Preview Shelf by Janice Clauser

Library News and Notable New Books

Toddlers and students through high school may now register for “Adventure Island” the Crawfordsville Library’s summer reading program. Story times, crafts, and prizes await young patrons. Treasure Hunt Days, ventriloquist Mike Hemmelgarn’s show, Donuts with Dad, and Drop-In Bingo are some of the plans. The last day to turn in reading time for prizes is July 10th when “Melchior Marionettes” will perform.
This year’s t-shirts in snazzy black and white feature a treasure chest with the quotation, “There’s an adventure in every book”.

If you love food, notice two new books of recipes. Jamie & Bobby Deen’s “The Deen Bros. Get Fired Up” offers grilling, tailgating, and picnicking, while “The Acid Reflux Solution” is a cookbook guide for healing heartburn naturally from Jorge Rodriguez. A mystery with recipes is Joanne Fluke’s “Cinnamon Roll Murder”.

There are new mysteries on the shelves every week. One is Parnell Hall’s 12th Puzzle Lady mystery called “$10,000 in Small, Unmarked Puzzles”. Danielle Steel’s new novel “Betrayal” tells about a renowned film director confronting an act of unimaginable treachery. Harlan Coben’s “Stay Close” shows three people living lives they never wanted, hiding secrets that even those closest to them would never suspect. “Hush Now, Don’t You Cry” by Rhys Bowen brings close Newport, Rhode Island in 1904, where an estate owner is found dead at the base of the cliffs that overlook the Atlantic. Jodi Picoult’s “Lone Wolf” (the breed known for knowing when its time is over so it can slip away to end its days) tackles “family” and what happens when the hope that should sustain it is tearing it apart. “Pray for Silence” by Linda Castillo is a thriller in the Amish community where an entire family was found slaughtered on their farm, and a diary reveals secrets that might help bring the killer to justice. “Fall From Grace” by Richard Patterson exposes secrets about the death of a prominent New England patriarch in a story set on Martha’s Vineyard. “Victims” by Jonathan Kellerman is an Alex Delaware novel that blends classic police procedures with glimpses into the darkest depths of the human condition, at a crime scene as gruesome as those from the days of Jack the Ripper.

S. M. Stirling’s novel “The Tears of the Sun: a novel of the change” shows a post-apocalyptic landscape where technology has no power to help people, as the High King of Montival faces the forces of the Church Universal and Triumphant. Suzanne Brockmann’s “Born to Darkness” tackles the future as a former Navy SEAL takes work at a fringe scientific research facility, where certain individuals can access untapped regions of the brain to change lives. Kristina McMorris’ “Bridge of Scarlet Leaves” is a story of Japanese and American lovers crossed not only by the stars but also by the vagaries of World War II and their two countries cultures.

“What We Talk About When We Talk About Anne Frank” by Nathan Englander offers beautiful but audacious short stories asking great questions about modern life. “Loving” is the fourth and final book in the Bailey Flanigan Series by Karen Kingsbury as the heroine begins a new career and faces a marriage choice between men from Los Angeles and Bloomington, Indiana.

Preview Shelf by Janice Clauser

Library News and Notable New Books

The Crawfordsville Library will be closed Sunday and Monday, May 27th and 28th, reopening Tuesday, the 29th at 9 a.m.

Decorating is the subject of three new manuals from Better Homes and Gardens: “Small Space Decorating”, “Real-Life Decorating”, and “New Decorating Book”. Other titles are This Old House’s “Easy Upgrades: Kitchens”, “Rethinking Digital Photography: Making & Using Traditional & Contemporary Photo Tools” and “The Book of CSS3: A Developer’s Guide to the Future of Web Design” by Peter Gasston, all designed as complete courses.

Three yellow books are “Dummies” products: “Job Searching with Social Media for Dummies” by Joshua Waldman, “Anatomy & Physiology for Dummies” by Maggie Norris, and “Grant Writing for Dummies” by Beverly Browning. From Teach Yourself Visually comes “HTML5” by Mike Wooldridge. From Nolo comes “101 Law Forms for Personal Use” by Ralph Warner. “Origami Zoo” features 25 paper animal creations from Paul Jackson. Dewalt’s “Construction Math” in a Quick Check edition shows how to calculate many kinds of estimates needed for building plans.

“Flying Fear Free” by Sandra Pollino gives seven steps to relieving air travel anxiety. It’s fun to read as well as being helpful. “Coffee Is Good for You” by Robert Davis gives the truth about diet and nutrition claims, from Vitamin C and organic foods to low-carb and detox diets. “The Essential Phone Interview Handbook” by Paul Bailo prepares for the faceless interview, being ready no matter when a call comes, and protecting your professional presence. Jeff Eisenberg’s “The Bed Bug Survival Guide” says on the cover “The Only Book You Need to Eliminate or Avoid This Pest Now”.

Here are more authors’ explanations. William Doyle’s “A Soldier’s Dream: Captain Travis Patriquin and the Awakening of Iraq” tells of this American’s connection with the Iraqi people that was unique. He developed a relationship with its people that led to lower levels of violence in that country, and he was adopted into their tribes; he’s called America’s T. E. Lawrence. “County” is David Ansell’s story of life, death, and politics at Chicago’s Cook County Hospital. Paul Brannigan’s “This is a Call” is the life and times of Dave Ghrohl, drummer for the band Nirvana and singer-songwriter for the Foo Fighters. ”Does the Noise in my Head Bother You?” is the rock ‘n’ roll memoir of Steven Tyler. Jack Abramoff’s “Capitol Punishment” is the “hard” truth about Washington corruption, from America’s most notorious lobbyist. New York Giants’ Linebacker Harry Carson’s story is “Captain For Life”.

On the subject of guns, three new books are “Standard Catalog of Handguns: The Collector’s Price and Reference Guide” by Jerry Lee, “Gun Digest Book of the Revolver” by Grant Cunningham, and “Glock: The Rise of America’s Gun” by Paul Barrett. In “Keep Out!” Nick Redfern tells about top secret places governments don’t want us to know about like high security facilities, underground bases, and other off-limits areas. Martin Kemp has a book “Christ to Coke: How Image becomes Icon” that observes symbols like Christ, The Cross, the Heart, and The Lion, that dominate the media. “Spacesuit” by Nicholas de Monchaux is the story of the 21-layer spacesuit in 21 chapters addressing the 21 topics relevant to the suit.

Preview Shelf by Janice Clauser

Library News and Notable New Books

Recent past Crawfordsville residents Cinnamon Catlin-Legatko and Stacy Klingler have edited six workbooks called “Small Museum Tool Kit” about managing small museums. They were respectively director of the Lew Wallace Study and assistant director of the Montgomery County Historical Society. Their colorful booklets cover leadership, financial resources, management, audience outreach, programs, and stewardship. The articles and pictures might be of practical interest to local volunteers in our own museums.

Practical instructions now available are the Chilton Service Manuals, two volumes for Chryslers, three volumes for General Motors cars, and two volumes for Fords. Randy Fenoli’s beautiful study is called “It’s All About The Dress” with “savvy secrets, priceless advice, and inspiring stories to help you find “The One”, showing outfits made special by the photography of Francois Dischinger. Conversely, “This is Gonn Hurt” is a book about music, photography, and life through the distorted lens of Nikki Sixx, author of “The Heroin Diaries”.

A book we’ve all wanted to see available is “The American Sign Language Handshape Starter” complete with a new DVD, featuring more than 1,900 sign illustrations, even 327 new signs, written by Richard Tennant and Marianne Brown. “The Journal of Best Practices” is a memoir of marriage, asperger syndrome, and one man’s quest to be a better husband by David Finch. “Nothing Daunted” by Dorothy Wickenden tells of two Eastern society girls who travel west in 1916 to teach in Colorado.

Next are recent requests. Chris Matthews’ “Jack Kennedy: Elusive Hero” tackles “that elusive, unforgettable man” (quote from his wife) asking what he was really like. It also remarks, “He was a far greater hero than he ever wished us to know”. Debbie Nathan’s “Sybil Exposed” is the story behind the famous multiple personality case of Shirley Mason, upon whom her psychiatrist forced all kinds of scary drugs and truth serums to provoke fantasies.

New fiction by Orson Card, “Shadows in Flight”, is a continuation to the Ender series and features Bean’s family leaving Earth’s wars, taking a ship to the stars; as generations pass, their ship’s life support begins to fail and they must save themselves. The mystery “Left for Dead” by J. A. Jance finds a deputy sheriff gunned down and left to die; at first he’s assumed to be an innocent victim, but facts quickly change. Parnell Hall’s “$10,000 in Small, Unmarked Puzzles” is the 12th Puzzle Lady mystery recommended to puzzle-minded readers. “Home Front” by Kristin Hannah is a clever “today” story with three hints: “All marriages have a breaking point. All families have wounds. All wars have a cost.” The Old West comes alive in “Lucky Penny” by Catherine Anderson, another Coulter Family Historical Novel. Lauraine Snelling’s “Valley of Dreams” is part one of her Wild West Wind series. It’s about a girl whose father had promised to take her to the Black Hills, but died before keeping his promise.

Liu Xiaobo’s “No Enemies, No Hatred” is a group of selected essays and poems providing insight into all aspects of Chinese life by this 2010 Nobel Peace Prize recipient who was imprisoned for “incitement to subvert state power”; his book helps readers to understand his dedication to helping his homeland.

Preview Shelf by Janice Clauser

Library News and Notable New Books

“Beyond Boundaries” by John Townsend shows how to move past relational pain to experience the freedom and love God designed for relationships. “Out of the Far Corners” by Peter Iliyn is billed as “an epic tale of rejection, grace, and deliverance” about “God’s unshakable faithfulness to those who suffer” written by the son of an orphaned man with an amazing story. “The Devil in Pew Number Seven” by Rebecca Alonzo is the true story of relentless persecution, and one family’s faith and courage, resulting in forgiveness. “Who’s in Charge?” is Michael Gazzaniga’s discussion of free will and the science of the brain that argues against the common belief that our lives are wholly determined by physical processes and so we’re not responsible for our actions. He says the mind “constrains” the brain just as cars are constrained by traffic they create.

Workbooks are arriving constantly with good helps. “Do It Yourself Kitchens” comes from Better Homes and Gardens. “Kitchens & Baths” by Candice Olson is a picture book in color. Linda Neubauer has edited “The Complete Photo Guide to Window Treatments” with a clear format enhanced by colored photos. “Creating the French Look” by Annie Sloan offers décor that’s appealing and chic. “Decorate” by Holly Becker is made up of 1,000 professional design ideas for every room in the house. The Family Handyman “Refresh Your Home” lists 500 simple projects to save money, update and renovate. Look, Learn & Create’s “Polymer Clay 101” includes a DVD about skills and techniques, all by Angela Mabray. “Sockology” and “Socks Appeal” by Brenna Maloney, along with “The Knitter’s Book of Socks” by Clara Parke, are responses to knitters’ new habit of knitting for the feet. “Calligraphy in 24 Hours” offers alphabets, core techniques, and projects by Veiko Kespersaks.

The most recent additions to the Crawfordsville Library’s excellent travel book collection are Rick Steves’ “Great Britain 2012”, Diana & Bill Gleasner’s “Florida: Off the Beaten Path”, “Lonely Planet’s Florida” and “Lonely Planet’s Caribbean Islands”, “Fodor’s Cancun and the Riviera Maya”, Mark Adams’ “Turn Right at Machu Picchu” about rediscovering the Lost City one step at a time, “Frommer’s China” & “Frommer’s Costa Rica 2012”. John Howells’ “Where to Retire” lists America’s best and most affordable places.

Newly requested books are Clint Locklear’s “Eastern Wolfer” about professional coyote trapping. “Comprehension from the Ground Up” is Sharon Taberski’s workbook of simplified, sensible instruction for the K-3 Reading Workshop.

Contemporary studies are “Money and Power” by William Cohan, explaining “How Goldman Sachs came to rule the world”, Charles Leerhsen’s “Blood and Smoke” the true tale of “mystery, mayhem, and the birth of the Indy 500”, and “The Third Industrial Revolution” how lateral power is transforming energy, the economy, and the world by Jeremy Rifkin. A special editorial board selected by Renovare has issued “25 Books Every Christian Should Read” which includes selections from each of the books.

Preview Shelf by Janice Clauser

Library News and Notable New Books

“Hidden History of Montgomery County, Indiana”, the new book by Crawfordsville Library staff members Rebecca McDole, Jodie Wilson, and Emily Winfrey is on sale at the circulation desk. Just one of its attractive features is the variety of good pictures. Our courthouse, decorated for a big event in 1909, is worth a long, detailed, look, and an attractive song sheet illustrates a whimsical, artistic style practiced at the turn of the twentieth century. A “good read”, the book also has unique “local history” value. Congratulations to its authors.

Other new history books on the Crawfordsville District Public Library shelves deal with American studies. Chris DeRose’s “Founding Rivals” profiles Presidents Madison and Monroe, who ran against each other for Congress in 1789, the only time two future presidents have contested one congressional seat. Madison’s election ensured the passage of the Bill of Rights, while Monroe’s election would have ensured its failure. This is a provocative book. “1812” by George Daughan recalls the tiny, battle-tested team of American commanders, seamen, and privateers who took on the haughty skippers of the Royal Navy. “William Henry Harrison” by Gail Collins tells how his “Log Cabin and Hard Cider” campaign transformed the way candidates pursued the presidency, the first such schedule that featured personal appearances by the candidates. “Bill Moyers Journal: The Conversation Continues” brings Moyers’ public television program close, with subjects like the politics of food, race in the age of Obama, aging in America, the power of poetry, wars in the Middle East, the conflict over gay marriage, and the fate of the American newspaper.

“Hedy’s Folly” the life and breakthrough inventions of Hedy Lamarr, “the most beautiful woman in the world” by Richard Rhodes, and “Betty & Friends” by Betty White are new stories of busy American women. Hedy fled to America before World War II and used her early experience being married to a Nazi to patent a jam-proof radio guidance system with George Antheil, her American husband–inventor. Betty encourages us to visit zoos and report their benefits as well as things we don’t like.

This brings us to “The Eighty-Dollar Champion” by Elizabeth Letts about Snowman, a former plow horse, spied on a truck bound for the slaughterhouse by Harry de Leyer, who recognized the spark in his eye. Needing money, the new owner who’d survived the horrors of the Nazi occupation, practiced “never gave up” and together they became jumping champions in national horse shows. “Eisenhower 1956” is David Nichols’ story of the President’s year of crisis as he guided the country through the Suez Canal crisis. Hundreds of documents now declassified enable the reader to look over Ike’s shoulder as he grapples with the greatest international crisis of his presidency.

“100 Yards of Glory” contains pictures and text about greatest moments in National Football League history, put together by Joe Garner and Bob Costas with a foreword by Joe Montana. An original ten-part documentary CD is included.