October 2023 MBR Reviewer's Choice

Reviewer's Choice

African American Almanac, second edition
Lean'tin Bracks, Ph.D.
Visible Ink Press
www.visibleinkpress.com
9781578598311, $74.95, HC, 592pp

https://www.amazon.com/African-American-Almanac-Excellence-Multicultural/dp/1578598311

Synopsis: African Americans helped build the United States. Their contributions, deeds, and influence are interwoven into the fabric of the country. Celebrating centuries of achievements, this newly updated and expanded second edition of the "African American Almanac: 400 Years of Black Excellence" provides insights on the impact and inspiration of African Americans on U.S. society and culture spanning centuries and presented in a fascinating mix of biographies, historical facts, and enlightening essays on significant legislation and movements.

Covering events surrounding African American literature, art and music; the civil rights movement; religion within the black community; advances in science and medicine; and politics, education, business, the military, sports, theater, film, and television, this important reference connects history to the issues currently facing the African American community. The "African American Almanac" also honors the lives and contributions of 800 influential figures, ranging from Stacey Abrams, Muhammad Ali, Maya Angelou, Josephine Baker, George Washington Carver, and Ray Charles, to Bessie Coleman, Henry Louis Gates, Jr., Martin Luther King, Jr., Queen Latifah, and Thurgood Marshall.

Completely updated and revised for the first time in over a decade, this new second edition of the "African American Almanac" also looks at the recent challenges, from the Black Lives Movement to Covid-19, and the ongoing resilience of our nation, and it shines a light on our momentous and complicated history, the individual accomplishments and contributions of the celebrated and unsung (but no less worthy) African-Americans who built our country and who continue to influence American society.

Comprehensive and richly illustrated, it thoroughly explores the past, progress, and current conditions of America. This seminal work is the most complete and affordable single-volume reference of African American culture and history available today, and it illustrates and demystifies the emotionally moving, complex, and often lost history of black life in America!

Critique: An ideal defense against the current attempts to deliberately suppress African American history in public school curriculums and college/university curriculums and library collections, "African American Almanac: 400 Years of Black Excellence, second edition" should be a core choice and acquisition selection for personal, professional, community, highschool, college, and university library American History collections and supplemental African-American Studies curriculum studies lists. It should be noted for students, academia, political activists, public school boards, and non- specialist general readers with an interest in African-American history that "African American Almanac: 400 Years of Black Excellence, second edition" is also available in a paperback edition (9781578597802, $36.95) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $19.99).

Editorial Note: Lean'tin Bracks, Ph.D., is the retired professor of African American literature and retired chair of the Department of Arts and Languages, discipline coordinator of English and coordinator of African American Studies at Fisk University. Dr. Bracks continues to conduct research in the areas of African American Literature, Literature of the Diaspora, and African American Women's Literature. She is the author of "Writings on Black Women of the Diaspora: History Language and Identity"; and she is the co-editor of "Black Women of the Harlem Renaissance Era". She also has contributed to resource publications and academic journals, including African American National Biography; Encyclopedia of African American Popular Culture, and Encyclopedia of African American Business. Dr. Bracks earned her undergraduate degree from Kenyon College in Gambier, Ohio, which also bestowed upon her an honorary doctorate, and she completed her graduated work at the University of Nebraska, Lincoln.

National Geographic Atlas of Wild America
Jon Waterman
National Geographic Press
www.nationalgeographic.com
9781426222351, $65.00, HC, 432pp

https://www.amazon.com/National-Geographic-Atlas-Wild-America/dp/1426222351

Synopsis: Filled with authoritative maps, data-driven graphics, awe-inspiring photographs, and thoughtful essays, "National Geographic Atlas of Wild America" is a vivid large format (10.62 x 1.31 x 13.8 inches, 6.53 pounds) volume that will feed the soul of everyone who loves wild places. Six lush chapters take readers from the eastern woodlands to the central plains, from the northern wilderness to southwestern desert lands -- including key wilderness areas in Canada and Mexico.

"National Geographic Atlas of Wild America" reveals the fascinating history of the High Peaks of the Adirondacks, presents fossil remains on the Upper Missouri River, showcases the rainforest canopy of Alaska's Tongass National Forest, and includes the Grand Canyon Parashat's Dark Sky Park. Of special note is a section rich in maps and graphics highlights 13 thematic topics, such as the National Scenic Trail System and the human impact on wilderness areas.

"National Geographic Atlas of Wild America" is beautifully illustrated atlas replete with information and visual lyricism. It will inspire all who have journeyed into the wild -- and intrigue many who still hope to do so!

Critique: From the deep forests of the Canadian Northwest to the red-rock deserts of the American Southwest, North America offers a myriad of opportunities for hiking, camping, trekking, and simply enjoying the abundance of the natural world. the "National Geographic Atlas of Wild America" is an opulent volume highlights 41 of those wilderness locations. Exceptionally informative and impressively 'user friendly' in organization and presentation, "National Geographic Atlas of Wild America" is ideal as a library memorial fund acquisition and is unreservedly recommended for personal, professional, community, highschool, college, and university library American Atlas/Maps collections.

Editorial Note: Jon Waterman (https://jonathanwaterman.com) has written 15 books on adventure and the environment, including the recent National Geographic Atlas of the National Parks. He has also worked as a wilderness guide and as a National Park Service ranger and continues to explore remote places around the world by boat, foot, or dogsled. He has received three grants from the National Geographic Society Expeditions Council, and his award-winning writing and photography have appeared in numerous national magazines and newspapers.

Inside Pompeii
Luigi Spina
Getty Publications
www.getty.edu/publications
9781606068908, $125.00, HC, 480pp

https://www.amazon.com/Inside-Pompeii-Luigi-Spina/dp/1606068903

Synopsis: Pompeii, one of the most astonishing and well-preserved sites of classical antiquity, is also one of the world's most visited architectural sites. This large format (9.5 x 2.1 x 12.5 inches, 8.15 pounds) hardcover edition from Getty Publications is an impressive and lavish volume by Italian photographer Luigi Spina and takes its readers on a fantastic tour of Pompeii through an array of visually compelling and original photographs. Produced in partnership with the Parco Archeologico di Pompei, readers are expertly and visually guided through the Roman city's nine districts, including many hidden corners that are inaccessible to most visitors.

Pompeii's architecture is a central feature of the images, which were shot at all times of day, in all seasons, and in natural light. Lacy peristyles and rows of column fragments give way to intimate, atmospheric interior spaces. Mosaic floors and beautiful (albeit fragmentary) wall paintings are reproduced with stunning fidelity and sensitivity. The volume also includes an essay by Gabriel Zuchtriegel, director of the Pompeii archaeological park, and several meditations on the history, architecture, and natural beauty of the city. "Inside Pompeii" provides the wondrous experience of wandering through this remarkable site without ever leaving home.

Critique: The next best thing to being on-site in Pompeii in person, "Inside Pompeii" is an armchair traveler's dream. This coffee-table style edition is inherently fascinating to browse through on full page image at a time. Useful commentaries add a welcome and informative support for the stunning visual imagery. Simply stated, Luigi Spina's "Inside Pompeii" is an ideal choice for a library Memorial Fund Acquisition selection and unreservedly recommended for personal, professional, community, college, and university library Roman Art, Architecture, and Archaeology collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists.

Editorial Note: Luigi Spina (https://www.luigispina.it/about-me) is an Italian photographer. He has published more than twenty books and has created photographic campaigns for institutions and museums throughout Europe.

Secret Wisconsin
Tom & Kristi Flick Manus
Reedy Press
www.reedypress.com
9781681064949, $27.00, PB, 192pp

https://www.amazon.com/Secret-Wisconsin-Tom-Manus/dp/1681064944

Synopsis: Wisconsin is known for its outdoor recreation, supper clubs, and being "America's Dairyland," but intriguing wonders and obscure events lie hidden in plain sight.

Why does a temporary circus billboard from 1885 still exist on a building? Did someone really exchange water with aliens for extraterrestrial pancakes? Where can you honor deceased postal letter carriers? Have you been eating brats the wrong way?

"Secret Wisconsin: A Guide to the Weird, Wonderful, and Obscure" takes you on an unforgettable trip to discover the state's quirkiness and some of its best kept secrets. Find out where famous people secretly get turkeys in the basement and where Al Capone let floatplanes land with his illegal booze before he shipped it by truck to Chicago. Learn about the state's two Walls of China and the place where gravity can pull your vehicle uphill. Discover why JFK made a deposit in Spooner or how Teddy Roosevelt's long speech saved his life from an attempted assassination. From donuts to whitefish livers, find out where Wisconsin delicacies hide.

Local authors Tom and Kristi Flick Manus love uncovering stories that must be told. They are passionate about finding Wisconsin's out-of-the-ordinary, hidden, and quirky side and then sharing them with you.

Critique: Profusely illustrated in full color throughout, "Secret Wisconsin: A Guide to the Weird, Wonderful, and Obscure" is an ideal resource for exploring nooks and crannies of the Badger State that are all too often obscure and unknown -- even to native Wisconsinites. Whether you are an on-site visitor or an armchair traveler, "Secret Wisconsin" is a unique, informative, and fun pick for personal, professional, community, college, and university library Wisconsin Travel Guide collections.

Editorial Note: Tom and Kristi Flick Manus are freelance travel writers for print and online publications, along with their website smalltownplussize.com. Kristi is a Madison area native while Tom happily adopted Wisconsin after their marriage in 1995. After living in many states across the country, they moved to Eau Claire. They enjoy exploring different cultures, history, roadside attractions, and nature by road trips on backroads and two-lane highways. Along with international travel, they have visited 48 states, with only Hawaii and the elusive Rhode Island remaining. (https://www.travelawaits.com/author/tom-kristi-manus)

The House that Cheese Built
Miguel Leal
Wiley
c/o Wiley Professional Trade Group
www.wiley.com
9781394184026, $28.00, HC, 272pp

https://www.amazon.com/House-that-Cheese-Built-Multibillion-Dollar/dp/1394184026

Synopsis: Miguel Leal came to the U.S. from his home in Mexico as penniless teenager, speaking almost no English. He literally slept in the boiler room of a Wisconsin cheese factory for months before he was caught. Through hard work, grit, and ingenuity Leal would go on to launch his own business. He is widely credited with introducing Mexican cheeses to the U.S. market and grew his company to a multimillion-dollar success story that defined an industry. Yet, like many successful entrepreneurs, Leal's great successes were matched by personal failures -- the end of a marriage; trouble with law enforcement; and the deeply felt sense that there must be something more to life than great wealth.

"The House that Cheese Built: The Unusual Life of the Mexican Immigrant who Defined a Multibillion-Dollar Global Industry" is the astounding memoir of a Mexican immigrant who worked his way to success in the American cheese industry. Readers will find find inspiration in Miguel Leal's determination and refusal to give up on his dream. They will learn how Leal persevered in the face of obstacles and setbacks in his personal life. They will eagerly follow Miguel's personal story as he finds peace, purpose, and grace -- and ultimately realizes that money isn't everything.

Critique: A riveting and inspiring read from cover to cover, "The House that Cheese Built: The Unusual Life of the Mexican Immigrant who Defined a Multibillion-Dollar Global Industry" is the extraordinary memoir of an extraordinary man who was able to accomplish something truly extraordinary and against all odds. Exceptionally well written and presented, "The House that Cheese Built: The Unusual Life of the Mexican Immigrant who Defined a Multibillion-Dollar Global Industry" is a stellar and unreservedly recommended pick for community and academic library Contemporary Biography/Memoir collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "The House that Cheese Built: The Unusual Life of the Mexican Immigrant who Defined a Multibillion-Dollar Global Industry" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $17.00).

Editorial Note: Miguel Leal (https://www.thehousethatcheesebuilt.com) founded Mexican Cheese Producers in 1994. Leal eventually sold his business to Sigma Alimentos, which used his recipes to win the 2020 World Championship Cheese Contest. Today, Miguel is deeply invested in a new passion project: supporting Mexico's organic farming movement with a farm of his own.

Herbert Bayer's World Geo-Graphic Atlas and Information Design at Midcentury
Benjamin Benus
RIT Press
https://press.rit.edu
9781939125835, $58.80, HC, 128pp

https://www.amazon.com/Herbert-Bayers-Geo-Graphic-Information-Mid-Century/dp/1939125839

Synopsis: Between 1947 and 1953, the Austrian-born, Bauhaus-trained artist Herbert Bayer (1900-1985) oversaw the design and production of the World Geo-Graphic Atlas, a landmark work of graphic design and data visualization.

Commissioned by Container Corporation of America to mark the twenty-fifth anniversary of the Chicago-based company's founding, the Atlas would ultimately become much more than the promotional publication its patrons had initially envisioned.

The Atlas's imaginative presentation methods have had a lasting impact within the fields of information design and visual education, transforming the look and character of subsequent geographic atlases and popular scientific illustration. Characterized by Bayer as "the concept of a 'visualist'", the Atlas's graphic presentations made complex and specialized information comprehensible and engaging for readers -- a point he underscored in giving the Atlas's title its distinctive, hyphenated formulation "geo-graphic".

The Atlas's narrative proved to be prescient as well, highlighting challenges related to economic globalization and human-caused environmental destruction -- crises that have only grown more acute in the seventy years since its publication.

In "Herbert Bayer's World Geo-Graphic Atlas and Information Design at Midcentury", Benjamin Benus tells the story behind this work's creation. Richly illustrated and drawing on extensive archival documentation, Benus's account reconstructs the working methods and intellectual exchanges through which Bayer and his circle of scientific collaborators realized this remarkable work.

Reflecting on Bayer's attempt to balance and resolve the commissioned work's educational and advertising functions, Benus's study offers broader insights into the roles twentieth-century artists and designers played in popularizing scientific knowledge and shaping audiences' geographical worldviews.

Critique: A large format volume, "Herbert Bayer's World Geo-Graphic Atlas and Information Design at Midcentury" includes a twenty-four page Introduction, a six page Conclusion, a four page Bibliography, and a three page Index. Organized into four major sections (Lessons and Legacy of the Bauhaus; Production and Style; Sources and Methods; Advertising and Information), "Herbert Bayer's World Geo-Graphic Atlas and Information Design at Midcentury" will be of substantial value to readers with n interest in Historical Geography and Graphic Design, it is unreservedly recommended for personal, professional, and academic library Atlas/Maps collections.

Editorial Note: Benjamin Benus (https://www.aspenideas.org/speakers/benjamin-benus) is an associate professor of art and design history at Loyola University New Orleans. He specializes in the history of modern art, with a focus on twentieth-century graphic design in Europe and the United States. He completed his PhD in art history at the University of Maryland in College Park, and he earned a BFA and an MS in art history from the Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, New York. His scholarship, which examines historical connections between modernist design and data visualization, has been supported with research fellowships from the Vienna Circle Institute at the University of Vienna, the Wolfsonian-Florida International University in Miami, and the Newberry Library in Chicago. Benus is the co-curator of the exhibition "Concept of a Visualist: Herbert Bayer's World Geo-Graphic Atlas," which opened in June 2023 at the Aspen Institute's Resnick Center for Herbert Bayer Studies in Aspen, Colorado.

The Joy of Costco
David & Susan Schwartz
Hot Dog Press, LLC
9781959505006, $35.00 Hardcover

https://www.amazon.com/Joy-Costco-Treasure-Hunt/dp/1959505009

The Joy of Costco: A Treasure Hunt from A to Z romps through Costco warehouses around the world, and is written by a couple who has visited some 200 of Costco's 800+ warehouses. One might expect this survey to take the form of a travelogue and consumer manual, but the authors utilize an A-Z format to cover everything from the demise of Costco's relationship with American Express to the benefits of buying hearing aids from Costco (which involve more than a favorable price, and outlines accompanying maintenance services), the history of Costco's Kirkland brand and signature items, and how Costco maintains food safety in its meat departments. Each item on the A-Z list receives intriguing coverage, facts, and history that documents all facets of Costco's operations, from its product lines and company structure to how it maintains and supports its image and transactions. The unexpectedly lively nature of the narrative is supported by boxed sidebars of information, succinct but precise descriptions, and operational facts.

While the primary draw of this book will be to Costco fans and customers, its wealth of business insights will also be intriguing to business readers interested in the box store's background, development, and methods. These audiences will find the celebratory nature of The Joy of Costco to be attractive, with its structure and visuals lending to an unexpectedly easy-to-read title that will appeal on different levels of information and entertainment. For Costco superfans it will make an ideal gift. Libraries and readers need not have a Costco membership card in order to imbibe. All that's required is a basic interest in the company's processes and in the bigger picture of inventory control, product acquisition, and operating a retail chain box store.

Running with Changing Woman
Lorinda Martinez
Salina BookShelf
www.salinabookshelf.com
9781960830005, $23.95, HC, 319pp

https://salinabookshelf.com/product/runningwithchangingwomanhardcover

Synopsis: Samantha is a Navajo girl attending Atsa Mesa Community School on the Navajo Reservation. Her life has seemed pretty average when one day at school her body suddenly changes. As a Dine, Samantha must now prepare for the four-day Dine womanhood ceremony called the Kinaalda, a ceremony once performed by the Navajo deity, Changing Woman. With a whirlwind of new adventures, Sam's family and her two best friends do their best to help Sam deal with bullies, boys, and her new responsibilities as a Dine woman.

Critique: Of special and particular appeal and value to readers with an interest in Navajo culture in general, and the role/customs involving Navajo girls becoming Navajo women, "Running with Changing Woman" is a unique, informative, entertaining, and impressively written story and one that is especially and unreservedly recommended for personal, community, and college/university library collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "Running with Changing Woman" is also readily available from Salina Bookshelf in a paperback edition (9781960830012, $17.95).

Editorial Note: Lorinda Martinez is Lok'aa Dine'e (the Reed People Clan) born for Tachii'nii (Red Running into the Water Clan). The Tabaahi (Water's Edge Clan) are her maternal grandfathers and the Todich'ii'nii (Bitter Water Clan) are her paternal grandfathers. She was raised in Pueblo Pintado, New Mexico and Shonto, Arizona. She attended Highlands University in Las Vegas, New Mexico where she earned her Bachelor's and Master's Degrees in Education. Lorinda currently lives in the four corners area with her husband, son and dogs.

Fix My Face
Carolyn V. Hamilton
www.carolynvhamilton.com
Swift House Press
9798986754116, $12.95

https://www.amazon.com/FIX-MY-FACE-World-class-Affordable/dp/B0C9S8NYYH

Fix My Face: My World-class Cosmetic Surgery in Safe, Affordable Ecuador follows Carolyn V. Hamilton's investigation and undertaking of cosmetic surgery in Ecuador after she moved to that country from Seattle. It's as much a commentary about the medical system and processes in Ecuador as it is about her surgical experience and the surprising discoveries that came from her encounters with Cuenca's medical services, and offers a contrast with U.S. systems which is both eye-opening and important.

From the beginning, Hamilton cultivates an investigative tone that brings readers into Ecuador's world, revealing a culture and medical system that reviews quite favorably in comparison with modern American medicine. Imagine a world in which doctors personally follow up and make impromptu house calls!

In America, this action was regulated to bygone years. In modern times, it's still alive and working well as a commonplace occurrence in Ecuador.

It is the reader especially interested in overseas cosmetic surgery who will gain the most from this book. Hamilton provides wealth of practical information, from how to assess foreign systems and operations to costs, procedures, and navigating the alien affordable world of 'medical tourism'.

Because she undertook the journey, Hamilton is in the perfect position to speak not from research, but personal experience. In addition, she gathers the insights of others to add to the mix of considerations and analysis. Interviews with physicians also supplement her story, providing further advice on doctor/patient interactions that will prove more fruitful than many in the U.S.

Between the personal decisions she made to foster healing and support her surgery to the outcome of navigating Ecuador's medical systems, Hamilton provides a practical, inviting account that will attract readers interested in both cosmetic surgery and overseas medical system savvy. Libraries and readers interested in not just research on such systems, but personal experience filled with lively encounters and practical tips for cosmetic surgery undertaking and optimum healing will find Fix My Face a practical guide as well as an engrossing personal saga.

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