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Internet Bookwatch

Volume 21, Number 7 July 2011 Home | IBW Index

Table of Contents

Reviewer's Choice Anthropology Shelf Education Shelf
Literary Shelf Music Shelf Biography Shelf
Writing/Publishing Shelf Psychology Shelf World History Shelf
Science Shelf Architecture Shelf Health/Medicine Shelf
Library Science Shelf Pets/Wildlife Shelf American History Shelf
Parenting Shelf Computer Shelf Photography Shelf
Cookbook Shelf Fiction Shelf Native American Shelf
Philosophy Shelf Business Shelf Environmental Studies Shelf
Economic Studies Shelf Memoir Shelf Fantasy/SciFi Shelf
Geography Shelf Poetry Shelf Military Shelf
Audiobook Shelf Library CD Shelf Library DVD Shelf
Christian Studies Shelf Archaeology Shelf Law/Justice Shelf
International Studies Shelf Nautical Shelf Language Studies Shelf
Sports Shelf Civil War Shelf Metaphysical Studies Shelf
Martial Arts Shelf Theatre/Cinema Shelf Homeowner's Shelf
Interior Design Shelf Money/Finance Shelf Religion/Spirituality Shelf
Mystery/Suspense Shelf Self-Help Self Relationship Shelf
Egyptology Shelf Travel Shelf Social Issues Shelf
Aviation Shelf Agriculture Shelf Gardening Shelf
Railroading Self Women's Studies Shelf Political Science Shelf
Humor Self Criminology Shelf Jewelry Shelf
Wine Self LGBT Studies Self Reference Self
Comix/Graphic Novel Self Art Shelf Needlecraft Shelf
Woodworking Self    


Reviewer's Choice

Reading with the Stars
Leonard Kniffel
American Library Association
50 E. Huron Street, Chicago, IL 60611
9780838935989, $17.95, www.alastore.ala.org

Knowledge is power, and there are fewer roads quicker to knowledge than books. "Reading with the Stars: A Celebration of Books and Libraries" is a collection of essays, interviews, and speeches about the importance of libraries and reading, as the likes of President Barack Obama, Philanthropist Bill Gates, and cultural icons like Oprah Winfrey leading the charge on the value of education to success and getting them to where they are today. "Reading with the Stars" is an excellent addition to any community or school library collection, the better to encourage literacy and further reading from young people.

Nuclear Servitude
Annie Thebaud-Mony
Baywood Publishing Company
26 Austin Avenue PO Box 337, Amityville, NY 11701
9780895033802, $57.95, www.baywood.com

Nuclear power is a valuable resource but it must be handled with care. "Nuclear Servitude: Subcontracting and Health in the French Civil Nuclear Industry" discusses the health issues that come up as France annually calls in thousands of employees from outside agencies. Annie Thebaud-Mony, a director of research in the National Institute for Health and Medical Research seeks to investigate the effects of the radiation that these contractors are exposed to, and how the disorganization of France's practices is exposing them to unneeded amounts of radiation and further endangering their health. Chapters investigate every level of the crisis from the lowest level to the higher ups. "Nuclear Servitude" is a scholarly look at a major issue to the health risks associated with nuclear power and how they can be reduced, a vital addition to community and college health studies collections.

Street Smarts
Jim Randel
Rand
265 Post Road West
PO Box 2870, Westport, CT 06880
9780984441877, $19.95, www.theskinnyon.com

A diploma is not a guarantee for success. "Street Smarts: Beyond the Diploma" is a guide to the real world for recent graduates of high school and college to dealing with many aspects of the self and life. From investing in the self, dealing with failure, creating links with others, personal finance, and much more, Jim Randel suggests much for developing the will power to attain success and dealing with the gauntlet life all too often throws at us. "Street Smarts" is an excellent gift for any new entrant into the real world.

An Iowa Schoolma'am
Philip L. Gerber and Charlotte M. Wright, editors
University of Iowa Press
100 Kuhl House
119 West Park Road
Iowa City, IA 52242-1000
9781587299605 $25.00 www.uiowapress.org

An Iowa Schoolma'am: Letters of Elizabeth "Bess" Corey, 1904-1908 gathers the early correspondence of "Bachelor Bess", as she embarked on teaching a one-room Iowa school. Her letters to her family tell of how she clashed with reluctant students, arranged performances to entertain the community, endured the vagaries of boarding with different landlords, and much more. A lively storyteller, she gives a wonderfully vivid picture of daily life in Iowa over a hundred years ago. An Iowa Schoolma'am is a thoroughly engaging read from cover to cover, and highly recommended especially for college library collections.

My Two Chinas
Baiquiao Tang with Damon DiMarco
Prometheus Books
59 John Glenn Drive, Amherst, NY 14228-2119
9781616144456, $26.00, www.prometheusbooks.com

MY TWO CHINAS: THE MEMOIR OF A CHINESE COUNTERREVOLUTIONARY tells of a modern dissident whose name became legendary during the time of the Tiananmen Square massacre. Over the past twenty years he remained on the front lines of the Chinese pro-democracy movement, vowing to keep fighting for a free China. His survey offers insights from one who has become a living legend to millions worldwide, and who new lives in exile in New York City. Any collection strong in Chinese political and social issue needs this!

A Billion Wicked Thoughts
Ogi Ogas and Sai Gaddam
Dutton
c/o Penguin Group USA
375 Hudson St., New York NY 10014
9780525952091, $26.95, www.penguin.com

A BILLION WICKED THOUGHTS: WHAT THE WORLD'S LARGEST EXPERIMENT REVEALS ABOUT HUMAN DESIRE presents a project that analyzed a billion web searches, a million web sites, erotic videos, stories, personal ads, and digitized romance novels to provide different insights on the sexual relationships of men and women. Online behavioral data blends with the latest neuroscience findings and combine with social analysis to reveal starting truths about men and women that often defy popular concepts. General, science, and social issues collections alike will relish this survey.

Companionship in Grief
Jeffrey Berman
University of Massachusetts Press
P.O. Box 429, Amherst, MA 01004
9781558498044, $26.95, www.umass.edu/umpress

Companionship in Grief: Love and Loss in the Memoirs of C.S. Lewis, John Bayley, Donald Hall, Joan Didion, and Calvin Trillin is a pick for health and literary holdings alike, focusing on the effects of the death of a spouse. The authors produced books that explored the nature and experience of spousal bereavement and care giving - and the potentials for falling in love again. All five memoirists' fictional and nonfictional writings serve as the foundation for a fine examination blending grief theory, attachment theory, and literary study in a recommendation for any college-level literary or health collection.

Relativity for the Questioning Mind
Daniel F. Styer
Johns Hopkins University Press
2715 North Charles Street
Baltimore, MD 21218-4363
0801897602, $30.00, www.press.jhu.edu

Relativity for the Questioning Mind explains the basic concept of relativity in easy language non-scientists will appreciate, showing how the theory applies to different real-life situations an using diagrams and a classroom-tested teaching method to consider common questions and ways of finding answers. Any general-interest collection as well as many a basic science holding will find this an easy method of understanding the basics of relativity and its importance to understanding daily life.

Destiny Books
c/o Inner Tradition
One Park Street, Rochester, VT 05767
www.destinybooks.com

Padma and Anaiya Aon Prakasha's WOMB WISDOM: AWAKENING THE CREATIVE AND FORGOTTEN POWERS OF THE FEMININE (9781594773785, $19.95) provides a powerful new age spirituality survey using sacred traditions from India, Tibet, Egypt and beyond to show how women can become aware of the intuitive voice of the womb outside of pregnancy and the moon cycle. Exercises to clear the past, release toxic emotions, and active the sacred sensual self are provided and accompanied by a 45-minute CD including a soundscape to assist in the awakening of these creative forces. New age and women's collections will find this a winning survey! New age collections will welcome Mantak Chia and William U. Wei's COSMIC DETOX: A TAOIST APPROACH TO INTERNAL CLEANSING (9781594773778, $16.95) reveals the detox and rejuvenation practices of the Taoist sages and show how to reactive a body's self-healing abilities by expelling accumulated toxins through diets and cleansing. Chi self-massage and healing sound exercises are accompanied by recipes for herbal tonics and cleansing flushes in this excellent new age guide.


The Anthropology Shelf

Ethnic Groups Of Europe
Jeffrey E. Cole, editor
ABC-CLIO
PO Box 1911
Santa Barbara, CA 93116-1911
www.abc-clio.com
9781598843026, $85.00, www.amazon.com

A 349-page encyclopedic compendium, "Ethnic Groups Of Europe" provides informed and detailed descriptive information on more than one hundred European ethnic and national groups. Each group entry provides a basic overview of that particular group, as well as in-depth information on their origins, early history, cultural life, and continuing development. Included are such particular details as estimated national and global population figures, geographical distribution, religions, languages, and more. Of special note is the information that editor Jeffrey E. Cole (Professor of Anthropology, Connecticut College, New London, Connecticut) provides with respect to the methodology utilized for identifying and selecting ethnic groups, as well as an insightful and informative introductory essay on the general subject of European ethnicity. An impressive work of academic excellent, "Ethnic Groups Of Europe" should be a part of every high school, university, and community library reference collection.


The Education Shelf

Creating a Digital-Rich Classroom
Meg Ormiston
Solution Tree
555 North Morton Street
Bloomington, IN 47404
9781935249870, $19.95, www.solution-tree.com

Technology and education are terrific partners, if teachers take control to establish them as such. "Creating a Digital-Rich Classroom: Teaching & Learning in a Web 2.0 World" discusses how technology can be used to its fullest as a learning tool as author Meg Ormiston suggests ways to use Web 2.0 to make it so the internet is the class room, helping them find information, and find new ways to teach old curriculum. For any tech savvy teacher who rightfully believes the internet is the future, "Creating a Digital-Rich Classroom" is the road map you need to make the web-infused classroom a reality.

Mapping Your Thesis
Barry White
Australian Council for Education Research
c/o International Specialized Book Services
920 NE 58th Ave., Suite 300
Portland, OR 97213-3786
9780864318237, $89.95, www.isbs.com

Research is a big portion of making a work well informed and acclaimed. "Mapping Your Thesis: The Comprehensive Manual of Theory and Techniques for Masters and Doctoral Research" is a guide for researching for a thesis, providing the rules and tricks for working with research and studying. A thesis has much to do with the related term theory, and all theories must be backed with solid and thorough research. Chapters discuss the basics of education, reason, and thought through the works of many thinkers and philosophers throughout history, creating a concept, creating and editing the work, and the high importance of self-review of your work. "Mapping Your Thesis" is a must for anyone who is being tasked with the challenge of crafting a thesis, no matter the purpose.

Designing and Implementing Effective Adapted Physical Education Programs
Luke E. Kelly
Sagamore Publishing
1807 N. Federal Dr., Urbana, IL 61801
9781571676733, $34.95, www.sagamorepub.com

Physical education should not be pushed aside, especially with today's rising levels of obesity. "Designing and Implementing Effective Adapted Physical Education Programs" is a discussion of physical education and how teachers and leaders can create a physical education program that can cater to the various levels of mobility of students, from the typical to those facing motor issues like being wheelchair bound. For anyone who wants to keep their physical education program all-inclusive, "Designing and Implementing Effective Adapted Physical Education Programs" is a strong pick with plenty of tips and tricks in staying true to it all.

Journey to Literacy
Krista Flemington, Linda Hewins, & Una Villiers
Pembroke Publishers
538 Hood Road, Markham, Ontario, Canada, L3R 3K9
Stenhouse (distribution)
480 Congress Street, Portland, ME 04101
9781551382616, $21.00, www.pembrokepublishers.com

Literacy is perhaps one of the most important aspects one can take from education. "Journey to Literacy: No Worksheets Required" is a guide for kindergarten and other young education administrators who want to encourage literacy from a young age. Suggesting games and other activities to encourage learning, the authors suggest many alternatives to the standard worksheet educational method that has been used for decades. "Journey to Literacy" is a strongly recommended pick for community library education collections and for educators of young children.

Teaching Teens with ADD, ADHD, & Executive Function Deficits, second edition
Chris A. Zeigler Dendy
Woodbine House
6510 Bells Mill Rd., Bethesda, MD 20817
9781606130162, $24.95, www.woodbinehouse.com

Education is important, no matter what stands in its way. "Teaching Teens with ADD, ADHD, & Executive Function Deficits: A Quick Reference Guide for Teachers and Parents" is a guide for educators who want to teach their students everything they need to flourish in spite of learning problems and disabilities. The book is broken down into sections with plenty of advice for such conditions as well as the law, medicine, and the importance of pushing such things for teachers. "Teaching Teens with ADD, ADHD, & Executive Function Deficits" is a very highly recommended resource for any educator or educational administrator.

Social Enjoyment Groups
John Merges
Jessica Kingsley Publishers
400 Market Street, Suite 400, Philadelphia, PA 19106
9781849058346, $22.95, www.jkp.com

Friendship is something we all seek, and autism does not change that. "Social Enjoyment Groups: For Children, Teens, and Young Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorders" is a guide for encouraging growth of social groups for young people with autism, and how to form and run such groups effectively to encourage growth of such skills and lead to more independence in life, along with greater fulfillment. "Social Enjoyment Groups" is a strongly recommended pick for anyone in charge of educating autistic pupils.

Alternative Approaches to Assessing Young Children, second edition
Angela Losardo & Angela Notari Syverson
Paul H. Brookes Publishing Co
PO Box 10624, Baltimore, MD 21285-0624
9781598570878, $39.95, www.brookespublishing.com

Written tests aren't the best way to measure the skills of someone who can barely write. Now in its second edition, "Alternative Approaches to Assessing Young Children" is an educational discussion of early childhood education and how to assess it appropriately and correctly. Focusing on these methods, which include strengths and weaknesses of each, how to approach the results of an assessment, and much more, the new edition covers when greater intervention is required. "Alternative Approaches to Assessing Young Children" is an excellent addition to any educational reference collection for teachers and schools open to alternative methods.

Successful Transfer Of Learning
Sandra Ratcliff Daffron & Mary Wehby North
Krieger Publishing Company
1725 Krieger Lane
Melabar, FL 32950-3323
www.krieger-publishing.com
1575242982, $35.25, www.amazon.com

In our post-industrial 'information age' society, the concepts and values of adult education and 'life-long learning' are increasingly salient and compelling issues for both the individual and our national economy. The collaborative work of academician Sandra Ratcliff Daffron (Professor of Adult Education, Western Washington University) and training consultant Mary Wehby North (who also draws upon her expertise and experience as a former Readiness Training Program Manger for the Microsoft Corporation), "Successful Transfer of Learning" is 201-page compendium presenting and explaining the results of a complex and comprehensive study of seventeen professional groups with respect to the transfer of learning from one setting to another, one program to another. Analyzing theoretical implications underlying successful transfers, learner characteristics and motivation, designs and deliveries, learning contexts, strategies, and implementation techniques, "Successful Transfer of Learning" is enhanced with appendices and an index making it a seminal work that would prove to be a welcome and core contribution to professional and academic library Adult Education instructional reference collections and supplemental studies reading lists.

Speech to Print Workbook, second edition
Louisa Cook Moats and Bruce L. Rosow
Brookes Publishing
Box 10624, Baltimore, MD 21285-0624
9781598571622, $24.95, www.brookespublishing.com

Speech to Print Workbook packs in teaching methods and tips to using phonics to increase reading skills and has been completely revamped with new exercises in a second updated edition. Teachers learn the basics of how to strengthen critical skills in a title which includes over 80 new or revised exercises not found in the original text, new quizzes to reinforce the basics of language learning keys, a new layout to make the workbook easier to use, and more.

A Medical Teacher's Manual for Success
Helen M. Shields, MD, FACP, AGAF
Johns Hopkins University Press
2715 North Charles Street
Baltimore, MD 21218-4363
0801897661, $25.00, www.press.jhu.edu

A Medical Teacher's Manual for Success: Five Simple Steps comes from a clinician-teacher who has spent her career training future doctors, researchers and medical school instructors. This shares her methods for developing and teaching curricula for medical students and reduces her program to five steps which cover preparation, logical presentations, group explorations of topics, reinforcement of concepts and a five-minute summary of points. Her guidelines for teachers provide lists of do's and don't guidelines perfect for any who would follow in her teaching footsteps.

Math Work Stations
Debbie Diller
Pembroke
c/o Stenhouse Publishers
Box 11020, Portland ME 04104-7020
9781571107930, $34.00, www.stenhouse.com

Math Work Stations: Independent Learning You Can Count On, K-2 appears in a spiral-bound workbook format and provides a fine photo-filled key to math work stations that teach kinds conceptual skills and math vocabulary. Key concepts and ideas for modeling and assessment provide a fine pairing of math station ideas with hundreds of color photos showing them at work in classroom settings. Highly recommended for any education library working with the K-2 audience!

The Unscripted Classroom
Susan Stacey
Redleaf Press
10 Yorkton Court, St. Paul MN 55117
9781605540368, $29.95, www.redleafpress.org

The Unscripted Classroom: Emergent Curriculum in Action provides a fine way to use new practices to tie into a child's emerging creativity, offering a flexible set of routines for early childhood educators interested in enlivening the curriculum. From using stories for professional development to handling toddlers and embracing and teaching the unexpected, this packs in invaluable learning tools in a pick for any early childhood professional collection.

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

Rick Auger's THE SCHOOL COUNSELOR'S MENTAL HEALTH SOURCEBOOK: STRATEGIES TO HELP STUDENTS SUCCEED (9781412972734, $31.95) argues that school counselors need to broaden their knowledge on mental health disorders - and provides tools counselors can use to help keep students on track. From addressing autism and anxiety disorders to intervention strategies tested in the field and handling a range of disorders, this provides definitions, approaches, and tested methods that work and is a 'must' for any education collection. Nancy P.Gallavan's NAVIGATING CULTURAL COMPETENCE IN GRADES 6-12: A COMPASS FOR TEACHERS (9781412978484, $31.95) provides a fine survey discussing cultural diversity and provides an eight-point 'cultural compass' for teachers showing how to create an inclusive curriculum. From creating a welcoming school environment to increasing teaching confidence, this demonstrates exactly how to infuse cultural competence into a curriculum. Math teachers working with grades 4-10 will find Leslie Laud's USING FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT TO DIFFERENTIATE MATHEMATICS INSTRUCTION: SEVEN PRACTICES TO MAXIMIZE LEARNING (9781412995245, $30.95) to be a specific and powerful teaching tool to help support an entire classroom, from struggling learners to high achievers. This book makes it easy to place formative assessment practices into action, from establishing norms and using TRI models to creating tiered lessons and multitasking a differentiated classroom. Highly recommended! Also a top pick is Debbie Zacarian's TRANSFORMING SCHOOLS FOR ENGLISH LEARNERS: A COMPREHENSIVE FRAMEWORK FOR SCHOOL LEADERS (9781412990400, $31.95) provides a fine guide to educating public school ELs. Each chapter focuses on a key elements of English language education programming with the entire school in mind, from selecting a program model for school-wide implementation to using measures of student performance to make decisions. Educators and school principals will find this a fine assessment! THE PRINCIPAL AS LEADER OF CHALLENGING CONVERSATIONS (9781412981156, $25.95) is a pick for educator collections where principals seek a quick reference guide to creating and maintaining positive conversations with staff, parents, students and district leaders alike. From active listening and feedback to assertive communication, this includes scripts, sample dialogues, checklists and more gained from case study examples. Betty J. Alford and Mary Catherine Nino's LEADING ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT FOR ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS: A GUIDE FOR PRINCIPALS (9781412981606, $31.95) offers case studies from school leaders who have created effective chances for ELL learners. From applying instructional strategies for best benefit to understanding resources, this offers professional development tools key for teachers seeking to understand second language acquisition.


The Literary Shelf

The Myth of Paganism
Robert Shorrock
Bristol Classical Press
c/o International Publishers Marketing
PO Box 605, Herndon, VA 20172-0605
9780715636688, $33.00, www.bloomsburyacademic.com

Art is still art, no matter what is thought to have inspired it. "The Myth of Paganism: Nonnus, Dionysus and the World of Late Antiquity" discusses Pagan poetry and literature, as Robert Shorrock hopes to dispel the myth that this work was any lesser due to the rising power of Christianity, and critiques much of this dismissed work in comparison to other contemporary work and how it still holds its influence in later writing, much like the late-antiquity Christian works. "The Myth of Paganism" is scholarly critique about the importance of these forgotten artists.

Voegelinian Readings of Modern Literature
Charles R. Embry, editor
University of Missouri Press
2910 LeMone Blvd., Columbia, MO 65201
9780826219152, $60.00, www.press.umsystem.edu

As you read more and more, you can gain a greater grasp of the world and everything around it. "Voegelinian Readings of Modern Literature" analyzes the writings of and essays of Eric Voegelin, a man who through his vast education in literature and history in all its forms in his search for philosophy. Charles Embry collects Voegelin's work, and offers his own study and analysis as he goes through Voegelin's search for meaning and an explanation to the blights of humanity in war and religious conflict. "Voegelinian Readings of Modern Literature" is an excellent addition to any community and college literary studies or philosophy collections.

Jane Austen
Laurence W. Mazzeno
Camden House
668 Mount Hope Avenue
Rochester, NY 14620-2731
www.boydell.co.uk
9781571133946, $75.00, www.amazon.com

Jane Austen is one of the cornerstones of 19th century English literature. Laurence W. Mazzeno is an accomplished academician and President Emeritus of Alvernia University in Reading, Pennsylvania who has written extensively on such literary luminaries as Charles Dickens, Alfred Lord Tennyson, and Matthew Arnold. In "Jane Austen: Two Centuries of Criticism", Professor Mazzeno has created a 312-page compendium of insightful commentary on and about Austen's literary work and accomplishments which had been neglected by previous generations of literary critics during her lifetime and for decades after her death, finally to be acknowledged by academia and to find enduring popularity with the general public with her works adapted for movies and continuously in print. Of special note are the implications and insights Professor Mazzeno provides on the impact literary critics can have on the literary reputation of the authors they assess. Informed and informative from beginning to end, "Jane Austen: Two Centuries of Criticism" is a seminal work of academic excellence and an especially recommended addition to personal and academic library reference collections and reading lists.

Catholic Modernists, English Nationalists
Timothy J. Sutton
University of Delaware Press
200A Morris Library
181 South College Avenue
Newark, DE 19717-5267
www2.lib.udel.edu/udpress
9781611491333, $56.00, www.amazon.com

Religious conversion has impacted the lives and literary efforts of many a writer. But none more so that Gerard Manley Hopkins, Ford Madox Ford, T. S. Eliot, Evelyn Waugh, and Graham Greene. Their conversions to the Catholic faith and the influence of such conversions with respect to English literary modernism is the subject of Timothy J. Sutton's "Catholic Modernists, English Nationalists". Of particular note is the impact Catholicism had on these writers in terms of aesthetics and ideology as reflected by their post-conversion works. Informed, informative, insightful, and occasionally iconoclastic, "Catholic Modernists, English Nationalists" is a seminal work of literary criticism and an invaluable contribution to academic library collections and college level 20th Century English Literature supplemental reading lists.


The Music Shelf

A Heartbeat and a Guitar
Antonino D'Ambrosio
Nation Books
387 Park Avenue South, New York NY 10016
9781568586373, $16.99, www.nationbooks.org

A Heartbeat and a Guitar: Johnny Cash and the Making of Bitter Tears comes from a journalist and filmmaker who tackles the lost history of the collaboration between Johnny cash and folk musician Peter La Farge. Songs written by Cash and La Farge were inspired by the struggles of Native Americans and appear on the Bitter Tears album, which calls for social justice and inspired the Native Peoples' rights movement with its blend of storytelling and social insights. Most country music listeners rejected the album for its folksy style and bold call for action: it's a pleasure to find an in-depth survey of Johnny Cash that adopts such a different perspective!

Rockabilly: The Illustrated History
Edited by Michael Dregni
Voyageur Press
c/o Quayside Publishing Group
400 First Avenue North, Suite 300
Minneapolis, MN 55401
9780760340622, $30.00, www.voyageurpress.com

Rockabilly: The Twang Heard 'Round the World: The Illustrated History provides a fine survey of the story of rockabilly and gives the first illustrated history of the sound, style and attitude inherent in the rockabilly sound. Over 600 rare photos, concert posters and music memorabilia pictures pack a fine collection which gathers interviews and memoirs from rockabilly stars ranging from Brian Setzer and Carl Perkins to Rose Maddox, Ray Campi and more. This makes for a powerful all-embracing history perfect for any rock music history holding.

The Instrumental Music of Iannis Xenakis
Benoit Gibson
Pendragon Press
PO Box 190, Hillsdale, NY 12529
9781576471616, $36.00, www.amazon.com

There is a science and philosophy to everything, even the production of music. "The Instrumental Music of Iannis Xenakis: Theory, Practice, Self-Borrowing" is a scholarly look at this unique method of composition done by Iannis Xenakis, a composer who compiled his prolific work with theoretical writings of mathematics, drawing on his dual training as musician and engineer. For students of music and engineering, this proves as a unique meeting of disciplines, as Benoit Gibson writes in tribute, 10 years after his death. "The Instrumental Music of Iannis Xenakis" is a must for any scholar of music theory, professional or amateur.

Looking For The "Harp" Quartet
Markand Thakar
University of Rochester Press
668 Mt. Hope Avenue
Rochester, NY 14472
www.urpress.com
9781580463461, $49.95, www.amazon.com

A 225-page tour de force, "Looking for the 'Harp' Quartet: An Investigation into Musical Beauty" by Markand Thakar (Charles A. & Carolyn M. Russell Music Director, Duluth Superior Symphony Orchestra; music director, Baltimore Chamber Orchestra; principal conductor, Duluth Festival Opera; and co-director of the graduate conducting program, Peabody Conservatory of the Johns Hopkins University) addresses the musical experience of beauty in terms of what comprises it. Utilizing Beethoven's String Quartet No. 10 in E-Flat Major (known as the 'Harp') as both an illustration and as a recurring theme, of particular note are the three insightful essays that comprise the second have of the book ('Remembrance of Things Future: On the Listener's Contributions'; 'Patterns of Energy: On The Composers Contribution'; and 'Dynamic Analysis: On The Performer's Contribution'). Enhanced with an appendix, extensive footnotes, a bibliography, and an index, "Looking For The "Harp" Quartet" is an exercise in academic excellence and a seminal contribution for personal, professional, and academic Classical Music Studies reference collections and supplemental reading lists.


The Biography Shelf

Elly Peterson: "Mother" of the Moderates
Sara Fitzgerald
University of Michigan Press
839 Greene Street
Ann Arbor, MI 48104-3209
9780472117871 $29.95 www.press.umich.edu

Elly Peterson: "Mother" of the Moderates is a solid biography of one of the highest ranking women in the Republican Party. Politically involved from 1952 to 1982, Elly Peterson was a moderate Republican, who became increasingly disillusioned by the party's rightward swing in the 1970's. She campaigned for the Equal Rights Amendment and reproductive rights, and raised her voice against the heavily conservative Phyllis Schlafly. Her extraordinary political career, as well as the changes in the party itself, are succinctly chronicles and presented in this captivating account. Highly recommended, especially for public and college library biography shelves.

L. L. Bean
James L. Withrell
Tilbury House
103 Brunswick Avenue, Gardiner, ME 04345
9780884483298, $20.00, www.tilburyhouse.com

The most successful businessmen don't flourish by climbing to the top of existing markets, they create a market all their own. "L.L. Bean: The Man and His Company" is a biography of the man who created the mail order business and earned his own piece of immortality in the process. From the development of a boot, his business quickly grew into something greater, forming a model with influence that can still be felt within juggernauts such as Amazon.com. "L.L. Bean: The Man and His Company" is a fascinating look at one of the man who took business in a great step forward, highly recommended.

G. K. Chesterton
Ian Ker
Oxford University Press
198 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10016-4314
9780199601288, $65.00, www.oup.com/us

Humor is a weapon, and G. K. Chesterton was a fond user of such an instrument. "G. K. Chesterton" is a scholarly biography of the man and his work from Ian Ker. A critic of the contemporary literature of his time, he is well known for offering opposing and differing viewpoints with the likes of Charles Dickens and H. G. Well. Although he was a political thinker, pushing his version of democracy, he also spoke candidly on religion, supporting both Christianity and Catholicism while not being blind to the many flaws in those faiths. Well researched and well written, "G. K. Chesterton" is an excellent addition to any biography collection focusing on major figures in English literary history.

Last Stop, Carnegie Hall
Brian A. Shook
University of North Texas Press
4354 TAMU, College Station, TX 77843-4354
9781574413069, $24.95, www.unt.edu/untpress

Talent only takes you so far, you have to have the drive to follow up with it. "Last Stop, Carnegie Hall: New York Philharmonic Trumpeter William Vacchiano" is the story of this famed trumpeter whop for over thirty years was one of the best in his art. Chronicling his work as a musician, as a teacher, and his influence on the trumpet throughout the twentieth century, anyone with a scholarly interest in the developments in orchestral and big band music through the trumpet should consider "Last Stop, Carnegie Hall" as a core addition to musical biography collections.

Gandhi the Man
Eknath Easwaran
Nilgiri Press
PO Box 256, 3600 Tomales Road, Tomales, CA 94971
9781586380557, $16.95, www.easwaran.org

Gandhi's first choice in life was not the icon of nonviolent resistance as he's known today. "Gandhi the Man: How One Man Changed Himself to Change the World" looks at the transformation of a young lawyer as Gandhi studied to be into a man who used spirituality and passion to lead nearly a half billion people for independence. Looking at how the man found his own path, and what it can teach us fifty years later, Eknath Easwaran uses his own dedication to Gandhi's ideas to show us that the greatness can lie in any of us as he investigates the early life of a Gandhi who is much unlike the thin balding man in robes we know him as. "Gandhi the Man" is a choice pick for any person or library collection who wants a more complete understanding at one of the icons of the twentieth century.

The History Of A History Man
Patrick Collinson
Boydell & Brewer Inc
668 Mount Hope Avenue
Rochester, NY 14620-2731
www.boydellandbrewer.com
9781843836278, $80.00, www.amazon.com

"The History of a History Man: Or, the Twentieth Century Viewed from a Safe Distance. The Memoirs of Patrick Collinson" is the life story of Patrick Collinson. He was Regius Professor of Modern History in the University of Cambridge from 1988 to 1996, and he is a Fellow of Trinity College. The distinguished and academically acclaimed author of many studies of the Reformation and of post-Reformation religion, politics and society, Collinson was also the founding President of the Church of England Record Society. This 224-page memoir covers his childhood, his interest in history, his travels, his academic career, as well as his friends, associates, and colleagues. Of special note is his concluding chapter devoted to 'The Glacis of Retirement'. The story of an extraordinary man with an extraordinary career, "The History OF A History Man" is informative, engaging, and highly recommended reading, making it an ideal and welcome addition to both academic and community library 20th Century memoir collections.

This Life is in Your Hands
Melissa Coleman
Harper
c/o HarperCollins Publishers
10 East 53rd Street, New York, NY 10022-5299
9780061958328, $25.99, www.harpercollins.com

THIS LIFE IS IN YOUR HANDS: ONE DREAM SIXTY ACRES, AND A FAMILY UNDONE provides a fine memoir telling of one family's pursuit of a counterculture experiment and how their romantic back-to-the-land dream collapsed. A young couple's experiment with a self-sustaining lifestyle with no electricity, running water or phone in a, $680 cabin seemed successful initially, until tragedy struck and tore the family apart, ending the experiment. Now a parent herself, Melissa Coleman revisits the land of her childhood and provides a moving autobiography especially recommended for any counterculture collection as well as many a general lending library.

El Sicario
Molly Molloy and Charles Bowden, Editors
Nation Books
387 Park Avenue South, New York NY 10016
9781568586588, $15.99, www.nationbooks.com

El Sicario: The Autobiography of a Mexican Assassin is translated by Molly Molloy and award-winning journalist Charles Bowden and provides a chilling story based on Bowden's friendship with El Sicario. Trust evolved between the two men and a series of filmed interviews where Molloy was translator led to this autobiography, a powerful true crime and political account perfect for any collection strong in autobiography, politics or Mexican history.


The Writing/Publishing Shelf

Electronic Publishing
Gabriel Egan, editor
ACMRS
Arizona State University
Box 874402, Tempe, AZ 85287-4402
www.asu.edu/clas/acmrs/publications/mrts/catalo.html
9780866984492, $52.00

Compiled and edited by Shakespearean scholar and author Gabriel Egan, "Electronic Publishing: Politics And Pragmatics" is a 218-page compendium of informed and informative articles written by ten experienced professionals on diverse aspects of electronic publishing from particularly apt academic perspectives. Also featuring an insightful introduction by Gabriel Egan and an Afterword commentary by John Lavagnino, the contributors focus on a variety of subjects and issues ranging from the impact of computers on scholarly editing, to digitizing printed works, to software tools for creative writing, and so much more. Of special note is Peter Robinson's commentary comprising 'How We Have Been Publishing the Wrong Way, and How We Might Publish a Better Way'. A seminal work of outstanding academic excellence, "Electronic Publishing" should be considered essential reading and an invaluable addition to personal, professional, and academic library instructional publishing reference collections.


The Psychology Shelf

Trampled to Death by Geese
Daryl Sharp
Inner City Books
PO Box 1271, Station Q
Toronto, ON M4T 2P4
9781894574341, $25.00, www.innercitybooks.net

The ideas of Carl Jung have left many disciples of his ideas trying to understand our insane world with his ideas, and it still proves quite difficult. "Trampled to Death by Geese: More Eros, and a Lot More Nonsense" is a study of many writings and events as Daryl Sharp looks at the madness that surrounds him with humor and wisdom and a bit of Jungian psychology in hopes to trying to decipher it all. It's an upward struggle, but author Daryl Sharp shares this academic endeavor in a fun to read and educational way. "Trampled to Death by Geese" is a must for anyone curious in Jungian psychology and its version of modern insanity.

Shrink Rap
Dinah Miller, Annette Hanson, and Steven Roy Daviss
The John Hopkins University Press
2715 N. Charles Street, Baltimore, MD 21218
9781421400129, $19.95, www.press.jhu.edu

The role of the psychiatrist isn't what many people think it is. "Shrink Rap" is a discussion of what psychiatrists do as three psychiatrists come together to discuss the trade, aimed at the curious reader as well as the rookie psychiatrist. From dealing with the mundane tasks of the job like scheduling and money to making the hard decisions that can change lives, "Shrink Rap" is an intriguing read and trade guide that's of intriguing reading to anyone, regardless of their psychotherapeutic aspirations.

Malpractice In Psychology
David L. Shapiro & Steven R. Smith
American Psychological Association
750 First Street, NE
Washington, DC 20002-4242
www.apa.org/books
9781433808951, $59.95, www.amazon.com

The collaborative work of David L. Shapiro (Professor of Psychology, Nova Southeastern University, Fort Lauderdale, Florida) and Steven R. Smith (Professor of Law, California Western School of Law, San Diego, California), "Malpractice in Psychology: A Practical Resource for Clinicians" is a 202-page compendium of superbly presented information on the manifold legal liabilities associated with the provision of psychological services. Of particular note are the chapters devoted to such core issues as confidentiality and privacy, negligent diagnosis and treatment, violence (including suicide), sexual misconduct, the use of nontraditional therapies, and so much more. The chapter devoted to judicial trials and 'doctor-patient confidentiality' are especially pertinent. Enhanced with a bibliography of references, a 'Table of Authorities', and a comprehensive index, "Malpractice In Psychology" should be considered as a basic textbook for academia, and a continuing reference work for professionals engaged in the practices of psychotherapy.

W.W. Norton
500 - 5th Avenue, New York NY 10110
www.wwnorton.com

Monica McGoldrick's THE GENOGRAM JOURNEY: RECONNECTING WITH YOUR FAMILY (9780393706277, $23.95) was first published fifteen years ago and is here fully updated for the first time, explaining how a method of family history-gathering - the genogram or family tree - can help understand and mend family relationships. Ways in which genograms can reveal intergenerational patterns make for chapters that cover family ties, death, relatives, and more in an outstanding tool for analyzing the genogram's applications to psychological analysis. Psychology collections will welcome this update, with the latest research and approaches to family trees and psychology. Suzette Boon, Kathy Steele and Onno Van Der Hart's COPING WITH TRAUMA-RELATED DISSOCIATION (9780393706468, $35.00) is a pick for any college-level psychology or psychotherapy holding, offering the first book to provide structured skills training for those suffering from dissociative disorders as a result of trauma. From short educational pieces and homework sheets to exercises that promote wellbeing, this reviews dissociation, its symptoms, and provides specific management strategies. College-level psychology holdings also will appreciate SELF-AGENCY IN PSYCHOTHERAPY: ATTACHMENT AUTONOMY AND INTIMACY (9780393705591, $35.00), a fine survey from a Jungian psychoanalyst who argues that self-agency is always at the heart of psychological growth. The developmental origins of the sense of self can create fundamental problems for the infant with damaging effects on growth and adulthood: this uses developmental concepts to argue for a more orderly development of self-agency and security and offers therapists guidelines for change.

Basic Books
c/o Perseus Books Group
11 Cambridge Center, Cambridge, MA 02142
www.basicbooks.com

Douglas T. Kenrick's SEX, MURDER AND THE MEANING OF LIFE (9780465020447, $26.99) comes from a psychologist who investigates how evolution, cognition and complexity are changing based on new scientific approaches to observation. Cognitive science, evolutionary psychology and complexity theory here blend to consider the basic principles that govern our lives, arguing that mental mechanisms we inherited from our ancestors ultimately lead to social norms and lives. Psychology and social issues collections - as well as any a general lending library - will appreciate this approach! Simon Baron-Cohen's THE SCIENCE OF EVIL: ON EMPATHY AND THE ORIGINS OF CRUELTY (9780465023530, $25.99) explores the ideas of what allows some people to be in tune with the feelings of others while others can inflict pain with no remorse. Social and environmental factors that can erode empathy - such as parental abuse - are discussed in light of physical and social factors that can affect the 'empathy circuit' in our brains, altering our understanding of evil itself. Totally engrossing, and recommended not just for science but for general interest holdings.


The World History Shelf

A Century of Parks Canada 1911-2011
Claire Elizabeth Campbell, editor
University of Calgary Press
2500 University Drive NW, Calgary, AL Canada T2N 1N4
9781552385265, $34.95, www.uofcpress.com

A country's natural beauty is important for many reasons, and Canada created the first agency dedicated to maintaining them. "A Century of Parks Canada 1911-2011" studies Canada's foundation of its Dominion Parks branch in 1911 and how over the past century it has worked towards maintaining its natural beauty. With a message of benefit, enjoyment, and education for Canadians, this program proves to be an intriguing study of environmentalism and nationalism. "A Century of Parks Canada 1911-2011" is a fine pick for any history and nature collection for community library collections.

Opening Doors
Daphne Marlatt & Carole Itter, editors
Harbour Publishing
PO Box 219, Madeira Park, BC V0N 2H0, Canada
9781550175219, $24.95, www.harbourpublishing.com

With a little bit of everyone calling it home, you got a little bit of everything. "Opening Doors: In Vancouver's East End: Strathcona" discusses this east side of the massive city of Vancouver, British Columbia, a district that was called home to many minorities in blacks, Asians, eastern Europeans, among others. This rich blend of heritage leads to a very interesting and thoughtful history, of Vancouver, of British Columbia, and of Canada. "Opening Doors" is a fine pick for anyone who wants to embrace this historical area that music legend Jimi Hendrix once called home.

Hitler in the Crosshairs
John Woodbridge
Zondervan
5300 Patterson Avenue, S.E., Grand Rapids, MI 49530
9780310325871, $24.99, www.zondervan.com

Hitler was the man who eventually killed Hitler, yet it was not for lack of trying by the Allied forces. "Hitler in the Crosshairs: A GI's Story of Courage and Faith" chronicles the attempts of Ira Palm, an American GI who was called to do what many Allied soldiers probably wish they could have the opportunity to do- capture or kill Nazi Germany's infamous leader, Adolf Hitler. Composed of real events thoroughly researched, the tale reads much like fiction, surrounding the assassination attempts on the madman's life and his fabled golden gun. "Hitler in the Crosshairs" is a different sort of World War II book, telling of events rarely spoken of, enthusiastically recommended.

The History Of China
David Curtis Wright
Greenwood Press
c/o ABC-CLIO
PO Box 1911
Santa Barbara, CA 93116-1911
www.abc-clio.com
031330940X, $55.00, www.amazon.com

The newest addition to the outstanding Greenwood Press 'The Greenwood Histories of the Modern Nations' series, "The History Of China" by David Curtis Wright begins with an an extensive 'Timeline of Historical Events', and the proceeds to provide a succinct overview of China's geography, government, population, and early history. Chapters are then devoted to Pre-Imperial China (1122-221 B.C.); Early Imperial China (221 B.C. to 589 A.D.); Middle and Late Imperial China (589 A.D. to 1800 A.D.); and China in the 19th Century. Modern or 20th century China is presented in terms of 'Revolution and Republic'; The People's Republic: From First Breath to Mao's Death'; 'Deng's China', and 'China in the 1990s. Enhanced with a biographical roster of 'Notable People in the History of China' and 'Chinese Dynasties', "The History Of China" is enhanced with the inclusion of a glossary, a bibliographic essay, and a comprehensive index. An informed and informative, 264-page compendium, "The History Of China" is a superbly written and accessible history that should be a core addition to personal, academic, and community library China Studies and World History instructional reference collections.

Battleship Vieques
Cesar J. Ayala and Jose L. Bolivar
Markus Wiener Publishers
231 Nassau Street
Princeton, NJ 08542
9781558765382 $24.95 www.markuswiener.com

Battleship Vieques: Puerto Rico from World War II to the Korean War is a critical close study of the repercussions of the U.S. Navy's decision to essentially take over the island of Vieques, Puerto Rico. When German U-boats sank more ships in the Caribbean than anywhere else, the American government resolved to turn the island of Vieques into an "unsinkable battleship"; the navy appropriated two-thirds of the island's land, ignoring the cultural traditions of the local Puerto Rican population, forcibly relocating residents, introducing racial discrimination, and destroying the local economy. Battleship Vieques scrutinizes the ruthless occupation during and after World War II in fine detail, exploring the roots of the demonstrations that would eventually force the U.S. Navy out in 2003. A brief survey of long-term consequences of the Vieques occupation rounds out this sober and eye-opening account, highly recommended especially for world and naval history shelves.


The Science Shelf

Periodic Tales
Hugh Aldersey-Williams
Ecco
10 East 53rd St., New York NY 10022
9780061824722, $29.99, www.eccobooks.com

PERIODIC TALES: A CULTURAL HISTORY OF THE ELEMENTS, FROM ARSENIC TO ZINC offers a lively history of the elements from an author or decided to construct how own periodic table, collecting samples of the elements and revealing stories behind each of them. His exploration of the science, art, history and culture of the elements offers a more personal connection to science than most, and seeks to uncover the myths and realities behind the elements. General and science collections alike will find this a lively, involving approach to a usually-dry topic.

For the Love of Physics
Walter Lewin with Warren Goldstein
The Free Press
1230 Avenue of the Americas
New York, NY 10020
9781439108277, $26.00, www.simonandschuster.com

FOR THE LOVE OF PHYSICS: FROM THE END OF THE RAINBOW TO THE EDGE OF TIME - A JOURNEY THROUGH THE WONDERS OF PHYSICS comes from an accomplished scholar and physicist who has received many awards and who provides new, inventive ways of making physics come alive. From if we may be shorter standing up than lying down to why the colors of a rainbow are always in the same order, this recounts the author's discoveries as a pioneer in X-ray astronomy and provides an outstandingly lively survey of the field perfect for general-interest readers and public libraries.

Powering the Dream
Alexis Madrigal
DaCapo Press
c/o Perseus Books Group
11 Cambridge Center, Cambridge, MA 02142
9780306818851, $27.50, www.dacapopress.com

POWERING THE DREAM: THE HISTORY AND PROMISE OF GREEN TECHNOLOGY reflects on a century and a half of American energy innovations. He explains successes and failures in the attempts to create new technology and presents them as learning opportunities for reshaping how we think about energy options. From a history of America's renewable energy innovations to how to assess past developments in natural, renewable sources of energy, this is a fine pick for any general lending library.

Finding Mars
Ned Rozell
University of Alaska Press
PO Box 756240, Fairbanks, AK 99775-6240
9781602231221, $22.95, www.amazon.com

There are things so foreign to our normal lives that it's hard to believe that it's all the same planet. "Finding Mars" is a blend of travel, science, and memoir as Ned Rozell speaks of his tales with a permafrost researcher in Japanese scientist Kenji Yoshikawa. Sharing a common drive for explorations and knowledge, the tale recounts their journeys through the harshest places in all of Alaska. "Finding Mars" is very much recommended for anyone with an interest in Alaska's arctic wilderness, and for true adventure and science collections.

Can Squid Fly?
Tony Rice
Sheridan House
145 Palisade Street, Dobbs Ferry, NY 10522
9781574093063, $17.95, www.sheridanhouse.com

The ocean is full of mysteries, being full of questions to those who state into the deeps with many questions. "Can Squid Fly?: Answers to a Host of Fascinating Questions About the Sea and Sea Life" is a collection of over seventy questions and comprehensive answers from Tony Rice. Explaining the specifics of sea life, dispelling misconceptions, explaining mythology, Rice provides much thought, pictures, and plenty of maps for a highly educational experience for those curious about the oceans. "Can Squid Fly?" is aimed at anyone with an assortment of questions about the deeps that surround us all.

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

Who knew that a bunch of rocks could be such a captivating sight? "Geology Underfoot in Yellowstone Country" discusses the many geologically captivating sites throughout Yellowstone National Park discussing there geological history, points of interest, and much more. In glossy full color and plenty of maps, "Geology Underfoot in Yellowstone Country" is a must for any amateur geologist who may find themselves in the Yellowstone region.

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

All our scientific evidence points to the start of humanity taking place in Africa. It's not a very narrow aim, given the size of the continent. "Born in Africa: The Quest for the Origins of Human Life" is a deeper study of the origins of humanity trying to uncover the birthplace of humanity, what the constantly changing picture of the earth means in the development of humanity, our most recent common ancestor, the cradle of civilization, and how many sciences have begun to clash on the many finds. A massive detective story that no one is sure will ever be able to be solved, "Born in Africa" is of immense interest to anyone who ponders where it all began for homo sapiens.

Prudent Practices In The Laboratory
National Research Council
National Academies Press
500 Fifth Street, NW
Washington, DC 20001
www.nap.edu
9780309138642, $99.95, www.amazon.com

Chemistry based explosions in the lab is the stuff of comedy in the movies. Science running amok in the lab has featured as the plot line in many a science fiction epic. But laboratory accidents can a source of genuine tragedy in real life. That's why the National Research Council of the National Academies has written and compiled a completely updated, 360-page edition of "Prudent Practices in the Laboratory: Handling and Management of Chemical Hazards". Offering comprehensive guidelines and practices for assessing hazards, managing chemicals, disposing of wastes, insuring personal and public safety, "Prudent Practices in the Laboratory" covers everything from creating a culture of laboratory safety, to emergency planning, to laboratory security, and so much more. Enhanced with the includes of an extensive bibliography, three appendixes (OSHA Laboratory Standard; Statement of Task; Committee Member Biographies), and a comprehensive index, "Prudent Practices in the Laboratory" also features invaluable supplemental materials on CD as well. "Prudent Practices in the Laboratory" should be considered as an indispensable core addition to academic, corporate, and professional reference libraries.


The Architecture Shelf

Light Perspectives
Aksel Karcher, et al.
Erco
c/o ActarBirkhauser Distribution (Actar D)
151 Grand Street, 5th floor, NY, NY 10013
www.actar-d.com
9783981321616, $59.95, www.amazon.com

The collaboration of Aksel Karcher, Martin Krautter, David Kuntzsch and Thomas Schielke, "Light Perspectives: Between Culture And Technology" is a 268 page, profusely illustrated, informed and informative compendium on the importance and implementation of light and light sources with respect to an array of architectural forms and formats. Accessible organized into three major categories of Light, Space, and Perspectives, "Light Perspectives" presents professional perspectives regarding the intrinsic qualities of light, techniques and design approaches, as well as abstract lighting concepts. Of special note is how our perception of light is deeply rooted in both the biological and the cultural history of human evolution. Enhanced with an extended glossary, bibliography, and index, "Light Perspectives" is a seminal and very strongly recommended acquisition for professional and academic Architectural Studies instructional reference collections.


The Health/Medicine Shelf

20 Years Younger
Bob Greene
Little, Brown & Company
c/o Hachette Book Group
237 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10017
9780316133784, $27.99, www.hachettebookgroup.com

TWENTY YEARS YOUNGER: LOOK YOUNGER, FEEL YOUNGER, BE YOUNGER comes from an author who became notable when he coauthored MAKE THE CONNECTION with Oprah in 1996. His combination of advice and a warm approach made him a top exercise physiologist. Here he works with other professionals to provide a science-based guide to anti-aging built around the basics of exercise, diet, skin care and sleep. Chapters provide the latest insights on these areas and provide simple programs to help keep the feel and appearance of youth. A 'must' for any general lending collection interested in health and anti-aging routines.

The Epidemic
David DeKok
The Lyons Press
246 Goose Lane, Guilford, CT 06437
9780762760084, $22.95, www.LyonsPress.com

THE EPIDEMIC: A COLLISION OF POWER, PRIVILEGE, AND PUBLIC HEALTH offers a fine account of a turn-of-the-twentieth-century struggle against a disease, telling how a vain businessman spread typhoid in 1903 that devastated Cornell University and Ithaca New York. Nearly a hundred people died, while the businessman was protected by influential friends and build a corporation that would eventually be the center of the Three Mile Island nuclear accident in 1979. a fine blend of social and medical history, THE EPIDEMIC is an engrossing, winning title suitable for any college-level medical collection.

Deadly Choices
Paul A. Offit, MD
Basic Books
c/o Perseus Books Group
11 Cambridge Center, Cambridge, MA 02142
9780465021499, $27.50, www.basicbooks.com

DEADLY CHOICES: HOW THE ANTI-VACCINE MOVEMENT THREATENS US ALL provides a powerful survey of the movement against vaccines, documenting the rise of individuals who claim vaccines are poison and showing why adults are rejecting vaccines for themselves and their families. Infectious-disease expert Paul Offit examines the anti-vaccine movement and tells of how a handful of parents are fighting back against the movement. General lending collections will find this a powerful assessment of the pros and cons of vaccines - and a documentation of the social movement against them.

The Compassionate-Mind Guide to Ending Overeating
Ken Goss
New Harbinger Publications
5674 Shattuck Avenue, Oakland, CA 94609
9781572249776, $24.95, www.newharbinger.com

The road to health is hard enough without making the person on it feel worthless. "The Compassionate-Mind Guide to Ending Overeating: Using Compassion-Focused Therapy to Overcome Bingeing & Disordered Eating" is an advisory guide to those who want to overcome their bad habits. Too often the stress of life and everything else makes it easy to lose focus and fall off a diet. Ken Goss encourages compassion for yourself while trying to fix your bad eating habits to help deal with life's challenges to your journey to health, and much more. "The Compassionate-Mind Guide to Ending Overeating" is a fine read, a strong choice for those who want to fight off overeating for better health and a better life.

Yoga for a Beautiful Face
Lourdes Julian Cabuk
Hunter House
PO Box 2914, Alameda, CA 94501-2914
9780897935265, $16.95, www.hunterhouse.com

A healthy body begets a healthy mind begets a healthy body. "Yoga for a Beautiful Face: Easy Exercises to Help You Look Young Again" is a guide to those who want to fully embrace Yoga as an avenue of better health. Facial beauty is something not approached when speaking of exercise, but the principles of Yoga have applications to tone one's face, and how diet can lead to a healthier face that will help the practitioner look younger than they truly are. "Yoga for a Beautiful Face" is a strongly recommended pick for anyone who is looking towards Yoga for better health.

The People's Pharmacy Home Remedies
Joe & Terry Graedon
National Geographic
1145 17th Street, N. W., Washington, DC 20036-4688
9781426207112, $18.95, www.nationalgeographic.com

With a bit of intuition and inventiveness, you can do well finding cures of all your own. "The People's Pharmacy Home Remedies" is a collection filled with simple and practical folk advice as Joe & Terry Graedon focus on what can be done with common elements that one would find in their home. From minor problems like acne and headaches, to dieting, the authors discuss the natural hidden powers of many common items in one's home and they explain how to better embrace them and use them effectively. Stating that these ideas can lead to better health overall with extra advice from many experts, "The People's Pharmacy of Home Remedies" is worth considering for anyone who wants better health out of what's around them.

How Plato and Pythagoras Can Save Your Life
Nicholas Kardaras
Red Wheel, Weiser, & Conari
65 Parker Street, Suite 7, Newburyport, MA 01950
9781573244756, $21.95, www.redwheelweiser.com

Who says an education in the classics doesn't have a use? "How Plato and Pythagoras Can Save Your Life: The Ancient Greek Prescription for Health & Happiness" is a unique health guide that delves into the deep history of the Greek philosophers and how they had a formula for health that can still ring quite true in the modern day. Blending a bit of philosophy, health, and his own story of coming back from the brink of death and addiction, "How Plato and Pythagoras Can Save Your Life" is full of conventional and not-so conventional wisdom to finding the path to health that's been there for us to take for over two thousand years.

Dying To Be Men
Will Courtenay
Routledge
270 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10016
9780415878760, $39.95, www.routledgementalhealth.com

Living up to a high standard, a standard that many can't even truly describe. "Dying To Be Men: Psychosocial, Environmental, and Biobehavioral Directions in Promoting the Health of Men and Boys" discusses the impact of masculinity and the desire to be men has on male health. Will Courtenay, a doctor focused on men's health discusses how the health needs of men are not being met and that it may be attached to psychology and culture. Discussing all ages of men, "Dying To Be Men" is a truly fascinating, scholarly, and highly recommended read that should be in any psychology and health studies collection, aimed at those who want to understand man in today's society.

Complete Guide to Fitness & Health
Barbara Bushman, editor
Human Kinetics
PO Box 5076, Champaign, IL 61825-5076
9780736093378, $21.95, www.humankinetics.com

Health is a status that can be maintained for a lifetime. "Complete Guide to Fitness & Health: Physical Activity and Nutrition Guidelines for Every Age" is a wise read from Human Kinetics edited by Barbara Bushman. Within, she presents a no nonsense guide for general health and better health at any age in any status of life, from youth to adulthood, pregnancy, middle aged, and the elderly years. Many later life plagues such as diabetes, arthritis, and blood pressure issues can be fought with good exercise and diet throughout life. "Complete Guide to Fitness & Health" is something to be strongly considered for the private home bookshelf for any family.


The Library Science Shelf

Using Qualitative Methods in Action Research
Douglas Cook & Lesley Farmer, editors
Association of College and Research Libraries
c/o American Library Association
50 East Huron Street
Chicago, IL 60611
9780838985762 $40.00 www.alastore.ala.org

Using Qualitative Methods in Action Research: How Librarians Can Get to the Why of Data is a straightforward and thorough guide to the practice of qualitative research written especially for librarians and library science professionals. A wealth of experts in the field contribute their wisdom concerning the recursive cycle of qualitative action research, as well as specific useful methodologies such as content analysis, performance-based self-assessment, discourse analysis as applied to understanding social networking, and much more. Issues addressed with the tool of qualitative research include the reference interview in both real time and virtual time, and qualitative methods for library collection development, among many others. "As information evolves, literacy skills will need to adapt to these changes. Today, the use of visuals has expanded in ways that were perhaps unthinkable to us thirty years ago. Librarians are asked how to cite information from Flickr, how to find examples of the best uses of graphics in advertising, and how to find text fonts that cannot be found in Microsoft Word. As visual sources become more complex and predominant, teaching visual literacy should be the next evolving step of information literacy." An index rounds out this excellent, cutting-edge resource for information science professionals in the field.

Reference Sources and Services for Youth
Meghan Harper
Neal-Schuman Publishers
100 William Street, Suite 2004, New York, NY 10038
9781555706418, $65.00, www.neal-schuman.com

With so much information it can be quite daunting to many young people in managing it all. "Reference Sources and Services for Youth" is a guide aimed at public and school librarians who want to better equip their facilities to help children and young adults cut through the massive bloat of information that librarians often seems quite overwhelming when using the library for school projects or self-interest. Meghan Harper provides advice on helping librarians by breaking down the major references and what age group they are appropriate for. "Reference Sources and Services for Youth" is a volume to be considered for entry into community and school library science shelves.

Books on Early American History and Culture, 1996-2000
Raymond D. Irwin
Praeger Publishers
c/o ABC-CLIO
PO Box 1911
Santa Barbara, CA 93116-1911
9780313314285 $54.95 www.abc-clio.com

Books on Early American History and Culture, 1996-2000: An Annotated Bibliography is an index designed to help librarians and serious researchers sort through the immense amount of available monographs, references, exhibition catalogs, and essay collections that have been reviewed in at least one of 45 different general periodicals and historical journals. Covering more than 700 titles 1996 to 2000, Books on Early American History and Culture features a succinct summary of each listed work. Subdivided by general category (Nautical, Gender, Native American, Urban Life, etc.) with individual entries listed alphabetically by author's name and a straightforward author index, Books on Early American History and Culture is a useful and practical guide for building a solid reference collection.


The Pets/Wildlife Shelf

Empowerment Training
James O'Heare
BehaveTech Publishing
c/o Dogwise Publishing
403 S Mission St. Wenatchee, WA 98801
9780973836974, $23.95, www.behavetech.com

Creativity lies in all of us, it's drawing it out that proves to be difficult. "Empowerment Training: Training for Creativity, Persistence, Industriousness, Resilience, & Behavioral Well-Being" delves into the specifics of empowering animal trainers to empower their animals using research of recent years. With extra advice on dealing with companion animals who have lost the drive to be trained and helping the animal find their own happiness in their lot, "Empowerment Training" is a powerful read for animal trainers who struggle with getting the most out of their animals.

Raptors of the West Captured in Photographs
Kate Davis, author
Kate Davis, Rob Palmer, and Nick Dunlop, photography
Mountain Press Publishing Company
PO Box 2399
Missoula, MT 59806
9780878425754 $30.00 www.mountain-press.com

Raptors of the West Captured in Photographs lives up to its title with astonishing, full-color photography of birds of prey found in the American West. Striking images on virtually every page show eagles, falcons, osprey, hawks, owls, and condors hunting, feeding, flying, and caring for their young. The text offers grounding and context for the striking images, as well as a sprinking of fascinating facts about these magnificent birds. Raptors of the West Captured in Photographs is sure to be a popular lend for public libraries and also makes a superb giftbook for bird lovers. Highly recommended.

The Natural Vet's Guide to Preventing and Treating Arthritis in Dogs and Cats
Shawn Messonnier
New World Library
14 Pamaron Way, Novato, CA 94949
9781577319757, $14.95, www.newworldlibrary.com

Ailments affect our furry friends in their advanced age just like us. "The Natural Vet's Guide to Preventing and Treating Arthritis in Dogs and Cats" is a guide to Arthritis as it affects two of the most common domestic pets, cats and dogs. However, just like humans, good diet and practices can help fight these ailments and prevent them for leaving beloved pets in constant pain. For those with a strong concern about their pet's health, "The Natural Vet's Guide to Preventing and Treating Arthritis in Dogs and Cats" is well worth considering for their greater health.

The Complete Book of North American Butterflies
Paul A. Opler, editor
Thunder Bay Books
c/o Baker & Taylor
10350 Barnes Canyon Road, San Diego, CA 92121
9781607102762, $18.95, www.thunderbaybooks.com

Butterflies have a certain natural beauty to them, and many look for them and see nature's artistic endeavors. "The Complete Book of North American Butterflies" is a guide to the many varieties of butterfly that lurks throughout America. In glossy full color, Butterflies and caterpillars are shown in their natural beauty as they mature into adulthood and gain their unique appearance unlike anything else in nature. Looking through the United States and Canada's vast amount of nature, identifying species, and migrations, "The Complete Book of North American Butterflies" is a must for anyone with a certain fascination for butterflies, highly recommended.

The Guide to Colorado Reptiles and Amphibians
Mary Taylor Young
Fulcrum Publishing
4690 Table Mountain Drive, Suite 100
Golden, Colorado 80403
9781555915841 $26.95 www.fulcrum-books.com

The Guide to Colorado Reptiles and Amphibians is a full-color identification guide to the snakes, turtles, lizards, frogs, toads, and salamanders of the Colorado region. Excellent photography of each species along with easy-to-use field ID guidelines, and notes on the habitat and distribution of various species. Of particular interest are the "legal status" for various species; for example, under the Common Lesser Earless Lizard listing it states "Nongame species. Up to four individuals can be taken and possessed without a license for noncommercial purposes, though no more than 12 individuals in total of all animals from the list of allowed species can be possessed at any one time." A handful of fascinating general facts, such as the origin of the light-sensitive vestigal "third eye" on the back of various lizards' heads, round out this excellent, user-friendly field guide.

Wiley-Blackwell
350 Main Street, Malden, MA 02148
www.wileyptnews.com

The fifth updated edition of Katherine A. Houpt's DOMESTIC ANIMAL BEHAVIOR FOR VETERINARIANS & ANIMAL SCIENTISTS (9780813816760, $79.99) represents a fully updated revision of a classic text and consider key behavior issues in different domestic animals. From cats and dogs to farm animals, this expands coverage to include the latest animal research in cognition and genetics, provides the latest details on normal and abnormal behaviors, and considers learning patterns, internal behaviors, and more. Anyone working with animals needs this! Recommended for college-level veterinary reference collections and practicing vets alike is BLACKWELL'S FIVE-MINUTE VETERINARY CONSULT CLINICAL COMPANION: SMALL ANIMAL DERMATOLOGY, 2ND EDITION by Karen Helton Rhodes & Alexander H. Werner (9780813815961, $99.99), a quick reference intended to provide reliable at-a-glance knowledge on small animal dermatology. This second edition represents a completely new gathering to facts, with chapters rewritten, reorganized, and updated to accommodate the latest dermatology research and applications. A bulleted format lends to quick location of details while client handouts for clinical use are on the accompanying CD. Gregg L. Voigt and Shannon L. Swist's HEMATOLOGY TECHNIQUES & CONCEPTS FOR VETERINARY TECHNICIANS (9780813814568, $54.99) appears in a second updated edition in full color to provide a fine update to the basics of handling and preparing hematology samples. Vet reference collections will find this covers all the basics, addresses advances in technology and equipment, and covers techniques and key concepts alike. Vet students will find the new features - including a chapter on automated lab methods and instruments - key to keeping up with the latest methods and results.

Dog Sense
John Bradshaw
Basic Books
c/o Perseus Books Group
11 Cambridge Center, Cambridge, MA 02142
9780465019441, $25.99, www.basicbooks.com

DOG SENSE: HOW THE NEW SCIENCE OF DOG BEHAVIOR CAN MAKE YOU A BETTER FRIEND TO YOUR PET argues that old science and inaccurate theories have clouded our interpretations of dog behavior and our understanding of how dog minds work, and explains the latest research in canine science. From why the idea of an 'alpha dog' is wrong to ways in which dogs are both smarter and dumber than we think, this provides a fine survey recommended for any pet owner or general lending library.

Atlantic Publishing
1405 SW 6th Avenue, Ocala, FL 34471-0640
www.atlantic-pub.com

Carlotta Cooper's THE COMPLETE GUIDE TO RAISING PIGS (9781601383792, $24.95) is a pick for any agricultural, science or general collection and provides all details needed to start raising pigs right away. From picking the breed and handling feeding to raising pigs for different purposes and considering home butchering, this covers the entire pig raising business and includes dozens of interviews with successful pig farmers and scientists. Any agricultural collection will find this specific and useful. Lisa Shiroff's PURR-FECT RECIPES FOR A HEALTHY CAT: 101 NATURAL CAT FOOD & TREAT RECIPES TO MAKE YOUR CAT HAPPY (9781601383983, $24.95) provides a carefully researched guide to providing over 100 healthy recipes that will help a cat live the best possible lifestyle. From recognizing a cat's nutritional needs and health requirements to adjusting diet to breed and changing nutritional needs at different points in life, this interviews dietary experts for pets and cats and provides insights on how to best feed a cat at home. Any general collection including pet coverages will want this! Also recommended is Jackie Sonnenberg's HOW TO RAISE YOUR NEW PUPPY IN A CAT FAMILY (9781601384010, $24.95), a resource for any who would introduce a puppy into a cat family for the first time. From learning how cats approach other species to managing different breed tendencies and multi-pet care, this provides top keys for any animal family's management.


The American History Shelf

Assault on the Deadwood Stage
Robert K. DeArment
University of Oklahoma Press
2800 Venture Drive, Norman, OK 73069
9780806141824, $24.95, www.oupress.com

Assault on the Deadwood Stage: Road Agents and Shotgun Messengers recounts the history of Deadwood, a thriving, lawless boomtown of the 1870s, where stagecoach robberies were a regular way of life in Dakota Territory. For the first time the story of those involved in these violent crimes is told, from the road agents who wrecked havoc to the shotgun messengers who battled to protect the stagecoach's passages. Custer, the developing need for transportation between the remote town and railheads in Wyoming and Nebraska, and other historical influences are presented in this vivid, detailed history recommended for any college-level Western collection!

St. John's College Cambridge
Peter Linehan, editor
Boydell Press
668 Mt. Hope Ave, Rochester, NY 14620
9781843836087, $90.00, www.boydellandbrewer.com

Higher learning is a centuries old institution. "St. John's College Cambridge: A History" seeks to tell the long and storied history of St. John's College, Cambridge, a constituent college of the famed Cambridge University. Established in 1511, its history is one that has hosted Prime Ministers, religious heads, major figures of art and entertainment, and much more. With the relatively recent compilation of the college's archives, Peter Linehan and his associates follows the college's history century by century, from its founding up into the modern era, with special attention to its roles in major historical events such as world war. A fascinating history of higher learning and its changes as history marches on, "St. John's College Cambridge" is a core addition to any history collection with a focus on educational institutions, highly recommended.

Upheaval in Charleston
Susan Millar Williams and Stephen G. Hoffius
University of Georgia Press
330 Research Drive
Athens, GA, 30602-4901
9780820337159 $29.95 www.ugapress.org

Upheaval in Charleston: Earthquake and Murder on the Eve of Jim Crow is the true story of a natural disaster that beset Charleston, South Carolina on August 31, 1886. A monumental earthquake sent shock waves as far abroad as Maine, Florida, and the Mississippi river, leaving death and destruction in its wake. Upheaval in Charleston collects testimonies from Confederate veterans and former slaves, as well as telling the story of Fancis Warrington Dawson, a British expatriate and editor of the Charleston's "News and Courier", who labored to find common ground between the races, a perilous undertaking that jeopardized his life as well as his reputation. An inset section of black-and-white photograph and illustrative plates enhances this absorbing testimony of severe tragedy in the American south, over a century before Hurricane Katrina.

Making War and Minting Christians
R. Todd Romero
University of Massachusetts Press
PO Box 429
Amherst, MA 01004
9781558498884 $26.95 www.umass.edu/umpress

Making War and Minting Christians: Masculinity, Religion, and Colonialism in Early New England is a close examination of the interplay between gender roles, religious practice, and warfare in colonial America. R. Todd Romero (Assistant Professor of History, University of Houston) studies the drastic differences in the English colonialists' and missionaries' view of manliness from that of the Native Americans they sought to convert. Both groups attached religious significance to warfare; the English justified their territorial expansion with the concept of divine sanction, while the Indians attributed victories to "the Great God" and the view that their enemies "were like women". "However differently Natives and Anglo-Americans understood the nature of the divine, both groups might well have agreed with the notion that God was the font of all things as King Philip's War (1675-76, to 1678 in Maine) unfolded." A handful of black-and-white illustrations pepper this scholarly and thoughtful analysis.

Civil Rights in New York City
Clarence Taylor, editor
Fordham University Press
2546 Belmont Avenue
University Box L
Bronx, NY 10458-5172
9780823232895 $35.00 www.fordhampress.com

Civil Rights in New York City: From World War II to the Giuliani Era is an invaluable addition to American History shelves in its chronicle of the civil rights movement in a Northern city - the South wasn't the only place where African-American rights were curtailed at work and at home. An anthology of essays by expert authors discuss such facets as "Rochdale Village and the Rise and Fall of Integrated Housing in New York City", "Conservative and Liberal Opposition to the New York City School-Integration Campaign", "Racial Events, Diplomacy, and Dinkins's Image", and much more. A sober, practical, and serious-minded collection, highly recommended.

Voices of Revolutionary America
Carol Sue Humphrey
Greenwood
c/o ABC-CLIO
130 Cremona Drive, Santa Barbara, CA
9780313377327, $75.00, www.abc-clio.com

The Revolutionary War was a truly unique spectacle to the civilian, but in between the heroics of the future founding fathers, what was the status of the common man? "Voices of Revolutionary America: Contemporary Accounts of Daily Life" is a study of the everyday life of the British subject turning into an American citizen. Providing an analysis of marriage customs of the time, poverty, slavery, faith, and much more, it paints a picture of an America already peeling away from its European motherland, not just politically, but socially as well. Focusing on the period of 1775 to 1783 and the transition from territory to sovereignty, it also briefly touches on the time leading up to this era. A scholarly, complete and comprehensive look at these issue of the people, granting a different picture of an era celebrated but not fully known, "Voices of Revolutionary America" is a strongly recommended pick for any American history collection.

Derelict Paradise
Daniel R. Kerr
University of Massachusetts Press
PO Box 429, Amherst, MA 01004
9781558498495, $28.95, www.umass.edu/umpress

Why would anyone wish for vagrancy on anyone? How could anyone profit? "Derelict Paradise: Homelessness and Urban Development in Cleveland, Ohio" is Daniel Kerr's own attempts to answer such a question, focusing on the city of Cleveland in his search for answers. Looking at the market, politics, development, the law, and much more, he tries to put reason to the process and how many times in history there have been efforts to 'solve' the homeless problem and how the will and resourcefulness of survival have stopped it every step of the way. "Derelict Paradise" proves to be a fascinating breakdown of this complex issue, and offers many answers and food for thought.


The Parenting Shelf

Mom's Book of Lists
Alice Wong, editor
Welcome Books
6 West 18th Street, New York, NY 10011
9781599620978, $17.95, www.welcomebooks.com

The amount of things a mother must know are quite overpowering. "Mom's Book of Lists: 100 Practical Lists for Raising Your Kids" is a book filled with simple references on the daunting task of caring for an occasionally troublesome youth for eighteen years. The lists touch on everything from recipes, to finding entertainment and fun, understanding potty training and developmental milestones, and anything and everything else that makes the job of parenting some of the most stressful in the world. "Mom's Book of Lists" is an excellent pick for any mother who wants a varied and useful reference with full color images and a bit of humor.

The Smart Stepdad
Ron L. Deal
Bethany House
c/o Baker
11400 Hampshire Ave. S, Bloomington, MN 55438
9780764206962, $13.99, www.bethanyhouse.com

The role of the step dad is a daunting one, as you find yourself mentoring children who may very well start off resenting you. "The Smart Stepdad: Steps to Help You Succeed" is a guide for those who have taken on this task of fatherhood to children who aren't theirs biologically yet expected to due to marriage. Ron Deal advises would be stepfathers on being a good role model, when to step away from acting like Dad, and how to deal with the ex, and other testy issues that come with entering a family in progress. "The Smart Stepdad" is a strong pick for anyone entering this role and seeks the best for their new mate and their children.

Autism Tomorrow
Karen L. Simmons & Bill Davis
The Center for AAC & Autism
c/o Exceptional Resources
1425 Broadway #444, Seattle, WA 98122
Atlas Books (distribution)
30 Amberwood Parkway, Ashland, OH 44805
9780972468220, $29.95, www.autismtoday.com

Autism is not a declaration that normalcy is impossible. "Autism Tomorrow: The Complete Guide to Help Your Child Thrive in the Real World" is a guide for parents of Autistic children who want to help their child overcome their disorder to live something close to what we call normal, as Karen Simmons and Bill Davis advise parents on how to advise their children on the many things that make up the real world, finances, sexuality, employment, health, and so much more. "Autism Tomorrow" is a strong pick for any parent who has higher expectations and hope for their children than to treat them like children their entire life.


The Computer Shelf

The Book of CSS3
Peter Gasston
No Starch Press
38 Ringold Street, San Francisco, CA 94103
9781593272869, $34.95, www.nostarch.com

The internet has become quite the visual medium in recent years. "The Book of CSS3: A Developer's Guide to the Future of Web Design" is a guide to using CSS3 in one's own web design, explaining the full potential of the CSS3 language. CSS3 can lead to highly complex presentations with text that is far beyond plain text, awe-inspiring backgrounds, animations, 3D-imagery, and making it so one's website works effectively on portable devices. "The Book of CSS3" is a must for any web designer who wants the best out of their site, but isn't as skilled as they wish with modern web design.

Step by Step
Maria Langer
Microsoft
c/o O'Rielly
1005 Gravenstein Highway North, Sebastopol, CA 95472
9780735651890, $29.99, www.oreilly.com

E-Mail, even with the advent of instant messaging and texting, still is a very important aspect of modern business. "Step by Step: Microsoft Outlook for Mac 2011" is a complete and comprehensive guide to using Microsoft Outlook to its fullest extent as an e-mail managing tool, integrating it with other Microsoft programs, working with multiple e-mail programs, filtering one's e-mail, making sure you are aware of the most important e-mails, and making Outlook work with you, instead of you working through it. "Step by Step" is a strong pick for anyone who wants to manage their e-mail more efficiently.

Game Development Tools
Marwan Y. Ansari, editor
CRC Press
c/o Taylor & Francis
6000 Broken Sound Parkway, NW, Suite 300
Boca Raton, FL 33487
9781568814322, $49.95, www.taylorandfrancisgroup.com

Game development is a combination of many disciplines now, from art to design to programming. "Game Development Tools" is a discussion from many authors on the tips, tricks, and skills needed to make the most out of game development. Chapters touch on the methods of doing design, creating art assets, both visual and audio, implementing them, tricks to streamline code and debug it more efficiently, and much more, chapters speak on many coding language with many tips on how to bring the whole product together into one playable and fun end. "Game Development Tools" is an excellent pick for anyone studying game development on a professional or amateur level.

McGraw-Hill
c/o The McGraw Hill Companies
Two Penn Plaza, 11th Floor
New York, NY 10121-2298
www.mhprofessional.com

Joli Ballew's DEGUNKING WINDOWS 7 (0071760059, $25.00) tells how to clean and speed up a sluggish PC. Windows PCs can slow due to too many files, temp files, errors and other common build-ups. This book provides a tested 'degunking' 12-step program that teaches the basics of organizing a hard disk, running only programs you need, and restoring a PC's processing powers, and should be on the reference shelves of any computer user - and in any computer or general library. Doug Sahlin's HOW TO DO EVERYTHING ADOBE ACROBAT X (0071752935, $25.00) provides a fine survey based on Adobe Acrobat X Pro, and covers all the keys to using this powerful tool to handle PDF documents. From creating navigation devices and using its Action Wizard to reviewing, editing and manipulating PDF documents, this is a 'must' for any Acrobat user.

Using iTunes 10
Nancy Conner
Que
c/o Pearson Technology Group
801 East 96th Street, #300
Indianapolis, IN 46240-3759
0789747871, $21.99, www.quepublishing.com

Using iTunes 10 provides an excellent survey that pairs a book format with online access for updated content and video and audio learning opportunities. The combination is a multimedia winner, offering iTunes 10 users a fine survey of the latest player. From using playback controls and jumping to scenes to optimizing the audio experience and fine-tuning an iPod, iPhone or iPad with iTunes, this is a top pick for any collection strong in computer or music devices.

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

Two fine CMMI technical guides will appeal to any advanced computer library catering to software engineers. Brian P. Gallagher, et.al.'s CMMI FOR ACQUISITION: GUIDELINES FOR IMPROVING THE ACQUISITION OF PRODUCTS AND SERVICES (0321711513, $74.99) describes best practices for the successful acquisition of products and services. It incorporates the growing trend of governments and businesses to outsource products and services, and offers a second updated edition as the definitive guide to CMMI-ACQ Version 1.3, including the latest tips and details for locating and applying CMMI information to acquisition process challenges. An introductory overview of CMMI models leads to more detailed practices and over twenty CMMI-ACQ process descriptions. CMMI FOR DEVELOPMENT (0321711505, $74.99) by Mary Beth Chrissis, Mike Konrad and Sandy Shrum appears in its third updated edition to provide software engineers with a definitive guide to Version 1.3. Four new case studies and five essays offer practical tips for adopting and using CMMI-DEV and provides keys to applied situations for newcomers and readers of prior editions alike. Both are top picks for software engineering collections! Diana Peh, Nola Hague and Jane Tatchell's BIRT: A FIELD GUIDE (0321733584, $54.99) appears in its third updated edition to provide java developers a fine key to BIRT's applications. Programmers learn how to use BIRT to design effective corporate reports, use data from multiple sources, localize reports and more, and will appreciate this newly revised edition which includes updated examples and nearly 1,000 new and replacement screenshots.

Rails Test Prescriptions
Noel Rappin
Pragmatic Programmers
Box 293325, Lewisville, TX 75029-3325
9781934356647, $34.95, www.pragprog.com

RAILS TEST PRESCRIPTIONS: KEEPING YOUR APPLICATION HEALTHY provides a comprehensive guide to testing Rails applications, covering Test-Driven Development from a theoretical and applied perspective. Basic Rails 2 and Rails 3 testing procedures and tools are provided in a fine introduction to popular add-ons, with chapters showing how to choose and apply these tools and providing extensive examples of testing Rails models and views. Any developer involved in Rails testing must have this!

SOA Governance
Thomas Erl, Editor
Prentice Hall
c/o Pearson Technology Group
801 East 96th Street, #300
Indianapolis, IN 46240-3759
0138156751, $49.99, www.informit.com/ph

SOA GOVERNANCE: GOVERNING SHARED SERVICES ON-PREMISE AND IN THE CLOUD provides an in-depth text on SOA governance key to any college-level software engineering collection. It's the result of a multi-year project to collect proven industry practices for establishing IT government controls relating to the adoption of SOA, offering a vendor-neutral focus and case study examples to show how to define and identify organizational goals. Any software collection strong in SOA standards must have this!

Parallel Programming with Microsoft Visual C++
Colin Campbell and Ade Miller
Microsoft Press
c/o O'Reilly & Associates, Inc.
1005 Gravenstein, Hwy N.
Sebastopol, CA 95472-2811
9780735651753, $29.99, www.microsoft.com/mspress

Parallel Programming with Microsoft Visual C++: Design Patterns for Decomposition and Coordination on Multicore Architectures tells how to save time and money on software development projects by using parallel programming strategies to go beyond the usual sequential code approach to problem-solving. Parallel programming usually is for experts: this book offers proven design patterns and a guide to the most important, frequently used patterns of parallel programming. Executable code samples for them complete this book's effectiveness and high recommendation for programmer's collections!

WordPress Bible, second edition
Aaron Brazell
Wiley
c/o Wiley Professional Trade Group
111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030-5774
9780470937815, $49.99, www.wiley.com

The second updated edition of WORDPRESS BIBLE is a 'must' for any library strong in WordPress programming and blogging. It offers a thorough step-by-step reference to WordPress, exploring web servers, keys to enhancing a blog's location with SEO and keywords, discussions of navigation menus and other social media connections, and more. A 'must' for any WordPress user or programmer, this is the only in-depth key needed to make the most of WordPress.

Javascript: The Definitive Guide, sixth edition
David Flanagan
O'Reilly
1005 Gravenstein Hwy North, Sebastopol CA 95472
9780596805524, $49.99, www.oreilly.com

Javascript: The Definitive Guide is a recommended reference pick for any web programming or Java developer's library. It provides an in-depth reference to JavaScript and appears in a sixth updated edition to cover the latest HTML5 and ECMAScript5. Many chapters have been completely rewritten to reflect the latest ideas on best practices, while new chapters document jQuery and server-side Javascript. A top pick for any definitive Java collection!


The Photography Shelf

How to Create a High Profit Photography Business in Any Market
James Williams
Amherst Media
P.O. Box 586, Buffalo, NY 14226
9781608952663, $34.95, www.amherstmedia.com

How to Create a High Profit Photography Business in Any Market shows how to avoid common pitfalls of the business, and covers all the basics from determining client demographics and how to gain more to selling to a wider audience and understanding the psychology of what happens in a portrait session or photo shoot. From reducing overhead to customizing portraits to market to underlying desires, this is a powerful pick for any photography collection and for photographers seeking to go pro.

Creative Lighting
Harold Davis
Wiley
c/o Wiley Professional Trade Group
111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030-5774
9780470878231, $29.99, www.wiley.com

CREATIVE LIGHTING: DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY TIPS & TECHNIQUES examines the impact of light on exposure settings and field photography, teaching the basics of how to assess light's impact on photos and how to use it to produce extraordinary images. From using shading and low-key lighting to enhancing results with multi-RAW and HDR processing, this covers indoors and outdoors lighting alike and is packed with the author's own color image examples. No photography collection should be without this specific guide!

Get Your Photography on the Web
Rafael RC Concepcion
Peachpit Press
1249 - 8th St., Berkeley, CA 94710
0321753933, $39.99, www.peachpit.com

Get Your Photography on the Web: the Fastest, Easiest Way to Show & Sell Your Work comes from a curriculum developer for a media group who offers a step-by-step guide to building a professional-looking, polished website from the ground up. From installing WordPress and adding pictures and Flash portfolios without learning any code to selling images online without making prints, this packs in business and photography insights perfect for photographers who want to translate their works to a professional-appearing Web presence.

Defining the Future of Photography
Matthew Bamberg
Course Technology Cengage
20 Channel Center Street, Boston, MA 02210
9781435458574, $29.99, www.courseptr.com

Photography took much of the practical use away from drawing and painting, but will such a thing take over photography's place? "Defining the Future of Photography: New Image Frontiers" discusses photography and its future. As technology keeps advancing, photography evolves with it, from old school film all the way to camera phones. Many experts on art photography and photography in general offer their perspective and views into what seems to be a good future for photography. "Defining the Future of Photography" is an intriguing study for any career or hobbyist photographer, highly recommended.


The Cookbook Shelf

Chocolate Snowball
Letty Halloran Flatt
The Lyons Press
246 Goose Lane, Guilford, CT 06437
9780762761111, $19.95, www.globepequot.com

CHOCOLATE SNOWBALL AND OTHER FABULOUS PASTRIES FORM DEER VALLEY BAKERY pairs lovely color photos with easy instructions for innovative pastries, and comes from a Utah ski resort renowned for its cuisine. Over a hundred of the resort's favorites for breakfast, breads, cookies and desserts offer step-by-step directions and pointers for success, with recipes rated from Easier to Expert and offering anecdotes about Deer Valley and the bakery's culture. An outstanding survey, this is recommended for any collection strong in regional dessert cookbooks!

Beat This! Cookbook
Ann Hodgman
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
215 Park Avenue South, New York, NY 10003
9780547437002, $14.95, www.hmhbooks.com

BEAT THIS! COOKBOOK has been revised and updated with over fifty new recipes and provides a funny book about food and its peculiarities. Pair this sense of humor with recipes such as Deep Fried Pickles, Pork Loin With Prunes and Medeira, and classic The Only Chocolate Chip Cookies and you have a winning collection. No color photos, but the easy dishes and lively presentation don't need embellishment.

Southern Biscuits
Nathalie Dupree and Cynthia Graubart
Gibbs Smith, Publisher
PO Box 667, Layton UT 84041
9781423621768, $21.99, www.gibbs-smith.com

SOUTHERN BISCUITS pairs lovely color photos by Rick McKee with an outstanding set of biscuit recipes from across the South and which range from beaten biscuit classics to modern innovations on the biscuit recipe. From skillet biscuits and cheese-filled biscuits to sesame seed biscuits and homemade refrigerator biscuit recipes, this is packed with a range of tested winning dishes and is a pick for any general lending library.

Diamond Dishes
Julie Loria
The Lyons Press
246 Goose Lane, Guilford, CT 06437
9780762769629, $24.95, www.lyonspress.com

DIAMOND DISHES FROM THE KITCHENS OF BASEBALL'S BIGGEST STARS comes from an author with a dual passion for cooking and baseball, and thus is a pick for any general lending library with fans in either sector. She spent two years interviewing some top players in the game, learned their favorite photos, and discovered many of them knew how to cook. DIAMOND DISHES gathers some sixty easy recipes from her encounters with these players, pairs them with color photos, and adds baseball memories, and provides recipes ranging from the super-simple Southern Sweet Tea to Big Batch Meatballs and Sauce.

Oxmoor House
PO Box 11095
Des Moines, Iowa 50336-1095
www.oxmoorhouse.com

Jan Moon's SOUTHERN LIVING BIG BOOK OF CUPCAKES (0848734378, $19.95) is loaded with cupcakes for all seasons and offers tested, foolproof baking recipes created by the author, who owns Dreamcakes Bakery. These cupcakes are above the norm and over 150 recipes for Peaches-and-Cream Cupcakes, Pink Lemonade Cake, Mocha Latte and more provide inspirational, different recipes paired with delicious color photos throughout. Any general lending library will find this a winning attraction! Cooking Light's FRESH FOOD SUPERFAST (0848734335, $24.95) provides nearly three hundred recipes which emphasize fast, healthy cookery and pairs tip boxes for speedy cooking with quick ingredient 'spotlights' and substitution ideas to change dishes. With color photos throughout, this takes the guesswork out of dinner and makes for a top pick!

Kosher Elegance
Efrat Libfoind
Feldheim
208 Airport Executive Park, Nanuet, NY 10954
9781598267624, $44.99, www.feldheim.com

The rules of Kosher are far less restrictive than one would think. "Kosher Elegance: The Art of Cooking with Style" is a cookbook from Efrat Libfoind she brings the absolute best, things that are truly unique to the table in Kosher cooking, presenting the dishes that gained her world wide acclaim in not only presentation but great taste as well. She crafts her meals from simpler ingredients than one would think, and has recipes for any occasion. Items include Mini-Deli Sandwiches with Alioli Sauce, Chicken Nuggets with Potato and Sweet Potato Gratin, and unique desserts such as Chocolate drink with Orange Granita. With full color photos of every dish, "Kosher Elegance" is an absolute must for those who want something truly magnificent for their next gathering.

Alice's Cookbook
Alice Hart
Lyons Press
c/o Globe Pequot Press
PO Box 480, Guilford, CT 06437
9780762770182, $19.95, www.lyonspress.com

We're a long way past cooks having three hours to create something with pain-staking loving care. "Alice's Cookbook" is a cookbook for those who live modern lives which are busy and constantly tempted by fast food. With a wide assortment of recipes, Alice focuses on the hands on time, and the practicality, with a straight forward ingredient list and occasional suggestion for replacements. Organized by occasion such as breakfasts, brunches, dinners, parties, and much more, along with a touch of full color photos of select dishes, "Alice's Cookbook" is a strong pick for the modern cook who wants good food but doesn't want to spend three days on fancily decorated cupcakes.

The Puglian Cookbook
Viktorija Todorovska
Surrey Books
c/o Agate
1328 Greenleaf St. Evanston, IL 60202
9781572841178, $20.00, www.agatepublishing.com

There's more to cooking in Italy than lots of tomato sauce. "The Puglian Cookbook: Bringing the Flavors of Puglia Home" is a guide to this unique brand of Italian cooking, showing this unique flavor unlike one would find elsewhere in Italy. Viktorija Todorovska presents readers with a cookbook with plenty of full color photos, with dishes that use a wide variety of ingredients, such as - Pizza with greens, Potato Frittata, Stracatto, Coffee pudding, and much more. For those who want a taste of excellent, yet different Italian cooking, "The Puglian Cookbook" is not to be missed.

Paradise Kitchen
Daniel Orr
Indiana University Press
601 North Morton Street
Bloomington, IN 47403-3797
9780253356086, $29.95, www.iupress.indiana.edu

There's more to paradise than sunshine, beaches, and the shade of the trees. "Paradise Kitchen: Caribbean Cooking with Chef Daniel Orr" guides readers through the many culinary samples that one can taste if they embrace the Caribbean style which blends the many cultures that have claimed the isles as their own. From coconut martinis, to spicy Caribbean stews, jerked ribs, and so much more, there's something paradise for anyone's tongue, and Daniel Orr uses full color photography and easy to follow ingredients so one can embrace these dishes anywhere. "Paradise Kitchen" is a solidly recommended read for those who want the spice of paradise without going to paradise.

Diabetes Cookbook for Dummies
Alan L. Rubin
Wiley
111 River St., Hoboken, NJ 07030-5774
9780470536445, $19.99, www.dummies.com

A diagnosis of diabetes does not mean nothing good ever again. "Diabetes Cookbook for Dummies" is a cookbook from the people at the Dummies book with advice on how to make an easily prepared, easy to understand diabetic diet that isn't the modern equivalent of gruel. With over one hundred recipes, plenty of information on treatment of diabetes, shopping tips, substituting sugar, children's tastes, and much more, "Diabetes Cookbook for Dummies" is a strong pick for those who want to cook diabetes friendly but have no idea where to start.

Simple, Fresh, & Healthy
Linda Hafner
Beaufort Books
27 West 20th Street, Suite 1102, New York, NY 10011
9780825305573, $19.95, www.beaufortbooks.com

Fresh fruit is a treat all its own when it's in season, but it can be made even better. "Simple, Fresh, & Healthy: A Collection of Seasonal Recipes" is a cookbook focusing on seasonal dishes and how to make the most of them. The recipes are not entirely vegetable based, and mix in meats and other non-plant qualities for the recipes, as they are split season by season. From lemonade made from scratch, fruit pizza, sage turkey burgers, and white chili, "Simple, Fresh, & Healthy" is an excellent collection of recipes for those who like the cook by the season for best taste.

The Eat Local Cookbook
Lisa Turner
Down East
PO Box 679, Camden, ME 04843
9780892729234, $19.95, www.downeast.com

With people seeing the environmental costs of their food more and more, local eating has made a serious come back. "The Eat Local Cookbook: Seasonal Recipes from a Maine Farm" is a guide for those in Maine to use the local agricultural bounty to create a wide array of delicious dishes. With well over one hundred recipes, Lisa Turner offers her take on classics like Ultimate Mashed Potatoes, Stuffed Peppers, and some more original dishes such as Steak Salad and Radish sandwiches. For anyone who is looking to embrace good cooking, "The Eat Local Cookbook" is well worth considering, even for those without the option of a local-driven diet.


The Fiction Shelf

Walter Meets Mack
Michael Stoesz
Beaver's Pond Press
7104 Ohms Lane, Suite 101
Edina, MN 55439
9781592983704, $15.00, www.beaverspondpress.com

The bounty and potential of America has all too often overwhelmed its people. "Walter Meets Mack: A Minnesota Adventure" is a novel following immigrant Walter, as he tries to come to terms with Minnesota and its vastness. A dedication to the immigrants who came and made Minnesota what it was, "Walter Meets Mack" is a touching work of historical fiction with a charming dedication to the immigrant spirit that fuels much of America.

Uncertain Journey
James Rouman
Peter E. Randall
PO Box 4276, Portsmouth, NH 03802-4276
9781931807890, $20.00, www.perpublisher.com

The pursuit of something greater trumps everything, even the law. "Uncertain Journey" is a novel following Albanian Rejep as he seeks America for his future. As he finds one friend who themselves risk to help him, he finds that his troubles do not end as he leaves his war-torn country, and how he learns the importance of the power of love and friendship through the worst of it all. "Uncertain Journey" is a moving and timely read, very much recommended.

Correspondence
N. John Hall
David R. Godine
9 Hamilton Place, Boston, MA 02108
9781567924121, $24.95, www.godine.com

The drive of the writer is an enigma to even writers. "Correspondence: An Adventure in Letters" is a novel from N. John Hall that explores the relics left behind to Larry Dickerson, who finds a slew of letters he shared with many of the great writers in the western world of the past. A retired bank clerk, Larry seeks money more than all else, and working with a British Scholar of Literature in Stephen Nicholls, he finds that he can get his money, but he will pick up much more valuable along the way. "Correspondence" is a fascinating read that will prove hard to put down, highly recommended.

Lilies in Moonlight
Allison Pittman
Multnomah
12265 Oracle Blvd., Suite 200
Colorado Springs, CO 80921
9781601421388, $14.99, www.waterbrookmultnomah.com

We run from our lives, put up a facade, but the truth will eventually emerge. "Lilies in Moonlight" tells the story of the broken down family of Cullen Burnside, trying to cope with his own losses during the first world war, and the energetic and cheery flapper who stumbles into his life. This bizarre meeting will bring much truth into the lives of both involved, as both of their painful pasts will mingle and leave them with something greater than it all. A riveting historical romance, "Lilies in Moonlight" is a fine pick and is very much recommended reading.

The Absent Sea
Carlos Franz
McPherson & Company
PO Box 1126, Kingston, NY 12402
9780929701943, $25.00, www.mcpherson.com

Returning to atrocity twenty years later doesn't change that atrocity happened. "The Absent Sea" is the story of a judge who flees Chile after a military coup leaves the region under corrupt military rule. After two decades pass, Laura returns home and faces what she left behind, including a family she left behind and who aren't forgiving of her abandonment. Confronting how rifts of a nation create wounds that take a long time to heal and how to face a family you left to their fate, "The Absent Sea" is a poignant and gripping novel, very highly recommended.

Rearview Sunset
Brett Champan
Northwaters Press
N6120 Sawyer Lake Rd.
White Lake, WI 54491
0982387318, $14.95, www.brettchampan.com

Everyone makes mistakes in life, but it's how we recover from them that counts. "Rearview Sunset" is a novel following Beau Jamison as he tries to make his life work. Moving through the Midwest, he meets many people and learns much about how it all works. A fascinating and poignant coming of age tale, "Rearview Sunset" is an excellent addition to community library general fiction collections, a worthy and recommended choice.

A Marriage of Convenience
Andrew Plattner
BkMk press
University House, 5101 Rockhill Road
Kansas City, MO 64110-2499
9781886157781, $15.95, www.umkc.edu

A shot at something better is all we really ever ask for. "A Marriage of Convenience" is a collection of short stories from Andrew Plattner who comes at readers with tales of life, with a good deal of influence from a pastime of the author's, horse racing. But not every tale is founded in that particular endeavor, as they are fundamentally stories of people and our constant quest to improve our lot. "A Marriage of Convenience" is an excellent pick for short fiction collections, highly recommended.

The Paper Rose Club
Jennifer Youngblood & Sandra Poole
Arbor House
716 Signal Mtn. Blvd, Signal Mountain, TN 37377
9780984352005, $16.95, www.arborhousebooks.com

No one knows cruelty like women. "The Paper Rose Club" is a small town drama of women out to beat women as the many women of Honycomb, Alabama claw at each other directly and indirectly to get ahead. Roxie wants to keep her bakery from Imogene, and also must keep her love away from her 'friend' and dealing with the many other women in her life that makes it complicated. A story of the viciousness of the fairer sex that many women will relate to, "The Paper Rose Club" is a fun and hard-to-put-down read.

House of the Fortunate Buddhas
Joao Ubaldo Ribeiro
Dalkey Archive Press
University of Illinois, 1805 S. Wright Street, MC-011
Champaign, IL 61820
9781564785893, $13.95, www.dalkeyarchive.com

Determination of one's own destiny is worth almost anything. "House of the Fortunate Buddhas" tells the story of one woman in post World War II Brazil who is struggling to find herself. But through sheer determination, she finds her way through life, in ways where she takes control of her mind, her body, and her life, as author Joao Ubaldo Ribeiro speaks on many issues of Brazil in a unique way. Translated from the original Portuguese by Clifford Landers, "House of the Fortunate Buddhas" is an excellent addition to any community library world fiction collection.

A Brief Madness
Karisha Kal'ee'ay
Linden House Publishing
Sanford Ave., SW, #13249, Grandville, MI 49418
9780984546442, $13.99, www.lindenhousepublishing.com

The secrets of a loved one may turn them into some one you never thought could exist. "A Brief Madness" is a novel of how a family comes to term with the death of a loved one, along with the revelation of his dark and sinister past as a serial killer. With sudden attention from anywhere and everywhere, their coping erupts all around them, as they try to sort out what to believe, while facing the families of the victims of their serial killer husband and father. A riveting read with an intriguing take on the effects of murder, "A Brief Madness" is a solid and very much recommended read for mystery fiction collections.

False Witness
Randy Singer
Tyndale
351 Executive Drive, Carol Stream, IL 60188
9781414335698, $13.99, www.randysinger.net

Justice never comes easily, and those who try to push it may find themselves with no justice and dead. "False Witness" tells a dual story of a bail bondsman who is racing against time while telling the story of a law student who must contend with both the law and the mob to find the truth behind it all. Blending both story lines into something never before seen, "False Witness" is an absolute must for any suspense fiction reader who likes a book that never lets up.

Jesusville
Philip Cioffari
Livingston Press
Station 22, University of West Alabama
Livingston, AL 35470
9781604890716, $18.95, www.livingstonpress.uwa.edu

For some, Jesus isn't there as much as he should be. "Jesusville" is a novel from Philip Cioffari as breaks down a dystopian region with plenty of intriguing characters trying to plot out their own lives, trying to find their own redemption and answers. Set around a Biblical theme park with everyone moving towards what may just be Judgment day, "Jesusville" is a profound and thought provoking read of life and everything else as we try to find our own place in the world.

White Sleeper
David Fett & Stephen Langford
Synergy Books
PO Box 30071, Austin, TX 78755
9780984504022, $18.95, www.synergybooks.net

Disease is no longer a weapon of nature, it can be a weapon of war. "White Sleeper" is a thriller from David Fett & Stephen Langford as they craft a story of a white supremacist group who have sinister intentions for the world. It lies on Dave Richards, a doctor with some baggage who may have to save more than his career in order to break through and stop a catastrophe. "White Sleeper" is a riveting read, very much worth considering.

I am a Japanese Writer
Dany LaFerriere
Douglas & McIntyre
720 Bathurst Street, Suite 500
Toronto, ON Canada, M58 2R4
9781553655831, $17.95, www.douglas-mcintyre.com

One utterance leads a black French Canadian on quite the adventure. "I am a Japanese Writer" follows said black French Canadian as his declaration lands him a book deal and grants him publicity that any writer would simply love. Guaranteed to have a hit, there's the problem that he cannot write a word of said hit, and the celebrity that has suddenly visited his life isn't helping things. A quirky yet unique read of celebrity and wishes gone wrong, "I am a Japanese Writer" is a choice pick for literary fiction collections, highly recommended.

Beside Still Waters
Tricia Goyer
B&H Fiction
127 Ninth Avenue North, Nashville, TN 37234-0143
9781433668685, $14.99, www.BHPublishingGroup.com

Of the many things restricted by the Amish, passion is not one of them. "Beside Still Waters" is a work of Christian romance set in an Amish community. Marianna Sommers, who has spent her entire life stalked by her past of tragedy, and being uprooted from her Indiana home and away from her childhood home leaves her without the only joy in her life. Moved to Montana, she may have found another, but no love comes without a cost. "Beside Still Waters" is a moving work of Christian fiction, not to be missed by Romance fans looking for something that works in faith.

The Final Summit
Andy Andrews
Thomas Nelson
PO Box 141000, Nashville, TN 37214
9780785231202, $19.99, www.thomasnelson.com

As humanity falls further and further into decadence, it will take the brilliance of the ages to right us off our course to hell. "The Final Summit: A Quest to Find the One Principle That Will Save Humanity" is a novel following aging business tycoon David Ponder as he copes with the loss of the love of his life, contemplating ending that said life himself. But as he hears a call that humanity needs him, he must learn what has guided us to success in the past as he joins with the minds of the past. Churchill, Carver, and many others in an all star line up of historical thought, "The Final Summit" seeks to ponder humanity and how we got where we are and why we are going where we're going.

My American Unhappiness
Dean Bakopoulos
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
215 Park Avenue South
New York, NY 10003
9780151013449 $24.00 www.hmhpub.com

My American Unhappiness is a biting novel of obsession, futility, and myopic pursuit of the American Dream. Thirty-three year old Zeke Pappas is studious of everyone he meets, always asking them "Why are you so unhappy?" He becomes increasingly obsessed with categorizing and detailing the many answers he receives into a convoluted project, and his private life becomes even more tangled. Convinced that marrying the "perfect mate" will earn him custody of his orphaned nieces, Zeke follows the steps laid out by a woman's magazine to focus on potential wives; the candidates include his recently divorced neighbor, his administrative assistant, and Sofia Coppola, who might be out of his league but why not at least take part in the tryouts? Exacting, insightful, and flavored with sardonic subtext, My American Unhappiness is highly recommended.

Autumn Bends the Rebel Tree
Carolyn Guy
Canterbury House Publishing
225 Ira Harmon Rd., Vilas, NC 28692-9369
9780982539699, $16.95, www.canterburyhousepublishers.com

The driver of a woman to protect her family as its sole provider is something that should never be underestimated. "Autumn Bends the Rebel Tree" tells the story of Clarinda Darningbush, a woman of the great depression who faces the common fate of Appalachian women, marrying early and having many children. As her husband passes, her challenges grow as Carolyn Guy tells this well researched story of the devoted nature of motherhood. "Autumn Bends the Rebel Tree" is a thoughtful and very highly recommended read, not to be missed.

Together
Julius Chingono & John Eppel
Uno Press
UNO College of Liberal Arts
New Orleans, LA 70148
9781608010493, $18.95, www.unopress.org

With nothing in common, they find they have everything in common. "Together" is a collection of short fiction from Julius Chingono & John Eppel, two writers in Zimbabwe who come together to share a different world perspectives, united in their disgust at the abuse of power for greed and hopes for their people. A fine assortment of fiction and poetry, "Together" is an excellent assortment of Zimbabwean perspective, highly recommended.

Vlad
C. C. Humphreys
Sourcebooks Landmark
1935 Brookdale Rd., Suite 139, Naperville, IL 60563
9781402253515, $15.99, www.sourcebooks.com

Fear is a powerful weapon in war, it can create heroes. But it also sometimes creates legends of infamy. "Vlad: The Last Confession" is a novel seeking to stay true to the story of one Vlad Tepes, the supposedly vile and vicious lord of Wallachia. C. C. Humphreys strays from the vampiric mythology to tell the riveting story of Dracula as a man, the unique individual who is historically credited with routing the Ottoman advance into Europe. "Vlad" is a must for any fan of historical fiction, or those who want another view on the legend of Dracula.

Welcome to Our Hillbrow
Phaswane Mpe
Ohio University Press
19 Circle Drive, The Ridges, Athens, OH 45701
9780821419625, $16.95, www.ohioswallow.com

Unity was not immediately embraced when Apartheid fell, as life still presented much social conflict. "Welcome to Our Hillbrow" is a novel of postapartheid South Africa, hoping to look into the minds of South Africans and their world of racism, sexual issues boiling over, and the constant violence that seems to be apart of their everyday life. Telling an excellent story of what these people face and the want of a more perfect life, "Welcome to Our Hillbrow" explores the culture and tells a human story that will resonate with anyone.


The Native American Shelf

The Navajo Code Talkers
Doris A. Paul
Dorrance Publishing
701 Smithfield Street, Third Floor, Pittsburgh, PA 15222
9780805945904, $17.00, www.dorrancebooks.com

In World War II, America's diversity won them a major victory in intelligence. "The Navajo Code Talkers" chronicles how America tapped the Native Americans to befuddle Axis forces who struggled to understand the native language of the Americas. Doris A. Paul tells their story of how it was only decades before that the United States government persecuted their people harshly, but patriotism for their land, even if they strongly disagreed with who ran it, won out over a blood grudge. Embracing the Navajo language as code, a language that is very difficult to learn, especially from German and Japanese, they formed a code that was nigh impossible to decipher. "The Navajo Code Talkers" is a strong pick on this truly unique work of military cunning.

The People of the River's Mouth
Michael Dickey
University of Missouri Press
2910 LeMone Boulevard
Columbia, MO 65201
9780826219145 $19.95 www.umsystem.edu/upress

The People of the River's Mouth: In Search of the Missouria Indians is the history of the Indian tribe after whom the Missouri river was named. They numbered in the thousands when first discovered by the Europeans; by 1804, less than four hundred remained. The People of the River's Mouth gathers rare printed references, documents, and incidents of oral tradition to reconstruct the Missouria's history and their interactions with French, Spanish, and early American settlers. A handful of black-and-white images rounds out this scholarly yet accessible and welcome contribution to college library Native American history shelves.

First Nations Gaming in Canada
Yale D. Belanger, editor
University of Manitoba Press
301 St. John's College, Winnipeg, MA, Canada R3T 2N2
9780887557231, $27.95, uofmpress.ca

The American Indian casino isn't something exclusive to the United States. "First Nations Gaming in Canada" discusses the Aboriginal culture of Canada, the First Nations, and their commercial gaming facilities that have developed throughout the region in recent years. Twelve essays from many who are analyzing Canada and the effects of these institutions, what they do for the people of the First Nations, and what they do for the rest of Canada. A scholarly study that ponders Canada's present and future, "First Nations Gaming in Canada" is a must for any collection pondering social and aboriginal issues in Canada.


The Philosophy Shelf

The Quotable Krishnamurti
Robert Epstein
Quest Books
c/o Theosophical Publishing House
PO Box 270, Wheaton, IL 60187-0270
9780835608909, $12.95, www.questbooks.net

Truth is not an absolute, and it certainly does not come from a sheltered understanding. "The Quotable Krishnamurti" looks to the work of philosopher Jiddu Krishnamurti, who threw away the pressures of his Theosophist teachers and came to pursue his own philosophy free from teachings of others. Robert Epstein compiles his quotes on a grand slew of subjects that speak on many levels of our lives and society, from sex to anger, to the very concept of truth and what it really means. "The Quotable Krishnamurti" is profound, thoughtful, and very highly recommended to philosophy collections.

Confucius, the Analects
Rodney L. Taylor, annotations
James Legge, translator
Skylight Paths
PO Box 237, Sunset Farm Offices, Rt. 4, Woodstock, VT 05091
9781594733062, $16.99, www.skylightpaths.com

Confucius's wisdom was so strong, many consider it a religion in itself despite no claim of divinity from Confucius. "Confucius, the Analects: The Path of the Sage" discusses the wisdom of Confucius, who for thousands of years has had his words and philosophies studied. Rodney L. Taylor works with translator James Legge to explore one of his most famous works and help readers understand why Confucius and his studies are still very important in the modern day. "Confucius, The Analects: The Path of the Sage" is a must for anyone who wants to apply this ancient yet wise philosophy to their life.


The Business Shelf

The Intranet Management Handbook
Martin White
Information Today
143 Old Marlton Pike, Medford, NJ 08055
9781573874267, $69.50, www.infotoday.com

To embrace the ease of communication of the internet yet maintain one's privacy, one must set up an intranet, and run it well. "The Intranet Management Handbook" is a guide aimed at businesses who want to excellently execute their own intranet network. Martin White applies his knowledge for readers in understanding the challenges of such a project, laying out a plan to create it, its many applications for business, managing the technological side, and allowing those who need to use it to do so effectively and efficiently. Enhanced with appendixes and organized in an easy to access and use style, "The Intranet Management Handbook" should be on hand for any technology department for any business where speed of communication is essential for success.

Making the World Work Better
Kevin Maney, Steve Hamm, and Jeffrey M. O'Brien
IBM Press
c/o Pearson Technology Group
801 East 96th Street, #300
Indianapolis, IN 46240-3759
9780132755108 $29.99 www.mcp.com

Making the World Work Better: The Ideas That Shaped a Century and a Company is the extraordinary true story of the IBM company and its lasting impact on the evolution of modern technology. Chapters cover IBM's role in pioneering the science of information, how IBM reinvented the structure of a modern corporation and went global, and their role in everything from mapmaking to medical treatments for HIV and AIDS. A handful of full-color illustrations enhance this celebration of not only IBM's achievements, but also the underlying philosophies that drove them over the course of one hundred years.

Go For It!
John T. Tassone
Cypress House
155 Cypress Street, Fort Bragg, CA 95437
9781879384811, $16.95, www.johntassone.com

If you don't make that lunge for success, you'll be waiting awhile for it to be dumped on your head. "Go For It!: A Practical Guide to Success for Everyone" is a motivational guide aimed at business in particular but author John Tassone holds that the wisdom and morals within ring true in any pursuit of success. Promoting drive and an active approach, Tassone advises readers on public speaking, being assertive, and other elements of successful people. "Go For It!" is a must for anyone who wants to kick up their drive for success.

Leadership is Dead
Jeremie Kubicek
Howard
c/o Simon & Schuster, Inc.
1230 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020
9781451612141, $24.00, www.simonandschuster.com

The great leaders have all passed. "Leadership is Dead: How Influence is Reviving It" discussing the power of influence, something author Jeremie Kubicek feels is the most powerful yet most underused asset in leadership today. In the name of self-preservation, he writes, we kill any chance of us taking risk and making a serious move to become something truly great and not just another self-obsessed and worthless leader in name only. Although writing as a businessman, Kubicek's words can be placed on any field and still ring quite true. "Leadership is Dead" is worth considering for anyone who wants to become a true leader of their organization.

Being the Boss
Linda A. Hill & Kent Lineback
Harvard
60 Harvard Way, Boston, MA 02163
9781422163894, $25.95, www.hbr.org

Getting the power is easy, using it well is the hard part. "Being the Boss: The 3 Imperatives for Becoming a Greater Leader" discusses what must be done to be an effective manager, and a great leader, the two sides that are needed to being an excellent boss. Linda Hill and Kent Lineback further describe what makes a boss great, the common pitfalls into mediocrity, and that one must be aware of the direction you are leading your group at all times. An act that will not come overnight, "Being the Boss" is worthy reading for those who have been given the mantle of leadership and want to flourish, not flounder, with it.

Business Fraud
Jack L. Hayes
Bascom Hill Publishing Group
212 North 3rd Avenue, Suite 290, Minneapolis, MN 55401
9781935098515, $19.95, www.bascomhillpublishing.com

When it comes to theft in your business, the biggest fear isn't someone busting in wielding a gun. It's your own managers. "Business Fraud: From Trust to Betrayal, How to Protect Your Business in 7 Easy Steps" discusses security in business against white collar crime, which peddles in fraud and massive damage to business due to betrayal from within a company. The surge of technology has both helped and hindered fraud within a company, as Jack Hayes seeks to explain his proven ideas for fighting fraud and promoting honesty within a business. "Business Fraud" is a must for anyone who risks ruin from the greed that sits beneath them.

With Respect to the Japanese
John C. Condon & Tomoko Masumoto
Interculture Press
c/o Nicholas Brealey Publishing
20 Park Plaza, Suite 1115A, Boston, MA 02116
9780984247127, $24.95, www.interculturalpress.com

Japan has surged as a global economic power after World War II, leading to many people finding work there. "With Respect to the Japanese: Going to Work in Japan" discusses the culture clash that comes with American or other people of western origin finding work in Japan, and how to prepare with this cultural divide. Describing the biggest challenges that come with working in Japan, knowing the etiquette, standard and business, that is very important there, and much more, "With Respect to the Japanese" is an absolute must for those diving into the Japanese culture for employment.

YouTube for Business, second edition
Michael Miller
Que
c/o Pearson Technology Group
801 East 96th Street, #300
Indianapolis, IN 46240-3759
078974726X, $24.99, www.quepublishing.com

The second updated edition of YouTube for Business is a pick for both computer and business collections, but is reviewed here for its importance to any library strong in social media marketing. It teaches the basics of online video marketing for any business, offering valuable information on how to make YouTube part of an online marketing strategy. This updated second edition covers the basics of editing, shooting, uploading and positioning a YouTube video, teaching how to promote them on the YouTube site. A top pick, this delves into the latest social marketing tools!

Amacom
1601 Broadway, New York NY 10019-7420
www.amacombooks.org

Susan H. Shearouse's CONFLICT 101: A MANAGER'S GUIDE TO RESOLVING PROBLEMS SO EVERYONE CAN GET BACK TO WORK (0814417116, $17.95) is a fine pick for any business collection catering to managers. It offers many different case history examples of common conflicts between office workers and departments within an organization, showing managers how they can moderate interactions and providing a variety of tools to build compromises and collaborations between coworkers. Any business manager needs this! Also recommended for business managers is Brian Tracy's FULL ENGAGEMENT! INSPIRE, MOTIVATE, AND BRING OUT THE BEST IN YOUR PEOPLE (9780814416891, $22.00). It shows managers how to achieve exceptional financial results for their company by assessing return on energy processes from employees. The secret to creating a great team is making people happy: this offers research in human psychology and motivation and applies them to the work environment, making this a fine survey managers will relish! Any company looking to lean transformation and sustainable approaches to business will appreciate Stephen A. Ruffa's THE GOING LEAN FIELDBOOK (081441558X, $27.95), a survey for business and manufacturing sectors based on lessons of real-life firms from different industries that have successfully used lean methods. It provides practical advice for creating powerful results and builds on the concepts presented in the prior GOING LEAN, making this the perfect companion selection for collections seeing success with the prior guide. Tom Kendrick's 101 PROJECT MANAGEMENT PROBLEMS AND HOW TO SOLVE THEM: PRACTICAL ADVICE FOR HANDLING REAL-WORLD PROJECT CHALLENGES (0814415571, $19.95) provides an excellent pick for project managers interested in solving common project issues. From keeping a project on track through interruptions to managing teams who have little project management experience, this packs in basic practices and tips for success. Also a key reference is Kevin Wilson and Jennifer Wauson's THE AMA HANDBOOK OF BUSINESS DOCUMENTS (9780814417690, $19.95) a business writing reference collection that offers guidelines and examples of dozens of sample documents for written communications ranging from abstracts and memos to proposals, inquiry letters, emails, collection letters and more. Organized for quick reference, this is a top resource for any who would use templates to put the core communication right to work.

The Most Important Thing
Howard Marks
Columbia Business School Publishing
61 West 62nd St., New York NY 10023
9780231153683, $29.95, www.cup.columbia.edu

The Most Important Thing: Uncommon Sense for the Thoughtful Investor comes from the chairman and cofounder of Oaktree Capital Management, a business leader of four decades who is sought out by the world's leading value investors. For the first time readers can benefit from his approach to successful investment, and receive a set of guidelines that identify common pitfalls that can destroy capital or ruin a career. College-level business holdings will find this a fine addition!

Little Bets
Peter Sims
The Free Press
1230 Avenue of the Americas
New York, NY 10020
9781439170427, $25.00, www.simonandschuster.com

LITTLE BETS: HOW BREAKTHROUGH IDEAS EMERGE FROM SMALL DISCOVERIES uncovers a basic method used by all kinds of creative achievers to arrive at winning ideas, showing how experimentation is the key to success and how information gained from a series of small steps eventually leads to revelations and breakthroughs. The 'little bets' which launched big, innovative new companies and creations are reviewed in this outstanding, highly recommended survey.

The New Rules of Green Marketing
Jacquelyn A. Ottman
Berrett-Koehler Publishers
235 Montgomery St., Suite 650
San Francisco CA 94104-2916
9781605098661, $21.95, www.bkconnection.com

The New Rules of Green Marketing: Strategies, Tools, and Inspiration for Sustainable Branding comes from a national expert on green marketing and provides insights into the changing needs of mainstream consumers and how companies have responded to these needs with fresh, 'green' marketing strategies. Today's 'green' products don't just appeal to health food store consumers: they are in big retail markets - and marketers have moved to targeting broader audiences as a result. This argues that emphasizing added value to products is the key to better marketing of 'green' products, and makes for a fine survey for business and general collections alike!

Swimming in the Steno Pool
Lynn Peril
W.W. Norton
500 - 5th Avenue, New York NY 10110
9780393338546, $16.95, www.wwnorton.com

SWIMMING IN THE STENO POOL: A RETRO GUIDE TO MAKING IT IN THE OFFICE offers business and social sciences collections alike a fine illustrated social history of the secretary's job. From the evolving history of the business secretary to the changing nature of the office and how women gained wider acceptance in the office, this is packed with social and cultural details perfect for any collection. The array of illustrations run from cartoons to vintage black and white photos and sidebars of fun information and make for an involved, revealing title!

How to Get Your Message Out Fast & Free Using Podcasts
Kevin Walker
Atlantic Publishing
1405 SW 6th Avenue, Ocala, FL 34471-0640
9781601381200, $24.95, www.atlantic-pub.com

How to Get Your Message Out Fast & Free Using Podcasts: Everything You Need to Know About Podcasting Explained Simply is a 'must' for any collection strong in mastering the art and science behind podcasting. Podcasts can lead to increased website traffic and can increase sales, so any interested in social networking needs to include podcasting in the skills mix. Computer, business and general-interest collections alike will relish this specific guide!

On Managing People
Harvard Business Review
c/o Harvard Business School Press
60 Harvard Way, Boston MA 02163
9781422158012, $24.95, www.hbr.org/books

ON MANAGING PEOPLE offers a fine survey for any business collection strong in general management titles, culling hundreds of Harvard Business Review articles to gather the most important keys to successful business management. From what great managers do to teaching smart people how to learn and guiding rookie managers through common pitfalls, this is a 'must' for any business collection.

Atlantic Publishing
1405 SW 6th Avenue, Ocala, FL 34471-0640
www.atlantic-pub.com

Janessa Castle's YOUR COMPLETE GUIDE TO MAKING MILLIONS WITH YOUR SIMPLE IDEA OR INVENTION: INSIDER SECRETS YOU NEED TO KNOW (9781601381453, $24.95) is for anyone who believes they have a marketable idea for a new product or invention. It provides step-by-step directions to bringing the idea to fruition - and to protecting it from others. Inventors receive keys to saving thousands on legal fees and learn how to conduct a basic patent search and license an idea. THE COMPLETE DICTIONARY OF MORTGAGE & LENDING TERMS EXPLAINED SIMPLY: WHAT SMART INVESTORS NEED TO KNOW (9781601380142, $21.95) covers all the basic of mortgage and lending terms, offering easy definitions in a dictionary covering all types of mortgages, loan agreements, types of insurance, and more. The A-Z format allows for quick lookup and includes any abbreviated terms. Kristie Lorette's HOW TO OPEN & OPERATE A FINANCIALLY SUCCESSFUL HERB AND HERBAL PLANT BUSINESS (9781601383297, $39.95) is for anyone seeking to run a herb and herbal plant business, whether from home or otherwise. Different business formation options, the realities of the herb industry, what works, and how to create services and events that can boost an herb business all contribute to a specific, involving topic perfect for any herb grower who wants to profit from a herb business venture.

Wiley
c/o Wiley Professional Trade Group
111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030-5774
www.wiley.com

Daniel C. Esty and P.J. Simmons's THE GREEN TO GOLD BUSINESS PLAYBOOK: HOW TO IMPLEMENT SUSTAINABILITY PRACTICES FOR BOTTOM-LINE RESULTS IN EVERY BUSINESS FUNCTION (9780470590751, $27.95) builds on the best-selling book GREEN TO GOLD which explained why every business needs a sustainable strategy, and spells out how to organize one. Companies of any size in any industry receive tools to building brands, images, and growing revenues by designing and marketing environmentally superior goods and services. Any business interested in sustainable practices and bottom-line profits needs this survey! Alan Weiss, PhD's THE CONSULTING BIBLE: EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW TO CREATE AND EXPAND A SEVEN-FIGURE CONSULTING PRACTICE (9780470928080, $19.95) offers a comprehensive career guide to succeeding in solo and boutique consulting and teaches the nine parts of a winning proposal. From creating testimonials and references and learning how to provide various types of coaching to fostering communication skills, this offers a fine guide packed with case history examples from the author's own experiences. From building a proposal to value-based fees, this covers it all! Jay Conrad Levinson and David E. Perry's GUERRILLA MARKETING FOR JOB HUNTERS 3.0 (9781118019092, $21.95) offers career seekers a fine survey of guerrilla marketing, exploring the newest social networking sites and digital tools to cultivating better job-hunting targets. Case studies, cheatsheets, and before-and-after sample resumes and cover letters outline proven alternative strategies for success. Charles R. Nelson's INVESTOR'S GUIDE TO ECONOMIC INDICATORS (0471513296, $17.95) offers a fine guide to reading, interpreting and using economic and financial news reports to make better investment choices, and comes from an economist who uses simple language and charts to show how to spot emerging trends, translate them into investment strategies, and more. From which indicators are worthless and with worth following to how to detect financial early warnings, this comes packed with fine details presented in a manner lay readers can easily read. Jon Radoff's GAME ON: ENERGIZE YOUR BUSINESS WITH SOCIAL MEDIA GAMES (9780470936269, $29.99) provides an outstanding survey of how a business can offer rewards to customers. From understanding social media game business models to creating social rewards, perks, and social communities, this is packed with excellent tips and details perfect for business who want to move beyond advertising product on the Internet.


The Environmental Studies Shelf

America's Climate Choices
National Academies
500 Fifth Street, NW, Lockbox 285
Washington, DC 20055
9780309145855, $29.95, www.national-academies.org

The climate will become a more important issue as time rolls on. "America's Climate Choices" discusses the concerns of global climate change and the United States congress, looking at the greater picture of what obstacles stand in front of the nation and its success, as the National Academies provide their own scholarly solutions as they discuss the topic completely and comprehensively. "America's Climate Choices" is an excellent breakdown of the debate, highly recommended.

Sustainable Business & Industry
Joseph Jacobsen
ASQ
600 N. Plankinton Ave., Milwaukee, WI 53203-2914
9780873898102, $85.00, www.asq.org

Exploiting the environment will turn unprofitable quickly when there's no environment to exploit. "Sustainable Business & Industry: Designing and Operating for Social and Environmental Responsibility" discusses the politics and methods behind creating sustainable businesses that will last for decades to come. Chapters present the argument for sustainability, the social responsibility that lies behind it, the numbers behind it all, how industrial plants work into the greater picture, and the involvement on the world stage. Appendixes discuss the value of statistics, the social element all this involves, and the importance of understanding the science of heat energy. "Sustainable Business & Industry" is an invaluable study of the nexus point that is the future of business, economy, and our world all mingling together.

Climate Change and National Security
Daniel Moran, editor
Georgetown University Press
3240 Prospect Street, NW, Washington, DC 20007
9781589017412, $29.95, www.press.georgetown.edu

The biggest threat to mankind does not seem to be terrorists, but perhaps the very planet we live on. "Climate Change and National Security: A Country-Level Analysis" discusses the environmental risks to national security that will be coming in the very near future. Daniel Moran compiles a series of thoughts and opinions on this very important discussion that affects not only the United States but the entire world. With many thinkers speaking on many countries criticizing environmental policies, preparations, and much more, "Climate Change and National Security" is a core addition to any social issues and environmental community and college library collections.

Global Governance of the Environment
Afshin Akhtarkhavari
Edward Elgar
William Pratt House, 9 Dewey Court, Northampton, MA 01060
9781849802550, $135.00, www.e-elgar.com

The environment cannot be handled on a small scale, it will take the entire world to make a difference. "Global Governance of the Environment: Environmental Principles and Change in International Law and Politics" is a scholarly text breaking down the international debate of law on a grander scale that the world faces in maintaining and recovering its environment from current and past abuses. Too often the exploitation that may take place in a place like Germany will affect its neighbors, leading to pollution in France, for an example. For real environmental progress to be made, the campaigns and changes must happen on a world scale. Afshin Akhtarkhavari is an Australian lawyer who has extensively studied the topic, and discusses what international protocols are required to push forward, quoting previous cases that have been brought before the United Nations. A highly scholarly read on the necessary environmental and international law the whole world needs to embrace, "Global Governance of the Environment" is a cornerstone of any environmental or international studies collections in community and college libraries.

Water Security
World Economic Forum
Island Press
1718 Connecticut Ave., NW, Suite 300, Washington, DC 20009
9781597267366, $30.00, www.islandpress.org

Water is the most vital resource to continued prosperity. "Water Security: The Water-Food-Energy-Climate Nexus" discusses the incredible importance of water in our future, and how water form the roots of many other important aspects of continued existence. In the near future, water will become more and more scarce, and acting now in both a political and environmental front is needed to make sure our supply never completely dwindles, leading to catastrophic results. Securing water for the future as such has become an incredibly important aspect in today's intentional discourse, and "Water Security" proves an educated and very highly recommended read.


The Economic Studies Shelf

How Latvia Came through the Financial Crisis
Anders Aslund and Valdis Dombrovskis
Peterson Institute for International Economics
1750 Massachusetts Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20036
9780881326024 $21.95 www.piie.com

Current Latvian Prime Minister Valdis Dombrovskis, who guided Latvia through the recent global economic crisis, and expert economist Anders Aslund present How Latvia Came through the Financial Crisis, a no-nonsense analysis of the situation and its aftermath from Latvia's perspective. Chapters chronicle why the Latvian economy became overheated during the boom cycle, the debate that raged over devaluing Latvia's currency, why and IMF and European Union stabilization program was necessary, the actions that the Latvian government took to resolve the crisis, and what lessons can be drawn from Latvia's ultimately successful story. "The financial crisis in Latvia has been remarkable for everything that did not happen. There was no significant reaction against globalization, capitalism, the European Union, or the euro. No major strikes or social unrest erupted, while the population rose against populism and unjustified state privileges. Politically and financially, crony businessmen were the biggest losers, whereas the political winners were the moderate but decisive center-right forces." Charts, graphs and an extensive index round out this enthusiastically recommended addition to global economic studies and college library shelves.

International Trade
Jonathan Reuvid & Jim Sherlock
Kogan Page
1518 Walnut Street, Suite 1100, Philadelphia, PA 19102
9780749462376, $39.95, www.koganpage.com

Trade is needed more than ever, but it can be quite troublesome in the international community. "International Trade: An Essential Guide to the Principles and Practice of Export" discusses the concerns and issues that occur when engaging in and managing modern overseas trade. An easy to use and comprehensive textbook, the authors cover common customs, the law, shipping, how to deal with the money through it all, and more, "International Trade" is a very much recommended read for any business leader who wants to go across borders for their product and wants to do it right.

The Entrepreneur
Joseph A. Schumpeter
Stanford Business Books
1450 Page Mill Road
Palo Alto, CA 94304-1124
9780804762830, $32.95, www.sup.org

Economics is a philosophy all in itself. "The Entrepreneur" is a collection of the texts of Joseph A. Schumpeter, a man who was a respected thinker of economic theory, with many acclaimed books to his name. This compilation has many works translated into English for the first time, granting a more complete understanding of his theories of economics. The editors add their own notes on his work, granting a comprehensive analysis to tie the work together as a whole. "The Entrepreneur" is a must for any student of economics, be they scholarly or non-specialist general reader, and is a core addition to community and college business library collections.


The Memoir Shelf

Across from the Alley Next Door to the Pool Room
Janice L. Booker
Regent Press
2747 Regent Street
Berkley, CA 94705
9781587902161 $18.00 www.regentpress.net

Across from the Alley Next Door to the Pool Room is a warm-hearted memoir of growing up in the close-knit South Philadelphia Jewish Community. An involving account of living amid strong family bonds, celebrated holiday and special event rituals, and the vivid cultural values that shaped everyday life, Across from the Alley Next Door to the Pool Room evokes the essence of interconnection and heritage shared among such communities. Highly recommended. "During the latter years of elementary school, the need for socialization increased as we little girls started to leave childhood. Without the diversions of television, malls, video games, and the panoply of recreation available to kids today, we had more time for what would be called 'interpersonal relationships.' In other words, we talked to each other. I'm not sure about pre-teen boys, but for girls this took the form of clubs."

White Coat Wisdom
Stephen Busalacchi
Apollo's Voice
PO Box 628044
Middletown, WI 53562-8044
University of Wisconsin Press (distributor)
1930 Monroe Street, 3rd Floor
Madison, WI 53711-2059
9780979422256, $35.00, www.apollosvoice.com

There's more to be learned from the medical profession than what to take when you have a headache. "White Coat Wisdom" as they share a certain frank and humorous wisdom about life in their encounters with the many people they encounter in weakened and vulnerable states and how no matter how far gone we may be going, we never lose humanity. From the terror of having the forces of life and death under your control, the joy when the odds are conquered, the marvels of skill, and the humility and humor that go around during the more ridiculous but necessary parts of the life. "White Coat Wisdom" is filled with sound advice on health, life, and a reminder that even doctors have to face life's challenges.

When Horses Pulled Plow
Olaf F. Larson
University of Wisconsin Press
1930 Monroe Street, 3rd Floor
Madison, WI 53711-2059
9780299282042, $17.95, www.uwpress.wisc.edu

Life on a farm seems to be becoming more and more a relic of the past. "When Horses Pulled Plow: Life of a Wisconsin Farm Boy" is a memoir from Olaf F. Larson as he looks back to the first nineteen years of his life and his upbringing in a rural Wisconsin. His family tended tobacco and livestock, and he recalls vividly his experiences up to when he finally stepped off that farm and into a very different world of adulthood. "When Horses Pulled Plow" is a strongly recommended pick for any agricultural memoir collection.

Inside My Window
Debra J. Ackerman
Vantage Press
419 Park Ave., South, New York, NY 10016
9780533163410, $22.95, www.vantagepress.com

There's never any time to feel sorry for yourself. "Inside My Window" is a memoir of Debra Ackerman who recalls her journey through life. Faced with challenge, loss, and more, she remembers the good times of her husband and her children, and how anxiety is something to be overcome and beat, not to let dominate one's life. "Inside my Window" is a poignant read of a woman born in rural Wisconsin, highly recommended.

Rants and Raves
Robert Brustein
A Smith and Kraus Book
177 Lyme Road, Hanover, NH 03755
9781575257778, $9.99, www.smithandkraus.com

To understand good acting, one must understand the mind. "Rants and Raves: Opinions, Tributes, and Elegies" is a memoir and collection of thought from man of the theatre Robert Brustein as he shares his own experiences and what he has learned over the years through butting heads with other people of the theatre, engaging in debates about society and where we are going. "Rants and Raves" is a fascinating and very much recommended read that shouldn't be overlooked.

The Day Nina Simone Stopped Singing
Darina Al-Joundi
The Feminist Press
365 Fifth Avenue, Suite 5406, New York, NY 10016
9781558616837, $14.95, www.feministpress.org

When your rule grows more unjust, the rebellion will only grow fiercer. "The Day Nina Simone Stopped Singing" is a memoir from Lebanese woman Darina Al-Joundi as she tells of the decline of Lebanon's freedom and how even under the threat of the law, she lived life to find her own freedom, no matter the consequences from the powers that be or of the life she lived in defiance. A story of a woman passionate about personal freedom, "The Day Nina Simone Stopped Singing" is a riveting addition to any memoir or woman's studies collection.

Mirror, Mirror on the Wall
Susan Kane-Ronning
Capacity Publishing
PO Box 29137, Bellingham, WA 98228-1137
Atlas Books (distributor)
30 Amberwood Pkwy, Ashland, OH 44805
9780615422091, $15.95, www.amazon.com

We want to avoid making the mistakes of the past generations as we want future generations to avoid our mistakes, but sometimes they are unavoidable. "Mirror, Mirror on the Wall: I Am My Mother After All!" is a memoir from Susan Kane-Ronning who in reflections of her own life realized that she made a lot of the same mistakes that her mother made, and comes to term with the own challenges of her own childhood and realizes that while she avoided some of the pitfalls, there are some things that have to be figured out for the self. Written to appeal to a wide audience but with the expertise of psychology from the author, "Mirror, Mirror on the Wall" is an intriguing read that will resound well with many readers who will be encouraged to look back at their own parents.

Embrace, Release, Heal
Leigh Fortson
Sounds True
413 South Arthur Avenue
Louisville, CO 80027
9781604074314, $17.95, www.amazon.com

Cancer is something one person cannot beat alone. "Embrace, Release, Heal: An Empowering Guide to Talking About, Thinking About, and Treating Cancer" is a memoir of health and beating cancer by Leigh Fortson as she discusses being diagnosed with cancer thrice in three years. A tale of personal heroism, she states that positive thinking and a drive to match it helped her overcome impossible odds. Sharing her own journey, she hopes it will help others to never lose hope and never let despair allow cancer victory. "Embrace, Release, Heal" is well worth considering for those facing or know someone facing this tough challenge of life.

The Natural Laws of Good Luck
Ellen Graf
Trumpeter
c/o Shambhala
300 Massachusetts Avenue
Boston, MA 02115
9781590308332, $15.95, www.shambhala.com

No language, no culture, how many hurdles can love jump over to potentially create a successful marriage? "The Natural Laws of Good Luck: A Memoir of an Unlikely Marriage" tells of an unusual story between one Ellen Graf, a middle aged and exhausted with the personals scene takes a suggestion to visit a Chinese friend's brother in China who is in a similar predicament. Embracing marriage on a whim, their attempts to connect lead to a humorous yet poignant story of love and trying to make it work. "The Natural Laws of Good Luck" is a humorous tale of how sometimes you don't need language to put it all together.

When the Wife Cheats
Frank Zaccari
c/o The Barrett Company
12021 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 600
Los Angeles, CA 90025
9781452820026, $14.95, www.frankzaccari.com

Infidelity isn't only a matter of men failing to keep it in their pants; infidelity knows no gender. "When the Wife Cheats" is a demonstration of infidelity's effects on the man. Frank Zaccari reflects on his own failing relationship with his wife Denise. When he found out, she left, and left him with their two daughters are nearly twenty years of marriage. "When the Wife Cheats" is a thoughtful read that will resonate well with other men spurned by the dishonesty of their former wives.

Deliver Us From Evil
Mary W. Schaller
The University of South Carolina Press
1600 Hampton Street, 5th Floor, Columbia, SC 29208
9781570039508, $29.95, www.uscpress.com

The war effort consumes everything, even the means to get home. "Deliver Us From Evil: A Southern Belle in Europe at the Outbreak of World War I" is a biography of Nancy Johnson, daughter of a congressman who as World War I came into being, found herself unable to leave the region, and had to much closer to the conflict than they had hoped. Author and grand daughter of Nancy Johnson, Mary W. Schaller goes through the photos and letters of her Grandmother along with other research to craft her adventure and paint a picture of an outsider looking in, very close to the conflict. "Deliver Us From Evil" is a unique story, well worth addition to biography and history collections focusing on World War I.


The Fantasy/SciFi Shelf

The Lost Fleet: Beyond the Frontier Dreadnaught
Jack Campbell
Ace
c/o Penguin Group USA
375 Hudson St., New York NY 10014
9780441020379, $25.95, www.penguin.com

The Lost Fleet: Beyond the Frontier Dreadnaught represents the first book in a new saga that continues the story of Captain John Geary from Campbell's best-selling LOST FLEET series originally released in paperback in 2006. Critics applauded the series: this provides a new perspective and tells of the conclusion of the war with the Syndics, where Geary has been promoted to Fleet Admiral with a newly christened First Fleet to command. Drawn into investigating a mysterious race occupying the far side of the known universe, Geary finds himself facing new and deadly challenges in this fine military science fiction piece!

Extremis
Steve White & Charles E. Gannon
Baen Books
Box 1403, Riverdale, NY 10471
9781439134337, $24.00, www.baen.com

Extremis: A Starfire Novel tells of a unified planetary alliance changed by the arrival of a huge fleet of ships fleeing the loss of their home planet when their star goes nova. They've traveled for centuries, they have their eyes on an inhabited world, and death doesn't deter them, as they believe in reincarnation. But the humans offer them more than a planet; they hold the key to technology that could result in a conquest of the entire inhabited region of the galaxy. A powerful, engrossing story, this is a pick for any collection strong in military science fiction.

Harry Potter: A Pop-Up Book
Lucy Kee, et.al.
Insight Editions
3160 Kerner Blvd. #108, San Rafael CA 94901
9781608870080, $34.95, www.insighteditions.com

Harry Potter: A Pop-Up Book is a fine collectible pop-up book recommended for any personal library strong in Potter ideas. It packs in original art by Andrew Williamson who was the concept artists for all eight Potter movies, and is packed with unique pop-up designs from Bruce Foster, an award-winning paper engineer. Pop-ups aren't for library lending - but they are for any who like pop-up art productions in general, and for Potter fans in particular.

The Generation Starship
Simone Caroti
McFarland
PO Box 611, Jefferson, NC 28640
9780786460670, $38.00, www.mcfarlandpub.com

Science shaped much in the twentieth century, not just the real world, but the world of fiction as well. "The Generation Starship: A Critical History, 1934-2001" discusses the generation starship, a massive vessel that flies through space leaving people to live out their entire existence, never touching a planet. Simone Caroti brings a literary discussion of this concept that seems to resound strongly alongside other science fiction concepts, one that puts challenges against mankind that couldn't be replicated otherwise. Discussing the fathers of the concept to its earliest days and how as science advances, the generation starship seems like it could be less science fiction and more science fact. "The Generation Starship" is a strongly recommended read for any student of speculative fiction.

The Way of Thorn and Thunder
Daniel Heath Justice
University of New Mexico Press
MSC05 3185, 1 University of New Mexico
Albuquerque, NM 87131-0001
9780826350121, $24.95, www.unmpress.com

There is no telling what lost as the American Indian population waned. "The Way of Thorn and Thunder: The Kynship Chronicles" is a fantasy spun off of eighteenth century America, spinning legends of these cultures into fantasy and the struggles of the Kyn and their Everland. Daniel Heath Justice seeks to do something new with fantasy and executes it all too well. "The Way of Thorn and Thunder" is a fine fantasy for those looking for something new that blends in American Indian legend as well.

L. Ron Hubbard Presents Writers of the Future Volume XXVII
K.D. Wentworth, editor
Galaxy Press
7051 Hollywood Boulevard, Suite 200
Hollywood, CA 90028
9781592128709 $7.99 www.galaxypress.com

L. Ron Hubbard Presents Writers of the Future Volume XXVII is an anthology of the best of the best original science fiction short stories and illustrations from the annual Writers of the Future and the Illustrators of the Future international programs. Essays on writing and illustration by L. Ron Hubbard, Mike Resnick, and Robert Castillo round out this exceptional anthology, featuring stories selected as the cream of the crop by a broad panel of fellow established science fiction authors - Kevin J. Anderson, Orson Scott Card, Larry Niven, and Robert Silverberg are just a few of the many distinguished judges. All stories have never before been published, in this "must-have" for cutting-edge science fiction fans!

The Sword of Darrow
Alex and Hal Malchow
Benbella
10300 N. Central Expressway, Suite 400
Dallas, TX 75231
9781935618478, $12.99, www.benbellabooks.com

As long as there is someone willing to resist, all hope is not lost. "The Sword of Darrow" is a fantasy focusing on the kingdom of Sonnencrest, toppled by marauding goblins. The last hope for civilization lies in Princess Babette, trying to gain an understanding of her magical talents. Along with the sickly Darrow and Scodo, the only one among them who seems to be able to actually fight, "The Sword of Darrow" is a story of the drive that can push even the weakest of of us to great things.


The Geography Shelf

The New Atlas of the Arab World
The American University in Cairo Press
420 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10018
9789774164194, $39.50, www.aucpress.com

The Arabic world is not one force, it is made of several very different nations spread throughout with very different cultures and states. "The New Atlas of the Arab World" is an atlas of the many peoples and cultures that make up the Arab world. All encompassing, it looks at the major states and crises throughout Northern Africa and the Middle East from the lawless states of civil war in Somalia to the longer lasting establishments such as Saudi Arabia. Presented in full color photos that capture both cultural images and pictures of the varied environment throughout the region. A large book sure to educate and captivate with its information, "The New Atlas of the Arab World" is a strong pick for any cultural atlas collection.

Notes and Comments on the Composition of Terrestrial and Celestial Maps
J. H. Lambert
ESRI Press
380 New York St., Redlands, CA 92373-8100
9781589482814, $24.95, www.esri.com

Maps are simply another way of displaying information, and it's vital to understand the details in their creation to fully understand them. "Notes and Comments on the Composition of Terrestrial and Celestial Maps" discusses map composition, first published in Germany in 1772. This new edition updates the 1972 English translation, blending classical study with modern notes on the major advancements of the years. "Notes and Comments on the Composition of Terrestrial and Celestial Maps" is a strongly recommended addition to any astrology or cartography focused community and college library collection.


The Poetry Shelf

Rain Dance
Richard Broderick
Parallel Press
372 Memorial Library
728 State Street, Madison, WI 53575
9781934795255 $10.00 http://parallelpress.library.wisc.edu

Award-winning author and former poetry editor of "Minnesota Monthly" Richard Broderick presents Rain Dance, a poetry chapbook of brief musings in an assortment of different verse styles. The contemplative thoughts herein range from a Russian soldier recalling what it was like to die at sea, to the daily life of African students at the community college, to how an ordinary house dog sees the world. Rain Dance presents new ways of looking at the world through many others' eyes, and is highly recommended. "In Exile": What secrets are they sharing, / the sparrows in the bare tree? / All morning they fatten themselves / on the thin syrup of winter light. // Over the hum of the space heater / I listen to the chatter, smiling distractedly. / I am like a refugee, newly arrived / in a land whose melodious tongue / I might one day understand / though never hope to master.

Flies
Michael Dickman
Copper Canyon Press
PO Box 271
Port Townsend, WA 98368
9781556593772 $16.00 www.coppercanyonpress.org

The second collection by award-winning poet Michael Dickman, Flies is an anthology of free-verse poetry invoking the perceptions of childhood, as well as the grief of personal loss. The poems tell about being haunted by the suicide of an older brother, as well as the reverberating effects of psychic, spiritual, and physical violence, and the long path to renewing oneself and finding both internal and external peace. "Translations": My mother was led into the world / by her teeth // Pulled / like a bull / into the / heather // She only ever wanted to be a mother her whole life and nothing else / not even a human being! // One body turned into / another body // Pulled by the golden voices of children // A bull / out of hell // Called out / her teeth out in front of her / her children / pulling.

A Hundred Doors
Michael Longley
Wake Forest University Press
PO Box 7333, A5 Tribble Hall, Gulley Drive
Winston-Salem, NC 27109
9781930630567, $12.95, www.wfu.edu/wfupress

Life's questions are quite numerous, and their answers are even more numerous. "A Hundred Doors" is the take of Michael Longley on the endlessly changing nature of many of life's stages from war to fatherhood using a unique assortment of symbolism for a very special picture of it all. "A Hundred Doors" is an excellent assortment of poetry, very much recommended reading. "Pamela": In your window winter-flowering jasmine's/Reflections frame the music you practiced/Before you died./Intermezzi. December's/Yellow flowers./Sorrow's cradlesong.

Kat Among the Tigers
Kath Maclean
University of Alberta
Ring House 2, Edmonton
Alberta, Canada T6G 2E1
9780888645524, $19.95, www.uap.ualberta.ca

As the world explodes in change, the drive of one woman would inspire generations to come. "Kat Among the Tigers" is a collection of poetry from Kath Maclean as she creates a collection of poetry based on her own inspirations with the life of Katherine Mansfield, discussing literature, life, and everything else. "Kat Among the Tigers" is a fine delve into history, poetry, and much more. "Spring, Maniac, Maniac": In the morning gulls fly towards the infinite./We linger in the door, where my heart lies/these secret places, these strange thoughts.//How the jonquil buds and the figs dry their bellies./A bowl of oranges quietly hold their breath.//Exhausted with tulip-talk, the afternoon unravels/threads of conservation, dulls the senses, witless/the jonquils weak and pale stretch towards the light.

Nails
Larry Schug
North Star Press of St. Cloud
PO Box 451, St. Cloud, MN 56302
0878394184, $12.95, www.northstarpress.com

A nail is an implement that is grisly and to the point. "Nails" is a collection of poetry from Larry Schug as he presents his variety of poetry that focuses on nails, and his poetry speaks on far more than carpentry. With a certain flare and wisdom and plenty of knowledge, "Nails" is an excellent collection that should very much be considered, highly recommended. "Nail Poem #81": Though the nail/has a point,/it can't stand on its own/and it gets no help/from its head.

The Memory of Water
Jack Myers
Western Michigan University
1903 W. Michigan Ave.
Kalamazoo, MI 49008
9781930974982, $15.00, www.wmich.edu

Water is something we all need, but all too eager to flee from us. "The Memory of Water" is a collection of poetry from Jack Myers, whose work and wisdom focuses on the disappointments in our searches in life as we try to quickly place it all together, holding it together for as long as we can. "The Memory of Water" is an excellent collection from a rising poet, a top pick for general poetry collections. "Treasure Hunt": I felt like a stream rushing/over something shiny./I couldn't tell what it was/I was constantly rushing/over bu tit was probably precious/because of that. Maybe it was/just a trick of light that kept me/diving for it my whole life./I never told a soul about it./It seems a lifetime ago. I was shining./I can still make myself feel it./I am the buried map.

Wild Horses, Wild Dreams
Lindy Hough
North Atlantic Books
2526 Martin Luther King Jr. Way, Berkeley, CA 94704
9781556439629, $22.95, www.northatlanticbooks.com

We are at constant odds with our own nature. "Wild Horses, Wild Dreams" is a collection of thirty years of poetry from Lindy Hough, compiling her works from 1971 to 2010, chronicling her maturity as a woman, a mother, and the world around her, life, and everything else. "Wild Horses, Wild Dreams is an excellent compilation of poetry, highly recommended. "A Sunday Song": Out of the daily/Out of the sacred day/Out of the rain blessing the day's fall/Out of the lilacs/bending to brush your lips with sweet water-drops,/Out of the highway where we came to here,/Out of the book we have learned the law/Out of our time/we learned to use/what was at hand & in us/Out of our cosmology we perceived/the dance between us and its rhythms/Out of your mind I seem spun/wake surprised at my separate existence.

Visiting Dr. Williams
Sheila Coghill & Thom Tammaro, editor
University of Iowa Press
100 Kuhl House, Iowa City, IA 52242
9781587299865, $24.95, www.uiowapress.org

The impact of some men on an art form cannot be understated. "Visiting Dr. Williams: Poems Inspired by the Life and Work of William Carlos Williams" is an anthology of poetry from various authors who write in dedication to this giant of influence on modern poetry, William Carlos Williams. The poems draw from his work, and show the degree of his influence on many modern poets work, compiled by professors of English and literature in Sheila Coghill & Thom Tammaro. "Visiting Dr. Williams" is a thoughtful compilation of poetry and dedication to a great man, highly recommended.

Pinko
Jen Benka
Hanging Loose Press
231 Wyckoff Street, Brooklyn, NY 11217
9781934909041, $18.00, www.hangingloosepress.com

Our lives are a conglomeration of anything and everything around us. "Pinko" is a volume of poetry from Jen Benka who uses her gift for language to reflect on the many conflicts that make up our lives, making unique observations and leaving readers with a bit of knowledge on top of it all. "Pinko" is a fine addition to any general poetry collection, highly recommended. "Lima": broke down desk yes pulpit/these papers geometric sermon/defend voice flesh hand/forensic paragraph/cognitive catch/instinct said/swell to the left.

Spring and All
William Carlos Williams
New Directions Publishing Corporation
80 Eighth Avenue
New York, NY 10011
9780811218917 $12.95 http://www.ndpublishing.com

New Directions Publishing presents Spring and All, a facsimile of the original 1923 Contact Press edition of the poetry/prose compilation by Pulitzer Prize winner William Carlos Williams (1883-1963), best known for his promotion of the "American idiom" in poetry and his influence on later generations of American poets. Nearly ninety years after its creation, Spring and All remains a sensory experience, gliding seamlessly from poetry to prose and back again as it captures moments of keenest awareness. "The reason people marvel at works of art and say: How in Christ's name did he do it? - is that they know nothing of the physiology of the nervous system and have never in their experience witnessed the larger processes of the imagination. // It is a step over from the profitless engagements of the arithmetical." A timeless classic, highly recommended.

In This Life
Michael O'Loughlin
New Island
c/o International Specialized Book Services
920 NE 58th Ave., Suite 300, Portland, OR 97213-3786
9781848400795, $13.99, www.isbs.com

The voice of Ireland is one of persistently living next to chaos. "In This Life" is a collection of poetry from Michael O'Loughlin, an Irish poet who has been speaking on his country throughout his life. In his first volume in ten years, "In This Life" continues O'Loughlin's thoughtful work. "A Latvian Emigrant Bids Farewell to His Beloved in Riga": Your breasts shine like dark stars/in this black hole/into which we disappear//When we are together, you said/it's like we're in a cocoon./I place my palm on your hot stomach//I feel a strange wingbeat./You are a white harvest/and I will reap you.

Come and See
Fanny Howe
Graywolf Press
250 Third Avenue North, Suite 600, Minneapolis, MN 55401
9781555975869, $15.00, www.graywolfpress.org

Some people are still coming to grips with the idea of the twenty-first century. "Come and See" is a collection of poetry of author Fanny Howe, prolific and award winning poet, trying to come and understand how we have arrived in the world we live in today, trying to understand the war and greed that seem to be the major powers of the day. "Come and See" is an excellent compendium, very much recommended reading. "At the Heart of It": The dirt is spirit/the people both/Celtic and Baltic./Potatoes and onions,/Bread and beets./Mystical, musical,/Violent and sad./Without a way/Either right or left,/East or west./But tears, plenty/of tears to drink/While they dig.

Here Lies Lalo
Abelardo Delgado
Arte Publico Press
452 Cullen Performance Hall, Houston, TX 77204-2004
9781558856943, $19.95, www.artepublicopress.com

Poetry is just one weapon in the arsenal of ideas, as the war of words is continued to be fought in the modern day. "Here Lies Lalo: The Collected Poems of Abelardo Delgado" takes the work of the late poet throughout his career that spanned many decades and spoke out of the concerns of the Chicano people. An excellent addition to any poetry collection with a focus on ethnicity and ideology from many groups, "Here Lies Lalo" is a must for anyone who wants to understand the man's work. "Scumble": to scunner and not to hate,/to scupper and keep the taste,/to hide under the thick scurf/of scurile life that yearning/to scurry itself leaps out/and is able to see its own scut,/obsolete as old scutage./scutched, then, my mountainous love/with the scutcheon of no hope/my nonhoping scute hides me./pour, fate, then, into my scuttle/so that I can scuttle away my love,/I still have faith as scutum/tho time's scythe cuts away my autumn.


The Military Shelf

The 14-Hour War
James E. Wise Jr. and Scott Baron
Naval Institute Press
291 Wood Road
Annapolis, MD 21402
9781591149743 $34.95 www.navalinstitute.org

The 14-Hour War: Valor on Koh Tang and the Recapture of the SS Mayaguez recounts the violent true story of the effort to recover the American container ship Mayaguez and her crew, taken by the Khmer Rouge off the Cambodian coast in 1975. The military effort suffered from severely inaccurate intelligence, and a micromanaged control structure. Two hundred young Marines, with next to no experience outside of boot camp, were briefed to expect minimal resistance; instead, they discovered three hundred heavily armed Khmer Rouge veterans. The ensuing brutal battle against a superior force lasted half a day until evacuation. Forty-one American servicemen perished, and three were left behind to face eventual execution. The sacrifice and bravery of servicemen is beyond what can be put into words; The 14-Hour War supplements its straightforward relation of the facts with over one hundred and fifty pages of recollections from veterans in their own words. A handful of black-and-white photographs round out this welcome contribution to military history shelves.

Soldiers of Fortune
Tony Geraghty
Pegasus Books
c/o W. W. Norton
80 Broad Street, 5th Floor, New York, NY 10004
9781605981420, $15.95, www.pegasusbooks.us

With the controversy surrounding Blackwater in Iraq, the eye is on private military companies more than ever. "Soldiers of Fortune" discusses these groups which play a huge hand in Afghanistan and Iraq alongside the United States's standard military forces. Freelance soldiers, mercenaries, or whatever they may be called in the modern lexicon, has proved polarizing figures, both doing what they do well and allegations of brutality. Author Tony Geraghty hopes to show the truth behind these figures and what they mean to the bigger picture of society and our conflicts. "Soldiers of Fortune" is a must for anyone who wants to understand the modern mercenary and their place in today's military conflicts.


The Audiobook Shelf

Folly Beach
Dorothea Benton Frank, author
Robin Miles, narrator
Harper Audio
10 East 53rd Street
New York, NY 10022-5299
9780062072511 $39.99 www.harpercollins.com

Folly Beach: A Lowcountry Tale an unabridged audiobook novel capturing wistful memories of Carolina lowcountry. Cate Cooper grew up in Folly Beach; drastic events in her life have left her homeless, broke, and adrift, winding up in a tiny coastal cottage. Yet Folly Beach has been a place of love and happiness for others; it just might be the place where Cate can transform herself into the woman she's always wanted to become. An emotionally powerful story of personal rediscovery, Folly Beach is highly recommended. 10 CDs, 12 hours.

The Virgin and the Gypsy
D.H. Lawrence, author
Georgina Sutton, narrator
Naxos of America, Inc.
1810 Columbia Avenue, Suite 28
Franklin, TN 37064
9781843794530 $22.98 www.naxosaudiobooks.com

Brought to life by the theatrically trained Georgina Sutton, The Virgin and the Gypsy is a captivating, unabridged audiobook performance of D.H. Lawrence's story about a young girl raised by a stifling family, who re-examines how she looks at the world upon meeting a gypsy. As she is poised on the border of conforming to expectations and rebelling against them, a flash flood brings immediate danger to her home and her life, forever changing her world. A powerful novel of sexuality and identity, The Virgin and the Gypsy satirizes antiquated societal views and provides a sweeping saga of rethinking the self and one's lifelong plans. Highly recommended. 3 CDs, 3 hours 37 min.

A Summer in Sonoma
Robyn Carr, author
Kate Turnbull, narrator
Recorded Books, LLC
270 Skip Jack Road
Prince Frederick, MD 20678
9781449840501 $123.75 www.recordedbooks.com

A Summer in Sonoma is the unabridged audiobook adaption of award-winning author Rober Carr's romance novel following four women who have been friends since the seventh grade. Cassie, despairing that she will ever find Mr. Right, explores the back roads of Sonoma with a long-haired biker who helped her break away from Mr. Wrong; Julie, now married and raising children, fights to stay one step ahead of her ever-increasing debt; Marty's marriage has cooled, prompting her to consider an affair with an old love; and Beth, a doctor whose services are always in demand, hides her symptoms from the others. As the four of them approach the turning point that is age 30, they discover how drastically life can suddenly change, and why have friends for mutual support is crucially important. A heartwarming story of trying times, highly recommended. 10 CDs, 11.5 hours. Also a choice pick for audiobook lovers is Recorded Books' unabridged adaptation of "The Thieves of Manhattan" by Adam Langer (9781449828653, $77.75, 7 CDs, 8.25 hours).

The Innovation Secrets of Steve Jobs
Carmine Gallo, author
Sean Mangan, illustrator
Bolinda Publishing
186 S Long Swamp Rd
Jackson, ME 04921
9781742850887 $83.95 www.bolinda.com

The Innovation Secrets of Steve Jobs is the unabridged audiobook adaptation of the true-life story of the core principles of visionary Apple co-founder Steve Jobs. Singer and musician Sean Mangan smoothly narrates this solid listing of core principles for encouraging innovation in one's business, and using brainpower to overcome competitors, develop products that change people's ways of thinking, promote customer loyalty, and support one's business during the leanest and meanest of economic times. The Innovation Secrets of Steve Jobs is a "must-have" packed with invaluable advice for business and corporate leaders of all walks of life! 7 CDs, 8 hours 28 min.

Separate Beds
Elizabeth Buchan, author
Sarah Le Fevre, narrator
Penguin Audio
c/o Penguin Group (USA)
375 Hudson Street, 4th floor
New York, NY 10014
9780142428856 $39.95 http://us.penguingroup.com

Separate Beds is the unabridged audiobook adaptation of Elizabeth Buchan's enthralling novel about a British couple whose estranged marriage is pushed to the brink of divorce by pressures stemming from the recession. Annie and Tom have both put so much of their lives into their careers, keeping up the surface of civility but refusing to confront the deeply buried issues that have wedged them apart, to the extent that they sleep in separate beds and one of their children refuses to have anything to do with the family. When Tom's longtime radio job is "made redundant", and lack of money forces his son (who is also on the verge of divorce) and his mother to move back, pressures mount, forcing Annie and Tom to a turning point - they can no longer put off dealing with the internal problems of their relationship. A vividly believable portrait of economic, middle-class, and marital crisis, Separate Beds is tense yet also heartwarming, a highly recommended story sharply reflecting the problems of modern times. 12 CDs, 14 hours.

Queen of the Flowers
Kerry Greenwood, author
Stephanie Daniel, illustrator
Bolinda Publishing
186 S Long Swamp Rd
Jackson, ME 04921
9781742149189 $87.95 www.bolinda.com

Queen of the Flowers is the unabridged audiobook rendition of Kerry Greenwood's adventurous murder mystery starring Phryne Fisher. Set in 1928, Queen of the Flowers follows Fisher's involvement in the Flower Parade, which includes everything from magic shows and marionettes to tea dances, lifesaving demonstrations, lantern shows, beach picnics and more. Yet Fisher's efforts to celebrate are marred by the knowledge that her daughter is missing... The discovery of a young woman drowned at the beach kicks the plot into high gear, in this sweeping saga of love, courage, and the will to face one's deepest problems. Highly recommended. 8 CDs, 8 hours 25 min.

A Death in Summer
Benjamin Black, author
John Keating, narrator
Macmillan Audio
175 Fifth Avenue, Suite 315
New York, NY 10010
9781427212375 $39.99 www.macmillanaudio.com

A Death in Summer is the unabridged audiobook performance of Benjamin Black's high-stakes murder mystery about a power player newspaper tycoon found dead, his head destroyed by a shotgun blast. Suicide, or murder? Detective Inspector Hackett calls for aid from his longtime compatriot Quirke, who rubs elbows with Dublin's elite, in his efforts to unearth the truth. Amid a morass of enemies underpinning a shady business empire, Hackett and Quirke just might be the next targets of ruthless intrigue, in this exciting crime novel sure to keep listeners on the edge of the seats. 8 CDs, 10 hours.

Dreaming in English
Laura Fitzgerald, author
Angela Dawe, narrator
Brilliance Corporation
PO Box 887
Grand Haven, MI 49417
9781441839572 $29.99 www.brillianceaudio.com

Dreaming in English is an unabridged audiobook rendition of Laura Fitzgerald's story of Tamila Soroush, a young Iranian woman who seeks to join her sister and find a husband in America. She becomes the wife of Ike Hanson, but not everyone is happy with their marriage. When tensions and difficulties arise, Tamila questions her own choices, and feels conflicted over whether she has any right to be happy when her parents in Iran are not. A thoughtful story of adapting to tremendous change, and learning to experience American-style love, Dreaming in English is highly recommended. 10 CDs, 11 hours 46 min.

Satori
Don Winslow
Hachette Audio
237 Park Avenue
New York, NY 10017-0010
www.hachettebookgroupusa.com
9781607886921, $29.98, www.amazon.com

SATORI presents a fine novel based on Trevenian's SHIMBUMI, pairs it with a vivid reading by Holter Graham, and provides a fine thriller suitable for any general audio lending library. Here genius and assassin Nicholai Hel returns in a story set in 1951, where Nicholai has spent the last three years in solitary confinement at the hands of Americans. The CIA needs him and offers him freedom: but the price is to undertake a near suicide mission - which Hel accepts. Can he survive ongoing dangers to achieve real freedom? A tense thriller springs to life in audio.

Hachette Audio
237 Park Avenue
New York, NY 10017-0010
www.hachetteaudio.com

Michael Connelly's THE FIFTH WITNESS (9781600247724, $39.98) receives an outstanding narration by Peter Giles, a Los-Angeles based actor with credits in TV and film, and provides a fine action-paced story of one Mickey Haller, a criminal defense lawyer who finds himself again at the center of a case that has attracted massive media attention. His team is working to exonerate Lisa against a mountain of evidence against her - and his investigation reveals a murdered banker's shady, dangerous deals gone wrong in this fast-paced legal thriller, highly recommended for any audio collection. Tiny Fey's BOSSYPANTS (9781609419691, $29.98) is narrated by the author unabridged on 5 CDs, includes a pdf of photos, and provides a fine account of Tina's complete story. From her youthful days as a nerd to her stint on Saturday Night Live and her pursuit of physical beauty, this is a hilarious, revealing and fun memoir that comes to life in audio and is a pick for any collection. David Baldacci's THE SIXTH MAN (9781607885801, $39.98) pairs a fine dual reading by Ron McLarty and Orlagh Cassidy with the thriller revolving around an alleged serial killer who faces almost certain conviction. But is Toy really a killer? It's up to investigative attorneys to uncover the truth in a series of surprising revelations perfect for collections strong in legal thrillers. Bob Greene's 20 YEARS YOUNGER (9781609419813, $29.98) is narrated by the author and provides important keys to living not just longer, but better. A bonus PDF features meal plans, recipes and more while the unabridged CD reviews the latest scientific findings in health and offers the additional advice of health experts Harold A. Lancer MD, Ronald L. Kotler MD, and Diane L. McKay, PhD. Any health-oriented or general nonfiction audio collection will find this a winner. Ron Paul's LIBERTY DEFINED: 50 ESSENTIAL ISSUES THAT AFFECT OUR FREEDOM (9781609419073, $24.98) receives a vivid narration by Bob Craig, whose three decades in radio broadcasting lends a smooth and clear voice to this consideration of liberty and its social issues. How liberty affects our daily lives and how to recognize tyranny disguised as liberty makes for a thought-provoking listen any general or political audio library should have. James Redfield's THE TWELFTH INSIGHT: THE HOUR OF DECISION (9781607888772, $29.98) pairs actor Bruce Thomas' warm and experienced voice and skills with a new novel in the Celestine series: this revolving around another ancient, mysterious manuscript that describes a secret approach to spirituality that is to arrive in the second decade of the 21st century in fragments. Wil and Hero search for the pieces and find powerful religious and political forces stand against enlightenment in this vivid story, perfect for audio listeners! Andrew Breitbart's RIGHTEOUS INDIGNATION: EXCUSE ME WHILE I SAVE THE WORLD (9781607886945, $29.98) comes from a free-speech advocate who believes there needs to be more perspectives in our democracy, not mainstream media agreement. His RIGHTEOUS INDIGNATION furthers his goal to e that voice, attacking mainstream media perspectives and approaches and showing how Andrew Breitbart moved from a cultural liberal to a conservative culture advocate. Social and political science collections need his vibrant voice, which springs to life in audio. Ted Dekker's THE PRIEST'S GRAVEYARD (9781609419929, $34.98) receives a powerful dual narration between New York actress Rebecca Soler and classically trained actor Henry Leyva, and tells of a priest and a victim whose lives collide. Their search for a powerful, dangerous man will lead them in a deadly hunt in this fine thriller. Chelsea Handler is the star of her own late-night talk show, and her fans will relish this unabridged collection, narrated by a range of readers and gathered from friends and family, in LIES THAT CHELSEA HANDLER TOLD ME (9781609411152, $29.98). Nobody is safe from Chelsea's fake e-mails and phony schemes: this exposes her methods and makes for a vivid, enlightening listen for any Handler fan. Sherrilyn Kenyon's BORN OF SHADOWS (9781607885832, $29.98) receives a fine reading by performer Holter Graham, who has produced many award-winning audio narratives and films and who here enhances and enlivens this story of a soldier of fortune's act of heroism which transforms his life from a street-savvy assassin to a world of wealth and dangerous political games. A woman guarding her queen uncovers a plot to assassinate her and overthrow the country's government: a plot that joins two very different people in a different kind of survival game. Any collection strong in espionage and political fantasy will relish this fast-paced winner! James Patterson & Maxine Paetro's 10TH ANNIVERSARY (9781609410629, $34.98) receives a fine reading by actress Carolyn McCormick, who has many Broadway credits to her name and who spices a tense thriller around a missing newborn, a series of violent attacks, and a women's murder club returned to full gear to solve the crimes. Intrigue and action blends company politics and murder threats in this gripping action-packed survey!

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

Harlan Coben's LIVE WIRE (1441895272, $39.99) receives an outstanding performance by Steven Weber whose voice spices a thrilling story telling of Myron Bolitar, who has always dreamed of helping a femme fatale. The disappearance of a rock star husband and the plight of a pregnant former tennis star spring to life in this outstanding survey, highly recommended for any audio library especially those seeing enthusiasm for Harlan Coben's prior works. Jean M. Auel's THE LAND OF PAINTED CAVES (1441888217, $42.99) receives a fine performance by Sandra Burr, a veteran audio narrator whose fine voice brings to vivid life this conclusion to Auel's ice age Earth's Children series. Prior fans of the series will find this a powerful continuation of the story of Ayla, her love Jondalar, and their infant daughter, now living with a tribe that accepts Ayla as an acolyte and potential spiritual leader. Their challenges and the conclusion to their story makes for a powerful ending to a vivid series and a 'must' for collections seeing interest in the prior stories. Robert Dugoni's BODILY HARM (1423387368, $29.99) receives a fine performance by Dan John Miller, who has won multiple awards for his smooth and vivid audio acting style and who here spices the story of corporate espionage and justice. David Sloane and his new partner have just experienced a big legal win, when a toy designer comes forth to tell them they are wrong. Their follow-up to justice leads to deadly danger in this smooth thriller. Stephen Coonts & William H. Keith's DEEP BLACK: DEATH WAVE (1441885919, $34.99) enjoys veteran narrator Phil Gigante's smooth voice and tells of a top-secret unit of special operatives and a former marine sniper who forms a high-tech team known as Deep Black. Their investigations into assassination and an Islamic plot makes for a gripping audio thriller packed with tension and twists of plot.

Tattoos on the Heart
Gregory Boyle
Highbridge Audio
201 Sixth Street SE, Suite 220
Minneapolis, MN 55414
9781611744347, $29.95, www.highbridgeaudio.com

Tattoos on the Heart: The Power of Boundless Compassion provides a vivid account narrated by the author and provides a classic blend of urban insight and modern spirituality from a pastor working in a gang neighborhood in Los Angeles. Gregory Boyle created an organization to provide jobs, training and encouragement to young people in tough situations: TATTOOS ON THE HEART recounts his work and the many lives it's touched, and is inspiring listening for any general lending library!

Penguin Audio
c/o The Penguin Publishing Group
375 Hudson Street, New York, NY 10014
www.penguin.com

Russell Simmons with Chris Morrow's SUPER RICH: A GUIDE TO HAVING IT ALL (9780142428320, $29.95) receives a fine reading by Black Ice and follows up to Russell Simmons' best-selling DO YOU!, adding more insights about how to align spiritual with financial success strategies. Linking happiness to both wealth and spirituality, this provides real-life examples and success stories from the author's own life and work and is filled with keys for all income levels - perfect for any general audio collection. Geraldine Brooks' CALEB'S CROSSING (9780142429709, $39.95) receives stage and screen actress Jennifer Ehle's award-winning and vivid voice, which brings to life the story of the first Native American graduate of Harvard College and provides a fictional approach to the account. Protagonist Bethia, who grows up amid a small band of pioneering English Puritans, finds allure in Caleb, the young son of a chieftain, and their two very different worlds collide in an absorbing, riveting tale. Betty White's IF YOU ASK ME (AND OF COURSE YOU WON'T) (9780142429365, $25.95) is narrated by the author and presents the author's witty observations of life as she tackles social issues and recounts humorous stories from her seven-decade career. General lending collections will find Betty White's name alone assures its popularity. Stuart Woods' STRATEGIC MOVES (9780142428887, $29.95) receives Tony Roberts' actor's voice and provides a fine new Stone Barrington novel in which Stone is gaining a hold as a possible partner in a prestigious law firm. But a scandal could put his career in jeopardy in this fine story of legal intrigue, perfect for any mystery or legal thriller audio collection. Timothy Keller's KING'S CROSS: THE STORY OF THE WORLD IN THE LIFE OF JESUS (9780142428764, $29.95) receives a fine narration by Lloyd James, who has recorded over 500 audio books in nearly every genre and whose voice captures the drama and history in KING'S CROSS. This explores how Jesus came to be considered 'king', and calls on listeners to explore personal relationships with god. Skeptics and the faithful alike receive a fine analysis of this relationship's definitions and potentials. John Sandford's BURIED PREY (9780142429341, $39.95) receives actor Richard Ferrone's award-winning voice and provides a new Lucas Davenport thriller from the best-selling author. The bodies of two girls are discovered underneath an old house slated for demolition, involving Lucas in the investigation of an old kidnapping that hides not just murder, but a dangerous truth. Any collection strong in murder mysteries and thrillers will relish this! Michael Oher works with Don Yaeger on I BEAT THE ODDS (9780142428863, $29.95), which pairs here with Micahel Boatman's award-winning actor's voice to bring alive this story of a successful offensive tackle who overcame big odds and a Memphis inner-city ghetto world to find opportunity to success in his life. His darker experiences and feelings are explored in a survey that examines how he went form being a homeless child in Memphis to playing in the NFL. An inspirational read, this is a pick for sports and general lending libraries alike.


The Library CD Shelf

We Dreamed These Days
Michael Feinstein with the Carmel Symphony Orchestra
www.michaelfeinstein.com
DuckHole Records
25444 N. 113th Way
Scottsdale, AZ 85255
Miller Wright & Associates, Inc. (publicity)
1650 Broadway, Suite 1210, New York, NY 10019
$17.68 www.millerwright.com

Platinum-selling vocalist and pianist Michael Feinstein presents We Dreamed These Days, a captivating music CD recorded with the Carmel Symphony Orchestra, with all proceeds going to The Feinstein Foundation and the Center for the Performing Arts in Carmel. Feinstein's vocals supported by the heady orchestra reinvigorates classic theater and popular culture songs, as well as two world premier songs composed by Feinstein - the title track "We Dreamed These Days" combines Feinstein's melody with words by Dr. Maya Angelou, and "With You" has lyrics by Lindy Robbins and an arrangement created by Alan Broadbent. A first-class listening experience from beginning to end, We Dreamed These Days is a "must-have" for anyone who truly loves the art of music and wishes to support its practice while enjoying its finest distillations. The tracks are "How Do You Keep the Music Playing", "Two for the Road", "As Long As She Needs Me", "With You", "The More I See You", "There Will Never Be Another Like You", "Dream a Little Dream of Me", "What Kind of Fool am I", "I Remember You", "The Hungry Years", "When I Fall in Love/My Foolish Heart", "If They Ask Me", "I'd Rather Leave While I'm in Love", and "We Dreamed These Days".

Tonalities of Emotion
James Boyk
Performance Recordings
$25.00 www.PerformanceRecordings.com

Tonalities of Emotion is a music CD gathering concert pianist James Boyk's performances of instrumental classics. A beautiful rendition of timeless musical treasures superbly rendered, Tonalities of Emotion lives up to its title and is especially recommended for public library music CD collections. The tracks are "Bach Chromatic Fantasy & Fugue, BWV 903" (11:44), "Chopin Fantasy-Impromptu, OP. 66" (6:02), "Debussy Reflets dans l'Eau" (6:34), and "Mozart Sonata in A minor K. 310" (20:25). 44 min. 59 sec.

...and Love Rages On!
AO Music
Arcturian Gate, PO Box 8606
Asheville, NC 28814
c/o The Creative Service Company
4360 Emerald Drive
Colorado Springs, CO 80918
$16.89

...and Love Rages On! is the third album of AO Music, a group with roots in its members' love for ethnomusicology worldwide. Blending instruments and rhythms from cultures around the globe, AO Music promotes the message of "One People, One World" with its exciting ethnic fusion of sound. The pan-cultural songs will awaken and enrich the listeners with their beauty, adventurous spirit, and bold experimentation. Highly recommended, especially as a unique and original gift! the tracks are "Gaiya Lo Mane" (5:52), "In Lake'ch" (I am another you) (5:58), "Shen Deni" (6:00), "Ena Na Lena" (5:32), "Sheyu" (4:50), "Kumale Saleyo" (4:19), "Tio Da Ye" (4:53), "One Kaleo" (5:16), and "Ubuntu" (4:25). 47 min.

Mumtastic
Tareq Abboushi & Shusmo
Rock Paper Scissors
511 West 4th Street, Suite 2
Bloomington, IN 47404
$TBA www.rockpaperscissors.biz

Palestinian pianist and buzuq player Tareq Abboushi leads the quintet Shusmo, a trailblazing New York-based group that blends Arabic music with elements of funk, swing-happy jazz, and even Latin rhythms. Their latest album Mumtastic (a combination of "fantastic" and "mumtaz", the Arabic word for "excellent") offers this new style of alternative Arabic music, brimming with pulsing energy that encourages the listener to go with the flow. The difficulties of Palestinian life, from sharing the culture in exile from one's homeland to the burdens of those living in the homeland, form an integral part of Shusmo's unforgettable songs. Highly recommended. The tracks are "Longa Nakreez" (5:46), "The Time It Takes" (5:05), "Georgina +2" (5:14), "Traveling" (10:14), "Samba for Maha" (6:58), "Rasty George" (4:32), "Reprise 2" (1:47), "Bayatak" (5:39), "Interlude" (1:35), "The Wall (featuring Amir Elsaffar-Trumpet)" (7:08), "Pickles" (6:11), "Reprise 3" (2:38), and "Dal'ona" (10:49).

Making Speech Free
Utah Phillips
Free Dirt Records
PO Box 11451, Takoma Park, MD 20913
www.freedirtrecords.com
PM Press
PO Box 23912, Oakland, CA 94623
9781604863550 $15.96 www.pmpress.org

Making Speech Free is a live recording of Utah Phillips' 1999 performance as part of a Free Speech Teach-In. This sock-it-to-'em showcase of history, humor, song, and reminders of the importance of the continuing struggle directly takes on modern social, economic, and moral challenges. "Don't Mourn, Organize" and the importance of making one's voice heard is the underlying philosophy of this inspirational and solidly motivational album. Highly recommended. The tracks are "Railroading on the Great Divide", "Armed with only our sense of degradation", "No More Reds in the Union", "She favored bank robbers", "Pretty Boy Floyd", "Anybody who doesn't need a cop to tell him what to do", "The rich will not permit you to vote away their wealth", "I Got to Know Why", "All we want is to create voluntary combinations", "I Will Not Obey", "Soup", "The origin of the hiring hall and free speech rights", "Preacher and Slave", "Keep your hands in your pockets", "Bread and Roses", "The most dangerous woman in America", "The Charge on Mother Jones", "A strike is a massive act of free speech", "There's Power in the Union", "This Land is Not Our Land", and "You cannot even passively participate". 74 min.

The Wilders
Produced by Phil Wade, The Wilders and Mike West
Free Dirt Records
c/o Trade root Music Group, LLC
PO Box 11451, Takoma Park, MD 20913
c/o Make It Bigger Mama Publicity
stephanie@makeitbiggermama.com
$15.96 www.thewilders.us

The Wilders country band has released a self-titled album showcasing their talent, passion, and heart. Celebrating fifteen years of performing as a band, The Wilders album is an experience that truly makes the listener feel alive, and is an absolute treasure for anyone who has every loved any variant of country, from bluegrass to folk to modern Americana. The tracks are "Ordinary People" (4:01), "Mid November" (5:01), "Riding on Your High Horse" (2:04), "She Says (I Say)" (2:49), "Get Up Kid" (5:45), "Stay With Me" (3:38), "Pat's 25" (4:41), "Riverboat" (3:47), "L.A." (2:24), "Things They Say About Home" (3:20), "No. 7" (2:00), "This Old Town" (4:39), and "Lay Down our Guns" (4:28).

Beethoven Shreds
The Great Kat
TPR Music
c/o Thomas Public Relations, Inc.
The Parkway Plaza, 734 Walt Whitman Rd., Suite 206
Melville, NY 11747
$7.95 www.thomas-pr.com

Beethoven Shreds is a high-octane wild ride of a musical performance by The Great Kat, who may well be the fastest guitarist in the world (unless someone can step forth and challenge her title)! The Great Kat performs furious, magnificent shreds of Beethoven's classics on both the violin and the electric guitar (often with orchestra & band) in this exciting masterpiece, encouraging all generations of music lovers to experience Beethoven in a whole new way. Highly recommended! The tracks are "The Flight of the Bumble-Bee" (0:42), "Beethoven's 5th Symphony" (1:14), "Torture Techniques" (1:06), "Bach's Brandenburg Concerto #3" (1:41), "IslamoFascists" (0:50), "Bach's The Art Of The Fugue" (0:32), and "Paganini's Caprice #24" (1:30).


The Library DVD Shelf

God & Politics
Bill Moyers
Athena
c/o Acorn Media Group
8515 Georgia Avenue, Suite 620
Silver Spring, MD 20910-3403
www.acornonline.com
9781598285895 $49.99 www.athenalearning.com

Emmy and Peabody-award winning journalist Bill Moyers hosts God & Politics, a thought-provoking philosophical series about the interconnection between religion and politics in America. Although God & Politics was filmed during the Reagan presidency, its revelations are just as critical in the twenty-first century. From the Christian right's influence in Washington, D.C. to evangelical missions in Central America to organized religion's effects on the political process, God & Politics shows how faith impacts secular politics in a significant and lasting way. A twelve-page viewer's guide and a bonus disc packed with hours of extras including the "Is God Green?" 2006 documentary rounds out this highly recommended thinpack set. 3 episodes, 200 min. plus 125 min. bonus material, full screen, SDH subtitles.

Customer Service Basics: Service with a Smile
Learning ZoneXPress
PO Box 1022
Owatonna, MN 55060
$79.95 www.learningzoneexpress.com

Intended for both high school and adult viewers, Customer Service Basics: Service with a Smile is an educational DVD offering a solid grounding in the basics of customer service. Employees of the fictional Lucky Star Coffee Company learn about customer service from Mark, the shop manager, in this lighthearted presentation slightly reminiscent of a situation comedy. Security cameras have captured well-intentioned employees making common customer service mistakes that everyone should watch out for! Topics covered include the importance of listening to the customer, anticipating their needs, and admitting mistakes honestly. An excellent primer of absolutely required skills for the demanding service market, Customer Service Basics is enthusiastically recommended for high school and public library collections. 22 min.

Priceless
Habitat Media
c/o Bullfrog Films, Inc.
PO Box 149
Oley, PA 19547
1594589097 $295.00 www.bullfrogfilms.com

Priceless is a non-partisan DVD documentary exposing the deleterious effects of America's money-driven electoral system. Congress continues to deliver gigantic subsidies to the farming and energy corporations that are at the heart of severe problems, while American troops fight and die abroad. Priceless examines the dysfunctional system in close detail, especially the lobbyists and wealthy donors who have regular access to members of Congress. Special interests push forth policies that benefit themselves at the expense of America's security, quality of life, and national debt. In response, a new citizen movement is being tested in Arizona and Maine to demand drastic changes to America's flawed electoral system. Priceless is an eye-opening presentation especially recommended for high school, college, and public library collections. 58 min. (25 min. version also available on the same DVD), SDH captions.

American Indian Collection
Questar, Inc.
307 North Michigan Ave., Suite 500, Chicago, IL 60601
9781594646546 $49.99 www.questarentertainment.com

American Indian Collection is a thinpack set of six DVDs, each of which offers a different true story connected to the native peoples of the Americas; some are true-life documentaries, while others are cinematic adventures. The six programs are "Great Indian Leaders & Nations", an anthology of true stories about Chief Joseph, Crazy Horse, Geronimo, the Lakota Sioux, the Seminole, the Navajo, and many more; "Sacagawea", a biography of the Native American woman who saved the Lewis & Clark expedition from certain doom; "Spirit Bear", an inspirational documentary of a boy who spearheaded the movement to protect the beautiful and endangered spirit bears; "The Sign of the Beaver", a movie about the friendship between a young boy and a Native American set in 1768 Maine; "Windrunner", an action-packed movie about a boy whose father is imprisoned and whose life is transformed by his meeting with Wa Tho Huck; and "The Legend of Tillamook's Gold", a movie about a child who discovers a time-worn coin on the beach, which proves to be the key to a hunt for legendary Native American treasure. A thoroughly enjoyable anthology, "American Indian Collection" makes an excellent gift set and is highly recommended. 6 DVDs, over 9 hours.

The Life of Leonardo Da Vinci
Questar, Inc.
307 North Michigan Ave., Suite 500, Chicago, IL 60601
9781594646591 $29.99 www.questarentertainment.com

The Life of Leonardo Da Vinci is a DVD biography of one of the greatest geniuses of the Renaissance. Beautiful footage of many of the locations in which Da Vinci once lived and worked distinguishes this immersive portrayal of a truly extraordinary man, grounded in eyewitness accounts, evidence from history, and reconstructive speculation. Special attention is paid to Da Vinci's creation of "The Last Supper" and the "Mona Lisa", paintings that will be forever remembered as treasures of high art. Special extra features include the mini-documentaries "The Rise of Renaissance Italy", "Leonardo's Masterpieces", "Da Vinci's Inventions", "The Maestro vs. Michelangelo", and "The Works of Two Great Masters: A Timeline". An 8-page booklet rounds out this excellent and educational pick highly recommended for public library DVD collections. 2 DVDs, 270 min.

Seasonal Italian Cuisine with Chef Tom Small
Bennet Watt HD Productions, Inc.
13021 - 244 Avenue SE
Issaquah, WA 98027
$24.95 www.Bennett-Watt.com

Chef Tom Small hosts Seasonal Italian Cuisine, a set of four high-definition DVDs featuring step-by-step walkthroughs of how to traditional Italian methods to create classic dishes. "Spring" (73 min.) includes recipes for Tricolor Salad, Pesto Pizze, Lamb Chops, and Spring Frittata; "Summer" (78 min.) includes Watermelon Sald with Feta & Mint, Turkey Burger with Provolone, Fusilli with Grilled Vegetables, and a special feature on how to de-bone a chicken; "Fall" (92 min.) includes Tuscan White Bean Soup, Stracotto, Biscotti, and special features on knives and how to make homemade sausage without special equipment; and "Winter" (91 min.) includes "Goat Cheese Torta", "Butternut Squash Lasagne", and "Bread Pudding - Caramelized Apple". All of these superb, user-friendly DVDs are also available in Blu-ray and downloadable versions for the same price, and all are enthusiastically recommended for cooks of all skill and experience levels, as well as public library DVD collections.

Scenic Routes Around the World
Questar Entertainment
307 North Michigan Ave., Suite 500, Chicago, IL 60601
9781594646362 $59.99 www.questarentertainment.com

Beautifully shot in HD, Scenic Routes Around the World is a thinpack collection of six DVDs exploring some of the most captivating locations worldwide. Highlights include the Alaska Highway of the Pacific, to the Inca Trail of South America, the Danube River of Europe, India's Route of the Gods in Asia, the Path of Flowers in Japan, and the Salt Road of Africa. The sweeping splendor of Scenic Routes Around the World make it an excellent gift for armchair travelers, as well as a highly recommended pick for public library DVD collections. Over 15 hours on 6 DVDs.

Bittersweet
A film by Doron Benvenisti
Sisu Home Entertainment Inc.
340 W. 39th St., 6th fl.
New York, NY 10018
1560867213 $24.95 www.sisuent.com

An Israeli film in Hebrew with subtitles in Hebrew or English, Bittersweet is a compelling drama following three successful Israeli couples. When a mysterious fortune teller abruptly informs each of them how many children they will have, the reverberating impact of the prophecy forces each of them to confront their fears, their yearnings, and the hardest choices that they will make in their lives. Bittersweet lives up to its title and is poignantly beautiful in its portrayal of ordinary human beings who must make and follow hard choices. Highly recommended. 97 min.

Garrow's Law, series 2
Acorn Media Group
8515 Georgia Avenue, Suite 620
Silver Spring, MD 20910-3403
9781598286816 $39.99 www.acornonline.com

The second season of "Garrow's Law", an award-winning courtroom drama that takes place in 18th-century England, is now available on DVD. Set in a time when prisoners in court had next to no rights, the historical hero Garrow (played by Andrew Buchan) revolutionized how the accused were perceived; he was the first to put forth the phrase "innocent until proven guilty". His labors to defend the accused against the state made him dangerous to his dogged enemies, especially Sir Arthur Hill (played by Rupert Graves), now an assistant secretary to the admiralty. Further complicating matters, the jealous Hill fervently believes that Garrow is involved with his wife, Lady Sarah (played by Lyndsey Marshal). Ultimately, Hill's machinations place Garrow on trial for "criminal conversation", the 18th-century term for adultery; can Garrow's mentor John Southouse (played by Alun Armstrong) rescue his reputation or his career? A bonus 22-minute "William Garrow: Fact and Fiction" featurette, a behind-the-scenes photo gallery, and cast filmographies round out this brilliant period piece. 4 episodes on 2 DVDs, 240 min. plus bonus, widescreen, SDH subtitles.

The Bretts: The Complete Collection
Acorn Media Group
8515 Georgia Avenue, Suite 620
Silver Spring, MD 20910-3403
$59.99 www.acornonline.com

The Bretts: The Complete Collection gathers series 1 and 2 of the British television show co-created by "Upstairs, Downstairs" writer Rosemary Anne Sisson, that originally aired on "Masterpiece Theatre". Set in the late 1920s, The Bretts follows a wealthy family that struggles to maintain the opulent lifestyle they are familiar with by buying a West End theater to manage. The family's children include actors and a radical playwright, and their loyal yet gossip-mongering servants enliven the adventures of every day! An exquisite glimpse of the Roaring Twenties amid both humor and pathos, The Bretts is enthusiastically recommended especially to any viewer who loves tautly well-written British drama. 19 episodes on 6 discs, 16 1/4 hours.

Inception Media Group
3130 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 400, Santa Monica, CA 90403
c/o Greenleaf & Associates
vicki@greenleafandassociates.com
$19.98 each www.inceptionmediagroup.com

Two astonishingly beautiful Blu-ray DVDs from Inception, originally shown in IMAX theaters, dazzle the senses with vivid portrayals of the natural world. "Tropical Rainforest" (38 min.) takes the viewer on a tour through the dense rainforest jungles of Australia, Costa Rica, French Guiana, and Malaysia, revealing the colorful local wildlife, the majesty of the towering plant life... and warning against this land's impending destruction, as human encroachment threatens to render thousands of species extinct before they can ever be discovered. "Ring of Fire" (38 min.) explores a 30,000-mile regoing circling the Pacific Ocean that is especially prone to volcanic eruptions; yet 500 million people have adapted to life in the shadow of fiery death. From miners in Chile who extract sulphur in the heart of active volcanoes, the natural hot springs in Japan's remote "Hell Valley", Ring of Fire is a captivating documentary tour of some of mother nature's most unpredictable and dangerous lands. Both DVDs are absolutely breathtaking, and especially recommended as gifts or as choice picks for public library collections.

Down Broadway
A Bobby Woods Production
c/o Youth Sports Club (distribution)
9 Florence Court
Valley Cottage, NY 10989
$24.95 www.bobbywoodsbaseball.com

Former professional baseball player Bobby Woods presents Down Broadway: Pitching and Catching Techniques for the Modern Player, an instructional DVD teaching viewers solid baseball pitching and catching techniques, as well as how to instruct young players ages 8-18 to improve their gameplay. From pivoting and balance to fastballs, curve balls, snap throws, fielding bunts, and much more, Down Broadway is an absolutely invaluable resource for parents and coaches everywhere. Highly recommended. 50 min.

Quickfix RX: Kneehab
Jill Miller
Tune Up Fitness Worldwide, Inc.
c/o 411 Video Information (publicity)
PO Box 1223
Pebble Beach, CA 93953
$19.95 www.yogatuneup.com www.411videoinfo.com

"Yoga Tune Up" fitness therapy creator Jill Miller presents and hosts Quickfix RX: Kneehab, a fitness DVD especially for individuals who need to take extra care of their knees. Kneehab's four specialized routines, designed for those with different knee health levels, are: PreHab, a self-massage maintenance program designed to promote good knee health; KneeHab 1, a program especially to help those recovering from knee injury; KneeHab 2, a program that emphasizes knee mobility, stability, and agility as well as connection to the core; and KneeHow, a program for healthy knees emphasizing strength training exercises for peak athletic performance. A bonus segment about knee anatomy and the importance of proper hip and ankle alignment rounds out this user-friendly, absolutely indispensable fitness program for anyone who needs to pay special attention to their knees. 65 min.

Spine Balance Training
Marianna Szoke
Body & Soul Wellness Inc.
c/o 411 Video Information (publicity)
PO Box 1223
Pebble Beach, CA 93953
$19.95 www.body-soul.hu/English www.411videoinfo.com

Certified personal trainer, Pilates Master trainer, Yoga trainer, nutritionist and wellness consultant Marianna Szoke presents Spine Balance Training, a fitness DVD emphasizing exercises designed to strengthen muscles, promote balance, and prevent backbone, back, neck, and shoulder pain. Classic Pilates moves with elements of yoga and tai chi enhance this solid program that lives up to its title. A user-friendly, low-impact workout DVD that requires no viewer expertise in Pilates or Yoga and no expensive equipment, Spine Balance Training is highly recommended. 45 min.

Exhale: Core Fusion Cardio - Pure Intensity
with Fred DeVito and Elisabeth Halfpapp
Acacia
8515 Georgia Avenue, Suite 650
Silver Spring, MD 20910
9781598286052 $16.99 www.acacialifestyle.com

Exhale: Core Fusion Cardio - Pure Intensity is the first cardio workout DVD from Exhale's popular fitness line. Consisting of five 10-minute workouts (plus a bonus stretching segment) designed to promote weight loss as well as sculpt abs, tone legs, and strengthen arms and glutes, Exhale: Core Fusion Cardio requires no expensive exercise equipment, only light hand weights. Husband and wife team Fred DeVito and Elisabeth Halfpapp, who have more than 5 years of combined experience instructing Pilates, Lotte Berk Method, yoga, and dance, distill their expertise into this easy-to-follow exercise video that can easily be tailored to suit the needs of fitness buffs of all skill and experience levels. Highly recommended. 60 min., widescreen.

The Booty Barre Plus Abs & Arms
Tracey Mallett
c/o 411 Video Information
PO Box 1223
Pebble Beach, CA 93953
$19.95 www.411videoinfo.com

Part of the fitness series combining the physical benefits of yoga, Pilates, ballet and dance, The Booty Barre Plus Abs & Arms is a solid workout DVD consisting of a dance fusion warm-up, an arm section involving 3-5 pound dumbbells along with Pilates and ballet-inspired arm work, a "barre" section focusing on standing abdominal work with high-energy fitness intervals, and a final core section of exercises grounded in Pilates and Yoga with the option to include a dumbbell. Aside from the dumbbells, the only equipment needed are a sturdy chair and an optional exercise ball. An invigorating workout that lives up to its title, The Booty Barre Plus Abs & Arms is enthusiastically recommended not only for fitness buffs, but also for viewers of all fitness levels seeking to strengthen and tone their muscles. 1 hour 20 min.


The Christian Studies Shelf

Believe in Love
Brendan Leahy
New City Press
202 Comforter Blvd., Hyde Park, NY 12538
9781565484214, $13.95, www.newcitypress.com

Catholics everywhere hold a special place in their heart for the former pope. "Believe in Love: The Life, Ministry, and Teachings of John Paul II" is about this pope who is remembered fondly and is already in talks of beatification. Recounting his education, writings, and how it has strongly changed the path of modern Christianity, "Believe in Love" is a choice pick for anyone who wants to gain a greater appreciation of the work that Pope John Paul II brought to the faith.

The Emergent Christ
Ilia Delio
Orbis Books
PO Box 308, Maryknoll, NY 10545-0308
9781570759086, $22.00, www.orbisbooks.com

The Emergent Christ is a fine Christian theological exploration considering the meaning of Catholic in a changing universe. From exploring shocking core beliefs in Christianity to considering how the Church can evolve and new interpretations of Jesus' role, this provides a powerful pick for any Christian collection strong in spiritual analysis.

True and False Reform in the Church
Yves Congar
Liturgical Press
Box 7500, Collegeville, MN 56321
9780814656938, $39.95, www.litpress.org

True and False Reform in the Church is translated by Paul Philibert, and provides a thought-provoking assessment of Catholic church reform potentials and a council called upon to update the church's capacity to reach into the modern world. Congar's survey describes real reform that changes doctrines and reaches minds, and is a 'must' classic for any library strong in Catholic church teachings and approaches to ideas of reform past and present.

Unplanned
Abby Johnson with Cindy Lambert
Ignatius Press
PO Box 1339, Fort Collins, CO 80522
9781414348353, $22.99, www.zondervan.com

UNPLANNED provides an autobiography by a former Planned Parenthood leader who provides a vivid account of her journey from becoming an abortion clinic director to her spiritual awakening and her movement away from the plans of the clinic. From her early understanding of the mission and goals of Planned Parenthood to her insider's perspective of their work and practices, this is more than an autobiography: it's a social history and survey of abortion rights and issues recommended for any spirituality or social issues shelf.

The Social Mission of the U.S. Catholic Church
Charles E. Curran
Georgetown University Press
3240 Prospect St., NW, Washington DC 20007
9781589017436, $26.95, www.press.georgetown.edu

The Social Mission of the U.S. Catholic Church explains how institutions like the Catholic Church and movements like the Catholic Worker Movement are key to the church's primary mission - but also maintains that all baptized members of the Church actually have more influence as they live out the church's mission daily. The social mission is key to both faith and community involvement, and this presentation identifies and focuses on the Church's main social mission since Vatican II. Any Catholic collection needs this outstanding survey of morality and faith.

From Mounds to Megachurches
David S. Williams
University of Georgia Press
330 Research Drive
Athens, GA, 30602-4901
9780820331751, $26.95, www.ugapress.org

From Mounds to Megachurches: Georgia's Religious Heritage provides a fine overview of the role religion has played in Georgia's history, from precolonial days to modern times, and provides a fine survey of evolving religious trends in the state. Any collection concerned with representing regional American religious trends will find this packed with stories of key Georgia political and religious figures whose beliefs affected the states and often dictated denominational battles. A lively social and religious survey, this is a pick for any collection strong in regional or Southern American history.

Praying Through Your Adoption
Michele Cervone Scott
WinePress Publishing
PO Box 428, Enumclaw, WA 98022
9781606150832, $15.99, www.michelecscott.com

Adoption is a taxing process on the soul of all those involved, but can lead to great results. "Praying Through Your Adoption: A Complete Guide to Creating and Nurturing Today's Forever Family" discusses the endeavor of the 'paper pregnancy' of adoption, and the role of faith in the adoption process. From discussing if adoption is the right choice for your family, prayer for the process and your new ward, and using faith to introduce your child into your life. "Praying Through Your Adoption" is a solid and thoughtful read for any Christian family pursuing adoption.

Praying Through a Child's Illness
Wessel Bentley
Upper Room Books
1908 Grand Avenue, Nashville, TN 37212
9780835810647, $10.00, www.upperroom.org

With all options exhausted, it may be in God's hands alone. "Praying Through a Child's Illness: 28 Days of Prayer" is a guide from Wessel Bentley aimed at parents who are facing the unthinkable and have no ways to help. Prayer may help the parent and the child keep their heads and keep their faith through these difficult times, as Bentley presents a 28 day plan. "Praying Through a Child's Illness: 28 Days of Prayer" is a powerful read for Christian parents trying to grasp how to deal with these unfortunate incidents of life.

Believers Church Bible Commentary
J. E. McDermond
Herald Press
616 Walnut Avenue, Scottsdale, PA 15683-1999
9780836195552, $24.99, www.heraldpress.com

The basis of the Gospel of John is simple. Love for Christ, and love for others. "Believers Church Bible Commentary: 1, 2, 3 John" is the breakdown of the gospel from J. E. McDermond as he explains the basics of Christ's message to John, and he argues that these two principles are very important as time rolls on. For those who want to fully understand the message behind the Gospel of John, "Believers Church Bible Commentary" is an absolute must, a core addition to any Christian and Bible study collection.

Life is Hard But God is Good
Adele J. Gonzalez
Orbis Books
Price Bldg, Box 302
Maryknoll, NY 10545
9781570759260, $16.00, www.orbisbooks.com

The grace of God is easily lost when the world seems to be nothing but cruelty. "Life is Hard but God is Good: An Inquiry into Suffering" is a guide to finding and understanding God when one seems so lost and unable to cope with the high cruelty of our lives. Adele J. Gonzalez, a woman of spirituality who has worked with others finding their path, writes with devotion and inspiration. "Life is Hard But God is Good" is filled with excellent wisdom and is very much recommended reading for Christian readers who have experienced doubt through suffering, either their own or others.

Renovation of the Church
Kent Carlson & Mike Lueken
InterVarsity Press
PO Box 1400, Downers Grove, IL 60515-1426
9780830835461, $15.00, www.ivpress.com

The place of worship is a dedication to God above all else. "Renovation of the Church: What Happens When a Seeker Church Discovers Spiritual Formation" is the story of Kent Carlson and Mike Lueken as they tell the story of their church in Oak Hills, California. They tell of how God spoke to them and advised them, making them give up their own ambition in order to face a more genuine faith. "Renovation of the Church" is a modern story of God's influence and following His word, despite the consequences and opinions of others, highly recommended.

Church Diversity
Scott Williams
New Leaf Press
PO Box 726, Green Forest, AR 72638
9780892217038, $13.99, www.newleafpress.net

Faith has long since ceased being the uniter of communities. "Church Diversity: Sunday, the Most Segregated Day of the Week" discusses the splintering of church in our communities, being split on the factors of race, class, and other beliefs that send many Christians into different churches every Sunday to worship the same God. Stating that this segregation has telling signs on society and other elements, Scott Williams speaks clearly on the importance of diversity in church, making "Church Diversity" an important read for anyone who realizes that Churches shouldn't be color coded.

The Me Project
Kathi Lipp
Harvest House Publishing
990 Owen Loop North, Eugene, Oregon 97402-9173
9780736929660, $12.99, www.harvesthousepublishers.com

You are the focus of your own life, and it's up to you to live it as you want it. "The Me Project: 21 Days to Living the Life You've Always Wanted" is a motivational guide from Kathi Lipp as she advises readers to find God, use him and themselves to find what they really want and how to use three weeks of your life to push oneself onto that path they feel is right. From improving attitudes to finding associates that will help you stay the course, "The Me Project" is a thoughtful and driven read that shouldn't be overlooked for Christian women who have grown dissatisfied with their path.

The Development of LDS Temple Worship
Devery S. Anderson, editor
Signature Books
564 West 400 North, Salt Lake City, UT 84116-3411
9781560852117, $49.95, www.signaturebooks.com

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has some customs to outsiders that are not entirely understood. "The Development of LDS Temple Worship, 1846-2000: A Documentary History" seeks to explain these customs through explaining their history. From the earliest days where the church still traveled towards its famed Utah stronghold to the resistance to changes and how it has developed over the past century and a half, Devery S. Anderson presents a complete and comprehensive understanding of the Mormon form of worship that will prove a fascinating read to Mormon and non-Mormon reader alike. "The Development of LDS Temple Worship, 1846-2000" is a fascinating study of history and culture, very much recommended reading.

On Your Mark
William J. O'Malley
Liturgical Press
St. John's Abbey, PO Box 7500, Collegeville, MN 56321-7500
9780814633502, $19.95, www.litpress.org

To be a student of the scripture only requires the scripture. "On Your Mark: Reading Scripture Without a Teacher" is a guide for those who want to study the Bible who want learn to understand the scripture for its intended message, and not just literalism. Stating that many modern Biblical commentaries assume deep study in other material. William O'Malley, a religion teacher of many years hopes to equip readers with all they need to know to approach the ancient text, to draw their own understanding of life and everything else. "On Your Mark" is a must for anyone who wants to know scripture better themselves, starting with the Gospel of Mark.


The Archaeology Shelf

Stone and Dung, Oil and Spit
Jodi Magness
Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.
2140 Oak Industrial Drive N. E., Grand Rapids, MI 49505
9780802865588, $25.00, www.eerdmans.com

Understanding life two thousand years ago can give great understanding to the ministry of Christ and why people followed him as they did. "Stone and Dung, Oil and Spit: Jewish Daily Life in the Time of Jesus" is a study of archaeological discoveries made in recent times looking at the century around the time of Jesus, in hopes to gain a greater understanding of every day life in the period. From toilet habits, the Sabbath, rituals of the dead, and much more, "Stone and Dung, Oil and Spit" is an excellent read for those curious about the lives of Israelis two thousand years ago, and wants to understand the story of Jesus of Nazareth more completely.


The Law/Justice Shelf

The Solemn Sentence of Death
Lawrence B. Goodheart
University of Massachusetts Press
PO Box 429
Amherst, MA 01004
9781558498471 $28.95 www.umass.edu/umpress

The Solemn Sentence of Death: Capital Punishment in Connecticut lives up to its title as an in-depth study of the practice in the only New England state that has executed people since 1960. Studying the history of the death penalty in Connecticut from the 1600's to the modern day, The Solemn Sentence of Death examines the crimes for which death was prescribed as punishment, and also explores how execution became less frequent and subject to lengthy appeals processes in modern times - but the practice still persists. A methodical, solidly written, and reflective study, highly recommended especially for social issues and Connecticut history shelves.

Three Felonies a Day
Harvey A. Silvergate
Encounter Books
900 Broadway, Suite 601
New York, NY 10003-1239
9781594035227, $17.95, www.encounterbooks.com

You may be a felon and not even know it. "Three Felonies a Day: How Feds Target the Innocent" is a deconstruction of today's federal crime laws that are broad, vague, and almost impossible to avoid violating. Harvey Silvergate holds modern law has been disconnected from common law and due process and can easily be used for control and pinning crimes on the most innocent of people. Stating that it targets people of any level and it threatens America's very nature and spirit, "Three Felonies a Day" is a fascinating discussion of law and how law isn't very lawful anymore.


The International Studies Shelf

No Word for Welcome
Wendy Call
University of Nebraska Press
1111 Lincoln Mall Ste. 400, Lincoln, NE 68588-0630
9780803235106, $29.95, www.nebraskapress.unl.edu

The rapid prominence of a global economy does not come without its struggles. "No Word for Welcome: The Mexican Village Faces the Global Economy" discusses the challenges faced by these smaller Mexican communities and the challenges put before them. Farmland that once provided their livelihood has been replaced with highways, environmental issues threaten them, and leave them without a way to produce the product they need to get by. A deep study of the effects of this rapid change, "No Word for Welcome" is an excellent study of these factors that are affecting smaller communities all around the world.

Feeling Canadian
Marusya Bociurkiw
Wilfrid Laurier University Press
75 University Avenue West, Waterloo, ON Canada N2L 3C5
9781554582686, $32.95, www.wlupress.wlu.ca

The last thing Canadians want to be is American, even if it means following some guy in a beer commercial. "Feeling Canadian: Television, Nationalism, and Affect" is a study of Canadian popular culture and identity through the lens of Canadian television. Author Dr. Marusya Bociurkiw presents an intriguing study on what much of Canada's identity and Canadianism comes from what they see on television, be it from commercials, dramas, or other television offerings. "Feeling Canadian" is a fascinating study of the Canadian culture, a solid addition to any cultural studies collection in community and college libraries.


The Nautical Shelf

Ice Navigation
Norvald Kjerstad
Tapir Academic Press
c/o International Specialized Book Services
920 NE 58th Ave., Suite 300
Portland, OR 97213-3786
9788251927604, $76.00, www.tapirforlag.no

Sailing through ice is a treacherous task, something that hasn't been undertaken since recent history. "Ice Navigation" discusses the process of sailing through ice and frost, a very difficult and potentially deadly process. Norvald Kjerstad demonstrates knowledge in every step of the process of preparing for an expedition through these Arctic regions. From specifications of ship technology, geological concerns, what to expect from the environment, regulations, and much more. Designed as both an introductory and a reference guide for those whose journeys will take them to an ice ridden regions. "Ice Navigation" is complete and comprehensive reading, compiled by a professor who has been working with this area for expertise for some decades.

Celestial Navigation in the GPS Age, revised edition
John Karl
Paradise Cay Publications
Box 29, Arcata, CA 95518
9780939837755, $24.95, www.paracay.com

Celestial Navigation in the GPS Age appears in a revised, expanded edition tailored for navigation in the GPS age. Its main focus is on using the scientific calculator to chart courses, presenting equations that can be keyed into a calculator and offering a basic understanding of the concepts of celestial navigation. From new ways to plot lines of position to checking a sextant by star sights and telling time from a moon sight, this packs in all the basics on celestial navigation processes in a top pick for any nautical library.

Sheridan House Inc.
145 Palisade St, Dobbs Ferry, NY 10522
www.sheridanhouse.com

Boat owners seeking basic coverage of boat systems will find two new nautical titles by John C. Payne to be intriguing and inviting. UNDERSTANDING BOAT REFRIGERATION AND AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEMS (9781574093001, $16.95) comes from an authority on marine electrical systems and electronics and provides a fine basic survey of refrigeration principles, systems, and typical boat systems from ice makers and air conditioning to heating. UNDERSTANDING BOAT DC ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT (9781574093018, $16.95) covers all types of boat electrical systems, from dc electrical motors and lighting systems to anchors windlasses and propulsion systems. Both are basic easy reference introductions for any boat owner who wants to absorb the basics.

2011-12 Sailor's Guide to the Windward Islands
Chris Doyle
Cruising Guide Publications
Box 1017, Dunedin, FL 34697-1017
9780944428900, $29.95, www.cruisingguides.com

The 15th updated edition of Sailor's Guide to the Windward Islands has been revised and updated and features detailed sketch charts based on the author's own surveys, and aerial photos of most anchorages. Navigational details and more cover the islands from Martinique to Grenada and offers fine sections on everything from services to GPS points and local links for weather and more. A 'must' for any sailor planning a trip to the Windwards, this is all presented in lay-flat binding for quick, easy access.


The Language Studies Shelf

Show of Hands
David F. Armstrong
Gallaudet University Press
800 Florida Avenue, NE Washington, DC 20002-3695
9781563684883, $35.00, www.gupress.gallaudet.edu

Communication will happen with or without hearing. "Show of Hands: A Natural History of Sign Language" chronicles the history of sign language, and perhaps indirectly, the history of language as a whole. From the earliest states of human history and perhaps a bit further back, David F. Armstrong discusses how sign language has developed in both the hearing and non hearing worlds. With a focus on deafness and its effects on history, "Show of Hands" is a strong addition to any language and deaf studies collection on the bigger picture of it all.


The Sports Shelf

The Fielding Bible
John Dewan
ACTA Sports
5559 W. Howard Street, Skokie, IL 60077
9780879463717, $23.95, www.actasports.com

They aren't the sluggers who become stars, but the fielders are invaluable in a successful baseball team. "The Fielding Bible: Break-through Analysis of Major League Baseball Defense -- by Team and Player" is a breakdown of the defenses of many major league teams discusses and gives credit to these titans of baseball defense, as John Dewan discusses how we can measure success of these players by how many runs they saved, and how the fielders of the MLB stack up to one another and throughout history. "The Fielding Bible" is a must for any hardcore baseball fan who realizes it's the complete game that makes the team.

The Greatest Game Ever Pitched
Jim Kaplan
Triumph Books
The Pontiac Building, 542 South Dearborn St., Suite 750
Chicago, Illinois 60605
9781600783418 $24.95 www.triumphbooks.com

The Greatest Game Ever Pitched: Juan Marichal, Warren Spahn, and the Pitching Duel of the Century is a dual sports biography of Juan Marichal and Warren Spahn, culminating in their unforgettable July, 1963 pitching duel that lasted 16 innings. A handful of black-and-white photographs enhance this study of two extraordinary sports players, and the lives they led up to and beyond their titanic conflict. Accessible to readers of all backgrounds, The Greatest Game Ever Pitched is an especial treasury for baseball fans.

Nobody's Perfect
Armando Galarraga and Jim Joyce with Daniel Paisner
Atlantic Monthly
c/o Grove/Atlantic, Inc.
841 Broadway
New York, NY 10003-4793
9780802119889 $24.00 www.groveatlantic.com

A "perfect game" in baseball is when there are no hits, no walks, and no men reaching base. Nobody's Perfect: Two Men, One Call, and a Game for Baseball History is the true story of what should have been the twenty-first perfect game in 130 years of Major League Baseball - only it wasn't, because the veteran umpire Jim Joyce missed the call on the final out. Joyce admitted his error after seeing a replay of the game; but pitcher Armando Galarraga did not protest; he simply continued to pitch, mentioning "Nobody's perfect," in the locker room later. The game would later be named the number-one sports story of the year by "Time" magazine; "Nobody's Perfect" brings the full story the great players and the nail-biting tense moments to life. Written in lively prose accessible to readers of all backgrounds, "Nobody's Perfect" is a choice pick for baseball fans.

The Lure of Long Distances
Robin Harvie
Public Affairs
250 West 57th St., Suite 1321, New York NY 10107
9781610390200, $24.99, www.publicaffairsbooks.com

The Lure of Long Distances: Why We Run comes from an amateur ultra-distance runner who has never broken a record and never completed a marathon in less than 3 hours 12 minutes - but he can run the distance. His survey of long-distance running spans his year of preparation for a 152-mile, non-stop run, the Spartathlon, and explores running lore and history in a fine bled of memoir and history especially recommended for any sports collection.

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

Thomas W. Rowland, MD's THE ATHLETE'S CLOCK; HOW BIOLOGY AND TIME AFFECT SPORT PERFORMANCE (0736082743, $19.95) uses conclusions from science and experience to show how different aspects of time affect sport performance. Readers will understand how athletes control sport performance, and optimal times of day for training, and receive a series of vignettes and assessments from sports around the world. The focus on how internal rhythms 'sync' with sports requirements makes for a fine focus perfect for any sports or health collection. Brian Sharkey's FITNESS ILLUSTRATED (9780736081580, $21.95) provides a unique guide to how the body changes with increased activity, from how muscles gain strength to the effects of aerobics on the heart. Color illustrations, photos, and advice link fitness to physiological changes and makes this a top pick for any sports or health collection. Jeff Carpenter and Christina Sinclair edit PHYSICAL BEST ACTIVITY GUIDE: MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL LEVELS (0736081186, $29.00), which appears in its third updated edition to present a program developed by physical educators. This new edition offers a chapter blending aerobic fitness, endurance and flexibility activities with a CD-ROM of reproducibles, posters, charts and worksheets and a section on Internet resources.


The Civil War Shelf

Cyrus Hamlin's Civil War
David M. Gold
Heritage Books
100 Railroad Ave, Suite 104
Westminster, Maryland 21157-4826
9780788453298 $19.50 www.heritagebooks.com

Cyrus Hamlin's Civil War: Letters of the Vice President's Son on the Civil War and Reconstruction gathers the correspondence of the son of Lincoln's first vice president, covering the American Civil War from its inception to a horrible New Orleans race riot to early Reconstruction politics in Louisiana. Hamlin was no ordinary soldier; he chased Stonewall Jackson in Shenandoah Valley, and he served as an officer in Brigadier General Daniel Ullmann's brigade of black soldiers. This amazing insider testimony of the Ullmann Brigade, combined with Hamlin's observation of the powerful figures he interacted with, distinguish his Civil War letters; though Hamlin himself was not an especially gifted intellectual, he gives an honest, up-front and unforgettable accounting of a chaotic time in the United States' history. An appendix and bibliographical note round out this excellent contribution to primary source testimonies of the Civil War.


The Metaphysical Studies Shelf

The Survival of the Soul
Lisa Williams
Hay House
Box 5100, Carlsbad, CA 92018-5100
9781401928049, $24.95, www.hayhouse.com

The Survival of the Soul comes from a medium/clairvoyant who offers evidence of the Afterlife and who uses different new age channels, from meditation to psychic readings and spirit guides, to address the common questions surrounding this topic. From finding a guiding spirit to why we fear death and seeking answers from beyond, this is a fine addition to any new age collection.

Tarot Diva
Sasha Graham
Llewellyn Worldwide, LTD.
2143 Wooddale Drive, Woodbury, MN 55125
9780738726045, $18.95, www.llewellyn.com

TAROT DIVA comes from a professional tarot diva who offers a new perspective on the art of card reading. She draws important links between tarot readings and using the cards as a tool for discovering inner strengths and new directions, offering chapters that teach tarot basics and new approaches to exploring each card's energies. From exercises to meditations, spells and fashion tips, this provides a wide-ranging set of perspectives on tarot perfect for any new age collection.

The Shadow's Gift
Robin Robertson, Ph.D.
Weiser
c/o Red Wheel/Weiser/Conari
65 Parker st., Suite 7, Newburyport, MA 01950
9780892541645, $16.95, www.redwheelweiser.com

THE SHADOW'S GIFT: FIND OUT WHO YOU REALLY ARE talks about the Shadow of darkness and evil in each of us - and why we must embrace and accept it, in order to become whole. Denying the Shadow twists its true meaning - and this book discusses beliefs in the Shadow and uses stories of real people's lives, Biblical and fantasy literature alike to consider the Shadow's presence and importance in our lives. New age collections will find this a winner!

Psychic Self-Defense
Dion Fortune
Red Wheel/Weiser/Conari
65 Parker Street, Suite 7
Newburyport, MA 01950-4600
9781578635092 $16.95 www.redwheelweiser.com

Psychic Self-Defense: The Classic Instruction Manual for Protecting Yourself Against Paranormal Attack is a classic occult manual by Dion Fortune (1891-1946), who herself survived psychic attack at a young age. Her instructional text reaches beyond simple safeguarding against psychic intrusion and supernatural encounters, warning readers that the greatest dangers can come from human ignorance - malignance in the mind of fellow human beings inexorably transforming into a horrific and hostile force. "I well remember it being said to me by an occultist of great experience that two things are necessary for safety in occultism, right motives and right associates. We lull ourselves into false security if we believe that good intentions are sufficient protection." As relevant today as it was the better part of a century ago, Psychic Self-Defense is highly recommended especially for metaphysical studies shelves.

The Real Men in Black
Nick Redfern
New Page Books
c/o Career Press
220 West Parkway, Unit 12
Pompton Plains, NJ 07444
9781601631572, $19.99, www.newpagebooks.com

Are there people working solely to prevent the truth from getting out there? "The Real Men in Black: Evidence, Famous Cases, and True Stories of These Mysterious Men and Their Connection to UFO Phenomena" discusses the existence of a real Men in Black whose supposed task is silencing those who have witnessed UFOs and other bizarre phenomena. Nick Redfern seeks to offer his evidence of such a group throughout the world and how they have interfered in the discovery of these bizarre things throughout the world. "The Real Men in Black" is worth considering for anyone who wants to understand these figures who are mysterious as the things they try to prevent.

Maps of the Ancient Sea Kings
Charles H. Hapgood
Adventures Unlimited Press
1 Adventure Place, Kempton, IL 60946
0932813429, $19.95, www.adventuresunlimitedpress.com

Prehistory holds many mysteries to our world. "Maps of the Ancient Sea Kings" searches for the evidence of an ancient culture that predates ancient Egypt by thousands of years. A reprinting of a 1966 book from Charles Hapgood, it focuses on the curiosity of a map that shows Antarctica, centuries before it was sighted by explorers officially. Stating that it may have been knowledge of a far advanced civilization that understood Antarctica's ice age origins and map making skill beyond that of typical 16th century Europe, "Maps of Ancient Sea Kings" is a worth while pick for metaphysical students of prehistory's mysteries and the origins of civilization.

The Medium Next Door
Maureen Hancock
Health Communications, Inc.
3201 S. W. 15th Street
Deerfield Beach, FL 33442-8190
9780757315640, $14.95, www.hcibooks.com

Hearing the voices of the dead can lead you through a very strange lot in life. "The Medium Next Door: Adventures of a Real-Life Ghost Whisperer" is a memoir of Maureen Hancock as she tells her story of her common life turned common. A mother who is struggling to raise her children like any other, who just happens to be able to come in contact with the dead. She tells her story of how she learned of her talent, and how she has used it in her career to expose fraud. "The Medium Next Door" is a unique story of the metaphysical and memoir that blends real life challenges and the pressures of contacting the other side.

Do You Quantum Think?
Dianne Collins
Select Books
1 Union Square West, Suite 909
New York City, NY 10003
9781590790748, $24.95, www.selectbooks.com

Ten years ago, it was laughable that the entire internet could fit on our pockets, with much ease. It's a reality now without much impressiveness. "Do You Quantum Think?: New Thinking That Will Rock Your World" discusses thinking and consciousness in our science dominated 21st century. Stating that the old trains of thoughts won't work with the future, Dianne Collins presents a fascinating break down of thought and what the future world holds for our train of thought. With a discussion of future politics, social issues, spirituality, and much more, "Do You Quantum Think?" is a fine and fascinating look at the future of human thought.

The Ghost Detectives' Guide to Haunted San Francisco
Loyd Auerbach & Annette Martin
Craven Street Books
c/o Linden Books/Quill Driver Books
2006 S. Mary St., Fresno, CA 93721
9781610350075, $14.95, www.quilldriverbooks.com

The history of San Francisco is a riveting one of hopes, dreams, and the failures of both. "The Ghost Detectives' Guide to Haunted San Francisco" is a guide to the paranormally curious to the many haunted sights, not-sights, and creepy sounds that lurk with this city. With notes on Alcatraz, Chinatown, and many less famous destinations, "The Ghost Detective's Guide to Haunted San Francisco" is a must for any amateur ghost hunter who may be visiting the city soon.

Elder Gods of Antiquity
M. Don Schorn
Ozark Mountain Publishing
PO Box 754, Huntsville, AR 72740
9781886940994, $17.00, www.ozarkmt.com

There is a past to the earth and humanity that we shall never know all the answers to. "Elder Gods of Antiquity" looks into our deep prehistory in looking for answers. Metaphysical in approach, M. Don Schorn hopes to investigate the existence of extraterrestrial influence in our history and hopes to find a new understanding of what lied deep in our history, the foundations of our mythology, and much more. "Elder Gods of Antiquity" is a choice pick for any metaphysical studies collection.

The Lovers' Tarot Deck
Jane Lyle
Connections Book Publishing
c/o Red Wheel/Weiser/Conari
65 Parker Street, Suite 7
Newburyport, MA 01950-4600
9781859061848 $14.95 www.redwheelweiser.com

The Tarot has long been a means of divining matters of love and relationships, of 'tall dark strangers' and anticipated soul mates. Now author and metaphysical expert Jane Lyle has developed a truly striking and memorable set of 78 tarot cards in glorious color showcasing a distinctly visual theme of romance. Of special note is the inclusion of a 64-page instruction book for those new to tarot readings. Superbly illustrated, "The Lovers' Tarot Deck" is especially recommended for both students and seasoned practitioners seeking insights into all matters of the heart and hearth.


The Martial Arts Shelf

Sunset Tai Chi
Ramel Rones
YMAA Publication Center
PO Box 480, Wolfeboro, NH 03894
9781594392122, $20.95, www.ymaa.com

Relaxation can be an artform all in itself. "Sunset Tai Chi: Simplified Tai Chi for Relaxation and Longevity" discusses how Tai Chi can be used by anyone to improve their quality of life. Ramel Rones, world renowned martial artist shows how simple exercises from the art can play well into one's life, improving rest time, sleep, clearing one's mind, and overall general health, while combating many ailments that set in from poor health. "Sunset Tai Chi" is worth considering for anyone who feels even their relaxation is too stressful.


The Theatre/Cinema Shelf

Stagecraft
Robert Blumenfeld
Limelight Editions
c/o Hal Leonard
33 Plymouth Street, Suite 302, Montclair, NJ 07042
9780879103842, $19.99, www.limelighteditions.com

A character is more than a description and loosely connected pile of traits. "Stagecraft: Stanislavsky & External Acting Techniques" is a guide to embracing acting from Robert Blumenfeld, as he advises would be actors on how to use the Stanislavsky method of acting, of developing a character on the stage, knowing the many details that will be known on the stage and that will lead to more authentic performances on the stage. Looking not only the lessons of Stanislavsky but his successors, "Stagecraft" will prove an excellent pick for an scholar of acting who reads with a curiosity or wants to enhance their own performances.

Fade to Black
Michael Thomas Barry
Schiffer
4880 Lower Valley Road, Atglen, PA 19310
9780764337093, $24.99, www.schifferbooks.com

The immortality of film doesn't extend to the actors themselves, and a last monument to memory is all the families and fans of them have to remember them. "Fade to Black: Graveside Memories of Hollywood Greats 1927-1950" is a tour guide to the grave site memorials to many of the legends of Hollywood during said era, offering a profile of each, noting their most famed works, what is left of their earthly remains, and where their memorial site can be found. "Fade to Black" is a strong pick for any diehard fan of this classical era of cinema.

Forgotten Hollywood Forgotten History
Manny Pacheco
Book Publishers Network
Box 2256, Bothell, WA 98041
1935359169, $18.95, www.bookpublishersnetwork.com

Forgotten Hollywood Forgotten History teaches how to experience history through Hollywood films and provides the author's studies of motion pictures to show how history has been represented through Hollywood's images. It focuses on the character actresses and actors who have delivered solid performances and reviews timeless films that have captured American history on screen. Any film library will find this a lively survey.

So, You're a Creative Genius... (Now What?)
Carl King
Michael Wiese Productions
12400 Ventura Blvd. #1111, Studio City CA 91604
9781932907926, $18.95, www.mwp.com

So, You're a Creative Genius... (Now What?) tells how to create a distinct place in media, and will appeal to artists, musicians, web designers and writers alike. It's a special pick for performing arts and film reference collections: packed with tips on the creative career process and marketing a creative company, it's filled with tested, successful recommendations by an author who's collaborated with many creative people. Highly recommended!


The Homeowner's Shelf

The Complete Guide to Room Additions
Black & Decker
Creative Publishing International
400 First Avenue North, Suite 300
Minneapolis, MN 55401
9781589234826, $24.99, www.creativepub.com

Expansion is one way to keep a home meeting your needs and dreams. "The Complete Guide to Room Additions" discusses the many ins and outs of do-it-yourself home improvement on the scale of adding rooms to one's home. Adding on to one's home is very much cheaper than buying a new home when one's old home fails to meet your needs. In a comprehensive guide, Black & Decker walk readers through the planning stages, converting old rooms, and all the details in the process. For anyone planning expansion of their home, they'd do well to consider "The Complete Guide to Room Additions".

Estimating Electrical Construction Revised
Mark C. Tyler
Craftsman
6058 Corte del Cedro, PO Box 6500, Carlsbad, CA 92018
9781572182530, $59.00, www.craftsman-book.com

The estimate is a key aspect of the business, affecting customer satisfaction quite strongly. "Estimating Electrical Construction Revised: Step-by-Step Procedures for Manual and Computerized Electrical Estimating" is a guide for electricians and those who will need contract work to electricians on understanding the process to the fullest and trying to get it as accurate as possible. Processes discussed are project election, bidding, overhead estimation, the use of PCs, and many other aspects. A technical guide that is complete and comprehensive, "Estimating Electrical Construction Revised" is a must for anyone who is going to be tasked with an electrician's contract estimate.


The Interior Design Shelf

Pale & Interesting
Atlanta Bartlett & Dave Coote
Ryland Peters & Small
519 Broadway, 5th Floor, New York NY 10012
9781849751124, $29.95, www.rylandpeters.com

PALE & INTERESTING: DECORATING WITH WHITES, PASTELS AND NEUTRALS FOR A WARM AND WELCOMING HOME comes from a stylist and designer who have a shared passion for decorating with subtle shades. This book is packed with insights into their look, which offers a creative approach to creating a stylish home perfect for easy living. Key elements of shades, texture and form provides suggestions for using both new and recycled, reused materials to decorate and display possessions, with chapters covering the entire home's arrangement. Interior design collections and homeowner's libraries will find this appealing and specific.

Simply Imperfect
Robyn Griggs Lawrence
New Society Publishers
PO Box 189, Gabriola Island
British Columbia, Canada V0R 1X0
9780865716919, $22.95, www.newsociety.com

Simplicity is an art form lost on many in the modern day. "Simply Imperfect: Revisiting the Wabi-Sabi House" discusses the simplicity and axing the superficial around one's home and breaking free of the consumerism bug. Robyn Griggs Lawrence advises readers on how to purge clutter and crowdedness out of one's home wisely, using cheap and salvaged items in your home, and the power of self-construction. Embracing spirituality and clear headedness in design, "Simply Imperfect" is filled with strong wisdom for anyone who is tired of paying money for unhappiness in their home.


The Money/Finance Shelf

Microsoft Excel for Stock and Option Traders
Jeff Augen
FT Press
c/o Pearson
1330 Avenue of the Americans, 35th floor
New York, NY 10019
9780137131822, $49.99, www.ftpress.com

Grasping and understanding data is a key avenue of success when investing money in today's market. "Microsoft Excel for Stock and Option Traders" is a guide for those who want to use this common software to enhance their success in the market today. Explaining the basics of a trading platform, how to use Excel to collect your information and write macros for more ease of analysis, Jeff Augen does well in explaining how to get the most out of the software. The aim of the program is to spot trends as they form so one can grab growing properties for maximum profit. A guide that places great and appropriate emphasis on the business power of knowledge and success, "Microsoft Excel for Stock and Option Traders" is very much recommended reading for anyone who wants to enhance their market playing skills, and for community library collections dedicated to trading.


The Religion/Spirituality Shelf

In Defense of Religious Moderation
William Egginton
Columbia University Press
61 West 62nd Street, New York, NY 10023-7015
9780231148788, $24.50, www.cup.columbia.edu

In the grand religious debate, the moderate is often silenced in a sea of extremes. "In Defense of Religious Moderation" discusses the moderate in today's increasingly important debates. Fundamentalism and atheism are perhaps two sides of the same coin, argues William Egginton. Further claiming that the very code that extreme believers follow makes them unable to understand the middle or the other side, he states that moderation must somehow win out as a sort of scientific method for religious faith. "In Defense of Religious Moderation" is a very much recommended read for anyone trying to understand extremes and moderation in the modern religious debate.

The Catholic Studies Reader
James T. Fisher & Margaret M. McGuinness
Fordham University Press
University Box L, 2546 Belmont, Ave, Bronx
New York, NY 10458
9780823234110, $30.00, www.fordhampress.com

Study and thought are a requirement for any discipline to grow and flourish. "The Catholic Studies Reader" discusses an intellectual revival in the Catholic Church and its importance in the future survival of the faith as a whole. History, literature, culture, and much more are the many aspects of Catholic Studies and are very important for gaining an understanding of the subject as a whole. Many Catholic scholars gather, as James T. Fisher and Margaret M. McGuinness compile the volume. A core addiction to any collection dedicated to Catholicism and higher learning, "The Catholic Studies Reader" should not be overlooked.

The Journey Into Reflection
Ronnie McMullen
Strategic Book Group
PO Box 333, Durham, CT 06422
9781609760083, $19.95, www.strategicpublishingroup.com

You're the only thing holding yourself back. "The Journey Into Reflection" is a spiritual and motivational book from Ronnie McMullen as he advises readers to look deep inside themselves to pick up the pieces of their life by evaluating their past and pushing themselves to their own future, realizing their own truths. Stating that science and spirituality are merging, "The Journey Into Reflection" blends the power of self with metaphysical spirituality that many readers will learn to consider and embrace.


The Mystery/Suspense Shelf

The Manhattan Transfer
Howard Greenberg
Llumina Press
7101 W. Commercial Blvd Suite 4E
Tamarac, FL 33319
9781605945712, $15.95, www.llumina.com

Inheriting a friend's piece in a business deal also may come with that friend's enemies. "The Manhattan Transfer" tells the story of Richard Weiss, a cop facing retirement. With the death of a close friend John, he takes his place in a business deal with one Janice Eastman. But the soon to be former cop finds that such a business deal comes with its own concern, as the criminal underworld has a say in what goes down. A story of the business world gone sour and one last hurrah against crime, "The Manhattan Transfer" is a poignant thriller and very much worth considering.

The Valley of Shadows
Mark Terry
Oceanview Publishing
595 Bay Isles Road, 120-G, Longboat Key, FL 34228
Maryglenn McCombs (publicity)
2817 West End Avenue, Suite 126-274, Nashville, TN 37203
9781933515946, $22.95, www.oceanviewpub.com

To target election day is to target democracy itself. "The Valley of Shadows" tells of a massive sprawling terrorist plot that Derek Stillwater must crack down and solve. Millions of lives are on the line as information reveals five attacks throughout the country on Election day, and with a political assassination going as high as presidential candidates. "The Valley of Shadows" is a riveting thriller that should very much hard to put down, highly recommended.

Dorie LaValle
May DesJarlais
North Star Press of St. Cloud, Inc
PO Box 451, St. Cloud, MN 56302
9780878393664, $14.95, www.northstarpress.com

When you can't go to the police for justice, it all relies on your own wits. "Dorie LaValle: A Minnesota Story of Moonshine and Murder" tells the story of the titular character, who in her despair of a failing farm and a loveless marriage, she embraces illegal moonshine for something to do and to make ends meet for her family. When her partner in crime Victor is shot, Dorie finds that she is at odds with her neighbors, with the law, and with the mafia. "Dorie LaValle" is a fun, fast paced adventure and mystery set in the prohibition era Midwest.

Stones Don't Bear Witness
Boris Sandler
KTAV
888 Newark Avenue, Jersey City, NJ 07306
9781602801776, $16.95, www.ktav.com

Ritual Jewish murder sounds ridiculous, but rumors of such are all it took to ignite a wave of anti-Semitism. "Stones Don't Bear Witness" is a historical mystery from Boris Sandler, a Russian author drawing on events of the waning days of Czarist Russia and the plight of Jews of the time. Blamed for the murder of a Christian boy, the town's Jews come under fire. In a blend of fiction and historical research, and expertly translated by Barnett Zumoff, "Stones Don't Bear Witness" is truly a fascinating read that should prove quite difficult to put down.

Spider Web
Earlene Fowler
Berkeley Prime Crime
375 Hudson St., New York NY 10014
9780425240984, $25.95, www.penguin.com

SPIDER WEB is a special pick for any previously interested in the Benni Harper mystery series, and provides a fifteenth installment continuing the sleuth/museum curator/rancher's latest mystery. Here Benni is in charge of organizing a Memory Festival - but a sniper threatens it, and Benni fears for her loved ones and her family as a result. A new resident with too much information on her police chief husband Gabe's past adds to the mix of danger in this satisfying mystery, recommended for any mystery collection.

Pumped for Murder
Elaine Viets
Obsidian
c/o Penguin Group USA
375 Hudson St., New York NY 10014
9780451233202, $23.95, www.penguin.com

Pumped for Murder: A Dead-End Job Mystery offers the tenth installment in a popular series packing in mystery with humor. Here Helen opens her own PI agency with her husband after a series of dead-end jobs - and her first client is a woman who wants them to spy on her unfaithful husband. Helen decides to get a job at the gym the husband works out in - but now she must get back into shape as well as watch out for unfaithful actions and possible murder. A fine blend of humor and mystery evolves.


The Self-Help Shelf

Falling Into Grace
Adyashanti
Sounds True
Box 8010, Boulder, CO 80306
9781604070873, $24.95, www.soundstrue.com

New age and spirituality holdings will welcome FALLING INTO GRACE; INSIGHTS ON THE END OF SUFFERING, which reflects the author's fifteen years as a spiritual leader. Basic insights on the process of spiritual awakening and the development of personal freedom and true autonomy make for a fine survey examining why we suffer and how grace and purpose are achieved.

Inside-Out Healing
Richard Moss
Hay House
PO Box 5100, Carlsbad, CA 92018-5100
9781401927585, $15.95, www.hayhouseradio.com

The only limit to one's potential is the self. "Inside-Out Healing: Transforming Your Life Through the Power of Presence" is a motivational book from Richard Moss as he brings thoughts on how to better connect with those around one, how inspiring others can heal the self, improve empathy, and find fulfillment in one's life through being grateful for what one has. "Inside-Out Healing" is a spiritual and powerful book for finding that light in yourself and in those around you.

No More Regrets!
Marc Muchnick
Berrett-Koehler Publishers
235 Montgomery Street, Suite 650, San Francisco, CA 94104-2916
9781605098869, $14.95, www.bk-life.com

If you dawdle over a poor past, you'll never get anything done. "No More Regrets!: 30 Ways to Greater Happiness and Meaning in Your Life" is an inspirational guide from Marc Muchinik who encourages readers to break out of their life's grind and drive themselves to happiness and pursue what we really want out of our lives. With over thirty tips, Muchnick asks readers to pick a few and get going to a better life. "No More Regrets!" is a solid read for those who don't want to be drudged in misery any longer.


The Relationship Shelf

Total Flirt
Violet Blue
Viva Editions
2246 Sixth St, Berkeley, CA 94710
9781573446464, $12.95, www.vivaeditions.com

Flirting has always been an art, not an exact science. "Total Flirt: Tips, Tricks, & Techniques Every Girl Needs to Get the Guy" is a guide for women to take their hunt for a man into their own hands, on how to pick up on cues from their desire and how to drop some cues themselves. Stating that body language is a major part but actual language goes far on top of it, "Total Flirt" is a must for any woman who wants to take control of their hunt for love.


The Egyptology Shelf

Black Genesis
Robert Bauval & Thomas Brophy
Inner Traditions Bear & Company
1 Park Street, Rochester, VT 05767
9781591431145, $20.00, www.bearandcompanybooks.com

Could the roots of civilization lie in Black Africans, instead of those originating north of the Sahara? "Black Genesis: The Prehistoric Origins of Ancient Egypt" is the argument of an origin of Ancient Egypt that embraces Africans as the founders of civilization, allowing the ancient Egypt we know today to descend from such a culture. Robert Bauval & Thomas Brophy are an Egyptologist and an astronomer respectively, and offer their own evidence for their argument to put Black Africa back in charge of the origins of civilization.


The Travel Shelf

France, ninth edition
Nicola Williams, et.al.
Lonely Planet
150 Linden St., Berkeley CA 94607
9781741795943, $26.99, www.lonelyplanet.com

The ninth updated edition of LONELY PLANET FRANCE is a 'must' take-along tote for any independent traveler journeying to France, and offers cultural references and travel details alike. 10 months of research in France and 13 authors present over a hundred maps and plenty of practical references to places to see, stay, and things to do throughout the country. Color maps, sidebars of information, and practical, trip-planning details make this a winning - and exhaustive - reference.

Spain
Anthony Ham, et.al.
Lonely Planet
150 Linden St., Berkeley CA 94607
9781741795998, $26.99, www.lonelyplanet.com

SPAIN provides an excellent take-along reference for any independent traveler planning a journey to Spain. A pull-out map of Barcelona accompanies listings of large and small towns alike, including places to stay on all budgets, where to eat, cultural attractions, and what to see. Sidebars of special notes, small color maps, and more make this a winning take-along reference.

Nevada Trails
Peter Massey, Angela Titus, Jeanne Wilson
Adler Publishing Company
46937 Monarch Drive, Parker, CO 80138
9781930193147, $24.95, www.4wdbooks.com

Nature and history have merged into one delightful picture of scenery. "Nevada Trails: Southern Region" is a guide to the many backroads and four-wheel drive trails scattered throughout the state as the authors give readers a sampling of the many locations one might want to take through the state. Trails are organized by difficulty, and offers guides to many ghost towns and abandoned mines throughout the area. "Nevada Trails" is a must for any who want to see the unique beauty of Nevada has outside of the glitz and glamor of Las Vegas.

The Norway Bed & Breakfast Book
Anne Marit Bjorgen
Pelican
1000 Burmaster Street, Gretna, LA 70053
9781589809734, $17.95, www.pelicanpub.com

Norway is a sight to behold, and for a unique Nordic experience, a Bed & Breakfast may be the best route to avoid the truly tourist-driven hotel style. "The Norway Bed & Breakfast Book" is a guide to the many Bed & Breakfast lodging throughout the country written by an enthusiastic worldwide traveler and proud Norwegian in Anne Marit Bjorgen. Multi-lingual in English, Norwegian, and German, as well as illustrations of some of the locations, on top of history and countless other information. For those seeking a bed and breakfast experience in their visit to Norway, "The Norway Bed & Breakfast Book" is an excellent pick and very much recommended.


The Social Issues Shelf

The Killing Game
Gary Webb
Seven Stories Press
140 Watts Street, New York, NY 10013
9781583229323, $19.95, www.sevenstories.com

Corruption runs deep, and it takes a certain boldness to stand up to it all. "The Killing Game" is a collection of writings from Gary Webb, known for writing Dark Alliance, an investigative report that criticized the American government and its war on its own citizenry. In this set of writings, he takes on the corruption of law enforcement, the medical profession, the grab for greed, militarism, and much more. "The Killing Game" is a strongly recommended read for anyone who wants to gain an understanding of the dark side of the ruling class, highly recommended for community college social issues collections.

Grace Before Dying
Lori Waselchuk
Umbrage Editions
111 Front Street #208, Brooklyn, NY 11201
9781884167225, $40.00, www.umbragebooks.com

A death with dignity can at times be something very difficult to acquire. "Grace Before Dying" is a work of black and white photography as Lori Waselchuk focuses on the infamous prison Angola and how the inmates and prison staff have launched ways to give these men a death that isn't hollow and without meaning. A moving compilation of photography that catches much soul, an essay from Lawrence N. Powell drives the soul of the matter, and makes for a very educated read. "Grace Before Dying" is certainly a thoughtful read, a must for any socially active photography collection, highly recommended.

Morality and Global Justice Titles
Michael Boylan
Westview Press
2465 Central Avenue, Boulder CO 80301
www.westviewpress.com

Two fine college-level surveys on philosophy, ethics and social issues are top picks for any college-level lending library and gathering writings from top international experts who contribute winning essays. THE MORALITY AND GLOBAL JUSTICE READER (9780813344331, $45.00) offers principles and theories applied to world issues from poverty to religion, gender, family and more. Original essays provide a global perspective from a diverse team of scholars and offer chapters that move from founding principles to normative theories and applications. MORALITY AND GLOBAL JUSTICE: JUSTIFICATIONS AND APPLICATIONS (9780813344324, $35.00) offer applied ethics to consider how moral justifications are applied in social and political arenas. The two together provide a powerful set of insights perfect for any college-level social sciences, philosophy or political science holding.

Derelict Paradise
Daniel R. Kerr
University of Massachusetts Press
Box 429, Amherst, MA 01004
9781558498405, $28.95, www.umass/edu/umpress

DERELICT PARADISE: HOMELESSNESS AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT IN CLEVELAND, OHIO offers a survey of Cleveland's history from the late 19th century through the early 21st century, showing that homelessness has its roots in urban labor changes, social policy, and government development systems or lack thereof. It's a blend of social and political forces shaping the city's trends, and this college-level reader documenting these trends is a special recommendation for any social or urban issues collection.

Supercooperators
Martin A. Nowak with Roger Highfield
Free Press
1230 Avenue of Americas, New York NY 10020
9781439100189, $27.00, www.simonandschuster.com

SUPERCOOPERATORS: ALTRUISM, EVOLUTION, AND WHY WE NEED EACH OTHER TO SUCCEED discusses how evolution explains altruism, and offers an accessible book about the power of math and five distinct mechanisms that have fostered cooperative behavior patterns throughout the evolutionary process. From how cooperative behaviors evolved to how reason can be self-destructive in the absence of trust, this focuses on the Prisoner's Dilemma cycle and how cooperative behaviors create better scenarios for everyone. Social issues collections will find this a winner!

The Terrorist Next Door
Erick Stakelbeck
Regnery Publishers
One Massachusetts Avenue NW
Washington DC 20001
9781596981522, $27.95, www.regnery.com

The Terrorist Next Door: How the Government is Deceiving You About the Islamist Threat provides a condemning assessment from an investigative reporter who exposes the truth about our national security's failings. There's enormous terrorist threat growing right herein America - and the author's been inside American radical mosques, visited US-based Islamic enclaves, and interviewed al-Queda-linked terrorists themselves to provide this shocking revelation of how Islamic radicals have established strong footholds here on our soil. A powerful survey!

Basic Books
c/o Perseus Books Group
11 Cambridge Center, Cambridge, MA 02142
www.basicbooks.com

Robert Vamosi's WHEN GADGETS BETRAY US: THE DARK SIDE OF OUR INFATUATION WITH NEW TECHNOLOGIES (9780465019588, $26.99) comes from a technology reporter and analyst who has covered the Internet age for a decade, and who provides insights into the 'dark' side of digital capability and convenience where privacy is lost and identities are stolen. From iPads to BlackBerries, online banking to keyless entry systems, we're inadvertently giving information to electronic gadgets which can be compromised. This fine survey of how that can happen is a pick for any general lending library. Len Fisher's CRASHES, CRISES, AND CALAMITIES (9780465021024, $23.99) is a pick for science and social issues collections as well as many a general lending library, and considers how civilizations and societies collapse and how science can be used to explore potential, unexpected problems. Basic tools that help scientists and engineers forecast issues are explored in a guide to how predictions are made.

World 3.0
Pankaj Ghemawat
Harvard Business Review Press
c/o Harvard Business School Press
60 Harvard Way, Boston MA 02163
9781422138649, $29.95, www.hbr.org/books

WORLD 3.0: GLOBAL PROSPERITY AND HOW TO ACHIEVE IT is a pick for business and social issues collections alike, and considers beliefs about markets and globalization. It comes from an award-winning economist who reveals the folly in responses favoring and opposing both globalization and deregulation, calling for a third worldview - one in which regulation and cross-border integration coexist and compliment one another. From common assumptions about globalization to potential gains from further integration and market fears, this uses data to show how increased globalization can alleviate issues. College-level social issues collections need this!


The Aviation Shelf

World's Fastest Four-Engine Piston-Powered Aircraft
Mike Machat
Specialty Press
39966 Grand Avenue, North Branch, MN 55056
9781580071635, $32.95, www.specialtypress.com

Ever since man got off the ground, the push for speed has been quite the drive of technology. "World's Fastest Four-Engine Piston-Powered Aircraft: Story of the Republic XR-12 Rainbow" looks at the history of this propeller-based aircraft that was pushing nearly 500 mph before jets took the show in another direction entirely. A study of engineering and old fashioned aircraft, "World's Fastest Four-Engine Piston-Powered Aircraft" is a fine pick for those with a certain dedication and memoir for the older style of aircraft.


The Agriculture Shelf

The Backyard Homestead Guide to Raising Farm Animals
Gail Damerow, editor
Storey Publishing
210 MASS MoCA Way, North Adams, MA 01247
9781603429696, $24.95, www.storey.com

Raising farm animals doesn't require twenty acres. "The Backyard Homestead Guide to Raising Farm Animals" is a guide for those who want to raise livestock in their own property, making the most out of a limited space. With advice on raising everything from chickens to cows to rabbits, to even bees, the book will guide readers to getting the most out of their property and getting the absolute best out of their animals. "The Backyard Homestead Guide to Raising Farm Animals" is a must for anyone who wants to take the next step towards self-sufficiency.


The Gardening Shelf

Water-Efficient Landscaping
Heidi A. Kratsch
Utah State University
3078 Old Main Hill, Logan, UT 84322-3078
9780874217896, $22.95, www.usupress.org

Beautiful yards and gardens don't need to be wasteful endeavors. "Water-Efficient Landscaping: In the Inter-mountain West: A Professional and Do-It-Yourself Guide" is a guide for working with less water for both people who tend to their own lawns and gardens, and for people who make a business out of it. The inter-mountain region in the Western United States has a very unique climate that can be much more difficult to work with than the typically temperate regions elsewhere. Answering many questions landscapes may have completely and comprehensively, "Water-Efficient Landscaping" is a very useful and very highly recommended resource that shouldn't overlooked.


The Railroading Shelf

Rails Across Canada
Tom Murray
Voyageur Press
c/o MBI Publishing Company
400 First Avenue North, Suite 300
Minneapolis, MN 55401
9780760340080, $30.00, www.voyageurpress.com

The harsh land of Canada was a bit slower than its southern neighbor in adapting the power of rail, but it has been seen as an invaluable resource since. "Rails Across Canada" chronicles the history of Canada's railroads with hundreds of full color photographs throughout. Rails over Canada proved difficult at first, given the country's very harsh winters and mountainous terrain gave little window for easy construction. Chronicling a major industrial achievement, "Rails Across Canada" proves an excellent coffee table book and an excellent pick for anyone with a love of locomotives.


The Women's Studies Shelf

Bridesmaid on a Budget
Sharon Naylor
Seal Press
1700 - 4th St., Berkeley, CA 94710
9781580053372, $14.95, www.sealpress.com

Bridesmaid on a Budget: How to Be a Brilliant Bridesmaid Without Breaking the Bank provides a wedding reference planner perfect for the bridesmaid who wants all the trappings at less cost. It offers tips on how to scale back, how to handle etiquette issues, and how to make the most of bridal traditions. From shoe dye to serving food and drink on a budget, this is packed with solutions to common challenges.

Practical Princess Perfect Wardrobe
Elika Gibs
Ryland Peters & Small
20-21 Jockey's Fields, London WC1R 4BW
lauren.wright@rps.co.uk
9781849751148, $19.95, www.rylandpeters.com

The author's own three-step Practical Princess process covers all the basics of a complete wardrobe makeover, and is a pick for any who want to de-clutter and change a closet. Polly Wreford's color photos throughout provide plenty of illustration of this process, illustrating all the basics from beginning with a wardrobe assessment designed to help hone a wardrobe with intention, to organizing a wardrobe for optimum efficiency. Women's collections and home and garden libraries alike will find this a fine survey!

In Defense of Women
Nancy Gertner
Beacon Press
25 Beacon Street, Boston, MA 02108-2892
9780807011430, $26.95, www.beacon.org

Through the law, she made her mark on the world by daring to stand against the norm. "In Defense of Women: Memoirs of an Unrepentant Advocate" is a memoir of Nancy Gertner who since the 1970s has been an advocate for women's rights and standing up for many women in criminal cases. She tells her story of breaking into a very male dominated profession and making a lot of noise in the process, and her constant struggle in many landmark cases. A story of civil rights and a story of law, "In Defense of Women" is a must for any women's rights, memoir, or law studies collection.


The Political Science Shelf

Financing the 2008 Election
David B. Magleby & Anthony Carrado
Brookings Institution Press
1775 Massachusetts Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20036
9780815703327, $32.95, www.brookings.edu

The democratic process has become a billion dollar industry. "Financing the 2008 Election" discusses the past Presidential election in which a million was a drop in the bucket in fund-raising. David B. Magleby & Anthony Carrado discuss this massive flow of cash tossed about and what it means for American politics. Analyzing the special interest groups that lead to the inflation of funds tossed about, they paint an intriguing picture of the future of campaign finance and our future. "Financing the 2008 Election" is a definite pick for anyone curious about the future of campaign finance in America.

The Politics of Tragedy and Democratic Citizenship
Robert C. Pirro
Continuum
80 Maiden Lane, Suite 704, New York, NY 10038
9781441165251, $29.95, www.continuumbooks.com

Tragedy is more than a saddening event, it is a powerful tool. "The Politics of Tragedy and Democratic Citizenship" is a scholarly scrutiny of tragedy in Democracy, and how the nature of tragedy and tragic events have been used the world over by politicians, political thinkers, as well as artists to push their thoughts and ideas through. Robert C. Pirro, an American professor of Political Science focuses on the struggles of unified Germany, Czechoslovakia, and South Africa to paint a picture on how tragedy can shape a country through politics and else-wise. "The Politics of Tragedy and Democratic Citizenship" would do well in any political science or philosophy collection, enthusiastically recommended.

Real Common Sense
Brian Kahn
Seven Stories
140 Watts Street, New York, NY 10013
9781609801267, $19.95, www.sevenstories.com

The values of our founders have been lost, but not in the way many commentators believe we have lost them. "Real Common Sense: Using Our Founding Values to Reclaim Our Nation and Stop the Radical Right from Hijacking America" is a political book from Brian Kahn about the downward spiral that America has been taking, its causes, and where we are going. Kahn speaks on his view of what the founding fathers intended, and offers his opinions on what is dragging America down. "Real Common Sense" is worth considering for those seeking further political discussion that attacks America's many ailments.

Gangster Government
David Freddoso
Regnery Publishing, Inc.
One Massachusetts Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20001
9781596986480, $27.95, www.regnery.com

GANGSTER GOVERNMENT: BARACK OBAMA AND THE NEW WASHINGTON THUGOCRACY provides a condemning perspective on Obama's Presidency, pinpointing a Godfather-style reward system which pays those who helped him to get elected. From 'wasteful' stimulus money to government bailouts, this offers a perspective of Obama as a corrupt politician bent on changing America for the worse. Collections strong in political surveys will find this an involving guide.

Town Meeting
Donald L. Robinson
University of Massachusetts Press
P.O. Box 429, Amherst, MA 01004
9781558498556, $28.95, www.uamass.edu/umpress

TOWN MEETING: PRACTICING DEMOCRACY IN RURAL NEW ENGLAND provides an excellent reference tracing the origins of town-meeting democracy in Ashfield, a town of just under 2,000 people in the foothills of Eastern Massachusetts. Donald Robinson recounts several crises at the town's founding in the 18th century that continue to shape its character today, showing how it's changed and how democratic self-government functions - or not. This candid account of rural democracy in action deserves a place in every political science collection and any library strong in regional American politics.

The Making of International Environmental Treaties
Gerry Nagtzaam
Edward Elgar
9 Dewey Court, Northampton MA 01060
9781848444225, $155.00, www.e-elgar.com

The Making of International Environmental Treaties: Neoliberal and Constructivist Analyses of Normative Evolution offers college-level environmental and political science collections a fine survey on global environmental treaties that seek to preserve and protect some parts of nature from human use. It surveys three environmental norms - preservation, conservation and exploitation - using case studies on whaling, mining in Antarctica and tropical timber and shows how international political battles shape regimes and result in clashes between competing environmental norms. College-level collections will find it a winner!

Alabama Getaway
Allen Tullos
University of Georgia Press
330 Research Drive, Athens, GA 30602-4901
0820330493, $24.95, www.ugapress.org

ALABAMA GETAWAY: THE POLITICAL IMAGINARY AND THE HEART OF DIXIE explores the recent history of Alabama, from its political environment to its many social issues, and considers why the state appears to be stuck in uneven development and lapses of social and political judgment. Its ties to religious fundamentalism, militarism and gender issues are analyzed and its key political figures considered in a hard-hitting social survey recommended for any collection strong in American regional politics in general and the South's culture in particular.

Where's the Birth Certificate?
Jerome R. Corsi, Ph.D.
WND Books
marketing@wnd.com
9781936488292, $25.95, www.wnd.com

WHERE'S THE BIRTH CERTIFICATE? THE CASE THAT BARACK OBAMA IS NOT ELIGIBLE TO BE PRESIDENT debates Obama's role as a natural-born citizen of the U.S. - and is published after the presentation of his Hawaii birth certificate. The publisher maintains that Obama's recent release of his birth certificate was actually a preemptive strike against this book's facts - and this book goes beyond the issue of birth certificates to examine Obama's legal eligibility to be president and the fabrications of his life in general. Collections gathering political or anti-Obama material will find this involving.


The Humor Shelf

Uncle John's Bathroom Reader Tunes into TV
Bathroom Reader's Institute
Box 1117, Ashland, OR 97520
1607101815, $18.95, www.bathroomreader.com

Uncle John's Bathroom Reader Tunes into TV is an outstanding humor and trivia reference guide offering keys to TV shows, from cult hits to flops and sitcoms alike. From the COPS story and who invented the Nielsen ratings to the realities behind reality TV shows and how TV can predict the future, this is packed with fun, involving tidbits perfect for quick at-a-glance, lively reading and recommended for general interest collections appealing to TV viewers.

F in Exams
Richard Benson
Chronicle Books
680 - 2nd St., San Francisco CA 94107
9780811878319, $9.95, www.chroniclebooks.com

F IN EXAMS: THE VERY BEST TOTALLY WRONG TEST ANSWERS gathers hilarious examples of creative ways students tackle challenging test questions, and is a 'must' for any general lending library or collection where student humor is featured. From the answer that 'cats' are the main industry in Persia to the miracle Christians celebrate at Easter ("chocolate!"), this is a hilarious winner!

The Decadent Housewife
Rosemary Counter
Reader's Digest
44 South Broadway, White Plains, NY 10601
9781606522523, $16.95, www.elwinstreet.com

Housework is for chumps. "The Decadent Housewife: Fun and Flirty Secrets to Keep Him Wrapped Around Your Little Finger" is a humorous tongue-in-cheek guide from Rosemary Counter as she guides readers through being the perfect housewife. At least what he THINKS is the perfect housewife. With tips on slacking off, dealing with the few things you absolutely need to, coming off as superior when obviously you are and much more, "The Decadent Housewife" is a top pick for anyone who wants to be a trophy wife with an expertise in laziness and thinks there's nothing wrong with that.


The Criminology Shelf

Heartland Serial Killers
Richard C. Lindberg
Northern Illinois University Press
2280 Bethany Road
DeKalb, IL 60115
9780875804361 $28.95 www.niupress.niu.edu

Historian and true crime writer Richard C. Lindberg presents Heartland Serial Killers: Belle Gunness, Johann Hoch, and Murder for Profit in Gaslight Era Chicago, a dual biography of two notorious killers who combined marriage and murder in the Chicago area during the 1890s and 1900s. Johann Hoch was a bigamist and wife killer who openly claimed to have perfected a "scientific technique" to romance and seduction; Belle Gunness was a "Black Widow" who used matrimonial advertisements and the appeal of middle-age security on her farm to lure bachelors to their deaths. In chronicling these two murderous individuals, Lindberg also draws connections between Hoch and the serial killer H.H. Holmes, also known as the "Devil in the White City". A handful of black-and-white photographs illustrate this chilling true crime chronicle.


The Jewelry Shelf

Desert Silver
Sigrid van Roode
KIT Publishers
c/o Stylus Publishing
22883 Quicksilver Drive
Sterling, VA 29166-2012
9789460220470, $30.00, www.styluspub.com

The ancients embraced silver just as much as gold for their decorative needs. "Desert Silver: Nomadic and Traditional Silver Jewelry from the Middle East and North Africa" investigates the styles used throughout the southern half of the Mediterranean sea through some of Humanity's oldest civilizations. This jewelry proves to have practical value and comfort for the peoples of the desert life that managed to tell their status without being too clunky. "Desert Silver" is a must for anyone with a taste for the ancient classical styles of history.


The Wine Shelf

DIY Cocktails
Marcia Simmons & Jonas Halpren
Adams Media
57 Littlefield Street, Avon, MA 02322
9781440507502, $16.95, www.adamsmedia.com

It takes a bit of creativity, but the results can be something special. "DIY Cocktails: A Simple Guide to Creating Your Own Signature Drinks" is a guide to getting crazy and creative with drinks, as Marcia Simmons & Jonas Halpren walk readers through how to best mix flavors and avoid the no nos of what does and doesn't mix. With tips on syrups, when to use premade, when to make your own, and much more, "DIY Cocktails" is a must pick for anyone who wants a new flavor experience with every cocktail.


The LGBT Studies Shelf

A Queer History of the United States
Michael Bronski
Beacon Press
25 Beacon Street
Boston, MA 02108-2892
9780807044391 $27.95 www.beacon.org

A Queer History of the United States is an eye-opening chronicle of one side of American history that is routinely left out of classroom textbooks. From Thomas Morton, who broke away from Plymouth Colony to found Merrymount (a place where same-sex desire, atheism, and interracial marriage were accepted and welcome), to how World War II drastically changed gender roles, to how organizations championing gay and lesbian rights such as ACT UP helped spread awareness of the HIV and AIDS epidemics when the Reagan administration was far too silent, A Queer History of the United States lives up to its title and is an absolutely invaluable addition to American History as well as LGBT Studies shelves.


The Reference Shelf

Index it Right!
Janet Perlman and Enid L. Zafran
Information Today Inc.
143 Old Marlton Pike, Medford, NJ 08055
9781573873963, $32.00, www.infotoday.com

INDEX IT RIGHT! ADVICE FROM THE EXPERTS V. 2 covers everything from locators and indexing for public policy and military books to creating indexes for textbooks, and surveys all the basics of indexing for professional indexers looking for specifics on vocabularies and approaches. Chapters tell how to save indexes to import into Word, how to handle entry density challenges, and more. Highly recommended!

Edited by S.P. Fjestad
Blue Book Publications Inc.
8009 - 34th Ave. S., Suite 175, Minneapolis, MN 55425
www.bluebookinc.com

The ninth updated edition of Dr. Robert D. Beeman & John B. Allen's BLUE BOOK OF AIRGUNS (1936120135, $29.95) provides over six hundred pages in the only resource for the latest prices and values of both modern and vintage airguns. It's co-written by the 'Godfather of the Airgun Industry' And pairs detailed descriptions and the latest values with over 1,200 black and white images identifying the most popular makes and models, pairing history with practical airgun price valuations. Any gun collector or library catering to them will consider this a 'must have' reference! A top pick for the same kind of collection is the third updated edition of S.P. Fjestad's BLUE BOOK OF TACTICAL FIREARMS (9781936120116, $29.95), packing in a complete reference on tactical rifles, airguns and shotguns. This narrowed reference considers only the tactical firearms from the general Blue Book of Gun Values database, devoted solely to this area and excluding sporting guns. Over 400 pages pack in new and older models of tactical guns and offers detailed model descriptions and indexes of manufacturers and suppliers. Any gun reference collection should have this specific, invaluable reference!

How to Write a Historic Structure Report
David Arbogast
W.W. Norton
500 - 5th Avenue, New York NY 10110
9780393706147, $26.00, www.wwnorton.com

How to Write a Historic Structure Report is the only step-by-step guide to walk readers through the process of compiling a historic structure report, the document key to all preservation professionals which evaluates a historic building before restoration. From gathering historical data on the property to assessing the entire structure, this covers all the basics of a HSR and is a 'must' reference for any homeowner or architectural arts collection.


The Comix/Graphic Novel Shelf

The Cardboard Valise
Ben Katchor
Pantheon Books
1745 Broadway, New York NY 10019
9780375421143, $25.95, www.pantheonbooks.com

The Cardboard Valise provides a fine graphic novel in black and white and offers the first book from Ben Katchor in over ten years: as such, it's a top pick for any library strong in cartoon and graphic novels. It creates the fantasy story of the nation of Outer Canthus and three people who inhabit its shores, presenting the story in the form of a surrealistic journey. Readers will find it an inviting, detailed fantasy.


The Art Shelf

Margot Van Voorhies: The Art of Mexican Enamelwork
Penny C. Morrill
Schiffer Books
4880 Lower Valley Rd, Atglen, PA 19310
9780764335495, $49.99, www.schifferbooks.com

Margot Van Voorhies: The Art of Mexican Enamelwork comes from an inspired silver jewelry designer who in 1938 traveled from San Francisco to Mexico, where she married a silversmith. Together the two established a workshop where Margot designed most of the jewelry, and in 1947 she created her own business. Her enamel jewelry is profiled here in a series of color photos and jewelry analysis, focusing on her many works and adding introductions to four modern artists working in enameling. Any arts collection strong in jewelry-making history needs this!

The Lure of Painted Poetry
Seunghye Sun
Hudson Hills Press
3556 Main St., Manchester, VT 05254
9781555953645, $50.00, www.hudsonhills.com

THE LURE OF PAINTED POETRY: JAPANESE AND KOREAN ART uses works from the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art's holdings and provides a catalog and exhibition concentrating on the classical Chinese poetry that Japanese and Korean artists applied to their own arts. From landscapes to figure paintings, this analyzes themes and provides pages of images to accompany them, making for a fine pick for any ethnic arts or Asian collection.


The Needlecraft Shelf

Dimensional Machine Embroidery
Deborah Jones
Krause Publications
4700 E. Galbraith Rd., Cincinnati OH 45236
1440203970, $34.99, www.mycraftivitystore.com

Dimensional Machine Embroidery offers needlecrafters a fine survey showing how to enhance machine embroidery skills with specialty techniques. From using raw-edge applique and shadows to blending in lace, this offers step-by-step instructions for each technique and includes a bonus DVD hosted by Nancy Zieman showing the techniques. 11 dimensional techniques include recommendations for different fabrics and notions for each project, making this a fine addition to any needlework collection.

Orange Peel
Linda Baxter Lasco, Editor
American Quilter's Society
Box 3290, Paducah, KY 42002-3290
9781574326826, $26.95, www.AmericanQuilter.com

ORANGE PEEL: NEW QUILTS FROM AN OLD FAVORITE provides nearly twenty quilts gathered from the New Quilts From an Old Favorite contest. Over twenty quiltmaker interpretations of the classic block provides a large range of variations and techniques in a fine survey certain to delight any quilting collection looking for something new. Color photos and patterns make it easy to create these originals and variations.

Couture Sewing Techniques, revised edition
Claire B. Shaeffer
Taunton Press
Box 5506, Newtown, CT 06470-5506
9781600853357, $24.95, www.taunton.com

Couture Sewing Techniques appears in a revised, updated edition which completely revamps the original and is a top pick for any needlework or crafting library. It provides a new chapter on designing with special fabrics, packs in photos and step-by-step illustrations, and includes insider tips to couture, tips for interfacings and finishing, marking garments, and more. A 'must' for any needleworker who wants to learn advanced techniques.

Threads Sewing Guide
Carol Fresia, Editor
Taunton Press
Box 5506, Newtown, CT 06470-5506
9781600851445, $34.95, www.taunton.com

Threads Sewing Guide packs in tips and shortcuts to better sewing, with color photos and step-by-step illustrations accompanying special sections on sergers and embellishments. Threads magazine is one of the leading sewing publications in the country and this gathers the best advice under one cover, considering everything from basic stitches to couture techniques. Any with more than a casual interest in sewing will find this a winning guide, and libraries will find it a key, popular reference.


The Woodworking Shelf

The New Traditional Woodworker
Jim Tolpin
Popular Woodworking Books
steve.shanesy@fwpubs.com
1440304289, $26.99, www.popularwoodworking.com

The New Traditional Woodworker: From Tool Set to Skill Set to Mind Set is a 'must have' for any homeowner or crafter interested in working with wood rather than machining it. Expensive tools aren't required here: in fact, the use of power tools is eliminated. Learn to setup a hand-tool woodworking shop, discover toolsets, practice skillsets, and complete a course in hand-tool woodworking in this outstanding guide, loaded with step-by-step color photos and projects and perfect for any general collection catering to wood crafters and home owners alike.


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


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