On My Radar:

Mag Men: Fifty Years of Making Magazines
by Walter Bernard and Milton Glaser
Columbia University Press
Hardcover

From the publisher's website:

For more than fifty years, Walter Bernard and Milton Glaser have revolutionized the look of magazine journalism. In Mag Men, Bernard and Glaser recount their storied careers, offering insiders’ perspective on some of the most iconic design work of the twentieth century. The authors look back on and analyze some of their most important and compelling projects, from the creation of New York magazine to redesigns of such publications as Time, Fortune, Paris Match, and The Nation, explaining how their designs complemented a story and shaped the visual identity of a magazine.

Richly illustrated with the covers and interiors that defined their careers, Mag Men is bursting with vivid examples of Bernard and Glaser’s work, designed to encapsulate their distinctive approach to visual storytelling and capture the major events and trends of the past half century. Highlighting the importance of collaboration in magazine journalism, Bernard and Glaser detail their relationships with a variety of writers, editors, and artists, including Nora Ephron, Tom Wolfe, Gail Sheehy, David Levine, Seymour Chwast, Katherine Graham, Clay Felker, and Katrina vanden Heuvel. The book features a foreword by Gloria Steinem, who reflects on her work in magazines and her collaborations with Bernard and Glaser. At a time when uncertainty continues to cloud the future of print journalism, Mag Men offers not only a personal history from two of its most innovative figures but also a reminder and celebration of the visual impact and sense of style that only magazines can offer.

On My Radar:

Schooled: A Love Letter to the Exhausting, Infuriating, Occasionally Excruciating Yet Somehow Completely Wonderful Profession of Teaching
by Stephanie Jankowski
Page Street Publishing
Trade Paperback

From the book publicity:

In these hilariously frank essays, high school English instructor and popular parenting blogger Stephanie Jankowski throws open the classroom door to the victories, challenges and WTF-moments that make up being a teacher today― picture way less apples, and way more confiscated cell phones.

Anyone in education or who deals with kids for a living will laugh and commiserate with Steph’s no-holds-barred commentary on lighthearted subjects such as being mistaken for a high schooler as a first-year teacher, accidentally saying the “c-word” in front of an assembly and navigating tricky student questions like “Are Trojan condoms named after those soldiers in the Odyssey?”. You’ll also nod along as she tackles more serious topics like race and education, the death of a student and teaching with empathy. 

Required reading for every passionate, dedicated educator who’s felt like banging their head against the blackboard, Schooled shouts: “I see you, fellow teacher…and you’re not alone.”

On My Radar:

Operation Devil Horns: The Takedown of MS-13 in San Francisco
by Michael Santini and Ray Bolger
Rowman & Littlefield
Trade Paperback

From the publisher's website:

In a bid to take down MS-13’s criminal network in the Mission District of San Francisco, Michael Santini, a special agent with Homeland Security Investigations, recruits a pair of hardened gang members and convinces them to risk their lives as criminal informants. Set in a city with one of the strictest sanctuary policies protecting illegal immigrants in America, Operation Devil Horns illustrates how politically correct ideology impacts life-or-death crime fighting on the streets. 

Through the informants’ eyes, Operation Devil Horns offers a rare glimpse into the pervasive criminal subculture of MS-13, a gang of Spanish-speaking immigrants that still terrorizes pockets of American society today – including their own compatriots. The case begins with a focus on the gang in San Francisco, eventually widening to include a network that reaches across borders. Santini tracks down the gang’s leadership from the Bay Area to the prison cells of corrupt Central American regimes. Eventually, it takes the cold-blooded murder of three family members in San Francisco to shake the American public out of complacency and focus sober attention on a growing and violent threat.

This is the story of a dedicated team of special agents, federal prosecutors, and local police who overcome political and legal challenges to take down more than two dozen violent criminal targets. 

On My Radar:

Think Like a Bartender: Recipes for Life
by L.D. Morrow
Bookbaby
Trade Paperback

From the book website:

Think like a Bartender: Recipes for Life is an engaging read for liquor fans or anyone looking for wisdom to enrich their life! Packed with intellect, humor and cocktail recipes, Think Like a Bartender is a delicious cerebral cocktail everyone will enjoy! Even if you've never consumed a drop of alcohol, you'll giggle your way through this personal yet lighthearted perspective on living your best life. From learning how to cut people off to updating your personal menu, Think Like a Bartender: Recipes for Life challenges us all to tap into our inner mixologist and serve up our best selves. Refreshingly funny and entertaining, the book serves up bite-sized chapters to help bartenders (old and new) understand the amazing parallel between their job and personal lives, to help customers better appreciate a profession that is sometimes taken for granted, and to help every day people remember to take inventory of your life—and remember to enjoy it! These comical "cocktales" remind us that we're all connected at the Bar of Life!

On My Radar:

Why You Should Be a Socialist
by Nathan J. Robinson
All Points Books
Hardcover

From the publisher's website:

America is witnessing the rise of a new generation of socialist activists. More young people support socialism now than at any time since the labor movement of the 1920s. The Democratic Socialists of America, a big-tent leftist organization, has just surpassed 50,000 members nationwide. In the fall of 2018, one of the most influential congressmen in the Democratic Party lost a primary to Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a 28-year-old socialist who had never held office before. But what does all this mean? Should we be worried about our country, or should we join the march toward our bright socialist future? In Why You Should Be a Socialist, Nathan J. Robinson will give readers a primer on twenty-first-century socialism: what it is, what it isn’t, and why everyone should want to be a part of this exciting new chapter of American politics.

From the heyday of Occupy Wall Street through Bernie Sanders’ 2016 presidential campaign and beyond, young progressives have been increasingly drawn to socialist ideas. However, the movement’s goals need to be defined more sharply before it can effect real change on a national scale. Likewise, liberals and conservatives will benefit from a deeper understanding of the true nature of this ideology, whether they agree with it or not. Robinson’s charming, accessible, and well-argued book will convince even the most skeptical readers of the merits of socialist thought.

In My TBR Stack:

How to Sell Books by the Truckload on Amazon: 2020 Powerhouse Edition
by Penny Sansevieri
Trade Paperback (also available on Kindle

From the book publicity:

Named as one of the top influencers of 2019 by New York Metropolitan Magazine, Penny Sansevieri has also taught Amazon-centric classes and webinars to thousands of authors leading up to the release of this ultimate guide to mastering the Amazon marketing system. Follow her proven strategies and you’ll immediately start building your book’s target market exposure and dramatically upgrade your overall book marketing efforts!Don’t waste time with all the misinformation out there, instead, let Penny Sansevieri show you how to:• Increase sales through perfectly timed pre-order campaigns•Get your book ranked #1 in its category • Find the perfect keywords and categories that will help your book soar up the Amazon charts!• Achieve top visibility for your book with lucrative keywords• The secrets to running a successful Amazon ads campaign that won’t cost you a fortune!• Leverage a secret tool to get hundreds of reader reviews•Use Kindle Unlimited to your greatest advantage • Boost sales with strategic eBook strategies•Create book descriptions that convert more browsers to buyers• Identify and locate secret categories that drive bigger sales• Leverage Amazon-owned Goodreads so it’s working for youHow to Sell Books by the Truckload on Amazon is your must-read, go-to resource if you really want to use all the features Amazon offers that have proven to work. Buy it on Amazon and you’ll also receive these FREE BONUSES:Blogger and social media listings, sample templates, and dozens of additional resources to get started with smarter book marketing right away. A special code to get this great information in a step-by-step video format! Note: If you’ve bought one of my Amazon Truckload books in the past, this is the new, heavily updated, 2019 edition

On My Radar:

One Day at Disney: Meet the People Who Make the Magic Across the Globe
by Bruce Steele
Disney Books
Hardcover

From the publisher's website:

Discover what it’s like to report to work every day for The Walt Disney Company. Step behind the scenes to immerse yourself in one “ordinary” day at Disney. In addition to the book, the Disney+ team was on hand to capture stories along the way. A full-length documentary and 52 short-form episodes expand the profiles and delve deeper into the essence of what it’s like to be a Disney cast member. 

On a Thursday in 2019, a small army of photographers and videographers scattered across the globe to capture what goes on beyond those tantalizing “Cast Members Only” doors – whether eavesdropping on historic endeavors or typical tasks. All the photos in this book were taken on that single Thursday, beginning early in Tokyo and following the sun around the world through Shanghai, Hong Kong, Paris, Madrid, the Bahamas, Costa Rica, and dozens of places throughout the United States. More than 40 hours after it began, the day ended as the sun set on the Aulani resort in Hawaii.

On that day, some 80 Cast Members agreed to open up their workshops, dressing rooms, kitchens, cubicles, TV studios, labs, locomotive engines – and some even more surprising and diverse work spaces. They also shared their stories: childhood dreams and chapters, career pivots and triumphs, workaday hurdles and joys. It was just a day in the life, as extraordinary as any other day at Disney. As any Cast Member can tell you, a Disney job is less a destination than a limitless journey. And for just One Day at Disney, we can all tag along for the ride.

On My Radar:

1973: Rock at the Crossroads
by Andrew Grant Jackson
Thomas Dunne Books
Hardcover

From the publisher's website:

1973 was the year rock hit its peak while splintering—just like the rest of the world. Ziggy Stardust travelled to America in David Bowie’s Aladdin Sane. The Dark Side of the Moon began its epic run on the Billboard charts, inspired by the madness of Pink Floyd's founder, while all four former Beatles scored top ten albums, two hitting #1. 

FM battled AM, and Motown battled Philly on the charts, as the era of protest soul gave way to disco, while DJ Kool Herc gave birth to hip hop in the Bronx. The glam rock of the New York Dolls and Alice Cooper split into glam metal and punk. Hippies and rednecks made peace in Austin thanks to Willie Nelson, while outlaw country, country rock, and Southern rock each pointed toward modern country. The Allman Brothers, Grateful Dead, and the Band played the largest rock concert to date at Watkins Glen.

Led Zep’s Houses of the Holy reflected the rise of funk and reggae. The singer songwriter movement led by Bob Dylan, Neil Young, and Joni Mitchell flourished at the Troubadour and Max’s Kansas City, where Bruce Springsteen and Bob Marley shared bill. Elvis Presley’s Aloha from Hawaii via Satellite was NBC’s top-rated special of the year, while Elton John’s albums dominated the number one spot for two and a half months.

Just as U.S. involvement in Vietnam drew to a close, Roe v. Wade ignited a new phase in the culture war. While the oil crisis imploded the American dream of endless prosperity, and Watergate’s walls closed in on Nixon, the music of 1973 both reflected a shattered world and brought us together.

On My Radar:

The Way We All Became the Brady Bunch: How the Canceled Sitcom Became the Beloved Pop Culture Icon We Are Still Talking About Today
by Kimberly Potts
Grand Central Publishing
Hardcover

From the publisher's website:

There isn't a person in this country who hasn't heard of The Brady Bunch. Whether it's the show they watched growing up, or the one their parents did — whether adored, or great to poke fun at — The Brady Bunch is unarguably one of the most enduring and inspiring TV shows of our time. It's lived a dozen lives, from its original comedy debut and big-screen movies, to the Emmy-winning TV auteurs it has inspired — everyone from Vince Gilligan to Jill Soloway — and promises to live many more.

In The Way We All Became the Brady Bunch, TV and pop culture writer Kimberly Potts will draw upon her deep knowledge and appreciation for The Brady Bunch and television and pop culture history, as well as her contacts, connections, and experience, to provide an industry insider narrative of The Brady Bunch. With fresh interviews, The Way We All Became the Brady Bunch will examine the show's lasting effects on its audience and take readers behind-the-scenes and into the lives of our most beloved characters, all to document why The Brady Bunch was one of the most groundbreaking shows of its time - and why it remains to this day, unforgettable. 

On My Radar:

The Broken Road: George Wallace and a Daughter's Journey to Reconciliation
by Peggy Wallace Kennedy
Bloomsbury Publishing
Hardcover

From the publisher's website:

Peggy Wallace Kennedy has been widely hailed as the “symbol of racial reconciliation” (Washington Post). In the summer of 1963, though, she was just a young girl watching her father stand in a schoolhouse door as he tried to block two African-American students from entering the University of Alabama. This man, former governor of Alabama and presidential candidate George Wallace, was notorious for his hateful rhetoric and his political stunts. But he was also a larger-than-life father to young Peggy, who was taught to smile, sit straight, and not speak up as her father took to the political stage. At the end of his life, Wallace came to renounce his views, although he could never attempt to fully repair the damage he caused. But Peggy, after her own political awakening, dedicated her life to spreading the new Wallace message-one of peace and compassion.

In this powerful new memoir, Peggy looks back on the politics of her youth and attempts to reconcile her adored father with the man who coined the phrase “Segregation now. Segregation tomorrow. Segregation forever.”

Timely and timeless, The Broken Road speaks to change, atonement, activism, and racial reconciliation.