridled Bullies" book contains some things that will
help an unfortunate taxpayer through a nasty IRS audit.
Critique: Simply stated, "Secrets of the IRS: Unbridled Bullies" should be made mandatory
reading by every congressman and senator, every president and every member of a presidential
administration, but most importantly, every tax paying citizen in the United States. No
community or academic library should be without a copy of "Secrets of the IRS: Unbridled
Bullies" in their collection and available to the patrons and students they serve. It should be noted
for personal reading lists that "Secrets of the IRS: Unbridled Bullies" is also available in a
paperback edition (9781504910699, $14.95) and in a Kindle format ($3.99).
The Economic Studies Shelf
Mass Capitalism: A Blueprint for Economic Revival
Apek Mulay
Book Publishers Network
http://www.bookpublishersnetwork.com
www.ApekMulay.com
9781940598482, $20.00, PB, 242pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Thanks corporate outsourcing and overseas relocations of the past thirty years, and to
the Great Recession of 2008, job security is no longer a given. As much of our economy follows
jobs to other countries, especially China, Americans must wonder what we will be left holding.
Can we retrieve what we have lost? In"Mass Capitalism: A Blueprint for Economic Revival",
Apek Mulay (Business and Technology Consultant with Mulay's Consultancy Services and a
senior analyst and Macroeconomist in US Semiconductor Industry) presents solutions to the
economic problems threatening the survival of the US and global economies. "Mass Capitalism"
covers such issues as the establishment of a balanced economy; the elimination of
unemployment; the reduction and elimination of deficits and the nation debt; the revival of the
US economy; and the establishment of a true free-market economy with minimal government
intervention and lower taxes on individuals. "Mass Capitalism" also calls for the majority shares
of Fortune 500 companies to be owned by their employees, rather than outside investors. "Mass
Capitalism" provides clear, simple explanations make the economic concepts discussed
accessible to all readers.
Critique: Informed and informative, thoughtful and thought-provoking, "In" Mass Capitalism: A
Blueprint for Economic Revival" will prove to be of immense interest to academia and
non-specialist general readers with an interest in the nation's (and their own) economic well
being. Very highly recommended for both community library and academic library Economics
reference collections and supplemental studies reading lists, it should be noted that "Mass
Capitalism" is also available in a Kindle edition ($8.99).
The General Theory of Eco-Social Science
Jianfang Jin
AuthorHouse
1663 Liberty Drive, Suite 200, Bloomington, IN 47403-5161
www.authorhouse.com
9781496948816, $31.99, HC, 368pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Mr. Jianfang Jin, the author, received his B.A. in economics at one of China's elite
universities, Nankai University. Upon graduation, he was assigned to an administration and
policy department of the Chinese State Council, where he was able to observe the overall
political and economic developments in China. In 1985, he went to the U.S. on his own and
earned a M.S. from Purdue University. Thereafter he engaged extensively in business in the U.S.
and China, and was an eager student of the great social and economic changes occurring in the
world in our times. Mr. Jin currently works as the CEO of a public company in Vancouver. Mr.
Jianfang Jin is the director of the World Association of Eco-Social Science. In "The General
Theory of Eco-Social Science" he brings to bear his years of experience and expertise to
introduces five new theories to the field of humanities and social science. ECO-ENTITY: An
Entirely New Sociology that lays out an all new system of ecological theory integrating the social
and natural sciences. At its core is the new concept of the "eco-entity," its roles and inner
systems, its rules, operation laws and operating mechanism. ECO-RESOURCES: New
Philosophy and Management which advances the concept of "eco-resources", expanding to the
social relations of human beings, and puts forth the new theories of the monist world outlook of
eco-resources, the dichotomy between positive and negative eco-resources, and the strategic
management of eco-resources, through which it reveals a new dimension to humanities and
social sciences. ECOLOGICAL SOCIETY: A Brand New Political Science that introduces the
doctrine of an "ecological society" where the rule of law is replaced by the "rule of organicism,"
and explains the operating principles and governance of the future ecological society.
ECO-ECONOMICS: A New Economics which demonstrates with flow charts the economic
growth cycle. It depicts the laws of commodity value and "eco-value." It stresses the organic
inter-relations between the government and the market. Jin systematically expounded the
economic growth cycle, the starting point, the methods, the principles, the mechanisms and the
formulas, in his eco-economy growth theory. ECO -CURRENCY: A Complete New Theory of
Currency creates the new theory of Eco-currency, three basic attributes of currency and three
major functions of currency. Jin proposes a new eco-monetary policy: management of role
currencies, or a "visible hand" in adjusting the economy. In addition, he also illustrates the
elements of eco-currency, a new currency, in detail.
Critique: An impressive and unique contribution to the study of global economics, "The General
Theory of Eco-Social Science: The Theory and Road Map for Comprehensive Reform" is very
highly recommended reading and an valuable addition to college and university library Economic
Theory reference collections and supplemental studies reading lists. Of immense interest to
professional economists and non-specialist general readers with an interest in economic theory, it
should be noted that "The General Theory of Eco-Social Science" is also available in a paperback
edition (9781496947635, $23.95) and in a Kindle edition ($3.99).
The Humor Shelf
TurboJetslams: Proof #29 of the Non-Existence of God
Jass Richards
Magenta
9781926891651, $9.99, PB, 132pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: "TurboJetslams: Proof #29 of the Non-Existence of God" by former stand-up
comedian Jass Richards tells the tale of one person's pathetic and hilarious attempts to
single-handedly stop the destruction of a little piece of beautiful wilderness by the increasing
numbers of idiots who couldn't care less.
Critique: Extraordinarily well written with wit, wisdom, and laugh-out-loud ironic recognition,
"TurboJetslams: Proof #29 of the Non-Existence of God" highly entertaining and a riveting read
that will linger on in the mind and memory long after the little book itself has been finished and
set back upon the shelf (or shove it into the hands of friends with an insistence that they drop
everything else and read it!). Highly recommended for community library collections, it should
be noted for personal reading lists that "TurboJetslams: Proof #29 of the Non-Existence of God"
is also available in a Kindle edition (9781926891668, $4.99).
The Fantasy/SciFi Shelf
A Troll's Phantasmagoria
Ronald J. Willis
Open Sea Press
9780982819708, $13.95, 176pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: "A Troll's Phantasmagoria" is the story of Garn, a troll of the Scandinavian sort, and
Lucy, a PhD-holding prostitute and expert in ancient languages, cavort and plot with friends in
the New York City of the 1970s. Many of the themes in "A Troll's Phantasmagoria" are still
resonating today. "A Troll's Phantasmagoria" is being published on the 40th anniversary of the
death of its author, Ronald J. Willis, founder of the International Fortean Organization. The
typewritten manuscript was discovered in the proverbial trunk by the late author's family when
they were unpacking after a move recently. The novel has weird and wacky characters, wild and
funny events, and allusions to death, Fortean phenomena, mysticism and various religions and
spiritual paths including Gnosticism, Buddhism, Christianity, Jewish folklore, and Paganism.
Willis was raised Roman Catholic but by the time he was an adult he had left that Church.
Though interested in various spiritualities, he never again affiliated with a church of any
denomination. A novel of magical realism, the language and writing style for "A Troll's
Phantasmagoria" ranges from racy and humorous to poetically profound.
Critique: An inherently fascinating and absorbing read from beginning to end, "A Troll's
Phantasmagoria" is as entertaining as it is thoughtful and thought-provoking. This is one of those
unique works of literary fiction that will linger in the mind and memory long after the book itself
has been finished and set back upon the shelf. "A Troll's Phantasmagoria" is very highly
recommended for personal reading lists, as well as community and academic library American
Literary Fiction collections.
The Falling of the Moon
A. E. Decker
World Weaver Press
www.worldweaverpress.com
9780692526019, $14.95, 330pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: In the gloomy mountains of Shadowvale, Ascot Abberdorf is expected to marry a
lugubrious Count and settle down to a quiet life terrorizing the villagers. Instead, armed with a
book of fairy tales, her faithful bat-winged cat, and whatever silverware she can pinch, Ascot
heads east, to the mysterious Daylands, where her book promises she can find True Love and
Happily Ever After, if she only follows her heart. Determined to win the hand of Prince Parvanel,
Ascot storms the Kingdom of Albright. With the book's guidance, she's confident she'll overcome
any obstacles the imperious Queen Bettina Anna throws in her way, be they witches, evil
stepmothers, or Big Bad Wolves. Unfortunately, the book doesn't cover reluctant princes, wolves
who read Dostoyevsky instead of blowing down houses, or a guild of Godmothers whose
motivations may not be as pure as three drops of blood on a sweep of snow. Most annoying of all
is the captain of the guard who swears he'll see the moon fall before she weds Prince Parvanel. If
this parade of shifty shenanigans continues, Ascot might have to rewrite her own tale lest she end
most Unhappily Ever After!
Critique: A unique and clever fantasy, "The Falling of the Moon" is a thoroughly entertain read
from first page to last. Very highly recommended and certain to be an enduring favorite for
community library collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "The Falling of
the Moon" is also available in a Kindle edition ($6.99).
Occupied Earth
Richard J. Brewer & Gary Philips
Polis Books, LLC
www.PolisBooks.com
9781940610528, $15.95, 352pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Collaboratively compiled by Richard J. Brewer and Gary Philips, "Occupied Earth:
Stories of Aliens, Resistance and Survival at all Costs" is a groundbreaking anthology that
explores the idea of what the world would look like years after its conquest. 20 years after a
successful invasion by the Makh-Ra, humanity still exists, only it has become subservient to a
race of occupiers who govern the devastated planet. But, as much at things continue with some
sense of normalcy, something has happened in the Mahk-Ra's empire. Earth, once considered a
strategic beachhead of major importance to the Empire, has been downgraded in its value. Things
are starting to degrade. Our planet is the last place any self-respecting Mahk-Ra officer wants to
be assigned. Yet, despite everything, life continues. These stories bring us face to face with the
possible annihilation of the human race and shows how we can pull ourselves back from the
brink. Featuring Rachel Howzell Hall, Lisa Morton, Matthew V. Clemens, Howard Hendrix,
Nathan Walpow and more, "Occupied Earth" is coming. Stay safe. Stay strong. Survive at all
costs.
Critique: A unique and impressive anthology that deserves to be brought to the attention of
science fiction fans everywhere, ""Occupied Earth: Stories of Aliens, Resistance and Survival at
all Costs" is a terrifically entertaining read with deftly crafted short stories that will linger in the
mind and memory long after this outstanding anthology is finished and set back upon the shelf.
Very highly recommended for community library Science Fiction collections, it should be noted
for personal reading lists that "Occupied Earth" is also available in a Kindle edition ($7.99) and
in an MP3 audio book format (Tantor, 9781494566180, $29.99).
Lucifer's Game
Will Schneider
Over And Above Creative Group
www.overandabovecreative.com
9780990792451, $19.95, 240pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: In his debut novel "Lucifer's Game, author Will Schneider tale unfolds on one of the
exotic tropical islands of Hawaii, where the Jackson Trent has come to heal his heart after losing
a loved one. As the writer of a popular blog on self-improvement, he believes he understands
human nature, including his own failings. His respite trip is interrupted by the appearance of a
mysterious stranger who walks with a 'shuffle, shuffle, dip of the neck.' It's Lucifer, Prince of
Darkness himself, who makes a personal appearance on earth from time to time to update himself
on humanity and today he's chosen Jackson. Though wary, Jackson's curiosity pushes him to
agree to spend the day with Lucifer, debating and exchanging views about human nature and the
possibility of enlightenment. Lucifer challenges Jackson to understand that humans live
unconsciously and are caught in his web, "playing his game," as he is the Keeper of the
Shadowlings, all the negative forces like hatred, envy, and greed that we deny in ourselves and
push into the basement of our minds. Jackson defends humanity, but Lucifer shows him the
depths of human failings, even tricking Jackson into giving into some of his own. Sucked into
Lucifer's game, Jackson gets played until he recognizes the manipulation. The stakes grow
serious and it's either Lucifer or Jackson who must win the Faustian bet. Full of plot twists, the
ending bends the mind. "Lucifer's Game" offers enlightenment seekers at every level a new
perspective of consciousness to understand ourselves more deeply and reach for higher levels of
wholeness.
Critique: Not since "The Devil and Daniel Webster" by Stephen Vincent Benet has the Faustian
bargain been so cleverly presented. This deftly crafted novel by Will Schneider is a riveting read
from beginning to end and very highly recommended for community library collections. For
personal reading lists it should be noted that "Lucifer's Game" is also available in a Kindle
edition ($14.95).
Spurkan Archipelago: Journey To Jenflu
Craig Parsons & Bec Simpson
CreateSpace
4900 LaCross Rd., North Charleston, SC 29406
www.createspace.com
9781516804436, $14.99, 302pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Nobody would ever expect what happens when Orgel, Clayton, Trina, Farzik, and
Brindy gather on the beach one day, at the edge of the Vorhees Sea. A mighty spell is unleashed
upon Kordal placing their families in grave danger and jeopardizing their very existence.
Determined to reverse the enchantment, the five friends embark on the journey of a lifetime -
setting sail for the island of Jenflu, a mysterious land where magic thrives and time stands still.
Orgel and his companions befriend unlikely, but lovable characters, including an anxious snail
named Eely and a jolly, cheery camel named Choop - whose heart is made of gold. As they
search for the secrets behind the enchantment, they must learn to rely on the strengths they
discover within themselves and each other as they journey across the island...ever fearful of being
captured by Verlox, the wicked king of Jenflu who rules with an iron fist.
Critique: Fans of Harry Potter, The Lord of the Rings and the Chronicles of Narnia will love this
captivating new series. Exceptionally well written and original, "Spurkan Archipelago: Journey
To Jenflu" will have immense appeal to heroic fantasy fiction enthusiasts. Very highly
recommended for community library Science Fiction & Fantasy collections, it should be noted
that "Spurkan Archipelago: Journey To Jenflu" is also available in a Kindle edition ($6.99).
Monsterland
Michael Phillip Cash
CreateSpace
4900 LaCross Rd., North Charleston, SC 29406
www.michaelphillipcash.com
9781517180676, $12.99, PB, 208pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Welcome to Monsterland, one of the scariest places on Earth. All guests can interact
with real vampires in Vampire Village, be chased by an actual werewolf on the River Run, and
walk among the dead in Zombieville. Wyatt Baldwin, is a high school student and life-long
movie buff who is staring bleakly at a future of flipping burgers. Due to a fortuitous
circumstance, Wyatt and his friends are invited to the star-studded opening of Monsterland. In a
theme park full of real vampires, werewolves and zombies, what could possibly go wrong?
Critique: Original, riveting, and terrifically entertaining, "Monsterland" is a very highly
recommended read for all fantasy enthusiasts and will prove to be an enduringly popular addition
to community library Fantasy Fiction collections. For personal reading lists it should be noted
that "Monsterland" is also available in an inexpensive Kindle edition ($0.99).
Tomas Of Terra
Jaylee Balch
Xlibris Corporation
1663 South Liberty Drive, Bloomington, IN 47403-5161
www.xlibris.com
9781499001938, $48.38, HC, 444pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Tomas knows no other humans but has been brought up by the creatures and trees of
Terra. An innocent and fast approaching his coming of age, he encounters a force that seeks his
mind and together with an Emerald Drae, A Spider, Megalong and an Oak, he begins his journey
towards claiming his right to exist as a human and a power to be reckoned with. He meets many
Foundlings and learns to tap into his abilities with their help. "Tomas Of Terra" is a whisper of
things to come on Earth and the thoughts that create them.
Critique: An impressively original and substantial work of science fiction, "Tomas Of Terra" is
an inherently absorbing read from beginning to end and highly recommended for community
library Science Fiction & Fantasy collections. For personal reading lists it should be noted that
"Tomas Of Terra" is also available in a paperback edition (9781499001921, $32.25) and in a
Kindle format ($6.99).
Crossing In Time
D. L. Orton, author
D. S. Taylor, editor
Micah McDonald, illustrator
Rocky Mountain Press
http://rocky-mountain-press.com
9781941368022, $35.95, HC, 410pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: They say that love transcends time. But what if your lover is murdered, and you're
given the chance to go back in time to warn his much-younger twin? She agrees to go, knowing it
will kill her in a matter of days, because it gives her one last chance to be with the man she loves.
Except he doesn't believe her! In fact, he thinks she's one fry short of a Happy Meal. Oh, and
she's suppose to save the world while she's at it. Go figure. "Crossing In Time" is an offbeat tale
is about falling madly in love when one is too cynical for such things, letting go of pessimism
when it's the last life jacket on a sinking ship, and racing against the clock when one doesn't have
the proper footwear. It's a coming-of-age story for old fogeys, a how-to-make-love guide for
diehard celibates, and a laugh-out-loud tragedy with a hopeful twist.
Critique: An exceptionally well written and deftly crafted story that will have immense appeal for
science fiction fans in particular, "Crossing In Time" is very highly recommended for community
library collections. For personal reading lists it should be noted that "Crossing In Time" is also
available in a paperback edition (9781941368015, $12.99) and in a Kindle edition ($4.99).
The Roswell Genes
Donald R. Burleson
Black Mesa Press
PO Box 583, Roswell, NM 88202-0583
www.blackmesapress.com
9780964958098, $9.95, PB, 102pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Alien DNA! The strangest secrets any government ever kept! With newly developed
DNA recovery and gene sequencing techniques, astonishing things were finally being discovered
about the alien bodies retrieved from the Roswell UFO crash of 1947, with profound
implications for humankind. Dark-government operatives like Kirk Malvorn thought all this
should be classified Top Secret forever. Nobel Prize-winning geneticist Victor Rand wasn't so
sure about that. What would prevail, secrecy or science? Was Dr. Rand right to involve his
daughter, the popular writer Melinda Rand? His choices could change their lives. Or could
change the world. In this daring novella, veteran storyteller Donald B. Burleson takes us on a
wild ride, where the rarefied world of genetics meets the giddy world of government. It could all
be happening already.
Critique: A deftly crafted and exceptionally entertaining read from beginning to end, "The
Roswell Genes" is a very highly recommended novella that will be particularly appreciated by
science fiction enthusiasts.
The Threat Below
Jason Latshaw
http://www.himynameisjason.com
Fernweh Books
http://www.fernwehbooks.com
9781943846788, $34.99, HC, 508pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Three hundred years ago, something terrifying arose and pushed humanity to the brink
of extinction. Now, a small remnant (ancestors of the survivors who were able to escape the
massacre below) lives above the clouds, on the top of a Mountain. When they discover that their
water supply is being poisoned Down Below, an expedition, including seventeen year-old girl
Icelyn Brathius, must descend and face the monsters, the Threat Below, that wiped out
civilization centuries ago. Icelyn quickly learns that all is not what it seems as she uncovers
secrets hundreds of years old and struggles to stay alive in a world where no human is fit to
survive.
Critique: The first volume in author Jason Latshaw's 'Brathius History' series, "The Threat
Below" is a deftly crafted and thoroughly absorbing novel that is especially recommended to the
attention of science fiction fans. Certain to be an enduringly popular addition to community
library Science Fiction & Fantasy collections, it should be noted that "The Threat Below" is also
available in a paperback edition (9780692463598, $19.99) and in a Kindle format ($2.99).
The Theatre/Cinema Shelf
Full Moon Stages
Judith Malina
Three Rooms Press
http://threeroomspress.com
9781941110256, $18.95, PB, 256pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: As cofounder of the internationally-known, highly-controversial radical political
troupe, The Living Theater, author Judith Malina is one of the leading female countercultural
figures of the 50s, 60s, 70s and beyond. In the pages of "Full Moon Stages: Personal notes from
50 years of The Living Theatre", she creates an intimate memoir in a unique format with a
collection of personal notes written on every full moon for 50 years from 1964 to 2014. These
never-before-published entries reveal Malina's most private thoughts and inform the reader on
what The Living Theatre was performing as they wound their way from New York City to Italy,
France, Belgium, Germany and Brazil in a nomadic series of notable performances of such
underground classics as The Brig, The Connection, and Paradise Now. Malina is relentless in her
commitment to the full moon schedule, writing regardless of her current life circumstance. Notes
issue forth from hotels, trains -- even prison, offering a light on the consequences of holding true
to her code of the theatrical expression of her pacifist-anarchist principles. The format of "Full
Moon Stages" is particularly well-suited for modern readers interested in history of the
counterculture. In addition, "Full Moon Stages" includes 30+ rare historical photos from Living
Theatre archives.
Critique: "Full Moon Stages: Personal notes from 50 years of The Living Theatre" is an
exceptional memoir rich with detail and an inherently fascinating read from beginning to end. Of
special note is the succinct dedication by Al Pacino. "Full Moon Stages" is very highly
recommended for both community and academic library Theatrical History and Theatrical
Biography reference collections. For personal reading lists it should be noted that "Full Moon
Stages" is also available in a Kindle edition ($12.99).
The Science Shelf
Newton, Maxwell, Einstein: What Were They Thinking?
Edmond Brown
Outskirts Press, Inc.
10940 S. Parker Road, #515, Parker, CO 80134
www.outskirtspress.com
9781478759812, $21.95, PB, 276pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: How do you define time? Is it an illusion? Can a measurement made at one location
influence a measurement made a million miles away, before a light signal can get there? Why
doesn't the wind blow directly from a high-pressure region toward one of low pressure? Why are
there pressure differences between different regions of the earth anyway? Is a vacuum nothing?
What's waving when a light wave passes through a vacuum? Why doesn't the earliest sunset
occur on the first day of winter? These questions, as well as many others are discussed in
"Newton, Maxwell, Einstein: What Were They Thinking?" by Edmond Brown (who served for
forty years as a Professor of Physics at the Rensseler Polytechnic Institute). It is a story of the
questions that certain scientists were puzzling over, as well as the questions that their theories
created. It helps us understand their theories, and appreciate their accomplishments, if we try to
imagine their thoughts as they worked out their theories.
Critique: Impressively well written, organized and presented, "Newton, Maxwell, Einstein: What
Were They Thinking?" is a fully absorbing read from beginning to end. Very highly
recommended for both academic and the non-specialist general reader with an interest in the
science of physics, "Newton, Maxwell, Einstein: What Were They Thinking?" is a critically
important addition to both community and academic library collections.
The Christian Studies Shelf
The Gospel in Tolstoy
Leo Tolstoy
Edited by Miriam LeBlanc
Artwork by Fritz Eichenberg
Plough Publishing House
151 Bowne Drive, PO Box 398, Walden, NY 12586
www.plough.com
9780874866704 $18.00 pbk / $9.99 Kindle www.amazon.com
Synopsis: We know of no better introduction to the spiritual vision of one of the greatest writers
of all time. This anthology vividly reveals - as none of his novels, novellas, short stories, plays,
or essays could on its own - the great Russian novelist's fascination with the life and teachings of
Jesus and the gospel themes of betrayal and forgiveness, sacrifice and redemption, death and
resurrection.
Drawn from War and Peace, Anna Karenina, Resurrection, The Death of Ivan Ilyich, The
Kingdom of God Is Within You, Master and Man, Walk in the Light, and Twenty-Three Tales,
the selections are each prefaced by a contextual note. Newcomers will find in these pages a rich,
accessible sampling. Tolstoy enthusiasts will be pleased to find some of the writer's deepest,
most compelling passages in one volume.
Critique: The second of a series spotlighting the spiritual vision of classic literary authors, The
Gospel in Tolstoy is a carefully chosen array of selections that reveal Tolstoy's lifelong respect
for the teachings of Jesus Christ. The Gospel in Tolstoy is entirely in English translation; most of
the translations are the public domain renditions by Tolstoy's contemporaries and collaborators,
Constance Garnett, Louise Maude, and Aylmer Maude. (One translation, "My Way to Faith"
from "Confession", is by David Patterson and used with permission.) Inspired and inspiring, The
Gospel in Tolstoy is a an ideal resource for extended contemplation of Tolstoy's spiritual writings
and Christian themes. Highly recommended, especially for Christian book study groups.
Walking With the Enemy: A Testimony
C. Read
True Light Publications
P. O. Box 98144, Jackson, MS 39298-8144
www.truelightpublications.com
9780967282596, $16.95, 384pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: "Walking With the Enemy" by C. Read is about the author's involvement with a Bible
study group that turned out to be a cult. As of 28 February 1993, Read had been with this group
for some three years, and had grown to love and trust the leaders completely; but after she found
out the truth about them she could no longer remain. That did not stop them from wanting her
back under their control and influence; and her testimony will show how they tried so hard to
convince her that they were right, and she was wrong. This is a war between God and the devil!
And innocent, unsuspecting souls continue to be taken in by false teachers and deceitful men.
The target of such groups are men, women, and children; especially those searching for love,
acceptance, and a deeper meaning to this life. Cults are on the rise, and no one is exempt from
their evil influences!
Critique: An inherently fascinating, thoroughly absorbing, candidly personal story that should be
considered urgent reading for anyone having to deal with a loved one tempted to join a cult or
already part of one. Simply stated, "Walking With the Enemy: A Testimony" is very highly
recommended for personal, church, community, and academic library collections. Indeed,
"Walking With the Enemy: A Testimony" is critically important reading for all members of the
Christian community regardless of their denominational affiliation!
Above the Sun
Louis Bosco
St. Pauls Publishing
http://www.stpauls.com.au
9780818913846, $14.95, PB, 188pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: "Who am I?" "Where did I come from and where am I going?" "Why is there suffering
in the world?" Drawing upon the teachings of Sacred Scripture and the Catholic Church, along
with the works of philosophy, poetry, literature, and art, "Above the Sun: The Search for Lasting
Meaning in a Passing World" contemplates these questions on the deepest levels, presenting the
reader with a clear contrast between following the way of the world and following the way of
God. In Jesus we not only receive the promise of future happiness in heaven (that realm above
the sun) but we begin to experience that happiness in a real way here on earth.
Critique: Louis Bosco holds an MA in Theology and Christian ministry from the Franciscan
University of Steubenville, and currently serves as the Director of Religious Education at two
parishes in the Diocese of Pittsburgh: Saint Alphonsus Parish in Wexford and Saint Vincent de
Paul Parish in New Castle. In "Above the Sun: The Search for Lasting Meaning in a Passing
World" he has written a work that is as informed, informative, and thoughtful, as it is
thought-provoking, inspired and inspiring. Thoroughly 'reader friendly' in tone, content and
commentary, 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 "Above the
Sun" is also available in a Kindle edition ($9.95).
The American History Shelf
Inventing a Better Mousetrap
Alan Rothschild & Ann Rothschild
Maker Media Inc.
https://makermedia.com
9781457187186, $24.99, PB, 292pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: In the pages of "Inventing a Better Mousetrap: 200 Years of American History in the
Amazing World of Patent Models", readers will learn about the role that patent models played in
American history -- and even learn to build their own replicas! Patent models, working models
required for US patent filings from 1790 to 1880, offer insight into (and inspiration from) a
period of intense technological advancement popularly known as the Industrial Revolution. The
Rothschild Patent Model Collection consists of thousands of patent models, many from the 19th
century. "Inventing a Better Mousetrap" features the most outstanding of these patent models,
and offers deep insight into the cultural, economic, and political history of the United States.
"Inventing a Better Mousetrap" not only catalogs hundreds of the most compelling models from
the collection, but shows how to build replicas of several selected models using Lego, 3D
printing, and other materials and techniques.
Critique: Beautifully and profusely illustrated throughout, "Inventing a Better Mousetrap: 200
Years of American History in the Amazing World of Patent Models" is highly recommended,
especially to the attention of do-it-yourself enthusiasts from 8 to 80. Highly recommended for
personal reading lists, and certain to be a an enduringly popular addition to community and
academic library collections, it should be noted that "Inventing a Better Mousetrap" is also
available in a Kindle edition ($9.99).
The Business Shelf
Insights
Chris Lopresti
Merry Dissonance Press
http://merrydissonancepress.com
www.ChrisLoPresti.com
9781939919267, $24.95, HC, 314pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Chris LoPresti is the Founder of TouchPoints, a consumer data technology company
that helps brands connect with their community. LoPresti is also the founder and chairman of
ELIS Inc., a nonprofit focused on promoting STEM education and supporting the next generation
of entrepreneurs. In the pages of "Insights: Reflections from 101 of Yale's Most Successful
Entrepreneurs", LoPresti has gathered 101 world-class mentors to share their invaluable
experiences for the benefit of every entrepreneur. "Insights" grants access to some of Yale's
leading entrepreneurs and the key learnings they've collected on their own entrepreneurial
journeys. From founders of Fortune 500 companies such as FedEx, to the next generation of
entrepreneurs like Thiel Fellows, to early investors in Apple, Cisco, Facebook, and other billion
dollar startups, "Insights" is a collection of the best advice offered by a diverse group of leaders
and innovators. The 101 featured contributors reveal lessons learned the hard way to help you
avoid common pitfalls and allow you to lead your company toward more streamlined success.
This unique library of knowledge is available to reference as often as you need. Thinking about
starting your own company? Trying to improve your organization? "Insights" provides a wealth
of information to guide you along your entrepreneurial journey.
Critique: Exceptionally well organized and presented, "Insights: Reflections from 101 of Yale's
Most Successful Entrepreneurs" is an extraordinary and impressive compendium of practical,
real-world, insightful, informative, thoughtful and thought-provoking comments and commentary
that should be considered mandatory reading for anyone aspiring to be a successful entrepreneur
or who is a corporate executive charged with the responsibility of decision making for his
company. The commentaries are organized into nine major sections: Getting Started; Startups;
Becoming an Entrepreneur; Motives and Motivation; People; Being the Best; The Path is Not
Always Straight; Perseverance; and From Experience. Very highly recommended for corporate,
community, and academic library Business Management & Entrepreneurship Studies reference
collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Insights" is also available in a
paperback edition (9781939919236, $17.95) and in a Kindle format ($4.99).
The Poetry Shelf
Imperfect Echoes
Carolyn Howard-Johnson
CreateSpace
4900 LaCross Rd., North Charleston, SC 29406
www.howtodoitfrugally.com
TheFrugalEditor.blogspot.com
9781515232490, $9.95, 148pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: "Imperfect Echoes: Writing Truth and Justice with Capital Letters, lie and oppression
with Small" is a work that was inspired by Nobel Prize winner Czeslaw Milosz's poem
"Incantation" that lauds the power of human reason over the reoccurring and seemingly insane
political realities. In "Imperfect Echoes", author Carolyn Howard-Johnson holds out hope but is
not persuaded by trends that seem worse now than they were in Milosz's time. A student of
Suzanne Lummis, UCLA poetry instructor and the Fresno School of Poetry fronted by US poet
laureate Philip Levine, Carolyn touches on the isms of the world--racism, ageism, even what
might be termed "wallism" but was once referred to as xenophobia. In her poem "Crying Walls,"
she sounds a low warning reminiscent of Robert Frost: "Chains linked. Wire barbed,/ Krylon
smeared. Feeble,/ useless, unholy billboards,/ anything but mending walls."
Critique: Carolyn Howard-Johnson is articulate, gifted, insightful, iconoclastic, and a truly
impressive literary talent. "Imperfect Echoes: Writing Truth and Justice with Capital Letters, lie
and oppression with Small" is an inherently fascinating, thoughtful, and thought-provoking read
that is very highly recommended for community and academic library Contemporary Poetry
collections. For personal reading lists it should be noted that "Imperfect Echoes" is also available
in a Kindle edition ($2.99).
The Relationship Shelf
Irrelationship
Mark B. Borg Jr., Grand H. Brenner, Daniel Berry
Central Recovery Press
3321 North Buffalo Drive, Las Vegas, NV 89129
www.centralrecoverypress.com
9781942094005, $16.95, 288pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: The collaborative effort of Mark B. Borg, Jr. (a community psychologist and
psychoanalyst, and a supervisor of psychotherapy at the William Alanson White Institute); Grant
H. Brenner (a board-certified psychiatrist in private practice, specializing in treating mood and
anxiety disorders and the complex problems that may arise in adulthood from childhood trauma
and loss); and Daniel Berry (a Registered Nurse in New York City since 1987 and who has
worked for almost two decades in community-based programs), "Irrelationship: How We Use
Dysfunctional Relationships To Hide From Intimacy" is important and transformative
instructional guide that deftly addresses the protective, yet dysfunctional dynamic where couples
avoid genuine connection with an unsatisfying pattern of false intimacy. Drawing on their
extensive clinical experience, the three co-authors look at "song and dance" behavioral routines
repeatedly performed by couples in irrelationships and delve into the most difficult emotions and
actions to help readers achieve personal breakthroughs.
Critique: Exceptionally well written, organized and presented, "Irrelationship: How We Use
Dysfunctional Relationships To Hide From Intimacy" is inherently absorbing, instructive, and
thoroughly reader friendly in tone and content. Especially recommended for non-specialist
general readers seeking to identify and understand unhealthy patterns and just how to go about
the process of changing them, "Irrelationship" will help readers develop interpersonal skills,
creating a new opportunity to heal and restore loving relationships. "Irrelationship" is very
highly recommended for both community and academic library Self-Help/Self-Improvement
instructional reference collections. For personal reading lists it should be noted that
"Irrelationship" is also available in a Kindle edition ($7.49).
The Pets/Wildlife Shelf
Embracing the Wild in Your Dog
Bryan Bailey
FastPencil, Inc.
307 Orchard City Drive, Suite 210, Campbell, CA 95008
http://www.fastpencil.com
9781619334717, $16.95, 174pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: In most American households, dogs have trumped over evolution itself and jumped
straight from being domesticated work animals to four legged humans where they are adorned
with human names, designer outfits and fed diets that would confound even the best nutritionist.
In most cases, we've granted them our human intelligence and our sacred human emotions as
well. They are no longer dogs to us, they're family! Yet, for all that man has done to carve the
wolf from the wild to create a surrogate human, today's dog is still a wolf at heart and the
accompanying instincts borne from such ancestry defines how the dog approaches its world. The
ontogeny of anthropomorphism, where we attach our human traits to our pets, is the most
damaging and paralytic problem associated with dog ownership today. Believing in a fairy tale
world where dogs possess the same moral consciousness and sense of altruism as attributed to
humans has led to a drastic increase in leash laws, dogs being outlawed in a rising number of city
and national parks, some breeds being banned in several states, an alarming escalation of
aggression to humans, a rising cost in homeowner and business insurance, and a record number
of clinically maladaptive dogs. "Embracing the Wild in Your Dog: An Understanding of the
Authors of Your Dog's Behavior - Nature and the Wolf" is not a training book. It does not cover
obedience topics such as heel, sit, down, stay, and come. Instead, it's about righting the ship of
American dog ownership by changing our perception of our dogs. It is about the author, Bryan
Bailey, growing up in the Alaskan wild under the tutelage and guardianship of a Special Forces
survival instructor who introduced him to the ways of wolves and the similarities they shared
with dogs. It is about the wisdom and splendor of nature and the many life lessons she provides.
Mostly, it about developing a deep understanding of the authors of your dog's behavior; nature
and the wolf. In doing so, you will truly learn who and what your dog really is and the whys and
hows of its behavior.
Critique: Impressively informed and informative, "Embracing the Wild in Your Dog: An
Understanding of the Authors of Your Dog's Behavior - Nature and the Wolf" should be
considered essential reading for anyone who has a canine companion -- or is thinking of
obtaining one. Truly exceptional, "Embracing the Wild in Your Dog" is very highly
recommended for both community and academic library Pets/Wildlife reference collection in
general, and Canine Studies supplemental lists in particular. For personal reading it should be
noted that "Embracing the Wild in Your Dog" is also available in a Kindle edition ($9.99).
The Jobs/Careers Shelf
Space Careers
Leonard David & Scott Sacknoff
International Space Business Council
PO Box 5752, Bethesda, MD 20824-5752
www.spacebusiness.com/careers
9781887022194, $20.00, 232pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: From the exploration of new planets to understanding the universe around us; from
building and testing a rocket to analyzing data from spacecraft that allow us to monitoring the
Earth's environment; from using satellites that help the world communicate to researching and
employing the latest cutting edge technologies that benefit space and Earth alike -- a career in the
space industry might be for you! The space and satellite industry has careers for people interested
in engineering, space science, astronomy, astrophysics, remote sensing, environmental
monitoring, communications, software, and electronics, as well as for policy analysts, lawyers,
accountants, tourism, and financial professionals. Written by legendary space author Leonard
David, entrepreneur Scott Sacknoff, and with a foreword from NASA astronaut and Apollo 11
moonwalker Buzz Aldrin, "Space Careers" is specifically designed to provide students and job
seekers the information they need to succeed. No matter if you are in high school, in college, a
graduate student, or in the workforce, "Space Careers" will provide you with information you
need to find or further your career.
Critique: Informed, informative, exceptionally well written, organized and presented, "Space
Careers" not only covers employment opportunities in such governmental organizations as
NASA, and established corporations such as Boein and Lockheed Martin, but also the new
private sector space programs such as Elon Musk's SpaceX and Virgin Galactic. A unique and
highly recommended addition to both community and academic library Jobs/Careers reference
collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Space Careers" is also available in a
Kindle edition ($9.99).
The Graphic Novel Shelf
Sunnyville Stories Volume 3
Max West
Different Mousetrap Press, LLC
http://sunnyvillestories.com
9780989069625 $19.99 www.amazon.com
Synopsis: The third installment of Max West's acclaimed series, Sunnyville Stories! Join Rusty
Duncan and Samantha "Sam" Macgregor for even more adventures in the charming world of
Sunnyville. Max West's riveting storytelling and charming artwork keeps getting better and better
as more of the Sunnyville universe continues to be unveiled to eager fans everywhere. More
enticing characters are introduced in this volume - among them, a wandering rock band and
Sam's cousins from the seaside resort town of Solton. Plus, Rusty's mother explodes when her
son fails a test and Goro Tanuki, Sunnyville's top chef, fears his upstart nephew will replace
him.
Critique: A black-and-white graphic novel anthology featuring an anthropomorphic cast of young
adults and adults, Sunnyville Stories Volume 3 is filled with stories about facing everyday
problems - from the overbearing pressure a literal "tiger mom" puts on her child to succeed in
school, to the relationship troubles of an estranged couple, and much more. Although Sunnyville
Stories touches on some serious subjects (such as infidelity), there is no graphic violence or
sexual content. The simple line artwork belies the deep characterization and complex themes of
growing up, adjusting to nuanced challenges, and finding one's place in the world. Sunnyvale
Stories Volume 3 is a choice pick for connoisseurs of quality "indie" comic storytelling. Also
highly recommended are Sunnyville Stories Volume 1 (9780615653921, $15.99 pbk / $2.99
Kindle) and Volume 2 (9780989069601, $19.99 pbk / $2.99 Kindle).
The Photography Shelf
Different Roots, Common Dreams
Becky Field
Peter E. Randall Publisher
Box 4726, Portsmouth, NH 03802
www.perpublisher.com
9781937721244, $35.00, 116pp, www.DifferentRootsNH.com
Synopsis: New Hampshire is 92% "white," so few people have experienced the emerging cultural
diversity in the Granite State. For more than three years, photographer Becky Field has
documented the lives of NH's immigrants and refugees through photographing their weddings,
funerals, workplaces, children at play, sacred ceremonies, and joyful celebrations. Through
Becky's photographs and stories by NH's refugees, "Different Roots, Common Dreams" tells of
the journeys and celebrates the beauty and resilience of NH's new American families.
Critique: Combing occasional commentary and beautiful photographic images, captioned and in
full color, "Different Roots, Common Dreams" is a pleasure to browse through and ultimately
quite informative. Simply stated, "Different Roots, Common Dreams" is very highly
recommended for personal, community, and academic library Contemporary American
Photography and Ethnic Photographic Studies collections.
The Music Shelf
Beethoven and Me
Earl Ofari Hutchinson
Middle Passage Press
9780692508176 $12.95 pbk. / $4.99 Kindle www.amazon.com
Synopsis: In his forthcoming book, Beethoven and Me: A Beginner's Guide to Classical Music,
Hutchinson breaks through a hard barrier that has long separated politics and social commentary
from music, in this case classical music. He shares his many personal experiences in concert halls
and his observations about the world of classical music. Beethoven and Me: A Beginner's Guide
to Classical Music is a fast paced, easy to understand survey of the music's well-known and not
so well-known composers, their music and their struggles for recognition. He brings a fresh and
his very personal perspective in discussing them and their music. Hutchinson makes it easy for
the reader by deliberately minimizing using technical terms and language. Throughout the book,
he provides the reader with a highly personal running commentary of his experiences in front of
and behind the orchestra stage during two decades of active listening and commenting on
classical music.
Along the way, he details the influence and struggles of African-American, Hispanic and women
composers in the classical music world who more often than not have been shamefully neglected
or marginalized in the classical music tradition. Beethoven and Me: A Beginner's Guide to
Classical Music is Hutchinson's personal, and very selective, impressionistic walk through the
history, tradition and experience of classical music. It's a primer written for a very beginning
listener. Hutchinson has boldly stepped out of his role as a political and social commentator to
show that music and the compelling social issues of the day need not be separate.
Critique: Accessible to readers of all backgrounds, Beethoven and Me: A Beginner's Guide to
Classical Music lives up to its title as an introduction to the history of classical music, including
a multitude of lesser-known fascinating facts and amazing incidents about historical composers
and their work. From why composers such as Mahler and Mendelssohn had to "hide" their
religion, to how Hispanic composers brought Indian instruments to classical music, to how and
why conductors started using a baton, and much more, Beethoven and Me is enlightening and
edifying from cover to cover! Highly recommended.
The Nautical Shelf
The Lost Hero of Cape Cod
Vincent Miles
Historical Society of Old Yarmouth
www.hsoy.org
9780962506888 $14.99 pbk / $9.99 Kindle www.amazon.com
Synopsis: The Lost Hero of Cape Cod tells the story of an extraordinary nineteenth-century
mariner... and of a morale-boosting victory for the young United States over Britain in the
commercial battle that broke out on the Atlantic after the War of 1812.
Born in a small village on Cape Cod in 1809, Asa Eldridge grew up to become one of the world's
greatest shipmasters. Even today, he still holds the record for the fastest crossing of the Atlantic
by a sailing ship, which he set on a run from New York to Liverpool in 1854. But this record is
only part of his story, which includes voyages to numerous countries, command of Cornelius
Vanderbilt's private yacht, an early move into steamships, and a mysterious end that eerily
foreshadowed the Titanic disaster half a century later.
In recounting Eldridge's fascinating career, Vincent Miles also tells a much broader story - of the
rise of America's merchant navy to a dominant position over Britain's in the decades following
the War of 1812, and of the government-subsidized British response that created the legendary
Cunard Line. And along the way, Miles offers a guided tour of the maritime trade that shaped
America, and a memorial to the courageous men who made it possible.
Critique: The Lost Hero of Cape Cod is both a fascinating true-life history and a glimpse into the
all-too-perilous world of the 1800's mariner. Meticulously pieced together from exhaustive
research, Eldridge's story is a tale of war, peace, extraordinary heroism, and heartbreaking
tragedy. Of particular interest is the recounting of notable nautical disasters of the time.
(Tragically, the RMS Titanic was not the first case in which a sinking ship carried far too few
lifeboats to save the majority of its passengers and crew; just one of the most notorious.) Highly
recommended, especially for public library nautical and biography collections.
The Sports Shelf
Golf: A Good Walk & Then Some, second edition
John R. Jenchura
Mountain Lion Press
c/o Cardinal Publishers Group (dist.)
2402 North Shadeland Avenue, Suite A, Indianapolis, IN 46219
www.cardinalpub.com
9780983968955 $27.00 www.amazon.com
Synopsis: How did it all begin? This over 470-page narrative with 100 photographs and 67
chapters covers the history of the game all the way back to the Romans in 300 AD, follows it
across the European continent to Scotland and chases it across the Atlantic Ocean to the U.S.
Chapters detail the evolution of the ball and new equipment, the founding of the U.S. Golf
Association, and premier men and women players dating from the 1800s to the present. The
second edition highlights new stars such as Rory McIlroy, Bubba Watson, Stacy Lewis, Lexi
Thompson, Lydia Ko and the rise of the Asian women golfers. In addition, an appendix listing
golf s individual major championships and team competitions beginning with Open
Championship in 1860 along with year-to-year information on winners, scores and venues make
Golf A Good Walk & Then Some an invaluable source for the reader looking for information on
a particular tournament down through the years.
Critique: The second updated edition of Golf: A Good Walk & Then Some reflects author John
Jenchura's passion for this widely beloved pastime, chronicling its storied history from its origins
in Scotland to its adoption in the United States and its development as a professional sport.
Illustrated with over 100 black-and-white photographs, Golf: A Good Walk & Then Some is a
choice pick for sports historians and lay readers alike!
James A. Cox
Editor-in-Chief
Midwest Book Review
278 Orchard Drive
Oregon, WI 53575-1129
phone: 1-608-835-7937
e-mail: mbr@execpc.com
e-mail: mwbookrevw@aol.com
http://www.midwestbookreview.com
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