August 2023 MBR Reviewer's Choice

Reviewer's Choice

The Hidden History of American Democracy
Thom Hartmann
Berrett-Koehler Publishers Inc.
1333 Broadway, Suite 1000, Oakland CA, 94612
www.bkconnection.com
9781523004386, $19.95, PB, 192pp

https://www.amazon.com/Hidden-History-American-Democracy-Rediscovering/dp/152300438X

Synopsis: With the publication of "The Hidden History of American Democracy: Rediscovering Humanity's Ancient Way of Living", Thom Hartmann provides his readers with a succinct, powerful, sweeping history and analysis of American democracy, and shows how democracy is the one form of governance most likely to produce peace and happiness among people.

With the violent exception of the Civil War, American democracy resisted the pressure to disintegrate into factionalism for nearly two centuries, and now, with the currently deepening and increasingly hostile polarization of the American people our very system of democratic elections is at stake.

So how do we save our democracy?

"The Hidden History of American Democracy: Rediscovering Humanity's Ancient Way of Living" offers a clear call to action and a set of solutions with road maps for both individuals and communities to follow in order to create a safer, more just society, more equitable, more civil, and more prosperous economy.

Critique: Given the current threat to American Democracy from domestic fascists and their present control of roughly 1/3 of the general American public through deliberate and consistent campaigns of misinformation, disinformation, propaganda, and lies, as well as a recently failed campaign to overthrow a freely and fairly elected presidential election, "The Hidden History of American Democracy: Rediscovering Humanity's Ancient Way of Living" by Thom Hartmann should be a core addition to highschool, community, college, and university library 21st Century American Political Science collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of Political Science students, academia, political activists, and non-specialist general readers alarmed by what is currently happening in our country that "The Hidden History of American Democracy: Rediscovering Humanity's Ancient Way of Living" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $14.99).

Editorial Note: Thom Hartmann (https://www.thomhartmann.com) is a four time winner of the Project Censored Award, a New York Times bestselling author of over thirty books, and America's #1 progressive talk radio show host for more than a decade. His show is carried on SiriusXM and radio stations nationwide and simulcast on Free Speech TV.

When the Subject Is Rape: A Guide for Male Partners, Friends & Family Members
Alan W. McEvoy, PhD
Square One Publishers
115 Herricks Road, Garden City Park, NY 11040
www.squareonepublishers.com
9780757005220, $17.95, PB, 168pp

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/when-the-subject-is-rape-alan-w-mcevoy-phd/1143047970

Synopsis: Rape is a type of sexual assault involving sexual intercourse or other forms of sexual penetration carried out against a person without their consent. The act may be carried out by physical force, coercion, abuse of authority, or against a person who is incapable of giving valid consent, such as one who is unconscious, incapacitated, has an intellectual disability, or is below the legal age of consent. The term rape is sometimes used interchangeably with the term sexual assault. (Wikipedia)

Rape is, unfortunately, an all-too-common violent crime usually perpetrated against women. For victims, the process of sharing information about an assault with loves ones or reporting the crime to the police can be harrowing, embarrassing, and painful. The responses of others can greatly affect the way a rape survivor copes. Often the men who are closest to rape survivors (intimate partners, friends, and family members) are simply unprepared to offer the right assistance. The wrong word or action may trigger an unexpected reaction.

Expertly written by Alan W. McEvoy, "When the Subject Is Rape: A Guide for Male Partners, Friends & Family Members" is designed specifically to illustrate the role men can play as allies in a woman's recovery from rape.

"When the Subject Is Rape" carefully examines the many aspects of rape. It looks at both the short- and long-term emotional and psychological impacts rape can have on a woman, what she can expect during the prosecution of her rapist, and strategies that can help her to recover from the assault. It also discusses how the men in her life should communicate with her and address her needs throughout her recovery, and describes how they should conduct themselves to avoid unintentionally causing her more pain. Furthermore, it explains how to identify changes in behavior that may signal an undisclosed rape.

Even if a rape goes unreported, both the emotional consequences and the need for support throughout the recovery process will still be present.

Rape is not an easy subject to discuss. Sexual violence can radically alter the course of a woman's life. By understanding the trauma associated with rape and other forms of sexual assault, men can play an important part in a woman's healing process. "When the Subject Is Rape" provides information that can help men to create a climate of support for the empowerment of women who are on the path to recovery.

Critique: Most rapes and sexual assaults against women go unreported, or are reported years after the event (such as was the case with respect to men like Bill Cosby). But whether reported or unreported, women need the emotional support of their family members and friends -- including the men in their lives be they husbands, boyfriends, brothers, fathers, or uncles. Rape and sexual assault is to be found in every community, and on every campus, so every community library, every college/university library, and every counseling center needs to have a copy of "When the Subject Is Rape: A Guide for Male Partners, Friends & Family Members" in their collection for the benefit of their patrons and students. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "When the Subject Is Rape: A Guide for Male Partners, Friends & Family Members" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $13.49).

Editorial Note: Alan W. McEvoy earned his doctorate in sociology from Western Michigan University. He is an emeritus professor at Northern Michigan University, where he served as head of the Department of Sociology and Anthropology. He is the author or co-author of numerous works on rape, child abuse, intimate partner violence, toxic romantic relationships, youth suicide, and bullying. He has served as an expert witness in litigation involving violence in schools. (https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/contributors/alan-w-mcevoy-phd)

Nature at Your Door
Sara A. Gagne
Stackpole Books
5067 Ritter Road, Mechanicsburg, PA 17055-6921
www.stackpolebooks.com
9780811772266, $29.95, PB, 280pp

https://www.amazon.com/Nature-Your-Door-Connecting-Landscape/dp/0811772268

Synopsis: As humans, we are an integral part of the ecosystem where we live. With the publication of "Nature at Your Door: Connecting with the Wild and Green in the Urban and Suburban Landscape" by Sara A. Gagne we learn that what we do in our yards matters just as much as the way our local parks and nature preserves are managed.

An author and professor of landscape ecology, Sara focuses on the ecological importance of our day-to-day activities and spaces we are most familiar with and can most influence. With cutting-edge science, anecdotal experiences, and practical recommendations, Sara brings the message of how people and nature are vitally connected in the urban and suburban landscape.

Each chapter is dedicated to a particular space -- beginning with the yard, moving onto the street, the park, the greenway, the neighborhood, and the town/city. Sara tells stories of the latest ecological research, interwoven with her own experiences studying animals, to show readers how they affect nature and how nature in wilder, greener spaces affect us in both positive and negative ways. Sidebars feature practical steps readers can take to deepen their connections with nature.

Based on Sara's fifteen years of research and teaching in urban ecology, the wide variety of places and topics covered in "Nature at Your Door: Connecting with the Wild and Green in the Urban and Suburban Landscape" adds a fresh perspective to urban nature writing and appeals to those who want to take action to make the places they live greener, healthier, and more biodiverse for themselves, the wildlife, and the earth.

Critique: Illustrated throughout with full color photography, and informatively enhanced for the reader with the inclusion of Sidebars, twenty pages of Notes, and a seventeen page Index, "Nature at Your Door: Connecting with the Wild and Green in the Urban and Suburban Landscape" is an informed and informative as it it is useful and inspiring. Holding a special relevance for readers with an interest in wildlife ecology, plant biology, and human geography, "Nature at Your Door: Connecting with the Wild and Green in the Urban and Suburban Landscape" is unique and highly recommended for personal, professional, community, and academic library Nature/Ecology collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists. It should be noted for students, academia, environmental activists, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "Nature at Your Door: Connecting with the Wild and Green in the Urban and Suburban Landscape" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $28.45).

Editorial Note: Dr. Sara Gagne (https://geoearth.charlotte.edu/people/sara-gagne) is an Associate Professor of Landscape Ecology in the Department of Geography and Earth Sciences at University of North Carolina Charlotte. She has trained with the best ecologists in the world and published scientific articles in high-impact journals such as Ambio and Bio Science. She's done research on coyotes and carabid beetles and is a member of an interdisciplinary department of physical and social scientists.

Who Will Accompany You?
Meg Stafford
River Grove Books
c/o Greenleaf Book Group Press
www.greenleafbookgroup.com
9781632994905, $15.95, PB, 220pp

https://www.amazon.com/Who-Will-Accompany-You-Stafford/dp/1632994909

Synopsis: Award-winning memoirist Meg Stafford has an adventurous spirit, and with the publication of "Who Will Accompany You?: My Mother-Daughter Journeys Far from Home and Close to the Heart" she takes us all along for the ride.

When her daughters venture into terra incognita (one of them meditating in the Himalayas and the other negotiating with the Colombian military) Meg Stafford decides to go too. In the process, she reflects on her own lifetime of wanderlust and what it means for a parent to love and to let go. Generous, insightful, and deeply funny, Meg Stafford is the ideal tour guide for 'a journey as big as the world and as intimate as the human heart'.

Critique: Showcasing her impressive storytelling skills that fully engage and entertain her readers, "Who Will Accompany You?" will have a very special appeal and value for readers with an interest in parenting girls -- and teenage/young adult girls at that! Blending elements of the memoir, with a travelogue, and illustrative parenting anecdotes, "Who Will Accompany You?" is an especially and unreservedly recommended pick for personal reading lists and community library collections. It should be noted that "Who Will Accompany You?" is also available from River Grove Books in a digital book format (Kindle, $7.99).

Editorial Note: Meg Stafford is a writer who loves exploration of all kinds. Her 2011 memoir, Topic of Cancer, won six literary awards (including being named "Best First Book" by the IBPA's Benjamin Franklin Awards) for its engrossing and hilarious portrayal of surviving and thriving after a life-altering diagnosis of breast cancer. For 25 years she has been observing how small, remarkable moments enrich our lives in her monthly newspaper column, "A Moment's Notice." As a social worker in private practice, she's been helping others negotiate the terrain of relationships and connections for over 35 years.

Broken
Fred M. Kray
https://fredmkray.com
Live Oak Press
9798987213810, $26.95 Hardcover/$17.95 Paper/$7.99 ebook

https://www.amazon.com/Broken-Suspicious-Alydar-Racings-Golden/dp/B0C2SBZ6YQ

Broken: The Suspicious Death of Alydar and the End of Horse Racing's Golden Age should be in any library strong in horse racing stories and history.

It's the true story of champion stallion Alydar's mysterious injury and demise, assuming the tone and trappings of a crime investigation while delving deeper into the horse racing world and history of the 1990s. Perhaps the most intriguing part of this survey is that its author is an animal law attorney who approaches the subject not from the usual standpoint of participants in the horse racing community, but as a lawyer who weaves together court proceedings, evidence, and interviews with over twenty eyewitnesses. This testimony and these insights piece together the truth of an event which tainted the horse racing world forever.

The true crime story reads with the passion and immediacy of a dramatic novel, featuring the ability to draw readers from outside the true crime genre: "A cool Lexington night. Calumet's stallion barn. The night watchman in charge of protecting almost $50 million worth of Calumet's horses is gone, let go six months earlier. Now one man, Cowboy Kipp, is responsible for making the rounds of the entire 762-acre farm, leaving five of Calumet Farm's most valuable horses (Alydar, Affirmed, Secreto, Mogambo, and Capote) alone for up to an hour each night."

Fred M. Kray's approach lends captivating tension to the facts that evolve as the mystery unfolds. This should even attract mystery genre readers with a sense of exploration and discovery that is compelling. Personalities, both equine and human, are also profiled in the course of an investigation which remains vivid throughout.

The fact-focused nature of this event, Kray's emphasis on the legal proceedings and investigative probe into the horse racing world, and the progressive discoveries that emerge all make Broken a top recommendation not just for true crime collections or libraries looking for exposes about the horse racing world, but for mystery readers and legal thriller audiences looking for a rollicking good read that puts Dick Francis to shame.

Atrocity Fabrication and Its Consequences
A. B. Abrams
Clarity Press
https://www.claritypress.com
9781949762709, $31.95, PB, 424pp

https://www.amazon.com/Atrocity-Fabrication-Its-Consequences-Shapes/dp/194976270X

Synopsis: Atrocity Fabrication is the invention and reporting of atrocities committed by an adversary without knowledge that they ever occurred.

This form of misinformation and disinformation has a centuries-long history at the heart of propaganda and power politics as an effective means of moving public and international opinion.

Its use can provide pretext for a range of hostile measures against its targets, transforming in the public eye wars of unprovoked aggression into wars of liberation of the oppressed, or turning blockades to starve enemy civilians into humane efforts to pressure abusive governments under the moralistic label of sanctions.

As it plays a large and growing role in global conflict in the 21st century understanding atrocity fabrication and the consistent means by and ends to which it has been used has become crucial to comprehending geopolitical events in the present day.

With the publication of "Atrocity Fabrication and Its Consequences: How Fake News Shapes World Order", A. B. Abrams clearly elucidates the seldom explored but central role played by atrocity fabrication in eleven major conflicts from the 1950s to the present day: from Korea, Vietnam and Cuba during the Cold War to Iraq, Libya and the emerging Sino-U.S. cold war more recently.

"Atrocity Fabrication and Its Consequences: How Fake News Shapes World Order" also highlights the many variations of atrocity fabrication, the strong consistencies in how atrocity fabrication is used, and the consequences it has for the populations of the targeted countries, This study also demonstrates the roles played by media and both government and non-governmental organizations in misleading the public as to the actuality of these highly publicized events.

The emerging and growing trend towards Atrocity Fabrication, and the deep implications this has for democracy and world order make an understanding of its history particularly critical.

Critique: An impressively timely study given the contemporary assaults on American Democracy by authoritarian elements of local, state, and federal office holders whose boldest attempt was the effort to overthrow a freely and fairly elected Presidential election, and foreign national efforts to mislead and adversely affect the American citizenry, and the struggles between the democracies of the world against the authoritarian nations seeking domination over them in a cyber war based conflict, "Atrocity Fabrication and Its Consequences: How Fake News Shapes World Order" is an exceptionally well written study that is unreservedly recommended for personal, professional, community, college, and university library Contemporary Political Science collections. Also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $15.49), "Atrocity Fabrication and Its Consequences: How Fake News Shapes World Order" will have a very special relevance and value to students, academia, political activists, state and federal government officials, as well as non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject of 'Fake News" with respect ot Human Rights, Journalism, Democracy and Social Media Communications.

Editorial Note: A. B. Abrams (https://www.claritypress.com/book-author/a-b-abrams) is based out of London and is the author of Power and Primacy: A History of Western Intervention in the Asia-Pacific, Immovable Object: North Korea's 70 Years at War with American Power and World War in Syria. He has published widely on defense and international politics, and holds Masters degrees in related subjects from the University of London. Abrams is proficient in several Asian languages including Korean and Arabic, and has closely studied the conduct of war for close to a decade.

The Blossoming of Women
Karen Roberts with Dana Jaffe
Gaia & Friends Inc.
www.theblossomingofwomen.com
9780974644905, $25.00 print/$9.99 ebook

https://www.amazon.com/Blossoming-Women-Workbook-Growing-Older/dp/0974644900

The Blossoming of Women: A Workbook on Growing from Older to Elder is a collection of practices for transformation that considers the practices and contributions of women Karen Roberts considers "elder" (those in their sixties, seventies, and eighties).

It invites women to consider the differences in perception, experience, and opportunity that lies between "old" and "elder," and it provides a hallmark of time and possibility that suggests paths away from the grief and depression that aging can bring. This is achieved via tips, reviews of common traps, and road maps of choices made by other women who have eschewed the Narcissistic views of aging and entered into more giving, world-embracing perspectives.

Roberts's vividly thought-provoking insights will lend especially well to women's book reading groups (and any woman's group, in general). Filled with life-supporting insights about these pathways, what they look like, and how they are achieved, The Blossoming of Women surveys a new age's ripe potentials, cementing them with biographical sketches of women who serve as examples of the fruits of this process.

It concludes each feature with questions women can use for self-inspection, reflection, and discussion, such as: "What aspects of her crisis, the death of so many close to her in a short period, seem similar to your dark place?"

Beautiful nature images throughout support the gentle feel and uplifting spirit of these stories. If only one book on women's aging were to be selected for a library collection, it should be The Blossoming of Women: A Workbook on Growing from Older to Elder. Filled with inspirational and educational opportunities, it promotes a different vision of elder years and retirement that translates not to retiring from life, but entering into another phase of efficiency and meaningful thoughts, actions, and choices.

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