Library Journal April 1, 2017

SYSTEMS LANDSCAPE

l FINES & FEES l DISASTER RECOVERY l VOICES OF ISLAM

® April 1, 2017

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Volume 142 No. 6

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ISSN 0363-0277

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$8.50

LIBRARYAWARE COMMUNITY AWARD

2017

MISSISSIPPI VALLEY LIBRARY DISTRICT, IL

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Celebrating 25 Years

Open to All Libraries

Apply at

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WHO IS GOING TO MAKE THEIR MARK AS 2017 LIBRARY OF THE YEAR? Does excellence, creativity, innovation in service, and dedication to outreach deďŹ ne your library? Here is your opportunity to get the recognition you deserve.

As 2017 Library of the Year, your library would stand out as a model for others.

With this honor comes the prestige of being a national example, broad exposure for your library, and even more accolades.

To submit your nomination, visit gale.com/loy17. All types and sizes of libraries are welcome to enter. Entries are due by April 4, 2017.

By calling attention to the essential services libraries like yours can provide, we believe we can help to further the discovery of knowledge and insights by all people, for all purposes.

Gale. Connecting libraries to learning and learners to libraries.

Sponsored by Library Journal and Gale, a Cengage Company.

GALE A Cengage Company

Š 2016. Gale, a Cengage Company, is a registered trademark used herein under license.

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APRIL 1, 2017 VOLUME 142

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news +

P. 26

14

ALA Candidates Debate Presidential contenders weigh in on critical issues

16 Public

Harvard alums offer SFPL free consulting

18 Academic

Women’s March posters create archive opportunity

18 Q&A

features 26 By John N. Berry III From books to bikes to banks, the Fairmont City Library Finding and Filling Needs: LibraryAware Community Award

LJ talks with Charleston’s Nicolle Davies

20

One Cool Thing

By Ian Chant

Peers Navigating Social Services

22

Field Reports

By Jason Simon

OPeri Publishing Platform

22 Industry

Center branch of the Mississippi Valley Library District, IL, steps up to address critical service gaps.

Open Future 30 By Matt Enis In this year’s Library Systems Landscape, FOLIO argues for positive

Chicago Collections has new director and hosts DPLA

commentary

disruption of the library systems status quo, as vendors and open source solutions advance.

8 Editorial

Doing Fine(s)?

40 By Jennifer A. Dixon As libraries reassess fines and fees, an LJ survey gathers

By Rebecca T. Miller

Leading on Literacy

10

Blatant Berry

Disaster Recovery: Product Spotlight 45 By Denice Rovira Hazlett The most effective method to stabilize water-damaged

benchmarking data. Alabama library director Steven A. Gillis on going fine-free.

archival and library materials is by freezing at low temperatures as quickly as possible.

These firms can get the job done.

Collection Development 47 By Sandra Collins The Voices of Islam. Libraries have a unique opportunity to inform users of the rich and varied experiences of the Islamic world.

These 35 sources should be available in most libraries.

cover photo: Mississippi Valley Library District (MVLD): (l.–r.) Kyla Waltermire, Collinsville Memorial Public Library manager; Rob Schwartz, senior VP, TheBANK of Edwardsville; Vicky Hart, MVLD executive director; Sandy Smith, assistant VP, TheBANK of Edwardsville; Katie Heaton, manager, Fairmont City Library Center; and Marie Johnson-Walker, MVLD trustee. Photo ©2017 Sid Hastings

By John N. Berry III

Information for Immigrants

departments 6

Index to Advertisers

12 Feedback 16

News Briefs

24 People

photo this page: ©2017 Sid Hastings

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BREAK THE CYCLE Do you ever feel like you are stuck in a cycle of buying to weed? Break the cycle and select the titles your patrons will love with collectionHQ and ESP. Our unique solution removes the guesswork from collection development by applying a proven evidence-based methodology, pre-publication reviews and other metadata to support selection and distribution of current and forthcoming titles.

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APRIL 1, 2017 VOLUME 142

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reviews media 50

53

Audio Reviews Collins’s murder probes get painted The Color of Justice

Video Reviews A jewel heist goes awry in Huston’s restored The Asphalt Jungle 57/Trailers

58

Music Matters

By Robin Bradford

Making Libraries Sing

books 59

Prepub Alert Coben says Don’t Let Go, while Ellison urges, Lie to Me; a new novel from Rushdie; and lots of memoirs

84

63 Mystery

Award winners abound: from newcomers Hogsett, Mukherjee, and Peden to the seasoned Bouman and Horowitz; 18 titles

66

Graphic Novels Fior’s Interview examines

the heart and stirs the

imagination; 14 titles

71

Spirituality & Religion

In the Days of Awe and Wonder, life is full,

expansive, and affirming;

12 titles

Anything Is Possible when a community comes together in the face of challenges 76/Debuts 77/Xpress Reviews

THE LATEST ONLINE

Social Sciences Millions of voices are heard though new survivor testimonies from The Holocaust 101/Professional Media

102 Science & Technology

Wolf Nation artfully reconsiders the predator as public enemy

78

Julia A. Reidhead | Norton

Q&A

69 Peter Bagge 105 Thomas McNamee

P. 78

Roundup

81 Spring Fiction in

Translation: Top Stories from Around the World

87 Diamond Legacies: New Baseball Titles

99

JFK in Memory

reference

111 The Reader’s Shelf

107 Journey back in time

Waxing Poetic

112 SF/Fantasy Best Sellers

Eye on publishing

Sanguinity rules: Crimson Death; The Blood Mirror; The Queen of Blood

to The World of the American West, a solid choice for readers of all ages 108/Verma’s eReview 110/Short Takes

www.libraryjournal.com

current & recurrent events

REIDHEAD PHOTO ©BEOWULF SHEEHAN

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74 Fiction

Arts & Humanities From Beethoven’s Symphonies and Mozart’s Starling to A Perfectly

Good Guitar

92/Crafts & DIY

“Many of the books in this edition of ‘Classic Returns’ are all too timely, dealing with Russian spycraft, religious and political intolerance, incarceration, black power movements, and perceptions of deaf people.

It’s not all super-serious though; nonagenarian Diana Athill’s travelog larks through 1940s Italy; Stacey Bishop ‘kills’ his critics; fairytale scholar Maria Tatar presents international riffs on Beauty and the Beast; and Hollywood photographer Douglas Kirkland looks back on a dazzling star-filled career.”— from Liz French’s “Classic Returns” (ow.ly/33q1309YLiZ)

First Look at new books: Xpress REviews “Verdict: While this book is billed as inspirational, the influence of faith is a relatively small part of this historical romance. This story from Voigt (The Unrelenting Tide) moves at the slightly plodding pace of the heroine’s oxen but still manages to keep the reader glued to every twist and turn. For readers who like their romances squeaky-clean and those interested in the historical Western setting.”— from Marlene Harris’s review of Janalyn Voigt’s Hills of Nevermore (ow.ly/lGz9309YMnV)

FREE EMAIL NEWSLETTERS Keep in touch with the latest news, opinions, reviews, and collection development resources from Library Journal, via our free email newsletters: LJXpress, Prepub Alert, LJ Reviews, Academic Newswire, and Audio in Advance. Subscribe today at libraryjournal.com/newsletters

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How To Reach Us Editorial Correspondence Library Journal 123 William Street, Suite 802 New York, NY 10038

Telephone 646-380-0700 Fax 646-380-0756 Email lj@mediasourceinc.com Website www.libraryjournal.com

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LIBRARYJOURNAL EDITOR-IN-CHIEF/ ljs editorial director MANAGING EDITOR EXECUTIVE EDITOR EDITOR, prepub alert

LJ Editors

John N. Berry III 646-380-0760 jberry@mediasourceinc.com Mahnaz Dar (646) 380-0789 mdar@mediasourceinc.com Kate DiGirolomo 646-380-0774 kdigorolomo@mediasourceinc.com Matt Enis 646-380-0771 menis@mediasourceinc.com Bette-Lee Fox 646-380-0717 blfox@mediasourceinc.com Elizabeth French 646-380-0732 efrench@mediasourceinc.com Barbara Genco 646-380-0761 bgenco@mediasourceinc.com Barbara Hoffert 646-380-0726 bhoffert@mediasourceinc.com Stephanie Klose 646-380-0729 sklose@mediasourceinc.com Amanda Mastrull 646-380-0720 amastrull@mediasourceinc.com Kiera Parrott 646-380-0728 kparrott@mediasourceinc.com Lisa Peet 646-380-0722 lpeet@mediasourceinc.com Annalisa Pesek 646-380-0769 apesek@mediasourceinc.com Meredith Schwartz 646-380-0745 mschwartz@mediasourceinc.com Stephanie Sendaula 646-380-0723 ssendaula@mediasourceinc.com Wilda W. Williams 646-380-0755 wwilliams@mediasourceinc.com

Articles/Columns/News Review author guidelines at www.libraryjournal.com before submitting articles. For questions, contact: Features/Columns: Meredith Schwartz News: Lisa Peet Technology, digital content, ebook news: Matt Enis Library Construction Announcements: Bette-Lee Fox

About Reviewing LJ volunteer reviewers are current or former librarians and academics. If you are interested in reviewing for us, fill out the online form at www.libraryjournal.com or contact the appropriate editor listed below.

To Review/Submit Review Items Audiobooks: Stephanie Klose DVDs & Romance: Bette-Lee Fox Popular Fiction: Wilda W. Williams Graphic Novels & Self-Help: Annalisa Pesek Literary Fiction: Barbara Hoffert Arts, Memoirs, & Health and Medicine: Elizabeth French Biography, History, & Cookbooks: Stephanie Sendaula Business, Law and Crime, & Political Science: Amanda Mastrull Reference & Science: Mahnaz Dar

For a complete list of subjects, visit ow.ly/Yeic/T

Letters to the Editor 250 words or less. Send to ljfeedback@mediasourceinc.com.

Sales & Business Development Roy Futterman, 646-380-0718

EDITOR-AT-LARGE

©

Rebecca T. Miller Bette-Lee Fox Meredith Schwartz Barbara Hoffert John N. Berry III

NEWS, TECHNOLOGY, & FEATURES senior editor, Matthew Enis technology

ASSOCIATE editor

Lisa Peet

REVIEWs LJS Reviews directoR Kiera Parrott MEDIA editor Stephanie Klose FICTION EDITOR Wilda W. Williams senior editor Elizabeth French ASSOCIATE editor Stephanie Sendaula assistant EDITOR Amanda Mastrull COLLECTION MANAGEMENT Barbara Genco EDITOR

ASSISTANT MANAGING editor ASSISTANT MANAGING editor SELF-e Community Coordinator

Annalisa Pesek Mahnaz Dar Kate DiGirolomo

ART & PRODUCTION Kevin Henegan ART DIRECTOR Irving Cumberbatch

Design DIRECTOR

PRODUCTION MANAGER

general manager/ GROUP PUBLISHER DIRECTOR OF FINANCE

Nina Quintana

David Greenough Rosalie Schweitzer

Sales & Business Development Sales Director Roy Futterman Account Executive Cathy Hoey Account Executive Howard Katz Sales Associate Vilma Sierra AD OPERATIONS SPECIALIST Jennifer Ruzicka Integrated Marketing Roger Jarman

Director, Inbound/ Content Marketing

INDEX TO ADVERTISERS Alexander Street Press . . . . . . . . . 109 Baen Books . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C-3 Baker & Taylor Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . 2,4 ByWater Solutions . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 Comprise Technologies . . . . . . . . . 23 Credo Reference . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 EBSCO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C-4

Junior Library Guild . . . . . . . . . . . 39

Senior Web Developer/ Interactive Lead Manager, Research/ Customer Insight Manager, Integrated Marketing EMAIL MARKETING Specialist Marketing Designer

Library Ideas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Llewellyn Publications . . . . . . . . . . 73 McFarland & Co. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91

Director, Events & Professional Development Events Manager

Randy Heller Laura Girmscheid Bill Grover Greg Roberts Katie Goellner Krista Rafanello Inna Stolyarova

MEDIA SOURCE, INC. Steve Zales cfo Dave Myers vice president, marketing Andrew Thorne operations director Gerald Nemeth human resources Tara Marallo president and CEO

NoveList . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 Mergent Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

Gale Cengage Learning . . . . . . C-2, 1

PBS Educational Media . . . . . . . . . 55

Grey House Publishing . . . . . . 15, 19

TLC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

This index is provided as a service.

The Publisher does not assume any liability for errors or omissions.

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EDITORIAL It’s a promise worth keeping

Leading on Literacy I’ve been thinking a lot

about literacy and what it means today. The word literacy is undergoing a transformation, with multiple literacies emergent, including those relating to information, civic engagement, multiculturalism, finance, and health—and, of course, reading readiness at the core. Let’s not forget news literacy, as the fake news crisis has made apparent. Libraries are doing so much exciting work to address illiteracies in their communities, and that work is more important than ever.

One thing was clearly demonstrated at the recent Public Library Think Tank, an event held by LJ and sister publication School Library Journal in partnership with Florida’s Miami-Dade Public Library System (MDPLS): librarians are awesome at dealing with literacy gaps.

Still, they might require skill-building themselves. We need more “literacy literacy,” said Gina Millsap, CEO of the Topeka–Shawnee County Public Library, KS (LJ’s 2016 Library of the Year). “We need to be more literate on literacies as librarians.” As libraries move ahead on literacy work, she urged leaders to “ask good questions: Do we know enough about our community? Do we have expertise and partnerships? Do we know the most effective strategies? Do our staff know the best way to build programs that will work?”

Such self-reflection is essential, as is the recognition that while literacy work might seem like library 101, the impact through measurable outcomes is not thoroughly documented. Also, I’d argue, because addressing literacy is considered a given inside most libraries, it may not be approached as something to be focused on in new ways.

Literacy efforts need inventive minds at work (with a nod to San José’s Jill Bourne, LJ 2017 Librarian of the Year, who said that fatigue over the word innovation and its incremental nature spurred her to concentrate instead on developing completely new things, as indicated by the word invention).

While caring about and fostering literacy are central to libraries, they are not always overt about it. Putting literacy goals front and center in strategic planning is one way to spur creative responses to the ongoing rifts. It ensures that the library is prioritizing literacy rather than taking it for granted and is ultimately more likely to get credit when the impact of the work is known.

In Miami, literacy initiatives span all ages, but they are also tuned to the specific needs of the region’s large immigrant 8 | LIBRARY JOURNAL | APRIL 1, 2017

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population. Newcomers may need introduction to the very concept of a free public library, noted Kimberly Matthews, assistant director at MDPLS. The library strives to guarantee it is a welcoming place and has incorporated inclusive policies, continuous assessment of local needs, physical and virtual accessibility, diverse collections, and staff training. “Not being literate does not equate with not being intelligent,” Matthews said, noting that training reinforces that message. Illiteracy is a disadvantage, she said. It is “just like dealing with someone with an information disadvantage.”

To face that inequity, we must build organizations that can deliver. When Jason Kucsma took the job of deputy director at the Toledo Lucas County Public Library, he discovered a lack of what he referred to as “a culture of intentionality.” There was deep knowledge but also habit.

Strategic planning allowed the library “to address that inertia head-on,” he said. Kucsma (a 2017 LJ Mover & Shaker) and his staff went out to their constituents to ask: “What does success look like in [the city and county] and how does the library contribute to that success?”

The resulting strategic plan, a beautifully designed document (ow.ly/z1uw30a0fPc), shares what they found.

The number one focus area over the next five years will be supporting fundamental literacies, encompassing a diverse array from reading to visual, digital, health, employment, media, and civic. That puts a stake in the ground. It provides vision for the library, sets clear expectations for the staff, and makes a promise to the community—a promise worth keeping.

Our institutions, said Los Angeles City Librarian John Szabo, are uniquely positioned for success in this area.

In any of today’s critical multiple literacies, he said, you could “replace the word literacy with equity” and it would still be on mission for the library. “It’s a core value in our profession, and we should go out and own it.”

Rebecca T. Miller, Editor-in-Chief rmiller@mediasourceinc.com

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BLATANTBERRY Still essential after all these decades

Information for Immigrants Fears and hopes about

immigrants and immigration have always been part of American society and politics. They have been manifest in many ways, some receptive and welcoming, others alarming and rejecting.

On the positive side, the arrival of waves of immigrants often triggered measures to speed their assimilation into our culture and into the workings of our economy, education system, and democracy. These efforts continue today in U.S. cities as new refugees and immigrants arrive from dozens of oftentimes troubled parts of the world.

While a host of obstacles, prejudices, and hostile forces are arrayed against immigrants, the public library is still one of the vital agencies making entry into our nation easier and more effective.

That enlightened measure was proposed in 1852, back when the Irish were escaping from famine and our nation was moving toward civil war. Facing upheaval and wrenching change, leaders proposed building the Boston Public Library as a way to educate and incorporate new and existing Americans into democratic self-government.

The proposal coupled information and education with the dislocations and needs prompted by immigration. That case resonates even more urgently in our country today.

“Under political, social and religious institutions like ours, it is of paramount importance that the means of general information should be so diffused that the largest possible number of persons should be induced to read and understand questions going down to the very foundations of social order, which are constantly presenting themselves, and which we, as a people, are constantly required to decide, and do decide, either ignorantly or wisely,” the trustees told the city. We need a public library to make certain those decisions are made wisely, with all the information and erudition we can offer, they asserted.

It is obvious that such measures are urgently needed at present, as we face new populations of refugees, renewed racism, and new threats to informed democratic selfgovernment. Anyone who watches TV news, reads any good newspaper, or follows the issues on social media will hear both promise and anxiety about immigration and information.

Today, fortunately, we have a mature and developed system of public libraries in place. They are staffed by dedicated professionals adding innovative programs to 10 | LIBRARY JOURNAL | APRIL 1, 2017

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inform, educate, and welcome immigrants who need schools, jobs, and access to good services to handle life in this demanding free society.

The creative response of libraries and librarians to these needs can be seen all over America. My current favorite example is this year’s LibraryAware Community Award winner, the Fairmont City Library Center of the Mississippi Valley Library District in Illinois (see p. 26). The only thing missing is a strong advocacy effort to tie our libraries to the information and education needs of the millions of new Americans. Information—and the empathy that comes from hearing one another’s life stories—can be an antidote to the bigotry, trepidation, and nationalist arrogance that dominate current political discussion.

There is little doubt that the people of our nation love their libraries. Most of us still need them in as many ways as do new immigrants. It is also true that we get most of our information elsewhere, usually from one of the thousands of sources created to disseminate it for profit and often for ideological, political, religious, and commercial advantage. The library offers a more trustworthy source.

While some of those corrupting influences creep into the library’s sources, librarians are there to correct them and to teach Americans new and old how to evaluate the information to ensure its validity.

So here we are, full circle from the Boston of 1852 that envisioned the public library as a way to welcome new citizens. Democratic self-government is still working, though forces are attacking it once again.

The message, then, is: hang in there, librarians! The battles continue, and ours are still among the crucial agencies working for the powers that must win out to secure a truly diverse and strong America.

John N. Berry III, Editor-at-Large jberry@mediasourceinc.com WWW.LIBRARYJOURNAL.COM REVIEWS, NEWS, AND MORE

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FEEDBACK “Giving people who have opposing views the right to exchange their opinions ‘without risk of retribution’ is part of what has made this nation great” A safe, open forum

I appreciated Rebecca T. Miller’s words about “defending a culture that celebrates and benefits from the robust discourse possible only when information and ideas can be shared openly” (“A Unified Voice,” Editorial, LJ 2/15/17, p. 8).Yes, I agree that the past several years have limited, on several issues, diverse viewpoints, even silencing many. Take for example the issue of same-sex marriage. A greater majority of states had voted against it, leaving one to deduce that millions of Americans did not support it. Yet these very Americans—representing both genders, many races, and a wide diversity of religious beliefs—have not been granted a voice for their views.

Any attempt to express them has been met with name-calling and c­ ensorship.

When I entered the library world, I was taught that librarians are about information, not about taking sides.

Libraries are a wonderful place where thinkers and writers from both sides [of a question] can be given opportunity for “robust discourse” without shaming and labeling. As Miller says, “our work to protect freedom of inquiry and expression is never done,” and giving people who have opposing views the right to exchange their opinions “without risk of retribution” is part of what has made this nation great.

LJ welcomes letters and will publish as many as possible. Those that exceed 250 words may be excerpted by the editors. “Name withheld” refers to letters written anonymously, or in the event we could not reach the writer for authorization to publish his/her name.

EMAIL ljfeedback@mediasourceinc.com WRITE TO Feedback, LJ, 123 William Street, Suite 802, New York, NY 10038; FAX 646-380-0756/0757

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As the magazine generally presents one perspective, I look forward to seeing other viewpoints on a variety of issues expressed and libraries across the country offering a safe, open forum for free exchange of ideas. Thank you for being so broad-minded.

—Name withheld

Library drones

I just finished reading “10 Ways Drones Are Changing Your World” in Consumer Reports (Jan. 2017). It is only recently that I have shifted my view of drones as irritating toys or cartoon-ish Jetsons futurist dreams to universal practical tools.

Seeing on news reports, in agriculture, and photography what they can do has opened my eyes. Drones will be used everywhere within ten years, and people won’t look and point when they see one on the job, taking care of business....

One particular line in the article caught my eye: “Walmart is examining ways to deploy drones inside its warehouses to photograph and catalog inventory.” This got me thinking about how libraries will take advantage of drones in the future. Could large institutions use them to inventory/shelfread their collections after hours when users wouldn’t be ­bothered? Will there be drones so quiet and unobtrusive that they could provide security inside of a large university library? Drones will definitely be used by campus security to help patrol the many isolated locations on campus to protect the university community.

Another quote from the article, “Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos said about 86 percent of the orders the online retailer ships weigh less than five pounds. That’s lightweight enough to be delivered by drone. Amazon is now testing autonomous aircraft that can drop a book or

pair of shoes at your home within 30 minutes of receiving the order.” Wow! What if public libraries could deliver books, CDs, DVDs, etc., to shut-in users in such a manner? Or move items from branch to branch quickly and efficiently? I urge librarians to read this article and begin to dream of the ways that drones will change libraries.

—Jeff Siddons, Libn., St. Petersburg P.L., FL

Thanks for LJ help

It isn’t often that a supplement to a periodical moves me to write a thankyou note, but I found as I was reading the Reference Supplement 2017 that you had saved me so much time that I could take a moment to send a thankyou. What a great job! The supplement...included titles from all subject areas and all price ranges, meaning my medium-sized library could keep its collection up-to-date within budget. Just another reminder of...how essential [LJ] is to my work.

—Michele Raine, Asst. Dir., Wood Cty. Dist. P.L., Bowling Green, OH

No help wanted

Thanks, Steven Bell (“Librarians Are Not Worth Waiting For,” From the Bell Tower, ow.ly/Gj4N309W9KA)....

I don’t understand why many students (and some faculty) don’t value reference assistance. Most librarians want students to excel and succeed in their studies!

—Jane Reiter, Research & Instruction Libn., Davenport Univ., Lansing, MI

CORRECTION Benjamin Ludwig’s The

Original Ginny Moon (LJ 3/15/17, p. 110) was published by Harlequin’s new literary imprint Park Row and is not one of the publisher’s Mira titles. LJ regrets the error.

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Public | Briefs | Academic | Q&A | One Cool Thing | Field Reports Industry | People

Meet the Candidates: ALA President 2018–19 ALA presidential contenders weigh in on critical issues

Voting for the American Library Association (ALA) 2018–19 presidential campaign opened March 13, and ALA members can cast their ballots through April 5.

This year’s candidates are Loida García-Febo, an international library consultant; former public librarian; president of Information New Wave in Brooklyn, a nonprofit organization working to bring information access to underserved populations; and a 2007 LJ Mover & Shaker; Terri Grief, a school librarian at McCracken County High School, Paducah, KY; and petition candidate Scott Walter, university librarian, DePaul University, Chicago. LJ has invited the candidates to weigh in on some key issues; for a more detailed discussion, see the full Q&A at ow.ly/1XK3309WEl9.

Now that ALA has adopted Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) as a strategic direction, what can it do to move the needle on recruiting more people of color, addressing microaggressions, improving retention, and improving the percentage of people of color in leadership and management roles?

Loida García-Febo (LGF): As a librarian and as a Latina, I am deeply concerned about this situation.

Our profession ought to mirror the populations we serve and our diverse communities. Recruitment and retention are among my biggest concerns. We have to consistently reach out to high schools and undergraduate programs to promote librarianship. I absolutely support the recommendations from the EDI toward encouraging all offices, divisions, and roundtables of ALA to review their goals, strategies, and outcomes for diversity and inclusion periodically.

Terri Grief (TG): This strategic direction is now the responsibility of all ALA and all divisions and units. I have an idea for recruiting that will ask

members to devote time to do local recruiting. A task force will develop an easily adaptable campaign that can be taken to college fairs and teacher preparation programs. I want to join forces with the Ethnic Caucuses, associations such as the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities, the Historically Black Colleges, and the ethnic student associations at colleges and universities and reach out to the members to recruit.

Scott Walter (SW): ALA can help members to build partnerships with campus programs focused on recruiting students of color and can highlight examples of innovative practice. ALA can provide programs at the national level, as well as partner with chapters, to promote greater awareness of microaggressions in the workplace and can model preferred practice by calling out any such micro­aggressions that may come about during the course of its programming. ALA can work to remove obstacles to active engagement with the association for members of color, including the need to commit to extensive travel to multiple conferences each year in order to be considered for leadership oppor-

tunities. Finally, ALA can expand its work in studying the demographics of the profession.

Should ALA reform its governance practices to make for more nimble responses to public events?

TG: This association is [made] thoughtful in its decisions by the exact thing that makes it less nimble. I would choose to keep the thoughtfulness over nimbleness because we are a complex association that needs to have to the time to debate, question, investigate, and then decide. We hear all sides of the issues before we make a decision.

Unfortunately, this only happens twice a year, and I feel we could use online techniques more efficiently. Discussions could happen online, but I still want face-to-face voting to make ­decisions.

SW: Yes, ALA should reform its governance practices, and, yes, it must be more nimble in response to public events. ALA must make a commitment to routine, timely, and transparent communication and decisionmaking, and ALA leadership must find ways to do this outside traditional mechanisms such as the “Council list.”

Our view of “ALA leadership” must also involve not only the president and president-elect, but other elected members of the Executive Committee and the elected leadership of other ALA units, e.g., divisions [and] chapters.

LGF: As a current member of the ALA Executive Board, I have been glad to contribute to efforts to increase the responsiveness of our association. Recently the protocols for communication and coordination were updated to reflect the need of rapid and timely responses, and the staff will be trained on social media communications and crisis response.

Additional opportunities for members to share needs, feedback, and comment should be provided throughout various platforms.

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Are libraries neutral? Should they be?

Is ALA neutral? Should it be?

SW: Libraries are not neutral, and they never have been. We have responsibilities in the current environment that might be interpreted as “partisan” but which I would argue simply reflect the fact that we must now fight for our values and be willing to stand behind our statements of belief in ways that were not necessary before. ALA cannot advocate for parties or candidates, but we must lobby for policies, advocate for principles, and stand up and fight for the things we believe in.

LGF: Our core values are not neutral. We have the responsibility to provide access to all in the communities we serve as academic, public, school, and special librarians and to contribute to democratic societies, intellectual freedom, diversity, and social responsibility. Therefore, our core values guide librarians to support immigrants, refugees, LGBT, persons with disabilities, freedom of expression, access to information on the Internet, databases, and ebooks and to defend fair use.

TG: We are not neutral when it comes to our core values. We all believe in equity of access, privacy, democracy, diversity, lifelong learning, intellectual freedom, preservation, public good, professionalism, service, and social responsibility. Does that mean that we think alike on every issue? Or that we vote the same way? Of course not. The hardest part of being dedicated to democracy is that we believe in freedom of speech, even when we hate what is being said.

for college readiness in the public library is certainly a wonderful way to help students, but they can’t reach the majority of the students in their areas.

School libraries and librarians are vital to preparing students for college and career readiness. There is really no substitute.

SW: School libraries, public libraries, and academic libraries are all part of an interdependent learning ecosystem for K–12 students; each has

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With school librarianship in peril in so many places, what is the role of the public library in preparing kids for college readiness?

LGF: I worked at the Queens Library for many years and learned that public libraries are essential for lifelong learning. Public libraries provide programs, collections, and services to enrich the lives of all the community members including tutoring, mentoring, and English as a Second Language classes.

TG: Many areas where there are no school libraries are often the same areas where there are no public library services or reduced services.

After-school hours and weekends are the first cut when a public library needs to reduce costs. Programming

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Public

HBS Alumni Offer SFPL Free Consulting While many public libraries could benefit from business counsel from a team of experts, professional consulting services are not always in the budget, even for larger systems.Yet recently, the San Francisco Public Library (SFPL) had the opportunity to receive pro bono consultation from a team of Harvard Business School (HBS) alumni.

For several months beginning in November 2016, SFPL representatives met with a team of professionals from HBS Community Partners, a volunteer group of alumni, to help the 27-branch system define its needs and plan for a digitally inclusive future. Working with the Future of the Libraries Forum, the team assembled by SFPL city librarian Luis Herrera (LJ’s 2012 Librarian of the Year), HBS Community Partners assembled a benchmark survey of peer urban libraries and brought in private industry models that the library could study to identify best practices for serving the needs of its rapidly changing community.

Members of the HBS Association of Northern California established the Community Partners in 1986. Similar HBS programs exist nationwide, but the Bay Area group is the longest running; more than 800 alumni have provided pro bono consulting for some

briefs The Cornell University Library, Ithaca, NY, will be acquiring the recently closed American Textile History Museum Osborne Library’s collection documenting the U.S. textile industry.

The family of the late ­Antonin Scalia, Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States, has announced that it will donate his papers to the Harvard Law School Library, Cambridge, MA.

DEFINING THE MISSION

From November to January, groups of varying sizes from SFPL met with the Community Partners team, which applied a nonprofit consulting model to its work with the library. This incorporated several components, including a survey sent to ten heads of other major urban library systems, interviews with members of the library’s management team and the Future of Libraries Forum, and diagnostics to help SFPL define how it would think about change.

The first meeting was held on November 9, the day after the presidential election. When Community Partners asked the SFPL team what it was that brought them to the library in the first place, people spoke of wanting to help the library stand up for democracy, supporting information literacy, and serving social justice and equity issues.

At the second meeting, the two teams mapped out important themes of the library’s mission—technology, literacy, serving children and youth— employing a Theory of Change framework to define broader outcomes and then work backward to look at ways that SFPL could achieve those outcomes.

The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) has issued a three-year, $642,000 National Leadership Grant to help fund Mukurtu CMS, a free, open source platform to help tribal communities share their digital cultural heritage. The grant will pay for updates and expansion to regional hubs in Alaska, Connecticut, Hawaii, Oregon, and Wisconsin, to provide support and training to tribal archives, libraries, and museums in those areas.

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400 nonprofits. Selected organizations meet with volunteer teams of consultants over several months to address strategic planning, organizational development, or finance and marketing issues. Ultimately, the nonprofits come away with actionable plans scaled for their organizations and missions.

One of the key concepts they arrived at was that in order to thrive, residents from all walks of life needed to be able to come together, in person, in various ways—and the library could provide those opportunities.

A critical step toward defining how the library could reach this goal— “How do we get every citizen in San Francisco involved with the library in some way?”—would mean changing the metrics it used to help measure progress and go beyond library card numbers and program attendance.

One major set of metrics involves the library’s patrons: defining what audience it serves now, what is the audience it wants to reach, and what is the priority audience over the next five years.

Perhaps not surprisingly, said SFPL chief of communications, programs, and partnerships Michelle Jeffers, the 43 library stakeholders who responded to a survey sent out in the fall returned 43 different answers. Community Partners worked with SFPL to break down identified audiences into groups by areas of overlap—families with young children who would be targets for early literacy, for instance, or new immigrants, or individuals who don’t use the library.

Before the January session, Community Partners analyzed its survey of peer libraries that SFPL had identified as doing innovative work. This gave Herrera and his team the opportunity to look at major themes that each of those libraries was working toward. Clarifying SFPL’s longer-term outcomes will help the library decide what internal patterns and behaviors it needs to change—and what it needs to give up.

The Mountain View Public Library, CA, has received a $98,000 grant from Google to pay for bookmobile services.

Pepperdine University Libraries, Malibu, CA, received a $300,000 grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities Division of Preservation and Access for its project “Pepperdine University Libraries: Developing a Sustainable Preservation Environment for Humanities Collections.”

The University of New Mex-

ico, New Mexico State University, and New Mexico State Library signed a Memorandum of Understanding to create a shared Regional Depository Library for New Mexico federal government information.

The University of Texas (UT) Libraries announced the launch of the Texas Data Repository (TDR), a new option for publishing and archiving data sets and other digital data products at UT Austin.

TDR complements the digital repository Texas ScholarWorks.

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Herrera felt SFPL came away from the engagement with new tools to move the organization forward, as well as a new vocabulary to ask the right questions. “One of the tough conversations that has to happen in organizations is, how do we…focus on who we’re going to pay closer attention to?” he noted. “That internally takes energy and a lot of commitment to be serious about that dialog.”

To that end, Herrera intends to scale up SFPL’s user experience initiatives, both within existing branches and looking toward the upcoming renovations. He plans to create a data analytics unit, hiring staff to put better assessment systems in place. He will also be renewing an emphasis on continuous learning within the library.

In turn, Community Partners team members get to learn something about the organizations they help, and the engagement with SFPL was no exception. While analyzing the survey of peer libraries, Community Partners project lead Melissa Lau said, her partners told Herrera, “Your peers, your fellow directors, especially women, are amazing. They really rock…. It’s kind of the best-kept secret, the talent pool out there.”—Lisa Peet Academic

Preserving Protest Posters

PHOTO BY Julia Kedge

In the wake of the record-breaking attendance at the January 21 Women’s March on Washington and sister marches in over 60 cities on all seven continents, social media reported that protesters were abandoning their signs after the events. Not all of those were destined for the recycling bin, however: archivists in several cities came out to collect and preserve them. The signs, many homemade and bearing witty slo-

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Q+A

Nicolle Davies, Charleston County Public Library, SC

At the time Nicolle Davies was recognized as LJ’s 2016 Librarian of the Year, she had served as executive director of the Arapahoe Library District (ALD), Centennial, CO, since 2012. While at ALD, she worked with staff to rebrand the library and turn it into a go-to destination for cutting-edge technology, oversaw the construction of a new branch, and in 2015 helped pass a mill levy tax increase that will bring the library an additional $6 million per year. In July 2016, Davies left ALD to become executive director of the ­Charleston County Public Library (CCPL), SC.

This is a big change—ALD and CCPL are so different in terms of infrastructure.

I left a nearly $31 million annual operating budget and eight brick-and-mortar facilities and came somewhere that has just under $16 million in terms of an annual operating budget and 16 locations. What was appealing to me about this opportunity is that in 2014, [74 percent] of the voters of Charleston County approved a $108 million bond referendum...which is amazing. For libraries to have that kind of support is phenomenal.

What challenges and surprises are you encountering in the design process?

How are you planning for the system’s sustainability?

One of the biggest challenges I have faced is convincing architects and general contractors that we must build these libraries with access flooring, raised floors. Public libraries are going to change. We’re going to need to be able to move outlets and furniture and stacks. So the best way to facilitate that is with access flooring. It’s a bit more expensive, and it takes a little more creativity for development. But it can absolutely be done. We found successful examples—not in libraries but in

gans, were a highlight of the marches.

Among the crowds were archivists collecting oral histories. These volunteers were organized by the Women’s March on Washington Archives Project, a group that grew out of the Society of American Archivists’ (SAA) Women Archivists Section. The cofounders of the project, Danielle Russell and Katrina Vandeven, wanted to create an online digital archive of Women’s March materials similar to Documenting Ferguson but faced a larger and more dispersed body of information and contributors. They see the project as a clearinghouse that connects protesters seeking to donate their physical

other corporations—that we could point to locally.

What else is in motion at CCPL? Not only are we building new buildings and [have] the money set aside for the renovations, the entire system is moving to RFID [radio frequency identification] and automated material handling [AMH]. That migration in and of itself can be a year- to two-year-long process.

We’re doing that on top of these building projects. We have a very traditional model at CCPL, where there’s a reference desk and a circulation desk. So as we’re thinking about the adoption of RFID and self-check and AMH, it’s allowing us to start thinking about how we can free up our staff from some of those tasks and get them engaged more with patrons, helping to meet our patrons at their point of need, and roving throughout the branch in the stacks.

I want to make sure that our staff have the tools that they need to be successful with that transition. There is a great sense of excitement in our organization right now—because of the new buildings but [also] because of the technology and the changes that are coming. There’s more excitement than there is fear, which is great.—Lisa Peet

materials with local repositories. In addition, the oral histories and photographs collected by volunteers will be housed in an Omeka-based digital archive they are building with a partner institution. They anticipate a collection of over 600 interviews, approximately 570 of which have already been conducted in cities nationwide and internationally. More are planned, including virtual interviews with protesters from the international marches.

In Boston, Harvard’s Schlesinger Library hopes to be one of those regional repositories. Kathryn Jacob, the curator of manuscripts at Schlesinger, reports that the library is working with

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OneCoolThing

By Ian Chant

Peers Navigating Social Services

A

said Hardy. “Allowing this connection to happen in the safe environment with the already-developed relationship with a Peer Navigator [is] priceless.”

Government bodies such as the Denver Department of Human Services and the Veterans Administration, charities including Urban Peak and the St. Francis Center, and health-care organizations such as the Mental Health Center of Denver are all partnering with the library’s expanding team to engage with new clients.

Peer Navigators are also offering the institutions the chance to improve service to their communities by identifying choke points in their application process or ways that their work flows can be simplified for clients, said Hardy.

DPL’s Peer Navigators program is funded by a $41,000 grant from the Department of Justice, administered by local social service agencies, and running through 2017. After that, the future of the program is unclear, but one thing seems certain, said Henning, the demand for the service is likely to continue.

“Denver as a whole has seen a dramatic increase in the number of new residents in the past several years, and the number of people experiencing homelessness has also risen,” he told LJ. “At the same time, customers are learning more about our community resource specialists and the work that they do; word is getting out for sure.”

cross the country,more and more library systems are embracing their role as de facto matchmakers between social services and the people who need to access them by hiring social workers. The people who need to interact with these organizations, though, sometimes don’t want to find out about them from traditional social workers but instead from those who have dealt with them as users.

Meet the Denver Public Library (DPL) Peer Navigators, individuals who have managed to find their way through the often complicated paths of America’s social safety net. They’ve learned firsthand what offices to go to, when they’re open, what documents to bring, and other details about the process. As of January, three of them have joined DPL’s team to supplement the efforts of two full-time social workers and provide insights that can only come from those who have been down the same road.

“Peer Navigators [have] ‘lived experience,’ meaning they are in recovery and have found stabilization in regards to housing, mental health, and/or substance abuse,” said DPL spokesperson Chris Henning. “The peers will meet with library customers to help them navigate the social service system in Denver and also lead peer discussion groups to increase support to vulnerable populations, such as customers experiencing homelessness.”

KNOWING THE INS AND OUTS In addition to providing support for the social workers already on staff, these navigators provide advice that most social workers can’t.

“This is important because it creates a level of trust between library customers and the navigators,” said Elissa Hardy, who has been a social worker at DPL since 2015. “When we are able to talk to someone who has had a similar experience, we feel more comfortable with their guidance and with the relationship as a whole. In addition, because they’ve navigated the system, the Peer Navigators know the ins and outs of the agencies.”

There can be a lot of ins and outs, too, where staff and resources are frequently stretched thin. Some providers might require clients to call for an appointment, then call again on the morning of an appointment to confirm and ensure it doesn’t go to someone else, for instance. Other programs may be limited by grant funding, able only to help a certain number of applicants.

The team also invites the agencies to send staff to visit libraries, where they can meet potential clients who may not be aware of the available services.

“People come to the library because it is a safe environment and going to an unknown agency can be intimidating,”

Ian Chant is a freelance journalist whose work has ­appeared in Scientific American and Popular Mechanics and on NPR

the local Boston organizers to collect a representative sample of posters and other ephemera, including buttons and hats. It is already the official archive of the 2004 March for Women’s Lives, a protest in support of reproductive rights. As Jacobs puts it, that protest was more of a “one and done” event, whereas the Women’s March on Washington and the associated sister marches are a bit different and are likely to spark additional actions—and thus, collecting opportunities.

Professors at Boston’s Northeastern University (NU) also collected a large number of signs on the evening of

the march. Acting quickly before they could be thrown out, Nathan Felde, professor at the College of Arts, Media and Design (CAMD), rented a van and a storage unit and collected between 1,000 and 2,000 posters. He reached out to librarians and archivists at NU’s Snell Library to find a way to preserve the collection. Patrick Yott, associate dean for digital strategies and services at Snell, agreed that the library would support the project and help with digitization and metadata collection. They are planning to digitize the posters, which will capture images and metadata. That information would then be

made accessible to the public for any number of possible uses.

Felde and his fellow faculty members see the collection as a “publicly curated collective artwork.” Y ott sees applications for possible text-mining in disciplines such as law, history, and rhetoric as well. A public-facing website to host the collection, www.artofthemarch. northeastern.edu, went live in early February. Community members will be able to contribute their own images of signs and accompanying metadata.

Going forward,Yott hopes that Northeastern Libraries will be able to deploy collection “SWAT teams” to

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Field Reports

By Jason Simon

OPeri Publishing Platform

S

ome time ago, while I was working at a small state university, the library was approached by the English department, asking if we knew of some way of putting their biannual student journal online. This publication had been coming out periodically for approximately 15 years and contained essays, poetry, and short stories written by graduate and undergraduate students. Faculty occasionally assigned articles from it as required reading.

As it stood, two print copies had been sent to the library for each issue, one for the periodicals department, and one for the archives. Periodicals do not circulate, meaning that only one copy of each issue was available at a time and only within the library. While, as librarians, we like to encourage visits to the library, the reality remained that accessing the journal was difficult.

Many students were also commuters, so forcing them to read it within the library could cause a hardship. For these reasons (not to mention the occasional “migration” of copies out of the stacks), digitization seemed a good response.

Being the library techie, I jumped on it.

Theoretically, the entire project could have been done using available CMS software, such as Wordpress. However, that issues would be stored in PDF format made this problematic. Uploading articles onto these platforms was possible, but the department had requested that the

publication be searchable. Being good catalogers, we knew that the need for controlled metadata held some importance.

While that could be handled by existing open source platforms, such as Ambra (used for titles such as PloS), the complexity of installing large packages with limited resources seemed overkill for this project.

I determined that the best (and I confess, more fun) solution was to create a custom system. This not only enabled customization for the specific needs of the English department but would also create a platform that could be used by other departments without much further development.

The public view needed to be easily browsable and searchable. The back end required it to be easy for librarians or others to enter the data. Through discussion with the university archivist, we also determined that it was best if we could create a full digital copy that would satisfy archival standards, including items such as masthead, facing pages, back and front cover, and the like. To be able to include all of these features and maintain usability, I needed to limit what showed publicly, while still maintaining full records of the print item.

Metadata storage was created to include author, type, and subject terms.

Other elements such as number of pages, abstract, year, and issue number enabled better results with keyword searching.

The articles could either be viewed online or downloaded as a PDF.

collect accidental archives whenever they arise.These teams would use custom data-loaders based on Google Forms to add images and info to an Omeka site that could then be imported into Northeastern’s digital repository and made available to the public very quickly.

Signs, photos, and other ephemera from the march are being collected by many other libraries, including the New York Public Library, Denver Public Library, and Newberry Library in Chicago. The Facebook page for the Women’s March on Washington Archives Project has several posts from local libraries accepting donations.—

Industry

M. Catherine Hirschbiel 22 | LIBRARY JOURNAL | APRIL 1, 2017

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News from Chicago Collections These are exciting times for Chicago Collections (CC), an online member consortium of libraries, museums, historical societies, and other cultural heritage organizations in and around Chicago. CC named a new executive director, Jeanne Long, in February, and is gearing up to cohost the annual gathering of the Digital Public Library of America (DPLA) in April.

To ensure that the IT department was on board with our hosting, I added security features, including restricted access to the administrative area, and enabled administrators to upload images and PDF files securely. As the public view required the ability to see the entire issue, a method was created to choose which article types could remain hidden.

After this project was completed, I realized that this software might be useful for other projects and purposes beyond its original design and beyond the university. Still, the software needed some modification as there were quite a few features that were hard-coded for this specific project. As a result, I created a new system and added many customizable features, for example, handling of name changes, custom main page text, new graphics, and an optional modifiable CSS file. The main point was to design a simple, easy-to-install system for putting periodicals online.

I have released the source code under the name of OPeri. The name is a shortening of “Open Periodical Publishing Platform.” It also is a declension of the Italian word operare, which means to “operate,” “work,” or “carry out,” which I felt was a good representation of a platform that you can “do yourself.” To see a working example, access the source files, or contact me about customization, please visit jsimonconsulting.com/operi.php.

Jason Simon is a Senior Web Developer at ACRL Choice and also provides database development and information management consulting

CC offers a free, centralized webbased search engine and record-finding tool that allows researchers, teachers and scholars, students, and the general public to browse archival material held by its member institutions by keyword, subject, participant name, city, and neighborhood; the portal also has fulltext search capabilities.

In addition to the digital portal, CC offers ASK Chicago Collections, a cooperative reference network; lectures by representatives from member institutions; and exhibitions highlighting archives, manuscripts, and objects from member collections. Eventually, the portal will include LibGuides and digital exhibits.

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CC was established in 2013. With the help of a $194,000 Andrew W. Mellon Foundation grant in 2014, the Chicago Collections website was planned and developed by a Board of Directors gathered from the initial 12 participating institutions: the Art Institute of Chicago (AIC) and School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC), Chicago History Museum, Chicago Public Library (CPL), Columbia College Chicago, DePaul University, Illinois Institute of Technology, Loyola University Chicago, Newberry Library, Northwestern University, Roosevelt University, University of Chicago, and University of Illinois at Chicago.

Strategic planning and development continued through most of 2015 to design, brand, and build the site. Developers worked to ensure that all data formats could be ingested and displayed. An inaugural exhibition, “Raw Material: Uncovering Chicago’s Historical Collections,” was held in August 2015 at CPL’s Harold Washington Library Center, featuring photographs, letters, diaries, and other artifacts.

The digital portal, Explore Chicago Collections, launched in November 2015, with access to more than 100,000 maps, photos, letters, and other archival materials from 21 institutions. Currently, CC has some 79,000 users from 165 countries and all 50 states. In 106,500 sessions, they have logged 575,000 page views; more than 150 questions have been answered.

people

Over the past year and a half, CC has grown exponentially. Supporting foundations include the MacArthur Fund for Arts and Culture at the Richard H. Driehaus Foundation and the Gaylord and Dorothy Donnelley Foundation, joined by private donors and dues from member organizations. Membership is tiered to attract partners ranging from small to large institutions, and CC hopes to appeal as well to corporate partners with links to Chicago history.

In partnership with local NPR affiliate WBEZ, CC produced an August 2016 segment for the Curious City, which digs into local topics of interest. Using material from various CC member collections, the podcast and article “Zeppelin Poseurs: Why Chicago’s Airship Dreams Never Took Off ” investigated why, exactly, dirigible travel technology never quite soared. A second joint show, on the history of Chicago’s Boystown—one of the first recognized gay communities in the United States—is in the works.

APPOINTS LONG, HOSTS DPLA

On February 6, CC announced the appointment of Long as executive director, succeeding Jaclyn Grahl, who shepherded CC from its inception to implementation. Long served most recently as director of programs and outreach for Imerman Angels, the nation’s largest one-on-one cancer support organization. Previously, Long had an extensive career with CC’s partners

to bibliography and information service in law or political science.

Julie A. Leuzinger, AssociColumbus Metropolitan Liate Librarian and Head of brary, OH, has hired Grant Lynch Library Learning Services at the as Chief Administrative Officer, University of North effective April 10.

Texas, Denton, has Lynch currently serves been awarded the as Executive Direc2017 Association of tor, Waukesha Public College and Research Library, Milwaukee.

Libraries (ACRL) Lore Reinhart, SuPolitics, Policy, and pervisor of Children’s International Relations Julie A. Leuzinger Services for the past Section (PPIRS) Marta 16 years, was proLange/SAGE–CQ Press Award moted to Director, Randolph for distinguished contributions Township Library, NJ. 24 | LIBRARY JOURNAL | APRIL 1, 2017

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AIC and SAIC, where she served as director of committee partnership.

This April 20–21, CC will cohost DPLAfest 2017 with the Black Metropolis Research Consortium, CPL, and the Reaching Across Illinois Library System (RAILS). CPL became one of DPLA’s Illinois service hubs in 2015, along with the Illinois State Library, Consortium of Academic and Research Libraries in Illinois (CARLI), and University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

Currently, the board is taking guest curator applications for a digital exhibition to launch in late summer or early fall 2018, looking at Chicago’s tradition of cultural change and protest.

The exhibition, tentatively titled “The Long Tale of Protest: Chicagoans Raise Their Voices,” will use content from member archives to document incidents and individuals who “advocated, protested, resisted, or simply lived through events that convulsed and transformed the city,” according to the application; the 50th anniversary of the 1968 Chicago Democratic National Convention will serve as a pivot point for the exhibition.

What’s next for CC? “To continue and to promote it to a wider audience,” said Long. CC board vice chair Scott Walter, university librarian at DePaul, hopes that CC will not only serve the Chicago community but also help grow awareness of the “unique power of library archives” in collaboration. As planning proceeds for the Barack Obama Presidential Center—to be located in Chicago’s Jackson Park— said Walter, “we’ll certainly be knocking on the door.”—Lisa Peet

joined ProQuest as Deborah L. SchaefSenior Vice President fer, retired Instruction and CFO. and Reference LibrarJoann Vosburgh, ian and Liaison LibrarPrincipal Librarian for ian to the School of the Pittsburgh SymSocial Work, California phony Orchestra since State University– Deborah Wright 1990, will retire at the Los Angeles, is the end of the season. recipient of the 2017 Deborah Wright was apACRL Education and Behavpointed Director, Prince ioral Sciences Section (EBSS) William County Public Library Distinguished Education and System (PWCPLS), VA, on Behavioral Sciences Librarian February 23. Wright has Award.

14 years of experience at Robert VanHees, formerly ­PWCPLS, including two years Operating Partner at JLL as Assistant Director.

Partners, a private equity firm, WWW.LIBRARYJOURNAL.COM REVIEWS, NEWS, AND MORE

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Readers are everywhere, so are we.

Did you know that NoveList’s recommendations can go: •

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Want to find something to read that’s “just like” the last book you loved? Interested in branching out from your typical reading choices? NoveList makes it easy to find your next read based on the appeal of your favorite books.

Where do you look for books: Browsing the stacks? In your catalog? A favorite search engine? On your phone? Wherever library books can be found, NoveList recommendations can be there too. Get more details at: www.ebscohost.com/novelist

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LIBRARYAWARE COMMUNITY AWARD 2017

Finding and Filling Needs From books to bikes to banks, Mississippi Valley Library District steps up to address critical service gaps

By John N. Berry III

photos ©2017 sid hastings

Of the 2,635 people who live in the Village of

Fairmont City, IL, 71.4 percent are immigrants who speak Spanish as their first or only language. Most of the adults migrated from Mexico and have a fourth to sixth grade reading level. Some youngsters are “dreamers,” undocumented children who were brought here from Mexico, so termed because they are eligible for deferred action under the Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors (DREAM) Act. Their younger siblings, born in the United States, are U.S. citizens.

The village has few jobs or commerce, no elementary schools (the last one closed in 2009), no preschools or daycare centers, few recreational activities, and limited digital access. Although amenities and services are available in nearby communities, Fairmont City folks often can’t access them because of language barriers, documentation issues, or severely limited transportation.

To serve this high-demand community effectively requires a scrappy, grassroots library that throws preconceptions of what constitutes core library service out the window and designs to community needs from scratch. Luckily, that’s exactly what they’ve got, and that innovative and essentially engaged approach is what won the Mississippi Valley Library District the 2017 LibraryAware Commuity

John N. Berry III is Editor-at-Large, LJ

Award, presented by LJ and funded by LibraryAware, a product of EBSCO Publishing’s NoveList Division. It carries a prize of $10,000.

The library begins

In 2000, the Collinsville Memorial Public Library (CMPL) decided to extend library service to nearby Fairmont City.

CMPL went through training, assessment, and planning.

In 2004, it combined library services in the area into the Mississippi Valley Library District (MVLD). In 2006, the voters of Fairmont City chose to join the library district, and Holy Rosary Catholic School offered the district the use of a classroom for the summer.

Katie Heaton, now manager of the Fairmont City Library Center (FCLC), was hired by CMPL in 1997 and assigned to the project from the beginning. Heaton’s attitude explains how the library became the award winner. “I see a need, a real need,” she says, “and we try to fill it.”

Staff members started building trust—and creative library services—right away. The makeshift library opened with 4,000 items and provided a summer reading program along with materials and digital access for all residents. The community didn’t want to lose library services when school reopened, so the American Legion offered a hall rental to continue services year-round. The FCLC moved into the small legion hall in 2008. In 2010, MVLD bought the

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COMMUNITY CHANGE-MAKER (Clockwise from far l.): FCLC shares space with TheBANK; Collinsville manager Kyla Waltermire (l.) and FCLC manager Katie Heaton lead a bilingual story time in a bilingual kindergarten class at Kreitner Elementary School in Collinsville; FCLC’s Teen Initiative offers students a place to study and access social media; librarian Phyllis Beare (r.) encourages young patrons to have “Fun with Phyllis”; the monthly “Pokémon & Magic the Gathering” at FCLC draws a crowd, led by former staffer Leonardo Chavez (top l.)

American Legion building for $185,000 from MVLD funds and began expanding its collections and programs.

Deeper needs

From that new permanent base of operations, FCLC moved to meet the deeper needs of the community. In partnership with the Village of Fairmont City, Collinsville Community Unit School District #10, the Latino Roundtable of Southwestern Illinois, and other local organizations, the library advocates for and engages with the community to develop an array of library services that foster personal and professional growth for everyone in Fairmont City.

The library modified its application procedures to accept Mexican government-issued Matriculas Consulares as identification, allowing all residents access to full-service library accounts. Annual visits from the Mexican Consulate provide assistance to Mexican residents needing to obtain or renew their documentation.

Ready for school

FCLC’s Kids Corner was an effort to help provide both child care and kindergarten readiness. There is no licensed day care in Fairmont City. No one was addressing preschool needs. Heaton noticed that kids came to FCLC with their mothers, who took English classes, so FCLC started its free preschool program with a growing list of activities to occupy WWW.LIBRARYJOURNAL.COM REVIEWS, NEWS, AND MORE

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and work with the children. Unlike many public library children’s offerings, parents can drop off their kids and don’t have to stay with them.

“We first taught them to write their names,” Heaton recalls. “I asked the schools what they needed. They asked us to teach them to write and recognize their names. It took a long time to convince parents that it was OK to let their small children come to FCLC for preschool, but when [the]mother got work, they came.”

Of course, the library’s help doesn’t stop when children enter school. With Americorps assistance, FCLC provides free homework aid to students of all ages. “The majority of people who show up at FCLC have somewhere between a fourth and fifth grade education. That means there isn’t any help at home for these kids for homework and studies. They face education and language barriers. We had to help them overcome both of those,” Heaton reports.

To fill that gap, Southern Illinois University sent homework helpers. “It has been a great program, and it helps the kids overcome that language problem,” says Heaton.

FCLC also works with children to get them ready for school in the concrete sense: the library hosts a Back to School Carnival at which families play games to win tickets that are redeemed for school supplies. The event is sponsored by the Newsong Fellowship, a church located in Edwardsville, IL. “When the church leaders came to our library wanting to do a service project, I remember telling them that if they were looking for a great place to do a good deed, they had found it!” Heaton laughs.

As a result of the FCLC presence and involvement in the community, high school graduation rates have risen from 46.5 percent in 2000 to 52.5 percent in 2015.

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LIBRARYAWARE COMMUNITY AWARD 2017

LibraryAware Community Award 2017 Honorees

Catawba County Library Suzanne White, Director

In 2015, the Catawba County Library (CCL), based in Newton, NC, completed an extensive community-based strategic planning process. Driven by the feedback from more than 1,500 residents, the library

LJ would like to thank James L. Blanton, a 2012 LJ Mover & Shaker (M&S) and Director of the Louisville Free Public Library, KY, the 2016 LibraryAware Community Award winner; John Chrastka, Executive Director of EveryLibrary and a 2014 M&S; Amy Garmer, Director of the Aspen Institute Dialogue on Public Libraries; and Randall Reid, Southeast Regional Director, International City/County Management Association (ICMA), for their help in selecting this year’s honorees. added a full-time digital services librarian position and set aside more than $100,000 in a joint capital improvement account to improve library IT and facility infrastructure.

Community feedback isn’t a onetime thing for the library either. The library has embraced the Aspen and Harwood institutes’ initiatives to turn outward and connect more deeply with its populace. As part of those efforts, it reinvented a parttime marketing role to create a full-time community engagement specialist. Among the examples of getting outside the library walls, Catawba’s Big Read featured 2,175 books placed as “treasure finds” in malls, storefronts, gyms, community centers, organizations, and businesses, plus libraryled programs at the mall, in coffee shops and schools, with community groups, and at local city council meetings.

At service provider Centro Latino, a Big

LEFT PHOTO COURTESY OF CCL; RIGHT PHOTO BY MIKE SINCLAIR, COURTESY OF kcpl

Educational aspiration

Beyond current schoolwork support, the library is getting students to set their sights on more ambitious goals. When the library opened, “The young were very much in the moment. There was little talk of futures, no talk of college,” Heaton says. “There was a 50 percent dropout rate from the high schools. Now aspirations have changed.”

“I’d ask them what they want to be when they grow up, and they would answer a farmhand, work in a hotel, be a bricklayer. ‘What about something more than that?’ I’d ask.

Do you want to be a doctor?” she adds. “ ‘What are you talking about?’ they would say. Now many say things like, ‘I want to be an engineer.’ It took a lot of hand-holding to get them to even think about college,” Heaton asserts. Now some who came years ago are what Heaton calls “my first-generation college kids.”

The library partners with the Hispanic Arts Council of St. Louis to provide college prep classes (“College Now!/ Universidad Ya!”) that assist Latinx students to graduate from high school and continue their education as first-­ generation college students. A Teen Initiative program exposes fifth to 12th graders to new technologies as part of the Illinois State Library’s Project Next Generation grant.

It offers a safe after-school teen space and provides a teen lock-in for which participants must earn the right to spend the night by being actively involved in library services.

Spanish spoken here

FCLC hires bilingual English/Spanish speakers from the community to staff the library. The library’s English and Spanish collections for adults and children are among the richest in the region.

Read book discussion transformed into a Spanish Book Club. Increased collaboration with Centro Latino soon highlighted the need for enhanced library materials and publicity in Spanish, an issue the library “tackled immediately.” Catawba has also seen increased Latino family participation in the library, is conducting more programs and classes in Spanish, and is distributing a Spanish newsletter to schools through ESL directors.

Library partnerships have increased 71 percent year over year, including a new partnership with the local Hmong residents to preserve Hmong heritage through a National Endowment for the Humanities Common Heritage grant–funded digitization project and a school partnership that led to the development of a student digital access card. Catawba is currently working on a grant proposal to establish a Pop-up

“I have the largest collection of books in Spanish around here,” Heaton says with pride. “I started with only two shelves [and] put out the word that we needed any and all Spanish-language books anyone wanted to donate. We buy as many as we can from our materials budget. It is very difficult to get books originally written in Spanish, but people didn’t like books that had been translated. They said translations lost something. I did order some from Mexico, and they were very popular.” Naturally FCLC uses bilingual signs so all residents feel welcome.

Southwestern Illinois College provides free Englishlanguage classes at FCLC.

Getting patrons moving—literally

Heaton joined local advocacy groups to push for public transportation until the Collinsville Regional Bus Route 18 was established. This gave the community access to local and regional services and made commuting much easier, shorter, and less expensive.

Yet FCLC’s efforts to get its patrons on the road to success didn’t stop there. The bicycle is a primary mode of transportation in Fairmont City and not just for recreation.

So the library partners with Cycle of Giving, a local charity run by Allen Hogg, to offer an annual free bike repair day. Many locals of all ages line up with their bikes to get repairs and rejuvenation. Hogg brings chains, tires, and other parts along with restored bikes. To get service, kids have to write a book report. Heaton tells of one middleaged man who came with his bike; it was a wreck. Hogg replaced it with a newly restored bicycle so the man could more easily ride to work. “The guy was overwhelmed,” Heaton says.

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Library, embedding the library even further in the area. For such responsiveness, CCL is this year’s second-place winner and will receive $7,500.

Kansas City Public Library Crosby Kemper III, Director

Missouri’s Kansas City Public Library’s (KCPL) deep engagement with its community is never more evident than in its work to close the digital divide. Says judge Randall Reid of the ICMA, “Kansas City exemplifies the strategic leveraging by local government leaders of a major library system to offset the economic inequities within the metropolitan area by bridging the critical gap in access to digital content and resources.” KCPL helped found Digital Inclusion KC, a coalition of representatives from more than 70 nonprofits, government agencies, corporations, and more and hosted two summits and a town hall gathering to examine trends, discuss challenges and opportunities, spotlight current inclusion efforts, and share best practices.

KCPL is partnering with the city’s public schools to allow 70 students at three high schools in underserved areas to check out

mobile Wi-Fi hot spots and receive oneyear, unlimited data service subscriptions and was instrumental in connecting the school district to Sprint’s 1Million Project, allowing distribution of 500 more free hot spots to students. KCPL was also closely involved in Kansas City’s selection as one of 19 pilot cities in the nationwide Community Connectivity Initiative. Closer to home, the library’s participation in a Google Fiber–sponsored program funded a fulltime digital inclusion Fellow in 2016. The library opened its ONENORTH Technology Center at the downtown Central Library in 2016, offering digital literacy assessment, training, and one-on-one assistance.

Beyond digital, KCPL is convening crucial local conversations. In partnership with the American Public Square organization, the library hosts public forums on pressing local issues ranging from indecision on the future of the Kansas City International Airport to the effectiveness of KC’s public schools.

The library’s full-time refugee and immigrant services outreach manager coordinates citizenship preparation and helps connect immigrant populations with KCPL’s other services.

Banking on the library

The newest service at FCLC is a fully functional bank branch located in the library. Previously, FCLC had partnered with banks to provide financial literacy programs. But with only a credit union in the community, it was clear that the residents lacked access to financial services. TheBANK of Edwardsville recognized that the library is the community hub and agreed to cover renovation costs to establish a banking center in the building. TheBANK of Edwardsville’s Fairmont City location opened in November 2015.

It is the first and only fully bilingual banking facility in the St. Louis metro area.

In one year, TheBANK’s holdings in Fairmont City are $1.5 million in deposits, 325 checking and saving accounts, and 155 mortgages equaling $10 million. The service model is proving to be so successful that TheBANK promotes it for replication in its financial network. The library/bank partnership also earned TheBANK a national Community Commitment Award. As an unexpected bonus, TheBANK is installing fiber-optic Internet connectivity in all its branches, which means that soon the library/bank building will be the first in the village with a fiber line. This marks the beginning of the end to the community’s limited digital access, previously provided by the Illinois Century Network. FCLC plans to use the prize money from this award to add its digital equipment to that fiber line.

Jack of all trades

The village does not have a post office, so the library provides partial mail services, including a mail drop and the sale of stamps and envelopes, as well as international fax service.

A partnership with AARP offers free tax assistance for lowWWW.LIBRARYJOURNAL.COM REVIEWS, NEWS, AND MORE

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The library is also addressing the health-care gap: in one of the most economically distressed corridors of Kansas City, the L.H. Bluford Branch houses a Health and Wellness Center in partnership with Truman Medical Centers and the Health Sciences Institute of Metropolitan Community Colleges–Penn Valley. Offerings include fitness classes, weight-loss challenges, chronic disease and diabetes self-management programs, and health fairs, plus a mobile market that makes fresh produce available to residents with otherwise limited access. For such deep partnerships, KCPL is this year’s third-place winner and will be awarded $5,000.—Meredith Schwartz

income individuals, seniors, and those with simple forms.

The library also works to meet its patrons’ most fundamental needs: FCLC hosts an annual coat and toy giveaway each December—in 2016, 350 people were served. Also, the library partners with the University of Illinois Extension to maintain a community garden on library grounds. In 2016, the garden grew 473 pounds of produce, which was distributed throughout the area. The Southern Illinois Healthcare Foundation provides access to a traveling nurse for health care at FCLC.

A library delivers

The development of FCLC has taught the Fairmont City community the value of an engaged library. Now, many village officials frequently visit the library, partner on events, make donations, or volunteer there. The village has provided funds to update the building and support library ­services.

Alex J. Bregen, Fairmont City Village president, explains how FCLC has transformed life there: “The Fairmont City Library Center has demonstrated its ability to make our community aware of what a library can do, and [it has] delivered on that promise. We didn’t know we needed a library until we got one. It has been a place of transformation for many residents. Our community has seen many changes since the library opened its doors.... Poverty rates have decreased, reading and math scores have increased, high school graduation rates have increased, and our streets are safer with the youth having a place to go after school to become engaged in activities. Many say the library is the best thing that has happened to the village in years.”

From promise to proven impact, that kind of reputation shows the best of what a library and community can achieve together. n APRIL 1, 2017 | LIBRARY JOURNAL | 29

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LIBRARY SYSTEMS LANDSCAPE

open

future FOLIO argues for positive disruption of the library systems status quo, as vendors and open source solutions advance

By Matt Enis “I have probably spent

a disproportionate amount of time in my working life…being frustrated about library systems,” Sebastian Hammer, president and cofounder of Index Data, said during his “Creative Disintegration” presentation at the 2016 Code4Lib conference in Philadelphia.

Based on the results of LJ’s recent survey of academic libraries (see “Wanting More,” p. 37), this seems to be a com-

Last March at Code4Lib, Hammer proposed an alternative—Index Data, he announced, had been working for the past year on a new type of system that would be cloudready, multitenant and scalable, built around an open knowledge base, supportive of linked open data, and capable of both electronic and print resource management. Index Data would create the kernel, a default user interface (UI) and toolkit for customization, the application programming interface (API) NEW ARRIVAL gateway, and system layer. Libraries About half of respondents to LJ’s recent survey of academic librarians and vendors could then develop and (see full results on p. 37) said that they had some level of familiarity contribute modular applications—both with the FOLIO project. for-fee and free and open source. The 9.5% system could be hosted by commercial very familiar vendors, library networks, or locally.

21.9% Although Hammer hesitated to completely unfamiliar draw an “app store” comparison, per16.2% haps the easiest analogy for the potenfamiliar tial of this system might be “Android for libraries.”

25.7% 26.7% “We wanted to not just build anknow the SOMEWHAT other monolithic system based around a name only familiar known set of requirements for what a library needs to do,” he said. “We wanted mon sentiment. More than 43% of respondents described an operating system—a platform into which you could plug themselves as somewhat or completely dissatisfied with their in functional units that you needed. Something that could be current integrated library system (ILS) or library services extended over time.” platform (LSP), compared with 28% dissatisfaction at public Within weeks, the project had a name—FOLIO (the libraries in our 2016 survey (ow.ly/jhK530a0nq1). These Future of Libraries Is Open)—and EBSCO announced that systems are, after all, both complex and expensive, and there it would be providing substantial financial support to get the are a shrinking number of vendors offering proprietary so- project off the ground. lutions if a library wants to make a change. Given that such “The work by Index Data is being funded by EBSCO,” systems are at the core of work flows and many library func- the company stated last spring. “EBSCO is owned by a tions, it’s no wonder that frustrations can build. family that has a proven history of philanthropy and support for libraries. This project brings together those two Matt Enis is Senior Editor,Technology, LJ elements and allows the Stephens family to help fund a 30 | LIBRARY JOURNAL | APRIL 1, 2017

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project that will impact libraries for years to come. We expect this [support] to be tens of millions of dollars.”

In September 2016, the not-for-profit Open Library Foundation was established to support the work. Other early supporters include SirsiDynix, ByWater Solutions, and BiblioLabs.

“We love this notion,” Eric Keith, VP of global marketing, communications, and strategic alliances for SirsiDynix, tells LJ, explaining that the company agreed to offer preferred cloud-hosting support soon after learning about the project and is considering offering third-party application development and integration support down the road.

“We’ve had ongoing discussions…to see if we could also contribute functionality under the Apache 2.0 framework [licensing used by FOLIO]. We’ve got 30-plus years of experience building ILSes. We know they’re not for the faint of heart; we know it’s not a cottage industry.... The beauty of BLUEcloud,” the company’s suite of cloud-based library applications “is that it is open,” Keith says. “It is built on...state-of-the-art web services and APIs. It was built that way intentionally so that we could have it sit on top of [SirsiDynix-owned ILS platforms] Horizon, Symphony, EOS, and who knows what else. It’s not out of the question to think that FOLIO could plug into BLUEcloud and vice versa.”

Like starting over

Another key participant is the Open Library Environment (OLE) community. FOLIO is essentially a total reboot of the Kuali OLE platform, which has invited both hope and skepticism to the project. (Write-in opinions of the project in this year’s survey ranged from the positive—“I think it’s a great concept”—to the dismissive—“vaporware.”)

Beginning in 2008, OLE formed a coalition of several major university libraries, promising to build a new type of open library system that would address many of the same concerns about cost and functionality that FOLIO now plans to tackle. As the years went by, critics argued that OLE’s community-sourced development model and basis for implementation made it difficult to get additional collaborators onboard and resulted in a system that would only ever appeal to large research institutions. Ultimately, only three project partners implemented Kuali OLE. On the bright side, OLE established a network of academic library collaborators that is already in place and invested in FOLIO’s success. The project’s supporters contend that lessons learned while building Kuali OLE will be a major asset with this new effort.

“We learned a lot through OLE, and we’re ready to jump in with our partners EBSCO, Index Data, and, hopefully, lots of other new partners” to leverage that knowledge while building FOLIO, Sharon Wiles-Young, director of Library Access Services, Lehigh University, said during a FOLIO presentation at the American Library Association (ALA) Midwinter Meeting in Atlanta this January. Lehigh has been involved with OLE since the beginning and was the first university to implement Kuali OLE, in 2014. “It is very empowering and inspiring to be in this partnership, and if you can, get involved.”

One of FOLIO’s more vocal skeptics has been Carl Grant. Former president of Ex Libris North America and WWW.LIBRARYJOURNAL.COM REVIEWS, NEWS, AND MORE

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OPEN TO CHANGE Equinox software, a support and service provider for the Evergreen integrated library system (ILS) founded by two of the original Evergreen creators Mike Rylander and Jason Etheridge, in January announced that the company had become the Equinox Open Library Initiative, a nonprofit corporation serving libraries, archives, museums, and other cultural institutions.

All existing contracts are being honored under current terms, and the company’s hosting, support, migration, consulting, project management, training, and software development projects will continue without interruption.

All income made on services and development provided to Equinox’s partners will be “completely reinvested in the company,” Rylander says, later adding that Equinox has no plans to solicit tax-exempt donations. In addition, Equinox will not be a membership-based organization, and no membership fees will be required.

Nonprofit status “matches more closely with what we do as an open source service provider,” Rylander says. “In order to expand our business and grow into new areas in the library market, we need to grow our employee base.... [T]raditional ways of doing that—things that we’ve seen over the past decade and a half or so in the library world with proprietary vendors and for-profit companies—[are] to merge, or be bought out, or [seek] venture capital funding.”

However, those ways don’t necessarily match well with Equinox’s goals. The profit motive behind venture capital investments tends to cause companies to focus on near-term gains, Rylander says, but “we want to see what’s going to be needed for the next ten or 15 or 20 years.” While there are other for-profit companies offering support for open source software, these companies tend to be at least somewhat specialized, and Equinox was already the largest company focused on Evergreen. “There’s not a lot of synergies there for us,” in potential mergers, he says.

One of the challenges inherent in Equinox’s former business model is that new development was concentrating on features and functions that customers were paying them to create. Becoming a nonprofit will enable the company to seek other sources of funding—such as grants—to support infrastructural development projects that will benefit all Evergreen libraries, in cases in which individual libraries or consortia can’t be found to pay for these upgrades or enhancements.

“The grant options that we’re looking at are to pursue development of the open source products that we support, in areas where it’s hard for library boards to, perhaps, justify [an] investment” that doesn’t result in a new feature that can be demonstrated to stakeholders, he says. “It’s a lot easier to talk to a grant-funding agency or government organizations that offer grants about infrastructure improvements or foundational issues with software.”

In the weeks following the announcement, Rylander says that he has already begun to notice the change impacting the way that other nonprofits and government agencies are able to work with Equinox.

“It puts us on a different footing,” he says. “It helps explain the purpose we want to serve in the library market, and it’s making it easier for folks to do business with us. There’s a reduction in red tape, there’s a sense of partnership, rather than a traditional vendor/client relationship, and we’re already seeing those benefits.”

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LIBRARY SYSTEMS LANDSCAPE current associate dean for Knowledge Services and CTO of the University of Oklahoma Libraries, Norman, Grant wrote in a November 2016 blog post (titled, “FOLIO, acronym for ‘Future of Libraries Is Open’? I’d suggest: ‘Fantasy of Librarians Inflamed by Organizations’ ”) that only OCLC and Ex Libris have successfully developed next-generation LSPs for academic libraries from the ground up, and both have had full-time developers dedicated to those platforms for years. Even if 40 libraries could provide .25 FTE programming support on a continuing basis, Grant argues that it is difficult to see how the platform could ever catch up with these proprietary systems using this type of development model.

“The basic concept of organizing librarians to do open source software is a good idea,” Grant tells LJ. “What’s wrong...is the implementation.”

Frustration about the cost of ILS and LSP systems and the limited number of options in the market is understandable.

enhanced to improve collaboration among instructors, librarians, and students.

The Online Acquisitions and Selection Information System (OASIS)—which ProQuest had obtained as part of its acquisition of Coutts Information Services from Ingram Content Group, also in April 2015—was integrated with Alma last summer. Using an Alma API, all electronic and print book orders placed through OASIS are now automatically updated in Alma in real time rather than requiring manual updates or daily file transfers. Ulrich’s periodical data from ProQuest was also incorporated into the Ex Libris Primo discovery solution and SFX link resolver last year.

Other developments include the launch of Alma Mobile, a new standard component of the Alma platform that enables librarians and staff to work with the Alma service via iOS and Android devices. Features include “Pick Up from Shelf ” functionality, allowing the use of a device’s built-in camera to scan items directly from the app. At press time, it had been downloaded by 1,000 librarians in the two months since its launch.

The adoption of Alma continues to rise.

Ex Libris reported that its 400th library Solutions went live in April 2016. At press time, Hoffman said that the number had risen to 550. A total of 825 institutions were signed to contracts at year-end 2016 in 25 countries.

As this network of Alma libraries grows, customers also benefit from features such as Alma’s Community Zone shared repository, which includes library-submitted authority records, bibliographic metadata, and an electronic materials knowledge base. Recently, more than 1.5 million ProQuest records were loaded into the repository, Hoffman says, adding that Community Zone is standard in all Alma subscriptions.

Hoffman also notes that Ex Libris is committed to maintaining Alma as an open platform that can easily integrate with solutions created by libraries and third-party developers and currently offers more than 140 APIs that are free to use for Alma customers.

“Over 51 percent of our transactions in Alma are coming from APIs, which is an enormous number, and it means that Alma is basically an API-first platform,” Hoffman says.

“This is something that we are very proud of, and we are encouraging.... [In February], we had over 50 million API calls, and this number continues to grow.”

Innovative Interfaces also promised benefits and synergies following its 2014 acquisitions of VTLS and Polaris, and some appear to be coming to fruition. In July, Innovative launched INN-Reach Release 3.0, “delivering the same level of integration to Polaris library partners that libraries using Millennium or Sierra experience” with the consortial resource sharing system. Rather than using a Direct Consortia Borrowing broker system, all INN-Reach activities can now be performed within the Polaris system or the Polaris Leap application.

Likewise, Leif Pedersen, executive VP for Innovative Interfaces, tells LJ that Polaris Leap has become the model for staff-facing web-based mobile applications across the company’s platforms. Via feedback from early adopters,

“Overall, the perception and adoption of open source haVE expanded greatly.”

—Nathan Curulla, ByWater

Almost everyone interviewed for this article—including Grant—spontaneously volunteered praise for Hammer and the capabilities of Index Data. But Grant guesses it could take FOLIO a decade to launch a viable replacement for an ILS or LSP, and in that time, proprietary vendors will have moved on with improvements and innovations of their own.

He questions whether the time and money that this project will require might be better spent elsewhere, such as on open access publishing systems, research data management systems, or library-linked data projects.

The big get bigger

And while 57.1% of respondents to LJ’s recent survey of academic librarians expressed concern about vendor consolidation (see “Wanting More” p. 37), an issue that a system such as FOLIO could help address, Ex Libris makes a case that ProQuest’s 2015 acquisition of the company will benefit libraries that use the next-generation Alma LSP. “[Last year], 2016, was a phenomenal year for us,” Dvir Hoffman, VP, product management and marketing for Ex Libris, says, noting that the integration of the two companies was going smoothly. “We already have quite a few benefits that our customers are starting to realize, [such as] the integration between Summon and Alma, which we just completed—the first customer is [going] live very soon.”

Leganto, the Ex Libris course resource list solution, was integrated with SIPX (a separate course resource list solution that had been acquired by ProQuest in April 2015), creating an end-to-end solution for colleges and universities in the United States. “Leganto powered by SIPX” helps students and schools save money by maximizing the use of library-owned resources and employing affordable pay per use models. Similarly, in Europe and Asia Pacific, Leganto was integrated with local copyright licensing services to facilitate copyright clearance and was further 32 | LIBRARY JOURNAL | APRIL 1, 2017

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LIBRARY ORIGINAL Annette harwood murphy became a pioneer of library technology in 1975 as the cofounder of The Library Corporation (TLC). Murphy is currently president/ CEO and chair of the board of TLC and CEO of Tech Logic, and her companies have continued to innovate, with TLC’s CARL.X integrated library system (ILS) chosen last summer to be the common platform for Nashville’s Limitless

Libraries program, enabling students from 128 Metro Nashville Public Schools to access materials seamlessly from the Nashville Public Library System’s 22 branches. TLC’s Library.

Solution ILS will soon release a web-based cataloging module, standard for all customers, that will include multiple staff UX (user experience) features including a draft state enabling catalogers to work with and easily transfer records to other staff for review and editing prior to saving in the system; a web-based MARC record source that includes RDA for complex searching with or without a Z39.50; and a new authority service that allows keyword searching within the interface to retrieve a standardized drop-down menus of names, subjects, and genres, among many other features.

HOW DID YOU GET INVOLVED WITH THE LIBRARY FIELD?

CARL.Solution platform from the Tandem Himalaya NonStop OS server environment to Linux and in the process created CARL.X. More recently, TLC has been influencing development in this industry with our focus on Responsive Web Design and [UX], which we began in 2010, and our Library.Solution system will become completely web-based this year with our introduction of LS2 Cataloging.

What are some highlights from the company’s history?

CARL.X was recently selected as the ILS for Nashville’s Limitless Libraries program.

What were some of the challenges?

My husband and I were working to start our own business, and we were both software developers. We created a new indexing method for the Library of Congress, cataloging data on microfilm.

We were able to make this a worldwide product, updating the indexes weekly or monthly, whatever a library chose.

We introduced, in 1985, the first CDROM technology to be used for the storage of data. We were privileged to donate the first Hitachi CD-ROM drive to the Smithsonian, with the serial number 0001…. In 1987, we [launched] the first multimedia CD-ROM public access catalog (PAC), allowing patrons to search for materials quickly, and this started replacing the card catalog and defined a new era in patron services and assistance in libraries worldwide.

In 1995, TLC created the first online PAC using the web. In 1997, we introduced Library.Solution, the first natively developed [ILS] for Microsoft Windows (NT servers), and that became the fastest adopted library automation system in the world.

In 2005, we began migration of the

TLC has a very strong school presence.

We have many large districts using [Library.Solution for Schools]. But for this project, they are going to use CARL for both. This is an initiative that has been really pushed from Washington—trying to get public libraries and schools to cooperate and come together like this, so that the students have access to all of the materials that are available [in the community].

Digital equality is a term used often when discussing this type of collaboration between public and school libraries.

TLC is very excited to participate and help facilitate the Limitless Libraries program through our CARL.X system and business

I­ nnovative has been making enhancements to Leap since the acquisition, such as adding the ability to assign tasks, “pin” tasks, and switch among tasks easily within the app.

In May 2016, the company announced that the Sierra Services Platform Release 2.2 would feature the delivery of all circulation functions in a web application, enabling staff to access Sierra without installing the system’s Java-based desktop application. A significant development for Sierra, this will also enable automatic updating for new releases and won’t require local IT support for Sierra installations on individual workstations.

In the past, the company had drawn criticism for the “black box” nature of its legacy Millennium ILS, but maintaining a process begun in 2014, Innovative continued opening up the Sierra platform, announcing the release of another new set of APIs in January. The latest APIs will WWW.LIBRARYJOURNAL.COM REVIEWS, NEWS, AND MORE

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model, which is uniquely suited for this type of project.

There are many security requirements when you’re dealing with student data.

So our system and infrastructure must support the latest security standards.

Implementing one common ILS platform across two large and distinct organizations presents its own unique set of requirements. TLC is very well suited for this project because of our experience in both large urban library systems and large school districts.

What’s ahead for TLC and other library systems?

Certainly the integration with other products. Giving libraries choice, giving them control over their systems so they’re able to pick and choose and not just “this is it” off the shelf, this is what you get.

That’s what the CARL product has always been about. I think you will see more of that model being adopted, because that’s what libraries want.

Cloud-based architecture with micro service application offerings, linked data and search engine optimization, continued focus on mobile patron and staff interfaces, and more robust delivery of digital content are concepts that will continue influencing development of library systems.

allow placing holds of any kind, enabling libraries to use alternative hold options when integrating external services.

Also included is a new API endpoint for creating patron records for key fields including names, addresses, emails, phones, and PINs. In August 2016, the company announced a partnership with Talis to integrate the Talis Aspire Reading Lists solutions. In January, Innovative announced a new partnership with TALKINGTECH. After finding TALKINGTECH’s i-tiva service popular with Polaris libraries, Innovative decided to integrate the automated telephone and SMS notification system with Sierra.

OCLC’s WorldShare Management Services (WMS), a next-generation LSP, continued to grow, with more than 500 libraries signed to contracts and over 440 live, says Scott Livingston, OCLC executive director, WMS. They include APRIL 1, 2017 | LIBRARY JOURNAL | 33

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LIBRARY SYSTEMS LANDSCAPE the HELIN Library Consortium, represented by the Community College of Rhode Island, Johnson & Wales University, Providence College, Rhode Island College, Roger Williams University, Salve Regina University, and Wheaton College, which went live in January.

On January 18, OCLC made two major announcements regarding its resource sharing offerings, introducing Tipasa, the organization’s own cloud-based interlibrary loan (ILL) management system, and announcing the acquisition of Ottawa-based Relais, including its D2D (Discovery to Delivery) consortial borrowing solution.

“Tipasa is for libraries that have very sophisticated work flows around [ILL] and want a semiautomated process to help manage their systems,” Livingston says. “The Relais acquisition and the D2D platform allow us to much better serve groups and consortia as they’re transferring materials... among their members.”

Livingston says that OCLC plans to continue to build out functionality on both of those platforms while also working to improve integration with WorldShare’s management system and discovery layer.

ILL has been taking on a new importance, Livingston notes. “At one point, not too many years ago, there was a view that [ILL] was sort of a dying work flow...very boring and very staid,” he says. “What’s been very interesting and energizing for us is that…libraries, in part because of budget cuts but also because they’re looking to do different things with their physical spaces, are becoming much more creative in collaboration and resource sharing.”

NEWS IN BRIEF Auto-Graphics Ontario, CA–based AutoGraphics, Inc., developer of the VERSO ILS and SHAREit interlibrary loan (ILL) solution, in June 2016 released MONTAGEdc, a scalable, cloud-based digital collection management system featuring a mobileready, responsive design interface that encourages patrons to explore a library’s digitized special collections.

At press time, the company was nearing the release of a new mobile app for patrons as well.

axiell group Axiell Group, a leading ILS and automation vendor in Europe, in May 2016 announced the beta-launch of Axiell Quria, a cloudbased, digital-first LSP. Quria is designed to make

electronic resources, events, patron communications, books, and other library assets manageable from a single platform, according to the company. Features include the capability to generate advanced statistics and gather management information from social media, email, a library’s website, and other channels.

bibliocommons Toronto-based interactive catalog and web services developer BiblioCommons made responsive design a priority in 2016, enabling patrons of customer libraries to add comments, quotes, and other content to title record pages with mobile devices. The BiblioCMS was also rebranded as BiblioWeb, featuring responsive design,

Totally modular

SirsiDynix continued to add new modules to its BLUEcloud platform, piloting and launching BLUEcloud Circulation, a solution designed to be simple and intuitive but also flexible enough for libraries to customize and apply almost any library policy by associating loan periods, fee structures, and holds policies with user type, item type, and more.

Separately, BLUEcloud Acquisitions was developed and instituted in an alpha test with the South Australian Public Library Network and is slated for release this year. Features include a price comparison tool within the LSP, consortial buying, hierarchical fund categories, vendor templates for autopopulating fields, built-in simple query searching across vendor records or titles in a selection list, and more.

In an example of how nimble BLUEcloud’s approach can be in responding to emerging trends, the company plans to debut three additional modules this year in response to customer demand: BLUEcloud Mobile, BLUEcloud Digital Academy, and BLUEcloud Insights. Developed in partnership with SOLUS UK, BLUEcloud Mobile will be a new patron discovery application that builds on and enhances SirsiDynix’s BookMyne+ app for iOS and Android devices, integrating and leveraging the capabilities of other BLUEcloud modules including eResource Central, Buy It Now, and BLUEcloud Search, Commerce, and Lists.

BLUEcloud Digital Academy will corral, curate, and provide catalog records for more than 250,000 resources such as video lectures, ebooks, and full courses and lesson plans from 1,000 content partners including the Library of a new carousel console, and lightweight-form single sign on (SSO) functionality enabling users logged into BiblioCore to have contact information automatically populated in BiblioWeb forms.

biblionix For the second consecutive year, Austin, TX–based Biblionix won the LibraryWorks Modern Library Award Product of the Year for its Apollo ILS/LSP, based on a national survey of librarians. The fully cloudbased system is designed exclusively for public library systems with fewer than 300,000 holdings, and includes features such as the VersaCat and VersaCard communal catalog and virtual consortium capabilities, hardware-free auto-calling for overdue and reserve notifications, twoway texting with patrons,

and Reserve Express, which enables patrons to subscribe to their favorite authors and be automatically placed on a reserve list when the library acquires a new title by the author.

book systems Huntsville, AL–based Book Systems in October 2016 announced version 11.0 of its Atriuum ILS. The latest release includes a new feature named “Community,” which enables libraries and patrons to create posts to promote clubs, organizations, workshops, special events, and more that can then be discovered via the OPAC. In addition, the new version features support for the Common Sense Categories (CSC) system popular in elementary and middle schools, as well as animated buttons for Atriuum’s selfcheck module, designed to assist young patrons.

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Congress, MIT, the American Museum of Natural History, and online education provider Khan Academy.

BLUEcloud Insights is an analytics and report-generating tool designed to be simpler than BLUEcloud Analytics (users can subscribe to either service individually).

“We’ve heard loud and clear that libraries loved the power of BLUEcloud Analytics, but [some] weren’t quite as keen on putting in the sweat equity to understand how to make it work,” Keith says. “They wanted the data, they just didn’t want to, in every case, drive it.”

SirsiDynix signed over 130 new customers in 2016, and now has more than 2,000 customers using one or more BLUEcloud modules, Keith says.

At the source

Aside from continued improvements to proprietary ILS and LSPs, FOLIO is entering a market in which two other open source options—Koha and Evergreen—are firmly established with growing user bases and maturing code bases. If all goes as planned, FOLIO will probably initially appeal to academic libraries, although the hope is that its modular nature will make it a viable platform for libraries of all sizes and types. By comparison, Koha was originally designed by Katipo Communications for New Zealand’s Horowhenua Library Trust to support small libraries, and Evergreen was created by a consortium, the Georgia Public Library Service’s Public Information Network for Electronic Services (PINES).

The perception lingers that Koha is for public libraries and Evergreen, for public library consortia, but this could

civica Civica Library Solutions, part of the London-based public sector IT services company Civica Group, released SpydusManager, an analytics tool featuring drag-and-drop report design for its web-based Spydus10 library management system. The company is currently developing SpydusCollections as the next tool in its Business Analytics suite. An upcoming release, Spydus 10.1.5, is scheduled for May and will include web-based apps for home library service, mobile library service, and requests, along with an optional module to manage e-database subscriptions.

companion corp Salt Lake City–based COMPanion Corporation announced updates to its Alexandria Library Automation Software version

7 in July and December 2016 (updates 7.16.1 and 7.16.2). Patrons can now change the search type to look specifically for awards, bibliographies, curriculum, or notes, and use prefilters to select a medium or a genre. In addition, a new status for holds has been added, enabling staff to find holds that are on-shelf or in the holds area of a library— an update designed partly to improve ILL processes.

follett Follett Software Company announced updates to its Destiny suite for K–12 libraries in August 2016 and February 2017, (updates 14.0 and 14.5). The new releases include support for IMS Learning Tools Interoperability standards, enabling the seamless integration of library resources with a school’s learning management

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be changing. ByWater Solutions, for example, currently serves almost 100 academic libraries with hosting, IT support, training, and development assistance for Koha. As noted, the company is planning to offer hosting support for FOLIO, and most of its current academic customers are small college libraries and special academic libraries within larger systems.

Yet it is evident that a growing segment of the academic market is already weighing the costs, benefits, current features, and potential of proprietary vs. open source systems and opting to give Koha a shot. ByWater signed a total of 17 academic libraries to new contracts in 2016, out of a total of 70 new contracts representing 91 library sites. The company’s total library sites supported by year-end 2016 had grown to 949.

In the past 18 months, ByWater completed an integration with Koha and the EBSCO Discovery Service (EDS) and, with funding and technical assistance from EBSCO, helped upgrade Koha’s search engine to Elasticsearch.

In January, ByWater CEO Brendan Gallagher wrote in a “Year Ahead” blog post that ByWater plans to roll out a completely encrypted system for web traffic for all of the library sites the company hosts, using SSL certificates acquired through the Let’s Encrypt project. Gallagher also wrote that ByWater will be leveraging the capabilities of linked data using RDF and Elasticsearch to create “the next generation of library catalogs,” enabling patrons to discover Koha library collections on the open web.

“Overall, the perception and adoption of open source systems and other learning applications. Other new features include homepage customizations for Destiny Discover, the ability to globally change due dates for a particular group of resources, usage reporting for Follett Lightbox titles, and improved reporting features, such as districtlevel reports with an at-aglance view of each school’s resources and reports letting users see the prices of overdue materials in Destiny Resource Manager.

lucidea Vancouver, BC–based Lucidea has integrated support for OverDrive into its SydneyEnterprise and Inmagic GeniePlus ILS solutions designed for special libraries. A new Web Services API also enables libraries to offer real-time access to SydneyEnterprise and Inmagic GeniePlus

databases via other applications or public-facing websites. A 2016 update to the company’s Argus collections management software for museums also included a new Web Services API, along with a controlled vocabulary redesign, improved page responsiveness, and new work flow options.

mandarin Boca Raton, FL–based Mandarin Library Automation, developers of the M3 and cloud-based M5 ILS solutions for small libraries and K–12 libraries, is piloting a revamped ILL work flow developed in collaboration with the OnondagaCortland-Madison Boards of Cooperative Educational Services (BOCES), NY. At press time, the company was also preparing to launch a new web-based report module for M5.

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LIBRARY SYSTEMS LANDSCAPE

MAKING CONNECTIONS a library is the heart of its community, offering opportunities for lifelong learning while fostering connections among neighbors, local businesses, civic services, educational institutions, and more. That’s the message of Library Connections, a professionally produced, two-minute animated commercial for public libraries recently created by SirsiDynix.

Aside from an unobtrusive credit at the end, the commercial is unbranded, and SirsiDynix is encouraging any interested library—including non-SirsiDynix customers—to share the video on social media or use it in presentations.

Available in English, Spanish, Chinese, French, Bulgarian, and Welsh, the video can be downloaded from

SirsiDynix at ow.ly/SMgP309NOlb or embedded from the company’s YouTube channel at /user/SirsiDynix.

“SirsiDynix hopes to see libraries use the Connections video to explain their value to shareholders and to inspire patrons,” the site explains, suggesting board meetings, digital signs, and social media as possible venues.

Eric Keith, VP of global marketing, communications, and strategic alliances for SirsiDynix, says that the company wanted to help the field get out the message about the “powerful influence for good” that libraries can have. “We have said, ‘We can’t be successful, unless you are successful’—our customers,” he says, adding that

have expanded greatly,” ByWater chief revenue officer Nathan Curulla tells LJ. In his view, there is more to this shift than budgets and practicality.

“Until now, traditional, proprietary vendors—and the way those companies are structured—[didn’t] strictly follow the normal ideals and ethics and morals of libraries—free access [to information], benefiting from the generosity of others, collaboration,” Curulla says. Librarians tend to view their role in their communities through ideals like these, “but they’ve never had an outlet to transfer that to their technology. The principles of open source are directly in line with those of libraries. It’s a perfect fit.”

ByWater has been working to help a new generation of librarians become familiar with Koha via the company’s Koha Klassmates program, which provides a free, ByWaterhosted installation of Koha to any MLIS instructor who wants to offer students a hands-on application for studying how an ILS works. Since its launch 18 months ago, Klassmates has been regularly used by 40 U.S. library schools.

In other Koha-related news, LibLime, a subsidiary of Progressive Technology Federal Systems (PTFS) that provides support for a fork of Koha, is preparing to debut a new discovery layer at ALA’s annual conference in Chicago this June. It will feature support for the EDS API, for open access databases and independent commercial databases, simplified access to ebooks from OverDrive and the bibliotheca cloudLibrary, digital object import with full-text search, community-based tags and reviews, and integration with social media including Pinterest, Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn.

Open road

“There were certain issues with the implementation of [the Kuali OLE] vision,” Hammer said during his Code4Lib presentation. “One of the things that happened was that in putting together a system that could ultimately replace an [ILS], there was a lot of focus on gathering requirements and figuring out what those systems needed to do. Along the way...perhaps sight was lost of the platform aspect—this need

SirsiDynix will be announcing other ways that it is planning to help libraries with marketing and outreach at the upcoming COSUGI user group conference (April 11–13). “We’re really going to put our money where our mouth is and start to do things that don’t directly sell [SirsiDynix] products.... We’re going to be trying to help customers thrive and flourish in their communities and help [to reestablish] them as a central point of their community.”

to build something that was beyond or larger than just an ILS. So...what they ended up with, to a certain extent, was yet another ILS. And that was an opportunity lost.”

If FOLIO, with the help of its early partners, including OLE, learns from that earlier project’s shortfalls, it could be positioned to revolutionize the library systems landscape in a few years, offering libraries of all types a modular system with a selection of vendor-created and open source apps that can be selected and tailored to an institution’s needs.

The possibility that SirsiDynix might kick things off with industry-tested, for-fee BLUEcloud modules for FOLIO would provide a much broader floor for early adoption than Kuali OLE ever had.

In a meeting with LJ at ALA Midwinter, Michael Winkler, managing director for OLE; Lynn Bailey, CEO and CFO of Index Data; and Hammer said that FOLIO’s development is on track, and the project is attracting growing interest from universities, smaller libraries, vendors, and potential partners less than a year after its formal ­announcement.

Winkler described a “maturation for the OLE community” and noted how the project had looked into different licensing models and had chosen Apache 2.0, which was amenable to vendors and would foster maximum engagement with the platform from a variety of parties.

Hammer expressed concern about vendor consolidation, arguing that “a monopolistic model is a good model for one company.” By contrast, the ideal for FOLIO would be to become a healthy ecosystem of innovation and competition, he said.

Despite its skeptics, FOLIO appears to be taking some smart early steps toward building something “beyond or larger than just an ILS.” Still, the new platform will emerge into a market that has changed considerably since the Kuali OLE project began in 2008. Many of the problems of system cost and complexity haven’t changed, but judging from all of the partnerships, APIs, integration, and interoperability initiatives discussed here, vendors also understand that the future is open. n

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WANTING MORE Academic librarians want interconnected systems, enhancements to basic ILS functionality Academic librarians are concerned about the decreasing number of competitors in the integrated library system (ILS) and library services platform (LSP) market, and many are dissatisfied with their current ILS or LSP, according to the results of a recent LJ survey.

Almost 90% of respondents said their library uses a proprietary ILS or LSP, while only 6.7% said they were currently using an open source or community-sourced system such as Koha, Evergreen, or Kuali OLE. However, 36.2% of those respondents using a proprietary ILS said that their library had considered switching to an open source or community-sourced system, and 14.9% said that they weren’t sure whether such a move had been considered.

By comparison, in LJ’s 2016 survey of public libraries, 79.6% of respondents said their library used a proprietary ILS, and, of those only 24.5% said their library had considered switching to open source.

Academic libraries may be looking into open source ILS solutions at a higher rate than public libraries as the result of established due diligence practices. Several respondents wrote that their library had considered open source solutions as part of a comprehensive evaluation of the market, or that they had been watching the development of projects such as OLE from the sidelines with no near-term plans to migrate.

Other comments, however, indicated that some academic libraries are taking more than a pro forma look. More than 43% of respondents

UNDER CONSIDERATION Almost 90% of academic library respondents are currently using a proprietary ILS or LSP. Of those respondents, more than one-third said their library had considered switching to open source.

36.2% YES

49.8% NO

described themselves as somewhat dissatisfied (33.5%) or completely dissatisfied (9.7%) with their current ILS or LSP—significantly outpacing the 28% of dissatisfied proprietary ILS users in last year’s public library survey. Many respondents expressed frustration about the cost of proprietary systems and maintenance fees, with one respondent writing in all caps “COST SAVINGS” as a reason to explore open source. “Proprietary systems leave you at the will of a company’s bottom line,” another wrote.

Several others described open source systems as more customizable, making it possible for colleges with the IT staff and know-how to “gain functionality we currently lack.”

However, the perceived need for IT support was a sticking point for other libraries, as exemplified by one respondent who wrote that “our director is mistrustful of open source options that lack robust support and may require more advanced programming skills from our librarians.” Although open source service providers such as ByWater Solutions have recently signed a number of college and small university libraries to contracts for Koha support

CONSOLIDATION CONCERNS A majority of academic library respondents said that they were concerned about consolidation in the ILS industry. This was a much higher rate of concern than public library respondents expressed in LJ’s 2016 survey (40.4%).

57.1% YES WWW.LIBRARYJOURNAL.COM REVIEWS, NEWS, AND MORE

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26.7% NO

16.2% DON’T KNOW

14.9% DON’T KNOW

and development, many academic libraries may still view in-house expertise as a necessity for adopting open source solutions.

current frustrations More than three-quarters (76.9%) of respondents said their ILS or LSP included reporting/analytics tools and course reserves features. But only 57.5% currently have a discovery layer or integrated search module, and only 55.2% have integrated interlibrary loan (ILL) features.

Only 44.8% described their system as currently having a user-friendly interface, and only 43.3% felt that their system was customizable or offered the ability to adjust vendor settings.

This year, 44% of respondents said their systems currently offer single sign on (SSO) support, but only 43.3% said that they offer mobile features or apps for students and faculty, and only 30.6% said that the their ILS currently includes mobile features or apps for library staff.

When respondents were asked what features they would like to see added to their ILS or LSP, several complaints about basic functionality, discovery layers, and a lack of user-friendliness with both the front- and back-end user interface (UI) surfaced in the comments. One respondent wrote, “I would like to see it return pertinent results when performing a simple title search. I would like it to have a truly functional and integrated acquisitions system. I would like to be able to browse by call number. I would also like to see it spontaneously combust.”

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LIBRARY SYSTEMS LANDSCAPE Another described their ILS’s discovery layer as “little more than a catalog overlay product for academic libraries. (The functionality to link to vendor records is available for public library vendors such as OverDrive). I would love it if they branched out and offered more for academic libraries in this regard; otherwise, I feel like we’re paying far too much for what amounts to a prettier catalog.”

And another wrote, “It’s not so much new features that I want, as improvements to existing features.”

Several singled out the need for electronic resource modules, or improvements to existing electronic resource management (ERM) features.

One requested “a more stable staff client.” And a few criticized the “à la carte” module selection and pricing model used by some vendors, arguing that more features should be supported by default.

feature DEMAND The more aspirational wish list comments included many requests for enhanced reporting features, including collection analysis tools, APIs (application programming interfaces) to access data for library-created or third-party analytics systems, institutional comparative analytics features, integrated statistics from vendor databases, and more.

Connectivity and integration was another theme throughout the write-in comments, with several respondents saying that they would like to see better interoperability with other institutional systems, such as accounting, student registration, and learning management systems. Within

methodology Conducted between January 13 and February 10, 2017, this online survey received responses from 156 academic librarians, facilitated by emails to a targeted group of LJ subscribers and requests for participation in LJ’s Academic Newswire email newsletter.

Almost two-thirds of respondents (64.1%) work at four-year colleges/universities, while 16% work at community colleges, and 19.9% at postgraduate academic libraries, such as law libraries and medical libraries. The majority of respondents were directors or assistant directors (18.1%), or working in technical services (18.1%), reference or information services (10.5%), electronic resources (9.5%), or acquisitions/collection development (8.6%). Most respondents were from universities or colleges in the South (29.3%) or Midwest (22.7%), followed by the Northeast (16.7%), Canada or other international locations (16.7%), or the West (14.7%).

the library, respondents said they would like to see better integration with ILL tools, course reserves, fulltext online resources, social media pages, external data repositories, and vendors involved with acquisitions.

Other comments included requests for linked data capabilities, SSO functionality, a built-in citation generator, highlighted keywords in discovery records, SMS alerts for patrons, and more.

Some vendors have been addressing these needs. In a “select all that apply” question regarding which features their ILS/LSP provider had upgraded or added during the most recent two years, 37.4% said reporting/analytics tools, 35% said integrated search module or discovery layer, and 20.3% noted mobile features or apps for students and faculty. Also, 18.7% said that UI improvements had been made, 17.1% said their system now included mobile features or apps for staff, 16.3% said that ILL features had been added or integrated, and 13.8% said that their vendor had made it easier to adjust default settings or customize their systems.

Another 13.8% said that linked data or open web visibility features had been added, and 13% said course

GLASS HALF FULL

While almost 57% of academic library respondents described themselves as satisfied or very satisfied with their current ILS, this is much lower than the 72% satisfaction rate expressed by respondents in LJ’s 2016 survey of public libraries.

9.7%

COMPLETELY DISsatisfied

33.5%

SOMEWHAT DISsatisfied

38 | LIBRARY JOURNAL | APRIL 1, 2017

ljx170401enisSystemsLandscape.indd 38

15.5%

very satisfied

41.3%

satisfied

reserve features or integration with course reserve systems had been added. Only 9.8% said that SSO functionality had been added.

Unfortunately, 26% said that no additional features had been added or upgraded. In some cases, this could be owing to a library, university IT department, or consortium not updating to the latest version of an ILS. Yet regardless of the reason, judging from the combined 142 write-in comments concerning features that students request or library staff need, many respondents were feeling some level of frustration with their system.

The shrinking number of alternative vendors may also play a role in that frustration. A majority of respondents (57.1%) answered in the affirmative when asked if they were concerned about consolidation in the ILS/LSP market; 26.7% said that industry consolidation had not been a concern, while 16.2% said they were unsure or didn’t know.

Although students and faculty may not be acquainted with ILS/LSP or OPAC terminology, survey respondents were also asked to write in what sort of features were most requested by their patrons.

Requests for improved search and discovery appeared in multiple iterations. “Although they do not know the name of such a service, they want to find everything in one search,” one respondent wrote. Others said that students and faculty complain about the volume of unrelated results they receive when conducting simple title or author searches. One respondent suggested that better faceting and filtering features were needed, and another noted that patrons “seem happy to use Google Scholar, and if they have to use library resources they seem happy with what we have to offer.” n

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3/8/2017 1:01:00 PM

Fines & Fees

Doing

( ) Fine s ?

As libraries reassess fines and fees, an LJ survey gathers benchmarking data on from institutions across the country

By Jennifer A. Dixon

Fees and fines

have traditionally been a fact of life cations across the United States and ranged from suburban for public libraries in America, even though a nonnegligible branches to rural libraries to a slightly smaller percentage of proportion of librarians and patrons have long considered urban library systems. fines at best an unpleasant hassle and at worst a serious barrier to access to resources for those unable to pay them. A Overdue Fines Still in the Majority number of libraries nationwide from High Plains Public A substantial majority of public libraries continue to depend Library in Colorado to Columbus, OH, to Ipswich, MA, on fines and fees for some portion of revenue, with 92 percent have recently made news by of survey respondents reporteliminating charges for late ing fine collection for late rereturns. Others are creating turns. Eight-eight percent of AVERAGE FINE & FEE COLLECTIONS f ine-free cards for certain small libraries collect overdue

SMALL MIDSIZE LARGE categories of patrons, such as fees, and 98 percent of large

TOTAL* (<25K) (25K–99K) (100K+) Fines $3,345 $449 $2,691 $9,788 California’s Peninsula Library libraries, serving populations Fees $1,758 $291 $1,241 $6,770 System’s for kids and teens, or over 100,000, do so. Not all SOURCE: LJ FINES & FEES SURVEY 2017; *Weighted Toledo Lucas County Public libraries charge fines for evLibrary’s for active duty miliery type of material—for extary personnel and veterans. ample, some (five percent) do As many libraries continue to assess and overhaul their fine not charge fines for juvenile materials—but libraries almost and fee structures, sponsored by Comprise Technologies, LJ universally charge late fees for DVDs. surveyed a random selection of public librarians in January Librarians in the LJ survey estimated that about 14 percent 2017 to learn about their libraries’ approaches to fines and of borrowed materials are returned late, with patrons in larger fees. LJ received 454 responses. library systems slightly more likely to return items after their Slightly over half of the libraries responding, approxi- due date. The vast majority of overdue materials, 88 percent, mately 60 percent, are classified as “small,” serving a pop- are returned within one week of the due date. Only three ulation of 25,000 or less. Slightly over 20 percent were percent of libraries reported an average late period exceeding midsize, serving a population of 25,000 to 99,000; the re- three weeks. The daily fines for lateness are typically small, apmainder are classified as “large.” Responses came from lo- proximately 17¢, but can add up to a maximum of $5 to $10, or the cost of item replacement.

Jennifer A. Dixon is a librarian and recent graduate of the School of Monthly revenue from fines was roughly proportionate Information, Pratt Institute, New York to the size of the system. Libraries serving populations under 40 | LIBRARY JOURNAL | APRIL 1, 2017

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Can Your Library Go Fine-Free?

By Steven A. Gillis

Many library administrators feel that fines are a barrier to access (especially for low-income families), cost the library significant staff time, are antithetical to our mission and principles, set up an adversarial relationship, or prevent implementation of services such as autorenewal.

Nonetheless, they may fear that eliminating fines is impossible owing to funding issues. That is not necessarily the case. In the face of declining budgets and increasing costs, how can a library justify removing a revenue stream? A close look at the business situation may allow for a step-by-step transition, especially as fines collected often represent less than one percent of total budgets. A small trial period may be the answer.

At the Orange Beach Public Library (OBPL), we instituted such a trial, with rigid data tracking. Even if the project were a complete disaster, the board considered six months a minimal risk. We compared collected data to a baseline averaged from our 2010–12 calendar years. Our primary data points were circulation and average time materials stayed off the shelf, but we also examined the cost of the initiative and took note of staff and patron opinions, including patron email surveys in 2013 and 2016 that collected over 2,000 responses. Most important for concerns over revenue reduction, we tracked data on fines plus donations collected in our baseline vs. our donations collected during the experiment.

Altruism vs. punishment

Initially, we used a “waive-and-request” method. Fines were unchanged in our library automation software, but we

would inform patrons that we were waiving the charges and asked if they would like to make a donation. While some chose not to donate, others donated at least the fine amount, often rounding up to the nearest dollar rather than receiving change. This method served to advertise our fine-free status, helped tracking, and sparked many questions from patrons. It also changed the tone of the interaction from punitive to altruistic, which was more pleasant for everyone.

Data from the first six months showed an overall decrease of only $265 compared to our baseline of combined fines and donations after excluding large or organizational gifts. This amounted to a 12 percent loss for these combined revenue streams. Almost 88 percent of fine income was recovered in donations through “waive-and-request” or from increased general giving. Comparing fines actually waived in our ILS reports vs. donations collected showed that 49.9 percent of the fine values were recovered through “waive-and-request.”

After six months, the experiment was considered successful enough to go forward. We continued tracking and did see some ongoing falloff. After nine months, our recovery dropped to only 41.8 percent. It may be a good idea to anticipate and plan for a drop once the novelty wears off.

Revenue from the combined streams for the same six-month season of the original experiment did decline slightly. Because our library is located at the beach, our usage can be very seasonal, so we made sure to compare the same six months for each year and included our highest fine-generating months in the snapshot. Losses for

25,000 reported an average of $449 in fines collected each month, libraries serving from 25,000 to 99,000 reported an average of $2,691, and libraries serving over 100,000 reported an average of $9,788. Based on responses to this survey and the number of libraries in the United States, LJ has projected the amount of money collected in monthly fines at approximately $11.8 million. This calculation is based on the total number of library systems in the United States and not the number of individual library buildings, making this a very conservative estimate.

Larger libraries are far more likely to accept credit or debit cards for fine payments than their smaller counterWWW.LIBRARYJOURNAL.COM REVIEWS, NEWS, AND MORE

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fine incomes compared with donations fluctuated from 15 percent to 32 percent for 2014–16 ($330–$713).

Even the highest percentage loss in 2016 was actually an increase in small donations by more than 25 percent over 2012, with this increase making up for 68 percent of our previous fine incomes. Our “waive-and-request” period ended in 2015, and in April 2015, we removed all fines at the direction of the library board.

Our test indicates that increases in donations may help mitigate the losses in fine income with the proper framing.

Instead of planning for a one to two percent loss in total income, you may experience a surge in donations and goodwill. There is no real way to know if this will occur without trying a test period.

Goodwill grows support

At OBPL we were able to leverage increased goodwill with our city council. While there are many reasons for the raises in funding for our library, the goodwill of the community and the change in the overall environment from removing fines is a significant factor.

In the first year of the project, our municipal funding increased by nine percent over funding in 2012. Over the next three years, our municipal support has increased by nearly 30 percent.

We currently anticipate a continuing budget of almost $140,000 greater than our 2012 funding. With this increased revenue and support from our city, we also anticipate remaining fine free.

Steven A. Gillis is Director, Orange Beach Public Library, AL

parts, with 88 percent of larger libraries accepting credit or debit cards, 65 percent of midsize, and 39 percent of smaller libraries. Nearly all responding libraries—99.5 percent—­ accept cash, 95.5 percent take checks.

Sixty-one percent of libraries also accept other ways to satisfy fines without monetary payment, although alternatives are less common in large systems, where just 37 percent offer such approaches. When they do, though, the results can be quite impressive: in recent amnesty programs, Chicago Public Library received at least 20,000 returned items, worth roughly $500,000; Los Angeles Public Library received 64,633 books, and 13,701 patrons had fines forgiven APRIL 1, 2017 | LIBRARY JOURNAL | 41

3/17/2017 5:28:47 PM

Fines & Fees and accounts unblocked. Options include activities such as food drives, participation in programs in which patrons— usually children or teens—can “read down” their fines, donations representing a portion of the fine, or through amnesty periods. Multiple survey respondents referenced periodic fine amnesty periods as a powerful means of recovering overdue materials, which patrons may otherwise hang on to for fear of financial consequences. Indeed, the San Francisco Public Library recently held a six-week amnesty and recovered 699,563 overdue items, including 12,246 items that were more than 60 days past due.

ing period. Nearly a third of responding libraries stated that digital materials have reduced their fine ­collections.

Fine Collection Stress

The majority of libraries (90 percent) have circulation staff communicate with patrons about fines, with fewer using email (67 percent), snail mail (55 percent), or phone calls (40 percent). In some libraries, patrons receive notification via text message, on their checkout slip, or through their online account. For many library staff members, the process of collecting and enforcing fines can prove stressful. The vast majority of libraries train their staff in how to handle WHERE THE MONEY GOES it, particularly in libraries serving over 100,000, where 98 The money collected is allocated to the general fund in percent of staff receive training, although 88 percent of staff about three-quarters of libraries. According to Jenny Pax- in midsize libraries and 79 percent in smaller libraries receive son, readers’ advisory librarian at Webster Public Library, training as well.

NY, “The money we get from fines helps us through the Fine collection may also present a barrier to community year. We use it as operating costs.” About 15 percent re- goodwill toward the library. Said one staffer, “It’s not worth ported that funds go to materials, five percent that the the severed relationships when responsible customers have money goes to programa one-time occurrence, when ming, and six percent wrote families incur huge fines bein that fine money goes back cause of a vacation, or when DOES YOUR LIBRARY CHARGE to the city or county general the word of mouth messagFINES FOR OVERDUE MATERIALS? fund. There have also been ing spreads because of any

SMALL MIDSIZE LARGE examples of libraries using of these situations. Libraries

TOTAL* (<25K) (25K–99K) (100K+) Yes 92% 88% 95% 98% fine revenue for other purhave enough to combat, this poses—in 2016, for example, is a matter of hospitality and the Central Arkansas Library being supportive of our cusHAS YOUR LIBRARY EVER CONSIDERED System donated a week’s tomer needs.” Staff also feel DOING AWAY WITH FINES? worth of fine collections to concern about a negative effect

SMALL MIDSIZE LARGE

TOTAL* (<25K) (25K–99K) (100K+) help those affected by the exon patrons’ use of their librarYes 34.3 25.9 31.6 53.5 treme f looding in Louisiana ies. Says Monica Baughman, SOURCE: LJ FINES & FEES SURVEY 2017; *Weighted earlier that summer. deputy director of WorthingFines were originally inton Libraries, OH, fines can stituted to dissuade patrons “impact those who can least from bringing materials in afford it.” Bearing out BaughHOW MUCH DOES IT COST YOUR late, depriving others of limman’s point, when San José LIBRARY MONTHLY TO COLLECT FINES? ited shared resources. It causes Public Library lowered fines

SMALL MIDSIZE LARGE frustration for patrons and and instituted a program for

TOTAL* (<25K) (25K–99K) (100K+) Average $ $714 $84 $ 594 $3,265 librarians alike, respondents working down the amount SOURCE: LJ FINES & FEES SURVEY 2017; *Weighted noted, when they request owed through volunteering, items to find they are overnearly 100,000 residents had due and unavailable. There is their library access restored. a “responsibility factor,” says an Indiana library director. (For more, see “Jill Bourne: LJ’s 2017 Librarian of the Year,” These are “community materials to be shared with all.”

LJ 1/17, p. 28.)

Libraries will also take steps beyond fines for patrons who The time spent collecting these fees can use up hundreds of consistently hold on to their materials. Almost all libraries—97 dollars in staff time from library budgets. Some libraries have percent—will suspend patron borrowing privileges when found that the effort expended to enforce fines is not worth the fines accumulate past a particular threshold, frequently around small amount charged per day. Not surprisingly, about a third $10. Some refer patrons to a collection agency for outstanding of librarians contemplate doing away with the practice entirely. fines long past due or over a certain amount. This is true of 67 However, with budgets tight, many libraries are conpercent of large libraries, 57 percent of midsize libraries, and cerned about losing that source of revenue. Hollis Helmeci, 22 percent of small libraries. The typical threshold for such director, Rusk County Community Library, WI, writes, action is $42, and 54–90 days past due. Some libraries use a “We would have to eliminate staff if we cut fines.” In particcombination of dollar amount owed and number of days past ular, some referenced resistance to such a cutback from addue to determine whether they should take tougher action. A ministrators, trustees, and local government. Others emphasmall percentage, 12 percent, have taken legal action to recoup sized a belief that fines facilitate the timely return of library overdue fines. materials and patron accountability, with Mary ­Geragotelis, One factor leading to a decline in fine revenue for some director, Scotland Public Library, CT, writing that “we belibraries is the increasing prevalence of digital materials, which lieve that patrons will ignore due dates completely if there is automatically “return” to the library at the end of the borrow- no penalty imposed for late items.”

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Some librarians comproeach month as $6.5 million. mise by waiving patron fines Most of those fees are for DAILY FINE FOR EACH TYPE OF MATERIAL for those who cannot pay or in-library copying and print restructuring the fines to pose ing, with some also charging

$ Average $ Median $ MAXIMUM less of a burden. As Cheryl to replace lost or damaged Adult Print Material 0.17 0.15 5.00 Napsha, former director of the library cards or damaged maJuvenile Print Material 0.14 0.10 5.00 South Fayette Township Literials or to grant access for Adult DVD/Blu-ray/VHS 0.67 1.00 6.00 brary, PA, writes, one deternonresident users. Of those Music CDs 0.21 0.20 5.00 rent to removing fines entirely charging for nonresident use, Audiobooks 0.21 0.20 5.00 Games 0.51 0.25 5.00 is “board/local government six percent reported deterDevices 2.23 1.00 10.00 expectation that fines are part mining the fee based on tax SOURCE: LJ FINES & FEES SURVEY 2017 of library service. It’s easier to rates. Smaller libraries in parwaive fines than to deal with ticular charge fees for faxing the board. While our system and scanning, while larger liblocks people who owe $10 or more, we just override that or braries are more likely to charge for services such as interlibrary reduce fines to keep it below $10.” loan (ILL) or debt collection processing. For ILL or document delivery, about eight percent will assess the charge from the Life Without Fines lending institution, while eight percent will charge the cost Of those libraries that do not impose overdue fines, 45 per- of return shipping. Over a third of libraries, particularly larger cent had done so in the past. Most eliminated fines more systems, also charge for the rental of meeting rooms or event than two years prior to the survey. The majority were un- spaces. The revenue collected from such fees enables libraries sure as to whether this change had impacted their circula- to provide services they might not otherwise be able to offer, tion and instead focused on improving customer relations. for instance, Wi-Fi kits or 3-D printing. ­Napsha observes, “Fines and fees should not be part of a One in five libraries also charges admission fees for prolibrary’s revenue stream,” as they have become “a barrier to grams or events. Common events include classes such as art service” and to a “cordial, positive atmosphere.” or yoga, field trips, or author talks. Other examples proLisa Richland, director, Floyd Memorial Library, Green- vided by survey respondents include driver safety courses, port, NY, which has done away with fines but does restrict genealogy seminars, “paint n’ sip” gatherings, and concerts. the borrowing privileges of those who have overdue non- Libraries also host free events at which participants pay for renewable items, reports, “folks who are dilatory about materials, like craft classes, or organize fundraisers for which returns have not changed their habits, but the interaction at attendees pay a fee or a donation. the circulation desk is much less fraught. My staff is not put Some libraries take a f lexible approach to how they in the position of punishing those who return items late, and charge for common services like printing and copying. we have a donation box for people who still have a need to pay a fine.” Even without fines, the majority of library maLIBRARY CHARGES A FEE terials do make their way back to the library eventually. Not Copy machine/ only does this reduce staff stress levels, Richland explains, 97% photocopier but it also helps the library maintain a “good name” in the Printing community. “You never know what burdens people have, 94% so we try not to judge or act in a hectoring manner.”

Library card Contrary to concerns that fines are the key to patron 77% replacement accountability, Kathy Dulac of the Milton Public Library, Processing fee for VT, reports that after doing away with fines, more people 54% replacement of lost/ damaged items returned books on time, and others felt more welcome in the library space. She explains, “We also found some patrons 48% Nonresident that had not been in because of fines were again coming to Space rental/ use the library.” While some patrons take advantage and 38% meeting rooms keep books out, she explains that “we have the best results Debt collection 34% getting books back by keeping on top of overdue notices.” processing To offset the lost revenue from eliminating overdue fines, Interlibrary loan/ a small majority of fine-free institutions have started to collect 32% document delivery voluntary donations at the circulation desk [see “Can Your Faxing Library Go Fine-Free?,” p. 41]. Others simply adjust their 22% (write-in answer) operating budget, as the amount collected through fines represented a minimal percentage of the overall budget.

16% Scanning

The Increasing Use of Fees

A majority of the responding public libraries—86 percent— also collect fees for library services. Based on survey responses and the number of library systems in the country, LJ projected the amount of fees collected by U.S. public libraries WWW.LIBRARYJOURNAL.COM REVIEWS, NEWS, AND MORE

ljx170401FinesFees.indd 43

Holds not picked up 3-D printing

12% 6%

SOURCE: LJ FINES & FEES SURVEY 2017

APRIL 1, 2017 | LIBRARY JOURNAL | 43

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Fines & Fees Service Fees Charged

$ average

$ median

Nonresident (per year)

46.96 32.00 Space rental/Meeting rooms 40.24 30.00 for Businesses (per hour)

Debt collection processing fees

12.21 10.00 Space rental/meeting rooms 8.48 10.00 for nonprofits (per hour)

Processing fee for replacement 5.58 5.00 of lost/damaged items

Interlibrary loan/document delivery 3.27 3.00 Library card replacement

1.92 2.00 Faxing 1.23 1.00 Holds not picked up 1.02 1.00 Scanning .58 .25 Color printing .50 .50 B/W printing .16 .15 Color copies .49 .50 B/W copies .16 .15 SOURCE: LJ FINES & FEES SURVEY 2017

p­ atrons. The clearest trend from these results is that libraries benefit from open-mindedness about these revenue sources and a willingness to move away from entrenched traditional methods. There is a cost, in staff time and effort particularly, to collecting fines and fees from patrons, and libraries must balance this by collecting in a way that makes sense for the individual library and community. n

In partnership with

Columbus Metropolitan Library

{

Steven Harsin, director, Grand Marais Public Library, MN, describes operating “on an honor system, so we don’t know for certain whether patrons pay nor not.... Undoubtedly, some do not pay. On the other hand, there are patrons who print a couple of pages and drop $5 in the bucket.” The library also will negotiate lower rates for large printing jobs and allows patrons to bring one copy of a tax form to be duplicated for free during tax season. Overall, library staff report efforts to adjust their fee structures in a manner that facilitates the best possible services for patrons and emphasize that these charges are never instituted to make a profit.

Many libraries are still testing what works best for their community when it comes to fee programs. Lisa Eck, Rose­ ville Public Library, CA, notes that her library used to charge for held materials not picked up and for the processing of lost items, damages, and ILLs. However, she writes, “we have dropped [those charges] because we found that they didn’t warrant the staff time, and they caused negative experiences with our customers.”

As is the case with overdue fines, for many libraries the money collected in fees helps to support a tight institutional budget. Explains a public services librarian in Wisconsin, “As our city continues to slash our budget, our meeting room fees (collected for private events usually held on the weekends) are helping to plug the holes.”

The results of the LJ survey provide a picture of the ways in which libraries nationwide assess and adjust their approaches to fines and fees in order best to serve their

}

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PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT

disaster recovery

By Denice Rovira Hazlett

The fire burned for days. Water—thousands of gallons of it—saturated the library’s materials, equipment, and interior. Smoke and water damage affected 250,000 bound volumes, two million pieces of micrographics, classified and confidential records, historical military documents, and a dedicated server room with more than 100 computer workstations. The Boeing 757 that had ripped through the Pentagon’s three outer rings on September 11, 2001, blasted open the doors to the Pentagon library sandwiched in the middle, the plane’s nose gear hitting the facility’s back wall.

By the time staff were permitted to return, devastating moisture had taken over. Materials and equipment, personal belongings, catalog statistics, personnel files, and more were covered with mold and mildew.

BMS CAT, the company hired to restore and recover the library’s collection, set up dehumidification immediately to halt mold growth and materials deterioration. A crew of 25 technicians and supervisors worked daily for a month to recover the collection and facility.

“With the exception of approximately 100 profoundly molded volumes that could easily be replaced, the library Denice Rovira Hazlett (denicehazlett.com; @charmgirl on Twitter) is a feature, profile, and fiction writer

product: National Heritage Responders company: American Institute for Conservation

of Historic and Artistic Works

National Heritage Responders (NHR) operates under the Foundation of the American Institute for Conservation of Historic and Artistic Works (FAIC), providing assistance after disasters and emergencies by responding to the needs of cultural institutions through coordinated efforts with first responders, state agencies, vendors, and the public. The group provides assistance by phone and email to collecting institutions. NHR has deployed experts to assist with major floods and hurricanes. After each event, information is shared and techniques are evaluated and refined by team members.

Jessica Unger, the emergency programs coordinator for FAIC, says NHR receives calls from those seeking guidance on how to handle wet and/or moldy materials and what health and safety considerations staff responders should consider. Unger says NHR’s volunteer team has a diversity of backgrounds; they are librarians, archivists, conservators with a variety of specialties, and other collections care

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ljx170401Hazlett.indd 45

was a 100 percent recovery,” says Matt Jaroma, VP of documents for BMS CAT. When materials are damaged, whether through a leaky roof, a water main break, a fire, or a large-scale disaster, natural or otherwise, the best way to rescue materials is to act intentionally and follow a predetermined plan, Jaroma says.

The most effective method to stabilize water-damaged archival and library materials is by freezing at low temperatures as quickly as possible. The recommended freezing level should be around -30°C (-20°F). Frozen materials should remain in cold storage until freeze-drying can occur. If the water source is overhead, protect documents with plastic sheets or tarps until the water can be turned off. If from below, move documents in water’s path to an elevated location.

When safe, remove standing water with a wet vac. Take steps to reduce humidity and increase air circulation. Use in-house air conditioners to bring temperatures down and remove moisture from the air. Employ fans, air movers, or air scrubbers to create air flow.

When working with items or records containing mold, trained workers should wear masks or respirators and disposable gloves. It is not recommended to allow library employees to perform mold mitigation or remediation services.

professionals. Their largest project to date has been a joint effort with the Smithsonian Institution and the U.S. Committee of the Blue Shield (USCBS) to recover cultural and historic artifacts damaged in Haiti’s 2010 earthquakes. FAIC sent 21 conservators for a total of 233 days with the support of the National Endowment for the Humanities, National Endowment for the Arts, Institute of Museum and Library Services, and donations from individuals. The group set up conservation labs at the Haiti Cultural Recovery Center to restore paintings and works on paper. Volunteers labored over iconic pieces, cleaned dust and mold from thousands of items, and helped train Haitian specialists to continue the important work.

For more information, visit www.conservation-us.org/nhr.

NHR’s hotline is available 24-7 at 202-661-8069.

APRIL 1, 2017 | LIBRARY JOURNAL | 45

3/17/2017 3:17:12 PM

PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT

product: BMS CAT company: Blackmon Mooring & BMS CAT BMS CAT has significant experience in document and special media recovery following a disaster. It also offers extensive services to restore a facility after a disaster, with on-staff experts in fire and smoke damage restoration, water damage restoration, HVAC decontamination, dehumidification, mold remediation, construction services, storm damage repair, multifamily facilities, and disaster planning.

VP of documents Matt Jaroma says BMS CAT also provides a chain-of-custody when handling sensitive materials to ensure the materials’ location can be followed at all times. Items are barcoded when allowed and tracked in BMS CAT’s system.

BMS CAT uses mechanical compression during freezedrying, the method preferred over desiccant drying by the National Archives.

“Other companies use bungee cords for freeze-drying books, which leads them to distort and cockle,” Jaroma says, adding that BMS CAT also offers the largest freezedry capacity of any company in the country, with the ability to process nearly 10,000 cubic feet of documents at one time in their Haltom City, TX, facility, processing large numbers of materials in times of crisis when a significant area might be affected by disaster.

BMS CAT’s size and national footprint, with locations throughout the United States, give the company the ability to mobilize people and equipment quickly to affected areas.

For more information, visit www.bmscat.com or c­ ontact mjaroma@bmscat.com.

product: BELFOR Restoration company: BELFOR USA

BELFOR can restore almost any type of document, including books, files, magazines, and manuscripts.

It also focuses on archives, special collections, audioand videotapes, blueprints, maps, and vital records.

Its restoration process reaches to photographs, film, negatives, slides, X-rays, and microfiche/microfilm as well. Security measures at BELFOR include secured access and video monitoring, fenced-in buildings, and passcode entry to handle high-security and government documents.

BELFOR’s document restoration specialists use desiccant drying, vacuum freeze-dryers, thermal vacuum freeze-dryers, and molecular sieves specifically designed to restore books, documents, and paper materials exposed to water. BELFOR’s National Technical Services Division’s paper recovery professionals inventoried, packed, transported, treated, repackaged, and restored one of the world’s largest herbaria collections from Harvard University.

BELFOR’s paper recovery process for fire and smoke damage includes particulate removal sponges, ionized air washing, and deodorization techniques, while materials affected by mold, mildew, or bacteria are sterilized via gamma radiation or electron beam radiation, preventing further contamination or decay.

BELFOR is also one of the few restoration companies able to perform asbestos and lead removal on documents.

BELFOR has a large inventory of mobile freezedry chambers worldwide to freeze most documents on-site. The majority of document projects are frozen, inventoried, then packed and shipped to a BELFOR Document Lab for further recovery in one of its fixed freeze-dry chambers in North America, British Columbia, and Ontario.

For further information, visit www.belfor.com or call the 24-7 emergency number at 1-800-856-3333.

product: Document Recovery Solutions company: Polygon Polygon’s vacuum freeze-drying chambers restore water-damaged materials quickly and effectively by placing them in an airtight chamber with negative vacuum pressure, keeping frozen documents from becoming reliquefied, thereby preventing warping and distortion.

With a desiccant dehumidification process, the room atmosphere is maintained at about 68ºF and 12 percent humidity, removing moisture from documents within one to seven days, depending on the severity of damage.

Polygon also offers cleaning services to remove dirt and fungi spores from each document with sponges and scrub pads, avoiding liquid solutions that would reactivate the moisture in the materials.

High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) vacuum systems are used to prevent the circulation of mold spores, and materials exposed to hazardous waste or black water are sterilized with gamma irradiation. The company also provides digital imaging after or instead of restoration.

Polygon’s 24-7 Emergency Response includes a large fleet of drying and climate-control equipment, several dedicated recovery centers, and more than two dozen offices across North America as well as a global network in 13 countries.

For more information, visit www. polygongroup.com, call 1-800-422-6379, or email us_info@polygongroup.com. n

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COLLECTION DEVELOPMENT

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THE ISLAMIC EXPERIENCE

The VOICES of ISLAM

By Sandra Collins

All libraries have a unique opportunity, especially in light of the public voicing of cultural anxieties since the 2016 election, to inform their users of the rich and varied experiences of the Islamic world. Despite statistics to the contrary, many people still persist in the belief that “Arab” is the same as “Muslim,” even though of the 1.6 billion Muslims worldwide, nearly two-thirds live in the AsiaPacific region. In fact, according to a 2016 Pew Research Center study, more Muslims live in Pakistan and India than in the entire Middle East and North Africa region.

In academic circles, if one is interested in talking about the genesis of Western awareness of the Middle East, the conversation usually begins with Edward Said’s Orientalism (1978), a seminal work that demonstrated the myriad ways in which the West has flattened ethnic and cultural distinctions regarding the Middle and Far East. Stereotyping can take the form of distrust or even racial profiling, or a malignant suspicion of women wearing head scarves or anyone dressed in non-Western garb. What Said identified was a pervasive and unexamined cultural imperialism in the West based in large measure upon its own sense of self as the norm against which all other cultures and belief systems should be measured.

Sandra Collins is Director of Information Services and Professor of Sacred Scripture at Byzantine Catholic Seminary, Pittsburgh. She has reviewed for LJ since 1990 and has served as the spirituality and religion columnist since 2016

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Undergirding this was Said’s criticism of the West’s appalling lack of curiosity about the various forms of nonWestern culture and its misinformed tropes regarding non-Judeo-Christian faiths, especially with respect to Islam. Taken together, this creates a posture born of fear: of the East, of losing cultural hegemony, and of rendering American exceptionalism obsolete as new non-Westerners play a significant world role. This unease is never more present than in discussions of Islam, which has become the cultural nexus for these fears and anxieties.

New perspectives

The words used to identify followers of Islam have undergone a change in keeping with growing cultural awareness. That is, while T.E. Lawrence could use terms such as Mohammedans and Muhammadanism (or even the much older Mahometan) in his early 20th-century works, such language is now considered archaic. It has not only fallen into disuse but is looked upon as particularly offensive.

While historical perspectives are useful, a wealth of fiction and nonfiction titles highlight topics such as sex and gender in Islam, cultural assimilation, and American Islamic identity politics. In addition, understanding Mohammed, the founder of Islam, allows for a deeper appreciation of what the intent and value of his revelatory experiences were for his newfound religion and the ways in which its practice continues to grow.

Starred titles (.) are essential for all collections.

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COLLECTION DEVELOPMENT

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THE ISLAMIC EXPERIENCE

Nonfiction

Ali, Ayaan Hirsi. Infidel. Free Pr. 2007.

361p. illus. ISBN 9780743295031. $20.50; pap. ISBN 9780743289696. $17; ebk. ISBN 9781416538592.

Ali, Ayaan Hirsi. Nomad: From Islam to

America; A Personal Journey Through the Clash of Civilizations. Free Pr. 2010.

277p. ISBN 9781439157312. $27; pap. ISBN 9781439157329. $16; ebk.

9781439171820. (LJ 5/15/10) Ali, Ayaan Hirsi. Heretic: Why Islam Needs a Reformation Now. Harper. 2015. 272p. illus. ISBN 9780062333933. $27.99; pap.

ISBN 9780062333940. $15.99; ebk. ISBN 9780062333957.

The controversial Somali-born Ali actively writes and speaks out against Islamic extremism. A victim of female genital mutilation, she details in her memoir, Infidel, her harrowing escape from the constraints of a traditional Muslim existence and her challenging life in the West as an Islamic provocateur.

Nomad traces her migration to America, seeking an amalgam of American and Islamic values, to mixed results. Heretic continues her story as she argues that only a religious reformation will end the bastardization of Islam as a religion of violence and fanaticism.

Fiction

Aboulela, Leila. Minaret. Grove Atlantic.

2005. 288p. ISBN 9780802170149. pap. $14; ebk. ISBN 9780802199249.

Sudanese author Aboulela’s heroine ­Najwa, a once-wealthy student, survives political upheaval and makes the move from Khartoum to London. Along the way, Najwa reflects on the cultural and religious tensions of being an observant Muslim in the secular West. (LJ 7/05)

Armstrong, Karen. Muhammad: A Prophet for Our Time. Harper. 2007. 256p. maps. notes. ISBN 9780060598976. $21.95; pap.

ISBN 9780061155772. $15.99; ebk. ISBN 9780062316837.

Esposito, John L. What Everyone Needs To Know About Islam. 2d ed. Oxford Univ. 2011. 268p. bibliog. index. ISBN 9780199794133. $21.95; ebk. ISBN 9780199794232.

Independent historian Armstrong offers a sober look at Muhammad as a religious outsider. She seeks to make sense of the man who is credited with founding Islam, an Arabic word that literally means “­surrender.” (LJ 11/1/06)

Called a “must read” by The Muslim World Book Review, this work by Islamic scholar Esposito provides historical, cultural, and theological information in easily digestible bits, with most entries no longer than a page or two.

Cook, Michael. The Koran: A Very Short Introduction. Oxford Univ. 2000. 176p. illus.

Hamid, Shadi. Islamic Exceptionalism:

maps. ISBN 9780192853448. pap. $11.95.

Written for non-Muslims, Cook’s work makes the Koran accessible and understandable by comparing its place as sacred scripture to Jewish and Christian scripture—that is, the Bible.

Dardess, George. Meeting Islam: A Guide for Christians. Paraclete. 2005. 224p. ISBN 9781557254337. pap. $18.95.

Dardess seeks to overcome the cultural and religious prejudices of American Christianity by sharing his experiences of immersing himself in his local Islamic center. A Catholic, he explores the points of continuity and discontinuity between Christianity and Islam. (LJ 10/15/05) 9781594483851. $16; ebk. ISBN 9781101010907. (LJ 3/15/07)

Rural Afghanistan and the rise of the Taliban provide the setting behind both of these works by best-selling author Hosseini. Both pre­ sent heartbreaking narratives of love and loss and the triumph of the human spirit.

Islamic Writers Alliance. Many

.Hamid, Mohsin. The Reluctant

Voices, One Faith II: Islamic Fiction Stories. Muslim Writers. 2009.

Harcourt. 2008. 208p. ISBN 9780156034029. pap. $14.95; ebk. ISBN 9780156033121.

236p. illus. ISBN 9780981977010. pap. $12.95.

Fundamentalist. Harvest: Houghton

A young Pakistani man is living the American dream at the time of the ­September 11 attacks. Suddenly and unexpectedly, he finds himself sympathizing with the terrorists. (LJ 8/07)

.Hosseini, Khaled. The Kite Runner.

Riverhead. 2003. 336p. ISBN 9781573222457. $24.95; pap. ISBN 9781594481772. $17; ebk. 9781101217238. (LJ 4/15/03) Hosseini, Khaled. A Thousand Splendid Suns. Riverhead. 2007. 372p. ISBN 9781594489501. $25.95; pap. ISBN

These eclectic short stories by female Muslim authors mix memoir, poetry, and fictional narrative. Although varied in content, all challenge readers to consider what it means to choose Islam in today’s world.

Pamuk, Orhan. My Name Is Red. Knopf.

2001. 448p. tr. from Turkish by Erdag Goknar. ISBN 9780375406959. $24; pap.

ISBN 9780375706851. $16; ebk. ISBN 9780307386465.

This murder mystery set in 16th-­century Ottoman Turkey involves religious ma-

How the Struggle over Islam Is Reshaping the World. St. Martin’s. 2016. 320p. bibliog.

index. ISBN 9781250061010. $26.99; pap.

ISBN 9781250135131. $16.99; ebk. ISBN 9781466866720.

Writing in the aftermath of the Arab Spring, Hamid unpacks the savagery of the Islamic State as a historic inevitability in light of the power of rising Islamic identity. Hamid questions whether there can ever be a true separation of religion and politics in the Middle East.

Islamic Images and Ideas: Essays on Sacred Symbolism. McFarland. 2014.

277p. ed. by John Andrew Morrow. index.

ISBN 9780786458486. pap. $45.

Somewhat scholarly in tone, these essays neuvering wherein a group of artists are tasked with creating a great book for the sultan. (LJ 9/1/01)

.Rushdie, Salman. The Satanic Verses. Viking. 1989.

560p. ISBN 9780670825370. $27.95; pap. ISBN 9780812976717. $17; ebk. ISBN 9780307786654.

(LJ 12/88) Rushdie, Salman. Shalimar the Clown. Random. 2006. 416p.

ISBN 9780679783480. pap. $16; ebk.

ISBN 9781588364845. (LJ 9/1/05)

The publication of The Satanic Verses was likely the first time most Westerners had encountered the concept of fatwa—a religious ruling under Islamic law—in this case Iranian cleric Ayatollah Khomeini’s calling for the death of British-Indian author Rushdie for blasphemies against Islam. What got lost in the uproar was the book itself, a meditation on good and evil via magical realism. Shalimar the Clown depicts life in a rural Kashmiri village as a microcosm of radical Afghani politics, as a failed romance fuels one man’s personal jihadi impulses.

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provide distinctive thinking on concepts, images, and symbols from Islamic thought and literature.

célèbre, here she details her recovery and reveals the power of a single voice to become a peace broker. (SLJ 2/14)

.Living Islam Out Loud: American

Graphic Novels

Muslim Women Speak. Beacon. 2005.

209p. ed. by Saleemah Abdul-Ghafur. ISBN 9780807083833. pap. $18; ebk. ISBN 9780807096925.

This collection of poetry, first-person essays, and reportage by American Muslim women under 40 includes writers who identify as ethnically Egyptian, Indian, Iraqi, Pakistani, and Senegalese, among others—but all American. The quality inevitably varies, but they cover topics such as cultural hegemony, queerness, segregation, color, civil rights, and gender politics. (LJ 6/15/05)

.Nafisi, Azar. Reading Lolita in Tehran:

A Memoir in Books. Random. 2003. 350p.

ISBN 9781860649813. $23.65; pap.

ISBN 9780812979305. $18; ebk. ISBN 9781588360793.

Nafisi’s memoir recounts her years in Iran reading literature in her home with women who were formerly her students at a local university. These meetings morphed into open discussions on the political and cultural realities of being female under the Ayatollah Khomeini’s repressive regime.

The discussions of life as well as literature, says the author, provided “little pockets of freedom.” (LJ 4/1/03) Queen Noor. Leap of Faith: Memoirs of an Unexpected Life. Miramax. 2003. 480p. illus. index. ISBN 9780786867172. $25.95; pap. ISBN 9781401359485. $13.95; ebk.

ISBN 9781572703520.

In 1978, 26-year-old American Lisa Halaby married King Hussein of Jordan, thereby becoming Queen Noor Al-Hussein. This memoir documents her life as the wife of a progressive Arab leader and her humanitarian pursuits in widowhood. It also provides a subtle insider’s view of the sometimes-­ tenuous relationship between the United States and Arab nations in the latter part of the 20th ­century.

.Yousafzai, Malala & Christina Lamb.

I Am Malala: The Story of the Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban. Little, Brown. 2015. 368p. illus. maps. ISBN 9780316322409. $26; pap. ISBN 9780316322423. $16; ebk. ISBN 9780316322416.

It seems unlikely that someone would not know of Yousafzai, a Pakistani girl who, for her audacious efforts to continue her education, was shot while riding the bus home from school. An international cause

Dysart, Joshua. Living Level-3: Iraq. World Food Programme. 2016. 46p. Available free via Amazon partner Comixology (ow.ly/6ZRJ309CQOE).

Created in partnership with the World Food Programme, this multipart graphic novel brutally documents the humanitarian crisis created when the Islamic State seized territory in places such as Sinjar Province, Iraq.

.Satrapi, Marjane. Persepolis: The Story

of a Childhood. Pantheon. 2003. 160p. illus. ISBN 9780375422300. $21.95.

(LJ 5/1/03) .Satrapi, Marjane. Persepolis 2: The Story of a Return. Pantheon. 2004. 192p. illus. ISBN 9780375422881. $17.95.

(LJ 9/1/04)

The biographical graphic novel by Satrapi details her coming of age in 1970s Iran during the tumult of the revolution. Persepolis 2 continues with her family’s move to ­Vienna, Austria, where her status as an outsider compels her to return to Iran and question whether she actually belongs anywhere.

Wilson, G. Willow & M.K. Perker. Cairo.

Vertigo: DC. 2007. 160p. illus. ISBN 9781401211400. $24.99; pap. ISBN 9781401217341. $17.99.

This work of magical realism, intertwined with politics and romance, presents an American tourist, an Israeli soldier, and an Egyptian journalist, among others, and their encounter with a jinn. Wilson is also the author of Marvel Comics’ new work featuring Muslim superhero Ms. Marvel.

(LJ 9/15/07)

DVDs

Films for the Humanities & Sciences, www.films.com.

This producer offers some of the best documentaries on current issues. A search on “Islam” returned nearly 300 titles, some available for live streaming, some only in DVD format. Special pricing available for school and public libraries.

Women Make Movies, www.wmm.com.

A multicultural, multiracial nonprofit media arts organization, WMM produces and distributes films by and about women, with roughly 40 titles relating to Islam. Option to purchase or rent, with special library pricing.

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THE DEVELOPING SCHEDULE JUN JUL AUG SEPT OCT

RACE, DIVERSITY, SOCIETY CUBA, HISTORY & MORE PROSTATE health & Wellness WOMEN IN SPORTS RETELLING THE CLASSICS

To submit titles (new and/or backlist), contact Barbara Genco four to six months before issue dates listed above (email: bgenco@mediasourceinc.com)

Websites

Directory of Open Access Journals; doaj.org

A subject search of Islam returned access to 20 full-text journals and more than 2,500 articles on Islamic culture, history, law, literature, and religious practice.

Islamic Society of North America; www.isna.net

The largest national Muslim organization in the United States, this site links to social, cultural, and religious leadership opportunities for North American Muslims.

The Religion of Islam; www.islamreligion.com

This interactive site includes audio and visual aids as well as articles, ebooks, and chat features to promote the understanding of Islam to a nonaffiliated ­audience.

World Almanac of Islamism (American Foreign Policy Council); almanac.afpc.org

With a heavy emphasis on American foreign policy, this site includes pages relating to radical Islamist movements worldwide, including Al Aqeda, Boko Haram, and the Muslim Brotherhood.

Zabihah; www.zabihah.com

An international search engine for restaurants and markets serving halal (meat prepared according to Islamic law).

Apps

Al Quran. Sayed Samad. Available for Apple.

Over 100 translations of the Quran in 30 different languages. Has bookmarking c­ apabilities as well as verse reference search and verse emailing.

Islamic Compass Free. Mobile Software Inst., B.V. Free download for Android & Apple.

This application provides the exact direction of Mecca as well as a call to prayer alert, no matter where one might be.

Muslim Dua Now. Quran Reading. Available for Apple.

Duas (prayers of supplication or invocation) are provided for a range of ­situations. n APRIL 1, 2017 | LIBRARY JOURNAL | 49

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AUDIO

VIDEO

MUSIC

audio fiction .Collins, Ace. The Color of Justice. 9 CDs.

11:33 hrs. Dreamscape Media. Jan 2017.

ISBN9781520054711. $29.99. F

Set in Justice, MS, this gripping story follows two murder cases and two generations of lawyers in two sweltering Junes, 50 years apart. In 1964, white attorney Coop Lindsay takes on the case of African American Calvin Ross, who is accused of brutally murdering a white girl. Racial hatred keeps this small town segregated and escalates the emotions of the case to dangerous levels, as Coop rushes to prove Calvin’s innocence and find the real murderer. Despite a mountain of obstacles, including death threats and a kidnapping, Coop wins his case, only to disappear with Calvin the very next day, never revealing the killer. A half century later, in 2016, Coop’s grandson returns to town to find out who murdered Becky and what happened to Coop and Calvin. He finds himself embroiled in another case that eerily mirrors his grandfather’s and includes some of the same people. Charlie Thurston, whose Southern drawl brings the Mississippi summer heat to life, perfectly times the rich cast of characters and the shocking plot twists. This thrilling courtroom drama is fast-paced, riveting, and sure to electrify a daily commute. VERDICT Recommended to fans of Michael Connelly’s The Lincoln Lawyer. [“A fast-paced, plot-driven tale of suspense.... The graphic details of life in the deep South during the civil rights movement and today’s civil unrest will resonate with readers”: LJ 11/15/14 review of the Abingdon hc.]—Terry Ann Lawler, Phoenix P.L.

.Hodge, Sibel. Duplicity. 7 CDs. 8 hrs. Brilliance Audio. Dec. 2016.

Looking for the funny in love; searching for what might have been

ISBN 9781531877798. $14.99. F

Max and Alissa Burbeck are young, wealthy, attractive, in love, and have everything in their perfect British life. When an intruder murders Max, fingers point in all directions.

The sweet-natured Alissa is only one of the suspects, as the investigation is mangled by police politics. DCI Carter tries to sort out the many characters in Max’s life, including Alissa’s obsessive ex-boyfriend and their odd childhood friends. But he is also dealing with his own issues, including a personal loss and the depression of a good friend and colleague. And then there is “The Other One,” a character with no conscience, who survived horrific childhood abuse and is lurking in the near background. Listeners who enjoy DCI Banks or Harry Bosch will enjoy Carter’s intriguing hunt for the murderer.

Simon Vance provides the perfect voice for a dark and troubled British detective. Henrietta Meire takes on several female roles, from a very authentic street-smart Brit to a posh, upper-class type. VERDICT Fast- paced with no loose ends, don’t miss this page turner!

A must for mystery thriller collections.— Susan Herr, Bulverde/Spring Branch Lib., TX

Hulin, Rachel. Hey Harry, Hey Matilda.

4 CDs. 5 hrs. Books on Tape. Jan. 2017.

ISBN 9781524750497. $40. F

Originating from an Instagram post with extensive visual aspects, photographer Hulin’s debut novel translates surprisingly well to audio. Matilda and Harry are twins and appear to communicate exclusively through

GAMING

email. The use of two narrators, awardwinning Ari Fliakos and actress Kristen Sieh (Orange Is the New Black), captures the back-and-forth and immediacy of a digital exchange. This epistolary tale examines the complexity of young adults Matilda and Harry’s twinship and their relationship to the larger world. It’s wry, funny, poignant, confessional, and, ultimately, disturbing.

There is an undercurrent of secrets in this family, as first photographer/writer Matilda, then writer/professor Harry tell lies that could sabotage their lives. It then turns unsettling as the story implies there may have been more between Harry and Matilda than sibling affection. Yet Harry and Matilda support each other no matter what, as they struggle to mature as adults and artists. ­ ERDICT Fliakos/Sieh enable listeners to V feel they know these siblings. Nick Hornby fans will enjoy this engaging but somewhat distressing debut. [“A fun, quirky read that is perfect for those who enjoy a good dose of laughter with their familial fiction”: LJ 12/16 review of the Doubleday hc.] —Judy Murray, Monroe Cty. Lib. Syst., Temperance, MI

.Lipman, Elinor. On Turpentine Lane.

8 CDs. 9:11 hrs. Dreamscape Media.

Feb. 2017. ISBN 9781520065182. $59.99. digital download. F

Best-selling novelist Lipman (The View from Penthouse B; The Family Man) has returned with her delightful gifts for dialog and wordplay on bright display. Faith Frankel, who works in development at her former alma mater, has just bought a little dollhouse of a home with a checkered past, without informing her fiancé Stuart, who is walking across the United States, searching for himself. Just when Faith is beginning to lose confidence in a future with Stuart, a creepy collection of Polaroids is discovered in her adorable attic, and she is accused of mal­feasance at her job. Faith attempts to contact Stuart for much-needed

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TLC, but he’s hardly forthcoming in the empathy department, which sets into motion several outrageously fun plot twists, including fine art copycatting, intrusive parents, and matchmaking and unmaking. The narration by award-winning Mia Barron strikes just the right combination of witty sarcasm and charming storytelling. VERDICT A great addition to libraries that will appeal to longtime Lipman fans and attract many new ones. [“For someone nearing 40, Faith has her immature moments.... But she is also gutsy in the clutch, and readers will be more than satisfied with Lipman’s drive down this lane”: LJ 11/1/16 review of the Houghton Harcourt hc.]—Ellen Abrams, Library Journal

.Peacock, Nancy. The Life and Times of Persimmon Wilson. HighBridge Audio.

Jan. 2017. 10 CDs. 12:30 hrs.

ISBN 978168168093. $34.99. F

Ex-slave Persimmon (“Persy”) Wilson narrates the story of his life from a jail cell. He relates how he came to be owned by a man named Wilson and how the love of his life, Chloe, Wilson’s concubine, came to share their doomed relationship. Wilson owned a Louisiana sugar plantation, and when it became clear that the South would lose the war, he loaded his slaves onto a riverboat and decamped for Texas. On the journey, Wilson shoots Persy and leaves him for dead.

Yet Persy survives and begins a search for Chloe in Texas after the war, but he is captured by Comanche Indians and assimilates into their tribe. The powerful voice of J.D. Jackson conveys the range of emotions— from joy to resignation—of both male and female characters. Jackson skillfully captures the nuances of the many accents of slave, slaveholder, Comanche, and frontiersman. ­VERDICT Fascinating and heartbreaking, a great addition to any historical fiction collection. [“May appeal to readers of Sue Monk Kidd’s The Invention of Wings or Kathryn Stockett’s The Help”: LJ 1/17 review of the Atria hc.] —Joanna B­ urkhardt, Univ. of Rhode Island Libs., Providence

Poeppel, Amy. Small Admissions. 8 CDs. 9:30 hrs. HighBridge Audio. Dec. 2016.

ISBN 9781681683751. $39.99. F

Kate Pearson has got to snap out of her funk, get over her broken-hearted disappointment, and get on with her life. So say her best friends, her sister, her parents, the lady at the liquor store, and even her downstairs neighbor. Everyone has a suggestion, but it isn’t until Kate stumbles into an assistant admissions job at a prestigious New York private school that her balance, self-confidence, and humor return. The title refers to both the small children applying to the school and the small insights into human behavior

that enlighten and instruct Kate. Performer Carly Robins has a large cast of characters to represent and does best with the secondary ones. She has a light touch and enthusiastic approach in her overall reading; however, she is less successful in differentiating between Kate and her best friend Chloe, which is unfortunate, given the device of having both of them be the primary voice at different points in the book. VERDICT In general, a humorous chick lit, coming-ofage at 25 to 30-ish in Manhattan type novel with a fair amount of mature language. [“A witty and captivating page-turner punctuated with quirky characters and laughout-loud moments that are sure to appeal to chick lit lovers of the Marian Keyes/Jennifer Weiner/Susan Isaacs variety”: LJ 11/1/16 review of the Atria hc.]—J. Sara Paulk, Houston Cty. P.L., Perry, GA

.Rivers, Susan. The Second Mrs. Hockaday. 6 CDs. 7 hrs. HighBridge Audio.

Jan. 2017. ISBN 9781681682044. $29.99. F

In the midst of the Civil War, Maj. Gryffth Hockaday arrives at a Southern plantation to buy a mule. He is on a brief leave to bury his wife and nurse his infant son after a serious illness. He leaves the plantation with the mule and a new wife. After a two-day honeymoon, Gryffth is called back to his regiment, leaving Placidia to care for his son and his 300-acre farm. Two years later, Gryffth returns home to find that his wife had a child, clearly not his own. To make matters worse, the child is dead, and Placidia is arrested for its murder. But what really happened? Award-winning playwright Rivers (Overnight Lows; Under Statements) tells this tale through a series of letters between Placidia and her favorite cousin Mildred and, long after her death, between her sons. The correspondence allows the story to unfold from several viewpoints and captures the lifestyle and mores of the time, evoking the sympathy of the reader for everyone involved. Julie McKay’s and James Patrick Cronin’s remarkable narrations include producing the accents and cadences of the South and the flowery language of the era. VERDICT Highly recommended. [“Fans of Geraldine Brooks’s Year of Wonders and Sarah Blake’s The Postmistress will enjoy this solid historical novel, which is also a good choice for book clubs”: LJ 9/1/16 review of the Algonquin hc.]—Joanna Burkhardt, Univ. of Rhode Island Libs., Providence

Rowland, Laura Joh. The Ripper’s Shadow: A Victorian Mystery. 10 CDs. 12:29 hrs.

Terry Ann Lawler, Phoenix P.L.

Willis, Lynn Chandler. Tell Me No Lies.

7 CDs. 7:54 hrs. Dreamscape Media.

Feb. 2017. ISBN 9781520068756. $48. mys

The challenge of running a small-town newspaper is compounded for widow Ava Logan when she discovers the gruesomely murdered body of a friend. She feels she is compelled to keep details of the murder out of the paper in an effort to solve the crime.

Though Ava can’t publish all that she knows, she is determined to uncover the rest, putting herself and her family in jeopardy after asking too many questions. Ava’s life is full with two children of her own, as well as the responsibility of caring for her murdered friend’s toddler. Add to the mix her conflicted heart being torn between two men. Since this is the first Ava Logan mystery, there is clearly more conflict to come, as the sheriff would prefer that Ava leave crime investigation to law enforcement. Narrator Rachael Warren enhances the Appalachian setting, with charming Southern accents for specific characters. Verdict The promise of more Ava Logan mysteries will be music to the ears of mystery lovers. New friends introduced in Tell Me No Lies will become old friends to devoted listeners.—Ann Weber, Los Gatos, CA

nonfiction

Dreamscape Media. Jan. 2017.

ISBN 9781520061061. $59.99. Mys

Bly, Nellie. Ten Days in a Madhouse.

3:25 hrs. 3 CDs. Dreamscape Media.

Jan. 2017. ISBN 9781520069936. $29.99. Hist

Spinster photographer Sarah Bain is not a friend to the police or anyone else. Although

Before there was pack journalism, cable news, and fake news, there were reporters

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she’s spent her life shying away from contact with others, she must make a living and reluctantly agrees when propositioned by a local prostitute to earn extra money taking “boudoir photos.” When three of her models are found brutally murdered in the streets of Whitechapel, Sarah realizes the Ripper is using her photographs to select his victims. And she knows exactly who will be next. Determined to protect the rest of her models, Sarah assembles an unlikely crew of allies and sets out on a hunt for a murderer. This novel take on the classic case is an interesting weaving of fact and fiction with crisply drawn characters and taut action. While the pacing of the story is a bit slow at times, Rowland’s real talent shines in the Victorian atmosphere woven into the narrative, immersing the listener wholly in the period. Alex Tregear’s narration highlights the distinct characterizations and helps to move the story along. VERDICT Recommended to fans of S.J. Bolton’s Now You See Me. [“Rowland [puts] a new twist on old tropes with her witty sleuth, while never sacrificing historical integrity”: LJ 1/17 starred review of the Crooked Lane hc.] —

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MEDIA such as Nellie Bly, who went undercover to expose social ills. Born Elizabeth Cochran, she moved to New York City in 1887, and writing for the New York World, she agreed to feign insanity to be committed to the city-run asylum on Blackwell’s Island (now Roosevelt Island). In her fast-moving account, Bly checks into a boarding house, where her odd behavior inspires the management to call in the police. From there it’s a quick boat trip to the asylum, where treatment at the hands of nurses, indifferent doctors, and administrators—ice-cold baths in dirty water, rancid food, dirty linen, and clothing insufficient to ward off the cold— are absolutely sadistic. Freed by a lawyer sent by her employer, Bly wrote her account first for the newspaper and then as a book. Rebecca Gibbel’s narration is filled with tension and fervor, causing the listener some anxiety and distress over the treatment of women who were only ill, foreign, or impoverished.

VERDICT This work could find a passionate following among students of the history of New York, journalism, women, and psychiatry.—Anne M. Condon, West Hartford, CT Cline, Elizabeth L. Overdressed: The Shockingly High Cost of Cheap Fashion. 7 CDs. 8 hrs. Tantor Audio.

Dec. 2016. ISBN 9781515916796. $37.99. digital download. Econ

Spurred by the frequency with which she made purchases and a subsequent exploration of her closet that led her to discover she owned more than 600 articles of clothing, journalist Cline went deep into the world of cheap fashion and emerged with a wellresearched and thought-provoking book.

She examines the rise of fashion trends that necessitate that consumers keep a garment only until the next season or the next sale and the effect of such a mind-set on shoppers, designers, and retailers. Cline traveled as far as China to see the detriment factories and disposable clothing have on the environment and met with designers in New York to learn how fast fashion led to a rapid decline in the percentage of clothing produced in the United States. Furthermore, Cline asks listeners to consider the social consequences such consumer attitudes have on individuals and the connection between disposability and our increased disconnect from those with whom we share this planet.

VERDICT While narrator Amy Melissa Bentley’s matter-of-fact tone can sound monotonous at times, the book is comprehensive and provocative; a must-listen for anyone who recognizes her own closet in Cline’s.— Samantha Facciolo, New York

Dean, John W. Blind Ambition: The White House Years. 12 CDs. 14:53 hrs. Dreamscape

Media. Dec. 2016. ISBN 9781520048871. $29.99. Memoir

This new edition of Dean’s recounting of his years enmeshed in the Watergate scandal (first released in 1976) offers us a window into the maneuvering and scheming that eventually brought down a president.

Without self-justification, Dean explains the way he was sucked into the morass that was Water­gate. The author is honest about his own ambitions and initial pride at being so close to the center of power, despite the toll the work took on his personal life and mental health. For listeners who do not remember Watergate, a scorecard might be needed to keep track of who’s who. For those who recall the events, this account delves into minutiae not generally available at the time.

This primary source on one of the modern outrages of abuse of power by those pledged to safeguard government is the real-life version of a John Grisham legal thriller. Veteran narrator/actor George Newbern sounds as though he could be Dean telling his own story, which gives one the sense that the events only just occurred. VERDICT Recommended for historians, ordinary citizens who lived through it, and those seeking to explore America’s governmental missteps and scandals. With a new preface by the author.— Cheryl Youse, Colquitt Cty. H.S., Norman Park, GA

.Hornfischer, James D. The Fleet at

Flood Tide: America at Total War in the Pacific, 1944–1945. 19 CDs.

23:30 hrs. Books on Tape. Oct. 2016.

ISBN 9781101889565. $55. Hist

New York Times best-selling author Hornfischer (The Last Stand of the Tin Can Sailors) explores the last two years of World War II in the Pacific. By masterfully interweaving several personalities and events, Hornfischer is able to paint a vivid picture of what was done to breach the inner defense of the mighty Japanese Empire. This fascinating story takes us from the first Under­water Demolition Teams learning their craft to Paul Tibbets’s journey from wide-eyed youth to dropping the first atomic bomb. We follow the people involved and get to see them as individuals and not merely dry statistics.

Pete Larkin’s narration is amazing; with a few minor inflection changes he is able to make listeners feel as if they are alongside the marines storming the beach at Saipan or on the bridge with Admiral Spruance going into battle. VERDICT Highly recommended for those interested in military history. [“In spite of its overattention to meticulous information, this lengthy account of important campaigns will appeal to enthusiasts of World War II’s Pacific theater”: LJ 11/1/16 review of the Bantam hc.] —Scott R. DiMarco, Mansfield Univ. of Pennsylvania Lib.

Kaplan, Robert D. Earning the Rockies:

How Geography Shapes America’s Role in the World. 5 CDs. 5:30 hrs. HighBridge Audio.

Jan. 2017. ISBN 9781681684079. $29.99. Geog

Best-selling author Kaplan (Asia’s Cauldron; The Revenge of Geography) treats listeners to a trip across the country and shares many of the stories he hears along the way.

The author and the tales he imparts reflect Americans’ diverse worldviews. With these essays, the author reveals how the cultural implications of the historical westward expansion and the current effects of globalization are overlaid on our geography. This account couldn’t be more timely and might help provide a perspective on the politics of today. The book is ably read by William Dufris, and it feels as if we are hearing the author himself tell us about his travels. This audiobook works well for casual listeners, who can pop in and out of it and still enjoy.

The final chapter, however, may be best listened to in one sitting. ­VERDICT Recommended for all who want to hear about how our geography affects our culture. [“More academic thesis than travel narrative. Recommended for those seeking theoretical explorations of geography and for fans of the author’s previous works”: LJ Xpress Reviews 12/2/16 review of the Random hc.] —Eric Albright, Tufts Univ. Health Sciences Lib., Boston

Later, Lauren. Opening Skinner’s Box:

Great Psychological Experiments of the Twentieth Century. 9 CDs. 11 hrs.

Tantor Audio. Jan. 2017. ISBN 978151591167. $39.99. psych

Psychologist and author Slater (Playing House; Blue Beyond Blue) presents ten famous psychology experiments that she regards as the most significant or interesting of the 20th century. In her retelling, the experiments sound like fiction. They include B.F. Skinner’s work on behaviorism; Stanley Milgram’s demonstration of how ordinary people can be influenced to obey authority; David Rosenhan’s work in which eight people pretended to have a mental illness and gained admittance to psychiatric hospitals; and Bruce K. Alexander’s rat park, in which laboratory rats addicted to morphine turned the drug down when given a better life, among others. Voice-over narrator Jo Anna Perrin’s lively rendition aptly realizes Slater’s intention to spice up these experiments to appeal to lay listeners. ­VERDICT Librarians are cautioned that since its original 2004 publication, Slater’s work has received significant criticism from professional psychologists. [“Unfortunately, the execution of this book is not up to the idea.... For large subject collections only”: LJ 1/04 review of the Norton hc.] —Dale Farris, Groves, TX

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Moody, Van. The I Factor: How Building a Great Relationship with Yourself Is the Key to a Happy, Successful Life. 11 CDs. 9:30 hrs. Thomas Nelson. Nov. 2016.

ISBN 9780718090210. $24.99. digital download. Self-Help

A follow-up to The People Factor, which considers relationships with others, The I Factor concerns the listener’s relationship with him- or herself. According to Moody, the foundation of understanding one’s life can be found in one’s identity, significance, and perspective, or as the author phrases it, the I Factor. This Christian self-help book is filled with personal stories, cultural references, and biblical quotations that help define ways to handle internal struggles of confidence and vision. Narrator Barry Scott delivers a dramatic performance in a deep, gravelly voice that keeps listeners engaged. VERDICT Recommended for medium and large public library collections and Christian college libraries. [“Moody’s advice is solid, although readers may struggle to pin down his recipe for wholeness”: LJ Xpress Reviews 9/2/16 review of the Thomas Nelson hc.]— Karen Perry, Old Dominion Univ., Norfolk, VA

Preston, Douglas. The Lost City of the Monkey God. 10 CDs. 10: 29 hrs. Hachette Audio. Jan. 2017. ISBN 9781478964520. $35. digital download. Memoir

National Geographic and New Yorker writer and novelist Preston shares the story of his involvement in the search for a historic lost city in the rainforests of Honduras. Preston is one member of a team that managed to use a combination of historical research and state-of-the-art technology to examine the rainforests in the Mosquitia region, an area filled with all manner of dangers, from disease to drug traffickers. Preston’s writing brings the reader along with the team as they discover 500-year-old artifacts, encounter huge and deadly snakes, and face the political and academic fallout the search brings with it. Listeners hear several interesting side stories, such as the discovery of historical fraud in their research and the battle half the team had with a deadly parasite picked up at the ruins. Preston’s journalistic experience is on full display as he gives not only the viewpoint of those in the expedition but also those on the outside.

Bill Mumy’s reading is straightforward and engaging. The final disc includes 16 pages of photos. Verdict A great story with many paths to interest fans of history, archaeology, adventure, environmentalism, South America, or diseases.—Tristan M. Boyd, Austin, TX Shriver, Mark K. Pilgrimage: My Search for the Real Pope Francis. 8 CDs. 10 hrs. Books on Tape.

Nov. 2016. ISBN 9781524722395. $40. Biog

Shriver, a son of Eunice Kennedy and Sargent Shriver, has written an informative if meandering chronicle of Jorge Mario Bergoglio, the man who became Pope Francis.

Shriver spent time in Argentina interviewing those who knew Bergoglio and reveals how his family, particularly his grandmother Rosa, influenced him, as well as the significance in his life of the Italian Argentine community. All of these experiences helped develop the humility, compassion, and warmth that are the hallmarks of his persona. Shriver also includes his personal memories of growing up in a prominent American Catholic family. Jim Frangione, a multiple AudioFile earphones winner, delivers a warm narration that matches the tone of the material. VERDICT The personal interviews with those who knew the future pope—both those who admire him and those who deprecate him—give this book a unique perspective. [“Shriver’s conversations with many of the people who knew Jorge Bergoglio in Argentina and were willing to relate personal details about their relationship with him set this book apart”: LJ 10/1/15 starred review of the Random hc.]—Cynthia Jensen, Plano P.L. Syst., TX Tinniswood, Adrian. The Long Weekend: Life in the English Country House, 1918–1939. 9 CDs. 11:30 hrs. Tantor Media. Dec. 2016. ISBN 9781515917106. $39.99. digital download. Hist

English historian Tinniswood has written a fascinating history of life in the English country house between the world wars.

A weekend retreat for the elite, the homes were used for social gatherings, hunting parties, and as symbols of social status. The years following World War I saw the steady decline of these estates, as high taxes and other factors put a strain on their owners.

Tinniswood focuses in each chapter on an individual aspect, ranging from social manners and daily life to the design, interior decor, and renovations (electricity and

North Alabama, Florence

Wade, Lisa. American Hookup: The New Culture of Sex on Campus. 7 CDs. 9:30 hrs. HighBridge Audio. Jan. 2017. ISBN 9781681683959.$34.99. digital download.

SOC SCI

While sexual promiscuity by college students remains controversial on religious campuses, hookups have become a cultural commonplace, making the topic ripe for an analytical, nonmoralistic approach, such as that taken here by Wade. She enlivens her research with student journaling, all of which is related with a straightforward delivery by veteran narrator Callie Beaulieu, whose characterizations of the students’ voices sometimes lacks nuance. VERDICT Wade deftly engages with how gender, orientation, class, and racial inequalities impact the ways students experience this sexual landscape. Recommended. [“Fascinating and heavy study into the social lives of college students. Recommended for anyone interested in college life or sexuality studies”: LJ 10/15/16 review of the Norton hc.] — Kelly Sinclair, Temple P.L., TX

video FICTION

Almayer’s Folly. 127 min. In French, English, & Khmer w/English subtitles. Chantal Akerman, dist. by KimStim c/o Icarus Films, www.icarusfilms.com. 2016. DVD UPC 954565001992. $26.98. F

Deceased film director Akerman’s (1950– 2015) final narrative film tackles colonialism in a loose adaptation of Joseph Conrad’s 1895 debut novel. On a ramshackle estate in the Malaysian rainforest, European

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swimming pools were must-haves). In addition to the tantalizing descriptions of the architecture and furnishings, the book is sprinkled with colorful personalities such as the fabulously wealthy politician Philip Sassoon, who entertained artists and celebrities at his sybaritic mansion, Port Lympne, and interior decorator Sybil Colefax, whose clients were sometimes baffled to find that their furniture did not match and their library curtains were hung inside-out. Steven Crossley’s refined narration is perfect for the subject matter, sounding like he just stepped out of a scene from Downton Abbey. VERDICT This audiobook will be of interest to fans of architecture and history. [“Will appeal to those interested in 20th-century English social history”: LJ 3/15/16 review of the Basic: Perseus hc.]—Phillip Oliver, formerly with Univ. of

A gem of a crime drama, pristinely restored; older women are making a statement

Kaspar Almayer (Stanislas Merhar) unravels emotionally and physically as his fruitless quest for treasure comes to naught. He APRIL 1, 2017 | LIBRARY JOURNAL | 53

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MEDIA puts all his hope in the Westernization of his mixed-race daughter, Nina, whom Almayer sends off to boarding school. In long uninterrupted shots (Akerman’s signature), ­Almayer battles the wild natural cycles of the rainforest as his vain attempts to control his fate fall apart. In the film’s second half, Nina emerges as a defiant young woman resentful of her dueling identities. Verdict Merhar’s portrayal of Almayer’s disintegration saves this otherwise muddy adaptation. Best suited for Akerman completists or sophisticated foreign-film fans.—Amanda ­Westfall, Emmet O’Neal Lib., Birmingham, AL

.The Asphalt Jungle. 2 discs. b/w. 112+ min.

John Huston, dist. by Criterion Collection, www.criterion.com. 2016. DVD ISBN 9781681432403. $29.95; 1-disc Blu-ray ISBN 9781681432397. $39.95. F

A big jewel heist goes awry for its perpetrators (Sterling Hayden, Sam Jaffe, James Whitmore, et al.) in Hollywood heavyweight Huston’s gritty 1950 adaptation of novelist W.R. Burnett’s title. “Crime is a left-handed form of human endeavor” for this bunch of robbers, whose viewpoint, in a departure from tradition, takes precedence over that of the pursuing police commissioner (John McIntire). In a film noir missing a requisite femme ­fatale, Marilyn Monroe subs in her breakout role as the robbery financier’s alibi. This character-driven crime drama puts the lie to the old saying there’s no honor among thieves. VERDICT Pristinely restored, with extras qualifying as gems, this top-drawer flick is in the bag for classicmovie fans. [See Trailers, LJ 11/1/16.] — Jeff T. Dick, Davenport, IA

.The Durrells in Corfu: The Complete First

Season. 2 discs. 292+ min. Steve Barron &

Roger Goldby for Masterpiece, dist. by PBS, shoppbs.org. 2016. DVD UPC 841887030441. $39.99; Blu-ray UPC 841887030489. $49.99. SDH subtitles. F/TV

The eponymous Durrells are the family that produced author Lawrence (The Alexandria Quartet) and writer/naturalist G ­ erald.

Loosely based on Gerald’s Corfu Trilogy, this series begins in the 1930s, when widow Louisa (Keeley Hawes) packs up her family—oldest son Lawrence (Josh O’Connor), son Leslie (Callum Woodhouse), daughter Margo (Daisy Waterstone), and young Gerald (Milo Parker)—and moves to the always-sunny Greek island of Corfu so the family can “move forward” from their unhappy lives in Bournemouth, England.

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(creating a slapdash zoo), which contributes to his lifelong interest in nature. Verdict A charming and entertaining series filled with colorful characters and situations; firstrate for most public libraries.—Joan Greenberg, Warminster, PA

800 Words: Season 1. 2 discs. 363+ min.

Pino Amenta & Mike Smith, dist. by Acorn Media, www.acornonline.com. 2016. DVD UPC 054961253999. $49.99. SDH subtitles. F/TV

Recently widowed George Turner (Erik Thomson), a successful Sydney, Australia, newspaper columnist (whose columns are exactly 800 words), decides that his family should have a “fresh start.” With his two teenagers reluctantly in tow, he relocates to Weld, New Zealand (population 3,250), where George and family spent his boyhood summer vacations. It’s a disaster from the outset. Rather than purchasing (via the Internet) the vacation house he fondly remembers, George actually buys what is, frankly, a dump. Already stressed, daughter Shay (­Melina Vidler) and son Arlo (Benson Jack Anthony) are bullied at school, while Shay also worries that good-natured, handsome George is a little too vulnerable to the charms of the local women. Verdict Viewers will be amused by the townsfolk, impressed by the scenery, and empathetic with the family’s struggle to adapt. With some nudity, this series is recommended for public libraries.—Joan Greenberg, Warminster, PA The Magnetic Monster. b/w. 76+ min.

Curt Siodmak, dist. by Kino Lorber, www.kinolorber.com. 2016. Blu-ray UPC 738329202170. $29.95. SF

Dr. Jeffrey Stewart (Richard Carlson) is asked by his employers at OSI (Office for Scientific Investigation) to uncover what is behind a small-town hardware store experiencing unexplained and extreme magnetic phenomena. Finding a dead body in a wrecked apartment above the store, Stewart eventually tracks down an independent researcher whose cutting-edge experiment has gone horribly awry. This rogue scientist created an artificial isotope that generates radioactive and magnetic outbursts every 11 hours of drastically increasing strength.

If left unchecked, the isotope will eventually overwhelm the earth’s axis and snap the planet out of orbit. Part of producer Ivan Tor’s “OSI” series, this classic 1950s-era sf extravaganza eschews bug-eyed Martians and ray guns for a dramatically different look at a scientifically grounded menace both created by and perhaps eradicated by considered scientific application. VERDICT A captivating chunk of old-fashioned and lesswell-known sf.—Douglas Rednour, Georgia State Univ. Lib., Atlanta

Nearly Forgotten. color & b/w. 44 min.

Patrick Redford, dist. by Dreamscape Video, www.dreamscapeab.com. 2016. DVD UPC 857326006007. $24.99; public performance $199.99. F

This drama develops in January 1983 in an isolated diner in the Rockies run by a Marine Corps Vietnam veteran known as “Sandman.” He becomes upset when he finds out his son Ty has enlisted in the marines, but the action is praised by Sandman’s father, a World War II vet.

Flashbacks and dialog outline the father’s and grandfather’s service experiences and lasting trauma. When a snowstorm strands a young, developmentally challenged woman and her mother at the diner, fantasies of a future marriage between the daughter and Ty take over.

Some nice themes regarding respect for persons with special needs and for under­ standing traumatized veterans, unfortunately, don’t merge into a compelling story. The acting is adequate, though emotions are more often spoken of rather than depicted, and the dialog is sometimes stilted. V ­ ERDICT Recommended with reservations for general audiences.— Cliff Glaviano, formerly with Bowling Green State Univ. Libs., OH

.The Secret Agent. 178+ min. Charles McDougall, dist. by Acorn Media, www.acornonline.com. 2016. DVD UPC 054961246991. $34.99. SDH subtitles. F Set in Victorian England, this stellar threepart film stars Toby Jones as Anton Verloc, the owner of a small, sad shop in Soho that sells sexy prints and publications, but Verloc’s real source of income is his work as a spy for the Russian government. When his employers want him to plant a bomb to stir the British government into taking action against anarchists, tragedy befalls every­ one connected to him. Viewers will find themselves mesmerized by the outstanding performances from every cast member as well as the impeccably realized setting. The Secret Agent, based on Joseph Conrad’s classic 1907 novel, will delight fans of powerfully scripted historical drama and please dedicated viewers of Ripper Street and other gritty period crime series. The threat of terrorism is such a part of life in the 21st century that we sometimes forget it has a long history. VERDICT A stunning (and ultimately heartrending) film and a potent reminder of the havoc terrorism can wreak on both individuals and society.—John Charles, formerly with Scottsdale P.L., AZ

ARTS & HUMANITIES

Llyn Foulkes: One Man Band. 88 min.

Tamar Halpern & Chris Quilty, dist. by

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Kino Lorber, www.kinolorber.com. 2016.

DVD UPC 738329210038. $29.95. ART-GENERAL

Artist Llyn Foulkes (b. 1934) held his first one-man exhibition at the acclaimed Ferus Gallery in Los Angeles in 1959. In 1967, he was awarded the Prize for Painting at the Paris Biennale. He has been creating (and destroying and re-creating) his art for decades, but he has not achieved the level of success for which he’d hoped, finding himself always “a decade ahead” of the buying public. Halpern and Quilty have produced an absorbing portrait of seven years in the life of the artist as Foulkes struggles with a few large-scale paintings, his relentless questioning and inability to declare a work finished (“it has to be taken away from me”), and his determination to remain true to his dream as he longs for recognition. Foulkes is also a percussionist and singer who seems happiest playing “the machine” as a Spike Jones–­influenced one-man band. The film includes interviews with Dennis Hopper, George Herms, and key figures in the Southern California art scene. Verdict Uncompromising and fascinating, Foulkes is truly a one-man band; an excellent chronicle of determination and adherence to personal vision.—Bill Baars, Lake Oswego P.L., OR

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Steve McQueen: The Man and Le Mans. color & b/w. 102 min. Gabriel Clarke & John McKenna, dist. by FilmRise c/o MVDvisual, mvdb2b.com. 2016.

DVD UPC 760137873099. $19.95. FILM/SPORTS

Steve McQueen stood at the top of the film industry in 1969 and could pick and choose among projects to pursue. He selected to do a film about the 24 hours of the Le Mans auto race. This documentary presents the story behind the troubled project. McQueen (1930–80) and original director John Sturges filmed the 1970 Le Mans race, then tried to tailor a story around its results. They shot over a million feet of footage. However, the lack of a script put the film behind schedule and over budget. McQueen’s womanizing and paranoia brought on by the discovery that he was on Charles Manson’s hit list further undermined the work.

McQueen lost control of the production, and the film proved unsuccessful critically and financially. However, its reputation has improved over the years. This chronicle features inter­views with McQueen’s first wife, Neile Adams; his son Chad; the film crew; and the drivers who worked on the production. Also included are audio recordings ­McQueen made when he was dying of cancer in 1980. VERDICT This fascinating film is

recommended to all fans of McQueen and motor racing.—Stephen Hupp, West Virginia Univ.

Parkersburg Lib.

The Thanhouser Studio and the Birth of American Cinema. color & b/w. 53 min.

Ned Thanhouser, dist. by Dreamscape Horizon, www.dreamscapeab.com. 2017.

DVD UPC 852435007136. $24.99; public performance $199.99. FILM

In its early days, moviemaking was an improvisatory, unregulated affair. This documentary introduces the Thanhouser studio, founded in 1909 by Edwin and Gertrude Thanhouser, who produced one-reelers from their New Rochelle, NY, home base; the director is their grandson. The Thanhousers were veterans of the “legitimate” theater and saw an opportunity in churning out 1,000 short films for nickelodeons between 1909 and 1917. They released an average of two films per week, productions noted for a natural style of acting (perhaps a result of their stage experience), innovations such as camera dissolves, and elements that would become industry staples, for instance, Florence La Badie, nicknamed “fearless Flo,” performing her own stunts and the inclusion of a dog. Eventually, audiences demanded longer, feature-length films,

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MEDIA and other studios sought the varied scenery, mild climate, and unregulated work rules in sunny California. VERDICT A brief but intriguing tribute to the vanished world of East Coast filmmaking.—Stephen Rees, ­formerly with Levittown Lib., PA

Landfill Harmonic. 84 min. In Spanish w/English subtitles. Brad Allgood & Graham Townsley, dist. by Tugg.edu, edu.tugg.com.

2016. DVD $22.95. MUSIC

The burgeoning cost of material possession is material accumulation. Even in developing nations, more is more, which leads to more garbage and growing landfills. Some families in Cateura, Paraguay, make their living scouring the trash for reusable objects. Then there is music educator Favio Chavez. As one who studied and practiced environmental technology, where others see rubbish, Chavez sees instruments. A true visionary, he convinced culture-hungry students and parents to hear the music in his head. Finding the right items and building and creating the instruments were just the beginning. These mostly poor families dedicated precious time and limited resources to fulfilling their children’s dreams of studying, learning, practicing, and performing as a school and community orchestra. Hearing these youngsters talk about what music means to them and what playing gives them will bring joy to viewers who share their journey. Verdict If you have never heard ­Mozart played on refuse, or even if you have, you need to watch this DVD.— Gerald A. Notaro, Emeritus Univ. Libn., Univ. of South Florida, St. Petersburg

Last of the Mississippi Jukes. 86 min.

Robert Mugge, dist. by MVDvisual, www.mvdb2b.com. 2016. DVD UPC 760137712794. $19.95. MUSIC

Director Mugge’s 2002 documentary pays tribute to the last few remaining live blues clubs (or “juke joints”) in and around Jackson, MS. The Morgan Freeman–owned Ground Zero Blues Club is an up-andcoming home for local blues artists, while longtime blues mecca the Subway Lounge is close to being torn down after more than 30 years in business. Dozens of singers and musicians take to these two stages, with cameras capturing riveting performance clips of Alvin Youngblood Hart, Vasti Jackson, Patrice Moncell, and more.

Enter­tainers and others also share memories of loud and sweaty nights belting out the blues and lament the impending loss of the lounge. Freeman provides well-informed commentary on the significance of music in his life and why it is important to support juke joints in poor, rural communities that depend on them for recreation and fellow-

ship. Bonus features include 14 full audio tracks. VERDICT Too tightly focused to be of interest to casual viewers, this film will appeal to serious blues fans looking for great performance footage or observations on the Mississippi music scene.—­Douglas King, Univ. of

presentation is the advice the adults give to children who are bullied today. Members of every school community should see this film as it will help them to realize the severity of bullying and hopefully devise a program to combat it.—Ernest Jaeger, formerly

South Carolina Lib., Columbia

with North Plainfield Schs., NJ

T-Rex. 86 min. Zack Canepari & Drea Cooper,

The Other Side. 92+ min. Roberto Minervini, dist. by Film Movement, www.filmmovement. com. 2016. DVD UPC 857692005697. $24.95; libs. $150; public performance $350; DRL $499; PPR/DRL $599. SOC SCI

dist. by Passion River, www.passionriver.com.

2016. DVD UPC 888295479295. $59.95.

Public performance. SPORTS

Why is it that some athletes catch our attention more than others despite their similarly impressive achievements? Taking refuge from the streets of Flint, MI, at the boxing gym of coach Jason Crutchfield, C ­ laressa “T-Rex” Shields (b. 1995) leverages her supreme confidence, determination, and talent to reach the top of her sport and earn a chance to fight for gold in the 2012 Olympic Games. Winning comes easily to her, but life throws up distractions, including challenging relationships with her family, with Crutchfield, and with her sparring partner (whom she also dates against her coach’s wishes).

The interviews have an un­edited feel, with frequent long pauses and strong language; the style of the film is stark and without fluff, like Shields herself. VERDICT Simultaneously uplifting and disturbing, T-Rex is much more than your ­average portrait of an Olympic athlete. It will appeal to fans of true-life stories and anyone looking to spark discussion about how inequality can take many forms.— Sara Holder, Univ. of Illinois Libs., Champaign

SOCIAL SCIENCES .Hear Me Now. 51 min. Bill

Cornelius, dist. by Green Planet Films, www.greenplanetfilms.org. 2016. DVD UPC 714497273921. $89; acad. libs. $195.

Public performance; screening license; closed-captioned; SDH subtitles. Ed/PSYCH

One of the most important topics in education today is bullying, having reached epidemic proportions, with 282,000 student attacks in American high schools in one year. This film addresses this complex problem through a close examination of those who were bullied and the effects on them into adulthood; the impact on parents of victimized children, conflicted over wanting their children to learn to make their way and needing to keep them safe; and schools’ solutions. Talking-head shots of adults who were bullied as children are interspersed with reenactments of bullying incidents. The stories are harrowing, and the consequences devastating; in a large number of cases, bullied children end their lives.

VERDICT Especially valuable in this solid

Journalists have recently begun to speculate that America is divided into a number of distinct, possibly hostile societies. This film, which explores lifestyles in southwest Louisiana, gives viewers an intimate look at two groups on the fringe: the suburban poor and antigovernment militias.

For the poor, the abuse of alcohol and tobacco now extends to methamphetamine, crack cocaine, and heroin. Mark, a paroled felon, tempers his addictions with sex with his partner Lisa and helping her and their friends shoot up. Mark has determined that when his mother succumbs to cancer, he will cope with her loss by getting high every day. Eventually, detox offers him “a new start.” The militia members appear to be better off financially than Mark.

Well armed and camouflaged, they train to resist forcibly any future government restrictions on their freedoms. VERDICT Viewers should expect graphic, sometimes sordid, drug abuse and sex, in addition to disturbing ideas for protecting constitutional rights. Highly recommended for adult collections.—Cliff Glaviano, formerly with Bowling Green State Univ. Libs., OH

.Advanced Style. 72 min. Linda Plioplyte, dist. by Kino Lorber, www.kinolorber.com.

2016. DVD UPC 738329209513. $29.95.

Closed-captioned. women’s studies/SOC SCI Street photographer and blogger Ari Seth Cohen and director Plioplyte examine the lives of seven unique New York women, age 62 to 95, who f lout the conventions of their age through idiosyncratic fashion statements. Most of the subjects project an outré sense of style with blazing colors, big hats, and oversized jewelry and justify the idea that style does not have to fade with maturity. Although the interviewees do sometimes mention the disadvantages of aging and its physical limitations, the film does not dwell on these issues. Instead, it celebrates the uniqueness of the individuals and the joy of being true to oneself.

VERDICT Totally captivating and high on charm, this should appeal to all audiences.— Phillip Oliver, formerly with Univ. of North Alabama, Florence

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SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

Written on Water: A Modern Tale of a Dry West. 57 min. Merri Lisa Trigilio, dist. by Green Planet Films, www.greenplanetfilms.org. 2016.

DVD UPC 714497273785. $89; acad. libs. $225. Public performance; circulation only $39. Closed-captioned; SDH subtitles.

ENVIRONMENT

For decades, irrigation has allowed parts of the “great American desert” to produce many staple crops. However, the Ogallala aquifer, a source of groundwater for eight Western states, is becoming depleted. Filmmaker Trigilio focuses on several west Texas farming families and the town of Olton, where drought has parched the area for years and farmers and townspeople rely on failing wells. The local water district is trying to restrict consumption to protect the aquifer.

Legally, Texas landowners are entitled to all the groundwater they can pump out, so the stage is set for conflict. A glimpse into life on the high plains of Texas, where the legacy of frontier independence is beginning to hit critical resource limits. VERDICT This quiet, low-budget production may interest rural residents and the environmentally concerned.—David R. Conn, formerly with Surrey Libs., BC

Ride with Larry. 90 min. Andrew Rubin & Ricardo Villarreal, dist. by Dreamscape Video, www.dreamscapeab.com. 2016.

DVD UPC 857326006380. $38.99.

Public performance. HEALTH

Dogs on the Inside: Everyone Deserves a Second Chance. 66+ min. Brean Cunningham & Douglas Seirup, dist. by Kino Lorber, www.kinolorber.com. 2017. DVD UPC 738329211868. $29.95. PETS/criminology

This touching documentary follows the dog rescue/rehabilitation efforts of the Don’t Throw Us Away nonprofit in coordination with the Great Dog Rescue New England and the North Central Correctional Institution, Gardiner, MA. The theory behind this successful program is that no life is hopeless and there are no throwaways—canine or human. Viewers will be quickly drawn to the stories of six rescued strays that are paired with six inmates, with the intent that the dogs will be trained and rehabilitated for eventual adoption into loving homes.

It becomes immediately obvious that the broken­ness of the dogs is matched by that of the prisoners but that love and trust, caring and compassion will overcome their troubled pasts. The inmates provide much of the narration; their comments are deeply personal and inspiring as the project brings a happy beginning for those dogs that would otherwise have been euthanized. VERDICT The prison participants acknowledge their sadness when the dogs leave but are grateful for the families giving these animals a second chance at life. Highly recommended.— Edell Marie Schaefer, Brookfield P.L., WI

State of Control. 91 min. In English & Tibetan w/English subtitles. Christian Johnston & Darren Mann, dist. by Kino Lorber, www.­kinolorber.com. 2016.

DVD UPC 738329207137. $29.95.

Closed-captioned. TECH

Larry Smith is one tough guy. A former police captain and now a successful entrepreneur, this South Dakotan was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease more than 20 years ago. Always an active man, he was determined to battle it every day, using his recumbent bicycle to revitalize.

In spring 2011, Smith decided to use his bicycle to ride across his state to test his limits and to share his story, with the goal of spreading hope among other sufferers.

Viewers ride along, through fair weather and foul, and meet his wife, friends, admirers, coworkers, and those who have been touched by the disease. One memorable scene finds Smith crossing state lines and sampling medical marijuana, which is illegal in South Dakota. The effects are almost immediate and remarkable; for a period, he is devoid of symptoms, regaining his voice and control over his movements and finally being able to smile, something he couldn’t do for two decades. VERDICT This story of the toll disease has taken on Larry Smith and how he has faced it with grit, humor, and true spirit is not to be missed.—Ellen Druda, Half Hallow Hills Community

This video opens with an attempt by American filmmakers Johnston and Mann to get into Tibet and record interviews with people working to free the region from Chinese control. They choose to do this during the immediate run-up to the 2008 Beijing Olympics, during which the “Free Tibet” movement hoped to stage protests and thereby embarrass the Chinese government. As a result, the documentarians encounter enormous resistance, are subject to physical and electronic surveillance, and ultimately fail in their quest. They return home to find that they and their colleagues, both home and abroad, have become victims of a variety of hack attacks.

The film thus segues into a discussion of Chinese state-sponsored hacking, which has been widely reported more extensively elsewhere. Indeed, this segment is largely composed of excerpts from other media reports. VERDICT Sporadically interesting, this production would not be a priority acquisition.—Harold D. Shane, Professor of Mathematics

Lib., Dix Hills, NY

Emeritus, ­Baruch Coll., CUNY

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TRAILERS What’s coming on DVD/Blu-ray Dheepan. 114+ min. In French & Tamil w/English subtitles. Jacques Audiard, dist. by Criterion Collection. May 2017.

DVD ISBN 9781681433011. $29.95; Blu-ray ISBN 9781681433004. $39.95.

DRAMA

Fleeing Sri Lanka for Paris.

A Dog’s Purpose. 100+ min. Lasse Hallström, dist. by Universal. May 2017.

DVD UPC 025192395543. $29.98; Blu-ray UPC 025192395581. $34.98.

Rated: PG. DRAMEDY A dog finds meaning in his life.

I Am Not Your Negro. color & b/w. 93+ min.

Raoul Peck, dist. by Magnolia Pictures.

May 2017. DVD UPC 876964011891. $26.98; Blu-ray UPC 976964015493. $29.98.

Rated: PG-13. HIST Baldwin’s words; an Oscar nominee.

Love Song. 85+ min. So Yong Kim, dist. by Strand Releasing. May 2017.

DVD UPC 712267361823. $27.99. DRAMA Women as friends—and more.

Martin Scorsese’s World Cinema Project No. 2. 3 discs. color & b/w.

588+ min. w/English subtitles. Lino Brocka & others, dist. by Criterion Collection. May 2017. Blu-ray/DVD ISBN 9781681433066. $124.95. FILM Six rare films, digitally restored.

Othello. 2 discs. b/w. 186+ min. Orson Welles, dist. by Criterion Collection.

May 2017. DVD ISBN 9781681433035. $39.95; 1-disc Blu-ray ISBN 9781681433028. $49.95. DRAMA Shakespeare meets Welles.

The Salesman. 125+ min. Asghar Farhadi, dist. by Amazon & Cohen Media Group. Summer 2017. DVD UPC 043396505797. $30.99. DRAMA Best Foreign Film Oscar winner.

Saturday Night Fever: 40th Anniversary Director’s Cut. 118+ min.

John Badham, dist. by Paramount Home Media. May 2017. Blu-ray $16.99.

Rated: R. DRAMA/MUSICAL John Travolta makes his moves.— Bette-Lee Fox

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MEDIA

MUSICMATTERS

Making Libraries Sing

By Robin Bradford

I

nstead of focusing on a genre of music, or items to add to your collections, this column offers a shout-out to a librarian with a double life, and the work she and others do to bring music to patrons in a variety of ways.

Librarian by day, rocker by night

Let me introduce Sara Peté, senior adult services librarian at Olympia Timberland Library, WA. By day, Peté is known for her vintage-era polyester wardrobe (a young patron came into the library dressed as her for Halloween last year) and her understanding of the varying needs of the Olympia community. Whether working the reference desk, attending community meetings, or enuring that the demands of patrons are met in a variety of formats and languages, she is quick to let me know what the library needs (and gentle with her reminders when I forget). But, by night, Peté is a guitarist and singer for the group Morgan and the Organ Donors, a local band that has played shows from Washington State to Tijuana, Mexico. I spoke to Peté about music in the library and what she sees of the local music from both behind the reference desk and out and about after hours. I first asked her if patrons know of her secret life. “No, the worlds don’t really collide, though a patron did recognize me once, at a show,” she says.

Olympia rocks

Two of my favorite things happening in the Olympia library that came out of my talk with Peté are ones that patrons of the local music collection and the piano can literally check out. First, about our holdings. Our local music collection is vibrant, well curated, and well used and is comprised mostly of donations solely from people in the Olympia community.

It includes CDs, of course, but also LPs, 45s, and, to my surprise, cassettes!

A lot of music currently is digital, and Robin Bradford is a Collection Development Librarian at Timberland Regional Library, WA, where she orders adult fiction, feature films (and TV!), and music CDs. She was chosen the Romance Writers of America 2016 Librarian of the Year

good reason. The library has featured a vast range of programming related to music. Among her favorites were Harry and the Potters, which she says was “one of the first live, loud band [activities] we had at the Olympia library. We realized we can have loud local punk shows...after-hours, and both the audience and the performers enjoy the whole getting-to-be-crazyloud-in-the-library thing.”

Music collaborations also occur between the library and businesses around Librarian Sara Peté belts it with books and music town. Peté described the buying physical copies of local bands’ partnership that resulted in the “Queer output might be impossible. Peté solicits Rock Camp for [LGBTQ] youth and alphysical copies from those groups if they lies, [which] was run by local musicians,” have them, and whether the bands are she says. “The teens would come from new or have been around for a while, all around the region and stay with host there is a good chance they can be found families.... We would host a yearly library show alongside the camp. The performers in our library. would be a mix of campers, camp counselors, and coordinators. It was open to Curiosities in a collection So, about that piano? I’ve been in Wash- the entire community but had the added ington almost three years, and I had no bonus of providing all-ages after-hours idea that I could check out time to use events for the young campers who were the piano in the Olympia meeting room. visiting.”

Boomer Brass, a local group made Checkouts are in two-hour blocks when the library is open and the meeting room up of baby boomers who play brass inisn’t occupied. It’s available for programs, struments, have also performed. They of course, but also for individuals to prac- practice at a local retirement home and tice and hone their skills. Folks can bring provide the residents with free concerts. their own music, but Olympia also has a They also gave a free concert in the lirather extensive sheet music collection. brary, featuring holiday songs. Another Currently, it’s in the process of an over- favorite was the instructional ukulele haul to make the catalog more user- and program, at which more than 60 people finder-friendly. The goal is to include all came to learn how to play simple songs the items in the main library catalog, so on the instrument.

So customers can not only check out staff and patrons can locate them easily.

The collection is sorted by popular song a music CD from their favorite artists, collection, classical music by instrument, they can discover the sound of local perand instruction books by instrument. So, formers, reminisce with classical or vinyes, patrons are able to check out a piano tage popular songs via sheet music, learn instruction book, two hours of time, and how to play an instrument, practice the piano, and see a show, all courtesy of the begin to teach themselves how to play.

Olympia library. The staff think outside the box to make the most of their Programs and collaboration Programming, however, was the thing resources and appeal to a wide variety that got Peté the most animated and with of people.

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[books] LIBRARYJOURNAL

prepub alert

The first word on titles and trends

THRILLERS

was reputedly paid to free the Romanovs from the Bolsheviks, without success, and was then stolen by the Germans during World War II. Now, treasure hunters Sam and Remi Fargo have gotten wind of the ransom, held in trust by the descendants of a particularly nasty Nazi faction called the Werewolves.

Adler-Olsen, Jussi. The Scarred Woman. Dutton. Sept. 2017. 432p.

ISBN 9780525954958. $28; ebk. ISBN 9780698409781. CD: Penguin Audio. THRILLER

The body of an elderly woman is found in a Copenhagen park, and since this book features Det. Carl Mørck of Department Q, Copenhagen’s cold cases division, you can bet the case bears resemblance to an unsolved murder dating back a decade.

The race is on, and if Mørck doesn’t win this one, Department Q will be closed.

Brady, A.F. The Blind. Park Row: Harlequin.

Sept. 2017. 400p. ISBN 9780778330875. $26.99; ebk. ISBN 9781488023651. THRILLER

In a debut that’s billed as One Flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest meets Luckiest Girl Alive, psychologist Sam James is routinely assigned the toughest cases at her Manhattan psychiatric institution. New patient Richard, whom other staff members refuse to treat, seems out of place precisely because he seems so normal, and working with him forces Sam down her own dark path.

With a 60,000-copy first printing.

Coben, Harlan. Don’t Let Go. Dutton.

Sept. 2017. 400p. ISBN 9780525955115. $28; ebk. ISBN 9780698411661.

CD: Brilliance Audio. THRILLER

Since he’s the author of ten consecutive No. 1 New York Times best sellers and a winner of the Edgar, Shamus, and Anthony awards to boot, it would be nice to know plot details here. No such luck, but I can report that it’s a stand-alone.

By Barbara Hoffert

Trouble here is caused by a famed folksinger’s longmissing master tape and a very dead gossip columnist

Coleman, Reed Farrel. Robert B. Parker’s The Hangman’s Sonnet. Putnam. Sept. 2017.

352p. ISBN 9780399171444. $27; ebk. ISBN 9780698166615. CD: Penguin Audio. THRILLER

In this new work in the New York Times best-selling series, a shattered Jesse Stone stumbles through his latest case after the murder of his fiancée. Celebrated folk singer Terry Jester has been in seclusion since the master recording tape of his great work, “The Hangman’s Sonnet,” went missing decades ago. Now, on the morning of his gala 75th birthday party, a local woman is killed when her house is ransacked, and Jesse must ask what this has to do with the tape.

Cussler, Clive & Robin Burcell. The Romanov Ransom. Putnam. Sept. 2017. 384p.

ISBN 9780399575549. $29; ebk. ISBN 9780399575556. CD: Penguin Audio. THRILLER

Here, a huge and glittering ransom

Ellison, J.T. Lie to Me. Mira: Harlequin. Sept. 2017. 384p. ISBN 9780778330950. pap. $15.99; ebk. ISBN 9781488025143. THRILLER

Stepping away from police procedurals to focus more tightly on psychological suspense, the New York Times bestselling Ellison introduces us to seemingly happy couple Sutton and Ethan Montclair.

In fact, they have big money worries and personal and professional grievances with each other, and when Sutton disappears— leaving behind a note saying not to look for her—Ethan is in big trouble. With a 100,000-copy first printing.

Flynn, Vince & Kyle Mills. Untitled. Emily Bestler: Atria. Sept. 2017. 400p. ISBN 9781476783512. $28.99. CD: S. & S. Audio. THRILLER

It seems that after 9/11, the United States agreed to suppress evidence that leading Saudis facilitated the attack as long as Saudi Arabia punishes those responsible and keeps up a steady flow of oil. But now that King Faisal’s nephew is evidently funding ISIS, Saudi commitment to its promise looks doubtful, and Mitch Rapp

PREPUB ALERT ONLINE: reviews.libraryjournal.com/category/prepub SIGN UP: ow.ly/60SSZ WWW.LIBRARYJOURNAL.COM REVIEWS, NEWS, AND MORE

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PREPUB ALERT is asked to deliver a forceful if unorthodox reprimand. And for appearances’ sake, he must quit the CIA and act on his own.

Intense promotion.

Fury, Dalton. Execute Authority: A Delta Force Novel. St. Martin’s. Sept. 2017. 336p.

ISBN 9781250120489. $26.99; ebk. ISBN 9781250120496. CD: Macmillan Audio. THRILLER

In this final novel from Fury, a New York Times best-selling author who died in 2016, Kolt “Racer” Raynor and his Delta Force squadron accompany the newly elected president to Greece to shore up the NATO alliance. As they arrive, the Greek prime minister is assassinated with a bullet through the left eye, the calling card of Kolt’s nemesis, Rasim Miric.

Gross, Andrew. The Saboteur. Minotaur: St. Martin’s. Sept. 2017. 432p. ISBN 9781250079510. $26.99; ebk. ISBN 9781466892170. CD: Macmillan Audio. THRILLER

In February 1943, Norwegian engineer and resistance fighter Kurt Nordstrum escapes to London with information about the Germans’ progress toward building an atomic bomb. After training in the Highlands, he returns home with a team given the near-impossible task of attacking the

mountaintop factory, then returns months later to finish the job. From the James Patterson coauthor and, on his own, an internationally best-selling author whose books include 2016’s The One Man. Hannah, Sophie. Keep Her Safe. Morrow.

Sept. 2017. 384p. ISBN 9780062388322. $26.99; ebk. ISBN 9780062388346. lrg. prnt. CD: HarperAudio. THRILLER

As Lisa Gardner says, Hannah puts “the ‘psycho’ in ‘psychological suspense,’ ” and here’s her first novel set in America, specifically, sun-bleached Arizona. A chipper British sort is enjoying a holiday until she starts suspecting that the guest in the room next door is the woman who made headlines when she disappeared years ago.

With a 100,000-copy first printing.

Jance, J.A. Proof of Life: A J.P. Beaumont Novel. Morrow. Sept. 2017. 368p. ISBN 9780062657541. $27.99; ebk. ISBN 9780062657565. lrg. prnt.

CD: HarperAudio. THRILLER

J.P. Beaumont is not enjoying retirement when he’s asked to investigate the death of former Seattle crime reporter Maxwell Cole, with whom he regularly tangled, in what has been declared an accidental fire.

my PICKS

Greenblatt, Stephen. The Rise and Fall of Adam and Eve. Norton. Sept. 2017. 368p. ISBN 9780393240801. $27.95; ebk. ISBN 9780393634587. HISTORY

If anyone can reanimate the story of Adam and Eve, it’s Pulitzer Prize winner Greenblatt, who vivified Renaissance Italy in The Swerve and had us strutting the Elizabethan stage in Will in the World. Here he investigates the deep root of the story, its appearance in written form, and its use by Augustine to ground Christian teaching, in the end clarifying what’s made the story so meaningful throughout Western civilization and what’s been lost by dwelling on it. With a six-city tour.

Korda, Michael. Alone: Britain, Churchill, and Dunkirk; Defeat into Victory. Liveright: Norton. Sept. 2017. 564p.

ISBN 9781631491320. $29.95. HISTORY

A former editor in chief of Simon & Schuster and a best-selling author (e.g., Hero), Korda was born and raised in England and was evacuated during World War II. Thus, he weaves memoir into his account of the crucial year 1940, when Winston Churchill replaced Neville Chamberlain as prime minister and Germany tramped into France, leaving Britain alone to fight the enemy. Then there was the heroic rescue at Dunkirk. The film Dunkirk will be released in July.

Krauss, Nicole. Forest Dark. Harper. Sept. 2017. 304p.

ISBN 9780062430991. $27.99. LITERARY FICTION

A National Book Award finalist, Anisfield-Wolf Award winner, Granta Best Young American Novelist, New Yorker Twenty Under Forty, and New York Times best-selling author, Krauss tells the story of larger-than-life Jules Epstein. Now retired, and with

It brings up old grudges, an unsolved case, one enduringly bad villain, and Beaumont’s thirst for justice. With a 250,000copy first printing.

Krueger, William Kent. Sulfur Spring. Atria.

Aug. 2017. 352p. ISBN 9781501147340. $26; ebk. ISBN 9781501147449. THRILLER

Originally scheduled for September, this new novel by Edgar Award winner Krueger sends private investigator Cork O’Connor from his forest-shaded Minnesota home to brutally hot Arizona, where new wife Rainy’s son Peter has disappeared after calling to claim that he murdered someone named Rodriguez. No one in the town where he’s been receiving mail seems to know Peter. But everyone knows Rodriguez, head of a Mexican cartel.

Land, Ali. Good Me Bad Me. Flatiron: Macmillan. Sept. 2017. 304p. ISBN 9781250087645. $25.99; ebk. ISBN 9781250087652. CD: Macmillan Audio. THRILLER

After letting the police in on a little secret—her mother is a serial killer and a child abuser, too—15-year-old Milly is given a new identity and placed with a posh foster family. Then her foster sister starts bullying her, a teacher apparently

his parents dead and his marriage over, he gives away most of his possessions and heads to Israel, where he becomes involved with a dynamic American rabbi planning a reunion of King David’s descendants. Meanwhile, a young American novelist arrives at a Tel Aviv hotel and is offered the project of a lifetime. With a 150,000-copy first printing and a 15-city tour. le Carré, John. A Legacy of Spies. Viking. Sept. 2017. 320p.

ISBN 9780735225114. $28; ebk. ISBN 9780735225121.

CD/downloadable: Random Audio. THRILLER

Spymaster le Carré returns with his greatest creation, George Smiley, though we don’t yet know whether Smiley will appear in the present (he’d be an old guy) or only in memory. Here, Smiley’s loyal ally Peter Guillam is yanked out of retirement, with the current government asking pointed questions about the Cold War activities of Smiley, Guillam, and their circle. Smiley last appeared in 1991’s The Secret Pilgrim.

McDermott, Alice. The Ninth Hour. Farrar. Sept. 2017. 240p.

ISBN 9780374280147. $26; ebk. ISBN 9780374712174.

CD: Macmillan Audio. LITERARY FICTION

One of the great writers of the Irish American experience, National Book Award winner McDermott offers the story of a young immigrant in early 1900s Brooklyn who has lost his job and is being hectored by his pregnant wife. So he asserts himself the only way he knows how: he turns on his tenement’s gas taps.

The suicide is never discussed, yet it has an enormous impact on the victim’s family and friends for generations. BEA promotion.

Rushdie, Salman. The Golden House. Random. Sept. 2017. 368p.

ISBN 9780399592805. $28.99; ebk. ISBN 9780399592812.

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discovers her past, and a new friend seems way too enticingly vulnerable, and Milly’s intentions to be good—unlike her mother—start to buckle. Lots of buzz for this debut novelist.

Patterson, James & James O. Born.

Haunted: A Detective Michael Bennett Thriller. Little, Brown. Sept. 2017.

368p. ISBN 9780316273978. $28; ebk. ISBN 9780316466479. lrg. prnt.

CD: Hachette Audio. THRILLER

Like the rest of us, Det. Michael Bennett is ready for a vacation, so he takes his family to a small town deep in the Maine woods. Alas, he steps directly into a terrible case demanding all his attention. Youngsters are disappearing alarmingly, bodies are finally discovered in the woods, and it appears that something deadly has taken over the town. With a 500,000-copy first printing.

Robb, J.D. Secrets in Death: An Eve Dallas Novel. St. Martin’s.

Sept. 2017. 384p. ISBN 9781250123152. $27.99; ebk. ISBN 9781250123183. THRILLER

Gossip reporter Larinda Mars has been murdered at a way-too-cool Manhattan nightspot called Du Vin, and Lt. Eve

An English-language debut inspired by a Nazi cameraman; learning to find happiness after tragedy

Dallas is dismayed to learn that her dislikable victim kept her worse secrets from her column, instead using them for blackmail. The latest in Robb’s “In Death” series, optioned for TV; with a national laydown on September 5.

Literary fiction

Hasbún, Rodrigo. Affections. S. & S. Sept. 2017. 144p. tr. from Spanish by Sophie Hughes. ISBN 9781501154799. $23; ebk. ISBN 9781501154812. LITERARY

Named one of Granta’s 22 Best of Young Spanish-Language Novelists in 2010 and

CD/downloadable: Random Audio. LITERARY FICTION

This latest from “Booker of Bookers” prize winner Rushdie chronicles a young American filmmaker’s involvement with a real estate tycoon while plumbing American culture and politics since the inauguration of Barack Obama. It’s all here: the Tea Party, identity politics, and, as the Guardian quotes, “the insurgence of a ruthlessly ambitious, narcissistic, media-savvy villain sporting makeup and coloured hair.” One can almost hear Rushdie sharpening his knives.

Sattouf, Riad. The Arab of the Future 3: A Childhood in the Middle East, 1985–1987; A Graphic Memoir. Metropolitan: Holt.

Sept. 2017. 160p. ISBN 9781627793537. $27; ebk. ISBN 9781627793544. MEMOIR

First came The Arab of the Future: A Childhood in the Middle East, 1978–1984, then The Arab of the Future: A Childhood in the Middle East, 1984–1985, a Los Angeles Times Book Prize winner. Now, in this third volume, French-Syrian cartoonist Sattouf recalls living with his family in his father’s village when his mother decides that she wants to return to France, and his father is caught between her desires and his traditions.

Taubman, William. Gorbachev: His Life and Times. Norton.

Sept. 2017. 928p. ISBN 9780393647013. $39.95. BIOGRAPHY

Winner of the Pulitzer Prize and the National Book Critics Circle Award for Khrushchev: The Man and His Era, Taubman is ready to take on the enigma of former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev. Here he shows how a peasant boy grew up to bury WWW.LIBRARYJOURNAL.COM REVIEWS, NEWS, AND MORE

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one of the “Bogotá 39” at 2007’s Hay Festival, Bolivian-born, Texas-based Hasbún makes his English-language debut with a slim but juicy-sounding novel based on a real-life individual.

Cameraman for Nazi propagandist Leni Riefenstahl, Hans Ertl flees with his family to Bolivia shortly before the end of World War II. There, he becomes fascinated with the lost Inca city of Paitití and persuades two of his daughters to join his efforts to find it.

Mathews, Brendan. The World of Tomorrow. Little, Brown. Sept. 2017.

560p. ISBN 9780316382199. $28; ebk. ISBN 9780316382205. LITERARY

In June 1939, Francis and Michael Dempsey board an ocean liner sailing from Ireland to New York, where their brother Martin lives. They’ve just lifted a pile of money from the IRA, so it’s perhaps no surprise that once they arrive, Michael disappears and Francis is stalked by a killer. New York forms a colorful backdrop as the brothers reckon with their family’s revolutionary past. A big debut

Soviet communism, why the system let him, why he wanted to democratize his country, and why he let Eastern Europe go without a fight. Big questions we’ve all been asking.

Tur, Katy. Unbelievable: My Front-Row Seat to the Craziest Campaign in American History. Dey Street: HarperCollins.

Sept. 2017. 304p. ISBN 9780062684929. $26.99; ebk. ISBN 9780062684943. POLITICAL SCIENCE

On the potholed presidential trail during 2015– 16, NBC reporter Tur was routinely scorned

by Republican candidate Donald Trump, who called her disgraceful, third-rate, and more.

During one rally, the atmosphere became so vicious that Tur had to be escorted to her car by the Secret Service. Incensed viewers responded vigorously by tweeting #imwithtur. Here’s her ringside view of the campaign. With a 200,000copy first printing.

Ward, Jesmyn. Sing, Unburied, Sing. Scribner. Sept.

2017. 304p. ISBN 9781501126062. $26; ebk. ISBN 9781501126093. CD: S. & S. Audio. LITERARY FICTION

Finally, Ward’s next novel after the stupendous, National Book Award–winning Salvage the Bones. It stars Jojo and his toddler sister, Kayla; their sometimes-there, sometimes-not mother, Leonie, a drug addict who has visions of her dead brother; and their grandparents Mam, who’s dying of cancer, and Pop, who struggles to hold the family together. When Leonie learns that the white father of her children will be released from prison, she loads them and a friend into her car and drives to the state penitentiary. With a ten-city tour.

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PREPUB ALERT

Meades, Christopher. Hanna Who Fell from the Sky. Park Row: Harlequin. Sept. 2017.

elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1955, ultimately serving for 59 consecutive years and twice chairing the Energy and Commerce Committee.

With a 50,000-copy first printing.

352p. ISBN 9780778328735. $24.99; ebk. ISBN 9781460300350. LITERARY

Harpham, Heather. Happiness:

from Fulbright scholar Mathews; with a 75,000-copy first printing.

Winner of the 2013 Canadian Author’s Award for Fiction, Meades makes his U.S. debut with the story of Hanna, who lives in an isolated religious community with her father, his four wives, and her 14 siblings.

At age 18, about to become the fifth wife of a much older man, she encounters a stranger who challenges her to reconsider everything she’s been taught. Mainstream appeal; a 100,000-copy first printing.

Oksanen, Sofi. Norma. Knopf. Sept. 2017.

288p. ISBN 9780451493521. $26.95; ebk. ISBN 9780451493538. Downloadable: Random Audio. LITERARY

Winner of big awards like the Swedish Academy Nordic Prize and the Prix ­Femina, Finnish-Estonian author Oksanen is known here for the sharply affecting Purge and When the Doves Disappeared.

She follows suit with a new novel set in contemporary Helsinki, where Anita Naakka has leapt in front of a speeding train. Her daughter, Norma, has supernatural hair that picks up the moods of those around her, and at the funeral, her hair lets her know that her mother may not have killed herself. Fantasy, mystery, exquisite writing, a young woman’s coming to terms—what’s not to like?

Peery, Janet. The Exact Nature of Our Wrongs. St. Martin’s. Sept. 2017.

288p. ISBN 9781250125088. $26.99; ebk. ISBN 9781250125095. LITERARY

A National Book Award finalist in 1996 for her debut novel, The River Beyond the World, Peery has kept us waiting a long time for her second novel. It’s perceptive domestic drama set in blue-collar Amicus, KS, where town judge Abel Campbell is celebrating his birthday with his family when ne’er-do-well youngest son Billy passes out in a plate of birthday cake.

Time for the family to confront his addictive and generally destructive behavior, enabled by his mother, which has absorbed too much of their lives. In-house buzz.

MEMOIR

Dingell, John David with David Bender. The

Dean: The Best Seat in the House, from FDR to Obama. Harper. Sept. 2017. 320p.

ISBN 9780062571991. $28; ebk. ISBN 9780062572004. MEMOIR

The son of a congressman, Dingell became a house page in 1938 and was

The Crooked Little Road to Semi-Ever After.

Holt. Aug. 2017. 320p. ISBN 9781250131560. $27; ebk. ISBN 9781250131577. MEMOIR

An award-winning writer, performer, and teacher of physical theater/improvisation, Harpham tells a heartrending story of discovering hours after giving birth that something was dangerously wrong with her baby.

Khan, Daisy. Pomegranate Dreams.

Spiegel & Grau. Sept. 2017. 224p.

ISBN 9780812995268. $28; ebk. ISBN 9780812995275. Downloadable: Random Audio. MEMOIR/RELIGION

Executive director of the Women’s Islamic Initiative in Spirituality and Equality (WISE), Khan braids an account of her advocacy work with the story of her life.

LeFavour, Cree. Lights on, Rats Out: A Memoir. Grove. Aug. 2017. 244p.

ISBN 9780802125965. $25; ebk. ISBN 9780802189158. CD: Blackstone. MEMOIR

Before LeFavour became a James Beard Award–nominated cookbook author, she was a troubled college graduate with the disquieting habit of applying sizzling cigarette tips to her skin. Here she explains how dangerously important her psychiatrist became to her. BEA promotion.

Litt, David. Thanks, Obama:

My Hopey Changey White House Years.

Ecco: HarperCollins. Sept. 2017.

256p. ISBN 9780062568458. $27.99; ebk. ISBN 9780062568465. MEMOIR

At age 24 one of the youngest presidential speechwriters ever, Litt was a special assistant to the president and senior presidential speechwriter when he left the White House in 2016, and he was also President Obama’s special comedy writer.

With a 60,000-copy first printing.

McDermott, Zach. Gorilla and the Bird.

Little, Brown. Sept. 2017.

288p. ISBN 9780316315142. $27; ebk. ISBN 9780316315111.

CD: Hachette Audio. MEMOIR

McDermott, who’s worked as a public defender and published in places like This American Life, recounts his experiences with dipolar disorder and how he has been pulled through by his tough, devoted mother. Optioned for film; with a 40,000-copy first printing.

Maynard, Joyce. The Best of Us: A Memoir. Bloomsbury USA. Sept. 2017.

304p. ISBN 9781635570342. $27; ebk. ISBN 9781635570366. MEMOIR

New York Times best-selling author Maynard recalls her one true partner, a man she met in her late fifties. They married, but it was no happily-everafter; her husband was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer shortly after their first anniversary, and Maynard recounts the following 19 months, as she learned what it meant to be a couple. Featured at BEA. Scott, Jonathan & Drew Scott. Untitled.

Houghton Harcourt. Sept. 2017. NAp. ISBN 9781328771476. $NA. MEMOIR

Better known as the Property Brothers, the Scott twins have fans galore for their popular HGTV home renovation shows, not to mention their New York Times bestselling Dream Home. Now they tell the story of their lives, from their early years (they were competitive bagpipers) and buying their first house when they were just 17.

Sharapova, Maria. Sharapova: An Autobiography.

Sarah Crichton: Farrar. Sept. 2017. 304p.

ISBN 9780374279790. $27; ebk. ISBN 9780374715311. CD: Macmillan Audio. MEMOIR

The winner of five Grand Slam titles to date, Russian tennis player Sharapova also stars on the fashion pages and is notable for her charity work. Her career has zigged and zagged, particularly with the recent two-year ban (now reduced) after testing positive for a prohibited drug.

Wainwright, Loudon, III. Liner Notes: On Parents, Children, Exes, Excess, Death, Decay & a Few More of My Favorite Things. Blue Rider. Sept. 2017.

288p. ISBN 9780399177026. $27; ebk. ISBN 9780698413085. MEMOIR

Grammy Award–winning singer and actor Wainwright tells us what it’s like to be not only a famous performer but also the son of a famous journalist, former husband of Kate McGarrigle and Suzzy Roche, and father of performers Rufus Wainwright, Martha Wainwright, Lucy Wainwright Roche, and Lexie Kelly Wainwright.

Williams, Patricia & Jeannine Amber.

Rabbit: The Autobiography of Ms. Pat.

Dey Street: HarperCollins. Aug. 2017.

240p. ISBN 9780062407306. $25.99; ebk. ISBN 9780062407320. MEMOIR

Discovered and mentored by Roseanne Barr, comedian Williams performs as Ms. Pat. But she went by the street name Rabbit while growing up poor in a tough Atlanta neighborhood. With a 100,000-copy first printing; originally scheduled for June 2016.

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mystery

By Lesa Holstine & Ann Chambers Theis

.

The spring awards season is underway for many of the key crime fiction honors,

with nominations recently released for the Mystery Writers of America’s Edgar A ­ llan Poe Awards, Malice Domestic’s Agatha Awards, Left Coast Crime’s Lefty Awards, and the UKbased Crime Writers’ Association’s Dagger Awards. A number of the authors reviewed this month have been nominees or award winners. Tom Bouman’s Fateful Mornings is a worthy follow-up to his Edgar-winning Dry Bones in the Valley. James Ziskin’s previous “Ellie Stone” mystery, Heart of Stone, has just been nominated for an Edgar, and here he returns with a new series adventure, Cast the First Stone. A cozy debut by Peggy O’Neal Peden, Your Killin’ Heart, won the Malice Domestic First Traditional Mystery Competition, and Volker Kutscher’s noirish Weimar-era series, which makes its English-language debut with Babylon Berlin, was recognized with a major German crime fiction prize in 2011.

Of special note are several debuts with prize-winning potential. Abir Mukherjee’s historical, A Rising Man, is an entertaining mystery set in Calcutta after World War I. And Annie Hogsett’s Too Lucky To Live channels Dashiell Hammett’s classic crime-solving duo, Nick and Nora Charles.—ACT Award–winning Dry Bones in the Valley, character and sense of place remain paramount. Bouman’s evocative language draws readers into Henry’s world, appealing to fans of rural noir/grit lit and Julia Keller, Wiley Cash, and John W. Billheimer. [See Prepub Alert, 11/14/16.]—ACT

This winning lottery ticket is no jackpot; two puzzle mysteries in one

Check These Out

Bouman, Tom. Fateful Mornings: A Henry Farrell Novel. Norton. Jun. 2017.

320p. ISBN 9780393249644. $25.95; ebk. ISBN 9780393249651. M

When troubled local carpenter Kevin O’Keefe reports that his girlfriend Penny is missing and that he may have shot someone, Officer Henry Farrell is pulled into an extensive investigation involving a multistate vice ring and a shadowy, murderous hit man.

Over many fateful mornings long-held secrets are unraveled, and political, cultural, and environmental realities continue to impact the Rust Belt town of Wild Thyme, PA. Meanwhile, widowed Henry’s long-ended affair with married Shelly Bray threatens to derail his personal and professional life as he begins a relationship with Miss Julie Meagher. Verdict In this ­follow-up to the ­Edgar Lesa Holstine is Collections and ­Technical ­Services Department Manager, Evansville Vanderburgh Public Library System, Evansville, IN. Ann Chambers Theis is ­Collection Management Librarian, ­Henrico County Public Library, VA

Friis, Agnete. What My Body Remembers.

Soho Crime. May 2017. 304p. tr. from Danish by Lindy Falk van Rooyen.

ISBN 9781616956028. $25.95; ebk. ISBN 9781616956035. M

Ella Nygaard, 27, has suffered from memory loss for 20 years since her father was convicted of murdering her mother and she became a ward of the state. After a lifetime of poor choices and an incapacitating PTSD episode, she discovers her 11-year-old son, Alex, has been placed in a foster home.

When Ella kidnaps Alex and takes shelter in her grandmother’s abandoned house in an isolated coastal town in northern Denmark, she slowly begins to remember what actually happened when her mother died. With the help of Thomas, a childhood friend, and offbeat new acquaintance Barbara, Ella learns to fight her old demons. Interspersing chapters detail the backstory of Ella’s parents, which reveal the damaging effects of virulent religion and a devastating love triangle that may harm Ella and Alex in the present. Verdict Making her solo debut, the coauthor of the “Nina Borg” (The Boy in the Suitcase) series not surprisingly has written a dark, fast-paced, and compelling mystery that will fascinate aficionados of Nordic noir.—ACT Griffiths, Elly. The Chalk Pit: A Ruth Galloway Mystery. Houghton Harcourt.

May 2017. 368p. ISBN 9780544750319.

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DEBUT OF THE MONTH .Mukherjee, Abir. A Rising Man.

Pegasus Crime. May 2017. 400p.

ISBN 9781681774169. $25.95; ebk. ISBN 9781681774770. M Haunted by the death of his wife and experiences in the Great War, Capt.

Sam ­Wyndham, a former Scotland Yard detective, accepts a job with the imperial police force in 1919 Calcutta.

He has no time to acclimate to his new surroundings before the body of a British official is found near a brothel with a note stuffed in his mouth demanding that the British leave India. The ramifications of the murder increase the destabilizing pressure from insurgents demanding greater Indian autonomy. Sam is assisted by the arrogant Inspector Digby, who had been bypassed for a promotion to Sam’s job, and Sgt. Surendranath (Surrender-not) Banerjee, one of the few Indians working in the CID. Their investigations take them from grimy jails to elegant mansions and attract irritation and interference from the upper echelons of the British Raj. Verdict Winner of the Harvill Secker Daily Telegraph crime writing competition, this stirring, entertaining first mystery bursts with lively, colorful historical details about colonial Calcutta.

The developing relationship between Wyndham and Banerjee is a delight.

A fine start to a new crime series that will attract readers of M.J. Carter and Tarquin Hall.—ACT

$27; ebk. ISBN 9780544750524. M

Griffiths’s ninth “Ruth Galloway” mystery (after The Woman in Blue) has the forensic archaeologist examining bones excavated in one of the labyrinthine chalk-mining tunnels that riddle Norwich, England.

Meanwhile, DCI Harry Nelson searches for a homeless woman rumored to have gone “underground.” As the dual investigations merge, hints of secret societies, ritual APRIL 1, 2017 | LIBRARY JOURNAL | 63

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MYSTERY k­ illings, and cannibalism surface, as does a string of murders that seem to be connected to a homeless community possibly living in the tunnels. Once again, the key elements of this award-winning series are at hand: complex personal relationships among the protagonists that continue to evolve in surprising ways, excellent use of history and folklore, and lyrically moody imagining of landscape. Verdict This combination of archaeology and crime investigation continues to be a good draw for mystery buffs. Series regulars will be intrigued by unexpected developments that promise further complications for Ruth and Nelson. For more topnotch archaeology-based mysteries, check out books by Erin Hart, Beverly Connor, and Kate Ellis. [See Prepub Alert, 11/14/16; library promotion.]—ACT

.Hogsett, Annie. Too Lucky To Live:

A Somebody’s Bound To Wind Up Dead Mystery. Poisoned Pen. May 2017. 316p.

ISBN 9781464207884. pap. $15.95. M

Lonely, divorced Allie Harper comes to the rescue of a handsome blind man caught in the crosswalk after he’s startled by the honking of a Hummer on a Cleveland street.

She drags Thomas Bennington III home, makes dinner, and is enjoying his company when he learns he’s won over $500 million on a lottery ticket. Yet a downcast Tom had bought the ticket to prove to a young boy that gambling doesn’t pay off. Unfortunately, too many people know he won and think they deserve a share of the money. The couple get to know each other quite well as they go on the run and do everything they can to stay alive, while the people around them end up dead. V ­ ERDICT In this entertaining, sexy debut, Allie is a sharp Stephanie Plum paired up with a hot partner. She quickly learns how adept a blind man can be in dealing with trouble. The original voice, humor, and unusual premise will appeal to Janet Evanovich readers.—LH Kutscher, Volker. Babylon Berlin: A Gereon Rath Mystery. Sandstone.

May 2017. 518p. tr. from German by Niall Sellar. ISBN 9781910124970. pap. $16; ebk. ISBN 9781910124987. M

The first book in the internationally acclaimed, award-winning series introduces policeman Gereon Rath, who has transferred to the Berlin vice squad after his homicide experience in Cologne ended badly. It is the tempestuous 1920s in Weimar Germany, and there’s plenty of vice to investigate. When Gereon uncovers a connection to the murder of a man tortured and dumped in the Landweher Canal, he hopes investigating on his own may lead him closer to a vaunted spot in Homicide and closer to Charlotte

‘‘

QUOTABLE

“Self-irony suited people on

the dole and psychiatric patients alike. Without

it, we were not only crazy but devoid of charm, and then not even the professional caregivers would touch us with a barge pole.”—Agnete Friis, What My Body Remembers

(Charly) Ritter, a department stenographer.

Gereon’s inquiries drag him through the mire of Berlin’s underworld and the chaos of the politics of the period. Verdict Riveting and atmospheric, this historical crime novel is a good choice for readers who appreciate Philip Kerr’s “Bernie Gunther” mysteries, Paul Grossman’s “Willi Kraus” series, and Rebecca Cantrell’s “Hannah Vogel” books.—ACT Logan, Michael. Hell’s Detective. Crooked Lane. Jun. 2017. 288p. ISBN 9781683311713. $25.99; ebk. ISBN 9781683311737. M

Private detective Kat Murphy is in Hell, Lost Angeles. Every night, the residents are visited by a Torment and forced to relive their sins; in Kat’s case, she shot her lover, and then killed herself. Every day, Kat goes to her favorite dive bar to drink herself into oblivion, which is where Laureen Andrews, the chief administrator of Lost Angeles, finds her. Someone stole an invaluable box from Laureen, and she offers Kat a bargain. Find that box, and Kat won’t be visited by her Torment anymore. This means one more case for Kat that will lead her to the gambling dens, bars, and hangouts of the sinners of Lost Angeles. The danger and violence only intensifies, as Kat’s search could change the fate of the world. Verdict Logan’s (Apocalypse Cow) vision of hell is violent, gritty, and filled with evil. Incorporated into an action-packed mystery, this extreme universe should delight fans of Simon R. Green or Jim Butcher’s “Dresden Files.”—LH

cozy corner .Peden, Peggy O’Neal. Your Killin’ Heart.

Minotaur: St. Martin’s. May 2017.

272p. ISBN 9781250122681. $25.99; ebk. ISBN 9781250122698. M

When Nashville travel agent Campbell Hale learns a friend is heading to the home of a country music icon, she begs to go along.

Jake Miller lived fast, loved hard, and died young. Although Campbell and her lawyer friend are only there to pick up some paintings from Jake’s widow, Campbell sneaks off to explore the house and finds a woman resting in bed. It’s only when Hazel Miller is reported dead that Campbell realizes she may have seen the victim. Of course, the police will investigate. But Campbell knows people in the music industry and had met a few of the suspects, so she decides to do

a little sleuthing herself. Her interview techniques may leave something to be desired, but when she’s threatened, she and Det. Sam Davis realize the killer knows Campbell. Winner of the Malice Domestic Best First Traditional Mystery Novel Competition, Peden’s debut vividly captures the Nashville music scene and the city’s Southern atmosphere. C ­ ampbell is an charming amateur sleuth, loyal to a fault.

Verdict Fans of Tonya Kappes’s books and readers who enjoy humorous whodunits with a strong sense of place will find this one delightful. [See Prepub Alert, 11/14/16.]—LH Shea, Susan C. Love & Death in Burgundy. Minotaur: St. Martin’s.

(French Village, Bk. 1). May 2017.

288p. ISBN 9781250113009. $24.99; ebk. ISBN 9781250113016. M

Katherine Goff is an insecure American expat living in Reigny-sur-Canne, a small village in France’s Burgundy region. Desperate to be accepted by her neighbors, she tirelessly inserts herself into local activities. But, it’s the death of the aged chateau owner that stirs up conversation. The official line is that the old man just slipped on the stairs, but as the investigation goes on, rumors fly: Albert was killed by Nazi assassins, tourists, or vagabonds. While Katherine wants to quash the gossip, the teen daughter of the town thief not only spies on everyone, she also holds the key to the secrets behind the old man’s death. VERDICT Shea (Mixed Up with Murder) launches a cozy series that richly details life in a small French village. The outlandish antics of the eccentric locals add to the humor.

Suggest to fans of Rhys Bowen’s early “Evan Evans” series for the humor, the characters, and the charming setting.—LH

Collections & Anthologies

Miraculous Mysteries: Locked-Room Murders and Impossible Crimes. Poisoned Pen. (British Library Crime Classics, Bk. 7).

Jun. 2017. 358p. ed. by Martin Edwards.

ISBN 9781464207440. pap. $12.95. M

Series editor Edwards (The Golden Age of Murder) turns to locked-room mysteries for the latest collection of Golden Age stories.

Included in this collection are pieces by recognizable names such as Arthur Conan Doyle, G.K. Chesterton, Dorothy L. S­ ayers, and Margery Allingham. The seemingly impossible locked-room murders are solved

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often by the authors’ best-known characters, who are usually clever and explain their logical conclusions. Edwards provides a wealth of background information in brief sketches before each story. VERDICT Although a few tales show their age with their flowery style, readers who appreciate careful plot development, slightly unusual detectives, and logical denouements will relish this volume. For lovers of Agatha Christie, John Dickson Carr, and other masters of that period.—LH

Additional Mystery .Horowitz, Anthony. Magpie Murders.

Harper. Jun. 2017. 464p.

ISBN 9780062645227. $27.99; ebk. ISBN 9780062645241. M

Horowitz’s fourth adult novel (after Trigger Mortis) presents two mysteries for the price of one, crafting a classic whodunit within a modern mystery. Susan Ryeland is an editor for a small press whose success rests on the old-fashioned mystery novels of Alan Conway. Returning from escorting an author on a book tour, she finds ­Alan’s latest Atticus Pünd manuscript, Magpie Murders, on her desk. Upon reaching the novel’s end, she finds that the last chapter is missing. When she informs her boss, Charles Clover, he tells her that Alan has committed suicide. Su-

san searches for the lost chapter, and in the process comes to believe that Alan’s death was no suicide. Using clues buried in the manuscript, she investigates his death. While Susan and the fictional Atticus are very different characters, they use similar techniques to tease out the clues and hints to bring each mystery to resolution. VERDICT Both stories might stand alone, but combined, they result in a delightful puzzle. Fans of Agatha Christie and the BBC’s Midsomer Murders and Foyle’s War (both written by Horowitz) will relish this double mystery. [See Prepub Alert, 12/12/16; “Editors’ Spring Picks,” LJ 2/15/17.]—Terry Lucas, Shelter Island P.L., NY

SERIES LINEUP Brett, Simon. Mrs Pargeter’s Public

Relations: A Mrs Pargeter Mystery.

Crème de la Crime: Severn House.

Apr. 2017. 176p. ISBN 9781780290928. $28.99; ebk. ISBN 9781780108476. M Mrs. Pargeter’s dearly departed husband left her well off. Attending a charity event for a feline welfare organization, she meets a woman who claims to be the late Lionel Pargeter’s sister. When Mr. Pargeter’s little black book of “business” contacts disappears and one of the organization’s members is found dead, Mrs. Pargeter must act to preserve the memory of her supposedly saintly husband. This eighth series entry follows Mrs Pargeter’s Principle.—ACT Copperman, E.J. Edited Out: A Mysterious Detective Mystery. Crooked Lane.

May 2017. 336p. ISBN 9781683311300. $25.99; ebk. ISBN 9781683311317. M Mystery author Rachel Goldman’s fictional character Duffy Madison is a missing-persons consultant. Her latest book is giving her some trouble since a real-life police consultant is claiming to be Duffy, insisting that she created him because, like the Duffy of her books, he has no memory before five years earlier.

An investigation into his past identifies a man who, like her character, went to the same high school, had the same initials, and disappeared five years ago. Duffy is convinced he was murdered. This sequel to Written Off features the same witty, dry humor.—LH Knowles, Mike. Rock Beats Paper: A Wilson Mystery. ECW. May 2017.

296p. ISBN 9781770411012. $14.95; ebk. ISBN 9781773050294. M The thief known only as Wilson is offered a tantalizing target for a heist—a

million dollars’ worth of jewels. Two attempts to nab the gems are stymied, and it becomes apparent another talented and hard-nosed thief has also targeted Wilson’s prize.

With its ruthless antihero, high-octane action, and spare prose, this fifth series outing (after Never Play Another Man’s Game) is a capable caper novel for fans of Richard Stark’s “Parker” mysteries and Garry Disher’s “Wyatt” series.—ACT

Mathews, Francine. Death on Nantucket: A Merry Folger Mystery. Soho Crime.

Jun. 2017. 288p. ISBN 9781616957377. $24.95; ebk. ISBN 9781616957384. M Nineteen years after the last Merry Folger mystery (1998’s Death in a Cold Hard Light), Mathews returns to her Nantucket, MA–based series with a fifth adventure. Detective Folger has a new police chief watching over her shoulder as she investigates the death of a woman only discovered on the July Fourth holiday weekend when her family returns to the island. A complex mystery involving secrets, a dysfunctional family, and Folger’s own insecurities.—LH

Trinidad Noir: The Classics. Akashic.

(Noir). May 2017. 248p. ed. by Earl Lovelace & Robert Antoni. ISBN 9781617754357. pap. $14.95. M Pairing nicely with 2008’s Trinidad Noir, this retrospective collection features classic stories from writers who were part of the literary wave that crested with Trinidadian independence in 1962. Notable authors include Derek Walcott, V.S. Naipaul, Elizabeth Nunez, Shani Mootoo, and the volume’s editors. Holds strong appeal for fans of noir and literary writing.—ACT

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Wechsler, Pamela. The Graves. Minotaur: St. Martin’s. (Abby Endicott, Bk. 2). May 2017.

304p. ISBN 9781250077882.$25.99; ebk. ISBN 9781466890220. M Abby Endicott, chief of the Boston District Attorney’s homicide unit, returns to work too soon after recuperating from the drama in Mission Hill. Investigating her first serial killer case, she discovers that the victims, all college women, each had a history with a senator’s son.

Combining well-developed characters and court scenes, this is a solid choice for readers of Linda Fairstein’s legal mysteries.—LH Ziskin, James W. Cast the First Stone: An Ellie Stone Mystery. Seventh St: Prometheus. Jun. 2017. 290p.

ISBN 9781633882812. pap. $15.95; ebk. ISBN 9781633882829. M Reporter Ellie Stone heads to ­Hollywood to profile Tony Eberle, a local boy from upstate New York who’s appearing in his first movie. Yet, Tony was fired for not appearing on set the same day the producer of the film is found murdered. Now he’s disappeared, and Ellie is desperate for a story. Although a little naïve when it comes to 1962 Hollywood, Ellie’s savvy enough to track down a killer. Hollywood politics, sexual innuendo, a little humor, and a clever sleuth all combine in this fifth (after Heart of Stone) series adventure from Edgar Award nominee Ziskin.—LH APRIL 1, 2017 | LIBRARY JOURNAL | 65

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graphic novels

By Martha Cornog & Tom Batten

Immigrants Are Us With attempts begun in Washington to

restrict immigration, let us draw on graphic novels to better understand those who are new to this country, especially those from the Middle East.

Forward Comix’s Gwan Anthology (LJ 2/1/17) collects both fantasy and realistic stories relating to immigration generally, with an innovative flair. Jean-Pierre Filiu and David B.’s excellent Best of Enemies: A History of US and Middle East Relations (Pt. 1: 1783–1953, LJ 7/12; Pt. 2: 1953–1984, Xpress Reviews, 10/10/14) recaps turbulent legacies on both sides, with Part 3 due out next spring. Also forthcoming is Kate Evans’s Threads: From the Refugee Crisis (Verso, Jun.), eyewitness reporting about thousands from the Middle East and Africa sheltering in the French port Calais. Sarah Glidden’s widely praised Rolling Blackouts: Dispatches from Turkey, Syria, and Iraq (Xpress Reviews, 6/30/16) peers into the intricacies of conflict as filtered through personal, political, and journalistic narratives.

While recent graphic novels cover the war in Iraq as experienced by U.S. troops, Brian K. Vaughan’s classic Pride of Baghdad (LJ 1/07) continues to resonate as a nuanced and tragic ­rendering

of refugees from that country. Focusing on disquieting life in Syria and Libya, Riad Sattouf’s highly regarded memoir, Arab of the Future (Vol. 1, LJ 9/15/15; Vol. 2, Xpress Reviews, 7/21/16), will wrap up with a final volume in September. Marjane Satrapi’s masterwork Persepolis (LJ 5/1/03) shows us how and why people in Iran emigrate, as does Mana ­Neyestani’s An Iranian Metamorphosis (Uncivilized).

Taking a look at Somalia and Sudan, ­Reinhard Kleist’s An ­Olympic Dream: The Story of Samia Yusuf Omar (Xpress Reviews, 3/14/16) tells of a young runner’s attempt to escape Somalia’s repressive regime to compete in the Olympics. And James Disco et al.’s Echoes of the Lost Boys of Sudan (Brown) follows four youngsters fleeing from civil war and genocide.

What could happen here other than deporting immigrants? After Japan attacked Pearl Harbor in 1941, over 100,000 U.S. residents of Japanese descent (the majority American citizens) were forced into internment camps. Miné Okubo’s Citizen 13660 (Univ. of ­Washington) brings one woman’s experience to life with drawings made in the camps, accompanied by explicative captions.—MC (See interview with Bagge on p. 69.) — MC

.Brubaker, Ed (text) & Sean Phillips &

Elizabeth Breitweiser (illus.). Kill or Be Killed. Vol. 1. Image. Jan. 2017. 128p. ISBN 9781534300286. pap. $9.99. crime fiction

Moss’s account of love & loss; a modern spin on an ancient poem; a quest to paint America’s birds

.Bagge, Peter. Fire!! The Zora Neale Hurston Story. Drawn & Quarterly. Feb. 2017. 104p.

notes. ISBN 9781770462694. $21.95. BIOG

Meet Zora Neale Hurston (1891–1960): anthropologist who worked with Franz Boas, folk lore collector with A lan ­Lomax, novelist (Their Eyes Were Watching God), essayist, playwright, eccentric intellectual, life of the party, and adventurous fashionista. With friends and enemies black and white, Hurston faced criminal charges, poverty, ill health, Martha Cornog is a longtime reviewer for LJ and, with Timothy Perper, edited Graphic Novels Beyond the Basics: Insights and Issues for Libraries (Libraries Unlimited,

2009). Tom Batten is a writer and teacher whose work has appeared in the Guardian and The New Yorker. He lives in Virginia

and fickle associates (e.g., poet Langston Hughes) who didn’t always stand up for her. Bagge (Woman Rebel: The ­Margaret Sanger Story) bends his manic, rubbery characters around Hurston’s chutzpah for a warts-and-roses portrait of this woman who stirred up controversy both within and outside of the Harlem Renaissance.

Hurston insisted on reproducing black speech idiomatically as she heard it, and Bagge follows her lead. (FIRE!! was a 1926 magazine “devoted to younger Negro artists,” including Hurston.) Hurston shouldered her way up through multiple glass ceilings, and here Bagge captures her zest, humor, frustration, brain power, and accomplishments. ­VERDICT Current and future fans of H ­ urston plus anyone interested in American literary history will be entertained as well as ­enlightened.

This first volume in a new series by the acclaimed team of Brubaker and Phillips (The Fade Out), with colorist Breitweiser (Velvet), combines elements of crime fiction and horror both psychological and supernatural to present a look at vigilantism unlike anything else. Depressed college student Dylan attempts suicide only to be spared by a demon with the offer of a bargain—kill someone once a month or face death yourself. Dylan soon decides to start targeting criminals overlooked by the system and becomes strangely successful in his violent endeavors. His personal affairs improve, and it seems for the first time he’s living the life he’s always wanted—which is exactly when the repercussions of his actions start catching up to him. Brubaker’s talent for plotting, dialog, and exploring the darkest corners of the human heart is wonderfully complemented by Phillips’s skill at depicting both drama and largerthan-life violence. ­VERDICT Brubaker and Phillips are among the most dependable names in comics, and this new title will only further their reputation. Decidedly not for kids, but for everyone else, it’s not to be missed.—TB

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Butler, Octavia E. & Damian Duffy (text) & John Jennings (illus.). Kindred. ComicArts: Abrams.

Jan. 2017. 240p. ISBN 9781419709470. $24.95. f

Sherlock Redux

In Duffy (Black Comix) and Jennings’s (Blue Hand Mojo) adaptation of Mac­ Arthur F ­ ellow Butler’s iconic 1979 novel, time-traveler Dana discovers affinity and ugliness among her ancestors. Unwill­ ingly wrenched from 1976 to 1815, she attempts to blend into plantation life as the “slave” of her white husband, Kevin, also drawn into the past. There Dana meets the slaveholder’s spoiled son who rapes his servant-concubine to produce the line leading to Dana herself. Butler has claimed that she sanitized life under slavery for the novel, but Dana witnesses and experiences miseries aplenty, includ­ ing whippings and mutilation. Indeed, Dana and Kevin are both greatly changed by the forced culture shock. Duffy covers the fullness of Butler’s plot, while picking up much of the character complexity. The blocky, impressionistic, awkward art from Jennings lacks subtlety but effectively conveys the dystopian nature of planta­ tion society via jarring color, contrasted with more sedate two-toned images for modern life. VERDICT This slave narra­ tive through the eyes of a modern woman will continue to grip readers as they come to understand that “kindred” means all Americans, who together share the ances­ try of slavery personally and collectively.

Adults and teens.—MC

Djian, J.B. & Olivier Legrand (text) & David Etien (illus.).

The Baker Street Four.

Vol. 1. Insight. May 2017.

112p. tr. from French

by Mark Bence. ISBN 9781608878789. pap. $16.99. mys The Baker Street Irregulars from Arthur Conan Doyle’s original Sherlock Holmes stories are canny gutter urchins who assist the detective as eyes and ears on the street. Now owing to attrition, only Billy, Tom, and Charlie carry on, having the calling. So when a pimp kidnaps Tom’s girlfriend, the trio spring to her rescue with the help of a new teammate. In a second story, Holmes is decoyed out of England so that the Okhrána—the Tsar’s secret police—can wipe out a nest of Russian revolutionaries escaped to London. Drawn in when the radical Katya tries to seek help from the absent Holmes, the Irregulars intervene to uncover the informer and foil the Okhrána. Lively, fine-drawn color art from Etien (Chito Grant) includes plenty of period detail that does not stint on the seaminess of

Davis, Rob. The Can Opener’s Daughter.

SelfMadeHero. Feb. 2017. 136p. ISBN 9781910593172. pap. $19.95. fantasy

This follow-up to 2014’s British Comic Award–winning The Motherless Oven serves as both prequel and sequel, explor­ ing the backstory of the anarchic Vera Pike and continuing her quest to jumpstart a revolution in the strange, authori­ tarian town Bear Park. The book opens with Vera’s childhood and her struggle against her mother, the cruel, despotic Prime Minister of Chance. Her father, the titular Can Opener, is no help, so Vera is sent away to St. Sylvia’s School of Bleak Prospects and Suicide, where she’ll learn more about the true nature of her world.

The second half of this volume picks up immediately after the cliff-hanger end­ ing of the first and follows Vera and her friend Cass as they race to save their pal Scarper from his preordained death. The Motherless Oven revealed Davis to be ca­ pable of spinning a tale as moving as it was inventive and bizarre. This entry solidi­ fies that his vision is both more complex and emotionally resonant than previously

Moffat, Steven & Mark Gatiss (text) & Jay. (illus.).

Sherlock: A Study in Pink. Titan Comics.

Feb. 2017. 208p. ISBN 9781785856150. pap. $12.99. Mys Tormented in mind and body upon returning from service in Afghanistan,

imagined. VERDICT While this second volume in a projected trilogy absolutely does not stand on its own, the series is quickly proving to be essential reading. It won’t be long before ­Davis (The Complete Don ­Quixote) is mentioned alongside leg­ ends of the form such as Chris Ware, Dan Clowes, and ­Marjane Satrapi.—TB DeForge, Michael. Sticks Angelica, Folk Hero. Drawn & Quarterly. Mar. 2017. 96p.

ISBN 9781770462700. $21.95. literary

After her famous father is caught up in a political scandal, Sticks Angelica f lees Ontario for the wilds of Monterey Na­ tional Park, where she keeps company with a lovelorn rabbit named Oatmeal,

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underclass life in 1889 or prejudice against immigrants. Djian and Legrand (Les derniers Argonautes) infuse humor, courage, and class-conscious slang into the story. VERDICT Up to seven volumes in France, this fresh addition to Holmes pastiches is sure to please tweens, teens, and adults who enjoy fast-moving Victorian sleuthing with engaging ­characters.—MC

British army medic John Watson crosses paths with the brilliant yet eccentric detective ­Sherlock Holmes, who is looking for an apartment mate. A rash of “serial suicides” has London on edge, but Holmes suspects it’s murder. And so, he crows to his new confidant, “The game is on!” The 21st-century setting cleverly integrates cell phones, nicotine patches, and other modernities into the story.

Jay.’s realistic manga-style art strongly captures the resemblances of BBC series actors Benedict Cumberbatch (Holmes) and Martin Freeman (Watson) and represents emotional states especially well. Note right-to-left presentation, as the work was originally published in Japan. V ­ ERDICT Fans of the TV series Sherlock and its superstars Cumberbatch and Freeman can get a second helping with this faithful adaptation. Nonfans may also be drawn in, whether readers of the original stories or not, including writers interested in updating older plots for contemporary audiences.

More Sherlock episodes are forthcoming from Titan.— MC

a bear with literary pretensions, an ot­ ter with a mushroom growing out of his head, two geese (one of whom has a mos­ quito living in his head), and a moose who dreams of transitioning into a hu­ man woman. Sticks’s life is thrown into turmoil when a small child is spotted wandering the forest, naked and alone.

Yet writer/artist DeForge (Big Kids) is less concerned with plot than episodic ex­ plorations of unrequited love, regret, and the laws that govern animal life in the park. Fans of the animated series Adventure Time will recognize the author’s illus­ tration style and quirky sensibility, as he’s a longtime designer on that show, but this offering is unmistakably aimed at a more APRIL 1, 2017 | LIBRARY JOURNAL | 67

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GRAPHIC NOVELS mature audience. VERDICT DeForge crafts a work that is equal parts funny, sweet, sentimental, and scathing in its depiction of his main character’s narcissism. Sure to be one of oddest and most beloved releases of the year.—TB Fior, Manuele. The Interview. Fantagraphics.

May 2017. 176p. tr. from Italian by Jamie Richards. ISBN 9781606999868. $24.99. sf

Driving home one night in the near future, Italian psychologist Raniero encounters a strange, f lashing geometrical light in the sky. The next day, he’s assigned a new patient, Dora, a young woman said to be suffering from hallucinations who claims to have seen the same apparition, giving her psychic powers. Raniero insists that nothing supernatural is afoot, but as he’s drawn closer to his patient and more inexplicable activity occurs, he’s forced to reckon with the idea that the world as he knows it may be on the verge of transformation.

Fior (5,000 km per second) takes what initially seems like the perfect premise for a sweeping sf epic and instead presents a relatively quiet tale about the complexities of love and trust in a rapidly changing world, delivered with graceful illustration and melancholy washes of black and gray. VERDICT Readers who like their sf a bit more bombastic might be disappointed, but those interested in examinations of the heart set against a backdrop of the fantastic are sure to embrace this story.—TB

.García, Santiago (text) & David Rubín (illus.). Beowulf. Image. Jan. 2017. 200p. tr. from Spanish by Sam Stone & Joe Keatinge.

ISBN 9781534301207. $29.99. LIT Just when it seemed that this 1,000-yearold Old English epic poem by an anonymous author, detailing the adventures of the legendary Scandinavian hero Beowulf, has been translated and adapted in every conceivable fashion, along comes this stunning graphic retelling to breathe new life into the story. After a dozen years at the mercy of the monstrous Grendel, a Danish kingdom is saved with the help of Beowulf. But our protagonist isn’t merely altruistic, he sees an opportunity to gain greater glory for himself by dueling the beast. And it’s this conf lict in his character that writer García (On the Graphic Novel) and artist Rubín (The Hero: Book One) exploit in order to bring a fresh, modern spin to the text. García’s script hews closely to the events of the original, inventing only some dialog and moments of ref lection to deepen the characters, and Rubin’s dynamic illustration

combines slightly cartoonish figures with moments of visceral horror and expert pacing. ­VERDICT Whether you’re a fan of Beowulf or new to the work, this beautiful retelling should stir the imagination and remind us why people have been reading the poem for a millennium.—TB Grennan, Simon. Dispossession: A Novel of Few Words. Jonathan Cape. Nov. 2016. 112p.

ISBN 9780224102209. $32.95. LITerary

Rambunctious young Victorian Englishman John Caldigate cashes out his inheritance to pay gambling debts and then sails south to win big in the Australian gold fields. But his affections for the ladies confound him: Does he marry his high-spirited cousin Julia? His shipboard companion, the clever actress Mrs. Smith? The chaste Heather, daughter of his father’s friend? He chooses, but then accused unexpectedly of bigamy, the chastened John must rely on friends and an obsessed civil servant to legitimize his new family. Based on Anthony Trollope’s 1879 novel John ­Caldigate, this adaptation was commissioned by Belgium’s Leuven University as part of the international bicentenary of Trollope’s birth in 1815, and adds a touching subplot involving Australian Aborigines. Comic scholar Grennan’s charming period art resembles tapestry, with small, colorful figures seen from a distance. Unfortunately, no closeups, thought balloons, or commentary indicate character motivations. Thus this version lacks much of the meaning of the original, plus it omits key plot details.

John appears as merely a cardboard skirt chaser, and the other characters are twodimensional or opaque as well. VERDICT A lush dramatization of the overall story, but readers must dive into Trollope’s splendid creation to understand the whys and wherefores.—MC Grolleau, Fabien (text) & Jérémie Royer (illus.). Audubon: On the Wings of the World. Nobrow. Apr. 2017. 184p. tr. from French by Etienne Gilfillan. notes. bibliog.

ISBN 9781910620151. $22.95. BIOG

To paint every bird in America was Frenchman John James Audubon’s (1785– 1851) obsession. Yet his magnificent 435 avian portraits (Birds of America) that finally brought him fame, fortune, and even scientific respect also chronicled human destruction of wildlife. A keen observer and skillful painter, Audubon was a man of his time, and his attitudes about non-European peoples and killing the subjects he painted may perplex readers.

Grolleau ( Jacques a dit) bases his somewhat “romanticized” retelling on Audubon’s

writings, providing a receptive framework for Royer’s (­Yesterday, Vol. 1) engaging watercolor washes that feature dreams and fantasies. Women turn into mermaids or forest goddesses, men morph into birds— and as the aging Audubon dies, he transforms into a magnificent bald eagle, destroying his rival Alexander Wilson and settling atop an immense tree of avian life.

The artist’s own paintings come across in jewel-like miniature glimpses, with several full-page reproductions appearing at the end. Audubon’s epic quest will inform and feed the imagination of high schoolers and adults who may have heard of the passenger pigeon extinction but never grasped what the “before” looked like: migrations topping one billion birds. ­ ERDICT Environmentalists, artists, and V birders will find this volume enchanting and affecting.—MC Melville, Herman (text) & Christophe Chabouté (text & illus.). Moby Dick. Dark Horse. Feb. 2017. 256p. tr. from French

by Laure Dupont. ISBN 9781506701493. $24.99; ebk. ISBN 9781630087432. LIT

A wandering narrator in search of adventure finds friendship in the form of a heavily tattooed South Sea chieftain and more than he bargained for as a crewman aboard the whaling ship Pequod. The sinister captain Ahab is tormented by an all-consuming thirst for revenge against the whale that ate his leg. Herman Melville’s 1851 great American novel is now a newly translated graphic novel, rendered in stark black and white by illustrator/ author Chabouté (Alone). Winnowing Melville’s text down to its essential passages, focusing on the trials faced by the crew of the Pequod as they chase the great white whale across the treacherous sea, Chabouté leaves much of the original work intact in the form of captions and spoken dialog. This gives readers a sense of the novel even as some of Melville’s diversions and discourses on ocean life and natural history are not included. ­VERDICT Chabouté’s skillful adaptation and exquisite artwork perfectly capture the air of doom and gloom that pervades the tale of these doomed sailors and their monomaniacal captain. For fans of Moby-Dick and newcomers alike.—TB Moss, Marissa. Last Things: A Graphic Memoir About ALS. Conari. May 2017. 176p.

ISBN 9781573246989. pap. $18.95. MEMOIR

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Q&A Peter Bagge Zora Neale Hurston (1891–1960) was both darling and gadfly of the Harlem Renaissance movement, filling her too-short 69 years with an anthropology degree, extensive ethnographic fieldwork throughout the American South and the Caribbean, plus catalytic collaborations with both black and white luminaries—all while writing numerous novels, stories, plays, and essays. Acclaimed for his biography Woman Rebel: The Margaret Sanger Story (LJ 11/15/13), Peter Bagge has taken on the author of Their Eyes Were Watching God with Fire!! The Zora Neale Hurston Story (see review, p. 66). In an email interview, LJ asked Bagge to share insights about this remarkable woman. Note that two of ­Hurston’s short plays have been adapted into comics. See African-­American Classics: Stories and Poems from America’s Earliest Black Writers (LJ 11/15/11).

LJ : From the introduction of Fire!!, it sounds like you’ve admired Hurston’s grit and courage for decades. What was the most surprising new thing you learned when you started to dig deeper into her history?

PB: Almost everything I’d learn about her surprises me!

But I think the most surprising (and depressing) takeaway from her life’s story was the gulf that wound up separating her from her old [Harlem] Renaissance compatriots— mostly due to political differences, but also due to her own extreme sensitivity.

With Hurston’s full life, how did you decide what to fit into your relatively brief graphic novel?

I mainly tried to keep a central story line going, and stuck with events that moved that narrative along. It wasn’t easy, though. There were many asides and anecdotes I would have loved to have included.

Fire!! makes me think of your fictional graphic novel, Other Lives, whose characters create multiple personas by way of a virtual online world. Are you drawn to people with complicated personalities?

Of course! They’re so much more interesting. And I also am more interested in people who evolve over their lifetime. It’s a sign of intelligence. It means they have an open mind.

You augmented both Fire!! and Woman Rebel with over 20 pages of detail-rich source notes. Did you enjoy writing heavily researched papers in college, or did you learn to love “the story behind the story” later in life?

I’m an art school dropout, so I have no academic experience writing such papers!

So perhaps you never learned to hate research—you certainly discovered its fascinations while gathering background for Sanger and Hurston, judging from all those notes.

And those notes always wind up being longer than I originally intend them to be. There’s always certain elements to my subjects’ lives that I feel compelled to elaborate on—and in Hurston’s case, I really felt the need to explain the nature of some of her friendships, particularly with Fanny Hurst and “Godmother” Mason.

Racial justice advocate Preston Mitchum told Mother Jones magazine that “We [black people] often aren’t believed until a white person confirms our stories.” What do you think would be Hurston’s take on that statement?

Excellent question. I of course don’t know for sure, but I think a younger Hurston would have said “Amen!”, while an older Hurston would have said, “Aah, get over yourself.”

You point out that “the similarities between Hurston and the subject of my last biography, Margaret Sanger, are uncanny....” Do you think they would have gotten along? Have you ever thought of starring them in a story together, maybe about a League of Extraordinary Movers and Shakers?

Ha ha! I think they would have had a lot to talk about, that’s for sure.

But I’m truly amazed that Hurston never came into contact with Rose Wilder Lane [daughter of famed ­children’s author Laura Ingalls Wilder] ,

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who is the subject of my next bio­ graphy. She and Lane had a lot in common, personally and politically, aside from being prolific writers of essays and fiction.

Hurston had a controversial viewpoint for her time, built upon her anthropology and folklore background. She strove to depict black culture as it was, not how proponents of racial uplift ideology or white “limousine liberals” wanted to show it. How do you think she might react to the current social climate?

The interesting (and sad) thing is that nothing has really changed—the same issues are still being fought over, the same rules about what you can or should say are still being enforced.

The agendas haven’t really changed.

While writing Fire!!, I was constantly reminded of that. I think she’d be really depressed if she knew how little things have changed.

There’s been recent dialog about white people appropriating many cultural items associated with black lives, like hair styles, clothing, and music. What do you think her take would be?

The same as what I wrote above [about the Mitchum quote]. A lot of these complaints are ahistorical, for one thing, and Hurston herself “appropriated” her head off, wearing Norwegian skiing outfits one day, Native American outfits the next. She hated rules and just wanted to celebrate what is.

You mention in the notes that in her last decade, Hurston worked as a librarian, among other short-lived jobs. Could you say more?

It was for a town or county library, if I remember correctly, and was just one of many jobs she took on late in life—and quit, once she got bored with it. What’s interesting to me now is the new movie Hidden Figures, about the black women working for NASA in the 1950s, since Hurston also worked for NASA for a brief spell at Cape Canaveral, FL. Only her experience was marred by the wanton corruption she saw there and how no one took her whistle-blowing complaints seriously!

You mentioned Rose Wilder Lane as the subject of your next biography. Are you considering more iconoclastic folks for works after that?

After that, who knows. These ­biographies are really hard to do! —­ Martha Cornog, Philadelphia

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easily. Back home in Berkeley, CA, he starts a frustrating regimen of medical tests, ending after two months in diagnosis: ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis), or Lou Gehrig’s disease. Only seven months later, Harvey is dead at age 61.

Moss had expected that she and H ­ arvey might grow closer in fighting the illness together. But her formerly warm, loving husband retreats into hostile denial.

Feeling distraught and emotionally abandoned, she must cater to his escalating medical needs as well as keep the lives of their three boys relatively normal.

Moss uses simple line drawings with inkwashed grays for this poignant account.

She reveals medical and social details that do not typically appear in patient information materials or in the press, from diagrams of Harvey’s breathing equipment to frank descriptions of patient denial and stigma. VERDICT Perhaps the first graphic memoir about a spouse’s death, this personal human drama touches on experiences that everyone has sooner or later. An eye-opener for adults and teens concerned about health care.—MC

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Tomasi, Peter J. (text) & Ian Betram & Dave Stewart (illus.). House of Penance.

Dark Horse. Jan. 2017. 176p. ISBN 9781506700335. pap. $19.99; ebk. ISBN 9781630084479. HORROR

Having recently lost her husband and only child, Sarah Winchester inherits a vast fortune owing to her husband’s holdings as heir to a rifle manufacturing empire. She’s haunted by terrible spirits she believes to be the ghosts of those killed by the very machines that brought W ­ illiam Wirt ­Winchester so much wealth. Possessed by the notion that endless construction work on her mansion might keep the apparitions at bay, Sarah funds constant renovations on her home, transforming the estate into a maddening maze of twisted corridors and stairways to nowhere. Inspired by the legend of the Winchester Mystery House in San Jose, CA, Tomasi (Batman and Robin) introduces into the tale a wandering gunman troubled by his own past and explores themes of guilt, madness, and the possibility of redemption. Bertram’s (Bowery Boys) illustrations, with the help of colorist Stewart (Heroes), seethe with menace as his exaggerated figures traverse panels packed with dangers both real and—conceivably—imagined. ­V ERDICT Fans of historical fiction and horror will find plenty to enjoy, although some might be turned off by the focus being more on character and a sense of dread than gore.—TB

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spirituality & religion

By Sandra Collins & James Wetherbee

Introspection and intimacy are recurring themes in this month’s selections.

We see an unexpectedly intimate side of the relationship between journalist/activist Dorothy Day and God in The Reckless Way of Love. That association between the divine presence and action is taken up by Marcus J. Borg in Days of Awe and Wonder. Conversations, confessionals, and the complexities of daily life are investigated by authors such as Lauren Casper, Anna LeBaron, Jason J. Stellman, and Tony and Bart Campolo. Looking at the sociology of religion, Jenna Weissman Joselit uses the Ten Commandments as a touchstone to reflect on American culture in Set in Stone, Tanya Erzen examines the role prison ministries play in God in Captivity, and Robin M. Jensen explores the enduring legacy of the cross.

within the conservative Protestant ethos regarding sin and redemption, crime and criminals, prisons and correctional institutions. In a series of case studies drawn from visits to various correctional facilities, Erzen provides the perspectives of those serving in prison ministries, prison officials, and (most particularly) prisoners themselves. Free of sentimentality, the author presents a picture of these three interests interacting and reinforcing one another, often to the detriment of the inmates and society at large. VERDICT Anyone interested in criminology, women’s and family studies, sociology of religion, or criminal justice reform will find this to be a powerful and thought-provoking study.—JW Jensen, Robin M. The Cross: History, Art, and Controversy. Harvard Univ. Apr. 2017.

280p. bibliog. index. ISBN 9780674088801. $35. REL

Shifts in theological perspective; spirituality without religion; Scripture women can relate to

HISTORY & PHILOSOPHY .Batchelor, Stephen. Secular Buddhism: Imagining the Dharma in an Uncertain World. Yale Univ. Feb. 2017. 296p. notes.

bibliog. ISBN 9780300223231. pap. $27.50. REL

Batchelor (Buddhism Without Beliefs) has long advocated that Buddhism would flourish best in Western societies as a secular practice without such religious doctrines as karma or the cycle of rebirth. This anthology spans the 1990s to the present, showing the development of the author’s ideas and how the principles he proposes are lived. Although none of the articles in this volume go into the critical depth needed to evaluate his overall project of reimagining Buddhism, it’s clear from the literary methods he used to approach Buddhist texts (particularly the Sandra Collins (PHD, MLS, Univ. of Pittsburgh) is Library Director and Professor at Byzantine Catholic Seminary, PA. James Wetherbee (MA, Trinity Evangelical Divinity Sch.; MSLS, Univ. of Kentucky) is Network and Library Systems Administrator at Wingate University, NC, and Library Liaison for the departments of religion and philosophy

Pali canon) that the author is not intending to refashion Buddhism simply to meet his secular tastes. Even some of his most controversial contentions, such as a radical reevaluation of the Four Noble Truths, depend on an attempt to recover the texts rather than recasting a religion as a pragmatic philosophy. VERDICT Aimed at a broad audience, this work should appeal to anyone interested in exploring Buddhism within a rigorous framework that is both conversant with and challenging to a Western intellectual ­heritage.—JW Erzen, Tanya. God in Captivity: The Rise of

Faith-Based Prison Ministries in the Age of Mass Incarceration. Beacon. Mar. 2017.

248p. notes. bibliog. ISBN 9780807089989. $26.95; ebk. ISBN 9780807089996. REL

Reminding us that the United States has an extensive system of correctional institutions, Erzen (religion, gender studies, Univ. of Puget Sound, WA; Zero Tolerance) suggests the shift in theological perspective that came with the Second Great Awakening, along with the theological justification of slavery in the South, had a profound impact on prison reform in the 19th century. She argues that these effects are still felt today

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Jensen (theology, Univ. of Notre Dame) follows the cross from its ignoble Christian beginnings through its manifestations as a focus of art, poetry, and theater, into its reevaluation during the Protestant Reformation and up to modern perspectives from non-Christian groups. The cross has served as “artifact, religious symbol, miraculous agent, devotional object and mass-produced collectible,” resulting in a fascinating metaphor for the changing dynamics of faith and culture. For instance, in the seventh century, as emphasis on Christ’s physical agony on the cross grew, iconoclasm clashed with religious iconography of the crucifix, with the unadorned cross emerging as an acceptable image: “an abstract symbol, the simple cross is deemed acceptable for both liturgical as well as decorative purposes.” Rich in artistic imagery and well researched in both Western as well as Eastern Christian traditions, Jensen might be faulted for offering only a single chapter covering the New World as well as Islam and the modern era, each of which could have been an entire chapter.

VERDICT This erudite history illuminates the social, cultural, as well as theological developments of the cross over time.—SC Joselit, Jenna Weissman. Set in Stone: America’s Embrace of the Ten Commandments.

Oxford Univ. May 2017. 232p. illus. notes. bibliog. ISBN 9780190253196. pap. $29.95. REL

The Ten Commandments are, according to Joselit (Judaic studies, George Washington APRIL 1, 2017 | LIBRARY JOURNAL | 71

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SPIRITUALITY & RELIGION

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Univ.; The Wonders of America), something of an American curiosity. They hold a pride of place enjoyed by few other texts, yet few can actually enumerate them. Using media in which the commandments have been set forth—stone, stained glass, and celluloid—Joselit presents narratives of how they have been woven into American culture and identity from the mid-19th century into the 20th century. Delving into the Jewish immigrant experience, the author examines the tension between maintaining one’s heritage while embracing an American identity. She then explores how the Commandments worked as metaphor and guide to forge a sense of a common civic virtue.

Final essays deal with Cecil B. DeMille’s film The Ten Commandments, both the 1923 and 1956 versions. These are an exercise in contrast between how the laws functioned after World War I and later, when Americans faced the horror of the Holocaust and perceived threat of communism.

VERDICT While not providing an explanation for the commandments’ prominence in the American imagination, Joselit has unearthed themes in the collective psyche, showing them to be more ubiquitous than one might have thought.—JW Mack, Burton L. The Rise and Fall of the

Jesus-Centered Understanding of Scripture.

Multnomah. Mar. 2017. 224p. notes. pap. ISBN 9781601429001. $15.99; ebk. ISBN 9781601429018. REL

Blogger and writer Alsup (Practical Theology for Women) offers what she calls “a Jesuscentered” approach to the Bible in order to redeem the trenchant misogyny often associated with its stories. Her reading of both testaments is thoroughly intertextual: “no outside commentary offers as much insight on Scripture as the Bible offers about itself.”

Her methodology employs a generalized spiritual allegory through the lens of the Christian message. For example, marriage as given in Genesis 2 is not merely for procreative purposes, but rather presents an imperfect human image that finds its ultimate perfection in Christ, where we read that “Jesus is the only true Groom.” A woman’s value, seen in the light of Pauline patriarchy (“she shall be saved in childbearing” 1 Timothy 2:15), is not in reducing her to a womb, but instead as the hope of salvation which comes through women, thereby redeeming the fallen Eve. VERDICT Thoroughly orthodox in her approach, Alsup’s latest work will appeal to Christocentric communities seeking to accommodate a less gender-bifurcated faith.—SC

Christian Myth: Restoring Our Democratic Ideals. Yale Univ. Feb. 2017. 320p. bibliog.

Borg, Marcus J. Days of Awe and Wonder:

index. ISBN 9780300222890. pap. $28; ebk. ISBN 9780300227895. REL

HarperOne. Mar. 2017. 288p. notes.

ISBN 9780062457332. $25.99; ebk. ISBN 9780062457356. REL

That the United States is a Christian nation and its status as such should be upheld is almost an article of faith for some in the Christian Right. Mack (theology, Claremont Sch. of Theology; Myth and the Christian Nation) counters that while the story of Christianity is embedded in the nation’s social psyche, the United States has never been Christian, and that the Christian myth is inadequate for a democratic society. He argues that the religion as it developed from the time of Constantine served the needs of an empire and a feudal system. While the myth was largely quiescent in earlier U.S. history, it started to reemerge with the onset of the Cold War. However, this framework has been unable to inform or address the ideologies found in science or capitalism.

The author uses a number of concrete examples to underscore his theoretical argument. VERDICT This study requires attentive reading. Those with an interest in anthropology or the sociology of religion along with readers inclined to social or national policy will enjoy.—JW

spiritual growth

Alsup, Wendy. Is the Bible Good for Women?

Seeking Clarity and Confidence Through a

How To Be a Christian in the 21st Century.

Borg (religion & culture, Oregon State Univ.; Meeting Jesus Again for the First Time) may be best known for his association with the Jesus Seminar. However, this collection of sermons, book chapters, articles, interviews, and blog posts is only tangentially connected with that endeavor. Instead, it addresses questions that informed Borg’s scholarship and practical convictions. Borg’s focus is on wonder, that deep-seated conviction and experience that there is more to life than we can know or hope to know, and though beyond our grasp, this knowledge is available to us. Borg, who died in 2015, was a mystic, and his experiences with the numinous animate his writings. His kind of mysticism embraces reason, as evidenced by discussions over the divinity of Jesus, religious pluralism, the new atheists, and issues of social justice. Although Borg starts to repeat himself, the volume manages to portray a Christianity that is reasonable, full, expansive, and life affirming. VERDICT For those interested in Borg’s scholarship, this work provides a hand-held guide for understanding him and his critics. It is also valuable for those wishing to engage their own spiritual aspirations.—JW

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Campolo, Tony & Bart Campolo.

Why I Left, Why I Stayed: Conversations on Christianity Between an Evangelical Father and His Humanist Son. HarperOne. Feb. 2017. 176p. ISBN 9780062415370. $24.99; ebk. ISBN 9780062415424. REL

It is all too easy for believers and secularists to caricature each other. Such an easy out was not available for the Christian apologist Tony Campolo (emeritus, sociology, Eastern Univ.; The Kingdom of God is a Party) and his son Bart (Humanist Chaplain, Univ. of Southern California; Kingdom Works), who have been grappling with issues of faith and reason for decades.

While each aims at persuasion, they also take on the daunting task of affirming the other’s intellectual integrity, honesty, and human decency. With father and son alternating chapters, one gets the feeling of a conversation developing new points of view. Each account is personal, charged, and sometimes pointed, but leaves readers wishing that the dialog would continue. It is clear that each intends to listen to and learn from the other and to hope (and work for) the best. VERDICT With the son articulating to his father his place in the world, and the father seeing the world he bequeathed to his son being realigned, both Campolos invite readers into something deeper than a simple clash of ­worldviews.—JW Casper, Lauren. It’s Okay About It:

Lessons From a Remarkable Five-YearOld About Living Life Wide Open.

HarperCollins. May 2017. 240p. notes.

ISBN 9780718085421. pap. $16.99; ebk. ISBN 9780718085537. REL

Blogger Casper (LaurenCasper.com) has taken some of her homespun insights on family and parenting and presents them here, organized around the simple wisdom of her special-needs son, Mareto. After suffering from infertility, Casper and her husband eventually adopted two Ethiopian children: one with recognizable issues, and one with unknown issues that over time led to a diagnosis of autism. The overarching theme—life doesn’t always go the way you thought it would—resolves into a generalized sense of “Let go and let God.” The author’s unaffected voice is reflective of a realized, everyday spirituality. Many of her ideas find common cause with new parents walking the path of discovery as their children mature into their unique selves, if only parents take the time to stop and notice. That idealized parental expectations often have to conform to each child results is a subtle and simple joy. VERDICT A personal account of Christian parenting for those who are harried yet hopeful.—SC

Day, Dorothy. The Reckless Way of Love: Notes on Following Jesus. Plough.

Mar. 2017. 149p. ed. by Carolyn Kurtz. notes. bibliog. ISBN 9780874867923. pap. $8; ebk. ISBN 9780874867930. REL

Day (1897–1980) is remembered as a radical and the founder of the Catholic Worker Movement, but one sees very little of that here. These snippets from nearly a dozen larger collections explore what animated Day. While the sources are noted, it is better to take in this title before consulting others. What emerges is the portrait of a woman of deep but conventional Catholic piety. Professional theologians might dismiss Day’s reflections as unsophisticated until being brought back to her extraordinary personality. Day had no patience with those who called her a saint. Saints are not like the rest of us, but the Day in these pages is. Her reflections leave one wondering whether what made her so fascinating was that she took the simple teaching of her faith at face value and to heart. VERDICT While it cannot stand on its own, this work can serve as a pocket companion to Day or as a source of quiet meditation.—JW Stellman, Jason J. Misfit Faith:

Confessions of a Drunk Ex-Pastor.

LeBaron, Anna with Leslie Wilson.

The Polygamist’s Daughter: A Memoir.

Tyndale House. Mar. 2017. 320p.

ISBN 9781496417558. pap. $15.99; ebk. ISBN 9781496417589. MEMOIR

Similar to recent memoirs (Elissa Walls’s Stolen Innocence or Carolyn Jessop’s Escape) about life within and ultimately leaving a cult, LeBaron’s account tells of being one of 50 children of rogue polygamist Ervil LeBaron. Her story is one of maternal disaffection, geographic dislocation, and an appalling paucity of education and meaningful relationships until she breaks away at age 13 to live with one of her nonpolygamist sisters. While her personal courage is laudatory, this work lacks historical context, raising such questions as how her father and mother came to embrace this radical Mormon belief system, and whether her father was an originator of the cult’s blood atonement justification for the murder of wayward members. Also missing is enough personal introspection to transform the retelling from life vignettes into a sustained narrative, rendering this a superficial sharing of events and feelings from her childhood perspective.

Verdict Only for exhaustive readers and collectors of faith memoirs.—SC

Convergent. Mar. 2017. 176p.

ISBN 9780804140621. pap. $24; ebk. ISBN 9780804140614. REL

While the subtitle teases that this is a confessional of sorts, in truth, social media personality Stellman’s (cohost of Drunk Ex-Pastors podcast) book is hardly memoir-as-confessional, since readers learn little about the author. For that information, it seems one should become familiar with his podcast. What Stellman does confess is his conversion from rigid, Bible-thumping evangelical to an incarnationally informed lay Catholic who better tolerates the ambiguities and paradoxes of faith.

His misfit faith—loosely characterized in cheeky vernacular as “sucking at something awesome rather than being awesome at something that sucks”—is his artless defining apologia against unyielding Protestant dogmatism in light of his fresh Catholic perspective. The author transfers his considerable missionary fervor to defending a liturgically and sacramentally informed faith, which encodes his selfdefinition as a “crash and burn misfit.”

However, he turns Evangelical Protestantism into a straw man in a manner that communicates much more about his faith journey than Protestantism in general.

VERDICT This honest account will find resonance among consumers of popular faith narratives.—SC

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Memoirs & Biographies

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fiction Alexander, Sara. Under a Sardinian Sky. Kensington. May 2017. 416p.

ISBN 9781496706362. pap. $15; ebk. ISBN 9781496706379. F

Debut novelist Alexander’s love story is set in post–World War II Sardinia. This is a time of great change in the country, both wonderful—the eradication of malaria— but also mixed—increased contact with the outside world, including the building of American military bases. Carmela, the daughter of a traditional family in a small town, is a brilliant dressmaker who has been promised in marriage to the son of a prominent local family for five years, since she was 16. Her future seems mapped out until she meets an American lieutenant sent from the base to rent a piece of land. He’s handsome, thoughtful, and kind, in stark contrast to the brash, possessive Sardinian men. A prolog and an afterword tie the story to the present

Swedish town. Bjornstad, or Beartown, is an ice hockey town like many small American communities are football towns: no bigger event occurs than home games, where the good cheer of the supporting fans, former players, and sponsors, known as “The Pack,” sometimes flares into violence against rivals. As the local youth team snags a possible chance at winning a junior championship, the narrative follows a cross-section of citizens. In their struggles with modern life, these dozen or so individuals face challenges, make decisions, and frequently surprise the reader. Backman’s sketchy style always leaves his audience wanting more explanation, but he successfully draws a community portrait that manages to be both unique and universal. There is enough hockey action to satisfy sports fans and plenty of material for group discussion. VERDICT Another solid offering from best-selling Swedish author Backman,

shelter, companionship, and connection.

Bae’s third title in English—and second to be mellifluously rendered by Smith, who is quickly becoming the Korean-into-English translator of choice—is considerably denser than her previous works. From the Starbucks logo as a familiar “international ideograph” to dysfunctional families in which a sibling can choose to disappear literally overnight to arbiters of culture as varied as Reader’s Digest and Swiss novelist/ playwright Max Frisch, Bae explores, examines, and ultimately challenges today’s global (non) citizen. The author’s unforeseen metamorphosis in the final chapter as a subversively unreliable narrator is an exceptionally adroit achievement. VERDICT Highly recommended for intrepid readers searching for out-of-the-box literary revelry.—Terry Hong, Smithsonian BookDragon, Washington, DC

Baume, Sara. A Line Made by Walking.

Houghton Harcourt. Apr. 2017. 352p.

ISBN 9780544716957. $25; ebk. ISBN 9780544716971. F

Coming-of-age in postwar Paris and present-day Syria, plus Eberlen’s not-to-be-missed debut

as Carmela’s niece attempts to find out more about her long-vanished aunt, which leads to a surprising twist at the end. Alexander paints a loving and breathtaking picture of the Mediterranean island, especially glorious descriptions of food. VERDICT For readers who enjoy women’s fiction set against a background of momentous events and clashing cultures. Includes discussion questions.—Jan Marry, Williamsburg Regional Lib., VA Backman, Fredrik. Beartown. Atria.

Apr. 2017. 336p. tr. from Swedish by Neil Smith. ISBN 9781501160769. $26.99; ebk. ISBN 9781501160783. F

Backman (Britt Marie Was Here) expands his quirky character base in his latest novel, which once again takes place in a remote

with many parallels for American readers and small towns everywhere. [See Prepub Alert, 11/7/16.]—Mary K. Bird-Guilliams, Chicago

.Bae Suah. Recitation. Deep Vellum.

Jan. 2017. 280p. tr. from Korean by Deborah Smith. ISBN 9781941920466. pap. $14.95; ebk. ISBN 9781941920473. F For Kyung-hee, a self-described “theatre actor specializing in recitation,” the “roving life” proves to be the only antidote to “everything [being] irresolvably vague and depressing.” Traveling through Europe and Asia, she shares experiences and memories with new acquaintances and more intimate friends. Wandering without particular plans, she is often the beneficiary of the kindness of strangers for

When her grandmother dies, 25-year-old Frankie, who has been living in Dublin, has a breakdown and moves back in with her parents. Struggling with depression, she then retreats to her late grandmother’s vacant house in the country in search of healing. Having “failed” to make a living as an artist in Dublin, Frankie turns to photographing dead animals for her next art project. (Her rule: they can’t have died at her hands). Slowly, with the help of her mother’s sustaining unconditional love, Frankie comes to accept herself and is able to move on. Baume’s (Spill Simmer Falter Wither) symbolism represented through nature—death and rebirth, flight and falling—holds a mirror to Frankies’s own experiences and acute observations of life. The narrative is divided into her remembrances of various known artworks, which gives voice to Frankie’s thoughts and state of mind, but at times seems disruptive. Verdict Though the protagonist’s outlook is sad, and the story low on action, this is relieved by the uplifting descriptions of nature, gorgeous writing, and Frankie’s youthful rebellious spirit.

Comparable to the work of literary writers such as Anne Enright. [See Prepub Alert, 10/3/16.] —­Sonia Reppe, Stickney–Forest View P.L., IL

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Boling, Dave. The Lost History of Stars. Algonquin. Jun. 2017. 352p.

ISBN 9781616204174. $25.95; ebk. ISBN 9781616207144. F

The author of the award-winning Guernica returns with a compelling story of war, violence, and tragedy. Fourteen-year-old L ­ ettie and her family are Boers, descendents of Dutch settlers who journeyed to the north plains of South Africa from the Cape to raise their families away from British colonialism. But the Anglo-Boer War has swooped in, sending Lettie’s father, grandfather, and older brother off to fight the British. The novel opens with Lettie and her family forced from their farm by British soldiers and sent to a concentration camp. Lettie escapes from the camp’s harsh conditions via her memories, when nights of stargazing with her grandfather and the warmth of home seem to belong to another life. Her fantasies of becoming a famous writer seem fleeting, until she befriends a British soldier who defies everything she thought she knew about the enemy; in the process, she also discovers what the power of family loyalty can accomplish. Narrated from ­Lettie’s point of view, and swiftly fluctuating from a nostalgic past to a present filled with uncertainty, this story gives a touching and detailed perspective on a cruel war in which children are the innocent victims. VERDICT This beautifully narrated work will appeal to fans of both historical and general fiction.

[Library marketing.] —Adriana Delgado, Palm Beach Cty. Lib., Loxahatchee, FL

and reveal of the characters will appeal to readers of literary thrillers and Byzantine mysteries.—Charli O­ sborne, Oak Park P.L., MI

Anne M. ­Miskewitch, Chicago P.L.

de Queirós, Eça. The Illustrious House of Ramires. New Directions.

May 2017. 416p. tr. from Portuguese by Margaret Jull Costa. ISBN 9780811226028. pap. $17.95. F

Here is the first new translation in half a century of this comedic masterpiece by veteran translator Costa of a Portuguese author whom Émile Zola considered a more talented realist than Flaubert. First published in 1900, the year of de Queirós’s death, it chronicles the life of the charmingly ineffectual Gonçalo Ramires, Portugal’s most authentic nobleman, whose lineage predates his country. Aspiring to be a Portuguese Sir Walter Scott, he believes that by novelizing in two volumes the exploits of his medieval ancestors, he can gain entrée to the world of politics. The valor of his fiercest ancestor, Tructesindo Ramires, only serves to underscore Gonçalo’s own lackluster existence, as he typically spends his days lounging on his damask sofa, peering languidly at the Chinese lacquer clock in the corridor of his rundown family estate. In spite of this, the author conjures a remarkable sympathy for the hapless fellow. VERDICT Recommended for fans of 19th-century naturalism and realism and tales of aristocratic decadence. An afterword from the translator orients American readers to de Queirós’s life and times, providing useful context.— Jack Shreve, Chicago

Bollen, Christopher. The Destroyers. Harper.

Jun. 2017. 480p. ISBN 9780062329981. $27.99; ebk. ISBN 9780062330000. F

Bollen, author of the tightly woven mystery Orient, switches gears with this atmospheric third novel, a slow-building, literary motorbike ride down steep Greek hillsides. The plot meanders, eventually threading through a tangle of side streets, hidden cul-de-sacs, and dead ends before emerging, cleanly, into a revved-up final quarter. Ian Bledsoe is on the run—from family, from circumstance, but most of all, from himself. His best childhood friend, Charlie Konstantinou, offers him a place to land on the island paradise of Patmos. But neither Patmos nor Charlie are what they appear to be. Ian becomes entangled in a real-life version of Destroyers, the game he and Charlie played as children. The writing is sharp, languid, and lovely, and the first-person point of view is a narrowly focused beam that eventually grows to encompass the entirety of the island. VERDICT Current events, including the plight of refugees and descriptions of terrorist acts, add depth and give the story a “torn from the headlines” feel. The slow build of the plot

.Eberlen, Kate. Miss You. Harper.

Apr. 2017. 448p. ISBN 9780062460226. $25.99; ebk. ISBN 9780062460240. F

Eberlen’s marvelous debut novel captivates and immerses, invoking all human emotions, which engage throughout. We meet both Tess and Gus as they separately vacation in Florence, Italy, back in 1997, days away from embarking on new journeys, hopes, and dreams that college can bring.

Though they cross paths, they don’t actually meet each other. As we get to know them through separate story lines, we realize they may just be the perfect match as they confront grief, missed chances, or opportunities, and challenging family lives. The protagonists and stories stand on their own, but they also complement each other in their similar experiences, which is part of this novel’s charm. Tess and Gus are completely relatable, and readers will want to play Cupid for them—hoping they will see each other again. Sixteen years after their Italian excursion, they both are in the city at the same time. Will they connect and be together? VERDICT

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This worthy, wonderful, and witty read is a must-have for all romantics who believe in hope. [See Prepub Alert, 10/31/16.] — Fenton, Liz & Lisa Steinke. The Good Widow. Lake Union: Amazon. Jun. 2017.

323p. ISBN 9781503943445. pap. $14.95. F

Jacqueline “Jacks” Morales’s marriage is far from perfect, but when two police officers knock on her door and give her the horrible news that her husband died in a car accident during a secret getaway with another woman, Jacks is shocked and devastated. Just as terrible, her husband’s mistress has also died and left behind a grieving fiancé, Nick. As Jacks is mourning, Nick shows up at her door and suggests he and Jacks retrace their companions’ last moments together. The two depart on the same trip their significant others should never have taken, only to find out that things are never as they seem, and that the answers to some questions are more shocking than they ever thought possible. Fenton and Steinke (The Year We Turned Forty) deliver a complicated tale of love, loss, intrigue, and disaster. The intricate plot can be confusing at times but will keep readers engaged. The characters are likable and relatable, though their stories are a little far-fetched. Verdict Ultimately, this drama keeps the pages turning with shocking twists until the bitter end. A great read; recommended for admirers of ­Jennifer Weiner and Rainbow Rowell.—Kristen C­ alvert Nelson, Marion Cty. P.L. Syst., Ocala, FL

.Hartsuyker, Linnea. The Half-Drowned

King. Harper. Aug. 2017. 448p.

ISBN 9780062563699. $27.99; ebk. ISBN 9780062563712. F

Ragnvald Eysteinsson, descendant of kings, is betrayed and left for dead by his captain, Solvi, on their return voyage from raiding in Ireland. After Ragnvald recovers from his near drowning, he discovers that Solvi, now his sworn enemy, was in cahoots with his treacherous stepfather Olaf, who wanted his land and thralls. Knowing he will never regain his heritage without killing Olaf, the young man pledges his sword to King Harald, who promises to aid him. In the meantime, believing Ragnvald to be dead, Solvi journeys to Olaf’s holdings where he meets Svanhild, the bold sister of Ragnvald. Despite knowing him to be her brother’s enemy, she agrees to marry Solvi. Not content to sit at home spinning and tending the land while her husband goes a-Viking, she casts aside the strictures of her time and travels with him on his trading and pillaging route through APRIL 1, 2017 | LIBRARY JOURNAL | 75

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FICTION the fjords and beyond. V ­ ERDICT Making her fiction debut, Hartsuyker, who claims descent from Norway’s first king, writes an absolutely top-notch Viking saga, and readers will eagerly await the next two volumes in this trilogy. [See Prepub Alert, 2/27/17; library marketing.] —Jane Henriksen Baird, Anchorage P.L., AK

Hyde, Catherine Ryan. Allie and Bea. Lake Union: Amazon. May 2017. 388p.

ISBN 9781477819715. pap. $14.95. F

Like many seniors, Bea’s life has slowly been whittled away. First she loses her bakery business, then her husband, her house, and finally, through a telephone scam, her small savings. With no way to pay the bills or even buy food, embittered Bea fires up her small van to collect what she thinks the world owes her.

When both her parents are arrested on the same night, 15-year-old Allie’s privileged and sheltered existence implodes, and she ends up in a group home for troubled teens. While trying to escape a human trafficker, Allie runs into the road right into the path of Bea’s van. As

DEBUT fiction 4/1/17

Alexander, Sara. Under a Sardinian Sky. Kensington.................................... 74

.Eberlen, Kate. Miss You. Harper..... 75 .Hartsuyker, Linnea. The HalfDrowned King. Harper ......................... 75

.Hogsett, Annie. Too Lucky To Live:

A Somebody’s Bound To Wind Up Dead Mystery. Poisoned Pen................64 Khalifa, Mustafa. The Shell. Interlink.....82 Kutscher, Volker. Babylon Berlin: A Gereon Rath Mystery. Sandstone......64 Louis, Édouard. The End of Eddy.

Farrar....................................................83

.Mukherjee, Abir. A Rising Man.

Pegasus Crime......................................63

.Peden, Peggy O’Neal. Your Killin’

Heart. Minotaur: St. Martin’s................64 Tait, Kimberley. Fake Plastic Love.

Flatiron: Macmillan ............................. 79

Young, Melissa Scholes. Flood.

Center Street: Hachette.......................80

they travel up America’s Western coastline, Bea and ­A llie’s tenuous friendship allows each of them to grow and change aspects of their individual worldviews.

VERDICT Prolif ic, award-­w inning author Hyde (Pay It Forward; Say Goodbye for Now) has produced an appealing tale of friendship, family, trust, and faith in humanity. Fans of the author’s previous works will enjoy growing and traveling alongside the title characters.—Joy Gunn, Paseo Verde Lib., Henderson, NV

.Khair, Tabish. Just Another Jihadi Jane. Interlink. Jan. 2017. 176p.

ISBN 9781566560672. pap. $15. F

Khair, whose earlier novel The Thing About Thugs was short-listed for the Man Asian Literary Prize, tackles the troubling but timely development in Europe and North America: radicalizing and recruiting young people to fight for the Islamic State. Told from the perspective of Jamilla, a young British Muslim, the novel probes the motivations for why Jamilla and her childhood friend Ameena run away from northern England to Syria in order to join the jihad. Timing is impeccable in Khair’s novel. The two women connect with Hejjiye, a recruiter on social media, at a vulnerable time, when neither sees a way forward in their current lives.

While the basic story is straight from present-day headlines, Khair does justice to their identity struggles, presenting a balanced, even empathetic portrayal. The girls never become stereotypes. Jamilla’s simple, first-person narrative is riveting, and the ending is unexpected. Many will see parallels to Mohsin Hamid’s The Reluctant Fundamentalist. VERDICT Recommended for all collections and especially for YA ­readers.—Faye Chadwell, Oregon State Univ., Corvallis

Kietzman, Susan. Every Other Wednesday. Kensington. Apr. 2017.

352p. ISBN 9781617735516. pap. $15; ebk. ISBN 9781617735523. F

A tragedy at the local high school brings together three empty nesters—Alice, Ellie, and Joan—who decide to meet for lunch every other Wednesday. After devoting their lives to their families, each is faced with newfound free time and a desire to fill it with self-enriching activity. Alice wants to start exercising again and maybe even join her husband on his runs, but he’s too busy with his business and runs too fast to accommodate her. Ellie already works as an accountant, but her husband is trying to get her to grow her business and contribute more financially. Joan has a successful husband and is well provided for, but she

longs to have her own career and be more independent. As they deal with some serious roadblocks on the way to chiseling out a fulfilling future, their friendship becomes an invaluable asset they never knew they needed. Dealing with the hard-hitting issues of gun ownership, addiction, and sexual orientation, Kietzman’s latest women’s fiction (The Summer Cottage; A Changing Marriage) is not always lighthearted nor romantic. ­ ERDICT For readers of issue-driven, conV temporary women’s fiction such as works

by Sue Miller and Jodi Picoult.—Karen Core, Detroit P.L.

.Perry, Sarah. The Essex Serpent.

Custom House: Morrow. Jun. 2017.

432p. ISBN 9780062669490. $26.99; ebk. ISBN 9780062666390. F

In good Queen Victoria’s heyday (the year is never specified but would seem to be in the early 1890s), rumor has it that an earthquake has opened a fissure in leafy, bucolic, and apparently very muddy coastal Essex, through which a serpent slithers, part local bogey-beastie and part tourist attraction.

Perry’s (After Me Comes the Flood) large cast of characters centers on Cora Seaborne, recently widowed, who visits the town of Aldwinter, both because of her interest in fossils and to try out her newfound freedom. It turns out that her marriage had not been happy. While in Aldwinter, Cora meets married Rev. William Ransome, and they discuss faith and fossils, among other things. Almost 30 years ago, A.S. Byatt’s take on the Victorian era, Possession, caught fire with readers. Lightning just might strike twice with this winner of British retailer Waterstone’s 2016 Book of the Year. ­VERDICT Exercise caution approaching this literary garden pavilion, floored with mud, glorious mud, and canopied with lush and lovely blue English roses. You just may find yourself unable to leave. [See Prepub Alert, 12/19/16; see “Editors’ Spring Picks,” LJ 2/15/17.] —Bob Lunn, Kansas City, MO Quinn, Spencer. The Right Side. Atria.

Jun. 2017. 336p. ISBN 9781501118401. $26; ebk. ISBN 9781501118425. F

Sgt. LeAnne Hogan is a patient at Walter Reed Hospital in Maryland. Wounded during a Taliban attack in Afghanistan, she has lost her right eye and suffered head trauma. Her physical wounds are on the mend, but her memory is still spotty. When her friend and roommate dies unexpectedly, LeAnne checks herself out and begins to travel around the country. Flashbacks to her childhood and her military service follow her westward. Awkward meetings with her mother and an army intelligence officer prompt her to visit her late friend’s

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Xpress Reviews

www.libraryjournal.com

LJ’s free weekly web evaluations for the weeks ending March 3 and March 10, 2017. Go to reviews.libraryjournal.com/tag/xpress-reviews

E-ORIGINALs

Magariel, Daniel. One of the Boys.

Scribner. D Misko, James A. The Path of the Wind.

Square One. Pywell, Sharon. The Romance Reader’s Guide to Life. Flatiron: Macmillan.

Boyce, Elizabeth. Love Beyond Measure.

Crimson Romance.

.Ruby, Ryan. The Zero and the One.

.Cornwall, Lecia. The Lady and the Highlander. Swerve: St. Martin’s.

Stern, Abby. According to a Source.

Thomas Dunne: St. Martin’s. D

de Salle, Thea. The King of Bourbon Street. Pocket Star.

Tingley, Nancy. A Head in Cambodia.

Swallow: Ohio Univ. D

Halston, Sidney. Kiss Marry Kill.

Swerve: St. Martin’s.

Lovelace, Sharla. A Charmed Little Lie. Lyrical Shine: Kensington.

FICTION

.Buntin, Julie. Marlena. Holt. D Cottrell, Patty Yunni. Sorry To Disrupt the Peace. McSweeney. D

Twelve: Hachette. D

.Underdown, Beth. The Witchfinder’s

Sister. Ballantine. D

Vargas, Fred. A Climate of Fear. Penguin.

Nonfiction

Folk, Holly. The Religion of Chiropractic.

Univ. of North Carolina.

Frank, Nathaniel. Awakening: How Gays

Stewart, Claire. As Long as We Both Shall Eat: A History of Wedding Food and Feasts. Rowman & Littlefield.

Vasily Kandinsky. Prestel.

GrapHic NOVELs

Bell, Gabrielle. Everything Is Flammable.

Uncivilized.

Kaplan, Zack & others. Eclipse. Vol. 1.

Top Cow: Image. D Nicholson, Hope. The Spectacular Sisterhood of Superwomen: Awesome Female Characters from Comic Book History. Quirk.

Remender, Rick & others. Seven to Eternity.

Vol. 1: The God of Whispers. Image.

Zick, Bruce. The Zone Continuum: Legacy.

Dark Horse.

AUDIOBOOKs

Austen, Jane. Emma. Dreamscape.

.Dahl, Julia. Conviction. Minotaur:

and Lesbians Brought Marriage Equality to America. Harvard Univ.

Gardner, Lisa. Three Truths and a Lie: A Detective D.D. Warren Story. Brilliance.

Hämäläinen, Karo. Cruel Is the Night.

Soho Crime.

Johnson, Benjamin Heber. Escaping the Dark, Gray City: Fear and Hope in Progressive-Era Conservation.

Hall, Parnell. A Puzzle To Be Named Later.

Dreamscape.

St. Martin’s.

.Hartnett, Annie. Rabbit Cake. Tin House. D Leon, Donna. Earthly Remains. Atlantic.

London, Julia. Sinful Scottish Laird.

HQN: Harlequin.

Longworth, M.L. The Curse of La Fontaine.

Penguin.

Macallister, Greer. Girl in Disguise.

Sourcebooks Landmark.

hometown. There LeAnne is befriended by a stray dog, who eventually gets named Goody. While visiting her friend’s mother, she discovers that the friend’s daughter has gone missing. With the dog she’s reluctantly adopted, LeAnne begins her own search for the missing girl; at the same time, she struggles to fill in the gaps in her memory about the night she was wounded. A trip to Afghanistan and confrontations there and back in the States lead to solutions both fulfilling and unexpected. VERDICT Although Quinn’s stand-alone pairs nicely with his “Chet and Bernie” dog-centric mysteries, canine-loving readers might be a little disappointed that Goody doesn’t show up sooner. However, the fascinating characters and satisfying plot more than make up for that slight negative. [See Prepub Alert, 1/4/17.]—Dan Forrest, ­Western Kentucky Univ. Libs., Bowling Green

Reid, Taylor Jenkins. The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo. Atria.

Yale Univ.

Lauricella, Leanne. Goats of Anarchy.

Rock Point: Quarto.

Moore, Tim. The Cyclist Who Went Out in the Cold. Pegasus.

Palumbi, Anthony R. Blood Plagues

and Endless Raids: A Hundred Million Lives in the World of Warcraft.

Chicago Review.

Jun. 2017. 400p. ISBN 9781501139239. $26; ebk. ISBN 9781501139246. F

Adored movie icon Evelyn Hugo is finally ready to tell her story, and does she have a story to tell. Born to Cuban immigrants in New York’s Hell’s Kitchen neighborhood, Evelyn remade herself into a classic Hollywood beauty, marrying seven men along the way. First there was Eddie, the man who brought her to Los Angeles; then there was Don, an abuser; then Mick; and then Rex—but everyone knows that the true love of her life was Harry Cameron, who had been with her through thick and thin. But as Monique, her biographer, uncovers more of her past, she finds that the heart of Evelyn’s love life doesn’t involve men at all. Willing to use her looks and her body to advance her c­ areer, Evelyn may know that some of her actions were wrong, but she doesn’t feel any guilt for her past. VERDICT Jenkins (One True Loves) has crafted another tale

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Law, Janice. Afternoons in Paris; Moon over Tangier. Dreamscape.

Parker, Samuel. Purgatory Road. Oasis.

Perry, Thomas. The Old Man. HighBridge.

Vinet, Lynette. Pirate Hunter’s Mistress.

Dreamscape.

Voskamp, Ann. The Broken Way: A Daring Path into the Abundant Life.

Zondervan.

sure to appeal to fans of women’s fiction, ­Susan Meissner, and Beatriz Williams.— Jennifer Mills, Shorewood-Troy Lib., IL

.Rose, M.J. The Library of Light and Shadow. Atria. Jul. 2017. 368p.

ISBN 9781476778129. $26; ebk. ISBN 9781476778143. F

Delphine Duplessi comes from a long line of artists—and witches—descending from the infamous 16th-century courtesan La Lune. While attending the famous Parisian art school L’École des Beaux-Arts, she falls in love with a Parisian bookbinder.

When her psychic power (manifested in her “shadow portraits”) predicts her love’s demise, she flees to New York to save his life only to have tragedy strike between two brothers. Hoping she’s made the right decision, ­Delphine returns to France and the loving arms of family and friends to heal.

Rose takes readers on a cerebral comingof-age journey, with a dark arts twist, in APRIL 1, 2017 | LIBRARY JOURNAL | 77

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FICTION

EYE ON PUBLISHING

Julia A. Reidhead l Norton As executive suites go, Norton president Julia A. Reidhead’s new sixth-floor office at the firm’s Fifth Avenue headquarters in Manhattan is modest, furnished with bookshelves and a comfortable sofa that make for a welcoming and collegial atmosphere.

The payoff, though, is the wonderful view of the New York Public Library’s Beaux Arts main building on 42nd Street and of the two sculptured lions, Patience and Fortitude, who guard its main entrance. “They are the foreground to the modern building,” says Reidhead. “In them, I see continuity and change, the two things I am always trying to balance in my work.”

Reidhead herself represents those qualities at the esteemed 94-year-old publishing house. After starting her career at Norton in 1983 as a traveling college sales representative and working her way up the editorial and managerial ranks in the College Department to vice president and publishing director, she became in December the company’s sixth president and the first woman to hold that position.

Reidhead also assumed the roles of president and director of the National Book Company, Norton’s distribution arm, and of the Liveright subsidiary.

How does Reidhead feel about shattering the glass ceiling? Although

TITLES The Burning Girl, CLAIRE MESSUD (aUg. 2017)

Norse Mythology, NEIL GAIMAN (FEB. 2017) The Norton Anthology of African American Literature, 3d ed., HENRY

LOUIS GATES JR. & VALERIE A. SMITH, EDS. (2014)

PHOTO ©Beowulf Sheehan

The Norton Anthology of English Literature, 9th ed., sTEPHEN GREENBLATT

& Others, Eds. (2012)

The Norton Anthology of World Religions, JACK MILES & OTHERS, EDS.

(2014)

The Norton Shakespeare, 3d ed.,

STEPHEN GREENBLATT & WALTER COHEN, EDS. (2015)

The Rise and Fall of Adam and Eve, STEPHEN GREENBLATT (sEPT. 2017)

she sees the new job as an opportunity to help a wonderful publisher continue to thrive, she was overwhelmed by the outpouring of support, especially in the aftermath of the 2016 presidential election, from women and men who were thrilled to have a woman head the house.

“That’s made me mindful,” comments Reidhead. For her younger female colleagues at Norton, her promotion shows that the brass ring can be within reach. “Publishing is a great industry for women,” she notes.

Having worked on Norton’s academic side for most of her career, Reidhead now enjoys dipping into the house’s trade division more deeply. Although she had

over to trade and whether a particular trade book has course potential. Reidhead points to Neil Gaiman’s best-selling Norse Mythology as having a future life in high school and college classes.

What also connects the two divisions is the emphasis on publishing quality books. “On the trade side, we publish serious nonfiction and high-quality literary fiction,” says Reidhead. “And we are very proud to have a vital program of publishing new works of poetry.” In the college market, where competitors such as Pearson and Cengage have scaled back on their editorial processes in the rush to go digital, ­Reidhead believes Norton’s maintenance of editorial standards is key to

over the years occasionally edited trade titles, such as The Norton ­Anthology of World Religions and The Norton Anthology of African American Literature, she is now in the thick of commercial publishing. “It’s a lot of fun to see the faster pace,” says Reidhead. She is also fascinated by seeing how her trade colleagues’ minds work when they consider potential acquisitions. “Who is the audience for a new trade project? How much can we sell? What should we pay?”

Unlike college publishing, which has a specific market and audience, Reidhead finds the trade arena to be much more intuitive, more about current events and trends. “Fundamentally, it’s a gamble based on taste and pleasure. Is it going to be something that readers find intriguing, appealing, and pleasurable?”

However, this academic-trade divide is not set in concrete at Norton. “We have a very permeable border between college and trade, and I don’t think there is any other house that works quite like this,” explains Reidhead. Because Norton straddles what she describes as the “sweet space” between the academy and the trade world, its editors always consider whether an academic title could cross

the house’s continued success. “We are definitely contrarian in that respect.”

Pondering Norton’s fall list, Reidhead eagerly anticipates Claire Messud’s coming-of age novel, The Burning Girl, and Stephen Greenblatt’s The Rise and Fall of Adam and Eve. Having worked with Greenblatt since 1990 on three editions of the best-selling Norton Shakespeare and in 2006 bringing him in as the general editor for the flagship Norton Anthology of English Literature, she admires the author’s ability to be scholarly as well as entertaining and engaging. “He’s taking this myth that we think we know and exploding it by following its historical traces through literature, religion, and culture.”

As Norton approaches its centennial in 2023, the company remains close to founders William and Mary Norton’s purpose of publishing “Books That Live.”

Reidhead credits Mrs. Norton’s decision in the 1950s to create an employeeownership structure that has enabled Norton to remain independent and tied to its original roots over the decades. No one outside of Norton owns any shares, she explains. “The benefits of employee ownership is the ability to swim against the tide.”—Wilda Williams

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her latest “Daughters of La Lune” novel (after The Secret Language of Stones). The sophisticated and finely detailed narrative and exquisite storytelling draws readers into an esoteric post–World War I, art deco era.

Yet it’s the compassionate and articulate narrator who brings this heartbreaking but hopeful story to life. VERDICT Unforgettable. [See Prepub Alert, 2/6/17.] —Debbie

Sisfunctional Fiction Bostwick, Marie. The Promise Girls. Kensington.

Apr. 2017. 352p. ISBN 9781496709219. pap. $15; ebk. ISBN 9781496709226. F Minerva Promise is one of the first women to have in vitro fertilization in the late 1970s. She selects donors with particular talents so that her children become prodigies. There’s Joanie, the talented pianist; Meg, the painter in the family; and the youngest, Avery, who can tell a compelling story before she learns to write. Minerva writes a tellall book that quickly draws an overwhelming amount of attention to the family, and 16-year-old Joanie, on television, decides to take matters into her own hands by purposely fumbling her piano playing. This leads Minerva to react in such a way that changes all of their lives. Now grown, the sisters live far away from their mother and are completely removed from their early talents. When a documentary filmmaker shows up and pursues the “Promise sisters” as his new subjects, more questions than answers arise.

Haupt, St. Charles City–Cty. Lib. Dist., St Peters, MO

.Strout, Elizabeth. Anything Is Possible. Random. May 2017.

272p. ISBN 9780812989403. $27; ebk. ISBN 9780812989427. F

In Strout’s previous best seller, My Name Is Lucy Barton, the main character eventually escapes her life of fear and poverty by leaving town. This title follows some of the people who continue to live in the town Lucy fled, which has more than its share of poverty, domestic unhappiness, violence, and abuse. Those who were left behind continue on in their daily struggles, some faring better than others. Each chapter provides a brief look at one or two of those individuals, building a web of relationships and connections among the community and, tangentially, Lucy. The school janitor, the high school guidance counselor, Lucy’s brother and sister, and several others provide insights into the different interpretations of events, showing the range of human response that is possible in the face of challenges. VERDICT With her latest work, Pulitzer Prize winner Strout (for Olive Kitteridge) crafts a deep and complex inside view of the hearts and minds of individuals who make up a community. [See Prepub Alert, 11/21/16.] —Joanna ­Burkhardt, Univ. of Rhode Island Libs., Providence

Tait, Kimberley. Fake Plastic Love.

Flatiron: Macmillan. May 2017. 352p.

ISBN 9781250093899. $25.99; ebk. ISBN 9781250093882. F

Tait’s debut novel pays homage to the Millennial generation, struggling to come to terms with a reality that vastly differs from the grandiose expectations instilled by social media and a seemingly never-ending deluge of false advertising. When M. and Belle meet at Dartmouth College, they bond instantly over their disinterest in the typical sorority scene, preferring to call themselves the “Lost Girls” on campus.

M. is intrigued by Belle’s whimsy and fervor for life, whereas Belle is brought back down to earth by M.’s steady and practical nature. When the two are launched into the real world, M. as an investment banker, and Belle as a trend blogger, their friendship begins to waver under the pressures of men, social expectations, and changing priorities. While the privilege both protagonists

Keegan, Ela Area P.L., Lake Zurich, IL

Green, Jane. The Sunshine Sisters. Berkley.

Jun. 2017. 384p. ISBN 9780399583315. $26; ebk. ISBN 9780399583322. F The latest from Green (Jemima J; Falling) is a well-realized portrait of a dysfunctional family. Ronni Sunshine, the magnetic and distant actress mother of

are granted (but never seem to appreciate) can be grating, the underlying message of hope and struggle is relatable. VERDICT A painfully accurate portrayal of the disillusionment and disappointment that many twentysomethings experience after college, this is a classic coming-of-age story.— Chelsie Harris, San Diego Cty. Lib.

White, Karen. The Night the Lights Went Out. Berkley. Apr. 2017. 416p.

ISBN 9780451488381. $26; ebk. ISBN 9780451488398. F

Newly divorced Merilee Dunlap and her children move to an Atlanta suburb to find a new school district after her husband has an affair with their teacher. In this small enclave, she finds both older residents who remember what the town used to be like,

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VERDICT Bostwick (“Cobbled Court Quilts” series) writes yet another strong, character-driven tale that will have any reader truly invested in the sisters. For fans of ­Debbie Macomber and Robyn Carr.—­Melissa

three daughters, came from England as a young woman to make her big break in Hollywood, but she never quite achieves superstar status. She marries and has three daughters, whose stories are told in snippets from their own viewpoints.

We see young, teenage, and then adult versions of Nell, the oldest; Meredith, the classic middle child; and Lizzy, the youngest.

The damage that Ronni has done to each daughter is laid bare in their stories.

In the present, Ronni calls her daughters to her bedside with bad news. The Sunshine girls are each having significant problems in their own lives. Now, because of their mother, they finally are able to see and help one another instead of fighting. V ­ ERDICT Green does a wonderful job of creating realistic and lovable (despite themselves) characters. Fans of the author and readers who enjoy Elin Hilderbrand and Kristin Hannah will love this book.

Highly recommended for all public library collections.— Kristen Stewart, Pearland Lib., Brazoria Cty. Lib. Syst., TX

and newer, wealthy residents who play tennis, helicopter parent, and follow the dictates of queen bee Heather—who unexpectedly takes a shine to Merilee. Potential romance also appears when she meets local contractor Wade Kimball. But not everyone is who they seem to be. Secrets from the past arise for all three of the women at the center of this story as revenge is served cold. The narration moves between past and present effectively, slowly revealing the events that have led up to this moment. With well-developed characters, a strong sense of place, a suspenseful plot, and plenty of Southern axioms sprinkled in, this is a warm and engaging novel by prolific author White (“Tradd Street” series; Flight Patterns; A Long Time Gone). VERDICT Recommended for readers who enjoy the stories of Beatriz APRIL 1, 2017 | LIBRARY JOURNAL | 79

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FICTION

World War II Stories Cantor, Jillian. The Lost Letter. Riverhead.

Jun. 2017. 336p. ISBN 9780399185670. $26; ebk. ISBN 9780399185694. F In Cantor’s latest novel (after The Hours Count and Margot), a mysterious letter with an unusual stamp reveals a family secret from World War II. Katie Nelson’s life is not going well when she delivers her father’s stamp collection to an appraiser in 1989 Los Angeles. Her father is suffering from Alzheimer’s, and she has spent the past year getting him settled into an assisted-living facility. Her husband, who also happens to be her boss, has filed for divorce. The appraiser, Benjamin, however, does find one possible treasure—a letter with a German stamp from Nazi-occupied Austria, containing a hidden edelweiss flower. When Katie mentions this letter to her father, his agitated reaction propels her and Benjamin on a search for its meaning.

Little does Katie realize that the quest for both the intended letter recipient and the stampmaker will lead her to her own family history. VERDICT Full of

heartbreak and tragedy, this novel about love lost and found and the importance of memories, is ultimately uplifting and would be a great choice for readers who enjoy stories set during World War II. [See Prepub Alert, 1/8/17.] —Catherine Coyne, Mansfield P.L., MA

.Kiernan, Stephen P. The Baker’s Secret.

Morrow. May 2017. 320p.

ISBN 9780062369581. $26.99; ebk. ISBN 9780062369604. F Emma, a 22-year-old baker, has lived her whole life in the small Normandy village of Vergers, where everyone knows everyone else’s business. She dreams only of marrying her

Williams, Kim Boykin, and Mary Alice Monroe. [See Prepub Alert, 10/31/16.] — Melanie ­Kindrachuk, Stratford P.L., Ont.

Wingate, Lisa. Before We Were Yours. Ballantine. Jun. 2017. 352p.

ISBN 9780425284681. $26; ebk. ISBN 9780425284698. F

Christy and Carol Award–winning ­Wingate (The Story Keeper; The Sea Glass Sisters) weaves a complex tale about two families, two generations apart, linked by an injustice, based on a notorious true-life scandal.

The story begins in 1939 when Rill Foss and her four younger siblings, who had been happily living on their parents’ shantyboat on the Mississippi, are seized by strangers and taken to a Memphis orphanage. In

­ eloved Philippe. But it’s b right before D-Day, 1944, and her networking skills and resourcefulness cause her, in spite of herself, to evolve into a heroine who will help the village survive.

Former journalist Kiernan (The Hummingbird; The Curiosity) uses his considerable reporting skills to depict daily life in the French town. The villagers fight the occupying German Army with small but nonetheless incredibly brave daily acts of defiance. ­Monkey Boy, Guillaume the veterinarian, Uncle Ezra, who is Emma’s Jewish mentor, as well as Monsignor, the priest who both baptizes and buries each villager, and Michelle, who enters into a romance with a German soldier and pays the price—all will linger in readers’ memories.

VERDICT This moving and thought-provoking work of historical fiction will be popular with lovers of other recently popular World War II novels such as Anthony Doerr’s All the Light We Cannot See and Kristin Hannah’s The ­Nightingale.

[See Prepub Alert, 12/5/16.] —Elizabeth Safford, Boxford Town Lib., MA

present-day South Carolina, the Staffords, a wealthy and prestigious family deeply immersed in the political realm, takes center stage when Avery returns home to help her father recuperate from a health crisis. There she experiences a chance encounter with a resident at the nursing home, which leads to her investigating her family’s history. As secrets are exposed, the question is raised: Are some things better left hidden in the past, or is it best to have everything out in the open? VERDICT Fans of Ann H. Gabhart and Tracie Peterson will be drawn to this quietly strong novel. The thought-provoking subject matter makes this at times a difficult read; although not graphic in content, molestation and abuse are two of the tough topics handled.—­Shondra Brown, Wakarusa P.L., IN

Winslow, Don. The Force. Morrow. Jun. 2017.

400p. ISBN 9780062664419. $27.99; pap. ISBN 9780062684288. $19.99; ebk. ISBN 9780062664426. F

After more than a dozen acclaimed, underthe-radar novels, Winslow moved into the first rank of American thriller writers with his drug-war odyssey The Cartel. His latest offers a similarly epic take on the cop novel, though it lacks its predecessor’s singular brilliance. Denny Malone, a veteran NYPD detective sergeant, stalks the streets of Upper Manhattan, knowing nothing happens or gets dealt without his knowledge or consent.

The higher-ups have given his elite team, “Da Force,” free rein to keep the peace, even if rules are bent and spoils pocketed along the way. In a city where someone’s going to profit off the drugs and the violence, why shouldn’t it be his team? Malone prides himself on loyalty and tradition, but after a multimillion-dollar heroin bust gets the attention of the feds, he’s forced to make an unthinkable decision: to turn on his brother cops and rat on his beloved teammates. ­VERDICT Winslow’s writing, with its torrents of profane, single-sentence paragraphs, is as potent as ever, but his story’s trajectory is familiar, particularly for fans of the show The Shield. Despite those reservations, this propulsive novel should be eagerly welcomed by readers of Ken Bruen. [See Prepub Alert, 12/12/16.]— Michael Pucci, South Orange P.L., NJ

Young, Melissa Scholes. Flood. Center Street: Hachette. Jun. 2017. 304p. ISBN 9781478970781. $26; ebk. ISBN 9781478970767. F

After running from her hometown of Hannibal, MO, Laura Brooks has returned, broken and depressed from losing her job and a pregnancy. Not much has changed at home: the town faces yet another torrential flood that could ruin families; her mother and brother live in the same rundown trailer; and her best friend Rose is still wild and irresponsible. And then there’s Sammy, Laura’s old love whom she left without a word when the levees broke and the town flooded ten years ago. Facing embarrassment and criticism, Laura struggles to put her life back on track even while she’s pulled into Rose’s divorce battle, her brother’s drug habit, and Sammy’s rekindled interest in her. A new job and increasing responsibilities might keep Laura in town, but will the memories of their old love and her dreams of something better get in the way of rebuilding her life in Hannibal? VERDICT Young will leave readers thinking about their own flood of memories in this debut novel. Perfect for those who liked Tommy Lee T ­ yson’s They Tell Me of a Home and H.P. Munrow’s Saving Grace.—Melissa Lockaby, Univ. of North Georgia Libs., Dahlonega

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Top stories from around the world

Spring Fiction in Translation

By Barbara Hoffert

.Altan, Ahmet. Endgame. Europa.

Apr. 2017. 400p. tr. from Turkish by Alexander Dawe. ISBN 9781609453770. pap. $18. F Stylish, inventive, and deliciously dark, Altan’s U.S. debut is both an absorbing thriller and an intensive novel of ideas; no wonder he’s an award-winning and best-selling author in his native Turkey.

The nameless narrator, a lackluster novelist, impulsively abandons city life for a small coastal town and falls immediately for the beautiful, evasive Zuhal, whose former lover is the allpowerful mayor. The village looks placid enough, but there’s menace beneath the surface; the townsfolk avoid him, mafiastyle killings are prevalent, and a buried treasure on the hill beckons. The mayor has his own reasons for befriending the narrator, who is soon drawn into a venture that spirals violently out of his control. Meanwhile, comparisons abound between novelists and God, who can get away with a lot more, and we’re left wondering if we are in control of our lives the way the novelist is in control of his characters. VERDICT Existential questions perfectly blended with atmosphere and rat-a-tat prose; highly recommended.

Antoon, Sinan. The Baghdad Eucharist.

Hoopoe: American Univ. in Cairo. Apr. 2017.

136p. tr. from Arabic by Maia Tabet.

ISBN 9789774168208. pap. $14.95. F In this revealing work from awardwinning poet/novelist Antoon (The Corpse Washer), an associate professor of Arabic literature at New York University, Maha and her husband have been forced by the ongoing violence to move into her uncle Youssef’s Baghdad home. Maha and Youssef bicker constantly, with Maha accusing Youssef of living in the past and failing to recognize the current persecution of Christians (the family is Syriac Catholic), and Youssef countering that the conflicts are political and are complicated by history. Not surprisingly, the narrative goes on to excavate the past, from the 1941 coup to the passage of the law stripping Iraqi Jews

of citizenship, the invasion of Kuwait, and the American occupation, gracefully given context by old family photographs.

One senses that the cultured Youssef, however well informed, is perhaps naïve about contemporary currents, and the narrative builds powerfully to a sobering attack that will leave readers shaken.

VERDICT This book is an education in Iraq from the inside, and if it occasionally feels like a history lesson, it’s committedly written, and, frankly, many of us could use the lesson.

Daoud, Hassan. The Road to Paradise. Hoopoe: American Univ. in Cairo. Apr. 2017. 304p. tr. from Arabic by Marilyn Booth.

ISBN 9789774168178. pap. $17.95. F Winner of the Naguib ­Mahfouz Medal for Literature, this latest from prolific Lebanese author Daoud (The Penguin’s Song) opens dramatically with the imam of a small Lebanon town being diagnosed with cancer, something he had feared and expected for years. What follows is not, however, his frenzied leap into drinking up life to the very last drop, something fiction readers today might rightly expect. Yes, the narrator contemplates a life gone awry; he was forced by his stern imam father to follow the family tradition and put on the jubba and turban instead of going to university, and his arranged marriage to a pretty but ultimately shrewish woman has been sterile and loveless, with both his sons tragically born deaf. Yet while our hero tentatively explores illicit passion and considers abandoning his mosque, the story he tells slowly and unobtrusively unwinds the small tasks of everyday life, reminding us that truth is in the details.

VERDICT Not for the action-oriented, this stately and thoughtful book provides an incisive look at one man’s struggles in smooth, muscular prose.

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.Depestre, René. Hadriana in All

My Dreams. Akashic. May 2017. 160p.

tr. from French by Kaiama L. Glover.

ISBN 9781617755330. pap. $15.95. F Originally published in 1988 and written by one of Haiti’s seminal authors, still with us at age 90, this vibrant, erotically charged work shows how humans counter fear—particularly the fear of death—in varied more or less magical ways, even as it paints a fresh and enticing picture of Haitian culture. In the 1930s, teenage Balthazar Granchiré has been turned into an ugly butterfly by his adoptive father, a sorcerer angry at his relentless lechery. In that form, he reputedly engages in a string of excessive deflowerings, and he may be responsible for the death of beautiful, beloved young Frenchwoman Hadriana Siloé on the day of her wedding in a notably mixed marriage to local Hector Danoze.

The community immediately splits in its response, assuring “a pitiless battle between the two belief systems that have long gone head-to-head in Haitian imagination”; the French Catholics piously observe a wake while others indulge in the “orgiastic excesses of Vodou.” Afterward, the corpse of Hadriana disappears, with an uncle of the young narrator carefully giving evidence that she has become a zombie.

VERDICT Luscious and affirmative reading, this is work both the serious-minded and the lighthearted can enjoy. de Vigan, Delphine. Based on a True Story. Bloomsbury USA. May 2017.

384p. tr. from French by George Miller.

ISBN 9781632868152. $26; ebk. ISBN 9781408878835. F As the very title suggests, this latest work from Prix Goncourt finalist de Vigan (Underground Time) is metafiction, or memoir as fiction, but it’s also a smart, elegant thriller that generates its chills from the very ordinariness of APRIL 1, 2017 | LIBRARY JOURNAL | 81

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FICTION events as they start unfolding. A novelist named Delphine, fragile and anxious after the unexpectedly overwhelming success of a new novel, attends a party and becomes enchanted with a women named L., who flirtatiously tells Delphine that she’s beautiful when she dances. L. seems perfectly attuned to Delphine and counterbalances her unease with feminine sophistication.

Later, after receiving a particularly angry letter from a reader, Delphine gets a call from L., welcome if puzzling; where did she get Delphine’s number? L. explains that away and slides smoothly into Delphine’s life, eventually taking over. In the end, Delphine is caught in a web of her own making. ­VERDICT A fine portrait of predation as real as anything in the jungle; scary and persuasive for most readers.

.Énard, Mathias. Compass. New Directions.

Mar. 2017. 464p. tr. from French by Charlotte Mandell. ISBN 9780811226622. $26.95. F Richly written, baroquely observant, and so terrifyingly erudite in its dizzying display of knowledge that some readers might be overwhelmed, this propulsive work explores the meaning of the Orient and the Orientalist impulse in the West, to use the narrator’s historically suggestive terminology. In the opening pages, fussy, fusty Viennese musicologist Franz Ritter has taken to bed and spends a restless night recalling occasionally opium-infused memories of travel to Istanbul, Aleppo, and beyond, while also contemplating his notquite-realized relationship with brilliant French scholar Sarah, whom he’s followed around for years. The mutual influences of West and Middle East are iterated, and Franz’s almost fanatical interest with the lands beyond the Mediterranean relentlessly draws us in while begging some questions. What does this fascination have to do with his attraction to melancholy and otherness, and are some travelers and scholars motivated less by understanding the region’s depths than enjoying its surface dazzle? Meanwhile, the lapidary narrative is as much an unsettling portrait of a man who’s missed his chance at life and love as it is a thoroughgoing study of culture. VERDICT An admirably translated Prix Goncourt winner from the author of Zone; highly recommended for sophisticated readers.

Fishere, Ezzedine C. Embrace on Brooklyn Bridge. Hoopoe: American Univ. in Cairo.

Apr. 2017. 168p. tr. from Arabic by John Peate.

ISBN 9789774168192. pap. $14.95. F Novelist/diplomat Fishere, who currently teaches at Dartmouth, pointedly portrays the weight and nuance of human relationships, with the immigrant’s dislocation an added complication. Cairo-born, New York–based academic Darwish is throwing a birthday party for granddaughter Salma, whom he’s invited for a visit from Egypt partly because he’s secretly dying of cancer but also to “drag her out of that shell her demented mother kept her in.” Cosmopolitan and imperious, Darwish is aghast with Salma and by extension her entire generation because she’s missed her train from Washington and won’t even make the party. Other guests, including Darwish’s son, Youssef, burned out from his UN work and now unemployed, and the disaffected Rami, a translator and former student of Darwish, are not so eagerly anticipating a gathering that has them pondering (or avoiding) their direction in life.

VERDICT Though Fishere can be overly descriptive, he has important things to say about personal, intergenerational, and cultural uncertainty in the current world, and he offers a smart, well-rendered portrait.

Han Yujoo. The Impossible Fairy Tale. Graywolf. Mar. 2017.

192p. tr. from Korean by Janet Hong. ISBN 9781555977665. pap. $16; ebk. ISBN 9781555979607. F In this first novel after several short story collections from Korean author Han, the writing is dreamlike but the story nightmarish; full-of-herself Mia baldly manipulates her mother and two fathers, while a cruel classmate called only the Child tortures animals and plays nasty tricks on those around her, notably breaking into school to write damning sentences in her classmates’ journals. Not that the classmates are little angels; one chapter opens by blandly observing, “The children are choking one another at the back of the classroom. They call it ‘the fainting game.’ ” Even as Mia and the Child quietly compete, the Lord of the Flies atmosphere shifts subtly to a darker, unrecognizable world bordering on fantasy, a place where the classroom and indeed time itself begins collapsing. But the journals are key;

the very act of writing is Han’s subject here. VERDICT Han pushes to the edge contextually but remains lucid in her own way; an ambitious novel for ambitious readers, and Han is a writer for those in the know to watch.

.Khalifa, Mustafa. The Shell. Interlink.

Jun. 2017. 252p. tr. from Arabic by Paul Starkey. ISBN 9781566560221. pap. $15. F From 1982 to 1994, Syrian topographer Khalifa was incarcerated in his country’s infamous Tadmur Military Prison, and his decision to present his experiences as fiction results in a document both haunting and bold. Perhaps only fiction could do justice to the suffering he endured, but as the narrator also notes, explaining that he resorted to an Islamist technique called mental writing to store up what he experienced, “I cannot write and say everything.” The selected scenes of beatings, torture, hunger, and executions are scalding enough. Having fatefully decided to return home from France, Khalifa’s young narrator is immediately imprisoned and accused of being a Muslim terrorist. In fact, he is Christian-raised and proclaims himself an atheist, which serves to isolate him from his scornful fellow inmates and makes his imprisonment even worse. The story arcs persuasively from the narrator’s first shocks through his steady endurance in the shell that was his prison to his survival upon release in a second shell that’s “becoming thicker and blacker.”

VERDICT Highly ­recommended.

Laurens, Camille. Who You Think I Am. Other. Mar. 2017. 192p. tr. from French by Adriana Hunter. ISBN 9781590518328. pap. $14.95; ebk. ISBN 9781590518335. F In this novel of identity, obsession, and our slippery grip on reality, 48-year-old Claire Millecam is so desperate for news of casually cruel, here-again-gone-again lover Joe that she constructs a false identity as the much younger Claire Antunes and friends Joe’s sometimes roommate ­Christophe on Facebook. Her interest soon turns to Christophe himself, and it doesn’t end well, as the police recordings and therapist’s interviews opening the book suggest. Soon, however, other material appears, including a therapist’s report, a novel fragment, and the draft of a letter, all of which call into question our initial understanding of what has happened to Claire. Do novelists construct avatars to clarify and shroud the truth simultaneously?

Do we all? Prix Femina award winner Laurens (In His Arms) deftly investigates

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these questions, but the real engine of the narrative is Claire’s dangerous energy and uncomfortable articulation of sexual conflict and inequality. VERDICT A wellconstructed example of literary/commercial crossover that will prickle readers.

Louis, Édouard. The End of Eddy. Farrar.

May 2017. 208p. tr. from French by Michael Lucey. ISBN 9780374266653. $25; ebk. ISBN 9780374716394. F Louis was born in a factory town in northern France with the name of his narrator, Eddy Bellegueule, a real tough guy’s name (bellegueule means, roughly, “beautiful trap,” with trap here meaning mouth).

But anguished young Eddy is no tough guy, instead suffering constant bullying for his so-called fancy ways; even his parents call him pussy, the worst insult they could deliver. In a place where men are expected to be men and women and children can expect to be belted into submission, Eddy is the relentlessly targeted outsider disproving the adage that names can never hurt you and suffering real beatings besides. Fighting panic attacks, skirting his tormentors, trying to get it on with girls before “losing the battle between my desire to become a tough guy and the desire of my own body,” Eddy finally finds a convincing and satisfying way to triumph, if imperfectly. VERDICT An autobiographical first novel that made Louis a star in France and an international sensation, this work is occasionally repetitious but ultimately deeply affecting. [See Prepub Alert, 12/1/16.]

Majdalani, Charif. Moving the Palace.

New Vessel. Apr. 2017. 200p. tr. from French

by Edward Gauvin. ISBN 9781939931467. pap. $17.95. F Winner of the François Mauriac Prize from the Académie Française, this utterly charming and, yes, moving novel takes us on a journey through early 1900s Sudan, Egypt, and the Arabian Peninsula that unexpectedly ends in sweet victory.

Unlike other Lebanese emigrants of the era, Samuel Ayyad leaves home not for the United States or even Zanzibar but for the dusty and difficult Sudan, where he serves as translator for a wily and possibly batty British colonel facing rebellion. Samuel, from a distinguished literary family of Lebanese Protestants, is occasionally irked by how he’s treated but does his job well enough to be entrusted with a message and eventually bags of gold for sultan Qasim Wad Jabra, whom the British are wooing. The gold in particular comes in handy when Samuel encounters compatriot

Shafik Abyad, who has purchased a palace in Tripoli. Shafik intends to sell the palace, but it has no local bidders, so he breaks it down and loads it up on the backs of hundreds of stalwart camels and wanders the desert, intent on selling the palace only in its entirety. Samuel and Shafik quickly join forces, and the result is a victory of human ingenuity and a joyous picaresque. ­VERDICT Beautiful fun that also gives a deeper sense of Middle East history.

Pleijel, Agneta. A Fortune Foretold. Other.

Jun. 2017. 256p. tr. from Swedish by Marlaine Delargy. ISBN 9781590518304. pap. $14.95: ebk. ISBN 9781590518311. F “Childhood is a no-man’sland” proclaims this lucidly written autobiographical novel from distinguished Swedish author/critic Pleijel, which slips among first, second, and third person as it chronicles a difficult 1950s upbringing.

With her warm yet self-absorbed professor father and depressed, hypercritical pianist mother incessantly at each other’s throats, Neta ends up full of fear, doubt, and self-loathing, always taking blame on herself.

Moving around constantly owing to her father’s job doesn’t help, as she’s ever the outsider, at a new school nearly every year, and she has fantastical moments where she imagines knives flying through the air.

Quietly unconventional Aunt Ricki is the one bright spot in her life, and Neta clings hopefully to a fortune-teller’s prediction that Ricki will find true love. VERDICT Neta is a sympathetic character, and readers who enjoy coming-ofage stories will appreciate how Pleijel refreshes the trope, realistically giving us a young heroine who understands the world in bits and pieces, as if flying through clouds.

Sansal, Boualem. 2084. Europa. Jan. 2017.

240p. tr. from French by Alison Anderson.

ISBN 9781609453664. pap. $17; ebk. ISBN 9781609453695. F Intriguing and potentially controversial because of the unexpected overlay of Islamic belief, this new work by Algerian author Sansal is another example of the dystopian literature attracting interest after the 2016 presidential election. Here, the prophet Abi rules rigidly in the name of the god Yolah, proclaiming that “submis-

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sion is faith and faith is truth.” Order has been restored after a horrific war left millions dead, and belief in the one true god is mandatory, with punishment swift for anyone who does not conform. Ati has returned to Abistan’s capital after a two-year absence spent in pilgrimage and at a sanatorium. Although he falls into a routine, he no longer takes pleasure in common activities like spying. With a colleague, he begins excursions into so-called ghettos and realizes that somewhere out there are civilizations where freedom is possible and the old beliefs survive. That puts him on a dangerous journey. VERDICT Sharply satiric but portentous and sometimes distancing, the narrative takes some getting used to, but it’s worthwhile watching Sansal dig fiercely into the essence of the all-controlling religious belief he roundly condemns.

Winner of the Grand Prix du Roman from the Académie Française.

.Scego, Igiaba. Adua. New Vessel. Jun. 2017. 185p. tr. from Italian by Jamie Richards. ISBN 9781939931450. pap. $17.95. F In her lucid and forthright novel, Italian novelist/journalist Scego—born to Somali parents who fled the 1969 coup d’état—examines the linked consequences of Italian colonization, instability in 1970s Somalia, and the current refugee crisis in Europe. Adua, whose mother died in childbirth, was seven or eight when her father, Zoppe, arrived to take her from caretakers in the bush to the big city. An interpreter for Mussolini’s regime, Zoppe landed in Rome and suffered extreme prejudice and imprisonment for his black skin, experiences that hardened him and that serve as an effective counterpoint to Adua’s own experiences after she herself flees to Rome. Adua was driven out by sectarian violence and the cruelty of her father. But now Somalia’s civil war is over, her father has died, and she has an inherited the family home. Should she return? In Rome, she has a much younger husband, a refugee she married to help him after his arduous Mediterranean crossing and for whom she feels responsible. But her identity could lie in the other direction.

VERDICT An illuminating work appropriate for a wide range of readers.

Barbara Hoffert is editor, Prepub Alert, LJ

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arts & humanities Fine Arts

Bailey, Martin. Studio of the South: Van Gogh in Provence. Frances Lincoln. Nov. 2016. 224p. illus. notes. bibliog. index. ISBN 9780711236677. $40. FINE ARTS

Vincent van Gogh scholar Bailey chronicles the 15 months the artist spent in Provence, France, 1888–89, producing close to 200 wonderful works. Using original correspondence, local records, and, when possible, interviews with the area’s inhabitants whose family memories of the artist lend a very personal touch, the author re-creates days of intense creativity, anxiety, loneliness, and, perhaps madness. Van Gogh’s letters are used to describe his strong reaction to his surroundings. Bailey also addresses the famous ear mutilation episode and its possible causes (he opines that a major factor was the impending marriage of his brother, Theo, as well as the end of his friendship

The diverse career of renowned photographer Cowans (b. 1936) has spanned more than six decades and defied genre categorization. From working as a U.S. Navy photographer, apprenticing with photographer Gordon Parks, documenting civil rights activism, and shooting publicity on Hollywood sets, his oeuvre is massive.

This beautiful retrospective not only includes ­Cowans’s own work but also five critical essays by Parks, Anthony Barboza, Tuliza Fleming, Romare Bearden, and Dòwòti Désir. The book is organized by genre sections: “Urban” (Harlem street photography and photos from the civil rights movement), “Voice” (intimate portraits of African American jazz musicians), and “Heroes” (portraits of African American activists and artists, as well as famous actors from his motion picture days). “Water” contains complex, abstract images that

­ riedman, director of American Homes and F managing partner of documentary development and production company Flying Mind, interviews more than 30 leaders in the architecture field. His focus is on the American idea of home and the many types of housing that embody it. Award-winning and renowned architects, interior designers, and architectural critics, including D ­ enise Scott Brown, Kenneth Frampton, Paul ­Goldberger, Charles Gwathmey, Tracy Kidder, Thom Mayne, Richard Meier, Lee Mindel, ­Robert A.M. Stern, Robert Venturi, Sam Watters, and others, discuss five overarching themes: the functions and meanings of home; history, tradition, and change in residential architecture; activism, sustainability, and the environment; cities, suburbs, and regions; and technology, innovation, and materials. An insightful collection of conversations, this publication sheds new light on U.S. residences, architectural design and practices, new building and computer technologies, and much more. VERDICT Of considerable interest to students, scholars, and professionals in the visual and design arts fields, this noteworthy and enlightening book belongs in many large public and academic library collections.—Cheryl Ann Lajos, Broward Cty. Lib., FL Goldhagen, Sarah Williams. Welcome to Your World: How the Built Environment Shapes Our Lives. Harper. Apr. 2017. 384p. illus. notes. index. ISBN 9780061957802. $40; ebk. ISBN 9780062199188. ARCH

Art lovers, take note; a familiar tale told in a refreshing way; starling-inspired & memorable

with fellow artist Paul Gaugin). With an art historian’s ability to make the past come alive on the page and a researcher’s gift for unearthing new material on an old subject, Bailey brings readers to Provence, stopping to look into a doorway, read a medical record, and find van Gogh’s favorite brothel.

Excellent illustrations in full color depict the places that inspired such a multitude of splendid paintings. VERDICT An interesting addition to the vast literature on this troubled artist from an author who clearly knows his subject well.—Paula Frosch, Metro-

demonstrate his extensive range. Cowans’s work has been widely exhibited in museums such as New York’s Museum of Modern Art, Metropolitan Museum of Art, and George Eastman House. This is the first monograph for the Connecticut resident. VERDICT Recommended for enthusiasts of photography and African American history.—Shauna Frischkorn, Millersville Univ., PA

politan Museum of Art Lib., New York

photos. ISBN 9781477312865. $27.95; ebk.

ISBN 9781477312896. ARCH

Cowans, Adger. Personal Vision: Photographs.

Glitterati. Jan. 2017. 288p. photos. index. ISBN 9780986250064. $75. PHOTOG

Friedman, Bernard. The American Idea of Home: Conversations About Architecture and Design. Univ. of Texas. May 2017. 186p.

In this thoughtfully organized, nicely illustrated, and sufficiently well-documented publication, documentary f ilmmaker

Architecture critic Goldhagen explores the effect of urban design and the built environment on our psyches. She offers a set of observations on subjects as ancient as the caryatid porch on the Acropolis in Athens and as modern as the flying staircase of architect Oscar Niemeyer’s Itamaraty Palace at Brasília. Her abiding interest is the capacity of cities, public spaces, and places for people to nurture community and sustain healthy human interaction. In seven chapters with abstruse titles (e.g., “Designing for Humans”), the author’s admiration for architect Louis Kahn fuels an illuminating search for timeless qualities in the canon of modern architecture. Occasional platitudes (“human beings are strongly drawn to bilateral symmetry”) are wisely supported by original and engaging speculation. That fresh perspective, however, would have been more accessible with classified chapters, as in Steen

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Eiler Rasmussen’s Experiencing Architecture, Witold Rybczynski’s How Architecture Works: A Humanist’s Toolkit, and Robert Venturi’s seminal Complexity and Contradiction in Architecture. VERDICT With neither a chronological nor typological order, this otherwise important book is a welcome addition to libraries with comprehensive collections of architectural theory. Undergraduate students are unlikely to find their way through it.—Paul Glassman, Yeshiva Univ. Libs., New York Jones, Kellie. South of Pico: African American Artists in Los Angeles in the 1960s and 1970s. Duke Univ. Apr. 2017.

416p. illus. notes. bibliog. index. ISBN 9780822361459. $99.95; pap. ISBN 9780822361640. $28.95; ebk. ISBN 9780822374169. FINE ARTS

Art historian Jones (Columbia Univ.) skillfully unveils origin stories among successful black artists in postwar California, and the resulting aesthetic variety within the context of the civil rights era. A typical chapter describes three artists’ roles in establishing recognition and style. Charles White, formerly a WPA (Works Progress Administration) muralist, modernized his already politicized look with black nationalist influences. L.A. native Angeleno Betye Saar started in “decorative arts”—a relatively safe haven for African American women at the time—through her later work as a printmaker and assemblage artist, dealing with issues of black feminist identity. Prolific sculptor Mel Edwards’s 1965 solo show catapulted him to the forefront of the L.A. art scene, with works that blended the polemical with the surreal in a way that now seems organic to the period. Elsewhere, the book sparkles with piquant portraits of influential people: the pioneer of assemblage Noah Purifoy and L.A.’s first black librarian and champion of artists of color Miriam Matthews are only two exemplars. Despite the heady intensity of her writing, Jones keeps her chapters and analysis to digestible lengths, resulting in an effectively engaging account of an important slice of American cultural history. VERDICT An ambitious and groundbreaking piece of scholarship adding to the literature tracking California’s vanguard role in art.—Douglas F. Smith, Oakland P.L. Robert Rauschenberg. Museum of Modern Art. Dec. 2016. 392p. ed. by Leah Dickerman & Achim Borchardt-Hume. illus. notes. index.

ISBN 9781633450202. $75; pap. ISBN 9780870707674. $9.95. FINE ARTS

There have been previous retrospectives (the last in 1997) of American postwar artist Robert Rauschenberg (1925–2008), but this catalog of an exhibition jointly

organized by London’s Tate Modern and New York’s Museum of Modern Art is the f irst posthumous survey, treating the full span of his extraordinary career.

Rauschenberg’s interdisciplinary approach and interest in art-as-performance defined an exhilarating new style, emulated by creators today. Although somewhat lengthy, this title is a pleasure to browse, with attractive layouts, excellent blackand-white and color photos of his work, portraits of the artist, images of ephemeral items such as notes penned by Rauschenberg, and more. The exhibitions’ lead curators, ­Dickerman and Borchardt-Hume, with over a dozen additional writers, address every phase of Rauschenberg’s career in 16 essays. The range of media in which he worked is dizzying: collage; painting; his unique sculpture/painting “combines”; screen printing; choreography; and art/ technology experiments, among others, but the title’s organization adroitly steers the reader through it all. The essays are footnoted and should be commended for clarity and directness. VERDICT Highly recommended both for newcomers to a figure who redefined art, as well as serious students.—Michael Dashkin, New York

.Treasures of Asian Art: The Asia

Society Museum Collection. Prestel. Jan. 2017. 432p. ed. by Denise Patry Leidy & others. illus. notes. bibliog. index. ISBN 9783791356167. $85. FINE ARTS

Art-loving readers should take note of this large-format, abundantly illustrated book, which commemorates the 60th anniversary of the Asia Society’s founding. The text (revised and expanded from the 1994 edition) begins with an overview of the Rockefeller Collection, the nucleus of the Asia Society’s holdings, by Sherman Lee (former director & curator, Cleveland Museum of Art). Asia Society curators Adriana Proser and Michelle Yun introduce the current Asia Society collection by presenting several common themes in both traditional and contemporary Asian art. Proser and ­Patry Leidy (curator, Yale Univ. Art Gallery) use a cultural and chronological approach for the “Traditional Collection,” with objects from the Asia Society’s collection as examples. The book continues with a section on the “Contemporary Collection” (Yun), begun in 2007 and comprising work in new media by Asian and Asian American artists.

The volume concludes with a chapter on attribution—important because Asian art is known for modern replicas of art from earlier periods, and even outright forgeries. Additional material includes a map of Asia and a glossary. VERDICT This book would be a worthwhile investment for any-

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one interested in Asian art and culture.— Martha Smith, Elmira Coll. Lib., NY

Literature

Coupland, Douglas. Bit Rot: stories + essays.

Blue Rider: Penguin. Mar. 2017. 432p.

ISBN 9780399575808. $27; ebk. ISBN 9780399575792. LIT

Writer and artist Coupland’s (Generation X: Tales for an Accelerated Culture) collection comprises brief essays and stories of previously unpublished content, which alternate among treatments of everyday life in the postmodern era and are essentially ruminations on topics as varied as the author’s childhood, politics, religion, and what it means to live in the 21st century. The fictional chapters can be at times jarring, at others playful, but overall this work succeeds in drawing the reader into tiny Couplandian worlds. What ­Coupland does best is keep the reader engrossed and off balanced, so that one never really finds a comfortable spot from which to observe both the horrors and sorrows of the first decade of the 21st century. Since the timeframe of these meditative works includes 2005 to present, the content reflects the tumultuous decade for which the seasoned and prolific writer expounds. The f low from nonfiction to fictional chapters represents a fine example of a postmodern narrative. VERDICT This work will ultimately be of most interest to die-hard Coupland fans. [See Prepub Alert, 10/3/2016.]—Jim Hahn, Univ. Lib., Univ. of I­llinois, Urbana

Flynt, Wayne. Mockingbird Songs: My Friendship with Harper Lee. Harper. May 2017. 224p. photos. ISBN 9780062660084. $25.99; ebk. ISBN 9780062660107. LIT

Flynt (emeritus history, Auburn Univ., AL) is the author of 13 books on Southern history, politics, and religion. This volume, which celebrates his 20-plus year (which included a break of 12 years) friendship with (Nelle) Harper Lee, author of To Kill a Mockingbird, formed late in both of their lives, is largely an epistolary memoir. The historian and the novelist wrote to each other about friends and family, mutually shared interests such as Alabama history and literature, and matters of health. As their relationship progressed, so did the intertwining of their families. Flynt and his wife, Dartie, came to know Lee’s sisters and nephew; their son named his daughter Harper, after the author. Flynt’s discretion, as a friend and as the Baptist minister Lee trusted to speak at her memorial service, serves his friend well. VERDICT With this work, Flynt offers an overview of Lee’s life with admiration, humor, and palpable APRIL 1, 2017 | LIBRARY JOURNAL | 85

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ARTS & HUMANITIES love. [See Prepub Alert, 11/27/16.] — Pam Kingsbury, Univ. of North Alabama, Florence Gaitskill, Mary. Somebody with a Little Hammer: Essays. Pantheon. Apr. 2017. 288p.

ISBN 9780307378224. $25.95; ebk. ISBN 9781101871775. LIT

Novelist and short story writer Gaitskill’s (The Mare, Veronica, and others) first collection of essays spans the years 1994–2016. All of the pieces were previously published in magazines (e.g., Book Forum, Village Voice) or as book introductions (Charles Dickens’s Bleak House). They are wide-ranging, from reviews of novels (e.g., Joyce Carol Oates’s Blonde, Gillian Flynn’s Gone Girl), movies (e.g., Secretary, video artist Laurel Nakadate), and music (e.g., Talking Heads, Bjork), to personal essays on grief, power, rape, and victim culture. Gaitskill has a straightforward, precise, sometimes blunt style that steers clear of cliché and sentimentality yet doesn’t shy away from difficult subjects or painful observations. Many of the entries are brief, only three or four pages, with a few longer ones. “Lost Cat” reaches roughly 40 pages and is among the best in the collection. VERDICT Some of the older essays feel a little dated, but overall, this anthology offers a variety of thoughtful and thoughtprovoking pieces. While this is probably not the best introduction to Gaitskill’s writing, fans will surely be eager to read it. [See Prepub Alert, 10/24/16.]—Stefanie Hollmichel, Univ. of St. Thomas Law Lib., Minneapolis

Gordon, Edmund. The Invention of Angela Carter: A Biography. Oxford Univ.

Mar. 2017. 544p. photos. notes. index.

ISBN 9780190626846. $35; ebk. ISBN 9780190626860. LIT

Gordon (English, King’s Coll. London) has written the first full-length biography of Angela Carter (1940–92), one of the most important English novelists of the second half of the 20th century. Carter is known, in her novels and short stories (The Magic Toyshop, “The Company of Wolves,” etc.) as a writer who incorporates elements of fantasy and fairy-tale imagination in her works. Though there have been previous critical studies of her fiction (and some biographical essays), Gordon’s book stands alone for its comprehensive examination. As Carter’s official biographer, he was allowed full access to her papers and to interview many of her family, friends, and literary colleagues. While some exhaustive details (literary conferences attended, etc.) may be of interest only to Carter’s many admirers rather than to general readers, this biography presents a vivid and comprehensive portrait of not only the writer but also the woman. Ad-

ditionally, the description of the times in which she lived put her themes and concerns into broader perspective. VERDICT Highly recommended for all comprehensive ­literature collections as well as for fans of Carter, who want to know more about how her personal biography inf luenced the themes of her fiction.—Morris Hounion, New York City Coll. of Technology, Brooklyn

Lethem, Jonathan. More Alive and Less Lonely: On Books and Writers. Melville House. Mar. 2017. 336p. ed. by Christopher Boucher. ISBN 9781612196039. $26.99; ebk.

ISBN 9781612196046. LIT

In this collection, novelist and essayist ­Lethem (Motherless Brooklyn; Fortress of Solitude) brings together decades of book reviews, introductions to anthologies and collected works, and other criticism that reveal his inquisitive and expansive reading habits. Lethem delivers these pieces in a relaxed, loose style, and as a novelist-critic, his language is typically articulate and sophisticated. He addresses the work under consideration with humorous and sometimes obsessive anecdotes about his own life, such as the stories told here in the selections about novelists Philip Roth or Kazuo Ishiguro.

Lethem describes this approach as “more personal, more willingly subjective,” and its overall effect is to bring the reader closer to the well-known (and less well-known) writers under review, and also to Lethem.

The collection is edited and introduced by Boucher (English, Boston Coll.; Golden Delicious). VERDICT With such a wide variety of writings, at times this volume feels lacking in an overall coherent theme, but readers will be consistently won over by Lethem’s sense of discovery. His sui generis criticism will leave readers wanting to read the books he discusses.—Doug Diesenhaus, Univ. of North Carolina, Chapel Hill

.Paul, Pamela. My Life with Bob: Flawed

Heroine Keeps Book of Books, Plot Ensues.

Holt. May 2017. 256p. ISBN 9781627796316. $27; ebk. ISBN 9781627796323. LIT

Prepub Alert editor Barbara Hoffert’s December 2016 write-up for this book sent librarians scrambling in anticipation of an unparalleled book list and a love letter to reading. The actual memoir requires attention to the subtitle. Yes, there’s the list and love letter, but Bob (book of books), the notebook and reading record that has accompanied Paul (editor, New York Times Book Review) since high school, is in some ways a shorthand diary. Bob is the backbone of a witty, heartfelt, deeply optimistic narrative. It’s a familiar tale: the development of a die-hard reader. Paul weathers disastrous foreign exchange experiences,

living abroad, travel, and relationships (personal and professional), and she does it all inspired by and accompanied by books. The plot is fine; the flawed heroine does what f lawed heroines are supposed to do: learn, and make the reader laugh, cry, think, and probably learn something.

VERDICT Titles about reading and books abound, but this memoir stands in a class by itself. Bibliophiles will treasure, but the addictive storytelling and high-quality writing will vastly increase its audience.

Highly recommended. [See Prepub Alert, 12/5/16.] —Audrey Snowden, Orrington P.L., ME The Sorcerer’s Apprentice: An Anthology of Magical Tales. Princeton Univ. Apr. 2017. 480p. ed. by Jack Zipes. illus. by Natalie Frank. photos. filmog. bibliog. index.

ISBN 9780691172651. $35; ebk. ISBN 9781400885633. LIT

Editor Zipes (German & comparative literature emeritus, Univ. of Minnesota) starts with an examination of the Harry Potter novels as fairy tales, set squarely within the “magician and his pupil” fairy-tale type. He then explains the ways in which the Harry Potter phenomenon is not phenomenal, as the root of the stories’ tropes extend through time and around the world. The preface references Elisabeth Young-Bruehl’s Childism: Confronting Prejudice Against Children, then explains how commodification has corrupted the magician-pupil tale type and obscured the lessons it can teach about child abuse and exploitation, framing the book as a way to correct the record. This correction begins, again, with Harry Potter, explaining how the series’ success rested equally on its novelty and its conformity—asserting that the innovation of a modern-day wizarding school succeeded primarily by building on a long tradition of tales. Following the preface is a comprehensive anthology of those same tales, divided into three subcategories and arranged chronologically within the groups.

Also of note are artist Frank’s gorgeous illustrations, marking her second collaboration with Zipes (after Natalie Frank: Tales of the Brothers Grimm, which contained essays

by Zipes, among others). VERDICT Recommended for all adult readers of fairy tales, fantasy, and criticism.—Jenny Brewer, Helen Hall Lib., League City, TX

Stevens, Nell. Bleaker House: Chasing My Novel to the End of the World. Doubleday.

Mar. 2017. 256p. ISBN 9780385541558. $25.95; ebk. ISBN 9780385541565. LIT

Memoir, travelog, writer’s lament, Stevens’s book is a lot of things—a glimpse at an author’s process, a rumination on loneliness vs. solitude, the consequence of a seemingly arbitrary choice (take a map,

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pick a place), and what happens when you try to survive on powdered foods and Ferrero Rocher for an extended period of time. Eat, Pray, Love this is not, though that does make an amusing cameo. Stevens isn’t out to find herself; she’s out to find her novel. She wants to thrive on extreme discipline and no distractions and travels to Bleaker Island in the Falklands to work. What happens in between is the story of creating this volume. In a curious, experimental blend of fiction, memoir, and story, this book takes the reader on an unexpected journey. You expect to discover a novel at the end, but instead you unearth a voice that is as unique as the rugged little island of Bleaker.

VERDICT A treat to read, this book is def initely a genre bender, perfect for readers of literary fiction, short story collections, and/or creative writing memoirs.— Gricel Dominguez, Florida International Univ. Lib.

Performing Arts

Bloom, Harold. Falstaff: Give Me Life. Scribner. Apr. 2017. 176p. ISBN 9781501164132. $22; ebk. ISBN 9781501164156. THEATER

Shakespearean scholar Bloom (Sterling Professor of Humanities, Yale Univ.; Berg Professor of English, NYU; Shakespeare: The Invention of the Human) fits many treasures into a scant number of pages in what is first and foremost a moving personal appreciation of what Bloom considers Shakespeare’s most complete and effective character, Sir John Falstaff. The errant knight gets his due in Bloom’s moving description of how Shakespeare’s invention touched his life from adolescence on.

In addition, the reader is treated to a close reading of Falstaff in the histories (his appearance in The Merry Wives of Windsor is mercifully glossed over). Part of this analysis is devoted to the characters in the Henriad (newly dubbed “the Falstaffiad” in this study) who echo Sir John. Hotspur, Hal, and Henry IV are all viewed through the prism of the corpulent crusader and the insights are solid, if not revolutionary.

Bloom also devotes his attention to Falstaff in performance. Using Ralph Richardson’s legendary enactment at the Old Vic and Orson Welles in his neglected masterpiece Chimes at Midnight, Bloom demonstrates how the plays work not just on the page but in the theater. VERDICT An enchanting and appreciative celebration of Shakespeare’s greatest comic creation.— John Frank, Los Angeles P.L.

Geck, Martin. Beethoven’s Symphonies:

Nine Approaches to Art and Ideas.

Univ. of Chicago. May 2017. 192p.

tr. from German by Stewart Spencer. illus. notes. bibliog. ISBN 9780226453880. $26.

MUSIC

The nine symphonies of German composer Ludwig van Beethoven (1770–1827) are generally considered to be the crowning achievement of the symphonic genre, and most composers after Beethoven have believed they worked in his shadow. German emeritus professor Geck (Richard Wagner: A Life in Music) presents here his take on these masterworks, which were first performed between 1800 and 1826 and roughly follow Beethoven’s development as one of the greatest composers. As have others before him, the author views Beethoven as the counterpart to his contemporary French emperor Napoléon, and he suggests parallels between the changes Napoléon wrought in the political sphere and the advances Beethoven brought to music, not least by these musical productions. This slender volume is replete with cultural references that relate to the music, as well as commentary on how Beethoven’s peers viewed him. More than two-thirds of the book, which is meticulously translated by S­ pencer, is devoted to a detailed analysis of each symphony. VERDICT With abundant notes, a bibliography, and illustrations, mainly of the symphonies’ scores, this work is appropriate for scholars. Otherwise it is recommended only for the culturally and especially musically ­knowledgeable.—Edward B. Cone, New York Haupt, Lyanda Lynn. Mozart’s Starling.

Little, Brown. Apr. 2017. 288p. photos. notes. bibliog. ISBN 9780316370899. $27; ebk.

ISBN 9780316370875. MUSIC

Haupt (The Urban Bestiary) intertwines the story of composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s starling with her own story of living with one of America’s most hated birds, the starling. Mozart discovered his bird in a 1780s Vienna pet shop singing a tune from his latest concerto; when it died, he arranged an elaborate ceremony complete with dramatic elegy. This book is part history (the origin of North American starlings), part natural history (the habits and psychology of starlings, from both personal experience and the scientific literature), and part whimsical imagining of how the bird might have lived within the busy Mozart household. Along the way, Haupt discusses the changing view of pets in M ­ ozart’s time, the nature of language (the starling as a challenge to linguist Noam Chomsky), Mozart’s A Musical Joke as starling-inspired, a consideration of whether birdsong is music, and the meaning of three funerals: that of Mozart’s father, his starling, and ­the composer

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himself. VERDICT This entertaining, wellwritten, and thought-provoking examination is highly recommended to pet owners (especially bird enthusiasts), ornithologists, and lovers of classical music, especially Mozart’s works.—Bruce R. ­Schueneman, Texas A&M Univ. Lib., Kingsville

Holley, Chuck. A Perfectly Good Guitar.

Univ. of Texas. May 2017. 208p. photos.

ISBN 9781477312575. $34.95; ebk. ISBN 9781477312599. MUSIC

Photographer and writer Holley asked guitarists around the United States about their favorite instruments and assembled a fine collection of their stories along with photographs of the musicians and the cherished tools that inspired them. Surprisingly, the artists are not all household names, although many are well known, such as Bill Frisell, Dave Alvin, and Rosanne Cash. Others include professional recording artists, performers, and even a few with day jobs. The unifying thread is a deep appreciation for music and an indelible bond with a special guitar. Some have a chronicled history, such as Jack Lawrence’s 1945 Martin D–18, which was played by bluegrass star Doc Watson on many iconic recordings, while others are filled with personal connections, such as Cindy Cashdollar’s handcrafted lap steel “The Phoenix.” The photographs are rife with compelling details such as the tactile grip of a knurled Telecaster knob or the wizened fretboard of an old Gibson f lattop, and throughout the accounts and images pulse with affection and the love of music. ­ ERDICT This warm trove of portraits of V players and their guitars is recommended for music fans and strummers alike.— Dan McClure, Seattle, WA

McKeen, William. Everybody Had an Ocean: Music and Mayhem in 1960s Los Angeles.

Chicago Review. Apr. 2017. 432p. discog. notes. bibliog. index. ISBN 9781613734919. $26.99; ebk. ISBN 9781613734940. MUSIC

The opening vignette detailing Beach Boy Dennis Wilson’s initial encounter with Charles Manson sets the tone for McKeen’s (journalism, Boston Univ.; Mile Marker Zero, Too Old To Die Young) latest foray into narrative nonfiction. With equal appreciation for the pop music emanating from Southern California’s musicians in the 1960s, McKeen also illuminates the lascivious, drugaddicted, and criminal activity undertaken by its makers. Though the central narrative is focused on the development of the Beach Boys and their enigmatic front man, Brian Wilson, McKeen relates their tragic success to seemingly unrelated artists of the same generation: Tina Turner and Joni Mitchell.

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ARTS & HUMANITIES In the tradition of music journalism, McKeen’s language oscillates between historian and superfan depending on the artist. His love for the Beach Boys, for example, is noticeable in prose and tone. VERDICT There is no shortage of literature dedicated to the music of this decade in American history.

However, McKeen manages to hint at some larger forces, both dark and bright, that constellated this particular group of artists underneath the palm trees of La-La Land.— Joshua Finnell, Los Alamos National Lab., NM

Neibaur, James L. The Monster Movies of Universal Studios. Rowman & Littlefield. Jun. 2017. 224p. illus. notes. bibliog. index. ISBN 9781442278165. $38. FILM

Like Dr. Frankenstein, Universal Studios under Carl Laemmle Jr., brought the monster movie genre to terrifying new life with the 1931 Tod Browning–directed film D ­ racula starring Bela Lugosi in his most iconic role. The characterizations of Dracula and Frankenstein’s monster by Lugosi and Boris Karloff, as well as the studio’s costume and makeup design, ensured that Universal’s monsters would become the standard representation of these literary monsters in popular culture. In chronological order, historian Neibaur (The Fall of Buster Keaton) details the production and reception of each monster movie produced by the studio between 1931 and 1956, including such classics as Frankenstein, The Invisible Man, The Mummy, The Wolf Man, Creature from the Black Lagoon, and each of their respective sequels. The author provides insight into the challenges that the actors faced in the roles that made them household names. VERDICT Neibaur’s book honors Universal’s horror legacy with exhaustive research. The detailed breakdowns of each film makes this an excellent resource for film students and monster movie fanatics.—Amanda Westfall, Emmet O’Neal P.L., Mountain Brook, AL

Oldham, Gabriella & Mabel Langdon. Harry Langdon: King of Silent Comedy. Univ. Pr. of Kentucky. Apr. 2017. 346p. photos. filmog. notes. bibliog. index. ISBN 9780813169651. $40; ebk. ISBN 9780813169675. FILM

Some have called Harry Langdon (1884– 1944) the “fourth king of silent comedy,” just behind Charlie Chaplin, Buster ­Keaton, and Harold Lloyd in the pantheon. Noted for his sad, childlike face and a body racked by “f litting hesitant motions,” Langdon pursued a life on the stage, working his way up through medicine shows, the circus, and Vaudeville.

Hollywood eventually beckoned, and he became part of director Mack Sennett’s famed comedy team, appearing alongside

Sennett’s “bathing beauties.” Langdon’s relationship with Sennett was rocky, and he also had a difficult later relationship with writer, gagman, and director Frank Capra, who claimed Langdon was crippled by the “virus of conceit,” and Capra helped fix Langdon’s image as a tragic figure in the public’s mind. Unlike other comedy masters, Langdon didn’t always play to his strengths, dividing both audiences and critics. The coming of sound and shifting public tastes unmoored him, and money troubles compounded by his two divorces led him to work in unsuitable projects. However, contrary to popular belief, he enjoyed a late-career modest comeback and a measure of personal happiness. ­VERDICT With valuable details on ­Langdon’s early life, discussions of his comedy routines, and miniessay endnotes, this is recommended as an overdue tribute to an overlooked master.—Stephen Rees, ­formerly with Levittown Lib., PA

Winters, John J. Sam Shepard: A Life.

Counterpoint. Apr. 2017. 480p. photos. notes.

ISBN 9781619027084. $28; ebk. ISBN 9781619029842. BIOG

A Pulitzer Prize–winning playwright for Buried Child, Sam Shepard (b. 1943) is an enigma in the world of theater and film.

Nominated for an Academy Award for his role as Chuck Yeager in The Right Stuff, he is also accomplished in other performing arts, notably music and songwriting.

Several of Shepard’s plays have been on Broadway, including Buried Child as well as True West. The first part of journalist, critic, and Shepard scholar Winters’s book discusses Shepard’s early years and his stormy relationship with his father while growing up in Illinois and California. It delves into Shepard’s romantic relationships, including with singer-songwriter Patti Smith, and the great love of his life, actress Jessica Lange. Although Shepard was fiercely private about his relationship with Lange, this volume details their romance and the journals they would write to each other. Other interesting people making appearances include the playwright’s former father-in-law and best friend Johnny Dark, with whom Shepard filmed the documentary Shepard and Dark.

VERDICT Highly recommended to theater and movie lovers.—Holly Skir, York Coll., CUNY Wolfe, Brendan. Finding Bix: The Life and Afterlife of a Jazz Legend. Univ. of Iowa.

May 2017. 272p. illus. notes. index. ISBN 9781609385064. pap. $24.95; ebk. ISBN 9781609385071. MUSIC

Hailing from Bix Beiderbecke’s (1903–31) hometown of Davenport, IA, the author

charts his personal quest to understand the somewhat elusive history and character of the jazz cornetist. Wolfe begins with a brief history of the town and its role in nurturing Beiderbecke. He continues with the now familiar story: Beiderbecke as a child prodigy on piano; his first infatuation with jazz and supposed meeting with Louis Armstrong; his dedication to jazz in Chicago; his heyday with the Paul Whiteman Orchestra; his precipitous decline after only six years; and his death from alcoholism. Throughout, he weighs the sometimes contradictory evidence in previous works about ­Beiderbecke, such as Richard Sudhalter and Philip Evans’s meticulous Bix: Man and Legend, and Ralph ­Berton’s more chatty Remembering Bix. V ­ ERDICT Breezy, engaging, and entertaining, this new entry in the ­Beiderbecke bibliography will be a fascinating starting point for those unfamiliar with the musician but will be of less interest to jazz fans who already know the basic story.— David P. Szatmary, formerly Univ. of Washington

Wolff, Daniel. Grown-Up Anger: The Connected Mysteries of Bob Dylan, Woody Guthrie, and the Calumet Massacre of 1913.

Harper. Jun. 2017. 368p. notes. bibliog. index.

ISBN 9780062451699. $26.99; ebk. ISBN 9780062451712. MUSIC

On Christmas Eve, 1913, 73 people (mostly children) were killed in a stampede at a Christmas party in Calumet, MI. This tragedy, related to a bitter copper miners’ strike, was commemorated in Woody Guthrie’s 1945 song “1913 Massacre,” and is at the core of this book.

Wolff (4th of July, Asbury Park; You Send Me: The Life and Times of Sam Cooke) weaves Calumet and early labor strife into a dual biography of Guthrie (1912–67) and Bob Dylan (b. 1941). It alternates chapters relating Guthrie’s and Dylan’s formative years, emphasizing how injustice and older folk and blues music influenced their songs. His chapter on the stampede, its aftermath, and Guthrie’s song, is very effective and moving. Two personal essays bookend this work. In the first chapter, Wolff writes about his discovery of Dylan as a high school student and the profound impact of “Like a Rolling Stone.” He concludes with an almost Orwellian account of a 2013 visit to ­Calumet, where he visited the cemeteries and saw the remains of a once-thriving mining town. VERDICT Readers with an interest in American political and labor history will most appreciate this book. Fans of Dylan and Guthrie will be in familiar territory but will also learn about strands of inf luence on their ➔ CONTINUED ON P. 91

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Legendary moments in baseball, past and present

Diamond Legacies Ankiel, Rick & Tim Brown. The Phenomenon: Pressure, the Yips, and the Pitch That Changed My Life. PublicAffairs.

Apr. 2017. 304p. ISBN 9781610396868. $27; ebk. ISBN 9781610396875. SPORTS Local legend, high school superstar, big league talent—there, in a nutshell, is Ankiel (b. 1979). After being drafted to the minor leagues straight out of high school in 1997, Ankiel was promoted to the majors with the St. Louis Cardinals in 1999. In his first full season with the Cardinals, he started 30 games with a 11–7 record. But in the third inning of the 2000 National League Division Series against the Atlanta Braves he developed the yips, or focal dystonia, which prevented him from throwing strikes.

Lifted for a reliever in the third inning, Ankiel pitched again in games two and five of the championship series against the New York Yankees, again walking batters and throwing wild pitches. He was never again successful as a pitcher but reinvented his game as an outfielder and hitter, spending seven seasons with six different teams. His story, told here with sportswriter Brown, is beyond compelling, mixing tragedy with humor. Ankiel beat the odds as a rookie pitcher and, again, as a position player. VERDICT For Ankiel, baseball became more than a game to be played on the field, and his journey is reading well spent.—Boyd Childress, ­formerly with Auburn Univ. Libs., AL

Borders, Ila Jane & Jean Hastings Ardell.

Making My Pitch: A Woman’s Baseball Odyssey. Univ. of Nebraska. Apr. 2017.

264p. ISBN 9780803285309. $26.95; ebk. ISBN 9781496200204. SPORTS The story of Ila Jane Borders (b.

1975), the first woman to win a men’s college baseball game and a pioneer for women in professional baseball, has faded into history. Twenty years ago, she signed a minor league contract with an independent men’s baseball team, proving herself in the clubhouse as well as on the pitcher’s mound. While we are still waiting for the first woman to appear on a major league roster, Borders made meaningful progress, maintaining her poise and sense of humor, despite

teammates and fans who wanted to test her resolve, even enduring stalkers and death threats. A difficult childhood and struggles with her sexual orientation gave her the inner fortitude to endure the isolation of being far from home in an often hostile environment, and her personal history, as chronicled here with the help of Ardell (Breaking into Baseball), is related with painful honesty. Borders’s conversational style and intriguing life story make this title a winner for both public and academic libraries. VERDICT An inspiring and important account, told with grace and self-awareness that will appeal to baseball and sports fans along with readers interested in LGBTQ memoirs.—Janet Davis, Darien P.L., CT

Eisenberg, John. The Streak: Lou Gehrig, Cal Ripken, and Baseball’s Most Historic Record. Houghton Harcourt. Jul. 2017. 320p. notes. bibliog. index. ISBN 9780544107670. $26; ebk.

ISBN 9780544103979. SPORTS On May 2, 1939, Yankees manager Joe McCarthy agreed to leave a slumping and (though it wasn’t known at the time, mortally ill) Lou Gehrig on the bench for a day. This ended his streak of 2,130 consecutive games played and was thought to be a record for the ages. Until it wasn’t, as over a half century later Cal Ripken Jr. of the Baltimore Orioles put the Iron Horse in his rearview mirror and didn’t stop until he had appeared in 2,632 straight games. Here, veteran sportswriter Eisenberg depicts both men’s streaks as well as lesser ones, and in the process addresses several questions: How and why does a player accomplish such a feat? Can a player actually hurt his team by never taking a rest? Is Ripken’s record truly one for the ages? The answer to the latter is “likely,” as Ripken’s record doubles that of the third longest (and the longest of our era): Miguel Tejada’s 1,152, ending in 2007,

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followed by Prince Fielder’s 547, ending in 2014. VERDICT A readable and comprehensive look at one of baseball’s most arcane but incredible accomplishments.—Jim Burns, formerly with Jacksonville P.L., FL

Jones, Chipper with Carroll Rogers Walton.

Ballplayer. Dutton. Apr. 2017. 384p.

ISBN 9781101984406. $27; ebk. ISBN 9781101984413. SPORTS Any baseball fan of the 1990s and early 2000s knows about the dominance of the Atlanta Braves, including 14 consecutive division titles, five World Series appearances, and a sole championship in 1995. Larry Wayne “Chipper” Jones, a switch-hitting third basemen, was the best player on the Braves for most of their great run. With this book, Jones and sports journalist Walton take readers on a chronological journey: enrollment in prep school, first overall pick in the draft, riding the bus through the minors, and, finally, spending his 19year career with the Braves.

A self-proclaimed Southern boy, Jones found a home in Atlanta and took less money to stay and play there. He admits, however, he was never one to keep an opinion to himself.

He calls out teammates who disrespect him (including a few fistfights), gives heartfelt reasons for not taking steroids, and sets the record straight about his extramarital affairs. Throughout, Jones vividly describes many ballgames, putting readers in the moment as only a player can. VERDICT Fans of teams other than the Braves might open this book reluctantly—but they should for its lively, frank account of baseball at the turn of the 21st century. Recommended for all public library sports collections.—Keith Klang, Port Washington P.L., NY

Law, Keith. Smart Baseball: The Story

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ARTS & HUMANITIES It, and the Right Way To Think About Baseball. Harper. Apr. 2017. 304p. ISBN 9780062490223. $27.99; ebk. ISBN 9780062490254. SPORTS This book by ESPN sportswriter and analyst Law is both a primer on how sabermetrics are changing the way fans and professionals view baseball, as well as a thorough explanation of why traditional statistics are misleading or obsolete. Many fans consider sabermetrics and the rejection of traditional statistics to be blasphemous, but it cannot be denied that these new ways of measuring player performance have transformed the way the game is played. Defensive shifts and batting mechanics are just a few of the revolutionary effects. At the same time, traditional statistics such as the pitcher win and batting average ignore large aspects of the game and can misrepresent a player’s impact. Law’s background as an analyst gives him the knowledge and experience to put these different statistics in perspective and explain why they are more or less valuable. VERDICT If you’re unsure of the way the new statistics operate, or wonder why the old approaches are being disparaged, this book is for you. Savvy baseball fans may want to look for more advanced texts.—Matt Schirano, Univ. of Bridgeport Lib., CT

McDermott, Terry. Off Speed: Baseball,

Pitching, & the Art of Deception.

Pantheon. May 2017. 224p. illus. notes.

ISBN 9780307379429. $23.95; ebk. ISBN 9780307908896. SPORTS Hall of Fame pitcher Warren Spahn famously said that hitting is timing and pitching is upsetting timing. How players are able to achieve that is mystifying to even the most astute baseball fans.

Pitching has evolved far more rapidly than any other position, especially the variety of pitches thrown. McDermott (Perfect Soldiers) explores this evolution in his latest work, which is structured around the names of well-known pitches, such as the fastball, the curve, and the knuckleball. However, there are two other recurring narratives: memories from the author’s childhood and personal life, and an inning-by-inning recount of Félix Hernández’s perfect game thrown on August 15, 2012. While the book is ostensibly about pitching, McDermott’s intimate asides can be lengthy. Fortu-

nately, his stories are engaging and add warmth and personality, making this work more accessible then Robert Adair’s The Physics of Baseball. VERDICT Providing both insight into the art of pitching and a memoir on the role of the game in the life of a baseball fan, this work will be enjoyed by all lovers of the sport.—Brett Rohlwing, Milwaukee P.L.

.Positano, Rock. Dinner with

DiMaggio: Memories of an American Hero. S. & S. May 2017. 352p. ISBN

9781501156847. $26; ebk. ISBN 9781501156861. SPORTS Positano, (director, Non-Surgical Foot & Ankle Svc., Hosp. for Special Surgery) treated Joe DiMaggio (1914–99) for the heel injury that prematurely ended his career with the New York Yankees in 1951. Despite their more than 40-year age difference, the two became best friends. Here, the author shares funny and poignant stories about their lives, including DiMaggio’s personal codes of la bella figura (cutting a beautiful figure) and being a stand-up guy. However, this is no hagiography, as DiMaggio’s moodiness, temper, and judgmental arrogance are displayed. Yet, those qualities are balanced by a softer side, which shows his loyalty and devotion to family. Memorable tales include DiMaggio lamenting his loss of sexual prowess, awing a crowd, in his 80s slashing line drives to the outfield, and the bittersweet final dinner the men shared a few months before ­DiMaggio died from lung cancer. ­VERDICT Readers do not have to be baseball fans to be captivated by this memoir, which explores such universal themes as friendship, celebrity, aging, and mortality, and will appeal to admirers of Mitch Albom’s Tuesdays with ­Morrie. [See Prepub Alert, 12/5/16.] — Karl Helicher, formerly with Upper Merion Twp. Lib., King of Prussia, PA

Simon, Scott. My Cubs: A Love Story.

Blue Rider. Apr. 2017. 160p. ISBN 9780735218031. $23; ebk. ISBN 9780735218048. SPORTS The Chicago Cubs are notorious for being known as the “lovable losers”—a team that continued to lose for so many years that some believed they would never win another championship. Having last won a World Series in 1908, the Cubs were the only Major League

Baseball team that had not won a championship in over a century; the 2016 Cubs changed all that. Journalist Simon (NPR’s Weekend Edition), a lifelong, diehard Cubs fan, has written a personal reflection of his beloved Cubs and the journey to the championship season. As a passionate fan, Simon takes readers through a sometimes emotional trip down Cubs history, exploring the roller-coaster ride fans have been experiencing for several years. Considering the “Billy Goat” curse, black cats, and the incident with fan Steve Bartman, along with hope-filled teams that included players Ernie Banks, Fergie Jenkins, Lou Brock, Billy Williams, and Ron Santo, Simon paints the picture of what it was like to take the good with the bad. VERDICT Longtime Cubs fans will relate to Simon’s story, which makes for a quick and illuminating read.—Gus Palas, Ela Area P.L., Lake Zurich, IL

.Verducci, Tom. The Cubs Way:

The Zen of Building the Best Team in Baseball and Breaking the Curse.

Crown. Mar. 2017. 384p. ISBN 9780804190015. $28; ebk. ISBN 9780804190022. SPORTS In what is destined to become a classic of the genre, Sports Illustrated senior baseball writer Verducci (The Yankee Years) chronicles the epic story of the 2016 World Series Champion Chicago Cubs. He covers the five-year rebuilding project started in 2011 by newly hired team president Theo Epstein, which resulted in breaking the longest championship drought in North American professional sports history (108 years).

This book brilliantly interweaves the unforgettable drama of the seven-game World Series against the Cleveland Indians with the narrative background of how the Cubs got to that point, featuring the eccentric yet old-school managing of Joe Maddon; the acquisition of key players such as Anthony Rizzo, Kris ­Bryant, and Aroldis Chapman; and tales from the history of the “lovable losers,” including the Bleacher Bums.

Throughout, ­Verducci elegantly dances between poignant individual backstories, thoughtfully nuanced baseball philosophy, and thrilling play-by-play descriptions of significant moments on the field. VERDICT This volume will be cherished by Cubs fans and appreciated by all baseball ­lovers as a memorable and well-written account of a legendary sports story.—Brian Sullivan, Alfred Univ.

Lib., NY

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work.—Thomas Karel, Franklin & Marshall Coll.

Lib., Lancaster, PA

Zinoman, Jason. Letterman: The Last Giant of Late Night. Harper. Apr. 2017. 352p. photos. notes. index. ISBN 9780062377210. $28.99; ebk. ISBN 9780062377241. TV

New York Times comedy critic Zinoman (Shock Value) dissects comedian David ­Letterman and his legendary television run, taking readers from Letterman’s Muncie, IN, college radio days through his seminal work at NBC to his star-studded retirement show decades later on CBS. Here Letterman is presented as an iconoclast who grew from mocking talk show clichés to representing the format as an elder statesman. Along the way we meet the writers and cast members who shaped the show, explore the origins of signature Letterman segments (the Top Ten List, Stupid Pet Tricks, etc.), and meet the man behind it all. While recognizing L ­ etterman’s groundbreaking work, ­Zinoman avoids hero worship. Letterman is on full display, directly quoted, flaws and all. Scholars of TV history will also appreciate how Letterman drew from predecessors such as Jack Paar and Steven Allen, and later influenced Jon Stewart and others. Behind-the-scenes drama provides an additional draw for those who remember the jockeying between Letterman and Jay Leno for Tonight Show host Johnny Carson’s seat. VERDICT Top-notch research bolstered by one-on-one interviews make this a must-read for Letterman fans.—

and evolutionary theories in support of the belief that morality requires the impossible. However, her analysis is inconsistent with the conception of morality shared by many philosophers and laymen alike—that morality is a practical discipline concerned with how to live and why. “Ought” implies “can,” but it doesn’t guarantee a happy outcome—unhappy endings may be unavoidable...especially when others have already failed morally. VERDICT Well written and accessible to all audiences, this book is recommended for academic libraries.—William Simkulet, Cleveland State Univ., OH

Poetry

Teicher, Craig Morgan. The Trembling Answers. BOA Editions. Apr. 2017. 88p. ISBN 9781942683315. pap. $16. POETRY

Colorado Prize winner Teicher, the poetry editor of the Literary Review, tackles the subjects of parenting, love, and memory in his third collection (after To Keep Love Blurry). The best poems are heartfelt explorations of illness and the strains of caring for a child living with severe cerebral palsy: “I can divide all life/ into breath and waiting/ for the next breath, and/ the calm in the troughs/ between.” Time hangs over the work, both the period of

his son’s and daughter’s childhoods and the poet’s own upbringing: “Magic ebbs away like time/ ticking into a bucket./ Sometimes it blooms/ momentarily again,/ a sunset or whatever/ draws milk back out/ of the earth.” Teicher also ruminates on why he became a poet, how fear inf luenced him, and whether or not he is an honest writer: “I knew/ I was not safe/ in my head, which was// where I knew my self was.” Although many poems resonate with feeling, occasionally the lines fall flat, and mixed metaphors abound. More dissatisfying is Teicher’s imprecise language: “Like everywhere else, childhood/ lasted forever, miles and miles/ of time between yearly checkups.” VERDICT A mixed effort, though readers will be drawn to the richly described family life and accessible language. [See Prepub Alert, 10/24/16.] — Doris Lynch, Monroe Cty. P.L., Bloomington, IN

Ossmann, April. Event Boundaries. Four Way. Mar. 2017. 100p. ISBN 9781935536857. pap. $15.95. POETRY

Ossmann’s (Anxious Music) latest explores the connections between love and death— and their centrality to life—while weaving a tapestry of associations. The poems are beautiful and subtly witty, complicated

Terry Bosky, Madison, WI

Philosophy

Tessman, Lisa. When Doing the Right Thing Is Impossible. Oxford Univ. (Philosophy in Action). Jul. 2017. 184p. notes. index. ISBN 9780190657581. $21.95. PHIL

According to Tessman (philosophy, Binghamton Univ., State Univ. of New York; Burdened Virtues), a “morally blind alley” is a situation in which all options available are immoral. Arguing that moral failure is inevitable, her book opens with cases in which she believes morality is impossible, beginning with the fallout of Hurricane Katrina, which resulted in widespread suffering and preventable deaths largely as a result of negligence. In such cases, Tessman contends that people feel guilty—they believe they have a moral obligation that turned out to be impossible to fulfill. Morally blind alleys are inevitable when one faces mutually exclusive moral obligations—what Tessman (oddly) calls “moral dilemmas”—situations in which one has an obligation to do both A and B but cannot. Tessman offers psychological WWW.LIBRARYJOURNAL.COM REVIEWS, NEWS, AND MORE

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by William J. Ryczek $29.95 softcover (6 ¥ 9) ISBN 978-0-7864-9945-8 Ebook 978-1-4766-2552-2

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ARTS & HUMANITIES and deceptively honest: “grief like an ocean/ we’re afraid// we’ll never reach/ the shore of—// and no lifeboat sailing/ toward our vale.” In language that is deft and intelligent, the mostly free-verse poems are peppered with internal rhyme and have an overall strong sense of sound and rhythm. In “Infidelity,” the narrator says: “I never stopped to consider/ its less illicit

CRAFTS & DIY

ART INSTRUCTION CRAFTS DO IT YOURSELF FIBER CRAFTS INTERIOR DESIGN

Art Instruction

HEATHER HALLIDAY, American Jewish Historical Soc., New York Davis, Harold. The Photographer’s Black & White Handbook: Making and Processing Stunning Digital Black and White Photos.

Monacelli. Feb. 2017. 240p. illus. ISBN 9781580934787. pap. $35; ebk. ISBN 9781580934794. ART INSTRUCTION Photographer Davis’s (Photographing Flowers) handbook is all about the process of contemporary black-and-white photography, helping the reader to perceive the world in these two distinct tones and to translate this vision into photographic images. Completely up to date, the book covers camera types from smartphones to DSLRs (digital single-lens reflex) and software products including Adobe Camera Raw, Lightroom, and Photoshop; Nik Silver Efex Pro; and Topaz. Narrative text explaining context, creative choices, and technical processes used accompanies each of the numerous, lushly reproduced photographs in this guide.

VERDICT Ably balancing technical information with creative concerns, Davis’s guide will help readers make better black-and-white photos.

Jover, Loui & others. Pen & Ink: A Creative

Exploration of a Time-Treasured Drawing Technique. Walter Foster: Quarto.

(Artistry). Nov. 2016. 128p. illus. ISBN 9781633221789. pap. $21.95; ebk. ISBN 9781633223578. ART INSTRUCTION Written by a team of professional artists from around the world—Jover, Desarae Lee, Samuel Silva, Marcio Ramos, and Ian Thomas Miller—this guide offers a contemporary take on a traditional medium. Each artist-author is showcased in their own chapter, with the book containing five sections total: Miller’s introduction includes a brief

pleasures:// its syllables tumbling so readily/ off the tongue, the tongue/ slapping lightly, repeatedly,/ the roof of the mouth, the mouth.” References to nature, music, and pop culture abound. Even “Mayhem’s Meditation” reminds readers that they are powerless against “those forces,” but they might as well get on board and enjoy the ride: “but as far as the mayhem itself

goes,/ you’re alone with whatever your god/ … gave you.” VERDICT Thoughtful poetry readers should investigate.— Karla Huston, Appleton, WI

Perham, Brittany. Double Portrait. Norton.

Aug. 2017. 80p. ISBN 9780393354010. $26.95; ebk. ISBN 9780393354027. POETRY

Perham (The Curiosities) relies on incre$19.95. CRAFTS This collection features stylish DIY takes on maternity and baby must-haves, such as a body pillow, a diaper clutch/changing pad, an easy-care diaper bag, and embroidered bibs, as well as cute nursery decor and storage.

Almost all of the projects involve sewing or embroidery (or both); the single knitting project, while cute, is the odd one out. All of the projects are appropriate for confident beginners, and most can be set down and picked back up as needed—ideal for new moms who are juggling the demands of a newborn. Line drawings help guide crafters through any complex steps, and project templates are provided in lieu of pull-out patterns. VERDICT There are few things that are cuter than a baby in handmade clothing or accessories, and this collection capitalizes on that formula.

history of pen-and-ink drawing and basic techniques; Ramos devotes a section to stippling; Lee demonstrates watercolor washes in ink drawings; Silva depicts the creative use of ballpoint pens; and Jover delivers a final chapter on mixed media. Sequential projects are found throughout.

VERDICT While this guide is most ideal for intermediate or advanced artists, beginners are not excluded from admiring the beautiful completed works featured throughout or from trying some of the exercises.

Crafts

NANETTE DONOHUE, Champaign P.L., IL

.Bizys, Ebony. Hello Tokyo: 30+ Handmade Projects and Fun Ideas for a Cute, Tokyo-Inspired Lifestyle. Abrams. Mar. 2017.

224p. illus. ISBN 9781419723957. pap. $19.95; ebk. ISBN 9781683350088. CRAFTS Australian artist and blogger (Hello Sandwich) Bizys moved to Tokyo in 2010, and quickly fell in love with the city’s quirky charm. Her first book is part travelog, part love letter to Japanese culture, and part craft guide. Bizys celebrates everything from bento lunches to bullet trains to her elderly neighbors, presenting snippets of her life alongside clever ideas for home decor and accessories that are easy for crafters of any level to replicate. Readers may wonder where Bizys fits all of her craft supplies, collectibles, and bric-a-brac in her 125-square-foot apartment, but the book is so much fun that it’s easy to suspend disbelief. VERDICT Lifestyle-based craft guides live and die on the likability of their authors, and Bizys is a delight. Crafters who enjoy quirky, colorful projects will love this peek into her Tokyo life.

Mom Crafts: DIY Crafts for the Expectant Mom. Lark Crafts: Sterling. Apr. 2017. 144p. illus. index. ISBN 9781454710141. pap.

Morton, Lyn. The Art of Tatting Jewelry: Exquisite Lace and Bead Designs.

Guild of Master Craftsman. Apr. 2017. 112p. illus. ISBN 9781784942496. pap. $19.95.

CRAFTS

Morton (Tatting Jewellery) combines tatted lace and seed beads in this collection of jewelry designs, ranging from bold statement pieces to delicate chains. Metallic thread is featured prominently, giving many of the pieces the look of gold or silver jewelry, and variegated threads add visual interest to several of the designs. Shuttle tatting knowledge is expected—no basic instruction is provided, and the instructions use standard tatting abbreviations, making them completely baffling to crafters lacking prior knowledge. Morton is careful to ensure that the beads don’t overwhelm the tatting (or vice versa), leading to nicely balanced jewelry suitable for both everyday and special-occasion wear. VERDICT Experienced tatters will be drawn to the pieces in this collection, but beginners should start elsewhere.

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mental repetition, rhyming couplets, and wordplay in this latest collection, the recipient of the 2016 Barnard Women Poets Prize. Most of the verse here is reminiscent of a combination of e.e. cummings and Robert Frost, as Perham playfully offers surreal meditations on not accepting the end of love. The poems’ meanings come (or not) from a buildup of repeated

DIY

KAREN ELLIS, Taylor P.L., TX

lines, the best of which concern the loss of the narrator’s father and mother.

Some of the poems call up ghostly appearances and remembered phrases (as in the words, “because I’m your mother”).

The poet also looks at happenings from a variety of perspectives, which adds a pleasing situational irony and sense of paradox. Although some poems with

Fons & Porter. Dec. 2016. 144p. illus. index.

ISBN 9781440245602. pap. $24.99. FIBER CRAFTS

Fine Homebuilding Eds. Kitchen Upgrades.

Taunton. Feb. 2017. 240p. illus. index. ISBN 9781631868450. pap. $24.95. DIY Finally going to tackle your horrible kitchen? This book covers kitchen design, materials, specific DIY projects, and case studies of renovations. Really useful are product comparisons for items such as countertops, cabinets, and appliances. The projects include installing cabinetry and how to create a layout for tiling work. Example designs include modifications for handicapped users. There are better sources for glamorous galleries of designs for this part of the home, such as Heather J. Paper’s The New Kitchen Idea Book, but this volume provides a variety of advice, design, and how-to.

V ­ ERDICT Highly recommended—read this guide before you dive into that kitchen remodel.

Blogger and pattern designer Blocher has built her brand on tutorials that make sewing techniques accessible. Her first book features a collection of confidencebuilding sewing projects targeted toward beginners. The patterns aren’t anything innovative—pouches, pillows, baby gear, and small accessories dominate—but Blocher approaches even the simplest design as an opportunity to learn a new skill. Her use of fabric beyond simple quilting cotton or canvas is also a departure from standard beginning-sewing books, with denim, felt, leather, lace, and spandex making appearances. The instructions walk readers through the projects in a clear and concise manner, with illustrations used to supplement the text. VERDICT Blocher’s debut will appeal to beginning sewists who prefer a project-based approach to learning new techniques.

Perrone, Frank. Build It Yourself: Weekend Projects for the Garden. Princeton Architectural. May 2017. 192p. illus. by Christopher Perrone. photos by Nicholas Perrone. index. ISBN 9781616893385. pap. $24.95; ebk. ISBN 9781616896065. DIY For a beginning woodworker, nothing is better than some basic projects with good instruction. Perrone, an instructor and woodworker, offers 12 simple projects for the garden, ranging from fencing and birdfeeders to a potting table and compost bins. Perrone’s guidance is very clear, with step-by-step illustrations, but many of these projects are bland and tired. The instructions are great for beginners, but lack detail in the area of using power tools. VERDICT More interesting woodworking projects for the outdoors can be found in Mat Pember and Dillon SeitchikReardon’s The Little Veggie Patch Co. DIY Garden Projects and Michael R. Anderson’s Deck & Patio Furnishings.

Leapman, Melissa. Melissa Leapman’s Designer Crochet Accessories. Creative

NANETTE DONOHUE, Champaign P.L., IL

Publishing Int’l: Quarto. Dec. 2016. 144p. illus. ISBN 9781589239289. pap. $21.99; ebk. ISBN 9781631591525. FIBER CRAFTS Prolific designer Leapman (Melissa Leapman’s Indispensible Stitch Collection for Crocheters) brings her flair for contemporary crochet to small accessories in her latest collection. The focus is on cool-weather accessories, such as scarves, shawls, hats, and mitts, but there are also bags, jewelry, and a couple of openwork stoles. The projects feature a variety of yarn weights, from ultra-fine lace yarn used for two of the jewelry projects to bulky and roving-weight yarn used for a hat and a scarf. Each pattern includes both written and charted instructions, and the appendix features basic information about chart reading, crochet stitches, and finishing techniques. VERDICT With its variety of styles and skill levels, this collection has widespread appeal for crocheters who enjoy fashionable accessories.

Blocher, Kate. See Kate Sew: 24 Learn-ToSew Projects You Can Make in an Hour.

Nephew, Sara & Marci Baker. Wonderful OnePatch Quilts: 20 Projects from Triangles,

Fiber Crafts

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their repeated villanelle-like lines tend to wallow in clichés, most contain profundities, as when the poet considers the question: “Will you love me forever?” and realizes that the actual question should be “Will I love you forever?” with the answer being maybe, yes. V ­ ERDICT Poetry fans will want.—Diane Scharper Towson Univ., Maryland

Half-Hexagons, Diamonds & More. C&T. Mar. 2017. 128p. illus. ISBN 9781617454677. pap. $29.95. FIBER CRAFTS Expert quilters Nephew and Baker designed this collection of geometric quilts using Baker’s Clearview Triangle 60-degree rulers (which are distributed by the book’s publisher). The clever application of piecing allows quilters to combine shapes cut with the rulers to sew easily patchwork that would normally include difficult Y-seams or partial seams. While the authors are inspired by traditional quilts, the designs in this collection are thoroughly contemporary in style, color, and technique, and can easily be customized based on individual tastes. Baker and Nephew often demonstrate multiple ways to cut fabric for each quilt, providing “quickpiecing” shortcuts ideal for quilters who want to spend less time cutting and more time sewing. V ­ ERDICT The combination of interesting patterns in a variety of styles and useful cutting and piecing tips will appeal to quilters who enjoy playing with shape and color.

Susa, Sachiko. It’s a Small World Felted

Friends: Cute and Cuddly Needle Felted Figures from Around the World. Tuttle. Mar. 2017. 80p. tr. from Japanese by Leeyong Soo. illus. ISBN 9784805314364. pap. $12.95.

FIBER CRAFTS

Japanese artist Susa brings her delightful designs to an English-speaking audience in this collection of tiny needle-felting projects featuring people, animals, and icons worldwide. Fifteen different countries are represented, from Australia (koalas and kangaroos) to the United States (hamburger and donut charms) to India (an elephant decked out in festival finery). Also included are designs perfect for creating a rustic scene, such as the Dutch girl with a windmill and tiny wooden shoes. Each pattern includes diagrams showing the size of the individual pieces, with an approximate weight of wool roving to use. VERDICT Susa’s instructions give the order of assembly, but not much else, so these pieces are best attempted by experienced needle felters who have a sizable roving stash and are comfortable working with intricate details.

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social sciences Biography .Blumenthal, Sidney. Wrestling with His

Ricks, Thomas E. Churchill and Orwell: The Fight for Freedom. Penguin. May 2017.

352p. notes. index. ISBN 9781594206139. $28; ebk. ISBN 9780698164543. BIOG

illus. notes. bibliog. index. ISBN 9781501153785. $35; ebk. ISBN 9781501153808. BIOG

Former British prime minister Winston Churchill (1874–1965) was a rotund, boisterous, blue-blooded Conservative who led Britain to victory in World War II. George Orwell (1903–50) was a gaunt, taciturn leftist and commoner; a foot soldier who took a fascist bullet in the Spanish Civil War, and author of the classic novels Animal Farm and 1984. What links these contrasting biographies? Former military correspondent Ricks (Fiasco: The American Military Adventure in Iraq) presents Churchill and Orwell as champions of freedom—the right of the individual to be free of totalitarian control by the state, whether fascist or communist. Notwithstanding, Orwell sometimes rehashed anti-Semitic stereotypes, while

Angel: The Political Life of Abraham Lincoln.

Vol. II: 1849–1956. S. & S. May 2017. 592p.

In this second volume on Abraham ­Lincoln’s political life, Blumenthal (A Self-Made Man: The Political Life of Abraham Lincoln. Vol. I: 1809–1849) delves into the personalities, partisanship, and policies that led to the collapse of the Whig party and the rise of Republicans, as the issue of slavery consumed the country. This is life-and-times political history at its best, in which Blumenthal reviews party interests to explain how personal ambition determined “friendships” and defined priorities. Lincoln (1809–65) is not brought to center stage until after Blumenthal provides context for the failure of the Compromise of 1850, reactions

Reflections on the Vietnam War, essential reading for history lovers and true crime fanatics

to the Fugitive Slave Act, the breakup of parties following the Kansas-Nebraska Act, and the power of longtime rival Stephen A. Douglas. If the author sometimes loses Lincoln in his detailed descriptions of other political leaders, he is able to shed light on his subject’s pragmatism and moral clarity—especially the unyielding belief that the principles of equality in the U.S. Declaration of Independence remain the anchor of the Republic. By Blumenthal’s reckoning, that principle guided Lincoln’s endeavors thereafter. VERDICT This essential analysis of Lincoln, the lawyer, as integral to understanding Lincoln, the politician, makes for compelling reading and includes brilliant dissections of the president’s speeches.—

Churchill was a die-hard imperialist; consistency was neither man’s hobgoblin. For his part, Ricks skirts controversy. In one memorable passage, contemporary wit Evelyn Waugh called a benign tumor removed from Churchill’s dissolute son, Randolph, “the only part of him not malignant.” Superficial and piquant, this quote is typical of the narrative. Churchill and Orwell’s stories are fascinating and segue wonderfully into their times—or indeed, any times: Orwell leaped to the top of the best seller lists in reaction to the 2016 election of President Donald Trump. VERDICT A colorful recounting of two proclaimed freedom fighters, which is sure to entertain and intrigue almost any reader. [See Prepub Alert, 11/14/16.] —

Randall M. Miller, St. Joseph’s Univ., Philadelphia

Michael Rodriguez, Univ. of Connecticut

.Tra`ˆn, Tru· Đình. Ship of Fate: Memoir of a Vietnamese Repatriate. Univ. of Hawaii. Apr. 2017. 224p. tr. from Vietnamese by Bac Hoai Tran & Jana K. Lipman. ISBN 9780824867171. $68; pap. ISBN 9780824872496. $28. BIOG

Lipman (Guantánamo: A W ­ orking-Class ­History Between Empire and Revolution) and Tran (Crossing the River) ­present an English translation of the eloquent and inspiring memoir of South Vietnamese naval officer Tra `ˆn, who fled Saigon along with thousands of other evacuees after the fall of the city to the communist North Vietnamese in April 1975. Separated from his wife and children during the chaotic departure, Tra `ˆn, along with many others who had been similarly separated from family members, chose to return to Vietnam rather than begin a new life as a refugee in America, enduring 13 years of imprisonment in “reeducation” camps before finally reuniting with his family. While Lipman’s introduction provides a clear, concise overview of the political and military situation in Vietnam, Tra `ˆn’s account is particularly noteworthy for elucidating the reasons these Vietnamese evacuees chose to repatriate to their homeland despite the opposition of both the U.S. and communist Vietnamese governments.

Candid reflections on the Vietnam War and the author’s responsibilities as a husband, father, and naval officer are equally valuable.

VERDICT Highly recommended for readers interested in 20th-century history and the conflict in ­Vietnam.—Sara Shreve, Newton, KS

Economics

Essex, Andrew. The End of Advertising: Why It Had To Die, and the Creative Resurrection To Come. Spiegel & Grau. Jun. 2017.

240p. bibliog. ISBN 9780399588518. $27; ebk. ISBN 9780399588525. BUS

Advertising’s troubles started with the dawn of the Internet, according to Essex, who has worked in the industry as a CEO and vice chairman. While its annoyances and encroachment were formerly noticed but tolerated, the invention of software such as Adblock put the power into the hands of consumers to shut off revenue-making ads online, leaving marketers struggling to reach audiences. The death of advertising started with the shift from traditional ads in magazines to digital spaces, where companies could communicate directly to consumers.

Essex explores this rift and returns briefly to

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the historical origins of selling in America.

He concludes by examining recent success stories of companies. The problem modern advertisers encounter is the inability to think freshly and imaginatively in the evolving environment and with a younger Millennial consumer base that has different attention spans, values, and expectations. To be successful, businesses need to stop repeating old patterns and to reinvent advertising entirely.

The key, argues Essex, is for businesses to zero in on the values of the younger generation and incorporate them into the way we live now. VERDICT A light read with a primary audience of people in business and marketing.—Laurel Tacoma, Fairfax Cty. P.L., VA Sincero, Jen. You Are a Badass at

Making Money: Master the Mindset of Wealth. Viking. Apr. 2017. 288p.

ISBN 9780735222977. $25; ebk. ISBN 9780735223004. BUS

In this follow-up to You Are a Badass, life coach and speaker Sincero takes on money and wealth. Contrary to popular belief, money is not good or bad. Rich people are not evil. It’s OK to love money. It’s even possible to attract it, and there’s more than enough to go around. In summation: you can make money...if you could only just get over yourself. Sincero shares numerous, quotable anecdotes in her signature witty, yet self-deprecating, style as we follow her from living in a one-car garage to her current success. Each chapter includes exercises and mantras for obtaining wealth while having fun in the process. This is not a practical, numbers-crunching guide for readers seeking advice on selecting mutual funds or how to pay off debt. Instead, Sincero explores intangible forces that influence our financial habits and beliefs, including circumstances, faith, and gratitude. By changing your internal dialog and surroundings, asserts the author, you can tap into the universe’s energy to overcome crippling excuses that prevent you from becoming wealthy.

VERDICT “Badasses” will be inspired by this feisty, unconventional guide to crafting a prosperous life (and bank account).— Jennifer Clifton, Indiana State Lib., Indianapolis

Tjan, Anthony. Good People: The Only Leadership Decision That Really Matters.

Portfolio. Apr. 2017. 304p. illus. notes. index. ISBN 9780399562150. $28; ebk. ISBN 9780399562174. BUS

It’s generally taken for granted that the meaning of the phrase “good people” is understood. Taking time to nuance that definition is entrepreneur Tjan’s (Heart, Smarts, Guts, and Luck) goal. He takes this underdefined phrase and explores how it can be applied to leadership. The general outline

of the book advocates that for anyone to be “good” they must be people first, helping others, committed to values, balanced, and practicing goodness all the time. This work follows the fairly typical self-help, feel-good storytelling model that seems to be a staple in popular modern “business-light” works.

With that said, Tjan does tackle an excellent question by attempting to define “good.”

Told in a narrative format with chapter summaries that helpfully distill the salient points, this accessible, entry-level work is for anyone developing their own leadership philosophy. VERDICT Recommended as an introduction for individuals who are interested in leadership but are not entirely sure how to get started.—Mark Hanson, Maranatha Baptist Univ. Lib., Watertown, WI

Wartzman, Rick. The End of Loyalty:

The Rise and Fall of Good Jobs in America.

PublicAffairs. May 2017. 432p. photos. notes. bibliog. index. ISBN 9781586489144. $30; ebk. ISBN 9781586489151. ECON

The changing relationship between large American corporations and their workers in the 20th century provides the basis for this thoughtful and enlightening volume

by Wartzman (senior advisor, Drucker Inst.). Focusing on four large corporations, including General Motors, General Electric, Kodak, and Coca-Cola, the author examines how both workers and employers mutually developed what he calls a “social contract” that by midcentury had provided a reliable, stable workforce for companies who by then were prospering as never before in the post–World War II economy. In return, workers gained security, solid wages, and excellent benefits. As Wartzman shows, this balance was reached with some difficulty in the years of large-scale unionization marked by often-bitter strikes during the Great Depression. This mutually beneficial relationship between workers and managers became strained within a decade. The remainder of the 20th century saw significant changes that weakened the positions of companies and their employees and virtually eliminated the mutually beneficial contract.

Corporations faced technological change, new forms of competition, and restructuring. Workers experienced the effects of these forces in a way that distanced them from their employers and often eliminated their bargaining strength. VERDICT Highly recommended for general readers and those interested in labor-management issues.— Charles K. Piehl, Minnesota State Univ., Mankato

Education

Lerner, Daniel & Alan Schlechter. U Thrive:

How To Succeed in College (and Life).

Little, Brown. Apr. 2017. 320p. illus. index.

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ISBN 9780316311618. pap. $16.99; ebk. ISBN 9780316311632. ED

This wordy but helpful work by performance coach Lerner and psychiatrist Schlechter, both professors at New York University (NYU), focuses on thriving, changing, staying healthy, and excelling in college and later in life, with an emphasis on mental wellness. The authors organized scientific-based pearls of wisdom and active learning exercises from their NYU Science of Happiness course. Highlights include sections on establishing relationships and connections; identifying strengths that lead to higher levels of engagement; understanding mind-sets; dealing with adversity; and developing healthy eating, sleeping, and exercise habits. This content might be better digested or paced in a first-year experience course as opposed to being devoured cover to cover by students on their own. Features include takeaway tips at the conclusion of each chapter and an index (not seen). This book would make a practical high school graduation gift for college-bound readers or college sophomores. VERDICT Recommended for collections that focus on college readiness or first-year coursework and for individuals interested in preparing for university.—Elizabeth Connor, Daniel Lib., The Citadel, Military Coll. of South Carolina, Charleston

Rademacher, Tom. It Won’t Be Easy:

An Exceedingly Honest (and Slightly Unprofessional) Love Letter to Teaching.

Univ. of Minnesota. Apr. 2017. 192p.

ISBN 9781517901127. pap. $17.95. ED

Rademacher, a blogger and 2014 recipient of Minnesota’s Teacher of the Year Award, offers a series of lessons on what colleges of education don’t teach, from what to expect from the first job interview to how to get along with cranky colleagues. This book contains no academic references and shies away from research and statistics. Instead, the reader gets lots of stories. The most affecting tales relate back to Rademacher’s key themes: school can be unfair, especially to students who are struggling with personal and family problems; and compassion is the most essential element of quality teaching.

While many of these narratives are studded with insights into the art of teaching, the author’s avoidance of data trips the text up at times. (For example, when he tries to convince the reader that teachers are not underpaid after all.) Rademacher presents the teaching profession—warts and all—with an air of informality. His style will surely entertain some readers, but others may be put off by the frequent appearance of such turns of phrase as “and stuff” or “but whatever,” as well as the meandering parenthetical asides.

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SOCIAL SCIENCES libraries serving aspiring teachers at the undergraduate or graduate levels.—Seth Kershner, Northwestern Connecticut Community Coll. Lib., Winsted

History .Berkin, Carol. A Sovereign People: The

Crises of the 1790s and the Birth of American Nationalism. Basic. May 2017. 320p. notes. bibliog. index. ISBN 9780465060887. $30; ebk. ISBN 9780465094936. HIST

Berkin (history, City Univ. of New York; Civil War Wives) scrutinizes four crises of the 1790s to tell the story of how the Federalist party, under the leadership of George ­Washington, Alexander Hamilton, and John Adams, united the nation under the authority of the federal government. The author’s core argument suggests that the Federalist response to the Whiskey Rebellion, the Genet affair, the XYZ affair, and the Alien and Sedition Acts not only extended the scope of the government’s power but also shifted people’s negative perception of the government, giving rise to American nationalism. This work expands readers’ understanding of the shifting loyalties from Washington the individual to the office of the president to the shared identity of the American people and finally to the U.S. Constitution itself. A solid companion to Eliga H. Gould’s Among the Powers of the Earth for developing a nuanced take on how the nascent U.S. government solidified its power in the eyes of the American people and the world. VERDICT Essential reading for all history lovers.—Jessica Holland, Univ. of Kentucky, Lexington

Brown, Jonathan C. Cuba’s Revolutionary World. Harvard Univ. Apr. 2017. 600p. illus. maps. notes. index. ISBN 9780674971981. $35. HIST

Sugar and cigars were Cuba’s major exports in the years before the Cuban Revolution, but the election of Fidel Castro as prime minister in 1959 changed the country’s history. Closing off sugar supply through nationalization, Castro instead exported revolution, inspiring Venezuela, Brazil, Peru, Panama, and Argentina to revolt in favor of democratic reforms. After Castro gained absolute authority and embraced communism, the American response was an attempt to isolate Cuba. Brown (history, Univ. of Texas at Austin) offers keen insights into how the John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson administrations dealt with these national movements. At times, this history puts readers in the same room with leaders from all sides, offering a front-row seat to diplomatic efforts intended to thwart the spread of communism and revolutionary movements in Latin America. Ubiquitous throughout the sections centering on indi-

vidual nations, is the shadow of Argentine revolutionary Che Guevara; the most intriguing chapters deal with his failed efforts to bring revolution to Bolivia and his eventual death. ­VERDICT Brown’s well-written book makes for a highly immersive and engaging read.—Boyd Childress, formerly with Auburn Univ. Libs., AL

Eisner, Peter. MacArthur’s Spies: The

Soldier, the Singer, and the Spymaster Who Defied the Japanese in World War II.

Viking. May 2017. 368p. photos. maps. notes. bibliog. index. ISBN 9780525429654. $28; ebk. ISBN 9780698407527. HIST

Based on newly discovered primary sources, veteran foreign correspondent Eisner (The Pope’s Last Crusade) creates a fuller picture of the resistance of the Philippines after the Japanese invasion of Manila in World War II. Eisner delves into archives, firsthand accounts, and the personal histories of three Americans who were crucial in these subversive operations: torch singer Claire Phillips, Col. John Boone, and naval intelligence officer–turned–spymaster Chick Parsons.

The discovery of Phillips’s date book attempts to set the record straight on her key role. She provided supplies, information, medicine, and moral support to Boone’s guerillas, which grew into the thousands.

After 1943, intelligence from Boone and Parsons was sent directly to Gen. Douglas MacArthur, paving the way for his return.

Phillips’s story can be somewhat murky, and Eisner does not present a untainted heroine. However, her bravery and allegiance is clearly proven. This account also provides details on other unsung heroes, reminding readers that people “on the outside” were also risking great personal safety to provide support to those affected by the occupation.

VERDICT Eisner’s work is recommended alongside other World War II histories of the Pacific theater and creates a more complete picture of the delicate operations that helped defeat the Axis powers.—Maria Bagshaw, Elgin Community Coll. Lib., IL

.Kelso, John R. Bloody Engagements: John R. Kelso. Yale Univ. Apr. 2017.

264p. ed. by Christopher Grasso. index.

ISBN 9780300210965. $35. HIST

Kelso (1831–91) chronicles in vivid detail his experiences as a Union Civil War soldier, officer, and spy. This firsthand narrative offers personal reflections on the troubling conflict posed by the war and its impact on life and family. From humble beginnings as a Missouri schoolteacher, Kelso, an Ohio native, took a stand for the Union’s cause and quickly became an excellent officer who bravely engaged in dangerous spy missions that solidified his reputation as a

fearless and effective Unionist on the battlefront. Journal entries are steeped in attacks, counterattacks, and bloodshed. Extensive editing notes by historian Grasso (history, Coll. of William and Mary) provide plenty of sources for additional research. After the war, Kelso briefly served as a Republican in the House of Representatives, ultimately living in California and then Colorado.

VERDICT Recommended for those interested in U.S. Civil War history and historical journals. Readers will gain better insight into the experiences of that era.— Michael Foley, Canton, MA

Mickenberg, Julia L. American Girls in Red Russia: Chasing the Soviet Dream. Univ. of Chicago. Apr. 2017. 432p. illus. notes. index. ISBN 9780226256122. $35. HIST

American women’s initial idealization of the early 20th-century new Soviet Dream receives a prescient analysis from Mickenberg (American studies, Univ. of Texas at Austin; Learning from the Left). What in retrospect appears a guileless enchantment with the Soviet experiment represented at the time a possibly unheard of “...classless society, where culture, education, and social welfare counted for more than profit.” The enraptured women of varied backgrounds and economic classes are profiled by broad classes of revolutionaries, workers, writers, and artists. Narratives of influential individuals are woven throughout in an effort to link the sections, but they largely stand independent. The greatest analysis is given through the rise of Stalinism when political change led to a general exodus. Although it seems an obvious complication of the era, the possibility of spies is given only the most cursory review in an otherwise comprehensive treatment. Helen Rappaport’s Caught in the Revolution more thoroughly engages readers on a similar topic of foreign nationals’ experience in Russia, while Mickenberg’s study presents a singular academic analysis, albeit in a more staid style. VERDICT Although well written and researched, Mickenberg’s narrative of courageous women seeking a nonconformist Soviet future is exclusively for informed, scholarly readers. [See “Editors’ Spring Picks,” LJ 2/15/17, p. 26] —Jessica Bushore, Xenia, OH Mortimer, Ian. The Time Traveler’s Guide to Restoration Britain: A Handbook for Visitors to the Seventeenth Century: 1660–1699. Pegasus. Apr. 2017. 464p. illus. notes. index. ISBN 9781681773544. $28.95; ebk. ISBN 9781681774008. HIST

Historian and novelist Mortimer follows up his bestselling Time Traveller’s Guide to Elizabethan England and Time Traveller’s Guide to Medieval England with a tour of

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Restoration Britain that encompasses the reigns of Charles II, James II, and William III. The author maintains that “the past is best viewed up close and personally,” immersing readers in a 17th-century world they will come to see, hear, smell, taste, and feel through the page. Mortimer begins the tour in London with the Great Fire of 1666 and moves beyond the city to focus on the people, attire, foods, and character of medieval Britain. He draws upon well-known diarists, such as Samuel Pepys and John Evelyn, while incorporating accounts by more obscure figures, such as Joseph Pitts of Exeter, a “fourteen-year-old boy who was captured in the English Channel by Barbary pirates in 1678 and sold in the slave markets of Algiers.” Reminiscent of cultural historian Johan Huizinga’s works, this narrative employs day-to-day experiences to capture the “ spirit of the age,” demonstrating the growth of modernity in Britain in the 17th century. VERDICT An accessible book, entertaining and learned, for professional historians and general readers alike.—Mark Spencer, Brock Univ., St. Catharines, Ont.

Parker, Matthew. Willoughbyland: England’s Lost Colony. Thomas Dunne: St. Martin’s.

Apr. 2017. 304p. illus. maps. notes. bibliog. index. ISBN 9781250112835. $26.99; ebk. ISBN 9781250112842. HIST

Parker (Goldeneye: Where Bond Was Born; Ian Fleming’s Jamaica) has written an engaging history of the early colonization and imperial exploitation of the South American country now known as Suriname, explaining factors leading to English invasion by Sir Walter Raleigh in the 1500s, an attempt to regain credit after losing the favor of Elizabeth I. Also explored is how Raleigh’s failed colonization efforts allowed Suriname to be exploited first by Dutch and then subsequent English expeditions, including the titular adventure led by Francis Willoughby in 1652. Initially referred to as Willoughbyland, Suriname’s history is told with passing mentions of Dutch colonization and slavery, and offers limited accounts from native peoples; yet the author doesn’t explain this lacuna. Readers may notice this work deals with the same period and location as one of the biographies in Natalie Zemon Davis’s Women on the Margins. Artist Maria Sibylla Merian traveled to Suriname in 1699, and some of her plates are used as illustrations in Parker’s study.

VERDICT This title will appeal to those who enjoy well-written popular histories. Specialists and academics may already be familiar with the people and places, but generous illustrations are excellent additions to the text.—Hanna Clutterbuck-Cook, Harvard Univ.

Lib., Cambridge, MA

.Rees, Laurence. The Holocaust:

A New History. PublicAffairs: Perseus.

to students and staff involved in correctional facilities and general readers of true crime.—

Apr. 2017. 552p. illus. notes. index.

ISBN 9781610398442. $32. HIST

Frances O. Sandiford, formerly with Green Haven Correctional Facility Lib., Stormville, NY

Historian Rees (former head of BBC TV History Programmes; Auschwitz: A New History) combines thorough scholarship of the Nazi era with his own vast archive of interviews with survivors, perpetrators, and bystanders to create a comprehensive, chilling, and readable history of the Holocaust.

As the Third Reich rose and conquered European countries, methods of solving the “Jewish problem” evolved. Extermination of the Jews remained a primary Nazi battlefront even as loss to the Allies was imminent. Exploring the processes and choices that resulted in mass murder, Rees convincingly shows that although Nazi ideology was based on many twisted and hateful racial theories, Jews were especially targeted for eradication. Similar to Martin Gilbert’s The Holocaust, survivor testimony is compelling, especially since it is shadowed by the inability of millions of victims to speak for themselves. The Holocaust was a horrible crime against humanity that sadly continues to be denied and perpetrated in different forms around the world. VERDICT Rees’s ability to weave parallel global and personal histories makes this an outstanding, necessary, and timely book that should engage all readers of high school age or above.—Laurie Unger Skinner, Coll. of Lake Cty., Waukegan, IL

Law & Crime

Benson, Michael. Escape from Dannemora: Richard Matt, David Sweat, and the Great Adirondack Manhunt. ForeEdge. Apr. 2017.

280p. photos. notes. bibliog. index.

ISBN 9781611689761. pap. $19.95; ebk. ISBN 9781512600445. CRIME

It was a media event in the spring of 2015.

Richard Matt and David Sweat, two inmates at Clinton Correctional Facility, dug a tunnel through which they escaped into the wilderness of upstate New York and remained on the loose for three weeks.

Benson, the author of numerous true crime books (e.g., Evil Season), tells the story in an easy-to-read style that will draw in a wide audience of readers. We learn about the frightful early lives of both men, their crimes, and prison employee Joyce Mitchell, who was supposed to aid the men in their escape. At times, although Benson documents his sources, the facts seem too bizarre to be authentic—it is truly a case of life being stranger than fiction. In the final chapters, Benson discusses the conditions at Clinton Correctional that led to the escape, which is still under investigation. VERDICT A solid read and informative text about prison management, this book will be of interest

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Enrich, David. The Spider Network:

The Wild Story of a Math Genius, a Gang of Backstabbing Bankers, and One of the Greatest Scams in Financial History.

Custom House. Mar. 2017. 528p. photos. notes. index. ISBN 9780062452986. $29.99; ebk. ISBN 9780062453006. CRIME

What is a recipe for financial scandal? Take a flawed international interest-setting mechanism, add a culture of greed, lax supervision, and an outlier trader. In Enrich’s (financial enterprise editor, Wall Street Journal) book, the prep time is long, but the final result is worth the wait. Proceeding chronologically, this volume introduces rogue trader Tom Hayes as a child in England. Proficient in math but socially awkward, he found work with a bank, then jumped to a succession of larger institutions. Many were willing to overlook his character issues and ethics violations since he often turned a profit their way, and Enrich does an excellent job of portraying Hayes’s skewed values, his confederates, and their employers. When discovered, Hayes shouldered the blame and went to prison; others went free. Per the author, many were at fault, but the banks and regulators preferred a simple narrative to cover their own lapses. This book benefits greatly from the author’s interviews with the principals and access to court transcripts.

While not as exciting as Sheelah Kolhatkar’s Black Edge, about Wall Street insider trading, this is an important work in light of the current debate about financial regulation. VERDICT Recommended for readers interested in how a massive financial scandal concocted by oddball traders unraveled.— Harry Charles, St. Louis

.Marzano-Lesnevich, Alexandria.

The Fact of a Body: A Murder and a Memoir. Flatiron: Macmillan. May 2017.

336p. ISBN 9781250080547. $26.99; ebk. ISBN 9781250080561. CRIME

During an internship in law school, ­Marzano-Lesnevich (public policy, Harvard Kennedy Sch.) viewed the videotaped confession of a man convicted of murdering a six-year-old boy and possibly molesting him. In an instant, though a lifelong opponent of the death penalty, she wished death upon Ricky Langley. Struggling to pinpoint this new, aggressive feeling, the author began to dig deeper into not only Langley’s story but also her own, parallel in disturbing and heart-wrenching ways.

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SOCIAL SCIENCES everywhere in between within each of their lives. Marzano-Lesnevich was the victim of sexual abuse by her grandfather, which her parents discovered and halted, only to remain silent on the matter. Descriptions of the murder and sexual abuse throughout are often graphic, and readers may be cautioned.

The author describes the court case Palsgraf v. Long Island Railroad Co., which contends with the issue of fault—who or what is the initial cause for blame. She poses a greater philosophical and legal question of one’s past and how that determines cause in an exquisite and thought-provoking comparison study. VERDICT The writing is superb and gripping and never heavy-handed on the legal jargon, creating a moving musthave for any collection. [See Prepub Alert, 11/27/16.] —Kaitlin Malixi, Bucks Cty. Free Lib., Doylestown, PA

Mason, Mary Ann & Tom Ekman. Babies of

Technology: Assisted Reproduction and the Rights of the Child. Yale Univ. Apr. 2017.

256p. notes. ISBN 9780300215878. $30. LAW

While society is just now getting used to the idea of surrogacy, women freezing their eggs, sperm donors, and prenatal disease screenings, fertility clinics are already marketing genetically engineered babies. For the right price, parents can select the sex of their child, making the notion of genetically enhanced offspring no longer solely within the realm of sf. Authors Mason (faculty affiliate, Berkeley Ctr. for Law & Technology, Univ. of California, Berkeley) and science teacher and writer Ekman dive into ethical dilemmas of the current fertility industry as well as hypothetical situations for when future becomes reality. They demonstrate that current laws worldwide are not equipped to protect the rights of families built using medical technology. Fascinating cases, such as whether or not a child conceived after the father’s death is eligible for the deceased’s benefits, are appearing on U.S. court dockets. VERDICT Informative and engaging, this is one of the first books to address the legal rights of children of reproductive technology. For readers interested in family law, medical ethics, and reproductive medicine.—Heidi Uphoff, Sandia National Laboratories, NM

Political Science

Conradi, Peter. Who Lost Russia? How

the World Entered a New Cold War.

Oneworld Pubs. Apr. 2017. 400p. maps. notes. index. ISBN 9781786070418. $27.99; ebk. ISBN 9781786070425. POL SCI

Journalist Conradi (foreign editor, Sunday Times) has authored a fine narrative of postcommunist Russia’s relations with the United States and Europe. Its subtitle implies comparisons with relations to the for-

mer Soviet Union, and surely they emerge.

The geography of conf lict still includes NATO, the Middle East, and Yugoslavia’s successors. Russian President Vladimir Putin’s foreign policy decisions seem no less challenged than those of Joseph Stalin, and Putin’s legitimizing doctrine of “Eurasianism” packs the same anti-Western punch as communism once did. Conversely, the former organizing role of nuclear deterrence has diminished. The practice of summitry languishes, as successive U.S. administrations find thwarted initial attempts at better communications with the Kremlin. However, Conradi does not spare criticism of Western policy. Some readers might dispute his assertion that the “main reason” for Russia’s Crimean annexation emerged from “fear” that NATO would expel Russia’s Black Sea Fleet from Sevastopol should Ukraine join the alliance. VERDICT While a balanced, detailed, and workman-like account of international politics over the last quarter century, this book is unlikely to be the last word on “the new cold war.”—­ Zachary Irwin, Behrend Coll., Pennsylvania State Erie

Dillon, Eva. Spies in the Family: An American Spymaster, His Russian Crown Jewel, and the Friendship That Helped End the Cold War. Harper. May 2017. 336p. photos. notes. bibliog. index. ISBN 9780062385888. $28.99; ebk. ISBN 9780062385918. POL SCI

Dillon’s book is a poignant portrait about how espionage touches personal lives. Focusing on American spy Paul Dillon (the author’s father) and Soviet spy Dimitri Polyakov, it explores how each navigated the dangers of the Cold War. Readers will quickly see how the Soviet and American espionage apparatuses were quite similar.

Furthermore, there is a connection between the two men that makes their lives even more remarkable. This story reveals how each created separate identities—the one at work and the one at home. It is astounding to realize how little each family knew about what their patriarch did and the dangers he endured. This volume further adds to the understanding about Cold War intelligence services and is similar to Benjamin Weiser’s A Secret Life, David E. Hoffman’s The Billion Dollar Spy, and Kati Marton’s True Believer.

VERDICT An intriguing work with a touching narrative. Cold War historians and espionage aficionados will be delighted. [See Prepub Alert, 11/14/16.]—Jacob Sherman, John Peace Lib., Univ. of Texas at San Antonio

Psychology .Casner, Steve. Careful: A User’s Guide to

Our Injury-Prone Minds. Riverhead.

May 2017. 336p. illus. notes. index.

ISBN 9780399574092. $26; ebk. ISBN 9780399574115. PSYCH

Casner, a research psychologist at NASA with decades of experience in the safety industry, states that the “safety revolution” is long overdue. With startling statistics, such as that there are 350 deaths caused from preventable injuries each day in the United States alone, his work suggests that we may be remiss if we don’t start listening. He considers how our ability to pay attention is incredibly inept, that we are bound to make mistakes and take unnecessary risks, asserting that we often overestimate our ability to stay focused and multitask. How often do people text and drive despite knowing the ramifications? Casner informs us of our limitations and vulnerabilities, not as an insult, but rather to make us aware of the situations that can arise. He provides information on how to prevent these mistakes through awareness and by thinking ahead to possible outcomes. With humor and eye-opening data we may all hopefully become more engaged in our day-to-day lives and keep ourselves and one another safe. VERDICT Casner makes an overwhelmingly compelling case for safety. One of the most intelligent and impactful books; everyone should read it.—Melissa Keegan, Ela Area P.L., Lake Zurich, IL

Latson, Jennifer. The Boy Who Loved

Too Much: A True Story of Pathological Friendliness. S. & S. Jun. 2017.

304p. ISBN 9781476774046. $26; ebk. ISBN 9781476774060. PSYCH

Journalist Latson’s work about Williams Syndrome is partly a portrait about a mother and her love for her special-needs son, and partly an exploration of the condition itself.

Williams Syndrome is explained as a genetic disorder that causes intellectual disability as well as physical abnormalities. What is most striking, though, is that people with Williams are intensely drawn to social contact. They rush to hug total strangers indiscriminately and light up when they see even a face they don’t recognize. Relying on observations, interviews, and thorough research that makes this rare disease easier to understand, Latson tells the story of Eli and his mother, Gayle. From the boy’s diagnosis as a toddler, through his difficult middle school years, and into his first year of high school, when negative behaviors level off and he starts to make friends, she describes Gayle’s constant struggle to control inappropriate behaviors as well as advocate for him in school and the community. Her fierce love for her son is undeniable. VERDICT Recommended for parents and caregivers of anyone with special needs.—Terry Lamperski, Carnegie Lib. of Pittsburgh, PA

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Revisiting the 35th U.S. president, in time for the centennial of his birth

JFK in Memory .JFK: A Vision for America. Harper.

May 2017. 496p. ed. by Stephen Kennedy Smith & Douglas Brinkley. illus. bibliog. ISBN 9780062668844. $45; ebk. ISBN 9780062668851. HIST For the centennial of President John F. Kennedy’s birth on May 29, 1917, his nephew Smith (MIT Sloan Sch. of Management) collaborates with author and historian Brinkley (history, Rice Univ.; Rightful Heritage) to create this collection, complete with chapter narratives and time lines, dedicated to the leader’s life and legacy. Included are more than 700 photographs covering Kennedy’s birth to his death in 1963; over 30 of his best speeches; and more than 40 brief essays by contributors such as Congressman John Lewis, historian David McCullough, and the Dalai Lama. Seven chapters look at Kennedy’s prepolitical experience, congressional career in the U.S. Senate, the 1960 presidential campaign, the New Frontier program in 1961, his focus as a “Goodwill Warrior” in 1963, and his enduring legacy. Although Kennedy served in the Oval Office for only three years, he set a positive agenda for the nation and the world and had the ability to inspire.

VERDICT This celebratory volume is more than just a coffee-table book for Kennedy fans; it is also a useful compendium and reference tool for anyone interested in learning more about his presidency.

[See Prepub Alert, 11/14/16.] —William D. Pederson, Louisiana State Univ., Shreveport

Levingston, Steve. Kennedy and King:

The President, the Pastor, and the Battle over Civil Rights. Hachette.

Jun. 2017. 528p. notes. bibliog. index. ISBN 9780316267397. $28; ebk. ISBN 9780316267403. BIOG In June 1960, Democratic presidential candidate John F. Kennedy (1917–63) met secretly with civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. (1929–68), seeking his endorsement. King demurred. He was wary of Kennedy’s ambition and equivocal record on civil rights. Conversely, the privileged future president failed to grasp the moral exigency of the civil rights question.

Kennedy and King spent the early 1960s building pressure on each other—King leading mass civil disobedience to awaken

the conscience and moral courage of the president and America, Kennedy trying to protect protestors from white mobs as well as to contain the political tumult produced by King’s protests. Hardheaded and ambitious, but also keen to grow into his office, Kennedy distilled the essence of his relationship with King into one simple sentence: “It helps me to be pushed.”

Three years into his presidency, Kennedy finally went all-in on civil rights, denouncing brutal police crackdowns on peaceful marchers and introducing new laws in Congress. VERDICT Biographers struggle to say anything new about Kennedy or King, but in this bracing dual biography, Levingston (Little Demon in the City of Light) adds an upbeat, humanistic flavor to the intersecting lives of his subjects.

This book will hold wide appeal. [See Prepub Alert, 11/14/16.] —Michael Rodriguez, Univ. of Connecticut

Oliphant, Thomas & Curtis Wilkie. The Road to Camelot: Inside JFK’s Five-Year Campaign.

S. & S. May 2017. 448p. illus. notes. bibliog. index. ISBN 9781501105562. $28; ebk. ISBN 9781501105586. HIST After his unsuccessful attempt to earn the vice presidency in 1956, John F. Kennedy arguably served as a principal strategist, constructing a winning coalition of young campaigners, union members, party bosses, and fellow Catholics, among others. Included in this group of followers was Lou Harris, the first onstaff presidential pollster. Boston Globe journalists Oliphant (Utter Incompetents) and Wilkie (The Fall of the House of Zeus) provide an in-depth narrative based on oral histories, personal interviews, and secondary sources. After campaigning on the Cold War missile gap and a lackluster economy, Kennedy, an inexperienced but persuasive senator from Massachusetts, become U.S. president in 1960. This analytical rather than celebratory work suggests Kennedy’s win offers a replicable template of preparing early, securing print bylines and TV advertisements, serving as an agent for change, and quickly respond-

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ing to verbal attacks. The authors add a new perspective to literature on Kennedy by focusing on his electioneering efforts rather than his persona and policy outcomes.

V ­ ERDICT This book will interest everyone from history buffs to those nostalgic for the days of favorite-son candidates to readers interested in contested conventions. [See Prepub Alert, 11/14/16.] —Frederick J. Augustyn Jr., Lib. of Congress, Washington, DC

Sandford, Christopher. Union Jack:

JFK’s Special Relationship with Great Britain. Univ. Pr. of New England.

Jun. 2017. 272p. illus. notes. bibliog. index. ISBN 9781611688528. $29.95; ebk. ISBN 9781512600933. HIST Sandford (Harold and Jack) sets out to show how John F. Kennedy’s formative experiences in Britain influenced his thinking as U.S. president and allowed him to strengthen the “special relationship” with the UK. From his early reading habits to his frequent experiences traveling to London with his father Joseph P. Kennedy Sr. (U.S. ambassador to the UK), Kennedy developed a deep affinity for British art, theater, music, political traditions, and rhetoric. In person, he observed the effects of Britain’s appeasement of Nazi Germany’s Adolf Hitler, World War II’s devastation, and Europe’s reconstruction. Still in his early 20s, he befriended British aristocracy, who would continue as close friends for the rest of his life, including politician David Ormsby-Gore and socialite Deborah Mitford. This network of friends aided his decision-making on the signal issues of his presidency: the Suez Crisis, Cuban Missile Crisis, Berlin Wall, and the Nuclear Test Ban Treaty.

Sandford records a number of Kennedy’s sexual adventures and his endnotes contain unnamed private sources as well as archival and secondary ones. VERDICT A lively, well-researched book for readers whose interest in the era has been piqued by the 2016 film Jackie, Barbara Leaming’s Kick Kennedy, and the TV series The Crown.—Paul A. D’Alessandro, Brunswick, ME APRIL 1, 2017 | LIBRARY JOURNAL | 99

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SOCIAL SCIENCES Phelan, Thomas W. All About ADHD: A Family Resource for Helping Your Child Succeed With ADHD. 3d ed. Sourcebooks.

those interested in prison reform and the race, gender, and socioeconomic issues relating to criminal justice.—Sonnet Ireland, St.

Mar. 2017. 256p. notes. bibliog. index.

ISBN 9781492637868. pap. $15.99. PSYCH

Tammany Parish P.L., Mandeville, LA

In its third edition, fully revised and updated, clinical psychologist Phelan (1-2-3 Magic) once again sets out all the tools, information, and strategies backed by the latest research to recognize, understand, and guide your child with attention-deficit/ hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) effectively to success. In a simple, easy-to-read and -navigate format, Phelan describes the disorder, its symptoms and impacts on home and school, as well as on relationships. From here, parents can go on to explore the different types of ADHD; indicators predicting futures of children with it; the latest medications and treatments; and ways that school, counseling, social skills, and behavior can be managed and utilized correctly. Phelan also includes a section on adults with ADHD and what may be helpful for them when dealing with a diagnosis. VERDICT Phelan’s experience and honest commitment to helping those with ADHD and their families shines through with easily accessible information. Highly recommended for any library with developmental disorder and parenting collections.—Lisa Jordan, Johnson Cty. Lib., Overland Park, KS

SOCIAL SCIENCES

Burton, Susan & Cari Lynn. Becoming

Ms. Burton: From Prison to Recovery to Leading the Fight for Incarcerated Women. New Pr. May 2017. 288p.

notes. ISBN 9781620972120. $25.95; ebk. ISBN 9781620972137. SOC SCI

In this memoir, Burton explores her life inside and outside of prison, along with the varied experiences that led her down that path. The author reflects on situations that directly affected her personal and professional life, such as being forced to return to unhealthy relationships upon reentering society because of the difficulty in securing a steady job and housing with a criminal record. She also examines these issues in a broader context; for example, how the lack of employment and housing opportunities increases the odds of a person returning to prison. More importantly, she writes about ways to change these societal issues, including her founding of the Los Angeles–based organization A New Way of Life. Prison reform is an important and timely issue, and stories such as these emphasize the personal aspect of this complex issue while offering statistics for a fuller perspective. VERDICT More than just a memoir, this account provides an intimate glimpse into the problems that plague the U.S. prison system. Also recommended for

Filipovic, Jill. The H-Spot: The Feminist Pursuit of Happiness. Nation. May 2017. 336p. illus. notes. index. ISBN 9781568585475. $27; ebk. ISBN 9781568585482. SOC SCI

Part feminist history, part memoir, and part call to action, this engaging volume presents a sound argument for shifting both policy and cultural attitudes toward a prioritization of female happiness. Attorney and journalist Filipovic gives a comprehensive look into what makes American women happy— and why so many aren’t—in a system that seems set up to limit them. Using detailed research and thoughtful analysis, as well as numerous interviews with women of varied backgrounds, Filipovic discusses some of the most significant points of female happiness (or lack thereof)—from female friendship to motherhood to equal pay, and more—in all their complexity and through an intersectional feminist lens. Filipovic, who writes for the New York Times, ­Cosmopolitan.com, among other publications, is unflinchingly honest in her analysis of what it means to be female in America, both in 2017 and throughout history. V ­ ERDICT Thought provoking and sure to spark discussion, this title will appeal to fans of Roxane Gay and other feminist writers, as well as readers seeking well-researched works that speak to today’s political climate.—Molly Hone, Pequannock Twp. P.L., NJ

Kelso, William M. Jamestown, the Truth Revealed. Univ. of Virginia. May 2017. 288p. photos. notes. index. ISBN 9780813939933. $34.95; ebk. ISBN 9780813939940. SOC SCI

Archaeologist Kelso ( Jamestown, the Buried Truth) has painstakingly recounted his amazing discovery of James Fort in Virginia, a site once thought long eroded into the James River. Kelso’s excavations not only delineated Jamestown’s walls and architectural features, but they also shined a light on burials and domestic artifacts. The text includes significant background into the history of this early 17th-century English colony, highlighting important peoples and events such as John Smith, the starving time, “mud and stud” dwellings, and the settlement’s often tumultuous relations with Native Americans. Amid the historical narrative, Kelso details the excavation process he undertook at Jamestown from 1994 to 2014, which he supports with numerous photographs and computer reconstructions of the dig. Casual readers may find some portions of the excavation process too meticulous at times, preferring the book’s

rather fluid historical descriptions, conclusions, and reconstructions. VERDICT Readers who enjoyed James Deetz’s In Small Things Forgotten or Ivor Noël Hume’s A Guide to the Artifacts of Colonial America will also enjoy this information-rich volume.—Jeffrey Meyer, Mt. Pleasant P.L., IA

Moua, Mai Neng. The Bride Price.

Univ. of Minnesota. Mar. 2017. 240p.

ISBN 9781681340364. $16.95. SOC SCI

Moua, a first-generation American who was born in Laos and grew up in Minnesota, writes with authority and pathos about the vagaries of being Hmong, a minority “within the Asian minority in a majority culture.” Her experience straddling the divide between the animist Hmong worldview and her Christian upbringing culminates with the expectation that her future in-laws will pay a bride price to her widowed mother, and that she and her fiancé will take part in the tshoob, the customary Hmong marriage ceremony. Moua’s misgivings about these traditions are many, not least of which is her being treated as a commodity. She feels the implications distinctly when it comes to her chronic illness and how she is considered “damaged goods”; someone who may have difficulty bearing children and therefore less worthy of a generous bride price. She and her partner decide to buck tradition, which sets off a chain of events that ultimately estranges her from her mother for years. VERDICT Moua’s exploration of Hmong cultural mores and her eventual poignant reconciliation with her mother make this book an excellent choice for anyone seeking to understand the immigrant experience.—Barrie Olmstead, Sacramento P.L.

.Rothstein, Richard. The Color of Law: A Forgotten History of How Our Government Segregated America. Liveright: Norton.

May 2017. 336p. photos. notes. bibliog. index. ISBN 9781631492853. $27.95; ebk. ISBN 9781631492860. SOC SCI

Conventional narratives about segregation in 21st-century America hold that persistent racial disparities are a product of de facto segregation—the summation of individual preferences—rather than de jure segregation enforced (unconstitutionally) by law. Legal scholar Rothstein (NAACP Legal Defense Fund; Univ. of Calif., Berkeley) disabuses us of this “too-comfortable notion” that the state has not incentivised, and in some cases explicitly required, discrimination against African Americans. Rather than being an accident of privately held prejudice, Rothstein’s work argues that segregation across the long 20th century was a product of federal, state, and local housing and land-use policies that directly and intentionally led to

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professional media Innovative LibGuides Applications: Real World Examples. Rowman & Littlefield. Oct. 2016. 230p. ed. by Ryan L. Sittler & Aaron W. Dobbs. illus. index. ISBN 9781442270534. $95; ebk. ISBN 9781442270558. PRO MEDIA In less than a decade, LibGuides has become a widely adopted mainstay for the support of library instruction and promotion. This new collaboration

by Dobbs (library, Shippenburg Univ.; Using Library Guides To Enhance Library Services) and Sittler (library, California Univ. of Pennsylvania; Library Instruction Cookbook) shares creative uses for LibGuides in seven categories: website integration; learning management system integration; digital collections; datadriven decision making; information literacy; library administration; and system-wide case study.

Their companion book, Integrating LibGuides into Library Websites (reviewed below), focuses more on pedagogy and usability.

Written by and for web developers, public service librarians, and administrators, the case studies illustrate the efficiency and flexibility of LibGuides for both internal and public sharing of information. Segments of code provide details for customization.

Various contributors share the pros and cons of their experiences with LibGuides.

The chapters about digital museums and exhibits provide comprehensive details for those contemplating new projects. VERDICT This successful

the suppression of black family wealth and well-being. To support his argument, he draws on extensive historical research that documents government efforts to create and enforce segregation. Each chapter focuses on a particular tactic such as public housing, racial covenants, or state-sanctioned violence.

The final section calls on citizens to accept collective responsibility and remedy state wrongs through public policy. VERDICT This indictment of government-sponsored segregation is a timely work that will find broad readership among those asking “How did we arrive here?” and “What next?”—Anna J. Clutterbuck-Cook, Massachusetts Historical Soc.

TRAVEL & GEOGRAPHY

McCahill, Kate. Patagonian Road:

documentation of how LibGuides have come of age is recommended for current and future LibGuide practitioners.—Betty J. Glass, Univ. of

Nevada Lib., Reno

Integrating LibGuides into Library Websites. Rowman & Littlefield. Oct. 2016. 258p. ed. by Aaron W. Dobbs & Ryan L. Sittler. illus. index. ISBN 9781442270329. $95; ebk. ISBN 9781442270343. PRO MEDIA Adding to the growing literature on LibGuides is a LITA (Library Information Technology Assn.) guide edited by Dobbs and Sittler (both, Innovative LibGuides Applications: Real World Examples; see review above). Boasting a suite of services from the flagship LibGuides to the newest CMS platform, the editors discuss digital content products such as Springshare, which doesn’t require user coding skills. Building on this characteristic, Dobbs and Sittler have collected chapters on administering, maintaining, designing and developing LibGuides as well as pedagogy and instruction using the system. The audience for this book is very broad, as the editors note: it is meant for current and potential users, new and experienced users. It is also valuable for those who have not migrated to LibGuides2. The chapters convey an even mix of theory, practical information, and figures to aid readers. VERDICT An essential addition to the literature on LibGuides that deserves a place on the shelf of any librarian or library

A Year Alone Through Latin America.

Santa Fe Writer’s Project. May 2017.

350p. maps. ISBN 9781939650542. pap. $16.95; ebk. ISBN 9781939650566.

TRAV

Debut author McCahill measures her yearlong memoir on the Patagonian Road in seasons and countries. We follow her through markets, on buses, in hostels, barrios, brothels, streets, and mountains, as she simultaneously captures the solitude as well as the wonder of the path. McCahill takes a similar route to Paul Theroux’s 1979 travelog The Old Patagonian Express. But where Theroux is confined to the rails—no ­immersion— McCahill plunges in, body and soul. ­A lthough this road has been trodden,

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administrator using the platform.— Jennifer A. Townes, Georgia Coll., Milledgeville

Phillips, Lara Seven & Katherine G. Holvoet.

Taking Your MLIS Abroad: Getting and Succeeding in an International Library Job. Libraries Unlimited. Nov. 2016.

250p. index. ISBN 9781440850219. pap. $50; ebk. ISBN 9781440850226.

PRO MEDIA

Both Phillips and Holvoet (electronic resources librarian, Zayed Univ., Abu Dhabi) have firsthand experience with the process of navigating a library job abroad. (Phillips most recently worked at the University of the South Pacific in Fiji.) Together, they share their insight on international librarianship as well as that of 39 librarians who responded to a survey they conducted. The book begins with several chapters on the why and how of finding and applying for international library jobs, followed by sections that address practical matters such as work visas, financial concerns, and issues related to spouses and children.

The second half of the volume begins by comparing international libraries to those in the United States and then moves into the realm of dealing with culture shock, combatting loneliness, and dating. The remaining chapters cover worst-case scenarios (crime, natural disasters, quitting) and coming home. VERDICT Targeted, practical advice from professionals who speak from experience. Will appeal to adventurous librarians looking to working abroad as well as those who are unsure yet curious. See also Bridging Worlds: Emerging Models and Practices of U.S. Academic Libraries Around the Globe, ed. by Raymond Pun et al.—Sara Holder, Univ. of Illinois Libs., Champaign

the author’s journey and insights, as she explores (and teaches) her way from ­Guatemala, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Ecuador, Peru, B ­ olivia, and A ­ rgentina, have a presence and immediacy. She struggles candidly with fears, identity, love, vulnerability, homesickness, and road weariness, but is also open to the perspective “the moment” can bring. She considers the reciprocity between traveler and local; the inward exploration of self that travel delivers; the connectedness to our surroundings; and reawakening our senses. VERDICT This welcome (and timely) call to explore foreign borders as well as our own comfort zones is highly recommended.—Benjamin Malczewski, T­ oledo Lucas Cty. P.L.

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science & technology Agriculture

Moss, Laura J. Adventure Cats: Living Nine Lives to the Fullest. Workman. May 2017.

224p. ISBN 9780761193562. pap. $14.95; ebk. ISBN 9781523500550. PETS

AdventureCats.org cofounder Moss upends stereotypes about cats and “cat people.” This book combines stories of feline adventurers with guidance for preparing your own cat for outdoor excitement. Moss begins with leash and clicker training, emphasizing the importance of patience, care, and safety at every step. Concise and snappy writing balances with pictures of notable cats in various settings. Readers meet kitties such as R ­ uger, who joins his people on snow-packed trails in Michigan; and Georgie, who travels the world on a sailboat. Not outdoorsy? Cats and their humans don’t need to go far to benefit from Moss’s advice. Urban and suburban dwellers alike can still get out for

sketches, architectural drawings, and color photographs. These interactive spaces are located in various geographic settings and climates. All stand on their own merit for originality and beauty. Tai emphasizes the need for young people to connect with nature, in light of increasing urbanization and shrinking natural play areas. These gardens seek to encourage children to explore freely while using all their senses. The exceptional examples are meant to be a resource for planning outdoor and indoor spaces where youngsters can learn and play. Tai highlights specific design components that should be incorporated to accommodate young people. This title does not attempt to provide specific instructions for building or reproducing these gardens; the author’s first work, Designing Outdoor Environments for Children, offers a “hands on” perspective and would complement this title. VERDICT Educators,

grossly expensive, inefficient, and ineffective medical-industrial complex, which places profit over patient care in the guise of “benevolent healers doing good.” He also calls out paternalistic “I know what’s best for you” doctors who benefit monetarily from the procedures they perform, and makes suggestions for how to communicate with physicians and other practitioners. His plan is based on community and collaboration—using crowdsourcing to become informed and make decisions about health.

Davis recommends a list of discussion forums and support groups, including two of his own websites. He advocates a low-carb diet, specific supplements and exercise, and includes recipes. Two of the author’s claims are questionable: that technology provides open access to all medical knowledge, and that raw information plus crowdsourcing will lead to positive health outcomes for individuals (see the antivaccine movement).

VERDICT Fans of Davis’s previous work and those who feel that the medical establishment has failed them will appreciate this book.—­Rachel O­ wens, Daytona State Coll. Lib., FL Meadows, Susannah. The Other Side of Impossible: Ordinary People Who Faced Daunting Medical Challenges and Refused To Give Up. Random. May 2017. 304p. bibliog. index. ISBN 9780812996470. $28; ebk. ISBN 9780812986457. HEALTH

Garden-themed play parks for kids; everyone should read Riggs; this predator is wise & potent

walks or stay close to home in their catios (outdoor enclosures for cats). All activities consider best practices for encounters with fellow felines, the environment, and wildlife. VERDICT Moss’s website translates well as an excellent training guide for any level of outdoor fun. A preliminary “purr-sonality” quiz helps readers assess whether their cat is ready for a new adventure or content with a window seat.—Meagan Storey, Virginia Beach

.Tai, Lolly. The Magic of Children’s Gardens: Inspiring Through Creative Design.

Temple Univ. Apr. 2017. 352p. illus. maps. index. ISBN 9781439914472. $75. GARDENING

Tai (landscape architecture, Temple Univ.) features 19 U.S. public gardens devoted to children’s entertainment and education.

Each is showcased with plant lists, landscape

landscape professionals, and community groups would benefit from understanding the vital considerations necessary to create inviting garden-themed play parks for kids.

Recommended.—Deborah A. Broocker, Georgia Perimeter Coll. Lib., Dunwoody

Health & Medicine

Davis, William. Undoctored: Why Health Care Has Failed You and How You Can Become Smarter Than Your Doctor.

Rodale. May 2017. 416p. notes. index.

ISBN 9781623368661. $27.99; ebk. ISBN 9781623368678. HEALTH

Davis (Wheat Belly) presents a plan for people to take control of their well-being. He describes the difficulty that patients face in attempting to discern how to best manage their health—due, in large part, to our

Journalist Meadows’s quest for a cure for her son’s juvenile arthritis led her to complementary and alternative therapies. Along the way, she encountered others seeking solutions for serious medical conditions. This book introduces readers to courageous patients, parents seeking help for their children, and scientists searching for cures and explanations. Among them are a physician with multiple sclerosis, a mother determined to stop her daughter’s seizures, and parents helping a child with ADHD. While noting that both traditional and alternative medicine practices are useful and that much is still unknown about what works and why, the author highlights the importance of persistence, hope, and research when facing difficult medical situations. Those profiled here refused to give up and were willing to try unproven therapies with no guarantees.

This title includes supplementary information with websites for updates from the researchers and patients profiled and a glossary.

VERDICT For those facing catastrophic illness

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and willing to explore alternative therapies.

Public and consumer health collections will want to consider.—Barbara Bibel, formerly

Sloppy Science

­Oakland P.L.

.Pearson, Rachel. No Apparent Distress: A

Offit, Paul A. Pandora’s Lab:

288p. notes. index. ISBN 9780393249248. $26.95; ebk. ISBN 9780393249255. MED

Geographic. Apr. 2017.

288p. bibliog. index. ISBN 9781426217982. $26; ebk.

ISBN 9781426217999. SCI Pediatrician and vocal child vaccination proponent Offit selects seven scientific discoveries that were once celebrated but have arguably “changed the world for the worse” and impact us today, such as opium (heroin), margarine (trans fats), industrial nitrogen fixation (chemical warfare), eugenics, lobotomy, DDT, and synthesized vitamins.

The author clearly explains scientific processes and why they matter. The chapter on vitamins begins with Linus Pauling’s embrace of megadosing of Vitamin C— megadosing is now linked to increased risk of cancer and heart disease—but veers into other Nobel Prize winners who, after earlier success, later clung to scientifically disproven theories. Indeed, there are Nobel-winners-gone-wrong throughout. Offit counters these tales with seven aphorisms to consider when encountering the next publicized breakthrough: it’s all about the data, everything has a price, beware the zeitgeist, beware the quick fix,

Doctor’s Coming-of-Age on the Front Lines of American Medicine. Norton. May 2017.

Seven Stories of Science Gone Wrong. National

Writer, MD, and PhD student (Inst. for the Medical Humanities, Galveston) Pearson writes movingly about American medicine and medical education from the perspective of a working-class student who comes to realize that her medical education (and that of many) is based on learning from the poor and uninsured. The author spent years practicing at the St. Vincent Student Run Free Clinic, learning that treatments for diseases are not always available to patients, even under the Affordable Care Act and with heroic efforts by health professionals. She discovers the extent of bias in medical care, including in herself. “No apparent distress” is used in medical charts for patients who appear stable. ­Pearson also considers the American medical system of treating the underprivileged, who provide critical experience for medical students to learn from their mistakes on these patients. VERDICT With similarities to Victoria Sweet’s God’s Hotel, this timely, highly recommended title is for readers interested in medicine, public health, disparities in treatment, and the complicated politics of health care and poverty.— Mary Chitty, Cambridge Healthtech, Needham, MA

Rehmeyer, Julie. Through the Shadowlands:

A Science Writer’s Odyssey into an Illness Science Doesn’t Understand. Rodale. May 2017. 288p. notes. ISBN 9781623367657. $25.99; ebk. ISBN 9781623367664. HEALTH

Science journalist Rehmeyer, contributing editor at Discover magazine, takes readers on a journey through her struggle with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS), an illness for which the medical establishment had no cure. Once a strong individual who ran marathons and performed search-and-­ rescue operations, the author sometimes felt so weak that she couldn’t even move in bed.

After an exhaustive course of visiting doctors, being tested repeatedly, and even being labeled with a psychosomatic disorder, she took matters into her own hands and headed out into the desert, heeding advice from Internet strangers about a possible link between her illness and mold. Rehmeyer became her own doctor and found herself contradicting earlier findings of the scientific community, with the results being a better understanding of the processes her body had gone through. Like Sarah ­Myhill’s

Faust, Coll. of Central Florida

.Harris, Richard. Rigor

Mortis: How Sloppy Science Creates Worthless Cures, Crushes Hope, and Wastes Billions. Basic. Apr. 2017.

288p. notes. index. ISBN 9780465097906. $28; ebk.

ISBN 9780465097913. SCI Science journalist Harris investigates the research on research as he explores the

Diagnosis and Treatment of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Myalgic Encephalitis, this book encourages readers to consider causations and natural treatments that mainstream science has not delved into. VERDICT This personal account will appeal to CFS patients who are looking beyond the usual diagnoses and prognoses. The writer’s reputation as a scientist will be of interest to researchers and medical professionals.—Bonnie Parker, Southern Crescent ­Technical Coll., Thomaston, GA

.Riggs, Nina. The Bright Hour: A Memoir

of Living and Dying. S. & S. Jun. 2017. 288p.

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the dose makes the poison, be cautious about being cautious, and pay attention to the little man behind the curtain. A slew of relevant developments beyond the basic seven are discussed, including purported autism cures, GMOs, and the rhetoric of the last presidential campaign. VERDICT Timely and recommended for most public libraries; may even tempt readers who usually shun science.—Teresa R.

highly competitive field of medical science. The author interviews scientists, doctors, patients, and administrators, covering the pitfalls that lead to faulty conclusions and retracted papers.

Numerous studies have established that mistakes often come from issues with experimental design, comparison groups, randomization, and contamination.

Seemingly small differences in methods and specimens can lead to invalid findings that cost millions and delay future studies. This book provides detailed insight into how scientific research is currently conducted, including how new drugs are discovered and tested and how diseases are studied.

The author discusses possible improvements such as increasing transparency, data sharing, strengthening peer review, altering tenure requirements, and creating new funding structures.

VERDICT This behind-thescenes look at biomedical research will appeal to students and academics. A larger audience of impacted patients and taxpayers will also find this critical review fascinating and alarming.

Highly recommended for public and academic libraries.—Catherine Lantz, Univ. of Illinois at Chicago Lib.

ISBN 9781501169359. $25; ebk. ISBN 9781501169366. HEALTH

Poet Riggs (Lucky, Lucky) has lived under the shade of both a celebrated and a disheartening family tree. The great-great-greatgranddaughter of Ralph Waldo E ­ merson, she was diagnosed with breast cancer, “one small spot,” in her late 30s, and she can name a raft of relatives suffering from the same disease, among them her paternal grandfather. Other family cancers included her mother’s multiple myeloma. This memoir travels the stages of Riggs’s illness, along with the author; her husband, John; and APRIL 1, 2017 | LIBRARY JOURNAL | 103

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SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY their two boys, Freddy and Benny, as she relates past experiences and current anxieties—her cancer metastasizes and is declared incurable. Riggs quotes RWE when it fits (and it always seems to), as well as one of his subjects, philosopher Michel de ­Montaigne.

She reminds us that we are all in this world until we leave it; the gallows humor surrounding her mother’s funeral will make readers howl guiltily but appreciatively. ­ ERDICT Whether confronting disease or V not, everyone should read this beautifully crafted book as it imbues life and loved ones with a particularly transcendent glow.

[Nina Riggs died on February 26, 2017.]— Bette-Lee Fox, Library Journal

Home Economics

Gethers, Peter. My Mother’s Kitchen: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, and the Meaning of Life. Holt. Apr. 2017. 320p. illus.

ISBN 9780805093308. $28; ebk. ISBN 9781250120656. COOKING

Most people think their mother is special, but not many of us have a mother who starts a new career at age 53 and quickly becomes a world-famous chef and cooking teacher at Ma Maison, hobnobbing with Wolfgang Puck and Julia Child. This new memoir and paean to his mother is the work of Gethers (The Cat Who Went to Paris). His father was a Hollywood writer and producer, while his mother’s family founded Ratner’s deli in New York, which operated from 1905 to 2004. With this kind of background, there is no dearth of material. The book is loosely structured around a series of his mother’s favorite dishes that he attempts to re-create for her before her death at age 93. Personal and family stories are interspersed with his tribulations of trying to prepare these often-complicated recipes to his mothers’ still gourmet standards. All of this makes for a very funny as well as moving tribute. ­VERDICT A well-written and engaging memoir, particularly for foodies. Also a great primer on second acts and living (and dying) well.— Susan Hurst, Miami Univ. Libs., Oxford, OH

.Neiman, Ophelie. Wine Isn’t Rocket

Science: A Quick and Easy Guide to Understanding, Buying, Tasting, and Pairing Every Type of Wine. Black Dog. Apr. 2017. 272p. tr. from French by Ophelie Neiman. illus. by Yannis Varoutsikos. index.

ISBN 9780316431309. $24.99; ebk. ISBN 9780316431293. COOKING

French wine blogger Neiman delivers an excellent starting point for novices—and a terrific refresher for those with a little more knowledge. Ignore the framing device wherein each chapter supposedly follows the ventures of a different character (Juliette plans a party, Paul buys wine) into different

areas of understanding wine. Far better is how Neiman skillfully distills the essential information about a gamut of topics such as grapes and terroirs, food pairings, and more. The translation maintains a consistent, approachable voice, and readers will be able to skip to sections of interest without confusion. The simply colored line art by Varoutsikos is a marvelous enhancement to the text. As the author proves, wine isn’t at all rocket science, but rather can be grasped with relative ease and the confident assistance of the right guide. Exceptionally helpful, particularly for those beginning to learn about wine. VERDICT Highly recommended where books on wine are popular.—Peter

error for NASA to achieve this feat. Kluger (senior editor, Time) applies his impressive narrative skills to describe in detail how the Apollo 8 mission achieved its goal of being the first to travel to the moon and return safely to Earth in December 1968.

Kluger’s tale is sprightly written and profiles members of the crew such as Frank Borman, Jim Lovell, and Bill Anders as they carried out their arduous training schedule to meet a launch date that took place only a few weeks after Apollo 7 had concluded.

VERDICT An excellent book told with spirit and verve and enough spaceflight details to satisfy even the most dedicated student of the program. [Prepub Alert, 11/1/16.] —

Hepburn, Coll. of the Canyons Lib., Santa Clarita, CA

Ed Goedeken, Iowa State Univ. Lib., Ames

Sciences

.McNamee, Thomas. The Inner Life of

Devlin, Keith. Finding Fibonacci: The Quest

To Rediscover the Forgotten Mathematical Genius Who Changed the World. Princeton Univ. Apr. 2017. 256p. illus. bibliog. ISBN 9780691174860. $29.95; ebk. ISBN 9781400885534. MATH

Devlin (cofounder, executive director, Human-Sciences & Technologies Advanced Research Inst., Stanford Univ.) follows up The Man of Numbers: Fibonacci’s Arithmetic Revolution, a biography of 13th-century mathematician Leonardo of Pisa (otherwise known as Fibonacci) and examination of his enduring influence on math education, with this story of how that book was researched and written. Over the course of a decade, Devlin took research side trips to Pisa and other cities while in Italy for conferences and talks leading to the publication of Numbers. Luckily for his readers, he also wrote this engaging and entertaining account of his experiences. Even math neophytes will appreciate this title, although they may have difficulty understanding some of the concepts sprinkled throughout. The anecdotes touch upon many of the joys and frustrations of conducting historical research when there are few primary sources and everything is in another language. VERDICT An excellent read for those who enjoyed the author’s previous volume, are interested in the history of math, and/or would like to learn more about the sticky research process.— Holly Boyer, ­Reston, VA

Kluger, Jeffrey. Apollo 8: The Thrilling Story of the First Mission to the Moon. Holt. May 2017. 320p. notes. ISBN 9781627798327. $30; ebk. ISBN 9781627798310. SCI

A generation of Americans watched the adventures of astronauts in the Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo space programs, including the moment in 1969 when Neil Armstrong first stood on the moon as part of Apollo 11. But it took years of trial and

Cats: The Science and Secrets of Our Mysterious Feline Companions. Hachette.

Mar. 2017. 288p. notes. bibliog. index.

ISBN 9780316262873. $27; ebk. ISBN 9780316262866. NAT HIST

With the publication of The Lion in the Living Room, Cat Wars, and Call of the Cats, the recent broadcast of The Story of Cats—a PBS Nature documentary—felines have been getting a lot of press lately. The momentum continues with this distinctive work by nature writer and Guggenheim Fellow McNamee (The Killing of Wolf Number Ten), who considers the house cat a unique domesticate. Living in close association with humans for thousands of years has not erased the cat’s wild instincts, only tempered them.

This title is part personal experience (how McNamee raised a kitten rescued from the Montana snow), part scrutiny of scientific studies about cats, and part advice on best practices for raising a well-adjusted cat.

Whatever topics the author weighs in on— cat videos, cat whisperers, feline predatory instincts, what constitutes a good life for a cat, or the experiences of protected ferals in cat-loving Rome (with its army of gattare, or cat ladies)—his opinions are thoughtful and his suggestions humane. Cat owners who believe that one can establish a meaningful relationship with a cat simply by feeding it should read this insightful book. ­VERDICT Highly recommended for cat lovers and anyone interested in the human-feline bond.

[See Prepub Alert, 1/12/17; author Q&A, p. 105.] —Cynthia Lee Knight, Hunterdon Cty. ­Historical Soc., Flemington, NJ

Montgomery, David R. Growing a Revolution: Bringing Our Soil Back to Life. Norton.

May 2017. 320p. notes. bibliog. ISBN 9780393608328. $26.95; ebk. ISBN 9780393608335. SCI

Montgomery (geomorphology, Univ. of Washington; Dirt: The Erosion of

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Q&A Thomas McNamee Cats: aloof, self-sufficient pets for those who don’t have time for a dog? Not according to author Thomas McNamee, whose recent book, The Inner Life of Cats: The Science and Secrets of Our Mysterious Feline Companions (Hachette, see review on p. 104), is both an affectionate love letter to his own cat Augusta and a perceptive analysis of feline psychology and biology that shatters common assumptions about these animals. McNamee shares some of his insights, weighs in on the controversial indoor vs. outdoor cat argument, and muses on why it is that cats hold such an important place in our hearts.

LJ : What are some of the greatest misconceptions about cats that most people hold?

TM: Too many people, ­e specially men, think cats are emotionally insensitive—“aloof.” In fact, they can be very finely attuned to your mind and feelings, and vice versa if you learn how to pay attention.

Cats are taken for routine veterinary exams much less frequently than dogs.

They hide illness and injury well, but they do get sick, and they do get hurt.

Some people punish cats for misbehavior. It never works. All it does is teach them to be afraid of you. Rewarding good behavior with a little treat works extraordinarily well.

You just have to be consistent.

They appreciate ­consistency.

How has what you’ve learned about felines changed you as a cat owner?

I’ve learned to be observant. Cats don’t reveal themselves as readily as dogs do, but once you learn what to look for, they are remarkably eloquent.

My wife and I don’t leave our cat Isabel alone when we travel, as we used to do with Augusta. We just had a person who’d come in and feed her twice a day and pet her for a few minutes. It took us a long time to realize how loneliness really dulled her. Once we did, we had to work to bring back her normal, joyful self.

I’ve come to realize how important hunting behavior is to every cat. They don’t have to actually kill things, but their play needs to emulate a complete hunting sequence—the wait, the spring, the chase, the attack, the kill. It makes them happy, and not having it leads eventually to anxiety or withdrawal.

You say that when you own a cat, “you have the opportunity to witness the wild close up.” Can you expand on that idea?

The domestic cat is only a few thousand years of evolutionary descent from her wild ancestor, the North African wildcat. A lot of your cat’s weird behavior is the same as the wildcat’s, and once you understand it as such—the rubbing, the sniffing, the need for a high observation post, her obsession with her litter box—maybe you’ll cut her some slack.

What are your thoughts on the often contentious debate about whether cats should be kept indoors or allowed to roam?

That’s a tough one. Augusta grew up in Montana. [She was] outside almost every day and in danger from a multitude of predators, and then when we moved to San Francisco, we still let her out to roam the little backyards separated by high fences. We really didn’t know where she went, except we did know she couldn’t get to the street, because the buildings are all contiguous. Still, there were dangers—hoodlum alley cats, for example. We made the decision because we believed it gave her a fuller life.

Every humane organization will tell you that what we did was an outrage.

We’re still doing it with Augusta’s successor, Isabel. She goes to Montana in the summer and hunts (though we never let her out at dusk or dawn or in the night), and she prowls the backyards in the city. Isabel was attacked by a raccoon a couple of years ago in San Francisco and was hurt pretty badly, but once she healed up, she was rarin’ to go back out. She brings us rats through the kitty flap in the kitchen door, usually half alive.

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I throw her out, and then she kills them in the garden. She is never happier. Is this terrible? A lot of people would say so.

You do a lot of research on the nature of cats, speaking with “cat whisperers” and even visiting a feral cat colony in Rome.

Did anything you learn surprise you?

I was surprised to learn, first, how many millions of feral cats there are in the world, what miserable lives they lead, and at what a catastrophic rate they continue to multiply.

At the feral colony of the Largo di Torre Argentina in Rome, the cats are well fed and well cared for, and they’re all neutered, but people keep sneaking in nonneutered cats and whole litters of kittens, and so even there—probably the best-managed feral cat environment in the world—the population is not fully controlled. Luckily, they have a great adoption program. In most other feral cat populations, half of the kittens die before they reach six months, and all too often the adults are half starved.

The popular method called “trap, neuter, and return” is certainly the most humane way to control these populations, but it fully succeeds only rarely, alas.

I was also surprised to learn how many people’s cats have problems such as peeing outside the litter box, tearing up furniture, or fighting with their housemates. Fortunately, there are now quite a few behavior specialists who can ameliorate those problems. Unfortunately, there are also a lot of charlatan “cat whisperers,” and it’s not easy to know how to choose the good ones.

What about cats makes them so appealing?

What is it about Caravaggio that makes him a great painter? What is it about Shakespeare that makes his plays endlessly fascinating? What is it about ­Château Lafite that makes it taste so good? What is it about a cheeseburger that makes it so appealing?

OK, but seriously, folks, let’s try this. Cats embody the otherness of nature, the unreachable and foreign mystery of nature, while at the same time we see ourselves essentialized in them.

What can a sleeping cat be dreaming? We’ll never know, but the utter relaxation of a sleeping cat—isn’t that a purity of peace that we recognize deep in our souls? And the kill, even of a feather on the end of a ribbon— isn’t that a savagery we recognize as well?—Mahnaz Dar

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SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY ­ ivilizations) illustrates how following the C three principles of conservation agriculture can prevent soil erosion, create fertile soil in a short period of time, keep soil cooler and moister, minimize pests and diseases, and save farmers money and time through using less fossil fuel and fewer insecticides and herbicides. Conservation agriculture is a “no till” or “low till” method, in which farmers grow cover crops and leave the crop residues on the field while using a sophisticated crop rotation system. Interviewing a wide range of scientists and farmers (those living or working in the Dakotas, Ghana, and Costa Rica, as well as at the organic farm at the Rodale Institute in Pennsylvania), Montgomery shares their results, from research plots to actual farms. His findings demonstrate that after several years, farmers practicing conservation agriculture achieve the same or better results than those employing conventional techniques, especially during times of drought. He also investigates how livestock manure can fertilize the soil and how biochar can be an important soil amendment. VERDICT This fascinating, accessible, well-researched work will be of interest to all who are concerned with feeding the world’s burgeoning population while protecting the soil and, ultimately,

the environment.—Sue O’Brien, Downers Grove P.L., IL

.Peterson, Brenda. Wolf Nation: The Life, Death, and Return of Wild American Wolves. Da Capo. May 2017. 304p. ISBN 9780306824937. $27; ebk. ISBN 9780306824944. NAT HIST

A veteran of the “wolf wars,” Peterson (Sightings: The Gray Whale’s Mysterious Journey) draws on her own deep experience and artfully mixes it with science, history, and Native American lore to create a rich account of a most enigmatic creature. She fully explores lupine biology and ethology, and chapters devoted to two famous wolves, “06” and “OR-7” (aka “Journey”), complement that information. Readers learn how apex predators benefit ecosystems, and witness reintroduction in progress with Mexican gray wolves. Although the author leaves no doubt as to where her sympathies lie, she spends time with hard-core opponents to wolf conservation as well as with hunters and ranchers who are warming to the idea.

Readers get an aching sense of what Canis lupus is up against—two-legged mammals with guns, of course, and, behind them, state wildlife commissions stacked with hunter-members gung-ho about removing wolves’ protected status. Equally malignant, Peterson says, is the negative mythic weight of imported big bad wolf fables and homespun Old West tales of the animal as public enemy. Her book stands as a wise and potent antidote. VERDICT Highly recommended for most public libraries and readers interested in the natural world. An accessible, worthy update to classics such as those by ­Farley Mowat and Barry Lopez.—Robert ­Eagan, Windsor P.L., Ont.

Prum, Richard O. The Evolution of Beauty:

How Darwin’s Forgotten Theory of Mate Choice Shapes the Animal World—and Us.

Doubleday. May 2017. 448p. illus. notes. bibliog. index. ISBN 9780385537216. $30; ebk. ISBN 9780385537223. NAT HIST

In this thought-provoking exploration of sexual selection as an evolutionary force, Prum (ornithology, Yale Univ.) argues that Charles Darwin’s theory of natural selection isn’t the only thing driving evolution.

Sexual selection is the idea that the female is responsible for more than modern-day scientists are comfortable admitting, by choosing mates based on attributes that are aesthetically pleasing rather than serving some sort of function to further the species.

For example, in order to attract a mate, the male great argus pheasant builds an “arena” by clearing out sticks and leaves, waits for a female to approach, and then expands his feathers, which are covered in multicolored

optical illusion spheres, and dances around.

Prum argues in favor of Darwin’s theory that this mating ritual, along with others, is the culmination of evolution through mate choice, that individuals have the capacity to choose mates with the ornaments they prefer. He expands this theory mostly through his ornithological studies but also casts the methodology onto humans as well, which is much easier to comprehend. Prum’s prose is simple and enjoyable enough for the Darwinian-challenged to understand while based in enough scientific evidence to engage those who might disagree with the ideas presented. VERDICT An intriguing look at a forgotten—and ignored—piece of Darwinism. Casual readers and science buffs alike will surely appreciate this book.

[Prepub Alert, 11/21/2016.] —Tyler Hixson, School Library Journal

Suzuki, David & Ian Hanington. Just Cool It! The Climate Crisis and What We Can Do; A Post-Paris Agreement Game Plan.

Greystone. Apr. 2017. 312p. notes. index.

ISBN 9781771642590. pap. $18.95. SCI

For decades, Canadian scientist, activist, and broadcaster Suzuki (The Sacred Balance) has spoken up on behalf of the environment. With journalist coauthor Hanington, he updates the message, taking into account the points established at the UN 2015 Paris Agreement. At that conference, almost all nations made commitments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and set a date by which they would stop burning coal, oil, and gas. The authors remind governments, businesses, and individuals that honoring these “breakthrough” commitments requires making major changes. They acknowledge that fighting global warming is challenging and expensive, but contend that ignoring it would be catastrophic.

They state that agricultural solutions should revolve around sustainably working with nature and storing more carbon in soil, and that technological solutions should include building a smart power grid and storage to manage renewable energy that is replacing fossil fuels. More controversial statements are about economics and politics: that producing carbon pollution indicates market failure, that mainstream economics must value natural capital and ecological services, and that governments must lead the global shift from fossil fuels. As in Suzuki’s earlier books, the tone is practical about the means to make change yet passionate about preserving an environment that supports biodiversity and human civilization. VERDICT For readers who understand the climate crisis and want workable guidelines for fighting climate change.—David R. Conn, formerly with Surrey Libs., BC

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[reference] History

Women in American History: A Social, Political, and Cultural Encyclopedia and Document Collection. 4 vols. ABC-CLIO. Jan. 2017. 1828p. ed. by Peg A. Lamphier & Rosanne Welch. illus. bibliog. index.

ISBN 9781610696029. $415; ebk. ISBN 9781610696036. REF

Those who wish to study women’s role in American history will find much to relish in this thorough and enlightening four-­volume set from Lamphier (intergenerational general education, California State Polytechnic Univ., Pomona) and Welch (intergenerational general education, California State Polytechnic Univ., Pomona).

The first volume covers precolonial North America to the early Republic; Volume 2 examines antebellum America through the Gilded Age; Volume 3 moves on with the Progressive era through World War II; and the concluding book starts with the Cold War and moves up to present day. Each title is divided into three sections, with ten categories of thematic essays, including childbirth and child rearing, clothing and fashion, courtship, marriage and divorce, and education. A multipage historical overview at the beginning of each section provides general information on the time period and concludes with a listing of further reading.

Each entry ends with a “see also” reference, which will help readers access related information within this set of books, and a listing of further reading, including scholarly articles, titles, and websites. Each volume has a complete index. VERDICT Recommended for academic libraries serving women’s studies students who use print reference regularly. Public libraries with patrons interested in women’s and U.S. history may also want to purchase.—Jason L. Steagall, Gateway Technical Coll. Lib., Elkhorn, WI

Step into traditions from around the globe; travel back in time to the Old West

wide range of important aspects of the experiences of Native Americans and European Americans of the 19th-century trans-­Mississippi River West. The volume contains approximately 230 entries divided into ten topical sections on various aspects of social history—including family, politics, religion, economics, and recreation. A short introduction starts off each section, followed by alphabetically arranged entries of several pages. All feature “see also” crossreferences and a bibliography of relevant resources for further study. Some entries have sidebars, and some are illustrated. The set also includes a lengthy chronology and 12 of the era’s most important primary documents. Although a few maps and more analysis would have enhanced the work, Bakken (history emeritus, California State Univ., Fullerton) and the contributors write in an erudite and accessible manner that will simultaneously educate and entertain. ­ ERDICT Lots of sound information on a V variety of fascinating topics for high school students, college undergraduates, and nonspecialists with an interest in the social, political, intellectual, and material culture of the 1800s American West.—Rob Tench, Old Dominion Univ. Lib., Norfolk, VA

Performing Arts

The World of the American West: A Daily Life Encyclopedia. 2 vols. Greenwood. Dec.

Snodgrass, Mary Ellen. The Encyclopedia of World Folk Dance. Rowman & Littlefield.

2016. 942p. ed. by Gordon Morris Bakken. illus. bibliog. index. ISBN 9781440828591. $198; ebk. ISBN 9781440828607. REF

Aug. 2016. 464p. notes. bibliog. index.

ISBN 9781442257481. $95; ebk. ISBN 9781442257498. REF

Have you ever wondered what life was really like in the Old West? What people ate, drank, and wore? How they raised their children or what they did for fun?

This engaging and detailed encyclopedia answers those questions while ­exploring a

Snodgrass (Encyclopedia of World Ballet) examines “the placement of folk dances within world history” in this useful reference. Each entry cites its source(s) at the end. Some summaries place folk dance within a subject, as in “Art, Folk Dance In” or “Film,

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Folk Dance In.” Examples of dances mentioned include the czardas, the mazurka, the polonaise, the Highland fling, and the hula as well as Native American dances such as the sun dance and the ghost dance. There are general entries (“Greek Dance”; “Jewish Dance”), along with more intriguing ones (e.g., “Dragon Dance”; “Parasol Dance”).

Rituals—coming-of-age, nuptials—are covered as well. Shamanic dance, worship dance, and sacrificial dance give yet additional perspectives on movement as ceremony. This resource is noteworthy for its interweaving of dances with information on their respective countries/cultures and their purposes and meanings. Students doing reports will benefit from the helpful bibliography, which separates primary and secondary sources, and from the glossary and chronology. Color and black-and-white photographs provide examples. Often one has to research a country to find out more about its traditions, but this book offers an overview that is subject specific, making it a strong option for those seeking folk dance materials. VERDICT An excellent introduction for anyone looking for information on world folk dance and its terminology.— Barbara Kundanis, Longmont P.L., CO

Religion

Great Events in Religion: An Encyclopedia of Pivotal Events in Religious History. 3 vols. ABC-CLIO. Nov. 2016. 1046p. ed. by Florin Curta & Andrew Holt. bibliog. index.

ISBN 9781610695657. $310; ebk. ISBN 9781610695664. REF

Curta (medieval history, archaeology, Univ. of Florida) and Holt (history, Florida State Coll. at Jacksonville) have compiled in-depth articles by almost 100 scholars of history, religion, anthropology, and literature, covering prehistory to the present. The entries are mainly Western and Christian focused, but there are selections by experts on selected Eastern topics. Though the title refers to “Events,” people, ideas, places, and structures are also included. The length of the articles reflects the relative significance of the topic.

The lack of images, especially of iconography and architecture, is regrettable. The index cites no entries for Shinto or Druze; shamanism, animism, and information on indigenous religions (e.g., Maori, Navajo) is largely absent, although there are articles on “Ghost APRIL 1, 2017 | LIBRARY JOURNAL | 107

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REFERENCE Dance,” “Cargo Cult,” “Cao Dai,” “Baha’i,” and “Sikhi.” Apart from allusions to North African Islam, African religion is mentioned only in reference to its influence upon Caribbean Catholic syncretic sects. Every vol-

ume includes a lucid period overview and alphabetical- and volume-specific topics lists.

There is a reliable index in Volume 3. The editing is solid (despite many typos) and the language nontechnical; the bibliography is

ereviews Niche Academy

Niche Academy; nicheacademy.com/niche-academy-in30-s Free trial available

n By Henrietta Verma CONTENT Niche Academy offers tutorials for public and academic library staff and patrons, guidance on creating in-house videos, and a platform for hosting both kinds of material on the library’s site. In a phone conversation with LJ, COO Jared Oates explained that the company’s mission grew from the realization that library online resources are underused, and that’s often because of patron and librarian intimidation.

Seeking a way to help libraries promote themselves more effectively, offer instruction and information literacy resources more efficiently, and provide patrons a great first experience with their library, the company decided to concentrate on e-learning and developed a series of promotional widgets and video tutorials. As resources change, Niche guidance is updated.

Niche Academy material helps with resource-targeted learning, such as how to use ancestry.com, and also provides less widely available assistance on diverse topics such as how best to interact with and assist homeless library users. Libraries choose which of Niche’s premade tutorials to feature on their sites and can upload their own videos and other materials to the platform. Niche also offers staff training videos. Many of these cover administrative tasks such as checking books in and helping patrons set up an account, but others are less expected, addressing library activism and the use of libraries as community centers. Social media is a focus, too, with the platform providing introductions to Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, and Snapchat. ollowing are snapshots of how four different libraries have utilized Niche offerings.

Suffolk Public Library, VA, (www.suffolkpubliclibrary.com/download-it/) showcases videos about its material in a carousel 108 | LIBRARY JOURNAL | APRIL 1, 2017

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at the top of its homepage. Users can find guidance on, for example, using Axis360, Hoopla, and Goodreads. Each of the videos lasts a few minutes and offers highlights of what the resource offers and how to access and navigate the product.

Even while moving among entries on various vendors’ products, patrons never leave the library’s page, and each video has a similar production style so that there’s always the impression of remaining in the same library.

Anderson Public Library, IN, (www. and.lib.in.us/) also offers a large display of promotions with an “above the fold” space on its website. They encourage patrons to follow the library on social media and explain how to do so; they also inform readers about the library’s board games and large print materials.

At the other end of the broad/narrow focus scale is Waterloo Public Library’s (IA) website promoting its Maker space (waterloo.lib.ia.us/thehive); this page uses Niche to describe Maker activities and resources.

Here is demonstrated Niche’s ability to host library-created items such as scheduling tools and quizzes. Merrill-Cazier’s (UT)use of Niche (my.nicheacademy.com/v2/usulibrary) is highly specific, too, covering the workings of only two library departments.

These libraries use a combination of in-house creations hosted by Niche and premade resources. As well as the other vendor-focused videos mentioned above, Niche offers videos on Academic OneFile, Ancestry Library Edition, AtoZ Databases, BiblioBoard, BookBrowse, BorrowBox, Chilton Auto Repair Instructions, and other databases and free online resources. usability Given that Niche is highly customizable, usability and a critique of the product is largely a case of “it is what you make of it.” The company notes that subscribing to Niche has contributed to sustained usage increases at some libraries. The

full of mostly recent sources. VERDICT Flaws aside, this set contains up-to-date material appropriate for advanced secondary and tertiary students interested in the topic.—Patricia D. Lothrop, formerly of St. George’s Sch., Newport, RI

degree to which that is true at a particular library likely depends on how extensively Niche’s resources are used there and the extent to which the library creates resources that are specifically for local patrons vs. relying on generic videos.

Usage is assisted by Niche’s provision of videos on how to install their resources— see for example guidance on how to create a course in Niche (my.nicheacademy. com/help/course/416) and how to manage your “academy”—the company’s name for your installation of Niche.

What helps set Niche apart from other companies offering video tutorials is its inclusion of material on library activism and on the library as a community center.

The “10 Strategies for Community Organizing in Libraries” set of resources will be especially popular with professionals who have recently found themselves involved in local activism. Videos include “Develop Your Library’s Message,” “Learn To Handle Opposition,” and “Don’t Talk About Numbers.”

Also most welcome will be the tutorial on assisting homeless patrons. These videos, which are available for an extra fee, include “It’s Boring To Be Homeless,” “Assess Local Policies,” and “Getting Funding and Support,” with instruction provided by Ryan Dowd, a former homeless shelter director who now trains professionals on how to interact with individuals effectively and with compassion.

PRICING Niche is refreshingly open about its subscription pricing, which is based upon population served. Type your population numbers into the price calculator box found on the pricing page for a quote.

The annual fee for the set of videos on assisting homeless patrons “ranges from $199 to $4,999 per library district depending on your size and country” (see www.­ homelesslibrary.com/). verdict Libraries able to spend the time to get the most out of a Niche subscription should look into a trial of its resources. Its provision of library-staff training, especially the module on homelessness, will be of widespread value. Library schools should also consider.

Henrietta Verma is Senior Editorial Communications Specialist, National Information Standards Organization

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REFERENCE

short takes Bascom, Lionel C. Harlem: The Crucible

of Modern African American Culture.

Praeger: ABC-CLIO. Dec. 2016. 208p. index. ISBN 9781440842689. $48; ebk.

ISBN 9781440842696. REF As African Americans moved northward in the Great Migration, Harlem, NY, became a gathering point for many, resulting in an “unprecedented kind of social alchemy” often called the Harlem Renaissance. Bascom (writing, Western Connecticut State Univ.; A Renaissance in Harlem) moves in roughly chronological order, from about 1920 to 1960, although he references earlier points in the history of blacks in America. He makes convincing arguments that Harlem during those years was a relatively safe haven (and a “heaven”) for not only writers and artists but intellectuals, political activists, religious leaders, and common folk as well. The book concludes with the 1963 March on Washington, though it travels back to address the influences of men such as A. Philip Randolph and W.E.B. Du Bois. VERDICT A scholarly yet readable history of a broad era. Consider for public and academic libraries, especially those in the greater New York City area.

Chudler, Eric & Lise A. Johnson. Brain

Bytes: Quick Answers to Quirky Questions About the Brain. Norton. Mar. 2017.

256p. illus. index. ISBN 9780393711448. $16.95; ebk. ISBN 9780393711455. REF This pocket-size book by Chudler (neuroscience, Univ. of Washington; executive director, Ctr. for Sensorimotor Neural Engineering, Seattle) and Johnson (neural engineer, Ctr. for Sensorimotor Neural Engineering, Seattle) gives succinct answers to questions from the scientific to the futuristic to the offbeat. Many answers are followed by one or more citations. Illustrations accompany about a quarter of the articles. Various appendixes include a table of brain weights for a variety of animals, a list of animal venoms, and a time line of milestones in neurological research.

VERDICT Best for browsing and casual use rather than research. An interesting conversation starter on a variety of brainrelated topics. Suitable for public libraries.

Eastman, Cari Lee Skogberg. Immigration: Examining the Facts. ABC-CLIO. (Contemporary Debates). Dec. 2016.

281p. index. ISBN 9781440835346. $63; ebk. ISBN 9781440835353. REF

Like other books in this series, this title uses a questionand-answer format to delve into a noteworthy topic, in this case, immigration. Initial queries can be blunt (“Why don’t unauthorized immigrants ‘stand in line’ to enter legally?”) and initial answers just as short: “For many immigrants, there may be no clear ‘line’ to stand in.” ­Eastman (Shaping the Immigration Debate) writes with a generally positive attitude toward undocumented citizens, supporting her assertions with research. Each discussion is between two and five pages, with occasional charts and tables and additional pages of further reading. General topic areas include labor and employment, crime/public safety, children, and policies and politics. VERDICT Useful for high school or college projects or for general readers seeking more information on emotionally charged topics.

The Horse-Lover’s Encyclopedia: A–Z Guide to All Things Equine: Barrel Racing, Breeds, Cinch, Cowboy Curtain, Dressage, Driving, Foaling, Gaits, Grulla, Legging Up, Mustang, Piebald, Reining, Snaffle Bits, Steeple-Chasing, Tail Braiding, Trail Riding, English & Western, and So Much More. 2d ed. Storey. Mar.

Kress, Stephen & Eilssa Wolfson. American Museum

of Natural History: Pocket Birds of North America, Western Region. ISBN

9781465456304. ea. vol: DK. Jan. 2017. 296p. illus. maps. index. pap. $14.95. REF These two pocket-size references for bird-watchers, created in conjunction with the American Museum of Natural History, cover 376 (Eastern Region) and 438 (Western Region) species found on the North American continent. These books are grouped into chapters by related birds (e.g., “Ducks/ Geese/Swans”; “Owls”), and there is some overlap between the two volumes. Detailed drawings of birds in various positions, as well as photographs of many species, aid in identification. Entries include maps to point out territories as well as icons indicating whether the bird population is stable or declining, and many contain boxed information on voice, nesting, feeding, habitat, and size. VERDICT Great for novice birders, seasoned bird-watchers who need to replace a dog-eared guide, or anyone who wants a handy reference.

Museum of Natural History: Pocket Birds of North America, Eastern Region. ISBN

Meehan, William Paul, III. Concussions.

Greenwood. Dec. 2016. 221p. index.

ISBN 9781440838941. $40; ebk. ISBN 9781440838958. REF Meehan is a sports injury and concussion expert (director, Micheli Ctr. for Sports Injury Prevention; Kids, Sports and Concussions) with an academic yet relatively accessible writing style. The first chapters of this title provide an overview of brain trauma, concussion diagnosis, sports risk, and current medical research. Controversies addressed include the role of gender, the practice of soccer players hitting the ball with their heads, and issues of treatment.

Excerpts from Center of Disease Control and Prevention guidelines, congressional hearings, and the NFL players concussion litigation are included with other primary source documents. Meehan uses frequent real-world examples to balance scientific explanations of brain function and the physics of concussions.

V ­ ERDICT Dense but necessary reading for coaches, parents, and older players of any contact sport.—Maggie Knapp, Trinity

9781465456311.

Valley Sch., Fort Worth, TX

2017. 432p. ed. by Jessie Haas. illus. index. ISBN 9781612126821. $39.95; pap.

ISBN 9781612126784. $29.95; ebk. ISBN 9781612126791. REF This update to the original 2000 edition contains more than 1,700 entries—as well as photos and drawings of running, jumping, and gamboling horses, equipment, and anatomy—on just about every page. The shortest entries are a single sentence, and most are between a paragraph and a page or more in length.

Haas writes horse-themed fiction for young readers and has a pleasing and direct style in this nonfiction endeavor. She covers English and Western riding, the history of the horse, some basic equine medical issues, training terminology, and details about horse breeds and coloration. ­VERDICT An ideal addition for any children’s or adult reference section.

Kress, Stephen & Eilssa Wolfson. American

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the reader’s shelf Edited by Neal Wyatt

Waxing Poetic Author Colum McCann wrote in the Guardian that “poets have their fingers on a different pulse.” The creators of the following novels skillfully position poetry at the center of their tales, putting their own fingers on that very beat.

Time has not been kind to Richard Winslow, a once-acclaimed poet who explains that he suffers from “commercial leprosy.”

His wife is preparing to leave him; he drinks far too much and far too often. When a visiting professorship opens at a remote Montana college, Richard reluctantly accepts the offer. He hopes to recover from writer’s block, embrace a love for fly-fishing, and ramble through the picturesque landscape.

His daydreams are one thing, but Richard also encounters Erika, a fragile and talented student who adds both intrigue and misery to his life. Sorrowful journeys are common in fiction, but Richard and Erika cover complex, poignant terrain on their rueful road trip in Kevin Canty’s e­ loquent Winslow in Love (Vintage. 2006. ISBN 9781400078554. pap. $14; ebk. ISBN 9780307430281).

A sharp satire on our dark, debt-laden times is Jess Walter’s The Financial Lives of the Poets (Harper Perennial. 2010.

ISBN 9780061916052. pap. $14.99; ebk.

ISBN 9780061965913), which follows in the wake of the 2008 financial crisis. Matthew Prior, a recently laid-off financial columnist, is facing marital woes as his wife’s compulsive eBay purchases have led to impending foreclosure. He hatches a plan he is sure will bring in cash flow: a website featuring poetry about money. Somehow surprised when this venture fails, Matthew stumbles upon his next outrageous commercial scheme while on a late-night trip to a store. Mildly endearing poetry is sprinkled throughout this depressingly hilarious (or hilariously depressing) view of Everyman blended with laugh-out-loud scenes.

In Seth Greenland’s I Regret Everything (Europa. 2015. ISBN 9781609452476. pap. $16; ebk. ISBN 9781609452575), Jeremy Best is a New York City attorney who also surreptitiously writes poetry under the moniker Jinx Bell. Spaulding Simonson, an

most alluring are the poets in “Blythe.” Stay-at-home moms Harriet and Blythe meet in a night class for creative writing and form an instant friendship. Quiet and grounded, Harriet weathers the charismatic and unstable Blythe, who brings constant dramatic highs and lows to Harriet’s world. Devoted Harriet tries to hold fast, until their thorny bonds become too complex and convoluted for even she to support. Later, attaining her own literary A friendship in free verse; What is poetry worth? success, Harriet becomes aware of how Blythe’s perforaspiring poet and the troubled, precocious mances and ploys shaped her life. daughter of Jeremy’s coworker, reads his work in the Paris Review and realizes Jinx’s The befuddled and bumbling Sam Pulsifer true identity. The two alternate narrating is the key figure in Brock Clarke’s snarky chapters that unfold like a dance and tell an An Arsonist’s Guide to Writers’ Homes unlikely story of connection between two in New England (Algonquin. 2008. ISBN needy, lonely, and frightened individuals. 9781565126145. pap. $13.95; ebk. ISBN This compact literary novel with its raw and 9781565126381). Upon completing a tenrealistic plot twists explores life, love, and year prison term for accidentally burning the power of verse. down Emily Dickinson’s home and killing two caretakers, Sam is acclimating to life as Thirtysomething sisters—the righteous a free man. During his return to his parents’ ­Rosalind, brittle Bianca, and capricious home, he is amazed when his father shares Cordelia—shine in Eleanor Brown’s wise several letters requesting that other famous and witty debut, The Weird Sisters (Put- writers’ residences be destroyed. Though nam. 2012. ISBN 9780425244142. pap. he is horrified, Sam makes plans to visit the $16; ebk. ISBN 9781101486375). Readers home of Robert Frost, leading to a series of quickly catch on to how the “weird” in the vague, unsettling discoveries. Clarke’s wildly title (from the Anglo-Saxon “wyrd,” mean- original and absurdly screwball faux memoir ing destiny) foretells each sister’s fate as they is not only an unpredictable detective tale but reunite at their family home to aid their ail- also a tragic, caustic ­conundrum. ing mother. Their father, a Shakespearean scholar, communicates in the Bard’s iambic pentameter, with others in the family This column was contributed by librarian occasionally speaking in a similar fashion. and freelance writer Andrea Tarr, Alta This unique touch in Brown’s savvy story Loma, CA is quirky, but she also uses the playwright’s themes to surface deeper issues.

Neal Wyatt compiles LJ’s online feature Lauren Groff’s delectable Delicate ­Edible Wyatt’s World and is the author of The Birds (Hachette. Aug. 2016. ISBN Readers’ Advisory Guide to Nonfiction 9780316317771. pap. $16; ebk. ISBN (ALA Editions, 2007). She is a collection 9781401396374) is plump with nine rivet- development and readers’ advisory librarian ing short stories. Among all Groff’s char- from Virginia. Those interested in contributing acters, including champion swimmers, to The Reader’s Shelf should contact her baton twirlers, and dictators’ wives, the directly at Readers_Shelf@comcast.net

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l

Week Ending March 18, 2017

SF/Fantasy

1

Humans, Bow Down. [HC] James Patterson & Emily Raymond.

Little, Brown. ISBN 9780316346962. $28.

11

At the Sign of Triumph. [HC] David Weber. Tor. (Safehold, Bk. 9).

ISBN 9780765325587. $27.99.

2

Crimson Death. [HC] Laurell K. Hamilton. Berkley. (Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter, Bk. 25). ISBN 9781101987735. $28.

12

Closer to the Chest. [HC] Mercedes Lackey. DAW: NAL. (Valdemar: The Herald Spy, Bk. 3). ISBN 9780756409012. $27.

3

The Bear and the Nightingale. [HC] Katherine Arden. Del Rey: Ballantine. ISBN 9781101885932. $27.

13

Arcanum Unbounded: The Cosmere Collection. Brandon Sanderson. Tor. ISBN 9780765391162. $27.99.

4

Death's Mistress. [HC] Terry Goodkind. Tor. (Nicci Chronicles, Bk. 1). ISBN 9780765388216. $29.99.

14

The Blood Mirror. [HC] Brent Weeks. Orbit: Hachette.

(Lightbringer, Bk. 4). ISBN 9780316251334. $28.

5

Catalyst: A Rogue One Novel. [HC] James Luceno. Del Rey: Ballantine. (Star Wars). ISBN 9780345511492. $28.99.

15

Shadow of Victory. [HC] David Weber. Baen.

(Honor Harrington, Bk. 19). ISBN 9781476781822. $28.

6

Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. [HC] Alexander Freed. Del Rey: Ballantine. (Star Wars). ISBN 9780399178450. $28.99.

16

Empire's End. [HC] Chuck Wendig. Del Rey: Ballantine. (Star Wars: The Aftermath Trilogy, Bk. 3). ISBN 9781101966969. $28.99.

7

All Our Wrong Todays. [HC] Elan Mastai. Dutton.

ISBN 9781101985137. $26.

17

Hero. [HC] R.A. Salvatore. Wizards of the Coast.

(Homecoming, Bk. 3). ISBN 9780786965960. $27.95.

8

Crosstalk. [HC] Connie Willis. Del Rey: Ballantine.

ISBN 9780345540676. $28.

18

Navigators of Dune. [HC] Brian Herbert & Kevin J. Anderson. Tor. (Dune, Bk. 10). ISBN 9780765381255. $27.99.

9

The Turn: The Hollows Begins with Death. [HC] Kim Harrison.

Gallery: S. & S. (Hollows). ISBN 9781501108716. $26.99.

19

The Burning Page. [P] Genevieve Cogman. Ace. (Invisible Library, Bk. 3). ISBN 9781101988688. $16.

Gilded Cage. [HC] Vic James. Del Rey: Ballantine.

(Dark Gifts, Bk. 1). ISBN 9780425284155. $20.

20

The Queen of Blood. [HC] Sarah Beth Durst. Harper Voyager.

(Queens of Renthia, Bk. 1). ISBN 9780062413345. $19.99.

10

This list includes titles most in demand by libraries and bookstores nationwide from Baker & Taylor six months prior to the week ending March 18, 2017. (c) Copyright 2017 Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. 112 | LIBRARY JOURNAL | APRIL 1, 2017

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® MLA Gold Winner

Use Digital Magazines Inside and Outside the Classroom Digital resources are gaining popularity with students and educators for use inside and outside the classroom.

That’s why many academic institutions are turning to Flipster®, the digital magazine newsstand. Flipster provides students with access to their favorite magazines and creates an opportunity for educators to integrate thought-provoking titles in their courses.

• Consumer Reports

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• Entrepreneur

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