September Prime Picks
Biography & Autobiography
When a child makes a life
change, that child changes the family as well. Seldom is this dynamic
so clearly captured as in the memoir, At the Broken Places: A
Mother and Trans Son Pick Up the Pieces. Perhaps this is because it's
a co-written memoir, alternating perspectives from a mother and her
child's point of view. Together, both succeed in capturing the trans
experience and, even more importantly, the responses, challenges, and
effects transitioning has on the entire family as mother and son recall
a son's transition from girl to a boy and how it nearly destroyed their
relationship. Perhaps most revealing of
all is the recovery process that not only helped heal, but brought the
two to the point that they could co-write their experiences and
perceptions in this co-authored book, very highly recommended as a
'must' for any collection including stories about
transitioning.
At the Broken Places
Mary Collins and Donald Collins
Beacon Press
9780807088357
$16.00
www.beacon.org
Evelyn Dove Evelyn Dove:
Britain's Black Cabaret Queen was released several months
ago, but deserves ongoing mention as the unique and involving story of
one of Britain's pioneering singers, who became the first black female
singer on BBC Radio and the first to work in America. Part of the compelling
aspect of this story lies in vintage, previously unpublished photos
from Dove's private collection, which here enjoy good-sized and
full-page feature. Another plus to this book is
its careful documentation of the rise and fall of her career. Any collection strong in
black performers, British entertainment history, and cabaret figures
will find Evelyn Dove: Britain's Black Cabaret Queen
a powerful, lively coverage that requires no prior familiarity with
Dove or the British cabaret world in order to prove
compelling.
Stephen Bourne
Jacaranda
9781909762350
$18.95
www.jacarandabooksartmusic.co.
George Romney: An American
Life George Romney: An
American Life provides an excellent biography not only of the
Romney era, but the rise of American Motors and its heyday, and is a
highly recommended pick for readers interested in either American
business history or America automotive developments. Chapters trace Romney's rise
from a farmhand and carpenter to show how he became a big-name CEO,
quitting college to woo a Hollywood starlet he loved while succeeding
at his goals through hard work and sheer bravado. His story mirrors the rise
of the American automotive industry and should be considered a 'must'
for business and auto history readers alike.
Patrick Foster
Waldorf Publishing
9781684198382
$24.95
www.Waldorfpublishing.com
Gorbachev: His Life and Times Gorbachev: His Life
and Times comes from a Pulitzer Prize-winning author who
provides a sweeping biography not just of Gorbachev, but of the
evolution of the Soviet Union and Russia under his rule, making for an
acquisition which should be on the reading lists of any library with an
interest in the region. No light read, Gorbachev:
His Life and Times packs in over 800 pages of detail as it
follows the Gorbachev's life, from childhood to his political impact on
the world as leader of the Soviet Union, tracing his politics,
partnerships, and the ideals and collapse of many of his
policies. By including his country's
evolution into the wider story of his personal political impact, this
becomes more than a survey of one man's life, but traces the changes
affecting the nation he led in a highly recommended title that no
history library should be without.
William Taubman
W.W. Norton
9780393647013
$39.95
www.wwnorton.com
Saluting Our Grandmas: Women
of World War II Saluting Our
Grandmas: Women of World War II documents the lives and
military service of selected women, and is a fine addition to any World
War II history collection seeking stories of women who participated in
the armed forces, from boot camps to battlefields. Chapters review the history
of women in military service, offering insights into why and how they
participated and covering a range of opportunities and unusual
circumstances and challenges each woman faced at different points in
the war. The result will interest
both military history readers and those who want more specific insights
into women's lives and military experiences.
Col. Cassie B. Barlow, USAF (ret) and Sue Hill Norrod
Pelican
9781455623198
$18.95
www.pelicanpub.com
Crafts & Needlework
Jewelry Designs
with CzechMates Beads covers the basics of stitching with
these two- and four-hole beads, showing how to work with and add them
to various projects from bracelets and necklaces to pendants. CzechMates beads can be used
to create an infinite variety of components, and while this is an
introduction and not a definitive coverage, it provides jewelry makers
with some background in jewelry and little familiarity with CzechMates
with a full range of options they can absorb and run with for future
projects, offering enough diverse examples to explore all the
possibilities. Easy, step-by-step
directions and good-size color photos assure that even novices with
little jewelry-making experience will be able to easily duplicate these
varied projects.
Jewelry Designs with CzechMates Beads
Anna Elizabeth Draeger
Kalmbach Books
97812627003186 $21.99
www.jewelryandbeadingstore.com
Stackpole Books Two excellent new needlework
titles are top recommendations for collections looking for unique
approaches. Sarah Hatton's The
Knit Generation: 15 Great Patterns by 8 Hot Designers
(9780811717854, $19.95) compiles patterns young knitters will like,
inspiring them to try their hand at knitting trendy, modern designs
that represent new takes on old designs. Thus, the socks, shawls,
gloves, and more incorporate intriguing
textures and approaches from a range of designers who use specific
Rowan yarns and add fine art embellishments to their end results, which
are directed to new generations of knitters. Tom Knisley's Handwoven
Table Linens: 27 Fabulous Projects from a Master Weaver
(9780811716178, $22.95) turns his attention away from the rug and baby
blankets he featured in his other titles to table linens, providing
projects for placemats, runners, napkins, and more. His designs have their
origins in china patterns, traditional weaving patterns, and designs
seen throughout other countries such as Scandinavia. With these
patterns, good-quality color photos, and step-by-step directions,
newcomers to the idea of creating handwoven linens receive a treasure
trove of ideas.
www.rowman.com
The
Culinary Corner DaCapo Press Laura-Jane Koers's Cook
Lively! 100 Quick and Easy Plant-Based Recipes for High Energy, Glowing
Skin, and Vibrant Living - Using 10 Ingredients or Less (9780738219677,
$24.99) toes the line between a health guide and a vegan cookbook; but
is featured here because its emphasis on fresh, healthy ingredients
common to any supermarket or kitchen and its advice on quick cooking
makes it attractive to all cooks. It comes from a popular food
blogger who shares her raw and vegan options for better living,
focusing on basic ingredients that are available year-round, which will
appeal to the entire family. Anyone who has associated
such fare with odd-sounding, unappealing dishes need only consider the
easy recipes for a Raspberry Chill Bowl, refreshing Watermelon Juice,
or cashew parmesan Spaghetti Sauce to see that this offers something
different. Pamela Salzman's Kitchen
Matters (9780738219240, $22.99) packs in wholesome recipes
that often conform to gluten- and dairy-free diets without being strict
about these dominating the recipe, creating a cookbook of healthy foods
that are high in flavor and which hold something for everyone. From a Winter Vegetable Slaw
with Ginger and Lime that pairs cilantro, ginger, and onion with sliced
cabbages and toasted almonds to Chicken Shawarma with a white yogurt
sauce, marinated in cumin, cinnamon, garlic and more, each recipe notes
at the top whether it is adaptable to gluten- or dairy-free diets, and
each is packed with flavor. Many come with color photos,
too; but one pleasing aspect of Kitchen Matters is
that many of its dishes are easy enough that photo embellishment is not
a strict requirement; while others include "Ask Pamela" notes filled
with tips and additional kitchen insights, such as using grape seed
oil.
www.dacapopress.com
The Food of the Philippines The Food of the
Philippines: 81 Easy and Delicious Recipes from the Pearl of the Orient
pairs lovely, full-page color images by Luca Invernizzi Tettoni with
classic dishes that reflect various ethnic influences on Philippine
cuisine, featuring fare that uses ingredients familiar to Americans and
which are easily located in any well-stocked supermarket. Examples include One-Pot
Rice with Chicken, Pork and Shrimp in Coconut Milk; the
Chinese-influenced dish Chicken Vermicelli, made with glass noodles;
and a Spanish-inherited Stuffed Beef Roll, made with beef flank steak
rolled around Vienna sausages, carrot, sweet pickle relish and Cheddar
cheese. The result is an accessible,
delicious cookbook of dishes reflecting the historically diverse
cultures that have influenced Philippine cuisine.
Reynaldo G. Alejandro
Periplus Editions
9780794607913
$9.95
www.periplus.com
Storey Publishing Three new cookbooks are top
picks for collections seeking exceptional recipes, bright color photos,
and formats that lend an attractive appearance to a gathering of
recipes for a wide range of cooks. Charles G. Reavis &
Evelyn Battaglia work with Mary Reilly on the 4th updated edition of Home
Sausage Making, a best-selling and authoritative survey of
step-by-step instructions on how to create fresh, smoked, and dry-cured
sausages. The inclusion of tips from
butchers and chefs, discussions of charcuterie techniques, and added
directions on how to pair beer with the right sausage contribute
further value to a book packed with color photos throughout as it
explores such variations as a Herbes de Provence Chicken Sausage, a
fresh Black Bean and Smoked Corn Sausage for vegetarians, or a Thai
Sour Sausage. Some degree of exotic
ingredients requires access to some specialty items, but there are
resources and websites included in the back of the book, making Home
Sausage Making a winner for cooks who want to do more than
dabble in sausage making. Brittany Wood Nickerson's Recipes
from The Herbalist's Kitchen: Delicious, Nourishing
Food for Lifelong Health and Well-Being (9781612126906,
$24.95) draws important connections between wholesome food and medical
benefits, and comes from a herbalist who offers original recipes
infused with lavender, dandelion, dill, oregano, and more. There are salads (such as
Thyme and Jalapeño Picked
Carrots) and vinaigrettes; Naan with Ghee, Garlic and Cilantro,
Dandelion Greens with Garlic-Mustard Vinaigrette; and many more dishes
illustrated with lush, full-color photos throughout, offering herbal
gardeners and cooks a fine array of dishes with varied flavors and
approaches. The Harvest Baker
by Ken Haedrich (9781612127675, $19.95) features well over a hundred
sweet and savory dishes that profile fresh fruits, vegetables, and
herbs, and is perfect for cooks who want to focus on a plant-based
diet. The author's three decades
of baking leads to such innovations as a Summer Squash Loaf with Olives
and Cheese, Cauliflower Parmesan Pizza, and a Cherry Tomato, Bacon and
Blue Cheese Tart. As an added bonus, many of
the dishes include step-by-step, good-sized color photos to illustrate
such processes as how to peel tomatoes the easy way, or how to better
work with dough.
www.storey.com
Health Matters
The 36-Hour Day The 36-Hour Day: A
Family Guide to Caring for People Who Have Alzheimer Disease, Other
Dementias, and Memory Loss is a powerful reference for
dementia care which pairs the latest research into both diseases and
therapies to prevent or cure dementia with surveys of strategies and
devices that make life easier for suffers and their caregivers
alike. As chapters review medical,
legal, psychological and social issues involved in dementia care and
maintain that a lot can be done to help improve the daily lives of
those with dementia, they offer hope and powerful discussions about
anxiety and restlessness, sleep disturbances, and a range of related
subjects, such as how those who are not primary caregivers can
help. The result should be in
every collection where caregiving and memory issues are of interest,
offering an invaluable and wide-ranging survey for families and health
practitioners alike.
Nancy L. Mace, MA and Peter V. Rabins, MD, MPH
Johns Hopkins University Press
9781421422237
$19.95
www.press.jhu.edu
Dietary Lipids for Healthy
Brain Function The latest research on
psychological disorders has found that nutrition plays a bigger role
than previously suspected in various ailments from bipolar disorder and
depression to schizophrenia and Alzheimer's, among other conditions. For this reason alone, the
information in Dietary Lipids for Healthy Brain Function
is recommended reading for mental and physical health students and
professionals who would better understand the latest findings on
dietary lipids and brain functioning. From lipid sources and roles
and how lipids affect the nervous system to improved brain development
and activity in young people and slowing down age-related brain
conditions through nutritional choices, Dietary Lipids for
Healthy Brain Function is packed with intervention study
results, analysis, discussions of vitamin D and fatty acids, and
more. No health collection or
professional reference library should be without this collection of the
latest studies from around the world: they hold vast implications for a
range of conditions.
Claude Leray
CRC Press
9781138035256
$129.95
www.crcpress.com
Flower Essences Flower Essences:
What They Are and How to Use Them discusses herbal infusions
made from the flowering parts of plants and how they can be
incorporated into mental and emotional wellness routines. The first 39
flower remedies were developed by a British physician in the 1930s, but
this book goes beyond the usual focus on Bach to probe new remedies
from other types of plants. From choosing between them
and bottling essences to case studies of how they helped, this updated
modern discussion covers some 60 essences and their therapeutic
applications, and is a 'must' for any interested in flower and
aromatherapy potentials.
Linda Perry
Hampton Roads
9781571747655
$14.95
www.redwheelweiser.com
The Harvard Medical School
Guide Guide to Yoga The Harvard Medical
School Guide to Yoga: 8 Weeks to Strength, Awareness, and Flexibility
offers a clear, practical guide to yoga which is recommended reading
for any with a prior interest - even those who may have little
familiarity with yoga routines or their benefits. This audience receives an
8-week course whose only requirement is time and a prior desire to
integrate a yoga routine into one's lifestyle. From the basics of yoga
safety and sequences which are adaptable to differing needs to the
science behind yoga and discussions of how yoga changes brain and body
functions, The Harvard Medical School Guide to Yoga covers
all the fundamentals and surveys how yoga can help improve a range of
conditions. Visual diagrams of yoga positions offer clear insights and
leave nothing to wonder. Also included is a survey of
how to find the right yoga teacher and how to assess yoga routines for
their overall impact, making The Harvard Medical School Guide
to Yoga a 'must read' especially recommended for newcomers
to yoga who would integrate yoga practices with an overall self-help
regimen.
Marlynn Wei, MD, JD & James E. Groves, MD
Da Capo Lifelong
9780738219363
$19.99
www.dacapopress.com
Jessica Kingsley Publishers Five new publications from
Jessica Kingley offer both health and general-interest libraries some
important keys to understanding therapies, disability issues, care
processes and choices, and health awareness, and are highly recommended
picks for any collection seeking enlightenment in all these
areas. Luke J. Tanner's Embracing
Touch in Dementia Care: A Person-Centred Approach to Touch and
Relationships (9781785921094, $29.95) discusses the idea of
meaningful touch and its role in supporting relationships and therapy
alike. This might seem an
especially volatile issue in professional circles because there are
right and wrong methods of applying touch, and so many controversies
surrounding it that many professionals eschew it completely. Massage
therapist and body psychotherapist Tanner describes safeguards, tells
how to maximize the benefits of touch, and shows how to minimize its
dangers in a powerful survey therapists will want to consider. Julia Segal's The
Trouble With Illness: How Illness and Disability Affect Relationships
(9781785923326, $19.95) is especially recommended for its powerful
insights into the isolating and distancing qualities involved in
disability or prolonged illness, and uses personal accounts to reveal
not only common responses to illness in partners and others, but how
they can be directed into more positive areas. From parents and kids'
relationships to how a loss of capacity instigates grieving in
partners, this delves into many different types of conditions affecting
different age group relationships in a powerful account that should not
be limited to therapists alone. The Clinician's
Guide to Forensic Music Therapy (9781849057103, $60.00) by
Stella Compton Dickinson and Laurien Hakvoort offers therapists a
collection of treatment manuals for group cognitive analytic music
therapy and music therapy anger management, providing specific
information on delivering and applying therapy using these two
approaches. These aren't ideals, but
clinically tested treatment manuals designed for music therapists
working in prison and secure hospital settings, and come from two
practitioners whose backgrounds in the forensic music discipline lend
to many specifics. Dr. Fiona Zandt and Dr.
Suzanne Barrett's Creative Ways to Help Children Manage Big
Feelings: A Therapist's Guide to Working with Preschool and Primary
Children (9781785920745, $29.95) was written with both new
and experienced therapists in mind, and crosses disciplines to address
the special needs of children facing frightening feelings. It provides a therapist's
toolkit of activities (nearly fifty of them) structured in such a
manner that therapists can apply different tools to particular
approaches depending on the emotion a child is experiencing. Therapists working with ages
4-12 will find it a treasure trove of tested processes. Creating Autism
Champions: Autism Awareness Training for Key Stage 1 and 2 by
Joy Beaney (9781785921698, $29.95) features black and white
illustrations by Haitham Al-Ghani
throughout, along with photocopiable materials, and encourages schools
to foster an environment supporting autism students. Both pupils and staff
receive a set of training tools that can be used with adults and kids
alike, including worksheets, presentations for staff training,
peer-awareness lessons, and more; all applicable to different age
groups and the involvement of both teachers and parents. All are important, involving
books that should be a part of any serious health or education
collection.
www.jkp.com
Audiobooks
Highbridge Audio Two excellent new releases
are highly recommended picks for audiobook listeners, each offering
solid narrative styles and involving stories. Finn Murphy's The
Long Haul: A Trucker's Tales of Life on the Road (9781681686516,
$29.99) is read by Danny Campbell, who brings to life the engrossing
story of a truck driver who's literally covered thousands of miles
hauling people's possessions across the country. Some of his stories are
funny and revolve around customer quirks and oddities while others
involve encounters on the road and challenges experienced during the
long haul. The result reads like an
adventure novel but provides precise
and often thought-provoking reviews of the long-haul trucker's
experience. David Weigel's The
Show That never Ends: the Rise and Fall of Prog Rock
(9781681686059, $34.99) comes from a national reporter for The
Washington Post and is narrated by Rudy Sanda, who contributes a solid
and engrossing voice to this story of the rise and fall of rock bands
such as Pink Floyd, Jethro Tull, and more. Reporter Weigel had access
to all the key players in the prog-rock movement, and his survey
explains how it evolved from psychedelic and heavy metal roots to
provide a different sound and approach. It's a story that comes
nicely to full life, thanks to audio embellishment.
www.highbridgeaudio.com
Novel New Novels
Two excellent debut novels
reveal the talents and strengths of new authors who each deserve
attention and commendation. Rowena MacDonald's The
Threat Level Remains Severe (9781910709133, $15.95) comes
from a short story writer who is a creative writing teacher, and who
has won several prizes for her short fiction. This story features a
protagonist who feels stuck in her life and in her job, which she's
held for a decade. When a new office worker
decides to make some challenges and changes to her job description, she
begins to make some decisions that will challenge her comfort zone and,
ultimately, the course of her life. The protagonist, Gracie, is
involving, the setting of the Houses of Parliament seem real (perhaps
because the author works there herself), and the situation is
compelling and intriguing. Lucy Treloar's Salt
Creek (978191079351, $15.95) was originally published in
Australia and is set for release in the Fall of 2017. Its protagonist
is Hester, a fifteen-year-old who lives in 1855, when her family moves
to the wilds of rural South Australia in search of fortune and new
meaning in life. From family relationships
and environmental challenges to Hester's growth, Salt Creek
is historical literary fiction at its best and is highly recommended
reading for any who like their stories vivid, unique, and
well-written.
Aardvark Bureau/Gallic Books
www.aardvarkbureau.com
Almost Sisters Almost Sisters
tells of Leia, a graphic novelist who becomes pregnant out of wedlock
after a convention fling, and who faces telling her traditional white
Southern family that she's going to raise a biracial child. But this intention is
overshadowed by her stepsister's news of a failing marriage and her
grandmother's hidden but increasingly evident dementia - and a further
family secret that makes all these experiences pale in
comparison. On one level, Almost
Sisters seems a circular focus on interconnected family
relationships and angst; but add a dash of identity crisis, underlying
secrets, and circumstances which force everyone to put all their cards
on the table and you have a Southern family story that is compelling,
engrossing, and which examines the boundaries of connectivity.
Joshilyn Jackson
William Morrow
9780062105714
$26.99
www.harpercollins.com
Harper Two fine stories are highly
recommended picks for discriminating literary readers seeking stories
that are well-written and compellingly different. Christopher Brown's Tropic
of Kansas (9780062563811, $15.99) sounds as though it belongs
in a sci-fi collection, but is presented as a novel because, despite
its futuristic setting, it's filled with compelling elements that will
reach beyond sci-fi genre readers to attract those who like stories
filled with social and political insights. The setting is the future,
where the U.S. has broken down into fighting territories with its
center a wasteland known as the Tropic of Kansas. Wrecked and
neglected, this wasteland breeds people who are fighters and fugitives,
and the story follows two of them: Sig, an orphan, and his foster
sister Tania, a government investigator whose search for Sig leads her
on an unexpected personal journey. Engrossing and revealing, Tropic
of Kansas is fast-paced and hard to put down. Linnea Hartsuyker's The
Half-Drowned King (9780062563699, $27.99) is a fine work of
historical fiction that revolves around Ragnvald Eysteinsson, a
descendant of kings who has long believed he would one day become chief
of his family's lands. When he is betrayed and left for dead while
coming home from a raiding trip to Ireland, he finds his course in life
changed as he embarks on a journey of revenge in an effort to reclaim
his honor. Romance, revenge, and
political struggle embraces the world of the early Vikings and brings
readers into a compelling story backed by historical events.
www.harpercollins.com
The Rise and Fall of D.O.D.O. It's difficult to easily peg
The Rise and Fall of D.O.D.O.: while Neal Stephenson
typically produces sci-fi reads, this story is co-authored with
historical novelist Nicole Galland, and the two together produce a
riveting thriller blending history, science, mystery, magic, and
more. Picture a time-travel story
replete with steampunk elements, add a sorceress and quantum physics,
throw in some witchcraft and journal entries, and add a dose of Norse
poetry for a gripping adventure that's not only hard to put down, but
difficult to describe. Fantasy readers, those who
love thrillers and mysteries and those who like challenging stories of
confrontation and conflict will find The Rise and Fall of
D.O.D.O. satisfyingly unpredictable and thoroughly
engrossing.
Neal Stephenson & Nicola Galland
William Morrow
9780062409164
$35.00
www.harpercollins.com
Reference Reads
How to Research Trends How to Research
Trends: Move Beyond Trendwatching to Kickstart Innovation is
written for anyone interested in business innovation, following and
understanding executive trends, and those interested in research
related to sociology and innovation, and shows how to blend analytics
with intuitive insights about the meaning of trends. From understanding and
employing executive trend research using a 3-step approach to applying
its results to various purposes and considering how these trends
predict and influence change, How to Research Trends is
a powerful, top recommendation for any reference collection strong in
business, sociology, and analytics, offering concrete keys to better
understanding.
Els Dragt
BIS Publishers
9063694333
$34.95
www.bispublishers.com
Install Your Own Solar Panels Install Your Own
Solar Panels: Designing and Installing a Photovoltaic System to Power
Your Home may, at first glance, seem to be a specialty guide
designed for a technical audience of DIY homeowners; but even though it
comes from a veteran solar installer and builder, it's designed to
inform those with relatively little expertise on or familiarity with
the subject. Step-by-step photos and
discussions of the building process and typical homeowner questions and
issues involved in selecting and installing solar panels make it easy
to absorb the basics, from choosing a solar system and assembling it to
creating off-grid systems and understanding wiring processes and power
requirements. Diagrams, sidebars of
information on goals, tools, and materials, surveys of layouts and
mounting specifics, and testing and troubleshooting systems are all
accompanied by color photos and charts that make it a snap to
understand various options and best practices. DIY homeowners with a
minimum of prior solar energy experience will find Install
Your Own Solar Panels one of the better, easier to
understand discussions on the market.
Joseph Burdick & Philip Schmidt
Storey
9781612127252
$19.95
www.storey.com
Sizzling Social Issues
In Search of the Lost Chord In Search of the
Lost Chord: 1967 and the Hippie Idea offers a subjective
history of the era from the point of view of author Danny Goldberg, who
graduated from high school that year, and who not only researched his
subject but gathered interviews with some of the major figures of the
times, from Ram Dass and Grace Slick to Allen Ginsberg and Timothy
Leary. In effect, In
Search of the Lost Chord is a recreation of the politics,
culture, ideals and colorful experiences of an era now part of American
history, providing modern readers with an intimate sense of the bigger
picture of the hippie movement in relationship to its times. While it joins many other
books that chronicle the era, it's a standout for its approach, which
documents the experiences of events, people, and the changing tides
which swept the nation and changed its direction forever, and is
recommended reading for its "you are here" approach.
Danny Goldberg
Akashic Books
9781617756153
$25.95
www.akashicbooks.com
Mestizos Come Home! Mestizos Come Home!
Making and Claiming Mexican American Identity couldn't have
arrived at a better time, as immigration issues become headline, and as
immigrants are being challenged every day. Robert Con Davis-Undiano
makes a case for the many contributions Latinos and Latinas are making
in this country, documenting the influence of mestizos in the American
Southwest and showing how Mexican Americans have embraced both their
own and American culture. Now more than ever is the
time for readers to understand the many changes mestizos have brought
to this country, the identity they hold, and the relationship of
indigenous peoples to the Americas. History blends with social
observation in a survey that identifies, recognizes and celebrates
these changes.
Robert Con Davis-Undiano
University of Oklahoma Press
9780806157191
$29.95
www.oupress.com
Out of Oakland Out of Oakland:
Black Panther Party Internationalism During the Cold War will
hold special interest to California audiences and collections because
many still recall the evolution and struggles of the Black Panther
Party, founded in Oakland in 1966 by Huey P. Newton and Bobble
Seale. The Panthers, a party that
began as a small group of individuals, quickly evolved into a symbol of
black power and revolt which focused on local issues in a vigilante
group that sought to protect black neighborhoods from police brutality
and oppressive forces by any means possible - including
violence. This history goes beyond a
focus on the group to consider the evolution of black power, the
group's influence on other regional struggles in the U.S., and its
evolution into an international force - a facet that may not be known
even today by many who well recall the local group's lasting impact in
the past. In following the party's
international expansion and influences, Malloy fills in many gaps and
provides a much broader survey of the Panther's evolution than most,
making Out of Oakland a 'must' for not only
California collections, but international studies holdings, as well.
Sean L. Malloy
Cornell University Press
9781501713422
$24.95
www.cornellpress.cornell.edu
Reviewer's Choice
Beyond Beauty Anyone seeking a basic
primer on beauty might think that this book would be filled with beauty
tips; but Beyond Beauty: A Guide to Self-Love,
Self-Confidence, and Full Feminine Power's purpose goes
beyond beauty perceptions or products to delve into how modern women
should be looking for more than physical good looks. It's a discussion of the
beauty industry and the culture surrounding perceptions of self-worth
and image that surveys the cultural and social messages about value
that is implied by a preoccupation with physical beauty. This engrossing discussion
is highly recommended for all women; but especially for young women
just coming into their own.
Alexandra Villarroel Abrego
SelectBooks Inc.
9781590793848
$16.95
www.selectbooks.com
The Camel Regiment The Camel Regiment:
A History of the Bloody 43rd Mississippi Volunteer Infantry, CSA 1862-65
isn't about a war fought with camels on American soil, but is the
history of a regiment of Confederate soldiers who consisted largely of
farmers who feared the long-term effects the Civil War would have on
their lands and livelihoods. W. Scott Bell is a
descendant of a member of this infantry who gathers primary source
materials and writings of officers and soldiers who were concerned
about their homes, livelihoods, and the impact of war upon their
futures. The 43rd was known as the
Camel Regiment because of one camel whose involvement was inspired by
the government's Camel Corps experiments, who became a mascot for the
beleaguered regiment. It's also the name of this book because this
powerful investigation of a tragic national conflict follows the
concerns and choices of one unit and bridges the too-common gap between
personal experience and political and military perspectives. While readers expecting an
in-depth coverage of camel history in the U.S. may be disappointed to
find the camel is, here, a tertiary adjunct; those who partake of the
story through an attraction to its title will be in for a surprise,
receiving a Civil War experience like no other in a highly recommended
documentation of some lesser-known aspects of the war and the lives of
its participants.
W. Scott Bell
Pelican
9781455623075
www.pelicanpub.com
Carroll Shelby: A Collection
of My Favorite Racing Photos Carroll Shelby: A
Collection of My Favorite Racing Photos represents
an unusual collaborative effort between friends who formed a publishing
partnership after working together on two prior automotive
books. Their first joint book was The
Shelby American Story; and then Carroll Shelby decided he
wanted to write the story of his life. Declining eyesight made text
difficult to read, but he still was able to enjoy photos; and so
evolved a collaborative effort that was to produce the photo-based
blend of autobiography and car history that is Carroll
Shelby: A Collection of My Favorite Racing Photos. Race car fans are in for a
special treat because this project transcended its original intention
of being either an autobiography or a car history and become a bit of
both, benefiting from other family members and friends' contributions
from their own private collections. Shelby died before the
project was completed, but this scrapbook remains a testimony to his
life and times in a powerful collection of vintage images paired with
personal insights about cars and prototypes, auto history and car
evolution, and more. No collection serious about
auto history should be without this uniquely personal portrait of one
man's involvement in and lasting impact upon the history of auto racing.
Art Evans with Carroll Shelby
CarTech
9781613253229
$34.95
www.cartchbooks.com
Quotes That Will Change Your
Life There are many, many quote
books on the market, and many websites that gather quotes by subject;
but Quotes That Will Change Your Life: A Curated Colelction
of Mind-Blowing Wisdom features something a bit different in
an approach that gathers powerful wisdom from a variety of sources,
from scientists, musicians and philosophers to politicians, writers,
and more. It comes from a
self-proclaimed 'quotation junkie' who has long gravitated towards
quotation books and cultivated a familiarity with their contents that
lends well to a competing title that collects the cream of the
quotation crop. Any who enjoy inspirational
quotes will want to consult this diverse, strong collection. Shooting Better Movies Shooting Better
Movies: the Student Filmmakers' Guide is loaded with
information and advice from pros, but is directed to aspiring student
filmmakers who have talent, but who need more nuts and bolts
information about film skills development and approaches to getting
experience on the set. With chapters covering
everything from lighting, camera movements and choices, sound gear, and
budgeting concerns to producing shot lists and storyboards, there's
little left to wonder about the mechanics and best practices of
filmmaking in Shooting Better Movies, a title
that's loaded with images, examples, and concrete discussions any new
filmmaker will appreciate.
Russ Kick, Editor
Conari
9781573246941
$15.95
www.redwheelweiser.com
Paul Dudbridge
Michael Wiese Productions
9781615932719
$26.95
www.mwp.com
The Vanishing Stepwells Of
India At first glance,
The Vanishing Stepwells of India would seem to hold
quite a narrow specialty area of interest. After all, Indian
architectural works have been widely covered in both general interest
and arts collections; so how could a singular focus on stepwells alone
gain a wide audience? Thumb through
the lush images of this book and read journalist Victoria Lautman's
history, however, and it will be quickly become evident that The
Vanishing Stepwells of India will appeal to a diverse
audience, from those already familiar with India's architectural
marvels (but who likely have had little previous information about
these stepwells) to general-interest readers with an overall affection
for India's cultural past. It's surprising
to note that despite all the attention given to India's temples and
tourist places, almost no books have previously appeared that focus on
the stepwells of the country. Journalist Lautman herself stumbled on
the subject when she chanced to glance over a wall; there to observe a
unique architectural marvel that descended into the earth rather than
soaring into the heavens. Since that
moment, she's spent many years documenting some 200 nearly lost
stepwells throughout the country, and the fruits of her research make
for an extraordinary, eye-opening historical piece recommended not just
for arts and architecture holdings, but for any interested in India's
little-known, impressive subterranean marvels and history. Very, very
highly recommended as a unique, 'most have' acquisition.
Victoria Lautman and Divay Gupta
Merrell Publishers
978-1-8589-4658-0
$60.00
www.merrellpublishers.com
Vulgar Tongues Vulgar Tongues: An
Alternative History of English Slang is an unexpectedly
lively romp through the English language's oddities and the evolution
of slang over the years, and considers how slang develops, starting
with Elizabethan London and moving up to modern times. It would have been all too
easy to have made Vulgar Tongues into a dictionary
of word origins, but the delight of Max Decharne's approach lies in his
focus on how words and phrases evolve and change over time and how
different disciplines, pursuits, and social changes affect the kinds of
slang that developed to become part of everyday American
vernacular. This process is detailed in
chapters that juxtapose the first recorded uses of terms with the
surrounding social and political environments in which they were
born. No English language scholar
should be without this enlightening, fun survey which makes history and
English delightfully involving.
Max Decharne
Pegasus Books
9781681774640
$26.95
www.pegasusbooks.com
Young Adult/Teen Reads
Flying Eye Books Jim Stoten writes and
illustrates Mr. Tweed and the Band in Need
(9781911171294, $18.95), the picture book story of a jazz band whose
members are scattered across the zoo. It's up to Mr. Tweed - and young
picture book fans who love Where's Waldo? - to help
find them. The pages which are packed
with detail about missing band members contrast nicely with less busy
pages depicting Mr. Tweed's friends and their search. Kids will appreciate a story
that keeps its central focus of a treasure hunt while maintaining a
plot that keeps everyone guessing. Joe Todd-Stanton's The
Secret of Black Rock (9781911171256, $16.95) tells of young
Erin, who is attracted to the legend of Black Rock, a dark and
threatening mass that destroys boats that come too close to
it. Determined to uncover the
truth about Black Rock, Erin sneaks aboard her mother's fishing boat
and finds herself in trouble when fog and a near disaster bring her
closer to her goal than she'd imagined. Both picture books offer
original, intriguing stories perfect for either read-aloud adventure or
those with blossoming reading skills.
www.flyingeyebooks.com
Here Comes Teacher Cat Claudia Rueda illustrates a
new adventure about the NY Times-bestselling feline who here brings his
antics into the classroom in a story recommended for both prior fans of
Cat and newcomers ages 3-5 who enjoy cat stories with simple words and
bigger pictures. Cat becomes an unwilling
substitute teacher in this adventure, charged with overseeing a
schoolroom full of kittens. He's willing to try to teach them, but
chaos ensues. Can he become an adequate teacher - and, in the end, what
is he learning about himself, in the process? Don't let the simple words
or the thickness of this book fool you: Here Comes Teacher Cat
is loaded with fun and will prove a special attraction to any young
picture book reader who loves cats.
Deborah Underwood
Penguin
9780399539053
$16.99
www.penguin.com
One for Sorrow As Annie gets to know Elsie
better, she begins to agree with them and distances herself despite
Elsie's determination to win her over; but when Elsie dies from Spanish
influenza, matters don't end there. Now Annie and her friends
are being haunted by a vengeful teenager determined to be Annie's
friend, and trouble evolves as Annie must find new ways to thwart her
haunting stalker. There are many ghost stories
on the market that assume formula writing proportions with too much
predictability - not so One for Sorrow, which
offers an approach that cultivates satisfying differences and surprises
from beginning to end, making it a standout in the young adult ghost
story genre.
Mary Downing Hahn
Clarion Books
9780544818095
$16.99
www.hmhco.com
One for Sorrow provides young adult readers with an
involving ghost story set in 1918 that at first doesn't seem to be your
typical haunting account; but the story of two girls. Annie is new in
school when Elsie claims her as her best friend ... friendless Elsie,
that is, who is despised by the others in her class for being a liar
and thief.
Simon and Schuster/Atheneum
Books Three new picture book
stories are top recommendations for readers and libraries looking for
different, innovative productions. Adam Lehrhaupt's This
Is a Good Story (9781481429351, $17.99) features drawings by
Magali Le Huche and offers insights into how a story is created,
adopting the unusual approach of taking a story apart and encouraging
readers to piece it back together. A child draws the pictures, a
narrator walks her through events, and the elements of the story wind
gracefully into a wider plot that helps kids understand the creative
writing process through a fun tale of discovery. Kelly DiPucchio's Super
Manny Stands Up! (9781481459600, $17.99) is illustrated by
Stephanie Graegin and tells of an unlikely hero who tends to freeze up
in dangerous situations. Every day after school,
Manny the raccoon saves the world in his imagination, where he is brave
and fearless. But can he translate his heroic alter-ego into his own
mild-mannered, often-fearful personality, aside from his
dreams? This engaging story offers a
different take on courage and how it is fostered in a fine tale of
self-discovery and bravery against all odds. Linda Ravin Lodding and Cale
Atkinson's Little Red Riding Sheep (9781481457484,
$17.99) tells of a little creature in a red hood - only this Riding
Hood happens to be Arnold, a sheep that doesn't quite fit the main
character. He wants to star in this
production, but he's too big to play the key role - not to mention,
he's afraid of the woods. Can he convince the author of Little Red
Riding Hood to make some minor adjustments to accommodate his biggest
dream? And why aren't sheep ever the heroes in fairy tales,
anyway? A fun and winning story
brings a new twist to the Red Riding Hood tale by introducing a sheep's
determination to be a winner despite his woolly ways. These are excellent,
different picture book picks that stand out from the crowd.
www.simonandschuster.com
Sleeping Bear Press Brad Herzog's Murphy's
Ticket: The Goofy Start and Glorious End of the Chicago Cubs Billy Goat
Curse (9781585363872, $16.99) is illustrated by David Leonard
and captures local baseball lore in the story of a 108-year losing
streak that began with a man, his goat, and a curse that he laid upon
the Cubs when his goat was refused entrance to the 1945 World
Series. Poetry, humor, and baseball
lore combine in a fun tale that will engross young sports fans who
appreciate both rhyme and a zany tale which has its foundations in the
real world. Eve Bunting's Ghost
Cat (9781585369935, $16.99) is illustrated by Kevin M. Barry
and tells of a female lighthouse keeper who has never missed a night's
work, and who has faithfully kept the light going. The townspeople
worry that she's lonely, but she has an odd friend in Sailor Boy, a
ghost cat who has helped her for years. When a terrible storm hits
and Miss Maggie is injured in the midst of it, it's up to Sailor Boy to
rescue everyone in this warm story, told from the ghost cat's
perspective. Kurt Cyrus' Invisible
Lizard (9781585363780, $16.99) presents Napoleon the
Chameleon, who is almost invisible when he wants to hide. There's only
one problem: Napoleon is also invisible when he doesn't
want to hide and wants to make friends. He does everything he can to
gain attention, but none of his tricks works. How can an invisible
lizard have any friends? Andy Atkins produces
gorgeous, unique drawings that add to the appeal of this lovely
production, highly recommended for all. Courtney Sheinmel's Zacktastic:
Twinsanity (9781585369362, $11.99) is second in the
Zacktastic series and reveals Zack's life just a few days after his
10th birthday, when he discovers he's a genie. In this second book, he's
still brand new to the idea and to attending genie school, but when his
twin sister begins exhibiting strange symptoms, he finds he may not be
alone in a second shocking event that he barely absorbs before she is
kidnapped by an evil genie. Zack's learned just a little
at school - but is it enough to save his sister? An engrossing story emerges,
especially recommended for prior fans of Zack's changed life.
www.sleepingbearpress.com
Waldorf Publishing Two excellent picture book
stories should be considered for any collection serious about
high-quality, original children's stories. Barbara Terry, Beth Ann
Stifflemire and Vladimir Kirichenko's The Spectacular World
of Waldorf: Mr. Waldorf Travels to the Empire State of New York
(9781684192601, $12.95) adds another addition to the World of Waldorf
stories that encourage kids to explore new places in the USA as they
follow a Labrador dog's journeys across the country. Here, he continues the
search for his missing spectacles as he makes new friends and learns
about American places and history. From the Big Apple to the
Adirondacks and becoming part of a Broadway show, Mr. Waldorf has fun,
and his adventures are reflected in big, brightly colored
drawings. Karin McCay's Magic
Mommy Stories: Marvin and the Giant Bubble (9781945176203,
$14.95) is illustrated by Vova Kirichenko and requires either good
reading skills from picture book followers or parental read-aloud
assistance as it tells of a 'magic mother' who has the solution for
many things, and a brother who needs to inherit some of her skills when
trouble strikes. Marvin and his sister
Melissa Ann play both together and separately, but when Marvin
discovers a giant bubble blower and produces a giant bubble that
envelops Melissa Ann on her way down the slide, perhaps even a magic
mother can't help. Melissa is floating away
when Mother calls them in to dinner. Can Marvin call upon his own
creative problem-solving skills to get his little sister back before
supper? A fun story evolves, with an
unpredictable conclusion kids will relish - and won't
anticipate.
www.waldorfpublishing.com