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Internet Bookwatch

Volume 19, Number 12 December 2009 Home | IBW Index

Table of Contents

Reviewer's Choice Library Science Shelf Writing/Publishing Shelf
Cookbook Shelf Woodworking Shelf Egyptology Shelf
American History Shelf Audiobook Shelf Library DVD Shelf
Biography Shelf Theatre/Cinema/TV Shelf Literary Shelf
Military Shelf Hunting/Fishing Shelf Civil War Shelf
Buddhist Studies Shelf Environmental Studies Shelf Language Studies Shelf
Antiques/Collectibles Shelf Railroading Shelf Photography Shelf
Humor Shelf Sports Shelf Home Improvement Shelf
Needlecraft Shelf Computer Shelf Architecture Shelf
Women's Studies Shelf Fiction Shelf Poetry Shelf
Social Issues Shelf International Studies Shelf Art Shelf
Christian Studies Shelf Religion/Spirituality Shelf Judaic Studies Shelf
World History Shelf Self-Help Shelf Education Shelf
Business Shelf Money/Finance Shelf Health/Medicine Shelf
Metaphysical Studies Shelf Pets/Wildlife Shelf Philosophy Shelf
Psychology Shelf Christmas Shelf Genealogy Shelf
Fantasy/SciFi Shelf Science Shelf Islamic Studies Shelf
Gardening Shelf Music Shelf Interior Design Shelf
Economics Shelf Archaeology Shelf Nautical Shelf
Mystery/Suspense Shelf Journalism Shelf Political Science Shelf
Jobs/Careers Shelf Judicial Studies Shelf Parenting Shelf
Travel Shelf Crafts Shelf Comix/Graphic Novel Shelf


Reviewer's Choice

The Book Shopper
Murray Browne
Paul Dry Books
1616 Walnut Street, Suite 808, Philadelphia, PA 19103
9781589880566, $14.95, www.pauldrybooks.com

The world of used bookstores is certainly a unique one. "The Book Shopper" is a collection of thoughts and ideas for the used bookstore browser who wants to better understand this unusual world of dust, tattered books, and the never ending quest for excellent entertainment at an affordable price. "The Book Shopper" is a top pick for book lovers.

Looking for Calvin and Hobbes
Nevin Martell
Continuum International Publishing Group
80 Maiden Lane, New York, NY 10038
9780826429841, $24.95, www.continuumbooks.com

Calvin and Hobbes has always been a truly unique and surreal comic strip. "Looking for Calvin and Hobbes: The Unconventional Story of Bill Watterson and His Revolutionary Comic Strip" tells the story of the cartoonist behind the legendary strip and the strip itself, both sharing the qualities of being offbeat and unique. Calvin and Hobbes is one of the only intellectual properties that was never widely marketed due to the author's own integrity, a truly unusual trait in this world where Garfield the cat gets two full length motion pictures. "Looking for Calvin and Hobbes" is a choice pick for fans of the strip who want to understand the mind of its creator.

Go Green, Girlfriends!
Stacey Sorensen
Capital Books, Inc.
22841 Quicksilver Drive, Sterling, VA 20166
9781933102740, $15.95, www.capital-books.com

Travel has been stated as a major contributor to the decay of the earth. "Go Green, Girlfriends!: 10 Earth-Friendly Getaways for You and Your Friends" discusses eco-friendly trips that one can take to have fun while keeping one's conscience clean. From eco-minded festivals to high adventure and a green girl's night out, "Go Green, Girlfriends" is a top pick for anyone who wants to party and keep the planet around for more parties.

American Hunks
David L. Chapman & Brett Josef Grubisic
Arsenal Pulp Press
Suite 200, 341 Water Street, Vancouver, BC Canada V68 1B8
9781551522562, $29.95, www.arsenalpulp.com

It's been said women are constantly objectified in the media... but could the same be said of men? "American Hunks" takes a scholarly look at the use of the perfect physical specimen of man and how it has been used as a sex symbol over the years. For well over a century the image of musclebound hunks has been on countless items, selling not only to women, but men as well, both gay and straight. The photos within do contain nudity, but the main focus is on the evolution of the use of the hunk in media. "American Hunks" is well worth considering for any coffee table book collector.

Code Switching
Claire Damken Brown, Ph.D. and Audrey Nelson, Ph.D.
Alpha
375 Hudson St., New York NY 10014
9781592579266, $16.95 www.penguin.com

CODE SWITCHING: HOW TO TALK SO MEN WILL LISTEN offers a method of opening communication lines between the genders, presenting a 'gender code' and common conflicts and outlining strategies based on examples and anecdotes showing how others have used these practices to break stereotypes. From underlying signals sent by common phrases ("are you wearing that?") to negotiating strategies and underlying tensions, CODE SWITCHING is a pick any general lending library will want.

Bathroom Readers' Press
Box 1117, Ashland, OR 97520
www.bathroomreader.com

These fine new titles offer excellent trivia facts and are picks for reluctant to busy readers. UNCLE JOHN'S BATHROOM READER SALUTES THE ARMED FORCES (9781592239801, $18.95) provides a survey of military history, from a history of the draft and the Lost Battalion to a Coast Guard reindeer rescue plan. INSTANT GENIUS (1592239153, $21.95) provides a fun reference of trivia facts, from how to tell if you're brain dead to what irony is and is not, and three cheeses south of the border. An excellent collection of trivia, these two books are top picks for any leisure library.

Morphic Resonance, revised edition
Rupert Sheldrake
Inner Traditions
One Park St., Rochester, VT 05767
9781594773174, $19.95 www.innertraditions.com

MORPHIC RESONANCE: THE NATURE OF FORMATIVE CAUSATION appears in a newly revised, expanded edition of A NEW SCIENCE OF LIFE, and will appeal to any interested in new science, biology and blends of new age thought. Using his theory of morphic resonance, Sheldrake was able to reinterpret the regularities of nature as being more like habits than laws. His ongoing research results in a vastly revamped title perfect for any collections with older editions.

The Conversation
Hill Harper
Gotham Books
375 Hudson, New York NY 10014
9781592404759, $22.50 www.penguin.com

THE CONVERSATION: HOW BLACK MEN AND WOMEN CAN BUILD LOVING, TRUSTING RELATIONSHIPS is a 'must' for any library where Afro-American patrons seek self-help titles. It's an analysis of the crisis in Afro-American relationships and families, and brings many issues out of the shadows and into the open, from why so few black couples manage to hold a relationship together to the experiences of friends, family members and strangers both divorced and married.

You Were Always Mom's Favorite!
Deborah Tannen
Random House
9781400066322, $26.00 www.randomhouse.com

You Were Always Mom's Favorite! Sisters in Conversation Throughout Their Lives shares insights and anecdotes from over a hundred women interviewed by author Deborah Tannen, who pairs moving recollections of her own two sisters with insights on relationships and sister dynamics. A fine set of observations paired with techniques for improving family communications, You Were Always Mom's Favorite! is a top pick for any general lending library.

Barron's
250 Wireless Blvd, Hauppauge, NY 11788
www.barronseduc.com

The nation's most competitive four-year colleges receive the latest descriptions and appraisals form recent grads of each school, from assessments of social life on campus to discussions of off-campus facilities and activities and facts about admission, tuition and fees, academics, student body composition and more, in BARRON'S GUIDE TO THE MOST COMPETITIVE COLLEGES, 6th edition (0764142267, $21.99). Even more important, a Most Competitive Comparison Chart offers statistics to help cross-compare colleges, making this a 'must' for any library appealing to students looking at top-level colleges. The SAT SUBJECT TEST BIOLOGY E/M (0764142038, $16.99) provides the latest review and practice tests currently available in an updated second edition of a winner. From a short diagnostic test and two full-length Biology E/M practice tests to a study guide and subject review covering all test topics, this packs in test preparations and is a pick for any school reference collection. Any preparing for the AP Chinese Language and Culture test needs BARRON'S AP CHINESE LANGUAGE AND CULTURE (0764194003, $29.99), a powerful set of review and practice tests for the AP test. Questions in both traditional and simplified Chinese characters are just like the actual exam, offering two full-length practice exams with answers plus audio CDs of spoken material.

The Gigantic Reader
West Side Publishing
c/o Publications International Ltd.
7373 North Cicero Avenue, Lincolnwood, IL 60712
9781412716536, $15.95, www.sullivanandpartners.com

Simple facts can prove endlessly entertaining. "The Gigantic Reader: Overstuffed with Irresistible Information" is a massive collection of facts and trivia to entertain for hours on end while enriching the mind. From tales of not-so-wise wise men, to unusual stories of love, to the strangest court cases in history, there is a fascinating treasure trove within "The Gigantic Reader".

Irish Folk and Fairy Tales
Gordon Jarvie
Black Staff Press
c/o DuFour Editions
PO Box 7, Chester Springs, PA 19425
9780856408366, $15.95, www.blackstaffpress.com

Every country has its own literature and mythology. "Irish Folk and Fairy Tales" is a collection of short stories focusing on traditional Irish mythos. These contemporary writers provide excellent stories in the style of folk tales, with a touch of modernism where needed. "Irish Folk and Fairy Tales" is a top pick.


The Library Science Shelf

Moving Your Library
Steven Carl Fortriede
American Library Association
50 East Huron Street, Chicago, IL 60611
9780838909942, $63.00, www.alastore.ala.org

Moving hundreds of books is no simple task. "Moving Your Library: Getting the Collection from Here to There" is a guide for moving one's base of operations to a new location. The advice given within gives specifications for what types of boxes one should try to use, packing one's inventory, and transporting it. "Moving Your Library" also discusses the problems one may face in a new location such as new employees and how to teach them to deal with the move. For any librarian who may be facing a location change in the future, "Moving Your Library" should prove a solid investment.

Scared Silly
Dianne de Las Casas
Libraries Unlimited
c/o ABC-CLIO
PO Box 1911, Santa Barbara, CA 93116-1911
www.abc-clio.com
9781591587323, $30.00, www.amazon.com

For Halloween or story-time for any other time of the year, "Scared Silly: 25 Tales to Tickle and Thrill" by author and award-winning storyteller Dianne de Las Casas is an instructive guide and manual of the methods and techniques for telling a scary story in ways that will involve the audience to attend attentively and participate appropriately. Through the illustrative example of twenty-five stories, "Scared Silly" will enable children's librarians, elementary school teachers, camp counselors, and home-schooling parents to entertain their young listeners. Of special note is the 'Spook-O-Meter' rating for each individual story so that age appropriateness (grades 1 through 5) can be easily determined. "Scared Silly: 25 Tales to Tickle and Thrill" is a welcome and highly recommended addition to academic library and community library staff resource collections.

Library Mashups
Nicole C. Engard
Information Today
143 Old Marlton Pike, Medford, NJ 08055
9781573873727, $39.50, www.infotoday.com

Libraries are compendiums of data, but what point is there to the data if it's not presented in a good way? "Library Mashups: Exploring New Ways to Deliver Library Data" is a guide for librarians on how to use the internet and all of the applications that have spawned out of it to improve their library as it serves for a vault of information. Featuring contributions from countless professional librarians, "Library Mashups" is a collection that should not be ignored.

Starting, Strengthening, and Managing Institutional Repositories
Jonathan A. Nabe
Neal-Schuman Publishers
100 William Street, Suite 2004, New York, NY 10038
9781555706890, $85.00, www.neal-schuman.com

Record keeping is not something to skimp on. "Starting, Strengthening, and Managing Institutional Repositories" is a scholarly reference for major institutions that require tip top record keeping in order to function at their full capacity. With chapters advocating using librarians as managers of the repositories, policies, encouraging use, and using them to come up with new ideas, author Jonathan A. Nale presents a complete and comprehensive coverage of the concept. "Starting, Strengthening, and Managing Institutional Repositories" is a very strongly recommended addition to community and college library science collections.


The Writing/Publishing Shelf

Writing For The Internet
Craig Baehr & Bob Schaller
Greenwood Press
c/o ABC-CLIO
PO Box 1911, Santa Barbara, CA 93116-1911
www.abc-clio.com
9780313376948, $55.00, www.amazon.com

From the earliest era of writing when the technology was making stylistic marks upon wet clay shards, through the invention of papyri scrolls and quill pens, to typewriters, to computer keyboards, to held-hand blackberries and the most recent mechanical advance in writing -- twittering, technology has impacted in how we communicate through the written word. That evolution, interestingly enough, has gone from the simple to the complex and now back to simple. Each technological development had its own demands imposed upon those who would write -- and the Internet is no exception. That's why "Writing for the Internet: A Guide to Real Communication in Virtual Space", the collaborative work of Craig Baehr and Bob Schaller, is so timely and highly recommended. Spanning a wide range of relevant issues, this thoroughly 'user friendly' introduction and instruction guide ranges from online publishing to blogging and everything in-between. Identifying and addressing the factors that make for good, effective, professional quality writing in a cyberspace medium, "Writing for the Internet" is an ideal classroom textbook, self-instruction manual, and a solid reference work for personal, academic, and community library Writing/Publishing reference collections and supplemental reading lists.

Mentors, Muses, & Monsters
Elizabeth Benedict
Free Press
c/o Simon & Schuster
1230 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020
9781439108611, $24.99, www.simonandschuster.com

There are central figures in everyone's lives who are the cornerstones of who they have become. "Mentors, Muses, & Monsters: 30 Writers on the People Who Changed Their Lives' is a collection of essays from many writers as they reflect on these individuals who have changed the course of their lives. Thirty different perspectives offer very different stories and shows the impact of positive and negative influences can drastically have. "Mentors, Muses, & Monsters" is an intriguing and top pick for those who want to understand inspiration and the people who provide it.

Writing Content
Roger W. Nielsen
R. W. Nielsen Company
1974 Alan Street, Idaho Falls, ID, 83404
9780982035542, $19.95, www.amazon.com

Specially written as a do-it-yourself instruction manual for aspiring writers seeking to create articles and stories for magazine publication, and for anyone wanting to write persuasively and credibly in an online forum or format, Roger W. Nielsen has compiled a thoroughly 'user friendly' series of chapters identifying and teaching the techniques required for writing clear, concise, commercially viable, and reader engaging content. From coming up with an idea, to information gathering, to organizing the material, to the final step of writing it all down, "Writing Content" will prove to be an invaluable informational resource for the novice, and have a great deal of practical value for even the experienced author as a continuing reference and guide. Of special note and value are the chapters dedicated to writing queries, the use of anecdotes, and writer etiquette. Enhanced with a list of 'Works Cited' and a comprehensive index, "Writing Content" is a very highly recommended addition to personal, professional, and community library Writing/Publishing reference collections and supplemental reading lists.

The Complete Idiot's Guide to Writing Business Books
Bert Holtje
AlphaBooks
c/o Penguin Publishing Group
375 Hudson Street, New York, NY 10014-3658
9781592578795 $18.95 www.penguin.com 1-800-847-5515

Despite their titles, "The Complete Idiot's Guide" series of how-to books are most assuredly not for 'idiots' - they are for absolutely everyone in search of solid information on a subject. The Complete Idiot's Guide to Writing Business Books continues this worthy tradition with a no-nonsense primer on writing and profitably publishing a compendium of one's business wisdom. From testing whether there's a market for one's book, to tips on whether one should collaborate (and if so, how to find the right person to do it with), to advice for publicizing oneself and one's book, and more, The Complete Idiot's Guide to Writing Business Books walks the reader through every step of the process. An extremely user-friendly resource, highly recommended.

The Fire in Fiction
Donald Maass
Writer's Digest Books
c/o F+W Media, Inc.
4700 East Galbraith Road, Cincinnati, Ohio 45236
9781582975061 $17.99 www.writersdigest.com

Literary agent and author Donald Maass presents The Fire in Fiction: Passion, Purpose, and Techniques to Make Your Novel Great, a solid guide to enlivening one's writing. Especially promoting the power of tapping into one's own, most unforgettable life experiences, The Fire in Fiction is reader-friendly and covers everything from crafting characters with hopes and dreams that resonate with the reader, to the secrets of successful satire, to heightening tension in dialogue, action, or even exposition, and much more. A "must-have" resource for fiction writers of all skill and experience levels.

Questions Writers Ask
Karen Speerstra
Robert D. Reed Publishers
PO Box 1992, 1380 Face Rock Drive, Bandon, OR 97411
9781934759325 $16.95 www.rdrpublishers.com

Questions Writers Ask: Wise, Whimsical, and Witty Answers from the Pros presents published professionals' answers to common questions about writing. Organized around twenty different topics (each topic is in the form of a question such as "Where do you get your ideas?", followed by a wealth of different answers to that one question by a diversity of people), Questions Writers Ask is a solid and useful primer, and deserves to be read cover to cover by anyone interested in breaking into the writing business. Nearly 6,000 quotations, many of them classic, pack this excellent resource. "Plot springs from character... I've always sort of believed that these people inside me - these characters - know who they are and what they're about and what happens, and they need me to help get it down on paper because they can't type." -Anne Lamott.


The Cookbook Shelf

Why Italians Love to Talk About Food
Elena Kostioukovitch
Farrar, Straus, Giroux
18 West 18th St., New York NY 10011
9780374289942, $35.00 www.fsgbooks.com

WHY ITALIANS LOVE TO TALK ABOUT FOOD is published in English for the first time and provides a fine food and culinary survey of Italy's major regions. From how popular dishes emerged to specialty tastes, eating habits, and even the Church's influence on Roman foods, this is an outstanding survey of Italian regional food developments, and is a top pick for libraries who have Italian recipe collections but want to achieve cultural depth and insight.

The Complete Chile Pepper Book
Dave DeWitt & Paul w. Bosland
Timber Press
133 S.W. 2nd Ave Suite 450, Portland, OR 97204-3527
9780881929201, $29.95 www.timberpress.com

The Complete Chile Pepper Book: A Gardener's Guide to Choosing, Growing, Preserving and Cooking provides detailed profiles of the 100 most popular chile varieties, from growing them and handling diseases and pests to harvesting and producing recipes. Thus this mix of gardening and culinary lore is a fine pick for libraries strong in either genre, offering chili fans 85 recipes that make use of each pepper's unique qualities. An outstanding survey.

My New Orleans: The Cookbook
John Besh
Andrews McMeel Publishing
118 Walnut Street, Kansas City, MO 64106
0740784137, $45.00 www.andrewsmcmeel.com

MY NEW ORLEANS: THE COOKBOOK is the chef author's celebration of his boyhood home and coming of age in the bayous, and offers insights into the making of his recipes and food. It's also a photographic survey of the city's foods and evolution, and a portion of the proceeds from its sale will be donated to a New Orleans-based non-profit organization dedicated to providing at-risk youth an opportunity to enter into the restaurant industry. With so much going for it, it's a pick any library will want.

Love Soup
Anna Thomas
W.W. Norton
500 - 5th Avenue, New York NY 10110
9780393332575, $22.95 www.wwnorton.com

LOVE SOUP: 160 ALL-NEW VEGETARIAN RECIPES packs in new dishes by the author of The Vegetarian Epicure, offering many innovative, delicious dishes for main dishes and comfort food. Anyone can cook a pot of soup: this covers the basics of soup cooking to take advantage of farmer's markets year round, explaining the basics of choosing and using local ingredients throughout the process. General libraries will find it appealing.

America's Test Kitchen
17 Station St, Brookline, MA 02445
www.americastestkitchen.com

The Complete America's Test Kitchen TV Show Cookbook (1933615559, $39.95) collects ten years from the hit TV show and offers favorite recipes from the show under one cover. From the best blueberry scones and brownies to pasta, bean stews, steak tacos and more, this packs in color photos with recipes tested over and over, and is a pick any general library will find popular. Also recommended is THE BEST OF AMERICA'S TEST KITCHEN 2010 (9781933615547, $35.00), a survey of 150 recipes culled down from the 1,000 developed for the company's popular magazines, books, and TV shows. Step-by-step photos accompany both equipment and ingredient recommendations for foolproof results.

Raw Food for Real People
Rod Rotondi
New World Library
14 Pamaron Way, Novato, CA 94949
9781577316732, $24.95 www.newworldlibrary.com

Any library strong in vegan food coverage will find a fine survey in Raw Food for Real People, covering living vegan food and offering dozens of recipes tested in the author's own restaurants and adapted for home use. Also included are in-depth preparation instructions, from how to open a coconut to stocking a pantry, supplementing the fine began dishes and offering readers a vivid cookbook.

500 Casseroles
Rebecca Baugniet
Sellers Publishing
161 John Roberts Road, South Portland, ME 04106
www.makefun.com
9781416207696, $16.95, www.amazon.com

One of the easiest and 'kitchen cook' dishes to prepare and serve for family mealtimes is the casserole, a single dish entree that is almost infinite in its variety. Compiled and organized by Rebecca Baugniet, "500 Casseroles" is a particularly impressive collection of easy-to-prepare recipes for a wide diversity of one-pot dishes ranging from Tamale Casserole; Rigatoni & Italian Sausage Bake; Coq Au Vin; and Turkey Gougere; to Baked Snapper with Mushrooms; Chilaquile Casserole; Cauliflower & Red Pepper Casserole; and Italian Risotto with Scallops. Beautifully and profusely illustrated throughout with color photography, "500 Casseroles" will prove a popular culinary addition to any personal, family, and community library cookbook collections.

The Amish Cook's Baking Book
Lovina Eicher & Kevin Williams
Andrews & McMeel
4520 Main Street, Kansas City, MO 64111
www.andrewsmcmeel.com
9780740785474, $29.99, www.amazon.com

The Amish are a distinctive people known for their simple way of life. A fundamental aspect of their unique life-style is how they treat baking as much as a culinary art. This edible art is showcased in the profusely illustrated pages of "The Amish Cook's Baking Book", a 224-page compendium featuring step-by-step instructions for creating one hundred classic Amish recipes ranging from pies and breads to rolls and all manner of pastries. From Cheesy Bread; Overnight Oatmeal Cookies; Rhubarb Shortcake; and Honey Bars; to Long John Rolls; Monsters Cookies; Salt-Rising Bread; Sugar Cream Pie; and Applesauce Cake, "The Amish Cook's Baking Book" offers a wide range of delectable and nutritious baked goods. Of special note are the sidebars and insights into Amish life both within and beyond the Amish kitchen. "The Amish Cook's Baking Book" is a highly recommended addition to personal and community library ethnic cookbook collections in general, and bakery cookbooks in particular.

Williams-Sonoma Cooking Together
Erin & Tatum Quon
Oxmoor House
PO Box 11095, Des Moines, Iowa 50336-1095
www.oxmoorhouse.com
9780848732738, $19.95, www.amazon.com

One of the fundamental responsibilities of good parenting is to inculcate into their children the culinary joys of the kitchen -- along with the basic skills that are fundamental to the safe and sanitary preparation of meals. That's just one reason why "Williams-Sonoma Cooking Together: Having Fun in the Kitchen with Your Kids" is so enthusiastically recommended for family and community library collections. That's why San Francisco-based culinary expert Erin Quon (in tandem with her five year old daughter Tatum) has gone to such extraordinary lengths to create a completely 'kid friendly' introduction that parents everywhere can utilize to teach their children basic kitchen skills while creating an impressive range palate please and appetite satisfying dishes. From Pizza Kabobs; Hummus & Veggie Cones; and Yogurt Sundaes; to Little Frittatas; Homemade Fish Sticks with Tartar Sauce; and Snowball Cupcakes, "Williams-Sonoma Cooking Together" is an ideal addition to kitchen cookbook collections for kids.

Entree To Judaism
Tina Wasserman
URJ Books & Music
633 Third Avenue, 7th floor, New York, NY 10017-6778
www.urjpress.com
9780807411100, $39.95, www.amazon.com

Jewish communities from around the world during the last two millennia of the diaspora absorbed a great many culinary traditions, transforming them to accord with the dietary and religious requirements that their faith required of them. The result is a rich diversity that is as much a part of the Jewish cultural legacy as the synagogue and the Torah. Documenting this remarkable culinary heritage is "Entree to Judaism: A Culinary Exploration of the Jewish Diaspora", an impressive 472-page compendium of authentic recipes compiled with commentary by Tina Wasserman, an award-winning cooking instructor, food columnist for 'Reform Judaism' magazine, and specialist in contemporary kosher cuisine. Superbly illustrated throughout in full color, "Entree to Judaism: A Culinary Exploration of the Jewish Diaspora" showcases more than 275 recipes featuring thoroughly 'kitchen cook friendly' instructions. With palate pleasing, appetite satisfying dishes ranging from Syrian Apricot compote in Rose Water Syrup; Moroccan Chicken Kebabs; Greek Psari Saganaki; and Three-Potato Cheese Gratin; to Miniature Chocolate Almond Tortes; Kneidlach (Matzah Balls); Tunisian Briks; New York Style Cheesecake; and English Tomato Chutney, "Entree to Judaism: A Culinary Exploration of the Jewish Diaspora" is especially recommended for family, professional, and community library Ethnic Cookbook collections.

How It All Vegan! 10th Anniversary Edition
Tanya Barnard & Sarah Kramer
Arsenal Pulp Press
341 Water Street, Suite 200, Vancouver, BC, Canada, V6B 1B8
www.arsenalpulp.com
9781551522531, $22.95, www.amazon.com

First published in 1999 and a true classic for vegetarians in general and vegans in particular, "How It All Vegan! 10th Anniversary Edition: Irresistible Recipes for an Animal-Free Diet" by the team of dedicated Canadian vegans Tanya Barnard and Sarah Kramer is a 240-page compendium of superb recipes showcasing the culinary diversity and palate pleasing elegance of what vegan cuisine has to offer. With recipes for dishes appropriate for breakfast, family dinners, party time, and special celebratory occasions, this collection of recipes includes soups, beverages, salads, entrees, side dishes, breads, desserts, kiddy treats, and more! From Scrambled Eggless Eggs; Vegetable Rice Pilaf; Tofurky (Tofu Turkey); and Applesauce Bread; to Chocolate Upside Down Pudding Cake; Fresh Fruit Kabobs; Perfect Potato Salad; and Banana Date Shake, "How It All Vegan!" is a welcome and very highly recommended addition to personal, family, and community library cookbook collections.

You Made That Dessert?
Beth Lipton
The Globe Pequot Press
PO Box 480, Guilford, CT 06437
www.globepequot.com
9780762750085, $19.95, www.amazon.com

At last! A do-it-yourself collection of truly neophyte kitchen cook recipes that will produce palate pleasing, appetite satisfying, superbly produced treats that will grace any dining occasion from the simplest family meal to the most elegant dining occasion. Profusely illustrated throughout, "You Made That Dessert?: Create Fabulous Treats, Even If You Can Barely Boil Water" truly lives up to the promise of its title with clear, concise, easy-to-follow, step-by-step instructions for a cornucopia of mouth-watering desserts that range from Cinnamon-Hazelnut Shortbread; Great Big Coconut Cake; S'mores Bars; and Pumpkin Mousse; to Grapefruit Granita; Cool Blueberry Soup; Apple Crumble; and Cherry-Berry Stovetop Cobbler. "You Made That Dessert?: Create Fabulous Treats, Even If You Can Barely Boil Water" is a 'must' for all novice cooks and will prove to be an exceptionally popular addition to community library cookbook collections!

Easy Japanese Cooking: Appetizer Rex
Kentaro Kobayashi
Vertical, Inc.
1185 Avenue of the Americas, 32nd floor, New York, NY 10036
www.vertical-inc.com
9781934287637, $14.95, www.amazon.com

Drawing upon culinary traditions of Japanese cuisine which have been adapted for American kitchens, "Easy Japanese Cooking: Appetizer Rex" is the fifth title in an impressive series of cookbooks specifically designed with the novice family cook in mind. Focused specifically on appetizers that would embellish any and all dining occasions from elegant dining occasions of celebration to simple family meals, this handy 96-page paperback compendium showcases beautifully illustrated and presented recipes ranging from Cube Steak with Garlic; Fried Tofu with Miso; and Chicken Wings with Freshly Ground Pepper; to Fried Cheese Sticks; Wasabi Butter Beef; and Potato Skins. "Easy Japanese Cooking: Appetizer Rex" is wholeheartedly recommended for personal, family, and community library cookbook collections.

More Vegetables, Please!
Elson M. Haas & Patty James
New Harbinger Press
5674 Shattuck Ave, Oakland, CA 94609
www.newharbinger.com
9781572245907, $21.95, www.amazon.com

We all know that mothers and doctors advocate that their families and patients eat more fruits and veggies, and fewer sweets and fats in their diets. With respect to increasing the consumption of vegetables at meal time, Elson M. Haas and Patty James have effectively collaborated to produce a 227-page compendium of tips and techniques showcasing more than one hundred recipes that will please the palate and satisfy the appetite of even the most veggie-reluctant child or adult at the table. Of special note is the inclusion of a great deal of basic information on and about the vegetables involved in these thoroughly 'kitchen cook friendly' recipes which include seasonings, sauces, spreads, appetizers, dips, salads, dressings, soups, sandwiches, entrees, side dishes, and even desserts. From Chanterelle Crostini; Chinese Chicken Salad with Mandarin Dressing; Golden Tofu Cauliflower Soup; and Vegetarian Chili; to Asparagus Quiche; Broccoli with Lemon and Gomasio; Quinoa Pilaf with Fennel; and Zucchini Brownies, "More Vegetables, Please!" is an enthusiastically recommended addition to personal, family, and community library cookbook collections.

Sweetness
Sarah Levy
Agate Publishing
1501 Madison Street, Evanston, IL 60202
www.agatepublishing.com
9781572840935, $20.00, www.amazon.com

No truly elegant dining occasion can be considered complete without the inclusion of a fabulous dessert. Even an ordinary meal time occasion can be made extra special by the inclusion of a treat from the kitchen. That's why "Sweetness: Delicious Baked Treats for Every Occasion", a 144-page, beautifully illustrated compendium of thoroughly 'kitchen cook friendly' snacks and desserts will prove to be a popular addition to any kitchen cookbook collection, but most especially that of the novice family chef. Enhanced throughout with engaging anecdotal commentaries, and featuring clear and easy step-by-step instructions, the recipes range from Sinful Chocolate Souffles; Banana-Chocolate Chip Pound Cake; and Raspberry Pepin Jam; to Lemon Baby Rattle Cookies; Holiday Vanilla Bean Sugar Cookies; and Rafael's Righteous Cream Cheese Brownies. Of special note are the opening chapters of Sarah Levy's personal history and detailed basic information that all kitchen bakers will need to know to achieve success in their culinary efforts. "Sweetness" is enthusiastically recommended and guaranteed to be a popular addition to personal and community library cookbook collections.

101 Recipes For Making Wild Wines At Home
John Peragine
Atlantic Publishing Group, Inc.
1405 S.W. 6th Avenue, Ocala, FL 34471
www.atlantic-pub.com
9781601383594, $24.95, www.amazon.com

Wine making is among the world's most ancient culinary arts and is enjoying a resurgence of popularity today. The latest addition to the Atlantic Publishing Group's outstanding 'Back to Basics Cooking' series, "101 Recipes For Making Wild Wines At Home: A Step-by-Step Guide to Using Herbs, Fruits, and Flowers" by wine making enthusiast John Peragine focuses upon the do-it-yourself creation of wines made from plants growing wild. Organized with introductory chapters on the legality and history of making wines at home, winemaking basics, and grape-based wines, "101 Recipes For Making Wild Wines At Home" moves on to include informed and informative chapters on wines from berries, 'stone fruits', 'seeded fruits', citrus and tropical fruits, and apple cider; wines made from vegetable and grains; and herbal wines. Of special note are the chapters devoted to making meads and wild wine drinks. Novice wine makers will especially appreciate the chapter identifying the ten most commonly encountered problems when making wine. Enhanced with a glossary, a bibliography, a resource list, a comprehensive index, and appendices on 'Wine yeast Strains' and 'Tales from the Vineyard', "101 Recipes For Making Wild Wines At Home" is an ideal and thoroughly 'user friendly' introduction and instruction manual appropriate and recommended for personal and community library reference collections.

Gourmet's Guide To Cheese
Brigette Engelmann & Peter Holler
H. F. Ullmann
c/o Langenscheidt Publishing Group
15 Tyger River Drive, Duncan, SC 29334
www.langenscheidt.com
9780841608900, $29.99, www.amazon.com

Cheese is basically fermented milk. The milk can come from any mammal and is cheese is one of the oldest foods that we have record of and found in one form or another in every human culture around the globe. The "Gourmet's Guide To Cheese" is the collaborative and detailed work of Brigette Engelmann and Peter Holler. Following informative introductory chapters on the nature of cheese, cheese production, and the handling of cheese, this 600-page compendium showcases the rich and diverse varieties of cheeses from around the world and is organized by country. Profusely and beautifully illustrated throughout with color photography, the featured cheeses includes such information as their origins and history, production, characteristics, and even serving suggestions. A superb browsing experience for dedicated cheese enthusiasts, the "Gourmet's Guide To Cheese" is an informed and informative choice recommended for personal, academic, and community library reference collections and supplemental reading lists.

The Cake Mix Doctor Returns!
Anne Byrn
Workman Publishing Company
225 Varick Street, New York, NY 10014-4381
www.workman.com 1-800-722-7202
9780761129615 $15.95, www.amazon.com

The Cake Mix Doctor Returns is a compendium of over 160 mouth-watering recipes that turn ordinary cake mixes into extraordinarily scrumptious desserts. Author Ann Byrn has appeared on dozens of television and radio shows such as "Good Morning America" and "All Things Considered" to share her delicacies; now she brings the straight scoop on everything from layer cakes to bundt and pound cakes to sheet cakes, cupcakes, brownies, bars, cookies and more. Many recipies include a space on the left of the page especially for inventive chefs to jot down notes! An absolute "must" for the cookbook collection of any cake lover, highly recommended.

The Cocktail Primer
Eben Klemm
Andrews & McMeel
4520 Main Street, Kansas City, MO 64111
www.andrewsmcmeel.com 1-800-851-8923
9780740778162 $19.99. www.amazon.com

Master mixologist Eben Klemm presents The Cocktail Primer, a step-by-step guide to creating not only classic cocktail favorites, but also modern variations - and understanding the basic principles of mixology to help one design a drink to fit any occasion. Full-color photographs illustrate this excellent, easy-to-follow guide to anyone eager to learn how to mix and serve drinks to suit any taste. Highly recommended.

Strictly Sundays
Joe Fitzpatrick, author
Steven Potter, photographer
Book Publishers Network
PO Box 2256, Bothell, WA 98041
barbarakindness@verizon.net (publicity)
www.bookpublishersnetwork.com
9781935359197 $19.95, www.strictlysundays.com

Strictly Sundays is not a sundae cookbook - rather, it is packed cover to cover with mouth-watering creations especially meant to be cooked and served on Sundays. Written by Joe Fitzpatrick, a.k.a. "The Blue Collar Gourmet", Strictly Sundays includes appetizers such as "Spicy Shrimp" and "Monica's Guacamole", main dishes such as "John's Stuffed Flank Steak" and "Lady Vi's Lasagna", salads such as "Caesar Coleslaw" and "Quinoa Salad", soups such as "Roasted Jalapeno Soup" and "Joe's Clam Chowder", and much more. Easy-to-follow instructions and luscious color photographs distinguish this compendium of palate-pleasing meals sure to make any cook a hit on Sundays!

Menus and Memories from Punjab
Veronica "Rani" Sidhu
Hippocrene Books, Inc.
171 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10016
9780781812207 $29.95 www.hippocrenebooks.com

Written by a Punjabi cooking teacher with thirty years' experience in her family's Punjabi kitchens, Menus and Memories from Punjab: Meals to Nourish Body and Soul lives up to its title with a wide collection of traditional Punjabi dishes, each with extensive preparation instructions, a black-and-white photograph, and a brief paragraph commenting on the author's memories of the meal. Menus and Memories from Punjab blends culinary creations with love of family cooking, and the pages about preparing meals for special days are sure to warm the reader's heart while inspiring them to make the most of special occasions. A welcome and highly recommended addition to international cookbook shelves.

100 Words for Foodies
American Heritage Dictionaries
Houghton Mifflin Company
215 Park Avenue South, NY, NY 10003
www.houghtonmifflinbooks.com
9780547239682 $5.95, www.amazon.com

100 Words for Foodies is not a typical recipe compendium (though it does include a handful of recipes such as "Turkish White Bean Wrap Sandwiches" and "Edamame and Spinach with Golden Onions") - instead, it defines one hundred terms that any aspiring chef or gourmet should know, from "bruschettta" (bread served in slices that have been broiled, rubbed with garlic, brushed with olive oil, seasoned with salt, and layered with various toppings) to "umami" (a taste sensation produced by glutamates and nucleotides, associated with meats and high-protein foods and often considered to be the fifth basic taste along with sweet, sour, salty, and bitter). Some of the words even have extensive "word history" sections describing their origin. An excellent, inexpensive supplementary resource for anyone looking to broaden their vocabulary and culinary knowledge!

The Everything Potluck Cookbook
Linda Larsen
Adams Media Corporation
57 Littlefield St., 2nd fl, Avon, MA 02322
www.adamsmedia.com 1-800-872-5627
9781598699906 $15.95, www.amazon.com

The Everything Potluck Cookbook lives up to its title with step-by-step instructions for easy-to-prepare potluck dishes ideal for all types of gatherings. Over 300 recipes are featured, rom "Flaky Pate Rolls" to "Scalloped Chicken", "Succotash Chowder", "Pesto Pasta Skillet", "French Lace Cookies", and more. Of especial interest in today's calorie-saturated culinary landscape are the healthy and vegetarian recipes! An inexpensive, easy-to-use resource perfect for chefs of all skill and experience levels.

Brother Anselm's Glenstal Cookbook
The Columba Press
c/o Dufour Editions, Inc.
PO Box 7, Chester Springs, PA 19425-0007
9781856076685 $22.95 www.dufoureditions.com

Spiral-bound to lay flat (or fold its front cover all the way around) for easy reference, Brother Anselm's Glenstal Cookbook is a compendium of sixty-five recipes created and served at the Glenstal Abbey, home to approximately forty monks. From soups to fish, main courses, curries, pasta, eggs, potatoes, vegetables, desserts and more, Brother Anselm's Glenstal Cookbook blends its time-tested culinary creations with brief vignettes and a dash of humor. Featuring easy-to-follow instructions and brimming with old-world flavor cover to cover, Brother Anselm's Glenstal Cookbook is highly recommended.

Arabian Delights
Amy Riolo
Capital Books, Inc.
22841 Quicksilver Drive, Sterling, VA 20166
9781933102559 $20.00 www.capital-books.com

Arabian Delights: Recipes & Princely Entertaining Ideas from the Arabian Peninsula lives up to its title with an exotic medley of healthy and popular favorites from Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman, United Arab Emirates, Yemen, and Saudi Arabia. Recipes are organized into three major categories: "Palatial Feasts," "Special Ceremonies", and "Simpler Delights". Many are clarified with information about the ceremonies and occasions with which the dish is associated, guidelines for advance preparation, even true-life vignettes about travels and individuals of the Arab world. An enthusiastically recommended addition to international cookbook shelves.

Cake Keeper Cakes
Lauren Chattman
The Taunton Press
63 South Main Street, Newtown, CT 06470
9781600851209 $17.95 www.taunton.com 1-800-477-8727

Full-color photography of mouth-watering cake creations intersperse the pages of Cake Keeper Cakes, a collection of 100 easy-to-follow recipes of culinary delights ranging from "Chocolate Malted Snacking Cake" to "Poppy Seed Cake" to "Zebra Cake", "Cream Cake", "Nutella Swirl Pound Cake", and many more. A cake-lover's dream, Cake Keeper Cakes is an enthusiastically recommended addition to any dessert cookbook shelf!


The Woodworking Shelf

Carving Gunstocks: Power Techniques
Jose Valencia
Schiffer Publishing Ltd.
4880 Lower Valley Road, Atglen, PA 19310
9780764333705 $16.99 www.schifferbooks.com

Expert woodworker Jose Valencia presents Carving Gunstocks: Power Techniques, a step-by-step guide to creating unique carvings on rifle and shotgun stocks, illustrated with 250 color photos. From creating original patterns, to removing factory checkering, to mastering professional-quality finishing techniques, Carving Gunstocks: Power Techniques is a superb, step-by-step guide ideal for intermediate to advanced woodworkers. A clearly written, highly accessible guide, enthusiastically recommended to hobbyist interested in refining their skill.


The Egyptology Shelf

The Realm of the Pharaohs
Zahi A. Hawass, et al.
SCA
c/o International Publishers Marketing
22841 Quicksilver Drive, Dulles, VA 20166
www.internationalpubmarket.com
9789774378423 $34.50, www.amazon.com

The Realm of the Pharaohs: Essays in Honor of Tohfa Handoussa, Volume 1 is an anthology of scholarly essays selected and compiled by Zahi A. Hawass, Khaled A. Daoud, and Sawsan Abd El-Fattah about Egypt's archaeological history and unearthed artifacts, written in honor of award-winning Egyptologist Tohfa Handoussa. Black-and-white photography and diagrams illustrate this in-depth dissection of archaeological finds, and what the latest discoveries have to contribute to modern theories about ancient Egyptian society. The result is an excellent, extraordinary resource and a welcome addition to college library Egyptology shelves, and a superb compendium of source material for anyone with a serious interest in Egypt's ancient history.


The American History Shelf

The Nature of Cities
Jennifer S. Light
Johns Hopkins University Press
2715 N. Charles St., Baltimore, MD 21218
0801891361, $60.00 www.press.jhu.edu

THE NATURE OF CITIES: ECOLOGICAL VISIONS AND THE AMERICAN URBAN PROFESSIONS 1920-1960 charts the rise and fall of the conservation movement linked to urban and rural transitions where America changed from an agricultural nation to one whose population resided mostly in cities. From city planning and real estate issues to urban reform program and natural resource management issues within and outside the urban environment, THE NATURE OF CITIES provides a fine analysis recommended for any college-level library.

Arundel Burning
Joseph B. Ross, Jr.
Chesapeake Book Company
c/o Alan C. Hood & Company
PO Box 775, Chambersburg, PA 17201
www.hoodbooks.com
9780963515971, $18.00, www.amazon.com

A fire is as dramatic and it is unexpected -- and often lethal. Such was the case of a fire in the small Maryland town of Brooklyn when it erupted during a church fund-raising event on the night of Sunday, January 29, 1956, critically endangering some 1200 people in a large hall. "Arundel Burning: The Maryland Oyster Roast Fire of 1956" is the detailed and riveting story of that blaze in which author Joseph B. Robb Jr. painstakingly reconstructs the origin of the fire and the events that were to lead to one of Maryland's worst first disasters in state history. "Arundel Burning: The Maryland Oyster Roast Fire of 1956" is also the story of courage and how ordinary citizens, becoming aware of the blaze, began to deal with it in the absence of the fire department. "Arundel Burning: The Maryland Oyster Roast Fire of 1956" is a unique and focused regional history and a highly recommended addition to community library regional American History collections.

Storied Independent Automakers
Charles K. Hyde
Wayne State University Press
4809 Woodward Avenue, Detroit, MI 48201-1309
9780814334461, $34.95, www.wsupress.wayne.edu

American ingenuity was never a principle of big business. "Storied Independent Automakers: Nash, Hudson, and American Motors" tells the story of the automakers who throughout the twentieth century dared to stand against the tides of the big three corporations of Ford, General Motors, and Chrysler to stay independent and make their own innovations in the field of American cars. A story of rebellion and being big contributors to the development of the modern car, "Storied Independent Automakers" is a must for any automobile historian.

Master Mechanics & Wicked Wizards
Glen Scott Allen
University of Massachusetts Press
PO Box 429, Amherst, MA 01004
www.umass.edu/umpress
9781558497030, $29.95, www.amazon.com

Throughout American history from colonial times to the present, scientists have played a major role in not just the technological evolution of the country, but its popular culture as well. In "Master Mechanics & Wicked Wizards: Images of the American Scientist as Hero and Villain from Colonial Times to the Present", Glen Scott Allen (co-developer and director of the Cultural Studies Program at Towson University) presents a historical overview of the scientist in popular media over three centuries of American history. Drawing from such diverse sources and forums as political cartoons, literature, advertising, religious tracts, art, comics, radio, television, music, and film, American stereotypes of the scientist as both hero and villain are explored, illustrated and exemplified in fiction and in fact. From the common image of the 'mad scientist' (e.g. Dr. Strangelove) to the portrayals of the scientist as hero (e.g. Benjamin Franklin), "Master Mechanics & Wicked Wizards" is a fascinating read that is as informed and informative as it is insightful and entertaining, ranging as it does through 19th century utopian fiction, to 20th century achievements in technology, discovery, and advancements. Enhanced with copious notes and a comprehensive index, "Master Mechanics & Wicked Wizards" is a seminal work especially recommended for both academic and community library American History and Popular Culture reference collections and supplemental reading lists.

Custer Survivor
John Koster
Chronology Books
c/o History Publishing Company Inc.
PO Box 700, Palisades, New York 10964-0700
9781933909035 $16.95 www.historypublishingco.com

Custer Survivor: The End of a Myth, the Beginning of a Legend dares to challenge the long-standing historical assumption that the 210 troopers under Custer's command were exterminated to the last man. Drawing up extensive research and forensic evidence, Custer Survivor reveals the untold tail of one trooper who escaped, the Second Sergeant of C Company. Following his ordeal after his escape and the successful life he pursued thereafter, Custer Survivor is a thought-provoking addition to American history shelves with a focus on intense historical scrutiny and re-examination.

Boy Scouts of America
Chuck Wills
DK Publishing, Inc.
375 Hudson Street, New York, NY 10014
9780756656348 $35.00 www.dk.com

A coffee-table compilation featuring over 300 full color photographs of people, places, and memorabilia items, Boy Scouts of America: A Centennial History lives up to its title with an in-depth chronology of one of America's oldest institutions designed to prepare young men for leadership. From the Boy Scouts' origin at the turn of the century, to its evolution throughout the decades, to scouting in the modern day, Boy Scouts of America is a detailed tour de force. An excellent reference for anyone studying the Boy Scouts, and a treasure trove of nostalgia for anyone with fond memories of scouting, Boy Scouts of America is enthusiastically recommended for public, college, and personal library collections.

An American Hometown
Tom Roznowski
Quarry Books
c/o Indiana University Press
601 North Morton Street, Bloomington, IN 47404-3797
www.iupress.indiana.edu 1-800-842-6796
9780253221292 $24.95, www.amazon.com

An American Hometown: Terre Haute, Indiana 1927 offers an amazing snapshot of an ordinary American town shortly before the onset of the Great Depression. Presented in a "city directory" style, listing the names of famous people, places, and institutions followed by brief (ranging in length from a paragraph to a couple pages), descriptive biographical or historical text entries. Vintage black-and-white photographs pepper this cross-section of Americana, revealing the ins and outs of ordinary people's lives almost a century past. Highly recommended.

The Forgotten Founders on Religion and Public Life
Daniel L. Dreisbach, Mark David Hall, and Jeffry H. Morrison, editors
University of Notre Dame Press
310 Flanner Hall, Notre Dame, IN 46556
9780268026028 $28.00 www.undpress.nd.edu 1-800-621-2736

The Forgotten Founders on Religion and Public Life is an anthology of writings by learned authors seeking to bring full insight into the views of religion and the public space among a diversity of America's founders - not just the few that popular culture tends to focus on (due to a paucity of historical records or even the founder's individual efforts of self-promotion). Individual writings include "The Way of Duty: Abigail Adams and Religion", "John Jay and the 'Great Plan of Providence'", "Benjamin Rush and Revolutionary Christian Reform", "Mercy Otis Warren on Church and State", and many more. A surprisingly cosmopolitan meshing of differing views (including contrasting opinions on just how much of a role religion should have in the public domain) evolves, in this excellent effort to assemble a depth and breadth of thought to reveal precisely how America's founders viewed the church and the state. Highly recommended, especially for public and college library American History shelves.

Barbed Wire
Joanne S. Liu
Mountain Press Publishing Company
PO Box 2399, Missoula, MT 59806
9780878425570 $14.00 www.mountain-press.com 1-800-234-5308

A handful of vintage black-and-white photographs and illustrations enhance Barbed Wire: The Fence That Changed the West, the remarkable true history of how the invention of the barbed wire fence transformed America. Prior to the availability of affordable fencing, the Law of the Open Range decreed that the needs of cattle herds dominated the needs of farmers. With barbed wire fences, homesteaders could claim their land and create a relatively impassible barrier to cattle. The result was a conflict of cultures as cattlemen, farmers, Indians, inventors, and outlaws squared off against one another to determine what the West would become. An absorbing and insightful chronicle, enthusiastically recommended especially for American and Western history collections. Writers (and fans) of western-themed novels or shows would also be well advised to enrich themselves by reading Barbed Wire from cover to cover!

Dreams, Myths, & Reality
William Thomas Allison and Susan J. Matt, editors
Signature Books
564 West 400 North, Salt Lake City, UT 84116-3411
9781560851745 $29.95 www.signaturebooks.com 1-800-356-5687

Dreams, Myths, & Reality: Utah and the American West is an anthology of scholarly essays by learned historians contemplating Utah's role amidst broader settlement patterns in the 1800's. Individual topics include "Contested Ground: David Hyrum Smith's Mission to Utah, 1869", "In Their Own Tongue: Utah's Nordic-Language Press as an Aspect and Instrument of Immigrant Culture", "Native Women on the Utah Frontier", the titular "Dreams, Myths, and Reality: A Centennial Perspective on Utah's Constitution", and much more. Each essay was originally presented as a part of a lecture series in Weber State University on Utah and Western history; combined, they provide an invaluable and seminal contribution to American history shelves. Highly recommended, especially for college libraries.

Lincoln and the Politics of Christian Love
Grant N. Havers
University of Missouri Press
2910 LeMone Boulevard, Columbia, MO 65201
www.umsystem.edu/upress 1-800-828-1894
9780826218575 $44.95, www.amazon.com

Lincoln and the Politics of Christian Love is a remarkable re-examination of the role of Christian faith, love, and charity in the politics of Lincoln's era. Lincoln himself considered the Christian ideal of "loving thy neighbor as oneself" an indictment of slavery; author Grant N. Havers further explains how an effective democracy can only thrive when it is charitable toward all, and only those who embrace such an ideal of universal love and charity, as propagated by the moral standard of Christian love, can be successful in implementing and building democracy. Since World War I, political and philosophical thinkers have postulated that democracy is sufficiently ethical as a strictly secular institution, without the cornerstone of Christian love; Havers persuasively argues against this widespread belief and notes that it would have been alien to many of America's founders and to Lincoln. A solid re-examination of the philosophical, historical, and practical role of Christian charity in Lincoln's legacy, Lincoln and the Politics of Christian Love is a thought-provoking read and worth extended study (especially given America's current struggles to bring democracy to non-Christian peoples and nations) regardless of whether one agrees with the author's premises.


The Audiobook Shelf

Cowboys Full: The Story of Poker
James McManus, author
Oliver Wyman, narrator
Macmillan Audio
175 Fifth Avenue, Suite 315, New York, NY 10010
9781427207999 $29.99 www.macmillanaudio.com

Written by expert journalist James McManus (who has covered poker for "The New York Times", "Los Angeles Times", and more), Cowboys Full: The Story of Poker is an abridged audiobook adaptation of the amazing true history of America's favorite card game (the abridgement was approved by the author). Chronicling how early Americans added their own twist to a French parlor game, and how game skyrocketed in popularity after the Civil War, Cowboys Full traces the influence of poker from household kitchen tables to its influence on generals, diplomats, and world leaders. Poker has much to teach us about tactics, from cheating (or stopping cheaters!) to calculating uncertainty to bluffing and calling bluffs. An extraordinary tour of one of America's most beloved pastimes, Cowboys Full: The Story of Poker is a superb gift for the poker player in one's life. 6 CDs, 7 hours.

The John Cheever Audio Collection
John Cheever, author
Performed by Meryl Streep, George Plimpton, John Cheever, et. a.
Caedmon
c/o HarperCollins Publishers
10 East 53rd Street, New York, NY 10022-5299
9780061965357 $14.99 www.harpercollins.com 1-800-242-7737

The John Cheever Audio Collection is an audiobook compendium of twelve unabridged stories by Pulitzer Prize-winning American author John Cheever. Skillfully performed by a diversity of celebrities, The John Cheever Audio Collection brings these modern tales to vivid life, and is a fantastic choice for public library collections or anyone who loves great storytelling while on the go. The short stories are "The Enormous Radio" (read by Meryl Streep), "The Five-Forty-Eight" (Edward Herrmann), "O City of Broken Dreams" (Blythe Danner), "Christmas is a Sad Season for the Poor" (George Plimpton), "The Season of Divorce" (Edward Herrmann), "The Brigadier and the Golf Widow" (Peter Gallagher), "The Sorrows of Gin" (Meryl Streep), "O Youth and Beauty!" (Peter Gallagher), "The Chaste Clarissa" (Blythe Danner), "The Jewels of the Cabots" (George Plimpton), "The Death of Justina" (John Cheever) and "The Swimmer" (John Cheever). 6 CDs, 6 1/2 hours.

Magic City
Jewell Parker Rhodes, author
Cherise Boothe, narrator
Recorded Books, LLC
270 Skip Jack Road, Prince Frederick, MD 20678
9781440726644 $123.75 www.recordedbooks.com 1-800-638-1304

Magic City is the unabridged audiobook adaptation of a striking novel about racial tensions. In 1921 Tulsa, a black man and a white woman get on an elevator. The woman screams, and suddenly the man is forced to flee a lynch mob on the streets. Falsely accused of rape, aspiring magician Joe must run for his life, while the woman whose scream put him in such dire straits must search herself for the courage to tell the whole truth, even as racial tensions threaten to destroy the whole community. A tense and vivid drama, Magic City is powerful to the very end, and highly recommended. 10 CDs, 11 hours.

The Wild Things
Dave Eggers, author
Dion Graham, narrator
Blackstone Audiobooks
PO Box 969, Ashland, OR 97520
9781433297335 $90.00 www.BlackstoneAudio.com 1-800-729-2665

Veteran actor and narrator Dion Graham lends his voice to The Wild Things, an unabridged audiobook adaptation of the screenplay of "Where the Wild Things Are", which is in turn based upon the classic children's picturebook. The Wild Things considerably fleshes out the simple picturebook story, drawing listeners into the struggles of a confused young boy who misses his father, and doesn't understand why his mother is spending time with a new boyfriend or the drastic changes in his sister as she becomes a teenager. Max's own wildness erupts when he wears a wolf suit and bites his mother; running away from home, he takes a boat to the land of the Wild Things and becomes their king. But life is not so simple even among the Wild Things, who want as much from Max as he wants from them. An absorbing experience for listeners of all ages, highly recommended as a gift or for public library audiobook collections. 5 CDs, 6 1/2 hours.

Ice
Linda Howard, author
Fred Sanders, narrator
Random House Audio Books
c/o The Random House Publishing Group
1745 Broadway, 8th floor, New York, NY 10019
9780307577610 $30.00 www.randomhouse.com 1-800-726-0600

Ice: A Novel is the unabridged audiobook production of the harrowing suspense novel by award-winning author Linda Howard. On holiday leave from the service, Gabriel McQueen accedes to his sheriff father's request to check on a distant neighbor who has fallen out of contact. He travels to Lolly's home to find her in dire straits - strangers have invaded, and at least one of them is packing a weapon. It will take all his stealth training to extract Lolly from the house and for the two of them to survive as an ice storm descends upon the area. A chilling saga of the struggle to survive against ruthless enemies and intractable forces of nature, sure to keep listeners on the edge of their seat until the very end.

Camilla
Madeleine L'Engle, author
Ann Marie Lee, narrator
Listening Library, Inc.
1745 Broadway, New York, NY 10019
9780739380918 $39.00 www.listeninglibrary.com 1-800-726-0600

Camilla is the unabridged audiobook adaptation of a novel by Madeleine L'Engle, the author of the widely beloved classic "A Wrinkle in Time". Fifteen-year-old Camilla Dickinson has long lived a sheltered life, but when her parents' marriage begins to fail, she's caught in the middle of emotional turmoil. She becomes close to Frank, her best friend's brother, and the one person she can really talk to about life, death, God, and her aspiration to become an astronomer. They travel the streets of New York City together, and Frank introduces her to a world of people she'd never met or known before - but will her first love end as badly as the dying love between her parents? Superbly narrated by Ann Marie Lee, who has appeared in numerous television shows including "ER", "Law & Order: Criminal Intent", and "Nip/Tuck", Camilla is enthusiastically recommended for listeners of all ages and public library audiobook collections. 6 CDs, 7 hours 36 minutes.

The Schuman Frequency
Christopher Ride, author
Sean Mangan, narrator
Bolinda Publishing
186 S Long Swamp Rd, Jackson, ME 04921
9781921334665 $39.95 www.bolinda.com

Skillfully brought to life by the narration of singer and musician Sean Mangan, The Schumann Frequency is the audiobook adaptation a striking thriller about a time-traveling agent - Wilson Dowling, sent from the future to confront the Schumann Frequency, which has the power to slow the speed of time. Working from clues nestled within the Dead Sea Scrolls, Dowling must open three energy portals, each in a different famous archaeological site. Dowling must work quickly, for he is confronted by forces that threaten humanity, life on the planet, and perhaps the fabric of time itself. An enthralling adventure from start to finish, highly recommended especially for long car or airline trips. 13 CDs, 16 hours 45 minutes.

The White Queen
Philippa Gregory, author
Susan Lyons, narrator
Recorded Books, LLC
270 Skip Jack Road, Prince Frederick, MD 20678
9781440741920 $123.75 www.recordedbooks.com 1-800-638-1304

Skillfully read aloud by Susan Lyons, The White Queen is the unabridged audiobook adaptation of the first in a series of historical novels set during the chaos of the War of the Roses. The story follows Elizabeth Woodville, a woman of humble origin yet stunning beauty. The widow of a knight, Elizabeth plies her charm to win the affections of King Edward IV, yet when their secret marriage becomes public knowledge Elizabeth acquires relentless enemies. After Edward's unexpected death in 1483, his brother claims the throne, imprisoning Elizabeth's sons and forcing her to escape. But Elizabeth's most dangerous weapon is nothing less than her eldest daughter! An extraordinary portrayal of Henry VIII's grandmother, The White Queen is an utterly absorbing dramatization of history. 13 CDs, 15 1/4 hours.

Wolf Hall
Hilary Mantel
Macmillan Audio
175 Fifth Avenue, Suite 315, New York, NY 10010
9781427210166 $49.99 www.macmillanaudio.com

Wolf Hall is the unabridged audiobook adaptation of prize-winning British author Hilary Mantel's novel set in the ruthless climate of King Henry VIII's court. King Henry VIII is without a male heir, and if he dies without a successor, the land is sure to be ravaged by civil war. The king wants to annul his marriage of twenty years and marry Anne Boleyn, yet the pope and Catholic Europe stand in his way. Into the power struggle between the Church and the Crown strides Thomas Cromwell, whose ambition, silver tongue, and self-taught political skill maneuver him into the nations second most powerful figure after Henry. Cromwell finds a way to break the deadlock allow the king to follow his heart's wish, but Henry's moods are volatile at best - what will be the ultimate price of the King's demands? Simon Slater's narration brings to life this sweeping saga of power and danger, where a single misstep spells brutal doom. Highly recommended. 18 CDs, 23 hours.

Highest Duty
Capt. Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger
Jeffrey Zaslow
Michael McConnohie, narrator
HarperCollins Publishers
10 East 53rd Street, New York, NY 10022-5299
9780061953255 $39.99 www.harpercollins.com 1-800-242-7737

Vibrantly read aloud by Michael McConnohie (with some selections read by the author), Highest Duty: My Search for What Really Matters is the unabridged audiobook adaptation of the autobiography of Captain "Sully" Sullenberger - a man best known for landing a crippled US Airways flight in upon the Hudson River, saving the lives of all the passengers and crew. This successful landing was the result of teamwork, cooperation, and training; In Highest Duty, Sullenberger teaches listener about these values, as well as the importance of keeping one's judgement abreast of current technology. Highest Duty goes beyond airline matters to reach into the essence of America's "can do" spirit, the flame of optimism and the courage to do what's right that are among mankind's highest virtues. The dedicated life story of an extraordinary man with much to teach, Highest Duty is highly recommended. An enhanced CD also includes a cockpit voice recorder transcript of the plane crash. 8 CDs, 9 1/4 hours.

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

Scott Lasser's THE YEAR THAT FOLLOWS (1423393090, $24.99) receives a fine reading by Mel Foster and Tanya Eby Sirois as it tells of a woman's search for her brother's lost son, orphaned by his sudden death. The journey will bring families together and forge new relationships in this outstanding spirited story that comes to life on audio. Thomas J. Stanley, Ph.D.'s STOP ACTING RICH AND START LIVING LIKE A REAL MILLIONAIRE (1423398106, $29.99) receives Fred Stella's warm and smooth voice as it provides the latest research from the expert on wealth. From choosing to live in communities where net worth is less to spending less and gaining life satisfaction by better using financial resources, this advocates a lifestyle over the usual money-making schemes and is a top recommendation. Christopher Andersen's BARACK AND MICHELLE: PORTRAIT OF AN AMERICAN MARRIAGE (1441820671, $29.99) receives Dion Graham's powerful and award-winning narrative style and benefits from his Broadway influence as it provides an intimate look at the partnership and love of President Obama and his first lady. The focus on their relationship's evolution provides another facet of insights into their character in this warm audio read. Peter J. Bentley, Ph.D.'s WHY SHIT HAPPENS: THE SCIENCE OF A REALLY BAD DAY (142337682X, $29.99) receives veteran narrator Phil Gigante's powerful voice as it covers the basics of everyday disaster spiced with humor. Science is respected and highly misunderstood in this survey of mishaps in which Murphy's law reigns and scientific truths depart. Terry Brooks' A PRINCESS OF LANDOVER (1423398459, $38.99) receives Dick Hill's warm and seasoned voice as it provides a fine fantasy of enchanted Landover, which has struggled with scheming barons and conjurers. Now Chicago lawyer Ben, mortal turned monarch of this land, must prepare for a teenage daughter who makes the rest look easy .the first new Magic Kingdom novel in ages is a winner. Steve Knopper's APPETITE FOR DESTRUCTION; THE SPECTACULAR CRASH OF THE RECORD INDUSTRY IN THE DIGITAL AGE (1423375181, $34.99) enjoys American actor and musician Dan John Miller's vivid voice and approach as it tells how digital music brought the big business of recording to its knees. Based on interviews with over two hundred music industry sources, it's packed with an insider's observation of the industry's vast changes. David Kord Murray's BORROWING BRILLIANCE (1441801405, $24.99) enjoys classically trained actor Patrick Lawlor's fine voice as it reveals ideas on borrowing in the course of the creative process. Creative ideas come from every employee in a company and a new business discipline of innovation is emerging in many company structures. Murray's contention that creativity is learned more than a gift makes for a solid, revealing guide that comes to life in audio.

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

Ron Paul's END THE FED (9781600248665, $26.98) receives Bob Craig's fine radio personality training in an audio presentation that brings to life this account by a Congressman who blends history, economics and his own life experiences to explain the Federal Reserve and why it needs to be reigned in. Audio nonfiction listeners will find this thought-provoking listening. Po Bronson and Ashley Merryman's NURTURESHOCK: NEW THINKING ABOUT CHILDREN (9781600248405, $34.98) receives the authors' dual narration and provides an essential set of insights on parenting and how it's changing. From how praise and reward change behaviors and how parents changed the ways they spoke to children to how sibling relationships are determined in preschool and how the best kids miss advanced school programs, this packs in many eye-opening revelations on the world of parenting. Robert T. Kiyosaki's RICH DAD'S CONSPIRACY OF THE RICH: THE 8 NEW RULES OF MONEY (9781600248986, $22.98) pairs Dave Mallow's experienced voice and background in everything form commercials and voice characterization with a fine interactive audio format discussing solutions to financial issues. CONSPIRACY OF THE RICH represents the first 'Rich Dad' book written entirely online during the worldwide financial crisis and includes a bonus PDF. Edward M. Kennedy's TRUE COMPASS (9781600247545, $49.98) also includes a PDF of historical photos from Kennedy's life and a video interview with him, and appears on 17 CDs in an unabridged set read by John Bedford Lloyd. Any collection strong in Kennedy's life and politics will find this a popular lend. James Patterson and Martin Dugard's THE MURDER OF KING TUT (9781600246357, $26.98) receives a powerful narration by Joe Barrett, an accomplished actor, as it tells of King Tut's murder and new evidence leading to a different account of his life and death. True crime comes to life combined with a powerful history. Nicholas Sparks' THE LAST SONG (9781600246401, $39.98) includes an original score and a fine narration by Pepper Binkley and Scott Sowers as it provides the story of a teen changed by her parents' divorce, and alienated from them both years later - until her mother decides she and her brother should spend a summer with him. Love between parents, children and family comes to life in a sensitive narration highly recommended for any general collection. Joyce Meyer's THE LOVE REVOLUTION (9781600247354, $29.98) receives daughter Sandra McCollom's fine and smooth reading and provides an outstanding audiobook manual revolving around a call to action. The idea is to live to give - chapters by guest contributors who embody this maxim provide fine coverage of how love can indeed conquer all. David Cross' I DRINK FOR A REASON (9781600246487, $29.98) comes from a comedian who finds a mysterious phone message that leads him into the dangerous and strange world of book publishing. He finds good deeds are punished and evil deeds are rewarded with fame: his experiences come to life in this fine audio memoir. Michael Connelly's VOID MOON (9781600247392, $24.98) receives L.J. Ganser's powerful and experienced audio narrative style as it tells of L.A. ex-con Cassie, out of prison and returning to her old habits. When the 'perfect heist' goes bad, Cassie's on the run from a killer in this gripping thriller, perfect for audio collections. Anita Shreve's A CHANGE IN ALTITUDE (9781600247644, $34.98) receives Anna Stone's fine singing and acting voice which brings alive this new novel about a marriage and an adventure. A climbing expedition changes their lives and Margaret's struggle to understand its impact on her marriage makes for an engrossing, complex audio listen recommended for any general library. Michael Connelly's DRAGONS (9781600247439, $39.98) receives Len Cariou's fine stage and film presence and tells of a LAPD detective, Harry, who is on a new tough case. His involvement with an Asian gang investigation uncovers some deadly links to far-reaching crimes across the country in this thriller, which is a moving audio listen. Malcolm Galdwell's WHAT THE DOG SAW (9781600249150, $39.98) receives his own narrative style and provides a winning survey of the birth of American products, their marketing, and related issues from ethnic profiling to intelligence test results. A fine survey of pioneers, inventors and influences evolves in a strong audio listen.


The Library DVD Shelf

Stories from the Vaults: Season Two
Tom Cavanagh, host
Smithsonian Networks & Infinity Entertainment Group
Greenleaf & Associates (publicity)
vicki@greenleafandassociates.com
$19.98 DVD, $29.98 Blu-ray www.smithsonianchannel.com

Stories from the Vaults: Season Two is an eclectic, family-friendly collection of episodes that take viewers into the historical mysteries investigated by the Smithsonian Museum and its affiliates. From the wonders of the rainforest, to the quandary of trying to preserve sculptures made of chocolate and soap (and guess which inherently unstable substance is harder to preserve - no, it's not the one that guests try to eat!), to surprising true tales of some of America's most notorious criminals, Stories from the Vaults both entertains and edifies. Highly recommended especially for public library collections. The episodes are "Let's Eat!", "Nature's Vault", "Crystal Ball", "going, Going, Gone", "Sex 101" and "Villains and Rogues" plus bonus mini-featurettes. Approximately 200 minutes, available on DVD and Blu-ray.

Seven Wonders of the Muslim World
PBS
c/o SSA Public Relations
15260 Ventura Boulevard, Suite 1730, Sherman Oaks, CA 91403
$24.99 www.ssapr.com

Seven Wonders of the Muslim World: Six Journeys of Faith to the Heart of the Islamic World is an eye-opening documentary following six young Muslims on their life-changing pilgrimage to the holy site of Mecca. As they journey, they encounter some of the most beautiful and historic locations of worship. The seven wonders featured are The Grand Mosque in Mecca; the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem; The Alhambra in Granada, Spain; The Blue Mosque in Istanbul, Turkey; The Great Mosque of Djenne in Mali; the Imam Mosque in Esfahan, Iran; and the Badshahi Mosque in Lahore, Pakistan. A wondrous and unforgettable documentary encompassing centuries of history and profound respect for the rich faith of Islam. 60 minutes.

Travel With Kids: Costa Rica
Janson Media
88 Semmens Road, Harrington Park, NJ 07640
9781568393237 $17.98 www.janson.com www.TravelWithKids.tv

Part of the award-winning "Travel With Kids" series, Travel With Kids: Costa Rica invites the viewer to experience eco-travel and adventure in a nation famous for its beautiful cloud forest preserves, vast volcanic formations, beaches, and family-friendly activities. Following the Roberts' family's adventures along with solid travel advice for parents and children alike, Travel With Kids: Costa Rica is an excellent supplement to preparing for a Costa Rican vacation. Bonus features include a trip planner with expanded information on activities, accommodation, and transportation; family travel tips and resources; a "Costa Rica at Home" section offering language and craft activities as well as recipes; and a bloopers reel. Highly recommended. 57 minutes.

Lionsgate
c/o 411 Video Information
PO Box 1223, Pebble Beach, CA 93953
$14.98 each www.411videoinfo.com

Denise Austin hosts two excellent fitness DVDs designed to help one quickly get into the habit of a solid, fat-blasting exercise regimen! "3-Week Boot Camp" (52 min.) offers two high-powered, twenty-minute workouts emphasizing cardio and strength training, plus a bonus Ab Fat Blaster section. A great addition to fitness libraries, "3-Week Boot Camp" lives up to its title as an exercise routine sure to help the viewer look and feel better in short time! Simple, inexpensive hand weights are advised to get the most out of the workout, and a music-only option is available. "Body Makeover Mix" (49 min.) offers three 15-minute workouts for toning one's muscles: Upper-Body Sculpt, Lower-Body Sculpt, and Ab & Core Conditioning (which includes standing moves and some mat Pilates). A custom workout interactive option and a music-only option enhance this excellent muscle training DVD. Both DVDs are worthy additions to any fitness library, and highly recommended.

The Big Question
Deepak Chopra, Thich Nhat Hanh, Desmond Tutu, Sr. Helen Prejean, Rev. Joseph Lowery
Vision Video
PO Box 540, Worcester, PA 19490-0540
$19.99 www.visionvideo.com www.bigquestionthemovie.com 1-800-523-0226

The Big Question: A Film About Forgiveness is a DVD documentary about what it takes to confront reprehensible crimes. When individuals, mobs, or even government oppression exact unspeakable cruelty, how should one react? Should one forgive rapists, murderers, police whose bungled procedures allow the worst criminals to roam the streets, or government forces that kill and oppress innocents? What path will bring about the most justice, protect the most innocents, or minimize the risk of history's evils repeating themselves? Many great leaders and people of strong moral conviction are interviewed, including Desmond Tutu, Sr. Helen Prejean, Thich Nhat Hanh, Rev. Joseph Lowery, Deepak Chopra, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, Hopi Elders, and more. Also included is the bonus feature "The Five Steps to Forgiveness" with Dr. Everett Worthington, and a three-lesson PDF study guide for group discussion. 63 minutes, English subtitles.

The Zombies: Odessey & Oracle Revisited
Rod Argent, Colin Blunstone, Chris White, & Hugh Grundy
MVD Entertainment Group
PO Box 280, Oaks, PA 19456
$19.95 www.MVDb2b.com 1-800-888-0486

Dedicated to the late, great fifth member of the The Zombies (Paul Atkinson 1946-2004), The Zombies: Odessey & Oracle Revisited is a DVD of the 40th anniversary reunion concert of the original four members of "The Zombies" band (Rod Argent, Colin Blunstone, Christ White & Hugh Grundy), as performed at the Shepherd's Bush Empire in London, March of 2008. The Zombies perform their complete "Odessey & Oracle" album - all 12 tracks are recreated, sung and played with pure passion. Also included are the rest of the songs played by The Zombies' Touring Band that night, from songs that The Zombies and Argent made famous to selections from Colin Blunstone's solo albums. A glorious celebration of music, The Zombies: Odessey & Oracle Revisited is an absolute "must-have" for anyone who loves The Zombies' songs. 121 minutes.

Akasha Productions
411 Video Information
PO Box 1223, Pebble Beach, CA 93953
$19.95 each www.411videoinfo.com www.AkashaProductions.tv

Dancer and choreographer Meera Varma hosts two "Dances of India" fitness DVDs, which take the viewer on an invigorating workout tour of energetic and highly enjoyable dance routines grounded in the popular culture of East India. "Dances of India: Bollywood to Bollydance with Meera" (71 min.) features cinematic-style dance, blending classical Indian dance movements with influences of folk and western dances to create a warmup, workout, and cooldown worthy of a movie star. The performance music video "Maya" is a highlight bonus feature. "Dances of India: Urban Bhangra Bounce with Meera" (60 min.) introduces viewers to the "hip-hop" of India, featuring a high-energy workout marked by motivational drumbeats. The performance music video "Mystic Asman" is a highlight bonus feature. Both DVDs are an exceptional addition to DVD fitness libraries in need of a little spice from halfway around the globe, and choice picks for anyone interested in trying something different and exciting for their daily workout. Also highly recommended are "Dances of India: Ancient to Modern" and "Bellydance: The Art of Toning and Technique".

Framing, Matting, & Hanging: A Beginner's Guide
Larry Withers, host
On Air Video Inc.
8203 Westminster Rd., Elkins Park, PA 19027
$16.95 www.onairvideo.com

Expert fine arts craftsman Larry Withers presents Framing, Matting, & Hanging: A Beginner's Guide is a no-nonsense DVD guide to protecting one's artwork in framing and matting for its protection and enhancement. Using simple tools and materials available at any hardware store, one can follow the step-by-step directions to select an appropriate mat and frame, cut a single or double-mat, mount artwork, make one's own frame molding, cut and assemble the frame, paint and decorate the frame, display artwork, and use conservation framing techniques. An easy-to-follow how-to guide, highly recommended for anyone interested in learning the basics of preparing art or photographs for display. 88 minutes.

Chefs A' Field
PBS Home Video
c/o SSA Public Relations
15260 Ventura Boulevard, Suite 1730, Sherman Oaks, CA 91403
0793670926 $34.99 www.shopPBS.org

Chefs A' Field: Culinary Adventures that Begin on the Farm collects the fourth season of the PBS documentary of culinary adventures across the Americas, from Alaska to Hawaii to Mexico's Yucatan jungle. Of particular note is the emphasis not only on the skills of great chefs, but also on eco-friendly foods. Local farmers and fishermen contribute their wisdom on responsible and sustainable food production, followed by a behind-the-scenes lesson in great cooking (advanced professional cooking techniques are simplified in order to be accessible to viewers of all ages and backgrounds). Enhanced with PDFs offering special tips and recipes from the series, Chefs A' Field is a culinary gourmet's delight, and highly recommended for anyone who loves truly great cooking shows. 6.5 hours, closed captioned, widescreen.


The Biography Shelf

Found Art
Leeana Tankersley
Zondervan
5300 Patterson Avenue SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49530
9780310291336, $16.99, www.zondervan.com

Art knows no form. "Found Art: Discovering Beauty in Foreign Places" is the artistic memoir of the wife of a Navy SEAL as she reflects on her journeys through the world alongside her husband. Offering many poignant ideas, drawing on the elegance that she often sees in the plainest of things, her words offer much to the discussion. "Found Art: Discovering Beauty in Foreign Places" is a top pick for memoir collections that focus on world travel.

Woodhouse Family Welcome Home!
Kimbery Woodhouse
Tyndale
351 Executive Drive, Carol Stream, IL 60188
Campbell Public Relations (publicity)
1255 Lake Plaza Dr., Suite 244, Colorado Springs, CO 80906
9781589975736, $13.99, www.focusonthefamily.com

Not having to sweat and feeling no pain sounds good on paper, but the reality is much more troublesome. "Woodhouse Family Welcome Home: Our Family's Journey to Extreme Joy" is a mother reflecting on the long journey she has experienced with her daughter Kayla, who has a rare disorder which makes her life quite difficult and has had quite the assortment of medical problems through her life. "Woodhouse Family, Welcome Home!" is an inspiring story of a family supporting one of their own.

Descents of Memory
Morine Krissdottir
Duckworth
c/o Overlook Press
141 Wooster Street, New York, NY 10012
9781585679171, $40.00, www.overlookpress.com

What produces truly magnificent writers? "Descents of Memory: The Life of John Cowper Powys" is an analytical biography covering the life story of John Cowper Powys, one of the most influential and important novelists in recent history. From his career as a lecturer and his constant changes in settings, anyone trying to understand the man and his work will find some answers. "Descents of Memory: The Life of John Cowper Powys" is a top pick for literary collections.

Robertson Davies
Val Ross
McClelland & Stewart
75 Sherborne St., 5th Floor, Toronto, ON M5A 2P9
9780771077760, $24.99, www.mcclelland.com

Some authors sell books, other make an impact that lasts for years after. "Robertson Davies: A Portrait in Mosaic" is a biography from over one hundred contributors who paint a unique collective picture of the man and his work. and what he left behind. From his family to those who met with in his everyday life to those influenced by his work and his contemporaries, "Robertson Davies" is well worth the consideration for any literary biography collections.

Shiprocked
Steve Conway
Liberties
c/o Dufour Editions
PO Box 7, Chester Springs, PA 19425
9781905483624, $22.95, www.libertiespress.com

Dedicated to music can drive people far. "Shiprocked: Life on the Waves with Radio Caroline" tells the story of Radio Caroline, a pirate radio stations that remained an icon of radio on the British isles for over four decades from a lone ship in the ocean. An original memoir of a truly unique approach to life and dedication to one's passion, "Shiprocked" is a must for any fascinated by pirate radio and the people who run it.

Official Book Club Selection
Kathy Griffin
Ballantine Books
1745 Broadway, New York NY 10019
9780345518514, $25.00 www.ballantinebooks.com

Official Book Club Selection provides a memoir from a double Emmy Award-winner and comedian and offers a survey of her life in comedy. Her celebration of friends and mentors who guided her rise to fame makes for an outstanding, candid and funny survey highly recommended for any general lending library.

House of Cards
David Ellis Dickerson
Riverhead Books
375 Hudson St., New York NY 10014
9781594488818, $24.95 www.riverheadbooks.com

HOUSE OF CARDS: LOVE, FAITH AND OTHER SOCIAL EXPRESSIONS tells of the author's dream of writing fun greeting cards - and the realities of the changing greeting card world he discovered when in 1994 he landed a job at Hallmark Cards. His time as a greeting card writer introduced him to a larger world, and his survey offers some hilarious and pointed comments on a changing world in this fine blend of memoir and writer's autobiography.

Stitches: A Memoir
David Small
W.W. Norton
500 - 5th Avenue, New York NY 10110-0017
9780393068573, $24.95 www.wwnorton.com

STITCHES: A MEMOIR offers a fine graphic memoir combining the graphic novel format and a memoir. He covers the bizarre story of his childhood in a family where abuse was physical and emotional and free expression was forbidden, capturing his experience in a series of images powerful and gripping. Any general library - particularly those with graphic novels - will find this an unusual, important read.

American on Purpose
Craig Ferguson
HarperCollins
10 E. 53rd St., New York NY 10022-5299
9780061719547, $25.99 www.harpercollins.com

AMERICAN ON PURPOSE: THE IMPROBABLE ADVENTURES OF AN UNLIKELY PATRIOT comes from an author who calls himself Scottish at heart and American in soul, and provides a funny account of his journey from Glasgow to Hollywood. From his Scottish upbringing and heavy drinking problems to his career struggles, this gritty self-assessment will find a home in any general lending library.

Anne Frank: The Book, the Life, the Afterlife
Francine Prose
Harper
10 E. 53rd St., New York NY 10022-5299
9780061430794, $24.99 www.harpercollins.com

Anne Frank: The Book, the Life, the Afterlife comes from a critic who has taught The Diary of a Young Girl to many students over the years, and who provides a fine analysis of a diary which is as much a work of art as a historical record. Her analysis also covers Frank's revision and editing of her work to craft a piece of literature she'd hoped would be read by the public after the war. Anyone seeking a real understanding of Anne Frank's art and literary importance needs this analysis.

The Man Who Loved Books Too Much
Allison Hoover Bartlett
Riverhead Books
375 Hudson St., New York NY 10014-3658
9781594488917, $24.95 www.penguin.com

Most avid reads know the passion that comes with a love for books - but John Charles Gilkey went further than most in the course of his passion, stealing books for the love of them. Journalist Sallison Bartlett follows the thief and the self-appointed biblio detective who decided to catch him: the result blends suspense, humor and insights into the book collector's world, and is a powerful pick for any lending library.

Why This World
Benjamin Moser
Oxford University Press
198 Madison Avenue, New York NY 10016-4314
9780195385564, $29.95 www.oup.com

WHY THIS WORLD: A BIOGRAPHY OF CLARICE LISPECTOR will appeal to college-level collections who have works of the Brazilian writer on hand. It tells of her life, her traumatic family experiences, her studies of law and work in the 1940s as one of Brazil's few women journalists, and her works of radical fiction. Libraries offering Latin authors and analysis will find this biography key to understanding Lispector's works and influences.

No Place Like Home
Linda M. Hasselstrom
University of Nevada Press
Mail Stop 0166, Reno, NV, 89557-0166
www.unpress.nevada.edu 1-877-682-6657
9780874177961 $24.95, www.amazon.com

The Wild West has been tamed. "No Place like Home: Notes from a Western Life" is one woman's reflections on the ever changing landscape of the west, as a woman who have lived in Wyoming and South Dakota. Over her lifespan the untamed west has become more civilized and urban, much like its coastal cousins, and Linda Hasselstrom offers a poignant reflection of the changing of the times. "No Place Like Home" is a must for any who want to remember the west as it was.

Wildman of Rhythm
John Radanovich
University Press of Florida
15 Northwest 15th Street, Gainesville, FL 32611-2079
9780813033938, $29.95, www.upf.com

Politics can cause the grandfather of salsa to be lost in time. "Wildman of Rhythm: The Life & Music of Benny More" profiles Benny More, hailed as one of the finest musicians to ever come out of Cuba. His music was a big band style that blended influences and would later become known as salsa, yet he has been largely forgotten due to Cuba's later history. "Wildman of Rhythm" is a must for any biography collection focusing on the history of music.

Andrew Taylor Still: 1828-1917
Carol Trowbridge
Truman State University Press
100 East Normal Street, Kirksville, MO 63501-4221
9781931112789 $30.00 http://tsup.truman.edu 1-800-916-6802

Andrew Taylor Still: 1828-1917 is the biography of a truly remarkable man of medicine. After three of his children died from meningitis in 1864, he focused his life upon finding the cause of and cure for the disease. Still created the philosophy of osteopathy, an approach to health care emphasizing the musculoskeletal system, eschewing drugs. A pioneer of holistic medicine who was never fully understood by his peers and colleagues, Still's practice and his devotion to patient-centered care permanently changed the field of medicine, up to the present day. Andrew Taylor Still 1828-1917 is an absorbing biography of a little-known yet far-reaching man of medicine and learning, highly recommended especially for college library collections.

A Woman Alone
John A. Harrison
Frank Amato Publications
PO Box 82112, Portland, OR 97282
9781571884527 $19.95 www.amatobooks.com

A Woman Alone: Mona Bell, Sam Hill and the Mansion at Bonneville Rock is the biographical portrait of a truly remarkable modern-day pioneer woman and early feminist, Mona Bell. She fought a legal battle with the federal government in the state of Oregon, when the Army commandeered her hilltop mansion and surrounding riverfront acreage in Columbia River Gorge to build Bonneville Dam. A huntress of considerable skill and marksmanship, she was once arrested in Kenya for going into the bush without a white hunter, and embarked on the same pursuit in Uganda. But she preferred to shoot big game with a camera rather than weapons. She traveled the world on her own, and her adventurous life would later cause her daughter-in-law to say about her, "She was a woman alone, and she was OK with it." A one-of-a-kind true story about a one-of-a-kind woman, highly recommended.

Barney Frank
Stuart E. Weisberg
University of Massachusetts Press
PO Box 429, Amherst, MA 01004
9781558497214 $29.95 www.umass.edu/umpress 1-800-537-5487

Grounded in interviews with over 150 people, Barney Frank: The Story of America's Only Left-Handed, Gay, Jewish Congressman is a comprehensive biography of the unusual American legislator whose recent landmarks include helping to craft a compromise bill to halt the increasing wave of home mortgage foreclosures, and the $700 billion "rescue plan" that followed. An evenhanded portrait, Barney Frank: The Story of America's Only Left-Handed, Gay, Jewish Congressman reveals both Frank's strengths and talents in communication and alliance-building, and his more negative side - such as his impatience, which is has all but become the stuff of White House legend. Of especial interest is the particular pressures Frank has come under as arguably the most prominent and widely known openly gay politician in America (his career was almost ended by a publicized sex scandal with a male prostitute). An excellent portrait of a career pragmatist and a skilled legislator, Barney Frank: The Story of America's Only Left-Handed, Gay, Jewish Congressman is an enthusiastically recommended addition to American biography collections.

A Spy's Journey
Floyd L. Paseman
Zenith Press
c/o MBI Publishing Company
400 First Avenue North, Suite 300, Minneapolis, MN 55401
9780760337356, $17.99, www.zenithpress.com

What is the life of a real spy during the roughest times of the cold war? "A Spy' s Journey: A CIA Memoir" is the memoir of Floyd L. Paseman, telling his story of rising through the ranks of the CIA across the span of decades, serving his country in the divided territory of Germany. "A Spy's Journey" is an utterly fascinating read, of highest recommendation for those who want a taste of real spy life.

To Die for the People
Huey Newton
City Lights Books
261 Columbus Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94133
9780872865297, $16.95, www.citylights.com

The fight against injustice and cruelty pushes people to new heights. "To Die for the People" is a biography of Huey Newton, founder of the Black Panther party, and has been labeled a radical all of his life. Offering insights to one of the biggest influences of the civil rights movement and black power movements of the 1960s and 70s, his story is one that's crucial to understanding the social changes of the second half of the twentieth century. "To Die for the People" is a worthwhile addition to any collection focusing on social issues and memoirs.

Rural Free
Rachel Peden
Quarry Books
c/o Indiana University press
601 N. Morton Street, Bloomington, IN 47404
9780253221612, $19.95, www.iupress.indian.edu

Quickly fading from present memory, there is a certain charm to rural life. "Rural Free: A Farmwife's Almanac of Country Living" is a memoir of country life, seeking to emphasize the values one gets from living on the farm and what it teaches people about the world around them. Poignant and intriguing, "Rural Free" is worth considering for those who want to gain a better understanding of how most of America lived throughout its history.

Summers Long Ago
William H. McNeill & Ruth J. McNeill
Berkshire Publishing Group
120-122 Castle Street, Great Barrington, MA 01230-1506
9781933782713, $25.00, www.berkshirepublishing.com

It's a privilege not everyone has, and keeps fading as time rolls on. "Summers Long Ago: On Grandfather's Farm and in Grandmother's Kitchen" is a memoir of William McNeill reflecting on the summers with his grandparents on a Canadian coastal farm. Reminiscing about the profound lessons he learned during these times, he shows how his experiences shaped him into the historian he is today. "Summers Long Ago" is quite the unique and inspiring story, and is well worth the consideration.


The Theatre/Cinema/TV Shelf

Horror Screenwriting
Devin Watson
Michael Wiese Productions
3940 Laurel Canyon Blvd., -- Suite 1111, Studio City, CA 91604
9781932907605, $24.95, www.mwp.com

Fear is an art in itself. "Horror Screenwriting: The Nature of Fear" discusses horror films and critically analyzes this genre that is either loved or hated by so many viewers. Covering everything from classical Nosferatu to the more modern Saw films, author Devin Watson provides quite the study of horror for students of films, or for horror fans and want to gain a greater understanding of their favored genre. "Horror Screenwriting" is a top pick for film enthusiasts.

Ruined
Lynn Nottage
Theatre Communications Group
520 Eighth Avenue, 24th Floor, New York, NY 10018-4156
9781559363556, $13.95, www.tcg.org

A brothel can be a battlefield as much as anywhere else. Lynn Nottage's "Ruined" is a script for a play that has won several best plays of 2009 awards. Set in a Congo brothel during a civil war, "Ruined" tells of the plight of the women, when the men seem to care only about power and little else. "Ruined" proves why it's acclaimed, offering much food for thought in its text form.

Keep Watching the Skies!
Bill Warren
McFarland & Company
PO Box 611, Jefferson NC 28640
www.mcfarlandpub.com 1-800-253-2187
9780786442300 $99.00, www.amazon.com

Now in an updated and revised 21st century edition featuring new entries on several films not listed in the original, Keep Watching the Skies! American Science Fiction Movies of the Fifties is an exhaustive reference compendium, arranged alphabetically by film title and illustrated with more than 270 photographs, some in color. Each entry includes a detailed synopsis, a summary of what various reviews said about the movie, and a credits listing. An easy-to-use index and nine handy appendices round out this one-of-a-kind reference perfect for public and college library collections, as well as the private libraries of sci-fi movie enthusiasts.

Sheldon's Gift
Thomas L. Olson
North Star Press of St. Cloud
PO Box 451, St. Cloud, MN 56302-0451
9780878393183 $16.95 www.northstarpress.com 1-888-820-1636

Sheldon's Gift: Music, Movies and Melodrama in the Desirable City is a close look at the 150-year history of theaters and show business in Red Wing, Minnesota. Red Wing native, university administrator and philanthropist Tom Olson weaves the amazing true stories of itinerant actors and musicians, grand opera houses (and some not-so-grand), the impact of the rise of Hollywood and Golden Age, the vanishing of the silver screens, and much more. An expertly researched chronicle, enthusiastically recommended for anyone curious about the evolution of performance arts in microcosm.


The Literary Shelf

Approaches to Teaching Hurston's Their Eyes Were Watching God and Other Works
John Lowe, editor
Modern Language Association
26 Broadway, 3rd Floor, New York, NY 10004-1789
9781603290449, $19.75, www.mla.org

Zora Neale Hurston is one of the leaders of the Harlem Renaissance, modern educators are sometimes confused on how to teach her work. "Approaches to Teaching Hurston's Their Eyes Were Watching God and Other Works" is a advisory guide for these teachers n approaching the works of Zora Neale Hurston, an iconic writer of black American literature and an icon for women writers as well. Covering her most famous work among her other writings, "Approaches to Teaching Hurston's Their Eyes Were Watching God and Other Works" is a worthwhile pick for literary collections.

Shakespeare's Sonnets and the Bible
Ira B. Zinman
World Wisdom
1501 East Hillside Drive, Bloomington, IN 47401
9781933316741 $26.95 www.worldwisdom.com

What was the relationship between one of the English language's greatest writers and faith? "Shakespeare's Sonnets and the Bible: A Spiritual Interpretation with Christian Sources" analyzes the hidden themes of spirituality in the writings of William Shakespeare. An intriguing read for Christian readers, "Shakespeare's Sonnets" is a top pick for any who want to better understand the work of Shakespeare.

Out of the Northwoods
Michael Edmonds
Wisconsin Historical Society Press
816 State Street, Madison, WI 53706
9780870204371, $24.95, www.wisconsinhistory.org

One of the most cherished American folk tales is the story of Paul Bunyan and his big blue ox. "Out of the Northwoods: The Many Lives of Paul Bunyan" discusses the origins of the story, from its earliest roots as tales shared between Wisconsin lumberjacks in the nineteenth century, to Bunyan's transformation into an American icon of marketing. The story of the Paul Bunyan's origins may be more fascinating than the story of Paul Bunyan, making "Out of the Northwoods" an entertaining and highly recommended read.

The Representation of Business in English Literature
Arthur Pollard, editor
Liberty Fund, Inc.
8335 Allison Pointe Trail, #300, Indianapolis, IN 46250-1684
www.libertyfund.org 1-800-955-8335
9780865977587 $12.00, www.amazon.com

How has literature impacted the public opinion of big business? "The Representation of Business in English Literature" discusses the effect that literature has in the current affairs of big business. Surveying the past two hundred years, the five essays chronicle changing attitudes, and how partiality influences whole nations. "The Representative of Business in English Literature" is an educational read that's worth one's attention.

Under the Covers and Between the Sheets
C. Alan Joyce & Sarah Janssen
Reader's Digest
Reader's Digest Road, Pleasantville, NY 10570-7000
9781606520345, $14.95, www.rd.com

Sometimes the people behind the writing are more intriguing than what they create. "Under the Covers and Between the Sheets: The Inside Story Behind Classic Characters, Authors, Unforgettable Phrases, and Unexpected Endings" is a book packed cover to cover with trivia of the world of literature. Pen names, inspirations, publishing misadventures, and so much more, anyone fascinated with the unusual people who create the books they love, "Under the Covers and Between the Sheets" is a top pick for anyone who wants to read of Mark Twain's undying hatred for Jane Austen.

Imagining Siam
Caron Eastgate Dann
Monash Univeristy Press
c/o International Specialized Book Services
920 NE 58th Ave. Suite 300, Portland, OR 97213-3786
9781876924621, $36.95, www.isbs.com

With so much westernization and modernization, the only way to experience Siam as it was is through literature. "Imagining Siam: A Traveller's Literary Guide to Thailand" is a book describing various literary ventures that one could pursue through its many eras, from its ancient beginnings to the beacon of global tourism it has become today. Drawing a long history of how Thailand has morphed over the years, "Imagining Siam" is a top pick for any who want to understand the country through its literature.

Not Even Past
Dorothy Stringer
Fordham University Press
University Box L, 2546 Belmont Ave, Bronx, NY 10458
9780823231478, $45.00, www.fordhampress.com

Prejudice of the past leads to intolerance of the future. "Not Even Past: Race, Historical Trauma, and Subjectivity in Faulkner, Larsen, and Van Vechten" discusses race in early twentieth century literature, focusing on the writers of distinguished writers William Faulkner, Nella Larsen, and the art of Carl Van Vechten. Their work, under the scrutinous eyes of their contemporaries and more modern philosophy, has lead to much of the influence in modern white supremacy movements says author Dorothy Singer. Intriguing and valuable reading, "Not Even Past" is a must for any literary collection focusing on issues of race.

A History of the Doc Savage Adventures
Robert Michael "Bobb" Cotter
McFarland & Company
PO Box 611, Jefferson NC 28640
www.mcfarlandpub.com 1-800-253-2187
9780786441358 $55.00, www.amazon.com

A History of the Doc Savage Adventures in Pulps, Paperbacks, Comics, Fanzines, Radio and Film is an in-depth compendium of information about the popular stories featuring legendary action-adventure icon Doc Savage. From Doc Savage's origin in a "Street & Smith" pulp magazine, to the changes (and the consistencies) in the character and his dramatic journeys throughout the decades, to Doc Savage's appearances in media ranging from paperbacks to graphic novels to radio, the silver screen, and even fan creations, A History of the Doc Savage Adventures lives up to its title with a wealth of meticulous research, including a spotlight on (and brief summary of the plot of) published Doc Savage stories. A handful of black-and-white photographs illustrate this welcome addition to college library literary studies shelves with an emphasis on popular culture. A History of the Doc Savage Adventures is also, of course, a "must-have" for any diehard Doc Savage fan!

1000 Comic Books You Must Read
Tony Isabella
Krause Publications
700 East State Street, Iola, WI 54990-0001
9780896899216, $29.99, www.krausebooks.com

Since the 1930s, comic books have had their place in society. "1000 Comic Books You Must Read" is a guide to the best of what comics have to offer throughout their history. From 1938 and Superman's first appearance in action comics, to the popularity of the modern graphic novel, there is much comic history to enjoy within the volume. "1000 Comic Books you Must Read" is a strong choice for any comics fan seeking a review of the format's history.

Oliver Wendell Holmes: Physician and Man of Letters
Scott H. Podolsky and Charles S. Bryan, editors
Science History Press
PO Box 1240, Sagamore Beach, MA 02562-1240
9780881353792 $35.00 www.shpusa.com

Oliver Wendell Holmes: Physician and Man of Letters is an anthology of essays by learned authors discussing physician, author, and poet Oliver Wendell Holmes (1809-1894), whose distinguished colleagues included the legendary Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. Writings include "A Private Pestilence: Holmes and Puerperal Fever", "Doctor Holmes: The Life in Conversion", and "Oliver Wendell Holmes's Depth Psychology: A Reconstruction", as well as an amazingly broad selection of quotable excerpts by Holmes himself. An excellent contribution to literary biography shelves, especially recommended for college library collections. "We must not allow any creed or religion whatsoever to confiscate to its own private use and benefit the virtues which belong to our common humanity."


The Military Shelf

Welcome to Afghanistan Send More Ammo
Benjamin Tupper
Epigraph Books
c/o Monkfish Book Publishing Company
27 Lamoree Road, Rhinebeck, NY 12572
www.monkfishpublishing.com 1-866-650-5665
9780982525500 $16.95, www.amazon.com

Empowering the Afghani military is a key aspect of the rebuilding it without a terrorist regime, but it's easier said than done. "Welcome to Afghanistan: Send More Ammo" is the memoir of Benjamin Tupper, a New Yorker sent to Afghanistan to whip the Afghani army into shape to defend themselves. An intriguing task is an intriguing journey, as Tupper brings readers on a light hearted and not-so light hearted romp through the War in Afghanistan. "Welcome to Afghanistan" is a top-notch military memoir, highly recommended.

River Patrol Insignia of the United States Navy (Vietnam) 1966/1972
Scott Kraska & Stephen Kirby
R. J. Bender Publishing
PO Box 23456, San Jose, CA 95153-3456
www.bender-publishing.com
1932970134, $59.95, www.amazon.com

The men of the U.S. Navy Task Force 116 who fought valiantly in the Vietnam War were distinguished from other American service men and woman by their distinctive black beret as they performed their duties as the River Patrol Forces fighting in the murky, brown waters of the Mekong Delta against an implacable and lethal enemy. Those who served in Task Force 116 comprised such elite U.S. Navy teams as PBRs, SEALs, Seawolves, and Black Ponies going into enemy saturated areas that included the isolated waterways of the Delta. Sharks. The collaborative work of Scott Kraska & Stephen Kirby, "River Patrol Insignia of the United States Navy (Vietnam) 1966/1972" is a 168-page compendium dedicated to identifying and showcasing the colorful insignia, emblems and artifacts associated with these combat units. This visual record is especially important for future generations of military scholarship because often these distinctive patches, the jungle fatigues and tigerstripes failed to survive the demands of physically demanding environments of war as it was experienced in South East Asia, as well as the regulation restrictions imposed upon U.S. sailors that fought there. A seminal work of enduring historical value and interest, "River Patrol Insignia of the United States Navy (Vietnam) 1966/1972" is especially recommended for personal and academic 20th Century American Military History reference collections in general, and Vietnam War supplemental reading lists in particular.

The Civil War Uniforms of the United States Marine Corps: The Regulations of 1859
Charles H. Cureton & David M. Sullivan
R. J. Bender Publishing
PO Box 23456, San Jose, CA 95153-3456
www.bender-publishing.com
9781932970111, $79.95, www.amazon.com

The collaborative work of Marine Corps military historian Lt. Col. Charles H. Cureton, USMCR (Ret.), currently Chief, Museums and Historical Property, Training and Doctrine Command, and David M. Sullivan, (the 2003 recipient of the Marine Corps Heritage Foundation s General O. P. Smith Heritage Award; the administrator of the Company of Military Historians, and editor of its journal Military Collector & Historian; and president of the International Naval Research Organization and executive production editor of its journal, Warship International), "The Civil War Uniforms of the United States Marine Corps: The Regulations of 1859" is a 296-page profusely illustrated and superbly detailed compendium focusing on authorized American Marine Corps uniforms. Every aspect of both officer and enlisted full dress uniforms are covered including chevrons, buttons, trousers, headdress and caps, stocks and cravats, shoes and boots, spurs, gloves, sash, belts, epaulettes, and swords. Definitive chapters are devoted to undress and fatigue uniforms; other articles of clothing; accouterments, equipment and firearms; non-regulated clothing and medals. Of special note and value are all the faithfully reproduced period photographs of Marines in uniform. An ideal addition to personal Civil War buff collections, no academic library American Military History or Civil War Studies reference collection can be considered complete or comprehensive without the inclusion of "The Civil War Uniforms of the United States Marine Corps: The Regulations of 1859".

Military Register of Custer's Last Command
Roger L. Williams
The Arthur H. Clark Company
2800 Venture Drive, Norman, OK 73069
9780870623684 $95.00 www.ahclark.com 1-800-842-9286

The story of General Custer is one of legend. "Military Register of Custer's Last Command" is a complete and comprehensive history of the men involved and the events leading up to the eventual demise of one General Custer in 1876. With complete biographies on all of the American troops involved in the conflicts, where they fought previously. A highly informative and well laid out reference, "Military Register of Custer's Last Command" is a must for any military reference collection, and for any studying America's military in the west.

Hell in An Loc
Lam Quang Thi
University of North Texas Press
PO Box 311336, Denton, TX 76203-1336
9781574412765 $29.95 www.unt.edu/untpress

Hell in An Loc: The 1972 Easter Invasion and the Battle That Saved South Viet Nam is a unique military history, written primarily to tell the story of a critical battle from the South Vietnamese point of view. Four years after the Tet offensive, the North Vietnamese army initiated a furious assault that would have taken South Vietnam save that it was stymied in An Loc, a former rubber plantation town sixty miles from the capital. Outnumbered and outgunned, the South Vietnamese army held out against three North Vietnamese army divisions, supported by artillery and armored regiments, for three long months. Yet this strong victory was all but ignored by the American media, which had ceased to focus upon the war after the disengagement of U.S. forces and the Vietnamization of the conflict. Author Lam Quang Thi postulates that the South Vietnamese victory in An Loc contradicted widespread beliefs that the Vietnamese war could not be won because the South Vietnamese army was a corrupt and unskilled at war, and therefore this potentially disruptive victory was played down. A meticulous account created specifically to set the historical record straight, Hell in An Loc is highly recommended especially for college library and military history collections focusing on the Vietnam conflict.

Operation Phantom Fury
Dick Camp
Zenith Press
c/o Quayside Publishing Group
400 First Avenue North, Suite 300, Minneapolis, MN 55401
9780760336984 $30.00 www.mbipublishing.com 1-800-458-0454

Retired Marine Corps full colonel and Vietnam combat veteran Dick Camp presents Operation Phantom Fury: The Assault and Capture of Fallujah, Iraq, an in-depth portrait of the second battle for Fallujah, which was the Marine Corps' biggest battle in Iraq, and arguably the most important battle during the entire occupation. Though Fallujah did not receive severe damage during the initial U.S. invasion of Iraq in 2003, strife between civilians, insurgents, and coalition forces erupted into violence with the murder and desecration of four Blackwater contractors. The U.S. Marine and Army forces, along with a number of Iraqi Army battalions, had to confront the lethal task of retaking Fallujah from insurgents. An expertly researched, harrowingly presented account of the pivotal battle, highly recommended especially for military history collections with a focus on the Iraq Wars.

Lone Soldiers
Herb Keinon
Devora Publishing
40 East 78th Street, Suite 16D, New York, NY 10021
9781934440605, $27.95, www.devorapublishing.com

What drives people to drop it all and join a foreign military? "Lone Soldiers: Israel's Defenders From Around the World" delves into the men and women who leave their home countries to travel around the world and join the Israeli army, leaving their lives behind. Hoping to shed some light on their stories which are powered by everything from faith to wanderlust, "Lone Soldiers" is a solid addition to any military collection.

Japanese Intelligence in World War II
Ken Kotani
Osprey
443 Park Avenue South, New York NY 10016
9781846034251, $24.95 www.ospreypublishing.com

Japanese Intelligence in World War II comes from a Japanese scholar who provides a reassessment telling how the Japanese used information from the Soviets, the Chinese and others in planning Japanese strategy and tactics. They had major intelligence-gathering successes but after their defeats at Midway and Guadalcanal, it was hard for them to focus on four enemies - and after 1943 Japanese intelligence ability went downhill. This study describes Japanese signals, counter-intelligence tactics, and their use of intelligence from pre-war through their successes and ultimate failure. Japanese, military and general history holdings at the college-level will find this focus fascinating.

Osprey
400 Hahn Road, Westminster, MD 21157
www.ospreypublishing.com

Osprey's fine guides to battles, wars and military history are top picks for any serious military library. American history holdings as well will welcome Ron Field's THE SEMINOLE WARS: 1818-58 (9781846034619, $17.95), a survey of the equipment, history and organization of the world's military forces. It packs in campaigns and details on the fighting men of both sides. Mark Lardas' CONSTITUTION VS. GUERRIERE: FRIGATES DURING THE WAR OF 1812 (9781846034343, $17.95) follows a duel between two 19th century sailing frigates, one of the most brutal clashes of arms in history where four famous frigate duels were fought. A vivid analysis of combatants, ships and their battles. Robert R. Hodges Jr.'s AMERICAN CIVIL WAR RAILROAD TACTICS (9781846034527, $18.95) packs in details on how the steam 6train was used as a military tool. Little-known uses of railroads - including as hot-air balloon carriers - are examined in a 'must' for any detailed library strong in Civil War history. Paolo Varriale's ITALIAN ACES OF WORLD WAR I (9781846034268, $22.95) provides a comprehensive history of Italian aces, especially vivid because the author's been in contact with the descendants of most of the aces featured in this volume and has received letters and diaries for the book from these primary sources. Many photos were unpublished, also, lending to the in-depth focus. Eugene Liptak's OFFICE OF STRATEGIC SERVICES 1942-45: THE WORLD WAR II ORIGINS OF THE CIA (9781846034633, $18.95) provides a review of the U.S. wartime espionage and covert operations agency during the war, following their tactics and the conflicts behind their operations. Rare photos and original artwork lends to the effort. Paul F. Crickmore's LOCKHEED SR-71 OPERATIONS IN EUROPE AND THE MIDDLE EAST (9781846034183, $22.95) provides a fine addition to the Osprey Combat Aircraft series, covering tensions around the deployment of the aircraft and its mission to monitor Warsaw pact troop movements and photograph ports. All are top picks for specialty military collections.


The Hunting/Fishing Shelf

Geoff Wilson's Encyclopedia of Fishing Knots and Rigs
Geoff Wilson
Australian Fishing Network
c/o Cardinal Publishers Group
2402 North Shadeland Avenue, Suite A, Indianapolis, IN 46219
9781865131603, $12.95, www.cardinalpub.com

To be the best at what you do, you need the best equipment. "Geoff Wilson's Encyclopedia of Fishing Knots and Rigs: Fully Revised" is a guide to mastery of loops, knots, and rigs for one's fishing lines and how they can have a profound impact on one's fishing success. With plenty of thoughts and ideas and how to deal with variables such as freshwater and saltwater fishing, Geoff Wilson provides a singularly useful read. "Encyclopedia of Fishing Knots and Rigs" is a must- read for fishermen who want to master their craft.

Colorado Greenback Cutthroat Trout
Jim Rubingh & Richard Fritz
Frank Amato Publications
PO Box 82112, Portland, OR 97282
www.amatobooks.com
9781571884473, $19.95, www.amazon.com

The Colorado Greenback Cutthroat Trout is a beautiful fish that was once thought to have gone extinct but which has now made an impressive comeback and found in more than 50 streams and lakes along Colorado's Front Range country. More than just having composed a 'how to' fisherman's manual, collaborative authors Jim Rubingh and Richard Fritz have provided a wealth of introductory and background information on the history and biology of this trout species, including the work done by state and federal agencies, wildlife organizations, and ordinary citizens to ensure its survival. Beautifully and profusely illustrated throughout with color photography, "Colorado Greenback Cutthroat Trout: A Fisherman's Guide" is superbly organized into a geographical area based presentation. Of special note, especially for the novice angler, is the chapter devoted to safety issues including lightning, fires, and dehydration. Enhanced with the inclusion of an extensive appendices, references, and index, "Colorado Greenback Cutthroat Trout" is a welcome and highly recommended addition to personal, academic, and community library Wildlife Preservation supplemental reading lists and Hunting/Fishing reference collections.

Fly-Fishing Secrets of the Ancients
Paul Schullery
University of New Mexico Press
1312 Basehart Road SE, Albuquerque NM 87106-4363
9780826346889 $29.95 www.unmpress.com 1-800-249-7737

Award-winning historian-naturalist Paul Schullery presents Fly-Fishing Secrets of the Ancients: A Celebration of Five Centuries of Lore and Wisdom. Fly-Fishing Secrets of the Ancients is not exactly a standard how-to guide, but rather a compendium of observations, research, and passion about the theories, techniques, and discoveries that have shaped the fly fishing pastime up to the modern day. From "Superfine and Very Strong: The Rise and Fall of Silkworm Gut" to "Pacific Salmon and the Myth of Uncatchability" to "The Long Haul: Where Did the Double Haul Come from, and Why Didn't It Get Here Sooner?", the chapters engage and edify the reader. Even the most devoted and knowledgeable of veteran fly fishers is sure to discover new fascinating facts and gain a better appreciation of the sport as a whole. Highly recommended as supplementary resource for anyone curious to learn more about fly-fishing from the ground up, and an excellent gift to anyone who enjoys fly-fishing, whether as a casual hobby or a lifetime devotion.


The Civil War Shelf

Missouri's War
Silvana R. Siddali, editor
Ohio University Press
19 Circle Drive, Athens, OH 45701
9780821417324 $18.65 www.ohiou.edu/oupress 1-800-621-2736

Missouri's War: The Civil War in Documents is an anthology of collected documents that serve as primary sources testifying about the motivations of Missouri's citizens before, during, and after the Civil War with an emphasis upon the war years. Missouri was unique in that it was the only Midwestern slave state, and quite literally one of the front lines between Union and Confederate armies. Its citizens had good reason to fear both antislavery guerillas (jaywalkers) and pro-Confederate guerillas (bushwhackers). Missouri's War is a superb gathering of letters, documents, and testimonies revealing how individuals coped with difficult times, and is strongly recommended especially for college library Civil War and Missouri history shelves.


The Buddhist Studies Shelf

The Art of Happiness in a Troubled World
The Dalai Lama and Howard C. Cutler, MD
Doubleday & Company
c/o Random House
1745 Broadway, New York, NY 10019
Planned Television Arts (publicity)
1110 Second Avenue, 3rd Floor, New York, NY 10022
9780767920643 $26.00 www.randomhouse.com 1-800-726-0600

Buddhist spiritual leader, His Holiness the Dalai Lama and psychiatrist/neurology expert Howard C. Cutler, MD present The Art of Happiness in a Troubled World, a guide to help readers of all faiths better understand the roots of human misery worldwide, and work to alleviate suffering while learning to experience personal happiness. Chapters discuss the prejudice as the "Us versus Them" mind-set that can blossom into extreme nationalism; the causes of violence and human cruelty; the human capacity for hope and compassion; the role of positive emotions in building a better world; and much more. A practical as well as spiritual guide, The Art of Happiness in a Troubled World lives up to its title and is enthusiastically recommended not only for Buddhist studies shelves, but also for anyone seeking to improve their own lives and the lives of others.


The Environmental Studies Shelf

Nature and Renewal
Dean B. Bennett
Tilbury House, Publishers
103 Brunswick Avenue, Gardiner, ME 04345
9780884483250, $16.00, www.tilburyhouse.com

Within a valley, history happens away from the eyes of the world. "Nature & Renewal : Wild River Valley & Beyond" tells the history of Wild River valley, and how humanity and nature have intertwined in this seemingly innocent place in nature. Drawing connections between man and nature, "Nature and Renewal" is a fascinating read for any intrigued by the nature and its impact on man.

Tropical Forests
Bernard A. Marcus
Jones & Bartlett Publishers
40 Tall Pine Drive, Sudbury, MA 01776
www.jbpub.com
9780763754341, $30.95, www.amazon.com

The world's tropical forests are sometimes referred to as the 'lungs of the world', being as they are, a major source of oxygen for the planet. They are also the home of incredibly diversified flora and fauna. That's why their continuing diminishment is of such vital concern. A part of the outstanding 'Ecosystems and Biomes' series from Jones & Bartlett Publishers, "Tropical Forests" by Bernard A. Marcus (Genessee Community College, Batavia, New York) provides an analytical and descriptive survey of world tropical forests in terms of the issues confronting them today. Addressing soil and water concerns, the ecosystem networks of plants and animals, the varying nature of tropical forests, and a great deal more, "Tropical Forests" is a superbly written and presented introduction. Of special note is the chapter focusing on the role tropical forests play in our global climate. Enhanced with the inclusion of an extensive glossary and a comprehensive index, "Tropical Forests" is an ideal classroom textbook and strongly recommended to the attention of non-specialist general readers with an interest in contemporary global environmental issues.

Anacostia
John R. Wennersten
Chesapeake Book Company
c/o Alan C. Hood & Company (distribution)
PO Box 775, Chambersburg, PA 17201
9780963515964 $20.00 www.hoodbooks.com

Anacostia: The Death & Life of an American River is the history of Washington's Anacostia River, and the people who lived near it. Part environmental study, part social history, Anacostia is particularly fascinating in its stinging analysis of how programs promoting eminent domain and "urban renewal" meant to raze and replace alleged "slums" and "blighted areas" actually created slums by forcing people out of stable neighborhoods, then quickly assembling shoddy public housing east of the river, concentrating the displaced poor in an area that inevitably gave rise to crime and drug markets. Anacostia goes on to examine governmental policies that all but ensures the river's ruin, followed by a call to re-examine the drive for growth for its own sake, and the cost that lack of proper regulation imposes on America's waterways and its citizens. A thoughtful, well-researched, and provocative history, bearing a message that needs to be heard, especially as America's population continues to increase - and as the political power of polluting industries continues to grow.

Climate Warming in Western North America
Frederic H. Wagner, editor
The University of Utah Press
295 South 1500 East, Suite 5400, Salt Lake City, UT 84112-0860
9780874809060, $29.95, www.UofUpress.com

The environment of the western United States is truly a unique one. "Climate Warming in Western North America: Evidence and Environmental Effects" discusses climate change and how it affects this unique ecosystem of the western United States, which is driven by snowfall as its water supply. A warming climate could have disastrous effects on the West as we know it. There is much scholarly debate within "Climate Warming in Western North America"; it's a solid addition to any collection focusing on the environment.

Catastrophe in the Making
William R. Freudenburg & Collaborators
Island Press
1718 Connecticut Ave., NW, Suite 300, Washington, DC 20009
9781597266826, $26.95, www.islandpress.org/catastrophe

Could mankind have brought Katrina onto itself? "Catastrophe in the Making: The Engineering of Katrina and the Disasters of Tomorrow" discusses how the scientific impact of mankind and how environmental factors where man has altered the world around them and those actions allow bigger and more powerful storms to assault civilization. "Catastrophe in the Making" is a very much recommended read for those who want to better understand climate charge and its serious effects.

Go Green Rating Scale
Phil Boise
Redleaf Press
10 Yorkton Court, St. Paul, MN 55117-1065
9781605540061, $19.95, www.redleafpress.org

A clean environment sets a good example and a good place for learning. "Go Green Rating Scale: for Early Childhood Settings" is a guide for offering a clean environment for young children that is conducive to learning. With plenty of checklists to help people be aware of the many hidden dangers that could be problematic for young people, "Go Green Rating Scale" is an ideal acquisition for any preparing an establishment for use by young children.


The Language Studies Shelf

The Way Of Chinese Characters
Jianhsin Wu
Cheng & Tsui Company
25 West St., Boston, MA 02111-1213
www.cheng-tsui.com
9780887275272, $32.99, www.amazon.com

With its pictograph characters, Chinese is a vastly different written language from those of European derivation such as English. For students of Chinese, this newly expanded edition of "The Way of Chinese Characters: The Origins of 400 Essential Words" compiled by Jianhsin Wu, and profusely illustrated throughout by the team of Chen Zheng and Chen Tian, is correlated with "Integrated Chinese" and ideal for use as a text because it provides the student with a basic understanding of the meaning of the four hundred most commonly encountered characters showcased in eleven lessons. Enhanced with an appendix (Explanations in Simplified Characters), a character index by lessons, a character index by pinyin, and character indices for both traditional and simplified strokes, "The Way Of Chinese Characters" is an ideal and strongly recommended addition to personal and academic Chinese Language reference collections and supplemental instruction curriculums.

Getting Started With Spanish
William E. Linney & Antonio L. Orta
Armfield Academic Press
William.Linney@armfieldacademicpress.com
www.armfieldacademicpress.com
9780979505133, $20.95, www.amazon.com

After English, Spanish is the most widely spoken language in America. Now there is a superbly designed and presented 'do-it-yourself' instruction manual accessible to anyone wanting to learn to speak Spanish as a second language. "Getting Started with Spanish: Beginning Spanish for Homeschoolers and Self-Taught Students of Any Age" is the collaborative work of William E. Linney and Antonio L. Orta and features 177 individual language lessons that will enable the student to engage in a basic conversation in Spanish. Of special note is the 'How to Use This Book' and the 'General Advice' offered. Enhanced with downloadable (and free) MP3 files from www.GettingStartedwithSpanish.com, an Answer Key; a Pronunciation Guide; a Glossary; and a comprehensive Subject Index, "Getting Started With Spanish" is an ideal textbook and recommended for self-study, as well as a classroom text for traditional and/or home schooling curriculums.

Thai for Travelers
Benjawan Poomsan Becker
Paiboon Publishing
PMB 256, 1442A Walnut Street, Berkeley, CA 94709
9781887521789 $15.00 1-800-837-2979

Thai for Travelers is an easy-to-use phrasebook and companion audio CD designed to help busy travelers quickly learn basic, useful Thai words and phrases. The thirteen chapters cover making a basic introduction, phone conversations, matters of food, drink, getting around through public transportation, and lodging, health matters, emergency matters, small talk, and even love and romance. A compact, no-nonsense means ideal for quickly acquainting oneself with the Thai language, Thai for Travelers is an absolute "must" for first-time visitors to the Land of Smiles. Highly recommended.

Handy Stories to Read and Sign
Donna Jo Napoli & Doreen DeLuca
Gallaudet University Press
800 Florida Avenue, NE, Washington, DC 20002-3695
9781563684074, $19.95, www.gupress.gallaudet.edu

Sign language can be a valuable tool even for those who have the full power of hearing. "Handy Stories to Read and Sign" is an easy-reader book aimed at helping readers master both written English and American sign language. With simple writing and simple diagrams of sign language, anyone who wants to help their children gain an understanding of both should consider "Handy Stories to Read and Sign", a top pick for young readers.


The Antiques/Collectibles Shelf

Artistic Leather Of The Arts And Crafts Era
Daniel Lees
Schiffer Publishing Ltd.
4880 Lower Valley Road, Atglen, PA 19310
www.schifferbooks.com
9780764333712, $69.99, www.amazon.com

The first three decades of the 20th century saw the rise in America of what became known as the 'arts and crafts' era in everything from art, to furniture, to textiles, to home decorations and designs. Now in expertly compiled by Daniel Lees in a 272-page superbly illustrated compendium of examples of leather goods from this era, "Artistic Leather Of The Arts And Crafts Era" showcases and celebrates some 300 elegantly representative examples, along with profiles of their individual artists and manufacturers. Of special note is the provision of basic information with respect to collecting leather goods in general, and from this period in particular. Informed and informative, "Artistic Leather Of The Arts And Crafts Era" is especially recommended for personal, professional, academic, and community library reference collections.

Eldred Wheeler: A Collector's Guide
Emmett W. Eldred
Stemmer House Publishers, Inc.
4 White Brook Road, Gilsum, NH 03448
www.stemmer.com
9780916144906, $49.95, www.amazon.com

A definitive expert on colonial furniture forms, Emmett W. Eldred draws upon his many years of experience and specialized knowledge to produce "Eldred Wheeler: A Collector's Guide", a superlatively illustrated and deftly written compendium of the creations he has made since establishing his own handcrafted, high style, country furniture company that would represent the very best of colonial era furniture with meticulous attention to woodworking detail. This 275-page 'coffee table' reference will prove to be of immense interest and value to furniture makers, designers, and customized wood workers, as well as collectors and dealers of Eldred Wheeler furniture. Highly recommended for personal, professional, academic, and community library collections, "Eldred Wheeler: A Collector's Guide" will also prove to be an informed and entertaining read for non-specialist general readers with an interest in antique and high-end customized furniture.

Vintage Fashion Accessories
Stacy LoAlbo
Krause Publications
700 East State Street, Iola, WI 54990-0001
www.krausebooks.com
9781440202513, $24.99, www.amazon.com

There are cycles in fashion and given enough time, so many aspects of fashion seem to recycle and repeat over time -- and that phenomena most definitely includes fashion accessories from ties to handbags to scarves, hats, and all manner of jewelry. That's just one reason that "Vintage Fashion Accessories" is such a fascinating and profusely illustrated survey that will prove of interest to any fashion conscious reader -- especially those with limited budgets who will be happy to find that the addition of an accessory can obviate the need for an entire wardrobe replacement to maintain 'fashionability' in their attire. Author Stacy LoAlbo draws upon her many years of experience and expertise as the owner and proprietor of Incogneeto, a New Jersey store whose clothing and accessories inventory range from Victorian finery to funky '70s polyester for both men and women, and range from the easily affordable to the stratospheric in pricing. More than just an antique/collectibles picture book, "Vintage Fashion Accessories" provide the reader with a history of fashion accessories and current values, advice on collecting, and even recommendations for places to shop. Of special note is the chapter focusing on accessories for the gentleman, making "Vintage Fashion Accessories" an ideal and enthusiastically recommended addition to personal, professional, and community library Fashion History and Antiques/Collectibles reference collections and supplemental reading lists.

Star Wars Super Collector's Wish Book, fifth edition
Geoffrey T. Carlton
Collector Books
PO Box 3009, Paducah, KY 42002-3009
9781574326345 $29.95 www.collectorbooks.com

Now in a newly updated fifth edition, Star Wars Super Collector's Wish Book is a guide to all sorts of Star Wars collectibles and memorabilia. Featuring over 10,000 color photographs, Star Wars Super Collector's Wish Book is primarily an identification and price guide (little more than a name, price, and often a photograph is present for each listing), enhanced with a handful of brief and intriguing articles about Star Wars collecting, such as "How to Go On, Now that the Movies Are Done?", "Star Wars Intangible Collectibles", and more. A "must-have" for Star Wars collection enthusiasts, and a superb resource for hobby dealers.


The Railroading Shelf

The Model Railroader's Guide to Diesel Locomotives
Jeff Wilson
Kalmbach Publishing Company
21027 Crossroads Circle, Waukesha, WI 53186
9780890247617 $19.95 www.kalmbachbooks.com 1-800-533-6644

The Model Railroader's Guide to Diesel Locomotives is an invaluable reference for model railroad hobbyists of all skill and experience levels. Absolutely no historically-accurate detail is spared in this minutely specific guide to history and development of diesel locomotives, from the boxcab switchers of the 1920s to the passenger and freight locomotives of the 30's and 40's to modern-day AC-traction-motor road locomotives. Charts of construction and service dates for each locomotive type will aid the hobbyist in selecting a historically appropriate model for each setting. It should be noted that The Model Railroader's Guide to Diesel Locomotives is a guide to the history, function, and appearance of diesel locomotives - it is not a step-by-step how-to guide for building them. Indeed, the wealth of researched information ultimately warrants its classification as a book about railroading history rather than a hobbyist book, even though the primary intended audience is model railroad hobbyists. An unparalleled resource on its chosen topic, highly recommended for anyone interested in pursuing detailed research on diesel locomotives.


The Photography Shelf

Bryan Peterson's Understanding Photography Field Guide
Bryan Peterson
Amphoto Books
c/o Random House
1745 Broadway, 3rd Floor, New York, NY 10019
9780817432256, $24.99, www.amphotobooks.com

Good photos aren't the product of good equipment, but instead good skill. "Bryan Peterson's Understanding Photography Field Guide: How to Shoot Great Photographs with Any Camera" is a guide for aspiring photographers who want to get the best shot that they can no matter what they are using. From finding the good shots to using advanced techniques for effects without after editing, "Bryan Peterson's Understanding Photography Field Guide" is a fine read for any photographer who wants to sharpen their skills.

Perfect Exposure
Michael Freeman
Focal Press
30 Corporate Dr. #300, Burlington, MA 01803
9780240811710, $29.95 www.focalpress.com

PERFECT EXPOSURE is about the basic concept of photography: without it, there's no such thing as a polished result. Recent developments in digital technology have changed how exposures can be manipulated and this has forced photographers to new viewpoints on aperture and time. A Web-linked internet address allows readers to view the subtle details discussed in the book while chapters pack in images and professional discussions of how to polish a digital photo. A 'must have' for any serious photography library.

Amphoto/Watson-Guptill
770 Broadway, New York NY 10003
www.amphotobooks.com

Norman McGrath's ARCHITECTURAL PHOTOGRAPHY (9780817424558, $29.95) is a powerful guide to commercial and artistic success in modern architectural photography and comes from an industry leader expanding on the basics covered in his PHOTOGRAPHING BUILDINGS INSIDE AND OUT. The latest equipment and technologies are provided in a fine coverage of digital photography's architectural applications and potentials. Also highly recommended for any serious photography collection is Bryan Peterson's UNDERSTANDING PHOTOGRAPHY FIELD GUIDE (9780817432256, $24.99). It packs in all photo-taking details into a handy take-along field guide and covers everything form composition and exposure to using light and taking photos of landscape, people and close-ups. Besides all these basics, creative techniques like capturing 'ghosts' and advice on software and equipment round out the offerings. Jon Canfield's CAMERA RAW 101: BETTER PHOTOS WITH PHOTOSHOP, ELEMENTS, AND LIGHTROOM (9780817432294, $24.99) comes from a digital photographer and software expert who explains how to take advantage of the latest versions of Photoshop, Elements and Lightroom to get fine results. Adobe Camera Raw has grown and changed from its original Photoshop CS2 version: this provides a survey of how RAW files are superior, and the techniques involved in organizing and developing RAW images in both ACR and Lightroom. Highly recommended for any advanced photo library.

Exploring the Self Through Photography
Claire Craig
Jessica Kingsley Publishers
400 Market St. #400, Philadelphia, PA 19106
9781843106661 $29.95 www.jkp.com

Exploring the Self Through Photography examines how professionals working with groups can use photography to promote positive change. From how to set up and run a photography group to chapters covering relationship-building, self-esteem and more, this provides activities and themes perfect for photography and psychology collections alike.

O'Reilly
1005 Gravenstein Hwy North, Sebastopol, CA 95472
www.oreilly.com

Michael Milton's HEAD FIRST DATA ANALYSIS: A BRAIN-FRIENDLY GUIDE (9780596153939, $49.99) offers a fine learner's guide to statistics and data analysis tying such analysis and discovery of customer bases to models for optimizing business and increasing sales. Learn how to organize data using Excel or Open Office and how to understand histograms, scatterplots and more with this outstanding survey using the latest cognitive research to present a new kind of learning experience key for computer and business collections alike. Toby Boudreaux's PROGRAMMING THE IPHONE USER EXPERIENCE (9780596155469, $34.99) comes from the CTO of the Barbarian Group, which specializes in Mac and iPhone development. This book will help teach the basics of the Cocoa Touch framework for building iPhone and iPod applications, offering theory blended with best practices and patterns for handling user experiences outside of the interface. A 'must' for any iPhone developer's collection. Also key is Silvano Gai and Claudio DeSanti's I/O CONSOLIDATION IN THE DATA CENTER (158705888X, $40.00), the first book to explain the recently approved Fibre Channel over Ethernet standard and its technologies. I/O consolidation combines multiple traffic types and each usually has special handling requirements: this book offers insights into consolidating these into a single Data Center Ethernet network and is key for any advanced programming library.

Addison-Wesley
c/o Pearson Education
801 East 96th Street, 3rd floor, Indianapolis, IN 46240-3759
www.informit.com/aw

Learn how to find and fix software bugs that evade conventional testing with a title from a software testing expert who discusses the causes of today's best-hidden bugs in James A. Whittaker's EXPLORATORY SOFTWARE TESTING (0321636414, $39.99) - and introduces new 'exploratory' techniques for fixing them. These bugs may prove invisible to automated testing and demand manual testing techniques: EXPLORATORY SOFTWARE TESTING tells how to implement test cases and choose the important areas to test. An excellent pick for any software developer's library. Also key is the second updated edition of Bert Scalzo and Dan Hotka's TOAD HANDBOOK (0321649109, $44.99), a survey of the latest version of TOAD, a third-party Oracle utility. Step-by-step recipes, screen snapshots, and basic exercises provide everything developers need to use TOAD in both administrative and development tasks. The second updated edition of John K. Outserhout and Ken Jones' TCL AND THE TK TOOLKIT (032133633X, $49.99) has been fully updated for Tcl/Tk8.5 and is a must for any graphics programming library. It uses simple scripts to introduce Tcl/Tk basics and provides a fine coverage of its commands, functions and more. All of its latest, newest improvements are revealed along with real-world run-time environments and applications. Very highly recommended for serious developer's libraries.

HTML, XHTML, and CSS for the Absolute Beginner
Jerry Lee Ford, Jr.
Course Technology
20 Channel Center St., Boston, MA 02210
1435454235, $29.99 www.courseptr.com

HTML, XHTML, and CSS for the Absolute Beginner is a 'must' for any serious computer library: it provides tips on all the foundation languages key to web page development on the Internet and shows how to control and manage the presentation of content using Cascading Style Sheets. Source code for all projects and graphics and additional resources round out a tutorial on how to use basic HTML and XHTML to organize web pages and work with links and images. The result is a 'must' for any computer library, promising lasting interest.

Elvis 1956
Alfred Wertheimer, photography
Welcome Books
6 West 18th Street, New York, New York 10011
www.welcomebooks.com 1-800-733-3000
9781599620732 $29.95, www.amazon.com

A phenomena that took the world by storm. "Elvis 1956" is a book of photography and history about the year where rock and roll became a national pastime as Elvis Presley released his first record and the world was never the same again. With never before released photos, this history of the first year of rock and roll superstardom is quite a treat for anyone who still hails to the king. "Elvis 1956" is an ideal coffee table book for fans, highly recommended.

Hajj
Reem Al Faisal & Seyyed Hossein Nasr
Garnet
c/o International Publishers Marketing
22841 Quicksilver Drive, Dulles, VA 20166
www.internationalpubmarket.com
9781859642177, $59.95, www.amazon.com

An obligation imposed upon all Muslim men to carry out at least once in their lifetime, the Hajj is the term for a pilgrimage to Mecca. Reem Al Faisal is a granddaughter of the Saudi King Feisal. "Hajj" is a compilation of her black-and-white photographs documenting, illustrating, and showcasing this religious custom. With images that are as thoughtful and thought-provoking as they are inspired and inspiring, this 192-page compendium of truly impressive and diverse images is a highly recommended addition to personal, academic, and community library Photographic Studies and Islamic Studies reference collections.

Galapagos
Peter Oxford & Graham Watkins
Imagine
300 East 34th Street, Suite 21k, New York, NY 10016
9780982293935, $35.00, www.imaginebks.com

The Galapagos Islands are a unique and unspoiled location with a rich natural history. "Galapagos" is a photography book offering countless full color photographs of the natural creatures and habitat that make the islands distinct and natural beauty. Truly magnificent, it combines history and the photos well making for quite the mental and visual treat. "Galapagos" is a treasure that is highly recommended and should not be overlooked by nature lovers, or anyone looking for something special for their coffee table.

Light, Shadow & Skin Tone
Bill Lemon
Atlantic Publishing Group, Inc.
1405 S.W. 6th Avenue, Ocala, FL 34471
9781601383907 $39.95 www.atlantic-pub.com 1-800-814-1132

Light, Shadow & Skin Tone: The Complete Guide to Shooting Black & White Glamour Photography Digitally and on Film lives up to its title by offering captivating black-and-white images, paired with an in-depth discussion of how each image was created. Female models, often nude from the waist up, feature prominently in these expertly lit and captured images. One of the captions for a particularly striking image reads, "Note how the dark lingerie around the model's waist almost matches the color of her hair. In color, the lingerie is black and the model has red hair. When converted to black and white, a redhead will usually look like a brunette." An excellent guide for aspiring and professional black-and-white glamour photographs - though anyone with an appreciation for the beauty of female form is sure to enjoy paging through Light, Shadow & Skin Tone as well!

Ordinary Lives
Rania Matar
The Quantuck Lane Press
c/o W. W. Norton & Company
500 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10110
9781593720377, $39.95, www.wwnorton.com

Life in a recovering nation is a unique experience. "Ordinary Lives" discusses the plight of girls and women in post-civil war Lebanon. With a huge collection of photos in high quality black and white, telling the story through text and photos. Discussing major topics than affect Islamic woman life from men to the veil, and more, "Ordinary Lives" is an intriguing and very highly recommended read for any who want a coffee table book recording the plight of Lebanese women.


The Humor Shelf

The Complete Geezer Guidebook
Charles F. Adams
Quill Driver Books
c/o Linden Publishing
2006 S. Mary Street, Fresno, CA 93721
9781884956980, $14.95, www.quilldriverbooks.com

Anyone can be old. It takes a certain determination to be a geezer. "The Complete Geezer Guidebook: Everything You Need to Know About Being Old and Grumpy" is a humorous exploration on how to be old and hate every second of it. With plenty of wisdom to make even the nicest old person reconsider their attitudes on how to be ornery, it's packed cover to cover with cartoons pulled from the New Yorker demonstrating its undeniably correct points. "The Complete Geezer Handbook" is a worthy pick.

Herblock
Haynes Johnson and Harry Katz
W. W. Norton & Company
500 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10110
9780393067729 $35.00 www.wwnorton.com

Herblock: The Life and Work of the Great Political Cartoonist is a representative compendium of the satirical political cartoons of Pulitzer Prize-winning cartoonist Herbert Lawrence Block (1909-2001), a.k.a. "Herblock", who lengthy career spanned nearly three-quarters of a century and the careers of thirteen American presidents. 256 classic cartoons, categorized by era and enhanced with accompanying text concerning the relevant issues of the day that the cartoon drew pointed attention to, fill this powerful survey - which is further enhanced by an accompanying DVD of more than 18,000 cartoons (no less than the majority of Herblock's professional work)! From a cartoon of a man crying "Fire!" and trying to put out the Statue of Liberty's torch (in response to the civil liberties crackdown of the Red Scare in 1949), to an image of a naked Nixon using only an image of the globe to cover himself (a twist on "the emperor has no clothes"), to a thief's "getaway care" driven by the Supreme Court representing the metaphorical theft of the 2000 presidential election (which was ultimately decided by a Supreme Court decision), Herblock does not shy away from hot button topics or controversy. A worthy tribute to a truly great cartoonist, Herblock is enthusiastically recommended to public and privately library collections, and to anyone who enjoys political cartoons.


The Sports Shelf

I Love Brett Favre / I Hate Brett Favre
Ross Bernstein
Triumph Books
542 South Dearborn Street, Suite 750, Chicago, Illinois 60605
www.triumphbooks.com
9781600783760 $14.95, www.amazon.com

I Love Brett Favre / I Hate Brett Favre is quite literally two books in one (flip "I Love Brett Favre" over to read "I Hate Brett Favre"), embodying the love-hate dynamic that so many of Favre's fans have had toward this legendary superstar of professional football. A tongue-in-cheek compendium of insights from Favre's teammates, coaches, and associates past and present, as well as media figures and dyed-in-the-wool NFL fans, I Love Brett Favre / I Hate Brett Favre is thoroughly enjoyable from cover to cover, and an especial treat for Wisconsin (or Minnesotan!) football fans. "I hate the fact that Brett Favre can wear Wranglers, drive a tractor, and do Sears commercials - and hot chicks still think he's all that."

Major Taylor
Andrew Ritchie
Cycling Resources
c/o Van der Plas Publications
1282 - 7th Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94122
www.cyclepublishing.com 1-877-353-1207
9781892495655 $39.95, www.amazon.com

"Major Taylor: The Fastest Bicycle Rider in the World" tells the story of the first black American man to win a title in a sport besides boxing. Though unknown to many Americans, Major Taylor became a cycling legend, and where cycling is popular, his name is still known. A vivid picture of cycling, "Major Taylor" is a must for any sports history collection or for collections focusing on exceptional African Americans.

Life in the Ring
John E. Oden
Hatherleigh Press
5-22 46th Avenue, Suite 200, Long Island City, NY 11101
www.hatherleighpress.com 1-800-528-2550
9781578263516 $25.00, www.amazon.com

There's more to boxing then punching people in the face. "Life in the Ring: Lessons & Inspiration from the Sport of Boxing" looks at the life stories of fifteen fighters and looks at the lessons that can be learned from their actions in the ring and in life. From Ali to De La Hoya, these men teach people something about the human spirit, whether they, or their fans, know it or not. An intriguing vehicle of self-help, "Life in the Ring" is a top pick and recommended read.

Sports Illustrated: The Golf Book
Roy Blount Jr., foreword
Sports Illustrated
c/o Goldberg McDuffie Communications
444 Madison Ave, #3300, NY, NY 10022
9781603200851 $29.95 www.amazon.com

Sports Illustrated: The Golf Book is a coffee-table compendium of golf stories from the award-winning magazine Sports Illustrated. The absolutely stunning photography combined with insightful articles makes for an engaging chronology of the sport's highlights over the decades. From golf's finest and most challenging courses, to the golf legends of the past century (including Bobby Jones, Ben Hogan, Sam Snead, Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer, Nancy Lopez, Tiger Woods, Annika Sorenstam, and more), to cherished artifacts and stories highlighting great moments, Sports Illustrated: The Golf Book is a "must-have" compendium for golf fans. Highly recommended.

Human Kinetics
Box 5976, Champaign, IL 61825-5076
www.humankinetics.com

Malin Svgensson's NORDIC WALKING (0736077391, $19.95) offers a fine outdoor adventure in walking and comes from a Finland tradition. It uses specially designed poles and specific techniques to enhance the effects of walking and presents a low-impact exercise perfect for any interested in outdoors exercises. Tips on walking correctly with and without poles accompany specifics on ascending and descending with them. Highly recommended for any outdoors or exercise collection. Also a pick for such holdings is the third updated edition of Susan Kleiner, Ph.D, RD's POWER EATING (0736066985, $16.95), written by a consultant to NFL and NBA players and bodybuilders and blending the latest scientific research with advice on how to eat like athletes do. From the latest ratings of vitamins and minerals to performance-related herbs and muscle-building products, this even includes recipes and meal plans to reinforce the message. Learn how to calculate dietary needs with this fine title. Nancy Clark, MS, RD's SPORTS NUTRITION GUIDEBOOK (0736074155, $19.95) tells how to make the right food choices in grocery stores, restaurants, and more. Her sports nutrition insights are picks for any sports enthusiast and come from a leading nutritionist who provides an updated fourth edition including the latest food and nutrition research, making this a pick for sports and general libraries alike. Developing Effective Physical Activity Programs by Lynda B. Ransdell, et.al. (0736066934, $35.00) is a top pick for any coach or school developing specific programs for adults and diverse populations. It covers specialty issues and programs and includes summaries of current research studies and the latest analysis of technology and intervention planning processes, making for an outstanding survey on how to create specialty physical activity programs.


The Home Improvement Shelf

The Black & Decker Complete Guide to Kitchens
Creative Publishing International
c/o Quayside Publishing Group
33 Commercial Street, Gloucester, MA 01930
9781589234802 $24.99 www.quaysidepublishinggroup.com 1-800-328-0590

The Black & Decker Complete Guide to Kitchens walks the reader through a wealth of kitchen-related home improvement projects. From saving money by hooking up your own appliances, to installing kitchen flooring, custom cabinetry, lighting, child-proofing, painting, countertops and cabinet upgrades, and much more, The Black & Decker Complete Guide to Kitchens is packed with step-by-step instructions, each illustrated by a separate color photograph. An excellent how-to resource for anyone interested in better living through home improvement, enhanced with the inclusion of a DVD.


The Needlecraft Shelf

Encyclopedia of Applique
Barbara Brackman
C&T Publishing
Box 1456, Lafayette, CA 94549
9781571206510, $29.95 www.ctpub.com

Barbara Brackman's ENCYCLOPEDIA OF APPLIQUE provides a powerful reference for quilt collectors and applique fans, providing 5 applique quilt projects and an updated history of applique and offering blocks by subject, design and time period for quick and easy reference. The result is a survey of some 2,000 traditional and modern designs and an updated history that includes five new quilt projects, perfect for any quilter's collection.

Silky Little Knits
Alison Crowther-Smith
Trafalgar Square Books
Box 237, North Pomfret, VT 05033
9781570764417, $24.95 www.trafalgarbooks.com

SILKY LITTLE KNITS: LUXURIOUS DESIGNS AND ACCESSORIES IN MOHAIR-SILK YARNS is a top pick for any needlework collection. It provides patterns and options for using the thin mohair to its best advantage, offering stylings and 20 unique projects to take advantage of knitted lace, colorwash effects, texture blends and more. Any knitter will find this packed with delicious options not available elsewhere.

Norwegian Handknits
Sue Flanders and Janine Kosel
Voyageur Press
c/o Quayside Publishing Group
400 First Avenue North, Suite 300, Minneapolis, MN 55401
9780760334287, $30.00 www.voyageurpress.com

NORWEGIAN HANDKNITS: HEIRLOOM DESIGNS FROM VESTERHEIM MUSEUM collects some 30 patterns for colorful mittens, socks, scarves and more inspired by traditional Norwegian handknits housed in the Versterheim Museum in Iowa. It packs in a history and examination of Norwegian handknits, offering inspiration on patterns and sources and coming from two knitters who have been designing knitwear for over 20 years. Over 125 photos and illustrations lend to a winning guide.

Swing, Swagger, Drape
Jane Slicer-Smith
XRX Books
PO Box 1525, Sioux Falls, SD 57101
9781933064178, $24.95 www.knittinguniverse.com

SWING, SWAGGER, DRAPE: KNIT THE COLORS OF AUSTRALIA is a gorgeous presentation that uses native Aboriginal art influences from Australia to translate unique patterns to a knitting effort. Alexis Xeenakis' photos accompany the knitwear designer's latest foray into creative knitting embellishments. The pieces represent swing coats, swagger jackets and drapes, and make for a unique, lovely collection of knitting instructions any needlework library needs.

Rowan's Greatest Knits
Kate Buller, Editor
The Taunton Press
63 South Main Street, Newtown, CT 06470
1600852505, $24.95 www.taunton.com

ROWAN'S GREATEST KNITS: 30 YEARS OF KNITTED PATTERNS FROM ROWAN YARNS celebrates three decades of knitwear designs, packing in some 30 patterns from 1980 to the 2000s and including designer profiles to round out the presentation. 80 color photos from the pages of Rowan Magazine, yarn replacement suggestions, and basic knitting instruction make this a pick for any avid knitter's library.

Magnificent Mittens & Socks
Anna Zilboorg, author
Alexis Xenakis, photographer
XRX Books
PO Box 1525, Sioux Falls, SD 57101
9781933064161 $24.95 www.knittinguniverse.com 1-800-722-2558

Fully illustrated with full color photography and easy-to-follow knitting pattern diagrams, Magnificent Mittens & Socks lives up to its title with 42 charted mittens, interchangeable cuff charts, 13 edge finishes for cuffs, 7 embellishments for color and texture, linings, dye recipes for mitten colors, detailed instructions for socks using mitten charts, and more. An excellent resource for knitters of all skill and experience levels, highly recommended.

Designing & Hooking Primitive Rugs
Susie Stephenson, author
Jay T. Stephenson, photographer
Schiffer Publishing Ltd.
4880 Lower Valley Road, Atglen, PA 19310
9780764332883 $14.99 www.schifferbooks.com

Designing & Hooking Primitive Rugs is a solid, all-around primer to rug hooking in primitive (often pictorial) styles, including step-by-step walkthroughs for basic rug hooking, finishing, and dyeing. The full-color illustrations not only guide the reader through the steps, but also offer a wealth of sample rugs created in tribute to ancient and primitive styles, encouraging the reader to be creative and dream up one's own design. In addition to rugs, hooked wall hangings, clothing, and decorative items are also featured in this excellent, original addition to needlecraft shelves.


The Computer Shelf

Murach's C++ 2008
Prentiss Knowlton
Mike Murach and Associates, Inc.
4340 N. Knoll, Fresno, CA 93722
9781890774547 $52.50 www.murach.com

Murach's C++ 2008 is an in-depth training and reference text, designed to help the reader learn C++ faster with Visual Studio and the .NET platform. An object-oriented guide with emphasis on visual C++ and applying the essential .Net classes to develop Windows applications, Murach's C++ 2008 includes extensive instructions and sample code that puts principles into practice. An absolute "must-have" for anyone learning or refining their C++ for Windows programming skills, highly recommended.


The Architecture Shelf

Stone House
Tomm Stanley
Stonefield Publishing
c/o Chelsea Green Publishing Company
PO Box 428, White River Junction, VT 05001-0428
9780473148218, $34.95 www.chelseagreen.com

STONE HOUSE; A GUIDE TO SELF-BUILDING WITH SLIPFORMS is a powerful revised guide offering new chapters and new photos for any collection strong in homeowner's builder's guides. From sourcing materials and passive solar ideas to stone laying techniques, stripping and using recycled timber, this is a powerful, practical guide for any would-be home builder.

Eco-Houses
Barbara Linz
H.F. Ullmann
Langenscheidt Publishing Group
PO Box 979, Spring House, PA 19477
9780841616417 $22.99 www.langenscheidt.com 1-888-773-7979

Eco-Houses is a beautifully illustrated tour of energy-saving architectural design, featuring full-color photography of 40 representative buildings. The tri-lingual text (each paragraph is repeated in English, German, & French) offers insight into the building choices that promote aesthetic harmony as well as energy conservation. An excellent source of ideas enthusiastically recommended as a supplementary source of inspiration for architects everywhere, as well as anyone interested in overseeing the creation of their own cost-conscious, environmentally-friendly home.


The Women's Studies Shelf

The Superior Wife Syndrome
Carin Rubenstein
Touchstone Books
1230 Avenue of Americas, New York NY 10020
9781416566786, $26.00 www.simonandschuster.com

The Superior Wife Syndrome: Why Women Do Everything So Well and Why - for the Sake of Our Marriages - We've Got to Stop provides case histories of wives and husbands to support the idea that modern wives tend to do all - while their husbands coast along, with little control. Psychologist Carin Rubenstein explores how this syndrome damages relationships and how couples can work to regain equality. An outstanding survey any general library will find compelling.

Women Who Kill
Ann Jones
The Feminist Press
365 Fifth Avenue, Suite 5406, NY, NY 10016
9781558616073, $15.96, www.feministpress.org

What drives women to a violent extreme? "Women Who Kill" is a discussion of women who have taken on the role of murderer. Drawing a discussion where some women feel driven to kill out of fear of their lovers, Ann Jones believes that it should not be surprising when women lash out, but it should instead be surprising that it doesn't happen more often. Discussing battered woman's syndrome and its place in court cases, "Women Who Kill" is an intriguing look in what can drive women to extremes.

Marrying George Clooney
Amy Ferris
Seal Press
c/o Perseus Books Group
1700 Fourth Street, Berkeley, CA 94710
9781580052979, $16.95, www.sealpress.com

Womanhood can turn out to be unbelievably stressful. "Marrying George Clooney: Confessions from a Midlife Crisis" is a memoir by Amy Ferris. She tells of trying to juggle elements of her life ranging from the material to the fantastical, as she tries to care for her mother, confront her own feelings about menopause and non-existent marriages, and resist panicking about her own health. A fun adventure of what many women face on a day to day basis, "Marrying George Clooney" is a fine and recommended read for any woman who can find the time to read.

Women Lead the Way
Linda Tarr-Whelan
Berrett-Koehler
235 Montgomery Street, Suite 650, San Fransisco, CA 94104-2916
9781605091358, $24.95, www.bkcurrents.com

Leadership should never be a boys only club. "Women Lead the Way: Your Guide to Stepping Up to Leadership and Changing the World" is a leadership guide encouraging women to take a more involved role in their businesses, a role of leadership. Stating that this not just a feminist push, but instead a real catalyst for change as a higher percentage of women in management means better change for the company, "Women Lead the Way" is a unique guide that demonstrates the power of women in businesses.

The Menopause Book
Pat Wingert & Barbara Kantowitz
Workman Publishing
225 Varick Street, New York, NY 10014
9780761155980, $17.95, www.workman.com

Menopause is a major turning point in a woman's life. "The Menopause Book" is a motivational book filled with information to help newly menopausal women face the array of problems that come with the change of life. From estrogen issues, to the value of exercise, to new changes in the bedroom, and much more. Ideal for any woman concerned about menopause, "The Menopause Book" is a worthy recommendation.

The Science on Women and Science
Christina Hoff Sommers
American Enterprise Institute
1150 Seventeenth Street, NW, Washington, DC 20036
9780844742816, $20.00, www.aei.org

The gender barrier seems to have one last stand in the world of science. "The Science on Women and Science" discusses the lack of women in the physical sciences, where men still hold an overwhelming majority of positions. Offering much social discussion in this field and the idea that there may be more to it than simple social pressures - hard wired biological factors may be involved as well - "The Science on Women and Science" is a fascinating read for any looking into the psychology of science.


The Fiction Shelf

The Wolf at Twilight
Kent Nerburn
New World Library
14 Pamaron Way, Novato, CA 94949
9781577315780, $14.50, www.newworldlibrary.com

What is the plight of the modern Native American? "The Wolf at Twilight: An Indian Elder's Journey Through a Land of Ghosts and Shadows" is a combination novel and memoir from Kent Nerbern reflecting on the on the challenges of the Lakota people. The fictionalization of a true story, "The Wolf at Twilight" is an intriguing and thought provoking read that should not be missed.

The Rise
Issac Ben Jacob & Sarah Fishberg
Frontier Publishing
c/o Adventures Unlimited
303 Main St., PO Box 74, Kempton, IL 60946
9781931882873, $17.95, www.adventuresunlimitedpress.com

What do the faithful do when their own church strays from the faith? "The Rise: Sauniere's Magical Workings and the Penitential Movement in Europe" is a religious thriller following a team of researchers as they try to find the truth of the newest people rising to the head of the Catholic church. Heresy may be the conspiracy, and Issac Ben Jacob & Sarah Fishberg give readers a fun and fascinating read. A choice pick.

Stuff to Spy For
Don Bruns
Oceanview
61 Paradise Road, Ipswich, MA 01938
9781933515229, $25.95, www.oceanviewpub.com

The spy game is not for everyone. "Stuff to Spy For" tells the story of James and Skip as they are pulled into the spy game, formerly being wage slaves with nothing to look forward to. Originally welcoming the change of pace, James and Skip soon find that the spy business is a tougher call than they would hope for. "Stuff to Spy For" is a entertaining and fun read of espionage, sure to please fans of spy thrillers.

Western
Christine Montalbetti
Dalkey Archive
c/o University of Illinois
1805 S. Wright Street, MC-011, Champaign, IL 61820
9781564785282, $13.95, www.dalkeyarchive.com

The story that is most interesting is perhaps the one not being told. "Western" is a humorous novel from Christine Montalbetti, using the archetypal western as a backdrop to a world where the constant cliches of the matter are discussed and presented in a way to entertain and give the reader something to think about. "Western" is a fine read that is well worth the investment.

Sabotage In The Sky
L. Ron Hubbard
Galaxy Press
7051 Hollywood Boulevard, Suite 200, Hollywood, CA 90028
www.galaxypress.com
9781592122974, $9.95, www.amazon.com

Before he founded the Scientology movement, L. Ron Hubbard was a skilled and prolific author of the legendary 'golden age' of pulp fiction magazines. Now Galaxy Press is reprinting those long out of print Hubbard action/adventure tales as part of their 'Stories from the Golden Age' series. "Sabotage In The Sky" is one of Hubbard's stories based on then advanced technologies of aircraft and powered flight and was originally published in 1940. It has everything from a love interest, to ruthless competition within the aviation industry that includes the prospect of Nazi sabotage, riveting cliff-hanger action, and the colorful aviation patosis of the period. Also highly recommended for aviation action/adventure pulp fiction fans are such other newly published Galaxy Press titles by L. Ron Hubbard as "On Blazing Wings"; "Red Death Over China"; "Sky Birds Dare!"; and "Trouble On His Wings".

Lady Vernon and Her Daughter
Jane Rubino & Caitlen Rubino-Bradway
Crown
1745 Broadway, New York, NY 10019
9780307461667, $24.99, www.crownpublishing.com

Jane Austen's work is often discussed by current students of English literature, but there are those that are left out. "Lady Vernon and Her Daughter" expands on the famous author's novella, Lady Susan, and is given a full life much like Austen previously expanded on her novellas that led to works such as Sense and Sensibility. Fans of Austen's work and her characters and settings will find much to enjoy with "Lady Vernon and Her Daughter" a very entertaining and recommended read.

Rebound
Bob Krech
Marshall Cavendish Corporation
99 White Plains Road, Tarrytown, NY 10591
SoCal Public Relations (publicity)
8130 La Mesa Blvd., Ste. 137, La Mesa, CA 91942
9780761455431, $6.99, www.marshallcavendish.us/kids

Segregation may be illegal, but that doesn't mean it's completely gone. "Rebound" tells the story of a small town, divided by a sports racial line. White kids were expected to wrestle, black kids were expected to play basketball, but when a white kid goes towards basketball, the traditions of the towns are challenged. "Rebound" is a fascinating read of racial tensions and how they take form on many levels of society.

The Silent Gift
Michael Landon Jr. & Cindy Kelley
Bethany House
c/o Baker Publishing Group
11400 Hampshire Avenue South, Bloomington, MN 55438
9780764203633, $13.99, www.bethanyhouse.com

Speech is something that can be highly overrated. "The Silent Gift" is a story set in the 1930s, a time of rough turmoil for America. When a child unable to speak enters the lives of a small rural town with his single mother, he begins to create a certain bond with those around them. A story of a young man forming relationships even when it should be hard, "The Silent Gift" is a touching and inspiring read.

The Sweetest Kiss
DL King
Cleis Press
PO Box 14697, San Francisco, CA 94114
9781573443715, $15.95, www.cleispress.com

Vampires are sexy, and there's no mincing words about it. "The Sweetest Kiss: Ravishing Vampire Erotica" is a collection of short fiction focusing on the sexiest undead creature. The combination of horror, fear, taboo, eternal beauty, and other elements have attracted many to vampires, and those people will love this collection and its erotic focus on the sharp teethed seductresses. "The Sweetest Kiss" is a must for anyone who loves vampires maybe a bit too much!

Crossings
Leonard Chang
Black Heron Press
PO Box 13396, Mill Creek, WA 98082
9780930773922, $24.95, www.leonardchang.com

The American Dream is to escape oppression, not to travel thousands of miles back into it. "Crossings" is a novel of Korean immigrants trying to survive the corrupt San Francisco Bay arena where a Sam and Unha try to make ends meet. Unable to comply with what the underworld expects of her, Unha finds herself in a web of prostitution and it's up to Sam to save her. A story of the pursuit of the American dream gone wrong, "Crossings" is a gripping novel that should not be ignored.

Critters of Mossy Creek
Deborah Smith, et. al.
Belle Books
PO Box 300921, Memphis, TN 38130
9780984125821 $14.95 www.BelleBooks.com

There is nothing like the bond between pet and owner. "Critters of Mossy Creek" is a collaborative novel following the quiet southern town of Mossy Creek. This is a touching story written by pet lovers for pet lovers. For anyone who enjoys small town charm and their animal companions, "Critters of Mossy Creek" will prove an ideal read.

A Summer of Silk Moths
Margaret Willey
Flux
c/o Llewellyn Worldwide, LTD.
2143 Wooddale Drive, Woodbury, MN 55125
9780738715407 $9.95 www.llewellyn.com 1-800-843-6666

First impressions are not always the best to remember. "A Summer of Silk Moths" tells the story of Pete and Abe, and their encounters with Nora. Trying to build a memorial to Abe's brother, they soon find that Nora may be Abe's niece, daughter of his deceased brother. A unique story of uncovering the past, "A Summer of Silk Moths" is an intriguing and finely crafted read.

Not Normal, Illinois
Michael Martone, editor
Quarry Books
c/o Indiana University Press
601 N. Morton Street, Bloomington, IN 47404
9780253210227, $22.95, www.iupress.indiana.edu

There's just something about being in the middle of it all. "Not Normal, Illinois: Peculiar Fictions from the Flyover" is a collection of short fiction from many Midwestern writers as they offer their own viewpoints and unique takes on the world through their writing. Thirty three stories bring readers to a very complete and comprehensive set of ideals that is sure to entertain as well as enlighten. "Not Normal, Illinois" is a fine and strongly recommended read for any who want a sampling of mid-western philosophy.

Cursing Columbus
Eve Tal
Cinco Puntos Press
701 Texas Avenue, El Paso, TX 79901
9781933693590, $16.95, www.cincopuntos.com

Working to bring one's family to America was the goal of many immigrants in the early twentieth century. "Cursing Columbus" is a follow up to Eve Tal's previous volume, 'Double Crossing', telling the story of Jewish immigrants coming to America. Papa and Raziel have the money to reunite their family, but it won't be as simple as it seems. But the American dream is never as dreamy as people have believed it to be. "Cursing Columbus" is a touching story of family and overcoming the harsh odds of life.

Thirsty
Kristin Bair O'Keeffe
Swallow
c/o Ohio University Press
19 Circle Drive, The Ridges, Athens, OH 45701
9780804011235, $22.95, www.ohioswallow.com

Weakness is hereditary until one develops the strength to break it. "Thirsty" tells the tragic story of Klara, a woman who has lived under the abuse of her father and now her husband. Struggling to keep her sanity, she sees her daughter may continue on the same road she herself followed, and becomes determined to end the cycle of abuse once and for all. "Thirsty" is a moving read of one mother finally having enough, wanting better for her daughter.

Shine
Mark Heinz
Livington Press
c/o The University of West Alabama
University of West Alabama, Station 22, Livingston, AL 35470
9781604890365, $16.95, www.livingstonpress.uwa.edu

A true friend doesn't ditch when going gets rough. "Shine" tells of the friendship between a respectable man of society and a moonshiner. Joe Bass forms a strong friendship with Edgar Johnson; the two hit it off fast and quick. But when Edgar's demons begin to catch up with him, Joe is faced with many decisions. "Shine" is a unique and very recommended story of friendship.

The Shadow Riders
Owen C. Irons
Avalon Books
160 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10016
9780803499614, $23.95, www.avalonbooks.com

If you can't beat them, join them and beat them that way. "The Shadow Riders" is a western focusing on a ravaging gang of bandits in Arizona called the Shadow Riders. Tyrone Cannfield, an Arizona Ranger, infiltrates the riders in order to bring them down. A fascinating and intriguing western of the law and the outlaws, "The Shadow Riders" is a surefire treat for those who love westerns.


The Poetry Shelf

Slant Room
Michael Eden Reynolds
The Porcupines Quill
68 Main St, Erin Ontario N0B 1T0
9780889843226, $16.95, www.johnsteins.com

Something profoundly Canadian, "Slant Room" is a collection of poetry from Michael Eden Reynolds, a man born and raised and in love with his home country of Canada. His poetry reflects on the many aspects of his country from the urban life that isn't all that different from America's, to a rural great north that is like nowhere else in the world. "Slant Room" is a top pick for any world poetry collection. "Tuesday Myth": A lesser god slips through a baffle in the air/and doesn't go back, lives out a mortal life/moment to moment, opens up a franchise shop,/wakes, works and sleeps, makes a ceremony out of every needless meal.

The Swallow Anthology of New American Poets
David Yezzi, editor
Swallow Press
c/o Ohio University Press
19 Circle Drive, Athens, OH 45701
9780804011211 $19.95 www.ohiou.edu/oupress 1-800-621-2736

New generations bring new ideas. "The Swallow Anthology of New American Poets" is a collection of poetry from American poets, offering a wide array of discussions on many subjects and ideas, of what is important to the next generation of American poets. A fine sampler of the future, "The Swallow Anthology of New American Poets" is a fine choice for the literary patriot. "Internal Revenue" by J. Allyn Rosser: I have distracted rodents from their cheese, lured seasoned sirens with my melodies,/And brought some handsome statues to their knees./I could not beguile you.//Having faced your shoulder, back and heel,/Borne the treadmarks of your fortune's wheel,/Felt your indifference to what I feel,/My heart would not revile you.//I've shelved all my abiding passion, stashed/My childish cares and organized my past:/Real property, junk bonds, trusts amassed./--I don't know where to file you.

Grace Must Wander
Stephanie McKenzie
Salmon Poetry
c/o Dufour Editions
PO Box 7, Chester Springs, PA 19425
9781907056123, $21.95, www.salmonpoetry.com

Art reflects on other art. "Grace Must Wander" is a collection of poetry from Stephanie McKenzie reflecting the works of Vincent Van Gogh, and her own femininity and respect for the past. "Grace Must Wander" is strong pick for poetry collections. "Often it Burns": Days, you search the body for rashes,/ certain that poisons rise to the surface./Nights, your ankles are socks. You adjust/ the skin over and over.

Losing Season
Jack Ridl
CavanKerry Press
6 Horizon Road, No. 2901, Fort Lee, NJ 07024
9781933880150, $16.00, www.cavankerrypress.org

Sports have become a central component of American culture. "Losing Season" is a volume from experienced and prolific poet Jack Ridl as he discusses sports and their impact on all levels of society. Making several wise observations, "Losing Season" is a fine poetic exploration of what is a boon and bane of society. "Head Cheerleader": At halftime, she finds/an open mirror, checks/her makeup, sweat/glistening on her forehead./She runs her tongue/along her upper lip, pulls/a comb through her long/brown hair,/ pushes it up/on the sides, adds a new/line of lipstick, smooths/down her skirt. On the/way out, she turns and/looks over her shoulder.

My Kill Adore Him
Paul Martinez Pompa
University of Notre Dame Press
310 Flanner Hall, Notre Dame, IN 46556
9780268035181 $18.00 www.undpress.nd.edu 1-800-621-2736

What is a man is one of the most asked questions, whether it is verbalized or not. "My Kill Adore Him" is a collection of poetry from Paul Martinez Pompa focusing on the issues of masculinity, race, and who people are. "My Kill Adore Him" is an entertaining and thought provoking work, highly recommended. "A Lesson in Masculinity": She taught me to wipe/the urine dripple/off the tip/until Papi said no--/men don't wipe/they shake.

Orpheus: On the Red Line
Theodore Deppe
Tupelo Press
The Eclipse Mill, Loft 305, PO Box 1767, North Adams, MA 01247
9781932195750 $16.95 www.tupelopress.org

A man of two nations, Theodore Deppe gives readers a unique view of the world. " Orpheus on the Red Line" is a collection of poetry reflecting on the nature of humanity and suffering, using his glimpses of the worst of life in two countries to try to come to a better understanding of it all. "Orpheus on the Red Line" is an excellent collection that should not be missed. "Over the Rainbow": She arrives on the island and finds/her parents no longer communicate/except through song. When she//mentions this, her father intones/in the voice of a Mount Athos monk,/We barely know we're doing it,//and her mother, somehow become Judy Garland, sings, It's the harmless/madness of the long married.

How Shadows are Bundled
Anne Valley-Fox
University of New Mexico Press
1 University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, 87131-0001
9780826347817, $21.95, www.unmpress.com

Many volumes of poetry to her name, Anne Valley-Fox brings her fans another fix with "How Shadows are Bundled". She brings readers more of her trademark writing, which is sure to provide readers with more of what they loved about previous volumes, discussing the hidden feelings everyone harbors. "How Shadows are Bundled" is a fine poetry pick, not to be missed. "Mazurka": Early morning snow flurry melts/within an hour.//During which, Dream Queen, what did you achieve?//I listened to a crow's mazurka/on a pebble roof.

The Burning of the Books
George Szirtes
Bloodaxe Books
c/o DuFour Editions
PO Box 7, Chester Springs, PA 19425
9781852248420, $20.95, www.dufoureditions.com

Written by a student of Hungarian literature and witness to the unstable Hungarian state, "The Burning of the Books" is a collection of poetry from George Szirtes offering much insight to the Hungarian people through his work. "The Burning of the Books" is a solid pick to world poetry collections. "Howard Hodgkin Considers a Small Thing But His Own": Darkness frames small things, so I rejoice/in spluttering some colour into life./Do I stay in bed and mope, lament my choice//of partner or pigment? Not my style./See, If I cup this hand the light shines through it/and no amount of moping will undo it.//Or so I say to myself last thing at night/when it is dark, as the blackest dog despair/can find, sheds her silky hair//pretty well everywhere.

Upgraded to Serious
Heather McHugh
Copper Canyon Press
PO Box 271, Port Townsend, WA 98368
9781556593062, $22.00, www.coppercanyonpress.org

With twelve previous volumes to her credit, Heather McHugh is a prolific poet of quality. "Upgraded to Serious" is her newest collection, offering a storm of new insights through her fine and deft verse than will make people laugh as they think. "Upgraded to Serious" is a top pick, especially for fans of her previous volumes. "Myrrha to the Source": O fluent one, O muscle full of hydrogen,/O stuff of grief, whom the Greeks accuse of spoiling souls,//whose destiny is downward,/whose reflecting's up -- I think/I must have come from you.//Just one more cup.

Song of Two Worlds
Alan Lightman
AK Peters
5 Commonwealth Road, Suite 2C, Natick, MA 10760
9781568814636, $24.95, www.akpeters.com

Created by a man of science and of art, Alan Lightman's work is a unique thing to behold. "Song of Two Worlds" is a collection of poetry from the physicist, as he blends his two disciplines well for a truly fascinating insight into the world around us. With fine verse, "Song of Two Worlds" is a top pick. "44": Afternoon on my terrace, I sit/In the heat, bare chested,/Sipping hot tea. Far off,/The sound of an oud. And then nothing./The air closes, silence. Again,/The faint strings of old,/Muffled bells, drums,/Horn sound of mizmar --/All swallowed in air.


The Social Issues Shelf

Virtual Freedom
Dawn C. Nunziato
Stanford Law Books
c/o Stanford University Press
1450 Page Mill Road, Palo Alto, CA 94304-1124
9780804763851, $22.95, www.sup.org

Corporations control one's window to the rest of the world. "Virtual Freedom: Net Neutrality and Free Speech in the Internet Age" discusses net neutrality and the threats to it, and why readers should care. Criticizing the recent changes that have threatened the upholding of net neutrality and how a possible repeal of it could do untold damage to America's economic and social ideals, "Virtual Freedom" is an intriguing and highly recommended read that is well worth considering for anyone concerned with the freedom of the internet.

The Nature of Cities
Jennifer S. Light
Johns Hopkins University Press
2715 N. Charles St., Baltimore, MD 21218
9780801891366, $60.00 www.press.jhu.edu

THE NATURE OF CITIES: ECOLOGICAL VISIONS AND THE AMERICAN URBAN PROFESSIONS, 1920-1960 offers an excellent survey of how city planning and ongoing programs of natural resource management converged, blending the rise and fall of an early conservation movement with a history of urban renewal in the U.S. The result is an outstanding history of how ecological concerns have shaped urban development around the country.

Plan B 4.0
Lester R. Brown
W.W. Norton
500 - 5th Avenue, New York NY 10110
9780393337198, $16.95 www.wwnorton.com

PLAN B 4.0: MOBILIZING TO SAVE CIVILIZATION has been substantially revised and offers an analysis of food shortages and how they can bring down civilization. From trends of falling water tables, eroding soils and rising temperatures to how world food prices are rising and millions are going hungry, this provides an analysis of a dangerous new food era marked by shortages and rising prices, and makes for an analysis recommended for any social issues collection.

Life, Money and Illusion, updated edition
Mike Nickerson
New Society Publishers
Box 189, Gabriola Island, BC V0R 1X0 Canada
9780865716599, $22.95 www.newsociety.com

LIFE, MONEY AND ILLUSION: LIVING ON EARTH AS IF WE WANT TO STAY is a pick for business, economics, and social issues libraries alike, providing an updated edition inspired by the realities of living on a finite planet with an economic structure wired for growth. It considers the impact and detriments of this objective, analyzing how the economy can be restructured to remain within planetary limits, and provides a powerful series of arguments against our current economic structure and objectives.

Whole Earth Discipline: An Ecopragmatist Manifesto
Stewart Brand
Viking
375 Hudson, New York NY 10014
9780670021215, $25.95 www.penguin.com

Whole Earth Discipline: An Ecopragmatist Manifesto comes from an author who believes it's time we reset our thinking about climate change and how to save our planet. Even as the Green Movement has gone more mainstream, Brand - originator of the Whole Earth Catalog - shows how its objectives can be linked to following science to innovate new ways of supporting a healthy environment. A fine admonition to shift the basics philosophy and ideas towards stewardship of the planet.

Hedonizing Technologies
Rachel P. Maines
Johns Hopkins University Press
2715 N. Charles St., Baltimore, MD 21218-4363
9780801891465, $55.00 www.press.jhu.edu

HEDONIZING TECHNOLOGIES: PATHS TO PLEASURE IN HOBBIES AND LEISURE examines activities once considered essential for survival and comfort, from gardening and cooking to needlework, considering how work has evolved to be considered fun hobbies. Consumer demand for new technologies which have changed the nature of hobbies and their definition are analyzed in a survey including basic issues in labor and business history, making this a pick for a range of college-level collections, from business to cultural analysis.

The Ground Truth
John Farmer
Riverhead Books
375 Hudson St., New York NY 10014-3638
9781594488948, $26.95 www.riverheadbooks.com

THE GROUND TRUTH: THE UNTOLD STORY OF AMERICA UNDER ATTACK ON 9/11 comes from a senior counsel to the 9/11 Commission who lead the team charged with reconstructing the day's tragedies. Many records remained classified in their report: GROUND TRUTH draws upon recently de-classified documents to provide a fuller account of 9/11 and is a pick for any library seeking an authoritative discussion of events, reactions and long-range implications.

Hollowing Out the Middle
Patrick J. Carr & Maria J. Kefalas
Beacon Press
25 Beacon Street, Boston, MA 02108-2892
9780807042380, $26.95, www.beacon.org

What can attract an intellectual to rural society? "Hollowing Out the Middle: The Rural Brain Drain and What It Means for America" is a discussion of the exodus of thinkers from middle America and the heartland. The authors, Patrick Carr and Maria Kefalas, moved to a small town to study the social aspects of working class people who stay in their home towns and try to make ends meet for the good of themselves and their town. These towns, they argue, are hurt most when their brightest young people leave upon reaching adulthood. An interesting discussion of the fate of small town America and what could truly be the cause, "Hollowing Out the Middle" is a fascinating and highly recommended read.

Social Change 2.0
David Gershon
High Point
c/o Chelsea Green
1649 Route 28A, West Hurley, New York, 12491
Social Responsibility Solutions (publicity)
234 Heather Lane, Kingston, NY 12401
9780963032775, $27.95, www.socialchange2.com

Change is a natural thing in the course of history, but until now, it has been slow. "Social Change 2.0" offers a new viewpoint to change in the current stance of the world, stating the old way the world adapted to the times was Social Change 1.0, and that the new would should be dubbed Social Change 2.0. With many new ideas and thoughts to the nature of the world today, David Gershon gives readers quite the lesson in the ways of the new world. "Social Change 2.0" is an intriguing and fascinating read that should not be ignored.

The Global Food Crisis
Jennifer Clapp & Marc J. Cohen
Wilfird Laurier University Press
Wilfrid Laurier University, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada, N2L 3C5
9781554581924, $39.95, www.wlupress.wlu.ca

With nearly seven billion mouths to feed, is there truly enough to go around? "The Global Food Crisis: Governance Challenges and Opportunities" discusses the problems that the world faces with its food resources and the short supply it can face, primarily in the world's poorest countries. Many thinkers come together and offer differing opinions on how to bring readers ideas that could lead a future where starvation isn't a way of life for so many people. "The Global Food Crisis" is scholarly and highly recommended for social issues collections.


The International Studies Shelf

Fixing Failed States
Ashraf Ghani & Clare Lockhart
Oxford University Press
198 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10016-4314
9780195398618, $16.95, www.oup.com

Democracy means nothing if the government collapses after it's formed. "Fixing Failed States: A Framework for Rebuilding A Fractured World" discusses countries in danger of collapsing or have collapsed already. Analyzing these states and what political scientists can learn from them and find what they did wrong for current and future countries. "Fixing Failed States" is scholarly and informative, sure to intrigue many readers about the fate of many modern states.

Which Path to Persia?
Kenneth M. Pollack & Contributors
Brookings Institution Press
1775 Massachusetts, Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20036
9780815703419, $22.95, www.brookings.edu

Iran has been a very sensitive subject in recent years. "Which Path to Persia?: Options for a New American Strategy Toward Iran" is a discussion of the United States and its rickety relationship with Iran. With the threat of an extremist and corrupt country with nuclear weapons, the United States must be as gentle as ever, an the Brookings Institute press offers their own ideas and plans for peaceful coexistence between the two countries. "Which Path to Persia?" is a strongly recommended pick for any concerned about Iran.

Partitioning for Peace
Ivan Eland
The Independent Institute
100 Swan Way, Oakland, CA 94621-1428
9781598130256, $15.95, www.independent.org

Invasion is easy. Getting out is the hard part. "Partitioning for Peace: An Exit Strategy for Iraq" offers one man's ideas for America leaving Iraq better than they found it when such an idea sometimes seems impossible. Partitioning is the basis of his idea, and he presents his ideas well. "Partitioning for Peace" is a choice pick for any who want new ideas on the war in Iraq.

Borderlands
Emmanuel Brunet-Jailly
University of Ottawa Press
542 King Edward, Ottawa, ON, Canada, K1N 6N5
9780776606514, $33.00, www.uopress.uottawa.ca

What does France do about its border with Germany? "Borderlands: Comparing Border Security in North America and Europe" analyzes border politics throughout the western world and how nations have approached the matters of security differently. From borders which seem to merge into one entity like some areas of France and The Netherlands, to more protected borders like the United States and Mexico, "Borderlands" is an intriguing look at border politics on a wider scope.


The Art Shelf

Notable Acquisitions at the Art Institute of Chicago
The Art Institute of Chicago
111 South Michigan Avenue, Chicago, IL 60603-6110
www.artic.edu
9780865592360, $15.99, www.amazon.com

The Art Institute of Chicago is internationally famous for the quality and diversity and continuing expansion of its collection of all manner of art objects from artists and countries around the globe. Beautifully illustrated with full color plates, "Notable Acquisitions at the Art Institute of Chicago" is a 96-page compendium superbly showcases a representative sampling of the latest additions to a growing and diversified collection. Of special note is that each featured piece is beautifully photographed and accompanied by an extensive description that includes its title, date, and creator. From Mayan sculptures, to Japanese scrolls, to American art, "Notable Acquisitions at the Art Institute of Chicago" is a fascinating and impressively informative browse which highly recommended for all arts and crafts enthusiasts in general, and Art Institute of Chicago patrons in particular.

I Sold Andy Warhol (Too Soon)
Richard Polsky
Other Press LLC
2 Park Avenue, 24th Floor, New York, NY 10016
9781590513378, $23.95, www.richardpolsky.com

Art has become a multimillion dollar business. "I Sold Andy Warhol (Too Soon)" is one man's reflections on the world of art and how it has quickly departed from admiring artistic expression to being all about the art on green paper we call money. Jaded, surprised, and disappointed, Richard Polsky tells what can be a sad tale of the commercialization of human creativity. "I Sold Andy Warhol:(Too Soon)" is a fine and recommended read that is well worth considering for art fans critical of the direction of the modern world of art.

The Art of Moving Picture Posters
Rex Schneider & Chris Buchman
Stemmer House
4 White Brook Road, Gilsum, NH 03448
9780880451710, $8.95, www.stemmer.com

There was a certain charm to the motion picture advertisements of the 1930s. "The Art of Moving Picture Posters" is packed cover to cover with black and white reproductions of some of these posters for study by art students. Intriguing to look at and good for reflection, "The Art of Moving Picture Posters" is a strong choice for fans of the old style of motion picture advertisements.

Digital Painting Techniques
3Dtotal.com Ltd
Focal Press
30 Corporate Drive #400, Burlington, MA 01803
9780240521749, $49.95 www.focalpress.com

Digital Painting Techniques: Masters Collection V. 1 features digital artists who offer the latest techniques to creating a digital canvas. Perfect for both photography and arts and crafts libraries, this packs in step-by-step techniques and lovely color examples throughout for beginning and intermediate digital artists. Tutorials explain the artists' approaches and concepts and provide keys to developing a personal digital painting style. Photography and art libraries alike need this.

University of Oklahoma Press
2800 Venture Drive, Norman, OK 73069
www.oupress.com

Carol Clark's CHARLES DEAS AND 1840S AMERICA (9780806140308, $39.95) is a fine pick for any college-level arts library: it packs in over 150 illustrations - some 70 in color - and is the first book exclusively devoted to Charles Deas. From his Indian scenes to his hunting expedition themes drawn from facts and his own imagination, Deas' work captured and represented racial tensions as much as a powerful artistic display of 1840s American history. A rich visual treat for art and American history holdings alike! William E. Farr's JULIUS SEYLER AND THE BLACKFEET: AN IMPRESSIONIST AT GLACIER NATIONAL (9780806140148, $45.00) PARK tells of a German artist who made a name for himself in Europe before traveling to America to Montana's newly created park. His is not only an artistic representation of the early Blackfeet Indians: it's a survey of how a national park was created and promoted in its infancy. This is the first biographical portrait of Seyler and focuses on his two summers at Glacier in 1913 and 1914, and is a pick for any American history or art collection.


The Christian Studies Shelf

The Gospel of Matthew
Lawrence R. Farley
Conciliar Press
PO Box 76, Ben Lomond, CA 95005-0076
9780982277072, $22.95, www.conciliarpress.com

There is no religion more closely related to Christianity than Judaism. "The Gospel of Matthew: Torah for the Church" discusses the Gospel of Matthew, which the author describes as the most profoundly Jewish book of the New Testament. Calling it a Christian Torah, Lawrence R. Farley brings readers much in the way of thoughts and ideas to make up those missing links between the Old and New Testaments. "The Gospel of Matthew" is a choice pick for religious readers and collections.

Accompany Them With Singing
Thomas G. Long
Westminister John Knox Press
100 Witherspoon Street, Louisville, KY 40202-1396
9780664233198, $24.95, www.wjkbooks.com

It is the final remembrance of one's time on Earth. "Accompany Them With Singing: The Christian Funeral" discusses the modern Christian funeral and what it means. Evaluating how longstanding traditions has been pushed away in modern years, author Thomas G. Long discusses what a Christian funeral should be, and his disappointment in what it has become. "Accompany Them With Singing" is a fine and very recommended read for those who want to better understand the Christian funeral.

Evagrius of Pontus
Antirrhetikos
David Brakke, translator
Cistercian Publications
c/o Liturgical
3642 Monks Road, Trappist, KY 40051
9780879073299, $24.95, www.litpress.org

The demons of the world lie everywhere to tempt Christians from the virtuous path. "Evagrius of Pontus: Talking Back" is a historical Christian text on the writings of one Evagrius of Pontus, focusing on his fourth century writings of an Egyptian monk. With much wisdom and thought, "Evagrius of Pontus" is a must read for anyone who wants to best understand ancient Christianity and learn about its roots.

Find It Fast In The Bible
Ron Rhodes
Harvest House Publishers
990 Owen Loop North, Eugene, Oregon 97402-9173
www.harvesthousepublishers.com
9780736926560, $7.99, www.amazon.com

Compiled by Ron Rhodes (President of Reasoning from the Scriptures Ministries), "Find It Fast In The Bible: A Quick Topical Reference" is an easily portable, pocket-sized, 202-page, alphabetically organized compendium of Biblical scriptures arranged according to specific tops that span hundreds of topics from Ability and Abortion Rights to Youth and Zeal. An ideal and thoroughly 'user friendly' topical scripture reference, "Find It Fast In The Bible" is especially appropriate for pastors writing sermons or parishioners studying the scriptures. Whether as a resource for personal study or study groups, "Find It Fast In The Bible" is very highly recommended and certain to be a time-saver.

Set Apart
Jennifer Kennedy Dean
New Hope Publishers
PO Box 12065, Birmingham, AL 35202-2065
9781596692633, $14.99, www.newhopepublishers.com

Perhaps the simplest path to happiness is returning to religious roots. "Set Apart: A 6-week Study of the Beatitudes" is Jennifer Kennedy Dean's encouragement for readers to seek out God in their life using the Beatitudes and the Sermon of the Mount. Spiritual and divinely encouraging to readers, "Set Apart" is a solid and very recommended read for religious readers looking for some spiritual enlightenment.

Christ Our Companion
Robert S. Goizueta
Orbis Books
Price Bldg. Box 308, Maryknoll, NY 10545
9781570758539, $30.00, www.orbisbooks.com

Christ's teachings and the ways of the world offer much debate for Christians. "Christ Our Companion: Towards Theological Aesthetics of Liberation" is a scholarly and intriguing guide encouraging readers to put better thought into the life of Christ and the aftermath and how that affects the world and Christianity as a whole. Very thoughtful and educational, "Christ Our Companion" is a fine addition to any theology collection.

Deep Preaching
J. Kent Edwards
B&H Publishing Group
127 Ninth Avenue, North, Nashville, TN 37234-0120
9780805446951, $19.99, www.bhacademic.com

A bad sermon can do more harm than good. "Deep Preaching: Creating Sermons That the Go Beyond" is a guide for preachers who are not using he full power of the scripture in their sermons. Encouraging preachers to look deeper into the text to find true meaning and use it to structure a more concise and moving sermon. "Deep Preaching" is a must for anyone who doesn't want to waste a Sunday by spewing what's only hot air.

What Makes Us Whole
Noel Cooper
Liturgical Press
St. John's Abbey, PO Box 7500, Collegeville, MN 56421-7500
9780814632895, $16.95, www.litpress.org

God works in strange and mysterious ways, you just need to stay the course. "What Makes Us Whole: Finding God in Contemporary Life" is a Christian book that encourages Christians to find God's hand in their life and follow that path. Discussing views about God with some controversy, Noel Cooper will give readers quite the read and much to inspire them to better lives. "What Makes Us Whole" is a read well worth considering for those who have lost track of God in their lives.

Conversations with Scripture
Marcus J. Borg
Morehouse Publishing
4775 Linglestown Road, Harrisburg, PA 17112
9780819223395, $16.00

The biggest mysteries of the Bible are the ones of the men behind the pens. "Conversations with Scripture: The Gospel of Mark" investigates the gospel of Mark, one of the most crucial books of the Bible and how it came to be. With much historical sources, "Conversations with Scripture: The Gospel of Mark" seeks to understand Mark, and through that, gain a greater understanding of the Bible.

Charity in Truth
Pope Benedict XVI
Ignatius Press
PO Box 1339, Fort Collins, CO 80522
9781586172800, $14.95

Where does the current Pope stand on the many social problems of the modern world? "Charity in Truth: Caritas in Veritate" is a treatise on current social issues from Pope Benedict XVI. Technology, economics, the free market, charity, and so much more are spoke on, giving much to consider for many Catholics. For any well read follower of the Pope, "Charity in Truth" is a read that should not be missed.

Totally God's 4 Life
Megan Clinton
Harvest House Publishers
990 Owen Loop North, Eugene, Oregon 97402-9173
9780736927604, $10.99, www.harvesthousepublishers.com

With so much changing around you, some teenagers turn to God to bring stability in life. "Totally God's 4 Life: A Devotional" is a Christian inspirational guide for teenagers girls who want to give themselves to God and the Christian life, and how to stay true to it through it all. Emphasizing the beauty of God and the power of prayer for teenagers, "Totally God's 4 Life" is a very highly recommended pick for Christian teens.

Daily Readings from the Life of Christ
John MacArthur
Moody Publishers
820 N. LaSalle Boulevard, Chicago, IL 60610
9780802456014, $22.99, www.moodypublishers.com

Spirituality is not something that can be ignored and taken up randomly. "Daily Readings from the Life of Christ" is a day by day book that John MacArthur hopes that readers will take as a daily dose of faith. Offering scripture, commentary, and spiritual questions to readers, there is much inspiration to be had. For readers trying to bring more faith into their life, "Daily Readings from the Life of Christ" is a top pick.

Knowing God
J. I. Packer
IVP Books
PO Box 1400, Downers Grove, IL 60515-1426
9780830837397, $18.00, www.ivpress.com

Closeness to the Lord is one of the many goals of Christianity. "Knowing God: Devotional Journal & One Year Guide" is J. I. Packer's spiritual advisory to help readers attain that closeness to god that so many often desire. Week by week and day by day, Packer gives advice that is sure to motivate and inspire readers to reach for more in their quest to unite with God. "Knowing God" is a fine read for any devoted Christian.

Fascinating People of the Bible
Christopher D. Hudson
Barbour Publishing
PO Box 719, Uhrichville, OH 44683
9781602604544, $9.97, www.barbourbooks.com

The people of the Bible are inspiring, and offer those living their lives much to drive them through the day. "Fascinating People of the Bible: Your Inspirational and Entertaining Guide to the Famous, Not-So-Famous, and Infamous Characters of Scripture" is a daily book meant be enjoyed day by day over the course of year, focusing on the many characters of the Bible, from the minor and what they teach us despite being unnamed, to the major and their lasting impact on the world. "Fascinating People of the Bible" is an entertaining and profound read no matter one's faith.

Christianity in Action
Henry Gariepy
Wm B. Eerdmans
2140 Oak Industrial Drive NE, Grand Rapids, MI 49505
9780802848413, $25.00, www.eerdmans.com

Sometimes good just stays around and keeps doing good. "Christianity in Action: The International History of The Salvation Army" tells the story of how the Salvation army became an icon at Christmastime and has become synonymous with charity. Growing from Victorian England to being a force in well over a hundred countries around the world, "Christianity in Action" tells the story of the goodness of people and will inspire readers with how charity can spread throughout the world.


The Religion/Spirituality Shelf

The New Path
Swami Kriyananda
Crystal Clarity Publishers
14618 Tyler Foote Road, Nevada City, CA 95959
9781565892422, $14.95, www.crystalclarity.com

Some journeys are contagious in that they bring others to join you. "The New Path: My Life With Paramhansa Yogananda" is the reflections of Swami Kriyananda as he reflects on his life and his time with Paramhansa Yogananda, and the spiritual lessons he learned during his travels with this unique individual. Enlightening and intriguing, "The New Path" is a delightful and uplifting read that spiritual readers will learn much from.

Roll Around Heaven
Jessica Maxwell
Beyond Words
c/o Atria Books
1230 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020
9781582702360, $25.00 www.beyondword.com

ROLL AROUND HEAVEN: AN ALL-TRUE ACCIDENTAL SPIRITUAL ADVENTURE tells of a spiritual awakening that involved author Jessica Maxwell in a journey to personal peace and discovery. From learning how to heal animals and interact with all religions to seeking spiritual authenticity, ROLL AROUND HEAVEN offers a vivid blend of new age and spiritual observation recommended for new age and general spiritual libraries alike.

Hispanic American Religious Cultures
Miguel A. De La Torre, Editor
ABC-CLIO
Box 1911, Santa Barbara, CA 93116-1911
9781598841398, $195.00/2 vols www.abc-clio.com

Hispanic American Religious Cultures documents all the religious of Hispanic cultures covering not just Catholicism's importance, but faiths ranging from Judaism and Buddhism to Pentecostalism. Entries cover spiritual affiliations, world faiths, Hispanic practices, history, and key participants, offering an encyclopedia of in-depth articles recommended for Hispanic and spirituality libraries alike.

Understanding Death
John S. Hatcher
Baha'i Publishing
415 Linden Avenue, Wilmette, IL 60091-2844
9781931847728, $18.00, www.books.bahai.us

You can delay it as long as possible, but it will catch up to you. "Understanding Death: The Most Important Event of Your Life" discusses the spiritual side of death from the perspective of followers of the Baha'i faith. With much spiritual reassurance, John S. Hatcher states that death is just a new beginning to embrace. A riveting read for those curious about the Baha'i faith and spirituality in general, "Understanding Death" is very much recommended.

Universal Yoga
Prem Prakash
YES International Publishers
1317 Summit Avenue, Saint Paul, MN 55105-2602
www.yespublishers.com
9780936663487, $19.95, www.amazon.com

Long out of print and now newly released in a paperback edition, "Universal Yoga: The Bhagavad Gita For Modern Times" by Prem Prakash provides a new generation of readers with insights into India's great religious tradition of Hinduism as exemplified by a dialog between Lord Krishna and the warrior Arjuna. Featuring an expert English translation and insightful commentary, "Universal Yoga" offers exemplary advice on how to contend and deal with our lives and the inevitable obligations and encumbrances we will all encounter in both ordinary and extraordinary times. Thoughtful and thought-provoking, "Universal Yoga" is highly recommended reading and especially relevant to students and practitioners of Yoga, as well as non-specialist general readers with an interest in Hinduism, one of the five major religions of the modern world.

The Revolution from Within
J. Krishnamurti
Hohm Press
PO Box 2501, Prescott, AZ 86302
9781935387053, $19.95, www.kpublications.com

Most people prove to be slaves to their minds. "The Revolution from Within" is a collection of thoughts and ideas from one of the leading spiritual philosophers of the twentieth century, J. Krishnamurti. Encouraging readers to be more aware of the constant changes in life all around them, and to break free of their mind's dominion over their souls, "The Revolution from Within" will influence and encourage much thought.

World Religions, third edition
Jeffrey Brodd
Saint Mary's Press
702 Terrace Heights, Winona, MN 55987-1318
9780884899976, $24.95, www.smp.org

What people believe is a bedrock of who they are. "World Religions: A Voyage of Discovery" looks the many faiths of the world, ranging from the most primal religions of our prehistoric ancestors, to the gods of the Ancient Greeks and Romans, to modern Christianity and Islam. Profoundly educational with many lessons to learn for many readers, "World Religions" is a top pick for any with curiosity in the religious views of the world.


The Judaic Studies Shelf

Maimonides
David Hartman
The Jewish Publication Society
2100 Arch Street, 2nd Floor, Philadelphia, PA 19103
9780827609112, $22.00, www.jewishpub.org

One of the great post-Biblical Jewish philosophers, "Maimonides: Torah and Philosophic Quest" discusses his writings and how they had a certain duality of piety through tradition and law, and piety through one's own way of uniting with God. His philosophies in both aspects ask much of readers to think about themselves, the world around them, and God. "Maimonides" is a treasure of a read for the thinking and spiritual Jew.

Jewish History: The Big Picture
Gila Gevirtz
Behrman House Inc.
11 Edison Place, Springfield, NJ 07081
www.behrmanhouse.com
9780874418385, $22.50, www.amazon.com

Based upon Jonathan Sarna and Jonathan Krasner's exhaustive two-volume compendium "The History of the Jewish People", Gila Gevirtz and the Behrman House publishing company have produced "Jewish History: The Big Picture", a 288-page compendium of succinctly presented Jewish history replete with anecdotal facts and stories showcasing the diversity of events and elements of Judaism ranging from the resurrection of Hebrew as a living language, to the celebration of Passover on an American civil war battlefield, to the Jewish roots of Christianity, to Jewish communities around the world and down through the millennia. Of special note are the chapters focusing on the Holocaust, the rise of the modern state of Israel, and contemporary American Jewry. Enhanced with graphics, maps, charts, time-lines, photographs, and a comprehensive index, "Jewish History: The Big Picture" is highly recommended reading and a welcome addition to personal, family, school, and community library Judaic Studies and Jewish History reference collections and supplemental reading lists.

The Zohar: Pritzker Edition, volume five
Daniel C. Matt
Stanford University Press
1450 Page Mill Road, Palo Alto, CA 94304-1124
www.sup.org
9780804762199, $49.95, www.amazon.com

A core work associated with the mystic Kabbalah traditions within Judaism, the 'Sefer ha-Zhor' came out of medieval Spain around the end of the thirteenth century and was originally written in Aramaic. Essentially a body of commentary on the Torah, "The Zohar: Pritzker Edition" is the fifth volume of an outstanding series which is ably translated into English by academician and Kabbalah expert Daniel C. Matt for the benefit of contemporary scholarship. This fifth volume begins with the story of two rabbis and an old donkey-driver they encounter -- who is far more than he seems. From their conversation emerges insights and secrets of the Kabbalah and an informed and informative commentary on the tabernacle the children of Israel constructed and utilized during their sojourn in the desert. Of special note is the chapter focused on a poetic description of God's body and the role of 'divine breath' in animating all of existence. This fifth volume of "The Zohar: Pritzker Edition", enhanced with the inclusion of a list of abbreviations, transliterations of Hebrew and Aramaic, a glossary, a bibliography, and an index of sources, is a 633-page work of painstaking scholarship and an essential addition to academic library Judaic Studies reference collections in general, and Kabbalah Studies supplemental reading lists in particular. Also very highly recommended are the first four volumes in this series, as well as Professor Daniel C. Matt's earlier works: "The Essential Kabbalah: The Heart of Jewish Mysticism" (9780062511638, $14.99); "Zohar: Annotated and Explained" (9781893361515, $15.99); and "God & the Big Bang: Discovering Harmony Between Science & Spirituality" (9781879045897, $16.99).

A Formula for Proper Living
Abraham J. Twerski
Jewish Lights Publishing
Sunset Farm Offices, Route 4, PO Box 237, Woodstock, VY 05091
9781580234023, $19.99, www.jewishlights.com

There is simple wisdom that applies no matter what one's faith is. "A Formula for Proper Living: Practical Lessons from Life and Torah" looks to what the Torah can teach people in the contemporary age about life and living, even those people who do not subscribe to Judaism. Filled with wisdom from the Torah and its scholars, "A Formula for Proper Living" is a top pick for spirituality and self-help collections.

They Dared Return
Patrick K. O'Donnell
Da Capo
c/o Perseus Book Group
11 Cambridge Center, Cambridge, MA 02142
9780306818004, $26.00, www.theydarereturn.com

In the name of what's right, some people will go into certain death. "They Dared Return: The True Story of Jewish Spies Behind the Lines in Nazi Germany" tells the story of a group of Jews who, having escaped the clutches of Hitler's final solution, went back to fight against the Nazi's genocide. These individuals brought a quicker end to the war through their heroism, and Patrick K. O'Donnell tells their story. "They Dared Return" is utterly fascinating and highly recommended.


The World History Shelf

The Enemies Of Rome
Philip Matyszak
Thames & Hudson, Inc.
500 Fifth Avenue, NY, NY 10110-0017
www.thamesandhudsonusa.com
9780500287729, $22.95, www.amazon.com

Rome was an empire built upon the conquest of its neighbors. That means its history is replete with enemies from its earliest days to its ultimate destruction. Now Roman history expert and authority Philip Matyszak has compiled "The Enemies of Rome: From Hannibal to Attila the Hun" an informed and informative roster of Rome's major opponents ranging from the legendary Spartacus who headed up a slave rebellion; to Hannibal whose Carthagians went up against Rome in two major conflicts; to Josephus who led ill-fated Jewish forces against the legions of Rome that resulted in the destruction of Jerusalem; to Attila who brought war to the very gates of Rome; to a wide assortment of other generals, warriors and kings who rose to fight against the might of the Roman Empire. A truly fascinating and superbly written 296-page compendium of detailed and documented history, "The Enemies of Rome: From Hannibal to Attila the Hun" is a very highly recommended addition to academic and community library World History reference collections in general, and personal Roman History supplemental reading lists in particular.

The Hundred Years War III
Jonathan Sumption
University of Pennslyvania Press
3905 Spruce Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104-4011
9780812242232, $45.00, www.upenn.edu/pennpress

The bad blood that boils between nations can last generations. "The Hundred Years War III: Divided Houses" is the third volume of the complete and comprehensive coverage of one of Europe's longest and bloodiest sustained conflicts between England and France throughout the fourteenth century. With maps and much discussion over many of the historic events during the twenty four year period from 1369 to 1393 where the leaders were mentally unstable and inexperienced, exacerbating the existing problems of the conflict. "The Hundred Years War III" is a core addition to any European medieval history collection, enthusiastically recommended.

The Quest for the Lost Roman Legions
Tony Clunn
SavasBeatie
PO Box 4527, El Dorado Hills, CA 95762
9781932714708, $22.95, www.savasbeatie.com

The armies of Rome were peerless in their own era. "The Quest for the Lost Roman Legions: Discovering the Varus Battlefield" discusses the historical search for this battlefield that was lost to the centuries. Through Roman coins and historical artifacts, the events of the battle of Varus are uncovered and Tony Clunn tells the story of the search for history. "The Quest for the Lost Roman Legions" is a top pick and is very highly recommended reading for Roman history enthusiasts.


The Self-Help Shelf

One Soul, One Love, One Heart
John E. Welshons
New World Library
14 Pamaron Way, Novato, CA 94949
9781577315889, $14.95 www.newworldlibrary.com

One Soul, One Love, One Heart: The Sacred Path to Healing All Relationships offers insights on how we perceive people and relationships. Tips that can be put into immediate practice to heal difficult relationships supplement insights on forgiveness, happiness, and how to turn off buttons that make family experience roadblocks instead of affection. Any library strong in self-help and guides to healthy relationships needs this.

Morning Sunshine!
Robin Meade
Center Street
237 Park Avenue, New York NY 10017
9781599951645, $22.99 www.centerstreet.com

MORNING SUNSHINE! HOW TO RADIATE CONFIDENCE AND FEEL IT TOO comes form the host of HLN's Morning Express and tells how she fought the fears that nearly cost her career. How these fears evolved, nearly took over, and were eliminated forms the crux of a memoir packed with inspiration on how she rose to become a TV news personality. Her lessons offer confidence tips for all - and her humor makes it most accessible, making this a top pick for any general lending library.

When You Lose Someone You Love
Richard Exley
David C. Cook
4050 Lee Vance View, Colorado Springs, CO 80918
9781434764805, $9.99

Grief is a truly powerful thing. "When You Lose Someone You Love: Comfort for Those Who Grieve" is a collection of inspirational and motivational texts from Richard Exley hoping to help those in the grieving process move on and settle their lives when it seems like there can be no tomorrow. Simply presented, "When You Lose Someone You Love" may be the comfort many need after the cruelty of life.


The Education Shelf

The Curriculum Mapping Planner
Heidi Hayes Jacobs and Ann Johnson
ASCD
1703 North Beauregard Street, Alexandria, VA 22311-1714
9781416608745 $29.95 www.ascd.org 1-800-933-2723

A good curriculum is the foundation of a good education. "The Curriculum Mapping Planner: Templates, Tools, and Resources for Effective Professional Development" is a guide to maximizing the benefits of one's curriculum. Using a thoughtful and step-by-step process, Jacobs and Johnson give educators everything they need to make sure their students, no matter their age, get the best education that they can handle. "The Curriculum Mapping Planner" is a must for any educator who wants to be more involved in the planning process.

Teaching Graphic Novels
Katie Monnin
Maupin House
2416 N. W. 71st Place, Gainesville, FL 32653
9781934338407, $24.95, www.maupinhouse.com

Not just long comic books, graphic novels can prove to be powerful teaching tools. "Teaching Graphic Novels: Practical Strategies for the Secondary ELA Classroom" is a guide for English and language arts teachers who want to entice their students more into reading using graphic novels. With plenty of assistance on how to use them teach concepts such as story structure, "Teaching Graphic Novels" is a worthwhile investment for the forward thinking educator who wants to incorporate the newest trends.

High-Tech Teaching Success!
Kevin D. Besnoy & Lane W. Clark, editors
Prufrock
PO Box 8813, Waco, TX 76714-8813
9781593633844, $19.95, www.prufrock.com

Technology is one of the best teacher's aides one can have. "High-Tech Teaching Success: A Step-by-Step Guide to Using Innovative Technology in Your Classroom" is filled with plenty of thoughts and ideas for teachers to use with their students to use the internet to teach their students what's on the curriculum while giving them valuable computer and internet skills. With everything from using Google Earth to the educational value of facebook, "High-Tech Teaching Success" is a top pick for any twenty-first century teacher.

Creative Expression in Transformative Learning
Chad Hoggan, Soni Simpson, & Hearth Stuckey
Krieger Publishing Company
1725 Krieger Drive, Malabar, FL 32950
9781575242972, $42.50, www.krieger-publishing.com

Transformation can change much about a person. "Creative Expression in Transformative Learning: Tools and Techniques for Educators of Adults" discusses the power of creative and artistic expression in adult education, its uses and how it indicates progress in students. With essays and wisdom from many educational experts, they put forth their experience and offer it to other educators for good use in this avenue of transformational learning. Enhanced with indexes and other useful appendixes, "Creative Expression in Transformative Learning" is a top pick for any collection focusing on adult education.

Pulling Together
Leyton Schnellert, et al.
Pembroke
c/o Stenhouse Publishers
477 Congress Street, Suite 4B, Portland, ME 04101-3451
www.stenhouse.com 1-800-988-9812
9781551382371 $21.00, www.amazon.com

Good language skills are a cornerstone to a good education. "Pulling Together: Integrating Inquiry, Assessment, and Instruction in Today's English Classroom", the collaborative work of Leyton Schnellert, Mehjabeen Datoo, Krista Ediger, and Joanne Panas, is a guide for educators who want to put together an optimized Language Art program that gives students the best grasp they can get from their education. With tips on subjects ranging from speaking, critical thinking, and reading, there is much for a language arts teacher to weave into their curriculum. "Pulling Together" is a recommended read for any English educator.

The Reading Specialist, second edition
Rita M. Bean
Guilford Press
72 Spring Street, New York, NY 10012
9781606234068, $30.00, www.guilford.com

Without reading, everything else becomes harder. "The Reading Specialist: Leadership for the Classroom, School, and Community" is a guide for teachers who are responsible with helping readers of any grade level face their problems with literacy. This second edition emphasizes secondary school problems more thoroughly, and gives many tips on coaching readers. "The Reading Specialist" is a must for any educator who is charged with helping students getting up to the skill they need to succeed in academics.

The Principal as Assessment Leader
Thomas R. Guskey, editor
Solution Tree
555 North Morton Street, Bloomington, IN 47404
9781934009482, $29.95, www.solution-tree.com

The principal is not just a manager, but the final authority. "The Principal As Assessment Leader" is a collection of essays discussing education and the principal in the role of deciding curriculum and assessment of students. These collaborators give many ideas to help principals advice on doing everything from creating fair and balanced assessments to combating drop out rates. "The Principal as Assessment Leader" is a top pick for any principal looking for new ideas for their school.

Early Sprouts
Kattie Kalich, Dottie Bauer, Dierdre McPartlin
Redleaf Press
10 Yorkton Court, St. Paul, MN 55117
9781933653723, $24.95 www.redleafpress.org

EARLY SPROUTS: CULTIVATING HEALTHY FOOD CHOICES IN YOUNG CHILDREN provides a 24-week course in sensory exploration and cooking based on six target vegetables: tomatoes, green beans, bell peppers, Swiss chard, carrots and butternut squash. From promoting healthy eating at home and school to increasing a child's affection for these vegetables, this offers activities that can be achieved even without a garden. Any collection catering to parents or educators needs this.

Extending the Dance in Infant & Toddler Caregiving
Helen H. Raikes & Caorlyn Pope Edwards
Brookes Publishing
P.O. Box 10624, Baltimore, MD 21285-0624
1557668590, $29.95 www.brookespublishing.com

This blueprint for promoting attachment and relationships in early childhood settings provides professional caregivers and educators a fine key to developing nurturing relationships with kids. From promoting relationship-based programs that keep teachers and kids together to encouraging connections, this is a fine early learning tool.

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

Mary Kim Schreck's TRANSFORMERS: CREATIVE TEACHERS FOR THE 21ST CENTURY (9781412971126, $33.95) is a fine discussion of creativity beliefs and teaching, providing teachers with a step-by-step plan for accessing creative resources and blending them into practices. From lesson building and delivery to encouraging creative thinking in the classroom, TRANSFORMERS is a pick for any education library. Also recommended is Ron Nash's THE ACTIVE TEACHER (9781412973878, $28.95), which uses over 30 years' experience in teaching and staff development to outline a different approach to teaching and planning. 'Three Rs' - routines, rules and relationships - help teachers lead students based on trust and personal guidance. Carl A. Grant's TEACH! CHANGE! EMPOWER! SOLUTIONS FOR CLOSING THE ACHIEVEMENT GAPS (9781412976497, $26.95) provides an excellent survey of strategies for teachers on how to reflect on their beliefs about diversity and turn these thoughts into actions. From caring with a sociopolitical consciousness within the education structure to cooperative professional development for staff and teachers alike, this packs in fine keys to understanding.


The Business Shelf

The Complete Idiot's Guide to Starting & Running a Retail Store
James E. Dion
Alpha
c/o Penguin Group
375 Hudson Street, New York, NY 10014
9781592577262, $19.95, www.idiotsguides.com

It sounds easy - sell what people want, and they'll buy it. "The Complete Idiot's Guide to Starting & Running a Retail Store" is a guide for those who want to run their own retail business. Covering everything from picking your niche, determining its viability, real estate issues, and so much more, it's a fine introduction for the aspiring entrepreneur. "The Complete Idiot's Guide to Starting and Running a Retail Store" is a top pick that is well worth considering for the inexperienced.

Start Your Own Business, fourth edition
Rieva Lesonsky
Entrepreneur Press
2445 McCabe Way, Suite 400, Irvine, CA 92614
9781599180816, $24.95, www.entrepreneurpress.com

Many businesses fail soon after they start, but how does one avoid these mistakes? "Start Your Own Business: The Only Startup Book You'll Ever Need" is the fourth edition of Entrepreneur Magazine's volume on breaking into the world of being your own boss. With plenty of informative info on everything from getting the creative juices flowing, pushing one's product, and beyond simply starting, "Start Your Own Business" is a volume that should be in every starting entrepreneur's collection.

Keeping Up in a Down Economy
Bob Nelson
Pragmatic Publications
PO Box 500872, San Diego, CA 92150-0872
Nelson Motivation, Inc.
12225 World Trade Drive, Suite O, San Diego, CA 92128-3768
9780615306612, $13.95, www.keepingupbook.com

Good companies don't buckle under a bad economy - they're good companies for a reason. "Keeping Up in a Down Economy: What the Best Companies Do to Get Results in Tough Times" discusses how companies can stay profitable and growing even during a time where it seems impossible. With plenty of honest advice and tips, the knowledge contained within is simple and wise for companies, ranging from setting a company's direction, to keeping knowledge flowing through the company, and maintaining morale, "Keeping Up in a Down Economy" is a solid and very recommended resource that business leaders should not miss.

Selling to the C-Suite
Nicolas A. C. Read & Stephen J. Bistritz
McGraw Hill
Two Penn Plaza, 11th Floor, New York, NY 10121-2298
Smith Publicity (publicity)
1930 E. Marlton Pike, Suite 1-46, Cherry Hill, NJ 08003
9780071628914, $24.95, www.mhprofessional.com

Selling is a goal of business, but the best business is selling to other businesses. "Selling to the C-Suite: What Every Executive Wants You to Know About Successfully Selling to the Top" is a guide to advancing one's business and career through wiser selling at higher levels of business. With advice on how to get past gatekeepers, sell to the highest executives, and more, "Selling to the C-Suite" is a strong pick for anyone who wants to sell their way to the top.

Life, Money, and Illusion
Mike Nickerson
New Society Publishers
PO Box 189, Gabriola Island, BC V0R 1X0
9780865716599, $22.95, www.newsociety.com

Good business makes sure it can keep doing business for years to come. "Life, Money, and Illusion: Living on Earth as if We Want to Stay" is a guide to sustainable business that is both environmentally and socially sustainable. One doesn't need to plunder the planet of its resources in order to succeed, as author Mike Nickerson explains. "Life, Money, and Illusion" is a wise and recommended read for any aspiring businessperson.

Complete Idiot's Guide to Starting a Web-Based Business
Steve Slaunwhite
Alpha Books
375 Hudson St., New York NY 10014
9781592578894, $19.95 www.idiotsguides.com

Complete Idiot's Guide to Starting a Web-Based Business joins others in the excellent 'Complete Idiot' series (which is not really 'for idiots', but rather a user-friendly series for anyone and everyone!) and offers an easy survey of the basics of how to create and operate a successful cyberspace venture. From how various online businesses conduct their business to selecting among best web hosting options and creating user-friendly sites that attract surfing clients, this is a pick any general library will find popular.

The Unemployed Millionaire
Matt Morris
John Wiley & Sons
111 River St., Hoboken, NJ 07030-5774
9780470479810, $22.95 www.wiley.com

The Unemployed Millionaire: Escape the Rat Race, Fire Your Boss, and Live Life on Your Terms tells the story of the founder of Success University, who began his first business at age 18, dropped out of college at age 30 to pursue business full-time, became poverty-stricken and lived on the streets, then made a full turn to re-invent his life and career, four years later earning a six-figure income as an entrepreneur. His inspirational story is a model for our times and will find its place in any business or general lending library.

Retail Hell
Freeman Hall
Adams Media
57 Littlefield Street, 2nd floor, Avon, MA 02322
1605501026, $22.95 www.fwmedia.com www.adamsmedia.com 1-800-872-5627

Any who have worked in retail or handled a sales associate dedicated to their commission will find plenty to recognize in RETAIL HELL: HOW I SOLD MY SOUL TO THE STORE. It provides a funny yet pointed assessment of sales based on Hall's real life experiences and goes behind the scenes to reveal what really happens in the retail world with a series of funny, true stories perfect for both business and general lending libraries.

How to Win Friends and Influence People
Nicholas D. Satan and Prof. Marcus J. Weeks
Lyons Press
Box 480, Guilford, CT 06437
9781599215686, $16.95 www.lyonspress.com

How to Win Friends and Influence People: 666 Wicked Ways to Guarantee Success in the Workplace is a fun allegorical read telling of Nicholas Satan, who was just another angel until he quit the firm and began running his own business - before the Fall. This practical advice guide based on the seven deadly sins is a fun yet pointed 'advice guide' on how to achieve diabolical dominance at home and work and will make a fun gift for any business personality.

97 Things Every Project Manager Should Know
Barbee Davis, Editor
O'Reilly
1005 Gravenstein Hwy N., Sebastopol CA 95472
9780596804169, $29.99 www.oreilly.com

Software engineers and business project managers alike must have 97 Things Every Project Manager Should Know, a powerful guide to everything from maintaining top coding quality to defining the conclusion of a project, spotting a good IT developer, and providing a valued, deliverable project. 97 short and practical tips apply to both software and non-IT projects and make this a solid pick for both computer and business lending libraries.

The Heretics of Finance
Andrew W. Lo and Jasmina Hasanhodzic
Bloomberg Press
731 Lexington Avenue, New York, NY 10022
9781576603161, $29.95

THE HERETICS OF FINANCE consists of interviews with thirteen successful, award-winning market professionals who credit their achievements to technical analysis. From how they learned their craft to what market conditions lead to errors and what an average workday is like, this packs in issues of validation, independent vs. team work, the influences of technology on the analysis process, and more. A fine pick for any business collection.

The Secret, second edition
Ken Blanchard and Mark Miller
Berrett Koehler
235 Montgomery St. #650, San Francisco CA 94104-2916
9781605092683, $19.95 www.bkconnection.com

What is the secret of great leadership? THE SECRET; WHAT GREAT LEADERS KNOW - AND DO tells you, using a business fable format to impart the basics of what makes a leader able to inspire and motivate people. Debbie, newly promoted and struggling, is about to lose her job due to poor performance, and enrolls in a new mentoring program offered by her company - and run by its president. Her lessons are real-world scenarios any business reader can easily absorb in this most accessible format.

Leadership Under Pressure
Bob Stewart
Kogan Page
525 South 4th Street, #241, Philadelphia, PA 19147
9780749456559, $24.95, www.koganpage.com

Nothing makes you realize the value of leadership than being shot at. "Leadership Under Pressure: Tactics from the Front Line" is a guide to leadership under pressure from a man who knows it in Colonel Bob Stewart. Having served in many high stakes situations, he brings his battlefield wisdom and tells readers how to apply it to the world of business. Motivating and invaluable information, "Leadership Under Pressure" is a top pick for anyone who wants to pass the test of leadership with flying colors.

The Design of Business
Roger Martin
Harvard Business Press
60 Harvard Way, Boston, MA 02163
9781422177808, $26.95, www.harvardbuisness.org

The world moves so fast today that thinking in the present means you're thinking too slow. "The Design of Business: Why Design Thinking is the Next Competitive Advantage" is a business book discussing that in order to be on the top of the game in the modern business world, one must focus on the future instead of the present, the world as it could be instead of how it is. With plenty of sage advice and ideas for the future of business, "The Design Business" is well worth considering for any business which dreams of being ahead of the cutting edge.

Celebrating Failure
Ralpha Heath
Career Press
3 Tice Road, PO Box 687, Franklin Lakes, NJ 07417
9781601630643, $14.99, www.careerpress.com

Failure isn't that you failed; it's that you were willing to take that risk. "Celebrating Failure: The Power of Taking Risks, Making Mistakes, and Thinking Big" is a different sort of business motivational manual, encouraging entrepreneurs to fail, or at the very least, not be afraid of failure. If you don't fear failure, you are more willing to take risks, and those risks could lead to bigger success. "Celebrating Failure" is a motivational guide with original, yet still practical wisdom.


The Money/Finance Shelf

Personal Finance for Dummies, sixth edition
Eric Tyson
John Wiley & Sons
111 River St., Hoboken, NJ 07030-5774
9780470506936, $21.99, www.dummies.com

Wise money management is easier than one would think. "Personal Finance for Dummies" is the sixth edition of this volume of Dummies book, seeking to help readers better manage their money for prosperity now and for the future. Covering goal setting, saving money, protecting oneself against fraud and smartly dealing with one's taxes, and more, "Personal Finance for Dummies" is a very strong pick for those who need help planning for their financial future.

Inside the Minds of Car Dealers
Ray Lopez
Five Star Publications
PO Box 6698, Chandler, AZ 85246-6698
9781589851566, $15.95, www.insidehtemindsofcardealers.com

What makes someone sell you a clunker? "Inside the minds of Car Dealers: How to Buy Your Next Car without Fear" is a guide for readers who seek a psychological edge in dealing with the shifty con artists who go by the more politically correct title of car dealers. Written by a man who has played the devil, he offers much in the way of trying to decipher the thoughts on both sides of the deal and does well in arming his readers in how to get the best deal they can and avoid the toxic ones. "Inside the Minds of Car Dealers" is a must for anyone considering purchasing a new vehicle in the near future.


The Health/Medicine Shelf

Health Professionals' Guide to Physical Management of Parkinson's Disease
Miriam P. Boelen
Human Kinetics
Box 5076, Champaign, IL 61825-5076
0736074929 $59.00 www.humankinetics.com

Health Professionals' Guide to Physical Management of Parkinson's Disease should be in the library of any clinician or doctor encountering Parkinson's patients, and many a physical therapy collection. It blends research sources and the author's own in-depth clinical experience and provides a quick reference for busy clinicians who want fast answers, not weighty chapters. From explaining the different management strategies and stages of Parkinson's, to the focus on dystonia and tremor, to an assessment of self-management strategies used at different stages of the disease to a survey of transfer problems and more, this text will prove key in addressing specific problems unique to Parkinson's patients.

Routine Miracles
Conrad Fischer, MD
Kaplan Publishing
1 Liberty Plaza, 24th floor, New York, NY 10006
9781607141198, $24.95 www.kaplanpublishing.com

ROUTINE MIRACLES provides a powerful survey of medical advances once called miracles, investigating the widening gap between these advances and the rise of physician dissatisfaction. Over 3,000 physicians and patients were interviewed to probe this underlying angst, and this provides a call to action to change the course and future of medicine. Any library strong in medical ethics and issues needs this.

Present on Admission, second edition
Gail S. Garrett, RHIT
AHIMA
233 N. Michigan Ave. #2150, Chicago, IL 60601-5800
9781584262244, $49.95 www.ahima.org

Present on Admission appears in its second updated edition to provide the basics of POA assignment, from concerns from the new regulations and the new requirement to provide hospital-acquired condition payment on all Medicare claims to coding and quality assurance. From a history of POA indicators to an explanation of coding and new requirements, this includes all the forms and resources needed.

Interpretation and Uses of Medical Statistics, fifth edition
Leslie E. Daly and Geoffrey J. Bourke
Wiley/Blackwell Science
10475 Crosspoint Boulevard, Indianapolis, IN 46256
9780632047635, $129.94 www.blackwell-science.com

Interpretation and Uses of Medical Statistics first appeared in 1969 and provided ideas on statistics' applications to medical science to those with no formal training in this area. This 5th updated edition represents a vastly expanded coverage with major changes: some sections have been totally rewritten, it's organized more logically based on the latest brain research studies and use-friendly approaches, and it flags chapters that are more difficult to absorb. Two new chapters have also been added too, making this a substantial addition to any medical collection.

Swine Flu / H1N1: The Facts
Terence Stephenson
Jessica Kingsley Publishers, Inc.
400 Market Street, Suite 400, Philadelphia, PA 19106
www.jkp.com
9781849058216, $12.95, www.amazon.com

From the political right as exemplified by the Fox News channel, to the right as represented by 'Real Time with Bill Maher', the American public is deluged with misinformation, misrepresentation, hysteric demagoguery, and fear mongering when it comes to the Swine Flu phenomena. It's high time the public had a rational, reasoned, non-emotional source of sound information on the subject and that's why "Swine Flu / H1N1: The Facts" by Professor Terence Stephenson (President of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child health, United Kingdom) is such a welcome relief to the popular hysteria arising from the wide-spread (and often politically motivated) confusion concerning this particular form of influenza. Professor Stephenson knowledgeably addresses such issues as the nature of HIN1 fly; its degree of hazard for children, its symptoms, treatments, vaccines, and prevention. Of special note is the Professor Stephenson's informed and informative text is couched in thoroughly 'reader friendly' language making it especially recommended for the non-specialized general reader and all community/school Health & Medicine reference collections.

An A-Z Guide to Healing Foods
Elise Marie Collins
Conari Wellness
c/o Red Wheel, Weiser, Conari
65 Parker Street, Suite 7, Newburyport, MA 01950
9781573244190, $12.95, www.redwheelweiser.com

One's diet can do much for the healing process. "An A-Z Guide to Healing Foods: A Shopper's Companion" is a guide for readers to help them make informed shopping choices when trying to recover from illness or injury. Some foods facilitate healing better than others, and Elise Marie Collins provide an informative reference. "An A-Z Guide to Healing Foods" is a choice pick.

5 Steps to the Hollywood A-List Smile
Catrise Austin
Morgan James
1225 Franklin Ave., STE 325, Garden City, NY, 11530-1693
VIP Smiles (publicity)
119 W. 57th Street, Suite 512, New York, NY 10019
www.morganjamespublishing.com
9781600376443, $17.95, www.amazon.com

How to get that million dollar smile? "5 Steps to the Hollwyood A-List Smile: How the Stars Get That Perfect Smile and How You Can Too!" gives advice for readers in how to truly get that smile that can't be beat. Written by the woman dubbed dentist to the stars, Dr. Catrise Austin, "5 Steps to the Hollywood A-List Smile" reveals it's simpler than some people might think. "5 Steps to the Hollywood A-List Smile" is well worth the investment for those who want to captivate with a dazzling facial expression.

Wishing On a Star
Lydia Burdick, author
Jane Freeman, illustrator
Health Professions Press
Box 10624, Baltimore, MD 21285-0624
www.healthpropress.com 1-888-337-8808
9781932529432 $19.95, www.amazon.com

Fighting memory loss can and should be a co-operative process involving the affected individual, family members, friends, and the treatment community. "Wishing on a Star: A Real-Aloud Book for Memory-Challenged Adults" is a book especially recommended to for anyone having to cope with Alzheimer's, dementia, stroke and other memory-damaging disorders. With simple, colorful illustrations enhancing a deftly written, informed and informative text, Lydia Burdick' "Wishing On A Star" is thoroughly 'reader friendly' and a fine addition to any personal or public library collections.

The Whole-Body Approach to Osteoporosis
R. Keith McCormick
New Harbinger Publications
5674 Shattuck Avenue, Oakland, CA 94609
9781572245952, $16.95, www.newharbinger.com

The human body is weird, one seemingly unrelated thing may be causing someone pain elsewhere in their body. "The Whole-Body Approach to Osteoporosis: How to Improve Your Bone Strength and Reduce Your Fracture Risk" is a guide for readers who want to better fight off osteoporosis through improved general fitness and health. A more healthy body will help fight off the aches and pains of a particular part, and R. Keith McCormick equips readers with the knowledge they need to combat it.


The Metaphysical Studies Shelf

Picture Yourself Capturing Ghosts on Film
Christopher Balzano
Course Technology
20 Channel Center St, Boston, MA 02210
1435454839, $24.99 www.courseptr.com

Picture Yourself Capturing Ghosts on Film is a recommendation for any general-interest lending library where patrons are interested in ghosts. It provides unusual step-by-step instruction for documenting the paranormal with photos and videos, showing how to evaluate images and share them and including a DVD to show how trained ghost hunters gather evidence. A fun, interesting and unusual approach.

The Essenes
Stuart Wilson & Joanna Prentis
Ozark Mountain Publishers
PO Box 754, Huntsville, AR 72740
1886940878, $15.50, www.ozarkmt.com

Understanding the life of Jesus is what every Christian truly seeks to do. "The Essenes, Children of the Light" discusses the life of Jesus and seeks enlightenment through the use of past life regression and knowledge of the Essenes. Of strong interest for Christian metaphysical enthusiasts, "The Essenes" should be heavily considered.

The Witches' Alamanac Spring 2010 - Spring 2011
Witches' Almanac Ltd.
PO Box 1292, Newport, RI 02840-9998
Red Wheel, Weiser, Conari (distributor)
65 Parker Street, Suite 7, Newburyport, MA 01950
9780977370375, $11.95, www.redwheelweiser.com

Even if you don't believe in Wicca, the wisdom of witches is still useful. "The Witches' Almanac Spring 2010 - Spring 2011" is another edition of the famed series, filled cover to cover with articles of interest, giving outlooks for horoscopes, and packed with recipes and other fascinating information. "The Witches' Almanac" is an ideal choice for any would be witch who wants insight into a little magic of their own.


The Pets/Wildlife Shelf

Horse Lover's Guide to Kentucky
Patti Nickell
Eclipse Press
3101 Beaumont Centre Circle,
PO Box 919003, Lexington, KY 40591-9003
9781581502169, $19.95, www.eclipsepress.com

The fields of Kentucky have endless things to offer the lover of horses. "Horse Lover's Guide to Kentucky" is a complete and comprehensive guide for the horse fan in the blue grass state. Kentucky has been called the capital for horses in the world, with the famous Kentucky Derby to its name, but there is more to the state than that. Everything from food and lodging is discussed, making "Horse Lover's Guide to Kentucky" a must for any equine aficionado planning a trip to the state.

Everything I Know About Life I Learned from My Horse
Gwen Petersen
Voyageur Press
400 - 1st Avenue North, Suite 300, Minneapolis, MN 55401
9780760336908, $19.99 www.voyageurpress.com

Everything I Know About Life I Learned from My Horse blends horse insights and appreciation with life lessons for horse lovers, offering an instruction book for any interested in equines and life. Lessons from living with horses provides a blend of horse lore and life observations in a witty collection of vignettes perfect for general lending collections.

Butterfly Landscapes of New Mexico
Steven J. Cary
New Mexico Magazine
495 Old Santa Fe Trail, Santa Fe, NM 87501
9781934480038, $27.95, www.nmmagazine.com

The butterfly has inspired wonder and curiosity ever since humanity has laid eyes on it. "Butterfly Landscapes of New Mexico" takes a look at this awe-inspiring creatures of New Mexico, from New Mexico's self-proclaimed (and elsewhere proclaimed) Butterfly Guy. Looking at the habitat of these creatures, author Steven J. Cary brings readers a wealth of intriguing information. "Butterfly Landscapes of New Mexico" is a fine addition to any nature or science library collection.

Records of North American Elk
Jack Reneau & Howard P. Monsour, Jr., editor
Boone & Crockett Club
205 Station Drive, Missoula, MT 59801
9780940864641, $24.95, www.booneandcrockettclub.com

Elk has been a game animal of choice for many American hunters for decades. "Records of North American Elk" is a complete and comprehensive guide to the North American Elk, going over the elk's presence in the United States and Canada, and the presence of the Elk in each state and province. Drawing on the minds of many wildlife writers, "Records of the North American Elk" is perfect for any wildlife enthusiast or hunter, and for community library wildlife collections.


The Philosophy Shelf

The New Atheism
Victor J. Stenger
Prometheus Books
59 John Glenn Drive, Amherst, NY 14228-2197
9781591027515, $19.00 www.prometheusbooks.com

The New Atheism: Taking a Stand for Science and Reason argues that the 'new atheist' scientists' contentions and findings are changing the face of spirituality concepts and atheism alike. It expands on the basics presented in the author's prior GOD: THE FAILED HYPOTHESIS, explaining the basics of new Atheism, and arguing that the absence of evidence for God is evidence of absence only when the evidence should be there and is not. History and science blend in a fine survey recommended for both science and spirituality libraries at the college level.

Led Zeppelin & Philosophy
Scott Calef, editor
Open Court
70 East Lake Street, Suite 300, Chicago, IL 60601
9780812696721, $19.95, www.opencourtbooks.com

There have been few bands with the widest arrange of influences than Led Zeppelin. "Led Zeppelin & Philosophy: All Will Be Revealed" looks at the famous group's music and dissects it to the messages that lie beneath the songs. Blending philosophy, psychology, and music, these writers offer new and fresh opinions on the music of Led Zeppelin, and will open fans eyes to what they haven't seen before despite it being right under their nose. "Led Zeppelin & Philosophy" is a choice pick for any Zeppelin fan.


The Psychology Shelf

An Introduction to Children with Autism
Tammy D. Barry
Prufrock
PO Box 8813, Waco, TX 76714-8813
9781593633707, $12.95, www.prufrock.com

Autism is something that many have yet few understand. "An Introduction to Children with Autism: The Practical Strategies Series in Autism Education" is a guide to help educators deal with autistic students to give them a more complete and comprehensive education that they need and deserve. Covering the basics of autistic behavior, how to deal with the various levels of the autism spectrum, and more, "An Introduction to Children with Autism" is a worthy investment for any educator or school counselor.

Men in Therapy
David B. Wexler
W.W. Norton
500 - 5th Avenue, New York NY 10110
9780393705720, $32.00 www.wwnorton.com

MEN IN THERAPY: NEW APPROACHES FOR EFFECTIVE TREATMENT presents an overview of the way cultural norms and assumptions color the male experience of psychotherapy. From how traditional ideas of masculinity keep men away from therapy to how men struggle with the process, this assessment of common male-specific issues is perfect for any psychology library.

Group Interventions for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders
Albert J. Cotugno
Jessica Kingsley Publishers
400 Market Suite #400, Philadelphia, PA 19106
9781843109105, $55.00 www.jkp.com

Group Interventions for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders: A Focus on Social Competency and Social Skills is a powerful pick for any working with autistic children. It considers the implications of developing and implementing peer-based, group-focused therapeutic approaches with autistic kids, is intended for school, clinic, and general practitioners involved in group work with special needs kids, and provides an array of skill-based instructional approaches to compliment therapy. Models for interventions and tips on managing emotional responses make this a powerful, practical guide for any health library appealing to educators or therapists working with autistic kids.

Male, Female, second edition
David C. Geary
American Psychological Association
750 First Street, NE, Washington, DC 20002-4242
www.apa.org/books
9781433806827, $69.95, www.amazon.com

When it comes to human beings, the differences between males and females is not restricted to just their biological 'plumbing'. All of us have observed gender differences and distinctions with respect to emotional maturation, communication, problem solving predilections, and more. Even when taking into account culturally imposed gender roles and expectations, there is an underlying difference in how males and females perceive and interact with the world and people around them. Now in a significantly updated and expanded second edition, "Male, Female: The Evolution of Human Sex Differences" by David C. Geary (Curators' Profess and Thomas Jefferson Professor, Department of Psychological Sciences, University of Missouri) provides a comprehensive introduction to the biological basis for gender-based differences between males and females and the biological basis of natural selection and sexual selection upon which this evolution is founded. Of special note are the chapters addressing the germane issues as sex differences in infancy and in social development. Enhanced with extensive reference citations and a comprehensive index, "Male, Female: The Evolution of Human Sex Differences" is an accessible and thoroughly 'reader friendly' text, making it very highly recommended for both academic and community Human Sexuality and Psychology reference collections.

Healing Suicidal Veterans
Victor Montgomery III
New Horizon Press
PO Box 669, Far Hills, NJ 07931
9780882823102, $14.95, www.newhorizonpressbooks.com

Combat can inflict lifelong mental trauma. "Healing Suicidal Veterans: Recognizing, Supporting, and Answering Their Pleas for Help" is a psychologist's guide to dealing with the serious mental disorders that are common to those who have experienced combat in the past generation of wars, in particular the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts. "Healing Suicidal Veterans" should be on the shelf of any and every psychologist who treats veterans.

Self-Esteem Across the Lifespan
Mary Guindon, editor
Routledge
270 Madison Avenue, NY, NY 10016
www.routledge.com
9780415996990, $44.95, www.amazon.com

"Self-Esteem" is a core psychological concept whose meaning and importance have been sometimes misunderstood or ill-understood by psychology students, counselors, and therapists, as well as the general public. That's why "Self-Esteem Across the Lifespan: Issues and Interventions", knowledgeably compiled and deftly edited by Mary Guindon (formerly an Associate Professor and Chair of the Department of Counseling and A Human Services at Johns Hopkins University and currently in private practice specializing in coaching, consulting, and counselor supervision) is such a germane and timely body of work. Beginning with Mary Guindon's two-part introduction defining self-esteem and self-esteem interventions, the expert contributors go on to address self-esteem issues associated with childhood, adolescence, young adulthood, mid-life, and late life with respect to the elderly. An informed and informative body of work that is enhanced with the addition of an extensive list of resources and an example of a 'Group Self-Esteem Intervention Program', as well as an author index and a subject index, "Self-Esteem Across the Lifespan: Issues and Interventions" is a seminal contribution to the field and a highly recommended addition for professional and academic library Counseling, Psychology, and Psychiatry reference collections and supplemental reading lists.

Transition of Youth & Young Adults with Emotional or Behavioral Difficulties
Hewitt B. Clark & Deanne K. Unruh
Paul H. Brookes Publishing Co.
PO Box 10624, Baltimore, MD 21285-0624
9781557669636, $34.95, www.brookespublishing.com

Growing up is hard enough already, but the problems are exacerbated by mental health issues. "Transition of Youth & Young Adults with Emotional or Behavioral Difficulties" is a psychological guide to those mentoring these individuals with special needs as they try to become fully functioning adults in society but are faced with many problems due to their condition. From switching to pediatric to standard mental health services, funding, and other strategies, "Transition of Youth & Youth Adults with Emotional or Behavioral Difficulties" is a core addition to any pediatric psychology collection.


The Christmas Shelf

A Christmas Ride
Edie Hand
Parkway Publishers
225 Ira Harmon Rd, Vilas, NC 28692
9781933251684, $11.95, www.parkwaypublishers.com

The bonds of family are a miracle unto themselves. "A Christmas Ride: The Miracle of Lights: A Gift of Family" is a touching story about a family who finds the true meaning of it all through a tree and the lights that shine on Christmas Day. A story of family shattering and reuniting, "A Christmas Ride" will give hope and show readers of the true meanings of Christmas.

A Christmas Blizzard
Garrison Keillor, author and narrator
Highbridge Audio Books
201 Sixth Street SE, Suite 220, Minneapolis, MN 55414
www.highbridgeaudio.com 1-800-755-8532
9781598879278 $26.95, www.amazon.com

A Christmas Blizzard is the unabridged audiobook adaptation of radio personality Garrison Keillor's earthy, down-home Midwest novel about two people living in a 55th-floor ten-room apartment overlooking Chicago. James Sparrow dreads the Christmas season, while Joyce Sparrow eagerly anticipates it but is terribly sick with stomach flu. A phone call from James' hometown sends him into the depths of a grand blizzard to see his dying Uncle Earl for the last time. Stranded by the storm, James must confront the pressure of difficult memories as he survives in a fishing shack on the ice of Lake Winnesissebigosh. Three figures teach him a little bit more about the enigma that is life - a wolf, the Big-Hair Lady, and a Chinese wise man from the Inner Sunset. It is at the darkest hour that he receives Mrs. Sparrow's most beautiful Christmas gift, and his life will never be the same. An endearing story, smoothly read by Keillor himself, that wonderfully embodies the spirit of the Christmas season. Highly recommended. 5 CDs, 5 hours.


The Genealogy Shelf

Genealogical Events from Newspapers for Crawford, Vernon and Grant Counties, Wisconsin 1870-1901
Vernon D. Erickson
Heritage Books
100 Railroad Ave, Suite 104, Westminster, Maryland 21157-4826
www.heritagebooks.com 1-800-876-6103
9780788419386 $34.50, www.amazon.com

Third in a series of genealogical books compiling data from early newspapers published in the Vernon, Crawford, and Grant counties of Wisconsin, Genealogical Events from Newspapers for Crawford, Vernon and Grant Counties, Wisconsin 1870-1901 is a straightforward archive of raw facts. Entries list individuals alphabetized by last name, with a note on the newspaper in which information bout them appeared and a brief text summary of the genealogical data bout them. A wealth of extra information rounds out the listing of names, including a set of newspaper articles of particular genealogical and historical interest, maps, and much more. An easy-to-use index rounds out this excellent resource that takes the guesswork out of extracting useful information from old newspapers.


The Fantasy/SciFi Shelf

The Sword of the Lady
S.M. Stirling
ROC Books
375 Hudson St., New York NY 10014
9780451462909, $25.95 www.penguin.com

The Sword of the Lady chronicles a new generation of 'The Change'; it's a post-apocalyptic novel with its second installment revolving around one Rudi, son of the mystic Juniper, who finally completes his cross-country trek in search of the source of 'The Change'. A sword that awaits him in Nantucket will change his life in this thriller, recommended especially for libraries offering patrons prior books in 'The Change' series.

At Empire's Edge
William Dietz
Ace Books
375 Hudson St., New York NY 10014
9780441017591, $24.95 www.penguin.com

AT EMPIRE'S EDGE is set in the far future and tells of the Uman Empire, which has spread to the stars conquering and colonizing worlds. All seems at peace despite their stranglehold - until a cop returning a fugitive finds his captive escapes and requires him to act in an extraordinary manner. Military tension rises in this winner.

Scorched
Sharon Ashwood
Signet
c/o Penguin Group (USA)
375 Hudson Street, New York, NY 10014
Nancy Berland Public Relations (publicity)
2816 NW 57th Street, Suite101, Oklahoma City, OK 73112
www.newamericanlibrary.com
9780451228642, $7.99, www.amazon.com

An ex-detective who was turned into a half-demon and was condemned to serve time in a supernatural prison called the Castle; a vampire mother whose son is kidnapped; this is the basis for "Scorched", the second volume in 'The Dark Forgotten' series and one of the most original, entertaining, action/adventure fantasy novels of the year. Author Sharon Ashwood is clearly established as a major talent for innovation and recreating the fantasy horror genre into a new level of entertaining excellence, making "Scorched" an enthusiastic recommendation for fans of the genre. Indeed, those for whom "Scorched" is their first introduction to Sharon Ashwood will want to also read "Ravenous" (Signet, 9780451226174, $6.99), the first in this outstanding series.


The Science Shelf

Nature's Matrix
Ivette Perfecto, et al.
Earthscan
c/o Stylus Publishing
PO Box 605, Herndon, VA 20172-0605
9781844077823, $34.95, www.earthscan.co.uk

People go where there is food. "Nature's Matrix: Linking Agriculture, Conservation, and Food Sovereignty", the collaborative work of Ivette Perfecto, John Vandermeer, and Angus Wright, is an intriguing history that discusses humanity, and how agriculture drives development through ecological effects on earth. Calling upon modern research on the subject, Ivette Perfecto and his associates, professors on the subject, enlighten and intrigue readers about nature's invisible mathematical hand and its impact on human society. "Nature's Matrix" is a strong addition to environmental history collections.

The Meteorites of Alberta
Anthony J. Whyte
University of Alberta Press
Ring House 2, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, T6G 2E1
9780888644756 $34.95 www.uap.ualberta.ca

Earth is hit by meteors all the time. "The Meteorites of Alberta" looks at several major meteorites who have crashed into the planet in Alberta. Sixteen have made science history, and each chapter details a rock and how it has changed our fundamental understanding of the universe. Aimed at both professionals in this field and non-specialist general readers, Anthony J. Whyte keeps it scientific and informative, making " The Meteorites of Alberta" a top pick for science collections.

The Magnetic Universe
J. B. Zirker
The Johns Hopkins University Press
2715 North Charles Street, Baltimore, MD 21218-4363
www.press.jhu.edu
9780801893025, $35.00, www.amazon.com

There is so much more to the science of astronomy than peering at the stars through a telescope. In "The Magnetic Universe: The Elusive Traces of an Invisible Force", J. B. Zirker (astronomer emeritus at the National Solar Observatory) introduces the reader to the phenomena of the magnetic fields permeating the universe. These are magnetic fields involving streams electrically charged particles, solar and stellar flares, pulsars and neutron stars. By studying this universal phenomena through visible light observations, radio waves and x-rays, a great deal of progress in our understanding of astrophysics has been steadily advancing in terms of how magnetic forces are created and how they affect the very shape of the universe itself. Also available in a hardcover edition (9780801893018, $70.00), "The Magnetic Universe" is superbly written so as to be completely accessible not only to academia, but to the non-specialist general reader with an interest in astronomy. Also very highly recommended for personal, professional, academic, and community library Astronomy collections are Professor Zirker's previous works: "Total Eclipses of the Sun" (Princeton University Press, 9780691029528, $3.95) ; "Journey from the Center of the Sun" (Princeton University Press, 9780691118482, $24.95); "Sunquakes: Probing the Interior of the Sun" (Johns Hopkins University Press, 9780801874192, $35.00); and "An Acre of Glass: A History and Forecast of the Telescope" (Johns Hopkins University Press, 9780801882340, $30.00).


The Islamic Studies Shelf

The Complete Infidel's Guide to the Koran
Robert Spencer
Regnery Publishing
One Massachusetts Ave NW, Washington DC 20001
9781596981041, $19.95 www.regnery.com

The Complete Infidel's Guide to the Koran is an introductory reference to the Koran and comes from the director of Jihad Watch, a program of the David Horowitz Freedom Center. As such, it probes both the spiritual and political messages underlying Koran passages, considering the Koran's origins, passages, and its decrees toward Jews, Christians, and other Infidels. Differences between Muslim and modern times contributes to a pointed survey.

Essential Islam
Diane Morgan
Praeger Publishers
c/o ABC-CLIO
PO Box 1911, Santa Barbara, CA 93116-1911
www.abc-clio.com
9780313360251, $44.95, www.amazon.com

Fully one-quarter of the Earth's population is Muslim, holding allegiance to the Abrahamic faith called Islam. Fundamentalist Muslim terrorists are to Islam what fundamentalist preachers like Jim Jones or priests like Torquemada or groups like the Klu Klux Klan are to Christianity. That's why, especially because of what's presently happening around the world, "Essential Islam: A Comprehensive Guide to Belief and Practice" by Diane Morgan (Adjunct Professor of Religion and Philosophy, Wilson College, Chambersburg, Pennsylvania) is so timely and needed. Especially recommended for non-specialist general readers wanting a solid overview of one of the world's most prominent religions in general, as well as western students of Islam in particular, "Essential Islam" is a superbly presented history from inception of Islam under the prophet Mohammad, and through its various factions and evolutions down to the present day. Of special note is that Islam is not restricted to the Middle East, but adherents are to be found in every nation around the globe. Enhanced with the inclusion of a glossary, a selected bibliography, and a comprehensive index, "Essential Islam" is especially appropriate and recommended for both academic and community library Islamic Studies reference collections.


The Gardening Shelf

A Weed By Any Other Name
Nancy Gift
Beacon Press
25 Beacon Street, Boston, MA 02108-2892
9780807085523 $23.95 www.beacon.org

Weeds are tough to combat, especially when you're unsure what a weed is. "A Weed By Any Other Name: The Virtues of a Messy Lawn, or Learning to Love the Plants We Don't Plant" is an advocacy of the messy lawn, encouraging gardeners to embrace what is typically called a weed instead of fearing it. Including even recipes that make use of these governmental-labeled weeds, "A Weed by Any Other Name" is a read that anybody who wants a new philosophy of lawn care will love.

Essential Plant Pathology, second edition
Gail L. Schumann & Cleora J. D Arcy
APS Press
3340 Pilot Knob Road, St. Paul, MN 55121
9780890543818, $89.95, www.amazon.com

From the simple family garden to the commercial agribusiness farm, and understanding of the basics of plant pathology is a critically important aspect that can spell the difference between success and failure. That's why the newly expanded and thoroughly updated second edition of "Essential Plant Pathology" is highly recommended as both a text book for agricultural curriculums and as an instruction manual for non-specialist general readers wanting a sound introduction to the subject. Superbly and profusely illustrated throughout in color, and enhanced with the inclusion of thematically appropriate web links and a DVD loaded with the kinds of extras that make it an invaluable study aid, "Essential Plant Pathology" is thoroughly 'reader friendly' and offers both an extensive glossary and a comprehensive index. Of special note is the chapter dedicated to how people influence plant disease epidemics. Simply stated, "Essential Plant Pathology" is strongly recommended as a core addition to personal, professional, academic, and community library Agriculture and Gardening reference collections and supplemental reading lists.


The Music Shelf

Michael Jackson: A Life in Music
Geoff Brown
Omnibus Press
445 Bellvale Rd Box 572, Chester, NY 10918
9781849382632, $9.95 www.musicsales.com

MICHAEL JACKSON: A LIFE IN MUSIC provides a powerful, definitive review of the singer's entire career, offering album by album, track by tack analysis of every song released by The Jackson 5, and his solo output from 1979 to 2001's INVINCIBLE album. As such it packs its chronology and analysis with color photos throughout, making this a 'must' for any avid Jackson fan.

Moon River and Me
Andy Williams
Viking
375 Hudson St., New York NY 10014
9780670021178, $25.95 www.penguin.com

Moon River and Me is a fine memoir where Andy tells the story of his career and how he made his mark in nearly every branch of show business. Raised by a father determined to see his sons become famous performers, Andy spent his youth on the move and wound up in Hollywood, where he rose to a fame that quickly receded. His recovery and lasting influence on the music world makes for a powerful intimate portrait.

Gimmie Something Better
Jack Boulware & Silke Tudor
Penguin Press
375 Hudson St., New York NY 10014
9780143113805, $18.00 www.penguin.com

GIMMIE SOMETHING BETTER: THE PROFOUND, PROGRESSIVE, AND OCCASIONALLY POINTLESS HISTORY OF BAY AREA PUNK FROM DEAD KENNEDYS TO GREEN DAY is a 'must' for any general-interest music library catering to the general public as well as San Francisco music fans. It offers a history of the music, politics and creations of Bay Area punk through the voices of band members from Flipper to NOFX, charting the rise of the pop-punk sound that extended beyond the Bay Area. This lively, fun survey is a pick for any popular music library.

Working on a Dream: Bruce Springsteen
Alfred Publishing
Box 10003, Van Nuys, CA 91410-0003
0739059343, $19.95 www.alfred.com

Any music library strong in modern music guitar tabs will find WORKING ON A DREAM offers excellent music scores for Bruce Springsteen's album. Two bonus songs are included in this fine handbook packed with Springsteen classics, making for an outstanding presentation highly recommended for any music library.

Rick Rubin in the Studio
Jake Brown
ECW Press
2120 Queen Street East, Suite 200, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, M4E 1E2
www.ecwpress.com 1-800-888-4741
9781550228755 $17.95, www.amazon.com

Production is the unsung hero of music. "Rick Rubin: In the Studio" chronicles the work of who some call the best producer in the music industry. With multiple Grammy awards, he has represented everything from legends such as Johnny Cash to more modern popular rock acts such as Weezer, to even his time working with Def Jam Records. "Rick Rubin: In the Studio" is a snapshot of a production icon, a top pick for those looking for the story behind the music industry.

Mel Bay Publications
PO Box 66, Pacific, MO 63069
www.melbay.com 1-800-863-5229
DVD, $19.95 each, www.amazon.com

The guitar continues to be the most popular musical instrument for aspiring rock musicians. A premier music publisher, Mel Bay Publications also offers 'Lick Library', an outstanding series of instructional DVDs for aspiring guitarists wanting to master their instruments within the context of rock music. Each individual instructional DVD is backed up with web support allowing guitar students to download guitar jam tracks and even watch lessons on broadband television. Each individual DVD is enhanced with 'watch and learn' techniques and tutorials by expert and experienced professionals. Thoroughly 'student friendly', impressively produced, technologically flawless, highly recommended for personal, professional, music school, and community library reference collections, this outstanding series includes Stuart Bull's Rock Jam: Rock Improvisation Techniques (RDR0268); Stuart Bull's Rock Jam: Rock Improvisation Techniques: Volume 2 (RDR0269); Ultimate Guitar Techniques: Speed Soloing (RDR0263); Guitar Quick Licks: Rock Shuffle (RDR0265); and Guitar Quick Licks: Rock and Roll - Chuck Berry Style (RDR0272).


The Interior Design Shelf

Books Do Furnish A Room
Leslie Geddes-Brown
Merrell Publishers
38 High Avenue, 4th floor, Nyack, New York 10960
www.merrellpublishers.com
9781858944913, $39.95, www.amazon.com

Simply stated, "Books Do Furnish a Room" by interior design expert and author Leslie Geddes-Brown is a 'must' for all dedicated bibliophiles whose personal book collections have turned their homes and apartments into sprawling haphazard libraries more resembling overcrowded second-hand bookstores than elegant living quarters. Packed into just 160-pages are superbly photographed in full color examples of how books and book shelving can be brilliant, elegant, and down-right beautiful elements of interior design, that living and working with books can be visually transformative and artistic. Of special note are such issues addressed as 'books without bookshelves', 'combining bookshelves with storage and display'; and 'floor-to-ceiling bookshelves'. Enhanced with both a directory and an index, "Books Do Furnish a Room" is an inspired and inspiring browse, and an enthusiastically recommended addition for personal, professional, academic, and community library Interior Design reference collections and supplemental reading lists.


The Economics Shelf

No Rising Tide
Joerg Rieger
Fortress Press
c/o Augsburg Fortress
PO Box 59304, Minneapolis, MN 55459-0304
9780800664596, $20.00, www.fortresspress.com

How does religion twist into modern economics? "No Rising Tide: Theology, Economics, and the Future" discusses modern faith and how it impacts economics and vice versa. Author Joerg Rieger shows readers that there is a much stronger relationship between the two than one would think. Packed with intriguing and fascinating ideas, "No Rising Tide" is worth the consideration for anyone intrigued about today's economics and its influences.

The Return of Depression Economics and the Crisis of 2008
Paul Krugman
W.W. Norton
500 - 5th Ave, New York NY 10110-0017
9780393337808, $16.95 www.wwnorton.com

The Return of Depression Economics and the Crisis of 2008 is a top pick from a New York Time columnist who has argued for an overhaul of America's financial system that would include massive regulation and a large stimulus package. His ongoing comments on the changing political and financial world includes commentary on the work the Obama administration has done thus far and recommendations for continuing to improve the economy, and makes for an invaluable guide no business or general lending library should be without.

The ABCs of the Economic Crisis
Fred Magdoff & Michael D. Yates
Monthly Review Press
146 West 29th Street, Suite 6W, NY, NY 10001
9781583671955, $11.95, www.monthlyreview.org

The economic crisis won't hit the rich the hardest, but rather the people who live paycheck to paycheck. "The ABCs of the Economic Crisis: What Working People Need to Know" is a guide to the basics of the current crisis, and how America has gotten where it is today. Presenting underlying economic concepts in layman's terms, "The ABCs of the Economic Crisis" is invaluable. A strong pick for those seeking understanding.

America, Welcome to the Poorhouse
Jane White
FT Press
1 Lake Street, Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458
9780137020171, $22.99, www.ftpress.com

Why is America in a seemingly unstoppable financial downward spiral? "America, Welcome to the Poorhouse: What You Must Do to Protect Your Financial Future and the Reform We Need" discusses the current economic crisis and how Americans can do their part to fight back and prepare for their futures more wisely. Drawing on international examples, wise spending, and more, "America, Welcome to the Poorhouse" will both inform and advise, making for a very vital read.

Climate Change And Agriculture
Robert Mendelsohn & Ariel Dinar
Edward Elgar Publishing
9 Dewey Court, Northampton, MA 01060-3815
www.e-elgar.com
9781847206701, $125.00, www.amazon.com

While it is now finally accepted by the general populace as well as the scientific community, global warming is continuing to have a dramatic impact on the environment world-wide with potentially devastating results for human civilization. The latest addition to the outstanding 'New Horizons in Environmental Economics' series published by Edward Elgar Publishing, "Climate Change and Agriculture: An Economic Analysis of Global Impacts, Adaptation and Distributional Effects" is the collaborative work of Robert Mendelsohn (Edwin Weyerhaeuser Davis Professor, School of Forestry and Environmental Studies, Yale University) and Ariel Dinar (Professor of Environmental Economics and Policy and Director, Water Science and Policy Center, University of California, Riverside). It should be noted that "Climate Change And Agriculture" was written while Professor Dinar was also serving as the Lead Economist of the Development Research Group at the World Bank). The specific focus of this seminal work is on the economic impact of climate change on agriculture world wide, and how faced with the resultant environmental alterations, agriculture might adapt under varied and varying conditions. The work surveys twenty-two countries around the globe and includes both first world and third world nations. Of special note is the suggested research agenda for future and continuing studies of climate change impacts upon agriculture throughout the coming decades. Enhanced with a detailed and comprehensive index, "Climate Change And Agriculture" is highly recommended for academic library Environmental Studies and Economic Studies reference collections and supplemental reading lists.


The Archaeology Shelf

Contemporary Archaeologies
Cornelius Holtorf & Angela Piccini
Peter Lang Publishing USA
29 Broadway, Room 1800, New York, NY 10006-3221
www.peterlangusa.com
9783631576373, $56.95, www.amazon.com

It has just been within the last few decades that archaeologists have turned their attention to excavating and recording archaeological data on more contemporary human activities and artifacts associated with the modern cultures around the globe. In "Contemporary Archaeologies: Excavating Now", archaeologist Cornelius Holtorf (Assistant Professor in the Institute for Archaeology and Ancient History at University of Lund, Sweden) teams up with academician Angela Piccini (Academic Fellow, School of Arts, University of Bristol, United Kingdom) to knowledgeably compile and deftly edited contributions by fellow archaeologists providing a representative and illustrative series of articles showcasing the applications of archaeological methods and inter-disciplinary practices to a varied series of scientific inquiries ranging across such exceptionally diverse subjects as 'car cemeteries', peace camps, theme parks, Antarctic expeditions, the 'space race', and more. Enhanced with occasional black-and-white illustrations and a comprehensive index, "Contemporary Archaeologies: Excavating Now" is a seminal body of work and especially recommended for academic library Archaeology reference collections and supplemental reading lists.


The Nautical Shelf

The Galley: How Things Work
Donald Launer
Sheridan House Inc.
145 Palisade Street, Dobbs Ferry, NY 10522
9781574092882 $17.95 www.sheridanhouse.com 1-888-743-7425

When you're out at sea, you have to be prepared. "The Galley: How Things Work" describes the technical aspects of what one needs to know to keep one's galley fully equipped and maintained, the better to avoid troubles or disaster. "The Galley" is a must read for any who want to prepare their ship for a voyage.


The Mystery/Suspense Shelf

Arctic Blue Death
R. J. Harlick
Rendezvous Crime
c/o Napoleon & Company
235-1173 Dundas Street, East, Toronto, ON M4M 3P1
9781894917872, $16.95, www.napoleoncompany.com

Where there are people, there is crime. "Arctic Blue Death" is a story of murder in the arctic, as Meg Harris's father vanishes off the face of the planet. Suspecting the worst, she travels first in search of the truth, but finds that the truth may be more foul than she would have ever suspected. A story of mystery in the Arctic Circle and the people who call it home, "Arctic Blue Death" is a fine and intriguing mystery that is highly recommended. Also recommended from Napoleon & Company is "Betrayed: The Legend of Oak Island", (9781894917919, $10.95), an entertaining fantasy from Christopher Dinsdale.

Blackwork
Monica Ferris
Berkeley Prime Crime
375 Hudson St., New York NY 10014
9780425229903, $24.95 www.penguin.com

BLACKWORK: A NEEDLECRAFT MYSTERY is a powerful survey continuing Monica Ferris' best-selling Needlecraft Mystery series. Here it's Halloween and Betsy Devonshire, owner of a needlework shop and a part-time sleuth, finds murder mixes too easily with black magic. When a Wiccan practitioner ends up dead without a mark on his body, Betsy is on the case in a pick perfect for year-round enjoyment.

Murder, She Wrote: A Fatal Feast
Jessica Fletcher & Donald Bain
Obsidian
375 Hudson St., New York NY 10014
9780451227966, $22.95 www.penguin.com

Murder, She Wrote: A Fatal Feast provides the newest novel in the series and comes from a mystery author who is facing more than holiday blues. Jessica's struggle with writer's block and a new novel's deadline leads to conflict with a major culinary effort for Thanksgiving: the result is a powerful and revealing murder mystery perfect for mystery lending libraries.

Poisoned Pen Press
6962 E. 1st Ave #103, Scottsdale, AZ 85251
www.poisonedpenpress.com

Peter May's CHINESE WHISPERS (9781590586082, $24.95) represents the sixth of the China thrillers and centers around the Beijing Ripper and one Li Yan, head of the city's serious crime squad who is determined to stop the Ripper. With the aid of American pathologist Margaret Campbell, Li becomes involved to the extent of receiving personal letters from the killer. Any mystery library will appreciate the focus. Libraries will also relish J.M. Hayes' SERVER DOWN; A MAD DOG AND ENGLISHMAN MYSTERY (9781590586273, $24.95) tells of wanna-be shaman Mad Dog who is accused of being a witch and finds himself under suspicion when a policeman is murdered at the Yaqui tribe's Easter ceremonies. He and his wolf Hailey are targets of a city-wide manhunt - and it's up to his niece to try to clear her uncle by finding the killer even as Mad Dog's world is invaded by violence.

A Taste for Honey
H. F. Heard
Blue Dolphin Publishing
PO Box 8, Nevada City, CA 95959-0008
9781577332152 $16.95 www.bluedolphinpublishing.com 1-800-643-0765

It's obvious there's evil in the world, but why? There is the question. "A Taste for Honey" is the story of killer bees and the man who has trained them, and the unknowing man who has stumbled into it and is left wondering why. Combing zoology, mystery, and psychology for a highly unique story, "A Taste for Honey" is a solid and very recommended read that should not be ignored.

Tattoo
Manuel Vazquez Montalban
Serpent's Tail
255 West 108th Street, Suite 901, New York, NY 10025
9781846686672, $14.95, www.serpentstail.com

An unsavory tattoo can lead to an unsavory underworld. "Tattoo" is a Pepe Carvalho mystery, following the lead character as he's charged with identifying a dead man whose faced was destroyed. Going on only an unusual tattoo, Pepe finds that in order to find the truth and close the case, he'll have to go deep into Amsterdam's criminal underworld. "Tattoo" is an exciting and very highly recommended read.


The Journalism Shelf

Junk News
Tom Fenton
Fulcrum Publishing
4690 Table Mountain Drive, Suite 100, Golden, CO 80403
9781555916695, $14.95, www.fulcrumbooks.com

Too many news networks seem to have abandoned news in favor of entertainment. "Junk News: The Failure of the Media in the 21st Century" is one journalist's criticism, emphasizing his disgust with how modern news ignores the real issues in favor of pop culture and special interest stories. "Junk News" is an informative and intriguing venting of frustration, highly recommended.

Marked for Death
Terry Gould
Counterpoint
2117 Fourth Street, Suite D, Berkeley, CA 94710
9781582435497, $25.00, www.counterpointpress.com

The deadliest thing some can do is search for the truth. "Marked for Death: Dying for the Story in the World's Most Dangerous Places" tells the story of several journalists who dared to hunt for their story in spite of the threat of death looming over their heads. These stories are moving and tragic, as each of them knew what they were doing and chose to do it anyway out of love of their professions. "Marked for Death" is a fascinating read and overlook of these remarkable individuals, highly recommended.


The Political Science Shelf

Breaking the Sound Barrier
Amy Goodman
Haymarket Books
PO Box 180165, Chicago, IL 60618
9781931859998, $16.00, www.haymarketbooks.org

Journalism is not something meant to be left unchecked. "Breaking the Sound Barrier" is a book from Democracy Now! host Amy Goodman, discussing the importance of independent journalism and what it can do for the country, while declaring that the American people have to watch out for the lies and mis-truths of the corporate media. "Breaking the Sound Barrier" is intriguing and informative reading for any who are distrustful of the modern media in its many forms.

Waiting for Lightning to Strike
Kevin Alexander Gray
AK Press
674-A 23rd Street, Oakland, CA 94612-1163
9781904859918, $15.95, www.akpress.org

Could the election of Barack Obama actually have hurt black Americans as a whole? "Waiting for Lightning to Strike: The Fundamentals of Black Politics" discusses the very recent history of how, while the media and world was focused on Obama during his run for office, other Black American issues were ignored. Author Kevin Alexander Gray gives readers a thought-provoking picture of modern political history as a whole. "Waiting for Lightning to Strike" is a solid addition to contemporary politics collections.

Stoking the Fire of Democracy
Stephen Noble Smith
ACTA Publications
5559 West Howard Street, Skokie, IL 60077
www.actapublications.com
9780879464141, $19.95, www.amazon.com

Being angry is a waste of time if one is not going to do anything with it. "Stoking the Fire of Democracy: Our Generations' Introduction to Grassroots Organizing" discusses how to get organized for something one fervently believes in. Organization is key to turn wild anger into the power to change the country for the better. "Stroking the Fire of Democracy" is well worth considering for anyone who wants to do more in our political system.

War, Peace, and International Political Realism
Keir A. Lieber, editor
University of Notre Dame Press
310 Flanner Hall, Notre Dame, IN 46556
9780268033842, $28.00, www.undpress.nd.edu

World peace is nice and all, but is it really realistic? "War, Peace, and International Political Realism: Perspectives from the Review of Politics" is a collection of thoughts and ideas from some of the best thinkers of the twentieth century as they offer essays about realist philosophy and post-World War II international politics. Scholarly and informative, the writings within will give many readers much insight into the state of how politics became what they are today. "War, Peace, and International Political Realism" is a solid and very recommended read for students of politics.


The Jobs/Careers Shelf

How to Really Get Postal Jobs
T.W. Parnell
Pathfinder
1215 Gail Drive, Pinehurst, TX 77362-3476
9780940182295, $19.95

The postal service has countless benefits and jobs available to those willing to rise up to the challenge. "How to Really Get Postal Jobs" is a guide for would be postal workers who want to break into the business and claim a lucrative and stable job. The postal system is always expanding to meet the demands of the economy, and "How to Really Get Postal Jobs" outlines everything one needs to know to beat the entrance exams and land the job. "How to Really Get Postal Jobs" is a top pick for anyone looking towards the postal service for their future.


The Judicial Studies Shelf

Cato Supreme Court Review
Cato Institute
1000 Massachusetts Ave., NW, Washington, DC 20001
9781935308157, $15.00, www.cato.org

The supreme court is perhaps the most powerful group of people in the country. "Cato Supreme Court Review: 2008-2009" is a scholarly criticism of the last year of supreme court cases, discussing the decisions of the courts against these very important and landmark cases for the year and their impacts on the future of the law. "Cato Supreme Court Review: 2008-2009" is a must read for anyone studying the development of modern law.

The Will and Living Will Toolkit
Daniel Sitarz
Nova Publishing Company
1103 West College St., Carbondale, IL 62901
9781892949479, $29.95, www.novapublishing.com

What's done with you and your possessions after you pass on can be your call. "The Will and Living Will Toolkit: The Ultimate Guide to Preparing Your Will and Living Will" is a guide for those who want to make sure their wishes are carried out when they are unable to do otherwise. Covering almost every aspect of the process, "The Will and Living Will Toolkit" is an ideal choice for those who want everything to be taken care of and those who are generally cautious.


The Parenting Shelf

Racing to Keep Up
Doug Fodeman & Marje Monroe
Dog Ear Publishing
4010 W. 86th Street, Ste H, Indianapolis, IN 46268
Gulotta Communications, Inc. (publicity)
341 Lexington Street, Newton, MA 02466
9781598589863, $14.95, www.dogearpublishing.net

It's hard for an old dog to learn new tricks, but it's a necessity. "Racing to Keep Up: Strategies for Parents to Talk with Their Kids about Technology Use and Ways to Keep the Home Computer Safe" is a guide for parents who are trying to keep on top of technology to protect their investments, as well as their kids from the jungle of problems, as well as the benefits, that computer use has brought to the American household. "Racing to Keep Up" is a wise investment for any parent who is trying to keep on top of it all in the rapidly changing world of technology.


The Travel Shelf

Avalon Travel Publishing
c/o Avalon Publishing Group
245 West 17th Street, 11th floor, New York, NY 10011-5300
www.avalontravelbooks.com

Rick Steves' PARIS 2010 (9781598802870, $18.95) tells how to get the most out of travel dollars and provides a set of self-guided tours designed to get the most out of a visit to Paris. Rick Steves' extensive travels throughout Europe and his personal familiarity with Paris lend to humorous, candid assessments of hotels, restaurants and delightful neighborhoods alike. Also candid and from experience is his EUROPE THROUGH THE BACK DOOR 2010 (9781598802818, $21.95), a handbook covering everything from how to pack and travel smoothly by public transport to avoiding crowds, tourist scams, and understanding cultural and local differences. A 'must' for any Europe-bound traveler.

Costa Rica: National Parks and Preserves, third edition
Joseph Franke
Mountaineers Books
1001 SW Klickitat Way Suite 201, Seattle, WA 98134
9781594850356, $21.95 www.mountaineersbooks.org

Any planning a trip to Costa Rica will want the third updated edition of Costa Rica: National Parks and Preserves. It offers park descriptions, trail listings, maps, details on flora and fauna, and more and tells how to get off the beaten path with a guide to all 46 of the nation's natural areas and preserves - including many most foreign visitors miss.


The Crafts Shelf

Hobbies Annual
Editors of Hobbies Weekly
Ammonite Publications
166 High St., Lewes, E. Sussex, BN7 1XU, UK
9781906672201, $29.95 www.ammonitepress.com

HOBBIES ANNUAL: USEFUL OCCUPATIONS FOR PRACTICAL CHAPS provides a vintage selection of images and ideas based on anecdotes, extracts, and articles of bygone years. From a Dalek 'treasure rack' for any Doctor Who TV fan to building a toy crossbow, this collection of vintage articles is a 'must' for any crafter's library.

Beaded Opulence
Marcia DeCoster
Lark Books/Sterling
67 Broadway, Asheville, NC 28801
9781600592928, $24.95 www.larkbooks.com

BEADED OPULENCE is the latest entry in Lark Books' Beadweaving Master Class series and provides over 20 fine modern jewelry projects to make using the right angle weave. From a fine necklace and bracelet to earrings, this teaches how to create beaded fabric, ropes, and layers and packs in color photo examples along with introductory projects. Any jewelry-making library needs this.

Cube Bead Stitching
Virginia Jensen
Kalmbach Books
21027 Crossroads Circle, Waukesha, WI 53186
9780871162816, $19.95 www.kalmbachbooks.com

Cube Bead Stitching comes from a designer who uses cool cube beads to create elegant, contemporary jewelry. These cubes can be paired with stitches and weaves to produce a variety of pieces: here over 20 projects blend with step-by-step photos and clear directions for any who want earrings, pendants, or more, and for libraries catering to jewelry makers.


The Comix/Graphic Novel Shelf

Tundra
Chad Carpenter
Andrews McMeel Publishing
118 Walnut Street, Kansas City, MO 64106
0740785435, $16.99 www.andrewsmcmeel.com

Chad Carpenter's TUNDRA comes from an award-winning cartoonist who shares his quirky look at nature ala Gary Larson. From talking snowmen to bears who love to startle the food before they eat it, this is a lovely collection especially commended for its large-print strips all in fine full color, appealing to newcomers as well as Tundra fans and recommended for any comic or cartoon collection in any general lending library.

Andrews McMeel Publishing
118 Walnut Street, Kansas City, MO 64106
www.andrewsmcmeel.com

Jerry Scott and Jim Borgman's LUST AND OTHER USES FOR SPARE HORMONES (0740785443, $12.99) offers a fine collection of comic strips from the Zits library, pairing black and white with color surveys of a teen's evolving relationships with parents and peers alike. Any parent who has a teen will recognize many of the ironies in Zits, a powerfully funny collection. Business cubicle workers will readily recognize themselves in Scott Adams' Dilbert series and the latest new collection, 14 YEARS OF LOYAL SERVICE IN A FABRIC-COVERED BOX (0740773658, $12.99) provides a wonderful collection of Dilbert ironies. Having the cartoons completely in color is a fine plus, too! A collection of Rose is Rose comics created by Pat Brady and Don Wimmer is PEEKABOO PLANET (0740785451, $12.99), offering fun cartoons about Rose's relationships and life. Again: color makes these winning collections - and highly recommended for any general lending library.


James A. Cox, Editor-in-Chief
Diane C. Donovan, Editor
Midwest Book Review
278 Orchard Drive
Oregon, WI 53575-1129
phone: 1-608-835-7937
e-mail: mbr@execpc.com
e-mail: mwbookrevw@aol.com
http://www.midwestbookreview.com


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