Preview Shelf: Library News and Notable New Books by CDPL Volunteer, Janice Clauser

Experience shared in biographical books can astound and influence us to appreciate what we have. That’s the powerful effect of “Just Send Me Word” by Orlando Figes which takes us to 1946, when after five years as a POW under the Nazis and then as a deportee in the Arctic Gulag, a man named Lev Mishchenko received a letter from the sweetheart he had hardly dared hope was still alive! After that, they exchanged 1,500 letters, and the recently discovered correspondence is the only known real-time record of life in Stalin’s Gulag.

“Selena, With Love” is Chris Perez’ memorial to his wife, the singer, who was tragically murdered at the age of 23 an “everlasting love story that immortalizes the heart and soul of an extraordinary, unforgettable, and irreplaceable icon.” “Reunited” comes from Pamela Slaton, an investigative genealogist who has unlocked some of life’s greatest family mysteries. She herself had a traumatic reunion with her birth mother, and has studied identical twins separated at birth. “An Invisible Thread” is a true story by Laura Schroff and Alex Tresniowski about the unlikely friendship between Laura and Maurice Maczyk, from vastly different worlds, they lived just two blocks apart in high-flying, 1980s Manhattan. “The Golden Hat” by Kate Winslet relates her friendship with a teenager with nonverbal autism and his mother, as she provides the English-language narration for their film “A Mother’s Courage” (aka “The Sunshine Boy”).

“Total Memory Makeover” by Marilu Henner says “Uncover Your Past, Take Charge of Your Future”. She quotes Samuel Johnson’s “The true art of memory is the art of attention.” “The Good, The Bad, and the Godawful: 21st-Century Movie Reviews” by Kurt Loder is definitely fun to peruse.

“Zoobiquity: What Animals Can Teach Us about Health and the Science of Healing” by Barbara Natterson-Horowitz relates her search for connections between the human and animal worlds that encourages us to see our essential connection to all living beings. “Blood Feud” is Lisa Alther’s document of the Hatfields and the McCoys, “the epic story of murder & vengeance”.

“The Aleppo Codex” tells a true story of obsession, faith, and the pursuit of an Ancient Bible, written by Matti Friedman. “Where Mortals Dwell” is Craig Bartholomew’s Christian view of “place” for today. “The Unlikely Secret Agent” by Ronald Kasrils tells how his wife Eleanor was highly principled, but also endowed with clandestine skills she needed against the apartheid system in South Africa. Rajiv Chandrasekaran’s “Little America” is about the war within the war for Afghanistan. “Unhooked: How to Quit Anything” by Frederick Woolverton is designed to help gain freedom and a happier life. “Land of Promise” is Michael Lind’s economic history of the United States. “The Fortunes of Permanence: Culture and Anarchy in an Age of Amnesia” by Roger Kimball traces interconnections between our traditional standard bearers and ambassadors of anarchy. Stacy Takacs’ “Terrorism TV” studies popular entertainment in post 9/11 America. How we arrived at historically low levels of trust in our institutions is discussed in Christopher Hayes’ “Twilight of the Elites”. Jim Manzi’s “Uncontrolled” tells about economic experiments, some of which have worked, and many that have been national disappointments.

Preview Shelf: Library News and Notable New Books by CDPL Volunteer, Janice Clauser

“Atlantic Fever” is Joe Jackson’s story of the five-week race from April 14 to May 21, 1927, when fourteen aviators took to the air to capture the $25,000 prize offered the first man to cross the Atlantic Ocean without stopping. Those involved included polar explorer, Richard Byrd, eventual winner, Charles Lindbergh, and other celebrities using technology, innovation, character and competitive spirit. “Desert Rose” by Edythe Bagley describes the life and legacy of Coretta Scott King. “And Then Life Happens” is the memoir of President Barack Obama’s sister Auma who grew up in Kenya.

“Ballet Beautiful” by Mary Helen Bowers tells how to transform our bodies, gain strength and grace, and learn the focus of a dancer. Gil Gilpatrick’s “Building Outdoor Gear” provides easy instructions for camping, fishing, hunting, and canoeing. An attractive history of photography is Todd Gustavson’s “500 Cameras” covering 170 years of picture innovation. “The Creativity Cure” is a do-it-yourself prescription for happiness by physicians Carrie and Alton Barron. “Facing Violence” by Rory Miller is about preparing for the unexpected ethically, emotionally, physically, and without going to prison.

Of eight, new travel books, “Buenos Aires” from Fodor’s includes side trips to gaucho country, Iguazu, and Uruguay. “Lonely Planet Italy” features a pull-out map of Rome. Rick Steves’ “Rome 2012” focuses on that one city. Frommer’s “Japan Day-by-Day” offers 104 maps. “A History of Japan from Stone Age to Superpower” by Kenneth Henshall occupies 224 pages. Bill McMillon’s “Volunteer Vacations”, promotes short-term adventures to benefit you and others.” Martin Hintz’ “Off the Beaten Path: Wisconsin” is called A Guide to Unique Places. “Hidden Cuba” holds Jack Watson’s pictures of its daily life 50 years after Castro’s revolution.

Three especially appealing summer reads are “Mrs. Kennedy and Me” by her bodyguard, Special Agent in the United States Secret Service, Clint Hill. James Johnston’s “From Slave Ship to Harvard” is about Yarrow Mamout and his African- American family tracing six generations from the Colonial period and the American Revolution through the Civil War to today. Joyce Carol Oates’ “A Widow’s Story”, is a tale of her own struggle to comprehend a life suddenly without her partner-husband of half a century.

Edited by Ring Carde and Vincent Resh, “a World of Insects” is a Harvard University Press Reader, a study that registers the greatest number of known species of organisms on Earth. “Storey’s Guide to Raising Ducks” is a new edition by Dave Holderread covering 23 domestic North American breeds.

Rosemary Gladstar’s “Medicinal Herbs” shows how simple it is to grow them, and how they can be used to naturally fortify our bodies against common upsets and ailments.

Preview Shelf: Library News and Notable New Books by CDPL Volunteer, Janice Clauser

Remember, the Crawfordsville District Public Library is a cool place where you can relax with new ideas. An especially arty cartoon book is “Goliath” by Tom Gauld who creates weekly cartoons for the Guardian newspaper. The story is clever with minimal but very effective drawings. Another cartoon book is “The Influencing Machine” by Brooke Gladstone, illustrated by Josh Neufeld; this is a kind of media study as a reminder of the real-world consequences of media’s misdeeds.

“The Outsourced Self” by Arlie Hochschild discusses intimate life in market times, and the transformation of private life in our for-profit world. He sees that the market has invaded everything from dating services to wedding planners, from nameologists who help us name our children to wantologists who help us name our goals. “More God Less Crime” by Byron Johnson states why faith matters and how it could matter more as an antidote to crime. “The Philosophy Book: Big Ideas Simply Explained” is from DK in which various British writers describe the ancient world, the medieval world, the renaissance, the age of revolution, the modern world, and contemporary philosophy. “Robertson’s Book of Firsts: Who Did What for the First Time” by Patrick Robertson is a one-of-a-kind encyclopedia covering everything from advertisements to zippers.

“Decoded”, a collection of Jay-Z’s lyrics with special meanings, is an unusual art book that you’ll have to open to understand! “Street Fonts from Around the World” by Claudia Walde also requires investigation, to see clever kinds of printing that are actually art forms. Better Homes and Gardens’ “Color” is a complete guide to ideas for appealing décor.

“All Pro Dad” by Mark Merrill holds seven essentials for being a hero to your kids. “Good Humor Church Jokes: The Best Church and Church People Jokes and Cartoons” comes from The Joyful Noiseletter and is edited by Cal and Rose Samra. Doug Shadel’s “Outsmarting the Scam Artists” shows how to not fall victim to clever cons. “Interviewing” is a guide for journalists and writers by Gail Sedorkin.
Commentaries begin with Mark Levin’s “Ameritopia”, America’s challenge between the clash of constitutionalism and utopianism. Meg Hirshberg’s “For Better or for Work” is a survival guide for entrepreneurs and their families. Seeking history and gems in flea markets is the subject of “Killer Stuff and Tons of Money” by Maureen Stanton. John Caps offers “Henry Mancini…Reinventing Film Music”. “Private Empire: ExxonMobil and American Power” by Steve Coll investigates the largest and most powerful private corporation in the U. S.

Health books are “Prescription for Herbal Healing” by Phyllis Balch, and “The Complete Guide to Creating Oils, Soaps, Creams, and Herbal Gels for your Mind and Body” with actual recipes by Marlene Jones. “Running Doc’s Guide to Healthy Running” comes from Lewis Maharam, and tells how to fix injuries, stay active, and run pain-free. Lynn Sherr’s title is “Swim: Why We Love the Water”. She touts swimmers’ excursions into an alien element that both exhilarates the spirit and calms the soul. “Natural Hospital Birth: The Best of Both Worlds” by Cynthia Gabriel, and “Adam and Eve after the Pill: Paradoxes of the Sexual Revolution” by Mary Eberstad end today’s list of interesting studies.