November 2016 Prime Picks
History
Age
of Folly
Lewis H. Lapham
Verso
9781784787110
$29.95
www.versobooks.com
Age of Folly: America Abandons Its Democracy is an essay collection that considers the various steps that have led to America's latest election - particularly those that have contributed to an erosion of the basic principles of democratic process - and it makes for a survey especially recommended for students of political science as well as general-interest readers.
From the "popped balloons and empty boasts" of prior political candidates to the lasting effects of the terrorist attacks on New York and their contribution to an erosion of democratic process, Age of Folly covers ideas and alliances between Christian and religious ideals, social and political pressures on all sides, and how a wide range of special interests and influences have steadily chipped away at democratic and founding father ideals.
The result is a thought-provoking read that doesn't focus on any one ideal, perspective, or principle alone; but on a host of influences and experiences that, when taken together, indicate a far greater issue at stake than one group or event could portend.
Coney Island
William J. Phalen
McFarland
9780786498161
$29.95
www.mcfarlandpub.com
Coney Island: 150 Years of Rides, Fires, Floods, the Rich, the Poor and Finally Robert Moses is a lively history of Coney Island's culture, evolution, and growth and follows over a hundred years of the island's vast changes.
Prior enthusiasts of New York or Coney Island history will find this a well-researched yet lively presentation that focuses as much upon the key figures that influenced the island's development as upon the construction and social events that directed its growth over the decades.
Although William J. Phalen holds a PhD in American history, he also retains the ability to incorporate lively descriptions and insights into his story, which includes many quotes from source materials and early writings to enliven the process of exploring Coney Island's remarkable changes.
The result is a special recommendation for fans of the region's history that holds the ability to reach out to anyone interested in lively discussions on how urban areas grow.
Panic
on the Pacific
Bill Yenne
Regnery
9781621574972
$29.99
www.regneryhistory.com
Panic on the Pacific: How America Prepared for a West Coast Invasion offers a surprisingly detailed perspective on a little-known fact about World War II: that California, Oregon and Washington were actively anticipating and preparing for a full-scale Japanese assault.
While the fears of the West Coast after Pearl Harbor have been discussed before, military historian Bill Yenne narrows the focus to reveal all of the processes involved in preparations for a massive invasion that never happened.
From how the American military disguised airport runways to discourage invaders, thwarting even some American pilots, to reports of enemy planes over Los Angeles and General DeWitt's fears of Japanese air raids and how they actually came about, Panic on the Pacific deserves a place in any military or California history collection.
Highbridge
Audio
www.highbridgeaudio.com
Six new releases from Highbridge Audio pair solid, professional narrators with audio recordings that bring each account to life, and are highly recommended picks for general-interest listeners and audio libraries.
Garrison Keillor's Prairie Home Companion The Road Home (9781681682068, $29.95) gathers 18 new stories of Lake Wobegon picked from live broadcasts of A Prairie Home Companion's radio show, and packs its three-disc set with stories such as 'Senior Banquet', 'A Hunter's Dream', and 'Caterpillars'.
Keillor's sentimental and wry, fun observations of daily experiences and life in general contribute to a powerful feast of short vignettes perfect for car listening and leisure fun.
Speaking, of 'car', Car Talk Science: MIT Wants Its Diplimas Back (9781681682341, $16.95) originates from an NPR broadcast about car repair which laced its car insights with a healthy dose of tongue-in-cheek humor to invite even non-car fans to listen to its show.
Here the car repair kings collect Car Talk call-in queries that depart from auto mechanics and move well into the realm of science, resulting in a hilariously fun collection that will delight scientists and non-scientists alike.
Stephanie Knipper's The Peculiar Miracles of Antoinette Martin (9781681682020, $34.99) receives a dual narration by Cassandra Campbell and Andi Arndt, whose voices bring to life the tale of two sisters who were inseparable as kids and then estranged for years as adults.
When a family crisis hits, one sister's gift will pose a very difficult choice for the other, which brings both into conflict as they struggle with past, present, and future options. The audio narration brings the story to life in a perfect example of how an audio version can enhance and elevate the written word.
Robert Penn's The Man Who Made Things Out of Trees (9781681682242, $29.99) enjoys the author's own reading as it consider the fine art of using the ash tree in all kinds of human pursuits. Penn's travels through the English-speaking world introduced him to craftsmen who worked with all kinds of ash trees; and while one might initially think the focus too singular to make for an entire book or audio, much less a fascinating listen, the power of Penn's voice to bring alive the meaning and impact of the ash tree's history makes for narrative that is compelling and thought-provoking.
Marti Leimbach's Age of Consent (9781681681863, $39.99) is read by Callie Beaulieu, whose clear and excellent voice lends soft drama to the story of a young widow with a crush on a disc jockey at a local radio station. The crush evolves into a friendship and possibly a romance, but then turns dark when the handsome Craig turns his attention to June's teen daughter.
Add a deeply buried secret and a challenge to everything June has struggled with and for a drama that is filled with compelling twists of plot which come alive under Beaulieu's voice.
Rowan Coleman's We Are All Made of Stars (9781681682297, $39.99) receives a dual narration by Avita Jay and Ben Allen as it tells of a dedicated nurse who works the late shift at the hospice, partially escaping from a now-distant husband who has returned from Afghanistan much changed.
As Stella stumbles on a moral and ethical dilemma at work, she risks breaking a long-standing rule that she's long employed to help her be a more effective hospice nurse.
All are excellent, evocative listens that will attract wide, appreciative audiences interested in the pairing of powerful narrators with strong writers.
New Age and Self-Help
Dropping
the Struggle
Roger Housden
New World
Library
9781604684069
$19.95
www.newworldlibrary.com
Dropping the Struggle: Seven Ways to Love the Life You Have is a self-help inspirational recommended for anyone who wonders about what's missing in their lives, and offers keys to living one's present life to the fullest; not making constant changes in search of an elusive enlightenment.
Its basic premise involves loving the life you have more deeply than before, dropping quests for love, meaning and purpose, perfection, and change in favor of cultivating a deeper awareness of one's movements through life.
By focusing on the specifics of how to achieve this without constantly embracing angst, Dropping the Struggle provides invaluable keys to getting more out of life than most change-oriented books would offer, and is recommended for readers who suspect that the nature of true happiness lies more in the arena of embracing what they already have and know than in forging completely new paths through life.
Dying
to Wake Up
Rajiv Parti, MD with Paul Perry
Atria Books
9781476707311
$23.99
www.simonandschuster.com
Dying to Wake Up: A Doctor's Voyage Into the Afterlife and the Wisdom He Brought Back is written by a physician whose near-death experience changed his perspective of the nature life and death itself. While many books have been written by those who have walked that path, the fact that this man of science found his foundations changed by a journey through the afterworld makes for especially enlightening reading.
This near-death experience didn't just change his perspective; it led to radical lifestyle choices, from giving away his mansion and quitting his career to becoming involved in a wellness clinic and changing his relationships with friends and family.
Be forewarned: Dr. Parti converses with angels and is privy to spiritual messages from beyond. His account of the afterworld and what he learned from his encounter with the Divine offers messages for this world and provides inspiration for anyone who would better understand near-death experiences in general and their often-lasting impacts.
Llewellyn
Publications
www.llewellyn.com
Amy Leigh Mercree's Joyful Living: 101 Ways to Transform Your Spirit & Revitalize Your Life (9780738746593, $16.99) is a mindful approach to the process of uncovering inspiration and joy in everyday life, and comes from a wellness coach whose writings have appeared in numerous body and mind publications.
Here she provides short discussions (about three pages each) that pair affirmations with exercises teaching the basics of how to develop contentment with life and the kind of joy that translates to self-love and positive feelings. These approaches can be as simple as scheduling a 'day of bliss' to meditating about entering the ocean and letting life cradle one's body and mind.
Simple, easily achievable, and diverse in nature, Joyful Living's uncomplicated approach requires no prior new age or mindful awareness knowledge in order to prove accessible to any reader.
Dr. Alanna Kaivalya's Yoga Beyond the Mat: How to Make Yoga Your Spiritual Practice (9780738747644, $16.99) contains guided practices for yoga practitioners that show how to use yoga as a vehicle for spiritual transformation. Where other yoga books would focus on some of this in the course of emphasizing yoga positions or breathing techniques, Yoga Beyond the Mat links yoga practice to five spiritual layers and shows how to access them by using yoga's positions and rituals to remove blocks and access one's central energy.
This involves removing obstacles and refining perspective, and Yoga Beyond the Mat covers all these approaches and shows how to combine yoga with journaling, meditation, and other practices to allow spiritual forces to become a primary part of one's life.
Yoga practitioners looking to take the next step from positions to spiritual applications will find Yoga Beyond the Mat an excellent starting point.
Reference
Shelf
Jeff
Herman's Guide to Book Publishers, Editors, & Literary Agents
Jeff Herman
New World
Library
9781608684045
$29.95
www.newworldlibrary.com
Jeff Herman's Guide to Book Publishers, Editors, & Literary Agents is a writer's reference every bit as powerful as the annual Writer's Market industry standard because it not only gathers the names, interests, and latest contact details for thousands of agents and editors, but it lists independent book editors and provides essential details on how to approach and work with them.
From tailoring a winning book proposal and learning how agent and publishers work based on interviews with some of the top experts in the field to lists of university presses, specialty mid-sized presses, and various media services, Jeff Herman's Guide to Book Publishers, Editors, & Literary Agents has been fully revised and updated for 2017 and represents a treasure trove of information for any aspiring author.
Water
Bankruptcy in the Land
of Plenty
Franck Poupeau, et.al.,
Editors
CRC Press
9781138029699
$125.95
www.crcpress.com
Water Bankruptcy in the Land of Plenty is about water scarcity in Southern Arizona; but though many might think this narrow subject would limit the book's interest to Arizona residents alone, it's recommended for any arid region of the world. as it covers how water scarcity is measured and dealt with.
The American Southwest is facing its deepest drought in history. This discussion evolved through the collaborative efforts of scientists, resource managers, and social scientists not just from Arizona but from around the world and across the U.S. It thus offers an interdisciplinary approach as it examines the politics and processes of water allocation.
Technical charts, graphs, discussions of water planning processes and urban development, and applications of hydrological models contribute to chapters that pair data with thought-provoking insights to make for a technical yet accessible water management discussion of special interest to urban planners, resource managers and conservation collections alike.
Wiley-Blackwell
www.wiley.com/go/veterinary
Three excellent new veterinary reference titles are highly recommended picks for any college-level or practicing vet's library reference collection.
Kenichiro Yagi and Marie Holowaychuk's Manual of Veterinary Transfusion Medicine and Blood Banking (9781118933022, $99.99) is for veterinary practitioners working in clinical settings and covers the latest research and information on transfusion procedures and blood banking for animals.
Color photos of setups and procedures, charts of at-a-glance technical information, and discussions of best practices for all kinds of animals, from large and small to exotics, accompany references that thoroughly review the latest details on transfusion medicine.
From screening and donor selection to storing blood products and administering transfusions, this in-depth survey is a treasure trove of detail that clinicians will appreciate.
F. Yvonne Schulman's Veterinarian's Guide to Maximizing Biopsy Results (9781119226260, $39.99) discusses biopsy results and sampling in animals and provides a slim but detail-filled coverage of the biopsy process and its common problems.
Almost as valuable as the step-by-step discussions are the insights on common errors in collecting biopsy samples, best practices for best results, and candid discussions such as when needle biopsies are non-productive or what indicators are present when considering a renal biopsy.
Lillian R. Aaronson's Small Animal Surgical Emergencies (9781118413487, $149.00) is a fine survey of soft tissue and orthopedic emergencies that small animal practitioners commonly encounter, and arranges clinical information on the surgery process and critical care to create a quick clinical reference for vets and office personnel alike.
Each chapter includes the latest information on diagnostics, stabilization, operations and post-op care, and troubleshooting, and each links to further resources, including a website of video clips illustrating the techniques discussed in this book.
More is described than just procedures: various testing and diagnostic procedures and photos of all processes are included, along with case studies and algorithms. Emergency room vets, surgeons, and critical care animal specialists alike will appreciate the latest details and exact descriptions in this important desk reference.
These are key references any veterinarian or vet student should have.
Scintillating Sci-Fi and Fantasy
Inkshares
www.inkshares.com
Rise (9781941758830, $16.99) is Book 1 of Brian Guthrie's 'Future Worlds' series and presents a dystopian world shattered by a failed pursuit of utopia, where life barely remains on fragments of the planet's crust (called 'shells'). People living on these fragments rely on ancient technology controlled by an old computer network - but the system is failing, and social collapse is near.
Readers might not think any force could save what remains; but all it takes is a few determined (albeit unlikely) heroes to bring change to a suffering world posed on the brink of destruction. This epic story is strong in characterization, different in perspective, and hard to put down, powered by Brian Guthrie's ability to build a realistic, disparate group of heroes who have mostly personal interests in mind before these coalesce to an effort towards a greater purpose and good than any of them could have imagined.
Fans of sweeping epics strong in alternative settings and social depiction will relish the fast-paced and complex world of Rise, which is far more detailed and intriguing than the usual sci-fi world.
Ageless by Paul Inman (9781941758618, $14.99) poses the question of how an immortal could live her life as it tells of Alessandra, a woman whose genetic code makes her ageless.
It sounds like the ideal life; but an immortal living in a mortal world faces many isolating factors, from keeping secrets about her identity and circumstances to memories of being exploited and experimented upon by the Nazis who discovered her secret.
When a CIA agent becomes determined to capture her, Alessandra confronts not only his pursuit but her own loneliness and place in a changing world in this engrossing story of immortality's trials and tribulations, highly recommended for sci-fi and thriller audiences alike.
The
Tinker and the Fold Part 1: The Problem with Solaris 3
Evan & Scott Gordon
Laguna Lantern Publishing
978-0996357432
Paperback:
$9.99
Kindle: $3.99
http://a.co/ftAAukW
Four years ago a father and son collaborated on a fun project to write a science fiction story; an effort that was to blossom into something more than a one-time partnership. The Tinker and the Fold: The Problem with Solaris 3, sees their effort brought to full fruition in this first book of a trilogy, a result of that process; but if readers anticipate a genre read replete with conventional devices, they will immediately realize there's far more happening here than a predictable story line.
Many sci-fi reads for young adults revolve around events and characters which don't stand out from the crowd. Not so with The Problem with Solaris 3, which opens with sassy young Jett's increasing defiance of the status quo. His attitude crosses over from school to life in general, and though his twin brother Jack strives to blend in, Jett is determined to carve his own path and personality as he navigates his world.
It's this attitude that earns the eighth grader a unique place in the scheme of things to follow when his proclivity for tinkering attracts the attention of The Fold, a galactic peacekeeping organization, and leads to quite a different kind of alien abduction than popular literature portrays.
From an invention that tests his mother's quantum theories and opens the door to strange new worlds to Jett's place not just on Earth, but in the universe, The Problem with Solaris 3 succeeds in going where few other young adult science fiction reads can follow, transporting its readers to a unique universe replete with kidnappings, unexpectedly hilarious alien invasions, and a "must have" list of tools that includes impeccable and funny logic ("E.M.P. grenade (because electro-magnetic pulses come in handy in the event one needs to disable electronic devices – say an army of murderous robots.").
Each chapter adds a dose of humor and wry observation that defies normal sci-fi approaches. Each builds upon Jett's clever, creative character and the strange worlds he encounters, which are graphically and beautifully described from a pre-teen's viewpoint: "No freakin’ way,” he whispered stepping outside and into an alien civilization. He was surrounded by hundreds if not thousands of tall silver blue towers. Every tower had plants growing down from it. They were of every imaginable color, and the colors popped brightly in the glistening sun. Silver space craft flew harmoniously through the blue green sky as if to some unheard musical rhythm."
Even when dialogue and extraterrestrial encounters are taking place, the sassy, spunky interactions between characters are fun and refreshingly original: "Not exactly what we planned, but certainly a fortunate reversal of events,” Tii-Eldii observed, “It appears phase mismatch can cause the swapper to warp the fabric of time itself causing us to be in two places at once just moments apart, fascinating...” “Blah, blah, space time, Doctor Who - Let’s get out of here! Do you know how to fly one of these things?” “No, but there’s a first time for everything.”
The difference between a one-dimensional, predictable sci-fi read for young adults and one which is a standout in its genre often lies in a combination of author approach and fresh, original details; and the father-son team of Evan & Scott Gordon succeed in going where few writers (much less family authors) have gone before.
Rich in characterization, plot, development, and humor, the story unfolds as a winner and is highly recommended not just for the young adult audience it's intended for; but for many an adult sci-fi fan looking for the truly remarkable standout read that includes thought-provoking reflections on the nature of peace, collective consciousness, and ruling systems.
The
Tinker and The Fold Part 2 - The Rise of the Boe
Evan & Scott Gordon
Laguna Lantern Publishing
978-0996357456
$9.99
https://amzn.com/0996357459
The first mark of an exceptional trilogy lies in the introductory book's ability to lay the foundation of a compelling story that's worth carrying forward into a series. Part 1 of 'The Tinker and the Fold', The Problem with Solaris 3, performed admirably in this regard, creating a superior work hard to put down; but the meat of a three-volume series lies in its ability to continue an exceptional approach past the first introductory volume and into later books.
The Rise of the Boe performs admirably in this respect, and opens with a foreword that places the story in perspective (for newcomers who have not previously imbibed of Solaris 3) so that all readers enter on an even playing field of prior knowledge. The saga begins where Solaris 3 left off, in a world changed by aliens, Ten Laws, The Fold's miracles and dictates, and a humanity at odds with their newly managed lives.
After his father's disappearance, Jett ("The Tinker") and his family is relocated for his own safety, and Jett is sick at heart for all the changes he's helped introduce to his life and everyone around him. Jett decides to rescue his father from The Fold's rehabilitation base on Solaris 3, but faces new challenges when a miscalculation lands him in the middle of another alien force; this one scheming to bring down The Fold.
The story doesn't open in this sci-fi scenario, however, but in the rehabilitation center on Pluto where Dweller Jett Senior is being tested in a rehabilitation simulation that places him back in the Iraq War where his life-or-death decisions will reflect whether his destructive impulses have truly been changed.
The efforts and purposes of this brainwashing and retraining session are made startlingly clear ("He was acting in self defense. He was fighting for his country against evil people who committed horrible atrocities. Why was he here? What was the purpose of all of this? What did The Fold hope to accomplish? “We seek to greatly diminish and eventually eliminate your species’ propensity toward violence,” the telepathic voice reassured, “as we know this will ensure a superior outcome for Solaris 3.”), reinforcing the underlying methods and purposes of The Fold's presence on Earth.
Betrayal, alien monkey-cats, a god powerful and feared by the Boe, and twin brothers on a mission makes for a gripping story that doesn't limit itself to a single aliens species or galactic setting, but continues to expand the boundaries of worlds introduced in Solaris 3.
As Jett and his brother face a deadly 'blood mist' and a force that rivals The Fold, they must make some terrible choices and face their consequences in a story line that is satisfyingly complex and an astounding piece for a middle-grade author, even given a father's collaborative participation in the process.
It's the stuff of movies (one can only hope a screenplay will come next); but if these two volumes are any indication, Book 3 will be well worth waiting for - especially since the Boe are not done here, despite Jack and Jett's best efforts.
Science, Nature and Technology
Bats
of Colima, Mexico Bats
of Colima, Mexico is a very
specific
regional title that at first glance might not seem to hold interest
beyond
Colima, Mexico; but as any bat scientist or enthusiast knows, bat books
are few
and far between, and the tiny Mexican state of Colima is home to an
incredible
diversity of bats, holding nearly half (over sixty) of Mexico's species
of bats. This
handbook is packed with color maps and photos throughout and is
designed to
serve as both an identification guide for Colima's bats and as a
natural
history of the region's seven families. Each description receives a
photo,
distribution map, discussions of its natural habitat and history, and
insights
on conservation efforts. While
the result won't be a pick for general science holdings, it will
delight
specialty and college-level collections looking for the rare in-depth
coverage
on regional bat populations in specific areas of the world (in this
case,
Colima).
Cornelio Sanchez-Hernandez, et.al
University
of Oklahoma Press
9780806152165
$45.00
www.oupress.com
Birds:
Myth, Lore & Legend Birds:
Myth, Lore & Legend covers
some
eighty different kinds of birds and their natural history, and is
recommended
reading for any general or natural history reader who enjoys lively
reads about
avian subjects. Chapters
juxtapose gorgeous full-page photos and artistically rendered
illustrations of
birds with lively discussions of human interactions with and myths
surrounding
each bird, with details incorporating literary, scientific, and even
historical
and spiritual facts into a appealing series of insights. From
how the cockerel received a reputation for driving out evil spirits to
the
squabbling of common starlings, how robins became known as the
'undertaker
bird', and folklore linking the hummingbird to the sun; this is a
gorgeous
blend of natural history, art, and folklore to delight any bird
enthusiast.
Rachel Warren Chadd and Marianne Taylor
Bloomsbury
9781472022861
$40.00
www.bloomsbury.com
Call
of Nature: The Secret Life of Dung Call
of Nature: The Secret Life of Dung
is
rich in detail and offers an unusual survey of the digestive systems of
humans,
domestic, and wild animals alike, considering not only how food is
digested
differently by different creatures, but what happens to it after it
hits the
ground (or the toilet). While
a book about dung may not be everybody's cup of tea, this represents a
treasure
trove of unusual biological detail that's packed with various details
about
droppings, from a dung identification guide that covers guano, frass,
and scat
to discussions of dung feeders, dung communities, and
conflicts among
dung harvesters. General
readers may not think there'd be much to say about the subject; but as
entomologist Richard Jones proves, there's actually quite a lot to
learn about,
whether discussing dung beetles or elephants. A lively tone pairs with
detailed
scientific facts and research in a surprisingly compelling survey which
many
will pick up for its shock value, only to find its details unexpectedly
engrossing.
Richard Jones
Pelagic Publishing
9781784271053
$26.99
www.pelagicpublishing.com
Pound
for Pound Pound
for Pound: A Story of One Woman's Recovery and the
Shelter Dogs Who Loved Her Back to Life
is a powerful memoir
and the inspirational story of one woman's journey from the edge of
death and
mental illness thanks to shelter dogs who entered her life: a powerful
read
that moves beyond most accounts of bulmia and into the transformative
processes
of human relationships with animals. For
eight years, Shannon Kopp battled bulimia, stuck in a pattern of failed
goals
and broken promises. Getting a job at the local Humane Society and SPCA
caring
for shelter dogs wouldn't seem like an anecdote to self-destructive
impulses;
but for Kopp, it offered her a powerful position and newfound approach
to
self-healing and forgiveness. Animal
lovers interested in the psychological and spiritual influences of
animals will
relish Kopp's first-person story of encounters with dogs and how
recovery from
her addiction stemmed from relationships with them and "little, great,
conscious efforts" that translated into lasting change. Inspirational
and revealing, Shannon Kopp's story is highly recommended for animal
lovers and
anyone struggling with the challenge of addictive and self-destructive
patterns.
Shannon Kopp
William Morrow
9780062370235
$16.99
www.harpercollins.com
The Arts
Building
Boston:
Stories of Architectural and Engineering Feats
Ted Clarke
Schiffer Publishing
9780764351129
$24.99
www.schifferbooks.com
Building Boston: Stories of Architectural and Engineering Feats is recommended for two types of audiences: those interested in Boston's history and urban development and readers who seek stories of architectural and engineering challenges and how they were resolved.
Ted Clarke uses Boston's landmarks and points of interest to outline the challenges that faced different architects who built some of the city's most famous areas, juxtaposing contemporary color photos with vintage images to enhance a discussion of how different architectural perspectives succeeded in transforming not just individual buildings, but entire areas of the city.
From reasons why land was filled in or left undeveloped to public gardens, commons, and the ultimate pros and cons of architectural decisions, Building Boston is perfect for readers with some familiarity with the city's history, who want specifics on how and why architecture developed as it did.
Create
with Artists
Rixt Hulschoff Pol and Hanna Piksen
BIS
9789063694166
$19.95
www.bispublishers.com
Create with Artists: Art Activites for Everyone is a workbook crafted by twenty-three artists who invite readers to employ creative strategies. It offers a collection of activities that encourages transformative artistic visions through using common, random materials.
These projects are as diverse as gardening applications and clothing and provide various projects for home and garden alike. The unifying factor in all of them is an encouraging, artistic eye towards creativity that can be honed from new approaches for using everyday materials.
Anyone who wants new, fresh views of the artistic potential in ordinary objects will realize that Create with Artists shows that anyone can hone an artist's eye through surprisingly simple approaches that yield exceptional results; especially when guided by artists who have already employed these techniques in their own applauded creations.
University of Oklahoma Press
www.oupress.com
Two exceptional, very different artistic discussions are highly recommended for any arts collection.
John P. Lukavic and Laura Caruso's Art in Motion: Native American Explorations of Time, Place, and Thought (9780914738633, $25.00) stems from a 2012 Denver Art Museum symposium by the same name which gathered artists and scholars together to discuss the idea of motion in Native American art.
Their different backgrounds blend in a series of first-person essays of artist practices and scholarly research presented by authors who have each made significant contributions to their various fields.
There is no singular approach to this discussion. Reflecting its fluid focus, Art in Motion surveys productions ranging from film to sculpture and church art to performance art, and talks of group exhibits, movements in new media art, avant-garde film and experimental media, and Native traditions and artistic innovations.
No Native American collection should be without this discussion, highly recommended for any holding strong in Native arts.
Peter H. Hassrick's Drawn to Yellowstone: Artists in America's First National Park (9780989640541, $25.00) appears in a newly revised edition and comes from the Director Emeritus and Senior Scholar at the Buffalo Bill Center of the West.
His history shows how the world's first national park has captivated artists the world over, and gathers images and details about the park's artistic representation from early to modern times.
From commissioned paintings, artistic focus, classic choices for Yellowstone's representation and explorations of Yellowstone that were sparked by enthusiasm for its beauty to artists that represented the park and whose works contributed to the debate about its management and preservation, this is a compelling collection that deserves a place in not only arts holdings, but in any library strong in national park history.
Children
and Teens
The
Apple Tart of Hope The
Apple Tart of Hope: There's Always a Crumb Left…
opens with a missing teen who is presumed dead when his bike is found
at sea.
Everyone mourns him - except for his best friend Meg, who knows he must
still
be alive. Oscar
would never kill himself and she's on a mission to prove this. A series
of
narratives weaving Oscar's recent life and perspective with hers makes
for an
unusual way of exploring a young man's conflicts, decisions, and the
impact
they have on both his and his friend's world. Grief,
loss, and responsibility issues coalesce in a story that is vivid and
hard to
put down, making it a special recommendation for any young adult
interested in
stories of loss and friendship.
Sarah Moore Fitzgerald
Holiday
House
9780823435616
$16.95
www.holidayhouse.com
Candlewick
Press Rosemary
Wells' Fiona's
Little Lie
(9780763673125, $14.99) provides picture book readers with the fun
story of
Felix, whose best friend Fiona has promised to bake cupcakes to
celebrate his
birthday. Come
the special day, no cupcakes are in sight. What has gone
wrong? This
gentle story of friendship comes with a special message and a surprise
at the
end which emphasizes the importance of being truthful and demonstrates
the
conundrums which evolve when even a small lie is perpetuated. Also
An Octopus by Maggie Tokuda-Hall
and
Benji Davies (9780763670849, $16.99) doesn't just introduce the
character of an
octopus to young picture book readers: it keeps moving far out, as said
octopus
travels to new galaxies in a purple spaceship and faces problems with a
friendly bunny and the possibility of a non-functioning
spacecraft. This
very simple story line with its inviting illustrations takes a zany
story and
provides young readers with a plot impossible to predict and filled
with fun.
www.candlewick.com
The
Horribly Hungry Gingerbread Boy The
Horribly Hungry Gingerbread Boy: A San Francisco Story
revolves around Shirley, who bakes herself a gingerbread treat to bring
to
school, only to find that the hungry homemade boy leaps out of her
lunchbox and
begins eating everything in sight. Iconic
San Francisco
sights and sounds are presented in the course of a chase through the
City's
neighborhoods in a delightful story of a gobbling treat whose
insatiable
appetite threatens the city. Young
picture book readers will enjoy a simple rollicking rhyme and bright,
fun
drawings as the gingerbread menace races through town "guzzling shakes
and
munching steaks, crunching crabs and clams and cakes."
Elisa Kleven
Heyday Books
9781597143523
$17.00
www.heydaybooks.com
The
Kraken's Rules for Making Friends The
Kraken's Rules for Making Friends
is a
delightfully easy read that tells of Kraken, a sea monster who wants to
have
friends, despite his terrible temper. After
running through friendship attempts that include lying about his
identity
(which has a bad reputation) and cultivating a terrifyingly destructive
reputation as The Kraken, he decides to troll for friendships in the
only place
he hasn't tried: the deep sea, which is rumored to hold denizens as
fearsome as
he. After
all, even the dreaded shark has friends. Maybe the Kraken can learn
from him.
He's tired of being alone. A
series of fun adventures creates a story that is hilariously,
refreshingly
different. Parents seeking a breath of fresh air in a read-aloud about
a
fearsome but lonely beast will relish the blend of humor and pointed
observations in The
Kraken's Rules for
Making Friends.
Brittany R. Jacobs
Pow!
9781576878149
$18.95
www.POWkidsbooks.com
Sleeping
Bear Press Three
new arrivals from Sleeping Bear Press offer leisure stories that will
be
perfect picks for libraries seeking lasting value from and interest in
their
picture book and young adult acquisitions. Teens
will appreciate Joan M. Wolf's Runs With
Courage (9781585369843, $16.99), a story of
ten-year-old Four Winds,
a Lakota girl whose people are forced to move to the reservation in
1880s
Dakota. Four
Winds is taken from her family and brought to a boarding school run by
whites,
where she's forced to abandon her Native American heritage in favor of
white
indoctrination and culture. Once she realizes that the teachers have a
vested
interest in eliminating her cultural ties, she is determined to fight
the
biggest forces in her life. Her
haunting story brings to life the early, real conflicts between Native
and
white cultures. Shana
Keller's Ticktock
Banneker's Clock
(9781585369560, $16.99) is illustrated by David C. Gardner and presents
Benjamin Banneker, who is admired for his work in science and
math. Born
free in Maryland
in 1731 when most of his fellow African Americans were slaves,
Banneker's
abilities and his fascination with a pocket watch leads to him building
a
striking clock at the age of 22 with only his own ideas and a
pocketknife. Good
reading skills by young picture book readers will lend to an
appreciation of
this vivid biography, which reads with the drama of fiction as it
explores
Bannaker's special talents and achievements. Brynne
Barnes' Books
Do Not Have Wings
(9781585369645, $16.99) is illustrated by Rogerio Coelho and pairs a
gentle
rhyming story with a survey of what kinds of magic can be gained from a
stationary object and a dose of imagination. What
is a book? A book is as many things as it is not. Beautiful full-page
drawings
accompany a lovely story of the possibilities of books and imaginative
processes, making this a fine read-aloud for parents and kids or a
solid
leisure reading choice for those with rudimentary reading skills.
www.sleepingbearpress.com
Reviewer's
Choice
An
Unlikely Vineyard
Deirdre Heekin
Chelsea Green Publishing
9781603586795
$25.00
www.chelseagreen.com
An Unlikely Vineyard: The Education of a Farmer and Her Quest for Terroir goes beyond most books about vineyard management and farming to consider how a sense of place and geography may be captured by the grape grower, and uses the experiences of author/farmer Deirdre Heekin and her chef/husband as an example of what a tiny eight-acre farm and vineyard in Vermont epitomizes in the terrior process.
Vermont experiences cold, snowy winters and wet summers: conditions not conducive to grape growing; but despite the odds against success, the authors grew a vineyard and an orchard of heirloom fruits, adding gardens filled with vegetables, flowers, and herbs for their home and business use.
An Unlikely Vineyard presents their philosophy, growing experiences, and their commitment to incorporating a sense of place into their natural food philosophy, and is particularly strong in discussing growing and farming challenges and different options, making it a strong pick for any collection interested in experience-backed surveys of farming methods that work.
Being
Professional
Adam Coplan
Michael Wiese Productions
9781615932498
$24.95
www.mwp.com
If only one book on screenwriting were to be chosen for an aspiring film writer, it should be Being Professional: A Master Guide to the Do's and Don'ts of Screenwriting; simply because it will identify the major pitfalls and common problems screenwriters face when crafting an effective script.
Similar-sounding books provide the nuts and bolts of this process, but too often fail to delve into the tools needed to craft a superior production. Adam Coplan has been a director, producer, and writer as well as a teacher, so his diverse background lends to an approach that uses a little over twenty exercises to encourage writers to overcome obstacles and inherent problems commonly seen in scripts.
It's unlikely, Coplan cautions, that your first or perhaps even your second script attempt will be successful; but with his guidelines and tips in place, aspiring screenwriters should find that their efforts are enhanced by a healthy dose of prior knowledge about the process of encouraging creativity and pairing it with professional screenwriting tips and approaches.
But,
What If We're Wrong?
Chuck Klosterman
Blue Rider Press
9780399184123
$26.00
www.blueriderspress.com
But, What If We're Wrong? is a thought-provoking package right from the start, with an upside-down book cover designed to reinforce its title. As if this weren't a clue that the book's contents will be different, consider the fact that it questions some of the most basic contentions and knowledge of modern culture; from the force of gravity and how dreams should be interpreted to the possibility that human knowledge is finite.
More intriguing than the questions are this book's approach to knowledge and assessments which challenges readers to rethink even the most basic contentions taken for granted about life and humanity's efforts.
Anyone who enjoys lively reflection and thought-provoking reading will find But, What If We're Wrong? doesn't deliver a predictible perspective, but encourages - even demands - creative thinking and reflection in a process that doesn't take any truth as a 'given'. It's critical thinking at its best, packaged in a lively read accessible by general interest audiences and any who enjoy insights from the latest contemporary thinkers of modern times.
Edward
Eberstadt & Sons
Michael Vinson
University
of Oklahoma Press
9780870624384
$29.95
www.oupress.com
Edward Eberstadt & Sons: Rare Booksellers of Western Americana comes from a rare book dealer specializing in western Americana and tells of a New York City book dealer who became one of the most renowned experts in the country: a big departure from his job working gold mines in the western U.S. and South America.
While readers might expect this scholarly biography to rely on business records and financial papers, it's actually based on the letters of Edward Eberstadt and his sons, and these, paired with Michael Vinson's own expertise in the subject, lends to a blend of history and biography which traces the growth of the rare book trade in the U.S.
Book collectors, readers of western American history, book lovers, and scholars will find this a close examination of one man and his company's many influences over the decades up until the 1970s, when the business finally closed.
Nesse
Nick Redfern
Llewellyn
9780738747101
$15.99
www.llewellyn.com
Nesse: Exploring the Supernatural Origins of the Loch Ness Monster considers the paranormal origins of Nesse, moving beyond the wealth of material written about the Loch Ness phenomenon to blend history and new age thought with photos, theories, and first-hand accounts of Nesse monsters and mysteries.
Reader who remain fascinated with the Nesse phenomena to this day will find Redfern's emphasis on the supernatural aspects of Nesse's legend makes for an involving compilation of various sightings, theories, and different connections between the Nesse craze and body, mind and spiritual perspectives.
Read
Nothing in Here
Seema Sharma
BIS Publishers
9789063694418
$14.95
www.bispublishers.com
It's unusual to find a small book whose topic is … well … nothing; but that's the case with Read Nothing in Here, a short treatise on the meaning and history of the word "nothing".
While one might expect there would be little (perhaps nothing) to say on the subject, the remarkable aspect of this short book is its revelation that, in fact, there is much to say about nothing.
Readers who open its pages should expect the unexpected in an unusually thought-provoking survey containing not a few surprises.
Select
Books
www.selectbooks.com
Two excellent business books from Select Books are standout presentations with their different perspectives on traditional approaches to business.
Mehrad Nazari, PhD, MBA's Enlightened Negotiation: 8 Universal Laws to Connect, Create, and Prosper (9781590793688, $16.95) takes the business collaboration idea to a new level, blending mindful practices and approaches into the business negotiation process and adding a touch of Eastern wisdom to the process.
Dr. Nazari has created eight universal laws that can contribute to conflict resolution and negotiation on different levels, from personal to business pursuits, and he dovetails information on these laws with standard negotiating practices designed to help business leaders understand the options, moral and ethical implications, and consciousness-raising opportunities involved in applying each law to typical negotiation strategies.
Case history examples round out the information and provide clear insights and connections between ideals and their applications.
Jim Burba and Bob Hayes' Smart Partners: Building Successful Relationships in Business and Life (9781590793756, $16.95) reveals how to build lasting business connections and life partnerships through a series of approaches that emphasize the relationships and principles involved in being a 'smart partner'.
As chapters unveil the methods and philosophies the authors have used to build and strengthen their own business partnership, readers gain a specific set of insights on how to build stronger personal and professional associations based on more face time and less Facebook.
More than a business guide, Smart Partners blurs the boundaries between business and personal interactions to provide much food for thought on how to strengthen both.
Needlework Notions
Martingale
Publishing
www.shopmartingale.com
Three excellent new quilting guides will delight needleworkers seeking a blend of projects and inspiration, and are highly recommended picks.
Janet Rae Nesbitt's Crazy at the Cabin: A Cozy Colelction of Crazy-Pieced Quilts (9781604687835, $26.99) presents an easy piecing method that will appeal to quilters of all skills levels, showing how to use 'crazy piecing' to create original and complex-looking quilts.
Many quilter's guides require precision cutting and stitching; but the joy of 'crazy piecing' is that it doesn't rely on this degree of exactness in seam allowances and instead cultivates a breezy trimming method that is more forgiving of small errors. From creating pieced wall hangings and home décor to producing full quilts, Crazy at the Cabin will prove especially exciting for relative newcomers to quilting who think that quilting is difficult.
For an excellent collection of quilts, choose Gwen Marston's A Common Thread (9781604688139, $36.99): a fine demonstration of quilting artistry which profiles over sixty quilts created in over five decades of time; their 'common thread' being well-known quilt artist and author Marston.
The first thing to note here is the wide variety of quilts on display, which receive special attention by pairing a full-page color image with a smaller close-up photo examining a piece of the quilt.
The second thing to note is that A Common Thread covers a wide range of quilting techniques united only by their maker, so quilters looking for a wide-ranging profile of Marston's many creations will discover this book is a treasure trove celebrating not only her years of quilting expertise, but her diverse patterns and approaches.
I Love Nine Patches: 16 Quilts from an All-Time Favorite Block (9781604687859, $24.99) is compiled by Karen M. Burns, who narrows the focus to the Nine Patch block which is being used by some of the top quilters in the industry.
This collection lends to a variety of approaches and features with sizes that range from full bed to lap quilts, while projects contributed by a different quilters receive full-page and close-up color photos, materials lists, cutting and assembly instructions, and accompanying step-by-step color illustrations that leave nothing to wonder.
The result will delight any quilter who may have thought that the popular Nine Patch style was only for advanced quilters.
Storey
Publishing
www.storey.com
Jillian Moreno's Yarnitecture: A Knitter's Guide to Spinning (9781612125213, $29.95) places more power in the knitter's hands by providing keys to spinning the types of yarns that commercial sources can't offer. This introduces a level of flexibility, showing how to spin different textures and weights and how to apply these custom yarns to different projects.
All that's required is a spinning machine and more than a casual interest in learning about dyes, coloring fiber, creating different fiber properties, and applying them to knitting projects which are also featured herein.
Full-page color close-up photos of these yarns embellish discussions that move from working with batts to measuring handspun yarn, twisting and knitting with it, and more.
Yarnitecture is a 'must' for any knitter who wants to move beyond the yarn shelf and into unique, hand-crafted products.
Thomas Knauer's The Quilt Design Coloring Workbook: 91 Modern Art-Inspired Designs and Exercises (9781612127859, $18.95) considers quilts as works of art and links basic quilt design to artistic goals in a different kind of approach that will especially delight budding artists.
Design and coloring exercises use modern art styles as their foundations for experimenting and learning new ways of creating quilts, with chapters encouraging new approaches to using space, color, and geometrics.
Patterns suitable for pencil coloring accompany discussions that excel in art-based approaches not usually seen in quilter how-to books, making The Quilt Design Coloring Workbook a special recommendation for quilters looking for something different.
Education Shelf
Jessica
Kingsley, Publisher
www.jkp.com
Michelle Rigler, Amy Rutherford, and Emily Quinn's Developing Workplace Skills for Young Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder: The Basics College Curriculum (9781849057998, $39.95) is the item of choice for students in their last year of college or who have just graduated, offering lesson-based information geared to helping young adults on the autism spectrum foster good workplace skills.
A workbook approach pairs with vignettes from peers on the spectrum who discuss particular challenges they faced and choices they made. Each vignette is accompanied by questions designed to help readers think about workplace and social challenges and how they can be overcome, while dilemmas such as not picking up on non-verbal cues and understanding the hierarchy of relationships between supervisors, co-workers, and others in a business structure makes for chapters filled with specific information any young adult new to the workplace will find educational.
The result is an engrossing collection that pairs common sense discussions with business insights and keys to common social and political situations that often challenge all new to the workplace environment.
Kimberley McMahon-Coleman and Kim Draisma's Teaching University Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Guide to Developing Academic Capacity and Proficiency (9781849054201, $35.00) is based on years of work with university-level students with ASD, and provides educators with specific approaches to working with college-level students on the spectrum.
From interpreting and handling codes of conduct and social engagement challenges to addressing rigid thought processes and patterns, group work and class collaborative assignments, and common discipline challenges, this blends case history examples from real students with discussions designed to foster a better understanding of common issues and how to successfully address them.
Teachers will find Teaching University Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder's specific, clear, and logically-arranged set of insights and answers to be key to their successful interactions with ASD students.
The
Mindful Education Workbook
Daniel Rechtschaffen
W.W. Norton
9780393710465
$24.95
www.wwnorton.com
The Mindful Education Workbook: Lessons for Teaching Mindfulness to Students gives educators a step-by-step lesson plan for classroom mindfulness lessons for grades K-12, and is recommended for any educator looking for new activities that incorporate mindful thought processes.
It's unusual to see a mindful approach that blends mindful techniques with teaching objectives: most mindful guides are directed to new age and adult audiences. Teachers receive not only activities, worksheets, and guided exercises; but a structure geared to curriculum objectives, so the mindful approaches can easily tie into classroom structures of all kinds.
These mental literacy lessons are highly recommended approaches for teachers already familiar with mindful concepts, who seek clear pathways for integrating them into classroom settings.
Starting
Strong
Katrin Blamey and Katherine Beauchat
Stenhouse Publishers
9781571109309
$33.33
www.stenhouse.com
Starting Strong: Evidence-Based Early Literacy Practices demonstrates how to use four different instructional approaches - standards, evidence, assessment and student based - to best advantage, and pairs different instructional choices and their indicators to early literacy efforts.
Chapters discuss how children build vocabulary and how a teacher's integrated approach can encourage it, offering an array of strategies that cover word recognition, comprehension, and language-building exercises and techniques.
A wealth of charts and black and white photos throughout support the evidence-based research and its applications, making for a solid reference filled with literacy strategies and approaches that early education teachers will want to consider.