New Books By Local Authors
“Burying the Lede” by Joseph LeValley (BookPress Publishing): In journalism, to “bury the lede” is to reveal the most important information in a story only after presenting less-vital details. In his first novel, retired health care executive and former journalist Joseph LeValley crafts a cunning whodunit, featuring a local reporter sleuthing out the facts of an Iowa murder case until, among the plot’s dramatic twists, he finds the “lede”— the tale’s elusive, essential truth. Former Iowa Governor and U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack is a fan: “Make sure you start the book with nothing else to do because you may not be able to put it down.”
“Raising White Kids: Bringing Up Children in a Racially Unjust America” by Jennifer Harvey (Abingdon Press): In this, her fourth book on the ethics of race relations and interaction, Drake University professor Jennifer Harvey takes on the challenge of parents and educators seeking to help children approach the subject openly and honestly. Harvey provides a clear framework for guiding young minds to appreciate different cultural backgrounds and to recognize and oppose all facets of racism.
“Marcher, Walker, Pilgrim” by Ed Fallon (Business Publications Corp.): Political activist/gadfly Ed Fallon has long served on the front lines of cultural warfare in the name of progressive government. “Marcher, Walker, Pilgrim” is a memoir of his experiences during an eight-month, cross-country march in 2014, dedicated to the issue of climate change. In praise of Fallon’s memoir, Drake University professor Carol Spaulding-Kruse notes, “It’s … the story of a deeply personal journey as well as a compelling account of the climate issues we face as a nation and planet.”
“From Frantic to Fabulous” by Rita Perea (LifeWorks Press): The subtitle of this book by well-known leadership coach Perea is “How to Raise Your Energy, Tame Your Work and Transform Your World in the Digital Age.” And how many of us wouldn’t welcome all of that? Perea draws on both Buddhist-inspired wisdom and practical business strategies as she shares, for example, how to succeed in the gig economy, detox from digital devices, and free up energy to pursue what really matters to you.
“Consider the Marvels: Writings
From My 79th Year” by Mary Ylvisaker Nilsen (Zion Publishing): In her 10th book, Nilsen chronicles, day by day, her 79th year, following a fall that left her unconscious on the living room floor. As she struggled with immense pain from hip deterioration due to the fall, Nilsen, a longtime writing coach and teacher, turned her focus from dwelling on pain and fear to noticing and pondering the wonders in daily activities and interactions. Full of quiet wisdom, the book is an inspiring meditation on gratitude and growing old gracefully.
