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"Retreat? Hell, we just got here." Captain Lloyd W. Williams of the 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines in response to French troops urging a retreat from Belleau Wood 1918.

The author of the acclaimed "Patton: A Biography" gives an inspired account of the horror and heroism experienced by U.S. Marines during World War 1 as they pushed a fortified German force from "an idyllic patch of forest" outside of Paris.
The ensuing month long battle fought from June 1st-26th, 1918 earned the Marines the nickname "Devil Dogs" from the German troops who thought them equal to their own "stormtroopers."

"I have only two men out of my company and 20 out of some other company. We need support, but it is almost suicide to try to get it here as we are swept by machine gun fire and a constant barrage is on us. I have no one on my left and only a few on my right. I will hold." 1st Lt. Clifton B. Cates, USMC in Belleau Wood, 19 July 1918

Belleau Wood was captured and recaptured by the Marines 6 times till they finally kicked the German Army out for good. The story of the ferocious battle is told through first hand accounts, letters, battle histories and Marine Corps records to paint a blood-soaked painting of combat during WW1 that reads like a story and not a history book.

"The deadliest weapon in the world is a Marine and his rifle."
Gen. John "Black Jack" Pershing, U.S. Army
Commander of American Forces in World War I

I think I should note that the Marines were from the 4th Marine Brigade, which included the 5th and 6th Marine Regiments, and were assigned to the 2nd Division of the U.S. Army during the battle, so, naturally, Army personnel also participated. The 3rd Army Division was also present.

Recommended for history buffs of all ages and eras.

Check catalog availability HERE.

Submitted by Dan @Central

Jem has seen numbers floating above people's heads for as long as she can remember. The numbers mean something. Something grim. They're dates of the person's death. Sometimes they're a few days in the future and others are thirty or forty years away. Jem has always kept these dates to herself never telling anyone that the numbers exist. Then one day as she and her new friend Spider are walking in London, Jem sees multiple people with the same exact numbers. All dates of that very day. In a panic she immediately turns and starts running away calling for her friend to follow when suddenly the London Eye explodes behind them. Even among the chaos people notice the two sprinting away and in no time at all the two friends become prime suspects in the horrific terrorist attack. Check the catalogue here to find a copy of Num8ers for you to check out today.

Submitted by Valerie @ MPL Central

Ever wondered whether a money-free lifestyle could be possible? Daniel Suelo has pretty much been doing it since 2000. He only takes what people have disposed of or have freely given to him. Mark Sundeen, the author of The Man Who Quit Money, interweaves the story of this man's journey with some interesting questions about our own way of life. Some may consider this mooching or freeloading, but he definitely has a unique outlook on life.

Submitted by Christy @ Washington Park

The political firestorm that hit Madison in February 2011 is the topic of the timely and passionate book, Uprising: How Wisconsin Renewed the Politics of Protest, from Madison to Wall Street. Nichols does an excellent job balancing a discussion of the historical and contemporary implications of Governor Scott Walker's actions and the historic response it engendered. Wisconsin demonstrated to the world what political action means; Nichols celebrates the heart, passion and wisdom of the protests and protestors.

Submitted by Jeff @ Washington Park

A withered tongue. Teeth. A piece of foreskin. What do these things have in common (aside from a certain "gross" factor)? They are just a few of the relics, or remains of the holy, author Peter Manseau investigates in this unique travelogue. Rag and Bone explores the myths and stories behind some of the world's most sacred remains, taking readers from a small decaying church in Goa, India to the far reaches of Kashmir. The journey starts with Manseau's first encounter with relics as a boy. This experience sparks an interest and leads to a journey around the world. The questions Manseau asks aren't so much are these objects authentic or holy, but how they came to be venerated and how their conferred sacredness helps to explain the relationship between the physical and spiritual realms. A fascinating read.

Submitted by Kristina @ MPL Central

Joe Castle could very well have been the next Chicago Cubs legend. He might have been right up there with names like Ernie Banks, Gabby Hartnett, and Hack Wilson. Unfortunately, he has two things going against him: his career was ended prematurely by one nasty pitch, and also, he never actually existed. He is an invention of John Grisham in his latest novel, Calico Joe. Inserted among very real players of the early 1970s like Ron Santo and Don Kessinger, Joe Castle is the putative savior of the ever-faltering Cubs, going on an unprecedented tear after bring called up from the minor leagues midway through the 1973 season. He hits three home runs in his first three Major League at-bats and is an unstoppable force throughout July and August, pushing the Cubs into a pennant race with the New York Mets. His instant success rubs struggling Mets pitcher Warren Tracey (also a Grisham invention) the wrong way, and the confrontation between these two ballplayers is at the center of this novel. Told from the perspective of Tracey's now-adult son, Grisham blends baseball history with themes of family, regret and forgiveness in this brief but satisfying book.

Submitted by Brett @ Central

Ev'ry little breeze seems to whisper Louise. From Louise, a 1929 song

Milwaukee Film recently showed the cult classic Pandora's Box starring the timeless Louise Brooks with live musical accompaniment at the Oriental Theatre. She gave one of the most unforgettable performances in film history as Lulu, who is pimped by her "daddy," kept by a newspaper publisher, blackmailed by a con artist and meets Jack the Ripper. The Roaring 20s flapper would be at home in today's movies.

Barry Paris' Louise Brooks chronicles her life from a Kansas childhood to dancer in Broadway revue shows to emerging stardom as a Paramount actor, but the "Girl in the Black Helmet" was too free-spirited for the Hollywood studio system and self-destructive. When a friend asked why her movie career prematurely ended, she bluntly replied, "I like to...drink too much."

After decades in obscurity, Pandora's Box and its star reemerged to become cult favorites, which led to a second career for the well-read Brooks. She wrote a series of sardonic and perceptive essays on her movies, W. C. Fields, Humphrey Bogart and more for film journals that were eventually compiled in the well-received Lulu in Hollywood.

Louise Brooks: Lulu Forever is a coffee table book loaded with striking photos of Brooks taken by photographers ranging from the renowned Edward Steichen to Paramount studio photographer Eugene Robert Richee, who captured her best. The camera adored her. More people have seen photos of her than her movies. She was the inspiration for the comic strip Dixie Dugan and Cyd Charisse's vamp in Singin' in the Rain.

Submitted by Van Lingle Mungo