On My Radar:

Thin Blue Lie: The Failure of High-Tech Policing
by Matt Stroud
Metropolitan Books
Hardcover

From the publisher's website:

American law enforcement is a system in crisis. After explosive protests responding to police brutality and discrimination in Baltimore, Ferguson, and a long list of other cities, the vexing question of how to reform the police and curb misconduct stokes tempers and fears on both the right and left. In the midst of this fierce debate, however, most of us have taken for granted that innovative new technologies can only help. 

During the early 90s, in the wake of the infamous Rodney King beating, police leaders began looking to corporations and new technologies for help. In the decades since, these technologies have—in theory—given police powerful, previously unthinkable faculties: the ability to incapacitate a suspect without firing a bullet (Tasers); the capacity to more efficiently assign officers to high-crime areas using computers (Compstat); and, with body cameras, a means of defending against accusations of misconduct.

But in this vivid, deeply-reported book, Matt Stroud shows that these tools are overhyped and, in many cases, ineffective. Instead of wrestling with tough fundamental questions about their work, police leaders have looked to technology as a silver bullet and stood by as corporate interests have insinuated themselves ever deeper into the public institution of law enforcement. With a sweeping history of these changes, Thin Blue Lie is a must-read for anyone seeking to understand how policing became what it is today.

In My TBR Stack:

The Shaman's Guide to Power Animals
by Lori Morrison
Four Jaguars Press
Trade Paperback

From the book publicity:

The spirit world is alive and well through the generosity and concern that Power Animals show us. From the voices of the animals we can learn the lessons of our connection to all things. Listening and learning, we come to know ourselves.

Throughout history, Power Animals have served humanity as our spiritual protectors, guides, companions, and helpers. Whether in the mystery schools of ancient Egypt or in the emerging contemporary shamanism movement, the embodiment of animal spirits, the revelations of their symbolism, and the profundity of their lessons is a gift that can bring us a deeper truth and empowerment. Shamans rely heavily on the guidance and wisdom of Power Animals. This book holds an accumulation of knowledge from shamans all over the world, researched and interpreted by shamanic practitioner Lori Morrison who has years of experience in working with Power Animal allies. Also included is the channeled information from each of the featured Power Animals. Their messages are fresh, practical, and can lead you into a journey of spiritual evolution. 

The wisdom of this guidebook will help you to identify and embrace your human connection to the spirits of almost 200 Power Animals and the natural world. These connections can stay with you for life and will give you a greater appreciation of the living beings with whom we walk the Earth. This guide will also help you to understand the significance of animals that appear spontaneously from time to time to wake you up, help you uncover new aspects of yourself, and to change the way you see and experience the world. 

Currently Reading:

Leap of Faith: Hubris, Negligence, and America's Greatest Foreign Policy Tragedy
by Michael J. Mazarr
Public Affairs Books
Hardcover

From the publisher's website:

A single disastrous choice in the wake of 9/11-the decision to use force to remove Saddam Hussein from power-did enormous damage to the wealth, well-being, and reputation of the United States. Few errors in U.S. foreign policy have had longer-lasting or more harmful consequences. Yet how the decision came to be made remains shrouded in mystery and mythology. To this day, even the principal architects of the war cannot agree on it.

Michael Mazarr has interviewed dozens of players involved in the deliberations about the invasion of Iraq and has reviewed all the documents so far declassified. He paints a devastating of portrait of an administration fueled by righteous conviction yet undercut by chaotic processes, rivalrous agencies, and competing egos. But more than the product of one bungling administration, the invasion of Iraq emerges here as a tragically typical example of modern U.S. foreign policy fiascos.

Leap of Faith asks profound questions about the limits of US power and the accountability for its use. It offers lessons urgently relevant to stave off similar disasters-today and in the future.

In My TBR Stack:

The Power of a Plant: A Teacher's Odyssey to Grow Healthy Minds and Schools
by Stephen Ritz with Suzie Boss
Rodale Books
Hardcover

From the publisher's website:

What if we taught students that they have as much potential as a seed? That in the right conditions, they can grow into something great?

These are the questions that Stephen Ritz—who became a teacher more than 30 years ago—sought to answer in 2004 in a South Bronx high school plagued by rampant crime and a dismal graduation rate. After what can only be defined as a cosmic experience when a flower broke up a fight in his classroom, he saw a way to start tackling his school’s problems: plants. He flipped his curriculum to integrate gardening as an entry point for all learning and inadvertently created an international phenomenon. As Ritz likes to say, “Fifty thousand pounds of vegetables later, my favorite crop is organically grown citizens who are growing and eating themselves into good health and amazing opportunities.”

The Power of a Plant tells the story of a green teacher from the Bronx who let one idea germinate into a movement and changed his students’ lives by learning alongside them. Since greening his curriculum, Ritz has seen near-perfect attendance and graduation rates, dramatically increased passing rates on state exams, and behavioral incidents slashed in half. In the poorest congressional district in America, he has helped create 2,200 local jobs and built farms and gardens while changing landscapes and mindsets for residents, students, and colleagues. Along the way, Ritz lost more than 100 pounds by eating the food that he and his students grow in school. The Power of a Plant is his story of hope, resilience, regeneration, and optimism.

In My TBR Stack:

A Culture of Excellence: The Art, Discipline, and Practice of Breakthrough Leadership
by Fardad Fateri and James E. York
Harvard Shuster
Trade Paperback

What is leadership? What is organizational culture, and why does it matter? How can you ensure your organization excels even while others fail? As the CEO and CLO of a large distributed multi-site and multi-state organization, Dr. Fardad Fateri and James E. York are certainly qualified to answer these questions and more—between them, they have decades of experience leading businesses and organizations at every level. Now for the first time they’ve put their collected wisdom into an essential book explaining how to take your organization to top levels of performance. The magic word is one you’ve heard but perhaps not fully considered: culture.At a time of economic uncertainty, it’s more vital than ever that your organization’s culture encourages passion, responsibility, and success. But how? Read on to discover:•How to transform your organization from one of failure, cynicism, and weakness to one of success, peak performance, and responsibility.•How to display breakthrough leadership traits that will help foster a positive organizational culture.•Real-life examples of great organizational cultures, as well as hands-on lessons.With an ever-increasing gap between organizations that fail and those that skyrocket, the question isn’t whether you should read A Culture of Excellence—it’s whether you can afford not to!

In My TBR Stack:

Ephphatha: Growing Up Profoundly Def and Not Dumb in the Hearing World - A Basketball Player's Transformational Journey to the Ivy League
by Dr. Thomas M. Caulfield
Trade Paperback

From the book website:

For two decades a father kept a secret journal documenting the life of his only son, Christopher, who was born profoundly Deaf. He had a simple dream of someday presenting that journal to Christopher as a special gift from father to son. But as each new challenge was surmounted, it became clear Christopher Caulfield’s story had to be shared.

Ephphatha, which means “to be opened,” follows Christopher’s transformational journey through the unimaginable obstacles he faced during his young life. Whose right is it to choose the intervention strategies that will help you be your best? How do you keep going when adults and children can be so unkind? Can you make yourself understood when no one around you has experienced what you are facing?

Christopher’s support came from those in his life who did open up. His chances for success on and off the basketball court also hinged on hard work, faith, and his own undeniable inner fortitude to never give up.

By the time he was nine years old he had already completed 1,500 hours of speech therapy. That same dedication led him to be a Division I college basketball recruit before he reached high school. He may not have set any records being invited to birthday parties growing up, but with Ephphatha, you’ll be rooting for Christopher all the way to the Ivy League!

On My Radar:

Truth in Our Times: Inside the Fight for Press Freedom in the Age of Alternative Facts
by David E. McCraw
All Points Books
Hardcover

From the publisher's website:

In October 2016, when Donald Trump's lawyer demanded that The New York Times retract an article focused on two women that accused Trump of touching them inappropriately, David McCraw's scathing letter of refusal went viral and he became a hero of press freedom everywhere. But as you'll see in Truth in Our Times, for the top newsroom lawyer at the paper of record, it was just another day at the office.

McCraw has worked at the Times since 2002, leading the paper's fight for freedom of information, defending it against libel suits, and providing legal counsel to the reporters breaking the biggest stories of the year. In short: if you've read a controversial story in the paper since the Bush administration, it went across his desk first. From Chelsea Manning's leaks to Trump's tax returns, McCraw is at the center of the paper's decisions about what news is fit to print.

In Truth in Our Times, McCraw recounts the hard legal decisions behind the most impactful stories of the last decade with candor and style. The book is simultaneously a rare peek behind the curtain of the celebrated organization, a love letter to freedom of the press, and a decisive rebuttal of Trump's fake news slur through a series of hard cases. It is an absolute must-have for any dedicated reader of The New York Times.

On My Radar:

Liferider: Heart, Body, Soul, and Life Beyond the Ocean
by Laird Hamilton with Julian Borra
Rodale Books
Hardcover

From the publisher's website:

While the world increasingly seeks happiness in fads and self-help books—millions of us reaching upward every day toward some enlightened being that we wish to be—surfing icon Laird Hamilton is more intent on looking inward and appreciating the brilliant creature we already are. In LIFERIDER, Laird uses five key pillars – Death & Fear, Heart, Body, Soul, and Everything is Connected – to illustrate his unique worldview and life practices, offering inspiration to anyone who wants to elevate their ordinary, landlocked life to do extraordinary things.
 
This is Laird Hamilton in his own words—raw, honest, and unvarnished–on topics he has rarely explored before. Based on extensive interviews and conversations between Laird and his cowriter, Julian Borra, with additional insights from Laird’s wife, pro-volleyball player Gabby Reece, LIFERIDER takes on human resilience, relationships, business, technology, risk-taking, and the importance of respecting the natural world, all through the lens of Laird’s extraordinary life both in and beyond the ocean.

In My TBR Stack:

Where the Wind Heals
by Ari Schneider
Xalibu Creative
Hardcover

From the book jacket:

I sat at the desk in my Boston apartment, staring at the work I had out in front of me.

Frustrated. Restless and heartbroken.

So much was going on.

I couldn’t help but think, “Where’s the furthest place I could drive to from here?”

Turns out, the North Coast of Alaska…

Sleeping on a wooden platform jammed into the trunk of my Subaru, my closest friend and I drove west, then north, and we didn’t stop until we couldn’t drive any more. Along the way we found many beautiful mountains to climb and discovered how the wilderness and our emotions push and pull our experiences.

The result: an amazing adventure and a tug of war between the rawness and the romanticism of the wilderness.

In My TBR Stack:

Pieces of Me: My Journey from an Abusive Childhood to a Life of Hope and Healing
by Rose Marie Abrams
Aurora Press
Trade Paperback

From the author's website:

From the day she was born, Rose Marie Abrams was nothing more than a pawn in a sick chess game in which there would be no winner.

The players were none other than Rose Marie’s biological mother, a single parent who had been raised in the foster care system during the 1940s and 50s, and her foster mother, who took in children not to nurture them, but to torture them and turn them into slaves. To one mother, Rose Marie was merely a doll, the first thing ever owned. To the other mother, she was a captive, a scapegoat, the victim of insatiable sadism. No one wanted her for who she was, for who every child is: a gift from the Divine.

Despite the unceasing horrors Rose Marie Abrams suffered at the hands of those meant to care for her, her light could not be extinguished. In Pieces of Me, she speaks the unspeakable and reveals the hope, tenacity, and life-giving defiance that brought her dreams of freedom to life—and let her long-suppressed inner child out to play.

In My TBR Stack:

The Hidden Worlds
by Sandra Ingerman and Katherine Wood
Moon Books
Trade Paperback

From the publisher's website:

Were those people in Isaiah's dream the same people from school? Popular soccer star Magda? George, who he'd never heard speak because he always left classes for special services help? Angry Rose, the Chinese girl who was always in trouble for fighting? And why were there dead birds and fish everywhere? When the four encounter one another the next day by the same pond from the dream, they realize they've shared a dream and there really are dead birds and fish covering the ground! This leads to real-life adventures and more dreams as they discover a toxic waste plant disposing of poisons illegally. Not friends in the beginning, romance blossoms as they work together with their Power Animals to close down the plant.

On My Radar:

Era of Ignition: Coming of Age in a Time of Rage and Revolution
by Amber Tamblyn
Crown Archetype 
Hardcover

From the publisher's website:

In her late twenties, Amber Tamblyn experienced a crisis of character while trying to break out of the confines of the acting career she’d forged as a child in order to become the writer and director she dreamed of being as an adult. After a particularly low period fueled by rejection and disillusionment, she grabbed hold of her own destiny and entered into what she calls an Era of Ignition–namely, the time of self-reflection that follows in the wake of personal upheaval and leads to a call to action and positive change. In the process of undergoing this metaphysical metamorphosis, she realized that our country was going through an Era of Ignition of its own. She writes: “No longer stuck in a past we can’t outrun and a future we must outgrow, we are a nation that is actively confronting our values and agitating for change. We are in an age when activism becomes direct action, when disagreement becomes dissention, when dissatisfaction becomes protest, when accusations become accountability, and when revolts become revolutions.” 

Through her fierce op-eds and tireless work as one of the founders of the Time’s Up organization, Amber has emerged as a bold, outspoken, and respected advocate for women’s rights. In Era of Ignition, she addresses gender inequality and the judgment paradigm, misogyny and discrimination, trauma and the veiled complexities of consent, white feminism and pay parity, reproductive rights and sexual assault–all told through the very personal lens of her own experiences, as well as those of her Sisters in Solidarity. At once an intimate meditation and public reckoning, Era of Ignition is a galvanizing feminist manifesto that is required reading for everyone attempting to understand the world we live in and help change it for the better.

In My TBR Stack:

Confessions of a Clueless Rebel
by Tom Corbett
Hancock Press
Trade Paperback

From the author's website:

Confessions of a Clueless Rebel is a witty, yet insightful, tour de forceabout breaking away from one’s childhood culture. Tom Corbett brings us back to the post–World War II period when he came of age in a rough and tumble ethnic, working-class neighborhood. It is a story of redemption and promise fulfilled. From a kid who showed no promise whatsoever, he underwent an array of transformative experiences from Catholic seminary training to the leader of a left-wing college group through Peace Corps service in India. His journey took him to a rather remarkable career as a nationally respected policy wonk, university teacher, and sometime scholar. Along the way, he dazzles us with humorous accounts of his tragic efforts to woo the Catholic girls of his youth, his several early jobs such as guarding city sewers, tending patients during the graveyard shift in an urban hospital, and trying to reach desperately poor kids in a distressed neighborhood. Mostly, though, this is a compelling story about overcoming crippling self-doubt and a provincial early environment to find his own way in life. It is a story of personal rebellion, of transformation and triumph. It is also a very private journey that brings you back in time, that makes you laugh often, think a lot, and perhaps even shed a tear or two.