Best Part of the Book

Mark Perzel
  • 5.0 (4)
  • Books
  • Updated Bimonthly

Mark Perzel hosts engaging conversations with authors of nonfiction books published by McFarland.

  1. Jul 17

    Rich Teahan and Bob Ward: Face to Face with Whitey Bulger

    It's been 15 years since the FBI finally captured James "Whitey" Bulger—and Mark sits down with two people at the heart of that story: Rich Teahan, the FBI agent who led the Bulger Task Force, and Bob Ward, the Boston reporter who covered Whitey for 30 years. Their book "Face to Face with Whitey Bulger" goes inside the 16-year manhunt, the breakdown of trust between agencies that let Whitey slip away, the PSA that finally flushed him out, and the six-hour debrief Teahan conducted with him on the jet back to Boston. It's history, true crime, and a surprisingly human story all at once. LISTENER DISCOUNT CODE: Receive a 25% discount on this title when purchased from McFarland's website by using the code BESTPART at checkout: mcfarlandbooks.com/product/face-to-face-with-whitey-bulger FEATURED TITLE: Face to Face with Whitey Bulger: An FBI Agent’s Account of Capturing Boston’s Most Notorious Gangster. Exposit Books (an imprint of McFarland), softcover (2026) ISBN: 9781476695587 mcfarlandbooks.com/product/face-to-face-with-whitey-bulger BOOK DESCRIPTION: The FBI’s high stakes capture of fugitive Boston mob boss James “Whitey” Bulger at his hideout in Santa Monica, California, slammed shut a 16-year-long international odyssey to find one of the FBI’s most wanted men. But it was not the end of the story. In this firsthand account, FBI Supervisory Special Agent Richard Teahan, who commanded the Whitey Bulger Task Force, brings us face to face with Whitey during an epic six-hour transcontinental debrief on board a Justice Department jet as it returned Bulger to Boston. Teahan details the only interview Bulger ever granted to law enforcement, revealing his ruthless and often paranoid world view. Chronicling his personal quest to confront Bulger, Teahan lifts the veil on the backbreaking, sometimes anguishing effort to bring one of America’s most brutal organized crime bosses to justice. ABOUT THE AUTHORS: RICH TEAHAN: Rich is a highly decorated 26 year veteran of the FBI skilled and recognized expert in the field of criminal investigations and security operations. After graduating from the FBI Academy, Rich was assigned to the New Haven, Connecticut Office where he was a member of the Connecticut Violent Crimes Fugitive Task Force. In 2002, he was transferred to Washington D.C, where he worked as a Team Leader for FBI Director Robert Mueller’s Protection Detail. In 2004, Rich was promoted to Supervisor of the National Joint Terrorism Task Force at the National Counterterrorism Center in Virginia. Spanning his career, Rich has received over 35 commendations by state, local, and federal agencies for the myriad of cases that he investigated. www.richteahan.com | Instagram: @RichTeahan | Facebook: @Richard Teahan BOB WARD: Bob is an award winning News Reporter in Boston, MA covering the region’s biggest stories since 1983 for television stations in Manchester, NH, Providence, RI, and Boston, MA. Bob is a highly respected crime reporter for WFXT-TV, the Boston Fox affiliate. In 1999, Bob launched the New England’s Unsolved franchise which earned him industry awards including Boston/New England Emmys and recognition from the Associated Press. In 2022 Bob was inducted into the Boston/New England Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Science’s prestigious Silver Circle for 25 years of outstanding contributions to broadcast journalism. Facebook: @bward3 ABOUT MCFARLAND: McFarland, a leading independent publisher of academic and general-interest nonfiction books, is perhaps best known for the serious treatment of popular culture. Founded in 1979, McFarland is recognized among authors and readers as adventurous in range and a reliable source of worthy books that other publishers overlook. They have around 8,000 unique works for sale and publish about 350 new titles a year. Meeting high library standards has been a major focus since the company began, and many McFarland books have received awards from the academic-oriented (Choice Outstanding Academic Title, ALA Outstanding Reference Work) to the mainstream (Hugo, Edgar, Stoker, and Eisner, among others). mcfarlandbooks.com SIGN UP FOR OUR NEWSLETTER, eepurl.com/iPkvx2 or FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK, @BestPartOfTheBook, BLUESKY, @bestpartbook.bsky.social, INSTAGRAM: @bestpartofthebook.podcast WEBSITE, mcfarlandbooks.com/connect/best-part-of-the-book-podcast

    Rich Teahan and Bob Ward: Face to Face with Whitey Bulger

  2. Jul 3

    Roy Sucholeiki: The Sand Art Bottles of Andrew Clemens

    You've probably seen a sand art bottle in a tourist souvenir shop but Andrew Clemens' work is nothing like that. Mark talks with author Roy Sucholeiki about his book "The Sand Art Bottles of Andrew Clemens (2d ed)," the story of a deaf, 19th-century artist from McGregor, Iowa who built impossibly detailed eagles, locomotives, and flowers inside glass bottles using nothing but naturally colored sand he gathered near his hometown. Learn how he did it and why some of his bottles now sell for hundreds of thousands of dollars. LISTENER DISCOUNT CODE: Receive a 25% discount on this title when purchased from McFarland's website by using the code BESTPART at checkout: mcfarlandbooks.com/product/the-sand-art-bottles-of-andrew-clemens-2d-ed FEATURED TITLE: The Sand Art Bottles of Andrew Clemens, 2d ed. McFarland, softcover (2026) ISBN: 9781476696959 mcfarlandbooks.com/product/the-sand-art-bottles-of-andrew-clemens-2d-ed BOOK DESCRIPTION: The sand art bottles of Andrew Clemens (1857-1894) draw reactions of astonishment and disbelief. Deaf by the age of 6, Clemens had a challenging early childhood. But growing up in a supportive family and community, he persevered. In his youth he began creating sand art that he sold from his home and local shops in his hometown of McGregor, Iowa. In time, he developed his craft to an extraordinary degree using simple tools to precisely position grains of naturally colored sand inside glass bottles. His works were an inspiration to other artists that tried to follow in his footsteps, only to find they could not match the master of the craft. In his short life Clemens made hundreds of sand bottles, only a portion of which survive in museums and private collections. ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Roy Sucholeiki has been a neurologist for almost 30 years in both academic and community based practice. Apart from his career in medicine, he has maintained an interest in history and art, which led him to learn about the little known artist, Andrew Clemens. After several years of gathering information, he wrote the 1st edition of the Sand Art Bottles of Andrew Clemens and the soon to be published 2nd edition. Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/p/Andrew-Clemens-sand-artist-100057551632779/ Iowa History 101: Sand and Silence: The Art of Andrew Clemens of McGregor, Iowa: www.youtube.com/watch?v=pMTAq0yfC6E ABOUT MCFARLAND: McFarland, a leading independent publisher of academic and general-interest nonfiction books, is perhaps best known for the serious treatment of popular culture. Founded in 1979, McFarland is recognized among authors and readers as adventurous in range and a reliable source of worthy books that other publishers overlook. They have around 8,000 unique works for sale and publish about 350 new titles a year. Meeting high library standards has been a major focus since the company began, and many McFarland books have received awards from the academic-oriented (Choice Outstanding Academic Title, ALA Outstanding Reference Work) to the mainstream (Hugo, Edgar, Stoker, and Eisner, among others). mcfarlandbooks.com SIGN UP FOR OUR NEWSLETTER, eepurl.com/iPkvx2 or FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK, @BestPartOfTheBook, BLUESKY, @bestpartbook.bsky.social, INSTAGRAM: @bestpartofthebook.podcast WEBSITE, mcfarlandbooks.com/connect/best-part-of-the-book-podcast

    Roy Sucholeiki: The Sand Art Bottles of Andrew Clemens

  3. Jun 19

    Brian Patrick Duggan: General Custer, Libbie Custer and Their Dogs

    If you think you know everything about General Custer, Brian Patrick Duggan is about to prove you wrong—and he's going to do it through the dogs. Duggan's book "General Custer, Libbie Custer and Their Dogs" traces the remarkable story of the Custers through their lifelong passion for hounds and one very sheet-wrecking English greyhound named Byron. Mark Perzel and Brian dig into how Libby Custer (sheltered judge's daughter turned frontier army wife) became every bit as devoted to the dogs as her famous husband. There's history, myth-busting and stories that didn't make it into any history book. Worth a listen if you ever wondered what General Custer was like when he wasn't being, well, General Custer. LISTENER DISCOUNT CODE: Receive a 25% discount on this title when purchased from McFarland's website by using the code BESTPART at checkout: mcfarlandbooks.com/product/general-custer-libbie-custer-and-their-dogs FEATURED TITLE General Custer, Libbie Custer and Their Dogs: A Passion for Hounds, from the Civil War to Little Bighorn. McFarland, softcover (2019) ISBN: 9781476669540 mcfarlandbooks.com/product/general-custer-libbie-custer-and-their-dogs BOOK DESCRIPTION: General George Armstrong Custer and his wife, Libbie Custer, were wholehearted dog lovers. At the time of his death at Little Bighorn, they owned a rollicking pack of 40 hunting dogs, including Scottish Deerhounds, Russian Wolfhounds, Greyhounds and Foxhounds. Told from a dog owner’s perspective, this biography covers their first dogs during the Civil War and in Texas; hunting on the Kansas and Dakota frontiers; entertaining tourist buffalo hunters, including a Russian Archduke, English aristocrats and P. T. Barnum (all of whom presented the general with hounds); Custer’s attack on the Washita village (when he was accused of strangling his own dogs); and the 7th Cavalry’s march to Little Bighorn with an analysis of rumors about a Last Stand dog. The Custers’ pack was re-homed after his death in the first national dog rescue effort. Well illustrated, the book includes an appendix giving depictions of the Custers’ dogs in art, literature and film. ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Brian is a retired university technology educator with 33 years experience in the University of California and California State University systems. A canine historian, he has published numerous articles that have been published internationally and in AKC Family Dog, AKC Gazette, Dogs in Review, Sighthound Review, Show Sight, Saluki International, American Saluki Association Newsletter, Classic Saluki, The Private Journey, and Greasy Grass: The Journal of the Custer Battlefield Historical & Museum Association. Together with his wife, Wendy (also an AKC judge), they have had Salukis for forty years under the Kyzyl Kum prefix with 81 owned and/or bred, 35 show champions, and several grand champions to their credit. He and Wendy were honored with the American Saluki Association’s Top Breeder Award for 1994. brianpatrickduggan.net | FB @brian.duggan.71 | Insta @b.duggan_himself | X @BDugganHimself | Mastodon @BPDuggan@mas.to | Threads @b.duggan_himself OTHER BOOKS WRITTEN BY DUGGAN Horror Dogs: Man’s Best Friend as Movie Monster. McFarland, softcover (2023) ISBN: 9781476685878 mcfarlandbooks.com/product/horror-dogs Saluki: The Desert Hound and the English Travelers Who Brought It to the West. McFarland, softcover (2009) ISBN: 9780786434077 mcfarlandbooks.com/product/saluki Series Editor for the Dogs in Our World series (22 titles): mcfarlandbooks.com/series/dogs-in-our-world ABOUT MCFARLAND: McFarland, a leading independent publisher of academic and general-interest nonfiction books, is perhaps best known for the serious treatment of popular culture. Founded in 1979, McFarland is recognized among authors and readers as adventurous in range and a reliable source of worthy books that other publishers overlook. They have around 8,000 unique works for sale and publish about 350 new titles a year. Meeting high library standards has been a major focus since the company began, and many McFarland books have received awards from the academic-oriented (Choice Outstanding Academic Title, ALA Outstanding Reference Work) to the mainstream (Hugo, Edgar, Stoker, and Eisner, among others). mcfarlandbooks.com SIGN UP FOR OUR NEWSLETTER, eepurl.com/iPkvx2 or FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK, @BestPartOfTheBook, BLUESKY, @bestpartbook.bsky.social, INSTAGRAM: @bestpartofthebook.podcast WEBSITE, mcfarlandbooks.com/connect/best-part-of-the-book-podcast

    Brian Patrick Duggan: General Custer, Libbie Custer and Their Dogs

  4. Jun 5

    Brian C. Baer: How He-Man Mastered the Universe

    If you ever wondered how a plastic barbarian with a battle axe became a pop culture phenomenon and somehow led to one of Hollywood's most chaotic movie productions—Brian C. Baer has done the research. Mark Perzel talks with Brian about "How He-Man Mastered the Universe: Toy to Television to Big Screen," tracing the wild journey of Masters of the Universe from a recycled toy mold to a billion-dollar franchise. Along the way, Brian gets into cartoon morals, a pyramid scheme film company, a sword fight that nearly didn't happen, and why the director had to pay out of his own pocket just to finish the movie. You don't have to be a He-Man fan to enjoy this one—though you might become one. LISTENER DISCOUNT CODE: Receive a 25% discount on this title when purchased from McFarland's website by using the code BESTPART at checkout: mcfarlandbooks.com/product/how-he-man-mastered-the-universe FEATURED TITLE: How He-Man Mastered the Universe. McFarland, softcover (2017) ISBN: 9781476665900 mcfarlandbooks.com/product/how-he-man-mastered-the-universe BOOK DESCRIPTION: Elaborate cinematic universes and sophisticated marketing tie-ins are commonplace in entertainment today. It’s easy to forget that the transmedia trend began in 1982 with a barbarian action figure. He-Man and the other characters in Mattel’s popular Masters of the Universe toy line quickly found their way into comic books, video games, multiple television series and a Hollywood film. The original animated series (1983–1985) was the first based on an action figure, and the cult classic Masters of the Universe (1987) was the first toy-inspired live-action feature film. But it wasn’t easy. He-Man faced adversaries more dangerous than Skeletor: entertainment lawyers, Hollywood executives, even the Reagan administration. The heroes and villains of Eternia did more than shape the childhoods of the toy-buying public—they formed the modern entertainment landscape. ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Brian C. Baer is a screenwriter based in Upstate New York who is a lifelong He-Man fan. His fiction and pop culture writing has appeared in "Aurealis", "Robbed of Sleep," and "Barrelhouse." His last name is pronounced like the animal and spelled like a typo. briancbaer.com OTHER BOOKS BY BRIAN: His upcoming work includes "The Deprogrammer" (Bridge and Acorn Entertainment), and "The Channeling" (Yukoh Films and Rustic Films). Bad Publicity (Porfirio Press, 2015; Optography Press, 2018) https://a.co/d/0cZJh26B ABOUT MCFARLAND: McFarland, a leading independent publisher of academic and general-interest nonfiction books, is perhaps best known for the serious treatment of popular culture. Founded in 1979, McFarland is recognized among authors and readers as adventurous in range and a reliable source of worthy books that other publishers overlook. They have around 8,000 unique works for sale and publish about 350 new titles a year. Meeting high library standards has been a major focus since the company began, and many McFarland books have received awards from the academic-oriented (Choice Outstanding Academic Title, ALA Outstanding Reference Work) to the mainstream (Hugo, Edgar, Stoker, and Eisner, among others). mcfarlandbooks.com SIGN UP FOR OUR NEWSLETTER, eepurl.com/iPkvx2 or FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK, @BestPartOfTheBook, BLUESKY, @bestpartbook.bsky.social, INSTAGRAM: @bestpartofthebook.podcast WEBSITE, mcfarlandbooks.com/connect/best-part-of-the-book-podcast

    Brian C. Baer: How He-Man Mastered the Universe

  5. May 15

    Don Doxsie: How Tall Are You?

    Mark Perzel has a confession: he's been hitting his head on doorframes his entire life, and Don Doxsie finally gave him a book to explain why. In this episode, Mark talks with Don about "How Tall Are You? The Pros and Cons of Exceptional Height"—a decades-in-the-making look at what it's actually like to move through a world that wasn't built for you. They cover everything from shrinking airplane legroom to why the taller presidential candidate almost always wins, to a six-foot-nine Shakespearean actor whose greatest role was Lurch. It's funny, relatable, and surprisingly illuminating—even if you're not the tallest person in the room. LISTENER DISCOUNT CODE: Receive a 25% discount on this title when purchased from McFarland's website by using the code BESTPART at checkout: mcfarlandbooks.com/product/how-tall-are-you FEATURED TITLE: “How Tall Are You?” The Pros and Cons of Exceptional Height. McFarland, softcover (2023) ISBN: 9781476692043 mcfarlandbooks.com/product/how-tall-are-you BOOK DESCRIPTION: Most people believe that being extremely tall would be fantastic. It isn’t. It has its advantages, but it also has nearly as many disadvantages. It can be useful in basketball, business, and politics, and when friends are trying to find you in a crowded place. However. it’s also inconvenient, expensive, sometimes harmful to one’s health, and a little tedious to be bombarded almost daily with questions about how the weather is up there. In this book, the author takes a lighthearted look at the various aspects of extreme height, and those affected by it, from the perspective of someone who has spent the majority of his life towering above the crowd. ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Don Doxsie is semi-retired after a 49-year career as a sportswriter and sports editor for newspapers in Illinois and Iowa. He spent nearly 38 years at the Quad-City Times in Davenport, Iowa, where he won dozens of state and national writing awards. He also writes extensively for a the Iowa History Journal magazine. Doxsie founded the Quad-City Sports Hall of Fame in 1987, then was inducted into it himself in 2022. He currently lives in Marion, Iowa, with his wife Gale. X: @Dox5 | FB: @don.doxsie, @IronManJoeMcGinnity, @iowabaseballgreats https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100093948141961 OTHER BOOKS BY DON DOXSIE: Run with the best: The first 20 years of the Quad-City Times Bix 7. Quad-City Times, softcover (1994) ISBN: 9781560370734 Out of Print Iron Man McGinnity: A Baseball Biography. McFarland, softcover (2009) ISBN: 9780786442034 mcfarlandbooks.com/product/iron-man-mcginnity Iowa Baseball Greats: Sixteen Major Leaguers Who Were in the Game for Life. McFarland, softcover (2015) ISBN: 9780786498949 mcfarlandbooks.com/product/iowa-baseball-greats Elmer Layden: Notre Dame's Quiet Hero. Don Doxsie, softcover (2023) ISBN: 9781088182086 https://www.amazon.com/Elmer-Layden-Notre-Dames-Quiet/ 50 Years of Bix 7: A Half Century of Running With the Best. Sheridan, softcover, limited edition (2024) ISBN: 9798218534424 shopbix7.com/products/preorder-50-year-of-bix-7-a-half-century-of-running-with-the-best Tri-City Blackhawks: The Brief, Turbulent History of a Pioneering NBA Team. McFarland, softcover (2026) ISBN: 9781476697895 mcfarlandbooks.com/product/tri-city-blackhawks Warren Giles: The National League’s Longest Serving President. McFarland, softcover (2026) ISBN: 9781476659022 mcfarlandbooks.com/product/warren-giles ABOUT MCFARLAND: McFarland, a leading independent publisher of academic and general-interest nonfiction books, is perhaps best known for the serious treatment of popular culture. Founded in 1979, McFarland is recognized among authors and readers as adventurous in range and a reliable source of worthy books that other publishers overlook. They have around 8,000 unique works for sale and publish about 350 new titles a year. Meeting high library standards has been a major focus since the company began, and many McFarland books have received awards from the academic-oriented (Choice Outstanding Academic Title, ALA Outstanding Reference Work) to the mainstream (Hugo, Edgar, Stoker, and Eisner, among others). mcfarlandbooks.com SIGN UP FOR OUR NEWSLETTER, eepurl.com/iPkvx2 or FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK, @BestPartOfTheBook, BLUESKY, @bestpartbook.bsky.social, INSTAGRAM: @bestpartofthebook.podcast WEBSITE, mcfarlandbooks.com/connect/best-part-of-the-book-podcast

    Don Doxsie: How Tall Are You?

  6. May 1

    Don Fox: Welcome to Firehouse!

    Mark Perzel talks with author Don M. Fox about his book, "Welcome to Firehouse! Building a Billion Dollar Brand in America’s Most Competitive Industry." Turns out, building a successful restaurant chain isn’t just about the food—it’s branding, culture, timing, and a fair amount of learning things the hard way. Done gets into the early days of Firehouse Subs, what separates a good brand from a great one, and how a sandwich shop ended up saving lives. Worth a listen if you’ve ever wondered what actually goes on behind your favorite place to eat. LISTENER DISCOUNT CODE: Receive a 25% discount on this title when purchased from McFarland's website by using the code BESTPART at checkout: mcfarlandbooks.com/product/welcome-to-firehouse FEATURED TITLE: Welcome to Firehouse: Building a Billion Dollar Brand in America’s Most Competitive Industry. McFarland, softcover (2026) ISBN: 9781476698670 mcfarlandbooks.com/product/welcome-to-firehouse BOOK DESCRIPTION: After a 27-year journey that began in 1994, Firehouse Subs reached $1 billion in annual system sales for the first time. This culminated in the sale of the company to Restaurant Brands International in 2021, marking the transition of the brand originally started by brothers Chris and Robin Sorensen. In this book, author Don M. Fox (who was CEO of Firehouse Subs for more than 14 years) traces the brand’s development from its founding through its major achievements. It includes insights from other key members inside the organization, detailing strategies, decisions, and internal operations that shaped the company’s growth. It also addresses how Firehouse Subs navigated challenges such as the Great Recession and the Covid-19 pandemic. ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Don Fox is the former CEO of Firehouse Subs, having led the brand from 2009 until his retirement in 2023. He was recognized by Nation’s Restaurant News as 2011’s Operator of the Year, and in 2013, received the prestigious Silver Plate Award from the International Food Manufacturers Association. In 2024, he received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Florida Restaurant & Lodging Association. He continues to serve on profit and nonprofit boards, including the Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation and the Army Historical Foundation. www.donmfox.com | www.facebook.com/donmfox OTHER BOOKS BY DON M. FOX: The Fourth Armored Division Combat Chronology: Patton’s Vanguard in World War II. McFarland, softcover (2026) ISBN: 9781476698502 mcfarlandbooks.com/product/the-fourth-armored-division-combat-chronology You’re a Good Man, Sergeant: The World War II Combat Memoir of an Armored Infantryman in Patton’s Third Army. Edited by Colleen C. Porter and Don M. Fox. McFarland, softcover (2024) ISBN: 9781476680095 mcfarlandbooks.com/product/youre-a-good-man-sergeant Final Battles of Patton’s Vanguard: The United States Army Fourth Armored Division, 1945–1946. McFarland, softcover (2020) ISBN: 9781476680095 mcfarlandbooks.com/product/final-battles-of-pattons-vanguard Patton’s Vanguard: The United States Army Fourth Armored Division. McFarland, softcover (2007 [2003]) ISBN: 9780786430949 mcfarlandbooks.com/product/pattons-vanguard ABOUT MCFARLAND: McFarland, a leading independent publisher of academic and general-interest nonfiction books, is perhaps best known for the serious treatment of popular culture. Founded in 1979, McFarland is recognized among authors and readers as adventurous in range and a reliable source of worthy books that other publishers overlook. They have around 8,000 unique works for sale and publish about 350 new titles a year. Meeting high library standards has been a major focus since the company began, and many McFarland books have received awards from the academic-oriented (Choice Outstanding Academic Title, ALA Outstanding Reference Work) to the mainstream (Hugo, Edgar, Stoker, and Eisner, among others). mcfarlandbooks.com SIGN UP FOR OUR NEWSLETTER, eepurl.com/iPkvx2 or FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK, facebook.com/BestPartOfTheBook WEBSITE, mcfarlandbooks.com/connect/best-part-of-the-book-podcast

    Don Fox: Welcome to Firehouse!

  7. Apr 17

    Whitney Wallace: North Carolina Day Hiking for Every Body

    Mark Perzel talks with author Whitney Harris Wallace about her book, "North Carolina Day Hiking for Every Body: What to Know and Where to Go from the Blue Ridge to the Beaches." Turns out, hiking doesn’t have to involve extreme gear, expert knowledge, or a personality change. They get into what actually counts as a hike, how to get started without overcomplicating it, and a few great places to wander around North Carolina. Worth a listen if you’ve ever thought, “I should get outside more,” and then… didn’t. LISTENER DISCOUNT CODE: Receive a 25% discount on this title when purchased from McFarland's website by using the code BESTPART at checkout: mcfarlandbooks.com/product/north-carolina-day-hiking-for-every-body FEATURED TITLE: North Carolina Day Hiking for Every Body: What to Know and Where to Go from the Blue Ridge to the Beaches. McFarland, softcover (2026) ISBN: 9781476697253 mcfarlandbooks.com/product/north-carolina-day-hiking-for-every-body BOOK DESCRIPTION: Blending practical advice, personal stories and historical context, this book highlights North Carolina trails suitable for diverse bodies, experience levels, and abilities—encouraging those who may not see themselves as typical hikers to find their home on the trail. Alongside detailed tips on safety, preparation, and environmental stewardship, the book also emphasizes the benefits of spending time outdoors. From serene coastal paths to shaded mountain trails, hikers are invited to slow down, savor the moment, and find calm and connection in the Tar Heel State’s natural spaces. Whether you are a longtime hiker or are just starting out, this guide encourages everyone to step outside and experience North Carolina’s outdoor delights in a whole new way. ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Whitney Harris Wallace has lived, and hiked, throughout the state. She is a certified Wilderness First Responder and Forest Therapy Guide. She has also completed the Associate in Wilderness Medicine program through the University of Utah School of Medicine. She lives in Lexington, North Carolina. Instagram @whitneygoeshikingFacebook @Whitney Goes Hikingnorthcarolinadayhikingforeverybody.com OTHER BOOKS BY WHITNEY Mama's Quilt and Blizzard the White River Otter by Don Harris, illustrated by Whitney Harris Wallace. Warren Publishing, hardcover. Warren Publishing, hardcover www.warrenpublishing.net/store/p116/Mama%27s_Quilt_and_Blizzard_the_White_River_Otter_by_Don_Harris-Hardcover.html ABOUT MCFARLAND: McFarland, a leading independent publisher of academic and general-interest nonfiction books, is perhaps best known for the serious treatment of popular culture. Founded in 1979, McFarland is recognized among authors and readers as adventurous in range and a reliable source of worthy books that other publishers overlook. They have around 8,000 unique works for sale and publish about 350 new titles a year. Meeting high library standards has been a major focus since the company began, and many McFarland books have received awards from the academic-oriented (Choice Outstanding Academic Title, ALA Outstanding Reference Work) to the mainstream (Hugo, Edgar, Stoker, and Eisner, among others). mcfarlandbooks.com SIGN UP FOR OUR NEWSLETTER, http://eepurl.com/iPkvx2 and FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK, www.facebook.com/BestPartOfTheBook WEBSITE, mcfarlandbooks.com/connect/best-part-of-the-book-podcast

    Whitney Wallace: North Carolina Day Hiking for Every Body

  8. Apr 3

    Robert T. Tally Jr: The Mismeasure of Orcs

    In this episode, Mark Perzel talks with author Robert T. Tally Jr. about his book, The Mismeasure of Orcs, and what it means to rethink one of fantasy’s most familiar “enemy” figures. What begins as a discussion of Tolkien’s orcs becomes a deeper conversation about perspective, dehumanization, and the ways stories shape how we see both heroes and villains. Drawing from Tolkien’s letters and texts, Tally explores the surprising humanity of orcs—and why even Tolkien himself seemed troubled by how they were portrayed. It’s a thoughtful and unexpected look at what happens when we question the assumptions built into the stories we love. LISTENER DISCOUNT CODE: Receive a 25% discount on this title when purchased from McFarland's website by using the code BESTPART at checkout: mcfarlandbooks.com/product/the-mismeasure-of-orcs FEATURED TITLE The Mismeasure of Orcs: A Critical Reassessment of Tolkien’s Demonized Creatures. McFarland, softcover (2025) ISBN: 9781476694351 mcfarlandbooks.com/product/the-mismeasure-of-orcs BOOK DESCRIPTION: Despite its well-earned reputation as the richest world in fantasy, there exists a notable, troubling problem in Tolkien’s legendarium: the existence of a sentient, rational being for whom no sympathy or moral feeling is ever shown. Examining the origin stories of the orc, which changed over time according to Tolkien’s own worries about whether orcs were “redeemable,” this book endeavors to show that these “inhuman” creatures are, in fact, among the most human (perhaps “all-too-human”) to be found in "The Lord of the Rings." This work discusses racism and class hierarchies in Tolkien’s writings, contexts in which the characterization of orcs is particularly noticeable. But Tolkien’s own writings reveal the nature of orcs to be worthy of sympathy, despite their often dehumanized or demonized depictions. Focusing on key scenes from "The Silmarillion," "The Hobbit," and "The Lord of the Rings," this study uncovers the richly diverse cultures, as well as the distinctive personalities of various orcs, who turn out to be a far cry from the monsters they are taken to be in the popular imagination. A revised understanding of the orcs as a people presents Middle-earth’s history, geopolitics, and cultural anthropology in a new light. ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Robert T. Tally Jr. is a Professor of English at Texas State University. OTHER BOOKS BY TALLY Representing Middle-earth: Tolkien, Form, and Ideology. McFarland, softcover (2024) ISBN: 9780786470372 mcfarlandbooks.com/product/representing-middle-earth The Fiction of Dread: Dystopia, Monstrosity, and Apocalypse. Bloomsbury, hardcover/softcover (2023) ISBN: 9781501375866 www.bloomsbury.com/us/fiction-of-dread-9781501375866 The Critical Situation: Vexed Perspectives in Postmodern Literary Studies. Anthem Press, hardcover (2023) ISBN: 9781839988356 cambridge.org/core/books/critical-situation/7B631E6745DC607B7E35E5E2B6421C47 J. R. R. Tolkien's "The Hobbit": Realizing History Through Fantasy: A Critical Companion (Palgrave Science Fiction and Fantasy: A New Canon). Palgrave Macmillan, softcover (2022) ISBN: 9783031112652 amazon.com/J-Tolkiens-Hobbit-Realizing-Companion/dp/3031112652 For a Ruthless Critique of All That Exists: Literature in an Age of Capitalist Realism. Zer0 Books, softcover (2022) ISBN: 9781789048544 www.collectiveinkbooks.com/zer0-books/our-books/for-ruthless-critique-all-that-exists Topophrenia: Place, Narrative, and the Spatial Imagination. Indiana University Press, hardcover/softcover (2018) ISBN: 9780253037664 iupress.org/9780253037664/topophrenia ABOUT MCFARLAND: McFarland, a leading independent publisher of academic and general-interest nonfiction books, is perhaps best known for the serious treatment of popular culture. Founded in 1979, McFarland is recognized among authors and readers as adventurous in range and a reliable source of worthy books that other publishers overlook. They have around 8,000 unique works for sale and publish about 350 new titles a year. Meeting high library standards has been a major focus since the company began, and many McFarland books have received awards from the academic-oriented (Choice Outstanding Academic Title, ALA Outstanding Reference Work) to the mainstream (Hugo, Edgar, Stoker, and Eisner, among others). mcfarlandbooks.com SIGN UP FOR OUR NEWSLETTER, eepurl.com/iPkvx2 and FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK, @BestPartOfTheBook WEBSITE, mcfarlandbooks.com/connect/best-part-of-the-book-podcast

    Robert T. Tally Jr: The Mismeasure of Orcs
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Mark Perzel hosts engaging conversations with authors of nonfiction books published by McFarland.

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