January 2018 Prime Picks
Business Sense
The Aquaponic Farmer The Aquaponic
Farmer: A Complete Guide to Building and Operating a Commercial
Aquaponic System will reach small-scale farmers who would
consider aquaculture business pursuits, and shows how to raise fish and
vegetables together commercially for a profitable food system that
includes cold-water fish that can be raised in North America and
Europe. The cornerstone of such an
operation is a proven 120-degree greenhouse system that can be operated
by one person, making this quite accessible to small farmers and
individual pursuits. Step-by-step coverage of how
to begin, run, and profit from a cold-water aquaponics system includes
contrasts of different system options, recommended equipment and tools,
raising fish, plant production, and marketing the final results. No aspiring aquaponic farmer
should be without this indispensably specific guide, which includes
black and white photos throughout.
Adrian Southern & Whelm King
New Society Publishers
9780865718586
$39.99
www.newsociety.com
Passion Projects for Smart
People Passion Projects
for Smart People: Turn Your Intellectual Pursuits into Fun, Profit, and
Recognition is essential reading for any business or career
professional who wants to put skill sets and interests into a career
that turns intellectual work on side projects into professional
pursuits. Chapters provide examples of
how others launched academic, scientific, or artistic projects from
these skills and uses the author's own research projects in various
disciplines as examples of how he's moved successfully into different
career circles. Strategies for making such
pursuits successful include tips on how to locate and collaborate with
others, applying for grants, and mentoring others, for just a few
ideas. Those looking to build or
recharge careers or foster new careers will find Passion
Projects for Smart People a powerful set of connections
between intellectual pursuits done in the name of leisure and
recreation and career-building strategies encouraging change.
Michael R. Wing, PhD
Quill Driver Books
9781610353069
$14.95
www.quilldriverbooks.com
The Computer Corner
Murach's PHP and MySQL, 3rd
Edition Murach's PHP and
MySQL appears in its third updated edition to provide details
on the latest renditions and best practices surrounding PHP and MySQL,
and provides an essential 'bible' of information that moves from basics
for getting up and running to applying advanced features to real-world
programming challenges. What sets this weighty
coverage apart from others is its focuses on professional approaches to
building database-driven websites using PHP that presume no prior
knowledge of either the program or best practices. Six introductory
chapters cover all the basics of handling database-driven websites,
while later discussions focus on skills-building, offering short
courses on how to design and query a database, how to secure web pages,
and how to apply a complete Guitar Shop website example to learn best
PHP practices and MySQL programming applications. Beginning to advanced
programmers should look no further than Murach's PHP and MySQL
for a reference that excels in clear directions, visual examples, and
real-world applications.
Joel Murach and Ray Harris
Murach, Publishers
9781943872381
$57.50
www.murach.com
PHP and MySQL for Dynamic
Web Sites, 5th Edition The 5th updated edition of PHP
and MySQL for Dynamic Web Sites represents a fine visual
approach that covers PHP 5 and 7, pairing step-by-step exercises with
real-world examples to reinforce best practices and advanced techniques
for better web development. No prior programming
experience is required or assumed with this guide: all that's needed is
PHP and MySQL and an ability to learn new web development approaches. A
companion website contains the book's code, which can be downloaded,
and a support forum where the author answers questions. Packed with code, review
questions, ideas for further study, and insights on everything from
handling errors and debugging to using cookies and working with page
elements, this is a 'must' for any who would either get up to speed
quickly or apply some of the advanced features of the latest PHP and
MySQL.
Larry Ullman
Peachpit Press
9780134301846
$49.99
www.peachpit.com
The
Culinary Corner Best Food Writing 2017 Best Food Writing
2017 is the latest in an annual 'best' compilation series
that hand-picks culinary prose and comes from an editor who has
fostered the series for the last eighteen years. Because the origins of these
essays range from online to print sources, containing subjects as
varied as chicken pot pie contrasts to Maryland crab and the
relationship between a restaurant chef and a dishwasher, readers should
ideally be food fans interested in modern food, food history, fads and
trends, and how foods influence daily life and reflect cultural melting
pots. The result is a lively and
appealing discussion highly recommended for any culinary fan who likes
literary reflections and food insights.
Holly Hughes, Editor
DaCapo Press
9780738220185
$16.99
www.dacapopress.com
The Power of Pasta There are so many books on
the market that revolve around pasta cookery that, at initial glance,
one might wonder at the need for yet a pasta book; but The
Power of Pasta: A Celebrity Chef's Mission to Feed America's Hungry
Children is more than just a recipe collection; but
represents a goodwill mission. Not only is Bruno Serato a
celebrity chef who owned one of the world's most popular restaurants,
but he's also a philanthropist who adds a memoir and discussions of his
work with underprivileged children to the pasta mix. The Power of Pasta
thus comes infused with as much insight on doing good through food as
it is a discussion of concrete ways to give back to one's community,
run a charity, and make a difference. Pair this approach with
recipes such as Scallops with Beet Mashed Potatoes, Italian Branzino,
and the author's own inspired Penne Alla Vodka for quite a different
culinary awakening: one certain to appeal well beyond culinary
audiences.
Bruno Serato
SelectBooks
9781590794357
$28.95
www.selectbooks.com
The Simple Kitchen The Simple Kitchen:
Quick and Easy Recipes Bursting with Flavor comes from
authors who share their favorite techniques for making fresh, fast food
from scratch, and presents an attention to taking traditionally
complicated dishes and making them simpler. These dishes range from a
basic pot roast or a Creamy Bacon Carbonara with Peas to Best Ever Slow
Cooker Creamed Corn and Restaurant-Style Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup.
Full-page, bright color photos accompany the dishes, while simple
kitchen tips in highlighted boxes explain how to assure foolproof
results. The result is some 80
family-oriented dishes which are a snap to put together and inviting to
browse, especially recommended for busy cooks who might think cooking
fresh foods from scratch requires too much preparation (The
Simple Kitchen proves that it does not).
Chad and Donna Elick
Page Street Publishing
9781624144356
$21.99
www.pagestreetpublishing.com
Simple Real Food Simple Real Food:
Delicious Clean Food Prepared Simply comes from a teacher and
chef who maintains that even the busiest folk can prepare satisfying
home-cooked meals using fresh ingredients, and her cookbook proves
it. There are many satisfying
and superior aspects in Cushman's book: among them, an attention to
multicultural recipes and flexible dishes that can be easily and
successfully adapted, a liberal peppering of appealing color photos
that sparkle on glossy paper, and many make-ahead tips. From Braised Provincial
Chicken with White Beans and Vegetable Chicken and Ginger Soup to a
wheat berry and current spiced Brown and White Rice Salad, these dishes
are packed with appeal and diverse flavors that busy cooks will
appreciate.
Amanda Cushman
Amanda Cushman, Publisher
9780615214863
$24.95
www.amandacooks.com
History
The Grouchy Historian The Grouchy
Historian: An Angry Old-Time Lefty Defends Our Constitution Against
Right-Wing Hypocrites and Nutjobs certainly pulls no punches,
either in its title or in its discussion; which will be a refreshing
difference from less passionate discourses about any of its
subjects. Those who initially think
that Ed Asner's name seems familiar, but can't quite place it, likely
recognize it from his role as Lou Grant from the Mary Tyler Moore Show
on television, but probably won't have realized (prior to this book)
that Asner is a long-time Democrat who here focuses on Constitutional
facts in his process of refuting 'fake news' and what it actually
says. His is an angry protest
against right-wing interpretations of this document, and considers such
varied issues as past political, social, and economic interpretations
of the Constitution; various policies that it addresses, from immigrant
rights to corruption; and the right-wing forces that work hard at
refuting its long-held interpretation and tenants. The result is angry,
challenging, but filled with historical precedent, and should be in the
classrooms of students debating American politics and history.
Ed Asner and Ed Weinberger
Simon & Schuster
9781501166020
$26.00
www.simonandschuster.com
The Haas Sisters of Franklin
Street The Haas Sisters of
Franklin Street: A San Francisco Memoir of Family and Love is
a 'must have' history for any San Franciscan, for California history
holdings, and for those who would see 19th and early 20th century San
Francisco come to life through the experiences of sisters Alice Haas
Lilienthal and Florine Haas Branstein. Author Frances Bransten
Rothmann surveys her mother and aunt's experiences in the city and
provides a lively memoir that pairs San Francisco culture with the
experiences of two loving sisters and their family ties. The result is a lively
memoir that deserves top recommendation for any San Francisco history
library, peppering its personal story with vintage photos throughout a
family memoir that is personal and revealing, recreating the sights,
sounds and experiences of a bygone era.
Frances Bransten Rothmann
Heyday
9781597143899
$20.00
www.heydaybooks.com
Arts and Crafts
Georgian and Victorian Board
Games: The Liman Collection Georgian and
Victorian Board Games: The Liman Collection is an
oversized and lovely survey of Victorian and Georgian board game
history and art from the early 18th century, when people began to
realize that board games represented an educational opportunity to link
children's play to information. Some sixty games designed
for instruction and play are profiled in a survey that adds historical
and cultural background into its record of how these board games were
developed and used. Many such games, some
printed on linen or delicate materials, didn't survive their young
enthusiasts' handling; which makes this collection especially notable
and worthy of both artistic and historical attention. The gorgeous details in the
good-sized illustrations enhance a wide-ranging discussion that not
only profiles the Liman holdings and games of the times, but greatly
adds to game history surveys.
Ellen Liman
Pointed Leaf Press
9781938461439
$65.00
www.pointedleafpress.com
Kalmbach Books Two outstanding
jewelry-making guides are highly recommended picks for anyone
interested in diverse projects that teach skills while producing
professional-appearing jewelry pieces. Renee Kovnesky's Exquisite
Stitching with Multi-Hole Beads (9781627004336, $21.99)
features over twenty projects organized by different bead shapes; each
offering step-by-step visual and written directions for making
bracelets, earrings, and necklaces which incorporate beadweaving
techniques. Basic lessons about pairing,
handling, and working with the beads make every project a tutorial in
creating and finishing pieces, with materials lists and clear
directions leaving nothing to wonder. Jewelry makers who already
have some background in and affinity for chain mail will relish Sandy
Haugen's Chain Mail Plus: Jewelry Projects Using Crystals,
Charms & More (9781627003858, $21.99). Those who have created chain
mail jewelry in the past receive instructions on how to blend crystals,
leather and ribbons, and other materials into the traditional chain
mail approach for a new, innovative look. Some twenty projects packed
with hundreds of photos nicely illustrate each project and cover
techniques that build upon chain mail skills. Both deserve a spot in any
jewelry maker's collection.
www.jewelryandbeadingstore.com
Making the Magic Happen Making the Magic
Happen: The Art and Craft of Film Directing is a top pick for
film and performing arts readers who would better understand the craft
of creative film production. By separating the concept of
the art of production from the technical craft of making it happen,
Peter D. Marshall, himself a filmmaker and film-directing coach with
over 40 years of industry experience, offers keys to understanding
story structure, translating text to powerful visual results, and the
mechanics of preproduction directing to assure success. These and a variety of other
techniques are outlined in a survey that covers everything from
collaborating with directors and all involved in the filmmaking
process, acknowledging their different jobs and perspectives, to
understanding the elements of good screenwriting and visual
interpretation. Anyone involved in the art
and craft of creative film directing needs this specific set of
guidelines and insights.
Peter D. Marshall
Michael Wiese Productions
9781615932658
$26.95
www.mwp.com
Audiobooks
Highbridge Audio Four outstanding new audio
books are highly recommended picks for libraries seeking a blend of
high-interest topics, top-notch readers, and durable packaging suitable
for lending. Geoffrey Girard's Mary
Rose (9781681689647, $29.99) is narrated by Henrietta Meire,
whose smooth voice lends quiet drama to the intriguing story of
successful young professionals in Philadelphia who fall in love and are
set to begin a new life until a journey to England reveals a long-held
secret. Mary Rose Morland vanished
as a little girl, and showed up over a month later in the exact same
spot, with no memory of events during her absence. Simon decides to find out
what happened in his beloved's childhood - and his investigation leads
to her increasingly odd behavior and the unraveling of dangerous secret
that will change everything. Bradford Morrow's The
Prague Sonata (9781681887001, $49.99) is read by Christina
Delaine, who lends an authoritative and commanding voice to this
powerful story of a worn original sonata manuscript which falls into
musiciologist Meta's hands. Has Meta discovered an
original 18th century piece by an unknown composer; or will her efforts
to find the manuscript's Prague owner reveal something more than a lost
friendship and a rare piece of music? The gripping novel comes to
life in audio to provide a complex, absorbing listen. Gaute Heivoll's Across
the China Sea (9781681687087, $29.99) is narrated by Alex
Bloch, who lends the perfect intonation and quiet drama to this
Norwegian story of Karin and her husband, who move from Oslo to a small
village to build new lives at the end of the German occupation of
Norway. When they die, their son
inherits a legacy and a special relationship with his siblings that
comes to life as he cleans out the house and finds that objects of his
childhood hold a strange power over him. Dan Buettner's The
Blue Zone of Happiness: Lessons from the World's Happiest People
(9781681689487, $34.99) is read by Patrick Lawlor and author Buettner,
who bring to life an outstanding investigation into happiness and its
actual incarnation in everyday lives around the world. It's about using tools to
meet world challenges with well-being and happiness, finding pleasure
and purpose in everyday life. The author's Blue Zones Happiness Test
helps pinpoint these areas and also details strategies to achieve
better, happier life goals. Carmen Maria Machado's Her
Body and Other Parties (9781681686882, $29.99) features short
stories narrated by Amy Landon, who adds an experienced and seasoned
voice to tales that blend psychology, comedy, horror, fantasy and
more. To call this production
'genre-crossing' would be an understatement: like the best short story
writers (among them, Harlan Ellison), the key to success lies in twists
of plots, ironies, an intriguing blend of everyday and extraordinary
circumstances, and the unique reactions and perspectives of the
characters. All are powerful and highly
recommended productions for individual and library pursuit
alike.
www.highbridgeaudio.com
New Age
Crafting Gratitude Crafting Gratitude:
Creating and Celebrating Our Blessings with Hands and Heart
links ideas of gratitude with crafty endeavors, presenting the
perspective that crafting can be viewed and used as a meditative
practice to enrich life and create positive perspectives on giving and
health. Mandalas, a 'Values
Bracelet', Spirit Houses from Southeast Asia and more connect spiritual
lessons to crafts projects, discussing the author's own lessons learned
from and tied in with these methods. Each craft project comes
with stories about physical, mental and spiritual health stemming from
them: affirmations that will especially appeal to new age readers
interested in project-oriented meditative approaches.
Maggie Oman Shannon
Viva Editions/Cleis Press
9781632280343
$18.95
www.vivaeditions.com
New World Library Two exceptional titles from
New World Library are important books any new age collection should
have. Joan and Anne Watts edit The
Collected Letters of Alan Watts (9781608684151, $32.50), a
treasure trove of newly discovered letters presented by Alan Watts'
first-born children and embellished with black and white photos,
drawings, and letters throughout. Alan Watts' writings have
received extensive attention and acclaim, but this collection of
letters, which began in his teen years and were penned throughout his
life, is a series of correspondences and discussions nicely
supplemented with commentary by his daughters, placing them in
perspective. The result is a powerful
literary, spiritual, and philosophical collection that is a 'must' for
any definitive Alan Watts collection. Joseph Campbell's The
Ecstasy of Being: Mythology and Dance (9781608683666, $24.95)
will appeal to prior Campbell fans seeking something new; especially
those who might believe that their already-extensive pursuit of his
works means that they have exhausted the extent of his pieces. This
book offers seven articles and lectures that Campbell gave on dance,
art, and myth, along with the book he was writing when he died, Mythology
and Form. Moreover, it comes with a
forward by certified movement analyst and dancer Nancy Allison and
peppers black and white dance photos throughout as it discusses dance
history, Eastern and Western spirit, and historic folk dance
events. Fans of mythology and dance
history alike will find The Ecstasy of Being an
intriguing, revealing approach to both.
www.newworldlibrary.com
Conari/Weiser Books These titles provide new age
readers with a fine selection of reflections on joy, gratitude, and how
to pass positive vibrations to others. Attitudes of
Gratitude: How to Give and Receive Joy Every Day of Your Life
by M.J. Ryan (9781573247108, $15.95) is a powerful little package that
links a grateful attitude to sharing the good things in life. "Gratitude lights up what is
already there," but it's the distribution process that may prove
problematic to some readers. This book focuses on how lessons are
learned from life and how joy can be seen, acknowledged, processed, and
given others, making this a fine gift book choice for any interested in
life lessons and their greater impact. The Magical Art of
Crafting Charm Bags: 100 Mystical Formulas for Success, Love, Wealth,
and Wellbeing by Elhoim Leafar (9781578636198, $16.95)
focuses on charm bags which serve as talismans in the modern world, and
which are created by and incorporated into the spiritual traditions of
cultures around the world. Until now, there's been no
real guide to creating charm bags. The Magical Art of
Crafting Charm Bags focuses on the magic involved, the
process of crafting charm bags and amulets, and provides formulas for
adding powerful magical forces into the bag creation. There are few books on the
market about creating and using charm bags alone, making The
Magical Art of Crafting Charm Bags a unique contribution
worthy of addition to any magic or new age library. Judika Illes edits and
introduces The Weiser Book of Occult Detectives: 13 Stories
of Supernatural Sleuthing (9781578636242, $16.95). This is
for recommended for readers of detective stories who like to see
paranormal elements in the course of their stories, and gathers some
popular examples of vintage occult detective stories from the pens of
such famous writers as Algernon Blackwood, Sir Arthur Conan Coyle, and
others. The editor is an occult
author and scholar who provides a fine and diverse collection of tales
revolving around all kinds of detectives facing a wide range of occult
mysteries. Students of mindful behavior
and approaches - especially those looking for an introductory primer to
its daily applications - will welcome Emma Mills's Inhale
Exhale Repeat (9781573247283, $15.95), an inspirational
survey that gathers meditation and mindfulness lessons that can be
absorbed in single-day readings and quick at-a-glance pursuit. Tips, meditations, recipes,
and formulas for success can all be completed in just minutes, so there
is no excuse for not taking in and applying their benefits. New age readers will find
each book unique and worthy of attention.
www.redwheelweiser.com
Scintillating Science Fiction and Fantasy
Sea of Rust Sea of Rust
presents an unusual post-apocalyptic scenario of the world that focuses
on a robot survivor of a war that has destroyed humanity thirty years
ago: a conflict that resulted in every human being's
extinction. This global event has been
at the hands not of fellow humans, but of machines; and this brave new
world of mechanical survivors is controlled by the shared consciousness
of millions of robots under a mainframe brain. Some are rogues who won't
participate in this shared intelligence - and Brittle, a scavenger
robot who is trying to keep himself in one piece against all odds - is
one of those renegades who acknowledges the crimes committed by his
fellow robots. The Sea of Rust is a
graveyard where machines go to die... only some of them go there to be
reborn, instead. Can Brittle come to terms with the consequences of the
actions of his own kind, and his personal guilt about it? Pair these insights with a
read about robots that seem nearly human for a fast-paced, challenging
story that's unpredictable and hard to put down.
C. Robert Cargill
Harper Voyageur
9780062405838
$27.99
www.harpercollins.com
Biography & Autobiography
Missing Persons: A
Memoir comes from one who becomes the last in her family
after she loses her aunt and then her mother, facing the rigors of
caring for a dying person at home and the ongoing feelings of loss that
comes from their recent deaths and the prior demise of her younger
brother and her father. Gayle Greene was forced to
confront basic questions of her values and journey in life as she lived
through her mother and aunt's final days and a year's aftermath of
being without them and without family ties. The result is a hard-hitting
account of one woman's adjustments and survival tactics that takes into
account the broader issues of death, dying, and family heritage. Missing
Persons is recommended for anyone who enjoys memoirs about
family connections, loss, and disconnections.
Missing Persons
Gayle Greene
University of Nevada Press
9781943859467
$22.95
www.unpress.nevada.edu
Tippi: A Memoir Tippi: A Memoir
is suggested for fans of the Hitchcock classic movie The Birds, for
anyone who wants in-depth details about the actress who made the movie
famous. Hedren has done numerous
films; but has never before told her life story in her own words. This
book reveals, for the first time, her life, her relationship with
Hitchcock (who became both a mentor and a negative, overbearing force
in her world), and how she finally broke free of his influence and went
on to forge a career without him. Readers will relish this
involving saga about Hollywood's influences, Hitchcock's routines and
roles in his movies, and how one woman overcame the influence of a
famous man to achieve her own rightful place in the film
industry. Very, very highly
recommended, Tippi: A Memoir is for any woman who
wants to break through the confusion of a personal and professional
relationship with a repressive mentor.
Tippi Hedren
William Morrow
9780062469043
$15.99
www.harpercollins.com
Science, Nature & Technology
Aerial Geology Aerial Geology: A
High-Altitude Tour of North America's Spectacular Volcanoes, Canyons,
Glaciers, lakes, Craters, and Peaks discusses Earth's surface
and the massive events that have changed its landscape, but represents
a different geologic perspective than most in considering these changes
from a continent-wide, aerial viewpoint. Images and illustrations
from aloft explain and explore this striking geologic history by
pairing full color photos of marshes, lakes, sand dunes, and rifts
around the U.S. with discussions that consider the geologic forces that
have crafted these areas. Sidebars of flight pattern
information for pilots and those who would conduct their own matching
aerial surveys offer route information, while the state-by-state
coverage makes it easy to browse by area of interest. The result is an outstanding
blend of geologic history, science, and am aviation focus that is
educational, lively, and, most importantly, equally accessible to lay
readers and those with geology backgrounds.
Mary Capteron Morton
Timber Press
9781604697629
$29.95
www.timberpress.com
American Wolf American Wolf: A
True Story of Survival and Obsession in the West brings to
life the story of one American wolf as Nate Blakeslee traces her life
in Yellowstone National Park and uses her natural history as a focal
point for exploring long-standing wolf issues, history, and
nature. It's a story where the
protagonist is an animal; but it's also a powerful story of American
nature, politics, and a clash between species that has long pitted wolf
and man against one another. From wolf reintroduction and
wildlife conservation controversies to political rulings on wolf
hunting near Yellowstone, American Wolf is a
powerful natural history not to be missed by anyone concerned about
wildlife conservation issues.
Nate Blakeslee
Crown
9781101902783
$28.00
www.crownpublishing.com
Citizen Scientist Citizen Scientist:
Searching for Heroes and Hope in an Age of Extinction comes
from an award-winning writer who has long made a case for vanishing
species, but who once lacked the ability to understand the routines and
approaches that would really make a difference in saving
nature. Mary Ellen Hannibal's search
for answers in the real world went beyond ethical examination or theory
to consider the processes of 'citizen scientists' who participate in
data-gathering, observation, and volunteer efforts to restore nature
and animals. The side benefit of her
study of this citizen-based movement and its centuries-long tradition
meant that Hannibal was able to examine her own life and hopes. In Citizen
Scientist she provides a blend of memoir, scientific and
social examination that will make for key reading for anyone interested
in the fate of nature and its connection to human affairs.
Mary Ellen Hannibal
The Experiment
9781615193981
$17.95
www.theexperimentpublishing.
Plant Families Plant Families: A
Guide for Gardeners and Botanists discusses the hundreds of
different plant families and their history that arranges and orders
over a quarter million different plant species, simplifying a process
that is usually so complex a topic that non-botanist readers too often
give up trying to understand it. In contrast, Plant
Families offers an easy guide packed with lovely
illustrations throughout as it discusses over a hundred plant families
that are keys to understanding how plants are classified. From plant history and
natural history to identifying flowers, trees, herbs and more, chapters
survey each major family and describe their origins, characteristics,
and uses in the garden. Color botanical
illustrations enhance an approachthat is surprisingly accessible to lay
readers: something long needed in the botany world, and especially
recommended for general-interest science collections.
Ross Bayton and Simon Maughan
University of Chicago Press
9780226523088
$25.00
www.press.uchicago.edu
Raptors Raptors: Portraits
of Birds of Prey comes from a nature photographer who narrows
her focus to raptors, crafting a collection of close-up images that
represent remarkably intricate inspections of raptor countenances and
activities. In order for these color
images to shine, they are presented full-page (in some cases, in
two-page spreads), with identifying natural history appearing on its
own separate page to compliment each image and sets of images. From owls and caracara to
peregrine falcons and kestrels, these are gorgeous representations not
to be missed, recommended not just for science and nature collections,
but for those strong in nature photography examples.
Traer Scott
Princeton Architectural Press
9781616895570
$19.95
www.papress.com
Reviewer's Choice
Best Women's Erotica of the
Year, Volume 3 Best Women's
Erotica of the Year, Volume 3 is a collection of bold, sexy,
overtly graphic stories that test boundaries of passion and sexual
pleasure and offer a focus on women who explore fetishes, role playing,
threesomes, and more. These erotic short stories
present a wide range of perspectives and sexual encounters, so the
first prerequisite to enjoying this volume is a broader interpretation
and acceptance of fantasies and situations that explore non-traditional
sexual encounters. Women seeking woman-oriented
erotic writings by recognized authors will find this collection offers
an excellent synthesis of engrossing perspectives and
encounters.
Rachel Kramer Bussel, Editor
Cleis Press
9781627782241
$16.95
www.cleispress.com
Bolt and Keel Readers not on Instagram or
familiar with the blog of the same name may not know of kitties Bolt
and Keel; but that doesn't make this little book a recommendation only
for their prior fans. All that's required for an appreciation of Bolt
and Keel is an appreciation for cat stories and color photos. Bolt and Keel
is a fine book that cat fans will relish, following the two cats in a
backpacking journey through the Pacific Northwest with the hikers who
adopted them. "When the meowtains
are calling, we must go." This is the opening line of a fun
pairing of cat perspectives and sayings and color photos of the
often-dressed-up kitties accompanying their outdoors humans on hiking
adventures. The fun blend of
life-affirming admonitions and feline fun makes for a lovely, colorful
little book that will make a fine gift for any cat fan - even those who
already 'have everything' in the way of cat books. There's simply
nothing quite like Bolt and Keel, a testimony to
the fact that cats can travel with their humans in
even the most adventurous settings.
Kayleen VanderRee & Danielle Gumbley
Countryman Press
9781682681206
$14.95
www.countrymanpress.com
Girl Gangs, Biker Boys, and
Real Cool Cats Girl Gangs, Biker
Boys, and Real Cool Cats: Pulp Fiction and Youth Culture, 1950 to 1980
follows the history and evolution of postwar youth culture as depicted
in mass-market pulp novels, drawing important connections between
cultural depiction and counter-culture developments among juvenile
audiences. The collection uses some 400
color book covers; many never reprinted before, and pairs them with
some 70 author interviews, biographical data, and previously
unpublished articles from over 20 pop culture scholars from the U.S.,
UK and Australia. Having a focus from various
countries' experiences and a broad range of pop culture inspirations
and influencers makes for a wide-ranging literary and social history
not to be missed by any who enjoy studying youth cultural influences of
the past and pulp fiction in general.
Iain McIntyre and Andrew Nette, Editors
PM Press
9781629634388
$29.95
www.pmpress.org
Groovy Groovy: When Flower
Power Bloomed in Pop Culture packs in interviews with
'groovy' figures from the 60s, from the iconic Peter Max and actor
Peter Fonda to David Cassidy, cast members of television shows such as
"Laugh-In" and "The Brady Bunch", and more. Plenty of books have been
written about the 60s from all kinds of angles; but what differentiates
this book from others and makes it a recommended addition to existing
1960s history collections is a focus on not just the music, art, and
culture of the times; but the comic and popular arts industry's
promotion of it. A bright hardcover format
pairs well with color images that appear on every page, profiling the
major figures of the times, from musicians and groups such as the
Zombies and Byrds to hippie festivals, individuals such as Peter Tork
of the Monkees, and the events that brought them all together. The many interviews with
these iconic figures, paired with 'before and after' color photos
throughout, makes Groovy's walk through time a
revealing, important discussion recommended for any definitive reader
of 1960s pop culture and for public libraries popular history
sections.
Mark Voger
TwoMorrows
9781605490809
$39.95
www.twomorrows.com
How to Do Restorative Peer
Mediation in Your School How to Do
Restorative Peer Mediation in Your School gives teachers a
kit that includes online resources as it tackles the basics of conflict
resolution on a school and peer level, showing how educators can
provide students with special skills to create a cooperative
atmosphere. Peer mediation can help
peers solve typical classroom and schoolyard conflicts, resulting in
much benefit to all involved; but these techniques are too seldom
considered, with adult intervention and guidance receiving the bulk of
attention in such matters. This guide covers the basics
of creating a restorative peer mediation program and how to train
educators and kids using sample scripts and templates demonstrating how
to work with kids ages 10-16. Educators will find How
to Do Restorative Peer Mediation in Your School an essential
tool for effective change that relies on a more cooperative model than
most approaches.
Bill Hansberry and Christie-Lee Hansberry
Jessica Kingsley Publishers
9781785923845
www.jkp.com
In the Fall They Came Back In the Fall They
Came Back is a fine novel about a new college graduate who
expects he'll temporarily teach English at a small private school
before entering the legal profession. But as Ben becomes involved
in his students' lives and concerns, he finds himself moving quickly
beyond a teaching position and into one where his counsel and expertise
leads him to a more personal involvement in his students' lives: a path
which heads rapidly towards dangerous consequences. Ben's evolving desire to be
more than a teacher leads him and his readers into a tangle of stressed
lives, love and caring, and a tumultuous tenure at Glenn Acres School
that leads to very different kinds of actions and rescue
attempts. In the Fall They
Came Back ultimately makes readers think about altruism,
sacrifice, and the consequences of questionable decisions and
choices.
Robert Bausch
Bloomsbury Publishing
9781632864000
$30.00
www.bloomsbury.com
A New Garden Ethic A New Garden Ethic:
Cultivating Defiant Compassion for an Uncertain Future
combines gardening savvy with a different approach to the subject,
considering a 'new garden ethic' and how growing native plants in one's
garden is one way of responding to global crises, putting environmental
concerns to work on one's own turf. Benjamin Vogt's focus on how
humans build landscapes, control designs, and foster social justice
through individual choice and gardens that invite wildlife makes for an
unusual gardener's guide for any size plot and wide-ranging gardening
purposes. Gardeners looking for more
than design or plant choice books will welcome an unusual approach that
embraces quite a different social, political, and horticultural
approach.
Benjamin Vogt
New Society Publishers
9780865718555
$18.99
www.newsociety.com
The World Almanac and Book
of Facts 2018 The World Almanac
and Book of Facts 2018 represents the 150th anniversary
edition of an ongoing classic almanac of facts; a heady claim for a
historic reference that has educated, informed, and entertained
Americans since 1868. The almanac packs in facts
and pairs statistical reports with top news topics, pictures,
historical figure profiles, domestic and international information, and
more. Of necessity, this paperback
reference is packed with much detail in very small print; which will
make it a challenge for those who need for larger print for easier
reading. Anyone who enjoys data and
trivia, however, will readily take magnifying glass in hand to make the
most out of this information-packed 'bible'.
World Almanac
9781600572135
$14.99
www.worldalmanac.com
Social Issues
Against
Colonization and Rural Dispossession Against
Colonization and Rural Dispossession: Local Resistance in South and
East Asia, the Pacific and Africa is recommended for
college-level collections strong in global capitalization history and
social issues, and provides a collection of writings by scholars and
activists who blend case studies with Marxist and anti-colonial
analyses to consider the development periods of these areas. These articles consider how
local struggles and efforts to resist colonization in the rural areas
have influenced critical developments in the Global South regions,
documenting such wide-ranging influences as how activists mobilize
populations and develop campaigns, how organizations confront and
refute efforts to criminalize them, and how big agribusiness projects
translate to big changes in peasant populations. The varied geographic
experiences make for satisfying contrasts between common experiences
and contribute to a powerful survey college-level readers will find
thought-provoking.
Edited by Dip Kapoor
Zed Books/University of Chicago Press
9781783609437
$29.95
www.press.uchicago.edu
Extreme Cities Extreme Cities: The
Peril and Promise of Urban Life in the Age of Climate Change makes
a case for the fact that cities will be the first to experience climate
change as conditions impact their structures and foundations, and
brings to light the science behind sea level rise, storms, and current
climate trends affecting cities. From the efforts of Alaskan
island residents to relocate to models for New York City pre- and
post-storm activity, chapters offer many examples of adaptation efforts
already underway, consider how architects and engineers are handling
challenges, and explain why urban movements seeking to remake cities
rather than buttress them against storms offer more hope to a wider
population of urban dwellers. In linking climate change
results and survival efforts to adaptation responses and social and
community mobilization efforts, Extreme Cities
provides scenarios and food for thought that should be part of any
serious discussion of the social and urban impact of climate
change.
Ashley Dawson
Verso Books
9781784780364
$29.95
www.versobooks.com
On the Verge On the Verge
offers hair-trigger analysis and consideration of the topic of
foresight and its relationship to scientific, social, and political
breakthroughs that make it possible to predict the future with a high
degree of accuracy, and belongs on the shelves of science, social
issues, and psychology collections alike. Real-world examples document
how technology has brought this ability to predict into social,
business, and political circles, considering why this newfound ability
still falls short of effecting real change. Since leaders have failed to
take proper steps with these new skills in hand, Costa provides some 12
new principles of adaptation that can be easily applied to fast-paced
changes and innovations, offering a dash of unexpected humor in the
process of examining the complexities of change, its link to failure,
and the process of making prediction a better process.
Rebecca D. Costa
Rosetta Books
9780795350573
$27.99
www.RosettaBooks.com
White Like Her White Like Her: My
Family's Story of Race and Racial Passing is a memoir that
could have been featured in a different section covering biographies;
but it's profiled here because it's more than just one family's
experience, but a powerful account of 'passing' in America, and holds
many social messages that should be considered beyond its biography
status. Dr. Lukasik begins her
family account with her mother's choice to 'pass' as white, examines
the Jim Crow South and how this woman hid her secret from even her own
husband, and how her legacy of shame haunted future
generations. The author's journey to
uncover her mother's racial lineage is a powerful saga that is hard to
put down and holds many implications for a historical understanding of
race and prejudice in America through the decades.
Gail Lukasik, PhD
Skyhorse Publishing
9781510724129
$22.99
www.skyhorsepublishing.com
WTF? What's the Future and
Why It's Up to Us WTF? What's the
Future and Why It's Up to Us comes from the founder and CEO
of the computer technology giant O'Reilly Media and considers how new
technologies can be integrated into human life and activities without
the accompanying fear people have of losing control of or understanding
about their environment. It deserves a spot in any social issues
collection strong in technology and social adaptation
processes. WTF? What's the
Future and Why It's Up to Us considers a series of
technological breakthroughs in the past that provoked reactions of
insecurity and fear, but which eventually promoted newfound feelings of
empowerment among users. More importantly, it makes a case for
embracing new directions rather than eschewing them. The result is recommended
reading for anyone involved in technological advancement, social issues
and growth, or for those who would understand both the pitfalls and
promises of human evolution and the innovations they foster.
Tim O'Reilly
HarperCollins
9780062565716
$32.99
www.harpercollins.com
Young Adult/ Childrens
Hu Wan and the Sleeping
Dragon Hu Wan and the
Sleeping Dragon is a picture book story set in China in 1572
and tells of a nine-year-old who tends a veggie garden with his
Grandfather, and who especially likes the gourds they sell in the
village market. Kid ages 6-10 with good
reading skills will appreciate the detail in this folk story of Hu
Wan's task to grow that year's special gourd - and what happens when he
makes a mistake. Chinese history and culture
blends with a gentle story of gifts, emperors and dragons that comes to
life with a vivid tale paired with lovely drawings by Jordi
Solano.
Judy Young
Sleeping Bear Press
9781585369775
$16.99
www.sleepingbearpress.com
I Wanna Be a Cowgirl I Wanna Be a Cowgirl
tells of a determined young girl who wants to be a cowgirl, and who
pretends to do so all day as she rides her stick horse and gallops
through her backyard. From lasso twirling and
checking chicken coops to enjoying her home on the range, despite its
hardships, this first-person, easy-reader story offers lovely drawings
by Elizabet Vukovic as it follows a young would-be cowgirl's
interactions with her fantasy world.
Angela DiTerlizzi and Elizabet Vukovic
Simon and Schuster
9781481452991
$17.99
www.simonandschuster.com/kids
Mouseling's Words Mouseling's Words
features lovely colorful drawings by Ryan O'Rourke which nicely
compliment the story of a mouse's happy and unusual nest home, made out
of words that Aunt Tillie has collected and brought home from the
Swashbuckler Restaurant. Every evening Mouseling
awakens surrounded by words collected from the specials of the day,
brought to the family along with food. But is there something more
to the world than the words Aunt Tillie brings back? Kids with good reading
skills or parental read-aloud assistance will relish this gentle story
of a little mouse's journey into a strange world of new words and
concepts.
Shutta Crum
Clarion Books
9780544302167
$16.99
www.hmhco.com
Penguin Putnam Three fine new picture book
stories are top recommendations for picture book enthusiasts and their
adult read-aloud helpers. Jennifer Hansen Rolli's Claudia
& Moth (9780425288337, $17.99) tells of a girl who
loves colorful butterflies, and who enjoys painting them even if she
can't bring them all home. But when winter arrives and
there are no butterflies, she has to take what she can get - which
includes a little moth. He's not a butterfly, but can she make him
special? A fun story evolves. Julie Falatko's Snappsy
the Alligator and His Best Friend Forever (9780425288658,
$16.99) features drawings by Tim Miller which illustrate the
possibilities of best friends and what they can do together. Snappsy the alligator is a
talented, interesting reptile, but when he meets a chicken who likes to
exaggerate, trouble looms. The two have very different perspectives on
friendship, its meaning, and their relationship to each other. Can they
come together despite their differences? Zebo Ludvicek's Mouse
(9781101999362, $16.99) tells of the letter M and a mouse with a
cherry. Mouse doesn't want to share his cherry with M, but M is
persistent (and, as it turns out, greedy). M has all kinds of words for
Mouse; but can such different creatures be friends? A gentle yet zany
story evolves in this fun, different tale.
www.penguin.com/youngreaders
Rot, The Cutest in the World! Rot, The Cutest in
the World! tells of a mutant potato who is different from any
other spud. He loves to eat, he likes to play games, and he loves to
enter contests - but when he decides to enter the 'Cutest in the World'
contest, it never occurs to him that he may have a problem. Viewing the other contenders
gives him some preliminary notion of the issues involved - a problem
that likely wouldn't be resolved even if he decided to eat everyone -
and some unexpected events take place that change everything in this
winning story, recommended for picture book readers looking for quite a
different take on beauty.
Ben Clanton
Atheneum Books
9781481467636
$17.99
www.simonandschuster.com/kids