"After / the afterlife, there's an afterlife." In Silverchest, his twelfth book, Carl Phillips considers how our fears and excesses, the damage we cause both to others and to ourselves, intentional and not, can lead not only to a kind of wisdom but also to renewal, maybe even joy, if we're willing to commit fully to a life in which "I love you / means what, exactly?" In poems shot through with his signature mix of eros, restless energy, and moral scrutiny, Phillips argues for the particular courage it takes to look at the self squarely—not with judgment but with understanding—and extend that self more honestly toward others. It's a risk, there's a lot to lose, but if it's true that "we'll drown anyway—why not / in color?"

This authoritative, illustrated history of the Zephyr fleet examines the trains, their motive power and landmark streamlined designs, rolling stock (including the Vista-Dome, generally considered the first successful dome car), and services. Dozens of black-and-white archival images and period color photographs depict Zephyrs along routes throughout the Midwest, Rocky Mountains, Pacific Coast, and Texas, as well as Burlington uniforms, dinnerware, stations and terminals, and interior views of cars. In the process, the book provides a dramatic visual account of train travel's decline throughout the century. Also featured are period advertisements, and route maps, timetables, and menus.

As the world tries to adjust after a peace accord, Silver Mercant takes center stage. As head of an aid organization reacting to rampant terrorism, she s an obvious target. But Alpha Valentin Nikolaev has already decided she s his to protect. Valentin and Silver start tracking down deadly shadow factions that want to undermine the Trinity Accords. Diverse and fascinating world-building are on full display along with a bumped up level of humor in the face of adversity. -- Jessica Trotter for LibraryReads.

This illustrated introduction to Chinese clothing discusses the development and transformation of distinctive Chinese fashions through the ages.

You can map out your future, but sometimes the heart has other plans… Don’t miss this enchanting next installment in USA TODAY bestselling author Alicia Hunter Pace’s Good Southern Women series. Ava Grace Fairchild never expected to find herself on the back of a hockey player’s motorcycle. Until now, her life in Laurel Springs, Alabama, has been everything you’d expect for a Southern belle: old money, silver spoons and a perfectly planned future. But you can’t plan for the kind of public humiliation that has her running away from her well-ordered life to spend one perfect night with a stranger. Russian enforcer Luka Zadorov is no fan of the South. Being traded to Alabama has meant swapping the glory of northern hockey for playing second fiddle to college football, but his plan to get traded back hits an interesting snag when he crosses paths with Ava Grace. Maybe the South has something to offer after all… Together, Luka and Ava Grace are finally enjoying the present instead of worrying about the future. But when their no-strings fling suddenly develops the kind of strings you can’t ignore, it’s time for them both to confront what their hearts truly need. Good Southern Women Book 1: Sweet as Pie Book 2: Smooth as Silk Book 3: Shine Like Silver