Return to home
page Book Reviews, Book Lover Resources, Advice for Writers and Publishers
Home / Internet Bookwatch

Internet Bookwatch

Volume 24, Number 2 February 2014 Home | IBW Index

Table of Contents

Reviewer's Choice Hunting/Fishing Shelf Automotive Shelf
Cookbook Shelf Needlecraft Shelf Computer Shelf
Education Shelf American History Shelf World History Shelf
Biography Shelf Comix/Graphic Novel Shelf Audiobook Shelf
Library CD Shelf Library DVD Shelf Christian Studies Shelf
Judaic Studies Shelf Buddhist Studies Shelf Religion/Spirituality Shelf
Fashion Shelf Art Shelf Psychology Shelf
Architecture Shelf Self-Help Shelf Mystery/Suspense Shelf
Gaming Shelf Dance Shelf Military Shelf
Jobs/Careers Shelf Photography Shelf Literary Studies Shelf
Metaphysical Studies Shelf Fantasy/SciFi Shelf Crafts Shelf
Science Shelf Gardening Shelf Music Shelf
International Studies Shelf Social Issues Shelf Technology Shelf
Theatre/Cinema Shelf Agriculture Shelf Fiction Shelf
Travel Shelf Writing/Publishing Shelf Interior Design Shelf
Money/Finance Shelf Poetry Shelf Health/Medicine Shelf
Relationship Shelf Botany Shelf Political Science Shelf
Terrorism Studies Shelf Economic Studies Shelf Autism Shelf
Pets/Wildlife Shelf Library Science ShelfNative American Studies Shelf
Reference Shelf Martial Arts Shelf Philosophy Shelf
Civil War Shelf Language Studies Shelf  


Reviewer's Choice

Cowboys, Cops, Killers, and Ghosts
Kenneth L. Untiedt, editor
Texas Folklore Society
c/o University of North Texas Press
PO Box 311336
Denton, TX 76203-1336
9781574415322 $34.95 www.unt.edu/untpress

Cowboys, Cops, Killers, and Ghosts: Legends and Lore in Texas lives up to its title in this unique treasury of essays by diverse authors, offering glimpses into Texas history, folklore, and legend. From the myths and half-truths behind gunfighter John Wesley Hardin, to the wedding customs of Texas Knanaya Catholics, to how "cowboy culture" is preserved in the 21st century, Cowboys, Cops, Killers, and Ghosts is an extraordinary tour of the Old (and New!) West. Highly recommended, especially for public and college library collections, as well as history and folklore buffs!

Adventures in Yarn Farming
Barbara Parry
Roost Books
c/o Shambhala Publications, Inc.
300 Massachusetts Avenue, Boston, MA 02115-4544
www.shambhala.com
9781590308233, $27.95, www.amazon.com

Drawing upon her many years of experience and expertise in sheep farming, textile artisan Barbara Parry's "Adventures in Yarn Farming: Four Seasons on a New England Fiber Farm" is a 320 page compendium providing an informed and informative perspective with respect to taking care of sheep from shearing day to lambing season, as well as what goes into preparing fiber for yarn. With a thoroughly 'reader friendly' text beautifully enhanced with more than 100 superbly produced photographs, "Adventures in Yarn Farming: Four Seasons on a New England Fiber Farm" is a wonderful read from beginning to end and is especially recommended for community library collections and the supplemental reading lists for anyone considering a rural lifestyle or a career as a creator of knitted garments.

The Good Funeral
Thomas G. Long and Thomas Lynch
Westminister John Knox Press
100 Witherspoon Street
Louisville, KY 40202-1396
9780664238537 $25.00 www.wjkbooks.com

Preacher/theologian Thomas G. Long and funeral director Thomas Lynch present The Good Funeral: Death, Grief, and the Community of Care, a thoughtful discussion of what truly makes a good funeral - one that honors the deceased and comforts the living. Economic, social, aethetic, and practical concerns are all addressed, as are changing trends (fifty years ago, U.S. cremation rates were in the single digits; now it's 40% and projected to rise to 50% or more in the future). Sober and well-reasoned without neglecting the spiritual aspect of caring for the deceased and their loved ones, The Good Funeral is particularly invaluable for anyone working in or aspering to the funerary trade. "...The problem is not that we cremate our dead, but how ritually denatured, spiritually vacant, religiously timid, and impoverished we have allowed the practice to become. It is not that we do it, but how we do it that must be reconsidered."

Musical Ink
Jon Blacker
Schiffer Publishing
4880 Lower Valley Road, Atglen, PA 19310
9780764344435, $50.00, www.schifferbooks.com

Musical Ink isn't a book about music so much as it's a coverage of music-centered tattoos and the tattooing industry as a whole. Images of tattooed musicians cross genres and cover a wide range of both music and tattoo art styles, with pages juxtaposing photos of musician and tattoo (chosen by the musician). Stories about the designs and how they evolved compliment a fine pictorial coverage certain to attract both music and arts readers alike.

The Mr. Porter Paperback
Jeremy Langmead, Editor
Thames & Hudson
500 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10110-0017
9780500291269, $29.95, www.thamesandhudsonusa.com

The Mr. Porter Paperback: The Manual for a Stylish Life, Volume One packs in over eighty color illustrations and discusses men's styles from the perspective and experience of MrPorter.com, the global online retail store focusing on men's styles. It's directed to new generations of men who seek elegant and simple styles and blends interviews with insider tips on obtaining these styles. From articles on biker jackets, polo shirts and tweed to creating one's own unique style, this is a fine pick for any general collection appealing to men interested in fashion.

Who Owns America's Past?
Robert C. Post
Johns Hopkins University Press
2715 North Charles Street, Baltimore, MD 21218-4363
978142141102, $29.95, www.press.jhu.edu

Who Owns America's Past? The Smithsonian and the Problem of History offers a detailed book about the Smithsonian and its move from collection-driven shows to content-driven exhibitions, and is a pick for any collection strong in museum management and history. It considers different ways the Smithsonian has chosen to design its exhibitions for different purposes, provides a behind-the-scenes probe of the politics and arts arguments that often fueled particular exhibitions and displays, and considers how the story of America is reflected within these choices and arguments surrounding them. The result goes beyond a recommendation for arts holdings, examining how American history itself is documented and presented.

Designing for Behavior Change
Stephen Wendel
O'Reilly & Associates, Inc.
1005 Gravenstein, Hwy N., Sebastopol, CA 95472-2811
9781449367626, $39.99, www.oreilly.com

Designing for Behavior Change is difficult to neatly 'peg': business, economics, psychology and programming collections (among others) will all find much to like about this survey, which applies a blend of psychology and behavioral economics to product development objectives. From discussions of how people change behaviors to identifying a target audience and purposely designing products to assist in this change, this blends user stories with discussions of how to develop interface designs that are enjoyable and productive. Examples from Fitbit and other projects are used to explain the basics of lean and agile development methods and how to design projects that encourage positive change. Don't expect another discussion of behavioral science: this is all about applying that foundation to real-world programming and business activities: here, this book shines!

Embrace the Chaos
Bob Miglani
Berrett-Koehler Publishers
235 Montgomery Street, Suite 650
San Francisco, CA 94104-2916
9781609948252, $16.95, www.bkconnection.com

Embrace the Chaos: How India Taught Me to Stop Overthinking and Start Living tells of what happened when the author accepted a chance invitation to India, the land of his birth. There he found it to be the epitome of chaos: surprisingly, it was in India that he learned to stop trying to control the chaos and focus on what he could control - which was his own actions and choices. This is an inspirational story that blends an autobiography with wider-reaching ramifications for embracing change. The author found new paths, choices and hope for his life in so doing: readers of Embrace the Chaos will discover their own possibilities in business and persona lives alike, by embracing this story!

Yearn
Tobsha Learner
Plume
c/o Penguin Group USA
375 Hudson Street, New York, NY 10014
978142180389, $16.00, www.penguin.com

YEARN: TALES OF LUST AND LONGING provides a fine erotic follow-up to her prior novels and offers short stories that probe obsession and lust in various scenarios. From a movie star who wants anonymity to a telemarketer looking for online lust and more, these short stories represent erotic fiction at its best: variety, steamy sex scenes, and all backed by characters that come alive with more than just sexual interests in mind. It's this attention to settings and build-up that make YEARN an exceptional collection of erotica fiction, recommended for women who seek more detail in such genre reading.


The Hunting/Fishing Shelf

Fishing the Coast
Don Pepper
Harbour Publishing
PO Box 219, Madeira Park, BC, Canada, V0N 2H0
9781550175974, $24.95, www.harbourpublishing.com

Fishing the Coast: A Life on the Water comes from a fisherman and industry analyst who provides the first book written about the fishing life on the West Coast. The author fished salmon every season from 1953 to 1969, balancing his fishing world with a career as a professional economist. From technological changes he's seen in the fishing world to natural challenges, this captures the experience of coastal fishing and is a fine, lively read for any who would enjoy an action-packed account blending personal experience with industry observation.

Boone and Crockett Club's 28th Big Game Awards, 2012-2012
Boone and Crockett Club
250 Station Drive, Missoula, MT 59801
Hardcover, $49.95, www.boone-crockett.org

Boone and Crockett Club's 28th Big Game Awards, 2012-2012 is about hunting, and includes the latest records in a book hunters can use to pinpoint North American hotspots for bagging the best and the biggest. This volume contributes to a series that offers a complete, expanding archive of trophy listings, with each listing include B&C gross score, final score, hunter, rank and more. Surprisingly, this isn't just for the hunter: biologists can use trophy data in their research, wildlife management can use it to consider hunting and wildlife statistics, and hunter-submitted stories pair with hundreds of photos to make for an all-around winning survey.


The Automotive Shelf

CarTech Inc.
39966 Grand Avenue, North Branch, MN 55056
www.cartechbooks.com

Walt Thurn's HOW TO RESTORE YOUR C3 CORVETTE 1968-82 (9781613250372, $29.95) provides a fine survey covering the entire restoration process, from initial disassembly to selecting parts, making modifications and repairs, and re-assembly. With its step-by-step photos for all major Corvette components, discussions of Corvette-specific problems, and considerations of different model options, this is a restorer's dream and deserves a place in any automotive how-to collection! Scotty Gosson's AMERICA'S WILDEST SHOW RODS OF THE 1960S & 1970S (9781613250365, $29.95) provides a fine survey of the show rods of two decades, and packs its pages with color photos as it covers the major people involved in promoting, designing and building these art cars. From customization specs and approaches to interviews with restorers and surveys of different show rods, this is a solid pick for any transportation history holding. David Tom's THE CARS OF TRANS-AM RACING 1966-1972 (9781613250518, $39.95) covers the cars and history of road racing and packs in everything from car specs to race statistics and results, color and black and white images of the cars, and anything to do with America Trans-American Championship Road Racing. The author's forty-some years passion for his subject lends to a coverage that is anything but light: detailed accounts of notable cars, races, and anything associated with them will provide all the background needed for any fan of the series. Bob McClurg's DIGGERS, FUNNIES, GASSERS & ALTEREDS: DRAG RACING'S GOLDEN AGE (9781613251058, $29.95) talks about the golden age of drag racing, when it rose from being a casual street sport to a professional endeavor, and is especially exciting because author Bob McClurg was there to personally witness events and capture them with his camera. His drag racing images of the 1960s and 70s captures top action and races, a variety of cars, and comes together for the first time under one cover in a pick any drag racer or auto collection simply must have!


The Cookbook Shelf

Gluten-Free 101
Carol Fenster
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
215 Park Avenue South, New York, NY 10003
www.hmhpub.com
9781118539125, $19.99, www.amazon.com

Gluten is a protein composite found in foods processed from wheat and related grain species, including barley and rye. Gluten gives elasticity to dough, helping it rise and keep its shape and often gives the final product a chewy texture. Gluten is used in cosmetics, hair products, and other dermatological preparations. Unfortunately, a great many people have an allergy to gluten and must therefore avoid it in the foods they eat. In "Gluten-Free 101: The Essential Beginner's Guide to Easy Gluten-Free Cooking", gluten expert and cookbook author Carol Fenster has compiled a profusely illustrated, 240 page compendium of thoroughly 'kitchen cook friendly' recipes for glueten free dishes that will please any palate and satisfy any appetite. The recipes range from French Fried Onions; Chili Corn Bread Casserole; Pan-Roasted Pork Tenderloin with Honey-Mustard Pan Sauce; and One-Pot Roasted Salmon on Mediterranean Vegetables and Rice; to Zucchini Quick Bread; Cinnamon Rolls; Gingerbread Cookies; and Cherry Cobbler. Of special note is Carol Fenster's commentary offering a 'Gluten-Free Survival Guide' and a 'Gluten-Free Kitchen'. Informed and informative, "Gluten-Free 101: The Essential Beginner's Guide to Easy Gluten-Free Cooking" is an important addition to the cookbook collection of anyone requiring a gluten-free diet and would make an enduringly popular addition to community library specialty cookbook collections. It should be noted that "Gluten-Free 101: The Essential Beginner's Guide to Easy Gluten-Free Cooking" is also available in a Kindle edition ($9.99).

Tastes of Tuscany
Liana Giovannini Figone
Blue Dolphin Publishing
PO Box 8, Nevada City, CA 95959-0008
www.bluedolphinpublishing.com
0931892244, 19.95, www.amazon.com

Compiled with commentary by Liana Giovannini Figone, "Tastes of Tuscany: Treasured Family Recipes and Vignettes from the Heartland of Italy" is a spiral-bound, 320 page compendium of superbly presented recipes that are as delicious and nutritious as they are kitchen-cook friendly to prepare. The recipes range from Funghi Ripieni (Stuffed Mushroom Caps); Ostriche Gratinate (Stuffed Oysters on the Half Shell); and Minestra di Porri (Leek and Potato Soup); to Agnello alla Griglia (Barbecued Lamb); Salisiccia Dolce di Tacchino (Sweet Turkey Sausage Patties); and Torta Toscana (Fruitcake from Tuscany). Enhanced with an Italian Index and an English Index, "Tastes of Tuscany" is destined to be a family cookbook shelf favorite and is highly recommended for community library Ethnic Cookbook collections.

Betty Crocker 300 Calorie Comfort Food
Betty Crocker
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
215 Park Avenue South, New York, NY 10003
www.hmhpub.com
9781118453483, $19.99, www.amazon.com

"Betty Crocker 300 Calorie Comfort Food: 300 Favorite Recipes for Eating Healthy Every Day" is a 336 page compendium showcasing 'weight watcher' friendly recipes for dishes that will please the palate while satisfying the appetite. Enhanced with full color plate sections of finished dishes, the kitchen cook friendly recipes range from Healthy Burgers with Dill Sauce (200 calories); Chunky Garden Noodles (170 calaories); Roasted Vegetable Stew (230 calories); and Smokey Chipotle Soft Tacos (170 calories); to Maple-Butternut Squash Soup (190 calories); Sirloin Steaks with Cilantro chimichurri (270 calories); Oven-Fried Potato Wedges (140 calories); and Peach-Berry Cobbler (150 calories). Enhanced with the inclusion of a Metric Conversion Guide and a useful index, "Betty Crocker 300 Calorie Comfort Food: 300 Favorite Recipes for Eating Healthy Every Day" is highly recommended for family and community library cookbook collections. It should be noted that "Betty Crocker 300 Calorie Comfort Food: 300 Favorite Recipes for Eating Healthy Every Day" is also available in a Kindle edition ($9.99).

Cordua: Foods of the Americas
Michael Cordua & David Cordua
Bright Sky Press
2365 Rice Boulevard, Suite 202, Houston, TX 77005
9781939055491, $29.95, www.amazon.com

"Cordua: Foods of the Americas" is a 208 page culinary compendium showcasing ninety-nine recipes. Enhanced with one hundred full color photographs, "Cordua: Foods of the Americas" is more than just another collection of palate pleasing, appetite satisfying, kitchen cook friendly dishes (although they are very much so), it is also the story and philosophy of iconoclastic restaurant chef Michael Cordua. The recipes themselves range from such elegant entries as Romaine and Goat Cheese Spears with Candied Pecans; Foie Gras and Morel Soup; and Prosciutto and Mascarpone Puffs; to Braised Beef Short Ribs with Jicama Kimchee; Tamale Gnocchi with Smoked Tomato Sauce; and Chocolate-Brazil Nut Biscotti. As much fun to browse through as it is to develop menus with, "Cordua: Foods of the Americas" is a unique and enthusiastically recommended addition to personal, professional, family, and community library cookbook collections.

Stuffed: The Ultimate Comfort Food Cookbook
Dan Whalen
Page Street Publishing
27 Congress Street, Suite 103, Salem, MA 01970
www.pagestreetpublishing.com
Trina Kay Organization (publicity)
9781624140112, $19.99, www.amazon.com

"Stuffed: The Ultimate Comfort Food Cookbook" is a beautifully illustrated, 208 page compendium packed from cover to cover with wonderful recipes that are as delicious as they are kitchen cook friendly! The palate pleasing dishes range from Sweet Potato Tamales; Pork Belly Stuffed Cornbread Rolls; Fish Ravioli in Thai Red Curry; and Crab Rangoon Jalapeno Poppers; to Mac and Cheese Stuffed Burger; Meat Stuffed Twice Baked Potatoes; Ginger-Cinnamon Baked Apples; and Avocado Eclairs. Of special note is Chapter 6 which is dedicated to basic recipes for making spice mixes, seasonings, sauces, and doughs that are utilized in selected recipes elsewhere in this simply outstanding culinary collection. "Stuffed: The Ultimate Comfort Food Cookbook" is enthusiastically recommended for personal, family, professional, and community library cookbook collections.

Dessert Of The Day
Kim Laidlaw
Weldon Owen
415 Jackson Street, Suite 200, San Francisco, CA 94111
www.weldonowen.com
9781616284343, $34.95, www.amazon.com

Dessert is a typically sweet course that concludes a meal. The course usually consists of sweet foods, but may include other items. There is a wide variety of desserts in western cultures including cakes, cookies, biscuits, gelatins, pastries, ice creams, pies, puddings, and candies. Fruit is also commonly found in dessert courses because of its natural sweetness. Many different cultures have their own variations of similar desserts around the world, such as in Russia, where many breakfast foods such as blint, oladi, and syrniki can be served with honey and jam to make them popular as desserts. The loosely defined course called dessert can apply to many foods. In "Dessert Of The Day", culinary expert Kim Laidlaw has compiled 352 outstanding deserts that range from the simple to the complex, old favorites to new classics, from the extraordinary to the phenomenal. Deftly organized so that even the most novice of kitchen cooks can turn out an elegant dessert every day of the year (literarily!), the recipes range from Banana Chocolate Cream Pie; Caramelized Oranges with Mascarpone; Strawberry-Rhubarb Pie; and Fresh Summer Fruit Compote; to Plume and Almond Frangipane Tarts; Brown Sugar Pumpkin Pie; Bread and Butter Pudding with Orange Marmalade; and Old-Fashioned Fudge. Profusely and beautifully illustrated throughout, and chronologically organized with suggested deserts from January 1st through December 31st, "Dessert Of The Day" is enthusiastically recommended for personal, family, professional, and community library cookbook collections.

The Vermont Farm Table Cookbook
Tracey Medeiros
The Countryman Press
43 Lincoln Corners Way/P.O. Box 748
Woodstock, Vermont 05091
www.countrymanpress.com
9781581571660, $19.95, www.amazon.com

In "The Vermont Farm Table Cookbook: 150 Home Grown Recipes from the Green Mountain State", freelance food writer, food stylist, and recipe developer Tracey Medeiros has compiled delicious, nutritious, and 'kitchen cook friendly' recipes the celebrate the culinary contributions of Vermont to the rest of America. The recipes range from Cumin-Roasted Tri-Colored Carrots with Chevre; Pasta with Veal and Pancetta Bolognese; and Tomato Coconut Soup; to Beer-Battered Fiddleheads; Amber Ale-Braised Highland Beef Chuck Roast; and Maple Pecan Pie. Profusely illustrated throughout and featuring succinct commentaries on the farms, creameries, farmer's markets, and food companies of Vermont, "The Vermont Farm Table Cookbook: 150 Home Grown Recipes from the Green Mountain State" is as much fun to browse through as it is to create menus with for any dining occasion from daily family meals to special celebratory occasions. Highly recommended for personal, family, and community library cookbook collections, it should also be noted that "The Vermont Farm Table Cookbook: 150 Home Grown Recipes from the Green Mountain State" is available in a Kindle edition ($9.99) as well.

The French Baker
Sebastien Boudet
Skyhorse Publishing, Inc.
307 West 36th Street, 11th Floor, NY, NY 10018
www.skyhorsepublishing.com
9781620879993, $24.95, www.amazon.com

"The French Baker: Authentic Recipes for Traditional Breads, Desserts, and Dinners" by award winning French baker Sebastien Boudet is a 256 page culinary compendium of outstanding recipes that will enable even the most novice of kitchen cooks to serve up professional, 5-Star restaurant quality dinners that would grace any meal from humble family meals to elegant celebratory dining occasions. Profusely and beautifully illustrated throughout, the recipes range from Beetroot Bread with Chevre; to French Pancakes; to French Apple Pie; and so much more. Of special note are the chapters devoted to Sourdough Bread and to Oils & Mixtures. Refined, luxurious, exquisite, cultivated, and inspiring, "The French Baker: Authentic Recipes for Traditional Breads, Desserts, and Dinners" is a unique and very highly recommended addition to personal, professional, family, and community library cookbook collections. It should be noted that "The French Baker: Authentic Recipes for Traditional Breads, Desserts, and Dinners" is also available in a Kindle edition ($11.99).

Peruvian Power Foods
Manuel Villacorta
Health Communications, Inc.
3201 S.W. 15th Street
Deerfield Beach, FL 33442-8190
www.hcibooks.com
9780757317224, $18.95, www.amazon.com

A 'superfood' is any food that is considered to be especially beneficial to human health and that may even alleviate (and possibly cure) some medical conditions. Written and compiled by Manuel Villacorta (with the assistance of Jamie Shaw), "Peruvian Power Foods: 18 Superfoods, 101 Recipes, and Anti-aging Secrets from the Amazon to the Andes" is a 304 page compendium that draws from the native culinary traditions of the Peruvian Andes and showcasing 'kitchen cook friendly' dishes that in addition to being palate pleasing and appetite satisfying, are also potent with immunity-boosting, anti-aging benefits. The recipes themselves ranges from Dark Chocolate Frozen Yogurt; Purple Corn Lucuma Pancakes; White Bean Hummus; and a Tangy BBQ Sauce; to Quinoa Fried Rice; Sweet Potato with Empananda Beef Stuffing; Caprese Salad with Sacha Inchi Oil; and Papaya Juice. Impressively informative, beautifully illustrated throughout in full color, exceptionally well organized and presented, "Peruvian Power Foods" is an extraordinary cookbook that is highly recommended for personal, family, and community library cookbook collections. It should be noted that "Peruvian Power Foods" is also available in a Kindle edition ($9.99).

Smoothies
Eliq Maranik
H.F. Ullmann
c/o 60 Cycle Media Relations LLC
38 High Avenue, Nyack NY 10960
9783848002856, $19.99, www.ullmann-publishing.com

SMOOTHIES: REFRESHING, HEALTHY, AND DELICIOUS provides a colorful guide to all the basics any newcomer to smoothies will need, from making fruit and berry smoothies and vegetable smoothies to producing fruity cocktails. Each recipe comes with text pairing nutritional information with keys to modifications and guidelines to purchasing fruit, and each offers keys to not only purchasing fruit, but using kitchen equipment to best advantage. Over 100 color photos makes this a lovely title for gift-giving or enjoyment: perfect for those with little experience making smoothies!

La Tartine Gourmande
Beatrice Peltre
Roost Books
c/o Shambhala Publications, Inc.
300 Massachusetts Avenue, Boston, MA 02115-4544
www.shambhala.com
9781590307625, $35.00, www.roostbooks.com

La Tartine Gourmande: Recipes for an Inspired Life was written and photographed by the author and provides a lovely collection of nearly 100 recipes and anecdotes. While these are inspired by the author's native France, they pack in new ideas for classic dishes and pairs these with her adventures abroad, which serve as the inspiration for such fare as Salmon and Watercress Quiche and Coriander-Flavored Carrot and Zucchini Tartlets. The result's a lovely cookbook packed with fresh, new ideas and inspirations perfect for any looking for French-based, different fare!

Ryland Peters
519 Broadway, 5th floor, New York, NY 10012
www.rylandpeters.com

Belinda Williams's DELICIOUS SOUPS: FRESH AND HEARTY SOUPS FOR EVERY OCCASION (9781849754637, $24.95) offers a wide range of soup options, pairs soups with full-page enticing color photos of complete products, and covers everything from simple broths to complex gumbos, bisques and more. International influences are replete in a survey that includes chilled soups, warm soups, and variety. Some are complex creations; others are quick and easy, as in a Spicy Meatball Soup with Curly Kale and Roots. Some require some special ingredients - as in a Carrot and Fennel Soup with Fresh Lemon, Dill and Nigella Seeds. Any interested in soup will find this a visually appealing title that encourages soup enthusiasts to move beyond the ordinary. Jane Mason's THE BOOK OF BUNS: OVER 50 BRILLIANT BAKES FROM AROUND THE WORLD (9781849754354, $24.95) explores world cuisines as related to different kinds of buns, and packs in color photos throughout as it provides cooks with buns ranging from Mexican coffee buns to Estonia bacon- or ham-filled creations, Peruvian sweet buns, and much more. The lovely color photos by Peter Cassidy really 'make' this an appealing guide that offers a range of recipes any level of cook can enjoy.

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

Andrew Schloss's COOKING SLOW: RECIPES FOR SLOWING DOWN AND COOKING MORE (9781452104690, $35.00) show how simmering, slow roasting, slow baking and other 'slow' methods using slow cookers and various equipment offer a variety of recipes that are easily - and slowly - produced, and is recommended for any cookbook collection catering to busy cooks. It focuses on how cooking at low temperatures improves flavors, and provides nearly a hundred recipes any cook can easily produce. From desserts to brisket and various baked main dishes, this is packed with appeal and color throughout, making it a fine compliment to collections that have plenty of 'slow cooker' cookbooks but not enough overall emphasis on 'low temperature' cooking in general. Denise Gee's SOUTHERN CASSEROLES: COMFORTING POT-LUCKY DISHES (9781452112282, $24.95) packs in over forty Southern casserole recipes along with color photos and focuses on easy-bake dishes that are easily customized and created. From King Ranch Chicken to a bean, collard green and ham Soul Food with a Cornbread Cap, this is packed with dishes that simplify the casserole process by using some frozen and convenience foods. Busy cooks who still want the 'from scratch' feel will find this a winner!

Octopus Publishing
www.octopuspublishingusa.com

The new Gill Paul and Karen Sullivan 'Eat Yourself' series from Hamlyn provides readers with easy steps to managing common health concerns and provides four books, each of which offers a focus based on nutrition and desired health result. Each book is divided into two parts: recipes and discussions of key ingredients and how they relate to health. EAT YOURSELF THIN: SUPERFOODS & RECIPES TO BOOST METABOLISM & BURN FAT (9780600627029, $9.99) offers keys to selecting foods that help one's system work at optimum levels that result in losing weight and keeping it off; EAT YOURSELF HAPPY: INGREDIENTS & RECIPES FOR A GOOD MOOD, EVERY DAY (9780600627050, $9.99) considers dozens of different types of depression and how eating the right foods can stabilize emotions and lead to better psychological well-being, EAT YOURSELF CALM: INGREDIENTS & RECIPES TO REDUCE THE STRESS IN YOUR LIFE (9780600627043, $9.99) is all about stress management through foods such as dark chocolate, mangoes, salmon and more, and EAT YOURSELF ENERGY; INGREDIENTS & RECIPES TO POWER THROUGH THE DAY (9780600627043, $9.99) offers a fine survey of how the same dark chocolate, mangoes, salmon and oats also help add to energy. This is a fine series; highly recommended for any who would use better nutrition to achieve psychological and physical health.

A Passion for Bread
Lionel Vatinet
Little, Brown & Company
c/o Hachette Book Group
237 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10017
www.hachettebookgroup.com
9780316200622, $35.00, www.littlebrown.com

Any who want a guide to producing good bread will find A Passion for Bread: 7 Steps to Making Great Bread comes from a master baker who profiles the easy steps to producing foolproof breads. Don't think this guide is just for newcomers to breads or baking, however: this offers a range of tips for creating bread for everyone from beginners to those with some experience, and blends stories with technical knowledge and recipes. Step-by-step color photos throughout document every part of the process, while instructions are divided by numbers for quick, at-a-glance understanding. From dividing and shaping breads to final fermentation, this is a master baker's treasure trove and highly recommended for any who would bake bread or bake better breads.


The Needlecraft Shelf

Spinning And Dyeing Yarn
Ashley Martineau
Barron's
250 Wireless Boulevard, Hauppauge, NY 11788
www.barronseduc.com
9780764166075, $29.99, www.amazon.com

Yarn is a long continuous length of interlocked fibres, suitable for use in the production of textiles, sewing, crocheting, knitting, weaving, embroidery, and ropemaking. Thread is a type of yarn intended for sewing by hand or machine. Modern manufactured sewing threads may be finished with wax or other lubricants to withstand the stresses involved in sewing. Embroidery threads are yarns specifically designed for hand or machine embroidery. The one thing all homemade, handmade yarns have in common is that to be useful they must be spun and then colored through a process of dyeing. "Spinning and Dyeing Yarn: The Home Spinners Guide to Creating Traditional and Art Yarns" by fiber artist Ashley Martineau is a profusely and expertly illustrated, 208 page instruction manual that will enable even the most novice needlecrafter to successfully create yarns for traditional and fabric art usage. Thoroughly 'user friendly' and deftly organized into four major sections (Fiber Identification and Preparation; Dyeing Techniques; Spinning Techniques; and Going Professional), "Spinning and Dyeing Yarn: The Home Spinners Guide to Creating Traditional and Art Yarns" is enhanced with a roster of resources, a registry of useful websites, a bibliography, a listing of contributors, and a comprehensive index, making it an ideal and enthusiastically recommended for personal and community library Needlecraft instructional reference collections.

When Bad Things Happen To Good Knitters, revised edition
Marion Edmonds & Ahza Moore
The Taunton Press
63 South Main Street, Newtown, CT 06470
www.taunton.com
9781621130079, $21.95, www.amazon.com

Everyone who has ever knitted has encountered (or will inevitably encounter!) a dropped stitch or other kind of mistake. That's why "When Bad Things Happen To Good Knitters" by knitting experts Marion Edmonds and Ahza Moore will prove to be an invaluable and popular addition to personal and community library collections of needlecraft instructional guides and manuals. This 160 page compendium is an ideal 'survival guide' for all manner of knitting problems and emergencies. This newly revised, expanded and updated edition of "When Bad Things Happen To Good Knitters" is enhanced with the inclusion of six new knitting projects ranging from mosaic mitts to an updated cable beanie. Thoroughly 'user friendly' from first page to last, "When Bad Things Happen To Good Knitters" is especially recommended for novice knitters and has a great deal to commend it to even the more experienced knitting needlecrafter.

Making Clothes For Your Dog
Jisu Lee and Yi-Hui Hsieh
Original Designs
c/o Fox Chapel Publishing Company
1970 Broad Street N., East Petersburg, PA 17520
www.FoxChapelPublishing.com
9781574216103, $19.99, www.amazon.com

In "Making Clothes For Your Dog", Jisu Lee draws upon his many years of experience and expertise in making clothing for dogs of all sizes, shapes and breeds to create a superbly illustrated, 144 page instruction manual on how to both sew and knit personalized outfits for keep the family dog warm -- and looking fashionable! "Making Clothes For Your Dog" begins with providing what the novice needlecrafter will need to know when getting started on making clothes for a dog. Of special note are the sections on tools and materials; fabrics; basic sewing terminology; basic sewing techniques; advice on how to best utilize this manual, and 'Meet the Dogs'. The seventeen individual, step-by-step projects range from a soft and comfy Leisure Top; to a Hat and Scarf for winter weather; to a Denim Pet Carrier for taking a puppy out and about. Enhanced with Dog Clothing Tips and a useful Index, "Making Clothes For Your Dog" is an ideal and very highly recommended instructional work for personal and community library Needlecraft reference collections.

Annie's
306 East Parr Road, Berne, IN 46711
www.anniesWSL.com www.AnniesCustomerCare.com

Annie's is the publisher of a number of excellent pattern books for needlecrafters. Two of their newest titles are exceptional and highly recommended: Annies "Figure Flattering Plus-Size Fashions" (9781596358028, $9.95) showcases eleven excellent crochet projects for ample women of substance that ranges from a Cranberry Cardigan, to a Spicy Mustard Vest, to a Heather Rose Tunic. Also featured is a Stitch Guide and a Metrick Conversion Chart. Tabetha Hedrick's "A Playful Palette of 10 Knitted Accessories" is comprised of eight knitting projects made with Koigu Yarn. These thoroughly 'user friendly' patterns range from a Friday Harbor Headband; to a Melbourne Cape, to a Kodiak Cowl. Also featured are sections providing Abbreviation & Symbols; Skill Levels; a Standard Yard Weight System; Knitting Basics; a Photo Index, and more. Both of these outstanding instructional are enhanced with full color illustrations and photography, making them very highly recommended for personal needlecraft reference collections.

Martingale & Company
19021 Avenue NE, Bothell, WA 98011
www.martingale.com

Sara Lawson's BIG-CITY BAGS (9781604682939, $26.99) is more than another sewing book about basic totes: it shows how to create sophisticated handbags and presents some 12 designer-style bags and purses packed with color. In the process of explaining these projects, different techniques are covered from installing zippers and snaps to creating adjustable straps. Patterns blend with easy step-by-step directions for customization, making for a top reference! Donna Lynn Thomas' ON-POINT PATCHWORK: FUSS-FREE DIAGONALS USING THE OMNIGRID ON-POINT RULER (9781604683356, $24.99) is for any quilter interested in making complex-looking on-point patchwork for blocks, borders and sashes. Some 14 quilts for all quilting levels use the special ruler designed by the author to rotary cut squares, rectangles and triangles that measure evening across the diagonal for on-point patchwork. The result is a fine pairing of innovative technique, full-page color photos, and step-by-step how-to directions for easy recreation of the patterns and quilts. Nancy Mahoney's SIMPLE CIRCLES AND QUICK CURVES: MACHINE APPLIQUE THE EASY WAY (9781604652915, $22.99) provides a fine collection of curved-applique designs and teaches fusible and starch applique techniques especially useful to any newcomer to using applique. From using precuts or cuts from a stash to following patterns and making different blocks, this is a fine survey packed with tips and techniques perfect for any newcomer to machine applique. Lorna Mister's KNIT PINK (9781604683370, $24.99) provides a fine collection of over twenty ways to knit pink accessories from shawls to bags, and is packed with knitting crafts that can be quickly done and which look lovely for gift-giving or year-round embellishment. Full-page color photos accompany patterns and step-by-step instructions for any with prior knitting expertise. With its varied creations and lovely knitting projects, this is a top pick for any knitter who wants to learn about pink accessories and their potential. Janet Rehfeldt's CROCHET PINK (9781604683530, $24.99) provides a fine collection of nearly thirty ways to crochet accessories, and covers projects ranging form a scarf or a shawl to hats and bags. Featured stitches, finished dimensions, and sidebars of tips such as how to measure a square accompany crochet directions and color photos throughout. From different kinds of crochet to clear patterns, this is a fine pick for any crocheter who wants to turn out quick, easy, professional-looking accessories.

American Quilter's Society
PO Box 3290, Paducah, KY 42002-3290
www.americanquilter.com

Dianne S. Hire's APP IS FOR APPLIQUE (9781604601077, $24.95) features some 14 applique floral patterns, provides applique embellishments based on these, and is a pick for any needlework collection. Patterns, blocks and more can be mixed and matched while a series of images offers various insights into options for placing and matching the patterns. All this is done in full color, making for a lively and thorough coverage highly recommended for any needleworker considering applique options. Joan Shay's REDWORK EMBELLISHED (9781604601107, $24.95) covers not only redwork but its lesser-covered Purple-, Blue-, Black- and Greenwork, and blends patterns with easy embroidery stitches and projects that provide needleworkers fine new options for embellishing quilting projects or other works. 12 projects feature different designs and themes and teach the basics, with color photos throughout adding to a fine presentation highly recommended for any needlework library. Karen Gloeggler's JANE AUSTEN QUILTS INSPIRED BY HER NOVELS (9781604601039, $24.95) provides a fine survey of the only quilt Austen made, and her novels, and comes from a quilter and Austen fan who viewed the quilt in England, then designed a quilt inspired by it. This collection of blocks representing Jane's work provides 7 pieced quilts to readers, including clips from Austen's letters and color photos of each piece, along with patterns and instructions for creating the quilt. The result is a lovely survey, highly recommended for any literary quilter.


The Computer Shelf

iPad All-in-One For Dummies, sixth edition
Nancy C. Muir
For Dummies
c/o Wiley Professional Trade Group
111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030-5774
http://www.dummies.com
9781118728116, $34.99, www.amazon.com

iPad is a line of tablet computers designed and marketed by Apple Inc., which runs Apple's iOS. The first iPad was released on April 3, 2010. They now number in the millions and have become one of the most popular and ubiquitous handheld technologies of today. "iPad All-in-One For Dummies" by iPad technology expert Nancy C. Muir is a 544 page instruction manual that covers i0S7, iPad Air, and all of the earlier iPad models. Nicely illustrated throughout, "iPad All-in-One For Dummies" not only covers the basics of using an iPad and its various features for fun and recreation, but also will enable serious users to utilize their iPads for business and simply getting organized for whatever online project they need to work on. Thoroughly 'user friendly' from beginning to end, and enhanced with a very useful Index, this sixth edition of "iPad All-in-One For Dummies" is completely up-to-date and highly recommended for both novice iPad users as well as an invaluable reference work for even the more experienced users. Of special note is the chapter on selecting and buying an iPad. Very highly recommended for personal, professional, and community library reference collections, it should be noted that "iPad All-in-One For Dummies" is also available in a Kindle edition ($11.99).

Practical Algorithms for 3D Computer Graphics, second edition
R. Stuart Ferguson
CRC Press
6000 NW Broken Sound Parkway NW, Suite 300
Boca Raton, FL 33487
www.crcpress.com
9781466582521, $79.95, www.amazon.com

In mathematics and computer science, an algorithm is a step-by-step procedure for calculations. Algorithms are used for calculation, data processing, and automated reasoning. 3D computer graphics (in contrast to 2D computer graphics) are graphics that use a three-dimensional representation of geometric data (often Cartesian) that is stored in the computer for the purposes of performing calculations and rendering 2D images. Such images may be stored for viewing later or displayed in real-time. 3D computer graphics rely on many of the same algorithms as 2D computer vector graphics in the wire-frame model and 2D computer raster graphics in the final rendered display. Now in a completed updated and expanded second edition, "Practical Algorithms for 3D Computer Graphics" by computer expert R. Stuart Ferguson is a 520 page instruction manual covering the basic fundamental algorithms that are the foundation of 3D computer graphics allowing users to produce 3D programs for computer animation, modeling, and image synthesis. Of special note in this second edition is are new chapters offering a modern approach to real-time 3D programming using OpenGL; 3D graphics for mobile devices; and a comprehensive open source 3D tools suite for modeling and animation. "Practical Algorithms for 3D Computer Graphics" also covers particle modeling, marching cubes, hair and fur rendering techniques; and so much more. Comprehensive, exceedingly well written, organized and presented, "Practical Algorithms for 3D Computer Graphics" is especially recommended for anyone doing graphics research or developing 3D computer games.

OS X Mavericks for Dummies
Bob "Dr. Mac" LeVitus
For Dummies
c/o Wiley Professional Trade Group
111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030-5774
9781118691885, $29.99, www.fordummies.com

OS X Mavericks for Dummies provides a full-color beginner's guide to making the most of a Mac computer and teaches how to understand and work with Apple's latest operating system. The basics are very simple and cover everything from handling menus to using the Desktop; but the real meat lies in progressive learning instructions that build on knowledge and move the reader easily into advanced functions from customizing Contacts and Calendar to setting up Safari, using Messages, and handling multimedia. The color screen shots on nearly every page make learning a snap, helping this live up to its promise of easily teaching virtually any user.

Hacking Raspberry PI
Timothy L. Warner
Que
c/o Pearson Technology Group
801 East 96th Street, #300, Indianapolis, IN 46240-3759
9780789751560, $29.99, www.quepublishing.com

Hacking Raspberry PI provides a fine survey of the cheap, credit-card-sized computer's capabilities and shows technicians and hackers how to use hardware hacking techniques to build useful projects. Now, one would anticipate a technical background to use this, but this color guide requires no prior experience with either hardware hacking or computer programming (though, in all fairness, it's this audience most likely to choose such a book!). Photos provide step-by-step coverage of each project to accompany easy instructions. From the basics of how the Pi operates and how to manage files and devices with it to using it for Minecraft, and tweaking its media and web capabilities, this even includes keys to linking it to the also-new Arduino and their clones, and building electronic prototypes with it. Any would-be hacker needs this!

Rapid Android Development
Daniel Sauter
Pragmatic Programmers
2831 Eldorado Parkway, #103-381, Frisco, TX 75033-7438
9781937785062, $35.00, www.pragprog.com

Rapid Android Development: Build Rich, Sensor-Based Applications with Processing offers a fine guide for creating mobile apps for Android phones and tablets using Processing, the free language and development program, to work with Android software. There's no need for prior knowledge of Java or Android SDK: using this free software developers can produce amazing graphics and more in a snap. Some 40 ready-to-run demos and games accompany tips on accessing the Android touch screen and using its sensors and images in various projects. Any interested in Android mobile programming will find this approach specific and winning!

O'Reilly & Associates, Inc.
1005 Gravenstein, Hwy N.
Sebastopol, CA 95472-2811
www.oreilly.com

Raph Koster's second updated edition of A THEORY OF FUN FOR GAME DESIGN (9781449363215, $34.99) provides a full-color, 10th anniversary version of a classic guide on modern video games, comparing them to traditional games and exploring the very nature and idea of 'fun' and how it is interpreted in a range of games. Some games are quickly dated while others are fun for a long time: game developers need to know why and how this happens, and here receive a book that blends statistics with considerations of how games evolve, why they are fun, how they last, and how to create lasting game designs. From aesthetic appreciation to understanding games in context and how players interact, this is an exceptional guide that will reach game designers and players alike. Matthew A. Russell's MINING THE SOCIAL WEB (9781449367619, $44.99) appears in its second updated edition to cover the basics of acquiring and using social web data, and is a pick for programmers who want to understand and apply advanced text-mining techniques to this end. Chapters are packed with example code maintained in a public GitHub repository, show how to build interactive visualizations with D3.js, and teach methods using real-world data as a foundation. The result links technology with business pursuits and offers clear discussions of precision, recall, and other facets of data mining objectives. David Pogue's WINDOWS 8.1: THE MISSING MANUAL (9781449371623, $39.99) provides a fine update to cover 8.1's new apps and revamped features, and is a 'must' for any who would work with 8.1 in a home or work setting. From the network system to the software options, this uses black and white photos, screen shots, and details on everything from taskbar management to using speech recognition and editing photos and art. Explanations are clear, easy and revealing and make for a fine survey highly recommended for any 8.1 new user.

Murach's Visual Basic 2012
Anne Boehm
Mike Murach & Associates
4340 North Knoll Avenue, Fresno, CA 93722
9781890774738, $54.50, www.murach.com

Murach's Visual Basic 2012 is for any programmer who would get up and running quickly with Visual Basic. From creating applications and writing data validation routines to creating solid database applications and working with different kinds of files in VB coding environments, this packs in programming methods written by programmers who are trained to teach the best approaches. Basic design concepts, tools, and everything linked to business pursuits makes this an outstanding training and reference guide, highly recommended for any programmer's library.


The Education Shelf

Building a Culture of Hope
Robert D. Barr & Emily L. Gibson
Solution Tree
555 North Morton Street
Bloomington, IN 47404
9781936764624 $34.95 www.solution-tree.com

Building a Culture of Hope: Enriching Schools with Optimism and Opportunity is a guide written especially for educators who serve impoverished children. Drawn from the authors' experience and work with high-poverty, high-performing schools, Building a Culture of Hope breaks down how to instill positive values of optimism, belonging, self-esteem, self-confidence, and purpose into the K-12 classroom environment. "The transition between eighth and ninth grade is a critical period for the proactive prevention of potential dropouts... Schools can provide a sense of optimism through orientation and counselor watch programs, summer and ninth-grade academies, and basic skills catch-up programs to provide an effective transition to high school." A list of references and an index round out this practical-minded, no-nonsense resource that should be required reading for any grade-school instructor serving an impoverished district.

To Look Closely
Laurie Rubin
Stenhouse Publishers
477 Congress Street, Suite 4B, Portland, ME 04101-3451
www.stenhouse.com
9781571109927, $22.50, www.amazon.com

In "To Look Closely: Science and Literacy in the Natural World", author Laurie Rubin draws upon her many years of experience and expertise in teaching children about nature and the natural world to write a 239 page instructional compendium specifically designed to help classroom teachers develop inquiry-based thinking on the part of their students while exploring and learning about the natural environment. Beginning with ten tips for getting started on nature study, "To Look Closely: Science and Literacy in the Natural World" utilizing 'A Year At The Stream' in autumn, winter, and spring, to illustrate and demonstrate a basic study of the intricacy and interconnectedness of the natural world. Of special note are the two chapters dedicated to Literacy Through Nature Study in terms of reading and writing. Enhanced with appendices of Second-Grade Narratives; Second-Grade Poems; and Recommended Websites. Informed, informative, superbly organized and presented, "To Look Closely: Science and Literacy in the Natural World" is very highly recommended for Natural Studies school curriculums and supplemental reading lists. It should be noted that ""To Look Closely: Science and Literacy in the Natural World" is also available in a Kindle edition ($11.49).

Bringing The Common Core To Life in K-8 Classrooms
Erick Jensen & Leann Nickelsen
Solution Tree
555 North Morton Street, Bloomington, IN 47404
www.solution-tree.com
9781936764648, $29.95, www.amazon.com

The Common Core State Standards Initiative is an education initiative in the United States that details what K-12 students should know in English language arts and mathematics at the end of each grade. The initiative is sponsored by the National Governors Association (NGA) and the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) and seeks to establish consistent education standards across the states as well as ensure that students graduating from high school are prepared to enter two or four year college programs or enter the workforce. The primary burden for implementing the Common Core academic requirements falls upon the classroom teacher. That's why "Bringing The Common Core To Life in K-8 Classrooms" by education experts Erick Jensen and Leann Nickelsen is such a timely and invaluable implementation instruction manual. This 222 page compendium offers thirty distinct and practical strategies to build literacy skills for Kindergarten through 8th grade students. Enhanced throughout with charts, tables, and questionnaire samples, "Bringing The Common Core To Life in K-8 Classrooms" is comprehensive, 'real-world' oriented, and thoroughly 'user friendly' in organization and presentation. Very highly recommended, it should also be noted that "Bringing The Common Core To Life in K-8 Classrooms" is available in a Kindle edition ($17.99) as well.

AAC in the Schools
Nancy B. Robinson & Gloria Soto
Attainment Company
PO Box 930160, Verona, WI 53593-0160
www.attainmentcompany.com
1578618525, $75.00, www.amazon.com

The collaborative work of education specialists Nancy B. Robinson and Gloria Soto, "AAC in the Schools: Best Practices for Intervention Overcome Barriers for Students Who Use AAC" is a 110 page compendium that is comprised of a comprehensive guide for systematically overcoming barriers in the school for students who use AAC ("augmentative and alternative communication", i.e. tools and techniques for disabled individuals who have difficulty communicating verbally). The tools and strategies enable the SLP to help students master the skills needed to learn in all subject areas and social settings. Enhanced throughout with charts and lists, as well as an accompanying K-12 Classroom License CD, "AAC in the Schools" is an essential and invaluable addition to school district administrative and special education classroom teacher reference collections and supplemental reading lists.

Schoolwide Physical Activity
Judith E. Rink, et.al.
Human Kinetics
PO Box 5076, Champaign, IL 61820-5076
9780736080606, $52.00, www.humankinetics.com

Schoolwide Physical Activity: A Comprehensive Guide to Designing and Conducting Programs includes a CD-ROM with forms, activities and charts and presents a solid program for K-12 teachers and administrators interested in creating effective physical activity programs for students. From building the basics of such a program to ready-to-use activities that include games and dances and program ideas designed for all students - including those not physically fit - this provides a fine reference teachers and administrators will welcome as a foundation guide for creating or tweaking a program.

Early Intervention Every Day!
Merle J. Crawford and Barbara Weber
Paul H. Brookes Publishing Company
PO Box 10624, Baltimore, MD 21285-0624
9781598572766, $29.95, www.brookespublishing.com

Early Intervention Every Day! Embedding Activities in Daily Routines for Young Children and Their Families provides an effective early intervention program packed with resources for those helping parents and caregivers support young children, and identifies some 80 skills in six key domains for kids from birth to age three. Early interventionists will find it packed with keys to enhancing child development, and filled with forms and tips for easy implementation.

Corwin Press
2455 Teller Road
Thousand Oaks, CA 91320-2218
www.corwin.com

Diane Staehr Fenner's ADVOCATING FOR ENGLISH LEARNERS: A GUIDE FOR EDUCATORS (9781452257693, $34.95) provides a fine survey of English learners and their relationship to the education system, and advocates the idea that teachers and administrators must advocate for this group of students. The focus here is on techniques of such advocacy, with chapters providing keys to understanding and influencing policy, meeting EL learning needs in all grades, providing various education and health services to EL populations, and much more. From assessment norms to helping EL families advocate for themselves, this is a powerful guide educators will find filled with real-world insights and applications. John M. Murray's DESIGNING AND IMPLEMENTING EFFECTIVE PROFESSIONAL LEARNING (9781452257792, $36.95) is all about teacher professional development and learning, and offers research-based strategies for planning programs and evaluating their results. Chapters are packed with tested, real-world information on the professional training and learning process, and provide teachers and administrators with important keys to implementing meaningful school learning and interactions between teachers and students. The result is a fine and practical resource any school administrator will welcome. Stephanie Hirsh and Anne Foster's A SCHOOL BOARD GUIDE TO LEADING SUCCESSFUL SCHOOLS FOCUSING ON LEARNING (9781452290423, $31.00) is for any district seeking to improve academics and professional learning, and comes from two education leaders and board trustees who provide an approach that will help school board members organize their team. Case studies focus on some twelve board-level decisions from hiring to resource allocation, discussing how professional learning can improve performance and how to use tools already tested to develop supportive environments. It's a fine 'must' for any education collection! Frederick M. Hess and Bror Saxberg's BREAKTHROUGH LEADERSHIP IN THE DIGITAL AGE (9781452255491, $33.95) provides a fine teacher's survey linking the education process to digital enhancements to learning, and is a pick for educators, school leaders and parents who want to learn better structures for supporting the use of technology in the schools. It's packed with insights on using new tools and concepts in instructional approaches, and considers everything from simulations and customizing delivery to rethinking the quality of instruction. The result is a solid reference for any who want a specific guide to better technology instruction. DEVELOPING DIGITAL LITERACIES: A FRAMEWORK FOR PROFESSIONAL LEARNING by Dustin C. Summey (9781455255521, $27.00) provides a fine survey of digital literacy and provides a job-oriented program for helping K-12 teachers blend digital literacies into their classrooms. The framework relies on resources and personnel already in place and provides instructions on collaborative learning routines and using technology supports in the classroom. A companion website to the book includes sample instructional materials and links. The result is a handbook packed with not just a learning framework, but all the tools needed to achieve success. Dorothy M. Steele and Becki Cohn-Vargas' IDENTITY SAFE CLASSROOMS: PLACES TO BELONG AND LEARN (9781452230900, $27.00) focuses on strategies that have a positive effect on student learning and uses research that shows how students from all backgrounds function better in identity safe classrooms. There teachers work to ensure students feel their identity is an asset, and here teachers learn how to impart this feel, with strategies centered in social psychology research and teaching practices. The result is a solid, engrossing study that will appeal to any teacher seeking better methods for ensuring student success.


The American History Shelf

Bullets, Badges, and Bridles
John K. Burchill
Pelican Publishing Company
1000 Burmaster Street
Gretna, LA 70053-2246
9781455618576 $18.95 www.pelicanpub.com

Thoroughly accessible to readers of all backgrounds, Bullets, Badges, and Bridles: Horse Thieves and the Societies That Pursued Them is an expertly researched examination of a wildly lucrative crime that plagued America through its colonial days and era of westward expansion: horse thievery. Homesteaders and others in remote areas relied on horses to survive; they banded together out of necessity to form vigilante groups to protect their equine property. Bullets, Badges, and Bridles chronicles the dual histories of horse thief gangs and the societies that existed to exact justice. True stories of hideouts, disguises, criminal networks, lynchings, barn burnings of criminals and more fill this chronicle, which will prove fascinating to lay readers and historians alike. Highly recommended.

St. Thomas, Nevada: A History Uncovered
Aaron McArthur
University of Nevada Press
Mail Stop 0166
Reno, NV, 89557-0166
9780874179194 $24.95 www.unpress.nevada.edu

Illustrated with a handful of maps and black-and-white photographs, St. Thomas, Nevada: A History Uncovered is the fascinating story of a Nevada settlement tracing its origins to an 1865 founding by Mormon missionaries whom Brigham Young sent to the Moapa Valley to grow cotton. When the boundary of Utah Territory was shifted one degree of longitude east, St. Thomas became part of Nevada. A community of miners, farmers, and Mormons who interacted with the native Paiute thrived for years; but in 1931, the newly constructed Hoover Dam spelled the end of the settlement, as the rising shores of Lake Mead eradicated its physical presence. Memories of St. Thomas persist, and even its ruins become visible whenever Lake Mead's waters run low. St. Thomas, Nevada: A History Uncovered is an enlightening, heavily-researched chronicle especially recommended for public and college library collections.

Hunting the American West
Richard C. Rattenbury
Boone and Crockett Club Collection
250 Station Drive, Missoula, MT 59801
www.booneandcrockettclub.com
9780940864603, $49.95, www.amazon.com

"Hunting the American West: The Pursuit of Big Game for Life, Profit, and Sport, 1800-1900" by historian Richard C. Rattenbury is a 416 page, profusely illustrated compendium providing an informed and informative historical overview of 19th century of big game hunting as a recreational pursuit, a business, and its role in providing meat for the table of frontier Americans. Of special note is the chapter on 'The Hunter-Naturalists: Conserving Western Big-Game Animals'. Enhanced with an extensive bibliography and a comprehensive index, "Hunting the American West: The Pursuit of Big Game for Life, Profit, and Sport, 1800-1900" is an impressive work and is especially recommended as a community library Memorial Fund acquisition.

Graveyards of Chicago, revised edition
Matt Hucke & Ursula Bielski
Everything Goes Media
c/o Lake Claremont Press
PO Box 1524
Milwaukee, WI 53201
9781893121218 $16.95 www.lakeclaremont.com

Now in a thoroughly revised and updated new edition almost twice as long as the first edition (originally published in 1999), Graveyards of Chicago: The People, History, Art, and Lore of Cook County Cemeteries is an extraordinary tour of the rich cultural history, legacy, art, and folklore of the local burial grounds in the Chicago area. Occasional black-and-white photographs intersperse the descriptive, anecdote-filled text, and as a bonus, there are QR codes for most cemeteries leading to extra photos and material. Thoroughly accessible to history buffs, genealogists, taphophiles (cemetery enthusiasts), and lay readers alike, Graveyards of Chicago is a thoughtful glimpse into beautiful, unforgettable places that embody the life-affirming sentiment, "Memento mori" ("Remember that you will die.")

JFK and the Unspeakable
James W. Douglass
Orbis Books
PO Box 308, Maryknoll, NY 10545-0308
97815707575552500, $25.00, www.orbisbooks.com

JFK and the Unspeakable: Why He Died and Why It Matters appears in its 50th anniversary edition to provide a detailed story of why President Kennedy was assassinated and why the truth behind it all remains clouded. Douglass examines all the evidence and investigations, including sources only available in recent years, to document the political transformation of the President and the actions which led up to his death - actions that caused members of his own military to view him as a traitor to his country. More than just a rehash of his death, this book probes the underlying motivations for forces that may have wished the President dead, and provides a powerful social and political observation that goes beyond 'whodunnit' scenarios. A 'must' for any collection strong in Kennedy history and American politics in general!

The People's Martyr
Erik J. Chaput
University Press of Kansas
2501 West 15th Street, Lawrence, KS 66049
9780700619245, www.kansaspress.ku.edu

The People's Martyr: Thomas Wilson Dorr and His 1842 Rhode Island Rebellion provides a fine biography of Dorr and in the process rewrites the history of the Dorr War, a pivotal conflict that paved the way for changes in American politics. Now, many may only vaguely recall Dorr's war: this narrative goes into great depth in revealing how his ideals about sovereignty ultimately led to the Civil War. Any college-level collection strong in American history in general and American political evolution will find this a solid and top guide.


The World History Shelf

The United States And China Since World War II
Chi Wang
M.E. Sharpe, Inc.
80 Business Park Drive, Armonk, NY 10504
www.mesharpe.com
9780765629906, $29.95, www.amazon.com

Written by Georgetown University Professor Chi Wang, the man who oversaw the development of Chinese collection of the U.S. Library of Congress, "The United States and China Since World War II: A Brief History" is a 218 page compendium comprised of ten informed and informative chapters, the first two of which provide an historical background to America's relationship to China from first contact in the 19th century down through the end of World War II. Then Professor Wang addresses the Chinese civil war; the conflict between the U.S. and the Communist state of China; Chinese foreign policy during the era of the Cold War; President Nixon's reestablishment of diplomatic contact with the Chinese government under Mao; Deng Xiapoing and U.S.-China relations; U.S.-China relations under President Ronald Regan; President H. W. Bush's response to the Tiananmen Square incident; President Bill Clinton and the Chinese premier Jian Zemin; President George W. Bush and Hu Jintao; Sin-U.S. relations and China's hosting of the Olympics; and concludes with President Barack Obama's administration and the Chinese government. Of special note is Professor Wang's 'Conclusion' commentary. Very highly recommended for academic library International Studies reference collections and supplemental reading lists, it should be noted that "The United States and China Since World War II: A Brief History" is also available in a hardcover edition (9780765629890, $76.75).

History of the Caribbean
Frank Moya Pons
Markus Wiener Publishers
231 Nassau Street
Princeton, NJ 08542
9781558764156 $88.95 hc / $28.95 pbk www.markuswiener.com

History of the Caribbean lives up to its title as a scholarly, comprehensive history of the Caribbean islands, from the first landing of Christopher Columbus to the Great Depression of the 1930's. Chapters focus on "The Early Tobacco Colonies", "Caribbean Sugar Economies in the Eighteenth Century", "The French Revolution in the Antilles", "The Sugar Revolution in Cuba and Puerto Rico", "Abolitionism in the Spanish Antiles", "Plantations under American Control" and much more. An extensive bibliography and an index round out this methodical analysis of economic and social forces that dominated Caribbean archipelagos, including the use of and rebellions against slavery. "After 200 years of deforestation, the Haitian environment was becoming increasingly incapable of sustaining a growing population, which had reached more than two million people by the beginning of the twentieth century... the Haitian peasantry was forced to seek wage labor options when the big American corporations started taking over the sugar economy of the Greater Antilles." Highly recommended, especially for public and college library world history shelves.

At War in Distant Waters
Phillip G. Pattee
Naval Institute Press
291 Wood Road
Annapolis, MD 21402
9781612511948 $58.95 www.nip.org

At War in Distant Waters: British Colonial Defense in the Great War examines the strategic value of Great Britain's military and naval offensive expeditions outside of Europe, during World War I. The value of these alleged distractions, claims author Phillip G. Pattee (associate professor of strategy and military operations, U.S. Army Command and General Staff College), lay in protecting British sea trade. Drawing upon documentary evidence from the Royal Navy and high-ranking government officials, At War in Distant Waters paints a dire picture in which economic as well as military and naval forces were critical to how the Great War unfolded, in this astutely reasoned and accessibly presented contribution to military and naval history shelves. Highly recommended.


The Biography Shelf

Julius Caesar: Master of Surprise
Rose Williams
www.roserwilliams.com
Bolchazy-Carducci Publishers
1570 Baskin Road
Mundelein, IL 60060
9780865168008 $12.00 www.bolchazy.com

Thoroughly accessible to readers of all ages and backgrounds, and an excellent resource for teaching high school or college students, Julius Caesar: Master of Surprise reveals the incredible wisdom and cunning of this legendary Roman emperor. Rose Williams, who has taught high school and college students about Caesar for over thirty years, draws upon multiple historical sources to recreate Caesar's military and political career including the writings of Suetonius, Plutarch, and correspondence/observation of Caesar's contemporaries. Highly recommended, especially for high school and college library biography shelves.

Pushing the Limits
Carl LaVO
Naval Institute Press
291 Wood Road
Annapolis, MD 21402
9781591144854 $44.95 www.nip.org

Naval historian Carl LaVO presents Pushing the Limits: The Remarkable Life and Times of Vice Adm. Allan Rockwell McCann, USN, the biography of an extraordinary liaison officer of the American Navy. His many accomplishments include modifying the antiquated O-12 submarine into the privately released "Nautilus", pioneering the development of the McCann Submarine Rescue Chamber, serving aboard the sub tender Pelias, directing firepower against Japanese aircraft attacking Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, and serving in the first ever submarine to navigate under polar ice in 1947. His incredible naval record is the testimony of a dedicated visionary who proudly served his country above and beyond the call of not only duty, but also imagination. Highly recommended, especially for public and college library biography shelves.

Wooden: A Coach's Life
Seth Davis
Times Books
c/o Henry Holt & Company
175 - 5th Avenue, Suite 400, NY, NY 10010-7725
www.henryholt.com
9780805092806, $35.00, 608 pp, www.amazon.com

John Robert Wooden (October 14, 1910 - June 4, 2010) was an American basketball player and coach. Nicknamed the "Wizard of Westwood", he won ten NCAA national championships in a 12-year period (including seven victories in a row) as head coach at UCLA, an unprecedented feat to this day. Within this period, his teams won a record 88 consecutive games. He was named national coach of the year six times. As a player, Wooden was the first to be named basketball All-American three times, and he won a Helms Athletic Foundation National Championship at Purdue in 1932, seven years before the birth of the NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship. Wooden was named a member of the Basketball Hall of Fame as a player (inducted in 1961) and as a coach (in 1973), the first person ever enshrined in both categories. Only Lenny Wilkens and Bill Sharman have since had the same honor. One of the most revered coaches in the history of sports, Wooden was beloved by his former players, among them Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Bill Walton. Wooden was renowned for his short, simple inspirational messages to his players, including his "Pyramid of Success". These often were directed at how to be a success in life as well as in basketball. "Wooden: A Coach's Life" by Sports Illustrated journalist Seth Davis is the definitive biography of a truly impressive man -- on or off the court! A work of meticulous detail and documentation, but reading with a smooth and articulate presentation, "Wooden: A Coach's Life" is a "must" for his legions of fans and will prove an enduringly popular addition to community library 20th Century American Biography collections. It should be noted that "Wooden: A Coach's Life" is also available in a Kindle edition ($14.44).

Happily Ever After
Trista Sutter
Da Capo Press
44 Farnsworth Street, 3rd Floor, Boston, MA 02210
www.perseusbooksgroup.com
9780738216652, $24.99, www.dacapopress.com

Happily Ever After: The Life-Changing Power of a Grateful Heart comes from a reality show TV star who became part of a lasting love relationship, and shares author Trista Sutter's thoughts on how she lives a thankful life. Her autobiography focuses around eleven gratitudes that result in making mindful moves, from writing down positive thoughts that can serve as daily reminders and admonitions to making the most of time with family, friends and loved ones. Despite life's slings and arrows, there's plenty to be thankful for: Sutter shows how to identify these moments and use them to best gain.


The Comix/Graphic Novel Shelf

Comics As History, Comics As Literature
Annessa Ann Babic, editor
Fairleigh Dickinson University Press
The Gatehouse M010C
285 Madison Avenue, Madison, NJ 07940
www.rowman.com
9781611475562, $85.00, www.amazon.com

Comics is a visual medium used to express ideas via images, often combined with text or visual information. Comics frequently takes the form of juxtaposed sequences of panels of images. Often textual devices such as speech balloons, captions, and sound effects ("onomatopoeia") indicate dialogue, narration, or other information. Elements such as size and arrangement of panels control narrative pacing. Cartooning and similar forms of illustration are the most common image-making means in comics; fumetti is a form which uses photographic images. Common forms of comics include comic strips, editorial and gag cartoons, and comic books. Since the late 20th century, bound volumes such as graphic novels, comics albums, and tank bon have become increasingly common, and online webcomics have proliferated. Compiled and edited by Annessa Ann Babic (Coordinator of Interdisciplinary Studies, New York Institute of Technology), "Comics as History, Comics as Literature: Roles of the Comic Book in Scholarship, Society, and Entertainment" is a 272 page compendium comprised of thirteen articulate, erudite, and seminal essays on the cultural impact of comics. Of special note is 'SuperGay: Depictions of Homosexuality in Mainstream Superhero Comics' (Kara Kvaran, University of Akron) and 'The Zombie Apocalypse: A Fictional State of Nature? (Christina Dokou, University of Athens). A seminal body of impressive scholarship that is enhanced with the inclusion of an extensive bibliography and a comprehensive index, "Comics As History, Comics As Literature" is very highly recommended reading and an invaluable addition to academic library Popular Culture Studies and Literary Studies reference collections. It should be noted that "Comics As History, Comics As Literature" is also available in a Kindle edition ($67.99).


The Audiobook Shelf

The Chimp Paradox
Dr. Steve Peters
Recorded Books, LLC
270 Skip Jack Road
Prince Frederick, MD 20678
9781470391751 $21.90 www.recordedbooks.com

The Chimp Paradox is a psychological self-help guide to understanding the strengths and weaknesses of one's most primal mental drives - the "inner chimp" that has been a core part of the human brain since long before the earliest records of civilization. Psychiatrist Dr. Steve Peters teaches readers that one's inner chimp can work for or against one's goals, and learning to tame and harness one's primal urges is crucial to self-growth, awareness, and ultimately, achieving success. Enlightening and educational, The Chimp Paradox is an invaluable self-help asset, highly recommended for anyone and everyone. 8 CDs, 9.75 hours.

Lady Windermere's Fan
Oscar Wilde, author
Performed by Juliet Stevenson, et. al.
Naxos of America, Inc.
1810 Columbia Avenue, Suite 28
Franklin, TN 37064
www.naxosaudiobooks.com
9789626341117 $17.98 CD / $12.00 digital download

Lady Windermere's Fan is the unabridged audiobook rendition of Oscar Wilde's timeless play, brought to life with a stirring, full-cast performance. First enacted on stage in 1892, Lady Windermere's Fan savages human hypocrisy, revealing the failings of false public "morality" when contrasted with true, selfless acts of kindness in private. Oscar Wilde's wit and insights are as hard-hitting today as over a century ago; Lady Windermere's Fan is a "must-have" especially for public library collections, and a wonderful way to introduce a new generation to the talent of classic playwrights. 2 CDs, 1 hour 43 min.

Comeback: America's New Economic Boom
Charles R. Morris, author
Tim Andres Pabon, narrator
Recorded Books, LLC
270 Skip Jack Road
Prince Frederick, MD 20678
9781470391690 $26.75 www.recordedbooks.com

Lawyer, former banker, and self-described "liberal who laments the loss of blue-collar jobs" Charles R. Morris presents Comeback: America's New Economic Boom, now in an unabridged audiobook rendition. The central postulate of Comeback is that America's rich natural resources - specifically, natural gas, which is widespread in shale - has the potential to not only fuel the nation's energy needs, but also to serve as a valuable export to the increasingly voracious world, and kick-start a renewed manufacturing boom. However, there are pitfalls. Morris addresses the environmental harm that the shale boom can cause (fracking is notorious for contaminating local water supplies, but spills or improperly handled wells can be even more catastrophic) and ways to control the damage. Another risk is that short-term profiteering will squander the fruits of the boom, in a time when the nation's infrastructure is desperately in need of repair. Will the shale boom ultimately enrich only the pockets of a very few of the wealthiest corporations, or will it be the keystone of a nationwide economic resurgence? Thought-provoking, insightful, and far-seeing, Comeback is highly recommended. 4 CDs, 4.75 hours.

Confessions of a Wild Child
Jackie Collins, author
Read by Sydney Tamiia Poitier and Teddy Canez
Macmillan Audio
175 Fifth Avenue, Suite 315
New York, NY 10010
9781427239303 $29.99 www.macmillanaudio.com

Written by the sensationally popular author Jackie Collins, Confessions of a Wild Child is the unabridged audiobook story of Lucky Santangelo's rocky childhood. Before Lucky blazed her own trail in seven books and three miniseries, she was the fifteen-year-old daughter of wealthy and powerful Vegas hotel owner Gino Santangelo. Her father is controlling to the point of suffocation, and her mother was tragically murdered when she was just a toddler. Her gay teenage brother won't come out of the closet because he fears how their father will react to the news; Lucky refuses to let similar fear rule her life, and strikes out on her own instead. An adventure into the heady joys and dangerous drawbacks of true freedom, Confessions of a Wild Child is unforgettable from beginning to end. 5 CDs, 6 hours.

The Last Enchantments
Charles Finch, author
Luke Daniels, narrator
Macmillan Audio
175 Fifth Avenue, Suite 315
New York, NY 10010
9781427241382 $39.99 www.macmillanaudio.com

The Last Enchantments: A Novel is the unabridged audiobook adaptation of an original novel about two people who are either the best or the worst thing to happen to one another. Set in the contemporary social world of Oxford, The Last Enchantments follows Yale graduate William Baker, his academic friends, and the intelligent young woman who turns his life upside down. A bonus interview with the author enhances this absorbing, lyrical, atmospheric, and at times bittersweet romantic adventure. 9 CDs, 11 hours.

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

David Baldacci's KING AND MAXWELL (9781478925002, $30.00) is narrated by Ron McLarty with Orlagh Cassidy, and returns the characters of Sean King and Michelle Maxwell, former Secret Service agents turned private investigators, in their most gripping case. What begins as a tragic story about a soldier father's death in Afghanistan turns into a mystery when Tyler receives communication from him. He hires Sean and Michelle to investigate - but their probe leads to something even more dangerous, involving them in fast-paced world of treachery and intrigue that comes to life in audio. James Patterson's CROSS MY HEART (9781611130348, $35.00) receives a fine dual narration by Michael Boatman and Tom Wopat and provides an equally fine Alex Cross story that tells of how one man's understanding of his enemy's life will lead to his ability to threaten the ones Cross loves most. But if Alex tries to use his skills to save them - they will die. This is thriller writing at its best, spiced by an unabridged saga that packs in keys to understanding Alex Cross's life and abilities: perfect for prior fans of the series. Boatman and Wopat also provide an abridged reading of the title (9781478924951, $25.00) which captures the drama of the full-length reading and loses nothing in translation. Michael Connelly's THE GODS OF GUILT (9781600247262, $40.00) receives a fine narration by Peter Giles, a L.A. actor with many film and TV credits to his name, and offers a courtroom thriller revolving around a lawyer's murder case where the victim was his former client. Is Mickey to blame for this tragedy? A spellbinding novel of intrigue and justice will attract any reader looking for a blend of legal intrigue and mystery.

Random House Audio Books
c/o The Random House Publishing Group
1745 Broadway, 5th floor, New York, NY 10019
www.randomhouseaudio.com

Dave Eggers's THE CIRCLE (9780804191166, $45.00) is narrated by Dion Graham, who lends life and his award-winning Audie Award voice to the story of a powerful internet company which has created a linked world of users' personal lives. The Circle, run from a California campus, has high-end parties, clubs and more and Mae is so lucky to be hired to work for them - or, is she? As she discovers more about her new employers, she also uncovers a deadly game that soon turns her idealism into a truly dangerous game. A fine story of intrigue evolves, certain to capture many with its vivid and changing plot! Joe Scarborough's THE RIGHT PATH (9780804190312, $35.00) receives a fine reading by George Newbern, whose film credits are extensive, and who lends a seasoned and well-done voice to this story of how Republicans once were prominent in American politics, from Ike to Reagan - and how they can rise again. It considers the political history and effective individuals of the party, its ideals, and analyzes the problems of the modern party. Its blend of history and political commentary makes for a fine audio survey. Deepak Chopra, MD's WHAT ARE YOU HUNGRY FOR? (9780804128605, $35.00) provides a fine guide to weight loss, well-being and spirituality and considers how life's complications leads people astray, into habits which are hard to change. The desire for happiness is one factor that can lead to fulfillment - and all choices boil down to a single question: "What am I hungry for?" The answer is the heart of an audio, narrated by the author, that will help listeners identify the direction where an answer may be found. Self-help collections will find this enlightening and striking. Janet Evanovich's TAKEDOWN TWENTY (9780385366762, $32.00) is narrated by Lorelei King, an actress and winning narrator who has recorded over 200 audios, and tells of a New Jersey bounty hunter, Stephanie Plum, who finds herself up against the mob when one Salvatore goes on the lam. It's up to Stephanie to not only find him, but help solve the strange death of a top client's mother. Family relationships, elusive killers, and intrigue make for an involving story that comes alive on audio! Tom Clancy's COMMAND AUTHORITY (9780804163941, $50.00) receives a fine reading by Lou Diamond Phillips, who holds film credits and a voice that is compelling and clear, and tells of Jack Ryan Junior, who must investigate when an old family friend is poisoned by a radioactive agent traced back to a Russian source. Involved in the investigation are international politics and campaigns to fight Russian aggression, along with a global conflict that could destroy the world. Intrigue, espionage, and mystery permeate a fast-paced story line that comes alive in audio and keeps listeners engrossed to its unpredictable conclusion.


The Library CD Shelf

Keme Borama
Tiecoro Sissoko
Kanga System Krush
c/o Press Junkie PR
9901 Brodie Lane, Suite 160, PMB 221, Austin, TX 78748
$TBA www.amazon.com

For a time, the nation of Mali endured a ban on music imposed by Islamic extremists in the north; even in the south, the secular government feared that musical performances would prompt violence. Though French forces have since driven back the Islamic rebels, fear and the threat of violence hang a heavy shadow over the traditional singers and performers whose compositions are a living, breathing part of Mali's culture. Traditionally, Griot singers such as Tiecoro Sissoko have served as oral historians, genealogists, storytellers and news carriers; their traditions have been an indissoluble cultural glue. Keme Borama encapsulates a piece of Mali's beautiful, musical heritage, preserving classic folk songs and adding original flair to choice ballads. Sissoko's album is a treasury worthy of the highest recommendation, especially for international music collections. The tracks are "Keme Borama", "Fatou", "Jaora Konya Donkili", "Ti ta ti", "Sa Funke", "Nyari Guasa", "Haidara Sirifo", "Sori ya ya bende", and "Instrumental".

Sembeh Ma Fa Fe: Roots Volume
Stronghold Sound
Privately Published
www.strongholdsound.com
Press Junkie PR
9901 Brodie Lane, Suite 160, PMB 221
Austin, TX 78748
$15.34 CD / $8.99 MP3 www.amazon.com

Sembeh Ma Fa Fe: Roots Volume is another collection of grassroots soul, folk, salsa, and djembe (a goblet-drum played with bare hands) music from Guinea. A wide assortment of African artists contribute to this explosively resounding expression of Guinea's rich musical culture and heritage. Sembeh Ma Fa Fe ("Strong Sound Coming" in the Susu language) is a "must-have" for collections showcasing African and international music! The tracks are "Blondi", "Saran", "Aisha, My Baby Blondi", "MyBaby", "Cissoko", "Aisha", "Blondi", "MyBaby", "Captain Planet", "Boima + Giku", "J-Boogie", "Dub Snakkr", "Balandougou Kan", "Balandougou Kan", and "Balandougou Kan".

Between Love and Luck
Badi Assad
www.badiassad.cm
BodyAcid/ASCAP
c/o Rock Paper Scissors
511 West 4th Street, Suite 2
Bloomington, IN 47404
$TBA www.rockpaperscissors.biz

Winner of the 2013 USA Songwriting Competition (World category), Brazilian guitarist Badi Assad presents Between Love and Luck, her first new album since 2006. Badi had been absent from the musical scene to have more time to raise her daughter, and her songs course with the joy of motherhood as well as love by moonlight, the sparkle of sunrise, and immersion in priceless memories. Between Love and Luck is a romantic album worthy of being treasured! The tracks are "Ultraleve" (3:35), "Pega No Coco" (3:38), "Between Truth and Luck" (4:04), "Vinheta Noite" (0:33), "Noite de Sao Joao" (3:19), "Quarto da Rainha" (2:49), "Catch" (3:55), "Vinheta Coracao" (0:30), "To Reach My Heart" (4:44), "O Barco Daqui de Dentro" (3:48), "Eu Vim Daquele Lugar" (4:02), "Spicy Moments" (4:29), "Mulheres e Cunhantas" (3:37), and "Mar Egeu" (3:47).

Casa de Trova
Alejandro Almenares with Angel Almenares
Rock Paper Scissors
511 West 4th Street, Suite 2
Bloomington, IN 47404
www.rockpaperscissors.biz
$16.89 CD / $8.99 MP3 www.amazon.com

Casa de Trova ("House of the Troubadours" or "House of Ballads") is an exciting music album, named after a nigh-legendary concept in Cuban music lore. Celebrating the idea of a place where friends congregate to make music, veteran performer Alejandro Almenares (born in Santiago de Cuba, 1937) shares his love of the art with thirteen original musical creations blending Spanish vocals and brisk, lively melodies. Casa de Trova is two-CD set; one CD features the music with vocals, while the other is purely instrumental - perfect for those who either want to sing unassisted or simply enjoy the songs' flowing beauty on its own terms. Highly recommended, especially for personal and public library international music collections. The tracks are "No critiques al nene" (4:20), "La finca de Vila" (4:13), "Mujercita linda" (4:23), "Te vi y te contemple" (4:27), "El son de Vicentico" (4:22), "A tu retrato" (2:15), "La chica de mi rosal" (3:53), "Esa guitarra que suena" (3:25), "Lechero" (3:49), "La nina que yo ame" (4:02), "De lo que quiero saber" (3:31), "Pepillito" (3:58), "Con amor te pagare" (4:07).

Pavane
Paul Higgs
www.paulhiggs.com
Toucan Tango Music Ltd.
c/o The Creative Service Company
4360 Emerald Drive
Colorado Springs, CO 80918
www.thecreativeservicecompany.com
$12.97 CD / $9.99 download www.cdbaby.com

British trumpet player Paul Higgs presents Pavane, an album showcasing his talent with the trumpet and piano alongside fellow jazz ensemble musicians playing the drums, classical guitar, cello/viola, and more. Named after the 16th century form of classic music ideal for a slow, dignified dance, Pavane is as stirring as it is timeless, atmopsheric, and evocative. The tracks are "Crystalline" (4:39), "The Glow of Evening" (3:37), "A Simple Truth" (4:45), "Parisienne Affair" (3:17), "Catalonia" (4:43), "Pavane" (3:24), "Clocks" (4:22), "Vale and Valley" (4:29), "Salvation" (3:32), "Shadows and Desire" (4:11), and "Song of the Siren" (4:02).

Ay De Mi
Rafi eL
www.rafielmusic.com
Dutty Artz
www.duttyartz.com
c/o Press Junkie PR
9901 Brodie Lane, Suite 160, PMB 221, Austin, TX 78748
$TBA CD / $7.99 download www.itunes.com

An eclectic, jubilant outpouring of Latin rhythm, South American folk tradition, and the joy of dance, Ay De Mi is Rafi eL's full-length debut album. Shifting from rap to melody, and from English to Spanish, the tracks reflect Rafi eL's love of experimenting with Latino, reggae, and other unique cultural elements of in a holistic fusion. Enthusiastically recommended, especially for its one-of-a-kind flair! The tracks are "Senda", "Suspiro", "Dolor", "Madrugada", "Colapso", "Know Your Heart", "San Marcos", "Pon La Olla", "Icaro", "Zambacueca", and "Tra Ba (Ft. Buyepongo)".

River Serene
Timothy Wenzel
Privately Published
c/o The Creative Service Company
4360 Emerald Drive
Colorado Springs, CO 80918
www.thecreativeservicecompany.com
$17.03 CD / $8.99 MP3 www.amazon.com

River Serene is a beautiful CD of electro-acoustic synthesizer and instrumental music, created to appeal to the senses and entrance the soul. The compositions are thematically arranged around the concepts of water ("the source of all things living"), love ("the reason we are here"), light ("cannot exist without darkness", and dreams ("what we hold so dear"). The refreshing, soothing melodies are a wonderful way to unwind, aid in meditation, or inspire gentle dreams. Highly recommended. The tracks are "Rain Coming Down" (4:03), "River Serene" (3:22), "Before the Rain" (3:42), "First Dance" (4:21), "A Midnight Rose" (4:15), "Such a Long Time" (4:53), "Winter's Light" (4:14), "A Twilight Pause" (4:39), "The Night Train" (4:48), "The Bridge To Our Dreams" (3:53), "Passage" (3:59), and "The Child" (2:48).

Nocturnes
Dan Chadburn
www.DanChadburn.com
Privately Published
c/o The Creative Service Company
4360 Emerald Drive
Colorado Springs, CO 80918
www.thecreativeservicecompany.com
$12.48 CD / $8.99 MP3 www.amazon.com

The fourth album by Dan Chadburn, Nocturnes features original, instrumental songs crafted with a nighttime theme. Chaburn's superb piano playing complemented by other musicians on the English horn, French horn, violin, and viola drifts seamlessly through this elegant listening experience, evoking strong memories and wonder. Highly recommended, especially for connoisseurs of unique piano compositions. The tracks are "Twilight" (3:59), "Anne's Lullaby" (3:16), "Stars" (4:19), "Abundance" (3:48), "Mystery" (4:17), "Once Upon a Time" (3:47), "Bella's Lullaby" (3:58), "The Road" (3:53), "Quiet Soul" (3:49), "Peter's Theme" (3:35), "Journey Home" (4:02), and "Sunrise" (4:03).

Emotion
John Stein & The Mingotan Project
Whaling City Sound
1310 Tucker Road, No. Dartmouth, MA 02747
www.whalingcitysound.com
c/o Mixed Media Publicity
20 Lockmere Road, Cranston, RI 02910
www.mixedmediapromo.com
$18.39 CD / $8.99 MP3 www.amazon.com

Guitar player John Stein combines his talent with The Mingotan Project (Matias Mingote German on drums, Rebecca Kleinmann playing flutes, Evan Harlan on the accordion, and John Lockwood playing bass) in Emotion, a vibrant album blending elements of North American jazz and African-American tango, with a dash of klezmer and other musical styles. The result is a liberating, passionate collection of vibrant, complex songs that cut to the heart of rhythmic connection. A "must-have" for connoisseurs of jazz and tango alike! The tracks are "Julieta" (5:03), "Empanadas" (4:33), "I Thought About You" (6:29), "Recoleta" (6:54), "Le Causse Du Quercy" (5:17), "Biei" (5:39), "Have You Met Miss Jones" (4:05), "Ira's Tango" (4:20), "Stepping Stones" (6:27), and "Oblivion" (4:22).


The Library DVD Shelf

Japanese American Incarceration 1942-1945
Bennet Watt HD Productions, Inc.
13021 - 244 Avenue SE
Issaquah, WA 98027
9781604901726 $24.95 www.Bennett-Watt.com

Part of the "Discoveries... America National Parks" series, Japanese American Incarceration 1942-1945 is a documentary about places of twentieth-century American injustice on a colossal scale. In 1942, after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, the American government ordered the extended detention of 110,000 Japanese-Americans and legal immigrants. Men, women & children were forced from their homes, and kept alive in remote, militarized concentration camps. Disease took a lethal toll on an imprisoned, innocent population - not a single one of them was ever convicted of espionage or sabotage. In order to remind the nation that such an egregious violation of civil and human rights must never happen again, The National Park Service has preserved several camp locations, while Densho.org records the firsthand account of concentration camp survivors. Gut-wrenching, profound, and an unforgettable lesson of history, Japanese American Incarceration 1942-1945 is a "must-have" for public library DVD shelves. 50 min.

Secrets of Ancient Egypt
Athena Learning
athenalearning.com
c/o Acorn Media / RLJ Entertainment
9781621721178 $49.99 www.acornonline.com

Secrets of Ancient Egypt is a documentary anthology of four programs about what the latest findings in the fields of biology, archaeology, geology, zoology, and Egyptology tell us about the ancient Egyptians, who developed one of the first advanced civilizations in the world. "Secrets of the Pharaohs: A Quest for Ancient DNA" investigates whether genetics (especially genetic deformities that cropped up from keeping the royal bloodline "pure" through inbreeding) precipitated the end of Tutankhamen's dynasty. "Quest of the Golden Mummies" takes the viewer on the tour of an excavated catacomb of mummies, to learn more about the history of a lost people. "Secrets of the Sands" investigates the sand of the Sahara in a quest to discover the origins of the pyramids. "The Sacred Animals of the Pharaohs" investigates how the ancient Egyptians viewed animals, deriving clues from mummified animal remains. Bonus features include an extra "Realm of the Dead" program about ancient Egyptian funerary practices, and a 12-page viewer's guide. An amazing and informative glimpse into Egypt's storied past, Secrets of Ancient Egypt is highly recommended especially for high school, college, and public library DVD collections. 2 DVDs, 207 min. plus 50 min. bonus program, SDH subtitles.

Ballroom Confidential
Directed by Brian Lilla
Original Soundscore Axel Herrera
Produced by JoAnn Lilla
Lilla Films
c/o Green Galactic (publicity)
$20.00 www.ballroomconfidential.com

Award-winning filmmaker Brian Lilla presents Ballroom Confidential, a documentary available on both DVD and video on demand. The saga follows older and senior citizen women learning the exuberance and passion of ballroom dancing, with the aid of their (often much younger) instructors. Ballroom Confidential is not only about the beauty of the dance; it's about living life to the fullest at any age, even rediscovering joy after losing one's beloved husband. The dance studio owner, Caleb Young, has his own story to tell; he's a former New York City singer and drag queen performer who sought to rebuild his life in his home state of Florida, and discovered the overwhelming demand for ballroom dance lessons after he opened his own studio. Engaging, graceful, and witty, Ballroom Confidential is highly recommended. 1 hour 24 min.

The Agatha Christie Hour: Complete Collection
Acorn Media
c/o RLJ Entertainment
9781621722038 $59.99 www.acornonline.com

Originally broadcast as part of PBS's "Mystery!" series, The Agatha Christie Hour: Complete Collection gathers all ten television adaptations of Christie's classic murder mysteries. Superbly performed, they tell stories of intrigue, romance, keen-minded intellect, and the dark desires that culminate in deadly violence. An absolute "must-have" for mystery lovers everywhere, especially fans of Christie's unforgettable works! Extras include a biography of Agatha Christie and "Parker Pyne: Before Poirot". The stories are "The Case of the Middle-Aged Wife", "In a Glass Darkly", "The Girl in the Train", "The Fourth Man", "The Case of the Discontented Soldier", "Magnolia Blossom", "The Mystery of the Blue Jar", "The Red Signal", "Jane in Search of a Job", and "The Manhood of Edward Robinson". 10 episodes on 4 DVDs, 517 min., fullscreen, SDH subtitles.

Acne: An Overview
Focus Medica
www.focusmedica.com
c/o International Publishers Marketing
22841 Quicksilver Drive, Dulles, VA 20166
9789814206648 $24.95 www.internationalpubmarket.com

Acne: An Overview is an educational DVD about this common skin disorder. Discussing how pimples form, their different classifications, symptoms, treatment options, and self-care guidelines, Acne: An Overview is thoroughly accessible to viewers of all backgrounds. Highly recommended, especially for public, high school, and college library DVD shelves.

Xmas Without China
Bullfrog Films, Inc.
PO Box 149
Oley, PA 19547
1937772993 $275.00 www.bullfrogfilms.com

Licensed for public performance, Xmas Without China is a document exploring consumerism in America, in the modern era where China dominates manufactured goods. Chinese immigrant Tom Xia, who stays close to his extended family back home, dislikes how China is often misunderstood or stereotyped by the American media. He challenges fellow suburbanite Americans to celebrate Christmas without any Chinese products - a daunting task that may necessitate an unusually austere holidy. But then Tom meets the Joneses, a family that fears for their children when a recall of Chinese-made toys forces them to have their son tested for lead poisoning. The Joneses decide to change their entire way of life by giving up all the Chinese-made products they can - toys, plates, lamps, clothes, hair dryer, coffeemaker, Xbox, and more. Meanwhile, Tom's parents are proudly building a new home from Chinese materials. Is there a way to bridge cultural divides and ensure better product safety standards for all? Honest and thought-provoking, Xmas Without China raises more questions than answers, and is highly recommended. 63 min., SDH captioned.

School's Out: Lessons from a Forest Kindergarten
Directed by Lisa Molomot
Bullfrog Films, Inc.
PO Box 149, Oley, PA 19547
1937772985 $225.00 www.bullfrogfilms.com

School's Out: Lessons from a Forest Kindergarten is a DVD about a kindergarten in a Switzerland suburb, where children ages 4 to 7 attend kindergarten in the local woods every day, rain, shine, or snow. Interviews with parents, teachers, alumni and child development experts along with observational footage of children at play in a forest kindergarten (contrasted with scenes from a standard U.S. kindergarten) reveal how this schooling method works on a practical level. An intriguing look at a different approach to early education, School's Out is especially recommended for early childhood educators.

We Heart Yoga: Prenatal Flow
With Jessica James
Privately Published
c/o 411 Video Information
PO Box 1223
Pebble Beach, CA 93953
www.411videoinfo.com
$22.95 www.weheartyoga.com

We Heart Yoga: Prenatal Flow is a DVD of three complete yoga sequences created especially to aid pregnant women with physical fitness, and preparation for a healthy childbirth. A 20 min. cardio set allows for quick warmup; a 40 min. power set is devoted to strength-building especially for a pregnant woman's changing body; and a 60 min. set blends deep stretches with positive-themed, guided meditation. A bonus 10 min. meditation works specifically to prepare expecting mothers for labor and delivery. Mother Jessica James created the DVD while preparing for the birth of her second child; she speaks about the changes and challenges that affect one's body during pregnancy. Voiceover instruction and a calm musical score that can be turned on or off complement the straightforward, beginner-friendly yoga poses and activities. We Heart Yoga is intended as a supplementary resource, not a replacement for childbirth classes, and it is critical to get a doctor's opinion before undertaking a new exercise regimen (even more so in the case of high-risk pregnancies). With those caveats in mind, We Heart Yoga: Prenatal Flow is an excellent gift for moms-to-be, highly recommended. 135 min.


The Christian Studies Shelf

Christian Spirituality for Seekers
Roger Haight
Orbis Books
PO Box 308
Maryknoll, NY 10545-0308
9781570759871 $25.00 www.orbisbooks.com

Christian Spirituality for Seekers: Reflections on the Spiritual Exercises of Ignatius Loyola is an in-depth examination of spiritual activities composed in the sixteenth century, and considered to be a cornerstone of Jesuit spirituality and formation. Chapters discuss Ignatius Loyola's life before and after his religious conversion, descriptions and interpretations of the exercises, reflections on Biblical passages suitable for accompanying the spiritual exercises, and much more. An index rounds out this thoughtful, seminal discussion, suitable for scholarly, ministry, or personal self-study.

Pope Francis: Why He Leads the Way He Leads
Chris Lowney
www.chrislowney.com
Loyola Press
3441 North Ashland Avenue
Chicago, IL 60657
9780829440089 $22.95 www.LoyolaBooks.org

Former Jesuit seminarian Chris Lowney presents Pope Francis: Why He Leads the Way He Leads - Lessons from the first Jesuit Pope, a thoughtful examination of the Jesuit influences in Pope Francis' efforts to lead through faith, wisdom, and example. "The Jesuit founder Ignatius knew nothing of psychology or decision science, but, as it turns out, he intuitively grasped human nature. He had learned the hard way: he made plenty of bad calls early in life. Eager to spare others the same fate, he conceived what we might call 'spiritual technologies,' wise guidance through the tortuous path to good choices, whether about careers and relationships, business plans, or even the future direction of the Church... Pope Francis's approach to leading the Church has turned out to be a master class in decision tools and attitudes bequeathed to him by his Jesuit formation." A respectful examination that looks to both the past and the future, Pope Francis: Why He Leads the Way He Leads is inspirational from cover to cover.

Your Power Is On!
Sally Ann Roberts, author
Eric Paulsen, photographer
Pelican Publishing Company
1000 Burmaster Street
Gretna, LA 70053-2246
9781455619023 $19.95 www.pelicanpub.com

Your Power Is On! A Little Book of Hope is an inspirational pairing of beautiful, full-color nature photography and passages from the Bible. For example one page shows a rushing, tree-lined waterfall outside of Portland, Oregon next to the quote, "The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life, of whom shall I be afraid?" (Psalm 27:1, KJV). Your Power Is On! is a browser's source of joy and reverence, and makes an excellent giftbook for fellow Christians. Highly recommended.

The Story of the Holy Land
Pete Walker
Lion Hudson
c/o Kregel Publications
PO Box 2607, Grand Rapids, MI 49501
www.kregelpublications.com
9780745955827, $19.95, www.amazon.com

Beautifully and profusely illustrated throughout with full color photography, "The Story of the Holy Land: A Visual History" by Pete Walker (Professor of Biblical Studies, Trinity School for Ministry, Ambridge, Pennsylvania) is a 176 page compendium providing an visually enhanced historical overview of the Holy Land from Biblical times down to the present day. An erudite commentary organized and presented in seven informative and chronologically presented chapters is wonderfully illustrated on almost every page. Enhanced with the inclusion of a bibliography of further readings and a map of the Holy Land, "The Story of the Holy Land: A Visual History" is truly extraordinary and highly recommended for personal, family, church, and community library collections.

Witnesses to Mystery
Grzegorz Gorny & Janusz Rosikon
Ignatius Press
PO Box 1339, Fort Collins, CO 80522
www.ignatius.com
9781586178444, $34.95, www.amazon.com

In religion, a relic is a part of the body of a saint or a venerated person, or else another type of ancient religious object, carefully preserved for purposes of veneration or as a touchable or tangible memorial. Relics are an important aspect of some forms of Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Shamanism, and many other religions. The word relic comes from the Latin reliquiae, meaning "remains" or "something left behind" (the same root as relinquish). A reliquary is a shrine that houses one or more religious relics. "Witnesses to Mystery: Investigations Into Christ's Relics" by Grzegorz Gorny and Janusz Rosikon is a beautifully and profusely illustrated, 336 page compendium deftly organized into chapters on The Turin Shroud; The True Cross; The Holy Nails; The Sudarium of Oviedo; The Tunic of Argenteuil; The Holy Coat of Trier; The Veil of Manoppello; The Pillar of Scourging; The Crown of Thorns. Of special note are the last two chapters: The Investigations Continue (the spear of destiny, the sandals and cloths of Jesus) and Golgotha and the Empty Tomb. Enhanced with the inclusion of a Relics Map, The Way of the Cross, a Timeline, a glossary, and an index, "Witnesses to Mystery: Investigations Into Christ's Relics" is a fascinating and informative read, as well as a very highly recommended addition to personal, church, community, and academic library Christian Studies reference collections and supplemental reading lists.

15 Days of Prayer with Blessed Frederic Ozanam
Christian Verheyde
New City Press
202 Cardinal Rd., Hyde Park, NY 12538
www.newcitypress.com
9781565484870, $12.95, www.amazon.com

Antoine-Frederic Ozanam (April 23, 1813 - September 8, 1853) was a French scholar. He founded with fellow students the Conference of Charity, later known as the Society of Saint Vincent de Paul. He was beatified by Pope John Paul II in the Cathedral of Notre Dame de Paris in 1997, hence he may be properly called Blessed Frederic by Catholics. "15 Days of Prayer with Blessed Frederic Ozanam" is a 140 page compendium comprised of selected meditations by Frederic Ozanam compiled by Christian Verheyde for the benefit of Roman Catholic congregations. Of special note is the Historical Overview providers readers to whom this might be their first introduction to a most remarkable man. Very highly recommended reading, it should be noted that "15 Days of Prayer with Blessed Frederic Ozanam" is also available in a Kindle edition ($9.95).

Living Faith: Embracing God's Callings
Keith Graber Miller
Cascadia Publishing House
126 Klingerman Road, Telford, PA 18969
www.CascadiaPublishingHouse.com
9781931038942, $12.95, www.amazon.com

Anabaptists are Christians whose theological roots are in the Radical Reformation of 16th century Europe. Although some consider the Anabaptist movement to be an offshoot of Protestantism, others see it as a distinct movement in its own right with the Amish, the Hutterites, and the Mennonites as being direct descendants of the Anabaptist movement. "Living Faith: Embracing God's Callings" by Keith Graber Miller (Professor of Bible, Religion, and Philosophy, Goshen College and an ordained minister in the Mennonite Church) is a 128 page compendium comprised of erudite commentary on the Christian vocation within an Anabaptist historical context and in the present day. As inspired and inspiring as it is thoughtful and thought-provoking, "Living Faith: Embracing God's Callings" is a richly rewarding and highly recommended read. It should be noted that "Living Faith: Embracing God's Callings" is also available in a Kindle edition ($9.99).

The First New Testament: Marcion's Scriptural Canon
Jason D. BeDuhn
Polebridge Press
900 State Street, Salem, Oregon 97301-3922
www.polebridgepress.com
9781598151312, $29.00, www.amazon.com

The first ecclesiastic of the first century Christian movement to compile an anthology sacred writings and advocate them as a canon of scripture for Christian study and theology, Marcion of Sinope (c. 85 - c. 160) was a bishop in city of Sinope (in what is now Turkey). His theology completely rejected the existence of the deity described in the Jewish Scriptures and in distinction affirmed the Father of Christ to be the true God. He was denounced by the Church Fathers and he chose to separate himself from the Imperial Church. Nonetheless he performed a pivotal role in the development of the New Testament canon that with modifications would be the basis for the accepted body of sacred writings authorized by the Council of Nicea at the behest of the Roman emperor Constantine. In "The First New Testament: Marcion's Scriptural Canon", Jason BeDuhn (Professor of the Comparative Study of Religions, Northern Arizona university) presents the earliest known version of the New Testament, now presented to the general public in English for the first time! Professor BeDuhn introduces Marcion, reconstructing his text, and explores his impact on the study of Luke-Acts, the two-source theory, and the Q hypothesis. A work of impressive scholarship, "The First New Testament: Marcion's Scriptural Canon" is enhanced with copious chapter notes, and extensive bibliography, and a comprehensive index, making it very highly recommended for personal, church, seminary, community, and academic library Christian Studies reference collections and supplemental reading lists.

What Church Leaders Really Need To Know
Robert H. Naylor
The Pilgrim Press
700 Prospect Avenue East, Cleveland, OH 44115-1100
www.pilgrimpress.com
9780829819748, $18.00, www.amazon.com

"What Church Leaders Really Need to Know: A Practical How-To Guide" is a 212 page compendium comprising what is essentially an instruction manual for anyone charged with a leadership responsibility within the context of their congregation. Informed and informative, "What Church Leaders Really Need To Know" is comprehensive and at times even inspirational. Of special note are the occasional checklists provided the reader. Thoroughly 'user friendly' and enhanced with appendices, copious notes, and a thematically appropriate bibliography, "What Church Leaders Really Need To Know" is very highly recommended for personal, professional, seminary, church, and community library reference collections and supplemental reading lists.

Orbis Books
PO Box 308, Maryknoll, NY 10545-0308
www.orbisbooks.com

Gustavo Gutierrez's A THEOLOGY OF LIBERATION (9780883445426, $24.00) provides a new edition of a classic which appeared 15 years ago, and which influenced and began a worldwide discussion of liberation theology. This new presentation includes a revision of a key section of the original, adds essays that review how liberation theology has evolved, and provides text that has been completely revised with inclusive language. From the Church as a sacrament of salvation to political action in Christian history, this is a powerful scholarly analysis that belongs in any Christian collection. Gustavo Gutierrez's WE DRINK FROM OUR OWN WELLS: THE SPIRITUAL JOURNEY OF A PEOPLE (9781570754968, $24.00) is presented in a 20th anniversary edition to provide a classic exploration of Latin American spirituality, and should be part of any collection that has enjoyed popularity with Dominican priest Gustavo Gutierrez's classic A Theology of Liberation. It explores Latin American spirituality and history and considers the struggles of the poor and their efforts to follow Jesus Christ. From changes experienced by the Latin American church to biblical passages reflecting on service and the progression of spiritual growth in Latin America, this is a powerful survey Christian scholars will find specific and outstanding.


The Judaic Studies Shelf

Jewish Customs of Kabbalistic Origin
Morris M. Faierstein
Academic Studies Press
28 Montfern Avenue, Brighton, MA 02135
www.academicstudiespress.com
9781618112521, $59.00, www.amazon.com

Kabbalah (a Hebrew word, literally "receiving/tradition") is an esoteric method, discipline, and school of thought that originated in Judaism and the Oriental Hermetic tradition. A traditional Kabbalist in Judaism is called a Mekubal ("sage"). "Jewish Customs of Kabbalistic Origin: Their Origin and Practice" by academician and Kabbalah expert Morris M. Faierstein, is a 190 page compendium providing an historical context and description of how Jewish religious practices were impacted by the Kabbalists of Safed in the 16th century. Of special note are Faierstein's descriptive explanations of the meanings of specific practices and rituals. Very highly recommended for academic library Judaic Studies reference collections, "Jewish Customs of Kabbalistic Origin: Their Origin and Practice" is so exceptionally well written and presented that it would be completely accessible to non-specialist general readers with an interest in the Kabbalah. It should be noted for academic librarians seeking to enhanced their Judaic Studies collections, that the Academic Studies Press has more outstanding and highly recommended titles: "Russian Idea--Jewish Presence: Essays on Russian-Jewish Intellectual Life" (9781936235612, $59.00); "Faith: Jewish Perspectives" (9781618112828, $89.00); "New Perspectives in Theology of Judaism" (9781618112675, $79.00); "Identity and Pedagogy: Shoah Education in Israeli State Schools" (9781936235810, $85.00) to cite just a few.

Kabbalah in Art and Architecture
Alexander Gorlin
Pointed Leaf Press
136 Baxter Street, New York, NY 10013
9781938461071, $60.00, www.pointedleafpress.com

The Kabbalastic idea of creation is expressed through light, space and geometric and this guide uses a range of historical materials and images in modern art to explore the influence of Kabbalistic spirituality on modern design. Now, this could have been featured in our Arts section and likely will be viewed by art readers; but it's reviewed here for its importance to any spiritual reader interested in Kabbalah's mystical philosophy and form. Ten chapters outline the Kabbalah's representations, history, and reinterpretation in art and architecture, making this a unique presentation worthy of consideration for both kinds of collection.


The Buddhist Studies Shelf

The Buddha: The Social-Revolutionary Potential Of Buddhism
Trevor Ling
Pariyatti
867 Larmon Road, Onalaska, WA 98570
www.pariyatti.org
9781938754326, $17.95, www.amazon.com

Originally published in 1973, "The Buddha: The Social-Revolutionary Potential Of Buddhism" has been brought back into print with this 40th Anniversary Edition featuring an introduction by Paul R. Fleishman. This 264 page compendium is comprised of four major sections (Perspectives; North India in the Sixth Century BC; Buddhist Civilization in Principle; Buddhist Civilization in Practice) of Buddhist history and philosophy, in terms of its impact upon the civilizations that adopted it and the cultures that encountered it. Informed, informative, superbly well written, organized and presented, "The Buddha: The Social-Revolutionary Potential Of Buddhism" is strongly recommended reading for students of Buddhism, as well as an invaluable addition to community and academic library Buddhist Studies reference collections. It should be noted that "The Buddha: The Social-Revolutionary Potential Of Buddhism" is also available in a Kindle edition ($3.99).


The Religion/Spirituality Shelf

Spirit Of Faith: Life After Death
Baha'i Publishing
415 Linden Avenue, Wilmette, IL 60091-2844
www.BahaiBooksUSA.com
9781618510471, $12.00, www.amazon.com

The Baha'i Faith is a monotheistic religion emphasizing the spiritual unity of all humankind. Three core principles establish a basis for Baha'i teachings and doctrine: the unity of God, that there is only one God who is the source of all creation; the unity of religion, that all major religions have the same spiritual source and come from the same God; and the unity of humanity, that all humans have been created equal, and that diversity of race and culture are seen as worthy of appreciation and acceptance. According to the Baha'i teachings the human purpose is to learn to know and love God through such methods as prayer, reflection, and being of service to humanity. The Baha'i Faith was founded by Baha'u'llah in 19th-century Persia. Baha'u'llah was exiled for his teachings, from Persia to the Ottoman Empire, and died while officially being a prisoner. After Baha'u'llah's death, under the leadership of his son, Abdu'l-Baha, the religion spread from its Persian and Ottoman roots, and gained a footing in Europe and America, and was consolidated in Iran, where it suffers intense persecution. After the death of Abdu'l-Baha, the leadership of the Baha'i community entered a new phase, evolving from a single individual to an administrative order with both elected bodies and appointed individuals. There are probably more than 5 million Baha'is around the world in more than 200 countries and territories. Compiled by the editorial staff of Baha'i Publishing, "Spirit Of Faith: Life After Death" is a compact 165 page compendium comprised of selected writings of Baha'u'llah, the Bab, and Abdul-Baha. Enhanced with extensive notes and a bibliography, "Spirit Of Faith: Life After Death" is very highly recommended reading and a valued addition to personal, community, and academic library religion/spirituality collections.

Emanuel Swedenborg: Exploring a "World Memory"
Karl Grandin, editor
Swedenborg Publishers
320 North Church Street, West Chester, PA 19380
www.swedenborg.com
9780877853510, $44.95, 376pp, www.amazon.com

Emanuel Swedenborg (29 January 1688 - 29 March 1772) was a Swedish scientist, philosopher, theologian, revelator, and, in the eyes of some, Christian mystic. Swedenborg had a prolific career as an inventor and scientist. In 1741, at age 53, he entered into a spiritual phase in which he began to experience dreams and visions, beginning on Easter weekend of April 6, 1744. This culminated in a 'spiritual awakening', in which he received revelation that he was appointed by the Lord to write the The Heavenly Doctrine to reform Christianity. According to The Heavenly Doctrine the Lord had opened Swedenborg's spiritual eyes, so that from then on he could freely visit heaven and hell and talk with angels, demons and other spirits; and the Last Judgment had already occurred, in 1757. For the remaining 28 years of his life, Swedenborg wrote 18 published theological works, and several more which were unpublished. Some followers of The Heavenly Doctrine believe that, of his theological works, only those which Swedenborg published himself are fully divinely inspired. "Emanuel Swedenborg--Exploring a "World Memory": Context, Content, Contribution" is a compilation comprised of twenty major papers given at a symposium on Swedenborg's work within an historical context, as well as his influence on future generations with respect to philosophy and the arts ranging from Ralph Waldo Emerson and Czeslaw Milocz, to Elizabeth Barrett Browning and William James. As informed and informative as it is thoughtful and thought-provoking, and especially recommended for academic library collections, "Emanuel Swedenborg--Exploring a "World Memory": Context, Content, Contribution" is essential reading for students of the life and work of Emanuel Swedenborg.


The Fashion Shelf

Fifty Fashion Looks That Changed the 1990s
Paula Reed
Octopus Publishing
236 Park Avenue, New York NY 10017
9781840916270, $20.00, www.octopusbooksusa.com

Fifty Fashion Looks That Changed the 1990s comes from The Design Museum, the leading museum devoted to modern design from furniture to fashion. Author Paula Reed was recently appointed Group Fashion Designer and her gathers museum holdings to provide a rich exploration of some 50 looks from the 1990s. Top models and actresses display groundbreaking clothes in full-page black and white and color photos, while facing explanations discuss the historical significance of these outfits. Any fashion collection will consider this a 'must'.


The Art Shelf

Folinsbee Considered
Kirsten M. Jensen
Hudson Hills Press
PO Box 250, East Hampton, MA 01027-0250
www.hudsonhills.com
9781555953904, $80.00, www.amazon.com

Impressionism is a 19th-century art movement that originated with a group of Paris-based artists. Their independent exhibitions brought them to prominence during the 1870s and 1880s, in spite of harsh opposition from the conventional art community in France. The name of the style derives from the title of a Claude Monet work, Impression, soleil levant (Impression, Sunrise), which provoked the critic Louis Leroy to coin the term in a satirical review published in the Parisian newspaper Le Charivari. Impressionist painting characteristics include relatively small, thin, yet visible brush strokes, open composition, emphasis on accurate depiction of light in its changing qualities (often accentuating the effects of the passage of time), ordinary subject matter, inclusion of movement as a crucial element of human perception and experience, and unusual visual angles. John Fulton Folinsbee (March 14, 1892 - May 10, 1972) was an American landscape painter and member of the art colony at New Hope, Pennsylvania. He is best known today for his impressionist scenes of New Hope and Lambertville, New Jersey, particularly the factories, quarries, and canals along the Delaware River. "Folinsbee Considered" by Kirsten M. Jensen is a 322 page compendium showcasing the paintings of an accomplished master in the field of American impressionist painting. Of special note is Kirsten Jensen's informed and informative commentary providing a complete historical framework and background to Folinsbee's works. Replete with superbly reproduced full color plates, "Folinsbee Considered" is enhanced with a Catalogue of Selected Landscape and Genre Paintings; a Chronology; an Exhibition History 1912-2012; a bibliography (literature); and an index. "Folinsbee Considered" is an extraordinary and highly recommended addition to personal, community, and academic library American Art History collections.

The Art Of Li-Lan
Carter Ratcliff
Hudson Hills Press
PO Box 250, East Hampton, MA 01027-0250
www.hudsonhills.com
9781555953812, $50.00, www.amazon.com

Featuring an informative monograph by Carter Ratcliff, "The Art of Li-lan: A World Achieved" is a 192 page compendium showcasing the artwork of the American artist Li-Lan. With her work being shown in a number of prestigious museums and galleries, this superbly illustrated volume of her work ranges from paintings in oil on linen, to pastel and watercolors on handmade paper. Of special note are the black-and-white photos of the artist in her studio. An impressive debut volume celebrating an imaginative, gifted, and versatile artist, "The Art of Li-lan: A World Achieved" is especially recommended for inclusion into both community and academic library American Art History collections.

Colour in the Making
Black Dog Publishing
10a Acton Street
London, England, WC1X 9NG
www.blackdogonline.com
9781907317958 19.95 Brit. pounds / $29.95

Colour in the Making: From Old Wisdom to New Brilliance is an extraordinary compilation of full-color, full-page photography showcasing color pigments. The text offers a detailed history of humankind's practical use of color, from early discoveries of earth pigments to the evolution of dyes, inks, printing techniques and mass-produced manufacturing. Three extensive essays about the art, science, history, technology, and aesthetics of color enrich this visually stunning collection. A beautiful, softcover coffee-table book, enthusiastically recommended for personal art history, inspiration, and design shelves as well as public library collections.

Thames & Hudson
500 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10110-0017
www.thamesandhudsonusa.com

Mitchell Oakley Smith & Alison Kubler's ART/FASHION IN THE 21ST CENTURY (9780500239094, $60.00) is packed with over two hundred color illustrations and represents a wide-ranging survey of the interplay between fashion design and the arts. From fashion designers who work with artists on their designs and their presentation to new retail spaces evoking talents from both, this book considers the evolution of the concept of art as fashion, revealing how artists and designers are working together to move beyond their genres. Five thematic chapters profile key designers, projects, and interview major figures working in this medium. Any arts or fashion design collection will welcome this survey! Lilian Tone edits WILLIAM KENTRIDGE: FORTUNA (9780500093764, $60.00), a survey of the South African artist acclaimed for his works in drawing, sculpture, film and more. This monograph covers all of his works and gathers nearly two hundred made since 1989, exploring his different expressions and how his work reflects personal, political, and social reflections. More than a collection of images, this accompanies views of his art with his own commentaries on his working methods and influences, making this a 'must' for any interested in Kentridge's creations. Michael Petry's NATURE MORTE: CONTEMPORARY ARTISTS REINVIGORATE THE STILL-LIFE TRADITION (9780500239063, $60.00) considers how the leading artists of modern times are re-inventing the still life, and gathers still lifes that redefine what it means to be such a work of art. Painting, drawing, sculpture and more are revealed in a book arranged by the classical categories of traditional still-life tradition, with chapters showing how the symbols of each 'memento mori' represents death, change and more. With a variety of artists and styles represented, this is a 'must' for any arts holding strong in still life representations. Kahled Azzam, from The Prince's School of Traditional Arts, edits the very fine ARTS AND CRAFTS OF THE ISLAMIC LANDS (9780500517024, $60.00), and provides a fine celebration of Islamic arts and crafts recommended for arts and Islamic history holdings alike. Over a thousand illustrations in color and black and white accompany details written by the tutors at the school (one of the world's leading crafts study schools), and blends research with cultural history insights and specific analysis of materials, approaches, and how to actually craft the artworks displayed. The result is a wide-ranging survey that's a 'must' for any arts and crafts or Islamic history and culture library.


The Psychology Shelf

Psychology Of Music
Siu-Lan Tan, et al.
Psychology Press
c/o Taylor & Francis, Inc
7625 Empire Drive, Florence, KY 41042-2919
www.psypress.com
9780415651165, $49.95, www.amazon.com

Music psychology, or the psychology of music, may be regarded as a branch of psychology or a branch of musicology. It aims to explain and understand musical behavior and musical experience. Modern music psychology is mainly empirical: music-psychological knowledge tends to advance primarily on the basis of interpretations of data about musical behavior and experience, which are collected by systematic observation of and interaction with human participants. Music psychology is a field of research with practical relevance for music performance, music composition, music education, music medicine, and music therapy. "Psychology of Music: From Sound to Significance" is the collaborative effort of Siu-Lan Tan (Associate Professor of Psychology, Kalamazoo College, Michigan); Peter Pfordresher (Associate Professor of Psychology, SUNY, Buffalo, New York); and Rom Harre (Emeritus Fellow of Linacre College, Oxford University, UK). This 368 page compendium provides an informative introduction to classic and current studies in the psychology of music, deftly incorporating a comprehensive summary with critical assessments of existing research. A work of impressive scholarship throughout, "Psychology of Music: From Sound to Significance" is organized into four major sections: Foundations; The Perception and Cognition of Music; Development, Learning, and Performances; The Meaning and Significance of Music. Of special note is the chapter on 'The Emotional Power of Music'. Enhanced with a roster of bibliographic references, a name index, and a subject index, "Psychology of Music: From Sound to Significance" is a very strongly recommended addition to professional and academic library Psychological Studies and Musicology Studies reference collections and supplemental reading lists. It should be noted that "Psychology of Music: From Sound to Significance" is also available in hardcover (9781841698687, $97.85) as well as a Kindle edition ($38.29).

Puppetry in Dementia Care
Karrie Marshall
Jessica Kingsley Publishers
400 Market Street, Suite 400, Philadelphia, PA 19106
9781849053921, $34.95, www.jkp.com

Puppetry in Dementia Care: Connecting Through Creativity and Joy shows how puppetry and other art forms from music to creative storytelling can help people with dementia, and comes from the author's combined background in nursing and counseling, as well as her care home for people with complex needs. Chapters describe different scenarios in which puppetry can help these connections, exploring how they can stimulate memories and promote self-esteem. There are also strategies for introducing puppetry into daily care, and keys to using them effectively. A fine survey results, recommended for any mental health library!


The Architecture Shelf

John C. Parkin, Archives, and Photography
Linda Fraser, Michael McMordie, and Geoffrey Simmins
University of Calgary Press
2500 University Drive, N.W., Calgary, Alberta, Canada T2N 1N4
9781552486385, $59.95, www.uofcpress.com

John Cresswell Parkin, CC OOnt (March 24, 1922 - October 22, 1988) was a Canadian architect and urban planner. He received his B.Arch. from the University of Manitoba in 1944 and at Harvard University under Walter Gropius. He entered into an architectural practice with John Burnett Parkin in 1947. Projects involving Parkin included the National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, in 1976. Parkin was a Fellow of the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada. He was also a member of the Ontario Association of Architects and the Royal Canadian Academy of Arts, where he served as president from 1970 to 1980. In 1972 he was made a Companion of the Order of Canada "for his services to architecture, urban planning, industrial design and the arts". The collaborative work of Linda Fraser (Archivist and Chief Curator of the Canadian Architectural Archives), Michael McMordie (Professor Emeritus of the Faculty of Environmental Design, University of Calgary), Canadian architecture expert and exhibition curator Geoffrey Simmins, "John C. Parkin, Archives, and Photography" is a profusely illustrated, 150 page compendium comprised of five essays and one transcribed conversation between John C. Parker and Michael McMordie. Enhanced with a Selected Bibliography and a useful Index, "John C. Parkin, Archives, and Photography" is a seminal work that would prove to be an invaluable and seminal contribution to academic library Architectural Studies reference collections and supplemental reading lists.

Architecture in Photographs
Gordon Baldwin
J. Paul Getty Museum
c/o Getty Trust Publications
1200 Getty Center Drive, Suite 500
Los Angeles, CA 90049-1682
www.getty.edu
9781606061527, $24.95, www.amazon.com

From the invention of the camera down to the present day, architecture is second only to people as the favorite subject for amateur photographers. In "Architecture in Photographs", Gordon Baldwin draws upon his twenty-one years as a curator at the J. Paul Getty Museum to compile an impressive, 112 page collection of period photographs that showcase with memorable visual imagery a variety of architectural construction, objects and features chronologically arranged from antiquity to the modern age. Each image is provided with a succinct caption. A simple pleasure to browse through, "Architecture in Photographs" would also serve as a template for similar photographic projects. Recommended as an enduringly popular addition to community and academic library Photography collections, "Architecture in Photographs" would also prove to be of immense interest to scholars and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the history of architecture as well.

Creating CityCenter
William R. Smith and Scott J. Tilden, with Lynne Lavelle
W. W. Norton & Company
500 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10110
9780393733662, $45.00, www.wwnorton.com

Creating CityCenter: World-Class Architecture and the New Las Vegas provides a fine survey of the planning of the largest privately financed building project in US history: a development involving the construction of some seven separate buildings from hotels to convention centers, shopping, and more - all in downtown Las Vegas. How did nearly 12,000 construction workers transform the city's center while it was still functioning? This provides a powerful account of a huge project that was photographed from start to finish, and is key to any collection strong in urban renewal, architecture, or Las Vegas evolution in particular.


The Self-Help Shelf

Ten Steps to Relieve Anxiety
H. Michael Zal
New Horizon Press
PO Box 669, Far Hills, NJ 07931
9780882824505 $14.95 www.newhorizonpressbooks.com

H. Michael Zal (clinical professor in the Dept. of Psychiatry, Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine) presents Ten Steps to Relieve Anxiety: Refocus, Relax and Enjoy Life, a straightforward guide outlining simple techniques to help anyone control the symptoms of Generalized Anxiety Disorder (systemic fear so persistent it disrupts work, school, family, or personal life; common symptoms including muscle tension, nausea, shortness of breath, trouble concentrating, or difficulty sleeping). Ten Steps to Relieve Anxiety teaches the reader how to apply ten basic principles: "Stop", "Breathe", "Refocus", "Lower Your Expectations", "Express Negative Feelings", "Take a More Positive View", "Don't Worry", "Take Action", "Take Things as They Are", and "Take Care of Yourself". Zal also discusses treatment options for Generalized Anxiety Disorder, including therapy and medication, as well as common situations (adult Attention Deficit Disorder, chronic illness, holidays, or aging) that can exacerbate symptoms. Accessible to readers of all backgrounds, Ten Steps to Relieve Anxiety will also prove valuable to people who haven't been diagnosed with Generalized Anxiety Disorder, but just feel overwhelmed by life's pressures on occasion. Highly recommended.

The Untethered Soul
Michael A. Singer
New Harbinger Press
5674 Shattuck Avenue, Oakland, CA 94609
9781626250765, $21.95, www.newharbingerpublications.com

The Untethered Soul provides an inspirational self-help title that considers one's personal relationship with self and the world, and what can be done to let loose habitual thoughts and emotions that limit consciousness and self-realization. In a combination of spiritual and psychological guide, The Untethered Soul discusses what happens when one 'lets go' spiritually to find freedom from angst and negativity. Though most of this book's message is spiritual, it's reviewed here because no self-help library will want to miss its all-embracing message.

The Smart Person's Guide to Eldercare
Jodi Lyons
Keith Publications
9781936372706, $12.95, www.keithpublications.com

The Smart Person's Guide to Eldercare is for any consumer concerned about making long-term health care decisions, and belongs in a range of collections from social sciences and health to general consumer libraries. The author is an eldercare consultant who helps the elderly locate care: chapters focus on locating programs, reports, and supportive materials and places for elderly care. From making a living will to assessing family resources and understanding quality care issues, this is a 'must' for any facing the golden years, or assisting an elderly person in making decisions.

Finding our Families
Wendy Kramer
Avery Books
c/o Penguin Group USA
375 Hudson Street, New York, NY 10014
9781583335260, $18.00, www.penguin.com

Finding our Families is a powerful survey, directed to donor-conceived people and their families, and provides a fine guide on how to develop a relationship within a larger donor family. Case histories pair with considerations of common questions, issues, and raising a donor child, and address concerns ranging from helping a child understand their birth story to assisting in the search for donors or half siblings if the child wants to do so. There's been very little written on the topic, so this is an invaluable and unique guide recommended for health and self-help, general consumer collections alike.


The Mystery/Suspense Shelf

Covenant with Hell
Priscilla Royal
Poisoned Pen Press
6962 E. First Ave., #103, Scottsdale, AZ 85251
www.poisonedpenpress.com
9781464201936, $24.95, www.poisonedpenpress.com

Covenant with Hell provides a fine medieval setting in a mystery steeped in the color of 1277, and tells of Prioress Eleanor, who goes on a pilgrimage only to find an assassin there first, hoping to murder a king. It's up to Eleanor and Brother Thomas to solve the mystery when a nun's death indicates more than just an accident. A very fine historical murder mystery evolves.

Billionaire Blend
Cleo Coyle
Berkeley Prime Crime
c/o Penguin Group (USA)
375 Hudson Street, 4th floor, New York, NY 10014
9780425252918, $25.95, www.penguin.com

Billionaire Blend: A Coffeehouse Mystery provides a fine story centered around a car bomb that nearly kills tech whiz Eric Thorner. When Clare comes to his rescue he hires her to create an expensive coffee blend - and in the course of her search for the best coffee she becomes involved in the CEO's deadly world of money, games, and high-stakes competition that could result in murder. Clare's involvement will bring her both unprecedented possibilities in her coffee business and a focus on a different kind of murder that will involve mystery readers with its vivid plot and exciting twists.


The Gaming Shelf

The Ultimate Player's Guide to Minecraft
Stephen O'Brien
Que Publishing
c/o Pearson Technology Group
801 East 96th Street, #300, Indianapolis, IN 46240-3759
9780789752239, $24.99, www.quepublishing.com

Any online and computer gamer interested in Minecraft scenarios will find The Ultimate Player's Guide to Minecraft is packed with insights into how to best experience a game which is actually another universe entirely. From combat tips to surviving the Minecraft world, exploring and adventuring and confronting hostiles, this is packed with color screen shots throughout along with plenty of detail on how to build and navigate the Minecraft universe. Players - especially beginners - will find this an in-depth coverage perfect for entering and learning about the game!


The Dance Shelf

Beginning Tap Dance
Lisa Lewis
Human Kinetics Publishers, Inc.
PO Box 5076, Champaign, IL 61820-5076
9781450411981, $39.00, www.humankinetics.com

BEGINNING TAP DANCE joins others in the 'interactive dance series' and includes a web resource packed with video clips of techniques, assignments, and more links. Beginning dancers will find this book provides over 50 step-by-step photos to make it easy to learn and review tap, accompanying the 'how to' with a history of the dance's styles and development. The result is a fine addition to any collection strong in various forms of dance, and promotes a multimedia approach that links the book to further insights on the process of dance! Any dance or sports collection will find this an excellent addition.


The Military Shelf

Germany's Western Front
Mark Osborne Humphries & John Maker, editors
Wilfrid Laurier University Press
Wilfrid Laurier University
Waterloo, Ontario, Canada, N2L 3C5
wlupress.wlu.ca
9781554583737, $95.00, www.amazon.com

World War I (WWI or WW1), also known as the First World War, was a global war centered in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918. From the time of its occurrence until the approach of World War II in 1939, it was called simply the World War or the Great War, and thereafter the First World War or World War I. In America it was initially called the European War. More than 9 million combatants were killed; a casualty rate exacerbated by the belligerents' technological and industrial sophistication, and tactical stalemate. It was the fifth-deadliest conflict in world history, paving the way for major political changes, including revolutions in many of the nations involved. "Germany's Western Front: Translations from the German Official History of the Great War, 1914, Part 1" is the first of a planned six volume series translating "Der Weltkrieg" (the official German history of the World War I) into English based upon the work of Wilhelm J. Kiesselbach. This 570 page compendium covers in detail the 'Battle of the Frontiers in the West and Pursuit to the Marne' and 'From the Sambre to the Marne'. Enhanced with two appendices, an extensive bibliography, and a comprehensive index, "Germany's Western Front: Translations from the German Official History of the Great War, 1914, Part 1" is an essential and welcome contribution to academic library 20th Century Military History reference collections. It should be noted that "Germany's Western Front: Translations from the German Official History of the Great War, 1914, Part 1" is also available in a Kindle edition ($29.99).

Brothers at War
Sheila Miyoshi Jager
W. W. Norton & Company
500 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10110
9780393068498, $35.00, www.wwnorton.com

BROTHERS AT WAR; THE UNENDING CONFLICT IN KOREA covers the lasting impact of the Korean War, which may have ended in 1953 for Americans, but which lasts until this day. Ongoing tensions and military threats permeate the atmosphere and historian Jager here covers the background of the Korean conflict, form its occupation under imperial Japan to struggles since. The result uses newly released materials from diplomatic archives and reports to analyze military strategies and conflicts on both sides, and is one of the finest contemporary military analyses of Korea yet.

Osprey Publishing
4301 21st St, Suite 220B, Long Island City, NY 11101
www.ospreypublishing.com

David R. Higgins's THE SWAMP FOX: FRANCIS MARION'S CAMPAIGN IN THE CAROLINAS 1780 (9781782006145, $18.95) provides a fine analysis of one key campaign through the Carolinas where rebel guerrilla commander Francis Marion launched a series of hit-and-run raids against occupiers. Battlefield photography illustrates an in-depth survey of the unique tactics used by both sides during the Revolutionary War battle in the South, making for a lively and engrossing saga of an amazing commander whose techniques went beyond the choices of his times. Any military history holding will find this a specific, fine addition! Steven MacLauchian, et.al.'s latest Bolt Action military gaming guide ARMIES OF ITALY AND THE AXIS (9781782007708, $24.95) is an outstanding survey providing gamers and military readers with a definitive guide to the Axis forces of World War II, and is a fine guide for Bolt Action players looking for depth and strategy insights. Chapters cover teams, weapons, special rules and more: all geared to the Bolt Action gaming scenario. Peter Davies' GENERAL DYNAMICS F-111 AARDVARK (9781780966113, $18.95) packs in lovely color artwork to compliment details on the F-111 Aardvark, which became one of the world's most successful combat aircraft in the late 20th century. The F-111 set the pattern for combat jets design and saw action for over 40 years. This survey comes from a jet authority and provides a detailed history of the jet's development, deployment, ad importance in the world of military aviation, and is a pick for any military collection. China history holdings as well as military libraries will find Philip Jowett's CHINA'S WARS: ROUSING THE DRAGON 1894-1949 (9781782004073, $40.00) is an outstanding survey tracing China's conflicts from medieval to modern times. From the late 19th century to 1949 China was in a state of continuous conflict from a series of rebellions and civil war. Few titles have offered an in-depth survey of these conflicts, making CHINA'S WARS a specific approach key to any Chinese history collection. Chapters analyze the ongoing conflict in China and how it led to international involvements and battles with the Japanese. A 'must' for any who would understand Asia's past and its impact on Asia's future. Carl Molesworth's CURTISS P-40 SNUB-NOSED KITTYHAWKS AND WARHAWKS (9781780969121, $18.95) packs in art and illustrations and covers the World War II fighter and its variants, and is a fine pick for any interested in military aircraft history. Charts of specifications pack a survey loaded with vintage images of the fighters in action, with discussions of battle history and strategy placing them in perspective. The result is a fine recommendation for any military or aviation reader. Also recommended are two additions to the 'Aircraft of the Aces' series: Greg VanWyngarden's ACES OF JAGDSTAFFEL 17 (9781780977189, $22.95) and John Weal's ACES OF JAGDGESCHWADER 3 'UNDET' (9781780962986, $22.95). Each book is packed with specifications and technical discussions of the aircraft and its action in historic battles, and each surveys the forces that led to the machine's rise and fall during war. Any military student interested in German fighters will find these specific coverages are packed with detail and battle insights.


The Jobs/Careers Shelf

Business Networking for Veterans
Michael P. Abrams, Michael Lawrence Faulkner, and Andrea R. Nierenberg
Pearson Technology Group
801 East 96th Street, #300
Indianapolis, IN 46240-3759
9780133741612 $29.99 www.pearsoned.com

Two Marine Corps combat veterans and a business consultant present Business Networking for Veterans: A Guidebook for a Successful Transition from the Military to the Civilian Workforce. Business Networking for Veterans lives up to its title as a practical-minded guide to job-hunting, written especially for veterans. An estimated 80% of American job openings are never advertised; the most effective way to get hired is through networking, especially word-of-mouth contacts and job-hunting advice. Chapters teach the reader about how to prepare for networking situations, make and keep connections (including those with friends, family, and fellow veterans, as well as new ones from volunteer work at local nonprofit organizations), learning how to target the right people, refining one's interpersonal networking techniques, and much more. "If calling back to follow up on a new contact makes you a bit nervous, develop a short yet detailed script to use. Write the key points and rehearse the script until it comes across naturally. Besides your script, have notes to refer to about the person you are calling." Although multiple issues specific to veterans are discussed at length (such as whether telling war stories is a good idea, and why one should be careful with "military speak" around civilians), readers of all background will potentially find the wealth of tips, tricks, and techniques invaluable in today's highly competitive job market!

Career Q&A
Susanne Markgren and Tiffany Eatman Allen
Information Today Inc.
143 Old Marlton Pike, Medford, NJ 08055-8750
9781573874793, $39.50, www.infotoday.com

Librarianship is a rewarding career choice but there's surprisingly few books devoted to the finer art of achieving this career - making Career Q&A a fine choice for any aspiring librarian. It considers the extent of a typical librarian's career, answers questions about the duties and challenges faced by library professionals, and comes from authors who have a ten-year history of a column devoted to library career people. Their tips along with best advice from their peers lends to a fine coverage recommended for any aspiring librarian.


The Photography Shelf

Art Of Sunnmore
Fredrik Sigurdh & Alvaro Susens, editors
Akademika Publishing
c/o International Specialized Book Services
920 Northeast 58th Avenue, Suite 300, Portland, OR 97213
www.isbs.com www.akademikaforlag.no
9788232103362, $60.00, www.amazon.com

Sunnmore is the southernmost traditional district of the western Norwegian county of More og Romsdal. Its main city is Alesund. The region comprises the municipalities (Norwegian: kommunar) of Giske, Hareid, Heroy, Norddal, Sande, Skodje, Haram, Stordal, Stranda, Sula, Sykkylven, Ulstein, Vanylven, Volda, Orskog, Orsta, and Alesund. Collaboratively compiled and co-edited by the team of Fredrik Sigurdh and Alvaro Susens, "Art Of Sunnmore: Ten Photographers - One Magic Place" is a 248 page compendium showcasing stunning and captioned photographic images taken by ten gifted photographers who used their camera's lens as a painters would their pallets and canvas to record images taken from what Sunnmore, Norway has to offer by way of memorable visuals. Of special note is that each individual photographer has written a succinct and informative introduction to the chapter that comprises their work. "The Art of Sunnmore" is a beautiful browse and very highly recommended for personal, community, and academic library Photographic Studies reference collections.

Appalachia USA: Photographs, 1968-2009
Builder Levy
David R. Godine, Publisher
PO Box 450, Jaffrey, NH 03452
www.godine.com
9781567925081, $40.00, www.amazon.com

The Appalachian mining of coal under ground was as fundamentally important to the development of the United States of America as it was deadly for the miners themselves. Coal mining was a hard scrabble life and the impressive black-and-white images captured by the photography of Builder Levy showcases the miners, their families and their communities. A truly impressive collection of images enhanced with succinctly informative commentaries, "Appalachia USA: Photographs, 1968-2009" is an extraordinary well presented and highly recommended addition to personal, professional, community, and academic library American Photography collections.

Digital Lighting & Rendering, third edition
Jeremy Birn
New Riders
c/o Pearson Technology Group
801 East 96th Street, #300, Indianapolis, IN 46240-3759
9780321928986, $59.99, www.newriders.com

The third updated edition of Digital Lighting & Rendering uses an all-color format with instructions blending case studies, tutorials, and tips from a lighting pro to show how to recreate Hollywood techniques that work in any 3D program. Chapters consider and contrast old with new techniques for tweaking shadow maps and using basic approaches to creating effects and composing subjects. Learn how to render in layers, mimic photographic and cinematographic techniques, and create rich maps and 3D scenes. From throw patterns and night scenes to framing for film and video, this provides a rich and basic reference for photographers and film students alike.

The Traveling Photographer
Sandra Petrowitz
Rocky Nook
802 East Cota Street, 3rd Floor, Santa Barbara, CA 93103
9781937538330, $32.95, www.rockynook.com

The Traveling Photographer: A Guide to Great Travel Photography provides a fine guide to travel photos and taking better pictures on the road, and comes from an experienced travel photographer who shares her insights on taking, editing, composing and creating unique travel photos. From choosing subjects and framing an image to handling equipment, perspective and light, this focus on travel photos is an excellent resource for amateur and professional photographers alike.


The Literary Studies Shelf

Mirages
Paul herron, Editor
Swallow Press
c/o Ohio University Press
The Ridges, Building 19, Athens, OH 45701
9780804011464, $34.95, www.ohioswallow.com

MIRAGES: THE UNEXPURGATED DIARY OF ANAIS NIN, 1939-1947 provides the fifty volume of Nin's unexpurgated diaries to be published by Swallow Press, appears seventeen years since the last volume in the series was published, and provides a powerful examination covering New York's evolving literary scene in the 1940s. It includes her diary entries about Henry Miller and fellow, notable literary figures of her times, makes references to New York City literary institutions, and provides intimate, inside perspectives on Nin and her world. Any collection strong in her writings should consider this a 'must' reference, key to understanding her personality, life, and times.


The Metaphysical Studies Shelf

Your Journey to Enlightenment
Simran Singh
New Page Books
c/o Career Press Inc.
220 West Parkway, Unit 12, Pompton Plains, NJ 07444
9781601633002, $16.99, www.newpagebooks.com

Your Journey to Enlightenment: Twelve Guiding Principles to Connect with Love, Courage, and Commitment in the New Dawn blends humor with insights into metaphysics and spiritual reflection to consider the 12 guiding ideals readers can use to live in their constant potential. From leading a life of devotion and mastering multi-dimensional experiences to becoming a 'rebel visionary' working at different levels, this provides direction and insights on the process of change and is an inspirational pick for any new age collection.

Aliens in Ancient Egypt
Xaviant Haze
Bear & Company
c/o Inner Traditions International, Ltd.
One Park Street, Rochester, VT 05767
www.innertraditions.com
9781591431596, $20.00, www.bearandcompanybooks.com

Aliens in Ancient Egypt is another fine pick for any collection strong in ancient history, and discusses how stargates, free energy and antigravity technologies were involved in early Egyptian history. It considers the evidence of aliens in ancient Egypt, how they were portrayed in Egyptian paintings and art, and considers the connections between ancient aliens and Mars, including the original purpose of the pyramids and how their builders knew humanity would fall into darkness. A 'must' for any new age collection strong in ancient history, and for Egyptian history holdings!


The Fantasy/SciFi Shelf

Tor
c/o Tor/Forge Books
175 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10010
www.tor-forge.com

George R.R. Martin and Gardner Dozois edit DANGEROUS WOMEN (9780765332066, $32.50), a weighty and powerful collection of stories focusing on strong - even dangerous - female protagonists. Here are top names in sci fi and fantasy (Jim Butcher, Diana Gabaldon, Nancy Kress and S.N. Stirling) and writings that range from fantasy to horror and even mystery. Even more satisfying: all stories are new and original to this volume - over twenty of them - so even avid fans of particular authors aren't likely to have encountered the tales elsewhere. The result documents villains and heroines alike and is a fine, involving survey. Gillian Philip's BLOODSTONE (9780765333285, $24.99) is Book Two in the 'Rebel Angels' series: familiarity with its predecessor, Firebrand, is recommended in order to more readily absorb the background involving Sithe warriors Seth and Conal MacGregor, who live in the 16th century experiencing peace in their world even as religious conflict consumes the mortal world. Here Seth and Conal are continuing to hunt down the Bloodstone as demanded by their queen, making journeys that test their strength and ability to across worlds. When humans also become entangled in the affairs of the Sithe, it's a confused and potentially deadly encounter that evolves in a gripping addition for prior fantasy fans of Philip's world.


The Crafts Shelf

The LEGO Build-It Book, V. 1: Amazing Vehicles
Nathanael Kuipers and Mattia Zamboni
No Starch Press
38 Ringold Street, San Francisco, CO 94103-4403
9781593275037, $19.95, www.nostarch.com

The LEGO Build-It Book, V. 1: Amazing Vehicles comes from a former official designer for the LEGO Group and shares his insider's knowledge of building LEGO vehicles. The goal is to provide insights on options and standard parts to make a range of models, with some 10 vehicles serving as foundations for step-by-step learning. Color renderings by co-author Mattia Zamboni accompany discussions of building specifics that encourage LEGO fans to become better builders. The result is a 'must' for any LEGO builder who wants to use skills to move to the next level in LEGO vehicle construction.

The LEGO Adventure Book, Volume 2
Megan H. Rothrock
No Starch Press
38 Ringold Street, San Francisco, CO 94103-4403
9781593275129, $24.95, www.nostarch.com

The LEGO Adventure Book, Volume 2 provides a fine collection of models featuring some of the world's most notable LEGO builders, and provides a showcase of some 100 models of cars, boats, villages, kitchens and more. This isn't just a color survey of notable LEGO models however; 40 accompanying step-by-step products make it easy for readers to build their own models, from houses to trucks, and provide all the basics of how to design and create superior LEGO models. The result is an exceptional guide that features lively LEGO possibilities and then provides crafters with exact details on how to achieve professional-quality results, and is recommended for any crafts reference collection where LEGO construction is of interest.

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

Kieu Pham Gray's HOT & COLD JEWELRY CONNECTIONS (9782637000505, $21.99) offers some 20 projects from a jewelry maker instructor which focus on building metalsmith skills in the course of covering basic techniques. From stamping and adding patina to binding and forming, handling tube rivets, soldering, and more, this uses step-by-step color photos to supplement discussions of techniques. Tips on possible problems or better techniques round out the information and make this a real winner! The second updated edition of Tony Koester's REALISTIC MODEL RAILROAD OPERATION (9780890249390, $19.95) provides a fine guide to layout design and planning a realistic model rail operation, and is recommended for modelers interested in crafting the better layout. The focus here is on getting a basic operating session going for any size layout that mimics real train operations. Chapters cover everything from using a timetable and routing freight cars to traffic control and yard operations, and provide a wealth of invaluable information model railroaders will find essential to creating a realistic, working model. Modelers will also appreciate STRUCTURE PROJECTS FOR YOUR MODEL RAILROAD (9780890249359, $19.95), a fine guide to using structures in a model rail setting. Structures are often lumped in with scenery but deserve their own separate treatment: now you have it, with STRUCTURE PROJECTS offering 17 step-by-step projects from Model Railroader magazine that show how to assemble kits and build custom structures alike. Modelers will welcome this in-depth treatment.


The Science Shelf

Mitochondria
Doulgas C. Wallace & Richard J. Youle, editors
Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press
500 Sunnyside Boulevard, Woodbury NY 11797-2924
www.cshlpress.com
9781936113354, $135.00, www.amazon.com

The mitochondrion (plural mitochondria) is a membrane-bound organelle found in most eukaryotic cells (the cells that make up plants, animals, fungi, and many other forms of life). Mitochondria range from 0.5 to 1.0 micrometer in diameter. These structures are sometimes described as "cellular power plants" because they generate most of the cell's supply of adenosine triphosphate (ATP), used as a source of chemical energy. In addition to supplying cellular energy, mitochondria are involved in other tasks such as signaling, cellular differentiation, cell death, as well as the control of the cell cycle and cell growth. Mitochondria have been implicated in several human diseases, including mitochondrial disorders and cardiac dysfunction, and may play a role in the aging process. The latest addition to the outstanding science series "Cold Spring Harbor Perspectives in Biology", and collaboratively compiled and edited by the team of Doulgas C. Wallace (Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, University of Pennsylvania) and Richard J. Youle (National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Strokes, Porter Neuroscience Research Center), "Mitochondria" is a 270 page compendium comprised of fifteen major scientific papers from experts in the field of mitochonria research. Of special note is the Michael W. Gray's opening article 'Mitochondrial Evolution' and the closing article 'Mitochonrial Metabolism, Sirtuins, and Aging' by Michael N. Sack and Toren Finkel. A seminal body of meticulous scholarship, "Mitochondria" is an invaluable and strongly recommended addition to professional and academic library Mitochondria Studies reference collections and supplemental reading lists.

Biochemistry
Raymond S. Ochs
Jones & Bartlett Learning
5 Wall Street, Burlington, MA 01803
www.jblearning.com
9781449661373, $158.95, www.amazon.com

Biochemistry, sometimes called biological chemistry, is the study of chemical processes within and relating to, living organisms. By controlling information flow through biochemical signaling and the flow of chemical energy through metabolism, biochemical processes give rise to the complexity of life. Over the last 40 years, biochemistry has become so successful at explaining living processes that now almost all areas of the life sciences from botany to medicine are engaged in biochemical research. Today, the main focus of pure biochemistry is in understanding how biological molecules give rise to the processes that occur within living cells, which in turn relates greatly to the study and understanding of whole organisms. Biochemistry is closely related to molecular biology, the study of the molecular mechanisms by which genetic information encoded in DNA is able to result in the processes of life. Depending on the exact definition of the terms used, molecular biology can be thought of as a branch of biochemistry, or biochemistry as a tool with which to investigate and study molecular biology. "Biochemistry" by Raymond S. Ochs is 414 page, peer reviewed, superbly organized, profusely illustrated introduction to the science of biochemistry. Presented in sixteen sequential chapters beginning with the foundations of biochemistry and concluding with 'Protein Synthesis and Degradaton', "Biochemistry" is enhanced with the inclusion of an appendix, a glossary, and an index, making it an ideal and thoroughly 'user friendly' textbook for beginning biochemistry students and strongly recommended for academic library reference collections.

Learning from Leonardo
Fritjof Capra
Berrett-Koehler Publishers Inc.
235 Montgomery Street, Suite 650
San Francisco, CA 94104-2916
9781609949891, $29.95, www.bkconnection.com

Science, history and arts holdings alike will welcome LEARNING FROM LEONARDO: DECODING THE NOTEBOOKS OF A GENIUS. It describes seven major aspects of da Vinci's genius and some forty discoveries he made that weren't rediscovered until centuries later, using his notebooks, life and achievements as the basis for examining Leonard's science and determination to uncover the nature of life itself. Chapters cover his invention of science and provide major insights into his discoveries, placing them in perspective of his times and psyche. With its solid survey of method and analysis, this is a 'must' for any who would understand the scientific side of da Vinci.

To the Denmark Strait
Dallas Murphy
Burford Books
101 East State Street, #301, Ithaca, NY 14850
9781580801737, $35.00, www.burfordbooks.com

To the Denmark Strait: Oceanographers Search for a Mysterious Current provides a firsthand account of famous oceanographer Robert Pickart's expedition to affirm the existence and origin of a previously unknown current between Greenland and Iceland, and is an invaluable choice for any collection strong in oceanography and science. It provides a lively blend of Murphy's daily journals with scientific oceanographic science and expedition experiences, combining photos by Rachel Fletcher and Sindre Skrede with video footage by Ben Harden (on an accompanying DVD) of life aboard the ship. The result is a powerful presentation, highly recommended for any collection interested in ocean science, history, or issues.

Surrounded by Thunder
Tom Williams
Inspire on Purpose
9780988753365, $17.99, www.inspireonpurpose.com

Surrounded by Thunder: The Story of Darrell Loan and the Rocketmen provides a lively and engrossing survey and comes from extensive interviews with one of America's pioneer rocket scientists who reveals NASA's early history and how people participated in the space program. It successfully captures the science, drama and human element of the space race, following the dawn of the age and author Darrell Loan's witnessing of history in the making. Moment-by-moment action reads like fiction with high drama but is packed with science and history perfect for any general interest enthusiast of space program events.


The Gardening Shelf

Land of Enchantment Wildflowers
Willa F. Finley and LaShara J. Nieland
Texas Tech University Press
PO Box 41037, Lubbock, TX 79409-1037
9780896728226, $29.95, www.ttupress.org

Land of Enchantment Wildflowers: A Guide to the Plants of New Mexico offers a companion volume to Lone Star Wildflowers and presents the experiences of authors who traveled extensively throughout New Mexico. This field guide offers a simple format grouping flowers by color and coding page edges to match, features nearly five hundred color photos, all taken by the authors, and includes flowers, leaves and pods. Origins of names, historical uses, and all kinds of details make this a top pick for any wildflower enthusiast pursuing New Mexico's vistas.

Ireland's Wild Orchids
Brendan Sayers & Susan Sex
Collins Press
c/o Dufour Editions, Inc.
PO Box 7, Chester Springs, PA 19425-0007
9781848891692, $34.95, www.dufoureditions.com

Ireland's Wild Orchids provides a colorful guide designed to help identify the many orchids of Ireland, and covers their conservation, location, and more. Orchid enthusiasts, more so than nearly any other plant, are often dedicated to locating and understanding their wild origins: this book is for any who live in or sojourn to Ireland in search of them, and covers orchids found in fields, bogs and all environments. Any who would use a field guide to identify them must have this excellent survey.


The Music Shelf

The French Symphony at the Fin de Siecle
Andrew Deruchie
University of Rochester Press
c/o Boydell & Brewer Inc
668 Mount Hope Avenue, Rochester, NY 14620-2731
www.urpress.com www.boydellandbrewer.com
9781580463829, $85.00, www.amazon.com

A symphony is an extended musical composition in Western classical music, generally scored for orchestra or concert band. A symphony usually contains at least one movement or episode composed according to the sonata principle. Many symphonies are tonal works in four movements with the first in sonata form, which is often described by music theorists as the structure of a "classical" symphony, although many symphonies by the acknowledged classical masters of the form, Joseph Haydn, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, and Ludwig van Beethoven do not conform to this model. The latest addition to the outstanding "Eastman Studies in Music" series from the University of Rochester Press, "The French Symphony at the Fin de Siecle: Style, Culture, and the Symphonic Tradition" by Andrew Deruchie (Lecturer in Musicology, University of Otago, New Zealand) is a 310 page compendium comprising a detailed and seminal study of the symphony in the late 19th and early 20th century France. Featuring as analytical examples, Camille Saint-Saens' Third Symphony; Cesar Franck's Sympohony in D Minor; Edouard Lalo's Symphony in G. Minor; Ernest Chausson's Symphony in B-flat Major; Paul Dukas' Symphony in C; and Vincent d'Indy's Second Symphony and 'Symphonie sur un chant montagnard francais', "The French Symphony at the Fin de Siecle" is an impressively informative work from beginning to end. Enhanced with copious notes, an extensive bibliography, and a comprehensive index, "The French Symphony at the Fin de Siecle" is an extraordinary and highly recommended addition to professional and academic library Music Studies reference collections and supplemental reading lists.

The Jesus Lizard Book
The Jesus Lizard
Akashic Books
PO Box 1456, New York, NY 10009
www.akashicbooks.com
9781617750809, $29.95, www.amazon.com

The Jesus Lizard is an American alternative rock band formed in 1987 in Austin, Texas. After a brief run as a recording-only project based in Austin, founding vocalist David Yow, bassist David Wm. Sims and guitarist Duane Denison relocated to Chicago, Illinois in 1989, finding kindred spirits in recording engineer Steve Albini and the Touch and Go Records imprint. With the addition of drummer Mac McNeilly, they began operating as a live band, expanding their following beyond Chicago's alternative scene into an international audience. Drummer Jim Kimball replaced McNeilly late in 1996, and was himself replaced by Brendan Murphy two years later. Despite releasing a split single with leading alt-rockers Nirvana and signing to Capitol Records, the band failed to find commercial success amid the alternative rock explosion of the 1990s, and disbanded in 1999. Their reunion tour ten years later enjoyed positive responses from audiences and critics. "The Jesus Lizard Book" is a 176 page, profusely illustrated, impressively candid, informed and informative history of a remarkable group of musicians. A 'must read' for their legions of appreciative fans, "The Jesus Lizard Book" is a highly recommended addition to academic library 20th Century American Music History reference collections and supplemental reading lists.

27
Howard Sounes
Da Capo Press
44 Farnsworth Street, 3rd Floor, Boston, MA 02210
www.perseusbooksgroup.com
9780306821684, $26.99, www.dacapopress.com

27: A HISTORY OF THE 27 CLUB THROUGH THE LIVES OF BRIAN JONES, JIMI HENDRIX, JANIS JOPLIN, JIM MORRISON, KURT COBAIN, AND AMY WINEHOUSE gathers similarities between these seemingly disparate, tragic musicians' lives and considers both their self-destructive behaviors and their genius. Each artist receives two focuses: the first on their life, the second on their untimely death. All six shared troubled childhoods and mental issues - and all of them achieved a high level of success despite their misery. 27 is a powerful survey of the '27 Club' that will appeal to any follower of either the individual musicians or their combined musical careers, and should be in any collection strong in popular music history and culture.


The International Studies Shelf

Building a Better International NGO
James Crowley & Morgana Ryan
Kumarian Press
c/o Lynne Rienner Publishers
1800 30th Street, Suite 314
Boulder, CO 80301
9781565495838 $23.50 www.rienner.com

International NGOs (non- governmental organizations - that is, legally constituted corporations that operate independently of any government, and usually not for profit) have the potential to literally make the world a better place to live. But there are numerous pitfalls to working without the backing of a government, and NGO's face unique strategic challenges in the modern era of globalization. Building a Better International NGO addresses a number of quintessential issues, including how to make a large international NGO more than the sum of its parts; the most crucial core competencies of an international NGO; how new technology has the potential to virtually reinvent NGOs; perspectives on strategic planning for NGOs, and more. The authors draw directly upon their personal experience aiding and improving NGOs, and pinpointing key structural problems, such as in this anecdotal example: "It became obvious that the definition of good performance was either too limited, not transparent, or varied depending on who was in charge. When a new country director was appointed, the country team had to learn to decipher his or her management philosophy and to relearn what 'good' looked like. To complicate matters further, when each new senior executive arrived from a regional office, from the center, or from one of the powerful income-generating offices, he or she invariably had additional advice, guidance, or priorities to heap on top of an already overloaded workload." Building a Better International NGO is an absolute "must-read" for anyone in or aspiring to any management position in an international NGO.

The United States And China Since World War II
Chi Wang
M.E. Sharpe, Inc.
80 Business Park Drive, Armonk, NY 10504
www.mesharpe.com
9780765629906, $29.95, www.amazon.com

Written by Georgetown University Professor Chi Wang, the man who oversaw the development of Chinese collection of the U.S. Library of Congress, "The United States and China Since World War II: A Brief History" is a 218 page compendium comprised of ten informed and informative chapters, the first two of which provide an historical background to America's relationship to China from first contact in the 19th century down through the end of World War II. Then Professor Wang addresses the Chinese civil war; the conflict between the U.S. and the Communist state of China; Chinese foreign policy during the era of the Cold War; President Nixon's reestablishment of diplomatic contact with the Chinese government under Mao; Deng Xiapoing and U.S.-China relations; U.S.-China relations under President Ronald Regan; President H. W. Bush's response to the Tiananmen Square incident; President Bill Clinton and the Chinese premier Jian Zemin; President George W. Bush and Hu Jintao; Sin-U.S. relations and China's hosting of the Olympics; and concludes with President Barack Obama's administration and the Chinese government. Of special note is Professor Wang's 'Conclusion' commentary. Very highly recommended for academic library International Studies reference collections and supplemental reading lists, it should be noted that "The United States and China Since World War II: A Brief History" is also available in a hardcover edition (9780765629890, $76.75).

China's Sent-Down Generation
Helena K. Rene
Georgetown University Press
Publicity Department
Georgetown University Press
3240 Prospect Street, NW, Washington, DC 20007
9781589019874, $32.95, www.press.georgetown.edu

China's Sent-Down Generation: Public Administration and the Legacies of Mao's Rustication Program offers a detailed, in-depth analysis of Mao's program, which resettled some 17 million urban youths to the countryside for reeducation, and is a 'must' for any collection strong in Chinese history and social development. Chapters closely analyze the processes and purposes of Mao's program, considering the ideology of rustication and how the program originated, was developed and marketed, and its ultimate impact on China as a whole. From its lasting impact on administrative efforts to how it strengthened bureaucracy as a whole, this is a key acquisition for any who would understand the impact of Mao on present-day China.

Johns Hopkins University Press
2715 North Charles Street, Baltimore, MD 21218-4363
www.press.jhu.edu

Michael Wills and Robert M. Hathaway, Editors' NEW SECURITY CHALLENGES IN ASIA (9781421410104, $55.00) focuses on the sources of new security challenges in the region, their international impact, and how international communities can handle transnational threats and their potential for destabilizing a country. Asian nations have found it difficult to handle these new challenges, with limited resources and government coordination available. This book recommends how the U.S. can help Asian nations manage their security threats, and provides a fine guide filled with insights on the range of challenges Asia faces. A fine survey results, recommended for any political studies collection. Andrew J. Nathan, et.al. edit WILL CHINA DEMOCRACTIZE? (9781421412436, $29.95), creating a fine political science primer for any interested in China's political and economic changes. Chapters consider the country's authoritarian regime and whether it can continue its growth and approach without concurrent political reforms that lean more towards democratic processes, and offer analysis college-level readers of China issues will find key to understanding the region's changes.

The Two Koreas, third edition
Don Oberdorfer and Robert Carlin
Basic Books
c/o Perseus Books Group
11 Cambridge Center, Cambridge, MA 02142
www.perseusbooksgroup.com
9780465031238, $21.99, www.basicbooks.com

The third updated edition of THE TWO KOREAS: A CONTEMPORARY HISTORY has been extensively revised and updated to bring events to the present day, considering changes in social and cultural environments, the latest conflicts within the two Koreas, and new information on the North Korean political succession and U.S. negotiations. With this latest information and analysis of events rounding out coverage of a history that comes from Korea expert Robert Carlin's forty-some years of experience in Washington, this updates a landmark 1997 history and is a 'must' for any Asian history holding.


The Social Issues Shelf

Digital State
Simon Pont
Kogan Page USA
1518 Walnut Street, Suite 1100, Philadelphia, PA 19102
9780749468859, $19.95, www.koganpage.com

Digital State: How the Internet is Changing Everything provides a powerful survey identifying the digital world and brings together experts from genres ranging from business and advertising to media, publishing and law to consider how these changes are affecting individuals. It points out trends, pitfalls, and common dilemmas presented by a digital world, considers social issues arising from digital communications and actions, and provides a solid analysis that is recommended for high school to college-level social issues analysis.

The Housing Bomb
M. Nils Peterson, et.al.
Johns Hopkins University Press
2715 North Charles Street, Baltimore, MD 21218-4363
9781421410654, $29.95, www.press.jhu.edu

The Housing Bomb: Why Our Addiction to Houses is Destroying the Environment and Threatening Our Society offers an unusual perspective, comes from leading environmental researchers, and questions the ongoing worldwide need for housing, identifying this drive as one of the sources of environmental degradation. Chapters show how simple changes in household energy use and housing choices can make big differences in environmental preservation, and they promote ecologically friendlier choices that don't result in destruction. 'Bigger and better' isn't necessarily desirable: The Housing Bomb explores common fallacies in thinking about housing and offers many alternatives, and is a pick for any social issues collection, especially those strong in urban research.


The Technology Shelf

Research Methods in Biomechanics, second edition
D. Gordon E. Robertson, et.al.
Human Kinetics Publishers, Inc.
PO Box 5076, Champaign, IL 61820-5076
9780736093408, $89.00, www.humankinetics.com

Research Methods in Biomechanics appears in its second updated edition and includes access to Visual3D Educational Edition software as it surveys the range of research techniques available to biometrics: methods frequently upgraded due to fast changes in hardware and software. This edition surveys the latest research methods and covers analytical methods and how they apply to human movement studies. From how to understand and build concepts to new chapters on new techniques and research in the works, this provides a fine college-level analysis of the math and data collection systems behind biomechanics, and makes for a fine reference for any research interested in analyzing human movement.


The Theatre/Cinema Shelf

Improv Ideas 2
Justine Jones & Mary Ann Kelley
Meriwether Publishing
Box 7710, Colorado Springs, CO 80933-7710
www.meriwether.com
9781566081955, $22.95, www.amazon.com

Improvisational Theater, often called improv, is a form of theater where most or all of what is performed is created at the moment it is performed. In its purest form, the dialogue, the action, the story and the characters are created collaboratively by the players as the improvisation unfolds in present time, without use of an already prepared, written script. Improvisational Theater exists in performance as a range of styles of improvisational comedy as well as some non-comedic theatrical performances. It is sometimes used in film and television, both to develop characters and scripts and occasionally as part of the final product. Improvisational techniques are often used extensively in drama programs to train actors for stage, film and television and can be an important part of the rehearsal process. The collaborative effort of improve experts Justine Jones and Mary Ann Kelley, "Improv Ideas 2: A New Book of Games and Lists for the Classroom and Beyond" is a 167 page compendium packed from cover to cover with more than seventy improvisation games and lists that will hone student actor and comedians skill sets for doing improve on stage. Thoroughly 'user friendly' throughout, "Improv Ideas 2: A New Book of Games and Lists for the Classroom and Beyond" is very highly recommended for personal, professional, and academic Theatrical Studies instructional reference collections.

The Wonderful World Of Oz
John Fricke
Down East Books
PO Box 679, Camden, ME 04843
www.downeastbooks.com
9781608932573, $30.00, www.amazon.com

A wonderfully nostalgic trip back to the phenomenal 1939 film that astonished a generation of viewers and continues to be a popular movie to a whole new generation of appreciative viewers today, "The Wonderful World of Oz: An Illustrated History of the American Classic" by documentary producer and Oz film expert John Fricke is a 168 page compendium that showcases not only an historically important film in the history of American cinema, but documents its impact on American popular culture. An memorable tribute to an iconic movie, "The Wonderful World of Oz: An Illustrated History of the American Classic" is especially recommended and informative browsing for the films legions of fans and is guaranteed to be an enduringly popular addition to community library Theatre/Cinema/TV collections.

Applause
c/o Hal Leonard Performing Arts Publishing Group
19 West 21st Street, Suite 201, New York, NY 10010
www.halleonard.com www.applausebooks.com

Applause books publishes many fine titles for aspiring actors and film collections alike and some of their recent titles are highly recommended for any collection strong in film and stage references. SCENES AND MONOLOGUES OF SPIRITUAL EXPERIENCE FROM THE BEST CONTEMPORARY PLAYS (9781480331563, $19.99) provides a fine gathering of different themes of religious faith and romantic love, and excels in representing different perspectives in its nearly 100 scenes. Material gathered by theater expert Roger Ellis comes from modern plays and provides many short performance pieces not widely distributed, making for an involving collection of possibilities for students looking for quick monologues and scenes packing the most into short pieces. JV Mercanti's IN PERFORMANCE: CONTEMPORARY MONOLOGUES FOR MEN AND WOMEN, LATE TEENS-20s (9781480331570, $18.99) includes monologues by teacher/director Mercanti and offers keys to pairing actors with monologues. His book holds over 25 monologues representing what he considers to be the best works from the last 15 years. Both books include director notes and keys to producing emotional connections and smooth dialogue, making them choice for actors and directors alike. ELVIS FILMS FAQ: ALL THAT'S LEFT TO KNOW ABOUT THE KING OF ROCK 'N ROLL IN HOLLYWOOD by Paul Simpson (9781557838582, $24.99) covers all of Elvis' films and even includes insights on which of his own movies he liked, which he wished he could have made, and more. Much more than just a listing of films Elvis appeared in, this traces the evolution of his career, common misunderstandings about his choices and perspectives, and the impact of Elvis on the film industry as a whole. Elvis fans and film enthusiasts alike will find this a compelling pick, packed with insider information and perspectives you won't find elsewhere.


The Agriculture Shelf

Pure Poultry
Victoria Redhed Miller
New Society Publishers
PO Box 189, Gabriola Island, BC, Canada, V0R 1X0
9780865717534, $19.95, www.newsociety.com

PURE POULTRY is for any rural home and garden collection and for any library strong in sustainable agricultural practices: it provides keys to understanding hundreds of lesser-known poultry breeds and how to handle them, and is the first book to focus on heritage breeds of poultry. From guidelines on care, housing, breeding and cooking to tips on choosing heritage breeds for production purposes, this offers specifics and blends in a dose of humor to make for a lively read on heritage poultry. Add a peppering of fun black and white photos throughout and you have a highly recommended read for any aspiring poultry farmer at any scale.


The Fiction Shelf

Being Dead in South Carolina
Jacob White
Leapfrog Press
P.O. Box 505, Fredonia, NY 14063
www.leapfrogpress.com
9781935248446, $15.95, www.amazon.com

"Being Dead in South Carolina" is a 200 page compendium comprised of seventeen skillfully crafted short stories set in the modern South. The deftly written characters combine with strongly developed and original storylines resulting in a series of literary experiences that the reader will remember long after "Being Dead in South Carolina" in finished and set back upon the shelf. Very highly recommended for personal reading lists and community library collections, it should also be noted that "Being Dead in South Carolina" is available in a Kindle edition ($10.69) as well.


The Travel Shelf

The Columbia River
JoAnn Roe
Caxton Press
312 Main Street, Caldwell, ID 83605-3299
www.caxtonpress.com
9780870045387, $16.95, www.amazon.com

The Columbia River is the largest river in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. The river rises in the Rocky Mountains of British Columbia, Canada. It flows northwest and then south into the US state of Washington, then turns west to form most of the border between Washington and the state of Oregon before emptying into the Pacific Ocean. The river is 1,243 miles (2,000 km) long, and its largest tributary is the Snake River. Its drainage basin is roughly the size of France and extends into seven U.S. states and a Canadian province. By volume, the Columbia is the fourth-largest river in the United States; it has the greatest flow of any North American river draining into the Pacific. The river's heavy flow and its relatively steep gradient gives it tremendous potential for the generation of electricity. The 14 hydroelectric dams on the Columbia's main stem and many more on its tributaries produce more hydroelectric power than those of any other North American river. "The Columbia River: An Historical Travel Guide" is a 250 page compendium that is nicely organized into four major sections; The River in Canada; U.S. Border to Priest Rapids; Cities and Down the River; Portland/Vancouver to the Sea. Occasionally illustrated with maps and period photos, the text of "The Columbia River: An Historical Travel Guide" is richly informative and ideal for itinerary trip planning and for armchair travelers with an interest in one of North America's most colorful and important river systems. An ideal acquisition for community and academic libraries, it should also be noted that "The Columbia River: An Historical Travel Guide" is available in a Kindle edition ($9.99) as well.


The Writing/Publishing Shelf

A Quick Guide To Television Writing
Ray Morton
Limelight Editions
c/o Hal Leonard Performing Arts Publishing Group
19 West 21st Street, Suite 201, New York, NY 10010
www.halleonard.com
9780879108052, $12.99, www.amazon.com

Although very similar in a lot of respects to writing for the cinema, television scripts have certain unique demands upon the writer. In "A Quick Guide To Television Writing", Ray Morton draws upon his many years as a successful writer, script consultant and screenplay analyst to present a succinct, compact, 112 page instruction manual for crafting a professional quality television script. Exceptionally well written and thoroughly 'user friendly', "A Quick Guide To Television Writing" covers every aspect including the three principle types of teleplays, dramatic storytelling, television oriented storytelling, teleplay style and formatting, the creation of a television series, and more. Of special note is Morton's commentary on the business of television writing, the types of jobs open to television writers, and strategies for attracting television industry attention. Offering a wealth of tips, tricks and techniques, "A Quick Guide To Television Writing" should be considered essential reading for anyone aspiring to write for television. It should be noted that "A Quick Guide To Television Writing" is also available in a Kindle edition ($9.99).

Writers Rehab
D. B. Gilles
Michael Wiese Productions
12400 Ventura Blvd., #1111, Studio City, CA 91604
www.mwp.com
9781615931569, $12.95, www.amazon.com

Sooner or later (and more than once!) a writer will suffer from what is called 'writer's block', the condition of having nothing come to mind to put down on paper or type into a computer screen. That's why "Writers Rehab: A 12-Step Program for Writers Who Can't Get Their Acts Together" by professional playwright, script consultant, and novelist D. B. Gilles will prove to be such a useful source of encouragement at such times. This compact, pocket-sized, 156 page compendium is packed from cover to cover with tips, tricks, techniques, and practical observations on how to overcome the forces behind the infamous 'writer's block'. Simply stated, wither a novice or a more experienced author, you need to have a copy of "Writers Rehab: A 12-Step Program for Writers Who Can't Get Their Acts Together" on your personal and professional reference shelf. It should be noted that "Writers Rehab: A 12-Step Program for Writers Who Can't Get Their Acts Together " is also available in a Kindle edition ($9.39).


The Interior Design Shelf

Nell Hill's Rooms We Love
Mary Carol Garrity
Andrews & McMeel
1130 Walnut Street, Kansas City, MO 64106-2109
www.andrewsmcmeel.com
9781449421649, $29.99, www.amazon.com

"In Nell Hill's Rooms We Love" is a 128 page, profusely and beautifully illustrated compendium in which decorating maven Mary Carol Garrity deftly coaches her readers on how they can affordably decorate household rooms that will reflect good taste, versatility, livability, a personalized style, and enduring appeal. Deftly organized into five major chapters (Functional and Fabulous; Color Changes Everything; The Comfort Zone; The Big Picture; Romancing the Room), "In Nell Hill's Rooms We Love" is a pleasure to browse and a source of inspiration for non-specialist general readers wanting to try their own hand at interior design.


The Money/Finance Shelf

Credit Repair, 11th edition
Robin Leonard, J.D. & Attorney Margaret Reiter
Nolo Press
950 Parker Street
Berkeley, CA 94710
9781413318869 $24.99 www.nolo.com

A good credit score can potentially save one thousands of dollars when buying a house, and knowing how to protect oneself against or respond to identity theft can literally be the difference between prosperity and poverty. Now in an updated eleventh edition, Credit Repair is a solid, thorough, user-friendly resource accessible to anyone and everyone concerned about their credit rating. No financial background is needed to understand the guidelines for assessing one's own debts, correcting errors that others may have made on one's credit report or credit score, negotiating with creditors, avoiding identity theft and scams, and building a credit history. Of particular importance are the twenty guidelines one should immediately follow after learning that one's identity has been stolen, including "apply for a new driver's license number, if necessary", "tell debt collectors who call about fraudulent charges that they were incurred as a result of identity theft and send a dispute letter", and "consider placing a security freeze on your report." "Service members qualify for an active duty alert... This alert is similar to the other fraud alerts, but stays in place for 12 months and excludes you from prescreened lists for two years. This alert also lets creditors know that you and your dependents qualify for certain legal protections available only to service members." Credit Repair is an absolute "must-have" for both personal and public library collections, worthy of the highest recommendation.

Paying For College Without Going Broke: 2014 Edition
Kalman A. Chany & Geoff Martz
The Princeton Review
c/o Random House Inc.
1745 Broadway, New York NY 10019
www.PrincetonReview.com
9780804124362, $20.00, www.amazon.com

It is quite rare these days for a graduating student from an American college or university is not saddling with a crippling student loan debt. The cost of education has steadily outstripped the cost of living index these past two decades and shows no signs of slowing up in the near term future. That's why this new 2014 edition of "Paying For College Without Going Broke" is certain to be the vest $20 investment any parent or student could make when it comes to financing a college or university education. "Paying For College Without Going Broke" shows how to maximize financial aid eligibility, offers line-by-line strategies on financial aid application forms, and provides both long term and short term money-saving tactics. Of special note is what "Paying For College Without Going Broke" reveals to parents about education tax breaks, 520 plans, Coverdells, and custodial accounts for their children's educational future. Simply stated, "Paying For College Without Going Broke" should be considered mandatory reading for anyone having to pay for a college or university education, and should be considered an essential 'must have' for community library reference collections.


The Poetry Shelf

Decembers
James A. Perkins
Mercer University Press
1400 Coleman Avenue
Macon, GA 31207-0001
9780881464658 $18.00 www.mupress.org

Decembers: Poems is a free-verse poetry anthology from professor emeritus James A. Perkins, embodying moments of the holiday season. Most of the poems were written one per a year, starting in 1973; many were sent to accompany Christmas cards sent to friends and family. A short story musing on how simple words can travel far and wind up in the unlikeliest places rounds out this heartfelt anthology, expressing the warmth and goodwill that form the spirit of Christmas itself. "Faded Angel": We're cutting back this year, / no tree, / no greenery looping / down the stairs, / no display of favorite cards / from Christmases past // With our boys far away / creating holiday memories / with their own families, / we're content with a few snowmen, / two seasonal place mats, and candles here and there. // But one things stays the same. / Blond and blue-eyed, / our calico angel, / her left arm up flung / and her legs crossed / like a Scots sword dancer's, // her wings faded / from the slant light / of thirty Decembers, / still smiles her welcome / from our front door.

The High Caul Cap
Medbh McGukian
Wake Forest University Press
PO Box 7333, Winston-Salem, NC 27109
www.wfu.edu/wfupress
9781930630659, $14.95, 64 pp, www.amazon.com

Reviewing poetry is a lot like panning for gold. You have to go through a great deal of gravel before you find a nugget of outstanding value. But when you do, it is all very much worth it. Such is the case with the free verse poetry of Medbh McGukian, collected together and presented in the pages of "The High Caul Cap". If you only read poetry upon occasion, then don't miss the work of this truly gifted wordsmith. 'Seated Woman': Her cheek clenched like a leather butterfly, / she remains hard to love, heartless sometimes / as fruit painted sullen red on coffee cups, as mallows / fossilized in silver wire against the gold couch. // All but speechless, she is mildly grazing the dry / re-wilded air, the clouds' salinity, / her face in sliding light skimmed / from the inexhaustible street like rain-fed rice. // Her taupe dress is too flat to be a room, / too brown to be outdoors, but hyperlucid / as the windfield that rubs shoulders with you, / as if you were running your hands through a climate.

U.A. Fanthorpe: Selected Poems
U.A. Fanthorpe
Enitharmon Press
www.enitharmon.co.uk
c/o Dufour Editions, Inc.
PO Box 7, Chester Springs, PA 19425-0007
9781907587269 $23.95 www.dufoureditions.com

U.A. Fanthorpe: Selected Poems is an anthology of chosen works from English poet Ursula Askham Fanthorpe (1929-2009), who remains popular among poetry connoisseurs of all backgrounds due to her original flair, keen wit, and understanding of the human condition. Individual poems from her literary career spanning 30+ years show a broad range of her works, including changing styles and voices, but her universal love for both her country and her fellow human beings shines through. Highly recommended, especially for public library and literary poetry collections. "A Minor Role": I'm best observed on stage, / Propping a spear, or making endless / Exits and entrances with my servant's patter, / 'Yes, sir. O no, sir.' If I get / These midget moments wrong, the monstrous fabric / Shrinks to unwanted sniggers...

The Biscuit Joint
David Kirby
Louisiana State University Press
3990 W. Lakeshore Drive
Baton Rouge, LA 70808
9780807151075 $16.95 http://lsupress.org

The Biscuit Joint is an anthology of free-verse by prize-winning poet David Kirby. Inspired by the "biscuit join" of carpentry (a seamless, virtually invisible fit of two pieces of wood), the poems explore the hidden interconnections between the most mundane of actions. "Roy G. Biv: The English say 'Richard of York Gave Battle In Vain' / when they try to recall the colors of the rainbow, / but that assumes a sense of history, which we Americans / don't like so much. What we like is sports, even soccer, / but what does Greg O'Keeffe of 'The Liverpool / Echo' mean when he describes forward Landon // Donovan's 'coruscating pace down the flanks'?..." The Biscuit Joint proves that poetry can be gripping as well as reflective and memorable; highly recommended.


The Health/Medicine Shelf

Evaluating Obesity Prevention Efforts
National Academies Press
500 Fifth Street, NW, Washington, DC 20001
www.nap.edu
9780309285278, $79.00, www.amazon.com

Obesity is a medical condition in which excess body fat has accumulated to the extent that it may have an adverse effect on health, leading to reduced life expectancy and/or increased health problems. People are considered obese when their body mass index (BMI), a measurement obtained by dividing a person's weight in kilograms by the square of the person's height in meters, exceeds 30 kg/m2. Obesity increases the likelihood of various diseases, particularly heart disease, type 2 diabetes, obstructive sleep apnea, certain types of cancer, and osteoarthritis. Obesity is most commonly caused by a combination of excessive food energy intake, lack of physical activity, and genetic susceptibility, although a few cases are caused primarily by genes, endocrine disorders, medications or psychiatric illness. Obesity in American is a growing concern, especially with the increasing numbers of obese children. The collaborative work of the Committee on Evaluating Progress of Obesity Prevention Effort, the Food and Nutrition Board, and the Institute of Medicine, "Evaluating Obesity Prevention Efforts: A Plan for Measuring Progress" is a 462 page compendium that is comprised of a data-based and actionable approach for measuring the progress of national obesity prevention policies and environmental strategies as outlined in the 2012 IPM report 'Accelerating Progress in Obesity Prevention: Solving the Weight of the Nation'. A significant and important publication, "Evaluating Obesity Prevention Efforts: A Plan for Measuring Progress" is an essential addition to professional, governmental, and academic library Health & Medicine reference collections.

Body Sculpting with Kettlebells for Man
Roger Hall
Hatherleigh Press
c/o The Hatherleigh Foundation
5-22 46th Ave, Ste 200
Long Island City, NY 11101
9781578264780 $19.95 www.hatherleighpress.com

Multiple images of black-and-white photography on almost every page, demonstrating exercises step-by-step enhances Body Sculpting with Kettlebells for Men, a straightforward guide filled with over 75 exercises suitable for daily workouts and strength conditioning. These kettlebell workouts do not require gym attendance or any expensive equipment other than the kettlebells themselves; exercises to promote cardio fitness as well as strength are included. HKC certified kettlebell trainer Roger Hall, owner and operator of Catskill Kettlebells studio, also includes nutrition recommendations to complement the exercises and fitness programs. "Kettlebell workouts are designed to employ the entire body, working many muscle groups at once. That's part of the appeal for using kettlebells. You're working the entire body with the exercises, instead of targeting one or two muscle groups." An excellent guide to hands-on strength and fitness training in the privacy of one's home!


The Relationship Shelf

The Marriage Checkup Practitioner's Guide
James V. Cordova
American Psychological Association
750 First Street, NE
Washington, DC 20002-4242
9781433815522 $69.95 www.apa.org/books

The Marriage Checkup Practitioner's Guide: Promoting Lifelong Relationship Health is a guide created especially for professional counselors and clinicians to help intimate partners reconnect. Laying the groundwork for a two-session assessment and feedback marital health check, The Marriage Checkup Practitioner's Guide discusses "Basics of Working With Couples in Brief Interventions", "Goals of Motivational Feedback", "Menu for Addressing Common Areas of Concern", "Menu for Presenting Couples' Strengths" and much more. As a quote from a recommended phone script for interested couples explains, "...the Marriage Checkup is a service designed to benefit all married couples. It is not therapy; it is an informational health service. Its goal is to help couples make the most of their own strengths and skills to successfully maintain the health, quality, and stability of their marriages and families. As part of your Marriage Checkup, you will receive a thorough relationship health assessment and personal feedback about the results. These involves completing a few questionnaires and coming in to the Center for Couples and Family Research for an interview. Two weeks later you'll come back to receive feedback about your assessment results." An excellent, accessible, no-nonsense guide, highly recommended for relationship professionals who are considering broadening the services they offer.


The Botany Shelf

Land of Enchantment Wildflowers
Willa F. Finley and Lashara J. Nieland
Texas Tech University Press
PO Box 41037
Lubbock, TX 79409-1037
9780896728226 $29.95 www.ttupress.org

Illustrated with 456 full-color photographs on virtually every page, Land of Enchantment Wildflowers: A Guide to the Plants of New Mexico is a user-friendly identification, reference, and field guide to 200 commonly encountered plants of New Mexico at various stages of their life cycles, as well as information about 100 butterfly and moth species, and descriptions of how each interacts with specific plants. Individual entries include brief yet thorough descriptions of the plant's appearance, ecological role, history of human interaction, and more. "The Ramah Navajo made an infusion of bindweed to treat spider bites; they drank the tea and also rubbed it on the bite. Bindweed is also used as a purgative. It promotes wound healing and acts as an anti-inflammatory. The women of some California tribes drank bindweed tea to control excessive menstruation." Novice and professional widlflower enthusiasts alike will find Land of Enchantment Wildflowers a beautiful, useful and worthy resource.


The Political Science Shelf

Every Day Is Election Day
Rebecca Sive
Chicago Review Press
814 North Franklin Street, Chicago, IL 60610
www.chicagoreviewpress.com
9781613746622, $17.95, www.amazon.com

Once politics was the exclusive domain of men. Then women got the vote. But it still took a long hard struggle for women to achieve the political influence and responsibility that elected public offices offers. This same pattern holds in other, similar fields such as corporate businesses administrative echelons and volunteer service organizations like parent-teacher organizations. That's why "Every Day Is Election Day: A Woman's Guide to Winning Any Office, from the PTA to the White House" is such timely and appreciated instruction manual. Author Rebecca Sive draws upon her years of experience and expertise as the President of the Sive Group, Inc. (a public affairs strategy company), a former commissioner of the Illinois Human Rights Commission, co-founder of the Midwest Women's Center, an adviser and fund raiser for Geraldine Ferraro's national campaign, and the campaigns of U.S. Senators Barbara Milkulski, Mary Landrieu, Debbie Stabenow, and Amy Klobuchar. The result is an extraordinarily well written guide specifically designed for women considering a run for an elected position of any organization or governmental office. "Every Day Is Election Day: A Woman's Guide to Winning Any Office, from the PTA to the White House" is an enthusiastically recommended addition for community and academic library Political Science collections. It should also be noted that "Every Day Is Election Day: A Woman's Guide to Winning Any Office, from the PTA to the White House" is also available in a Kindle edition ($9.99).


The Terrorism Studies Shelf

Hezbollah
Matthew Levitt
Georgetown University Press
3240 Prospect Street, NW, Washington, DC 20007
www.press.georgetown.edu
9781626160132, $32.95, www.amazon.com

Hezbollah (translated it means "Party of Allah" or "Party of God") is a Shi'a Islamic militant group and political party based in Lebanon. Its paramilitary wing is regarded as a resistance movement throughout much of the Arab and Muslim worlds, and is currently considered more powerful than the Lebanese Army. The governments of the U.S., Netherlands, France, Gulf Cooperation Council, U.K., Australia, Canada, the European Union and Israel classify Hezbollah as a terrorist organization, in whole or in part. Hezbollah was conceived by Muslim clerics and funded by Iran following the Israeli invasion of Lebanon, and was primarily formed to offer resistance to the Israeli occupation. Its leaders were followers of Ayatollah Khomeini, and its forces were trained and organized by a contingent of 1,500 Iranian Revolutionary Guards that arrived from Iran with permission from the Syrian government. Hezbollah's 1985 manifesto listed its objectives as the expulsion of "the Americans, the French and their allies definitely from Lebanon, putting an end to any colonialist entity on our land", submission of the Phalangists to "just power" and bringing them to justice "for the crimes they have perpetrated against Muslims and Christians", and permitting "all the sons of our people" to choose the form of government they want, while calling on them to "pick the option of Islamic government". "Hezbollah: The Global Footprint of Lebanon's Party of God" by Matthew Levitt (Senior Fellow and Director of The Washington Institute for Near East Policy's Stein Program on Counter-Terrorism and Intelligence) is a 426 page compendium providing the non-specialist general reader with an excellent and documented history of this Islamic militant organization and its present activities throughout the world. Enhanced with an extensive bibliography and a comprehensive index, "Hezbollah: The Global Footprint of Lebanon's Party of God" is especially recommended for both community and academic library International Studies in general, and Terrorism Studies in particular.


The Economic Studies Shelf

Business Statistics Of The United States: 2013
Cornelia J. Strawser, editor
Bernan Press
c/o Rowman & Littlefield Publishing Group
4501 Forbes Blvd., Suite 200, Lanham, MD 20706
www.rlpgbooks.com
9781598886351, $165.00, www.amazon.com

Now in a newly published 13th edition, "Business Statistics of the United States, 2013: Patterns of Economic Change", compiled and edited by Cornelia J. Strawser (Senior Economic Consultant to Bernan Press and editor of this series from its7th through 17th editions), is a 604 page compendium of annual economic and business data collected from the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, the Federal Housing Finance Agency, and the departments of the Census Burea, Commerce, Energy, Labor, and Treasury. New to this updated and expanded 13 edition is data on the National income and Product Accounts, and annual data for money and credit before 1929, including money supply figures back to 1892. Of special note is the new article, 'Cycle and Growth Perspectives' which discusses the impact of the NIPA revision and provides other information and techniques to assist in using and interpreting NIPA data. A core reference, "Business Statistics of the United States, 2013: Patterns of Economic Change" should be considered a mandatory and required addition to professional, corporate, governmental, and academic library Business and Economics reference collections.


The Autism Shelf

Supporting Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder in Recreation
Phyllis Coyne & Ann Fullerton
Marketing Department
Sagamore Publishing Company
1807 North Federal Drive, Urbana, IL 61801
www.sagamorepub.com
9781571677242, $34.95, www.amazon.com

The autism spectrum or autistic spectrum describes a range of conditions classified as neurodevelopmental disorders in the fifth revision of the American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders 5th edition (DSM-5). The DSM-5, published in 2013, redefined the autism spectrum to encompass the previous (DSM-IV-TR) diagnoses of autism, Asperger syndrome, pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified (PDD-NOS), childhood disintegrative disorder, and Rett syndrome. These disorders are characterized by social deficits and communication difficulties, stereotyped or repetitive behaviors and interests, and in some cases, cognitive delays. The collaborative work of autism experts Phyllis Coyne and Ann Fullerton and now in a fully updated and expanded second edition, "Supporting Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder in Recreation" is a 343 page compendium offering a number of practical approaches for both families and professionals working with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) individuals of all ages and ability in every type of recreation program. "Supporting Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder in Recreation" provides a basis for understanding of ASD and its impact on recreation participation from the perspective of experienced professionals working with ASD patients and clients. Enhanced throughout with tables and figures, "Supporting Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder in Recreation" also features three appendices, an extensive roster of bibliographic references, and a comprehensive index, making it a significant and invaluable addition to professional and academic library Autism Studies reference collections and supplemental reading lists.


The Pets/Wildlife Shelf

The Complete Book Of North American Owls
James R. Duncan
Thunder Bay Press
c/o Baker & Taylor Publishing Group
10350 Barnes Canyon Rd, Ste 100, San Diego, CA 92121
www.thunderbaybooks.com
9781607107262, $19.95, www.amazon.com

Owls are birds of the order Strigiformes and include about 200 species of mostly solitary and nocturnal birds of prey typified by an upright stance, a large, broad head, binocular vision and binaural hearing, and feathers adapted for silent flight. Owls hunt mostly small mammals, insects, and other birds, although a few species specialize in hunting fish. They are found in all regions of the Earth except Antarctica, most of Greenland, and some remote islands. "The Complete Book of North American Owls" is a 192 page, profusely illustrated compendium showcasing all of different types of owl to be found on the North American continent. Addressing the question of what is an owl, special adaptations of owls, and owl biology, "The Complete Book of North American Owls" offers an extensive 'Gallery of Owls' with an informative and detailed caption for each owl presented. The photography throughout "The Complete Book of North American Owls" is simply magnificent. Informed and informative, "The Complete Book of North American Owls" is an important and highly recommended addition for school and community library Ornithology Studies reference collections and supplemental reading lists.


The Library Science Shelf

Including Families of Children with Special Needs
Carrie Scott Banks, et al.
ALA Editions
c/o American Library Association
50 East Huron Street, Chicago, IL 60611
www.alastore.ala.org
9781555707910, $60.00, www.amazon.com

In the United States today, there are more than 6.5 million children receiving special education services in our schools. That is why school and community libraries must be able to address the needs of these children with respect to their services, resources, and collections. Now in a newly revised and updated edition, "Including Families of Children with Special Needs: A How-To-Do-It Manual for Librarians" is an essential instruction guide that addresses such fundamental issues as partnering and collaborating with parents and other professionals; developing special collections and resources; assessing competencies and skills; the primary principles underlying family-centered services and resource-based practices; and the interrelationship of early intervention, special education, and library service. As informed and informative as it is deftly written and presented, "Including Families of Children with Special Needs: A How-To-Do-It Manual for Librarians" should be considered mandatory reading for school and community library staff members and a core curriculum supplement for Library Science students.


The Native American Studies Shelf

Elder Brother and the Law of the People
Robert Alexander Innes
University of Manitoba Press
301 St. John's College
Winnipeg, MB, Canada, R3T 2M5
9780887557460 $31.95 www.uofmpress.ca

Also available in ebook format, Elder Brother and the Law of the People: Contemporary Kinship and Cowessess First Nation explores traditional folk stories of Wisashkecahk, also known as "Elder Brother", told among the Cowessess First Nation of aboriginal peoples native to southeastern Saskatchewan, Canada. These Elder Brother stories served the people by clarifying rules of social interaction, marriage, adoption, kinship, duties and responsibilities. Author Robert Alexander Innes, a scholar of American Indian Studies and a Plains Cree member of the Cowessess First Nation, explains how the values inherent in the traditional Elder Brother stories have persisted into the modern era, even influencing the Cowessess' successful negotiation of the 1996 Treaty Land Entitlement agreement. Methodical and enlightening, Elder Brother and the Law of the People is a welcome addition to scholarly Native American Studies shelves.

Dena'inaq' Huch'ulyeshi: The Dena'ina Way of Living
Suzi Jones, James A. Fall, Aaron Leggett
University of Alaska Press
PO Box 756240, Fairbanks, AK 99775-6240
www.uaf.edu/uapress
9781602232075, $35.00, www.amazon.com

The Dena'ina are an Alaska Native people and Athabaskan Native Americans in the United States. They are the original inhabitants of the southcentral Alaska region ranging from Seldovia in the south to Chickaloon in the northeast, Talkeetna in the north, Lime Village in the Northwest and Pedro Bay in the Southwest. The collaborative work of Suzi Jones (Deputy Director of the Anchorage Museum), James A. Fall (Program Manager for the Division of Subsistence, Alaska Department of Fish and Game0, and Aaron Leggett (Special Exhibitions Curator at the Anchorage Museum), "Dena'inaq' Huch'ulyeshi: The Dena'ina Way of Living" is a beautifully and profusely illustrated, 350 page compendium showcasing the history, art, culture, lifestyle, and artifacts of the Dena'ina people. An impressive body of seminal scholarship, "Dena'inaq' Huch'ulyeshi: The Dena'ina Way of Living" is enhanced with the inclusion of James Kari's 'The Dena'ina Sound System and Orthography'; an extensive bibliography, and a comprehensive index. Simply stated, "Dena'inaq' Huch'ulyeshi: The Dena'ina Way of Living" is an invaluable and essential addition to academic library Native American Studies reference collections and supplemental reading lists.


The Reference Shelf

The World Almanac and Book of Facts 2014
Sarah Janssen, editor
The World Almanac
132 West 31st Street, 17th floor, NY, NY 10001
9781600571817, $34.95, 1008 pp, www.amazon.com

Published annually since 1868, this new "The World Almanac and Book of Facts 2014" edition continues to be an indispensable school and community library reference work. It is also very highly recommended for personal and family reference collections and is an excellent trivia resource on everything from sports and pop culture to science and politics. Of special note are such features as World Alamanac Editors' Picks: Time Capsule; Offbeat News Stories; Marriage in America; Voter Guide (a state-by-state guide for key election dates and information, including voter-ID laws adopted by many states); Memorable Winter Olympic Moments; The World at a Glance; Health News & Statistics. It should also be noted that "The World Almanac and Book of Facts 2014" is also available in a paperback edition (9781600571824, $13.99) as well as a Kindle edition (B00BW4OKGI, $7.97).

County and City Extra 2013
Deirdre A. Gaquin & Mary Meghan Ryan, editors
Bernan Press
c/o Rowman & Littlefield Publishing Group
4501 Forbes Blvd., Suite 200, Lanham, MD 20706
www.rlpgbooks.com
9781598886337, $155.00, www.amazon.com

Exhaustive compiled and co-edited by the team of data research experts Deirdre A. Gaquin and Mary Meghan Ryan, "County and City Extra 2013: Annual Metro, City, and County Data Book" is a 1456 page compendium comprised of superbly organized and presented key demographic data for every state, country, metro area, and congressional district in America, as well as for every city and town with a 2010 census population of more than 25,000. This new 21st edition of a research data staple is enhanced with number tables, full-color maps on selected data topics, and up-to-date information on geographic concepts and codes. Of special note is a completely new list of Core Based Statistical Areas based on the 2010 census, along with changes in the way these areas are defined from the federal Office of Management and Budget. "County and City Extra 2013: Annual Metro, City, and County Data Book" is highly recommended for professional, corporate, academic, and community library reference collections.


The Martial Arts Shelf

Paladin Press
7077 Winchester Circle, Boulder, CO 80301
www.paladin-press.com

Swordsmanship refers to the skills of a swordsman, a person versed in the art of the sword. The term is modern, and as such was mainly used to refer to smallsword fencing, but by extension it can also be applied to any martial art involving the use of a sword. Paladin Press offers three outstanding instructional volumes by John Clements which are dedicated to medieval and renaissance era swords and swordsmanship. "Masters of Medieval and Renaissance Martial Arts: Rediscovering the Western Combat Heritage" (9781581606683, $52.00) is a 380 page compendium that provides a history of European fight masters and their techniques from 1350 to 1675 A.D. Very nicely illustrated, "Medieval Swordsmanship: Illustrated Methods and Techniques" (9781581600049, $42.) is a 344 page, 'hands-on' instruction manual on medieval swords and how they were employed in combat. "Renaissance Swordsmanship: The Illustrated Use of Rapiers and Cut-and-Thrust Swords" (9780873649193, $25.00) is an illustrated, 152 page manual on these specialized swords and their use replicating how men fought with them in duels and in battlefield conditions. Also from Paladin Press and very highly recommended to students of the sword is Harvey J. S. Withers' "The Scottish Sword 1600-1945: An Illustrated History" (9781581607130, $55.00), a 252 page compendium which is beautifully illustrated in full color throughout and covers two-handed swords, English basket hilt swords, Jacobit basket hilt swords, Regulation baske hilt swords, and Nonregulaton swords of the period. All four of these volumes are works of impressive presentation and highly recommended for personal, professional, community, and academic library reference collections. They would also prove indispensable as reference works for authors writing action/adventure historical novels set in Medieval or in Renaissance periods.


The Philosophy Shelf

Concepts and Their Role in Knowledge
Allan Gotthelf, editor
James G. Lennox, associate editor
University of Pittsburgh Press
3400 Forbes Avenue, 5th floor
Pittsburgh, PA 15260
9780822944249 $30.00 www.upress.pitt.edu/upressIndex.aspx

The second book published in the Ayn Rand Society Philosophical Studies series, Concepts and Their Role in Knowledge: Reflections on Objectivist Epistemology is an anthology of scholarly essays by learned authors about the ideas of philosopher and author Ayn Rand (1905-1982), perhaps best known for her blend of novel and manifesto "Atlas Shrugged". Ayn Rand is highly regarded for challenging conventional views of epistemology (the theory of knowledge, in particular how knowledge is determined to be valid, or how reasoning is determined to be sound). Individual writings exploring her Objectivist perspective on fundamental understanding and concepts include "Rand on Concepts, Definitions, and the Advance of Science: Comments on Gotthelf and Lennox", "Keeping Up Appearances: Reflections on the Debate over Perceptual Infallibilism", "Ayn Rand's Theory of Concepts: Rethinking Abstraction", and much more. Suitable for intermediate to advances philosophers and scholars of Ayn Rand's ideas, Concepts and Their Role in Knowledge is a welcome contribution to college library philosophy shelves.


The Civil War Shelf

The Vicksburg Campaign
Steven E. Woodworth and Charles D. Grear, editors
Southern Illinois University Press
1915 University Press Drive
SIUC Mail Code 6806
Carbondale, IL 62901
9780809332694 $32.50 www.siupress.com

The Vicksburg Campaign, March 29-May 18, 1863 is an anthology of essays by learned authors about one of the turning points of the American Civil War: the Union's successful Vicksburg Campaign into Confederate heartland, dubbed the "Mississippi Blitzkrieg" by historians. Individual writings include "Developed by Circumstances: Grant, Intelligence and the Vicksburg Campaign", "A Victory Could Hardly Have Been more Complete: The Battle of Big Black River Bridge", "The 'Stealing Tour': Soldiers and Civilians in Grant's March to Vicksburg", and much more. A handful of black-and-white maps/figures and an index round out this heavily researched, smoothly presented anthology of perspectives on a campaign destined to change the course of American history.


The Language Studies Shelf

Ten Fairy Tales in Latin
Paula Camardella Twomey with Suzanne Nussbaum
Bolchazy-Carducci Publishers
1570 Baskin Road
Mundelein, IL 60060
9780865167919 $19.00 www.bolchazy.com

Ten Fairy Tales in Latin is a resource especially for instructors teaching Latin to high school or college students, but also useful for self-study. It presents popular fairy tales translated into Latin, in a script rendition meant to be read aloud or performed. Each tale has a traditional ending and a "twisted ending", concluding the story in an unusual way. Each tale also has an accompanying puzzle or activity to help the solver further enhance their command of Latin. Grammar notes and exercises for a review of key grammatical concepts in each tale, vocabulary lists, and a complete glossary round out this excellent supplementary resource for Latin teachers and students everywhere. The ten fairy tales are "Goldilocks and the Three Bears", "Little Red Riding Hood", "Cinderella", "The Little Red Hen", "The Gingerbread Man", "The Three Billy Goats Gruff", "The Three Little Pigs", "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs", "The Pied Piper", and "Sleeping Beauty".


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


Copyright ©2001

Site design by Williams Writing, Editing & Design