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Donovan's Bookshelf

December  2021 Prime Picks

 

The Arts
The Culinary Corner
Reviewer's Choice
Science Nature and Technology
Young Adult / Children
 

 

The Arts 

The Birds of America
John James Audubon
Prestel
9783791379142             $50.00
www.prestel.com 

The Birds of America is a classic of natural history consisting of Aubudon's art works, and was originally issued between the years of 1827 and 1938, in 87 sets. The first publication of The Birds of America book sported some 435 hand-colored prints of Aubudon's original engravings. 

This edition collects some of his most stunning works and deserves a place in any natural history, ornithology, or arts library. It was created by disbanding one of the two sets held by the London Natural History Museum, then photographing it using the latest digital photography. 

The result is a reproduction of all 435 bird images, presented in an oversized edition that fully captures Audubon's art and the finer details of his works. 

No arts or nature library should be without this definitive new edition. 


Gothic: An Illustrated History
Roger Luckhurst
Princeton University Press
9780691229164             $35.00
www.press.princeton.edu 

Gothic: An Illustrated History is designed to appeal to general-interest audiences who learn best from eye-catching images. These juxtapose nicely with Professor Roger Luckhurst's close examination of how the gothic style of architecture is represented artistically, culturally, and psychologically throughout history, right up to modern times. 

This exceptional analysis stands out from other coverages of gothic elements in architecture and culture, examining subjects ranging from folklore to art and changing global aesthetics and perceptions of what constitutes gothic works. 

Also especially notable is a global approach that moves into regions not typically associated with gothic influences, such as the Arctic or the Alps. This approach creates a lively study that will appeal to a diverse audience, from students of the arts to those seeking surveys of gothic elements in literature, culture, and modern times. 


Leonard Cohen: The Mystical Roots of Genius
Harry Freedman
Bloomsbury
9781472987273             $28.00
www.bloomsbury.com 

Leonard Cohen: The Mystical Roots of Genius is recommended for music and spirituality collections alike, and reviews the spiritual traditions of Cohen which are reflected in both his lyrics and life. 

Readers who already enjoy Cohen's songs will find this biography and its special focus adds another dimension of understanding to his works, following his religious training and reviewing the varied influences that helped direct his artistic focus and legacy. 

From how he reworked prayers to how he reflected his beliefs through compelling words, readers will appreciate this focus on Cohen's major influences—an approach often neglected in other Cohen discussions. 

Music, biography, or spirituality holdings alike will find this multifaceted coverage thoroughly engrossing. 


Mark Rothko: The Story of His life
Francesco Matteuzzi and Giovanni Scarduelli
Prestel
9783791387928             $24.95
www.prestel.com 

Mark Rothko: The Story of His life surveys the life and creations of a modern artist whose colorful paintings have gained him a wide audience. 

It's presented in the form of a graphic novel that covers his entire life, from his childhood in Russia up to his death in 1970, examining the evolution of his art and signature style in a manner designed to appeal to artists and lay audiences alike. 

Many of Rothko's works involved visual references. These are explored in a survey that will appeal to those who will find the choice of a full-color graphic novel representation accessible and involving. 


Photographers on the Art of Photography
In Conversation with Charles Moriarty
ACC Art Books
9781788840880             $30.00
www.accartbooks.com 

Photographers on the Art of Photography is a series of conservations with some of the most diverse talents in modern photography today. It offers insights on influences, techniques, and approaches to the art that share both personal achievements and photography tips. 

Those interested in photography will readily recognize such names as Hannah Starkey, Tim Flach, Douglas Kirkland, and others; but no prior recognition of these artists is required in order to appreciate their diverse perspectives. 

As the interviews evolve, biographical information and artistic experiences blend with discussions of how creative art is conceived, produced, and marketed. 

Photographers on the Art of Photography should be in every arts collection that features photography and discussions of major influences and achievements. 


Thirty-Six Views of Mount Fuji
Hiroshige
Prestel
9783791379180             $35.00
www.prestel.com 

Thirty-Six Views of Mount Fuji is a significant acquisition and contribution to the arts in that it reproduces here, in a facsimile edition, for the first time in the West, a series of artistic renderings published in horizontal format by 1800s artist Utagawa Hiroshige. 

A slipcase holds fold-out landscape prints which display some of the greatest artistic works of all times, all devoted to capturing Mount Fuji's seasons. 

The result is an outstanding work that not only captures Hiroshige's art, but does so in a manner that bows to his medium and its originally presentation and format. 

While arts collections will be the most likely purchasers of Thirty-Six Views of Mount Fuji , it is also highly recommended for any definitive collection strong in Japanese history, culture, and the arts. 

These sources will readily recognize the special attributes of both artist and the choice to reproduce perhaps his finest work for modern Western audiences. 


The Culinary Corner

Baking With Fortitude
Dee Rettali
Bloomsbury
9781526626967             $28.00
www.bloomsbury.com 

Baking With Fortitude: Sourdough Cakes and Bakes comes from an artisan baker renowned for her bakery, Fortitude Bakehouse in London. Her focus on natural sugars and flavors that go beyond the usual cake craft makes for a unique cookbook that employs two techniques (sourdough, and using fruits and herbs for flavoring) unusual in the baking world. 

Think 'sourdough' and time-consuming processes come to mind; but Baking With Fortitude shows that the process of fermenting batter and working with it actually takes little additional time and produces exceptional results. 

Users should be prepared to accept unusual flavor combinations and textures; from a Orange, Yogurt and Polenta Cake to Spiced Tea, Sultana and Vanilla Beans spiced tea mix or a Blackberry and Hazelnut Loaf Cake. 


The Cardamom Trail
Chetna Makan
Mitchell Beazley
9781784727932             $29.99
www.octopusbooksusa.com 

The Cardamom Trail: Delicious Bakes Inspired by India comes from the author of Chetna's Healthy Indian and Chetna's 30 Minute Indian. Both books have been celebrated for their unique, original Indian recipes. 

If The Cardamom Trail sounds familiar to some, that's because it originally appeared in 2016. It returns in a newly reissued format with 100 creations for baking Indian goods. 

Most of the book covers sweets and breads. This is an invaluable focus because most Indian cookbooks are notoriously light on Indian desserts. 

Another note is that the spices themselves, from cardamom and cinnamon to fenugreek and fennel, take center stage in many of these creations. 

Cooks interested in the sweeter side of Indian fare will find The Cardamom Trail an essential addition even for avid Indian cookbook collections because its original recipes and focus on sweets fills a gap in the literature. 


Essential
Ollie Dabbous
Bloomsbury
9781406843956             $35.00
www.bloomsbury.com 

Ollie Dabbous's Essential comes from a Michelin-starred chef who focuses on easy techniques that home cooks can use to achieve extraordinary results from basic flavor combinations. 

It's organized by ingredient type, provides 100 recipes that cover all the basics of producing superior fare (from basic baked eggs to more complicated-sounding dishes such as Cod Brandade with Pickled Vegetables & Garlic Croutons), and peppers color photos throughout to emphasize the attraction of completed dishes. 

While most dishes are easily put together, readers ideally will also be avid home cooks who look for refreshingly different recipes and flavor combinations that tantalize with new taste experiences, such as a Wild Strawberry & Rose Petal Tartlet. 

Such fare is not always simple to produce, but it's always inviting and refreshingly original in this cookbook. 


Healthy & Delicious Instant Pot
America's Test Kitchen
America's Test Kitchen, Publishers
9781948703703             $26.99
www.americastestkitchen.com 

Healthy & Delicious Instant Pot: Inspired Meals With a World of Flavor requires only an instant pot device to prove accessible and inviting to cooks who want an international, healthy focus on recipes for their instant pot. 

Flavorful results loaded with spice are found in every recipe in this book, from Chicken and Couscous with Prunes and Olives to Mussels with Red Curry and Coconut Rice and Chicken and Black Rice Bowl with Peanut-Sesame Dressing. 

Packed with color photos, kitchen-tested recipes that promise foolproof results, and an approach which emphasizes healthy, flavorful international fare, any with an instant pot (whether newcomers to the device or those who have already honed skills in producing traditional foods) will find Healthy & Delicious Instant Pot expands the possibilities of this timesaving pot's opportunities. 


One Tin Bakes Easy
Edd Kimber
Kyle Books
9780857839787             $22.99
www.kylebooks.co.uk

One Tin Bakes Easy: Foolproof Cakes, Traybakes, Bars and Bites from Gluten-Free to Vegan and Beyond expands the approach of its predecessor, One Tin Bakes, with a collection of sweet desserts that all can be made in either one 9x13 inch tin, a single 8x8 square tin, or a loaf pan. 

Tips include creating smaller versions of classics for less people, guidelines to no-bake or 5-ingredient choices, and keys to creating cakes, scones, brittles, and more with a minimum of fuss. 

Full-page color photos for every baked good recipe adds enticing images that invite cooks to try these foolproof creations, which are not to be found in most baking books. Examples include Chocolate Honey Nut Baklava, Salted Pistachio and Rose Brittle, and Wagon Wheel Bars. 

Bakers who would streamline the process and reduce quantities will find One Tin Bakes Easy a winning collection. 


The Thinking Drinkers Almanac
Ben McFarland and Tom Sandham
Kyle Books
9780857839565             $12.99
www.thinkingdrinkers.com 

The Thinking Drinkers Almanac: Adventurous Drinks and Eccentric Tales for Every Day of the Year blends humor and recipes with a drink-oriented examination of world adventures designed to appeal to cooks and cultural students alike. 

Drinkers who are interested in learning more about different kinds of booze, as well as those who would celebrate life with cocktails made from unusual flavor and booze combinations, are in for a treat, because folklore and legends combine with recipes to create a lively interplay between culture and cuisine. 

From Lauren Shell's The Birth of Donna Tartt cocktail made with Cocchi Americano, fino sherry, and orange bitters to the classic Manhattan Cocktail, both traditional and regional fare appear in a history and recipe book to delight the palates of a wide audience. 

There are a growing number of drinks books on the market, but The Thinking Drinkers Almanac features an original approach that goes beyond recipes and innovations alone, and deserves a place on any drink lover's shelf. 



Reviewer's Choice 

All the Water the Law Allows
Christian S. Harrison
University of Oklahoma Press
9780806169323             $39.95
www.oupress.com 

All the Water the Law Allows: Las Vegas and Colorado River Politics will, of course, find its home in many Colorado or Nevada library holdings; but its history and message about water politics and fights needs to reach more than these regional audiences alone. 

It considers population growth, climate change, water shortages and rising issues, and how the American legal system governs water allocation and lives, focusing on the history and actions of the Southern Nevada Water Authority. It offers lessons on water politics and policies that any collection will find thought-provoking and educational. 

From paradigm shifts about infrastructure management and priorities to analyses of the laws affecting rivers and water, All the Water the Law Allows features lessons and insights that makes it a top recommendation for social issues, legal and political history collections, and anyone concerned about the lasting impact of environmental changes on human affairs. 


Autonorama
Peter Norton
Island Press
9781642832402             $27.00
www.islandpress.org 

Autonorama: The Illusory Promise of High-Tech Driving makes the case against the idea of driverless cars, stating that such a focus is actually distracting futurists from the true potential of developing affordable, sustainable transportation technology in its place. 

Peter Norton is a technology historian who considers both the past developments of auto technology and the driverless future that car companies are promoting. His contention that the public is being sold a bill of goods that further reinforces car dependency and freedom against alternative options that are more environmentally and socially friendly creates a thought-provoking analysis of the underlying influences of car company business interests on future choices. 

This hard-hitting book should not only be in any library strong in automobile history and politics, but on the discussion lists of groups interested in future choice and social issues. 


Bet the Farm
Beth Hoffman
Island Press
9781642831597             $26.00
www.islandpress.org 

Bet the Farm: The Dollars and Sense of Growing Food in America joins other discussions of sustainability and farming, and comes from a beginning farmer who uses her own struggles as a microcosm for exploring the modern-day challenges and future of American agriculture. 

It moves from individual farmer experience to bigger pictures of growing crops under changing climate conditions, expensive equipment, and the social and political conflicts brewing over farming choices and opportunities. 

This wide-ranging discussion personalizes the farmer's current milieu in a manner that connects national perspectives and situations with individual pursuits. 

Bet the Farm is a powerful presentation that should be a mainstay of any agriculture book collection or discussion of farming's future. 


Beyond Medicine
Patricia A. Muehsam, MD
New World Library
9781608686995             $17.95
www.newworldlibrary.com 

Beyond Medicine: A Physician's Revolutionary Prescription for Achieving Absolute Health and Finding Inner Peace investigates the real meaning of health and healing, offering a new way to think about health that goes beyond the usual singular approach to tackle the prospect of an 'Absolute health' that anyone can achieve. 

It documents the instances and circumstances of extraordinary healing with an attention to alternative medicine and solutions that go beyond singular approaches to tackle the emotional influences on healing, which often underlie illness. 

Everything is connected, both through the five senses and in spiritual realms. This discussion emphases the mind/body connection and offers insights on why alternative health approaches haven't really dovetailed with Western health practices, creating much food for thought for anyone interested in health and healing. 


Retail Recovery
Mark Pilkington
Bloomsbury Business
9781472987174             $28.00
www.bloomsbury.com 

Retail Recovery: How Creative Retailers Are Winning in their Post-Apocalyptic World covers post-Covid 19 retail challenges and how retailers respond to the crisis of fostering new brands and value under new conditions, analyzing how the retail world is changing, as a result of these pressures. 

Collections strong in business, economic, and social change will find that Retail Recovery journeys the world to consider and compare different approaches in different industries, examining how government can reinforce the rebuilding of community retail spaces to foster economic growth under new conditions. 

Retail Recovery is a powerful survey that needs to be in any business, economics, or social science collection. 


Thicker Than Water
Erica Cirino
Island Press
9781642831375             $28.00
www.islandpress.com 

There are so many books about plastics and recycling already on the market today that one might wonder what new information could drive the need for yet another; but Thicker Than Water: The Quest for Solutions to the Plastic Crisis takes a unique approach to its subject. 

Author Erica Cirino travels the globe to interview scientists and activists working against the growing plastic crisis in America. She visits labs around the world and takes a plastic-hunting sailboat trip across the Pacific to document the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, interviewing community leaders who are fighting plastic-based businesses. 

By moving the plastic crisis documentation from theory to activism and community impact, her book documents environmental injustices, national choice and their impacts, and the connections between racial prejudice and contamination, offering new insights into all these topics. 

Her approach expands the issues connected with plastic production to make her book just as important for social issues holdings as it is for libraries strong in environmental issues and activism. 


Tony Hillerman: A Life
James McGrath Morris
University of Oklahoma Press
9780806175980             $29.95
www.oupress.com 

Tony Hillerman: A Life should be a mainstay of any collection where Hillerman's fiction is popular. It provides a close inspection of his personal and professional worlds in a biographical sketch that moves from his childhood to his participation in World War II, his family life, and his interest in Navajo spirituality. 

Many underlying themes and aspects of Hillerman's writings become more recognizable and understandable as James McGrath Morris links them to Hillerman's interests and experiences. 

Also included is a literary analysis of these novels and their underlying controversies, which will especially interest literary readers who want to better understand the influences themes and development of Hillerman's works. 


Science Nature and Technology 

100 Flying Birds
Peter Cavanagh
Firefly Books
9780228103332             $49.95
www.fireflybooks.com 

100 Flying Birds: Photographing the Mechanics of Flight comes from a photographer who examines the different flight patterns and techniques of birds, and is a gorgeous visual pick for collections strong in wildlife photography or ornithology alike. 

Even general-interest readers who have no special interest in science or photos, but who enjoy birds, will find this oversized presentation of images accessible and visually gorgeous as Cavanagh studies bird flight via the camera lens to provide details on aviary aerodynamics and natural history. 

The full-page images and their accompanying information are unique, compelling attractions for anyone who likes birds and wants more details about their flight and natural history. 


Discovering Mars
William Sheehan and Jim Bell
University of Arizona Press
9780816532100             $30.00
www.uapress.arizona.edu 

Discovering Mars: A History of Observation and Exploration of the Red Planet profiles the human history of theories and explorations of Mars from early to modern times, unfolding a story that documents changing ideas about that planet as technology evolved. 

From evidence of life-forms on or under its surface to scientific findings from the latest probes, a historian and astronomer join forces to create a lively discourse about the red planet. 

Collections looking for a broader inspection of how Mars ideas have changed over the length of human history will find Discovering Mars a lively blend of scientific and cultural observation. 


Great Adaptations
Kenneth Catania
Princeton University Press
9780691228471             $16.95
www.press.princeton.edu 

Great Adaptations: Star-Nosed Moles, Electric Eels & Other Tales of Evolution's Mysteries Solved provides a energetic examination of unusual creatures and behaviors in the animal kingdom, surveying how the effort to solve mysteries about these creatures turned into scientific discoveries that affected human perceptions of the natural world as a whole. 

More so than most scientific surveys, Kenneth Catania focuses on the adventure and intrigue involved in conducting scientific investigations, creating a study that will appeal beyond scientific audiences to reach general-interest readers. 


How the Mountains Grew
John Dvorak
Pegasus Books
9781643135748             $29.95
www.pegasusbooks.com 

How the Mountains Grew: A New Geological History of North America offers a different approach for understanding the evolution of the North American continent, going beyond the classic explanations of plate tectonics to consider how various geologic developments created specific areas of the U.S. 

Unlike general geology discussions, John Dvorak designs his book with an inviting tone and an eye to attracting and educating lay audiences. 

He assumes no prior scientific background as he explores efforts to search for evidence of geologic changes and influencers from meteorites to rock formations, making this book an involving and multifaceted read designed to attract a wide readership. 


Swamplands
Edward Struzik
Island Press
9781642830804             $32.00
www.islandpress.org 

Swamplands: Tundra Beavers, Quaking Bogs, and the Improbable World of Peat documents how scientists and conservationists are struggling to protect various ecosystems against urbanization and resource exploitation, creating a discussion of the various forces affecting the management and perception of the world's swamplands. 

Peatlands are often left out of many ecosystem discussions, but this survey presents information on them from both scientific and social perspectives, from indigenous peoples to farmers and researchers, pinpointing the fallacy of considering swamplands as disease-infested 'wastelands' only worthy of development. 

By exposing and exploring the varied influences on swamp management, perception, and evolution, Edward Struzik contributes a key resource that is highly recommended for any collection strong in ecological systems analysis. 



Young Adult/Children

Candlewick Press
www.candlewickpress.com 

Two picture book stories will be welcomed by adults looking for high-quality materials for the very young. 

Time for Bed, Old House by Janet Costa Bates (9781536209983, $16.99) tells of a young boy's first sleepover at his grandfather's house, and his efforts to help put the house to bed. 

Isaac's never heard of such a task, but Grandpop shows him and Bear how it's done; especially since Isaac is anything but sleepy at bedtime. 

Fun drawings accent night noises and illustrate how Isaac takes the initiative to put the house to bed. 

Moose's Book Bus by Inga Moore (9781536217674, $17.99) tells of a moose who likes to tell stories to his family every night after dinner...until he runs out of tales one night. 

Obviously, it's time to visit the library. 

As he borrows books, more creatures join the family for the story time ritual, leading Moose to consider the idea of a special delivery system to accommodate all book lovers. 

This delightful companion to A House in the Woods provides another warm story of community connections to delight the young and read-aloud parents with a celebration of reading, books, and new friends. 


Dulcinea in the Forbidden Forest
Ole K
önnecke
Gecko Press
9781776573950             $18.99
www.geckopress.com 

Dulcinea in the Forbidden Forest is a fairytale for chapter book readers. It tells of a girl determined to locate her lost father, even if it means entering an enchanted forest. 

As elementary-grade readers journey along with her, confronting a witch's castle and the truth about her father's absence, the involving story will delight fans of fairy tales and fantasy, who will appreciate Dulcinea's strength and ability to overcome all kinds of challenges. 

The two-color drawings are nice embellishments to her chapter book adventures. 


Little Moar and the Moon
Roselynn Akulukjuk
Inhabit Media
9781772272994             $16.95
www.inhabitmedia.com 

Little Moar and the Moon receives engaging drawings by Jazmine Gubbe and tells of Moar's fear of the darkness and the moon, which looks like a scary face to him. 

This keeps him from being out after dark and limits his playtime as winter approaches. 

Nobody can understand why he's so afraid of the moon, but one day when he stays out too late, something happens. 

A fine story of changing seasons, fears of darkness and night, and courage emerges to delight picture book readers looking for new ways to address fear. 


Monet's Cat
Lily Murray & Becky Cameron
Random House Studio
9780593306130             $17.99
www.rhcbooks.com 

Monet's Cat provides a lovely introduction to the painter's art as it introduces a mischievous feline who vanishes into each Monet painting. 

Reproductions of some of Monet's most recognizable pieces, paired with the fictional insertion of a hiding kitty, blends a Where's Waldo? atmosphere with an unusual art journey that introduces picture book readers to the extraordinary world of Monet's paintings via an ordinary cat. 

As Chika romps away from his efforts, a fun interactive atmosphere engages kids in Monet's world. 


Norman Didn't Do It!
Ryan T. Higgins
Disney/Hyperion
9781368026239             $17.99
www.disneybooks.com 

Norman Didn't Do It! is a fun picture book story of a porcupine whose best friend is a tree. 

Norman likes their singular friendship just fine, but when a visitor invades their world, Norman isn't sure he can share Mildred with anyone else. He's happy with the way things are. 

He can't lose his best friend, so Norman hatches a plot. Forced to explain this to Mildred, Norman protests his innocence, only to re-examine his guilt and motivations. 

Kids will appreciate this fun story of friendship, jealousy, and sharing. It contains many lessons that adults will find easy to discuss with the very young. 


Simon & Schuster
www.simonandschuster.com/kids 

Two new picture books are fine choices for adults seeking lasting reading value, and are highly recommended for read-aloud and library holdings alike. 

Michael Brown's Santa Mouse, Where Are You? (9781534438026, $17.99) is illustrated with lovely, appealing drawings by Elfrieda De Witt and explores how a little mouse becomes one of Santa's helps on Christmas Eve. 

Separated from his job by a snowy circumstance, will Santa Mouse be able to get back to Santa in time to help him deliver the gifts? 

Ages 4-8 receive a whimsical tale that lends particularly well to read-aloud. 

Also cute and appealing is Stephen W. Martin's Fluffy McWhiskers: Cuteness Explosion (9781534441453, $17.99). The "explosions" by Martin pair nicely with the "cuteness" visually presented by Dan Tavis as a fun story evolves about a cute cat who is so lovely that viewers simply explode with delight. 

With such reactions to cuteness, however, how can Fluffy McWhiskers ever find a friend? Things are getting out of hand, with explosions happening everywhere as Fluffy's image gets out into the general public to wreck havoc. 

Read-aloud parents will find this simple story, with its oversized colorful drawings and sound effect words, lends particularly well to a delightful adventure read. 


Sleeping Bear Press
www.sleepingbearpress.com 

Four new picture books are highly recommended picks for discriminating collections and adults looking for superior books for kids. 

Jack Horner, Dinosaur Hunter! By Sophia Gholz (9781534111196, $16.99) reaches ages 6-10 with the story of a boy's discovery of a fossil which leads him into a passion for paleontology. 

Despite his dyslexia, Jack becomes a dinosaur expert. 

Young readers interested in science, dinosaurs, Horner's life, or the specifics of paleontology will find this not only covers his biography and vivid world, but employs dyslexia-friendly fonts to appeal to those who may be reading-challenged. 

Jamie A. Swenson's We Want Snow! A Wintery Chant (9781534110755, $16.99) is illustrated by Emilie Boon and captures the fun of snowy days for picture book readers who want to learn how city children have fun outdoors. 

Featuring a lively rhyme in which kids anticipate and plead for snow fun, the games and delights of winter are explored as kids prepare for the season, only to find that there can be too much of a good thing. 

Lucy Branam's Monday (9781534110984, $16.99) may initially seem like an odd choice for a young child who may not associate Monday with different routines, but any kid who is of school age or has working parents will readily relate to the idea of weekend and weekday differences. 

Kevin M. Barry's whimsical drawings accent this story of the days of the week, and how Monday always seems to be resented. 

All other days of the week feature something fun, but Monday just can't get people to appreciate him. What will happen if he bows out of being Monday entirely? 

A whimsical story about being yourself and cultivating acceptance teaches kids some important lessons. 

Bevan: A Well-Loved Bear by Petra Brown (9781534111103, $16.99) is very highly recommended for its lovely drawings. It's the story of a very old teddy bear who experiences many adventures with different families as each grows to love him. 

The colorful drawings of kids having fun with Bevan offer an attractive and especially compelling accent to a tale in which Bevan becomes beloved in many different homes and environments. 

All are lovely stories that stand out from the crowd.