JAMES BOND IN AFRICA, circa 1969. William Boyd’s reimagining may be the smartest post-Fleming Bond yet! B PLUS

SOLO: A JAMES BOND NOVEL
HarperCollins Publishers
2013

IMPASSIONED (IF TENDENTIOUS) indictment of the DSM-V and the process of its creation raises major questions. B PLUS

THE BOOK OF WOE: THE DSM AND THE UNMAKING OF PSYCHIATRY
Blue Rider Press
2013

CHARMINGLY DOWN-TO-EARTH OVERVIEW of neurophilosophy looks at the biology of the mind and self. Enlightening! B PLUS

TOUCHING A NERVE : THE SELF AS BRAIN
W. W. Norton & Company
2013

AN INTERSTELLAR ECOLOGIST FIGHTS to understand the natural and political environments of an alien world. Cool! B PLUS

THE ONE-EYED MAN : A FUGUE, WITH WINDS AND ACCOMPANIMENT
Tor Books
2013

FROM GHANA TO THE US and back again, an expatriate family creates new connections. Gorgeous debut novel. B PLUS

GHANA MUST GO
Penguin Press HC
2013

VIVID NEW ORLEANS setting, multifaceted heroine make this urban fantasy a cut above the rest. Lots of fun! B PLUS

THE PECULIAR CASE OF THE ELECTRIC CONSTABLE: A TRUE TALE OF PASSION, POISON AND PURSUIT
Oneworld Publications
2013

VIVID NEW ORLEANS setting, multifaceted heroine make this urban fantasy a cut above the rest. Lots of fun!

THE RISE OF THE BLACK POWER Movement, and other social change in 1960s San Francisco: vivid, compelling novel. B PLUS

VIRGIN SOUL
Viking Adult
2013

B-MOVIE AUTEUR Roger Corman celebrated in a gorgeous coffee-table book. Great pics, insightful commentary. B PLUS

CRAB MONSTERS, TEENAGE CAVEMEN, AND CANDY STRIPE NURSES : ROGER CORMAN: KING OF THE B MOVIE
ABRAMS
2013

A FARMER’S MEMOIR AND MANIFESTO: a nice mix of common sense, family history, and heritage farming techniques. B PLUS

WHY I FARM: RISKING IT ALL FOR A LIFE ON THE LAND
Bona Fide Books
2013