Reviewer's Choice

The Book Lover's Joke Book
Alex Johnson
British Library Publishing
c/o Independent Publishers Group
www.ipgbook.com
9780712354516, $16.95, HC, 288pp

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-book-lovers-joke-book-alex-johnson/114= 1915584

Synopsis: Joke books have a long publishing history dating back to the 'Phi= logelos' from ancient Greece and 'Facetiae' of the 15th century. But while = there are themed joke books on everything from cats to lawyers, there have = surprisingly been few with a literary theme. "The Book Lover's Joke Book" c= ompiled by Alex Johnson includes a huge range of comic material concentrati=
ng exclusively on the themes of books, reading, libraries, bookshops, and t=
he literary life.

As well as one-liners, puns, knock-knock jokes, and shaggy dog stories, "Th=
e Book Lover's Joke Book" features sections including gravestones, book tit= les, jokes in acknowledgements/ copyright/index pages, literary hoaxes, lit= erary snark, and authors' in-jokes in novels, as well as sections such as C= harles Dickens's humorous fake book decorations. It also features the favor= ite jokes of well-known writers, and a selection of literary cartoons.

Critique: Simply stated, "The Book Lover's Joke Book" compiled by Alex John= son is a bibliophile's delight from first page to last with the jokes rangi=
ng from a gentle smile of recognition to a laugh out loud trying to keep fr=
om falling off your chair belly buster of a guffaw! Of particular relevance=
to dedicated bibliophiles, writers, publishers, and anyone else that likes=
a good laugh, "The Book Lover's Joke Book" is wonderfully entertaining com= pendium of puns, wordplay, jokes, and riddles, a very special and unreserve= dly recommended addition to personal, professional, community, college, and=
university library Language & Literary Humor collections.

Editorial Note: Alex Johnson is a journalist and author. Previous books for=
The British Library include Famous Writers and Their Pets ("the perfect st= ocking filler for people who love books and trivia", Interesting Literature=
, 2019), The Book of Book Lists ("every list reveals another way of thinkin=
g, another way of figuring things out", The TLS, 2017) and Shelf Life ("a l= ovely anthology... a perfect Christmas present for book lovers", The Idler,=
2018). His book How To Give Your Children A Lifelong Love Of Reading was p= ublished by the British Library in 2019. (https://www.goodreads.com/author/= list/17798114.Alex_Johnson)

Strategic Risk and Crisis Management
David Rubens
Kogan Page Inc.
8 W 38th Street, Ste 902, New York, NY 10018
www.koganpage.com
9781398609778, $168.00, HC, 336pp

https://www.amazon.com/Strategic-Risk-Crisis-Management-Modelling/dp/139860= 9773

Synopsis: From natural disasters to cyber-attacks to major project failures=
, all senior risk and crisis managers face a similar challenge: maximizing = their organization's ability to prepare for a potential high-impact event.

With the publication of "Strategic Risk and Crisis Management: A Handbook f=
or Modelling and Managing Complex Risk", co-authors David Rubens, Simon Rue= gger, and Dr. Jorg Greulich collaborate to show how implementing the right = frameworks and capabilities means businesses will not only survive but resp= ond and recover at a time of maximum chaos and confusion.

"Strategic Risk and Crisis Management" covers the integration of multiple s= takeholders and the importance of information exchange and critical decisio= n-making under pressure at strategic, tactical and operational levels. "Str= ategic Risk and Crisis Management" also includes case studies with detailed=
analysis of organizational failures and the lessons learned, including COV= ID-19, the WannaCry Attack, the Texas Snowstorm, and the Gatwick Airport Dr= one Incident.

Blending rigorous research with practice, "Strategic Risk and Crisis Manage= ment" offers a range of realistic solutions for any operational environment=
.. Authored by a recognized global authority on the strategic management of = complex events,

Critique: "Strategic Risk and Crisis Management: A Handbook for Modelling a=
nd Managing Complex Risks" must be considered an essential read for profess= ionals working in risk, security and crisis management and emergency respon= se. It is also ideal as a core textbook for university students taking modu= les on risk, security, emergency and crisis management. While a critically = important and timely addition to professional, corporate, college, and univ= ersity library Strategic Business Planning and Risk Management collections,=
it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Strategic Risk and Cri= sis Management: A Handbook for Modelling and Managing Complex Risks" is als=
o available in a paperback edition (9781398609754, $54.57, www.amazon.com) = and in a digital book format (Kindle, $38.39).

Editorial Note: David Rubens (https://www.the-ior.org/management-team) is E= xecutive Director of The Institute of Strategic Risk Management and the CEO=
of Deltar Training Solutions Ltd, based in London, UK. He is an Associate = Lecturer at the University of Portsmouth and a Visiting Lecturer on Strateg=
ic Leadership at Cranfield University. He is a recognised authority on the = strategic management of complex events. He is a member of the UK Critical I= nfrastructure Resilience Executive Steering Committee and has served twice =
as a Main Board Director of the UK Security Institute.

A Child of the Indian Race: A Story of Return
Sandy White Hawk
Minnesota Historical Society Press
www.mnhs.org/mhspress
9781681342412, $18.95, PB, 232pp

https://www.amazon.com/Child-Indian-Race-Story-Return/dp/1681342413

Synopsis: In the 1950s, when Sandy White Hawk was a toddler, she was taken = from her Lakota family on the Rosebud Indian Reservation in South Dakota. H=
er adoption papers identify her as "a child of the Indian race," and her ad= optive mother never let her forget it, telling her she was unwanted and sha= ming her for being "Indian."

White Hawk medicated her traumas with drugs and alcohol. At age twenty-eigh=
t, she gained sobriety and reconnected with her birth relatives. As she lea= rned what it means to be Lakota, she also learned that thousands of Native = adoptees shared her experience as they were left to navigate racial and cul= tural complexities as children, with no way to understand what was happenin=
g to them.

Mentored by a respected elder, White Hawk began to work with relatives who = also had been separated by adoption and foster care, taken away from their = families and communities. Fighting through her feelings of inadequacy, she = accepted that she could use her voice to advocate. Ultimately, White Hawk f= ounded the First Nations Repatriation Institute, an organization that addre= sses the post-adoption issues of Native American individuals, families, and=
communities.

White Hawk lectures and presents widely on the issues around adoption. She = exposes the myth that adoption is a path to protecting "unwanted children" = from "unfit mothers", offering a child a "better chance at life". Rather, a= doption, particularly transracial adoption, is layered in complexities.

"A Child of the Indian Race" is Sandy White Hawk's intensely personal story=
.. It is also the story of her life work helping other adoptees and tribal c= ommunities to reconcile the enormous harms caused by widespread removals.

Critique: Exceptionally well written and deeply personal, "A Child of the I= ndian Race: A Story of Return", now published by the Minnesota Historical S= ociety Press, is informatively enhanced for the reader with an impressively=
informative Introduction by Terry Cross and an insightful Foreword by Gene=
Thin Elk. An impressive and welcome addition to personal, professional, co= mmunity, and academic library Native American Biography/Memoir collections,=
it should be noted for personal reading lists that "A Child of the Indian = Race: A Story of Return" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle=
, $8.99).

Editorial Note #1: Sandy White Hawk is a Sicangu Lakota adoptee from the Ro= sebud Reservation, South Dakota. She is the founder and director of First N= ations Repatriation Institute, which offers resources for First Nations peo= ple impacted by foster care or adoption to return home, reconnect, and recl= aim their identity. White Hawk is Director of Healing Programs at the Natio= nal Native American Boarding School Healing Coalition and was elder-in-resi= dence at the Indian Child Welfare Law Office in Minneapolis. She is the sub= ject of several documentaries, including Blood Memory: A Story of Removal a=
nd Return.

Editorial Note #2: Gene Thin Elk (Sicangu Nation) is an internationally kno=
wn consultant in the area of Indigenous healing methods.

Editorial Note #3: Terry Cross (Seneca Nation) is the founding executive di= rector of the National Indian Child Welfare Association. He is the author o=
f the Heritage and Helping and Positive Indian Parenting curriculum, as wel=
l as Cross-Cultural Skills in Indian Child Welfare.

Gauntlet in the Gulf
Claude Clayton Smith, editor
Shanti Arts
https://shantiarts.co
9781956056730, $18.95, HC, 160pp

https://www.amazon.com/Gauntlet-Gulf-Mexican-Journal-William/dp/1956056734

Synopsis: Lorenz Hall at the Mendota Mental Health Institute in Madison, Wi= sconsin, is named for William F. Lorenz, the man who first observed, in 191=
6, that chemistry could treat the mentally ill. Professor of neuropsychiatr=
y at the University of Wisconsin, Dr. Lorenz developed the fledgling Psychi= atry Department while engaged in his ground-breaking research.

In 1925, seeking a much-needed respite, he signed on with the Ruth, a fishi=
ng smack out of Pensacola, Florida, for a working vacation in the Gulf of M= exico. The Ruth struck a reef, the ship was abandoned, and the crew was res= cued from perilous seas by a Mexican Navy vessel, only to be imprisoned as = spies, smugglers, gun-runners, and for fishing in illegal waters. Dr. Loren= z's diary details their ordeal.

Critique: Deftly edited by Claude Clayton Smith (who also provides an infor= mative Foreword), "Gauntlet in the Gulf: The 1925 Marine Log and Mexican Pr= ison Journal of William F. Lorenz, MD" will prove to be of immense appeal t=
o readers with an interest in maritime histories and memoirs. A fascinating=
account, "Gauntlet in the Gulf" is a very highly recommended pick for comm= unity and academic library 19th Century American History/Biography collecti= ons and personal reading lists.

Editorial Note: Professor Emeritus of English, Ohio Northern University and=
the author of eight books and co-editor/translator of four, Claude Clayton=
Smith's own work has been translated into five languages, including Russia=
n and Chinese. Gauntlet in the Gulf, his third book with Shanti Arts, is hi=
s first solo editing adventure. He holds a DA from Carnegie-Mellon, an MFA = from the University of Iowa's Writers' Workshop, an MAT from Yale, and a BA=
from Wesleyan. (www.claudeclaytonsmith.wordpress.com)

A Brave and Lovely Woman
Mark Borthwick
University of Wisconsin Press
728 State Street, Suite 443, Madison, WI 53706-1418
www.uwpress.wisc.edu
9780299342906, $34.95, HC, 336pp

https://www.amazon.com/Brave-Lovely-Woman-Borthwick-Wright/dp/0299342905

Synopsis: Mamah Borthwick (June 19, 1869 - August 15, 1914) was an energeti=
c, intelligent, and charismatic woman who earned a master's degree at a tim=
e when few women even attended college, translated writings by a key figure=
of the early feminist movement, and taught at one of Germany's best school=
s for boys.

She is best known, however, as the mistress of the famous American architec=
t Frank Lloyd Wright, and for her shocking murder at the renowned Wisconsin=
home he had built for her and called Taliesin.

"A Brave and Lovely Woman: Mamah Borthwick and Frank Lloyd Wright" by Mark = Borthwick offers an important corrective to the narrative of Wright and Bor= thwick. It is a love story as American in character as it is Shakespearean =
in conclusion.

Little of Wright's life and work has been left untouched by his many admire= rs, critics, and biographers. And yet the woman who stood at the center of = his emotional life, Mamah Borthwick, has fallen into near obscurity. With t=
he publication of "A Brave and Lovely Woman, Mark Borthwick (himself a dist= ant relative) recenters Mamah Borthwick in her own life, presenting a detai= led portrait of a truly fascinating woman, a complicated figure who was at = once a dedicated mother and a faithless spouse, a feminist and a member of =
a conservative sorority, a vivacious extrovert and a social pariah.

Careful research and engaging prose at last give Borthwick, an obscure but = crucial character in one of America's most famous tragedies, center stage.

Critique: A compelling read from first page to last, "A Brave and Lovely Wo= man: Mamah Borthwick and Frank Lloyd Wright" will have a very special appea=
l to readers with an interest in 19th Century Feminism, Frank Lloyd Wright'=
s life and career, and the dramatic impact his mistress had on his emotions=
and creativity. Fascinating, informative, sensational, memorable, and enha= nced with black/white historical photos and illustrations, "A Brave and Lov= ely Woman: Mamah Borthwick and Frank Lloyd Wright" is unreservedly recommen= ded for community, college, and university library American Biography colle= ctions and supplemental curriculum Frank Lloyd Wright studies lists.

Editorial Note: Mark Borthwick (https://uwpress.wisc.edu/books/6116.htm) se= rved as the director of the U.S. Asia Pacific Council at the East-West Cent= er. He is also the author of "Pacific Century: The Emergence of Modern Paci= fic Asia".

Cobra Pose
Susan Rogers and John Roosen
G-EMS PTY LTD and PS LLC
9780645413625, $6.99 ebook

https://www.amazon.com/Cobra-Pose-Mysteries-suspense-adventure-ebook/dp/B0B= TJV4V1H

Cobra Pose, the second book in the Yoga Mat Mysteries series, benefits from=
but requires no prior introduction to its predecessor in order to prove ac= cessible and inviting to mystery readers.

Elaina Williams is a yoga instructor who uses Cobra Pose to boost her energ=
y. Ironically, adversaries and hackers The Cobra and The Wolf, who may be i= nvolved in her father's disappearance, hold their own special abilities as = they reach out to embroil Australia in an international scam that threatens=
the global economy.

Readers move from the microcosm of Elaina and her new love (photojournalist=
Ric Peters) and their relationship and latest mission to the bigger pictur=
e of the worldwide threat posed by adversaries whose skills are well beyond=
amateur sleuth and yoga instructor Elaina's abilities ... and maybe even R= ic's special hidden skills.

It's rare to see a yoga milieu incorporated into a thriller that evolves on=
international playgrounds, but the two subjects dovetail nicely in a story=
replete with nuances and insights into both worlds.

It's also rare to observe the blends of philosophical, political, and thril= ler influences that so neatly create an exceptionally vivid atmosphere in w= hich intrigue evolves in satisfyingly unexpected ways. As the story evolves=
, thriller readers will relish the twists of plot which bring Elaine and Ri=
c ever closer to an astonishing truth and test of each individual's abiliti= es, while those interested in yoga will find added value in the emotional a=
nd physical connections created by the yoga interludes and lessons.

The attention to atmospheric detail is not lost in the fast pace of the unf= olding mystery, which is also a notable feature of a plot which takes the t= ime to create delicious scenes: "They sat down to chicken parmesan, roasted=
vegetables and pasta stuffed with spinach. In the refrigerator, the chocol= ate mousse was chilling next to whipped cream 'at the ready' to serve as a = topping. The Italian rolls were from the local bakery."

Australia's foreign, financial, and national interests come to life, requir= ing no prior familiarity with the country from readers. Those interested in=
a gripping story of intrigue will find Cobra Pose tests the relationships = and personal mettle of characters who often seem both capable and in unlike=
ly positions to solve a mystery of international importance.

Libraries and readers seeking compelling stories firmly rooted in a sense o=
f place, and characters who are each tested to operate beyond their intrins=
ic training and abilities, will find plenty to appreciate as Cobra Pose evo= lves its ultimate message about cyber-attacks, schemes, and decisions which=
lead to discovery, recovery, and uncommon courage and sacrifice.

Life is...: Remembering Forgotten Wisdom
Marcia L. Friedman
www.marciafriedman.com
Independently Published
9798385649518, $14.95, PB, 40pp

https://www.amazon.com/Life-Remembering-Forgotten-Wisdom/dp/B0BZF51PFM

Synopsis: We learn so much about life as we travel through it, but how much=
of that knowledge do we actually use to better our relationships, the worl=
d around us, and ourselves. Some of it we integrate into our being, but at = other times it is lost or forgotten -- particularly at those instances when=
we need it most!

"Life is...: Remembering Forgotten Wisdom" by Marcia Friedman is a lovely i= llustrated volume to be used as a helpful reminder of some of the age-old c= oncepts of wisdom we often forget. Each of these "Life is..." citations are=
the foundations of little wisdoms that enrich our life's experience.

Critique: "Life is remembering every day is a new beginning". A compact (4 =
x 0.1 x 6 inches, 2.72 ounces) and highly portable little volume showcasing=
succinct wisdom filled observations and assertions, "Life is...: Rememberi=
ng Forgotten Wisdom" is a recovery of overlooked wisdom sayings that will b=
e of special, life-enhancing value to readers with an interest in being hap= py, having a healthy self-esteem, and appreciating what life has to offer -=
- making it an especially and unreservedly recommended addition to personal=
and community library Self-Help/Life-Management collections.

Editorial Note: Marcia Friedman's creative work has been featured in close =
to 100 magazine and newspaper editorials and collected by numerous gallerie=
s, individuals, and corporate clients. Some of her noted clients for her ar=
t include Wynn Resorts/Las Vegas; Atlantis Resort/Bahamas, Princess Cruises=
, and McGraw Hill Publishers. (www.marciafriedman.com)

Banquet of Shadows
Lucas Pogrzebny
Independently Published
9789878864020, $12.99 Paper/$2.99 ebook

https://www.amazon.com/Banquet-Shadows-Vampire-Bloodmoon-Castelain-ebook/dp= /B0BGS1M7BC

Banquet of Shadows is the first book in the Bloodmoon Castelain series, ope= ning with a vivid death scene designed to both set the atmosphere and creat=
e immediate intrigue: "The room was tinged red as the pendulum clock struck=
midnight, letting them know what time it was with twelve ominous chimes. A= mid the noise and the blood, Craven squeezed Arthur's hand tightly, as if t= his might prevent their parting. The room was brightly lit - so bright, in = fact, that the red nectar that sprang from the wallpaper flowers now seemed=
to have splashed everywhere, decorating everything. The vibrant colors now=
contrasted with the extreme pallor of Arthur's face. Jarring juxtaposition=
..

'I don't know... who killed me,' Arthur repeated over and over again." With=
this passage, the story takes off for uncharted territory, bringing reader=
s into a powerful vampire tale that involves an 1887 backdrop, a macabre tr=
ap reminiscent of Edgar Allan Poe's best horror pieces, and a series of con= versations that leads to the revelation of murder and danger. In barely fiv=
e hours, would-be survivor Lester Craven finds himself confronted with a pe= rhaps-predictable trap instigated by the invitation of Baron Darcrois to jo=
in a group in his bizarre Chateau.

Lucas Pogrzebny writes with the flair of Poe and the passion of a seasoned = wielder of the pen of intrigue and supernatural influence. Think a blend of=
Bram Stoker's classic Dracula horror combined with the mystery and intrigu=
e of Agatha Christie's story And Then There Were None for a flavor of the l= iterary attractions replete in Pogrzebny's tale. As the saga evolves to con= sider banquet participant Lucien's deeper probe into the purposes surroundi=
ng this dire dinner, Pogrzebny creates vivid scenarios steeped in "you are = here" moments that bring the macabre events to shuddering life.

It's hard to identify a contemporary horror work that is more old-school in=
its attention to atmospheric detail, yet more modern in its twists of plot=
.. Pogrzebny's artistry lies as much in developing a mystery as it does in c= reating a supernatural world of vampires and men which simmers under an inv= estigative process that changes its possibilities like the spots of a leopa= rd.

Libraries seeking supernatural horror works that excel in both literary des= cription and devices and a sense of mystery and discovery will find Banquet=
of Shadows a powerful addition. It's especially recommended for more liter= ary readers who love Poe's works and look for contemporary writers able to = emulate his prowess (albeit in a full-length production).

EDITOR'S NOTE:

The Midwest Book Review is an organization of volunteers committed to promo= ting literacy, library usage, and small press publishing. We accept no fund=
s from authors or publishers. Full permission is given to post any of these=
reviews on thematically appropriate websites, newsgroups, listserves, inte= rnet discussion groups, organizational newsletters, or to interested indivi= duals. Please give the Midwest Book Review a credit line when doing so.

The Midwest Book Review publishes the monthly book review magazines "Califo= rnia Bookwatch", "Internet Bookwatch", "Children's Bookwatch", "MBR Bookwat= ch", "Reviewer's Bookwatch", and "Small Press Bookwatch". All are available=
for free on the Midwest Book Review website at www (dot) midwestbookreview=
(dot) com

Anyone wanting to submit books for review consideration can send them to:

James A. Cox, Editor-in-Chief
Midwest Book Review
278 Orchard Drive
Oregon, WI 53575-1129

To submit reviews of any fiction or non-fiction books, email them to Frugal= muse (at) aol (dot) com (Be sure to include the book title, author, publish= er, publisher address, publisher website/phone number, 13-digit ISBN number=
, and list price).

James A. Cox, Editor-in-Chief
Midwest Book Review

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