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Wisconsin Bookwatch

Volume 11, Number 1 January 2016 Home | WBW Index

Table of Contents

Reviewer's Choice Travel Shelf Cookbook Shelf
Metaphysical Studies Shelf Poetry Shelf Christian Studies Shelf
Islamic Studies Shelf Needlecraft Shelf Fiction Shelf
Biography Shelf Social Issues Shelf Fishing Shelf
Writing/Publishing Shelf Health/Medicine Shelf Mystery/Suspense Shelf
Audiobook Shelf Music CD Shelf DVD Shelf
Fantasy/SciFi Shelf Money/Finance Shelf Civil War Shelf
Humor Shelf Sports Shelf Business Shelf
Theatre/Cinema/TV Shelf Parenting Shelf Jobs/Careers Shelf
Divorce Shelf Wisconsin Shelf  


Reviewer's Choice

Uncle John's Factastic Bathroom Reader
The Bathroom Readers' Institute
http://bathroomreader.com
c/o Portable Press
PO Box 1117, Ashland, OR 97520
c/o Printer's Row Publishing Group
www.printersrowpublishinggroup.com
9781626864269 $22.95 flexibound / $15.99 Kindle www.amazon.com

Part of a proud, ongoing tradition of incredible, fact-filled books perfect for browsing anytime and anywhere, including but not limited to the commode, Uncle John's Factastic Bathroom Reader is filled cover to cover with little-known history, weird news, obscure origins, and much more. From the true story of President George Washington's attempts to covertly recapture a fugitive slave, to the silliest invented measurements (such as "the garn", a measure of space sickness, with one garn being as sick as possible), to the street performer who holds the world record for "Most Eggs Carried on a Hat", Uncle John's Factastic Bathroom Reader will delight, amaze, and edify from cover to cover.

Polka Heartland
Rick Mareh, author
Dick Blau, photographer
Wisconsin Historical Society Press
816 State Street, Madison, WI 53575
www.wisconsinhistory.org
9780870207228, $29.95, 208pp, www.amazon.com

"Polka Heartland: Why the Midwest Loves to Polka" by author, folklorist, and polka enthusiast Rick Mareh wonderfully captures the beat that pulses in the heart of Midwestern musical culture and offers up the fascinating history of how "oompah-pah" sound of polka music came to be the sound of middle America. From the crowded dance tent at Pulaski Polka Days to an off-the-grid Mexican polka dance in small-town Wisconsin, "Polka Heartland" explores the people, places, and history behind the Midwest's favorite music. From polka's surprising origin story as a cutting-edge European fad to an exploration of the modern-day polka scene, this collaboration between author Rick March and photographer Dick Blau take readers on a joyful romp through this beloved, unique, and richly storied genre. "Polka Heartland" describes the artists, venues, instruments, and music-makers who have been pivotal to polka's popularity across the Midwest and offers six full-color photo galleries to immerse readers in today's vibrant polka scene. A unique, engaging, informed, informative, and inherently fascinating cultural history from beginning to end, "Polka Heartland" is very highly recommended for both community and academic library American Music History reference collections and supplemental studies lists. For the non-specialist general reader with an interest in polka music and dance, it should be noted that "Polka Heartland" is also available in a Kindle edition ($15.99).

Tales of Texas Cooking
Frances Brannen Vick, editor
University of North Texas Press
1155 Union Circle #311336, Denton, TX 76203-5017
9781574416183 $34.95 www.unt.edu/untpress

Tales of Texas Cooking is an anthology of true stories and more than 120 recipes enjoyed throughout Texas' history, organized by the 10 vegetation regions of the state. A handful of black-and-white photographs enhance this compendium of memories, cultural traditions, and the joy of sharing lovingly crafted cuisine in hearth and home. A treasury for culinary connoisseurs, Tales of Texas Cooking will also spice up one's kitchen with its authentic dishes!

Under Paris Rooftops
Arleen & Norman Shabel
Chateau Publishing House, Inc.
525 Route 73 North, Suite 302
Marlton, New Jersey 08053
www.chateaupub.com
9781467591072 $23.95 hc / $5.99 Kindle www.amazon.com

Under Paris Rooftops is the true-life testimony of an American couple who, for years, experienced their dream of living in Paris, the City of Lights. As a former French teacher, Arleen Shabel spoke fluent French; her husband did not speak French at all. Together they sought out the Paris apartment of their dreams, but if not for the aid and support from a French lawyer and friend, Stanley Chaney, their dream could have succumbed to disaster. Life in Paris was a wondrous adventure and font of literary inspiration. Eventually all good things must come to an end, and after eight years, the Shabels chose to return to another city they loved, New York. Under Paris Rooftops is a testimony of their experience, at once both an enjoyable browse and a wealth of practical wisdom for anyone considering expatriate life in France. Highly recommended!


The Travel Shelf

Better Than Fiction 2
Edited by Don George
Lonely Planet Publications
150 Linden Street, Oakland CA 94607
9781743607497 $15.99 www.lonelyplanet.com

Better Than Fiction 2: True Adventures from 30 Great Fiction Writers is a literary anthology of true-life travel writing and essays by accomplished authors, including Joyce carol Oates, Isabelle Allende, Pico Iyer, Porochista Khakpour, and many more. From a dangerously close brush with being arrested on an English train platform, to glorious solitude in majestic Iceland, to experiencing a miracle in Luhansk, Ukraine, Better Than Fiction 2 is the next best thing to traversing the globe in person (or in some cases, going back in time). A "must-read" for armchair travelers, Better Than Fiction 2 lives up to its title! Also highly recommended is Lonely Planet's previous true-life travel anthology, "Better Than Fiction" (9781743217153, $15.99).


The Cookbook Shelf

Sea Salt Sweet
Heather Baird
Running Press
c/o Perseus Book Group
250 W. 57th St., Suite 1500, New York, NY 10107
9780762453962 $18.00 www.runningpress.com

Illustrated with sumptuous color photography, Sea Salt Sweet: The Art of Using Salts for the Ultimate Dessert Experience is a dessert cookbook that reveals how sweet and salty flavors can combine to create a culinary wonderland. Author Heather Baird, creator of the popular "SprinkleBakes" blog for bakers, showcases recipes such as "Butterscotch Budino Tiramisu", "Strawberry Balsamic Sorbet", "Bacon Fat Buttermilk Biscuits with Chocolate Gravy", "Overnight Doughnuts with Merlot Glaze", and much more. Supplementary information includes a brief overview of salt blends, dried herb salts, and wet or saturated salts, as well as guidelines to the use of an assortment of baking equipment. Accessible to bakers of all skill and experience levels, Sea Salt Sweet is a treasury of unforgettably tasty delights!

Incredibly Decadent Desserts
Deb Wise
Oxmoor House
c/o Time Inc. Books
1271 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020
www.timeincbooks.com
9780848744519, $24.95, www.amazon.com

Deb Wise is a truly innovative baker who enjoys the challenge of creating delicious desserts. with "Incredibly Decadent Desserts: Over 100 Divine Treats with 300 Calories or Less" she showcases beautifully illustrated and thoroughly 'kitchen cook friendly' recipes for desserts that would grace any dining occasion from simple family meals to the most elegant of dining occasions. This impressively presented, 272 page culinary compendium offers sumptuous desserts ranging from Eggnog Coffee Cake; Spicy Bacon and Brew Manffins; Chai Cream Pie; Spiced Apple Two-Bite Tarts; and Stone Fruit Cobbler; to Ginger-Plum Grunt; Milk Chocolate and Amaretto Creme Brulee; Brown Sugar Ice Cream with Cinnamon Grape-Nuts; Pecan Sticky Wedges; and Chocolate Marshmallow. A pure pleasure to browse and truly inspiring to plan menus with, "Incredibly Decadent Desserts" will prove to be an enduringly popular addition to any personal, family, or community library cookbook collection! It should be noted that "Incredibly Decadent Desserts" is also available in a Kindle edition ($17.99).

Winter Cabin Cooking
Lizzie Kamenetsky
Ryland, Peters & Small
341 East 116th Street, New York, NY 10029
www.rylandpeters.com
9781849756600, $24.95, 176pp, www.amazon.com

Beautifully illustrated throughout with the color photography of Nassima Rothacker, "Winter Cabin Cooking" is a 176 page compendium of outstanding recipes compiled by Lizzie Kamentsky, an English-born food stylist and writer with natural flare and passion for beautiful food and fantastic recipes. The recipes themselves are deftly organized into chapters on Dumplings & Noodles; Warming Soups & Hearty Stews; Oozing Cheese & Cream Bakes; Lunch, Brunch & Small Plates; Desserts; Cakes, Pastries & Baking; Drinks & Hot Toddies. As delicious as they are nutritious, the thoroughly 'kitchen cook friendly' dishes showcased in the pages of "Winter Cabin Cooking" range from Gnocchi with Wild Mushrooms; Goulash Soup; Swiss Chard Gratin; and Parmesan - Ricotta Cheese Cake; to Schnitzel with Warm Potato Salad; Prune and Armagnac Souffle; Banana Cake; and Hot Toddy. Perfect for planning cold weather menus, "Winter Cabin Cooking" is enthusiastically recommended for personal, family, and community library cookbook collections.

Making Dough
Russell Van Kraayenburg
Quirk Books
215 Church Street, Philadelphia PA 19106
www.quirkbooks.com
9781594748189, $24.95, 208pp, www.amazon.com

Pastry baking is one half creativity, one half science, and one half old-fashioned know-how. If that seems confusing, don't worry: "Making Dough: Recipes and Ratios for Perfect Pastries" by baking expert Russell Van Kraayenburg makes perfect sense out of the often-intimidating task of preparing homemade pastry dough. With helpful diagrams, easy-to-follow recipes, and step-by-step instructions for home cooks, every type of dough from puff pastry to short crust is demystified, deconstructed, and delicious. Thoroughly 'kitchen cook friendly', even the most novice of bakers will find the recipes comprising "Making Dough" to be easy to follow, especially after reading the opening chapter 'Getting Started' which includes What is Do?; Measuring; Ratios; Ingredients; Tools; Mixing Methods; Tips for Working with Dough; and Making it Your Own. The come the thematic chapters on a variety of dough forms (and each with their own representative recipes) including Biscuit, Scone, Pie, Shortcrust, Sweetcrust; Pate A Choux; Brioche; Puff Pastry, Rought Puff Pastry; Croissant; Danish; and Phyllo. Beautifully illustrated throughout and a complete course of instruction under one cover, "Making Dough" is ideal as baking class textbook for school curriculums, as well as personal and community library cookbook collections. It should be noted that "Making Dough" is also available in a Kindle edition ($14.72).

Maple
Katie Webster
Quirk Books
215 Church Street, Philadelphia PA 19106
www.quirkbooks.com
9781594748042, $22.95, 176pp, www.amazon.com

Katie Webster is a food blogger, recipe developer, and former food stylist who focuses on healthy eating and cooking with locally sourced seasonal ingredients. She lives in Richmond, Vermont, deep in a stand of maple trees. Her family taps their trees every spring to make pure maple syrup. In "Maple: 100 Sweet and Savory Recipes Featuring Pure Maple Syrup" Katie Webster has compiled one hundred beautifully illustrated recipes for dishes that utilize the properties of maple syrup in their making. The individual recipes are grouped into the categories of Breakfast; Drinks and Appetizers; Soups, Side Dishes, and Salads; Main Courses; and Desserts. The palate pleasing, appetite satisfying, and healthily nutritious dishes range from Dutch Baby Pancake with Maple Rhubarb Compote; Cinnamon Maple Punch; Maple Balsamic Vinaigrette; and Maple Ranch Dressing; to Maple Tahini Chicken and Broccoli; Maple Pork Loin Roast with Apple Chutney; Maple Ginger Roasted Salmon; and Maple Date Bread Pudding. Enhanced with the inclusion of Knife Skills; Pantry Notes; Resources; Metric Conversions; and an Index, as well as being available in a Kindle edition ($13.49), "Maple: 100 Sweet and Savory Recipes Featuring Pure Maple Syrup" is a unique culinary resource and will prove to be an enduringly popular addition to personal, family, and community library cookbook collections.

Best Of Bridge Home Cooking
Best of Bridge
Robert Rose Inc.
120 Eglinton Avenue East, Suite 800, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, M4P 1E2
www.robertrose.ca
9780778805144, $29.95, HC, www.amazon.com

The "Best Of Bridge Home Cooking" is a spiral bound, hardcover, beautifully illustrated, 360 page compendium of 250 palate pleasing, appetite satisfying recipes that evokes all the goodness of family home cooking. In addition to the thoroughly 'kitchen cook friendly recipes, there are a wealth of culinary tips to help even the most novice of family cooks to deal with the midweek madness of meal preparation and, as always, the dishes are made with ingredients that are easily found at a local supermarket or grocery store. The recipes range from Creamy Onion Soup with Kale; Sumptuous Chicken Sandwich with Brie; Lentil Shepherd's Pie; Creamy Tuna Pasta Bake; and Zesty Black Bean Pie; to Coconut Shrimp Curry; Indian Spiced Chicken and Barley; Easy Asian Flank Steak; Best-Ever Meatloaf; Oven French Fries; and Baked Apples with Buttered Rum Sauce. "Best Of Bridge Home Cooking" is very highly recommended and will prove to be an enduringly popular addition to personal, family, and community library cookbook collections.

No Meat Athlete
Matt Frazier & Matthew Ruscigno
Fair Winds Press
c/o Quarto Publishing Group USA
400 First Avenue North, Suite 400, Minneapolis, MN 55401-1722
www.quartous.com
9781592335787, $19.99, PB, 256pp, www.amazon.com

In the pages of "No Meat Athlete: Run on Plants and Discover Your Fittest, Fastest, Happiest Self", Matt Frazier, with the assistance of Matthew Ruscigno, combine the winning elements of proven training approaches, motivational stories, and innovative recipes. The result is a unique instructional guidebook, healthy-living cookbook, and nutrition primer for the beginner, every day, and serious athlete who wants to live a meatless lifestyle. "No Meat Athlete" will prove of special interest to any athlete concerned with weight loss which will often lead to increased speed; easier digestion and faster recovery after workouts; improved energy levels to help with not just athletic performance but day-to-day life as well; and having a reduced impact on the planet. The recipes range from Hearty Chickpea Pasta Soup; Buckwheat Pinole and Chia Pancakes; Black Ben Brownies; and Chocolate Avocado Mousse; to Sweet Potato Pie Parfait; Cowboy Chili; The Incredible Veggie burger Formula; and Thai Pineapple Coconut Curry with Bok Choy and Tofu. "No Meat Athlete" will prove to be an enduringly popular addition to personal, community, and academic library cookbook collections. It should be noted that "No Meat Athlete" is also available in a Kindle edition ($9.99).

Paleo Perfected
Editorial Staff
America's Test Kitchen
17 Station Street, Brookline, MA 02445
www.americastestkitchen.com
9781940352428, $26.95, PB, 344pp, www.amazon.com

Compiled by the editorial staff of America's Test Kitchen, "Paleo Perfected: A Revolution in Eating Well with 150 Kitchen-Tested Recipes" is a beautifully and profusely illustrated, 344 page culinary compendium showcasing thoroughly 'kitchen cook friendly' recipes for appetizers and snacks, breakfast favorites, poultry, beef, pork, lamb, seafood, vegetable mains, and vegetable sides. The palate pleasing, appetite satisfying, exceptionally nutritious dishes range from Poached Eggs in Spicy Tomato Sauce; Nut Crusted Chicken Breasts; Steak Tips with Mushroom-Onion Gravy; Grilled Stuffed Pork Tenderloins; and Oven-Steamed Mussels with Coconut Curry; to Spicy Stir-Fried Bok Choy and Shiitakes; Roasted Artichokes with lemon Vinaigrette; Fennel Salad with Onion and Capers; Roasted Butternut Squash with Cilantro and Sesame. Of special note is the beginning chapter on 'The Paleo Kitchen: Getting Started'. Very highly recommended for personal, family, and community library cookbook collections, it should also be noted that "Paleo Perfected: A Revolution in Eating Well with 150 Kitchen-Tested Recipes" is also available in a Kindle edition ($17.32).


The Metaphysical Studies Shelf

The Union of Isis and Thoth
Normandi Ellis and Nicki Scully
Bear & Company
One Park Street, Rochester, Vermont 05767
www.BearandCompanyBooks.com
9781591432081 $18.00 pbk / $9.99 Kindle www.amazon.com

The Union of Isis and Thoth: Magic and Initiatory Practices of Ancient Egypt is a mystical guide to communing with the ancient Egyptian pantheon, and make oneself receptive to divine wisdom. Chapters discuss shamanic visioning, and how to construct and consecrate a Moon Temple dedicated to Thoth, both in a physical and an inner spiritual sense. "In ancient times, hymns recited at dawn were intended to awaken or activate the divine energies of the animated, sacred statue of the temple deity. When the outer gates were opened and the sunlight streamed in toward the statue of Ra at Heliopolis, for example, that would be the appropriate time to recite the hymn 'Adoration of Ra'." The Union of Isis and Thoth is a welcome addition to metaphysical studies, new age, and spirituality collections.

The Book of Practical Candle Magic
Leo Vinci
Red Wheel/Weiser/Conari
65 Parker Street, Suite 7, Newburyport, MA 01950
www.redwheelweiser.com
9781578635788 $14.95 www.amazon.com

Occultist Leo Vinci presents The Book of Practical Candle Magic, a guide to magical techniques requiring only a minimum of equipment and experience. Step-by-step instructions for making, dressing, and anointing candles for use in a variety of rituals (including attraction, banishment, peace/contemplation, and the Mystical Novena) are included. Of particular interest are the recommendations for interweaving candle magic with the effects of planetary alignment and the dates corresponding to signs of the zodiac. Enhanced with reference tables and an index, The Book of Practical Candle Magic is a welcome addition to metaphysical studies collections. It should be noted that The Book of Practical Magic is also available in a Kindle edition.

Tarot for the Beginner
Dayle Schear
Blue Dolphin Publishing
PO Box 8, Nevada City, CA 95959-0008
www.bluedolphinpublishing.com
9780931892929, $10.00, PB, 64pp, www.amazon.com

The tarot is a pack of playing cards (most commonly numbering 78), used from the mid-15th century in various parts of Europe to play a group of card games such as Italian tarocchini and French tarot. From the late 18th century until the present time the tarot has also found use by mystics and occultists for divination. "Tarot for the Beginner" is a quick and easy read in which Psychic Dayle Schear teaches a method to read the cards in one, easy lesson. By following these step-by-step directions, "Tarot for the Beginner" will enable even the most novice of tarot card readers to read the past, present, and future, easily and quickly. It should be noted that tarot readers don't have to be a Psychic to read the cards! Dayle Schear learned to read the Tarot early in her life and devised and perfected her reading method over the last twenty years. She has successfully taught thousands of people to read the Tarot in classes and workshops throughout the western hemisphere. Dayle is the only living protege of world-famous psychic, Peter Hurkos. She trained with Peter, solving murder cases and finding missing children. Now Dayle invites you to step into her world of Tarot. "Tarot for the Beginner" covers as: Court Cards; Tarot Card Layout; The Layout; Major Arcana Cards; and Minor Arcana (Wands, Cups, Swords, Pentacles). Thoroughly 'user friendly' in commentary, organization and presentation, "Tarot for the Beginner" is very highly recommended for anyone wanting to learn the basics of tarot card reading -- quick and easy!

Angels, Fairies, Demons, and the Elementals
John Van Auken
ARE Press
215 - 67th Street, Virginia Beach, VA 23451-2061
9780876047705, $12.95, PB, www.AREPress.com

The late Edgar Cayce (March 18, 1877 - January 3, 1945) was an American mystic who answered questions on subjects as varied as healing, reincarnation, wars, Atlantis, and future events while in a trance. He was popularly known as "The Sleeping Prophet." A nonprofit organization, the Association for Research and Enlightenment was founded to facilitate the study of Cayce's work. A hospital and a university were also established, as well as the A.R.E. Press. "Angels, Fairies, Demons, and the Elementals: With the Edgar Cayce Perspective on the Supernatural World" by John Van Auken (Director of the Edgar Cayce association) offers a fresh and fascinating perspective on the supernatural realms and its inhabitants, exploring angels, brownies, fairies, and more. Van Auken's easy-to-read writing style is thoroughly 'reader friendly' in tone, content, and commentary. Of special note is the final and tenth chapter on 'Second Sight and the Sixth Sense'. An absolute 'must' for students of the life and work of Edgar Cayce, "Angels, Fairies, Demons, and the Elementals" is very highly recommended for all non-specialist general readers with an interest in metaphysical studies. For personal reading lists it should be noted that "Angels, Fairies, Demons, and the Elementals" is also available in a Kindle edition ($12.95).


The Poetry Shelf

Geis
Caitriona O'Reilly
Wake Forest University Press
PO Box 7333, Winston-Salem, NC 27109
www.wfu.edu/wfupress
9781930630734, $13.95, 88pp, www.amazon.com

Caitriona O'Reilly was born Dublin in 1973, grew up in Wicklow and Dublin, and now lives in Lincoln. She studied archaeology and English at Trinity College Dublin, where she wrote a doctoral thesis on American literature; she has also held the Harper-Wood Studentship from St. John's College, Cambridge. Geis is a word from Irish mythology meaning a supernatural taboo or injunction on behavior. In this, her third volume of poetry (following the critically acclaimed The Nowhere Birds and The Sea Cabinet), Caitriona O'Reilly examines the geis in all of its psychological, emotional, and moral suggestiveness: exploring the prohibitions and compulsions under which we sometimes place ourselves, or find ourselves placed. Pot Latch: Since what we have become folds over us / in days and years as involute as petals. // keeping us separate as we pass / on the stairs, or in the kitchen, or in close conversation, // so it becomes necessary and formal, / this other language, // this astonished fluency of touch; / as if, each time we make love on the hand-woven blanket, // it is again the first time, / and all we have hoarded we burn. It should be noted that "Geis" is the first appearance of a volume by Caitriona O'Reilly in North America, though she has been anthologized numerous times. Highly recommended for community and academic library Contemporary Poetry collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Geis" is also available in a Kindle edition ($9.95).

Memories
Lang Leav
Andrews McMeel Publishing
1130 Walnut Street, Kansas City, MO 64106-2109
www.andrewsmcmeel.com
9781449472399, $19.99, HC, 256pp, www.amazon.com

In the pages of "Memories", accomplished poet Lang Leav presents a gorgeous hardcover gift book featuring the best of Lullabies and Love & Misadventure plus thirty-five new poems for fans to discover, along with her original color illustrations. Lang Leav's evocative poetry in a gorgeous package with ribbon marker and cloth spine is an irresistible gift for any poetry lover! A pure pleasure for lovers of deftly crafted prose poems to simply browse through from first page to last, "Memories" is very highly recommended and certain to be an enduringly popular addition to community library poetry collections. For personal reading lists it should be noted that "Memories" is also available in a Kindle edition ($8.49). The Things We Hide: And so, / I have put away / the photographs, / every trace of you / I know. // The things that seem / to matter less, / and the ones / we put on show.

The Unfixed Horizon
Medbh McGuckian
Wake Forest University Press
PO Box 7333, Winston-Salem, NC 27109
www.wfu.edu/wfupress
9781930630758, $18.95, PB, 344pp, www.amazon.com

Amply displaying her bewitching, opulent imagination, The Unfixed Horizon: New Selected Poems is a 344 page compendium of Medbh McGuckian's poetry and traces a remarkable trajectory through fourteen volumes of her work that were published between 1982 and 2013,. Enhanced with the inclusion of a comprehensive introduction by editors Borb la Farag¢ and Michaela Schrage-Fruh offering a valuable overview and rare insight into the work and the myriad influences both private and public of this mysterious poet, "The Unfixed Horizon" perceptively charts the history through which the poet has lived. McGuckian's early poems, the editors point out, view Belfast's sectarian violence through the lens of the female body and domestic imagery, while her political engagement later becomes more direct. McGuckian's poems are firmly rooted in Northern Irish soil, yet encompass a world of interests erotic and maternal, spiritual and sensuous, private and political. Readers open to her enigmatic syntactical structures, wide-angled metaphors, and metamorphic images multiplying in dream-like fashion will be richly rewarded. "The Unfixed Horizon" is very highly recommended for, and a critically important addition to, both community and academic library Contemporary Poetry collections. For personal reading lists it should be noted that "The Unfixed Horizon" is also available in a Kindle edition ($9.99). The Brood-Bird: My encircler, I am placing a lock / upon my lips, thought nine deaths / were in my unhemmed mouth / or they mouth breast-white to my breast. // The tongue and knot and pulsing oil / of death without death goes round / in a thread, so i see neither the black / nor the white, tonight, in the upper chamber: // only the knee-woman, the world-woman, / the woman of songs.


The Christian Studies Shelf

The Social Media Gospel, second edition
Meredith Gould, PhD
www.meredithgould.com
The Liturgical Press
2950 Saint John's Road, PO Box 7500
Collegeville, MN 56321-7500
9780814647073 $19.95 www.litpress.org

Now in an updated second edition, The Social Media Gospel: Sharing the Good News in New Ways is a guide by digital strategist and social media expert Meredith Gould, PhD written especially for church leaders who seek to take advantage of new media to connect with and serve their communities. Chapters methodically evaluate a variety of social media platforms, including blogging, Facebook, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, and Snapchat, and discuss how to effectively integrate social media into one's ministry. No prior expertise with social media is presumed, making The Social Media Gospel an excellent choice for digital revolution neophytes! "...members of the Silent Generation and Baby Boomers are more likely to prefer blogs because this social media tool involves reading and writing. The passion GenXers and Millennials have for YouTube, Pinterest, and Instagram makes sense once you know about how curricula shifted to emphasize oral, aural, and visual learning when those cohorts attended elementary school. Because they're highly visual, Generation Z types love Instagram and Snapchat but seem to generally ignore Pinterest, possibly because it seems labor-intensive."

Here I Am
Edited by Grace Ji-Sun Kim
Judson Press
PO Box 851, Valley Forge, PA 19482-0851
9780817017637 $16.99 www.judsonpress.com

Here I Am: Faith Stories of Korean American Clergywomen is an anthology of theological contemplations and true tales of faith from Korean American women who serve in various forms of church ministry. The stories often reveal challenges that faced them, including marginalization due to their ethnicity or gender, but they also contain efforts to make lasting change for the better, as well as the devotion to serve God's calling. Inspired and inspiring, Here I Am speaks to faithful Christian readers of all backgrounds and walks of life, and especially to those who may aspire to becoming an ordained minister.

Pope Francis in the U.S.
Introduced and Compiled by Marianne Lorraine Trouve, FSP
Pauline Books & Media
50 St. Paul's Avenue, Boston, MA 02130-3433
9780819860279 $8.95 www.pauline.org

Pope Francis in the U.S.: Words of Mercy and Hope is pocket-sized collection of selected words of wisdom from Pope Francis during his visit to the United States of America from September 22-27, 2015. Pope Francis spoke at the canonization of Father Junipero Serra; at the United Nations; and he was the first pope to address a joint session of Congress. Frances spoke in a multitude of venues, to a broad variety of people, including clergy, children, immigrants, volunteers, prisoners, the homeless, sexual abuse victims, and more. These passages, arranged by topic, encourage the reader to reflect upon the Gospel and ask themselves, "how can I make the world a better place?" Highly recommended. "God of peace, bring your peace to our violent world: / peace in the hearts of all men and women / and peace among the nations of the earth. / Turn to your way of love / those whose hearts and minds / are consumed with hatred, / and who justify killing in the name of religion."

Heaven Meets Earth
John Kosmas Skinas
Ancient Faith Publishing
PO Box 748, Chesterton, IN 46304-0748
http://store.ancientfaith.com
9781936270187, $24.95, 68pp, www.amazon.com

Beautifully and profusely illustrated in full color, "Heaven Meets Earth: Celebrating Pascha and the Twelve Feasts" by John Kosmas Skinas is specially designed to enhance a family celebration of the Great Feasts of the Orthodox Church. Informatively written and appealing to readers of all ages, "Heaven Meets Earth" is bountifully illustrated with memorable icons and more. "Heaven Meets Earth" brings alive each of the Twelve Great Feasts (plus Pascha, the Feast of Feasts) with hymns, traditions, Old and New Testament scriptures, explanations of the festal icon, and quotes from the Fathers. A wonderful companion as we journey through the liturgical calendar year after year, deepening our faith one feast at a time, "Heaven Meets Earth" is very highly recommended for all members of the Orthodox Christian community and is an ideal introduction for the non-specialist general reader to the principle feasts and celebrations of the Orthodox Christian church.

Ichthus: Jesus Christ, God's Son, the Saviour
Sinclair B. Ferguson & Derek W. H. Thomas
Banner of Truth
PO Box 621, Carlisle, PA 17013
www.banneroftruth.org
9781848716209, $13.00, PB, 184pp, www.amazon.com

Ichthus is the Greek word for a fish. Its five Greek letters form the first letters of the early Christian confession that 'Jesus Christ is the Son of God and Saviour.' To draw a fish sign meant: 'I am a Christian.' The sign of the fish was the universal symbol of Christianity until the symbol of the cross came to supplant it around the third century A.D. when the Emperor Constantine became a Christian having won a major battle for the crown under the sign of the cross. To be a Christian, according to the New Testament is to know Christ. But who is he, and what is the meaning of his life? In "Ichthus: Jesus Christ, God's Son, the Saviour" Sinclair Ferguson (retired in 2013 as Senior Minister of First Presbyterian Church in Columbia, South Carolina) and Derek Thomas (Professor of Systematic Theology at Redeemer Seminary, Dallas, Texas) answer these questions by taking us on a tour of nine key events in Jesus' life and ministry. Their aim is to help us both understand and share the confession of those early Christians who drew the fish sign. Exceptionally well written, organized and presented, "Ichthus: Jesus Christ, God's Son, the Saviour" is a welcome and highly recommended addition to personal reading lists and academic library Christian Studies reference collections.

Scandinavian Pietists
Mark A. Granquist
Paulist Press
997 MacArthur Boulevard, Mahwah, NJ 07430
www.paulistpress.com
9780809106189, $35.95, HC, 304pp, www.amazon.com

Pietism was a movement within Lutheranism that began in the late 17th century, reached its zenith in the mid-18th century, and declined through the 19th century, and had almost vanished in America by the end of the 20th century. While declining as an identifiable Lutheran group, some of its theological tenets influenced Protestantism and Anabaptism generally, inspiring the Anglican priest John Wesley to begin the Methodist movement and Alexander Mack to begin the Brethren movement. The Pietist movement combined the Lutheranism of the time with the Reformed emphasis on individual piety and living a vigorous Christian life. Though pietism shares an emphasis on personal behavior with the Puritan movement, and the two are often confused, there are important differences, particularly in the concept of the role of religion in government. The Pietist movement has always been strong in the Scandinavian countries and in many places their influence is still felt. Compiled with commentary by Mark A. Granquist, "Scandinavian Pietists: Spiritual Writings from 19th-Century Norway, Denmark, Sweden, and Finland" collects and introduces the writings of prominent Pietists from each of the countries, including such well-known names as Nils Grundtvig (Denmark), Carl Olof Rosenius (Sweden), Lars Levi Laestadius (Finland), and the hymn writers, prominent among whom are women. Very highly recommended for personal, church, seminary, community, and academic library Christian Studies reference collections and supplemental studies reading lists, this edition of "Scandinavian Pietists" is the only collection of writings exclusively by Scandinavian Pietists and is a welcome and critically important contribution to the study of Scandinavian culture as well as for the study of spirituality and church history.

The Lies Couples Believe
Chris Thurman
David C. Cook
c/o Cook Communications
4050 Lee Vance View, Colorado Springs, CO 80918
www.cookministries.com
9781434709059, $15.99, PB, 224pp, www.amazon.com

If you are experiencing conflict, anger, or hurt in your marriage, you don't need positive thinking or an escape clause -- you need to replace the lies you believe with God's transforming truths for your relationship to become all that it was meant to be. According to Christian psychologist and family counselor Chris Thurman, everyone enters marriage with misguided attitudes and expectations such as: My spouse is a bigger mess than me; The purpose of marriage is to be happy; My spouse should meet all my needs. "The Lies Couples Believe: How Living the Truth Transforms Your Marriage" is a practical instructional guide that dismantles and debunks the ten most common lies couples believe and will substantial aid in the renewal of the mind with God's truths for a more caring, close, and connected marriage. As informed and informative as it is thoughtful and thought-provoking, "The Lies Couples Believe: How Living the Truth Transforms Your Marriage" is thoroughly 'reader friendly' in tone, content and commentary. Inspired and inspiring, "The Lies Couples Believe" is very highly recommended and is available for personal reading lists in a Kindle edition ($9.99) as well.


The Islamic Studies Shelf

Living Sufism in North America
William Rory Dickson
State University of New York Press
State University Plaza, Albany, NY 12246-0001
www.sunypress.edu
9781438457574, $80.00, HC, 290pp, www.amazon.com

Sufism or Tasawwuf is the inner mystical dimension of Islam. Practitioners of Sufism often belong to different uruq or "orders", that is, congregations formed around a grand master referred to as a Mawla who maintains a direct chain of teachers back to the Prophet Muhammad. These orders meet for spiritual sessions (majalis) in meeting places known as zawiyahs, khanqahs, or tekke. Sufis strive for ihsan (perfection of worship). Sufis regard Prophet Muhammad as the primary perfect man who exemplifies the morality of God. Sufis regard Prophet Muhammad as their leader and prime spiritual guide. Sufis also consider themselves to be the true proponents of this pure, original form of Islam. "Living Sufism in North America: Between Tradition and Transformation" by William Rory Dickson (Assistant Professor of Islamic Religion and Culture, University of Winnipeg, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada) is a work of seminal scholarship deftly organized and presented in five chapters: Tracing Sufism's Relation to Islam; The Genesis of Sufism in the West; Currents of Sufi Teaching in Twentieth-Century North America; Adapting Sufism in North America; North American Sufi Teachers on Sufism and Islam. Enhanced with the inclusion of forty pages of Notes; a two page Glossary; an eighteen page list of References; and a fifteen page Index, "Living Sufism in North America" is thoroughly informed and informative. Strongly recommended reading for both academia and the non-specialist general reader with an interest in Sufism and Islam in general, and the adaptation of Sufism here in America, "Living Sufism in North America" very highly recommended for both community and academic library Islam Studies reference collections in general, and Sufism Studies supplemental reading lists in particular. For personal reading list it should be noted that "Living Sufism in North America" is also available in a Kindle edition ($76.00). One last note -- the publication of "Living Sufism in North America" is exceptionally well timed in the current demagogue demonization of Islam by certain elements of the American political systems today and will well serve to demonstrate the antipathy most Sufi Muslims have against the kind of Islamic terrorism that has so presently infected the nations of the world.


The Needlecraft Shelf

Granny Square Flowers
May Corfield
Search Press USA
1338 Ross Street, Petaluma, CA 94954-1117
www.searchpressusa.com
9781782212591, $9.95, PB, 48pp, www.amazon.com

Combining the hot topics of crochet, granny squares and flowers, "Granny Square Flowers" showcases twenty great designs for making granny squares with a flower theme. Each one is worked in four different color ways, creating endless possibilities for combining the squares. Six of the projects will be worked up into items such as cushions, bags and scarves, inspiring readers with plenty of ways to use the squares. "Granny Square Flowers" is an easily affordable and beautifully presented instructional that will give crocheters a wealth of material and ideas. Thoroughly 'user friendly' in tone, content and commentary, and very highly recommended for the novice crochet enthusiast and the experienced needlecrafter alike, it should be noted that "Granny Square Flowers" is also available in a Kindle edition ($9.45).


The Fiction Shelf

The Phantom Strikes
Walt Keene
Linford Western Library
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print (USA), Inc.
PO Box 1230, West Seneca, NY 14224-1230
www.ulverscroftusa.com
9781444825732, $20.99, 177pp, www.amazon.com

The sequel to Walt Keene's gripping western "The Phantom Rider", Wild Bill Hickok and his two gun savvy friends, Tom Dix and Dan Shaw, are back -- and so is the last of the albino terrorists Enio Gunn. Once again the desert terrain was once haunted by the Phantom in the form of an albino man on a pale-grey horse, who struck in the night and killed without mercy. Wild Bill Hickok shot the legend down once - and twenty years later, when the Phantom's son took up the torch, he did so again. With both culprits dead, Hickok and his compadres are satisfied they have laid the ghost to rest. But when a mortally wounded man gasps that the spirit has returned, they must take up arms once more - against the Phantom's second son and end this lethal legend once and for all. "The Phantom Strikes" is another masterpiece from a master of the genre and this large print edition is especially recommended for personal reading lists and community library collections.

The Afterlife of Slim McCord
Jack Martin
Linford Western Library
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print (USA), Inc.
PO Box 1230, West Seneca, NY 14224-1230
www.ulverscroftusa.com
9781444825374, $20.99, PB, 232pp, www.amazon.com

Aging outlaws Blackman and Tanner have seen it all, but nothing has prepared them for what they find in the town of Possum Creek: the mummified remains of their old partner in crime, the notorious outlaw Slim McCord put on show for a nickel a peep in a traveling carny show. And it seems that Slim McCord, long after his death, is now once again involved with his old partners in the most lucrative bank robbery of their outlaw career. "The Afterlife of Slim McCord" is a wonderfully entertaining read that is really two stories going on back-to-back. The first is when the two aging bandits recover their old friends body and rob a bank of more money than they've ever seen. The other is told in flash backs to how they all met and were framed for the murder they did not do by a crooked sheriff of a deputy. Once again author Jack Martin has written a terrifically entertaining action/adventure western that is very highly recommended to all western novel buffs and community library Large Print collections.

Payback
Jonnie Jacobs
Five Star Books
10 Water Street, Suite 310, Waterville, ME 04901
http://gale.cengage.com/fivestar
9781432831127, $25.95, HC, 355pp, www.amazon.com

A split-second decision sends a woman's life spiraling out of control. Wife and mother Marta Crawford is away on business when she stops at the hotel bar after a particularly difficult day. There she meets the charming Todd Wilson and, much to her dismay, wakes up the next morning in his bed. Filled with remorse and regret, she tells Todd she's made a terrible mistake and flees, hoping to put her reckless behavior behind her. But Todd isn't willing to let go. To her dismay, he worms his way into all corners of her life, befriending her husband and her business partner and seducing her teenage daughter, Jamie. "Payback" by Jonnie Jacobs is a frightening and emotionally gripping tale of deception, determination, and love. Very highly recommended for both personal reading lists and community library General Fiction collections.

Walk Me to the Distance
Percival Everett
University of South Carolina Press
718 Devine Street, Columbia, SC 29208
www.sc.edu/uscpress
9781611175400, $18.95, PB, 209pp, www.amazon.com

Vietnam veteran David Larson can't go home again. Instead the Georgia native wanders westward into the desolate landscape of Slut's Hole, Wyoming, and seeks to integrate himself amid a hardscrabble cast of memorable locals. David is taken in by Sixbury, a one-legged widow, sheep farmer, and mother to a nearly adult mentally handicapped son. This rough-hewn family unit is later augmented when David becomes the unwilling guardian to Butch, a Vietnamese girl abandoned at a highway rest stop. A tragic turn of events moves the novel into violent territory that bridges western laconic traditions with southern gothic and interrogates our notions of home, family, duty, and the always uncertain responsibilities of the individual in society. Originally published in 1985 long out of print and now brought back in a new paperback edition (includes a new introduction by the author, Percival Everett, and a contextualizing preface from series editor Robert H. Brinkmeyer, director of the University of South Carolina Institute for Southern Studies), "Walk Me to the Distance" is a hauntingly dark tragicomedy of the modern West, and a people still clinging to a mythical heritage and code of frontier justice. With spare strokes Everett paints a telling landscape of big-sky country, where the mere act of living can be hard, cruel, and heart-stopping. Deftly constructed and a compelling read from beginning to end, Percival Everett's "Walk Me to the Distance" is very highly recommended for both community and academic library Literary Fiction collections. For personal reading lists it should be noted that "Walk Me to the Distance" is also available in a Kindle edition ($8.69).

The Wedding Chapel
Rachel Hauck
Zondervan Publishing House
5300 Patterson Avenue, S.E., Grand Rapids, MI 49530
www.zondervan.com
9780310341529, $15.99, PB, 384pp, www.amazon.com

For sixty years, the wedding chapel has stood silent and empty. Retired football hall-of-famer Jimmy "Coach" Westbrook had built the chapel by hand, stone by stone, for his beautiful and beloved Collette Greer, whom he lost so many years ago. The chapel is a sanctuary for his memories, a monument to true love, and a testament to his survival of the deepest pain and loss. Photographer Taylor Branson left her hometown of Heart's Bend, Tennessee, to make a new life for herself in New York. She had lots to run away from, not least of all a family history of broken promises and broken dreams. Love catches Taylor off guard when she falls for Jack Forester, a successful advertising executive, and their whirlwind romance leads to an elopement -- then to second guesses. Jack, in spite of his very real love for Taylor, is battling his own demons and struggles to show her his true self and the depths of his love for her. Taking a photography assignment in Heart's Bend, Taylor is thrown back into a past of family secrets buried deep beneath the sands of time. When Taylor and Coach's journeys collide, they each rediscover the heartbeat of their own dreams as they learn that the love they long to hold is well worth the wait. "The Wedding Chapel" is an impressively entertaining and compelling novel from beginning to end. Another Rachel Hauck masterpiece of romantic fiction that will prove to be an enduringly popular addition to any community library collection. For personal reading lists it should be noted that "The Wedding Chapel" is also available in a Kindle edition ($1.99) and in a large print hardcover edition (Thorndike Press, 9781410485038, $30.99, 590pp).


The Biography Shelf

The Seed that Became a Garden
Louise Finn, CND
Illustrations by Francis Back
St. Pauls Publishing
2187 Victory Boulevard, Staten Island, NY 10314
9780818913877 $9.95 stpauls.us

The Seed that Became a Garden is a brief yet accessible biography of Marguerite Bourgeoys (1620-1700), a French Catholic woman who followed the "seed" God planted in her heart to travel to New France (present-day Canada) and work to support the growing community there. She educated young girls, the poor, and Native Americans, and developed one of the first uncloistered religious communities in the Catholic church. She was declared a saint by the Catholic Church in 1982. Her extraordinary life story is a tale of dedication, faith, and compassion, and a choice pick for readers of all religious backgrounds. Also highly recommended is "Forty Catholics Who Shaped the World in Which We Live" (9780818913884, $19.95 pbk / $14.95 Kindle).

String Too Short to Be Saved
Donald Hall
Nonpareil Books
c/o David R. Godine, Publisher
PO Box 450, Jaffrey, NH 03452
www.godine.com
9781567925548, $14.95, PB, 155pp, www.amazon.com

"String Too Short to Be Saved" is the personal memoir of Donald Hall, one of America's greatest living poets and essayists, and our former national Poet Laureate. This collection of personal reminiscences glows with the affection he holds for the land, the people, and the customs of rural New England, and especially for the small farm near Ragged Mountain that he visited every summer as a child. Each vignette in this poignant collection contains the telltale signs of an era's end, of a proud culture in transition, and of a land in jeopardy. Not only beautiful writing, it is also a gentle paean to a disappearing landscape and way of life. If you want to understand the Yankee character, travel with David Hall to learn about his New Hampshire through his life experiences. Extraordinarily well written and a pure pleasure to read from beginning to end, "String Too Short to Be Saved" is very highly recommended for community and academic library Contemporary American Biography collections.


The Social Issues Shelf

Why Hope?: The Stand Against Civilization
John Zerzan
Feral House
1234 West Sims Way Box 1240, Port Townsend, WA 98368
www.feralhouse.com
9781627310192, $13.00, PB, 140pp, www.amazon.com

The infamous eco-anarchist John Zerzan, whose books have resulted in recent interviews by Vice and Believer magazines, checks in with further provocative articles about the chaotic results of civilization and technology with the publication of "Why Hope?: The Stand Against Civilization". This 140 page study is comprised of inherently fascinating commentaries on a wide variety of topics ranging from Origins of the One Percent: The Bronze Age; Blown Away: Guns and 'Random' Mass Shootings; A Word on Civilization and Collapse; and What Does It Mean to Be Healthy?. These and other iconoclastic essays as informed and informative as they are thoughtful and thought-provoking. "Why Hope?: The Stand Against Civilization" is very highly recommended for personal reading lists, as well as community and academic library Social Issues collections. It should be noted that "Why Hope?: The Stand Against Civilization" is also available in a Kindle edition ($8.99).


The Fishing Shelf

Washington's Sport of Kings
Frank Haw
Frank Amato Publications
PO Box 82112, Portland, OR 97282
9781571885364 $24.95 www.amatobooks.com

Illustrated with a handful of black-and-white photographs, Washington's Sport of Kings: Views of a Fisheries Insider chronicles the history of salmon angling in Washington's marine waters, from ancient times to the present day. Chapters describe the rise of the Puget Sound resort, the boathouse era, multiple fishing-related scandals, controversies over salmon angling (including incidents of mismanagement and political dealing), the Endangered Species Act, and more. Endnotes and an index round out this thoughtful, well-researched, and thoroughly accessible chronicle sure to fascinate not only anglers, but also any reader seeking to better understand Washington's storied history. Highly recommended for both fishing and Washington state history reading lists.

Depthfinders: A Guide to Finding & Catching More Fish
Wayne Heinz
Frank Amato Publications
PO Box 82112, Portland, OR 97282
www.amatobooks.com
9781571885210, $19.95, PB, 134pp, www.amazon.com

Depthfinders are useful yet varied fishing tools. When choosing a depthfinder, once must decide between color or black & white, single or dual frequency, power and transponders, monitor size, and more. Deftly compiled and written by experienced angler Wayne Heinz, "Depthfinders: A Guide to Finding & Catching More Fish" is packed from cover to cover with color images and all the information needed to effectively buy, mount, use, read, and maintain a fish finder. "Depthfinders: A Guide to Finding & Catching More Fish" is enhanced with the inclusion of troubleshooting sections on noise, batteries, cables, power, software, and more. A depthfinder will help you find more fish, Thoroughly 'user friendly' in tone, content, and presentation, "Depthfinders: A Guide to Finding & Catching More Fish" is very highly recommended for both novice and experienced anglers alike!


The Writing/Publishing Shelf

Successful Selling Tips for Introverted Authors
Kim Staflund
Polished Publishing Group
Chinook RPO, PO Box 30364, Calgary, AB, Canada T2H 2W1
www.polishedpublishinggroup.com
9780994043511, $14.99, www.amazon.com

Writing is easy. It's selling what you've written that is hard. What they don't usually tell you in that creative writing class or workshop is that even if you manage to get your book published, as an author your job is just beginning. Now you have to promote, publicize, and market that book which in itself can be truly daunting, especially if you are inexperienced at dealing with and selling to other people. That's why "Successful Selling Tips for Introverted Authors" by Kim Staflund is such a critically important instructional reference -- especially for reluctant, bashful, or introverted authors. "Successful Selling Tips for Introverted Authors" is a 148 page compendium of practical, directly applicable, effective, real world based instructional commentaries on everything from selling online, goal setting, pricing, marketing strategies, web page creation, online traffic redirecting, book blogging, and the utilization of reviews. Of special note is the chapter on Book Publicists. Informed, informative, and thoroughly 'user friendly' from beginning to end, "Successful Selling Tips for Introverted Authors" should be considered a mandatory study for every novice author seeking to establish themselves in an economically supporting career. Indeed, it would not be amiss if every one of those aforementioned creative writing classes and workshops would add "Successful Selling Tips for Introverted Authors" to their curriculum supplemental studies reading lists.

Poet's Market 2016
Robert Lee Brewer, editor
Writer's Digest Books
c/o F+W Media
10151 Carver Road, Suite 200, Blue Ash, OH 45242
www.WritersDigest.com
9781599639413, $29.99, PB, 474pp, www.amazon.com

Writing the poetry is the easy part. Profitably publishing it is the hard part. That's why this 28th Annual Edition of the Writer's Digest Press reference and resource for poets, the "Poet's Market 2016" is such a valued addition to the reference collection of dedicated poets be they novice or professional. This 474 page compendium is comprised of more than one thousand listings for book publishers, magazines, context, conferences, featuring or otherwise dedicated to the publishing of poetry. "Poet's Market 2016" also includes a one-year access to the Writer's Digest Press poetry market database at www.WritersMarket.com An absolute "must" for poets looking to establish an audience for their work (and getting paid to do so), "Poet's Market 2016" is a very highly recommended addition to poetry workshop supplemental studies lists, as well as community and academic Writing/Publishing reference collections. For personal and professional reading lists it should be noted that "Poet's Market 2016" is also available in a Kindle edition ($16.99).

Children's Writer's & Illustrator's Market 2016
Chuck Sambuchino, editor
Writer's Digest Books
c/o F+W Media
10151 Carver Road, Suite 200, Blue Ash, OH 45242
www.WritersDigest.com
9781599639437, $29.99, www.amazon.com

Now in a updated and expanded 28th edition, the "Children's Writer's & Illustrator's Market 2016" is the definitive publishing guide for anyone who seeks to write or illustrate for children from preschool through young adults." Children's Writer's & Illustrator's Market 2016" provides more than 500 listings for children's book markets (publishers, agents, magazines, and more) that include a point of contact, advice on how to properly submit your work, and what categories each market accepts. "Children's Writer's & Illustrator's Market 2016 " includes: Interviews with creators of today's successful children's books; New Literary Agent Spotlights profiling literary reps who are currently building their client lists and are actively seeking authors of young adult, middle-grade, chapter books, and picture books; Success stories from 13 debut authors, as well as 9 successful debut illustrators, each of whom share their paths to publication so aspiring authors can learn from their success and see what they did right; Informative articles on how to make young readers laugh, how to build a career as an illustrator, how to sell your picture book, the difference between young adult and middle-grade, and so much more. Also included in this edition of "Children's Writer's & Illustrator's Market 2016" is a one-year subscription to the children's publishing content on WritersMarket.com. Of special note is that "Children's Writer's & Illustrator's Market 2016" provides an exclusive access to the webinar "25 Tips on How to Succeed in Children's Publishing" by Danielle Smith of Red Fox Literary. Simply stated, "Children's Writer's & Illustrator's Market 2016" will prove to be an incredibly valuable and practical resource for any author seeking to successfully publish children's books for young readers preschool through YA for personal, family, schools, or community library collections. Very highly recommended for professional, community, and academic library Writing/Publishing reference collections, it should be noted that "Children's Writer's & Illustrator's Market 2016" is also available in a Kindle edition ($16.99).


The Health/Medicine Shelf

Cancer Survivorship Coping Tools
Barbara Tako
John Hunt Publishing, Ltd.
Laurel House, Station Approach, Alresford, Hants, SO24 9JH, UK
www.johnhuntpublishing.com
9781782797753, $14.95, PB, 121pp, www.amazon.com

Barbara Tako is a breast cancer survivor since 2010 and a melanoma survivor since 2014. Beginning in 1998, Barbara Tako has been a professional seminar leader, speaker, and published writer on clutter clearing and home organizing. In "Cancer Survivorship Coping Tools - We'll Get you Through This: Tools for Cancer's Emotional Pain From a Melanoma and Breast Cancer Survivor" she draws upon her personal experience and hard won expertise to create an invaluable, informative, and comforting instructional guide that should be considered a "must read" for anyone who is having to deal with cancer in themselves or with a friend or family member. Exceptionally 'reader friendly' in tone, organization, presentation, and content, "Cancer Survivorship Coping Tools" is very highly recommended for medical center, community, and academic library Health/Medicine collections in general, and Cancer Treatment supplemental studies reading lists in particular. It should be noted that "Cancer Survivorship Coping Tools" is available for interested individuals in a Kindle edition ($7.99).

The Raw Food Nutrition Handbook
Karin Dina, DC with Rick Dina, DC
Healthy Living Publications
c/o The Book Publishing Company
PO Box 99, Summertown, TN 38483
9781570673276 $14.95 www.BookPubCo.com

A "raw food diet" is a diet that consists of uncooked, unprocessed foods. Doctors of chiropractic Karin Dina and Rick Dina present The Raw Food Nutrition Handbook, an accessible, reader-friendly reference useful for either quick consultation or extended research. Designed especially to aid anyone seeking to construct a nutritious raw food diet for themselves or for their clients, The Raw Food Nutrition Handbook compares the nutrition of suggested meal plans against standards set by the World Health Organization and the US Institute of Medicine. (It should be noted, however, that The Raw Food Nutrition Handbook generally does not include cookbook recipes). A list of references and an index round out this "must-have" for anyone pursuing a raw food lifestyle for its health benefits.


The Mystery/Suspense Shelf

Bring Home the Murder
Theresa M. Jarvel
North Star Press of St. Cloud
PO Box 451, St. Cloud, MN 56302-0451
www.northstarpress.com
9780878398096, $14.95, PB, 160pp, www.amazon.com

Minnesota baby-boomer Meggie Moore sets off on another house-sitting adventure to a hobby farm in the country. But her dream job turns into a nightmare when she discovers the farm to be haunted. "Bring Home the Murder" is another terrific page-turner of a mystery/suspense novel by Theresa M. Jarvel, a writer of wit and skill who is clearly a master of the genre. Very highly recommended for personal reading lists and community library Mystery/Suspense collections, it should be noted that "Bring Home the Murder" (Book 3 of Jarvel's Tales of a Tenacious Housesitter mystery series) is also available in a Kindle edition ($9.99). For those to whom "Bring Home the Murder" is their first introduction to this extraordinarily gifted author, her first two novels in her outstanding Tales of a Tenacious Housesitter' mystery series are especially recommended as well: "Home Sweet Murder" (9780878395873, $14.95 PB, $6.99 Kindle); "Home for the Murder" (9780878396603, $14.95 PB, $6.99 Kindle).


The Audiobook Shelf

The Mulberry Bush
Charles McCarry, author
Read by Robert Fass
Highbridge Audio Books
270 Skip Jack Road
Prince Frederick, MD 20678
9781622319435 $34.99 www.highbridgeaudio.com

Former undercover CIA operative Charles McCarry presents The Mulberry Bush, a novel of intrigue across three continents, now available as an unabridged audiobook performed by the talented Robert Fass. The story examines the incendiary consequences of a passionate, mutual infatuation between an unnamed American spy and Luz, the daughter of an Argentinean revolutionary. The American spy has an agenda hidden from even his handlers - revenge for the callous manner in which his father was once cast out of the agency. He seeks to further Luz's cost and his own, but a complex tangle of affiliations and lies spanning back to the Cold War era hangs over his efforts. Suspenseful to the very end, The Mulberry Bush is a "must" for connoisseurs of espionage fiction. 10.25 hours on 9 CDs.

Shadow's End
Thea Harrison, author
Read by Sophie Eastlake
Tantor Media, Inc.
6 Business Park Road, Old Saybrook, CT 06475
9781494501396 $39.99 www.tantor.com

The unabridged audiobook rendition of Book 9 in the "Elder Races" series, Shadow's End is a fantasy novel of dire peril, and forbidden love. Beluviel is consort to the High Elven Lord, and Graydon is First Sentinel of the Wyr; for centuries, they have suppressed their attraction to one another. But they share a debt to the cruel djinn Malphas, and if they are to have any hope of protecting their own souls, they must work together closely. Intense and descriptive, Shadow's End is a passionate saga, brought vividly to life by Sophie Eastlake's dulcet performance, and highly recommended for connoisseurs of high fantasy and romance. 9 CDs, 10.5 hours.

The Choice: Let Your Heart Decide
Nicholas Sparks, author
Read by Holter Graham
Hachette Audio
237 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10017
9781478959908 $20.00 www.HachetteAudio.com

The Choice: Let Your Heart Decide is the unabridged audiobook rendition of a love story. Travis Parker is a successful man in small-town North Carolina, who enjoys boating, swimming, barbecue, and hanging out with his buddies. He isn't interested in being tied down by a serious relationship, until the alluring redhead Gabby Holland moves in next door. Why does she seem to have a grudge against him? Yet Travis finds himself wanting to be more than a good neighbor to her. What does it take to keep the hope of love alive? A thoughtful tale about the complex affairs of the heart, The Choice is highly recommended for connoisseurs of emotional romance. 8 CDs, 9 hours.

Worship Changes Everything
Darlene Zschech, author
Read by Pamela Klein
Oasis Audio
289 Main Place, Carol Stream, IL 60188
9781613757376 $19.99 www.oasisaudio.com

Darlene Zschech (singer, songwriter, and pastor of Hope Unlimited Church) presents Worship Changes Everything: Experiencing God's Presence in Every Moment of Life, the unabridged audiobook rendition about the joy of committing oneself to Jesus Christ. Zschech shares her thoughts about the true nature of worship, and how to interweave reverence for God in each moment of daily life. True purpose and freedom exists within a life dedicated to honoring God, enacting Christ's will, and aiding the poor. Worship Changes Everything is a choice pick for devout Christians and church library audiobook collections.


The Music CD Shelf

The Big Smoke
Gentleman's Dub Club
www.gentlemansdubclub.com
Easy Star Records
www.easystar.com
$11.99 CD / $9.49 MP3 www.amazon.com

UK-based reggae nine-piece band Gentleman's Dub Club presents The Big Smoke, an album thrumming with rhythm and verve. The gliding keyboards complement the pulse-awakening percussion and the powerful horn riffs in this vibrant album embracing reggae's deep roots. The Big Smoke is a "must-have" for connoisseurs of the genre! The tracks are "Music is the Girl I Love", "One Road", "Bad Girl", "Earthquake", "One Night Only (featuring Natty)", "Extraordinary", "Enter the Chamber", "Pressure", "Afraid of the Dark", "Nocturnal (featuring Josh Arcoleo)", and "See Them".

Keyif
Atlas Maior
Privately Published
$7.00 CD / $7.00 download, www.cdbaby.com

Named after a Turkish word that means "enchantment and delight", Keyif is a three-track EP music album featuring extraordinary instrumental soundscapes. Creators Atlas Maior are a group of talented musicians: Charlie Lockwood on the oud (a Middle Eastern string instrument similar to an acoustic guitar), Joshua Thomson on the alto saxophone and flutes; Ted Camat plays percussion; and Gary James is a contributing bass player. Keyif explores distinctively Turkish rhythms, in an inspired musical journey that enriches the senses. The tracks are "Bete Noire" (5:51), "Cynthia's Tears" (4:16), and "Raq's Laylah" (7:00).


The DVD Shelf

Forever
Monterey Media Inc.
566 St. Charles Drive
Thousand Oaks, CA 91360-3901
$26.95 DVD www.montereymedia.com

Forever a seamless blend of thriller and psychological drama on DVD, about an investigative reporter struggling to come to terms with a life-shattering loss. Her work takes her to a mysterious commune where she must rebuild her will to survive - both in the short term and in the long term. Emotionally gripping and powerful, Forever is highly recommended. 95 min., rated R.

Cut Snake
Monterey Media Inc.
566 St. Charles Drive
Thousand Oaks, CA 91360-3901
$26.95 DVD www.montereymedia.com

Cut Snake (a title derived from the Australian idiom "mad as a cut snake", which describes furious rage to the point of insanity) is a tense crime thriller on DVD, set in Melbourne in the mid-1970s. Sparra Farrell (played by Alex Russell) is an ex-convict striving for a fresh start on his life in the city. He finds honest work, and even becomes engaged. But then the charming yet sociopathic Pommie, Sparra's former cellmate, tracks him down, and draws Sparra back in to the cruel and violent world he tried to leave behind. Edge-of-seat suspenseful to the very end, Cut Snake is a "must-see" for connoisseurs of the genre. 94 min., rated R.


The Fantasy/SciFi Shelf

Whoniverse
Lance Parkin
Barron's
250 Wireless Boulevard, Hauppauge, NY 11788
www.barronseduc.com
9780764167980, $29.99, 288pp, www.amazon.com

Lance Parkin has written many books about Doctor Who, both fiction and nonfiction. His latest addition to the Doctor Who cannon is "Whoniverse: An Unofficial Planet-by-Planet Guide to the World of the Doctor from Gallifrey to Skaro", a 288 page, profusely and beautifully illustrated, 288 page compendium that presents entire chapters on The Universe; The Solar System; Earth's Colonies in Space; Planets of Origin (Time Lord Planets, Dalek Planets, Cybermen Planets, Planets of the Monsters); Distant Planets; The Last Planets. No personal or community library Doctor Who collection would be complete without a copy of Lance Parkin's "Whoniverse"!


The Money/Finance Shelf

Paying for College Without Going Broke, 2016 Edition
Kalman A. Chany & Geoff Martz
The Princeton Review
c/o Random House Inc.
1745 Broadway, New York NY 10019
www.PrincetonReview.com
9781101881972, $21.99, 352pp, www.amazon.com

This newly updated and expanded sixteenth edition of "Paying for College Without Going Broke" will help students and their families to: Calculate the actual costs of college; Increase the chances of receiving aid; Compare aid offers and learn how to appeal if needed; Plan strategically as an independent student or a divorced or single parent; Understand long- and short-term money-saving tactics; Avoid costly mistakes when applying. This new edition of "Paying for College Without Going Broke" also includes a foreword by Bill Clinton, as well as in-depth line-by-line strategies for filling out 2016-2017 aid forms, including the required federal FAFSA form. The author of this latest edition of "Paying for College Without Going Broke" is Kal Chany who is the founder and president of Campus Consultants, an independent New York-based firm that has helped thousands of families get financial aid since 1984. His expertise and experience make him eminently qualified and his ability to present complex information in a way that makes it fully accessible and understandable to the non-specialist general reader is truly impressive. An essential addition to highschool and community library college admission guide reference collections, it should be noted for students and their families that "Paying for College Without Going Broke, 2016 Edition" is also available in a Kindle edition ($15.99).


The Civil War Shelf

Excommunicated from the Union
William B. Kurtz
Fordham University Press
2546 Belmont Avenue, University Box L
Bronx, NY 10458-5172
9780823267538 $120.00 hc
9780823268863 $35.00 pbk www.fordhampress.com

Author William B. Kurtz (assistant editor at Documents Compass, a program of the Virginia Foundation for the Humanities) offers a scholarly scrutiny of how American Catholics experienced the Civil War. Some leaped at the chance to prove their patriotism amid a largely-protestant nation that distrusted them; others opposed the war. Kurtz studies the roles that priests and nuns played in the army, as well as a rift in the church over the issue of slavery. Anti-Catholicism lingered after the war, despite the cost that Catholics soldiers paid to prove themselves loyal American citizens. Enhanced with extensive notes, a bibliography, and an index, Excommunicated from the Union offers an invaluable perspective of the Civil War, and is especially recommended for public and college library history shelves.


The Humor Shelf

Clean Up on Aisle Stupid!
Darby Conley
Andrews McMeel Publishing
1130 Walnut Street, Kansas City, MO 64106-2109
9781449462949 $14.99 www.andrewsmcmeel.com

Published in black-and-white with color for the Sunday strips, Clean Up on Aisle Stupid! is a collection of the "Get Fuzzy" newspaper comic, featuring the scheming Siamese cat Bucky Katt, the clueless dog Satchel, and their alleged owner Rob. Bucky's snark and ever-so-slightly evil schemes are held in check by Satchel's unwitting yet faithful stupidity - or are they? "Rob: 'Why have you always called yourself a Yankee fan?' Bucky: 'I've never found anything else that bugs you so much with so little effort.'" A treasury of wacky animal hijinks and verbosely sardonic humor, Clean Up on Aisle Stupid is highly recommended.


The Sports Shelf

Backpacking the Light Way
Richard A. Light
Menasha Ridge Press
2204 - 1st Avenue South, Suite 102, Birmingham, AL 35233
www.menasharidge.com
9781634040280 $16.95 pbk / $11.31 Kindle www.amazon.com

Illustrated with a wealth of color photography, Backpacking the Light Way is a practical-minded guide to "ultralight backpacking" - that is, traveling hiking trails with a significantly lighter load on one's back, without sacrificing comfort or necessities. Chapters discuss how to plan a modular packing system, deal with winder conditions, assess the risk in backcountry, and much more. "In winter I often use ski socks instead of summer hiking socks. Today's ski socks are taller, warmer, and made in high-tech designs that manage moisture well." Author and professional outdoor-skills instructor Richard Light has created a "must-read" resource packed with potentially lifesaving information for amateur and expert hikers alike!


The Business Shelf

Win the Customer
Flavio Martins
Amacom Books
1601 Broadway, New York, NY 10019
www.amacombooks.org
9780814436240 $21.95 hc / $10.99 Kindle www.amazon.com

Win the Customer: 70 Simple Rules for Sensational Service lives up to its title with seventy concise guidelines to improve one's customer service in any business, large or small. For example, "Rule 8: Stop Overthinking Customer Service" precedes a brief chapter of more detailed explanations: "customers today don't expect 'more' from you. They expect 'better'. Stop overthinking customer service. Imagine how you would like to be treated (with courtesy and respect) and treat customers the same way." Written in plain terms and thoroughly accessible to readers of all backgrounds, "Win the Customer" is a "must-read" for everyone in all levels of the service industry!


The Theatre/Cinema/TV Shelf

The Twilight Zone FAQ
Dave Thompson
Applause Books
c/o Hal Leonard Performing Arts Publishing Group
19 West 21st Street, Suite 201, New York, NY 10010
9781480396180 $19.99 www.applausebooks.com

The Twilight Zone FAQ: All That's Left to Know about the Fifth Dimension and Beyond is an in-depth guide to the pop culture phenomenon of "The Twilight Zone". A fantastic television series of distinguished by elements of mystery, science fiction (sometimes), and occasionally even outright horror, The Twilight Zone captivated the public's imagination in the late 1950's and early 1960's. Its five-season run had a monumental, legacy impact on the fantasy television series that followed. The Twilight Zone FAQ examines the individual episodes with thoughtful synopses, and is also packed with information about associated comic books, novels, other spinoffs, the movie, the later TV revamps, and even the Twilight Zone amusement park ride. Meticulously researched, and illustrated with occasional black-and-white photographs, The Twilight Zone FAQ is a superb companion reference and highly recommended to connoissuers of the series.


The Parenting Shelf

Adoption: Room for One More?
Jaymie Stuart Wolfe
Pauline Books & Media
50 St. Paul's Avenue, Boston, MA 02130
9780819808370 $16.95 www.pauline.org

Adoption: Room for One More? is a guide to the process of adoption written especially for Christian couples. Chapters aid the reader in understanding God's calling to adopt, shelter, and raise a child, as well as the steps of the journey - discerning whether adopting a child is truly the right choice for the reader, the special challenges of cross-racial and cross-cultural adoption, weighing the pros and cons of open versus closed adoption, adapting to a "blended" family of adopted and natural-born children, and much more. The theme of love is paramount, and Adoption: Room for One More? offers spiritual as well as practical guidance. Adoption: Room for One More? is an excellent choice for Christians considering adoption.


The Jobs/Careers Shelf

Your Vocational Credo
Deborah Koehn Loyd
InterVarsity Press
PO Box 1400, Downers Grove, IL 605151426
9780830843190 $16.00 www.ivpress.com

Your Vocational Credo: Practical Steps to Discover Your Unique Purpose is a career guide written especially for Christians. Teacher and pastor Deborah Loyd asserts that every person has a voice to be expressed by their choice of vocation. Chapters take the reader on a journey to discover a profession that will fulfill, inspire, and enrich their lives. Topics discussed include "toxic skills" (a marketable skill that one may be very good at, but that sucks the joy out of one's life and overshadows one's true calling), how to confront the fear of failure, assembling the "puzzle pieces" of one's story, and more. The result is a strong resource for determining one's own creed and a life path in accordance with God's plan.


The Divorce Shelf

The Divorce Talk
Vikki Stark
Green Light Press
www.HowToTellTheKids.com
9780986472152 $17.95 www.amazon.com

The Divorce Talk: How to Tell the Kids is a straightforward guide to a serious subject - how to tell one's children about an impending divorce. Based on interviews with over one hundred children, The Divorce Talk is about breaking difficult news without inflicting unnecessary pain. Chapters discuss how to understand what divorce means for children, how honest to be when explaining why one's marriage is ending, choosing the best time and place for the telling, how to manage one's own emotions, and much more. Supplementing author Vikki Stark's step-by-step recommendations for talking to one's children are words of wisdom from young people who have lived through the divorce of their own parents. "Sixteen-year-old Tamar's advice to parents is simple and direct: 'Don't try to make it better than it actually is. Tell all the truth right away, making sure to have agreed on the living conditions of the children. The very first thought after processing THEIR divorce is: What about me?'" The Divorce Talk is a "must-read" for any parent in this difficult situation, and highly recommended.


The Wisconsin Shelf

60 Hikes Within 60 Miles: Madison, second edition
Kevin Revolinski
Menasha Ridge Press
2204 - 1st Avenue South, Suite 102, Birmingham, AL 35233
www.menasharidge.com
Adventure Keen (distributor)
2204 1st Avenue South, Suite 102, Birmingham, AL 35233
9781634040006, $18.95, PB, 320pp, www.amazon.com

Wisconsin native Kevin Revolinski is an avid outdoorsman, public speaker, and author of more than a dozen books including Best Tent Camping Wisconsin (co-author), Best Easy Day Hikes Milwaukee, Paddling Wisconsin, Backroads and Byways of Wisconsin, Wisconsin's Best Beer Guide, Michigan's Best Beer Guide, and Minnesota's Best Beer Guide as well as the travel memoir The Yogurt Man Cometh: Tales of an American Teacher in Turkey. In this newly updated and expanded second edition of "60 Hikes Within 60 Miles: Madison: Including Dane and Surrounding Counties" Kevin draws upon his many years of experience and expertise to provide hikers with a 320 page compendium showcasing 60 different and inherently interesting hikes that anyone can enjoy within a 60 mile radius of Madison, Wisconsin. Enhanced with the inclusion of an Overview Map & Key, the hikes are organized and presented by categories: Madison Metro (18 hikes); Northwest (17 hikes); Southwest (13 hikes); Northeast (2 hikes); and Southeast (10 hikes). Enhanced with the inclusion of three appendices (Hiking Stores; Map Stores; Hiking Clubs); and an eight page Index, "60 Hikes Within 60 Miles: Madison: Including Dane and Surrounding Counties" is also available in a Kindle edition ($12.99), thoroughly 'user friendly' in organization and presentation, and enthusiastically recommended.


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


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