The Biography Shelf

Sacajawea: Mystery, Myth, and Legend
Candy Moulton
South Dakota Historical Society Press
900 Governors Drive, Pierre, SC 57501-2217
https://www.sdhspress.com
9781941813386, $14.95, PB, 216pp

https://www.amazon.com/sacajawea-mystery-legend-Candy-Moulton/dp/B0C7S9NLX5

Synopsis: Many myths, mysteries, and legends surround Sacajawea (May c. 178=
8 - December 20, 1812 or April 9, 1884). She is one of the very few Native = American women whose name and singular significance have not been lost to t=
he historical record of American history. Without Sacajawea's knowledge and=
assistance, the Corps of Discovery venture (better known as the Lewis and = Clark Expedition) to explore the furthest reaches of the 1803 Louisiana Pur= chase could very well have failed.

Critique: Featuring a section of black/white historical images, eighteen pa= ges of Notes, a six page Bibliography, and an eleven page Index, and publis= hed by the South Dakota Historical Society Press, "Sacajawea: Mystery, Myth=
, and Legend" by Candy Moulton is a compact but definitive combination of b= iography and history that is especially and unreservedly recommended for pe= rsonal, community, college, and university library Native American Biograph=
y and American History collections and curriculum studies lists.

Editorial Note: Candy Moulton (https://candymoulton.com) is the co-owner of=
Wood Mountain Productions, has written fifteen Western history books, co-e= dited a collection of short fiction and an encyclopedia and written, produc= ed, and been a reenactor in several documentary films.

King John's Right Hand Lady
Sharon Bennett Connolly
Pen & Sword Books
https://www.penandswordbooks.com
c/o Casemate (US distribution)
www.casematepublishers.com
9781526756060, $49.95, HC, 240pp

https://www.amazon.com/King-Johns-Right-Hand-Lady/dp/1526756064

Synopsis: In a time when it was the men who fought the wars and the women w= ere to stay home, the Lady Nicholaa de la Haye (born c. 1150; d. 1230) held=
Lincoln Castle against all-comers. Not once, but three times, earning hers= elf the ironic praise that she acted 'manfully'.

Nicholaa gained prominence in the First Baron's War, the civil war that fol= lowed the sealing of Magna Carta in 1215. Although recently widowed, and in=
her 60s, in 1217 Nicholaa endured a siege that lasted over three months, r= esisting the English rebel barons and their French allies. The siege ended =
in the battle known as the Lincoln Fair, when 70-year-old William Marshal, = the Greatest Knight in Christendom, spurred on by the chivalrous need to re= scue a lady in distress, came to Nicholaa's aid.

Nicholaa de la Haye was a staunch supporter of King John, remaining loyal t=
o the very end, even after most of his knights and barons had deserted him.=
A truly remarkable lady, Nicholaa was also the first woman to be appointed=
sheriff in her own right. It was her strength and tenacity that saved Engl= and at one of the lowest points in its history.

Critique: With the publication of "King John's Right Hand Lady: The Story o=
f Nicholaa de la Haye", academician and historian Sharon Bennett Connolly e= loquently and with great attention to historical detail, demonstrates that = the Lady Nicholaa de la Haye is one woman in English history whose story ne= eds to be told. Featuring a section of full color photos, three Appendices = (The 1215 Magna Carta; Enforcers of Manga Cart - The Twenty-Five; The Chart=
er of the Forest 1217), eighteen pages of Notes, a ten page Bibliography, a=
nd a four page Index, "King John's Right Hand Lady: The Story of Nicholaa d=
e la Haye" is readily available for personal reading lists in a digital boo=
k format (Kindle, $22.49) and will prove an enduringly valued and highly pr= ized addition to community, college, and university library Women's History= /Biography collections and supplemental curriculum British Royal Biography = studies lists.

Editorial Note: Sharon Bennett Connolly has been fascinated by history her = whole life. A Fellow of the Royal Historical Society, Sharon has studied hi= story academically and just for fun - and even worked as a tour guide at hi= storical sites. Sharon writes her own blog, www.historytheinterestingbits.c= om, researching and writing about the stories that have always fascinated, = concentrating on medieval women. Her latest book, Defenders of the Norman C= rown: Rise and Fall of the Warenne Earls of Surrey, released in May 2021, i=
s her fourth non-fiction book. It tells the story of the Warenne earls over=
300 years and 8 generations. She is also the author of Heroines of the Med= ieval World, Silk and the Sword: The Women of the Norman Conquest and Ladie=
s of Magna Carta: Women of Influence in Thirteenth Century England. Sharon = regularly gives talks on women's history; she is a feature writer for All A= bout History magazine and her TV work includes Australian Television's 'Who=
Do You Think You Are?' (https://historytheinterestingbits.com/about)

An Atomic Love Story
Shirley Streshinsky, author
Patricia Klaus, author
Turner Publishing Company
200 - 4th Avenue North, Suite 950, Ashville, TN 37219 https://turnerbookstore.com
9781618580191, $27.95, HC, 400pp

https://www.amazon.com/Atomic-Love-Story-Shirley-Streshinsky/dp/1618580191

Synopsis: Julius Robert Oppenheimer (April 22, 1904 - February 18, 1967) wa=
s an American theoretical physicist and director of the Los Alamos Laborato=
ry during World War II. He is often credited as the "father of the atomic b= omb" for his role in organizing the Manhattan Project, the research and dev= elopment undertaking that created the first nuclear weapons. (Wikipedia)

Set against a dramatic backdrop of war, spies, and nuclear bombs, with the = publication of "An Atomic Love Story: The Extraordinary Women in Robert Opp= enheimer's Life" co-authors Shirley Streshinsky and Patricia Klaus reveal a=
vivid new view of a tumultuous era and one of its most important figures.

In the early decades of the 20th century, three highly ambitious women foun=
d their way to the West Coast, where each was destined to collide with the = young Robert Oppenheimer, the enigmatic physicist whose work in creating th=
e atomic bomb would forever impact modern history.

His first and most intense love was for Jean Tatlock, though he married the=
tempestuous Kitty Harrison (both were members of the Communist Party) and = was rumored to have had a scandalous affair with the brilliant Ruth Sherman=
Tolman, ten years his senior and the wife of another celebrated physicist.=
Although each were connected through their relationship to Oppenheimer, th= eir experiences reflect important changes in the lives of American women in=
the 20th century: the conflict between career and marriage; the need for a=
woman to define herself independently; experimentation with sexuality; and=
the growth of career opportunities.

Critique: "An Atomic Love Story: The Extraordinary Women in Robert Oppenhei= mer's Life" is eloquent, detailed, documented, and draws upon a rich collec= tion of firsthand accounts. The result is an intimate, informative, and sim= ply fascinating portrait of shared tragedies, betrayals, and romances on th=
e part of an gifted man and three bold women -- revealing how they pushed t=
o the very forefront of social and cultural changes in a dangerous and vola= tile era. Enhanced for the reader with photos, a bibliography, footnotes, a=
nd an index, "An Atomic Love Story" is highly recommended for personal, com= munity, and academic library American Biography, World War II History, and = Nuclear Weapons Development collections and supplemental curriculum studies=
lists. It should be noted that "An Atomic Love Story" is also readily avai= lable from the Turner Publishing Company in a paperback edition (9798887980= 058, $17.99) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).

Editorial Note #1: Shirley Streshinsky is the author of three works of nonf= iction and four historical novels. As a journalist and travel essayist, she=
has written extensively for Redbook, Glamour, Preservation, American Herit= age, The American Scholar, and Conde Nast Traveler and has been featured on=
NPR. She is the recipient of the Society of Magazine Writers' Award for Ex= cellence and the National Council for the Advancement of Education Writing = Award.

Editorial Note #2: Patricia Klaus received her PhD in Modern British Histor=
y from Stanford where she specialized in women's studies, the history of ma= rriage, and the study of war and literature. She has taught at Yale, Stanfo= rd, and the University of Virginia and has published scholarly papers on th=
e subject of women.

Gwen John
Alicia Foster
Thames & Hudson, Inc.
500 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10110-0017
www.thamesandhudsonusa.com
9780500025574, $39.95, HC, 272pp

https://www.amazon.com/Gwen-John-Life-London-Paris/dp/0500025576

Synopsis: Gwendolen Mary John (22 June 1876 - 18 September 1939) was one of=
the most significant British artists of the early to mid-twentieth century=
, active in both Paris and London, and featured inthe highly influential av= ant-garde Armory Show in New York in 1913. Demolishing the myth of the recl= use, this sustained critical biography of a much-loved artist locates her f= irmly in the art worlds of London and Paris, where she chose to live and wo= rk.

Deftly written by Alicia Foster, (who is a critically praised art historian=
and authority on the artist), Gwen John is based on original research, and=
examines John's importance in the context of twentieth-century art. While = tracing the development of her work and its significance, the biography als=
o explores John's relationships both personal and artistic, including her f= riendship with Rainer Maria Rilke and her romance with sculptor Auguste Rod= in.

John, who was born in Wales, spent the latter part of the nineteenth centur=
y in London and then moved to Paris where she remained for the rest of her = life. She was a contemporary of Paul Cezanne, Marie Laurencin, Paula Moders= ohn-Becker, and Edouard Vuillard. The book brings these two fascinating cit= ies and John's milieu to life and introduces readers to lesser-known artist=
s whose lives and works have slipped into obscurity. Both a study of an art= ist whose importance and recognition continues to grow, and of the artistic=
world of Europe in the early twentieth century, this book provides a compe= lling portrait for anyone interested in the life and work of a key figure i=
n the history of art.

Critique: Featuring 92 color and 30 black-and-white illustrations, fourteen=
pages of Notes, a one page Select Bibliography, and a five page Index, 92 = color and 30 black-and-white illustrations by art historian and biographer = Alicia Foster "Gwen John: Art and Life in London and Paris" is the first cr= itical, illustrated, and comprehensive biography of the life and accomplish= ments of the influential female artist Gwen John. An impressively engaging,=
informatively detailed, and expertly documented portrait of her life, her = work, and her relationships, "Gwen John: Art and Life in London and Paris" =
is a significant and highly recommended addition to personal, professional,=
community, art school, college, and university library Women Artist Biogra= phy collections and supplemental Art History curriculum studies lists.

Editorial Note: Alicia Foster (https://artuk.org/discover/profile/alicia-fo= ster) is an art historian, curator, and novelist. Her publications include = Tate Women Artists, Tate British Artists: Gwen John, Nina Hamnett, and a no= vel entitled Warpaint. She has also curated exhibitions and written the cat= alog for Radical Women: Jessica Dismorr and Her Contemporaries.

Floor Sample: A Creative Memoir
Julia Cameron
St. Martin's Essentials
c/o St. Martin's Press
https://us.macmillan.com/smp
9781250883957, $23.00, PB, 320pp

https://www.amazon.com/Floor-Sample-Creative-Julia-Cameron/dp/1250883954

Synopsis: Julia Cameron has transformed the creative lives of millions, sho= wing them that creativity is their uniquely human birthright.

With the publication of "Floor Sample: A Creative Memoir" Julia tells the s= tory behind her artistic life -- detailing her years in New York, her time =
as a writer for Rolling Stone, her turbulent marriage to Martin Scorsese, a=
nd her painful struggle with alcohol -- which ultimately led her to recover=
y and the methods that would form the backbone of her book, "The Artist's W= ay" (which has been translated into forty languages and sold over five mill= ion copies to date).

The life Julia shares in her memoir is tempestuous, flitting restlessly acr= oss the country, falling in and out of love, wrestling with alcohol and men= tal health, but through all of it, always, her art was a fixed point and no= rth star. Featuring a brand new prologue from the author, "Floor Sample" is=
honest and unapologetic, a glimpse into the heart and mind behind "The Art= ist's Way".

Critique: Original published in hardcover in May 2006, "Floor Sample: A Cre= ative Memoir" is now newly published by St. Martin's Essentials in a paperb= ack edition and in a digital book format ($12.99). Eloquent, fascinating, c= andid, informative, "Floor Sample" is especially and unreservedly recommend=
ed for personal reading lists as well as community and academic library Con= temporary American Women's Biography/Memoir collections.

Editorial Note: Julia Cameron (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Julia_Cameron)=
is credited with starting a movement in 1992 that has brought creativity i= nto the mainstream conversation -- in the arts, in business, and in everyda=
y life. She is the author of more than forty books, fiction and nonfiction;=
a poet, songwriter, filmmaker and playwright. Commonly referred to as "The=
Godmother" or "High Priestess" of creativity, her tools are based in pract= ice, not theory, and she considers herself "the floor sample of her own too= lkit."

My Father's War: A True Story of Nazism and Treason
Bjorn Westlie, author
Dean Krouk, translator
University of Wisconsin Press
728 State Street, Suite 443, Madison, WI 53706-1418
www.uwpress.wisc.edu
9780299343248, $19.95, PB, 224pp

https://www.amazon.com/My-Fathers-War-Nazism-Treason/dp/0299343243

Synopsis: "My Father's War: A True Story of Nazism and Treason" is simultan= eously a history of the Nazi occupation of Norway in World War II and a son=
's sincere attempt to understand the silences, motivations, and experiences=
of an estranged father.

Carefully researched and deftly combining family memoir and historical rete= lling, Bjorn Westlie uncovers his father's actions as a volunteer soldier f=
or the Waffen-SS, the military wing of the infamous Schutzstaffel (SS), in = the invasion of the Soviet Union. Balancing his role as both son and critic=
al investigator, Westlie unflinchingly interrogates his father's fascist co= nvictions, which speak to the appeal Hitler's ideology held for a small, di= sgraced segment of Norway's mid-century population.

A story of collaboration, tragedy, and treason, "My Father's War" reveals t=
he little-known history of Norway's frontkjempere (front fighters), the atr= ocities the Waffen-SS committed against Ukrainian Jews, and the complex leg= acies of ethno-nationalism in Norway.

Critique: Ably translated into English for an American readership (and prov= iding an insightful introduction), Dean Krouk makes available "My Father's = War: A True Story of Nazism and Treason", author and biographer Bjorn Westl= ie's story of his father's activities as a member of the Waffen-SS is sober=
, reflective, candid, informative, and provides the reader with a factual, = informatively detailed, and well written account of the attraction of fasci=
sm in a world at war -- and its personal costs and consequences for the fam= ilies and the post-war lives of war crime committing members of the Waffen-= SS. A unique and exceptional contribution to the growing library of World W=
ar II Histories and Biographies, "My Father's War: A True Story of Nazism a=
nd Treason" is particularly recommended as a core addition to personal, pro= fessional, community, and academic curriculum WWII studies lists. It should=
be noted for personal reading lists that "My Father's War: A True Story of=
Nazism and Treason" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $1= 8.95).

Editorial Note #1: Bjorn Westlie (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bj%C3%B8rn_= Westlie), who has worked as a journalist and historian, is the author of Op= pgjor i skyggen av Holocaust (Reckoning in the Shadow of the Holocaust) and=
four other books.

Editorial Note #2: Dean Krouk (https://gns.wisc.edu/staff/krouk-dean), is a=
n Associate Professor of Scandinavian studies at the University of Wisconsi= n-Madison. He is also the author of two books, including The Making of an A= ntifascist: Nordahl Grieg between the World Wars.

The American Doctor
Savatore J. Forcina, MD
Gaudium Publishing
c/o Histria Books
www.histriabooks.com
9781592112098, $29.99, HC, 276pp

https://www.amazon.com/American-Doctor-Salvatore-J-Forcina/dp/1592112099

Synopsis: Born in Italy during World War II, Salvatore Forcina was a young = boy who survived all odds by living through his young childhood without any=
real or proper shelter. Like many Italians during this time, a month after=
turning eight years old his parents migrated to Argentina, a developing co= untry at the time rich with natural resources and hope for a more stable li= fe.

Sent away to live with Redemptorist priests for seven long years as the onl=
y available option to study, this young boy struggled emotionally and psych= ologically with no social outlets and little emotional development. But Sal= vatore's dream to study medicine and help people propelled him to carry on = and continue his education, eventually being educated and living on three d= ifferent continents, each with a new language to learn and master.

Despite his meager beginnings which provided no social and little education=
al opportunity and despite the many years and setbacks it took him to accom= plish this, his goal was ultimately accomplished because of his sheer deter= mination. "The American Doctor" true-life story is motivating, uplifting an=
d based on what genuine love of family can provide to someone.

Critique: An inherently fascinating and impressively well written memoir, "= The American Doctor" is one of those exceptional life-story memoirs that ar=
e ultimately inspiring and truly memorable. An interesting and unusual life=
lived out in interesting and unusual times, "The American Doctor" is a hig= hly recommended pick for community/academic library Contemporary American B= iography/Memoir collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists = that "The American Doctor" is also available in a digital book format (Kind= le, $8.99).

Editorial Note: Dr. Salvatore J. Forcina (http://salvatoreforcina.com) was = born in Scauri, Italy in 1941. This was the time of World War II and the wa=
r and its aftermath presented locals with few options other than to flee th= eir homes and later, ultimately their country. At eight years old he moved =
to Azul, Argentina where he attended Jovenado, a sleepaway school for boys = run by Redemptorist priests. Salvatore's dream to study medicine and help p= eople propelled him to carry on and continue his education, eventually bein=
g educated and living on three different continents, each with a new langua=
ge to learn and master.

But She Looks Fine: From Illness to Activism
Olivia Goodreau
Gaudium Publishing
c/o Histria Books
www.histriabooks.com
9781592112104, $24.99, HC, 146pp

https://www.amazon.com/But-She-Looks-Fine-Activism/dp/1592112102

Synopsis: With the publication of "But She Looks Fine: From Illness to Acti= vism", Olivia Goodreau tells is the intensely personal story of how she tur= ned the physical challenges and emotional hardships she had faced since she=
was a little girl into an engaged life of advocacy for others.

So many young people are faced with life-changing hardships ranging from il= lness and disease to loss and calamity. What Olivia Goodreau discovers thro= ugh her journey with chronic Lyme Disease, and what she has been sharing wi=
th the world, is that inside of every predicament is also a possibility.

Critique: Inspired and inspiring, "But She Looks Fine: From Illness to Acti= vism" is an exceptionally well written, impressively candid, organized and = presented memoir that will have a very special appeal and relevance for rea= ders having to deal with the life-impacting and altering effects of a physi= cal or emotional affliction of their own. An ideal pick for personal, profe= ssional, community, and academic library Social Activist & Medical Professi= onal Biography/Memoir collections, it should be noted for personal reading = lists that "But She Looks Fine: From Illness to Activism" is also available=
in a digital book format (Kindle, $8.99).

Editorial Note: Olivia Goodreau (https://butshelooksfinebook.com) is the fo= under of the LivLyme Foundation and inventor of the free global app, TickTr= acker. Olivia founded the LivLyme Foundation in 2017 when she was 12 years = old, to raise money for children who cannot afford their Lyme medication an=
d doctors' visits and to fund research to find a cure for Lyme and tick-bor=
ne diseases. Olivia hopes the LivLyme Foundation will positively impact tho=
se that suffer from all tick-borne diseases. As the inventor of TickTracker=
, she is striving to educate the public and keep people safe while creating=
a database for research.

Driving Home Naked
Melinda G. McCall, DVM
She Writes Press
www.shewritespress.com
9781647425173, $17.95, PB, 304pp

https://www.amazon.com/Driving-Home-Naked-Misadventures-Veterinarian/dp/164= 7425174

Synopsis: Have you ever driven home from work wearing nothing but a pair of=
rubber boots? For Dr. Melinda McCall, a large animal veterinarian in rural=
Virginia, she is living the dream. Caring for cattle, goats, sheep, pigs, = llamas, and the occasional alpaca, unusual mishaps and mind-blowing adventu= res abound. Getting caught driving home naked after a tough day at work is = just another day at the office for Dr. Melinda.

With the publication of her memoir, "Driving Home Naked: And Other Misadven= tures of a Country Veterinarian", the reader will enjoy traveling along in = Melinda's vet truck as this fearless veterinarian confronts every obstacle = that crosses her path while building a thriving veterinary practice with an=
all-female foundation.

Melinda's life has included prevailing through a fractured skull, back surg= ery, rare zoonotic diseases, and other extreme challenges. With stubbornnes=
s and grit, she surpasses the expectations of adversaries, including her ow=
n father, to become the owner of a successful veterinary business and mothe=
r of an inquisitive, spirited young daughter.

Offering a firsthand glimpse into the fascinating world of veterinary medic= ine, "Driving Home Naked" is a smart, riveting, and heartfelt memoir that w= ill captivate animal lovers and inspire people to follow their dreams on an=
y scale.

Critique: An absolutely fascinating, exceptionally well written, and fully = entertaining true life veterinarian memoir that will have a very special ap= peal to fans of the James Harriot stories of his adventures as a veterinari= an, "Driving Home Naked: And Other Misadventures of a Country Veterinarian"=
by Melinda G. McCall is an especially and unreservedly recommended additio=
n to community and academic library Contemporary American Biography/Memoir = collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "Driving Ho=
me Naked" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $8.99=
).

Editorial Note: Melinda G. McCall (https://www.drmelindaauthor.com/about) o= wns a large animal mobile veterinary service in central Virginia. She and h=
er all-female staff specialize in beef and dairy cattle herds, swine, small=
ruminant animals, and camelids. Dr. Melinda earned a BS in Biology from Qu= eens University and a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from Virginia-Maryland = College of Veterinary Medicine. A woman in a male-dominated field, she has = mastered the ability to do the work she loves while educating and inspiring=
others through her expertise, passion, and grit. Dr. Melinda is passionate=
about agricultural education.

David Bowie: Rainbowman 1967-1980
Jerome Soligny
Monoray
c/o Octopus Publishing
www.octopusbooksusa.com
9781800960633, $39.99 HC, $14.99 Kindle, 704pp

https://www.amazon.com/David-Bowie-Rainbowman-Jerome-Soligny/dp/1800960638

The only prerequisite for enjoying David Bowie: Rainbowman 1967-1980 is a p= rior interest in the musician's life and an ability to absorb a meticulousl= y-done biographical sketch which contains well over six hundred pages of re= search and extensive interviews with those involved in Bowie's life.

Fans will find this new biography to be one of the most vibrant, revealing = coverages of Bowie's life and art in print, reviewing his music and influen= ces with a dedicated hand to detail that includes in-depth revelations by c= ontemporaries such as Mick Ronson and other notable musical artists.

The depth of examination and insights contributes an authoritative understa= nding of Bowie's works that is both wide-ranging and essential to any serio=
us understanding of his artistry, making David Bowie: Rainbowman 1967-1980 =
a top recommendation for any collection looking for an exhaustive, revealin=
g coverage of his music and the milieu in which it was born.

Scratching the Surface
Allyson Steedman
Calathea Press
www.calatheapress.com
9781738665204, $14.99, PB, 230pp

https://www.amazon.com/Scratching-Surface-Allyson-Steedman/dp/1738665208

Synopsis: For her whole life, Allyson lived with chronic eczema. At times s= evere, she was told the condition was incurable and doctors prescribed topi= cal steroid creams to help manage the outbreaks. She learned to live with i=
t.

Now, well into her thirties, married and with a daughter of her own, life w=
as busy and full of energy and seemed to be moving in the right direction. = Until she stopped using the creams.

Plunged into Topical Steroid Withdrawal (TSW), she faced years of debilitat= ing effects that left her with increased loss of physical function, traumat=
ic physical and mental pain and a greatly diminished quality of life. But t= hrough all the pain, a resonating within her of an undeniable truth emerged=
; that physical healing was only one part of the equation. That to truly he= al, we must look deeply within ourselves to find the connection between our=
mind, body and spirit.

Through Allyson's journey, we can find a link to our own spirit and answer = its call to live more authentically and with a full heart.

With the publication of "Scratching the Surface", Allyson Steedman challeng=
es all of us to look beyond our physical limitations and current situations=
to find a deeper connection to ourselves and who we can truly be. She enco= urages us to shift our thoughts, shed our fears and equip our minds for a d= ifferent outlook and to believe in our own intrinsic value.

Critique: Extraordinary, exceptional, impressive, informative, inspiring, "= Scratching the Surface" is essential reading for anyone suffering from ster= oid withdrawal and anyone else having to deal with traumatic physical and m= ental pain brought about by severe or chronic illness. While also available=
for personal reading lists in a digital book format (Kindle, $8.99), "Scra= tching the Surface" is especially and unreservedly recommended for communit=
y and academic library Contemporary American Biography/Memoir collections, = and Self-Help/Self-Improvement reading lists.

Editorial Note: Allyson Steedman (https://www.allysonsteedman.com) is a for= mer corporate event planner and entrepreneur. Her many endeavors include ow= ning a specialty dog boutique, a party planning and event consulting busine=
ss and a bespoke travel company. Her first hand experience with physical he= aling and emotional discovery has set her on a path to help others reignite=
their connection to their own spirit to help find joy, passion and abundan=
ce in their own lives.

Reclamation
Lona Cook
www.drlonacook.com
Houndstooth Press
9781544520353, $24.99 Hardcover/$15.99 Paper/$6.99 ebook

https://www.amazon.com/Reclamation-Evolution-Mess-Lona-Cook/dp/1544520352

"This book is about bearing witness to your life and reclaiming what we all=
have at our core: a connection to this divine life that is ready to unfold=
.. A life that is working for us, sometimes in the weirdest situations and w= ays."

It literally took a gun in the ribs to spark realizations about author Lona=
Cook's life trajectory, described in her memoir of self-help "Reclamation:=
The Evolution of a Hot Mess".

Her growth was not a singular event, but a process that actually began long=
before this pivot point was reached. It involved forward and backward move= ments as Cook considered the spiritual and psychological ramifications of m= aking or resisting change. "Reclamation" is the story of one door closing a=
nd another opening -- that of awareness.

"Do I continue on to where I was going or turn back?" This question, which = arises after the life-changing moment in Costa Rica that almost ended all p= ossibilities for change, is inherent throughout a process that Cook explain=
s as being a growth opportunity.

The most intriguing parts of this memoir lie in its contrast between the "o= ld" Lona's reactions to life and the newly aware personality willing to con= sider that odd events and coincidences might be messages to consider or emb= race change and revolutionary thinking. As she progresses through new reali= zations about God, energy, and her place in the greater scheme of life, Coo=
k begins to absorb the choices and flexibility involved in accepting new op= portunities with newly awakened mind and heart.

This is not a linear or clear process. Her memoir candidly describes the ba= ck-and-forth process of confronting her ego, her beliefs, and her intention=
s with new awareness and responsibility. From learning to use her voice mor=
e effectively in the world and speaking from the heart to trying to help lo= ved ones who can't hear such messages,

"Reclamation" is both uplifting and gritty. It adopts a poignant honesty th=
at encourages readers to view their lives, beliefs, and driving motivations=
for relationships and choices in a different light. By couching her advice=
within a memoir that surveys her awakening and its processes, readers inte= rested in self-help and awareness receive many insights into the pitfalls a=
nd possibilities of cultivating a new perspective, than translating that in=
to relationship and life choices.

Libraries and readers interested in self-help and awareness will be the tar= get audience for "Reclamation", but ideally it won't just repose on a libra=
ry shelf. It should ideally become an active part of book club, psychology,=
self-help, and growth-oriented discussion groups interested in especially = candid revelations about the process of growth and the bigger pictures invo= lved in seeking transformation. "This snapshot we have in our moment right = now is just one small sliver of what is unfolding."

When the Rivers Flowed
Marilyn Layman Mascaro
Warren Publishing
www.warrenpublishing.net
9781960146175, $18.95

https://www.amazon.com/Rivers-Flowed-Marilyn-Layman-Mascaro/dp/1960146173

As a child, Marilyn Layman Mascaro listened to family stories told by her g= randmother. When the Rivers Flowed: An Ambitious Hillbilly And A Southern F= lapper Discover Knoxville, Tennessee seeps from this foundation wellspring =
of knowledge to involve biography readers in the story of changing times in=
America, from the race riots of the 1920s to life in then-smaller-town Kno= xville as it experienced sea changes in economics and social condition.

Readers seeking regional histories of cultural and social evolution in Amer= ica could find no finer mirror of experience than Knoxville. Mascaro demons= trates this with a riveting blend of American history and local influence t= hat brings these times and experiences to life through her family's history=
and involvements.

Of particular interest are the contrasts in class and social status that in= fluence Earl and Marie's relationship early on. These are reflective of bot=
h community sentiments and the morals of the times.

Readers who would better understand the history and culture of the South an=
d the political and economic forces that shaped it should begin with the pe= rsonal stories narrated and contrasted in When the Rivers Flowed. Its abili=
ty to bring these times and influences to life makes for a stroll past news= paper headlines and into the lives of individuals who navigated the Great D= epression and the social changes that buffeted their worlds. The resulting = tale is compelling, personalizing history with lives that both reflect and = defy some of the influences of their times.

Libraries seeking biographies of proactive individuals who both represent a=
nd depart from their Southern roots will find When the Rivers Flowed a powe= rful story that belays any thought that Knoxville's history or lives are st= aid.

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