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California Bookwatch

Volume 8, Number 9 September 2013 Home | CALBW Index

Table of Contents

Reviewer's Choice Audiobook Shelf Psychology Shelf
Health/Medicine Shelf Technology Shelf Nautical Shelf
International Studies Shelf American History Shelf World History Shelf
Photography Shelf Fantasy/SciFi Shelf Business Shelf
Art Shelf Christian Studies Shelf Religion/Spirituality Shelf
Architecture Shelf Military Shelf Needlecraft Shelf
Woodworking Shelf Railroading Shelf Cookbook Shelf
Science Shelf Computer Shelf Mystery/Suspense Shelf
Fiction Shelf Self-Help Shelf Metaphysical Studies Shelf
Social Issues Shelf Political Science Shelf Education Shelf
Comix/Graphic Novel Shelf Homeowner's Shelf Pets/Wildlife Shelf
Biography Shelf Antiques/Collectors Shelf Poetry Shelf
Literary Studies Shelf Theatre/Cinema Shelf Music Shelf
Sports Shelf Automotive Shelf Travel Shelf
Relationship Shelf Divorce Shelf Hobby Shelf
California Shelf    


Reviewer's Choice

Intelligence Elsewhere
Philip H.J. Davies and Kristian C. Gustafson, editors
Georgetown University Press
3240 Prospect Street, NW, Washington, DC 20007
9781589019560, $34.95, www.press.georgetown.edu

Intelligence Elsewhere: Spies and Espionage Outside the Anglosphere is the first college-level, scholarly volume to consider the issues of intelligence spying and counterintelligence as they relate to areas outside the usual American and European arenas, and is a pick for any college-level collection strong in international social and political studies. This study concentrates on sensitive areas of the world such as China, India and the Arab world, and considers modern intelligence practices in a range of nations. Leading intelligence experts for each country provide strong insights into the latest security issues and challenges. Any college-level collection strong in international studies will find this a solid reference.

All in the Family
Sharon Graham Niederhaus and John L. Graham
Taylor Trade Publishing
c/o Rowman & Littlefield Publishing Group
4501 Forbes Blvd., Suite 200
Lanham, MD 20706
www.rlpgbooks.com
9781589798021, $16.95, www.rowman.com

All in the Family: A Practical Guide to Successful Multigenerational Living provides a fine guide recommended for any general-interest collection strong in family living and relationships. As society changes and healthcare and social security systems are failing, issues of multigenerational living are coming more to the front. This title considers the financial and emotional pros and cons of such an arrangement, covering basic designs, remodeling strategies, and keys to accommodating adult children and elderly parents under one roof. A practical, important guide for any facing the possibility and looking for a book that delves into specifics on 'how'.

To Sing Frogs
John M. Simmons
White Knight Publishing
http://johnmsimmons.com/contact
0972591664, $15.95, www.tosingfrogs.com

To Sing Frogs provides an inspiring, true story of international adoption and tells author John M. Simmons' personal quest to rescue five children from an impoverished rural Russian orphanage. It tells of a scientist and engineer who adopted a five-year-old - and who found that adoption was only the beginning of a larger journey that would build an unusual family while challenging his deepest-held convictions about the world. From cultural and language difficulties to the larger picture of other children needing love and adoption, To Sing Frogs documents the personal and social struggles of a family caught and developed between two very different worlds. The result is a powerful account recommended for any interested in adoption, families, and the power of love.

Beautifully Unique Sparkleponies
Chris Kluwe
Little, Brown & Company
c/o Hachette Book Group
237 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10017
www.hachettebookgroup.com
9780316236775, $27.00, www.littlebrown.com

Beautifully Unique Sparkleponies: On Myths, Morons, Free Speech, Football, and Assorted Absurdities blends autobiography with poems, stories, essays, reflections and betters and comes from an Oakland Raiders punter and online activist who has spurred debates and tweets and discussed personal ethics and more. Kluwe's letter to a Maryland state politician went viral last year as he refuted the politician's contention that a football player had no right standing up for gay rights. This considers a range of social issues, bringing Kluwe's experience and background into the mix and providing a solid account that allows readers a lively look at his personality, opinions, and observations. A 'must' for any collection strong in football and free speech issues.


The Audiobook Shelf

The Astronaut Wives Club
Lily Koppel
Hachette Audio
237 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10017-0010
9781619696457, $29.98, www.hachetteaudio.com

The Astronaut Wives Club: A True Story receives a powerful narration by Orlagh Cassidy, is unabridged on 7 CDs, and provides a fun story of the women behind NASA's moon shot effort. The spouses of these astronauts experienced a transformation from military spouses to American notables, wining and dining with the elite and becoming fashion icons. As their celebrity rose and divorces and problems began, the wives rallied together and formed bonds that would keep them friends for over half a century. This account tells their story and is a pick for any audio collection strong in science and biography.

Inside the Box
Drew Body and Jacob Goldenberg
Highbridge Audio Books
201 Sixth Street SE, Suite 220
Minneapolis, MN 55414
9781622311620, $34.95, www.highbridgeaudio.com

Inside the Box: A Proven System of Creativity for Breakthrough Results shows how quicker innovation is achieved by working within a system that promotes corporate creativity, and is an excellent formula for any business collection. It provides specific techniques designed to support systematic inventive thinking processes - a system already being successfully implemented by hundreds of corporations around the world - and provides keys to solving problems and innovating on routines. The result is a powerful selection of strategies any business leader will want to review, packaged in an engaging audio format that lends to listening in the car, on the job, and at home.

Rich Dad's Retire Young Retire Rich
Robert T. Kiyosaki
Brilliance Corporation
PO Box 887, Grand Haven, MI 49417
www.brillianceaudio.com
9781469202006, $19.99, www.brillianceaudio.com

Rich Dad's Retire Young Retire Rich: How to Get Rich and Stay Rich comes from a couple which began with nothing and retired financially free in less than ten years. Their game plan has also translated into income from seminars and classes on how to do the same - and radio personality Tim Wheeler is the perfect choice to add drama and lively discussion to the audio presenting this game plan. Listeners will receive keys to understanding how to make and keep money and how to move beyond any idea of working up to late retirement years. It's a winning formula that comes to life in audio, and is recommended for any financial planning or general nonfiction audio holding!


The Psychology Shelf

The Mindfulness & Acceptance Workbook for Social Anxiety & Shyness
Jan E. Fleming, MD, et.al.
New Harbinger Press
5674 Shattuck Avenue, Oakland, CA 94609
9781608820801, $19.95, www.newharbingerpublications.com

The Mindfulness & Acceptance Workbook for Social Anxiety & Shyness: Using Acceptance & Commitment Therapy to Free Yourself from Fear & Reclaim Your Life outlines a step-by-step program for self-help that explores social anxiety with an eye to explain tools to help. From breaking old habits of avoidance and deflection to learning to speak in public and participate in life, this comes with downloadable guided meditations and printable worksheets and is packed with proven-successful 'mindful' exercises, making for a top pick for any self-help collection!

On Depression
Nassir Ghaemi
Johns Hopkins University Press
2715 North Charles Street
Baltimore, MD 21218-4363
9781421409337, $24.95, www.press.jhu.edu

ON DEPRESSION: DRUGS, DIAGNOSIS, AND DESPAIR IN THE MODERN WORLD offers a different view of depression: one that treats it not so much as a disease but as a symptom of an examined life. Depression can have benefits and, if properly addressed, can lead to a lasting and deeper level of contentment. It's a complex emotion as a result and guides are needed who can understand it as both inherent in human nature and sometimes in need of guidance and medical intervention. Examples from philosophy and medicine blend with the author's clinical experience with those who have mental illness to make for a wide-ranging survey than most.


The Health/Medicine Shelf

Stranger Here
Jen Larsen
Seal Press
1700 - 4th Street, Berkeley, California 94710
9781580054461, $16.00, www.sealpress.com

STRANGER HERE: HOW WEIGHT-LOSS SURGERY TRANSFORMED MY BODY AND MESSED WITH MY HEAD provides a fine survey of a woman who decided that her key problem in life was her weight - and opted for bariatric surgery when the diets kept failing. It worked and in a year she lost nearly two hundred pounds - only to realize that a slim body was not the magical cure for all her problems. STRANGER HERE covers her journey from one weight issue to another, and discusses self-image and change in the context of the author's experience with the surgery and its aftermath. Any contemplating the process will find this a powerful book, unparalleled in its focus and direction.

Contemporary Catholic Health Care Ethics, second edition
David F. Kelly, et.al.
Georgetown University Press
3240 Prospect Street, NW, Washington, DC 20007
9781589019607, $39.95, www.press.georgetown.edu

The second updated edition of Contemporary Catholic Health Care Ethics provides new chapters on research ethics, organization ethics, and other issues that round out the focus on Catholic health care ethics as a whole, and is a 'must' for scholar and healthcare professionals facing bioethical issues surrounding modern practices. This focus provides a survey based on Catholic theology and health issues, applying Catholic beliefs to the new moral issues revolving around health care options ranging from birth control to advance directives. The focus on consistent method and foundations of spiritual assessment make this stand out from more general approaches to bioethics and is especially important because so many health care systems have their roots in Catholicism.


The Technology Shelf

Handbook of Reflector Antennas and Feed Systems Volume III: Applications of Reflectors
Sudhaker Rao, et.al.
Artech House
685 Canton Street, Norwood, MA 02062
9781608075195, $219.00, www.artechhouse.com

Handbook of Reflector Antennas and Feed Systems Volume III: Applications of Reflectors is the first in-depth handbook available discussing modern reflector antennas and feed sources for space and ground applications, and is the third of a set of references covering reflector antenna applications. Engineers working in communications settings will find this covers all recent developments in reflector antennas used for all kinds of satellite and remote sensing efforts, covering new subjects such as PIM, deployable mesh reflector antennas, and more and including a section on integrated feed assemblies. Charts, diagrams, and formulas throughout provide specific keys to successful applications and mechanical understanding in a recommendation for any science and engineering reference library.

Enabling Comprehensive Situational Awareness
Susan Lindell Radke
ESRI Press
380 New York Street
Redlands, CA 92378-8100
9781589483064, $18.95, www.esri.com

Enabling Comprehensive Situational Awareness describes how to integrate a GIS system with an emergency management common operating platform, and explains how the blending of the two holds important benefits for analyzing location-based data for emergency management personnel. From how to build an integrated emergency management OCP to best practices to handle workflows, this pairs technical examination with practical, real-world applications and is a top pick for any GIS reference collection.


The Nautical Shelf

The Law of the Sea
James B. Morell
McFarland & Company
PO Box 611, Jefferson NC 28640
9780786477104, $25.00, www.mcfarlandpub.com

The Law of the Sea: An Historical Analysis of the 1982 Treaty and Its Rejection by the United States covers events of the 1982 Law of the Sea Convention, accepted by over 150 nations after 14 years of negotiation but ultimately rejected by the Reagan administration in a move that placed the U.S. at odds with the far-reaching support shown by other countries around the world. From customary laws of the sea to efforts to monitor and regulate the ocean's riches and manage its bounty, this traces the U.S.'s objections to the treaty, our nation's insistence on the right to develop seabed mining, and considers the Convention's importance to this country. Any collection strong in international law or nautical issues will find this scholarly assessment a 'must' in order to understand the politics and law governing oceans and seas around the world.


The International Studies Shelf

The Longest Romance
Humberto Fontova
Encounter Books
900 Broadway, Suite 601, New York, NY 10003
9781594036675, $25.99, www.encounterbooks.com

THE LONGEST ROMANCE: THE MAINSTREAM MEDIA AND FIDEL CASTRO charts accounts of mainstream media reporting of Casto's actions and documents the powerful, successful propaganda campaigns mounted by Castro, documenting how major U.S. media entities fell for his propaganda tactics and thus helped shape world perceptions of his actions and regime. This history provides a powerful political, historical and social interpretation of events as recorded and shaped by U.S. media sources, and will prove an invaluable addition to media studies and history collections alike.


The American History Shelf

Flight of the Eagle
Conrad Black
Encounter Books
900 Broadway, Suite 601, New York, NY 10003
9781594036736, $35.99, www.encounterbooks.com

FLIGHT OF THE EAGLE: THE GRAND STRATEGIES THAT BROUGHT AMERICA FROM COLONIAL DEPENDENCE TO WORLD LEADERSHIP is a recommendation for any American history collection and provides a different view analyzing the strategic development of the U.S. from 1754 to modern times. It focuses on nine 'phases' of this strategic rise, refuting the common notion that the U.S. rise was from a combination of demographics and good luck, and revealing the specific strategic decisions of great statesmen that lend to this rise. The political and historical focus documents particular circumstances of change and receives a powerful introduction by Henry A. Kissinger in a top 'must' for any American history and political studies holding.

Tombstone
Sean McLachlan
Osprey Publishing
4301 21st St, Suite 220B
Long Island City, NY 11101
9781780961927, $18.95, www.ospreypublishing.com

TOMBSTONE: WYATT EARP, THE O.K. CORRAL, AND THE VENDETTA RIDE 1881-82 provides a fine, specific reference to the Gunfight's myths and realities and reveals the true story behind the O.K. Corral incident and the battles it incited. Military and general American history holdings alike will find it a powerful analysis of events, pairing vintage black and white photos with color illustrations throughout chapters that consider the equipment, strategies, and key personalities involved. It's detailed, specific, and recommended for any serious history holding centering on Western events.


The World History Shelf

Professor Risley and the Imperial Japanese Troupe
Frederik L. Schodt
Stone Bridge Press
PO Box 8208, Berkeley, CA 94707
9781611720099, $35.00, www.stonebridge.com

Professor Risley and the Imperial Japanese Troupe: How an American Acrobat Introduced Circus to Japan - and Japan to the West tells how a world-famous American acrobat, "Professor" Risley, brought his "Imperial Japanese Troupe" to America and Europe in 1857, which helped begin a fad for Japanese popular culture overall. It considers the roots and evolution of Japanese-American cultural relations through this event and provides a fascinating, lively history of a group that in 1866 received the first passport ever issued by Japan, then performed for presidents, monarchs and everyday citizens alike. This survey comes from a Japan expert who offers a lively portrait of the circus using nineteenth-century articles, diary entries, photos, illustrations and more to document these first encounters between Westerners and the Japanese. A 'must' for any American or Japanese cultural history holding as well as many a general-interest collection.

Living Shrines of Uyghur China
Lisa Ross
Monacelli Press
236 West 27th Street, 4th floor
New York, NY 10001
360 Brand Market Media
9781580933506, $35.00, www.monacellipress.com

Living Shrines of Uyghur China documents a series of shrines and Islamic holy sites photographed during a decade of journeys to China's Xinjiang region in Central Asia, and is a fine pick for any arts or Central Asia collection. These shrines, created during pilgrimages, have been maintained continuously over several centuries and have survived winds, sandstorms and more. Three essays by a historian of Central Asian Islam, a Uyghur folklorist, and the curator of an accompanying exhibition at the Rubin Museum of Art provide the background and perspective necessary to appreciate the shrines, their photographic rendition, and their importance to any Asian history or arts collection, for which this is a top recommendation.

The Great Tamasha
James Astill
Bloomsbury Press
175 Fifth Avenue, Suite 315
New York, NY 10010
9781608199174, $27.00, www.bloomsbury.com

THE GREAT TAMASHA: CRICKET, CORRUPTION, AND THE SPECTACULAR RISE OF MODERN INDIA provides the story of modern India through an unusual lens of its national sport, cricket, and shows how the game has come to reflect Indian culture, politics, and business alike. When an Indian businessman with a criminal record created a Twenty20 cricket league in India in 2008, the odds were against his success. But in his favor, the game was a national passion despite India's historic underperformances, and Lalit Modi created a formula for success that ultimately resulted in a, $4 endeavor representing the 'new India' face to the world. Sports and history collections alike will find this a powerful account of India's rise and of how cultural changes stemmed from something as basic as a national sport.


The Photography Shelf

Creating Stylish & Sexy Photography
Chris Nelson
Amherst Media
175 Rano Street, Suite 200
Buffalo, NY 14207-2176
9781608956067, $19.95, www.amherstmedia.com

Creating Stylish & Sexy Photography: A Guide to Glamour Portraiture teaches the basics of how to create sexy photos of women and provides a step-by-step account that covers everything from lighting and posing strategies to using light for flattering shots. From props and styles to creating nude, lingerie or simulated nude images, this is packed with color photo examples and discusses the basics of production strategies that lend to glamour photography successes. The tips on achieving satisfied clients make for a powerful survey no aspiring glamour photographer should be without.

Nikon D7100 for Dummies
Julie Adair King
For Dummies
c/o Wiley Professional Trade Group
111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030-5774
9781118530467, $29.99, www.fordummies.com

Nikon D7100 for Dummies covers all the bells and whistles of Nikon's D7100 camera, and is a pick for new owners who want clear instructions that don't assume any prior photography experience. This covers automatic and manual modes alike, considering color, focus, and how to use LiveView for shooting still photos. From controlling the influences on superior pictures to syncing print and monitor colors, customizing the camera, and playing back photos, this packs in color screen shots and quick tips throughout and is a 'must' for any new owner of this powerful camera!

Lomo Life
Lomography
Thames and Hudson Books
500 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10110-0017
9780500544211, $45.00, www.thamesandhudsonusa.com

Lomo Life: The Future is Analog discusses the phenomenon of Lomography: which began with a camera company that offered over a hundred modestly priced models from a small Russian camera that featured shadowing, light leaks, and saturated color results. Two students in Vienna recognized the value of the Russian device, began distributors, and attracted a worldwide following that incorporated the light-altering patterns of the camera into a general feature, Lomo effect. Lomo Life is a two-volume collection for photographers and artists alike and uses commissioned photos from all the cameras to display Lomography's possibilities. From its evolution to its applications today, this gathers some of the best photos from the world's Lomographic contributors and makes for a powerful, artistic collection unparalleled in the genre and a 'must' for any definitive photography reference collection.

GIMP 2.8 for Photographers
Klaus Goelker
Rocky Nook
802 East Cota Street, 3rd Floor
Santa Barbara, CA 93103
9781937538262, $39.95, www.rockynook.com

GIMP 2.8 for Photographers: Image Editing with Open Source Software provides beginners new to the open source software program with a foundation for applying its strengths to their work, and is a fine recommendation for any photography reference collection. It covers the latest new user interface, presents image editing overall basics and how GIMP 2.8 handles the editing process, and use a series of 'workshops' backed by a DVD of special techniques to reinforce the basics. Any new to GIMP will find this filled with illustrations and examples throughout, and will relish the step-by-step process that helps create a foundation of understanding of the photographic editing process as a whole.

David Busch's Canon EOS 5D Mark III
David D. Busch
Cengage Learning, Inc.
200 First Stamford Place, Stamford, CT 06902
9781285084534, $29.99, www.cengageptr.com

David Busch's Canon EOS 5D Mark III Digital SLR Photography is a fine recommendation for any new owner of the model, which is one of the most popular of full-frame cameras from Canon. It features fast auto focus, movie shooting in high definition, and plenty of bells and whistles that also come with a learning curve for many new to this kind of technology. Busch's approach teaches the basics of how to select the best settings to take great photos, and comes packed with many color photo examples throughout. From in-depth discussions of options and how they change a photo to composition and professional tips and tricks, this handbook is a 'must' for any looking to get the most from their new acquisition!


The Fantasy/SciFi Shelf

Beginnings
David Weber
Baen Books
PO Box 1188, Wake Forest NC 27588
9781451639032, $25.00, www.baen.com

BEGINNINGS: WORLDS OF HONOR #6 is a pick for any collection seeing interest in military science fiction and continues to explore Weber's 'Honorverse' in a sixth volume including stories by Timothy Zahn, David Weber himself, and more. It also includes a ne novella featuring young commander Harrington and her first mission with her treecat. The result is a collection of powerful, involving stories highly recommended for any fan of Weber's writings and in particular his military-centered 'Honorverse'.

The City
Stella Gemmell
Ace Books
c/o Penguin Group (USA)
375 Hudson Street, 4th floor
New York, NY 10014
9780425264188, $26.95, www.penguin.com

THE CITY represents Gemmell's first solo novel (she co-wrote Troy: Fall of Kings) and provides readers with a powerful dark fantasy novel set in a world where an evil immortal emperor has destroyed a kingdom. The City is ancient and was once a powerful entity that incited wars and controlled the world. Under the emperor's hand it's fallen on hard times, which have been so long in the works that nobody can recall a time without war or his iron rule. There's only one way out: to kill an immortal. And it's up to a warrior raised as a loyal son of the City to fulfill his vow of revenge and free the world. A powerful story evolves, perfect for any fantasy reader who enjoys epics filled with social and political change.

The World of the End
Ofir Touche Gafla
Tor
c/o Tor/Forge Books
175 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10010
9780765333568, $24.99, www.tor-forge.com

THE WORLD OF THE END was originally released in Israel in 2005 and appears for the first time in English, providing a dark story of a man who kills himself when his wife dies unexpectedly. When he enters the other World, Ben begins a search for Marian with the help of an 'afterlife investigator' - and discovers his journey is only the beginning of a new way of perceiving reality and changing his world. It's difficult to neatly peg THE WORLD OF THE END, but whether novel, fantasy, or supernatural fiction, it's packed with riveting encounters and strong protagonists and will satisfy any general fiction or science fiction enthusiast.

Storm Surge
Taylor Anderson
Roc
c/o Penguin Group (USA)
375 Hudson Street, New York, NY 10014
9780451465139, $15.00, www.penguin.com

STORM SURGE provides a fine Destroyermen novel and the eighth addition to the Destroyermen series, and is a top recommendation for any collection seeing popularity with the prior books. Matt Reddy is still healing from battle but plans a raid against the heart of the Grik Empire - but first he must destroy their battle fleet. Involved in the confrontation is dangerous weaponry and the discovery of a new enemy with some deadly new weapons of their own. Fans of military science fiction will continue to find this an excellent saga of military confrontation and battles.

Planet of the Apes and Philosophy
John Huss, Editor
Open Court Publishing Company
70 East Lake Street, Suite 300, Chicago, IL 60601
9780812698220, $17.95, www.opencourtbooks.com

Planet of the Apes and Philosophy: Great Apes Think Alike is a recommendation for TV and film, philosophy and science fiction collections alike and provides a fine survey analyzing the philosophical questions inherent in the movie, from animal rights to race relations and genetic engineering. Over twenty modern philosophers provide their viewpoints on the Planet of the Apes and its many underlying themes and questions. The result is a powerful and lively analysis that will reach any general interest reader who holds an affection for the film and an interest in its underlying questions.

Star Trek FAQ 2.0
Mark Clark
Applause Books
c/o Hal Leonard Performing Arts Publishing Group
19 West 21st Street, Suite 201
New York, NY 10010
www.halleonard.com
9781557837936, $22.99, www.applausebooks.com

Star Trek FAQ 2.0 provides a wealth of information on the Trek movies, the Next generation and more, and provides an unofficial, unauthorized coverage detailing the series' comeback and emerging popularity. Accounts of the production of every Star Trek movie accompany details of episodes and the conflicts behind the scenes that challenged each production. From unofficial, fan-made productions to the success of the franchise, these FAQs cover episodes, characters, plots, and the overall culture of Trekkies, and is a 'must' for science fiction and film collections alike.


The Business Shelf

Mobile Strategy
Dirk Nicol
IBM Press
c/o Pearson Technology Group
801 East 96th Street, #300
Indianapolis, IN 46240-3759
9780133094916, $29.99, www.ibmpressbooks.com

MOBILE STRATEGY: HOW YOUR COMPANY CAN WIN BY EMBRACING MOBILE TECHNOLOGIES is a pick for business and information technology holdings alike, and teaches business leaders how to understand the complexities and challenges of mobile business environments. It provides proven patterns for delivering common mobile capabilities, shows how to mange security threats from lost or stolen devices and insecure Wi-Fi, teaches how to use different platforms and build high-quality mobile apps, and much more. IT professionals and business professionals alike will find this packed with real-world examples and solutions in a powerful, highly recommended discussion of the latest mobile opportunities and challenges.

UX for Lean Startups
Laura Klein
O'Reilly & Associates, Inc.
1005 Gravenstein, Hwy N.
Sebastopol, CA 95472-2811
9781449334918, $24.99, www.oreilly.com

UX for Lean Startups: Faster, Smarter User Experience Research and Design tells how to design for the best user experience, and provides a practical, hands-on guide for any who want to learn and use 'Lean UX' techniques. Business people, designers and those interested in building a compelling product that makes the most of customer needs will find UX FOR LEAN STARTUPS a fine approach to working with technology. It draws important links between consumer experience, expectations, and design and is packed with the author's own insights as well as coverage of basic UX concepts. A healthy dose of humor enhances all, as in a rant on 'Why I Hate Newspaper Prototypes'. Business and IT professionals alike will find this a fine pick.

Breaking Out
John Butman
Harvard Business Review Press
60 Harvard Way, Boston, MA 02163
9781422172803, $27.00, www.hbsp.harvard.edu

Breaking Out: How to Build Influence in a World of Competing Ideas shows how the idea-building approaches of many psychologists and lifestyle coaches can be applied to business pursuits, and covers the basics of how to take an idea public and build support for it. The rise of idea mills on Twitter, YouTube, from online learning sources and more offers new business opportunities which are explored here, with chapters exploring how an 'idea entrepreneur' breaks out and succeeds in the world. From developing real-world applications to marketing, Breaking Out provides a fine survey highly recommended for any business looking to define and market ideas in a changing world.

The Art of Business
Emery Hurst Mikel
Jessica Kingsley Publishers, Inc.
400 Market Street, Suite 400
Philadelphia, PA 19106
9781849059503, $24.95, www.jkp.com

The Art of Business: A Guide for Creative Arts Therapists Starting on a Path to Self-Employment provides a fine key for therapists who seek to work as independent contractors or in private practices, and provides specifics on successful self-employment strategies and models from locating a niche to marketing and finding jobs. Chapters pair accounts from the author's own extensive experience setting up her own art therapy business in two states, and consider all the common barriers to success facing similar endeavors. From handling interns to making rounds and creating assessments, this is a solid guide to any who would successfully enter the self-employment market as an arts therapist.

Mindful Coaching
Liz Hall
Kogan Page USA
1518 Walnut Street, Suite 1100
Philadelphia, PA 19102
9780749465667, $44.95, www.koganpage.com

Mindful Coaching: How Mindfulness Can Transform Coaching Practice blends insights from coaching, health and mindfulness to provide a technique geared to help individuals pursue business and social goals. It focuses on the process of using mindfulness in coaching practices and teach a range of issues, from helping work-life balances and teaching how to handle crisis to introducing mindful practices to clients using language they can understand, and considering ethics inherent in leadership options and choices. The result is a powerful guide highly recommended for business and education holdings alike.

The Truth About Lies in the Workplace
Carol Kinsey Gorman
Berrett-Koehler Publishers Inc.
235 Montgomery Street, Suite 650
San Francisco, CA 94104-2916
9781609948382, $16.95, www.bkconnection.com

The Truth About Lies in the Workplace: Catching the Liar in all of us comes from a leading workplace body language expert who com bines her own experiences with the latest research on how to identify and control workplace lies. It considers the bigger picture of the cost of workplace deception for all, examines the psychology of why people lie in the workplace and what kinds of lies they perpetuate, and it considers solid ways that body language and vocal cues can help identify these liars. Any business collection strong in workplace psychology must have her examination, which includes advice on how to respond at any level to a liar situation.


The Art Shelf

The Postcard Age
Lynda Klich, et.al., Editors
Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
465 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA 02115
9780878467877, $29.95, www.mfa.org/publications

In the decades surrounding 1900 the postcard reached its height of popularity, fostering artists, photographers, and becoming collectible pieces that found their way into museums and personal albums alike. THE POSTCARD AGE; SELECTIONS FROM THE LEONARD A. LAUDER COLLECTION documents these pieces, using examples from one of the largest collections of its type to trace the cultural and historical changes of the era. Themes place the postcard in chapters allowing their contrast to others of their times, making for a lovely arrangement that captures the styles, technologies and approaches of a range of postcard artists. The result is a lovely collection, highly recommended for any art holding.

A Life Less Ordinary
Zoe Ellison and Alex Legendre
Cico Books
c/o Ryland Peters & Small
519 Broadway, 5th floor, New York, NY 10012
9781908862792, $35.00, www.rylandpeters.com

A Life Less Ordinary is filled with some 300 color photos, tracing paper inlays, and two gift cards and envelopes to present the works of two women whose interiors are composed entirely of what they find around them. The result may not be good for the rigors of a lending library (unless the accompanying gift cards are removed for lending purposes and their envelopes are reinforced), but is perfect for any interested in interior designs in general and recycled materials combined with artistry, in particular. Pages packed with lovely color photos by Richard Boll accompany discussions of the basic principles of display and design, coupled with the thought of the proprietors of the Igigi General Store. The result is a lovely presentation, highly recommended for any arts collection strong in design and 'found' material construction.

Masterpieces of American Modernism
William C. Agee and Lewis Kachur
Merrell Publishers
38 High Avenue, 4th floor, Nyack, New York 10960
9781858945958, $85.00, www.merrellpublishers.com

Masterpieces of American Modernism: From the Vilcek Collection documents a key era in modern American art and is a top recommendation for any arts collection. It comes from an art historian who documents nearly 100 rarely-seen works from a range of artists working in this era, using the Vilcek Collection, a private collection, to document the evolution and radical presentations of a wide range of artists working in sculpture, painting, and more. These artists responded to American cultural changes and captured social and artistic transformations in their works, making this a fine collection recommended not just for arts holdings, but for many a sociology collection as well.


The Christian Studies Shelf

The Power of Team Leadership
George Barna
WaterBrook Press
c/o Waterbrook Multnomah Publishing Group
12265 Oracle Boulevard, Suite 200
Colorado Springs, CO 80921
9781578564248, $19.95, www.waterbrookmultnomah.com

The Power of Team Leadership: Finding Strength in Shared Responsibility teaches how to become an effective church leader and provides pastors and researchers with all the keys to building more effective churches. From the tasks and ministry requirements of a church leader and how to delegate selected tasks to how teams can enhance a church's professional staff, this is a powerful survey for leaders who want to create a more effective church structure, and is a recommendation for any spiritual collection.

God on the Rocks
Phil Madeira
Jerico Books
c/o Hachette Publishing Group
237 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10017-0010
www.hachettebookgroup.com
9781455573141, $24.00, www.jericobooks.com

God on the Rocks: Distilling Religion, Savoring Faith comes from a songwriter whose work led him to perform with some of music's biggest stars, and incorporates the story of his faith and life with his music achievements to create a powerful saga. It documents his search for God within the world of music, covering his search for a successful career and a successful spiritual path alike. From a crumbling marriage and surprising new romance to his search for a God he can believe in, this is a powerful saga highly recommended for any Christian collection.

Scripture and Tradition
Edith M. Humphrey
Baker Books
c/o Baker Publishing Group
6030 E Fulton, Ada, MI 49301
www.bakerpublishinggroup.com
9780801039836, $19.99, www.bakeracademic.com

Scripture and Tradition: What the Bible Really Says blends personal insights on Biblical topics with an exploration of church tradition, Christian tradition, and scripture, and offers readers an opportunity to consider how the Bible relates to a church's teachings and approach. It's a blend of biblical scholarship and pastoral analysis that provides important connections between Scripture and traditional teaching approaches, peppering its discussions with quotes from the Bible. The result is a discussion that relies on scholarship but provides a powerful and user-friendly approach that any Christian will find enlightening.

The Deliverance of God
Douglas A. Campbell
Wm B. Eerdmans Publishing
2140 Oak Industrial Drive, NE
Grand Rapids, MI 49505
9780802831262, $55.00, www.eerdmans.com

The Deliverance of God: An Apocalyptic Rereading of Justification in Paul goes beyond either traditional or new perspectives on Paul to provide a "apocalyptic" reading of his most challenging texts, making this a recommendation for any studying Biblical passages, theory, and interpretations of Paul in particular. Modern political perceptions and orthodox theology are considered in the course of arguing that Paul's message needs to be isolated before his texts are interpreted. The result is a fine account that provides meaning, depth, and a different focus to interpretations of his writings, making this approach a 'must' for any scholarly Christian collection.

Thomas Merton: Selected Essays
Patrick F. O'Connell, Editor
Orbis Books
PO Box 308, Maryknoll, NY 10545-0308
9781626980235, $50.00, www.orbisbooks.com

Thomas Merton: Selected Essays belongs in any Christian spirituality collection; particularly those already familiar with Merton's writings, as well as those who want a scholarly collection of his works that reflects the entirety of his thinking. These essays were written over the course of some two decades and provides a cross-section of his thinking in 33 writings that range in topic from literary analysis of novels to reflections on the nuclear threat and racial justice. History, culture, and Christian thought blend in accounts which are accessible and scholarly: "It is true, of course, that many of these pilgrimages brought Irish monks into inhabited places were the natives were willing and ready to receive the Christian message..."

The Sermon on the Mount
R. Kent Hughes
Crossway Books
1300 Crescent Street, Wheaton, IL 60187
9781433536212, $29.99, www.crossway.org

The Sermon on the Mount: The Message of the Kingdom comes from a pastor who explores the words of faith from the Sermon that bring with them a model for Christian belief and living, and focuses on the Gospel of Matthew's passages and interpretation. His analysis is spirited and inspiring: "Blake understood that joy and woe are part of the fabric of life that God weaves and lovingly fits as perfect clothing for his children. This is mysterious and paradoxical. But there is great comfort in the fact that God is the weaver." An astute and lovely analysis evolves, perfect for any scholarly Christian collection.

Hidden in Christ
James Bryan Smith
InterVarsity Press
PO Box 1400
Downers Grove, IL 60515-1426
9780830835751, $17.00, www.ivpress.com

Hidden in Christ: Living as God's Beloved presents the author's epiphany about his relationship with God, and presents the bigger picture that answers issues of significance in God's light, spiritual value and understanding, and survival. It surveys the elements that lead mankind to live in God's light and find answers, with the crux of the revelation in the author's realization that "if Christ is in me, and I am in him, I am significant, and I am safe." Examples of teachings and others' understandings of a personal relationship with God make this a pick for any spirituality library.

Sisters in Crime Revisited
Ann Carey
Ignatius Press
PO Box 1339, Fort Collins, CO 80522
9781586177898, $24.95, www.ignatius.com

Sisters in Crime Revisited: From Unraveling to Reform and Renewal uses archival records from the Leadership Conference of Women Religious and other groups of sisters in women's orders in the U.S. to examine how fewer younger women are replacing aging, older sisters. It shows how feminist activists changed American women's religious communities, it explains Vatican politics and interventions in the process, and it documents a growing crisis and outlines possibilities of renewal if younger women become attracted to older communities or newly formed traditional congregations. The result is a powerful pick for women's issues and spirituality collections alike.

On Heaven and Earth
Jorge Mario Bergoglio and Abraham Skorka
Image
c/o The Random House Publishing Group
1745 Broadway, 17th floor, New York, NY 10019
9780770435066, $22.00, www.imagecatholicbooks.com

ON HEAVEN AND EARTH: POPE FRANCIS ON FAITH, FAMILY, AND THE CHURCH IN THE TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY shares the spiritual reflections and conversations of a rabbi and a cardinal; both of whom worked to promote interreligious dialogues on faith and reason that built bridges between Catholicism, Judaism and the world. Their book was originally published in Argentina in 2010 and gathers conversations where both men talk about social issues, theology, and globalization issues. It's even more relevant now that Bergoglio has moved on to become Pope - and it provides a powerful survey highly recommended not just for Catholic readers, but for any interested in church and social issues around the world, as well as those who would better know the new Pope's perspectives and personality.


The Religion/Spirituality Shelf

One Law
Ruth L. Miller, Editor
Beyond Words/Atria Books
c/o Simon and Schuster
1230 Avenue of the Americas, 14th fl.
NY, NY 10020
9781582704210, $16.00, www.simonandschuster.com

ONE LAW: HENRY DRUMMOND ON NATURE'S LAW, SPIRIT, AND LOVE provides a sixth addition to the Library of Hidden Knowledge series blending science and spiritual debates, and is a special pick for any seeing popularity and familiarity with the prior essays in the series. This gathers Henry Drummond's essays that explore the boundaries of science and spirituality in early writings in the genre, and pairs original text from the 19th century philosopher with reflections by New Thought minister Dr. Ruth Miller, translating Drummond's teachings for modern times. The result is a fine presentation recommended for scholarly spirituality collections, and draws close connections between science, spirituality, and philosophy.

Red Hot & Holy
Sera Beak
Sounds True
413 South Arthur Avenue, Louisville, CO 80027
9781622030538, $22.95, www.soundstrue.com

RED HOT & HOLY: A HERETIC'S LOVE STORY is more than just a biography: it's one woman's exploration of spiritual paths and blends scholarship with personal reflection and modern culture as it traces the personal spiritual journey of Sera Beak, who developed various liaisons with God from Christian affairs and break-ups to Buddhism, Hinduism, and various new age deities. Concluding with her commitment to her own hot and holy Goddess, Sera takes readers on a spiritual journey examining the foundations of belief, disbelief, and the spiritual wisdom and entities that contribute to mystical understanding. A wonderful, revealing and thought-provoking choice for any spirituality holding!


The Architecture Shelf

An Infinity of Graces
Ethne Clarke
W. W. Norton & Company
500 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10110
9780393732214, $45.00, www.wwnorton.com

An Infinity of Graces: Cecil Ross Pinsent, An English Architect in the Italian Landscape explores the life and work of the landscape designer who lived and practiced in Italy from 1907 to midcentury. He was responsible for the design and construction of new villas and gardens, and is the first book to consider his contribution to garden design based on original research conducted over some fifteen years. This was written with the cooperation of his family and associates, is illustrated with many of his own photos from his previously unpublished albums, and is a top pick for any collection strong in architectural drawings and sketches.


The Military Shelf

American Girls, Beer & Glen Miller
James J. Cooke
University of Missouri Press
2910 LeMone Boulevard, Columbia, MO 65201
9780826219848, $40.00, www.press.umsystem.edu

American Girls, Beer & Glen Miller: GI Morale in World War II covers the history and culture of civilian soldiers and morale services during the war, and offers a specific focus that reveals many facets lacking in more general coverages of events during the war. It was General George C. Marshall, the new Army Chief of Staff, who not only acknowledged the changes that a citizen army would bring, but the expectations of material comfort that would be key to maintaining military morale during the times. From movies and shows to incorporating comfort items in PX sales systems, this covers all the civic groups and military structures that were redesigned to appeal to this new breed of warrior. No military history and culture collection should be without this unique, specific focus.

All I Could Be
Miyoko Hikiji
Chronology Books
c/o History Publishing Company, LLC
PO Box 700, 15 Heyhoe Woods Road
Palisades, New York 10964-0700
www.historypublishingco.com/books/chronology.php
9781933909585, $18.95, www.amazon.com

All I Could Be: My Story as a Woman Warrior in Iraq provides a strong account of the year Hikiji spent in the Iraqi war, and provides a powerful story that will appeal to any who want to know about the experiences of women in the military. Her job was to transport troops, equipment and enemy prisoners to support a regiment securing a portion of the country: while it was considered non-combatant, it was dangerous. Ambushes and explosions were part of daily living. Her accounts include assessments of gender bias, sexual harassment and make provide an eye-opening saga recommended for military and women's studies collections alike.


The Needlecraft Shelf

Embroidered & Embellished
Christen Brown
C&T Publishing
1651 Challenge Drive
Concord, CA 94520-5206
9781607056638, $26.95, www.ctpub.com

Embroidered & Embellished features over eighty stitches using thread, floss, ribbon and more, providing a strong step-by-step guide in full color and including written instructions that leave nothing to wonder. From a range of different flower designs to materials, cutting, and the specifics of locating and transferring designs, choosing stitches, and creating wall hangings and adding beads and embellishments, this is a strong recommendation for any needlework collection, offering techniques and approaches not seen under one cover. Needleworkers and reference collections catering to them must have this solid pictorial reference!

Knit Your Socks on Straight
Alice Curtis
Storey Publishing
210 Mass MoCA Way
North Adams, MA 01247
9781612120089, $16.95, www.storey.com

Knit Your Socks on Straight: A New and Inventive Technique with Just Two Needles packs in some 20 original designs into a lovely discussion that includes a hardcover with lay-flat binding and spine lettering, color photos throughout, and pattern notes that tackle yarns, needles, sizing, and specifics of leg and heel flaps for specific good fit. These at-a-glance pages pair full-page color photos with pattern notes and easy knitter's guidelines that allow any knitter to provide socks using innovative, easier techniques. A 'must' for knitting collections.

Simply Sensational Square-Agonals Quilts
Sandi Blackwell
Landauer Corporation
3100 NW 101st Street, Suite A
Urbandale, Iowa 50322
9781935726357, $24.95, www.landauerpub.com

Simply Sensational Square-Agonals Quilts tells how to create triangles with no math or complexity, and teaches how to turn blocks into diagonal designs. Sandi Blackwell's first book on the topic, Square-Agonals: A New Angle on Quilting introduced the technique and this, her follow-up title, provides 12 new projects using more complicated blocks for creating wallhangings, table runners, and more. The technique involves sewing blocks together and then cutting and re-assembling the pieces. Step-by-step instructions accompany general sewing tips and use color photos and diagrams to demonstrate the overall process. Needleworkers already familiar with A New Angle will find this follow-up key to continuing the learning process.

'Tis the Autumn Season
Jeanne Large and Shelley Wicks
Martingale
19021 Avenue NE, Bothell, WA 98011
9781604682472, $24.99, www.shopmartingale.com

'Tis the Autumn Season: Fall Quilts and Decorating Projects provides a fine collection of quilts and coordinating projects, providing some 12 projects with accompanying patterns that teach a mix of styles and use a variety of techniques ranging from fusible applique and piecing to scrappy pieces. Fall colors are used throughout, many quilts combine traditional with modern piecing ideas, and color photos accompany patterns and charts for easy assembly, making this a 'must' for any planning a Fall-themed quilt.

Streaks of Batiks
Holzer
American Quilter's Society
PO Box 3290, Paducah, KY 42002-3290
9781604600575, $21.95, www.aqsquilt.com

Streaks of Batiks: Fabric-inspired Quilts offers a new way of cutting and sewing strips to create quarter-square triangle blocks, and is a special recommendation for any quilter who wants to learn new (and easier) approaches to creating triangle blocks. The focus on using streaked batiks for eye-catching new patterns adds yet another elements to this technique, offering a blend of simple sewing and quilt blocks that lend to quilts, applique and art projects alike. With the fine color photos and clear step-by-step directions throughout, this is a fine pick for any quilter's library.

Entree to Entrelac
Gwen Bortner
XRX Books
P. O. Box 965, Sioux Falls, SD 57101-0965
9781933064192, $19.95, www.knittinguniverse.com

Entree to Entrelac: The Definitive Guide from a Biased Knitter provides a title for knitters of all skills levels and teaches both the basics and advanced techniques for any who would learn more about entrelac techniques. Each section holds color examples, practice pieces, and easy projects that help knitters progress from lesson to lesson, working on a foundation of knowledge to achieve the next level in knitting capability. The projects themselves range from colorful clothing accessories to sweaters and garments, with patterns for the entire family presented along with a guide to yarn varieties. The result is a fine pick for any knitter who wants to learn further techniques.


The Woodworking Shelf

Wood Pallet Projects
Chris Gleason
Fox Chapel Publishing Company
1970 Broad Street N., East Petersburg, PA 17520
9781565235441, $19.99, www.foxchapelpublishing.com

WOOD PALLET PROJECTS is a pick for any crafts collection featuring home and house projects for woodworkers, and shows how crafters can use salvaged pallet wood to create unique items. It comes from a craftsman who combines woodworking techniques with his original designs, showing how to create furniture, mirrors, birdhouses, and more. From where to locate such pallets to processing them into usable lumber and producing the projects this packs in color photos of finished work and is the perfect starting place for crafting inspiration for home projects!


The Railroading Shelf

50 Ways to a Better-Looking Layout
Jeff Wilson
Kalmbach Publishing Company
21027 Crossroads Circle
Waukesha, WI 53186
9780890248195, $19.95, www.kalmbach.com

50 Ways to a Better-Looking Layout provides easy weekend projects that any model railroader can use to provide finishing touches that don't take weeks to produce, and is a pick for any looking to improve scenery, structures, and model railroad settings. There are many methods to tweaking a layout to make it better - and this provides 5 examples of those which consume a minimum of time and effort. No model railroad crafter should be without!


The Cookbook Shelf

Patisserie at Home
Will Torrent
Ryland Peters Small
519 Broadway, 5th floor, New York, NY 10012
9781849753548, $27.95, www.rylandpeters.com

Patisserie at Home: Step-by-Step Recipes to Help You Master the Art of French Pastry pairs color photos throughout with the teachings of a chef whose grandfather was a chef, and deserves ongoing and repeat recommendation as a top production. Torrent grew up in a patisserie in Paris and in his first book offers easy processes to any new to the art of French patisserie. Photos and some eighty key illustrated recipes teach all the basics of techniques of French pastries from puff to croissants, covering all the essentials of technique then showing how to apply these foundation teachings to creative pastry-making. From madelines to tarts and macaroons, this is packed with delicious meals recommended for any dessert baker's collection.

Salt Block Cooking
Mark Bitterman
Andrews McMeel
1130 Walnut Street
Kansas City, MO 64106-2109
9781448439559, $24.99, www.amuniversal.com

SALT BLOCK COOKING follows up on the author's prior 2010 introduction to the concept in SALTED and provides a powerful account on how to use Himalayan salt blocks for grilling, baking, and cooking. Some seventy recipes are used to display all the basics of using salt blocks to maximum advantage, and include everything you need to know about the process, from shopping for a block and maintaining one to healing, cooling and serving all kinds of foods. A 'must' for any cookbook collection looking for the basics on salt block use.

Pie
Angela Boggiano
Mitchell Beazley
c/o Octopus Publishing
236 Park Avenue, New York NY 10017
9781845337667, $24.99, www.octopuspublishing.com

PIE has been newly revised to offer many new sweet recipes - but it's strengths continue to lie in its savory pies and its wide-ranging definitions of 'pie', which pairs color photos with stories of pies, pie makers, innovations, and basic pastry-making techniques. All kinds of crusts pair with all kinds of pie styles covering deep-dish creations, hand pies, turnovers, cobblers and individual meat pies, while pie creations are tailored to both experienced pie cooks and newcomers to pie recipes. The result is a top recommendation for any who would bake pies in general and savory dishes in particular, deserving a place in any cookbook collection - even those with similar (dessert-oriented) pie cookbooks on hand.

A History of Food in 100 Recipes
William Sitwell
Little, Brown & Company
c/o Hachette Book Group
237 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10017
9780316229975, $35.00, www.littlebrown.com

A History of Food in 100 Recipes provides a fine overview of the people, ingredients and techniques that have shaped food history. It's been updated and revised for an American audience after its initial publication in the UK and provides a fine review of technological innovations, key cooks, methods and recipes that have advanced culinary techniques around the world. From an Egyptian tomb which reveals the earliest recipes for bread to fine stories of the evolution of food distribution patterns, this is packed with fine foods perfect for any culinary collection interested in a lively food history and discussions of culinary evolution.

Diners, Drive-Ins, Dives: The Funky Finds in Flavortown
Guy Fieri
William Morrow & Company
c/o HarperCollins Publishers
10 East 53rd Street, New York, NY 10022-5299
www.williammorrow.com
9780062244659, $21.99, www.harpercollins.com

Diners, Drive-Ins, Dives: The Funky Finds in Flavortown presents the musings and revelations of Food Network television chef and traveler Guy Fieri, whose prior three books on the topic have been best-sellers. This provides more of his cross-country journeys and experiences, is the third in his book series, and focuses on funky, down-home regional cuisine and personalities. Recipes for such fare as Tostones Rellenos with Shrimp Ceviche and Oatmeal Shake combine with black and white photos of each establishment he visits, and behind-the-scenes stories of restaurant owners, making this a top collection packed with flavor and ideas.

Great Gluten-Free Vegan Eats from Around the World
Allyson Kamer
Fair Winds Press
c/o Quayside Publishing Group
400 First Avenue North, Suite 300
Minneapolis, MN 55401-1721
www.quaysidepublishinggroup.com
9781592335480, $21.99, www.fairwindspress.com

Great Gluten-Free Vegan Eats from Around the World: Fantastic, Allergy-Free Ethnic Recipes features international dishes that range from curries and pizzas to plant-based sushi and variations of traditions dishes such as Jamaican Jerk and Russian borscht. Color photos throughout provide a mouth-watering image for every recipe, with recipes from Asia, Europe, Australia and even Canada representing vegan adaptations of traditional fare. The focus on flavorful, authentic dishes tailored for vegans make this a top pick for any vegan cookbook collection.

Vegan for Her
Virginia Messina, MPH, RD with JL Fields
Da Capo Press
c/o Perseus Books Group
11 Cambridge Center, Cambridge, MA 02142
www.perseusbooksgroup.com
9780738216713, $16.99, www.dacapopress.com

Vegan for Her: The Women's Guide to Being Healthy and Fit on a Plant-Based Diet comes from a dietitian who shows women of all ages how to adopt an anima-free diet. More than a cookbook, it explains the basic principles of vegan nutrition, links these basics to women's overall dietary needs and health at various life stages, and shows how a vegan diet can help women manage health problems. Fifty easy recipes accompany these tips and contribute to an overall recommendation for health, women's issues and cookbook collections alike.

Championship BBQ Secrets for Real Smoked Food, second edition
Karen Putman & Judith Fertig
Robert Rose
120 Eglinton Avenue East, Suite 800
Toronto, Ontario, Canada, M4P 1E2
9780778804499, $24.95, www.robertrose.ca

Championship BBQ Secrets for Real Smoked Food discusses the art and science of slow-smoking foods: those cooked next to a low, slow fire flavored with wood smoke. Over 300 recipes are arranged by ingredient to offer inspiration for smoked food chefs, while the recipes are packed with color images for clear indication of what the finished product will look like. This second edition with its emphasis on smoking is a winner for any meat cook and even for collections that already include more general BBQ or meat titles.

Cook it Raw
Editors of Phaidon
Phaidon Press
180 Varick Street, 14th floor
New York, NY 10014
9780714865492, $49.95, www.phaidon.com

Cook it Raw tells of a collection of chefs who gathered in 2009 in Copenhagen to examine issues of sustainability and discuss the concept of sustainable cooking. The results have been gathered into a book, illustrated with numerous color photos throughout, and documents four Cook It Raw meetings in different countries, including emails, recipes, and thought-provoking essays by some of the world's top chefs and food writers. What evolves in the written word is far more than a cookbook: it's a philosophy of food evolved by some of the great chef thinkers of modern times, and it offers many powerful insights into chef innovations and creations. Any serious culinary collection needs this unique document of a growing movement.

Pretzel Making at Home
Andrea Slonecker
Chronicle Books
680 Second Street, San Francisco, CA 94107
9781452109640, $16.95, www.chroniclebooks.com

Pretzel Making at Home provides an excellent pairing of recipes with color photos throughout by Alex Farnum, and provides keys on how to make a variety of pretzels by hand. Some fifty illustrated recipes provide the basics on soft and hard pretzels with the mustards and spreads to go with them. From Cheddar Bites to Spicy Whole-Grain Pub Mustard, this is packed with mainstays and innovations alike, showing home bakers how to produce crunchy, savory and even sweet pretzels. Any home pretzel baker and many a newcomer to the idea will find this a top recommendation.

Saving the Season
Kevin West
Alfred A. Knopf
c/o The Random House Publishing Group
1745 Broadway, 17th floor
New York, NY 10019
www.randomhouse.com
9780307599483, $35.00, www.aaknopf.com

Saving the Season: A Cook's Guide to Home Canning, Pickling, and Preserving offers a fine collection of recipes for everything from pickled beets and strawberry jam to cordials, cocktails, candies and more - some 200 recipes for sweet and savory products using the best of the season. With full-page color photos throughout, this pairs such unusual recipes as Tomato Jam with Smoked Paprika and Apples in Calvados Jelly with foolproof tips that make the most of a season's bounty - and provide unique creations not easily found elsewhere. The result is a lovely cookbook highly recommended for any who want different ideas for using seasonal fare.

Austrian Desserts and Pastries
Dietmar Fercher and Andrea Karrer
Skyhorse Publishing
307 West 36th Street, 11th Floor, NY, NY 10018
9781616083991, $24.95, www.skyhorsepublishing.com

Austrian Desserts and Pastries: 108 Classic Recipes is an outstanding recommendation even for dessert cookbook collections that feel saturated by the usual dessert creations: because you wont' find 'the usual' here. The focus on classic Austrian desserts means recipes for Schaumrollen (puff pastor rolls filled with vanilla meringue), Strawberry Cream Schnitten (a sandwich-type of cake containing a cream strawberry filling), or cookies such as Vanilla Kipferln (half-moon shaped cookies made of ground walnuts and cinnamon and dusted with powered sugar. Color photos accompany recipes that are presented in cup and gram measurements alike for American and European kitchens, while instructions are clear on assembly and style. I have literally hundreds of dessert cookbooks in my collection - and there's nothing like Austrian Desserts and Pastries on the market, making this a 'must' reference for any serious dessert cookbook collection.


The Science Shelf

Roadside Geology of Georgia
Pamela Gore and Bill Witherspoon
Mountain Press Publishing Company
PO Box 2399, Missoula, MT 59806
9780878426027, $24.00, www.mountain-press.com

Roadside Geology of Georgia considers Georgia's fine geological history and also examines its shifting past, considering its geological diversity and many lovely parks and settings. Over two hundred color photos, maps and illustrations lend to this geological discussion, which traverses the state and provides an overview of different areas and how the geography was affected by climate and change over periods of centuries. While this is featured in our science section, it's also a top pick for any traveler who wants to use its specific sites and discussions as a point of reference for a tour of the state.

Cold, Hungry and in the Dark
Bill Powers
New Society Publishers
PO Box 189
Gabriola Island, BC, Canada, V0R 1X0
9780865717435, $19.95, www.newsociety.com

Cold, Hungry and in the Dark: Exploding the Natural Gas Supply Myth is for any collection strong in technology and energy and documents market trends and the declining productivity of gas resources. The shows how the industry has misled the public on supplies, refutes a long-standing myth by providing much evidence charting this decline, and suggests different ways to mitigate the effects of the coming natural gas price surge. Natural gas will not remain cheap and plentiful - and Cold, Hungry and in the Dark explains the myth surrounding frack and what can be done about the coming crisis. Policymakers and individuals alike will want to heed its message.

Geologic History of Florida
Albert C. Hine
University Press of Florida
University of Florida
15 Northwest 15th Street
Gainesville, FL 32611-2079
9780813044217, $39.95, www.upf.com

Geologic History of Florida: Major Events that Formed the Sunshine State provides science collections with an in-depth coverage of the geologic forces that affected Florida's evolution and development, and is a complete history of the state's geology from the breakup of Pangea to modern times. From the creation of the Gulf of Mexico and the entire region's geologic influences to dissolution tectonics, the state's mineral deposits, sinkholes and underwater caves, and its beaches, this covers what lies offshore under water as well as the Florida land mass itself. Any Florida science or history collection will find this a detailed, scholarly consideration that explores all facets of the state's physical evolution.


The Computer Shelf

Drupal 7 Explained
Stephen Burge with Cindy McCourt
Addison Wesley
c/o Pearson Technology Group
801 East 96th Street, #300
Indianapolis, IN 46240-3759
9780133124231, $39.99, www.informit.com/aw

Drupal 7 Explained: Your Step-by-Step Guide provides a guide that makes Drupal 7 web design processes an easy lesson to absorb and comes from a top Drupal trainer who teaches both basics and shortcuts. From planning a site that will be easy to manage to installing Drupal and customizing it, this covers everything from workflow to creating a structure then adding to it, including keys to presenting content in tablets or photo galleries, controlling user access, redesigning sites using Themes, explaining companies fields, and much more. Black and white screen shots and examples make this a clear, specific guide recommended for any web programming reference collection.

Free2Play
Will Luton
New Riders
c/o Pearson Technology Group
801 East 96th Street, #300
Indianapolis, IN 46240-3759
9780321919014, $29.99, www.newriders.com

FREE2PLAY: MAKING MONEY FROM GAMES YOU GIVE AWAY provides a fine guide to a video games business model that creates big hits and multi-billion-dollar startups all based on the concept of playing for free and spending as desired. It comes from a game designer and consultant who provides insights on what it makes to build, market and make money from give-away games, covering everything from the psychology behind playing and game choices to using player data to improve a game, marketing for best market positioning, and getting players to spend. The blend of psychology, business savvy and insights into the online gaming world as a whole makes this a powerful recommendation for any computer and gamer builder's collection!

The New Digital Scholar
Randall McClure and James P. Purdy, Editors
Information Today Inc.
143 Old Marlton Pike
Medford, NJ 08055-8750
9781573874755, $59.50, www.infotoday.com

The New Digital Scholar: Exploring and Enriching the Research and Writing Practices of NextGen Students maintains that the basic techniques of research writing is rooted in practices that don't lend well to digital translation processes - and this presents writings from over twenty contributors who call for action in remedying the problem. The academic research paper and new digital information processes are at odds with one another, the writers maintain - and they offer strategies based on research of NextGen students and their requirements. Any working in teaching, library science and higher education will find this a top exploration of teaching methods and approaches better suited to the new digital environment. Very highly recommended!

Javascript Step by Step, third edition
Steve Suehring
Microsoft Press
c/o O'Reilly & Associates, Inc.
1005 Gravenstein, Hwy N.
Sebastopol, CA 95472-2811
9780735665934, $39.99, www.microsoft.com/mspress

The third updated edition of Javascript Step by Step is a pick for intermediate Java users who already have a grasp of the basics, and who want to expand their knowledge through step-by-step directions. It's for any new to Javascript but not to programming too, and it provides the blend of step-by-step explanations, exercises, and coding instructions that teach how to work with JavaScript operations and data types. The examples stem from real world situations and teach a range of skills common to JavaScript usage, from retrieving data from a server using AJAX to using jQuery Mobile to adapt a Javascript app for mobile devices. The result is an outstanding survey highly recommended for any Javascript learner.

Functional Javascript
Michael Fogus
O'Reilly & Associates, Inc.
1005 Gravenstein, Hwy N.
Sebastopol, CA 95472-2811
9781449360726, $29.99, www.oreilly.com

Functional JavaScript is a fine pick covering Javascript and web development and is recommended for any who want to learn how to create code that is safe and easy to test by using JavaScript's programming support system. From using applicative programming techniques and understanding variable scoping to handling higher-order functions and using recursive functions, this packs in details on flow-based programming, property-testing impure functions, and all kinds of scripting issues and questions, and is a 'must' for any web or JavaScript programmer.


The Mystery/Suspense Shelf

The Terrorist Next Door
Sheldon Siegel
Poisoned Pen Press
6962 E. First Ave., #103, Scottsdale, AZ 85251
9781464201646, $24.95, www.poisonedpenpress.com

THE TERRORIST NEXT DOOR provides a new David Gold thriller and is set in Chicago, where someone is setting off fire combs using untraceable cell phones. The demand is made for the release of one Hassan Al-Shahid, a graduate student arrested by David Gold during a bomb attempt. Now Gold faces a new deadly bomber who is an independent operator detonating car combs all over - and who will shut down a major city unless Gold can track him down and put an end to his violence. Mystery and thriller collections alike will find this a solid acquisition.

Deadly Forecast
Victoria Laurie
Obsidian
c/o Penguin Group USA
375 Hudson Street, New York, NY 10014
9780451239938, $23.95, www.penguin.com

DEADLY FORECAST provides a new 'Psychic Eye' mystery and tells of one Abby Cooper, who has a premonition of her fiance's murder as her wedding day approaches. Her spirit guide warns her of the deadly danger and Abby wants to protect him - but circumstances may prevent even her ability to foresee and change the future as she finds herself immersed in more than one challenge to her powers. A fine story evolves, perfect for any who like a hint of the supernatural in their mystery reading.


The Fiction Shelf

Full Ratchet
Mike Cooper
Viking Books
c/o Penguin Group USA
375 Hudson Street, New York, NY 10014
9780670025794, $27.95, www.penguin.com

FULL RATCHET provides a fine Silas Cade thriller and the sequel to Clawback, and is recommended both for newcomers and prior fans. Here Cade finds himself involved in a plot that involves Russian assassins, international corruption, rich men, greed, and more when what begins as a favor to a friend immerses him in a world of corruption. Silas Cade responds violently in turn but faces a ruthless blonde killer and even a mysterious relative. As gunfights erupt across the country, Silas finds himself attracted to a dangerous bombshell killer in this gripping thriller which is perfect for any action-oriented reader.

The Eye of God
James Rollins
William Morrow & Company
c/o HarperCollins Publishers
10 East 53rd Street, New York, NY 10022-5299
www.williammorrow.com
9780061784804, $27.99, www.harpercollins.com

THE EYE OF GOD blends an apocalypse story with a thriller and is next in his series featuring Sigma Force, a covert operation of the Department of Defense. This novel finds the Force hunting for a crashed U.S. military research satellite in Mongolia - a satellite which has displayed the apocalyptic vision of the eastern seaboard of the U.S. in ruin. A mysterious package at the Vatican and an equally mysterious dead body seem tied to the visions of the end of mankind in a thriller that opens with a bang and doesn't quit, making it a top pick for any novel reader.


The Self-Help Shelf

Yogalosophy
Mandy Ingber
Seal Press
1700 - 4th Street, Berkeley, CA 94710
9781580054454, $20.00, www.sealpress.com

Yogalosophy: 28 Days to the Ultimate Mind-Body Makeover comes from one of the most sought-after fitness and wellness advisors in Los Angeles and provides a 28-day program to help readers attain healthier bodies and happier minds based on a blend of workouts and eating guidelines. These workouts blend yoga postures with a range of other exercises and are provided here with full color illustrations and photos and sidebars of information for quick reference. Anecdotes in each chapter encourage readers to a better daily exercise plan and make this a readable, inspiring reference highly recommended for any who would go beyond the usual exercise manual to integrate mind and body changes with a solid program for optimal results.

Change Your Story Change Your Life
Jen Grisanti
Divine Arts Media
12400 Ventura Blvd., #1111, Studio City, CA 91604
9781611250176, $16.95, www.divineartsmedia.com

Change Your Story Change Your Life: A Path to Success uses some twenty years as a Hollywood story analyst to explore how life is lived after a major turning point, from unemployment or divorce to the death of a loved one, and offers a blend of inspirational self-growth and keys to re-writing a life story to identify themes in your life and learn from them. Chapters take the concepts of autobiography and drama writing for film production and move a step further in blending in life changes and adaptation processes, drawing important links between documentation and learning. The result is a 'must' for any who would learn new paths of recovery, adaptation and change.

The Call of the Soul
Aila Accad
New Page Books
c/o Career Press Inc.
220 West Parkway, Unit 12
Pompton Plains, NJ 07444
9781601632746, $15.99, www.newpagebooks.com

The Call of the Soul: A Path to Knowing Your True Self and Your Life provides a clear new way to achieve authenticity and discusses the relationship between ego and soul and how to uncover a lasting passion for life by resolving issues between the two. From developing a whole mind-body-spirit approach and releasing emotions and beliefs that thwart this purpose to gaining confidence in life purpose and letting go of stress, this is based on Accad's workshops, retreats and other DVDs, audios and books and provides an inspirational 'must' for any new age reader.


The Metaphysical Studies Shelf

The Shaman's Toolkit
Sandra Ingerman
Red Wheel/Weiser/Conari
665 Third Street, San Francisco, CA 94107
9781578635443, $16.95, www.redwheelweiser.com

THE SHAMAN'S TOOLKIT: ANCIENT TOOLS FOR SHAPING THE LIFE AND WORLD YOU WANT TO LIVE IN teaches readers how to identify self-defeating belief systems and how to heal inner lives, and comes from a shaman teacher who shows how to use shaman techniques to release creative blocks and support core beliefs. From changing grief or disappointment into more positive paths and becoming an effective change maker in the world, it's packed with traditional tools for changing self and world alike, and is a pick for self-help and new age collections alike.

The Sense of Being Stared At, updated edition
Rupert Sheldrake
Park Street Press
c/o Inner Traditions International, Ltd.
One Park Street, Rochester, VT 05767
www.innertraditions.com
9781620550977, $18.95, www.parkstpress.com

The Sense of Being Stared At And Other Unexplained Powers of Human Minds belongs in new age, science and spirituality collections alike, and provides an updated edition sharing the author's 25+ years of research into telepathy, the power of staring, remote viewing and precognition. Over 5,000 case histories blend with some 4,000 questionnaire results and insights from experiments with over 20,000 people and reports from independent research teams to explore unexplained human abilities which are part of human biology. From the social roots of telepathy to how our minds extend beyond our bodies, this is a fascinating survey highly recommended for a wide range of collections.


The Social Issues Shelf

Connecting Social Problems and Popular Culture, second edition
Karen Sternheimer
Westview Press
2465 Central Avenue, Boulder, CO 80301
9780813347233, $37.00, www.westviewpress.com

Connecting Social Problems and Popular Culture appears in an updated second edition to provide college-level social issues readers with a range of topics revolving around social problems and popular culture, from drug abuse and texting to video games and social networking. Data is used to provide a solid analysis of social issues, their causes, and their solutions, with chapters tackling common myths and the underlying issues surrounding the problems. Sociology collections will find this a winning survey with chapters embracing many of the foundations of social problems in the world today, making it a 'must' for any college collection.

The Human Spark
Jerome Kagan
Basic Books
c/o Perseus Books Group
11 Cambridge Center, Cambridge, MA 02142
www.perseusbooksgroup.com
9780465029822, $28.99, www.basicbooks.com

THE HUMAN SPARK: THE SCIENCE OF HUMAN DEVELOPMENT comes from a psychologist who delves into how humans develop, highlighting not just the psychology but the social and cultural influences of human evolution. It's hard to neatly categorize this title, which will appeal across the board to science, health, and social issues collections alike - but it's reviewed here for its fascinating discussions of the impact of culture on human development. Decades of research contribute to a survey packed with case history examples of how social class influences a human's development of cognitive and social skills. From mental illness to morality, THE HUMAN SPARK makes for engrossing reading highly recommended for a range of holdings.

Rewire
Ethan Zuckerman
W. W. Norton & Company
500 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10110
97803933073393, $26.95, www.wwnorton.com

REWIRE: DIGITAL COSMOPOLITANS IN THE AGE OF CONNECTION provides a fine philosophical discussion of the elements of human connection in a digital environment, and uses the latest media studies and psychological and sociological research findings to consider a new model of global citizenship and cross-cultural influence fostered by the Internet. It's a new model for integrating worldviews and experiences and offers thought about how humans develop thinking habits, behaviors, and decisions based on what enters their world. Insular thinking lies at the basis of long-term issues: REWIRE discussed how technology may be pushed towards a more cosmopolitan worldview that embraces diversity and connections. It's a powerful survey no social issues collection should be without.


The Political Science Shelf

A Government of Wolves
John W. Whitehead
Select Books
1 Union Square West, Suite 909, NY, NY 10003
9781590799758, $24.95, www.selectbooks.com

A Government of Wolves: The Emerging American Police State follows America's change from a society based on "we the people" to a police state governed by law - which is being used as a tool of oppression. Its message is that Americans are in danger of losing their basic freedoms - and that the Constitution and Bill of Rights are being undermined in many areas. Chapters document this process, explain the problems, and call for action from Americans to stop the growing police state forces that threaten democracy itself. It's a powerful, highly recommended pick for any political science collection; especially those discussing democratic process and freedom.


The Education Shelf

Student-Centered Coaching at the Secondary Level
Diane Sweeney
Corwin Press
2455 Teller Road
Thousand Oaks, CA 91320-2218
9781452299488, $31.95, www.corwin.com

Student-Centered Coaching at the Secondary Level is written for coaches who work with secondary teachers in all kinds of areas, and is based on case studies paired with practical teaching tools. Any who read Sweeney's STUDENT-CENTERED COACHING: A GUIDE FOR K-8 will find this follow-up into the later grade levels is wonderful, presenting core practices for coaching under a variety of settings, all using the Common Core and other standards to reach specific goals. From overcoming teacher resistance to working with principals to further the goals of coaching, this is a practical guide packed with planning matrices, step-by-step instructions, and coverage of the entire process. Quite simply a 'must' for any involved in coaching.

Reflecting in Communities of Practice
Deb Curtis, et.al.
Redleaf Press
10 Yorkton Court, St. Paul, MN 55117-1065
9781605541488, $19.95, www.redleafpress.org

Reflecting in Communities of Practice offers important keys to teaching young children and keeping up with the latest practices, and tells how reflecting with colleagues is a method educators can use to share their ability to respond to children and share meaningful experiences with them. It's a workbook of tools for educators looking to practice reflective teaching, and uses ten study sessions to provide such opportunities to engage with peers and collaborate on best practices. The result, geared to early childhood educators and their needs, makes for a powerful guide highly recommended for any educator seeking concrete, hands-on guidance for reflective practices.


The Comix/Graphic Novel Shelf

Dan Spiegle: A Life in Comic Art
John Coates with Dan Spiegle
TwoMorrows Publishing
10407 Bedfordtown Drive, Raleigh, NC 27614
9781605490496, $14.95, www.twomorrows.com

DAN SPIEGLE: A LIFE IN COMIC ART covers the entire career of one of the most respected Golden Age illustrators of his times, and gathers his works from that period through modern times, pairing biography with interviews and fine insights. Dozens of images of his work, along with personal photos of peers and privately commissioned drawings, illustrates a fine account of how many contributions to the industry as a whole, from his DC Comics illustrations on Batman and Tomahawk (to name just a few) to his later contributions to Dark Horse's Indiana Jones series and the Crossfire series for Eclipse Comics. Comic and cartoon holdings will find this a solid reference.


The Homeowner's Shelf

The Greened House Effect
Jeff Wilson
Chelsea Green Publishing Company
85 North Main Street, Suite 120
White River Junction, VT 05001
9781603584500, $29.95, www.chelseagreen.com

The Greened House Effect: Renovating Your Home with a Deep Energy Retrofit comes from twenty-five years of the authors' experience in construction and provides homeowners with a fine review of how to renovate an existing home for maximum energy savings. A 'deep energy retrofit' allows homeowners to save substantial sums right away, and this tells how; from conducting the initial energy assessment for one's home to determining savings from different options and how to finance and pay for such a renovation. From local building regulations to retrofit challenges and solutions, The Greened House Effect comes from real-world experiences and is a 'must' for any homeowner's reference collection.


The Pets/Wildlife Shelf

Canine Cuisine
Carlotta Cooper
Atlantic Publishing Group, Inc.
1405 S.W. 6th Avenue, Ocala, FL 34471
9781601383990, $24.95, www.atlantic-pub.com

Canine Cuisine: 101 Natural Dog Food & Treat Recipes to Make Your Dog Healthy and Happy teaches the basics of formulating and making dog foods that are healthier for one's pet. The basics of dog nutrition, including the ingredients dogs need to remain healthy, are covered in a handbook on basic dog nutrition and recipes that lay out the basics of dog requirements, whether for the leisure dog or the dog training for work. The result is a solid reference any concerned pet owner will want: a guide that pairs recipes with overall dog nutrition basics.

Statistics for Veterinary and Animal Science, third edition
Aviva Petrie & Paul Watson
Wiley-Blackwell
350 Main Street, Malden, MA 02148
9780470670750, www.wiley.com/wiley-blackwell

Statistics for Veterinary and Animal Science appears in its third updated edition to provide flow charts, worked examples, two statistical packages used to analyze data from computer output, and more, and is a pick for any involved in veterinary services and animal research. New to this edition are new chapters on reporting guidelines, appraisal of randomized controlled trials, and expanded glossaries. More exercises throughout enhance the focus on understanding the basic concepts and applying them to common computer output. Any who carry out or interpret statistical results in a veterinary practice will find this a powerful read, packed with ideas presented in a non-mathematical method clear of jargon but pertinent to any daily practice.


The Biography Shelf

Rocket Girl
George D. Morgan
Prometheus Books
59 John Glenn Drive, Amherst, NY 14228-2197
9781616147396, $18.00, www.prometheusbooks.com

ROCKET GIRL: THE STORY OF MARY SHERMAN MORGAN, AMERICA'S FIRST FEMALE ROCKET SCIENTIST tells of a young farm girl who wants to become a chemist back in 1938, the same year that a young German rocket enthusiast dreamed of building a rocket that could fly him to the moon. Ten years later their two very different dreams would result in an incredible odyssey resulting in Mary Sherman Morgan's contribution to helping launch America's first satellite. George D. Morgan is her son - and his determination to reveal his mother's legacy to the world led to overcoming a lifetime of political, technological and personal secrets. ROCKET GIRL is a striking account, painting a view of America's space race that is rarely documented, and belongs in any library strong in either biography or science history.

Unbreakable: My Story, My Way
Jenni Rivera
Atria Books
c/o Simon & Schuster
1230 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020
9781476746074, $25.00, www.simonandschuster.com

Unbreakable: My Story, My Way provides the official autobiography of Jenni Rivera, who was a mother of five, singer, actress, and star of her own reality show. She became the most successful Spanish-language singer in the country and sold records worldwide. Her autobiography is the late singer's only authorized one: it examines struggles she never discussed publicly, offers candid insights on domestic and sexual abuse and making a name for herself in a touch world, and captures much of her spirit and tenacity. The result is a powerful autobiography recommended for Latino, popular music and biography collections alike!

On the Beat of Truth
Maxine Childress Brown
Gallaudet University Press
800 Florida Avenue, NE
Washington, DC 20002-3695
9781563685521, $29.95, www.gupress.galludet.edu

On the Beat of Truth: A Hearing Daughter's Stories of Her Black Deaf Parents comes from the child of deaf parents and considers how the lack of education and access affects deaf families. Hers is a memoir of the advantages she enjoyed which were not afforded to her black, deaf parents. At an early age she absorbed her parents' stories of hardships and came to understand that her own modest lifestyle evolved from much struggle. Her account of the deaf community in general and the added challenges of racial struggle make this a top pick for any collection strong in either deaf issues or racial struggles.


The Antiques/Collectors Shelf

Cash in Your Coins
Beth Deisher
Whitman Publishing
4001 Helton Drive, Florence, Alabama, 35630
9780794837921, $9.95, www.whitmanbooks.com

Cash In Your Coins: Selling the Rare Coins You've Inherited provides readers with a fine survey of understanding the value and possibilities of coins they've inherited, and is directed not to the usual coin collector who reads values guides, but to those who know little about the valuable coins they've inherited from Grandpa. Where can they begin to assemble information on their value, and how can they arrange or sell a collection? Author Beth Deisher is the retired editor of Coin World for collectors and has answered such questions from novices for over thirty years: here she teaches the basics of identifying coins, creating an inventory, and valuing a large estate in a strong pick recommended for any library's reference section.


The Poetry Shelf

Irish Poetry V. 3
Conor O'Callaghan, Editor
Wake Forest University Press
PO Box 7333, Winston-Salem, NC 27109
9781930630642, $19.95, www.wfu.edu/wfupress

Irish Poetry V. 3 includes poetry and interviews with Colette Bryce, Justin Quinn, and others, and is a fine addition to a series covering Irish poetry for college-level literary collections. This third volume in the series and provides a scholarly approach that blends interviews with each poet and a preface placing their works in historical context with a strong representation of the works of five selected poets chosen for their powerful works and underlying Irish cultural sentiments. The result is a fine choice adding greatly to any Irish literary library; especially those who have the prior volumes.


The Literary Studies Shelf

Slavery in American Children's Literature
Paula T. Connolly
University of Iowa Press
119 West Park Road
Iowa City, IA 52242-1000
9781609381776, $42.50, www.uiowapress.org

Slavery in American Children's Literature is a recommendation for any college-level literary criticism collection and especially for those interested in analyzing literature for children, and provides analytical insights into childhood constructions and perceptions of race. Works from 1790-2010 are presented to document how generations of authors have used antebellum literature to recreate the slavery experience, documenting how genres ranging from narratives to novels have affected racial politics and perceptions in this country. Any collection concerned with issues of civil rights, slavery's history, and especially its representation in children's works will find this engrossing.

Through Irish Eyes
Malachy McCourt
Glitterati Incorporated
9780985169671, $30.00, www.glitteratincorporated.com

Through Irish Eyes: A Visual Companion to Angela McCourt's Ireland comes from the younger brother of author Frank McCourt, and is a pick for those already familiar with Frank McCourt's memoir about growing up in Ireland. This companion title uses a visual approach blending historic photos of locations and documents to bring alive the settings, peoples and situations outlined in McCourt's books, and is a solid pick for any literary connection seeing popularity with McCourt in particular and Irish history, culture and literature. Chapters provide a powerfully stirring survey that any prior fan will find especially memorable and revealing.


The Theatre/Cinema Shelf

World War Z: The Art of the Film
Matthew Michael Carnahan, et.al.
Titan Books
144 Southwark Street, London SE1 OUP, UK
9781781168851, $19.95, www.titanbooks.com

World War Z: The Art of the Film is the official illustrated companion to the movie and is a 'must' for any film collection interested in coverges that include storyboards, sketches, and the complete shooting script. Color photos and still shots from the film pack the film's coverage, which includes all the design details needed to understand the production art and the film's major themes. Any interested in modern screenplays in general or the scenarios of World War Z in particular will find this a solid pick!

The Best American Short Plays 2011-2012
William W. Demastes, Editor
Applause Books
c/o Hal Leonard Performing Arts Publishing Group
19 West 21st Street, Suite 201
New York, NY 10010
www.halleonard.com
9781476877334, $19.99, www.applausebooks.com

The Best American Short Plays 2011-2012 offers the latest in a series of 'best of' collections of American one-act plays that began over 70 years ago, offering a fine gathering of plays that center around deception. In each play the playwright tries to throw the audience off balance with surprises - and this collection highlights the role of self-deception and deception, providing a gathering of voices that include comedy and drama. Any library strong in drama will find this a solid, important addition.


The Music Shelf

The Ibanez Electric Guitar Book
Tony Bacon
Backbeat Books
c/o Hal Leonard Performing Arts Publishing Group
33 Plymouth Street, Suite 302
Montclair, NJ 07042-2677
www.halleonard.com
9781617134531, $24.99, www.backbeatbooks.com

The Ibanez Electric Guitar Book tells of Japan's most important guitar brand, which began by copying many famous American instruments and evolved to create its own memorable instruments, revered by many musicians. Interviews with Mick Thomson, Steve Vai and others accompany fine color photos of Ibanez guitars, a history of how it evolved as a business and as a musician's cult following, and how models developed and were promoted. It's much more than a music history coverage - it's a focus on business evolution and discusses everything from guitar form and function and the music trends that dictated their changes to guitar transitions over the decades. Packed with full color photos of guitars and players alike, this is a top pick for any music history holding!


The Sports Shelf

Play Practice, second edition
Alan Launder and Wendy Piltz
Human Kinetics Publishers, Inc.
PO Box 5076, Champaign, IL 61820-5076
9780736097000, www.humankinetics.com

The second updated edition of PLAY PRACTICE: ENGAGING AND DEVELOPING SKILLED PLAYERS FROM BEGINNER TO ELITE is written for experienced teachers and coaches and players alike, and offers basic instruction to improve coaching and teaching methods. Too often trainers don't understand the progression requirements needed to accelerate the development of players. This considers the progress, offering teachers, parents and coaches keys to building skilled play in gaming environments that range from baseball and volleyball to soccer. Overviews of lesson plans, keys to teaching court invasion strategies, patterns of passing and engagement, and problem solving and summaries accompany each chapter, providing trainers with keys to understanding play requirements and courses of action that lead to improvement and results. Education and sports collections alike will find this a winning survey!

The 25,000 Mile Love Story
Serge Roetheli
Dunham Group
63 Music Square East, Nashville, TN 37203
9780985135980, $25.99, www.dunhamgroupinc.com

The 25,000 Mile Love Story: The Epic Story of the Couple Who Sacrificed Everything to Run the World tells of a Swiss endurance runner, the author, who ran over 25,000 miles covering over thirty countries on six continents while his wife accompanied him on a motorcycle. Their goal was to raise awareness of the plight of children in developing countries, and the world tour "Run for Kids" is about not just marathons and endurance, but meeting children in need. His is a powerful account of the melding of sport and social insights, and makes for an endearing saga of endurance and change that will appeal not just to sports readers, but any who choose to make a difference in the world through personal effort.


The Automotive Shelf

America's Wildest Show Rods of the 1960s and 1970s
Scotty Gosson
CarTech
39966 Grand Avenue, North Branch, MN 55056
9781613250365, $29.95, www.cartechbooks.com

America's Wildest Show Rods of the 1960s and 1970s provides a wonderful assessment of futuristic cars and artistic automotive visions and is a fine pick for any interested in the history and culture of new-car launches of the times. It's a survey about the Show Rod era and the new cars developed during the times: cars never intended for street use or even any particular use. Wild visions of the model car industry blended with the efforts of manufacturers and are both covered in a delightful survey of show car design, modeling, and promotion. Color photos throughout make for a satisfying, lovely celebration recommended for any auto hobbyist or transportation shelf!


The Travel Shelf

Ten Trees and a Truffle Dog
Jamie Ivey
Skyhorse Publishing
307 West 36th Street, 11th Floor
New York, NY 10018
1620876353, $24.95, www.skyhorsepublishing.com

Ten Trees and a Truffle Dog: Sniffing Out the perfect Plot in Provence provides a funny and fun story detailing the author's adventures in the south of France, and is a pick for travel and culinary readers alike. The authors escaped the London rat race to retreat on a plot of land in France that was near a local village. The land came with no house, but with possible income from truffle oaks. The couple's struggle to make a living off the oaks, to locate and train a 'truffle dog', and more offers plenty of insights into the region's lifestyle, fascination with food, and byways and culture. Any fascinated by the French will find this a light and welcome introduction to the Provence region.


The Relationship Shelf

Smart Relationships
LeslieBeth Wish. EdD, MSS
New Horizon Press
PO Box 669, Far Hills, NJ 07931
9780882824383, $14.95, www.newhorizonpressbooks.com

Smart Relationships: How Successful Women Can Find True Love comes from a nationally recognized psychologist and columnist who gives women techniques and insights into their psyches to identify and change self-sabotaging behaviors, and examines why so many women's love lives are troubled. Chapters examine patterns in business and relationship decisions, offer exercises to overcome problems, and are based on some thirty years of analysis and experience on attachment, family systems and more. The result is a powerful guide highly recommended for self-help and women's issues collections alike.


The Divorce Shelf

Suddenly Solo
Harold Spielman and Marc Silbert
Ideation Consulting
www.suddenlysolo.org
9780578114989, $14.95 pbk. / $9.95 Kindle

Suddenly Solo: A LifeStyle Road Map For The Mature, Widowed or Divorced Man is for any man over fifty who is suddenly single, whether it be from divorce, death or separation from a long-time partner, and teaches the basics of handling new independence. It pairs stories of real individuals facing such changes with practical advice on lifestyle changes and changes in cultural norms that have occurred since these men were last on their own, and it comes from a sociologist who provides a wealth of practical insights key to understanding the new rules of solo living and interaction. Any general lending library will find this a winning addition.


The Hobby Shelf

The BrickGun Book
Jeff Boen
No Starch Press
38 Ringold Street
San Francisco, CO 94103-4403
9781593274900, $29.95, www.nostarch.com

The BrickGun Book: Build the World's Most Realistic LEGO Handguns provides hobbyists, LEGO enthusiasts and crafters with a fine, specific handbook to building LEGO handgun replicas for war games, and is a fine addition to any library where LEGO construction is of interest. Five handgun models are provided here, with step-by-step instruction coming from a builder who provides his own specific designs for the models. From real-life scales to functioning mechanisms, these will prove a delight for any LEGO crafter seeking new projects.


The California Shelf

Folsom's 93
April Moore
Craven Street Books
c/o Linden Publishing
2006 South Mary, Fresno, CA 93721-9875
www.woodworkerslibrary.com
9781610351720, $16.95, www.cravenstreetbooks.com

Folsom's 93: The Lives and Crimes of Folsom Prison's Executed Men is based on historical information that has been hidden from the public for some seventy years, and presents the full stories of the ninety-three men hanged at California's Folsom State Prison from 1895 to 1937, when executions were transferred to the gas chamber. It's the first book to tell all their stories, and recreates both the world of early California's history and culture and the swindlers and gangsters who were hanged for the crimes. Author April Moore acquired this historical material from her great-great-uncle, a professional gambler who collected a debt from a prisoner and acquired a box of some 93 mug shots and prisoner dossiers in the process. The records stayed in family and were forgotten for nearly 70 years. The publication of Folsom's 93 makes for a powerful collection if insights that should be required for any California social history collection and many a general law enforcement and justice holding.

Empire on Display
Sarah J. Moore
University of Oklahoma Press
2800 Venture Drive, Norman, OK 73069
9780806143484, $34.95, www.oupress.com

Empire on Display: San Francisco's Panama-Pacific International Exposition of 1915 follows the world fair that portrayed the rebuilding of San Francisco following the 1906 quake and fire and the completion of the Panama Canal alike, and provides the first book to consider this Exposition through art history and cultural study. Chapters are extensively illustrated and survey many features of the fair that demonstrate this focus on U.S. technology and achievement, offering a fine analysis of visual and cultural artifacts and their underlying symbolism and message of the American psyche. The result is a powerful pick recommended for any California history holding and many an American history collection.

Baja California Missions
David Burckhalter
University of Arizona Press
355 South Euclid Avenue, Suite 103
Tucson, AZ 85719-6654
9780816521197, $24.95, www.uapress.arizona.edu

Baja California Missions: In the Footsteps of the Padres provides a lovely book profiling the eight Spanish colonial churches build on California's Baja peninsula: buildings seldom seen in other titles detailing missions of the region. Lovely photos highlight the architecture and religious artwork, accompanying a history of the missions and the overall colonization process of the peninsula as a whole. These eight colonial stone churches are the only intact originals of some 34 missions built by the padres, and this guide provides the latest history blended with a traveler's directions for navigating Baja's paved highways and mountain roads alike. Photos by David Burckhalter and Mina Sedgwick make for an outstanding armchair or take-along guide for travelers or any interested in California mission history.


James A. Cox, Editor-in-Chief
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

Diane C. Donovan, Editor & Senior Reviewer
12424 Mill Street, Petaluma, CA 94952
phone: 1-707-795-4629
e-mail: donovan@sonic.net


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