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Internet Bookwatch

Volume 21, Number 8 August 2011 Home | IBW Index

Table of Contents

Reviewer's Choice American History Shelf World History Shelf
Political Science Shelf International Studies Shelf Science Shelf
Fantasy/SciFi Shelf Gardening Shelf Military Shelf
Christian Studies Shelf Biography Shelf Fiction Shelf
Mystery/Suspense Shelf Cookbook Shelf Education Shelf
Music Shelf Travel Shelf Money/Finance Shelf
Antiques/Collectibles Shelf Criminology Shelf Writing/Publishing Shelf
Literary Shelf Social Issues Shelf Business Shelf
Metaphysical Studies Shelf Computer Shelf Art Shelf
Fashion Shelf Audiobook Shelf Library CD Shelf
Library DVD Shelf Health/Medicine Shelf Psychology Shelf
Theatre/Cinema/TV Shelf Photography Shelf Pets/Wildlife Shelf
Crafts Shelf Needlecraft Shelf Philosophy Shelf
Humor Shelf Journalism Shelf Jobs/Careers Shelf
Language Studies Shelf Sports Shelf Library Science Shelf
Homeowner's Shelf Nautical Shelf Economic Studies Shelf
Parenting Shelf Civil War Self Memoir Shelf
Gaming Shelf Law/Justice Shelf Poetry Shelf
Islamic Studies Shelf Native American Shelf Judaic Studies Shelf
Architecture Self Comix/Graphic Novel Shelf Aviation Shelf
Self-Help Self Religion/Spirituality Shelf Relationship Shelf
Wine Self Buddhist Studies Self Wisconsin Self


Reviewer's Choice

College Safety 101
Kathleen Baty
Chronicle Books
680 Second Street
San Francisco, CA 94107
9780811869492, $16.95, www.chroniclebooks.com

Safety is something to never be forgotten as a young woman entering college, but one must remember to have fun while you're at it. "College Safety 101: Miss Independent's Guide to Empowerment, Confidence, and Staying Safe" is a crash course introductory in safety for the newly minted adult woman entering college who wants all of the best of life while avoiding the worst. From social networking to parties to dating, to keeping sane in day to day life, "College Safety 101" is a worthwhile gift for any girl turned woman facing the reality of life and everything else.

Marshal of Sundown
Jackson Gregory
Sagebrush
c/o Ulvercroft
PO Box 1230
West Seneca, NY 14224-1230
9780753187425, $29.99, www.ulverscroftusa.com

Sometimes to clear your name, you have to work with your accusers. "Marshal of Sundown" is a western adventure set in the town of Sundown, where fugitive of the law Jim Torrance becomes the law, gaining a Marshal position. In a collision course with the man who made him an unjust fugitive, Torrance has to be quick with his wits and his guns to get out alive. "Marshal of Sundown" is another large print western presentation for fans of old school western thrillers, highly recommended.

Train to Budapest
Dacia Maraini
Arcadia Books
c/o Independent Publishers Group
814 N. Franklin Street
Chicago, IL 60610
9781906413576, $24.95, www.arcadiabooks.co.uk

The search for love and truth are sometimes two in the same. "Train to Budapest" follows Amara, a young Italian journalist who is searching for her lost lover from before the war, and searching for the understanding of the great divide of Europe between the East and West. Her lover, Emanuele, may have been lost to the Nazi's atrocities, is searched among it all, with Amara wanting truth, be it survival or death, and if death, how. "Train to Budapest" is a riveting work of literature, very much recommended for world fiction collections.

The Internet Book of Life
Irene E. McDermott
Cyber Age Books
c/o Information Today, Inc.
143 Old Marlton Pike, Medford, NJ 08055
9780910965897, $19.95, www.infotoday.com

The internet has quickly absorbed itself into much of our lives. "The Internet Book of Life: Use the Web to Grow Richer, Smarter, Healthier, and Happier" is a guide from Irene E. Dermott about the power of the internet to empower our lives. Through it all and with much in the way of wise study, we can read about improving our diet, staying in touch, good advice for finances, and achieve that greater happiness in spite of it all. "The Internet Book of Life" is an excellent and very much recommended pick for anyone with an internet connection and drive for self-improvement.

How to Avoid Being Killed in a War Zone
Rosie Garthwaite
Bloomsbury
175 Fifth Avenue, Suite 300
New York, NY 10010
9781608195855, $16.00, www.bloomsbury.com

So many ways to die makes you appreciate life quickly. In "How to Avoid Being Killed in a War Zone: The Essential Survival Guide for Dangerous Places", journalist Rosie Garthwaithe offers the fundamentals of surviving harsh conditions of both nature and mankind. From basest survival to getting through hostile cities to just common sense, there is no shortage of advice for dealing with the worst situations that life throws your way. "How to Avoid Being Killed in a War Zone" is worth considering for anyone who wants to avoid death from lack of information.

Pickled Punks & Girlie Shows
Rick West
Schiffer Books
4880 Lower Valley Road, Atglen, PA 19310
9780764337031, $24.99, www.schifferbooks.com

Pickled Punks & Girlie Shows comes from a fifty-year sideshow veteran who takes readers behind the scenes in his life as a showman. His memoir probes America's sideshows and midways and tells how oddities are presented, pairing color photos of attractions and advertising with an insider's view of the midway experience. An enlightening, vivid survey evolves, perfect for any general-interest collection with an interest in circus or sideshow culture.

Indigo
Catherine E. McKinley
Bloomsbury Press
175 - 5th Avenue Suite 300, New York NY 10010
9781608195053, $27.00, www.bloomsburyusa.com

INDIGO: IN SEARCH OF THE COLOR THAT SEDUCED THE WORLD describes the author's passion for indigo - a passion that led to using her Fulbright grant to cross nine African countries in 1999 pursing the colors and their history and use. INDIGO tells of the dye and its ancient heritage and evolution, tracing its social and natural history and its significance in Africa. Part memoir and part history, this will be a unique pick for any general lending library or African history holding.


The American History Shelf

The 1805 Diary of the Rev. Dr. James Muir
Donald C. Dahmann, editor
Heritage Books
100 Railroad Ave, Suite 104
Westminster, Maryland 21157-4826
9780788453045 $19.00 www.heritagebooks.com

The 1805 Diary of the Rev. Dr. James Muir is an extensively annotated transcript of the personal diary of the Scotland-born Rev. Dr. James Muir (1757-1820) during the year 1805. Muir served as the third minister of the Presbyterian Church in Alexandria, Virginia; his diary is an important document offering a window into life in America only a couple dozen years after its birth. A biographical sketch of Muir, scholarly comments on Alexandria circa 1805, and exhaustive bibliography, and an index round out this invaluable primary source of American history.

Hoist a Cold One!
Melody Groves, author
Myke Groves, photographer
University of New Mexico Press
1 University of New Mexico
Albuquerque, NM 87131-0001
9780826346681, $24.95, www.unmpress.com

It is an icon of history and the wild west, the tavern. "Hoist a Cold One!: Historic Bars of the Southwest" is a collection of photography and history. Melody Groves tells the story of these historic taverns who maintain their authentic style years after the fact, with full color photographs from Myke Groves throughout providing an enticing and fascinating stroll through history of these taverns who live on today as monuments to a forgotten and lawless time. "Hoist a Cold One!" is a must for anyone with a love for the Old West tavern aesthetic.

Southern Society and Its Transformations 1790-1860
Susanna Delfino, Michele Gillespie, and Louis M. Kyriakoudes, editors
University of Missouri Press
2910 LeMone Boulevard
Columbia, MO 65201
9780826219183 $40.00 www.umsystem.edu/upress

Southern Society and Its Transformations 1790-1860 is an anthology of nine scholarly essays by learned authors who question the viewpoint that the pre-Civil War South was economically stifled compared to the North. Chapters closely examine the economic lives of three all-too-often overlooked groups of antebellum southerners: the working poor, non-slaveholding whites, and middle-class property owners such as small planters, professionals, and entrepreneurs. Individual essays include "The Lynching of Slaves: Race, Law, and the White Community in the Antebellum South", "Professionalization and the Southern Middle Class", "Corporate Entrepreneurship in the Antebellum South", and "'In Pursuit of Their Livelihood': Credit and Debt Relations Among Natchez Planters in the 1820s". An excellent, astutely written and presented collection, Southern Society and Its Transformations 1790-1860 is especially recommended for college library American History shelves.

Deadly Indifference
Michael D. Brown & Ted Schwarz
Taylor Trade
c/o Rowman & Littlefield Publishing Group
4501 Forbes Boulevard, Suite 200
Lanham, MD 20706
9781589794856, $24.95, www.rlpgtrade.com

Nature's wrath is something to be feared, but political incompetence is also quite frightening. "Deadly Indifference: The Perfect (Political) Storm: Hurricane Katrina, The Bush White House, and Beyond" discusses Katrina and the response of the Bush White House. Former Under Secretary of Homeland Security Michael Brown recalls the widely held belief that New Orleans was more than prepared for any devastating hurricane. But bureaucracy and other incompetence on many levels exacerbated a serious disaster. "Deadly Indifference" is an excellent additional perspective on the disaster of Katrina, and a critical examination of bungled disaster management.

The French and Indian War
Bud Hannings
McFarland
PO Box 611, Jefferson, NC 28640
9780786449064, $125.00, www.mcfarlandpub.com

A vicious clash of European powers fought by people who were growing less European. "The French and Indian War: A Complete Chronology" tells of the fulmination of centuries of British and French conflict. The two great powers conflict spilled into their colonies. Bud Hannings presents a complete and comprehensive telling of the North American theatre of the conflict from 1748 to 1766, touching on every skirmish and major conflict throughout the war. From the near certainty of French victory to the perseverance of the British with many links to the American revolution, "The French and Indian War" is a strongly recommended addition to any history collection for its highly detailed history of this critical conflict.

Made in Hanford
Hill Williams
Washington State University Press
PO Box 645910
Pullman, WA 99164-5910
9780874223071, $22.95, www.wsupress.wsu.edu

The secrecy was so intense many did not have the slightest clue what they were building. "Made in Hanford: The Bomb that Changed the World" follows the story of the construction of Fat Man, and how Hanford, Washington, a small farming community quickly became the world's first plutonium factory. Through their own curiosity and the research that went on behind the scenes and how it ranged all the way up to the president, and how even after the war, Hanford was an important source of plutonium. "Made in Hanford" is a fascinating study of how the atomic bomb warped one American community for good.

From Sun Cities to the Villages
Judith Ann Trolander
University Press of Florida
15 Northwest 15th Street
Gainesville, FL 32611-2079
9780813036045, $69.95, www.upf.com

Sometimes being away from bratty youngsters can be a piece of paradise. "From Sun Cities to the Villages: A History of Active Adult, Age-Restricted Communities" discusses the rise of age-restricted communities, starting with the ironically named Youngtown, Arizona, opening in 1954 and restricting permanent residents below the age of 65. Since then, these communities have risen across the country and have been havens for many aging people to find their active lives once more, as Judith Ann Trolander presents an intriguing discussion and defense of these communities. "From Sun Cities to the Villages" is an excellent addition to any modern social history community library collection, recommended.

What So Proudly We Hail
Amy A. Kass, Leon R. Kass, Diana Schaub, Editors
ISI Books
3901 Centerville Road
Wilmington, DE 19807-1938
1610170067, $35.00, www.isibooks.org

Any high school to college-level collection strong in U.S. history will find WHAT SO PROUDLY WE HAIL: THE AMERICAN SOUL IN STORY, SPEECH AND SONG to be a fine exploration of American identity and civil life. These three elements gather writings from the nation's greatest authors and leaders, from Mark Twain to George Washington and Ben Franklin to Martin Luther King Jr, and include editorial commentary and notes on American character, citizenship, and values. Very highly recommended!


The World History Shelf

Winnipeg Beach
Dale Barbour
University of Manitoba
301 St. John's College, Winnipeg
Manitoba, Canada, R3T 2N2
9780887557224, $24.95, www.uofmpress.ca

A place to get away came in fashion with the onset of the twentieth century, and Winnipeg Beach was one of those places. "Winnipeg Beach: Leisure and Courtship in a Resort Town, 1900-1967" recollects the history of the Coney Island of the West, catching a certain allure of people looking for vacation in Western Canada. Written by one who had experienced its joys himself, Dale Barbour recounts its beginnings to its end via morality in the 1960s vividly. "Winnipeg Beach" is a strong pick for those curious about American and Canadian leisure in the first half of the twentieth century.

Robin Hood
J.C. Holt
Thames & Hudson, Inc.
500 Fifth Avenue
New York, NY 10110-0017
9780500289358 $24.95 www.thamesandhudsonusa.com

Robin Hood is an extraordinary historical analysis that strives to separate historical fact from myth in the legend of Robin Hood. Examining all the major characters of the folktale, medieval historian reconstructs the origins of the legend, with respect to the imaginative spark that perpetuated it throughout the generations. Engaging and accessible, Robin Hood is an absolute "must-have" for medieval history collections, and should be required reading for anyone interested in writing their own take on the classic Robin Hood story!

Anglo-Saxon England And The Continent
Hans Sauer, et. al.
Medieval & Renaissance Texts & Studies
c/o ACMRS
Arizona State University
PO Box 874402, Tempe, AZ 85287-4402
9780866984423, $75.00, www.amazon.com

The third volume in the outstanding ACMRS 'Essays in Anglo-Saxon Studies' series, "Anglo-Saxon England And The Continent" is the collaborative editorial work of Hans Sauer, Joanna Story, and Gaby Waxenberger. Comprised of seventeen seminal works of scholarship, "Anglo-Saxon England And The Continent" begins with an informed and informative introduction by Hans Sauer and Joanna Story. Written by a group noteworthy international scholars, the articles range from 'Anglo-Saon Studies: Past, Present, and Future' by Helmut Gneuss (University of Munich) to 'On the Danish Origins of the Beowulf Story' by John D. Niles (University of Wisconsin - Madison); to Amiatinus in Italy: The Afterlife of an Anglo-Saxon Book' by Richard Marsden (University of Nittingham), to From York to Paris: Reinterpreting Alcuin's Virtual Tour of the Continent' by Lucia Sinisi (University of Bari). Enhanced with a list of abbreviations, a list of illustrations, a general index, and an index of manuscripts and inscriptions, "Anglo-Saxon England And The Continent" is an anthology of seminal scholarship making it a very highly recommended contribution to the field of Anglo-Saxon studies and a core addition to personal reading lists and academic library reference collections.

From Rebellion to Reform in Bolivia
Jeffery R. Webber
Haymarket Books
PO Box 180165, Chicago, IL 60618
9781608461066, $19.00, www.haymarket.org

The push for a better life can take many stages for some countries to truly realize. "From Rebellion to Reform in Bolivia: Class Struggle, Indigenous Liberation, and the Politics of Evo Morales" discusses the turbulent times of the past ten years of Bolivia. In 2000, the past government was overthrown and with a new regime quickly came corruption. With reforms coming in just the past few years, Jeffrey R. Webber provides a studious break down of the dynamics the country has faced and where it is going. "From Rebellion to Reform in Bolivia" is a strong addition to any modern issues and social issues community library collections.

One Frenchman, Four Revolutions
Fernando Pico
Markus Wiener Publishers
231 Nassau Street
Princeton, NJ 08542
9781558765405, $24.95, www.markuswiener.com

When the Americans successfully rebelled against the British, other peoples followed suit. "One Frenchman, Four Revolutions: General Ferand and The People of the Peoples of the Caribbean" tells the story of Marie-Louis Ferrand, a veteran of many revolutions of the period. A pirate during the American revolution, an officer of the French revolution, served Napoleon, and fought against all odds for France. "One Frenchman, Four Revolutions" tells of a man who lived extraordinarily in extraordinary times, an excellent addition to any historical biography collection.

The Campaign in Alsace
J. P. Du Cane
Helion & Company
c/o Casemate
908 Darby Road, Havertown, PA 19083
9781874622345, $39.95, www.helion.co.uk

France and Germany have rarely ever gotten along throughout their history. "The Campaign in Alsace: August 1870" is another chapter in the two states tumultuous history. J. P. Du Cane covers the entire conflict in full from a military perspective, the major battles of the campaign til the end. For anyone who is seeking an in-depth coverage of this campaign from both sides complete with maps and much more, "The Campaign in Alsace" is an excellent pick, one that would do well in any military history collection.

The Margins of Empire
Janet Klein
Stanford University Press
1450 Page Mill Road
Palo Alto, CA 94304-1124
9780804775700, $55.00, www.sup.org

The many ways minorities have been attempted to have been dealt with throughout history. "The Margins of Empire: Kurdish Militias in the Ottoman Tribal Zone" discusses the relationship of the Ottoman Empire and the Kurdish people in their region at the turn of the twentieth century, and how it interacted with the Armenian revolutionaries of the time. Trying to get the Kurds to fight the Armenians in an efforts to cancel each other out, the Ottomans faced failure as the Kurds gained power and took the relationship with the Empire in another direction. "The Margins of Empire" is a fascinating study of history and the interactions of many peoples with one another.

Andes
Michael Jacobs
Counterpoint
1919 Fifth Street
Berkeley, CA 94710
9781582437378, $24.95, www.counterpointpress.com

Ever since humanity has set foot on it, it has been looked at in awe by mankind. "Andes" is a look at the history of this mountain range, the longest in the world, and almost the tallest in the world. For thousands of years, the vastness has been hard to comprehend. Michael Jacobs travels through the many countries the mountain range extends into, looks at the effects the mountain range has had on evolution, history, literature, and everything else. "Andes" is an excellent addition to anyone intrigued in South American history, or potentially planning a tour of the mountains themselves.

History's Lists
Bathroom Readers' Institute
Box 1117, Ashland OR 97520
0607101807, $18.95, www.bathroomreader.com

HISTORY'S LISTS adds to the 'Uncle John's Bathroom Reader' blend of humor and reference and offers over 500 pages of fascinating facts of history. From four revolutions launched in taverns to a major American designer and how the early U.S. represented global interests, this packs in colorful humor and historical facts and is a key leisure read for any who enjoy their historical trivia facts in small doses.

Measure of the Earth
Larrie D. Ferreiro
Basic Books
c/o Perseus Books Group
11 Cambridge Center
Cambridge, MA 02142
9780465017232, $28.00, www.basicbooks.com

MEASURE OF THE EARTH: THE ENLIGHTENMENT EXPEDITION THAT RESHAPED OUR WORLD recounts the Geodesic Mission to the Equator from 1735-1744 - the world's first international scientific expedition jointly sponsored by the French and Spanish crowns to determine the Earth's shape. Sixty years before the von Humboldt exploration of South America and sixty years before Darwin's voyage, this journey to foster navigation issues recounts the historic, military and political importance of the mission to France and Spain and provides a fine survey of how the mission shaped future scientific perceptions of the Earth. Science and history holdings alike should consider this a 'must'.

India: The Definitive History
D.R. SarDesai
Westview Press
2465 Central Avenue, Boulder CO 80301-2877
9780813343525, $57.00, www.westviewpress.com

India: The Definitive History provides an in-depth history of India that uses an 'Indiacentric' (as opposed to a Eurocentric) approach, covering the process of change as seen through the experience of India's peoples. It's the first major survey to handle the entire history of India with tradition and modernity instead of the old applications of ancient, medieval and modern time frames, and is a special pick for college-level collections and instructors who would provide a different viewpoint of India's development and perspective.


The Political Science Shelf

The Declaration of Independents
Nick Gillespie & Matt Welch
Public Affairs
250 West 57th Street, Suite 1321
New York, NY 10107
9781586489380, $25.99, www.publicaffairsbooks.com

The domination of the two party system has led to much damage to the nation. "The Declaration of Independents: How Libertarian Politics Can Fix What's Wrong with America" is an argument for libertarianism from Nick Gillespie & Matt Welch as they discuss the stranglehold the big two parties have on America and their pushing of politics into every step in our lives. Arguing for less government control in American life, "The Declaration of Independents" is an excellent pick for those who want to understand the libertarian viewpoint in American politics.

Defining Moments: McCarthyism and the Communist Threat
Kevin Hillstrom
Omnigraphics
Box 31-1640, Detroit MI 48231-1640
9780780811843, $49.00, www.omnigraphics.com

Defining Moments: McCarthyism and the Communist Threat provides a detailed history of the rise and fall of Senator Joseph McCarthy and his politics, which changed the culture and politics of this country. High school to college-level readers will find this a clear survey explaining the history of American perceptions of communism, Communist activism in this country, and the political rise of McCarthy himself. Biography blends with history in a recommendation for any American history student.

Government Is Us 2.0
Cheryl Simrell King, Editor
M.E. Sharpe
80 Business Park Drive, Armonk, NY 10504
9780765625021, $37.95, www.mesharpe.com

Government Is Us 2.0 picks up where the original GOVERNMENT IS US title left off, considering how citizens should be involved in administrative governance and analyzing relationships between citizens and their governments. From ideas on how public administrators can involve citizens in government work to influences that keep us from participatory change, this provides a powerful political survey perfect for any college-level social or political issues collection.


The International Studies Shelf

America's Challenge
Michael D. Swaine
Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
1779 Massachusetts Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20036
9780870032578, $19.95, www.carnegieendowment.org

China has come out from its Communist shadow and has become quite the capitalist powerhouse. "America's Challenge: Engaging a Rising China in the Twenty First Century" discusses the clash of power and culture. The future of the world will still lean on the United States, but China's influence cannot be denied. Through economics, politics, and military, the clashes of America and China will be vital and Michael D. Swaine hopes to give readers a more comprehensive understanding of what is to come. "America's Challenge" is a vital and topical addition to any community or college collection focusing on international politics and economics.

Reinventing Collapse
Dmitry Orlov
New Society Publishers
PO Box 189
Gabriola Island, BC, Canada, V0R 1X0
9780865716858, $17.95, www.newsociety.com

Reinventing Collapse: The Soviet Experience and American Prospects has been revised and updated to reflect growing similarities between the Soviet Union and the U.S. economy, offering eye-opening and specific insights on the current unraveling of the U.S. Any college-level collection strong in politics and risk management will find this a solid analysis packed with keys to superpower similarities and dangers, and will find this an exceptional starting point for classroom debate on the topic.


The Science Shelf

Geology Underfoot in Yellowstone Country
Marc S. Hendrix
Mountain Press Publishing Company
1301 South Third Street West
PO Box 2399, Missoula, MT 59806
9780878425761, $24.00, www.mountain-press.com

Yellowstone has much in the way of natural history. "Geology Underfoot in Yellowstone Country" is a guide to many geological sites throughout Yellowstone. Each site gets an entry outlining the details of it, many with full color photographs spread throughout. Covering millions of years throughout history, "Geology Underfoot in Yellowstone Country" proves to be a guide that can be enjoyed from the home or for one preparing to take in the environment themselves. "Geology Underfoot in Yellowstone Country" is a fine read and very much recommended.

Introduction to Space, fourth edition
Thomas D. Damon
Krieger Publishing Company
1725 Krieger Drive
Malabar, FL 32950
9780894640681, $68.25, www.krieger-publishing.com

How much of a reality are our views of exploring the deepness of space? "Introduction to Space: The Science of Spaceflight" is the fourth edition of Krieger Publishing's discussion of Space and humanity's future in it. Speaking on many topics including the principle of science that fuel much of NASA and other organization's study of our potential to soar into the stars. From physics to technology to what awaits us in other worlds, Thomas D. Damon attempts to ease readers into the harder science behind it all. "Introductions to Space" is a core addition to any community library science collection, especially those lacking in study of astronomy.

Thinking About GIS, fourth edition
Roger Tomlinson
ESRI Press
380 New York St.
Redlands CA 92373-8100
9781589482739, $54.95, www.esri.com

The fourth updated edition of Thinking About GIS: Geographic Information System Planning for Managers results from literally decades of the author's consulting practice and worldwide GIS seminars and discusses successful GIS implementation plans. It offers a practical, tested formula for planning a GIS application and blends in the latest advances in software, hardware and mobile environments alike, and is a 'must' for any college-level collection strong in GIS planning.

Annoying: The Science of What Bugs Us
Joe Palca & Flora Lichtman
Wiley & Sons
c/o Wiley Professional Trade Group
111 River Street
Hoboken, NJ 07030-5774
9780470638699, $25.95, www.wiley.com

Annoying: The Science of What Bugs Us comes from an NPR Science Correspondent and Science Friday writer who search the scientific world for explanations of annoyance. From researchers who have forged new paths in understanding annoyances to everyday encounters that irritate, this covers annoyances, how they develop, and how they are handled and provides a step-by-step set of insights for both creating and diffusing such annoyances. Science and psychology collections alike will relish this lively discourse.

The Mathematics of Life
Ian Stewart
Basic Books
c/o Perseus Books Group
11 Cambridge Center, Cambridge, MA 02142
9780465022380, $27.99, www.basicbooks.com

The Mathematics of Life explains how math can illuminate difficult issues concerning evolution, can explain phenomena like population explosions, and how it can apply across disciplines to illuminate many mysteries. The author believes math is the sixth revolution in biology and here it applies to the life sciences in a survey that tackles some of the major issues surrounding nature and the origins of life.

The Book of Universes
John D. Barrow
W.W. Norton
500 - 5th Avenue, New York NY 10110
9780393081213, $26.95, www.wwnorton.com

THE BOOK OF UNIVERSES: EXPLORING THE LIMITS OF THE COSMOS comes from a math professor who tours the evolution and science of cosmology and provides a basic introduction of its concepts to non-scientist readers. It provides a history of the ideas that led to Einstein's theories, covering ancient philosophers and scientists and the movement from spiritual to scientific perceptions of the universe. Any general lending library will find this a revealing, accessible account.

How the Hippies Saved Physics
David Kaiser
W.W. Norton
500 - 5th Avenue, New York NY 10110
9780393076363, $26.95, www.wwnorton.com

How the Hippies Saved Physics: Science, Counterculture and the Quantum Revival documents how a group of eccentric, underemployed physicists in Berkeley California offered a speculative new LSD-fueled set of ideas on quantum theory - and in doing so changed not just the concepts but the approaches of scientific inquiry and physical research. Their discoveries forced mainstream physicists to re-examine quantum theory after it'd fallen out of fashion as a pursuit, helping to change the nature and purposes of science and to foster in a new era of discovery. General and science collections alike will find this a winner!

Born in Africa
Martin Meredith
Public Affairs
250 West 57tyh St., Suite 1321, New York NY 10107
9781586486631, $26.99, www.publicaffairsbooks.com

BORN IN AFRICA: THE QUEST FOR THE ORIGINS OF HUMAN LIFE recounts the works of anthropologists, biologists, and scientists working to discover the origins of humankind, and is a top pick narrating a century of changing theory and discovery, starting with Darwin's first theories and working to modern times. The people, teams, and theories that have affected human origins thought over the decades are here chronicled in a fine scientific history especially recommended for college-level science collections.

Artech House Publishers
685 Canton St., Norwood MA 02062
www.artechhouse.com

Victor C. Chen's THE MICRO-DOPPLER EFFECT IN RADAR (1608070573, $139.00) provides a technical resource with a working knowledge of the micro-Doppler effect in radar, from its basic principles to implementation with MATLAB codes. Any interested in learning code for simulating radar backscattering and generating micro-Doppler signatures will find this important, offering the math and physics needed to understand the effect and its applications. Examples range from an oscillating pendulum to helicopter blades and more, in a volume that includes a DVD of source codes for simulation. Tim Maguir and Eric Novik edit ALTERNATIVE TECHNOLOGIES TO ANIMAL TESTING (1608070115, $139.00) a pick for any college-level collection strong in biomedical research techniques. It surveys various technologies used in animal testing, focusing on alternatives and widely accepted techniques and scientific advancements that result in methods applicable to academic and industrial communities alike. Chapters offer a blend of methods, technical analysis, charts, graphs, and discussions of the pros and cons of alternative testing methods. The second edition of Richard A. Poisel's MODERN COMMUNICATIONS JAMMING PRINCIPLES AND TECHNIQUES (1608071650, $159.00) provides a revised, greatly expanded edition that provides an in-depth treatment of the techniques available to build communications jamming devices. From different kinds of jams and new material on urban warfare to designing and building jammers targeted at a wide range of targets, this provides college-level engineering collections with a fine survey of the best systems successful in jamming environments. A 'must' for any engineering or communications collection, Hiroaki Kogure, Yoshie Kogure and James C. Rautio's INTRODUCTION TO RF DESIGN USING EM SIMULATORS (1608071553, $109.00) provides a fine new book that will serve college-level engineering collections as a basic introduction. Readers learn how to use EM software to design microwave circuits in a guide that teaches how microwave and high-speed digital circuits work. Black and white screenshots, charts, and illustrations accompany a discussion which also holds a DVD containing RF electromagnetic analysis software and example files illustrated in the book.


The Fantasy/SciFi Shelf

Dragon Virus
Laura Anne Gilman
Fairwood Press
21528 104th Street Ct. E
Bonney Lake, WA 98391
9781933846255 $25.00 www.fairwoodpress.com

Dragon Virus is an apocalyptic thriller about the inexplicable mutation of humanity. As more and more children are born with unknown malformations - children of every racial type, wherever humans can be found - the changes wrought in the human gene pool are dubbed the Dragon Virus. But these transformations are more than skin deep, and they are about to divide all of humankind into the savage categories of predator and prey. A gripping adventure from start to finish, Dragon Virus is highly recommended.

The Star-Crossed Saga
Braxton A. Cosby
Firefly Publishing & Entertainment
PO Box 1346
Snellville, GA 30078
9780984642816, $25.00, www.firelypublishingent.com

Even an eternity of travel may fall to emotion. "The Star-Crossed Saga" is a blend of science fiction and romance as an intergalactic bounty hunter comes to Earth with young Sydney Elaine in his sights. But the two meet and Hunter William Derry's mission becomes clouded, as he quickly finds himself torn by honor and love. "The Star-Crossed Saga" is a unique spin of the doomed love, very much recommended.

The Quantum Thief
Hannu Rajaniemi
TOR Books
175 - 5th Avenue, New York NY 10010
9780765329493, $24.99, www.tor-forge.com

The Quantum Thief tells of one Jean le Flambeur, who gets up in the morning to kill himself - before his other self can kill him first. He's led many lives in which he's been a thief, a mind-burglar and more, and his origins are mysterious - but his deeds are well known and he has a singular chance of regaining his lost powers in this fantastic journey through the solar system and the motivations of men, thieves, and quantum time-travelers.


The Gardening Shelf

Eco-Yards
Laureen Rama
New Society Publishers
Box 189
Gabriola Island, BC V0R 1X0 Canada
9780865716827, $19.95, www.newsociety.com

ECO-YARDS: SIMPLE STEPS TO EARTH-FRIENDLY LANDSCAPES tells how to have a lovely environmentally-friendly, low-maintenance yard, offering an illustrated manual that holds clear directions for designing a water-wise 'eco-yard' which encourages less watering and low maintenance. Any who would work with nature rather than against it, will find this a winner!

The Outdoor Room
Jamie Durie
Harper Design
c/o HarperCollins
10 E. 53rd St., New York NY 10022-5299
9780061374852, $25.99, www.harperdesignbooks.com

THE OUTDOOR ROOM comes from the host of a TV show of the same name, an award-winning horticulturalist and landscape designer who reveals secrets behind his designs on his TV series. Photos and displays here offer a fine companion to the show, packing in site plans, zonal plant lists, insider tips on landscape design, and keys to integrating an outdoor garden with themes and the sense of an 'outdoor green room'. Design solutions are specific and contribute to an outstanding survey recommended for any home and garden collection.


The Military Shelf

Command Culture
Jorg Muth
University of North Texas Press
1155 Union Circle, #311336
Denton, TX 76203-5017
9781574413038, $29.95, www.unt.edu

A leader of men who is uneducated isn't much of a leader at all. "Command Culture: Officer Education in the U.S. Army and the German Armed Forces, 1901-1940, and the Consequences for World War II" analyzes how the US and German armies educated their officers and how the two compare, and what this meant on the battlefield. German officers, while in a controlled society, received a vast education while it could be argued that American officers received the polar opposite of an open society and a dated and limited military education. These comparisons make for a very different and intriguing way to look at the battles of the war, making "Command Culture" an excellent addition to military history collections.

Area 51
Annie Jacobsen
Little, Brown
c/o Hachette Book Group
237 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10017
9780316132947, $27.99, www.hachettebookgroup.com

AREA 51: AN UNCENSORED HISTORY OF AMERICA'S TOP SECRET MILITARY BASE covers one of the most controversial military installations in the world, discussing the nature of 'black operations', classified air base information, and providing the first book based solely on recently declassified documents and interviews with firsthand eyewitnesses to base history. Her account discusses what really goes on in the Nevada desert and provides a fine narrative on the base's activities, showing how distinctions between fact and fiction blur under the cloak of secrecy. Any interested in Area 51 must read this - which includes general-interest, new age and military collections alike.

The Battle for the Mind
Gary S. Messenger
University of Massachusetts Press
P.O. Box 429, Amherst, MA 01004
9781558498532, $28.95, www.umass.edu/umpress

The Battle for the Mind: War and Peace in the Era of Mass Communication provides college-level students and military collections with a survey of mass media, the efforts to prevent war, and ways mass communication has changed and affected international relations in either making or preventing war. Breakthroughs in media have helped reshape the promotion and presentation of facts and helped actually create war or peace: The Battle for the Mind follows these changes and is a fine social history.

Osprey Publishing
4402 - 23rd Street, Suite 219
Long Island City, NY 11101-5058
www.ospreypublishing.com

Tony Holmes, Editor's DOGFIGHT: THE GREATEST AIR DUELS OF WORLD WAR II (9781849084826, $25.95) offers lovely digital artwork to recreate the cockpit of each fighter plane and provides a step-by-step explanation of the design and development of combat warbirds from prototype to combat, pairing these fine color images with first-hand accounts and interviews with surviving pilots that tell of training differences among combatants and equipment used in war. Maps, diagrams, and strategic analysis of dogfights offer in-depth surveys of the air battles of World War II in a vivid account including brief biographies and kill tables of famous ace fighters. Any military collection will welcome this! Dr. Kaveh Farrokh's IRAN AT WAR: 1500-1988 (9781846034916, $29.95) profiles Iranian military history and is a 'must' for any college-level Middle East collection and any world military history holding. It provides a military and political history that documents Iran's changing alliances through time, describing the trends and changes that occurred in Iran and showing how its culture, politics and military might evolved. A 'must' for any military history holding. Also a 'must' is Chris McNab's A HISTORY OF THE WORLD IN 100 WEAPONS (9781849085205, $29.95), arranged by age and detailing 100 weapons of history. Each weapon is explored in full detail and considers how its development affected its era, and how it was used in battle. Stories of famous battles, wars and leaders associated with each weapon accompanies a history packed with detail and insights, and comes form an author and editor whose specialty is military history and technology. Any serious military strategy collection must have this.


The Christian Studies Shelf

The Living Church
John Stott
IVP Books
PO Box 1400
Downers Grove, IL 60515-1426
9780830838059, $15.00, www.ivpress.com

Worship is not unchanging, as people change with the times. "The Living Church: Convictions of a Lifelong Pastor" is a sort of Christian memoir from John Stott. He reflects on his over half century of ministry and what he has learned serving at the living church that adapts with these rapidly changing times and how Christ's message has perhaps became more important than ever. "The Living Church" is a strong pick for any who want to understand the purpose of modern worship in today's world.

Tiffany's Swedenborgian Angels
Mary Lou Bertucci & Joanna Hill
Swedenborg Foundation Press
320 North Church Street
West Chester, PA 19380
9780877853398, $19.95, www.swedenborg.com

The book of Revelation has more to discuss than doomsday prophecy. "Tiffany's Swedenborgian Angels: Stained Glass Windows Representing the Seven Churches from the Book of Revelation" discusses the art behind the book of Revelations, created on stained glass windows by Louis Comfort Tiffany. Presented in full color with connections to the theories of Emanuel Swedenborg connected strongly, "Tiffany's Swedenborgian Angels" is of strong interest to anyone with a fascination with religiously-inspired art and the book of Revelations.

The Genesis of Science
James Hannam
Regnery
1 Massachusetts Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20001
9781596981553, $29.95, www.regnery.com

What is the church's role in modern science? "The Genesis of Science: How the Christian Middle Ages Launched the Scientific Revolution" is the argument from James Hannam as he offers an idea that Catholicism and Christianity did not work against science throughout the Middle Ages and early Renaissance. Instead arguing that the church played a major role in advancing science and that the Middle Ages played a bigger role in scientific discovery than many would hold you believe. "The Genesis of Science" is worth considering for anyone who wants to hear another perspective on the role of Christianity throughout the Dark and Middle Ages in regards to Science, recommended for Christian studies collections.

Pastoral Companion to the Roman Missal
Paul Turner
World Library Publications
3708 River Road, Suite 400
Franklin Park, IL 60131-2158
9781584595144, $29.95, www.wlpmusic.com

With new documents come new understanding of it all. "Pastoral Companion to the Roman Missal" is a guide for pastors to understanding the latest translation of the Roman Missal, and offers aid in interpreting many of the newest aspects of the work so they may understand it and spread the knowledge to their congregation. A highly recommended resource for any pastor who wants to understand the Church's documents more effectively, "Pastoral Companion to the Roman Missal" is a resource that shouldn't be overlooked.

The Origins of War
Matthew A. Shadle
Georgetown University Press
3240 Prospect Street, NW
Washington, DC 20007
9781589017351, $29.95, www.press.georgetown.edu

What leads to full scale conflict? "The Origins of War: A Catholic Perspective" brings together a discussion of the roots of war and the Catholic faith. Matthew A. Shadle presents a question against war, urging for theological ethics and a push for peacemaking throughout the war that reaches beyond religious borders and tries to get to the root of the conflicts that cost thousands of lives. A discussion that seeks to have no political leanings, "The Origins of War" is worth considering for anyone considering the religious and ethical consequences of modern warfare.

The Fitting Room
Kelly Minter
David C. Cook
4050 Lee Vance View
Colorado Springs, CO 80918
9781434799852, $14.99, www.davidccook.com

Christ can fit everyone. It just may take a bit of wiggling. "The Fitting Room" is a guide to seeking traditional Christian wisdom and using them as our armor through life. With a bit of humor and wisdom, Kelly Minter advises readers on how to fit Christ into their lives and what it can do to improve their status on life and everything else. "The Fitting Room" is a must for those who are struggling to find the time for Christ and want what he can offer their lives.

Discovering the Camino de Santiago
Greg J. Markey
Roman Catholic Books
PO Box 2286, Fort Collins, CO 80522
9781934888209, $9.95, www.bookforcatholics.com

The spirit of the long pilgrimage is not yet lost. "Discovering the Camino de Santiago: A Priest's Journey to the Tomb of St. James" is Revered Greg J. Markey reflecting on his pilgrimage and what he learned on his way to visit the Tomb of St. James the Apostle, and what the long journey and physical challenges taught him on his path through it all. With plenty to consider for students of the Catholic faith, "Discovering the Camino de Santiago" is an excellent addition to any Catholic and Christian studies collection.

At the Still Point
Sarah Arthur
Paraclete Press
PO Box 1568, Orleans, MA 02653
9781557257857, $16.99, www.paracletepress.com

Stories can contain powerful messages, and prove excellent vehicles for powerful spirituality. "At the Still Point" is a collection of fiction, poetry, and general spirituality as Sarah Arthur seeks to deliver her own brand of spirituality in a multi-faceted attack on one's own spiritual wanderlust. With a little bit of everything, "At the Still Point" is an excellent and very much recommended read for Christian and literature collections, a top pick.

101 Facts about Christianity
Rebecca Currington & Snapdragon Group
Barbour
1810 Barbour Drive, PO Box 719
Uhrichsville, OH 44683
9781616263607, $7.99, www.barbourbooks.com

With two thousands years of history and legend stretching far past that into history, "101 Facts About Christianity: You Should Know" is a large collection of facts about notable notes, history, people, places, and other concepts all spread out through Christianity's long and unusual history. The notes are not purely positive, and go for the intriguing over the praise. "101 Facts About Christianity" is a fine collection of knowledge, very much recommended for those who want to learn about the more unusual aspects of the Christian faith.

John Knox and the Reformation
D. M. Lloyd-Jones & Iain H. Murray
The Banner of Truth Trust
PO Box 521, Carlisle, PA, 17013
9781848711143, $11.00, www.banneroftruth.co.uk

Blessed are the teachers of faith and life. "John Knox and the Reformation" discusses the role of one John Knox, who brought the faith and teachings to many in Scotland and helped them through some very dark times. In tribute to five hundred years after his birth, D. M. Lloyd-Jones & Iain H. Murray pay tribute to this man of faith and tell his story of teachings. "John Knox and the Reformation" is a strongly recommended addition to any Christian history collection.

Orthodox Christianity
Metropolitan Hilarion Alfeyev
St. Vladimir's Seminary Press
575 Scarsdale Rd., Yonkers, NY 10707
9780881418781, $24.00, www.svspress.com

Christianity has been split into many sects, but perhaps the last understood is the Eastern Orthodox Church. "Orthodox Christianity: The History and Canonical Structure of the Orthodox Church" delves into the history and workings of the Eastern Orthodox Church, the traditional Christian church of Russia and its neighboring countries, as well as a decent following throughout the rest of the world. The faith has gained a very unique approach to the faith in scripture, theology, faith, architecture, and a very unique relationship with the world, including the non-Christian religions. "Orthodox Christianity" is a strongly recommended addition to any Christian Studies collection with a focus on Orthodox Christianity.

The Irresistible Church
Wayne Cordeiro
Bethany House Publishers
11400 Hampshire Avenue South
Minneapolis, MN 55438
9780764208850, $19.99, www.bethanyhouse.com

THE IRRESISTIBLE CHURCH: 12 TRAITS OF A CHURCH HEAVEN APPLAUDS doesn't just maintain that a church can be irresistible to people - it shows how a church can be better linked to God. It's about building a church that's irresistible to heaven - one that is deeply involved with God's leadership and which will earn God's blessing. Any pastor or minister seeking to build a church based on God's attention will find this a powerful pick.

Abraham Joshua Heschel: Essential Writings
Susannah Heschel, Editor
Orbis Books
Box 308, Maryknoll NY 10545-0308
9781570759192, $20.00, www.orbisbooks.com

Abraham Joshua Heschel: Essential Writings joins others in Orbis's 'Modern Spiritual Masters' series and gathers the Christian reflections of one of the great religious teachers and moral prophets of modern times. Heschel studied philosophy in Germany, escaped the Nazi invasion, and settled in the U.S. where his writings contributed to both a renewal of Judaism and surveys key to Christian thinkers alike. This gathering of his key writings is thus a 'must' for any spirituality collection.

Zondervan Publishing House
5300 Patterson Avenue, S.E.
Grand Rapids, MI 49530
www.zondervan.com

Timothy Willard and Jason Loey's VENEER: LIVING DEEPLY IN A SURFACE SOCIETY (9780310325635, $17.99) encourages the Christian reader to return to Scripture and a deeper communion with God to overcome the influence of cultural shallowness. From the search for meaning in life and the drive towards God as the antidote to self-love, this book offers a condemnation of consumer-driven society and shows how a more authentic life may be achieved through spiritual intervention and enhancement. Any Christian library will find this inspirational. Also recommended for such a collection is Pastor Brady Boyd's FEAR NO EVIL: A TEST OF FAITH, A COURAGEOUS CHURCH, AND AN UNFAILING GOD (9780310327707, $19.99). It comes from the pastor of the New Life Church and tells how the church and its pastor experienced a gunman who opened fire on their congregation, leaving dead and wounded before taking his own life. The church didn't fold: they found new faith and courage, and this book shows how it was rebuilt, and how the New Life congregation learned to endure suffering only to see how their faith ultimately resulted in a greater good.

The Pope's War
Matthew Fox
Sterling Ethos
c/o Sterling Publishing Company
387 Park Avenue South
New York, NY 10016-8810
9781402786297, $22.95, www.sterlingpublishing.com

THE POPE'S WAR: WHY RATZINGER'S SECRET CRUSADE IMPERILED THE CHURCH AND HOW IT CAN BE SAVED presents a fine pick from a former Catholic priest silenced by Pope Benedict XVI when he was Cardinal Ratzinger. His history tells of the secret war waged by Benedict and his predecessor John Paul II, offering an indictment of church hierarchy and theological battled behind the scenes but offering hope as Fox believes the Holy Spirit is at work in ending the Catholic Church as we know it. An engrossing, eye-opening survey!

The Way of Goodness and Holiness
Richard M. Gula
Liturgical Press
Box 7500, Collegeville, MN 56321-7500
9780814633472, $18.95, www.litpress.org

The Way of Goodness and Holiness comes from a priest who has been involved in seminary education for many years, and who has become a popular lecturer and workshop presenter for pastoral ministers around the country. His book addresses how ministers form their spiritual life and integrate that life with their service, and he offers a survey of different virtues that encourage a minister's moral and spiritual life and growth. Any who aspire to ministry will appreciate this powerful guide.


The Biography Shelf

Rawhide Ranger, Ira Aten
Bob Alexander
University of North Texas Press
PO Box 311336
Denton, TX 76203-1336
9781574413151 $32.95 www.unt.edu/untpress

One hundred black-and-white vintage photographs illustrate Rawhide Ranger, Ira Aten, the solid biography of a Texas Ranger who enforced the law honorably on the wild frontier. At age twenty, Ira Aten enrolled in Company D, during a time when the Rangers were transitioning from Indian fighters to peacetime police. In the years Ira spent as a ranger, he solved murders, took part in quelling border troubles, and earned his place in the Ranger Hall of Fame during the Jaybird/Woodpecker Feud and the violent Fence Cutting Wars. Ira also served two counties as sheriff, and for ten years on the XIT he cleared the ranch's Escarbada Division of cattle thieves. An extraordinary biography capturing the essence of the Wild West that reads like high adventure, Rawhide Ranger, Ira Aten is enthusiastically recommended especially for public library biography collections.

Grant's Keeper
J. C. Ladenheim
Heritage Books
229 Danagher Court
Holly Springs, NC 27540
9780788453335, $25.50, www.heritagebooks.com

Ulysses S. Grant, president, famed general, was not the best man in the world. "Grant's Keeper: The Life of John A. Rawlins" is a look at the glue that kept Grant from falling apart, the lesser known Rawlins. J. C. Ladenheim brings to light the history of this man and his vitally important role in helping Grant achieved the success he did. "Grant's Keeper" is a fine read about one of the unsung heroes of history, highly recommended.

Gandhi
Jad Adams
Pegasus
80 Broad Street, Fifth Floor
New York, NY 10004
9781605981710, $26.95, www.pegasusbooks.us

Gandhi was one of the most important figures of the 20th century, but his role as a politician is often downplayed. "Gandhi: The True Man Behind Modern India" seeks to go past the sainthood assigned to him to gain a more complete understanding of the man and his ideas. Jad Adams argues that Gandhi's views for India were very different than it turned out, and hopes to understand the changes in his life, the contradictions he may have practiced and much more. A riveting dissection to perhaps one of the most misunderstood figures of the 20th century, "Gandhi: The True Man Behind Modern India" is an excellent addition to any history or biographical collection.

Down the Highway The Life of Bob Dylan
Howard Sounes
Grove Press
841 Broadway, New York, NY 10003
9780802145529, $16.95, www.groveatlantic.com

Perhaps one of the most brilliant songwriters of the twentieth century, Bob Dylan's influence cannot be overstated. "Down the Highway: The Life of Bob Dylan" chronicles the life of this musician and this force behind music. Known for his own unique voice which has its critics, the real genius of Dylan lies in his song writing and Howard Sounes discusses how he came to become the artist that he is and how he has become a legend of folk music as well as Rock and Roll. "Down the Highway" is a strongly recommended musical biography, a core addition to community library biography collections.

Tirpitz and the Imperial German Navy
Patrick J. Kelly
Indiana University Press
601 North Morton Street
Bloomington, IN 47404-3797
9780253355935 $45.00 www.iupress.indiana.edu

Tirpitz and the Imperial German Navy is the first English-language in-depth study of Grand Admiral Alfred Von Tirpitz (1849-1930), the driving force behind the German Imperial Navy before World War I. Tirpitz had immense influence upon the German defense policy; though he took a restrained view of the U-boat, he threw his full support behind a torpedo boat branch of the navy, and initiated far-reaching building programs for battleships and battle cruisers. Historian Patrick J. Kelly contests the prevailing opinion that Tirpitz planned to use his navy to stabilize the monarchy or reduce the importance of the Imperial Reichstag, pointing out how effectively Tirpitz cooperated with them instead. An invaluable addition to military biography shelves, Tirpitz and the Imperial German Navy is especially recommended for college library collections.

Evel
Leigh Montville
Doubleday
c/o Penguin Putnam
375 Hudson Street, 3rd floor
New York, NY 10014-3657
9780385527453, $27.50, www.doubleday.com

EVEL: THE HIGH FLYING LIFE OF EVEL KNIEVEL: AMERICAN SHOWMAN, DAREDEVIL, AND LEGEND provides a fine new biography of Evel Knievel, a dare-devil stunt man who is best known for successfully pulling off some of the most outrageous and dangerous stunts in the country. From his motorcycle jump over the newly opened Caesars Palace fountains to his leap over the Snake River Canyon in Idaho, this provides a satisfying in-depth survey of his relationships, life, media encounters, and more, and considers his status as a sports legend. Both sports and biography collections in general lending libraries will consider this a winner.

A Father's Love
David Goldman
Viking Press
c/o Penguin Group USA
375 Hudson St., New York NY 10014
9780670022625, $26.95, www.penguin.com

A FATHER'S LOVE: ONE MAN'S UNRELENTING BATTLE TO BRING HIS ABDUCTED SON HOME tells of a four-year-old son abducted by a spouse for nearly five years. This tells of the author's battle to bring his son home when his Brazilian wife took their son to Brazil for a two-week vacation - then informed him she'd be staying there and keeping their son. His ordeal across international borders and with the courts makes for a powerful saga any general-interest audience will relish, and proves especially inviting to fans of NOT WITHOUT MY DAUGHTER and other accounts of cross-border parental issues struggles.

Normal Gets You Nowhere
Kelly Cutrone with Meredith Bryan
HarperOne
c/o HarperCollins
353 Sacramento St., Suite 500
Sacramento CA 94111-3653
9780062059796, $23.99, www.harperone.com

NORMAL GETS YOU NOWHERE offers a fine book that blends autobiography, fashion tips, and keys to how to reinvent yourself and create and market your own brand. It comes from the CEO and founder of People's Revolution and encourages readers to embrace their differences - and foster change as a result of their powerful self-revelations. From foregoing the traditional Thanksgiving in favor of re-inventing its meaning as a Harvest Dinner to her insights into the fallacies and failings of the American dream, this is a powerful testimony to being yourself - and perhaps the ultimate individualist's 'how to' guide suitable for any general lending library and many an arts and social issues collection.

Sisters of Fortune
Jehanne Wake
Touchstone Books
c/o Simon & Schuster
1230 Avenue of the Americas
New York, NY 10020
9781451607611, $27.00, www.simonandschuster.com

SISTERS OF FORTUNE: AMERICA'S CATON SISTERS AT HOME AND ABROAD tells the story of four American sisters who entered the high levels of English Regency society decades before the more publicized Dollar Princesses of Victorian times. The Caton sisters, raised by a wealthy grandfather, would have been expected to 'marry a plantation'. Instead their grandfather made sure they were well educated, independent women - and in Britain they made headway against prejudices prevalent against Americans and Catholics like.

Hyperion Books
77 West 66th Street, New York, NY 10023-6298
www.hyperionbooks.com

Stephen "Steve-O" Glover with David Peisner's PROFESSIONAL IDIOT: A MEMOIR (9781401324339, $25.99) provides a fine autobiography by an actor known for his daring and outrageous acts in the MTV series jackass and its accompanying films. Steve-O elicited awe and disgust from his audiences but underlying his stage antics was a growing drug addiction that would challenge and ruin his world. PROFESSIONAL IDIOT is a powerful, highly charged memoir of addiction and the entertainment world and will prove a popular lend in any public library where MTV and similar shows are of interest. Rick Harrison, star of television's Pawn Stars, now has his own book with LICENSE TO PAWN; DEALS, STEALS, AND MY LIFE AT THE GOLD & SILVER (9781401324308, $23.99), certain to be a major attraction in any general lending library. It blends an autobiography and memoir with experiences at his family's now-famous pawn shop, and offers stories on objects, deals, and more. Rick's autobiography and family history rounds out the pawn shop details and makes for an engrossing survey.


The Fiction Shelf

Freedom's Stand
J. M. Windle
Tyndale Fiction
351 Executive Drive
Carol Stream, IL 60188
9781414314761, $13.99, www.tyndalefiction.com

To bring peace to where there seems to be only violence seems like a tall order. "Freedom's Stand" is a Christian novel of Afghanistan as J. M. Windle tells the story of convert Jamil, who abandoned his religious crusade against America, a relief worker in Amy Mallory, who loses track of Jamil in the violence, and a Special Forces man who is charged with sorting through Afghanistan's corruption and find something to do with his life that is not fighting. "Freedom's Stand" is a novel Christian fiction fans should strongly consider, recommended.

Lost and Found
Danelle Helget
North Star Press St. Cloud, Inc.
PO Box 451, St. Cloud, MN 56302
9780878394302, $14.95, www.northstarpress.com

She wanted relaxation. She got anything but. "Lost and Found" follows Sara as she retreats with her husband and friends into the woods of Minnesota. Fearing at first she is hallucinating images of a girl in a white dress, nightmares begin to take hold of her. When one of her best friends vanish, she struggles to come to terms with the collapse of everything around her, and how in the process of finding her friend and learning the truth about what's going on, her marriage might be ruined it and it may all be on her. "Lost and Found" is fast paced, chaotic, and riveting work, very much recommended.

The Resume
Glen Cantrell
Bedside Books
5442 So. 900 East, #146
Salt Lake City, UT 84117-7204
9781589828285, $22.00, www.american-book.com

What's a soul for some success? "The Resume" follows Dale Geffen as he enters into a deal with a demon. As he walks his path towards redemption, he sees the extremes of human nature and sees others have intents to destroy the demon that bounds his soul to an unwanted destiny. "The Resume" is a fun thriller of deals with the devil gone awry, hard to put down once one has started.

Senestre on Vacation
Z. K. Burrus
Livingston Press
University of West Alabama
Station 22, Livingston, AL 35470
9781604890754, $18.95, www.livingstonpress.uwa.edu

When the watcher is watched, many more questions are asked in many directions. "Senestre on Vacation" follows cop Thomas Senestre, a man who is decidedly un-cop-ish. Meeting with a friend of his mother, he has to hunt down a stalker who has been harassing her. But in searching for a stalker, he finds he just may have attracted one of his own. Offbeat an unique reading, "Senestre on Vacation" is humorous and riveting reading.

A Spell on the Water
Marjorie Kowalski Cole
The University of Michigan Press
839 Greene Street
Ann Arbor, MI 48104-3209
9780472034635, $24.00, www.press.umich.edu

For one's children, for one's future, you will face off against everyone. "A Spell on the Water" follows newly widowed Mary Leader as she takes her children to a small rural community. But as she lives in the town and tries to change it for the better, she finds the status quo strong. Crafting a coming of age story for all involved, Marjorie Kowalski Cole presents a fine and recommended read for the Leader family, and the desires to succeed in life. "A Spell on the Water" is a fine tale of 1950s small town life and the intrigue that lies beneath it.

Guadalajara
Quim Monzo
Open Letter Books
University of Rochester, Lattimore Hall Room #411
Box 270082, Rochester, NY 14627
9781934824191, $12.95, www.openletterbooks.org

To be expect today to be anything like yesterday is foolish. "Guadalajara" is a collection of stories from Quim Monzo, a Catalan writer who speaks on the changing nature of the world. His stories face those who defy tradition, how to turn today's enemy into tomorrow's enemy to the perils of a plan go wrong, Monzo comes with humor and wisdom and makes "Guadalajara" an excellent and very highly recommended collection, expertly translated by Peter Bush.

The 40 Days
F. B. Timmerman
Cardamom Publishers
PO Box 2146, Janesville, WI 53547
9780974218182, $12.95, www.cardamompublishers.com

The way back to the Kingdom of Heaven is a long one. "The 40 Days" is a novel surrounding the forty days after Jesus's resurrection and before he returns to Heaven. Drawn to a conversation with shepherd and drawing strongly from scripture, Timmerman provides a very spiritual novel, and makes for highly recommended reading for Christian spiritual readers. "The 40 Days" is a fine addition to any religiously-driven fiction collection.

In Vain
Barbara Reichmuth Geisler
Lost Coast
155 Cypress St., For Bragg, CA 95437
9781935448051, $16.95, www.barbarageisler.com

The greed and lust for power of people is something that has never changed. "In Vain: A Prequel to the Averillan Chronicles" is a novel of twists and intrigue throughout the twelfth century. As the construction of a massive Gothic church is taking place, the Abbey of the Virgin is spinning out of control as the nobility comes into focus, having to dig through the corruption and greed to find something good underneath it all. With plenty to enjoy for historical fiction readers and lovers of good intrigue, "In Vain" is a top pick, very much recommended.

Little America
Diane Simmons
Ohio State University Press
180 Pressey Hall, 1070 Carmack Rd
Columbus, OH 43210
9780814251782, $24.95, www.ohiostatepress.org

As day to day life grinds our souls, we dream about what lies beyond it. "Little America" is a collection of short stories from Diane Simmons as she presents many stories of those who go far beyond their comfort zone for something new and something different, and they receive something they would have never expected through it all. "Little America" is an excellent pick, very much recommended for community and library short fiction collections.

Double Take
Melody Carlson
Revell
c/o Baker
PO Box 6287, Grand Rapids, MI 49516-6287
9780800719647, $9.99, www.revellbooks.com

The greenness of the grass is always subjective. "Double Take" tells about a clash of societies, as look-a-likes in Madison and Anna choose to switch their identities to get a taste of each other's life. One is a girl from a standard upbringing about to be sent off to college; another is a girl from an Amish community. Each believes there is something better on the other side; both learn much, wise up to the world's challenges, and grasp that no one's lot is as simple as it seems. "Double Take" is an excellent coming of age novel, highly recommended.

Pirates of the Caribbean: The Price of Freedom
A.C. Crispin
Disney Press
c/o Disney Book Group
114 Fifth Avenue, 14th floor, New York, NY 10011
9781423107040, $22.95, www.disney.com

This fine, weighty pirate novel features Jack Sparrow in an unusual position: as a twenty-five-year-old merchant seaman pursing a legitimate career as a first mate for the East India Trading Company. He doesn't miss his boyhood pirating days but when his ship is attacked by pirates and his captain dies, he finds himself in command - and newly involved with pirates, legends, and journeys as well as sultry women. Any fan of pirate novels will relish this swashbuckler, and any library seeing popularity with pirate literature will want this.


The Mystery/Suspense Shelf

Pieces of Light
Julie Cave
Master Books
c/o New Leaf Publishing Group
PO Box 726, Green Forest, AR 72638
9780890516089, $9.99, www.masterbooks.net

As terror threatens peace, one agent finds putting the pieces together quickly lies in her hands. "Pieces of Light" is the third entry in Julie Cave's fast paced thriller about family woman and FBI agent Dinah Harris who has to juggle her life from all sides. Trying to understand the bomber, she must anticipate his next attack and strike at the heart of evil before more lives are lost. "Pieces of Light" is an excellent read that won't be easy to put down for those who like mysteries, highly recommended.

Keys to the Kingdom
Bob Graham
Vanguard Press
c/o Perseus
387 Park Avenue South, 12th Floor
New York, NY 10016
9781593156602, $25.99, www.vanguardpressbooks.com

For action to be done, money is needed, and where does the money of terror lie? "Keys to the Kingdom" is a thriller from Senator and Governor of Florida in Bob Graham who blends his knowledge of government about the assassination of a Senator who spoke up against Saudi Arabia and the turmoil that came after. As former Special Forces operative Tony Ramos puts together the bigger picture, he finds the links behind it all. "Keys to the Kingdom" is full of action and political intrigue, very much recommended.

The Lamppost Diary
Agop J. Hacikyan
Interlink Books
46 Crosby Street
Northampton, MA 01060-1804
9781566568555, $15.00, www.interlinkbooks.com

For love, being held back is unacceptable. "The Lamppost Diary" is a romance and mystery telling of Anya and Tomas. Anya has already made it to America, as Tomas struggles as a magazine editor putting it together to follow. But as murder strikes his publishing business, he finds his own life might be threatened and he may be further from Anya than he wishes. Racing against time, and driven by love, Tomas views fleeing as the only option. "The Lamppost Diary" is a riveting piece of fiction, highly recommended.

A Spark of Death
Bernadette Pajer
Poisoned Pen Press
6962 E. First Ave, Ste. 103
Scottsdale, AZ 85251
9781590589076, $14.95, www.Bernadettepajer.com

Science is hard enough without murderers running about. "A Spark of Death" follows Professor Benjamin Bradshaw as he finds a man he hates dead. But his hatred makes him prime suspect and he must act quick, discover who was aiming for his rival's head, discover who's aiming for his head, all while dealing with the law and the arrival of one of his best friend's nieces into his life. "A Spark of Death" is an excellent and very much recommended mystery set in the turn of the twentieth century.

Poisoned Pen Press
6962 E. First Ave #103, Scottsdale, AZ 85251
www.poisonedpenpress.com

Martin Edwards' THE HANGING WOOD (9781590588529, $24.95) provides a fine Lake District mystery telling of a missing teen, an uncle's suicide, and a sister who wants to uncover the truth of her brother's disappearance. When she dies in a shocking way, Hannah's investigation becomes more complicated - and brings her into contact with her own past and unresolved troubles in this satisfying, absorbing murder mystery. Brent Ghelfi's THE BURNING LAKE (9781590589250, $24.95) provides the fourth Volk novel to the mix, and tells of another prominent journalist found murdered in Putin's Russia. Russian agent Alexei finds Kato's murder summons a dark set of memories - and his decision to avenge her death leads him on an investigation from Moscow to the site of a nuclear reprocessing plant and to Las Vegas, even as his personal life collapses. International intrigue makes this a satisfying thriller for any mystery collection.

The Ridge
Michael Koryta
Little, Brown
c/o Hachette Book Group
237 Park Avenue, New York NY 10017
9780316053662, $24.99, www.hachettebookgroup.com

THE RIDGE provides a satisfying mystery and investigation and is a recommendation for any general lending library where suspense novels are of interest. Set in eastern Kentucky, it tells of a place where an isolated lighthouse built by an eccentric carpenter resides - and the involvement of a sheriff who is faced with danger when the lighthouse suddenly is adorned with maps bearing the names of the dead. Dark plots and complex interactions evolve in a fine read for any mystery holding.


The Cookbook Shelf

Culinary Classics From Beachside To Boardwalk
Junior League of Galveston County
Favorite Recipes Press
2451 Atrium Way, Nashville, TN 37214
www.frpbooks.com
9780615323794, $29.95, www.amazon.com

The collaborative work of The Junior League of Galveston County, "Culinary Classics From Beachside To Boardwalk" is a 208-page compendium of some of the best culinary dishes associated with gulf coast Texas cuisine enhanced by commentary on and about the history and culture of Galveston County. Punctuated periodically with superb color photography the superbly 'kitchen cook friendly' recipes range form Pumpkin Ginger Waffles; Roasted Red pepper Soup; Galveston Crab Cakes; and Cheesy Chicken Chili, to Bourbon Bacon Scallops; Broccoli Parmesan Casserole; Wasabi Mashed Potatoes; and Brownie Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Buttermilk Frosting. A magnificent collection of palate pleasing, appetite satisfying, meal planning recipes, "Culinary Classics From Beachside To Boardwalk" is a welcome and highly recommended addition to any and all personal and community library cookbook collections.

The Keepsake Cookbook
Belinda Hulin
Globe Pequot Press
264 Goose Lane, P.O. Box 480
Guildford, CT 06437
9780762770076, $16.95, www.globepequot.com

"The Keepsake Cookbook: Gathering Delicious Memories One Recipe at a Time" is a manual for creators of treasure trove cookbooks that starts with the premise that every recipe handed down with cherished family heirlooms is "a snapshot" or a collection of edible memories specific to a common, treasured past. "The Keepsake Cookbook" contains actual recipes that are carefully presented as cherished keepsakes, with introductory anecdotes or related memories. plus many helpful suggestions about how to preserve and translate old recipes for modern cooks. "The Keepsake Cookbook" presents sort of a creative scrapbooking approach to creating a keepsake cookbook, encouraging family historians or would be cookbook writers to tweak their creative ideas and memories to embellish and enrich the collection. "The Keepsake Cookbook" is a practical source of suggestions and advice both for the recipe collector, historian, and cookbook creator. There are two helpful appendices on printing and digital resources and also a delicious sampler collection of gift recipes suggested to accompany the keepsake cookbook that the inspired reader may create.

Homemade Soda
Andrew Schloss
Storey
210 Mass MoCA Way
North Adams, MA 01247
9781603427968, $18.95, www.storey.com

When the technology is available to you, you can create a truly unique beverage to suit your exact tastes. "Homemade Soda" is a guide to embracing the methods of creating sodas in one's own home. Andrew Schloss provides plenty of instructions to make the syrups and how to use them with multiple methods of soda production such as seltzer mixing, soda siphons, or simply brewing it from scratch. Presented in full color and with recipes for favorites as well as some unique and original favorites throughout, Schloss also presents much on the history and culture behind soda. "Homemade Soda" is a treasure trove for any soda lover who wants to go beyond what their local grocer offers.

The Kentucky Fresh Cookbook
Maggie Green
The University of Kentucky
663 South Limestone Street
Lexington, KY 40508-4008
9780813133768, $29.95, www.uky.edu

Freshness can't be beat, and seasonal recipes are the best ways to fully embrace it. "The Kentucky Fresh Cookbook" is a cookbook that embraces the very best of traditional Kentucky home cooking. With simple and straightforward instructions to follow, Recipes include meat-based and vegetable driven dishes such as Bacon benedictine sandwich, bluegrass cheeseburgers, skillet red beans, and even sweet dishes like Mini Black Forest Shortcakes. "The Kentucky Fresh Cookbook" is a fine read for anyone who loves cooking with fresh ingredients in an easy to follow manner.

Diamond Dishes
Julie Loria
Lyons Press
c/o Globe Pequot Press
PO Box 480, Guilford, CT 06437
9780762769629, $24.95, www.lyonspress.com

Good play needs good health and good health needs good food. "Diamond Dishes: From the Kitchens of Baseball's Biggest Stars" is a cookbook that compiles some of the favorite recipes from many of major league baseballs most famed stars. Presented in full color throughout, as well as reflections and stories about what they've experienced on the field. Recipes range from steaks to pizza to tacos to everything else that makes baseball players tick. "Diamond Dishes" is a treat for any cook who also loves America's pastime.

Sinfully Vegan
Lois Dieterly
Da Capo Press
11 Cambridge Center
Cambridge, MA 02142
9780738214887, $18.00, www.dacapopress.com

Who says you can't indulge on a vegan diet? "Sinfully Vegan: More Than 160 Decadent Desserts to Satisfy Every Sweet Tooth" is a cookbook dedicated to meeting the demands of the sweet tooth without diary or meat products. Designed with ease of location of ingredients in mind, Lois Dieterly presents an easy to follow guide that offers recipes for every thing from sweet bread, fruit smoothies, to the many delightful twists of chocolate and everything else. "Sinfully Vegan" is a must for any Vegan chef who wants more than some lettuce.

Tested by Fire
Jeff Bacon
Triad Community Kitchen
c/o FRP
PO Box 305142, Nashville, TN 37230
9780615403977, $20.00, www.hungernwnc.org

Chefs aren't just preparers of fancy meals, they can make a difference like anyone else. "Tested by Fire: Triad Community Kitchen" is a blend of memoir and cookbook as author Jeff Bacon tells of his experience in helping unskilled people pick up some skills in the kitchen to help them find their own calling and profession, with employable skills for life. Simple to follow recipes are blended in with stories of those who looked towards the culinary arts as a dream or as a way to make ends meet, "Tested by Fire" is an excellent blend of classic recipes with twists and inspiration, very highly recommended.

The Bar & Beverage Book, fifth edition
Costas Katsigris & Chris Thomas
John Wiley & Sons
c/o Wiley Professional Trade Group
111 River Street, Hoboken
NJ 07030-5774
9780470248454, $58.69, www.wiley.com

The fifth updated edition of The Bar & Beverage Book offers a fine guide to building a five-star bar and beverage service, survey new trends in the wine, beer and spirits world and covering updates to labor laws, employment practices, technology, and the mixing and serving of drinks. Any seeking a resource for the hospitality industry - especially college-level culinary hospitality collections - need this fine survey of drinks and their promotion.

Good Fish
Becky Selengut
Sasquatch Books
119 South Main St. #400, Seattle, WA 98104
9781570616624, $29.95, www.sasquatchbooks.com

GOOD FISH: SUSTAINABLE SEAFOOD RECIPES FROM THE PACIFIC COAST provides home cooks with color photos and over seventy recipes for dishes featuring fish - but it's more than just another fish cookbook. Becky Selengut provides a definitive guide which covers the best season for each seafood species, buying tips, questions relating to health and freshness, and more. From issues of what kinds of fish are more sustainable to what makes a 'flake', and recipes such as Grilled Sockeye Salmon with Fennel Two Ways, this is an outstanding pick for any seafood cook's collection and for any general lending library where seafood is of interest.

For Cod and Country
Barton Seaver
Sterling Epicure
c/o Sterling Publishing Company
387 Park Avenue South
New York NY 10016-8810
9781402777752, $30.00, www.sterlingpublishing.com

FOR COD AND COUNTRY comes from a Washington, D.C. chef who has become a major voice in the sustainable seafood culinary world. His food features seafood that hasn't been overfished or caught in a destructive way, and his recipes, arranged by season, offers some amazing dishes original to his book, from Mahimahi with Gingered Zucchini and Smoked Tomato Sauce to Yogurt-Marinated Sturgeon. Any culinary collection strong in new seafood dishes will welcome this!

The Improvisational Cook
Sally Schneider
William Morrow
c/o HarperCollins Publishers
10 East 53rd Street, New York, NY 10022-5299
9780062025364, $27.50, www.harpercollins.com

THE IMPROVISATIONAL COOK offers a fine survey that takes the home cook a step away from relying on recipes and cookbooks, and teaches how to develop successful improvisational strategies. Recipes here are accompanied by notes on inspirations and techniques for improvising on them, offering keys to taking a basic dish and considering the culinary take-offs that will make it a success. Any cook looking to move to the 'next level' will find this specific and well-guided.

The Puglian Cookbook
Viktorija Todorovska
Surrey Books
1501 Madison Street, Evanston, IL 60202
www.surreybooks.com
9781572841178, $20.00, www.agatepublishing.com

The Puglian Cookbook: Bringing the Flavors of Puglia Home offers a fine color introduction to the cuisine of Southern Italy's Puglia region, which features lovely dishes and images from Puglia. From Chickpea Soup and Penne with Sausage to Lamb with Fresh Peas, this Italian region is loaded with intriguing and often surprisingly simple dishes and this cookbook is a strong pick for any culinary collection interested in regional Italian fare.

More Fast & Fabulous Five Star 5-Ingredient (or less!) Recipes
Gwen McKee and Barbara Moseley
Quail Ridge Press
PO Box 123, Brandon, MS 39043
www.quailridge.com
9781934193433, $19.95, www.amazon.com

The family cook of today is often hard pressed for time yet wanting provide an appetite satisfying, palate pleasing meal for family, friends, and self. Enter "More Fast & Fabulous Five Star 5-Ingredient (or less!) Recipes", an outstanding compendium of some 580 recipes that are guaranteed to be kitchen cook friendly. The work of experienced cooks Gwen McKee and Barbara Moseley, the recipes offer a full range of delicious dishes ranging from Cran-Raspberry Iced Tea; Blender Apple Pancakes; Curry Chicken Salad on Pineapple; and Enchilada Express; to Grilled Marinated Honey Pork Chops; Tilapia Fillets on a Bed of Smothered Onions; Biscuit Chicken Pot Pie; and Chocolate Peanut Butter Crispies. The recipes are nicely organized twelve thematically appropriate categories. Of special note is the 'Extra Help' section offering a glossary of culinary cooking techniques, a succinct primer on seasonings, and an explanation of what is meant by Low Fat, Light or Lite, Low Calorie, and Low Sodium. Simply stated, "More Fast & Fabulous Five Star 5-Ingredient (or less!) Recipes" truly lives up to its title and is enthusiastically recommended for the family cookbook collection!

Student's Vegetarian Cookbook For Dummies
Connie Sarros
For Dummies
c/o Wiley Professional Trade Group
111 River Street
Hoboken, NJ 07030-5774
www.wiley.com
9780470942918, $16.99, www.amazon.com

Vegetarianism is a lifestyle choice that is increasingly popular with young adults. That's what makes Connie Sarros' "Student's Vegetarian Cookbook For Dummies" such a timely and useful introduction to making vegetarian meals on a student's budget. A compendium of 179 quick, easy, 'user friendly' recipes, the "Student's Vegetarian Cookbook For Dummies" also provides an introduction to the various categories of vegetarianism; provides a lists of kitchen tools, appliances, and serving pieces for making vegetarian meals; presents useful ideas for making the most out of limited kitchen space; and gives the novice kitchen cook invaluable tips for substituting vegetarian ingredients, as well as techniques for making left-overs palatable. Of special note and value is the advice for how to save money, understand food labels, what ingredients to avoid, and what vegetarian staples to stock up on. From Mock Sausage Gravy; Open-faced Pseudo Turkey Sandwich; and Garlic Pasta with Peas; to Undercover Veggie Pie; Raisin Bread Pudding; and Decadent Peanut Butter Squares, the recipes included in "Student's Vegetarian Cookbook For Dummies" are palate pleasing, appetite satisfying, and completely nutritious, making "Student's Vegetarian Cookbook For Dummies" a welcome and highly recommended addition to personal, family, and community library vegetarian cookbook collections.

Vegan Family Meals
Ann Gentry
Andrews McMeel Publishing
1130 Walnut Street
Kansas City, MO 64106
9781449402372, $25.00, www.realfood.com

At first thought, vegan cooking might make it harder to reach out to some tastes. "Vegan Family Meals: Real Food for Everyone" is a guide to reaching out to the many tastes while staying true to the vegan principles. Even reaching out the most bloody of carnivores with vegetarian based dishes. From genuine articles to meat emulations, to sweet desserts and much more, "Vegan Family Meals" has easy to follow directions, full color photographs, and much more on top of that, making it an ideal pick for those who want to make an all inclusive meal for their families and introduce them to veganism on a good foot.

365 Vegetarian Meals
Better Homes & Gardens
c/o Wiley
111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030
9780470886601, $19.95, www.wiley.com

You can have something special everyday without being redundant. "365 Vegetarian Meals: Inspiring Meals for Every Day of the Year" is a collection of vegetarian recipes of many sorts and types. Soups, sandwiches, pasta dishes, and countless others, it also includes variations that allow one to turn their vegetarian meal into a purely vegan dish, free of animal products. A straightforward guide with simple ingredients lists and easy to follow instructions, for those who want to embrace a vegetarian diet, "365 Vegetarian Meals" is a key to embracing it.

From the Olive Grove
Helen Koutalianos & Anastasia Koutalianos
Arsenal Pulp Press
#101-211 East Georgia St.
Vancouver, BC Canada, V6A 1Z6
9781551523675, $21.95, www.arsenalpulp.com

Olive oil has proven a healthful tool for cooking, embraced by the Mediterranean peoples for centuries. "From the Olive Grove: Mediterranean Cooking with Olive Oil" is a cookbook focusing on olive oil as a central theme for many dishes drawn through the traditional dishes of the region. Soups, meats, vegetables, cheese, and much more are drawn together to form these recipes, many accompanied by a full color photograph. For any fan of Greek-style cooking and olive oil, "From the Olive Grove" is filled with useful dishes to pursue.

Favorite Recipes Press
2451 Atrium Way, Nashville, TN 37214
www.frpbooks.com

Favorite Recipes Press is a premier publisher of community and organizational cookbooks. Now they have launched an impressive five volume set of cookbooks that will provide an informed and informative core to any personal, professional, or community library culinary reference and meal planning collection. Brought back into print after more than a decade, each one of the specialized volumes features two thousand family favorite and 'real world' tested recipes recruited from Home Economic Teachers from every state in the country. The individual volumes comprising this simply outstanding series includes "Salads" (9780871978462, $19.95); "Vegetables" (9780871978455, $19.95); "Casseroles" (9780871978424, $19.95); "Meats" (9780871978431, $19.95); and "Desserts" (9780871978448, $19.95). Whether planning a picnic, a church supper, a daily family meal, or a high event celebration, this superbly organized, extraordinarily comprehensive, and superlatively presented series is especially recommended for highschool Home Economics curriculums, as well as the kitchen cookbook reference shelve for newly weds.

Chronicle Books
680 Second Street, San Francisco, CA 94107
www.chroniclebooks.com

Domenica Marchetti's THE GLORIOUS PASTA OF ITALY (9780811872591, $30.00) presents classic and modern pasta dishes from the author's Italian heritage, and offers step-by-step directions for making fresh pasta and different shapes and sauces. From Pot Roast Pappardelle and Roasted Carrot and Ricotta Gnocchi to Joe's Pesto, this packs in color photos and many pasta dishes not seen in other pasta cookbooks. A fine recommendation for any general lending library strong in pasta preparation! Ryan D'Agostino edits ESQUIRE EAT LIKE A MAN: THE ONLY COOKBOOK A MAN WILL EVER NEED (9780811877411, $30.00), a fine survey that pairs recipes with practical information from how to host a party and make a drink to basic cooking techniques from grilling to in-house food prep. Stories of kitchen experiences come from Esquire's writers and provide a fine collection of easy gourmet dishes any man can recreate without effort. Color photos peppered throughout complete the attractive pairing of recipes and experience. Andrew Schloss and David Joachim's FIRE IT UP: MORE THAN 400 RECIPES FOR GRILLING EVERYTHING (9780811865050, $24.95) packs in over 400 recipes that focus on ingredients over methodology in grilling. It organizes chapters by meats, vegetables, fruits and breads and offers details on flavorings, recipes for rubs, brines and marinades, and more, offering tips for buying and handling foods and making the most of their qualities on the grill. A top pick for any library where grilling is of interest, this includes extensive color photos by Alison Miksch. James Oseland edits SAVEUR THE NEW COMFORT FOOD: HOME COOKING FROM AROUND THE WORLD (9780811878012, $35.00) comes from the editors of the food magazine Saveur and provides a blend of lovely color photos and over a hundred home-style dishes from around the world. From Chicken Tikka Masala from India via Great Britain to the simple Italian Fennel Baked in Cream, this is packed with delicious details, introductions about dish origins, and more!


The Education Shelf

Living Like a Child
Enrique C. Feldman
Redleaf Press
10 Yorkton Court
St. Paul, MN 55117-1065
9781605540337, $19.95, www.redleafpress.com

The simplicity and serenity of childhood is not lost just because you can buy a beer. "Living Like a Child: Learn, Live, and Teach Creatively" is a guide to understand the childhood mind even when one is decades removed from their own childhood. To teach these children, one must understand how their mind works, and use that knowledge to help them learn more effectively and nurture that love of learning which should never die. For any teacher of young children, "Living Like a Child" is very much worth considering.

The American Academic Profession
Joseph C. Hermanowicz
The Johns Hopkins University Press
2715 N. Charles Street
Baltimore, MD 21218
9780801899782, $25.00, www.press.jhu.edu

Academia finds itself in constant question of identity. "The American Academic Profession: Transformation in Contemporary Higher Education" discusses the development and future of the academic profession. The changes in culture leads to changes in attitudes and policy, and academia may find its future threatened by underfunding and what is needed to succeed in the worlds of today and tomorrow. A scholarly dissection of the future of learning and its crucial importance, "The American Academic Profession" is very highly recommended.

From Brain to Mind
James E. Zull
Stylus Publishing
22883 Quicksilver Drive
Sterling, VA 20166-2102
9781579224622, $24.95, www.styluspub.com

To better teach the mind, one should understand the brain. "From Brain to Mind: Using Neuroscience to Guide Change in Education" discusses a more scientific approach to education from James E. Zull as he discusses how the brain receives information and how to better understand cognitive development of mind as an educator. Stating that developing learning skills are more important than ever in today's world that you may see multiple jobs throughout, "From Brain to Mind" is an excellent pick for anyone who wants to understand a more a scientific approach to education. Also from Stylus Publishing about Education is "Teachers as Mentors: Models for Promoting Achievement with Disadvantaged and Underrepresented Students by Creating Community" (9781579223113, $24.95), by Aram Ayalon who describes the importance of teachers to be role models and leaders where they are needed most.

Well Spoken
Erik Palmer
Stenhouse Publishers
477 Congress Street, Suite 4B
Portland, ME 04101-3451
9781571108814, $16.00, www.stenhouse.com

The spoken word has become a more powerful medium than ever. "Well Spoken: Teaching Speaking to All Students" is a guide for teachers on how to embrace teaching public speaking to their students, beyond the spoken presentation. Erik Palmer offers a crash course in the basics of teaching public speaking to allow the skill to grow, from vocalization to hand gestures to the content of the words. "Well Spoken" is a must for any educator who values public speaking and wants to impart that value on to their students.

Communicating & Connecting with Social Media
William M. Ferriter, Jason T. Ramsden, and Eric C. Sheninger
Solution Tree
555 North Morton Street
Bloomington, IN 47404
9781935249542, $19.95, www.solution-tree.com

We learn a lot from other people who aren't intended to be teachers, so there are massive educational opportunities with social media. "Communicating & Connecting with Social Media" is a guide for embracing social media and its communication properties to improve educational experience for kids by talking to staff, educators, parents, and even the students themselves. With plenty of ideas on implementing this well for one's school, "Communicating & Connecting with Social Media" is a fine read, and very much recommended resource for educators and administrators.

Kaplan Publishing
395 Hudson St., New York NY 10014
www.kaplanpublishing.com

NCLEX-RN 2011-2012 (9781607148777, $34.99) is filled with strategies for passing the NCLEX-RN exam, from two practice tests and detailed answer explanations and analysis to review of alternate format questions and a CD-ROM filled with performance analysis and answer explanations. It comes form the creator of an extensive exam prep course for the NCLEX-RN and is one of the best study guides on the market for any would-be nurse. The NEW GRE VERBAL WORKBOOK (9781419550010, $19.99) provides a fine combination of test preparation guide and diagnostic tool for practice, reviewing the basic skills and ideas involved in vocabulary and answering the different verbal question typed on the revised GRE. Test-takers will find it a winner for any GRE preparations. Test-takers also won't want to miss the PCAT 2012-2013 (9781609781101, $44.99), a fine guide to the various components of the Pharmacy College Admission test. From a full-length practice test online to detailed answer explanations and diagnostics to pinpoint weak areas, this is packed with solid keys to test success. NEW GRE MATH WORKBOOK (9781419550034, $19.99) has been updated for the 2011 GRE test changes and appears in an 8th updated edition for any who would want the latest test practice questions and approaches. Strategies for the new GRE Quantitative question types and reviews of all the basic math concepts for the new test make this a 'must' for any test-taker.

Corwin Press
2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320
www.corwin.com

Laura A. Riffel's POSITIVE BEHAVIOR SUPPORT AT THE TERTIARY LEVEL (9781412982016, $33.95) tells teachers how to respond to a student who frequently has emotional meltdowns and exhibits challenging behaviors in the classroom. It presents the Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports model for resolution, showing teachers how to use this idea to create an intervention plan to modify such behaviors, and providing techniques for collecting and analyzing data along with examples of how to modify consequences. A top pick for teachers working with diverse classrooms. Also recommended is Jodi O'Meara's RTI WITH DIFFERENTIATED INSTRUCTION, GRADES 6-8: A CLASSROOM TEACHER'S GUIDE (9781412995269, $33.95), which surveys a different way of merging differentiated instruction and RTI. A 'how to' format directed to middle school teachers shows how to adapt assessments, curriculum and instruction to student abilities, discussing connections between the RTI and DI model and showing how to adapt ideals for classroom systems. Lesson plans, case studies, rubrics and more contribute to an outstanding survey. For a different age group, choose her RTI WITH DIFFERENTIATED INSTRUCTION, GRADES K-5 (9781412995276, $33.95), providing the same integration for a different grade level. Rita Smilkstein's WE'RE BORN TO LEARN (9781412979382, $36.95) appears in its second updated edition to provide teachers with keys to using the brain's natural learning process. From lesson planning and test preparation using the six-step Natural Human Learning Process to new details on how the Internet affects student learning, this packs in practical methods for achievement, and is a top pick for any education collection. Frank Crowther's FROM SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT TO SUSTAINED CAPACITY (9781412986946, $34.95) provides a fine survey on achieving long-term school improvement, and comes from an author who makes a case for capacity building and parallel leadership as keys to sustainable improvement. Six research-based dynamics for achieving results are outlined along with real-world applications of their ideas. A fine guide for any educator's collection! Any interested in children's rights will relish Peter W. Cookson Jr.'s SACRED TRUST: A CHILDREN'S EDUCATION BILL OF RIGHTS (9781412981163, $28.95). This describes a proposed education bill of rights for American students that provides ideas on how to restructure the U.S. Department of Education for greater equality and standards for all, and outlines the types of education all American kids should have a right to enjoy. Examples cover problems and solutions to achieving these uniform goals and make for a fine action plan all schools can consider. David Houle and Jeff Cobb's SHIFT ED: A CALL TO ACTION FOR TRANSFORMING K-12 EDUCATION (9781412992961, $28.95) provides a powerful key to changing the process of teaching and is a fascinating survey for any education collection. From sociocultural evolution in generations to the evolving and changing landscape of education in America, SHIFT ED is a fine pick for any contemplating the trends of educational reforms. TEACHING BY DESIGN IN ELEMENTARY MATHEMATICS: GRADES 4-5, (9781412987035, $39.95) is actually a series of professional development guides that helps teachers investigate how students learn. This book joins two other volumes focused on grade-appropriate math, offering activities and lesson plans that help teacher teams evaluate student performance. From reproducible handouts to facilitation notes, this provides teachers fine resources for improving and supplementing instruction. Joseph Murphy and Kerri Tobin's HOMELESSNESS COMES TO SCHOOL (9781412980548, $36.95) provides a fine survey of effective intervention programs for handling homeless kids, surveying how schools, parents and community can come together to work with them. From handling absenteeism and expulsion to ensuring access and understanding the impact of homelessness on kids, this is a wide-ranging blend of research results and applied solutions perfect for any urban educator's library, in particular. Jann H. Leppien and Jeanne H. Purcell edit PARALLEL CURRICULUM UNITS FOR MATHEMATICS GRADES 6-12 (9781412965484, $28.95) provides a fine collection of lessons based on material in THE PARALLEL CURRICULUM, and provides four sample units on fractions, linear programming, geometry and quadratic relationships. Keys to user-friendly lessons offer field-tested strategies that guide students through secondary math concepts, offering study components, critical thinking skills, problem solving and much more. Teachers will find this a treasure trove of proven strategies. Kenneth s. Trump's PROACTIVE SCHOOL SECURITY AND EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS PLANNING (9781412974318, $38.95) provides school administrators with a resource for keeping students safe. The author has dedicated his career to making schools safer and his solutions range from an overview of school security and politics to daily strategies for preventing violence and handling bullying, cyberbullying, harassment, and more. The emphasis on collecting data and working with community leaders and parents fills it with practical assessments of common problems and solutions. DIFFERENTIATING SCIENCE INSTRUCTION AND ASSESSMENT FOR LEARNERS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS, K-8 (9781412993999, $35.95) offers educators field-tested strategies for teaching science to students with special needs. From education requirements for science literacy to ways of revising science activities and assessments, this provides step-by-step instructions for using rubrics for revision and assessment, discusses science instruction and specific disabilities, and provides case histories and checklists to help teachers understand connections between science education and special education. Daniel R. Venables' THE PRACTICE OF AUTHENTIC PLCS: A GUIDE TO EFFECTIVE TEACHER TEAMS (9781412986632, $33.95) offers keys to building authentic PLCs and comes from the author's work with the Coalition for Essential schools. It considers team building, protocols for success, and teacher-designed formative assessments and teaches how to respond to data and develop exercises and activities for PLC leaders. A fine pick for any educator's collection!

Princeton Review
c/o Random House Inc.
1745 Broadway, New York NY 10019
www.princetonrview.com

Doug Pierce's CRACKING THE NEW GRE 2012 (9780375428180, $22.00) packs in drills, test-taking strategies, and in-depth reviews of all GRE topics and is a top pick for any who would gain a higher score on the test. 2 full-length practice tests accompany an extensive revision that's been updated for the new test, offering keys to acing the new format and questions. Proven techniques make this a test-taker's solid reference. Douglas Pierce and Sean Kinsell's CRACKING THE TOEFL iBT 2012 EDITION (9780375428234, $34.99) comes with audio exercises on CD and proven techniques that include a full-length, simulated TOEFL iBT, strategies for all sects, and keys to improving essay skills. If it's on the test, it's in the book; any TOEFL learner taking the test will score higher studying this clear guide to achievement.


The Music Shelf

Surf Beat
Kent Crowley
Backbeat Books
c/o Hal Leonard
33 Playmouth Street, Ste. 302
Montclair, NJ 07042
9781617130076, $19.99, www.backbeatbooks.com

As Rock and Roll burst onto the scene, people were quick to tailor it to their tastes. "Surf Beat: Rock 'n Rolls's Forgotten Revolution" speaks about the renaissance of rock in the early 1960s in Southern California where another genre of music came into being, inspired by the care free and loose living culture of the era. As the Beach Boys best exemplify the most popular act of the genre, Kent Crowley explores the roots and how this unique sound came to be. "Surf Beat" is a fascinating read in the development of a forgotten but strong influence in American popular music.

Frank Martin's Musical Reflections on Death
Siglind Bruhn
Pendragon
PO Box 190
Hillsdale, NY 12529
9781576471944, $42.00, www.pendragonpress.com

Death is something we all face, and such, is a highly unifying topic. "Frank Martin's Musical Reflections on Death" traces the history behind the work of Frank Martin, who created nine internationally renown compositions of music, each reflecting on death in their own unique way, centered both in World War II and when he was facing his own mortality. "Frank Martin's Musical Reflections on Death" is a study of one renowned musician's approaches on death and how you can take many approaches to this all encompassing subject.

Musical Functionalism
Magnar Breivik
Pendragon Press
PO Box 190, Hillsdale, NY 12529
9781576471708, $42.00, www.pendragonpress.com

A work of impressively detailed and comprehensive scholarship by Magnar Breivik (Professor of Musicology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway), "Musical Functionalism: The Musical Thoughts of Arnold Schoenberg and Paul Hindemith" is a 416-page compendium nicely organized into four major sections: Musical Functionalism: Perspectives in Early 20th Century Art; The Musical Material; Hindemith: From Vision to Form; Musical Function; Hindemith: Active Performance and Musical Recognition. Of special note is the concluding ten page analysis 'Coda: Schoenberg and Hindemith in the Context of Functionalism'. Enhanced with the inclusion of an extensive bibliography, a list of illustrations, and an index of names, "Musical Functionalism" is an extraordinary and very highly recommended contribution to personal and academic library Musicology Studies reference collections and reading lists.

Sacred Song in America
Stephen A. Marini
University of Illinois Press
1325 South Oak St., Champaign, IL 61820-6903
9780252078033, $30.00, www.press.uillinois.edu

Sacred Song in America: Religion, Music, and Public Culture is a pick for music and spirituality college-level collections alike, examining the role of sacred song across the U.S. from Native Americans and Hispanic peoples to the rural South and church music of Mormon, Catholic and Black churches. Its focus is a historical and musical examination of the roles of ritual music in the public religious cultures of modern America: as such, it provides a fine analysis of the social and musical impetus for different sacred music styles and is a 'must' for any in-depth analysis of sacred music in America.

See a Little Light
Bob Mould with Michael Azerrad
Little, Brown & Company
c/o Hachette Book Group
237 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10017
9780316045087, $24.99, www.hachettebookgroup.com

See a Little Light: The Trail of Rage and Melody provides the autobiography of a musician who moved from a rural farming world living with an alcoholic parent to a gay man who fostered a three-decade long musical odyssey, and provides an inspiring story of Bob Mould's personal and professional odyssey. Bob Mould was a punk music hero whose band Husker Du toured the nation on no money and a lot of hope. Here he tells how he tailored the band's evolution and how it blended with his own drive and talents to change the face of American popular music as a whole. Any rock music collection - especially fans of punk rock - will find this a lively and essential coverage.


The Travel Shelf

Pathways to the Presidency
Gerald and Patricia Gutek
University of South Carolina Press
718 Devine Street
Columbia, SC 29208
9781570039973 $49.95 www.sc.edu/uscpress

Pathways to the Presidency: A Guide to the Lives, Homes, and Museums of the U.S. Presidents lives up to its title as a user-friendly history and travel guide, especially ideal for anyone interested in touring presidential homes and museums. Covering presidential birthplaces, boyhood homes, and adult residences that have been preserved, restored, rebuilt or re-created, Pathways to the Presidency includes black-and-white photographs and detailed descriptions of the sites, as well as blocks of information concerning the address, telephone number, website, admission fee, available facilities and more of each. Pathways to the Presidency is a superb supplementary resource for vacationers as well as traveling presidential historians of all skill and experience levels.

Discover Canada
Lonely Planet
150 Linden St.
St. Oakland, CA 94607
9781742202846, $24.99, www.lonelyplanet.com

Canada is a vast and varied landscape of many people and places. "Discover Canada: Experience the Best of Canada" is a tourist handbook for those who want to see anything and everything that America's northern ally has to offer. Natural, social, historical landmarks throughout the region are all displayed so one can catch an enjoyment of whatever they enjoy the most, be it people, nature, or a roaring nightlife. "Discover Canada" is a must for any who want to make their journey across the North the more fulfilling.

Good Night & God Bless
Trish Clark
HiddenSpring
c/o Paulist
997 MacArthur Boulevard, Mahwah, NJ 07430
9781587680571, $24.00, www.mackillopfoundation.org.au

Throughout Europe, many historic convents and monasteries welcome visitors, combining history with lodging. "Good Night & God Bless" is the second volume for those who want to visit these historic landmarks. Trish Clark shows many open religious institutions, focusing on the United Kingdom, Ireland, and France, covering what is available, how to contact, and much more. For anyone with a bit of faith, "Good Night & God Bless" should be strongly considered for alternative lodging throughout the British Isles and France.

Lonely Planet Publications
150 Linden Street, Oakland CA 94607
www.lonelyplanet.com

Robert Kelly & Joshua Samuel Brown's TAIWAN (9781741790436, $26.99) provides a fine take-along guide recommended for any destination-bound visitor to Taiwan. It provides maps, guides to temples, hot springs and attractions, and packs in keys on where to eat and stay. With its small maps and many specifics on everything across Taiwan, this is a 'must' take-along presented in perfect tote format for any wanting to visit Taiwan. Sandra Bao's WASHINGTON, OREGON & PACIFIC NORTHWEST (9781741793291, $24.99) provides a fine set of maps and keys to sleeping, eating and journeying through the Pacific Northwest, and is a recommendation for any West Coast independent traveler's collection. From things to do with kids to adults, this is a fine pick travelers will relish, packaged in a take-along tote filled with quick, easy references to local attractions. TALES FROM NOWHERE: UNEXPECTED STORIES FROM UNEXPECTED PLACES (9781741795202, $14.99) is edited by Don George and offers 30 real travel stories that offer surprises in the midst of the journey. Adventure is at the heart of each story, with self-discovery as prevalent as travel encounters and life-changing sagas. Any armchair traveler will find this an engrossing, vivid collection. Adventure-oriented independent travelers will want to take along Anthony Haywood, et.al.'s AUSTRIA (9781741792843, $22.99), which covers all the adventure opportunities in the country's mountains, alpine valleys, and great outdoors. Packed with small maps, the latest details on where to go, stay and eat, and practical destination-oriented travel tips, this is a top recommendation for any planning a trip to Austria!


The Money/Finance Shelf

Beyond Wealth
Alexander Green
Wiley
c/o Wiley Professional Trade Group
111 River Street
Hoboken, NJ 07030-5774
9781118027615, $27.95, www.wiley.com

BEYOND WEALTH: THE ROAD MAP TO A RICH LIFE comes from a longtime financial writer and acclaimed investment advisor who draws important links between wealth and how a rich life can be lead both because of and in spite of it. From how different values can be blended into a richer life to over sixty commentaries on topics from health and spirituality to love, this combines many factors to analyze the real roots of wealth in life. Motivational collections will find this an inspiring read.


The Antiques/Collectibles Shelf

Labeling America
John Grossman
Fox Chapel Publishing
1970 Broad Street
East Petersburg, PA 17520
9781565235458, $39.95, www.foxchapelpublishing.com

A taste of popular culture a century ago. "Labeling America: Popular Culture on Cigar Box Labels" is a walk through history via cigar boxes as John Grossman gives readers a tour of the art of George Schlegel Lithographers from 1849-1971, showing the advancement of the American ideal, showing the technical process behind the labeling and much more. Presented in full color with a good deal of commentary throughout, for those with an interest in the evolution of American culture or popular art, "Labeling America" proves interesting and fascinating all throughout.

Transformers Vault
Pablo Hidalgo
Abrams Books
115 West 18th St., New York NY 10011
9780810998681, $35.00, www.abramsbooks.com

Transformers Vault has been officially licensed by Hasbro and profiles rare collectibles and memorabilia in an oversized, slipcased collection of Transformer images and history. Any Transformers collector or fan must have this: it offers a full range of plots, toys, comics, and merchandise as well as images from both the animated and live-action feature films, providing behind-the-scenes surveys including interviews with creators, discussions of prototypes, action-figure designs, and more. Collectors and Transformers fans will consider it a 'must have' reference.


The Criminology Shelf

People Wasn't Made to Burn
Joe Allen
Haymarket Books
PO Box 180165
Chicago, IL 60618
9781608461264 $22.95 www.haymarketbooks.org

People Wasn't Made to Burn: A True Story of Race, Murder and Justice in Chicago is a true-crime narrative of the events prior and following James Hickman's 1947 murder of the slum landlord he believed responsible for the fire that killed four of his children on Chicago's West Side. In court, Hickman was fortunate enough to have a strong defense campaign that revealed the entrenched poverty and racism that led to Hickman's crime. The result is a devastating revelation of human efforts to expose and denounce racial segregation well before the modern civil rights movement - and the lessons to be learned are even more relevant in today's era of foreclosures and the collapse of the housing market. Highly recommended for both public and college library history and true crime shelves.

In Cold Pursuit
Lt. Paul Echols and Christine Byers
New Horizon Press
Box 669, Far Hills, NJ 07931
0882823485, $24.95, www.newhorizonpressbooks.com

IN COLD PURSUIT: MY HUNT FOR TIMOTHY KRAJCIR - THE NOTORIOUS SERIAL KILLER is a pick for any collection where true crime accounts are popular, and tells of the author's hunt for a notorious killer who believed he got away with murder nine times, stalking women in the Midwest and assaulting and killing them, only to vanish with no trace. Author Paul Echols was a rookie cop assigned to cases that had little chance of revolution: his study of the evidence led him to eventually track down the killer, and this account packs in exclusive interviews and new facts about his personal manhunt and its successful conclusion.

In Defense of Flogging
Peter Moskos
Basic Books
c/o Perseus Books Group
11 Cambridge Center, Cambridge, MA 02142
9780465021482, $20.00, www.basicbooks.com

In Defense of Flogging comes from a criminologist and former Baltimore City police officer who offers a startling alternative: give offenders the choice of suffering corporal punishment in exchange for staying out of prison. Flogging may be considered cruel and unusual punishment today, but it could address the problem of America's expanding prison system. America has more prisoners than any other country in the world - ever. The author is willing to defend the notion of flogging, as an alternative.


The Writing/Publishing Shelf

77 Reasons Why Your Book Was Rejected
Mike Nappa
Sourcebooks Inc.
1935 Brookdale Road, #139
Naperville, IL 60563
www.sourcebooks.com
9781402254123, $14.99, www.amazon.com

It goes without question that to be successfully published aspiring authors must have imagination and literary skill. What you don't often hear is that they must also have marketing skills and 'know how' with respect to persuading agents to represent them, publishers to publish them, and the reading public to read them. Every writer from the Hemingways of the world to the newest aspirant wanting to write the next 'Great American Novel' will experience the dreaded rejection letter -- over and over and over again. That is unless they give a careful reading to Mike Nappa's new 'how to' manual "77 Reasons Why Your Book Was Rejected". This compact, 360-page, informed and informative compendium of real-world based insights draws upon Nappa's more than two decades as a professional author, editor, and literary agent breaks down into three major categories of reject by publishers: editorial reasons; marketing reasons; and sales reasons. By following Nappa's sage and insightful commentary any author can learn how to avoid rejection letters for any and all of these common areas of literary proposal rejection and significantly enhanced their chances of becoming published -- and published profitably! Simply stated, "77 Reasons Why Your Book Was Rejected" should be considered mandatory reading for any and all aspiring authors yearning to break into print and launch themselves into successful careers as published writers.

Brilliant PR
Cathy Bussey
FT Press
c/o Pearson Technology Group
801 East 96th Street, #300
Indianapolis, IN 46240-3759
www.mcp.com
9780273746584, $19.99, www.amazon.com

It doesn't matter if you are an author from a major publishing house like Simon & Schuster or Penguin-Putnam, or self-published in this age of desk-top publishing and POD companies, you will carry the burden of publicizing, promoting, and marketing your book if you hope to have a financially successful, professional career. That's why every author needs to give a close and careful reading to Cathy Bussey's "Brilliant PR: Create a Pr Sensation, Whatever Your Budget, Whatever Your Business", a 168-page compendium of sound, 'real world', instructive commentary, tips, tricks, techniques, and do-it-yourself strategies adaptable to shoe-string and 'no-string' marketing budgets. Applicable to any business and the marketing of any product, "Brilliant PR" is especially germane for the book industry as it will teach newly published authors on how to best present themselves and their book to the reading public, what the various and diverse elements of a public relations campaign are and how to organize them effectively, managing the inevitable and unexpected crisis, and utilizing the promotional power of social networking in this modern age of computer web sites, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, etc. Of special note are the illustrative insider stories, sample press releases, and good PR examples featured throughout. If you want to engage in an effect PR campaign for your book, read "Brilliant PR" by Cathy Bussey.

Musings Of An Online Bookseller
John Landahl
Peverell Press
c/o InfoStrategist.com
6341 - 5th Avenue NE, #509
Seattle, WA 98115
9781592433322, $19.95, www.amazon.com

To be a successful bookseller in today's increasingly competitive and volatile marketplace, there must be an online aspect to the business plan for traditional 'brick & mortar' retailers. The phenomena of 'online only' book selling and the steadily increasing numbers people who only sell books online are publishing industry trends that, among other factors, are responsible for the demise of so many independent and chain bookstores -- the latest of which is the national Borders bookstore retail empire. Then there is the advent of digital publishing to consider! That's why "Musings of an Online Bookseller" by John Landhal is such important, informed, and informative reading. Included are such factors as the impact an aging baby boomer generation is having on the publishing industry, the impact of the ebook, the use of web site oriented sales venues, alternatives to that 800 pound gorilla of online book selling known as Amazon.com, and so much more. Although invaluable for anyone new to online bookselling, "Musings of an Online Bookseller" is especially recommended for those seasoned and experienced retail book sellers that are trying to make the transition from 'brick & mortar' businesses to online retailing either as a supplement to their traditional venue or as a replacement for it.

Rebel Bookseller, second edition
Andrew Laties
Seven Stories Press
140 Watts Street, New York, NY 10013
www.sevenstories.com
9781609801397, $16.95, www.amazon.com

The local independent bookstore was long a hallmark and core contributor to the intellectual life and well-being of individuals and communities. In this modern era of "big box" bookstores, chain store booksellers, online book sellers, and digital publishing, those traditional independent bookstores are becoming an 'endangered species'. That's why Andrew Laties "Rebel Bookseller: Why Indie Bookstores Represent Everything You Want to Fight for from Free Speech to Buying Local to Building Communities" is such a timely and important contribution to our national dialogue. Now in a fully updated and significantly expanded second edition, "Rebel Bookseller" is a personal history of how Laties got into selling books, how he has survived and even prospered against book marketing factors that have proved devastating to so many others, the growth of the big chain booksellers, and more. Of special note are the wealth of anecdotes, innovations in book selling, and the cogent 'real world' advice for anyone contemplating starting up an independent bookstore of their own. Informed and informative, occasionally inspired and inspiring, "Rebel Bookseller" is very highly recommended reading.

101 Best Sex Scenes Ever Written
Barnaby Conrad
Quill Drive Books
2006 S. Mary St., Fresno, CA 93721
9781610350013, $14.95, www.quilldrivebooks.com

A well done sex scene is a wonderful thing. Too bad so many writers are awful at it. "101 Best Sex Scenes Ever Written: An Erotic Romp Through Literature for Writers and Readers" looks at the writers with enough tenacity to write sex scenes with authenticity and purpose for their characters. Although drawing readers in with a spicy topic, Barnaby Conrad hopes to spin readers into the literature of the likes of Faulkner, Burgess, Hemingway, and much more. "101 Best Sex Scenes Ever Written" is a fine collection for anyone who wants to understand what makes a sex scene good, for those who tire of the awkward nature that most writers approach.

Write Your Book Now!
Gene Perret
Quill Driver Books
2006 South Mary, Fresno, CA 93721
www.quilldriverbooks.com
9781610350068, $15.95, www.amazon.com

Writing a book, whether it be a personal memoir or the next 'Great American Novel', is some of the hardest work anyone can ever take a hand in. But there are some 'tips, tricks & techniques' to help the novice author out and they are to be found in a 144-page compendium of commentary, instruction, and 'real world' advice by professional comedy writer Gene Perret in "Write Your Book Now!: A Proven System to Start and FINISH the Book You've Always Wanted to Write". Drawing upon his many years of experience and expertise, Perret shows the aspiring writer how to break a book project down into small sequential tasks; establish a workable, productive, realistic writing schedule; deal with the inevitable writer blocks, life distractions and delays; and keeping up motivation until the manuscript is finished and ready for publication. Thoroughly 'user friendly', "Write Your Book Now!" is an ideal instruction manual and especially recommended to beginning writers aspiring to a professional and successful career as a published author.

Story Engineering
Larry Brooks
Writer's Digest Books
4700 E. Galbraith Rd., Cincinnati OH 45236
9781582979984, $17.99, www.writersdigest.com

What makes a good story or screenplay great? Most writers have no idea of story engineering basics, so never achieve the 'great' level they could. STORY ENGINEERING is a 'must' for any writer's library: it analyzes the design of a story line and uses it as the basis for narrative, offering six specific ways storytelling methods combine and elevate writing to its highest standards. From scene construction to character development, this discusses the basics of plot and method and is an ongoing 'must' for any aspiring writer and libraries catering to them.

Writer with a Day Job
Aine Greaney
Writer's Digest Books
4700 E. Galbraith Rd., Cincinnati OH 45236
9781582979960, $17.99, www.writersdigest.com

Writer with a Day Job provides an invaluable collection of exercises to help integrate a side career of writing with a regular day gig. It's a talented dance to keep the daily grind of a job from sapping a writer's energy: this tells how to achieve that balance, providing exercises, ideas, and techniques to build creative expression into a daily work cycle. From planning a writing getaway to using one's lunch hour for writing, this is filled with keys to a writer's success, and is a pick for any literary or writer's collection.

Writing Subtext
Dr. Linda Seger
Michael Wiese Productions
12400 Ventura Blvd. #1111
Studio City, CA 91604
9781932907964, $16.95, www.mwp.com

WRITING SUBTEXT: WHAT LIES BENEATH is one of the most valuable writer's guides in print, covering the power of subtext in film and screenwriting and exploring how it's used. Writers and film professionals like will learn the tools to creating effective dialogue, description and more, and will appreciate a guide that probes different levels of complexity in the writing and character-building subtext process. From gestures and action to words that express subtext, this is a specific, key reference!

Clip Stamp Fold
Beatriz Colomina and Craig Buckley, Editors
Actar D
c/o ActarBirkhauser Distribution
151 Grand Street, 5th floor
New York, NY 10013
9788496954526, $54.95, www.actar.com

Clip Stamp Fold: The Radical Architecture of Little Magazines 196X to 197X is a 'must' for not just arts but college-level literary collections, packing in interviews with over 40 magazine makers, reproductions of magazine styles and articles, and details to accompany an exhibition's global travels. Discussions have been transcribed into English and accompany a chronological presentation of over 120 issues from the 1960s and 70s and facsimiles of magazines designed for browsing. From activist politics to the changing trends of small press and magazine production standards, this is just packed with key historic, artistic and literary reference detail and is an outstanding reference.


The Literary Shelf

A Trip to the Country
Henriette-Julie de Castelnau, Comtesse de Murat
Wayne State University Press
The Leonard N. Simons Building
4809 Woodward Avenue
Detroit, MI 48201-1309
9780814335031 $21.95 http://wsupress.wayne.edu

A Trip to the Country is the English rendition of a late seventeenth-century experimental novel, originally popular among the French aristocracy. The Countess de Murat created a work constructed around the framing narrative of a trip to a country estate by seven Parisian aristocrats. The literary format ranges from ghost stories to autobiographical anecdotes to a literary fairy tale, a rondeau, even poems and love letters. Superbly translated with a strong effort to preserve the syntax and word choice of the original, and enhanced with extensive footnotes to shed light on historical definitions, contextual social issues, and much more, A Trip to the Country is worthy of the highest recommendation for literature shelves.

Literacy Myths, Legacies & Lessons
Harvey J. Graff
Transaction Publishers
300 McGaw Drive, Edison NJ 08837
9781412814751, $49.95, www.transactionpub.com

Literacy Myths, Legacies & Lessons: New Studies on Literacy provides college-level literacy collections with critical revisions of many common ideas about literacy, presenting eight essays that address the key concerns in modern culture, society and literary analysis. Harvey Graff's own research accompanies surveys of the field and writings of the last three decades, and crosses disciplines in adding historical and cultural notes in an analysis any college-level collection will consider timely and valuable.

Lit From Within
Kevin Haworth and Dinty W. Moore, Editors
Swallow Press
c/o Ohio University Press
The Ridges, Building 19, Athens, OH 45701
9780821419489, $19.95, www.ohioswallow.com

LIT FROM WITHIN: CONTEMPORARY MASTERS ON THE ART AND CRAFT OF WRITING provides a fine survey of modern American authors and provides college-level literary collections with essays from fiction writers, poets, and nonfiction writers alike. Essays provide powerful literary reflections on the process of writing and make for a fine addition to any library where creative writing and literature are of interest; especially at the high school to college level.

The Story of Charlotte's Web
Michael Sims
Walker & Company
175 - 5th Avenue, New York NY 10010
9780802777546, $25.00, www.walkerbooks.com

The Story of Charlotte's Web: E.B. White's Eccentric Life in Nature and the Birth of an American Classic provides a fine biography filled with detail and packed with insights about White's life, perceptions, and how these translated to classic works. From an early childhood spent on a farm in New York to the author's evolving kinship with animals, this tells of countless Charlottes and Wilburs in White's life, and is a lively, wonderful biography for any lending library.


The Social Issues Shelf

Imagining Resistance
J. Keri Cronin & Kirsty Robertson, editors
Wilfrid Laurier University Press
2250 Military Road
Tonawanda, NY 14150
9781554582570, $39.95, www.wlupress.wlu.ca

Art has always proved a powerful tool for expression and counter-culture in the wave of the mainstream. "Imagining Resistance: Visual Culture and Activism in Canada" discussing alternative culture since the 1940s and its place in the bigger picture of Canada's social issues and challenges on minorities such as the First Nation peoples. Drawing on historical record and art history, the volume is a meeting of many scholarly minds to fully understand the many flavors of culture that make up Canada. "Imagining Resistance" is a core addition to any social issues or culture collection that is focusing on Canada.

The Patient
Kimberly R. Myers & Harold Schweizer, editor
Bucknell University Press
c/o Associated University Presses
2010 Eastpark Boulevard
Cranbury, NJ 08512
9781611483468, $25.00, www.bucknell.edu/universitypress

Suffering is something that is fought, but all too often faces strong resistance. "The Patient" is a collection of essays discussing suffering, and the patients who face it. Included within are contributions from many writers as they discuss illness, analyze current literary texts, and the view of illness and patienthood throughout history. An intriguing study of illness and perceptions of those fighting sickness and suffering, "The Patient" is an excellent addition to any collection with a focus on the history of medicine and social issues.

Jackpot
Jason Ryan
Lyons Press
246 Goose Lane, Guilford, CT 06437
9781599219769, $24.95, www.lyonspress.com

JACKPOT: HIGH TIMES, HIGH SEAS, AND THE STING THAT LAUNCHED THE WAR ON DRUGS provides a fine 'true crime' world adventure that focuses on some of the most outrageous drug dealers of the Reagan era and the Federal Task Force's 'Operation Jackpot' that brought them down. The kingpins of marijuana trafficking and the social and political influences on the undercover sting operation that brought them down are detailed in a lively, engrossing adventure story perfect for any general lending library.

The Sociology of Economic Life, third edition
Mark Granovetter and Richard Swedberg, Editors
Westview Press
2465 Central Avenue, Boulder CO 80301
9780813344553, $59.00, www.westviewpress.com

The third updated edition of The Sociology of Economic Life remains a top pick for any college-level library interested in a blend of modern and classic readings in economic sociology, and will reach social issues and economics collections alike with its history of the field and discussions of trends. This updated edition holds eight new readings, including three commissioned essays in the foundations of economic sociology and market sociology, and presents several original articles from leading scholars who critically review the field. A top pick for any college-level library!

Among the Truthers
Jonathan Kay
Harper
c/o HarperCollins
10 E. 53rd St., New York NY 10022-5299
9780062004819, $27.99, www.harpercollins.com

Among the Truthers: A Journey Through America's Growing Conspiracist Underground comes from an author who spent three years researching conspiracy theorists, and offers eyewitness accounts of the conspiracist subculture that abounds. Conspiracy theories are both a cause and symptom of our crisis, especially when educated people begin to follow them. Jonathan Kay traveled the country and attended conventions, interacted with conspiracy theorist, surfed their websites, and more. Ten different types of modern conspiracy theorists are profiled here along with a survey of how the internet has provided them with fuel and audiences. Any social issues collection needs this!


The Business Shelf

Knowledge Management for Sales and Marketing
Tom Young and Nick Muilton
Chandros Publishing
c/o Neal Schuman
100 William Street, Suite 2004
New York, NY 10038
9781843346043, $80.00, www.neal-schuman.com

You can have all the information in the world, but if your business cannot use it effectively, it is wasted resources. "Knowledge Management for Sales and Marketing" is a guide for information management for businesses to make a more efficient use of their information. From more efficiently acquiring the information to putting it into play to get the results needed. Tom Young & Nick Milton, directors Knoco Ltd, a knowledge consultancy group, apply their expertise in streamlining the process of research and investigations and how best to use the data acquired. For any business that strongly relies on information and its application, "Knowledge Management for Sales and Marketing" is an excellent reference, and a top pick for community and college library business collections.

Marketing Communications
P.R. Smith and Ze Zook
Kogan Page
1518 Walnut Street, Suite 1100
Philadelphia, PA 19102
9780749461935, $65.00, www.koganpage.com

The world is online and it's not going to stop being online anytime soon. "Marketing Communications: Integrating Offline and Online with Social Media" is a guide for blending marketing and social media in the modern day. Public relations, sponsorship still reign true as aspects from the past, but more than ever social media, direct selling, and an engrossing website can prove to be major contributions to a products success. Staying on top of the game and recognizing trends are vital, and P.R. Smith and Ze Zook come together to provide a complete and comprehensive guide for a dual approach to marketing. "Marketing Communications" is a highly useful and highly recommended resource.

Successful E-Mail Marketing Strategies
Arthur Middleton Hughes & Arthur Sweetser
Racom Communications
150 N. Michigan Ave., Suite 2800
Chicago, IL 60601
9781933199160, $49.95, www.racombooks.com

The spam button makes it easy to write off e-mail as a failed method of marketing. "Successful E-Mail Marketing Strategies: From Hunting to Farming" is a guide to using e-mail in the modern internet as a successful marketing tool. Debating the cost effectiveness of the practice, how to make it work and get results, as well as explaining the logic that lurks behind it all, Arthur Middleton Hughes & Arthur Sweetser provide much knowledge in the secret of advertising through the inbox. For any business who wants to create an advertising campaign that is not immediately tossed to spam, "Successful E-Mail Marketing Strategies" is an invaluable tool.

Government Contracting
William Sims Curry
CRC Press
6000 NW Broken Sound Parkway NW, Suite 300
Boca Raton, FL 33487
www.crcpress.com
9781420085655, $69.95, www.amazon.com

The newest addition to the outstanding CRC Press 'American Society for Public Administration' series, "Government Contracting: Promises and Perils" by William Sims Curry draws upon his many years of experience and expertise as an Air Force systems procurement officer, contracting and purchasing responsibilities for the Stanford Linear Accelerator Center on the Positron Electron Project, and private-sector corporations in the aerospace and defense fields to write a comprehensive 312-page compendium covering ever aspect (positive and negative) of doing business with the federal government. Of special note are is chapter on 'Contracting during Emergencies'. Covering everything from the basic processes and issues involved in governmental contracts, to competing for contracts, to evaluating and presenting contract proposals, to the auditing process governmental contracts are subject to, "Government Contracting" should be considered essential and instructive reading for any company ranging from a small business to a multi-national conglomerate seeking to be awarded governmental contracts of any and all kinds. A seminal and 'reader friendly' work, "Government Contracting" is an especially recommended addition to academic library Public Administration reference collections.

Swan, Swine, And Swindlers
Can M. Alpaslan & Ian Il Mitroff
Stanford University Press
1450 Page Mill Road
Palo Alto, CA 94304-1124
www.sup.org
9780804771375, $35.00, www.amazon.com

With the recent near financial collapse of the international economy in general and the United States in particular, the problems inherent in national and global crisis is very much a part of our world today. Often these fiscal crisis are at their heart the result of unethical and all-to-often illegal activities by unscrupulous men and range from the pyramid scheme of Bernie Madoff, to chronic corporate incompetence, to the political ineptness and cronyism of government officials. In "Swan, Swine, And Swindlers: Coping with the Growing Threat of Mega-Crises and Mega-Messes", Can M. Alpasian (Associate Professor, College of Business and Economics, California State University, Northridge) has effectively collaborative with Ian I. Mitroff (Professor Emeritus, Annenberg School for Communication and the Marshall School of Business, Univesity of Southern California) to present a 232-page compendium divided into three major sections: 'Uncovering Assumptions'; Managing Assumptions; and 'Applications'. More than just a scholarly litany of massive crises, they offer informed and informative insights into universal aspects of national calamities such as the 2008 economic collapse, the definitions of crisis, dealing with denial and fear-based crisis management responses, and the necessities of trust, transparency, and reliability in dealing with (and preventing future) crisis. Enhanced with extensive notes and a comprehensive index, "Swan, Swine, And Swindlers" is a work of impeccable scholarship and highly recommended for personal reading lists and academic library Business/Economic studies collections.

Paid to Speak
National Speakers Association
Greenleaf Book Group Press
PO box 91869, Austin, TX 78709
9781608321315, $22.95, www.gbgpress.com

PAID TO SPEAK: BEST PRACTICES FOR BUILDING A SUCCESSFUL SPEAKING BUSINESS is a top recommendation for any serious business collection and covers all aspects of building a successful speaking career. Professionals of all levels, from motivators and coaches to trainers and consultants, will find this covers the four core competencies the National Speakers Association has identified for success: eloquence, enterprise, expertise and ethics. The result is a collection that teaches how to create compelling presentations and how to develop and brand an effective approach.

Franchising & Licensing, fourth edition
Andrew J. Sherman
Amacom
1601 Broadway, New York NY 10019-7420
9780814415566, $45.00, www.amacombooks.org

The fourth updated edition of Franchising & Licensing comes packed with more examples, field stories, and dozens of forms for franchising agreements and licensing programs, and covers all the legal, financial and business strategies of franchising and licensing processes. It covers the latest regulations, best industry practices, web 2.0 strategies, and the new FDD disclosure format and includes the latest franchising trends in a comprehensive, college-level business title perfect for any who would understand the basics of raising capital, creating globalization strategies, and developing innovative domestic and international franchising alike.

Kogan Page USA
1518 Walnut Street, Suite 1100
Philadelphia, PA 19102
www.koganpage.com

Tim Phillips's FIT TO BUST: HOW GREAT COMPANIES FAIL (9780749460136, $19.95) provides an excellent and engaging investigation into the typical causes of business failure, and goes beyond the popular news to examine back-room boardroom decision-making processes and how such decisions can contribute to a company's success or failure. It profiles big corporations that went from boom to bust and considers the course of events leading to their downfall. Matt Haig's BRAND FAILURES: THE TRUTH ABOUT THE 100 BIGGEST BRANDING MISTAKES OF ALL TIMES (9780749462994, $19.95) examines what happens when major businesses such as Coca-Cola launch major brands that fail. It probes what went wrong in each case, what lessons evolved from the brand bust, and teaches businesses how to recognize potential branding failures in advance. Any business collection will find this a winning survey!


The Metaphysical Studies Shelf

Saturn: A New Look at an Old Devil
Liz Greene
Red Wheel/Weiser/Conari
65 Parker Street, Suite 7
Newburyport, MA 01950-4600
9781578635078 $18.95 www.redwheelweiser.com

Liz Greene (co-founder of the Centre for Psychological Astrology in London) presents Saturn: A New Look at an Old Devil, a close study of the role of Saturn in astrological forecasts. Though Saturn is often maligned as a bringer of hardship, Greene shows Saturn's other side - the "Initiator" that can ultimately improve consciousness, understanding of the self, and freedom, provided that it is dealt with honestly. A classic text now available in a special 35th anniversary edition with a new foreword by astrologer Robert Hand, Saturn: A New Look at an Old Devil is highly recommended especially for astrology buffs.

Lifting the Veil on the Lost Continent of Mu
Jack Churchward
Ozark Mountain Publishing
PO Box 754, Huntsville, AR 72740
9781886940178, $19.00, www.ozarkmt.com

The origins of man have taken various spins throughout history. "Lifting the Veil on the Lost Continent of Mu: The Motherland of Men" is a re-issue of the 1926 metaphysical discussion from James Churchward as he presents his own theories of Lemuria, or the Lost Continent of Mu. Bearing the Garden of Eden and many biblical stories with research from Churchward's grandson Jack, "Lifting the Veil on the Lost Continent of Mu" is a fascinating study of this legend, very much recommended.

Life and Death on Mars
John Brandenburg
Adventures Unlimited Press
1 Adventure Place, Kempton, IL 60946
9781935487364, $19.95, www.adventuresunlimitedpress.com

It is not out of the question that Mars once held life. "Life and Death on Mars: Mass Extinction & Nuclear Catastrophe on Mars" is a metaphysical book as John Brandenburg states that Mars faced extinction and that the remnants of the survivors fled to Earth, leaving their former planet behind, uninhabitable. For fans of metaphysical science, "Life and Death on Mars" may prove an intriguing read.

JFK & UFO
Kenn Thomas
Feral House
1240 W. Sims Way #124
Port Townsend, WA 98368
9781936239061, $17.95, www.feralhouse.com

JFK & UFO: MILITARY-INDUSTRIAL CONSPIRACY AND COVER-UP FROM MAURY ISLAND TO DALLAS tells of the Maury Island incident, in which six flying saucers circled above a harbor boat in Washington, were witnessed by several, and was subsequently covered up. In 1968 an attorney investigating the JFK assassination subpoenaed Fred Crisman as part of his investigation, believing Crisman was the infamous shooter. This title connects these two disparate mysteries of assassination and ufos, considering the underground world of covered-up experience and providing a fine survey for any new age collection strong in conspiracies and cover-ups.

Alien Invasion
Travis S. Taylor, PhD and Bob Boan, PhD
Baen Books
Box 1403, Riverdale, NY 10471
9781439134429, $16.00, www.baen.com

ALIEN INVASION: THE ULTIMATE SURVIVAL GUIDE FOR THE ULTIMATE ATTACK provides a fine survey considering alien invasion possibilities and how to get ready. It comes from experienced scientists and physicists with expertise in both defense and military signal intelligence, and offers many keys to possible alien contact scenarios - and what can be done if they aren't friendly encounters. While new age shelves will be the most likely to find this a popular pick, many a military and general lending library will find its specific, science-based research a huge plus.

Exposed, Uncovered and Declassified: UFOs & Aliens
Michael Pyle & Kirsten Dalley, Editors
New Page Books
c/o Career Press Inc.
PO Box 687, Franklin Lakes, NJ 07417
9781601631732, $15.99, www.newpagebooks.com

Exposed, Uncovered and Declassified: UFOs & Aliens: Is There Anybody Out There offers original essays from Stanton Friedman, Kathleen Marden and many others who consider conspiracy theories surrounding UFOs. It addresses basic questions about what UFOs are and why they are here and comes from a nuclear physicist and UFO expert who considers our own proximity to interstellar travel and how UFOs may be part of our world. Any collection strong in UFO science and potential will find this an intriguing survey.

The Real Men in Black
Nick Redfern
New Page
c/o Career Press Inc.
PO Box 687, Franklin Lakes, NJ 07417
9781601631572, $15.99, www.newpagebooks.com

The Real Men in Black: Evidence, Famous Cases and True Stories provides a UFO readers with a fine conspiracy perspective on UFOs and how the 'men in black' may actually be real. It documents instances of 'real' men in black encounters around the world, offering exclusive interviews with leading researchers of the phenomenon. It comes from the author of Contactees and provides authoritative evidence perfect for any new age or UFO collection.

Primal Body, Primal Mind
Nora T. Gedgaudas, CNS, CNT
Healing Arts Press
c/o Inner Traditions
One Park Street, Rochester, VT 05767
9781594774133, $19.95, www.parkstpress.com

Primal Body, Primal Mind is a pick for health, nutrition and new age collections alike, and considers the healthy lives of our Paleolithic ancestors and how an increase in diseases and birth defects followed the birth of the agricultural lifestyle. Our modern grain, carb-heavy, low-fat diets are hugely different from our hunter-gatherer roots, and are leaving to many problems. Research from biology, health, nutrition and psychology fields blend in a survey of who diet affects mental and physical health and accompanies a fine blend of history, guidelines, recipes and meal recommendations from a certified nutritional therapist. New age, health, culinary and other holdings will find this a popular library lend.

Time of the Quickening
Susan B. Martinez, Ph.D.
Bear & Company
c/o Inner Traditions
One Park Street, Rochester, VT 05767
9781591431268, $20.00, www.parkstpress.com

Time of the Quickening: Prophecies for the Coming Utopian Age reviews cycles of history and prophecy from Nostradamus to Jeane Dixon and maintains that our current times of troubles represents not the end of the world, but the beginning of the Utopian Age. It explains why so many prophecies have failed - and presents an Egyptian system of prediction that can foretell every day of the year based on Earth's magnetic systems. New age collections will find this a fine survey offering an alternative prophecy process.

Chakra Frequencies
Jonathan Goldman and Andi Goldman
Destiny Books
c/o Inner Traditions
One Park Street, Rochester, VT 05767
9781594774041, $18.95, www.destinybooks.com

Chakra Frequencies: Tantra of Sound includes a 60-minute instructional CD and is a pick for any new age library strong in spirituality and personal growth. It provides a step-by-step guide from a sound-healing pioneer and his holistic psychotherapist wife, who consider ways the voice can resonate with and affect the physical and spiritual body. Exercises using breath, tone and mantras teach the basics of sound healing with an accompanying CD offering specifics on intonation. New age collections will find this both specific and key.


The Computer Shelf

My New iPad 2
Wallace Wang
No Starch Press
38 Ringold Street
San Francisco, CA 94103
9781593273866, $24.95, www.nostarch.com

The iPad presented a lot of power in a portable format, and the iPad 2 took it further. "My New iPad2" is a guide to getting the most out of the machine. From compasses, browsing the web, using it as a hand held entertainment device, setting it up so the kids can use it safely and much more, Wallace Wang prepares readers to do everything and that much more with their iPad. "My New iPad2" is strongly recommended for anyone who wants to learn the ins and outs of the iPad2.

Using Facebook
Kent Joshi & Patrice-Anne Rutledge
Que Publishing
c/o Pearson
800 East 96th Street
Indianapolis, IN 46240
9780789745248, $24.99, www.quepublishing.com

Facebook has become a media and social juggernaut, and not using it is a serious mistake. "Using Facebook" is a guide from Kent Joshi & Patrice-Anne Rutledge to use Facebook as a behemoth of a social networking tool, with plenty of tools and tricks along the way to make a winning Facebook page that will win over friends and family. With a DVD that has plenty of files to guide readers through, "Using Facebook" is strongly recommended for anyone who wants to dive in and make their Facebook page something special.

Interactive Data Visualization
Matthew Ward, Georges Grinstein and Daniel Keim
A.K. Peters Ltd.
5 Commonwealth Rd. #2C, Natick, MA 01760
9781568814735, $89.95, www.akpeters.com

College-level collections strong in concepts and theory surrounding data visualization will find INTERACTIVE DATA VISUALIZATION: FOUNDATIONS, TECHNIQUES, AND APPLICATIONS to be a powerful addition, covering all the details and tools needed for building visualizations around data. From math and statistical graphs to cartography and scientific displays, this offers plenty of details for creating visual displays of data, offering color illustrations throughout and plenty of refinement details.

Java for Programmers, second edition
Paul Deitel and Harvey Dietel
Prentice Hall
c/o Pearson Technology Group
801 East 96th Street, #300
Indianapolis, IN 46240-3759
9780132821544, $59.99, www.informit.com/ph

The second updated edition of Java for Programmers offers a fine guide to the Java platform and is written for programmers who already have a background in high-level language programming. It provides fully tested programs and ideas and over 200 complete Java programs with 18,000 lines of proven Java code along with tips for applying them to applications. From OOP case studies to threads and I/O, this covers all the basics in application developments and is key to all the Java applications and is key to any developer's library.

Addison Wesley
c/o Pearson Technology Group
801 East 96th Street, #300
Indianapolis, IN 46240-3759
www.informit.com/aw

Richard A. Caralli, et.al.'s CERT RESILIENCE MANAGEMENT MODEL (0321712439, $79.99) is a pick for any college-level IT or risk management collection, offering a new way to manage operational resilience and telling of best practices for managing information, technology and people. It provides a model that embraces security, business continuity and IT operations and presents CERT-RMM as the method of choice for doing so. The model is presented in its entirety and offers key background for professionals, explaining different approaches for using the model and providing short essays to show its applications in real-world environments. Business and IT collections alike will find it a key to success! Christopher M. Moyer's BUILDING APPLICATIONS IN THE CLOUD: CONCEPTS, PATTERNS, AND PROJECTS (0321720202, $39.99) is a top pick for any computer collection strong in cloud computing concepts. It covers the key details about cloud computing, common issues, and solutions, and provides a guide to the different services the cloud offers and how to take advantage of multiserver deployments. The author has four years' experience in cloud computing with Amazon Web Services - which places him ahead of most in this new computing environment, and makes this title a top reference. Martin L. Abbott and Michael T. Fisher's SCALABILITY RULES: 50 PRINCIPLES FOR SCALING WEB SITES (0321753887, $29.99) is a small pocket guide perfect for any web programming collection, and offers an easy scalability primer and reference designed as a take-along reference for architects, developers, web professionals and managers alike. This tells how to create and evaluate designs, share techniques for database management, and help in decision-making processes, with chapters offering basic rules for scalability from learning aggressively to avoiding redirects and learning from failures.

PayPal APIs Up and Running
Michael Balderas
O'Reilly Media
1005 Gravenstein Highway North, Sebastopol CA 95472
9781449396121, $34.99, www.oreilly.com

PayPal APIs Up and Running is for any library strong in web development applications, providing programmers with keys to understanding the PayPal option and how it can apply to any web endeavor. Step-by-step instructions for accepting money via Web or mobile devices for products and services makes for a survey that teaches how to use the PayPal API and blend it with a range of projects. Developers looking at transaction services must have this reference to a key internet commerce component.


The Art Shelf

Evolution
Michael Simon
The University of North Carolina Press
116 S. Boundary St.
Chapel Hill, NC 27514-3808
9780807872147, $45.00, www.uncpress.unc.edu

Creating pottery has fallen out of the mainstream, but there is still much art to be had in it. "Evolution" is a collection of photography and crafts from Michael Simon. Discussing the process of crafting and making art of bowls and jars, he compares the process to evolution, focused, slowly crafted, and ultimately ending up with something more perfect than what it once was. For those who want to understand pottery, the art and spirit behind it, and perhaps inspiration to try their own hand at it, "Evolution" is an essential addition to any art studies collection that wants to embrace ceramics and pottery further.

The Kress Collection
Angelica Daneo
Denver Art Museum
c/o University of Oklahoma Press
2800 Venture Drive
Norman, OK 73069
9780914738695, $25.00, www.oupress.com

The rapid evolution of art through the Renaissance has always been why it has been central to study. "The Kress Collection" focuses on the gifts to the Denver Art Museum by Samuel H. Kress, who presented the museum with many late Middle Age to early Enlightenment pieces of art in 1961. Presented in full color with a biography of the artists behind the works, a bit of history and with references, "The Kress Collection" is a fine compilation of art for study, or for perusal of anyone with a strong interest in the methods of the Renaissance.

Black Ice
David Blackwood
Douglas & McIntyre
2323 Quebec Street, Suite 201
Vancouver, BC Canada V5T 487
9781553647798, $40.00, www.douglas-mcintrye.com

Newfoundland is a place many don't hear of. "Black Ice" is a collection of art based on this Canadian province from a man who knows it very well in David Blackwood. Compiling traditions and superstition tied to the region that is unlike any other in Canada, the artwork seeks to capture the soul of Newfoundland in full color. Moving and exciting work drawn from galleries all over the world, "Black Ice" would do well in any cultural collection that wishes to touch on Newfoundland, as an excellent coffee table art book.

Thai & Southeast Asian Painting
James Emanuel Bogle
Schiffer
4880 Lower Valley Road
Atglen, PA 19310
9780764337390, $49.99, www.schifferbooks.com

A blend of Buddhism and folk tradition, the art of Thailand and its neighbors is truly unique when looking towards the classical art of the world. "Thai & Southeast Asian Painting: 18th through 20th Century" is a study and presentation of the advancements of these art styles in their many formats, fully reproduced in color. The Buddhist influence is very strong as long time fan and student of Southeast Asian art James Emanuel Bogle explains the meaning behind much of the work's symbolism. For those in search of a historical art coffee table book or are simply fascinated with the history and culture of Thailand, "Thai & Southeast Asian Painting" is a compilation that should not be missed.

Remembering Forward
Museum Ludwig
University of Washington Press
PO Box 50096
Seattle, WA 98145-5096
9781907372148, $50.00, www.washington.edu/uwpress

The simplest of designs can mean the world. "Remembering Forward: Australian Aboriginal Painting Since 1960" is a full color presentation of the artwork of Aboriginal Australia in recent years. A unique style that emphasizes the symbolism of color, the artists and scholars of Museum Ludwig present this volume to help readers gain a greater understanding of the style, what it means, and how it came to be. A choice coffee table art book for anyone who emphasizes world and folk art, "Remembering Forward" is an excellent addition to any art collection, providing a taste of an aboriginal culture not often seen outside Australia.

Pastels
Painting Class Series
Barron's
250 Wireless Road, Hauppauge, NY 11788
9780764163890, $29.99, www.barronseduc.com

Pastels joins others in the 'Painting Class Series' and provides a fine survey telling beginning crafters how to use pastels to achieve many different effects. A range of projects, from landscapes to human figure drawings, pack a survey that covers all the basics of materials, tools, and introductory and advanced techniques, offering step-by-step art projects in full color as a means of reinforcing the how-to concepts. Any general arts library will find this an excellent starting point to pastel work.

Fiber Art Today
Carol K. Russell
Schiffer
4880 Lower Valley Road, Atglen, PA 19310
9780764337772, $50.00, www.schifferbooks.com

Fiber Art Today comes from an artist and design teacher who has written extensively on tapestry and fiber methods and materials in modern art. Her FIBER ART TODAY packs in sculpture and wall art with over three hundred images accompanying a history of generations of fiber artists and their creations. From different techniques to a wide range of art using fiber media, this pairs full-page color and black and white photos with artist insights and surveys of techniques and creations and is a 'must' for any arts collection strong in fiber arts.

Abduzeedo: Inspiration Guide for Designers
Fabio Sasso and the Abduzeedo Team
New Riders
c/o Pearson Technology Group
801 East 96th Street, #300
Indianapolis, IN 46240-3759
9780321767448, $39.99, www.newriders.com

Abduzeedo comes from a Brazilian designer who established one of the world's most famous, desirable sources for inspiration and how-to tutorials: here they present an introduction to seven design styles in chapters that focuses on different designs and their concepts and techniques. Interviews with master artists working in the design field accompany plenty of color examples and keys to blending that style using Photoshop, Illustrator, and personal style. Arts and crafts collections will relish this!


The Fashion Shelf

Emerging Fashion Designers 1
Sally Congdon-Martin
Schiffer
4880 Lower Valley Road, Atglen, PA 19310
9780764336003, $39.99, www.schifferbooks.com

Emerging Fashion Designers 1 packs in nearly three hundred color images of fresh creations from collections by recent grads of sixteen of the most respected fashion design programs at universities across the country. This anthology presents a brief review of each designer, including inspiration, materials, and work examples, then organizes garments alphabetically by designer and graphically by school. Any college-level collection strong in contemporary fashion design will find this packed with reference to the latest fashion trends.

Thames & Hudson
500 - 5th Avenue, New York NY 10110
www.thamesandhudsonusa.com

Claude Montana and Marielle Cro's CLAUDE MONTANA: FASHION RADICAL (9780500515396, $50.00) packs in over a hundred color illustrations as it presents the French fashion designer's haute couture collections and works. It considers the basic practices that reflect Montana's unique perspective and style, includes conversations with Claude Montana himself, and captures the new image and culture the Montana models embody. From Montana's exaggerations of the proportions of his clothes to his preferred choices in cut, color and style, this is an in-depth study no fashion arts collection can be without. Fashion collections interested in history will welcome Jonathan Walford's FORTIES FASHION: FROM SIREN SUITS TO THE NEW LOOK (9780500288979, $29.95) packs in over 200 illustrations - most in color - to provide a definitive history of fashion in the 1940s. A range of fashions and styles that created trends around the world are surveyed by a fashion specialist who shows how fashion was considered an artistic expression of its times. From street fashion to attire for air raids, this provides a wide range of popular styles and is a fine addition to any interested in evolving fashion trends of the times.


The Audiobook Shelf

The Last Werewolf
Glen Duncan, author
Robin Sachs, narrator
Random House Audio Books
c/o The Random House Publishing Group
1745 Broadway, 8th floor
New York, NY 10019
9780307917331 $40.00 www.randomhouse.com

The Last Werewolf is the unabridged audiobook story of the last living werewolf in the modern-day world. Jake is 201 and physically hearty, living on a diet heavy in animal protein, but as the last of his kind he is beset by depression and loneliness. Jake contemplates suicide, but two threatening groups pursuing him are determined to keep him alive for their own sinister reasons! A sensual, sexy, and deeply emotional portrayal of a timeless legend, The Last Werewolf is highly recommended for fantasy audiobook and public library collections. 9 CDs, 11 1/2 hours.

Back of Beyond
C.J. Box, author
Holter Graham, narrator
Macmillan Audio
175 Fifth Avenue, Suite 315
New York, NY 10010
9781427211347 $39.99 www.macmillanaudio.com

Back of Beyond is the unabridged audiobook rendition of a tense mystery following brilliant but alcoholic policeman Cody Hoyt, only two months sober when he discovers that his friend burned to death in a remote mountain cabin. At first glance, it appears to be suicide, but Cody's memories of his friend prompt him to investigate more deeply. Evidence links the killing to an outfitter leading tourists to the most remote portions of Yellowstone National Park, and Cody's son and fourteen-year-old Gracie Sullivan. Cody must journey in the wilderness to stop a ruthless and remorseless killer who always seems to be one step ahead, in this vividly suspenseful novel. 9 CDs, 11 hours.

Betrayal of Trust
J.A. Jance, author
J.R. Horne, narrator
Harper Audio
10 East 53rd Street
New York, NY 10022-5299
9780062095794 $39.99 www.harpercollins.com

Betrayal of Trust is the unabridged audiobook adaptation of a mystery novel featuring Seattle investigator J.P. Beaumont. When the horrifying snuff film of a teenage girl being strangled by her own scarf surfaces on the cell phone of the grandson of Washington State's governor - a boy with a troubled past - it's Beaumont's duty to find whether he truly is involved in the shocking crime. Is the murder movie just a child's prank gone wrong, or the roots of something far more corrupt and grisly? It's a race against time for Beaumont to learn the truth before more young lives are lost in this captivating thriller, brought to life by J.R. Horne's superb storytelling performance.

The Four Just Men
Edgar Wallace, author
Bill Homewood, narrator
Naxos of America, Inc.
1810 Columbia Avenue, Suite 28
Franklin, TN 37064
9781843794554 $28.98 www.naxosaudiobooks.com

The Four Just Men is the unabridged audiobook adaptation of a tautly written thriller following four mysterious, wealthy Europeans, each a master of disguise and deception, who seek to deliver justice when police and governments cannot. Operating outside the law, they are ruthless and exacting in their dedication. A classic and enduring work brought to life with the skilled narration professional actor Bill Homewood, The Four Just Men is especially recommended for public library audiobook collections. 4 CDs, 4 hours 32 min.

Dragon's Oath
P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast, authors
Caitlin Davies, narrator
Macmillan Audio
175 Fifth Avenue, Suite 315
New York, NY 10010
9781427213907 $14.99 www.macmillanaudio.com

Dragon's Oath is the unabridged audiobook adaptation of a novella set in the dark fantasy world of the authors' House of Night vampire series. In the 1830's, the teenaged Bryan Lankford has been banished to America; he is Marked on the docks and given the choice of the London House of Night and a dragon-prowed ship to America. He chooses to become the Dragon, and his skill with a sword is destined to be the genesis of legend. When the shadow of menace falls upon both him and Anastasia, the young Professor of Spells and Rituals at the Tower Grove House of Night, he must muster all his fighting skill and intellect to survive and protect her. Superbly performed by Caitlin Davies, Dragon's Oath is a captivating listening experience and highly recommended. 3 CDs, 3.5 hours.

Burnt Mountain
Anne Rivers Siddons, author
Kate Reading, narrator
Hachette Audio
237 Park Avenue
New York, NY 10017
9781607882497 $34.98 www.hachettebookgroupusa.com

Burnt Mountain is the unabridged audiobook adaptation of a dramatic novel about love and lifetime changes. As a young tomboy, Thayer Wentworth loved the summer camp in the North Carolina mountains; it was the place where she met her first love - an experience that ended in heartbreak. Years later, she married the Irish professor Aengus. Their life together was a happy one, but when Aengus is invited to tell Irish tales to young campers on Burnt Mountain - the place where Thayer's father unexpectedly died in a terrible car accident - everything begins to change. As Aengus spends less time at home and more time away at camp, Thayer must examine the dark secrets of her past and present. A rewarding performance by Kate Reading brings this introspective novel to vivid life. Highly recommended, especially for public library audiobook collections. 8 CDs, 9 hours.

White Night
Jim Butcher
Recorded Books, LLC
270 Skip Jack Road
Prince Frederick, MD 20678
DF118, $125.75, www.recordedbooks.com

The latest addition to Recorded Books outstanding series of fantasy author Jim Butchers superbly crafted novels featuring Chicago based detective and wizard Harry Dresden, "White Night" engages the readers rapt attention with a true 'theatre of the mind' experience. Superbly narrated by James Marsters, this complete and unabridged edition offers 12 technically flawless compact discs providing comprising 14.25 hours of dramatic entertainment involving 'who done it' homicide detective work involving vampires, ghouls, witches, wizards, fairies, and more. There is a storytelling roller coaster of plot twists and dire perils that fully engage the listener from beginning to end. Highly recommended for personal and library audio book collections, those new to the adventures of Harry Dresden will want to visit the Recorded Books web site for a complete roster of Jim Butcher's series showcasing this wizard detective!

The Nature Principle
Richard Louv
Highbridge Audio Books
201 Sixth Street SE, Suite 220
Minneapolis, MN 55414
9781611742879, $34.95, www.highbridgeaudio.com

THE NATURE PRINCIPLE: HUMAN RESTORATION AND THE END OF NATURE-DEFICIT DISORDER blends research and personal stories to identify seven basic concepts that can help reshape lives through a better association of nature. Rick Adamson's narration is smooth and vivid and lends life to this account of how humans can re-connect with the power of nature to strengthen their bonds and abilities. Science and psychology collections will find this a fine addition!

Hachette Audio
237 Park Avenue, New York NY 10017
www.hachetteaudio.com

David Baldacci's ONE SUMMER (9781609412951, $34.98) offers a fine dual narration by author actor Ron McLarty and Broadway actress Orlagh Cassidy, and provides a fine family drama set around Christmas where a family is facing the death of a terminally ill father. He's spending his last days saying goodbye - when his wife is killed in a car accident and the kids are sent to live with family members around the country. A miraculous recovery and a final family summer make for an engrossing, moving audio listen perfect for any general lending library. I'M HERE TO WIN by Chris McCormack with Tim Vandehey (9781611138368, $29.98) offers a fine narration by a runner who at age 37 overcame all odds to win the Ford Ironman World Championship - for the second time. His training and athletic abilities comes alive in his autobiography and particularly under audio format, where the drama and insights of his training and his advice to other would-be athletes takes on new meaning. Annie Jacobsen's AREA 51: AN UNCENSORED HISTORY OF AMERICA'S TOP SECRET MILITARY BASE (9781609410896, $34.98) provides a powerful nonfiction survey of America's most secretive domestic military facility located in Nevada, offering a fine in-depth account of a base that the government has never admitted to. Annie Jacobsen narrates her own account and her voice is a vivid dramatic and smooth style that captures perfectly the many facts she's revealing about Area 51. Any general library will find this a popular lend. Also sure to be popular is Joyce Meyer's best-selling BATTLEFIELD OF THE MIND (9781586215347, $29.95), read by Pat Lentz adds smooth passion to this best-selling account of negative thinking and how millions can overcome negativity. Learn to gain control over your mind, recognize damaging thought patterns, and overcome bad attitudes through a guide that teaches self-awareness and victory in an excellent audio nonfiction guide.

Brilliance Audio
PO Box 887, Grand Haven, MI 49417
www.brillianceaudio.com

P.T. Deutermann's PACIFIC GLORY (1611063329, $29.99) provides a fine novel telling of three friends who form strong bonds during their naval academy years with different goals in mind. All find their lives changed by the Pearl Harbor attack - and years later struggle with loss and lessons from the event. Any audio collection strong in military fiction needs this poignant story, highlighted by Dick Hill's veteran skills. Iris Johansen's EVE (1441886001, $36.99) receives a powerful performance by Jennifer Van Dyck and recounts Eve Duncan's mission in life: to bring closure to families of missing kids. She's a forensic sculptor who is a genius at solving missing children cases - driven by her own past sadness. Now new evidence may bring her own resolution in this gripping mystery, the first in a projected trilogy augmenting prior Eve Duncan novels of intrigue.

Penguin Audio
375 Hudson St., New York NY 10014
www.penguin.com

Gordon S. Wood's THE IDEA OF AMERICA (9780142429396, $19.95) receives an excellent narration by Audie Award winner Robert Fass, and is a recommendation for any audio collection strong in nonfiction and American history. It provides essays exploring the ideological origins of the Revolution from Ancient Rome to the event, and shows how the founders created an American democratic ideal. Any collection strong in American historical evolution will find this a winning presentation! John Grisham's THEODORE BOONE: THE ABDUCTION (9780142429419, $19.95) comes to life under a fine narration by Richard Thomas, a prolific actor who enlivens this new Theodore Boone adventure recommended for newcomers and prior fans alike. Here Theodore's best friend April vanishes - and it's up to Theo to use his legal and investigative skills to find her. An excellent novel of mystery and intrigue comes to life in audio. The classic John Steinbeck OF MICE AND MEN (9780142429181, $19.95) receives a fine reading by Gary Sinise, whose smooth Tony-nominated voice lends to Steinbeck's classic story of commitment and hope. Two men face a world dominated by petty tyranny but struggle to rise above it in this classic American story of survival, perfect for any general lending library seeking audios of the classics.


The Library CD Shelf

Eastern Wind, Northern Lights
James Stephenson
Canyon Records Productions
3131 West Clarendon Avenue
Phoenix, AZ 85017
$15.60 www.canyonrecords.com

Eastern Wind, Northern Lights (56 min. 47 sec.) is an album of songs inspired by and faithful to the tradition of the Round Dance. Composer and performer James Stephenson draws upon his own Lumbee heritage and his familiarity with Plains Cree Round Dance music, in this vibrant and captivating album especially recommended for Native American music collections. The tracks are "Hip Burner" (3:18), "Never Hurt Again" (3:23), "Just the Other Day" (4:40), "Wakulla Bound" (4:14), "Feels Good" (2:58), "The Cruiser" (3:34), "Anytime You Feel Alone" (4:06), "Monster Mash" (3:25), "Blinded By Love" (4:50), "Fry Bread Queen" (4:49), "Regrets" (4:38), "Love at First Sight" (3:14), "My Destiny" (4:30) and "My Old Lady" (4:11).

Warriors in the Mist
Tha Tribe
Canyon Records Productions
3131 West Clarendon Avenue
Phoenix, AZ 85017
$15.60 www.canyonrecords.com

Tha Tribe performs Warriors in the Mist (41 min. 12 sec.), an album of pow-wow songs recorded live in Coushatta. Brimming with immense energy and fervor, Warriors of the Mist hearkens to the strength of spirit in the peoples who first settled North America, and offers original stylings on an ancient and worthy musical tradition. Highly recommended for Native American music collections. The tracks are "Intertribal" (3:13), "Intertribal" (2:52), "Intertribal" (2:40), "Fancy Trick Song" (3:23), "Get It" (3:13), "Grass Dance" (3:47), "Foot Slide" (2:00), "Cool Breeze" (2:51), "Grand Entry" (4:33), "Intertribal" (2:33), "Old Necklace Breaker" (1:48), "Contest Song" (3:19), "Intertribal" (3:32), and "Foot Slide" (2:04).

In the Lite of Things
Eddie Gip Noble
Sonida Noble Records
c/o The Creative Service Company
4360 Emerald Drive
Colorado Springs, CO 80918
$18.99 eddiegipnoble.com

In the Lite of Things is the latest album by jazz-blues artist Eddie Gip Noble. The songs are all great hits from R&B, pop, rock, jazz, and country transformed into instrumental smooth jazz. The result is a smooth, pleasing audio experience that can be enjoyed for its own sake or as an invigorating background to driving or any daily task. Highly recommended. The tracks are "Linus and Lucy" (3:40), "Run" (4:16), "Streets of Philadelphia" (4:43), "Blackbird" (4:13), "The Girl Is Mine" (4:44), "Thousand Miles" (3:40), "Red Rain" (4:03), "Don't Want To Be Alone Tonight" (3:27), "Behind Closed Doors" (3:27), "Desert Rose" (4:46), "Let It All Out (Shout)" (5:15), and "Save the Best for Last" (3:56).


The Library DVD Shelf

The Battle for Marjah
Acorn Media Group
8515 Georgia Avenue, Suite 620
Silver Spring, MD 20910-3403
9781598286830 $34.99 www.acornonline.com

Award-winning journalist Ben Anderson hosts the true story of Bravo Company, 1st Battalion, 6th marines, and its commander Captain Ryan Sparks in the recent Afghanistan war in The Battle for Marjah, a stunning DVD/Blu-ray combo pack documentary. A twelve-page viewer's guide is included along with a DVD and Blu-ray discs of this vivid documentary of the many challenges facing American Marines: vanquish the Taliban, hold the territory claimed, build infrastructure and a working government, and transfer control to Afghan security forces. Due to the violent reality of the war, The Battle for Marjah contains strong language, violence, and disturbing images. Highly recommended, especially for public library DVD and Blu-ray collections. 1 DVD and 1 Blu-ray disc, 84 min., widescreen.

Vera
Acorn Media Group
8515 Georgia Avenue, Suite 620
Silver Spring, MD 20910-3403
9781598285765 $59.99 www.acornonline.com

Vera is a 4-DVD collection based on the bestselling British mystery series by Ann Cleeves. Two-time Oscar nominee Brenda Blethyn plays the titular role of Vera Stanhope, an obsessive, short-tempered, and sometimes thoughtless investigator. In addition to tolerating her borderline misanthropic personality, her faithful associates help her solve seemingly unthinkable crimes in this captivating and character-centric drama. Highly recommended, especially for fans of top-notch British television. 4 episodes, 355 min., widescreen, SDH subtitles.

10 Minute Solution Best Belly Blasters
Anchor Bay Entertainment
2401 West Big Beaver Road, Suite 200
Troy, MI 48084-3304
$14.98 www.anchorbayentertainment.com

10 Minute Solution Best Belly Blasters is an excellent addition to the 10 Minute Solution library of fitness DVDs for people with jam-packed schedules. Offering six user-friendly, ten-minute abdominal workouts that can be mixed and matched to taste, 10 Minute Solution Best Belly Blasters is an excellent supplement to fitness DVD libraries. The workouts are "Six Pack Ab Attack", "Waist Slimmer", "Belly Fat Burner", "Dancer's Abs", "Pilates Perfect Abs", and "Bikini Belly". A ten-day "belly blasting meal plan" enhances this choice pick for fitness enthusiasts of all skill and experience levels. 63 min.


The Health/Medicine Shelf

The Anti-Anxiety Food Solution
Trudy Scott
New Harbinger Publications
5674 Shattuck Avenue
Oakland, CA 94609
9781572249257, $17.95, www.newharbinger.com

Good diet can lead to better health in more than one way. "The Anti-Anxiety Food Solution: How the Foods You Eat Can Help You Calm Your Anxious Mind, Improve Your Mood, & End Cravings" is a straightforward advisory guide for crafting one's diet to improve your mood and calm one's nerves. Our brain chemistry is created by what we fuel our bodies and through our diet. Certain foods help one's nerves, while others exacerbate the problem. "The Anti-Anxiety Food Solution" is an excellent pick for anyone who is at the end of their rope and wants to eat their way back to happiness.

Writing Yoga
Bruce Black
Rodmell Press
2147 Blake St., Berkeley
CA 94704-2715
9781930485280, $14.95, www.rodemellpress.com

Yoga must done with a certain flare and dedication. "Writing Yoga: A Guide to Keeping a Practice Journal" is a guide to creating a journal to help one's own practice of Yoga and sticking to it. Through his own memoir, Bruce Black hopes others will follow in his footsteps in creating reminders of their own focus, spirituality, and remembering to always act mindfully. "Writing Yoga" is well worth considering for anyone who wants to take their practice of Yoga to the next level.

What Nurses Know... Gluten-Free Lifestyle
Sylvia Llewelyn Bower
Demos Health
11 West 42nd Street, 15th Floor
New York, NY 10036
9781936303076, $16.95, www.demosmedpub.com

A nurse has to understand a wide array of conditions in order to properly care for their patients. "What Nurses Know... Gluten-Free Lifestyle: The Answers You Need from the People You Trust" is a medical advice guide from Sylvia Llewelyn Bower as she advises readers with gluten-intolerant diets on how to avoid gluten when it's everywhere they turn in their grocery stores and when they eat out. Complete with a sample meal plan, "What Nurses Know... Gluten-Free Lifestyle" is a sage and recommended resource, not to be missed.

Broken Bodies, Shattered Minds
Ronald J. Glasser
History Publishing Company
PO Box 700
Palisades, NY 10964-0700
9781933909479, $17.95, www.historypublishingco.com

The cost of war is not in bullets and property damage alone. "Broken Bodies, Shattered Minds: A Medical Odyssey From Vietnam to Afghanistan" discusses the advancing and changing nature of warfare and its effects on the physical and psychological damage that troops face. Serious concussions have been rising in prevalence, and leaving troops impaired for life, in very serious degrees. Touching on the severity of concussions in general, "Broken Bodies, Shattered Minds" is a very much needed discussion of head injuries and how they can be more crippling than many are willing to admit.

Diet Myths Busted
Ann A. Rosenstein
Idyll Arbor
39129 264th Ave SE
Enumclaw, WA 98022
9781882883837, $18.00, www.dietfitnessdiva.com

Weight loss is a difficult endeavor, mainly for trying to wade through the oceans of misinformation. "Diet Myths Busted: Food Facts Not Nutrition Fiction" is a health guide from Ann A. Rosenstein as she tries to speak on much conventional wisdom and offers her facts to conquer them and discuss their impact on our health. From the hidden story behind diet soda to why frozen seafood is just as good as any other, "Diet Myths Busted" is well worth considering for those who are trying to craft their own health plan.

No-Risk Abs
Blandine Calais-Germain
Healing Arts Press
c/o Inner Traditions
1 Park Street, Rochester, VT 05767
9781594773891, $19.95, www.healingartspress.com

Abs are the holy grail of fitness. "No-Risk Abs: A Safe Workout Program for Core Strength" is a guide for those in search of abs for greater health in their lives. A lower risk plan that still gets results, the author walks readers through seven warm ups and 16 exercises to tone and work the abdominal region to leave it looking excellent, built on his six principles. For those who want abs but have a fear of injury and misleading information, "No-Risk Abs" is a fine pick for anyone who wants greater success in their pursuit of health.

Cosmetic Surgery
Robert T. Grant & Constance M. Chen
McGraw-Hill Lange
c/o The McGraw Hill Companies
Two Penn Plaza, 11th Floor
New York, NY 10121-2298
9780071470797, $90.00 www.mcgraw-hillmedical.com

COSMETIC SURGERY offers a color, step-by-step set of instructions on how to perform the most popular procedures in cosmetic surgery and is a college-level medical reference no serious health library should be without. Over 250 color illustrations and photos illustrate each step and present facial and other body cosmetic surgeries. Experienced plastic surgeons offer a fine survey of techniques, complications, outcomes assessment, and more. Black and white 'before and after' photos accompany the step-by-step processes.

USMLE Pharmacology and Treatment Flashcards, second edition
Conrad Fischer, MD
Kaplan Medical
c/o Kaplan Publishing
1 Liberty Plaza, 24th floor
New York, NY 10006
9781607148791, $44.99, www.kaplanpublishing.com

USMLE Pharmacology and Treatment Flashcards appears in a second updated edition packing in pharmacology questions for Step 1 and treatment questions for Steps 2 and 3. Over 500 drugs are covered in over 125 case studies presented on flashcards for quick consultation for the best treatment for any given diagnosis on the USMLE.

Exercise Testing and Prescription Lab Manual, second edition
Edmund O. Acevedo and Michael A. Starks
Human Kinetics Publishers, Inc.
PO Box 5076, Champaign, IL 61820-5076
0736087281, $44.00, www.humankinetics.com

The second updated edition of Exercise Testing and Prescription Lab Manual includes the latest updates keyed to recent modifications published in the ASCM's Guidelines for Exercise Testing and Prescription, Eighth Edition, and adds in-depth surveys on body composition testing, new emphasis on assessment processes, a newly updated format lending to quicker reference, and more discussion questions for each lab. Forms, worksheets and more make this a pick for any college-level sports collection.

Fierce Medicine
Ana T. Forrest
HarperOne
c/o HarperCollins
353 Sacramento St. #500
San Francisco CA 94111-3653
9780061864247, $25.99, www.harperone.com

FIERCE MEDICINE: BREAKTHROUGH PRACTICES TO HEAL THE BODY AND IGNITE THE SPIRIT comes from a pioneer in emotional and physical healing who has changed people's lives for over forty years. When Ana attended her firs yoga class as a dare, she became more hooked on the concept than on the booze and pills she was addicted to - and eventually founded Forrest Yoga, a technique integrated into daily living. Her experiences with yoga anyone can do draws important connections between yoga and life, offering a style of yoga that promises a new way to move beyond metal blocks and hurt. Any collection strong in health and yoga needs this guide.

Something Different About Dad
Kirsti Evans
Jessica Kingsley Publishers
400 Market St. #400, Philadelphia, PA 19106
9781849051149, $18.95, www.jkp.com

Something Different About Dad: How to Live With Your Asperger's Parent follows the story of Sophie and Daniel whose dad Mark has Asperger Syndrome. The family's progress from initial diagnosis to acceptance offers a fine survey presented in a dialogue loaded with black and white cartoons and family-friendly dialogue that embraces the realistic experiences of Asperger. Any family facing such a diagnosis needs this, as do general health collections appealing to parents.

Jones & Bartlett
40 Tall Pine Rd., Sudbury, MA 01776
www.jbpub.com

The fourth updated edition of Sara T. Fry, Robert M. Veatch, and Carol Taylor's CASE STUDIES IN NURSING ETHICS (9780763780319, $82.95) is a top pick for any college-level healthcare library, surveying the latest ethical issues and specific guidelines for carrying through basic nursing principles. Over 150 actual case study conflicts that have occurred in nursing practice are accompanied by keys to resolution, enabling students to consider their own approaches to ethical conflict in nursing. This edition has been completely revised and updated, adding two new chapters on Moral Integrity and Moral Distress and on Respect, and adding new case studies and citations throughout. Very highly recommended! Janie B. Butts and Karen L. Rich's NURSING ETHICS ACROSS THE CURRICULUM AND INTO PRACTICE, 2ND EDITION (0763748986, $73.95) has been newly revised and updated and provides a college-level ethics textbook to any serious nursing program. New to this edition are two new chapters covering bioethics and professional nursing practice, key terms and chapter summaries, multiple-choice questions and reports based on clinical evidence and case studies.

Contemporary Medical-Surgical Nursing, second edition
Rick Daniels & Leslie Nicoll
Delmar
c/o Cengage Learning, Inc.
200 First Stamford Place, Stamford, CT 06902
9780840023360, $74.95, www.cengage.com/delmar

Contemporary Medical-Surgical Nursing provides an updated second edition packing in keys to addressing health concepts that embrace holistic nursing practices, and represents a remake of the original edition that offers a better focus on concepts, research, and new case studies supporting and applying them. Chapters offer color-coded sections of critical thinking activities, resources and references, and color sidebars of information to accompany overall discussions of nursing and the hospital environment, health assessment processes and different levels of care, and more. With its extensive in-depth surveys, this college-level textbook is certain to reach classroom audiences for any studying nursing, and is filled with facts and recommendations suitable for any student.


The Psychology Shelf

Crisis in the American Heartland
George W. Doherty
Rocky Mountain Region Disaster Mental Health Institute Press
c/o Loving Healing Press
5145 Pontiac Trial
Ann Arbor, MI 48105
9781615990757, $24.95, www.rmrinstitute.org

When there's miles between houses, mental health seems to be on the priority list. "Crisis in the American Heartland: Disasters & Mental Health in Rural Environments" discusses the need for psychology in rural areas as well as other disaster related services for people in rural areas. Although in fair weather, rural Americans are perfectly fine, the gaps between them and urban dwellers grows exponentially as conditions get worse. Stating there are many psychological elements not often considered, "Crisis in the American Heartland" is an important read for those concerned about the future of rural America.

Shame In The Therapy Hour
Ronda L. Daring & June Price Tangney
American Psychological Association
750 First Street, NE
Washington, DC 20002-4242
www.apa.org/books
9781433809675, $69.95, www.amazon.com

Psychotherapy routinely involves dealing with a patients poor psychological adjustment, interpersonal difficulties, and problematic life functioning both in general and specifically. Often this means dealing with feelings of shame if treatment is to resolve presented emotional and cognitive problems. The collaborative editorial work of clinical psychologists Ronda L. Daring (clinical researcher at the Research Institute on Addictions, University at Buffalo) and June Price Tangney (Professor of Psychology, Psychology Department, George Mason University), "Shame In The Therapy Hour" is a 408-page compendium of sixteen scholarly articles that range from Andrew P. Morrison's 'The Psychodynamics of Shame'; to 'Therapy with Shame-Prone Alcoholic and Drug-Dependent Cleitns' by Roand T. Potter-Efron; to 'Therapist Shame: Implications for Therapy and Supervision' by Nicholas Ladany, Rebeca Klinger, and Lauren Kulp; to 'Shame in Psychotherapy and the Role of Compassion Focused Therapy' by Paul Gilbert. Enhanced with an informed and informative introduction ('Putting Shame in Context' by Ronda L. Daring and June Price Tagney), a list of contributors, and a comprehensive index, "Shame In The Therapy Hour" is a seminal work of impeccable scholarship and a very highly recommended addition to professional and academic library Psychology and Psychiatry studies reference collections.

Bursts
Albert-Laszlo Barabasi
Plume
c/o Penguin
375 Hudson Street, New York, NY 10014
9780452297180, $16.00, www.penguin.com

What is the science behind our will? "Bursts: The Hidden Patterns Behind Everything We Do, Form Your E-Mail to Bloody Crusades" discusses the science behind human nature. Albert-Laszlo Barabasi argues that human nature is bursty, where we spend a good time doing nothing, then surging with a wide arrays of things, and understanding these bursts reveals much in the predictability of human nature. "Bursts" is a fine addition to any science and psychology collection, highly recommended.

Career Counseling
Mark L. Savickas
American Psychological Association
750 First Street, NE
Washington, DC 20002
9781433809804, $24.95, www.apa.org

The path of the career is one easy to get lost on. "Career Counseling" is a guide to career counseling and therapy for the twenty first century where changing careers is not unusual and is widely accepted all around. Helping patients through a career crisis may be vital to finding the root of an issue. With plenty of sound advice and study for more effective approaches, "Career Counseling" is a vital and core addition to any career counseling collection, strongly recommended for community and college library collections.

Understanding and Treating Dissociative Identity Disorder
Elizabeth F. Howell
Routledge
c/o Taylor & Francis Group
270 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10016
9780415994972, $35.95, www.psychoanalysisarena.com

Dissociative personality disorder can make you feel an alien in your own world. "Understanding and Treating Dissociative Identity Disorder: A Relational Approach" explores dissociative identity disorder through the work of psychoanalyst who specializes in trauma and the effects that the disorder can wreak on lives. Drawing on examples that many cases are facing, the connection to trauma, understanding the disconnection, trying to understand it, and fighting the suicidal tendencies in it all. "Understanding and Treating Dissociative Identity Disorder" is a must for any psychologist looking for deeper study of this serious and life changing disorder and how it affects their patients.

Change
Paul Watzlawick, John H. Weakland, Richard Fisch
W.W. Norton
500 - 5th Avenue, New York NY 10110
9780393707069, $19.95, www.wwnorton.com

CHANGE: PRINCIPLES OF PROBLEM FORMATION AND PROBLEM RESOLUTION provides a fine survey of why some people can change their lives and others can't. Psychologist Paul Watzlawick maintains that the solutions to problems lie embedded in the problems themselves - and his thoughts have influenced generations of psychotherapists and a branch of psychology called solution-focused therapy. This considers why problems arise and how they are tackled, offering a new edition with a new preface by Bill O'Hanlon that places the work of Paul Watzlawick and his coauthors in a modern perspective. A top pick for any psychology library!

The Worrier's Guide to Overcoming Procrastination
Pamela S. Wiegartz, PhD & Kevin L. Gyoerkoe, Psy.D.
New Harbinger Publications
5674 Shattuck Avenue, Oakland, CA 94609
9781572248717, $19.95, www.newharbinger.com

The Worrier's Guide to Overcoming Procrastination teaches a program for identifying specific triggers to procrastination and changing negative thinking patterns, and is a fine survey for any who would set goals and change destructive habits that obstruct them. Chapters provide cognitive behavioral solutions to doubt, time management issues, and goal setting challenges and provide a thorough program for success.

Incognito: The Secret Lives of the Brain
David Eagleman
Pantheon
c/o The Random House Publishing Group
1745 Broadway, 17th floor
New York, NY 10019
9780307377333, $26.95, www.pantheonbooks.com

Incognito: The Secret Lives of the Brain comes from a neuroscientist who considers the subconscious brain and its mysteries. From brain damage and recovery to synesthesia, criminal minds, artificial intelligence and more, this provides a fine survey of the latest research on the mind and the brain-body connection, and is a top recommendation for science and health collections alike.

Autism and Pervasive Developmental Disorders Sourcebook, second edition
Joyce Brennfleck Shannon, Editor
Omnigraphics
Box 31-1640, Detroit MI 48231-1640
9780780811461, $95.00, www.omnigraphics.com

Autism and Pervasive Developmental Disorders Sourcebook appears in a new second edition to provide the latest studies and reports on autism and related disorders. From genes to environmental factors, this covers basic diagnosis and the types of interventions that produce the best long-term outcomes, offering the latest facts in a rapidly-changing field. Both psychology libraries and general lending collections will benefit from the narrowed focus and wealth of cutting-edge research on trends and facts.

Autism Solutions
Dr. Ricki Robinson
Harlequin Enterprises Ltd.
233 Broadway Suite 1001, New York NY 10279
9780373892099, $24.95, www.eHarlequin.com

AUTISM SOLUTIONS: HOW TO CREATE A HEALTHY AND MEANINGFUL LIFE FOR YOUR CHILD provides parents with a solution-oriented guide that covers evaluation, diagnosis, education and treatment options for the autistic child. From the features of autism and its possible causes to common myths and realities about autism, Dr. Ricki covers all the latest research, treatment options, and her own approach to customizing the treatments to suit an autistic child's unique needs. She also maintains that autistic kids are undeserved medically and she covers all the common conditions and symptoms likely to affect such a child. Parents will find this a 'must' pick while general lending collections appealing to parents will find this a popular lend.


The Theatre/Cinema/TV Shelf

Conquering YouTube
Jay Miles
Michael Wiese Productions
12400 Ventura Blvd. #1111
Studio City, CA 91604
9781932907940, $26.95, www.mwp.com

Conquering YouTube: 101 Pro Video Tips To Take You To The Top is a 'must' for filmmakers both amateur and professional and for any film library catering to them. It provides a user-friendly survey of the basics involved in creating memorable videos for the Web, blending clear instructions with shooting exercises and insights tailored to solving common film-making problems. The tips are presented in such a way that readers can choose between start-to-finish projects or at-a-glance quick reference. The tips used by larger-budget film and TV productions translate well to the smaller Web environment, making this a top pick not just for film libraries, but for computer holdings alike.

Thinking Animation
Angie Jones and Jamie Oliff
Course Technology
c/o Cengage Learning, Inc.
200 First Stamford Place
Stamford, CT 06902
1598632604, $39.99, www.courseptr.com

Thinking Animation: Bridging the Gap Between 2D and CG provides a fine survey that emphasizes how artists can use traditional animation techniques with modern computer-generated animation technology. It's written by seasoned animators with experience in both 2D and CG and interviews 40 professionals who have a wide range of backgrounds in everything from stop-motion to visual effects, and it packs in keys to animating with the computer while retaining artistic results. Any film collection must have this information-packed survey of the creative animation field!


The Photography Shelf

From the Observatory
Julio Cortazar
Archipelago Books
232 Third Street, #A111
Brooklyn, NY 11215
9781935744061, $18.00, www.cbsd.org

What drives people to look deep into where they will never go? "From the Observatory" is a blend of artistic photography and discussion of an observatory in Jaipur by an Indian prince. Julio Cortazar's discussion and pondering provide an intriguing blend of the structure he sees and the history that lies behind it. An intriguing work that is deftly translated from the original Spanish by Anne McLean, "From the Observatory" defies genre with its art, photography, and unique wisdom.

War Remnants of the Khmer Rouge
Maureen Lambray
Umbrage
111 Front Street #208
Brooklyn, NY 11201
9781884167317, $60.00, www.umbragebooks.com

The memory of atrocity does not fade so easily. "War Remnants of the Khmer Rouge" is a work of history and black and white photography as Maureen Lambray walks readers through the tragic history of what is left behind by the cruel iron fist of Pol Pot, the scarred and tattered legacy of this sinister chapter in Cambodian history, that left almost two million dead. Through it all, the wounds of this terror still shine strong, showing real people coping with the dismemberment and horrors of war. "War Remnants of the Khmer Rouge" is a depressing yet necessary look of what remains after brutality.

Creative Landscapes
Harold Davis
Wiley
c/o Wiley Professional Trade Group
111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030-5774
9781118027325, $29.99, www.wiley.com

CREATIVE LANDSCAPES: DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY TIPS & TECHNIQUES comes from a master landscape photographer who shows how to look at real-world landscapes with an eye to creating great photos. From using exposure controls and basic composition for landscapes to working with weather and using HDR, this packs in digital tips specific to landscape design and shooting, and offers full-sized color photos on nearly every page to support basic teachings. No photography collection should be without this specific resource!

How to Do Everything: Digital Photography
Jason R. Rich
McGraw-Hill
c/o The McGraw Hill Companies
Two Penn Plaza, 11th Floor
New York, NY 10121-2298
0071754717, $25.00, www.mhprofessional.com

How to Do Everything: Digital Photography is packed with color photos and instruction on how to create professional-quality photos using any digital camera, whether it be from a smartphone or an advanced digital SLR camera. Learn to take better pictures by understanding basic photography, from composition techniques to common mistakes in lighting and candid shots, and learn how to digitally edit and improve images using photo editing software and plug-ins alike. Any general lending library or photography collection needs this.


The Pets/Wildlife Shelf

My Puppy
Horst Hegewald-Kawich
Barrons
250 Wireless Boulevard
Happauge, NY 11788
9780764145780, $14.99, www.barronseduc.com

Like baby humans, puppies pick up things that will affect them for a lifetime early in life. "My Puppy" is a guide for welcoming a puppy into your life. From picking the right breed for what you want out of your dog, dealing the primal instincts of the dog, to making them work with the family, keeping them in good health with diet and exercise and dealing with the rapid development of dogs. "My Puppy" is an excellent pick for anyone who wants to bring a puppy into their lives and do it properly.

Complete Guide to Dog Care
Diane Morgan
TFH
Third and Union Avenues
Neptune City, NJ 07753
9780793837120, $24.95, www.tfh.com

A dog can become like a child, with its master superior wanting what's best for it. "Complete Guide to Dog Care" is a guide from Diane Morgan and Animal Planet to walk them through the details of training and helping their dog reach their peak health and maintain it for years to come. From choosing a dog to adoption to basic dietary requirements, training one's dog, dealing with problematic behavior, and much more, "Complete Guide to Dog Care" is a fine pick for anyone who wants to give their dog everything they need to have a happy and healthy life for their dog with a happy and healthy relationship with owner.

BSAVA Manual of Canine and Feline Rehabilitation, Supportive and Palliative Care
Samantha Lindley and Penny Watson, Editors
Wiley-Blackwell
350 Main Street, Malden, MA 02148
9781905319206, $130.00, www.wiley.com/wiley-blackwell

BSAVA Manual of Canine and Feline Rehabilitation, Supportive and Palliative Care: Case Studies in Patient Management is a 'must' for any college-level veterinary studies collection, and reviews the basics of animal rehabilitation, supportive care, and pain management. From alternative therapies such as acupuncture and hydrotherapy to nutritional requirements and handling animal stress, this introduces the basic principles and provides a section of case study examples of all kinds of animal patients in a powerful survey packed with practical applications.


The Crafts Shelf

Origrafix Fun
Studio Cochae
Stone Bridge press
PO Box 8208
Berkeley, CA 94707
9781611720037, $16.95, www.stonebridge.com

Origami can create entertainment out of the plainest of paper. "Origrafix Fun: Hop, Move, Fly, Play" is a workbook filled with colorful design and instructions on how to turn that design into something much more. Each design comes with easy to follow instructions and easy to tear out pages to use for the folding project, some with even working parts that go beyond a simple paper crane. For those who want to better understand origami and become adept at it themselves, "Origrafix Fun" is a fine pick for both new and experienced origami artists.

Chains, Chains, Chains
Joanna Gollberg & Nathalie Mornu
Lark Crafts
c/o Sterling
387 Park Avenue South
New York, NY, 10016
9781600595981, $24.95, www.larkcrafts.com

A chain forms an excellent base for crafting one's own jewelry. "Chains, Chains, Chains: 25 Necklaces, Bracelets, & Earrings" is a guide to those who want to use the chain as a better method in creating their own jewelry out of these easily constructed pieces. Chains can form the base for many ornamental designs that will go with any fashion, and can be made out of nearly any metal. "Chains, Chains, Chains" is a useful full color guide for any do-it-yourself jewelry enthusiast.

Spotlight on Wire
Melissa Cable
Kalmbach Books
21027 Crossroads Circle
PO Box 1612
Waukesha, WI 53187-1612
9780871164377, $21.95, www.kalmbachbooks.com

Wire is an essential tool in creating many unique trinkets. "Spotlight on Wire" is a guide to using wire in do-it-yourself jewelry and related endeavors. Melissa Cable walks readers through understanding all the tips and tricks for making wire work for your project, the tools you need to manipulate them, and many techniques to use wire as a subtle enhancer to many designs. Necklaces, earrings, bracelets, and more are all discussed, and makes "Spotlight on Wire" a strongly recommended pick for anyone who likes to make their own jewelry.

The Elemental Journal
Tammy Kushnir
North Light Books
c/o F& W Media
4700 E. Galbreath Rd., Cincinnati, OH 45236
1440305366, $24.99, www.artistsnetwork.com

THE ELEMENTAL JOURNAL: COMPOSING ARTFUL EXPRESSIONS FROM ITEMS CAST ASIDE shows how to create a wide variety of journals to express thoughts, and offers new ways of using wood, paper, fabric and more. Some fifteen journal projects made from unusual materials and found objects offer tips for seeking out materials in flea markets and nature, and provides gallery projects from nine artists who provide full color, step-by-step photos. Any crafts or writer's collection will find this a specific, unusual attraction.

Kalmbach Books
21027 Crossroads Circle, Waukesha, WI 53186
www.kalmbachbooks.com

Joe Silvera's SOLDERING MADE SIMPLE (9780871164063, $21.95) shows how to make professional-quality jewelry at home, and offers the tools and materials needed to make some 12 jewelry projects. Learn how to create earrings, pendants, rings and more in a collection that covers all the basics of soldering techniques, from fueling to pick-soldering. Related metalworking techniques, from polishing to using a jeweler's saw, are presented in this fine survey of applied soldering, recommended for any jewelry crafting library. Collections strong in model railroading crafts will welcome Jeff Wilson's THE MODEL RAILROADER'S GUIDE TO TRACKSIDE STRUCTURES (9780890247754, $19.95), packed with historical photos and explaining the design and operation of different railway structures for modelers. From depots and stations to crossing gates and water tanks, this shows modelers prototypes of such structures and explains how they were operated by railroads across the country. Tips for modeling these structures round out the specific train history. Nancy Zellers' BEAD TUBE JEWELRY: PEYOTE & BRICK STITCH DESIGNS FOR 30+ NECKLACES, BRACELETS AND EARRINGS (9780871164179, $19.95) tells how to create bead tubes and use them in peyote and brick stitch patterns. From designing jewelry to blending in patterns, this is fine survey of different styles and approaches and offers easy projects newcomers will find appealing and fun. Also fun is Julie Picarello's PATTERNS IN POLYMER: IMPRINT & ACCENT BEAD TECHNIQUES (9780871164094, $21.95), which comes from an award-winning mixed-media artist and provides keys for combining and working with colors to create a new polymer imprint technique based. Five bead projects and six jewelry projects are provided in this survey of how polymer offers potentials for new patterns and textures in jewelry making.


The Needlecraft Shelf

Lark Crafts
c/o Sterling Publishing Company
387 Park Avenue South, New York, NY 10016-8810
www.larkcrafts.com

These fine guides are top picks for any needlework library and offering fine projects that are easily accessible to a range of skills. Jenny Doh's SIGNATURE STYLES: 20 STITCHERS CRAFT THEIR LOOK (9781600597916, $19.95) provides a series of illustrated profiles touring homes and studios and offering keys to both techniques and developing an individual style in the process. From sweaters to vivid colors and patterns, this focus on the crafter's style makes for a fine reference for any who would focus on developing a unique 'look'. Susan Wasinger's SEWN BY HAND: TWO DOZEN PROJECTS STITCHED WITH NEEDLE & THREAD (9781600596681, $19.95) offers over twenty projects that require no electricity to produce. It provides embellishment and embroidery techniques along with basic how-to patterns and includes hats, throws, home decor and more. A fun pick for any needlework collection!

Custom Couture
Helene Le Berre
SixthandSpring Books
161 Avenue of Americas, New York NY 10013
9781936096169, $17.95, www.sixthandspringbooks.com

Custom Couture packs in over thirty ways to redo a wardrobe and is a pick for any needlework or crafts-oriented collection. From changing collars or adding borders to creating fine fabric flowers, each project holds color photos and step-by-step instructions to help readers adapt clothing. Line drawings and photos capture details exactly, leaving nothing to guesswork, and use very simple sewing techniques that usually don't even require a sewing machine.


The Philosophy Shelf

Faith in Life
Donald J. Morse
Fordham University Press
University Box L, 2546 Belmont Ave.
Bronx, NY 10458
9780823234707, $55.00, www.fordhampress.com

Philosophy is the search for the understanding of anything and everything, and how they connect into our world. "Faith in Life: John Dewey's Early Philosophy" is a discussion of the philosophy of John Dewey, broken down by Associate Professor of Philosophy Donald Morse. Focusing on his early work, Dewey's philosophy contained a certain optimism and idealism and sought to challenge traditional pessimist philosophy. He also compares the divergence of European and American philosophy and many unique interpretations of many famed and studied philosophers. "Faith in Life" is a core addition to any modern philosophical discussion, very much recommended.

Open Court Books
70 East Lake St. #300, Chicago IL 60601
www.opencourtbooks.com

Richard Greene, et.al., editors's DEXTER AND PHILOSOPHY (9780812697179, $17.95) is a recommendation for any collection where philosophy or TV and film are popular. The Dexter character serves as a fine contemporary vehicle for modern philosophical analysis, offering insights on basic philosophical issues from the nature of evil to free will and choice inherent in Dexter's aesthetics. Luke Cuddy edits HALO AND PHILOSOPHY: INTELLECT EVOLVED (9780812697186, $19.95) adds another powerful guide to the 'Popular Culture and Philosophy' series, this focusing on one of the most successful videogames ever. Halo's unique features are examined in light of its philosophical meanings, from the ethics of behaviors and how ancient philosophers would have considered the Halo environment to the meaning in different characters. Any Halo player will find this a much more accessible method of understanding philosophy.


The Humor Shelf

Go the Fuck to Sleep
Adam Mansbach
Akashic Books
Box 1456, New York NY 10019
9781617750250, $14.95, www.akashicbooks.com

Parents will be the likely readers - and applauders - of the underlying frustration and message in this picturebook which is couched as a bedtime story but offers a sardonic - and fun - tale about parenting. Not for the young, this provides tired parents with Ricardo Cortes' engaging drawings to accompany rhymes which are increasingly strong ("All the kids from day care are in dreamland./The froggie has made his last leap./Hell no, you can't go to the bathroom./You know where you can go? The fuck to sleep.") A surprise ending completes the hilarious presentation.


The Journalism Shelf

After the Czars and Commissars
Eric Freedman & Richard Shaffer, editor
Michigan State University Press
1405 S. Harrison Rd., Ste. 25
East Lansing, MI 48823-5245
9781611860054, $29.95, www.msupress.msu.edu

Freedom of the press is a new thing to Russia and many Asian countries after the fall of the Russian Empire and the Soviet Union. "After the Czars and Commissars: Journalism in Authoritarian Post-Soviet Central Asia" looks at the development of the press in these nations as they adapt to a more free version of the press, and their handling of many major issues throughout the region, the effects of international press, libel, and much more. Many thinkers and scholars from all over the world come to this analysis, and makes "After the Czars and Commissars" a core addition to any scholarly discussion of international issues, especially on the media on a world stage.


The Jobs/Careers Shelf

Cracking the New Job Market
R. William Holland
Amacom
1601 Broadway, New York, NY 10019
9780814417348, $17.95, www.amacombooks.org

In today's world, no job is guaranteed, which makes the ability of landing the job perhaps one of the most useful. "Cracking the New Job Market: The 7 Rules for Getting Hired in Any Economy" is a guide to being an expert at landing jobs. From creating a good resume to knowing where to look for jobs with one's skill set, to fully embracing the power of social media, "Cracking the New Job Market" is a vital read to finding the way to always be gainfully employed when it's seemingly becoming a more and more temporary idea.

The Essential Phone Interview Handbook
Paul J. Bailo
Career Press
220 West Parkway, Unit 12
Pompton Plains, NJ 07444
9781601631541, $13.99, www.careerpress.com

Even on the phone, there are many signals unspoken that are sent. "The Essential Phone Interview Handbook" is a guide from Paul J. Bailo as he walks readers through the phone interview and the pitfalls that lurk all around it. Being prepared is incredibly important, as being at home during the interview does not excuse laziness, and being professional is something that can be read by voice and word. "The Essential Phone Interview Handbook" is a fine read for anyone who wants to land that job without the strength of eye contact and firm handshake, very much recommended reading for job hunters.

Career Mapping
Ginny Clarke & Echo Garrett
Morgan - James
5 Penn Plaza, 23rd Floor
New York City, NY 10001
Jane Wesman Public Relations (publicity)
322 Eighth Avenue,
Suite 1702, New York, NY 10001
9781600379901, $17.95, www.morganjamespublishing.com

The world of employment is changing. "Career Mapping: Charting Your Course in the New World of Work" is a discussion of planning one's career in today's highly competitive job market. Planning more than ever comes to ahead, as climbing that career ladder is a long and arduous process that can take years, and no one wants to make too many wrong turns, wasting precious time. For those who want to plan their future wisely and realistically, Ginny Clarke & Echo Garrett provide an excellent walk through. "Career Mapping" is an excellent addition to any jobs & career collection.


The Language Studies Shelf

Primary Movement in Sign Languages
Donna Jo Napoli, Nicholas Gaw, & Mark Mai
Gallaudet University Press
800 Florida Avenue, NE
Washington, DC 20002-3695
9781563684913, $70.00, www.gupress.gallaudet.edu

Sign language, like verbal language, has many diversions of culture and of dialect. "Primary Movement in Sign Languages" is a scholarly study of the roots of language and study from Donna Jo Napoli, Nicholas Gaw, and Mark Mai. Even within cultures bound by the spoken English language, American, British, and Australian sign languages have differing gestures. Looking for the root movements of sign language to understand a basis of the many types of signing, and comparing how they take hold in newly emerging versions of sign language, "Primary Movement in Sign Languages" proves to be an intriguing study of the linguistics of signing.


The Sports Shelf

Sports Hypnosis in Practice
Joseph Tramontana
Crown House Publishing
6 Trowbridge Drive, Ste. 5
Bethel, CT 06801
9781845906795, $31.95, www.crownhousepublishing.com

Hypnosis is more than a watch and parlor tricks. "Sports Hypnosis in Practice: Scripts, Strategies, and Case Examples" discusses the power of hypnosis in practical application in sports. Hypnotherapy can prove an effective treatment in recovery and addictions, and Joseph Tramontana explains how they can be applied to sports to help performance and reach goals. Discussing his own surprising results and how the hypnotherapist does not have to be complete familiar with the activity in question, "Sports Hypnosis" is an excellent read, recommended for any psychologist who works with athletes.

Right Off the Bat
Evander Lomke & Martin Rowe
Paul Dry Books
1616 Walnut Street, Suite 808
Philadelphia, PA 19103
9781589880696, $16.95, www.pauldrybooks.com

There's more in common between the sports than swinging sticks at balls. "Right Off the Bat!: Baseball, Cricket, Literature, & Life" is an explanation book designed to bridge the American and British cousins, so that this sister sports may be better be understood by each other. Looking over the legends and stars of both sports, explaining the rules, complete with glossary, "Right Off the Bat!" is a fine assortment of knowledge, very much recommended for any curious sports fan or community library sports collection.

Distance Cycling
John Hughes & Dan Kehlenbach
Human Kinetics
1607 N. Market Street
PO Box 5067, Champaign, IL 61825-5076
9780736089241, $19.95, www.humankinetics.com

Exercise, embracing nature, and testing yourself. "Distance Cycling: Your Complete Guide for Long-Distance Rides" is a guide for those who want to challenge themselves for a long bike ride and how to prepare oneself for these endurance challenges. With advice on training, preparing oneself mentally and physically for it, and being prepared for when your body breaks and help could be hours away. "Distance Cycling" is a strongly recommended pick for anyone who wants to embrace one of the ultimate challenges for the cyclist on many fronts.


The Library Science Shelf

Interlibrary Loan Practices Handbook, third edition
Cherie L. Weible & Karen L. Janke
American Library Association
50 E. Huron Street, Chicago, IL 60611
9780838910818, $85.00, www.alastore.ala.org

Interlibrary loan can increases resources for all libraries involved in a time where space is at a premium. "Interlibrary Loan Practices Handbook" is the third edition of the guide for librarians who want to better embrace the interlibrary loan system for libraries. The system allows libraries to combine their resources to serve their patrons more effectively. Covered are the general practices and courtesies of the system, as well as the legal elements that may come into play. A complete and comprehensive resource for any librarian trying to understand the details or implement such a relationship themselves with neighboring libraries, "Interlibrary Loan Practices" is an excellent resource that should not be overlooked for any librarian's own study.


The Homeowner's Shelf

Garden Ponds, Fountains, & Waterfalls for Your Home
Creative Homeowner
PO Box 38
Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458-0038
9781580115063, $19.95, www.creativehomeowner.com

Water is truly fascinating and mesmerizing, and can be used well in the design of your home exterior. "Garden Ponds, Fountains, & Waterfalls for Your Home" is a guide for constructing one's own home water garden. The people at Creative Homeowner walk readers through everything they need to know to fully embrace a water garden, whether simply for plants or for a more natural aquarium. In full color glossy photographs with plenty covered and to be considered, "Garden Ponds, Fountains, & Waterfalls for Your Home" is a treasure trove of design ideas to make the most out of one's yards and gardens.

The Homeowner's Guide to Renewable Energy
Dan Chiras
New Society Press
PO Box 189, Gabriola Island
British Columbia, Canada V0R 1X0
9780865716865, $28.95, www.newsociety.com

Being good to the environment has benefits beyond just caring. "The Homeowner's Guide to Renewable Energy: Achieving Energy Independence Through Solar, Wind, Biomass, and Hydropower" is a guide from Dan Chiras on how to push one's home to fully embracing renewable energy and resources for their own home, in a do-it-yourself manner. Although it takes some effort and money now, such an endeavor will easily pay for itself in the long run, in both money and karma. "The Homeowner's Guide to Renewable Energy" is an excellent pick, a strong resource for anyone who wants to turn their home green.


The Nautical Shelf

Desolation Sound & The Discovery Islands
Anne & Laurence Yeadon-Jones
Harbour Publishing
PO Box 219
Madeira Park, BC Canada V0N 2H0
9781550175240, $49.95, www.harbourpublishing.com

The waters that lie between the United States and Canada provide a great deal of appeal. "Desolation Sound & The Discovery Islands" is a guide to sailing off the coasts of British Columbia and taking in the strong natural beauty that lies between it all. A guide to many islands and sights to behold all throughout the region, each article comes with photography, maps, drawings, and much more to blend together for a nature-loving sailor's delight. "Desolation Sound & The Discovery Islands" is a fine pick and very much recommended reading.


The Economic Studies Shelf

The Global Outlook for Government Debt over the Next 25 Years
Joseph E. Gagnon
Peterson Institute for International Economics
1750 Massachusetts Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20036-1903
9780881326215, $10.95, www.piie.com

Debt seems to be something unavoidable at the federal level. "The Global Outlook for Government Debt over the Next 25 Years: Implications for the Economy and Public Policy" is a brief and scholarly look at the debt crisis that faces many countries, including the United States and how it will shape international policy the coming quarter century. Arguing that reform needs to happen now to balance the world's checkbooks on many fronts, "The Global Outlook for Government Debt over the Next 25 Years" is a fine pick, very much recommended for those concerned about the future of the national debt.

Revolt and Crisis in Greece
Antonis Vradis & Dimitris Dalakoglou, editors
AK Press
674-A 23rd Street
Oakland, CA 94612
9780983059714, $18.00, www.akpress.org

Crisis occurs when problems can no longer be put off, but instead must be faced head on. "Revolt and Crisis in Greece: Between a Present Yet to Pass and a Future Still to Come" analyzes the serious economic crisis that has hit Greece in recent years. A combined social and economic issue stew, it provides a study for many cases throughout the world and what it means for other problems around the world, compiled by Antonis Vradis and Dimitris Dalakoglou. For anyone who wants many different perspectives on the problems Greece faces and what it means for the arguments of world power, "Revolt and Crisis in Greece" is a fine read, very much recommended.

Economics Unmasked
Philip B. Smith & Manfred Max-Neef
Green Books
c/o Chelsea Green
PO Box 428
White River Junction, VT 05001-0428
9781900322706, $21.95, www.chelseagreen.com

Poverty is not sustainable. "Economics Unmasked: From Power and Greed to Compassion and the Common Good" discusses the global ecosystem and the dominating system that focuses entirely on the value of the material and nothing else, that views acquiring money and getting even more money as the only goal. Stating that such a system is destined for collapse, Philip Smith & Manfred Max-Neef offer an economic system that values human dignity and justice over the bottom line, and how an economic system that puts values on such things is one that can persist for years to come. "Economics Unmasked" is very much worth considering for those who want to understand why pure greed cannot stand for so long.


The Parenting Shelf

Optimistic Parenting
V. Mark Durand
Paul H. Brookes
PO Box 10624, Baltimore, MD 21285-0624
9781598570526, $26.95, www.brookespublishing.com

Optimism is contagious. "Optimistic Parenting: Hope and Help for You and Your Challenging Child" is a guide for parenting with a good outlook and how thinking positive for yourself and your child can have great long term benefits for all those involved. V. Mark Durand advises readers on how instill optimism on one's child and look forward to a better tomorrow. "Optimistic Parenting" is a strong pick for those who believe in the power of positive thinking.

Man Shoes
Tom Watson
Advantage Media Group
PO Box 272, Charleston, SC 29402
9781599321745, $21.99, www.advantagefamily.com

What it means to be a man and father is something that many men are unsure of. "Man Shoes: The Journey to Becoming a Better Man, Husband, & Father" is Tom Watson's own coming to understanding of what it means to be a father, husband, and a man in today's world. Without a good role model to follow, he came from a broken childhood himself and tried to construct something better for the children who followed him. "Man Shoes" is a touching read of fatherhood and marriage and what it takes to be a man.

Common Sense Parenting of Toddlers and Preschoolers
Bridget A. Barnes & Steven M. York
Boys Town Press
14100 Crawford St.
Boys Town, NE 68010
9781889322414, $14.95, www.boystownpress.org

Good parenting is intuition, but a little advice on the side can't be overlooked. "Common Sense Parenting of Toddlers and Preschoolers" is a guide to being a good parent through these early childhood years. Bridget Barnes & Steven York advise parents what to expect form young children, correcting bad behavior, the importance of carting, and making good plans for these years. "Common Sense Parenting" is thoughtful and very highly recommended reading, a choice pick for parents of a child entering very important and formative years.


The Civil War Shelf

The Civil War in the East
Brooks D. Simpson
Praeger
c/o ABC CLIO
130 Cremona Drive
Santa Barbara, CA 93116-1911
9780275991616, $34.95, www.abc-clio.com

The District of Columbia and Richmond were not far from one another, and it led to quite the tactical showdown. "The Civil War in the East: Struggle, Stalemate, and Victory" focuses on the deadlock of a struggle between the Union and Confederacy on the East coast in the Chesapeake region where both sides put forth their best game to prevent their capitals from falling. Focusing on this particularly grueling struggle where politics often entwined with the military, "The Civil War in the East" provides a lesser discussed focus on the Washington-Richmond front of the conflict, and goes into great detail between them. An excellent addition to any American or general history collection.


The Memoir Shelf

One with the Sea
Richard Daniel O'Leary
Jetty House
c/o Peter E. Randall Publisher
PO Box 4726, Portsmouth
NH 03802-4726
9780982823651, $27.95, www.perpublisher.com

To create something from nothing is the true essence of the American dream. "One with the Sea: An Inspiring Rags-to-Riches Saga of the Son of an Irish Immigrant" is the memoir of Richard Daniel O'Leary as he tells his story of coming from a poor house in Maine but with loving parents who helped him towards great opportunity. Eventually earning his way to a college degree and seeing the world with the United States Navy, and building his own company, he hopes his own story will inspire others, and speaks on the virtues of good capitalism. "One with the Sea" is a memoir for those who still want to believe in the American dream.

Hollywood Through My Eyes
Monica Lewis
Cable Publishing
14090 E. Keinenen Rd.
Brule, WI 54820
9781934980880, $29.95, www.cablepublishing.com

When you live show business, you see all of it. "Hollywood Through My Eyes: The Lives & Loves of a Golden Age Siren" is a show business memoir from Monica Lewis, a woman who was a star of screen and film for decades. She recalls her stories of brushing with fame, almost becoming a first lady, touring the world, and she presents all she learned through her life's travels. "Hollywood Through My Eyes" is a moving read of life in Hollywood and what it's like to be on the roller coaster all the way into the end of life.

Your Voice in My Head
Emma Forrest
Other Press
2 Park Avenue, 24th Floor
New York, NY 10016
9781590514467, $22.95, www.otherpress.com

When everything about your world falls apart, it can be hard to find something to hold on to. "Your Voice in My Head" is the journey to something of a life from Emma Forrest. Consumed by her own eccentricity, she finds comfort in an aging psychologist and her family, as well as the love of her life. But when the psychologist faces sudden death and her relationship is in shambles, she finds that it's best to learn to rely on herself to pull her through life's many twists and turns. "Your Voice in My Head" is a fine memoir of life and coming into one's own control of it all.


The Gaming Shelf

250 Indie Games You Must Play
Mike Rose
CRC Press
Suite 300
6000 NW Broken Sound Parkway NW
Boca Raton, FL 33487
9781439875742 $29.95 www.crcpress.com

250 Indie Games You Must Play lives up to its title by showcasing a wide variety of independent games, many of which can be legally played for free. Some are for the PC; some available for download on Xbox Live; some are browser-based; but all of them are by individual creators or small teams beholden only to themselves, rather than to gigantic corporate interests. The result is a choice selection of the best of the best games that dare to be different, often openly flaunting genre and narrative conventions to deliver a truly unique experience. Since Sturgeon's Law ("90% of everything is garbage") applies to independent video games as solidly as any other entertainment media, 250 Indie Games You Must Play is an enthusiastically welcome guide to finding inexpensive and creative games that are well worth one's time.

All In
Jerry Yang
Medallion Press
1020 Cedar Ave., Suite 216
Saint Charles, IL 60174
9781605421889, $24.95, www.medallionpress.com

With no experience, he became a champion in merely a few years. "All In" is a memoir of Poker Champion Jerry Yang, who fleeing the cruelty if his homeland Southeast Asia, came to America and earned a psychology degree and a little bit of the American dream. First encountering poker in 2005, he came to quickly dominate the sport, winning his first WSOP Championship merely two years later. "All In" is a fascinating story of a man determined to improve himself, and improving his world along the way, very much recommended.


The Law/Justice Shelf

Destination Tent City, AZ
Mark Feuerer
Coffee Town Press
PO Box 70515
Seattle, WA 98127
9781603811095, $15.95, www.coffeetownpress.com

Drinking and driving can be a serious offense. But there is such a thing as over-punishment. "Destination Tent City, AZ" is the chronicle of one woman, as Mark Feuerer tells her tale of being made an example and being sent to serve among all other walks of criminal, being drained of her life by imprisonment, legal fees, and overzealous legal systems. At both cautionary and a critique of Arizona's justice system, "Destination Tent City, AZ" is a fascinating and informative read, very much recommended.


The Poetry Shelf

The Hundred Fathom Curve
John Barr
Red Hen Press
PO Box 40820, Pasadena, CA 91114
9781597094979, $19.95, www.redhen.org

What it means to be an American is constantly revised. "The Hundred Fathom Curve" is John Barr's exploration of Americana from the perspectives of the war veteran, where the question of humanity enters strongly into it. "The Hundred Fathom Curve" is a unique take on it all, making for unique poetry. "Dropped": Released the pieces of the porcelain vase/depart on paths they've waited to peruse/since first enjoined to hold a shape in space:/shrapnel to its own ballistics true.

House of Tongues
Susan Wicks
Bloodaxe Books
c/o DuFour Editions
PO Box 7, Chester Springs, PA 19425
9781852249069, $21.95, www.dufoureditions.com

We look for acceptance, even when we believe we will find none. "House of Tongues" is a collection of poetry from Susan Wicks as she goes through and offers many works of poetry and life and our search to belong, where we lose the ones we love and yearn for what was left for behind. "House of Tongues" is a touching assortment of poetry, very much worth adding to any general poetry collection. "Wheelchair": I am the paralyzed and the pusher, I am the air/circulating in the steel chair.//I am the wasted hand that lies/inert on the arm-rest, and the hand that cries//a line of blood-drops each time it goes to grasp,/slashed across the heart-line. I am that gasp.//and the unseen body humped on the steel seat,/my side-by-side feet//aligned on the foot-rest, as the grey road rolls under./I am the hunger//of crowds that come and stand beside, around, above/the wings of my naked blades -- of love.

101 Poems for Teachers
Annette L. Breaux
Eye on Education
6 Depot Way West, Larchmont, NY 10538
9781596671461, $19.95, www.eyeoneducation.com

The path of the educator is filled with many challengers, stresses, and many snot nosed kids. "101 Poems for Teachers" is a collection of poetry aimed at teachers, designed to help them through the dilemma of the teaching career. With plenty of humor and a certain bit of wisdom woven in through it all, "101 Poems for Teachers" is a fine read for any teacher who needs a little wit to claw through the day. "We Get to Choose": One saw a glass half empty,/The other, a glass half full/What? It was the same glass?/What stunt were they trying to pull?/No stunt was pulled at all, you see/Our attitudes shape our vision/We all get to choose for ourselves/Whether life's an adventure or a collision!

Whiteout
Marvin Bell, poetry
Nathan Lyons, photography
Lodima Press
PO Box 367, Revere, PA 18953
9781888899702, $50.00, www.lodimapress.com

Poetry and photography are both art, in their own unique ways. "Whiteout" is a blend of these two disciplines as a unique combination to provide a different experience. Longtime collaborators, their work goes together well, and will prove to be something that hasn't been seen before and won't be seen again, with its application of surrealism in visual and text. "Whiteout" is a fine volume for any fan of photography or poetry. "About the Dead Man and Fries": The dead man salivates for dead man's fries./He does not belittle the existential nature of his metabolism./He does not underestimate the tactile, the tangible, the mix of inner and outer in the formation of taste./Food for his stomach in the spice for food for his soul./The dead man's taste in art is as physical as his love of fires./He has partaken of fries as fingers, fries as strings, fries as discs, fries as crumble./He has felt his brain recharged as he scavenged on the plate for scraps./It was the morsel left behind, the fragment of an idea, a speck of an/epiphany that took him away./Recall that he grew up among potato farm, among eyes in the dirt./The patrons of roadside stands and beaneries who shucked irony.

Beautiful Words
John Elvis Smelcer
Truman State University press
100 East Normal Street
Kirksville, MO 63501-4221
9781935503927, $16.95, www.tsup.truman.edu

Much of a culture is learned through its language. "Beautiful Words: The Complete Ahtna Poems" is a poetry book looking to present a written record of the Ahtna language, one of the twenty indigenous languages throughout Alaska, only gaining a written form in the past few decades. Blending both English and Ahtna, "Beautiful Words" is an introduction of culture and language, highly recommended. "The End of Christmas": A hunter saw a herd of migrating reindeer./He shot at the herd and killed a small bull.//The reindeer had a bright red nose.//Guiltily, the hunter hid the evidence.

Journal of American Foreign Policy
Jeff Hoffman
Western Michigan University
1903 W. Michigan Ave.
Kalamazoo, MI 49008
9781930974975, $15.00, www.wmich.edu

The way America looks at the rest of the world speaks many volumes through it all. "Journal of American Foreign Policy" is a collection of poetry from highly educated Pennsylvania native in Jeff Hoffman. Trying to understand America and its weird stance on the world, "Journal of American Foreign Policy" is not to be overlooked by those looking for a more lyrical take on international affairs. "The Lump": We tussle through the night/to the erotic of bombs./In the morning we order infantry thumbs/and the peppered brains of an admiral.//We lounge for days and nibble/through the gruesome of the Sunday paper.//When the bellhop finds us, our bodies/have fatted into taffy, and our parents,/unaffected, scoop from our formless forms/the shape of a child. And though we were/no longer capable of witness, the story/we have been told seems plausible enough://The child's hands, muddy with life,/began to move...


The Islamic Studies Shelf

The Tears of the Prophet
Frederick Tiemann
Dorrance Publishing
701 Smithfield Street
Pittsburgh, PA 15222
9781434909398, $16.00, www.dorrancebookstore.com

Islam is a very major force in our world today. "The Tears of the Prophet" is an explanation of Islam from Frederick Tiemann as he gives a more complete and comprehensive understanding of Islam and the teachings of the Prophet Muhammad and their impact on the world today and how it is to be understood in modern theological debate. "The Tears of the Prophet" is an excellent read for anyone who wants another perspective of Islam in these trying times.

This is Islam
Jamal J. Elias
Berkshire Publishing Group
120-122 Castle Street
Great Barrington, MA 01230-1506
9781933782812, $14.95, www.berkshirepublishing.com

To understand Islam is to have a more complete understanding of the world. "This is Islam: From Muhammad and the Community of Believers to Islam in the Global Community" is an introductory to Islam as Jamal J. Elias seeks to help readers gain a better understanding of the faith, its culture and customs, and much more. Showing the history of its faith, the meaning of its law, and how it has split within itself much like Christianity, "This is Islam" is a must for anyone who wants a more complete understanding of the faith.


The Native American Shelf

Visualities
Denise K. Cummings, editor
Michigan State University Press
1405 South Harrison Road, Suite 25
East Lansing, MI 48823-5245
9780870139994, $29.95, www.msupress.msu.edu

"Visualities: Perspectives on Contemporary American Indian Film and Art" is an incisive collection of essays on indigenous film practice and unusual contemporary American Indian art. Essays on film works and creative practices of Sherman Alexie, the virtual reservation, Native Latin American representations in film, Haudenosaunee visuality, and videographic sovereignty challenge the reader to reanalyze assumptions about indigenous vs. dominant culture trends and developments. Essays on contemporary American Indian art include "Indigenous Semiotics and Shared Modernity" by Dean Rader, "Seeing Memory, Storying Memory: Printup Hope, Rickard, Gansworth," by Susan Bernardin, "Aboriginal Beauty and Self-Determination: Hulleah Tsinhnahjinnie's Photographic Projects" by Cynthia Fowler, and "Text-Messaging Prayers: George Longfish and His Art of Communication, by Molly McGlennen. Each of these excellent essays contain many examples of a masterful use of irony and complex understatement in art, accompanied by black and white print illustrations of examples. "Visualities" is a magnificent addition to contemporary Native American art analysis. A fitting quotation is re-selected in closing: "The Indian with a camera announces the twilight of Eurocentric America (Leslie Marmon Silko)."

Spider Woman's Gift, Nineteenth-Century Dine Textiles
Shelby J. Tisdale, editor
Joyce Begay-Foss and Marian E. Rodee, authors
Museum of New Mexico Press
P.O. Box 2087, Santa Fe, NM 87504
9780890135310, $24.95 renee.tambeau@state.nm.us

"Spider Woman's Gift" is a beautiful color-photo illustrated text of fine examples of Dine textile and basketry weavings taken from the collection of the Santa Fe Museum of Indian Arts and Culture created between the 1850's and 1890's. Two learned women provide insights and perspectives on many of these beautiful textile works. The first, Joyce Begay-Foss presents information on the oral history of Spider Woman and the traditional Dine weaver's background and practices during the period from 1850-1890 and the second, Marian Rodee provides an anthropological viewpoint of the same period and similar works. All color photos of weavings and basketry are stunningly and meticulously presented. Much interesting information about the Dine weaving process using the vertical upright loom is carefully presented, along with historical black and white photos of Dine women weaving, carding spinning and in other activities. It is truly amazing to trace the influence of Spider Woman from the early examples of woven baskets to the later evidence of handweaving and dyes which developed after the Dine acquired and tended sheep and wool. An interesting note on the gift of Spider Woman is presented Joyce Begay-Foss: "Dine oral history does not credit the Spanish with introducing sheep to the Southwest in the early 1500s, as scholars propose. Instead, the Dine believe that sheep were also a gift from Spider Woman, and from Changing Woman (Asdzaa Nadleehe) (p. 23)." "Spider Woman's Gift" opens and closes with English translations of some of their traditional songs/poetry/chants about weaving and beauty. "Spider Woman's Gift" is a fine, respectful presentation of priceless textile art works that have been carefully presented and preserved from a rich and colorful history.


The Judaic Studies Shelf

Battle of the Two Talmuds
Leon H. Charney & Saul Mayzlish
Barricade Books
185 bridge Plaza Noth, Suite 309, Fort Lee, NJ 07024
9781569804391, $22.95, www.barricadebooks.com

Israel is not the chosen promised land of every Jew. "Battle of the Two Talmuds: Judaism's Struggle with Power, Glory, & Guilt" discusses the debate over modern Jewish philosophy, and its roots in the clash of two Talmuds, one founded in Jerusalem, one founded in Babylonia, and the clash of developments of Jewish law thousands of years ago. The debate lies in if Israel is truly the promised land, or if the Promised land is far more symbolic than that. "Battle of Two Talmuds" is a fascinating exploration of Judaism and their relationship with the physical land of Israel.

Where Justice Dwells
Jill Jacobs
Jewish Lights Publishing
PO Box 237, Sunset Farm Offices, Rt.4
Woodstock, VT 05091
9781580234535, $24.99, www.jewishlights.com

Justice means different things to many people, but what is Jewish justice in the community? "Where Justice Dwells: A Hands-On Guide to Doing Social Justice in Your Jewish Community" discusses traditional Jewish though and social justice. In our communities, this calls for a protection of those who cannot protect themselves and work towards a better life for all those involved. With plenty of writing and wisdom on the many aspects on how to attain a more perfect community, "Where Justice Dwells" is filled with wisdom that rings true with anyone trying to improve their community, regardless of their culture or faith.

The Conversion Crisis
Emanuel Feldman & Joel B. Wolowelsky
KTAV
888 Newark Avenue, Jersey City, NJ 07306
9781602801615, $24.95, www.ktav.com

Judaism is not just a faith, it is an ethnicity and nationality as well. "The Conversion Crisis: A Continuing Discussion" seeks to converse over these truths further and their relation to those who adopt the Jewish faith coming from other faiths, or a lack of faith. The conversion process to Judaism is one of the most unique in all of religion, and the continuing discussion of what a Jew is to the faith and Jewish custom leads to a very intriguing question of it all together. "The Conversion Crisis" is a must for anyone who wants to understand Judaism's continuing discussion of what makes a Jew a Jew.

The Greening of American Orthodox Judaism
Benny Kraut
The Hebrew Union College Press
c/o Wayne State University Press (distribution)
The Leonard N. Simons Building
4809 Woodward Avenue
Detroit, MI 48201-1309
9780878204656 $35.00 http://wsupress.wayne.edu

The Greening of American Orthodox Judaism: Yavneh in the 1960s is the in-depth history of the rise and fall of a Jewish collegiate organization called Yavneh: The National Jewish Religious Students Association. Founded in 1960, Yavneh engaged in surprising education innovations, ran into difficulties adapting to inter-Jewish pluralism, and ultimately met its end in the early 1980s. But while it existed, Yavneh and its members played a significant role in the modern Orthodox revitalization. An extensively researched account documented with careful notes, an index, and even some reproductions of certain primary source documents, The Greening of American Orthodox Judaism is an excellent contribution to modern Judaic history shelves and highly recommended.

Shulchan Oruch Choshen Mishpat: Volume 1
Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi
Kehot Publication Society
c/o Markos Publications
291 Kingston Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11213
www.kehot.com
9780826601254, $29.95, www.amazon.com

Perhaps more than any other major religion, Judaism is a faith founded upon and bounded by laws governing personal conduct in every aspect of daily life. "Shulchan Oruch Choshen Mishpat: Volume 1" by Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi has now been ably translated into English by Rabbi Eliyahu Touger and is a 292-page compendium of commentary on Jewish laws that are an integral and integrated part of everyday life for the observant Jew. This superbly presented edition is bilingual with the original Hebrew on the right hand page and the English translation on the left hand page. Replete with extensive footnotes and featuring a useful satin ribbon marker the Jewish laws addressed include the ones concerning loans, legal documents, sales, guardians, weights, measures, pricing of goods, found objects, and more. "Shulchan Oruch Choshen Mishpat: Volume 1" is a core addition to personal, academic, and synagogue Judaic Studies instructional reference book collections.


The Architecture Shelf

Egypt Visual Sourcebook
Jim Hewitt
American University in Cairo Press
420 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10018-2729
www.aucpress.com
9789774164330, $59.50, www.amazon.com

The "Egypt Visual Sourcebook" by Jim Hewitt is an impressive and profusely illustrated 392-page compendium offering a thoroughly 'user friendly' reference to Egypt's architectural heritage from antiquity to the modern era. From Egyptian monuments, temples and tombs, to marketplaces, residences, and commercial buildings, to specific architectural elements such as windows, doorways, arches, balconies, wall finishes, and floorings. Superbly organized and cross-referenced, the "Egypt Visual Sourcebook" offers a wealth of informed and informative commentary that will prove of immense value to anyone seeking to replicate elements and set designs utilizing Egyptian architectural styles and elements, making it a core and highly recommended addition to personal, professional, and academic library Architectural Studies reference collections.


The Comix/Graphic Novel Shelf

Dreamland Japan, collector's edition
Frederik L. Schodt
Stone Bridge Press
PO Box 8208
Berkeley, CA 94707
9781933330952 $29.95 www.stonebridge.com

Originally published in 1996 as the successor to "Manga! Manga! The World of Japanese Comics", Dreamland Japan is an in-depth study of manga now available in a new collector's edition with all the original content plus invaluable updates on recent changes in the manga industry. New topics covered include the thorny issues of piracy and censorship, internationalization, and changing fan demographics (especially as Japan's population continues to decline in number and its average/median age advances). Spotlights on a number of Japan's notable manga creators including Akira Narita, Hinako Sugiura, Shigery Mizuki, and especially manga's legendary godfather Osamu Tezuka, round out this scholarly yet highly accessible resource ideal for anyone interested in learning more about the cultural history and evolution of Japanese comics.


The Aviation Shelf

Finish Forty and Home
Phil Scearce
University of North Texas Press
PO Box 311336
Denton, TX 76203-1336
9781574413168 $29.95 www.unt.edu/untpress

Finish Forty and Home: The Untold World War II Story of B-24s in the Pacific is the mesmerizing true story of the American airmen who flew B-24s in the Pacific theatre of World War II. Japanese fighters and anti-aircraft threatened them, and they often had to fly over thousands of miles of water with no alternative landing sites. The 42nd squadron's 1943 losses were horrifying; 50 of 110 airmen did not survive. Finish Forty and Home draws upon exhaustive research to bring both the rigors of the mission and the deadly shock of battle to life. Highly recommended, especially for military aviation shelves.


The Self-Help Shelf

Balancing Act
Adele Ryan McDowell
Balboa Press
c/o Hay House
1663 Liberty Drive, Bloomington, IN 47403
9781452532165, $13.95, www.balboapress.com

The faster life goes, the harder it is to keep it together. "Balancing Act: Reflections, Meditations, and Coping Strategies for Today's Fast-Paced Whirl" is a spiritual exploration of life and how to come to terms with the wisdom of the universe, and how to learn to understand it all. With a bit of humor involved, Adele McDowell will do well in advising readers to help them keep it together on life's roller-coaster. "Balancing Act" is a fine and very much recommended pick for anyone seeking wisdom to cope with life.

Attitude-inize 10 Secrets to a Positive You
Jan Coates
Beacon Hill Press of Kansas City
c/o Veritas Communications
PO Box 2075, Canon City, CO 81215
9780834126114, $14.99, www.veritascorporated.com

Positive thinking is worth more than being able to see the glass half full. "Attitude-inize 10 Secrets to a Positive You" is Jan Coates' guide to better attitude and a better life. With plenty of wisdom to create a better outlook for any situation, and find happiness in oneself no matter the situation. For those who want to see the bright side of life, "Attitude-inize: 10 Secrets to a Positive You" is a powerful read with much to teach about the world.

Surfer's Code
Shaun Tomson
Gibbs Smith
PO Box 667, Layton, UT 84041
9781423622277, $14.99, www.gibbs-smith.com

When one's life is risking death, it's crushing when someone dear loses that risk. "Surfer's Code: 12 Simple Lessons for Riding Through Life" is a memoir from Shaun Tomson as he reflects on his life as a successful business man and surfer and how all that seemed to not matter when he lost his son in a sudden accident. With a message that life has many lessons and that one can't prepare for the worst, "Surfer's Code" is a touching and recommended read of inspiration, a choice pick.

Humilitas
John Dickson
Zondervan
5300 Patterson Avenue SE
Grand Rapids, MI 49530
9780310328629, $18.99, www.zondervan.com

When you admit you aren't perfect, you can come closer to perfection. "Humilitas: A Lost Key to Life, Love, and Leadership" is a discussion of how humility, realizing one's weaknesses, can lead to one being a more endearing leader. Flaws in one's character shouldn't be emphasized, but running from them and covering them up will often create more troubles. By embracing one's humility, one can reach greater heights of success, and prove to be greater to others, and to themselves. "Humilitas" is something to be considered by anyone who is trying to make themselves a better leader in life, business, or wherever else.


The Religion/Spirituality Shelf

Love, Imperfectly Known
Brother Emmanuel of Taize
Continuum
80 Maiden Lane, Suite 704
New York, NY 10038
9781441116376, $24.95, www.continuumbooks.com

We all have our God, whether we view him as a being or not. "Love, Imperfectly Known: Beyond Spontaneous Representations of God" is a work of faith and philosophy as Brother Emmanuel of Taize offers a unique brand of spirituality and our search for life's many leanings and paths for us to follow. God, for the non-believer, is our subconscious that powers us through and shapes our views and being. "Love, Imperfectly Known" is a fine work with plenty to think about for anyone who wants to understand what pushes them forward, regardless of their views on God or lack thereof, highly recommended.

Walking on Air
Susan Smith Jones
Red Wheel, Weiser, & Conari
65 Parker Street, Suite 7
Newburyport, MA 01950
9781573244978, $15.95, www.redwheelweiser.com

A month could be all you need to revitalize your life. "Walking on Air: Your 30 Day Inside and Out Rejuvenation Makeover" is a spiritual self-help guide for readers to help them refresh their spirit. Susan Smith Jones suggests a multi-tiered approach to realizing one's hopes and dreams, including remembering the hopes and dreams we hold, eating well, and purging the negativity from one's life. "Walking on Air" is a powerful read of spirituality, very much recommended.


The Relationship Shelf

The Good Enough Spouse
William E. Ward
New Horizon Press
PO Box 669, Far Hills, NJ 07931
9780882823645, $14.95, www.newhorizonpressbooks.com

Not every marriage is going to be perfect, and making the judgment call of divorce is one that shouldn't be taken lightly. "The Good Enough Spouse: Resolve or Dissolve Conflicted Marriages" is a marriage advisory guide from William E. Ward is a guide for readers who are struggling with what makes a successful marriage, as he suggests ways to make sure marriage doesn't stagnate growth as people and for relationships, what makes a good marriage, the most common pitfalls that lead to unhappiness. "The Good Enough Spouse" is a fine read with plenty of wisdom, not to be missed for those lost on the future of their own relationships.

What Did I Do Wrong?
Liz Pryor
Simon and Schuster
1230 Avenue of the Americas
New York, NY 10020
9781451649659, $14.00, www.simonandschuster.com

Some friendships aren't forever. It may or may not be your fault. "What Did I Do Wrong?: What to Do When You Don't Know Why the Friendship is Over" is a collection of advice on life and friendship from Good Morning America's advice guru in Liz Pryor. Discussing why sometimes friendships can cease suddenly and how to cope with it all, Pryor gives an understanding of friendship gone wrong with plenty of stories and wisdom to come to terms with why. "What Did I Do Wrong?" is a fine read for anyone who wants to understand why they have lost a loved one.


The Wine Shelf

Tasting the Good Life
George Gmelch & Sharon Bohn Gmelch
Indiana University Press
601 North Morton Street
Bloomington, IN 47404-3797
9780253223272, $21.95, www.iupress.indiana.edu

Wine has grown from a staple of culture to being a culture of its own. "Tasting the Good Life: Wine Tourism in the Napa Valley" is a guide to exploring wine country, as George and Sharon Bohn Gmelch walk readers through the ins and outs of wine tourism and provides a snap shot of the wine culture, from the makers of the wine to those who serve it to those who make their business in the area, "Tasting the Good Life" is a fine study of wine and what it offers people, highly recommended.


The Buddhist Studies Shelf

Minding Closely
B. Alan Wallace
Snow Lion Publications
PO Box 6483
Ithaca, NY 14851
9781559393690 $24.95 www.SnowLionPub.com

Buddhist meditation teacher and interpreter for Tibetan scholars (including the Dalai Lama) B. Alan Wallace presents Minding Closely: The Four Applications of Mindfulness, a solid instructional about the practice of meditation. Guided meditation practices for a wide range of expertise, from beginner to expert, interleave with the helpful text. An excellent guide that will prove especially accessible to Western readers, Minding Closely is a highly recommended addition to Buddhist and meditation studies shelves.


The Wisconsin Shelf

The 11th Wisconsin in the Civil War
Christopher C. Wehner
McFarland & Company
PO Box 611, Jefferson NC 28640
www.mcfarlandpub.com
9780786432103, $45.00, www.amazon.com

Wisconsin entered the American Civil War on the side of the Union. Informed and informative, "The 11th Wisconsin in the Civil War: A Regimental History" by Christopher C. Wehner is a 240-page compendium comprising the history military history of the 11th Wisconsin from its inception in 1861 and provides a year-by-year account of its actions and battles through to the end of the war in 1865. Additionally, "The 11th Wisconsin in the Civil War" features four noteworthy appendices (Roster of the 11th Wisconsin; Civilian Occupations; Muster Sites for the 11th Wisconsin Regiment; Victory Sermon by 11th Wisconsin volunteer George Wells; Army of the Tennessee Officers) as well as extensive chapter notes, an impressive bibliography, and a comprehensive index. A work of impressively detailed scholarship, "The 11th Wisconsin in the Civil War" is a welcome and highly recommended addition to the growing library of Civil War studies and a core addition to personal reading lists and academic library collections.

Putting Down Roots
Marcia C. Carmichael
Wisconsin Historical Society Press
816 State Street, Madison, WI 53706
9780870204661, $24.95, www.amazon.com

Starting from nearly nothing is doable, the first people who come to a land have done it. "Putting Down Roots: Gardening Insights from Wisconsin's Early Settlers" looks at the history of gardening and agriculture in Wisconsin looking at the first immigrants to come to Wisconsin and how they got their start over a hundred years ago. Not only does it discuss their methods, it provides recipes to match the authentic ethnic dishes of the immigrants of this period, making for an intriguing analysis of history with full color photographs of re-enactment throughout. "Putting Down Roots" is a strong addition to any Wisconsin history or agriculture collection, highly recommended. Also from Wisconsin Historical Society Press is "Beyond the Trees: Stories of Wisconsin Forests" (9780970204678, $26.95) analyzing the history that lies in Wisconsin's many thick forests.


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Diane C. Donovan, Editor
Midwest Book Review
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Oregon, WI 53575-1129
phone: 1-608-835-7937
e-mail: mbr@execpc.com
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