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Table of Contents
Reviewer's Choice
Smoke Gets In Your Eyes
Caitlin Doughty
W. W. Norton & Company
500 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10110
9780393351903, $15.95, www.wwnorton.com
Smoke Gets In Your Eyes and Other Lessons from the Crematory is about death,
autobiographical writing at its best, and the author's education on death and what happens to a
corpse. As such, is combines the two in a lively series of vignettes not for the weak and not for
those who wouldn't closely examine the funeral industry, its methods, and social constructs about
death. While Doughty ultimately left her job as a cremation operator to attend mortuary school
and find romance and her self, this mortician's memoir embraces the strongest elements of
expose, autobiography and social reflection, and is a powerful piece that doesn't neatly fit into
any genre, but holds the ability to attract readers from many walks of life.
The Computer Shelf
Hands-on Mobile App Testing
Daniel Knott
Addison Wesley
c/o Pearson Technology Group
801 East 96th Street, #300, Indianapolis, IN 46240-3759
www.mcp.com
9780134191731, $39.99, www.informit.com/aw
Hands-on Mobile App Testing provides the first complete guide to mobile application
development to focus on quality assurance methods for Android and iOS systems, and offers a
set of insights and approaches to testing apps that are based on the author's real-life experiences.
From mobile test planning and automation procedures to developing and assuring high-quality
apps without bugs, this guide is especially important for software developers who would absorb
not just the common pitfalls of app development, but how to locate problems. From real device
pros and cons to where to automate (and when not to), how and when to update testing in the
process of app development, and how to select target devices and environments, Hands-on
Mobile App Testing addresses many of the typical questions and issues involved in a process
specific to mobile applications.
The Education Shelf
The Construction Zone
Terry Thompson
Stenhouse Publishers
480 Congress Street, Portland, ME 04101-3451
9781571108692, $22.00, www.stenhouse.com
The Construction Zone: Building Scaffolds for Readers and Writers comes from a teacher who
advocates the concept of 'instructional scaffolding' to encourage students to move from
teacher-directed learning to individual pursuits, and offers a plan whereby teachers can apply a
'gradual release' program to foster independent thinking. Chapters offer typical scaffolding
scenarios, including feedback loops, flexible group sizes and arrangements, preparing ahead for a
sense of direction, and more, using a step-by-step approach of building blocks that teachers can
readily implement into diverse classroom settings. Any educator interested in building
independent learners will find this filled with real-world applications and constructive
approaches to educational scaffolding.
Put College to Work
Kat Clowes, M.B.A.
Quill Driver Books
2006 South Mary, Fresno, CA 93721
www.quilldriverbooks.com
9781610352536, $18.95, www.QuillDriverBooks.com
Put College to Work: How to Use College to the Fullest to Discover Your Strengths and Find a
Job You Love Before You Graduate should be a gift to every forthcoming college grad, and it
comes from a professional college and career planner who has a career helping kids find work
before graduation. Based on her personal experiences and work as a student consultant, her book
offers forthcoming grads a range of techniques for using their newfound college background to
best advantage. From beginning the process while earning a college education to using
informational interviews, job shadowing, and internship to best advantage, this is a solid
collection of proven techniques that consider financial and career matters alike.
The Common Core Companion Grades 3-4: Booster Lessons
Leslie Blauman
Corwin Literacy
c/o Corwin Press, Inc.
2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320-2218
9781483392745, $34.95, www.corwin.com
This companion to the original Common Core Companion Grades 3-5 gathers lesson plans,
connects them into a logical sequence of teachings, and provides teachers with everything needed
to pair the Common Core's requirements with an instructional game plan. Provided in a spiral
bound format that lends to reproducibles, lay-flat consultation and easy access, this includes
booster reading lessons, reviews of materials and lesson approaches, a blank section for educator
notes, and a sidebar of 'core practices'. The result is a powerful set of supplementary materials
that's a 'must' to accompany the original book.
Colleges That Create Futures
Robert Franek
The Princeton Review
c/o Random House Inc.
1745 Broadway, New York NY 10019
9780804126083, $14.99, www.princetonreview.com
Colleges That Create Futures: 50 Schools That Launch Careers By Going Beyond the Classroom
selects and profiles schools that actually encourage students by matching their talents to
professions, and profiles institutions that supplement the educational process with career services
from internships to learning programs that take place on and off campus. Each college receives a
detailed profile that includes insights on alumni, group activities, school academics, and careers
that range from business to law. The result is an eye-opener that is packed with specifics and
plenty of detail to enable potential students to assess these value-added institutions of higher
learning.
The Fantasy/SciFi Shelf
Supersymmetry
David Walton
Pyr
c/o Prometheus Books
59 John Glenn Drive, Amherst, NY 14228-2197
9781633880986, $17.00, www.pyrsf.com
Supersymmetry is satisfyingly complex and recommended for science fiction fans who want to
be entertained as well as challenged by complex plots revolving around high technology,
quantum mechanics, and more. When a brilliant physicist develops a technology that could make
soldiers nearly invincible, he inadvertently creates a quantum monster who begins attacking in an
effort to control the world and destroy those who defeated it over a decade ago. Science and
danger blend in a fast-paced story replete with the trappings and drama of a high-tech future in a
winding, changing story packed with twists, turns, and satisfying adventure.
The House of Shattered Wings
Aliette de Bodard
Roc
c/o Penguin Group (USA)
375 Hudson Street, New York, NY 10014
9780451477385, $26.95, www.penguin.com
The House of Shattered Wings comes from a Nebula Award-winning author and is set in late
20th century Paris, where the streets are lined with haunted ruins as the result of a powerful war.
All familiar places have been burned and spells linger - but those who survive are willing and
able to continue the war all over again. Of the surviving Houses in competition for control is
House Silverspires, in shambles, where three very different forces - a Fallen angel, an alchemist,
and a simmering young man holding great powers - come together. Will their efforts save what
remains, or finish off everything? A simmering, compelling saga emerges, recommended for
newcomers and prior fans of Aliette de Bodard alike!
Germanica
Robert Conroy
Baen Books
PO Box 1188, Wake Forest NC 27588
9781476780566, $25.00, www.baen.com
Hidden in the European alps in Germanica is a Nazi propaganda master and a group of Nazi
believers who are confronting the last Allied push to end World War II: a struggle as Churchill
has lost his election and political forces around the world - including America - are changing.
Josef Goebbels is charged with holding out until the political storms turn his way - but just as
certain that their side will win is a group of American and European leaders who see this final
battle as the death knoll of Nazi rule. The fast-paced story line and numerous political and
military battles are perfect for an alternate history that offers a different focus than many, making
it a recommended pick even for seasoned genre readers.
Luna: New Moon
Ian McDonald
Tor
c/o Tor/Forge Books
175 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10010
9780765375513, $27.99, www.tor-forge.com
The moon is inhabited, and it wants to kill those who mine and live there in a future feudal
society that requires battle and political struggles from its inhabitants. Adriana is leader of the
moon's newest family and has eliminated many in her rise to power, grabbing control from a
corporate entity and using her family connections to gain status. Now her life is ebbing and her
dynasty is being challenged by the many enemies she's made during her life - and it's up to her
five children to defend the world she's built for them. Luna: New Moon is fast-paced political
and military sci-fi reading at its best, with the lunar atmosphere adding to a highly charged read
replete with twists, turns, and memorable, powerful protagonists.
The Mystery/Suspense Shelf
The Darling Dahlias and the Eleven O'Clock Lady
Susan Wittig Albert
Berkeley Prime Crime
c/o Penguin Group (USA)
375 Hudson Street, New York, NY 10014
9780425260623, $25.95, www.penguin.com
The Darling Dahlias and the Eleven O'Clock Lady provides another 'Darling Dahlias' mystery -
the sixth - in the series and will appeal to any who enjoy mysteries centered around a group of
garden club members with a penchant for problem-solving. The eleven o'clock lady is a spring
wildflower. It's also the nickname of a switchboard operator who is found strangled. As the small
town faces gossip, speculation, and danger, it's up to the Darling Dahlias to sort the truth from
Rona's private life in this engrossing saga.
The Odds of Getting Even
Sheila Turnage
Kathy Dawson Books
c/o Penguin Group (USA)
375 Hudson Street, 4th floor, New York, NY 10014
9780803739611, $16.99, www.penguin.com
The Odds of Getting Even tells of Mo and her best friend Dale, who have founded a detective
agency and find themselves in a courtroom testifying against Dale's kidnapper father Macon.
Everyone expects an easy conviction, but when events take a turn for the worse, Mo and Dale
find themselves on the wrong side of safety in a showdown that affects the entire town of Tupelo
Landing. Did Daddy commit the Tupelo crimes? How can one defend someone who has largely
been running on the wrong side of the law? A winding, winning story emerges, perfect for
mystery fans of all ages.
The Psychology Shelf
Paranoid
David J. LaPorte
Prometheus Books
59 John Glenn Drive, Amherst, NY 14228-2197
9781633880689, $18.00, www.prometheusbooks.com
Paranoid: Exploring Suspicion from the Dubious to the Delusional considers the foundations of
all kinds of paranoia, from pathological killers to those who harbor a degree of healthy (or
unhealthy) suspicion about life and its events, and provides an in-depth overview from a
psychologist and research who analyzes the elements that define paranoia, why it happens, and
what forms it can take. All this is presented with vignettes in chapters that consider lay terms,
clinical analysis of the condition, and the psychological, social, and cultural ramifications. Also
included is the author's idea that paranoia could become an epidemic, and of concern to public
health. There's a lot to consider beyond textbook definitions and mental health approaches, and
Paranoid succeeds in providing general-interest and psychology readers alike with a healthy
degree of analysis and insights on the subject, making it a pick for health and general-interest
holdings alike.
On Multiple Selves
David Lester
Transaction Publishers
10 Corporate Place South, Piscataway, NJ 08854
9781412855723, $49.95, www.transactionpub.com
On Multiple Selves takes an unusual approach in refuting the idea that a human being has one
unified self: instead, the mind is naturally made up of multiple selves, and this should be
considered a normal psychological phenomenon and not an indication of mental illness. Decades
ago psychology held that multiple or split personalities were an aberration that needed treatment -
a serious mental illness that was one of the conditions that separated 'healthy' from 'mentally ill'
individuals. So the premise here is particularly eye-opening and makes the case for the healthy
development of multiple personalities in response to different stimuli that provoke different
identities to emerge in response. From what situations tend to encourage development of multiple
selves to how bilingualism and other tendencies use multiple abilities and selves to maximum
benefit, this book is replete with thought-provoking discussions no psychology student or reader
will want to miss.
The Social Issues Shelf
The Sisters are Alright
Tamora Winfrey Harris
Berrett-Koehler Publishers
1333 Broadway, Suite 1000, Oakland CA, 94612
9781626563513, $15.95, www.bkconnection.com
The Sisters are Alright is recommended for women's studies, ethnic studies, and social issues
collections alike as it exposes anti-black-woman propaganda and shows how black women can
fight against these myths and distorted perceptions. There are several basic stereotypes about
black women which all serve to wrongly categorize black women and strip them of power.
Tamary Winfrey Harris presents and attacks these false representations of black women and
retunes the focus on strong, emancipated women who are fighting against distorted presentations
of their psyches. The result is a powerful survey highly recommended for any interested in the
evolving culture of black America.
A Colorful History of Popular Delusions
Robert E. Bartholomew and Peter Hassall
Prometheus Books
59 John Glenn Drive, Amherst, NY 14228-2197
9781633581228, $19.00, www.prometheusbooks.com
A Colorful History of Popular Delusions is at once a history and a social survey, and provides a
lively discussion of crowd behavior that ranges from fads and manias to urban legends, riots, and
mass struggle. From the strange crowd reactions in the Middle Ages, which were steeped in and
influenced by superstitious belief systems tempered with Christianity, to popular urban myths
and scares that ranged from the initial perceived dangers of rock 'n roll music to stories about
hitchhikers who vanished, this is a fun and wide-ranging discussion that embraces world
delusions and trends and offers many explanations on how they develop, spread, and their lasting
effects on the human psyche and human history alike.
The Wine/Spirits Shelf
Pocket Wine Book 2016
Hugh Johnson
Mitchell Beazley
c/o Octopus Publishing
236 Park Avenue, New York NY 10017
9781784720902, $16.99, www.octopusbooksusa.com
Pocket Wine Book 2016 is fully updated and expanded to add information from wine expert
Hugh Johnson's trusted global contributors, and provides a year pocket guide covering some
6,000 wines along with regions and growers around the world. In at-a-glance format is
information on grape varieties, food and wine pairing, the 2014 and 2013 vintages,
up-and-coming wines for 2016, and notes on wine regions around the world. From
recommendations on what to drink to cellaring and major brands, it's a wine 'bible' in pocket
format, not to be missed by ongoing fans of the noble grape.
Gin: The Manual
Dave Broom
Mitchell Beazley
c/o Octopus Publishing
236 Park Avenue, New York NY 10017
9781845339388, $19.99, www.octopusbooksusa.com
Gin: The Manual offers a focus on gin that provides keys to understanding the blossoming gin
marketplace, and is intended as a newcomer's basic primer on the topic. From what gin is and
how it's made to differences between different gins around the world, recipes that can be made
with gin, and understanding how botanicals affect a gin's flavor, chapters are loaded with black
and white and color illustrations as they explore gin's history and culture. Add critical flavor
overviews of particular brands and discussions of gin distillation techniques and you have a basic
foundation guide that should be on the reading lists of any new to gin.
The Cookbook Shelf
Vegan Richa's Indian Kitchen
Richa Hingle
Vegan Heritage Press
P.O. Box 628, Woodstock, VA 22664-0628
http://veganheritagepress.com/contact-us
9781941252093, $22.95, www.veganheritagepress.com
Vegan Richa's Indian Kitchen: Traditional and Creative Recipes for the Home Cook goes a step
beyond the usual wealth of Indian cookbooks on the market in focusing on vegan cooking
methods for traditional Indian fare. These adaptations on traditional themes comes form the
author's award-winning blog, which takes the basics and refines them to simplify preparation and
ingredients, blending modern techniques and adding alternatives to spices that might not be
found in the typical American supermarket. Color photos face many of the recipes, variations and
histories are explained in introductions to each recipe, and simple dishes such as a Red Lentil
Tomato Pulao and Chickpeas in Spicy Sorghum Sauce often require as little prep time as fifteen
minutes - a big improvement over Indian cookbooks that don't consider the busy American cook.
The result is a top recommendation not just for fans of vegan ethnic cooking but for any who
would enjoy traditional and revitalized Indian cuisine without the associated specialized
ingredients or lengthy preparation times.
Eat! The Quick-Look Cookbook
Gabriela Scolik & Team/No.Parking
Weldon Owen
415 Jackson Street, San Francisco, CA 94111
9781616288747, $25.00, www.weldonowen.com
Eat! The Quick-Look Cookbook comes from a team of food lovers and graphic artists who
illustrate some 400 step-by-step food and drink recipes from a graphic artist's perspective,
creating what is, in effect, a cookbook and an art book all in one. Recipes focus on global
cuisines and include various sauces, stews such as Braise Lamb Shanks with Citrus Fruit, and
step-by-step instructions on making spinach stuffing and more. The printed recipes and directions
are quite small to allow for the step-by-step graphic art visuals - so small that older cooks may
find their eyesight challenged. Bolded or larger print might have enhanced the at-a-glance recipe
and instructions but would have necessitated smaller graphics - which are already about as small
as one would wish for, given that each recipe recipes its own color-coded page. The result will
especially delight any interested in not just step-by-step instructions and recipes, but graphic art
renderings of culinary techniques.
Preserving the Japanese Way
Nancy Singleton Hachisu
Andrews McMeel Publishing
1130 Walnut Street, Kansas City, MO 64106-2109
9781449450885, $40.00, www.andrewsmcmeel.com
Preserving the Japanese Way: traditions of Salting, Fermenting, and Pickling for the Modern
Kitchen follows up on the author's first book Japanese Farm Food and narrows the focus to the
process of preserving fruits, vegetables and fish. More than just a recipe collection, it documents
the daily operations of various producers, artisanal food manufacturers, and more, and pairs the
125 recipes with insights on producers and classic Japanese food preservation methods. Access
to a market that sells such items as miso, sake, burdock root, sour plums or katsuobushi flakes
requires that the user have some basic ingredients for success; but those with such access (or
internet mail-order) will find these methods revealing and unusual and will appreciate the wealth
of flavors that are unique representations of the Japanese method of preserving.
The Gardening Shelf
Plants from Pits
Holly Farrell
Mitchell Beazley
c/o Octopus Publishing
236 Park Avenue, New York NY 10017
9781784721039, $14.99, www.octopusbooksusa.com
Plants from Pits: How to Grow a Garden from Kitchen Scraps is waste management at its best,
and imparts the basics of what to do with seeds and pits from the kitchen if you're a grower who
wants an economical source of starting material. A surprising range of fruits and vegetables can
be started in this manner, grown indoors or out, in limited spaces as well as gardens and acres.
This guide covers all the basics with a focus on propagation methods that are easy and
economical, and requires only a basic interest in growing veggies and fruits to prove
successful.
The Theatre/Cinema/TV Shelf
The Sexy Science of the Big Bang Theory
Nadine Farghaly and Eden Leone, Editors
McFarland & Company
PO Box 611, Jefferson NC 28640
9781476619481, $40.00, www.mcfarlandpub.com
Most fans of the TV show well know of the comedy sitcom's ability to pull of gritty, exact humor
- but The Sexy Science of the Big Bang Theory: Essays on Gender in the Series offers a specific
focus on a show popular with Millennial viewers, providing attention to gender issues throughout
the series and more closely examining masculinity, femininity, and sexuality. Readers should be
interested in a college-level critical examination and have prior familiarity with the series. Those
with such a background who are taking either media studies, social issues or women's history
courses will find this an intriguing survey that analyzes just what makes the Big Bang Theory
different from almost any other show on the market today.
Film+Video Budgets, sixth edition
Maureen A. Ryan
Michael Wiese Productions
12400 Ventura Blvd., #1111, Studio City, CA 91604
9781615932214, $29.95, www.mwp.com
The sixth updated edition of Film+Video Budgets includes free downloadable Excel spreadsheet
budgets and has been completely revised and updated for seven different film formats from major
full-length productions to low-budget student projects, making for a collection that is designed to
cut the data entry and formatting headaches to a manageable level. Independent filmmakers will
find it covers all aspects of budgeting for a production, covering everything from running times,
digital conform and color charges, cross-comparisons of rates for editing, music, and other
specialty items, and including sample budgets for specific projects. No general coverage, this
offers the line-by-line detail filmmakers need in a top recommendation that doesn't just deserve a
spot in a film reference collection, but simply MUST appear there, as a mainstay reference.
The Autism Shelf
Reframe Your Thinking Around Autism
Holly Bridges
Jessica Kingsley Publishers
400 Market Street, Suite 400, Philadelphia, PA 19106
9781849056724, $16.95, www.jkp.com
Reframe Your Thinking Around Autism: How the Polyvagal Theory and Brain Plasticity Help
Us Make Sense of Autism comes from an author who runs a therapeutic consultancy, and
outlines a new method of understanding autism. It presents the 'Polyvagal Theory', which
suggests that autism is a learned response to early childhood stress on the nervous system, and it
not only explains this theory but explores how it dovetails into the latest developments in brain
research. From basic steps to incorporate when working with children with special needs to
understanding the new possibilities in brain plasticity studies as it relates to autism, this is a key
to understanding that shouldn't be missed!
The Health/Medicine Shelf
Chinese Auricular Acupuncture, second edition
Skya Abbate
CRC Press
6000 NW Broken Sound Parkway NW, Suite 300
Boca Raton, FL 33487
9781466579460, $89.95, www.crcpress.com
Chinese Auricular Acupuncture narrows the focus to ear acupuncture techniques and uses the
concepts of traditional Chinese acupuncture to examine clinical applications of ear acupuncture
points. This updated second edition includes five new chapters incorporating new research and
common questions as well as ethical issues that may arise, and it provides an easy format that
allows newcomers and seasoned practitioners an easy path to applying auricular acupuncture
techniques to a range of health conditions. From Oriental medical theory basics and Western
contrasts to clinical perspectives, this is a solid reference that provides specific techniques,
discusses common issues, and includes everything needed to effectively apply acupuncture in this
manner.
The Art Shelf
Art of the Middle East, revised edition
Saeb Eigner
Merrell Publishers
8755 Lookout Mountain Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90046
9781858946283, $24.95, www.merrellpublishing.com
Art of the Middle East: Modern and Contemporary Art of the Arab World and Iran is a definitive
guide highly recommended for any arts collection seeking to include a solid representation of
Middle East artists, and packs in the work of some 230 artists in a new edition that's been revised
and expanded to reflect new works and changes in the region. Anticipate surprisingly lavish
production that doesn't challenge the bookshelf with an oversized format but succeeds in offering
broad overviews that blend examples of modern art with in-depth discussions of their influences,
presented in seven themed sections for quick at-a-glance reference. The period of time covered is
1945 to present, while the inclusion of twelve artists new to this edition and discussions of the
influence of the Arab Spring on the arts makes this a formidable addition to any academic or arts
holding seeking a lavishly-illustrated, definitive guide in an affordable package that doesn't break
the library budget or challenge the bookshelf.
Contemporary Wildlife Art
Cindy Ann Coldiron
Schiffer Publishing Ltd.
4880 Lower Valley Road, Atglen, PA 19310
9780764348648, $39.99, www.schifferbooks.com
Contemporary Wildlife Art deserves ongoing recognition and recommendation because it stands
out from the crowd of wildlife art that typically focuses on paintings to embrace a wide range of
mediums. Over seventy-four modern artists and well over three hundred art pieces blend personal
artistic reflections of artists from around the world with works in a diverse range of styles and
media, from paintings and photography to glass, woodcarving, mosaics, stoneware and much
more. The wildlife represented crosses the animal kingdom and includes birds and even insects.
Any wildlife and nature enthusiast interested in artistic representations will find in Contemporary
Wildlife Art an outstanding survey of all the possibilities, influences, and options in capturing
wildlife through artistic efforts.
The Metaphysical Studies Shelf
My Life After Death
Erik Medhus with Elisa Medhus, MD
Beyond Words/Atria Publishing
c/o Simon & Schuster
1230 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020
www.simonsays.com
9781582705606, $16.00, www.beyondword.com
My Life After Death: A Memoir from Heaven began on the day Erik Medhus committed suicide
at the age of twenty. But how can that be: My Life After Death is written by Medhus, right?
Driven by grief, co-author and pragmatic physician Elisa Medhus sought out mediums to help her
with her grief and to explain some of the unusual phenomena she and her family was
experiencing. What she learned was that Erik was reaching her from the other side - and for a
family filled with atheists and skeptics, this was an amazing experience indeed. Dr. Medhus
enlisted the aid of a famous spirit translator and Erik's channeled experience thus form the basis
of this book, written by Erik from the afterlife with his mother as transcriber. It provides a
follow-up to the more autobiographical introduction My Son and the Afterlife but goes far
beyond its predecessor in exploring what heaven is like and how it works. The result is highly
recommended for followers of the blog, new age readers, and newcomers to Dr. Medhus, and her
son's life, death, and afterlife.
Llewellyn
2143 Wooddale Drive, Woodbury, MN 55125
www.llewellyn.com
Carl Llewellyn Weschcke and Joe H. Slate, PhD's Communicating with Spirit: Here's How You
Can Communicate (and Benefit from) Spirits of the Departed, Spirit Guides & Helpers, Gods &
Goddesses, Your Higher Self and Your Holy Guardian Angel (9780738744681, $34.99) wraps a
personal empowerment book with a wide-ranging discussion of the tools of psychic
empowerment, and packs in not just theory, but verifiable techniques gathered from world
religions East and West. Where traditional thoughts would simplify the process and rely on
mediums and psychics to make such connections, Communicating with Spirit embraces all the
possible processes and approaches that lend to a better sense of other dimensions and how to
handle communications with them. From energy tools from witchcraft to discussions of politics,
new age religions, meditation as evocation, basic steps for exploring and experiencing spiritual
worlds, and much more, this primer is packed with a synthesis of methods and techniques that
places yoga, quantum research, mediums, channelers, and anything to do with psychic
communication studies and efforts on the same page - at last! Keith Sherwood and Sabine
Wittmann's Energy Healing with Women: Meditations, Mudras, and Chakra Practices to Restore
Your Feminine Spirit (9780738741123, $18.99) belongs in health and healing, women's studies
and new age collections alike as it provides chapters considering energetic issues that affect
emotional, spiritual and physical well-being. It's a gathering of techniques designed to confront
inherent belief and spiritual limitations and it provides a powerful survey using story examples,
history, theory and exercises designed to help readers replace negative patterns with positive,
life-affirming ones. From the problems of multi-tasking to symptoms of energetic trauma, it's a
powerful tool for change. It's a Wonderful Afterlife: Inspiring True Stories from a Psychic
Medium by Kristy Robinett (9780738740737, $15.99) offers a personal saga of author and
psychic medium Kristy Robinett, who has communicated with spirits since she was a child. Her
offering takes the form of stories that answer common questions and concerns about the nature of
the afterlife and spirit experiences there, and gathers not just her own insights, but those of
clients, as well. The result is a powerful survey that offers a glimpse into other states of being and
their patterns of logic and survival: highly recommended for any who are curious about such
worlds.
The Christian Studies Shelf
A Still and Quiet Conscience
John A. McCoy
Orbis Books
Box 302, Maryknoll NY 10545-0302
9781626981171, $26.00, www.orbisbooks.com
Christian and Catholic collections strong in biographical sketches that include religious and
political insights alike will want to add A Still and Quiet Conscience: The Archbishop Who
Challenged a Pope, a President, and a Church to their collections. It considers Raymond G.
Hunthausen, archbishop of Seattle from 1975-1991 who represented Vatican II in all its spirit of
renewal and change, and it follows his efforts to uphold not just that sentiment, but the
boundaries of his beliefs. If this included becoming the first American bishop to advocate tax
resistance to protest nuclear war and confronting the Vatican itself, he held the courage to do so,
making his saga one of remarkable spiritual resilience, courage, and achievement. No Catholic
collection should be without this powerful account of not only the archbishop's life and times, but
the methods he used to defend and maintain his beliefs against all odds and systems.
Outline of Christian Doctrine
Wilfried Harle
Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company
2140 Oak Industrial Drive, NE, Grand Rapids, MI 49505
9780802848420, $50.00, www.eerdmans.com
Outline of Christian Doctrine: An Evangelical Dogmatics is recommended for scholarly
Christian collections and provides a long-overdue translation of the German work of Harle - but
scholars should expect more than just a translation, here. The professor's original work receives
Biblical notations, philosophical discussions, and new content reflecting current scientific
debates, and these expansions of theme result in a modern theological discussion ideal for
classrooms and seminaries where students are considering the evolution of Christian doctrine and
some of its foundation beliefs. No scholarly Christian theology collection should be without this
classic!
This Economy Kills
Andrea Tornielli and Giacomo Galeazzi
The Liturgical Press
St. John's Abbey, PO Box 7500
Collegeville, MN 56321-7500
9780814647257, $19.95, www.litpress.org
This Economy Kills: Pope Francis on Capitalism and Social Justice includes a new interview
with the Pope and is recommended for Christian and social issues holdings alike. It expands upon
his basic letter stating that the Western economy is one that 'kills' - a revolutionary statement that
caused some to label him a Marxist - and it comes from two Vatican journalists who here explore
the wider range of the pope's teachings and discussions on the topic of various social concerns. In
including reviews of other popes and their attitudes, it successfully contrasts belief systems and
theology and provides the kind of social analysis that will lend well to Christian understanding
and, ultimately, a greater understanding of the pope's unique attitude towards political and social
structures today.
The Needlecraft Shelf
You Can Quilt!
Leila Gardunia & Marlene Oddie
American Quilter's Society
PO Box 3290, Paducah, KY 42002-3290
9781604601831, $24.95, www.americanquilter.com
You Can Quilt! Building Skills for Beginners is a 'must' for any who would learn to create blocks
that can turn into professional-looking results. It's a beginner's handbook which offers three new
block patterns in each chapter which represent progressive difficulty levels, in effect teaching
beginners through step-by-step instructions that assume no prior knowledge of either quilting or
sewing. From basic blocks and color pairing and selection to piecing basics and progressing to
other quilting methods and applications, You Can Quilt! is especially recommended for
newcomers to needlework who find more complicated quilter's guides - even many purported to
be for beginners - too daunting.
Classic Stitching: 25 Beautiful Projects
Anna Elizabeth Draeger
Kalmbach Books
21027 Crossroads Circle, Waukesha, WI 53187-1612
www.kalmbachbooks.com
9781627001489, $21.99, www.jewelryandbeadingstore.com
Classic Stitching: 25 Beautiful Projects offers elegant designs and stitches which can be applied
to a wide variety of projects, and includes step-by-step photos for peyote, herringbone,
crossweave and other kinds of stitching. Each jewelry project receives a full-page color photo of
the finished project, numerous smaller color photos illustrating step-by-step methods, and
materials lists that place all required stitching tools in hand. From stringing and weaving to
producing earrings, this is a top recommendation for any who would learn and apply classic
stitching methods to their jewelry-making efforts.
The Library Science Shelf
The Cybrarian's Web 2
Cheryl Ann Peltier-Davis
Information Today Inc.
143 Old Marlton Pike, Medford, NJ 08055-8750
9781573875127, $49.50, www.infotoday.com
The Cybrarian's Web 2: An A-Z Guide to FREE Social Media Tools, Apps, and Other Resources
covers over sixty free tools and how they can be applied to library and information centers, and is
written for those involved in library science who want specific applications that have been tested
and proven successful in the information system. From mobile apps supporting cloud storage and
crowdfunding to ebooks and video conferencing, these tools are arranged in logical chapters and
designed for at-a-glance information from an overview of features to how 'cybrarians' can apply
them in their library work. The result is a 'must' for any who would learn about the best of free
apps that work in information technology settings.
The World History Shelf
King John
Marc Morris
Pegasus Books
80 Broad Street, 5th Floor, New York, NY 10004
9781605988856, $29.95, www.pegasusbooks.com
King John: Treachery and Tyranny in Medieval England: The Road to Magna Carta is essential
reading for any who would look beyond the classic Robin Hood association to read more about a
man whose stormy reign changed his world. Historian Marc Morris uses King John's letters and
modern accounts of his life and times to bring to life all aspects of his personality and events;
from his tyrannical rule and its aftermath to how his subjects forced him to issue Magna Carta,
which made him toe the line. In the process of providing a detailed biography of King John's life
and times, Morris achieves what few others can boast: a wide-ranging blend of biographical and
historical review that ultimately lends further insights into the making of Magna Carta and the
reasons behind its enactment.
Digging for Richard III
Mike Pitts
Thames and Hudson
500 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10110-0017
9780500282020, $16.95, www.thamesandhudsonusa.com
Digging for Richard III: The Search for the Lost King could have been featured in a science or
archaeology section, but is included here because it should be considered for any college-level or
history holding. It comes from a British archaeologist and journalist who traces Richard III's life
and times before delving into the archaeological quest to fill in the blanks of his life, and it uses
this quest as a starting point to survey excavation methods, the discoveries of remains, and how it
was determined that the remains were, indeed, those of Richard III. The amount of information
on DNA testing and new research techniques is excellent, offering history readers insights into
the process, while the newly expanded paperback edition covers the 2015 reburial of the King.
The result is a powerful recommendation for archaeology and history buffs alike.
Evidence Explained, third edition
Elisabeth Shown Mills
Genealogical Publishing Company
3600 Clipper Mill Road, Suite 260, Baltimore, MD 21211
9780806320175, $59.95, www.genealogical.com
Evidence Explained: Citing History Sources from Artifacts to Cyberspace appears in its third
updated edition to offer an in-depth reference guide to the citation and analysis of historical
sources, and will serve as an indispensable if not weighty reference of citation models for most
historical sources right up to modern internet times. From different kinds of records and their
identification and usage to how to locate source materials and correctly cite and interpret them,
Evidence Explained is packed with guidelines key to a researcher's proper presentation of
historical evidence, and is a 'must' for any scholarly or college-level collection.
The Sports Shelf
Basketball Anatomy
Brian Cole, MD and Rob Panariello
Human Kinetics Publishers, Inc.
PO Box 5076, Champaign, IL 61820-5076
978145096445, $21.95, www.humankinetics.com
Basketball Anatomy: Your Illustrated Guide to Optimize Performance and Minimize Injury
profiles the authors' expertise on basketball exercises, anatomy, and injuries, and is a 'must' for
any player or coach more than casually involved in the sport. It's about developing a performance
routine that minimizes injury, maximizes results, and even lends to rehabilitation for those
players who have already suffered on the court, and it uses illustrations of muscles involved in
the basketball player's process to examine who injuries happen and how to avoid them. While
anatomy is an intrinsic part of understanding the process, readers needn't have a prior familiarity
with the topic; just an affinity for improving strategies to lesson detrimental impacts.
The Pets/Wildlife Shelf
Back from the Brink
Malcolm Smith
Whittles Publishing
Dunbeath Mill, Dunbeath, Caithness, Scotland KW6 6EG UK
c/o National Book Network (dist.)
4501 Forbes Boulevard, Suite 200, Lanham, MD 20706
www.nbnbooks.com
9781849951470, $24.95, www.whittlespublishing.com
Back from the Brink takes a different approach from most books about environmental threats in
tracing the successful, positive results of animals who were threatened with extinction only to
make a turn-around and escape their threats. From the European Bison and the humpback whale
to Siberian tigers, Iberian Lynx, butterflies, birds, and more, the wide-ranging approach of Back
from the Brink gathers stories of personal courage, conservation efforts, special challenges, and
world encounters in the effort to bring back animals from places where they had once thrived.
Color photos accompany facts about the changing issues of and approaches to wildlife
conservation, making this a solid pick for any science and nature collection.
The Crafts Shelf
Cards That Wow with Sizzix
Sizzix
Creative Publishing International
c/o Quarto Publishing Group USA
400 First Avenue North, Suite 400, Minneapolis, MN 55401-1722
www.quartoknows.com
9781589238848, $22.95, www.craftside.net
Cards That Wow with Sizzix: Techniques and ideas for using Die-Cutting and Embossing
Machines offers up a companion to Upcycle with Sizzix and is especially recommended for prior
fans who have some basics down but want more keys to using the Sizzix die cutting machines to
create unique cards. This how-to guide is packed with tricks and techniques perfect for new
projects and designs, and covers new, innovative ways of cutting, folding and making handmade
greeting cards. The result is a fun survey that should accompany any Sizzix card-making
machine.
The Automotive Shelf
Drawn to Speed
John Lander
McFarland & Company
PO Box 611, Jefferson NC 28640
9780786497850, $40.00, www.mcfarlandpub.com
Drawn to Speed: The Automotive Art of John Lander comes form an automotive artist who
considers cars as works of art, and who has collected vintage car art for years. This gathering of
images represents the cream of his collecting and presents over a hundred color illustrations, each
accompanied by a short description including artist commentary. While the presentation takes the
form of am oblong paperback of a little over two hundred pages and not the large-size photo
displays of more lavish auto art and history presentations, each art piece is given its own
complete page and the accompanying notes are in good-size font, making this a fine and
recommended pick for auto enthusiasts also interested in the finer art of depicting cars in general
and John Lander's holdings in particular.
The California Shelf
The Women of San Quentin
Kristin Schreier Lyseggen
SFINX Publishing
2209 A Fifth St., Berkeley, CA 94710
9780985624422, $28.00, www.sfinxus.com
The Women of San Quentin: Soul Murder of Transgender Women in Male Prisons brings to light
an issue surrounding the incarceration of transgender women in prison, and it comes packed with
insights on the social, political, cultural and psychological ramifications surrounding the fact that
transgender women have been sent to prison at unprecedented rates for the last thirty years -
largely for non-violent reasons. One might expect from such a survey that it would be driven by
cast history and autobiography, but one of the pleasures of The Women of San Quentin lies in its
focus on not just the stories of nine women from a range of backgrounds, but the history and
issues surrounding transgender women in male prisons. Often beaten into becoming sex slaves
and denied hormone treatment, this is an eye-opening account not just of prison atrocities, but
women driven to become who they are - even if they are imprisoned for it under the worst of
conditions. No LGBT collection should be without this unique blend of biography, history, and
social examination.
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
Diane C. Donovan, Editor & Senior Reviewer
12424 Mill Street, Petaluma, CA 94952
phone: 1-707-795-4629
e-mail: donovan@sonic.net
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